Preserving Dominican Cigar Culture Through Passion, Storytelling, and Tradition
The premium cigar industry is built upon generations of craftsmanship, tradition, and the people dedicated to preserving its legacy. Among those voices is Josefina Pichardo, Vice President of a leading media and events company, Commercial Director, and Editor-in-Chief of CIGARRO DOMINICANO—a publication that has become one of the Dominican Republic's most respected platforms for cigar culture.
For Josefina, tobacco has never simply been an industry. It has always been part of her identity.
Growing up in Santiago de los Caballeros, widely recognized as the cigar capital of the Dominican Republic, she was surrounded by tobacco from her earliest years. The distinctive aroma drifting through the city became inseparable from childhood memories, while one family member in particular left a lasting impression.
Josefina fondly recalls her great-great-grandmother, who lived to the remarkable age of 110, rolling and smoking her own cigars. Those early experiences introduced her not only to tobacco itself, but to the traditions and craftsmanship that define Dominican cigar culture.
Although she would later earn degrees in Business Administration and Psychology, her passion ultimately found its home within the premium cigar industry.
Building a Voice for Dominican Cigars
Fourteen years ago, conversations about cigar culture within the Dominican Republic were still relatively limited. While the country's cigars were already admired around the world, there were few dedicated media outlets focused on telling the stories behind the people, factories, and traditions responsible for that success.
Recognizing that opportunity, Josefina and her husband, Ángel García, launched CIGARRO DOMINICANO.
What began as an ambitious vision has since evolved into far more than a magazine. Today, CIGARRO DOMINICANO serves as a comprehensive media platform connecting manufacturers, retailers, enthusiasts, and consumers while promoting the Dominican Republic's rich tobacco heritage on an international stage.
"Our mission is to serve as a link between the tobacco industry, consumers, and businesses related to premium cigars," Josefina explains. "We connect the cigar industry with people around the world."
Over the past fourteen years, the publication has played an important role in raising awareness of Dominican premium cigars, celebrating cigar makers, and introducing cigar culture to new audiences both domestically and abroad.
Witnessing the Evolution of the Dominican Industry
Having documented the industry for more than a decade, Josefina has witnessed remarkable changes within the Dominican cigar landscape.
She believes local appreciation for premium cigars has grown significantly, with Dominican companies placing greater trust in domestic consumers while continuing to strengthen their international reputation. At the same time, cigar culture itself has become more visible and better understood by the public.
For Josefina, this evolution reflects not only the success of the industry, but also the growing recognition of the people whose dedication makes it possible—from tobacco growers and rollers to factory owners and media professionals committed to sharing their stories.
A Journey That Connected Two Cigar Cultures
Among the many experiences throughout her career, one remains especially meaningful.
Just over a year after launching CIGARRO DOMINICANO, Josefina and her team received an invitation from Cigar Ambassador to participate in the China Cigar Festival in Shanghai.
Traveling more than 14,000 kilometers from the Dominican Republic to China was something they had never imagined.
The experience left a lasting impression, not simply because of the distance traveled, but because it demonstrated the truly global nature of premium cigars. Despite differences in language, culture, and geography, the appreciation for craftsmanship…