Monday, March 15 2010
by Tom Johansmeyer (
Luxist)
Even with a full, detailed tour of everything from leaf to ash, much of what occurs in Jose "Pepin" Garcia's My Father Cigars operation will remain a mystery. Of course, you'll never master the details involved in farming the tobacco (unless you're in that business already) ... and have a willingness to guide oxen through the fields in lieu of heavy machinery. As you walk through nearly every building in every room in the factory, you will still be constrained by the act that key details are hidden, even if in plain sight. Watch every step in the process used to manufacture My Father, 601, Tatuaje and several other cigar lines, and you'll never have a chance to appreciate the operation as a whole ... and there's a good reason for this.
The creation of any premium cigar always involves a dose of "secret sauce," and Pepin's business is no different. From the farm to the factory, only four people in My Father Cigars know exactly what goes into each stick. Trade secrets are portable, and this knowledge is maintained only by those who have both proven themselves worthy and have a clear business need for the information.
Yet, even if you won't be able to replicate in your basement what Pepin has created, it's still a fascinating process to watch. From La Finca Estrella to the nearby factory and out the door, Pepin's cigar business is a local affair, involving mostly the staff from Esteli, Nicaragua... Story continues here
