De Olifant: Exclusive Short and Medium Fillers from Kampen
The cigarillos from De Olifant, which translates to "The Elephant" in English, have been around since the early 19th century. The name originates from the trading ship "De Witte Olifant" of the Dutch East India Company, which was the most powerful trading company in the world between 1602 and 1799. This and many other Dutch trading ships transported tobacco from the East Indian colonies of Java and Sumatra to the Netherlands, where it was processed further. De Olifant continues this long-standing tradition, relying consistently on premium, natural tobaccos. Each year, around 4.4 million cigarillos, short fillers, and medium fillers leave the manufactory in Kampen—a relatively small quantity, but here, quality takes precedence over quantity.
German Roots of De Olifant
The bands of De Olifant cigars feature two significant dates. 1826 marks the establishment of the first tobacco factory in Kampen by Bremen merchant Johann Lehmkuhl. Thanks to its ideal location, Kampen grew over the years into the cigar capital of the Netherlands—comparable to the cigar city of Bünde in Germany. In 1832, Dutch entrepreneur Meulenkamp founded another cigar factory, which later evolved into De Olifant.
Around 1900, Kampen was regarded as the Dutch hub for tobacco products. More than 120 manufactories in Vorstraat processed massive bales of tobacco from Indonesia into cigars, pipes, and chewing tobacco. Today, De Olifant is the last remaining cigar manufactory in the area. Since 1993, the company has been led by Thomas Klaphake and Maaike van der Sluis, whose family has been at the helm for four generations.
De Olifant Cigars and Cigarillos
At De Olifant, quality is the top priority, especially when it comes to the wrapper leaf. The rare Sumatra Sand Leaf, known among aficionados as "white-burning gold," is used. It is cultivated in small quantities and is more expensive than silver. Only a handful of manufacturers worldwide use this exquisite leaf.
Thomas Klaphake emphasizes the importance of quality in an era where smoking moments are becoming shorter. The cigars of the Classic line are small masterpieces. From the compact Fantje Imperial to the elegant Corona Panatela Imperial, there is a suitable format for every taste and occasion.
