Cigar Fundamentals Archives

Terence Reilly Breaks Down All Things Cigars

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Staff

Terence Reilly has been living the cigar life since his twenties. Spending one formative summer with his Uncle Manuel (of Quesada Cigars) in the Dominican was all it took. Now, the VP of Sales & Marketing at Aganorsa Leaf, Reilly, spoke with Cigar Life Guy. They talked about the logistics of blending, what makes a brand distinct, and how, amidst all the contemporary isolation, sharing a fine cigar is one of the few ways for people to connect.

First Premium Cigar Experience

Cigar Life Guy: Tell me about your first premium cigar experience.

Terence Reilly: Terence Reilly is about as gringo a name you can have, but I have family in the industry through my Grandmother (my father’s mother). She was a Quesada, and I spent a summer once in my early twenties working for my Uncle Manuel Quesada at his factory (Matasa at the time, now Quesada Cigars). I didn’t smoke, but I thought spending a summer in the Dominican Republic would be fun. So I worked during the week at the factory. On Sundays, my uncle would have me over to the house, and everyone would play cards, eat, have a drink, and, except for me, smoke cigars. After a couple of weeks, I decided to join in. I smoked a Fonseca Vintage Petite Belicoso as my first cigar. It was a perfect first smoke because it was short, light, and smooth. The rest is history.

The Cigar Industry: Blending and Branding

Cigar Life Guy: How did you first get involved in the cigar industry?

Terence Reilly: After that summer, a few years went by, and I was having dinner in Miami with my uncle, and he asked if I were interested in working for the family full-time in the U.S., I would have to move back to the Dominican Republic for a while to learn the business but once I got through basic training I would move back to Miami and work for the distribution office of the company there. I took him up on the offer and relocated to Santiago for about 6 months or so before returning to the U.S.

Cigar Life Guy: What should the average cigar smoker know about cigar blending? How can it help them appreciate a premium cigar?

Terence Reilly: Most people who enjoy cigars have an appreciation for the blending aspect itself, but not the logistics involved. Nearly anyone who works at it long enough can put together a fairly good blend either by luck, skill, or a little of both. The key is being able to produce that exact experience on a large scale, year after year. That is where the real talent is found. Having adequate inventories of tobacco, constantly validating crops to ensure the tobaccos used in the blend maintain the same characteristics, and making adjustments when needed are the real skills.

Cigar Life Guy: What is the most important thing to convey about a brand? How do you want the cigar world to perceive Aganorsa Leaf?

Terence Reilly: The most important thing to convey is what makes the brand special. That can be a lot of different things, but whatever it is, it must be genuine. In the case of Aganorsa, our tobacco has a signature flavor you can’t find anywhere else.

The combination of the seeds we grow — specifically Corojo 99 — and the farms we grow our tobacco on in Jalapa, Condega, and Esteli play a major role in our cigars. Additionally, we are vertically integrated, and our team of Cuban Agronomists controls the entire process from seed to ash. This combination creates a unique style and flavor.

That signature taste and aroma are why so many great companies buy leaf from us or entrust us to make their brands, as well as why consumers choose Aganorsa when they are making their selection in the humidor. Our Leaf is Our Strength.

Cigar Life Guy: What is the biggest challenge facing the cigar industry today?

Terence Reilly: There are a lot of challenges in this business. Regulation is always a threat. We are a small industry, so it has been impressive to see what organizations like PCA, CRA, and others have done to protect us from fees and regulations that threaten our survival.

The Cigar Community

Cigar Life Guy: What is your favorite aspect of the cigar community and the cigar life? What makes cigar smokers so unique?

Terence Reilly: In a world where we can’t even work together to get rid of daylight saving, cigars truly bring people together. Our world today isolates us in so many ways from one another, despite how easy technology has made it to connect.

Cigars provide an opportunity for meaningful contact with our fellow humans regardless of their political, religious, or social views. That is rare today. I can’t tell you how many lifetime friendships I’ve developed with all sorts of different people through cigars and how many pre-existing relationships have been strengthened through them. For me, a cigar is an essential accouterment to great conversations.

Cigars and Passions

Cigar Life Guy: What is one of your passions outside of cigars? What would people not know about you?

Terence Reilly: I love to read. I consume a fair amount of history, biographies, articles on current events, self-help, etc., but literature is my favorite. After all, in the beginning, there was the word.

Follow Terence on Instagram and check the latest from Aganorsa Leaf here.

Photo Credit: Terence Reilly

Reinier Lorenzo of HVC Cigars is Always Learning

Posted on November 19, 2024 by Staff

Growing up in Cuba, there is probably no avoiding the cigar culture, but Reinier Lorenzo, founder of HVC Cigars, studied medicine before he studied cigars. After nearly twenty years in the cigar business, Lorenzo continues to create new blends and pay homage to Havana City. He spoke to Cigar Life Guy about getting his start, the recipe of a perfect cigar, and his plans to keep HVC Cigars selling like pan caliente.

Reinier Lorenzo: First Premium Cigar Experience

Cigar Life Guy: Tell me about your first premium cigar experience.

Reinier Lorenzo: I was living in Havana, Cuba. I was probably around eighteen or nineteen, and it was the Cohiba Siglo VI. I wasn’t in the cigar business when I was in Cuba — I was in medical school. It was at a family friend’s party. The Cohiba Siglo VI came out around 2004, and a guy passed a box around. I knew nothing about cigars, but when I smoked it, I was like, “That feels good”! (laughs)

Cigar Culture and Blending the Perfect Cigar

Cigar Life Guy: You are originally from Cuba, so there was probably no escaping cigar culture, but tell us how you got your start and what drew you to the cigar industry and culture.

Reinier Lorenzo: When I left Cuba in 2008, my family worked for Tropical Tobacco in Miami. In 2009, the owner of Aganorsa (Eduardo Fernandez) invited me to Nicaragua. He showed me the process and what they do with the cigars from start to finish. That was the moment that grabbed me. When something makes you say, “This is incredible.” Little by little, you have something inside of you. I stopped and said, ”I must do something because I enjoy this so much.” That’s when I started my business, HVC Cigars, in 2011.

Cigar Life Guy: What should the average cigar smoker know about blending? How can it help them appreciate a premium cigar?

Reinier Lorenzo: People have to know. For example, I love to cook, right? When you cook, you have a recipe. If you don’t have a recipe, making a really good dish would be impossible. Cigars are the same thing. It’s a recipe. It’s not just putting in tobacco because you want to put in tobacco. You have to know the family and the leaf. You have to know what farm gives you more flavor. When you have the perfect recipe for a cigar, you get a cigar that’s really, really good. When you know the tobacco for a blend, you get a winner. You have to know tobacco, and that takes years. I was blessed and fortunate to be around guys with much experience. I was always learning.

Keeping Cigar Tradition Alive

Cigar Life Guy: Why is keeping the cigar tradition alive vital, and how do you merge it with new ideas and blends?

Reinier Lorenzo: When you think about cigars, they are relaxing. Cigars are my business, but it’s really a leisurely thing you want to share with friends. You want to sit down. You want to have a drink, and you want to have a cigar. Let me relax. Let me have a conversation. That’s why I’ve never smoked a cigarette in my life. When I started smoking, I started smoking cigars. It’s also the culture around cigars. Let me share it with friends. It’s a beautiful thing.

For the blending process– I don’t blend cigars for people. I blend cigars for myself. What I mean is when I blend a cigar, I’m looking for four things: flavor, balance, construction, and a clean finish. If you give me a cigar with those four characteristics, I will love it. How can I create something I don’t love? I always want to share something that I really enjoy. We came out with new packaging in the last year and a half. We were thinking about how to gain more attention in the humidors -humidors are like real estate. The packaging is a minor detail for us as a new cigar company on the way up. You can have the best packaging in the world, but if the cigar is no good, people won’t rebuy it.

Reinier Lorenzo and HVC Cigars

Cigar Life Guy: Tell us about the HVC portfolio.

Reinier Lorenzo: We’ve been around for thirteen years now. Our cigars had to be attached to where I come from, Havana City. You can’t find a really mild cigar with our blends. Everything is medium or medium-full-bodied, rich with a lot of flavor- that’s the most important thing for me. It’s flavor. You give me something with flavor, I’ll be smoking all day long.

