Panama Jack Oceanside Churchill

Panama Jack is normally known for their sunglasses, home décor, clothing, hats, and beach cruisers but now they are going to be known for their smooth cigars, as well. Handmade in the Dominican Republic, the Panama Jack will take you on a beach getaway without needing a suitcase! Panama Jack may be relatively new to the cigar scene but their mild smokes have been making waves. The Oceanside features a premium blend of Dominican long-fillers, a Nicaraguan binder, and a handsome Connecticut wrapper. This mild smoke is topped with a slightly sweetened cap that adds a pleasant aroma perfect for your next sweet vacation! Pair this smoke with a dry 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.