The Story of Edgar Hoill

Edgar Hoill didn’t plan to enter the cigar industry; he was pushed into it by a great mentor and a name many people will recognize—Christian Eiroa.

Originally, Edgar spent his time as an urban photographer, capturing images of his surroundings in Houston, Texas, using a Yashica camera. His unique style soon caught the attention of Interlink, and he began working with magazines such as Lowrider, Lowrider Arte, Heavy Hitters, and others. His photography career took him all over the world. The name "One Shot One Kill" (OSOK) stems from this photography background—the idea that he’s never missed a shot. While photography remains a passion (he still shoots with a mirrorless Fuji and has his work featured in galleries worldwide), it has taken a backseat to his new love—tobacco.

Edgar started smoking cigars in Cuba, where he would accompany his girlfriend on trips to procure medicine for rural Mexican families. During these trips, he would pick up a few cigars to enjoy. Later, while working as a product photographer and graphic designer for a cigar brand, he began smoking more regularly and dove headfirst into the world of cigars. He appreciates full-flavored cigars but doesn’t necessarily need the heavy punch often associated with them.

Edgar met Christian Eiroa while working with this cigar brand, and Christian encouraged him to carve his own path, recognizing the opportunity for a more urban-centric cigar brand. Christian pushed Edgar to learn every aspect of tobacco—spending time in factories, sampling tobacco, and studying the growing and fermentation processes required to craft exceptional cigars. This is when the One Shot One Kill brand was born, with their original OSOK Nicaraguan puro receiving high praise.

Edgar later left Christian Eiroa to work with the Turrent family as they developed Casa Turrent cigars. He took charge of blending and spent five years with them, where he developed a deep appreciation for Mexican tobacco and its potential. Initially, Edgar experienced culture shock moving to the San Andres Valley from a big city, but he quickly came to admire the passion of the workers. For instance, the head fermentation manager had been working with tobacco since the age of six. Edgar saw that these workers pursued their craft out of love, not just for a paycheck, and this deeply resonated with him. Later, when his mother retired, he moved back to the United States, transitioning to a broker role while continuing to sell the OSOK brand domestically.

Today, Edgar works with Pablo Morales tobacco which is involved in tobacco production and takes a unique approach Edgar calls the "Texas Brisket Approach"—focusing on "low and slow." Unlike many producers, they rotate the plots where their tobacco is grown, performing soil tests to find optimal growing conditions. They seek out unique opportunities in the mountains of the San Andrés Valley, where the higher altitude allows the plants to grow slower but benefit from richer nutrients. While tobacco plants in the valley typically take around 75 days to grow, their plants take closer to 90 days. This slower approach results in higher-quality leaves, with over 30% being wrapper-grade and only 15% used as filler. This "Texas brisket" approach extends to their drying and fermentation processes. Pablo Morales tobacco's small team of experts lets the leaves determine when they are ready, adapting to changes in yearly weather conditions. The only consistent factors are low temperatures and slow fermentation. They insist on selling only 100% fermented tobacco to ensure top-notch quality, avoiding the “dirty” taste some people associate with Mexican tobacco. Edgar explains that this negative perception often comes from poorly fermented tobacco.

When people think of Mexican tobacco, they typically assume it refers to Mexican San Andrés. However, Edgar points out the incredible variety of Mexican tobacco, including several San Andrés varietals, Mexican Habano, Mexican Sumatra, and even Mexican Connecticut. He estimates that close to 50% of cigar manufacturers use Mexican tobacco in their blends but don’t advertise it due to the incorrect perception that it is cheaper or lower-quality tobacco.

When asked about the future, Edgar laughed and said, “Good tobacco.” In addition to his work in tobacco production, he continues to serve as a broker for several cigar companies.