PDR Puts Its Broadleaf Cigar In A Jar

Source from:  Cigar Aficionado 05/04/2016

When Abe Flores of PDR Cigars released his Flores y Rodriguez Connecticut Valley Reserve brand last year, he packaged the cigars in long, 15-count maple wood boxes. Now, Flores is taking those same cigars and putting them in limited-edition ceramic jars as well. This year, PDR will be producing 2,000 boxes and 2,000 jars.

Unlike most cigar jar releases, which are normally limited to only one size, PDR will be offering all four sizes of the Flores y Rodriguez Connecticut Valley Reserves in these glossy ceramic jars. Each jar will hold 19 cigars regardless of the vitola, and will retail from $304 to $361, depending on the cigar. The Robusto measures 5 inches by 52 ring gauge; Gran Toro, 6 by 54; Belicoso (91 points, June 2016 Cigar Aficionado), 5 1/2 by 54; and Figurado, 6 1/2 by 52. Only 500 jars of each size are being produced.

The maple, 15-count boxes are less expensive, ranging from $240 to $285 per box, or $16 to $19 per cigar. Regardless of box or jar, Flores y Rodriguez Connecticut Valley Reserves are the most expensive cigars in PDR's portfolio.

Showcasing a dark Connecticut broadleaf wrapper, the blend consists of two binders—an Ecuadoran Corojo and Nicaraguan Habano—and a filler of Dominican Corojo and Criollo '98 from Nicaragua's Condega growing region.

Flores will be taking orders for both the maple boxes and the ceramic jars at this summer's IPCPR trade show, but it's going to require a large commitment from retailers. Shop owners who want the jars will have to buy a full 16-piece package. That amounts to eight boxes (two of each size) and eight jars (two of each size). Only 250 of these packages will be offered.

Though the boxes are not scheduled to ship to retailers until November, Flores estimates that the jars won't ship until February 2017.

The Flores y Rodriguez brand was named after brand-owner Abe Flores and his factory partner Juan Rodriguez. Enditem