Fratello

The career of Omar de Frias is among the more unusual in the industry: the former professional basketball player worked for NASA for years — initially in parallel with the young brand — and only switched entirely to the cigar world in 2016. In 2013 he founded Fratello — Italian for “brother” — and found broad attention in the American specialist trade in the very year of its founding.

The name is a statement of intent: Fratello sees the cigar as an occasion to bring people together — the brotherhood at the ashtray as the brand’s core. The NASA past remained visible; several lines carry references to space exploration and give the portfolio a recognisable signature without making the tobacco secondary.

Production is placed with partner manufactories in Central America and the Caribbean. The range includes the core line Classico, the lighter Bianco, the Oro and the multi-toned Arlequin; with the Sorella — the “sister” — one line carries the familial idea in its very name. Beyond these come rotating small series and special editions, some exclusive to individual markets — for Switzerland, for instance, a dedicated Cowbell Edition.