Carlos Nodal of Ultimate Cigars Club: Filling Big Shoes, and Making His Name
Carlos Nodal, founder of Ultimate Cigars, grew up in the cigar industry; his father, Rafael, founded Aging Room. Carlos briefly worked in the hospitality industry. However, he ultimately returned to cigars, where he learned from some of the best. His father casts a long shadow, but Carlos is steadily making a name for himself in […]
Jonathan Carney Wants You to Meet Bentley the Cigar
Jonathan Carney has been living the cigar life for over twenty years. He started in a cigar shop, moved into sales, and now leads Bentley Cigars’ US distribution. Carney learned early to never compromise values or vision when trying to create something special. He spoke with Cigar Life Guy about his partnership with Martin Schuster. […]
Juan Lugo of Don Doroteo Cigars is Reviving a Legacy
Many people grow up around cigars, but it takes a special person to revive a legacy. That’s what Juan Lugo of Don Doroteo Cigars did. He smoked his first “intentional” cigar while deployed in Iraq. But Lugo took the seed of his idea back to his roots in the Dominican Republic. Lugo spoke with Cigar […]
Lily Wang Brings Her Passion to the Cigar Game
Lily Wang has come a long way since launching Cigar Ambassador in 2005. Her passion for cigars and respect for the art of creating blends led to the release of Tobacco Queen in 2023. She talked with Cigar Life Guy about her best industry advice, China’s evolving cigar culture, and how cigar life fosters the […]
Douglas Bocock Wants Everyone to be Cocky
Doug Bocock and his brother, Bryant, have lived the cigar life for nearly three decades. Natives of Honduras, it all began at a nightclub with the idea of drawing a crowd in Tegucigalpa. The brothers built a humidor and created a house blend, and the rest is history. Recently, they became the first cigar company […]
Sans Pareil’s David Swinburne is Doing His Best to Create a Cigar Experience Without Equal
As an investor and cigar lounge owner, David Swinburne has seen almost everything in the cigar world. However, his experience in the supply chain served him best in his role as CEO of Sans Pareil Cigars. David talked with Cigar Life Guy about the “intriguing” problems in creating a cigar from beginning to end, the […]
Going Mobile With Christine Morgan
Christine Morgan is the owner and founder of Lips Sticks and Fingertips. She has been living the cigar life and breaking barriers in the cigar industry for nearly a decade. Ever the businesswoman, she has learned she can’t be in two places at once. However, that hasn’t stopped her from sharing insights and welcoming newcomers […]
Molon Labe’s Steve Bartell is “All-In”
People called Steve Bartell crazy for getting into the cigar business. Still, when you have lived the cigar life since childhood, it’s anything but crazy. Bartell — owner and president of Molon Labe Cigars — is all in and has an “intent” to make his brand global. He talked with Cigar Life Guy about his […]
Leonor Abzaradel Shares the Nova Cigars Story
Leonor Abzaradel worked in the wine business for a time. So transitioning to another luxury industry like the cigar world wasn’t difficult. Known as “Leo” in the cigar business, the CEO of Nova Cigars shared her first cigar with her father. She has been living the cigar life ever since. She talked to Cigar Life […]
Going to the Moon with Omar de Frias of Fratello Cigars
Omar de Frias, founder of Fratello Cigars, left a high-paying job at NASA to pursue his passion for cigars. Omar has been living the cigar life since his teens and found some surprising similarities between his work with NASA and the cigar industry. He talked with Cigar Life Guy about the science and artisanship of […]