Aristides Garcia is the Head of Pre-Production (basically everything from when the crops are harvested to when the cigars are rolled) for Perdomo Cigars in Nicaragua. He’s 77 years young and has been in the cigar business for 60-something years. Before joining Perdomo ten years ago, he was the top administrator for all of Cuba Tobacco. He chatted with us recently about his career and about why Perdomo’s cigars are the best in the world.

Jason and I arrived in Nicaragua yesterday! We flew from Miami International Airport (which, by the way, has to be THE. WORST. AIRPORT. IN. THE. WORLD.) with Hillman, Vincent and Bill from Perdomo Asia, as well as Billy Perdomo and a few guys from the US and Poland, arriving in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, a couple of hours later. Compared to Miami, Managua airport was a breeze. Most of the guys hit the liquor stores, where you can buy 12 year-old Flor De Cana rum (a local Nicaraguan product which is “the world’s most awarded rum”) for about $20, and stocked up for the trip.

We had a bus waiting for us at the airport and started the three hour trip to Esteli, the home of Perdomo Cigars’ manufacturing facilities.

As soon as we jumped on the bus, Billy handed out cigars and Nicaraguan beer (Tona, a very good drop).

Cameron on the bus to Esteli

The three hour trip to Esteli was fascinating. As far as the landscape goes, Nicaragua looks incredibly like Australia. I half expected to see a few roos jumping around. The main differences I noticed were:

a) we don’t have vultures back home and

b) we don’t have people living in tiny corrogated iron shacks in the dirt.

Although, I supposed if you go to certain parts of WA and the NT, you might see something similar.

c) more mountains.

A few stats about Nicaragua:

Population – about 6 million, the lowest population density in Central America. Possibly because so many people died during the revolutionary and Contra wars in the 70s and 80s.

Unemployment – 46%. It is the second poorest country in the Americas. 48% of the population in Nicaragua live below the poverty line, 79.9% of the population live with less than $2 per day. According to UN figures, 80% of the indigenous people (who make up 5% of the population) live on less than $1 per day. According to the FAO, 27% of all Nicaraguans are suffering from undernourishment; the highest percentage in Central America.

Religion – 95% Catholic. Under the influence of the Catholics, the govt introduced a 100% ban on abortion last year, which leads to horrifying situations like this.

Culture – Nicaragua is a country that takes poetry SERIOUSLY. Ruben Dario is considered a national hero.

Jason on the bus to Esteli

So the people here are very poor, very religious and had to fight tooth-and-nail to win the right of self-government, after first being colonized by the Spanish for centuries, then the USA, then for almost half of the 20th century the country was run by the brutal Somoza family dictatorship, then when the revolution kicked the last Somoza out, the USA under Reagan illegally funded the Contras (a counter-revolutionary militia) to try to overthrow the new government (which was unsuccessful and lead to the infamous Iran – Contra scandal with Oliver North) and put Nicaragua under an economic embargo for five years.

So they’ve been doing it tough for a long, long time.

Nicaragua has always been a predominantly agricultural country and they are well known for their rum, coffee, lobsters, beef and, of course, CIGARS. Not just Perdomo – there are a range of cigar manufacturers based here in Esteli, because of the soil and climate.

When we arrived in Esteli, about 5pm, we took a quick visit to the Perdomo factory, which was closed because it’s a Sunday (and everyone’s in church).

Perdomo Cigars factory in Esteli

Today we’ll be heading back to the factory to witness the entire Perdomo operation. Perdomo has vertically integrated the entire process – from growing their own crops, to making their own boxes, to, of course, drying, rolling and ageing their cigars.

I’m going to be shooting lots of video for the PerdomoVision podcast.

(BTW you can see more photos on our Facebook page.)