Cigar Snob Lechón Challenge
Cigars. Pork. Booze. Music.
If that doesn’t sounds like a good time to you, then we can’t be friends.
Our very own pig roast-off was the most fun we’ve had at work in a long time — so you can imagine how much the guests in attendance enjoyed themselves. On arrival at the terrace of the InterContinental Hotel in downtown Miami, they were greeted with gifts. A cutter, lighter and butane (thanks to Xikar), 15 cigars from sponsor brands in a Cigar Caddy travel humidor and a separate cigar box containing an additional 5 cigars — one from each of the companies competing in the cook-off. Many thanks to Casa Cuevas for sponsoring the bag check that made it so our 382 guests didn’t need to lug all their cigars around all night.
Of course, that pig roasting contest was the main event. Five cigar makers each cooked a whole hog over the course of the day: Espinosa Cigars, Arturo Fuente Cigars, Villiger, Oliva Cigar, and AJ Fernandez. In the end, two companies emerged victorious. AJ Fernandez took home the Grand Champion trophy after garnering the highest score from the judges, while Espinosa was the favorite of the crowd and won the People’s Choice trophy.
A few acknowledgements are in order. Michael Peña of Hialeah’s La Bodeguita Restaurant and his team were instrumental in planning and executing the event. Our friends at La Caja China not only provided their famous pig roasting boxes for our competitors, but also supplied a custom Cigar Snob SP-300 Caja China valued at $1,500 that went to a very lucky raffle winner who we’re sure has been hosting way more parties lately. Villiger Cigars and Jack Daniel’s sponsored the event’s exclusive VIP section. Total Wine, Revolución Tequila, and D’Cata Wine all helped keep the crowd lubricated. Stay tuned for news on upcoming events. We have big plans!