With our portfolio, many people said, “You’re crazy! How can you come out with ‘Hot Cake’?”. I said, “What do you mean? It’s going to be a hit”. That cigar got made because we owned the name “Pan Caliente.” When a product sells really fast in Cuba, they say, “That sells like pan Caliente (hot cake)”- selling like hot cakes. When I trademarked the Pan Caliente, we trademarked “Hot Cake” as well. That’s the best-selling cigar in our portfolio. People love it.

The other crazy product that we have is Black Friday. In 2015, I called my lawyer and asked if I could trademark “Black Friday.” The concept behind Black Friday is that I give you a unique product every year. We never replicate those blends. It’s always a new blend in a new size. We sell that blend for less than ten dollars. So what does that mean? That’s my way of saying thank you to all the consumers and retailers who have supported us. It’s something so unique and so special at a great price point.

Reinier Lorenzo: Favorite Part of Cigar Life

Cigar Life Guy: What is your favorite aspect of cigar life?

Reinier Lorenzo: That’s a really good question. The most essential part of cigar life is the people around you- those with whom you share cigars. But sometimes I want to be by myself. I want to be intimate with the cigar. Just yesterday, I was smoking a Hot Cake Robusto by myself. I was enjoying that moment. It was a moment with just me and the cigar. I was paying attention to all of the flavors. All the beauty of making a cigar was there, right? There was nothing but me and the cigar.

As I said before, the other part is when I am with friends, conversing and sharing a cigar. It’s a beautiful moment as well.

The Future of HVC Cigars and Reinier Lorenzo

Cigar Life Guy: Anything else the cigar world should know, and what can we expect from HVC in the future?

Reinier Lorenzo: We are always working. There’s a new blend that we’re testing out, and we want to bring it out soon. For us, it’s always about working and improving. We try to put out the best we have. It’s a family business. When people buy HVC Cigars and say, “Hey, I love your blends,” To me, that’s the jackpot.

Follow Reinier and HVC Cigars on Instagram

Photo credit: HVC Cigars

Michael Herklots is Hitting All the Right Notes

Posted on October 22, 2024 by Staff

Michael Herklots had worked in the cigar industry for over twenty years before launching the Ferio Tego Brand with business partner Brendon Scott in 2021. Herklots sees Ferio Tego as more than just cigar blends. It is a “philosophy rooted in values.” It’s no wonder the Ferio Tego (translated as “Strike and Defend”) brand uses an image from the Herklots’ coat of arms — Hercules battling the Hydra. Herklots talked with Cigar Life Guy about giving up the pursuit of music for cigars, his partnership with Scott, and having the good fortune of working in an industry he loves.

First Premium Cigar Experience

Cigar Life Guy: Tell me about your first premium cigar experience.

Michael Herklots: I enjoyed my first cigar in college. It was my first semester at Berklee College of Music in Boston. I was out for a walk with one of my roommates, and we passed a cigar bar, and he wanted to go in. Walking through that door would forever change me, but I didn’t know anything about it, nor was I interested in it then.

I tasted an Ashton classic. And it was a flavor and a medium I had never experienced. Despite my laser focus on pursuing music as a career, I was enamored. Cigars were my hobby, but one I couldn’t afford. So, I got a retail job at a mall kiosk selling cigars. That was around 1999. I’ve worked in the industry ever since.

Owning a Tobacco Business

Cigar Life Guy: You have been in the tobacco business for a long time. Why did you decide to start your own line of cigars?

Michael Herklots: I suppose after twenty-plus years of working in the industry, there was a clear opportunity to start something. I had created blends for about ten years, but now was an opportunity to author the work. As I spoke to friends in the industry, their encouragement to start a brand and a company was overwhelming. And we did.

Cigar Life Guy: You worked for a large tobacco corporation before starting your own company. What did you learn working with a huge company & how did that impact how you approached launching a startup?

Michael Herklots: My start in Boston was a tiny business. I spent nine years with Davidoff of Geneva, a global company that is still family-owned. After that, I spent nine years with Nat Sherman — most of that time working for the Sherman family. Then, there were the last three for Altria, a massive publicly traded company that had acquired Nat Sherman. So, I’ve learned a lot from all those experiences before the acquisition.

I learned quickly that the size of the business doesn’t matter. It still takes people working together and making decisions to get things done. No matter how “senior” or experienced someone may be or how much research and strategic planning goes into a decision. Sometimes things don’t go as planned. And that’s just life. Big and small businesses — all businesses require good people willing and able to do the work. And that can make a huge company feel like a family business.

Partnership and the Ferio Tego Brand

Cigar Life Guy: Describe your partnership with Brendon Scott.

Michael Herklots: Brendon and I worked together for almost ten years. We worked closely together for nearly ten years. We respect each other, we trust each other, we like each other, and we have fun working together. After almost a decade of doing all that work together for a company, it was clear we could do all that work for ourselves and build something special together.

Cigar Life Guy: You use Hercules battling the Hydra in your design. How do you want consumers to see the Ferio Tego brand?

Michael Herklots: I hope Ferio Tego is meaningful. That instills feelings of joy and celebration but also of quality, consistency, inimitability, and value. It’s more than just a blend of flavors. Ferio Tego is a philosophy deeply rooted in values like transparency, honesty, and trust.

The Ferio Tego Portfolio

Cigar Life Guy: Tell us a little about the Ferio Tego portfolio.

Michael Herklots: Ferio Tego has three brands. Our flagship brand is our namesake, Ferio Tego. It is offered in two ways: as a set of annual limited releases, Elegancia and Generoso. Just like a winemaker may offer a Chardonnay and a Cabernet Sauvignon — we offer two completely unique expressions. Yet, despite their differences in flavor, they share a commonality in a full, dense, creamy body. Second- as a core blend called Summa. This blend is made consistently throughout the year and is offered in multiple formats. Once again, it is a completely unique blend compared to Elegancia and Generoso but shares the signature style of a round, mouth-filling body.

Then, under the halo of “Ferio Tego,” we have two additional brands, the Timeless Collection and the Metropolitan Selection. Timeless has four blends- each wonderfully complex and nuanced with deliberate development from beginning to end. Metropolitan has five blends that are quite traditional, old-world-style expressions of their country of manufacture in flavor. However, they are much more new-world and contemporary in their body and complexity compared to legacy blends still on the market.

Challenges Facing the Cigar Industry

Cigar Life Guy: What is the biggest challenge facing the cigar industry?

Michael Herklots: It’s tough to say the biggest. One that stands out is our inability to use the tools any other company or industry can, like social media and advertising. In addition, regulation, taxation, and new legislation are all high risks, especially with the introduction of some of these generational smoking ban bills that would lead to the complete elimination of our industry.

Cigar Life Guy: Have we missed anything? Please tell us anything else you’d like the cigar world to know.

Michael Herklots: I am very fortunate to make a living doing something I love. If you love our work, I would just ask one extra favor. Share your love for our work. Tell a friend. Post a photo. Put a box out at your next barbecue or backyard party. That simple, authentic endorsement permits others to love our brand before trying it.

Follow Michael on Instagram and check out the latest from Ferio Tego here.

photo credit: Michael Herklots

The Wild Backstory of Wildfire Cigars Founder Jeremy McDonald

Posted on September 11, 2024 by Staff

From breaking the no-smoking rules in the seminary to playing guitar in a band, Jeremy McDonald has lived the cigar life for nearly thirty years. After working for decades in cigar retail and as a sales rep, McDonald started Wildfire Cigars in the spirit of sitting around a campfire shooting the shit with a premium cigar. McDonald talked to Cigar Life Guy about not burning bridges, his aim to make Wildfire part of the next generation of great cigar brands, and how Wildfire saved him from burning out and met his need to be more expressive in the cigar industry.

Jeremy McDonald: First Premium Cigar Experience

Cigar Life Guy: Tell me about your first premium cigar experience.

Jeremy McDonald: The first premium cigar was not obviously the first cigar experience- the first cigar experience was a White Owl from 7-Eleven (laughs). The first premium was gifted to me. I was working at the Courtyard by Marriott, and one of the guys came in, and he smelled like cigars, and we started talking.

He tipped me, and he gave me a Henry Clay. So that was my first premium cigar, and it was in ’97. After that, I started finding cigar shops, but I didn’t know there was such a thing. I thought you just found cigars at liquor stores. I didn’t know there were shops for premium cigars.

