Havana Roots, Estelí Bets: How Fermin Perez Built His Own Factory

Most boutique founders borrow credibility from someone else's factory. They rent space on production floors in Nicaragua or the Dominican Republic, then lean on the reputation of those houses while they learn. Fermin Perez took a different route. Born and raised in Havana around tobacco, he launched Fermin Perez Premium Cigars in 2021 with Estelí production and a clear end state in mind.

The early years looked familiar on the surface. The blends came out under his own name, built at established facilities, and reviewers learned to expect a measured, medium to full profile that favored structure over novelty. Underneath, Perez treated every release as a test of whether his palate and his discipline could carry a company without a legacy logo on the lid.

By 2026 he had answered that question by signing a different kind of lease. Rather than remain a tenant in larger factories, Perez opened his own operation in Estelí and anchored the brand there. Eight core lines now form the spine of the portfolio, with intentionally limited projects layered on top. The move trades some of the safety of contract production for the control that comes with owning the rolling tables and the aging rooms outright.

For smokers, that decision matters. When a boutique owns its own factory, every cigar that leaves the building says something about the way its founder believes tobacco should be grown, handled, and presented. In Perez's case, the bet is that a Havana upbringing, a Nicaraguan base, and a willingness to grow at a deliberate pace will produce cigars that feel less like a private label and more like a point of view.