Cigar & Spirits Magazine Jan/Feb 2021 ft. Pierce Brosnan by Cigar & Spirits Magazine

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

FUENTE

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

C&S

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

LINCOLN SALAZAR RANDY MASTRONICOLA BREAHNA WHEELER

CEO & Publisher Editor-in-Chief Corporate Director/Administration

JOE REDMOND

Art Director

MIYURI NORRIS

Digital Media Director

AUDREY PAVIA

Consulting Editor

CODY CHO

Consulting Media Director

JOE BOSSO

Senior Writer

ELISA JORDAN

Senior Writer

CHRIS GOLDSHOLL LISA TURNBULL BAILEY KERWICK SHAHID GHANI NATALIE NICOL CARLY SCHEUER

Account Executive Administrative Coordinator Administrative Assistant Chief Financial Officer Legal Accounting

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

AVAILABLE ONLINE EXCLUSIVELY AT WWW.PAPPYCO.COM

Joe Bosso, Sean Chaffin, Dave Johnson, Elisa Jordan, Greg Mays, Audrey Pavia, Breahna Wheeler

A L I N CO L N B L A K E S A L A Z A R P U B L I C AT I O N Editorial, Production and Sales Office

Headquartered at: 11 Orchard Road, Suite 106, Lake Forest, CA 92630 (949) 599-2760 Cigar & Spirits is published bi-monthly by Top Hat Media Group. Please send address changes to Cigar & Spirits Magazine, PO BOX 92675, Long Beach, CA 90809. ©2020 by Top Hat Media Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from this issue in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. For subscription inquiries or changes of address: Cigar & Spirits Magazine, PO BOX 92675, Long Beach, CA 90809 (you may email us at cigarandspirits@pfsmag.com) (888) 881-5861, or fax (714) 226-9789. Subscription rate is $19.99 for 6 issues; $32.99 for 12 issues. Canadian and foreign surface, add $6 extra per year payable in U.S. funds. Single copy price is $5.99. Please allow up to 8 weeks for mailing of first bi-monthly issue to new subscribers. When changing address, give 12 weeks notice, and include address label from latest copy as well as new address. Occasionally, we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services that we believe would interest our readers. Please view our Privacy Policy at tophatmediagroup.com/privacypolicy.html. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40612608, Registration No. R126851765. Return undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: IMEX Global Solutions, P. O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, CANADA. Printed in the U.S.A. December 2020 Volume 11/Issue 1 For Advertising: Advertising@CigarandSpirits.com To Contact Us for Questions & Comments email: CustomerService@CigarandSpirits.com

THE STORY OF THESE HISTORIC BOURBON-BARREL-FERMENTED CIGARS STARTS, WHERE ELSE, BUT IN KENTUCKY, USA AND FEATURES KENTUCKY SEED AND KENTUCKY GROWN TOBACCO. ONCE GROWN, THE TOBACCO LEAVES ARE HARVESTED AND CAREFULLY SELECTED FOR TRADITIONAL KENTUCKY STYLE FIRE CURING. WE THEN TRANSPORT THE LEAVES, USED AS THE WRAPPER, FROM HOPKINSVILLE, KENTUCKY TO SAINT JAMES PARISH, LOUISIANA. THIS IS WHERE THE TOBACCO UNDERGOES BARREL FERMENTATION. THE PAPPY VAN WINKLE BARREL FERMENTED CIGAR IS HAND CRAFTED AT LA GRAN FABRICA DREW ESTATE IN ESTELI, NICARAGUA AND FEATURES TWO WRAPPERS, "TAPA NEGRA”, THE KENTUCKY GROWN, BARREL FERMENTED LEAF BLENDED OVER A MEXICAN SAN ANDRES LEAF WITH AN ALL-NICARAGUAN BLEND OF WELL AGED, ROBUST & EARTHY TOBACCOS.

Letters to the Editor: Feedback@CigarandSpirits.com For subscription customer service: cigarandspirits@pfsmag.com

Cigar & Spirits Magazine

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL DREW DIPLOMAT RETAILER

DREW ESTATE | THE REBIRTH OF CIGARS WWW.DREWESTATE.COM #DE4L

@CigarSpiritsMag

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

C&S

CONTENTS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

ON THE COVER

FEATURES

PIERCE BROSNAN

ICONIC BRAND SPOTLIGHT GLENDRONACH

Piercing the Surface The Actor, Artist and Activist Brings His A-Game

BEST OF 2020 Top 20 Cigars of 2020

Top 20 Boutique Brand Cigars of 2020 Top Cuban Cigars of 2020

THROWBACK BARBERSHOPS

100

BEHIND THE LEAF

Sweet Drams Are Made of This

LOOKING FOR MORE THAN A QUICK BUZZ?

Throwback Barbershops Feature The Finest, Snips, Sips and Sticks

HISTORIC HOTELS AND INNS USA

Experiencing American Grandeur At Its Best

HISTORIC HOTELS AND INNS

Cigar & Spirits Magazine Presents The World Spirits Competition

INTERVIEWS LIFESTYLE

THE LOWDOWN WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S OUT THERE NOW

Bartesian Abodes Well Classic Cuban Cuisine Go For The Green Collectibles

FEATURED PAIRINGS

Perfecto Pairings To Expand Your Palate

110

RICK NIELSEN OF CHEAP TRICK

The Guitar Legend Makes His Case

KAVEH ZAMANIAN OF RABBIT HOLE

Love, Work and Whiskey

100

GLENDRONACH

BEHIND THE LEAF RAFAEL NODAL OF ALTADIS U.S.A.

Navigating Waters and Staying the Course

WINTER COCKTAILS

Booze It Or Lose It

112

CIGAR & SPIRITS MAGAZINE PRESENTS THE 2ND ANNUAL GOLF CLASSIC

ON THE COVER

PIERCE BROSNAN / CIGAR & SPIRITS

RICK NIELSEN

42 6

THE LOWDOWN

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

110

WINTER COCKTAILS WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

C&S

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

Let it be, let it be… Without the storms–you would not appreciate the calm. Without the cold–you would not appreciate the heat. Without the sun–you would not appreciate the moon. Without the waves of life–you would not appreciate your life. In order to appreciate something, you must know that you might lose it. The key is to do all you can to never lose what it is that you love. As we begin to exit one of the hardest years in modern history, I have to reflect on how life offers no guarantees. We cannot always control what other people might do, what they might say or what even happens in the world. One thing I do know is that we may not control the world individually, but we can control our own world. We can control what we put into our world, who we allow in it, and what we allow to leave from our hearts and our minds. Is what we are saying or doing putting out love, joy and selflessness into the world? Are we being kind? I believe this year has been hard on many, but tougher on others. Whether it be financially, physically, mentally–however, it may be there has just been change. I am a strong believer in “When one door closes, another door opens.” It’s just all about our perspective, and the way we see things. Every second we each have to choose to think positive or negative. To show love or hate. To have hope or drown. At the end of the year, when we sit back and have our cigars and spirits for the last time this year, let’s try not to reflect back on the negative. Let’s look at the positive–thank the blessings we have–that even through a storm, eventually–yes, and I mean yes–there will be light. Embrace the storms and celebrate the journey during the holidays. Sit around your table during the holidays and take in the moments with those you love. Take a moment to think: What would we really have without these loved ones? Whether it be your wife, your husband, your kids, your grandchildren, your cat, your dog, your bird–whoever or whatever it may be–take a deep breath and count your blessings, and not your losses. My heart and prayers go out to you if you lost someone this year, but let’s remember the blessing of the time we did get with them. Embrace the time you spent in pure joy with them.

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

You see, when you’re born, life gives you a book with empty pages. There’s no guarantee whether you will have a comedy, a drama, a romance, a history book or a tragedy. All you’re given is some simple ink of your mind and your heart. This is paper to write your story because that’s what life is–your story–and only you get it write it. To close out the year, it’s my humble thank you to my family, my team (who I also consider family), our subscribers, our social media followers, our event attendees, our industries and advertisers for your continued loyalty and support through these difficult times. It’s because of you that I’m blessed to write another publisher’s note, and will for many more years to come. Raise your glass and cigar. Cheers! I humbly thank you. May God bless all of your families with love, joy, prosperity and peace. And God Bless America!

Lincoln B. Salazar CEO & Publisher

Follow on Instagram

@cigarandspiritsmagpublisher

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

C&S

THE BARTESIAN OFFERS GREAT QUALITY AND CAPSULE SELECTION. THE COMPANY WORKED WITH EXPERT

BA RTESI A N A BODES WELL

MIXOLOGISTS TO CREATE THE RECIPES FOR THE CAPSULE MIXES, AND THEY’RE SPOT-ON

CL A SSIC CU BA N CU ISINE

PROFESSIONAL QUALITY.

GO FOR THE GR EEN COLLEC TIBLES BARTESIAN ABODES WELL We’ve learned many lessons from the year that was 2020. We’ve been home more than ever before and many of us have experimented with cocktail recipes at our home bars in an effort to become amateur mixologists. However, searching out recipes and viewing instructional YouTube videos doesn’t always fit the bill. Mixing it up at home can be frustrating because the necessary ingredients aren’t always at your disposal. A good number of us cocktailians are quite busy and can’t afford to spend too much time messing up the bar top. Thankfully, there’s a brilliant solution to our cocktail dilemma: the Bartesian.

WHAT’S OUT THERE NOW

by Dave Johnson

Bartesian ($350) is an automatic cocktail mixer that uses premade capsules to create the cocktail recipe of your choice. Each capsule contains all the bitters, extracts, juice concentrates and ingredients needed to make your drink. The beauty of this system is that it allows you to customize the strength of your cocktail, anything from a “mocktail” to a stiff drink. There’s actually no alcohol in the cocktail capsules so you’ll need to have booze on hand. The Bartesian uses a few reservoirs labeled for the spirits you’ll need to make your cocktail: whiskey, vodka, tequila and another for gin and rum. And it allows you to use whichever alcohol you wish. You can go with your top-shelf spirits or experiment at first with your less expensive booze. The Bartesian offers great quality and capsule selection. The company worked with expert mixologists to create the recipes for the capsule mixes, and they’re spot-on professional quality. As for selection, they currently have over thirty

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

recipes available and are always adding more. They have all the classic choices: Old Fashioned, Whiskey Sour, Negroni, Martini and Margarita as well as more contemporary recipes. If you already know the cocktails you want, you can buy them at $15 for a pack of six. There are variety packs for the same price but with six different cocktails. A good choice is to subscribe to their monthly offerings. The pricing starts at $45 for three six-packs per month—all the way up to eight per month if you wish. The interface and user experience isn’t complicated at all. You drop in the capsule, make sure your reservoirs are filled, select the strength of your cocktail using a touch screen and then press the “Mix” feature. The Bartesian does all the crafting for you, and you’ve just made a cocktail with no mess, no guess and literally in just a few seconds. One of Bartesian’s biggest fans is Oprah Winfrey. Ms. Winfrey says, “I’m lucky to have my house manager Eddie mixing fresh cocktails for me, but this mechanical bartender is a great backup. Fill the canisters with your favorite spirits, pop in a flavored capsule for drinks like the Margarita or an Old-Fashioned, and you’ll be sipping pretty in no time.” You can’t argue with that. The Bartesian system is a brilliant cocktail maker. You’ll wonder why no one thought of this concept sooner if you give it a try.

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 11

Lobster Enchilado: Skylar Benton/Shutterstock.com. SIdebar Photo courtesy of My Cuban Spot

>> Pulpeta

Estrada hanging out with >> Owner and Chef Louie an spot. patrons at his favorite Cub

>> Lobster Enchilado

CUBAN CUISINE If you’ve followed The Lowdown articles, you probably know that we love ethnic food. Exploring food with a whole new world of flavors is exciting, and finding that one dish from that one new place is always a thrill we love to chase. Let’s take a look at a cuisine that’s near and dear to our hearts (and stomachs): Cuban food. If you think you’re unfamiliar with Cuban food, you might know more than you think. Even if you haven’t been to a Cuban restaurant, chances are you’ve been to some type of restaurant or bistro and ordered a “Cuban.” Maybe you wanted a drink to sip on and ordered a mojito or daiquiri—both originated in Cuba. Those are just a couple of examples on how widespread Cuba’s influence on cuisine has become. Cuban food has its Spanish influence, of course, but it’s also a fusion of Afro-Caribbean, Central American, French and Haitian cuisines. Many of the dishes incorporate ingredients like tomatoes, bell peppers, cumin, oregano, citrus, seafood and sides of rice and beans or yuca.

>> Boliche Sandwich

THE CUBAN SANDWICH

As we’ve alluded to, the Cuban has worked its way into a variety of non-ethnic restaurants throughout the United States. The sandwich, as served in an authentic Cuban restaurant, is still a popular choice. Undoubtedly, you’ll return again and again to this flavorful flattop grilled sandwich with pork, sliced ham, Swiss cheese, mustard and pickles.

>> Ropa Vieja

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Cuban sandwich: Mateusz Gzik/Shutterstock.com, Boliche sandwich: Oleksii MIschenko/Shutterstock.com, Ropa Vieja: Karel Stipek/Shutterstock.com, Pulpeta: Roland Speksin/Shutterstock.com

>> Cuban Sandwich

ROPA VIEJA

Ropa Vieja is one of our timeless favorites, and it’s considered the national dish of Cuba. This perennial choice is a combination of shredded flank steak with tomatoes, onions, bell peppers and carrots. It’s also served with black beans, rice and plantains. This will get you where you want to go when you’re searching out a classic Cuban meal. LOBSTER ENCHILADO

Lobster Enchilado (not to be confused with Mexican enchiladas) is a very popular food selection in Cuba. It’s comprised of lobster cooked in a tomato sauce with onions, peppers, garlic, cumin, cayenne pepper, lime juice and clam juice (or whole clams). We recommend a mojito and a Montecristo 2 as a cap to this meal. PULPETA

Pulpeta is a sort of Cuban-style meatloaf made with ground pork, beef, deviled ham, paprika and oregano. It’s formed into a loaf with two hardboiled eggs in the center, then simmered in a Cuban-style sauce. The combination here is unlike anything we’ve experienced. BOLICHE

Boliche is a beef pot roast stuffed with chorizo, marinated in citrus juice, simmered with onions, olives, green peppers and spices. It’s traditionally served with rice, beans and fried plantains.

YOU’LL LIKELY BE ABLE TO FIND A GOOD CUBAN RESTAURANT IN MOST MAJOR CITIES. HERE ARE A FEW THAT STAND ABOVE THE REST. My Cuban Spot Brooklyn, N.Y. This Miami-style cafecito will entice you with its “This Little Piggy Needs Bread” sandwich. Go for it! The chicharrones and pan con bistec will keep you coming back as well. mycubanspot.com

Papi’s Cuban Grill Atlanta, Ga. Papi’s is not to be missed when visiting “Hotlanta.” They certainly bring the heat with Cuban delights like mofongo con camarones al ajillo and mariquitas. A true taste of Cuba. papisgrill.com

Felix’s Continental Cafe Orange, Calif. Felix’s is a Southern California institution. It’s been lauded for serving the most authentic food from Cuba and Spain since the late 1970s. The restaurant is also known as La Casa de la Paella (The House of the Paella) because their signature paella is par none. Or be sure to enjoy Felix’s Pierna de Puerco. The dish is a delicious slowly roasted leg of pork with drippings, bitter orange and Cuban seasonings. felixcontinentalcafe.com

Versailles Restaurant Miami, Fla. Established in 1971, Versailles is simply one of the most popular Cuban restaurants in the United States. The restaurant is the real deal South Florida experience. It’s been heralded as a “taste of home” for Cuban exiles and is a tourist’s delight as well. Their Cuban roast pork is sublime. versaillesrestaurant.com

When thinking of Cuba, it’s easy to think that the country is most noted for their cigars, but the country’s classic cuisine is in strong contention as our top choice.

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 13

GO FOR THE GREEN GOLF COLLECTIBLES

Photos courtesy of The Golf Auction

Golf as we know it started in fifteenth century Scotland, and has since grown into the massive $84 billion industry that it is today. Of course, a lot has changed in six hundred years. Golf is not only the sport of the elite and layman alike, it also offers a rich well of history and collectibles. Some desired items are autographed Masters Series Badges, autographed golf gloves used in actual tournaments, personalized marked golf balls and signed photos, of course. Take a look at the following as a primer in golf memorabilia. JACK “THE GOLDEN BEAR” NICKLAUS

The golf legend’s 18-karat gold Rolex Day-Date watch is one of the most expensive pieces of sports memorabilia ever sold. He wore the watch for over 50 years. Nicklaus’s record of 18 major championship victories spanned three decades and two continents. But from 1967 forward, in practically every photograph of Nicklaus hoisting a trophy, there was a constant: that gold Rolex watch that became one of his most cherished possessions. It sold at auction for $1.22 million in 2019.

>> Jack Nicklau s show off his gold Rolex and World Series of Golf tro phy.

