Aging advice

[tommy]

I too think the push for more and more LE and RE is having a detrimental effect on regular standard production, not just in the number of deletions from where perhaps selected leaf is being diverted, but because time has become the primary driver and future consideration and good husbandry have taken a back seat. There is a thread over on FOH where Rob explains in his opinion that Cuba is not responsible for most of what's happening and that the initiative behind pretty much everything is with Imperial, who's motivations are not quality orientated but are about profit continuation. Personally, I think if the American market ever came on-stream, the standard production situation would get worse with a repeat of 1999/2002, but this time with a less reliable agricultural product, and with even more special releases 'blinged' especially for the US.



This unfortunately too is being mentioned, and I too have trouble with some post 06 vitola once they get to a certain age, in fact some of them might as well be NC because what Cuban taste is hardly there.

Can someone explain RE and LE to me please.

[PeeJay]

I have a God of Fire from 2005, is it likely to be any good? I must admit that I hadn't paid it much attention.

Only one way to find out, commit it to the god

[PeeJay]

Can someone explain RE and LE to me please.

RE = regional edition, ie only released in the UK (allegedly)
LE - limited edition, only released for that year

[tommy]

RE = regional edition, ie only released in the UK (allegedly)
LE - limited edition, only released for that year

Thanks PeeJay.

[tippexx]

Thanks PeeJay.

But there can be quite a few of them each year.

http://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/briefsummarylist.aspx?sortorder=specialtype&releaselow=2013&releasehigh=2013&highlightstatus=true

[Moon Dancer]

Exactly VTG, and unlike vines which don't move, tobacco has to be replanted every year. A strange fact (I don't know if it's true), the thing that makes Cuban tobacco different isn't the plant, the climate or the growing methods but the soil .... the soil is poor, which has the effect of stressing the plant into releasing the sugars and enzymes which traditionally gave Cuban tobacco it's unique taste. If that is correct, using chemicals to make the land more productive would have a reverse effect on the plant. More or bigger plants per acre, but not as good.

It seems to me that Cuban tobacco leaf was at it's best when growers only enhancement to their land was with Filtered Beer

[tippexx]

.... and donkeys were preferred to tractors.

[PeeJay]

.... and donkeys were preferred to tractors.

They probably are, you can have so much more fun with a donkey......shit, wrong forum!

[Moon Dancer]

Yep, donkey crap must have inadvertently been rolled up into many a good cigar, lol

[Ryan]

Exactly VTG, and unlike vines which don't move, tobacco has to be replanted every year. A strange fact (I don't know if it's true), the thing that makes Cuban tobacco different isn't the plant, the climate or the growing methods but the soil .... the soil is poor, which has the effect of stressing the plant into releasing the sugars and enzymes which traditionally gave Cuban tobacco it's unique taste. If that is correct, using chemicals to make the land more productive would have a reverse effect on the plant. More or bigger plants per acre, but not as good.

It seems to me that Cuban tobacco leaf was at it's best when growers only enhancement to their land was with Filtered Beer

I thought I posted this here before.
Last year, I interviewed (in admittedly a very amateurish way) Hector Luis Prieto, tobacco farmer from San Juan y Martinez.
He has won Habanos Man of the Year, twice, for production.
At about 10 minutes in, he talks abut stress in the plant caused by the poor soil and how that improves tobacco. I had never seen that reason given anywhere else before that. Fertiliser is certainly used too but the soil is not as good as other tobacco growing regions.
Seeds, climate and the experience of the farmer are also very important. There is an enormous amount of work that goes into getting a healthy plant.
The stress caused in the plant encourages them to produce phytonutrients for survival, I had a lunch with some college friends, 2 organic chemists, a nutritionist and a pharmacist to discuss this.
It's also one of the reasons that tomatoes (same family, Solanaceae, as tobacco and a similar growing cycle), taste better from your back garden than the hydroponically grown stuff where they're given lots of every nutrient they need. Home grown tomatoes experience stress, water stress or nutrient stress, and though evolution, produce a wider range of chemicals to increase their chances of survival.
Wine growers also talk about poor soil producing the best wine-grapes. Coincidentally we were talking about this the day before with Jose Candia (ex-Habanos) who knows more about tobacco and cigars than anyone I've ever met, and he said tobacco was different to vines, stress is not good, they need good soil. He was as surprised as we were when Hector talked about stress being good for the plant.

Rob Fox and I spent 2 days working on the farm. Hard work but a great time. Quick video in the next post, apparently only one allowed per post.

I did another interview this year, with the blender from El Laguito. Interesting stuff, he talked about the blends, the third fermentation in the barrels, the differences between the Lineas, the differences between regular production and the diplomatic stuff etc. Coming soon.

[Ryan]

Montage video of time on the farm.

[monkey66]

Great information Andy!

[TJCoro]

Can You Hear The Children Playing?

some would call that inexperience! i on the other hand, call it something else and take it as a compliment!

However you take it chico, most will agree it's wasted on the young.

Perro, el Perro

Haha! Puuleeeze! You need a new writer, ya' stupid looking dawg-faced smiley. I'm seeing some promising young talent around these parts lately. Perhaps an internship is in order.

[tippexx]

Sounds about typical of everywhere Ryan. Hector Luis Prieto, Production Department does not agree with Jose Antonio Candia, PR Department. (Ex).

[TJCoro]

Commit to the God of Fire!

I have a God of Fire from 2005, is it likely to be any good? I must admit that I hadn't paid it much attention.

Meant to be amazing smokes them arent they

Hope so mate, but not a clue.

Only one way to find out, commit it to the god

Gentleman...Gentlement! Less talkin' and more tokin'.

There's only one way to find out if you like them and we all know what that is....well, all of us except for maybe young chico butterednutz.

The one's I enjoyed a few years back were 2005/06 by Carlito (the other GoF is by Don Carlos). Now that they have some decent age on 'em, maybe it's time to give 'em another go.

Mayby not.


Perro, el Perro


Haha! Too late, dawg face.... Blu-balls and Bag Boy just finished off the last of 'em.