Kyle Gellis of Warped Cigars Inteview

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Today, we have an interview with Kyle Gellis, owner of Warped Cigars, LLC. Kyle was nice enough to answer a few of my questions about his company. His story is pretty amazing, as he is definitely the youngest owner of a cigar brand I know of (20 years old). I would have reviewed some of his cigars, but for some reason the cigars he sent me got mixed up in the mail and got sent back to him. Anyways, enjoy the interview and look for reviews of his cigars in the future.

What got you interested in smoking? My dad smoked when I was younger, I loved the whole concept from the humidors to the smell of the cigars, cutters and lighting. When I turned 18, naturally I bought a cigar for the occasion, its been history since then.

What got you interested in starting your own company? I was outside on my patio smoking a cigar and realized that I lived 90 miles from the cigar capital of the USA. I loved the art of cigar making and wanted to learn more. My thirst for knowledge on things I love is never ending. Also, I guess what becomes a passion of mine also has a habit of becoming a business of mine. It happened when I was 14 with paintball when I started my first company.

What steps did you take to start the company? Went to Little Havana, just started trying to find a factory willing to work with a 19 year old. After being turned down by so many, I found one willing to work with me, because they said they saw something in me. Luckily they saw what others didn’t because we started work that day.

When did the company start? August 2008.

What was the hardest part of starting your own business? Finding the factory, getting them to work with me. Still kind of is the hardest part. Mostly due to my age, they all kind of think its a joke.

What tips would you give to someone looking to start their own business? Know the market before you step in, know the materials. If you don’t have an understanding of the market and product don’t go into business. I’ve seen to0 many people go into an industry because they see dollar signs but have no interest or passion for the industry and they end up failing.

Describe your blends and why did you decide on those particular blends? Anubis, Osiris, Private Blend are the 3 blends that I currently have. Anubis is a medium to full cigar using Nicaraguan filler and binder and an Ecuadorian wrapper. I wanted to create it to have a lot of spice, earth, coffee and chocolate notes. Osiris was a bit different, using a mixture of Nicaraguan and Dominican filler and a Nicaraguan binder and Ecuadorian wrapper. I really wanted to go outside my comfort zone and use Dominican tobacco as well. Private Blend was created for something I could smoke around the factory that gave me a good nicotine kick, to kind of wake me up (laughs). I used Nicaraguan filler and binder with an Ecuadorian maduro wrapper, it’s a fantastic, full bodied smoke with tons of flavor.

Where are they sold? Only at www.warpedcigars.com for the time being. Hopefully that will change in the coming months.

Who do you want to work with in the industry? The Garcias, hands down. Actually, I’m trying to figure out how to make that work right now (laughs). I have a crazy imagination, I have 4 new lines I want to bring to life and the Garcias are the family who I think can make it a reality.