Over a phone conversation with Eddie Ortega of United Tobacco, who is one of the creators of 601 brand of cigars, plans were made to visit Nicaragua to get a glimpse of a new project being worked on by United Tobacco. The 601 cigar brand was created by United Tobacco of Miami, Florida by Erik Espinosa and Eddie Ortega in conjunction with none other than, El Rey De Los Habanos factory owned by Jose "Pepin" Garcia in Nicaragua. El Rey De Los Habanos is one of the premier cigar factories in Nicaragua right now.

 

Eddie Ortega is one half of United Tobacco and I have known him for about 1 year now. Over his years in the cigar industry he has gained a great rapport with his piers in the rest of this small cigar community. Eddie was actually the very first person that CigarLive.com ever interviewed on film when he was double teamed in English and Spanish by the two ladies AJ and Siedy.

Day 1

Arriving in Managua, Nicaragua I am greeted by a cell phone saleswoman before I can hit the customs line. On my previous trips to Nicaragua I was often limited to calling back to the USA only when my Blackberry service would allow it, which I soon learned that Blackberry lies about their service abilities and the phone never works when you want it to. A quick US twenty-two dollars later, I was loaded up with 100 minutes that could call back to the USA anytime I wanted to. As I make my way through customs I am loaded with a duffle bag and a camera bag with all my gear. One thing I have learned about traveling, do not check baggage. As I exit the airport, I am met by a crowd of people holding signs for friends and relatives. A sign marked "Daniel Lopez" is easily seen through the window of a sliding door held by Byron. Byron is a small framed man with a red shirt that reads 'EL REY DE LOS HABANOS'. Immediately Byron asked if I am hungry, so we hit up the airport, "El Tip Top" chicken place as we wait for the others' flight to arrive.

The goal of this trip would be to bring back as much information about everything I see so that I can share it with the members of this online community.  I see it as a personal challenge to try to document everything during my trips in order to give the members great info. I also feel that if I do not do a good job then in some way I am letting down my fellow members. I see each trip as a privilege and not as the work that it entails during and post trip. Video is my easiest line of directly expressing the trip and in some ways writing can fill in the gaps as well. I am not a writer as most can see through the poor use of grammar and general phrases that I use. I blame this on my lack of paying attention in English class, too busy trying to land a girlfriend that would later become my beautiful wife.

Managua, Nicaragua airport does not have many flights in and out each day, so it was a good guess that the plane we heard landing must have Eddie Ortega and Erik Espinosa on it. Byron and I head over the exit and meet both Erik and Eddie along with a new friend JC (Jean Carlo) a retailer from Florida. As we load up our bags to head for Esteli, Nicaragua I am handed a 601 black label.  I had actually tried every cigar in the 601 line except for the Connecticut because most of the times I tend to prefer the more full bodied
cigars. In my head, I thought this would be a great cigar to smoke on our road trip to Esteli so, I fired it up................OK wait a minute this is kind of strong. I looked back to make sure it was the black label and took a few more puffs. I sat for a while really trying to grasp what I was smoking. Up until that point my favorite 601 cigar was the green label but, now I was really getting so much flavor out of the black that I was going to need to think about it.

Never having met Erik Espinosa of United Tobacco before I knew nothing about him or how the bond between both him and Eddie Ortega had started. I would soon learn that Erik Espinosa is nothing less then one of the coolest guys you could ever get the chance to hang out with. I simply can not imagine how much fun these two guys have but, I would soon find out that they know how to get work done, and then kick back, and relax when the time is right. On this trip, they were going to test the final blend of the new Cubao cigar that would be released at this years IPCPR in Las Vegas. Two words “Get It!”

As we traveled the highway, we noticed that a few big trucks were traveling and found out that a truck strike was in effect. Entering Esteli, Nicaragua we passed cigar factories and crowds of people filling the streets going about their daily lives in this busy area of Nicaragua. We arrived at our hotel which is the best in Esteli called Los Arcos. I like staying there because it is safe and the AC blows cold. We drop our bags in our rooms and we head off to the factory.

A few minutes later we arrive at the El Rey De Los Habanos factory of Jose "Pepin" Garcia. Pepin meets us at the front door and welcomes everyone with handshakes. Having met Pepin at an event before I did not think I would be nervous but for some reason I really was. I am introduced by Pepin to his son, Jaime Garcia and his son-in-law, Amilcar Perez. I was now standing in the factory of one of the most respected names in cigars today. To top it off, I was getting the chance to hang out with two of the coolest cats in the business, Eddie and Erik.

