Grand Master Cigar Maker Presents Commemorative Cigars in Honor of L. Ron Hubbard's 102nd Birthday
Dr. Wallace Reyes, one of five Grand Master Cigar Makers in the world, created a line of limited edition cigars in honor of the 102nd birthday of humanitarian and Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. These were presented to the Church of Scientology of Tampa to be put on display in Mr. Hubbard's ceremonial office there.
- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL (1888PressRelease) March 27, 2013 - Dr. Wallace Reyes, Grand Master Cigar Maker, presented a box of specially made cigars to Mimi Kintzel, the Public Affairs Director for the Church of Scientology of Tampa, in honor of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's 102nd birthday.
Bearing Mr. Hubbard's signet on the cigar band, the box of six cigars - which included Churchills, a Torpedo, a Robusto and a Toro #1, were made of organic tobacco which had been aged five years. The types of cigars that were selected were done to showcase some of the variety of Dr. Reyes' handiwork.
Dr. Reyes is a fourth-generation cigar maker and has perfected his craft over three decades. He has attained two unique milestones during that time - the creation of the World's Longest Cigar in 2006 (101 feet) and 2009 (196 feet). Both cigars were certified by the Guinness Book of World Records. Dr. Reyes owns the Gonzalaz Habano Cigar Company in Ybor City, which has been in operation for 90 years.
Dr. Reyes also guides visitors to Ybor City through a historical tour of the city's unique architecture and past.
One of his stops on the tour is Ybor Square, the original V.M. Ybor Cigar Factory and now home to the Church of Scientology of Tampa. The V.M. Ybor Cigar Factory was the first brick cigar factory in the United States and was, at one point, the largest cigar factory in the world, producing more than 100,000 cigars a day.
The Church of Scientology of Tampa purchased Ybor Square in 2010 and restored and renovated the facility to serve the expanding numbers of Scientologists in the area. On the ground floor of the factory building, where cigars were once banded and packaged by Anilladores, (workers who placed the cigar bands on the completed cigars), one finds a ceremonial office for Mr. Hubbard.
"It is a tradition in every Church of Scientology, to set aside an office as a mark of respect to Mr. Hubbard," says Ms. Kintzel. "It is a mark of respect, to show that we are staying true to his goals and teachings."
"What is special about this particular office is that when the building operated as a cigar factory, this is where the Selectors - quality control - would check the cigars before they were shipped out - to ensure that each cigar in the box matched and was of the highest quality," added Ms. Kintzel.
After the presentation, the box was placed in Mr. Hubbard's office, where it will remain on display.
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