Just a few weeks ago, Brian and I were fortunate enough to partake in the Famous Cigar Expo 2009. In my writeup, I mentioned that we got to talking to Eddie Ortega and he mentioned coming out with two new cigars for the IPCPR trade show in New Orleans.
This morning I received a press release with a bit more information. I thought it would be better than the little teaser I gave you a few weeks ago and give you an idea as to what the new cigars look like and how they are packaged.
Press Release from EO Brands:
Sunrise, FL, 27 July…”The cigars were better than Eddie and I hoped for,” said Erik Espinosa, when asked how it went in Esteli, Nicaragua, when he and partner, Eddie Ortega smoked the first production of Murcielago. The cigars they smoked, and they smoked dozens, were produced in March and they were in Esteli last week, smoking from dawn till dusk.
The name, Murcielago, Spanish for “Bat,” came about when Ortega and Espinosa were on a visit to Mexico, and were taken to see caves, literally, filled with bats.
The slightly box pressed cigars, wrapped in a superb Mexican leaf, have been produced in the following sizes:
Churchill 7-1/8 X 48
Toro 6-1/8 X 50
Belicoso 5-1/2 X 52
Robusto 5-1/8 X 50
Rothschild 5-1/8 X 50These medium to full bodied cigars have a Nicaraguan filler; Mexican binder and world renowned Mexican Maduro wrapper. Packaged in traditional wood boxes of twenty (2) cigars with paper edging, the logo of the brand is a stylized bat, reminiscent of Batman!
Additionally, Espinosa y Ortega has added a Maduro version to their very popular Cubao cigar line.
Both new additions to the Espinosa y Ortega stable of fine cigars will be introduced at the forthcoming IPCPR in New Orleans on 9 August.
Espinosa y Ortega, a six year old company, has also been behind the very successful 601 brand, which is produced, in four versions, with a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper; a shade grown Connecticut wrapper, a Nicraguan Habano Maduro wrapper and a Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro wrapper.
Ask The Readers:
I haven’t heard people say too many great things about Mexican tobacco. The first cigar that they generally reference is the Te Amo line. With this type of tobacco carrying such a negative buzz with it, do you think it will hurt the new Murcielago cigar, or do you think it could revitalize what is thought about Mexican tobacco?
Really looking forward to the Cubao Maduro. I really like the Cubao line.
You pose a great question, Walt. I think the Mexican tobacco is a gamble. If it were me, I probably would have kept the wrapper variety a secret to give the brand a bit of a mystical appeal, much like a bat has. If the cigar is a hit, they could always reveal the wrapper origin at a later date. I think that some people will pre-judge the cigar even before it’s lit. I am looking forward to trying this at the show… but I’ll admit I’m not a fan of Mexican tobacco. If anyone can make it great, Pepin could do it.
I think that the release of the Cubao maduro is simply going to over-shadow EO’s Murcielago creation, anyways. I’ve heard a lot of people over the past couple of days mention how excited they were about the new maduro version of the Cubao, but not one of those people said anything about the Murcielago other than that it was EO’s other new cigar. This could be due to the fact that the Murcielago is made with Mexican tobacco…but, I think it’s more likely that it’s simply a matter of Cubao being a proven cigar line and the new Murcielago not.
Will the fact that the Murcielago is made with Mexican tobacco hurt sales? I really don’t think so. I think that releasing it at the same time as the Cubao maduro, will due more to hurt initial sales of the Murcielago. But, if these cigars are as good as Erik Espinosa say they are, then it wouldn’t matter if they were made with tobacco from Timbuktu…word of mouth will spread and the popularity/sales of the Murcielago will increase.
I could be dead wrong of course, but I thought I’d just throw my 2 cents into the ring. 😀
Lab
I agree with everything leafandale had to say – this would have been a good opportunity to use the “secret” wrapper and filler moniker. Hell, they could have gone one step further and had some online contest to uncover the identity of the blend, but well after the launch. Saying it’s Mexican b4 the launch is going to cause some folks to prejudge the cigar, and will cause many to taste negative qualities in the cigar that they might not have tasted had they kept the blend unknown. Tastes are, as research has shown over and over again, highly malleable and suggestible. If people are told they are about to taste something they think they already like, then, more often than not, they will like it, and vice-versa.
I also agree with Lab that the Murcielago launch could be overshadowed by the Cubao maduro launch. I don’t know why they’d release two new smokes at the same time like this.
Cigar manufacturers seem to have a lot to learn about marketing and business strategy.
Mexican Maduro from San Andres is really really good, and it has been for years. Unfortunately people equate Mexican leaf with Te Amo and Matacan and the like — San Andres maduro is nothing like that. (Try a Montecristo Reserva Negra or Sabor Cubano.) I don’t know if EO can single handedly change people’s minds about Mexican leaf, but hopefully it will be a good start. It’s a generalization that no longer applies. (Not that I’m going to start smoking Te Amo any time soon. 😉
As mentined above, people do pre-judge Mexican tobacco. I was talking to a well known cigar producer last year who told me there is Mexican tobacco being used in alot of high end cigars now. But because of the perception, nobody wants to admit as such. I tend to belive that could be true and I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised. There seems to be so much experimentation nowadays with everybody trying to come up with a unique blend.
I think if they chose Mexican tobacco for the wrapper they have a reason for it. So I would say that I think the murcielago cigar will suffer from both the fact it is mexican tobacco at first before anyone trys it. Since they chose a Mexican Wrapper people may think this is a low grade cigar in general.
I believe the whole reason people don’t want to try Mexican tobacco is because of TeAmo. TeAmo cigars are known to be not that great and you would think that if there was good Mexican tobacco out their it would be used by a Mexican brand and it would be a good smoke, the thing is TeAmo is not. Someone will have to make a good cigar with mexican tobacco, maybe this is it. That’s the only way to change peoples perseption of the tobacco. The same thing happend with Brazillian tobacco. Which IMO is great but no one would touch it (or say it was in their blend) until a good cigar with the leaf was made now its on a lot of good cigars. Mata Fina Maduro IMO is one of the best and it used to have the same reputation of not a good tobacco until good blenders tried their hands at it.
The main problem is, If I were in a B&M and I saw 2 maduro cigars one was the Murcielago (i may not know it is even EO and the other a Cubao which many know to be a good cigar, I would get 2 of the cubao’s and not even try a Murcielago. Also Is Pepin the blender of the Murcuelago? If so It might be good as IDK why pepin would ever use a inferior tobacco unless the person he is blending for demands it at least thats what I think. I am looking forward to the Maduro Cubao.
I think it is just not a good idea to release two maduro cigars at the same time.
I’ve tried both of the new cigars, and was already a fan of 601 and Cubao before I tried them. The new cubao maduro is wonderful, as we all expected it to be.
BUT !!!! The Murcielago! Simply amazing!
It will be my new “go to” anytime-of-day cigar. I will be buying a box ASAP.
Do not pass go, Do not collect $200… call your local B&M see when they will have it in stock, find it online…whatever you have to do, get some while you can. First batch will go quick, and the wrapper is rare.
Cheers, all, and happy puffing!
I recently tried the new Murcielago – it was quite awesome!
For those of you who are concerned about the mexican wrapper , don’t be – – I have it on very good authority this is THE SAME WRAPPER as used in the Padron Anniversario. That should put your concerns to rest. Also, the cigar is blended by Pepin, there again – how can you go wrong? Most fo all – try one. Let the cigar speak for itself.
My on;ly concern – they are still a little expensive for my budget, but I want to smoke more of them.