Two Regional Editions Land in Europe

France – La Gloria Cubana Podium

If you’re in Paris for the Summer Olympics, consider stepping away from the stadium to visit a cigar store. The La Gloria Cubana Podium, France’s Regional Edition cigar for 2024, is now available.

The Podium is 6 1/8 inches long with a 50 ring gauge, the same size as the Trinidad Robusto Extra (minus the pigtail) and known as Dobles in Cuban cigar factories.

Like all Regional Edition cigars, it features a second band beneath the primary one indicating its exclusive territory. However, unlike many Regionals, the Podium also has a foot band. Notably, the ribbon binding the cigars is in the colours of France’s flag, rather than the typical yellow.

This marks the first time a French Regional Edition has been offered under the La Gloria Cubana brand. The cigars retail for 40 euros each (about $43.45) and come in 10-count boxes, with only 4,000 boxes produced.

All Cuban cigars in France, including the La Gloria Cubana Podium, are distributed by Coprova, the country’s official Habanos importer and distributor.

Italy – Saint Luis Rey La Cuna

This month, stores in Italy have started selling the Saint Luis Rey La Cuna, which is officially part of the 2021 class of Edición Regional cigars.

The Saint Luis Rey La Cuna Edición Regional Italia is a lonsdale-sized cigar measuring 6 7/10 inches (170mm) by 43 ring gauge, known as the dalia in the Cuban vitola naming system. As is typical with Edición Regional releases, it features a red secondary band indicating its exclusivity to Italy.

The Saint Luis Rey La Cuna Edición Regional Italia is priced at €21 ($22.75) per cigar and is limited to 10,000 numbered boxes of 10 cigars each.

This is the first time Italy has received a Saint Luis Rey cigar as part of the Edición Regional program offered by Habanos S.A. to its global distributors. Each year, distributors can commission one cigar for their region, though there are exceptions where more than one cigar can be selected. These cigars must come from brands not part of the company’s former “Global Brands,” such as Cohiba and Montecristo, and must be a size not currently offered in that brand.

Edición Regional cigars are identified by a secondary red and silver band that reads “Edición Regional,” typically followed by the name of the region represented by that distributor. Often, these cigars do not arrive in stores during the year they are selected, with releases sometimes delayed by years. Although the La Cuna is officially part of the 2021 class, it is not uncommon for 2021 Edición Regional releases to debut in subsequent years due to such delays.