Santiago.– President Luis Abinader delivered the general renovation and expansion of the Emergency of the Doctor Jorge Armando Martínez Municipal Hospital this Saturday This work will benefit more than 57,000 inhabitants of the Tamboril municipality and surrounding areas the National Health Service (SNS) also equipped the renovated infrastructure and repaired the health center’s electrical system to ensure the provision of dignified and quality health services to its users 《The health system has about 198 hospitals and 1,500 First Level Care Centers Under the management of President Luis Abinader we have number 61 equipped and transformed and already more than 600 CPN delivered available to the population,” emphasized Mario Lama he detailed the renovation and work on the […] Local November 24 he detailed the renovation and work on the electrical system of the Doctor Jorge Armando Martínez Municipal Hospital which allowed the readjustment of the areas of Laboratory two Nursing Stations; Surgical block with an operating room Neonatal room with four cribs and two incubators The head of the SNS reported that eight offices which had a budget of more than 32 million pesos The renovated spaces were also equipped with an amount of RD$ 36,545,722.69 Alexander Ramírez of Infrastructure and Equipment Yoany Arias from Clinical Laboratories and Medical Images Bernardo Hilario of the Norcentral Regional Health Service Bolívar Quezada from the Jorge Armando Martínez Municipal Hospital and medical and administrative personnel were also present at the delivery Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Local Tourism Economy Bavaro & Punta Cana DominicanToday.com - The Dominican Republic News Source in English DR.- The Tobacco and Cigar Industry will celebrate the third edition of the “Dominican Cigar Fest” from November 8 to 10 This three-day event will feature a variety of activities bringing together members of the entire tobacco production chain and thousands of cigar enthusiasts The festival aims to promote the culture of tobacco and unite an economic sector that significantly contributes to the country’s growth and employment The “Dominican Cigar Fest” serves as a global showcase for small and medium-sized tobacco and cigar producers It has become one of the most important annual events in the industry the home of poet and cigar aficionado Tomás Hernández Franco Organized by the Dominican Cigar […] Local June 27 Organized by the Dominican Cigar and Tobacco Association (Adocitab) which represents over 80 percent of the country’s producers the festival celebrates tobacco culture with participation from various national and international companies president of Adocitab and CEO of Tabacalera El Artista has been the driving force behind the festival for over 40 years He described the second edition as a “resounding success,” with full attendance and the support of President Luis Abinader Corona and his government delegation significantly boosting the event’s visibility Rodríguez expressed gratitude to President Abinader whose support has been crucial for the festival including the promotion of the Plan San Juan to expand the tobacco economy to the southwest of the country have been instrumental in the industry’s growth The Dominican tobacco sector is the third largest exporter under the Free Zone regime capturing 33 percent of the global market and being the leading supplier of tobacco and cigars to the United States It has generated more than $1,300 million annually in recent years and is a major employer in the Free Trade Zone with Tamboril boasting a zero percent unemployment rate Following the first edition in the summer of 2022 organizers determined that November was a more suitable month for the event Tony Bellatto of La Barba cigars visited the Tabacalera William Ventura factory in the Dominican Republic in order to begin the blending process on his second release Bellatto was shown a crop of tobacco by Henderson Ventura that he was so impressed with he immediately made plans to use it in a cigar That cigar turned out to be Siempre Tamboril which is composed of an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper covering both Dominican corojo ligero and Dominican habano Vuelta Abajo seco fillers Although the release is not officially a limited edition it is only being produced in batches of 2,000 cigars in each of the four vitolas The first release is being shipped without bands or boxes and although subsequent batches will be banded as it would most likely increase the price of the cigars Siempre Tamboril debuted in four different sizes: the Siempre Tamboril is visually somewhat unremarkable with a light honey brown wrapper that is silky smooth to the touch and almost no veins present at all the cigar itself is a bit harder than normal when squeezed Aroma from the wrapper is a combination of peanuts while the cold draw brings flavors of strong leather oak and a tiny amount of spice on the tongue The Siempre Tamboril starts out with a dominant combination of oak and leather The profile is extremely creamy right off the bat and continues that way through the first third There is a nice graham cracker sweetness that combines nicely with some slight white pepper on the retrohale and I am noticing tiny amount of spice on my tongue from time to time as well and the smoke production is well above average There is almost no strength to speak of so far and the Siempre Tamboril barely makes it out of the mild category before the end of the first third Although the creaminess remains to be a major part of the profile of the Siempre Tamboril during the second third the graham cracker sweetness that was so prevalent in the first third becomes increasingly less of an influence A peanut butter note becomes dominant around the halfway point The spice on my tongue from the first third is long gone but there is still some noticeable white pepper on the retrohale and the smoke production remains high the draw is still excellent and the burn is razor sharp and while the strength has increased slightly The final third features a profile that is essentially a carbon copy of the second third with creamy peanut butter leading the charge in terms of flavors While the graham cracker sweetness is still around the note has receded so much that it is harder to identify and has almost no impact on the flavor at all and while the strength never gets to the medium mark it comes pretty close by the time I put down the nub with about an inch left Bellatto mentioned in the press release sent out about Siempre Tamboril that it was meant to be a blend that people could smoke every day the cigar features both a rich profile and a fairly clean finish while the phenomenal construction and decent pricing are just icing on the cake I really wish the sweetness that was evident in the first third had stuck around as it really bumped up the complexity in the profile whenever it appeared and the score would have increased considerably if that was the case I have worn many hats in my life up to this point: I started out as a photojournalist for the Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram then transitioned to photographing weddings—both internationally and in the U.S.—for more than a decade After realizing that there was a need for a cigar website containing better photographs and more in-depth information about each release SmokingStogie quickly became one of the more influential cigar blogs on the internet extremely hard-to-find and expensive cigars and it was one of the predecessors to halfwheel By Mike Diago The village of Haverstraw sits on the western shore of Haverstraw Bay locals greet each other on cramped sidewalks as they pass in and out of two- and three-story brick storefronts: the Quisqueya Sports Club where men congregate for lively domino tournaments; Empanadas Monumental and quipes advertised on the restaurant’s neon signage; and Ortiz Cigars the small Dominican cigar-making town where many of Haverstraw’s residents come from two-thirds of Haverstraw’s residents are from Latin America The town has long attracted migrants seeking work in factories including Europeans and Southern Black Americans in the brickyards at the turn of the 20th century and Puerto Ricans and Dominicans in the garment industry in the 1950s arrived in more significant numbers beginning in the 1980s and came to form the cultural core of the town excitement always swelled when a compatriot arrived from Tamboril when word spread that the latest newcomer on Main Street was Vilma Lopez The sharp young woman with distinctive caramel hair and a red lipstick smirk was the granddaughter of Doña Lucía Reynoso Lopez was bombarded with inquiries wherever she went—in the salon chair and on the front steps of neighbors’ homes Everyone had the same question: “Can you make your grandmother’s bizcocho?”  