Behind The Scenes With Gene

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A few years ago Gene Arganese was a real estate developer and a connoisseur of cigars. Today he has left his real estate days behind and is developing his passion into something new, his very own brand of cigars.
In 2005, Gene began searching for his own factory to purchase. He found the perfect location in the La Palma Free Zone just outside Santiago in Tamboril, Dominican Republic. Gene completely renovated the building and purchased the best equipment money could buy for manufacturing the cigars, including replacing old wooden cigar molds with plastic cigar molds and all new presses. He also built a two story humidor and state-of-the-art aging rooms for his masterpieces. To complete the team, Gene hired the best rollers, a master cigar blender with years of experience, and began putting the winning group to work.
Today Arganese Cigars has experienced tremendous growth. In 2008 Robb Reports Best of the Best 2008, dubbed the Uno by Arganese one of the top ten cigars in the world. The Uno also received the gold medal at the International Cigar Competition in September 2008, while the Arganese ML3 took the bronze.
Gene, originally from Connecticut, now resides in his 7,000 square foot Villa Arganese in Santiago. He says that he’s not in this business for money, “Our mission statement is to make the world’s finest cigars and to give a great cigar for a fair price. In the end, I think that is how we will succeed.”

Arganese Cigars are available throughout Fairfield County, including:
Arcade Cigars, located at 2060 Post Rd. Fairfield,
203-259-1994
M&M Cigar Lounge and Store, located at 83 Washington St., Norwalk, 203-853-9748.
or through his web-site: www.cigarfactorydirect.com