ALEC

BRADLEY

TIGER WOODS

If you’re a sports fan at all, you already knew this was coming. His other-worldly skills and unique personality have given the golf world its own version of basketball’s Michael Jordan for decades now—even if he isn’t dominating the sport in a given moment–it’s all about Tiger. And because of his fame, any type of memorabilia connected to him will instantly be in high demand and fetch a lofty price. If you go to any golf collectible site, such as thegolfauction.com, you’ll likely see that Tiger Woods has a collectibles category all to his own. He’s a big deal. If you find anything collectible with Woods on it at a reasonable price, hold on to it. It’s a stellar sports memorabilia investment. AUTOGRAPHS

Autographs from virtually any legendary pro player are worth the money. Even something as simple as a signed golf ball or golf hat can have a high worth to it—sometimes selling for upwards of $1,000. The consensus among experts is that a Bobby Jones signature is the most coveted if it’s signed individually and within a vintage timeframe. Jones dominated his sport from 1923 to 1930 and, in total, won 13 of the 31 majors. He entered and won all four major tournaments of his era in 1930.

>> Tiger Woods in all his glory.

>> Tournament badges and tickets surprisingly fetch top dollars.

CHAMPIONSHIPS

Golf has four major championships: the Master’s Tournament, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open and The Open Championship (the British Open). Each tournament has annual awards and various memorabilia associated with it, of course. Due to the prestige and rarity of these items–just about anything from these championships will be valued highly. A simple badge, tag, or ticket—even a recent one—can sell for incredible prices if it’s from one of these major tournaments. VINTAGE AND RARE

The more coveted pieces are those that are older and less common. These are the true unicorn pieces that sell for astronomical amounts of money. For instance, thegolfauction. com had a Masters third round ticket from 1936 and a Lloyd Mangrum U.S. Open medal from 1946 sell for a whopping $29,000 and $40,000, respectively. If you can find anything from the 1950s and earlier, you’re looking at an extremely valuable item.

>> Fine art through the ages is coveted by old-timey golf collectors.

Golf is the perfect mixture of sport, history and prestige with a wealth of memorabilia to collect— whether it’s for your own enjoyment, or as investments to buy and sell. The next time you see that signed ball or an item of curiosity, be sure to take it home.

Dave Johnson is a fragrance review critic and entertainer on the popular YouTube Channel, FragranceBros.com

The 3rd Release From Second Generation Cigarmakers www.alecbradley.com

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 15

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 17

C&S OPOLJA/Shutterstock.com

EPIC MADURO FUERTE RON BARCELÓ IMPERIAL 30 ANIVERSARIO Epic’s Maduro Fuerte is subtle visually, featuring Epic’s eye-catcher logo and a bold “MADURO” second band. The wrapper is slightly pronounced with some visible veins. There’s an overwhelming dark chocolate flavor on the cold draw. I’m glad to say that this chocolate continues once lit, a bitter chocolate and cool smoke experience (note the size of this Gordo). As the Epic Maduro burns, its boldness appears and the sweet chocolate continues. With a retrohale, there’s some spice and cream–a great flavor combo. The sweetness gives way to a salty peanut profile at the halfway point. Quite a tasty touch. I paired the Epic with Barcelo’s most premium rum: Ron Barceló Imperial 30 Aniversario. A Dominican rum, Barcelo Premium 30 is packed in a metal sleeve and mounted on a custom wood stand, the elegant presentation can’t be overstated. Barcelo is best sipped in a snifter–ice only takes away from the nuanced woody notes. There’s cedar and tropical fruits, most notably pineapple. Together with the chocolate notes of the Epic Maduro, Barcelo adds woody and tropical notes, and is bold enough to match a bold smoke like the Epic. 6 x 60 Gordo | Wrapper: Brazilian | Binder: Cameroon Filler: Cameroon | Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan Strength: Full | MSRP (cigar): $8 | MSRP (rum): $120

FEATURED PAIRINGS PERFECTO PAIRINGS TO EXPAND YOUR PALATE

by Greg Mays AVO HERITAGE HUDSON WHISKEY–DO THE RYE THING The Avo brand started in the late 1980’s in Puerto Rico by the late Avo Uvezian. The music and cigar legend had a long-standing partnership with Davidoff, and the brand thrives today. There are many continued ways that Davidoff honors Avo, too. There have been several callouts to Avo’s career as a pianist and composer through the years (for instance, the Improvisation or Synchro lines). The cold draw on the Avo Heritage is cinnamon for sure, and on light a more complex white pepper and spice profile. It’s a beautifully built cigar, but slightly rustic, too. You’ll encounter multiple peppers–both fresh and ground–as you travel through this stellar stick. While it’s never a pepper bomb per se, the notes certainly come in waves throughout. Avo’s Heritage is a medium to medium-full smoke, a bolder outing for a Dominican stick, but the flavors are transcendent. What better to pair with pepper than a little sipping spice in Hudson’s Do the Rye Thing whiskey? The spirit is New York’s first straight whiskey in nearly a century. This 3-year-old 95% rye distillate introduces itself to your palate with some spice and punch. You’ll experience scents of honey, straw and apricot. There are tasty notes of mint and black pepper on the palate, and the sublime sizzle on the honey finish is unique. This is a great cigar whiskey, with notes of raisin initially joining the spice, then a more general dry fruit as it sits in the glass. It might seem a pairing of this sort could be overwhelming with spiciness–not really. It’s a solid marriage with bold and satisfying flavors. Living in the Southwest, I often look for pairings to follow a spicy dinner, and this is one for sure. 6 x 50 Toro | Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sungrown | Binder: Dominican Filler: Dominican | Strength: Medium/Full | MSRP (cigar): $10 | MSRP (whiskey): $50

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

CAMACHO ECUADOR AND THE DUBLIN LIBERTIES 16 YEAR OLD KEEPER’S COIN For a cigar as large as a Churchill, the Camacho Ecuador is built perfectly. The wrapper is flawless from foot to cap and it burns amazingly straight to the nub. But what else would you expect from a branch of the Davidoff brand? The cold draw on the Ecuador is not surprising as “Dominican-Honduran” filler could easily be transposed “sweet-earth.” Sweet earth continues on after it’s lit, a good smoke output and a tight white ash as it burns. Notes of mineral come into play here, one of the more interesting cigar profiles to me, like a dry slate note that really must be experienced. At some point during my lengthy time with the Ecuador Churchill, I caught almost a fabric flavor note (the warmth of flannel, specifically). A medium-strength, flavorful stick like the Camacho Ecuador matched well with The Liberties 16 Year: Keeper’s Coin. This Irish Whisky has the nose of Christmas spices and bread, and I absolutely keyed in on the barley notes from whiskey’s cousin–beer, of course. With a whiskey this complex and old, sipping neat is surely advised. This Dublin Liberties standout is not to be missed. The pair is golden as a result of the bready and mineral combo here. I’m not sure I’ve typed those two together for a cigar pairing yet, but here we are. Something new for all of us to experience and enjoy. 7 x 48 Churchill | Wrapper: Ecuadorian | Binder: Brazilian Filler: Dominican, Honduran | Strength: Medium MSRP (cigar): $7 | MSRP (whiskey): $315

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 19

Pairing Spotlight

Alec Bradley Project 40 Maduro Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Batch Proof -C&S Magazine Staff

The Alec Bradley Project 40 Maduro is the follow-up to the highly lauded Project 40 line of cigars. The newly released offering is the second cigar in the brand’s Experimental Series.

ADDING STYLE TO EXCELLENCE

You have to like the philosophy here. Alec Bradley Founder Alan Rubin offered that the cigar is named for a scientific concept relating to how outside influences positively affect one’s well-being–with a proper blend and value proposition, it’s the key to taking control of one’s happiness. Agreed. This is a worthy sentiment in our challenging times. The Alec Bradley Project 40 Maduro is produced at the J. Fuego Cigar Co. de Nicaragua factory in Estelí and has 24-count boxes. The maroon and gold band design separates it out from the blue and white of the previous line so you’ll be able to pick it out from the pack at the retail level.

davidoff

The cigar is handsomely constructed. It’s a medium-plus maduro, and it has an eye-catching wrapper from San Andreas. It offers a Habano Brazilian binder, and an all Nicaraguan filler. We smoked the 5.5 x 50 size and it was a pleasure throughout. Our experience has been that it’s not a bad thing to take a bit of a break from stronger maduro sticks now and again–clear you palate as such. Interestingly, that’s where a couple of us were at when presented with this newly released cigar. This Project 40 helped us get back on track because it wasn’t overwhelming in the least. As mentioned, it’s medium to full so it didn’t come in hot, but had some notes with zing. We sensed dark chocolate and light pepper throughout with some nuanced spices and earth at the close. That ash might just well still be holding strong. Our instincts were on the mark when we paired it up with Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Batch Proof–bottled at 123.6 proof. This expression is part of the annual Master’s Collection series, celebrating Master Distiller Chris Morris’ vision. The Woodford lines are always notable within the bourbon and whiskey category. The amber color is elegant and inviting to the eye. This Master’s Collection offered tasting notes ranging from clove to dark chocolate. Masculine leather to cedar. Oak to almond. The milky chocolate throughout mingled particularly well as we worked our way into the Project 40 maduro’s light pepper and hints of spice.

VSOP

The look and feel of both cigar and bourbon in hand (and taste) left us thinking we were onto something good here. We’ll be back. Project 40 Maduro 5.5 x 50 I Wrapper: San Andreas I Binder: Habano Brazil I Filler: All Nicaraguan MSRP (cigar): $6 I MSRP (whisky): $140

ONYX BOLD NICARAGUA MAGNUM ARDBEG SCOTCH SINGLE MALT UIGEADAIL I have had limited experience with Onyx, but certainly have experienced a handful in my time. Onyx is an Altadis U.S.A. brand, there are only a few vitolas available, but they’re a steal at their price point. The Onyx Bold Nicaragua took me on an unexpected journey for sure. Initially, on the light, there was an interesting combination of fruit and campfire. After a few puffs, that fruit seemed most like raspberry, which was most apparent on the very mild retrohale. Generally, you expect a monster smoke from a black oscuro wrapper, but the Oynx Bold is surprisingly not killer at all, quite smooth. The pleasant amount of strength held throughout–strong but manageable.

6 x 60 Magnum | Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés | Binder: Nicaraguan

Greg Mays is the Executive Editor of Simple Cocktails (simplecocktails.net). You can follow him on Instagram and Snapchat at @simplecocktails.

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Filler: Nicaraguan | MSRP (cigar): $10 | MSRP (Scotch): $70

Late in the smoke, I noted some smoky graham cracker there as well, though the flavors were very predictable on each puff all the way down. I’ve always felt a bold smoke with some fire needs a bold whisky. Ardbeg Uigeadail made the most sense. A campfire nose that fills the room once poured, Uigeadail (pronounced oog-a-dal) has very familiar saltyiodine elements of Islay in the nose. There are some Asian pepper flavor notes, with a sweetness on the lips as well. The two campfire flavor notes go together quite well, and the boldness of both cigar and Scotch is a robust match.

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 21

C&S Photos courtesy of GlenDronach

Photos courtesy of GlenDronach

>> The Cask Strength Batch 8 is one of the highly lauded offerings in the GlenDronach portfolio

ICONIC BRAND SPOTLIGHT >> The meticulously maintained GlenDronach stills.

>> The bar at GlenDronach is an elegant stop on your visit.

>> Stuart Buchanan is the brand ambassador for GlenDronach.

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WHAT ARE YOUR CHANCES of ever seeing the phrase “new and improved” on a bottle of GlenDronach single malt scotch whisky? Let’s call them none and never. Tradition is the name of the game and a way of life at the nearly 200-year-old Scottish distillery, nestled in the Valley of Forgue, deep in the East Highland hills of Scotland, as is an adherence to top secrecy regarding the creation of its spirits. In fact, rumor has it that these secrets are guarded by a parliament of rooks who love the GlenDronach with such fierce passion that they try to nest in the warehouses. The distillery folk believe as long as the rooks remain at the distillery, all will bode well for the whisky. Key to the GlenDronach’s allure and complex, full-bodied taste are the Spanish Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks used for maturation–a tradition started in 1826 and one unlikely to change. “Our distilling methods may be old-fashioned, but we prefer to look at them as handcrafted techniques created through nearly 200 years of tradition,” says Stewart Buchanan, global brand ambassador for the GlenDronach. “It’s important to take the history and prestige of the GlenDronach into consideration while tasting it, because the expressions wouldn’t be what they are without this strong attachment to the foundation of the distillery.” The GlenDronach offers its Core Range (the Original Aged 12 Years, the Revival Aged 15 Years, the Allardice Aged 18 Years, and the Parliament Aged 21 Years). Buchanan points to the first two as the company’s biggest sellers. “The GlenDronach Original Aged 12 Years epitomizes the historic distillery’s unyielding dedication to the mastery of sherry cask maturation,” he says. “It presents smooth vanilla, soft fruits and a memorably long, nutty finish. It’s approachable for all whisky drinkers and can be enjoyed many ways–with a Dubliner cheese pairing, a Rob Roy or neat.”

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 23

Photos courtesy of GlenDronach

>> The GlenDronach Port Wood pairs up nicely with fruit and cheese any day of the week.

OF THE ALLARDICE AGED 18 YEARS, he says that it enjoys its own loyal following. “This one is aged in only Oloroso sherry casks. It presents exquisite complexity, with dark treacle, allspice and walnut carrying on into the long, lingering finish.” Asked to describe a typical, modern-day GlenDronach drinker, Buchanan says, “There isn’t one. They’re a diverse group of people, just like the global single malt community. They’re connoisseurs who admire craftsmanship and artistry, and they seek out excellence in single malt whisky. Both novices and aficionados appreciate everything we have to offer, from the GlenDronach 12 to our limited-edition expressions like the Cask Strength and the Kingsman Edition, both of which are highly sought after among collectors.” Honoring the distillery’s 200 years of tradition while keeping an eye out for innovation is a balancing act for the GlenDronach, which was acquired by the US-based Brown-Foreman Corporation in 2016. “Our team is constantly looking forward, learning and reflecting on the current times and drinking culture to see how these elements can be integrated into the GlenDronach story,” says Buchanan. “Our customer demand has shown us that they value the GlenDronach authenticity and styles of whiskies, yet are receptive to our innovation.”

Generally speaking, how does a new GlenDronach drinker discover your whisky? Being that the GlenDronach has been around for decades, it’s a dram passed down from generation to generation in the whisky world. In the US and abroad, we connect with existing and new friends of GlenDronach through tastings and events. Many drinkers also learn about GlenDronach through affinity groups and whisky clubs. How do you think GlenDronach’s history connects to the modern prestige status of the brand? In the single malt scotch whisky world, history is often revered as a status symbol, as it showcases endurance and longevity in a time when fads come and go. I truly believe what happens when you sip and savor GlenDronach single malt is, not only do you have a connection with what is in the glass, but you also experience an authentic connection to the landscape, the heritage and the passion we have as whisky makers. That is the secret ingredient that you just can’t buy.

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

>> There are many still life photo opportunities on the GlenDronach grounds.

>> The GlenDronach tasting room is upscale ambiance to the max.

>> The picturesque front view of the distillery.

>> Many barrels make their way across the distillery grounds each year.

Photos courtesy of GlenDronach

How rewarding is it that GlenDronach is recognized as an What should we be on the lookout for in 2021 and beyond in iconic brand? terms new products, consumer outreach, events, etc.? It’s a true honor to be a part of this revered distillery. We’ll continue our commitment to producing exceptional Tradition and innovation are both pillars of the Scotch quality single malt scotch whiskies and elevating the world. We’re always learning and are ever-curious as we GlenDronach as we’ve done in the past. In October 2019, work to drive the success of traditional single malt scotch the GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 8 was released. That’s whisky, but we always respect its remarkable tradition. a single malt scotch whisky gently matured for 10 years in An elegant yet complex whisky like the Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry GlenDronach deserves to be discovered casks and bottled at cask strength–61 AN ELEGANT and savored, and with great pleasure we percent. It delivers optimal character have captured the interest of industry and depth. YET COMPLEX experts and aficionados. This past fall, the GlenDronach Port WHISKY LIKE THE Wood arrived to markets across the GLENDRONACH What are the standards/processes that inform US. It’s matured in those same sherry the growth of the brand today? DESERVES TO BE casks, followed by a second maturation Like I said, we’re always striving for in some of the finest port pipes from DISCOVERED AND growth while remaining true to brand the majestic Douro Valley in Portugal. SAVORED, AND WITH roots and history. Processes that inform In 2021, whisky lovers will see some the growth of the brand rely on making GREAT PLEASURE great new products, each created from the brand approachable for those who are WE HAVE CAPTURED new perspectives and possibilities, shifting what they drink. For instance, this building on hundreds of years of THE INTEREST OF generation is primed to become scotch scotch whisky heritage and craft. Our drinkers. They value authenticity and INDUSTRY EXPERTS philosophy is to imagine and nurture quality–both key qualities of single malt AND AFICIONADOS. the best character in each new whisky, scotch whisky–and we see that they’re working tirelessly to fine-tune until willing to pay more to enjoy this. They it’s perfected. Authenticity is rooted at also possess a sense of discovery and willingness to try new the heart of everything we do, and disruptive innovation things, so why not scotch? Fresh thinking drives growth, creates the richness of the future. fueling an increasing appreciation of scotch whisky across the world.

