Smoking Location

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Our Man In Havana Part II: Robaina Tobacco Farm Pinar del Rio

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Spending a week in Havana with all the that there is to appreciate and explore is easy to do. Since I was only staying for a few days however  I needed to make them count. With my driver and translator with me I set out to the Pinar del Rio region of Cuba to visit local tobacco farms with my main stop being the renowned Robaina Tobacco Farm. Alejandro Robaina was a famed tobacco grower who’s tobacco was so prized that in 1997 he was awarded a brand named in his honor called “Vegas Robaina”. Sadly Alejandro Robaina passed away in 2009 although his grandson Hiroshi continues with his growing tradition and legacy. If you’ve never smoked a Vegas Robaina cigar you should as they can be wonderful however do not think you are smoking a cigar directly from the Robaina Farm. This NOT a single estate cigar.  It is merely a blend from many farms created to have a distinct flavor profile for the brand “Vegas Robaina”.  This was another reason I was really looking forward to visiting and possibly having the chance to smoke a Finca or “Farm” cigar from the actual Estate.

As you drive up the dirt road to the farm you see a large overhanging sign with the words “Alajandro Robaina 1845” clearly noting the farms history.

Upon entering we were greeted by a guide who explained the history of the farm and Alejandro Robaina’s legacy. As we walked we were shown the acres of tobacco growing in the field as well as a special plot of seeds beginning to grow.  We were told  this plot was for something they were still unsure of how it was going to be used or quite possibly they didn’t want to tell us.

 

After seeing the tobacco as it was growing our next stop was the curing barn where tobacco is dried and cured after it is harvested.  The tobacco is hung from the barn as seen below.

If you have never visited a tobacco farm before seeing the process firsthand gives you an appreciation of the time and care involved in creating this craft product. Our guide highlighted pictures of the various stages of the tobacco process and the journey it takes from seed to cigar.

As part of the tour a cigar roller was in the barn rolling a fresh cigar. I was fortunate enough to be the one who was gifted the smoke as it came off the table. As I stated earlier the brand Vegas Robaina is a blend from various tobacco farms used to create the flavor characteristic of the name brand. The cigar I was given was probably the truest expression of a cigar from Alejandro’s farm and his tobacco.

Wrapped in newspaper to aid in drying the fresh tobacco before smoking, a true Robaina cigar:

 

Next we were taken to the dining area where events are held and an homage to Alejandro is purposefully represented.

The last stop was the famous rocking chair where Alejandro Robaina was said to sit and smoke. I can only imagine the decades of contemplation and reverence that was put into each harvest day after day year after year. As I headed off in the early afternoon to my next adventure I left feeling a newfound appreciation for the cigar making process as well as how respected Alejandro was in his homeland and the world.

 

 

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Our Man in Havana Part One: Travel & Cigars in Cuba

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Ah, the mystical Island of Cuba. For the U.S. it’s the forbidden country that secured the embargo on September 7th 1962 when John Fitzgerald Kennedy re-instated the Trading With The Enemy act of 1917. Since then U.S. citizens have only be able to travel to Cuba for very strict diplomatic or humanitarian reasons and return with no goods from the country… until now. Last year President Obama repealed the travel ban on Cuba creating more broad allowances for U.S. citizens to travel there. Better still the former president lifted restrictions on bringing back goods from Cuba to the United States. For beloved cigar smokers this was fantastic news. Having traveled around the world smoking Cuban cigars, finally being able to visit the country and farms where the famed tobacco is grown is a cigar aficionados dream come true. In this first report I will touch upon the ease of travel to Cuba and the state of cigars I found in Havana.  Also included is a list of the best places to purchase cigars and where I found some older vintages lying around.

