Tobaccos
with soul

Our tobacco

The single most important element in our cigarillos and cigars, our finest quality tobacco is the foundation upon which the whole smoking experience is built.

We at DANNEMANN Group have our own farms in Brazil and Indonesia, where we grow our own varieties, selectively bred for aroma and taste. After more than a century of growing our own tobacco, we have developed an understanding of the conditions needed for the crops to flourish, and for the harvested leaves to mature.

Here, we welcome you to our world. A world where traditional cultivation meets 21ˢᵗ century agricultural science, where patience and dedication are rewarded with the flavours and aromas of “tobaccos with soul”.

From seed to smoke

All our tobaccos undertake a lengthy journey, from tiny seed to mighty smoke.

It is a journey that cannot be rushed. A journey that instils the leaves with their distinctive flavour, aroma and taste. A journey which takes more than two years to complete.

Simply click on each stage below to learn more about the care, craft and soul that goes into our tobaccos.

Enjoy the journey...

All in the details

Simply click on each stage below to learn more about the care, craft and soul that goes into our tobaccos.

The Greenhouse

“Welcome to our greenhouses here at Santo Antônio farm, Terra DANNEMANN, in Brazil. I am Celizia and this is the beginning of the journey for our tobaccos. As one of the agronomists, I work with the team developing new varieties of tobacco and tending the seedlings of our unique San Antônio tobacco, which we have developed here in Bahia.”

First, we mix the seeds with some sawdust and place them a pinch at a time into trays of potting mix, to germinate. Ten days later, we thin out the seed trays, selecting only the strongest seedlings. This way, we can make sure the plants are all of equal size and are continuing to grow at the same rate.

There is some science to support the theory that you should sing or play music to your plants. It may not be in every agricultural manual, but it can’t hurt, so we always sing a little tune while watering the crop every morning and evening.

After six weeks we check the plants to make sure their root structure is fully formed, and then they are ready to graduate to the fields.

The Farm

“Hello, my name is Carlos and I am the agronomist who looks after our fields and our water here in Bahia. The conditions in which our tobaccos grow are just as important as the variety itself when it comes to determining taste and flavour. While I cannot control the sunshine, I can control the soil condition and precise delivery of just the right amount of water to Celizia’s young seedlings.”

In Brazil, our plantation covers 1,000 hectares of soil. However, no more than a quarter is planted at any one time, to rest the fields between plantings and allow the land to rebalance. Helping us to turn the soil, we have a herd of 20 oxen, whose hooves are much more delicate than industrial ploughs.

Tobacco plants are more than 90% water, so providing the right amount of watering – at the right time – is vital. The good news is, we have a water purification
on-site which allows us to do just that.

Finally, more than half our crops are ‘shade grown’ beneath solar netting, which allows the leaves to develop their unmistakable flavour and aroma. After three months, the leaves are inspected one final time and handpicked in the morning, before the Bahian sun can reduce their moisture content.

Maturation

“Hi, I am Julio and I am responsible for turning the freshly-picked, sticky green tobacco leaves into soft golden brown leaf wrappers. It is hot work in the drying and fermentation barns but the rewards are worth it. I always joke that I come home smelling of perfume! It is true though; when the leaves have matured they really do have an amazing aroma and fragrance”.

Once picked, the leaves are rushed to our curing barns, where they are strung by hand on long batons for optimal air circulation. Over the next month, the leaves slowly lose their moisture as warm air flows through the barns and they begin to take on their familiar golden brown colouration. Once dry, the leaves are bundled and placed in a high heat and high humidity environment to encourage fermentation. This is where the leaves develop their rich aromas and flavours.

Sorting and grading

“My name is Daniel and I am the leaf specialist here in Bahia. I look after quality control of all matured leaves and also work with over 200 partner farms across the Mata Fina region to help them grow the precious filler tobaccos with us. These local farmers have been working the land for generations and are part of our family. I have a special bond with them all and really enjoy meeting with them to talk about tobacco, or just to catch up on local news.”

Our tobacco is completely natural, so there is always a gentle variation in each leaf. We inspect every wrapper leaf by hand and grade it according to size, colour, texture and aroma. Only the finest leaves are approved for use on our cigarillos and cigars. We also grade the filler tobaccos, making sure the tobacco on the inside is every bit as good as the leaf you see on the outside. Once the annual harvest is graded, it is baled, ready to be aged. Just like a fine wine, the flavour of tobacco continues to mellow and round as it slowly matures.

From leaf to cigarillo

“I am Sina, Head of Packaging here in Lübbecke, Germany. We take the beautiful leaves and turn them into cigarillos and cigars with a mix of high-tech machinery and careful attention to detail. Our job is not easy, but it helps when we have the best tobaccos to work with.”

Finally, after a two-year journey, our tobacco is ready for its big moment – being crafted into a cigarillo. Up until this time, the leaves have been managed exclusively by hand, to ensure we have the finest natural ingredient. Using modern production equipment, we finely cut the leaves to create a blend and trim a perfect wrapper leaf, for machine-rolling the cigarillo. But there is no substitute for an eagle eye and expert touch, so we carefully double-check every step of production.

Once packed, the cigarillos are sealed to maintain freshness and delivered to our retail partners, ready to be shared with our smiling consumers. After two years of time, dedication and care, their journey is complete.

Tobaccos with soul

Our tobacco

From seed to smoke

All in the details

Tobaccos
with soul