CanuckSARTech Posted April 6, 2015 Posted April 6, 2015 More text and pics at the link... http://lights-sirens-and-cigars.com/2015/04/03/havana-trip-feb-mar-2015-yolanda-custom-jars-coming-soon/ Yolanda Medina is a lovely lady. In her upper 60’s now, she’s been rolling at the LCDH store at the Melia Habana hotel for about 18 years, and has been rolling cigars for an astonishing 48 or so now. Starting rolling at age 19 at the H. Upmann factory, she’s well renowned for her past experience as a roller, as well as a former production manager from both the Romeo y Julieta factory and the Partagas factory. She’s been the house roller at the Melia Habana LCDH since 1997, and she’s well renowned for that. And, she herself is a former Guiness World Record holder, for rolling one of the world’s longest cigars in the mid 80’s sometime, before Cueto came to fame recently for doing the same. I think it’s fair to say that she’s in the big league of custom rollers that cigar enthusiasts flock to Havana for. Herself, Jorge Lopez Leal (from Club Habana, and of “Monsdale” fame), Reynaldo from Conde de Villanueva, Cueto from the El Morro shop, and also formerly Hamlet from RyJ (when he was rolling there) – they’re all amazing rollers who are some of the most courteous and excellent “faces” for Habanos cigars. On this past trip, I snagged myself a bundle of her custom piramides, her signature roll. Those are what she’s most well-renowned for, and what she said she rolls 2-to-1 compared to all the other formats she rolls combined, I was told. (And, as Alex, a good Canadian BOTL and usual fellow-traveller has told me before, she’s usually sold out of them, and he’s always in a bind to get those specifically, as they’re his favourites from the island). Though, her custom 898’s / dalias are slowly but surely catching up, and she gifted me with one of those to try when I visited her that day – it definitely hit the spot for me as a late-morning start with a nice cappuccino. But anyways, she’s in the works with coming out with a custom jar, if you can call it that. As she explained to me, and as the below pictures show, it’s a wooden jar. She stated that it was her intent and continuing-want to do a ceramic jar instead. But the jar as-shown perfectly fits a 25-bundle of her custom 898’s / dalias, or will also fit about 19 of her custom piramides. The wooden container is currently at a cost of $150 CUC’s, but she’s trying to negotiate a better price through the manufacturer to make it much more feasible, and back down to well inside of a two-digit cost she said. She said it’d likely all be sorted out over this spring, and would likely have ready stocks of them in hand by mid- / end-summer – plenty of time, hopefully, to have it sorted out prior to the next Encuentros Partagas festival in the upcoming fall. I myself am looking forward to seeing the final results of these later on this fall hopefully. And, will likely be loading up on more of her custom piramides and dalias too. Cheers all. 2
shlomo Posted April 6, 2015 Posted April 6, 2015 Nice jar, but 150 cuc!?! Costs more than her cigars! 1
LordAnubis Posted April 6, 2015 Posted April 6, 2015 I like the jar, i think it's a reasonable price, and i'd like to try one of her cigars one day. Thanks for the story and info on her, very cool read
Ken Gargett Posted April 8, 2015 Posted April 8, 2015 this anything to do with those jars from ages back? i'm thinking i need to talk to someone about collecting mine when next there????
habanolover Posted April 8, 2015 Posted April 8, 2015 Can anyone tell how humidity is maintained in the jar? I like it, I just don't see a humidity device in the pics above. Also, what's the flavor profile of Ms.Yolanda's cigars?
shlomo Posted April 8, 2015 Posted April 8, 2015 Can anyone tell how humidity is maintained in the jar? I like it, I just don't see a humidity device in the pics above. Also, what's the flavor profile of Ms.Yolanda's cigars? I would imagine that the jar needs to be placed in a humidor. Most seals and humidifiers in jars are lousy anyways. 2
TypicalSituation Posted April 8, 2015 Posted April 8, 2015 I need to try some of this gals cigars! What do they typical run?
tmac77 Posted April 8, 2015 Posted April 8, 2015 I need to try some of this gals cigars! What do they typical run? Pricing for Cuban customs in Cuba is fairly standard for all rollers and is dependent upon the vitola. Suffice to say they are extremely cheap to buy. 1
CanuckSARTech Posted April 10, 2015 Author Posted April 10, 2015 Nice jar, but 150 cuc!?! Costs more than her cigars! Agreed, and she acknowledged that. She wasn't quite happy with the final result, so time will see what she finishes up with as a final product.
