III INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM - HAVANA June 23rd/July 1st

[Mr. Japan]

HABANA-HABANOS 2009.

The Tobacco Museum of the City Historian Office of the city of Havana summons to participate in Habana-Habanos 2009 event, that will be in the Historic Centre of the city from June 23rd d June 26th and the pos event course from June 26th to July 1st. This meeting will join historians, museum workers, researchers of different branches, journalists, collectors, artists, trader, sommeliers and others interested with the subject and the propose of:

Sharing researches and accumulated experiences about this economy branch, and

also relations that have been developed from them at an international or national

level.

To outstand the intense relation between Jose Marti, our Independence Apostle and

the Cuban tobacco emigration into the United States of America.

Analyze the links between tobacco industry and the national history and culture, up

to the point that Habanos constitute a symbol of Cuban identity.

Subjects:

1. Historic, cultural and social economic aspects of tobacco industry in Cuba.

Themes related with the history of tobacco industry in the Isle and the

repercussion in society. In a special way Jose Marti will be studied and

his close ties with the Cuban tobacco farmers in the immigration, and

also the role developed by them in the struggle for the national

independence. Also a special subject will be the history, significance and

validity of the tobacco readers.

2. Cultivating, pre-industry and tobacco industry.

Includes TWISTED tobacco and the mechanized as the cigarettes. It will be analyzed the scientific and technological develop, the programmes that are being practiced and their international repercussion.

3. The commercial links between Cuban tobacco industry and other of the world.

Subjects associated with tobacco industry relations with other parts of the world, especially Spain and Great Britain in past or present epochs, will also be analyzed, starting from the different distribution channels established for Habano trade,.

4. Habano, culture and marriage: Cuban expression symbol and identity.

The first objective is to value the cultural and identity phenomena

Detached by tasting Habano. This theme gives name to the course pos

event that will be part of the symposium with the participation of

specialists from Casas del Habano, selling stands, sommeliers and

other.

Inscription payment.

Cuban professionals: 200.00 CUP (National Currency).

Foreign professionals: 200.00 CUC (Cuban Convertible Peso).

Foreign students: 100.00 CUC (Cuban Convertible Peso).

Foreign accompanying: 100.00 CUC (Cuban Convertible Peso).

INTERNATIONAL COURSE: "HABANOS, CULTURE AND MARRIAGE"

Cuban tobacco and especially Habano, have been through centuries an identifying expression of our culture.

Its history and the repercussion of the different manifestations in society, together with the international fame because of the special combination of the land, Sun and the hands of the vegueros, determine that this produce is the one with the most interest and curiosity for those that in one way or another are related with its consume.

Habano, rum and coffee are the top produces of our customs and idiosyncrasy, and together with other drinks they go marking a marriage culture.

The venue of the course will be Saint Christopher of Havana village, cradle of Habano industry, centre of all commerce with Spain and the whole world, source of artistic and cultural imagination linked with smokers.

Having the precedent experience of ten workshops organized by the Tobacco Museum in this city and the last one of them with a national character, we consider as opportune to accept the different propositions that, especially from Latin America, we have received to summon for a course where the central motivation would be the history and the cultural value of these produces at the same time that in the practice it could be combined in a very special relation of correspondence because of their properties.

Date: from June 26th to July 1st 2009.

Venue of the seminary: Tobacco Museum and "El Patio" restaurant.

LECTURERS:

Lic. Zoe Nocedo Primo. Tobacco Museum Director. City of the Historian Office of Havana.

Eng. Fernando Fernández Milián. Professor of the School of High Studies of Hotel and

Catering Trade and Tourism MINTUR.

Eng. Juan José López Freire. Researcher of the Institute for Tobacco Researching.

TABACUBA.

Lic Mario Alonso Travieso. Sales manager of CUBACAFE enterprise.

Eng. Ibrahím Urquiaga Mergarejo. Specialist of the Normalization Institute for Work.

-

- Dr. Luís Sorinas González. Researcher. CITMA.

PROGRAMME:

Friday June 26th

8:00 am – 4:00 pm Visit to the Experimental Station of de San Juan y Martinez. Pinar del Rio

Province.

Closing ceremony of the International Symposium "Habana/Habanos"

2009.

