After the long ride to Mao, where General Cigar has several tobacco farms, the company’s tobacco braintrust—Agustín Garcia, Francisco Hernandez, Yuri Guillen, and Francisco Batista—led our group on a tour of their fields and curing barns. Surprisingly, the barns were not the classic, low-to-the-ground Dominican style; they looked more like Central American–style barns. It turns out they were brought over from Honduras.

Don Kiko, Francisco Hernandez, shared a sliver of his 40+ years of expertise regarding tobacco growing and harvesting practices amidst a field of Piloto Cubano tobacco, the last lot of it still waiting to be harvested.

For lunch, we rode up to a hilltop gazebo overlooking the farm’s manmade lagoon, which is used for irrigation. Some rode horses, others played a makeshift “closest to the pin” golf contest for a special box of El Credito Serie R. The breezy gazebo was set up with a stocked bar, a classic Dominican shaved ice station, and an outrageously good roast pig luncheon. Had there been hammocks, it would have been nearly impossible to pull anyone away from the idyllic spot.

? Welcome Dinner Party at Parque Central de Santiago
The city’s iconic Central Park was decked out in traditional, folkloric decor for the festival’s “Welcome Dinner.” Somehow, most of the ladies in attendance got the memo and rocked tropical prints, while many men opted for the country’s official shirt—the chacabana (or guayabera).

Every guest received a commemorative box loaded with some of the member companies’ premium offerings, including A. Fuente Don Carlos The Man’s Personal Reserve, Davidoff Escurio, and a Fernando León Legacy lancero.
ProCigar’s president, Litto Gomez of La Flor Dominicana, kicked off the proceedings with a warm welcome to the 800 or so guests representing over 40 countries. The food, drinks, and outstanding cigars took over from there, creating an incredible atmosphere.

Stay tuned for more of our coverage as ProCigar 2025 continues!

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