L’Atelier Imports debuted onto the premium cigar scene in 2012, launched as a collaborative effort from notable cigar personalities such as Pete Johnson, K.C. Johnson, Dan Welsh, and Sean “Casper” Johnson. Fans of all things craft/boutique will be most familiar with the first name in that list, as Pete Johnson is well-regarded for being an early pioneer in the realm of modern/boutique cigars, launching Tatuaje Cigars in the early 2000s.
And while Tatuaje is loaded with fun and creative limited editions and unorthodox releases, L’Atelier Imports was designed to take a more straight-forward approach. L’Atelier is built to mirror the craft of French winemaking, noted by the “L’Atelier” name, which translates from French to mean “workshop.”
The company began with a singular blend (L’Atelier LAT), which sought to mimic one of the world’s most famous Cuban/Habanos cigars—Cohiba Behike. Like Tatuaje, Pete works exclusively with the world-renown García family for production, taking advantage of the family’s multiple farms and factories throughout Nicaragua. In the years following, L’Atelier has slowly and methodically expanded their collection with fan-favorites such as L’Atelier Maduro, La Mission du L’Atelier, and many unique blends in the Surrogates collection.
While many L’Atelier Imports cigars can be enjoyed by novices and experienced smokers, the collection caters towards those looking for deep, refined, and meticulously crafted works of art.