In 1963, President John F. Kennedy imposed a trade embargo on Cuba, making it illegal to import products from the island nation – including cigars.  Now, for the first time since, there is a realistic chance that they will once again be sold in America as the U.S. and Cuba are working on normalizing relations.  That chance has prompted many questions from cigar customers.  Many would just like to try a Cuban cigar.  The demand may be huge, partly because of the mystique that surrounds an authentic Cuban cigar, but will they live up to the hype?  Much has changed in the cigar world since the ‘60s!

After the Communist take-over of Cuba under Fidel Castro, the dictatorship began to nationalize the cigar industry which was, in effect, the cigar capitol of the world.  Many cigar factory owners, growers and cigar masters became exiles and fled for other Latin American countries.  They took their expertise – and in some cases smuggled Cuban seeds – to places like the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Nicaragua. 

Many of the leading cigar brands in the world today are located in Nicaragua – including Padron, Oliva, Drew Estate, Rocky Patel and other well-known makers.  Also in Nicaragua is Perdomo Cigars where a group from Smoke Rings visited in January this year for an in-depth, three day tour of the massive operation.  The quality and consistency of the cigars made in Nicaragua in many cases exceeds that of Cubans.

Nicaragua has a unique geography that allowed a variety of tobacco flavors to exist.  Its rich volcanic soil and nearly perfect tobacco-growing climate drew some leading cigar makers to the region – making it to some the “new Cuba.”  The region near Esteli produces tobacco with an identifiably spicy flavor. The regions of the Condega and Jalapa Valleys likewise have distinct components.  Even tobaccos grown a relatively short distance apart can have different tastes as the composition of the soil varies.  Companies – like Perdomo – established production facilities in Esteli – a region that became a hub of cigar manufacturing.

It is at Tabacalera Perdomo where Aristides Garcia runs the pre-production process.  In some ways, his story and the Perdomo story itself embodies the story of the industry against the backdrop of the history of Cuban-American relations.  Like Nick Perdomo’s grandfather, Silvio, and father, Nick Sr. – Aristides was born in Cuba and became a leader in the Cuban cigar industry. 

Silvio Perdomo opposed the Castro regime and the revolution that would see the freedom of the Cuban people crushed by communism.  He was arrested and spent more than a decade in the inhumane prison system where he faced starvation and torture.  His son, Nick Perdomo Sr. likewise opposed Castro and became a wanted man by the regime.  He was shot and severely wounded and during the time he recovered, he was able to obtain a sponsorship through the Catholic Church to escape to the United States.  It was in the U.S. that Nick Perdomo Jr. was born who would one day decide to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather into the cigar business. He eventually established his operation in Esteli where he now employs over 2000 people.

The manager of pre-production at Perdomo is Aristides Garcia who is 87-years old and going strong.  Like Nick Sr., he was born in Cuba and grew up learning tobacco and cigars.  He was forced to work for the communist government, earning a fraction of what he did before the take-over.  He eventually escaped Cuba and made his way to Nicaragua to work for his friend’s son, Nick Jr.  Their expertise and knowledge, driven with them from their homeland, were unleashed in a new part of the world – to the benefit of people who enjoy great cigars. 

Cigar factory owners, growers and makers developed operations that would rival or exceed the Cuban product from which they sprang.  These independent cigar makers and entrepreneurs – through initiative and determination – have come to fill the void for premium, hand-crafted cigars that resulted from the trade embargo.  Once Cuban cigars begin to enter the market, they may have some catching up to do – especially in value on the dollar – as the “new Cuba” produces quality and consistency that will be tough to match.   

Smoke Rings Cigar Bar and other bars, shops and their customers are constantly under threat from proposed local, state and federal regulations. It seems like somebody somewhere doesn’t like the idea that we are free to have a cigar. But rather than just stay away from smoking establishments, they want to make it difficult or impossible for you to enjoy a cigar & a place to smoke it! They try to impose ever-increasing taxes that raise prices for the consumer and impose an unfair burden on retailers and owners of affected businesses. Cigar regulations in particular are bogus. Cigars are a product designed for – and consumed by – discerning adults.  Nobody snuck to the bathroom in high school to puff a premium cigar! These laws go much further than just protecting young people from smoking – they impact cigar customers and hurt businesses.

Right now, there is proposed legislation in the Pennsylvania Assembly – House Bill 682 – that would directly impact cigar customers and businesses. In 2008, the Clean Indoor Air Act was enacted in PA. It placed limits on where people can smoke. This 2008 law included “exceptions” to the smoking ban. These exceptions included drinking establishments with less than 20% food sales, portions of casino floors and other places where smoking would still be permitted.

The current proposal – “Amendment to the Clean Indoor Air Act” – would remove these exceptions – and even go further! Exceptions to be eliminated include drinking establishments, casino floors, and tobacco promotion events. Literally, the law defines “PRIVATE CLUBS” as “PUBLIC PLACES.” It would also ban smoking on any outdoor deck or patio area of a drinking establishment. So not only would “PRIVATE” be “PUBLIC” but also the “INDOOR” Clean Air Act would ban “OUTDOOR” smoking areas!! This from the same people who think it’s our kids who should take tests every year in school to see what they learned??

Meanwhile the FDA and Federal Government may likewise want to limit your freedom to enjoy a cigar. This is an interesting read from former U.S. Senator  Mary Landrieu of Louisiana. She served in the Senate from 1997–2015, where she chaired the Senate Small Business Committee, and the Energy Committee. She is now a consultant to Cigar Rights of America and the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association – two great organizations who lead the fight to protect the industry from government regulation.

As the article suggests:
-Aside from just Cuba, over 300,000 jobs are related to the cigar industry in Honduras, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic from seed to shore
-Without this employment, economic and political stability would be disrupted with costs to the American taxpayer in terms of foreign aid or other intervention
-Over 2000 U.S. retailers would be impacted needlessly as would responsible adults who enjoy premium hand-made cigars

The cigars we enjoy are made where people work or don’t eat – they need their jobs, they need our trade, not our foreign aid. We saw first-hand on our trip to Tabacalera Perdomo in Esteli, Nicaragua that each cigar is “the work of 1000 hands” through the various stages of production. Unemployment in the Esteli region is virtually zero in large part because of the cigar industry. Nicaragua in particular has areas of abject poverty and just a few decades ago was torn by a civil war that impacted American interests. The last thing the people of Nicaragua need is to have the progress and stability they’ve begun to achieve undone because somebody thinks you shouldn’t be able to smoke your cigar. People would be thrown out of work, trade impacted, and vulnerable governments destabilized. This nonsense has to stop. Please urge your representatives to not gut yet another industry – you work hard for your money & shouldn’t be punished because you like a premium hand-made cigar!