Nicaragua Play by Play October

Alex Svenson

Hopefully this goes better than my Dominican play by play from last month lol. The internet connection is a bit more reliable where i am headed so I will try to keep you guys updated. Just got to the airport at ohare. You have to love American airlines. I have flown so much over the past few years that I have gotten nice status so They upgraded my flight today to first class! Extra leg room and reclining seats here I come!!!!!

Big week is week, I will be checking in on three large factories, Fernandez and Plasencia in Esteli, and Olivas (not to be confused with Oliva) in ocotal. Have a lot to accomplish Monday and Tuesday as there is a group headed down from the states on Wednesday that I will be giving a cigar tour to until Saturday. It is about 10 guys.

Today the plan is just to get to Managua. I arrive at 8pm and Will be staying at the hotel and casino across the street from the airport before making the drive to Esteli in the morning for my first appointments. The roads between the major citys are very dangerous at night so I am playing it safe.

wwhwang

Nice! Hope you have a good time in Nicaragua again, Alex. Can't wait to see what's coming.

docbp87

Alex Svenson:

Hopefully this goes better than my Dominican play by play from last month lol. The internet connection is a bit more reliable where i am headed so I will try to keep you guys updated. Just got to the airport at ohare. You have to love American airlines. I have flown so much over the past few years that I have gotten nice status so They upgraded my flight today to first class! Extra leg room and reclining seats here I come!!!!!

A dude as big as you needs that extra space. I know from first hand experience!

Looking forward to reading your updates as always Alex.

Krieg

looking forward to the updates too, thanks for keeping us in the loop!

ENFIDL

Have a great trip Alex! Can't wait to read about your latest trip!!!

Alex Svenson

Just boarded my connecting flight in Miami. It is late as usual. I think in all the times I have taken this flight it has only left on time once or twice. Perhaps I should not have been so quick to praise American airlines in my first post lol. When I got to Miami, I bumped into some industry friends. Gustavo who works for Oliva Tampa (tobacco Oliva not cigar Oliva). Great guy, they grow the majority of non connecticut seed tobacco in Ecuador such as habano Ecuador and sumTra Ecuador. Those wrappers are hot right now. They are harvesting in Ecuador right now and he was bragging about how great this year harvest turned out. Can't wait to smoke it. Also in Miami is Eric newsman and his son. They own JC Newman cigar company, one of the oldest family businesses in the cigar industry dating back many generations. They make diamond crown, brick house, Cuesta rey among other brands, they are also the distributors for Fuentes here in the US. Eric is always a pleasure to talk to. He has been around this industry and cigars in general a long time. Every time we speak I learn something new. His dad Stanford was a true legend in the cigar biz. Sadly he passed away in 2006.

Russ55

When you said dangerous roads in your first post, did you mean dangerous traffic wise, or dangerous as in someone sticking a gun in your face?

Edit: Please note that I do not mean the above to sound flippant, it's a genuine question. I'm fairly ignorant about that part of the world.

Russ55

Xxxxcxxxxx

dennisking

i really enjoy these threads.

brotheradam

dennisking:

i really enjoy these threads.

+1

Redtailhawkoz

=2

Alex Svenson

Russ55:

When you said dangerous roads in your first post, did you mean dangerous traffic wise, or dangerous as in someone sticking a gun in your face?

Edit: Please note that I do not mean the above to sound flippant, it's a genuine question. I'm fairly ignorant about that part of the world.

Mainly the traffic. There really isn't much to speak of but the cars here don't have standards like in the US. Many don't have head lights, tail lights etc and many max out at a speed of 20mph so if your doing 60 and come around a corner, you could be on top of a car before you realize what happened. Also it is not uncommon for animals like cows or horses to wander into the road at night. Not a good scene. You also get some drunks in the mix sometimes. For the hijacking / kidnapping that is a concern but if you are in a moving car it is not a huge one. If your car broke down or blew a tire at night you may want to worry but really it is a traffic thing.

Alex Svenson

Day 1: woke up early to get to Esteli. Chin pulled in to pick me up. He operates a small factory in Esteli but one that has potential and growing. Like many of the c bans in this town he is related in one way or another to a wide cast of industry heavy weights such as AJ Fernandez and Nestor Plasencia, he is also brother in laws with Gilberto Oliva of the Oliva cigar company. Gilbertos main area of expertise with Oliva rests in the farms and fermenting the tobacco but he is also quite an accomplished blender. I spent several hours with cin both at his cigar factory and his box factory. I smoked some interesting new wrapper he purchased from Eduardo Fernandez who is growing some intestine Cuban seed varieties throughout Nicaragua. He made me a little purito of only this wrapper and I loved it. Sweet and pronounced. Unfortunately, we had a hard time blending it with other tobaccos, especially in a short amount of time we had together. That said, he did give me a great blend in a huge 6 x 60 toro which I was happy to hear he was overstocked on. I grabbed a bundle of samples for the guys in the office to smoke. Keep an eye out for these perhaps in the future. Should be a great cigar at a sharp price as a one time closeout!!

