Wednesday, May 4, 2011

 Longest cigar: world record set by Jose Castelar Cairo (Video)

HAVANA, Cuba -- Cuban cigar roller Jose Castelar Cairo(Cueto) has broken his own record by rolling a 268ft 4in (81.8-meter) cigar - setting the new world record for the Longest cigar.

  Photo: The World's Longest Cigar.
  ( enlarge photo )

  The previous Guinness world record for the longest cigar measured 59.82 m (196 ft 3 in) and was made by Wallace Reyes and Margarita Reyes (both USA).

Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the most cigar boxes balanced on the chin: 223, set by Ashrita Furman (USA).

  Cueto, 67, has set the record four previous times and feels it is a matter of national pride for Cuba, producer of the world's finest cigars, to keep it.

  Cueto, who learned cigar rolling when he was 5 years old, started work on the current cigar on April 25 and had help from several assistants.

  "It has to be in Cuba always because Cuba is where the best tobacco in the world is," he said.

  This Cuban cigar roller, best known as Cueto, has achieved another four Guinness world records: 11,04 m. in 2001, 14,86 m. in 2003, 20.41 m in 2005, and 45,38 m in 2008.

  Cueto applied the same rolling techniques he uses for regular cigars so that if cut in several pieces cigar lovers be able to enjoy it.

  Cigars are made from three different types of tobacco leaves, with different kinds being used for the wrapper, the filler and the binder.

  This event was sponsored by the Cuban Ministry of Tourism, the Caracol Retail Store Chain, and the British embassy in Havana, who verified in situ the execution and magnitude of this giant cigar.

  And the 67-year-old has not yet retired from cigar rolling, he hopes to top 100 metres with his next effort.