First Book on Vintage Cuban Cigars published in Russia – Cigar Journal
Russian expert Dimitry Drutsa has just released a book on Cuban cigars, a laudable effort to catalogue vintage Cuban cigars for the Russian smoker. As far as we know, this is the first comprehensive vintage cigar book written and published in Russian language. The book is titled “Vintage Cuban Cigars” and is a respectable 314 pages long. Focused on vintage cigars only, it is not intended to be a primer or cover regular production Cuban cigars, and consists of a compendium of the author’s selected articles on vintage cigars, as well as a collector-ready catalogue of different editions, series and years, including releases up to 2019. Throughout the book, Drutsa explains in detail why and how certain cigars become vintage, what happens with tobacco during the long aging process, how should they be cared for and stored, and why do these cigars attract sellers and collectors and can command astronomical prices at auctions? Even though the book is intended for serious collectors, Drutsa also gives good practical advice to beginner collectors who are just getting started in the world of vintage cigars.
Drutsa is a cigar enthusiast and collector, certified Habanosommelier and Master Sommelier, Instructor of the Academia Habanos in Cuba and twice represented Russia at the International Habanosommelier Contest (2013, 2014) at the Festival del Habano in Havana. Drutsa is also the author of numerous publications in Russian cigar media, a member of the cigar club “Horsepower” in St. Petersburg, an honorary member of Baku Cigar Club (Azerbaijan), and an official judge of the Cigar Smoking World Championship (CSWC). Drutsa told Cigar Journal that he may release an English edition at a later date.