Quai D'Orsay, Senador 25s LE 2020

While it has never been considered a large marca, Quai d’Orsay has always been quite popular in France, which may explain why three of the eight Edición Regional cigars in the brand have been exclusive releases for the country. Unfortunately, its popularity in that country did not stop Habanos from cutting the brand back drastically in 2015, leaving just one regular production vitola, namely the 5 3/5 x 42 Coronas Claro. However, things changed in February 2017, when Habanos S.A. announced a fairly major overhaul of the Quai d’Orsay brand during the Festival del Habano XIX. As part of the refresh, two vitolas were added—specifically, the 4 1/3 x 50 Quai d’Orsay No. 50 and the 5 3/10 x 54 Quai d’Orsay No. 54—both of which joined the existing Coronas Claro to round out the final three-viola lineup. In addition, all three cigars were given new bands and box designs in anticipation of being shipped to major Habanos S.A. markets around the world. Fast forward to February of this year, when retailers in France began receiving boxes of the first Edición Limitada in the Quai d’Orsay marca’s history: the Senadores. Priced at €19.80 ($21.90) per cigar in Frace, the 6 3/16 (157mm) x 48 grand corona is sold in boxes of 25 cigars. Like all Edición Limitada releases from Habanos S.A., includes tobacco that was aged for at least two years.