Tatuaje Cigars
Tatuaje Cigars is a privately held, founder-owned premium cigar company founded in 2003 by Pete Johnson, producing 19 Old World Cuban-style cigar lines and selling them through a US-wide authorized retailer network plus a direct-to-consumer webstore.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Tatuaje Cigars does
Tatuaje Cigars is a privately held, founder-owned premium cigar company established in 2003 by Pete Johnson and headquartered at 5616 W Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, California. The company produces and distributes 19 distinct cigar lines — including Seleccion de Cazador (the brand's signature full-bodied line introduced at founding), Series P (medium-bodied, launched 2006), 15th Anniversary, Verocu, Fausto, Cabaiguan, Havana VI, La Riqueza, El Triunfador, Ambos Mundos, La Casita Criolla, Avion, Tatuaje Black Label, Negociant, Tattoo, and Nuevitas — blended in Old World Cuban style using select Nicaraguan tobaccos, with select premium lines featuring Cuban triple-cap construction. Manufacturing is described as 'rolled in the USA' and 'rolled in Nicaragua' across the portfolio, indicating a multi-origin production footprint.
The business operates a dual-channel go-to-market model. Premium and allocated lines (Tatuaje, Cabaiguan, La Riqueza, El Triunfador, Ambos Mundos, La Casita Criolla, Fausto, Verocu) are sold exclusively through appointed authorized retailers, with the company explicitly warning that products found at unauthorized channels may be counterfeit. A 10-person territory sales team covers all US states including Alaska and Hawaii, including named representatives such as Moe ElAraby (NY/NJ/PA), Adrian Sardiña (DE/MD/DC/WV/VA), Paul Warner (Southeast), Joel Schwartz (Mountain West), Terry Coleman (West Coast), Tom Poehler (South Central), Mike Peralis (Midwest), Edgar Dekermanji (New England), Jon Fia (HI), and Pete Hernandez (FL). A direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at shop.tatuajecigars.com provides a secondary purchase channel.
Customer acquisition relies entirely on organic social presence (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), an email newsletter, and the Saints & Sinners Club enthusiast community at thesnsclub.com; no paid advertising is mentioned. The company has no disclosed revenue figures, no institutional funding, no parent company, and no subsidiaries. Legal entity is Tatuaje Cigars Inc. (with 'Havana Cellars' as a doing-business-as name), incorporated in California. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and operates on a quote-based model through authorized retailers.
Tatuaje Cigars firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tatuaje Cigars
- Legal name
- Tatuaje Cigars Inc.
- Website
- https://tatuajecigars.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Tatuaje Cigars is a privately held, founder-owned premium cigar company founded in 2003 by Pete Johnson, producing 19 Old World Cuban-style cigar lines and selling them through a US-wide authorized retailer network plus a direct-to-consumer webstore.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tatuaje Cigars industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Premium Cigars
- NAICS
- Tobacco Product and Electronic Cigarette Merchant Wholesalers (42494), Tobacco, Electronic Cigarette, and Other Smoking Supplies Retailers (459991), Tobacco Product and Electronic Cigarette Merchant Wholesalers (424940)
- SIC
- Tobacco Products (2100)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cigars & Cigarillos Manufacturing & Brands (CRADAJAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cigar & Premium Tobacco Retail (CRANADAB), Tobacco & Nicotine Accessories (Filters, Tips, Cases, Lighters) Manufacturing & Brands (CRADAJAK)
Keywords
Where Tatuaje Cigars is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Tatuaje Cigars business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Direct E-commerce Sales: Consumer purchases through owned webstore at shop.tatuajecigars.com
- Authorized Retailer Distribution: Wholesale distribution to appointed authorized retailers. Strictly allocated products sold exclusively through authorized channels to maintain product authenticity and brand control.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Tatuaje Cigars product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tatuaje Cigars manufactures and distributes premium handcrafted Cuban-style cigars using select Nicaraguan tobaccos and classic Cuban blending techniques, including Cuban triple-cap construction on select premium lines. The company offers 19 distinct cigar product lines sold through a strictly allocated authorized retailer network across the United States and through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce webstore.
