Business

He may not be the most high-profile Dominican producer, but Jochy Blanco, who runs Tabacalera Palma, is certainly one of the most well-respected.   By Daniela Cruz Gil, our correspondent in Santiago de los Caballeros (Dominican Republic)   “I come from a tobacco family. My great-grandfather was an immigrant who traded small-scale goods: coffee, cocoa and tobacco. My grandfather, a

Jorge Luís Fernández Maique will become director of Ernesto Pérez-Carrillo’s Tabacalera La Alianza. As we announced in L’ADC n°148 (currently available in French newsstands and on our online store), Jorge Maique, 57, takes over the management of Ernesto Pérez’s Tabacalera La Alianza (TLA), located in one the free zones of Santiago de Los Caballeros in the Dominican Republic. The news

Did you know that African Americans are the second largest consumers of cigars in the USA? The legacy of segregation, however, appears to live on even in smoking lounges, where different ethnic communities rarely mix. We report from two of the key venues of the Black cigar community in Los Angeles.   Armelle Vincent, our correspondent in L.A.   It

“The event can no longer be organized” due to new anti-Covid measures taken by the Belgian government. Cubacigar, exclusive importer of Cuban cigars in the Benelux, announces the cancellation of the evening scheduled for Saturday 4 December in Brussels for the worldwide launch of the Juan Lopez Seleccion Especial. “Yesterday (November 26, 2021) the Belgian government announced new restrictions as

The official announcement should be made in the next few days. According to our sources in Cuba, Habanos S.A. has just decided to cancel the Festival del Habano which was to be held in the Cuban capital at the end of February 2022. The information is not yet official, but it seems that the health crisis, and in particular its

The date is set and preparations continue. But the organizers are waiting for the green light from the Cuban government. Preparations for the 23rd Festival del Habano are well underway. As we announced on October 27, the dates (February 21-25, 2022) have already been decided and Habanos SA continues to make every effort to ensure that the event can take

New Jersey cigar brand Hiram & Solomon was founded by two Freemasons. Its products feature the symbols of Freemasonry and proceeds from sales go to Lodge charities.  Guillaume Renouard, our correspondent in the USA You cannot tell that someone is a Freemason at first glance – the order is known for its discretion and emphasis on secrecy. Or at least,

In 2020, China became the world’s biggest market for Cuban cigars, with a spectacular 15% rise in sales on the mainland. In this report, we take a look at a market with complex, not always transparent rules that feed rumors and misinformation.   Philippe Dova, our correspondent in Hong Kong   So, here we are. China’s irresistible rise to the

With the sudden spike in demand since the first months of the pandemic (see ADC English Edition #1), Dominican factories are under intense demand pressure, including as regards labor. Anything goes to attract workers and meet production targets.   Daniela Cruz Gil, our correspondent in Santiago de los Caballeros (Dominican Republic)   “We are looking for tabaqueros (cigar makers).” Such

According to our sources, the dates of the next Cuban cigar Festival have been decided. The event, canceled in 2021 due to the Covid pandemic, will take place from February 21 to 25. The official announcement should be made in the coming days. We do not yet know the detailed program of this 23rd Festival del Habano. The Procigar festival

A few months ago, the plain packaging was introduced, adding to the already long list of restrictions affecting cigar sales in Canada. But Quebec is the last province in the country where cigar lounges are still allowed. Antonio Marsillo, our correspondent in Montreal (Quebec)   Bitterly cold weather for half the year, one of the world’s harshest tobacco taxation policies

The first cigars to be produced in Africa are starting to arrive on other continents. Made essentially with African tobacco, and rolled by an all-African team, they come from Mozambique. Tom Bowker, our correspondent in Mozambique, reports from Maputo. Africa’s first cigar manufacturer is starting to export. After a first batch of Bongani Cigars landed at London Heathrow Airport at

500 cigars reviewed (Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic) by L’Amateur de cigare’s tasting committee. Here is the prize list of the 2021 Cigaroscope, available in French newsstands and in our online shop.   Cigar of the year : Davidoff Winston Churchill The Aristocrat Newcomer of the year : Corrida Nicaragua Robusto + Brand of the year : Joya de

Strong demand brought on by the “lockdown effect”, combined with a slowdown of production in Cuba and logistic problems caused by Covid-19 mean that tobacconists’ shelves are looking bare. Habanos S.A. calls for patience.   The first to sound the alarm was 5th Avenue Trading, the exclusive importer of Cuban cigars for Germany, Austria, and Poland. When it published its

Here is the list of all the new cigars in preparation in Cuba. Traditionally, this list is announced during the Festival del habano which takes place every year in February. But in the absence of a festival this year due to the pandemic, Habanos S.A. organized a virtual event called Habanos World Days. Nineteen new references are in preparation.  

The virtual event organized by Habanos SA will take place on May 4, 5 and 6.   In the absence of Festival del Habano this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Habanos SA will organize the Habanos World Days, an online event whose program is largely inspired by that of the festival organized for more than 20 years in Havana.

The Carlos Baliño factory is the first on the island to be closed due to the pandemic. The factory located in Marianao, one of the 15 municipalities in the province of Havana, has been detected as a Covid-19 cluster. The Cuban Ministry of Public Health (Minsap) did not release any details on the number of Covid cases identified in this

After having tried every single Cuban cigar available in France, L’Amateur de Cigare’s Tasting Committee has come to a decision. The habano of the year is the Romeo y Julieta Churchills. Here is the review published in the 2021 Havanoscope, now available (in French) in French newsstands and from our online store:     Romeo y Julieta Churchills 178 mm ×