Dr Gaby Kafie

10/22/2025

In this episode of the Protecting the Legacy podcast, hosted by the Boutique Cigar Association (BCA), Dr. Gaby Kafie of Kafie 1901 Ci**rs and Greg Free of Fortaleza y Libre Ci**rs dive deep into two major issues impacting the premium cigar world — the new California UTL regulations that have recen...

10/21/2025

📰 Important Announcement – Price Adjustment Update.

The time has come for us to make a difficult but necessary decision. Effective immediately, pricing across all Kafie 1901 Ci**rs lines will increase in an effort to cover new import duties, reflecting the rising manufacturing costs and new import tariffs placed on our products.

We’ve done everything possible to delay this adjustment, absorbing increased costs for as long as we could. However, continuing to do so would begin to harm our family business and the artisans who make what we all love, truly premium, hand-crafted ci**rs.

We hope you understand. Everyone in the industry is making adjustments, and we chose to wait as long as possible before doing the same. Our promise remains unchanged, to continue producing ci**rs of the highest quality, with passion, integrity, and respect for the craft.

Thank you for standing with us.
The Kafie Family
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10/17/2025

Proud to call Pete a friend. He is awesome.

A message from one of our esteemed Board Members at the BCA.

I’m Pete Shultis,

Operations Manager at SZ Wholesale, one of the largest wholesale to***co distributors in the U.S. With 16+ years in the cigar industry across both B2C and B2B sales and distribution, I’m passionate about supporting small, family-owned brands and the Boutique Cigar community.

That passion led me to deliver a seminar for BCA members on brand building, an experience that ultimately resulted in an invitation to join the Board of Directors, which I accepted with enthusiasm. I believe boutique makers bring fresh ideas, authentic stories, and exceptional ci**rs that can be overlooked in a market dominated by large legacy names. My goal is to help emerging brands grow sustainably, strengthen customer engagement, and earn the attention they deserve.

When I’m not working with our team, customers, or fellow BCA members, you’ll find me on the golf course or at home with my two daughters. At the end of the day, I’m a family man who champions other family businesses, and the Boutique Cigar Association is a powerful platform to do exactly that.

10/15/2025

Do ci**rs taste different in the United States versus Europe?
Absolutely.

There’s something truly magical about enjoying a cigar outdoors, low humidity, a cool breeze, and the sight of one of the most breathtaking cathedrals I’ve ever visited. The majestic Cologne Cathedral, in Germany left a lasting impression, creating the perfect backdrop for the Kafie 1901 DF Maduro, a cigar I blended in memory of my late father (may he rest in peace ✝).

The Churchill 7x47 vitola delivered a graceful, elegant, yet powerful experience that held me captive for over an hour, a reflection of the very qualities my father embodied.

Moments like these remind me why we do what we do: to honor the craft, the tradition, and the people we love.

Cheers to timeless ci**rs and everlasting memories.
**rs

10/15/2025

A day in the life of this incredible industry…

Today I had the privilege of meeting Alex Svenson at La Aurora USA Headquarters, a true gentleman and one of the most respected figures in the premium cigar world.

What I love most about this industry is how it connects passionate people from all walks of life. Every journey, every visit, and every handshake reminds me how small and special our world truly is when driven by respect, tradition, and a shared love for the craft.

To be able to cross paths with people I’ve long admired, not at planned events, but during routine business travels, is simply amazing. That’s the beauty of the cigar community, it’s built on genuine relationships and mutual admiration.

Grateful for this experience. Blessed !

**rs **rs
**rs **rsbykafie1901 **rsnob **rs

10/13/2025

🌍 Honoring Global Indigenous Peoples Day

Today, we honor the Indigenous peoples of the world, those who have suffered and those who have prevailed, carrying forward their sacred traditions in the face of change.

My love for to***co is deeply rooted in their wisdom. This divine plant, a gift from God, has always been more than smoke. In its purest form, to***co is healing, spiritual, and unifying. It brings peace to the mind and the soul.

