Looking Good - Wrapper Harvest At Hector Luis Farm

[Nino]

A good friend of mine just posted these pictures of wrapper harvest at Hector Luis farm yesterday.

Looking good.

 

[Silverstix]

WOW that is gonna be some beautiful wrapper! 

[99call]

Thanks for posting this @Nino There is no negativity intended,  but I couldn't help but notice the perfect distillation of the modern day world in this image ie:

- One party, fresh as a daisy smiling with their instagram moment

-The other party looking absolutely shattered, dressed in rags,  with a look that says "please god make it end!"

Again, not a criticism,   just to say that life is strange sometimes.  Cuban tobacco cultivation has to be one of the rare times when you some of the richest people in the world,  desperate to be hugging and seen with some of the very poorest.  

[Shrimpchips]

Looking like there will be some nice Lanceros in two years.  Seems like the harvests of tobacco have been very good the last couple of years.  With a lot of cigars at the top of their game in the last 24 months, can we expect the good times to keep on going with 22/23 stock?

[Nino]

1 hour ago, 99call said:

Thanks for posting this @Nino There is no negativity intended,  but I couldn't help but notice the perfect distillation of the modern day world in this image ie:

- One party, fresh as a daisy smiling with their instagram moment

-The other party looking absolutely shattered, dressed in rags,  with a look that says "please god make it end!"

Again, not a criticism,   just to say that life is strange sometimes.  Cuban tobacco cultivation has to be one of the rare times when you some of the richest people in the world,  desperate to be hugging and seen with some of the very poorest.  

Thank YOU @99call for the comment and I would have agreed wholeheartedly if the guy would merit it ( or if it would have been me in fancy clothes just in for a visit ). No problem with that.

But this particular guy happens to live in Cuba for many years now, was on one of the first Chinese student missions sent there to learn Spanish, decided to stay and sometimes works for weeks or months at the HLP farm for nothing and a few cigars.
I also have other pics of him in working or riding attire and I have seen him there myself working - he designed the woodwork for the roof "tower seats", he is basically one more of the crew when he is there.
Otherwise I would not have posted the pics.
He endures the same conditions as Cubans except he has friends and a car and can fly in & out.
I am certain some other FOH'ers might have come across him at the farm.

But thank you again - I understand where you are coming from and appreciate ( and would share ) your comment.

[99call]

34 minutes ago, Nino said:

Thank YOU @99call for the comment and I would have agreed wholeheartedly if the guy would merit it ( or if it would have been me in fancy clothes just in for a visit ). No problem with that.

But this particular guy happens to live in Cuba for many years now, was on one of the first Chinese student missions sent there to learn Spanish, decided to stay and sometimes works for weeks or months at the HLP farm for nothing and a few cigars.
I also have other pics of him in working or riding attire and I have seen him there myself working - he designed the woodwork for the roof "tower seats", he is basically one more of the crew when he is there.
Otherwise I would not have posted the pics.
He endures the same conditions as Cubans except he has friends and a car and can fly in & out.
I am certain some other FOH'ers might have come across him at the farm.

But thank you again - I understand where you are coming from and appreciate ( and would share ) your comment.

Thats very interesting to hear @Nino and it all goes to prove the old adage 'Don't judge a cigar by it's wrapper?'  ha!. 

In writing my initial comment, I was gradually working out what I was trying to say,  and I think the conclusion I reached was whatever the motivation (often social media posting) I think it's always great when two worlds collide and spend time together stood in the same mud. 

Haha!, I've just noticed his shoes have nearly lost their soles, proof of getting down and dirty.  

 

[Corylax18]

22 minutes ago, Nino said:

Thank YOU @99call for the comment and I would have agreed wholeheartedly if the guy would merit it ( or if it would have been me in fancy clothes just in for a visit ). No problem with that.

But this particular guy happens to live in Cuba for many years now, was on one of the first Chinese student missions sent there to learn Spanish, decided to stay and sometimes works for weeks or months at the HLP farm for nothing and a few cigars.
I also have other pics of him in working or riding attire and I have seen him there myself working - he designed the woodwork for the roof "tower seats", he is basically one more of the crew when he is there.
Otherwise I would not have posted the pics.
He endures the same conditions as Cubans except he has friends and a car and can fly in & out.
I am certain some other FOH'ers might have come across him at the farm.

