Chinese Year Series
First rolled for the Chinese zodiac calendar, the Romeo y Julieta Maravillas 8 serves as the inaugural official entry in Habanos' Año Chino series. This distinctive cigar celebrates the Year of the Rat and represents a significant departure from previous Chinese New Year themed releases.
While cigars bearing Year of the Dog and Year of the Pig branding had previously reached the market, those earlier offerings were standard production cigars that received special repackaging through the Spanish distributor rather than being official Habanos releases. The Maravillas 8 changed this paradigm, emerging as the first officially sanctioned Habanos production created specifically for the Chinese zodiac series.
Naming Conventions
Collectors and enthusiasts will notice an interesting inconsistency in how this cigar is identified across various materials. The packaging, internal documentation, and official press releases alternate between referring to the cigar as "8 Maravillas" and "Maravillas 8." Additionally, some distributor catalogs list the release under the name "Año de la Rata" (Year of the Rat), though this designation does not appear anywhere on the actual finished product.
Specifications
| Cigar Name | Maravillas 8 |
|---|---|
| Factory Name | Maravillas No.3 |
| Ring Gauge | 55 |
| Length | 155 mm (6⅛″) |
| Official Weight | 18.35 g |
| Construction | Handmade |
Presentation and Bands
The Maravillas 8 features Romeo y Julieta's standard band D alongside a specially designed 2020 rat foot band, creating a distinctive visual identity that sets it apart from the regular production line. The cigar is presented in an elegant luxury boîte nature box containing eight cigars, reflecting the premium positioning of this commemorative release.
Release Information
This special edition made its debut in 2019, launching on January 1st of that year. As the pioneer of the Año Chino series, the Maravillas 8 established the template for subsequent Chinese zodiac releases from Habanos, making it a noteworthy addition to any serious cigar collection and an important reference point in modern Cuban cigar history.