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The last band I put together was in 2011. It took about 3 months of 3 nights a week rehearsals before I thought we were ready to play out. Talented players, present company excluded. 😬 5 months later, I was already sick of the drama. .. Can you imagine being trapped in a hotel room with 3 other guys for 8 years? “You sniffled, @JohnS. You know how much I HATE the sound of your sniffles?!!!” Ugh. The Liverpool lads were much better men than I could ever be.

No doubt you are aware that Peter Jackson, the director who brought us the Lord of the Rings Trilogy to the silver screen in the early 2000s, and who spent nearly four years editing the original video and audio from the documentary footage of the Beatles rehearsing and creating songs for a live concert and album initially titled, 'Get Back'. That undertaking by Peter Jackson became a near 8 hour, 3-part documentary series, released in 2021, that was much better critically acclaimed and received than the original 80 minute film by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, released in the aftermath of the announcement of the break-up of the Beatles in May, 1970. I watched Michael Lindsay-Hogg's film in an independent, retro movie theater near the CBD in Sydney, Australia in 1992 and I remember thinking that it didn't make the band members look as 'jovial' as the comedy film from the mid-1960s, those being 'A Hard Day's Night' and 'Help!'. I suppose Lindsay-Hogg was hampered by the cut he was instructed to release by McCartney, Harrison and Starr who all objected to the extra footage of John and Yoko in the initial cut of the film in July 1969. That initial cut was 1 hour longer. According to Michael Lindsay-Hogg: "There was much more stuff of John and Yoko, and the other three didn't really think that was appropriate because they wanted to make it a 'nicer' movie. They didn't want to have a lot of the dirty laundry, so a lot of it was cut down." Peter Jackson's documentary series famously put the conflicts in the project into a larger context, and so it showed a lot more camaraderie amongst the band members than Lindsay-Hogg's original film. “LET IT BE” – AT LAST Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s Original 1970 Film About The Beatles, Meticulously Restored by Peter Jackson’s Team at Park Road Post Production to Launch Exclusively on Disney+ May 8, 2024 BURBANK, Calif. (April 16) – Today, Disney+ announced that “Let It Be,” director Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s original 1970 film about The Beatles, will launch exclusively on Disney+ May 8, 2024. This is the first time the film is available in over 50 years. First released in May 1970 amidst the swirl of The Beatles’ breakup, “Let It Be” now takes its rightful place in the band’s history. Once viewed through a darker lens, the film is now brought to light through its restoration and in the context of revelations brought forth in Peter Jackson’s multiple Emmy Award®-winning docuseries, “The Beatles: Get Back.” Released on Disney+ in 2021, the docuseries showcases the iconic foursome’s warmth and camaraderie, capturing a pivotal moment in music history. “Let It Be” contains footage not featured in the “Get Back” docuseries, bringing viewers into the studio and onto Apple Corps’ London rooftop in January 1969 as The Beatles, joined by Billy Preston, write and record their GRAMMY Award®-winning album Let It Be, with its Academy Award®-winning title song, and perform live for the final time as a group. With the release of “The Beatles: Get Back,” fan clamour for the original “Let It Be” film reached a fever pitch. With Lindsay-Hogg’s full support, Apple Corps asked Peter Jackson’s Park Road Post Production to dive into a meticulous restoration of the film from the original 16mm negative, which included lovingly remastering the sound using the same MAL de-mix technology that was applied to the “Get Back” docuseries. Michael Lindsay-Hogg says, “’Let It Be’ was ready to go in October/November 1969, but it didn’t come out until April 1970. One month before its release, The Beatles officially broke up. And so the people went to see ‘Let It Be’ with sadness in their hearts, thinking, ‘I’ll never see The Beatles together again. I will never have that joy again,’ and it very much darkened the perception of the film. But, in fact, how often do you get to see artists of this stature working together to make what they hear in their heads into songs. And then you get to the roof and you see their excitement, camaraderie and sheer joy in playing together again as a group and know, as we do now, that it was the final time, and we view it with full understanding of who they were and still are and a little poignancy. I was knocked out by what Peter was able to do with ‘Get Back,’using all the footage I’d shot 50 years previously.” “I’m absolutely thrilled that Michael’s movie, ‘Let It Be,’ has been restored and is finally being re-released after being unavailable for decades,” says Peter Jackson. "I was so lucky to have access to Michael’s outtakes for 'Get Back,’ and I’ve always thought that ‘Let It Be’ is needed to complete the ‘Get Back’ story. Over three parts, we showed Michael and The Beatles filming a groundbreaking new documentary, and ‘Let It Be’ is that documentary – the movie they released in 1970. I now think of it all as one epic story, finally completed after five decades. The two projects support and enhance each other: ‘Let It Be’ is the climax of ‘Get Back,’ while ‘Get Back’ provides a vital missing context for ‘Let It Be.’ Michael Lindsay-Hogg was unfailingly helpful and gracious while I made ‘Get Back,’ and it’s only right that his original movie has the last word...looking and sounding far better than it did in 1970.” “Let It Be,” directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, stars John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, with a special appearance by Billy Preston. The film was produced by Neil Aspinall with The Beatles acting as executive producers. The director of photography was Anthony B Richmond. “Let It Be” will debut exclusively on Disney+ May 8, 2024. Source: https://www.thebeatles.com/let-it-be-last

