A Good Cigar from Holland

It comes very close to a special class of cigars that deserves more recognition. When it comes to short‑filler cigars, they often deliver a fuller flavor and richer aroma, and they are aged to higher standards than many assume.

History and Today

Back in the 17th century, the trading vessels of the Dutch East India Company plied the world’s oceans. They brought cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg from Southeast Asia, and soon began transporting tobacco from the New World to Sumatra and Java in Indonesia. Today, Dutch cigars have become an integral part of life in the Netherlands. But the typical Dutch cigar as we know it today has been made in its current form only since the late 19th century: a short‑filler cigar, predominantly machine‑made, beautifully constructed, gentle in body, with spicy notes, a touch of sweetness, and a drier profile than its Caribbean “sisters” from the other side of the Atlantic.

The Essence of Short‑Filler

Flavor, draw, and burn are influenced by a far more variable filler blend than you find in long‑filler cigars, which, as is well known, are rolled from just a few whole leaves. Because of this greater variability (a significantly larger number of different tobaccos can be used), there is an almost endless diversity of aromas. Natural variations in tobacco flavor and combustion from harvest to harvest can be compensated by adjusting the proportions of ingredients in the blend.

A Visit to the De Olifant Tobacco Factory

Short‑filler cigars are straightforward and unpretentious. They usually come ready to smoke and don’t require storage in a humidor. A mixture of cut tobaccos from many regions guarantees consistency of quality.

De Olifant cigars have been crafted with special care in the idyllic town of Kampen on the shores of the IJsselmeer since 1832. The small, tidy tobacco factory sits in the very heart of the town center, on a street lined with low Dutch houses and church spires reaching for the sky. Factory director Thomas Klaffke, a very tall and invariably cheerful Dutchman, greets us warmly. “On our oldest packs it reads: ‘De Olifant manufactures and sells every variety of tobacco, snuff, and cigars, as well as coffee and tea.’ All of these were once the goods traded by the mighty Dutch East India Company.” Today, a motivated team of 50 employees produces about four million cigars, roasts coffee, blends tea (the “Eenhorn” brand), and ships their products worldwide.

Bottom line

Dutch short‑filler cigars, exemplified by De Olifant, offer a refined, consistent, and often surprisingly complex experience. Blended from diverse tobaccos and crafted with care, they deliver approachable strength, lively spice, and a clean, dry finish that sets them apart from their Caribbean counterparts.

Disclaimer: Content is for adult audiences (21+) and for informational purposes only. Cigars contain nicotine, an addictive chemical. Enjoy responsibly and in accordance with local laws.