Inside La Corona Factory, Havana, Cuba

Date: February 25th, 2010
Time: 10:00 AM Eastern 
Location: La Corona Factory, Havana, Cuba

Conditions: Sunny and cool, 65 degrees

After one visits the Plantations it's the Factories where the real magic happens.  Anyone can visit the Partagas factory so today we are going to explore the largest factory in Cuba, La Corona.  It's not open to the public except for Festival attendees.

A single four story building houses over 900 people working on a myriad of brands and vitolas.  More than 40,000 cigars are produced each day and once inside, the noise of rollers and workers is deafening.  Screaming, hollering and even the odd dog barking adds to the excitement!

The efficiency, skill and precision of La Corona ensures the quality and beauty of their cigars.  As you'll see in the video, the construction of the cigar boxes is hypnotic.

It's the characters you meet that make a visit fascinating.  Here's a guy who just followed me around everywhere I went.  Is he Cuban secret service?  Factory Commandant? Nope, he's actually one of the Supervisors who had taken a liking to my shoes!!  BTW they are New Balance Cross Trainers.  On my exit he gave me a copy of the Festival magazine (free as part of the Festival) in exchange for my shoes.  Did he think I'd go barefoot for the rest of the day?


This factory is tightly monitored and so I didn't get accosted by peddlers.  One of the rollers winked at me however when she discovered I was making a video.  


We quickly finish up and begin the drive over to El Laguito, the most exclusive and secretive factory in Cuba.