nivanov Posted February 11, 2010 Posted February 11, 2010 It is the Spaniard Francisco Cabañas who should take the credit of history for having registered in Cuba one of the oldest Habano marks heard of, and also when the Tobacco Monopoly was still in force. Thus, he registered in 1810 the Cabañas brand, and in 1895 he joined others manufacturers to develop a new trademark: Hija de Cabañas y Carbajal y Cía. There is much more to the Cabañas brand...it was one of the marquee brands, there are reviews of vintage Cabañas cigars from the 1930's and 1940's and they have been impressive.. feel free to add what you know about the Cabañas brand pre- 1960 would be most appreciated! As World War II is raging in Europe there is a wealthy cigar aficionado who receives his shipment of cigars from Cuba, the year is 1943! For some unknown reason, perhaps some misfortune befell our cigar loving brother............... Fast forward to 2010, a curious traveler wanders about aimlessly thru the streets of a large city smoking an old Henry Clay......he ducks down a side street and sees an old dimly lit cigar shop, as he walks to ward the shop he takes another puff on the Henry Clay imperiales, a large sized cigar, the cigar is fragrant and reminds him of the "flor" the flower of the tobacco, he stops and pensively lets the cool smoke and flavors of cocoa and spice caress his mouth. That's odd....he says as he spots a Flor de Farach advertising poster in the window of the cigar shop.....that's an old Cuban brand, I've only seen and smoked the Farachitos and they were pretty crappy at that....... to be continue...................
Trevor2118 Posted February 11, 2010 Posted February 11, 2010 No one likes a tease Nick Get on with the story
jfury76 Posted February 11, 2010 Posted February 11, 2010 Man, I'm practically on the edge of seat right now!!
nivanov Posted February 11, 2010 Author Posted February 11, 2010 Awww right... where is that Farach advertising...............
nivanov Posted February 12, 2010 Author Posted February 12, 2010 ...............back to the story. As he's looking at the Farach advertising he sees her .................wow,wow,wow,wow whata girl, she sashays down that dimly lit street in a 1920's outfit that clings to her every curve! Mama mia! She slowly looks me up and down but I'm packing an "esplendido" which draws a smile to her face!
nivanov Posted February 12, 2010 Author Posted February 12, 2010 (writers note...........it's a story and I have to use real cigarillo/cigar related items to complete it) She says................ Monsieur, avez-vous une lumière sur mon cigare cubain? You smoke Cuban cigarettes? (of course he is fluent in seven languages) Oui, je fume seulement Eden ......
nivanov Posted February 12, 2010 Author Posted February 12, 2010 Eden.......now he's saying to himself isn't that place in heaven? She leans forward as he lights her Cuban cigarette, just then he gets a whiff of that perfume, it's intoxicating! She looks at his eyes as she takes a long drag filling up her lungs with that strong Cuban tobacco. Vous recherchez quelque chose en particulier? she says. Trying to impress her he uses his very best French accent and says.....................Savez-vous où je peux trouver quelques pré - embargo sur les cigares Cubains? (do you know where I can find some pre - embargo Cuban cigars) He studies her face as she takes another drag on her Eden, dreamily and after what seems to be an eternity she says.........Qui! His heart begins to race, the forbidden fruit, the pre embargo, the amazingly hard to get LOL! She says, Mon père était un fumeur de cigare! He was? Qui! Did he leave behind any boxes? Qui! Really, can you show me? She took her last puff of Eden and said, Je vis-dessus de ce magasin de cigares, ils sont dans mon appartement. Was this a trick he asked or did she really have the goods? (if you know what I mean)
nivanov Posted February 12, 2010 Author Posted February 12, 2010 He studies the soft lines on her face to see if she is leading him on.......after a long moment he decides, she looks honest! Hey, a gal who smokes Cuban cigarettes has to be honest and straightforward right? She put the key in the lock and they go up to her flat.......... Asseyez-vous (sit down), she says! Cognac? The wheels begin to turn and he thinks is she gonna take me for my money or does she want something else like the "esplendido".........or is she on the level? Qui! He says in his very best French accent! She pours him a healthy shot of Hennessy, the brandy of Napoleon, and makes herself comfortable on the divan as she light up another Eden. This gal has class he says to himself! After a sip of cognac and a drag on the Eden, she says I have some boxes of cigars, very very old, in my father's hidden humidor. How old? 1943 she says! Wow! Can you show me? She gets up from the couch and says, qui! But first, she puts on a record http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn3X0hz4J_M
Tampa1257 Posted February 12, 2010 Posted February 12, 2010 Talk about a story.........................
