CONNOISSEUR’s Cuban September

CONNOISSEUR’s September programme brought together two perspectives on Cuban cigar culture: a tasting of a limited Hoyo de Monterrey vitola and a practical exploration of how authentic Habanos can be identified. The aesthetics of tasting met precise expertise.

On September 9, club residents gathered at the 19/72 lounge in Moscow to discover Hoyo de Monterrey Monterreyes No. 4 Edición Limitada 2021, a rare limited release from one of Cuba’s classic cigar brands.

The story of the release began in 2020, when the cigar was presented during the first virtual Habanos World Days festival, organised amid the pandemic. Monterreyes No. 4 became one of the releases that continued to attract the particular interest of connoisseurs.

The cigar is made in the factory format Maravillas No. 4, measuring 145 millimetres with a ring gauge of 55. During the tasting it was described as delicate and elegant, with gentle woody and creamy notes and no aggressive strength.

On September 26, the Cuban theme continued with a gathering devoted to recognising counterfeits. The session was led by Sergey Neyman, head of the non-profit Prestige Club and co-owner of Portovino Cigar Lounge & Bar.

Using an electronic microscope and an ultraviolet lamp, the expert demonstrated the security features used on tax stamps and cigar bands, as well as the details worth examining when verifying Habanos.

Members studied microprinting, holograms, layers of gold embossing on Cohiba Behike bands and the characteristics of Cuban bunching and rolling. The practical format revealed nuances that cannot be assessed confidently with the unaided eye.

The two very different gatherings formed a coherent September programme: an attentive tasting revealed the character of a rare cigar, while expert discussion offered a deeper understanding of why authenticity matters so much in cigar culture.

CONNOISSEUR’s Cuban September was a reminder that true enjoyment of a cigar begins with attention — both to its flavour and to its origin.