Aruba is the most southern country which is part of the Caribbean. It is located approximately 15 miles north of South America (Venezuela). The population is about 110,000. About twenty years ago Benjamin Petrocchi brought back some tabac seeds from Cuba and started Aruhiba. It is Aruba’s only tabac (cigar) plantation that I know of. Petrocchi has a great production. Here are some scenes from our visit today.
I don’t smoke however friends know I come to Aruba and Cuba often so they always ask me to bring them a “care package.” Jeff, the lad in the blue t-shirt is from Seattle and also has been coming to Aruba for years. He helps out and was very helpful in showing us the plantation as well as making sure we understood the process from seed to package. One more point, Curacao is Aruba’s cousin and about 20 miles east. They are known for their famous Curacao liqueur. It is a orange based beverage but they only make a limited production so it is tough to get. Many distilleries make their own product but pure Curacao has it’s unique taste which is why affectionado’s prefer the real thing. The good news is you can purchase it at Aruhiba at a great price.
