Of all of the new generation of Havanas introduced since 1996, none has attracted more comment than Trinidad
Also there is the question of its history. A new brand with a history sounds like a contradiction in terms but, although Trinidad was first sold to the public as recently as February 1998, it was already a legend shrouded inveils of mystery, some of which persist to this day.
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SecretHis secret lay hidden for over two decades. It fell to James Suckling of Cigar Aficionado magazine, following his first visit to El Laguito in February 1992, to announce Trinidad to an unsuspecting world. By that time, Cohiba had been on public sale for ten years. Lara told Suckling that Fidel Castro. by then a non-smoker, no longer gave Cohibas with as gifts but preferred to offer the more exclusive Trinidads instead. The story appeared in Cigar Aficionado's premier issue and sparked immediate interest from the public in what was, without doubt, the world's least accessible cigar. Lara's explanation held sway until two years later when Suckling along with his boss, Marvin Shanken, obtained their long-awaited interview with Castro. A full report was published in the August 1994 issue of Aficionado. Many topics were covered but when Shanken asked the Cuban leader about Trinidad, his reply was "Trini-what?", or words to that effect. He did not know the brand and his gifts were then and always had been Cohibas. Clearly Lara had embellished the truth as far as his brainchild brand was concerned. |
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Nevertheless Trinidad did exist. It was being made at El Laguito and it was being given to visiting diplomats. So the question became - if Fidel Castro was not behind it, who in his Government was? This remains a mystery. The next chapter of the Trinidad story began in October 1994, when Maryin Shanken obtained a small quantity of diplomatic Trinidads for tasting at his Dinner of the Century in Paris. to Those lucky enough to be present at this $1,000 per head spectacular were impressed by the cigar's rich, earthy flavour much more in the style of a Partagas than the Cohiba Lanceros, which it matched in size. However many felt that the taste would be better suited to a heavier girth cigar. |
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The Trinidad tasting panel at El Laguito in November 1997 |
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The first shipment of the new cigar reached Britain just before Christmas that year and soon attracted acclaim from smokers. No less an aficionado than London Cigar Merchant Edward Sahakian commented,
With such praise, it is hardly surprising that stocks of this prized cigar remain short |