Last day. Full throttle.

Energy is high. Stamina is questionable.

Nobody says it out loud, but everyone feels it. This is the final stretch.

For me, this morning belongs to La Aurora.

If the title of the tour is “From Seed to Smoke,” you pretty much know you are in for a full day.

If attendees wanted a mini crash course in tobacco, and could only pick one tour, this was it.

The start of the tour in a field that is largely used for the beginning stages of the tobacco’s journey. Don’t get me wrong, they grow tobacco there, but it was an opportunity to show attendees a green house – where it all starts.

From there we walked down to another part of the property – a place to look at shade grown tobacco.

While most farm tours are one field, La Aurora had another one in mind. Back on the bus and off to another field, this one in the open sun.

Once that was done, into a drying barn, laid out with tables and cigars for a mini blending seminar. So much so, that once you completed the tasting portion you needed to choose the exact percentages you wanted in a blend…down to the number of leaves.

Back on the bus and on to the factory, this is the hands on portion of the tour.

You are handed leaves and sent over to a rolling table when you needed to bunch your cigar. Some attendees were brave enough to have a go at it… others simply let the roller do the work. Once done, into the press.

Time to kill a short hour and taste La Aurora’s upcoming release, pair it with rum, and talk about the cigar.

Back into the rolling room, put a wrapper and cap on the cigar. Take the cigar to packaging and put it into a box with your name on it.

After all that…the attendees certainly earned lunch.

By now, you have seen multiple operations this week. Different personalities. Different philosophies. Same underlying truth. This business is labor-heavy and detail-obsessed.

Then the tempo changes.

The Pro Cigar Gala Auction night.

The second you walk into the room, you know this is the grand finale.

Walking in, you see the items that will be featured later…the cigar auctions to end all cigar auctions. No, these are not rare boxes of cigars (although there are some rare cigars) this lot is largely humidors from each Pro Cigar member.

Items designed to move wallets and elevate heart rates…all for a good cause.

Michael Herklots takes the stage as auctioneer. Polished. Controlled. Completely in command of the room.

For the last seven years or so, I’ve been standing about ten feet below him, scanning the crowd for hands. You learn quickly who is serious and who just adjusted their napkin at the wrong time…and there are a lot of those.

The hand goes up. The number climbs. The room leans forward.

There are also some notable Nicaraguan figures in the crowd. Two of whom are Abdel (AJ) Fernandez and Jonathan Drew. That presence (and even AJ bidding) puts a cap on what had many historic ‘firsts’ this week.

This year broke a new Pro Cigar record. Actually, when I say broke, I mean ‘shattered.’ Over $600,000 was raised for charity.

Friday is not subtle. It is emotional.

Cigar Count: Respectable but ambitious
Hydration Level: A work in progress
Pride in the Industry: High

You may have come to Pro Cigar for the cigars…you leave with so much more.