| THINKING ABOUT CIGAR TRAVEL? |
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Page 1 of 2 Plus: A Rush Limbaugh-signed humidor on auction to benefit the troops!Los Angeles, November 12 – Cigar enthusiasts understand that the process of making a handmade cigar is long, drawn-out and sometimes difficult. But there is no way to truly appreciate it without seeing it in person. As 2008 quickly comes to an end, it isn’t too early to begin thinking about 2009 and the opportunity to see the cigar process for yourself. Happily, three events are already scheduled for the first quarter of next year. The first edition was a raging success, as several hundred guests toured fields and factories and got to see the leaf-growing process and cigar-making program up close and personal. The 2009 edition will expand on the inaugural program and include: >> A tour of the world’s largest cigar factory, Altadis U.S.A.’s Tabacalera de Garcia in La Romana; >> Tours of the Davidoff, General Cigar, La Aurora and MATASA factories over three days in Santiago; >> Tours of the tobacco-growing fields run by Tabadom (in Jicome) and General Cigar (in Mao) with Hendrik Kelner and Daniel Nunez, respectively. >> Golf opportunities at the Casa de Campo resort and in Las Aromas; >> Plenty of cigars, parties and optional tours of the top Dominican rum producer (Ron Brugel) and the Karoma Estates coffee plantation. The five-day program runs the full week from Monday through Friday and is priced at $750.00, not including accommodations and airfare. It’s a terrific way to see how some of your favorite brands are made up close. The registration deadline is January 6; you can register at ProCigar.org, but several retailers organized their own delegations this year, so check with your tobacconist to see if they are putting a group together. During the 2008 program, we noted well in advance of the summer trade shows some of the new shapes and sizes that were already in production for the Romeo y Julieta and Trinidad brands. You can check out some of the highlights from earlier this year in our March issue of The Cigar Gallery. |
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