Bolivar Libertadores Edición Regional Francia 2006 (cigar review)

                  This is one of my favourite Vitolas, the Sublime weighs in at 54 x 164 (6.5"). 3000 numbered boxes of 10 cigars were released in 2006 and  then another 4000 boxes the following year. The box date on this cigar is Oct 07 it's safe to say it's at least 6 years old but my guess is it's a little older.
                  It had a smooth, oily, veinless wrapper with a slightly bumpy cap and was hard to the touch. I couldn't get anything off the pre-light draw. Once lit I picked up roasted nuts and coffee, the draw was a hair firm but not bad. The burn had started to go off shortly into the cigar and it wasn't a medium body, closer to mild at this point. The firmness of the draw was just bad enough that you couldn't neglect the cigar. If you put it down for too long it would go out. Fortunately I don't have that problem, I don't put my cigar down. The burn had almost straightened itself out a little further in and I was picking up earthy undertones.
                   By the time I reached the first quarter the burn was bang on and the ash was hanging on, it didn't drop on it's own until the third way mark. At this point the flavours weren't changing much, it wasn't until I reached halfway through the third quarter that the earthiness was coming though a lot stronger. It was burning hot through the middle, I had to relight the cigar and do a touch up.
                  A little bitterness on the last quarter but it subsided. The last couple of inches were a little demanding. I had a couple of relights and touch-ups but surprisingly the flavours held on. The earthiness was dominating at this point but the cigar was still smokeable and I couldn't put it down. Finally I couldn't hold it any longer and had to let it go but otherwise it was still tasting pretty good.
                  This was an excellent cigar that I enjoyed very much. It wasn't anywhere near as strong as how we think a Bolivar should be but full of flavour nonetheless and an absolute pleasure to smoke. I think this cigar is in it's sweet spot, I don't know if it's going to get any better but that's only my opinion. Smoke em' if you got em'. I wish I had more than just another one. If you get the opportunity to smoke one of these guys, take it. I'm putting the word out that I'm looking for more.

Jorge Lopez, Master Roller at the Club Havana LCDH (Havana) My Interview.

                     To get to the 'La Casa del Habano' on the Club Havana Property you must pass a gate with an attendant as you enter the grounds. Tell the attendant that you're going to the Cigar Shop, this way you won't pay to use the facilities. There's a $15 or $20 fee to use the pool, beach, gymnasium...on the grounds. I come here at least once per trip and spend an afternoon. It's a little swath of paradise in the midst of a noisy, vibrant and sometimes dirty city. I love Havana with all it's colour but sometimes I just want a little peace. The fact that one (if not the best) of the best stocked humidors happens to be here also is just a bonus. Once you pass through the gate the store will be to your left.
                     If you didn't know Jorge and entered the shop at the Club Havana facility, unless he was sitting behind his rolling table, you would never guess who he was. Acting as a salesperson when he's not rolling, you would think he's just another employee and not the gifted cigar roller that he is. However, he did display good knowledge of the cigars in the well stocked walk-in humidor.
                    Born in Havana, August 27, 1965, his father is still alive and he has a son who is 26. He never really thought about rolling cigars but his mother's friend asked him if he wanted to give it a try. It was 1984 when he went to the H.Upmann factory for his 9 month training, during which he decided it wasn't for him. His teacher, Santo Cárdenas, saw something in him and urged Jorge to continue. He qualified as a roller after only 6 months and continued to work at the H.Upmann factory until 1991 after which he started rolling in the Cigar Shops around the city. He's been working at the Club Havana LCDH since 2002. If you were to ask Jorge who influenced him the most, he will say his teacher Santo Cárdenas.
                     Today he's happy with his choice of profession and says he will continue working to produce the best cigars that he can so his customers can look forward to some of the best Custom Rolls in Cuba....I added that last part. Jorge is far to bashful to make such a boastful comment but ask anyone who's smoked one of his cigars and they'll tell you how great they are. He's a gentlemen and very soft spoken with a tremendous knowledge of the industry, it's always a pleasure to spend some time with him and learn a few things. Looking forward to seeing him in a few weeks and get a hold of a few more of his cigars. I suggest you do the same if you're ever in the area.

Q. How many cigars do you roll in one week?
A. I roll about 50 cigars a day. They are more for promotion. We prefer to sell boxed cigars.

Q. Have you traveled to other countries?
A. I've traveled extensively throughout the Caribbean & I've been to Canada 4 times.