New Jersey native Joe Bosso is obsessed with movies of the ‘70s, music of the ‘60s and cigars of any vintage. A graduate of NYU film school, Joe has written for TV shows you definitely know (like The Sopranos) and a few you might have missed. He spent 10 years in the record business and actually got to see a rock star trash a hotel room (identity withheld because, well, you know...).

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 27

C&S

GROWING UP IN RO

CKFORD

, ILLINOIS, Rick Nielsen never went to a high schoo l football or basketball game. He didn’t go to home coming pep rallies. He prob ably wouldn’t have go ne to any school dances, eithe r, except for the fac t tha t his first band, the Phaetons, was usually invited to pe rform. “I didn’t want to do all that normal schoo l stu ff,” he says. “Unless it involv ed me playing music , I wasn’t interested. That wa s all I wanted to do, and it’s pretty much all I did.”

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Photo courtesy of Ken Weinstein/Big Hassle Productions

Photo credit Jeff Daly

>> The inimitable Rick Nielsen wailing away on one of his five-neck guitars.

Nielsen had ready acc ess to musical instru ments–his parents, both opera singers, ran a local mu sic shop. He started out as a dr ummer, but after six ye ars of pounding the skins, he decided that the guitar was a better alternative. “It wasn’t because I wa s dying to be out front,” he says. “T he drums were just too much work to lug around. My Go d, what a pain that wa s! I figured, a guitar, an amp and a cord were all I need ed to get going. That made life much easier.” He’d already purchase d a couple of Beatles singles before catching the m on The Ed Sullivan Show in February of 1964. Se eing the band on TV , however, seemed to solidify the course his life would take. “It’s hard to convey to som ebody who wasn’t aro und at the time just how signif icant seeing the Beatl es for the first time was,” Nielsen say s. “Usually on Sund ay nights, we’d get Topo Gigio and the kinds of comedia ns and artists your parents liked. Seeing these four gu ys looking so

cool and playing suc h great music, and he aring the audience go absolute ly crazy, it changed everything. If you weren’t already in a band, you certai nly wanted to be after that. And rig ht after the Beatles, all the other British groups came to America–the Dave Clark Five, the Stone s, one right after anoth er. It sure beat watching Bonazana.” Nielsen formed a succession of other bands after the Phaetons–chief among them were the >> Todd Ru ndgre Grim Reapers and Rick Nielsen mu n and ggin’ roc kin’ sticks back and Sick Man of Europe– in 1983. but it was the outfit he put together in 197 3, Cheap Trick, that stu ck. At first, it seemed as if the group (which included sin ger Robin Zander, dru mmer Bun E. Carlos and bassist Tom Petersson) could n’t get a fair shake at radio, but the ir 1979 live album, Ch eap Trick at Budokan, broke thi ngs wide open for the m, putting songs like “Surrender” and “I Want You to Wa nt Me” in constant radio rotati on. Through the years , the group has sold over 20 mi llion albums, hit No . 1 with 1988’s “The Flame,” and in 2016 they were induc ted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 29

I understand that you enjoy a cigar every now and then. I do. It’s kind of a treat. I used to smoke cigarettes–three packs a day of Phillip Morris Commanders. That was a long time ago. Then I tried those Swisher Sweets–that was before I smoked real cigars. There’s a few musicians I know who like cigars–Todd Rundgren, Joe Perry. Jack Douglas [record producer] is a big cigar guy.

>> These pop rock legends can still bring it. (left to right) bassist Jon Brant, Rick Nielsen, frontman par none, Robin Zander and drummer Daxx Nielsen.

There have been changes in the band’s lineup: Petersson left in 1980 but returned seven years later. Carlos stopped touring in 2011 but remains a member; Nielsen’s son Daxx is now the group’s touring drummer. The core threesome of Nielsen, Zander and Petersson remain tight. Were these normal times, Cheap Trick would be on the road right now, but these are far from normal times. “It’s hard to stay off the road, but with COVID, there’s not much we can do,” Nielsen says. “It sucks for everybody, especially our crew. I could try to put it into perspective, but there really is none. We’ll just have to wait around and see what the future holds. As soon as we can play again, we will.”

Joe Bosso: Being that both of your parents were opera singers and ran a music store, was it a given that you were going to be a musician? Rick Nielsen: I’m sure it was, but it wasn’t the music I enjoyed. I just liked being on stage. When I was three, I walked on stage during a performance of The Barber of Seville that my father had directed. People started laughing and clapping, and I thought, “This is what I want to do the rest of my life.” I still like when people laugh and clap.

“I wasn’t the cute guy. I wasn’t handsome like Jeff Beck or John Lennon, and I would’ve looked silly trying to be sexy. Can you imagine me sticking a cucumber down my pants? [Laughs] I don’t think so.” I took music lessons, but I had problems with certain teachers if I thought they didn’t know their stuff. In seventh grade I was first chair on two different instruments in our school band, but I got thrown out of the Rockford school system band program for life because I said to the director, “You’re an incompetent drunken fool who doesn’t

deserve to teach music to me or anyone else.” Boom, that was it. I was thrown out. Your early bands before Cheap Trick, were they any good? They were, sure. Good players, usually. We were all kids. I was always the leader of every band I was in, and I was never kicked out. Some players were better than me, but I caught up. With the exception of Tom Petersson, who was in the Grim Reapers, most of the guys didn’t have the right worth ethic to be in a band. A work ethic is really important if you want to do this kind of thing. The early image of Cheap Trick is you and Bun E. Carlos as the dorky guys, while Robin and Tom were the dreamboats. Who latched onto that idea? Well, I think that’s the way it was. We were paired up well in that regard. I didn’t mind being the goof. I wrote 99 percent of the music, so I didn’t care. I wasn’t the cute guy. I wasn’t handsome like Jeff Beck or John Lennon, and I would’ve looked silly trying to be sexy. Can you imagine me sticking a cucumber down my pants? [Laughs] I don’t think so.

Photo courtesy of Ken Weinstein/Big Hassle Productions

A BEATLE, A CHEAP TRICK AND A STICK

A FUENTE

Jack Douglas brought you and Bun E. Carlos in to work with John Lennon during the Double Fantasy sessions. The recording didn’t make the final album, but still, did you feel as if you were walking on air? Of course! I’ll tell you something: When we were getting ready to do our first album, our manager asked us who we wanted to produce, and I think we all said John Lennon. Our manager said, “Well, he’s not working right now,” so that was that. Cut to a few years later, August of 1980, and we’re in the studio with Lennon. I told him that he was our first choice to do our first record, and he said, “I would’ve done it.” I wanted to kill our manager! [Laughs] Were you at all intimidated to record with John? I probably was at first, but he wasn’t intimidating. I remember I was at the Hit Factory, and suddenly a door opens and there they are–John and Yoko. He looked at me and said, “Hey, it’s you!” I was like, “What? John Lennon knows who I am?” Maybe he thought I was Ricky Nelson. But right away it was great. Bun E. called him Mr. Lennon, but I called him John. I talked to him about guitars; we talked about going guitar shopping. It was guy to guy between us, and by the end of the day, we were talking about making another record. Of course, that didn’t happen. You know, I smoked cigars with John Lennon. Get out! I did. That was when we were in the studio. I had smuggled some Cohibas into New York from Canada, and I was going to smoke some with Jack Douglas. My son Daxx had just been born, so we were going to toast the occasion and the fact that we were working with John Lennon. I ended up laying some on John and Yoko–Cohiba robustos. Did they like them? I think so, unless they were just being nice to me. They smoked those cigarettes in the blue packs. Gauloises. Gauloises, that’s right. When do you like to have a cigar now? Every once in a while. Actually, my son Erron is the big cigar smoker in my family. He’s got a humidor with about 2,000 cigars. He’s got more cigars than I have guitars, so it’s a little embarrassing. He’s always giving me something good. I still like Cohibas and Montecristos. Give me a robusto or a Churchill. I like a cigar because it kind of forces you to relax. It’s a frame-ofmind thing. You savor it. There’s this cigar bar here in Rockford, but I’m never home long enough to go to it. It’s funny–a couple weeks ago, I went to a party and 10 guys were all smoking cigars at the same time. I was smoking one, too, and I was the only guy who had a mask. How do you smoke a cigar with a mask on? Not very well. [Laughs]

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 31

>> Masters of Pop cool.

“I think it’s still the best-selling import from Japan of an American group ever. I always tell people, Live at Budokan made us famous, but we made the Budokan famous.” Your look has evolved on stage. Nowadays you wear some pretty nice suits. I can thank John Varvatos for that. I said to him, “John, if you’re trying to sell suits, are you sure I’m the guy?” But that’s what he wanted. We’ve become friends, and I really like his clothes. Hey, Sears was never going to sponsor me, you know? [Laughs] I’m kidding. A lot of the songs on Cheap Trick’s first few albums are now regarded as classics, but the records didn’t sell at first. How frustrating was that? Well, to be honest, I was surprised that we got a record deal in the first place. We were lucky that we got a chance to make albums with people like [producer] Jack Douglas. But there was one place where we were selling records–Japan. I thought, “They must be the smartest people on Earth.” They really liked us for what we were. When we toured there, the people loved us. I never wanted to leave. Cheap Trick at Budokan changed everything for you guys. Did your label think of it as a make-or-break album? No, not at all. At first, it was only going to be released in Japan; nobody had plans to put it out in America. What happened was, it was an import and radio stations here started playing it. The whole thing couldn’t have been planned. I think it’s still the best-selling import from Japan of an American group ever. I always tell people, Live at Budokan made us famous, but we made the Budokan famous. Nobody had heard of it before we played there. If you played in Japan before 1979 or ‘80, it was like you were landing on the moon.

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

>> Rick Nielsen and Robin Zander trading licks.

You’ve written the bulk of the band’s material. Have you ever experienced writer’s block? A little bit, nothing too serious. Right now is the perfect time to be creative, but to be honest, there’s nothing I’m too excited about that inspires me to write a song. You need the right moment. I don’t wake up in the morning and say, “I’ve got to write today.” Some people are like that, and I envy them. I do have a serious work ethic, but songwriting is different. How did the whole thing with your five-neck guitar start? It started as a joke. I used to make fun of all these guys mouthing off about their guitars, so I started stacking them one on top of one another. Instead of using a double-neck, I used three or four guitars piled on top of each other. Before you knew it, it was, “Oh, let’s just turn it into one.” So I decided to get really ridiculous and I had a five-neck guitar made. Actually, I wanted six necks, and I wanted to spin them around. But then Billy Gibbons has those guitars spinning around, and I thought, “Oh, they’re going to think I’m just copying him.” What kind of case does a five-neck guitar go in? A huge one. [Laughs]

Top left photo courtesy of Ken Weinstein/Big Hassle Productions, other photos credit Ed Lines Jr.

>> “Gonna Raise Hell” is one of Cheap Trick’s most unique tunes, and immortalized here on Rick’s guitar fretboard.

C&S

OR MANY MEN, spending an inordinate amount of time indoors this past year has led to unkempt beards and shaggy manes as well as a longing to get out and about. An expertly crafted cocktail, a favorite cigar and some long-overdue pampering is welcomed as our collective future becomes brighter.

Photo courtesy of Like a Gentleman Barbershop

LOOKING FOR MORE THAN A

QUICK BUZZ?

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

Photo courtesy of Churchill’s Barber Shop

by Sean Chaffin

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

LIKE A GENTLEMAN BARBERSHOP Los Angeles, CA For a West Coast swing, everything’s in the name at Like a Gentleman Barbershop on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. The shop’s classic feel even includes an antique conversation piece cash register and plenty of charming touches throughout. While visitors may not be Hollywood stars, every customer taking a seat in one of the ornate barber chairs will feel like an A-lister. This barbershop definitely has its own L.A. story. Like a Gentleman is located in the building that was once the London Fog nightclub–where the Doors served as the house band in the 1960s. You can get a fresh look and feel with a haircut, shave, shampoo and beard trim. As the shop notes, a nice Hollywood treatment allows “an ordinary man to leave looking and feeling like a true gentleman.” This is a highly recommended spot to come out feeling like a Hollywood Hero.

Photo courtesy of Wicked Rabbit

THROWBACK BARBERSHOPS FEATURE THE FINEST SNIPS, SIPS AND STICKS

The availability of unique and throwback barber shops are part of a growing trend offering men the chance to meet their grooming needs in resplendent fashion. These dens harken back to a time when American men routinely frequented establishments with barber poles out front rather than vanilla in-and-out clip joints. Bypassing those stop and chop shops, and seeking out something old and something new will help you get your style groove back. Here are some stellar options for that next haircut and day away.

CHURCHILL’S BARBERSHOP Miami, FL Churchill’s Barbershop is an excellent Miami option. This establishment may not be as cigar-oriented as some, but it offers a classic environment for an old-fashioned grooming experience. The vintage leather chairs are welcoming, and you’ll receive plenty of attention to detail from the highly skilled barbers. The shop has a distinctly vintage vibe to it.

There’s an abundance of product lines at the shop to help keep that appearance up at home–from shampoo and soap to beard balm and shaving cream. It’s wise to grab up some product after getting groomed up. It’ll be an upgrade for your daily routine, and the smart look you received at Churchill’s will carry on. churchillsbarbershop.com WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 35

AN EARTHY SPIRIT FOR UNEARTHLY WHIMS

LOGAN BROS. SHAVING CO. Aliso Viejo, CA One wouldn’t necessarily associate South Orange County in California as a hotbed market for a classic barbershop. That assumption would be wrong. Logan Bros. has a loyal and growing following. The atmosphere is a “friendly confines” type of shop. These guys bring the oldschool vibe in a big way, but are well-versed in contemporary grooming techniques that have helped build their reputation over these past several years.

IT’S NOT A DRUG OR MAGIC HERB‚ BUT A PURE SPIRIT THAT IS BOTH SMOOTH AND SWEET‚ VERSATILE FOR ANY ADVENTURE YOU CHOOSE. SATISFY THOSE WHIMS AND SIP DESERT DOOR.

They expertly craft their own small batch grooming products by sourcing quality botanical ingredients that are free of parabens, synthetics and dyes. They don’t overthink it. It’s akin to products your grandfather would have used. Timeless and masculine. Pomades, shaving brushes and kits and accessories are available at the shop. Logan Bros. offers a myriad of services including “Youngsters Haircuts,” hot towel shaves, buzzcuts, trims and beyond. There’s a variety of memberships and gift certificates available. The complimentary beer and assortment of top-shelf liquor is a nice draw as well. It’s recommended you enjoy a cigar outside the front of the shop before or after your grooming services–it’s great for people watching and meeting other clients who share an affinity for a quality barbershop.

Photos courtesy of Logan Bros. Barber Shop.

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

>> Marquis Colvin is a mustgo-to stylist when you visit Logan Bros. Shaving Co.

DESERT DOOR TEXAS SOTOL | DESERTDOOR.COM JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 37

>> A vintage 1905 Gillette Double Ring Gold safety razor and case.

Photo courtesy of Artistic Men’s Grooming

THE RAZOR’S EDGE Some men have embraced the hobby of collecting antique razors. The hobby comes with a bit of history mixed with masculinity. “Vintage razor collecting is definitely a huge hobby, and not just among wetshavers,” says longtime collector and occasional dealer Tim Schermbeck, of Denver, Colorado. “Anyone who’s into military history might seek out the special Gillette travel sets that have been historically issued to GIs. There are double-edge razors that were produced in Germany during World War II, straight razors produced by families in Germany and England using iron from now-defunct mines, and so on. There are thousands of vintage razor collectors in the United States, let alone hobbyists from other parts of the world.”

ARTISTIC MEN’S GROOMING Hewlett, NY

There are many razors that might be considered the holy grail for a straight razor collector. Anything from the steel type to the particular shape of the blade to the material used for the scales (handle) can drive up the price. The Double Ring was the first production razor sold by Gillette (called the Gillette 100 at the time) and was manufactured from 1903 to 1906. A razor in excellent condition can easily fetch $300-400 and more if in the original case.

The Long Island city of Hewlett is an outstanding Empire State option for a stylish snip and then some. Artistic Men’s Grooming offers its own cigar lounge, and plenty of old world charm to warm your heart. You’ll have ample opportunity to enjoy a smoke and a game of pool while you soak it all in while waiting for a chair to open up. AMG offers a feeling of luxury in a relaxing atmosphere especially developed for men. The shop’s tagline notes that the shop offers “sublime style and sophisticated detail for men that wish to look good, feel good and do great things.” Nicely said.

