An interactive, visual exploration of the hidden relationships that define the modern premium cigar industry.
Cigar Nexus is an interactive, visual tool built to map the complex web of relationships in the premium cigar industry. Using a force-directed graph, it makes visible the often-hidden connections between brands, factories, families, and corporate groups — with a particular emphasis on the major producers in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic.
Rather than a simple directory or list of brands, Cigar Nexus focuses on the actual structure of the industry: who owns what, where cigars are really made, and how seemingly independent brands are often connected through shared factories, tobacco growers, or ownership.
The premium cigar world is far more interconnected than it appears on the surface. A single factory in Estelí might produce cigars for a dozen different "boutique" brands. One family might own multiple labels that appear to compete with one another. Tobacco from a particular farm can end up in cigars carrying very different names and price points.
These relationships are rarely advertised. Packaging and marketing often emphasize heritage, exclusivity, or craftsmanship without revealing the actual production reality. Cigar Nexus exists to cut through the noise and show the real architecture of the industry.
Whether you're a collector trying to understand provenance, a retailer making buying decisions, or simply a curious enthusiast, seeing these connections helps you make more informed choices.
The visualization focuses on several key types of relationships:
The graph is deliberately focused on Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic — the two dominant origins for premium non-Cuban cigars today.
Building an accurate picture of the cigar industry requires careful, ongoing research. The information in Cigar Nexus is drawn from public sources including industry publications, company histories, interviews, factory tours, and direct conversations with people in the trade.
We treat this as a living document rather than a static database. As new information becomes available or as ownership and production relationships evolve, nodes and connections are updated. Transparency is important to us — we note when information is based on historical records versus current arrangements.
Note: This is not an exhaustive database, and it is not affiliated with any manufacturer, distributor, or trade organization.
Cigar Nexus is designed to be useful for a range of people in the cigar world:
The graph is meant to be explored interactively:
There is no single "correct" way to view the graph. Different filters and layouts reveal different aspects of the industry.
The cigar industry is private by nature. Not every relationship is publicly documented, and some details are difficult to verify with complete certainty. We do our best to ground every connection in available evidence, but we also recognize that the full picture is always incomplete.
When possible, we distinguish between current relationships and historical ones. We also welcome corrections and additional information from people with direct knowledge of the industry.
Cigar Nexus is an ongoing project. Planned and possible future improvements include:
This project was built for the cigar community, and it improves with input from people who know the industry well. If you have corrections, additional context, or suggestions for brands or relationships that should be included, we welcome your feedback.
Accurate representation matters. The goal is not to promote any particular brand or narrative, but to provide a clearer, more honest picture of how the modern premium cigar industry is actually structured.
Thank you for taking the time to explore Cigar Nexus.