Things continue to move along at a good pace….the buildout of the new headquarters is progressing nicely, the first round of ‘CH’ merch is in the queue, “The Decision” video is in the can (whether it will ever see the light of day is another thing altogether), and we continue to debate pros v cons of various manufacturing scenarios.

I know that THE most important decision we will make in our first year is WHERE will our cigars be produced?  The honest answer is that I don’t know.  Yet.  But in my mind, it’s like when you meet the woman you wanna spend the rest of your life with; you just KNOW.  Up to that point, you’ve dated women who have each had their assets and good attributes–but there was a certain ‘something’ that just wasn’t ‘there’…..and then you meet THE ONE.  And then everything changes.  You stop thinking about other women.  You stop looking at other women.  All you can think about is her; and you know it is right.  It feeeeeeels right.  You eat, sleep, breathe, and dream…….HER.  Do you know what I mean?

Well, to me it’s just like that with blends and, yes, creating the ideal manufacturing scenario.  I remember when we were developing La Traviata when we were still at C** (sorry–can’t really spell it out…can’t afford to get sued by G** or ST*).   At that time, we could articulate what the cigar should taste like, what it should smoke like, what it should look like–but it wasn’t there.  We had literally gone through 21 different ligas in search of the La Traviata blend.  Then, I recall that I had just come back to Nashville after a few days on the road doing Rock N Rolled in-store events.  It was close to 5:00 and I was walking into the office as most were leaving for the day.

There was one cigar on my desk….in cellophane and un-banded.  I was prepared to fire it up the next day after some much needed rest, food, and a shower; however, I was pretty much told “..you have to smoke that sample on your desk–now.”  I remember that I was maybe 1/2” into that 6” x 50 sample and said to myself, “THIS is it.”  I knew we had found her…THE one.  And from that point on, I knew in my skin that we had a home run.  I couldn’t stop thinking about that blend.  I only smoked THAT blend.  Every day.  For weeks.  Months.  Ultimately, that blend became C** La Traviata.

And so I’m hoping we will soon find ‘her’….‘the one.‘  The factory that will deliver the CH vision into reality and onto the retail tobacconist shelf.

Jon Huber
Crowned Heads