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Just back from a few weeks in Cuba. I didn't attend any of the formal Habanos Festival events apart from the factory tours but managed to enjoy a few parties and renew some friendships.
Best of Trip : enjoying some smokes and conversation with Santos, Andres and Fara from Escogida at the Hotel Comodoro who invited a friend and me to a "cocktail" at Melia Habana. Great party. We got the first choice from the boxes of Montecristo Edmundos that Andres was handing out. There was lots of free booze. The most spectacularly lovely female in attendance happened to be one of my crazy Serbian friends but nobody believed I actually knew her (oh, sure, you know HER. Haw Haw) until they came over to chat
and my friend almost swallowed his cigar.
Most interesting cigar : one I was given by a cab driver on my way to yet another meet-up where nobody showed. I noticed the "no smoking" sign in the cab at the same time as I noticed that the driver was puffing on a decent-looking local product. Always up for trying out my Spanish, I commented on how good his puro smelled and he asked if I smoked and when I confirmed my love of cigars, he reached into his pocket and handed me one. One powerful corona! By the time it was half-smoked, I could feel the back of my throat starting to peel.
Best cigar: I bought a box of Diplomaticos No.1 from May-01 and every one I smoked was FP. Complex flavours and perfect construction. Hooboy!
Most surprising cigar: Montecristo Open Regata -a gift from a friend. Not a classic Cuban but not as bad as one would expect after watching the Aussie tasting videos. This first sample prompted me to buy a 3-pack of Eagles to try.
The "I should have known better" award : to all the folks who called meet-ups and then didn't show. I was the sucker who cabbed all over Havana and ended up smoking alone.
The Stash : just before leaving for a week in Varadero
Diplomaticos No.1 (May-01)
Montecrsto A (May-09)
Partagas Presidentes (May-08)
Montecristo Open Eagle (undated 3-pack)
Santos custom Cervantes (Feb-10)
Montecristo Edmundo (gift)
Santos custom Lanceros (Feb-10)
Ramon Allones Specially Selected (Mar-08)
Best of Trip : enjoying some smokes and conversation with Santos, Andres and Fara from Escogida at the Hotel Comodoro who invited a friend and me to a "cocktail" at Melia Habana. Great party. We got the first choice from the boxes of Montecristo Edmundos that Andres was handing out. There was lots of free booze. The most spectacularly lovely female in attendance happened to be one of my crazy Serbian friends but nobody believed I actually knew her (oh, sure, you know HER. Haw Haw) until they came over to chat
and my friend almost swallowed his cigar. Most interesting cigar : one I was given by a cab driver on my way to yet another meet-up where nobody showed. I noticed the "no smoking" sign in the cab at the same time as I noticed that the driver was puffing on a decent-looking local product. Always up for trying out my Spanish, I commented on how good his puro smelled and he asked if I smoked and when I confirmed my love of cigars, he reached into his pocket and handed me one. One powerful corona! By the time it was half-smoked, I could feel the back of my throat starting to peel.
Best cigar: I bought a box of Diplomaticos No.1 from May-01 and every one I smoked was FP. Complex flavours and perfect construction. Hooboy!
Most surprising cigar: Montecristo Open Regata -a gift from a friend. Not a classic Cuban but not as bad as one would expect after watching the Aussie tasting videos. This first sample prompted me to buy a 3-pack of Eagles to try.
The "I should have known better" award : to all the folks who called meet-ups and then didn't show. I was the sucker who cabbed all over Havana and ended up smoking alone.
The Stash : just before leaving for a week in Varadero
Diplomaticos No.1 (May-01)
Montecrsto A (May-09)
Partagas Presidentes (May-08)
Montecristo Open Eagle (undated 3-pack)
Santos custom Cervantes (Feb-10)
Montecristo Edmundo (gift)
Santos custom Lanceros (Feb-10)
Ramon Allones Specially Selected (Mar-08)
Worth a second shot? Or shall I just give up on it (given the huge range of other, wonderful, cigars I have yet to enjoy...
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