Cigar.com (CC): A.J., you've made a big name for yourself in a short period of time. When did you get involved in cigars?
A.J. Fernandez (A.J.): Life in Cuba was very tough. I always held a job to help my family and everyday after work I would watch my grandfather and father make cigars. When I was 12-years-old, I realized how important cigars were to my family and our hertiage so I decided I wanted to learn everything I could to continue the legacy. I started by working along side my father growing tobacco and fermenting the leaves. He eventually left Cuba for Nicaragua and so I continued my education with Alejandro Robaiña.
CC: How did you hook up with Alejandro? He is considered the last great tobacco man in Cuba. Was it by chance?
A.J.: It wasn't by chance at all. He was my neighbor and I was close friends with his grandson. Their family has always been like my own.
CC: You are only 31 now. How old were you when you came to Nicaragua and what was the transition from Cuba like?
A.J.: I moved to Nicaragua when I was 24 years old. My dad had made arrangements for me to come help him at the Plasencia Factory where he helps with their tobacco fermentation. I worked along side him for the first year before I decided that I wanted to make my own mark. I have always been more of an entreprenuer and wanted to combine that with my passion for tobacco and cigars.
CC: What was your first factory like and was it difficult getting started?
A.J.: Starting up on my own was very tough. I had a lot of family in the business in Nicaragua and I knew how to make a great cigar, but I had a hard time finding clients since I didn't have any contacts in the U.S. I started with just a few small bales of tobacco and two pairs of cigar rollers. Money was tight. I remember not being able to eat everyday so I could ensure I had enough money to pay my employees. I started by helping other factories who were at capacity and needed extra production, then I met my partner Kris who had a wealth of contacts in the industry in the U.S. and business took off.
CC: I'll say so, in just 5 years you have built one of the largest cigar operations in Latin America let alone Nicaragua. How have you shaped your vision?
A.J.: Everyday I think about what it took to get to where I am today and I remember what it was like struggling to make ends meet. It keeps me humble and I always remember my roots. The things I learned as a boy from my family and mentors were the oldest secrets for working with tobacco and making cigars. I see many other people in the industry who may have known these same production methods early on but have abandoned them in favor of new techniques that save money. In my opinion, these "new" techniques diminish the quality of their product and depart from the true roots of what made Cuban cigars great so long ago. Preserving this tradition is my top priority. I have no plans of ever changing the way I run my business and I will never change the methods in which I make my cigars.
Today, I grow my own tobacco as well as buy from specific suppliers but I also handle all of my own fermentation and blending procedures and supervise every aspect of my business. To help me, I rely on my supervisors. I hand-picked each supervisor from Cuban, specifically from the town I grew up. Guys that I know are like minded and learned about the same old traditions in cigar making as I did.
CC: So what's next?
A.J.: I just want to continue growing and maintaining the quality my customers expect from me. Tradition is the name of the game for Tabacalera Fernandez and that's something I never want to change.
CC: A.J., thanks for taking the time to meet with me. Is there anything you want to say before we wrap up.
A.J.: I just want to thank everyone that has supported me. God bless.
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