Nine Cigars To Celebrate The Year Of The Dragon
February 10 marked the start of Lunar New Year, or what is known in the Chinese zodiac as the Year of the Dragon. Instead of lighting fireworks, why not take a moment to light a festively-themed cigar? More and more cigar companies are getting into the spirit and we found nine smokes with a Year of the Dragon theme for you to choose from. While the number eight is regarded as the luckiest number in Chinese culture, nine is considered pretty lucky as well. Besides, as far as the odds are concerned, the more cigars on the market, the better the chances of you finding one.
Davidoff Year of the Dragon Limited Edition 2024 ($59)
This is Davidoff’s twelfth cigar to commemorate the Chinese zodiac and now has come full circle. At 7 1/2 inches by 50 ring gauge, its length calls to mind the long body of a Chinese dragon. It comes in a bright red 10-count box adorned with a dragon-scale pattern. If a double corona is too long, the Year of the Dragon is also available in a 6-by-56 Gran Toro that retails for a little more at $89 per cigar.
Gurkha Year of the Dragon
Why have one zodiac-themed release when you could have five? That’s what Gurkha is doing, each one a collaboration with a different cigarmaker. The first is a 6 3/4 by 52 figurado made in the Dominican Republic by El Artista in a red box ($25); the second is a 6 5/8-by-52 figurado made in Nicaragua by A.J. Fernandez in a green box ($25); a Dominican 6 5/8 by 54 toro by E.P. Carrillo in a black box ($25); a Nicaraguan 6 1/2 by 60 figurado from Oliva Cigar Co. in an orange box ($25); and a 6-by-52 toro made in Honduras by Oscar Valladares in a yellow box ($25).
Montecristo Year of the Dragon Brillantes (Price unknown)
Even Cuba has ed the celebration, as this is the fifth time that Habanos S.A. has released a cigar for the Chinese zodiac. This year, it’s taken one of the most iconic Cuban brands and created the Cohiba Siglo de Oro. The chip provides both authenticity verification and an interactive means to provide information about the product.
Oliva Year of the Dragon ($35)
Consisting of an Ecuador Habano wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and filler, this 7-by-50 Churchill marks Oliva’s first foray into the Lunar Year celebration. Don’t expect to find this on the shelves of your local tobacconist as it is offered exclusively through China Duty Free channels. With only 1,500 boxes of 10 being released, each set has a suggested retail price of $350, or $35 per cigar. They’re expected to appear in the middle of this month.
Punch Dragon Fire ($6.99)
Notice something different here? Unlike the rest of the releases on this list, the box isn’t red and gold. Instead, Scandinavian Tobacco Group went in another direction and presented its cigars in boxes that resemble a pack of fireworks. Made at the STG Estelí Factory in Nicaragua, these fat, 5-by-60 robustos feature a dark, Mexican San Andrés wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder from Condega and mix of fillers from Honduras, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. It’s also the most affordable cigar on the list.
Plasencia Year of the Dragon ($45)
Plasencia’s offering for the Chinese New Year is the only Nicaraguan puro on the list and consists entirely of leaves grown on farms owned by the company. Measuring 6 1/2 by 54, this torpedo comes in boxes of 10. Production is limited to just 3,000 boxes, with half allocated for the United States and the other half for the international market.
Rocky Patel Year of the Dragon ($35)
Rocky Patel enters the zodiac for the first time with this 6 1/2-by-52 Toro. It consists of a Mexican San Andrés wrapper, two binders (one Honduran and one Nicaraguan) and all-Nicaraguan filler. The Nicaraguan leaves were all grown on farms owned by the company. Production is limited to just 6,000 boxes.
VegaFina Year of the Dragon ($15)
Though there have been multiple VegaFina zodiac-themed releases, last year was the first time it came to the United States It’s back again, this time as a Churchill composed of an Ecuadoran wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and filler tobacco from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. Production is limited to just 6,888 boxes of 16, with 500 of them allocated to the U.S. market. It’s expected to start shipping later this month.
Cohiba Short Year of the Dragon (175 euro, about $189)
If you like Cuban Cohibas in a small, petit corona size, here’s your chance to own 88 of them. That’s how many Cohiba Shorts come in this Year of the Dragon humidor, beautifully lacquered and designed. Sure, they’re machine-made cigars, but with Cuban Cohibas getting harder and harder to find, these little Shorts just might be your best bet for casual puffing when the handmade Cohibas aren’t available. Plus, you’ll have a handsome humidor after you’ve smoked them all.