We made our way up to a meeting room. We take our seats, as Pepin brings in some cigars for all of us to smoke. I take a few minutes to study the cigar. After a quick flame, it is "Spice" that hits my lips. The spice is great however the cigar transforms into a different cigar quickly. This cigar is earthy and very complex, so complex that even if you are concentrating it will surprise you. A bad habit that I have with cigars is I tend to chew on them. Most wrappers taste very nice to me because they have a few flavors that I like. The funny thing is over the span of my trip, I would find myself chewing the heck out of these cigars to get that entire great flavor out of the wrapper. The wrapper has a taste that should be bottled up and sold.

The new CUBAO cigar has an Ecuador Sumatra Oscuro wrapper that is amazing. It also contains filler and binder from the Jalapa and Esteli regions of Nicaragua. This cigar will be a hit and it really completes the United Tobacco line of cigars. Erik and Eddie would also tell me about plans for a special release cigar called “Mi Barrio” or (my neighborhood) that will be a seasonal release four times a year. Each of the four limited boxes released will have an original painting done by Cuban artist Edin Gutierrez.

Chicharones and Rum at Pepin's Place

Before heading back to the hotel for dinner, we made a stop for a few hours at Pepin's apartment. His small apartment is located not far from the factory. We enjoyed music as Pepin offered us rum and opened up his house to us. As time passed on, I observed that the bond between Pepin, Jaime, Amilcar, Eddie, and Erik was much more than that of average friends. The way they were carrying on reminded me of holiday times around my family. It was clear, they all considered each other family and not just friends. In fact, Pepin treated JC and me in the same manner.

Noticing that my cigar was now burned down to about two inches, I was really enjoying the flavor, it seemed like it would never drop off. As the cooking of chicharones began to fill the little apartment with the aroma of pork and chicken, a big bowl of chicharones was brought to the middle of us as we crowded around to pick these tasty treats. I love cigars but, I really love great food and these chicharones were some of the best I have ever had. They were spiced up with what I believe was garlic and some lemon. As I would finish each one, Pepin would tell me to eat another. I tried to remember that we would be off to dinner soon but, they were just too good. Ok, sorry I got off track but, damn they were good. Ok, back to the story.

Next, we head back to the hotel for dinner and more conversation. My Spanish is still not up to par, my new buddy JC would translate phrases for me that did not make sense to me. In the Spanish language, each country has slang and things often are said in slang when people are comfortable. We gathered around the table and we ordered fruit juices that were delicious. One thing that I like to do when I get the chance to travel is trying new foods. You only LIVE once and I will try anything once. I have also learned to order the same thing others around you order. Leave all your preferences back at home and just try something new. As dinner goes on, I quickly learn that Jaime Garcia is one of the best story tellers out there. His facial expressions and gestures keep you on the edge of your seat as he talks. Often seen in videos as a serious person, he easily makes the transition to another Jaime when the work day is over. I would learn throughout the trip just how serious Jaime is about the cigars he makes. I would also learn that he is just as passionate about the land in which he molds. As the check comes, Pepin fights with Erik for it as spoons and forks rattle the table. Hands were moving so fast that I think Pepin rolled a cigar in the process. After more time of talking, we all decide to call it a night. I log in to the computer in the lobby to check CigarLive website and make a call home before going to sleep.

Day 2

Up early, I make my way down to breakfast and notice a familiar face at the table. A firm handshake from Mr. Kiki Berger of Cuban Crafters cigars and I sit to enjoy a great conversation with all. Simply a treat to be around, Kiki has been in the cigar business for a long time and he is well respected by all. We enjoyed huevos rancheros and lemonada. We spoke about the cigar industry and the great people who make up this very small community. One thing I noted was that everyone had the same common goal and that was to make the next greatest cigar. Plans were made to meet up with Kiki later if we could. I grabbed my gear and loaded it into the back of the van so we could head back to the factory.

Returning to the factory, Pepin asked if we were ready to head to the farm to get a look at one of this year’s crop. As he was saying this, I glanced over to see a leaf of tobacco hanging from a chalkboard, the leaf was as big as my torso and it was real. I was thinking that it might be rare for a plant to have a leaf of that size. So, I did not give it much more thought.

