Chapter 808 - 364: Graycliff Cigars

Chapter 808: Chapter 364: Graycliff Cigars

He turned to the old cigar roller named Alfonso and said a few words quickly in Spanish. Alfonso nodded excitedly, a proud expression ready to perform appearing on his face.

Lin Yu’an immediately took out a portable live streaming device and resumed the live broadcast.

"Good afternoon, everyone." He pointed the camera at the workbench full of tobacco leaves and tools.

"I’m now in a traditional hand-rolled cigar shop in Nassau. Next, you’ll see the birth process of a top-quality cigar."

The viewers in the live broadcast room were instantly captivated by the exotic ambiance and artisan spirit on display.

[Wow! Exploring the cigar factory! I love this!]

[That old gentleman looks so professional! Can’t wait for his performance!]

[Anzi, make sure not to learn smoking! That’s for building planes and cannons for the enemy! Learn it after returning home!]

Alfonso was clearly used to being filmed, as he carefully selected a few leaves from a pile of tobacco, each for the filler, binder, and wrapper.

Then, using a crescent-shaped special knife, he skillfully removed the thick veins from the center of the leaves, every move filled with a sense of rhythm.

Next was the most crucial rolling process. He deftly folded a few filler leaves, aligned them together to create a channel that was smooth yet firm for airflow.

He then tightly wrapped them with a pliable binder to form a cigar "prototype."

Finally, taking the piece of the most perfect, silk-like wrapper, using a spiral wrapping technique, at the perfect angle and strength, he wound it around the outside of the cigar.

The entire process was seamless, without a single pause.

When he used a bit of natural plant glue to perfectly adhere the end of the wrapper and cut a neat cap using a special mold.

A cigar that was visually impeccable, shimmering with an oily sheen, was born in his hands like a piece of art.

The whole process lasted about seven to eight minutes, with Alfonso not saying a single word, but his ultimate focus and well-practiced muscle memory were showcased through the lens to each viewer.

"Amazing..." Lin Yu’an sincerely praised.

"This is just the first step," Enrico explained from the side.

"The rolled cigar still needs to rest in our cedar aging room, at a constant temperature and humidity, for at least 90 days."

"Only then can the flavors of different tobacco leaves fully meld, losing the sharpness of fresh tobacco, becoming mellow and complex. It’s the same principle as aging fine wine."

After the filming ended, Lin Yu’an solemnly thanked both Alfonso and Enrico. Only then did he begin to choose his "fuel."

He didn’t go for those machine-produced cigars but personally, selected those hand-rolled by Alfonso and several other master rollers today, under Enrico’s recommendation.

"I need some that are suitable for celebrating victories at sea," Lin Yu’an said, "and some that can be slowly savored with whiskey on quiet nights."

Enrico’s face broke into a proud and understanding smile, "Friend, you’ve come to the right place."

"Many people come to Nassau looking for the shadow of Havana, but here, you’ll find a brand-new legend created by the father of Gauci cigars!"

"We don’t sell other people’s stories; we only create our own." He retrieved two cedar trays with labels from the humidor.

"For celebrating victories, nothing is more fitting than our pioneering work, the Graycliff Blue Label."

He pointed to one of the trays with robust-sized cigars in a light brown wrapper.

"This is the starting point of our brand, exceptionally balanced, elegant, filled with cedar wood, toasted spices, and a hint of creamy sweetness."

"Its smoothness and complexity are enough to let you and your friends share an hour of good time."

"As for pairing with whiskey," he pointed to another tray of cigars as dark as dark chocolate, "you must try our Graycliff Espresso, it’s the real man’s choice."

"Filled with intense flavors of black coffee, cocoa, and black pepper, it’s robust enough to dance with any Islay Island peaty whiskey without being overshadowed."

"Trust me, these fresh cigars just born in our workshop, without long-distance transport and excessive drying, have a soul that can be found in no duty-free shop."

"Great, I’ll take these." Lin Yu’an was very pleased with his recommendation and could feel the earnest pride Enrico had for his brand in his words.

"Ten Blue Labels. Five Espressos."

"The wisest choice." Enrico carefully packed the cigars one by one into a portable cedar humidor.

"Alright, let’s tally up the bill." Enrico took out paper and pen and began writing, muttering to himself:

"Our Blue Label is the brand’s flagship, freshly hand-rolled by master rollers, one costs 65 US Dollars, ten makes 650 US Dollars."

"Espresso is a classic in strong cigars, one costs 50 US Dollars, five makes 250 US Dollars."

"Plus this cedar wood travel humidor, I’ll give it to you for 100 US Dollars."

He turned the paper to Lin Yu’an: "The total comes to 1000 US Dollars. If you pay in cash, with a captain’s discount, it’ll be 950 US Dollars for you."

This price, for an independent brand founded by a legendary figure and renowned among top cigar aficionados, is absolutely worth it.