Music and Religion Before Cigars

Cigar Life Guy: You tried being a musician and joined the seminary for a time before working in a retail shop. How did all those experiences and your time in a retail shop help inform starting your own cigar line?

Jeremy McDonald: When I was in the seminary, I was smoking cigars but had to hide them because it was against the rules. Working in retail opened my eyes to the passion of tobacco. Meeting guys like José Blanco and Benji Menendez – all these old school guys- the old guard of the industry.

Fortunately, I worked in a premium store, so it had events with all the bug guys. I loved cigars – this cigar and that cigar- and the smoking experience, but seeing these guys and their love for tobacco opened me up to the idea that this is a form of artistry.

Over the years, I made relationships with different manufacturers, reps, and consumers and learned from them. I loved it when a customer would come in and not know what they wanted, so I could curate the experience for them and tailor it to exactly what they wanted. Regardless of what the cigar was. It was finding the right cigar for that person at that time. I loved that aspect of it.

When I got into working for different companies, I started thinking it would be cool to do this for myself. I could write a song on my guitar, write lyrics, and turn it into a complete thing, but I couldn’t do that with tobacco, and I wanted to. So it was a slow burn. I didn’t wake up one day and say, “I’m starting a brand.” It gradually got to the point where I was finished.

I accomplished what I wanted with Caldwell, and then I had to do something for myself. Starting my own brand was the next logical step. In 2001, when I started in the industry, I never thought it was a career (laughs). I’m a poster boy for the kid who doesn’t finish college and works in an industry long enough where you become good at it.

Cigar Life Guy: You also worked as a sales rep for C.L.E. Cigar Company. What’s the most important lesson you learned?

Jeremy McDonald: Another rep I was close with -even before I started- gave me some advice. He told me, “Don’t overpromise. Do what you say you’re going to do. Don’t give one guy something and give another guy a different deal. Be consistent, and you can have a career in this industry.” I remember thinking, “That’s all it takes?”. He said, “You wouldn’t believe how many problems come just from those things.” I carried that with me. So, not having any bridges burned with any of the companies I’ve worked with has been good.

Just be fair. Show up and do your job (laughs). It’s certainly not rocket science, but there’s still quite a bit of shit in this industry.

Jeremy McDonald: Starting Wildfire Cigars

Cigar Life Guy: You have a lot of experience within the cigar industry. What finally led to your decision to start your own line?

Jeremy McDonald: Around two years before I left Caldwell, I had gotten to a point where I was burned out. I was getting offers to do the same thing- like lateral moves for more money- but I didn’t want to be that guy who bounced around from company to company. It’s like, “Oh, this is the greatest cigar ever!” and then you’re with the next company saying, “Oh, this is the greatest cigar ever!” that whole spiel.

So, I would try to create my brand or be totally out of the industry. I had conversations with Robert Caldwell about it, and he was supportive. If I could get funding, I would do it, and then I got funding, and I did. I didn’t want to do what I was doing anymore. I had lost the love. It was clocking in every day. Yeah, it was the cigar industry, but it was like any other industry. I needed to do something where I could be more expressive of myself. So I was going to do the cigars, or who the hell knows what else I would have done.

Inspiration for Wildfire Cigars and More

Cigar Life Guy: You clearly have a good sense of humor. What was the inspiration for the name Wildfire and your camp counselor video?

Jeremy McDonald: I knew that I wanted something based around a campfire, so the logo was designed before the name was there. I like to be outdoors and camp. It’s more so just the thought behind cigars. You’re sitting with someone. Whether you know them or not, sit long enough, and you’ll have a conversation.

My worldview completely changed from being in this industry. I grew up pretty sheltered with one train of thought. Most days, while working in retail, I just listened to the people. Where they came from or where they were going. Political views. Religion. All of it. It opened my eyes to a whole new world. Sure, there could be tension and arguments, but smoking a cigar was a great neutralizer. It didn’t matter where you came from, what you were into, or how much money you made. I loved that element, so I wanted to incorporate the concept of just sitting around the campfire shooting the shit.

I had another name I was pursuing that was more fitting to the campfire. Then, a shop opened, and I didn’t want to come out of the gates in litigation. I just changed it. I had it trademarked, but it wasn’t worth it. And I had a gentleman’s conversation, but it didn’t go well. So, I just told my lawyer, “Let them have it.” I’m in California, and I think the wildfires were going on then, so I said, “I like that“ (laughs). So I took the name. I trademarked it and went with it.

The Wildfire Portfolio & Building a Brand

Cigar Life Guy: Tell us a little about the Wildfire portfolio.

Jeremy McDonald: I launched with a Limited called The Single out of Joya de Nicaragua. My first core line was the Revivalist. Those were the first two to market, and then I went to another factory to diversify. I went to FTC (Fabrica Centroamericana de Tabaco S.A.)- Cavalier’s factory. I’ve known these guys for years, so it was a natural fit. We had good chemistry there, so I’ve also done a few more things with them. I introduced Wanderer as the first core line out of there.

I started a three-part limited series. Now we’re on the second one. The first one was The Intro, and then at P.C.A. this year, I released The Hook, which is the second part. I released Artaois out of Joya de Nicaragua in July of last year. That was my second core line coming out of there. Next year at P.C.A., I’ll introduce another core line from F.T.C.

I’m just going to work with as many factories as I can. It gives you the ability not to get boxed into certain tobaccos. It allows you to create new flavors and profiles. I like not being tied to one thing.

I also introduced the B-Side. It is The Intro, but I inverted the binder and wrapper. It’s a play having a single and then having the other side. I wanted to show how different a cigar can be when you just change nothing other than rearranging the components. It would be a lot cooler if The Single was still out. Then, people could make a comparison between A and B. I did that for the cigar nerd in me. The blend stands on its own, so even if people haven’t smoked The Single, they’d enjoy it.

Jeremy McDonald’s Long-Term Goals for Wildfire Cigars

Cigar Life Guy: What are your long-term goals for Wildfire?

Jeremy McDonald: Build a name and build a sustainable business. I want to be around. There are so many guys, mentors, and people I respect who are all getting older, and I want to be a part of carrying on the next generation of manufacturers and brands. I want to one day be a mainstay brand, a household name, and just be a part of what people smoke and enjoy.

Cigar Life Guy: Have we missed anything? Please tell us anything else you’d like the cigar world to know.

Jeremy McDonald: Enjoy what you smoke. I always encourage people to try stuff. Try my stuff. Try Foundations, Cavelier, and Black Label. There are so many different profiles and styles of cigars out there. There’s something for everybody. That’s the fun of it. You don’t want to eat the same meal daily, so it’s the same idea.

The longer I’m in this industry, the longer Wildfire is around, and the more cigars we have, the more options we’ll have for different styles and palates. Just enjoy it. It’s leaves rolled together(laughs). It’s more about the experience of cigars that I love- meeting new people, hearing their stories, and enjoying it over a cigar.

Follow Jeremy on Instagram and check out the latest from Wildfire Cigars here.

Photo credit: Wildfire Cigars

Sebastien Decoppet: A Switzerland to Honduras Cigar Journey

Posted on June 4, 2024 by Staff

It takes guts and a genuine love of cigars to drop everything and move to Honduras, but that’s exactly what Sebastien Decoppet, owner of Cavalier Geneve Cigars, did. Growing up in Switzerland near one of the cigar industry’s premier lines (Davidfoff) might have had some influence. Still, Decoppet is making his mark with his Diamond Gold Series and continues to add new blends to the Cavalier Geneve line. He talked with Cigar Life Guy about how he was never meant to sit behind a desk, paying homage to his late father, and how the cigar industry is sometimes misunderstood by those who have yet to live the cigar life.

Sebastien Decoppet: First Premium Cigar Experience

Cigar Life Guy: Tell me about your first premium cigar experience. (When was it? Who were you with? Where was it? What was the occasion?)

Sebastien Decoppet: I had my first cigar somewhere around twenty years old. I’m from Switzerland, and you were allowed to smoke at 16 and drink alcohol at 18, so it’s a bit different than what we have here now in the U.S. I didn’t have anybody in the family that smoked cigars. I stepped into the Davidoff store in Geneva, where I grew up, because I was interested in cigars. Why not? I wanted to see what it was, what it looked like. So, I don’t know if it was a No. 1 or No. 2, but one of the Classics from Davidoff at the time, and that’s how it started. I stepped out on the terrace, and I had that first cigar. It’s been a daily habit ever since.

