As 2024 comes to a close, anticipation is building for the release of Lunar New Year-themed cigars celebrating the Chinese zodiac. Among the most awaited releases for 2025 are cigars crafted in honour of The Year of the Snake.
What are the “Year of the” cigars?
These annual cigar releases are tailored to the Chinese market, with each edition celebrating a different Chinese zodiac sign. The Chinese zodiac, based on the lunar calendar, assigns an animal and its associated traits to each year in a repeating twelve-year cycle. Originating in China, the zodiac and its variations are also popular in East and Southeast Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand.
Each zodiac animal carries symbolic meanings, and people born in a particular zodiac year are believed to share that animal’s traits.
One notable past release was the Davidoff Year of the Tiger, which featured a unique striped pattern on the wrapper to resemble a tiger’s fur.
The Year of the Snake, the sixth sign in the Chinese zodiac, symbolises intuition, strategy, and intelligence.
The next Snake year runs from January 29, 2025, to February 16, 2026, with previous Snake years including 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, and 2037.
What’s been announced for 2025 so far?
Davidoff Year of the Snake 2025
Davidoff has unveiled its 14th annual Chinese zodiac-inspired cigar, marking the beginning of the second cycle of this prestigious series. The Year of the Snake 2025 cigar combines innovation and tradition with an exceptional blend:
The details:
- Ring gauge: 43
- Length: 7”
- Strength: Medium
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian
- Binder: Ecuadorian
- Filler: Dominican Republic & Mexico (San Andrés Valley)
- Special Feature: Dominican Hybrid Seed 98 from the Martín García region, used for the first time.
The cigar was launched last night at the Edward Sahakian Cigar Shop and Sampling Lounge at the Bvlgari Hotel in London. And the cigars themselves are available now at Davidoff of London.
No. 6 Cavendish Square will host an event on November 27, 2024 where they will be sampling the cigar. Get your ticket here.
Oliva Year of the Snake 2025 Churchill
The Oliva Cigar Co. has also joined the celebrations with their Year of the Snake 2025 Churchill. This 7 x 50 limited-edition cigar highlights Oliva’s dedication to tradition and premium craftsmanship.
The details:
- Wrapper: Broadleaf Sun Grown
- Binder: Nicaraguan
- Filler: Nicaraguan ligero
- Strength: Medium to Full
This bold, complex cigar offers an exceptional smoking experience, with a rich, full-bodied flavor profile that promises over 60 minutes of indulgence. It is crafted at Oliva’s factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.
Available online through retailers such as Robert Graham and C.Gars Ltd.
Vegafina Year of the Snake 2025
Cigar Journal has reported on the release of the Vegafina Year of the Snake 2025, but it is unclear whether this cigar will be available in the UK market.
Not only cigars
The celebration of the Year of the Snake extends beyond cigars. The Royal Mint has launched a commemorative coin:
This unique coin is part of a broader collection celebrating the Lunar New Year.
I suspect they’ll be a few more Year of the Snake cigars announced soon! In the meantime cigar brands and factories are probably already in full motion for planning their Year of the Horse cigars for 2026.
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