Dapper Cigars: The Passion of an Aficionado
Quite a few boutique brands trace their origins back to the enthusiasm of their founders. The same applies to Dapper. Behind the label stands American Ian Reith. Originally, the California native worked in IT for the Golden State’s health department.
But there was another passion. In 2013, he had his first own cigar blended in Estelí, purely for personal use, with no business ambitions whatsoever.
An Unexpected Success Story
His first creation, the now sold-out Cubo Claro, wasn’t just a hit with Ian himself. His friends also loved the cigar. And, according to legend, this is where the brand got its name: “That’s a dapper cigar!” remarked a neighbor. "Dapper" means something like neat and stylish in English.
As things gained momentum and became too much to handle alone, Ian brought in support. Among them was Alex Cesa, who turned out to be a real stroke of luck. With years of industry experience as a former employee of Drew Estate, he took over distribution. He played a key role in the brand’s growth over the following years: Dapper became a respected name in premium cigars. Word spread internationally, and since 2019, the Schwarzwald-based company Bugge has been importing the brand to Germany.
Dapper Cigars: The Full Selection
The Madrina Line, meaning "The Godmother," was released in the U.S. in 2017 and features an Ecuadorian Sun Grown wrapper from Oliva.
The wrapper for the Siempre Sun Grown also comes from the same source. The word "Siempre" ("Always") reflects the constant commitment to improving quality. The El Borracho series, except for its San Andrés wrapper from Mexico, is made exclusively from Nicaraguan tobaccos.
