Cigar Snob Magazine May June 2020 by Cigar Snob Magazine

MAY/ JUNE 2020

CORONA lockdown edition

VITOLA 101 / CHARITY / FAUX PAS / MOVIES

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Hear “The Man’s” Story www.arturofuente.com/theman

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editorials MAY / JUNE 2020

5 TO TRY – BELGIAN BEERS

ALL HANDS ON DECK

VITOLA 101: CORONA

FAUX PAS COVID EDITION

MOVIES FOR THE ‘RONA

ESSENTIALS

UNITED WE SMOKE

When you think of a craft brewer today you may think of a hippie, mad scientist type who maniacally tinkers with his or her brewing recipes endlessly to achieve perfection in beer. In this 5 to Try we go back to the Old World to find the original hippie, mad scientists, the Trappist monks of Belgium!

In a way, the pandemic has been an amplifier of a person or company’s true self. Thankfully there are cigar and spirits companies among us that make us proud to be associated with them.

Consumer demand along with other factors have pushed the corona shape to the fringes but this once benchmark size still holds sway with some of the biggest names in premium cigars.

A faux pas is an embarrassing or tactless act in a social situation but during these times of COVID-19, the stakes have been ratcheted up. Here’s a guide on how to not be THAT guy.

Grab a cigar, your TV remote, and get on the couch! We’ve enlisted the help of a Hollywood insider turned cigar industry executive for what we should be watching during the times of the ‘Rona.

Nothing wrong with that branded ashtray you got as a gift with purchase but now that you’re ready to take the next step, we’ve got the ashtray for you.

In the midst of a national racial crisis, Industrial Cigar Company has emerged as a leader in their community with a project called Smoke Together – Stay Together.

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features MAY / JUNE 2020

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

FEEDBACK

WHAT’S BURNIN’

BRAND BREAKDOWN 28 LUNATIC – TORCH 30 AVO CLASSIC MADURO 32 AGING ROOM QUATTRO CONNECTICUT 34 VILLIGER DO BRASIL MADURO

SMOKING HOT CIGAR SNOB THE BACKSTORY

Photo shoot producer Ivan Ocampo pulls back the curtain on some of the wildest moments that happened behind the scenes of your favorite Cigar Snob pictorials.

RATINGS

102

TWITTER SCOREBOARD

104

EVENT COVERAGE 104 AGING ROOM DINNER AT SABOR HAVANA 106 SMOKING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIER AT BURN BY ROCKY PATEL 108 AGING ROOM AT AFICIONADO’S PREMIUM CIGAR & WINE 110 FIRST RESPONDERS LUNCH AT SABOR HAVANA

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MAY / JUNE 2020

VO L . 12 IS SU E 3 www.cigarsnobmag.com PUBLISHER & EDITOR Erik Calviño 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 CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR Gaby Gadtoons CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Clay Roberts Sean Chaffin Pedro Alcazar Ivan Ocampo CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS David Benoliel Andy Astencio Bryant McCain EVENT PHOTOGRAPHERS Jamilet Calviño Cover Photography by David Benoliel www.davidbenolielphotography.com Cover Model - Yara Khmidan 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.cigarsnobmag.com

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- Magazine delivered to you Visit: www.cigarsnobmag.com or write: subscribe@cigarsnobmag.com

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You don’t need to read it in a cigar magazine to know that we are going through an unprecedented time in our country’s history. It isn’t the first time that we’ve dealt with a global pandemic and God knows this isn’t the first time we’ve experienced a racial divide. The difference is that we’ve never, to my knowledge, faced both at the same time. This fact is critical; we were locked down in our homes going stir crazy. Unemployment, which had previously been at historic lows, was now skyrocketing and financial tension was mounting. As a country we were collectively stressed out but still hanging on when George Floyd was senselessly murdered by a police officer. It was too much to bear and we snapped. The timing was so perfect that it’s no wonder that conspiracy theorists are seeing red flags at every turn, but conspiracy theories are a topic for another day. What I do want to talk about, or rather, what I am asking of you is to not take the bait. I’ll explain what I mean. There are groups at work that want to tear us apart, and why shouldn’t they? This is the single greatest country in the history of mankind and unless they can hoodwink us into ripping each other apart from the inside, these groups don’t stand a chance. I am asking you to not take the bait that they are dangling in front of us. I’m asking everyone on both sides of the divide to be reasonable. I think I look at this issue from a slightly different vantage point than most of you. Here’s the quick version: I was born in Cuba, raised in the US, during the first half of my formative years we lived in a low-income/ high-crime neighborhood, my middle-school years were spent in the epicenter of Miami’s ganglands, and then I went to high school in the posh neighborhood of Coral Gables. There’s even more diversity in my story but I won’t bore you with it; suffice it to say that I’ve seen some of the kindest, most gentle moments in the hood with gunfire and police sirens blaring in the background and in the mansions surrounded by priceless art on the walls. I’ve also seen the most vile, hateful behavior in both. The bottom line is that the vast majority of people are good and want to do good unto others but those stories don’t make the news. They don’t get talked about often enough so we don’t see it and when we do see it, we look at the kind act as an exception because we are conditioned to see bad from the other side. Believe me, those videos of a random act of kindness that occasionally make it to your social media feed are not the exception, they are the norm. They happen every day on both sides. I’ve lived it. Don’t let them bait you into thinking otherwise. Producing this issue has not been easy but I am proud of our team and of the incredible effort they put forth to get it done. The highlight of this issue is unquestionably The Backstory (p.64). It was written by Ivan Ocampo as a behind-the-scenes account of some of our most adventurous photo shoots. He should know since he produces all of

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them. In it there are stories of animals going wild, photo equipment floating away in the surf, and zig-zagging our way through Italy. We hope you enjoy the backstories and aren’t bothered too much by the beautiful images we also managed to put on those pages. We billed this issue as our Corona issue, as in coronavirus. But rather than talk about all of the bad that this virus has brought us, we decided to tell you about how much good has come from the cigar and liquor industries as a result of the pandemic in a piece we called All Hands on Deck by Sean Chaffin (p.49). Staying on the corona topic, we created a new section called Vitola 101 (p.54) where we dig into the corona cigar size; we’ll do more sizes/shapes in upcoming issues. Finally and in support of the point I made at the beginning of my letter, we highlighted the good work that the fine folks at Industrial Cigar Company are doing in a short piece titled United We Smoke (p.62). I sincerely hope you enjoy this issue but above all I pray that you continue being kind to one another and don’t take the bait.

Keep ‘em lit,

Erik Calviño ecalvino@cigarsnobmag.com

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FIRST THINGS FIRST Just thought I would drop a note to say that I really enjoy your magazine, so much so that it has pushed me into a round of entrepreneurship. I want to know if there is any way that you could direct me to who I need to talk to about starting my own cigar lounge. If there is any way that you can help me, any way at all, please get back in contact with me. I am very serious about this. I only recently learned about your magazine within the last two years and I’ve been thinking about this a lot. Your magazine has inspired me. Again, please contact me.

Jimmy M. Lynchburg, VA Via feedback@cigarsnobmag.com Thank you for the kind words Jimmy! It’s humbling to hear that our work has inspired you to get deeper into your cigar passion. It truly is humbling but I’d hate to get more feedback from you in a few months blaming us for the end of your marriage. You asked for direction as to whom you should speak to about starting a cigar lounge. SPEAK TO YOUR WIFE! Before you go investing your retirement in a cigar lounge, run it by the ol’ missus. Then reach out to the tobacconist association in your state and start the journey.

DISAPPEARING PROBLEMS SINCE 1949 Hello my name is Armando. I am from Tampa Florida. It’s so refreshing when you call Customer Service and you hear a voice of an actual person, in this case Oscar Calviño, who is courteous and friendly and makes whatever problem you have disappear. I want to say thank you and send my gratitude to Oscar and Jamilet Calviño for their quick response. I love the magazine and keep up the good work.

Armando P. Tampa, FL Via feedback@cigarsnobmag.com Thank you Armando! We have a small but incredibly dedicated team that goes above and beyond to solve whatever subscription problem you may have. We’re not perfect, we make mistakes, but we strive to make every subscriber proud to be a part of our family.

MY FAVORITE PODCAST Like a blend of cigar that is a pleasure to smoke, these guys make the world a more fun place to be. I recommend this podcast to all the people in my life. Cigar geeks, casual smokers and even friends who don’t partake. Great cigar information, fun sports and world news talk without the stressful drama. If you like listening to people who seem like they would be cool to hang out with this is your place. Cigar Snob is a cool name but just the opposite of what they appear to be. Fine ambassadors of the cigar world for the CEOs and the working man.

Hammer640 via Apple Podcast Review In the words of Jasper, “I like the cut of your jib.” When we started the podcast back in 2017, we did it because we knew that people like you would eventually find it and enjoy it. We wanted to make the podcast an audio version of our print publication and your words are confirmation that we are on the right track. All we can say to you is that since you like the podcast, you will certainly like the magazine and our website. Check us out at cigarsnob.com

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UNDERCROWN SHADYXX RETURNS FOR 2020 LIMITED RELEASE Drew Estate announced the return of the Undercrown Maduro ShadyXX for Drew Diplomat retailers nationwide. “Detroit to Nicaragua, Brooklyn to Havana … stand up, represent your hood … and In Shady We Trust!” said Jonathan Drew, President and Founder of Drew Estate. “This collaboration is emblematic of the conceptual lens that defines Drew Estate. The fact that we keep our ShadyXX as a limited edition, small batch, specialty product reinforces our proud, cult brand roots. The product is straight mastermind material in both taste and class. It’s undeniable.” Initially released to only 10 Detroit area retailers in 2014, the Undercrown Shady continues to be one of the most consumer demanded limited editions in the Drew Estate portfolio. This powerhouse blend, similar to the Undercrown “Corona Viva,” features a toothy Mexican San Andres wrapper, Connecticut Stalk Cut Habano binder and showcases filler leaves from Nicaragua and Brazil. The ShadyXX is a 5 x 50 box-pressed belicoso that is well aged and packs a punch, while remaining smooth and sophisticated during the entire smoke. ShadyXX is packaged in an elegant, gold embossed 10-count petaca that signifies the 2020 Limited Release.

ing with Mombacho and I am thrilled to share it with all of you now,” added Sgroi. The word “Cosecha” translates to “harvest” in Spanish. The Cosecha 2015 is the fourth release of this limited cigar series. These cigars have been aging at Casa Favilli for several years with tobacco harvested in 2015. Sgroi further explained, “When assessing the potential for any new Cosecha Vintage, I first determine the conditions, yields and specific qualities of that year’s tobacco crop in Nicaragua. In 2015, I discovered an excellent and Cosecha worthy crop, albeit with a stronger tobacco than recent years, so I identified and worked with these characteristics allowing for the strongest Cosecha Vintage in history. The primary challenge was blending a stronger, yet beautifully balanced Cosecha cigar. This required an adjustment in Jalapa tobaccos to help smooth and offset the power, while still providing a very pleasant full-bodied blend without sacrificing the complexity of its flavors.” With it being the strongest Cosecha Vintage to date, the Cosecha 2015 is a full-bodied cigar with a plethora of dark notes from chocolate to wood tones. It’s available in one vitola, a 6 x 52 toro with a pigtail cap showcased in 10-count boxes. Only 430 boxes were produced with each cigar having an MSRP of $29.95.

HENRY CLAY WAR HAWK GETS A NEW LIMITED EDITION

COSECHA 2015 CIGAR STARTS SHIPPING TO RETAILERS

Altadis announced the release of the new Henry Clay War Hawk Rebellious Limited Edition. This follow-up release comes on the heels of the success of the original War Hawk in 2019. Unlike the original, which was produced at the La Flor de Copan factory in Honduras, this cigar is a collaborative effort between cigar industry veteran Rafael Nodal and renowned cigar maker AJ Fernandez.

