Jesus Martinez grew up in a cigar shop. Like many before him, his first cigar-smoking experience might not have been his best, but it certainly wasn’t his last. Martinez Cigars has been blending for over 50 years in the heart of Manhattan. Jesus spoke with Cigar Life Guy about honoring his father’s legacy, designing custom bands, and the bonding that naturally occurs when living the cigar life.
First Premium Cigar Experience
Cigar Life Guy: Tell me about your first premium cigar experience.
Jesus Martinez: I grew up in the shop; I used to come right after school to help my father. I remember my first cigar when I was 14 years old, and honestly, it was not a great experience as I had no idea what I was doing and turned green. I remembered my father and the roller laughing at me. A couple of months later, I started again, and they taught me how to do it. Then I really started to enjoy it.
Cigar Legacy & Custom Cigar Bands
Cigar Life Guy: Tell us about your founder, Don Antonio. How does Martinez Cigars honor his legacy?
Jesus Martinez: My Father was a second-generation cigar roller from Tamboril. He started working at a cigar factory at the age of 9, helping out the cigar roller until he became a roller himself. He came to the States in the early 70s and worked in a small, hand-rolled shop. In ’74, he opened up in the same location we currently have. To honor his legacy, I focus on what he taught me: the importance of hard work and maintaining quality.
Cigar Life Guy: You make Martinez cigars in New York City, a rarity in the industry. What is it like being located in Midtown?
Jesus Martinez: To me, it feels normal because I have been here all my life, pretty much. When I sit back and think about it, it’s amazing. We’ve been around for over 50 years in a city that’s especially tough on the tobacco industry. However, being at the center of one of the most visited cities in the world has its benefits as well.
Cigar Life Guy: You create custom cigar bands. Where did that idea come from?
Jesus Martinez: It was a NYC thing. We rolled a lot of cigars for private events and clients. People started asking if we could use their logo on their cigars. A close friend of mine, who designed our logo, began working with our clients in the late 1990s. Another thing that sets us apart, aside from rolling our own blends, is that people can walk into our shop and see the entire rolling process in action. It is hard to believe, but many smokers have not had the experience.
Cigar Regulations & the Cigar Community
Cigar Life Guy: What is the biggest challenge facing the cigar industry?
Jesus Martinez: The biggest challenge is all the regulations. I remember when Premium cigars were separate from all the other tobacco products. We used to get fair treatment. Then they grouped us with all tobacco products, even though cigars are nothing like the rest.
Cigar Life Guy: What is your favorite aspect of the cigar community and the cigar life? What makes cigar smokers so unique?
Jesus Martinez: The bonding among cigar smokers: it’s a culture, and you get to meet great people from all paths and all over the world. The conversations are amazing in a smoke shop, where you can learn about everything. In particular, my experience was being a teenager growing up around people at least twice my age. There were many things that, at the time, did not make much sense until I grew up. It has been tremendously helpful to have acquired so much knowledge at such a young age.
Cigar Life Guy: What is one of your passions outside of cigars? What would people not know about you?
Jesus Martinez: I’m a big sports and music fan. Growing up in NYC in a Dominican shop made me appreciate all kinds of music.
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Photo Credit: Jesus Martinez