Michael Herklots on Ferio Tego, Wine Pairings and Craft

From Creekside Podcast Ep. 038: Protecting Legacy, Pairing Wine With Cigars & More, aired Dec 19, 2025. Recorded at Creekside Cigar Co. in Maineville, Ohio.

On this episode of the Creekside Podcast, we sat down with Michael Herklots of Ferio Tego. Michael shared how his years at Davidoff and Nat Sherman shaped the brand he built next, and why preserving cigar heritage takes more than keeping a name alive. We also got into wine and cigars, the craft of blending, and the importance of making familiar cigars deliver a dependable experience.

How did Ferio Tego grow out of Nat Sherman?

Michael described the uncertainty surrounding Nat Sherman’s handmade cigar business after its acquisition. The cigar operation was not central to the larger acquisition, and the support structure it needed was disappearing. There were efforts to sell the business, including the retail store, brands, and sales team, but the pandemic made a potential sale unworkable.

As the business wound down, Michael began considering what came next. His first plan was to create new blends under the Ferio Tego name. That changed when it became possible to acquire the cigar brands he had helped build. He and his business partner Brendan made an offer, and, as Michael put it, they were considered the right people to continue the work.

For Michael, the brands represented a body of work he did not want to see lose its character in someone else’s hands. Ferio Tego brought those brands under one company, with a commitment to carrying their history forward while developing its own identity. He hopes the day will come when people know Ferio Tego on its own merits, without needing the Nat Sherman backstory to explain it.

What does consistency mean in cigar blending?

Michael’s approach to blending begins with the feel of the smoke rather than a list of flavor notes. He first considers body: the weight, mouthfeel, and texture on the palate. He also pays attention to how the cigar affects the palate, including whether it leaves the mouth feeling dry or prompts excess salivation. Flavor comes later, along with the way the blend develops over the course of the cigar.

He thinks of a blend as a story with chapters and changes along the way, rather than a single note repeated from start to finish. The tobacco itself brings many variables: seed, farm location, harvest year, leaf position, curing, fermentation, processing, and aging. Even when a blend uses the same named tobacco, a change in growing conditions can alter its character.

That is why Michael favors what he calls consistency of experience over keeping an ingredient list unchanged at all costs. If a tobacco runs out or a new harvest behaves differently, the blend may need to be adjusted so the smoker still gets the experience they expect. The work is more complicated, but it supports the reliability people seek when they return to a cigar they already enjoy.

How should you think about pairing wine with cigars?

Michael sees wine as a natural companion to cigars partly because it is generally lower in alcohol than spirits and can bring flavors that tobacco does not replicate in the same way. A strong spirit can dominate with both alcohol heat and flavor, making it harder for the cigar’s nuances to come through. Wine, in his view, can join the experience without taking it over.

His starting point is to consider the cigar as you would a dish. In food pairing, tannic red wine can work with rich, fatty, salty meat because the wine’s drying quality creates a contrast. Leaner foods often benefit from wines that feel more lively and savory. Michael applies that kind of thinking to cigars: some feel rich and full in the mouth, while others are leaner or more drying. Pay attention to the cigar’s weight and effect on your palate, then look for a wine that complements rather than overwhelms it.

He spoke warmly about Napa and New World wines, as well as Old World wines, especially those from France’s Rhône region. The point was not a rigid pairing chart, but a way of paying attention to how the cigar and wine behave together.

Why does in-person connection still matter?

Michael believes that a cigar company’s work does not end when cigars leave the factory. He spends time visiting retailers, meeting customers, and working with sales representatives because those conversations make the work tangible. He compared it to touring as a musician: you can make something and send it out into the world, but meeting the people who experience it gives you a different sense of its impact.

That personal approach also connects to the way he thinks about retail. Familiarity with customers matters, but he argues that formality and professionalism should remain part of the interaction. Consistency is not just about delivering the same blend; it is also about showing up, listening, and treating people well each time.

Key takeaways

• Ferio Tego grew in part from Michael’s effort to carry forward cigar brands he had helped build at Nat Sherman.
• Michael starts blending with body and palate condition, then develops flavor and the cigar’s progression.
• For consistency, he prioritizes a dependable smoking experience over an identical tobacco recipe.
• Think about a cigar’s richness and effect on your palate when choosing a wine, and avoid letting the drink overpower it.
• For Michael, preserving cigar craft includes building real relationships with retailers and customers.

Cigars from this episode

• Ferio Tego Sterling: Michael described Sterling as exceptionally creamy; it came up as a contrast to the darker Elegancia.
• Ferio Tego Elegancia: Discussed as darker, more decadent, and savory than Sterling, with Nicaragua tobacco.
• Ferio Tego Generoso: Dave named it as a personal favorite; the transcript also mentions a 2024 version.
• Nat Sherman Timeless: Michael discussed preserving the brand and maintaining the experience of its blends.
• Nat Sherman Metropolitan: Michael noted the brand’s long history and the customers who have depended on its blends.
• Ferio Tego Panamericana: Mentioned as an example of a fuller, denser, richer cigar in the Ferio Tego portfolio.
• Ferio Tego Supreme: Mentioned alongside Panamericana as a fuller, denser, richer option.

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