Mombacho Cigars announced the shipment of the much anticipated Cosecha 2015. This vintage Nicaraguan puro will be available at select retailers and through the Mombacho website on July 1st. “True vintage is almost impossible to find in the cigar industry and we have created a cigar that showcases the best Nicaraguan tobaccos with Cosecha. Cosecha 2012, Cosecha 2013 and Cosecha 2014 surprised the aficionados,” said Claudio Sgroi, President and Master Blender of Mombacho Cigars. “Cosecha is a project that has been in my heart since the day I started work-

The War Hawk Rebellious Limited Edition features an oily, aged Habano wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and filler, delivering a medium strength profile. Available in only one size, a 6 x 54 toro, and packaged in 20-count boxes with an MSRP of $9.60 per cigar. Only 1,200 boxes have been produced. It begins shipping July 15. “With the War Hawk Rebellious Limited Edition, we are offering adult consumers a complex, medium-bodied, Nicaraguan blend that complements the original War Hawk and provides smokers with a unique Nicaraguan

For full coverage of Undercrown ShadyXX and all of Drew Estate’s upcoming national releases check out their 2020 #DESummerTakeover promotion at www.drewestate.com/ summertakeover.

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experience,” Nodal said.

JOYA DE NICARAGUA INTRODUCES NÚMERO UNO - LE PREMIER Originally blended for world leaders and handed out by Nicaraguan ambassadors on official missions around the globe, the Joya De Nicaragua Número Uno line is part of the “Obras Maestras,” the designation of Joya de Nicaragua’s ultrapremium family of cigars. In 2020, Joya will only have a limited run of 1,600 boxes of Número Uno coming to the United States: 800 boxes of the original L’Ambassadeur and now in its first national release, with a limit of 800 boxes, they will introduce the new Número Uno Le Premier. “Número Uno is a very special product for us; we always say it’s the dream of any cigar maker, as we responded to the market’s desires to have this product. It represents the pride of our country, as this was the blend that we created to honor the most important guests, and now it is sold only in the best brick and mortar stores around the world,” said Juan Martínez, Executive President of Joya de Nicaragua. The highly acclaimed Número Uno features a silky and delicate Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and fillers. It provides medium body and strength, in a smoke that is refined, complex and elegant with plenty of creamy notes complemented with light pepper. With vitolas being named in accordance with the brand’s diplomatic origin, the 2020 release Le Premier is a 6 7/8 x 48 Churchill that will be offered in a 25ct box, at MSRP $414.93/box or $16.60/stick. This vitola completes a small portfolio of just three sizes along with L’Ambassadeur (6 5/8 x 44) and L’Attaché (5 1/2 x 42), a store exclusive for Up Down Cigars in Chicago, IL. These very limited batches will be available as of July 2020 exclusively at brick and mortar retailers that participate in the Drew Diplomat Retailer Program. “We would love to produce more Número Unos, but we have a limited output in the factory. Each vitola is crafted just by one couple of rolera and bonchero, the ones that have the skills to deliver such delicate perfection. Then, you have the fact that we are very picky when it comes to selecting the best tobacco leaves that will go in this cigar,” mentioned Mario Pérez, head of Fábrica Joya de Nicaragua S.A.

PLASENCIA ALMA FUERTE GETS PACKAGING OVERHAUL Citing a combination of customer feedback and a reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic, Plasencia has overhauled the packaging for its award-winning Alma Fuerte line. Previously the Alma Fuerte box featured a clever but at times problematic dual-purpose box lid. The top lid acted as a wooden ashtray with a metal insert sporting the Plasencia Circle-P logo. This made boxes heavier than normal and the inside lid hinges tended to be a bit flimsy. In a recent email to Cigar Snob Magazine Plasencia stated, “Gone is the multi-purpose lid with built-in ashtray, and in its place, you’ll now find a more durable box and lid, accented with heavy duty hinges. It’s classic, elegantly practical, and will stand the test of time - even wind. We’re proud of this new design and we have our retailers and customers to thank.” In the same email, the company announced

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that as a result of the pandemic, they would be wrapping all cigars in cellophane going forward. “We know it hides the beauty and aroma, but we care more about the health and safety of our customers. For the time being, each Plasencia Cigar will be cellophanewrapped for your peace of mind.”

DAVIDOFF BRINGS BACK A VINTAGE BLEND Davidoff announced the release of their Limited Edition Special 53 – Capa Dominicana set for launch in July of 2020. The original version of this cigar debuted in 2002 and was the first Davidoff to feature an all-Dominican blend. According to a statement from Davidoff, the 2020 version of the blend employs a 10-year-old wrapper, an 8-year-old binder, and fillers aged for over 6 years. The “Special 53” in the name is a reference to the ring gauge of this unique 6 1/8 x 53 perfecto. “It is the pioneering spirit of our founder Zino

Davidoff that the craftsmen at Davidoff relentlessly seek to mirror in their daily achievements. When challenged with crafting a blend of 100% Dominican tobaccos back in the 1990’s they set on a journey to identify suitable areas, cultivating soils and developing hybrid seeds that would yield tobaccos fit for the challenge. After nearly 20 years that journey found its completion in 2002 when our master blenders had turned these tobaccos into the beautiful and refined Special 53 – Capa Dominicana cigar,” says Edward Simon, Chief Marketing Officer at Oettinger Davidoff AG. “It is this achievement, of leading the way to make the cultivation of wrapper tobaccos in the Dominican a reality that we celebrate today with the re-release of this limited edition,” he continues. The production of the Davidoff Special 53 – Capa Dominicana is limited to 4,500 10-count boxes that will be available at select Davidoff Appointed Merchants and Flagship Stores. There will also be an allotment of five packs that will only be available through global travel retail locations.

VISIONARIES

LUNATIC TORCH create our signature profile.

COUNTRY

Nicaragua

WRAPPER

Nicaragua

BINDER

Nicaragua

FILLER

Nicaragua

PRICE FACTORY

$ 9.99 - $ 10.50 Aganorsa Leaf

Terence Reilly

VP of Sales & Marketing All three sizes in the Lunatic Torch line feature an exposed foot. Some people love it while others don’t care for it. What was the motivation behind leaving the foot exposed? In our events, we do this “Fuma Experience” where the participants get to smoke the binder and filler tobaccos separately before getting to smoke the entire cigar. The idea behind leaving the foot exposed was to provide a type of “Fuma Experience,” so the smoker tastes only the binder and filler in the beginning and that is unbalanced but the flavors are very distinctive and it kind of wakes up the palate. Then you hit the wrapper and it creates a little more complexity and stabilizes the blend. So the goal is to show that transition. At Cigar Snob we see all kinds of cigars and have smoked plenty of them with this feature but I wonder if a regular smoker at a store asks about it. Do they ask if it is a mistake?

AVAILABLE IN 3 SIZES

No, I think most of the time they don’t think it’s a mistake but they are usually curious as to why it’s that way. They typically want to know the purpose of doing it, in other words is it purely aesthetic or is there a purpose to it. And as I said earlier, the purpose is to give them some insight into how we

With that in mind, what kind of smoker are you targeting with this line? I think we’re trying to hit between the regular Lunatic smoker and the guys that go more for the Aganorsa Signature, Supreme Leaf, and that kind of cigar. Pricewise this is in between those two but size-wise it is more reminiscent of the Lunatic sizes. But in the end the experience of the brush foot is more interesting to the smoker who is more into the geek-out aspect of cigar smoking. Whenever I’m in a store and bring up that this is a way to see how much the wrapper affects flavor, those guys are immediately interested in that. We smoked and even rated the original Lunatic Torch back in 2016. Aside from the packaging, what is different about this iteration? The original Torch was released in only one size and it was packaged in a 30-count box. Also that one was a shag foot instead of a brush and you had to smoke the shag foot for a long time before you got to the wrapper and it was a little bit of overkill. The smoker would be tired of it by the time he got to the wrapper; it took too long to get to the part he liked. So we cut that down and then made it in three sizes and put them in 10-count boxes with packaging that is more in line with the rest of the Lunatic brand. The good news is that the blend is the same as it was back then because it was a good blend. How have Aganorsa Leaf’s operations in Nicaragua been affected by COVID-19? We haven’t had any significant delays or interruptions in our production or shipments from Nicaragua. In terms of how we go about making cigars during this time, we check everyone’s temperature as they walk in to work each day, we have them wear masks, enforce social distancing and require rigorous and frequent handwashing. We also use a disinfectant liquid on their shoes to ensure they’re not bringing the virus into the factory that way.

SWEET

Visionaries 6 1/2 x 52

Dreamlands 6 1/2 x 60

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Mad Folk 4 3/4 x 70

CHOCOLATE

NUT

EARTH

CREAM

WOOD

COFFEE

SPICE

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AVO CLASSIC MADURO

NO. 2 COUNTRY

Dominican Republic

WRAPPER

USA (Connecticut)

BINDER

Dominican Republic

FILLER

Dominican Republic

PRICE FACTORY

$9.80 - $11.40 Oettinger Kelner Cigars

Eddy Guerra

Sr. Brand Manager Oettinger Davidoff AG When Davidoff announced that the company was releasing the Avo Classic Maduro, I did a double take. After re-reading the release I swore up and down that this was not a new line and our team of youngsters at Cigar Snob HQ looked at me like a senile old man. Well you can rest assured that you are definitely not senile, in fact the Avo Classic Maduro was one of the earliest blends in the Avo line and it was actually one of the first that Avo had a hand in blending. In 2014 the brand was discontinued and then re-released in 2018 as a limited edition to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of the Avo brand. There were so many people who loved it and asked about it that we put it in the plan to release it now as a full-production line. During this time when smokers are not exactly venturing out of their comfort zone to try new blends, why should someone who has never had the Classic Maduro go out and seek this blend?

AVAILABLE IN 3 SIZES

The reason why I would suggest that someone smoke it is because the rest of the Avo core line is made up of the Classic, XO, Heritage, and Domaine and while they are all phenomenal cigars, they are either Connecticut wrapper or Habano wrapper. The Avo Classic Maduro is the only core Avo that has a Maduro wrapper on it, giving it that little extra depth of flavor that none of the others can offer. But it gives you that depth of flavor while still giving you that signature Avo balance and clean finish.

While smoking the samples that were sent by Davidoff, I couldn’t help but wonder how good this blend would be in a corona or petite corona, but it was only released in three 50-ring gauge sizes. Are there any plans to produce something with a smaller ring gauge? First off, I agree that this blend would probably be delicious in a petite corona, but there is only so much space in a retailer’s humidor. We had to select the three most popular sizes and I think that with the three that we chose, most people will find something they love. And while some us may really be into petite coronas, lanceros, and panatelas, those sizes just don’t sell enough volume to warrant a full production. That’s not to say we can’t produce a limited edition in a special size but there are no plans to do that at the moment. One of the most striking things about this cigar from a flavor perspective is that in spite of the rich, broadleaf wrapper that covers it, you get very little to no spice on the palate. Can you speak to how the factory was able to achieve this? It starts with how much time and energy our company puts into the tobacco. This wrapper has been aged an extra three years to achieve this profile. You’ve been to the factory; you know how meticulous our master blender is. He works on the blend and continues to age the tobacco until it produces maximum flavor with a super clean finish. Avo cigars have always been known for elegance and class. How do you think the Avo Classic Maduro fits into this legacy? I think it’s interesting that 32 years ago Mr. Uvezian had the vision for this cigar and when they finished it, it was one of his favorite cigars in his favorite size, the No. 2 format. He loved this cigar and as we know he passed away in 2017. So it’s exciting that here we are today in 2020 bringing it back and so far it seems like it’s going to be a hit. Everyone loved it two years ago as a limited edition and people are liking it again now so I think that having that connection to the early days of Avo is extremely exciting.

