Claudio Sgroi To Step Down As Mombacho Cigars Master Blender

Sgroi leaves the role of Master Blender after ten years and will no longer be an active partner of the company as of April 1st, 2021.

Accomplished tobacco consultant Claudio Sgroi announced that he will step down from Mombacho Cigars, where he served from 2012 to 2016 as Master Blender and Director of Operations, and 2016 to 2021 as Master Blender and President.

In a message to staff at Casa Favilli on Monday, Sgroi, 44, said he would focus his time and energy on his family and other professional ventures, including his role as President of the Nicaraguan Tobacco Chamber (CNT) and expanding his global reach in the industry by partnering with leading and up-and-coming brands.

Claudio Sgroi joined Mombacho Cigars as a consultant in 2011 with the goal of creating a global cigar brand. “In the past decade I worked tirelessly to build assets for future growth,” Sgroi stated. His achievements at the company include new vitolas, new blends, new quality control systems, expanded sales to more than twelve countries, enhanced relationships with the best tobacco growers in Nicaragua, and a state-of-the-art factory, Casa Favilli. Sgroi also joined the Nicaraguan Tobacco Chamber, and in January of 2020 was elected president. He now leads the board and all member activities, as well as oversees the organization of the “Puro Sabor” cigar festival and other endeavors.

Sgroi relocated to Granada in 2012 and lived there for nearly five years. During that time, he developed the internationally acclaimed Liga Maestro blend, the Mombacho 10th Anniversary Magnifico, the Casa Favilli line, and the Cosecha Series, today’s most collectable Nicaraguan puro using single vintage tobaccos from selective crops. With a vision to create the most beautiful and authentic Nicaraguan cigar factory, Sgroi discovered and led the renovation of Casa Favilli, a colonial mansion classified as a historical monument in Granada, Nicaragua, which today serves as the Mombacho Cigars factory.

“I am excited and looking forward to dedicating more time to the Nicaraguan Tobacco Chamber, as I have a deep responsibility to represent the leading manufacturers in the world,” Sgroi added. “The members of the chamber are making the highest quality cigars available today.” The CNT includes 26 members representing 95 percent of exported cigars and tobacco from Nicaragua. The chamber also hosts the world famous “Puro Sabor” cigar festival, which takes place annually in Nicaragua and attracts a global audience eager to taste and experience Nicaraguan cigars and culture.