The Finest Exports: Cuban Cigars, Coffee And Rum On Your Havana Holiday

any, the main attraction of Cuba multi centre holidaysa flavour to match the excitement and passion of
are limited to diving, horse riding, city tours and ofthe island’s people.
course beach relaxation, but have you everTouring Cuba’s coffee plantations gives you a
considered making the island’s main exportsreal insight into the care that goes into creating an
– Cuban rum, coffee and the legendary cigarsaromatic and rich product. The fertile Caribbean soils
an attraction in their own right? For most, Cubanand warm sunshine ensure that the beans are rich,
coffee, rum and cigars are just products to befull bodied and flavourful by the time they reach your
picked up from duty free, or off street vendors tocup. This is an excellent product to take home with
be taken home as souvenirs, but they can also be anyou, as Cuba’s coffee beans are not widely
integral part of your Cuba itinerary.available outside the island.
Have you ever wanted to wander through the fertileCuban Rum
Vuelta Abajo tobacco fields, or see how the rumMade from distilling the products of local sugar cane,
from your Mojito was born? Read on to discoveraged for up to 15 years, getting the perfect drink of
how you can get closer to the Cuban coffee, rumCuban rum is an art that’s been perfected by
and cigars on your trip.the islanders over the last 130-odd years. Matusalem
Cuban cigarsrum, first produced 132 years ago and still made by
Aside from its revolutionary history, Cuban cigars arethe same family has the right philosophy. The name
what the island is best known for. Casual observersMatusalem comes from the Biblical figure of
will probably be unaware that all Cuban cigars do notMathuselah, who lived to 969 years old – a
have similar properties, however. Likewry commentary on the desired age of the perfect
France’s various wine regions, which allow forcask.
different characteristics from the grapes,Other brands offer various different experiences, and
Cuba’s different cigar regions create a veryit’s worth sampling a few to find a favoured
different smoke from each source.brand. Varadero rum is made from sugarcane near
As well as seeing where the Cuban cigar tobacco issouth coast resort, and boasts a dark, sweet,
grown first hand, those on holiday in Havana cancaramel style flavour. Havana Club’s various
arrange to tour an actual factory where the productsvarieties, on the other hand keeps the sweet tones
are rolled! Cuban cigars are still rolled traditionally byof the sugar with a slight hint of vanilla and the
hand, and visitors will also be able to take in one ofsuggestion of wood spice or tobacco from the
the oldest traditions – as the manager readsbarrels. Sampling the various flavours and varieties
to the workers from the latest newspaper.– either in cocktails or neat, is amongst our
Finally, of course, buying the cigars you have justfavourites of Cuba’s activities!
witnessed being produced is a delightful little pleasure.One Cuba itinerary highlight vital for those on a
You can be sure the same level of attention labouredHavana holiday is the Havana rum museum, which will
on the factory floor is in every puff you inhale!provide a fascinating insight into the history of this
It’s possible to follow the tobacco from itsfamous drink, as well as providing free samples of
entire journey – plant to box – on athe finished product to help you make your mind up
Cuba multi centre holiday.over which variety is right for you!
Cuban coffeeSo alongside the various Cuba activities that you
Cuba has been producing world class coffee for overtravel to the island just to do, consider looking
two centuries, but the product has struggled todeeper into the production of tobacco, rum and
match the international recognition of thecoffee. Exploring the island’s most popular
island’s cigars and rum. Cuba’s coffeeexports is a fascinating and memorable part of any
is actually a distinctly underrated commodity, and hasCuba multi centre holiday.