Freezing in Cuba

[CaptainQuintero]

I was just wondering if anyone has any information on the process, specifically are cigars / tobacco sealed before being placed in the "freezing warehouse"?

I know when we freeze our cigars we seal in ziolock bags etc, are similar sealing precaution taken in Cuba?

Also, with a few RyJ Cazadorez being wet packed, does this pose any problems with the freezing, ie damage to the cigar due to the amount of moisture in these cigars after packaging? Or do they still spend time being rested prior to packaging like other cigars and the whole wet packed more myth than fact?

cheers!

[Puros Y Vino]

I've seen a cold storage room at the La Corona factory. There are two on the main floor. Basically big meat lockers. But not set to freezing per se. Very cold though. We were allowed to poke our heads into one. Huge cedar bins loaded with unbanded cigars of the same vitola per bin. We were told completed, fresh rolls were left in there two sit for a month or two before being moved into the boxing stage.

I've heard that master cases on skids are wheeled into a freezer. The stock is flash frozen then shipped out to distributors. I don't know how much time they spend in the freezer though.

[Maplepie]

The stock is flash frozen then shipped out to distributors. I don't know how much time they spend in the freezer though.

chemically, flash frozen in a room filled with water and oil equilibrium shouldn't be bad at all.

the quicker the freezing time, the less the damage to organic material.

when I buy old steaks from my mate's meat aisle, i freeze them as quickly as possible. keep two slabs of steel (2-5 dollars in hardware stores) in the freezer to squish the steak along the side when you're freezing them. That freezes them quicker and keeps them fresher.

The Cubans know what they're doing if they're flash freezing them.

[AbuAmelia]

when I buy old steaks from my mate's meat aisle

How's your health? Lol

[Ryan]

I've seen a cold storage room at the La Corona factory. There are two on the main floor. Basically big meat lockers. But not set to freezing per se. Very cold though. We were allowed to poke our heads into one. Huge cedar bins loaded with unbanded cigars of the same vitola per bin. We were told completed, fresh rolls were left in there two sit for a month or two before being moved into the boxing stage.

That sounds like the escaparate. It's kept cool alright.

The Habanos freezers are one part of the process I know I haven't seen. I've never seen a picture. Not even one of the building.

James suckling mentioned something about freezing about 6 or 7 years ago. I can't remember if he said he saw the facility though.

[Maplepie]

How's your health? Lol

Quiet Andrew.

2 day past best before Kobe beef for 90% of is still very good.

Sent by the Enigma on BlackBerry.

[shlomo]

That sounds like the escaparate. It's kept cool alright.

The Habanos freezers are one part of the process I know I haven't seen. I've never seen a picture. Not even one of the building.

James suckling mentioned something about freezing about 6 or 7 years ago. I can't remember if he said he saw the facility though.

I dont think I have read or heard of ANYBODY ever seeing the freezers or freezing facilities. Suckling's was the only mention of them afaik.

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfeatures/show/id/8889/p/3

4 paragraphs from the bottom. Really good article though. I miss JS's writing.

[Maplepie]

James suckling mentioned something about freezing about 6 or 7 years ago. I can't remember if he said he saw the facility though.

6 or 7 years ago, eh? wow... that was 2008.

wonder if it was different then...

[shlomo]

6 or 7 years ago, eh? wow... that was 2008.

wonder if it was different then...

Well, for one, you wouldn't be allowed to buy cigars....

[Maplepie]

Well, for one, you wouldn't be allowed to buy cigars....

i meant the freezing process, you knob

and- hey! not THAT far back... would've just had to pay 'a tad more'

[Ryan]

I dont think I have read or heard of ANYBODY ever seeing the freezers or freezing facilities. Suckling's was the only mention of them afaik.

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfeatures/show/id/8889/p/3

4 paragraphs from the bottom. Really good article though. I miss JS's writing.

Thanks for that, that's the article I remember. He's a bit vague on whether he saw the freezers or not. On reading it I get from it that he was shown a building but not the workings.

Either way, retailers and distributors I've spoken to are saying that they have seen fewer beetles in boxes in the last ten years or so. Not completely eliminated but rare now.

[shlomo]

Could have to do with the new seeds they started planting in the lat 90's. Supposed to be more bug resistant, but some say have also altered the tastes so that many cigars are becoming or have already become very generic.

[CanuckSARTech]

I've seen a cold storage room at the La Corona factory. There are two on the main floor. Basically big meat lockers. But not set to freezing per se. Very cold though. We were allowed to poke our heads into one. Huge cedar bins loaded with unbanded cigars of the same vitola per bin. We were told completed, fresh rolls were left in there two sit for a month or two before being moved into the boxing stage.

