Sunday, October 19 2008
This month, we speak to Nestor Miranda, President of Miami Cigar, Inc. Señor Miranda, established Miami Cigar & Co with his wife, Mariana in 1989. That was also the year he introduced Don Lino cigars, the brand that staked his claim during the cigar boom 90's. But even before that, in the late 1980's, when he met a roller from Tabacalera La Aurora who introduced him to the Leon Jimenes brand, Nestor Miranda never imagined that his idea to sell premium cigars to liquor stores would turn into one of the longest and most successful careers in the cigar industry.
- G.K.
What was the very first cigar you ever smoked, and how well do you remember it?
Nestor Miranda: I believe that I was 17 years old when I had my first cigar, in my city of origin, Holguin, in Oriente, Cuba. I felt like I was turning yellow when smoked that first cigar, but I loved it.
Please tell us about your family background and how you got started in the cigar business.
NM: Our family owned a bakery but my grandfather was a cigar aficionado 100%. He always had eight Churchills in his “guayabera” pocket. I will guess he passed the genes to me. My lovely wife Mariana, and I. started Miami Cigar as a mom and pop venture back in 1989 in Miami. Later, my son Daniel come aboard. Our only cigar brand at that time was only Don Lino from Honduras.
What was the first premium cigar line you brought to market and how did it do?
NM: The first premium line was Leon Jimenes by La Aurora, then we had the brands Astral and Don Tomas from U.S. Tobacco. We did it the old fashioned way, working 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.
You've been in the cigar business a long time. What can you tell us about how the business differs today as to when you first started out?
NM: Today, most of the companies in the market are more professional, and they are manufacturing better products for everyone.
How many different brands do you manufacture, and which are your best sellers?
NM: We exclusively represent the brands from La Aurora, Felipe Gregorio, Brun del Ré, and Ducados from Spain. We are also working very closely with boutique brands to be incorporated to our portfolio. We own the Don Lino family (which has Don Lino Dominican Rep., Don Lino Africa, Don Lino 1989, Nestor Miranda, and Habanitos by Don Lino), as well as the #1 flavored cigar line in the US market, Tatiana cigars.
Tatiana Cigars are named for your daughter. Can you tell us how and why you developed them as a flavored cigar selection?
NM: My daughter Tatiana was very mad with us after our first interview in Cigar Aficionado in 1996, when we only mentioned my son Daniel and all our efforts in the business. I forgot to mention her and, in order to bring her happy with me again, I developed the idea of having a flavored cigar line, named Tatiana, and then she got happy, but also she wants the royalties too!
What is the most difficult challenge you face today in marketing your cigars, and what is the thing that gives you the most pleasure about the cigar business?
NM: The most difficult challenge for the cigar industry are the Congressional Anti-Tobacco Laws. The prohibition to consume cigars in areas such as restaurants, bars, clubs, even in cigar shops. The pleasure comes from meeting consumers at cigar stores all over the United States, sharing with them, having conversations, sharing my cigars, having a good glass of wine or Barcelo Imperial Dominican Rum.
Tell us about the Nestor Miranda Special Selection cigars. How did you come up with the idea and the blend for the line?
NM: This idea came with a promotional cigar I developed for a special event at Cigar Inn, in New York. The cigar was un-banded, made with my own personal blend. The whole promotion was that cigar. Every person fell in love with it, and they wanted to buy the boxes we had for the promotion, but we did not charge for them. At that moment the brand was born in New York.
How involved are you personally in the blending process of your cigars?
NM: We visit Nicaragua every month to make sure our blend, the construction of the cigars and the aging, are in sync with our objective: to have the best cigar at the best price possible.
With the world economy so shaky these days, how do you feel it will affect the future of the cigar industry?
NM: Trends will change as the money gets tight. We need to work harder than before to help tobacco shops to continue to sell cigars.
Before we go, is there anything else you'd like to say about Miami Cigar?
NM: Next year, 2009, will be our 20th Anniversary for Miami Cigar Co. We are going to dedicate this anniversary with 1000 boxes specially made for 100 tobacco shops in honor to my late son, Daniel Miranda, in which part of the revenues will be donated from Miami Cigar Co to the National Brain Tumor Society, as it was my son’s last wish. £
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