Join a chilled cigar chat with Enrique Seijas, co-owner/co-founder of Matilde Cigars to learn:
- Why releasing a new cigar line every year isn’t a priority for the Matilde brand
- What’s so challenging about cigar rolling
- How the Seijas family is like a pineapple, according to su madre
“That was one chilled chat. Just how I like them. Nice work, Mr Gagner.”
– Micky Turner, cigar lover
Explore cigars, cigar life and cigar enjoyment with Rob Gagner, host of Box Press, Boveda’s cigar podcast. Subscribe to the Box Press podcast on the Boveda Cigar YouTube Channel or on iTunes.
REVISIT YOUR FAVORITE MATILDE MOMENTS:
- Origin of Matilde Cigars and how José A. Seijas happened into the cigar business. (3:08)
- Inspiration for the Matilde cigar brand. (5:15)
- Story behind the Matilde logo. (6:05)
- Enrique’s written and unwritten rules of making premium cigars. (6:55)
- The difficult task of hand-rolling cigars. (10:05)
- Enrique Seijas take on:
– A successful marriage (12:50)
– Dominican Republic’s family-oriented culture (16:10)
– His mother (16:50)
– Cigar smokers’ perceptions of the Matilde cigar brand. (18:00)
- Matilde’s core value. (25:10)
NAMING A CIGAR BRAND—LOOK TO TOBACCO’S ROOTS
Enrique’s father, Cigar Aficionado Hall of Famer José A. Seijas, resurrected the name of a former Dominican cigar factory when he christened his new boutique cigar brand.
La Matilde was founded in 1876 in Santiago de Los Caballeros by Simeon Mencia. After Simeon’s death, his children took over the cigar operation, which was closed in 1910.
In 2014, the Seijas family revived Matilde to pay homage to history of Dominican cigar making. Coined “Cigar Eden,” the DR has ideal soil, idyllic weather and generations skilled in growing, curing and rolling tobacco.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD CIGAR?
Great tobacco, check. Age that great tobacco, done. Put passion into every cigar you make, definitely.
When you’re happy and passionate about what you do, Enrique explained, that passion is reflected in the finished product. So the Seijas’s take care of their Matilde cigar family, like, well, family.
“When you treat them as family and make sure they’re always happy, you’re always going to end up with an awesome cigar.”
An awesome cigar is one that is accompanied by a good conversation, he added. And Matilde makes some damn good cigars for the discerning aficionado. For a cigar novice, start with the Matilde Serene, then work through these other Dominican smokes.
Matilde Renacer is a robust smoke with hints of Dominican black coffee. Out the gate, recognized as one of Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 in 2014.
Matilde Oscura pleases with notes of black and white pepper with hints of sweetness. Ranked in the Top 10 cigars in 2015 by Cigar Dojo.
Matilde Quadrata is the company’s first, fully box-pressed offering. The long, nutty finish. Selected one of Cigar Dojo’s Top 10 cigars in 2016.
Matilde Serena, a milder cigar that makes a perfect first smoke of the day. Captured a Cigar Aficionado 91 rating.
CIGAR LEGENDS (& SONS) PROTECT THEIR CIGARS WITH BOVEDA
Every box of aged Matildes is protected by Boveda, so when a cigar lover opens up a box of these premium cigars they are ready to smoke.
While inside, Boveda slowly and gently adds or removes moisture to precisely lock in a 69% RH that’s ideal for Dominicans. Boveda’s patented two-way humidity control works with natural salts and pure water vapor, so Boveda’s presence does not alter the flavor of the Matildes. Or any other cigar in your prized humidor.
