For Enerio Adán Rodríguez Peguero, Janus is more than just the likely etymology of its name. It represents a series of parallels between his life and the mythological figure to whom a passion for agriculture and dualities—such as beginnings and endings—are attributed. These characteristics are reflected in the development of Vitolario Cigars’ story, where one plan concludes to make way for another, savoring both sides of the business world with passion, history, tradition, and culture.
A Seed That Germinated into Passion
In 2017, Enerio Adán Rodríguez Peguero felt a curiosity to venture into the agricultural business through the production of organic foods. He launched this project in partnership with a friend in Bonao, Dominican Republic.
“If we were going to work with producers, we needed to learn about the subject. My first idea was to take a seed and let it germinate. I then placed it in a pot, which eventually turned into a garden. We studied organic processes to avoid using pesticides, and during this research, our urban gardens evolved into an agricultural project.”
For him, this entire process of evolution blossomed into a passion for agriculture, leading him to plant pumpkins and corn as his first crops. Through crop rotation, these would later give way to tobacco as the raw material for cigar production. However, in early 2023, a severe drought marked the end of this venture.
As an industrial engineer, Enerio Adán is always seeking solutions. This mindset led him to continue his plans but in reverse: starting by creating a cigar brand and later reintroducing the cultivation, harvesting, curing, and fermenting of tobacco leaves.
According to stories his mother, Francis Josefina Peguero Mateo, shared with him, Enerio Adán knew that his grandfather, Ramón Peguero, used to buy tobacco and roll cigars for personal consumption, alongside his profession as an agricultural machinery mechanic.
“At that moment, I felt identified, proud, and even a bit nostalgic because what I was doing could have been an activity I shared with him. Unfortunately, he passed away before I was born.”
The project’s restart happened during Agroalimentaria, an important annual fair where he had the opportunity to meet Pedro Liriano, manager of the Don Bartolomé cigar factory. Liriano provided him with samples of the brand’s cigars to showcase the quality of their work.
Later, convinced that this factory was the ideal place to begin, the work to create the first blend started. “In eight months, I tried around 20 different blends until I found the one I truly liked.”
Janus, a Divine Beginning
In his search for the etymology of his name, Enerio did not find a definitive answer but discovered an explanation that captivated him.
It is the story of the Roman god Janus, to whom the month of January owes its name. This deity is also associated with agriculture and economics in Roman mythology. “I found it fitting to use this name because of its connection to my own name, my passions, and the duality present in many aspects of life, such as day and night, up and down, left and right, and so on.”
Additionally, he explains that the decision to honor each of the five elements with a cigar is part of this tribute to nature and what we are as living, thinking, and passionate organisms.
The Janus Tellus Elementum is a medium-to-full-strength cigar, while the other elements will range from the full-bodied Fuego to the medium-strength Aire. “We cater to different palates but always focus on experienced smokers, offering intriguing cigars that evolve.”
According to Enerio Adán, the strength of his brand lies in its way of honoring Tobacco Culture, dedicating the product to all the workers involved in cigar production. This is achieved through a blend aged for five years and rested for three months after rolling to achieve aromas and flavors that appeal to any smoker.
“The World of Tobacco is about sharing ideals, tastes, and passions, building relationships, making friends, and emphasizing the respect surrounding this artisanal product created for enjoyment.”
Primum Elementum
The year 2023 witnessed the end of Adán’s agricultural project, but we must remember that Janus is not only the Roman deity of endings but also of beginnings. In May 2024, the market welcomed the Janus Tellus Elementum, the Earth element within the Ex Elementis Janus line, based on the elements of nature: Earth, Fire, Air, Water, and Ether.
After nine months on the market, this cigar has been well-received among the community of experienced smokers. It is currently distributed in eight locations: Cigar Market, La Vitrola, Grampa Cigar Lounge, El Rinconcito Bohemio, Aroma Cigar Shop, and Eco Café & Snack in Santo Domingo, as well as Accessory Cigar in El Conde and Amigos Cigars Café in San Cristóbal.
The Janus Tellus Elementum is presented in a Toro vitola, 6 inches long with a 54 ring gauge, featuring a San Andrés wrapper, Pennsylvania binder, and three distinct Honduran fillers.
According to the company’s expansion plans, the market will enjoy the second element by mid-2025, two more by early and late 2026, and the fifth element in early 2027.
Vitolario Cigars
Adán’s vision is to live from Tobacco Culture, starting with the brand and maintaining the idea that Janus blends will be made with their own tobacco in a factory dedicated solely to developing different lines under the name Vitolario Cigars as a tobacco house.
In the future, the plans for this budding company include the development of a couple more brands inspired by the mythology surrounding Janus, who represents masculine energy. He would be accompanied by Yuturna, his wife, for feminine energy, and Fonto, his son, to combine the best of both, either in a complete line or a single cigar.
“Within the mystique of the Janus brand and my own beliefs, the idea is to complete this triangle, which also represents the Holy Trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
