Tobacco Leaf Growing Regions
Have you ever wondered where the tobacco from your favorite cigar was grown? Well, you’re not alone. Many people have asked this same question, and the answer isn’t always simple. It can be a bit confusing since some cigars can be comprised of tobacco from different regions.
If you’re wondering if it matters where tobacco is grown the answer is: yes, it does. Each region has different characteristics based on the terrain and climate which contribute to the tobacco’s unique flavors and notes. These distinctive attributes are the reason specific leaves are chosen by manufacturers. In this article, we will discover different regions around the world where tobacco leaves are farmed and manufactured into the cigars that we know and love today!
This article should serve as a brief introduction to the most popular growing regions around the world, highlighting some of their history and what makes the tobacco there so unique.
Caribbean Tobacco Growing Region
- Cuba is widely considered the birthplace of premium tobacco. The area of Vuelta Abajo in the state of Pinar del Rio on the Western side of the island is where tobacco growing is concentrated. The areas unique climate and soil which has been cultivated for generations produces strong leaves that are prized for their spicy aromas, full-body, and robust flavor. Many of the agricultural, curing, and fermentation traditions that have made Cuba so great are now used throughout the world. One early reason for this was the Cuban revolution in 1959, which forced cigar makers to flee to other countries.
- The Dominican Republic was the main beneficiary of the exodus. Cigar makers brought Cuban seed varieties with them when they left home. In addition to the physical seeds, Cuban tobacco growers also brought generations of traditions and skills which helped the DR become a leader in cigar production. Let’s take a look at the areas of the country where the tobacco is grown, and the cigars are produced. The Cibao River Valley lies between two mountain ranges with excellent soil and weather conditions, the Santiago region in the Northern part of the country is the primary area of cigar production. While tobacco grown in DR is slightly less strong as Cuban leaf it’s very rich in flavor. Some of the top companies in the world make their cigars in the Dominican Republic, like Arturo Fuente and La Flor Dominicana.
Central American Tobacco Growing Region
- Honduras is well known for the Connecticut Shade Grown and Corojo shade-grown tobaccos produced exclusively throughout the town of Danli and the Jamastran Valley region, both in the El Paraiso province. The full-bodied tobacco that is grown often has cigar makers comparing the Jamastran Valley to Pinar del Rio in Cuba, which is quite high praise given the quality of the tobacco produced in Cuba. Cuban seed Sun Grown filler tobaccos are also produced in Honduras. Honduras is home to hand crafted cigars from brands such as Rocky Patel, Punch, Alec Bradley, CAO and Camacho.
- With rich fertile soils and an extremely favorable climate, Nicaragua has become one of the best tobacco-producing countries in the world. Esteli, located near the Honduran border, is home to most of the cigar producers in the country. This area is known for producing the strongest tobacco for use in cigars. Black, fertile soil helps produce a dark tobacco leaf with full aromas and full flavors. Another area that is the home of several cigar manufactures is the Condega Valley, where its rocky soil and heavy cloud cover produces mostly Sun Grown with a thinner leaf. Tobacco from this area is the second strongest produced in Nicaragua and is generally used as filler and binder. Growers also utilize the Jalapa Valley. While it is very remote and hard to access its red clay soil produces smooth and elegant tobacco. Tobacco grown here is sweeter and not as strong as Esteli. The tobacco grown in Jalapa is known for producing beautiful wrappers. The last area is Ometepe - a volcanic island in Lake Nicaragua. The island was created by twin volcanos, one of which - Concepcion, is still active. Volcanic activity has made the soil extremely fertile. Tobacco grown here is similar to Jalapa however its sweetness and additional strength set it apart.
- With four distinctive areas producing great tobacco, it’s not hard to see why Nicaragua continues to attract cigar makers. With more than 50 factories centered around the city of Esteli, Nicaragua is one of the world’s biggest exporters of cigars. Joya de Nicaragua established in 1968 is the oldest brand of cigars made in Nicaragua. Many of the world’s top brands including My Father, Drew Estate, Oliva, Padron, Perdomo, and Placencia produce and export Nicaraguan cigars.
