Latin Quarter House of Cigars History

Once upon a long, long time, a young man named Ramon and his young bride left their beloved homeland of Spain and followed the path of the great adventurers who sailed overseas to the New World. His quest ultimately led him to a Spanish colony in the fertile Western region of Puerto Rico, known today as Mayaguez. In this area, some 100 miles from San Juan, Ramon found the rich earth and tropical climate perfect for his plans of horticultural enterprise. He dreamed of a future day when his fields would bring forth fine crops and he established La Hacienda Camilla.

By the beginning of the 20th Century, Ramon's once humble farm had blossomed into an agricultural anchor for the entire island, providing fresh farm produce such as corn, sugar cane, coffee, mango, papaya, oranges, and most importantly to our story, superb long leaf cigar tobacco for his personal smoking pleasure and that of his colleagues. Soon the word spread through the region that the best cigars in Puerto Rico were made in La Hacienda Camilla and the production had to be increased to meet local demand. His family flourished as well and, in total, he sired five children.

Our story follows one son named Luis Pío. Showing an early natural inclination toward working the land, Luis dedicated himself to following in his father's footsteps, ultimately earning a degree from the highly respected Colegio de Agricultura y Artes Mecanicas (A&M) in Mayaguez. As he matured, Luis also demonstrated a rare ability to discern subtle differences and nuances of flavor and developed a highly sophisticated palate. Very much involved in his father's tobacco cultivation and cigar production, Luis' keen palate ultimately earned him the title of Catador, a rare and much respected designation reserved for the most highly skilled cigar taste testers. It is of interest to note that it was widely held during these years of the 1920s that the tobacco grown in Puerto Rico was of superior quality to that produced in Cuba. His was a lively and exciting time to be involved in the cigar world.

Although Luis had a large family of 15 sons and daughters, none carried the passion he felt for the tobacco fields and cigar production. The sons went on to become lawyers of great regard, professional choreographers and one even entered public service as a Senator in the National Legislature. The daughters married and moved away, content to take with them stories of their youth about playing in the "glaciles" (the flattened areas used for sun-drying coffee beans) and the tobacco curing barns. When Don Luis passed away in 1948, La Hacienda Camilla was sold and re-developed into an upscale housing sub-division still carrying the family name: Villa Santaliz.

This would have been the end of the story if it weren't for the birth of Don Luis' grandson, Ramon Luis Martinez Santaliz, in 1961. Although the two never met each other, it is clear that they share a bond that defies time. Ramon is also a natural Catador and the House of Cigars was established, in part, so he could personally blend cigars for his private collection. In keeping with the beautiful Latin motto, "Mi Casa es Su Casa", we make a few extra batches of our favorite blends for old friends and also new friends we haven't met yet. ¡Bienvenidos!

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