Tobacco Asia

38 tobaccoasia Issue 4, 2025 July / August By Thomas Schmid The Dutch colonial era left a peculiar but lasting legacy in Indonesia: premium cigars. During the early 20th century, Java's fertile soils became a tobacco powerhouse, with the Besuki and Jember regions in particular serving as prized sources for cigar leaf exported to European markets. Fac- tories like Taru Martani, established in 1918, gained international repute, producing hand-rolled cigars that graced drawing rooms and smoke lounges across the continent. But after Indonesia gained independence in 1945, the premium cigar industry gradually slipped into decline. As the fledgling republic shifted focus toward economic stabilization, infra- structure development, and industrialization, luxury products like hand-rolled cigars fell by the way- side. The once-thriving industry receded into obscurity, its heritage preserved only in fading labels and memories. "We probably had other problems at your hand after independence than thinking about cigars much," Sonny Suciawan, one of the interviewees for this article, dryly noted. Yet in recent years, something remarkable has happened: a revival, powered not by nos- talgia but by a bold vision of the future. A new crop of Indonesian companies and cigar makers are ushering in what many now call the "renaissance of Indonesia's premium cigar industry". Through meticulous craftmanship, global market focus, and deep reverence for indigenous to- bacco, these brands are turning the page, lighting up the next chapter of Indonesian cigar history. Besuki Raya Cigars: A Revival Rooted in Tobacco Mastery While Besuki Raya Cigars (BRC) formally came into existence only in 2020, its story stretches back decades through its parent company, Mangli Djaya Raya (MDR), one of the foremost sup- pliers of Indonesian tobacco leaf. "We had been producing cigars since 2009 under MDR," said Christian A. Njoto Njoo, the firm's president. "But forming BRC allowed us to focus exclusively on elevating Indonesian cigars as finished products. It was a strategic and symbolic move." The rationale was as much about specialization as it was about legacy. "By establishing BRC as a separate company, we cre- ated a dedicated platform to craft world-class cigars that could proudly carry Indonesian identity into global humidor spaces," Christian said. The Renaissance of Indonesia's Premium Cigar Industry Enthusiastic cigar makers are reviving Indonesia's long dormant legacy. El Gaucho Premium Chiquitos (petit panatela) are the latest addition to BRC's flagship brand, the El Gaucho series. Credit: BRC-MDR "Indonesia has the tobacco. What we were missing was a loud enough voice in the global cigar conversation. [We are] that voice." — Christian A. Njoto, Besuki Raya Cigars.

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