Zedman05
Fiend4theLeaf
Pics at bottom
Well I have finally posted up a few pics out of more than 400 I took.
This trip was more than just the factories, it encompassed a great deal of extras as well. We were able to sit and smoke with brand owners, manufacturers, and also owners of the largest companies in the business.
Day one in Nicaragua was just driving from the airport into Leon to rest up for the night at an old Colonial mansion that has been converted into a hotel. The place was like something out of a movie!
Day 2 started off with a stop at the beach outside Leon, then on to Esteli where we got to blend our own cigars at the Plascencia factory. The walk-through was something to behold, as they blend a lot of cigars for brand owners, so therefore have a vast storage of tobaccos and great amount of rollers. I found out the difference one leaf in a filler can make, as I was able to smoke 2 cigars side by side with only a single filler leaf change to it...you could taste the bitterness immediately. After that was supper and some roof-top smoking/drinking/conversing.
Day 3 was the My Father/Garcia factory tour. The buildings were impressive and clean. We found out how hard it is to roll a wrapper leaf onto a cigar to finish it off. Bob M won the contest we had for best rolled cigar (judged by Pepin himself). The winner ended up with a box of La Reloba cigars ! After that, we visited the Padron factory. After being run out of countries, you can guess why this family is hesitant to put major dollars into making their factory more asthetically pleasing. The whole factory here felt like a well oiled machine, no one stopped to smile at Vince or talk to any of us, they were all busy rolling beautiful cigars. This was the only place that we were gifted a cigar right off the rolling table, and it didn't have any trace of ammonia in it...they ferment the hell out of their tobaccos before they even roll them. I would not hesitate to light up a Padron cigar right from the factory any time, anyone elses cigars would need resting time in the humi to clear some of the young ammonia off. We went for supper after and then more roof-top smoking, but this night we had a rum and cigar pairing challenge. 3 different aged rums with a Casa Magna Toro....yum.
Day 4 was an opening stop at the AJ Fernandez factory. That man knows his tobaccos !! I was able to smoke single leaf and a double leaf hand rolled cigar right from the bench and wow were those ever good! The fermentation that goes into some of those tobaccos is amazing as well. Kris of AJ Fernandez tobaccos lead us through one of their farms explaining the plants, fields and barns, then took us for lunch. After lunch we got a tour through the Oliva factory where we were each gifted 2 brand new cigars. The Cain Daytona and the Cain F Lancero were tasty cigars ! Recommend the Daytona ! 3 lucky participants in the question and answer portion of the tour received the Oliva Culebra, a 3 cigar intertwined showpiece that you can unband and smoke seperately. At supper we were told that we needed to come to a factory managers house and have a "real supper" ... so we obliged and were treated to magnificent hospitality as well as a Mariachi band who played for us for almost an hour. Cigars, libations and a Mariachi band at a manufacturers house...surreal. That night once again ended on the roof-top patio with more libations and another stick. A lot of conversation on this trip !
Skip the next day as it was just travel back to Miami, and checking into the hotel again.
Day 6 was myself getting up in the morning and driving to Little Havana district in Miami to cruise around the shops. My second stop was at the Padron packaging factory in Little Havana. I told Ceasar from the factory tour that I would be travelling around on the friday after we all got back and he said I had to come visit in Miami, and being as I told him I would, I kept my promise. Man am I glad I did just that. They greeted me, gave me a 1926 No.2 and talked for a bit. When I decided to buy a sampler box, Ceasar took me to the back as a "little tour". Well the little tour turned into meeting all of the Padrons, including Jose Orlando Padron. He was just sitting there calm, quiet and enjoying the busy shop around him. I sat down with them as they all went about their usual work, but got to converse with each one for almost 2 hours. They signed my box, gave me a hat, and J.O.P. gave me another cigar, a 44th annaversary ! I was also gifted with a customer number from the company...so I can order cigars directly from them (anyone need Padrons because I can apparently skip the middle-man now
). It was like a movie, I almost was feeling euphoric at this point.
The rest of the rainy day was spent inside Little Havana Cigar Factory smoking 5 stogies, eating and watching sports....what a day!!!
So to close up the rediculously long capsule of info here, I had the absolute time of my life. The price I paid for the organized tour was well worth it just in all the extras that came along with it ! If you feel like you want to know more about your hobby/passion, I would never hesitate again to go on one of these tours.
For anyone wondering, I am not paid or trying to push this website on anyone else, it is just my appreciative side that will let you know about Cigartourism.com . I have no idea how any other tours are, as this is the only one I have been on, but Colin really puts on a whirlwind experience that many other tours cannot get access to.
