This piece was originally published on August 12th and has been updated to include the first episode, released August 15th.
Claudio Sgroi’s CST Consulting is proud to announce the release of their new “Smoke Signals” project. Smoke Signals is a series of documentaries that will take its viewers on a cigar adventure like never seen before. Claudio has decided to use his knowledge and longtime friendships in the premium cigar industry to showcase the creation and production of the rarest cigars ever made.
Each episode takes the viewers through the process of travel to and exploration of various, often dangerous, tobacco destinations. We’ll watch Claudio as he goes through the arduous process of creating limited and rare cigars made on location and with the hardest to reach tobaccos, some of which have never been used.
“I am extremely proud to create what I feel is the best video content ever created in the premium cigar industry. This is exactly the type of project that needs to be worked on during times where the premium cigar industry desperately needs to get back to the history and beginning of tobacco itself, to showcase the essence of it. Join me on the best cigar journey anyone has ever taken on film.” Says Claudio Sgroi.
Episode 1 will be released in the coming days and finds Claudio Sgroi in Peru navigating his way through the birthplace of tobacco while consulting with Shamans, ex-cocaine manufacturers and working with legendary tobaccos grown only in the Amazonian region of San Martin. The sights, sounds and smells of the region are all yours to be experienced from the comfort of your own home. Episode 2 is already in production and will be released toward the end of the year.
All episodes will be directed by world-renowned film director Thomas Bowerbank, with music composed by globally acclaimed musician Ruggiero Mascellino. “I love that I’m not in it, lol!” states the series’ Executive Producer, Brian Desind – founder of Privada Cigar Club. He shares that “it’s an honor to be able to be involved with something that will be so influential for cigar culture for decades to come. It’s been really difficult finding people who are willing to put in the work and that have the charisma to be in front of the camera, but Claudio is definitely one of those people. I believe this is the best cigar content ever made and I’m proud to have my name on it.”
The show isn’t only for cigar enthusiasts, but for the true cigar lovers in the viewing audience a very limited amount of these cigars will be available at various cigar shops throughout the country after each of the series’ 10 episodes go live. Keep an eye on Cigar Public over the next few days for a VERY exciting update on the first limited-release blend!
Claudio Sgroi is a renowned Master Blender with twenty years of experience in the tobacco sector and cigar manufacturing. He began his career in 2001 in the Dominican Republic, alongside Hendrik Kelner, Davidoff’s Master Blender at the time. He had increasingly important assignments in Dominican Republic, Switzerland, Italy, Nicaragua, and the United States, where he acquired a comprehensive knowledge of the industry and processes, including agronomic processes, blending, production of cigars, marketing, and international sales.
In 2011 he joined Mombacho Cigars as a Consultant where he designed and implemented new vitolas, successful blends, an effective quality assurance system, as well as complete overhaul of the warehousing and logistics operations.
He created a distribution and sales network that covered more than twelve countries and developed productive bonds with the best tobacco growers in Nicaragua. He led the renovation of Casa Favilli, a historical monument in Granada that today serves as Mombacho cigar factory.
In January 2020 he was elected President of the Nicaragua Tobacco Chamber (CNT), which includes 26 members, representing 95% of the cigars and tobacco exported from Nicaragua.
In 2021 he founded CST Consulting LLC, a company that offers consultative services covering the premium tobacco industry from “The-Seed-To-The-Ash” comprising tobacco crops management, fermentation and pre-industry, tobacco supply chain setup and operations, blending, production and quality assurance, international logistics, distribution and fulfillment, design, and marketing and sales strategies.