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For decades, nicotine has been flattened into a villain. A single word standing in for excess, addiction, and modern overuse. But like many things stripped of context, the truth is more nuanced and far more interesting. At Bariay 1492, we don’t believe in defending habits blindly. We believe in understanding them. Honoring where they come from, how they’re used, and why they’ve endured. Nicotine when separated from additives, combustion shortcuts, and constant consumption has

Not all parts of a tobacco plant are the same. And not all of them are easy to work with.  At the top of the tobacco plant, closest to the sun, are the leaves most cigar makers approach with caution. They’re thicker. Oilier. More potent. Rich in nicotine and flavor but also in sharpness, bitterness, and unpredictability. Most blends avoid them entirely. We didn’t. As a tobacco plant grows, the upper leaves, called ligero, receive the most sunlight. That exposure creates densi

Some people enter an industry. Others are born into it.  César Ramirez belongs to the second kind. Born in Havana, Cuba, César grew up surrounded by tobacco, not as a luxury, but as life. As a boy, he watched his grandfather work in the tobacco barns, absorbing the rituals of the craft long before he understood their weight. The smells of curing leaf, the patience of fermentation, the quiet pride of honest work. These weren’t lessons taught, they were lived. Unlike many faces

A Great Cigar Isn’t Only About the Smoke — It’s About the Moments After Ask any seasoned smoker and they’ll tell you: the mark of a truly exceptional cigar is not only what you taste while it burns—but what lingers after. The aftersmoke  is the soul of the experience. It’s the finish, the memory, the subtle echo of flavor that stays with you long after the final puff. At Bariay 1492, we obsess over this stage. Because if the end of the cigar isn’t every bit as beautiful as th

The Tradition Few Still Practice — and Why It Matters In the world of premium cigars, fermentation is everything. It’s the quiet, hidden alchemy that transforms raw tobacco into something refined, expressive, and unbelievably smooth. Most manufacturers stop after the standard two fermentations. But at Bariay 1492, we honor a practice that only a handful of master blenders still protect today: the third fermentation. It’s not common. It’s not fast. And it’s certainly not cheap

So, you’ve picked up your first cigar. Maybe it was a gift, a spontaneous purchase, or just curiosity calling. Either way, welcome —...

Stepping into the world of cigars can feel overwhelming. Bold flavors, mysterious names, unfamiliar rituals — where do you even begin? At...

A great cigar is like a good story — and the right drink turns it into a legend. Whether you’re relaxing on the porch or celebrating...

When you light up a cigar, you’re not just tasting tobacco — you’re tasting the choices made by the people behind it. At Bariay 1492,...

For too long in the US, cigars have been treated like a rare indulgence reserved for weddings, promotions, or closing the big deal. But...

Some things don’t need to be invented. They just need to be remembered. That’s how it felt when Cesar Ramirez, our master blender, stood...