Glad you guys enjoy them. The best part of the Padron factory trip for me was being able to sit and talk to Don Orlando for hours on end, for 3 days. He's 84 years old and has been involved in tobacco farming since he was 7, when he would pick the weeds in between the plants on his father's farm. Aside from the TONS of knowledge he shared with me, the stories (from Cuba, Miami, and Nicaragua) he shared were simply incredible. I feel very fortunate and grateful to have been able to talk openly with a tobacco legend such as Don Orlando. In my opinion, I think the only other person of his caliber would be Alejandro Robaina. We talked about him as well, and unfortunately, he's gravely ill right now. Don't get me wrong, though. Talking with Don Pepin as much as I did was incredible, too. But I spent more time with Jorge and Don Orlando in the 3 days with them than I did with Don Pepin in the 4 days I was on the Pepin trip. Fact of the matter is that Don Pepin is a freakin work horse and is ALWAYS working.
