Ana Joaquina Rodríguez...
As a Captain and an active officer in the Dominican Republic Navy, Benny Batista Castillo followed a dream from the waves of the sea, to the tobacco leaves. “Because who would have thought that I could venture into this business, as difficult as it is beautiful..?”, says the Valdespina Cigars CEO, a different brand that with quality and innovation seeks to contribute to the establishment of the country brand: long-cherished desire for the producers of the island.
His relationship with tobacco dates back to his childhood, when he saw his grandmother, Mrs. Carmela Valdespina, smoking, but he fell in love with cigars in the mid-nineties. The idea of having a brand arose in 2020, when he took charge of establishing
in Santo Domingo –in a few days–, the Cigar Lounge of the Naval Club for Officers called La Recalada, in reference to the arrival of a ship in port.
After two years of its market launching, Valdespina Cigars offers six vitolas manufactured with the best raw materials. The most recent and spearhead in the company's expansion process is a Solomon called Black Knight (6.25 inches, ring gauge 58), which contains a bit of Lakatia tobacco –with double curing–, intended for the US market due to its strength and aroma, where the trademark registration is already in process.
valdespina_cigars
Valdespina Cigars
valdespinacigars.com
Mother and businesswoman, Ana Joaquina Rodríguez is the second Honduran person to successfully venture into the Tobacco World. Owner of Joaquín Blanco Cigars, she seeks to gift premium cigars to the world in which, in addition to its quality, each name, each ring and presentation stands out for its sobriety and elegance. It is like the fashion designer this industry, who led by her convictions and an unlimited vision, seeks to position her brand as La Cohiba of Honduras or El Señor de los Puros of her country.
a little about everything: marketing, finance, production, quality...
faces. The important thing is to move forward.”
am a woman of firm convictions”, she continues, “and despite being a world considered for men, I did not see it as an obstacle, but as an opportunity.”
Ana Joaquina Rodríguez Vargas grew up in the city of Danlí, department of El Paraíso, in eastern Honduras, considered the cradle of the local tobacco. She remembers that from a very young age, because she lived near a factory, the smell of tobacco that permeated the environment attracted her attention, and that the smoke did not displease her.
Daughter of the landowner Don José Gustavo Rodríguez and Doña Graciela Vargas Betanco, an administration professional, she also grew up among cows, horses, and the coffee farms of her maternal relatives. “It was always peculiar,’” he recalls. When I was little, I wanted to be a diplomat.” But in the end she opted for Industrial Engineering, to become an entrepreneur knowing
She knew that at some point she would undertake something personal. So in 2011 she decided to create a cigars brand, and Joaquín Blanco became known at the international event Honduras is Open for Business, as a gift for businessmen, sheikhs and presidents who met in San Pedro Sula. “It was an unforgettable experience”, because she doesn’t even imagine its capacity and scope.
In the end she was satisfied with what she obtained, because many people believed that she had been in the World of Tobacco for some time. “The doors got open for me. Since then I have continued between great and small achievements, as well as overcoming the obstacles that every enterprise
Ana Joaquina is the first and only person in her family dedicated to tobacco. As in Danlí there is an important community of Cubans – some of them, friends of his father – she knocked on the doors of his acquaintances. She approached Lipa Endemaño and her son Hugo, owners of the Raíces Cubanas factory, who “embraced the project since the first moment.” With them, she had –very well advised – her first smokes and pairings.
“I choose tobacco and not another business because it is a luxury, elegant accessory; A product with distinction that also goes with my personality. I
Deciding on the name of the brand was easy. In addition to being his name, it is a tribute to his great-grandfather, Don Joaquín Zavala, who took care of his father – the man she admired the most – when at the age of nine he lost his own father. “Blanco”, also a family name, was a complement commercially appropriated.
Then I designed a logo and everything needed for the launch. “The names of the blends, presentations, logos, etc. everything has being done by my own hand. My motto, which is Family Legend..., the rings, the designs...”.
Ana Joaquina maintained other professional activities and the business was not always walking. Between 2014 and 2016 she continued vending and people
asking for cigars, “but I didn’t have a plan.” Her return to Danlí marked a resurgence, she applied a reengineering with new blends, improvement of the presentations and different, new, fresh things ... From there it hasn’t stopped.
She met Adín Pérez and Raidel Lescano – Cubans too – from the San Judas Tadeo cigar factory, with whom “we started making some blends and I loved it; I have stayed with them until today. Although I maintain a very nice friendship with the Raíces Cubanas owners.”
Now Joaquín Blanco offers seven blends – including the Platinum, which will be presented in mid-2023 and commemorates its 11th anniversary. Valle Corojo, with a corojo wrapper, in a Robusto format; Mr. 1944 is presented in Rothschild and Churchill vitolas; the G&G Series, in Toro and Lancero; King Solomon is a double-wrapped Figurado; in the 2010 Edition there is a Toro and Petit Corona; the Special Edition Gold box press, and the new Gordo G short of 6 inches, ring gauge 58 “that will delight the greatest aficionados...”.
