Encyclopaedia of Post-Revolution Havana Cigars - A Review

[Trevor2118]

An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Post-Revolution Havana Cigars

Min Ron Nee

First Edition , Second Reprint, July 2005

This book was first published in January 2003.  It is available in English & German language versions.

It is a 492 page large format (305mm x 235mm) hardcover book, printed in full colour on quality paper.

The second printing of the first edition was published in July 2005.  There was no new information in this printing, but it did include corrections to minor errors contained in the first printing.

This is arguably considered the ultimate book on post-revolutionary Havana Cigars.  It is informative, scholarly and an excellently presented reference book.  An absolute must for anyone interested in Cuban cigars.

It is clearly set out in a "dictionary" format, with coloured text indicating main text, authors notes, comments by Adriano Martinez Rius (Honorary Consultant), production status etc.  It also includes the authors comments on tasting notes with particular reference to aging of cigars.

As this is a 2003 publication, much of the current and discontinued cigar status is out of date, and (naturally) no releases since 2003 are included, but this in no way detracts from this book.

The author (Min Ron Nee is a nom-de-plume) has revealed that the original edition was somewhat of a compromise in that some information was left out to keep the book to a manageable 500 page limit, and the publication was rushed to keep a promised deadline for the February 2003 Habanos Festival.

A fully revised second edition is currently in progress, however there is no publication deadline for this edition.  It will be completely revised with both updated and new information, will have no page limit (up to 2,000 pages if necessary) and will be thoroughly checked before publication.  Some of the information in the first edition will not be included in the second. 

Probably (my guess), don't expect publication before late 2009 or early 2010 (at the earliest). These dates would enable this edition to cover the first 50 years since the Revolution (2nd January, 1959).

My recommendation.  Obtain a copy of the current edition before it is sold out, as it has been confirmed that it will not be reprinted.  Secondly, advise your cigar retailer that you want to be on the advance purchase list for when the second edition is released.

[TexaSmoke]

Thanks for the information.

[Tampa1257]

OK, So a wealthy individual with the means to publish a book collaborates with a retired Habanos man obtaining (self admittedly) who obtained information not able to have without his assistance, the archives, factory records. so in essence while Min Ron NEE may be "nom-de-plume", many suggest that Adriano Martinez Rius is the (MR = Min Ron) and NEE is the Hong Kong Asian Aficionado collector that is also known through out the cigar world.

The Book is well done and a must have for serious Habano lovers in my humble opinion.

Who ever is actually responsible for the content, photo's and publication did the cigar community a huge assistance.

It is my understanding that Mr Adriano Martinez Rius is current battling Cancer and not doing well in his fight. Without his assistance, I believe that many lines of communication with the Cubatabaco and Habanos S.A. will no longer be available.

[anacostiakat]

The Bible. . .

[tigger]

A wonderful book, IMO.

A friend brought his to a herf in New York some time ago, and I ordered a copy soon after. I've been through it cover to cover a couple of times, and still enjoy leafing through it often.

[Van55]

» The Bible. . .

Pure hyperbole.

Even the author admits it's not inspired by God or infallible.

It is a superb reference source with great photographs and very interesting, often amusing, tasting notes, which the author agrees represent his opinion and "consensus" among his Hong Kong smoking acquaintances.

It should also be remembered that the tasting notes, in the vast majority of cases, pertain to cigars from the mid-1990's and before.

[stickman]

» » The Bible. . .

»

» Pure hyperbole.

»

Van Tampa I have a question

Do you think that without "NEE"..... this Fabulous reference to Habano cigar culture would have been written and published?

I myself Would consider it the Habano Cigar Bible

stick

[Tampa1257]

Stick, While I have no facts, I do believe that the work is a lifetime combination of knowledge of many people and that there is no one "Single" author. The book is truly an achievement and credit acknowledged to everyone that assisted.

The book probably would not have been published without the financial assistance of the NEE factor. I have owned and used this publication (1st Edition) since 2003. It is an excellent reference and worthy of serious Habanos Lovers.

My concerns for a next revision or edition voiced above are that with the ever changing conditions in Cuba, that without the wealth of "Insider" contacts that were provided for the first publication that future communication or assistance may not be available to collaborate with the depth of information as before.

