Premium cigars have a relatively short history. The industry as it exists today is largely a product of the twentieth century, shaped by Cuban tobacco, Cold War politics, and the movement of skilled rollers across the Caribbean.
The Cuban Foundation
Cuba’s Vuelta Abajo region in Pinar del Río produces tobacco with a combination of soil, humidity, and climate that has no exact equivalent elsewhere. Cuban cigars dominated the premium market for most of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Habanos brands — Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, Partagás — were established during this period and became the benchmark against which everything else was measured.
The Diaspora That Built New World Cigars
After 1959, the Cuban government nationalised the tobacco industry. The families who had built the major brands — Menéndez, Palicio, García — relocated to the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Nicaragua, taking their knowledge with them. That movement created the foundation for what is now called the New World premium cigar industry.
Within two decades, Nicaraguan and Honduran growers had developed tobacco with serious complexity. By the 1990s, the Dominican Republic had become a major production centre. Today these regions produce the majority of the world’s premium handmade cigars, and several New World lines compete directly with Habanos on quality.
Why Origin Still Matters
The reputation of a growing region reflects real soil and climate differences, not just branding. Nicaraguan Estelí leaf and Dominican Cibao Valley leaf taste and behave differently because they are genuinely different products of different land. Understanding the origin of what you are smoking gives you a useful framework for what to expect and what to try next.
Cigar Emperor’s inventory centres on New World cigars from Nicaragua, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and Brazil, alongside selective Cubans. All stock is legally imported, Thai FDA registered, and excise paid. If you want to explore what each region offers, visit the Bangkok lounge or ask the team what is currently available.
