Tobacco Business

a wildfire. He also has a bigger goal for his brand. He wants to get people talking and communicating with each other once again and help people realize they have more in common than not. “We too often forget why we all love cigars,” says McDonald. “Sure, there is the cigar itself, its tasting notes and quality of construction, but it’s so much more than that. We smoke because we want to commune with other people, share stories, exchange ideas, listen and learn from one another. If there is anything we as a country need right now, it is how to listen to other people and hear their stories and experiences and learn from them. I’m not trying to be political here, but everything is so fucking divided right now. The, ‘I’m right and you’re wrong’ mentality has fucked us as a country.” He continues, “I want to hear your stories. I want to know who you are. I want to walk through life with people who challenge me and vice versa, but we can’t do that unless we sit and let down our guards, and what a great way to do that: over a cigar. My world views were changed by working in a cigar store, and no one even tried to change it. It just happened from listening to conversations of all sorts over time. The cigar is a means to a conversation, a life experience, a memory, a story. If we could just see we are the same at root, I think we might find a better place to live. I want Wildfire Cigars to be a part of that change.” At launch, Wildfire Cigar Company has two blends in its portfolio, The Single and The Revivalist. The Single is a limited production cigar that will be presented in 10-count boxes with just 750 boxes being released. It will be available in just one size, a Churchill, and Before launchingWildfire Cigar Company, McDonald worked in tobacco retail and served as the national sales manager of Caldwell Cigar Co. the cigar is inspired by McDonald’s love of music. “It’s exactly what a single in the music industry does. It’s my first release. I wanted to come out with something special that spoke to my desired taste profile. It’s rich, medium-bodied but full of flavor. It’s a way to let everyone know, ʽHere is what to expect from Wildfire Cigars.’” The second cigar, The Revivalist, will be a regular production cigar. It will come in 20-count boxes and will be available in three different vitolas: Corona Gorda, Robusto and Toro. “This is a more rustic cigar, something I would imagine a cowboy smoking over a campfire. It’s a throwback to what I love about Nicaraguans of the late 1990s and early 2000s. It’s not about the strength; it’s about that Nicaraguan soil, that earthiness, that deliciousness. It’s the style of cigars I got into when I started smoking premium cigars, and it reminds me of why I first loved Nicaraguan cigars.” To bring these first cigars to life, McDonald turned to Joya de Nicaragua for help. As the oldest cigar factory in Nicaragua, McDonald felt they were the best fit to produce his brand’s first selections. He also smoked Joya Classic for years, a cigar that he names as his go-to smoke. He also knew that in addition to Joya’s long history of experience, the factory has been innovative in how it has developed and worked with hybrid tobaccos over the years, something it doesn’t get much recognition for. “I love everything about this factory,” McDonald states. “Especially the people working there that helped bring my vision to life. For me, it wasn’t a choice of which factory to work with, but only if I could get Joya to work with me. There was no second choice.” While McDonald has a manufacturing partner, he’s doing much of the operational work for Wildfire Cigar Company himself. He’s decided not to use brokers or sales representatives, not because they are bad but because he wants to build a personal relationship with all of the retailers that take on his brand and its products. “I want to support them in a way that helps us both,” he says. “I have the experience of 20 years from many capacities in this industry. I know how to provide quality service with a quality cigar. The rest is just semantics. I am me, and that’s not changing. I’m not trying to be anything more than a partner with my retailers. We will build this together.” McDonald also has his eyes on the future. Even with the threat of the FDA looming over the industry and new brands like his own, he confidently states that he’s taking all of the steps necessary to be compliant with current rules and regulations, and, like any good entrepreneur, he is already planning for future challenges that may, and likely will, arise. [ 46 ] TOBACCO BUSINESS [ NOVEMBER / DECEMBER | 21 ]