From Salamanca, 30 years old, Guillermo Carrasco is a born sportsman. Rugby and martial arts keep him in shape. But when it comes to meeting with friends or enjoying after-dinner conversations, he brings out his fun-loving side and never misses a Cuban mini cigar to go with a drink.
Guillermo has lived in Ireland, Navarra (North of Spain) and Madrid. Today he works in the family business Carrasco Ibéricos, one of the emblematic brands of Iberian ham, established in the Spanish village of Guijuelo since it was founded by Don Francisco Carrasco in 1895.
Guillermo takes care of himself and enjoys contact sports. In his life he always tries to achieve balance without giving up anything. “Searching for balance. It’s about enjoying the good things in life while maintaining an aerobic and cardiovascular routine,” he explains. That’s why he combines sport, work and moments of relax and conversation like those that accompany the pleasure of smoking a mini cigar. “A friend introduced me to this hobby some time ago, but I haven’t been smoking regularly for more than two or three years,” he recalls.
A cigarillo to be enjoyed in moderation
What he likes most about Cuban mini cigars is their formats. “With the mini cigars you don’t have the commit to consuming a large amount of tobacco in one sitting, which is ideal for someone who wants to enjoy it in a moderate and measured way”.
When asked about his favorite moment to light up a mini, he says: “I like the traditional concept of an after-dinner conversation with friends and the possibility of accompanying a drink with high quality tobacco because, personally, industrial tobacco has never appealed to me,” he admits.
If he had to choose one brand over the rest, he would go for Partagás or Cohiba. “I don’t have such a refined taste as to justify one brand over the rest,” he says modestly, but both are to his liking.
Guillermo believes he still has a lot to learn from his friends and the people who are part of the community that likes Cuban mini cigars. “I’m still open to improving”, he says, but he also sets his own rules: he prefers a smoke of around 10-15 minutes and a Club or Short format.
Would you like to give Guillermo some tips about Cuban mini cigars? In return, he will surely delight you with his knowledge of the world of Iberian ham. An unbeatable pairing.
