What does UberLuxury mean to you? (Jeremiah Meerapfel)
UberLuxury merges several different notions. Firstly, it’s based on tradition. Tradition is a very, very hard thing to pinpoint. A very hard thing to access. It’s rarely preserved, and rarely preserved intact.
If you can take an intact tradition and bring it into your life at any given moment in time and enhance it with the finest tools at your disposal, you can reach at level at which I believe defines UberLuxury.
What are some of the unique challenges of growing, fermenting, and blending with Cameroon tobacco? (Jeremiah Meerapfel)
The unique challenges of growing, fermenting, and blending with Cameroon tobacco probably needs a session of about a week to answer that question. The regions in Cameroon where genuine Meerapfel Cameroon tobacco is grown is in the middle of the second densest rainforest on the planet. So not only does that make it unique, but it also highlights the challenges of growing anything. You’re in the middle of nowhere with no irrigation, no electricity, no control over nature at all.
Add to that the very challenging dangers which nature can bring to the table in a good way (or sometimes not good ways) and leave your imaginations to do the rest and I think you can draw a pretty unique picture of the challenges.
Blending is a completely different story. Blending is magical with genuine Meerapfel Cameroon tobacco, which has a unique taste, unique sweetness to it, unique aroma, and unique flavors. It’s unique in every possible way. It’s one of the few wrappers that I think if anyone in the world were blindfolded and lit up a true, genuine Meerapfel Cameroon wrapper they’d immediately spot where it was from. There’s very few wrappers in the world that I think you can do that with.
In terms of fermentation, we have our very own way of fermenting tobacco. It’s quite complex, but the way we ferment is an enemy to yield. We destroy a lot of tobacco in the way we ferment, but on the other hand we achieve a level of taste and aroma – bringing out a ripeness in the tobacco – that we believe to be very delicious and unique.
What’s a day in the life of Reinhard Pohorec, Vice President of Meerapfel Cigar?
Well, that’s hard to answer because my days are so diverse and challenging in the most beautiful way. I can find myself at 5am racing to the airport to visit one of our partners across the world, whether it’s in the U.S., Europe, Africa, the Middle East, or Southeast Asia. Each of these different territories are very different in terms of how they function, the legal landscape, the cigar culture. It takes a lot of flexibility to adjust to those intricacies and unique characteristics for the partners that I’m visiting.
I’m also heavily involved with all the other aspects that make running such a company fun and challenging at the same time. Sometimes it is evaluating the blends together with Jeremiah and the true tobacco Masters in the manufacturing countries. Or it may be preparing communication materials since I’m the single point of contact for our partners and retailers globally. And also creating ideas for the future as to how to develop the brand, take things to new levels, and constantly excite, enlighten, and inspire people who care about only the finest cigars. Which also means, of course, collaborating with the most exquisite luxury and legacy brands all around the world, such as Swiss watch making, Couture perfumes, yachting, private jets, and several other things that come to mind.
Many, many challenges that are all wonderfully different. I love every single one of them. It often means very little sleep or not knowing which time zone I’m in, but it’s all part of the wonderful game.
The Meerapfel family has had such a huge impact on the cigar world. How would you describe the successes of Meerapfel Companies to someone that isn’t familiar with the name? (Reinhard Pohorec)
The Meerapfel family has been behind the scenes of the industry and quintessentially involved – or mainly responsible for – a lot of the paradigm shifts and the evolution of tobacco in the premium cigar world.
From the 1600s on, when the family had already been trading the sacred leaf from the new world into Spain. From when they settled in Germany in the 1700s, grew tobacco in old Europe, and started creating/manufacturing cigars. In the late 1800s, Ernest Meerapfel sailed to Indonesia, discovered Sumatra tobacco, and brought it back to Europe.