Free thinkers have always cherished to***co, especially in the form of premium ci**rs , perhaps that’s why it’s under attack. Don’t be fooled: our regulators don’t hate ci**rs. Many enjoy them behind closed doors in the halls of power. What they truly fear is what ci**rs create, unity.

In a cigar lounge, people from every walk of life sit together, laugh, and connect as equals. Premium ci**rs break barriers. They create harmony. And harmony among the people threatens division, the very fuel of political power.

Just as Indigenous cultures have been pushed to assimilate, so too are the traditions of cigar makers and connoisseurs being suppressed. But today, I light my pipe with native Taíno to***co, a tradition alive for nearly 500 years, born on the sacred lands of Hispaniola.

I honor the earth, the people, and the divine creation that sustains us.
No one is above the land. No one is above what God created.
Honor the past. Protect the present. Preserve the sacred.

This is why the premium cigar industry holds such deep meaning for us, especially for me. It is an art form older than North, South, or Central America itself. To***co was cherished by the Mayans, the Incas, the Taíno, the Aztecs, the Lencas, and many others who understood its sacred essence.

We are the modern custodians of that legacy, keeping the spirit alive and the tradition moving forward. The more we honor the Indigenous roots of our craft, the closer we come to the mystery and magic that dwell within the curing, fermentation, and aging.

The secrets lie in the smoke.

**rs **rs ***coIsSacred

10/10/2025

To me, there is an obsession I live with every single day. One word that defines me, drives me, and at times even enslaves me: integrity.

Integrity touches every part of my life, my work, my relationships, and above all, my craft. For much of my life, I didn’t worry about what others thought. But I came to realize that when you create something that never existed before, it takes on a life of its own. A product becomes more than a product, it radiates energy, just as a person gives off an aura.

That is why everything we create, our premium ci**rs, our artisan-roasted coffees, the raw materials we source, the processes we follow, the protocols we honor, the craft we refine, must reflect integrity at the highest level. Every action I take, every word I speak, must align with the philosophy that guides our family’s work.
In the art of making a premium cigar, integrity means no shortcuts. It means discipline, knowledge, patience, and doing things the right way, each and every step of the journey. That is the standard we live by.

All I ask is this: if you come across our ci**rs anywhere in the world, take a moment to buy one, light it, and experience it. Then share your thoughts with us. It is my honor and privilege to read your reflections and know that our work has reached you.

With gratitude,

Dr. Gaby Kafie
Founder, Kafie 1901 Ci**rs & Kafie 1901 Coffee
Founder, Boutique Cigar Association of America
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10/09/2025

In the era of information, the greatest service we can offer our consumers is a website that truly reflects who we are, one that showcases all our products, our family story, and our humble origins.

We are a family of immigrants who arrived in Central America between 1898 and 1901, discovering new lands, raw materials, and traditions to share with the world. What began as a journey of survival and discovery has grown into a legacy defined by passion, craftsmanship, and authenticity.

As a man who values higher education, knowledge, and the art of a refined palate, I have fallen in love with creating extraordinary experiences for others to enjoy. These are not common or mass-produced products. They are one-of-a-kind experiences born of patience, tradition, and an unwavering pursuit of excellence.

On average each blend we have released to market has taken us 2-3 years to produce. You can not rush the process, when creating truly unique premium cigar experiences. For over 123 years, our family has been invested in Central America and the Caribbean, and now through our creations we can share our knowledge with you.

When you honor the hard work of generations before you, blessings will follow in the years ahead. With patience, discipline, and passion, every star eventually finds its moment to shine, and we believe ours is just beginning.

Please take the time to visit our website, get to know our products. Thank you

Somos de Centro America, amamos a nuestras raices.

Dr. Gaby Kafie
Kafie 1901 Ci**rs

The finest lands, the finest people, and the finest raw materials.

