Watch the attention to detail as each band is placed on the cigar and all cigars are again checked before shipment. While on the Rocky Patel Trip I had the fortune of visiting both Honduras and Nicaragua for an incredible experience. In this video you can take a look into each factory and see how the final presentation process is done.
Nicaragua was a bonus part of the trip as some unexpected events occurred during our stay. Rocky Patel’s Autumn Collection, Patel Brothers, and 1961 cigars are made in their new factory in Esteli with AJ Fernandez. I’ll be sharing more videos from Esteli with you soon!
While on the Rocky Patel Trip in Honduras, I had the fortune of taking a tour through a cigar box factory. Looking through and seeing just how much hands on work is involved added a new perspective and more appreciation to the presentation and experience of our cigars.
In this video you will experience the factory as I did, walking through and watching everyone at work handling one item at a time. Every detail is done by hand and with a beautiful finish. I hope you get as much from this video as I did with the experience.
One of the greatest experiences I walked away with on the Rocky Patel Trip was blending my own cigar. Tobacco from various places of the world were made available to consider for the blend. As this was my first attempt at a blend, I went for a Nicaraguan puro and played with the different strengths and smells of each tobacco made available out of Nicaragua. After deciding my blend, I was excited in the moment not knowing what would come next.
And what was next was amazing; they were going to roll the first cigar of our personally selected blend right then and there. Wow- what an experience to select your tobacco, then watch as the cigar is constructed right before your eyes and handed to you to enjoy.
Now this is one style of rolling presented in the video, and how it is done in the Honduras factory. Later on I’ll be showing you another rolling method done purely by hand without the assistance of a rolling mechanism, and with the classic Cuban style triple cap for the cigar. This other style was how it was done at the factory in Nicaragua, so be on the look out for that video soon.
First, this video begins where the previous video left off, adding some notes about tobacco sorting.
Then we get to the stripping- and this is proof that I am not a stripper! It takes more than strength to strip the tobacco (all strength tears it as you’ll see here). These ladies do an incredible job, quickly and perfectly each and every time (which is much more than I can say about us!).
While on the Rocky Patel trip in Honduras, Nimish and Gustavo explained the importance of sorting and the details that are looked into to maintain quality control.
Once the tobacco leaves arrive and go through fermentation, the leaves are sorted by texture, color, and size. The texture of the tobacco changes between seco, viso, and ligero which assists in keeping the tobacco sorted properly.
I’ll be posting pictures in just a moment for a more in depth look, be sure to check back in.
While in Honduras for the Rocky Patel trip, Nimish Desai presented us with many great lessons in the Tobacco process. In this video, you can gain an understanding of the fermentation process.
If you ever make it to a factory and experience the process first hand… wow is that ever an experience. You may find an even stronger appreciation for your cigars when you experience all that they go through and all the people involved.
Fortunately for you in this case the smell experienced cannot be shared from video or photos. But I think you’ll get an idea of what it was like from this video. Enjoy.
While in Honduras for the Rocky Patel tour, Nimish Desai presented us with a great lesson in Tobacco. In this video you will gain a perspective on the time and steps that are taken in the process of growing tobacco and getting the leaves ready for the factory.
This video guides you through the early stages of tobacco from the time the seeds are planted to the point they are taken into the fields. Everything is done by hand with great care to produce the healthiest tobacco plants possible.
Our host, Nimish, gives us a better understanding of the process as well as just how many people are involved.
I will be posting more videos and pictures of this incredible experience. More updates are on the way so you can see the making of a cigar from a seed to the moment it is placed in the box for shipment.
This was literally paradise. The trip began as we flew into Tegucigalpa, Honduras. A bus was waiting for us at the airport, complete with cigars and beer for the 2 1/2 hour drive to Danli where the factory and tobacco fields were. Our home during this visit was just past Danli in Paraiso.
The first day was spent sitting by the pool with endless rum, beer, and cigars available to us. Now this is a vacation. The hospitality was above and beyond. I highly recommend everyone go on the Rocky Patel Trip. Your appreciation of cigars will increase dramatically with the experience.
This video gives you a look inside what we called home. When we first arrived I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was told it would be dorm style sleeping arrangements, which made me think a giant room of bunk beds. But no- everything was very nice! There are three beds to a room, a bathroom for each, and air conditioning units in every other room, but the air flows through them all. It was perfectly cozy (not to mention the naps outside by the pool).
I’ll be releasing more videos that walk you through the process, from the seed that is planted to the cigar being placed in the box for shipment. Stay tuned on the blog for all the updates and photos also to come.
Thank you to everyone at Rocky Patel for such an amazing visit- you took care of us like a part of the family, and that will not be forgotten.
On our way to Danli, the school bus in front of us... yes!
mmmm.... breakfast!
hanging out at the pool- funny shot, looks like he\'s threatening her eye.. but he isn\'t! Just a funny moment to catch, lol.
a cigar and cocktail while having my nails done... love it!
more coffee, very much welcomed. nom!
just an interesting thing... it isn\'t real, just a toy- but one of those what\'s going on there kind of pictures.
