Some people stumble into cigar smoking, others chase the lifestyle, and then there’s Alex Martinez—better known in cigar circles as the guy who turned a passion into a historical movement.

From lighting up his first cigar at police academy graduation to being crowned the “king of cigar NFTs,” Martinez has built a reputation for chasing unicorns—both literally with his Unicorn Smokes platform and figuratively with his boutique brand, Exile Cigars.Equal parts collector and entrepreneur, he’s redefining how modern aficionados experience rarity, heritage, and the lifestyle wrapped up in a good smoke.

We caught up with Alex during the LFD giveaway month here at Cigar Press (Yes, THAT Alex that donated some rare LFD Golden Bulls) and asked him a few questions. 

How did it all start?

CP. For those new to your story, how did you first get into cigars? You started as an enthusiast with a cigar blog (“StogieCop”) while working as a police officer.

AM: My introduction into cigars happened on July 13th, 1995 at my police academy graduation. One of my carpool classmates gave me cigar. I said thanks but I don’t smoke. He replied “you will today!” It was love at first puff.

CP: You’ve been called the “king of the cigar NFTs.” How did that nickname come about, and what is Unicorn Smokes all about? You even launched UnicornSmokes.com to sell NFT cigars and other hard-to-find smokes. What made you decide to dive into the world of cigar NFTs and rare “unicorn” cigars on your platform?.

AM: The nickname came about after I purchased the first two La Flor Dominicana Andalusian Bull Golden NFT Cigar NFTs and the Eye & Mask of the Tatuaje Anarchy NFTs. I saw the concept as revolutionary and it offered something super luxury & super rare for the consumer. At the time I won the auction for the LFD NFTs I was managing Mane Street Cigars and had already started Exile Cigars on my own and was working on what would be the brand’s first core line release, La Dalia. In the mean time I was putting out some super limited small batch releases in order to raise capital. Not owning my own store I figured I had to position myself to offer the NFT cigars online and thought up the name Unicorn Smokes because 

the site would feature some real unicorns. The plan was to offer rare cigars along with the NFT cigars in the future.

CP: In 2022, you made headlines as the first person to purchase La Flor Dominicana’s “Golden Bull” NFT. In fact, you were thewinning bidder for LFD’s Golden NFT #1 when they launched the Andalusian Bull NFT program. What was it like participating in that high-profile auction, and what motivated you to invest in something so unconventional in the cigar world? Not only #1 but I also won #2.

AM: I’ll admit it was nerve-racking. Every time I bid I got that feeling in the pit of my stomach like when you sign loan papers at a dealership of when you buy a house. I had my son, A.J. next to me to offer a little reassurance. I saw this as something so revolutionary and so unique and the company behind it, LFD, just made me want to be a part of history.

You paid how much for an NFT?!

CP: You even paid over $80,000 for a single cigar NFT – the final Tatuaje Anarchy NFT. Some people might call that crazy for what’s essentially a digital title to buy special cigars. How do you justify that kind of financial commitment? What value do you see in owning cigar-related NFTs, and do you think it’s been worth it so far for you as both a collector and a retailer?

AM: History is full of doubters and much greater people that I have been called crazy. Being one of seven people that can obtain these rare cigars allows you to offer something special that you can’t find everywhere. That is what I used to justify the investment and is what gives it its value, scarcity. I believe this crazy ride has been worth it though I am still surprised to this day how many people have no idea what these cigars are and what the represent. I hope this story brings these unicorns back into the spotlight.

CP: From your perspective, are NFTs and other digital innovations here to stay in the premium cigar industry? We’ve seen NFT cigar projects generate huge buzz (LFD’s Golden Bull NFTs collectively fetched over $600,000 in auctions). Do you believe tech-forward ideas like this will play a big role in the future of cigars, or are they more of a temporary trend that simply drives excitement for traditional products?

AM: Time will tell for sure. I believe we have not seen the last of the cigar NFTs by any means. I believe that someone out there making great cigars with the track record and capacity will do another project like this in the near future maybe to benefit a charity. The cigar community is always giving back and this instrument is perfect for a project of this type!

