PCA 2026: Scandinavian Tobacco Group

Of all the booths we covered at PCA 2026, you are not going to read about more new cigars than you will in this post.

Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG), the parent company of General Cigar Co. and Forged Cigar Co., has more than 30 new cigar SKUs originating from factories in four different countries, including multiple different factories in the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua. There is no other company that approaches new product launches like STG, which typically has at least two or three new releases per month. That means that while this is a lot, it’s not really all that much more than STG would do if there weren’t a trade show; rather, you are just getting to read about 75 or so days of releases in a single post.

A big thank you to Patrick Lagreid, who wrote most of the news stories about these products in the lead up to the trade show and, as such, did a ton of the legwork here, making my job quite a bit easier.

Had Patrick visited the booth with me, he would have likely been quickly reminded me of past trade shows visiting the General Cigar Co. booth, where media and retailers were taken to different stations, each representing one of the company’s main brands, and a brand ambassador would make a 1-2 minute presentation about what’s new with the brand. It’s quite corporate, though the chaos of having a less structured plan would make this booth even more difficult to navigate, and in case the picture above doesn’t make it clear, it’s already packed.

This was the first time since 2019 that all of STG’s brands were represented. For the past few years, the company has been exhibiting as “Forged Cigar Co.,” meaning that if you look back at our 2025 coverage, you’ll see plenty about Alec Bradley, Partagas and Room101 but nothing about CAO, Cohiba or Macanudo. Because STG has so many brands, it has split its portfolio into two separate and competing sales teams. Earlier this year, STG shuffled some of those brands around.

I was very curious about this boring box. It’s attached to the booth and surely has a purpose. After asking around, it was determined that this is where the company’s sales reps would place their paper order sheets. I suspect that STG made a decision that it would be quicker to have these orders filled out the old-fashioned way versus digitally, but it’s surprising.

Many companies, including some much smaller than STG, will have on-site personnel whose sole job is to process these orders.

While many companies will have employees wear the same shirts, STG is, to my knowledge, the only one that will have team members wear the same footwear. On Saturday, the marketing team was decked out in new sneakers. Chris Tarr, STG’s marketing head, is a sneakerhead and is behind this now annual tradition.

Alec Bradley 30 Years

My first trade show was IPCPR 2010 in New Orleans, which was in part a funeral for CAO, as it was about to be folded into General Cigar Co. Many people were skeptical about General’s ability to keep CAO alive. While I wasn’t around for basically any of CAO’s history, my conclusion is that the brand has fared far better than anyone was suggesting. Yes, the brand’s soul is not what it once was, but my understanding is that the sales numbers are pretty good.

However, I was around for a lot of Alec Bradley’s previous ownership. Credit to STG for not destroying Alec Bradley. There’s a world where Alec Bradley, which was acquired three years ago, has been turned into a series of lines made at STG’s three factories, has been radically rebranded, and has no connection to the Rubin family. And while STG has neither left it alone nor completely avoided some moves that cheapen the brand, STG has treated Alec Bradley very differently than what it did to Toraño.

Both Alec and Bradley Rubin, the two sons after whom the brand is named, were in New Orleans. As Bradley explains above, this cigar comes from Ráices Cubanas in Honduras, the factory most associated with Alec Bradley and its success. And even Alan Rubin, their dad and the brand’s founder, was involved with this blend. Sure, I’m sure that if the Rubins were still owners, the brand would look different, but I bet a lot of consumers who smoked Alec Bradley before and smoke Alec Bradley now are unaware that the brand was sold.

• Wrapper: Honduras (Trojes)
• Binder: Undisclosed
• Filler: Undisclosed

• Alec Bradley 30 Years Robusto (5 x 52) — $9.99 (Box of 16, $159.84)
• Alec Bradley 30 Years Toro (6 x 54) — $10.99 (Box of 16, $175.84)
• Alec Bradley 30 Years Gordo (6 x 60) — $11.99 (Box of 16, $191.84)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: May 2026

Alec Bradley 30 Years Perfecto

This is the same blend as the three regular production vitolas, but the Perfecto is a limited edition and is “Brick and Mortar only,” which I gather means it won’t be offered to the large catalog retailers.