Reading on CigarLive.com, I was aware that Pepin had started to grow his own tobacco in an effort to vertically integrate and have much more control on the quality of tobacco he is able to get. His son, Jaime would spearhead this effort after many years in the industry and after his agricultural schooling in Cuba. As we arrived at the farm, I could simply not believe the earth that it was located on. The earth beneath the tobacco plants was as black as night and the tobacco touched the clouds at over seven feet tall. Beyond this there was something familiar I had seen before; those giant tobacco leaves shaded everything around us. Were these freakish leaves on steroids or what? How were they so big? One look at the soil and you could only guess that it was the black soil that made these plants so strong and big. I would later document these leaves so I could remember the size for future reference.

As Pepin showed us through the barns and fields of his new farm you could see the pride in his eyes. I quickly flashed back and thought about his apartment, why does he not live in a big house in Nicaragua? Why does he not wear fancy clothes, glasses, or jewelry? It quickly became apparent that those things do not matter to him. What matters to him is right where we were standing. As the trip continued, it was even easier to see that he could care less about being a famous blender, what he DOES care about is living his dream of growing his own tobacco for his own cigars and the fact that he has his son, Jaime and family there with him. At this point, I knew that El Rey De Los Habanos was not at the peak of their success, they are just starting. Looking back at this time, I now know why Erik Espinosa said those words, "It can only get *%&@ing better!" and I know it is true. I can only believe that the cigars that will be made with the tobacco Pepin is growing will be better than ever.

We then shoot video for a few hours in the fields and barns. I have to say thanks to Pepin and family for being so easy to work with. Setting up the shot where they walk out of the fields was done multiple times so that I could pick the best angle to use for the video and they were certainly patient to do it over and over again.

Back into the truck as our next stop was to travel to the new factory being built. As we arrived at the gate, the factory grounds seem to never end. A large rolling room of enormous size was framed up as well as an already working box factory. Things at the box factory ran just like clockwork. Everyone had a task and did not deviate from it. A new area next to the already framed up area was getting ready for a slab. The thing that I can say about how Pepin is setting the factory up is that he is doing everything the exact way he wants it even if it is difficult to do. He is very specific about how he likes things and that is certainly why his cigars are of such high quality. I am already looking forward to the chance to revisit the factory after it is totally complete. I can just imagine how great it will be.

I want to take this time to bring up something that I was thinking about before I made the trip. I was wondering how Pepin could keep the quality up of all the cigars he makes with the recent big production of the Ashton cigars. I found out that only certain things were in production at one time. On the second day at the factory, it was Tatuaje being produced. The day before it was 601 and on day 3 it was Pepin Black label. I would also learn that one of the reasons why Pepin will not be attending many events this year was so he could focus on his production and building of the new factory. It is easy to see first hand that this man is doing what he wants and only what he wants. Of course, everyone would jump at the opportunity to have a cigar made by him. I have a totally new respect for this man and his family that I could not have possibly gained without this trip by 601.

Lunchtime hits, which just so happens to be one of my three favorite meals. On a rooftop in Esteli, Nicaragua I am treated by Pepin to a great recommendation of roasted chicken. The choice was perfect; it was delicious and made me pretty sleepy after eating it. After a short nap back at the hotel, I get a knock at the door for me to go join the guys for cards and snacks.

1000 Percent

Ok so we grab a deck of cards and I quickly learn that Erik Espinosa is a friggin' card magician and savant at all games of cards especially a game called Scopa. Eddie Ortega is his card partner and it is quickly apparent that I need Erik on my side in paired card games because those two teamed up meant that you would never win. Scopa is an Italian card game played with a 40-card deck. It is commonly played between two players or two teams of two players each. Playing a game of scopa with these guys was crazy. During the game, I heard two key phrases that Erik would say. One was when he was sure of what the other person had he would say "1000 percent right!" which is funny because most people say 100 percent. The other phrase was "I would bet my balls" which was funny because the way he said it you knew he would. We switch partners and play for money and time flies fast. I learned that Erik and I shared the same love for poker. My poker skills are decent but, I often lose since I play until I am out of money. I wish I had never learned the game Scopa because it is very addictive. During the games, we smoked cigars and feasted on various foods.

