Legacy

The Bello family always had a tradition of cultivating their land. The roots of their Cuban tobacco heritage reach into the 19th century when Don Bello, the first of Bello tobacconists, left Canary Islands in search for better soil and climate conditions. After exploring the country of Cuba he settled in Las Villas, a region very well known for producing the finest filler and binder tobacco on the island. Following his success in growing and processing tobacco he decided to start a cigar production on his own.

In 1896 he established his first cigar factory named after the place that became his new home. Tabacalera Las Villas started to produce private cigar labels for other tobacconists as well as the first family house brand Bello.

A historic change for the country of Cuba came in 1959 when communist regime was installed following the Cuban revolution. New political system had tremendous impact on the cigar industry forcing all independent tobacco growers and manufacturers to surrender their businesses otherwise they were declared and charged as traitors to the revolution. All of the Bello family’s tobacco fields, raw material and
factories were nationalized, leaving them with no other choice than to leave the country.

Most of the family members immigrated to the United States of America, settling in Miami where Don Pedro Bello together with his son Pedro “Peter” Bello Jr. slowly began to revive their Cuban cigar tradition.

Celebrating a great era of cigar industry, an event by Smoke Affair magazine was held at the Westin Resort in Miami Beach on 27th February 1998. Top cigar manufacturers entered into a blind tasting competition with their most meticulous blends using the finest tobacco leaves. Cigars were hand rolled at the event by master rollers each representing their house, numbered and reviewed by a panel of cigar aficionados.

Don Pedro Bello was declared the winner out of the participating tobacconists and as a cigar pioneer in South Florida he was honored with a Crystal Leaf Award in recognition of a lifetime of passion, dedication and contribution to the cigar industry.