// By Richard // On March, 08th 2010 // 9:47 am

The 80th Geneva International Motor Show: A successful start to a promising week!
Some 287,000 visitors have passed through the halls of Palexpo since the 80th Geneva International Motor Show was officially opened last Thursday (04th March) by Mrs. Doris Leuthard, President of the Swiss Confederation. These visitors braved some dreadful weather conditions to discover more than 100 World and European Premiers. The Show will remain open until March 14, 2010.
Following the attendance of 10,000 media representatives from all over the world, it is the general public’s turn to enjoy the celebration of premiers during the 11 public days of the 80th edition of the Geneva International Motor Show. In spite of the cold and snowy conditions outside, visitors took advantage of the weekend to enjoy an exciting presentation of the cars of today and of tomorrow.
A large number of new models, prototypes, and concept cars presented at the Motor Show showed the trend toward a future of more ecological and economical automobiles. Many specialists and luxury marques, whose presence has always been a special attraction of the Show, presented a number of streamlined concept car designs with powerful engines that also incorporate alternative energy technologies.
The GPC Motorsport team, French Champions in 2009, will bring together a number of motor sport personalities during the second week of the Motor Show. This will include the World Touring Car Champion, Yvan Muller, the Swiss racers Alain Menu, Jean-Denis Deletraz, and Olivier Gillet, plus the rally driver Patrick Henry, French Champion in 2007 and vice-champion in 2009. They will be visiting at the GPC Motorsport stand in Hall 7, which is also dedicated to exhibitions of accessories, preparation specialists, and equipment suppliers.
There is one more week to enjoy the 80th edition of the Motor Show, which runs until Sunday, March 14, 2010.
(www.salon-auto.ch)

You can see:
Official Site of the 2010 Geneva Car Show

Add your comment

// By Richard // On March, 03rd 2010 // 10:34 am

We wish to congratulate Mr. Tanner, Director of INTERTABAK Ag, winner in the Business category of 'Habanos Man of the Year' awards. The award was presented at the Gala evening of this year's Festival del Habano, Havana, Cuba 26th Feb. Other awards handed out that night - the Production category 'Best Habano Cigar of the Year' went to Cuban Raul Valladares, representing TARACUBA, for Communication, to Spanish Jose Ribagorda of ALTADIS.

Another reason to only purchase from official Habanos Retailers physically located in Switzerland. Remember, all these phony sites claiming to be located in Geneva's Free Zone are not supplied by InterTabak, so who knows what you will be smoking!

You can see:
InterTabak Ag - Official Habanos S.A. Importer for Switzerland
Habanos S.A. - Latest news from the Festival

Add your comment

// By Richard // On February, 27th 2010 // 2:40 pm

Have been at the festival for the first time in a while and it was crazy as usual. Lots of smokes, good company and able to feel guilt free in an atmosphere where people truly love their cigars. A highlight for me as always was the trip to the plantations. Anyone who is a fan of cigars or wine has to do this - go and see how it's all done from the planting of the seed to ending up in your mouth! The rich tobacco flavour from the fields was just divine.

There was another attempt by Habanos to try and woo the ladies with slender, light cigars this year. I always feel women enjoy a cigar because it's a sign of equality. If they've taken the trouble to try and smoke cigars they don't want to be singled out for special treatment do they?? There are plenty of light cigars (if that is what women want) out there as well as long thin ones already out there. Just another market which they have yet to crack I guess.

Back in sensible Switzerland now. Happy smoking!!

Add your comment

// By David // On February, 16th 2010 // 6:03 pm

Monday 22/02:

Preliminary Habanosommelier (Room 5, by invitation).
Inauguration of the Fair-related Exhibition.
Preliminary: Alliance Habanos/Tequila
Welcome Evening. Gran Teatro de La Habana.
Presentation of launches 2010.
Exclusive concert of Maestro Chucho Valdés and guest musicians.
Welcome Cocktail: Carpentier Room of the Gran Teatro de La Habana.


Tuesday 23/02:

Visit to Vuelta Abajo plantations, Pinar del Río.