And then of course, Heller Meerapfel, very close to Cuba, close friend to Ernesto Guevara, Ernest Hemingway, Dunhill, and Davidoff, was one of the largest exporters of Cuban tobacco in history, singlehandedly saving one of the last crops before the embargo, and supplying a lot of the most iconic cigar manufacturers with leaf to say in business. He also kept some of that tobacco for himself, parts of which can still be found in Meerapfel vaults to this day.
All the way to Richard Meerapfel, the Miracle Maker, who saved Cameroon tobacco from extinction together with thousands of local families in the rainforest. It’s mesmerizing to look at all that rich history and legacy knowing that not so many people – seasoned cigar enthusiasts even – are familiar with the Meerapfel name, let alone their accomplishments.
I think that’s also part of our responsibility with Meerapfel cigar: to share our rich history and legacy with the world and to give everyone an opportunity to understand and learn about the Meerapfel family and their unique contributions to the tobacco and cigar world. And do that through the means of an actual cigar. Through the means of a luxury cigar experience that brings the utmost delight and takes you back in time to a whole new place, offering you a glimpse into the unique characteristics and accomplishments of the family members.
That’s also why every single component, every detail, every aspect, every nuance of a Meerapfel cigar is so extremely complex and detailed and has been meticulously crafted to tie into the story telling. If you look at the rings, for example, each of them has a specific laser cut. If you look at the ribbons, pantone colors, or comic inlay cards that are in every single box that not only uniquely identifies which of the 613 it is you have in your hands, it also gives you a part of the story on the back through the means of a comic which is a Belgian tradition. We also change the comic artist from year to year so that it a new tradition and possibly a collectible item.
The Meerapfel Project recently brought us Master Blends for the first time. What more can you tell us about each of these creations? (Reinhard Pohorec)
Our Master Blends are a tribute to previous generations of the Meerapfel family. Hence, they’re all named after the one of the family generations.
Meir, the great-great-grandfather who was a spiritual leader of his time. He was a mystical man, a Rabbi, who had incredible depth and complexity to his character, but he was a true old-school Gentleman. You’d often see him sitting in his study, surrounded by his library of books, philosophizing about the world and creating visions for a better future. He was also the one who started the Meerapfel Cigar manufacturing tradition. The laser cut on the Meir rings shows the rays of light: we call it the genesis of UberLuxury, the inception of that piece of the family history. It is the laser cut, when you look at the cigars, that will give you the unique identifying qualities on every Master Blend. You’ll also notice different pantone colors on each Master Blend. For Meir, we call it the Night Sky – a dark blue that is mystical color, beautifully tying into the story telling.
What is equally as exciting, even the tobacco blend has been tailored and created with the intention to give you an idea of the unique characteristics of each family generation. The unique attributes of these family members and the era that they lived in. By enjoying these cigars and savoring the Master Blends, you can get a snapshot of who Meir Meerapfel was and how he was different from Ernest or Richard.
Take Ernest for example, whilst his father Meir was a mystical, calm, quiet Gentleman with a lot of depth and substance to him – all of which is reflected in how the Meir smokes – Ernest was an adventurer. He left the safety and comfort of the village in Untagumbach in Germany and sailed to Indonesia. He had an adventurous spirit in him, and that nature is reflected in how the Ernest Master Blend delivers. You get oriental spice notes, an almost salty or briny quality that gives the cigar a new facet, a new layer. It’s almost like standing on a ship with the waves splashing in you face with a bit of salt water. You’ll also notice that the laser cut for the Ernest Master Blend showcases waves with a lilac color.
Of Course, for Richard The Miracle Maker, the pantone color chosen is called the Blood of the Earth as a tribute to the hardships in Cameroon where the family lost everything in 2003 and had to build back from scratch. Soon thereafter, Richard Meerapfel passed away from a broken heart.
And that was when Jeremiah began creating the idea for Meerapfel Cigars, to create something uniquely special to honor his family’s legacy. Those are just a few points to how the Master Blends are all different, but they were all created with the idea to give you the opportunity to explore the family history, tap into the rich Meerapfel legacy, and understand that while they all use vintage Cameroon leaf, they each offer you a very unique experience and characteristics of who these gentlemen were.