Opening of the post/event Course "Habanos, Culture and Marriage.

Saturday June 27th

9:00 am - 9:10 am Presentation of the objectives and programme. By Zoe Nocedo.

9:10 am – 9:45 am Habano and National Culture. By Zoe Nocedo.

9:45 am – 10:30 am Habano's tasting, lighting, service and conservation.

Elements for the tasting.

By Juan José López y Luis Sorinas.

10:30 am - 10:45 am Coffee break

10:45 am – 11:15 am Tannin in Habano. By Luis Sorinas.

11:15 am – 11:50 am Presentation of the trade mark Hoyo de Monterrey. History and its cigar band.

By Zoe Nocedo and Juan José López.

11:50 am – 12:00 pm Break.

12:00am – 1:00 pm "Beer. History and characteristics. By Fernando Fernandez.

1.00 pm – 2:30 pm Lunch.

-

2: 30 pm - 5:30 pm A Habano special tasting in Saint Christopher village.

Brew house "La Muralla". (Guided visit).

"El Escorial" cafe Plaza Vieja (The Old Square).

Trade marks: Hoyo de Monterrey Epicuro 1 and Rafael González. Coronas Extras.

6:00 pm Route After the marks of Habano in the Inside the Walls Havana.

Monday June 29th

9:00 am – 10:15 am Presentation of the trade mark H. Upmann and Romeo y Julieta. History and its

cigar band. By Zoe Nocedo and Juan José López.

10:15 am – 10:30 am Coffee break.

10:30 am – 11:45 pm Dessert wines and rums. History and characteristics. By Fernando Fernandez.

11:45 am – 12:30 pm Coffee. Its history and typology. By Mario Alonso.

12:30 pm – 2:00 pm Lunch.

2:30 pm - 5:30 pm O Porto and Havana Club reserve. Special reserve and Anejo 3 years tasting.

Connunsier no. 1

Exhibition no. 4

5:45 pm Visit to the Rum Museum.

Tuesday June 30th (Morning).

9:00 am – 10:00 am Presentation of the trade mark Montecristi. History and its cigar band.

By Zoe Nocedo and Juan José López.

10:00 am – 11:00 am The spirits of wine. History and characteristics. By Fernando Fernandez.

11:00 am – 11:15 am Coffee break.

11:15 am - 12:30 pm Martell cognac, VS.Osborne Orujo Galician tasting VS, Osborne Cognac

tasting.

Montecristo no. 2

Edmundo de Montecristo.

12:30 pm - 2:00 pm Lunch.

2:30 pm - 3:30 pm Presentation of the trade mark Cohíba. History and its cigar band.

By Zoe Nocedo and Juan José López.

3:30 pm – 4:15 pm Whiskey. History and characteristics.

4:15 pm - 4:30 pm Break.

4:30 pm - 6:30 pm Chibas Regal 12 years, Ballantines Finest and Jameson Irish Whiskey tasting.

16th. Century and Robusto de Cohíba.

Wednesday July 1st

9:00 am – 10:15 am ISO 9000 quality. By Ibrahím Urquiaga.

10:15 am - 11:15 pm Presentation of the trade mark Partagás. History and its cigar band.

By Zoe Nocedo and Juan José López.

11:15 am – 11:30 pm Coffee break.

11:30 am – 12:30 pm Wines. History and characteristics. By Fernando Fernandez.

12:30 pm – 2:00 pm Lunch.

2:30 pm - 2:45 pm Guided visit to the Tobacco Museum and to the exhibits related with the

International Symposium "Habana/Habanos".

3:00 pm - 5:30 pm Mas la Plana de Torres, Cordillera de Torres and Manso Velazco.

Serie D no. 4 y 8-9-8 Partagás tasting.

5:30 pm – 6:00 p.m. Closing.

Well if you have read all I just want to ad that myself with a few members of my club will be in Havana during this time, so if anybody will be there same time please advise.

[sounddust]

Wish I could. Enjoy yourself!

[laficion]

Gino,

That sound great, will have to check it out and see If I can make it , but anyhow

wouldn't you say that maybe this is a summer "Festival del Habano " in the making ?

WOW, two Festivals in the year !! could be good !!!

