Havana – Hole In The Wall 2 – Santy

20 Mar

  Now, talk about a real hole in the wall. Compared to El Chanchullero, the first hole in the wall in old Havana, Santy’s is truly adventurous to find. Unless you know where it is located and where to ring the bell, you will be lost in a suburb that changes from private, lush and Read more…

Jose Ernesto Aguilera – Second Visit with Frank

19 Mar

  Basically, as explained below in the text to the first visit, a chance to see the progress of the work in the 2 days in between the visits of the Portmann group and Frank. I have added 3 pictures of the finished Montecristo humidor being shown ( and auctioned ) at the Gala dinner Read more…

Jose Ernesto Aguilera – First Visit With Portmann Group

19 Mar

  This time around I visited my friend and humidor artist Jose Ernesto Aguilera at his Humidores Habana workshop twice. Once with the Portmann group on Monday 24-th, the day the XVI Festival del Habano officially was inaugurated and again with my buddy Frank, who missed the first visit, on Wednesday 26-th February. I have Read more…

Portmann Group : Nino’s Cigars – Ivan Justo Dinner

18 Mar

  A few things I didn’t know beforehand : First – My buddy Frank was supposed to be the Master of Cigar Ceremony at this tasting of a Partagas Lusitania Gran Reserva and relay a few comments to this gathering of friends from the Portmann Cigar group of which he was a part. Well, he Read more…

Havana – Hole In The Wall 1

17 Mar

  The relationship between this place or rather nameless hole in the wall and me was love at first sight. Maybe it was the blonde Italian B-767 flight attendant at the bar that attracted me first, but soon enough she was into the black bartender and I was into the mood of the place while Read more…

Casa Particular Marisol – Miramar, Playa, Havana

17 Mar

  I’ve been staying in this neighbourhood for a few years now and have known Sra. Marisol for as long. Always a pleasure to meet her and talk while she’d walk the dog on Calle 70. She used to clean the Casa next door where I used to stay but after some hard work she Read more…

FdH 2014 – Special Humidors In Havana

15 Mar

  Here is a selection of special humidors I found in different Casas del Habano in Havana before the start of the XVI Festival del Habano festivities. Following last year’s releases of special humidors celebrating musicians Chucho Valdes and Compay Segundo, this year the humidors celebrated Alicia Alonso, founder and director of the Cuban National Read more…