Carlos André Cast Off

These cigars have been blended at the personal request of Axel-Georg André, the owner of the cigar producer and distributor Arnold André from Bünde. Initially, these were exclusively produced as an exclusive rarity for the friends and guests of the house. The very personal naming (Carlos is the name of his son, who is the 8th generation of the house!) underscores this very personal passion project. The filler of the Carlos André Cast Off (formerly Family Reserve) consists of four harmoniously balanced components of select tobaccos from the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Mexico, and Ecuador.

The wrapper is a hand-selected, light yellow to light brown Connecticut Seed Desflorado leaf. Desflorado means that the flowers of the tobacco plants are removed earlier than usual, concentrating more strength in the leaves, which absorb more nutrients and develop a more intense aroma as a result. The Cigar Master at Arnold André Dominicana lets the tobacco mature for a whole five (!) years for this purpose.

In terms of flavor, these premium cigars offer creamy notes of cappuccino as well as mildly bitter nuances of fresh almonds. These are complemented by fruity and earthy tones. With the four vitolas, Corona Larga, Petit Corona, Robusto, and Toro, there's a suitable cigar for every occasion.

The Carlos André brand thus combines over 200 years of tobacco tradition with the present. The Cast Off (which means "set sail" or "cast off" in English) presents itself as a sensibly balanced cigar that develops the nuanced play of flavors in a multifaceted way. The exceptionally well-crafted tobacco composition not only offers a truly special smoking experience but also burns exceptionally evenly: the smoking enjoyment throughout the length of the cigar is perfectly balanced.

The André family has nearly 200 years of cigar tradition

The long history of the cigar in Germany is closely tied to the André family and the city of Bünde. In 1817, Johann Friedrich Christian André, a tobacco specialist from Hannover-Hainholz, started producing smoking tobacco in Osnabrück. In 1851, a factory branch was established in Bünde. In the mid-19th century, Arnold André, a grandson of the company founder, led the family business. The entry of the Arnold André company into the commercial register on May 17, 1867, marks the birth of the company in its still-existing form.

In June 2004, Axel-Georg André took over the chairmanship of the supervisory board and thus stands at the helm of the family business in the seventh generation. In the 1950s and 1960s of the last century, the company became the market leader in Germany. The Handelsgold brand accompanied the young republic into the economic miracle years and is still one of the most popular cigar brands to this day.

Out of the collaboration with the globally operating company Swedish Match, the successful distribution of long-fill cigars from the Dominican Republic developed in the 1990s. In 2017, the company owner bought back the shares from Swedish Match.