Matilde Cigar Co. Moves Production to Tabacalera Palma

Tabacalera Palma has gained another client, as Matilde Cigar Co. has announced that it is moving its production to Jochy Blanco’s factory.

“We were looking for more flexibility in production and blending,” Enrique Seijas told halfwheel. “Working with a factory like Tabacalera Palma gives us access to a much larger inventory of varieties of aged tobaccos and a larger team of cigar makers.”

There’s no specific timetable for when consumers will begin seeing the Tabacalera Palma produced cigars; the recently released Matilde Oscura will be the first to make the journey from La Romana to Tamboril and  Seijas said it is a function of how quickly the current supply of Matilde Oscuras sell at retail. Matilde’s debut line, Renacer, will also move to Tabacalera Palma, though it will be after the first of the year. Neither blend will change, and Quesada Cigars will still distribute the Matilde line.

Matilde’s existing factory–Tabacalera Matilde–will remain open, with Seijas saying that it will continue to be a destination for visitors to the La Romana area, as they welcome approximately 50,000 people per year. The factory will maintain an exhibition team that will show visitors the complete cigar making process.

After a career with Altadis U.S.A. that spanned more than 30 years, José Seijas founded Matilde Cigar Co. in 2013, with the Matilde Renacer released in February 2014. The company added its second line, Matilde Oscura, this fall.

News of the move was first reported in Cigar Insider.

Patrick Lagreid

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. For me, 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. In addition to my work with halfwheel, 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, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, the G-League's Valley Suns, and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.