Cigar Weekly

On September 4, 2006, Cigar Weekly published an article from longtime cigar bulletin board veteran Roger Farnsworth (ElkTwin), called  “Feeding Frenzies - Rumor, Fear and the Madness of Crowds” (found here,) in which Roger humorously recounted a phenomenon that occurred regularly on cigar forums during the late 1990s and through the early 2000s. A highly coveted or widely discussed cigar, rarely available, suddenly arrived at the online retailers. One forum member would post the information, and within moments, the retailers were overwhelmed.

Roger’s thread itself turned into a bit of frenzy, as members chimed in about their being among the fortunate few able to get through to the operators. Of course, others lamented the fact that the lines were busy when they called, or that the cigars were already sold out by the time they were able to get through.

 

It’s been a long time since we have seen such a scenario take place. And while there is a recent example, it does not even begin to approach the absolute chaos of 10 years ago. Nevertheless, this event is still worth mentioning. In late 2007, Cigar Weekly member birdhunter02  (Mark Matthewson) received a catalog from cigar and accessory company Cuban Crafters. From that catalog, to Mark’s startled eyes, sprang amazing news. Quickly, on December 17th, 2007, he relayed the information to his fellow Cigar Weekly members by starting a thread on the forums. Many others were equally astounded. The exciting tidings? “Cupidos are BACK!”

In chronicling my own history in cigars, I have told people that I began smoking deliberately, being influenced by talk-show host Rush Limbaugh to look at cigars differently and to see that cigar smokers really are good folk. Mr. Limbaugh was, and still is, correct on that count. Many individuals I now consider life-long friends are cigar smokers.

I also began reading whatever I could find in books and magazines, learned something about the history of cigars, and came to appreciate the idea that cigars count among the finer things. In more than one of those publications, I saw the advertisement for Cupidos. I daresay that many interested cigar smokers have seen it. It is the one with the architectural line drawing of their three cigar sizes, each bearing that interesting, heart-shaped, black and purple band.

Within the publications, the Cupido cigars received high scores all around, and I began searching tobacconists for them once I’d read enough and had begun smoking in 1997. I was able to find Cupidos at only one shop in the French Quarter of New Orleans, and I paid nearly ten dollars per cigar for them. I would find reasons to ask friends to go out to the Quarter – not my normal thing – just to get to that shop. The whole story is a wonderful memory.

Cupido grew, adding the Criollo line, one of the first lines of cigars to have this capa, a year or so later. In the years following, the Cigar Boom ended. But Cupido seemed to survive, still producing those earthy cigars. Then, in 2002, it became known that the cigars were to be no more. Cupido was in trouble and had to close their doors.  Henry 'Don Kiki' Berger, who had been making the cigars, was able to acquire the blend, but not the name, from the owners of Cupido, Yossi Kviatkovsky and Dixi Monaco. This blend became the La Carolina brand that Don Kiki’s company, Cuban Crafters, began making in 2004 or early 2005.

It seems, however, that I’m not the only one to have a fond, nostalgic memory of Cupido from my formative years. Recollections like this stay with a person, much as the music of high school and college years often defines a person’s musical tastes later in life. So, good cigars, smoked early in a person’s cigar journey, definitely remain a pleasant remembrance and a defining moment.

The thread that birdhunter02 started last December is still going strong as of this writing, and the newly released Cupido Criollos, which are (according to those posting) selling rather briskly, have in turn become increasingly difficult for smokers to get their hands on. It is quite possible that this entire run of cigars may sell out sooner rather than later. But what about the man with that slightly quirky name, Don Kiki? Cigar Weekly Editor-in-Chief Thomas Bender (TommyBB) recently talked to Henry 'Don Kiki' Berger about family, cigars and the industry in general.  

 

Cigar Weekly: First, thank you for this time. I’ve read some things about you, but tell our readers, if you would, about your beginnings in Esteli. When did you first arrive there, and how did you get into tobacco? Wasn’t your father in tobacco in Cuba before you?

It slowed me down from being able to proceed to do what I really wanted to do. That is to continue to make quality cigars, and not being able to be 100 percent, and make what I was making. I didn’t want my rollers and bunchers to start doing what I couldn’t check. I’m dedicated to Nicaragua and only come in (to the United States) to go to the doctors. I’m hands-on. Being a cigar maker by remote control doesn’t work. You have to be in front of them making sure they’re doing the right things. You can have computers and all and it’s beautiful but the blend is important. You have to be there at all time.