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Yvonne Rodríguez

Yvonne Rodríguez

Heading Back to Cuba for the Third Time, But it Felt Like the First

Anyone who has ever visited Cuba knows that each trip begins the minute the plane touches ground. Clapping and cheers are heard throughout the plane. Passengers anxiously awaiting to reunite with family members and travelers excited to experience Cuba firsthand. My twin sister and I own a cigar brand based in Miami, Fl.—Tres Lindas Cubanas Cigars. Accompanied by a group of cigar enthusiasts, we planned a trip to Cuba for the annual Habano Cigar Festival. Our itinerary included a day tour to Pinar del Rio, to visit the Robaina tobacco farm, a personal favorite. We shared the road with plenty of horses and ox-drawn carriages, passing mogotes, colorful houses and endless tobacco farms along the way. We shared a couple of our personal cigars with the local vegueros in hopes of some positive feedback on our cigar blends. We kept asking after they took long puffs, “Do you like it?” The usual response was, “Yes, but it’s not Cuban.” You have to love the Cuban attitude. Although our personal brand is made in Nicaragua, we hope to one day collaborate with them. The miles of red soil is spectacular. Here in the States, my sister and I attend many cigar...