June 5, 2012 (Miami, Florida) — Dona Flor Cigars, manufactured by Menendez Amerino which is celebrating 35 years in existence, is ready to share its Brazilian cigars with the U.S. market. Dona Flor, which features cigars with 100% Brazilian tobacco, expects to fill a void in the North American market with its unique and exotic blends.

Dona Flor is at its finest, a combination of the best cigar minds to come out of Cuba, and the exotic natural resources in Brazil that produces “Brazil’s dark treasure” the Mata Fina tobacco. Manufactured in the state of Bahia located in northeast Brazil, Dona Flor Cigars are the result of the collaboration between Cuban cigar maker Felix Menendez (who had been involved in the making of famous Cuban brands Montecristo and H. Upmann in the pre-Castro era) and Brazilian tobacco grower Mario Amerino. Now being brought to the United States via Chris Edge owner of Dona Flor U.S.A., cigar enthusiasts will now have the opportunity to savor the cigar industries best kept secret: Dona Flor Cigars.

Dona Flor made an attempt to distribute its award-winning blend to the U.S. market in 2005 but legal issues (which have now been resolved) kept the Dona Flor brand off the shelves in the U.S. until now. Chris Edge, a cigar enthusiast and successful business man from Denver, Colorado was handpicked by Menendez and Amerino to carry out the mission of exposing the Brazil’s finest cigars to North America.

“Because of the quality and unique flavor of Brazilian tobacco we will be able to establish Dona Flor cigars as the ultimate Brazilian cigar. Brazilian cigars or Brazilian tobacco in general are an unknown treasure here in the US.  Brazilian tobacco has been a crucial part of infamous cigars for decades, but all of the glory has gone to the country of manufacture, not the country of origin,” said Chris Edge.

The IPCPR in Orlando will be the platform for the unveiling of Dona Flor cigars which have garnered ratings from Cigar Aficionado Magazine of 92, 89, and 88. Dona Flor’s cigars are 100% “puro” with filler, binder, and wrapper all grown in Bahia which makes the final product one of the most unique and flavorful premium cigars in the world.

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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.