From Switzerland to Honduras

Cigar Life Guy: You grew up in Switzerland. What was it like being around one of the industry’s benchmarks, Davidoff? How did it shape what you envision for Cavalier Geneve Cigars?

Sebastien Decoppet: It had a significant influence at the time. The market is very different in Europe from the U.S., and the influences are very different. I didn’t realize it, but Davidoff has had a significant influence. First of all, it was why Geneva became so crucial in the cigar world, and that was also why I knew very early on that Geneva had to be part of the name when I started. I think the visuals — the classicism — had a certain level of influence. It evolved from there.

The graphics, the visuals, and the brand’s identity grew and made its way for us, but it started with that white theory. I don’t want to say we took white because it was Davidoff’s “white.” That’s not what it was, but I guess it had an influence. Cavalier and the visuals are classic. I think that’s all probably due to the cigar culture there and how the Davidoff company shapes the industry in that part of the world.

Cigar Life Guy: You dropped everything to move to Honduras to learn the cigar industry before learning the language. What makes cigar life and the cigar community so unique?

Sebastien Decoppet: I didn’t know when I first moved, but I discovered the cigar industry checked all the boxes for me. I realized early on that I’m not one to sit behind a desk. What would have been my life if I hadn’t made that decision?

The cigar industry is versatile. It brings so many different people, so many different backgrounds, so many different cultures together. It is so welcoming. There is no conflict or few conflicts within the industry. It is a lot of cultures together that built what it is today.

The quality of the people — I’m talking about consumers and professionals — makes it enjoyable to work in. At the same time, the other side of it is the craftsmanship — the retro approach. Everything today is digital. You create value when you create things that you can’t touch, and that is something that disturbs me. I like that everything in the cigar industry is palpable. Everything is a hand that did something — a person who did something. We can see and feel it. It’s authentic craftsmanship. It’s an art in the creation process, and before it becomes a product, it is an art. So it’s a mix of the beauty of the people, the mix of all the cultures that come together, and the beauty of something still so real.

Sebastien Decoppet on Mistakes

Cigar Life Guy: What was your best mistake in those early years, and what did you learn from it?

Sebastien Decoppet: The best mistake I made was entering the U.S. market with a distributor, not understanding the U.S. market, and trying to treat it the same way I treated other countries internationally without understanding — something I fixed later. I thought it could be handled by a third party involved in the industry and would not require much of my time here (in the U.S.). There was a need for more understanding of how the U.S. worked and the actual cultural difference in the cigar industry compared to many other countries we work with internationally.

The beauty of it is that failing — we did fail — forced us to rethink the whole process and decide to move here (the U.S.) and brought us to open our operations in Central America instead of working with third parties. We had to make that mistake to understand the reality of this part of the world and the cigar industry and then discover for ourselves. Moving to the other side of the planet is very enriching, and getting to know so many different cultures within the same country. It’s an all-around win now, but it was a massive mistake at first.

Cigar Industry vs. Regulation Challenges

Cigar Life Guy: What is the cigar industry’s biggest challenge today?

Sebastien Decoppet: Regulations. Unfair regulations. The real reason why it’s unjust is that you’re just a cat underwater with it. Europe had something similar to the FDA a few years ago. There’s plain packaging, all sorts of different things, and the pushback here. We’re such a small industry. We should be thrown in with the luxury industry, in with craft watches. Because we’re tobacco, which comes from a plant, we’re thrown in with Big Tobacco. We barely have anything in common with Big Tobacco. We start with just the word “tobacco” and the plant. Even with that, we have such different variables and processes. We’re thrown into the same bucket, and we don’t have anywhere near the means that Big Tobacco has.

The best way to say it is an incapacity to communicate to the world what we are — we’re misunderstood.

The Cavalier Geneve Portfolio

Cigar Life Guy: Tell us a little about the Cavalier Geneve portfolio.

Sebastien Decoppet: I think the Cavelier portfolio has to be considered three pieces — one big umbrella with three brands under it. The original is the Cavelier Gold Diamond, which may be what we’re known for — the 24-karat gold band on the cigar. No gimmick. It is what it is. It’s eye candy if you want, but it’s what allowed us to go somewhere in this industry.

We didn’t come from this industry, and we don’t have a long line of roots here. Instead, we decided to take this route for ourselves. We had to make our way and be as visible as possible to lead to more acceptance globally.

The Gold Diamond, especially the White Series, is the heart. The Origin release is still the main line in our portfolio. It’s still the most efficient part of our engine. Then we have the Black II, the Viso, the Prospektor. All of these carry the Gold Diamond. Then we have a second Regional Exclusive, a pretty wide part of our portfolio. It goes from mild to medium to full. There are no powerhouses in what we do, but we always focus on flavors and complexity.

The second part, recently added, is now part of the Inner Circle brand. It’s the first time we released a new product without the Gold Diamond, and it was the first new brand we released. So, Inner Circle is a reflection of a much more classic line. It’s a reflection of where we come from. We wanted to ensure we acknowledged where we came from and the support we received.

When we started, we were close to going broke a lot of times, and then suddenly you blink and you have 100 employees. We realized that people decided on their own to support us. It was that first step when we went from a project to an actual group of companies. Inner Circle was an extension.

The “Inner Circle” sounds like a closed circle, but our Inner Circle was more of an extension of a “thank you” to those who supported us early on. From there, we released a second one called the Domaine Rouge. Domaine Rouge is a brand that looks back to the last years of my father and the factory. That was something my father was very proud of before he passed away. That’s why you’ll find 1956 on the boxes — the year he was born. It’s more of a homage to him. And then there is the Tres Delincuentes, which is more of that graphic, street art, grimy, down-to-earth line. It was linked more to the creative process in terms of art. Three wrappers. Three sizes.

Future Vision: Cavalier Geneve Cigars

Cigar Life Guy: What’s next from Cavalier Geneve Cigars?

Sebastien Decoppet: I hope a lot of things. We have some new releases. Earlier this week, I sent a press release regarding a new size, Petit No. 2, in our core line, so that’s Petit Torpedos. A new cigar will be revealed as a pre-release at PCA — a few more notable projects. We’re constantly challenging ourselves regarding cigars and expanding our warehouse. Our office is in Honduras right now, so that’s something we’re very proud of- seeing the team grow. One big target we have is to start growing our own tobacco. That’s going to be a big step.

Follow Sebastien on Instagram and check out the latest from Cavalier Geneve Cigars here.

Photo credit: Cavalier Geneve

6 Cigar Lounge Pet Peeves to Avoid

Posted on February 14, 2024 by Staff

The behavior of fellow patrons has peeved any regular cigar lounge goer at some time in their smoking career. Some of these things are so basic they often aren’t uttered aloud but are understood. Some folks need to catch up on the basics, so we’re writing them down. What are a few common cigar lounge pet peeves? Read on to see if you can relate to any of these. More importantly, if you’re new to the cigar scene, know what kind of behavior to avoid if you want to make a good impression.

Six Cigar Lounge Pet Peeves to Avoid

Curious about which pet peeves rank at the top of our list? Without further ado, here they are, compiled for your reading pleasure.

No Shoes

No matter how nice your socks are, please leave your shoes on in the cigar lounge for the love of all things holy. You aren’t at home. You are out at a public establishment. Wearing shoes — and socks — should be common sense, but enough people take shoes off that it is worth noting. Also, do you know how many establishments have signs that read: No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service? Also, some municipalities have statutory requirements for patrons to wear shoes. There isn’t some exemption for cigar smokers who wear shoes into the lounge that allows them to remove them. You have to keep the shoes on. You take your shoes off on the (commercial) airplane? Don’t do that either.

No Belt

Nobody wants to see your ass or your underwear. Wear a belt if an elastic waistband doesn’t keep your pants at your waist. Sidenote to newer, younger smokers: you are doing your best to “fit in” — the most counterproductive way to do that is to literally “show your ass” by not keeping your pants at your waist.

No Headphones

Nobody else should be subjected to both sides of your phone conversations and listen to whatever random videos you watch on YouTube or social media. Get a pair of headphones. If you make calls, even with headphones, be mindful of your noise level and consider moving briefly to make your call if appropriate.