Product overview
Tatuaje Cigars is a premium cigar company founded by Pete Johnson, based in Los Angeles, CA. The company offers a diverse portfolio of 19 distinct cigar lines, primarily styled after Old World Cuban cigars. Core product lines include the full-bodied Seleccion de Cazador (the brand's signature line created in 2003), medium-bodied Verocu and El Triunfador, the premium 15th Anniversary blend, Havana VI classic Cuban-style vitolas, and the Fausto line featuring numbered vitolas (FT114-FT166). Additional lines include Cabaiguan and Cabaiguan Guapos (available in Natural and Maduro), La Riqueza, Ambos Mundos (offering both Habano and Sumatra wrappers), La Casita Criolla (USA-made), Avion, Tatuaje Black Label, Negociant (Nicaragua/Mexico), Series P (created in 2006), Tattoo, and Nuevitas. Most premium lines (Tatuaje, Cabaiguan, La Riqueza, El Triunfador, Ambos Mundos, La Casita Criolla, Fausto, and Verocu) are strictly allocated to authorized retailers only. The company sells directly through their webstore at shop.tatuajecigars.com.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 15th Anniversary Medium Bodied Cuban Style Cigar rolled in the USA using select Nicaraguan tobaccos with classic Cuban blending and Cuban triple-cap construction, blended in the style of flavorful Cuban cigars.
- Seleccion de Cazador - Reserva Nicaragua Full Bodied Old World Cuban Style Cigar created by Pete Johnson in 2003, including varieties such as Petite Tatuaje, 7th Natural Habano, 10th Belle Encre, and Cojonu 2012.
- Seleccion de Cazador - Reserva Miami Premium cigar line featuring special reserve releases including Cojonu 2003, Gran Cojonu, Cojonu 2006, Cojonu 2009, RC184, RC233, Reserva A Uno, Reserva SW, Reserva J21, and K222 Reserva.
- Havana VI Cuban-style cigar line featuring classic vitolas including Hermosos, Angeles, Victorias, Artistas, Nobles, Almirantes, and Gorditos.
- Cabaiguan Premium cigar line named after a city in northern Sancti Spírites province, Cuba. Medium-bodied with strength level 2+, available in Imperiales, Belicoso Fino, Coronas Extra, Robustos Extra, and Petite Cabaiguan sizes.
- Cabaiguan Guapos Cigar line available in Natural and Maduro varieties in sizes including Toro Grande, Corona Gorda 46, RX-Robusto Extra, and Junior-Petite Corona.
- Fausto Premium cigar line featuring varieties FT114 Short Robusto, FT127 Robusto, FT140 Robusto Extra, FT153 Toro, and FT166 Short Churchill.
- La Riqueza Old World Medium Bodied Cuban Style Cigar created by Pete Johnson; the name means 'The Riches' or 'The Wealth' in Spanish.
- El Triunfador Old World Medium Bodied Cuban Style Cigar created by Pete Johnson using Ecuador/USA tobacco; the name means 'Triumphant, victorious, victor, winner' in Spanish, available in Lonsdale, Belicoso Fino, Corona Gorda, Petit Corona, Lancero, Toro Grande, and Toro Gordo sizes.
- Ambos Mundos Old World Medium Bodied Cuban Style Cigar created by Pete Johnson; the name means 'Both Worlds' and is available in Habano and Sumatra wrapper varieties in Short, Robusto, Toro, and Grande sizes.
- La Casita Criolla USA-made cigar line with strength level 3+, available in HCB Corona, HCBC Corona Gorda, HCR, and HCBF Short Churchill sizes.
- Avion Premium cigar line featuring Avion 11 (6 3/4 x 48/52), Avion 12 (5 5/8 x 48/52), and Avion 13 Broadleaf (6 7/8 x 52).
- Verocu Medium Bodied Cuban Style Cigar blended in the style of flavorful Cuban cigars, rolled in Nicaragua using select Nicaraguan tobaccos and classic Cuban blending with a Cuban triple-cap; available in No.1 Toro Grande, No.2 Robusto Grande, No.3 Corona Larga, No.4 Robusto, No.5 Petite, No.6 Torpedo, and No.9 Petite Robusto.
- Tatuaje Black Label Premium cigar line available in Petite Robusto, Petite Lancero, Private Reserve Corona Gorda, Cazadores, and Gran Toro sizes.
- Negociant Cigar line made with Nicaragua/Mexico tobacco, available in Monopole No.1, Monopole No.2, Monopole No.3, and Monopole No.4 sizes.
- Series P Medium filler, Medium Bodied cigar created by Pete Johnson in 2006, available in Short Robusto, Robusto, and Toro sizes.
- Tattoo Premium cigar line available in Caballero, Universo, Bonito, and Adivino sizes.