Travel:
Traveling to Cuba was as easy as booking a flight with Delta straight to Havana. You can pay with your credit card through Delta however you can’t use any U.S. credit cards when you are in Cuba. Cuba is strictly cash for Americans and you can exchange U.S. dollars for Cuba’s CUC’s at the airport or any bank in Havana. Be aware that U.S. dollar incurs a 10% transfer fee when exchanging to CUC’s. You will also need a travel visa along with one of the twelve reasons you are traveling to Cuba. Most visitors will fall under the “People To People Educational Act” so long as you visit a cigar factory, farm, rum distillery or art  museum. Touring a cigar farm, a rum distillery or viewing art is a pleasure in Cuba and the culture is what you are looking for. You will need to purchase a travel visa as well as book a hotel in advance. I suggest using a third party travel site which takes care of all those things for you. You can pay in advance which leaves you only having to bring money to spend on your trip. I recommend the  Educational Adventures Company as they were excellent in making those arrangements as well as getting you into any factories or farm tours. They will also set you up with a translator and driver if you desire. The prices were very reasonable and their service fantastic. http://www.theeducationaladventurescompany.com/ If you wish to book on your own you need to contact the U.S. Office of Treasury and request a visa for purchase. In booking a hotel you would need to book online.

Havana:

Arriving in Havana I grabbed my taxi and headed to the Casa Particulares I was staying at. The first order of business was to relax on their rooftop have a mojito and view the city as a whole during the early afternoon. Havana is as you see it in pictures; a run down third world country with half built structures, renovated 50’s American classic cars and beautiful French/Spanish architecture from the days when those countries ruled the island.  The people are friendly and eager to please in what is now a boom in American tourism. In speaking with the Casa owner he said since Obama repealed travel restrictions they saw a rise in visitors from the U.S. to a million last year and near two million this year. The fear the Cubans have is keeping up with the demand. Before hitting the Casa Del Habanos which are the authorized Cuban cigar dealers and the ONLY place you should be buying cigars, I hit a Paladar which is a restaurant run by the locals and not the government. Stay away from any government run establishments as the food and service are mediocre at best. I had some of the best octopus of my life at a local Paladar and was handed a cigar to smoke with my meal. This was a local farm cigar and the flavors of earth and fresh tobacco where present. It was more of a one dimensional smoke but the earthiness hit the spot with the perfectly cooked slightly smoked octopus.

Smoked octopus with semi sweet glaze:

Cigars:

With some hearty fare and a cigar to match it was time to hit the La Casa del Habano. As I said before these are the only official stores that carry authentic Cuban brands. In Havana you will be solicited to buy Cuban cigars on the street for an even cheaper price than the stores. Do not do this unless you want to smoke fakes. If someone tells you their brother’s cousins friend works at the Partagas Factory and gets cigars from there they are lying. At best you’ll get a cigar blended with fresh farm tobacco which will taste nothing like the brands you know. At worst it can be short filler or scraps from a rolling table floor. Don’t waste your money or time on these “faux” sticks. Go to the the La Casa’s and spend your money on an authentic selection of smokes as these will be the best prices you’ve seen as a consumer anywhere in the world. My advice is to flip over boxes and dig deep into their inventory. You may find some boxes with several years of age on them and it is worth the hunt. The proprietors do not mind you rummaging through their stock and will often help you. I was fortunate enough to find boxes with as much as seven years of age on them.

A box of Montecristo Open Juniors from ’10

Montecristo #5’s from ’13

Partgas Super Partagas from ’14

They were fully stocked with most brands from 2016 although there were no Cohiba Behikes or Esplendidos to be found at the places I looked. I stayed away from most 2016 vintages as the past crops in Cuba haven’t been great. I did pick up some boxes of ’16 Trinidad Reyes and current Vegueros Tapados which smoked well despite being young and will most certainty benefit from age. I feel the 2016 vintages are hit or miss from what I’ve smoked so be cautious or pick up single sticks to sample yourself. Most La Casa del Habanos carry single sticks although the selections vary. Below is a list of three La Casa del Habanos you should definitely visit.

  1. La Casa del Habano
    5th and 16 Av. 5 y Calle 16, Miramar

This is where I found the oldest vintages of Cuban cigars and the staff were most helpful.

