Monte Pascoal builds Factory in Fields in Brazil

Brazilian tobacco is well loved around the world. Just when it seemed like there was no more room in the market for a new Brazilian cigar, Lorenzo Orsi decided to take his passion for Brazil and cigars and created a new Brazilian cigar.

When the European explorer Pedro Álvarez Cabral neared Brazil and the coast of Bahia, he allegedly spied Easter Mountain (Monte Pascoal). For centuries, the mountain has been an icon of Bahia, the state of Brazil known to grow the best tobacco. Lorenzo designed his logo and named the brand for this Brazilian icon. Since starting the company, Lorenzo has worked to make a truly Brazilian cigar from brand to tobacco. When he started, he bought his tobacco from growers in the Mata Fina and Mata Norte regions of Bahia. Since then, he has purchased land in the Mata Fina and now grows all of his own tobacco.

In 2011, Lorenzo began experimenting with planting Habano seed tobaccos in these fields in addition to the traditional seeds. The result has been excellent. The new tobaccos have a clean, rich taste but are slightly richer than leaves grown from the traditional seeds.

Lorenzo expects to start using these leaves in Monte Pascoal cigars as soon as 2014. With the farm running well, Lorenzo decided to bring his tobacco processing and cigar rolling from the city to the field. The factory building became operationalin mid 2013.

Now, all Monte Pascoal cigars are made on site in the same place that the tobacco is grown. The facilities include two large buildings for tobacco fermentation. The third building is for cigar rolling. Twelve rollers work in a high-ceilinged room surrounded by the peace and rustling leaves in the tobacco fields.

With some innovation, Lorenzo is continuing the traditions of Brazilian cigars. The brand has become one of the two top-selling premium cigars on the Brazilian market and is being sold by Tabac Benden in Germany and other companies around the world.

This article was published in the Cigar Journal Winter Edition 2013. Read more