United Cigars is adding four new sizes to their Red Anchor for 2023. We recently reviewed the original size, the Admiral, here. The brand goes all the way back to 1772 when Red Anchor was created by Albertus Hillen Sigarenfabriek in Delft, Holland. The brand was passed down through the family until 1890 when it was sold to Martinus Holland who continued to expand the brand into a tin format through the early 1900s until the brand went out of business in 1937.
In 2022, United Cigars acquired the 250 year old brand with a familiar Dutch connection, the Kelner Family, at Hendrik Kelner Jr.'s Kelner Boutique Factory in the Dominican Republic.
For 2023, the new sizes are Gunner 6.5 x 43 (MSRP $20), Captain 5 x 50 (MSRP $20), Commodore 7 x 55 (MSRP $30), and an event only size Cooper 4.5 x 43 (MSRP $15). These four new sizes join the Admiral 6 x 52 (MSRP $25) which was launched at PCA 2022 and immediately sold out.
The blend means a lot to my family and myself, this is a cigar that represents the colorful history of the Red Anchor and our Dutch family roots.
Hendrik Kelner, Jr., Cigar Maker at K.B.F.
Celebrating 250 years of the Red Anchor with the Admiral vitola in 2022 was very special. The story and the blend are historic, the additional vitolas are a perfect expression of this.
Oliver Nivaud, Director of Operations for United Cigars
The blend for Red Anchor uses an Ecuadorian Habano 2000 wrapper, Dominican Monte Plata (Kelner Family Farm) binder, and Dominican San Vincente, Dominican Habano '92, Pennsylvanian filler. It is presented in boxes of 25 and sells for between $15 and $30. Red Anchor is rolled at the Kelner Boutique Factory and the four new sizes of Red Anchor will be available at PCA 2023 for preferred United Cigars retailers.