According to its website, Nova’s brand and work is dedicated to honoring their grandfather and to remembering him and his infinite passion for the finest cigars. The company was very careful about disclosing tight-lipped information, like the name or history of the family behind the brand, but its CEO, Leonor “Leo” Abzaradel, nonetheless revealed a lot of juicy details. She describes the company as being “super boutique,” meaning, “We use high quality vintage tobacco – aged 10 to 15 years; we have blenders and rollers with a lifetime of experience, have quality control standards that are extreme, and age all of our cigars in Spanish cedar vaults for three years prior to hitting the market.” Abzaradel believes the company’s name is symbolic as well. “Nova is the perfect name because, for many people, it means ‘new’ or ‘beautiful start to the universe.’” Nova’s start to the universe began in February 2019 with the release of its six limited edition lines, each with a different blend and profile. The company exhibited its regular production lines at the trade show, showcasing 10 new blends and vitolas.
Today, Nova has 16 blends available – six limited edition and 10 regular production. The Nova Champion is the company’s best seller. It is a football-shaped cigar comprised of an Ecuador Habano 2000 wrapper, and binder and filler from the Dominican Republic. Their flagship cigar is the Personal Reserve Leo X. “I call it the Leo X because I have worked in the industry for 10 years and there are 10 cigars in each box,” explains AbzaradeI. “I want people to understand my life in the cigar industry and how much passion is in each cigar, in every touch, from the display box to the labels.” Abzaradel has already seen a demand for her products. “Customers put pressure on us to come to the show and get our product to retailers,” she says. “Before this show, customers were only able to buy our products online or by phone. They want us in retailers so they can sit in a lounge and enjoy our cigars.” Prior to joining Nova, Abzaradel was part of the sales team at Nat Sherman Townhouse in New York City, and most recently, she managed the Casa de Montecristo lounges in New York and Boca Ratón, Florida. Nova’s brand president, Aurelio Riego, worked with Abzaradel at Nat Sherman. The two top executives have many years of retail experience and believe their greatest strength will help build strategic partnerships with retailers and consumers. “Since both of us come from retail, we always think about the consumer and the retailer,” explains Abzaradel. “We’re here to support retailers and consumers. The most important thing is to give the cigar smoker the opportunity to try our stuff.” Company operations are housed in Palm Beach, Florida, but the cigar factory, Nova Cigar S.A., is in Santiago, Dominican Republic. Nova Cigar is already working on their next release, Year of the Rat, which is scheduled to hit the market at the end of this year.
