Jay-Z Launches Comador, a “Super Premium” Cigar
Jay-Z is best known for his hip hop hits, but he’s also known for his love of cigars. Jay-Z has graced the cover of Cigar Aficionado, and has actually brought his own cigar roller along with him on his musical tour with Justin Timberlake so that he could enjoy a backstage “gentleman’s club” with friends and associates. While the big news in the music world this week focuses on Jay-Z’s nine Grammy award nominations, in the cigar world we’re excited about the singer’s announcement that he is launching his very own “super premium” cigar dubbed Comador in partnership with Cohiba/General Cigar (General Cigar owns the license to use the Cohiba brand outside of Cuba).
This isn’t a cigar you’ll be able to casually stroll into your local tobacconist and pick up for a few bucks. “Super premium” describes not only the “rare, proprietary” tobaccos the cigars will contain, but also their price tag. Seven Comador cigars will cost about $210, which comes out to about $30 per cigar. A full set of 14 will cost almost $1,000 if you order them in the limited edition box set. So while this will be a luxury cigar, it isn’t priced so far out of the market as to be unaffordable to the average person. Thirty bucks is luxurious, but hardly inaccessible for a unique smoking experience.
Discussing the partnership with Cohiba, Jay-Z said, “I worked with Cohiba because I knew they’d take my vision of a luxury cigar and bring it to life in the right way.” Jay-Z sat down with Cohiba brand leaders and talked about the cigars he enjoys and the notes that he likes best. From there, the team worked to combine different tobaccos until they had something that Jay-Z really loved and was happy to associate his name with. “He knows what he likes when he sees it,” explained General Cigar President Dan Carr.
What is the Comador like? The tobacco leaves have been hand-selected from Central America and the Caribbean. The Havana seed Connecticut-grown wrapper is said to be crafted from rare tobacco leaves “prized for (their) exquisite flavor and deep, lustrous appearance.” The Comador was designed to offer a smooth, mild smoking experience with a slow, even burn, perfect for veteran smokers and newbies alike. If the Comador is successful, it could be the beginning of a bright future for Jay-Z and General Cigar. “We’re viewing this as a long-term partnership,” said Dan Carr.
