Anniversario 225
First Tasting
News from Havana
By Stephan von Schilling
On the 24th February 2015, the temperature in Havana was nudging 30C but a cool
evening breeze drifted through the exclusive Cubanacan district where Hunters &
Frankau hosted the first party to mark their 225th anniversary.
Jemma Freeman (M.D.) welcomed UK trade
customers as well as Habanos SA and Tabacuba
colleagues. She introduced the Ramon Allones 225
Anniversario cigar and a rum to match created
by Havana Club. Three of the best rollers at the
Partagas factory were handpicked to roll the cigar
in 2013 and 50,000 of the 50 x 5 ½ puros with
their distinctive cabeza tumbada (dropped head)
arrived in the UK shortly thereafter to begin a two
year resting period.
The brand was a natural choice for Hunters and
Frankau where both David Lewis (Chairman)
and Simon Chase (former Marketing Diractor)
have often spoken about their love of the robustosized Specially Selected. David reminisced about
his first cigar (also a Ramon Allones) which he
smoked aged 17 and seemed equally excited about
his company’s new creation. He revealed that it
wasn’t the first that he had smoked; every three
months since they arrived, the directors have been
carefully sampling the stock to check how it is
maturing.
Rob and Stuart Fox (JJ Fox) both enjoyed the
smoke and Rob noted ‘it’s more powerful than
I expected’ and ‘it tastes like freedom’. Laura
Morkunaite (Alfred Dunhill – Bourdon House) was
impressed the smoothness of the cigar and David
Savona (Cigar Aficionado) liked the balance of the
blend and the size.
The rum served to accompany the cigar was
created by Asbel Morales (Maestro Ronero) at
Havana Club. It was the first time that they had
collaborated on a project of this kind and the 10-20
year old rums used in the blend were meticulously
selected to flavour match the Vuelta Abajo tobacco.
There are only 500 bottles and they will be given
to customers who purchase the wooden humidor
made in Italy and designed by Massimo de Munari
of deArt from Milan. The humidor will hold 100
cigars in four bundles of 25.
As the evening drew to a close there was a
collective sense that this anniversary year will be
a good one for Hunters & Frankau and that the
official launch in London on 19th June, 2015 will
be an event not to be missed.
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