Out of everyone that we met during our coverage of the 2024 PCA Trade Show, the enthusiasm and generosity that was encountered at the Artesano del Tobacco booth felt the most genuine.
Founded by Billy and Gus Fakih, who used to own and operate the Cigar Inn tobacco shops in Manhattan, this boutique brand is bursting with creativity and kick-ass cigars.
It may have taken these two a while to get the Artesano brand off the ground (three years all told if memory serves) but after selling their two New York City stogies shops, Gus and Billy had the financial means and freedom to delve headfirst into launching their own cigar brand.
It didn't take long for the boys to strike a deal with famed cigarmaker A.J. Fernandez, and before long two robust cigars emerged on the scene, both of which are described in brief detail below. For more on these blends, and Artesano del Tobacco, we'll allow our interview with Billy and Gus to fill in the gaps, and let their energy take the reins.
Viva la Vida
[Buy 5-Pack]
When Viva La Vida by Artesano del Tobacco took home a Cigar Aficionado Top 25 win as one of the Best Cigars of 2020, many people asked the same question: "Who?"
Still relatively unknown at the time, Artesano allowed the leaf in this smoke, as well as the clout associated with the blend's backer, AJ Fernandez, to do the explaining.
Formulated entirely out of AJF tobacco, this Nicaraguan puro focuses upon corojo leaf for its binder and filler and comes encased in a habano oscuro wrapper that that is built for complexity and character. The result is a spicy, robust, full-flavored cigar with loads of sweetness and a lingering finish that fans of stronger smokes are sure to adore.
El Pulpo
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When Artesano Del Tobacco and AJ Fernandez launched El Pulpo, they had no idea that it would soon soar to the #10 spot on Cigar Aficionado's Top 25 Cigars of 2023. They knew it would do well, but surely it wouldn't be able to surpass the praise that was allotted toward its first creation, Viva la Vida.
But sure enough, this smoke soared to Top 10 status, and Gus and Billy couldn't be any more proud of the cigar's success ever since. To achieve this feat, the guys worked with Fernandez for many years until they were able to secure a Mexican San Andrés wrapper that had been aged and fermented for far longer than what is considered the norm. Accompanied by a blend of Nicaraguan binder and filler strains grown on Fernandez's best farms down in Nicaragua, this aquatic beast is sure to ensnare your senses and pull you deep into the chewy mocha depths.