Gran Habano Gran Reserva #3

Gran Habano has recently done some shuffling within its product line. Back in September, the company announced that it would discontinue the production of its Cabinet Selection and 3 SLS lines. The supply of the two lines is supposedly near its end, and Gran Habano said it had cut them in order to concentrate on the quality of its core lines as well as any other special projects.

Apparently, one of the brand's special projects was already pending, as Gran Habano recently announced it would release the Gran Reserva #3. The Gran Reserva #3 has a release date scheduled for the first week of November. Production will be limited to 1,200 boxes nationwide due to the special tobaccos used and the long aging process associated with each cigar. The Gran Reserva #3 marks the second time Gran Habano has released a limited edition product. In 2005, the brand introduced the V.L. line, which was limited to 250,000 units.

The Gran Reserva #3's filler is a blend of eight year old Colombian tobacco from the La Joya del Valle farm and seven year old Nicaraguan tobacco from the La Santa Cruz farm. The seven year old binder also comes from the La Santa Cruz farm, as does the eight year old wrapper. The cigars were rolled in 2008, allowing them to age until now. George A. Rico has been in charge of the blending process, and he claims that each cigar provides a smoke that is smooth and complex at the same time.

The Gran Reserva #3 comes in three sizes: the 6 x 54 Gran Robusto, the 6 1/8 x 52 Pyramid, and the 7 x 50 Churchill. Each size has a retail price of around $7, not including local taxes.

Davidoff Maduro Toro

Although Dominican Davidoffs have been around for nearly 20 years, the brand has not released much in the way of Maduro cigars. Davidoff's first Maduro came in 2008, when it released the Maduro R, a Robusto. It later followed with the Maduro C, a Corona. To add to its rather thin repertoire in that segment, Davidoff has decided to release the Maduro Toro.

The Maduro Toro measures 6 x 48. Its filler and binder are Dominican, and it sports a Nicaraguan Cuban Seed wrapper. Hendrik Kelner oversees production of the Toro in the Dominican Republic. If you want to get your hands on this third Maduro release from Davidoff, you will have to pay a pretty penny, as each Toro has a retail price of $18.50. A box of 25, meanwhile, goes for $462.50. Of course, pricey cigars are nothing new from Davidoff. Then again, neither is premium quality, as many of its prior releases, the Maduros included, have received high ratings.