It’s not that bizcocho Dominicano was hard to come by in Haverstraw at the time—dozens of reposterías and many more home bakers throughout the Northeast produced the moist airy pound cake with tropical fillings—but only a slice of Doña Lucía’s at a confirmation or quinceañera had the power to make their home on the Hudson feel more like the one they left behind on the Río Licey buttery crumb sits on the tongue as lightly as a drop of dew on a leaf and the filling captures the essence of pineapple or guava in a bright jam Murray HallFortunately for Haverstraw’s Tamborileños Lopez had been baking Doña Lucía’s bizcocho since she was a young girl She grew up spending evenings at her grandmother’s house piping suspiro (meringue frosting) into hundreds of multicolored sugar flowers “The pastry bags we had were much harder to squeeze than the ones we have now.” When Lopez was 14 her grandmother sent her to apprentice with a cake decorator in the big city of Santiago after which she became an even greater asset to Reynoso’s booming bizcocho business Lopez would break away to play volleyball at the local courts where she eventually met her future husband Vilma and Raymundo married on Christmas Day in 1982 He moved to Washington Heights in New York City a few years later She and their two children joined him permanently in 1998 Vilma returned to what she knew best: she started making cakes again in a repostera’s tiny apartment on 163rd Street (well then she made cakes) while Raymundo worked various factory jobs friends convinced the family to move to Haverstraw and Vilma began her own bizcocho home bakery.  The Lopezes’ story may sound familiar to a lot of Dominican immigrants they came to New York City during the largest wave of migration from the Dominican Republic between the early 1980s and the late ’90s—while U.S.-backed authoritarian Joaquín Balaguer was in charge New immigrant men struggled to support their families with jobs in the precarious manufacturing and service industries and women did what they could to pick up the slack Even women with professional training faced language which often forced them to return to traditionally devalued domestic labor “Most great Dominican reposteras went through her classes…through [those] courses Dominican bizcocho was introduced to the United States where it became one of the most in-demand cakes and led to the proliferation of Dominican American reposterías.”  recipes became a means of propagating cultural and economic life on new soil Murray HallIn 2011, the Lopezes expanded their home business into a full-service, brick-and-mortar repostería: Vilma’s Bakery Raymundo no longer had to work factory jobs and the bakery quickly became one of the most popular reposterías in the region When Haverstraw’s annual Dominican Independence Day parade rolls around When Yankees players and veterans (many of whom are Dominican) were tasked with getting a cake for the late iconic team owner George Steinbrenner’s memorial Murray HallVilma’s is among a few notable reposterías, like Bizcocho Dominicano de Carmen in Queens and Bizcocho de Colores in Manhattan (perhaps the most famous one in New York) that get nearly unanimous positive reviews on Google That’s no easy feat: Primas and tías procuring cake for an event are exacting they’ll be the butt of bad bochinche (gossip) for months or years to come When asked what the most challenging part of running a repostería is “Handing the cake to the customer.” She’s learned a lot of tricks over the years to ensure customer satisfaction “I always make the cakes a little bigger than requested,” she explains we’d hold up sun reflectors over the cake to dry out the suspiro before it melted.”  which recently celebrated the bakery’s 14th anniversary the small storefront—lined with bride and groom figurines and cartoon cake models—buzzes with customers all putting in their orders and inspecting pickups Some cakes passed over the counter are traditional-style bizcochos (tiered wedding cakes and designs depicting dresses and Dominican flags) while others represent more modern trends (Paw Patrol or Fortnite cakes covered in slick fondant or cakes decorated with the logo—or real bottles—of Hennessy Cognac Murray HallThe bakery is just as busy behind the scenes Vilma’s carefully trained staff of 20 are scattered throughout the halls and huddled over workstations Rene Vargas mixes dough in a giant stand mixer in one room; Carlos Lopez (no relation) carefully spreads suspiro over the cakes in another; and Pamela Germosen gently rotates a cake turntable while tidying the lettering on a Dog Man-themed cake in yet another room or dulce de leche from scratch to slather between cake layers.  Murray HallThis well-oiled operation now produces roughly 300 to 400 cakes per week takes on more and more of the day-to-day responsibilities Vilma is tentatively thinking about stepping back she spends more time back home in Tamboril and Punta Cana when she can As she shows off pictures of herself wearing a wide-brimmed hat and smoking a cigar with friends under palm trees somebody recognized me from Haverstraw and asked if I could make them a cake Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Camille BecerraGet the recipe > Murray HallADVERTISEMENTADADThe bakery is just as busy behind the scenes ADVERTISEMENTADADWant more SAVEUR?Get our favorite recipes Articles may contain affiliate links, which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use. the Big Smoke Las Vegas has been the biggest celebration in the cigar … the two-time Cigar of the Year winner that makes such brands as Pledge United States imports 430 million handmade cigars President Trump’s sweeping tariffs on imported goods will make cigar aficionados pay more After a 45-year career in the cigar industry veteran Mike Conder has stepped away from the business … The Hard Rock Hotel hosted the country’s biggest celebration of cigars and spirits Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic commemorated the 64th anniversary of the assassination of the Mirabal sisters and Rufino de la Cruz a tragic event orchestrated by Rafael Trujillo’s dictatorship Organized by the Permanent Commission for Patriotic Anniversaries alongside various governmental bodies the ceremony took place on the Luperón Highway in Tamboril where the victims were murdered and their vehicle pushed off a cliff to mimic an accident The solemn event began with the raising of the national flag at Tamboril Town Hall and remarks highlighting the enduring significance of the Mirabal sisters’ sacrifice for democracy and freedom Civil Governor Rosa Santos praised the courage of the sisters emphasized their martyrdom’s impact on the nation’s democratic […] Local November 25 emphasized their martyrdom’s impact on the nation’s democratic future and its recognition as an international symbol of resistance Life and Heroism of the Dominican Martyr Rufino de la Cruz calling it an overdue acknowledgment of De la Cruz’s shared heroism Uribe described De la Cruz as embodying honesty cementing his place in the nation’s patriotic memory The event included recognition for local contributions with businessman Remberto Estrella honored for maintaining the historical monument and former mayor Francisco Álvarez credited for its construction Artistic performances by students from local schools added vibrancy to the occasion reinforcing the collective remembrance of this pivotal moment in Dominican history The tragic event are the femicides (near 100 per year) that has been committed in DR since 1990 Own your failures and stop blaming Trujillo for your machismo toasty whiffs of natural smoke would puff out a tiny shop on East Gun Hill Road in Norwood If customers look behind the store’s window pane a quad of workers carefully roll brown thick cigars a row of brown lounge chairs are available for the casual smoker looking to sit and reflect as they inhale sweet tobacco “A cigar is meant to relax yourself,” said Francisco Rosario Rosario’s family-operated shop is a true family collaboration in every sense of the word He employs his brothers and cousins who know the art of hand rolling cigars He’s named one of his cigars “Grandfather” in honor of his grandfather His reverence for family also translates towards his clients “I see the client like family,” said Rosario though it pegs itself to be one of the few cigar shops where its cigars solely originate from the Dominican Republic but the store’s quality assurance representative Though the store’s been in Norwood for 15 years cigar making has run in the family for nearly a century where raw materials for the store’s handmade cigars are grown and imported Imparting Rosario with the art of hand rolling cigars came from his mother the younger Rosario worked at a cigar shop in Belmont as he saved money to open his own store Clients even include former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (Rosario quickly pointed out a framed photo of him and Giuliani holding cigars) Congressman Jose Serrano and actor Chuck Norris He’s even the unofficial cigar man for members of the NYPD’s 52nd Precinct The store sells more than 100 cigar brands with prices that range from $5 for cheaper brands to $16 for top shelf choices such as El Sueno Don Francisco #1 I see it in my hand and in my heart,” said Rosario He has another store in the