Arturo Fuente

Like many cigar dynasties, the Fuente family’s legacy goes back to Cuba. However, this clan made the move to the U.S. decades ahead of the revolution. In 1912, Arturo Fuente started his own cigar factory in the Ybor City neighborhood of Tampa, but he lost the business to fire. Refusing to let this setback deter him, Fuente made a fresh start in the 1940s and was soon joined in this enterprise by his son, Carlos Fuente Sr. In the 1980’s, the company would move to the Dominican Republic where, today, it makes hits like the Arturo Fuente Don Carlos and Hemingway. 30 million cigars are created on an annual basis to be circulated globally, making it one of the most well-known brands in the industry.

Cohiba

Another Dominican version of Cuban favorite, Dominican Cohiba cigars can be distinguished by the red dot inside the “o” in the name. The name is esteemed for its graceful showcasing of the dark, sweet Cameroon wrapper and extensive fermentation process in wooden barrels for elite smoothness. Founded by Diaz Y Cia in 1978, the unique creation process and usage of superior materials has empowered Cohiba to rise above older companies to become an manufacturing leader. Today’s most popular lines include XV, Black and Puro Dominica.

Ramon Allones

Brothers Ramon and Antonio Allones moved from their native Spain to Cuba in 1837 and, shortly after in 1846, birthed their company Ramon Allones. What established this Cuban brand as being different from the rest? For starters, the ingenious Ramon proved ahead of the times by offering ornate cigar boxes to entice buyers, as well as inventing the 8-9-8 packing method to ensure the products maintain their rounded shape. Such practices allowed Ramon Allones to rise in prominence.

In 1927, the brand was sold to the Cifuentes family who moved production to their Partegas factory. After the nationalization of the Cuban cigar industry, the Cifuentes clan moved their operations to the Dominican Republic where, in partnership with the General Cigar Company, they continue to make Ramon Allones, Bolivar and Partegas cigars. Ramon Allones cigars are medium to full-bodied smokes rolled from a blend of Dominican, Nicaraguan and Mexican ligero tobaccos with a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper. Being one of the few brands using a Dominican-grown wrapper, Ramon Allones cigars are individually wrapped in a fragrant cedar sleeve to enhance their natural aroma and taste.

La Gloria Cubana

La Gloria Cubana was born in the Little Havana district of Miami in 1968, but it wasn’t until Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jr. took over his father’s business in 1980 that the La Gloria Cubana cigar acquired its rich, full-bodied taste. The success of the new La Gloria Cubana blend led to the opening of a factory in the Dominican Republic. Today, La Gloria Cubana is more beloved than ever, thanks to its utilization of flavorful tobaccos from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, combined with dependable Ecuadorian wrappers. Popular lines include La Gloria Cubana Serie R, Reserva Figurados, Artesanos de Miami, Artesanos de Tabaqueros, Serie N and Artesanos de Obeliscos.

Montecristo

Inspired by the French novel by Alexandre Dumas, Montecristo originated in Cuba during the 1930s but was forced to flee during the 1970s. In present times, “Montecristo” is the moniker of two different enterprises, one based in Cuba and the other in the Dominican Republic. The latter is possessed by Altadis USA and based in the Dominican city of La Romana where lines like the Montecristo Classic, White, Platinum, Reserva Negra, Serie C, Afrique and Flora Fina are created.

This is not a full list of the many Dominican-based cigar brands in existence today. To further sample this nation’s tobacco creations, explore the online offering of JR Cigars.