This is the story of a young man who grew up in Beirut during its heyday as the Paris of the East.
“The Sun Rises for Everyone”
Five years ago, Alejandro Mata developed the puro brand Alfambra. But his story is not the typical story of a cigar lover who wanted to create his own private brand. His roots go deeper.
Hand Rolled – now available for free on YouTube
Hand Rolled: a film about cigars, is streaming for free now on YouTube.
Mexico’s IEPT 30th Anniversary and book release
El Habano in Mexico and the story of the man who organized its distribution.
One Day in the Life of Orlin Portillo
From a life of poverty, Orlin Portillo has made an impressive climb up the job ladder.
Tabacalera de García: How a Giant Works…
Driving past the premises of Tabacalera de García in La Romana, one already senses the grandiose dimensions of the world’s largest cigar factory. An endless sea of mopeds glitters in the Dominican midday sun. Thousands of specialists daily produce a huge amount of cigars. We have the opportunity to meet the man who is responsible for ensuring that the cogwheels of the mega-operation run smoothly and never stop: factory director, Javier Elmudesi.
Paul Bugge: One Kilometer of Cigars
Do you know this place? You go through a door and find yourself in another world. In a small town in southern Germany, anybody who loves cigars gets this feeling: at Paul Bugge in Schwenningen.
Nicholas Perdomo III: Simply being the son is not enough
Nick Perdomo Jr. has achieved the American dream par excellence. After 26 years in the cigar business and approaching his midfifites, he manages a company that has more than 4,000 employees, cultivates 1,200 acres of tobacco land and has a production capacity of 80,000 cigars per day.
The Brangelina of cigars
It was not love at first sight. Pete Johnson of Tatuaje Cigars and Janny García of My Father Cigars had known each other and worked together for many years when they realized they were more than “just” friends and business partners. That was in 2009 … or was it 2010?
Carlos Fuente Jr.: We are all one
Since the death of his father on August 5, 2016, Carlito has been the head of the family. That Fuente is one of the most important cigar families (yearly production approx. 30 million cigars) and produces many of the most coveted cigars in the world is adequately known. But who is this man?
Boutique Smokes: Mike Choi
When a man who has spent his working life learning all there is to know about Cuban cigars opens a New-World-cigar business, it’s time to take note.
Mike Choi – who was runner up in Cuba’s prestigious Habanosommelier International Contest and worked at the award-winning Sahakian cigar lounge in London’s Bulgari hotel for several years – is the face behind Boutique Smokes, a new UK business aiming to bring exciting New-World smokes directly to customers.
EXPERIENCE GENEVA WITH JEAN-CHARLES RIOS
Bulgari, Tiffany et Al., Cartier, and Louis Vuitton, just to name a few noble boutiques, line the way to our interviewee in Geneva. We meet Jean-Charles Rios, owner of Gestocigars, in Rue Robert-Céard, in the heart of the city on lake Geneva.