Scandinavian Tobacco Group Announces Midyear Portfolio Adjustments
As part of its midyear portfolio adjustment, Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) announced that it will implement price changes across its extensive product range, effective today, August 1. The adjustments will impact several brands under its umbrella, including General Cigar Co., Forged Cigar Co., Alec Bradley, and Room101.
STG did not provide a comprehensive summary of the changes, nor did it offer a reason for the price increases, leaving retailers to identify the adjustments on a line-by-line basis. The price hikes vary, with some cigars seeing increases ranging from $0.60 to $1.40. Typically, higher-priced lines are experiencing more significant increases. For example, within Macanudo’s core line, the 6 x 52 Tudor size will increase by $1.10, from $10.69 to $11.79, while the 4 x 36 Caviar size will rise from $4.29 to $4.69. Similar adjustments are noted in other lines such as La Gloria Cubana and several Alec Bradley offerings.
General Cigar Co.’s Cohiba line is also affected, with the Cohiba Churchill’s price increasing from $27.29 to $29.49 and the Cohiba Robusto rising from $24.79 to $26.79.
Most cigars in STG’s portfolio are seeing price increases, with exceptions primarily limited to the newest releases. These include the Hoyo Rojo and Hoyo Oscuro, which were launched in early June, and the CAO FASA Sol and FASA Noche, introduced this past spring.
In addition to the price adjustments, STG announced the discontinuation of four cigar lines:
1. CAO Nicaragua: Launched in 2018, this line featured Nicaraguan fillers from Condega, Estelí, and Jalapa, with a wrapper and binder from the Jamastran Valley of Honduras. Produced by STG Estelí in Nicaragua, it will no longer be available.
2. CAO Maduro: A medium- to full-bodied line using a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper, Ecuadorian binder, and fillers from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. This line was offered in three sizes: a 6 x 54 Belicoso, a 5 1/2 x 55 toro, and a 5 x 50 robusto.
3. Macanudo Vintage 2006: Released in 2012, this line highlighted its Connecticut Shade wrapper from the 2006 crop, which the company described as extraordinary due to favourable growing conditions. It was available in robusto and toro sizes, both featuring thick metal rings instead of traditional bands.
4. Diesel Disciple: Initially released in June 2021 as an exclusive to the Tobacconists’ Association of America (TAA) in a 7 x 38 Lancero size, it became widely available in July 2022. In April 2023, the line expanded to include a 6 1/4 x 52 toro and a 6 1/2 x 54 torpedo. The Disciple’s blend comprised a Mexican San Andrés wrapper over an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder and Nicaraguan Habano fillers, produced by AJ Fernandez in Nicaragua.
