Fratello Oro Robusto

Having debuted in 2013, the Fratello cigar brand continues to be one of the fastest growing cigar companies on the market, and for good reason. Owner, Omar de Frias, carefully plans out everything from the tobaccos used to how they are rolled; every detail is scrutinized, resulting in mouthwatering smokes for every palate. The Fratello Oro hit the scene at the IPCPR Convention & Trade Show in 2016 and is one of their newer offerings. Hailing from the Dominican Republic, this smoke starts with a golden brown Ecuadoran Connecticut wrapper that securely hugs a Cameroon binder, and finishes with long-fillers from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. Even though this smoke is mellow in body, you can expect big flavors of leather, cream, dried fruit, and hints of spice. An exceptional any time of day cigar, try it with a chardonnay.

Though tobacco is indigenous to Hispaniola, the tobacco industry in the Dominican Republic existed in the shadow of Cuba’s dominance through the 1960s. When the exodus of Cuban cigar makers began in the wake of the revolution, many decided the Dominican Republic would be ideal for the resumption of their livelihoods. Unrest in Nicaragua in the 1980s fueled the Dominican cigar industry further. The country now makes more than half of the premium cigars imported into the U.S.

The Cibao Valley and the nearby city of Santiago are the center of cigar production in the Dominican Republic. Three main varieties are grown here: the mild and native Olor Dominicano; the intense Piloto Cubano, brought from the Vuelta Abajo of Cuba; and San Vicente, a milder and more acidic Piloto hybrid. Dominican puros were once unheard of as it was widely thought impossible to grow quality wrapper leaf on the island, but new growing techniques are now allowing some exceptional puros to be produced.