The Dominican Pandora

Our relationship with the company Arturo Fuente started long ago with the publication of an extensive, detailed article about the history of the brand (Cigar Clan N 5 2008). Fuente cigars and Fuente family members appeared on the pages of the magazine countless times over the years. In particular, we featured an interview with Carlos Fuente, Jr., the grandson of the company’s founder, on the cover of 2010 fourth issue. But every single time that we met for an interview or for other publications, it took place on “neutral” territory.

Fuente has never been to Moscow. We’ve been to the Dominican Republic several times, but mainly for the Dominican cigar festival. And only those that are truly clueless about the cigar world have not heard about the friction between Fuente and the organizers of the festival. That is exactly why a visit to Fuente’s factory during the ProCigar Festival is out of the question.

Finally, in February of 2011, we got the opportunity to hang around longer in Santiago in order to visit Fuente’s premises.

On a hot February morning, we arrived in the “free industrial zone” of Santiago. The car stopped in front of the most elegant and herbaceous entrance. In just a few seconds, I was stepping over the doorstep of a two-story building—and a new chapter of my cigar life began. Everything that I’d seen up until that point, and everything that I will see from now on, I will unwittingly compare to that place. 

There was a mosaic insert on the front door with the company name and date of it’s founding. Beyond that, there was a narrow entrance hall with a couch and table. And there wasn’t a single free space on the walls—there were magazine covers and cut- outs absolutely everywhere, as well as advertisements and photographs. 

To the right was the secretary’s office, and to the left was a massive wooden staircase leading up to the office of Carlos Fuente, Jr. Carlos himself met with us and for an entire day didn’t leave our side for even a minute: he introduced us to his legendary father, Don Carlos, and personally showed us every single square meter of the stunning factory and plantation.

When we went upstairs to the second floor, absolutely everything was covered and filled with objects and symbols of the brand, gifts and crafts from friends and fans, and memorabilia of the Fuente family. 

We then made our way to Carlos Jr.’s table and discussed everything under the sun over a cup of coffee. He told us about how he always dreamed of producing cigars, rather than simply assembling them, and hence became the first in the Dominican Republic to grow the wrapper.

We scrutinized the bands used for the new design. There were thirty-year-old magazines featuring pictures of Carlos’ parents when they were still young. Then we finished our coffee and headed to the factory. We didn’t even notice the borders where the cozy family office ended and the factory floor started. All too often, the personal space says a great deal about people. But in this case, the personal space of Fuente doesn’t say anything about his character—it screams it. 

The factory is a shrine of details, details that, despite their large quantity and variety, look great together here in such strict order. The walls were decorated with various patterns, molds, pictures and photos, and there were wooden statues of Indians everywhere. And on top of that, chandeliers made to look like lit cigars (Opus X, of course).

A sign hung above the entrance to every facility. “Salon FFOX” or “Salon Hemingway” for instance. Many of the workers were smoking. Throughout the course of the excursion, Fuente adjusted any pictures or photos that dared to slant even slightly. The company’s main “jewelers,” of course, were located in a rolling production facility.

Seventy sticks a day of certain vitolas are produced at the factory. Even the most experienced local rollers can’t produce more than that a day because of the complex architecture of the cigars. (Incidentally, in the aging room there were quite a few kitsch samples: cigars shaped as baseball bats and the Pope’s headdress with fancy designs made from wrappers of various colors and textures. Certain things were made for the sake of amusement, others for sale at charity auctions, and others just for the heck of it. Because that’s what Carlito wanted.)

I was quite certain that I knew everything there was to know about this brand, and at least a fair amount about Carlos— until, of course, I actually spent time at the factory and realized what the iconic brand is really founded on, how exactly it lines up, and why the brand’s position is so strong even in spite of fires, hurricanes and the harsh realities of the market. 

Carlos decided that in order to produce a truly unique product, certain universal conditions and a specific atmosphere is necessary. So, he created them and now controls everything—from the essential, key processes to the seemingly minor details.

Everything is immaculate there like in the laboratory, doors are equipped with electronic locks, and all the rollers are fully aware of the standards of manufacturing at every single moment. But the Cuban music was playing so loudly, and there were so many photos on the walls, that the feeling of a hospitable household didn’t escape us for a second.

After lunch, we set off for the plantation in the famous Chateau de la Fuente. One might think, “What’s so amazing about a tobacco plantation?” After the factory, though, we were all mentally prepared for a new dose of impressions and experiences, and as it turns out, it wasn’t in vain. 

Here, the cult of order and the cult of the brand reached new heights. If at the factory the Opus X band was able to amaze in a fairly miniature design, then here it cut a wide swath—a few dozen meters in length and fifteen meters in width, laid out in multicolored stones. But that’s not all: a huge scorpion was laid out with the same color stone, plus a dozen or so items that are symbolic for Fuente. In addition, on the plantations and adjacent territory, everything was in the same perfect order. 

Self-admiration and the desire to imprint one’s name on history and the landscape are both part of his character. But there are many people like that, and only a very few are able to create such a name and a brand that can—with good reason and a clear conscience—be raised to the status of an icon.