I partly agree. NC's are not inferior imitations but taste-wise I am not aware of ANY NC's that comes close (not even a bit) to a CC, so I kind of agree with the German court.

A number of us love ideas for creating our personal, dream Cigar Den at home. Check out this article below... A Vibrant Collector’s Paradise And Cigar Lounge In Orlando Apr 18, 2024 - By Garrett Rutledge Manuel Delgado, located in Orlando, Florida, used the space between his house and his garage to create a cigar lounge that serves as a love letter to his many passions. If you imagine a room filled with memorabilia and various collectibles, vivid colors and a contemporary aura likely aren’t the first defining characteristics to come to mind. Your imagination may be more inclined to conjure up visions of a cluttered space with a dated, rugged ambiance. But Manuel Delgado of Orlando, Florida has built a gorgeous cigar room that’s full of bright colors and trendy furnishings, yet it also doubles as a home to an assortment of collectible items and keepsakes. Delgado, a real estate professional originally from Venezuela, built his house back in 2013. Originally there was no cigar room, and last year, Delgado remedied the initial exclusion in a fairly unique way. When the house was constructed he opted to have a detached garage, leaving a roughly 200 square-foot void between it and the main residence. “I told my wife ‘hey this is a great space for a cigar room,’” says Delgado. “She allowed me.” He conceptualized a design for the room with the help of his son, who studies architecture. By September of last year, after six months of permit approval, framing walls and adding a roof, the Casablanca Lounge, as Delgado calls it, was complete. The decor of Delgado's room jumps out, but don't let it distract you from his fine, and deep, inventory of premium cigars. Delgado knew from the beginning he wanted to have a glass garage door as part of the room, offering a trendy look and flexibility depending on the weather conditions. Even so, the weather isn’t much of an issue. “If it’s super hot or super cold, it doesn’t matter,” says Delgado, and not just because of the nice Florida climate but because he has a mini-split heating and cooling system inside the room as well. There’s three entryways in total, including another glass door next to the garage door, as well as a door in the back right corner of the room that leads to Delgado’s actual garage. The front side of the room merges into Delgado’s charming back patio area. For ventilation, Delgado has a smoke extractor and a RabbitAir mounted to the wall. The room is lit via bright LED lights that Delgado opts for when he’s working or looking for a lighter ambiance. When it’s time to kick back, he turns on the warm, retro-style light fixture positioned on the center of the ceiling. The tile flooring is quite unique, and may cause you to double-take at first glance. “People think it’s just carpet and it’s not,” says Delgado. “It looks like an old vintage Moroccan or Spanish flooring.” The subdued tiling seamlessly merges into the muted, light gray-colored walls, which allow for the vivid decor and memorabilia hung throughout to pop and stand out. Delgado deserves some credit, not just for his assortment of collectibles, but for his design capabilities too, as he furnished the room without the help of an interior designer. The harmonious flow of the room with its many trinkets and colors is perhaps the most admirable part of the whole space, especially when you consider that Delgado furnished the entire room on his own, without the help of an interior designer. As you enter the Casablanca Lounge from the front side, where the garage door is located, you see a caramel, grain leather couch in the center of the room, accompanied by a matching-color, grain leather chair with wooden armrests. (Sometimes a second one of these is placed in the room as well.) In the corner between the couch and chair, is a towering, silver, three-level ashtray from Drew Estate that’s hard to miss. At the foot of the resting spots is a light brown, retro-style coffee table that Delgado is particularly fond of. It’s not just the look of the table that earns Delgado's appreciation, but the fact that it has a top level that can extend up and out, allowing him to comfortably sit while working on his laptop. As per any coffee table, a few rotating items take up the real estate atop the structure, notably including a table top cutter, Star Wars