Dinner time already? I showered up and got ready for dinner. We all gathered at a great restaurant called La Chagueta which is a common hangout for a lot of other people in the cigar community. I feasted on shrimp in a great cream sauce and we all tried a lancero that Pepin brought along. This was really cool just hanging out and being able to feel comfortable around these guys. During dinner I also had the chance to meet Nestor Placencia Jr., one of the most famous cigar manufacturers and growers of our time. Eddie and Erik then asked me if I had ever been to a bar with a Karaoke player in it before and I said no.

An hour later, we were walking into a Karaoke bar with music blaring. At first we were the only people in the bar. Erik took the first shot at singing with his rendition of Hotel California and then a few Spanish songs. Eddie told me to search for a song to sing so I asked where the book with the English songs was. After about 30 minutes of searching, I found a couple of songs. Little did I know that more people had filled the bar after I made my musical choices so it was getting pretty crowded by that time? People were truly having a lot of fun singing favorite uplifting songs they knew and loved. As time went on, I was kind of wondering how they would like my singing. As a man handed me the microphone at our table, I saw the name of the song pop up on the screen and then heard a dead silence. Get this, the country song "Don't Take the Girl" by Tim McGraw is a mood crusher and not very well known in Nicaragua. A follow up with "The Fireman" by George Strait is a not that popular song either. Through both songs, my buddies Erik and Eddie sang along with me like true friends. Who cared what other people thought? We were having fun and that was all that mattered. We ended the night there and headed back to the hotel to get some rest for the next day.

Day 3 Friday

I woke up and headed down for breakfast in the lobby of Los Arcos. After breakfast, I grabbed a few shots of Eddie and Erik on the steps of the doorway of the hotel. The reason I picked this was because of the colors. As I sat crouched on the curb from across the street I realized that I may be sitting too far out into the street as a scooter buzzed passed me. After a few more shots, I changed angles and ran to my room to get the rest of my gear so we could leave the hotel and head to the factory.

We arrived back at El Rey De Los Habanos and Pepin asked if Erik and I were ready to head back to the farm. Today was a special day because some of the first tobacco that was from the farms was being put into pilones for curing. We would watch as it was layered and it was simply amazing. As we stood there with Pepin we gave him his space. Erik and I discussed the look of Pepin as he gazed at the pilones rising higher. Like a proud father, Pepin was staring at the people and his hands were modifying the layers as they rose. Certainly a moment that I will not forget anytime soon.

As they sat down taking some time to remember how it all started, I decided to take some video of Pepin and Erik talking about how they met and the new farm. As we started filming Pepin said that no one would understand it in Spanish, but I assured him that it did not matter. I planned to subtitle the videos, but later decided not to. Pepin spoke about how it was alot of hard work and Erik said that it was a long way from how it began. They spoke of the early days and a bit about the future. One thing I also learned was that keeping the blends exactly the same is a priority for both Pepin and 601. Erik went on to tell me that if they can not have enough tobacco to make the blend for years then they do not do it. The goal for 601 is longevity.

Being at the farm was great and since I had the time to get Erik by himself I wanted to get some details about 601 filmed. We set up in front of the field of the younger plants that would be the future 601 cigars when they grew up. Erik was a champ through the filming answering all of my questions. You see when you have a passion for a cigar like he does it simply comes natural to be able to talk about them for hours. Before we knew it we were ready to go back to check on Pepin's new factory again so we left the farm and made our way there.

With the box factory already operational at the new factory, Erik and I took some time to check out the rooms filled with empty 601 boxes. I snapped a few pictures of the boxes with Erik and we watched as Pepin made sure everything was going well that day in construction. Checking on the new factory construction as well as the farm each day has become part of Pepin's daily routine that he really enjoys. He is fully immersed in every detail and aspect of how things are made and set up. Talking with the architect of the factory there is no doubt that Pepin has thought of everything to make the factory run like clockwork and construct the cigars we all like. Before I knew it, I lost everyone again. Off in my own world of amazement at everything around me I decide I better find the guys. Pepin and Erik were waiting for me and ask me if I am ready to go and I say yes. As I stood there I thought to myself "What will it look like when it is complete?" Some day I want to return to see the completed factory.