The Eclipse Red Ring was produced in England in the 1930s and is desired for its unique head design, which was also chrome-plated.

artisticmensgrooming.com

“It was produced for almost two decades, but there aren’t as many of these as some of the ordinary Gillette models, and demand far outpaces supply,” Schermbeck says. “Again, you could easily spend $300 or more for one of these in excellent condition, and more than that if it’s mint.”

THE BEARDED LADY BARBERSHOP

thebarbershoplv.com

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Photo courtesy of The Barbershop Cuts and Cocktails

The trend toward high-end barbershops has certainly reached Las Vegas. The lure of big winnings, swanky casinos and luxe life resort accommodations will always draw visitors, but there’s been a bit of a shift in the city’s entertainment scene. Many establishments are moving away from “megaclub” experiences in favor of unique options that steer away from strobe lights and dance music. The Barbershop Cuts and Cocktails at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas speaks to that trend with a Prohibition-style bar in a luxurious but laid-back environment. Cuts and Cocktails offers a wide whiskey selection, and live music on weekends. Undoubtedly, clients feel like they’ve entered a classic speakeasy upon entrance. Guys can stay looking sharp with a restorative facial, shave and clip. Customers can even book a gambling table for a complete experience with friends– perfect for a bachelor party, birthday or just a fun night out with the guys.

Photo courtesy of The Bearded Lady Barbershop

THE BARBERSHOP CUTS AND COCKTAILS Las Vegas, NV

New Orleans, LA Looking forward to some fun in the Big Easy? Whether you need a trim, buzz, or beard maintenance, The Bearded Lady Barbershop has it all. The facility’s “living room” features craft brews and bourbon as well as cool tunes spinning from the shop’s vinyl record collection. You can even strum on a guitar if you’ve got the skills. Or grab a book and relax in the courtyard outside as you sip that adult beverage. Everything screams vintage including the chairs that date as far back as the 1930s. It’s a great trip back in time for today’s throwback barbershop appreciator. thebeardedladybarbershop.com

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 39

THE GENTS PLACE

EMMITT SMITH GOES FROM NFL TO BARBER CHAIR NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE HALL OF FAMER Emmitt Smith certainly hasn’t just sat around the house since his retirement in 2004. The Dallas Cowboys running back legend remains the league’s all-time leading rusher and has business interests in construction, real estate development and barbershops.

There’s a good chance you’ll rub elbows with an NFL Hall of Famer upon visiting The Gents Place in Dallas. Dallas Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith is one of the partners in this upscale men’s grooming salon where a gentleman can get a haircut, a straightrazor shave, hot towel treatment, a shoe shine and a cocktail. Located in uptown Dallas, the shop also offers some extras beyond traditional services–including manicures and pedicures or “hand and foot treatments” as The Gents Place terms them with more of a masculine twist. There are private spaces for business meetings mixed with a complete afternoon of grooming. Seasoned men can even take a few years off with a hair coloring service. There are several membership options to choose from, and various locations around the country for men serious about attaining elite grooming and style confidence.

Photos courtesy of The Gents Place

Dallas, TX

thegentsplace.com

The Gents Place is a beloved project for Emmitt. Initially, the company had become involved with some of his charity initiatives. It was something a little more personal, however, that sold him on the concept. “I’d never had a straight edge-razor shave on my head or my face, but I sat down in the chair and got my first one,” Smith told CNBC. “Afterward I said, ‘Okay, that felt good,’ and I looked and felt like a million dollars when I went out that night. Then I met [company founder] Ben [Smith] and got to know about the business and understand what he wants to do with it. “As an entrepreneur, I saw an opportunity in a growing marketplace, where men want to look good because they want to impress the people they’re around. From a professional services standpoint, this is perfect. For me service is extremely important, because so much service has gone out the window. And at the end of the day, we want to make sure people get what they pay for–service and value.”

VILLAGE CIGAR COMPANY AND BARBERSHOP Toronto, Canada When heading north of the border, the Village Cigar Company and Barbershop offers a unique take on the traditional barbershop. The shop’s founders are big cigar enthusiasts, and there’s no doubt that enjoying a nice cigar is a central theme of the shop. You’ll browse through the walk-in humidor to find the perfect smoke, and then relax in style for a nice afternoon of grooming perfection. The wooden floors, vintage artwork and friendly staff make for a comfortable experience in the barber’s chair. You can get a great start to your work week by partaking in an expert trim or soothing shave. You’ll certainly agree that the Village Cigar Company and Barbershop offers “gentlemanly accoutrements and traditional barbering.” You’ll be well-covered in Toronto because there are three locations throughout the city. villagecigarcompany.com

Photos courtesy of Village Cigar Company & Barbershop

>>Jerry Filice, co-owner of Village Cigar Company & Barbershop, fires up an Alec Bradley Prensado.

Sean Chaffin is a freelance writer in Crandall, Texas. His work appears in numerous websites and publications. Follow him on Twitter @PokerTraditions or email him at seanchaffin@sbcglobal.net.

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 41

C&S

Piercing S

Pierce Brosnan Brings His A-Game as Actor, Artist and Activist

by Elisa Jordan portraits by Brett Erickson

NTERVIEWING PIERCE BROSNAN is like talking with an old friend. He speaks with sincerity and takes a genuine interest in others and what’s going on around him. During the course of our chat, for instance, it comes out that his wife, Keely Shaye Brosnan, and I grew up just a few miles apart from one another. “It is a small world!” he exclaims delightedly. It’s almost hard to imagine that this humble man is part of a very elite group of actors who have portrayed one of cinema’s most iconic and most debonair roles— James Bond. But Bond is only part of Brosnan’s artistic legacy. His acting resume boasts a roster of varied and diverse characters. He’s also used his talents to draw attention to important social and political issues, such as the documentary he made with Keely, Poisoning Paradise, about chemical companies setting up test sites in Hawaii. In recent years, his passion for art, his first love, has come to the forefront. In 2018, his painting of Bob Dylan sold for $1.4 million at a charity auction. With so many accomplishments to be proud of, it would be easy for Brosnan to rest on his laurels. Instead, he continues to challenge himself. The little boy who was raised in part by his grandparents in Ireland, then moved to London at age 11 to join his mother and stepfather and find his way in the changing world of the 1960s and ’70s, is never too far away. Brosnan is keenly aware of his origins and continues to give back. (As an example, he remains a patron of Ovalhouse, the theatre company that helped him discover his passion for acting.) Perhaps most tellingly, he remains grateful and humble about a career that has allowed him to support his family and that he still enjoys. Brosnan is now the spokesperson for Don Ramón Tequila. His role as a sprits brand ambassador provided us with an opportunity to chat about his life before Bond and beyond.

“I think the music played the biggest role in my life. I think the musicality of the times, the culture, it was palpable that anything was possible. Love and peace were in the air. I was not an outrageous hippie by any stretch of the imagination, but there was the music.”

Cigar & Spirits Magazine: You’ve been really creative from an early age. Where do you think that comes from? Pierce Brosnan: Well, I suppose it comes from having lived a solitary life on the banks of the River Boyne in Southern Ireland, being an only child and coming from a broken family, a father who left and being brought up in the company of grandparents and living in a very rural setting. One relies on one’s imagination and that in a world that you have as a child. My father, Tom Brosnan, I know very little of him. He was a carpenter and he was very good at drawing. I suppose there’s some DNA involved there, but the arts, and the art of painting has always captivated me and it was my first source of employment when I left school. I left school with nothing more than a cardboard folder of drawings and paintings, and I got my first job in a small studio at Putney, South London. That’s where my artistic life started.

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 43

You had an interest in art before acting? Yes. Well, like I said, I really had no idea what I was going to do. My shortcomings were my windfall in life, really, in the sense that I was aware that I was behind the eightball academically. Yet I had strong sensing and intuition of creative life. I found a wonderful studio, small studio, and I started as a trainee commercial artist. Then from there, three years in, I discovered the world of acting. You walked into Ovalhouse [ formerly called Oval House Theatre] in 1970 when you were 17. What brought you there, and what were you expecting? Well, I had strong passion for films and movies—they just captivated my imagination. I certainly wasn’t dreaming of becoming an actor when I walked through the doors of the Ovalhouse back then, but I discovered on that particular night this life force of creativity and the theatre then, the experimental theatre, was in full glory. Musically, the ‘60s were over and the ‘70s were just beginning, and for me, it was just this hothouse of creativity. I would go along and do workshops every night, whether it be acrobatics, mime, Martha Graham dance classes, improvisation, so this world of the arts and the whole youth tableau of friends and creative life force just blossomed for me. Eventually, I gave up the job and joined the theatre company, and we rehearsed in the afternoons and the evenings. And in the mornings, we all held jobs. The company was about eight players, and they were all supply teachers and had high qualifications.

paths to the Ovalhouse. The writing of the time, I would be versed in the work of the Black Panther Movement because the Black Panthers would have their gatherings at the Ovalhouse. As an Irishman and knowing something of the prejudice and having felt the sting of prejudice as a foreigner, as an Irish boy, the Panthers and their words were very intoxicating, and there was a passion there. It was all coming from learned sensibility. It just kind of broadened my horizons. So there were so many aspects of life that was coming at me in those early days in the ‘70s, out of the late ‘60s. Do you think that helped shape your consciousness about social issues? I think the seed was sown without question, yes. Because the community that I was in was ostensibly a black community and Oval, Brixton. The Ovalhouse now is actually moving and has a new theatre. I’m a patron of the Ovalhouse. It’s moving to the heart of Brixton called Harbor Lane. I, as a young man who was trying to find his way in a society and a culture cleaved to the creative life, if I wasn’t an actor I probably would have been a social worker, because my initial days were the theatre and education and going around schools, and putting on performances.

“I mean, it’s bloody hard

work from the get-go. You

and expectations to uphold… I think the exhilaration was to read the script and to know that you were playing this iconic, mythical character…and seeing how

I went off and cleaned people’s homes and worked in a factory and dug ditches and earned some money, so we could put on our first show. We got an arts council grant and we became a theatre company. I did that for a number of years, and then I decided to really train as an actor. I wished for that qualification so I studied. I got into one of the great drama schools, the Drama Centre. I studied for three years, came out with honors in ‘76 and I’ve worked as an actor all my life.

We had two performances, we had the speeches by Dr. Seuss, and we had a socially relevant play that we created about a young woman who stole a baby. That was called Family. We had those two productions. For me, I was just kind of consumed with the community and the possibilities of finding my way through this community and becoming an actor. So yes, I think it stayed with me throughout, to greater or lesser degrees.

they made it come to life.”

You ventured to London in the ‘60s into the ‘70s, a time known as Swingin’ London, which gets a lot of attention even now because it was such a happening place. You were there during your formative years. What was it like and how did it shape you? I think the music played the biggest role in my life. I think the musicality of the times, the culture, it was palpable that anything was possible. Love and peace were in the air. I was not an outrageous hippie by any stretch of the imagination, but there was the music. For me, it was really being an artist, devouring books, catching up on an education, trying to find my way through the landscape of creative life. But the music was the one that caught hold of my imagination and was the one that led me down many

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

You mentioned some of the music in that era. Who were you listening to? Who were your favorite artists? I was very much a fan of the Who. Then along came Pink Floyd and West Coast music and The Eagles and Spirit. There was a venue called the Lyceum, and there was a group of us that would go. Melody Maker the magazine and New Musical Express, Rolling Stone, Timeout, they were my bibles. They were my go-to sources of information on literature to read, whether it be Marshall McLuhan, or Ken Kesey, or Syd Arthur to the art world of Kandinsky and Monet, or Rodin. Again, because I had to catch up, my learning capabilities were just all of my own making. The art was always there. William Blake was a strong influence. I remember doing a mural on a friend’s living room wall of a William Blake god-like figure. Salvador Dali was a huge influence to me. One of the first books I bought with the meager allowance I got from my job was Jean-Paul Sartre’s Nausea. I discovered existentialism. Again, coming from the kind of rural country background, solitary, and then at 11 living in a metropolis like London, I had an identification with these writers. It gave me a very strong sense of identity.

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 45

Which actors have influenced you? Marlon Brando is pretty high on the list. Robert DeNiro, Anthony Hopkins, Daniel Day-Lewis. In those initial days, Clint Eastwood, Steve McQueen. These stoic cool men of few words, with a very strong cinematic presence. I found that to be absolutely captivating. It’s well documented that my first week in London, I went to see with my mother and my step-father-to-be, Goldfinger. Having been brought up on a staple of cowboys and Indians and blackand-white British comedies, on that summer’s day in August to go into a very large plush ABC cinema and sit in the royal balcony or whatever they called it and the curtains drew apart and on came this just magnificent movie called Goldfinger on a man called James Bond. The gold almost-naked lady to my 11-year-old Irish innocent eyes—this was bedazzling.

“Yes, I had the Irish looks, I was blessed with some kind of physiognomy of Celtic ways, but that only gets you so far. You have to have soul. You have to have heart.”

The movie theatre became my refuge and I started with the Carry On movies that staple of British comedies, but then came Clint Eastwood. Then came Steve McQueen and then came a vocabulary for much more nuanced movies, like [Akira] Kurosawa. Were your folks supportive of you when you wanted to be an actor? My [step]father, God bless him, he was a working man. The lovely Glaswegian man and he wanted me to get a trade and he was okay but it was my mother really. She said just follow your dream. “You just do what makes you happy.” She was extremely supportive. Not that he wasn’t, he was just a little bit more wary. I finally gave up the job and struggled by but in the most glorious way and in the landscape of experimental theatre in the early ‘70s and then went to an academy and really set sail on being an actor. The school that I found was very much a methodorientated school. It’s produced the Colin Firths and the Tom Hardys. I found what I was looking for. I found a real passion and it still remains that to this day just this is what I do. I don’t know what else to do. I could become a painter. I’m a painter and an actor. When you were 27 you moved to America, which was another big move for you. You went from Ireland to London to America. What brought about that change or that decision? I was cast in an ABC mini-series called The Manions of America, which was a six-hour mini-series about the Irish potato famine. I got the lead role and my late wife, Cassie [Cassandra Harris], said we should go to America for the opening of the series on TV. I said well that sounds like a great idea but how the

heck are we going to do it? We’ve just bought this house with the proceeds from the mini-series. She’d just been in a James Bond movie, For Your Eyes Only. She said, “I’ll find a way,” and she did. She saw an ad in the newspaper that you could get a second mortgage on the central heating. She sent me off to the bank manager to get a £2,000 overdraft saying that I had a job in America, which was an untruth.

It was meant to be, yes. There was a great sense of, “I’m in the right place, this is my time. I want to be here. I can be anything I want to be here.” Being an American citizen was always a dream—and to work as an actor. It was my first interview on that day, and for the next two weeks, I went to visit everyone all over the town. I got a new car, and my agent pushed my tapes around the town.

We hopped on Freddie Laker, who was an English entrepreneur in those days and he had cheap flights to Los Angeles, £100. Bring your own sandwiches. We hopped on the plane with our sandwiches and stayed at a friend’s house up there on North Havenhurst [Drive] in the shadow of the shadow of the Chateau Marmont [Hotel]. And stayed there with Ruby Wax and Trevor Walton. They had a place and my wife, Cassie and I, had a room in the back and a mattress. I went out the next day, and I rented a car from Rent-a-Wreck, and it was a lime green Pacer. [laughs]

At the end of the two weeks, they called me back in for this series, Remington Steele. They said, “Would you be prepared to come back and move here?” They knew I had a wife and two stepchildren. I said, “Yes.” I went home to London, and then they called up and said, “Come back out and test.” I did. I got the job, and then we went to look for the female role, and Stephanie Zimbalist was cast as Laura Holt. I came back to America, with my wife and children, and got a house in the Hollywood Hills, overlooking Sunset [Blvd.] and La Brea [Ave.] and that was it.

I remember Pacers. [laughs] Ugliest, ugliest, saddest looking cars, and this one was not very charming at all. The next day, I went for my first interview over Laurel Canyon to CBS Studios. The car blew up at the top of Mulholland [Drive], and I had to wind my way down to the studio—late. They were looking for this character, Remington Steele, and I got the job.

That was 1982, and my life changed. It went from nine episodes to 13 to 22. Then a second season, and five seasons.

It was meant to be.

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 47

KETEL ONE

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY. KETEL ONE Vodka. Distilled from Grain. 40% Alc/Vol. Â© Double Eagle Brands, B.V. Imported by Ketel One USA, Aliso Viejo, CA.