Castleton Corners section of Staten Island but Francisco’s brother now runs the shop Francisco opened another Shop in Staten Island View current print edition Click here to read our disclaimer >> The Asociación Dominicana de Cigarros y Tabaco (ADOCITAB)—the Dominican Association of Cigars and Tobacco—will hold its first cigar festival this June To be clear, neither the event nor the organization is affiliated with Procigar the longstanding Dominican cigar manufacturers’ association that hosts a cigar festival each February ADOCITAB appears to be a much more inclusive organization—it already has more than 40 companies compared to Procigar’s current membership of 11 companies—that represents a wide range of companies ADOCITAB is making its festival about Tamboril the Santiago municipality that is home to most of the country’s cigar factories Dominican Cigar Fest 2022 will begin Friday It is centered around two different areas: a trade show space that could host up to 80 companies—46 are currently confirmed participants—and a show area that will include cultural events and musical performances the festival will offer tours of cigar factories cultural tours as well as optional upgrades including a helicopter tour of Santiago ($200) A ticket to all three days costs $1,100 and includes access to the event areas transportation (not airfare) to the events and all three meals start at $1,910 per person there will be tours of three factories—Tabacalera El Artista Tabacalera Victor Sinclair and Tabacalera William Ventura—though more could be added to the list of options There are 44 companies that are currently members of the organization: there are companies that are not members that will have a presence at the event in some capacity Tabacalera Palma appears to be the only Procigar member company that is participating in the event I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros The NFL season is heading into Week 10 and while the Super Bowl is still months away La Flor Dominicana already knows what cigar they’ll be sending to Florida retailers to celebrate the annual big game limited-edition cigar to be sold only by La Flor Dominicana retailers in the host state of the Super Bowl This season’s Super Bowl takes place on February 2 Starting the first week of January, retailers in Florida will receive the La Flor Dominicana 2020 Special Football Edition. The cigar measures 6 1/2 inches by 58 ring gauge, which is the same dimensions as last year’s release The 2020 Special Football Edition is covered in Ecuador Habano wrapper with binder and filler from the Dominican Republic The intricate football pattern near the foot of the cigar is made from Ecuador Habano maduro tobacco The cigar comes packed in 10-count boxes and carries a retail price of $17 per cigar the 2020 Special Football Edition is rolled at the La Flor Dominicana factory in Tamboril is still several months away but Quesada Cigars … Tatuaje Cigars’ Pete Johnson continues his experimentation on how different wrappers can affect … High scoring cigars that won’t break the bank this black ceramic jar holds 10 Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua … the university has teamed up with Bocock Brothers for an … Santiago.- The National Institute for Technical and Professional Training (INFOTEP) will establish a training school for the tobacco industry to meet the growing demand for skilled labor in this crucial sector This initiative is part of a collaboration with the Association of Cigar Producers of the Dominican Republic announced that the school will be set up in Tamboril The goal is to provide formal training and certification for artisans many of whom have previously gained skills through informal means ProCigar president Litto Gómez emphasized the importance of this training in maintaining the international competitiveness and quality of Dominican tobacco products He noted that investing in skilled labor not only supports the industry’s efficiency but […] Local September 3 He noted that investing in skilled labor not only supports the industry’s efficiency but also contributes to the economic development of local communities The tobacco industry in Santiago is a major economic contributor generating over 110,000 jobs and adding more than $400 million to the economy in the first four months of the year The new training school aims to further enhance the industry’s capabilities and support its continued success A significant fire broke out early Monday morning in the Zona Franca La Palma complex in Tamboril destroying the Tabacalera William Ventura and Intercigar S.A it had consumed the majority of the building and was still burning into the early afternoon with firefighters actively working on getting it under control and keeping it from spreading further Tabacalera William Ventura has become an increasingly well-known and well-respected factory in recent years producing its own line of cigars under the ADV & McKay and ADVentura names as well as making cigars for Caldwell Cigar Co. is the home of the Vallejuelo line as well as a number of other brands and has produced cigars for RVGN Rauchvergnügen According to Marcel Knobel of ADV & McKay Cigars Co. who was one of several people to confirm the news of the fire to halfwheel the two companies shared the same building the owners of Tabacalera William Ventura said that the cause has not yet been identified but did say that there were no injuries to report “Regardless of the findings of the investigation Nothing in the factory is salvageable.” The fire did not damage a smaller factory and facility owned by the Venturas The company said that all production would immediately move to that facility while the main factory is unavailable “We are working tirelessly to keep from dramatically disrupting our work flow but rest assured we will be back stronger than ever,” the company wrote in a press release “We acknowledge we have suffered a great loss but our commitment to excellence is our sole focus Tabacalera William Ventura is broken hearted for their clients whose brands have become known and loved by so many Their commitment to provide the best cigars will not be compromised Their process is what makes Tabacalera William Ventura We ask but one favor of the cigar community please be patient with the brands whose cigars we manufacture Please be patient with all of the retailers who carry the products we produce We need your support now more than ever.” and I am a son and have many responsibilities to my family,” said Henderson Ventura in a statement right now my focus is our clients and the consumers and thank you for your patience with us during this difficult time.” The Zona Franca La Palma complex is home to several cigar factories which sits next to one of the buildings that was on fire the first had not yet spread to PDR Cigars but remained a threat due to the proximity of the two buildings makers of La Galera and numerous other lines though that facility is located further into the complex and away from the fire has released video of the fire from Monday morning: This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available An earlier statement attributed to Marcel Knobel of ADV & McKay Cigars has been clarified to have been a press release from Tabacalera William Ventura which was sent by Knobel but did not include proper attribution I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com Litto Gomez and Ines Lorenzo-Gomez began making and selling cigars they are marking 30 years in the business with a celebratory LFD 30 Years which has begun to slowly make its way to some cigar shops A handful of retailers have received the cigars there have been a few events celebrating (and selling) the cigar including one thrown last week in Greenwich “The thing that’s holding back the shipments are the humidors,” Litto Gomez told Cigar Aficionado at the Greenwich cigar dinner the outside made to look like the Tamboril factory where La Flor Dominicana cigars are made The inside of the lid features an image of Litto and Ines on horseback in one of their tobacco fields The humidors are made in the Dominican Republic at La Flor Dominicana’s box factory Each contains 60 Chisel-shaped anniversary cigars They are gently pressed smokes that measure 6 1/2 inches long by 58 ring gauge each bordered in golden leaves (including a footband marked 30 years) with a resplendent pink tobacco flower in the middle of the main band—the symbol of the company whose name translates to “the Dominican flower.”  The blend has some similarities to other La Flor cigars The filler blend is from La Flor’s tobacco farm in La Canela “The rest will slowly roll out within six months,” said Ines Lorenzo-Gomez “We’re trying to allocate as best we can.” The cigars have a suggested retail price of $30 apiece, and the complete humidor retails for $1,800. Look for a review of the smokes in Cigar Insider later this year when they reach more tobacconists Litto’s Twist of Fate The Farms And Factory Of La Flor Dominicana DR.