purosdave Posted February 12, 2010 Posted February 12, 2010 Nick, I would pay for this kind of literature! Keep it coming!
laficion Posted February 12, 2010 Posted February 12, 2010 Et alors ? Que vat-il se passer ?? With my best French accent !!!
nivanov Posted February 12, 2010 Author Posted February 12, 2010 ............cognac cocktail qui? she says What's that? Mon granfathers recette!
nivanov Posted February 12, 2010 Author Posted February 12, 2010 Wow! That is some good stuff, she tells him that it was a popular drink back in the 1880's..............his Henry Clay cigar went out in all of the excitement and now he realizes that there' just a nub left. He looked awkward staring at the nub of a cigar with faraway look in his eyes. She noticed and said, Mon grand-père fumait Henry Clay, ici, c'est une boîte! (my grandfather smoked Henry Clay, here's a box!)
jfury76 Posted February 12, 2010 Posted February 12, 2010 Wondeful old box there. Very popular cigars, too. My grandfather was a big fan of these back in the 20s.
nivanov Posted February 12, 2010 Author Posted February 12, 2010 Wow, he's this great looking Eden smoking dame sitting on a treasure trove of vintage cigars and then it hits me! DON'T EVEN KNOW HER NAME?? Pardonnez-moi, quel est votre nom? Josephine she says! Josephine, may I look inside the box? Qui! she says as she strolls away to change into something more comfortable! Our hero looks at the strange box in his hands, hmmmm no tax stamp, no Cuban warranty stamp, not a solid cedar construction. Says Habana but many boxes from that era said Habana but were not really made in Habana, the stencil style lettering on the side of the box says that these are suspect! He slowly opens the lid to reveal the contents, maybe that will give him a clue?
nivanov Posted February 12, 2010 Author Posted February 12, 2010 Wow, look at that "maduro" wrapper, that is some very dark leaf............. he notes the absence of Habana on the bands and one other thing is missing the name, Henry Clay! Why would someone put the name of the size of the cigar, aromaticos, on the bands but exclude the name of the marca? Strange stuff indeed! Our cigar sleuth takes out one of the cigars from the box and examines the cigar and notes that the cellophane does not totally cover the foot of the cigar, as if the cigar was meant to breathe. Could this have been an early attempt at packaging in cellophane? He remembers that cellophane packing became popular in the late 1920's because of the "spit wars". He concludes that these Henry Clays were not made in Cuba and that they were made later than the 1930's, the stenciled letters also give a clue that the cigars were made somewhere in Europe.......... He glances up and sees Josephine sashay into the room............she looks beautiful, qui?
nivanov Posted February 12, 2010 Author Posted February 12, 2010 He gazes into her eyes, maybe it was the cognac cocktail or that perfume.....it's intoxicating, I know that perfume.....wait, ahh yes, J'Adore!! Our hero takes a deep breath, composes himself and offers to light her Eden. Where in the world do you get those Edens? Je les obtenir de Dave à partir du magasin de cigares Eden Zulueta sur la rue à La Havane, Cuba! Didn't they go out of business? Qui! J'ai des contacts ma chère! (I have connections my dear) Wow, the Cuban connection......................
nivanov Posted February 12, 2010 Author Posted February 12, 2010 She shows me a postcard of the Eden cigar store! Damn, there's a ton of pre embargo cigars in that postcard, I look at the back of the card and see a 1950's cancellation. She shows me another card and says that this was her gran mama, the one holding the Anna Held cigar banner. Wow, what a tiny waist! he says!
nivanov Posted February 12, 2010 Author Posted February 12, 2010 Josephine takes a drag on her Eden and asks, do you dance? Qui! just a little..........................
nivanov Posted February 12, 2010 Author Posted February 12, 2010 Mon cher, tu es bon! she says! Viens t'asseoir près de moi! (Come, sit close to me!) Making himself comfortable, he looks at her once again with her full red lips, soft brown eyes, chestnut hair...... very pretty he murmurs! She moves closer and as they are about to kiss................ he remembers that he's married and a terrible image flashes in his head!
nivanov Posted February 12, 2010 Author Posted February 12, 2010 He remembers his Spanish wife with the terrible temper and images of that hideous cigar cutter flash in his head, his "esplendido" is only a "robusto" now!
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