Tobacco Business

[ 8 ] TOBACCO BUSINESS [ NOVEMBER / DECEMBER | 21 ] W EDITOR’S LETTER MAGAZINE TOBACCO BUSINESS VOL24 NO6 ✶ NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 PRESIDENT Jason Carignan MANAGING DIRECTOR Ben Stimpson SENIOR EDITOR AND DIGITAL DIRECTOR Antoine D. Reid ART DIRECTOR Harrison Brackett COPY EDITOR Stephanie Banfield CONTRIBUTOR Thomas Briant TOBACCO PLUS EXPO TRADE SHOW DIRECTOR Ellie Hansen TMG SALES MANAGER Dawn Conger DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER Brian Rodak TRADE SHOW OPERATIONS & LOGISTICS MANAGER Scott Gibson SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Rachel Esteffe TMG SALES ASSOCIATE Carly Gegorek TOBACCO BUSINESS MAGAZINE PO Box 58541 Raleigh, NC 27658 A DIVISION OF KRETEK INTERNATIONAL, INC. CHAIRMAN Hugh Cassar PRESIDENT AND CEO Sean Cassar CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Don Gormly Tobacco Business is published bimonthly at PO Box 58541, Raleigh, NC 27658. Printed in USA. Copyright 2021 by TBI, LLC. Subscription rate is $45.00/year. Send paid subscriptions to Tobacco Business at same address as mentioned above. For reprint information, contact Ben Stimpson at 919.412.7380. Copying: Permission is granted with users of the Copyright Clearance Center Inc. To photocopy any article, with the exception of those for which separate copyright ownership is indicated on the first page of the article, provide a base fee of $1.25/copy. Tobacco Business International is a registered trademark of TBI, LLC. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Tobacco Business , PO Box 58541, Raleigh, NC 27658. Unsolved Mystery The Team Antoine Reid, Senior Editor, antoinereid@tobaccobusiness.com While interviewing the individual for this issue’s cover feature, I heard something very interesting that made me pause: ‟Every single cigar that you put out is a boutique cigar.” This was said by Rafael Nodal, who certainly knows a thing or two about boutique cigars since he is the founder of Boutique Blends and one of the cigar industry’s most capable and innovative cigar blenders. Nodal explains how boutique cigars are made by hand and require a lot of attention to detail—and that rather than focusing on quantity, boutique cigar makers are almost obsessed with matters of quality. Boutique is an attitude, Nodal told me, and it’s a philosophy that can be applied to just about everyone who is in the business of cigars today. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder if others in the tobacco industry would agree with this idea of everyone being boutique. By the end of this month, I will have spent 11 (ahem, very long) years working on the media side of the tobacco business. From my early days as a graphic designer to the editorial hat I wear today, there’s one thing that remains a mystery to me: What exactly is a boutique cigar? I know of some people that proudly wear the badge of “boutique;” they honestly have no desire to be viewed as appealing to the mass market or belonging to something big. There are others, however, that cringe when asked if they are boutique or not. Boutique, for that group, is seen as a limitation, a handicap; it’s restrictive, it’s something to shake off rather than embrace. Unfortunately, today, boutique can be divisive and a cause of divergence rather than unity. Tobacco Business has been running a survey of our readers for the past several months, and as surprising as this may sound, I’ve personally reviewed all of the responses that have come in. One that really made me stop and think came from a response to the question, “In what way(s) can Tobacco Business do better?” One reader compared our publication to MarketWatch , feeling that both publications “shill for the big corps and major players, and [explicative] the little guys.” This comment didn’t upset me in the least bit as I always appreciate honest feedback. In fact, I was excited when I read this comment in its entirety (some of it wasn’t fit for publication or anyone under the age of 65). Why? I felt it gave Tobacco Business permission to push the envelope and do something most other tobacco-related publications—both of the trade and consumer sort—have done. This “boutique” issue is packed with stories about brands and people you may not have heard of. These people and companies represent what many would call “boutique,” but I simply see them as being premium cigar or tobacco companies. There’s Desiree Sylver and her company, Drunk Chicken Cigars, which made its big debut at this year’s PCA trade show. There’s Wildfire Cigar Co., a new brand founded by Jeremy McDonald, who has extensive knowledge of the boutique cigar category after working with Robert Caldwell for years. Then there’s Danny Difabio, owner of Key West’s hidden gem, Rodriguez Cigars. These are just a few of the stories that I hope will have you seeing the big potential boutique tobacco brands have to offer the industry. Tobacco Business ’ mission is to help everyone in the tobacco industry do business better. This is done through stories and content that show that with hard work, a good plan and understanding of the industry, all things are possible—even in the tough business of tobacco. If you haven’t already done so, please take a few moments to take our reader survey ( tobaccobusiness.com/2021-reader-survey ) . We want you to get the most out of our publication and content, and your feedback can help us accomplish our mission. From myself and the team here at Tobacco Media Group, we’d like to wish you a happy holiday season and thank you for giving us your time and attention in 2021. TB TOBACCOBUSINESS.COM