Fratello’s Bianco Nero On Shelves Now

Light and shadow are the contrasting elements that define classic chiaroscuro painting, and Fratello Cigars has taken a similar artistic approach to its newest release, Bianco Nero.
Nearly 10 years ago, Fratello introduced a maduro blend called Bianco. At the time, it was only the second brand in the young company’s portfolio. Founder Omar de Frias has since expanded Fratello with several uniquely themed cigar lines, but he decided to revisit Bianco. Last week, Fratello launched Bianco Nero, a limited-edition, box-pressed perfecto that de Frias calls a “bold reimagining” of the blend.
Bianco Nero translates to “white black” in Italian, and de Frias is hoping that this cigar ends up being a study of light-on-dark contrasts—complexity and richness, intensity and sophistication. Bianco Nero is made with the same wrapper as that found on the core Bianco line (Mexican San Andrés) but that’s where the similarities end. The binder is Indonesian (rather than Dominican like the original) and this new cigar is made with entirely Nicaraguan filler, as opposed to the original filler blend of Nicaraguan, Peruvian and Pennsylvanian tobaccos.
These limited-edition perfectos measure 6 inches long, swelling to a 58 ring gauge at the fattest point. They come in 10-count boxes with a suggested retail price of $15 per cigar, and are made in Nicaragua at the Joya de Nicaragua factory, where many Fratello cigars are produced.
Bianco Nero started shipping last week and should be on retailer shelves now.