Being a Cheapskate

Spend some money on something. Other articles delve more deeply into what’s appropriate or not regarding bringing your cigars to the cigar lounge. While we can also appreciate the importance of frugality, being “too cheap, too unwilling to spend money” in a cigar lounge is sure to spark pet peeves among regular patrons. The bottom line is to buy something and tip your server or bartender for the service they provide. This place does not run itself for free. And yes, the staff does talk amongst themselves and other patrons about cheapskates.

Political and Religious Talk

Have situational awareness of how you interact or converse with other patrons. Simply put, read the room and know your audience. If the place is relatively quiet, the rest of the lounge shouldn’t hear constant belly laughing, loud noise, yelling, or table slapping from your table. Conversely, if the overall noise in the lounge is higher, making a little more noise yourself is acceptable. As for conversation topics, stick to friendly topics. Smoking cigars should be relaxing. Most people aren’t looking for a political or religious debate. Avoid these topics unless you know the person you’re speaking to.

Wearing Fragrance

Fragrance of any form can interfere with a smoker’s overall enjoyment of a cigar and often tops the list of pet peeves for many cigar aficionados. Here’s why.

Some scents, like soap or deodorant, are challenging to eliminate and are generally acceptable. However, avoid heavy scents like cologne or perfume, which can overpower those around you or trigger allergies for others.

Even if scents or aromas don’t negatively impact you personally, respect for your fellow smoker in a social situation like a lounge dictates that you refrain from heavy fragrances. One of the best ways to draw attention to yourself as a “rookie” or “clueless” smoker is to show up smelling like a bottle of cologne. On the other hand, if you’re at your own home and want to drown yourself in odor and knock yourself out, you can even take off your shoes and forgo the belt.

The Final Word on Pet Peeves

Adapting to cigar lounge etiquette is necessary to promote peace, harmony, and balance for all cigar enthusiasts. Avoiding the above primary pet peeves will create a more enjoyable cigar lounge experience.

Photo Credit: Cigar Life Guy

Jake Wyatt Cigars: Interview with Gerard Abajian

Posted on December 3, 2023 by Staff

Gerard Abajian knows that cigar life is all about people. He began in the retail side of the cigar business but built rapport with customers. He also surprisingly spent ten years as a firefighter before co-founding Jake Wyatt Cigars with Neil Garcia. Together, they created some of the most aesthetically unique cigars in the industry. In this interview, Gerard talks with Cigar Life Guy about staying true to himself, the story behind those boxes of 22, and how his company innovates how local cigar shops present cigars.

The First Premium Smoke

Cigar Life Guy: Tell me about your first premium cigar experience.

Gerard Abajian: I would say it happened during the mid-90s. I was with my dad in the backyard. And he had just started as a retailer in southern California and bought a Dominican El Rey del Mundo. He cut it in half and shared it with me, but it was nasty. Then he brought out some cut-up watermelon from the fridge and between puffs said, “Refresh your palate with the cool watermelon.” The cigar was more palatable after that. It was at night, and we were sitting in the backyard. So that was the occasion. Just me and my dad and him telling me about the cigar business he just embarked upon. He had always been a smoker — cigars, pipes, cigarettes. That was the beginning of my cigar journey.

Starting Cigar Life

Cigar Life Guy: Tell us how you got started in the cigar industry. What else did you do before, and how does it help inform what you do with your current business?

Gerard Abajian: I started working at my father’s retail store when I was about nineteen. I learned how to use the cash register and talk to people by describing the cigars I liked. I had done car sales before, so I had some sales experience and prospected different people based on their personalities. That affected how I would approach people from the minute they walked in the door.

The worst question to ask is, “Can I help you?” They would say, “No.” So, I looked for an icebreaker. I figured they were coming for a cigar, so they have a favorite. I’m curious what it is. So I would ask, “Hey, how’s it going? Welcome. What’s your favorite cigar?” It was easier from there. They would tell me their favorite cigar, and I would say I’ve smoked it, and ask them what they thought about it. We became friends. So, that’s always been my approach. Sales have helped in my industry.

Cigar Life Guy: You have been open about your struggles with addiction. How has that changed your perspective on life in general, as well as cigar life?

Gerard Abajian: I was pretty young when I kicked my addiction. I was a teenager. I struggled with school — not intellectually. It was more due to my absence and attendance. Once I kicked the habit at age 24, I developed my spiritual life and focused on how to kick a habit.

I went back to school and studied fire science technology. That landed me a job with our local fire department, which has over 80 stations. I did that for ten years. My father passed away in 2015, and I was still with the fire department. That’s when Neil (Garcia) and I partnered. We started working together and going online. From there, we got invited down to the Dominican Republic. That’s how we came up with the Jake Wyatt Cigar Company.

We visited several factories that gave us samples of what they could produce for us, all according to the flavor palate we wanted. Unfortunately, I always felt in the dark. I wanted to understand the makeup of cigars, how to blend a cigar, and the difference between tobacco. For instance you have Corojo, Criollo.

There are many different varieties of tobacco. It’s not good if someone plans on making my cigars, and I don’t know what’s in them or what the percentages are. So we started our tiny factory out of a little hut. Now we have a factory which is a different entity on its own called Casamorabo. (House; Love; City) That’s a 20,000-square-foot space. Casamorabo now produces Jake Wyatt Cigars, which is a separate entity we own. Now, it’s just about selling cigars.

The Story Behind the Jake Wyatt Cigars

Cigar Life Guy: Jake Wyatt is named after your sons. Can you tell us the story behind it?

Gerard Abajian: Coming up with a name that means something is challenging. You can go through all sorts of different names on a list. One day, I was sitting around playing with names. I’ve always liked a strong and bold name. You have Dunhill of London and Davidoff of Geneva. So, you have these strong names in the industry that have a legacy. Out of nowhere, I thought about Niel’s son, Jake. Then, I considered my son, Wyatt. When I put those names together — Jake Wyatt Cigar Company — it sounded good. We thought about it without making it permanent. And we kept playing with names.

But I kept coming back with this timeless, bold, strong name — Jake Wyatt Cigars. I really like it. It represents our boys and who we are. I’m not a third- or fourth-generation Latin cigar producer with a Latin name. I’m also not trying to fake it by giving you something I’m not. I don’t speak Spanish. I’m not Latin. I live in the United States. That’s who I am. Neil is an athlete. I came from the fire service. So, we have a lot of grit behind our character. At the same time, we present ourselves as gentlemen. We put our hands out first. We always say hello. And that’s what Jake Wyatt represents. We’re always putting people ahead of us.

Cigar Life Guy: Your line also has a connection with baseball and the number 22. What’s the story behind that?

Gerard Abajian: The box count of 22 is a nod from when Neil played baseball; he was jersey number 22. His brother inspired me to become a firefighter, and he just retired as a fire chief of Burbank. He played for the L.A. Heat, a football team composed of firefighters. He was a linebacker and wore jersey number 22. When Jake played baseball, he also wore jersey number 22. I think Niel’s dad might have played baseball in his community with jersey number 22 as well.

Innovation, Presentation, and Aesthetics in Cigars

Cigar Life Guy: You put a lot of thought into design. So, why are aesthetics and presentation so important for Jack Wyatt Cigars?

Gerard Abajian: We have two collections. The Gourmet Collection are the only cigars with artisanal accents on them. And the Connoisseur Collection doesn’t have those accents because the focus is more on the connoisseur. It’s a complex cigar. But that’s not to say the Gourmet isn’t. Anyway, when we initiated and completed the design for our Gourmet Collection, our goal was to have individuals take pictures of the cigars.

Everybody is using Instagram and TikTok to become cigar reviewers, bloggers, or just as a fan base. So, if you’re going to take a picture of Jake Wyatt Cigars, we want it to be a little different. Making the cigar shape, other than a Parejo, is different. Perfectos, Salomones — you can’t streamline that business model. So we thought of something in a traditional size — a Robusto, a Toro, whatever it is. And what can we do differently?

We came up with the accents using different colors of tobacco. It takes us an extra two days to make the Gourmet Collection because of the artisanal accents that need to be applied after they’re rolled. And that department doesn’t even know how to roll cigars. All they know how to do is apply accents.

Jake Wyatt Cigars Accessories and Apparel

Cigar Life Guy: Besides cigars, you carry a variety of accessories and apparel. How do you want consumers to see your brand?

