Joya de Nicaragua
Encyclopedia
Joya de Nicaragua, S.A., established in 1968, is the oldest brand of cigars
made in Nicaragua
. The company continues to manufacture its products today from its headquarters in Estelí
, today a major manufacturing center of handmade cigars with exports made worldwide.
of 1959. In the years immediately following the overthrow of the regime of Fulgencio Batista
by Fidel Castro
, the export of raw tobacco and finished cigars from Cuba
to the United States was initially permitted. This situation changed dramatically in 1962 when President John F. Kennedy
imposed a stringent embargo against Cuba
.
Owners of tobacco
companies and leading growers had already fled the island in the aftermath of the revolution, with its nationalization
of the cigar industry. New areas for the cultivation of cigar tobacco were explored. One of the most promising of these new regions for tobacco cultivation were the fertile soils of Nicaragua.
While tobacco farming in Nicaragua was begun in 1964, the first brand manufactured in the country was Joya de Nicaragua — a company launched in 1968.
The Spanish word joya is a false friend
with the English word "joy." The actual meaning of the word is "jewel" — thus the brand name "Joya de Nicaragua" correctly translates as "Jewel of Nicaragua."
During the Reagan administration's
embargo of Nicaraguan goods, production of Joya de Nicaragua was moved across the border to Honduras
, where production was handled in the facilities of Nestor Plasencia
. There was additionally difficulty with the trademark, which had been sold prior to the downfall of the Somoza regime. The company was in disarray and was sold via a public auction.
). As a young man Martínez Cuenca studied English language in England before attending McGill University
, from which he obtained a Bachelor's degree
, the University of South Carolina
, from which he obtained a Masters degree, and Vanderbilt University
, where he earned a PhD
in Economics
.
During the Sandinista Revolution, Martínez Cuenca, a member of the Sandinista Party
, served as Minister of Foreign Trade for the Sandinista government.
Having purchased the company in the aftermath of the revolution, Martínez Cuenca set about reviving the brand, which had fallen in quality and esteem. As one observer put it, the deterioration of Joya de Nicaragua had been the unfortunate result of a "failed social experiment in which company operations were managed by factory workers." Old rollers and blenders were rehired and the company released what would become its signature cigar, the Joya de Nicaragua Antaño 1970, a spicy stick that recaptured the flavor of the brand's storied past.
Joya de Nicaragua was buoyed by the cigar boom
of the 1990s in the United States, a period in which demand for handrolled cigars far outpaced available supply. Solid sales enabled the struggling company to bank reserve funds and to survive the downturn which followed.
Funds accumulated during the cigar boom enabled Martínez Cuenca to repurchase the Joya de Nicaragua trademark for the American market from tobacco giant Altadis
, which had obtained it in one of its many acquisitions.
Joya de Nicaragua is known for making Nicaraguan puros — cigars which make use of binders, fillers, and wrappers from that country only.
The brand is distributed in the United States by Drew Estate, a country which in 2009 accounted for approximately 45% of the company's global sales.
Cigar
A cigar is a tightly-rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco that is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the mouth. Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Philippines, and the Eastern...
made in Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
. The company continues to manufacture its products today from its headquarters in Estelí
Estelí
Estelí, officially Villa de San Antonio de Pavia de Estelí is a city and municipality within the Estelí department. It is the third largest city in Nicaragua, an active commercial center in the north and is known as "the Diamond of the Segovias."...
, today a major manufacturing center of handmade cigars with exports made worldwide.
Establishment
Cigar-making came to Nicaragua in the aftermath of the Cuban RevolutionCuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
of 1959. In the years immediately following the overthrow of the regime of Fulgencio Batista
Fulgencio Batista
Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar was the United States-aligned Cuban President, dictator and military leader who served as the leader of Cuba from 1933 to 1944 and from 1952 to 1959, before being overthrown as a result of the Cuban Revolution....
by Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
, the export of raw tobacco and finished cigars from Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
to the United States was initially permitted. This situation changed dramatically in 1962 when President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
imposed a stringent embargo against Cuba
United States embargo against Cuba
The United States embargo against Cuba is a commercial, economic, and financial embargo partially imposed on Cuba in October 1960...
