The Vegueros Centrofinos, a 5 inch long, 50 ring gauge cigar, is being added to the value-priced Cuban brand’s lineup. The new robusto, which will be packaged in the brand’s familiar and distinctive square, metal containers, each packed with 16 cigars, will reach global markets in the near future, according to Habanos S.A., Cuba’s government-controlled cigar monopoly.
Vegueros was completely revamped in 2013, with a new lineup of sizes, and relaunched in late-2014 as a value brand in the Habanos’ portfolio. The brand was initially created to pay homage to Cuban tobacco farmers in Pinar del Río, and for many years had a lancero and other relatively skinny sizes. Many of brand’s cigars are still produced at the Francisco Donatien factory in the city of Pinar del Río, not far from the tobacco fields where much of Cuba’s finest leaf is grown.
The existing sizes of the brand are the Tapados, 4 3/4 inches by 46 ring, the Entretiempos, 4 1/3 inches by 52 and the Mañanitas, 4 inches by 46.
The trio of modern-day Vegueros have scored between 87 and 90 points in blind tastings conducted in Cigar Insider and Cigar Aficionado magazine. The cigars retail for around 3.60 euros to 5 euros ($4 to $5.64) apiece in Spain. A price for the new size has not been announced, but it should be comparably inexpensive.