La Barba Cigars, lead by co-founder Tony Bellatto, has announced the company’s third cigar line since debuting in 2012, titled Primitivo.

Primitivo draws inspiration from Tony’s background as a sommelier, where Primitivo is a similar varietal to Zinfandel—both being genetic subtypes of the same parent Croatian grape named Crljenak.

I was trained professionally in wine and spirits, I wanted to bring that to the table here more than I had with anything before. As a WSET level 3 sommelier, the goal with this new offering was to incorporate that palate and experience, even down to the name itself: Primitivo. The name is rooted in the ancient history of wine itself, and shares flavor notes with the profile for the cigar as well.Tony Bellatto

Primitivo marks the company’s first core-line product since introducing the La Barba Purple in 2014. For Primitivo, the cigar is the company’s first maduro blend, as well as the first full-bodied offering. In 2016, La Barba moved production to Tabacalera William Ventura, moving away from the Eiroa family’s Aladino factory in Honduras. Primitivo will likewise be produced by the Ventura family, using a San Andrés wrapper, Indonesian binder, and a diverse filler blend of Nicaraguan, Dominican, and Pennsylvanian tobaccos.

UPDATE: as of September 18, 2018, La Barba has announced that Primitivo has been renamed “Ricochet,” citing conflicts with trademark. New packaging and bands have been designed, delaying the cigar’s launch to an estimated date of Oct. 1st.

Primitivo Breakdown

Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés
Binder: Indonesia
Filler: Nicaragua | Dominican Republic | Pennsylvania
Factory: Tabacalera William Ventura (Dominican Republic)
Production: Regular Production
Packaging: 25-ct boxes
Vitolas: 4
Price: $8.60 – $11.60

5.75 x 46: $8.60 (MSRP)
5 x 50: $9.60 (MSRP)
6 x 54: $10.60 (MSRP)
6 x 60: $11.60 (MSRP)

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