About the recent Gold Special Edition, she considers that “it is a wonderful cigar. I tell all my clients that I never have a single smoke, but two. It is an exquisite cigar, full body, pressed in an Habana wrapper, with a mild to medium strength and a very nice presentation. The palates feel some woody notes, but sweet, and a bit of chocolate.”
The idea is to give options to newly and experimented smokers, and to those who look for a cigar from time to time, with short and long smokes. And for giving a great variety, there are the accessories, such as a line of humidors that includes premium boxes, equipped to fulfill a humidor function. There’s also the Panorama box, with four levels and 20 pieces of our four blends.
The renewal of Joaquín Blanco drew attention at an international level. The client portfolio continues to increase in countries such as Nicaragua, Cuba, Argentina, the United States, Belgium, El Salvador, China, Vietnam or Spain, and the product reaches the consumer directly from Honduras. Negotiations will take place this year with distributors in the USA, Spain and Italy.
Although the Habano has been the par excellence tobacco, throughout the region there are cigars of the highest quality. Those of Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic and Honduras are widely accepted. “It is an encouraging situation”, but it does not close its eyes to the local market, which since 2020 has grown impressively.
In addition, she was invited to be a guest at the Cigar Week in Texas, USA, and she made this announcement at the launch of a car with Grupo Q, an international company: “I was the first brand to do it”.
The Covid-19 pandemic also changed the scenario. It made known the empowerment of women in the Tobacco World, as they connected and coincided in the global movement Sisters of the Leaf (SOTL). The live interviews made visible the CEO of Joaquín Blanco, and the brand itself.
Ana Joaquina admits to being happy with what has been done, “I have an unlimited vision, both of the brand and of me in this position. Because there is an Honduran before me in the Tobacco World: Mrs. Maya Selva, whom I respect a lot, with a trajectory of 25 years. We are talking about a very successful businesswoman, and being the second in this country fills me with satisfaction and joy.”
After almost two decades of existence, Erez is an international premium cigar start-up with which the entrepreneur – a tobacco man – honors his family, his professions and the Dominican city where he established a factory. Each step on this path contains an anecdote, an idea and a purpose, materialized in countless flavors and aromas from a simple base; Irrefutable proof that less is not only more, but better, as in this case.
Of Israeli origin, before turning 30 Yaniv Erez emigrated to New York City, United States, in search of a place in the field of business. He entered the real estate market and when he moved to Miami Beach, Florida, he began his relationship with cigars as a business. In the Dominican Republic he bought
3 thousand cigars that were initially for him and his friends, but as people liked them, he started to carry more and more and this became a commercial, economic activity.
He realized that he had to produce, and so he did from 2006 at the De Los Reyes Cigars factory. It
OM Cigars has begun shipping to new accounts their complimentary company-designed display humidors. They were offered to early adopters at the 2022 PCA trade show. These are functional humidors custom-built to exhibit the core lines of Essential Blend cigars. This offer is now being extended for a limited time. With a buy-in of 10 bundles, new OM Cigars retail partners will receive this beautifully crafted independent-standing display case which is, of course, fillable and refillable via bundles.
The humidor display boasts dimensions of just 23 inches wide, and six inches high, and sits eight inches deep. It is made of 100% Spanish cedar and includes original OM Cigars artwork. As to the cigars, it holds 125 Essential Blend's, a core line which Osvaldo Morales proudly offers since 2019 that consists of:
Essential Blend No.1
Mild-medium/Medium profile.
Wrapper: Habano Dominicano.
Essential Blend No.2
Medium/Med.-Full profile.
Wrapper: Negro San Andrés, México.
Essential Blend No.3 Medium profile.
Wrapper: Habano Criollo 98.
Essential Blend No.4 Medium-full profile.
Wrapper: Negro San Andrés, México.
Essential Blend No.5 Full profile.
Wrapper: Negro San Andrés, México.
OM Cigars does not simply want to sell you a cigar, not only wishes to deliver the smoker a tremendous experience, but also to build a relationship before and after each light and nub.
started with a Lonsdale vitola from Bahia, Brazil, which simply had success. So, when people started asking for other sizes, he added Robusto and Churchill, with Connecticut, Habano and San Andrés wrapper. “Each has their qualities, an own taste. For this we have the slogan One Blend, Three Wrappers.”
inches, ring gauge 64), Belicoso (7 inches, ring gauge 54), Perfecto (6 inches, ring gauge 63) and Solomon (7 inches, ring gauge 58).
