Club Macanudo Cigar Lounge to Open Atop NYC''s Knickerbocker Hotel

Source from:  Cigar Aficionado 07/01/2016

One cigar bar moves out, another moves in. Not three months after Nat Sherman Cigars pulled out of the Knickerbocker Hotel, Club Macanudo has taken its place. The iconic Club Macanudo cigar bar and restaurant, located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, is expanding its New York City footprint with a new cigar lounge atop the city's refurbished Knickerbocker Hotel. Appropriately dubbed Club Macanudo at The Knick, the lounge will be part of the hotel's St. Cloud indoor-outdoor rooftop bar, which overlooks the bustling streets of Times Square. The grand opening happens in July.

"We are very excited to kick off the rooftop season with our brand new partner and headliner Club Macanudo," Shawn Hauver, managing director of The Knickerbocker said in a statement. "The brand and philosophy of Club Macanudo compliments The Knickerbocker's ongoing reputation as an elegant haven for socializing, business networking and indulging in the very best that New York City has to offer."

Club Macanudo is owned by General Cigar, one of the world's largest makers of premium cigars, known for such brands as Macanudo, CAO, and the non-Cuban varieties of Cohiba, La Gloria Cubana and Partagas, all of which will be available at Club Mac at The Knick.

"This is an exciting time for Club Macanudo. Having recently celebrated our 20th anniversary, and with the launch of our partnership with The Knickerbocker, we are uniquely positioned to share the brand's passion for creating memorable moments and curated experiences with an even broader clientele," said Alan Willner, vice president of marketing for General Cigar.

"The lounge will be branded with the new Club Macanudo At The Knick logo, and we have two beautiful, glass-front, wooden humidors. In total, the humidors will display more than 1,200 cigars," Victoria McKee Jaworski, director of public relations, told Cigar Aficionado.

The rooftop St. Cloud lounge occupies 7,800 square feet of indoor and outdoor space, however, Club Macanudo will occupy the outdoor section that overlooks Broadway, making the rooftop only partially cigar-friendly. Along with the scenic views of New York City, cigar enthusiasts will be able to enjoy cocktails, craft beers and a seasonal food menu created by acclaimed celebrity chef Charlie Palmer.

Earlier this year, Nat Sherman Cigars occupied the rooftop lounge at St. Cloud, but the partnership ended in April, having lasted less than a year. Enditem