Another Island Adventure.

[cbob]

Just back from a few weeks in Cuba. I didn't attend any of the formal Habanos Festival events apart from the factory tours but managed to enjoy a few parties and renew some friendships.

Best of Trip : enjoying some smokes and conversation with Santos, Andres and Fara from Escogida at the Hotel Comodoro who invited a friend and me to a "cocktail" at Melia Habana. Great party. We got the first choice from the boxes of Montecristo Edmundos that Andres was handing out. There was lots of free booze. The most spectacularly lovely female in attendance happened to be one of my crazy Serbian friends but nobody believed I actually knew her (oh, sure, you know HER. Haw Haw) until they came over to chat :tongue: and my friend almost swallowed his cigar.

Most interesting cigar : one I was given by a cab driver on my way to yet another meet-up where nobody showed. I noticed the "no smoking" sign in the cab at the same time as I noticed that the driver was puffing on a decent-looking local product. Always up for trying out my Spanish, I commented on how good his puro smelled and he asked if I smoked and when I confirmed my love of cigars, he reached into his pocket and handed me one. One powerful corona! By the time it was half-smoked, I could feel the back of my throat starting to peel. :biggrin1:

Best cigar: I bought a box of Diplomaticos No.1 from May-01 and every one I smoked was FP. Complex flavours and perfect construction. Hooboy!

Most surprising cigar: Montecristo Open Regata -a gift from a friend. Not a classic Cuban but not as bad as one would expect after watching the Aussie tasting videos. This first sample prompted me to buy a 3-pack of Eagles to try.

The "I should have known better" award : to all the folks who called meet-ups and then didn't show. I was the sucker who cabbed all over Havana and ended up smoking alone.

The Stash : just before leaving for a week in Varadero

Diplomaticos No.1 (May-01)
Montecrsto A (May-09)
Partagas Presidentes (May-08)
Montecristo Open Eagle (undated 3-pack)
Santos custom Cervantes (Feb-10)
Montecristo Edmundo (gift)
Santos custom Lanceros (Feb-10)
Ramon Allones Specially Selected (Mar-08)

[jdawg]

Sounds like you had a great time, Bob! :smile:

Nice haul you got there!

[cj121]

An interesting reflection on your Festival time over there Cbob, especially as we all sit here thinking about event, after event. In reality, it sounds like a lot of non-events in part:smile:

Still, it seems you had a good experience and opportunities do arise from the most unexpected places. If you hadn't been cabbing all over, you'd have missed out on the local produce:smile:

Nice haul you grabbed there Cbob, the Monte As look very intriguing.

[Deano]

Great stuff Commander Bob. All tales of Cuba are warmly received.

Surprised you liked the Open range, maybe it's time to give it another chance?

Again, the haul looks great. I need to get me some of those Partagas'.

[nicwing]

Bob you git, I saw those pictures on facebook and they made me drool then, will you please stop plastering them all over the web and making us all slather all over the carpet (it's just been cleaned) otherwise I will moderate your ass!

Seriously though, it's great to get your reflections from the Island, keep in coming and I will see you there one day!

Keep warm!:41: :41: :41: :41: :41:

[whisky77]

Thanks for keeping us up to date on your travels CB. Always good to hear tales from lads who have been travelling around Cuba.:smoke:

[Simon-JG-hr]

Thank you for that cbob. A very interesting account.

Maybe I'll have to give the Monte Open Regata another shot - my sole memory of the one (half a one) that I had was that it was truly and utterly disgusting. :( Worth a second shot? Or shall I just give up on it (given the huge range of other, wonderful, cigars I have yet to enjoy...

Your stash... did you have too? I'm in a permanent state of arousal around this place as it is (thank you Nic for the brief respite you're giving on the Nub comp thread...)

[nicwing]

I have a couple of Monte Opens in my Humidor from the Summer party and I may well lay into one tomorrow.

A little bird tells me there may well be some Tubo Monte Open Eagles on the way shortly!!!

Oh and did you get the number of the cab driver Bob?:eek:

[rokkitsci]

Oohhhh!

Clicked on the pic.

Big mistake.

Soiled me knickers, I did.

[PoohBore]

very nice haul bob. I'm off myself in a few weeks how much were the Montecrsto A's and the Partagas Presidentes. For budgetry purposes of course

[tippexx]

Wow ..... great stuff. Nothing by halves there!

[celsis]

Just how many cigars can you bring into the UK according to the Revenue?

[monkey66]

Great write up and pics .....mmmmmmm

[68TriShield]

What a haul,color me jealous :eek:

[Soulmanure]

Definitely makes me want to visit, though that's a bit complicated over here. Nice treasure!