memorabilia and a few recent issues of Cigar Aficionado. Various trinkets atop the kitchen cabinets, alive with color, pull your attention in multiple directions. The sharp-eyed aficionado will notice some merchandise from a well-known Drew Estate brand. Over on the right-hand side, mounted to the wall, sits a flat screen television, which, if we had to guess, has played its fair share of the Star Wars franchise. The television hangs above custom-made, azure blue kitchen cabinets, topped with loads of memorabilia and various trinkets. You may spot more Drew Estate merchandise, among other things, on the cabinets (and elsewhere in the lounge) which are fitting for the bold, eccentric aesthetic cultivated in this space. Towards the back wall, a modern retro style dresser with subdued, steel blue drawers and two glass doors, sits below the small window. In this small area, it’s quite hard to focus your full attention on any one particular item. The vinyl record player atop the dresser draws some intrigue, and seems well-suited for this room as a classic item that has seen a resurgence in recent years. Delgado specifically pointed to records from Marvin Gaye and Al Green as some of his favorites to enjoy while smoking a cigar. The contents behind the glass doors of the dresser are quite appealing as well, which includes a stack of vinyl, whisky glasses, branded cigar ashtrays and even a little statue of Carlos Fuente Jr., among other things. This section of Delgado's room encapsulates the theme of this space, from the unique memorabilia to the vivid colors and the marriage between modern and retro styles. The urban, contemporary Star Wars art pieces in this area are unavoidable as well, from the Darth Vader helmet atop the dresser to the paintings on the wall, all done by the same artist, Oriana Gerez. For any true cigar smoker, however, there’s one item that is sure to immediately grab your attention, the classic cigar store Native American statue. Delgado originally found the statue via the help of the nearby Old Fashion Cigar Lounge in St. Cloud. But, when he received the statue, he found it to be mostly unpainted and quite dull-looking. Thankfully, he was soon put in touch with someone who specializes in painting such relics. “The guy came to the room, saw the colors, took it to his house and within a week I had it back with those colors,” says Delgado. If you haven’t caught the drift by now, Delgado is quite the collector—and not just with cigars and whisky. The Orlando resident has an obvious affinity for Star Wars and the science-fiction genre as a whole. The decor was a purposeful show of fandom from Delgado, who takes his passions seriously. He is not alone either, the love for the Star Wars franchise is one he shares with his son, which also includes an extensive Star Wars Lego collection. The father-son duo has an impressive collection of cars as well, but with unfettered loyalty to one popular maker, Porsche. If you step into the 800-square-foot garage from the cigar room, you may need a second to reorient yourself. The vibrant, colorful ambiance is at-once transformed into that of a hardcore racing garage, complete with a black-and-white, checked floor. Plus, you may be caught in awe over Delgado’s lineup of Porsches: 1956 Porsche Speedster, 1982 Porsche 911 SC, 2019 Porsche Cayman 718, 2020 Porsche 911 Carrera S and 2022 Porsche Macan. “We’re all Porsches in the house,” says Delgado, with what almost feels like an understatement. Delgado's enthusiam is certainly bountiful, whether it be seen in his cigar collection or his remarkable lineup of beautiful Porsches. While it’s easy to get lost in all the memorabilia or the beautiful cars, Delgado’s cigar, humidor and spirits collection is equally impressive, if not more so. Over on the left side of the cigar room, a pair of gorgeous, refurbished cabinets, sourced from Asia and the Pacific Rim, serve as the resting place for Delgado’s vast cigars and spirits collection. In total, he estimates he has about 15 humidors on-hand to go with more than 700 cigars. The humidors range from small in stature, holding about 25 smokes, to large 300-cigar vessels. “I don’t keep them all the way full but they are really tight right now,” says Delgado. His selection of fine spirits is no slouch either. The well-versed connoisseur will notice quite a few familiar favorites, from various bottles of Weller to Macallan and Johnnie Walker. Delgado keeps a balanced inventory though, including