Warzone, the collaborative project between General Cigar Co. and Espinosa Premium Cigars, is getting a new box pressed Short Churchill vitola.

News of the new size’s release came as Espinosa Premium Cigars announced that it was moving its La Zona Palooza event to an online format and began selling three packages with different cigars included. Inside those packages will be the new size of Warzone, which was identified as a Short Churchill during a Facebook video featuring Hector Alfonso Sr., the company’s director of operations, and Jack Toraño, the company’s director of sales.

The cigar measures 6 1/2 x 48 and is slated to be available on retail shelves at some point in November. It will come in 20-count boxes, with pricing yet to be announced. However, those who order the event packs will receive them in early November, ahead of La Zona Palooza, scheduled for Nov. 12-14.

Warzone was released in November 2019 and debuted in two sizes, a 5 1/2 x 52 robusto and a 6 x 52 toro. Not only was it the first time that the two companies had worked together, but it was also the first time that Espinosa had produced a cigar using a Cameroon wrapper. Underneath that leaf is a Honduran binder and filler tobaccos from Colombia and Nicaragua.

In addition to the new Short Churchill size, Espinosa is producing an additional limited run of the robusto vitola, approximately 500 boxes.

The project was created by Espinosa along with his son Erik and the company’s director of operations, Hector Alfonso Sr., along with Justin Andrews of General Cigar Co. It gets its name and imagery from the Ten Years’ War, fought between 1868 and 1878, and the first of three wars that eventually led to Cuba’s independence. The artwork for the project was created by Cuban artist Edin Gutierrez, who also did the art for the company’s Las 6 Provincias line, which currently has two releases, LHB and MTZ.

Warzone is produced at the La Zona Cigar Factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. General Cigar Co. is handling the sales and distribution of the line.

Update — Shortly after this story was published, the dimensions and release date were confirmed by a representative from Espinosa. A representative from General Cigar Co. declined to discuss specifics of the cigar at this time.

Overall Score

Avatar photo

Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.