Mr. Japan Posted April 5, 2013 Posted April 5, 2013 I will be in L'Havana from April 25th for a week, plan usual stuff with a visit to friends (PunchJoe) and smoking local tobacco :-) If any around same time let me know.
Strada Posted April 5, 2013 Posted April 5, 2013 I will be in L'Havana from April 25th for a week, plan usual stuff with a visit to friends (PunchJoe) and smoking local tobacco :-) If any around same time let me know. Enjoy my friend!
Guest rob Posted April 5, 2013 Posted April 5, 2013 Gino, per favore dare Jose e Ingrid un abbraccio da me. E Divertire molto!
Mr. Japan Posted April 6, 2013 Author Posted April 6, 2013 Gino, per favore dare Jose e Ingrid un abbraccio da me. Yes I will. fai lo bravo mascalzone I'm a good boy. :-)
Mr. Japan Posted April 23, 2013 Author Posted April 23, 2013 Leaving Keith, will be working also for you. Will be back hopefully with good news.
CanuckSARTech Posted April 23, 2013 Posted April 23, 2013 Leaving Keith, will be working also for you. Will be back hopefully with good news. Much appreciated. I'm guessing Nino passed that along then.... Thanks a bunch. Bon voyage, and happy smokes!
Mr. Japan Posted May 10, 2013 Author Posted May 10, 2013 I arrived with my friends at Senora Minerva’s house on the 24th of last month, finding few cigars waiting for me and left on may 4th.. After two years I could not wait to figure out what had changed and possibly first-hand news from the tobacco meccaland. The weather was perfect, I slept without air conditioning and the days have flown away while we discovered new restaurants, visiting tiendas, swimming pool, beaches, friends and much .... lot’s of fun. Our friends Machin and Barbarito, President and Vice President of the Club El Balcon have postponed the usual cata of the last Thursday to the Friday so the Amicigar could attend. For the uninitiated El Balcon is a connesseuer group of Bartender, Maitre Sommelier and Habano Sommelier. They are in constant contact with our AIS (Italian Sommellier Association ) and other similar associations in the world. After Machin few years ago, this year our member Pedro Tejeda, who works at the Bodeguita del Medio won the Habano Sommelier Contest for 2013 after that his wife Zudlay Napoles also won it years ago. We hope to prepare an Italian to have one of our fellow victorious it next year. Arrived at El Balcon our PunchJoe gave us a great well come and we immediately organized our days in Pinar and Havana with his advices that ar epure gold for whoever is in Cuba. Back to the famous Balcon of Hotel President, about 50 friends smoked a Bolivar Julieta 2 pairing it with Havana Club and, a superlative, Legendarios, both 15 years old. When you say that cubans smoke without knowing what they smoke I suggest you listen to these guys talk and in particular a certain Amicigar named Fernando Fernandez called by me ☺ The Encyclopedia. A superfine palate or friends as Dr. Luis Sorinas or Dr. Antonio Solana, our Machin, and many others. These guys know ! Over the weekend we were in Pinar del Rio with Hector Luis, Miguel and San Luis y Martinez few hours with Hirochi and Ivan, in the region called “Mecca of Tobacco ” We had a beautiful day by HL with his wife and his man of confidence and "Torcedor extraodinario" and we remembered that had already passed 5 years since our first visit (2008-2009-2011) and we have seen the improvements which he has made in the area, especially after winning the prize Hombre Habanos. Miguel always brings out his project with the children of the area to bring them closer to the world of tobacco and instruct them on the cultivation, preservation and aging of tobacco. I think Miguel is one of the few in the world of tobacco in Cuba that touches the product "from the Seed to the blue smoke of his robusto". A power and explosion of aromas and flavors. After a morning to see the murals and the boat ride in the Cava of Vinales we stopped by HH which always welcomes us with joy and sympathy, but the ranchon was full of tourists arrived by bus. It seems really a restaurant farmhouse, has lost much of the magic of when there was the "don". In Havana there was a plethora of new restaurants and we also attended the opening of Milano's an Italian restaurant with a nice back garden for smokers. A highlight for us were Havana Chef, Ivan Justo, Esta Bien, El Cocinero, Donna Eutimia and San Cristobal while if we talk about Comida Cubana to both, HL & HH, we ate the best Frioles with Cerdo y Platano Frietos, Yucca y Malanga. Of course, even in El Alibe you eat pretty well as at El Palenque. Great as always El Templete. In Old Havana it has been re-opened, in the same place, the pre-revolution Sloopy Joe bar with the longest counter service in Cuba. Do not go there, high prices for tourist and especially all No Smoking Area ! With the Women's Club leaded by Zoe Nocedo ( President of the club and Directora of the Tobacco Museum) we smoked a Julieta 2 of Romeo y Julieta paired by a Ron Santiago de Cuba . The location was the beautiful Tienda Cuervo y Sobrinos, whose owner is an Italian . It was very instructive to hear women talk about tobacco and alcohol ☺. Among others, two major torcedoras: Juanita and La China. Up at El Morro Castle our friend Cueto is always in good shape and his tienda ( shop ) is now part of a continual procession of tourists who want to have their photo taken (just next to the wax statue) near the famous World Guinnes Torcedor Reynaldo at the Conde de Villanueva has given us a beautiful box of HU 520 Anniversary and always makes a great coffee in addition to his cigar, for me unsmokable as I do not prefer over 52. Instead, I took from the last “connoisseur torcedor” his famous " Monsdale or Lonsdale of Mons" invented by Enrique Mons and carried out by Jorghito in tienda Havana Club. The Best" lonsdale "of Cuba at just 5 cuc ! In the official Casa of AMICIgar, the 5 y 16 we had the pleasure of smoking with italian collectionist and longtime friend and met the "Last Dragon". Tienda Partagas now is very quiet, a great place to relax, having a chat with Hamlet (if he is not busy at the shop ) . I heard that on one floor of the factory they will place the Tobacco Museum ( 2..3…4 years , who knows when ) . Hamlet said me that the shop is doing very well, as before, but no leaf for making fresh cigars. So , she is there, but …la China ...... is unemployed. To remember the "Primero de Mayo" parade and a visit to the humidors factory. www.humidorsofhavana.com where they make all teh humidors for the festival Subasta. All the above are confusing memories of 10 great days…….. next April 2015!
CanuckSARTech Posted May 11, 2013 Posted May 11, 2013 Excellent write up and pictures, Gino!!!! Glad you enjoyed your time, and thanks for sharing the added little tidbits of information.
Guest rob Posted May 11, 2013 Posted May 11, 2013 What a great write, Amigo! Im pleased to see you do the trip justice with a great report.
tmac77 Posted May 11, 2013 Posted May 11, 2013 Hey GIno I must have missed this post as I was in Havana at the same time as yourself. Enjoyed a couple of cigars with Hamlet and also went to Ivan Justo.
Bartolomeo Posted May 11, 2013 Posted May 11, 2013 Monsdales for 5 CUC......deal of the century Great report Gino and thanks for sharing! Bart
Mr. Japan Posted May 11, 2013 Author Posted May 11, 2013 Hey GIno I must have missed this post as I was in Havana at the same time as yourself. Enjoyed a couple of cigars with Hamlet and also went to Ivan Justo. ****! :-)))
thechenman Posted May 13, 2013 Posted May 13, 2013 Thanks for sharing your trip with us Gino. Sounds like you had a phenomenal time.
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