Q. Have you won any prizes for your rolling?
A. I don't enter contests.

Q. What is your favourite vitola to roll?
A. The Piramide but I mostly roll the Lonsdales

Q. Do you smoke?
A. Cigarettes & maybe some little cigars. If I smoke cigars it's just to try the Liga.

Q. What country do more of your clients come from?
A. Canada and then England.

Q. Do you like Sports?
A. I like baseball and Industriales is my favourite team.

Q. Who is the most famous person that you know of that has smoked your cigars?
A. Michael Jordan and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Q. Who selects the blend for the cigars that you roll and has it changed now that Mons is gone?
A. When Enrique Mons was here we picked the blend together. We found something that most everyone liked and went with that. We perfected it together and nothing has changed, I use the same blend today.




Club Havana
5th Ave. e/188 y 192
Miramar, Playa, Havana
tel (53 7) 204-5700

Storefront 

Jorge and I after a day at the pool on the Club Havana property

His roller's table

Jorge's favourite vitola to roll, the Piramide

Lockers where his cigars would be stored

The expansive walk-in humidor

Jorge and Enrique Mons in the store's Smoking Lounge

Iglesia de San Joaquin (San Luis, Pinar del Rio)

                         The church of San Joaquin was ordered to be built by Señora Juana Romero in 1835. Being a religious person herself, she had the church built for the people of the newly formed town of San Luis. It was built high on a hill overlooking the town's main boulevard and it's promenade. The stone walls were 80cm thick and the interior was cedar-roofed. The church was beautifully decorated with a lovely altar, sacred ornaments, bells and a box with the image of San Joaquin which was to be placed in the middle of the altar.
                          With the passage of time and loss of the church's benefactor, Lady Juana, the church went through many years of neglect and fell into disrepair. Enter the beloved Father Claudio Ojea on September 21, 1947. He believed it was a beautiful church (at one time) and after receiving enough money and contracting the workers, he began reconstruction of the old church. After only 18 months but with a lot of hard work, the church was once again something to be admired. Many changes were made but some of the original pieces remained. The re-inauguration was on Sunday, August 21, 1949.
                          In 2001 Father Miquel Vatus began a thorough cleaning up of the church which included a new paint job using the colours from the original construction, yellow and white with blue trim.
                          The procession of the Patron Saint Joaquin takes place on August 16 in the town of San Luis. The church is located on the main street. You can't miss it, the street isn't very long and as I said, it sits up high. Unfortunately I don't have the hours of operation.

Hoyo de Monterrey Grand Epicure Edición Limitada 2013 (cigar review)

                    This is a great looking cigar, a nice thick Robusto 55 x 130 (5.1")...in my opinion, the way it should be. It's a 2013 release made in slide boxes of 10 cigars each. I had an unbanded one the week before I had this one and it was spectacular. This one (banded) however had construction problems.
                     The darkish, oily wrapper was veinless and a little bumpy...inviting just the same. The cap was also somewhat bumpy and uneven. The cigar was hard to the touch with just a bit of resistance when squeezed. The pre-light draw tasted of chocolate and left spice on my lips. Once lit it was big and strong off the hop with a lot of pepper on the tongue, the draw was perfect. Spicy earth and leather is what this cigar was giving me from the start.
                      I had to relight this cigar at the first half inch after it had gone out. It seemed to be burning hot through the middle. The earth tones were being replaced by wood while the leather flavours hung on. So far, at first inch, the burn had been straight but not long after that it began to burn a bit off. The edge had come off that initial strength but it was still a pretty strong cigar.
                      Reaching the first third the cigar had gone out again. I flicked the ash to discover that I was right, the cigar was burning hotter through the middle so I touched it up with my torch. The cigar was mellowing out now but was still a bit spicy on the tongue.
                      Nearing the half the burn was off. The flavours I picked up were leather and wood and not changing much now that the cigar had settled down. Past the half the cigar continued to go out, it was still burning hot through the middle. I had to periodically touch it up....and so it went until the flavours were compromised and I decided to let this cigar go before it's time. There was more than a quarter of the cigar remaining but I just couldn't keep relighting and torching. The flavours had turned sour, that was enough.
                      The one I had last week was devine and even though this one was rolled poorly, the flavours were there. It was just a bad roll and I can't judge all of them to be the same. It started out strong (stronger than the usual Hoyo profile) but mellowed out at around the half way mark, both cigars had done the same. The flavours remained pretty consistant throughout but this is a young cigar and needs some time to rest. In my opinion this is definitely a cigar to buy and put away. I'm going to love trying one of these in about a year to see how they've matured. I hope I find some this November when I'm back in Havana.