James Suckling

>	About Me
>	My Main Blog Page
>	My Blog Archives

Most Recent Posts:

>	The Smoking Respite from a Long Evening of Food and Wine March 13, 2009
>	Hollow Victory for Change in Cuban Travel March 11, 2009
>	Waking up with a Smile in the Morning March 04, 2009

Best Wishes for Mexico City

Posted: 02:03 PM ET, April 30, 2009

I don't envy anyone in Mexico City right now. It looks bad. I would be freaking out. I have a few friends there. One is the BBC correspondent Stephen Gibbs. I used to see him occasionally when he was based in Havana. I wish he was still there and not in DF! I have been following his work everyday online with BBC.

Cuba has banned all flights to and from Mexico at the moment. And I haven¹t heard for how long the suspension will be maintained. I was planning on
flying to Havana via Cancún on May 20 to check on the development of the new Edición Limitadas, but it looks doubtful now. Maybe things will change?

Max Gutmann, the importer for Cuban cigars for all of Mexico, is also stuck there. He says he's fine and just lying low in his house and smoking a few cigars everyday. Sounds good to me. May be the smoke will keep away the germs?

I spoke to another hermano of mine in DF named Alan Becker. He is a land developer with a big project in Cancún called Nizuc. But he has been stuck in Mexico City and can't get out. He is taking consolation with his cigars. Check out the photo he sent me.

I asked him how he was doing, wondering if he was scared or worried. Here is what he answered:

"I'm not scared at all, just desperate since all the city feels like a ghost town," he wrote. "The restaurants and bars are closed. Streets are empty. It makes me wonder how many people spend their lives not enjoying cigars to avoid health problems, and they die from flu.

"On the other hand at these moments is when you think a lot about enjoying life and living it to the fullest," he added. "We are all so vulnerable.
What a better way to meditate about these questions we all have than smoking a good cigar. I am smoking a Bolivar Edicion Exclusivo for France right now."

Alan is a true Cigar Aficionado. I wish him and everyone else in Mexico City the very best.

(3 comments on this post) Submit your comments >

Reader Comments

User Name: James Simonson, San Francisco Posted: 02:39 AM ET, May 02, 2009

James - I love your blog and articles in CA. I have a question: Is the Trinidad Robusto T the same as the Trinidad Robusto Extra? I just read the "T" may be your go-to cigar (CA June 2009). I can only find the "Extra" online. Thanks, James

User Name: James Suckling Posted: 08:07 AM ET, May 03, 2009

Thanks man. No. I am taking about the new Trinidad Robusto that is coming out on the market soon. The Robsuto Extra is an old release and longer than a normal robusto.

User Name: Joseph Busso Posted: 01:34 AM ET, May 12, 2009

Just returned from a great vaction from Mexico and do hope that people realize that many parts of the country are still very safe.Also smoked some great cigars there!

Submit your comments

Access to ratings and tasting notes for more than 12,000 cigars
Sneak previews of the best cigar ratings from Cigar Aficionado magazine - weeks before they are released to the public.
Plus: The twice-monthly Cigar Insider newsletter, with exclusive cigar news and extensive cigar ratings, many of which will never appear in Cigar Aficionado magazine.