Flor y Nata Enters U.S. Market, Launches Noxio

There’s another brand from the Dominican Republic heading to the U.S., and this one comes from a familiar place.

Modern Tobacconist Art, LLC—formerly known as Noxio Cigars, LLC or Flor y Nata SRL in the Dominican Republic—is made at the same unnamed factory as Chogüí. It comes to the U.S. after launching in the Dominican Republic in 2013.

The company has two lines, the first of which is Flor y Nata. It debuted in 2013 using a Dominicana negrito binder over a mixture of Dominican corojo, HVA and habano 2020 tobacco. It’s offered in both Maduro, with a Dominican negrito Canca wrapper, and Natural, which uses a Dominican HVA wrapper. Both versions are offered in three sizes: Corona (5 1/2 x 46), Robusto (5 x 52) and Toro (6 x 54).

Last month, the company shipped its second line, Noxio.

It uses a Dominican negrito Canca wrapper, a Dominicana criollo 98 binder and Dominican criollo 98 and habano 2020 in the filler. It’s offered in four sizes: Robusto (5 1/4 x 52), Churchill (7 x 52), Toro (6 x 56) and Doble Toro (6 x 60).

The company showed off both cigars at the 2015 IPCPR Convention & Trade Show.

Interestingly, the company recommends the cigars be stored at lower relative humidities for optimal smoking, deeming 58-60 percent relative humidity to be ideal.

Company founder Joan Manuel Rodríguez told halfwheel he recently moved to the U.S. to oversee distribution. He said the company hopes to have 25 accounts in the U.S. by the end of the year.