2. La Casa del Habano, Club Habana
Av. 5, entre 188 y 192, Miramar, Playa

The place to enjoy a custom rolled “Monsdale” cigar which was created by the late Enrique Mons. It’s a thicker lonsdale with a pigtail cap. Flavors of caramel, butterscotch and toast in this unique blend.

3. La Casa del Habano, Hotel Habana Libre
Calle L entre 23 y 25, Vedado

The largest selection of boxes of cigars in all sizes. If you enjoy the hunt this is the spot for you.

End of Day One:

Loaded with cigars and satiated from delicious Cuban fare it was time to watch the sunset with a mojito and cigar reflecting on the first day in Havana. In Part Two I travel to the tobacco fields and the famed Robaina Farm. Stay Tuned!

Sunset in Havana:

 

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Feature: Graycliff Cigar Factory at Graycliff Hotel, A “Cigar Oasis”

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Graycliff Cigar Factory

Last month I had the pleasure of taking a day trip to Nassau Bahamas. My one and only plan was to visit the Graycliff Hotel to learn about their cigar making process, techniques and the quality that’s synonymous with the Graycliff brand. Graycliff Hotel was purchased by the Garzaroli family in 1973 and is the premier five star hotel and restaurant on the island as well as housing the largest wine cellar in the Caribbean. The historic mansion and its property boasts  a welcoming reception area, opening air dining and Himalayan salt pool, all of which  cater to the cigar enthusiast.

Upon entering the hotel you can smell the sweet aroma of a cigar in the lounge. With antique leather chairs, showcases of spirits, paintings and a piano you quickly envision a sense of calm and quiet reflection that guests enjoy puffing away on any given day.  Within a few minutes I was greeted by a lovely woman who guided us to the Graycliff Cigar Factory.  I could have easily wiled away the afternoon enjoying cigars and spirits right there however I needed to visit the factory where they make the cigars I’ve enjoyed for the past sixteen years.

As I made my way through the old stone walkway palm trees adorned the property along with statues and an elegant pool that truly gave you a sense of the sophisticated history of the hotel.  Just before I approached the factory I was taken back by the largest Cigar Divan I have ever seen. The Divan had a large ceiling with fans, lounge chairs, couches, wrought iron tables and a free standing humidor.  This is the perfect respite to grab a cigar from the factory and sit with a smoke enjoying the scenery. I’m sure it was no coincidence that the divan is right by the entrance to the cigar factory.

Cigar Divan:

The steps that lead to the Graycliff Cigar Factory:

Graycliff Cigar Factory

Upon entering the factory there is a lounge and bar offering espresso and spirits. Alongside is a cabinet humidor containing six lines of the Graycliff portfolio. The represented cigars where: Graycliff Originale, Graycliff Professionale, Graycliff Emerald, Graycliff Crystal and Graycliff Espresso. I was met by Adam Collins the General Manager for Graycliff. Adam is a very personable individual who greeted me warmly. As I shook hands I was given a Graycliff Professionale PG and lit it up immediately. The sweet and earthy flavors of the Professionale made it the perfect first smoke of the day. As I entered the epicenter of the factory which is their boutique rolling room I observed several rollers meticulously rolling vitolas for various Graycliff lines. Graycliff prides itself on perfectly rolled cigars and seeing firsthand you appreciate the dedication to the craft. Adam oversees the day to day operations as well as maintains the quality control and works on blends. In speaking with Adam you can see the passion in his eyes and the excitement he gets from working on a blend and speaking about the factory.

One particular roller that caught my eye was a gentleman rolling what appeared to be a free-form cigar or a cigar without a mold. This is extremely difficult to do as keeping a cigar’s measurements and consistency takes a keen eye and skilled hand. The individual in question was Master Roller Miguel A. Lavadie Duconger who is one of the last free form cigar rollers in the world.  As it turns out he was rolling the John Howard Graysmith line which is the ONLY commercial line of cigars dedicated to the free hand cigar rolling style. Miquel makes the cigar using the “Entubado” method which takes the individual filler leaves and rolls them into scroll-like tubes placing them next to each other in the bunch. This method although more time consuming creates more airflow and a better draw and burn making it a more satisfying cigar of very high quality. Watching Mr. Lavadie Duconger work was observing a master at his craft.  I’ve visited cigar factories before, seen rollers at their respective tables and even watched rollers attempt free hand cigars but NOTHING like the quality and consistently I saw at the Graycliff Cigar Factory.

