El Presidente Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Well the big Quantas jet flew in at 6am and for me it is straight to work while Lisa swans around somewhere in NY ;-) Firstly a few thank you's: To Ken and all our members for doing a great Job on the forum in my absence. To the boys and girls at Las Vegas. I had a hell of a time with all the lads. Thankyou one and all. I just apologise that illness robbed me of much of the last two days with you. To our friends at Habanos s.a, the National Hotel and Cuba in general. You alway make me feel at home. So what is new from Cuba...a hell of a lot. Let me address some of the issues in point form: 1. All cigars out of Habanos s.a are now frozen in a new state of the art freezing facility at the Habanos s.a warehouse. This has been going on for the best part of 18 months. The Cubatobacco Tobacco institute has had a great deal of input into the process to ensure that there are no molecular changes. The process was introduced to eliminate any issues of tobacco beetle. 2. Hand rolled Partagas Culebra's will be out in 2007. Machine rolled Partagas Culebra will not be seen again. 3. A Short R&J Cazadores will be released in 2007. Same punch in a smaller format. 4. ALL cigars being rolled today are using three year old Ligero, two year old Seco and one year old Volado in their fillers. This is why cigars are smoking better earlier than previously. I personally inspected the markings of bales being used in the factories to verify this. 5. New mechanical wrapper moisturising machines are being used in all factories to ensure correct moisture component. The machines are state of the art (Italian made). 6. All cigars are now being draw tested. Quality proceedures have been honed even since my last visit in February. 7. Habanos s.a has been setting aside and aging tobacco since 2002. Look forward to better cigars utilising more aged tobacco. 8. New Cohiba Maduro cigars will be released in 2007. Wrapper 5 years, filler 3 years. Natural Maduro process. 9. 80% of all tobacco grown is Habanos 2000 (has been since 2002 and will continue to be until 2009). Small amount of Corojo is still being grown and is used as wrapper for the LE series. They are forwarding me a timeline showing what is and has been grown since 1998. This has been promised before but should come to fruition this time. 10. They refute cooking tobacco. Fermentation process is not a one process suits all. Each crop, each bale is assessed subject to leaf quality (oil content/thickness etc) and then fermentation is adjusted proportionately. This has always been so. 11. Tasted the new Montecristo Petite Robusto. While fresh....it showed promise as the quality of the tobacco used was high. 12. New cigars to be released will continue to be in the larger formats for the forseeable future. The reason is simply sales. The two topselling premium cigars are the Cohiba Siglo VI....and the Montecristo Edmundo (surprised me but wildly popular in Europe). I proposed the release or re-release of some thinner gauge classics. I have to submit a proposal for consideration. They are not convinced it will be a winner based on current experience and sales. That is the major issues covered. Will go into more detail later. Great to be back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Gargett Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 AND???? what about all the good bits? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spud2 Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Glad to see you made it back safe and sound. Enjoyed meeting you, Lisa, Graham and Steve at Hodini's and the Coral Reef. Herf's were great, RTDA show was great, and the people I met were like old friends. Sorry to hear you came down with something. Hope you got a chance to smoke that Millenium stick. Hope to see you again in the states or across the big blue pond. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phailure Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 » 1. All cigars out of Habanos s.a are now frozen in a new state of the art » freezing facility at the Habanos s.a warehouse. This has been going on for » the best part of 18 months. The Cubatobacco Tonacco institute has had a » great deal of input into the process to ensure that there are no molecular » changes. The process was introduced to eliminate any issues of tobacco » beetle. Wow... that very well may possibly kill any market for temp controlled humidors. So if I understand correctly, say a box of PSP2's from ENE 05 should never have any problems with beatles? Thats quite amazing if true! Oh, and welcome back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manny816 Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Welcome back!! Thank you for the wealth of information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colt45 Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Welcome back! Thanks for posting this info so soon:clap: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Presidente Posted July 21, 2006 Author Share Posted July 21, 2006 » AND???? » what about all the good bits? The "good bits" can only lead to never ending trouble. Will expand next week. I must say that exploring the seedier side of Las Vegas with Terry, Ray, Jeff, Joe, Rick.....and Lisa.... was a definate highlight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tampa1257 Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Rob, great report my friend! Sounds like you were able to get a lot of the questions answered and then some! Can't wait for the rest of the details, you have made it an art form dangeling the Habanos on a string in front of our pie holes! LOL Glad that you made it home and now, back to work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigSlick Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Glad to see you made it back alright. It was great meeting and talking with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgros001 Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Welcome back and thank you for the great information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olotti Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Welcome back. Some interesting notes there, interesting to note that they are using "aged" tobacco to begin with but it makes sense with how well the young cigars are smoking. Looking forward to the petit cazadore's. :-P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strayvector Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 » » AND???? » » what about all the good bits? » » » The "good bits" can only lead to never ending trouble. Will expand next » week. » » I must say that exploring the seedier side of Las Vegas with Terry, Ray, » Jeff, Joe, Rick.....and Lisa.... was a definate highlight Welcome back, prez. I think the good bits that Ken was talking about was whether you spent the money he sent with you as was instructed. Did you buy the refrigerator for his "girlfriend" or did you spend it on Havana Club mojitos? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TR Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 welcome Back prez....glad to see that the trip to Cuba was fruitful!;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Presidente Posted July 21, 2006 Author Share Posted July 21, 2006 :rotfl: Ken doesn't part with money easily. The good news for Ken is that our mates at Habanos s.a gave me a few single sticks to bring back for him. The bad news is that I handed out his sticks at one of the get togethers with FOH members at the RTDA. I know Ken would have wanted me to do so. Well done Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jseeds Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 ..awesome recon Prez...thanks for the wealth of info. Looks like the quality, aging, and tobacco is only going up from here on out. Great news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrAlejandro Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 that is some really great info rob, really appreciate you keeping us up to date Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tampa1257 Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 I would assume that the statement concerning the use of the draw machines would mean that there is a percentage of cigars tested and not all the cigars draw tested. Is that a correct assumption? Also, you mention that the tobacco strain of Corojo is limited and about 20% of current production and that it is used on the Edición Limitada's. While I have seen similar wrapper shade of Corojo used on Non-Cuban cigars, the Edición Limitada's do not appear to be the same as the Corojo of older days. How would you compare the wrapper of the Corojo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Presidente Posted July 21, 2006 Author Share Posted July 21, 2006 » I would assume that the statement concerning the use of the draw machines » would mean that there is a percentage of cigars tested and not all the » cigars draw tested. Is that a correct assumption? » » Also, you mention that the tobacco strain of Corojo is limited and about » 20% of current production and that it is used on the Edición Limitada's. » While I have seen similar wrapper shade of Corojo used on Non-Cuban » cigars, the Edición Limitada's do not appear to be the same as the Corojo » of older days. How would you compare the wrapper of the Corojo? Chuck. This is the first time I have seen all cigars tested by draw machines. Previously it was a percentage ofproduction. The 20% includes various strains under production (outside of Habanos 2000). I would suggest straight Corojo would amount to a miniscule amount. All of it is used in LE's. It is not to say that LE's are exclusively using straight Corojo wrappers. The comment made to me was simply that it all goes towards LE's. I have not had a good enough look at the LE's to note what type of wrapper is utilised. Until last weeks meeting I had always assumed it was Habanos 2000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puffman Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Thanks Rob! It's a great time to be smoking Cubans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrink Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 ALL cigars being rolled today are using three year old Ligero, two year old Seco and one year old Volado in their fillers. This is why cigars are smoking better earlier than previously. I personally inspected the markings of bales being used in the factories to verify this. Well, is that so? :-) Welcome home, fearless leader. Thanks much for the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ENGPHOTO Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Glad to hear you made it back home in one piece my friend:ok: It was a great time with friends new and old, cant wait to do it all again real soon ........ as soon as my liver recovers that is I should have some photos ready to post tomorrow night of the festivities if all goes well :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Presidente Posted July 21, 2006 Author Share Posted July 21, 2006 Great to spend time with you Jeff! Sorry I missed you on the last day but how was I to know you were in the mosh pit at the Rocky Patel party Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taino Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Good to have you back Rob, very nice review! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunker1028 Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Welcome back Rob. Great information, thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Twain Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 We know that you were out there looking out for our interests, having a little fun along the way sounds great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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