Interview with Ernesto Padilla
[Interview conducted January 2009] There are a lot of brands that we consider “household” names… all solid products with a long history of quality and consistency which makes them deserving of the “household” status. And then there’s the other side… the “boutique” brands. The ones that you hear about once in a while, or read about in a magazine and start looking for but you have a hard time finding… and then finally you find one and get the chance to try it. I’ve known Ernesto Padilla for a number of years, and it’s been a treat watching him develop as a brand during that time. It’s been even more of a treat to smoke his cigars and see how they too evolve. With the recent opening of his own factory in Miami, we’re entering the newest chapter of the Padilla saga. So how did u get started in this business?? I was born in Havana, Cuba. My family is from Spain, the Canary Islands, which have had a long tradition with cigars. Then they came to Cuba, bought land and began to sell to major m...