CanuckSARTech Posted April 10, 2015 Author Posted April 10, 2015 this anything to do with those jars from ages back? i'm thinking i need to talk to someone about collecting mine when next there???? Yes you do, for those other jars. Our mutual friend mentioned that when I was down in Feb-Mar. I muled back a couple myself for some Canadian gents, but I think Ayala made arrangements for yours. Only Schildt's remains, I believe. Can anyone tell how humidity is maintained in the jar? I like it, I just don't see a humidity device in the pics above. Also, what's the flavor profile of Ms.Yolanda's cigars? Her's are a bit stronger / more pepper-laden than many custom rollers. Definitely a Partagas tinge to her blend. 1
CanuckSARTech Posted April 10, 2015 Author Posted April 10, 2015 I need to try some of this gals cigars! What do they typical run? Pricing for Cuban customs in Cuba is fairly standard for all rollers and is dependent upon the vitola. Suffice to say they are extremely cheap to buy. As Tom said, fairly standardized, and definitely inexpensive and worthwhile. Piramides are generally $5 to $6 CUC per stick, robustos are $4-5, coronas are $2.50-$3.50, etc. 2
fokker4me Posted April 10, 2015 Posted April 10, 2015 Thanks for that read. I'd love to get one of those jars even at that cost.
TypicalSituation Posted April 10, 2015 Posted April 10, 2015 As Tom said, fairly standardized, and definitely inexpensive and worthwhile. Piramides are generally $5 to $6 CUC per stick, robustos are $4-5, coronas are $2.50-$3.50, etc.Wow, why so inexpensive? I see a lot of guys rave about customs and have heard aside from picking them up yourself in Cuba they are very difficult to get, so I had assumed the prices would be exorbitant. I'm surprised we don't have members who can legally travel to Cuba and being back goods bringing back 100s of em. Heck, I love a pc or robusto, and at those prices, they would be c&cs!
Ken Gargett Posted April 10, 2015 Posted April 10, 2015 Yes you do, for those other jars. Jose Antonio mentioned that when I was down in Feb-Mar. I muled back a couple myself for some Canadian gents, but I think Ayala made arrangements for yours. Only Schildt's remain, I believe. interesting! last time rob mentioned them, they were still in cuba. he is on the flight (i've been sending footy scores up to the last minute) but we have scheduled a vid on monday. it will be discussed.
Popular Post tmac77 Posted April 10, 2015 Popular Post Posted April 10, 2015 I'm surprised we don't have members who can legally travel to Cuba and being back goods bringing back 100s of em. We do. 5
rbelcastro Posted April 10, 2015 Posted April 10, 2015 Sounds great, and right in my wheelhouse of profiles!
CanuckSARTech Posted April 12, 2015 Author Posted April 12, 2015 Wow, why so inexpensive? I see a lot of guys rave about customs and have heard aside from picking them up yourself in Cuba they are very difficult to get, so I had assumed the prices would be exorbitant. I'm surprised we don't have members who can legally travel to Cuba and being back goods bringing back 100s of em. Heck, I love a pc or robusto, and at those prices, they would be c&cs! Yes, we rave about them just because of that - inexpensive, great tasting, interesting blends, and a very personal and unique experience when dealing with the maestro torcedor themselves. They aren't difficult to get, providing pre-orders / communications are sometimes sent down ahead of time, depeding on peak seasons, popularity of the roller, scarcity of leaf, etc., etc. And yes, as Tom said, there are a number of us who indeed travel down there and pick up hundreds and hundreds per trips - but myself and many others do so ONLY for personal consumption, or the occasional gifts / trades (you wouldn't believe the amount of people who "cold call" PM or e-mail me, asking to sell some). There are maybe some who resell on private sales webpages, but there's obviously a price premium spent there, and rightly so - market demand online, travel costs, dollar exchange losses, availability on the island, etc., etc., all come into play. But, if you can snag a trip yourself, there's no better payoff than loading up on these beauties!!! 2
CanuckSARTech Posted April 12, 2015 Author Posted April 12, 2015 interesting! last time rob mentioned them, they were still in cuba. he is on the flight (i've been sending footy scores up to the last minute) but we have scheduled a vid on monday. it will be discussed. I do believe so, but I believe locked up somewhere. It wasn't at our mutual friend's house, to the best of my knowledge.
Ken Gargett Posted April 12, 2015 Posted April 12, 2015 thanks. we have a vid this arvo so will check. hope to be there in september.
Hunter1974 Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 That's one of the coolest things I have ever seen !
Ken Gargett Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 I do believe so, but I believe locked up somewhere. It wasn't at our mutual friend's house, to the best of my knowledge. hi keith, rob says still with jose - have an email in to him but have not heard for a while. will keep trying. 1
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