The Humidor F A L L
P.2 Visiting Nicaragua with Gurkha Cigars P.4 IPCPR 2017 P.5 Flo r ida Tobac c o P.6 Gea r up for Cigar G ift ing P8. Bra nd Break down
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The Humidor is a publication of ABC Fine Wine & Spirits. Copyright 2017 ABC Fine Wine & Spirits. Reprinted reviews remain the copyright of the original publisher.
Allie Smallwood
Editor
Meghan Guarino
Contributing Editor
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VISITING NICARAGUA with Gurkha Cigars
Chris Gwaltney Certified Retail Tobacconist, @abccigarchris
What happens when you travel to
the American Caribbean Cigar Factory in
This wasn’t my first trip to this factory as I
Nicaragua on a cigar trip with an IT guy
Estelí. Though the ACC factory had been
first visited it about four years ago. Carlos
responsible for cyber security? Let’s just
making cigars for Gurkha for many years,
Llaca Torano was our host on that trip as
say that thanks to Lee Bailey, we all had
this marks the first time in Gurkha’s history
well. He was the production manager for
open and secure lines of communication
that they have owned their own production
his family-owned cigar company, Torano
while we were there. It was not a good
facility. And while they will continue the
Cigars, and several of their lines were
week for Central-American hackers but
practice of having other cigar makers
being produced at ACC. It was later in that
it was an amazing one for five gringos
produce their cigars under their watchful
year that Torano Cigars was purchased
wanting to hang out with the good folks
eye, owning a factory of their own gives
by General Cigar Co. Though it was the
from Gurkha. Any trip to cigar country is
them a freedom they weren’t afforded
end of an era for the cigar world it was a
exciting but this one was special because
before.
huge win for Gurkha. They were not only
it came just after Gurkha’s acquisition of
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able to acquire the services of a veteran
Visiting a tobacco field in Estelí, Nicaragua.
production guy like Carlos but they were
moment as we were outside with him trying
none would be suitable for wrapper. I’m not
also able to snag one of the best sales
to figure how to turn off the car alarm. For
sure what the final tally was, as they were
reps in the business, Armando Lapido.
the record, it was our IT man that was
frantically stalk-cutting everything in the
There are many nick names for Armando
finally able to disarm the alarm.
field to salvage what they could, but I am
but “Street Dog” is the one most know him
Since the trip took place in June, the
by and he hasn’t changed a bit in all the
prospects of visiting a farm were slim. The
In conjunction with visiting the farm and
years I’ve known him.
rainy season starts in May and no one
the factory, we also had the chance to
We spent quite a bit of time at the factory
attempts to grow tobacco after that date
stroll around Estelí and enjoy the native
watching all facets of the production
because of the damage that can occur.
cuisine. No matter what your dietary
process and trying our hand at the jobs
I was shocked when I was informed we
preferences are, there is something for
as well. We were a small group and there
would be touring a farm. I mean who wants
you in Nicaragua. Everything is prepared
wasn’t a strict time schedule, so everyone
to look at empty fields and empty barns?
with the freshest ingredients and I never
got the opportunity to spend as much time
One cigar grower in Estelí, in an attempt
grow tired of eating their food. Though
as they wanted at each station. Very few
the get one more crop in, did plant later
the focus of the trip is cigar education, I
people ever get the chance to visit a cigar
than everyone else. The results were quite
believe what is equally as important is the
factory and an even smaller group get free
disastrous. Much of the crop was damaged
camaraderie that is experienced. Getting a
reign to just wander around and mingle
but it did afford those making their first visit
chance to dine, smoke cigars and converse
with the workers. Damien Tapanes, who
to Nicaragua an opportunity to see the
with those who are responsible for putting
runs the factory and is quickly becoming a
agricultural portion of the cigar industry. It
together these great cigars will forever be
big name in the cigar world, was nothing
gave us all a glimpse into the risky world
the highlight of any cigar trip for me. s
but kind to us. He also provided us with the
of growing tobacco. Mother Nature can be
highlight of the trip as we got to witness
very cruel and it only takes her a day to
him give one if his loyal employees a
undo many months of hard work and effort.
brand-new car. When I say new car, I mean
The most damage that I witnessed was in
tax, tag and title of a 2017 model was given
a large field of shade tobacco. The leaves
to one of his right-hand guys. It was a great
were completely perforated, assuring that
certain that it was a costly loss.
