NewsPage 2

Arturo Fuente News

A Tale of 2 Cigar Families

A Tale of 2 Cigar Families

Cigar Aficionado – Like so many great ideas, the plan to combine the cigarmaking talents of the Fuente and Padrón families began over whisky and cigars. Carlos Fuente Jr., the man who runs Arturo Fuente, was visiting the Miami office of Jorge Padrón, his friend and competitor. It was early in 2020, and the two men lit up cigars. After the Scotch was poured, the two raised their glasses in honor of their fathers, men who had died not so long before, men who had run Fuente and Padrón before their sons. As they spoke, an unusual idea was born: what if these two companies worked together to make cigars honoring their fathers, cigars that would be sold in the same box, the two names joined for the first time in history? “We discussed Jorge blending a cigar in honor of my father, out of respect and gratitude,” says Fuente Jr. “And I was going to make a cigar that Mr. José Orlando Padrón would like.” It was a curious move, two rival companies, each a leader in the world of fine cigars, working together on a project that would bear both of their names. Coke doesn’t share the stage with Pepsi; Porsche and BMW don’t do joint projects; Rolex doesn’t make a watch with Patek Philippe. READ MORE

HalfWheel – My intent was for this post to go up a lot sooner, but things got complicated. Oddly, not because of the Arturo Fuente and Padrón Legends collaboration, which was the most talked about cigar of any trade show I’ve ever been to. From the time I first visited the booth at the start of Day 1 to my final time walking through it on Day 4, the Legends cigar had a certain fanfare that is completely unique. What’s crazy is that is hardly the end of Arturo Fuente’s other collaborations, there’s also the $80,000 Elie Bleu humidor and a plethora of new items for Manny Iriarte Enterprises’ The OpusX Society. But this post is about Fuente, the mothership, and it had plenty of new items. In traditional Arturo Fuente fashion, good luck finding details about just about any of the cigars, but if you wanted information about dog bowls, I found that wasn’t that difficult to come by. As you’ll read below, for some of these cigars, a lot remains unclear. READ MORE

Fuente & Padrón Legends Cigar Project To Be Unveiled July 10, 2022

Miami, Florida – Carlito Fuente and Jorge Padrón are proud to announce the release of their Legends cigar project. Please join the Fuente and Padrón families Sunday July 10, 2022 at 3:30 pm at the PCA Trade Show, Booth # 1321 for the unveiling of these extraordinary cigars. Carlos A. Fuente, Sr. and José O. Padrón were friends and colleagues for over 50 years. They shared common bonds – a passion for the finest Cuban cigar-making traditions and deep respect for their family names. They passed these values on to their children. Their sons, Carlito Fuente and Jorge Padrón, together with their families, have partnered to honor and remember the Fuente and Padrón family patriarchs. For the first time, the families are collaborating on a joint project, a commemorative 40-cigar box in honor of their fathers and their legacies. The box is detailed with colors, symbols and photographs illustrating the rich family histories and contributions to the cigar industry made by both families. Inside, there are two trays of 20 hand crafted cigars. One tray features cigars made by Padrón in honor of Carlos A. Fuente, Sr. The second tray features cigars made by Fuente in honor of José O. Padrón. Specially designed bands honor both patriarchs with family symbols and the words the two men lived by – “Familia,” “Perseverancia,” and “Legado” (Family, Perseverance, and Legacy). Both families have selected rare and beautiful tobaccos to create legendary cigars worthy of the extraordinary men they honor. In keeping with their fathers’ tradition of giving, a percentage of the proceeds from the sales of this collaboration will be donated to the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation and the Padrón Family Foundation. Contact: Liana Fuente (lfuente@arturofuente.com) or Jeff Padrón (jeffpadron@padron.com)
Fuentes Breaking Ground On Nicaraguan Factory

Fuentes Breaking Ground On Nicaraguan Factory

Cigar Aficionado – Four and a half years—nearly to the day—after Carlos Fuente Jr. announced plans to build a grand factory in Estelí, Nicaragua, his company is about to formally break ground on the site and begin construction. On Thursday, the inauguration of the factory will occur. “Many years in the works,” Fuente Jr. said to Cigar Aficionado. “The day is finally coming.” The event will include, according to Fuente Jr., “The whole construction company, government officials and colleagues.” Read More
Prime Time Awards 2021: Large Factory of the Year – Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia

Prime Time Awards 2021: Large Factory of the Year – Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia

