The birthplace of the Despot Cigars brand is not a nation many would associate with fine tobacco.  Serbia is a nation famed for its rakija and the beauty of its capital, Belgrade, but the Balkan nation does not often come up in conversation about the great Cuban cigar-loving countries of Europe.  This omission is perhaps unfair, as there is a vibrant and passionate cigar scene in Serbia, particularly in the capital, and it was out of that scene that the Despot Cigars brand was born.

Today there are a multitude of cigar lounges, including a branch of La Casa del Habano, in Belgrade, thanks in part to more accommodating regulations regarding indoor smoking at hospitality venues.  In 2004 this scene was burgeoning, and the Despot name was already involved.  The brand itself was formed in 2019 by brothers Jovan and Ugljesa Despot - almost 20 years before, their father had been at the heart of the development of Belgrade’s smoking tobacco-loving community, meaning the brothers grew up steeped in the industry.  With the blessing of their father they decided to put the family name to cigars of their own making, choosing Nicaragua as the nation in which they would blend and roll their masterpieces.

Working with a factory in Estelí has afforded the Despot brothers easy access to all the beautiful tobacco grown in Nicaragua’s volcanic soil, but they have not restricted themselves to only using leaves grown within the borders of their factory’s home.  Wrapper and binder leaves from Ecuador have been chosen to dress the gorgeous blends of filler leaves, and some of that filler comes from the United States of America.  The Despots have drawn on the experience of lifetimes immersed in the cigar industry to select just the right blends for the cigars which bear their name.

Despot Cigars are presented to the aficionado in carefully curated series.  Each comprises four vitolas; each has its own blend of filler leaves, and the different sizes of the cigars in each range allow that blend to express itself differently.

Despot J Series

The J Series contains four iconic vitolas, possibly the most recognisable shapes in the cigar world.  Wrappers and binders come from Ecuador, while filler from Estelí and Jalapa in Nicaragua is married with American Viso Pennsylvania leaves to create a smooth, medium-strength stick.  This blend is presented in Lancero, Corona, Robusto, and Piramides formats, each one staying true to the classic Cuban expression of the vitola.  The Despot J Jeries is the brothers’ homage to the cigar greats which have come before them, and a deserving and respectful nod to the most deeply-rooted of cigar traditions.

Despot U Series

The U Series continues that appreciation for classic cigar vitolas, but with its own blend of tobaccos which sees Ecuadorian leaves again used for filler and binder but more Jalapa tobacco replacing the American in the filler.  The blend is represented in 4 more popular sizes – 2 for those with little time and 2 for those with ample.  The Half Corona and Half Toro are short in stature so as to be enjoyed with quick coffees or drinks when time is short, but without the aficionado having to compromise on their preferred thickness of cigar.  For moments when time is abundant – as precious as they are in the hectic modern world – arrive the mighty Salomones and Double Corona.  These vitolas are rarely used by brands due to the complexity in their construction and the rarity of leaves which combine high enough quality and large enough dimensions to be used, so to see them in the Despot portfolio adds further credibility to their cigar-making prowess.

Despot Z Series

The Z Series again turns to Ecuador for binder and wrapper and Nicaragua for filler, playing with different tobacco types from each region to bring a different set of aromas and flavours to the smoker.  The four vitolas chosen represent the Despot combination of adherence to tradition and love of modernity.  The R54 is a short Robusto which allows lovers of thick ring gauge cigars to cut down on smoking time when needed while the T54 is a thicker version of the popular Toro size, expanding on the contemporary aficionado’s love of large-format sticks.  Meanwhile, the Piramides Grande is a classic large torpedo size, that tapered end allowing the smoke which travels through the cigar to be much more concentrated on the smoker’s palette, and the A Size is a tribute to the legendary Montecristo A cigar – 9 ½ inches long, presented in an elegant wooden case for each stick, and surely the most decadent of cigar sizes.  This represents the Despot brothers’ love of the act of smoking, and their determination to have their brand seen among the best in the world in terms of rolling ability, flavour, and quality.

In only five years since inception Despot cigars has proven itself to be a brand at the forefront of New World cigar production.  Having been raised in the cigar business since childhood may be common in the Caribbean, but now 2 brothers from Serbia are showing that passion, determination, and dedication to craft and product will bring success to a cigar venture from anywhere in the world.  The fact that Serbia is often overlooked as a cigar hub – only 2 Regional Edition Cuban Cigars have ever been released here one for the Balkans and one for Serbia itself – is unfair, such is the love for cigars demonstrated in the country.  Now, thanks to the Despot family, they have a world-class brand to call their own.