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Zino Davidoff (Kiev 1906-Geneve 1994) was an archetype man of the 20th century, who raised the act of smoking a Havana cigar to a cultural condition. He was the son of a tobacconist from Kiev, a harjmani (an oriental tobacco mixer). He has been considered one of the wiser ones since the day Rodrigo de Jerez brought the first tobacco products to Europe.
When Zino was a child, he learnt the job of his family, mixing tobacco and making cigarettes. Meanwhile, he listened to the continuous conspiracies during the social gatherings, held in his father’s back shop, and at the same time, they expected the revolution. The contemporary anti-Semitism came up in Russia just as the historians, Richard J. Evans and Joan B. Culla have demonstrated in their splendid books of history.
 
In 1911 the Davidoff fled one of the progroms, crossed the Caucasus and arrived in Turkey. From there, they travelled to Switzerland, where they went into exile. In the Davidoff’s vital initiation journey, Genève was the starting and return point of his long voyage that reached the peak in the Vuelta Abajo valley (Cuba). The Davidoff’s tobacconist’s in Genève became a refuge for people in exile, within them Vladimir Ilich Ulianov “Lenin” to whom Zino’s father provided with cigars that he never charged to him. Zino reproached his father for this but he replied that “in his fight, the cigars help Lenin to think”. For a man who escaped form the terror of the czars, Genève, cradle of Calvinism, was like an organised and timed paradise, based on the rights and hard work, professionally speaking. Once we were smoking a Chateau Laour and he told me something that could have been a guideline for him, “if you don’t get rich during this life, you won’t get either in the other”. May be it was a saying from Jean Calvino or his apostle Zwingly. It would be a guideline but not the only one. The other one would come from a different universe than the Swiss one. After all, both Calvino n Zino were adopted children of Switzerland and finally, favourite ones. Each one with his own church and followers. Zinos’s one in Rue de la Rive near the Mont Blanc river. At the age of 19 he insisted on travelling to South America in order to be acquainted with the black tobacco. His father gave him three letters of introduction and sermonizing: “in this profession, friendship is not a meaningless word, these letters will help you since they are as worthy as gold”. The owner of Picardo realised that Zino could, apart from learning, help them because he was a harjmani, and could showed them how to mix Virginia tobacco products “a kid who was an expert on what they weren’t”, as Zino explained. After six months Picardo said to him: “one who loves tobacco as you do, should go to Cuba. You will discover the red lands and there won’t be anything else for you”. Zino travelled to the Caribbean and was captivated by its extension, light and scent.

Cuba in the 20’s should be not just an initiation experience but a radical change. Its classist and paternalistic society, was permeable by liberal relationships and the prevailing sensuality should attract him greatly. “In Cuba” – just 14 years after fleeing from Kiev – he said: “I felt in love with vegetable tides of the huge plantations, that moved their leafs like mane in the wind in the valleys of the island”. Zino learnt everything about the Havana cigar: types, cultivation, curing process and the different lands of the various valleys. On returning to Geneve, he convinced his father, who continued mixing tobacco from Turkey and The Balcans to fit his customers liking, to let him a room to work so to recommend the most exquisite cigars. So he built a pioneering and famous preservation cellar for cigars. They were difficult times, as a Zino remembered, “when the cigar smoker is happy with his usual supplier, is averse to change”. But the rumours about the young expert were spread between the enthusiasts and the business grew. The next proof was a challenge. In 1940 when Paris was about to be occupied by the Nazis, the Havana cigars importers sent all their stock to him so to avoid the Nazi plundering. He hided it in his big humidifier. During the occupation years, he became the only Havana cigars supplier, what made him rich and also the importers who had sent their stock to him. Thus, when war finished, Davidoff showed them such honest and clear accounts that his prestige became a legend. Undoubtedly, a Calvinist Jew can be the best administrator.

