Last year Rafael Solano Portorreal became the first ever Dominican slow smoking champion when he kept his cigar alive for about one hour and 50 minutes. This year he was looking to repeat the feat when the Cigar Slow Smoking Championship qualifier was held at the House Blend Cigar Lounge and Bar in Santiago de los Caballeros and it was looking good. He did even better than last year, but it wasn’t enough. In the end he was beaten… by his wife.
Freilyn Perez Diaz also competed in 2022 but didn’t make it to the top three. This time she smoked for a whopping 2 hours 27 minutes and 6 seconds, half an hour longer than her husband in second place and a new national record.
Organizer Danays Leon Sanchez was happy with the event. “We even had a competitor from Miami,” he says. “Leticia León traveled to DR, spicing up the competition spirit and proving the increasing popularity and interest in the championship on this side of the globe.”
Third place went to Alfredo Amed Chaer Peña.
1. Freilyn Perez Diaz 2:27:06
2. Rafael Solano Portorreal 1:56:46
3. Alfredo Amed Chaer Peña 1:46:00
