Behind KOLUMBUS there is a team of young entrepreneurs who wants to share their passion and knowledge around cigar culture with you. What started as an informal dialogue amongst friends while savoring cigars in a unique spot in front of the Teide volcano (on the island of Tenerife, Spain) and the immensity of the Atlantic Ocean ended up with a clear idea in our heads; we wanted to follow Christoph Kolumbus legacy and discover a New World.
We all have different professional backgrounds but we share a common passion for cigar smoking. This has become a ritual which pays homage to friendship and the good things we value in life: a glass of vintage rum and the flow of a relaxed conversation paced at the rhythm of the evolving smoke.
Marc Ripoll
A marketing professional, Marc has a severe hearing impairment which has not stop him achieving his dreams thanks to his strength and persistence.
A moment:
Any moment, with family or friends… and a KOLUMBUS cigar!
My motto:
“I am not bondman to an addiction, but owner of a pleasure”.
A historical figure:
General Antonio Gutiérrez de Otero.
An ideal place to enjoy the pleasure of the cigar:
Anywhere, standing or sitting, but relaxed.
I would like to share it with…
The spirit of Sir Winston Churchill!
A song to accompany:
Symphony No. 3 by Beethoven.
My best pairing:
A malt Caol Ila Reserve 12 years with its touch of peat and floral notes.
And my favorite dish:
Fried eggs with chorizo and chips.
My bedside book:
Bronze Fire by Jesús Villanueva.
My biggest dream is…
To carry on dreaming!
Sergio de Suñer
Airline captain with many hours of flying under his belt, Sergio is a very active person who loves practicing any extreme sport.
A moment:
Everyday!
My motto:
“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference”.
A historical figure:
Admiral Don Blas de Lezo.
An ideal place to enjoy the pleasure of the cigar:
Among friends.
I would like to share it with…
Compay Segundo.
A song to accompany:
Chan Chan by Buenavista Social Club.
My best pairing:
A good aged rum.
And my favorite dish:
Veal milanese with fries.
My bedside book:
One corsair in the service of Benjamin Franklin by Carlos Cólogan.
My biggest dream is…
KOLUMBUS worldwide!
Pedro de Ponte
Pedro is a professional architect with strong environmental ethics who loves landscapes and the countryside.
A moment:
Any sunset, always accompanied by a good Palmero cigar.
My motto:
“Slowly and carefully, because doing things correctly is more important than just doing them”.
A historical figure:
Leonardo da Vinci.
An ideal place to enjoy the pleasure of the cigar:
In a wine cellar.
I would like to share it with…
A good conversation.
A song to accompany:
Sinnerman by Nina Simone.
My best pairing:
Lately with Martin Miller’s gin and tonic water.
And my favorite dish:
Cuban rice with tomato sauce and fried banana.
My bedside book:
World Without End by Ken Follet.
My biggest dream is…
To see KOLUMBUS grow up!