- The Tamboril free zone park’s first phase under the management of the investment fund company ALTIO has concluded its 2023 operations with full occupancy of its facilities and the creation of 5,500 direct jobs the broader free zone sector has contributed significantly to the Dominican economy generating a total of 197,313 jobs across 87 parks nationwide The sector also recorded exports totaling US$6,743.7 million and attracted investments amounting to US$7,161 million The acquisition of the Tamboril Free Zone park by ALTIO’s managed fund has proven to be a positive move injecting capital that facilitated the park’s growth This growth not only benefits local and foreign companies but also contributes to the well-being of employees and the surrounding community Local February 26 emphasized the free zone’s role as a comprehensive service provider offering tenants support in various aspects including warehouse design and construction Tamboril.- The second edition of the Dominican Cigar Fest will be held on 10 and 12 November in the municipality of Tamboril located in the northeast of the province of Santiago and is considered the “Cigar Capital of the World.” The announcement was made by Robinson Diaz executive director of the Dominican Association of Cigars and Tobacco (Adocitap) who highlighted the high commitment to the projection and expansion of the tobacco sector that the entity has during the three days of exhibition and celebration more than eighty exhibitors and companies linked to the cigar production chain will participate with emphasis on boutique and emerging brands president of the organizing entity and CEO of the tobacco company Business & Pleasure October 7 located in the northeast of the province of Santiago and is considered the “Cigar Capital of the World.” The announcement was made by Robinson Diaz laying the foundations to consolidate this festival of tobacco and cigars for the next generations.” Francisco Matos pointed out that almost twenty thousand people will attend the event which will bring together important companies related to the beautiful world of tobacco as well as all kinds of accessories related to the production and elaboration of cigars in the Dominican Republic he said that several modules will be available to host sponsoring institutions and companies and other special guests related to the commercialization of the aromatic leaf The fair seeks to promote and highlight the excellent quality of Dominican tobacco and cigars and the importance of the industry in the country’s economy It is recalled that Tamboril stands out for having dozens of tobacco factories The cigar manufacturing industry is estimated to generate tens of thousands of handmade cigars daily and handcrafted with excellent quality Santiago – President Luis Abinader Corona inaugurated five new companies that are part of the Tamboril Free Zone Park dedicated to the manufacture of gold and silver jewelry; Eco Therm There is also Las Antillas Tobacco Company which manufactures packaging products; and José Méndez dedicated to the cultivation and processing of tobacco which will contribute to creating some 1,100 new direct jobs During the inauguration ceremony and in his speech president of the Tamboril Industrial Zone Park has shown continuous growth since its beginning generating significant support to the sector in the Province of Santiago Economy November 12 where 23 Dominican and foreign companies operate in 50 buildings He also announced that the second stage of the industrial Park where today five other companies are being inaugurated is working on the conclusion and incorporation of 7 different buildings in the completion process and three others in the construction phase This new stage is expected to generate 4,500 new jobs and export over 200 million dollars the Tamboril Industrial Park has been characterized as being a model company with marked differentiation strategies seven days a week dining rooms and cafeterias and security and uninterrupted monitoring; all designed in modern infrastructure designed with the highest quality standards validated by its local and international clients Also noteworthy are its industrial warehouses three dining rooms with a capacity for six thousand employees per shift avenues of circulation of twelve meters wide signage and lighting throughout the enclosure and inspection of the General Directorate of Customs the expansion of the Second Stage began with the real estate development which includes twenty industrial buildings a training and continuing education center of INFOTEP The representatives of the new companies highlighted the excellent investment climate offered by the Dominican Republic a video presentation of the facilities of the Tamboril Industrial Free Zone Park was made together with the words of the Minister of Industry and Commerce who is also president of the National Council of Free Zones said that this is the third Park in terms of employment generation in Santiago and the ninth in the whole country representing 6.3% of the total employment of free zones in Santiago Ito Bisono highlighted that as of September this Park registered exports for a total of 38.4 million dollars equivalent to 29% of the total exported by the free zones of the province of Santiago This Park represents a contribution to the region and the country and today’s inaugurations will contribute in both senses Minister of the Presidency; Deligne Ascención Burgos Director of the Free Zones Association; together with representatives of the business associations a man was killed in an accident in Santiago’s municipal district of Canca La Piedra de Tamboril The victim’s name was Jasson Dominguez but he spent a few days at an uncle’s house on Ceiba de Madera street near the Canca La Piedra bridge in Tamboril Authorities obtained information from residents who claim Jasson was speeding The corresponding units of the National Emergency System (911) arrived at the accident scene The 21-year-old’s lifeless body was handed over to his relatives several hours later to say goodbye in the neighborhood where he grew up Local December 5 SANTIAGO (Dominican Republic) .- Members of the Public Ministry and the National Police arrested on Friday night the exponents of the urban groups Shelow Shaq and Musicologist while they participated in a clandestine party in the Tamboril municipality in violation of the curfew established to contain the coronavirus (COVID-19) the authorities specified that in total they arrested 40 members of those groups including José Luis Peralta and Ygnacio Alberto Santiago known in the entertainment world as Shelow Shaq and Musicologist Also arrested were members of the Antonio Peter de la Rosa’s group they transferred the group to the Santiago Air Base to impose the corresponding fines They detailed that during the operation in which the arrests […] Local October 25 They detailed that during the operation in which the arrests were made In the press release which offered the information the Public Ministry called on the population to respect the curfew and the other provisions of the authorities in order to prevent the spread of the deadly disease that affects the country and to the world Police officers from the Special Division for the Investigation of Transnational Crimes (DEIDET) in the Dominican Republic have arrested a man identified as the intended recipient of 26 pistols The weapons were concealed in two tanks containing basic necessities intended for delivery to the municipality of Tamboril in Santiago province identified as José Manuel González Díaz (Jochy) The police officers followed the accused until his arrest on May 7 in front of the police detachment of the municipality of Salcedo and a revolver with their respective chargers Local May 9 The operation was carried out in coordination with the General Directorate of Customs (DGA) and the support of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in the framework of the development of an investigation against a Transnational Criminal Organization (OTC) dedicated to the smuggling of firearms through the different ports and airports of the country This type of crime constitutes a clear violation of Law 631-16 for the Control and Regulation of Weapons Against Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism The accused will be placed at the disposal of the Public Ministry for further investigations regarding the seized weapons The crime of arms trafficking is the trend most widely perceived as a “high” or “very high” threat for the countries of the Americas and the Caribbean region as highlighted in the most recent Report on Crime Trends at Scale World Cup of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) 2022 The Interpol Report brings together the data provided by the 195 member countries of the organization to which is added information from the entity and other sources If our ridiculous government didn’t make owning a legal firearm almost impossible For a new glock legally and all the requirements you’re looking a million pesos almost While some thug in the streets robbing you has five guns while you aren’t even legally allowed to walk around with a knife in your pocket