Those who travel to Cuba willing to unearth the tempting charms that lure hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, succumb to the burning desire of stepping into the mysterious realm of pleasures and fantasies, myths and legends evoked by the smoke rings of the island nation’s well-known Habanos.

All you need to do is watch those old men who read newspapers on a park bench with cigars in their hands; have fun at a bar-restaurant in the colonial Havana of a troubadour’s ancient song, that like the spitting image of Compay Segundo, keeps his cigar close at hand; take a peek into a cigar factory where skillful people roll leaves into valuable handicraft gems, and you won’t miss out on the opportunity of knowing a whole lot more, hearing all the their recounts, learning their history.

Cuba’s ambassador par excellence, the simple entry of a Habano in a social function raises words of acclaim, envious looks, a rookie’s desire to start smoking right away, irresistible curiosity about its origin and shape, about its impeccable elegance and seducing scent.

Unmatchable symbol of opulence and magic powers in the hands of historic celebrities, statesmen, renowned personalities of the arts, literature and the filmmaking industry, its distinctive token of fanciness has captivated both men and women since the dawn of mankind, raising curiosity, inspiring heroic adventures, romantic scenes, high-note festivities, or just moments of peaceful enjoyment in an after-dinner talk with friends.

Make no mistakes about it; Cuba is the land of the world’s best tobacco. That’s an undisputed fact coined by a universal conviction. And even though travelers come looking for sunny beaches of crystal-clear waters and powder-thin sands, its rich history, traditions and customs, the contagious bliss of its music and dances, sooner rather than later they’ll be picking up the lovely aroma of coffee, cigars and rum, a trio that peppers up parties and moments of celebration in this neck of the woods.

You don’t have to be a smoker to get carried away with the magic of Habanos, because they simply reveal the fantastic evolution of one of the most astounding products of the American nature, a crop whose expansion around the globe turned it into the driving billow that moves the most incredible human creations, no matter if they are in the fields of industry, trade, the arts, whether they are religious or profane.

Lovers of Habanos from around the world flock to Cuba every year to attend the most genuine and biggest bash that pays tribute to this one-and-only product, the result of an unrepeatable blend of weather conditions and labor culture handed down from one generation to the next as a peerless symbol of friendship and fraternity.

Excellencies magazine jumps on the bandwagon of feisty cigar buffs, presenting a special double issue in which we have compiled valuable information from some of the most authorized voices in the fabulous realm of Habanos. The goal is to enrich the pleasure of readers as they enjoy that gift that Mother Nature has bestowed on Cuba.

Jose Carlos de Santiago