061: The Greater China perspective

We discuss the cigar consumer in Greater China with Eric Piras.

Eric Piras has an incredible experience of over 25 years in the cigar industry. He is based in Hong Kong, where he manages his import-export cigar trading Cigraal Ltd, the agent for brands such as Arturo Fuente, Ashton, Joya de Nicaragua, Mombacho, Gerard and Maya Selva. 

In Hong Kong, he also operates Bertie Cigar Lounge, setting the mark for a new era of cigar smoking, with the largest selection of New World cigars in Hong Kong, patronized by a younger and more feminine crowd. Eric has also created the Cigraal Academy, to promote the cigar knowledge and discovery. He also recently launched his line of accessories: Totem.

Episode quick summary

• Some criteria for choosing cigars for import/distribution
• Attracting young and female consumers
• Paying attention to customers needs in order to best advise them
• The Cigraal Academy
• The importance of the tobacco processing to deliver great flavors
• Blind tasting ideas that reveal another angle of the consumer behavior
• How consistent cigars need to be to be able to define their core profile
• Defect of the cigar or fault of the smoker?

References mentioned in the episode:

Bertie cigar lounge and Totem accessories: https://www.bertiecigars.com/

Cigraal Ltd: http://www.cigraal.com/

Cigar Sense aroma wheel: https://www.cigarsense.com/the-cigar-sense-aromas-wheel/