Fratello

Fratello Cigars was founded in 2013 by Omar de Frias, a former longtime employee of NASA, who left a stable career to pursue his passion for premium cigars. The name “Fratello” means “brother” in Italian, a nod to de Frias’s belief in camaraderie, shared experience, and community among cigar aficionados. His transition from aerospace to cigars underscores the blend of technical discipline and artistry that define Fratello’s identity.

At its core, Fratello is a brand built on innovation, craftsmanship, and personality. Omar de Frias often draws parallels between his work at NASA and cigar blending: both require attention to detail, balance, and precision. The brand emphasises small batches, controlled releases, and experimentation with tobacco varieties. Over time, Fratello has expanded beyond its original blend to include lines reflecting different styles, wrapper types, and thematic inspirations.

Signature Blends & Flavour Profiles

Fratello Classico
As Fratello’s foundational release, the Classico line marries a Habano wrapper with Sumatran and Peruvian filler components. It’s generally considered medium to medium-full in strength, offering peppery and spicy notes, creamy transitions, and good balance.

Fratello Oro
Oro broadened the brand’s stylistic palette by using a Connecticut-shade wrapper (Ecuadorian) and shifting some production to the Dominican Republic. Its flavour spectrum leans toward creamy, nutty, citrus, and light wood notes.

Fratello enjoys strong respect among boutique cigar fans for several reasons:
Complexity and balance: Many blends transition through multiple flavour phases (earth - cream - spice - cocoa) in a smooth way.
Attention to construction: Though occasional burn irregularities are reported (which you will find with almost every brand), many cigars maintain good draw, solid ash, and consistent smoke.

Fratello continues to push boundaries. Future releases are likely to keep balancing innovation with consistency, while leaning into collector appeal and great storytelling (space inspiration, wrapper contrast, regional exclusives).
For aficionados willing to invest the effort to explore Fratello’s offerings, the brand offers a modern boutique experience full of personality, evolving flavour profiles, and a sense of community among smokers - true to the meaning of its name.

Click here to view the range of Fratello cigars

Written by Oliver Partington