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 49

That’s what led to your playing James Bond, correct? It was, yes. Yes, in 1986, they were looking for the next James Bond. It had been off the map for some time. They offered me the role. Then I couldn’t get out of my contract with Remington Steele, and so the part went to Timothy Dalton. Then I got on with my career and I’ve always managed to work. Then it was dormant again for another six years, and it came back into my life. Remington Steele had a strong play in my casting as James Bond. What did you enjoy most about James Bond? There were so many aspects to enjoy. I mean, it’s bloody hard work from the get-go. You have enormous shoes to fill and expectations to uphold. Then you have to find your way into that big house and make it your own. I think the exhilaration was to read the script and to know that you were playing this iconic, mythical character…and seeing how they made it come to life. The joy of being on that set every day, the camaraderie of the people around you, and the enormous responsibility, the weight of that on one’s shoulders was tremendous for Martin Campbell, who directed GoldenEye, and for myself, and for the Broccolis [producers]. Then the joy of seeing it being released into the world and to carry on to honor the contract of four movies, endorse a lifestyle and you become an ambassador to this small cinematic domain. One that is unique, the landscape of moviemaking. So yes, it’s the joy of being able to provide and have the security in such a capricious game as acting. Also, then also to go on and create my own company [Irish DreamTime], and to produce and star in my own movies. That was a very rich, fertile time.

CIGAR OF THE DAY

Cigar & Spirits Magazine selected the Diamond Crown Classic Robusto NO. 4 for the photo session. The handsome cigar with notes of creamy coffee and spice paired perfectly with Don Ramón Extra Añejo Tequila. The combination enhanced a thoroughly enjoyable photo shoot with Mr. Brosnan in Kauai, HI.

The characters you’ve played have been so varied, and you have a big range. Is it difficult to switch from say, James Bond, to your role in Mrs. Doubtfire to The Son? Son? What do you look for when you’re selecting a project, for characters to play? I look for good writing. I look for writing that is meaningful, and that sustains my imagination, and my intellect, and my passion for storytelling. I look for strong emotions that feed my creative impulses,

and that will ground me in some reality each day that I go to work. I look for creative people who are sincere, genuine, kind, and exhilarating, and unpredictable in ways that don’t harm anyone. You look for good storytelling. The three projects that I’ve lined up for next year—hopefully, I’ll get to make them—when I pick them up, they excite me. They are a challenge. I was trained and led to believe that I could play many different roles. Most actors, good actors, just have one role. Great actors have three roles in their repertoire. I don’t know where I fall into that. My teacher told me that a long time ago, and he was a good teacher. You try to be an unexpected surprise. I’m stamped as a certain character of suave, sophisticated, and all of that, which I do adore, and which I do love. When I came to do Remington Steele, I immersed myself in the world of Cary Grant movies, which I was very familiar with. One of my favorite actors is Spencer Tracy. He was my grandfather’s favorite actor. Those actors, they played with such a panache. You just don’t see that kind of, well, maybe you do, but I tried to be Cary Grant as Remington Steele. He’s a good example if you’re going to be like someone. Yes, I had the Irish looks, I was blessed with some kind of physiognomy of Celtic ways, but that only gets you so far. You have to have soul. You have to have heart. You have to have genuine intellect of curiosity and passion, and technique and courage to be able to bring it all together, and patience, and humility. Those are constant lessons that still stay with me today. Have I challenged myself? Probably not enough, but I’m happy with the body of work that I have. A small bead of films there, a string of films that I can say, “No, that’s good work. That’s a transformation, that’s a really strong performance of the heart.” Then there’s a lot of could-have-done-better. It’s just the nature of being an actor. In fact, I love them all. I love them all because they’re all kind of haikus of my life. A chapter of my life, a period of my life where I had to work, I had to pay the mortgage as a single father. I had to take care of the kids. How many choices do you have on the table that day? Well, which one pays the most? Which one can I get away with it? It’s not the greatest piece of material, but maybe we could make something magical out of it. So you set forth.

“A cigar can sometimes make a day’s painting rather enjoyable, especially at day’s of tequila.” You mentioned some projects that you were hoping you can work on for next year although that’s kind of up in the air. Could you talk a little bit about what you have coming up or is it still under wraps? No, two of them have already been announced. The first one is called The Last Rifleman and it’s a true story. [It’s about] a second World War veteran who was in the Royal Ulster Rifles. The Ulster Rifles landed on the beaches of Normandy, these young men of 1920. It opens with these young men charging across beautiful golden fields on a summer’s day, and being annihilated. You cut to this old man, his name is Artie. He’s in an old people’s home with his wife who is slipping away, slowly. They’ve been married 65 years, and she passes. (continued on page 106)

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 51

BEST OF 2020

RATED CIGAR OF 2020

MH STOCK/shutterstock.com

CIGAR & SPIRITS MAGAZINEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

RATED CIGAR OF 2020

ROMEO Y JULIETA RESERVA REAL NICARAGUA

ARTURO FUENTE DON CARLOS CORONA NO. 3

DREW ESTATE LIGA PRIVADA UNICO SERIE YEAR OF THE RAT

6 x 54 Toro Wrapper: Nicaraguan Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Strength: Medium/Full

5.5 x 44 Corona Wrapper: Cameroon Binder: Dominican Filler: Dominican Strength: Medium

5.5 x 46 Corona Gorda Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Binder: Brazilian Mata Fina Filler: Nicaraguan, Honduran Strength: Medium/Full

TOP 20 CIGARS 2020 RATINGS ARE BASED ON THE AVERAGE BLIND TASTING SCORES OF EACH CIGAR BY A PANEL OF TEN CIGAR EXPERTS. THESE CONNOISSEURS POSSESS MORE THAN 100 YEARS OF COMBINED CIGAR-SMOKING EXPERIENCE.

DANIEL MARSHALL CIGARS DANIEL MARSHALL X CARLOS FUENTE XXXVIII ANNIVERSARY CIGAR LIMITED EDITION 2020

VOTED #1 HUMIDITY CONTROL COMPANY

All Top 20 Cigars have been humidified by Boveda. To provide feedback on any of the ratings, or to offer your own opinions on any of the cigars featured, write us at: feedback@cigarandspirits.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and leave your comments:

facebook.com/cigarandspiritsmagazine

52 52 // CIGAR CIGAR & & SPIRITS SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 2021

@CigarSpiritsMag

RATED CIGAR OF 2020

6 3/8 x 52 Torpedo Wrapper: Dominican, Chateau de la Fuente Binder: Dominican, Chateau de la Fuente Filler: Dominican, Chateau de la Fuente Strength: Medium

RATED CIGAR OF 2020

PADRON FAMILY RESERVE NO. 44 MADURO 6 x 52 Figurado Wrapper: Nicaraguan Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Strength: Medium/Full

RATED CIGAR OF 2020

MIAMI CIGAR & COMPANY DON LINO AFRICA KIFARU 6.25 x 52 Belicoso Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano 2000 Binder: African Cameroon Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan

RATED CIGAR OF 2020

J.C. NEWMAN CIGAR COMPANY DIAMOND CROWN MADURO NO. 4 5.5 x 54 Robusto Wrapper: Connecticut Shade Binder: Dominican Filler: Caribbean Basin, Central American Strength: Mild/Medium

@CigarSpiritsMag

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 53

RATED CIGAR OF 2020

#10

RATED CIGAR OF 2020

ALEC BRADLEY CIGARS CONNECTICUT CHURCHILL

LA AURORA 107 NICARAGUA

ROCKY PATEL A.L.R. SECOND EDITION TORO

5 x 50 Robusto Wrapper: Nicaraguan Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Strength: Medium/Full

6.5 x 52 Toro Wrapper: Mexican Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Strength: Medium

7 x 50 Churchill Wrapper: Connecticut Binder: Honduran Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan Strength: Medium

CHRIS YOUNG BRAND AMBASSADOR

#11

RATED CIGAR OF 2020

PERDOMO 10TH ANNIVERSARY BOX-PRESSED MADURO 6 x 54 Epicure Wrapper: Nicaraguan Maduro Binder: Cuban-seed Nicaraguan Filler: Cuban-seed Nicaraguan Strength: Medium/Full

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

#12

RATED CIGAR OF 2020

#13

RATED CIGAR OF 2020

PLASENCIA ALMA DEL FUEGO CONCEPCIÓN

TATUAJE MEXICAN EXPERIMENT II

6 x 54 Toro Wrapper: Nicaraguan Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Strength: Medium/Full

5.7 x 50 Toro Wrapper: Mexican San Andréan Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Strength: Full

#14

RATED CIGAR OF 2020

DAVIDOFF LIMITED EDITION SPECIAL 53 PERFECTO 6 1/8 x 53 Perfecto Wrapper: Dominican Binder: Dominican Filler: Dominican Strength: Full

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 55

#15

RATED CIGAR OF 2020

OLIVA SERIE V LANCERO 7 x 38 Panetela Wrapper: Nicaraguan Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Strength: Medium/Full

#18

#16

RATED CIGAR OF 2020

VEGAFINA NICARAGUA PURO ORIGEN 54 x 159 mm Gran Pirámide Wrapper: Habana 2000 Nicaraguan Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Strength: Medium/Full

#19

RATED CIGAR OF 2020

AJ FERNANDEZ BELLAS ARTES SHORT CHURCHILL NATURAL

LA FLOR DOMINICANA GOLDEN “ORO” 50TH ANNIVERSARY

6 x 48 Short Churchill (box-pressed) Wrapper: AJ Nicaragua Hybrid Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Brazilian, Nicaraguan, Honduran Strength: Medium

6.5 x 54 Toro Extra Wrapper: Mexican–San Andrean Binder: Dominican Filler: Dominican Criollo 99

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

#17

RATED CIGAR OF 2020

CAMACHO NICARAGUA TORO 6 x 50 Toro Wrapper: Ecuadorian Binder: Honduran Filler: Dominica, Honduran, Nicaraguan Strength: Medium

house ad

#20

RATED CIGAR OF 2020

E.P. CARRILLO CIGARS EPC NEW WAVE CONNECTICUT BRILLANTES 5 x 50 Robusto Wrapper: Ecuadorian Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Strength: Mild/Medium

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 57

BEST OF 2020

CIGAR & SPIRITS MAGAZINE’S

CIGAR & SPIRITS MAGAZINE’S TOP 20 BOUTIQUE CIGARS 2020 To provide feedback on any of the ratings, or to offer your own opinions on any of the cigars featured, write us at: feedback@cigarandspirits.com.

BOUTIQUE CIGAR 2020

NAT CICCO ANIVERSARIO 1965 LIGA NO. 4

JOYA DE NICARAGUA SILVER ULTRA 6.25 x 46 Wrapper: Oscuro, Equadorian Grown Binder: Mexican Filler: Nicaraguan Strength: Medium/Full

6 x 52 Toro Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Strength: Medium/Full

BOUTIQUE CIGAR 2020

RATINGS ARE BASED ON THE AVERAGE BLIND TASTING SCORES OF EACH CIGAR BY A PANEL OF TEN CIGAR EXPERTS. THESE CONNOISSEURS POSSESS MORE THAN 100 YEARS OF COMBINED CIGAR-SMOKING EXPERIENCE.

BOUTIQUE CIGAR 2020

ROOM101 DOOMSAYER PASSIVE 6 x 55 Super Toro Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Binder: Indonesian Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan, Ecuadorian Strength: Medium

BOUTIQUE CIGAR 2020

FALTO CIGARS FALTO LA PUREZA 6 7/8 x 40 Lancero Wrapper: Habano (HVA) Ecuador Binder: Dominican Filler: Dominican Strength: Medium/Full

BOUTIQUE CIGAR 2020

ROMA CRAFT TOBAC CIGARS AQUITAINE EPOCH 7 x 49 Churchill Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Ligero Binder: Cameroon, Nicaraguan Filler: Cameroon, Nicaraguan Strength: Full

BOUTIQUE CIGAR 2020

ILLUSIONE EPERNAY 10TH ANNIVERSARY D’AOSTA

KRISTOFF CIGARS KRISTOFF 685 WOODLAWN

6 x 50 Toro Wrapper: Nicaraguan Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Strength: Medium

6.5 x 60 Perfecto Wrapper: Brazilian Habano Binder: Brazilian Sumatra Filler: Dominican Habano, Nicaraguan Strength: Medium/Full

facebook.com/cigarandspiritsmagazine

58 58 // CIGAR CIGAR & & SPIRITS SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 2021

@CigarSpiritsMag

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 59

BOUTIQUE CIGAR 2020

ESTEBAN CARRERAS CIGARS MR. BROWNSTONE NATURAL SESENTA 6 x 60 Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Binder: Nicaraguan (Jalapa) Filler: Nicaraguan (Jalapa, Condega, Esteli) Strength: Medium

#11

BOUTIQUE CIGAR 2020

EL ARTISTA CIGARS BUFFALO TEN 6 x 50 Soft Box Press Toro Wrapper: Mexican San Andreas Binder: Dominican Negrito Filler: Colombian, Dominican, Nicaraguan, USA Strength: Medium

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

#12

BOUTIQUE CIGAR 2020

SOBREMESA BRÛLÉE BLUE Grand Corona 6.25 x 46 Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade Binder: Mexican (Matacapan negro de Temporal) Filler: Nicaraguan Strength: Mild/Medium

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

EPIC CIGARS MADURO FUERTE 6.5 x 54 Compinche Wrapper: Brazilian Arapiraca Binder: Cameroon Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan Strength: Full

#13

BOUTIQUE CIGAR 2020

SOUTHERN DRAW KUDZU LUSTRUM 5.5 x 52 Belicoso Fino (box pressed) Wrapper: Nicaraguan (Ometepe Medio Tiempo) Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Strength: Medium/ Full

#10

BOUTIQUE CIGAR 2020

HIRAM & SOLOMON THE GRAND ARCHITECT 6 x 52 Toro Wrapper: Corojo Nicaraguan Binder: Viso Jalapa Nicaraguan Filler: Seco Paraguay, Ligero Estelí, Ligero Jalapa Strength: Medium/Full

#14

BOUTIQUE CIGAR 2020

LA SIRENA OCEANO ARCTIC LIMITED PERFECTO 5 x 38 x 58 x 44 Wrapper: Ecuadorian Corojo Binder: Brazilian Filler: Ecuadorian Corojo Strength: Full

#15

BOUTIQUE CIGAR 2020

ESPINOSA HABANO NO. 4 5.5 x 50 Toro Wrapper: Ecuadorian Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Strength: Medium/Full

#18

BOUTIQUE CIGAR 2020

OSCAR VALLADARES SUPER FLY MADURO 6 x 54 Toro Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Binder: Honduran Filler: Dominican Republic, Honduran and Nicaraguan Strength: Full

#16

BOUTIQUE CIGAR 2020

CASA CUEVAS CIGARS LA MANDARRIA EDICION LIMITADA 6 x 52 Toro Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Binder: Dominican Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan Strength: Medium/Full

#19

BOUTIQUE CIGAR 2020

GRAN HABANO COROJO NO. 5 MADURO LIMITADO 6 x 54 Gran Robusto Wrapper: Nicaraguan Maduro Binder: Habano Filler: Nicaraguan, Costa Rican Strength: Full

#17

BOUTIQUE CIGAR 2020

CALDWELL CIGAR CO. EASTERN STANDARD MIDNIGHT EXPRESS ROBUSTO 5 x 50 Robusto Wrapper: Connecticut seed Arapiraca Maduro Binder: Dominican Habano Filler: Dominican Corojo/Criollo 98, Nicaraguan Habano Strength: Medium/Full

#20

BOUTIQUE CIGAR 2020

BLACK LABEL TRADING CO. / BLACK WORKS STUDIO GREEN HORNET 5 x 48 Robusto Wrapper: Ecuadorian Maduro Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Strength: Medium/Full

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 61

TOP CUBANS 2020 by Nick Hammond C&S Magazine Staff

TOP TRIED AND TRUE CUBANS #1. Montecristo 520, Edición Limitada 2012. This unbelievable cigar commemorates the 520th Anniversary of the arrival of Cuban tobacco to Europe. Christopher Columbus experienced it in Cuba on his first trip in 1492.

UNCLE NEAREST

#2. Ramon Allones Allones No.2 Limited Edition 2019 launched in the United Kingdom. This beauty is a deep, deep, powerful and wonderful cigar. #3. Diplomaticos El Diputado (ER Belux 2018)–a beautiful and rich cigar. The Diputado is a refined cigar from the Belux region.

#4. Montecristo Linea 1935 Maltes is a wonderful edition to the old Marque–big, smooth and delicious. #5. Eiroa First 20 Years Colorado–a truly unique tasting leaf with a lovely hint of candela on the palate.

TOP FIVE CUBAN PRODUCTION CIGARS #1. Partagas Serie E No.2 is infallible. A big stick; punchy and inspiring. #2. Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.2–a perennial favorite that never disappoints. #3. Partagas Maduro No. 2–a brilliant cigar; the best bits of Partagas with something new and exciting.

>> Partagas Serie E N0.2

>> Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure N0.2

#4. Joya de Nicaragua Numero Uno–each smoke tastes better than the previous; cigarmaking excellence from this pioneering factory. #5. Balmoral Anejado XO–a wonderfully pungent cigar, redolent with flavor and a surprisingly long, satisfying smoking experience.

Nick Hammond is the UK’s premier cigar writer, a winner of the inaugural Spectator Cigar Writer of the Year Award and a regular contributor to cigar publications around the world. He also writes extensively on travel, luxury, food, drink and The Good Life. His new book, Around the World in 80 Cigars: The Travels of An Epicure, is a must read for every cigar lover and world traveler.