SWEET

Robusto 5 X 50

No. 2 6 x 50

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No. 3 7 1/2 x 50

CHOCOLATE

NUT

EARTH

CREAM

WOOD

COFFEE

SPICE

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AGING ROOM QUATTRO CONNECTICUT

VIBRATO COUNTRY

Dominican Republic

WRAPPER

Ecuador

BINDER

Dominican Republic

FILLER

Dominican Republic

PRICE FACTORY

$10.91 - $11.42 Tabacalera Palma

Rafael Nodal

Head of Product Capability for Tabacalera USA Aging Room is a brand that you, Hank Bischoff, and Jochy Blanco started back in your Boutique Blends days. From day one we have been fans of the brand. It has one of those names that make you wonder, how did this brand not exist before. It’s such a perfect name for a cigar brand. What was your inspiration for this? It all started with a blend that we had worked on for Swag Puro Dominicano at Tabacalera Palma. Now every time we were at the factory working on blends, one of our friends or customers would come to visit and invariably ask to try whatever we were smoking. I would call out to someone from the factory and say, “Guys can you get me one of these from the aging room?” When the blend that we had been working on for Swag was ready to be released, we didn’t have a name for it. So I remembered how much I would ask for “one of these from the aging room,” and wondered if that could be the name. We were so surprised to find that it was still available because it is a perfect name for anything from wine to cigars to anything. So we called the cigars Aging Room Cigars, that’s how it started.

AVAILABLE IN 3 SIZES

The packaging for Aging Room has always featured the image of a brass knuckle, which we have always found odd, but almost ten years

later it has endured. What is the story with the brass knuckles? The brass knuckles are also tied to that first blend. At Tabacalera Palma, everyone that works there has always had the ability to get any cigar they want and as many as they want throughout the day, but when it came to this new blend we just didn’t have enough. So we told the guys, please don’t smoke this one. In spite of this, the inventory kept dropping and dropping and we really did not have enough of that tobacco to make more. So there was this one guy who was a table supervisor at the factory and he always carried around one of these brass knuckles and he’d always go from table to table wearing the brass knuckles. Well one day we go into the aging room to check the inventory of the new blend and right next to them we find the brass knuckles! Now we knew who was smokin’ these limited cigars! So we decided to leave the brass knuckles next to the cigars as a symbol to stay away from these. Then later when it was time to come up with the packaging for the Aging Room, we incorporated the brass knuckles making it a very unique design. Some people have thought that it means that the cigars are strong or something like that but it isn’t about that, it’s really just based on that. An uncommonly high percentage of Aging Room products are box-pressed. What goes into the decision of box-pressed vs round? Do you typically start with the concept from a packaging standpoint or does it start from the blend? It’s always been about the blend. Back then I did not know much about box-pressed cigars. We had tried it with some lines like the M356 but not much. And then we started working on the Quattro line, which was originally the F55 blend, and the wrapper was genuine Sumatra wrapper. We found that when we pressed it, it looked beautiful but the decision was really made when we compared how it smoked pressed versus not pressed. It intensified the dynamic of the smoking experience. The same exact blend when pressed took it up a notch on complexity and flavor. I fell in love with it.

SWEET

Expressivo 5 x 50

Maestro 6 x 52

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Vibrato 6 x 54

CHOCOLATE

NUT

EARTH

CREAM

WOOD

COFFEE

SPICE

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VILLIGER DO BRASIL MADURO

ROBUSTO COUNTRY

Brazil

WRAPPER

Brazil

BINDER

Brazil

FILLER

Brazil

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$9.00 - $9.50 Villiger do Brasil

Rene Castañeda

President of Villiger Cigars North America It’s well documented that Mr. Villiger loves Brazil and actually, for all of the premium cigars that Villiger sells around the world, the Villiger do Brasil factory is the only premium cigar factory owned by the company. Can you shed some light on what it is about Brazil and its tobacco that Mr. Villiger loves so much? That goes back to the tobacco history of the family. Some of the first tobacco that the company ever started working with was Brazilian tobacco, so Mr. Villiger has had a very close relationship with Brazil for many years. Keep in mind that as a company we started in the machine made cigar world and to this day we use a lot of tobacco from Brazil in our machine made lines. Then in 1979 we built our first handmade cigar factory. It was called Charutos Tobajara and then a couple of years ago we moved the operation to a new, bigger facility called Villiger do Brasil. This particular blend is covered with an Arapiraca wrapper but it was released along with a sister brand covered in Brazilian Connecticut Shade wrapper. I don’t remember ever smoking a Brazilian Connecticut Shade before smoking the sample packs that Villiger sent earlier this year. Where in Brazil do they grow it and can you highlight some of the differences between Brazil-grown Connecticut Shade and the other more commonly found ones?

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We grow that tobacco in the state of Bahia. I have

seen it on cigars in local markets in Brazil but I agree, I haven’t seen it on any cigars in the US. It’s interesting because first off, it’s a very delicate wrapper. This makes it a challenge to work with and I’m assuming that that’s one of the reasons why more companies don’t use it. But it was a challenge that Mr. Villiger and the team were willing to take on in order to offer something unique to the US market. As for how it tastes in comparison to other Connecticut Shades, it is neutral on the sweetness, has the creaminess of the US Connecticut Shade wrapper and less of the bitterness. The challenge is being able to balance the other tobaccos in the blend so that you can taste that difference and as I said earlier, doing that with a very delicate wrapper. I want to be clear, the bitterness in the US Connecticut Shade is not a negative thing, it’s a bitterness that when it has been blended right allows for a good development of flavors in the cigar. If you make a little puro with only the Brazilian Connecticut Shade wrapper you can taste that creaminess, a touch of the vanilla, and a little bit less of the bitterness. It’s interesting because when we started this project we were expecting all of the attention to be on the Maduro with the Arapiraca wrapper and the Claro with the Connecticut Shade would just be something unique to present to the market. But we’ve seen consumers coming back to us constantly for more information on the Claro! Now jumping back to the Maduro, the thing that jumps out at you immediately upon smoking it is the unique sweetness on the palate. What part of the blend do you feel is responsible for this characteristic? So I mentioned earlier how the Brazilian Connecticut Shade is neutral on sweetness. The Arapiraca is the exact opposite. The sweetness of the Maduro blend is more about the Arapiraca wrapper than anything else. It brings that dried fruit sweetness that is very typical of many Brazilian tobaccos. And in this case, the entire blend is made up of Brazilian tobacco so we’re able to balance it in a way that really allows the Arapiraca’s sweetness to be the rock star of the blend.

SWEET

Robusto 5 X 50

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CHOCOLATE

NUT

EARTH

CREAM

WOOD

COFFEE

SPICE

Toro 6 x 50

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BELGIAN BEER

THE EXPLOSION OF THE CRAFT BEER SCENE IN THE UNITED STATES HAS DRAWN AN EVER-GROWING NUMBER OF BEER DRINKERS AWAY FROM GUZZLING LIGHT BEER AT THEIR LOCAL WATERING HOLE AND INTO THE TAPROOMS OF THOUSANDS OF DOMESTIC BREWERIES. BUT AS THE COVID PANDEMIC PUMPED THE BRAKES ON BEER GARDENS AND TAPROOMS, MANY ARE TURNING TO THE WARM BLANKET OF CLASSIC, OLD-WORLD BEER FROM THE OG OF ARTISANAL BEER, BELGIUM.

CHIMAY GRANDE RÉSERVE

BIÈRES DE CHIMAY

THE GRANDE RÉSERVE

separation from the outside through silence and true solitude.” You may be thinking this sounds holy and silent but when did Trappist become synonymous with amazing, world-class beer? We’re almost there. The Cistercian Order, which was founded in 1098, had become far too lax for a group of monks in the seventeenth century. These monks from the French abbey of La Trappe in Normandy focused on Benedict’s specific teachings about combining prayer, study, and manual labor, claiming that this way of life would give them a greater respect for the environment and provide a more simplistic way of living. They called themselves “Trappists” after La Trappe. This simplistic and self-reliant way of life resulted in the production and sale of a number of products, among them bread, milk, butter, cheese, wine, and you guessed it BEER! Today only certified Trappist products can bear the “Authentic Trappist Product” label in the packaging.

In the winter of 1956 the monks of Chimay decided to brew a special ale to celebrate Christmas. At that time they were only brewing the Première (Chimay Red) and that year the Christmas Ale was sold as a seasonal release. It wasn’t until 1982 that they named it Grande Réserve and began brewing and selling it year-round. It is Chimay’s most decorated brew and is available in multiple formats. Starting in 2015 the brewery began barrel aging the Grande Réserve and releasing it annually with a different combination of barrels every year.

TASTING NOTES

Courtesy of Abbey Notre Dame de Scourmont

THE ABBEY

9% ABV BELGIAN STRONG DARK ALE

TRAPPIST BEER The most basic explanation is that for a beer to be “Trappist” it must be brewed within the walls of a Trappist abbey. The beers are brewed by or under the supervision of monks and nuns who follow the Catholic Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance. These are contemplative monks and nuns who live by the 6th century Rule of St. Benedict of Nursia, emphasizing a “marked

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The Abbey Notre Dame de Scourmont near the city of Chimay in Belgium was founded by a group of monks in the summer of 1850. These founding monks traveled to the Scourmont plateau from St. Sixtus Abbey in Westvleteren and they brought with them a love of beer and the knowhow to brew it. They brewed their first ale according to monastic natural brewing traditions in 1862. The real leap, however, came in 1948 when a particularly talented and science-minded monk brewer named Father Theodore isolated the unique yeast strain that became the basis for Chimay’s beer from that point forward. Yes, even the Chimay you buy at your local liquor store today is fermented with that very yeast strain. Thank you Father Theodore. Side note: if ever find yourself with the opportunity to get your hands on Westvleteren XII, don’t pass it up.

The Grande Réserve pours out in a dark brown color sporting a tan, thin, almost whipped-like head. The aroma has a base of bread and sweet malt with hints of fruit and chocolate. The complex bready and malty aroma leads you to think the beer will be heavy and full-bodied but in fact it leans more towards a medium body and is incredibly easy to drink. While the aromas are misleading when it comes to body, the flavors are a perfect extension of the aromas. It’s a complex and flavorful blend of bread, malt, fig, and a touch of spice.

Mi Querida Triqui Traca

PAIRING NOTES THE CHIMAY GRANDE RÉSERVE AND THE MI QUERIDA TRIQUI TRACA IS A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN, PARDON THE PUN. THE BEER’S MALT AND BREAD BASE ACCOMPANIES THE TRIQUI TRACA’S DARK CHOCOLATE AND EARTH HARMONIOUSLY. THE RESULT IS A FLAVOR AKIN TO A CHOCOLATE COVERED MALT BALL LIKE THE ONES YOU LOVED AS A CHILD. CHIMAY GRANDE RÉSERVE TASTES ALMOST PURPOSE BUILT FOR CIGARS LIKE THIS.

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ST. BERNARDUS TRIPEL

BREWERY ST. BERNARD

Trappists!” And you’d be wrong; monks do not brew St. Bernardus, but the story goes a little deeper.

Trappist Product.” The new rules stated that only beer brewed inside the walls of the monastery could be considered Trappist. From that point forward, the beer brewed at Brewery St. Bernard went from being Westvletern Trappist ale to St. Bernardus, with a monk on the label.

In the early 1900s a group of monks from Mont Des Cats in France fled the increasing anti-clericalism and high taxes of France to tax-friendly Belgium. They established the Réfuge Notre Dame de St. Bernard in the village of Watou and took up cheesemaking to finance the abbey. But by 1930, France’s stance on taxing religious communities had changed and the monks packed their bibles and cheese and returned to Mont Des Cats. Before leaving they sold the dairy to Evariste Deconinck. Here’s where things get a bit funky.

