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Cigars and Community: Stories from Tamboril’s DBL Factory
While baseball is called America’s pastime, baseball and cigars are the Dominican Republic’s passions. Some of the world’s best players including Juan Soto, Julio Rodriguez, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. are from the D.R. The heart of the cigar passions beats in Tamboril near Santiago, known as the “Cigar Capital of the World.” It is the home of many factories including La Arora, LFD, and Dominican Big Leaguer (DBL). We recently toured the DBL factory -our previous post was about the tour itself. This is a story from that day about cigars bringing people together and creating an amazing experience.
We’ll start the story with Luis Barrera – although he isn’t the story. Luis Barrera was born in Tamboril in November of 1995. Like so many Dominicans, he lived the dream of playing major league baseball. His career highlight with the A’s was in May 2022 when he hit a 2-out, bottom of the ninth, 3-run walk-off homerun to beat the Angels. We didn’t meet Luis on our tour but we met his dad. His dad is the DBL factory manager and was part of the group that hosted us that day. We didn’t hear about Luis from his father. We heard about Luis from a super guy who happened to stop into the factory that day.
His name is Kyle Bradley, Vice-President of Ministry Advancement for Go Ministries in the D.R. Go is a Christian mission organization whose purpose is to transform communities through churches, medical care, education and sports. They are building a sports complex near the DBL factory. One of its major sponsors is NBA All-star Karl-Anthony Townes to honor his late mother, a native Dominican.
When Kyle said that Luis Barrera played in the Angels organization at one point, we wondered if he played there when Hazleton’s Joe Maddon managed the team. It turns out he didn’t play for Maddon, but Kyle’s eyes lit up – he’s from Illinois and a huge Cubs fan. Maddon led the Cubs to their first World Series Championship in 2016. Maddon managed in the Majors for 19 years in Tampa, Chicago, and for the Angels. He’s a 3-time Manager of the Year, reached the World Series in 2008 where his Rays lost to the Phillies, and won a World Championship with the Cubs. Kyle couldn’t believe that Tommy and Michael know Joe Maddon and that he lives in the Hazleton area.
Joe Maddon is also a co-founder and driving force behind the Hazleton Integration Project. Its Hazleton One Community Center offers early childhood development though education, sports and cultural programs. Their mission is similar to Go’s mission.
Think about this! A factory tour to Kyle to Luis Barrera and his father to Joe Maddon and to two organizations changing lives, one in Tamboril and one on Hazleton. The connections were amazing! All from talking to people we met over cigars in the DBL lounge.
Cigars are like that. Stop in any lounge where people are having cigars and there are good people to meet. You have in common enjoying a cigar – and you meet great people with interesting stories, experiences and backgrounds. They create connections and community – we see it here at Smoke Rings every day.
Have a great cigar story, comments or questions? Share it in the comments.
Dominican Big Leaguer Factory Tour 2026
We can’t talk about the Dominican Republic without mentioning the nation’s two greatest passions – Baseball and Cigars. Dominican Big Leaguer cigars (DBL) is the brainchild of Francisco Almonte. Francisco started working with tobacco at the age of 7, de-veining leaves for his father, and by the time he was 12 years old, he was rolling cigars. Tobacco quickly became his passion and creating fine premium cigars became his mission. Francisco had the unique opportunity to work under the tutelage of two of the world’s most famous cigars makers, Mr. Carlos Fuente (A. Fuente Cigars) and Mr. Litto Gomez (La Flor Dominicana Cigars). Both legendary cigars makers have passed down an abundance of knowledge to Francisco, who, in turn, has incorporated the knowledge, experience and craftsmanship into his own brand, DBL by Francisco Almonte. Having worked alongside two of the cigars industry’s biggest names has given Francisco the ability to create incredible cigars that are extremely satisfying, full of flavor and perfectly constructed.