During the Covid-19 pandemic, to respond to the high demand, Yaniv launched the Gran Tamboril brand, with short casing of its premium tobacco. It comes in Robusto (4 inches, ring gauge 50), Belicoso (41/2 inches, ring gauge 52), Gordo (4 inches, ring gauge 60) and Lonsdale (7 inches, ring gauge 44), which offer short smokes –the three first – at an affordable price.
In 2011he installed his factory, Tabacalera Erez, in Tamboril, Dominican Republic. Its flagship erezcigars Erez
brand, Erez, offers 30 classic vitolas, ten for each type of tobacco: Robusto, Toro, Lonsdale, Doble Corona, Belicoso, Gordo, Gordo G, Churchill, Gordo Box Pressed and Lancero. Then appearedThe Lanlord brand, whose blend takes a little Jalapa tobacco, from Nicaragua, with a full-body strength. They are presented in four vitolas: Gordito (4
Yaniv says he has kept going an old-fashioned manufacture, without extra nicotine or chemicals, “all traditional.” The secret lies in consistency – that each cigar always tastes the same – and aging. That’s why it gives a guarantee of total satisfaction: If someone tries one of your cigars and does not like it, you can return it and your money will be refunded ...
www.erezcigars.com
+1 305-735-8955
Four people with different origins, professions and stories met in San Jose, California, USA, where thanks to their love for tobacco they became friends and then partners, shaping Casa de Sueños (House of Dreams): a boutique brand that for four years has been making its way into the world market of the industry, based on passion, love and family.
We are talking about Chris Olivares, of Mexican descent; Patrick Díaz, Puerto Rican; Kerry Knight, an African-American, and Ozhen Arsenous, Iranian, for whom the brand name means that sitting down to smoke in a Cigar Lounge – like them – allows you to talk, dream and turn a group of strangers into lifelong friends.
Owner of (Los Gatos) LG Cigar Bar, which today he has in partnership with Chris, Ozhen came up with the idea of writing to Nirka Reyes, from De Los Reyes Cigars, to bring Saga. He got no response, but he met her during an event and not only became the exclusive distributor of the brand in California, but transformed the business into Saga Premier Lounge.
So when they decided to produce their own cigars, in 2018, they approached the Dominican factory, where together with the Master Blender they created the blend of a medium-bodied cigar, El Soñador (The Dreamer), with an Habano Ecuador wrapper, which today they offer in four vitolas: Robusto 5 inches, ring gauge 52; 6 inches Toro, ring gauge 54; Maximum, 7 inches, ring gauge 60, and a Salomón of the Limited Edition 2020.
It was followed by Fantasía, also with Habano Ecuador wrapper, but full bodied, with a 5 inches Belicoso Short, ring gauge 54; Perfecto 6.25 inches, ring gauge 54, and Toro Gordo, 6.5 inches, ring gauge 58. Finally emerged Algelito, a 6 inch corona, ring gauge 46 Connecticut wrapper; Gordito, 4
inches, ring gauge 58, and Churchill, 7 inches, ring gauge 48. This year they will launch a Nicaragua blend
Its market extends through Saudi Arabia, Asia and 32 states of the US, but they are committed to a global brand. They understand that every industry requires fresh ideas, new blood, and boutique brands can be very creative. At the end of the day, the cigar is an experience, not just a moment, and Casa de Sueños contains that tobacco time.
In Villa González, municipality of Santiago in the Dominican Republic, Tabacalera La Lealtad is the result of the work of two passionate about the World of Tobacco: Yovanny Pérez and Roque Tejeda, who lead the relaunch of Marvanny Cigars – a brand with three years in the market – which with new blends and vitolas seeks to consolidate itself in the taste of smokers. It is a work carried out by the love of its products, made with passion and dedication.
Roque Tejeda had two schools: the countryside and the factory. From the age of seven he went to work in the tobacco fields and then in the warehouses, in the destemming and separation of the leaves. When he was old enough, he trained as a tobacco craftsman, which allowed him to join the Davidoff company, where he climbed positions to become an ambassador for the brand. For 15 years he traveled through Europe, Asia and North America, rolling cigars during presentation events and launches.
Yovanny Pérez developed a great hobby, experience in business and a brand of cigars. He had contact with tobacco since childhood, because his grandmother smoked the famous Andullo in a pipe. He became an amateur years later, when he worked in a construction company and joined a smoking club. His interest was such that he created a brand: Marvanny Cigars, made by the Tabacalera El Puente
There are many years prior to their meeting. Suffice it to say that both share the idea about flying with their own wings and get a partnership, after a year of testing and working in a friend’s factory, in August 2022 they opened the Tabacalera La Lealtad (The Loyalty), whose name responds to a high commitment to the quality of its products and consumers.
