La Flor Dominicana TAA 47 Finalized (Update)

The 2015 La Flor Dominicana exclusive for the Tobacconists’ Association of America (TAA) will be a 5 1/2 x 52 robusto extra.

While retailers were asked to place orders for a cigar at last week’s TAA meeting and convention, the cigar that would ship was not known. That’s because La Flor Dominicana decided to let the some-80 retail members of the organization vote on which cigar would ultimately become the company’s TAA exclusive. Retailers were asked to place orders for each cigar with an understanding that whichever of the three vitolas received the most orders would enter production.

The other two vitolas were a 6 x 60 and a 6 1/2 x 54 box-pressed torpedo.

All three cigars shared the same blend: an Ecuadorian habano wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. Suggested retail pricing for the cigar is $9 or $225 per box of 25 cigars.

Jon Carney, vp of sales for La Flor Dominicana, told halfwheel that the cigar should arrive by late May. He did not have a finalized production number.

La Flor Dominicana opted for the 47th moniker because this was the 47th TAA meeting and convention. It is expected that the next three releases will keep the same naming scheme up until the LFD TAA 50th.

The TAA meets once per year. In recent years, it’s becoming increasingly popular for manufacturers to offer the approximately 80 retail members exclusive cigars; Altadis U.S.A. is one of a host of companies offering exclusive cigars to TAA members, joining Altadis U.S.A., Asylum/CLE Cigar Co., Kristoff, Nat Sherman, Padrón, Quesada Cigars and Tatuaje.

Update (April 29, 2015) — La Flor Dominicana has indicated that the original announcement regarding the blend was not correct. The cigar uses a Nicaraguan binder, instead of Mexican binder as originally announced. In addition, the filler includes Nicaraguan tobacco. 

This story was originally published on April 21, 2015.