I can wish for another excellent publication to be conceived and brought to the Market and hope that one day we all can read and learn from it. That is still yet to be determined.

[kjellfrick]

The Encyclopedia is clearly in a league of its own. Is there even a distant competitor? I see no problem to name it "the Bible" since that is just acknowledging this. Inspired by God? What an appalling idea! Hyperbole? What an inconsequential remark...

I also cannot see the problem with the book as a collaborative work. Sources are named and acknowledgements duly given, aren't they? Name a book that does not contain influences from others or that does not build upon the knowledge of others? Why the innuendo?

I find this book an outstanding achievement, a beautiful work of reference and a treasured collectible. However, there are things about the book that are somewhat irritating to me. I sometimes find it repetetive and unimaginative, for example when the author refers back to other tasting notes. It may be very correct and probably saves space and effort but I would have liked a little more smalltalk and anecdotal stuff in there sometimes.

My main grievance, however, is that no matter how good it is, it's too short and too shallow for my insatiable curiosity about Cuban cigars. I want more, much more and I'll be there in the line for the next book from MRN. :-P

[Mel]

Nice book and glad to have it. Wow Tampa do you have any strong feeling on the matter?;-)

I do however take issue with his assesment of cigars and the need to age them for up to thirty years. ****, I do not even like some cigars after ten or fifteen much less more than that. Point weel taken from one of the earlier posts about the comments are for cigars that most of us have never seen.:-(

[lbrooks]

Great book! The depth is amazing and I couldn't live without it.

[El Presidente]

Great book. The finest piece of Habanos Reference material written and sources of assistance duly acknowledged (and in a far more detailed manner than many other reference materials).

Tampa I can assure you that MRN has full support within HSA for current and future endeavours.

I would not be surpirsed if a Habanos "Communication" award is not part of the program in the next year or two.

That would be disappointing in that Ken and I were hoping for the 2009 slot

[Trevor2118]

» Great book. The finest piece of Habanos Reference material written and

» sources of assistance duly acknowledged (and in a far more detailed

» manner than many other reference materials).

»

» Tampa I can assure you that MRN has full support within HSA for current

» and future endeavours.

»

» I would not be surpirsed if a Habanos "Communication" award is not part of

» the program in the next year or two.

»

» That would be disappointing in that Ken and I were hoping for the 2009

» slot

"Habanos" and "communication" used in the same sentence....sounds wrong to me....:-D

(there goes the 2010 slot too).

PS: For an updated review and an image, see:

[link]http://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/reviews/2005_MRN-book.htm[/link]

[Van55]

» Van Tampa I have a question

»

» Do you think that without "NEE"..... this Fabulous reference to Habano

» cigar culture would have been written and published?

No, I do not. I understand that NEE not only took many of the photographs and compiled the extensive tasting notes, but he also financed the original publication out of his own pocket. At least that's what he as told me and others. Without him the book would never have been published.

»

» I myself Would consider it the Habano Cigar Bible

I don't, and neither does NEE.

There are other reference sources, several of which have been reviewed here by Trevor. In my own library, I have NEE's book; Charles del Todesco's The Havana Cigar (1996); Simon Chase's Cultivating a Tradition of Perfection (2002); and Perelman's Pocket Cyclopedia of Havana Cigars, third Edition (2005). Each has some unique information and much that complements the information in the others.

[Wiley]

I like the pictures!

Now I find out it has words too! Even better!

[Belicoso_Fino]

Many, if not most people who know their Habanos do indeed consider Min Ron NEE's book "the Bible", as do I. To discount the importance of this significant work is ignoring outright the impact that MRN's work has had on the community of Havana cigar aficianados.

While there are a few a good books published on Habanos, some mentioned here, no other work comes close to matching the Encyclopaedia's coverage of post-revolution Havana cigars in depth or breadth of information. The tasting notes compiled in NEE's book represent years of "work" (if you can call smoking fine Havanas "work"...lol) and to my knowledge is unmatched by any number of books combined. The amount of effort and dedication that NEE himself put into his book is significant, and the quality of the finished product proves that. The pictures alone are priceless, as is his collection, which were the subjects for the overwhelming majority of the photographs taken.

