Spring Edition
GUY FIERI
THE MAYOR OF FLAVORTOWN
Life After HURRICANE IAN
OSCAR VALLADARES Success Story
MARCH / APRIL 2023
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editorials MARCH / APRIL 2023
22 FATHER’S DAY GIFT GUIDE You need the goods for the father on your list. If he’s a reader, we’ve got you. A fitness buff? Sure thing. A golfer? Always. Cigar smoker? Do you need to ask? A lover of fine cutlery? Believe it.
27 5 TO TRY - AGED RUMS Imagine a perfect lazy afternoon, you’re lying in a hammock with a glass of aged rum in one hand and your favorite smoke in the other. Rum and cigars have always been an ideal marriage and we’ve curated a selection of aged sipping rums that will make you want to spend all your free time in that hammock of yours. The honey-do list can wait.
28 RON MATUSALEM GRAN RESERVA 23 / LIGA PRIVADA H99
29 GOSLING’S FAMILY RESERVE OLD RUM/ AGING ROOM QUATTRO NICARAGUA
30 LA MARIELITA RUM AGED 18 YEARS /
ROCKY PATEL AGED, LIMITED, & RARE
32 KANICHE PERFECCIÓN RUM /
JOYA DE NICARAGUA NUMERO UNO
34 BACARDI RESERVA 8 RYE CASK FINISH / FRATELLO NAVETTA INVERSO
37 THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD OF OSCAR VALLADARES & CO. The story of how Oscar Valladares Tobacco & Co came to be is truly a long and winding road with more than its fair share of fortunate run-ins, serendipitous connections, and trying times. But you’d never know it from its current lofty perch as a vertically integrated manufacturer and global distributor of sought-after smokes.
63 GUY FIERI – FULL THROTTLE Diners, Drive-Ins and…cigars? America’s favorite foodie personality talks about tobacco and how his Knuckle Sandwich cigar was conceived amidst his stable of booze and ‘raunts and a hectic travel schedule.
88 HURRICANE IAN – PICKING UP THE PIECES Ian was a monster, the deadliest since 1935 to sweep Florida. The storm didn’t spare some of the cigar industry’s prolific players in the southwest part of the state, and we get the lowdown on how things are shaping up six months later. The good news: the cigar world didn’t turn their back on the afflicted.
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features MARCH / APRIL 2023
14 LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER
16 FEEDBACK
18 WHAT’S BURNIN’
50 SMOKING HOT CIGAR SNOB LA RUBIA
63 PURO SABOR NICARAGUA The 10th Puro Sabor Festival, in Nicaragua, was one of the most highly anticipated events of the year, as it’s the birthplace of some of the world’s finest cigars. This year’s festival was a sensory feast of aromas and flavors, with attendees savoring their way through an impressive array of premium cigars while indulging in delectable local cuisine and lively parties. The festival was a celebration of all things cigars and an unforgettable adventure for all who attended.
69 RATINGS
84 TWITTER SCOREBOARD
86 INSTAGRAM SCOREBOARD
90 EVENTS 90 LA FLOR DOMINICANA AT FIOLA 92 JC NEWMAN’S THE AMERICAN TOUR 94 NESTOR MIRANDA 80TH BIRTHDAY 96 GALENTINE’S DAY PARTY WITH
PLASENCIA AND TATIANA CIGARS
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MARCH / APRIL 2023
VO L . 15 IS SU E 2 www.cigarsnob.com PUBLISHER & EDITOR Erik Calviño SENIOR EDITOR Steve Miller COPY EDITOR Michael LaRocca SALES & OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Oscar M. Calviño PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Ivan Ocampo ART DIRECTOR Andy Astencio ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Jamilet Calviño DIGITAL RETOUCHING SPECIALIST Ramón Santana DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGEMENT Gianni D’Alerta Natalia Marie García
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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Gavin Maliska Jamilet Calviño CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS David Benoliel Andy Astencio Tete Aleman EVENT PHOTOGRAPHERS Jamilet Calviño Carlos Gastelboldo Cover Photography by David Benoliel www.davidbenolielphotography.com Cover Model - Glorie Gilkey Cigar Snob is published bi-monthly by Lockstock Publications, Inc. 1421-1 SW 107th Ave., #253 Miami, FL 33174-2509 Tel: 1 (786) 423-1015 Cigar Snob is a registered trademark of Lockstock Publications, Inc., all rights reserved. Reproduction in part or full without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. Cigar Snob is printed in the U.S. Contents copyright 2006, Lockstock Publications, Inc. To subscribe, visit www.cigarsnob.com
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A WINNING COMBINATION This rich and smooth collaboration between AJ Fernandez and Rafael Nodal hits #3 in Cigar Snob's Top 25 Cigars of 2022.
I recently had the pleasure of spending a week with a lovely group of talented journalists and PR professionals. We spent the week staying in different luxury resorts and playing some breathtaking golf courses as part of a media trip that you’ll read about in a future issue. As is usually the case on these trips, I was asked about how I got so deeply into cigars that I decided to publish a magazine about it. Like most cigar smokers, there’s a lot to unpack in that cigar origin story and it’s one I’ve written about before. Here’s a slightly modified snippet from my May/June 2010 Letter: “I remembered some of my greatest moments, like celebrating the birth of each of my sons with a special occasion cigar. I remembered my wedding night and the cigars we smoked that evening. I drifted a little further back and remembered a particularly somber moment when grief drove me to smoke a cigar on my balcony in Hoboken, N.J. with no lights, no music, and no alcohol, while the site where my office at One World Trade Center used to be smoldered in the distance. Even further back, I remembered the first cigar that truly kicked my ass. I will never forget that moment, the conversation we were having, and that cigar. I have my dear friend Jose Oliva and his father Don Gilberto to thank for that. And much further back, I remembered my childhood. Every weekend we would visit my grandparents and from the moment we approached the front steps of their home, we could smell the cigar. My grandfather smoked a cigar or two every day and during summer vacation I would stay over for weeks at a time. Every morning he would send me to buy his cigars for the day and I loved that job. If you were as lucky as I was growing up, cigars have been a part of your life since day one. And a day without the aroma of a fine cigar is probably not a very good one.” The probing questions about my passion for cigars from the journalists on the trip and the pleasure I experienced in reliving those moments got me thinking - I’m sure all of you would love to tell your cigar origin story. So let’s do it. Send us the story of how you fell in love with cigars by email to: feedback@cigarsnobmag.com. *** Buckle up, because I think this issue is going to take you for a ride. I spent several days visiting Oscar Valladares’ impressive operations throughout Honduras. His story of hard work, perseverance, and serendipity is nothing if not inspirational. Read the Long and Winding Road of Oscar Valladares Tobacco & Co. starting on p.37. Speaking of perseverance, Steve Miller wrote about the impact that Hurricane Ian had on Florida’s Southwest coast and how that community came together to support each other through that difficult time in a story called Picking Up The Pieces on p.88. Changing gears so to speak, Steve interviewed celebrity chef, restaurateur, and cigar brand rockstar Guy Fieri as well as cigar maker Erik Espinosa. Together they are the force behind the blazing hot Knuckle Sandwich Cigar. Read their story on p.63. For our regular 5 to Try section, we welcomed our newest contributor Mr. Gavin Maliska to tell us the backstory of five exceptional rums on p.27. Last but certainly not least, we shot the sexy and elegant Glorie Gilkey in a photo shoot we called La Rubia on p.44. Of course there is much more in the issue like
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our ratings, coverage of Puro Sabor 2023, a gift guide, and more events. We hope you enjoy the issue along with your favorite cigar but if there’s something you want to get off your chest, don’t hold back at feedback@ cigarsnobmag.com. Keep ‘em lit,
Erik Calviño ecalvino@cigarsnobmag.com
THE NARDI STRENGTH-METER Hello, I have been a subscriber for many years, I really like your magazine, very well done. I have written to you about this situation, but I haven’t heard back yet. I smoke premium high-end cigars, I check your ratings but I find one thing missing, I like full-bodied cigars yet you do not give strength ratings on your selections. I’m paying for a full-strength cigar and I do not want to waste my money on medium or less-strength cigars. I would love to try some of your highly-rated cigars but I need to know the strength or I won’t buy them. Why is this so difficult to include, some of your write-ups have the strength but most do not. I’m sure I’m not the only subscriber with this problem. Why can’t you put the strength next to the price? Thanks, J Nardi Irvine, CA Via questions@cigarsnobmag.com Hello, anything we can do to improve the experience or usefulness our readers get from our pages is welcomed. We’ve considered adding a strength meter to our ratings in the past but have never actually gone ahead and finalized it. We absolutely do include strength profiles in the tasting notes to a large majority of the ratings we publish, but it would make sense to add a visual aid to help save time. Thanks for the feedback. If we do end up making the change we’ll call it the Nardi-meter. No we won’t.
FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS Can you periodically and repeatedly write on effective methods to help us retain our right as adults to enjoy premium handmade cigars without insane taxes and further restrictions? If we don’t all do our part it’s a pleasure that will be taken away. Sam G Gig Harbor, WA Via questions@cigarsnobmag.com Dear Sam, Thanks for taking the time to read our publication and for showing a genuine interest in the cigar rights issue that currently plagues our country. We understand that the restrictions placed upon us as consumers are becoming increasingly burdensome and without any opposition, our freedom to enjoy this beloved pastime may be in jeopardy. For many years we ran a regular column written by the executive director of Cigar Rights of America (CRA) in order to keep our readership up to date on current regulatory news but during surveys it was often our readers’ least favorite section. The feedback from you and others like you is making us reconsider our stance. In the event that you are not yet a member of the CRA, we strongly encourage you to visit their website at cigarrights.org and become a member today.
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TEXAS CIGAR FESTIVAL 2023 The annual Texas Cigar Festival comes to NRG Park in Houston on April 15, from 5 to 9 pm. Presented by Casa de Montecristo, the festival includes meet-and-greets with premium cigar manufacturers, including representatives from AJ Fernandez Cigar, Alec Bradley, Altadis U.S.A., Arturo Fuente, Ashton, Avo, Black Label Trading Co., Camacho, Crowned Heads, Drew Estate, Espinosa, General Cigar Company/Forged, JC Newman, My Father, Oliva, Perdomo, Plasencia Cigars, Rocky Patel Cigar, RoMa Craft Tobac and Southern Draw Cigars. Also in attendance will be cigar accessory providers including Boveda and Lotus Accessories. Attendees will have access to exclusive cigars, cigar deals, and raffles, with food from ElementsHTX and live music by The Matchsticks. Tickets for the event start at $225 for general admission and include an event bag loaded with cigars and food and drink tickets. VIP tickets, with additional perks, are $375 and include early event entry at 4 p.m., upgraded event bag with bonus cigars and swag, and access to a private VIP area, which hosts a five-hour open bar with food and waitstaff. For more information and to purchase tickets visit www.casademontecristo.com.
SCANDINAVIAN TOBACCO GROUP ACQUIRES ALEC BRADLEY CIGAR BUSINESS Scandinavian Tobacco Group has acquired the Alec Bradley cigar business in a deal valued at $72.5 million. In 2022, Alec Bradley sold almost 10 million cigars – an increase of 5% versus 2021 – primarily in the U.S. and Canada, but also in international markets. Brands within the Alec Bradley portfolio include Prensado, Kintsugi, Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf, Fine and Rare, and Black Market. The acquisition comes less than a year after Scandinavian Tobacco Group’s purchase of Room101 in June 2022. “The acquisition of the Alec Bradley cigar
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business is another important step toward our ambition of becoming the undisputed and sustainable global leader in cigars,” Scandinavian CEO Niels Frederiksen said in a press release. “Through this bolt-on acquisition, we will expand our portfolio of highly regarded premium cigars in the U.S. and international markets, delivering material value to our shareholders. We will also leverage the Alec Bradley brand portfolio to deliver increased excitement to the handmade cigar category through product innovation and brand activations, benefitting both the cigar enthusiasts and our trade partners.”
FUENTE BOOK NOW AVAILABLE Arturo Fuente announces “Arturo Fuente: Since 1912”, a book authored by cigar doyen Aaron Sigmond. It celebrates the accomplishments of the past three generations of the Fuente family, its cigars and its legacy. With contributions from actor-director Andy García and Ciro Cascella, executive president of Tabacalera A. Fuente, the volume is a tribute to the cigar as a timeless passion, and to the Fuente family. This oversize, hand-bound book is finished with authentic hand-tipped cigar bands and is presented in a handcrafted clamshell box. Sigmond was the founding editor of Smoke magazine and The Cigar Report, and the author of “Playboy: The Book of Cigars” (Skyhorse, 2010).
LA AURORA MARKS 120 YEARS WITH A COMMEMORATIVE CIGAR La Aurora is marking its 120 years of premium cigars with the La Aurora 120 Anniversary, to hit retail this spring in a 5 x 50 Robusto, a 5.5 x 54 Toro, a 6 x 58 Gran Toro and a 7 x 47 Churchill. The cigar features a Dominican Habana 92-seed leaf wrapper over an Olor dominicano (Cibao Valley, Rep. Dom.) binder and a blend of Piloto Cubano (Cibao Valley), Olor dominicano (Cibao Valley), and Dominican Corojo filler. “As we commemorate our 120th anniversary, we are proud to mark a milestone that will serve as a reference point for many years to come. Our commitment has always been with creating cigars that embody the rich, distinct flavors of the cigar world,” Guillermo León, president of La Aurora, said in a press release. “The La
Aurora 120 blend we have chosen to create is a product of teamwork to a degree we had never accomplished before.”
GURKHA CIGARS UNVEILS TWO NEW PRODUCTS Gurkha Cigar Group International announced the Gurkha Ghost Connecticut and Grand Age II box at the 2023 TPE in Las Vegas. The Gurkha Ghost Connecticut is an extension to the existing Ghost line and will be available in the 5 x 52 Shadow, the 6 x 54 Asura and the 6 x 60 Exorcist. The cigars will retail for $8 to $10.50 and feature an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, Mexican binder, and fillers from the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and the U.S. The Gurkha Ghost Connecticut became available to consumers for the first time at The Great Smoke in West Palm Beach in March. . The Grand Age II is a treasure-chest style wooden box housing 60 cigars: 20 Connecticut wrapped, 20 Habano wrapped, and 20 Maduro wrapped. Each cigar is a 6 x 54 Toro and retails for $6.50. The cigar will ship to retailers in the spring. “The Grand Age II is a fun project we’ve been developing over the past few months,” Jim Colucci, President and CEO of Gurkha Cigars, said in a press release. “We discovered an allotment of Grand Age boxes in our factories and decided we wanted to do something special with them, bringing a new spin on a favorite Gurkha packaging. We developed an insert to house three different toro size cigars in one master box. We’re partnering with a new factory and we just loved the blend so we decided to showcase it in this manner and bring it to consumers.”
