Interview with Shaun from Rebellion cigars – The world’s best pension plan?

Could you imagine that an evening at the pub would lead to a different pension plan that would later instead lead to a successful business? I suppose the normal person saves money, invests in funds and invests in gold for their retirement later on. Well not Shaun and his wife, why not invest in cigars? Some would call it madness, I call it following your dream and passion. Imagine a movie where two Englishmen sit and talk over a beer and constantly laugh, there you have a conversation with Shaun. I think every other sentence there was something to laugh about. An incredibly funny and nice person to talk to. I almost forgot for the moment that it was an interview about his cigar journey that we were going to do.

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What is the story behind Rebellion cigars?

“I have smoked cigars for over 40 years and the range in England was mostly Cuban cigars and not many from the so-called New World cigars. Cuban cigars have become so expensive that they are pure luxury these days. About 15 years ago was my first attempt to start a cigar brand, but back then everyone was so ingrained in what they had and didn’t want to bring anything new to the market. The market was incredibly conservative. Smoking cigars shouldn’t just be a rich man’s opportunity. It’s something everyone should have the chance to enjoy and I wanted to create something for everyone.”

When we talked about that part, you can see how the market has changed a lot in recent years. Bringing something new into the shops has almost become a must to stand out from the competition for a while. I strongly believe that the internet has created greater competition and you have to somehow differentiate yourself while also wanting what everyone else has. I think it’s incredibly positive and I think it can also push brands to create new unique blends.

“During a trip to Malta, I was sitting with some friends at a restaurant, we had a bite to eat, drank wine and smoked cigars. The only available product was Cuban cigars which were outrageously expensive. We played around with the idea and when I got back to England I decided to try again. The idea was from the beginning that it would be more like a smaller project and easier pension plan. I had my idea that I had for, it would be a cigar everyone could enjoy, a cigar even the working class could afford. I think everyone should get the chan. I knew from the beginning what it would be called. Rebellion cigars. The essence was a bit rebellious towards what once was and to show that everyone can be different without there being anything wrong with that. You have to be rebellious and dare to go against the flow to achieve your dreams. During a party and luckily I knew a graphic designer there. We talked a bit and I gave him some ideas about design. A week later I got my new logo. The idea was to be rebellious and stand out from the crowd, for that reason pink became our color. If you think about it, it is still quite conservative in design, most of it is brown and dark. Not many people stand out and lift the shelves.”

I must add that everything Shaun did, he did during the Covid pandemic and he had to cancel several factory visits because of it. Despite all the adversity, fighting towards his goal and never giving up shows that dreams can come true. You just have to find your way and never give up when the going gets tough.

“I did a lot of research and chose a factory in the Dominican Republic. Unfortunately, the collaboration did not go as I wanted in terms of quality. I talked around and got to know Pedro. Pedro, who is a young guy in the industry, had more experience and knowledge than many and our collaboration began. We started producing our cigars in Honduras and Pedro helped us make our first blends. The young guy was enthusiastic and flew over to us and some samples and the rest is history. During that visit, our first cigar, Ace of Spades, was born. We launched Rebellion cigars in October 2020. You could say that after that it went quickly”

“My wife and I had bought a house in the USA to escape the cold and winter in England. Once we were in the USA, we started selling cigars slowly and we got an incredibly good response. We gained quick momentum and many people liked us quickly. During a visit to a lounge in Estonia at the launch of our cigars, I was smoking my cigars and the guy sitting across from me said that he knew a person who had my cigars as his favorite brand. It turned out to be none other than Eddie Hall, the world’s strongest man in 2017. Our expansion was fast and after carefully selected distributors, we have now managed to get sales in large parts of Europe, including one of Europe’s largest cigar countries. Germany”

A few of Rebellion’s cigars. To see their entire collection click on the logo.

WRAPPER: MADURO
BINDER: INDONESIA
FILLER: SPECIAL BLEND FEATURING CONDEGA
STRENGTH: FULL
SIZE: ROBUSTO, TORO & GORDO

WRAPPER: MADURO
BINDER: UNDISCLOSED
FILLER: UNDISCLOSED
STRENGTH: MEDIUM / FULL
SIZE: GRAND TORO 56 X 6′

WRAPPER: H2000
BINDER: UNDISCLOSED
FILLER: UNDISCLOSED
STRENGTH: MEDIUM
SIZE: GRAND TORO

What is your best advice for someone who wants to follow their dreams?

“Just do it. Don’t be afraid to fail. If you never try, you never know. Never do anything half-heartedly. All dreams start on the side and you work and momentum will come. Don’t be afraid to be different. Being rebellious and different should be encouraged.”

You can say a lot about Shaun, but the rebellious spirit is in him. If he sets his mind to do something, he is not afraid to stand out from the crowd, follow his heart and do it. I could write a lot more about our conversation that went from cigars, track and trace and music. But then this would probably become a book instead.

If I may give you one piece of advice. If you have the opportunity to visit Shaun at a trade show or generally talk to him, do it. I can almost guarantee you that there will be many good laughs that will prolong your life.

Shaun, I want to thank you for your time. It was an incredible honor. I like the rebellious spirit and, like you, think that more people should dare to stand out from the crowd. To dare to be themselves and not something shaped by social media and societal norms.