TRIPEL Most of the styles of classic Belgian ales get their name from the beer’s strength. For example, single, dubbel, and tripel correspond roughly to 3, 6, and 9 percent alcohol by volume. There is wiggle room in this classification as evidenced by the St Bernardus Tripel having an 8 percent ABV. The style also calls for a beer with a deep golden color with a prominent yeast signature. This style is deceptively easy to drink and packs a wallop at 8 to 9 percent.

TASTING NOTES

Courtesy of Brewery St. Bernard

The St. Bernardus Tripel is beautifully blonde with a frothy, white head. The beer presents a nose with a delicate combination of malt, fruit, and yeast. On the palate it is smooth and flavorful and manages to strike the perfect balance of hops, malt and yeast with hints of banana, citrus, and spice.

8% ABV TRIPEL TO BE OR NOT TO BE… TRAPPIST The folks at St. Bernardus call their beer an “Abbey Ale” and the bottle sports the likeness of a jolly, beer-drinking monk, which would make anyone think “yep this beer is brewed by the sort of quiet, contemplative monks they call

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After World War II the Trappist monks of St. Sixtus Abbey of Westvleteren decided to slow down the beer operation in the abbey. They agreed to continue to brew for their own consumption and sell their beer but only at the gates of the monastery. To satisfy distribution for the rest of the country, they licensed their brand to Deconinck’s dairy and just like that Brewery St. Bernard was born. Westvleteren’s brewmaster went to St. Bernard and was made a partner in the business. He brought the recipes, expertise, and the key to Westvleteren’s flavor profile, the St. Sixtus yeast strain. Brewery St. Bernard continued brewing and selling the very “Trappist” Westvleteren until 1992 when the International Trappist Association tightened their guidelines on what could be called an “Authentic

Oliva Connecticut Reserve

PAIRING NOTES THE OLIVA CONNECTICUT RESERVE’S CORE OF SMOOTH EARTH AND PEPPER ACCOMPANIED BY VANILLA CREAM AND NUTS IS A SPECTACULAR MATCH FOR THE ST. BERNARDUS TRIPEL. THE CREAMINESS OF THE CIGAR BECOMES MORE AND MORE PROMINENT AS THE BEER WARMS IN YOUR GLASS BUT PERHAPS THE MOST NOTABLE HIGHLIGHT IS HOW THE BEER BRINGS THE SUBTLE CITRUS NOTE OF THE CIGAR TO THE FOREFRONT.

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GULDEN DRAAK 9000 QUADRUPLE bottle of beer is a far murkier matter.

BROUWERIJ VAN STEENGERGE you’ve tasted a Belgian ale on tap, you’ve undoubtedly tasted the difference. Whether you caught the difference or not is between you, your taste buds, and your knowledge of what said ale tastes like out of the bottle. You see, Belgian ales like Gulden Draak go through a second fermentation that only happens in the bottle. Some call it bottle conditioning but it’s essentially the same thing. After the beer has completed the entire brewing process, the brewer will add yeast and sugar during bottling. Then the sealed bottles go off to mature in a “warm room”. For how long and at what temperature is different from brewery to brewery but the goal is the same, to tease out even more flavor and aroma from the beer. There’s even a beneficial side effect. During bottle fermentation the yeast consume any oxygen that is in the sealed bottle, thus allowing the beer to keep even longer. This means that when this ale takes the trip from a brewery in Belgium to your refrigerator and eventually your chalice, it tastes exactly as the brewer intended.

Here’s the story as it was told to me by a history buff bartender in nearby Kortrijk and later corroborated by the brewery’s marketing team: During the Norwegian Crusade, the gilded dragon adorned the bow of Sigurd Magnusson’s ship. Magnusson was the King of Norway from 1103 to 1130 and in 1107 became the first European king to personally fight in a crusade. The dragon watched and surely intimidated many along the way as Magnusson and his men battled Muslims in the name of Christianity along the Iberian coast, Balearic Islands, and Palestine on the way to Jerusalem and later Constantinople. Magnusson by now had probably had enough of the “salt life” as he decided to trade his ships and many treasures to Emperor Alexios for horses and provisions for his land-based return to Norway. In case you were wondering, it took Magnusson three years to make it back home.

Courtesy of Brouwerij Van Steenberge

TASTING NOTES

10.7% ABV QUADRUPEL THE DRAGON Why the gilded dragon is on the bottle is easy. It is a tribute to the famed dragon that has been sitting atop the belfry of Ghent for over six centuries. The brewery that makes Gulden Draak is located just outside of Ghent. The belfry or bell tower is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the tallest of three towers overlooking the medieval city of Ghent. How the dragon ended up at the top of the belfry and subsequently on a

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The dragon stayed in Constantinople until the city was captured, looted, and destroyed during the Fourth Crusade led by Baldwin IX, Count of Flanders, in 1204. During the aftermath, the dragon ended up in Flanders atop St. Donatian’s Cathedral in the city of Bruges. That is until 1382 when the people of Ghent rebelled against Louis II of Flanders by attacking Bruges. The army of Ghent wisely hit Bruges immediately after a big holiday; many of Bruges’ soldiers went straight from the tavern to the battlefield. It didn’t go well for Bruges that day. The victorious army returned to Ghent with, among other spoils, a gilded dragon. Up the tower it went where it has been sitting ever since.

SECONDARY FERMENTATION While breweries outside of Belgium love to serve their beer on draft, Belgian breweries prefer you buy their beer by the bottle. And if

The Gulden Draak has an inviting, copper color with a sweet aroma of malts, fig, spice, and bread. This beer is smooth as can be with a medium-bodied mouth feel and a surprisingly crisp finish.

Rocky Patel Special Edition

PAIRING NOTES WE CHOSE THE ROCKY PATEL SPECIAL EDITION FOR THIS PAIRING AND IT DELIVERS. THE CIGAR’S EARTH AND PEPPER BASE ARE SMOOTHED OUT BY THE BEER’S MALTY SWEETNESS, AND THE MORE DELICATE NOTES OF BANANA AND SPICE IN THE BEER STEP UP TO THE FOREFRONT IN A DELICIOUS MANNER.

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT You deserve it.

RATED

Perfected over 154 years, yours to enjoy now. #LightUpYourSoul

PlasenciaCigars.com

MAY / JUN 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

DELIRIUM NOCTURNUM but it wasn’t a masterful strategy that brought about this success. The brewery’s CEO, Alain Delaet, loves to tell the story of how a stroke of luck, not genius, resulted in the pink elephant’s global appeal. The recipe for what is today Delirium Tremens was developed in 1989 as a contract brew for a customer in Italy. He had the name and branding ready to go and was looking for a special strong beer to sell to the Italian market. All was going well until a couple of months later when the Belgian customs tax collectors visited the brewery to review exports and the like. They stuck around afterwards to taste some beers with then-CEO Jean Delaet (Alain’s father). They fell in love with it and urged Delaet to sell the beer in the Belgian market. Keep in mind that Brewery Huyghe was quite a small operation at the time. The brewery had not even considered selling this beer domestically so they didn’t even have a name for it. The tax guys were unfazed by this hurdle and promised Delaet that they’d come up with a name for it right then and there, so they just kept drinking. Several empty glasses later, the tax guys were pretty smashed and still didn’t have a name. That’s when one of them, ready to call it quits, said, “If I keep drinking these beers looking for a name I will certainly get the delirium tremens.” He was of course referring to the state of confusion and hallucination caused by alcohol withdrawal but Delaet immediately liked the name and, against the advice of his sales manager, declared that the new beer would be named Delirium Tremens!

8.5% ABV BELGIAN STRONG DARK ALE

THE DT’S Delirium Tremens is one of the world’s great beers, no questions asked. You don’t need to know that it has been awarded multiple gold medals and countless other accolades in the world’s most respected beer competitions. All you need to do is taste it. This beer alone, with its funky, off-center branding, has carried Brewery Huyghe to unimaginable heights,

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For the packaging they used a shipment of gray bottles that had been collecting dust in storage. They were stored a few years back when the customer they were meant for went out of business. So they filled the gray, labelless bottles of Delirium Tremens and sold them directly to the public as a one-time release. Again, everyone loved the beer and couldn’t get enough of it. It was plain to see that they were onto something. They decided to make it a regular release but still didn’t have a proper label. That’s when a student who was working at the brewery that summer offered to design the label in exchange for two cases of Delirium Tremens. He came up with what he imagined were the dreams and hallucinations you’d experience under the effects of delirium tremens, taking inspiration from Disney’s Dumbo movie and Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds

BREWERY HUYGHE

and who knows what else. The end result was unlike anything Brewery Huyghe or any other brewery had released at that time. Today the pink elephant is everywhere, from the brewery’s façade to iPhone cases, even ladies’ underwear. The success of Delirium Tremens catapulted the brewery from a village brewery to a global powerhouse selling their strong ales all over the globe.

DELIRIUM NOCTURNUM To celebrate Delirium Tremens’ 10-year anniversary, the brewery released Delirium Nocturnum, a strong dark ale that like its predecessor comes in at 8.5%.

TASTING NOTES The Nocturnum is highly effervescent; it’s not uncommon for the beer to come roaring out of the bottle when you pull the cork. It pours out into a deep, copper color with a tan head. Like many of the strong Belgian ales, it does go through a second fermentation in the bottle. This accounts for yeast sediment you’ll notice when you pour it. It is flavorful and quite complex with a combination of malts, bread, dried fruit, fig, and a hint of coriander in the background.

Joya de Nicaragua Cuatro Cinco

PAIRING NOTES THE JOYA DE NICARAGUA CUATRO CINCO DELIVERS A WELL-BALANCED CORE OF EARTH, SMOOTH PEPPER, AND DARK CHOCOLATE. THESE FLAVORS PROVIDE A PERFECT COMPLEMENT TO THE BEER’S MALTY AND FRUITY BASE. WHERE THE PAIRING REALLY TAKES OFF IS HOW FLAVORS OF CARAMEL AND APPLE ARE TEASED OUT OF THE BEER AFTER EACH PUFF. SENSATIONAL.

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PETRUS OUD BRUIN

DE BRABANDERE BREWERY

family tragedies. The small operation stayed afloat by selling their pilsner beer to local cafés and direct to consumers until 1950 when Albert De Brabandere was old enough to lead the company. It was Albert who started working with wholesalers to grow the brewery’s distribution and in 1975 his son Ignace began to focus more and more on export, even sponsoring sports teams and events to expand brand awareness internationally. Now in its fifth generation of De Brabandere leadership, the brewery is one of Belgium’s most important independent brewers, exporting to more than 55 countries.

esters. The resulting beer is a deliciously sour and refreshing beer with a 7.3% alcohol content. The interesting thing is that before 2001 De Brabandere was only making this beer in order to blend it into their Oud Bruin. It was at the behest of famed beer writer Michael Jackson that the Aged Pale came to market as a standalone product. It has been winning gold medals since its release, and the brewery has been forever grateful to Mr. Jackson who passed in 2007.

YOUR OWN BLEND Recently the brewery has released the Sour Power Sampler Pack with the goal of having you, the consumer, make your own blend. Let’s say you have the Petrus Oud Bruin but think, “This beer would be even better if it was 10% more sour.” Using the Sour Power Sampler Pack, you have all of the ingredients to make your own version of the Oud Bruin!

FLANDERS OUD BRUIN STYLE This centuries-old style is often looked at as a “gateway sour” because it has a lightly sour taste combined with a richer, sweet maltiness. This balance is achieved in a simple but time-consuming process of aging a purposely sour beer with a freshly brewed malt-forward beer, then aging the blend a bit more. The sour side of the equation is sour and tart but not exactly bitter like an IPA. Just for context, let’s use the International Bitterness Unit as a guide. A typical aged sour will have IBUs in the low 20s while a typical IPA will be in the 60s. What aged sour brings to the blend is that bright, fruity, and mouth-watering sour flavor. After aging, the brewmaster blends in a percentage of young brown ale; this brings the malty sweetness to the resulting Oud Bruin, which translates to Old Brown.

TASTING NOTES The Oud Bruin, true to its name, pours into a deep brown color and on the nose delivers notes of yeast, cherry, sour fruit, and a bit of oak. While its color may tell you that it is a heavy and malty beer, the truth is that it is quite crisp and refreshing with the malt sweetness only coming in to balance the sour fruit and soft spices.

HOW’D YOU GET SO SOUR? Courtesy of De Brabandere Brewery

5.5% ABV FLANDERS OUD BRUIN FAMILY AFFAIR It’s not common to come across a business that has been owned and operated by the same family this long, especially in a part of the world that was in the center of two world wars. In 1894 beer enthusiast Adolphe De Brabandere and his son Jozef started the brewery in Bavikhove, Belgium. The brewery withstood the wars and

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Diamond Crown Maximus

The key to this intentional souring of the beer is in the massive foeders or oak barrels. In the case of De Brabandere, they employ 27 foeders. Each foeder holds over 5,800 gallons of Petrus Aged Pale. The Aged Pale is the mother beer for the entire Petrus range. After production, the beer is aged in these foeders for 2 years where the micro-organisms that live in the barrel convert the sugars that remain after the initial fermentation into acids, more alcohol, and

PAIRING NOTES TH E DIAMON D C ROWN MAXI M U S DE LIVE RS A TON OF C E DAR AN D C I N NAMON THAT COM PLE M E NTS TH E B E E R’S MALT, YEAST, AN D FRU IT CORE. TH E BODI E S OF TH E C IGAR AN D TH E B E E R ARE PE RFECTLY MATC H E D SO THAT ON E N EVE R DOM I NATE S TH E OTH E R. AS TH E B E E R WARM S U P, TH E MALT B ECOM E S MORE AN D MORE PRE S E NT WH I LE TH E C IGAR TAKE S ON MORE C REAM AN D N UTS.

ULTIMATE INVENTORY

INTRODUCING ULTIMATE INVENTORY Ready to support a locally owned Brick & Mortar retailer? The Micallef Ultimate Inventory Program means you can now buy your favorite box or bundle of Micallef Cigars. These retailers are taking orders now, and the Micallef team will ship them directly to you. We believe the best way to help America recover is by helping our business partners. Call our partners today!

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MAY / JUN 2020 CIGAR SNOB For complete list of partners visit MicallefCigars.com

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IT ND. R I P S A HA D N A LEND R A CIG ST TO , S IKE HE FIR R T S GT R E ST AMON A S I D ARE N E WH ANIES P M O C

BY S

EAN

CHA

FFIN

t was a busy day on May 8 at the Sabor Havana cigar shop in Doral, Florida. Boxes of premium cigars were everywhere, but this day wasn’t just about lighting up. Clad in masks and gloves, employees weren’t ringing up sales or giving cigar recommendations. Instead, the shop offered thanks for area first responders and law enforcement as part of its First Responder Appreciation lunch and cigar event. Visitors were treated to box lunches, refreshments, hand sanitizer, and complimentary cigars from Villiger Cigars. Shop co-owner Jorge Valdez saw it simply as a way to say thank you. “It was fantastic,” he says. “We are being protected and cared for by our first responders. Firemen, military, policemen, and medical personnel are all customers of ours. We decided to go ahead and show them some appreciation. Some of the police officers and medical people have transported Coronavirus patients to hospitals.” “I personally have been impacted by first responders when my mother had congestive heart failure and was transported to the hospital three weeks ago. To me, they are heroes. That’s one of the reasons we wanted to do this. Our relationship with this community at Doral is second to none. We wanted to give back.” The get-together serves as just one example of cigar and spirits industry efforts to lend a hand during the Coronavirus pandemic. There has been no shortage of charity and relief. From donations to service to fundraisers, manufacturers and smokers themselves have been ready to play a role in the country’s recovery.

SMOKE SIGNALS OF RELIEF Certainly Americans have faced frustration and economic hardships during the pandemic. For those in the Third World, shutdowns can exacerbate poverty even more. Alec Bradley Cigars founder Alan Rubin knew he had to help employees in Honduras. The company worked to secure basic staples like rice, beans, corn, cooking oil, sugar, and eggs for all employees at its cigar and box factories, farms, and a school for underprivileged kids the company supports. “In developing countries like Honduras people don’t have savings accounts and checking accounts, so the money they make weekly goes to buy the necessities for them and their families,” Rubin says. “This is what we tried to take care of. There are also concerns about having the proper medical facilities and solutions to handle

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Sabor Havana owners Aquiles Legra and Jorge Valdes present a $1,000 donation to the City of Doral’s Parks and Police 4 Kids Foundation. The check was received by the city’s chief of police Hernan Organvidez, Park and Police 4 Kids Chair Alberto Ruiz, and Doral Mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez. the Coronavirus if an outbreak should occur.” About 700 families received packages within a week, and employees didn’t have to worry about whether their children would be fed. “We were very pleased with the efforts of all of our friends and family in Honduras to help make this happen,” Rubin says. “I am sure there are many cigar companies throughout Central America and the Caribbean that have taken care of their people. We in the cigar business are a giving community and very philanthropic. I am proud to be a part of this wonderful industry.”

“There have been times when I’ve ended up in tears because the parents are in tears. This is a lifeline for their kids.” Alec Bradley wasn’t alone. Tabacalera USA, the company behind cigar brands like Romeo y Julieta, Montecristo, H. Upmann, and retail operations Casa de Montecristo and JR Cigar, donated $50,000 toward relief efforts in Broward County, Florida. Espinosa Cigars handed out food to first responders and others in Hialeah Gardens, Florida. Oliva donated $100,000 in food, 20,000 masks, and 1,000 gallons of hand sanitizer to groups in the U.S. as well as Nicaragua and Sri Lanka.

“Everything ran smoothly with a slight delay in getting all the masks that we ordered,” director of marketing Ian Blanken says. “We have been fortunate enough to be able to help others during this pandemic.”

RESCUING RETAILERS AND EMPLOYEES Beyond Coronavirus relief, manufacturers also worked to strengthen retailers as much as possible. Many of these small businesses faced weeks without opening. Some offered cigars to go, but revenue declines caused an economic sting. J.C. Newman created a promotion called “Brick House At My House” to partner with retailers. This involved adding a store finder to the company’s website and changing display and banner ads across partner sites to direct users to the finder. Newsletters encouraged consumers to visit individual stores for curbside pickups. The deal included five Brick House cigars, two five-year aged teaser cigars, and a J.C. Newman lighter. To incentivize purchases, those who participated with their local retailers and posted pictures on social media were eligible to win prizes. At the home office in Tampa, Florida, Newman also made logistical changes to meet CDC regulations and keep employees safe. Cigar production and shipping departments were split in half, with each group working on opposite and alternating days. The company has all employees using protective masks with hand-washing, disinfectant stations placed around the factory. Additional employees worked from home and

Zafra Master Reserve Aged 21 Years, is a rum from Panama. We hand select Bourbon Casks, to ensure their optimal condition in preparation for aging this extraordinary rum. These casks are carefully cellared under the watchful eye of our Master Ronero, where the rum interacts with the Bourbon Casks, and is masterfully blended, into this fine Small Batch 21 year old rum.

everyone received a full paycheck without furloughs or layoffs. The entire setup was an example of how the industry reacted. “The Newmans have always taken care of their employees because, as they’ve repeated, we are a family,” digital marketing coordinator Adria Rebbecchi says. “We hope this shows how much J.C. Newman cares not only for their family in their office in Tampa, but also for their family – their brick and mortar retailers – across the country.”

approach and share our desire to build longterm sustainable businesses together.”

GOOD LIQUOR AND A GOOD CAUSE Spirits companies were also quick to act. Dan Garrison, founder of Garrison Brothers Distillery, and business partner Rob Cordes acted quickly when Americans began contracting the virus. The company began producing hand sanitizer, but Garrison and Cordes wanted to do more.

Other manufacturers helped shore up retailers as well. La Palina and Room 101 teamed up to create a virtual cigar lounge to help struggling brick and mortar cigar shops. Retailers sold a special care package to customers via social media or other means. The companies would then ship those to buyers with retailers receiving a big portion of the sale.

HUMIDORS AND HELPING HANDS Relief efforts have gone beyond traditional cigar and spirits companies. The Reno Cigar Lions Club is a unique organization in the “biggest little city in the world.” The group has been part of the 103-year-old international service club for a decade.

“We wanted to give our retailers as much as possible,” company co-founder Cindy Saka says. “Business has really picked up so we’re thankful for all our customers and retailers.”

Other efforts included virtual events offering those in attendance the opportunity to win prizes. Many retailers reported profitable outings and one even said the event led to its secondhighest revenue month ever. Micallef’s “Phoenix” program provided retailers with flexibility and on-going discounts for the rest of the year. The marketing and sales team produced over 200 hours of content for customers, while also supporting retailers. “Business as normal is now a road to failure,” Micallef President Dan Thompson says. “We are coming out of a very dark time where many businesses were forced to close or shrink their operation, and cash flow is tight for everyone. We don’t know what the rest of the year looks like. And if we feel this way, we can only imagine how much it has impacted retailers. So we scrapped the traditional show deals, and are offering retailers a personalized solution to help overcome problems this year. The response has been tremendous. Our retail partners appreciate a new

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Other companies have also mixed in relief efforts. Numerous distilleries across the country produced hand sanitizer for medical workers including Tito’s Vodka and Wildrye Distilling. Bacardi donated $3 million to food and beverage workers and parent company Patron also donated $1 million. Barefoot Wine made a $100,000 donation to Children of Restaurant Employees. Aviation Gin, which is owned by actor Ryan Reynolds, began the #TipYourBartenders initiative with a $15,000 donation to the U.S. Bartenders Guild. The company added another 30 percent tip for every bottle sold through online partners.

Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust, located in New Hampshire, never closed operations and was able to keep all employees. The company focused on promotions and sales efforts to meet retailer needs.

Micallef Cigars also focused on helping retail partners and was able to keep all staff employed at current salaries. The company introduced the “Ultimate Inventory” benefit, allowing retailers to sell cigars and have them shipped directly to customers.

says. “Team Rubicon is currently doing so much to help communities. We have distributed $100,000 toward their efforts so far and will distribute more again soon.”

Unlike other affiliates, however, the Reno group has another element in common beyond service – a love of fine cigars. But this isn’t just a collection of stogie-puffing friends hanging out. The group, which includes about 30 members, takes its mission seriously.

Those donating $1,000 or more to Garrison Brothers’ Operation Crush COVID-19 receive a bottle of the ultra-limited Laguna Madre bourbon.

The company worked with Team Rubicon in 2017 for Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts. The veterans group provides disaster relief and that now included the pandemic. “We brainstormed about what could be done to raise money and awareness and at the same time, Garrison Brothers had plans to release a bourbon that had been eight years in the making, Laguna Madre,” Garrison says. Those making a $1,000 donation received a bottle of Laguna Madre, the oldest bourbon Garrison Brothers has made to date with only about 2,000 bottles produced. The premium liquor was aged for four years in new white American oak barrels and aged four more years in French Limousin oak, prized for its vanilla content. Those who donated smaller amounts received some gifts from Garrison Brothers and the goal is to reach $2 million by August. “The donation effort is going well,” Garrison

“We like to help our community and have fun while we’re doing it, although these are pretty serious times,” club co-founder David Dehls says. The club’s main focus is providing children in need with quality computer systems loaded with educational software. The “Computers 4 Kids Program” serves all grade levels and gives out computers once a month. However, with so many students needing computers for e-learning during the pandemic, that ramped up to a weekly basis. These Cigar Lions gave away 30 computers over Memorial Day weekend. “I’ve never been blessed so many times in my life,” Dehls says. “There have been times when I’ve ended up in tears because the parents are in tears. This is a lifeline for their kids.”

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

MAY / JUN 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

VITOLA 101 CORONA

The elegant and classic corona was once the benchmark cigar size. The term corona was synonymous with cigar in old Havana. In today’s premium cigar landscape, consumer demand has pushed the corona to the fringes but the size still holds extraordinary appeal with cigar industry insiders.

he corona, which is Spanish for crown, is the quintessential old-world vitola. In the class of parejos or straight-sided cigars, it was the size to which all other cigars were compared, hence petit corona, corona gorda, doble corona, and the like. To this day, older Cubans or Spaniards will often use corona or coronita (diminutive corona) when referring to a cigar. Because of the greater bal-

ance in proportions between the wrapper, binder, and filler, master blenders at a cigar factory will often times use a corona as the basis for a blend they are working on. The consumer front is where the proportions become a negative for the corona. Cost-conscious consumers get more smoking time per dollar on the bigger, thicker ring gauges, making the corona and other small ring gauge sizes less attractive.

Size and ring gauge range of what is commonly considered a corona in premium cigars.

44 THRU

“It is unfortunate that after the SCHIP, sizes like corona and robusto became endangered species because of the extra $1.00 at retail. My first choice is a robusto and second is the corona. The corona is a very elegant size, perfect for 45 minutes and the tobacco blends perfectly well. I miss that shape.” - Christian Eiroa CLE Cigars

“I live for coronas (5”-5.5” x 42). The corona was once the “middle” of the size spectrum so blends were often created in corona formats. You could interpret blends up to a 50 and down to a 30 ring gauge. So personally I’m very nostalgic about coronas because some of the best and most exciting cigars I’ve had were coronas during blend development. For me they are the benchmark. They require attention but don’t hog your whole day yet are thick enough to be able to make complex blends. I think The La Aurora/León Jiménez “Don Fernando” with a Cameroon wrapper is a perfect corona.” - Michael Herklots Nat Sherman 54 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2020

Standout Coronas

TATUAJE MIAMI

WRAPPER: Nicaragua BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua

VITOLA: Noellas PHYSICAL SIZE: 5 1/8 x 42 MSRP: $ 9.00

A. FUENTE DON CARLOS

WRAPPER: Cameroon BINDER: Dominican Republic FILLER: Dominican Republic

VITOLA: #3 PHYSICAL SIZE: 5 1/2 x 44 MSRP: $ 9.50

WARPED FLOR DEL VALLE

WRAPPER: Nicaragua BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua

VITOLA: Cristales PHYSICAL SIZE: 6 x 42 MSRP: $ 8.95

MAY / JUN 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

CIGAR SMOKING FAUX PAS CORONA EDITION A faux pas is an embarrassing or tactless act in a social situation. Now we believe in a live and let live philosophy when it comes to cigar smoking. If you paid for the cigar, cut it however you like, light it with whatever you have, and so long as you’re enjoying the cigar, puff-puff-puff to your heart’s content. But during these coronavirus times, we’re here to illustrate what not to do when you return to your favorite cigar shop.

Mr. Touchy Feely

This is absolutely gross and unacceptable anytime, coronavirus or not. He has the cigar in one hand and the cigar store’s community cutter in the other but just before cutting the cigar, he gives it the ol’ Turner & Hooch! If you’re too young to get the movie reference, Google it. Dear Lick ‘n Snipper, a properly humidified cigar does not need to be licked before cutting. But if you must, bring your own cutter. Sincerely, everyone.

He struts into the humidor with the finesse of a white rhino. Saunters over to the shelf and proceeds to touch, squeeze, and sniff every cigar that catches his fancy. Rather than inspect from a distance and only touch the cigar that he is going to purchase, Mr. Touchy Feely nuzzles up to every cigar in sight.

Puff, Puff, Give

Sharing is caring, but not when it comes to the ‘rona! You’re smoking a particularly good cigar and you want your buddy to see for himself what he’s missing? Buy him one! Don’t give him a taste of your already slobbered on and smoked stogie. This faux pas has an obvious exemption; if your smoking buddy is also your wife, do what she says. Give her your cigar, credit card and dignity… just don’t give her your corona.

Dipsy-Doo, Dunk-a-roo Named after the beloved college basketball announcer Dick Vitale, this maneuver is the “diaper dandy” of offensive behavior. You’re enjoying a cigar and fine spirit at your local cigar bar when out of nowhere one of your buddies dunks his cigar into your drink in an effort to improve the flavor of his cigar. If we hadn’t experienced this act of war firsthand, we wouldn’t believe it either.

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Lick ‘n Snip

Space Invader This guy doesn’t believe in personal space, much less social distancing. So while you’re enjoying your cigar at your favorite cigar lounge, along comes the Space Invader to get all the way up in your grill. You can ask him to give you room but Space Invaders are like a bad rash. If they had the sense to back off, they would not have invaded to begin with.

Stay at Home If you don’t feel well or are running a high temperature, don’t go to the cigar shop. Stay at home, get tested for COVID-19, and don’t come back to the cigar shop until a doctor clears you. And if you want some company while you smoke your cigar at home, listen to the Cigar Snob Podcast.

MAY / JUN 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

Movies for the ‘Rona orn in Beverly Hills to an Academy Award-winning screenwriter father and a Hollywood insider mother, Clay Roberts grew up on the sets and soundstages of some of the movies and TV shows you watched growing up. This proximity to Hollywood at an early age probably gave him his warped sense of humor. Couple that with his parents’ connections and it led him to a career producing a number of bizarre reality TV shows. You may recognize some of his work: Pros vs Joes, I Survived a Japanese Game Show, Fight Girls, and our favorite, Celebrity Bull Riding. Today Clay is the CEO of La Palina Cigars and the Intellectual Rights Producer of “Charlie’s Angels”. We’re not entirely sure what his day to day duties are in any of these positions, but whatever they are they’ve given him enough time to launch a YouTube cigar show called Cigar Lockdown with Sam Phillips and Matt Booth. And he still found time to put together this list of movie recommendations. These are films that are great to smoke a cigar to, not films that have cigars in them. If he still has a job with Internet access, we’ll ask him for that list for next issue.

If you’re like us, you’ve reached the end of Netflix and have sadly moved on to crossword puzzles and Sudoku. But who likes smoking cigars while playing Sudoku? Only losers do that. Grab a cigar, the remote, and get back on the couch! We’ve enlisted the help of a classic movie hero, no not a guy in tights and a cape, not that kind of hero. You need one who can recommend the right classic movie during these difficult times. You need…. Clay Roberts?

RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK

the most underrated action films of its time.

KINGPIN

FAMILY CONNECTION FAVORITE

WHITE HEAT YEAR: 1981 DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg CAST: Harrison Ford, Karren Allen, Denholm Elliott Watching this film makes one feel as they are in the 1930s. Pure fun. A classic Hollywood offering.

SORCERER

YEAR: 1996 DIRECTOR: Peter Farrelly & Bobby Farrelly CAST: Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid, Vanessa Angel, Bill Murray

The film isn’t just punch lines and teenage humor, but one accomplished comic performance after another. Light one up and have a laugh.

CMY

THE GOOD, BAD, AND THE UGLY YEAR: 1949 DIRECTOR: Raoul Walsh CAST: James Cagney, Virginia Mayo, Edmund O’Brien (**also a family member) FAMOUS LINE: “Made it, Ma. Top of the world …”

YEAR: 1977 DIRECTOR: William Friedkin CAST: Roy Scheider, Bruno Cremer, Francisco Rabal, Peter Capell In a remote South American town, four expatriates with nothing to lose agree to drive a truck carrying highly explosive chemicals over miles of hazardous terrain. The drivers will be handsomely paid -- if they survive. This knuckle-biting thriller is a remake of the French classic “The Wages of Fear.” One of

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reprised the role of a taciturn, enigmatic loner. Here he searches for a cache of stolen gold against rivals the Bad (Lee Van Cleef), a ruthless bounty hunter, and the Ugly (Eli Wallach), a Mexican bandit. The film’s title reveals its ironic attitude toward the canonized heroes of the classical western. “The real West was the world of violence, fear, and brutal instincts,” claimed Leone. “In pursuit of profit there is no such thing as good and evil, generosity or deviousness; everything depends on chance, and not the best wins but the luckiest.”

YEAR: 1967 DIRECTOR: Sergio Leone CAST: Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, Lee Van Cleef In the last and the best installment of his so-called “Dollars” trilogy of Sergio Leonedirected “spaghetti westerns,” Clint Eastwood

The Godfather of gangster films. Both a film noir classic and a classic gangster film. Increasingly affluent audiences didn’t want to be reminded of the Prohibition-Depression era and, consequently, the very nature of movie crime changed. Instead of being career criminals with a killing complex and delusions of grandeur, the anti-heroes of the film noir boom were essentially decent saps who were led astray by their adverse post-war circumstances or tempted into indiscretion by a smoldering femme fatale. You will need at least three sticks for this ride... Written by my father Ben Roberts & uncle Ivan Goff

MAY / JUN 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

ESSENtIALS

randed ashtrays are an essential part of your evolution as a cigar enthusiast; they are also oftentimes included as a gift with purchase. Nothing wrong with that but when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ready to take the next step, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to have to make a separate purchase. Since their establishment in 2015, Aaron Thomas Collection has been creating one-of-a-kind fused glass masterpieces with the highest attention to detail and craftsmanship. The ashtrays are available in various formats: a small two-cigar design as well as medium and large fourcigar designs. Each handmade piece comes in one of six stunning color patterns: Blue Smoky, Blue Smoky Crush, Black Smoky, Black Smoky Crush, Vanilla, and Vanilla Crush. Custom and logo work is also available by request. MEDIUM VANILLA aaronthomascollection.com

$149

60 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2020

Aaron Thomas Collection Ashtrays

MAY / JUN 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

UNITED WE SMOKE

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Since opening their doors back in September of 2017 in Frisco, Texas, Industrial Cigar Company has been preaching that “the cigar is the great equalizer.” Since their earliest mission statements and public communications, they’ve made it clear that diversity and unity would be front and center at this cigar lounge. It comes as no surprise that in the midst of this racial crisis, Industrial Cigar Company has emerged as a leader in their community. They launched a new project named Smoke Together – Stay Together. “The idea came to us when witnessing peaceful protests nationwide, with the potential of real positive justice reform,” said co-owner Brandon Frakes. He added, “We see this in our lounge every day, people of different races and backgrounds coming together to share a moment in time.” The project culminated in a photo wall that was unveiled on June 18th. The wall is made up of a series of framed photographs by Bryant McCain where he had a diverse group of Industrial Cigar Company’s customers hold up a raised fist with a cigar placed in the center of their hand. Frakes described it as, “A project about unity and the power of the cigar during times of division and racial tension. We are all brothers and sisters of the leaf and stand together in unity through these challenging times in our country.” We couldn’t have said it better if we tried.

MAY / JUN 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

The popularity of the Cigar Snob photoshoots is an amazing phenomenon. Besides being our most “read” section in the magazine, both in print and online, it is also the section that engages the most conversation with the folks we come across out in the wild. Especially when we’re able to sit down for a smoke and tell old war stories over a drink. Inevitably the stories people want to hear the most are the ones about the unbelievable adventures we’ve experienced while producing these shoots. Since I’ve been in the middle of just about all of the madness, I’ve put together a behind-the-scenes look at some of our craziest moments on location. by Ivan Ocampo

THE ITALIAN JOB NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017

Featured brands | CAO Italia & Cohiba Macassar |

Serendipity When the marketing team at General Cigars said they were interested in featuring their CAO Italia and Cohiba Macassar cigars with our beautiful models in Italy we were instantly on board. Little did we know the logistics alone for a project like this would be like none other that we'd ever experienced. The first thing we did was reach out to our longtime friends and collaborators at Diamond PR to see what properties they thought would be a match for this project; luckily they represent an amazing resort in Northern Tuscany – The Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco Resort and Spa. And as luck would have it, the general manager is a cigar smoker and fan of Cigar Snob. Pack your bags! Planes, Trains, and Automobiles During the planning stages of the shoot, most of my time was taken up coordinating travel for a team of 8 people from different parts of the world and getting them to Barga, Italy, where the Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco is located. Barga is a small medieval town in the mountains of Tuscany, about a 2-hour drive from the metropolitan city of Florence. Luckily everyone would be traveling in and out through Milan, the nearest major airport hub. So in order to get to our resort, we would need to book and coordinate separate planes, trains, and automobiles to get the crew of 8 to our final destination at the same time. In my case it was Air: Miami – London (9 hours), London – Milan (2 hours), Train: Milan – Florence (2 hours), Car: Florence – Barga (2 hours). To complicate matters, everyone had a different return itinerary. For example, I was going to meet my wife in Milan, the photographer was flying to Paris, Erik was staying in Tuscany for a few days then going to Bologna before heading back home. On and on, every itinerary was unique and every time something changed it set off a chain reaction. Cinque Terre The shoot called for two days of shooting in two locations. The first was at

the Renaissance Tuscany and the second was in picturesque Cinque Terre. Specifically, in the town of Manarola, which is absolutely breathtaking in every sense of the word. Normally we plan one full day of location scouting before the crew arrives. In addition to planning the shot schedule, the scouting day also ensures that we won’t run into any surprises that could put a stop to the shoot. There have been times when we’ve had no choice but to wing it and bypass the scouting day but for this shoot, we made it non-negotiable. Thank God we did. When we arrived to scout Manarola, the guard at the gate informed us that no vehicles, other than those who live in the town and had a permit, were allowed to drive past the gates and into town! Without being able to drive the equipment down to water level, we would have a half-mile walk down a winding tourist-filled walkway down a steep mountainside carrying about 600 pounds of luggage/equipment. Even worse, we’d have to lug the stuff back up the steep walkway at the end of a full day of shooting. No bueno. In spite of this, we decided to soldier on and descend into Manarola to scout it because getting to this point and not doing it would be criminal. NOTE: Manarola in person is even more awe-inspiring than what you’ve seen in pictures but also incredibly crowded with tourists. We found the shots and came up with a shot schedule then walked back up the steep and winding walkway with two things on our minds: the first was that we cannot pass up the opportunity to shoot here and second that if we have to carry equipment up this walkway it very well may be the last shoot we ever do. They will have to bury us in Manarola. We reached the gate with renewed resolve. We would figure out a way to have the equipment driven down and up even if we had to bribe, steal, or... you get the idea. We approached the guard’s shed and noticed there was a different guard on duty. He was intently watching something on his phone so we waited for him to notice us. In the meantime we were discussing options and ideas in Spanish. Before we could react, the guard had jumped out of the shed and was now standing closer. He was looking at us in what looked like shock or horror, it was hard to read his expression. And he said abruptly, “Ustedes son Cubanos?” Are you Cubans? I felt an instant relief. It turns out that he not only spoke Spanish perfectly but loved traveling to Cuba and had been there 11 times. “I’ll be there again next month!” he proclaimed proudly. When we finally got him to stop talking about his favorite spots in Cuba we asked about transporting equipment into town. “There’s a service that my friend operates that does that, he charges 20 Euros for a full van load.” Our Cuba-loving friend even coordinated the pick-up and drop-off times with the van. Needless to say, we bought him a beer and shared cigars with him on the day of the shoot. The Key As you can tell from the images on these pages, the shoot was a success. The team celebrated that evening way into the night, and on the following morning we were running late for our train out of Florence. I was tasked with getting us from our resort in Barga to the Santa Maria De Novella train station in Florence and we only had one hour to get there. It’s a two-hour trip. The plan was to drive directly to the station and drop me, the model, and the photographer off so we could go into the train station while Erik would keep the rental and do a travel editorial in Bologna. Miraculously we managed to get to the train station two minutes before our train was scheduled to depart, even with all of the construction and detours in Florence. The dropoff was hectic. We jumped out of the car with luggage/equipment in tow and frantically ran into the station while Erik jumped into the driver seat of the rental and drove off into the Firenze sunset without any customary goodbyes. Feeling accomplished, the crew and I arrived at our platform and found our train still there preparing to leave. “What a relief,” I’m thinking to myself, and then my phone goes off – it’s Erik….”You kept the car keys!” he’s yelling. “I drove off and the car shut off about 2 blocks away!” A million terrible scenarios run through my mind but I decide to jump off the train and run back onto the terminal and put the keys somewhere for Erik to find and hope to run back in before the train leaves. I run into the nearest cafe and attempt to explain the situation to the cashier who hopefully will be able to hand off the keys to Erik. Unfortunately the cashier is an old Italian lady who doesn't speak English and can only make out there is a frantic American waving a pair of keys in her face while he rubs his head (trying to describe Erik’s bald head) saying a bunch of things in a terrible Italian accent. It would have been a classic scene in European Vacation. She reluctantly half-accepts the keys. I call Erik who is sprinting over from two blocks away, “Go to the Moka Cafe, first cashier on the left, she’s got em!” Little did I know that there were multiple Moka Cafes in the station, but he found the right one and I guess I didn’t do so bad at describing him because the bewildered Italian lady knew exactly who he was when he walked in.

AFRICAN ADVENTURE JULY/AUGUST 2015

Featured brand | La Aurora |

No Animals, No Babies We’ve shot animals in the past, dogs for the most part – it's always been a bad idea. I have a rule we try to never break for a variety of different reasons: no pets and no babies. It's hard enough to deal with diva models at times. There’s no need to bring more personalities that are impossible to control into the mix. However, we were presented with an opportunity to feature the La Aurora Untamed line of cigars with actual exotic animals you would find in Africa so we jumped at the opportunity. Our production crew is always made up of the best and brightest talent in order to get the absolute best quality in the images we publish on our pages. My job is to put these teams together and my main focus is always on finding the best people. So when we needed a stylist to get the perfect feel for an African safari look we were trying to accomplish, I knew exactly who to call. In order to protect the stylist’s identity, we’ll call her Jane. I reached out to Jane and explained the project leaving out a few small details here and there, like the fact that there would be animals involved. Immediately she agreed and excitedly began to plan for our upcoming “African expedition.” Our expedition involved driving to Ocala to one of the biggest exotic animal trainers on the East Coast. The idea was to shoot the models with a variety of wild animals including giraffes, zebras, camels, African porcupines, and ostriches just to name a few. Some time had passed and much progress had been made since I had initially spoken to Jane when all of a sudden it hit me – “OMG! I completely forgot that she is a hardcore animal activist and is dead set against keeping wild animals in captivity.” It was too late in the game to make any changes so I would need to break the news to Jane and hope she would be ok with it. “So I forgot to mention something. There’ll be animals in this shoot,” I say to her as concisely as possible. To which she responds, “I love animals!” I continue, “These are wild animals in captivity but they’re cared for with the highest standards and have been saved from certain death conditions. They’re going to look great in the pictures. Please trust me on this one.” Jane replies, “I trust you. I’ll do it.” Crisis averted. The Day of Reckoning The day of our production comes and everything is going smooth. We are a few shots into it and everything looks great, our models are wonderful, and the weather is perfect – what else could you ask for? Thus far we’ve shot the models with a giraffe, a zebra, and a porcupine. I’m talking to one of the stylists about the clothes for the next shoot when the head trainer asks me, “Where should we set up the barricades?” Barricades? “Why do we need barricades?” I ask. “It's the ostrich, he has a temper.” Out from the back of the property comes a dusty pickup towing a horse trailer that gets backed into the area which was barricaded. As it gets closer to us we can see that the trailer is rocking violently as if there is an enormous mythical beast trying to escape. I look over at Jane and her face is flushed with concern. Back and forth the trailer bangs. When it finally stops rocking two strong cowboy-looking handlers go inside the horse trailer and quickly close the door behind them. The banging and rocking and sounds of physical struggle rise to

a crescendo and then the moment of truth – release the beast! The back door slams open and out emerges this behemoth of a bird with its head and neck covered in a large white athletic tube sock, the one with the red stripe! It’s the strangest sight you’ll ever see. It looks like a deranged sock puppet on top of a prehistoric turkey! The cowboys attempt to wrangle the bird as they each hold on for dear life, but they’re getting ragdolled by this thing. In the middle of this bizarre puppet show I happen to notice the ostrich now has a small scrape on one of its shins with a drop of blood rolling down its leg. I think to myself, “I hope Jane doesn’t see that, she’s liable to call in the activists and shut this place down.” Then one of the cowboys reaches up and yanks off the tube sock from the ostrich’s head. I’m not sure what a happy ostrich looks like, but I can assure you this one is not. He looks pissed! Poor Jane is horrified. She can’t bear to witness the ostrich frantically racing around inside of this makeshift pen angrily swiping and pecking at anyone and anything within reach. I look over and she is under a large tree sobbing while being consoled by another crew member. It breaks my heart. The rest of the crew is speechless. I’m wondering how in the world we are even going to get this beast on frame without it pecking at the model. I walk over to the photographer who is standing even farther away from the ostrich than most and ask how he thinks we should shoot it and he mockingly hands me the camera. I finally come to my senses. “Let's move on,” I say. Are camels aggressive? No animals were harmed in the creation of these images. Except for the nick on the ostrich’s leg, which they tended to immediately after we moved on to the camels. Jane is living a happy and healthy life after the minor incident that took place that day and is still a valued member of the Cigar Snob crew.

