A Modern Classic
The flavored cigarillo space was crowded with brands packaged in disposable plastics, positioned as cheap thrills or associated with blunt culture. Meanwhile, vaping was marketed to youth through sleek minimalism and exaggerated convenience. We saw an opening: to claim the space between casual indulgence and refined ritual. Flor Fina could elevate flavored cigarillos into a modern classic — one that honors Tabacalera’s regal heritage while inviting a younger generation to slow down, savor, and explore.
An explorer’s timeless tale
Our guiding idea was “Discover Otherworldly Experiences.” Inspired by magical realism, we brought to life the imagined journals of Antonio de Salcedo — a spirited 19th-century explorer who stumbles upon Valle Isabela, a fantastical world beyond the clouds. Each flavor of Flor Fina became a story, a totem, a creature — not just a cigarillo, but an invitation to curiosity, discovery, and delight.
The Otherworldly Experience
The brand identity blended classicism with whimsy: ornate Art Nouveau flourishes softened into modern elegance, a monogram formed from mirrored Fs, and a color palette balancing peachy pinks, ochres, and peacock blues with copper foils. Typography echoed old-world journals while remaining legible in today’s contexts.
The Discovery
Flor Fina redefined how flavored cigarillos could be perceived. Instead of fleeting consumables, it positioned them as part of a lifestyle of discovery — something one savors, collects, and shares. By weaving fantasy and heritage into every touchpoint, Flor Fina stood apart from competitors and filled the gap of “fine casual smoking” with credibility, artistry, and allure.
Packaging became the stage for worldbuilding. Each tin carried a totem: a turtle bearing a chest for Caramel, a butterfly circling a sphere for Chocolate, a pearl guarded by parrotfish for Vanilla, a civet and metronome for Café Crème, and the mythical Adarna bird for Puritos. Variants were framed by botanical elements, tying flavors to both fantasy and Filipino flora.
Beyond tins, we designed a collector’s edition “book set” — each flavor encased like a volume of Antonio’s journals, gathered in a slipcase that could sit on a shelf like a library of discoveries. In stores, Flor Fina appeared as “Antonio’s Study”: displays styled with explorer’s notebooks, specimens, and his aerostat sketches, transporting buyers into the myth.