mezcal, Tequila and various types of rum. For him, it’s more than just the spirit itself. Finding the perfect pairing for a given cigar is a process Delgado thoroughly enjoys. Nearly all of Delgado's passions converge on the left side of the room: cigars, spirits, the science-fiction genre (notice Groot from the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise) and of course, Porsches. During this trial-and-error process, Delgado will pick his cigar, then grab a handful of bottles from a particular spirit category he is in the mood for or thinks is best for the smoke. From here, he likes to engage in a taste-testing process, trying each pairing out until he finds the perfect companion. “Sometimes it’s just experimenting. It’s getting out there and trying it, right?” says Delgado. “That’s how you learn, that’s how you open that flavor profile.” Occasionally, Delgado will opt for a classic cocktail, the Old Fashioned. “We always experiment with different types,” he says. “I’ve done your regular Old Fashioned with Bourbon, I’ve done it with rum and mezcal as well.” The latter combination, though not conventional, is made with a dash of agave to serve as the sweetener. Delgado's humidor collection has slowly grown over the years, but he may have to add more soon as space for more cigars is running thin. Narrowing down a favorite is never easy, but Delgado says some of his go-to cigar brands include La Flor de Las Antillas (or anything from My Father Cigars), Undercrown 10, Arturo Fuente, Padrón and Perdomo. Delgado also keeps Cubans on-hand, and generally has an open mind when it comes to cigars and brands. Overall, he has an extensive and diverse cigar inventory, including some real gems. But as many aficionados know, sometimes having a deep reserve of “special occasion” smokes can become overwhelming. “You know, every once in a while you get a special occasion where you just pop one out and smoke it,” says Delgado. “You never know when your time is up.” He likens the all-too-familiar dilemma to that of fine China collections found, yet seldomly used, in most households, or even to a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 20 that he won at a raffle years back. “I need to open it up on a special occasion, but sometimes you’re out and you’re like ‘man what if it’s today and I’m gone, I better open that thing up,’” says Delgado, with a laugh. “So the day is coming closer to that happening.” A cigar collection like Delgado’s isn’t built overnight. For him, it’s a process that’s been two decades in-the-making. “I started in 2003,” he says. “A buddy of mine said ‘hey, start with a small humidor, you might like it you might not, then you go from there.’” He was also inspired through his work. Delgado was in the banking industry working as an asset manager for a bank owner, of whom was quite fond of the finer, if not exotic things in life. “One day he gave me a Golf Digest and a Cigar Aficionado magazine,” says Delgado, who took a weekend to look them over before attempting to return the periodicals to the owner on Monday. “He was like ‘No, no, no. This is for you to learn, this is going to be part of your business, this is something that’s going to make you thrive. And that’s how I started with cigars.” From that point on, cigars would morph into a personal passion of Delgado’s. “I would buy a box here and there, then all of the sudden you have five humidors, six humidors,” he says. “You think you’re going to stop but you don’t.” Nowadays, he looks to cigars and the beautiful lounge he built for socialization, personal refuge and even professional purposes. “I just dress up and walk over, here I am, that’s my office,” says Delgado, who also uses the place to sometimes host clients. “You’re bringing him to your space, that way you can create that interaction with him.” Delgado (right) finds many uses for his lounge, with the common denominator always being an authentic appreciation for premium cigars. “I always have people over, it’s just a different vibe,” says Delgado, who’s admittedly in the room most days of the week, whether alone or with company. “Everyone who sees it loves it, it’s something different.” As remarkable as the space is, Delgado was keen not to sensationalize himself or the prospect of completing such a project. “Anyone can do it, and I think that’s the most important part.” Source: https://www.cigaraficionado.com/article/a-vibrant-collector-s-paradise-and-cigar-lounge-in-orlando