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Uncle Nearest won more than 50 awards and accolades in 2019 and more than 70 awards and accolades in 2020. Drink Honorably™ Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, 50% and 46.5% Alc/Vol, Nearest Green Distillery, Shelbyville, TN. © 2020 Uncle Nearest Inc.

W W W . U N C L E N E A R E S T. C O M WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 63

CIGAR & SPIRITS MAGAZINE PROMOTION

VODKA

CIGAR & SPIRITS MAGAZINE PRESENTS THE

2020 WORLD SPIRITS COMPETITION WINNERS

South Fork Vodka

Tito’s Handmade Vodka

Grey Goose Vodka

Tahoe Blue Vodka

Ketel One Vodka

GIN

Nolet’s Silver Gin

Los Angeles Distillery, Botanico Gin

Highclere Castle Gin

Juniper Grove Atrium Gin

Hendrick’s Gin

100 % AGAVE TEQUILA SILVER/BLANCO

Based on ratings 96+

Based on ratings 94-95

Based on ratings 92-93

Based on ratings 89-91

To provide feedback on any of the ratings, or to offer your own opinions on any of the spirits featured, write us at: feedback@cigarandspirits.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and leave your comments:

facebook.com/cigarandspiritsmagazine

@CigarSpiritsMag

@CigarSpiritsMag Casa Mexico

*World Spirits Competitions submissions included nominated and paid entrants.

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Patrón Silver

Embajador Platinum Blanco

Cierto Blanco Private

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 65

100 % AGAVE TEQUILA REPOSADO

Tequila Comisario

Revel Avila Reposado

Casamigos Reposado

Cierto Anejo Private

Embajador Premium Reposado

100 % AGAVE TEQUILA ANEJO

Embajador Supreme Anejo

Tequila Comisario Anejo

Cierto Anejo Reserve

Hornitos Black Barrel Tequila

100 % AGAVE TEQUILA EXTRA ANEJO

Volans Ultra Premium Extra Anejo

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

Nuda Tequial Extra Anejo

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Cierto Extra Anejo Private

Patron Extra Anejo

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 67

MEZCAL

Dos Hombres Mezcal

BOZAL

Artezanal Mountain Mezcal

Casamigos Mezcal

GOLD/DARK RUM

E. Leon Jimenez 110 Anniversario

Flor de Cana 18 Year

Pusser’s Rum Original Blue

Ron Zacapa Edición Negra

Pusser’s Rum Gunpowder

EXTRA-AGED RUM

Diplomatico Single Vintage 2004 Rum

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

Zacapa 23

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Tanduay Double Rum

Pusser’s Rum 15 Year

Twenty Boat Cask Finish Reserve Rum

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 69

SPICED RUM

MEERSCHAUM & BRIAR PIPES

crafted for your pleasure

Big 5 Spiced Rum

The Kraken Black Spiced Rum

Seacrets Distilling Company Spiced Rum

Twenty Boat Hand-Crafted Cape Cod Spiced Rum

TOPO Organic Carolina SpicedÂ

FLAVORED/INFUSED RUM

Bacardi Coconut Rum

Divine Distillers Pandan Paradiso

Big 5 Coconut Rum

Bearing Vanilla Bean Espresso Rum

Blue Chair Bay Coconut Rum

STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY

PURE INDULGENCE DESERVED Four Roses Bourbon

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

Oak & Eden Bourbon & Spire

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Los Angeles Distillery: LA Beach Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Ben Milam Single Barrel Bourbon

Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend Bourbon

www.newworldpipes.com

info@newworldluxurybrands.com

New World Luxury Brands PTE Limited WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 71

SMALL BATCH BOURBON

(UP TO

AMERICAN BLENDED WHISKEY

10 YRS)

Hooten Young 12 Year Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch Whiskey- V. Eady Butler Batch

Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon Whiske

Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon

Axe & The Oak Distillery: Colorado Mountain Bourbon Whiskey

Heritage Elk Rider

Axe & The Oak Distillery: Colorado Mountain Incline Rye Whiskey

Basil Hayden’s Two by Two Rye Whiskey

Toasted Oak Whiskey 4 Year

Country Smooth

TENNESSEE WHISKEY SPECIAL BARREL FINISHED BOURBON

Oak & Eden Bourbon & Vine

Iron Fish- Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Mezcal Barrels

The Burning Chair Bourbon

Prichard’s Double Barrelled Bourbon Whiskey

SINGLE BARREL WHISKEY

Western Son Single Barrel Bourbon

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

TOPO Organic Reserve Straight Wheat Whiskey

Ben Milam Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Cleveland Underground Bourbon Whiskey Finished with Black Cherry Wood

(UP TO

Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Aged Whiskey

Fugitive Grandgousier Tennessee Whiskey

Uncle Nearest 1820 Single Barrel Whiskey- US- 28

Rollins Tennessee Sour Mash Whiskey

STRAIGHT RYE WHISKEY

10 YRS)

Old Forge Reserve

George Dickel Classic No. 8 Whisky

Dorothy Arzner Straight Rye Whiskey

Hudson Valley Do the Rye Thing

Southern Tier Straight Rye

Defiant Rye

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 73

JAPANESE WHISKEY

Kamiki Sakura

Hibiki Japanese Harmony Whisky

Kamiki Original Whiskey

Suntory Whisky Toki

BLENDED SCOTCH

GlenDronach Master Vintage 1993

Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch 21 YO

Ardberg Islay Single Malt Scotch 19 YO

The Glenrothes Single Speyside 10 YO

LIQUEUR

Alpine Preserve Liqueur

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

Rivulet Artisan Pecan Liqueur

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Hecate Coffee Liqueur

Hecate Cacao Liqueur

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 75

COGNAC

Branson Cognac XO

Davidoff Cognac VSOP

Remy Martin Cognac Fine Champagne XO Silver

Hennessy VS Very Special Cognac

MIXERS

SPLASH Premium Margarita Mixer

Zing Zang Margarita Mix

Zing Zang Pina Colada

1934 Bloody Mary Mix

Backyard Mary

SCAN THE QR CODE TO LEARN MORE

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 77

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 79

C&S >> Kaveh Zamanian is the founder of Rabbit Hole Whiskey.

A former clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst in Chicago, Kaveh gave up his successful career to become an entrepreneur in the spirits industry. Additionally, he had been a respected professor having taught coursework on establishing and sustaining a profitable psychology practice. Kaveh’s change in focus started after marrying his wife Heather, a native of Kentucky. He realized he wanted to sell bourbon, and he and Heather moved to Kentucky to start their company. When Heather worried Kaveh’s new passion was taking them “down a rabbit hole,” the name of the company was born. Rabbit Hole was established in 2012. Instead of buying an existing product, Kaveh was determined to create and distill his own blend. Today, Rabbit Hole’s signature spirit is Cavehill, a four-grain Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey. Boxergrail is the distiller’s award-winning Kentucky straight rye whiskey, Heigold is a Super Premium Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Dareringer is a straight bourbon whiskey finished in PX sherry casks.

RABBIT HOLE WHISKEY FOUNDER

KAVEH ZAMANIAN

LOVE, WORK AND WHISKEY AS A METAPHOR FOR LIFE by Audrey Pavia & Randy Mastronicola

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

The Kentucky Distillers’ Association recently announced that Rabbit Hole Distillery had advanced to the rank of “Heritage” member, the highest level in the non-profit organization whose goal is to unite and lead the state’s signature Bourbon and spirits industry. To qualify as a Heritage member, distilleries must have at least 25,000 barrels of distilled spirits aging in Kentucky warehouses. As a Heritage member, Rabbit Hole will have an expanded leadership role in the management of the association and the future of the industry. We spoke to Kaveh about how he started Rabbit Hole and what’s in store for the distillery.

Photos courtesy of Rabbit Hole Distillery

been said that to really appreciate A merica, you have to g row up somewhere else. If that sentiment is true, it may explain why Iranian-born Kaveh Zamanian fell so in love with Kentucky bourbon, he decided to produce his own.

Photos courtesy of Rabbit Hole Distillery

IT’S

>> Rabbit Hole’s far and wide distribution makes it to the Wicked Rabbit in Omaha, Neb. >> The facilities are pristine at the Rabbit Hole distillery.

>> Kaveh getting in a barrel workout at the distillery.

C&S Magazine: How did your background inform the origin of Rabbit Hole? Kaveh Zamanian: Growing up, at least half of my family were entrepreneurs. My grandfather was actually one of the first people that imported tobacco and cigarettes into Iran a long time ago. I was always around that entrepreneurial spirit. When I was in graduate school, I also had a couple of companies. I did a stint in New York and had a clothing line for a while. The business side of things has always been of interest to me. My background in psychology taught me some very basic principles that have been extremely useful in starting a company— not so much on the business side of it, but the psychological side of it. I moved to the States when I was 14 years old during the backdrop of the 1979 hostage crisis. I fell in love with my adoptive home. I had to learn pretty fast to adapt and assimilate, learning and embracing the language and culture. I think the seeds of my attraction to bourbon in part are related to being an immigrant. For me, bourbon is quintessentially American, even more so than baseball and apple pie.

I can only imagine the initial culture shock and feeling like an outsider, and then coming to the bourbon industry as an outsider. There’s a parallel there. I think the dream of most immigrants is to become part of your new home in a meaningful way. For me, it was like joining the major leagues. Being accepted into the fold of these amazing traditional heritage-based brands and having a seat at the table is just a dream come true. You’ve attained your spot in the industry in a relatively short period. I would imagine that gives you a lot of pride. What would be the next level? What are you guys looking at in the immediacy? Right now my immediate goal is getting people to discover and appreciate Rabbit Hole. I took a chance on developing my own liquid and making sure that the liquid in the bottle is one of a kind. I genuinely want my customers to have a unique experience. I do think food and spirits are really special. There’s a lot of good whiskey out there, but there’s not a whole lot of differentiation. I want Rabbit Hole to be discovered and seen as a truly authentic, one-of-a-kind whiskey.

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 81

You made a soul connection to Kentucky. Yes, 100 percent. I think there’s a hospitality and a warm, welcoming culture. By and large, for me the experience has been very welcoming. Kentucky is home now. I was telling someone that I’ll probably end up getting buried down the street or at Cave Hill cemetery with a lot of the other whiskey makers.

What do you feel you’ve brought to the industry that maybe wasn’t there before? I have very deep respect and appreciation for the people that came before me. The tradition and heritage is always on my mind, but I’m always looking forward. A professor of mine once said, “If I only have one idea, just shoot me.” I took that to heart. It resonated with me because I want to be a person who continuously challenges and raises the bar within my field. I think from that standpoint, I’ve come into this business trying to disrupt things for the better. I do think that we’re truly in a Renaissance period for American whiskey. I also think the best years are ahead of us because so many exciting things are happening with our brand as well as our competitors’ brands. I want to be part of the group that begins to really shake things up. Your wife Heather is a Kentucky native. How did her background influence you? It’s been extremely important. Heather is my partner and my muse. We talk quite a bit about whiskey, and she’s been a source of inspiration for me. She’s the one who really introduced me to Kentucky. Through her, I feel very much at home here. Even though

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Can you touch on each of the whiskeys in your portfolio? There’s the four-grain whiskey, which is Cavehill, and that was the first one. It’s a little bit of a nod to my days of being a scotch enthusiast because the secondary flavor in grain is barley. That one is probably my favorite just because it was the first one. We also have another bourbon, called Heigold. That’s a high-rye bourbon that was just released last year. We have a Kentucky straight rye called Boxergrail, that’s a 95 percent rye and part of our Founder’s Collection. We’re very excited about that. It’s just a recent release in cask strength. Then we have bourbon that’s finished in PX sherry casks. All of them offer a different flavor profile. The idea behind having a portfolio was to essentially provide a range for consumers who might want different tastes in their bourbon or whiskey experience. We’re going to continue with the core four products, but we’ll be doing a lot of specialty stuff in the coming years.

“I HAVE VERY DEEP RESPECT AND APPRECIATION FOR THE PEOPLE THAT CAME BEFORE ME. THE TRADITION AND HERITAGE IS ALWAYS ON MY MIND, BUT I’M ALWAYS LOOKING FORWARD.”

Photos courtesy of Rabbit Hole Distillery

I grew up in California, and lived in New York and then Chicago, there’s something ver y familiar and comfortable about Louisville. It’s got this mix of Midwestern and southern culture and tradition. It’s a good fit for me.

>> Kaveh inspections–MBWA. (Managing By Walking Around)

BOVEDA

PETE JOHNSON TAT U A J E

>> The elegant presentation of the Founder’s Collection.

>> The Rabbit Hole Distillery at night in lovely Louisville, Ky.

If I’m a millennial, if I’m a Gen Z, or even if I’m an older enthusiast who’s coming back to it, how do I find you? I think we’re pretty much available now everywhere, from boutique liquor stores to the big-boxes.

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 83

Photos courtesy of Rabbit Hole Distillery

UNFORSAKEN >> The pride of Kaveh’s ownership is a big part of Rabbit Hole’s growth.

UNFORSAKEN - DARK SUMATRA

Your company’s slogan is Amare et Opus [love and work] and you’ve said “Let our carefully crafted whiskey be a metaphor for life.” Interesting… Yes. I think life is short. It’s fleeting. It’s ephemeral. Just like finely crafted whiskey, it takes so much work to get there. I think it really needs to be cherished and savored, like being with special friends or family. It’s a relationship that has to be experienced, and ultimately, I’m a person who, if I find a beautiful expression of whiskey, I like to share it. It’s about bringing people together to share and celebrate, and not taking those moments for granted. This here might sound corny, but I put my heart and soul in every bottle to make sure our friends and fans have a memorable experience.

What else are you working on right now? We have a campaign called “There’s No Going Back,” where I interviewed a handful of artists, like a hatmaker, a glassblower and a couple of musicians. This was a project we did three years ago that was recently released. Giovanni Ribisi actually filmed it. I’m really excited about it. In 2021, we’ve got a couple of additional Founder’s Collection releases. One is a 15-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon that’s finished in Japanese Mizunara casks. We’re also launching what I’m calling a “distillery series.” These are going to be smaller bottles and a smaller number of releases coming out towards the second half of the year.

Dark Sumatra Nicaraguan binder

2020 was such a challenging year. Many of us have found new ways to stay connected… My favorite time, probably now once or twice a week, is sitting on the porch smoking a stogie and sipping a glass of whiskey while I’m on FaceTime with a friend somewhere in the country. It’s just really special.

Other than what you’re doing now, is there something else you would like to do or incorporate into your profession? I’ve always had a high degree of esteem for creative people. I love painters. Painters, to me, are just special in a lot of different ways. I try to incorporate art as much as I can in our packaging and design. I love creative people in general, but particularly painters.

and complex taste of sweetness.

What are some of your favorite smokes? There’s a whole bunch. My go-to is Montecristo Number 5. That’s basically one of the ones I really enjoy. Although, I just got some Upmanns and Trinidads. I’m expanding my horizons a little.

I think that if we get to a point where people come together over a glass of Rabbit Hole to celebrate their friendships and family relationships, that would be amazing for me. It would be great to be bringing people together, particularly in this divided world we’re living in right now.

What is your favorite Rabbit Hole pairing with a nonCuban cigar? We have a couple of cigars that we did with Diesel. One is with the PX sherry cask, and that’s a really nice one that I enjoy. There’s a special 50-year-old release that Rocky Patel did. I like that one too.

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Audrey Pavia has authored twenty-three non-fiction books. She is an award-winning writer and editor living in Southern California, and a frequent contributor to Cigar & Spirits Magazine. Randy Mastronicola is the Editor-in-Chief of Cigar & Spirits Magazine.

and filler; barrel aged, medium to full body; extremely rich with notes of cedar, spice, roasted coffee

NAME

COLOR

SIZE

BOX OF

BUNDLE

BOOLIT

DARK

4.75 x 46

TORO

DARK

6 x 52

24 ct

SIXTY

DARK

6 x 60

24 ct

SEVENTY

DARK

6 x 70

24 ct

C&S

HISTORIC HOTELS AND INNS USA EXPERIENCE AMERICAN GRANDEUR AT ITS BEST by Elisa Jordan

THE EXCITEMENT of going on a vacation is experiencing something different from home and the normal routine. For folks serious about plunging into the history and culture of a new location, that can mean the accommodations are part of the package. There are many hotels and inns that are just as much a part of a cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s distinctive history as any other landmark. Here are a few of the best.

