In Conversation with Cuban Cigars Ambassador

At this year’s Encuentro Amigos de Partagas Festival we were able to interview a number of influential and inspiring people and Milagro C. Morales was certainly one of them. To have the opportunity to speak with such a wonderful ambassador for Cuban cigars was a true pleasure and one we’re very thankful for.

We spoke to Milagro post lunch on the Saturday of the Festival on the 7^th of July, perfectly timed for a ‘digestif’ smoke. In fact, Milagro only agreed to be interviewed on the condition that smoking was permitted on camera. Of course, Milagro! We wouldn’t have it any other way!

Milagro C. Morales was born and grew up in Cuba, but has been living in Vienna for the last twenty one years, but her love for the country she was born in and Cuban Cigars is still very much a part of her identity.

Milagro C Morales smoking Cuban cigars

How did you find this year’s edition of the Encuentro Amigos de Partagas en Italia, compared to the previous years?

Las year I wasn’t here, I attended three years ago and absolutely loved it. I wasn’t able to attend the Fiesta Campesina however the event La Gozadera last night (Friday’s Cuban themed party) was the highlight of the event for me so far. A true representation of Cuba.

In reality everything has been very good. Today’s lunch was great, we did a blind tasting earlier where I learned a lot of new things about cigars that I normally don’t smoke.

In my opinion, the Encuentro Amigos de Partagas is one of the best of its kind, globally, where one has the opportunity to meet such a high number of Cigar lovers from all over the world.

What are you smoking at this moment in time?

I’m smoking one of my favourite cigars. At the moment I smoke everything even though when I started I only smoked Cohiba. Over the last three years I pushed myself to try different Cuban cigars because the world of Havana Cigars is so big and all brands are good. It’s only a matter of taste.

At the moment I’m smoking a Romeo y Julieta Duke which is a Limited Edition Cigar from 2009. This is possibly my favourite Romeo y Julieta cigar although I have to say that the Romeo y Julieta Capuletos LE2016 was also very good. There’s another Romeo y Julieta that I really like which is the Romeo y Julieta Exibicion No. 4 however the Duke to me is unbeatable.

The RyJ Duke is a very difficult cigar to find, if it’s your favourite cigar I imagine you have a healthy collection of them?

Haha, yes… I bought these cigars back in 2009, in Vienna. Just by chance actually. Back then not many people were interested in Limited Edition cigars. I bought two boxes of them and promised myself to keep one for ageing. Sadly, I don’t have many left but [when I can smoke them] I enjoy them very much.

For our readers who perhaps don’t know you, would you like to say a little more about yourself?

Sure, I am Cuban, I was born in Havana but I have been living in Vienna for 21 years now. I am currently the brand ambassador for Zenith Cohiba [a partnership between Habanos SA and Zenith Watches which resulted in a wonderful timepiece] for both Austria and the rest of Europe. I also spend a lot of my time organising events, always centred around Cuban Cigars, Cuban Music and so on.

I have to say that, luckily, Austrian aficionados are very advanced in their knowledge of Cuba and Cuban Cigars. Historically they have been smoking everything, however lately there seems to be a preference towards Cuban Cigar culture. We also have many Cigar Clubs in Austria and I am a member of three of them. I love getting people together, organising events and parties. In our events people try things that are normally difficult to access, as they may only be available in Cuba and so forth. So I like very much what I’m doing, it’s part of my Cuban Spirit.

One last thing, where do you like to smoke your cigars in Vienna?

I love smoking outdoors. My favourite way to enjoy a cigar is definitely outdoors. Vienna is not like here in Italy, it’s a little colder. Out of 365 days a year there are not many days in which one can enjoy a smoke outside.

In terms of actual places, I love going to the Cigar Lounge at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Vienna. I also really like to smoke in a Cuban bar which is called Cuban Mojito Bar, but I have to say I ultimately enjoy smoking in the comfort of my own club. There’s also a little Cafè near Ercan Hazar’s Cigar Shop [Ercan Hazar won the title of Hombre Habano 2018 in the Business category].

Would you like to say hello to our readers?

Of course! Greetings to all of those who follow this space and I wish everyone to enjoy, as much as they can, the smoking of a great Cuban Cigar. Smoking cigars is incredibly relaxing, convivial. Remember to allow yourself time to really enjoy it and share this moment with your friends, which is very important… and make sure you smoke Cuban Cigars [wink wink]! With all due respect to all the other producing nations I firmly believe that Cuban Cigars are the best in the world. No discussion on that haha… What can I do, I am a patriot after all!

It was such an honour to get to know Milagro better and to spend some more time with her. She is a burning light in the Cuban cigar world, which with all those lighting up, it certainly is a feat. She embodies those traits of conviviality, friendship and positive energy that are so typical of Cuba and its beautiful people. Thank you Milagro, for your kindness, your time and for sharing your passion with us.