Let's peel Victor back like an onion.  Who are you, deep down? 

Deep down, I’m all bones, blood and water and a lot of cigar smoking. Nah, I’m just a regular dude, who’s trying to have purpose and fun in life.

How did you get into the cigar business? 

Around 2012, I picked up smoking on a daily basis; before that it was occasional. I hardly mention it but my grandfather has sold his own brand in the DR since 1998. He mostly sells to gift shops and some local shops. So it’s fair to say I’ve been around cigars for a great part of my life, maybe not the industry but the finished product. So I started ordering some big brands and a lot of boutique cigars, which we couldn’t buy in the Dominican Republic, and a lot of those boxes said Made in the DR.

By 2013 I started thinking about building a boutique brand and give focus to my local market. I started visiting different factories, big ones and small ones, with no idea what I was doing but learning with each visit. By the end of 2013 I met Francisco Rivas from Manufactura Rivas through Edgar Sued from Campesino Cigars. I started visiting his factory on a monthly basis and Francisco took the time during each visit to explain and teach me about the whole process behind making a finish product. During each visit I would take cigars that I liked at the moment, he would smoke them and give me his opinion. Some of those he did enjoy, others he ended up opening up and explaining what was going with that blend etc.

So by the time we decided to start working on a blend, Francisco understood my palate and what was going around in the market. I have to be honest and say that even though we were working on a blend I had a lot of fear of actually committing to launching a brand and product, I had dabbled in the technology business, health business and even the tourism industry but sooner or later would abandon what I was doing. All those venturing with no big success had slowly made me feel like a failure, so that feeling inside, held me back.

At the same time, I started to compare my professional life to those around me and when you add up feeling like a failure and comparing myself to those around me, that is a recipe for self-destruction. I was in a personal low when I sabotaged the only good thing I had at the time, which was a relationship but as the old and wise say: everything happens for a reason. When I realized that my mindset and way I was feeling, that fear of failing, made me loose the only thing worth at the time without even trying, I said to myself, FUCK IT, let’s do this.

Who all works with you behind the scenes to make Chogui as great as it is? 

Like I said before, everything happens for a reason, when I started smoking on a daily basis I reconnected with a childhood friend who was smoking cigars too. He was living in Argentina at the time after graduating from advertising in the DR. He moved back by 2013 and we would get together and smoke.

When I told him about building a brand he was fully on board and has been since that day. His name is Rafael Miguel. He is a very talented guy. Since we are friends, we know each other pretty well, so when we started working together on the creative process and designs, it was all organic and in a way you can say smooth.

But in the end what makes Chogui great as you say, is everyone. The whole team at the factory and even the people at Flor de Los Reyes, which is the only supplier for the tobacco we use. We have used ideas from our business partners, consumers, friends, family, and even strangers. When you have someone approach you and give you advice, if you feel it comes from the heart, take it and use it. Chogui is truly a brand built from the costumers, friends and familia.

Day in and day out, you're one of the most positive experiences in our Instagram and Facebook newsfeed.  Where does all that energy come from?  

Everyday I wake up, tell myself that I’m after purpose not profit, and what you see in social media is a reflection of that. Chogui was born during the lowest point in my life and it ended up giving me that purpose. I’ve learned to take what ever I’m going through and make something positive out of it. They say the more you give, the less you carry. 

What's it like living in the Dominican Republic? 

Ahhh the struggle. I’d say it is pretty much like living in any third world country but we have some of the best tobacco and beaches in the world, so it balances out.

What's something that most people don't know about Chogui? 

The meaning behind the brands name. It comes from an old merengue my dad use to play on the car when he took my sisters and me to school. I was always curious about the lyrics and story behind it and I remember asking my dad about it. He took the time to explain word by word. So every time I hear the merengue, it reminds me of those days in the car, it is a fond and happy memory. I want the experience of smoking Chogui to be as memorable as it is to me.

Let's compare your cigars to music genres.  What type of music would each of your cigars play if they could? 

Dos77 is like a classic hip-hop album, back when artists made an album and gave it complete attention from the intro to the outro.

Papa Chogui is more avant-garde and powerful, like one of those new wave rock bands.

Heartbreaker is Led Zeppelin’s song by that same name.

Primeraño was such as small release that I can’t label but I promise I’ll get back to you once we do a bigger release.

Everyone wants to know more about the Top Secret Nest.  What can you tell us about this magical factory that produces boutique gems like Chogui? 

It is a magical and simple factory that makes some of the best cigars in the world. ;)

If we said more, it wouldn’t be the Top Secret Nest.

What can we expect from Chogui in 2018?

We are working to have Papa Chogui and Heartbreaker rereleased by the end of 2018. I spent some time in Nicaragua this year learning about the tobacco industry and culture. I’m grateful of Esteban Disla and Skip Martin from Nica Sueño, who took the time to teach me and let me tinker around with the tobacco in the factory.

My trip was cut short because of the political and social situation in Nicaragua but we did start blending a special project that I can say has influence from both the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. When working with tobacco, it let’s you know when it is ready, not the other way around. So once the tobaccos tell us it is ready, we will tell the world.