MISSION INN HOTEL & SPA RIVERSIDE, CA

Originally opened in 1876 and expanded in 1903, the Mission Inn Hotel has been catering to wealthy travelers for more than a century. The Mission Inn takes its place not only as a top luxury hotel but an exquisitely preserved historic one, too. It won the award for best historical hotel in the United States in 2014 and 2016. The expansive property features multiple award-winning restaurants that range from steaks to Italian to Mexican and even a cupcake bakery. A tequila bar offers more than 100 varieties of the spirit. The Presidential Lounge pays homage to the presidents who have dined at the inn, including Roosevelt, Taft, Hoover, Nixon, Reagan and Bush Jr., not to mention historic figures such as Booker T. Washington, Susan B. Anthony, Amelia Earhart, Albert Einstein, Helen Keller, John Muir, Judy Garland, Bette Davis, Clark Gable, Tom Hanks, Barbara Streisand and James Brolin. The Mission Inn also features a lavish Tuscan-style spa in keeping with the European theme. The hotel is built in the missionrevival style and incorporates architectural features from more than 20 of Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s missions. The hotel is filled with historic art, furniture and religious relics, including the oldest bell in Christendom, which dates back to 1247.

missioninn.com

Photos courtesy of The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 87

Photos courtesy of Blackstone Hotel

THE BLACKSTONE CHICAGO, IL

Built by famed architects Marshall & Fox, the Blackstone was constructed in a neoclassical Beaux-Arts style and opened in 1910. Since then it’s become a centerpiece of Chicago’s culture and history. It’s hosted presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Taft, Wilson, Harding, Coolidge, Hoover, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (who accepted the nomination for his third term here), Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Nixon and Carter. It also hosted the Duke and Duchess of Windsor in the 1950s. Other guests included Booker T. Washington (the first African American to stay here), Nat “King” Cole and Lena Horne. Mobster Lucky Luciano attended the first organized crime convention here. “Scarface” Al Capone used to get his hair cut in the barber shop. Today, the hotel still attracts clientele who want the best Chicago has to offer. Amenities include an art gallery, fitness center, restaurant and lounge that specializes in craft cocktails and wine.

theblackstonehotel.com

THE MISSION RANCH

CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, CA Photos Courtesy of Mission Ranch Inn

With its European village feel, world-class restaurants, local wineries and scenic beaches, Carmel-by-the-Sea attracts not just tourists, but residents famous in politics, arts and literature. The property now known as the Mission Ranch dates back to the early 1800s when it was owned by a Native American named Juan Romero, who is believed to have lived next to the Carmel Mission. In the 1850s, the property was deeded to William Curtis, who turned it into a dairy that supplied the county with milk, cream and cheese. They also farmed potatoes for gold miners. During World War II it was a private club for officers. When the historic property was threatened with demolition in the 1980s, iconic actor and director (and longtime Carmel resident) Clint Eastwood stepped in and purchased it. He restored and renovated the property by turning it into an inn and restaurant. The Mission Ranch Inn sits on 22 acres and boasts views of Point Lobos, Carmel River Beach and the Pacific Ocean. Sheep still roam the property. It has 31 hotel rooms spread over 10 buildings, a fitness and tennis club, and cypress and eucalyptus trees that date back the early days. Rooms can accommodate any taste, from the rustic buildings that date to the 1850s to new Meadowview rooms that feature whirlpool tubs, fireplaces and patio decks or balconies. Private cottages are also available. missionranchcarmel.com

missionranchcarmel.com

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 89

Photo credit John Allen/Greenway Manor

GREENWAY MANOR

BISBEE, AZ

The impressive Greenway Manor is one of Bisbee, Arizona’s most famous houses. Built by Calumet & Arizona Mining Co. and completed in 1908, it was sold to John C. Greenway, a miner from Minnesota and former member of Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders. Greenway himself fought with Roosevelt in the Battle of San Juan Hill in 1898 during the Spanish-American War. It is believed that Roosevelt later stayed at the mansion and paid a visit to his old friend and war buddy. Many of the bungalow-style mansion’s original features remain intact. Greenway Manor was recently purchased by Gretchen Bonaduce, formerly married to Partridge Family star Danny Bonaduce and star of the reality show Breaking Bonaduce. She has restored the home to its former glory and turned the bedrooms into rock ‘n roll themed guest rooms, such as David Bowie, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Reservations can be made through Airbnb and Vrbo. Bisbee is a former mining town that retains much of its historic character and now plays home to a thriving scene of gourmet restaurants, art galleries and antique shops. There are attractions that harken back to the mining days and the legendary ghost town Tombstone is a short drive away.

hacienddadelavion.com

EL ARTISTA CIGARS www.elartistacigars.com

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 91

Photos courtesy of Mayflower Inn & Spa, Auberge Resorts Collection

MAYFLOWER INN & SPA, AUBERGE RESORTS COLLECTION WASHINGTON, CT

Located just two hours outside of New York City, the town of Washington, Connecticut, has long served as a retreat from the robust pace of city life. It also attracts visitors from all over the world, in part because of the city’s unique history, quaint village feeling and lush acreage, and also because Washington, Connecticut, inspired the fictional town of Stars Hollow for television’s Gilmore Girls. During the course of an extended stay at the Mayflower Inn, writer and producer Amy Sherman-Palladino’s creative juices began to flow and the quirky town became the backdrop for her new show idea. Sherman-Palladino turned the Mayflower into the fictional Independence Inn. But the tie to television history is only part of the inn’s charm. The New England country resort sits on 58 acres of woodlands and manicured gardens and offers an award-winning restaurant, spa and swimming pool. The town itself is named for George Washington, who traveled through the area during the American Revolution. There are plenty of things to do, including hiking trails, waterfalls, farmers markets, Kent State Park and the historic Hollister House Garden. As for the town itself, it is very similar to the one depicted on Gilmore Girls—a quaint, walkable village with small shops, antique stores and locally run restaurants.

aubergeresorts.com/mayflower

Photos courtesy of Oak Alley

OAK ALLEY PLANTATION VACHERIE, LA

One of the most recognizable Southern mansions in history, Oak Alley is named for the double rows of live oaks that pre-date the house. No one knows who planted the trees, but they made an ideal setting for a grand mansion. French Creole Valcour Aime purchased the land in 1830 and traded it with his brother-in-law, Jacques Telesphore Roman, in 1836. Roman started construction the following year and the great house was completed in 1839. It is generally assumed that Roman’s father-in-law Joseph Pilie, an architect, designed the house. Built in the Greek Revival style, a popular architectural style popular in the first half of the nineteenth century, Oak Alley boasts 28 Doric columns that line all four sides of the house. Although primarily a sugar plantation during its antebellum years, an expert pecan gardener, a slave named Antoine, grew a bountiful crop of the nuts. Although not damaged physically by the Civil War, the plantation was in financial ruin and by the 1920s the property had fallen into disrepair. New owners began an extensive restoration project and turned it into a cattle ranch, with sugar reintroduced in the 1960s. When the owner, Josephine Stewart, died in 1972, she left the grounds to the Oak Alley Foundation and the property opened to the public. Since then, Oak Alley has become a popular stop for tourists and architecture fans alike. A bar serves locally distilled spirits and brews. Sunday brunches and a restaurant with a gourmet chef are also located on the property.

oakalleyplantation.com

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 93

AUSTIN, TX

Built by Col. Jesse Driskill, the Romanesque revival-style Driskill Hotel was completed in 1886 and now stands as the oldest hotel in Austin. With its marble lobby, grand columns and stained-glass dome, it’s no wonder the Driskill has been on National Register of Historic Places since 1969, and with good reason. The lavish hotel was built with money from supplying beef to the Confederate Army during the Civil War. The decision to save the Alamo was made here. Legendary jazz trumpeter, Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong had a three-day stand starting on October 12, 1931. Charles Black, the constitutional law scholar and activist, was in the audience and the performance inspired his involvement with the civil rights movement. President Lyndon Baines Johnson took future wife Lady Bird on their first date here in 1934. The hotel also served as his 1964 campaign headquarters, where he watched the election results on TV. Maybe he felt the Driskill was good luck, as LBJ returned to visit Austin during his presidency. That’s not the only presidential association. Bill Clinton visited in 1999. Jenna Bush was relocated to the Driskill by the Secret Service on September 11, 2001, as a response to the terrorist attacks that day. More recently, on March 17, 2018, Bill Murray and cellist Jan Vogler recited “Dog,” a poem by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, on the front steps to promote the movie Isle of Dogs during the South by Southwest festival. Although a historic landmark, the hotel has kept up to date with modern amenities and has 24hour fitness center, premium internet access, and concierge services. It also boasts a prime location and sits in the heart of the Austin music scene and is within walking distance of world-class restaurants, BBQ joints, breweries, and cocktail bars.

Photos courtesy of Driskill Hotel

DRISKILL HOTEL

driskillhotel.com

WALDO EMERSON INN KENNEBUNKPORT, ME

waldoemerson.com

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Photos courtesy of Waldo Emerson Inn

The Dutch gambrel style house was built by Waldo Emerson, Ralph Waldo Emerson’s great uncle, in 1753. It is believed that Ralph Waldo Emerson, the writer and philosopher, summered here for 10 years. But the association with the literary legend isn’t the only reason this house is historic. It was also a stop on the Underground Railroad. Authentic Wedgwood tiles around the fireplace, Indian shutters and exposed beams in the house date from the 1600s. Wood floors date back to 1784 and four of the six rooms have fireplaces. The hotel serves wine, cocktails, candy, gourmet breakfasts, bread, coffee and snacks. Rooms come equipped with bags packed for a day at the beach. A small library would make the namesake Emerson family proud. The quaint town offers a wine room with fine wine, craft cocktails and locally brewed beers, award-winning restaurants, fresh seafood and cozy pubs. Easy access to sandy beaches, kayaking and boating.

THE DUTCH GAMBREL STYLE HOUSE WAS BUILT BY WALDO EMERSON, RALPH WALDO EMERSON’S GREAT UNCLE, IN 1753.

NANTUCKET, MA

Built in 1845 by Jared Coffin, this house was the family home of a successful ship owner during the whaling era. It was the first mansion built on the Nantucket Island and withstood the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s big fire in 1846 thanks to its brick walls and slate roof. In 1961 the mansion was restored by the Nantucket Historical Trust and opened as the Jared Coffin House, which sits in the middle of the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historic district. The basement houses an upscale steakhouse called Nantucket Tap Room that offers steaks, grilled fish and a raw seafood bar. It also has an extensive wine list, cocktails and local craft beers. Other amenities include spa access at their luxury sister resort White Elephant, complimentary bikes, car service and prearrival concierge services. Herman Melville, who famously made Nantucket a household name thanks to his novel Moby Dick (1851), was a guest at this house after his masterpiece was released. November 2020 marked the 200th anniversary of the Essex, the whaling ship that inspired Moby Dick.

Photos courtesy of White Elephant Resorts

JARED COFFIN HOUSE

jaredcoffinhouse.com

PORTLAND, OR

Opened in 1927 by contractor and hotelier George Heathman, the Heathman Hotel is a 10-story concrete and brick exterior built in the Jacobean Revival style architecture. At the time it was constructed, Portland was a bustling city and needed more luxurious accommodations to host discerning guests. And luxurious it is. The lobby has dark wood paneling that extends to the mezzanine level, which served as the home of Portland radio station KOIN from the 1930s to the 1950s. It has since undergone two major restorations, the first in 1984 and again in 2018. Located in the arts district, the hotel boasts James Beard award-winning chef and proprietor, Vitaly Paley at the helm. The restaurant features locally sourced ingredients. The hotel also partners with local businesses to provide unique experiences, such as daily tastings by local distilleries, sustainable locally made honey, and local teas.

heathmanhotel.com

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Photos courtesy of Provenance Hotels

HEATHMAN HOTEL

Hear The Manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story at: www.arturofuente.com/theman 98

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 99

C&S “Well, I have to tell you, nothing in my life has ever come easy,” he said. “I wouldn't have expected that the cigar journey would have been easy, and it wasn't. My journey in the cigar business has been a really long, long learning curve. Again, that’s been part of my life. I wouldn't have expected anything different.” The breadth of Rafael’s life starts with his Cuban lineage, the cultural influence of his time growing up in New York City, his experiences of living in Miami over several decades, and incorporating his keen understanding of the arts into the craftsmanship of some of the world’s most highly regarded cigars.

>> Rafael Nodal looking sharp and smoking well.

Rafael and I had casually met in the past at industryrelated events, but I’m happy to say that our conversation for this interview forged a deeper connection between us.

RAFAEL NODAL is an appreciator of

He is also an inspired musician, having studied violin and piano since he was a young boy.

BEHIND THE LEAF

RAFAEL NODAL OF ALTADIS U.S.A. NAVIGATING WATERS AND STAYING THE COURSE by Randy Mastronicola

100

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Rafael has successfully navigated the waters of the cigar industry and built a career to be proud of. Chances are, if you’re reading Cigar & Spirits Magazine, you have a lot in common with Rafael, because he is also an enthusiast of life’s simple luxuries. In fact, chances are you’ve experienced one of his creations during the past ten years. His vision with Aging Room, and collaborations with Plasencia, AJ Fernandez and Altadis’ Grupo de Maestros have helped separate him out from what’s become a crowded field of blenders and cigar industry ambassadors.

Photos courtesy of Altadis U.S.A.

Rafael also appreciates how he got to where he is: the Head of Product Capability for Altadis U.S.A. He has been instrumental in stewarding famous brands like Montecristo, H. Upmann, Romeo y Julieta and VegaFina, among others. He continues to foster his own premium artisanal Aging Room cigar line through Altadis U.S.A., the cigar blends that helped him rise to prominence in the industry.

Photos courtesy of Altadis U.S.A.

fine music, fine spirits, fine cuisine and fine cigars. He also appreciates mindful relaxation. Just check out his social media, and you’ll see what I mean.

>> Rafael Nodal noodling and smoking away.

RAFAEL’S BACKSTORY has been told before in the cigar and lifestyle media, but it’s worth revisiting. Some far-and wide-reaching circumstances have led to his current place in life—least of which was picking oranges in Castro’s Cuba at age 15 (not of his own choice). He and his family embarked on an ocean voyage to the United States in 1980, and experienced the tumult that refugees often face. On their way to America, the Nodal family–along with a mix of 400 hundred men, women and children–survived a brutal open sea wrought with extreme weather, towering waves and navigational blunders. That life-threatening journey took far longer than the projected 12 hours to the point of Key West. Fortunately for those passengers who suffered severe injury during the trip, Coast Guard helicopters descended to save them. The remaining group in the boat was steered to secure waters.

Randy Mastronicola: I see you quite a bit on social media. You always seem to find a way to wind down with a cigar and a cocktail in beautiful Miami or across the world. I have to tell you–it's inspirational. [laughs] Rafael Nodal: [laughs] It is my sincere goal in life to try to relax as often as I can. The pandemic has allowed me to do that with very little traveling.

>> The legendary Montecristo at 85 and still going strong amongst brand fan favorites.

“It was frightening, but we made it,” said Rafael. “It taught me about adapting and making the best out of what you have. For me, looking at what my parents did by bringing us to another country, a different culture, a different language in a little boat from Cuba, not really knowing what we were going to eat, is incredible. Everything now is a bonus.” Rafael has made his bones as a respected blender, unique industry ambassador and as one of the good guys in his field. His cigar talents and astute business instincts have propelled his career in a relatively short measure of time. There’s a lot of hard work that goes into the appearance of looking at ease, bringing class to your craft, and gaining the respect of consumers and peers alike.

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 101

>> Rafael Nodal is the architect of the highly lauded Aging Room blends.

A Night of

“I WENT TO MUSIC SCHOOL IN NEW YORK. I’D GO TO THE OPERA, THE BALLET, THE MUSEUMS AND TO THE SYMPHONY. THE PIANO IS PART OF ME.”

It’s exciting that you’ve honored that traditional brand. Thank you. We’re also introducing the Trinidad Espiritu No.2. It’s the follow-up to the No.1 line. The cigar pays homage to Brazil. It has a Brazilian look, and it’s made with Brazilian tobacco. We have a new Romeo y Julieta that we've worked on as a release in January as well. This year is the 145th anniversary; it started in 1875. It’s a high-end cigar.

Your brand fans have a lot to look forward to in 2021. Yes, we also have the Oliveros Gran Retorno returning this year. The tobaccos were aged in traditional bales for 24 months. Then they sat in an aging room for six months, and were packaged and aged in their cedar boxes for more than 33 months at a warehouse in Tampa, Florida. Allowing rolled cigars to sit for nearly three years is unusual.

Awesome. I want to circle back a little bit because I love your backstory, and obviously, you've talked about this stuff in the past. Please talk about your traumatic journey from Cuba, to New York City and Miami. Absolutely. I was just talking to a friend–actually it was a week ago–a friend in Spain who is going through difficult times right now, having been stuck at home, the pandemic, etc. He asked me, "Why are you always happy, man? Why are you always looking at what’s possible?" I said, "You know what? Because I have been here before. The only constant in my life has been adapting and making the best out what I have." Looking at what my parents did by bringing us from Cuba to another country, everything else for me is just about perspective. After that, everything else is a bonus. I think that has allowed me to, or has created in me, the ability for adaptation. It's important.

Sink or swim… [laughs] Yes! Adapting to New York City, coming from Cuba to New York City in 1980…Can you imagine Cuba to New York City? I cannot. [laughs] The character of the city, the character of the people, the energy–it makes you stronger. It was the center of my universe, and it was amazing.

