Who is Oliver and why is he the baddest man on the planet?
Gotta laugh every day and appreciate each new morning. I make it a point to appreciate the moments in life, plus my nunchuck game is straight fire!
How'd you get started in the Cigar Industry and with United Cigar Group?
I’ve been smoking cigars since 1989 but my first job in the cigar industry was in 1998 with a retailer out in Las Vegas, NV for 14 years. When I left Las Vegas and moved back to Boston, I was surprised to see that a few of my favorite cigar lounges had moved or closed their doors so I had to travel a few extra miles to find a couple new spots. This brought me up to New Hampshire and I was fortunate enough to find United Cigars. Almost two years later now and business is a boomin’!
Who is Nelson Alfonso and what role does he play?
Nelson Alfonso and his son Nelson Alfonso Jr. are the coolest cats in the industry and own Selected Tobacco (Atabey, Byron, & Bandolero). While Jr. handles all of the day-to-day operations of Selected Tobacco, Nelson Sr. is the genius behind the creative side as well as the man behind the blends. His creative influence and design is seen worldwide throughout the cigar industry.
If your cigars were cities, which location would each of them be like?
We have a shopping cart full of lines that we manufacture and distribute but if I had to choose a few I would say that Atabey is like Havana; elegant, classic, mysterious and full of life.
Byron would be New York City from the observation deck of the Empire State Building; so complex and so many layers but without the noise.
United is a cross between New Hampshire, the ‘Live Free or Die’ state and Texas; if you’re a 2nd Amendment believer then you believe in Living United.
Let's talk about the elephant in the room. What makes Atabey or Byron worth the cost of admission?
I love Elephants, but I love Nelson's blends even more. When you select tobacco and never shift a process out of second gear your outcome is smoother than Barry White. Before tobacco even hits the roller’s table it is fermented for 2-3 years. Then after the Atabey, Byron, and Bandolero are rolled they rest in an aging room for a minimum of 2 years on Bandolero, 3-5 years on Byron and 5 years minimum on Atabey.
How much of a cigar experience is determined by presentation? How about overall marketing?
Presentation plays a big factor in the initial buy but then the cigar needs to stand on its own. If you’re good enough in any industry you can market mud and call it facial scrub, it’s about belief. With the Atabey and Byron, Nelson wanted the packaging to match the elegance of the blends and he more than delivered. From the porcelain jars to the humidified boxes, Nelson designed his packaging to reflect the beauty of his cigars.
We have mostly grown organically, with the brands representing who we are and what we offer. Our core philosophy is supporting the retailer so we keep our prices more than fair and protect the interest of our customers. We have more and more retailers calling us to establish accounts because their customers are requesting our cigars, this is really humbling.
As the Director of Sales and Marketing, what trends can you see forming in the American market?
The market is not moving in a friendly, small business minded direction. Large tobacco manufacturers are now buying up retail locations and selling directly to end users, the retailer’s customers. On top of this, state and city regulations are becoming more difficult to work with so retailers are feeling the squeeze. United Cigars is trying to offer quality lines at affordable prices to support the B&M families.
As far as the cigar trend, consumers are searching for a more complex experience and although the fuller-bodied segment is still strong, cigar enthusiasts keep sharing their Atabey experience with me. The overwhelming response is that they are experiencing more out of the Atabey than they are typically used to from other cigars and now they are no longer smoking cigars with palate blasting profiles.
What does United Cigar Group do differently than others?
We’re United my man, just trying to play in the sandbox with everybody. I was on the retail side for a number of years so I understand the challenges, the highs and lows, the frustrations and the passion.
What can United fans expect over the next 12 months?
More consumer accessibility to our lines for starters thanks to our supporting retailers. Also, we have a few tricks up our sleeves still, we’ve been working on relaunching a few lines that have been dormant. One blend that we are excited about has never been done before and we’ll start this as an event only line. This is a unique process from Magia de Cubana (Factory in the DR) that will also be used to relaunch Gold Star.
We’re also excited to get a few of our new designs of the collectible Hombre Ashtrays into production.
Comments
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