Meerapfel Behind The Scenes

The Meerapfel family has been involved in the tobacco trade and cultivation for several generations. The family's roots in Germany trace back to the small village of Untergrombach in the Baden region, where the Meerapfels had been operating a cigar factory since 1876.

Meerapfel Cigars: From Untergrombach to Cameroon Wrappers

In more recent times, the family has become best known for growing its famous Cameroon wrappers in Central Africa, which have been used, for instance, on the renowned Arturo Fuente cigars. I’m using the past tense here because the family’s collaboration with the Fuentes unfortunately came to an unpleasant end in 2025. No details were disclosed; it’s likely the two parties could not reach an agreement on the international distribution strategy for Fuente cigars distributed by Meerapfel outside the U.S.

Family Reserve Blends: Meerapfel’s Affordable Alternative to the UberLuxury Line

The cigars presented here are blended with a Connecticut wrapper, an unspecified binder, and a 100% Dominican filler. The Toro II I reviewed was a notably harmonious and “well-rounded” box-pressed cigar with a consistent burn, enjoyable right down to the nub. The “more affordable” Meerapfel cigars fall under the Family Reserve Blends category, which, unlike the exclusive UberLuxury lines from Meerapfel Cigars, are more accessible in price while maintaining high quality. This brand is a reminder that true excellence often arises away from the spotlight. Behind the Scenes cigars are a tribute to the quiet strength of craftsmanship and to the people, processes, and passion behind the work.

Melissa Meerapfel and the Comeback of a Family Tradition

After losing their factory in the 1930s and working exclusively for other brands in the decades that followed, the family now wants to market products that bear their own name and, as Melissa Meerapfel, Vice President Family Reserve Blends, explained to us, "can’t simply be taken away anymore."