MONTECRISTO PRESENTS THE 1935 ANNIVERSARY TESORO DE ORO HUMIDOR Montecristo is delivering the 1935 Anniversary Tesoro De Oro humidor to select retailers in March, an accessory hand-crafted to emulate the golden treasure discovered by Dantes in the novel, “The Count of Monte Cristo.” The two-toned, piano-finish humidor comes stocked with 80 cigars, including 30 of the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary No. 2. Also in-
CELEBRATE A DECADE OF DEDICATION WITH THE UNDENIABLY BIG, BOLD & COMPLEX UNDERCROWN 10. LOADED WITH EARTHY SWEETNESS, BLACK PEPPER SPICE WITH NOTES OF SUN-DRIED CHERRIES, RAISINS, AND A MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE FINISH THAT IS NOTHING SHORT OF WOW!
WWW.DREWESTATE.COM
cluded are 50 cigars released exclusively in this humidor that will come in a 6 x 55 figurado shape, named Aniversario to celebrate 88 years of Montecristo. There will be 300 units produced with a retail price of $5,000.
WEST TAMPA TOBACCO LAUNCHES RED The West Tampa Tobacco Company is adding to its core line-up, which launched last year with the White and Black lines, with the Red, available in a 5 x 50 Robusto ($8.99), a 6 x 52 Toro ($9.99) and a 6 x 60 Gigante ($10.99). The West Tampa Tobacco Company Red comes in 20-count boxes and features a Mexican San Andreas wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and filler. Shipping begins in May for U.S. and international markets. “West Tampa Red gave me the opportunity to
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sit down with the factory and really focus on creating a blend that I enjoy,” Rick Rodriguez, master blender and co-owner of West Tampa, said in a press release. “Normally when I blend cigars, I don’t blend for what I like, I blend cigars for what my fans enjoy. Red will be a reflection of what I believe is the next piece to lay in the West Tampa puzzle, a full-bodied cigar that delivers the full flavor consumers have come to enjoy from West Tampa.”
COHIBA ANNOUNCES THE FOURTH SPECTRE Cohiba is delivering the fourth expression of its Spectre line, a 6 x 52 Toro that ships in midMarch. The Cohiba Spectre 2022 is the first time a Cohiba has used a Brazilian wrapper. Filler features tobaccos from Honduran Jamastran, Olancho San Agustin and La Entrada, with Nicaraguan Estelí Ligero and Viso leaves blended with Do-
minican Piloto Cubano. Following the ship date, , a soft-touch matte box of Cohiba Spectre 2022 can be purchased at select retailers for $1,299.90. Each cigar is protected in individual gold and silver tubes and enhanced with exclusive individual humidification from Integra Boost. Individual cigars will sell for a suggested retail price of $129.99. Cohiba has produced 600 boxes of the Spectre 2022 and once it is sold out, it will not be re-released. “Cohiba Spectre 2022 embodies our tradition of creating exceptional smoking experiences,” Sean Williams, brand ambassador for Cohiba, said in a press release. “We spent two years developing this cigar, calling upon our passion for tobacco, commitment to craftsmanship and our love of design.” Cohiba Spectre debuted in 2018, followed by a second expression in 2019. The third expression of Spectre premiered in 2021.
Father’s Day GIFT GUIDE
THE KIDS HAVE SANTA TO HOOK THEM UP AND YOUR LADY FRIEND HAS A ROMANTIC CHUBBY CHERUB HELPING HER OUT, BUT WHAT DO FATHERS HAVE? FEAR NOT FATHERS, FOR CIGAR SNOB HAS GOT YOU COVERED. WE’VE GOT A PERFECT BOOK FOR THE AMERICAN PETROL HEAD, A UNIQUE EXERCISE AID TO HELP PUMP YOU UP, ONE-OF-AKIND KNIVES FROM THE ARGENTINE MASTERS OF MEAT, A SWAGGY PUTTER HEAD COVER, AND A CIGAR CASE THAT EXUDES BRITISH SOPHISTICATION.
SHELBY AMERICAN 60 YEARS OF HIGH PERFORMANCE quarto.com
$60 This is not only a fine literary companion, but also a way to beef up your manly cred. Texan Carroll Shelby is a hot rod legend, and his development of fast cars via his Shelby American company ruled the race sector in the 60s as he and his team developed the Cobra, Daytona, Ford GT40, and Mustang GT350 and GT500. “60 Years of High Performance” chronicles Shelby’s vision and impact with input from some of the top names of the era and a foreword by Ford CEO Jim Farley.
STEALTH SQUAT stealthsquat.com
$99 For many fitness freaks, squats are the most unpleasant of calisthenics, and Stealth Squat aims to fix that by making the exercise into a game. A device that looks roughly like a steering wheel fits your cell phone into a cradle. The phone’s job is to download some games from an app, which you play while in the squat position, as the wheel is attached to a door and acts as a control device for the game. Your quads and hammies bark, but you’re too involved in the game to notice.
SWAG GOLF UNCLE SAM BLADE COVER swag.golf
$125 Swag Golf’s allure is that it’s so difficult to score. It comes up with beautiful and limited designs for its products, which promptly sell out, as in, ‘now you see it’ magic. Swag’s head covers are just that, sometimes limited to just 40 of a specific design. While this exact product may not be available, the idea is to be quick on the draw via Swag’s social media presence or its newsletter. The Uncle Sam covers move fast, as all three have so far sold out, so be on the lookout.
GAUCHO TANDIL KNIFE gaucho.com
$95 These are part of the Gaucho-Buenos Aires collection of fixed-blade gaucho knives, which comes in varying sizes and with different handle compositions including cow horn, bone/ South American guayubira wood blend, and deer horn. The stainless-steel blades are made for multipurpose use, and because of the material used, there are small variations in color, pattern and shape that make each knife an individual piece. This is the rare confluence of high fashion and utilitarian, a surefire win as a gift combo.
THE CIGAR HOLDER - SIERRA MAESTRA AFICIONADO CIGAR CASE tchcigars.com
$480 Cigar cases are a splendid gift for the smoker in your life, and as seasonal for Father’s Day as summer blossoms. These are state-of-the-art, with hand crafting using Tuscan vegetable-tanned leather, which uses only natural dyes. Each case takes three days to produce, and every case is unique. They come in a variety of colors and designs and hold between 4 and 6 cigars for up to 14 days. Swiss zipper, lighter/cutter pocket, gift-boxed and ready for duty.
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RUM RUM IS THE STUFF SPRING VACATIONS ARE MADE OF, BUT ALSO REVOLUTIONS AND FORTUNES, THANKS TO CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS’S DROPPING OFF A FEW PLANTS FROM MADEIRA ON HIS SECOND VOYAGE TO THE WEST INDIES ABOUT 530 YEARS AGO. A VAST SUGAR-PRODUCING CULTURE EMERGED, ALONG WITH SUGAR’S GOOEY REMAINDERS, DISTILLED INTO AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE THAT MIRACULOUSLY GOT BETTER AS IT AGED IN BARRELS LEFT IN THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY OF THE CARIBBEAN. BUT NOW, THE STEEL
DRUM MUSIC IS BEING QUIETED, OR AT LEAST KEPT TO THE OTHER END OF THE LIQUOR STORE AISLE, AS DISTILLERS AND BOTTLERS MOVE THEIR RUM UP TOWARD THE PROPER AFTER-DINNER DRINKS, CONSUMED BY SIPPING NEAT OR ON A SINGLE CUBE IN A ROCKS GLASS WHILE SEATED IN A LEATHER CHAIR, ENJOYING A CIGAR AND LIFE’S FINER THINGS. YO, HO, HO.
by Gavin Maliska & Erik Calviño
RON MATUSALEM GRAN RESERVA 23 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
process first developed on the Iberian peninsula. This fractional blending is a labor-intensive, record-keeping headache of a process. It relies on rum barrels stacked with the oldest on the bottom, second oldest atop that, third oldest atop that, etc. Matusalem’s Santiago Master Blender, a single family member assigned through the generations dating to 1872, chooses rum from the bottom barrels for bottling, then replaces that amount with rum from the second oldest barrels, which is then replaced by rum from the third oldest barrels, etc., resulting in a blending of the ages. The company says it produces rum with “a matchless flavor.” It is also required to keep records of the age of the rum in its barrels, averaging in the years through a complex formula that takes into consideration the fractional amount replaced in each barrel with rum that in itself is fractionally aged. The exercise is a bookkeeper’s nightmare.
years of age, you could spend many of those years trying to figure out the average age of the many bottles of Gran Reserva 23 you could sip in that time.
TASTING NOTES The rum shows off a beautiful dark amber color in the glass with a nose of maple, nutmeg, nuts, and tobacco. On the palate, the Ron Matusalem Gran Reserva 23 is silky with a complex assortment of flavors highlighted by caramel, vanilla, and spice accompanied by a touch of honey and tropical fruit. Cooling this rum with a large, clear cube brings out a wonderfully sweet cocoa note.
Liga Privada H99
40% ABV It should be expected that a distiller named after Matusalem, a 969-year-old man in the Bible, would be concerned with age. Ron Matusalem’s Gran Reserva 23 follows 18year, 15-year, 10-year, and 7-year editions of dark rum that were blended through the solera
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Matusalem is owned by Claudio Alvarez Salazar III, the great-grandson of one of the founders, who opened operations in Santiago, Cuba, 151 years ago as “pioneers in the pleasure of tasting, expressing and sharing natural good taste.” Matusalem took its family recipes and fled the island after the revolution, relocating to the Dominican Republic, where it found a microclimate much like the one they left. With the rum averaging 23 years of age through the complicated formula, Gran Reserva 23 isn’t the oldest rum on the shelf. A bottle of Appleton 50-year-old is being offered online for a penny under $6,000. And in January, a 250-year-old bottle of Harewood Rum sold at auction for $29,999. But if, like Matusalem, you plan to live to 969
PAIRING NOTES THE CIGAR OPENS WITH AN ULTRA-FLAVORFUL BLEND OF PEPPER, ROASTED NUTS, SWEET CEDAR, AND CINNAMON HELD TOGETHER BY A SMOOTH EARTHY BACKGROUND - THIS PLAYS BEAUTIFULLY INTO THE RUM’S PROFILE. THE MATUSALEM COATS YOUR PALATE WITH TONS OF CREAMY, RICH CARAMEL, WHICH SEAMLESSLY INCORPORATES ITSELF WITH THE CIGAR’S FLAVORS TO CREATE A NEARLY MAGICAL COMBINATION.
GOSLING’S FAMILY RESERVE OLD RUM BERMUDA
ness in Bermuda for 217 years, ever since London wine merchant William Gosling’s oldest son, James, on his way to America, found himself stuck for so long in the doldrums of the Atlantic that the charter expired on his boat. James had to take the 10,000 pounds sterling of wine and spirits ashore at St. George’s, about 900 miles off the coast of Charleston, S.C. Rather than becoming a catastrophe for the Gosling family, that fortunate moment in 1806 led to the next eight generations of Goslings operating various wine and spirit shops and coming to produce “old rum,” as their earliest customers called the dark and smooth liquor they created from barrels of rum distillate. It was a name that stuck, just like the “black seal” customers requested after the Goslings found some champagne bottles that they filled with old rum from the oak casks and sealed with black wax. A graphic artist with a sense of humor turned the phrase into a drawing of a black seal balancing a rum barrel on its nose. That seal can be found on every bottle.
the Family Reserve Old Rum was crafted from the same Bermuda blend as the famed Black Seal but allowed to rest in once-used charred oak barrels. The Old Rum is aged between 16 and 19 years, until it has become luscious and well-balanced, with a complexity that compares with Scotch or cognac. The Goslings call it “the ultimate sipping rum” and recommend it after dinner with dessert or a cigar, neat or over a single cube of ice. The Goslings do not say whether the Family Reserve Old Rum would best be enjoyed while wearing Bermuda shorts, but that wouldn’t be out of line.
TASTING NOTES This smells like Christmas in a glass. It’s an exceptional sipping rum that shows a deep reddish mahogany color in the glass, and a rich, creamy aroma with hints of leather, dark chocolate, candied orange, and spice on the nose. The thick, viscous palate offers notes of orange marmalade, molasses, bitter dark chocolate, stewed apples, black pepper, and tobacco. The long and heavily oaked finish provides a unique touch to the experience.
Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua
Image credit: Goslings Rum
PAIRING NOTES
40% ABV The Gosling family has been blessed. Or is it just generations of hard work? The family has been residing and doing busi-
The original shop on Front Street in the new capital of Hamilton
Now, after all that time, the Goslings have released Black Seal Family Reserve Old Rum, a blend bottled annually and previously kept only for family members. The Goslings say
THE DARK, SOFT-PRESSED TORO BRINGS TONS OF DARK CHOCOLATE, EARTH, AND PEPPER TO THE PARTY. THE CIGAR’S EARTHINESS AND PEPPER PROVIDE A PERFECT “DRY” COMPLEMENT TO THE GOSLING’S FAMILY RESERVE OLD RUM HEAVY AND SWEET RICHNESS. WITHOUT THE CIGAR, THE RUM CAN OVERWHELM YOUR PALATE BUT ONCE COMBINED WITH THIS AWARD-WINNING CIGAR, THE PAIRING THRIVES.
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LA MARIELITA RUM AGED 18 YEARS PANAMA
and became the first rum brand founded by a Cuban-American woman, Janet Díaz-Bonilla of Miami. Six-year-old Díaz-Bonilla and her parents crossed the Florida Straits in a small boat in May of 1980, fleeing their homeland as part of the Mariel Boatlift. During the first few months of that year, as Cuba’s economy was in crisis and thousands of protestors sought asylum in the Havana embassies of South American nations, Fidel Castro dictated that Cubans could leave the island nation if a boat arrived in Mariel Port to take them away. When Castro closed the harbor five months later, more than 125,000 Cubans had sailed to the United States.
