Dios del Sol El Principio

This cigar line also comes with a bit of a backstory. The way it came into being offers a particularly clear insight into the upheavals that have shaped the cigar industry in recent decades. Time and again, brand owners who had long-standing and successful partnerships with distributors in Germany were forced to hand their brands over to new importers. Take, for instance, the cigars from Drew Estate, which were first distributed by a small, independent importer, then by Schuster Cigars, then by STG, and eventually ended up somewhere else entirely. The same goes for La Flor Dominicana cigars, as well as those from Vegafina and Flor de Copan cigars, all of which have had their own share of distribution changes.

From Brand Loss to a New Beginning: The Story Behind Dios del Sol

From the perspective of a distributor who loses a brand, this is particularly disheartening—especially after years of effort to build that brand through dedicated fieldwork, organizing cigar evenings, and investing in marketing. This explains why many importers are now strongly motivated to produce and distribute their own, individually developed, and above all, independently registered cigar lines. A great example of this are the now highly successful Casa de Torres cigars from the Schuster family—or our own La Chaveta cigars from Nicaragua, introduced in 2025.

Symbolism and Identity: Why “Dios del Sol” Is More Than Just a Name

Oliver Kopp, owner of Kopp Tobaccos, made this point very clearly in an interview about the launch of the new line in September 2025. He expressed pride in bringing this first fully original creation to market—one that, as he put it, no one can “take away” from him if there are ever disagreements. In 2023, Kopp Tobaccos lost distribution rights to Flor de Copan cigars due to international restructuring at Habanos S.A.—despite having done an excellent job up to that point.

Dios del Sol Cigars: Kopp Tobaccos’ First Proprietary Brand from Honduras

So a replacement was needed to continue offering their customers premium cigars from Honduras. With the Dios del Sol cigars, the Kopp family has made a bold statement: this is their first house-made cigar, and it marks the beginning of an exciting journey through the world’s most important tobacco regions. The name Dios del Sol refers to the sun god, revered in all Central American cultures as a symbol of beginnings, life, and hope. The cigar channels that spirit and evokes the time when the Maya, Inca, Aztecs, and Taínos smoked tobacco leaves during sacred rituals to connect with their gods. The phrase “El Principio” on the cigar boxes also means beginning in Spanish—a beginning of something big. Not to be confused with El Principe, which means the prince of the king.

Honduran Tobacco Meets Jalapa Notes: The Dios del Sol Blend

The bright, golden Connecticut wrapper from Honduras, paired with a Honduras Broadleaf binder and filler tobaccos from the Jamastrán Valley in Honduras and Jalapa in Nicaragua, creates a finely balanced blend. The harmony of this composition is hard to beat. The Dios del Sol delivers a creamy, mildly spicy, aromatic profile with a pleasant sweetness—a cigar that convinces from the first puff to the last and can be enjoyed at any time of day.