PCA 2025: Natura Tobacco & Cigar Company

We had such a great time visiting Natura Tobacco & Cigar Company at the 2025 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show! The story of Natura is really one-of-a-kind. This year, they’re excited to introduce two new cigars: the Altura Second Harvest and the Natura 5th Anniversary. Both of these cigars play an essential role in the history and evolution of the company.

Background

Natura Tobacco & Cigar Company was founded by Yfrach Jacob, who owned a farm in the Costanza region of the Dominican Republic. Jacob’s primary business was originally in vegetables (mainly cucumbers). When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020, it restricted his ability to export goods, negatively impacting his business since vegetables have a short shelf life. As a result, he decided to explore other types of crops, one of which was tobacco.

Costanza is situated in the La Vega Province of the Dominican Republic, at an elevation of 4,500 feet. It is known for having the coldest temperatures in both the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean region as a whole, with an average temperature of 10 degrees Celsius and even snowfall. Natura was prompted by this climate to establish greenhouse farms for cultivating tobacco from seed to harvest. However, this process took 30% longer than usual, and the drying phase required three times as long to complete. On the positive side, the extended time in the ground allowed the tobacco to absorb more nutrients, resulting in a unique flavor profile.

The company pioneered what it calls Cold Peak Fermentation. This fermentation also takes three times as long as normal fermentation, as the tobacco temperature does not exceed 30°F. This “low and slow” process also works uniquely in Natura’s favor, as many of the rich oils remain in the tobacco.

First Releases

Although there are positive aspects, this has not been an easy journey for Natura. The company experienced significant losses, with 90% of its first harvest and 70% of its second harvest failing. In response to these challenges, Natura decided to release a limited edition cigar called Altura First Harvest, which contains 100% Costanza-grown tobacco. Due to the low yields and the costly production process, this cigar was both limited in quantity and expensive. Only 7,000 of these cigars were produced, and the price point was set at $75.00 each.

Realizing they could not sustain a business with a limited $75.00 cigar, Natura launched a core line. Each blend in the core line would contain one leaf of the Costanza tobacco. These cigars fall within the $10-$ 20 range and are multinational blends. All four lines are named after horses.

Akhal-Teke (Cameroon wrapper)
Friesen (San Andres Maduro wrapper)
Mustang (Habano wrapper)
Forest (Connecticut wrapper)

Altura Second Harvest

With a better yield on the second harvest, Natura was able to release the Altura Second Harvest. This contains 100% Dominican tobaccos from the Costanza farm. A total of 70,000 Altura Second Harvest cigars were produced. Natura was able to bring the price down to under $40.00 for this cigar.

Photo Credit: Natura Tobacco & Cigar Company

Natura 5th Anniversary

Five years since the COVID pandemic, Natura has created a 5th Anniversary Cigar. This cigar is composed of 50% Costanza tobacco and is primarily a Dominican forward blend. The cigar comes in a Toro size and is priced just under $20.00.