For the rum itself, Díaz-Bonilla worked in a distillery at Las Cabras de Pese, Panama, with master blender Francisco José “Don Pancho” Fernández Pérez to blend an 18- to 24-yearold rum and create what she describes as a “distinctly unique bouquet of aromatic flavors.” Don Pancho learned his craft beside his father in the sugarcane fields of Cuba and is known as the Godfather of Rum, with more than 60 years of experience in spirits. The rum is aged in bourbon-curated American white oak casks and proofed down by using filtered, local freshwater from rivers at the site. The handcrafted blend is a rich, warm golden color and has no additives or artificial flavorings.
TASTING NOTES A bright, golden-colored rum with an inviting nose of rich toffee, toasted coconut, and subtle oak. On the palate La Marielita delivers tons of caramel and toffee sweetness without going overboard - the flavors are balanced by slight oak tannins and a hint of tart apple. This is not a mixing rum and at 40% you don’t even need an ice cube. But we wouldn’t judge you if you did.
Rocky Patel Aged, Limited, & Rare 2nd Edition
Owner Janet Díaz-Bonilla
40% ABV “Our brand is a story about perseverance and freedom at its core, strength and growth as its catalyst.”—Janet Díaz-Bonilla, novelist, screenwriter, rum producer La Marielita Rum made its debut in November
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On the brand’s website, Díaz-Bonilla pays an emotional tribute to her grandfather and father. The former, José Manuel Díaz, was a merchant who saw his businesses seized by the Cuban government after Castro’s revolution ousted Fulgencio Batista on New Year’s Eve 1958. Her father at one point tried to leave the island and was caught and imprisoned by the communist regime. The clear bottle is beautiful inside and out. The label carries a painting, “La Marielita,” by Cuban-American artist Humberto Benitez, showing a woman in a flowing gold dress sailing a small, wooden boat through rough seas beneath a full moon.
PAIRING NOTES STARTING WITH A ROBUST COMBINATION OF DARK CHOCOLATE, SMOOTH PEPPER, AND SWEET EARTH NOTES COMPLEMENTED BY ROASTED NUTS, THE ROCKY PATEL CIGAR SETS THE STAGE. THE CIGAR IMPARTS THE RUM WITH A PLEASANT EARTHY TONE AND A TOUCH OF DARK CHOCOLATE, WHILE THE LA MARIELITA ADDS A DELECTABLE TOFFEE FLAVOR TO THE MIX. THIS PAIRING CAN GET YOU IN TROUBLE, AS THE TWO ARE PERFECTLY COMPLEMENTARY TO EACH OTHER.
AVO SEASONS In the Spring, new life brings us new challenges and opportunities for growth. The climate is warmer and the soil humming with nutrients. The smell of Spring is present in this cigar. Beautiful floral notes from the san vicente seco and the hybrid 192 visus have been patiently aging in the Dominican Rebublic, with one of its special filler tobaccos aging for 14 years. The light-coloured Ecuador corojo wrapper has a sweetness permeating the experience and reflects the bright colours and feelings of Spring through well-balanced flavours of wood, cream, and coffee. FOLLOW US | @AVOCIGAR
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KANICHE PERFECCION RUM
Image credit: Maison Ferrand
PANAMA
La Maison Ferrand in Cognac, France
wood.” The rum is first aged in bourbon oak casks in Panama after the blending by an unnamed distiller of both pot-stilled and columnstilled rums. And while some rums would stop there and wait for the bourbon casks and the tropical climate to work their magic, Kaniche Perfeccion does not. After years spent resting in casks in the tropics, barrels of Kaniche Perfeccion are rolled out and the rum is shipped nearly 5,000 miles to the facilities of Maison Ferrand, a vineyard that produces world-class cognac in the Angeac terroir of Grande Champagne, France. Once there, the rum is placed into cognac casks for finishing, under the eye of the fifth generation of Ferrand cellar masters. This is not the first artisanal iteration for Kaniche, which also produced a sipping rum, Kaniche XO Artisanal Rum, with Barbados as its place of origin. This blend of aged Barbados rums was also finished in cognac casks for 18 months and has received numerous professional accolades since its launch.
40% ABV Kaniche Perfeccion is a rum that has been places. Part of the artisanal liquor movement—only 2,112 bottles of Kaniche Perfeccion were produced—each bottle is labeled as “double
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Ferrand cognacs have found an international welcome under the guidance of Alexandre Gabriel, chairman and majority owner of the house. Besides Ferrand Cognac, the house also produces Citadelle Gin, the first artisanal gin of France; Ferrand Dry Curacao, and the array of Plantation Rums. The ink drawing on the label raises some questions. It appears to show a plantation setting with the big house in the foreground, some lesser housing off to the side, and a few figures standing around. In the distance, amid the palm trees, bamboo, and sugar cane is a representation of what appears to be a Mayan temple, not unlike Chichen Itza in design. But
the Mayan culture never made it to Panama, stopping in El Salvador. Farther north, sugar failed to prosper in the poor soil and limited freshwater of the Yucatan, making the rum business difficult.
TASTING NOTES Kaniche Perfeccion rum boasts a complex profile of sweet caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, and coconut with a touch of orange zest on the finish. This well-balanced sipping rum rides the line between dry and sweet while delivering a long and smooth finish with an inviting warmth in the aftertaste.
Joya de Nicaragua Numero Uno
PAIRING NOTES THE NUMERO UNO DELIVERS A MILD TO MEDIUM STRENGTH COMBINATION OF SPICE, CEDAR, AND EARTH COMPLEMENTED BY A HINT OF BLACK TEA ON THE FINISH. THE RUM’S CARAMEL AND CINNAMON SWEETNESS INFUSES ITSELF SEAMLESSLY INTO THE CIGAR’S PROFILE WHILE THE TOUCH OF ORANGE ZEST ADDS DEPTH TO THE PAIRING.
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BACARDI RESERVA OCHO RYE CASK FINISH PUERTO RICO
Carta Blanca. Bacardi family members served in government, constructed landmark art deco buildings, opened distilleries, invented the Cuba Libre cocktail, and supported the revolutionaries until Castro adopted a communist agenda that led to the seizing of all Bacardi assets. The company’s modern story includes moving the headquarters of Bacardi Ltd. to Bermuda, where it has expanded to become the largest privately held spirits company in the world. Besides the number of Bacardi rum products, the company owns other spirits brands including Grey Goose vodka, Patrón and Cazadores tequilas, Dewar’s blended Scotch, Bombay Sapphire gin, and Martini & Rossi vermouth. From Puerto Rico, where the Bacardi Corp. has been producing rum since 1936, the brand offers Bacardi Reserva Ocho Rum—Rye Cask Finish. This rum is aged for eight years in American oak barrels under the Caribbean sun before being transferred to rye whiskey casks for finishing. The green-label bottles sport the Bacardi sugar bat logo and offer rum that promises a “memorable experience, according to its marketing pitch.”
TURE. THIS COMBINES EXCEPTIONALLY WELL WITH THE SWEET, FRUITY FLAVORS OF THE BACARDI RESERVA OCHO RYE CASK FINISH. TAKE A SIP OF THE RUM, AND THEN TAKE SEVERAL PUFFS TO FIND THE SWEET SPOT WHERE THE SMOKE GETS INFUSED WITH THE RICHNESS OF THE RUM. A DELICIOUS BUTTERSCOTCH NOTE EMERGES EVERY NOW AND THEN MAKING THIS PAIRING A DELIGHT.
PLUS ONE BACARDI AÑEJO 4
TASTING NOTES The nose on this 8-year-old rum is deliciously balanced between the classic, molasses-driven, fruit notes and the spicy, rye and oak zing. On the palate, there’s a bright characteristic right out of the gate accompanied by caramel, light vanilla, cinnamon, and spicy oak. This rum is suitable for sipping neat as well as with a large ice cube.
45% ABV With the trend toward artisanal blends and even the tiniest island nations producing their own brand, Puerto Rico can still lay claim to being the rum capital of the world. While sugar cane harvesting has all but disappeared from the island, distilleries turn out products that account for more than 70% of the rum consumed in the United States. Bacardi has a history that is strongly tied to the island of Cuba, where family members first developed the refined white rum, Bacardi
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Fratello Navetta Inverso
With a younger age statement than the Reserva Ocho, the Bacardi Añejo 4 is a premium rum that’s tailor-made for mixing into your favorite cocktail, yet versatile enough to sip on its own. This aged rum boasts a well-balanced flavor profile with notes of vanilla, caramel, and oak, making it an ideal choice to pair with mild to medium strength cigars.
EDITOR’S NOTE PAIRING NOTES THE FRATELLO NAVETTA INVERSO BRINGS A STRONG, FLAVORFUL BACKBONE OF EARTH, PEPPER, CEDAR, SPICE, AND ROASTED ALMONDS COMPLEMENTED BY A SMOOTH, CREAMY TEX-
WE PARTNERED WITH TOTAL WINE & MORE (TOTALWINE.COM) TO PUT THIS FEATURE TOGETHER AND PABLO ESTADES WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING IT HAPPEN. THANKS, PABLO.
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The Long Winding Road Of and
By Erik Calviño Photography by Tete Aleman MAR / APR 2023 | CIGAR SNOB | 37
iding shotgun along a country road in Talanga, Honduras, we crossed a small bridge and he said, “This is where the property line starts.” As we zoomed by it, I looked past him out the driver side window to see a vast, impressive landscape and said, “That’s amazing. How far out does it stretch?” His reply gave a glimpse of the scale of the organization’s growth. But the manner in which Oscar Valladares responded encapsulates why he is a breath of fresh air in the cigar business.
“I HAD NO IDEA WHO THESE GUYS WERE,”OSCAR SAID. “THE ONLY THING I KNEW WAS THAT I WAS STRUGGLING TO DRIVE THAT HUGE BUS.” “To the left it stretches out to the foothills of that mountain range you see way out there,” he said with a childlike excitement mixed with humility that comes from having your feet planted firmly on the ground. He appeared slightly embarrassed as he said, “But you’ll get a better view when we get up higher because to the right, you really can’t see the end of the property, it’s on the other side of those hills.” I hadn’t considered that rather than skirting the edge of his property on this road, we were instead bisecting it – the expansive swaths of land were on both sides. By now we had traveled a good way past the small bridge and we were still only part of the way through it. “Will you let me know when we get to the end of it?” I asked. We turned off the road before ever reaching the other side of the property line. Oscar Valladares and his uniquely packaged cigars first entered the American cigar smoker’s consciousness when Jim Robinson of Leaf & Bean in Pittsburgh started importing the Leaf & Bean by Oscar as his house cigar in 2013. But Oscar’s journey in premium cigars didn’t
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The co-founders in front of the Oscar Valladares factory in Danli, Honduras. start there; the road took a series of twists and turns before finding its way to internationally distributed cigars, a vertically integrated tobacco operation, and a globally recognized brand synonymous with quality tobacco and unique packaging. At every step in the history of Oscar Valladares Tobacco & Co., there was one pivotal person who unlocked the next turn.
TURN 1: MAURICIO
“It must’ve been five or six months into the job when my boss came to me asking if I could drive one of the company’s large, 30-passenger buses. I had never driven anything that big but I said yes.”
my way around and I struggled with the bus but we made it work and they had a good time.” Oscar had never smoked a cigar in his life, but when Rocky gifted him one, he accepted it, smoked it, and enjoyed it.
All of the company’s drivers were already on assignment, as were all of the small buses. The company had a repeat customer with three guests waiting to be picked up at the airport and driven to Danlí. The only option was for this unnecessarily large bus to be driven by Oscar, a phone reservation agent.
The group spent several days in Danlí with Oscar and a friendship took shape. “All the guys were great on the trip but Rocky and I really connected. He told me that he would be back with many groups in the coming months.”
The first rudder to steer Oscar towards a life in premium cigars had nothing to do with cigars at all. Mauricio, a good friend working as a tour bus operator in Tegucigalpa, recommended Oscar for a part time position at the travel agency. Oscar was studying hospitality and tourism, so the money and experience were high on his list of priorities. He started by working the phones, making reservations and coordinating travel plans for tourists.
The repeat customer needing a pickup at the airport was Rocky Patel, who was bringing his cousin Nimish Desai, Keith Meier of Cigars International (at the time), and Erik Espinosa to see his operation in Honduras. “I had no idea who these guys were,”Oscar said. “The only thing I knew was that I was struggling to drive that huge bus.”
Before long Oscar was a mainstay at the agency, picking up hours to the point that he abandoned his university studies in exchange for real-life lessons in the field he had hoped to get into with a degree.
The trip involved taking Rocky and his group from Tegucigalpa to Danlí, a city mostly new to Oscar, and acting as a tour guide as they visited different spots in and around the city known for its tobacco prowess. “I didn’t know
TURN 2: ROCKY PATEL
As he assisted on those group trips, Oscar began to assume more responsibilities; coordinating lodging, ensuring there was plenty of alcohol and food for guests, and, of course, taking them to the fields and factory tours. The work he was doing with Rocky’s groups was even starting to make its way to his other tourism work. When Rocky was not bringing in travelers, the agency made Oscar a tour guide for non-cigar-related groups from the U.S., Canada, and Holland. “These were regular tourists who wanted to see Copan, Mexico, Guatemala, and all kinds of places throughout Central America. Also there were charities who gave healthcare services to the needy in Honduras and I took them around as well. On every trip, whether charity
or regular tourism, we’d always take them shopping and I noticed that they’d always want to buy cigars to take back, but also to enjoy while on the trip.” He worked out a deal with a small factory in Copan and started to sell their cigars to the tourists and charity groups. “That’s where my fascination with cigars really took hold. Because I had been doing the trips with Rocky and seeing the process firsthand, I knew a lot of information that helped me sell.” He didn’t know it but he was starting to figure out what worked, what didn’t, what customers liked, and how best to convey information about blends. He sold cigars at an astounding clip in a market not known for heavy volume in cigar sales. Up to now he’d only been selling cigars from the small Copan factory but emboldened by his success, he asked Rocky to give him the Rocky Patel distribution in Honduras. “I thought he was crazy,” Rocky said, “I told him ‘cigars don’t sell in Honduras.’” There were no cigar stores in Honduras at the time, so Oscar made small display humidors and put them all over the country’s tourist attractions. “I put them in bars, restaurants, hotels, clubs, basically anywhere where there were tourists.” In all, he set up 75 humidors. Each had three customer-facing boxes of cigars and on the clerk side he put a sticker with S, M, or F on it – S for ‘suave’ or mild, M for ‘medio’ or medium, and F for ‘fuerte’ or strong. Sales skyrocketed to the point that even Rocky was beside himself. “He told me I don’t know what you’re doing but you’ve sold more in Honduras than my distributor has in all of Latin America,” Oscar recalled. As a result, Oscar was given the distribution of Rocky Patel Premium Cigars in all of Latin America and the Caribbean. As good as it was going, he was spreading himself a little thin. “I was still working as a tour guide for the agency, still running the groups for Rocky, and now distributing cigars throughout Latin America.” At times, he didn’t see his family for weeks, and the job juggling eventually took its toll on his family life. Rocky eventually offered Oscar a full-time job at the factory. He would
still run the groups but also work as a quality control supervisor in the packaging department. “During that time I learned a lot and met a lot of people in the cigar world. From the time I started doing the tours for Rocky, I met so many cigar store owners and customers. Then while working in the factory I met people from every level of the cigar-making world in Honduras and Nicaragua.” While he did meet and interact with an inordinate amount of people in the cigar business, one in particular would have a profound impact on his career and his life. .
