Cardenal Mendoza

The Cardenal Mendoza, along with the Partageno and Lepanto, is the third high-quality cigar brand produced by August Schuster in Bünde. The fine overseas blend with spicy tobacco from Brazil and Cuba, with a binder from Java and a Sumatra sand leaf or Mata Fina Brasil wrapper, impresses even the most discerning connoisseurs.

Our recommendation is the Luchadores Brasil (Fighter in Spanish), which impresses with a particularly spicy blend. It is 16 centimeters long and already a "real" cigar with a diameter of 1.8 centimeters. It is delivered in 30-count wooden boxes. The packaging is very high quality, with lacquered cedarwood boxes with gold embossing.

Chronicle 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 lead the company. They are committed to the tradition of their ancestors and only use top-quality products for their own offerings as well as the imported long-fillers (hand-rolled cigars made from whole leaves). Only products made from 100% tobacco 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, the public telephone book lists the factory under the name "August Schuster" with only a four(!)-digit number. This may be from the time when operators connected calls!

The brands produced by the August Schuster factory, such as Cardenal Mendoza, Lepanto, Brazil Trüllerie, and especially Partageno, have a permanent place on the shelves of German cigar shops. The same applies to the imported but still their own brands like Casa de Torres, Maria Mancini, and Rodrigo de Jerez. All of them are fairly priced and of high-quality, premium cigars of Caribbean origin.

With Manfred and Philipp Schuster at the helm, this traditional factory in Bünde continues to guarantee exceptional enjoyment and consistent, very high quality. Additionally, Philipp Schuster's high commitment at the industry level deserves extraordinary respect for his tireless fight against cutbacks and regulations by the politicians regarding the enjoyment of cigars.

In the past, many prosperous manufacturer families resided in Bünde. It was once the center for cigars in Germany, and it was an excellent way to make money. Although Bünde is still known as a cigar city, actual production only takes place in a single factory: at August Schuster.

The only other remaining manufacturer, Arnold Andre, no longer produces here and has only retained an administration office on site. Since its founding, the company has survived challenging times and undergone comprehensive structural changes. A large portion of the private brands sold in renowned German tobacco shops is produced here in Bünde by Schuster. Although most of the own production is mechanized, a surprisingly large part of handwork is still put into these products.