Building Asia's Premium Smoke Scene & A Global Cigar Brand | Eric Piras | QQ #81
In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Eric Piras, Founder of Cigraal and Creator of Confidenciaal cigars. From growing up in Bordeaux with a father in the army, to boxing at 16, to arriving in Hong Kong in 1993 with nothing but ambition Eric shares his remarkable journey through three decades of building one of Asia Pacific's most respected cigar distribution empires.
He discusses democratising the cigar experience, the parallels between the boxing ring and the business arena, and why cashflow is the single most important thing any entrepreneur needs to protect. Eric also opens up about working alongside his wife, building a team from the ground up, and the artisanal craft behind every cigar from seed to smoke, three years in the making.
Whether you're an entrepreneur building your first company, a cigar enthusiast looking to go deeper into the culture, or someone who's ever written off a market too soon, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on resilience, building with integrity, and knowing when to make your move.
TIMESTAMPS
(0:00) Introduction
(2:22) Tour of Bertie Hong Kong, the humidor walk
(12:49) Eric introduces himself and Cigraat Limited
(13:52) Why Cambodia? The contrarian market bet
(15:57) Growing up in Bordeaux, father in the army
(16:26) Boxing at 16 and the lessons it taught him
(17:25) Eric's first cigar, Paris, age 28
(19:17) Arriving in Hong Kong in 1993
(19:44) Meeting David DeVito and entering the cigar world
(23:31) Democratising the cigar experience
(29:17) Advice for entrepreneurs, cashflow, cashflow, cashflow
(31:02) Building a great team and working with his wife
(34:57) Why you can never write Hong Kong off
(39:24) The masterclass, from seed to smoke, 3 years in the making
(41:52) Favourite boxers, Muhammad Ali, Tyson, the Fabulous Four
(42:20) What's next, taking Confidenciaal to the US market
(44:16) The Paul Eric Quinn / Eric Paul coincidence
Bio
With 25 years of experience in the tobacco industry, Eric Piras has one of the highest profiles of this field. His network is huge and diverse and he’s built strong relationships with the main actors of the cigar world.
Eric has started his cigar career as Regional Director for The Pacific Cigar Company, Habanos’ exclusive distributor in Asia-Pacific and Canada, largely contributing to the building of their brands and the development of the Casa Del Habanos franchise in these regions.
In 1999, he joined Altadis (later acquired by Imperial Tobacco Group) and travelled the globe setting up and strengthening distribution channels for the world’s number one cigar maker. Eric is the founder of Cigraal Ltd, a company specialised in the distribution, marketing and promotion of cigar brands.
Capitalising on his past as a restaurant owner and his wide cigar connections, Eric and his team operate Bertie Cigar Lounge in the heart of Hong Kong, featuring Habanos brands and offering a variety of brands from other terroirs such as Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua. Bertie has been voted the 'Best Cigar Lounge in Asia' by the readers of Cigar Journal in 2024.
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