TURN 3: BAYRON DUARTE
always ask us to pass by whenever he was in Danlí so we could spend time with him.” Estelo Padrón, whose brother José Orlando founded Padrón Cigars, moved to Danlí in 1971 to work at HATSA. There he oversaw all aspects of cigar production, eventually becoming a partner in the company before it was acquired by General Cigar in 1998. “Years later when I started working in the factory as an adult,” Bayron said, “the older workers would tell me stories about how the Padróns would dress me just like Estelo when I was little, with a guayabera, linen pants, and white shoes. His brother José Orlando had a small factory
followed to this day. “Once while I was working as a roller at HATSA, my boss asked a group of us what kind of job we saw for ourselves in the future. When he came to me I said the truth. ‘I want to own a factory like this one or bigger.’ He scoffed at the idea but I never stopped believing and working towards that goal.” After HATSA, Bayron went on to work as a quality control supervisor for Oliva Cigars when they opened a factory in Danlí. Then in 2010, he set out to fulfill his dream and started Danlí Honduras Cigars, operating out of his home with a couple of friends. “We started making cigars out of my daughter’s bedroom and then moved
During that time, Rocky Patel’s cigars were being made at Honduran American Tobacco SA, or HATSA. As part of the tours, Oscar would bring consumers to the factory to see them being made. On most occasions, Rocky took them through the factory while Oscar remained on the bus. Any time Oscar’s bus pulled up to HATSA, one of the factory’s supervisors would come out to greet him and chat while the group toured the facility. The young, affable supervisor was Bayron Duarte. “Oscar’s bus always had a cooler with refreshments in it and I love CocaCola,” Bayron said. “I would spend a few minutes with him and we’d talk over an ice-cold Coke, that’s really how our friendship started.” Eventually the friendship grew to where they were meeting after hours and enjoying cigars together. During those sessions, Bayron shared not only his background in tobacco with Oscar but also his lofty ambitions to one day start a factory of his own. Unlike many young Hondurans who saw tobacco and cigars as a way to make ends meet, Bayron’s love of the leaf had deeper roots. “My mother worked for Don Estelo Padrón until I was about five years old. She cooked for them and since their daughter was already older, they took me and my sister in as if we were their kids. In fact, we used to call them papito and mamita. Even after we moved away when my mother went to work for another family, he would
Bayron Duarte
nearby in a place called El Rugido and they would get together there in the afternoons to play dominoes and smoke cigars. And they would ask me to sing because I liked to sing and they said it brought them luck. I still have some keepsakes from that time that I treasure dearly but that passion and love for cigars was instilled in me by Don Estelo.” The Padróns planted more than a love for tobacco in him; they fostered in him an ambition and entrepreneurial spirit that set him on the path he’s
to a bigger space that we rented. The idea was to launch a small brand and just grow it little by little.” That may have been the idea but the reality was far from it. It turned out that Bayron’s soon-to-be ex-friends/ partners struggled to move the product. “We made cigars of good quality, that wasn’t the problem,” Bayron said. “It’s just difficult to sell cigars. Actually it’s really difficult to sell cigars!” After a year of almost no sales, they
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agreed to shut down the factory and dissolve the company.
worked hard and they had a good life, and he was suddenly going to put the only real investment they owned on the line.
Bayron had left a good job at a big cigar factory to follow his dream of owning one and he had crashed and burned.
In order for this to work, they would need to produce good cigars, make sound decisions, and, hopefully, catch a break. It didn’t take long for that break to come, and it stemmed from Oscar’s days of doing tours for Rocky Patel.
In the meantime, Oscar’s distribution company in Tegucigalpa had grown to the point that he took on partners to help him operate it while he still worked at the Rocky Patel factory, running the tours and doing double duty in the packaging department. His new partners had been in the distribution business long before him, giving Oscar confidence that this venture would succeed. He put his head down and got to work, trusting that things would go well. For three years he worked at Rocky Patel in Danlí and as far as he knew, the distribution business was cruising. Until he noticed that it was actually careening off the side of a cliff. “Once I started to see that the numbers didn’t add up, I got concerned and went to our office in Tegucigalpa to investigate,” Oscar said. He found that the company had no money and no inventory, but even worse, they had a sizable unpaid debt with Rocky Patel for product that had been purchased on credit. Oscar declines to blame his now expartners. But he had a situation to deal with. “In 2010 when I figured out what was happening, I set up a meeting with Rocky and told him that I could no longer work at the factory because I needed to tend to my distribution business. This was difficult because Rocky had helped me so much, but this was the only way that I would be able to repay the debt. My idea was to move my family back to Tegucigalpa, take control of the company, and sell like a madman in order to pay off the debt. I gave myself the goal of paying it all back in one year.” And he did just that. The debt was repaid. While the business wasn’t making money, he’d brought it back to level and, more importantly, made things right with Rocky. Once he’d accomplished that, he gave up his share of the company. He didn’t have the energy to fight or the funds to get attorneys involved, so he cut ties.
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TURN 5: ISLAND JIM
Hector Valladares A rejuvenated but unemployed Oscar Valladares returned to Danlí in 2011 to find that his friend Bayron’s small factory, Danlí Honduras Cigars, was about to go under as well. The two friends spoke daily, working on a plan to join forces. Bayron’s ability to make excellent cigars was unquestionable and Oscar’s sales and distribution prowess spoke for itself. But they’d each burned through all of their savings just to get back to square one.
TURN 4: HECTOR VALLADARES Oscar’s younger brother Hector graduated from the police academy in Tegucigalpa in 2005. He wasn’t much into cigars, actually preferring cigarettes at the time, but he admired his brother’s entrepreneurial spirit and courage. He’d often brag about his brother’s exploits in the cigar business to his friends in the police department. “In the police department they’d order cigars from Oscar through me,” Hector said, “and I always delivered the cigars. But the money would somehow never make it back to Oscar.” He delivered the line with that chuckle that anyone with a mischievous younger brother knows all too well. Things were progressing nicely for
the young officer as he rose through the ranks in the police department. Shortly after graduating from the academy, Hector had purchased a home, gotten married, and started a family in Tegucigalpa. Then in 2011 his brother Oscar called with an opportunity. He was seeking a third partner to open a small cigar factory in Danlí with a storefront to attract cigar-loving tourists. Oscar explained how Bayron’s factory went under for lack of sales and his distribution business had been run into the ground by mismanagement despite robust sales. The market was there. The only thing they needed to make this work was the investment of a third partner. Hector, who had always admired his big brother’s entrepreneurial drive, saw this as an opportunity to be a part of something special. He did what many aspiring small business owners have done to fund a startup; he borrowed against his home. He admitted that “It took some convincing on the home front but my wife supported the idea but not without asking one more time. After she’d agreed to it, she looked me in the eye and asked one last time, ‘you’re sure about this, right?’” The importance of this decision was deeply significant.. Hector and his family had done everything right, he’d
With Hector’s investment, the trio opened a small factory and storefront across from the central park in Danlí in 2011. “The idea,” Oscar explained, “was that the customer could see us making the cigars and would buy them right there.” They had one pair of cigar makers working and made mostly unbanded cigars. Sales didn’t take off right away. “There were many days when we didn’t sell anything. We had to just store the cigars and hope that more tourists showed up tomorrow.” They soon came up with a concept for a brand to celebrate the “end of days” in the Mayan calendar, calling it simply 2012. It was to be a limited edition; only 2,012 boxes would be made. The box contained 20 cigars, 19 of which looked normal but the 20th was covered with a raw tobacco leaf stamped with “to be smoked on December 21st, 2012.” If you remember the doomsday talk of the time, many were predicting that there would be a cataclysmic end to the world on December 21st so if you smoked the 20th cigar on that day, that would either be the last cigar you ever smoked or the cigar you smoked to celebrate that we were all still here. As novel as the idea was to set up the 2012 box in that 19 + 1 configuration, the game changer was the packaging innovation of using a tobacco leaf to protect the 20th cigar instead of using cellophane. Oscar’s voice hit a new level of excitement as he aptly declared: “That cigar changed everything for us.” In the early part of 2012, Oscar received a call from the owner of a cigar shop in Pittsburgh he’d met several times while running the Rocky Patel tours. Jim Robinson, aka Island Jim, from Leaf & Bean called Oscar to
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give him a heads up that he was going on another tour of Danlí with Rocky. Oscar apologetically let him know that he was no longer working at the company. “I told him that I had started a small factory of my own in Danlí.” Jim promised to stay an extra couple of days after the Rocky tour and stop by for a visit. Oscar chuckled at the thought of even calling it a factory. “The place was really small, you could walk in, turn around in 360 degrees, and see the whole operation. It looked more like a garage than a factory.”
mostly on its own land in Jamastran, Talanga, and Copán. The company also operates four retail locations in Honduras, including one at the new international airport in Palmerola, Honduras. In 2019, the company opened a European distribution center in Hechingen, Germany where cigars are shipped to 35 different countries. Co-founder Bayron Duarte is the company’s master blender and head of production. His blends and fastidious attention to detail provide the quality cigars needed to succeed in the increasingly competitive world of premium cigars.
As humble as it was, Jim took one look at that leaf-covered cigar and knew that he’d struck gold. He bought 30 boxes of the 2012 and effectively became the first retailer to carry an Oscar Valladares product in the U.S. “We even had a party via FaceTime from Danlí to Pittsburgh at midnight on December 21st to celebrate the end of the Mayan calendar. We smoked that special cigar and had an instant connection with the Leaf & Bean customers.” On the heels of that virtual event, it was Jim’s idea to create a house brand for his shop around the tobaccocovered cigar concept. The store was called Leaf & Bean and this cigar was covered by a leaf, it was perfect. They called the house brand Leaf & Bean by Oscar. “I didn’t want to put my name on it at all,” Oscar said. “I thought that it should just be called Leaf & Bean, but Jim was not having any part of that. He told me that if it didn’t have my name on it, he wouldn’t place the order.” It wasn’t difficult to convince Oscar at this point, since Jim’s order of 5,000 cigars would give this tiny factory the boost it needed. “I wasn’t going to argue with him.” Jim’s insistence was based on sound reasoning; he felt that many cigar retailers in the U.S. already knew Oscar from the tours, and in the future if they wanted to sell the brand beyond his store’s private label, having Oscar’s name on it would be beneficial. “It happened exactly as he said. He predicted it from day one,” admitted Oscar. The initial order of 5,000 cigars sold out in less than two weeks at Leaf & Bean and by the end of that first year they’d sold around 15,000 cigars, a humble but encouraging start for the fledgling cigar company that had
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grown to two pairs of cigar makers. Before long, the brand was changed from Leaf & Bean by Oscar to simply Leaf by Oscar and Jim began distributing it beyond his store to retailers all over the country. After only four months of selling to retailers, the factory had outgrown the small space. “We moved to a larger space,” explained Oscar, “but after two years we outgrew that space as well.” The company was on an astronomical growth trajectory fueled by a single brand hatched from a novel packaging idea that became an overnight sensation in the cigar world.
TURN 6: THE OSCAR The buzz generated by that cigar suddenly made Oscar a household name not only among cigar shop owners but also consumers. Soon after, Oscar was faced with the same question that many successful small brands have: “What’s next?” The dilemma introduced a complication, as Leaf by Oscar was a brand that grew from being Leaf & Bean’s house cigar that was now being distributed nationwide by Jim’s distribution company. Oscar wanted to manage his own sales and distribution of the new lines. They figured out a solution that worked for both parties and in 2016, The Oscar was born, distributed by the newly formed Oscar Valladares Tobacco & Co. out of Houston.
The Oscar smartly incorporated some of the raw tobacco components of the Leaf without causing confusion and garnered instant high marks from publications including Cigar Snob, with the maduro version securing the #12 position in the annual Top 25 with a score of 92 in 2019. Oscar’s creative solutions to thorny business issues allowed his U.S.based distribution company to gain a strong foothold in the marketplace. He surrounded himself with a small but dedicated team at the office and a hard-working and effective group of sales reps that pushed the brand to new heights. The release of The Oscar was followed by additional successful launches including SuperFly, McFly, AltarQ, Cicerón Edition, and Wild Hunter in addition to numerous store exclusives that endeared Oscar and his company to retailers and consumers alike. In recent years, Oscar Valladares Tobacco & Co. has acquired the brand rights for Leaf by Oscar, effectively bringing all of the OV brands under one roof. The Oscar Valladares 10th Anniversary was released in late 2022.
