Nat Sherman: The Rebirth of Class Part 1

If you are a cigar connoisseur in the New York area, one name will always come to mind. The name is of a family steep in tobacco history, a family that made its name based on class, quality, and innovation. That family is the Sherman’s, a tobacco dynasty with roots going back to the turn of the century and story that ranks amongst the most interesting in the industry. Unlike the origins of most famous cigars companies, the tale of Nat Sherman does not begin in the green fields of Cuba, but in the Big Apple during the roaring 20s.

Founder Nat Sherman was not initially a tobacco man by trade. He in fact ran a very popular back door speakeasy, an establishment that sold alcohol during the era of prohibition. Facts are a tad fuzzy but speculation is that through a gambling debt, Nat was able to gain half ownership of the Epoca cigar brand. This was the first introduction of Nat to the cigar world, and he became hooked. He eventually bought out his partners and became the sole owner of the brand, which at that time was rolled in both Cuba and Tampa.

Nat later opened his first retail establishment at 1400 Broadway. It is said he provided a loan to the real estate developer and was able to procure a small portion of the property. It was here that the legend of Nat Sherman began to spread. It provided the first means of distributing his cigars to a solid client base, and he eventually became the sole importer of the famed Bolivar Cuban line. This was just the beginning to a dynasty that to this day satisfies their many customers with outstanding products.