Pro Cigar and Birthday by Frank Seltzer
Tuesday, February 26th, 2013
Hangover Helper
The week-long Pro Cigar 2013 is over. Wow what a time it was. I am not saying anything about the amount of alcohol served during this period but at Corporacion Cigar Export (the home of Augusto Reyes) they had a very special set up for the morning tour….and many people took advantage. (I am not saying who, but you know who you are….and the Bloody Marys were very good.)
While on the subject of Corporation Cigar Export, they do something unique here, the rollers are on salary rather than being paid per piece. The company believes it gets better results from the rollers this way.
Debonaire
Also, next door is a retreat called Debonaire House much like the Drew Estate Cigar Safari, with the exception that it is much more upscale and intimate. Some of the rooms are suites and the chef came from New Orleans. What a nice place for lunch…and I can imagine dinner.
At MATASA in the afternoon, after the tour, Michael Herklots passed out three blends for a new Nat Sherman cigar that the Quesadas are working on. Herklots used the time for a focus group on the blend, packaging and price for this limited edition, which should hit by the summer trade show.
The White Dinner at the monument in the center of Santiago, is always a special treat. You overlook the whole city while having a fine dinner. We were given another pack of cigars, the La Gloria Cubana Rabito as I mentioned before (although it was called Special Blend ADP6) and a Don Carlos Robusto. We also got the 2012 Limited Edition from EPC and a Davidoff Master Edition. (Some very nice cigars.)
One Cigar per Day
Friday brought a tour of La Aurora—the oldest cigar factory in the Dominican Republic. Well this factory is not old in fact it is very modern, rather it is the company which began in 1903. Often people want to take tours of cigar factories and La Aurora used to have a replica factory where it made Preferidos over at Centro Leon. That factory is gone, and now, the company is opening up its factory to anyone. (If you want a tour, just call them 809-734-2563 and note the usual tour guide only smokes one cigar a day…but it is a 16 inch 1495. ) The biggest addition is a new company store where you can actually purchase La Aurora products and accessories. The tour of the facility includes everything from the highest end hand rolled cigars to less expensive machine mades (Tatiana flavored cigars some of Altria’s Black and Milds are being made here).
La Aurora is the dominant cigar seller in the Dominican Republic and one of its top sellers it the Principe which is a value brand.
This year also marks another milestone for La Aurora. 3 years ago, the company released the La Aurora 107 to mark that anniversary, and this year, I think I like this better. The company had Dominican rum maker Barcelo come up with a very special 8 year old rum just for La Aurora…the La Aurora 110 Rum. This rum has the touch of sweetness you expect from Barcelo, but more overtones of vanilla, chocolate and even a bit of orange. The president of Barcelo—Jose Alberto Garcia- showed us a little trick to drinking this special rum. Add 3 whole coffee beans and then let the rum warm up for a few minutes. The coffee beans do not affect the taste per se, instead they add to the aroma and add a hint of coffee to the aftertaste. It was very unusual and delightful. The company is only making 3,000 bottles a year—those of us attending the La Aurora tour were presented with one. (If you visit the La Aurora tour gift shop, you can buy one, provided they have not sold out…only 15 bottles a month will be sold.)
Yuri Guillen at Centro Espana
The festival wrapped up Friday night with its Gala Dinner and party at the Centro Espana. Dinner was terrific and the gala raised nearly $70,000 for Voluntariado de Jesús con los Niños –a non-profit organization to help sick children– and the Sociedad San Vicente de Paul — a retirement home for low income seniors. Can’t wait until next year.
Happy Birthday Rocky
Today is Rocky Patel’s birthday. (Mine is tomorrow) Today Rocky is marking his 51st year and to celebrate, he is coming out with a new cigar the ..well the name is Roman Numerals for 2/26 which would look like IIXXVI. According to the birthday boy himself,
“ We decided to make a cigar for my 51st birthday and the box is a gorgeous lacquered box all white with simple black lettering and roman numerals which spell out 2/26/61. It is a pretty full-bodied cigar made out of our Nicaraguan factory and it has a broadleaf wrapper and it has Nicaraguan fillers and one leaf from Jamastran and I consider the cigar medium to full very rich. Price is 12.50 and should come out around March 15. “
Rocky also says they are working on a fuller bodied Xen from his brother Nish which will be out a little later.