- Mexico put its best foot forward with its most famous tobacco the San Andres Negro in addition to Mexican-Sumatra. This tobacco is grown in the San Andres Valley which sits between volcanoes and a large lake. The soil is in this area is extremely rich and produces distinctive tasting tobacco. San Andres is stalk cut and lends itself to binder and Maduro wrapper production. The tougher leaf of this varietal can withstand the extra fermentation required to produce Maduro. If you want to enjoy some of the best cigars blended with San Andres wrappers, here are a few that I highly recommend: Liga Undercrown by Drew Estate, E.P Carrillo La Historia, Oliva Serie V Maduro, La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor, and Montecristo Platinum.
- One might not think of Costa Rica as a player in the tobacco market, however with its trifecta of excellent ecosystems, volcanoes, and a tropical rainforest, it has positioned itself as a boutique grower of tobacco. Costa Rica’s dark and Maduro wrapper leaf has become a popular substitute for Mexican, Brazilian, and Broadleaf varietals. Located in Costa Rica companies such as Vegas de Santiago, Brun Del RE’ Cigars, and IGM Cigars not only grow tobacco but produce premium hand rolled cigars.
South America
- Ecuador is home to high quality, less expensive varieties of Connecticut and Sumatra tobacco. Cigars are not produced in Ecuador, however, the climate and natural cloud cover allows farmers to grow tobacco directly under the sun without the expensive cheesecloth needed in brighter parts of the world, like Connecticut or Nicaragua. You may be thinking how is that possible, well the shade is provided by the near constant cloud cover thus lowering the cost of production. Ecuador Habano wrapper is also popular and found on cigars from My Father, San Lotano, and Camacho.
The East
- Before Ecuador became the go-to for Sumatra tobacco your go-to country was Indonesia. The leaves are great for blending strong fillers, because of their dark brown color and neutral flavor.
- Cameroon, West Africa is home to a flavorful wrapper leaf, that is popular for its complexity which is why it’s the wrapper of choice on some of the world’s top cigars. With tasting notes dominated by a toasty, woody tone, and subtle sweetness, with hints of pepper and leather you can see why this leaf is a delight to the senses. Cameroon wrapper is toothy leaf and no that doesn’t mean it has bite. Toothy means they have a rougher texture that are tiny pockets of oil concentrated just under the surface of the leaf. While all tobacco contains oil, toothy wrapper has more oil, and thus more natural flavor. If you want to enjoy some of the best blends featuring Cameroon wrappers, be sure to pick up one of these cigars: CAO CX2 Robusto, Arturo Fuente Don Carlos No. 3, New World by AJ Fernandez Cameroon Selection Doble Robusto, Cohiba Red Dot Robusto, H. Upmann Vintage Cameroon Toro, Oliva Serie G Torpedo, and Rock Patel Vintage 2003 Cameroon Toro.
The United States
- Cigar tobacco in the United Stated is mainly grown in Connecticut, home to Connecticut wrapper leaf, shade, and broadleaf. Shade leaf is known for its great elasticity, small veins, and relative mildness with tasting notes of graham cracker, cream, and butter. Shade leaf is grown is grown under cheesecloth which limits the sunlight that can damage the leaf while increasing the temperature and humidity of the air around the plant increasing yields. This process contributes to the higher cost of production and the product. Broadleaf is nearly black with tasting notes of spice and leather which is great for maduro cigars. Here are some of the best Connecticut wrapper cigars: Perdomo Champagne Epicure, Hoyo Excalibur No. 1, Nub Connecticut, Alec Bradley Connecticut Robusto, Tabak Especial Dolce Robusto, Macanudo Gold Label, Montecristo White Series Vintage and Drew Estates Undercrown Shade.
In Conclusion
As we wrap up our tour of the world's tobacco leaf growing regions, we can see that while Cuba may have been the birthplace of premium cigar tobacco. Other regions around the world have grabbed the baton and are growing tobacco with qualities unique to their region. The increase in cigar tobacco leaf varieties has allowed cigar blenders to come up with blends that continue push the boundaries of the craft.