Chin dropped me at AJ's house to grab some lunch. His wife is a tremendous cook and makes some great traditional Cuban food. We sat for an hour catching up and stuffing our faces with rice, beans and pork. After lunch we lit up Man o War salomons and he drove me out to the farm so he could show me how hard Esteli has hit by the rain this year. The effects of the heavy rains the last two weeks could be seen all over Nicaragua and Esteli, scoops washed away, houses under water, bridges out etc. The farm however appeared to be in great Shape. He is building new curing barns and fermentation buildings so it was great to see those going up. I had to laugh a little when I looked out at the land where he plants tobacco during the growing season. Affixed to some of the posts, he actually installed massive alights. I asked him why and he casually said he likes to come out to the farm at night when he can't sleep to spend time with the tobacco. He said it very cooly but I could not help but laugh a little. When it comes to tobacco and cigars, this kid is just crazy. I love it.

Returning to the factory we went right to the aging room. 1 million cigars lined racks which were packed the room. It was more full than. Usually as the cigars have needed more rest time lately due to the humidity. AJ grabbed a tray full of new samples he has been working on and immediately I knew the my work was about the begin. Sitting in his office now as I write this puffing away. One of the samples totally blew me away. I had a viso habano Ecuador wrapper and some unique and surprisingly potent tobaccos he acquired the Dominican three weeks ago. I am excited to see what else he came up with using this new filler. It is a fairly uncommon strand so it is unique to play with, however, at the moment I took a break to fire up a man o war armada which is treating me well.... Very well. Cant wait for these to come in. All for now.

t_evan50

Excellent thread Alex. Making me real excited to go down there.

dennisking

Hi my name is Alex and I am chillng with the best blender in the world at his office smoking cigars that don't exist yet. Worship me.

I am so damn jealous. Travel safe, stay dry, and bring back some surprises for the masses.

wwhwang

You know, all these play by play threads makes me want to blow my savings and go to Nicaragua.

ejenne87

wwhwang:

You know, all these play by play threads makes me want to blow my savings and go to Nicaragua.

No kidding bro! I was just thinking the same thing. I can see a trip to that part of the world coming up in my near future. As long as I can find some free time after I get out of the Army between girls and school and working at a B&M... I better start saving now!

Alex Svenson

Made my way through the samples with AJ. Some really nice new stuff he is working on. We hit the packaging department after and they place was slammed packign up San Lotano stuff. FYI my first shipment officailly cleared customs and is on the road to PA. While there, the box maker brought over a special gift for Shorty Rossi, the inspiration for the Diesel shorty. It is a massive humidor that holds 6 diesel shorty BOXES and is set up for electric humidification. I took a pic that I will try to post after this update with a dollar bill on it so you can see the actual scale of this beast.Diesel Logo on front and his logo on top. Should be on his desk once they start shooting season 3!!

Back upstairs and got an idea for yet another cigar. Turned out great. Will create a new thread for that topic with some pics as it is a lot to explain here but all i can say is BARBER POLE.

We left the cigar factory and hit the box factory next. Lots of boxes and QC work and they showed me a new flavored/ infused cigar factory that they are opening and partnering with AJ on. Basically, AJ will providing them with his tobaccos. I am not usually a flavor guy but some of the natural infusions, especially the whisky were not bad.

Back at the house with my buddy kris having dinner. Going to bed and getting ready for a big day tomorrow in Ocotal.

Alex Svenson

Here are the pics from today.

Diesel Shorty Humidor


AJ In the Aging Room Lighting Up Samples


Lights At the Tobacco Field

t_evan50

Well that aging room is def. one of the sexiest things I've ever seen!

wwhwang

Is it weird that I want to work in the cigar industry even more after seeing those pictures?

Krieg

That's a really cool pic of aj, thanks for the pics Alex!

Lasabar

I also love these threads... I just wish no one de-rails them like the last one *wink*

Alex Svenson

I haven't forgotten about needing to update this. No Internet past 4 days so I will catch up as soon as I land in Philly. Just cleared customs in miami.

ENFIDL

Alex Svenson:

I haven't forgotten about needing to update this. No Internet past 4 days so I will catch up as soon as I land in Philly. Just cleared customs in miami.

Can't wait!

brotheradam

That is one hell of a humidor Shorty got. Outstanding. I'll look for it in the new season. Thanks for the pics Alex.

bacon.jay

Alex Svenson:

...they grow the majority of non connecticut seed tobacco in Ecuador such as habano Ecuador and sumTra Ecuador. Those wrappers are hot right now. They are harvesting in Ecuador right now and he was bragging about how great this year harvest turned out. Can't wait to smoke it....

Does this mean that the Sumatra version of the Forum Blend is going to be a reality sometime in the next few months??? I'd LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE to get my hands on some more of them Alex! I only have one left and it's BY FAR my favorite cigar in the humidor right now!! I'm down for 2 boxes when the time comes!

bacon.jay

bacon.jay:

Alex Svenson:

...they grow the majority of non connecticut seed tobacco in Ecuador such as habano Ecuador and sumTra Ecuador. Those wrappers are hot right now. They are harvesting in Ecuador right now and he was bragging about how great this year harvest turned out. Can't wait to smoke it....

Does this mean that the Sumatra version of the Forum Blend is going to be a reality sometime in the next few months??? I'd LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE to get my hands on some more of them Alex! I only have one left and it's BY FAR my favorite cigar in the humidor right now!! I'm down for 2 boxes when the time comes!

Maybe not?

xIcedGuardianx

This stuff really is exciting! It makes me feel so special and in the loop when we get these updates. Thanks Alex!