Flor De Mi Pueblo Cigar blends are crafted by “Master Blender,” Juan Santiago Reyes Peralta.

Juan Santiago Reyes Peralta

Master Blender, Tobacco Expert and Founder of Tabacalera de Nicaragua — TADENIC

For more than five decades, Juan Santiago Reyes Peralta has dedicated his life to tobacco cultivation, leaf processing, cigar manufacturing, production management, and the preservation of traditional Nicaraguan cigar craftsmanship.

Born on June 24, 1963, in Jinotega, Nicaragua, Juan is the ninth of fourteen children of Ángel Reyes Peralta and Anita Peralta both deceased. At six months old, his family relocated to Estelí, where he was raised in a humble farming environment that instilled discipline, resilience, and respect for the land.

Early Education and Introduction to Tobacco 1970–1976

Juan began his primary education at Escuela Venecia in Estelí, attending from 1970 to 1976. Around the age of 12, while still in school, he began working in tobacco fields alongside his older brother, Trinidad Reyes (Aka Trino Mico), deceased, gaining early hands-on experience in cultivation and fieldwork.

Secondary Education and Agricultural Formation 1977–1982

From 1977 to 1982, Juan studied at the Instituto Santa Cruz Francisco Luis Espinoza in Estelí while continuing to work in tobacco agriculture. During this period, he developed comprehensive, practical knowledge of the full cultivation cycle, including soil preparation, seedbeds, transplanting, field maintenance, irrigation, fertilization, pest control, harvesting, curing, leaf selection, and classification.

These years formed his foundation in understanding tobacco from seed to cured leaf.

Early Industry Experience in Nicaragua Through 1980–1981

While still developing his skills, Juan worked in tobacco operations connected to respected companies and producers, including:

• Padrón
• Plasencia
• Corporación Silvio Pérez — ASP

By 1981, Nicaragua’s cigar industry was still emerging, with key factories including Padrón, Joya de Nicaragua, Plasencia, and NACSA. Corporación Silvio Pérez — ASP was among the country’s most significant tobacco-processing operations at the time.

Advanced Training in Cuba 1982–1985

In 1982, Juan was selected through Corporación Silvio Pérez — ASP to train in Cuba, where he expanded his expertise in premium cigar production.

He studied tobacco regions such as:

• Pinar del Río
• San Luis
• San Juan

and gained factory experience in:

• H. Upmann
• Partagás

There, he learned traditional Cuban methods of cultivation, fermentation, sorting, blending, and cigar manufacturing. He returned to Nicaragua in 1985 with a complete, international understanding of premium cigar production.

NACSA 1985–1996

From 1985 to 1996, Juan worked at NACSA, where he spent over a decade refining his technical expertise in tobacco processing and cigar manufacturing. This period strengthened his production knowledge and leadership capabilities within large-scale factory operations.

TAPACASA S.A. 1998

In 1998, Juan joined TAPACASA S.A., founded by Mr. Pedro Ramos. He initially worked in tobacco curing, processing, stem removal, and production preparation before being promoted to Head of Cigar Production.

Although the company operated briefly, it marked Juan’s first experience helping establish and structure a cigar manufacturing operation.

Agroindustria La EPE — Honduras 1998–2001

Later in 1998, Juan relocated to Danlí, Honduras, to work with Agroindustria La EPE, owned by Mr. Julio Eiroa. As a Cigar Manufacturing Supervisor, he oversaw production standards, quality control, and factory consistency until 2001.

Tabolisa — Nicaragua 2001–2002

In 2001, Juan returned to Nicaragua and joined Tabolisa as a Cigar Manufacturing Supervisor, overseeing production quality and operational consistency for approximately one year.

NIC Cigars — Perdomo 2002–2005

Juan then joined NIC Cigars — Perdomo, where he served as Cigar Production Supervisor and was later promoted to Head of Production. In this role, he managed production teams, quality control, and manufacturing standards until 2005.

NICASA 2005–2008

In 2005, Juan accepted a position with NICASA, owned by Mr. Fran Santiago Fu, as Head of Production. He directed cigar manufacturing operations until 2008, applying decades of accumulated expertise from Nicaragua, Cuba, and Honduras. The company was later acquired and rebranded as Nicaleft.

Founding Tabacalera de Nicaragua — TADENIC 2009–Present

In 2009, Juan founded Tabacalera de Nicaragua — TADENIC, bringing together his lifetime of experience in tobacco agriculture and cigar manufacturing.

The company is represented by his wife, Deydania Velásquez Rugama, and continues to produce premium handmade cigars for international clients, including:

• Sánchez Cigars Co. Miami, Florida
• Flor de Mi Pueblo California, USA, represented by Luis José Chavarría

A Lifetime in Tobacco Craftsmanship

Juan’s expertise spans the complete cigar-making process, including:

• Soil preparation and cultivation
• Seedbeds and transplanting
• Field management and harvesting
• Curing, fermentation, and leaf selection
• Classification and preparation
• Cigar construction and production supervision
• Quality control and factory management
• International manufacturing operations

His career includes experience with leading tobacco and cigar companies across Nicaragua, Cuba, and Honduras, such as:

Padrón, Plasencia, Corporación Silvio Pérez — ASP, Joya de Nicaragua, NACSA, H. Upmann, Partagás, TAPACASA S.A., Agroindustria La EPE, Tabolisa, NIC Cigars — Perdomo, NICASA, and TADENIC.

Legacy

Today, Juan continues his work with humility, discipline, and faith in God, committed to producing cigars that reflect tradition, precision, and respect for the craft.

For Juan Santiago Reyes Peralta, cigar making is not only a profession—it is a lifelong discipline, a family legacy, and a tradition built one leaf at a time.