His entrepreneurial spirit led him to become partner of Fernando Palacios, proprietor of Hoyo de Monterrey company, purchased to the Gener family, of Catalonian origin. Zino proposed to create a new tobacco product, using his experience in Cuba and the harjmani techniques, “a mixture of big impact”, as Zino said to Palacios. This would be called “Grand Cru de La Habana”. Palacios replied: “how come we are going to call a Havana cigar with a French name if my surname is Spanish n yours is Jew!”. He argued: “the sound of the great French wines is so beautiful that combining these two pleasures is a glamour for lovers of the two products”. He sought advised from some cellars - Margaux (wonderful that nr. 5), Lafitte, Latour – and agreed. Zino and Palacios showed their excellent vision  of the modern gastronomic culture. They reached the zenith with Dom Perignon Havana cigar, their biggest and expensive luxury. In 1959 he had to face another proof. The success of the Castro revolution affected his cigar importation business. His supplier country was changing completely. It is possible his relationship with revolutionaries when he was a kid, helped him to understand Che, Fidel, Camilo Cienfuegos or Raul Castro. After some unsuccessful attempts to socialize Siboney trademark, the Cuban government, in order to match the offer, paid attention to the best professional of the world. Davidoff said to the bearded revolutionaries who smoke Havana cigars: “Nationalise or socialise it if you want the talented cigar makers, but keep quality and independence of the brands (cigar bands)”. His contribution saved Havana cigars business. In 1968 a traveller from La Havana visited him and handed over a personal present from Fidel Castro, who was captivated by his wit. Zino believed that the Cuban government was awarding him but they were offering him the possibility of doing a great work. He replied “I want  to monitor everything, choose the plantation, do the mixture, choose the shape of the box, the cigar bars, everything”. They accepted and this is the origin of Davidoff brand. The government built a magnificent factory where he elaborated the softer and more aromatic Havana cigar of that time. A rumour went around about his relationship with Castro (did they meet or not?). When he was asked about Castro, he always answered: “Castro is devoted to politics and I am to business”, brilliant answer for a Geneve inhabitant where capital and politics are linked. Once we were having dinner at Lion d’Or, the superb restaurant located in a hill over the Leman Lake and I asked him the same while we were having a scented Dry Martini, and he replied: “You, who love spicy red wines so much, must visit the Bekaa valley in Lebanon. And the plain of Oms in Syria, next to the Kraal of the Knights is the place of origin of the Syrah grape that you like so much, and you will forget everything else. We will taste the Chateau Kefraya tonight and you will see, it is one of the best wines of the whole world”. He was right about the wine but he did not answer my question. He was my master so, it didn’t mind. I remember when I met him. I entered his shop in Geneve to buy cigars and to ask him to dedicate his book “The Connoisseur's Book of the Cigar”, brilliant idea of the publisher Robert Laffont. I had with me a letter of introduction by Xavier Domingo, a good friend of Zino and another of my masters. He was very nice and said to me “I will do something better” and he stuck a picture of himself into the book and signed. Meanwhile, he asked me what I was doing in Geneve. “I am going to Zurich. I am the Manager of a wine cellar in Valencia whose proprietors are Swiss and I often travel there to attend meetings”. He knew the cellar and from that moment we started an intense friendship and exchanges. I gave him my best red wine, Casa Lo Alto’s Villa Albosa and he gave me his Davidoffs and even a lovely cigar cutter, which I gave to the Havan cigar sommelier world champion, Manuela Romeralo. In what better hands it could be!. The last time I saw him, he was standing up at the entrance of his shop (the same image than the picture), wearing a suit and a waistcoats, the chain of his pocket watch, like an Oscar Wilde’s dandy, looking like Yves Montad and his keen look, which had seen and suffered during the hectic 20th century.

