Lepanto

LEPANTO cigarillos and cigars are available in 8 different formats as Brasil, Sumatra, or Caribic Blend, where Caribic Blend means that tobaccos from Havana have been processed. As always with Schuster, all compositions are very well-balanced and processed with the utmost quality.

They are packaged in exclusive cedarwood boxes that come from the in-house box-making workshop. They use filler tobaccos from Brazil (Mata Fina), Havana (Remedios), and Java. These are wrapped in fine Java binder leaves and high-quality wrapper leaves from Sumatra, Brasil, or Connecticut.

History of the August Schuster Cigar Factory in Bünde

In 1909, August Schuster started a cigar manufacturing business in the former cigar capital of Germany, Bünde in Westphalia. His son Hans Schuster took over the cigar factory in 1953 and led the company until 1983.

Currently, the two brothers Manfred and Philipp Schuster are in charge of the company. They are committed to the tradition of their ancestors and rely exclusively on top quality in their own products as well as in the imported long fillers (hand-rolled cigars made from whole leaves). Only 100% tobacco products leave the factory in Bünde. The next generation is already represented by Manfred's son Oliver and Philipp's son Hans-Martin (the future Chancellor).

As a small curiosity, instead of finding a factory entry in the public telephone book, one can only find the name "August Schuster" along with a four(!)-digit number. This must be from the time when the telephone operator handled the connections!

The brands produced by the August Schuster factory itself, such as Cardenal Mendoza, Lepanto, Brazil Trüllerie, and especially Partageno, have a firm place on the shelves of German cigar stores. The same applies to the imported but still proprietary brands such as Casa de Torres, Maria Mancini, and Rodrigo de Jerez. They are all fairly priced and high-quality premium cigars of Caribbean origin.

With Manfred and Philipp Schuster at the helm, this traditional factory in Bünde guarantees exceptional enjoyment and consistent, very high quality. In addition, Philipp Schuster's high commitment at the industry level deserves extraordinary respect for his tireless fight against restrictions and regulations imposed by the government on the enjoyment of cigars.

In the past, Bünde was home to numerous wealthy manufacturing families. It used to be the center for cigars in Germany, allowing for excellent profitability. Although Bünde is still known as a cigar city, actual production only takes place in one factory: August Schuster.

The only other remaining manufacturer, Arnold Andre, no longer produces here and has only left an administration office behind. Since its founding, August Schuster has also survived difficult times and undergone comprehensive structural changes. A large part of the own-brand products sold in reputable German tobacco stores is produced here in Bünde by Schuster. Although the in-house production is mostly mechanized, a surprisingly large amount of manual work is still involved in these products.