Watch for more from our tour of DBL in coming posts and watch for new releases and events with DBL at Smoke Rings & Cigar Box! This is one of our fastest growing brands – the quality, construction, and consistency are excellent. We’re looking forward to partnering with Francisco Almonte & DBL to bring this awesome brand to you!
Smoke Rings (est. 2015) & Cigar Box (est. 1996) – THIS is What It’s All About!
We are in our 10th year at Smoke Rings Cigar Bar, established in 2015 and approaching our 30th year of Cigar Box, established in 1996. One of the most gratifying aspects of decades in the cigar community is the ability to establish friendships with industry leaders like Litto Gomez, Nick Perdomo, Carlito Fuente, the Newman family, Jonathan Drew, Francisco Almonte, Ernesto Perez Carillo and so many more. You can see and hear them tell their stories on our The Talking Ash podcasts. We are family-owned, locally-owned brick and mortar cigar stores and cigar bar. We can appreciate and identify with many of the brand owners – who at various points their history – decided they were going to make and sell cigars. Those visions and those decisions destined our paths to cross in friendships and business relationships that enable our customers to have access to new and exclusive cigars directly from the owners and blenders of the brands.
We are thrilled to share this journey with you! Like our Smoke Rings and Cigar Box families, we work hard to do things right. We love a cigar as part of our day – every cigar is like an hour vacation – you enjoy it, you earned it, you deserve it. We love being able to bring you the newest and the best the industry has to offer. For us, cigars are not just one more product to be bought and consumed, maybe from one of the big box corporations. They are part of the day or night out. They let us slow down and appreciate the moment. They allow us to think, replay memories and make. They allow us to talk to so many interesting and fascinating people doing the same.
Walk into a cigar lounge anywhere – the conversation is easy, you walk out with stories from people you never even knew you didn’t know. That is what we live and see every day and night at Smoke Rings and Cigar Box. That’s what these decades helped us understand as a local, brick and mortar small business with friendships with the leaders of the cigar world. We work hard, we love our families & friends, our communities and our country – and we love nothing more than sharing our cigar story with people who feel the same. Thank you for being a part of our story – and thank you for allowing us to be part of yours. In life. the runway gets a little shorter every day – but the perspective and appreciation get a little deeper too. We look forward to continuing the ride with you!
Visit our Cigar Box homepage here.
Litto Gomez Junior recently joined Michael & Tommy for The Talking Ash Podcast to talk La Flor Dominica cigars. Check it out here!
Also, check out some photos from our 2018 trip to Santiago to tour the LFD operation – amazing experience!
It’s Here! Rojas Cigars Limited Edition Cinco de Mayo 2025 & a New Release!
Check out the Rojas Event Overview from The Talking Ash YouTube channel!
More New Premium Cigar Releases Coming Soon to Smoke Rings!
The Island Jim by Oscar Valladares Tobacco & Co. is releasing the Island Jim Barber Pole to its line and it’s on the way to Smoke Rings! The Island Jim cigar brand is named for “Island” Jim Robinson – owner of Leaf & Bean coffee and cigar shop in Pittsburgh. Robinson worked with LEAF/OSCAR VALLADARES (Leaf by Oscar) to launch the Island Jim Line. This is their latest Island Jim.
It combines a Connecticut and a Habano wrapper both from Honduras and comes in 6×52 size. You’ll definitely want to catch some island vibes with this cigar!
Also coming soon is the Leaf by Oscar Broadleaf Limited Edition!It has a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper with Honduran binder and fillers and also comes in a 6×52 Toro. This is the company’s first release with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. Be sure to check them out!
Smoke Rings: Premium Cigar Releases & Events Coming Soon
Major motion picture studios always plan their new hit releases for the upcoming time of year. The weather’s breaking, we can get outside to golf, fish, sit on the patio with cigars! The days are longer, the temperature is warming and the summer holidays and vacations are getting closer!
The same is true in the Premium Cigar Industry. New launches are announced at trade shows and new cigars begin to show up in stores. We want to let you know about things to light up as the weather and new releases heat up!