Published in the magazine Viajeras Nº 7

Zino Davidoff, Kiev 1.906- Ginebra 1994- fue un hombre arquetipo del Siglo XX,  que elevo a condición cultural el fumar un habano. Era hijo de un estanquero de Kiev un harjmani (mezclador de tabacos orientales) de los mas sabios desde que Rodrigo de Jerez trajo las primeras labores a Europa. Zino aprendió de niño el oficio familiar mezclando tabacos y preparando cigarrillos, mientras escuchaba las permanentes conspiraciones en las tertulias de rebotica que su padre protegía mientras esperaban (con la fe del perseguido) la revolución. El antisemitismo contemporaneo nacio en Rusia tal como los historiadores Richard J. Evan y Joan B. Culla han demostrado en sendos magnificos libros de historia. En 1911 huyendo de uno de los habituales progroms se exiliaron a Suiza. En el vital viaje iniciatico de Davidoff, Ginebra fue el punto de partida y llegada de su perigeo que encontró su apogeo en el valle cubano  de Vuelta Abajo. El estanco ginebrino de los Davidoff se convirtió en refugio de exiliados entre ellos Vladimir Ilich Ulianov “Lenin” a quien Davidoff padre daba cigarros que no cobraba. Zino le dijo que no podían dar cigarros así, pero le contesto “en su lucha, los puritos les ayudan a pensar” Para un huido del terror zarista, Ginebra, el Cap i casal del Calvinismo, debió parecerle un paraíso ordenado y cronometrado basado en el derecho y el trabajo duro, profesionalmente hablando. Una vez me dijo algo que debió ser una guía para el, mientras nos fumamos un Chateau Laotur, algo, que si no era de Jean Calvino lo era de su apóstol mayor Zwingli. “Si no te conviertes en rico en esta vida no te hagas ilusiones para la otra”. Seria una guía pero no la única, la otra vendría de un universo distinto del suizo. Al fin y al cabo tanto Calvino como Zino eran hijos adoptivos de Ginebra y finalmente predilectos, cada uno con su iglesia y sus adeptos, la de Zino en la Rue de la Rive cerca del puente de Mont Blanc. A los 19 años consiguió que  le enviasen a Sudamérica para conocer los tabacos negros. Su padre le dio 3 cartas de recomendación  sermoneandole: “en esta profesión la amistad no es una palabra sin sentido, estas cartas te ayudaran valen tanto como el oro”. En la casa Picardo el empresario se dio cuenta que Zino además de aprender, podía también enseñarles pues era un harjmani, y podía mostrarles las técnicas de mezcla de labores  rubias, “un crio experto en lo que ellos no eran” contaba Zino. Picardo después de 6 meses lo dejo volar, “uno que ama como tu los tabacos negros debe ir a Cuba, descubrirás las tierras rojas y no habrá nada mas para ti.  Zino marcho al  Caribe y quedo seducido por su espacio, su  luz y sus aromas.

Para un huido de las estepas asoladas por los gelidos viento, la Cuba de los años 20 debió ser, no ya un viaje iniciatico sino cambiatico. Su sociedad clasista y paternalista, era permeable a las liberales relaciones, y la sensualidad imperante debió parecerle el paraíso. En Cuba  –solo 14 años despues huir de Kiev- contaba “me prende de las mareas vegetales de las grandes plantaciones que mueven sus hojas como crines al viento en los valles de la isla”. Zino aprendio todo sobre el tabaco habano: variedades, cultivo, curado, y los suelos de los diferentes valles. Al regresar a Ginebra convencio a su padre de que mientras el continuara con  las mezclas de tabacos turcos y balcanicos a gusto de su exquisita clientela, le dejase un rincón para trabajar, recomendando los puros mas exqusitos. Zino recordaba que fueron  tiempos difíciles, “pues el fumador de puros cuando esta a gusto con su proveedor es difícil de cambiar”, pero se corrio la voz entre los aficionados, el joven experto era un maestro, y su negocio fue a mas. La siguiente prueba fue un reto, en 1940 a punto de ser ocupada Paris por los nazis, los importadores de habanos le enviaron sus existencias para evitar el saqueo nazi, y que las guardase en su gran humidor, su prestigio era solido. Durante los años de la ocupación se convirtió en el unico suministrador de habanos, esto hizo su fortuna pero tambien la de los importadores que le habian confiado sus existencias, pues al acabar la guerra se encontraron que Davidoff les presento una liquidación tan honrada y bien administrada que su prestigio se convirtió en leyenda. Sin duda un judio calvinista puede ser el mejor administrador de bienes.

