tcW: Has Padron always been Nicaraguan puro?

Jorge: No. When the company was founded, my father experimented with many different types of tobacco. In 1967 when my father began using Nicaraguan tobacco, he liked it so much and found it so similar to Cuban tobacco that he decided to concentrate on that. We have however, from time to time, used other tobaccos to supplement our existing inventory. Non-Nicaraguan tobaccos have never accounted for more than 2% of our raw material inventory.

I think that it is also important to point out that over the 35 years we have been growing tobacco in Nicaragua we have made many successful experiments cultivating different varieties of tobacco. These other varieties have been used successfully in production.

tcW: How many factories/farms do you have active? Does each factory exclusively roll one line of Padron cigar?

We have two factories and one distribution center. In Esteli, Nicaragua, Tabacos Cubanica, S.A. founded in 1970 and in Danli, Honduras, Tabacos Centroamericanos, S.A. founded in 1979. They each manufacture the entire line of cigars. The factory in Nicaragua however, serves as the main source for tobacco processing, sorting and deveining. All our tobacco is processed in Nicaragua and then shipped to Honduras as needed for production. We currently have tobacco from sixteen different farms throughout different regions in Nicaragua. Piloto Cigars,Inc., our distribution company is located in the Little Havana area of Miami. The same place were it all started 41 years ago.

tcW: Each of your lines is available in natural and maduro wrapper. Does Padron grow its own wrapper leaf exclusively or purchase some wrapper as well?

Jorge:As I mentioned earlier, all the tobacco that we use is harvested by us. On occasion, to supplement existing inventory, we have purchased very small amounts of binder. (continued...)