Larger Ring Gauge Sterlings Coming to IPR
Nat Sherman is expanding its Sterling line to include three new sizes, all of which are comparably larger in ring gauge than the existing vitolas. The expansion will include a Short Robusto, measuring 4 inches by 52 ring gauge; Robusto, 4 3/4 by 50; and Churchill, 7 by 48. The new sizes, which range from $12 to $16, will be unveiled at the IPR trade show in New Orleans.
"When we first developed Sterling it was difficult to get the blend to work with cigars larger than 46 ring gauge," said Michael Herklots, vice president of Nat Sherman. "So we took a little extra time to play with the proportions before releasing anything larger than the original vitolas."
The original Sterling line debuted at the 2013 IPR trade show in four sizes and an 8 inch by 38 ring Super Lancero was added to the line in early 2014.
The new sizes consist of the same blend as the current Sterling cigars—all-Dominican binder and filler inside of an Ecuadoran Connecticut wrapper—and were also rolled at Quesada Cigars in Santiago, Dominican Republic.
When Nat Sherman first created the Sterling line, the idea was to offer an elegant and traditional variety of cigar that it felt was underrepresented in the market at that time. "Our job is to play within the spaces," said Herklots, "we don't want to try to compete with trends and force our way into what is popular." The expansion of the line is partly due to the positive response to this approach. "Sterling has been a tremendous success; it's one of our fastest growing blends."
The new sizes will come in traditional hinged-boxes of 10, differing from the original sizes, which came in slide-top cabinet boxes of 25. Nat Sherman expects to begin shipping either during the trade show, which takes place on July 17 through 21, or shortly thereafter.
A collection of Executive ashtrays and humidors will be unveiled at IPR to go along with the new sizes.