I've heard that master cases on skids are wheeled into a freezer. The stock is flash frozen then shipped out to distributors. I don't know how much time they spend in the freezer though.

Frank, yes, but that room isn't the freezer.

The room at La Corona that you're talking about - I was there back in 2008 on a trip with my wife. I was told that those were just "acclimatization rooms", and not the main freezer rooms. I had remembered the CA article that Suckling had done in the year or two before, and asked about the freezing process. Maybe I got a really trusting guy, or he thought my wife was cute, but he did seem to spill the beans a lot (I later found out that he was one of the quality control managers there at La Corona - can't remember his name for the life of me - and he did our tour that day). He told me that those rooms were just to slightly prep the cigars for the freezing process (which didn't really make sense to me, then or now), to be done at a separate location in the suburbs of Havana.

He explained to me about the freezer set up, and yes, being rolled in as pallets of mastercases (not plastic wrapped either, which I thought was peculiar at first), and how they went in for 4 to 5 days of a freezing process. He didn't elaborate too much on temperatures or of it being a flash-freezing process (which, 4 to 5 days told me it isn't). However, I didn't get to see it myself in person so I simply was not a 100% believer.

I was however shown pictures by a good friend a couple of years later, and if I get permission, I will publish them and link them.

[Duxnutz]

I dont think I have read or heard of ANYBODY ever seeing the freezers or freezing facilities. Suckling's was the only mention of them afaik.

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfeatures/show/id/8889/p/3

4 paragraphs from the bottom. Really good article though. I miss JS's writing.

Side note: What happened to JS? Is he off the journo-grid these days?

[El Presidente]

Guanabacoa warehouse

There are three different freezing chambers each capable of holding 60,000 cigars.

Freezing chamber is -10 degrees Centigrade where cigars (mater cases) are held for 3 days.

[Mahstah]

And that solves that mystery!

[Habana Mike]

Guanabacoa warehouse

There are three different freezing chambers each capable of holding 60,000 cigars.

Freezing chamber is -10 degrees Centigrade where cigars (mater cases) are held for 3 days.

Hmm, I thought subzero Farenheit was ideal (mine goes to -6F) though 3 days at 14F may just be doing the trick....

Hope it's not freezing in Cuba next month

[CanuckSARTech]

Guanabacoa warehouse

There are three different freezing chambers each capable of holding 60,000 cigars.

Freezing chamber is -10 degrees Centigrade where cigars (mater cases) are held for 3 days.

LOL. This is part of it. LOL.

-10 C. Good to know. Most people's deep freezers are in the -4 to -10 level too, I believe.

My info had 4 to 5 days, but that was back in 2008. Wonder if they cut it back to 3 days due to cost efficiency, temperature effectiveness without issues, etc., etc.?

[shlomo]

Guanabacoa warehouse

There are three different freezing chambers each capable of holding 60,000 cigars.

Freezing chamber is -10 degrees Centigrade where cigars (mater cases) are held for 3 days.

Have you actually seen these with your own eyes Rob, or did somebody tell you about them?

[shlomo]

Side note: What happened to JS? Is he off the journo-grid these days?

Last I heard, he had his site, Jamesuckling.com, but its mostly wine, and since I do not enjoy the sweet vinegar, I haven't followed it.

[El Presidente]

Have you actually seen these with your own eyes Rob, or did somebody tell you about them?

I have never seen it nor had a reason to go.

Jose Candia got the details for us back in 2008 when he worked in HSA. It has been posted previously on FOH.

Nino has also posted previously on FOH where he has been and taken photo's of it. I know James has been and no doubt others who have had the necessary invite and clearance.

When I go to Havana it is for a short time and I don't seek out freezers unless they are chilling beer

[CaptainQuintero]

Mastercases are simply cardboard boxes with boxes of cigars inside right? Are the mastercases sealed in plastic at all?

It seems strange how we all go through trouble double bagging, ducking air out with straws etc etc for Cuba to just throw the cigars into a freezer unsealed.

Are we being overly cautious, or is it simply not needed, or are the mastercases sealed up prior to being wheeled into the freezer?

[...]

There is foodstuff that might impart flavours/aroma in my freezer. I assume there are only cigars in the HSA freezer

[Smallclub]

I assume there are only cigars in the HSA freezer

Cuba being Cuba I wouldn't be surprised to find a stock of fish and goat meat in that freezer...

[...]

Cuba being Cuba I wouldn't be surprised to find a stock of fish and goat meat in that freezer...

That would actually explain some of the 'hard to describe' flavours