Guest blogger!

As anticipated, Cigarando is expanding and a guest blogger is making his debut today, James Smith! I met James at the old Casa del Habano in Soho, London (now only Casa) and since then we meet often, usually together with his best friend Trevor, to enjoy cigars together... This is the first one of his posts. More to come!

As advertised by Ajay, of La Casa Del Habano in Teddington, the roller from Cuba, Anibal Gonzalez, was at his shop last month (see this post). Due to a last minute cancellation in my original plans I headed to the shop to visit and once again see the roller in action after having seen him at the launch of the Behike range of cigars at the Goring Hotel in London.

I smoked a Romeo Y Julieta Duke Limited Edition 2009 to start, whilst sitting in the lounge and then moving upstairs to watch the roller. 

After chatting with Ajay and Anibal, I was given the opportunity to test my skill as a torcedor (cigar roller). Having previously videoed Anibal rolling a robusto, I had noted that it was rolled in approximately 4 minutes. These guys have to roll 120, or more, a day- depending on which factory they work in and which vitola they are rolling that day.. It took me 17 minutes with a lot of tuition.

I have watched rollers in the past and known that this is no easy task, taking them 7 years of training before they are let loose on the tobacco that is grown for the purpose of rolling into the fine cigars that you or I smoke regularly. Today I found out exactly how hard it is.

And yes, I just smoked it. It was awesome. My only complaint was that the draw was slightly too loose, but I took it slow and it made for over an hour smoke.

Anibal has since returned to his home in Cuba and has been replaced in the UK one of his fellow torcedors, from the Romeo y Julieta Factory in Havana, Señor Hamlet Jaime Parede. I had the pleasure of meeting Hamlet on Friday 13 August, my Birthday, where I spent the day at La Casa Del Habano, again, with my friend Trevor. Massimo, who had previously met Hamlet at the Red Room Club (see this post), was also able to join us for the afternoon to enjoy the Salamones rolled by Hamlet, which I have to say is the best salamones I have ever smoked.

 

blog post by James