Stages: A Privada Customs Experience
When I first saw Brian Desind’s announcement of a custom cigar, I knew I had to be a part of it. The somewhat ambiguous allure of a custom cigar piqued my interest. Few enthusiasts ever get the opportunity to participate in the production of something they love, and naturally, I hopped on board. Within a few weeks, I received an email from Brian depicting the voting process that would take place over the coming months.
Over the next three months, the small group and I voted on the cigar’s manufacturing. The results were a magnificent work of art produced by Master Blender AJ Fernandez. The cigar has a Mexican San Andrés wrapper and Jalapa binder, finishing with Piloto Cubano fillers. After the rounds of voting were complete, I anxiously awaited the final product.
Simultaneously, the motorsport season was beginning to get into full swing. As voting ended, the American Rally Association’s Olympus Rally approached, the first national event hosted in the Pacific Northwest for the season. Like making a cigar, Rally is a meticulous process whether you are a team member, driver, co-driver, volunteer, or media member (like myself). It is a sport that requires extreme attention to detail for the safety of all involved and surgical precision that is almost indescribable.
Waiting for the shot in Rally tests patience, skill, and, sometimes, willingness to suffer in extreme environments. Mornings often start well before the sun rises in an effort to get on Stage long before the racing begins. The days frequently end late into the night after traveling miles and miles on foot and by vehicle. We do all this with photo equipment to cover every situation and the expectation of being away from civilization for extended periods.
When my cigars finally arrived in the mail, I opened the medium-sized box, which revealed an ornate certificate proudly displaying my handwritten name and two black packages with the golden hue of the Privada Customs label neatly placed on the center. I immediately put them in my humidor, eager to finally try them, but opted to wait for the perfect day.
Amidst a tranquil Whidbey Island evening, I decided it was finally time to crack into the pristine packaging of these magnificently crafted cigars. The birds chirped as a light sea breeze danced through the bushes surrounding me. I prepared a glass of Bird Creek whiskey and sat down while I pulled the cigar out of the cellophane.
I could not help but think back about the timeline over the past several months of making this cigar. I thought about the voting process and each result, only becoming more anxious to smoke this cigar as time passed. I recalled the events of the Olympus Rally and how these two separate experiences were still the same in some ways.
I closed my eyes as I smelled the cigar. The light, sweet, yet earthy, and rugged tobacco filled my nostrils.
I was transported back to a rainy morning as I prepared for a day on the Stages of the Rally. The robust and fresh rain, accompanied by the saltiness of the nearby Puget Sound and accented by the rich, earthy scents of the rainforest, danced through the air as I began my long morning trek.
Consciously making a v-cut on the cigar, I noticed its unique cuts and grounds, remaining attentive to its handmade design.
After departing the vehicle, I embarked on a journey on foot to find the perfect spot to photograph the skilled drivers and co-drivers in meticulously crafted machines soaring through the narrow, imperfect forest roads of the Olympic Peninsula. I paid attention to the design of the trees, the rocks on the roads, and the natural and manufactured beauty of the environment around me.
With my lighter in hand, the sound of the butane was followed by the newly ignited flame. Remaining cognizant of the experience I wanted to create, I circled the flame away from the stick, noting its slow, purposeful ignition as the new scent of sweet smoke filled the air around me.
Neatly tucked into the trees of a corner, I hear the sound of the roaring engine, indicative of the car starting the stage. I listen with intent as the sound of the engine comes closer, waiting for the stinging scent of performance engines, accompanied by a rumbling in the ground around me.
It was finally time to taste the cigar. I raised it to my lips and began to puff as I applied the finishing touches of the flame. I sit back, draw a large amount of smoke, and hold it in, notating the complexity of the smoke—minty vanilla accompanied by a subtle hint of freshly ground pepper. I slowly exhale the smoke and observe it release itself into the wild. The smoke produced many intricate designs as it formed in the new world it found itself in.
The deafening roar becomes present as I tightly clench my camera. A dark blue Subaru comes racing around the bend in a trail of dust and rock. I compress the shutter and follow the vehicle as the driver navigates through an intricate chicane beside my position in the trees. The anxious anticipation is now immense excitement as the car zooms past me. Did I get the shot?
The heat of the burning cigar radiates around me. I am finally enjoying the masterpiece that I had a hand in creating. The nuanced flavor, design, and smoking experience are all curated by a few individuals seeking something different, something they had made. With each draw, I note the absolute perfection we have created and the fact that I can experience it repeatedly, but only for the duration of the smoke.
I peer through my viewfinder and glance briefly at the shots I had just taken. A vehicle navigated through the winding roads, shined on at just the right time by the sun, slowly beginning to pierce through the thick clouds of the rainy morning. The morning’s dedication paid off, but the bliss was only temporary, like the smoke fleeting my lips as the engine of the following car could already be heard.
The second and final third of the cigar revealed newer, complex flavors, enhancing a cayenne note and the robustness of the medium-full cigar. The smoke continued to dance through the air as the sun gently tucked beneath the horizon, and the cool evening air, accompanied by the ongoing sea breeze, forced me to don a coat.
Onto the next stage, I stood in the torrential downpour that extended deep into the evening hours as the crisp air befell me and the other media members around the stage. The wind began to pick up, and the droplets became more prominent as we waited for the cars flying by us. With each passing vehicle, the added breeze made the air around us exponentially colder. In the elements, I yearned for the end while simultaneously being filled with excitement.
Eventually, the smoking session had to end as I took my last draw of the cigar. I set it into my ashtray and again sat back and closed my eyes, reflecting on the experience I helped curate for myself and many others. With such a limited number of cigars, it is essential to cherish each experience with these as one of a kind. The Customs experience is precisely that, leaving the contributor excited for how these cigars age and continue to gain complexity throughout their lifespan.
As I set my cigar in the ashtray, I also thought back to the final moments of the Olympus Rally. My soaked-through, mud-caked clothes looked onto the podium as the rally’s winners doused themselves in Champagne. Similar to the smoking experience, Rallying is a dynamic art. AJ Fernandez beautifully blended a cigar to be enjoyed at a single moment in time, just as a driver navigates through a Rally Stage. It is a long, arduous process leading to a brief moment of bliss for all involved. The intricate subtleties in the stages have changed throughout the years, leaving the drivers and spectators wanting more, just as the designs in the tobacco vary from stick to stick.
I walked back inside as both of these experiences subsided into my memory. Both were incredible, unique experiences for the time they were happening. They are always to be repeated in a different fashion. In this context, it was innately true: I wanted more.
Erick Huertas
Erick Huertas is originally from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and was introduced to the social aspect of cigars during his schooling in San Antonio, Texas. Around this time, he also developed a growing interest in writing and photography, using his phone camera and notepad to capture the world around him.
Erick solidified his passion for photography and adventure when he completed the Trans-American Trail in the summer of 2021 with his Land Rover Discovery 3. Since his 2021 expedition, he has been interviewed on several podcasts and has written extensively about the open road.
In 2023, Erick became involved in Grassroots motorsports by covering local Rallycross through the Northwest Rally Association, local autocross, and other events. In late 2023, he debuted as a photographer in the American Rally Association and has since covered events with Pan American Superbike and Formula E.
When not traveling, Erick can be found on Whidbey Island, Washington. You can contact Erick via email at [email protected], on Instagram at @_ebhphoto, or on his website: www.erickhuertas.smugmug.com