This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page At least two years have passed since the last shipment of La Flor Dominicana Salomones curvy cigars made by hand at Tabacalera La Flor S.A the cigars will return at the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers trade show in Las Vegas who co-owns the La Flor Dominicana brand with his wife said the cigars that will be sold at the show have been aging for several years "The cigar opens with lots of strong leather flavor complemented by a progression of rich cocoa curved and bulbous bottoms and a pointy tip reminiscent of some perfectos The Salomon shape was invented in the Partagás Factory in Cuba years ago and has appeared on cigars bearing the Partagás and Cuaba brands For a rating of the new crop of Salomones, see a future issue of Cigar Insider who has been making cigars in that city since the late 1990s In 1997, Cigar Aficionado held its first Hall of Fame dinner More than 400 industry members and cigar lovers joined together at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan to honor six legends of the cigar world In 2012, in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of Cigar Aficionado magazine, we inducted nine additional members at the Grand Havana Room in New York City at our annual Night to Remember charity cigar dinner at the Four Seasons Restaurant we added three new members to this exclusive club: Litto Gomez the maker of La Flor Dominicana cigars in the Dominican Republic; Jorge Padrón president of Nicaragua's Padrón Cigars; and Rocky Patel the owner of the Rocky Patel brand from Honduras and Nicaragua When Litto Gomez entered the cigar industry in 1994 with a brand called Los Libertadores Gomez has transformed his La Flor Dominicana mark (the name was changed in 1996) from an unknown entity into a cigar brand embraced by connoisseurs and critics alike for its powerhouse blends and innovative vitolas Canada in 1973 after being denied an American visa He would later move to Miami and open a successful jewelry store he closed the shop and turned his attention to a new venture: cigars With Ines Lorenzo (who is now his wife) as his business partner Gomez began making La Flor Dominicana cigars out of a tiny factory with only four rolling stations Gomez broke free of the mild cigar mold when he released a unique shape in 1997 called the El Jocko Perfecto No a figurado with a wedge-shaped head that was eventually trademarked Gomez's knack for innovation has been lauded by consumers and critics as he makes nearly 4 million cigars per year and has appeared on Cigar Aficionado's Top 25 list every year and while his son Anthony has recently begun getting involved in the business the 61-year-old Litto shows no signs of slowing down When Jorge Padrón began working full time for his father the company was already 28 years old and had sold almost 100 million cigars But some 90 percent of these sales were concentrated in Miami Fresh out of graduate school and armed with a master's degree younger customer base by expanding distribution Jorge attended the company's first trade show in hopes of boosting national sales but the reaction wasn't as strong as he hoped Jorge went back to the factory and worked with his father on creating the company's first premium brand: the Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series This special cigar was a hit with consumers and critics from day one box-pressed shape and blend of power and flavor ultimately shifted the palate of the U.S Padrón's growth could not have been possible without Jorge's vision and his strict adherence to his father's philosophy of quality over quantity more than 6.5 million Padrón cigars are sold annually and the company has won Cigar Aficionado's Cigar of the Year award three times while consistently scoring high in magazine tastings who was inducted into the Cigar Aficionado Hall of Fame in 2012 making them the second father-and-son team to be honored in this way is widely regarded as the hardest working person in the cigar industry he logs more than 300 days and 150,000 miles on the road away from his home in Naples all so he can personally hand customers a cigar from his vast portfolio as his company has grown from 150,000 cigars in its first year to nearly 20 million cigars annually Patel was not born into a legacy tobacco family but in India where he put his natural salesmanship to work selling door-to-door He became a successful entertainment and product liability lawyer in Los Angeles and it was in 1995 that he turned his focus to cigars and established the Indian Tabac Cigar Co he was contracting out all of his production he changed his company name to Rocky Patel Premium Cigars and This factory now encompasses 8,000 square feet The 55-year-old Patel also now grows tobacco on two farms in Nicaragua Patel serves on the board of the Cigar Rights of America organization to lobby against needless cigar legislation and taxation Claudio Sgroi and Edgar Julián Sued have announced the first of what will be a trio of limited editions a 5 x 54 robusto extra made at Julián Sued & Compañía in Tamboril It uses an Ecuadorian wrapper over an American binder and filler tobaccos from the Dominican Republic The cigars were aged for 150 days after rolling and will be released to stores in the U.S It will have an MSRP of $14.95 per cigar and is limited to 1,000 boxes of 10 cigars Cinque Terre is Italian for “five lands,” a reference to the five countries where the tobaccos for the cigar were grown Sgroi told halfwheel the series doesn’t have its own name at the moment “This is a magnificent collaboration that came from my friendship with Edgar,” said Sgroi in a press release “My goal is to find and help the new generation of tobacco talents around the world.” Sgroi worked at Mombacho Cigars S.A. from 2011-2021. In April, he announced he was leaving his role as master blender for Mombacho Cigar S.A. and starting his own consulting company “For me it is a great honor and privilege to create collaborations in Dominican Republic hand in hand with Claudio Sgroi,” said Sued “Undoubtedly his experience in the tobacco industry will take us closer to our main goal which is never-ending improvement.” a small Dominican factory best known for producing Chogüí Santo Domingo.- The Integrated Transport System of Santiago (SIT) announced this Thursday the sectors that are being intervened in the city of Santiago with the construction process of the works related to the Monorail and the Santiago Cable Car “Station 2 stands on Tamboril Avenue in the Cienfuegos neighborhood;station 3 on Calle 51 del Ensanche Mella and Calle 1 del Ensanche Espaillat while station 5 is built on Avenida Circunvalación Sur in the Zona Industrial Altos de Vireya and widening Bermúdez sectors Bolívar and Pueblo Nuevo expansions,” reported the government institution Local June 23 “The closures of the stations are duly marked with reflective material with arrows indicating the direction of traffic We have taken all these measures to protect pedestrians and drivers who circulate in those areas it should be noted that the working hours on the construction sites are from 7:30 to 6 in the afternoon.” The construction schedule of the works is from 7:30 to six in the afternoon the institution reported that during peak hours and particular jobs they have the support and collaboration of DIGESETT agents and signalmen to speed up traffic and facilitate the safe circulation of citizens in reflective material from 150 meters before reaching the work indicating the alternate routes and the restrictive signs of the recommended routes the works being carried out in the different stations are deep excavations with piles and elevated viaducts including the installation of electromechanical equipment “We call on the population of the city of Santiago to be attentive to the information that we will be providing permanently through our social networks (@sitdominicana) as well as on the page https://fitram.gob.do/ and the media of communication to inform about the alternative routes we recommend in each of the points in which we are working for the development of the works.” Do you know when the monorail in Santiago will start to operate Santiago.