".....I can't help hearing the lyrics to an old Jimmy Buffett tune playing in my head as the bus barrels down the winding blacktop of the Pan-American Highway, carrying a jovial band of U.S. visitors from Honduras's true capital, Tegucigalpa, to its cigar-making capital, Danlí. "Banana Republic," now a common pejorative for any impoverished tropical nation run by despots, was originally coined for Honduras, after all, and years after its domination by American fruit companies and its period as a hotbed of revolution in the Cold War years it is still easy to see why. The political travails of the 1980s left in their wake a democratic government, but poverty is still widespread, as evidenced by the shacks and shanties, some built right on the sides of mountains, along the road, and by the steady stream of natives who approach our vehicle at every stop sign, peddling trinkets and snacks. Nevertheless, this nation's people are proud: they work hard and without complaint, and these qualities have made Hondurans renowned in cigar making circles as possibly the most skilled workers outside of Cuba.
Honduras is Central America's pre-eminent cigar producer, placing second in the U.S. market behind the Dominican Republic and still outpacing its neighbor, Nicaragua, by a fairly wide margin. And yet, this nation has always had something of an image problem, the problem, specifically, being a lack of an image. Many cigars made in Honduras have long enjoyed a reputation for quality, but the nation itself has been slow in defining its own identity, possibly because, with some notable exceptions, the cigars are not characterized predominantly by Honduran-grown tobacco but instead by multi-nation blends. Perceptions are changing, however, as the American public grows more savvy about not just the cigars themselves, but the men behind them, men with generations of tobacco-growing and cigar-making experience to bring to bear. The truth is, whether they are working behind the scenes for other companies, heading up their own boutique brands, or plying their trade for large corporations, the cigar masters of Honduras are adding to an impressive legacy....."
"....down to the Banana Republics....
down to the tropical sun....
go the expatriated Americans....
hoping to find some fun....."
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Those words may seem familiar to you if you recall them being sung by Jimmy Buffett. Haven't you dreamt of shedding the work shoes and lounging barefoot on a sugar-white sand beach ... staring at ice blue waters ... with a great drink, a great cigar ... catching the wafting scent of cocoa-butter in the warm humid breeze?
Keep dreaming, you'll get there someday!
In the meantime, you can enjoy the drink and the great cigar if you come to the Smoke Ring on May 15, 2008 for a fantastic cigar tasting!
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Come and meet Jesus Fuego and his line of cigars. Jesus is a master blender. The Fuego family’s involvement with tobacco dates to 1876. Jesus Fuego has worked with numerous manufacturers. He is often credited as the "mastermind" behind a number of Rocky Patel cigars, including the Vintage 1990 and 1992 and Olde World. Fuego went out on his own last year and introduced his eponymous cigars in December.
Currently there are two J. Fuego blends. Both cigars are multinational blends. The Natural's are a medium strength, spicy blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran filler with a Criollo wrapper. The Corojo No.1's are a fuller bodied blend with tobaccos from Nicaragua, Honduras and Costa Rica. All the tobaccos, Fuego said, are grown specifically for him.
As usual ... there will be the famous and generous "Gerry-packs" featuring J. Fuego cigars, some "freebies", raffles, door prizes, a catered dinner ... just bring the drink of your choice and our bartendress will serve it up for you! Come to the Smoke Ring and enjoy some great cigars and conversations with Jesus Fuego!
SMOKE RING SUGAR LAND
14019 SW FWY #400
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281_265_1387
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May 15, 2008
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5 pm 'till Done
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