 Plus: Nat Sherman line to expand at RTDA
Los Angeles, June 17 – “Cuba isn’t going to open up the way Eastern Europe did.”
Jaime Suchlicki, the director of the Institute of Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami, made that prediction to Todd Lewan of the Chicago Sun-Times last week in a noteworthy article about the possible character of a post-Castro Cuba.
Noting the 78-year-old Castro’s fall and resulting injury last October, the chatter over what will happen to Cuba after Castro has intensified, but experts are predicting that not much will change under the succeeding leadership.
Suchlicki’s view is that the military will ensure continuity, maintaining the same lethargy in economics and politics that has gripped Cuba since the fall of the Soviet Union trashed the island’s economy in 1991.
“The armed forces are running 65 percent of the Cuban economy,” Sucklicki told the Sun-Times. He predicts that the island’s isolation and entrenched state security apparatus can keep the development of market economics in check, but “in the end, it will depend on how they manage the economy. Sure, it’s a disaster right now, but the Communists are helped by three factors: cheap Venezuelan oil, tourism and remittances from Cuban exiles. I think they’ll be able to muddle through for a good long time.”
The former Cuban undersecretary of the Treasury in 1959, Antonio Jorge, teaches at Florida International University and emphasizes the long road Cuba will have to revitalize itself.
“You dread to think what it will take to bring Cuba back even to where it was in 1959,” he noted. “Castro has succeeded, quite well, I’m afraid, in developing underdevelopment.”
Jorge figures the reconstruction of the island infrastructure could run $80 billion and take 15-20 years. That price tag will go up the longer Castro stays in power and the island continues to deteriorate.
At least the cigars are good.
Nat Sherman retooling for the future:
We noted that under the new distribution efforts of Cigars by Santa Clara, new, smaller sizes were introduced in the Nat Sherman Metropolitan Series.
But that’s only the beginning. Cigars by Santa Clara president Lew Rothman also notes that “four new Nat Sherman cigars will be launched at the RTDA,” which is coming up in August.
These new cigars will be made with all-Nicaraguan-grown leaves, with the Nat Sherman Omerta aimed directly at the famed Padron 1964 Anniversary Series. The Omerta is designed as a double-box-pressed torpedo measuring six inches long by 54 ring gauge.
Its presence will be announced by unique packaging of six cigars in a padded box incorporating aluminum, plastic and leather elements. Despite the name, it’s unlikely we’ll remain silent about this cigar once we get a chance to try it.
Jarhead alert:
We noted the new 70th Anniversary Montecristo jars from Altadis in our list of possible Father’s Day gifts and the item is now in circulation in stores.
The jar itself is white ceramic with an elegant 70th anniversary logo that incorporates the famed Montecristo crossed-swords logo at the bottom. The jar lid also has a decorative detail, but the design emphasis is on elegant simplicity.
It’s offered with a choice of four Montecristo White shapes: No. 2 (6 1/8 x 52 torpedo), Churchill (7 x 54), Rothchilde (5 x 52) or Toro (6 x 54) for between $212.50 and $300 apiece. Like all Altadis U.S.A. jars. It’s sold well-protected in a box with styrofoam inserts.
It’s the fourth Montecristo jar offered by Altadis U.S.A., after the three-jar Montecristo Cigare des Arts series which depicted Montecristo-themed scenes of Paris created by the noted French artist Michel Delacroix.
Altadis drafts Palombo:
Former U.S. Cigar Sales president Larry Palombo earned high marks for re-energizing that company before it was given to Swedish Match in a settlement with former U.S. Cigar Sales parent UST last year.
We’ve noted that UST has gone on to increase its profits in its core business of smokeless tobacco, but Palombo is also on the move. Altadis U.S.A. has appointed Palombo as Senior Director of Tobacco. In his new capacity, he will be working with Senior Vice President George Gershel and Vice President of Tobacco Nick van Olden to procure the finest leaf available for Altadis’s use.
It’s a new beginning for Palombo after more than 30 years in the trade; 22 with General Cigar and the last nine with U.S. Tobacco, ending with his success with U.S. Cigar Sales and their Don Tomas, Astral and Helix brands. Congratulations, Larry, and . . .
Happy Father’s Day!
~ Rich Perelman
 |
Subscribe to this comment's feed