Master Roller Miguel A. Lavadie Duconger rolling “Free Form”

The John Howard Graysmith which Miguel is responsible for has two vitolas:  “Cannon” a  60 x 7 Parejo and “Buccaneer” a  60 x 7 Piramide. Both cigars have uncut or “shag” feet.  The JHG line pays homage to the original way cigars were rolled as well as a nod to the famous pirate John Howard Graysmith whose exploits were legendary and who built the Graycliff Mansion.

John Howard Graysmith Buccanner and Cannon Cigars:

JHG-BUCCANEERJHG-CANNON

As impressive as the rolling room was Adam took me to the aging room where cigars are stored, bundled and readied for future shipping. Adam oversees fermentation and processing which is a testament to his hands on style of management and adherence to complete quality control. Returning to the rolling room I was able to light up a Graycliff Espresso Pirate which is my personal favorite of the line.  The Espresso pirate yielded rich notes of mocha, leather and a bit of spice.  The cigar was wonderfully balanced in the medium to full bodied range.

As I toured with Adam he took me down a hallway which I would call the “Cigar Education Wing”. Part tobacco education part museum this area sports framed cigar posters such as tobacco leaf classifications in which primings of each leaf are listed, cultivation methods, manufacturing, and the history of cigar making. Walking the hall and reading the informative descriptions gives a cigar enthusiast quite a lesson on how a cigar goes from the field to your hand. This is the first of its kind I’ve seen and shows how the company wants their consumers to understand the process as well as enjoy their cigars.

Cigar Education wing:

It was at this point I met up Paolo Garzaroli president of Graycliff Cigar Company. I’ve met Paolo on several occasions and I can say he has a true passion for quality, tremendous vison and is a gentleman who believes in family and building relationships with people.  Paolo directed me to the display cases that showed cigar memorabilia such as presses, molds and cutters. On the adjacent wall there were photos of celebrities enjoying Graycliff cigars and even such luminaries as Nelson Mandela. The impact Graycliff has had on the industry and consumers is demonstrative in these photographs.

Showcase of cigar memorabilia:

Celebrites and Heads of State enjoying Graycliff Cigars:

Much to my dismay I had to leave all too early as I had a ship to return to. Visiting Graycliff was a priority as well as the highlight of my trip. I thanked Adam and Paolo profusely for the cigars, tour and hospitality. If you visit the Bahamas you NEED to visit Graycliff or do one better and stay on the property. You will be educated, satiated, and puffing away in paradise. I will return as a guest and spend more time at Graycliff which I now call the “Cigar Oasis”.

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FTNYC Exclusive Review! Illusione “Pactum”.

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Illusione Pactum

Last night I had the pleasure of smoking the Illusione/Smoke Inn collaboration which marks the 9th edition of SI’s Microblend series. The Illusione “Pactum” which gets its name from the Latin verbiage “Agreement”, or at that time in ancient Rome it came to mean a “Gentleman’s Agreement”. I can say knowing Abe and Dion personally these are two true gentlemen who seek to provide the highest quality in a cigar for the connoisseur. Being a big Illusione fan I was very excited to try this smoke and here is the first exclusive review you will find. Enjoy!

Blend Specifics:

Vitola: Boxed Pressed Robusto

Wrapper: San Andres Capa Fina Maduro

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Dimensions: 5 1/2 x 56

Appearance & Construction

The Illusione Pactum has a gorgeous chocolate wrapper with a nice sheen and slight veins on the sides. The box press is perfect and there are no soft spots with a feel of well packed tobacco inside. The dry draw yielded raisinated flavors and a cocoa sweetness.