We let you spend some time in Cali and already you’re thinking vegan.

My favorite hotel/resort has always been The Eden Rock resort on St. Barts. But honorable mention goes to The Jumeirah Hotel in Mallorca. We stayed there a couple of years ago and the service was above and beyond 5 star service. Bar? That's a hard one. I guess the bar at the Versace Mansion was pretty memorable. The bar in Sketch in London is really cool. Going back, I would say maybe Limelight or CBGB. Daniel in NYC has always been my favorite restaurant.

If you live in Colorado, or plan to visit the Rocky Mountains, check out the Durango smoke Shop in Durango... DURANGO SMOKE SHOP - DURANGO, COLORADO April 19, 2024 - Bruce Busch Do yourself a favor when in Colorado and take the Million Dollar Highway south to the utopian village known as Durango. This stretch of road is like nothing you have ever seen. It winds through the mountain tops of the Rockies at 10,000 feet of altitude and gives you a breathtaking perspective on how beautiful this part of the world is to the eye. When you reach Durango, you will experience an incredibly well put together town that has as much beauty in its people as it does the surrounding nature. Right in the middle of Durango lies Durango Smoke Shop, which beyond being a great tobacco shop, is just an overall fun place to be. The centerpiece of Durango Smoke Shop is the owner Courtney Callahan. She will keep you in stitches as you find the smoke of your choice and relax outside on the patio and enjoy the gorgeous surroundings with great company from the regulars. Courtney has a cigar lounge that mimics her cool personality and spontaneous behavior. It is impossible not to have a good time here. After your day on the mountain doing whichever activity you prefer, come down the Million Bucks Highway and visit Durango Smoke Shop. Go in the humidor and grab a stick and let Courtney show you the eclectically designed shop. Find a hidden passageway, pet Charlie the house dog, and retire to the patio and hoot it up with the people. If you do or say something particularly epic, you will wind up in Courtney’s deck journal, immortalized for all time! Source: https://www.cigarjournal.com/durango-smoke-shop-durango-colorado/

Colors look a little off but that could be the camera and the lighting. LCDH band should be burgundy brownish red. Otherwise, I'm not seeing anything evil jumping out here.

VERTIGO OMNI TWIN CUTTER ON THE WAY TO STORES APRIL 19, 2024 - BROOKS WHITTINGTON NEWS, PCA 2024 The Lotus Group is now shipping an all-in-one cutter under its Vertigo brand. Called the Vertigo Omni Twin Cutter, the new accessory is designed with four different cutting options: the first blade is a double guillotine cutter that will cut cigars up to 64-ring gauge, while the second option is an “extra deep” v-cutter that is also able to cut 64-ring gauge cigars. Both of those stainless steel blades are attached to a spring-loaded tray that also locks into place inside of the metal housing of the cutter. The Omni also features two different-sized punch blades that fold out of the ends of the cutter: an 8mm punch is located on the top of the cutter’s body, while a smaller 6mm punch blade extends from the bottom of the cutter. According to Lotus, there are five different exterior color options, all with the same MSRP of $99.95: black, chrome, gunmetal, orange and red. In an email, Rosemary Sharp, president of the Lotus Group, told halfwheel that all five versions of the Omni began shipping to retailers yesterday. April 18. Source: https://halfwheel.com/vertigo-omni-twin-cutter-on-the-way-to-stores/438021/

New players always welcome.

Eh, may be for the best in the end. I feel as though the NC industry’s frequent allusions to Cuba are a relic of the days when NC were widely regarded as inferior imitations, even in America. And, as the Sixers parking attendant told my father when offered a bribe to park in the VIP lot, “those days are over!”

I have 4-5 email addresses in the lottery pool, doubt I'll ever win but you have to try! Great post!

I am thinking about becoming a fruitarian. They believe that fruits and vegetables have feelings and, therefore, only eat fruits and vegetables that have fallen from the plant and are dead or dying.

Looking forward to this weekend series, @JohnS!

You know.....the Greeks invented rum.

The fingertips have a nice even burn going, nice ash - good construction. 🤪

2021 rosado N1 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Artist: Agustin Fernandez, Cuban (1928 - 2006) Title: Cigar and Cigar Hand Medium: Mixed Media Metal Sculpture

