Two Exclusive Blends of San Luis and San Juan y Martinez Cigars

Unraveling the secrets that habanos keep in terms of soil, climate and the expertise of tobacco planters from the districts of San Juan y Martinez and San Luis was the goal behind the exclusive tasting session held yesterday afternoon, in which attendees could match a couple of Robusto vitolas that feature similar blends, though their leaves stem from different regions.

As Joan Jose Lopez, from the Tobacco Research Institute, explains, this was a very peculiar tasting because both habanos were completely rolled by hand, with leaves for their filler and binder coming from each of the two regions.

The two superbly-manufactured cigars struck the attention of those attending the tasting session, who were supposed to tell them apart based on their draw, aroma, strength, taste and burning. The two celebrated tobacco-producing districts yield excellent leaves that differ as long as features are concerned, according to Amaury Borges, who also mentioned research studies that have revealed how nicotine, nitrogen or organic acids responsible for strength, scent and taste, among other properties, greatly depend on the location the leaves come from.  

After listening to the views of tasters, experts, sommeliers and aficionados, Ana Lopez, chief of Marketing Operations for Habanos S.A., said the tasting session was a good chance to show how complex and equally rich the realm of habanos actually is, let alone the expertise of master blenders who have managed to give each and every of the 27 habano brands in the Habanos S.A. portfolio a personality of its own.