CIGARS (Charutos)  



 
     


 

 
            Reconcâvo is the coastal area surrounding Brazils largest bay, Todos os Santos, with 200 km of beaches and 35 islands, south of Salvador in Bahia.
The Reconcâvo is one of the most beautiful regions in Brazil, with a rich culture, music, and religions such as Candomble. Here you find Capoeira dancers and famous musicians like Caetano

Today Brazil is the biggest producer of tobacco in the world (700K tons). The biggest quantity is produced in the south of Brazil, the best quality in Bahia.
The Bahiano tobacco competes equally with the Cubans as the most aromatic of the world.

http://www.brazzil.com/traaug98.htm

 

 
 
From this region of Brazil the best tobacco is exported  all over the world, and many Dominican Republic Cigar companies use the Mata Fina and Sumatra-Bahia tobacco to make the unique flavor. During the six months fermentation at temperatures up to 60 º C the tobacco gets its typical dark brown color.

The tobacco grows in the area called Mata Fina, at the villages Cruz das Almas, Conceição da Feira, São Gonçalo dos Campos, and others; as well as Mata Norte, with villages as Coração de Maria, Amélia Rodrigues and others.

 

   


The region is well known for its historic sugar cane industry and today for its tobacco. The region produces tobacco since the colonial era, when tobacco leaves were the currency for trade. The original inhabitants of Brazil already knew tobacco and were using it for medicines and rituals.

http://www.theorudman.com/Brazil.htm

 

 


 

 

 
 
 
The history of bahian cigars started in 1842, when a Portuguese, Francisco José Cardoso, installed the factory Juventude in Sao Felix. Dozens of factories came up since. Three of them became imperia: Costa Pena, Dannemann and Suerdieck. Costa Pena lasted from 1851 until 1955. Dannemann is a continuation of the even older company, Schnarrenbruch 1873-1955.
 

 


Suerdieck commemorated its golden jubilee when its biggest competitors closed their doors. Suerdieck lasted 109 years and closed in 1999. The machinery and the brands, like Don Pepe, gave birth to Chaba-Charutos de Bahia, that also produces Brasil Autênticos. Other ex-employees started the cooperative Quitéria

http://www.quiteria.com/home-i.htm#

   


Danneman has been in the hands of various European companies, until being bought by the Burger Group of Switzerland in 1976. Today many people are directly and indirectly involved in the production of various ranges of cigars, like Dannemann no.1, Salvador and a range called Artist Line.

http://www.forces.org

http://www.cyan.si

 

 

 


Another important producer is the Cuban Felix Menendez. The company Menendez & Amerino, at São Gonçalo dos Campos originates from the union with Mario Amerino Portugal, who started his career in 1948 when he took over Amerino Portugal S.A. from his father. Until 1959 the Menendez family produced the famous cigars Montecristo, H.Upmann and Por Larrañaga in Cuba. Hundreds of employees produce 2 ranges in various sizes: Dona Flor and Alonso Menendez. Menendez is the biggest cigar factory of Brazil.
   
Josefina Tabacos do Brasil started in January 2001and is producing high quality cigars in the old Suerdieck factory at Cruz das Almas. They carry a range named Josefina and a new range called Dona Erô, with a Gran Corona (23,5 cm length
x 1,90 cm diameter) the biggest commercial cigar in Brazil.
   

 


Le Cigar is a little manufacturer of cigars, that has an old tabaqueiro as director, listening to the name Arend Becker who has been raised with tobacco in his blood. His father is Johan Becker, an immigrant from Bremen in the 20´s with the interest to export tobacco, and who’s father worked at a tobacco warehouse in Bremen. Becker started in 1964 with a traditional tobacco export company, Matas da Bahia Ltda, at Cruz da Almas. He began making cigars mid 80´s. Once retired he chose to make cigars again. In 1997 factory Le Cigar was born, principally as training facility for cigar makers.
 

The Gran Corona of Dona Ero: Brazils largest cigar

  The Bahian factories produce10 million cigars per year. So, these and other brands show that is it possible to encounter cigars of excellent quality, not only on the island of Fidel.  
     
http://www.saofelix.ba.gov.br

http://www.sct.ba.gov.br/

http://www.semesteratsea.com

http://www.terra.com.br/istoedinheiro

http://www.charutosecia.com.br

http://www.charutos.com.br/