Thanks fro the info Gino.

[Tampa1257]

I wish that I could make this event as it sounds like a wonderful and informative event. Besides that great cigars being sampled, gaining the knowledge while there is certainly worth the trip. Have fun Gino and let us know how it goes!

[Ginseng]

Sigh. Someday. I look forward to your thoughts on the symposium, Gino.

Wilkey

[android]

Lecture program looks very interesting. Thanks for sharing

[Habanos2000]

Damn travel restrictions!

[Mr. Japan]

Back from l’Havana last Thursday.

I start from the end: …….. suite cases did not arrive, so no photos and no many other things. Hope later in these days to be able to recover all.

All the rest is been perfect!

Arrival late evening of Tuesday June lunch at Doctor café’, a nice place where can enjoy BBQ fish and nice meat…

...MIX UP MEMORIES OF A GREAT HOLIDAY :

Visit of classic tiendas as Partagas, El Morro Cavana,Quinta 16,Melia Cohiba, Casa`Robaina, Romeo y Julieta and Conde de Villenueva, enjoy cigar and drinks and make orders for picking up before leaving.Did miss Club Havana and factorys where all closed except Partagas and H.Upmann.

Met many new friends of Club de Fumadores in Cuba, great people all in the food/catering/bar business. Professional sommeliers and Habano lovers. As Hirpus Amicigar they meet every last Thursday of the month for tastings and we decided to share our experiences in the future .

Met Zoe Nocedo who runs the Museo of Tobacco with great passion and love for the museum and her fantastic staff, met very interesting people of which I never thinked Cubans could be: Ing Luis Sorinas one of the best palate who is fantastic in describing aromas he catches in a cigar and Fernando Fernadez when he talks of alcohol and coffee is super. Another great speaker is been Ing. Juan López Freire of the Instituto de Investigaciones del Tabaco

Had a lovely dinner at Valerio Cornale’s house with Italian , Spanish and cuban friends..

Having dinner with J&J ( Jaime and Jose) and respective wifes at La Cocina de Liliam ...nice dinner also to La Guarida with my friend Alex Iapichino.

Enjoing part of a Don Candido and of a Davidoff at Casa Robaina with Alex and Valerio.

Meeting another great veguero Mr.Lim Paz, ninety years old . Same age of Guayasimin and Don Alejandro Robaina which still smokes daily his puro and sips cognac or rum lovely assisted by his family and his Hirochi.

Hearing Nelson Rodríguez, Director of la Estación Experimental de Tabaco de San Juan y Martínez moderating a crowd of young and old vegueros, man and women, that talked about tobacco in Pinar del Rio and ..listen listen…asked why their tobacco, the best in Cuba, cannot be mentioned on the box from which “finca” is processed.

Listening , in Spanish, the Dunhill history reported by Alex Iapichino to a crowd of only Cubans and Latino Americans plus two Italians ;-)

Getting first hand information’s on sales in the world of Habanos by Mr.Balmasoa (I’m not sure it is the correct name) who will soon substitute Ana Lopez in UK.

Walking in Trinidad and meeting Roberto Rodriguez Vardal, after had chance to hear him also at the simposio about his Tobacco Factory in Argentina, but that has Cuban Tobacco in his body.

Having the luck to be in Trinidad on the last day of Carnevale Trinidero, all in the streets enjoying dancing and music.

Partecipating at many tastings each day and listening to stories on the main Cuban brands, as we were signed up at the Course the Sommelier and Maridaje.

Glenmorangie and Chivas Wiskey’s with Montecristo no.1 and Trinidad Robusto Extra

Ballantines 12y,Jameson and Cohiba Coffee with Cohiba Robusto and Cohiba Siglo VI

Two beers, blonde and dark, with R.Gonzales Coronas Extra and Montecristo Petit Edmundo

Two Chilean red wines, one cabernet and one Shiraz with Partagas 898 and P2

To not forget the Cuban sandwich at Hotel National …the Pina colada and the enjoyment of smoking looking the Malecon at midnight cooling down from the hot day.

I will surely not miss the 2011 IV symposium and maridaje course and suggest you all ( if any chance) to deeply consider it as I have done the Festival of Habanos and the April Partags Encuentro , both very friendly events. But..if you want the feeling of what Cubans think of their product (not commercial) this is the place to be.