Wednesday 24/02:

Inauguration of the International Seminar. Main commercial results of Habanos, s.a. in 2009. Novelties 2010. Mr. Manuel García Morejón, Commercial Vice-president Habanos, s.a.
Master conference: “How to date Habanos boxes?”, by Mr. Simon Chase.
Master class on the technique of rolling a Habano totally by hand. ”How to make a Laguito No. 2”? Conducted by Mr. Arnaldo Ovalles, Director of El Laguito factory.
Lunch at “El Bucán” restaurant.
“Flavors and aromas”: Combinations of Habanos with coffee, Armagnac, Brandy, Cuban rums and other products (Rooms 5, 6 and 7)
Evening: “Women in Habanos”. Presentation of a new size specially dedicated to women. Museo de Bellas Artes (Museum of Fine Arts).


Thursday 25/02:

Visit to Habanos factories La Corona and El Laguito
Lunch at “El Bucán” restaurant.
Panel Habanos-Vintage, conducted by Mr. James Suckling (Room 4).
Final Habanos/Tequila Alliance. Conducted by Mr. Adargelio Garrido of Habanos, s.a. and Mr. Ramón González of the Tequila Regulatory Council.
Private screening of “Cosi” with the presence of the Director Christopher Menaul, the producer Stephen Evans and the actresses Sarah Brightman and Mia Maestro.


Friday 26/02:

Final of the Habanosommelier Contest.

You can see:
James Suckling's diary

Add your comment

// By Richard // On February, 08th 2010 // 10:24 am

After the in and out's of court of the last couple of year's, can the America's Cup ever be the same again. Gone are the days of honorable confrontations between different nations finest Navy ships and come are the days of the 'rich boys' whims and temper tantrums. After the farce of the Challenge process for the 33rd America's Cup, does anyone actually care who now wins this personal 'tit for tat' between the rich Swiss upstart and the soured American tycoon? Do other people have the same impression as I, that we have simply become an outside audience to someone else's private party? With the Face Off programmed to start on the 10th Feb in Valencia, Spain, I am sure we can still expect a number of twists and turns before we actually see the Alinghi and BMW Oracle Racing boats line up to race. Perhaps a Dom Perignon dink off between the two men or a demolition derby with Bugatti Veyrons? Time will tell if this great human sporting challenge can rise above the selfish interests of a couple of spoiled boys.

You can see:
Alinghi web site
33rd America's Cup
BMW Oracle Racing web site

Add your comment

// By Richard // On February, 01st 2010 // 2:50 pm

Having just reviewed our favorite smokes of 2009, the questions begs; how do you rate a great cigar? Is a great cigar a cigar that is expensive, rare or produced in very limited quantities? Does it's intended status of rare or limited guarantee it to be a great cigar? My personal belief is no. I have smoked many cigars that were produced in very limited series or were only produced for one specific event (Dinner of the Century, Habanos Festival, etc..) and they have not been great smokes and in many cases, these tended to be pretty average smokes. Does a properly aged cigar guarantee a great smoke? Again, difficult to say yes or no. The positive side is that when you smoke an aged cigar you will get the bouquet intended by the blend master when the blend was developed. But most people palates are not tuned to the subtlety of aged blends and find them light and lacking in depth. An aged cigar can be frustrating as they often suffer from draw problems. The criteria we used for classifying a great smoke is simple; Was it a memorable smoking occasion? I believe that the cigar itself is one aspect of this experience and it is the environmental influences that make the smoke great or not. I have smoked many regular production cigars that have been memorable experiences because of whom I smoked with and where and why I was smoking. On the other hand I have smoked special cigars (limited lines or aged) that have given me the ultimate 'Cigar smoke'. My belief is that there are special cigars and that there are special smokes. Both bring different pleasures and both could qualify as being great. Your memory will dictate which of the above ticks the boxes for your idea of great. Give us your thoughts.

Add your comment

// By Richard // On January, 29th 2010 // 4:06 pm

The Cuban cigar company Cubatabaco has won a court order enjoining General Cigar from continuing to use the COHIBA trademark in the United States.

Federal judge Robert W. Sweet, of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, issued the injunction on December 14, 2009.

COHIBA is the world’s most famous and coveted cigar. It is sold everywhere except the United States, where the U.S. embargo on trade with Cuba prevents its sale. General Cigar, a major U.S. cigar company, sells a Dominican-made cigar under the COHIBA name in the United States.

