SURGEON GENERAL WARNING: Cigars Are Not a Safe Alternative to Cigarettes.
How does one get a private cigar factory tour? In my case, I was lucky to be flying with the right person to the right location at the right time. On a trip last month, my flying partner happens to be dating the daughter of the owner of Cuban Stock Cigars whose manufacturing facility is not far outside Santiago, D.R. My F.O. had been hearing about this factory over the past eight months and was very eager to see it. I’m sure he envisioned doing so with his girlfriend, but once he mentioned it, I was all in.
At our hotel, we quickly changed and caught a ride-share to Tamboril. There are no addresses in Tamboril but they use area names, so our driver was able to find our destination easily enough. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a fresh, hand-rolled, six-month aged, light-bodied cigar and freshly brewed Dominican coffee, which came from a separate company they own that processes, roasts and sells coffee beans. Café Delicioso is sustainably grown high in the mountains and roasted in Santiago. For better balance, it is blended with beans from other countries’ small-batch growers. The result is a well-rounded flavor that is appreciated by coffee lovers in the D.R. and in the countries to which it is exported.
Our cigar-factory tour started in the manager’s office with a lesson in history of the Cuban Stock Cigars company. Yaniv Levy and his wife, Suzanne, founded CS in 1996. Their first cigars were handmade in a smaller factory, situated above their coffee factory. Their current, larger factory is divided into two sections. In one half, the DELICIOSO cigars are hand rolled, and the other half is dedicated to a variety of other specialty blends.
We began in the specialty section and watched how the cigars are rolled, weighed, then pressed into molds that create the desired shape and size. Cigars remain in the boxes for 45 minutes to an hour followed by another craftsman applying the wrapper (outer leaf). Cigars are then pressed for a second time. For certain cigar lines, some are box pressed into square molds rendering a shape some aficionados enjoy.
Next, we ventured into the aging room. In my opinion, the aroma of all the cigars in the aging room is wonderful! Each cigar bundle is labeled with the date it was rolled, the roller’s name and more information about the cigar. In the aging room, some of these cigars will spend several months to several years, depending on the style of cigar.
Following the aging room, we witnessed how the tobacco leaves are dried and prepared for the rollers. We then watched how the cigars are packaged and prepared for shipment.
On the opposite side of the factory, where the DELICIOSO cigars are manufactured, we found an almost identical setup and processes with the distinction of that side using aged tobaccos used only for the trade-secret DELICIOSO cigars.
Our tour was both enjoyable and educational. I learned quite a lot about the growing, harvesting, and drying of tobacco as it is prepared for the ultimate manufacture of cigars. Tobacco cultivation is a significant part of the Dominican Republic’s agricultural sector and accounts for about 10% of the country’s exports. The tobacco industry also accounts for over 120,000 jobs directly, with many others indirectly. I consider my visit a cultural experience—another among the many this career has afforded me.
The headquarters for Cuban Stock Cigars is in Bala Cynwyd, Penn., about 20-30 minutes outside Philadelphia. Their flagship store, SJ Cigars Main Line, can be found at 524 S. 3rd St in Philadelphia. They also have a second store and lounge located at 231 Rock Hill Road, 2nd floor, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004.
If you happen to have some time in Santiago, D.R. and wish to tour the Cuban Stock Cigar Factory, please email the owner, Yaniv Levy, at [email protected] to see if he can arrange a tour for you, too. Please provide as much lead time as possible as public tours are not readily available. The visits are free, but purchasing a box of cigars is suggested. Be sure to mention that Aero Crew News sent you!
This review is not intended to suggest, promote or in any way advocate the consumption of tobacco products.
