More often than not, it seems that cigars are a family business. There’s something about tobacco and the pursuit of its excellence that binds people together.
While there are many more brands that we’ve yet to recognize for family ties, we invite you to join us in celebrating the following cigars and the families behind them.
Guardian of the Farm
48 years old, Eduardo Fernandez decided to leave a life of ease and began looking towards Nicaraguan agriculture. Now, Aganorsa Leaf is known for their cigar brand, their incredible tobacco used across multiple labels, and their extremely talented team. In addition to being able to hire incredibly qualified personnel such as Arsenio Ramos, both Father and Son had to become students of the leaf and have since become a powerhouse in the industry. Check out this podcast with Eduardo Fernandez and Cigar Snob Magazine for more.
Smoking Jacket
The name Kelner is an important one in tobacco history, and this Smoking Jacket highlights their impressive lineage in tobacco excellence. After working with Davidoff, Avo, and other brands for so long, this would be the first brand (I believe) to bear the Kelner name – created by his son. You can read about his desire to see their family name on a brand as far back as 23 years ago in this 1996 article by Cigar Aficionado. As well as being blended by Henke Kelner Jr., the wrapper leaf of this particular cigar was grown by his sister on one of their family’s farms and produced at the Kelner Boutique Factory.
New World Puro Especial
About five years ago, Ismael Fernandez rejoined his son A.J. Fernandez in a professional capacity to create the first New World. And, after several years of additional collaborations, they released the follow up Puro Especial. A.J. and his Father also represent a unique fusion of worlds, having both started their cigar careers in Cuba before dominating the Nicaraguan scene. You can read more on this incredible Father and Son duo here in an article by Cigar Aficionado.
Aladino Reserva
The Eiroa family also boasts a remarkable legacy, with their famed Corojo being foremost in a lot of our minds. Or, if you’ve visited their factory operations in Honduras, you might first think of their innovative and meticulous methodologies. Julio Eiroa recruited his son Justo Eiroa to launch JRE Tobacco roughly four years ago and remade Aladino in the process, making it a project that has touched the hands of Julio, Justo, and Christian Eiroa (C.L.E. Cigars). You can read more on their process here with a story by Cigar Coop.
Cloud Hopper
The youngest brand in our selection, Cloud Hopper represents the professional fusion of brothers Kyle (Warped Cigars) and Devin Gellis. After finishing up his degree, Devin followed in Kyle’s footsteps and started down the path of tobacco. These two are no strangers of Aganorsa Leaf, and Cloud Hopper is an Aganorsa puro like many other Kyle Gellis creations and collaborations. You can read more about Edition One in this interview with Devin Gellis.
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