Raices Clasico

The cigar brand Raíces from Danlí, Honduras, is named after Tabacalera Raíces Cubanas, which was primarily known in Germany for producing Alec Bradley cigars. In 2023, this cigar brand was sold by its founders, Alan Rubin and Ralph Montero, to the Danish group STG. Since our “buddy” Thorsten Wolfertz distributed these cigars for many years in Germany through his company, Wolfertz GmbH, we also developed a close, friendly connection to Alan and Ralph, having shared more than one Cerveza in Nicaragua and Miami. After the sale, Alan gradually shifted his focus to golf, while Ralph apparently had to keep working—possibly due to his smaller ownership share in Alec Bradley cigars. Be that as it may, we’re thrilled to welcome him back to the cigar world in 2024 with his new brand. The Raíces cigars were developed together with the Endemaño family, whose Tabacalera Raíces Cubanas handles production, while Ralph oversees the creation and international distribution of the cigar lines.

Raíces Clasico & C5: Two Lines, Two Characters Made from 100% Honduran Tobacco

The Clasico and C5 lines have been available in Germany since summer 2025. Due to trademark regulations between the German government and Cuba, the term “Cubanas” cannot be used here, so the brand name was shortened to Raíces. The word Raíces means “roots” in Spanish, a nod by the Endemaño family to their Cuban heritage. The Clasico line presented here is the mild to medium-bodied option, offering a creamy base character with only light woody notes. All tobaccos used come from Honduras. The Raíces C5 Black cigars include leaves from the top priming of the tobacco plant, which are known for their intensity. These are referred to as Corte Cinco (literally: fifth cut), since the plant is harvested from the bottom up—meaning the uppermost leaves, exposed to the most sun and for the longest time, are the most intense and robust. As a result, the C5 cigars are noticeably bolder in direct comparison, with a more intense, peppery, and woody flavor profile.

From Alec Bradley to Raíces: Cigar Tradition Begins a New Chapter

Raíces cigars are distributed in Germany by VCF Deutschland. The Vandermaliere Cigar Family (hence VCF) acquired Wolfertz GmbH in 2022 and brought Thorsten Wolfertz on board as Head of Sales. So it came as no surprise that Ralph Montero, in his search for a distribution partner in Germany, thought of Thorsten and chose his new employer. Incidentally, these cigars from Honduras come from the same factory as our Factory Overrun cigars from Honduras, which we used to source via Alec Bradley through Thorsten and Ralph.