Zurich herfing :-)

I was invited to the offices and warehouse of Fifth Avenue Importers in Germany and was quite amazed and impressed by the scale of the operation.

 

Fifth Avenue are the official Habanos importer and distributor for Germany (same as Hunters and Frankau are in the UK)

 

The operation is different  to the UK as only 10% of the Havana’s are quality checked ( the other 90% are quality checked in my Hamburg store!) but they have to attach the tax labels to each box which looked to be quite laborious task. In the UK Hunters and Frankau check 100% of the Havanas for quality control.

 

The quality of Havanas generally in Germany is first rate and I am not certain whether this is indicative of quality in General for Havanas in Europe or if Habanos S.A. select certain cigars for this market as I believe they do for the UK market.

 

It’s quite intoxicating being surrounded by more Havanas than I have ever seen in my life …and very pleasant! I was hoping they would just close the doors and forget about me…for a few years ๐Ÿ™‚ I could have herfed my way through quite a bit of the inventory!

 

We enjoyed Siglo VI and Edmundos with some schnapps at a local restaurant which my colleague Cristobal tried to persuade me was good for the health…who am I to argue ?!

 

Thanks to Fifth Avenue for such kind hospitality,they really are a pleasure to work with.

 

I headed back to Zurich airport and have to say I have never found a more smoker friendly airport anywhere in the world ! I must have counted at leas 4 dedicated and comfortable smokers lounges. No one batted an eyelid when I lit up my Partagas P2 ๐Ÿ™‚ How terribly politically incorrect in the current anti smoking climate….splendid ๐Ÿ™‚

 

The airport has a delightful Davidoff shop ( they are always my favourite cigars shops) with an excellent range of Havanas in the walk in humidor.

 

I was stopped at security as they spotted my herf cutter and lighter but the officer was polite beyond belief and when I explained I was a cigar merchant was happy to allow me through with said items…..Somehow I can’t imagine getting the same polite treatment in the UK but I could be wrong ๐Ÿ˜‰

 

It’s been a good day…started off with a Por Larranaga Magnificos….. and continued with another 3… it really doesn’t get much better ๐Ÿ™‚ …now if only I could be patient and leave these cigars alone for another year or two:-)

 

Peaceful puffing

 

Mitchell

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