So what is new from Cuba...a hell of a lot. Let me address some of the issues in point form:
1. All cigars out of Habanos s.a are now frozen in a new state of the art freezing facility at the Habanos s.a warehouse. This has been going on for the best part of 18 months. The Cubatobacco Tobacco institute has had a great deal of input into the process to ensure that there are no molecular changes. The process was introduced to eliminate any issues of tobacco beetle.
2. Hand rolled Partagas Culebra's will be out in 2007. Machine rolled Partagas Culebra will not be seen again.
3. A Short R&J Cazadores will be released in 2007. Same punch in a smaller format.
4. ALL cigars being rolled today are using three year old Ligero, two year old Seco and one year old Volado in their fillers. This is why cigars are smoking better earlier than previously. I personally inspected the markings of bales being used in the factories to verify this.
5. New mechanical wrapper moisturising machines are being used in all factories to ensure correct moisture component. The machines are state of the art (Italian made).
6. All cigars are now being draw tested. Quality proceedures have been honed even since my last visit in February.
7. Habanos s.a has been setting aside and aging tobacco since 2002. Look forward to better cigars utilising more aged tobacco.
8. New Cohiba Maduro cigars will be released in 2007. Wrapper 5 years, filler 3 years. Natural Maduro process.
9. 80% of all tobacco grown is Habanos 2000 (has been since 2002 and will continue to be until 2009). Small amount of Corojo is still being grown and is used as wrapper for the LE series. They are forwarding me a timeline showing what is and has been grown since 1998. This has been promised before but should come to fruition this time.
10. They refute cooking tobacco. Fermentation process is not a one process suits all. Each crop, each bale is assessed subject to leaf quality (oil content/thickness etc) and then fermentation is adjusted proportionately. This has always been so.
11. Tasted the new Montecristo Petite Robusto. While fresh....it showed promise as the quality of the tobacco used was high.
12. New cigars to be released will continue to be in the larger formats for the forseeable future. The reason is simply sales. The two topselling premium cigars are the Cohiba Siglo VI....and the Montecristo Edmundo (surprised me but wildly popular in Europe). I proposed the release or re-release of some thinner gauge classics. I have to submit a proposal for consideration. They are not convinced it will be a winner based on current experience and sales.
