Back from Cuba - they are no longer freezing cigars?

[IcedCanuck]

I was in Cuba not too long ago and thought I would post up a couple pics of my haul. Picked up a box of Partagas E2 and 75 Ronaldo impressionante custom rolls. Cuba has opened up cigar factory tours so I decided to take the tour of the Corona factory. I am sure we have all seen the youtube videos but to actually walk through the factory and see everything for myself was an eye opener. Quite the production lines they have in there. The real interesting part was at the end of the tour I asked the guy who was walking us through about freezing because he never mentioned anything about it. He laughed at me and told me they stopped freezing cigars a while ago. He claimed they now use some type of fumigation process and joked around saying they are keeping up with technology. Has anyone else heard anything about this?

[tjohn7]

No. But I was banking on them freezing my smokes, so that would be a little disappointing. Also, not super excited about adding chemicals (safe or not) to the process.

[Baldy]

He claimed they now use some type of fumigation process and joked around saying they are keeping up with technology. Has anyone else heard anything about this?

AFAIK, they've been doing this for years on cigars destined for the export. For what it's worth, there was even a CA write-up on it. This makes sense in a cash strapped hot tropical country as refrigeration on the scale needed to freeze each and every cigar can't be cheap. A curing barn this is not. Having said that this is Cuba or any other 3rd world economy. Mind you car companies in rich countries are not immune from recalls either.

[nutcracker]

I've got to wonder - if they freeze the cigars distined for export, then what about the sticks I just bought on the island?

I understand customs and farmies need to chill out (trunk of my car here in Winnipeg). Do I need to freeze the ones I bought at Casa Habanos too????

[Bartolomeo]

I've got to wonder - if they freeze the cigars distined for export, then what about the sticks I just bought on the island?

I understand customs and farmies need to chill out (trunk of my car here in Winnipeg). Do I need to freeze the ones I bought at Casa Habanos too????

I always freeze customs no matter where they are bought, its a nice piece of mind and one less thing to worry about IMHO

[Bartolomeo]

I was in Cuba not too long ago and thought I would post up a couple pics of my haul. Picked up a box of Partagas E2 and 75 Ronaldo impressionante custom rolls. Cuba has opened up cigar factory tours so I decided to take the tour of the Corona factory. I am sure we have all seen the youtube videos but to actually walk through the factory and see everything for myself was an eye opener. Quite the production lines they have in there. The real interesting part was at the end of the tour I asked the guy who was walking us through about freezing because he never mentioned anything about it. He laughed at me and told me they stopped freezing cigars a while ago. He claimed they now use some type of fumigation process and joked around saying they are keeping up with technology. Has anyone else heard anything about this?

Nice haul!

[AlohaStyle]

There are people on this forum that have seen the actual freezing facility within the last few years. I have no first-hand knowledge about it, but would a tour guide really know the status? I bet most factory workers would have no clue about the freezing process anyway as the freezers were located in an off-site facility.

[CanuckSARTech]

I asked. They're still freezing, but it sounds like more and more incidents of beetle infestations are being found at the LCDH's on the island (made a mention of it on my blog here ). Seems like more and more may be missed - who knows, maybe they're trying to rush the process, and/or unintentionally skipping it on some of the domestically sold stuff, just based on the distribution channelling.

But the freezers are still up and running apparently, and they're still using it to freeze all production.

[IcedCanuck]

I've got to wonder - if they freeze the cigars distined for export, then what about the sticks I just bought on the island?

I understand customs and farmies need to chill out (trunk of my car here in Winnipeg). Do I need to freeze the ones I bought at Casa Habanos too????

I always freeze everything I buy in person from Cuba. Why take the chance, better to be safe than sorry.

[Puros Y Vino]

At the La Corona factory there are two walk in fridges where they store rolls for about 2 - 3 months prior to boxing. While not freezing that factory definitely stores them under cool conditions. Nice haul BTW.

[Hubba]

nice grabs IC!