Leite & Alves Cigars

Leite & Alves cigars are imported by our colleague Sebastian Gollas from Berlin. In addition to running his retail business, he also works as a cigar importer and distributor. Always on the lookout for exciting products from small, fine tabacaleras, he came across Renato Madeiro, owner of the Leite & Alves brand, during a trip through Brazil in December 2021. His factory in Cachoeira is currently producing some of the most talked-about cigars from Brazil. Renato is known locally as Brincalho – a wild, flamboyant character who loves to experiment with tobacco.

Leite & Alves Cigars: Innovation and Creativity from Brazil

In addition to the traditional Mata Fina and Arapiraca, he also likes to blend with other tobaccos that are not typically used in the region. That’s what makes his cigars so special – a reason why you should definitely give them a try. In general, Leite & Alves cigars taste somewhat milder and creamier than the "typical" Brazilian cigar, which is often made with Mata Fina or Arapiraca. You can also find his other line under the name Leite & Alves Le Cigar.

Renato Madeiro and the Brincalho Style: Creative Blends from the Recôncavo Baiano

Leite & Alves cigars are produced in Cachoeira, about 110 km from Salvador in the state of Bahia. This location in the fertile Recôncavo Baiano – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – offers ideal conditions: tropical climate, sandy soil, and shaded cultivation that results in aromatic leaves. The blends feature local tobaccos such as Mata Fina (shade-grown and therefore rather mildly aromatic), Mata Sul, and Mata Norte (earthy and complex). The Arapiraca variety discussed here specifically uses wrapper leaves from the city of Arapiraca in the neighboring state of Alagoas (about 250 km northeast of Cachoeira). The city of Arapiraca is also known as the “Capital of Smoke” (“capital de fuma”) and has been a key hub for Brazilian cigar production since the late 19th century.

Brazilian Tobacco in Focus: Arapiraca as a Center for Premium Wrappers

Originally, manioc was cultivated there, but from the 1870s onward, tobacco cultivation became established. It wasn’t until the 1920s that a sustainable tobacco culture developed. The sandy, subtropical soil produces thicker, more robust leaves with a darker color, making them perfect for wrapper leaves. Today, the region produces thousands of tons of tobacco annually, which is exported worldwide and used, for example, in cigars such as the Monte Pascoal cigars. In general, it’s safe to say that tobacco from Brazil has a very distinctive character – one that is now indispensable in numerous international blends.