Quai d’Orsay Especial d’Orsay Reaches Retailers in Andorra

Quai d’Orsay’s Especial d’Orsay has gone on sale in Andorra, following the brand’s 50th anniversary. The limited-production toro debuted in five-count gift boxes earlier this month.

Anniversary Release Arrives in Andorra

The Especial d’Orsay celebrates half a century of the Quai d’Orsay name. The cigar honours a brand with a history unlike most Cuban marques.

Retail sales in Andorra began on December 15. The release currently appears only in select packaging.

Vitola and Cuban Naming

The Especial d’Orsay comes in a 6-inch by 53 ring gauge toro. In Cuban nomenclature, the vitola carries the name sobresalientes.

This size will feel familiar to collectors. It matches the Romeo y Julieta Capuletos, released as a 2016 Edición Limitada.

It also mirrors the Por Larrañaga Sobresalientes, an Edición Regional from 2014. The vitola choice places the Especial d’Orsay among established Cuban formats.

Packaging and Pricing Details

When Habanos S.A. announced the cigar, it confirmed two packaging options. These included standard 20-count boxes and five-count gift boxes.

So far, only the five-count presentation has appeared in Andorra. The price stands at €275, or approximately $323.72.

Maori Tabacs S.A., the local distributor, confirmed that 20-count boxes remain unavailable. No timeline has been announced for their arrival.

Limited Production, Global Intent

Habanos S.A. has stated that the Especial d’Orsay will reach global markets. The company described production as limited.

Habanos has not disclosed exact production figures. That lack of detail leaves availability uncertain across different regions.

Collectors can expect uneven distribution. Some markets may receive the cigar much later than others.

A French Beginning, Not Cuban

Quai d’Orsay differs from most Cuban brands in its origin. The brand launched in France, not Cuba.

The story began when Valéry Giscard d’Estaing served as France’s minister of finance and economic affairs. He requested a cigar suitable as a diplomatic gift.

SEITA, France’s state tobacco monopoly, took on the task. The company contacted Cubatabaco to develop a suitable blend.

The resulting brand took its name from the Quai d’Orsay district in Paris. SEITA’s offices sat along the Seine in that neighbourhood.

For decades, SEITA sold Quai d’Orsay exclusively. The brand remained closely tied to France throughout that period.

From SEITA to Global Distribution

In 1999, SEITA merged with Tabacalera. One year later, Altadis acquired a 50 percent stake in Habanos S.A.

That shift changed the brand’s reach. Quai d’Orsay moved into broader international distribution.

Today, the brand appears worldwide. France still stands as its strongest market, reflecting the brand’s diplomatic roots.