今年早些時(shí)候盧西亞諾雪茄公司推出一個(gè)“低估”（Underrated）雪茄品牌時(shí),，沒(méi)有人知道盧西亞諾·梅雷萊斯（Luciano Meirelles）背后還有一個(gè)沒(méi)有披露的合作伙伴,，如今謎底揭曉了，這個(gè)人是前NBA球星，羅恩·哈珀（Ron Harper）,。他曾經(jīng)拿過(guò)五枚總冠軍戒指,，在洛杉磯湖人隊(duì)打完職業(yè)生涯最后一個(gè)賽季后退役,。羅恩·哈珀和盧西亞諾·梅雷萊斯共同擁有這個(gè)雪茄品牌的所有權(quán),，之所以在剛發(fā)布時(shí)保密，是因?yàn)樗麄兿Ｍ@個(gè)品牌能夠獨(dú)立發(fā)展,，而不需要名人光環(huán)的炒作,。他們將參加月底的美國(guó)PCA貿(mào)易展。
根據(jù)他們的解釋?zhuān)@個(gè)品牌命名為低估,，是希望紀(jì)念那些被低估或者不被欣賞的人實(shí)現(xiàn)卓越的精神,。
羅恩·哈珀在一份新聞稿里這樣表述，在我職業(yè)生涯的每個(gè)階段，我都親眼目睹了那些意想不到的平凡是如何孕育偉大的,。我和梅雷萊斯合作開(kāi)發(fā)這個(gè)低估品牌是對(duì)那些時(shí)刻的致敬,，也是對(duì)每一個(gè)沉醉于意料不到的事情里發(fā)現(xiàn)那些非凡的驚喜的人和事的致敬。當(dāng)你挑戰(zhàn)希望時(shí),，你就有機(jī)會(huì)在被低估的事情里感到快樂(lè),。
這個(gè)品牌是在尼加拉瓜的盧西亞諾雪茄廠（Luciano Tabacos S.A. factory）生產(chǎn)的，茄衣是墨西哥圣安德烈斯煙葉,，茄套是尼加拉瓜煙葉,，茄芯有厄瓜多爾哈瓦那煙葉和美國(guó)康涅狄格的闊葉，作為茄芯的這兩款煙葉經(jīng)常是用來(lái)作為茄衣煙葉的,，茄芯里還摻入了在Pueblo Nuevo地區(qū)種植的梅迪奧提姆波（medio tiempo）煙葉,。medio tiempo是指某些煙草植株的最頂端的一對(duì)小而口味強(qiáng)的葉子，高度要高過(guò)上層的皇冠（ corona ）煙葉,。
低估品牌有五個(gè)尺寸,，崇高（Sublime），54環(huán)徑,，6.5英寸,，售價(jià)8.5美元。特制公牛,，52環(huán)徑,，6.25英寸,，售價(jià)8.2美元,。特制羅布圖，50環(huán)徑,，5.5英寸,，售價(jià)7.9美元。大皇冠（Corona Gorda）,，46環(huán)徑,，5.625英寸，售價(jià)7.5美元,。所有尺寸都是每盒20支裝盒,。
It turns out that former basketball star Ron Harper is in the cigar business. When Luciano Meirelles, of Luciano Cigars, released his Underrated brand earlier this year, nobody knew that there was a silent partner. That partner turned out to be Harper, a five-time NBA champion who played his final season with the LA Lakers. Harper, who co-owns the brand with Meirelles, had his involvement kept secret as both wanted the brand to stand up on its own without the need for celebrity hype.
According to Meirelles and Harper, the Underrated brand seeks to celebrate the spirit of the undervalued or unappreciated achieving excellence.
“In every stage of my career, I’ve seen firsthand how the unexpected can harbor greatness,” Harper stated in a press release. “This partnership on the construction of Underrated is a homage to those moments and to everyone who revels in the joy of discovering the exceptional in the unanticipated. When you defy expectations, you have a chance to delight in the underrated!”
Made in Nicaragua at the Luciano Tabacos S.A. factory, the blend consists of a Mexican San Andrés wrapper atop a Nicaraguan binder. The fillers feature Ecuador Habano and Connecticut broadleaf, both of which are typically used as cover leaves, along with some Nicaraguan medio tiempo grown in Pueblo Nuevo. Medio tiempo is a group of small but powerful leaves that grow at the top of a tobacco plant right above the corona level.
With suggested retail prices under $9, Underrated could be considered a value brand. It comes in five sizes: Sublime, measuring 6 1/2 inches by 54 ring gauge ($8.50); Toro Especial, 6 1/4 by 52 ($8.20); Robusto Extra, 5 1/2 by 50 ($7.90); and Corona Gorda, 5 5/8 by 46 ($7.50). All sizes ship in boxes of 20 cigars.
Both Meirelles and Harper will be at next week’s PCA trade show.