OSCAR VALLADARES TOBACCO & CO. Today, Oscar Valladares Tobacco & Co. produces an estimated 5 million cigars per year from tobacco grown
After retiring from the police department in 2016, co-founder Hector Valladares joined the company full-time to head up brand development, packaging, and retail operations. He’s the creative force behind the packaging of such brands as SuperFly, McFly, and Wild Hunter. He also established a relationship with world-renowned Honduran artist Cicerón, resulting in the sought after Cicerón Editions. Co-founder and president Oscar Valladares is the face of the company and manages the sales and distribution aspects of the business. He initially moved to Houston in 2016 to be in better contact with U.S. customers, his tireless work ethic, fearless spirit, and shrewd decisionmaking have provided leadership for the company while his knowledge of every aspect of the cigar-making process have given him a notable advantage in sales. I found that while researching this company, visiting their operations, and speaking with the men and women that make up this collective, there was a serendipitous energy running through it. Oscar’s saga began with that bumpy bus ride to pick up Rocky at the airport, continued when both Bayron and Oscar shut down their respective businesses in time to join forces, and blossomed with the timely Jim Robinson connection. While the company’s story embodies the cliché, “everything happens for a reason,” its founders aren’t leaving anything to chance. “You definitely need a little luck,” Oscar said, “but without working as hard as we do every day, I don’t think we’d get very lucky.”
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DRESS DOLCE & GABBANA
LOCATION BRASSERIE LAUREL MIAMI
DRESS AND SHOES DOLCE & GABBANA
LOCATION BRASSERIE LAUREL MIAMI
LINGERIE DOLCE & GABBANA
TOP AND BOTTOM KREL WEAR FROM GLIMPSE BOUTIQUE SUNGLASSES FU EYEWEAR FROM GLIMPSE BOUTIQUE
SWIMSUIT BOUND FROM GLIMPSE BOUTIQUE SHOES DOLCE & GABBANA
SWIMSUIT ALAMEA FROM GLIMPSE BOUTIQUE SHOES SAINT LAURENT
TOP AND BOTTOM KREL WEAR FROM GLIMPSE BOUTIQUE
BLOUSE AND LINGERIE DOLCE & GABBANA
LOCATION EL VECINO MIAMI
MODEL GLORIE GILKEY ELITE MODELS PHOTOGRAPHY LIMITED EDITION limitededitionmanagement.com PRODUCTION IVAN OCAMPO iocampo@cigarsnobmag.com PRODUCTION ASSISTANT JAMILET CALVIÑO jcalvino@cigarsnobmag.com WARDROBE STYLIST CRISTINA CELLINI limitededitionmanagement.com HAIR AND MAKEUP STYLIST MADELINE ROUGE limitededitionmanagement.com LOCATIONS BRASSERIE LAUREL MIAMI EL VECINO MIAMI
Festival 2023 by Jamilet Calviño he Puro Sabor Festival, a celebration of Nicaraguan cigars, returned for its 10th year after a two-year hiatus as a result of the pandemic. The party started at the airport, as attendees were welcomed with ice-cold Toña beer or rum. They were then transported to Granada, where they received goodie bags, including a box of 20 cigars from various manufacturers, and attended a dinner hosted by Drew Estate Cigars with live entertainment by a local band, the Mad Heavier Band. Day 2 The first full day of events was focused on cultural tourism, as participants explored the beautiful city of Granada with tour guides lecturing on the city's rich and diverse history. For lunch, they traveled to a privately owned home on Lake Nicaragua followed by cigars and optional boat rides to see Las Isletas. Some chose to return to Casa Favilli for a factory tour after lunch. In the evening, the Welcome Dinner was held at Hacienda Los Altos, followed by more cigars and dancing. Day 3 The festival made its way north to the cigar capital, Estelí. Along the way the group stopped to have lunch and a tour of Victor Calvo’s tobacco plantation, followed by a visit to the venerable Joya de Nicaragua factory. There, they were welcomed with a presentation, coffee, cookies, and cigars, and given a tour of the factory. They ended the tour with a rum tasting from Flor de Caña Rum and a cigar blending exercise, where they had the opportunity to create their own blend. They received a bundle of ten cigars of that blend at the conclusion of the visit.
José Miguel Salvador, Héctor Chavira and Eduardo Lahsen Juan Ignacio Martínez
That evening, the festival’s Inauguration Dinner took place at STG (Scandinavian Tobacco Group), where the folks from Flor de Caña poured rum samples straight from barrels. Pedro Gómez and Orlando Darty Mendoza
A view of the Granada Cathedral
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Jared Ingrisano, Indiana Ortez, José Luis and Dana Sofía Plasencia
Joya de Nicaragua Factory
Reinier Lorenzo and Luis Baez
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Nestor Andrés Plasencia
Day 4- This day started with groups attending a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Villiger's new factory in Estelí. The function was highlighted by a welcome speech from Corina Villiger, daughter of Heinrich Villiger, and a pre-recorded speech from Mr. Villiger himself. The attendees toasted with champagne and the newly unveiled Villiger de Nicaragua cigar before going on a tour of the impressive facility, which is a collaboration between Joya de Nicaragua and Villiger. Afterwards, the group enjoyed lunch at Plasencia’s Finca El Tuco, where they had a taste of some delicious Nicaraguan food while enjoying some live music, Toñas, and cigars. Later, they rejoined their groups and visited the Perdomo Cigar Factory, where they had a tour given by Nelson Cuba, director of operations.
Fred Vandermarliere, Fidel Valdes and Catharina Trierenberg
In the evening, they attended the White Dinner at PENSA, JC Newman's factory, which began with folkloric dancers. The night was especially significant for Pepín García, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Camara Nicaragüense de Tabacaleros. After the award ceremony, there were more folkloric dancers before everyone hit the dance floor with the live band. The evening ended with Pepín taking the stage to sing the Cuban standard, "Guantanamera." Rene Castañeda, Corina and Lucien Villiger and Jorge E. León
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Pepín García
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Jorge Padrón
Padrón Cigars tobacco field
Day 5 The final day of Puro Sabor wrapped up with groups visiting Padrón Cigars where Jorge Padrón, his son Jorge Luís, and his nephew AJ conducted the tour. The tour took attendees through the factory, one of the fields, and the box factory of this most celebrated of Nicaraguan brands. Lunch was at Finca San Ramón, one of AJ Fernández’s plantations. They were greeted with cigars, Flor de Caña rum, and ice-cold Toñas. Can you spot a pattern here? AJ Fernández and family
Afterwards the last tour of the festival was at STG, Scandinavian Tobacco Group. The group was greeted with coffee and some Nicaraguan desserts that left everyone in a blissful coma. Everyone snapped out of it and sprang into action as the music started, and out came some folkloric dancers. Incredibly, the dancers managed to get everyone in on the fun, making this one of the liveliest tours on the itinerary. The 10th Puro Sabor Festival came to a close with a celebration held at Oliva Cigar's newest factory, Las Mesitas. As everyone danced and enjoyed the festivities, it was hard not to think that it was coming to an end. It was a lovely end to an informative and entertaining week in this beautiful country.
Fred and Guido Vandermarliere
Rafael Nodal and Ricardo Nieto
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Belgica Suarez and Nestor A. Plasencia
MYFATHERCIGARS.COM
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CULINARY ACE BURSTS ONTO CIGAR SCENE WITH HUGE PERSONALITY AND FLAVORFUL BLENDS. BY STEVE MILLER MAR / APR 2023 | CIGAR SNOB | 63
best known for his Emmy-winning Food Network show “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives,” a perennially green-lit show that has been on the air since 2006. In those 600-plus episodes, Fieri is a magnanimous host who travels America in search of compelling dining in a quintessentially American Chevy Camaro SS. The show is an unbridled trans-fat celebration but carries appeal to anyone with a palate, refreshing in its candid capture of roadside cuisine. Mac and cheese muffins, alligator ribs and bacon-wrapped meatloaf mix with Filipino, Thai and other, less indulgent fare. isn’t much for casual interests. Be it food, wine, spirits, or cigars, his is an immersive pursuit.
That said, Fieri, 55 years old, tells Cigar Snob that among his favorite foods are “vegetables, when prepared correctly.”
As a youth, he knew he wanted to be a chef and restaurateur. He cooked, read about food and recipes, and lived it, starting at age 10, when he opened a soft pretzel cart.
He lives in Northern California and South Florida, and married his wife, Lori, in 1995. They have two sons, Hunter, 25, and Ryan, 17. Fieri chronicles select parts of his life on Instagram (2 million followers) and Twitter (3.5 million followers).
As an adult, his name in culinary circles grew, and he wanted to engage in other projects that delivered to the best of his ability. The Knuckle Sandwich, released last year by Espinosa Cigars, is a result of Fieri’s cigar passion, over 30 years after he had his first premium cigar as a post-college youth. As he indulged his taste for cigars, he studied the culture and craft of the leaf and its many facets. The result is a flavorful smoke that made its unofficial premier at South Beach Wine & Food Festival in Miami in February 2022. At the Premium Cigar Association’s annual convention and trade show in Las Vegas a few months later, Fieri showed up and celeb pandemonium broke out. “The line for Fieri’s autograph wrapped around several booths,” Cigar Snob reported from the floor of the show. “The frenzy over the autographs reached a point where Espinosa had to shut it down prematurely. It was a madhouse in the best kind of way for Espinosa.” Fieri (pronounce it fee-eddy) comes with a story. Yes, he is that flamboyant, tattooed, conversational television show host, a loquacious hawker of all things culinary,
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His tequila portfolio is Santo, created with former Van Halen vocalist Sammy Hagar, while his Hunt & Ryde wine out of California’s Sonoma Valley is named for his sons. And his restaurant empire includes eateries that cater to big American eating, including Guy Fieri’s American Kitchen and Bar, in locations from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut to the Burbank, California airport, Guy Fieri’s Pizza Parlor in Virginia and the cruise-centric Guy’s Burger Joint. Fieri started in restaurants as a teenager, working at the Red Lion Inn in Eureka, California before heading to college at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, earning a degree in hospitality science in 1990. He worked in the minor leagues for a time, but like an overachieving fastball throwing phenom, Fieri quickly ascended, starting his first restaurant in 1996, Johnny Garlic’s in Santa Rosa, California. As he moved through the eatery entrepreneur world, in 2005 Fieri submitted a demo tape for a talent call from Food Network. “My name’s Guy Fieri, my friends call me Guido,” Fieri tells the camera in his audition tape. Then, he points to the camera and says, “And you can now consider me your friend.”
He won and a friendship, if there can be such a thing in Hollywood, was launched. Cigar Snob: What can you tell us about your cigar history? I’ve been into really good cigars since 1990. I came out of college, and I smoked cigars but not good cigars, not well-maintained cigars. When I graduated college, I ran a restaurant in Long Beach, a big corporate restaurant, and there was a cigar place down the street from my house. On my day off, I’d ride my bike to the cigar shop. I also would read about cigars, I read Paul Garmirian’s book [The Gourmet Guide to Cigars]. I made a humidor. I saved my money and bought some Hoyo de Monterreys, I fell in love with cigars. When I opened my first restaurant in 1996, I went to the local cigar shop and asked to buy cigars wholesale to have a cigar patio. This was back when you could do that in California. And finally, I made a trip to Cuba and got some education there. Cigars have a mystique and an energy. I don’t slow down very much and when I get to have a cigar, it’s the best respite I can get. You need the right setting. I usually smoke on my patio at home, I have a house in Florida and in Northern California. I would love to have a cigar room at the house, but my wife won’t let me smoke inside. CS: How did Knuckle Sandwich come about? It was always something I wanted to do, but I knew from having a small winery and the tequila that it wasn’t something just to become a brand stamp. I have too much expectation of involvement and didn’t want to be involved in a way like, ‘here’s some cigars and let’s brand them Guy Fieri.’ So I had to convince my managers that this was OK to do first. People misunderstand cigars, it’s not a vape pen, it’s not cigarettes. In cigar appreciation, there is a lot going on. So I got the blessing from everyone and when I got my star in Hollywood [in 2019], I said I want to do this cigar and I started putting the word out. Through The Squire in Santa Rosa I met Tim Wong from Espinosa and he said he had a guy who could help. He said, ‘you need to meet Erik Espinosa.’ So I came to the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, and we met. And we stayed friends as we investigated how we could embark on this
FIERI FOOD FAVES FROM FOOD NETWORK.COM The Homewrecker Hillbilly Hot Dogs (Lesage, WV) While visiting this place, Guy tried his luck with their 15inch deep-fried dog that weighs in at a pound — and that’s before the toppings. It is then piled high with jalapenos, habanero sauce, coleslaw and cheese.
Reuben Lucky’s Cafe (Cleveland) It’s all about farm-to-table local ingredients at this place. They’re growing tons of veggies and herbs out back, down to the cucumbers that get turned into the pickles that go into the Thousand Island dressing on this one-of-a-kind Reuben.
Beef Tri-Tip Sandwich Russian River Pub (Forestville, Calif.) It’s one of Guy’s favorite hangouts not only because of the log cabin exterior and the abundance of beer, but also because of its unexpected eats. The menu includes a northern California specialty: beef tri-tip smothered with caramelized onions and crumbled blue cheese.
Meatball Hogie Sonny’s Famous Steak Hogies (Hollywood, Fla.) Since 1958, the family at Sonny’s has been serving massive sandwiches on homemade bread. The meatball is one of the favorites, with homemade tomato sauce and freshly made meatballs shaped like footballs so they can easily fit into the sliced loaf.
Italiano Dari-Ette Drive-In (St. Paul) After 55 years, this classic spot still has carhops who deliver food right to your car door. Although a little messy for the car, the Italiano is their best-seller, made with deep-fried sausage, mozzarella cheese and homemade sauce on thick-sliced Italian bread.
American Chop Suey Red Arrow Diner (Manchester, NH) You can get any meal you want 24 hours a day at this spot, including a dish that was completely unknown to Guy. The American Chop Suey includes elbow macaroni with a tomato sauce that has hamburger, onions, peppers and garlic.
Duck with Mojito Glaze A1 Diner (Gardiner, Maine) The chef here, Kenneth, has reimagined the entire diner menu to include more upscale and adventurous eats like this duck dish. It’s made with plenty of butter and topped with a glaze made with rum and mint-infused sugar.
