The Perfect Miniature Cigar Factory

After visiting the Despalillo and having my interest awakened about this extraordinary province manufacturing enterprise, I happily accepted the invitation to visit the nearby cigar factory Capitan San Luis.

Located just a few blocks from the Despalillo the first thing we noticed was the cleanliness and dedicated calm that prevailed in this very small factory.

The floors were so clean that lunch could have been served on them.

It was an orderly, disciplined, calm and utterly professional operation that spelled quality in big letters.

All the manufacturing processes that are housed in separate departments at the large Havana factories were basically located in one room. You could see the colour sorting lady handing the cigars to be banded and boxed to her colleague standing next to her. The box making and papering ladies had their own desk in the room and a door opened to the tiny and well organized Escaparate. The cooler was doing overtime at 94% humidity this hot day due to the open door to let us in.

Honouring this tidy and well run factory we could see that high quality cigars were handled here. We saw the new and excellent Bolivar Super Coronas, Cohiba Maduro 5 and aged Romeo y Julieta Piramides – a surprise cigar, my guess is that we will soon hear more about it …

If I was asked where a newcomer to cigars was to grasp and comprehend the cigar making process in a single room, this perfect miniature cigar factory located away from the hustle and bustle of Havana would be my most logical choice.

The trip back to Havana was made in less than 40 minutes not having to do the detour through San Antonio, we were a bit surprised when passing Mozambique but this is a hamlet on the railway tracks.

Cold beers and a sandwich at Rejoneo never tasted so good after a perfect day’s outing to see some extraordinary cigar making process and cigars made in perfect surroundings !

Nino