For the past few years, Luciano / ACE Prime have showcased limited cigars that were available only to retailers that attended the annual PCA trade show. In 2022, this release was Maria Lucia, a cigar that has grown to become the company’s (now known as Luciano Cigars) single best-selling SKU. This prompted the expansion of the line, which will now be offered regularly in four sizes, debuting at next month’s PCA trade show in Las Vegas.
Maria Lucia is named for Luciano co-owner Luciano Meirelles’ late mother, who passed away when he was only 12 years old. Created to be intricate yet bold, the cigar is said to reflect his mother’s life story, capturing the complexity, grit, and vibrance of her character. Adding to the narrative, and allowing the project to span three generations of Luciano’s family, the cigar’s artwork was done by his oldest daughter, Deborah, who works in Paris as an artist and fashion designer. Deborah is said to have made the artwork without ever knowing what her grandmother looked like—though the likeness is described as being uncanny.
“It’s been overwhelming to see how much this cigar has started to mean to people. I get messages every week… Truthfully, I’m just grateful for the opportunity to honor my mother, to let her legacy grow and her story be known through this cigar.” —Luciano Meirelles, son of Maria Lucia and Co-Founder of Luciano Cigars
Expanding the line to four sizes, Luciano conducted a survey for retailers, identifying the most desired sizes to add to the line. In addition to the 5¼” x 54 original (now known as Magnum), Maria Lucia will now be rolled in Cañonazo (5⅞ x 52), Double Robusto (6½” x 50), and Corona Gorda (5⅝” x 46) formats, with all sizes being box-pressed. Additionally, the cigars will now ship in boxes of 24 cigars (differing from the 12-count presentation of the original).
While the blend remains the same (Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, double binder from Ecuador (Sumatra and Havana ’92), and fillers from Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and Peru), the cigars are now rolled out of the Luciano Tabacos factory in Nicaragua. The cigars are priced between $11.50 and $12.96 apiece, and will be ready to ship immediately after the trade show.
Maria Lucia Breakdown
- Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
- Binder: Ecuador (Sumatra | Havana ’92)
- Filler: Nicaragua | Dominican Republic | Peru
- Factory: Luciano Tabacos S.A. (Nicaragua)
- Production: Regular Production
- Packaging: 24-ct boxes
- Vitolas: 4
- Price: $11.50–$12.96 (MSRP)
- Release: July 2023
- Corona Gorda: 5⅝” x 46 | $11.50
- Double Robusto: 6½” x 50 | $12.50
- Cañonazo: 5⅞ x 52 | $12.80
- Magnum: 5¼” x 54 | $12.96
Short Link: