El Mago is a young Miami brand with a deeply personal story. It was founded in 2022 by Nicholas Fusco and named for his grandparents, Maria and Gonzalo Torre: combine MA and GO and you get Mago, Spanish for “the magician.” Fusco created the brand in their memory after they were lost in the 2021 Surfside building collapse.
The cigars lean into the family’s Cuban and Miami roots, built in a Cuban-inspired style and made in EstelÃ, Nicaragua. The range runs from mild to full and includes lines like El Cubano and Pepe, the latter named for Gonzalo’s nickname, plus a Miami Art Deco edition that nods to the city. Vibrantly packaged and full of heart, El Mago cigars are a boutique brand worth knowing for the story as much as the smoke.