Altadis U.S.A. is making some big moves in 2026, and one of the more interesting developments coming out of the company is a brand new line under the H. Upmann Nicaragua by AJ Fernandez banner. The new release is called the Sunrise, and it's shaping up to be one of the more talked-about launches heading into the spring trade show season.
The bigger picture here is worth understanding. Altadis U.S.A. has been shifting a significant portion of its production over to factories owned by AJ Fernandez and Plasencia. This isn't just about moving existing brands around — it's reshaping how the company builds new products from the ground up. The Sunrise is a direct product of that shift, being rolled at the main AJ Fernandez factory located in Estelí, Nicaragua.
What makes the Sunrise stand out on paper is the blend. The cigar uses an Ecuadorian Connecticut-seed wrapper placed over a blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos. That combination is an interesting one — Connecticut-seed wrappers grown in Ecuador tend to bring a creamier, softer character to the smoke, while Nicaraguan fillers and binders often add a bit of backbone and depth that keeps things from going flat. The goal, at least based on what the company is saying, is a Connecticut-style cigar that doesn't sacrifice flavor just to be mild.
Gabe Diaz, brand manager for Altadis U.S.A., put it plainly in the announcement: "The Sunrise is our take on a Connecticut done right. It's smooth and easy to enjoy, but it still has flavor and character. To kick off 2026, we wanted to give H. Upmann fans something balanced, high quality and priced right."
That quote says a lot about where the company is positioning this cigar. The Connecticut category has a reputation — fair or not — for being the choice of guys who want something light and inoffensive. The Sunrise seems to be aimed at pushing back on that a little, offering the approachability of a Connecticut without completely walking away from flavor.
The Sunrise will be available in four sizes when it hits store shelves. The Robusto comes in at 5 by 52 and is priced at $12.99 per stick, with boxes of 20 running $259.80. The Toro measures 6 by 54 at $13.75 a cigar and $275 for a box. For those who like a bigger ring gauge, the Magnum at 6 by 60 comes in at $14.50 each and $290 per box. Rounding out the lineup is the Churchill, a 7 by 50 at $14.25 a stick and $285 a box.
The pricing across the board keeps things in what most would consider the accessible premium range — not bargain bin, but not pushing into the territory where buying a box starts to feel like a financial decision that requires some serious thought. For a regular production line, that sweet spot matters.
The Sunrise is set to make its public debut at the 2026 PCA Convention and Trade Show, scheduled for April 18 through 20 in New Orleans. Trade shows like PCA are where retailers get their first real look at what's coming, and a new regular production line from a name like H. Upmann with AJ Fernandez behind the rolling tends to draw attention. Following the show, the cigars are expected to ship out to retailers.
For fans of the H. Upmann Nicaragua by AJ Fernandez line, this is an expansion that offers something a little different from the fuller-bodied profile that line is mostly known for. Whether the Sunrise delivers on the promise of a Connecticut that actually has something to say is something that will have to wait until the smoke is in hand — but the foundation being laid here, with Fernandez's Estelí factory and a well-sourced wrapper leaf, gives it a reasonable shot at being more than just another light cigar with a familiar name on the band.
