“Nothing in this world that is of uncompromising quality can be made in unlimited quantity”
- Michael Laurato
When you ask Michael Laurato about the sensation of smoking a great cigar his answer flows from the poetic, “Sophisticated complex, yet delicate”, to the sensual descriptions from Pulitzer Award author Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s writing.
Michael Laurato isn’t a run-of-the-mill cigar entrepreneur. Cigars are a part of his life, as are horse racing, traveling to exotic locations around the world, catching record sized fish, competing in Iron Man events, or even winning a calamari eating contest on a Caribbean island.
We are shaped by our environment and Michael Laurato’s childhood in Tampa, FL began his lifelong love of cigars. The American cigar industry was centered in Tampa, especially in the Ybor City area, through the 1960's, and still is the world’s image of the ultimate cigar city.
Michael Laurato grew up in the Italian-Cuban community that accounted for the bulk of the world’s cigar business. Michael’s earliest memories include the aroma of the cigar which his father, Lorenzo, enjoyed as he studied the Racing Form every morning. He also taught Michael about horse racing leading to his love of, and success in, the horse racing business.
To complete his love of cigars its important to note that Michael’s mother emigrated to the United States from Cuba where she was a cigar roller for the Partagas company.
Michael was a high achiever in high school and when he graduated went on to college and law school. He resettled in Tampa and along with the growth of his law practice he began to develop a vision for a specific cigar brand.
There are thousands of cigar brands, produced by hundreds of cigar companies around the world, but Michael’s approach to development of Laurato Cigars mirrors everything else in his life: intense research, a devotion to the cause and uncompromising quality.
Even as he built his very successful legal career, through his devotion to each client’s case, Michael was able to find the time to research blends of tobacco to find the one that met the taste standards which he sought.
Over a decade ago Michael met, and became friends with, Roberto Ramirez, Sr, who has been acknowledged as one of the top cigar developers and rollers in the world. Prior to emigrating from Cuba, Roberto was chief roller at the Montecristo factory, overseeing 500 rollers. In the United States Roberto has been requested to roll cigars for hundreds of dignitaries, including two U.S. Presidents.
Together Roberto and Michael began the search for the Laurato blend. And they have found it. It is presented now as the Laurato Cigar. It is not for a cigar for everyone, it is for those who love life and all it's available experiences.