This stage marks the renewal of Marvanny Cigars, whose vitolario now includes a 6-inch Toro, ring gauge 54
in Corojo and Habana wrapper, and another ring gauge 56 of San Andrés wrapper; the Robusto of 5 inches, ring gauge 50 in Habana 2000 and Connecticut wrappers, as well as a ring gauge 54 with Habana and San Andrés wrapper, and a 5.5 inches, ring gauge 52, Connecticut wrapper.
Also, a 6 inches Torpedo, ring gauge 52 Corojo wrapper; 5 inches Corona, ring gauge 42 Havana wrapper, and a 4 inches Short Robusto, ring gauge 52 in Corojo wrapper. At the end of the year or beginning of 2024 they will launch their Special Edition of a 6 inches Toro, ring gauge 52, Habana Rojiza wrapper. All smokes are all dynamic or changing: each third offers a different feeling.
Yovanny and Roque will warn of a promising future, step by step. They have a distributor in Chicago, Illinois, USA, where this year they will hold three events. Focused on its growth, the idea is to position itself in the international market, where beyond a good presentation, the important thing is that the consumer feels satisfied, pleased with each smoke with the wish of another one.
For a decade, from El Humidor de Don Humberto, Luis Monsanto –The Legend in the atmosphere of tobacco fans and connoisseurs in Santo Domingo– has announced every January a Top Ten of emerging cigars and launches of the previous year, considering only producers from the Dominican Republic.
The idea is to guide smokers and encourage tobacco workers who enter or seek to consolidate themselves in the local industry. Luis says that the number of cigars that appear is incredible: “They bring me five, six, seven new ones a month to try, or brands that have just come out”.
The term “emerging” refers to brands that are not yet consolidated, but already have an impact on a market sector. In the same ranking includes the new cigars of companies with
trajectory, which even venture into the international level.
He tastes the cigar at least three times, at different times and circumstances, with and without accompaniments (pairings). For the Tasting Notes he uses standard parameters: appearance, construction, burning, draught, taste, experience and quality-price ratio. But also aftertaste, retro-hale and countless factors that affect the score.
Producer: Cornelio Cigars Factory
Cigar: Cornelio, Habano Toro.
Wrapper: Criollo 98.
Binder: Olor Dominicano.
Filler: Piloto Mejorado, Criollo 98 and Pelo de Oro.
@cornelio_cigars
Producer: Matilde Cigars
Cigar: Matilde Serena
Smokersrd, Limited Edition.
Wrapper: Connecticut Ecuador.
Binder: Olor Dominicano.
Filler: Piloto Cubano and Criollo 98 Nicaragua. @matildecigars
Producer: Bohemio’s Cigars.
Cigar: Bohemio’s Habano Robusto.
Wrapper: Habano.
Binder: Olor Dominicano.
Filler: Cubano and HBA. @bohemioscigars
For this list he evaluated about 130 cigars and “it is a point of reference for tobacco companies to improve the quality of their products. When they are exceeded, in the end we obtain higher quality products, which is what you want, because they represent both, the country and consumers”, says Luis. Learn more at @dhumbertocigar
Producer: Epicentro Cigars
Cigar: Epicentro Habano Robusto.
Wrapper:
Habano 2000 Ecuador.
Binder: 2020.
Filler: Olor Dominicano, Negrito San Vicente and HVA.
@epicentro_cigars
Producer: Linga Cigars.
Cigar: Linga Roller Robusto, New Blends.
Wrapper: México.
Binder: USA.
Filler: Dominicana. @lingacigars
Producer: Natura Cigar Company.
Cigar: Natura “Friesian” Toro.
Wrapper: San Andrés.
Binder: Broadleaf.
Filler: Nicaragua, Pennsylvania, Habano and Dominicana.
@naturacigarco
1 4
Producer: Puro Humo RD.
Cigar:
PHRD Robust Gordo.
Wrapper: Corojo Ecuador.
Binder: Dominicana.
Filler: Dominicana. @phrdcigars
3Producer: Julián Sued & Cia.
Cigar: Monovarietal “HVA” Lancero.
Wrapper: Habana Ecuador.
Binder: HVA Dominicano.
Filler: HVA Dominicano. @juliansuedtabac
2 5 6 7 8
Producer: Valdespina Cigars
Cigar: Valdespina Don Quipito, Toro Box Press.
Wrapper: Negro San Andrés.
Binder: HVA.
Filler: Corojo Criollo and Piloto Mejorado. @valdespina_cigars
Producer: UVD Cigars.
Cigar: UVD, Isis,Toro.
Wrapper: San Andrés.
Binder: Olor Dominicano.
Filler: Piloto Cubano, San Vicente, Olor Dominicano and Nicaragua.
@uvdcigars
Producer: The Perfect Cigars.
Cigar: The Perfect Cigars
Robusto
Wrapper: Habano.
Binder: Olor Dominicano.
Filler: Piloto Cubano and HVA.
@theperfectcigars HONORIFIC
