La Palina is celebrating its 125th anniversary, and not only is it releasing a new cigar, it’s doing so with the help of Oliva Cigar Co.
To create the cigar, La Palina was granted access to what the company says is “a private stock” of vintage tobaccos from Oliva Cigar Co., though the company is not disclosing what tobaccos are being used, whether it be where they are from or what varietals they are. The 125th Años is a 6 1/2 x 52 toro vitola with a pigtail cap. The cigars were rolled at one of Oliva’s facilities in Estelí, Nicaragua.
“We felt it only suitable to work with a company with a tenured history as rich as our own,” said Bill Paley, owner of La Palina. “After all, both Oliva Cigar and La Palina memorialize centenarian brand status. I truly feel that the founders of our respective companies– Melanio Oliva and Sam Paley — would be proud with what we have created with this project.”
The La Palina 125 Años is presented in a glass jar reminiscent of those used in the early 20th century. In 1896, Samuel Paley, grandfather of Bill Paley, opened the Congress Cigar Factory in Chicago, with La Palina being his first brand, named in honor of Sam’s wife, Goldie Drell Paley. Specifically, the inspiration for the jar was drawn from the packaging that the company used in 1920s, enhanced with modern graphic and printing technology.
Each jar contains 37 cigars and production of the jars themselves is being limited to 300 jars. However, each retailer who buys a jar will actually be buying a package that contains an additional 37 cigars that are meant to refill the jar as single cigars are sold. The company has set an MSRP of $25 per cigar, which gives the jar an MSRP of $925 and the full set has an MSRP of $1,850.
The La Palina 125 Años is expected to begin shipping in September.