• Wrapper: Honduras (Trojes)
• Binder: Undisclosed
• Filler: Undisclosed

• Alec Bradley 30 Years Perfecto (6 3/4 x 54) — $12.99 (Box of 10, $129.90)

Production: 2,026 Boxes of 10 Cigars (20,260 Total Cigars)

Release Date: May 2026

CAO America 250th Anniversary

The CAO brand is joining in on the country’s 250th anniversary celebration by reimaging the CAO America as an all-American blend. The original CAO America debuted in 2007 and was known for its barberpole wrapper, which also used U.S.-grown broadleaf and Connecticut shade leaves, but the binder came from Brazil, with the fillers from the Dominican Republic, Italy, Nicaragua and the United States. Cory Beardsley, brand manager for CAO, said that this is “a cigar that stays true to what made the original America stand out, while bringing a new level of precision to the blend.” — Patrick Lagreid.

• Wrapper: U.S.A. (Broadleaf & Connecticut Shade)
• Binder: U.S.A. (Havana Connecticut)
• Filler: U.S.A. (Broadleaf & Pennsylvania)

• CAO America 250th Anniversary (5 1/2 x 55) — $9.99 (Box of 10, $99.90)

Production: Undisclosed

Release Date: May 4, 2026

CAO Flathead Cut & Light Station

This ended up being one of my favorite things I saw in New Orleans.

If retailers spent at least $10,000, they were entered to win one of these new CAO Flathead Cut & Light Stations. It’s designed to look like an old-time gas pump, except it’s for your cigars. On the left, the pump has been replaced by a torch lighter. A cutter and some USB charing cables are on retractable coil cables.

The bottom piece has wood lining for box storage. STG was quick to point out that the unit comes 98 percent assembled, the only thing a retailer will need to do is attach the small metal tray designed to catch the cut caps, fill the lighter, and plug in the unit to activate the electronics. In addition, the unit is on casters, making it easy to move around the store. This is a brilliant in-store promo item that will serve as free advertising for the Flathead line, the best-selling CAO brand.

While only 100 were made for the first run, I’d expect STG to order some more.

MSRP: n/a

Production: 100 Units

Release Date: May 2026

CAO Flathead Lighter

Looks like this promo item has a new lime colorway.

Cohiba Serie M Reserva Plata

This is the sixth release in the Cohiba Serie M Series, non-Cuban Cohibas that are made at El Titan de Bronze, the factory best known for making the La Palina Goldie Series. Like the Goldies, these come with a pigtail. It began arriving in mid-March, just making it into our window of what we’d cover at the trade show. This is only the second Cohiba to use a Mexican wrapper.

• Wrapper: Mexico (San Andrés)
• Binder: Nicaragua (Estelí)
• Filler: Dominican Republic (Piloto Cubano) & Nicaragua (Estelí, Jalapa)

• Cohiba Serie M Reserva Plata (6 x 52) — $29.99 (Box of 10, $29.90)

Production: Undisclosed

Release Date: March 18, 2026

Cohiba Riviera Belicoso / Cohiba Select Gift Set Sampler

The Cohiba Riviera line is getting a new size, a 5 1/2 x 56 box-pressed belicoso, but the only way to get it as of now is via the new Cohiba Select Gift Set Sampler. The sampler includes four other cigars:

• Cohiba Blue Rothschild (4 1/2  x 50)
• Cohiba Nicaragua Robusto (4 7/8  x 50)
• Cohiba Connecticut Robusto (5 1/2 x 50)
• Cohiba Black Supremo (6 x 54)

The four above are all existing releases in their respective lines, and when put together, the company says that the sampler provides a way to get introduced to the five lines, with the profile spanning the range of smooth to robust. — Patrick Lagreid.

