It took only 15 minutes to get from our hotel to the town of Licey, home to the Quesada Cigars factory. Hardcore baseball fans might recognize the name from the Dominican professional baseball league’s Tigres de Licey, one of six teams in the country’s league. We arrived around 9:00 AM and were greeted with the Dominican breakfast of champions—Presidente beer! Fifth-generation cigar makers Raquel and Patricia Quesada welcomed the group, while their father, Manolo Quesada, shared a recorded video message.

After touring the factory, we had the privilege of tasting the recently released Casa Magna Maduro, available in four regular production sizes, along with the TAA-exclusive box-pressed toro and a limited-edition lancero. The tasting was led by Raquel and Patricia, alongside longtime collaborator Michael Herklots of Ferio Tego.

Following a lunch of roast pork and cracklings (chicharrón), Herklots guided a pairing of the Ferio Tego Summa with Brugal 1888 rum. The afternoon was filled with dominoes, salsa dancing, and camaraderie before we headed back for a blending seminar. This session, led once again by Herklots, featured industry legends Ernesto Perez-Carrillo of Casa Carrillo and Siegfried “Fito” Maruschke of Jose Mendez & Co. The discussion focused on how cigar makers maintain consistency year after year. The seminar was expertly executed, clearly demonstrating the impact of each leaf in the filler blend.

With all that knowledge in hand, it was time to gear up for the festival’s legendary White Party at the Monumento a los Héroes de la Restauración. Over 1,000 guests, dressed in all white, gathered atop the iconic monument overlooking the city for the party of the year. Each attendee received a commemorative box featuring cigars from all participating companies—designed by local student Katheryn Cabrera, whose design won a contest for the honor. With incredible food, world-class cigars, and nonstop dancing, the celebration continued well into the night.

Knowing this would be the case, ProCigar wisely schedules a later bus pickup for the final day—and we’re going to need it.