On April 1, 2025, Luciano Cigars and Empresa Madeirense de Tabacos SA (EMT) announced the formation of Constella Group, a new international alliance aimed at integrating premium cigar manufacturing, distribution, and tobacco trade. The partnership, revealed in Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, brings together Luciano Cigars’ U.S. market presence and blending expertise with EMT’s 142-year legacy through Fábrica de Tabacos Estrela, Europe’s oldest active tobacco company.
The collaboration, developed over 18 months, focuses on combining production capabilities, regulatory compliance, and tobacco cultivation across multiple regions. Luciano Cigars will maintain its existing brands while expanding its portfolio, alongside manufacturing agreements with Peter James Cigars and Dalay. EMT contributes established warehousing and compliance systems, including Track & Trace technology.
“Our vision for Constella was never about simply becoming larger,” said Luciano Meirelles, President of Luciano Cigars and Co-founder of Constella. “We set out to create something meaningful—built on mutual respect and the belief that growth should enhance identity, not dilute it.” José Pedro Trindade, EMT Board Representative and Co-founder, added, “Constella represents unity through shared purpose. Each partner maintains its unique identity and legacy, contributing strength to a collective vision.”
Constella is already expanding with a new factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic, and upgrades to Fábrica de Tabacos Estrela in São Miguel, Azores. The group is also exploring tobacco cultivation projects in Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and the Azores. Historian Duarte Manuel Freitas noted, “The Azores, positioned at the heart of transatlantic trade, likely served as the first true tobacco laboratory—where ancient seeds from Asia, Australia, and the Americas were cross-pollinated before shaping the foundation of commercial tobacco.”
To mark the alliance, Constella will introduce Élevé, a limited edition 6 x 54 Sublime cigar, at PCA 2025. The blend features tobaccos from various regions, though specifics remain undisclosed. Renato Berardo, President of EMT’s board, commented, “Élevé symbolizes the encounter of great traditions and creativity. Centuries ago, the Azores helped shape global tobacco culture. Today, through Constella, we’re not merely preserving that legacy—we are actively creating its future.”
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