Products of Artista
El Artista Cigars is one of those hidden gems in the cigar industry. Hidden because it operates somewhat ‘under the radar’, and a gem because the factory has been run as a family business for around 70 years, now in its third generation. Nestled in the Cibao region of the Dominican Republic, the family-run factory – known as Tabacalera El Artista (TEA) – grows tobacco and rolls cigars.
Yet TEA is anything but a small business! In the 2018/2019 season, it was the largest tobacco producer in the Dominican Republic, with a yield of approximately 5 million pounds. Artista operates around 60 farms across more than 3,500 hectares in the Dominican Republic and Ecuador. The company also owns several warehouses, tobacco sorting and fermentation facilities, as well as another cigar factory in Tambóril. TEA’s core business is therefore the cultivation and sale of tobacco.
The production of its own cigars is a labour of love for Radhames ‘Ram’ Rodriguez, the grandson of the founder, Ramon ‘Pulita’ Rodriguez. Artista uses around 20 per cent ‘third-party’ tobacco in its own blends. This is a testament to absolute professionalism and foresight. Everyone claims to produce the best tobacco. But when it comes to a perfect cigar, it’s the blend that makes all the difference!
Yet TEA is anything but a small business! In the 2018/2019 season, it was the largest tobacco producer in the Dominican Republic, with a yield of approximately 5 million pounds. Artista operates around 60 farms across more than 3,500 hectares in the Dominican Republic and Ecuador. The company also owns several warehouses, tobacco sorting and fermentation facilities, as well as another cigar factory in Tambóril. TEA’s core business is therefore the cultivation and sale of tobacco.
The production of its own cigars is a labour of love for Radhames ‘Ram’ Rodriguez, the grandson of the founder, Ramon ‘Pulita’ Rodriguez. Artista uses around 20 per cent ‘third-party’ tobacco in its own blends. This is a testament to absolute professionalism and foresight. Everyone claims to produce the best tobacco. But when it comes to a perfect cigar, it’s the blend that makes all the difference!