- President Luis Abinader officially commissioned the refurbished Noriega II Drinking Water Treatment Plant and other infrastructure projects implemented by the Santiago Aqueduct and Sewerage Corporation (Coraasan) with a total investment of 300 million pesos highlighted the plant’s advanced technology which will contribute approximately 23 million gallons of water per day to the province’s distribution system This significant addition will reduce the current water deficit to just 7 million gallons The rehabilitation of the Noriega II plant with a capacity of one cubic meter per second required an investment of 237 million pesos The plant will have a positive impact on more than 250,000 residents in the municipalities of Licey al Medio Local May 22 Burgos described the aqueduct management system as a unique development in the country and expressed gratitude to President Abinader for his support and commitment to infrastructure projects benefiting the people President Abinader also visited the SQUARE Santiago mixed-use project where he inaugurated the Hampton By Hilton Santiago hotel a commercial area offering long-term stay options and a public square on Del Sol Street in the city’s historic center developed by Sandy Rodríguez Gutiérrez of Gizeh Constructora and Jochy Blanco of Tabacalera Palma showcases modern and functional architectural designs contributing to Santiago’s urban growth Jochy Blanco emphasized the city’s continuous progress and substantial contribution of around 14 percent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product praised President Abinader’s commitment to Santiago’s social expressing confidence in the construction sector and the business community’s support In addition to the infrastructure developments President Abinader was honored by the Association of Wholesalers in Provisions of Santiago (AMAPROSAN) as they celebrated their 60th anniversary The association recognized President Abinader’s significant contributions to Santiago’s growth acknowledging his administration’s transformative investments in the province the merchants presented President Abinader with a scroll recognizing his dedication and achievements highlighting Santiago and the country’s remarkable progress under his leadership Tabacalera El Artista is prepared to launch a new value-priced brand called Buffalo Ten The new cigar will come in only one size: a 6 inch by 50 ring gauge Toro Buffalo Ten uses six tobaccos in its blend: a dark Dominican Negrito binder and a filler mix of leaf grown in the United States The filler includes a tobacco that El Artista grew itself is calling the leaf Domininican T-13 Hybrid The cigars are being rolled at Tabacalera El Artista’s factory in Tamboril Dominican Republic.- President Danilo Medina on Thurs headed ribbon-cutting for the country’s first factory of vulcanized all-weather boots The factory located in Tamboril’s Industrial Free Zone is a unit of the China-based Ningshing Holdings a world leading producer of vulcanized footwear DJM Footwear is China’s second investment in a manufacturing company since the two countries established ties this year Economy October 19 he might be met with suspicious looks from the workers It doesn’t matter if the visitor makes himself as unobtrusive as possible or if he’s accompanied by the factory’s top managers: his standout clothing and demeanor alone can disrupt the workflow Even workers who pretend not to notice can still be visibly distracted the Dominican Republic’s oldest cigar company Not the type of tense concentration that comes from oppressive managers or the prodding fear of unemployment but the calm that comes from an entire room of people who are physically and mentally dedicated to their work If 109 years in the business has taught La Aurora anything it’s that a happy workforce makes for great cigars “Look around my factory,” says Guillermo León They are happy because we take care of them León is a quiet and commanding presence as he walks through his factory The 51-year-old is handsome by any conventional standard though at the same time preoccupied with the details of his operation and not unnecessarily talkative “Don’t write about this,” he says as he passes by a large contraption it looks quite modern compared to the rest of the old yet well-maintained heavy equipment in the factory Everything here runs with oiled efficiency La Aurora seems to have taken an atypical move for the cigar industry and adopted Japan’s “5S” workplace principles Banners hang from the high warehouse ceilings of the 150,000-square-foot-factory: Seiri—sorting; Seiton—stabilizing; Seiso—systematic cleanliness; Seiketsu—standardization; Shitsuke—sustaining Perhaps this is what it takes to last as long as Aurora has but the company that now produces 8 to 10 million premium handmade cigars per year (it makes even more flavored cigars by machine) started out in 1903 with only three rollers working out of a small space in the under-developed zone of Guazumal a small town located between Santiago and Tamboril made cigars for local consumption,” says León The cigars back then were made mostly of Dominican tobacco with Indonesian or Cameroon wrappers Wrapper leaf was not grown in the Dominican Republic at the time but binder and filler tobacco was readily available While some of it came from a few family-owned plots much of it was procured from other local growers and La Aurora began exporting its cigars to other Caribbean islands requiring León’s grandfather to establish closer business relationships with local farmers purchasing the tobacco in addition to growing some himself It wasn’t until the 1950s that Guillermo’s father “My father really knew tobacco,” says León “He had a keen sense for it and could identify its origins very easily I remember one time we were buying some tobacco from another farmer and my father looked at the tobacco One guy came with a hand-truck and put the bale of tobacco right in front of him smelled them and said to the farmer ‘This isn’t yours This comes from someone else.’ And he was right “Another time he was given tobacco and said La Aurora had finally made its way to the United States The company produced around 15 conventional cigar sizes that became very popular over time in both the stalwart cigar market of Miami and the rest of the United States León’s father Fernando handled La Aurora and the premium cigar business with respect and reverence it was only a small part of the family business Around the same time that La Aurora’s cigars hit the shores of the U.S. Aurora began producing cigarettes in a separate factory The Dominican Republic’s local cigarette industry was previously controlled by dictator Rafael Trujillo La Aurora had free reign to start its own mass-production outfit This lead to a partnership with tobacco giant Philip Morris and a contract to produce Marlboro cigarettes solely for the Dominican Republic the family business entered the beer industry first constructing a brewery in 1983 called Bohemia and then acquiring Cerveceria Nacional Dominicana (CND) the brewery responsible for Presidente Beer Presidente started as a local brew and went international in the early 1990s it’s the biggest beer brand in the Dominican Republic cigarettes and beer all fell under the family’s corporate umbrella a conglomerate that also has interests in spirits The beer business eventually became the largest by far in the corporation and earlier this year Anheuser-Busch purchased a controlling interest in CND from Empresa León Jimenes for a reported $1 billion No matter how large the other group’s assets became Fernando never grew distracted from the premium cigar business and he always regarded it as the center of the Group’s universe This mentality brought La Aurora’s annual production to between 3 million and 3.5 million cigars per year during the 1980s—a decade that included the Cameroon-wrapped La Aurora brand The ’80s was also the decade when Guillermo joined the family business “My main objective was to keep shipping costs down,” recalls León but one day my father said he wanted me to work at La Aurora it was an honor because I knew he cared greatly for the brands." With a large part of his childhood spent in the factory the younger León was very comfortable around tobacco “I’d be in the factory every day because it was a second home Some of my best memories are with my father traveling to the fields and receiving tobacco.” León started work solely in La Aurora in 1994 Focus for León now shifted from beer and tobacco logistics to premium cigars and the first thing he did was bring one of La Aurora’s old factory managers out of retirement and back on the payroll The manager had worked for the family for 65 years and León wanted him to return He also brought the Preferidos size—a bulbous perfecto—to the United States León considered the classic shape a company hallmark the Preferido was reintroduced in a Cameroon cover leaf And with the premium cigar market in such a state of hyperactivity facing formidable boom-time challenges as soon as he took over the factory’s operations “People who no one had ever heard of were coming down to the Dominican Republic with a lot of money buying the tobacco from farmers that we contracted for—farmers we were doing business with for decades León also explains another boom-time problem—the workers Cigar rollers would train at La Aurora and then be coaxed to another factory with the promise of more money It’s a practice that has always existed in the Dominican Republic to some extent but was greatly accentuated by the ’90s need for skilled rollers “We opened a training school for cigar rollers “Our problem wasn’t with available tobacco,” León says The problem was with future inventory.” Leon frowns a bit His eyes widen for a moment as though reliving a nightmare the intense demand for cigars had settled and Aurora found itself sitting on a cigar surplus with 5 million finished sticks in inventory that the company was looking to move