Puro Sabor 2025: Day 5

The final day of the 2025 Puro Sabor Festival has landed on a Friday. Tonight, the festival will conclude with the Dinner & Closing Gala at the Estelí Stadium, which is home to Real Estelí F.C. (Football Club).

This morning, I’m off to see the Oliva Cigar Co. operations at El Fumador, the same location where the previous evening’s White Party was held. Our bus pulls up though an immaculately groomed property that resembles a tropical resort. Workers are busy deconstructing the outdoor tent space from yesterday, including the chairs, tables, bars, lighting, and other event supplies that were used to assemble the lavish outdoor space.

We’re greeted by a camera crew who’ve been hired to photograph our group’s tour. M

We’re offered some food and refreshments, before being provided with a very generous Oliva gift bag, packed with accessories, a nice Oliva khaki hat, and of course cigars, which include the entire Serie V lineup, as well as the Nub core line that have been put in a squat, leather Nub branded 3-finger cigar case. This is a very useful item, as most 4 x 60 cigars do not fit in a conventional leather case.

After a large group picture on the front steps, we’re asked to hold off on smoking cigars as we’ll be entering the warehouse and they can pose a risk of fire. Here, workers do not smoke cigars, and the smell of ammonia in the air ranges from moderate to heavy as we tread through Oliva’s massive warehouse, where countless parcels, boxes, and tobacco pilons sit and ferment before being called to duty within the blend of a cigar.

Workers are busy turning large pilones so they can receive even fermentation. I pass by

some boxes that contain genuine Meerapfel African Cameroon tobacco, that is used to make cigars like the Serie G and the Nub Cameroon.

The tour hops back on the bus to drive to Tabolisa I, the largest factory of four Tabolisas. Today, Tabolisa I alone will generate approximately 110,000 cigars. Tabolisa II and IIII will add about 50,000 more cigars today collectively. If you’re wondering what Tabolisa III makes, it makes cigar boxes.

Inside the factory, we enter a vast rolling room that I’m told has 450 sets of boncheros and torcedores (buncher and roller) pairs. I then learn that there are other large rooms as well that are full of these pairings. As with most galeras, the front of the room features the most skillful rollers. I film one woman in particular who’s moving so fast, that as I review the video afterwards, it looks as if I’ve sped up the film to x 1.5 – 2 in time-lapse; she’s become that fast and skillful.

After the tour concludes, we retire to the Oliva Cigars lounge area, a regal space which features elegant decor, lovely accent lighting and many leather chairs to kick back in. I light up a Serie V Lancero, my first Lancero of the festival. Before long, a door opens and owner Fredrik Vandermarliere joins us. Fred is the charismatic owner of not only Oliva Cigar Co. (which was acquired in 2016 from the Oliva family), but also is the third-generation owner of the parent company VCF (Vandermarliere Cigar Family).

After his final guests are taken care of with drinks and a cigar, Fred hops behind the bar to pour himself a club soda before taking the time to greet and mingle. Fidel Valdes, who is CEO of operations also arrives with his wife to meet the group moments before we’re told that our tour bus is waiting on us outside.

After a round of goodbyes with Fred and his team, we’re off to A.J. Fernandez’ farm for lunch in a gorgeous setting atop a valley area where you can see for miles in all directions.

Inside I spot Joya de Nicaragua’s Juan Martinez and say hello. We discuss the highs of the week so far and talk of anticipation for the evening gala. The lunch at A.J. Fernandez has a band that is playing smooth, soulful music that is easy to talk over, unlike the other events where for some reason, loud pulsating dance music is being transmitted over dinner.  As a former DJ myself, I’m all for uptempo beats, just not when I’m trying to have a conversation over a meal – – save it for after.

For the afternoon, there’s no scheduled tour, which finally affords me the opportunity to rest. As I’d anlluded to in earlier posts, Puro Sabor is an incredible time, but can feel like a marathon with so many scheduled events.

After catching up on some social media with an afternoon cigar, it’s time to head to the Gala.

At the gala I sit down at a table with PCA Executive Director Joshua Habursky. Josh is in good spirits as he and his team have discovered today that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has upheld a decision from Judge Amit P. Mehta in Cigar Association of America et al. v. United States Food and Drug Administration, it’s a very big win for Josh and his team, and thus cause for celebration.

“It’s a big win for us and a huge sigh of relief at the moment”, says Josh. “Of course, there’s always something else waiting for us right around the corner, but for tonight, I’m celebrating”.

In front of the stage, it’s announced that there will be changes to the roles within the Nicaraguan chamber of tobacco, including a new President. The chamber members assemble for some photos before dinner is served.

Like last night’s White Party, a dance floor eventually fills up and remains active until late in the night. As people begin to file out, there’s a lot of hugging and emotional goodbyes, for it’s been a wonderful week spent showcasing not only works-class Nicaraguan cigars, but also the land, the vibrant culture, and its warm, welcoming people who have a lot to be proud of this year in Puro Sabor 2025.