Floods Devestates Honduras

I received this e-mail from our friends from Gran Habano Cigars.  Please help if you can (especially if you are in the Florida area)!

Floods Devastate Honduras

Miami, Fl., August 20, 2010 – Severe thunderstorms have devastated Honduras causing major flooding and landslides. The Gran Habano factory has sustained damage by the floods but we anticipate that we can recover without any loss to production or distribution. However, the families in the surrounding area and our own families were not so fortunate. Reports of the damages are still coming in but have indicated that 7 major bridges have been damaged, road infrastructure is ruined and hundreds of homes have been washed away or have become inhabitable. In all there are 15 neighborhoods and districts that are in need of major support.

The people in the affected communities are currently being relocated to shelters around the country with little more than the clothes on their back. It is unknown when the communities will be able to rebuild as heavy rains are expected to continue in the upcoming months.

We are doing everything in our power to aid not only our Gran Habano families but the State as a whole. As a single company we will be limited to the number of families that will receive assistance – however as a cigar community we will have the opportunity to provide major relief to a greater number of people.

George Rico will be collecting toiletries, clothing and any other donations the good-natured people of the cigar community are able to provide. We will be accepting dropped off aid items at our Miami office or you can ship them directly to Gran Habano. All collected items will be personally flown to Honduras and distributed directly to those most in need.

Shipping Address:
Gran Habano Cigars
C/O George Rico
3261 NW 82nd Avenue
Doral, FL 33122

Contact Information:
888.958.7002
http://GHCigars.com

About Gran Habano Cigars
Gran Habano Cigars is a family run operation that was founded in 1995 by Guillermo Rico and his son George Rico.

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Illusione ~hl~ Claro

Size: 7 1/2″ x 40

Vitola: Long Panetela (Lancero)

Wrapper: Candela Cafe Colorado

Origin: Nicaragua, Raices Cubanas factory

Age: Right of the truck!

I’ve been excited about this short-run release for quite some time.  For me the most challenging wrapper to use and actually make an interesting cigar is the Candela wrapper.  Most candelas I have smoked have not been that interesting (with the exception of the Camacho Candela).  Nat Sherman, Graycliff, Camacho and Arturo Fuente are some of the few companies still making candelas.

The wrapper refers to the color and process, not what type of tobacco it uses.  For about thirty years in our history, Candela (or American Market Selection – AMS) was the most popular wrapper type used. The reason is most likely the process, which generally decreases the time from ground to cigar.  Candela wrappers are basically “cooked” (up to 165 degrees), locking the chlorophyll into the leaf.  Read this article for more history on this green leaf.  Needless to say, you don’t see these green cigars much anymore.

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Tatuaje Espirit de Verite 2008

Size: 5” x 50

Vitola: Robusto

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Criollo

Origin: Nicaraguan, single farm origin

Age: 2 years

I got the chance to smoke the new Espirit de Verite from the crazed mind of Pete Johnson creator of Tatuaje, Cabaiguan and El Triunfador cigars.  This project, from what I understand, is a labor of love and something Pete has heavily invested his time in.  The idea behind the Verite’s is to create a single cigar from a single vintage crop.  The 2008 Vintage is available in either a Churchill (as the Verite) and as a robusto (the Espirit de Verite).  All tobacco was harvested from Don Pepin’s farm in Nicaragua.

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