What about Exile Cigars?

CP: Tell us about Exile Cigars – the brand you co-founded. It’s been said that Exile Cigars celebrates your Cuban roots and even memorializes your family’s history (like your father’s shoe stores in Havana Santiago. How did your personal heritage inspire the name and concept for Exile, and what do you hope cigar aficionados experience when they light up an Exile cigar?

AM: Everything with Exile Cigars represents a piece of my families history. The name itself come from my parents coming to the US in 1969 in Exile from Cuba. The names of the three lines, La Dalia, Versalles & Alaska were the names of my family’s shoe stores in Santiago de Cuba. I hope when someone lights up one of my cigars they they get the sense of what has transpired in order for that cigar to come into existence. I hope they notice to quality in the construction and the delightful flavors and aroma they impart. I hope they come to the realization that boutique cigars offer something different. Something intimately tied to the soul of the person bring them to you and their expression of the passion and love for this industry.

CP: What has the journey been like creating your own cigar line as a boutique brand owner? Were you hands-on in blending the Exile cigars, and what were some challenges or surprises you encountered in bringing Exile Cigars to market? Any particular cigar in the line you’re most proud of?

AM: Friends in the industry told me how difficult it is to launch a new boutique line. I was ready for the challenge but didn’t understand just how difficult. Coming up with our first cigar was one of the most fulfilling things I have ever done. I like to say that I’m not a master blender but a master smoker. I know what I like and I knew what I wanted. I discussed this with the owner of La Union Cigar Factory in the D.R. who happens to be a close friend of mine, Cesar Reyes. Knowing my palate and armed with what I wanted this first cigar to be he came up with several blends. We whittled it to three and then we let them sit for three months. Then came little tweaks and La Dalia was born. Then the real challenges came. Packaging is always a headache. All the little incidental costs involved in the final product was a bit of a surprise and then the shipping and import cost was another shocker. It felt like I was bleeding money! I have two favorites in our portfolio and its no coincidence that they are both coronas and were both limited to 10,000 cigars. The 5 1/2 x 46 La Dalia Edición Limitada and the 6 x 46 Alaska Edición Limitada are my favorites but the one that I’m proudest of is Versalles. I’ve never been a Connecticut Shade smoker. It was just not my wheelhouse but I knew that I had to have one in our portfolio. This is where Cesar and Winston his blender hit it out of the park. I didn’t want a mild flavorless cigar. If I’m putting my name on it I have to smoke it and like it! Out came Versalles. An Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapped cigar that was medium bodied and yet full flavored. A Connecticut that I not only can smoke but that I thoroughly enjoy because its not your grandfather’s Connecticut.

CP: You wear a lot of hats in the cigar world – retailer, online entrepreneur, and now cigar maker. You used to manage a cigar shop, and now you run the Unicorn Smokes online platform, and you’ve launched Exile Cigars. How do you juggle these roles, and do they complement each other?

AM: I see it as an evolution from a consumer to a hard core uber consumer to a brick and mortar manager to a brand owner and online retailer. The love of the leaf just kept me looking for more. Juggling being a small boutique brand owner & online retailer is a grind. The administrative end and the windshield time are the worst part but once I hit a shop, I’m at home and I get to talk about my labor of love.

CP: Having run a cigar shop and interacted with consumers daily, what trends are you seeing among cigar aficionados today? In your view, are customers becoming more adventurous and chasing limited editions and rare “unicorn” smokes now more than when you first started? Or do you find that many cigar lovers still stick to the classic brands and regular production favorites despite the hype around new releases?

AM: The biggest trend I have seen over the last few years is a move from from lavish spending to a more frugal approach to cigar smoking. With the economic hardships facing many I found many consumers opting to but two $10 cigars rather than one $20 cigar. Which is funny because the industry has gone the complete opposite of that with many new releases toping to $15-$20 mark even for brands known for their value priced cigars. With that many allocated and limited releases are sitting longer on the shelves simply because of price. Those consumers that are all about the what’s new craze are still seeking out the unicorns and the limiteds but are buy less of them than they used to in the past. Younger consumers are more apt to be adventurous with the more seasoned crowd sticking to their favorite classic brands for fear of spending $20 on a cigar they won’t like as much as their go to regardless of price point.

