Fields of gold

A trip in to the heart of Cuba’s cigar industry is akin to a pilgrimage. Rob Allanson was fortunate to go this year

There is an old adage in the journalism world that it is easier to be passionate about something if you have experienced it first hand, and this holds true in the cigar realm.

The appreciation a smoker has for a Cuban cigar is certainly enhanced once he or she has wandered through the tobacco fields of Pinar Del Rio and Havana’s iconic factories.

It is also a great way to understand the time, effort and patience that goes into making your favourite smoke.

Hunters and Frankau, the United Kingdom’s Cuban cigar importers, whisks a handful of its clients off to sunnier climes each year, where they get a week’s intensive training, taking them from fields to shop front and all points in between, as well as experiencing some of the romance Cuba has to offer.

This year, five managers from the Oddbins and Nicola off licence chains and Selfridges’ cigar manager went in search of the story behind Habanos.

The tour of production starts off in the Vuelta Abajo region, where the plantations produce the majority of the finest quality leaves.

Two small towns nestling in the heart of the region, San Luis and San Juan Y Martinez, have plantations that are world famous for their leaves, especially the Hoyo De Monterrey plantation.

Wrapper leaves are grown in a different way to leaves destined for other parts of the cigar. At one farm the group toured the humid muslin covered fields which help stop the wrapper leaves from becoming too oily or coarse. The leaves need to be unblemished, thi.....

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By Rob Allanson

Section : Cigar Journeys

Page number : 22

Published in Cigar Buyer Issue 8 on 20/05/2006.

This article is 56 months old and some information provided may be time sensitive. Please check all details of events, tours, opening times and other information before travelling or making arrangements.



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	Fields of gold A trip in to the heart of Cuba’s cigar industry is akin to a pilgrimage. Rob Allanson was fortunate to go this year There is an old adage in the journalism world that it is easier to be passionate about something if you have experienced it first hand, and this holds true in the cigar realm. The appreciation a smoker has for a Cuban cigar is certainly enhanced once he or she has wandered through the tobacco fields of Pinar Del Rio and Havana’s iconic factories. It is also a great way to understand the time, effort and patience that goes into making your favourite smoke. Hunters and Frankau, the United Kingdom’s Cuban cigar importers, whisks a handful of its clients off to sunnier climes each year, where they get a week’s intensive training, taking them from fields to shop front and all points in between, as well as experiencing some of the romance Cuba has to offer. This year, five managers from the Oddbins and Nicola off licence chains and Selfridges’ cigar manager went in search of the story behind Habanos. The tour of production starts off in the Vuelta Abajo region, where the plantations produce the majority of the finest quality leaves. Two small towns nestling in the heart of the region, San Luis and San Juan Y Martinez, have plantations that are world famous for their leaves, especially the Hoyo De Monterrey plantation. Wrapper leaves are grown in a different way to leaves destined for other parts of the cigar. At one farm the group toured the humid muslin covered fields which help stop the wrapper leaves from becoming too oily or coarse. The leaves need to be unblemished, thi..... To read the rest of this article you can buy this issue or subscribe to Cigar Buyer to have every issue delivered direct to your door. By Rob Allanson Section : Cigar Journeys Page number : 22 Published in Cigar Buyer Issue 8 on 20/05/2006. Subscribe Buy this issue More from this issue Preview other issues This article is 56 months old and some information provided may be time sensitive. Please check all details of events, tours, opening times and other information before travelling or making arrangements. Copyright Cigar Buyer © 1999-2010. All rights reserved. To use or reproduce part or all of this article please contact us for details of how you can do so legally.