Protocol Crime Scene Unit Heading to Stores This Week

Cubariqueño Cigar Co. has a new Protocol line on its way to stores. The company has released the Crime Scene Unit, a line that Cubariqueño says was “crafted for those who don’t flinch at the dark, they work in it.”

It’s a 6 1/2 x 50 toro extra that uses a Connecticut broadleaf maduro wrapper, a first for the company.

“Since day one, I wanted to release a cigar with a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper but was always told a company our size could never get it,” said Juan Cancel, co-founder of Cubariqueño, in a press release. “For years it was denied to us. I finally decided to take matters into my own hands and try to secure some Connecticut broadleaf on my own. I tried every avenue possible until I decided to ask one of my mentors and dear friends in the cigar industry, Abdel Fernandez. Thank you, Abdel Fernandez, for helping me make my dream come true. I am eternally grateful!”

Underneath that Connecticut broadleaf wrapper is a Mexican San Andrés maduro binder and a filler that contains Nicaraguan criollo and corojo from Estelí and Jalapa. The cigars were made at the La Zona Cigar Factory in Estelí, with production limited to 150 boxes of 10 cigars. Pricing is set at $18 per cigar and $180 per box.

“Crime Scene Unit balances strength and finesse like a seasoned investigator balances instinct and evidence,” said Hector Alfonso Sr., master blender of Espinosa Premium Cigars, who worked on the project. “A cigar that delivers a profile that’s creamy, chocolately, and laced with just enough grit to remind you this isn’t a joyride — it’s a case.”

For now, the Protocol Crime Scene Unit will be a limited edition release, though Cancel told halfwheel that he would like to make more of them. However, due to the difficulty in obtaining enough wrapper, he can’t commit to doing so.