Gerard Abajian: People like our clean, symmetrical look. Our shirts have some design on them, but nothing too obnoxious. We keep it very presentable. And you can wear them to any occasion. The colors are timeless, not loud, which also makes them presentable. They’re timeless. Our staff members also wear our polo shirts. And many people like wearing them when they’re golfing.

Hats are another thing. Our hats are something people desire all the time. In fact, any time we go to trade shows or any time we go to events, they want to buy our hats. We sell a lot of hats. It’s somewhat of a hipster look. We use a leather patch that looks like it’s stitched on, and it has an ironworker look to it that appeals to people. The way I would describe our apparel is timeless and minimalist. It’s good for any occasion. Golfers gravitate to it. Golfing. Boating. Car enthusiasts. It has a clean look, a gentleman’s apparel.

The Future for Jake Wyatt Cigars

Cigar Life Guy: What’s next for Jake Wyatt Cigars?

Gerard Abajian: We just launched the JW Maverick. Right now, we’re focused on distribution, and it’s doing very well. We’re keeping up with production, and we rebranded our entire portfolio. We have new cigar bands with a new design, and the boxes have fresh designs. We also introduced our four packs, which are available for every cigar we make in a Robusto and Toro size. And four-packs help retailers with introducing a cigar to somebody.

The box bears the image of the cigar and a QR code you can scan. It takes you to a 30-second video demonstrating the first, second, and last third of notes you’ll experience while smoking the cigar. And this is on every cigar band. Before buying the cigar and second-guessing whether you’ll like it, you have an interactive video of what to expect. There’s also a QR code on the four-pack and the box.

The inside lid of the box is called a vista. Now, we use the vista as the footprint. It has a diagram of every single cigar inside that box. So the diagram for the Maverick Toro is one Toro chopped in thirds and a diagram of what hints and notes a smoker will experience. We break down the cigar construction, the make-up, where it’s from, what the size is … all of it. So if the retailer is too busy, he can attend to somebody in the humidor, and as customers glance over our product, we do the work for them.

Shelf talkers are sometimes intrusive to other brands sitting below that shelf. They hang down and blind other brands. So, this makes it easier to stand out. It’s all there for you, streamlined and clean. As a boutique company, we’ve never seen anyone take that approach to give you the depth of information on a product.

We also brought out our display trays, which allow retailers to place the box on top of a display. They are actually like wings that spread out into trays. And now you can display four-packs. The tray within a tray slides out, and now you have a footprint of 33 inches of 70 cigars. Usually, within our industry, 33 inches would be about three boxes, and it’s Robusto, Toro, and Gordo. It all looks the same.

With our display, it’s the same space. However, you are not only showcasing three sizes, but we’re also allowing you to display four packs. The real estate is much more appealing. There’s some decoration going on within that 33 inches rather than it being a flat, three identical boxes, which look like an assembly line. It’s more decorative and catches the eye. Thirty-three inches is what everyone scans when looking at a shelf.

Jake Wyatt Cigars: Final Words

Cigar Life Guy: Have we missed anything? Please tell us anything else you’d like the cigar world to know.

Gerard Abajian: I think there’s a perception that we are a high-end cigar. They say, “We’ve heard of you.” However, when I ask them what they think our prices are, they usually say $18 to $20. So, maybe it has to do with design. But I want people to know we are very competitively priced.

Follow Gerard on Instagram, and check out the latest from Jake Wyatt Cigars here.

Photo credit: Jake Wyatt Cigars

The Blackbird Cigars Story with Jonas Santana: From Rolling to Mastery

Posted on October 23, 2023 by Staff

Jonas Santana of Blackbird Cigars is taking care of things in a different way — his own way. He started out rolling cigars and eventually learned every aspect of the cigar industry. Experience and knowledge have served him well in building an extensive cigar portfolio that is carving a niche in the industry. Jonas talks to Cigar Life Guy about paying attention to the finer details, not wanting to be another Fuente, making music, and having fun while living the cigar life.

The First Premium Smoke

Cigar Life Guy: Tell me about your first premium cigar experience.

Jonas Santana: Honestly, I want to keep that to myself because it was in another factory and I want to respect that. It was not a good feeling. The first cigar my friend gave me was full-bodied, and I knew nothing about cigars. I was sweating (laughs). It was so freaking uncomfortable, but here we are. Here we are.

A College that Pays You

Cigar Life Guy: Tell us how you got started in the cigar industry. What else did you do before and how does it help inform what you do with your current business?

Jonas Santana: Before I got into the cigar industry, I worked with my father. He used to have a drugstore. My marketing degree was nearly complete. A friend — the same friend who gave me my first cigar — told me he was making a brand, and he needed some help. He knew I was in marketing, so he gave me a job. So I started there, but I can tell you something when you work for someone. If you really pay attention, it is a college that pays you. But if you’re only there to make money, you probably won’t have a future.

I started there in that factory and I said to myself, I really need to become friends with the master blender because I didn’t know where it was going to take me. There’s an entire world in this industry — the growing part, the production part, the distribution, the branding. There are many things going on. So I said I needed to learn graphic design, how every tobacco tastes, how to roll cigars, and I needed to perfect my English. So I went to the master blender and said, “I really want to learn how to make cigars and understand everything.” Then he said, “If you’re really honest about this and you’re really going to commit to what you say, I want you here every day one hour before your work shift.” If you show you’re going to do that, I’ll teach you.

The next day I started like that. An hour before the shift, I made ten cigars each day, and I was enjoying the performance of each tobacco. I did it like that for one year and after that, the Master Blender left and I quit working at that location. I worked with the same company but moved to Miami. Over there it was crazy. It was tough. But now I can understand it because I was one man inside a warehouse doing marketing and sales. I was taking care of every shipment, shipping every order, invoicing, charging, doing events, and traveling. A lot of things at the same time. Back then I felt like trash, but as I have previously mentioned, if you work for someone and you really pay attention, it’s a college that pays you.

How has it helped in the current business? I know every single department of my business because of that. Now I understand why God did that to me.

The Art of Crafting Blackbird Cigars

Cigar Life Guy: You started from the ground up by rolling cigars. Why is it important for smokers to understand the detail that goes into the construction of a cigar?

Jonas Santana: It’s so important. Cigars are an art. Respect the art of it. It’s a tradition to make cigars. There are a lot of families that survive because of cigars. It is not a family tradition for my brother and me because we are the first generation in the cigar industry. But knowing every single detail that goes into cigar manufacturing is very important because I can tell you how long it takes to make a cigar from scratch. You’re going to grow the tobacco, ferment the tobacco, and make the cigar. If you do everything by yourself, it will take an estimated time of three and a half years. So, yeah, they need to understand how many hands touch the tobacco before you can smoke a cigar and the time it takes. It’s not like a cigarette. We take care of it in a different way.

The Smartest Bird in the Business

Cigar Life Guy: What is the inspiration behind the name Blackbird?

Jonas Santana: Which is the most powerful bird on the planet? The most powerful bird is the eagle. But which is the smartest bird? The smartest bird is actually the crow. So my thing is, how do I play smart against a bunch of eagles? Blackbirds, for me, are a respectful way to tell the mainstream brand I’m gonna play smarter than you. I know other companies have a lot of years in this, but I’m a new guy. How am I gonna scream? A crow is smaller than an eagle, but I’m gonna play smarter. So there are a lot of details that make some noise? That makes people know I’m there in the humidor.

I use colors. I use music because I’m a rapper. You can go to my Instagram — @jontanard. I incorporate the talent I have in music to promote my cigars because it’s fun. My marketing approach is more fresh. I would like to bring a younger generation to the industry because if I keep promoting my cigars like another Fuente, I’m gonna be another Fuente. I don’t want to be Fuente. Becoming like Jonas would be nice because I want to be Jontana; I want to be Blackbird.

So my line is all bird names. 80% are crow names — dark feathered birds. The Rook, Jackdaw, the Crow. The Unkind is not a bird. It actually used to be called the Raven. I named it The Unkind because someone who claimed The Raven brand name almost sued me. The lawyer who called me was really unkind about the whole thing. So I renamed it The Unkind. This worked out because a flock of ravens is called an unkindness. So I stayed in the same spot.

Everything from the Finch to The Cuco is mildest to fullest. Things I like to pay attention to are taking the smoker from mild to the fullest. The Cuco, for example, is a medium-full cigar — no pepper at all.