Thanks : Adam Z
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58685075@N02/
Well I have finally posted up a few pics out of more than 400 I took.
This trip was more than just the factories, it encompassed a great deal of extras as well. We were able to sit and smoke with brand owners, manufacturers, and also owners of the largest companies in the business.
Day one in Nicaragua was just driving from the airport into Leon to rest up for the night at an old Colonial mansion that has been converted into a hotel. The place was like something out of a movie!
Day 2 started off with a stop at the beach outside Leon, then on to Esteli where we got to blend our own cigars at the Plascencia factory. The walk-through was something to behold, as they blend a lot of cigars for brand owners, so therefore have a vast storage of tobaccos and great amount of rollers. I found out the difference one leaf in a filler can make, as I was able to smoke 2 cigars side by side with only a single filler leaf change to it...you could taste the bitterness immediately. After that was supper and some roof-top smoking/drinking/conversing.
Day 3 was the My Father/Garcia factory tour. The buildings were impressive and clean. We found out how hard it is to roll a wrapper leaf onto a cigar to finish it off. Bob M won the contest we had for best rolled cigar (judged by Pepin himself). The winner ended up with a box of La Reloba cigars ! After that, we visited the Padron factory. After being run out of countries, you can guess why this family is hesitant to put major dollars into making their factory more asthetically pleasing. The whole factory here felt like a well oiled machine, no one stopped to smile at Vince or talk to any of us, they were all busy rolling beautiful cigars. This was the only place that we were gifted a cigar right off the rolling table, and it didn't have any trace of ammonia in it...they ferment the hell out of their tobaccos before they even roll them. I would not hesitate to light up a Padron cigar right from the factory any time, anyone elses cigars would need resting time in the humi to clear some of the young ammonia off. We went for supper after and then more roof-top smoking, but this night we had a rum and cigar pairing challenge. 3 different aged rums with a Casa Magna Toro....yum.
Day 4 was an opening stop at the AJ Fernandez factory. That man knows his tobaccos !! I was able to smoke single leaf and a double leaf hand rolled cigar right from the bench and wow were those ever good! The fermentation that goes into some of those tobaccos is amazing as well. Kris of AJ Fernandez tobaccos lead us through one of their farms explaining the plants, fields and barns, then took us for lunch. After lunch we got a tour through the Oliva factory where we were each gifted 2 brand new cigars. The Cain Daytona and the Cain F Lancero were tasty cigars ! Recommend the Daytona ! 3 lucky participants in the question and answer portion of the tour received the Oliva Culebra, a 3 cigar intertwined showpiece that you can unband and smoke seperately. At supper we were told that we needed to come to a factory managers house and have a "real supper" ... so we obliged and were treated to magnificent hospitality as well as a Mariachi band who played for us for almost an hour. Cigars, libations and a Mariachi band at a manufacturers house...surreal. That night once again ended on the roof-top patio with more libations and another stick. A lot of conversation on this trip !
Skip the next day as it was just travel back to Miami, and checking into the hotel again.
Day 6 was myself getting up in the morning and driving to Little Havana district in Miami to cruise around the shops. My second stop was at the Padron packaging factory in Little Havana. I told Ceasar from the factory tour that I would be travelling around on the friday after we all got back and he said I had to come visit in Miami, and being as I told him I would, I kept my promise. Man am I glad I did just that. They greeted me, gave me a 1926 No.2 and talked for a bit. When I decided to buy a sampler box, Ceasar took me to the back as a "little tour". Well the little tour turned into meeting all of the Padrons, including Jose Orlando Padron. He was just sitting there calm, quiet and enjoying the busy shop around him. I sat down with them as they all went about their usual work, but got to converse with each one for almost 2 hours. They signed my box, gave me a hat, and J.O.P. gave me another cigar, a 44th annaversary ! I was also gifted with a customer number from the company...so I can order cigars directly from them (anyone need Padrons because I can apparently skip the middle-man now
). It was like a movie, I almost was feeling euphoric at this point. The rest of the rainy day was spent inside Little Havana Cigar Factory smoking 5 stogies, eating and watching sports....what a day!!!
So to close up the rediculously long capsule of info here, I had the absolute time of my life. The price I paid for the organized tour was well worth it just in all the extras that came along with it ! If you feel like you want to know more about your hobby/passion, I would never hesitate again to go on one of these tours.
For anyone wondering, I am not paid or trying to push this website on anyone else, it is just my appreciative side that will let you know about Cigartourism.com . I have no idea how any other tours are, as this is the only one I have been on, but Colin really puts on a whirlwind experience that many other tours cannot get access to.
Thanks : Adam Z
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58685075@N02/
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