Those of you who have been in search of heavily aged tobacco need look no further, because for the month of July, 2025, Klaro Members will be granted early access to a premium cigar blend containing extremely old tobacco leaf. 

The blend is called the 1502 XO by Global Premium Cigars (GPC), and it is where bold, smooth, strong, and exclusive meet. Produced by Plasencia down in Nicaragua, this somewhat secretive blend features binder and filler leaves that have seen no fewer than 18 years of aging. Take a quick glance at the Klaro Collection, and you will be hard-pressed to find a cigar that boasts this same level of extreme age. In fact, this may actually be the oldest cigar we have ever stocked, and one of the most exclusive at that.

Like the rest of the GPC 1502 line, the XO version has a specialized, semi-closed foot that comes with a specialized name. It is called the "Cigar Lock," and it is a patented design that GPC's founder, Enrique Sanchez, came up with to protect the edge of the foot and aid in an even burn from first light, all while allowing the smoker to experience the wrapper leaf in all of its unfiltered glory up front.

But let's step back from the foot for a moment and look at the whole vitola, because when we said that this was a "somewhat secretive blend," we meant that only GPC and Plasencia are privy to the types of tobacco used to make the cigar. However, while at the GPC booth at PCA 2025, we were able to ascertain where these top-secret varietals are grown and the grade of leaf used, along with a few additional details about what goes into making this smoke such a success. Contrary to rumors on the interweb, no backrubs or bribery were involved, just good old fashioned camaraderie and a little cajoling from yours truly. 

Want to learn more about aging cigars?

Check out our Deep Dive on the subject here.

Wrapper: Undisclosed, but receives around 5 years of aging on average to maintain a balance between flavor and smoothness, while keeping those delicate wrapper colors and heavier oils intact.

Binder: Nicaraguan, and aged for 18 years.

Long-Fillers: Nicaraguan, and also aged for 18 years.

Extra Tobacco Nerd Notes: The 1502 XO includes one ligero leaf in the filler mixture, with the remainder being primarily viso instead of the typical, milder seco leaves. All of the blend's binder and filler tobaccos come from the top three growing regions in Nicaragua, including Jalapa, Estelí, and Condega. Additionally, GPC has been known to use tobacco grown by AJ Fernandez and Oliva in some of its blends, so it is best not to presume that this is a 100% Plasencia-grown product.