But let’s say you want a little pepper, and you want a fuller-bodied cigar. I have The Crow. If you want to be in the middle, there is The Unkind. But this is also marked by the time of the day. For example, the Jackdaw is the sunrise. It is orange. Sunrise cigar? Bright orange like the sun. The Finch?

Midmorning that’s how the clouds look, light blue — a mid-morning cigar. Then you have the Rook — high noon. For me, it’s an after-lunch cigar. Then you have The Unkind (which used to be The Raven). That’s purple. When the sunlight hits the feather of a raven, it turns purple. Dusk is also a purplish color.

During the night, after people finish work, they like to smoke a couple of cigars so we have the heat of the night with The Crow and the mid-night which is The Cuco.

What Makes Blackbird Cigars Unique?

Cigar Life Guy: You have described your brand as modern. What makes Blackbird unique?

Jonas Santana: I think I’ve explained a little about that. Music definitely. Colors. For instance, using pink. Most of the guys that smoke cigars don’t use pink stuff. I would like to be the opposite of what typical cigar brands promote. I like to be myself. The beauty of this is when you have your own stuff, you create your own niche, your own demographic, and your own followers, which is happening with the brand.

Cigar Life Guy: What is your favorite aspect of the cigar business?

Jonas Santana: Honestly? Traveling. Every time I travel, I get to meet new people. I get to try new food that I don’t find in Miami. Traveling is amazing. I live the life I’ve always wanted. Let’s say I’m traveling to Italy. I take my wife and come back and continue working. It’s nice. I enjoy traveling and meeting new people. It’s beautiful. The world is beautiful.

The Future of Blackbird Cigars

Cigar Life Guy: What’s next for Blackbird Cigars?

Jonas Santana: Currently we have a new factory. 30,000 square feet. My brother, who is a visionary, said we have to do it. If we really want to be consistent and develop new products, we want people to feel great about us, not only about how nice we promote cigars, but how we respect the art of cigars. We needed to have a bigger facility so we could ferment our own tobacco, get more tobacco, and make great cigars for years to come.

I want people to feel like, “Damn, I need a Blackbird.” I want people to feel when I smoke a Blackbird, I feel young. That’s what I want them to feel. I would like to comfort their minds and emotions. That’s more beautiful than money.

Cigar Life Guy: Have we missed anything? Please tell us anything else you’d like the cigar world to know.

Jonas Santana: No, we have missed nothing. Just remember Blackbird on Instagram. Check out some of the music. It’s fun. Don’t let anyone clip your wings. Follow your dreams.

Follow Jonas on Instagram and check out the latest from Blackbird Cigars here.

Photo credit: Blackbird Cigars

Interview: Luis Torres of Freud Cigars

Posted on June 19, 2023 by Staff

Torres of Freud Cigars has done it all in the cigar industry. He spent most of his career with Davidoff, so he understands what being a “luxury” brand means. Who better to represent that than one of the most famous cigar smokers in history, Sigmund Freud? Luis talks with Cigar Life Guy about his brand’s namesake, storytelling, the importance of educating the consumer, and the cigar journeys that make the industry “magical.”

Luis Torres’ First Premium Smoke

Cigar Life Guy: Tell me about your first premium cigar experience.

Luis Torres: (laughs) It was an Arturo Fuente Rosado Sungrown. I was with a bunch of friends in Miami. At the time, I was living in Jersey City, New Jersey. A bunch of friends of mine got together. They knew more about cigars then, and we stumbled into this shop. I remember it well. I must have been in my early twenties, and I fell in love with the cigar world.

It was stronger than I anticipated. I didn’t know what I was doing, but it was enjoyable and piqued my interest in what was to come.

The History Behind the Name

Cigar Life Guy: Everyone is familiar with Freud as the father of psychoanalysis and an avid cigar smoker. Tell us more about your decision to name a cigar line after him.

Luis Torres: I came from Davidoff. Most of my career was at Davidoff of Geneva. I met the Churchill family, Randolph Churchill, the great-grandson of Winston Churchill. We had the Winston Churchill line, which later became the Davidoff Winston Churchill. I spent a lot of time thinking about world historical figures who were prolific cigar smokers. They accomplished much and were part of the psyche, part of the lexicon of language. I just kept gravitating toward Sigmund Freud — you know, Freudian slip. It just made sense. He did most of his groundbreaking work with a cigar in his hand. Astonishingly enough, no one had seized the trademark to his name. It just seemed right. We did all the homework and were surprised it was available.

Many people don’t know this, but I want to announce it. Still, we’ve been in contact with Matthew Freud, his great-grandson. We’ve sent him his cigar, so we have been authentically active with the Freud family on some level. We just launched Sigmund -his birthday cigar — to celebrate his birthday, May 6. It will be an ongoing Limited Edition to celebrate his life and times. I wrote about his life and times for the inserts inside the box. It just made sense for a luxury cigar brand, an emerging one, to have the name of someone as important as accomplished and part of our psyche as Sigmund Freud.

Defining Luxury with Luis Torres

Cigar Life Guy: You have long been in the business, working for companies like Davidoff. What makes Freud Cigars unique?

Luis Torres: I’m glad you asked that. We are a luxury cigar brand, and many people throw that. They say that they’re “luxury,” and when I was at Davidoff and later when I was CEO at Casa De Montecristo, the first thing that I’d ask was, “So what does that mean?”. You say that you’re luxury, so what does that mean? I often wondered why people would look at me like I had grown ten heads in boardrooms and conference rooms.

To me, a luxury brand is storytelling. It’s of premium prominence. The people you work with have a track record and history of creating unique and visually appealing things. Having something in a sea of brown in a humidor — where everything is brown — you stand out. And on those three fronts, we meet that goal of being different. That’s why Freud is special. Not only do we have the namesake of one of the most prominent cigar smokers and world-historical figures, Sigmund Freud, but we have Eladio Diaz, one of the greatest blenders (former master blender for Davidoff). Maybe even — I’m going to say it for the first time — perhaps the greatest blenders to have done this. Wiber Ventura and the Ventura family, who make cigars for some of my favorite brands, like Caldwell and Room101, have succeeded. Also, somebody I worked with at Davidoff.

You put all that together, and you have a compelling story. That’s why we’ve been successful.

Luis Torres: Retail and Cigar Lounge

Cigar Life Guy: You have seen the retail and lounge sides of the business for Casa De Montecristo and other companies. How does founding your line compare?

Luis Torres: That’s a great question. It’s different. I’ve never been on the retail side. I’ve run retail stores and scaled retail for Davidoff and later for Imperial brands. I oversaw the expansion of Davidoff Retail and became the CEO of the world’s most prominent cigar retail chain.

So it’s very different. You get an idea of what people are looking at, buying, and thinking. You’ve reached your pulse: “Hey, this brand is working, and why.” But it’s very different from running the lounges and running what is essentially a lounge-retail experiential play into creating a brand you want to segue into that channel. It’s very different, but some things you learn along the way are complementary to building this. I’m glad I have that experience. Both are great companies. I learned a lot. Most of my career has been at Davidoff. I had a brief stint at Imperial Brands. It was a great run.

Packaging and Partnership

Cigar Life Guy: The packaging of your cigars is distinct. Tell us about your design team and how you created your product’s presentation.

Luis Torres: We wanted it to be disruptive. We trademarked certain things like “Indulgence,” which are trademarks of Freud. “Redefining luxury cigars.” Those are trademarks of Freud. “Freud” and “Freud Cigars,” obviously. We wanted it to be impactful. We wanted to modernize Freud’s face. Recently somebody wrote what it looked like. I don’t think it’s a cartoon. It’s a rendering of what he would look like if he were younger. It’s a cool, edgy thing that we’re doing. If we’re talking about Agape, everything from the bands to the lacquered boxes to the plain wooden boxes. Everything has symmetry, and we’re proud of what we’re doing.

Cigar Life Guy: Freud is an adjunct of Agape Lifestyle Inc. Describe your partnership with David Stadnyk. Tell us more about Agape and how Freud fits with the branding and other products.

Luis Torres: David Stadnyk is a venture capitalist — luxury goods, an aficionado, and a family friend, and he asked me to work with him on this. He’s the cofounder, along with George Tsafalas and me. He financed and co-created this with me. He’s an incredible partner, as is George. We created this together. With Agape Lifestyle, we’d like to develop spirits brands alongside it.

