A symbol of luxury, class and pleasure.
A cylindrical bundle of dried and fermented tobacco leaves that are smoked and often considered as a symbol of luxury and class. Cigars are made of three distinct types of leaves, the filler, the binder and the wrapper. The outermost leaf or the wrapper is the most expensive part of a cigar which determines the character and flavour of it. Cigars are mostly grown and manufactured in significant quantities in Central America and were handcrafted until the 20th century which made them a premium product in the market.
What makes ‘cigars’ so special in your country?
Let us know more about the varieties of Cigars in conversation with various Ambassadors showcasing the tradition of cigars of their respective countries.
Cuba
‘Habanos’ is the denomination of origin of the cigars produced in Cuba. The best of the world.
When Christopher Columbus arrived in Cuba, he realized that the Aborigines accompanied social and religious ceremonies with tobacco. Since then, the Habano has been a passion and a fundamental part of Cuban culture, tradition and national identity.
Its history is linked to the Cuban independence struggle, where tobacco workers actively participated and were the first organized unions.
The Habano is an exclusive and natural product, completely handmade by experts, who select, dry and roll the best tobacco leaves. Its unparalleled quality is given by the climatic conditions in western Cuba, the characteristics of its soil and the tradition inherited through generations.
The craft of the reader survives in tobacco factories as a tradition declared by UNESCO as Cultural Heritage. So, the Habano that you enjoy has been rolled by listening to the classics of literature or the news of the day. In India, you can find them through the specialized company “Cingari”, distributor of Habanos in the region.
The Habano is not smoked, but enjoyed. It is an ephemeral work of art, so you must burn it to enjoy it. It is best enjoyed in a quiet and special moment, among friends and accompanied by an aged Havana Club rum. According to our Cuban tradition, I invite you to share an aromatic Cohiba or a Montecristo and dedicate it with immense pleasure to the historic and lasting friendship between our nations Cuba and India.
Dominican Republic
It is impossible to talk about the best cigars in the world without mentioning the Dominican Republic in the same sentence. Originally used by the indigenous inhabitants of our island and later cultivated during colonial times, tobacco leaves have been for centuries part of the highly fertile landscape of the Dominican Republic.
Our well-constructed hand-rolled cigars, created with flavourful blends, have become trailblazers in the international cigar market, placing the Dominican Republic as a cigar powerhouse. Cigar aficionados know the exquisite taste, colour, and aroma of the Dominican cigars, while newcomers are often thrilled to experience our unique blends. Over the years, the cigar industry has come to play a significant role in our nation’s branding, and we aspire to continue pleasing customers with the quality of our products.
Costa Rica
“Although Costa Rica is not a large producer of cigars, its cigar industry has been growing with optimistic projections in recent years. The Costa Rican cigars owe their quality to the optimal climate and fertile soil of the country, which contributes to an earthy, natural, and distinct rich flavour. Costa Rica´s volcanic soil, hilly slopes for cultivation, and its specific weather, which is characterized by a combination of rainfall (May-November) and a dry season, provide the right humidity and setting to produce high-quality cigars. One of the main areas of cigar production in Costa Rica is found in Puriscal, located about an hour southwest of our capital, San Jose. The altitude of this region brings unique conditions to the tobacco plant.
One of the largest factories in the country is owned by Tabacos de Costa Rica, a company with more than 17 years of experience in the production of Premium Cigars. Among the leading Costa Rican tobacco producer companies is also Brun del Ré which has a brand called 1638 inspired by the historically recorded fact that Costa Rica was the first country in the region to export 1,000 pounds of tobacco back in 1638. Other known brands produced in the country include Flor Real, Vegas De Santiago and Bahías, Sueños, Chieftains.”
Gautemala
Cigars, as associated with luxury, was discovered in the heart of Central America. A pottery vessel unearthed in Uaxactún, Guatemala dating back to the 10th century CE or even earlier, depicts the figure of a Maya smoking a string-tied roll of tobacco leaves. Cigar or ‘Cigarro’ in Spanish is probably derived from the term Sik’ar, a Mayan term that denotes smoking.
Scents of cigars have much to do with the quality of it than you might think. There are three premium brands that are known in Guatemala.
Don Juan Cigars, it has a blend of Creole tobacco blends and delivers a complex aroma and flavour of sweetness and cocoa. It has a dark Havana wrapper, perfectly aged to create a balance between the Creole tobaccos of the filler and the binder.
Don Leopoldo cigars was named in honour of Don Leopoldo González, known to his friends as ‘Don Polo’. These cigars have a light brown Connecticut Ecuador select wrapper. It has a flavour with notes of sweet, cedar, vanilla and chocolate.
Don Pancho cigars, it is a very attractive cigar, with an intense and complex flavour that have hints of vanilla, sweetness and notes of coffee. This cigar is a classic.