By Timothy S. Donahue
Top Takeaways:
- ProCigar Membership: Drew Estate Dominicana has joined the Dominican cigar manufacturers’ group as its 12th active member.
- Factory Expansion: A new 76,000-square-foot facility in Santiago is expected to begin full production in 2027.
- Industry Shift: Drew Estate’s admission follows Davidoff’s departure from ProCigar earlier this year.
Drew Estate has joined the Dominican cigar industry’s inner circle before rolling its first cigar in the country.
The company announced that Drew Estate Dominicana has been accepted as an active member of ProCigar, the Association of Dominican Cigar Manufacturers, as it prepares to open its first manufacturing facility outside Nicaragua.
ProCigar approved the membership on November 9, bringing its roster back to 12 active members after Davidoff’s Dominican operation, Tabadom Holding, left earlier this year.
Founded in 1992, ProCigar represents some of the Dominican Republic’s leading premium cigar manufacturers, including Arturo Fuente, La Flor Dominicana, La Aurora, General Cigar Dominicana, Casa Carrillo, and Quesada Cigars. Drew Estate is the association’s first new active member since Arnold André joined in February 2023.
“Drew Estate has always been deeply committed to the celebration, elevation and growth of premium cigar culture and manufacturing quality,” said Jonathan Drew Sann, the company’s founder, president and chief innovation officer. “As we begin this new chapter in the Dominican Republic, we are honored that Drew Estate Dominicana has been invited to join PROCIGAR and work in partnership with the exceptional Dominican cigar manufacturers that comprise this distinguished association.”
The membership comes as Drew Estate develops a manufacturing facility in Santiago, Dominican Republic, marking a significant expansion for a company whose cigar production has long been concentrated in Estelí, Nicaragua.
The new facility, described in ProCigar’s announcement as 76,000 square feet, will combine premium cigar manufacturing with consumer experiences. Drew Estate’s original April announcement listed the complex at 73,000 square feet.
Although the company initially targeted an early-2027 opening, Drew told Nicotine Insider this week that full production is now expected in mid-to-late 2027. “It’s really exciting—they really welcomed us,” Drew said. “We’re not coming to the DR for a factory—we’re coming to the DR to land on Plymouth Rock. This is really significant.”
The expansion also includes a tobacco farm in Villa González, where veteran Dominican grower and seed developer Manuel Peralta will cultivate proprietary tobaccos exclusively for Drew Estate.
Peralta has more than 50 years of tobacco-growing experience and will help develop leaf for the company’s Dominican manufacturing operations.
Drew Estate previously announced that production of Deadwood Tobacco Co. Dominicana and Undercrown El Tigre Dominicano would move from Nicaragua to the new facility, while the company would retain its existing blends and packaging. Most of the company’s other cigar production will remain in Nicaragua.
The company has already expanded its use of Dominican tobaccos through those brands and through Deadwood Tobacco Co. Dominicana Buenas Noches, even though the cigars have been manufactured at La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate in Estelí.
ProCigar said adding Drew Estate Dominicana creates opportunities for manufacturers to exchange expertise, strengthen cooperation, and support the Dominican premium cigar industry’s international presence.
Membership also provides a platform for participation in workforce training, industry advocacy, and initiatives that promote Dominican handmade cigars.
The association’s membership changed earlier this year when Davidoff, a founding member through its Dominican operation, announced it would depart after 34 years. The company cited a reassessment of its international priorities and regulatory challenges.
For Drew Estate, joining ProCigar establishes a formal relationship with the Dominican Republic’s established cigar manufacturers ahead of production at its Santiago facility. It also marks another step in the company’s transition from a Nicaragua-based manufacturer to a producer operating in two of the world’s major premium cigar markets.