The factory continued to produce quality premium smokes and León brought the factory to its 100-year milestone anniversary in 2003 La Aurora created a limited run of 400,000 cigars called 100 Años (known as Cien Años a Dominican puro made with Corojo wrapper and Corojo filler that the company had been growing in country since 1999 Cigars made solely with Dominican tobacco are still uncommon in the world of premium smokes on account of how difficult it is to grow the wrapper leaf but the Aurora 100 Años is one of the few brands that still comes to mind when considering exceptional Dominican puros the Belicoso was such an exceptional standout “Cien Años was a very special project,” recalls León “We wanted to use the best of the best.” There are very few 100 Años left but the line’s popularity has inspired Aurora to seriously consider reintroducing the line Details were not available at the time this story went to press but plans for a new 100 Años brand are in the works A lot has happened since the 100-year anniversary In 2006 the partnership between Philip Morris and Empresa León ended; León’s father and company patriarch Fernando León Asensio passed away in 2009; and last year the family’s corporate group made the decision to completely divest itself of La Aurora Before the group could officially put the factory up for sale León purchased it from his family for terms that were not disclosed He is now the owner and operator of the oldest cigar company in the Dominican Republic “I didn’t do it out of necessity,” he says The group wanted to focus more on the beverage end of the business León admits that even before he took over the factory he had been changing his philosophy about the business for the last few years and has tuned in to the demands of the consumer now more than ever before period smokes—stylistically old-fashioned brands made as close to the company’s original blend as current tobaccos will allow old fashioned does not mean dated or irrelevant They are still flavorful and enjoy a loyal following in the world of premium cigars “We still maintain tradition,” assures León “but I’m listening to what the customer has to say.” The relatively new Guillermo León brand is a perfect example It came out in late 2010 and was blended to León’s personal taste and standards The Corona Gorda is his size of choice and was the first prototype for the blend it is made with two binders (a first for La Aurora) and has scored 92 points with Cigar Aficionado but the name also seems to be making a statement so it’s only befitting that he has a namesake cigar were rolled more to meet customer demand and show an understanding of the market despite personal preferences The brand is by no means a vanity project but a sincere symbol of La Aurora’s future 4 by 60 cigar called the Sumo is another response to market trends “It can be very personal sometimes,” León says of the cigar-making process “The size and the flavor of the Guillermo León Corona Gorda is very much a reflection of my personal taste and what I think a cigar should be.” When asked his opinion on the current market he responded: “I think people tend to confuse strength with flavor We’re looking to make complex smokes with full flavor but we don’t have anything that is too strong—too strong and it overpowers that palate.” Another evolutionary factor was La Aurora’s use of many different tobaccos there were no Cuban-seed strains grown in the Dominican Republic nor was there any Dominican wrapper to speak of there are myriad tobacco varietals grown in the country (both wrapper and filler) and La Aurora keeps voluminous stores of Nicaraguan This allows the company a diverse portfolio and greater blending options The Guillermo León brand contains tobacco from five different countries León says that the company has only seen growth since he took over Part of that growth includes making third-party brands for other cigar companies ReFusion and Silencio (a line consisting of mostly figurados) come off the tables of La Aurora’s rolling gallery “In my case in particular I make blends with my own tobaccos and La Aurora rolls the cigars for me,” says Philip Wynne is very knowledgeable and runs a very organized ship is one of the best rollers I have seen in my 20-plus years in the business What I like about the company is that they are very quality-control oriented They make sure that all the steps and proper time is given to the aging process and fumigation and his word is his bond—something rare in the tobacco world.” has been working with La Aurora since 1995 know the torcedores that would be hand-crafting my cigars and most of all make them in very small quantities and maintain the strict quality control that La Aurora has been maintaining and recognized for more than a century,” says brand owner Luis Falto Aurora’s other new brands include Aurora 107 a figuardo that recently scored 91 points in Cigar Aficionado is also scheduled for commercial distribution It will be a blend of Corojo wrapper and Piloto Cubano tobacco “The consumer always wants something new,” León says resignedly Most of these consumers are citizens of the United States makes up half of La Aurora’s premium production 1 cigar brand sold in the Dominican Republic León has 5 million cigars in his aging room symmetrically stacked to the ceilings in cataloged wooden cases waiting to be boxed and shipped to various markets He’s reminded of that odd-looking machine a visitor spied earlier on the factory floor “I’ll tell you this—You won’t see those anywhere else.” He has over 100 years of history in his hands Litto Gomez began rolling cigars in a cramped and modest factory in the Dominican Republic he is preparing to release an ornate smoke celebrating 20 years in business made in his picturesque and anything but modest cigar factory in Tamboril La Flor Dominicana's 20 year cigar (the final name has yet to be determined) will be released in unique packaging who has become one of the most creative cigarmakers in the business The packaging will be a porcelain beer stein reminiscent of an Oktoberfest celebration The cigars are going to be made of a core of Dominican tobaccos grown by Gomez who has evolved into not only a cigarmaker The wrappers will be dark leaves grown in Mexico's San Andrés Valley which have only appeared on one other La Flor Dominicana cigar who owns and operates La Flor Dominicana with his wife said they hoped to have the cigars on the market by September with a limited production run of 60,000 cigars For more on the anniversary cigar, see the June 17 issue of Cigar Insider To learn more about Litto and Ines, read A Conversation with Litto and Ines of La Flor Dominicana José “Jochy” Arnaldo Blanco III is a fourth-generation tobacco grower and the CEO of Tabacalera Palma in Santiago His family’s tobacco-growing legacy began with his greatgrandfather who emigrated from Spain to the Dominican Republic in the mid-1800s making him one of the country’s earliest cigar manufacturers.  “I’ve been involved with my father’s business since I was a kid,” says Jochy and started making different types of cigars for exportation So we went from being a mostly North American market company to exporting Dominican-grown tobacco and cigars worldwide.” In 1995 Jochy relocated the Palma factory to Tamboril’s free-trade zone near Santiago He knew that cigar smokers wanted a higher quality product Jochy’s timing couldn’t have been more fortuitous which had given the premium cigar market a long overdue shot in the arm who still ferments tobacco the way his grandfather did including the quality of the land and the leaf But the main thing is the passion you put into what you do.”  with whom Jochy worked on Señorial and Freyja cigars concurs: “Jochy is very passionate about his work he has a great palate.” In addition to his farms in Santiago His chief crops are Criollo ’98 and Piloto Cubano which he likes growing in different areas of the country because that’s what gives the tobaccos their unique flavor characteristics.  Jochy also buys tobacco from farms once subcontracted by Jochy’s father Some of these growers are third generation and Jochy continues the tradition because it’s good for the growers Of all the independent tabaqueros in the Dominican Republic Jochy is arguably the country’s biggest grower and buyer it’s no surprise that so many cigar makers find themselves working with him Jochy produces two of his own premium brands Cigar Journal included the La Galera Maduro El Lector among its Top 25 Cigars of 2017 Even with all of the other critically acclaimed cigars he’s had a hand in Jochy doesn’t feel like he’s competing with himself “There’s a market for everyone,” he says.” I get a lot of satisfaction when any product made in my factory does well.” Aaron Saide of Sans Pareil cigars and collaborator on La Instructora offers one of the best glimpses into Jochy’s work ethic “I’d lost my passion for cigars and I needed to find someone that saw tobacco the way I did It’s not about anything other than quality Jochy is the only person that would actually listen to me and the only person that could give me my dream on earth.”  