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“CUBA IS MORE OPEN THAN NEVER BEFORE IN THE GASTRONOMIC FRONT AND THAT’S AN OPPORTUNITY WE MUST ALL CASH IN ON TO LEARN, GROW, PAVE THE WAY AND STAND UP FOR OUR TOBACCO AND RUM-MAKING CULTURE”

Word has it he started down the ladder, between boxes and crates in a storehouse, cleaning and sweating. Then he moved to the offices, doubling as a waiter and studying at the same time, always with his eyes set on the horizon. Then he became a lawyer, got a degree in Tourism, was promoted to head waiter, a food and drink expert, and master of tourism management. The list goes on and on, and there won’t be enough pages to jot them all down. But all Habano lovers from every nook and cranny of the world know Juan Jesus Machin as the world Habanosommelier champion, and more recently for grabbing the highest distinction in that field: Master Teacher.
That’s why it was a must to sit down with him and jaw it up on tobacco and rum, to unravel the tricks, to learn about his sacrifices, what needs to be known and what any good Habanosommelier must master.
“First of all, you must love your profession, feel passion for the world of Habanos. But your formation is also fundamental. You have to have a training in the gastronomic field, either as a maître, a bartender or a waiter, only to then study the sommelier business, and later on become a Habanosommelier. The key to success here is nonstop study. I’m always learning something new,” he explains between leaps and gestures that lay bare his restless spirit, that same spirit that has never made him stop learning.

Fifteen world Habanosommelier tournaments, five Cuban championships, ten contests overseas. We can see quiet a good deal of foreign professionals linked to the realms of Cuban tobacco and rum, many of them winners of multiple awards for their skills and knowledge. Is Cuba’s reign in this field in jeopardy?
“You can’t teach your grandma how to suck eggs,” he chuckles. “No foreigner –and I say this respectfully- can teach us a thing about rum and tobacco, just like no Cuban can go to Scotland to lecture on whisky. There are many international Habanosommeliers of tremendous prestige, dedicated and committed professionals. But render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s. No one knows better than Cubans about Habanos.

What are your favorite Habanos?
The famous Cohiba Siglo VI, the Romeo y Julieta Wide Churchill and the Montecristo Edmundo. That leaves no room for dispute.

What are the latest trends and how do they play out in Cuba?
“Cuba is the paradise of Habano smokers. With the recent antismoking law enacted in Europe, tobacco consumption in general is quite limited and that makes lovers of Habanos come down to Cuba to wallow in them. There’s no doubt that Cohiba is the most demanded of all because of its fame and it terrific positioning in the market, but a Wide Churchill or a Montecristo No.2 can really hold a candle to Cohiba.
“Cuban cigars and rum are all the rage now, just like the pairings between Habanos and whisky were trendy at a time. But now tetralogy is the name of the game when it comes to making pairings, I mean, the ties among Habanos, spirits, coffee and chocolate, and all that much after reveling in a traditional Cuban meal. A mojito and a Hoyo de Monterrey is a great choice to start a dinner. Nothing beats a Joyita from Montecristo, coupled with a Presidente cocktail or a Martini… or an H. Upmann Half Corona with a Cuba Libre, make perfect matches.”

According to guidelines and rules in the realm of pairings, there’s some sort of guidebook that tells how and what can be combined with Habanos. Nevertheless, how much depends on the Habanosommelier’s creativity and innovation? How much can you break free from rules when it comes to pleasing? And can you set up your own style?
“You ought to start with combinations and pairings that are purely subjective. You can’t rule out what the experts and connoisseurs say because in specialized tasting sessions most experts agree on the combination of certain organoleptic aspects and characteristics between Habanos and drinks. That generates the guidelines, but there’s no ultimate answer to that. A sommelier must be open to initiative in terms of using his knowledge to create or come up with something new and luring, but above all, he must be open to the patron, because our foremost goal is to please our customers and even amaze them. That makes a difference between a good professional and a great Habanosommelier, when we can manage to take our customers off the beaten track and eventually please them.
“Innovation is part of development. That’s why we must be willing to experiment, and today Cuba is more open than never before in the gastronomic front and that’s an opportunity we must all cash in on to learn, grow, pave the way and stand up for our tobacco and rum-making culture.”