What’s The Point of Regional Editions?

To the uninitiated, wave after wave of ‘Special Edition’, ‘Limited Edition’ and ‘Regional Edition’ Havana cigars leaves a confusing trail of names, places, numbers and sizes.

What are all these new cigars? Some are old, some are new; some are available here, some are not; some carry familiar names, some are mysterious in the extreme. How is the novice cigar-curious shopper expected to make head or tails of this mishmash of cigars?

It’s not easy. But the idea of Regional and Limited Editions was something of a masterstroke from Habanos SA, the Cuban (and state-controlled) company responsible for the manufacture and exportation of Cuban cigars.

At a time when the company was looking for new ways to spread the word of its cigars and attract new markets, the idea of creating limited edition runs of special cigars – old sizes, old blends, plus a mixture of innovation – was inspired. And it helped that the first few batches off the production line were rather good.

The early 2000s saw the beginning of both Regional and Limited Edition smokes and what cigar lovers should sit up and take notice of is that on the whole, these cigars tend to be excellent. There have been one or two misses (Punch Medalla D’Oro, anyone?) but the majority are sensational smokes.

And because they’re made in limited editions numbering in the low thousands, they also attract a premium from collectors. Add to this that, so far, these cigars have continued to age with some aplomb and you can see why Habanos SA can rightly feel pleased with themselves.

So, although they can prove to be a bit more expensive than your ‘average’ Cuban stick, the advice is clear; try them when they come out and if you find one you like or one you believe has potential – lay it down. The great thing is that these cigars may well develop into cracking smokes with some age. And they may also make you some money.

Of course, investing in cigars is as risky as anything else. If we were regulated by the Financial Ombudsman, we’d have to put a disclaimer in here about investments going up as well as down, yada yada yada. And of course they can. In reality, cigars are an excellent investment. If stored well, they hold their value impressively. And if you pick the right stick, you can make returns which would make your bank manager’s eyes water.

Don’t be bewildered by the astonishing array of Cuban smokes that are readily available inside your favourite Sautter store. The trick is to give those which appeal to you a try; yo are then able to form an opinion and after a while, you’ll be able to note whether a particular cigar may demonstrate the characteristics which may allow it to grow old gracefully.

Quite apart from that, you’ll also enjoy some jolly good smokes. As always, don’t be afraid to ask one of the talented Sautter staff for advice. We’re here to help.