How would he like to be remembered 50 years from now “Mainly that I was a good father and friend,” says Jochy also that I was a great cigar maker!”  This article was published in the Cigar Journal Spring Edition 2018. Read more Gary Korb is the Executive Editor for CigarAdvisor.com a website dedicated to cigar culture and lifestyle he has worked on the marketing side of the premium cigar business as the Senior Marketing Content Writer and a blogger for Famous Smoke Shop a leading premium cigar retailer based in the United States Gary’s cigar reviews can also be found on Facebook at “Cigar Reviews by Gary Korb.” Enter your email and join the global Cigar Journal family By pressing the ‘I AM OF LEGAL AGE’ button I agree that I am of legal age for smoking and drinking in my country Essential cookies enable basic functions and are necessary for the proper function of the website Statistics cookies collect information anonymously This information helps us to understand how our visitors use our website Content from video platforms and social media platforms is blocked by default access to those contents no longer requires manual consent Santo Domingo.- Taiwan ambassador ValentinoTang on Thursday said the Dominican Republic is his country’s main tradingpartner in the Caribbean and with the highest presence of Taiwanese companiesin the region "As far as my mission as an ambassadoris concerned a factory of sports shoes was inaugurated in Santiago with acapital of 35 million dollars and this year the Taiwanese company General EnergySolutions installed the solar power plant Monte Plata Solar in Monte Plata province,"the diplomat said He said the plant cost US$115 million,"being the largest solar power plant in all of Central America and theCaribbean,." Tang said one of Taiwan’s most important textilesmanufactures wants to invest in the Dominican Republic "as well as othercompanies that have evaluated the […] Economy December 22 He said the plant cost US$115 million,"being the largest solar power plant in all of Central America and theCaribbean,." Tang said one of Taiwan’s most important textilesmanufactures wants to invest in the Dominican Republic "as well as othercompanies that have evaluated the country’s excellent investment climate." The ambassador lauded the ties between Santo Domingoand Taipei "which have maintained very cordial relations for more thanseven decades," which he affirms have been strengthened through cooperationprograms in various areas in recent years citing three major projects in SantoDomingo Este As part of the annual meeting of TaiwanScholarship Alumni its president Ivan Ernesto Gatón said despite the country’sdiplomatic ties with Taipei "from the perspective of the politicalrealism of international relations it is more beneficial for the DominicanRepublic to maintain its good commercial ties with Beijing without breakingdiplomatic ties with Taiwan." Gomez said he made a “few thousand” of these As which measure 9 inches long with a 47 ring gauge (a tiny bit shorter than the Cuban standard size of 9 1/4 by 47.) The ultra-long cigars are wrapped with Ecuador Sumatra leaves that are very dark and contain filler and binder from Gomez’s farm in La Canela “This is something that I like to do every few years,” said Gomez To see a video of Gomez on his farm, click here draughtsman and installation artist who came to prominence as part of the 1980s generation was found dead at home in his city residence Thursday He studied at the UASD art school and the Art Student League of New York He made his mark on the contemporary Dominican art scene with his recurring themes of footsteps sharp and cutting political and social reflections poverty and exploitation in a region blessed with a natural environment (sea color) that paradoxically evokes images of paradise Capellán exhibited his work both […] People December 29 Capellán exhibited his work both in the Dominican Republic and internationally including second prize in the drawing category (1987 and 1992) first prize for sculpture (1990 and 1996) and third prize for painting (1994) in the Eduardo León Jimenez art contest PUERTO PLATA.- The lifeless body of an 18-year-old student was found by bathers in the early hours of Wednesday morning at Cabarete Beach The deceased is Johan Sebastián Jiménez Collado who lived in the municipality of Tamboril in the province of Santiago The young man disappeared last Sunday while attempting to swim in the moderately rough waters of the Atlantic Ocean It was reported that the body of Jiménez Collado was in an advanced state of decomposition when sighted today by bathers and people who exercised on the beach of Cabarete near the Hotel Punta Goleta Authorities of the Public Ministry and the National Police accompanied by the acting legist doctor; Dr Mario César López arrived on scene and after rigorous inspection of the […] North Coast December 5 Mario César López arrived on scene and after rigorous inspection of the body sent it to the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) The young student Johan Sebastián Jiménez Collado arrived at Cabarete beach accompanied by friends and family on a tour on Sunday morning but apparently he could not swim in the waves and was dragged by rough sea currents that left him drowning a short distance from his friends who were also in the water at the time volunteers from the rescue agency Amber Rescue units of the Navy of the Dominican Republic (ARD) and a helicopter from the Puerto Plata Air Base began the search for the aforementioned young man It is always important to be warned that the waters of Cabarete beach can be rough and full of powerful currents including undertows whenever there are waves Do not attempt to swim in these waters unless you are a skilled and powerful swimmer with a good knowledge of waves President Luis Abinader held a meeting with businessman Manuel Estrella last night (Saturday) in the city of Santiago The meeting was held with other members of the business sector at 8:00 pm His agenda also included a visit to the home of the communicator Nelson Javier (El Cocodrilo) and other businessmen from the tobacco sector of Tamboril Vice President Raquel Peña and a group of ministers and other government officials will accompany the president Local September 13 was eagerly handing out his cigars to a group of rappers at an after party for the Grammys "They thought the cigars were old fashioned," he said The smokers didn't enjoy the traditional packaging of his cigars Taking the name of the bags at such events that get stuffed with all manner of free goods Packed in dark wood boxes with metal nameplates Swag cigars have more edgy packaging than Nodal's other brands Nodal made the cigars in the Dominican Republic in a partnership with Jochi Blanco a cigarmaker located in Tamboril who co-owns the La Flor de Palma farm in La Canela The Swag cigar is made entirely from Dominican tobaccos from Blanco each with an interesting name: Quickie is a 5 1/2 by 42 corona; Lavish is a fat robusto that measures 5 by 54; Elite is 7 by 38; Infamous is a 6 by 54 toro; Fierce is a 6 1/2 by 53 torpedo and Ego comes in the increasingly popular 6 by 60 size ranging from $4.70 for the Quickie to $5.92 for the Ego For more, see the current issue of Cigar Insider The Bermuda Basketball Association’s Senior Men’s National team is competing in the Dominican Republic “The Bermuda Basketball Association’s Senior Men’s National team program is in transition as it introduces a welcome injection of young talent The second development tour for this year is being held in Tamboril a municipality of Santiago Dominican Republic against club teams of the Soporte del Baloncesto Tamboril [SOBATAM] Association key veterans of past National Team success both have aspirations of coaching at National Team level they were brought in to act as mentor’s for the surge of youth to the National program “The team looked to start the tour off with a win recent winners in the SOBATAM Pre-Superior tournament Head Coach Gavin Mackenzie knew that teams would prefer to push the ball in transition Bermuda would need to limit this type of scoring and force teams to play half-court offense Bermuda had good scoring opportunities from the perimeter but we’re relegated to scoring most 1st half points on the inside “In the second half Bermuda spent the game catching up narrowing the lead to 2 points on several occasions They started to hit perimeter shots and played better defensively in spurts They outscored their opponent 46 – 38 in second half as both teams started to hit perimeter shots consistently “Mykal Glasgow got the game within 1 point on a 3 point shot with 15 seconds left Bermuda was forced to foul and Canca was up 3 Sullivan Phillips had a chance to tie with a 30 foot fling but came up short “Jason Lowe led the team with 19 points and 7 rebounds Bermuda also got valuable contributions from Jonathan Lowe who had 13 points and Glasgow who had an outstanding 4th quarter Sam Darrell and John Lee also made defensive contributions throughout the game.” Category: All, Sports