[cbob]

very nice haul bob. I'm off myself in a few weeks how much were the Montecrsto A's and the Partagas Presidentes. For budgetry purposes of course

Monte "A" are $99.75 CUC for a box of 5 individual coffins.
Partagas Presidentes are $136.25 CUC /25 a bargoon IMO

[cbob]

Maybe I'll have to give the Monte Open Regata another shot - my sole memory of the one (half a one) that I had was that it was truly and utterly disgusting. :(

I had heard such reviews from so many folk that I just HAD to try one of these Open cigars. A good friend (and the only one to actually show up for a meet-up in Havana) mentioned that he actually liked the Regata and immediately laid one on me to try. I smoked it on my first day in Varadero along with a Cubata to clear the palate.
First impressions were clearly that the cigar drew perfectly and burned evenly. There were initial mild grassy flavours but distinctively Cuban ones and the strength and body of the smoke increased as the cigar was consumed. I would not describe the flavours as typical of other Montecristo cigars but I was actually reminded a bit of Cohiba Robustos I've smoked. I've yet to have one of the highly-hyped "CoRo" that impressed me at all favorably.

This was not a cigar that I would cross the street to buy again but I am going to try another size just to say I did.
"Truly and utterly disgusting"? Certainly not. In fact I'd question if such an over-the-top reaction could be applied to any production Cuban cigar. Those Australian "performers" (Rob, are you out there?) lost all their credibility with me.

[Ryan]

The "I should have known better" award : to all the folks who called meet-ups and then didn't show. I was the sucker who cabbed all over Havana and ended up smoking alone.


Hi cbob, well I'm probably one of the most deserving recipients of that award.
Stuff came up and I didn't make it over to the Nacional until about 5pm that Sunday. Of course by then I realised I had not organised a way to contact you nor knew what you look like. :doh:
I had a look around for somebody who might look like a "cbob" but no luck.
I'm terribly sorry I didn't make it. There's nothing more I can say other than I deserve any abuse you send my way.
:damnmate:

[cbob]

No abuse intended to any of the "no shows".
Trying to get folks together in one spot in Havana is always hit/miss.
If it's any consolation, the Nacional terraza was cold and windy and not the best place for a drink/smoke both times I hung out there.

[eggopp]

Oohhhh!


Soiled me knickers, I did. :biggrin1::biggrin1:

OK everyone.. theres the confession the rocket scientist wears KNICKERS... Just what sort of person does NASA employ?? lmao :biggrin1: :biggrin1:

[mackem keith]

oh dear ive just had a sex wee looking at those pics:sorry:

[HabanoSy]

Bloody hell...

Great looking haul cbob...

Love the look of those Dipi No.1's...

Cheers, HabanoSy

[cbob]

Love the look of those Dipi No.1's...

You'll be cheered to know that they smoke just as beautifully as you'd expect with a 9 yo Diplomatico.
:41:

[Lee Nub]

I really need to persuade the wife to go over, maybe do a week in cuba after florida. It looks so intriguing.

[tippexx]

:biggrin1::biggrin1:

OK everyone.. theres the confession the rocket scientist wears KNICKERS... Just what sort of person does NASA employ?? lmao :biggrin1: :biggrin1:

Standard janitorial issue Eggy .... no loos when you're sweeping those big sheds! :smile:

[Simon-JG-hr]

"Truly and utterly disgusting"? ... I'd question if such an over-the-top reaction could be applied to any production Cuban cigar.Unfortunately, on that occassion it was. I've forced myself through some distinctly average smokes over the past few years, but I couldn't even keep going to half-way with that one. It actually made me slightly nauseous... :(

Extra annoying was the fact that I had been looking forward to trying it since I'd heard of its release - I really thought it was going to be my cup of tea (and had shunned all the comments about the series being quite poor).

[pedro_han]

hey any chance you want to share those Santos? hehe :p

[snooky]

Great stash there Cbob i'll be over there in April, I will have to get the best suppliers address from you along with best places to drink & smoke, i will be stopping at the Nacional.
:smoke:

[cbob]

hey any chance you want to share those Santos? hehe :p

If you were knockin' @ my Cava door right now I'd welcome you in to sample a fresh Santos or two.
I've some aged Santos Cervantes calling my name so I guess I'm smoking "customs" tonight..

[cbob]

... i will be stopping at the Nacional.
:smoke:

The shop in the Nacional had a great selection when I stopped in. Not many with any age on them though. Lots of 2009.

[cbob]

Some views from El Laguito here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/world_news_america/8548748.stm

[snooky]

Bob thanks for that very enlightning, i shall be in Havana next week for the first time, just making a shortlist of places to see and of course to buy cigars.

[cbob]

Havana is Cigar Heaven!
Enjoy!