But thank you again - I understand where you are coming from and appreciate ( and would share ) your comment.

I can confirm everything @Nino said above. The first time I spent a night at Hectors was during one of his stints working on the farm, I didn't know the guy in the photos above until a couple trips later. He and I stayed up late, smoking, drinking and watching some really weird Chinese or Korean anime on his laptop one night. He's definitely a good guy, he knows a ton about the tobacco growing process too. When he is there to work, he blends right in with everyone else.

[Islandboy]

Cool post as I await delivery of more of his creations today, thanks! Excuse my ignorance on the subject, but does he supply Habanos with tobacco as well, or is this all for his own rolls?

[Corylax18]

1 minute ago, Islandboy said:

Excuse my ignorance on the subject, but does he supply Habanos with tobacco as well, or is this all for his own rolls?

Haha. This is a loaded question. 

Yes, he provides Tobacco to HSA. He's the youngest winner of the HSA man of the year award. Its what really catalyzed his current fame. That and the fact he grows the best wrapper leaf in the world. 

He is legally allowed to keep 10% of the weight he harvests to do with as he pleases. He and other farmers with access to tourists definitely keep more than 10%. I don't know how much more. It might be 20% it might be 50%. 

[Islandboy]

4 minutes ago, Corylax18 said:

Haha. This is a loaded question. 

Yes, he provides Tobacco to HSA. He's the youngest winner of the HSA man of the year award. Its what really catalyzed his current fame. That and the fact he grows the best wrapper leaf in the world. 

He is legally allowed to keep 10% of the weight he harvests to do with as he pleases. He and other farmers with access to tourists definitely keep more than 10%. I don't know how much more. It might be 20% it might be 50%. 

Thanks! I find it fascinating that he can put out his own blends that taste nothing at all like anything in the HSA catalog, while using the same leaf presumably.

[Nino]

1 hour ago, Corylax18 said:

He is legally allowed to keep 10% of the weight he harvests to do with as he pleases. He and other farmers with access to tourists definitely keep more than 10%. I don't know how much more. It might be 20% it might be 50%. 

Correct on the first figure and might go up to the second but I would very much doubt it reaches the third .... 🙂

Big brother watches all. I happened to be there filming in the rain when a police car came up to pick up the daily ration of cigars ... it is a case of one hand washing the other ...   🙂

 

1 hour ago, Islandboy said:

Thanks! I find it fascinating that he can put out his own blends that taste nothing at all like anything in the HSA catalog, while using the same leaf presumably.

It only shows that private enterprise wins over command economy ... 🙂

 

[Corylax18]

27 minutes ago, Islandboy said:

Thanks! I find it fascinating that he can put out his own blends that taste nothing at all like anything in the HSA catalog, while using the same leaf presumably.

HSA doesn't have the luxury of rolling with only top quality leaf unfortunately. At least not 100% top quality leaf. Hector is known for his wrapper leaf, but the filler leaf isnt bad either. HSA has such a large volume of tobacco and variance within it that they have a very hard job. 

Think of an HSA cigar as a large Champagne houses NV cuvee. Compiled from several varieties of grapes, grown in various years, all over the region. Blended for consistency from year to year more than any other characteristic. 

Hector's Cigars a like a Champagne Growers Prestige Cuvee. One farm, one varietal, one winemaker. No corners cut, no trickery needed to cover up lower quality raw materials. Just the truest expression of the farm possible. 

In all fairness to HSA the system just isn't setup for them to deliver cigars like Hector's. But as Nino alluded to above, even if it was, and even if a certain distributor's fibs where true, they wouldn't be able to deliver as consistently as the free market does. 

[Islandboy]

14 minutes ago, Corylax18 said:

HSA doesn't have the luxury of rolling with only top quality leaf unfortunately. At least not 100% top quality leaf. Hector is known for his wrapper leaf, but the filler leaf isnt bad either. HSA has such a large volume of tobacco and variance within it that they have a very hard job. 

Think of an HSA cigar as a large Champagne houses NV cuvee. Compiled from several varieties of grapes, grown in various years, all over the region. Blended for consistency from year to year more than any other characteristic. 