Photo Courtesy of Knuckle Sandwich
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cigar. We finally came up with the Habano that we now have. We put the name under Knuckle Sandwich, which is my big company, everything else falls under that. We’ve never put that on anything, it’s too sacred. But after smoking the cigar and considering what we made and my relationship with Erik, it deserved it. CS: We’d be remiss if we didn’t talk food for a second… Both my parents were great cooks and I recall the first time we had lamb. We had taco night, with the Lazy Susan and all the containers of ingredients we could spin around. Then I saw the Joy of Cooking cookbook and I looked at it and said, ‘they tell you all this?’ It’s a manual, it tells you how to make meatloaf. It was a big epiphany. Then I went to France as an exchange student and their school lunches were better than anything I had as a regular meal in the U.S. CS: You’ve got cigars, television, a huge public profile. What thrills you at this point?
CS: What’s next on the cigar front? We’ve started and now we can keep going. The cigar has been a big project that has always been the quest. It’s been on the radar for 20 years. This is not a short play, we’re constantly in the think tank of where we’re going to take this. We won’t go into mass production, and while we want to be recognized, it doesn’t mean we need to sell in terms of the biggest volume. When I started with Erik, I was very clear that I didn’t want a celebrity-branded cigar. I didn’t even care if my name was on it. It [is] the way I also see myself in the food industry, in that you do it your own way in your own style as great as you can and believe in what you say and do.
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ERIK ESPINOSA ERIK ESPINOSA TALKS ABOUT THE GENESIS OF HIS CIGAR WITH GUY FIERI Cigar Snob: Tell us about that first meeting with Guy
ALSO AVAILABLE IN MADURO & CONNECTICUT
Anything that has to do with my boys. We just got done going to the Super Bowl, and the NBA All-Star game. My youngest son is into cooking and it’s great to see my nephew’s music career do well. We do everything for our kids, and the older I get the more I feel that’s the most important thing. We have our foundation and I enjoy being able to take the [influence] that I have and the energy and the scope and applying it to help others.
ESPINOSA KNUCKLE SANDWICH HABANO
Erik Espinosa: He didn’t want a real big company to do that because he felt he would get lost in the shuffle, and he’d done a lot of research on us. He wanted someone our size that could make a great cigar. So I went to meet him at the Loews Hotel on South Beach, this was 2020. It was a 10 a.m. meeting and he was there at 9:45 with a bottle of his tequila. I brought him some cigars and Cuban pastries. We went outside and sat down to talk and started feeling each other out and I immediately decided I was dealing with someone who reminded me of me. His energy, his work ethic. And I’ve had this thing where I write on Facebook that I’m tired of people telling me I look like Brad Pitt. Guy told me he did the same thing when he was in Europe, people would tell him he looks familiar and he’d say, ‘yes, I’m Brad Pitt.’ We both came up with that. Plus, he’s a family man, and I judge my friends by how they are as a father. We hit it off.
We also smoked, and I handed him a cigar, a lighter and a cutter, and he put the cutter on the table and said, ‘I don’t use a cutter.’ He doesn’t use a cutter; he bites the end. He’d passed test No. 1. We met first on a Thursday and then we met again on Saturday at the Food and Wine Festival in Miami. CS: What do you want to do next with Knuckle Sandwich? Espinosa: We came out with the 55 [celebrating Fieri’s 55th birthday] in January and sold it out in two seconds. The brand is very hot, and most brands don’t last that long. But we had a phenomenal year and it’s still going; we keep selling and ordering more. Guy has been great about everything. He’s gone everywhere we’ve asked and he’s never let us down. We’re looking at the PCA again and maybe the Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival. I wish he could do more, but I get it, he’s a real busy guy. People love him, we’ll be doing something, and he never turns anyone down, asking for pictures and whatever. If he has to keep moving, he’ll invite the person to walk with him for the picture. He’s done what he has to do to make this brand successful, he doesn’t sit on the sidelines. It’s been a great experience, and he’s now more than a business partner, he’s now a friend.
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54 CIGARS CIGAR CUTTER: Benchmade 1500-191 Cigar Cutter
CHURCHILL Cuba Aliados Original Blend
92
$ 11.50 VITOLA: Churchill LENGTH: 7 RING: 50 WRAPPER: Honduras BINDER: Honduras FILLER: Honduras
Knuckle Sandwich Connecticut
91
An ultra-smooth and flavorful Churchill covered with a thin, light brown wrapper with minimal veins. Produces tons of aromatic smoke with a profile of roasted almonds, deep pepper, and cedar balanced by a subtle touch of honey on the finish. Medium strength.
$ 13.00 VITOLA: Short Churchill LENGTH: 6 1/2 RING: 48 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
Undercrown Sun Grown
N I CA R AG UA Flawlessly box-pressed and covered with a neatly applied, light brown wrapper, this medium strength short Churchill delivers an ultra-flavorful core of black pepper, salted peanuts, and sweet baking spices complemented by a touch of vanilla and citrus on the finish.
$ 11.00
91
VITOLA: Corona Doble LENGTH: 7 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: USA/Connecticut FILLER: Nicaragua
Alec Bradley Project 40
N I CA R AG UA A smooth and balanced blend covered with a clean, reddish brown wrapper with sheen. Draws and burns perfectly while producing a profile of pepper, nuts, cedar, and subtle earth accompanied by a bit of sweet cream. Medium strength.
$ 6.50
90
VITOLA: Churchill LENGTH: 7 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Nicaragua BINDER: Brazil FILLER: Nicaragua
Perdomo Lot 23
N I CA R AG UA A mild, well-constructed Churchill covered with a thin, light brown wrapper with minimal veins. Draws and burns well, needing no touchups while producing an excellent smoke output with subtle notes of wood, sweet spice, tanned leather, and a hint of cream.
$ 8.00
90
VITOLA: Churchill LENGTH: 7 RING: 50 WRAPPER: Nicaragua BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
Macanudo Inspirado Orange
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H O N D UR AS
N I CA R AG UA Draws and burns impeccably while producing a balanced core of wood, earth, and red pepper accompanied by subtle notes of cream and eucalyptus on the finish. This medium strength blend is covered with an attractive, light brown wrapper with excellent oils.
$ 8.2 9 VITOLA: Churchill LENGTH: 7 RING: 49 WRAPPER: Honduras BINDER: Honduras FILLER: Honduras, Nicaragua & Dominican Republic
H O N D UR AS A good-looking Churchill covered with a clean, milk chocolate colored wrapper with excellent oils. This mild to medium bodied blend opens with a profile of nuts, leather, and sweet spice accompanied by a bitter orange note on the finish. Draws and burns well while leaving behind a flaky ash.
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TORPEDO Padrón 1964 Anniversary Maduro
92
$ 19.05 VITOLA: Torpedo LENGTH: 6 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Nicaragua BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
Villiger de Nicaragua Edición Limitada 2022
91
VITOLA: Torpedo LENGTH: 6 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Mexico FILLER: Nicaragua
Punch Grand Cru Maduro
Delivers a balanced combination of dark chocolate, smooth pepper, cedar, and earth accompanied by earth, coffee, and a rich leather note in the aroma. Consistently well-constructed, this medium plus strength torpedo draws and burns perfectly while producing an excellent smoke output.
$ 15.00
N I CA R AG UA Covered with a clean, dark reddish brown wrapper, this pressed torpedo draws and burns impeccably while producing an excellent smoke output with a profile of dark chocolate, earth, and toast balanced by notes of cayenne pepper and a touch of honey. Medium plus bodied.
$ 11.59
90
VITOLA: No II LENGTH: 6 1/8 RING: 54 WRAPPER: USA/Connecticut BINDER: USA/Connecticut FILLER: Honduras & Nicaragua
Casa 1910 Calvary Edition
90
H O N D UR AS A box-pressed torpedo covered with a dark brown, somewhat mottled wrapper with some prominent veins showing. This medium bodied blend provides an easy draw while delivering a core of sweet earth, dark chocolate, and tanned leather complemented by a hint of spice.
$ 1 7.49 VITOLA: Lucero LENGTH: 6 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Mexico FILLER: Nicaragua
Epic Maduro Reserva
N I CA R AG UA An attractive and consistently well-constructed short torpedo covered with an impeccable, dark brown wrapper with sheen. Delivers tons of sweet tobacco flavors accompanied by subtle spice, marzipan, and a hint of oak.
$ 10.19
89
VITOLA: Torpedo LENGTH: 6 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Brazil BINDER: Cameroon FILLER: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic
Micallef Grande Bold Mata Fina
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N I CA R AG UA
D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Easily produces an abundance of highly aromatic smoke with a core of wood, ripe fruit, and molasses accompanied by a touch of bittersweet cocoa. Cloaked in a dark, almost jet-black wrapper with an excellent shine and some thick veins showing. Medium strength.
$ 9.46 VITOLA: 654MF LENGTH: 6 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Brazil BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
N I CA R AG UA An ultra-smooth torpedo that opens with a sweet, sugary flavor on the lips that continues into the smoke accompanied by notes of oak, subtle pepper, and ripe fruit. This well-constructed, mild to medium strength blend produces an excellent smoke output.
TORPEDO Aladino Corojo Reserva
$ 16.00
H O ND U R AS A slow-burning torpedo covered with a clean, medium brown wrapper and finished with a soft box press. Leaves behind a compact ash while producing complex flavors of dark chocolate, pepper, earth, and dark roast coffee topped by a touch of creamy sweetness. Full strength.
VITOLA: Figurado LENGTH: 6 1/2 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Honduras BINDER: Honduras FILLER: Honduras
92 Plasencia Cosecha 146
$ 13.91
H O ND U R AS A well-balanced blend with a core of cedar, smooth spice, roasted almonds, and a hint of tanned leather. This consistently well-constructed blend provides an excellent draw and an even burn while producing an excellent output of medium strength smoke.
VITOLA: San Agustin LENGTH: 6 1/4 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Honduras BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Honduras & Nicaragua
91 EP Carrillo Encore
$ 13.30
D OM I NI CA N REPUBLIC A consistently well-made torpedo finished with a flawless box press, this medium plus strength blend opens with notes of red pepper, wood, and earth complemented by sweeter notes of hazelnut, roasted almonds, and subtle caramel.
VITOLA: Valientes LENGTH: 6 1/8 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Nicaragua BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
91 Don Lino Africa
$ 10.99
D OM I NI CA N REPUBLIC Impeccably box-pressed and covered with an attractive, reddish brown wrapper. This medium plus strength torpedo produces an excellent smoke output with an intensely peppery core complemented by notes of wood, black tea, and a hint of cream.
VITOLA: Kifaru LENGTH: 6 1/4 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Cameroon FILLER: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic
90 Warped Nicotina
$ 11.00
N I CAR AGUA Covered with a light, reddish brown wrapper with a supple feel, this box-pressed figurado produces an excellent output of flavorful smoke with a profile of intense red pepper, sweet spice, cedar, and a hint of honey sweetness on the finish. Medium to full strength.
VITOLA: Belicoso LENGTH: 5 1/2 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Nicaragua BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
89 La Galera Imperial Jade
$ 10.50
D OM I NI CA N REPUBLIC A good-looking covered piramide with a gradual taper and sporting a reddish brown wrapper with slight veins showing. This medium strength blend delivers a combination of sweet and black pepper accompanied by notes of wood and cinnamon on the finish.
VITOLA: Piramide LENGTH: 6 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Cameroon BINDER: Dominican Republic FILLER: Dominican Republic
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GRAN TORO Flor de las Antillas
$ 10.90
91
VITOLA: Toro Grande LENGTH: 6 RING: 60 WRAPPER: Nicaragua BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
La Palina Classic Natural
A stout, box-pressed gran toro covered with a neatly applied, supple wrapper with minimal veins. Delivers a creamy and balanced core of nuts, smooth pepper, tanned leather, and a hint of vanilla. This medium strength blend is consistently well constructed.
$ 9.00
91
VITOLA: Gordo LENGTH: 6 RING: 60 WRAPPER: Honduras BINDER: Honduras FILLER: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic
La Aurora 107 Nicaragua
H O N D UR AS Immediately delivers a balanced attack of cedar, cream, and sweet spices combined with hints of earth, roasted nuts, and tanned leather. This medium strength gran toro draws and burns perfectly while producing tons of thick, aromatic smoke.
$ 11.50
90
VITOLA: Gran Toro LENGTH: 6 RING: 58 WRAPPER: Nicaragua BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
Partagas Natural
D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Opens with a core of cedar, roasted nuts, and gritty spice accompanied by subtle hints of leather and cream. This medium strength gran toro provides an open draw while delivering tons of aromatic smoke.
$ 10.89
90
VITOLA: Gigante LENGTH: 6 RING: 60 WRAPPER: Cameroon BINDER: Mexico FILLER: Mexico & Dominican Republic
Gurkha Real
D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Delivers a smooth combination of wood and soft spices accompanied by a touch of sugar cane in the background. Consistently provides an easy draw with a slightly wavy burn. Mild to medium bodied.
$ 8.95
89
VITOLA: Magnum LENGTH: 6 RING: 60 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Dominican Republic FILLER: Mexico & Dominican Republic
Brick House Classic
D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C A flavorful gran toro cloaked in a supple, light brown wrapper. Delivers tons of cedar, black pepper, and earth complemented by notes of black American coffee and a subtle creaminess. Consistently provides a slow burn and a good output of medium strength smoke.
$ 7.80
89 74 | CIGAR SNOB | MAR / APR 2023
N I CA R AG UA
VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 1/4 RING: 60 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
N I CA R AG UA Covered with a good-looking, reddish brown wrapper with a soft, supple feel, this mild to medium strength gran toro has a core of nuts, cedar, and cream accompanied by smooth pepper and earthy notes. Provides a firm draw and thin smoke output while leaving behind a compact ash.
MAR / APR 2023 | CIGAR SNOB | 75
TORO H. Upmann Nicaragua AJ Fernandez Heritage
92
VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Brazil BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor
92
N I CA R AG UA Impeccably constructed and covered with a dark brown wrapper with excellent oils. Draws and burns perfectly while delivering a core of bittersweet chocolate, oak, and black pepper complemented by notes of hazelnut and earth. Medium plus strength.
$ 9.00 VITOLA: Magnifico LENGTH: 6 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Mexico BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
Curivari Socrates
N I CA R AG UA An ultra-flavorful, box-pressed toro covered with a medium to dark brown wrapper with excellent oils. Delivers a medium strength core of pepper, oak, and earth accompanied by a hint of vanilla on the finish. Consistently draws and burns exceptionally well.