I am anxiously awaiting the next edition of NEE's book as I am sure many others are. It promises to exceed by leaps and bounds the significant achievements of the first edition...at least that's what the author told me.

[slb6r]

» An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Post-Revolution Havana Cigars

» Min Ron Nee

» First Edition , Second Reprint, July 2005

»

»

There is a German translation (Christoph Wolters, AWM Verlag, 2005), which contains an update written by MRN and also additional photographs by MRN.

You can see four sample pages with new humidors on the Amazon.de web site:

http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/3980930815...ie=UTF8&seller=

[Trevor2118]

» There is a German translation (Christoph Wolters, AWM Verlag, 2005), which

» contains an update written by MRN and also additional photographs by MRN.

»

» You can see four sample pages with new humidors on the Amazon.de web site:

»

»http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/3980930815/ref=olp_product_details/028-6545132-5046148?ie=UTF8&seller=

Thanks for the info....I have updated the web-page.

PS. Amazon.de price is 96,00Euro, but is available elsewhere for 39,95Euro. Email me for details if interested.

[Ken Gargett]

» » There is a German translation (Christoph Wolters, AWM Verlag, 2005),

» which

» » contains an update written by MRN and also additional photographs by

» MRN.

trevor, i have a feeling that christoph may have been the gentleman that a few of us met in havana earlier in the year (if not, apols to him and also to the chap we did meet). a german gentleman working with MRN. he had some wondeful stories about mrn, though perhaps not for me to post them. suffice to say that MRN sounds a real character. i asked the gentleman about future editions and future projects. he indicated that mrn was working on something big but would give no secrets away and not even confirm that it was a book.

as for havana and MRN, my impression has always been that he and his work is highly regarded there.

never hurts to have as many books on a subject as possible for a range of views but if asked to pick one on the subject of cuban cigars, this is it without question. daylight second.

as for it being the 'bible', enough to say that i find it far less a work of fiction than any other publication awarded that title.

[Tom Bolivar]

» There is a German translation (Christoph Wolters, AWM Verlag, 2005),

» which

» contains an update written by MRN and also additional photographs by

» MRN.

I can back up the info for the German version with the additional info. Since I have the first English version and the German one at home.

I would like to point out that there is a Spanish version too.

I believe it was translated (in parts) by Jose Illario. A Spanish cigar personality who stands behind the H.Upmann Club Epicure Marevas (and of course the Club Epicure and its cigar magazine itself). He was one of the first Habanos Men of the Year and he published a guide on Habanos that for me is still one of the best references for Cubans cigars. If I'm not mistaken the 4th edition of this book is available in English too.

Regards,

Tom

[Trevor2118]

» » There is a German translation (Christoph Wolters, AWM Verlag, 2005),

» » which

» » contains an update written by MRN and also additional photographs by

» » MRN.

»

» I can back up the info for the German version with the additional info.

» Since I have the first English version and the German one at home.

»

» I would like to point out that there is a Spanish version too.

Info on the Spanish version is on the Review web page, which is updated as info comes in. See:

[link]http://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/reviews/2005_MRN-book.htm[/link]

[smokum]

He was one of the

» first Habanos Men of the Year and he published a guide on Habanos that for

» me is still one of the best references for Cubans cigars. If I'm not

» mistaken the 4th edition of this book is available in English too.

»

» Regards,

»

» Tom

Tom, what guide is this ?

[Tom Bolivar]

» Tom, what guide is this ?

Guia Epicure del Habano 4a Edición

Select Publicaciones S.L.

by José Ilario

ISBN 84-930387-0-9

[Van55]

Whether MRN's Encylopaedia is "The Bible" or not, is largely a matter of symantics, I suppose. Certainly it is not the divine word of God.

As MRN writes in his Preface:

"Please note that all opinions expressed are my personal opinions. When I state 'by general consensus' or 'all agree that...' they are just my own personal impressions or understandings and should be interpreted as such.

"The beauty of this world is that everybody has different beliefs, opinions and preferences. It does not matter at all wehther yours are the same or different to mine."

As I said above, MRN doesn not consider the book "The Bible" to the extent that it expresses his personal opinions, impressions and understandings.

On the other hand, it is most certainly an authoritative work on the subject it covers, which makes it "a bible" by most definitions.