You’re a formidable pianist. Did that talent surface during your years in New York? Not so much piano, but I was creative even before that. I had it before that time–definitely the art classes–then finally discovering the love for music and discovering the love for creating, composing, dancing and singing. Then it was all there. As I remember, I was six when I started violin. I have always been a creative person. Then the piano.

Full Flavor

Photos courtesy of Altadis U.S.A.

Let’s talk about your role with Altadis U.S.A. [Imperial Brands, the parent company of Altadis U.S.A, sold the company for $1.44 billion to an investment consortium this past October.] This obviously sets the stage for a new chapter for you. Yes, definitely. The sale of the company set it up so a lot of things are going on. But it’s somewhat business as usual. The Montecristo 1935 Anniversary cigar we have commemorates the 85th anniversary of the iconic brand. What we tried to do with that cigar is create an interpretation. I worked on that with AJ Fernandez. [Fernandez is a renowned cigar blender, and owner of the company bearing his name.]

THE BOLD NEW SIZE OF OUR ICONIC MAINSTAY

Perfect your evening with the bold smoke of a Parodi Superiore cigar tobacco from Kentucky and Tennessee aged for over 3 years.

I went to music school in New York. I’d go to the opera, the ballet, the museums and to the symphony. The piano is part of me. This pandemic has allowed me to spend more time on the piano, in composition and creation. I have spent a lot more time doing that. Some years I spend only 50 or 60 nights a year at home, but I've been able to get in touch with it again. I always play, because it's like I have to do it. Now I've been able to go back to creating, to practicing.

2 CIGARS PACK LENGTH: 6.25” INTENSITY: SENSORY PROFILE:

PEPPERY, ROASTED, DRIED FRUIT

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

RED WINE

AGED DARK BEER

SPIRITS

>> Rafael Nodal practicing his precious craft.

RING GAUGE

AJ FERNANDEZ USE THIS CODE TO GET 30% OFF SUPERIORE WHEN YOU SHOP ONLINE AT AVANTICIGAR.COM!* * OFFER ENDS MARCH 21ST 2021 AT 11:59 PM ET

102

PAIRS WELL WITH

CODE

BOLDSIZE&FLAVOR HISTORY MEETS QUALITY

DARK FIRE-CURED CIGARS MADE WITH KENTUCKY TOBACCO

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 103

>> The highly anticipated return of the Oliveros Gran Retorno is set for 2021.

Photos courtesy of Altadis U.S.A.

“LOOKING AT WHAT MY PARENTS DID BY BRINGING US FROM CUBA TO ANOTHER COUNTRY, EVERYTHING ELSE FOR ME IS JUST ABOUT PERSPECTIVE. AFTER THAT, EVERYTHING ELSE IS A BONUS.” What about Miami’s influence on you? Back in 1983, South Beach was basically a retirement community. It wasn’t the fancy hotels and great restaurants that you have today. There was no baseball, there were no restaurants, there was no orchestra, there was no theatre. It was empty. I came from that huge energy in New York, and I hated Miami at first. [laughs] But again, you have to adapt, and you need to do what you need to do in order to survive and move forward. The best part of it, however, in the last 30 years, Miami has changed to become an amazing capital of the world. Even in terms of entertainment and being the capital of Latin culture in America.

Ok. So pick one classical luminary. Who would you want to share a meal with? In a perfect world, even a cigar. [laughs] Beethoven is a top one, because I just love everything about Beethoven. His music is part of me. What he did in his time, and with a handicap. Unbelievable. For me, it would be Tchaikovsky though.

Cool. Cigars. We’re both seasoned cigar smokers. I’m always curious because there’s a new generation behind us. Would you recommend an introductory cigar for people who are new to the hobby? I constantly put myself in the place of the new smoker. For example, a fantastic cigar that we have for new cigar smokers is the Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real. It's a mild cigar with an amazing amount of flavor, consistent creaminess–very creamy and balanced. It’s fantastic for new smokers.

>> Rafael being in the moment.

I’m glad we can pass that on. Cigars can be very personal, and we make our industry or our cigars as an extension of ourselves. I think in terms of my life, what I am the most proud of is to look at the positive. It makes me very proud that I can do that. It's not an easy thing, and you have to work on it a bit. But it’s allowed me, in difficult moments like this in the world, to see the light after the storm. If you looked at my Facebook page this morning, I put a little thing out there. “After the sunrise and you get the first light, it doesn't matter how dark the night was, or how long the dark was. Rest assured that tomorrow morning you'll see the sun.”

Randy Mastronicola is the Editor-in-Chief of Cigar & Spirits Magazine.

104

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 105

(continued from page 51)

It’s the Normandy celebration, the 75th celebration honoring D-Day and the veterans, and he decides to high-tail it out of the old people’s home. This fellow did do this. He stole out the laundry wagon, and he hightails it and hitches it. He puts on his green blazer and his beret and his metals and he high-tails it to Normandy. It’s a road movie. It’s the story of this man, and he is the last rifleman. As he tidies his wife’s belongings, he finds love letters from his best friend to her. His best friend and his wife, they were like the Three Musketeers of the day. They both loved the same woman. Artie is diabetic, he’s got all the ailments of a 92-yearold man. It is a transformation. I did work. I did a movie, Cinderella, earlier in the year when I was over in London, I went to a prosthetic house. Tracey Ullman uses them all the time and they’re magnificent artists. I spent a day developing a look for this character. The prosthetic work will be a lot of work in the mornings to be 92. That’s one piece. It’s beautifully rendered by an Irish playwright and it’s an Irish film. It takes place in Belfast and Normandy.

Tell us about Not Bloody Likely as well. There’s a wonderful cast in the film. That’s by a friend of mine, Joel Hopkins. We did a movie together called Love Punch with Emma Thompson. This particular piece, it’s about the making of the first production of Pygmalion. Helena Bonham Carter plays Mrs. Pat, who was the great actress of her time, in Edwardian time. I play George Bernard Shaw, and well, I’m not sure who’s going to play the actor manager [Sir Herbert Beerbohm] Tree. That will be in London. They’ve both been announced. I’m preparing for The Last Rifleman, listening to war veterans. There’s a documentary that I watch and I had these men on tape telling the stories of the fear, of the dying and the blood and guts of the day. The third one is a political piece. It’s called The Independent and that’ll be in Washington, D.C. Cinderella is what you were working on before COVID changed everything, correct? Yes. We were there in March and everything went to hell in a handbasket. We closed down. I came back here to Kauai for five months and then I went back and finished it. It’s in the can. Well, that’s good. You got one of them finished. Well, there’s that and then there’s another movie I did in New York, which is coming out called False Positive. That’s an A24 Production–a strange creepy story.

106

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Is your creative process the same or is it different when you’re focusing on acting and then when you’re working on your paintings? It’s all work. [laughs] Some of it comes easy and sometimes it doesn’t. The creative process as an actor is both a solitary exploration of yourself, dealing with yourself. At least you have the roadmap with a really good script to cleave into each day or at night when you’re working on it, as opposed to painting some of the paintings I do are kind of surreal and allegorical. Some of them are just straight narratives or still lifes or figurative. I was going to have an exhibit in November but that’s not happening. I’m going to launch online, some work. One of the pieces is a portrait of Keely, which I’ve had made into a vase. That will be a collection of about 150 pieces. Then there are some paintings that will launch online that will be for sale. I’m slowly edging in that direction to create whether it be something like a vase, or something like a tapestry for the wall. I have a studio here, which I go to every day. Some days it’s easier to walk in, and some days it’s like, “Oh God, where do I begin?” But every day I go and I’ll start painting. You give yourself 30 minutes, and sometimes you don’t need to. Some days you just want to go in and paint, and you paint the whole day. I’ve got about six pieces going. The acting within that has been just sitting quietly with the script and reading reference books and preparing the work. Hopefully, it will get done, come February. Just about now, I’m getting that tingle of expectation, and anxiety of, “Is it going to happen?” Under normal circumstances, yes, it would, but it’s a long way to go to Belfast. What will the restrictions be? What will the health climate of our world be in six-weeks’ time, 10-weeks’ time? The process is the same for both. It’s imagination and trying to make something that is beautiful, meaningful, real, and will turn people on, will excite people. Speaking of exciting people, you are now the spokesperson for Don Ramón Tequila. How did that come about? My agent of 35 years, Liz Downing, called me up, and said that Casa Don Ramón, they’re interested. I looked at their product, and it looked very appealing, and they’d never done this, and I thought it would be an exciting way to have a relationship with this company and to promote the product. It really was as simple as that. I’m not a connoisseur of tequila. I’ve enjoyed tequila over the years in my visits to Mexico, but it just seemed to make sense. I met the people, and they had an integrity to them, and a passion for what they were doing. The bottle has a sensuous look to it, and feel, and the drink is really most delicious actually. It was as simple as that. You do all that and then you talk business, and say, “Let’s do it.” I brought in my friend

“Don’t lie to yourself. Be kind. Be punctual. Work hard. Respect the work however humble the work or the idea that you have. Respect it and cherish it, make it your own and give back to your community.” [cinematographer] David Tattersall who’s the DP [director of photography], and we worked together on The Matador and James Bond movies. I said, “I’m going to shoot this commercial, would you be interested in doing it? It’s a very simple set-up.” He said, “Yes.”

NAT CICCO

We made the commercial and launched the product. If there’s a further development to this, possibly using my art in some way, I don’t know. It’s early days yet. Do you ever light up a cigar when you’re enjoying a spirit? Not so much these days. There was a time when everybody was cigar crazy. I was sent a beautiful humidor the other day, along with more bottles of tequila. Which will be great Christmas gifts for my friends in the community here. Yes, a good cigar is definitely an I-do. A cigar can sometimes make a day’s painting rather enjoyable, especially at day’s end with a lovely glass flute of tequila. You have a pretty worldly background. You’re born in Ireland, moved to England in your youth, and then you’ve lived in the United States. Now you’re in Hawaii. What have you learned by living in different places in the world? That people are the same the world over. I never thought I was going to travel, and yet I have traveled extensively in my life. I enjoy the company of people. I enjoy the Irish. We Irish travel well, I think. I have homes the world over. The lessons are of many-fold, but that people are the same. That people don’t really change. It takes time to fit into communities, and I know what it’s like to be a kind of outsider as it were. The new kid on the block. A new blow-in. It makes you very adaptable, and it gives you a great strength of character. It’s also exhilarating to discover new worlds and new communities. Kauai has definitely been part of our life for the last 20 years, but I think now it’s time to move on. We have ostensibly moved here. We’ll find a foothold back in California at another stage in life, I think. You and Keely have gotten really involved in protecting the environment and bringing attention to what’s going on in Hawaii with the documentary you two made, Poisoning Paradise, Paradise , which is about the effect that chemical companies are having on Hawaii by setting up experimental test sites for genetically engineered seed corn and pesticides. Can you talk a little bit about the movie and what inspired it? The movie was inspired by the stories that we heard from our community and people who came to Keely as a filmmaker, as an environmentalist, as an activist. It came about for our love of this beautiful land called Kauai and the heartbreak that we heard of people’s stories and what was being done by various chemical companies, Syngenta, Monsanto.

108

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

The movie really grew out of friendships and, for Keely, an investigation into what was going on here on our island. She picked up the reigns of this story and really brought it home over a period of five years. I’m not sure what has happened to the communities here. I think the voices have been heard. You know when you hear the stories from communities and some people speak and some people didn’t want to speak because they were fearful of repercussions. I was one of those people who didn’t know it was going on until I started researching for this article. Yes. It was a dirty little secret that happens here on the island. I couldn’t really tell you exactly the status of the land right now or what has happened or if this film has any impact. I think it’s one of those films that people discover. I think they tried to bury it but it’s there for all to see. I think there have been improvements to the community’s welfare. My last question is: You’ve accomplished a lot in your life and career. What advice do you have for folks who want to pursue big goals or ambitions? Don’t lie to yourself. Be kind. Be punctual. Work hard. Respect the work however humble the work or the idea that you have. Respect it and cherish it, make it your own and give back to your community. Work for the betterment of humankind, all the tools are at your disposal now, all at the touch of a phone. The whole world is there on your laptop, your phone so whatever dreams or ambitions you have, they can be achieved. Anyway, there you have it.

Elisa Jordan is a freelance writer who specializes in cultural history, architecture and pets. She wrote “The Legacy of James Bond: 007 Through the Years” for the May/June 2017 issue of Cigar & Spirits

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 109

C&S

WINTER COCKTAILS MIXED WITH LEFTOVER HOLIDAY SPIRITS by Breahna Wheeler

CINNAMON & RUM SPIKED CIDER Serves 1

Ingredients: • 2 oz. spiced rum • 1 cup unfiltered apple juice or apple cider • 2 small slices of an orange • 1 cinnamon stick • 1 star anise • ¼ teaspoon whole cloves • ¼ teaspoon whole allspice • 1 sliver of ginger root Directions: • In a microwavable glass or mug, add apple juice, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, star anise, whole cloves, whole allspice and ginger root. • Heat for 1 minute then stir • Heat for an additional 30 seconds and add rum to the apple cider mixture • Remove fruit and spices from the mug and serve once it cools

110

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Cinnamon Rum: Maksym Fesenko/Shutterstock.com, Champagne Mojito: Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock.com, Winter Whisky Flip: Micaela Fiorellini/Shutterstock.com, Ancho Chilly Maragarita: Aplonia/Shutterstock.com, Snow Globe Sangria: Vladyslav Rasulov/Shutterstock.com

BOOZE IT OR LOSE IT

CHAMPAGNE MOJITO Serves 1

Ingredients: • 8 mint leaves • ¾ oz. fresh lime juice • ¾ oz. simple syrup • 1 ½ oz. aged rum • 2 dashes Angostura bitters • 2 oz. Champagne Directions: • In a cocktail shaker, muddle 6 mint leaves with lime juice and simple syrup. Add the rum and bitters and fill the cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until cold and then strain into a cocktail glass. • Top with Champagne and garnish with additional mint.

WINTER WHISKEY FLIP

BREEZY SEA BREEZE

Ingredients: • 3 oz. whiskey • 1 whole egg • 1 teaspoon superfine sugar • 2 teaspoons heavy cream • ½ cup crushed ice • nutmeg

Ingredients: • 1 oz. vodka • 1 oz. grapefruit juice • ½ oz. tonic syrup • 2 oz. soda water • 12 pomegranate seeds • 3 mint leaves

Directions: • Combine all ingredients except the nutmeg in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. • Strain into a 5 oz. stemmed glass • Garnish or rim with nutmeg

Directions: • Fill a glass ¾ with ice. • Add the vodka, grapefruit juice, tonic syrup and stir • Pour in the soda water and garnish with the pomegranate seeds and mint leaves.

ANCHO “CHILLY” MARGARITA

SNOW GLOBE SANGRIA

Serves 1

Ingredients: • 2 oz. silver tequila • 1 oz. Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur • 1 oz. agave nectar • 1 fresh lime • Optional: salt or Tajin

Ingredients: • ¼ red apple cubed • ¼ green apple cubed • 4 fresh cranberries • 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary • 1 teaspoon white sugar • 4 oz. of dry white wine, chilled • 1 oz. Apple Schnapps, chilled

Directions: • Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake well. • Strain over ice in a rocks glass rimmed with salt or Tajin • Optional: glass rimmed with salt or Tajin • Garnish with a lime wheel

Directions: • Combine apples, cranberries and rosemary sprigs in the bottom of a large pitcher. • Add sugar and stir to coat. • Pour in wine and schnapps and stir thoroughly.

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 111

>> Stogies & Bogeys

C&S

A special thank you to the following 2020 Cigar & Spirits Golf Tournament Sponsors

Title Sponsor >> Los Angeles Distillery

Gold Sponsors >> Cigar & Spirits Publisher Lincoln Salazar and 50 Cent

>> Uncle Nearest

photos by Miyuri Norris

Silver Sponsors

Cigar & Spirits Magazine held its 2nd Annual Golf Classic this past November at

>> Nat Cicco

the prestigious Talega Golf Club in San Clemente, Calif. Cigar and spirits enthusiasts mixed it up on the greens, and thoroughly enjoyed their day. 50 Cent and his Branson Cognac brand made the scene as well. 50 took his swings, sipped spirits and smoked cigars throughout the day with players and the Cigar & Spirits Magazine team.

>> Kamiki Whisky

Each hole was sponsored by an elite cigar or spirits brand. Raffles, awards and a gourmet dinner prepared by the culinary artisans at Talega Golf Club capped the day to what has become a Southern California golfing tradition.

Sponsors: 4 Color

>> Nuda Tequila, L.A. Distillery, Smokin Mary, Broken Shed Vodka

BROKEN SHED

>> General Cigar

NE W Z E A L A ND VODK A

MALTAGE

>> Brown Forman Falto Cigars

>> Curtis James Jackson III AKA 50 Cent

112

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 113

114

/ CIGAR & SPIRITS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

WWW.CIGARANDSPIRITS.COM

/ 115

BACK COVER A FUENTE