“We will never rush the hands of time” is the mantra of Arturo Fuente Cigar Company. It’s no better personified than in the excellent products that have come out of its Dominican factory, Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia. It’s a big reason why it wins the 2021 Prime Time Award for Large Factory of the Year. There is such a wide variety of cigars produced from this company, from regular production to limited editions to uber-limited editions; from mild cigars to powerhouse blend; from tried and true vitola sizes to artisan shapes. The factory has executed flawlessly on so many levels over the years, and 2021 was one that really shined and showcased the versatility and consistency of quality. Most importantly, the end products delivered were outstanding. READ MORE
2021 Smokin Tabacco Awards: Woman of the Year – Liana Fuente

2021 Smokin Tabacco Awards: Woman of the Year – Liana Fuente

Like her family before her, Liana is a professional with love and passion for the business of premium handmade cigars. She is the Vice President of Brand Development of Arturo Fuente and also oversees all of their charitable efforts. She takes after her father, Carlito, in the way she represents such a storied and historic brand with a reputation for high class and consistency. When her father created the new “Rare Pink” line, she was the one who decided to use that to raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness. Rare Pink was introduced in 2020 when it was shipped to retailers for the holiday season. It uses Ecuadorian wrapper over a mixture of tobaccos including Nicaraguan tobacco from the Fuente farm in Estelí, Nicaragua. All of the vitolas are perfectos, with two new sizes introduced at PCA 2021 this year: Queen of Hearts and Sophisticated Hooker. Arturo Fuente announced in addition that $13 from each box would be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation after the American Cancer Society refused to accept money from a company associated with tobacco. In 2020, Liana told us they raised $107,000 for Breast Cancer Research. READ MORE
Liana Fuente -Ash Quarterly Woman of the Year

Liana Fuente -Ash Quarterly Woman of the Year

Ash Quarterly First ever award for Woman of the Year goes to Liana Fuente. Liana is the Vice President of Brand Development for Arturo Fuente and oversees all its various charitable endeavours. Speaking of Charity, Liana has made it a point to do extensive fundraising for Breast Cancer Awareness. Part of this initiative saw the launch of the Arturo Fuente Rare Pink series in which the company donates money to the American Cancer Society for every box sold. With all that Liana does, it is no wonder that she was voted Woman of the Year by consumers.

Congratulations Liana!
BIG BANG UNICO ARTURO FUENTE CERAMIC

BIG BANG UNICO ARTURO FUENTE CERAMIC

El Maestro! Carlos A. Fuente Sr. was born in 1935 in Ybor City, a Cuban émigré neighbourhood in Tampa, Florida. While still in primary school, Carlos Sr. began working in his father Arturo’s small cigar business. Even as very young children, part of the household duties was to first make 50 cigars a day before they could start their homework. Impassioned by his family and the craftsmanship of making cigars, Carlos Sr. worked alongside his father Arturo until his father’s retirement. Taking over the reins of the family business in 1956, Carlos Sr. was ambitious and sought to expand the business, first in other parts of Florida before setting his sights on New York City. Carlos Sr. successfully enabled the company to flourish in the 1960s. Unfortunately, the United States embargo against Cuba forced the Fuentes to move their cigar production to Nicaragua. However, the family suffered further misfortune when, in 1978, their factory was burned down by Sandinista revolutionaries. Once again, the Fuentes were forced into exile and moved their operations to Honduras. And the adage that ‘things always seem to go in threes’ came true when, in 1980, the new factory also burned down. Read Original
2021 Big Smoke Meets WhiskyFest: The Cigars of Fuente

2021 Big Smoke Meets WhiskyFest: The Cigars of Fuente

The third seminar at Big Smoke Meets WhiskyFest showcased the cigars of Fuente. Gordon Mott, the senior contributing editor of Cigar Aficionado, and Carlos Fuente Jr., the maker of Fuente cigars, mounted the stage to great applause, the latter looking rather dashing with his white hat and pencil-thin mustache. Before he got down to brass tacks, Fuente began with heartfelt words about what Cigar Aficionado has done for the cigar industry and how events such as Big Smokes allow him and his family to come face-to-face with the people who enjoy his cigars, a sentiment which felt all the more poignant in the aftermath of the lockdown. “If there’s anything at all this has taught me,” he said, “it’s not about cigars, it’s about people,” resulting in thunderous applause from the audience.   READ MORE

Recent Comments

     
    Are you 21 or older? This website requires you to be 21 years of age or older. Please verify your age to view the content, or click "Exit" to leave.