Quesada Reserva Privada Oscuro Coming In April

Source from:  Cigar Aficionado 02/25/2016

Quesada Cigars has revealed the sequel to last year's limited Reserva Privada, and it sports a distinctly darker wrapper than its predecessor.

The 2016 version, dubbed Quesada Reserva Privada Oscuro, showcases the same 1997 vintage tobaccos that were the hallmark of last year's blend, only they are draped in darker Connecticut broadleaf wrapper grown in the United States.

"The plan from the beginning was to have a few limited runs of the blend with other wrappers," said Terence Reilly of Quesada Cigars. "This is the first, and there will be others down the road."

The blend Reilly is referring to uses tobaccos that the company says were harvested in 1997, a year in which the crop was particularly good. Reserva Privada Oscuro sports a Dominican San Vicente binder from the 1997 vintage, with a filler tobacco blend of 1997 Dominican San Vicente tobacco and Pennsylvania ligero. According to Reilly, aside from using a different wrapper than last year's blend, the 2016 version also included a higher ratio of Pennsylvania ligero. And like the original, Reserva Privada Oscuro was aged for one year after it was rolled.

The new Reserva Privada Oscuro, which was shown this week during the company's ProCigar Festival factory tours, will come in three sizes: Toro, measuring 5 5?8 inches by 54 ring gauge with a suggested retail price of $13.95; Double Corona, 6 1/2 by 46, ($12.95); and Robusto, 4 3/4 by 52 ($12.95). Reilly said that the Robusto will be sold exclusively through retailers that are members of the Tobacconists Association of America.

Each size of the new cigar, which begins shipping in April, will come in elaborate 10-count boxes that feature a hologram and gorgeous piano-black finish. Only 1,000 boxes of Toros, 400 boxes of Double Coronas and 750 boxes of Robustos are being released.

Last year's Quesada Reserva Privada scored well with the Cigar Aficionado tasting panel, with the corona gorda size receiving a top score of 92 points. Enditem