• Wrapper: Mexico (San Andrés)
• Binder: Honduras
• Filler: Honduras (Jamastrán, La Entrada) & Nicaragua (Condega, Estelí)

• Cohiba Select Gift Set Sampler — $99.95

Production: Undisclosed

Release Date: May 4, 2026

Diesel Burnt Ends

The Diesel Backyard Barbecue Series, itself a follow-up to the six-part Sunday Gravy Series, is back for 2026, honoring burnt ends, a popular part of a brisket and a must when you are eating in halfwheel‘s home state. Like previous releases, it’s a price-point play and comes from Justin Andrews and AJ Fernandez.

• Wrapper: U.S.A. (Pennsylvania Broadleaf)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua

• Diesel Burnt Ends (6 x 52) — $7.50 (Box of 10, $75)

Production: Undisclosed

Release Date: May 2026

Diesel Whiskey Row Founder’s Collection Nevallier

STG has multiple long-running series that involve collaborating with distilleries. The Diesel brand and Louisville-based Rabbit Hole Whiskey have been at it for a while, and there’s often a new release for the PCA Convention & Trade Show. In this case, the Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers are aged in oak barrels that were sourced from the Allier and Nevers forests in France. In a previous life, those barrels held bourbon.

• Wrapper: Ecuador (Habano)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua

• Diesel Whiskey Row Founder’s Collection Nevallier (6 x 52) — $15.99 (Box of 10, $159.90)

Production: Undisclosed

Release Date: May 2026

El Rey del Mundo Appointment Brazil

The El Rey del Mundo Appointment line debuted in April 2025, using a Honduran-grown, Cameroon-seed wrapper grown by the Eiroa family. The second installment gets its wrapper from Brazil, specifically, an Arapiraca leaf from the Alagoas region. — Patrick Lagreid.

• Wrapper: Brazil (Arapiraca)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua

• El Rey del Mundo Appointment Brazil Robusto (5 x 50) — $8.79 (Box of 10, $87.90)
• El Rey del Mundo Appointment Brazil Toro (6 x 54) — $9.19 (Box of 10, $91.90)
• El Rey del Mundo Appointment Brazil Gordo (5 x 60) — $9.49 (Box of 10, $94.90)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: April 20, 2026

El Rey del Mundo King of the World VSOP

This cigar is the follow-up to 2024’s limited-edition El Rey del Mundo King of the World, which was produced at the Eiroa family’s Fábrica de Puros Aladino at Las Lomas Jamastran in Honduras. The name VSOP comes from the cognac world and stands for very superior old pale, which references higher-quality cognacs between two and 10 years old. This new King of the World was rolled in 2021 and has been resting in the aging rooms of STG Estelí in Nicaragua ever since. — Patrick Lagreid.

• Wrapper: Ecuador (Sumatra-seed)
• Binder: Nicaragua (Habano)
• Filler: Dominican Republic (Habano) & Nicaragua

• El Rey del Mundo King of the World VSOP (6 x 52) — $10.99 (Box of 16, $175.84)

Production: 2,000 Boxes of 16 Cigars (32,000 Total Cigars)

Release Date: April 1, 2026

La Gloria Cubana Intención

The non-Cuban La Gloria Cubana started life in Miami but is now based in the Dominican Republic. The General Cigar Dominicana factory, which produces most non-Cuban LGCs, has a room that is named the El Credito factory, a reference to the old Miami-based factory that was owned by Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jr., who owned the brand decades ago.

Well, STG wanted a fuller body La Gloria Cubana and it decided to let its STG Estelí factory handle that. Like some Macanudos you are about to read about, take a look at these prices, it looks like 2015.

