Drew Estate, Joya de Nicaragua Ending U.S. Distribution Agreement

[JohnS]

Drew Estate, Joya de Nicaragua Ending U.S. Distribution Agreement

September 29, 2025 - Charlie Minato

Joya de Nicaragua will be getting a new American distributor: Joya de Nicaragua.

The company’s American distribution agreement with Drew Estate will come to an end later this year. Since early 2008, the two companies have worked together as part of a deal that sees Drew Estate distribute Joya de Nicaragua’s products in the U.S. Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, Joya de Nicaragua will sell its cigars to American retailers directly, through a new entity that the company is setting up.

“This transition is not the end of a relationship; it is the natural evolution of one,” said Dr. Alejandro Martínez Cuenca, chairman of Joya de Nicaragua, in a press release. “We are standing on the shoulders of a friendship that has helped shape who we are today. This evolution is not about a change in philosophy—it’s about taking ownership of the path ahead. It reflects the brand’s belief that excellence is not a destination, but a journey—one shared with those who appreciate authenticity, seek meaningful experiences, and value the finer things in life without the need for extravagance. I thank Jonathan (Drew), Glenn (Wolfson) and the whole DE team for being part of our story”.

While the two companies are competitors, they have worked together extensively in the U.S., where Drew Estate’s national sales team has been responsible for selling Joya’s products. The intertwined nature is beyond just the nuts and bolts of sales, the two companies are oftentimes seen at events alongside one another and Joya de Nicaragua has made a few different products, like select MUWAT vitolas, for Drew Estate.

“Joya de Nicaragua has played a meaningful role in my life since 1998, far earlier than the beginning of our distribution arrangement 17 years ago” said Jonathan Drew, co-founder and president of Drew Estate, in a press release. “When the entire Drew Estate factory was a mere, homegrown group of just six of us in Esteli Central, we looked up to Joya de Nicaragua as a bright light of conviction, principle, and individuality. Most notably, their dedication to honoring their staff, Nicaraguan brothers and sisters who so loyally stand behind the brand and stand side-by-side with our dear friend, Dr. Alejandro Martínez Cuenca. It was as easy to fall in love with the Joya family as it was to fall in love with Nicaragua itself: complex, beautiful, mysterious, serious – Joya is Nicaragua and Nicaragua is Joya. The admiration that each of us at Drew Estate feel for the Martínez and our Joya family is extraordinary and will never change.”

Source: https://halfwheel.com/drew-estate-joya-de-nicaragua-ending-u-s-distribution-agreement/454891/