In issuing the injunction, Judge Sweet found that, at the beginning of the cigar boom in the United States in 1992, “General Cigar selected COHIBA for a new product in order to exploit the reputation and goodwill of the Cuban COHIBA” in the United States. Judge Sweet additionally found that General Cigar “continues to profit from the Cuban COHIBA’s goodwill” in the U.S.

General Cigar has stated that it will appeal Judge Sweet’s decision. Under the terms of the injunction, General Cigar is permitted to sell its Dominican-made cigars under the COHIBA name until its appeal is decided.

Judge Sweet still has before him Cubatabaco’s claim to recover the profits General Cigar has obtained since 1992 by exploiting the COHIBA’s reputation. No date has been set yet for proceedings on Cubatabaco’s claim.

Michael Krinsky and David Goldstein, of the New York law firm Rabinowitz Boudin Standard Krinsky & Lieberman, P.C., the U.S. attorneys for Cubatabaco, said today that “Judge Sweet’s decision fully vindicates the fundamental principle that a company cannot be permitted to reap what it has not sowed, that it cannot be permitted to exploit the goodwill and reputation of another company’s product.”

Judge Sweet found that the COHIBA’s unique reputation for excellence is so strong that the U.S. consumer “primarily associates the designation COHIBA with the Cuban COHIBA,” even though the COHIBA cannot be sold in the United States. Judge Sweet found that this lead General Cigar to “to plagiarize the mark” by “intentional copying.”
Judge Sweet’s decision is the latest round in a 12 years litigation over the COHIBA trademark in the United States.

For further information, contact:

Adargelio Garrido
Cuban Attorney for Cubatabaco
(Habanos.com)

Add your comment

// By Richard // On January, 27th 2010 // 4:17 pm

Following a busy Christmas and New Year, we saw that there were delays with deliveries times during these high volume, holiday periods. Although this is beyond our control and to be expected at this time of the year, we would like to thank you all for your patience, good nature and understanding. Apart from a few members, who seemed under the impression that TopCubans.com could some how influence the workings of Postal systems round the world, your realism and and serenity was a breath of fresh air in this age of 'blame someone else'. This attitude has re-energized our belief in the TopCubans.com Club and its memebers round the world. We look forward to a special year and hope you will join us on this ride. Enjoy and good smoking!

Add your comment

// By David // On January, 15th 2010 // 4:22 pm

Hi everyone,

I'm David and I'm new to the team here at TopCubans. I thought it be appropriate to introduce myself to everyone, my background, how I know Richard and my take on the world of cigars!

I've been travelling and working in and around Cuba for the last 18 months since graduating from university 2 years ago.

Richard an old family friend here in Switzerland gave me the idea of Cuba and Central America as an interesting place to visit for someone who has spent most of their time in Western Europe and the States! If I'm honest I did not have Richard's passion for cigars before I went, but spending a solid 9 months in Cuba and then also Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica and Mexico gave me a real first-hand insight into the effort that goes into the making of a hand-rolled cigar and also the great variety of tastes and blends on offer. A passion was born!

Through Richard I spent 9 enjoyable months working as an intern for Habanos in the heart of Havana, learning about the different brands, eventually spending some time at the H. Uppman factory which is of course where they make the most popular brand, that of Montecristo. I am a huge fan, so apologies in advance for any bias I show to the Monte brands!

For any passionate cigar smoker Cuba is a delight so my first piece of advice I will give on these pages is to get over there for a holiday. It's a beautiful and enchanting place, with great people, great food and the best of the best cigars!

I think the most important thing in this multi-cultural world is to keep an open mind and a willingness to learn. Curiosity drives passion which makes for a truly enjoyable life. The happiest people I know are the ones who have passions, whether that be sports, travelling, train-spotting or cigar smoking!

I look forward to getting to know you and to sharing our passion and experiences with each other. Richard and I are hitting the slopes this weekend so need to go and make up a box to take up in the travel humidor. a few Monte Edmundos'll be in there for sure!

I would like to make a toast, a cigar toast to the pursuit of happiness - cheers!

David

Add your comment

// By Richard // On December, 30th 2009 // 12:02 pm

On behalf of the entire TopCubans.com team, I would like to wish you and your family a wonderful New Year and hope that 2010 will bring all your wishes to fruition.

Make the most of our current New Year offers, as well as -15% across all regular production full boxes and designated Sample packs.

Enjoy,
Richard

Add your comment