Hector's Cigars a like a Champagne Growers Prestige Cuvee. One farm, one varietal, one winemaker. No corners cut, no trickery needed to cover up lower quality raw materials. Just the truest expression of the farm possible. 

In all fairness to HSA the system just isn't setup for them to deliver cigars like Hector's. But as Nino alluded to above, even if it was, and even if a certain distributor's fibs where true, they wouldn't be able to deliver as consistently as the free market does. 

This makes perfect sense to me. I’ve recently read testimony from at least one source of so-called “expert” insight that suggested all of the superior product from any given farm goes to HSA, and what’s left for the farm rolls is low quality. I just chuckled when I read this...my palate knew better.

[Corylax18]

4 minutes ago, Islandboy said:

This makes perfect sense to me. I’ve recently read testimony from at least one source of so-called “expert” insight that suggested all of the superior product from any given farm goes to HSA, and what’s left for the farm rolls is low quality. I just chuckled when I read this...my palate knew better.

That may be the case for a lot of farms. Not every farm/farmer has the right mix to do what Hector, Salvador, Papo, and others do. These guys are uniquely able to monetize themselves and their products at levels far higher than the state pays. But as we've seen from a lot of recent articles, the state doesn't pay squat, so they do more than anyone to foster the black market. 

I would venture to say the best tobaccos from the Very best farms never goes anywhere near HSA. They probably do get the best leaf from hundreds or thousands of farms though. 

[Nino]

41 minutes ago, Islandboy said:

This makes perfect sense to me. I’ve recently read testimony from at least one source of so-called “expert” insight that suggested all of the superior product from any given farm goes to HSA, and what’s left for the farm rolls is low quality. I just chuckled when I read this...my palate knew better.

Yep, makes perfect sense for the farmer to give his best product ( and his virgin daughter ) to the state/HSA and keep the crumbs for himself - that must have been one hell of a smart "expert" ... Irony off  :-)

You are right to chuckle, I would have rolled my eyes.

 

[Islandboy]

24 minutes ago, Nino said:

Yep, makes perfect sense for the farmer to give his best product ( and his virgin daughter ) to the state/HSA and keep the crumbs for himself - that must have been one hell of a smart "expert" ... Irony off  🙂

You are right to chuckle, I would have rolled my eyes.

 

Haha...I read stuff on other forums when I want a few laughs but no facts, and I know to come here when I want both 

[Silverstix]

How long does it generally take for Cuban tobacco to go from harvest to the rolling table?  

[Nino]

18 minutes ago, Silverstix said:

How long does it generally take for Cuban tobacco to go from harvest to the rolling table?  

3 to 4 years mas o menos or +/-  ...

[coug28]

Great stuff/info here…and amazing pics/images.

Some day I’d like to see these farms with my own eyes & meet the proud people who make the cigars we all enjoy so much. Until then, I greatly appreciate threads like this, as well as the conversations above - truly fascinating. Thanks @Nino and others for the dialogue & insights. 

[Nino]

And pictures from my friend at HLP today - the sun grown tobacco ( as opposed to the shade grown wrapper ) growing nicely.
Guess it is a second planting.

 

 

[Corylax18]

2 minutes ago, Nino said:

And pictures from my friend at HLP today - the sun grown tobacco ( as opposed to the shade grown wrapper ) growing nicely.
Guess it is a second planting.

I thought it seemed a bit early to be harvesting (its usually late February-Early March) But Hector must have planted that Shade tobacco in early November, maybe even late October. 

He definitely did two separate plantings. I cant wait to ask him why! 

[Nino]

34 minutes ago, Corylax18 said:

I thought it seemed a bit early to be harvesting (its usually late February-Early March) But Hector must have planted that Shade tobacco in early November, maybe even late October. 

He definitely did two separate plantings. I cant wait to ask him why! 

I have asked my friend if they are first or second planting and when they'll be harvested and will report back.

[Nino]

Some pictures of my friend with his Cuban godson at HLP, working at HLP and in Hong Kong where he came to visit me for a few days and I invited him to meet MRN along with my buddy Frank.

 

 

[Nino]

10 hours ago, Nino said:

I have asked my friend if they are first or second planting and when they'll be harvested and will report back.

He just replied - it is first planting and will be harvested in March.

[anacostiakat]

Great pictures!  Thanks Nino!