The Best Cigar Documentaries To Stream & Watch Online

1. From Seed To Smoke: A Cigar Odyssey

While we don’t mean to blow on our own horn by placing our work first, we can’t deny that we’re very proud of what we accomplished with Davidoff Cigars!

In this full feature-length documentary, Klaas Kelner will guide you through Davidoff’s cigar manufacturing process in every detail. Presented by Paul Anthony and narrated by Charles-Philippe, we received privileged access to Davidoff’s farms and factory in this unprecedented and well-received film.

We didn’t just produce a full documentary but a plethora of other cigar-related videos, which you can enjoy in our full playlist. Additionally, we extracted each part of the documentary that you can watch individually, which even feature unseen footage in the final film:

1. What Do Tobacco Seeds Look Like?
2. How Tobacco Is Grown
3. Tobacco Curing & Fermentation
4. How Cigars Are Blended
5. Tobacco Sorting & Preparations
6. How Cigars Are Rolled
7. Cigars Bands & How They’re Applied

We also filmed interviews with some of the most well-known key players at the Davidoff factory:

• Hendrik “Henke” Kelner Interview
• Eladio Diaz Master Roller Interview
• Klaas Kelner Interview
• Hamlet Espinal Factory Manager Interview

Finally, you can even watch our own disaster movie as Paul and CP try to roll cigars themselves!

2. In Memory Of Zino Davidoff

To celebrate what would have been Zino Davidoff’s 100th birthday, this documentary explores the charismatic pioneer’s life. Through a combination of archive footage and interviews, we discover Davidoff’s passion and philosophy that still lives on in the factory today.

In many ways, this particular film pairs well with our documentary as it provides you with a full background to Davidoff’s history and ends just after its production transferred from Cuba to the Dominican Republic. Meanwhile, we pick up from where it left off to explore Davidoff Cigars today.

3. Cigars: The Heart & Soul Of Cuba

In this documentary written and directed by James Orr, James Suckling explores the cultural significance of cigars in Cuba. As it’s a more recent production, this film provides a more contemporary insight into Cuban cigars than the other documentaries above.

While the video above is a trailer, the full version can be found on YouTube. However, it only has Italian subtitles even during the parts in Spanish!

4. Hand-Rolled: A Fim About Cigars

Hand Rolled is an intriguing 90-minute documentary that explores the contemporary cigar culture in the USA. It mostly consists of interviews with producers like Rocky Patel and online influencers including Delicia the Cigar Vixen.

As a result, it’s quite different from most films and even offers political insight into America’s cigar scene. It can be viewed on Amazon Prime Video or streamed on YouTube.

5. Hand Rolled: J.C. Newman Cigar Co.

Following the success of the first Hand Rolled cigar documentary, a sort of sequel was released. As opposed to the original film, this instance offers an in-depth look at one of America’s oldest family-owned cigar companies, the J.C. Newman Cigar Co.

This film beautifully intertwines the rich history of the company with the art of cigar making, showcasing the tradition, craftsmanship, and community behind the brand. Moreover, it gives viewers a unique glimpse into the Newman family’s dedication to quality and innovation in the cigar industry.

The documentary, streaming on YouTube, is a must-watch for enthusiasts looking to deepen their understanding of the heritage and passion that drives the world of premium cigars.

6. The Art Of The Cigar

A 1996 documentary by General Cigar Co., The Art Of The Cigar is a fascinating film that features a host of celebrity speakers including Jim Belushi, Joel and Nat Sherman, Dolph Lundgren, and Marvin Shanken.

While this film touches on cigar production, it focuses mostly on the USA’s cigar-smoking culture among well-known personalities. We particularly enjoyed watching Paul Sorvino, which was almost like a deleted scene from Goodfellas!

7. Padron Cigars Documentary

In this short documentary by Vic Alavi and produced by Herring Broadcasting, we learn specifically about Padrón Cigars and its history. In fact, it even features José Orlando Padrón himself shortly before he passed away as he recounts his story from the very beginning.

Consequently, it’s a poignant and insightful documentary that preserves the memory of one of the industry’s most celebrated pioneers. Vic Alavi also produced Cigar Makers In Dominicana, which offers a broader overview of the Dominican cigar industry.

8. The Fuente Family: An American Dream

The Fuente Family: An American Dream is another by James Orr who also directed Cigars: The Heart & Soul Of Cuba above. Unlike the above film, James Orr focuses on one family story and uses both archive footage and interviews to learn about Fuente Cigars.

In this documentary, we see interviews with both Carlos and Carlito Fuente, Wayne Suarez, and we even learn about the origins of the Fuente Fuente Opus X! However, one of the most resonating stories is Carlos Sr. recounting his battle with polio and his father’s support during his childhood.

9. AJ Fernandez Cigar Company

Although this is the shortest documentary of our list, it’s beautifully filmed as AJ Fernandez himself presents his San Lontano factory. In its mere 12-minute runtime, we experience AJ Fernandez’s raw passion for his craft and enjoy close-ups of individuals involved in the manufacturing process.

Similarly, the soundtrack is beautiful with celebrated songs by the Buena Vista Social Club and the Gipsy Kings accompanying factory workers in the cigar manufacturing process.

What Next?

Now that you have seen our favorite cigar documentaries check out more of our cigar resources:

• BU Cigars – Home
• How Cigars Are Made
• How To Smoke A Cigar
• Best Cigar Cutters
• Best Cigar Humidors To Buy Online
• How To Set Up A DIY Humidor
• Best Value Humidors For Your Money