The next publish about cigar excursions in Central America and South America is a visitor article from Sebastian Gollas, a well known knowledgeable who contributes to Cigar Journal in Europe and works for the importer StarkeZigarren, based mostly in Berlin. We’ve solely touched on cigars from time to time on this publication, though most of them bought world wide come from Latin America. We’ve tried some nice ones from Honduras and Nicaragua in our travels however Sebastian has the inside track on a lot extra!
Few Berliners take pleasure in leaving their properties within the winter. Some pals you don’t see for months. Our group shivers via the German winter in chilly rooms. The bottom flooring the place the cigar importer is situated can by no means be heated correctly. The historic constructing from the Gründerzeit interval with its excessive ceilings and outdated fuel heating system simply can’t sustain. From October to April, it’s a tricky time for the group. A breakout is required!
Morale rises in January, as a result of the group members have been invited to Honduras by the nation’s second-largest tobacco grower. Not one of the three-person group had ever been to the Central American nation.
Cigars From Nicaragua and Honduras
the journey leads via the USA and Mexico to Nicaragua. The vacation spot: Estelí, a small metropolis within the coronary heart of Nicaragua. However this inconspicuous little city has turn into the middle of the cigar world over the previous few a long time. Nicaragua has overtaken Cuba and is on the verge of surpassing the Dominican Republic in cigar manufacturing.
Nevertheless, Estelí has an issue: there’s a lack of expert staff. Many individuals who as soon as labored within the massive factories have left the nation for a greater life within the USA. The refugee stream has slowed beneath the drastic measures of the Trump administration, however nobody has returned. It’s estimated that two million individuals cross the border between Nicaragua and Honduras yearly in the hunt for a greater—or a minimum of safer—life.
After a number of days with the famend cigar producer “Rojas Cigars” in Estelí, the StarkeZigarren group crosses that very border on foot. What awaits us on the opposite aspect? In Honduras, we’re warmly welcomed by Justo Eiroa. By then, we’ve already bypassed the Honduran immigration workplace. However with out stamps in our passports, we’d have issues when leaving the nation. So, we have now to go again to the immigration barracks.
In keeping with the Honduran Ministry of Financial Growth, the aim is to create 3,000 new jobs. The manufacturing facility is designed to provide 10 million cigars per yr. Formally, the corporate operates in Honduras beneath the identify “My Father Cigars Honduras.” Since February 2025, they’ve been rolling My Father Blue cigars there, the primary cigars ever made by My Father Cigars in Honduras.
Why are producers just like the Garcia household from My Father shifting to Honduras? The explanations are clear: Nicaragua lacks each labor and land for tobacco cultivation. In distinction, staff in Honduras keep loyal to factories for longer and are extremely productive, offsetting the upper wages.
In relation to tobacco high quality, Honduras is on par with Nicaragua. The Honduran authorities appears to welcome traders. The one disadvantage stays the excessive crime fee. Total, Honduras serves as a strategic backup for main producers, It’s a type of threat diversification, particularly since nobody is aware of how issues will develop in Nicaragua due to the entrenched dictatorship and a worsening economic system that has lots of parallels with Venezuela.
What’s Going On With Cigars in Costa Rica?
After a cease at Victor Calvo in Nicaragua, the journey continues from Managua by small aircraft to San José. In contrast to its neighbors to the north, Costa Rica isn’t well-known for cigars. At this level, Sebastian splits from the group to go to the nation’s largest cigar manufacturing facility: Tabacos de Costa Rica.
The manufacturing facility within the Puriscal area produces round 3 million cigars per yr. Most of them go on to retailers and lounges within the USA. In the intervening time, they’re producing 70,000 cigars for a significant lounge in Tampa, Florida. Not a lot else occurs within the mountain village of Puriscal. As a result of steep terrain, tobacco is not grown there, so that they transport it from different areas.
Tobacco in Colombia and Peru
Since there’s little to find in Panama with regards to cigars, Sebastian quickly heads to Colombia. The middle of cigar manufacturing there may be Piedecuesta, within the Santander division. In actuality, Piedecuesta is healthier recognized for its big ants than for cigars. However producers like José Correa and Chicamocha are based mostly there.
Extra thrilling, nonetheless, is a really younger manufacturing facility in Barichara. Barichara is usually referred to as out as probably the most lovely village in Colombia. It’s also house to the nation’s most lovely cigar manufacturing facility: Bribón Cigars.
The small manufacturing facility remains to be in its early levels. At the moment, it produces very gentle cigars comprised of Colombian Cubita tobacco—a world first and thrilling information for aficionados across the globe. Bribón Cigars even runs a sublime cigar lounge within the fashionable district of Usaquén in Bogota.
Sadly, it’s ultimately time to say goodbye to the charismatic house owners, Juan Camilo and Francis. The cigar journey involves an finish after we get to our final cease, Peru.
There, an Italian man is preventing for a share of the cigar market on the fringe of the Amazon Basin. Gennaro Lettieri is a one-man present. In his Peruvian cigar manufacturing facility, Tabacalera del Oriente, he takes care of all the things, from planting tobacco to producing cigars and packing containers. Regardless of all of the challenges, he’s constructed a wonderful repute for Peruvian tobacco. In the present day, even main manufacturers like Davidoff course of his tobacco from the Amazon area.
After smoking good cigars within the tropical warmth, it was time to go again to the workplace in dreary northern Europe. Not less than we had been bringing again some fascinating cigars from their supply, in addition to loads of sunny recollections.
– Cigar excursions story and photographs by Sebastian Gollas
For extra details about StarkeZigarren, name +49 3056596618 in Berlin or go to www.starkezigarren.de
Take a look at Luxurious Latin America for the highest locations to remain in Honduras, Nicaragua, Colombia, and Peru in our finest luxurious inns part.