Would you share some insight with us as to what trends you see developing or waning in the American market? (Reinhard Pohorec)
I think we’re seeing a bit of a renaissance of traditional vitolas, smaller ring gauges, and people reconsidering that it truly isn’t about the size but the equilibrium of the tobaccos in the blend. There is a unique nature that gives magic to how smaller ring gauges deliver the perfect balance between wrapper, binder, and filler components.
Particularly when you use the highest grade, finest wrapper leaf like true Meerapfel Cameroon. You wouldn’t want to wrap that around a 60 or 70 ring gauge cigar. You actually wouldn’t be able to because of the size of the leaf, but also, you’d lose all the integrity of what Mother Nature has given you to work with in the first place. You have to respect the finest tobaccos that you have at your disposition, and then blend them with the utmost care, finesse, and best intentions to create a blend that is mystical and magical at the same time and offers a delightful and harmonious experience.
Furthermore, I think that more people are discovering that elegance and finesse are ultimately what you have to look for in a cigar rather than strength, over the top spiciness, or something that just hits you in the face. There’s definitely an evolution in that sense, where people nowadays have so many different brands and blends of cigars available that you have to go deep to find what suits your palate and the integrity, depth, and substance to know that what you’re being sold isn’t just a gimmick marketing story, but is real, sincere, and authentic. That is where I think Meerapfel has something unique to offer with a legacy spanning over 400 years.
So many manufacturers now have tried to create more expensive cigars and a super-premium line in their portfolio, but I think it boils down to authenticity and sincerity. We must ask ourselves why is this cigar expensive? Is it a consequence of the excellence in craftsmanship or the intricacies of the details that improve the overall presentation and experience? Or is it trying to jump on a bandwagon of where the market is going?
Ultimately, I think very few expensive cigars will be successful because you don’t have that many companies that have the depth and substance to live up to the expectations. Another aspect I want to add is, when you study luxury brands, there is no downsizing or downscaling when you offer a true luxury experience. You have to play in that field exclusively and uniquely. I think it’s very challenging to try to play all across the board in the cigar industry where you offer pretty much everything from an inexpensive bundle cigar, an everyday smoke, a premium upscale experience, all the way to a luxury cigar. You have to know where you belong and stick to that category – and that’s what the Meerapfel family has been trying to offer to the cigar world by creating a new segment called UberLuxury.
That’s something that the cigar industry hasn’t seen before because it’s not really a measure of what the industry has been for the last few decades, whereas if you look at the history of where the cigar industry really came from, it’s old Europe.
If our Small Batch family could only take one thing away from this interview, what would you want them to know? (Reinhard Pohorec)
When was the last time you smoked a cigar with a 20-year-old wrapper, 17- to-18-year-old binder and filler tobaccos on an ongoing production cigar even though it’s very limited? The reason Meerapfel Cigar was conceived was to pay homage and respect to one of the oldest and longest standing family histories and legacies in history. And if you want to do that, you have to do things the right way.
Meerapfel Cigar is a unique experience for the most discerning cigar connoisseurs, offering unique qualities and attributes that you won’t find in any other cigar. It is a beautiful amalgamation of legacy, tradition, and craftsmanship – all intertwined to offer you a stunning holistic experience.
What can fans of Meerapfel look forward to in the next 12-18 months? (Reinhard Pohorec)
We’ll continue to do what we’ve always done: preserve tradition, honor the family legacy, and create new experiences for the people who want to be mesmerized by a memorable experience.
We will slowly and steadily offer more vitolas in our Master Blends as well as a new Heller Master Blend when it’s ready. You can look forward to us pushing boundaries, creating new experiences, and expanding on the luxury segment we created.
Acknowledgements
Thank you very much to Jeremiah Meerapfel and Reinhard Pohorec! This interview was transcribed from audio recordings. All typos and errors are mine.
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