The cigar world has undergone tremendous changes in the last 25 years. The exclusive domain of Cuban producers has shifted dramatically with new brands from the Dominican Republic and Central American countries coming to the fore. Nowhere has this change been more evident than in Nicaragua, especially in Esteli. This small town, devastated by the Nicaraguan civil war, has grown from a provincial backwater into the forefront of cigar manufacturing. The resilience of the Nicaraguan people, coupled with the determination of a handful of passionate cigar makers has seen the emergence of a global powerhouse in the world of cigars. Today Esteli is a thriving commercial centre with hundreds of cigar factories in operation, providing desperately needed jobs.
Jonathan Drew was a leader of this renaissance. Born and raised in Brooklyn, in 1990 he moved to Esteli in the aftermath of the war determined to learn the cigar maker’s craft. With no money, place to live or knowledge of Spanish he was an oddity in Esteli. With a vision that he could make great cigars, Jonathan worked as a roller, sleeping in the factory since he had nowhere else to live. He gradually developed key relationships and by the turn of the century people were starting to take notice of his work. Today his factory, Drew Estate, is the maker of one of the top three cigars in the USA and his factory employs over 1,500 people. His cigars have won numerous awards and Jonathan is acknowledged as one of the founders of Nicaragua’s cigar renaissance.
Victory Cigars is thrilled to welcome Fabien Ziegler, Jonathan’s right hand man, to Oshawa in his Canadian debut. Fabien has an encyclopedic knowledge of cigars and is the host of the legendary Drew Estate Cigar Safari, the ultimate cigar aficionado getaway. He has travelled all over the world to educate people about the impact that Drew Estate is having on the people in Esteli. He’s especially proud of the Drew Estate Charities program which builds homes for Estelianos in impoverished neighbourhoods. Come to Victory Cigars May 30th and meet Fabien in person and learn more about Drew Estate. He’ll be in store from 12-4pm.