The Dominican Republic's luxury item

Tobacco has been cultivated in the Dominican Republic since the beginning of the 20th century. However, the country only secured a position as a globally recognized and important cigar producer in recent decades.

The Villa Gonzales region in the fertile Cibao Valley of the Río Yaque del Norte is the largest tobacco-growing area in the Dominican Republic. It enjoys similar climatic and soil conditions to the best growing regions in Cuba.

Dominican cigars are typically mild to medium in flavor and exceptionally well-made. They are often highly valued by connoisseurs for their delicate aromas and smooth character.

Here are some of the most important brands that have a worldwide following, should you wish to try cigars from the Dominican Republic:

Cohiba: The cigars, originally produced in Cuba, are medium to strong. On the US market, they are distributed by General Cigar since 1981 under the registered trademark Cohiba, a cigar from the Dominican Republic.

Romeo and Juliet: The cigar brand is one of the oldest and best-known from Cuba. For the American market, the cigars are manufactured in La Romana, Dominican Republic, under the management of Altadis SA.

Montecristo: The medium- to full-bodied Montecristos have a typically fruity-sweet aroma and are therefore somewhat milder than Cohibas. The brand is currently owned by the Cuban state. Since 1994, Consolidated Cigar has produced a cigar of the same name in the Dominican Republic.

Arturo Fuente: The brand enjoys an almost legendary status and is a genuine Dominican quality product. The Arturo Fuente Opus X is among the finest and most renowned varieties, and its robust aroma particularly appeals to lovers of full-bodied flavor.

Davidoff: These reasonably priced cigars from Bundle Selection are made entirely from Dominican tobaccos. They are easy to smoke and mildly aromatic. After aging for a few months in a humidor, these already good cigars become even better.