Fratello Cigars Goes To The Moon With Lunar Cigar
Celebratory cigars come out for all types of occasions, from birthdays and graduations to weddings and real estate deals. But how about landing on the moon? Boutique brand owner Omar de Frias of Fratello Cigars has created a trio of cigars called Fratello Lunar in anticipation of the IM-1 lunar mission scheduled for later this year. The cigars will come in themed packaging designed to resemble lunar modules and are expected to start shipping in the middle of June.
De Frias, who worked for NASA in a prior career, created Lunar in collaboration with Steve Altemus, the former NASA deputy center director for the Johnson Space Center and founder of Intuitive Machines. This cigar set also marks the tenth anniversary of the Fratello brand. During the 12 years de Frias worked for NASA, a cigar always was part of celebrating a successful mission. This year, the cigar of choice will be The Lunar.
“I am incredibly honored to be part of this historic moment,” de Frias says. “When Steve approached me a few years ago to create a cigar to commemorate this momentous launch, I knew we were working on something truly special.”
There will be three different versions of Lunar in total, two limited-production releases and a limited edition. The first two will come in a toro measuring 6 inches by 50 ring gauge in two different wrappers: one is rolled with an Ecuador Connecticut wrapper and another with Ecuador Sumatra. Lunar Connecticut ($14) features a Mexican binder with a mix of Dominican, Nicaraguan and Ecuador Sumatra filler. The other cigar, called Lunar Cameroon tobacco is grown in West Africa from Sumatra seeds) is made with a Dominican binder around Nicaraguan and Pennsylvania broadleaf fillers and retails for $15. They both come in 15-count boxes.
The limited-edition version—Lunar LE Figurado—will be released as part of a humidor set of 18 cigars. At 6 by 60, these hefty Dominican puros, according to the company, feature tobaccos that have been aged at least six years. The suggested retail price is $25 each or $450 for the set. Only 175 humidors in total will be released.
All three cigars are made at the La Aurora S.A. factory in the Dominican Republic.
