Maya Selva: A pioneering spirit

Maya was the first to bring “terroir” and “proposal of taste” into the cigar conversation. She sees cigars as an agricultural product first and foremost. Like a fine wine, it bears the stamp of its origins, the character of its land. Her greatest challenge at first was to enhance the concept of terroir so that each of her brands would be the quintessence of a particular soil, climate and knowhow.

FLOR DE SELVA reflects the full character of the Jamastrán Valley highlands, shielded by the mountains of El Paraíso. This tobacco draws its woody flavor and deep, rich aromas from the heart of the valley’s red, fertile soil, a mixture of sand and clay.

In 1999, Maya launched CUMPAY, this time taking us to the volcanic highlands of Nicaragua’s Jalapa valley. Cumpay is the Tawakha Indian name for a rolled tobacco leaf.

In 2002, she made a strong, new statement with VILLA ZAMORANO, offering cigar smokers a great basic, hand-made from the finest tobacco, for the price of a machine-made cigar. Packaged in bundles of 15 or 25, this rustic, rich, expressive Honduran cigar quickly became an award winner.