El Legado de Cueto Premium cigar meeting The first international meeting of Premium El Legado de Cueto cigars, which will be held from April 23 to 26 at the Morro-Cabaña Military Historical Complex, will have the highest possible quality and its celebration will be a true success for all lovers of tradition and history of the best tobacco in the world. In statements to the Excelencias Group, the Cuban cigar maker José Castelar Cairo (Cueto), creator of the longest cigar in the world, confessed that he was extremely excited about the preparations for the forum, designed by the company Tiendas Caracol SA and ready to begin next Tuesday the 23rd. . He meant that the appointment represents a well-deserved recognition of his extensive and useful work as a 62-year-old worker in the tobacco sector, where he visited prestigious cigar factories such as La Corona, Romeo y Julieta and Partagás, and finally, the La Triada store, leader in sales of famous brands of cigars, rums and coffee. The Cuban cigar ambassador also announced that at the event a Double Figurado tobacco about two meters and 20 centimeters long (made by hand with long filler) will be auctioned, which is considered the longest Diadema in the world. He also said that he will teach a master class on cigar making that will have the support of his fellow cigar makers Leopoldina Gutiérrez “La China”, Juanita Ramos and José Luis Oña, who are also instructors, and the cigar-sommelier Richeyl Morín Rizo. He also confessed that at the Castillo del Morro Lighthouse there will be pairings of tobacco and drinks, for which they invited Juan Jesús Machín, president of the Association of Sommeliers of Cuba (ASC), as well as a cigar rolling competition between guests and tourists. Cueto also announced that both the official opening and gala dinner and the long-awaited auction of cigars and humidors will be held at the La Divina Pastora restaurant-bar of the Morro-Cabaña Military Historical Complex. Finally he admitted that today he continues to work as a roller in the Triada and although the specialties he prefers to make are all, he continues creating the Salomón, Presidentes and Manolin, which are sold in the establishment with great acceptance. For his part, Raciel García Cabeza, head of the store's Brigade, recalled that the event will be sponsored by Habanos SA, and the companies Havana Club International SA and the mixed company Ron Vigía SA, creator of the Black Tears brand. Black). He noted that this first event will be dedicated to the history of Cuban tobacco in which lovers of Premium cigars will have a new opportunity to get closer to the best traditions of this national product of such prestige and acceptance in the world. García Cabezas added that the first day of the program proposes the tasting of Habanos and high-end rums in the La Tríada store itself, where every day Cueto can be found rolling cigars and sharing his stories with visitors. That day, the manager pointed out, you will also be able to enjoy the Nine O'clock Cannon Shot Ceremony, and on April 25, participants will enjoy the cigar rolling master class, the Make Your Own Tobacco competition, and a visit to the Morro lighthouse. and the Surtida de los Tinajones and a pairing of cigars and rum. As a culmination, April 26 will arrive with a gala dinner at the La Divina Pastora restaurant, a musical show, awards and the long-awaited auction of Cuban cigars, which brings some surprises for the delegates and guests of the meeting. Holder of five Guinness records for the longest cigars in the world, and 80 fruitful years of life, Cueto does not abandon his passion and continues as a cigar roller at the La Tríada store in the Morro-Cabaña Military Historical Park, in Havana. In 2001 he established a first record with a cigar of 11.4 meters in length, and in 2003, he achieved another of 14.86 meters; which would be followed by one of 20.41 meters, in 2005, and then a fourth, in 2008, with 45.38 meters, until finally in 2011 he produced an impressive cigar that reached 81.80 meters in length, all certified by the prestigious London house

Monte 2 Have a great weekend all 🥂

Habanos S.A., the Cuban cigar giant, says that it has won the legal fight over whether its competitors are allowed to use terms like “habano” and “cubano” in Germany to describe their products. CONTINUED

A little early celebration Wednesday after work before watching Man City v Real Madrid. Maybe I jinxed them since they could not score more than 1 even with 20 corners. So I went simple last night with a nudie but just as much flavor!

One for our any FOH Greek brethren LIFESTYLE Greek bartenders win Havana Club cocktail competition in Cuba Greek bartenders Panos Minoudis and Andreas Giaprakas make cocktails during the Havana Club Cocktail Maestros competition in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday. [Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters] Newsroom 18.04.2024 • 21:12 A Greek mixologist duo has won a €10,000 prize for mixing cocktails in Cuba. Cuba is famous for its rum cocktails and on Wednesday evening below Havana’s iconic Morro Castle, guarding its bay, 400 people gathered to toast its best-known rum, Havana Club, but not with Cuba libres, mojitos and daiquiris in hand. The festivities marked the culmination of an international competition sponsored by the brand, a joint venture between Cuba Ron S.A. and Pernod Ricard, pitting the cocktail mixing skills of 600 bartenders against one another. Panos Minoudis and Andreas Giaprakas, who serve up cocktails at Vogatsikou 3 in Thessaloniki, walked away with the grand prize for the world’s best Havana Club cocktail mixer, beating teams from England, China, Spain, Brazil and other countries. “The uniqueness of the event is that beyond promoting the individual creation of cocktails … it takes into account friendship and camaraderie,” said Havana Club’s global ambassador, Alfredo Guerra. Alexandra Constantinescu from England said: “I think the most difficult thing is the time, to work under pressure.” She was one of 16 finalists in eight teams attending the event and offering the guests a choice of original cocktails. “We are coming from different countries, so the products we use have a different taste. The banana in England tastes different from the banana in Cuba, and all the cocktails were made and balanced here and that’s the most beautiful thing,” she said. [Reuters/Kathimerini]