Y Panda Begins Shipping to Retailers
The Y Panda, a new line that is a collaboration between Luciano Meirelles of Luciano Cigars and Linxu “Panda” Yan, one of the company’s former interns and now a brand ambassador, is on its way to retailers.
Yan left China at the age of 16, ending up in the United States and eventually Estelí, Nicaragua with Luciano Cigars in pursuit of a career in the premium cigar industry. Yan has been an intern at the company’s factory and farms for approximately the past 14 months, but now his affiliation will be more focused on being a brand ambassador for Y Panda. Prior to joining Luciano Cigars, Yan worked at a retail shop in Memphis, Tenn.
The Y Panda was co-blended with Meirelles and uses an Ecuadorian corojo 98 wrapper, a double binder of Brazilian arapiraca and Ecuadorian Sumatra-seed, while the filler is made up of Nicaraguan tobacco, specifically viso from Jalapa and seco from Estelí, a combination that the company says operates as the yin and yang, offering “edgy sweetness, mild flavors brought to life with slight strength to the seasoned palate.” It is a blend that “seeks to disrupt palates with the signature complexity for which Luciano Cigars is known,” according to a press release.
“I truly believe the very reason Luciano does what he does is rooted in people, relationships, and the dreams that can be built together,” Yan said in a press release. “I’m humbled to be added to the legacy of Luciano Cigars with Y Panda.”
Y Panda is being offered in four sizes, which are produced by the Luciano Cigar Factory:
- Y Panda Corona Gorda (5 5/8 x 46) — $10.20 (Box of 20, $204)
- Y Panda Robusto (5 x 50) — $11.70 (Box of 20, $234)
- Y Panda Toro (6 x 52) — $12.70 (Box of 20, $254)
- Y Panda Sublime (6 1/2 x 54) — $13.70 (Box of 20, $274)
“I have always found that life is best lived when we embrace its contradictions, Meirellles said in a press release. “From his own identity, to moments in life where he’s been blessed even when most struggling, this cigar is Panda’s attempt at expressing a new realization. Y Panda is about finding the good in the bad, the opportunity when things go wrong, and some of life’s answers even when overwhelmed with questions and uncertainty. Panda is one of a kind, a super taster and working with him was priceless.”
The Y Panda line is distributed by Luciano Cigars. It made its debut at the 2023 PCA Convention & Trade Show in July.
Image courtesy of Luciano Cigars.
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 Major League Baseball, 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.
Related Posts
-
July 5, 2023 -
February 14, 2023