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GEAR UP FOR Cigar Gifting
Steve Mungeer Certified Retail Tobacconist, @abccigarmungo
It was another great year at the IPCPR 2017 in Las Vegas for the cigar team as we found many new brands and sizes to add to our portfolio. We also spent time seeking out new and exciting gift sets for the holiday season. We try to find gifts that cover a wide range of gift giving, from buying for the cigar beginner to gifts a seasoned cigar lover would enjoy. This year, Rocky Patel has a new set packed with five Nicaraguan cigars with ratings of 93 and up, including last year’s No. 2 rated cigar, the Sun Grown Maduro Robusto. From PDR Cigars and JC Newman we brought back some old favorites including the PDR sampler with an ashtray and the Brick House and big ring gauge Sesenta samplers. Oliva Cigar had a great new offering this year with a sampler selection of their highly popular V Serie that includes the V Nub, a cigar rarely sold individually. This will join the Nub sampler and the Oliva 6-cigar sampler which are always popular gift sets. From Davidoff we will be seeing an 8-pack sampler of AVO cigars, a wonderful gift for the cigar connoisseur. And from our friends at Altadis comes a gorgeous gift set known as the H Upmann Rose Ingot
that has been a favorite here at ABC now
great lineup of cigars, we will be introducing
for several years. New this year will be the
their San Cristobal gift set. This is a beautiful
Malt Collection which will feature five cigars
assortment of some outstanding smokes
Last year’s top-selling gift set was the Toro
specifically blended and matched to various
that will please any palate.
selection from My Father and that will make
styles of Scotch. This will be the perfect
a return appearance along with the Belicoso
match for the Scotch lover on your holiday
set. Packed in beautiful wood boxes with
shopping list.
which is a great gift idea to pair with a rosé Champagne.
a lighter and a cutter included, this is an
in all price ranges and I am personally very pleased with this wide assortment. Several
Last season our friends at Ashton offered
companies still have not completely finalized
us a great-looking gift set with La Aroma de
their offerings so it is likely that there will
From Gurkha comes the always popular
Cuba cigars. Building on that success and
be a few nice surprises arriving before the
Godzilla set with eight, big ring gauge cigars
perhaps looking to the future for another
holidays! s
outstanding option.
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As always, we have a great variety of gifts
Florida Tobacco Chris Gwaltney Certified Retail Tobacconist, @abccigarchris Florida sun grown tobacco curing in the barn.
One of the best kept secrets in the cigar
There were many reasons why tobacco
Jeff has graciously opened the gates to his
world today is the fact that Florida used to be
fell out of favor in Florida. Labor strife,
farm to the public. Drew Estate, the maker of
one of the top producers of shade tobacco
the Great Depression and inexpensive
the first cigar using this tobacco, hosted a huge
in the world. Just west of Tallahassee lies
machine-made cigarettes all had a hand in
barn smoker event at the Florida Sun Grown
Gadsden County which was a mecca for
the downfall of the mighty shade leaf here
Farm the last two years. I have been both
cigar tobacco from the early 1800s right up
in Florida. Fortunately, the cigar industry
times and it was a great experience to smoke
until the 1960s. I grew up just across the
didn’t completely go away, and today Florida
the Florida Sun Grown Cigar while strolling
border in Grady County, Georgia, which
tobacco is making a comeback.
around his barn and fields. It’s something that
The credit for the rebirth of Florida tobacco
I have done on many occasions in Honduras,
also saw its fair share of shade tobacco. Of course, at the time of my birth, it had been many years since the last tobacco had been cured in those towering barns that still can be seen off GA Highway 111. Since tobacco was no longer part of our local economy, I never really paid attention to those barns and very few people spoke about them.
can be given to one man, Jeff Borysiewicz. Jeff is not only the owner of Corona Cigar
Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, but there is something special about doing it in
Company but he is also the owner and chief
your own backyard.
farmer at the Florida Sun Grown Farm in
In addition to the Florida Sun Grown Cigar
Clermont, FL. For the last several years
from Drew Estate, the JC Newman Cigar
Jeff has been toiling on his 10-acre spread
Company in Tampa will be hand-rolling an
and has produced some good, albeit very
all-American cigar at their Ybor factory with
It wasn’t until I became involved in the cigar
expensive, tobacco. It obviously wasn’t a
tobacco not only from the Sunshine State but
industry and began traveling throughout
business venture to make a quick buck. The
also from Connecticut and Pennsylvania.
the Caribbean and Central America that I
tobacco business has a saying: “If you want
truly appreciated those wooden buildings.
to make a million dollars growing tobacco
The fact that they are still standing today
then you better start with at least 2 million.”
is a testament to the men who constructed
The project was obviously done as a labor
them. I have been in tobacco barns in the
of love and a way to reintroduce some of
Dominican Republic that look as if a stiff
Florida’s rich culture and heritage back into
breeze would blow them over. I have often
today’s society. How many cigar smokers
thought how it was a shame that the cigar
today know the rich tobacco history of
industry in these parts wasn’t as sound as
this state?
the buildings that cured the leaves.
Producing hand-rolled cigars with local tobacco is taking things back to their origins and should please everyone who loves history and cares about cigars. It is one thing to save a historic building from the wrecking ball but resurrecting an industry when someone threw out the instructions is a more daunting task. And I thought putting together IKEA furniture was difficult.s
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IPCPR 2017 Chris Gwaltney Certified Retail Tobacconist, @abccigarchris
There is never a shortage of unique cigars at IPCPR. This footballshaped cigar by Hamlet was made for former NFL great Ray Lewis. It is smokeable.
called Criolitto in four sizes along with a new, custom five-cigar sampler that will be priced under $20. With JC Newman expect to see Perla del Mar Maduro along with several new sizes of Brick House Natural and Maduro. When it comes to innovation Drew Estate is always near the forefront and this year was no different. We will be selling the new Undercrown Sun Grown, the new Acid The International Premium Cigar & Pipe
that the regulations will go into effect, there
Candelas in Blondie and Kuba Kuba, along
Retailers convention was held this past
did seem to be a lot more optimism this year.
with the other two sizes of Deadwood Cigars,
July in the Las Vegas Convention Center.
