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| SC: | How long have you been involved in the cigar industry? |
| JF: | Our company was established in 1995. |
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| SC: | What are some other companies you have worked for or with? |
| JF: | In Cuba I worked quality control for Tabacalera San Luis where I was head of quality control with regards to sorting and fermentation, and did an internship Fabrica de Tabacos Francisco Donatien where Vegueros are made. After leaving Cuba I worked for the Eiroa family (makers of Camacho) before going to US Cigar Sales as head of pre-industry. After US Cigar Sales I went to work with Rocky Patel before venturing off on my own. |
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| SC: | What is the blend of the new Delirium and 777 cigars and how long did it take to perfect the blend? |
| JF: | The Delirium blend is a very interesting one, being rolled in Honduras. The wrapper is a maduro grown by my father in Brazil and has very aromatic characteristics. The binder is a rich Costa Rican corojo leaf, and the filler is composed of Nicaraguan and Honduran corojo tobaccos. The “777” is an all-Nicaragua puro rolled in Nicaragua. The wrapper is a shade grown criollo maduro, the binder is a Nicaraguan corojo, and the filler is a blend of corojo and criollo. |
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| SC: | What are some of the future plans for your brand, anything on the horizon like a stronger, more mild or limited release cigar? |
| JF: | First and foremost is keeping up the consistency and quality of the cigars we are currently producing. Also, we will be introducing tins in the Delirium and Gran Reserva lines this Fall. I would like to introduce a nice inexpensive cigar as well, but that is still on the drawing board. |
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| SC: | What is the current production level of the Delirium and 777 Cigars? |
| JF: | Being as how these brands are relatively new, right now it is hard to gauge how many cigars we will need in the future. However demand for these two brands have been much higher than anticipated and the factories are working hard to make sure we have enough cigars aging so by the time the consumer gets them they are properly aged. |
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| SC: | What trend do you see developing in the cigar industry that you really don’t like? |
| JF: | I am a positive person and don’t see any trend that I really dislike. To me the important thing is the growing sophistication of today’s consumer and their ability to identify what a good smoke. In my opinion, when it comes to cigars, anything that is not smoke is simply a short lived ornament. |
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| SC: | What is your favorite brand of cigar outside of your own? |
| JFU: | There are so many good cigars out there, and it has so much to do with my mood that it’s hard for me to pick a favorite. However I do have a variety of brands that I really enjoy and respect such as: Fonseca, La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero, Padron Anniversary Maduro, La Riqueza, and Oliva Serie V. |
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| SC: | What is your favorite size of cigar? |
| JF: | Anything between 44 and 50 ring gauge, and 4 ½ - 6 inches in length. |
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| SC: | With the limited production of the cigars, how many retailers do anticipate? |
| JF: | We are trying to meet the demand but are watching our growth very closely. We are currently selling to about 500 premium cigar stores across the country, and we’re making our best effort to see if we can supply around 750 by the end of 2009 without compromising our quality standards. |
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| SC: | What was the single biggest challenge in the creation of the cigar or brand? |
| JF: | Consistency. We are facing a consumer that is every day more knowledgeable and discerning. |
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| SC: | Full cut, V-cut or punch? |
| JF: | My fingernail. |
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| SC: | What is your favorite cigar accessory? |
| JF: | Fire. |
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| SC: | Do you have a hobby outside of the cigar industry? |
| JF: | Fishing. |
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| SC: | Which is your favorite cigar out of all the cigars you make? |
| JF: | The Gran Reserva. |
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| SC: | How many cigars a day do you think you smoke? |
| JF: | Around 5. |
 Silo Spotlight Archives |