Thank you to Ms.Zoe Nocedo that is been able to put all this together, everything was on time…only 45 to 60 minutes the delay.

For Cuba it is perfect ;-) )

P.s. : There is been an article mentioning about me on Prensa Latina ;-)

Reunión de expertos contribuye a elevar calidad de habanos

Por Roberto F. Campos

La Habana, 27 jun (PL) La constante preocupación reflejada hoy por los expertos cubanos en aumentar el nivel profesional de los análisis de productos constituye un elemento importante para la elevación de la calidad de los habanos.

Este parecer acompaña cada mes a la realización de debates y catas en el Hotel Presidente de esta ciudad, mediante un taller bautizado desde el inicio como El Balcón del Habano y ahora con el nombre aborigen Bayamanaco, dijeron este fin de semana sus organizadores.

La reunión persigue examinar en profundidad las características de productos emblemáticos del mundo tabacalero local, con fuerte impacto en el comercio internacional.

Su más reciente cita, correspondiente a junio, indicó un vínculo indisoluble entre esta calidad y los servicios de la red hotelera y extrahotelera del país, señaló a este periodista el principal animador del encuentro José Luis Calderón, maître del Hotel Presidente.

Para esa oportunidad enfatizaron alrededor de 50 expertos, entre sommeliers, cantineros, directivos del turismo y comercializadores, la necesidad de aumentar los conocimientos sobre el vitolario de habanos, o los distintos tipos de tabacos.

En ese momento evaluaron la alianza entre los habanos Montecristo No.1 (40 x 165 milímetros) y Robusto Extra de Trinidad (50 x 155), con los licores espirituosos Chivas Regal 12 años (Premium Scotch Whisky) y Glenlivet (Single Malt Whisky).

Esa reunión estuvo auspiciada por la empresa Havana Club

International y la Escuela de Altos Estudios de Hotelería y Turismo de Cuba, y acogió además a entendidos de Argentina, Italia, Chile, Perú y a

más de 40 miembros del Bayamanaco.

También estuvieron presente delegados al III Simposio Internacional Habana-Habanos 2009, que durante una semana sesionó en la Biblioteca pública Rubén Martínez Villena de La Habana Vieja, con la asistencia de 150 personas de varias naciones.

Por su parte, Gino Iannillo y Fernando Morante, miembros de Hirpus Amicigars, un club italiano de amantes de los habanos, expresaron su admiración por el tabaco de la Isla.

Durante ese encuentro, el chileno Philip Ili Barake, del Club del Buen Fumar de su país, donó una botella de Pizco para realizar maridajes con habanos en próximos encuentros.

Explicó Calderón, que se decidió bautizar como Bayamanaco a ese taller en alusión al nombre del Semí o dios del humo de los antiguos aborígenes tainos que habitaron esta Isla.

La gastronomía cubana cuenta con un equipo muy profesional en sus diferentes especialidades y que cada día labora por elevar la calidad del servicio para personas llegadas desde todo el mundo.

Fuente: Agencia Prensa Latina

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[Ken Gargett]

i knew i should have entered that $100 mill lotto. very envious and thanks for the report.

[Colt45]

Thanks Gino.

[laficion]

Great report Gino, sorry you lost your lugage, hope you get them back,and everything inside,

As I said before, this could be another Festival del Habano in the making for the summer,

I hope you'll tell us more when we meet in August, until then, Ciao

[Mr. Japan]

i knew i should have entered that $100 mill lotto. very envious and thanks for the report.

Ken , I believe this is the place where you would firt as a glove.Just need to know a bit of basic spanish language. Keep it in mind for 2011.

Great report Gino, sorry you lost your lugage, hope you get them back,and everything inside,

As I said before, this could be another Festival del Habano in the making for the summer,

I hope you'll tell us more when we meet in August, until then, Ciao

I hope too that suitcase arrives...for the inner stuff. See you in a bit more than a month.

[Mr. Japan]

Suitecase and Photos arrived.

...others are on the club web page at ***.amicigar.it

****://fotoalbum.amicigar.i t/ Internazionali .....III Simposio