In the expanding global market of premium cigars, few ambassadors appear to be logging as many miles as Esteban Carreras’ Christopher Mey.
The global sales director and brand ambassador for Esteban Carreras has spent much of the past few years tirelessly crisscrossing international markets, visiting retailers, hosting tastings, and strengthening the Tennessee-headquartered, Nicaraguan-produced brand’s influence on markets near and far.
A recent stop in early May of 2026 brought him to Szeged, Hungary, home to the flagship location of La Fumée Lounge, a growing cigar lounge operation that currently counts three Hungarian locations, with two more planned to open before 2027.
Waiting at the airport for Mey was La Fumée’s “lounge on wheels,” a 2020 Mercedes van that was transformed into a fully functional mobile cigar lounge, complete with a professionally-ventilated smoking cabin designed for drives with comfortable cigar enjoyment.
The evening’s event centered around a guided tasting featuring the Esteban Carreras 13 Year Aged Maduro and the Soga de Oro Maduro Toro, a limited-production cigar that has quickly built a following among passionados after garnering a 93 rating from Cigar Journal. The event market the official release for the acclaimed small-batch cigar in Hungary.
Guests were led through the nuances of each blend by Mey, whose presentation was translated into Hungarian by Tamás Simon, director of La Fumée.
After a hearty helping of traditional Hungarian goulash soup, many guests choose to pair their cigars with Günzer-Ördögárok, a robust red wine from Hungary’s Villány region that has become something of a house favorite at La Fumée for cigar accompaniment.
Before departing the country, Mey also visited La Fumée’s Budapest location, capping off yet another passport-stamped chapter in the his international quest.