Returning to the current factory, I gather Amilcar and Jaime for a few minutes to shoot some video about them. Now these guys together are a blast to be around. Their sheer knowledge they have of manufacturing and creating new blends is really astounding. As we film, the favorite song of all the factory workers comes on and everyone starts singing the words which was truly unexpected. We finish filming and we are about to head back to the hotel to get showered up for dinner and drinks, but we stopped for a quick arm wresting match. Known as the Popeye of the town, a young man starts kidding with Eddie about arm wresting. Eddie tells him he will take the challenge so the match is on. The match starts and Popeye tries to take Eddie out, next it is Eddie's turn and here it comes. A brief amount of time later we are all cheering as Eddie takes Popeye out and wins the arm wrestling match. That was cool to watch and I caught in on video too!

Time for dinner and the Italian restaurant we go to is one of the best in Esteli and dinner is absolutely great. Over conversation with the guys, I find out we will be heading to a bar that has a live band. We finish dinner and arrived at a thatch roof bar with an excellent band. Playing great music everyone enjoys each others company. Not being a big drinker I do enjoy some very nice rum and then start to plot my idea of how to get a bottle from the duty free back into the country. I really enjoyed hanging out because we all had alot of time to really sit and talk as we listened to a great band. We leave the bar and head back to the hotel so we can be up early for the next day.

Day 4 Saturday

I knocked on Eddie Ortega's door this morning early to get him up so I could interview him alone. I set up the video camera and Eddie comes to the roof top of Los Arcos Hotel. The rooftop has a beautiful view of the city of Esteli. Eddie sits in a rocking chair as I ask him some things about 601. As we shoot video, Erik finds us and I get a chance to shoot some video with both of them together. We get ready for one last trip to the factory to visit Pepin before we leave back to Managua. We end up instead going by Pepin's apartment to say goodbye as he is eating lunch. I thanked Pepin for being such a gracious host to me during my visit and he tells me thank you for coming. Holding him in a higher respect now more than ever, I tell him I will return one day and my Spanish will be better. One more respectful handshake and we all leave for one more stop before heading out of town.

Winding down alley ways of Esteli, we make our way to a leather goods shop were Erik picks up some fine leather card holders and wallets with 601 on them. Something that can only be made by hand. We all talk about the quality in which they have been made with. Lunch at Tip Top Chicken and we are out of town headed back to Managua.

Too Much Fun

So we enter Managua and check into the nicest hotel there called El Camino Real. The rooms are spacious and the drinks are great. The hotel has a casino attached so, Erik and I hit up the casino and win money. We play with our money as a corporation and split the winnings. Erik has some freaking nuts when it comes to gambling as can be seen when he presses the bets with the table limits when he is winning. The pit boss makes a change in the middle of the blackjack shoot and brings in the cleaner at which time Erik says it is time to cash out.

Erik, Eddie, JC and I sit by the beautiful pool playing that addictive game of Scopa for hours as we kick back pitchers of Rum filled mixed drinks. I decide to have a few more drinks since we were not planning on leaving the hotel anymore since Managua is not the safest place in the world at night. After cards, we all go back to our rooms to get ready for dinner. The decision is made to go find a nice seafood restaurant downtown that they know of. We catch a cab and make our way to an area of the city that has lots of restaurants. We eat some fresh seafood and talk about the trip. Erik and Eddie keep ordering stuff and I tell them I am not that hungry. They laugh as I keep trying the stuff they bring out. It seemed like it never ended, but I had to loosen my belt multiple times. We hit up a bar afterwards before we realize we really need to be getting back to the hotel.

We would later return that night and clean up again at the hotel in blackjack. A few more hands where Erik "Bet his Balls" on a hand and we were way up again. OK so now I got way more money in my pocket than I came with. Erik says we are up and I promise not to sneak back to the casino that night without him. Damn that was fun. We hit our rooms and he reminds me not to go back to the casino. I know, I know, quit while you are ahead.

Day 5 Sunday

My flight was one the first out that day, but we still had time for a great breakfast before catching the shuttle bus back to the airport. I thanked Erik and Eddie for everything and wrote down JC's info so we could stay in touch. As I hit the airport line I called my wife and checked my phone messages back home. I ran out of minutes on the phone at the airport so I ditched it in the garbage and decided to hit up the duty free store with some of the winnings from the night before. Needless to say when I showed up at home back in Houston, Texas that night my wife loved the stuff I brought for her on the trip. I watched my boy play in the yard. Later that night, I lit up a 601 and told my wife all about my buddies, Erik and Eddie of United Tobacco and new friends Pepin, Jaime, and Amilcar from El Rey De Los Habanos.