Luciano Cigars and Empresa Madeirense de Tabacos SA (EMT) have announced a global alliance partnership known as Constella Group. In addition, Constella has announced its first release, a limited edition cigar called ÉLEVÉ.
EMT is the controller of Fábrica de Tabacos Estrela (FTE), which is said to be Europe’s oldest active tobacco company. FTE is located in São Miguel, which is the largest and most populous island in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. Constella will be producing cigars at the FTE facility. The partnership started approximately 18 months ago, with the agreement officially signed on February 6, 2025, in São Miguel, attended by the Mayor of São Miguel and the Governor of the Azores.
The Constella Group alliance is designed to be a new platform for the two companies to integrate premium cigar manufacturing, distribution, regulatory compliance, and tobacco trade across continents. EMT brings 142 years of legacy in European production, established warehousing, and robust compliance infrastructure, including Track & Trace systems. Meanwhile, Luciano Cigars contributes to the new alliance through U.S. market distribution, blending, manufacturing, agriculture, and innovation.
“Our vision for Constella was never about simply becoming larger,” explained Luciano Meirelles, President of Luciano Cigars and co-founder of Constella. “We set out to create something meaningful—built on mutual respect and the belief that growth should enhance identity, not dilute it. This is about preserving our core values and shaping the future of premium cigars through collaboration and authenticity.”
José Pedro Trindade, EMT Board Representative and Co-founder of Constella, added: “Constella represents unity through shared purpose. Each partner maintains its unique identity and legacy, strengthening a collective vision. It’s a dynamic structure founded on connection, synergy, and respect for tradition.”
Luciano Cigars will maintain its manufacturing and tobacco processing operations in Nicaragua, in collaboration with R&R and Luciano Tabacos SA. Additionally, Constella will take advantage of these operations. Meanwhile, the existing manufacturing and distribution agreements with Peter James Cigars and Dalay will remain in effect.
Looking forward, Constella’s roadmap includes the following initiatives:
- Production of an expanded family of premium brands alongside Luciano Cigars’ core line.
- A new factory and packing infrastructure in Santiago, Dominican Republic (Free Trade Zone), to be unveiled soon.
- Fábrica de Tabacos Estrela in São Miguel, Azores (Portugal) is undergoing expansion. Since 2023, Luciano Cigars and EMT have collaborated to revitalize the 142-year-old factory.
- The development of a tobacco cultivation project in the Azores—a region with over 500 years of tobacco history. Additionally, Constella is also working on new cultivation initiatives in Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and the Azores.
“The renowned seeds such as Habano, Habano Criollo, and Corojo are not native Cuban tobaccos—they’re the product of selective breeding from seeds brought by Spanish colonizers from earlier expeditions,” explains Duarte Manuel Freitas, Constella consultant and historian at the University of Coimbra. “The Azores, positioned at the heart of transatlantic trade, likely served as the first true tobacco laboratory—where ancient seeds from Asia, Australia, and the Americas were cross-pollinated before shaping the foundation of commercial tobacco.”
ÉLEVÉ, Constella’s first project, will debut at PCA 2025. The 6 x 54 limited edition Sublime features tobaccos from multiple undisclosed regions.
“ÉLEVÉ symbolizes the encounter of great traditions and creativity,” said Renato Berardo, President of the EMT board and the Bacalhôa Group, one of the largest wine producers in the world. “Centuries ago, the Azores helped shape global tobacco culture. Today, through Constella, we’re not merely preserving that legacy—we are actively creating its future.”
The 2025 PCA Trade Show opens April 12, 2025, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Photo Credits: Constella Group