CP: Cigar smoking is often described as a lifestyle. What does the cigar lifestyle mean to you personally? Can you paint us a picture of your ideal “cigar day” or a favorite cigar moment in your life? (For example, a particular time of day, setting, or routine that you cherish when enjoying a good smoke.)

AM: The cigar lifestyle to me is all about the experience. Whether its sitting with your morning cup of coffee and getting yourself mentally ready for the day ahead or sitting in a cigar lounge at the end of the day and commiserating with other cigar lovers from all walks of life to closing out your night with your last smoke of the day. They all play an important role in the life of a cigar smoker serving as therapy and providing social interaction and relaxation. The uncanny ability of a cigar to let stress drift away with every puff of smoke from is one experience that just can’t be described, it has to be felt.

11. Do you have any personal cigar rituals or favorite pairings? Many aficionados have traditions – maybe pairing a cigar with a certain whiskey or coffee, or a music playlist for relaxation. What pairings or rituals do you enjoy when you light up, if any?

AM: I can’t say I have one favorite beverage pairing. I love a morning cigar with a double espresso as much as an evening cigar while listening to the sounds only heard during the quiet of night. My favorite pairing is not about what you have with the cigar but who you have it with. Smoking a cigar with my wife or my son and sharing that blissfulness with them is something that is hard to beat.

12. Since immersing yourself in the cigar industry, what’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned or experienced? This could be anything – an unexpected challenge in the business, a lesson from mentored cigar makers, or even a memorable encounter that happened because of cigars. Any moments stand out that changed how you think about cigars or the cigar community?

AM: I’ve had the opportunity to interact on a one to one level with many legends in the industry and I’ve been blessed by getting some really great nuggets of information from many of them during the years. My greatest experience has been touring various cigar operations and seeing the complete seed to smoke process, the making of the boxes and all the steps taken and people involved in getting that beautifully packaged box of cigars to the shelf of a tobacconist for our consumption. I think this needs to be experienced by everyone who truly enjoys cigars because it will give you a completely new perspective on that bunch of dry leaves you burn without a. Second thought. It will deepen you love for the cigar lifestyle and give you insight into what it takes to make that cigar you love smoke.

Anybody Influence You?

13. The cigar community is known for its camaraderie. How have fellow enthusiasts or mentors influenced your journey? Have you forged any special friendships through cigars, or received advice from industry veterans that really stuck with you?

AM: I love listening to industry veterans tell their stories of how they started on their back porches or in their garages. Seeing how through perseverance and hard work they’ve been able to build thriving cigar brands has given me hope that a retired cop who fell in love with cigars could one day with God’s help make it to a point in this wonderful industry that I could leave a legacy for my children to follow should they chose this path. Erik Espinosa said to me “I hope you are ready to struggle for 10 years before you start to be successful.” I went in eyes wide open thanks to him. So three years down and seven to go! Bring it on!

14. What’s next for you, Alex, and for your projects? Are there any exciting plans on the horizon for Unicorn Smokes or Exile Cigars that we should watch out for? Perhaps new cigar releases, upcoming NFT collaborations, or other ventures in the works? What can cigar aficionados expect to see from you in the near future?

AM: Next month I hope to release the Alaska robusto & toro sizes. I’m working on a project that will share something terrible that my father experienced as he left Cuba and it was a story he shared with many people to describe the heartless regime that he fled. In the mean time I plan on growing the Exile brand and partnering with more retailers who like me believe that boutique cigars are the lifeblood of this industry. The goal is to grow organically, keeping consistency and providing my retail partners with the service and support they need so that we can both be successful.

Check out the unicorn smokes at https://unicornsmokes.com/