Royal Agio Cigars Joins Procigar

Procigar, the association of top Dominican cigar manufacturers, has a new member: Royal Agio.

While Agio is headquartered in Duizel, Holland, in 1990 the company decided to build a factory in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, that would be dedicated to the production of premium handmade cigars. That factory currently produces its Balmoral Alejo XO, Balmoral Royal Selection, and San Pedro de Macoris lines.

“We work with a very small, dedicated team to create our unique premium cigars,” said Francisco Batista, master blender and general manager of Agio Caribbean Tobacco Company, via a press release. “With Agio becoming an official member of Procigar, I feel an even deeper connection to the local cigar community and I look forward to sharing knowledge and working more closely together with other manufacturers to help elevate what is already world-leading cigar quality.”

The announcement of Agio’s membership in Procigar comes as the organization kicks off its annual festival, which brings cigar lovers from around the world to the Dominican Republic for several days of factory and farm visits as well as celebratory dinners. Agio is participating in this year’s festival as a gold sponsor.

Boris Wintermans, ceo of Royal Agio Cigars, said that it is important for the company to be actively involved in the communities where it conducts business, and feels it can better do so as a member of Procigar. “We plan to actively engage our world-class Dominican cigar manufacturer neighbors and local industry suppliers to more directly contribute to helping advance the organization’s efforts,” he said in a press release, adding that he believes Agio’s worldwide footprint will allow them to offer “significant contributions on a global level.”

Procigar was founded in 1992 for the purposes of protecting and promoting the Dominican Republic’s place in the cigar industry. Its members include General Cigar Company, La Aurora, Quesada Cigars, Altadis, Davidoff, De Los Reyes, Arturo Fuente, E.P. Carrillo, La Flor Dominicana, Tabacalera Palma, and PDR Cigars.

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.