| Both cigar retailers and producers are basking in the | | | | start-ups to get investment capital and begin making |
| warm sun of rising cigar sales. As stalwarts like | | | | some money. The natural result of this was that |
| Altadis, USA continue to report solid growth in their | | | | thousands of low-quality cigar makers materialized to |
| earnings, independent cigar makers like Cusano and | | | | cash in on the buying frenzy, nearly all of which are |
| Alec Bradley are having to hire more employees to | | | | now defunct. But the few producers with vision were |
| meet demand. These independent producers are | | | | given the opportunity to get started and now that |
| discovering they are part of a changing world in | | | | vision is paying off. |
| which the newest cigar smokers -- a growing | | | | It has also helped a great deal that the dawn of the |
| population of twenty-something aficionados -- are | | | | information age coincided with the cigar boom. Buzz |
| looking at them not as fringe independents, but | | | | that was nearly impossible to create pre-internet |
| creators of some of the highest rated smokes | | | | seemed to propagate itself through cigar forums, |
| around. After hundreds of years of dominance by | | | | blogs, websites and email. Independents no longer |
| entrenched name brands, the independent cigar | | | | needed a mammoth marketing budget to launch new |
| makers have finally found a way to garner upward | | | | products and get them recognized. The internet, in |
| mobility. | | | | turn, has helped bring distinctive, independently |
| The result of all this is not unlike what has happened | | | | produced cigars to the attention of major publications |
| to the wine world in the last thirty years. Just as | | | | like Cigar Aficionado and Robb Magazine. A single |
| wine drinkers are realizing you don't have to go to | | | | mention in a feature article means phones are ringing |
| the entrenched omnipresent regions of France to find | | | | off the hook, and that means more money for |
| great wine, cigar smokers are discovering that the | | | | independents to grow and continue to explore their |
| highest quality handmade cigars are not necessarily | | | | vision. |
| from Cuba. The Dominican Republic, Honduras, | | | | Now add on to these factors that independent |
| Nicaragua and other countries are doing for cigars | | | | producers tend to be younger and more innovative, |
| what Napa Valley, Australia and Chile have done for | | | | and thus eager to tap into new markets like flavored |
| wine. Leading the charge to pioneer distinctive cigar | | | | cigars and viral internet marketing. It begins to |
| tastes and styles in these areas are the independent | | | | become clear that these are the businesses that will |
| producers like Cusano, Alec Bradley and others. | | | | lead the cigar industry in coming years, rather than |
| Cusano, for example, smuggled tobacco out of Cuba | | | | the behemoths that are content to do business the |
| and blended it with their own strains to create a | | | | way it's been done for centuries. |
| remarkably distinct and full flavor for its Cusano | | | | As this new era of independent cigar production |
| Corojo 97'. The 97' along with the Cusano 18 both | | | | dawns, it's comforting to know that most of the |
| received a 91 rating from Cigar Aficionado, an | | | | producers are cigar hobbyists just like their |
| accomplishment that puts them in the top 1% of all | | | | customers -- that they understand cigars and will |
| cigars rated. This comes from a company that had | | | | continue to bring their best to the table. Getting a |
| six employees a year ago (that number has now | | | | top quality cigar for less than $5 a stick that happens |
| more than doubled). | | | | to not be Cuban is certainly something every cigar |
| Certainly there are a number of factors that | | | | smoker can appreciate, and getting more of them in |
| converged to help these independents get their foot | | | | the future is something we can all look forward to. |
| in the door. The 90's cigar boom saw such an | | | | When has there been a better time to be a cigar |
| explosive increase in sales that it was easy for | | | | smoker? |