We’re looking at tequila. We’re looking at scotch and other segments to tap into. We want this to be a family of luxury brands, and Freud is its star. David has excellent experience in venture capital and philanthropy. Everything from oil and gas to cannabis to many other things, so I’m learning a great deal working with him. He’s a great friend and partner to work with. I’m very proud of what we’re doing together.

Luis Torres: Educating the Consumer

Cigar Life Guy: What is the cigar industry’s biggest challenge today?

Luis Torres: Most people would say regulation. That’s a lazy answer because regulation will always be part of our lives. The biggest challenge is educating the consumer. We’ve got to talk about what a great cigar should be — this whole thing about big ring gauges and overly potent and robust cigars.

Many guys smoke because they want fellowship. They want to get together with others, and it’s a means to that end. We must teach people what they should be doing and how they should smoke. Every cigar doesn’t have to be full-body. If you like a heavy cigar and somebody else prefers something lighter, neither of you is wrong. It’s what you want. We should educate consumers about choosing what they like and what the blends should do. The journey they should be on when they smoke a cigar and educate folks on the experience. American cigar smokers gravitate toward different things from smokers elsewhere. We could better educate folks about what to look for.

You care about more than your business and whether you succeed. You also care about the industry and the end consumer; you want that consumer to experience everything they can. The cigar industry is magical, and cigars are wonderful things people can enjoy on special occasions and almost daily. We owe it to them to teach them how to cut it, light it, and find what they’re looking for. Everything doesn’t have to be full-bodied or an 80 gauge. People gravitate toward standard cigar sizes: Lanceros, Coronas, Lonsdales, and Robustos — traditional Cuban sizes. There’s a reason why those why those are the prized sizes for cigars throughout the ages, and we need to do a better job of educating folks about that.

What’s Next for Luis Torres?

Cigar Life Guy: You debuted the Super Ego cigar. What’s next for the Freud line?

Luis Torres: We debuted Super Ego, Alter Ego, and Agape. We’ve got three collections and are about to launch Sigmund Freud’s birthday cigar. That’s about to enter the United States next week. We’ll start shipping them all over the country then. It’s a Double Corona, medium-bodied, and a limited edition. And it’s everything you would expect from people following what we are doing. It’s a complex, balanced, delicious cigar packed with flavor.

Follow Luis on Instagram and check out the latest from Freud Cigars here.

Photo credit: Luis Torres

Interview: Micky Pegg on All Saints Cigars

Posted on May 23, 2023 by Staff

When it comes to the cigar industry, Micky Pegg has done it all. After a brief hiatus, he launched his line in 2019. Pegg continues growing the All Saints Cigars brand with plans on expanding to the West Coast. Pegg talks with Cigar Life Guy about lounge culture, smoking with Kid Rock, and how the business evolved since he made cigar runs for senators.

Micky Pegg’s First Premium Smoke

Cigar Life Guy: Tell me about your first premium cigar experience.

Micky Pegg: One of my first memories was working for a senator on Capitol Hill. Back then, they didn’t have to pay interns. They would have you run errands, and when you ran errands, you got to keep the change because there weren’t Ubers. It was only taxis.

One senator sent me to Georgetown Cigars to fetch and bring cigars back. They liked a particular cigar, Juan Clemente; I don’t even know if they make them anymore. The cool thing was you got to keep the change because you had to jump in the cab, go to Georgetown, and come back. He always got an extra cigar, and I got to sit with the senator. It was like talking with the President of the United States at a pub- on speaker phone. It was pretty cool. So Juan Clemente and fetching cigars for a senator was my first experience. Then I started buying some of my cigars, and Georgetown Tobacco gave me a part-time job, which was awesome.

Micky Pegg: Life on Capitol Hill

Cigar Life Guy: You worked on Capitol Hill in college and made regular cigar runs to Georgetown Tobacco. You shared a cigar in the senator’s room. Who was the exciting person you smoked with?

Micky Pegg: Jeez, I’ve smoked with a lot of people. Interesting? I’ve been fortunate. Rock stars. Business moguls. The most interesting was Kid Rock. He has strong business acumen. It was in my old days at CAO. It was cool how much he loved cigars and how in tune he was with the business aspects of it.

And Hank Williams Jr. Those two guys know each other. And it’s the same thing. Hank Williams is like a big brother to Kid Rock. There were plenty of others, but those two because they were about cigar culture, the business side, and their smartness.

Launching a Cigar Line

Cigar Life Guy: You have said you enjoyed visiting retail shops as a sales rep. What makes a retail shop stand out?

Micky Pegg: I started working in a retail shop, then as a rep, and then as VP of sales at CAO. Now I own a company. I always loved it. I always say, “If you’ve only been to one retail shop, you’ve only been to one retail shop.” It’s a different culture, even for guys who own many shops under the same name. Every shop has its personality. I see the different personalities, talking to the people, enjoying a cigar, and creating ways to grow the business. Plus, all the banter. We all like the same things.

Cigar Life Guy: You have worked in various capacities for some premier cigar lines. What is different about launching your line?

Micky Pegg: A lot more work. A lot more on the table. You’re starting something and building a foundation. It’s completely different than taking something with a foundation and growing it (like I did before in the cigar world and the mutual fund world, where I was for a bit). So many critical little details need to get done, from keeping up with the tax situations in all the different states to ordering the inventory. All the other companies have specific people that did all these different practical things. Now it’s me and Frank Layo, my partner. He’s behind the scenes, and I’m more the “front of the house.” There’s a lot.

You’re always moving and working on things. That’s one of the reasons I keep going down to the factories as much as I do. You must stay on top of it to keep getting what we promise to deliver—everything from the packaging to the most important part, the cigar.

Micky Pegg on Cigar Lounge Culture

Cigar Life Guy: You have done it all in the cigar industry and have been in it on and off for a long time. How has the premium tobacco business evolved since you were in Washington?

Micky Pegg: The biggest thing is the lounge culture that has evolved with it. When I got in, most cigar shops were cigars, cash, and carry. Smoke shops were either cigar stores that sold pipes or pipe stores that sold cigars. And they were cash and carry. Very few people had lounges. In the last ten to twelve years, lounge culture has taken over.

And there are all different types of lounges. There are BYOB lounges. There are “on-premise” lounges, meaning they sell booze on-premise. Sometimes it’s just beer and wine. Sometimes it’s full service.

Then you have these smoking lounges that have a small humidor as an accent to the place. Then you have places that have larger humidors for full service. I’m trying to say that there are all different types of lounges, but everybody has a lounge component in their stores. That’s why you see so much on lounge etiquette. But it’s relatively new in the premium market. The lounge culture is relatively new if you go back to the boom chapter starting in the late 80s and early 90s. There were lounges out there, don’t get me wrong, but they were only here and there.

When I was in retail, if a guy had a lounge, the manufacturer or brand owner would not sell directly to that lounge. Instead, they had to buy it through a retailer, which would give them ten to fifteen percent off. So they had to rely on their liquor sales. But now that’s completely changed.

Growing the All Saints Cigars Line

Cigar Life Guy: What can we expect from All Saints Cigars in the future?

Micky Pegg: Growth! We’re working on it every day. Right now, I’m in the middle of a 25-day tour. We’re onboarding three new sales guys: one for Arizona, one for Southern California, and one for the DFW (Dallas Fort Worth) of Texas.

This year is our third year in the market, but the first year was COVID. So we had two years with an asterisk. The first year we had 40 accounts, and now we have over 300.

We have four lines on the market and need people to smoke our cigars. Since the media has done an excellent job of giving us exposure, it’s time to capture that. We have had a good online presence, though. In fact, we spent the last couple of years on the East Coast and are now expanding to the West Coast.

Cigar Life Guy: Have we missed anything? Please tell us anything else you’d like the cigar world to know.

Micky Pegg: This started with Frank Layo and me. We’re excited about what we’re doing. We are all in. I don’t have a Plan B. I put everything into this business, and we will make it work. We’re very proud of our relationship with Rocky Patel because we use his boutique cigar factory, Tavicusa. Working down there (Esteli, Nicaragua) with guys like Amilcar and Gerber, who run the factory, is a pleasure. We love the relationship we have with those guys.

Follow Micky on Instagram and check out the latest from All Saints Cigars here.

Photo credit: All Saints Cigars