A letter from Alberto...

My Guitar Story

"Many years ago while in my home country, I decided to migrate to the United States, searching for a better life and the American Dream, full of hope, with a bass guitar in one hand, and empty pockets. I relocated to Miami, Florida, a city which has become my home away from home, and after years of hard work as a bass guitar player, in 1996, I made the painful and risky decision to sell my partner and beloved bass guitar and use the money to rent a small location in Little Havana to start experimenting how to elaborate a great blend for a good tasting cigar

The first samples were sent to Cigar Aficionado for proper testing, and what an enormous surprise, when my cigars were rated excellent by them. I felt very grateful to them as their actions helped to place my brand on the cigars market. But as the demand for my product grew, my commitments also did, and a huge problem arose, I never registered the PIO name as my trade mark, and someone else did it, taking advantage of my well known brand, and my good nature as a human being. Weeks later my small shop was vandalized and everything that I had worked so hard to obtain was stolen, including my cigar production and materials. After 10 years of producing PIO cigars I had nothing, and my investments were all gone.

Sitting back was no option for me; I had a one track heart and mind, to recover my brand. With no funds to afford an attorney, I filed a legal complaint by myself against those who stole my brand, and after 5 years of legal fighting, I got my brand back and reinstated. Once on the road again, in 2009, I started my cigar production and came up with the perfect name, PIO Resurrection Box Press Limited Edition. It was my way of honoring my efforts and sacrifices to come back in business with the cigars I love so much. 

Today, after 15 years of dedication to the cigar business I have reached the following conclusion:
There’s not much of a difference in order to be a great bass player or cigar maker at that. It does not have to be a family tradition passed down from generations or from a specific country either, to be a great musician or cigar maker it’s all about the love and dedication that one shows and gives to your trade and the talent given by God..."

Alberto J. Medina
Owner and Blender

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