San Juan Y Martinez Tobacco Plantation, Pinar del Rio, Cuba

THE EVENT

We are travelling to the district of Pinar del Rio which is arguably the best tabacco growing region in the world, San Juan y Martinez.  It only occupies a couple of thousand hectares and consists of very small hamlets such as San Luis.  It is in this 20 square mile area where will spend our time, very close to the Vega Robaina.

The drive from Havana can take anywhere from 2 to 3 hours, and today we have a police escort as well as an ambulance in the convoy.  It is a frustrating challenge to travel on the motor-ways in Cuba as there are goats, donkeys, dogs, cars and of-course people just wandering along the road oblivious to the instant peril that could befall them.  

As we saunter along the Soviet-built roads, we pass by reminders of the heroes of the revolution such as Fidel and Che.  We are also reminded of how much the cigar is the DNA of Cuba!

We spend a couple of hours at the plantation of Gerardo Medina Relova.  A delightful man who has devoted his life to the cultivation of tobacco in the Pinar.  All of his tobacco is sent to Cohiba and he is generally recognized as one of the best in Cuba...of-course behind Alejandro Robaina.  I noticed in his living room he had once received the Habanos Man Of the Year award and he proudly lifted it off a table to pose for this picture.

We walked around the plantation and inspected all the steps in tobacco production.  The local workers are friendly and warm and enjoy joking around with us.