So much so that I saw a lot many more new
Crazy Alice and Fat Bottom Betty. You can
It was a very interesting year for the cigar
items than I expected.
also expect to see many line extensions of
On day one, we visited with Rocky Patel,
the Joya de Nicaragua cigars including Joya
PDR, JC Newman, Drew Estate and Oliva.
Cabinetta and Cinco.
Some of the new items that you will soon
We concluded the first day with a visit
see at ABC from Rocky Patel are the 20th
to Oliva where we purchased the new
Anniversary, the Edge A-10, the Java Red
Gilberto Oliva line, Neos in Java, Ruby and
and the Prestige Sampler. At PDR, we
Cappuccino, and an Oliva V sampler for the
decided to bring in a great, value-priced cigar
holidays.
industry starting with a major political change in November. With a new White House Administration that seems to be more business friendly and less likely to impose regulation, most manufacturers smiled for the first time since the new FDA guidelines were passed down shortly before last year’s trade show. Although everyone must still assume
Page 6
Our second day was equally productive with
The final Day in Vegas was a short one. We
visits to Davidoff, EPC, Altadis, My Father,
visited with CLE, Caldwell and Plasencia.
General Cigar and Gurkha. We picked
From CLE expect to see Prieto, Habano,
up many new items from each of these
Chele and Corojo along with some Asylum
partners and a few of them are the AVO
Insiduous. Caldwell also had a few new
Ritmo, the Camacho Nicaraguan Barrel-
releases including two big collaborations
Aged, Romeo Y Julieta 505, H Upmann by
with Matt Booth and AJ Fernandez. Both
AJ Fernandez, Monty by AJ Fernandez,
Hit & Run and The Truth by AJ can soon
Aging Room Solero, Aging Room F-55, CAO
be purchased at ABC. Our final meeting
Amazon Anaconda, Cohiba Blue, Macanudo
was with the legendary tobacco grower
Inspirado White and Black, Diesel Grind,
Plasencia. Though they are the largest
Gurkha Havana Legend, Gurkha Master
grower in the world and have been making
Select and the EPC New Wave Reserva.
cigars for many people over the years, they
Day three of the trade show was dominated
finally decided to make their own bearing the
by playing catch up along with visiting some
family name. It would be foolish not to give
new vendors. We were able to squeeze in La
their cigars a try. We chose to go with the
Flor Dominicana, Espinosa, AJ Fernandez,
Alma Fuerte, Alma del Campo and Original
Fratello Cigars, Miami Cigars, Ashton and
Reserva.
our accessories suppliers Lotus/Integrated
It was a very hectic tradeshow, but it was
Logistics and Xikar. Many new cigars are
definitely the most productive one for us
heading our way. From Erik Espinosa, you
in many years. So if you were worried
will see 601 La Bomba, 601 Blue Label
about there not being any new stuff in the
and Laranja. AJ Fernandez will provide us
marketplace due to the FDA, you need not
with New World, Enclave and a premium
worry. Visit your local ABC to shop new items
sampler. We will also bring in Fratello Oro, La
and your old favorites today! s
Aurora ADN Dominicana and some Toscano cigars to satisfy our diehard Italian wine fans. We also picked up a few new accessories.
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Brand Breakdown La Aurora La Aurora is the oldest cigar company in the Dominican Republic and has been producing premium cigars since 1903. With distribution in over 60 countries spread across five different continents, they have a huge portfolio of labels that can please the palates of all cigar smokers. Last year they introduced what they call their Time Capsule series. This series is labeled to represent the year in which La Aurora began using the specific wrapper on each cigar. The two varieties released last year were the 1962 Corojo and the 1987 Connecticut, now available at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits.
Palate: The 1962 Corojo has a medium strength
1962 COROJO
1987 CONNECTICUT
Produced in:
Produced in:
Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
Wrapper Leaf:
Wrapper Leaf:
Dominican Corojo
Connecticut Shade
Binder: Ecuador
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Nicaraguan and
Filler: Nicaraguan and
profile. There is a bit of creaminess and some
Dominican
Dominican
notes of fresh hay in the 1987 which makes it a
and a medium body profile. There is a little bit of spice that highlights the dark coffee notes and rich tobacco flavors. The Corojo wrapper definitely adds some great flavor to this stick. The 1987 Connecticut is a bit lighter in flavor but still falls in the medium strength and body
great smoke any time of day. Size: We offer both the 1962 Corojo and the 1987 Connecticut in three sizes: Robusto, Toro and Gran Toro.