• Wrapper: Mexico (San Andrés)
• Binder: Indonesia
• Filler: Honduras (Jamastrán, La Entrada) & Nicaragua (Estelí)

• La Gloria Cubana Intención Gran Robusto (5 x 54) — $5.99 (Box of 20, $119.80)
• La Gloria Cubana Intención Toro (6 x 52) — $6.99 (Box of 20, $139.80)
• La Gloria Cubana Intención Gigante (6 x 60) — $7.99 (Box of 20, $159.80)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: April 20, 2026

La Gloria Cubana Los Gloriosos Salomón

Of all the cigars in this post, the one I’m most looking forward to trying is this. And I feel like I was only a few seconds away from missing it completely before I got shuffled to the next brand in the STG booth. This is a new event-only salomón version of the La Gloria Cubana Los Gloriosos, which debuted last year. Notably, the line is made by the aforementioned Perez-Carrillo Jr.

I really enjoyed the 6 x 60 last year, one of those cigars that just missed the cut for our Top 25, but had it made it, I think it would have done well. The events where you can buy these will start in June.

• Wrapper: Ecuador (Habano)
• Binder: Nicaragua (Jalapa)
• Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua (Condega & Jalapa)

• La Gloria Cubana Los Gloriosos Salomón (6 3/4 x 58) — $14.99 (Pack of 5, $74.95)

Production: 1,000 Packs of 5 Cigars (5,000 Total Cigars)

Release Date: June 2026

M by Macanudo Myers’s Rum

This is yet another cigar from the partnership between STG and Sazerac Co., which owns Buffalo Trace and a long list of other liquor labels. Most of the collaborations have focused on whiskies made at Buffalo Trace, but the newest collaboration is one designed to pair with Myers’s, a Jamaican rum.

Sazerac is currently in a bidding war to try to acquire Brown-Forman, which owns Jack Daniel’s. I cannot describe to you how happy I imagine STG would be to be selling a Jack Daniel’s cigar.

• Wrapper: Indonesia
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: Dominican Republic

• M by Macanudo Myers’s Rum (5 x 50) — $9.89 (Box of 20, $197.80)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: April 20, 2026

Macanudo Ecuadorian Shade

It would appear that Macanudo is exiting its Inspirado generation and entering a new one. STG has two new Macanudo lines, both coming from its STG Estelí factory in Nicaragua and not Macanudo’s longtime home of General Cigar Dominicana. All three are box-pressed, another explicit attempt at making Macanudo more modern.

• Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut-seed)
• Binder: U.S.A. (Broadleaf)
• Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua

• Macanudo Ecuadorian Shade Robusto (5 x 50) — $6.99 (Box of 20, $139.80)
• Macanudo Ecuadorian Shade Toro (6 x 50) — $7.99 (Box of 20, $159.80)
• Macanudo Ecuadorian Shade Gigante (6 x 60) — $8.99 (Box of 20, $179.80)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: April 20, 2026

Macanudo Sumatra

These cigars are also priced super aggressively, not a surprise from STG, but also setting up a scenario where these brands could be replacing lots of existing SKUs.

On another note, in years past, sometimes STG can go a bit overboard with its value proposition messaging during a trade show visit. I’d say this year, the employees found a perfect balance. They’d mention it once, but I didn’t walk out of the booth feeling like STG thought a recession was imminent.

• Wrapper: Ecuador (Sumatra-seed)
• Binder: U.S.A. (Broadleaf)
• Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua

• Macanudo Sumatra Robusto (5 x 50) — $6.99 (Box of 20, $139.80)
• Macanudo Sumatra Toro (6 x 50) — $7.99 (Box of 20, $159.80)
• Macanudo Sumatra Gigante (6 x 60) — $8.99 (Box of 20, $179.80)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: April 20, 2026

Macanudo Broadleaf & San Andrés

For better and worse, STG is the corporate cigar company, and so any sort of deviation is always eyebrow-raising. Because it’s corporate, STG is always making future plans and probably has a much firmer understanding of what it is doing in 2027 than just about any of its competitors. In a bit of a surprise, the company is previewing two new Macanudo lines that follow a similar theme to the Ecuadorian Shade and Sumatra.

