What’s the Alex Spencer story? How did you get into the cigar business?
In 2016, I fired my friends. You know how the saying goes, “With friends like these?” Yea, they sucked. I just finished my MBA and thought having mentors would be a great idea. I met a woman that told me that her husbands have a Father’s Day smoke out. I bought some cigars and bourbon to bless the event with and wound up getting introduced to the world of cigars and bourbon. A year and $5,000 later I thought yeeeeeaaa, I have an obsession! That obsession turned into a passion that turned into a business.
How did you decide to tap Dr. Kafie’s factory in Honduras to produce The Mansa?
I was introduced to Gaby by sheer circumstance initially. I was In Medellin, Columbia. On the final day before the flight home, my buddy called me and ask where my layover was. I told him Ft. Lauderdale. He explained how detrimental to my life it was that I not take that 2nd flight and get my ass to Miami. He said there was someone I needed to meet. By 10p that night, I found myself walking into a Brickell cigar lounge. Just a year earlier, I couldn’t find a seat in that same place. On that night, I was being escorted to VIP to meet the one and only Dr. Gaby Kafie.
It was serendipity. Gaby was the first person that I told my entire idea to that didn’t think I was crazy. I approach my ideas like I’m writing the script for a $100 million movie. I envision everything from storylines to the soundtrack. He allowed me that space and took the journey with me. From that point we grew a remarkable friendship and it didn’t hurt that he had amazing brands of his own.
Oddly enough, when the cigar dropped, Anderson, Paak, and Dr. Dre released a song called Mansa Musa. Then, there was word that Chadwick Boseman was being casted for the movie about Mansa Musa. Lastly, Time magazine released an article about his wealth in a top 10 wealthiest people in history article. The timing was impeccable.
Talk to us about how you finalized The Mansa blends. What was going through your mind, and what will you be looking for in your next blending sessions?
Flavor. Draw. Complexity. Strength. How does the cigar’s story and the story of Mansa Musa unfold? These were the questions I went into each of the final blends for The Mansa. The deep cocoas, chocolates, coffees are there to pay respect to the African ruler. They also pay respect to the rollers and farmers throughout the industry that are of African descent and this industry’s dark history. The cigar I chose had to align on multiple levels. I’m so excited about this cigar, the blend and what it represents.
I’ve now moved production to La Aurora, and I’ll be working with world renowned Manuel Inoa. I am grateful for the opportunity to call La Aurora the new home of ASR. This time around, I’m definitely going to go deeper into rare tobaccos from around the world. The next cigar will hit shelves this May. Stay tuned!
What are three things that most people don’t know about you?
- I like to design shoes and watches.
- I enjoy collecting art.
- I delete 90% of the things I type on social media.
Who’s given you the best advice since you joined the cigar industry? What was it?
The best advice I got was from Dr. Gaby Kafie. He told me to be a disruptive force in the industry by telling my story
Outside of cigars, what other hobbies do you have?
I’m big into the tech space, actually. Tech is booming. My dream goal is to fuse tobacco and the tech space. It’s definitely something you will see in my cigars very soon.
I’m designing a line of luxury Italian sneakers called Malcolm and Martin. I see it as revolutionary streetwear for the culture. I am working on producing aged rum as well.
If our Small Batch family could only know one thing about you and your brand, what would it be?
Native American history, Hispanic history, and Black history are all connected. Black history is American history and African history is world history. What happened to each one of us happened to all of us in the Americas. We must tell our stories. I will do that through tobacco.
What can AS Reserve fans look forward to in the next 12-18 months?
Creative disruptions, fusing technology to tell great stories with amazing tobaccos coming to shelves near you. Look for 2 new cigars in that time as well.
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