A Bunch of Leaves II

  

One of the most important things we teach Tobacconists [getting Certified] is the amazing and unparalleled nature of the premium cigar. Great works of art, crystal, furniture, and architecture are created in less time than a great cigar; and they last lifetimes! …While the destiny of a cigar, through combustion, is to return to dust. Cigar lovers and Tobacconists can appreciate the value of a cigar because there is no other product like it on earth!

 
But few of us have had the opportunity to see cigars and tobacco as HIGH ART (in a way that transcends their use). Many of us have seen extraordinary cigars that seem like sculptures (i.e. bats, pipes, multi-colored figurados), but few of us have actually seen cigar tobacco sculptures. This amazing work of art (and others) were created by Janio Nunez Leal, an artist I had the privilege of meeting in the late ’90s. He sculpts with tobacco and uses only a light infrastructure which he covers with cigar leaf; using hybridized bunching and wrapping techniques he learned as a cigar roller in Cuba.
   
(I must divulge that I have a company called ArtistaCuba which collects and imports (when legal) Cuban art. I met Janio in Havana many years ago and have never gotten over his amazing creations. He was a cigar roller turned master sculptor and I am sure he has never received the acclaim and success he deserved. To my knowledge, no one on the planet has ever accomplished what he has.)
   
Top Picture: Janio Nunez Leal, Alejandro Robaina, and lifesize tobacco sculpture of Winston Churchill, circa 1999.

Jorge Armenteros, CMT

The Butcher, S-CHIP & Our Future

I pulled up to the butchers (Joe & Emil) today and noticed the driveway and landscaping had been completely re-done. It was refreshing and beautiful so I assumed they must have taken on a female partner, or something otherwise evolutionary must have happened. Since they lament the difficulties of finding good help and the future of their family business (they have no children), I don’t expect major face-lifts or cosmetic upgrades at this special little country butcher shop. Yet, when I walked in I couldn’t help but notice how much fun they are now having with a new vacuum sealing machine they recently purchased. They are invigorated with ideas and opportunities to package and brand their meat products; it is quite the sight to see. So, I asked about the face-lift and it seemed only natural to them to invest in their business. While they have limited their shop hours to four days a week, they continue to honor their customers and products with every fiber of their being.

I realized today that I go to the butcher for many of the same reasons my customers go to my stores: they are my ‘Tobacconists’. When I was in college I used to ride the bus to Georgetown Tobacco every Saturday. It was the highlight of my week back then, but now that I am a Tobacconist, I go to the butcher. It seems there must be a deep need in me to connect with people who honor traditions, products, and their customers. Hand crafted products and artisans share special values and community; and this is one of life’s greatest joys, in my opinion.

So, I learned a few lessons today, but the most pertinent comes on the heels of the recent S-CHIP vote. While the battle has really just begun, it is never too late to re-invest. This is the just the beginning of our fight for survival as Tobacconists; but that is OK. The first Sommelier organization did not come to America until the 1950s, so Tobacconists are not that far behind. Over the next few weeks Tobacconist University will have some dramatic and historic announcements, so NOW is time to start crafting our future.

Old World & New: Hecho A Mano Series

I had the pleasure today of going to the butcher. S. Maresca & Sons Fine Meats, in Sergeantsville, NJ. I make the trek over the hills and down the winding country roads as often as possible. It is an extraordinary experience to see two brothers carrying on the family traditions and keeping this honorable profession alive. I won’t wax on about their unbelievable bangers, chorizo, Neapolitan flank steak, or anything else. They are precious artisans: enough said. Joe and Emil are getting along in years, yet they refuse to let anyone else do their work. They refuse to compromise their standards, and that means doing it themselves, the right way.

Today we got to talking about modern times. I complained about people wearing bluetooth earpieces while Joe reminded their assistant that her 10 earrings were fine as long as she didn’t pierce her nose or mouth. Then Emil proceeded to cut me a Porterhouse out of an enormous carcass. He used, what looked like, a hundred year old saw to cut through the bones. In fact, nearly every knife, saw, and butcher block they use is an antique. They still use the tools and knowledge handed down to them from their family and forefathers. And while most people continue to shop in grocery stores and buy processed foods, Joe & Emil admit that they are not great business men because they cannot grow beyond their own talents. But they are great Artists; and even better business men. Like great Cigar and Pipe makers, they labor away to honor their product, their consumer, and their time. Always staying true to an idea or ideal: this is art. Ultimately, they have lives with real value which I feel fortunate to share in.

Every day that goes by, life becomes a little more fast paced, communication a little quicker, and our time a little shorter. There is no better moment to sit back, relax, and have a great cigar than right now.