Cigar Insider: Jesus Fuego of Fuego Cigars

Like so many in the cigar business, Jesus L. Fuego is a friendly guy. At a recent store event to introduce and promote his new line of cigars, he chatted and joked like the host of a party. He really seems to live up to his goal: “I’m making a cigar for me and sharing it with the people.”

The Fuego family’s involvement with tobacco dates to 1876, and he has worked with numerous manufacturers. He’s often credited as the “mastermind” behind a number of Rocky Patel cigars, including the Vintage 1990 and 1992. Fuego went out on his own last year and introduced his eponymous cigars in December.

Fuego has two lines: the Natural and the Gran Reserva Corojo No. 1. Each comes in five sizes and MSRP ranges from $5.50 for the Natural Corona (4.5×46) to $10 for the Gran Reserva Grande (6.5×58).

The Natural is milder, what Fuego calls an every day smoke. “The people who smoke light will not feel it too strong,” he said. “The people who smoke strong will not feel it too mild.” The Gran Reserva is darker and stronger. Fuego prefers to call it full-flavored and said his aim in creating it was to eliminate harshness.

Both cigars are multinational blends. The Natural sports a Criollo wrapper and tobacco from three countries, while the Corojo-wrapped Gran Reserva blend represents four nations. All the tobaccos, Fuego said, are grown specifically for him.

He is selling through B&Ms, doing numerous events such as the one where I chatted with him at MJM Fine Cigars in Palm Harbor, Florida, a few hours from his company’s headquarters in Coral Gables. And he was looking forward to promoting his brand at the RTDA show currently taking place in Houston, Texas.

Although he isn’t selling directly to the big Internet cigar retailers, he said some of his shop customers offer the cigars on their online sites. Fuego has no website of its own.

Fuego said he won’t introduce anything new for at least a year, taking that time to get established in the marketplace and build on what he called a very good initial reception. Yet, he said, he’s always working on new blends and testing them, seeing what his father and others think.

“That’s pretty much what we do: make a blend that we enjoy and put it out there and see.” Fuego said. “If people like it, it will be good. If they don’t like it, what can I say — I’ll have a lot of cigars I can smoke.”

–George E

Tags: cigars