Most of these cigars, if smoked immediately, would bite your tongue with youth. They deserve a little time to age. We eventually summon the fortitude to leave the table, and James and I head to La Casa del Habano at the Marina Hemingway. This is a great little shop, quieter and more modern than the Fifth Avenue one. The manager, Cid Gordon, is knowledgeable and speaks English fluently.
Supply is fantastic here, too.
Gordon, Marvin, James and I meet for a short interview with Manuel Garcia, vice president of Habanos, and James asks if Havana's cigar stores are a higher priority than they've been in the past. Habanos has loaded the shops with great smokes to sell to all the visitors this week. I don't want to give away too much of the interview because it may appear in a future issue of Cigar Aficionado . But Garcia was an interesting subject, direct and intelligent, with vast knowledge of the world market for Havana cigars. We'll try to get out to Pinar del Rio on Friday to see if any blue mold has developed.