The Macanudo Broadleaf and Macanudo San Andrés are 2027 releases. I think showing these off is quite smart, as it helps to show retailers that STG is planning on supporting this Macanudo revival.

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: 2027

Macanudo Gold Label Gold Bullion

The latest Gold Label shipment gets this new 6 x 54 box-pressed vitola, which I believe is the first time that’s happened. Gold Label is made from lower priming wrappers, i.e. leaves at the bottom of the plant, which the company says increases the sugar content. Gold Label is a limited production release, meaning it’s an annual release but not always available for order. The 2026 production will ship on May 4, with the Gold Bullion size joined by the six core vitolas.

• Wrapper: U.S.A. (Connecticut Shade)
• Binder: Mexico
• Filler: Dominican Republic & Mexico

• Macanudo Gold Label Hampton Court  (5 1/2  x 42) – $13.29
• Macanudo Gold Label Lord Nelson (7 x 49) – $13.79
• Macanudo Gold Label Tudor (6 x 52) –  $13.49
• Macanudo Gold Label Duke of York (5 1/4 x 54) $12.89
• Macanudo Gold Label Shakespeare (6 1/2  x 45) – $12.69
• Macanudo Gold Label Ascots (4 3/16  x 32) – $26.89 per tin
• Macanudo Gold Label Gold Bullion (6 x 54) – $13.49

Production: Limited Production

Release Date: May 4, 2026

Partagas Y Nada Más Cibao

In 2025, STG gave its Partagas brand a new line called Partagas Y Nada Más Santiago. Now, the second installment comes out, celebrating the Cibao Valley, one of the most notable growing regions in the Dominican Republic. STG calls the profile “refined and bold, and balances leathery notes of dark wood, mocha, and white pepper.” The line is made at TABACALERA LA iSLA in Santiago, Dominican Republic. — Patrick Lagreid.

• Wrapper: Ecuador (Corojo)
• Binder: Undisclosed (Sumatra)
• Filler: Dominican Republic (Habano Vuelta Abajo and Criollo 98) & U.S.A (Pennsylvania Broadleaf)

• Partagas Y Nada Más Cibao Robusto (5 x 50) — $7.99 (Box of 20, $159.80)
• Partagas Y Nada Más Cibao Toro (6 x 52) — $8.99 (Box of 20, $179.80)
• Partagas Y Nada Más Cibao Gordo (6 x 60— $9.99 (Box of 20, $199.80)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: May 11, 2026

Room101 The Big Payback Extra Fuerte 70s

Unfortunately, I didn’t see Matt Booth, Room101’s founder, in his corner when I was visiting, though we eventually saw each other in passing. I think the story here is “big ring gauge sells well, extra big ring gauge sells extra well.”

• Wrapper: Ecuador (Habano)
• Binder: Nicaragua (Estelí)
• Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Dominican Republic

• Room101 The Big Payback Extra Fuerte 70s (7 x 70) — 9.79 (Box of 20, $$195.80)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: April 20, 2026

Room101 Johnny Tobacconaut Maduro

STG has acknowledged the success of the Room101 Johnny Tobacconaut (Connecticut); I understand why it’s successful. Now, everyone’s favorite intergalactic tobacco grower gets a regular production Maduro line, made by AJ Fernandez.

• Wrapper: Nicaragua (Maduro)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua

• Johnny Tobacconaut Maduro Robusto (5 x 50) — $10.29 (Box of 20, $205.80)
• Johnny Tobacconaut Maduro Toro (6 x 52) — $11.39 (Box of 20, $227.80)
• Johnny Tobacconaut Maduro Gordo (6 x 60) — $12.49 (Box of 20, $249.80)

Production: Regular Production

Release Date: June 1, 2026

New Five-Packs

STG says it’s doing well with these five-packs, so it added new ones for CAO FASA, Diesel, El Rey del Mundo and La Gloria Cubana.

Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. Previously, I started TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors blogs of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry since 2010, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. Beyond writing, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff from weighing cigars to coordinating the tech. Outside of work, I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.