PCA Magazine Show Issue 2021

PREMIUMCIGARS.ORG SHOW 2021 | PCA The Magazine 27 T H E B L E N D While Espionsa produces an enormous variety of cigars, at least 30 brands utilizing tobaccos frommultiple countries, he rejects the title of Master Blender. “I don’t think there’s such thing as amaster blender, because unless you’ve worked with everything, you really haven’t mastered everything.” And he acknowledges the hard work required tomaster the craft: “I had to learn a lot onmy own, because I had to learn the characteristics of a lot of different types of tobacco.” When asked who he considers his mentors he replies: “I had a great relationship with DrewEstate, and NickMelillo, for me, is one of the best out there because he had every type of tobacco to work with.” Espinosa also expresses great regard for leaf grower andmanufacturer Nestor Plasencia, saying, “If there’s anybody who would be a master I think it would be him.” Espinosa seems to have learned his lessons well. His creative abilities reached a crescendo when he conceived the idea for the Laranja Reserva line of cigars. He recounts how in 2015 he discovered the unique Brazilian wrapper leaf (laranja is Portuguese for orange), and how it fit his plans for his next creation: “Orange has always beenmy favorite color, and I always wanted to make a cigar with an orange band. I was sorting out tobacco inNicaragua and this guy shows me this wrapper, and the sunlight was hitting it, and it looked very orange. I took a couple of hands back to La Zona and I started working on a blend for that. And here we are!” La Ranja Reserve went on to score a 94 rating fromCigar Aficionado, leading to the subsequent rollout of the La Ranja Reserva Escuro, amaduro version utilizing BrazilianMata Fina wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and fillers. The Escuro earned Cigar SnobMagazine’s 2020 Cigar Of The Year award. Espinosa shares credit for the company’s success with his son, company vice president Erik Jr., director of sales Jack Torano andHector Alfonso Sr., director of operations. Referencing his love of the color orange, Espinosa cites a Frank Sinatra quote: “Orange is the happiest color.” If you’re wondering whether this relentlessly energetic cigar maker has achieved that lofty state of happiness, let his catch phrase sum it up: “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” For more information about La Ranja Reserva and the other Espinosa cigars, visit espinosacigars.com .