$ 9.50
91
VITOLA: 654 LENGTH: 6 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Mexico BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
Diesel Atonement TAA 2022
91 90
N I CA R AG UA Super smooth and flavorful with a core of dark chocolate, sweet spice, and subtle earth complemented by notes of leather and cream with a clean finish. Box-pressed and covered with an impeccable, dark brown wrapper with a velvet feel. Medium plus strength.
$ 10.00 VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: USA/Connecticut FILLER: Nicaragua
Rocky Patel The Edge 20th Anniversary VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Honduras
Camacho Triple Maduro
N I CA R AG UA Perfectly pressed and ultra-flavorful, this medium to full strength toro has a core of dark chocolate, smooth pepper, oak, and baking spice complemented by a touch of caramel sweetness. Draws and burns perfectly.
$ 12.00
H O N D UR AS A powerful blend covered with a dark brown wrapper with a velvet feel. Consistently produces an excellent output of highly aromatic smoke with notes of earth, smooth pepper, and roasted nuts complemented by notes of bittersweet cocoa and oak. Full strength.
$ 12.40
90 76 | CIGAR SNOB | MAR / APR 2023
$ 10.35
VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 RING: 50 WRAPPER: Mexico BINDER: Mexico FILLER: Brazil, Honduras & Dominican Republic
H O N D UR AS A consistently well-constructed maduro covered with a dark, toothy wrapper with a coarse feel. Produces an excellent smoke output with an earth and sweet pepper core complemented by notes of bittersweet cocoa and roasted nuts. Medium plus strength.
TORO Tatuaje Cojonu 2012 Sumatra
$ 13.00
N I CAR AGUA Ultra-flavorful and complex with a core of cocoa, red pepper, wood, and earth complemented by a rich aroma of tanned leather. This consistently well-made toro is soft-pressed and produces an excellent output of medium to full strength smoke.
VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 1/2 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
Dias de Gloria by AJ Fernandez
$ 11.00
N I CAR AGUA Flawlessly made, this exceptionally consistent box-pressed toro produces an excellent smoke output with a flavorful profile of roasted nuts, pepper, cocoa, and a touch of cinnamon accompanied by rich creaminess on the finish. Medium to full strength.
VITOLA: Toro BP LENGTH: 6 RING: 56 WRAPPER: Nicaragua BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
Impeccably square-pressed and finished with a covered foot. This medium to full strength blend delivers a powerful combination of roasted nuts, tanned leather, and cayenne pepper complemented by a rich, creamy caramel note on the finish.
VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 RING: 50 WRAPPER: Nicaragua BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
Beautifully constructed and covered with a light brown wrapper with a supple feel. Delivers tons of wood and black pepper accompanied by subtle hints of cedar and leather. This medium plus strength blend consistently draws and burns perfectly while leaving behind a compact ash.
VITOLA: L-400 LENGTH: 5 3/4 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Dominican Republic FILLER: Dominican Republic
Delivers a wavy burn throughout the experience while producing a thin smoke output with notes of cedar, leather, and cream complemented by a touch of hazelnut and licorice on the finish. This medium bodied toro is covered with an attractive, reddish brown wrapper.
90 Hooten Young Paladin Series
$ 8.00
N I CAR AGUA
91 La Flor Dominicana Ligero Natural
$ 8.50
D OM I NI CA N REPUBLIC
92 Viaje Zombie Mrs. Hatchet
$ 11.40
N I CAR AGUA
93
VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
88 Room 101 The Farce
$ 12.7 9
D OM I NI CA N REPUBLIC A thick toro covered with an attractive, light brown wrapper with a beautiful sheen. Draws firm and burns slowly while producing a profile of light roasted nuts, cedar, and soft spice accompanied by a touch of hazelnut and mint. Medium strength.
VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Indonesia FILLER: Nicaragua, Dominican Republic & USA
88 MAR / APR 2023 | CIGAR SNOB | 77
TORO Sobremesa Brulee
$ 13.95
92
VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Mexico FILLER: Nicaragua
Davidoff Signature
Opens with tons of cedar, marzipan, and cream accompanied by rich notes of caramel, tanned leather, and a touch of vanilla. This medium bodied, thick toro is covered with a beautiful, supple wrapper with excellent oils. Draws and burns perfectly.
$ 26.50
91
VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Dominican Republic FILLER: Dominican Republic
Oscar Valladares Super Fly Connecticut
90
VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Honduras BINDER: Honduras FILLER: Honduras, Nicaragua & Dominican Republic
Aladino Connecticut
D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Flawlessly balanced with a combination of cedar, oak, and cream accompanied by subtle hints of vanilla, smooth pepper, and black tea. Consistently produces an excellent output of mild to medium strength while leaving behind a solid, compact ash.
$ 10.50
H O N D UR AS A mild smoke with a profile of cedar, raw almonds, and heavy cream complemented by notes of subtle cinnamon and pepper. Produces an excellent smoke output along an easy draw and an even burn. Leaves behind a solid, compact ash.
$ 9.50
90
VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 RING: 50 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Honduras FILLER: Honduras
Pichardo Reserva Familiar
89
H O N D UR AS Consistently well-constructed, this medium bodied toro delivers a core of wood, black pepper, and earth balanced by subtle, sweet notes of honey and cinnamon. Draws and burns perfectly while leaving behind a light gray ash that falls off in large chunks.
$ 12.00 VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
Partagas Cortado
N I CA R AG UA Covered with a supple, light brown wrapper cut just short of the foot, this medium strength toro has a profile of wood, black pepper, and walnuts accompanied by a touch of tea and cream. Produces a firm draw and a slow burn while leaving behind a dark gray ash.
$ 7.89
89 78 | CIGAR SNOB | MAR / APR 2023
N I CA R AG UA
VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Indonesia FILLER: Honduras, Mexico & Nicaragua
N I CA R AG UA A mild blend covered with a golden colored wrapper with only the slightest veins showing. Draws perfectly leaving behind an almost chalkwhite ash while producing a creamy profile highlighted by subtle notes of raw almonds, cedar, and a hint of spice.
MAR / APR 2023 | CIGAR SNOB | 79
ROBUSTO 601 Blue
$ 8.82
91
VITOLA: Robusto LENGTH: 5 1/4 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Nicaragua BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
HVC Seleccion No. 1
An impeccably built, box-pressed robusto covered with a dark, oily wrapper. Draws and burns flawlessly while producing an excellent output of full strength smoke with notes of espresso, molasses, and currant accompanied by deep pepper and sweet earth.
$ 9.30
91
VITOLA: Short Robusto LENGTH: 4 1/2 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Mexico BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
Aganorsa Leaf Aniversario Maduro
90
N I CA R AG UA A short, flavor-packed robusto covered with a dark, oily wrapper with a toothy feel. Draws and burns flawlessly while producing an excellent output of aromatic smoke with notes of roasted almonds, espresso, and molasses balanced by deep pepper and earth in the background.
$ 13.50 VITOLA: Gran Robusto LENGTH: 5 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Nicaragua BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
Oliva Master Blends 3
USA This dark, box-pressed robusto opens with an intense but balanced combination of bittersweet cocoa, roasted nuts, and earth complemented by subtle notes of cedar and dark cherry in the background. Draws and burns well while leaving behind a solid, compact ash. Medium to full strength.
$ 12.2 9
90
VITOLA: Robusto LENGTH: 5 RING: 50 WRAPPER: USA/Connecticut BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
Viaje Piña
N I CA R AG UA Opens with a combination of wood, baking spice, and leather accompanied by mild American coffee and a hint of molasses. This pressed robusto is covered with a coarse, dark brown wrapper and produces an excellent smoke output. Medium to full strength.
$ 10.83
90
VITOLA: Nohea LENGTH: 5 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Mexico BINDER: Ecuador FILLER: Nicaragua
Canimao
D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C A rustic-looking blend covered with a bumpy, dark brown wrapper with a toothy texture. Opens with a combination of ripe fruit sweetness, pepper, and earth accompanied by a touch of cedar and butterscotch. Produces an excellent smoke output along a wavy burn.
$ 5.99
89 80 | CIGAR SNOB | MAR / APR 2023
N I CA R AG UA
VITOLA: Robusto LENGTH: 5 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Ecuador FILLER: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic
USA Consistently well-constructed, this mild to medium strength robusto draws and burns well while leaving behind a solid, light gray ash. Delivers subtle flavors of wood, ripe fruit, and tanned leather with a touch of light spice on the lips.
HANDMADE IN ESTELI, NICARAGUA W W W. D R E W E S TAT E . C O M MAR / APR 2023 | CIGAR SNOB | 81
PERFECTO Oliva Serie V Melanio
$ 16.00
93
VITOLA: Figurado LENGTH: 6 1/2 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
A. Fuente Hemingway Signature
91
VITOLA: Perfecto LENGTH: 6 RING: 46 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Dominican Republic FILLER: Dominican Republic
VITOLA: Figurado LENGTH: 6 1/2 RING: 56 WRAPPER: Nicaragua BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
Rocky Patel Fifty-Five
D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C A beautifully constructed, thin perfecto covered with a flavorful, medium brown wrapper with thin veins. Starts with a firm draw that quickly opens to an ideal resistance producing a smooth core of mocha, walnuts, and oak balanced by a creamy sweetness. Medium strength.
$ 10.60
H O N D UR AS A consistently well-constructed, thick perfecto covered with a clean, reddish brown wrapper. Burns slowly while producing a light smoke output with a profile of light roasted almond, cedar, and rich cream complemented by a gritty pepper note on the finish. Medium to full strength.
$ 13.20
90
VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 1/2 RING: 55 WRAPPER: Nicaragua BINDER: Costa Rica FILLER: Nicaragua
L’Atelier Racine ERB
N I CA R AG UA Ultra-flavorful and balanced, this long perfecto opens with an interesting combination of cedar, red pepper, and butterscotch accompanied by more subtle hints of tropical fruit sweetness and cinnamon. Provides a firm draw while delivering a good output of medium plus strength smoke.
$ 11.00
89
VITOLA: Britanicas Extra LENGTH: 5 3/8 RING: 48 WRAPPER: Nicaragua BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua
Casa Cuevas Sangre Nueva
88 82 | CIGAR SNOB | MAR / APR 2023
Flawlessly constructed and ultra-consistent, this medium strength perfecto is covered with a light brown wrapper and finished with a neat box press. Delivers a well-balanced combination of cedar, roasted nuts, and smooth pepper joined by notes of cocoa and slightly sweet cream.
$ 11.16
HVC Vieja Cosecha No. 2 Limited Edition
90
N I CA R AG UA
N I CA R AG UA Opens with a core of wood and sweet spice accompanied by nuts, caramel, and sharp black pepper. Provides a firm draw while leaving behind a solid, compact ash. This attractive perfecto with a gradual taper on both ends is covered with a light brown wrapper. Medium strength.
$ 1 4.75 VITOLA: Perfecto LENGTH: 6 RING: 58 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Honduras FILLER: Nicaragua, Dominican Republic & USA
D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C A firmly packed, thick perfecto with a medium strength profile of sweet spice, wood, and cream accompanied by a hint of eucalyptus on the finish. Burns slowly and leaves behind a solid, compact ash.
MAR / APR 2023 | CIGAR SNOB | 83
TWITTER SCOREBOARD The cigar world is on Twitter and we aim to keep track of who’s leading who. The following is a scoreboard of the cigar world’s most relevant Tweeples. The list is sorted by number of followers and broken into groups: Top 20 Twitter Cigar Companies & Reps, Top 10 Twitter Retailers, Top 10 Online Cigar Tweeps, Top 3 Twitter Cigar Organizations, and Top 3 Cigar Radio Twitter accounts. If you have the numbers and belong in one of these groups, stand up and be counted! Set us straight via Twitter @cigarsnobmag. TOP CIGAR COMPANIES ( sorted by Twitter followers ) Drew Estate Cigars @DrewEstateCigar .................................... Rocky Patel @RockyPatelCigar ............................................... Padron Cigar @PadronCigars .................................................. CAO International @CAOCigars ................................................ Ashton Cigars @ashtoncigar ................................................... Alec Bradley Cigars @AlecBradley ........................................... La Flor Dominicana @LFDCigars .............................................. Jonathan Drew @JonathanDrewArt ......................................... Camacho Cigars @camachocigars ........................................... La Gloria Cubana @lagloriacubana .......................................... Pete Johnson @TatuajeCigars .................................................. Xikar Inc @XIKARinc ............................................................... E. Perez-Carillo @EPCarrillo .................................................... Nick Perdomo @PerdomoCigars .............................................. Davidoff Cigars @Davidoff_Cigars ........................................... JC Newman Cigar @JCNewmanCigars ....................................... AJ Fernandez @ajfcigars ......................................................... Punch Cigars @punchcigars .................................................... Ernesto Padilla @PadillaCigars ................................................ Oliva Cigar Company @OlivaCigar .............................................
TOP CIGAR ORGANIZATIONS
45623 39734 29360 28136 22840 20988 20882 17944 17604 16048 15899 15104 14068 14050 13953 13525 13405 12934 12930 12708
TOP CIGAR RETAILERS & REPS Famous Smoke Shop @FamousSmokeShop ............................. Slippery Rock Cigars @SlipperyRockCig .................................... Mulberry St. Cigars @MulberryStCigar .................................... Cigar Hustler @cigarhustler ..................................................... Jeff Borysiewicz – Corona Cigar Co @CoronaCigarCo................ Cigar Row @CigarRow ............................................................ Barry – Two Guys Smoke Shop @Barry2Guys ........................... Michael Herklots @MichaelHerklots ......................................... Lindsay Siddiqi @TheCigarChick .............................................. Cheap Humidors @cheaphumidors ..........................................
18934 16442 12536 10381 7843 7266 6255 6109 4860 4750
Cigar Rights of America @cigarrights ...................................... 14546 Premium Cigar Association @PCA1933 .................................... 9602 Tobacconist University @tobacconistU ................................... 4306
TOP CIGAR RADIO Cigar Dave Show @CigarDaveShow ........................................ 10190 KMA Talk Radio @KMATalkRadio ............................................. 2077 Cigars and Scotch @CigarScotch ............................................ 2048
SOME OF OUR FAVORITE TWEETS, MENTIONS, AND RANDOM SOCIAL MEDIA GOODNESS.
@alexandra_ dobre__ Take your game to the next level.
