A La Palina cigar that had previously been limited to TAA retailers is getting a widespread release this month, as the company has announced that the Illumination line is gaining a toro vitola.

When it first came out, the cigar wasn’t known as the Illumination, however — it was known as Bill’s Blend. The size measures 6 x 50 and will come with a slightly higher MSRP than the original, as it’s now $12 per cigar, or $240 for a box of 20 cigars. The original Bill’s Blend was priced at $10.99 per cigar.

La Palina’s Illumination Toro becomes the fifth size in the line:

  • La Palina Illumination Robusto (5 x 52) — $11.50 (Boxes of 20, $230)
  • La Palina Illumination Colonial (5 1/4 x 44) — $10.50 (Boxes of 20, $210)
  • La Palina Illumination Belicoso (6 1/2 x 52) — $12.50 (Boxes of 20, $250)
  • La Palina Illumination Lancero (7 1/2 x 38) — $11.50 (Boxes of 20, $230)
  • La Palina Illumination Toro (6 x 50) — $12 (Boxes of 20, $240)

The Illumination line features an Ecuadorian habano wrapper over an Ecuadorian binder, while the fillers come from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. Bill Paley, La Palina’s owner has gone on so far as to describe this is an everyday version of the company’s Goldie line.

Production is handled by El Titan de Bronze in Miami, which also produces La Palina’s Mr. Sam and Goldie lines.

The Illumination Toro will head to all retailers both domestic and international at the end of July.

Davidoff is the official sponsor of halfwheel's coverage of the 2017 IPCPR Convention & Trade Show.
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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.