The other day I was talking to someone who said they cannot stand Dominican tobacco. That’s a fair assessment, after all, he’s entitled to his opinion. But then he proceeded to name several cigars he enjoys that have Dominican tobacco in them. In another conversation, someone mentioned they hate Plasencia, and they hate how popular the brand has become. Again, fair enough. But what’s silly about that is that Plasencia makes cigars and supplies tobacco to a lot of other brands in the industry. Nestor Andrés Plasencia himself estimates that they produce 70 percent of the premium cigar industry’s tobacco leaf. That guy who doesn’t like Plasencia probably smokes and enjoys cigars made or supplied by the company all the time and has no clue.
Why am I bringing this up? Because time and time again I hear people talking about brands they dislike, putting down brands and cigar manufacturers and mentioning how much they “loathe” certain makers, and then will turn around and light up a cigar from that brand, none the wiser. It’s asinine.
If you want direct proof, look to none other than the remarkably prolific AJ Fernandez and his factory. Sure, he has his own blends that he works on, but he’s also a Master Blender for many, many other brands and labels. More importantly, his factory actually produces cigars for a ton of other brands, as well. That’s why, when tragedy struck, it affected a great deal of the industry and not just his company.
Plasencia, Aganorsa, AJ Fernandez, even American companies that grow tobacco up north, they supply fresh and aged tobacco to many other companies. There’s a very valid and very smart reason for this. Every cigar manufacturer, big to small, needs reliable access to grown tobacco, not just freshly produced but also aged, stored, and eventually, shipped.
In some cases, they don’t have access to farms where they can grow tobacco. That’s because tobacco requires some pretty specific conditions, and lots of care. Everything from the soil where it’s grown to the local weather and climate conditions affects how the tobacco grows and also how it tastes. It takes a lot of work to grow the plant and then harvest it. That’s why many cigar makers name-drop where the tobacco comes from, like Jalapa or Esteli. You might find that stupid, but it does matter. And yes, tobacco absolutely tastes different based on where it’s produced.
Beyond that, the tobacco also needs to be stored and aged correctly, including going through a curing and fermentation process. You need the tools, resources, and space to make that happen. Finally, when it’s all ready, the tobacco may need to be treated, worked, or rolled into a cigar, before bands are attached and they’re packaged in boxes. Everything required to make that happen may not be accessible to certain companies.
Companies solve their lack of resources and access by enlisting the help of market masters. The cigar industry is extremely interconnected and many companies have symbiotic relationships behind the scenes, although you’d never know it. But in most cases, this happens out of necessity. You have a manufacturer, farm, or company that produces incredible tobacco, and already has the established facilities and resources, so why not take advantage of that? In fact, without the major players, many of the small, boutique brands simply would not exist, let alone thrive.
Not to mention, many smaller cigar companies don’t have the capital to open a farm, maintain it, and produce crops for years in advance. Years of aging are required for tobacco crops before they become market-ready products. For a small company just starting, all that waiting is not ideal. Hell, even for a big established company, that’s not ideal.
Okay, what does any of this mean? I can’t like certain cigars now?
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Not at all. As I said, everyone has a right to their opinion. I regularly point out that cigar flavors and experiences are subjective. You’re not going to like every cigar you try. By proxy, there are some brands you’re going to gravitate toward, or vice versa, away from. That’s okay.
The point I’m making is that the cigar industry is so interconnected, you might want to take some time to research some of these brands before you shoot them down. Sure, you don’t have to like Plasencia, or Dominican tobacco. You’re really doing yourself a disservice by not researching how involved these companies, farms, manufacturers, and Master Blenders really are.
It’s not a stretch to say that company you really, really hate probably makes cigars that you really, really love.
Briley has over 16 years in the publishing and content marketing business. He's been writing about cigars for nearly half that in various forms. What makes him a tour de force is he also smokes them.
Source: Tim Stief / Unsplash
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