Su espiritu emprendedor le llevo a aliarse con Fernando Palacios  propietario de  Hoyo de Monterrey, adquirida a la familia Gener, de origen catalan. Zino le propuso a creación de una labor nueva, recurriendo a sus   conocimientos aprendidos en su primer viaje a Cuba y las tecnicas de harjmani, una mezcla de gran resonancia le dijo Zino a Palacios que se llamaria “Grand Cru de la Habana”, Palacios le contesto ¡pero como vamos a llamar a un habano con nombre frances si mi apellido es español y el suyo judio. !El le replico “me suenan tan bien los nombres de los grandes vinos franceses que asociar estos placeres es un glamour que apreciaran los aficionados de los dos productos”. Consulto a los propietarios de las bodegas –Margaux (fantastico aquel nº 5), Lafitte, Latour- y convinieron, Zino y Palacios  demostraron su alta vision de la cultura gastronomica  moderna, hasta llegar al cenit con el habano Dom Perignon su mayor y mas caro lujo. Por si la vida no le habia puesto suficiente a prueba, la de enero de 1959 fue definitiva. El triunfo de la revolucion castrista afectaba su negocio de importación de habanos, y he aquí que su pais proveedor cambiaba totalmente, es posible que su relacion con revolucionarios cuando crío le ayudara a entender al Che, a Fidel a Camilo Cienfuegos o a Raul Castro. Después de unos fracasados intentos socializadores con la marca Siboney para igualar la oferta, el gobierno cubano le hizo caso al mejor profesional que habia en el mundo, Davidoff les dijo a los barbudos revolucionarios fumadores de habanos; “estatalize o socialice si quiere los ingenios tabaqueros, pero mantengan la calidad e independencia de las marcas (las vitolas)”, su aportacion salvo al negocio de habanos. En 1968, en agradecimiento llego un viajero de la Habana con un gran regalo personal de Fidel Castro que habia quedado seducido por la lucidez profesional de Davidoff, Zino creyo que el gobierno cubano le otorgaba una condecoración, pero le ofrecian la posibilidad de hacer una gran labor con su nombre. Respondio con igual practicidad “quiero controlarlo todo, elegir la plantación, hacer la mezcla, la forma de la caja, el anillo, todo. Aceptaron y asi nacio la marca Davidoff. El gobierno le construyo una estupenda fabrica donde hizo su habano, el mas suave y aroamatico de todos los de aquella epoca. De su especial relacion con Fidel han corrido todos los rumores (si se llegaron a entrevistar o no) siempre que le  preguntaban que opinaba de Castro el respondia, “Castro se dedica a la politica y yo a los negocios” genial respuesta para un ginebrino donde capital y politica se dan la mano. Cenando en el Lion d´Or el magnifico restaurante en la colina que se asoma sobre el lago Leman, le hice la misma pregunta, mientras nos servian un perfumado Dry Martín, el me respondio, “a ti que tanto te apasionan los tintos especiados debes visitar el  valle de la Bekaa en el Libano es la patria de Syrah esa uva que te gusta tanto,  probaremos el Chateau Kefraya esta noche y veras, es uno de los mejores vinos del mundo”, acerto en la eleccion del vino y en lo demas, pero no respondio a mi pregunta, era mi maestro y se lo podia permitir. Recuerdo cuando le conoci, entre a su tienda de Ginebra a comprar puros  y a que me dedicara su “Libro del buen fumador de puros”, genial idea del editor Robert Laffont, llevaba una carta de presentacion de Xavier Domingo buen amigo de Zino y otro de mis maestros, muy amable me contesto “hare algo mejor” y apego una fotografia en el libro en la que estampo su dedicatoria, mientras me preguntaba que hacia en Ginebra, “de paso para Zurích, dirijo una bodega Valenciana de propiedad Suiza, y viajo frecuentemente a las reuniones del consejo” conocia naturalmente la bodega, a partir de entonces crecio intensamente la amistad y los intercambios, yo le regalaba mi mejor tinto y el sus Davidoff e incluso un preciados un cortapuros, que finalmente he transmitido a la campeona mundial de habano-sommelier Manuela Romerala. La ultima vez que le vi lo recuerdo en la puerta de su tienda que hacia esquina, (igual imagen y pose que su fotografia dedicada) con su traje y su chaleco, su cadena del reloj de bolsillo, su aspecto de dandi a los Oscar Wilde, su parecido a Yves Montad y su aguda mirada  que tanto habia visto y sufrido en el agitado siglo XX.

Publicado en la Revista Viajeras Nº 7