Erik Espinosa is one of the "young guns" of the cigar industry, making his mark as early as 1997. He has worked with prominent companies such as Gurkha, Alec Bradley, Drew Estate, and Rocky Patel cigars, gaining experience in nearly every phase of the business—from sales manager to independent tobacco broker, to owning his own retail cigar store.

Today, Erik blends and manufactures some of the finest boutique cigars at his La Zona factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. His notable creations include 601, Espinosa, La Zona, and Laranja Reserva.

"I had other manufacturers making my cigars," Erik said in one interview. "Now that I have my own factory, I'm finally doing things my way."