At the height of the Cigar Boom, Miami Cigar & Company’s future looked bright. It had its own Don Lino line made at the United States Tobacco Company’s (UST) factory in Honduras and distribution rights for La Aurora’s La Aurora and Leon Jimenes brands, as well as distribution rights for UST’s Don Thomas and Astral cigar brands. For the first 10 months of 1996, the company sold 12 million cigars, but then UST’s decision to assume distribution of its own brands in November 1996 almost destroyed the company. In addition to canceling its distribution agreement with Miami Cigar & Company, UST also stopped making the Don Lino line. As the 1996 holiday season approached, Miami Cigar & Company had very few cigars to sell to its customers.
Years later, Miranda was vindicated when he successfully brought suit against UST for the damages done to his family’s business. Having La Aurora agree to make the Don Lino brand for Miami Cigar & Company strengthened the already close bond between the Leon and Miranda families.
Today and Tomorrow
Having survived tumultuous times in the late 1990s, the Mirandas have strengthened their company’s portfolio throughout the first two decades of the 2000s. Miami Cigar & Company’s partnership with La Aurora has grown deeper. The oldest cigar manufacturer in the Dominican Republic, La Aurora continues to make Don Lino for Miami Cigar & Company, as well as the company’s flavored cigar brand, Tatiana, which is named for Nestor and Mariana’s daughter who has worked in the family business since 1994. Easily the company’s most popular offering, Tatiana is among the world’s top-selling flavored cigars, with distribution in 25 countries. Distribution of La Aurora brands, such as Preferidos, Leon Jimenes, Guillermo Leon and DNA, continues to grow.
Semi-retired now, Nestor and Mariana still take a daily interest in Miami Cigar & Company’s operations. Jason Wood, the couple’s son-in-law, is now running the company, allowing Nestor a little more time to enjoy his other passion, hunting, and to travel to retailers for events around the world. In 2019, Miami Cigar & Company will be celebrating its 30th anniversary. While he’s unwilling to share details about the company’s plans for the celebration, Nestor promises that consumers and retailers alike will enjoy what the company produces this year and beyond.
“I’ve followed my passion, and we’ve been a little lucky along the way,” Nestor says. “I’ve accomplished a lot, and I want to maintain it. I appreciate the confidence that retailers and consumers have given me. Jason is doing a great job of running the company, and he loves the business, so Miami Cigar & Company is going to be around for a long time. [This] year, as we celebrate our 30th anniversary, there will be a lot of surprises—things that our consumers are really going to like—which is what I’ve always enjoyed about being in the cigar industry. Surprising your customers with something they’re going to love is a great honor and a real pleasure. That’s where the passion pays off.”
This story first appeared in the January/February 2019 issue of Tobacco Business magazine. Members of the tobacco industry are eligible for a complimentary subscription to our magazine. Click here for details.
– By Stephen A. Ross, senior editor of Tobacco Business Magazine.
