First Look
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Urbano Corojo
July 18, 2011
Thomas Bender (TommyBB)
Editor-in-Chief
Urbano Cigars Debuts New Boutique Premium Cigar, Urbano Corojo
While not always a household name, Tampa's Urbano Cigars is announcing it's most recent cigar. This new Urbano Corojo has been in the planning stages for years, and makes it's appearance "after three years in the aging... at better tobacconists, and from Urbano’s Web site (www.urbanocigars.com), in certain parts of the country." States company founder and owner, Matthew Urbano: “Corojo premieres our portfolio, and is the flagship in our lineup of boutique premium cigars. It is also a true puro, being made exclusively of the choicest of select Dominican tobaccos.”
The cigar’s wrapper has Cuban-seed corojo tobacco’s subtle reddish hue and distinctive “Cuban” taste. It is triple-fermented ... done naturally, without scalding ... which mellows the Corojo’s medium-to-full body. The process also removes the tobacco’s tar-forming sugars and starches, and reduces nicotine content. The flavor profile is described by Urbano as “hearty and complex, with hints of spice and roasted nuts, and smooth cedar undertones.” The well-known aroma of the blend’s Dominican Olor tobacco comes through as “mesmerizing and delectable.” Urbano, with a culinary degree and several years in the profession, works alongside his master blender, saying, “Cigar blending falls right in line with my experience with food, coffees and wines, as well as in pairing fine cigars with spirits, wines, and the latest rage, chocolates.”
In the recent press release from Urbano and spokesman Dale Scott, the Urbano Corojo will be available in what they term the "most popular shapes: Robusto (5" x 50), Torpedo (6" x 52), Toro (6" x 50), Churchill (7" x 48) and 6" x 50." Urbano says the company is targeting the sophisticated palate of the discriminating cigar veteran with this boutique cigar, retailing in the $7.00 to $7.50 range. The Spanish cedar box presentation reflects the quality of the 20 cellophane-tubed cigars within. All five sizes are presently available at selected Urbano tobacconists in key cities.
Urbano is following a trend which has manifested itself among manufacturers over the past few years; namely, they seek to sell exclusively to "brick-and-mortar" tobacconist shops.
Urbano explains his company’s philosophy of limiting the production to only 75,000 cigars annually, including the Corojo and his two successive lines. “Certainly, maintaining quality is paramount to us. We also will rigidly limit distribution to only brick-and-mortar tobacconists, who we depend upon for face-to-face personal service and product knowledge to their customers. We see our retailers as partners, deserving of ethical treatment. For the present time, while we build a nationwide network of tobacconists, smokers can obtain our cigars at suggested retail pricing, from our Web site’s Shopping Cart, if there is no Urbano retailer within their zip code.”
