Nice Ash!

There were lots of planned events at IPCPR this year but sometimes the best moments happen when it’s not planned. One night I was sitting with Mike Nelson and Bill Campbell (from Leaf and Ale in Knoxville, TN) at Don Leoncio’s cigar bar, the place was packed as it was every other night while we were there. The night before I’d stumbled into Big Easy Daiquiris next door and enjoyed a Hurricane or two (OK, three) and really enjoyed chatting with the bartenders while puffing away on a cigar. I mentioned to Mike and Bill that we should head over there so we began working our way through the crowd. We found a table at the back and sat down and Steve Boyajian and Josh Sarkella (Miami Cigars) joined us, we were the only ones there and the AC was feeling good after being in the sticky New Orleans air. We toasted to good cigars and great friends and chatted amongst ourselves.

We figured we were in a fairly out of the way spot but after about 5 minutes I looked up and Don Pepin Garcia was walking in, followed by Jaime and Janny as well as Guillermo Leon, Jose Ortega and many of their friends. As they found a table we started chatting with Jose Ortega as he worked on his long ash on a La Reloba – he mentioned he was starting to smoke the band but didn’t want to take it off and lose the ash. The ash apparently heard his comment as seconds later it fell to it’s death on the concrete floor. After a few more minutes of chit-chat one of Pepin’s friends came around with a case of Heineken and began passing out drinks to everyone – time for another toast and a photo opp. This is when we met the beautiful Arielle of La Sirena cigars, she saw us taking the picture and said she wanted to be in it with us. Thanks Arielle, I think we may have looked like a police line-up otherwise.

Everyone was having a great time chatting, drinking, eating and taking pictures when we hear someone start singing. I couldn’t tell what song it was as my Español is very limited, but I was definitely in the minority as many other joined in. Turns out the crooner was Pepin himself, and he was joined by Guillermo Leon and everyone else at the table with them. They sang a couple songs and when it came to Guantanamera I was able to sing one or two lines with them. Fortunately my trusty iPhone was with me and I was able to get some video, we had a great time and it was a lot of fun to spend time with these cigar makers ‘off the clock’ and relaxing with friends. I enjoyed all the events at IPCPR but being at a wobbly table in the back room of a daiquiri bar at the right time provided the most memorable.