Luciano Cigars Moves Fiat Lux Production to Tabacos de Oriente, Announces Tenebrus Limited Edition

Luciano Cigars has announced a pair of developments for its Fiat Lux line: the first being that production is being moved from the Luciano Cigars Factory to Plasencia’s Tabacos de Oriente in Danlí, Honduras, as well as that the line will be adding a limited edition called Tenebrus.

The new cigar is a 6 1/2 x 52 toro that uses two wrappers, one a Honduran habano Azuacualpa from Plasencia’s San Agustin farm in the Olancho region, while the other is an Ecuadorian Sumatra leaf that is the same leaf found on the original Fiat Lux line. Both wrappers are fermented for more than five years, the company said, and sit atop a binder and filler that both come from Nicaragua. The company calls the profile a medium-full blend with “an intricate balance of sweetness and depth.”

“Discovering that wrapper from the San Agustin farm was a moment of serendipity and tradition entwined,” said Luciano Meirelles, president of Lucianao Cigars. “When I was invited into their pre-industry, revealing those precious, aged leaves—a mere small pilón left in existence called my attention—it felt like uncovering treasure.”

Meirelles added that the blending process was about creating “an homage to tradition, a nod to the exceptional, and a celebration of the endless possibilities when passion meets partnership.”

Production is limited to 1,500 boxes of 10 cigars, with pricing set at $22 per cigar and $220 per box. Meirelles said that Luciano Cigars will be contributing a portion of the proceeds to Plasencia’s Souls From the Earth Foundation in honor of Conrado Plasencia, who passed away in September 2023. Meirelles called the initiative more than simply a gesture of respect, but a continuation of the values that Conrado championed, namely community, support, and education. “Through this contribution, Tenebrus embodies not just the pinnacle of craftsmanship but also a beacon of hope and progress, celebrating the light Conrado brought to this world,” Meirelles said.

The cigar gets its name from the Latin word tenebris, which means darkness, and was suggested by Joshua Beaver, who represents Luciano Cigars in the midwestern U.S. and proposed it as part of a “philosophical reflection,” the company said. Selecting the name “embodied the philosophical journey from ‘darkness into light,’ mirroring the Latin expression ‘Fiat Lux’, which means ‘let there be light,'” the company said in a press release. “This connection not only highlights the profound depth of the blend but also the enlightening experience it promises to offer.”

“Our meetings are always full of many philosophical discussions,” Beaver said. “In our company, everyone has a voice and I’m honored to have somehow contributed to the development of this brand.”

As for moving production of the Fiat Lux line to Tabacos de Oriente, Luciano Cigars said that this collaboration will allow it to enhance the production capabilities of its factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. Meirelles said that the two versions will not be differentiated in terms of packaging.

“We are very pleased to welcome Luciano and his family to produce some of their brands in Honduras,” said Nestor Andrés Plasencia, ceo of Plasencia Cigars, via a press release. “This new production is in line with our strategy to put the name of Honduras on high by manufacturing brands like Luciano’s. This production links the relationship of friendship and respect between the two families who have always been known by supporting the communities where they operate.”

The Fiat Lux Tenebrus is going on sale to retailers today and is scheduled to begin shipping to retailers after the PCA Convention & Trade Show, which runs from March 23-25.

Meirelles told halfwheel that a new cigar line that is being made at Tabacos de Oriente is in the works, but he didn’t go into specifics about it, other than to say it is “soon to be announced.”

Images courtesy of Luciano Cigars.