.
Owners of tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
companies and leading growers had already fled the island in the aftermath of the revolution, with its nationalization
Nationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
of the cigar industry. New areas for the cultivation of cigar tobacco were explored. One of the most promising of these new regions for tobacco cultivation were the fertile soils of Nicaragua.
While tobacco farming in Nicaragua was begun in 1964, the first brand manufactured in the country was Joya de Nicaragua — a company launched in 1968.
The Spanish word joya is a false friend
False friend
False friends are pairs of words or phrases in two languages or dialects that look or sound similar, but differ in meaning....
with the English word "joy." The actual meaning of the word is "jewel" — thus the brand name "Joya de Nicaragua" correctly translates as "Jewel of Nicaragua."
During the Reagan administration's
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
embargo of Nicaraguan goods, production of Joya de Nicaragua was moved across the border to Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
, where production was handled in the facilities of Nestor Plasencia
Nestor Plasencia
Nestor Plasencia, Sr. , is a tobacco grower and cigar maker of Cuban descent whose factories in Honduras and Nicaragua produce over 30 million cigars a year. Contracting out the use of his factories to Rocky Patel and other leading brands, Plasencia remains one of the leading figures in the Central...
. There was additionally difficulty with the trademark, which had been sold prior to the downfall of the Somoza regime. The company was in disarray and was sold via a public auction.
Development
In 1994, Joya de Nicaragua was purchased for $600,000 by Dr. Alejandro Ernesto Martínez Cuenca (born 1947 in ManaguaManagua
Managua is the capital city of Nicaragua as well as the department and municipality by the same name. It is the largest city in Nicaragua in terms of population and geographic size. Located on the southwestern shore of Lake Xolotlán or Lake Managua, the city was declared the national capital in...
). As a young man Martínez Cuenca studied English language in England before attending McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
, from which he obtained a Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
, the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
, from which he obtained a Masters degree, and Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
, where he earned a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
.
During the Sandinista Revolution, Martínez Cuenca, a member of the Sandinista Party
Sandinista National Liberation Front
The Sandinista National Liberation Front is a socialist political party in Nicaragua. Its members are called Sandinistas in both English and Spanish...
, served as Minister of Foreign Trade for the Sandinista government.
Having purchased the company in the aftermath of the revolution, Martínez Cuenca set about reviving the brand, which had fallen in quality and esteem. As one observer put it, the deterioration of Joya de Nicaragua had been the unfortunate result of a "failed social experiment in which company operations were managed by factory workers." Old rollers and blenders were rehired and the company released what would become its signature cigar, the Joya de Nicaragua Antaño 1970, a spicy stick that recaptured the flavor of the brand's storied past.
Joya de Nicaragua was buoyed by the cigar boom
Cigar boom
The Cigar Boom is the name given to the resurgence of cigar consumption in the United States during the years of the middle 1990s. Beginning in 1992, imports and sales of premium cigars began to rise dramatically and manufacturers struggled to keep up with demand, leading to industry-wide shortages...
of the 1990s in the United States, a period in which demand for handrolled cigars far outpaced available supply. Solid sales enabled the struggling company to bank reserve funds and to survive the downturn which followed.
Funds accumulated during the cigar boom enabled Martínez Cuenca to repurchase the Joya de Nicaragua trademark for the American market from tobacco giant Altadis
Altadis
Altadis is a multinational purveyor and manufacturer of cigarettes, tobacco and cigars. Altadis was formed via a 1999 merger between Tabacalera, the former Spanish tobacco monopoly and SEITA, the former French tobacco monopoly...
, which had obtained it in one of its many acquisitions.
Joya de Nicaragua is known for making Nicaraguan puros — cigars which make use of binders, fillers, and wrappers from that country only.
The brand is distributed in the United States by Drew Estate, a country which in 2009 accounted for approximately 45% of the company's global sales.
Products
- Antaño 1970
- Antaño Dark Corojo —introduced 2009.
- Cabinetta Serie
- Celebración
- Clásico
- Fuerte
- Joya de Nicaragua Serie
External links
- Joya de Nicaragua
- Joya de Nicaragua factory tour at YouTube