- Nuevitas Cigar line with Ecuador wrapper and Nicaragua binder, made with Esteli filler tobacco, available in Nuevitas (5 x 52), Jibaro No.1 (5 x 54), and Jibaro No.2 (6 x 52) sizes.
- Seleccion de Cazador (Base Line) Core Seleccion de Cazador line featuring Havana Cazadores, Unicos, Noellas, Tainos, Especiales, and Regios sizes.
Companies that use Tatuaje Cigars
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Tatuaje Cigars technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Tatuaje Cigars partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Authorized RetailerscoreNetwork of appointed authorized retailers exclusively distributing Tatuaje premium cigar products. Strict allocation model ensures product authenticity and controlled distribution. The company warns that products found at unauthorized stores may be counterfeit.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Tatuaje Cigars competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Drew Estate: Premium cigar maker best known for Liga Privada and Undercrown. Comparable to Tatuaje as a craft-driven premium brand with a passionate enthusiast following and broad line portfolio.
- My Father Cigars: Garcia-family Nicaraguan cigar manufacturer behind La Opulencia and Le Bijou lines. Directly comparable as a Nicaraguan craft producer with strong enthusiast brand and blended premium offerings.
- Arturo Fuente: Family-owned premium handmade cigar maker best known for OpusX and Hemingway lines. Directly comparable to Tatuaje as a craft Cuban-style brand with strong allocation and a loyal connoisseur following.
- Oliva Cigars: Nicaraguan-origin premium cigar brand with the Serie V Melanio and Oliva lines. Directly comparable in Cuban-style blending, Nicaraguan leaf sourcing, and broad strength-profile portfolio.
- Padron Cigars: Nicaraguan premium cigar producer famous for the 1926 and 1964 Anniversary lines. Closely comparable to Tatuaje in Nicaraguan-origin craftsmanship, family ownership, and limited-availability collector focus.
- Ashton Cigars: Premium handmade cigar brand including Ashton Classic and San Cristobal. Comparable as a boutique-style premium maker focused on connoisseur distribution via select retailers.
- Gurkha Cigars: Premium and ultra-premium handmade cigar brand with multiple boutique-style lines. Comparable to Tatuaje in the high-end Cuban-style positioning and limited-edition collector focus.
- Rocky Patel Premium Cigars: Premium handmade cigar producer with vintage and decade lines. Comparable as a multi-line premium craft brand distributed through tobacconists and enthusiasts across the US.
Broad incumbents
- General Cigar Company (Altadis U.S.A.): Large incumbent distributor and manufacturer of brands including Macanudo, CAO, and Onyx. Comparable as a multi-brand premium cigar operator with broader portfolio and institutional backing.
- Davidoff Cigars: Global luxury cigar brand owned by Oettinger Davidoff. Comparable at the high end of the premium cigar category as a broader incumbent with international distribution and luxury positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Tatuaje Cigars social profiles
Digital presenceTatuaje Cigars financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tatuaje Cigars leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Tatuaje Cigars funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tatuaje Cigars M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tatuaje Cigars
What does Tatuaje Cigars do?
Tatuaje Cigars manufactures and distributes premium handcrafted Cuban-style cigars using select Nicaraguan tobaccos and classic Cuban blending techniques, including Cuban triple-cap construction on select premium lines. The company offers 19 distinct cigar product lines sold through a strictly allocated authorized retailer network across the United States and through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce webstore.
Is Tatuaje Cigars a public or private company?
Tatuaje Cigars is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Tatuaje Cigars founded?
Tatuaje Cigars was founded in 2003. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Tatuaje Cigars based?
Tatuaje Cigars is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Tatuaje Cigars make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Direct E-commerce Sales are the primary driver. The others are authorized Retailer Distribution.
Who are Tatuaje Cigars's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Drew Estate, My Father Cigars, Arturo Fuente, Oliva Cigars, Padron Cigars, Ashton Cigars, Gurkha Cigars and Rocky Patel Premium Cigars. Broad incumbents are General Cigar Company (Altadis U.S.A.) and Davidoff Cigars.
Does Tatuaje Cigars have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tatuaje Cigars.
What industry is Tatuaje Cigars in?
Tatuaje Cigars's product category is Premium Cigars. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAJAB, Cigars & Cigarillos Manufacturing & Brands, with a secondary code of CRANADAB, Cigar & Premium Tobacco Retail. Its NAICS code is 42494 and its SIC code is 2100.