Chantel Leavitt is the founder of Bella Dama Cigars, an independent boutique brand launched as a tribute to her late father, a professional poker player. The lineup carries a distinctive poker and card-room theme across releases such as The King, Ace, The Queen, Flush, and All-In—rolled at Tabacalera Aragon in Estelí.
Leavitt represents a new generation of boutique founders entering the industry with personal stories and creative branding rather than decades of tobacco family heritage. Her partnership with a craft-oriented Estelí factory demonstrates how emerging blenders can access Nicaraguan production without needing the scale of a major contract manufacturer—keeping Bella Dama agile, distinctive, and deeply personal in a market often dominated by legacy names.