今年早些時候盧西亞諾雪茄公司推出一個“低估”（Underrated）雪茄品牌時，沒有人知道盧西亞諾·梅雷萊斯（Luciano Meirelles）背后還有一個沒有披露的合作伙伴,，如今謎底揭曉了,，這個人是前NBA球星,，羅恩·哈珀（Ron Harper）。他曾經(jīng)拿過五枚總冠軍戒指,，在洛杉磯湖人隊打完職業(yè)生涯最后一個賽季后退役,。羅恩·哈珀和盧西亞諾·梅雷萊斯共同擁有這個雪茄品牌的所有權(quán)，之所以在剛發(fā)布時保密,，是因為他們希望這個品牌能夠獨立發(fā)展,，而不需要名人光環(huán)的炒作。他們將參加月底的美國PCA貿(mào)易展,。
根據(jù)他們的解釋,，這個品牌命名為低估，是希望紀念那些被低估或者不被欣賞的人實現(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發(fā)這個低估品牌是對那些時刻的致敬,，也是對每一個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,，你就有機會在被低估的事情里感到快樂,。
這個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康涅狄格的闊葉，作為茄芯的這兩款煙葉經(jīng)常是用來作為茄衣煙葉的,，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小而口味強的葉子，高度要高過上層的皇冠（ corona ）煙葉,。
低估品牌有五個尺寸,，崇高（Sublime），54環(huán)徑,，6.5英寸，售價8.5美元,。特制公牛,，52環(huán)徑，6.25英寸,，售價8.2美元,。特制羅布圖，50環(huán)徑,，5.5英寸,，售價7.9美元,。大皇冠（Corona Gorda），46環(huán)徑,，5.625英寸,，售價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.