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Taste & Smoke Characteristics:

Lighting up the Pactum greeted me with earthy characteristics and a distinct sweetness from the wrapper. The first third of the cigar brought on some full tobacco flavor due to the higher priming from the Nicaraguan filler leaves. The ash was sliver and gray and fell off on its own. Midway the cigar brought out a bit of wood, hay and a slight gingerbread note. All the way the Pactum gave the sweetness from the San Andres ‘Capa Fina’ maduro cover leaf which really balances out the smoke. The final third gave a lot of the similar flavors as the last half which is not a bad thing at all. The combination of wood, sweet and rich tobacco hit all parts of the palate and gives you an excellent example of what a balanced smoke is all about.

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Conclusion:

I have been continuously impressed with Abe’s Microblend series not just as a concept but knowing the personal attention he gives to each blend and working with the brand owners. Dion of Illusione is a master craftsman and a perfectionist in what he puts out. When these two make a “Pactum” you can rest assured you are getting a smoke worthy of the Roman Empire. Pick these up before they sellout as other Microblends have.

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Avialble at Smoke Inn shops and their website if you are intrested:

http://www.smokeinn.com/eshop/Illusione-Pactum-SI-Exclusive-Product.html

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Big Ronnie & Crazy Paul’s Holiday Tour

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In March 2011, I was fortunate enough to be invited to Camp Camacho in Honduras, to tour the fields and factories and observe what a Central American premium hand rolled cigar manufacturing was all about. Of the many new lifelong friends I made on the trip, one of my favorites is a madman from Kansas, named Paul. Besides being one of the funniest guys I’ve met through cigars, Paul has a voracious apetite for all things consumable, cigars being one of his favorite.

Paul recently spent an afternoon with me running around NYC with me to visit my favorite shops. My goal was not to “WOW” Paul with the NYC scene, but rather let him reconnect with some buddies who were also on the Honduras Trip. Paul is a student in Kansas and a PT employee at The West Side Humidor in Witchita, Kansas. He’s got a better palate than I, and working at a cigar shop, certainly tries a lot more than I do.

The 3 midtown shops that we visited were Davidoff Madison Ave., DeLaConcha & The Grand Havana Room, we also visited O.K. Cigars in SoHo.

Here’s a few pics of the man in Honduras:

Paul Roping Dinner after a school vist.
Paul Roping Dinner

Our Man, Chillaxin in deep thought back at the Camp Camacho Hacienda
Paul Chillaxin

Our first stop was Davidoff of Geneva’s Madison Ave. Flagship Location (Davidoff Madison Ave.). We were able to catch Chris and Lino and share a cigar while we were there. These are 2 extremely knowledgeable, extremely personable guys. We had a great time in Honduras w/them.

Hanging with Lino & Chris from Davidoff Madison Ave.
Lino and Chris from Davidoff Madison

Davidoff Madison Ave.
Paul outside Davidoff Madison Ave.

Next, we went to see Ron and Chris from DeLaConcha. Ron was out of the shop with his family for the holiday, but we were able to chat & smoke with Chris while we were there. I love chatting w/Chris. He always makes me laugh.

Hanging with Chris from DeLaConcha
Chris from DeLaConcha

DeLaConcha
Paul outside DeLaConcha

Then, we went to my stomping ground, The Grand Havana Room for a smoke and some Flor de Cana Rum, that made us reminisce about our ossified times in Honduras. Good times.

Grand Havana Room
Paul outside The Grand Havana Room

Lastly, we took the subway downtown to SoHo and tried to catch Len at O.K. Cigars. He was out for the holiday as well, but we toured the shop and fell in love with come classic tobbaciana on sale. Great shop if you are ever downtown looking for a smoke. We didn’t take any pics here (probably, because of the rum at our last stop.)

I had a great time running around the city with Paul and I hope that we can do it again soon. I’ll come to Kansas too, really. Say hello to Ryan and Gordon also!

From Paul:

“Rolling through New York with Big Sexy him self was a blast. The man has his finger on the thriving pulse of the smoking comunity”.

Well said Paul.

Big Ronnie out.

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