The tobacco cultivation

The fields, on which the farmers of our raw tobacco supplier grow their plants, are located in the Cibao valley, close to the city of Santiago de los Caballeros. Here one finds the perfect combination of soil, temperature and rainfalls, which ensures that with the noblest, longleaf insert and wrapper tobaccos Premium cigars can be made. The Piloto Cubano, originating from Cuba (refugees have brought the seeds into the Dominican Republic), and the Dominican Olor Seco are the processed tobaccos of our fillers and binders. The outer leaf (wrapper) exclusively comes from Connecticut, USA.

The sowing of the seeding into the open land takes place in the month of September or October after approximately six weeks of cultivation in protected boxes. The harvest takes place approximately in February of the following year. Our farmers only harvest the first growth of the plant and this in several "pickings" (harvest steps).

For the processing of the Chambrair cigars the middle sheets of the tobacco plant are essential:

The Olor plant, which rises to approximately 2.10 m, has 14 leaves which can be used and which are divided into the categories A, FF and F. The sand sheets, also named Criollo (below) have no expression and are not processed. The top called Picadura is also not used, but from its bloom the seeds are collected for the next sowing. Te Ligero leaves (above) are very full in flavour. Therefore, only the mildest leaves are used. The Piloto Cubano plant, which rises to approximately 1.65 m, has 12 leaves which are also used for our cigar production. These are called Centro, Corona or Ligero. The soil leaves (Libre Pie) are also not used for the cigar production but by the cigarette industry.

Violent precipitation and drop of temperature are the reasons for the infestation of blue mould, which can spread on the entire harvest. Pesticides are the only protection against these troubles. The soils of our tobacco fields are only used for two seasons, afterwards they are alternatively cultivated. Hurricanes and changeful weather provide for quantitatively and qualitatively uneven yearly harvests.