They are genuine enthusiasts and great adventurers. In the middle of the sub-Saharan jungle the brothers Meerapfel grow tobacco for premium wrappers.
La Flor Dominicana holds the only Cigar Patent
Litto Gomez and his wife Ines Lorenzo Gomez made the bold move into the cigar business in 1994 – without any experience. Today La Flor Dominicana is one of the most highly regarded brands.
Boutique Cigars: Pete Johnson’s first Decade with Tatuaje
From musician to cigar sommelier to cigar maker: there’s never a dull moment in the life of Pete Johnson. It has been a fairly wild ride as he approaches his 10th year as a cigar manufacturer.
Nestor Plasencia Sr. Honored for Lifetime Achievement
Nestor Plasencia Sr. is one of the best known tobacco growers and cigar-makers in the cigar industry. When his Lifetime achievement Trophy was announced in Orlando, the entire room rose to their feet with applause.
La Palina – Woman-Made Cigar
La Palina’s band proudly showcases the portrait of Goldie Paley. Bill Paley who resurrected the La Palina brand relies on a number of women to make the brand world-class and to protect the legacy of Goldie.
The Perdomo Experience: From Seed to Smoke
Nick Perdomo has come a long way in 20 years. His deep appreciation of his customers, whether they be retailers or consumers, led him to offer tours where visitors are immersed into his fully vertically integrated operation. Sometimes the owner of the company no less is playing tour guide – cigar retailers and enthusiasts must put this trip on their bucket list!
J. C. Newman Cigar Co. – America’s Oldest Cigar Family
Now 117 years old, J. C. Newman Cigar Co. is the oldest premium cigar company in the United States that is still owned by the founding family. The brands Cuesta-Rey, Diamond Crown and Brick House are known all over the world.
Alec Bradley Cigars – Built for the Long Run
The story of Alec Bradley Cigars is the story of impassioned, dedicated people, finding a niche in the cigar world and then excelling.
Carlos Toraño Honored for Lifetime Achievement
This year, Carlos Toraño was honored for his life’s work. Over the years, he has worked for many well-known brands and today his own brand is counted among the best in the world.
Benjamin F. Menendez Honored for Lifetime Achievement
With more than a half century in the business, Benjamin F. Menendez has been exalted to legendary status in the cigar industry. Born into a tobacco family in Havana, Cuba in 1936, Benjamin F. Menendez smiles when he says that tobacco is in his genes.
Rocky Patel: The Next Level
Rocky Patel started making cigars during the cigar boom of the nineteennineties. In the last fifteen years he has transformed from a lawyer who loved cigars to a true man of tobacco with several classic cigars to a true man of tobacco with several classic cigars in his portfolio.
Standford Newman Celebrate His 90th Birthday
On June 12, one of the most influential people in the cigar world will celebrate his 90th birthday. He is from Cleveland, Ohio. It’s Stanford Newman, the man who made the J. C. Newman Cigar Company one of the world’s great cigar powerhouses… his way.
