Friday, December 26 2008
By Didier Houvenaghel
Ever wonder how a cigar actually becomes a brand? In this issue, Didier Houvenaghel gives his personal account of what inspired him to write his cigar book and create the Nicarao Cigars brand. - G.K.
When I arrived in Cuba to study agriculture, I knew that I liked cigars, but I was quite far from guessing that some years later I would create a brand and develop it worldwide. Here's how this unusual story happened.
The Passion
Among the topics I studied at Pinar del Rio University in Cuba was agroinstria tabacalera (tobacco agro-industry). Covering all aspects, from soil preparation to fermentation, through growth controls, harvest and drying, this program offered a very complete and precisely technical view of the “soon-to-be-cigars” black tobacco production chain.
My real passion was born when I saw the deep dedication and true love planters and growers – the ones having their hands in the soil and on the leaves – demonstrate in order to produce good, black tobacco leaves.
The job cannot be done if love and respect are not only felt and shown for the plant, but for the soil, air, water, and temperature, etc. There is an interconnection of the senses and the elements, not very far removed from that of alchemy. Extraordinary!
The Book
When I was in Europe as a cigar "amateur," I immediately wanted to complement this passion for the production process with good knowledge of tasting and an appreciation for the cigar itself. Since only a couple of books had enough substance to satisfy my curiosity, I decided to write my own book. For the necessary research, I travelled several times back to Cuba and other tobacco-producing countries. In my book “The Cigar, From Soil to Soul” (now published in English), I wanted to fulfill a challenge: give the maximum amount of information about all the steps, from soil preparation to the final tasting, with simple wording and an attractive presentation. My goal was to make reading the book as enjoyable as smoking a great cigar.
The Idea
Invited to Nicaragua by Cuban friends – experts in a new plantation at the time – for the purpose of my book, I was pleasantly surprised by the beauty of this Central American country having recovered from a civil war. Nicaragua has very fertile lands and soils appropriate for black tobacco culture. At the time, the cigar tradition was already remarkable and historic, even if negatively affected by the war. This trend has significantly developed in the years since. It was while collecting information for my book that I came up with the idea of creating a new premium cigar brand with the company my Cuban friends worked for.
Development of the blend
With this new idea in mind, I immediately started doing some market research to see if it would be feasible to launch a new cigar brand in Europe. The answer was that it would not be easy since 90% of the cigars sold in Europe are Cubans. Yes, the legend of the Cuban cigar’s qualitative supremacy is still alive there (even if it's not at all based on objective reasons).
I quickly found myself with a very difficult, yet interesting challenge: how to change European's preconceptions about non-Cuban cigars. Once I decided to move forward, practical implementation of this new project went through a three-stage development process: the cigar, the presentation, and the overall business structure and marketing.
In approaching the production stage, a million questions must be answered: What kind of cigar should we produce? What should be the theoretical blend in terms of strength and complexity? What kind of wrapper do I want to use? Do I want a 100% Nicaraguan puro? What kind of aficionado am I targeting? How many sizes do I want? All these questions focus on the development of the cigar. Personally, I see this as the most exciting part of developing a new cigar, but the blend determination is by far the most difficult.
The presentation reflects everything about the cigar itself: the brand name, logo, colors, box design, etc. Since the first perception of a product is visual, creativity, time and energy must be dedicated to developing an attractive look. Special attention is given to building a visual concept that is consistent with the cigar's style, too.
The business structure is the creation of the company and development of the marketing and distribution channels. Beyond the standard regulations of any product that is exported and imported, tobacco is highly taxed and therefore subject to numerous restrictions and controls. Establishing a company in the tobacco industry is sometimes, but not always, an assault course, as some countries require licenses, interviews with Customs officials, etc.
Nicarao Now
Blended with 100% Nicaraguan leaves, the Nicarao cigar is a worldwide success. Say “nik-ar-ow” to some Belgian, Singaporean, Russian, Swiss, Austrian or French aficionados, and they'll know what you are talking about! For the United States market, Nicarao cigars are developed in partnership with Rocky Patel. Rocky and I joined forces, and together we did a great job, using a very specific all-Nicaraguan blend with a lush Colorado capa. The smoke is medium to full in body, packed with woody flavors and spicy-peppery accents.
The path to bring the Nicarao brand where it is today has been quite diverse and interesting, but our sole objective is our passion for the cigar, and not only ours as producers, but mainly that of aficionados. When a cigar smoker takes pleasure in smoking our cigars, our dream is being fulfilled. This is not merely an objective; this is a fact resulting from the passion that flows in a producer's blood! £
Didier Houvenaghel is a Belgian agricultural engineer who spent many years in Cuba studying tropical crops, specializing in black tobacco. His extensive research and knowledge of the tobacco growing and curing process led him to create Nicarao, his own brand of Nicaraguan puro cigars made today with Rocky Patel. Didier is also the author of the book, "The Cigar: From Soil to Soul."