New Releases Coming Soon!
ROJAS STREET TACOS Cinco de Mayo 2025
- Ecuadorean Habano wrapper with Mexican San Andres binder and Niciaraguan/Connecticut Broadleaf fillers comes in a 6×54 Toro – on the must try for Cinco de Mayo!
Rojas Cigars Street Tacos Al Pastor
- Excellent Habano Wrapper; 6×52 Toros – a great addition to the Street Taco line!
We’ll look in the next post at 2 New Releases from Leaf by Oscar!
In the meantime – mark your calendars for 2 special Cigar Events at Smoke Rings Cigar Bar!
April 17, 2025 6 p.m. – HOLY SMOKES CIGAR EVENT
- Cindy’s Grill Food Truck starting at 3 p.m.
- Great Cigar Deals with Michael & Tommy starting at 6 p.m.
May 2, 2025 6 p.m. – CINCO DE MAYO PARTY & CIGAR EVENT featuring Rojas Street Tacos Cigars & Island Jim Cigars from Leaf by Oscar!
Smoke Rings, Cigars, Drinks & Baseball: the Ingredients for a Great Season!
There’s is nothing like passing spring and summer nights like watching baseball and having a cigar and a good drink! Those nights are getting close as baseball’s Opening Day is Thursday, March 27. For many in this area that means the Phillies Hunt for a Red October begins.
On a recent trip to Tampa for JC Newmans’ launch of their Tampa Smokers cigar (coming soon), we took the short trip to Clearwater’s Jack Russell Stadium to watch a Phillies-Red Sox spring training game. With four practice fields in the stadium complex, we were able to watch batting practice and pitching sessions, including many of the prospects who will be in the minor leagues at Allentown (AAA) and Reading (AA).
Dave Dombrowski is the Phils President of Baseball Operations (PHOTO WITH TOMMY ABOVE) and is considered a strong candidate to one day be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He’s the only executive in baseball history to lead 4 franchises into the World Series – Marlins (WON); Red Sox (WON); Tigers (lost twice); Phiiilies (lost). Let’s take a quick look at the team he built and that Rob Thomson will once again manage in 2025.
Hot Takes on Phillies 2025
- THE ACES – Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola return at the top of the rotation and if healthy should continue to be one of the best combinations in baseball.
- THE BREAKOUT – Christopher Sanchez emerges as one of the top 20 starters in the league, makes the All Star team and wins 15+ games.
- THE NEW GUYS – Dombrowski gambled on 3 new faces. He traded for Miami Marlins starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo – who can be a force if healthy. The lefty throws 95-98 and his stuff has been described as filthy. They signed Twins OF Max Kepler and Toronto’s former closer Jordan Romano to 1 year contracts. We think Dombrowski’s gambles comes up 3 cherries and all 3 chip in.
- THE BATS – Bryce Harper and Trea Turner will both be in the MVP conversation. Kyle Schwarber will hit more than 45 home runs. Bryson Stott bounces back and is an all-star.
- THE FARM – The Phils have some of the top prospects in the game. All three are in the majors and contributing in the 2nd half. Pitcher Andrew Painter who throws high-90s, missed the last 2 seasons to injury. He’ll be up by July, pitch out of the pen and make several starts by the time playoffs begin. Shortstop Aiden Miller’s bat forces his way into the majors – pushing Turner to CF. Justin Crawford’s blazing speed will be a bonus off the bench in late innings.
- THE PEN – Thomson again juggles pitchers in the late innings – Jose Alvarado, Orion Kerkering, Jordan Romano, and Matt Strahm all earn saves during the season.
- The Phillies win the East with 95 wins
- The Phillies get revenge on the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLCS
- Philadelphia hosts another parade after the Phillies edge the Texas Rangers in the World Series
Yes, spring is a time to dream – but some dreams are real! RING THE BELL!
SMOKE RINGS 