TOP ONLINE CIGAR TWEEPLES David Voth–Sex, Cigars, & Booze @SexCigarsBooze ................. Cigar News @CigaRSS ............................................................ Cigar Events @CigarEvents ..................................................... Blind Man’s Puff @BlindMansPuff ............................................ Cigar Dojo @CigarDojo ............................................................ Robusto Cigar Babe @RobustoBabe ........................................ Cigar Federation @CigarFederation ......................................... CigarHustler.com @CigarHustler ............................................. Stephen LaPre, Sr. @CigarChairman ......................................... Cigar Vixen @CigarVixen .........................................................
84 | CIGAR SNOB | MAR / APR 2023
137559 19518 16577 14881 11947 11796 11320 10381 8596 8477
@club_del_fumador Simplemente espectacular!
MAR / APR 2023 | CIGAR SNOB | 85
INSTAGRAM SCOREBOARD Since its launch in October of 2010, the cigar world has become enamored with Instagram. Today the ‘Gram is unquestionably the most popular platform on which to share snaps of what you’re smoking and drinking. This scoreboard is sorted by number of followers and broken into groups: Top 20 Cigar & Cigar Accessory Companies, Top 10 Retailers & Reps, Top 10 Cigar Influencers, Top 3 Cigar Organizations, and Top 3 Cigar Radio accounts. If you have the numbers and belong in one of these groups, stand up and be counted! Set us straight via Instagram @cigarsnobmag. TOP CIGAR & ACCESSORY COMPANIES ( sorted by Instagram followers ) Padron Cigar @padroncigars ................................................... Davidoff Cigars @davidoffcigars ............................................. Drew Estate Cigars @drewestatecigar ..................................... Raquel Quesada @raquelquesadaofficial .................................. Rocky Patel Premium Cigars @rockypatelcigar .......................... Arturo Fuente @arturofuentecigars ......................................... Epic Cigars @epiccigars ......................................................... Boveda @BovedaInc ............................................................... Gurkha Cigars @gurkhacigars ................................................. Xikar Inc @xikar ..................................................................... Camacho Cigars @camachocigars ........................................... La Flor Dominicana @LFDCigars .............................................. My Father Cigars @myfathercigars .......................................... Oliva Cigar Co. @olivacigar ..................................................... Ashton Cigars @ashtoncigar ................................................... AJ Fernandez @ajfcigars ......................................................... Alec Bradley Cigars @alecbradleycigar .................................... Nick Perdomo @Perdomocigars .............................................. Plasencia Cigars @plasenciacigars ......................................... Joya de Nicaragua @joyacigars ................................................
164149 143614 139741 109667 108374 105451 87909 84030 77834 77111 72961 71056 69968 65851 63710 63501 58274 57855 56950 52677
TOP CIGAR RETAILERS & REPS Privada Cigar Club @privadacigarclub ..................................... Famous Smoke Shop @famoussmokeshop ............................... Mulberry St. Cigars @mulberrystcigars ................................... Michael Herklots @michaelherklots ......................................... Cigar Hustler @cigarhustler .................................................... The Cigar Culture @thecigarculture ......................................... Master Sensei @cigardojo ...................................................... Angela Yue @angela_yue ......................................................... La Casa Cigars & Lounge Vegas @lacasavegas ........................ Jeff Borysiewicz – Corona Cigar Co @coronacigarco ................
57409 54808 45759 30400 29262 28365 27612 24998 24557 21002
TOP CIGAR ORGANIZATIONS Premium Cigar Association @PCA1933 .................................... 17711 Total Product Expo @totalproductexpo ..................................... 7605 Cigar Rights of America @cigarrightsofamerica ......................... 4276
TOP CIGAR RADIO Cigar Dave Show @cigardave ................................................. 3552 KMA Talk Radio @KMATalkRadio ............................................. 1579 Eat Drink Smoke @eatdrinksmokepodcast ................................. 1318
SOME OF OUR FAVORITE TWEETS, MENTIONS, AND RANDOM SOCIAL MEDIA GOODNESS.
@killercuda
I blame you @kjacobs1212 for this #addiction of #edc so much cool shit. Love this @olight.ca light pretty much use it daily. @ espinosacigars #crema
TOP ONLINE CIGAR INFLUENCERS ON INSTAGRAM Liz Cigar Life Style @remarkable_liz ........................................ Cigar Lover @cigarlover12 ...................................................... Delicia-Creator-Influencer @cigarvixen ................................... Whiskey Girl Josie @whiskeygirl_josie ..................................... Angela, CCST & IACS CCS @cigarsmokingchick ....................... Nikki @cigarpassionista .......................................................... Melanie Sisco @lilsiscokidd21 ................................................. Cigars / Smoke.Laugh.Live @world.of.cigars ............................ HERficinado / Cigar Lifestyle @herficionado ............................. SisterInSmoke @sistersinsmoke .............................................
86 | CIGAR SNOB | MAR / APR 2023
108130 103431 89554 89378 43177 42336 40256 36372 31074 29952
@cigar_adicto
La Aurora 107 Maduro
MAR / APR 2023 | CIGAR SNOB | 87
September weeknight at BURN by Rocky Patel in Naples, Florida was soothing and quiet. A musical duo played some Boomer hits, folks in and around the bar area nursed glasses of wine and smoked cigars. Outside, people streamed by the gently rustling palms.
By Steve Miller
88 | CIGAR SNOB | MAR / APR 2023
Hurricane Ian conspired to leave the region a tattered mess of damage and despair. The Category 4 storm carried 150-mph winds, pushing huge waves of water ashore with ease while taking down trees and tossing about unsecured cars, boats, and anything else that wasn’t tied down.
But Florida’s coastal areas, even this bucolic snatch of monied beauty off the Gulf of Mexico, are forever taunted by Mother Nature.
Being relatively inland, BURN was spared; the power was out for a couple of days, and the biggest inconvenience was the 10 p.m. curfew enacted to keep the peace.
The area had enjoyed a fortuitous 18year stretch, skirting major storms. But a week later, Mother Nature and
“We got lucky here,” says Nish Patel, EVP at Rocky Patel Cigars. “There was debris from the trees to clean
of Naples, Mitch and Shannon Mesenburg reeled. In late 2019, they took over cigaraccessories.com from a friend, a sagging endeavor with lucrative potential. For a real kick, anything cigars was a shiny dime for Mitch and Shannon, both lovers of the leaf. “We rolled it out just before Covid hit and we were in the works to secure a warehouse and Mitch was talking to a supplier in China,” Shannon says. The pandemic stalled that, then Ian stomped in. They coped as best they could. “We’re back up a little but we’re limping,” Shannon says. “It hit us pretty bad. A lot of our product was damaged, and we almost walked away. This storm was so big, and we lost about $7,000 of inventory.”
where there were 50 boats on top of each other.” His other lounges also took in water and wind. The Cape Coral store was flooded and when the landlord showed up, he found mold. The place was stripped to the studs, the humidor destroyed. Another in Estero got off easy, and his other downtown Fort Myers location had three inches of water. “And we just lost a lot of product,” Castiano says. “With cigars and accessories, we lost over $300,000 worth of stuff.” As for his personal ride through the storm, it was easy. “I have a generator, best investment I’ve ever made,” he says. “We had the television on, air conditioning, we barely knew what was going on.”
and workers from Florida who were toiling 12 hours a day to restore power lines, clean up debris and assist with other infrastructure damage, to come in and enjoy complimentary cigars and drinks. “We donated a [ton] of cigars to the first responders in Fort Myers Beach,” Patel says. “And we gave the first responders coupons for BURN. They worked hard every day and it wasn’t under the best conditions.” The Mesenburgs had a crew from Oklahoma helping in their area and extended similar hospitality. “Some of the crews that came in were not allowed to accept beer,” Shannon says. “But a lot of them smoked cigars, and we had our copies of Cigar Snob. We gave them those and they were very happy.”
They’d converted a couple of rooms in their home to store goods – cutters, travel humidors, lighters – and the larger items were drop-shipped from a remote warehouse. The personal toll of the storm was just as heavy as the business hit – they were without power for a month and still haven’t received any insurance money.
The massive destruction on Fort Myers Beach
Image Credit: Felix Mizioznikov via Shutterstock
up and deliveries stopped for awhile. But what we did was partnered with a local church and the city of Naples to use about 2,500 square feet of our facility to store generators, sheet rock, food, water and whatever else to send to Fort Myers, where they got it much worse.” Sanibel, Fort Myers, Cape Coral and much of the surrounding beach areas were smacked down with vigor, flattened in parts, portrayed to the world in heartbreaking images that were real life to the hundreds of thousands of locals. In Port Charlotte, 70 miles north
It was a massive storm, Shannon notes. “You could fit Hurricane Charley in the eye of this thing,” referring to the 2004 storm that wreaked havoc on the region. Now, they weigh whether it’s worth keeping the business going, Shannon says. They are restocked by now but taking it slow.
The newest World Famous Cigar Bar in Fort Myers one week away from it’s grand opening. Image Credit: Richie Castiano
“On top of everything with the house, it’s a lot. But every time I think we’re done, something pops up to make cigars seem so great.”
All three locations are now open and prospering, Castiano adds.
Castiano, the worst hit, found out who his friends were.
Rich Castiano took it on the chin. His three World Famous Cigar Bar locations in the Fort Myers area all suffered damage, with flooding and debris. A fourth location in downtown Fort Myers was being prepared for opening when Ian arrived.
“The good Lord above took care of us, and business is good.” A regular storm-of-the-decade story would stop here. Folks were hurt, damage was done, recovery is slow.
“I got a lot of love from the cigar community,” he says. “People called, texted, checked up on me. Vendors extended terms for me, everyone really stepped up, and some even replaced product that I lost. They’d say, ‘what did you lose?’ and I’d tell ‘em, ‘I lost six boxes of this,’ and they’d say, ‘don’t worry about it.’
“I was a week away and that one is gone,” Castiano says. “Five feet of water inside, it was right by the water, near the yacht graveyard,
But each of the parties we spoke to for this story, despite the damage done, went beyond themselves and extended help to others. BURN in Naples had a first responders’ night, inviting both out-of-state crews
“It’s amazing, the cigar community, as big as it is, it isn’t really that big. But it’s very tight-knit.”
MAR / APR 2023 | CIGAR SNOB | 89
EVENTS LA FLOR DOMINICANA AT FIOLA Coral Gables, FL
La Terrazza of Fiola Miami hosted a private event for La Flor Dominicana, where guests were greeted by the Gomez family, including Litto, Ines, Tony and Litto Gomez Jr. Patrons smoked the newly released La Flor Dominicana Solis while enjoying dinner with music by Luis Bofill and his band. La Terrazza's rooftop provided panoramic views of the Coral Gables landscape and a South Florida sunset. Cory Bappert, Inés Gómez, Erik Calviño, Litto Gómez and Fidel Valdés
Sebastián García, Jen Arias, Mina and Tony Gómez
Bobby Singer and Justin Rabin
The Quality Importers crew
90 | CIGAR SNOB | MAR / APR 2023
José Herrera, Luis Dura, Yadira Mafud and Milly Alfaro
Julio Duranza and Idalis Padrón
Raúl Flores, Mike Denys and Bobby Singer
MAR / APR 2023 | CIGAR SNOB | 91
EVENTS THE AMERICAN CIGAR FACTORY AND FARM TOUR Tampa, FL
The team at JC Newman Cigar Factory welcomed guests for a behind-the-scenes tour of The American being rolled. Breakfast included café con leche, Cuban bread, pastries from popular bakery La Segunda, and, of course, cigars. A tour of the factory was followed by a trip to the Florida Sun Grown Farm in Clermont to see where the American is grown. Lunch from 4 Rivers BBQ and a tobacco field tour by Jeff and Tanya Borysiewicz, owners of the farm and Corona Cigar Co., were provided. The day ended with a party at Corona Cigar Company and Diamond Crown Lounge.
Monica Foster and Kara Guagliardo
Jeff Borysiewicz and Drew Newman
92 | CIGAR SNOB | MAR / APR 2023
Tanya Borysiewicz
Gloria and James Quintana
Monique Henderson, Mitchell Hughes and Tanya Borysiewicz
Cynthia Tamargo, Valerie and Rick Feltenberger
MAR / APR 2023 | CIGAR SNOB | 93
EVENTS NESTOR MIRANDA’S 80TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION Miami, FL
Miami Cigar & Co. Principal Nestor Miranda and his family celebrated the big 80 with a massive party featuring an 80-person domino tournament at one of Miami's newest eateries, A Love Story Winery & Bistro. Nestor enjoyed some of his own favorites from his company, Miami Cigar & Co., while guests took in a variety of appetizers, smoked Miami Cigars, and sipped drinks from an open bar. The event culminated in the presentation of a cake in the shape of domino pieces to the guest of honor, who enjoyed his 80th with grace.
Néstor Miranda and Manuel Inoa
Carlos Prieto, Willy and Roberto Marante and Hugo Sánchez
Néstor Miranda and the winners
94 | CIGAR SNOB | MAR / APR 2023
Tatiana Wood, Néstor Miranda, Jason Wood and Gabriel León
Fernando Caula and Ramón Adato
Jason and Dennis Wood
Albert Linares, Alcides Viciedo, Israel Cruz and Delia Linares
Jessica Delgado, Daniella Marrero and Yeni Feria
Tommy Soberon, Danny Delgado and Ibis Lu
MAR / APR 2023 | CIGAR SNOB | 95
EVENTS GALENTINE’S AT EMPIRE SOCIAL LOUNGE Brickell, FL The girls were in the house and everywhere else for Creativas Group's annual Galentine’s event at Empire Social Lounge. Attendees smoked Plasencia Cigars and Tatiana Cigars, and dug into some baked goods from Mojo Donuts, while Gouda Life prepared some Charcuterie boxes. Drink sponsors included Chambord Liqueur, The GlenDronach, Fords Gin and Coopers’ Craft.
Leticia León and Meilyn Díaz
96 | CIGAR SNOB | MAR / APR 2023
Jessica Santiago
Liza Santana-Piñeres, Sandra Velázquez, Kennia Rosales and Ibis Lu
MAR / APR 2023 | CIGAR SNOB | 97
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MAR / APR 2023 | CIGAR SNOB | 99
100 | CIGAR SNOB | MAR / APR 2023