10/08/2025

INTERTABAC HIGHLIGHT

Recently I sat down for an exclusive interview with Cigar Journal during InterTabac in Dortmund, Germany. Thank you very much Nick Hammond and the Cigar Journal team for the wonderful spotlight. Vivian and I are very grateful and appreciative of your investment into our company, our family, our factory, our ci**rs. There is a reason why we work with La Aurora Ci**rs, because we know the to***co is not only of the highest quality, but also cured, fermented, and aged in such a way that I can be proud of our premium ci**rs.

Here’s a key takeaway: “Premium ci**rs, properly made, are not an efficient deliverer of ni****ne, no matter what they try to tell you.”

With decades of experience in both medicine and the cigar world, I am uniquely positioned to separate fact from fiction. In the interview, I dives into why premium ci**rs undergo rigorous fermentation and aging to transform their chemistry, and how that process fundamentally changes how ni****ne behaves in the body.

We believe it’s time to shift the narrative: premium ci**rs are about craft, flavor, and legacy... not addiction.

Stay tuned for the full story in the upcoming issue of Cigar Journal.

10/08/2025

INTERTABAC HIGHLIGHT

Recently I sat down for an exclusive interview with Cigar Journal during InterTabac in Dortmund, Germany. Thank you very much Nick Hammond and the Cigar Journal team for the wonderful spotlight. Vivian and I are very grateful and appreciative of your investment into our company, our family, our factory, our ci**rs.

There is a reason why we work with La Aurora Ci**rs Factory , because we know the to***co is not only of the highest quality, but also cured, fermented, and aged in such a way that I can be proud of our premium ci**rs.

Here’s a key takeaway: “Premium ci**rs, properly made, are not an efficient deliverer of ni****ne, no matter what they try to tell you.”

With decades of experience in both medicine and the cigar world, I am uniquely positioned to separate fact from fiction. In the interview, I dives into why premium ci**rs undergo rigorous fermentation and aging to transform their chemistry, and how that process fundamentally changes how ni****ne behaves in the body.

We believe it’s time to shift the narrative: premium ci**rs are about craft, flavor, and legacy... not addiction.

Stay tuned for the full story in the upcoming issue of Cigar Journal.

Together with his wife Vivian, Dr Kafie has created one of the most respected brands now made out of the Dominican Republic.

10/08/2025

Intertabac 2025
donstefano1895
kafie1901ci**rs

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10/06/2025

Recently I had the privilege of being interviewed by smokersnews.tv at the 2025 Intertabac tradeShow, an incredible platform in Europe/Germany which highlights some of the great cigar companies in our industry today. Below is the intro to the interview translated into english.

Our distributor has done an amazing job getting the word out, we are truly grateful to be a part of such a wonderful team. Special thanks to the entire Don Stefano Team, and Perdomo Ci**rs and his entire team for being a part of the family.

Next Step at the Don Stefano Booth: Dr. Gaby Kafie (owner of Kafie 1901 Ci**rs). The former physician became a cigar manufacturer after his medical career to honor his family’s legacy in Central America: a tradition of entrepreneurship, agriculture, and trade that dates back to 1901. With a refined sense for taste and aroma, he creates ci**rs that stand out for their quality, depth, and authenticity. Today, Kafie 1901 ci**rs are hand-rolled at the historic La Aurora factory in the Dominican Republic in collaboration with Master Blender Manuel Inoa, using rare and carefully aged to***cos. Dr. Kafie speaks passionately on camera, while Thomas Sonnenberg adds insightful details, and Matthias Rinn (Don Stefano) — representing cigar and raw-to***co legend as well as Don Stefano founder Steffen Rinn (from the cigar dynasty Rinn) — listens attentively. We do too, and you are invited.

Thank you once again for visiting our booth.

Neue und bekannte Gesichter sowie inhaltsreiche Informationen gibt es am Don Stefano--Messestand für das snTV-Kamerateam in Dortmund. Für Don Stefano steigt ...