CABO SAN LOCO MARCH/APRIL 2016

Featured brands | Fuente Fuente OpusX & Don Carlos Personal Reserve |

The Permit They were making us jump through hoops at the Mexican embassy to get the permit that would allow us to take photo/video equipment into the country. No matter what I did, I just could not get the paperwork approved. It was as if they had never been presented with a project like this before. Are we the only ones who have ever flown into Cabo San Lucas to take pictures for a magazine? This cannot be. They could not understand that the photographer owned his own equipment, yet the magazine was producing the shoot. What was so difficult? The only solution the embassy could come up with was to find a common denominator – so they suggested I sign for the equipment as if it was mine since I was heading up the production and would be on the same flight into Mexico. I was tired of the back and forth and thought, “Fine, as long as you hand us a permit after this long and arduous process, let’s get on with it.” This technicality would rear its ugly later on. You Have My Word In the weeks leading up to the shoot I kept hearing from the agents representing the two models that we needed to take extra special care of them when flying into Mexico City. There had been instances where their models had been put in dangerous situations and they wanted us to avoid that scenario at all costs. Truthfully I wasn't exactly sure how I’d be able to “protect them” if I personally would not be escorting them. But since we weren't going to shoot in Mexico City I assuredly told them, “Absolutely we will take care of them! You have my word.” Most of us had connecting flights to Cabo through Dallas, except for one model. A tall and gorgeous young woman from Serbia who did not speak a syllable of Spanish. Sure as the night follows the day she misses the last flight out of Mexico City to Cabo. She’s stuck having to spend the night with no one from our team to help her get through this. Could she survive the night in Mexico City and avoid everything the agents warned me about? I promised them that I would take care of her and there is nothing I can do to fulfill that promise. My stress levels are now officially through the roof and I am just praying that she makes it through the night unscathed. Oh and God, if she can also make it to Cabo in time to salvage the shoot, that’d be great. I’m not the most religious guy but I prayed hard that night. Land’s End The entire idea of shooting in Cabo was based on one specific image we had in mind – we were there for our “money shot” – the Land’s End arch. It's the iconic rock formation shaped like an arch where all of the breathtaking images of Cabo are taken. We were thinking: model, cigar, arch – BOOM! It doesn't get any better than that. Erik arrived a day early to scout our ultimate selfie spot – as we typically do on road trips. I arrived the next day and as soon he saw me he said, “We have a problem, this ain't a piece of cake. I was able to get a fisherman to take me out and check out our spot. First of all to get the shots we will need to get onto a beach that is only accessible by boat and happens to be a protected beach so there is no docking or anchoring, so we will need to jump off in knee-deep water and carry all the delicate and hard-to-replace gear up onto the beach.” He gave me a good scouting report except for one minor detail: the waves are hellacious! And to throw a little adventure into the mix, our photographer is deathly afraid of boats and sharks. Surf’s Up Dude We arrived at the beach on a front-loading boat Erik was able to hook up and the scene was reminiscent of the North Shore in Hawaii. I put on a happy face but I was concerned as I watched the massive waves crashing over and over again. The boat captain told us he would try to get us as close as possible to the shore and we should try to get as much gear off on each run because the waves will not allow us to get everything off in one try – it seemed like a sensible plan. We let the model, hair and makeup artists, and fashion styling team off the boat first as we watched and wondered how in the world we would get the gear ashore. Here’s how this works: the boat captain waits for the right moment when a wave is coming in and gets the boat as close as legally possible without touching the sand – remember, it’s a protected beach. He yells for people to climb out of the front of the boat until the surf starts to pull the boat back and he yells over the revving engine to stay put. He does this a couple of times and the women are now off the boat and onto the beach and it is just our scared-shitless photographer, Erik, me, and tons of equipment in the boat. It’s go time. Francisco, the boat’s “first mate,” is going to stay on the beach and from the chest high (not knee-high) water we will hand him the equipment cases and he will run them up to a safe spot away from the surf. The

plan is to do this over and over until everything is on the beach and dry. Sounded doable but in practice, it is nearly impossible to keep our balance as the waves push and pull us while we hold heavy equipment over our heads and pass it to the waiting arms of Francisco. We forge ahead, storming the beach with a seemingly endless amount of gear. It is going so well....until suddenly it isn’t. A not-exactly-waterproof case holding the camera and all of its lenses is floating away in the Sea of Cortez! “Oh my God! The camera!” I yell. The photographer, who instantaneously and miraculously loses his fear of boats and sharks, swims after it and is able to reach the bag and pull it back out. “What happened?” I ask. Unbeknownst to us, while we were handing Francisco the cases, he was not running all of them up to the safe zone. When a particularly large wave came in, it reached a couple of cases and pulled them into the surf. The most critical, of course, was the one it pulled farthest out. We finally carried it up to safety and immediately opened it. Everything was wet. While we were on the beach with wet gear and diminishing hopes, the model who had missed her connection the night before was landing safely in the airport in Cabo. Prayer 1 answered, she was safe. Now we just needed her to get to Land’s End in time to incorporate her in the shoot and for the camera to survive its Sea of Cortez skinny dip. It felt like hours as we waited for the camera to be dry enough to test. We had a backup camera but the wet one was the one we needed for the most important shot, the money shot. We changed our shot schedule on the fly, started shooting the other shots and kept hoping that the main camera would come to life. And eventually it did! Although there was sand and salt in every crevice of the camera and lenses, it worked. The model arrived, we got the shots, and life was good. The celebratory post-shoot dinner that night was extra-special. The Weight of Paper The photo shoot was a smashing success by all accounts. Off to the airport we go. I’ll be dropping off the crew and I’ll be sticking around to get in a few days of much needed rest and relaxation with the wifey who is scheduled to land in a couple of hours, after all it’s my birthday and I had just produced a killer shoot under dire circumstances. I park the rental car and start helping Erik and the photographer lug the obscene amount of equipment over to the ticket counter to see the team off. Maybe I can even get in a round of golf while I wait for my wife. I allow myself to dream. As I say my final goodbyes to everyone, the photographer comes up to me and says, “We have a problem.” I hear this a lot. “They are not letting me fly back with my equipment,” he says. It turns out that the permit headache we worked around at the embassy is about to wreak havoc on my birthday plans. According to the airport Customs agents, since I signed for the equipment, I’m the only person allowed to fly out of Mexico with it (insert expletive here)! Unfortunately, the photographer needed his equipment in Miami the next day for another job, otherwise I would have kept it until I returned 4 days later – not that I would have enjoyed being responsible for over 200k worth of equipment left in my hotel room but I would have taken that option. No matter how much we argued, cajoled, and pleaded; the only solution was for me to leave Mexico with the equipment. Keep in mind my wife is in the air on her way here. Lack of flights forced us to book a flight for me into Ft. Lauderdale (making stops in Dallas and Atlanta along the way), Uber to Miami Beach to hand deliver all 8 cases of heavy-ass gear to the photographer (insert every expletive in my vocabulary here). Then Uber back to Ft. Lauderdale in the wee hours of the night to catch a flight back to Cabo with connections. At this point it is now my wife who is alone in Mexico, and she’s worried because all I have reported since I landed in Cabo are horror stories. She barely likes to go to the bathroom by herself let alone be solo in a foreign country. Under any other circumstances I would have stayed put right there in Miami Beach and called it a day but I would probably be served divorce papers the next day. Happy birthday to me. I arrived in Cabo exactly 24 hours after I had initially attempted to drop off the crew the day prior. Yes you read all of the above right, I flew halfway around the world in a day to Uber a camera, lenses, and some lights because of a piece of paper they made me sign at the embassy – ‘tis the life of the producer. Hope you liked the shots.

THE PERFECT SHOOT MAY/JUNE 2013

Featured brand | Nestor Miranda Special Selection |

The recurring theme in all of these adventures will always be some unexpected problem that rears its ugly head. Havoc always seems to pop up at the most inopportune time; when we have everything on the line and everything to lose. We always figure out a way to recover, but unfortunately it’s very rare for a production to go off without a hitch – it’s the nature of the beast. Then in the May/June 2013 issue, the stars finally lined up perfectly. It’s what I like to call our perfect shoot, but it didn’t start that way. I’m going to let you in on a little trade secret. As much as I would like to take credit for how great our pictorials look, the reality is: it's all about the model. If you don't have a beautiful girl, you don't have anything. (Don’t get offended when I say girl, that’s how they are referred to in the fashion business.) When we set out to create magic for our Outdoor Issue, I was able to secure Pine Creek Sporting Club (pinecreeksportingclub.com), an amazing location with everything you could ask for in this type of shoot. However, after countless castings we had still not found the right model. We prefer to have everything lined up so that the photographer just has to show up and fire away but on this one, I was running out of time. Thankfully I got a call from the photographer, David Benoliel, saying, “Ivan, I have ze (the) girl.” He speaks with a very thick French accent. “OK I’m listening...” although the idea of shooting a model sight unseen scares me like you can’t imagine. I dig a little deeper. “David this is an outdoor issue and she’ll have to be sexy in the heat and humidity. We’ve secured an amazing location and we can’t botch this.” With unwavering confidence he replies, “She is ZE ONE.” I still don’t even know who he’s talking about, let alone seen an image of her. He sent me the portfolio of Yara Khmidan, who in 2013 was a relatively raw and undiscovered talent just starting out in fashion. David, who is an incredibly talented and accomplished artist himself, had so much conviction about this decision that we went for it. Since then, Yara’s become a shooting star in the industry with major campaigns for Victoria’s Secret and Guess to her credit. I like to think we beat Victoria’s Secret on this one.

CHATEAU DE LA FUENTE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

Featured brand | Fuente Fuente OpusX |

No Model Remember how I said the model is the most important aspect of the shoot? Well we almost didn't have one when we flew down to the Dominican Republic to shoot at the iconic Chateau de la Fuente. Producing these shoots is a very stressful undertaking. And when it involves travel even more so. Most of the time the stress level of each shoot disappears once the shutter starts clicking – that means we’re off and running. So, when I got a call from the model agency the evening before the shoot, my heart stopped. I hesitated slightly before answering the call. I could feel the bad news coming. “Meagan didn't make her flight out of LA.” Silence. As calm, cool, and collected as I could be I proceeded to ask, “What do you mean she missed her flight?!” The model, who lived about 40 minutes away from the airport, realized she had left her passport at home when she arrived at LAX. Honest mistake, terrible timing. The reality is that we just can't start changing things mid-stream once the plan is in play. There are way too many elements that need to happen on schedule or else it all falls apart. If it all falls apart everyone flies back home and we are on the hook for all the expenses and no pretty pictures on our pages. Definitely not happening. I gathered myself and said to the agent, “Listen, the rest of the crew and I have all arrived in the DR and our sponsor Tabacalera Arturo Fuente is expecting us to follow through on the story we have promised. Let me look at flights to see how fast we can get her here. I’ll call you back.” The agent assures me that she will board any new flight we book and will be at the location as soon as possible. For a little context: LAX to Santiago, DR is not a hop, skip, and a jump away. It’s a long trek which involves connecting flights and there aren’t multiple flights coming in each day. In other words when it comes to Santiago, Dominican Republic, LAX is no JFK. Next flight into DR won’t land until 10:30am the next morning. This means that at best, she lands at 10:30, gets her bags, goes through Customs, and takes transportation to get her to where we are. It would not be until noon or so. She would then start her hair and makeup which takes another 2 hours minimum and then start trying on clothes. For lack of a better term – it would be a shit show. Not to mention the poor girl would understandably be beaten to hell from all the travel then would have to work frantically and into the night. Not the best scenario. Luckily, this story has a happy ending. The Fuentes and their incredible team were able to accommodate us by pushing everything back until the model arrived. We ended up with an incredible shoot that is constantly talked about. And the cover, with Meagan in a green dress inside one of the Fuente aging rooms, is one of the most successful images we’ve ever produced. And in case you were wondering, Meagan is a total sweetheart and was very apologetic and professional throughout the shoot. To this day she is still one of our all-time favorite models to work with.

Artwork by Andy Astencio

48 CIGARS

GRAN TORO Oliva Serie V Melanio

$ 15.06

VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Double Toro 6 60 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua

Don Pepín García Cuban Classic

Ultra-flavorful and beautifully balanced, this medium strength blend produces a generous smoke output with flavors of nuts, cocoa powder, cedar, and caramel complemented by a rich, creamy note and a touch of spice.

$ 9.70 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

2001 6 60 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

Undercrown Sungrown

N I CA R AG UA An impeccably constructed gran toro covered with a clean, light brown wrapper with excellent sheen. Flavors are bold and balanced with a healthy dose of pepper, earth, and cedar complemented by cocoa, toasted almond, and a touch of cream.

$ 11.1 4

VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Gordito 6 60 Ecuador USA Nicaragua

H. Upmann 1844 Añejo

N I CA R AG UA Smooth and creamy with a profile of nuts, cedar, and soft pepper complemented by a touch of earthiness in the background. Draws and burns impeccably while leaving behind a solid ash that falls off in solid chunks. Medium strength.

$ 8.10

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Magnum 6 60 Ecuador USA Honduras, Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

Casa Magna Colorado

H O N D UR AS A well-balanced blend covered with a clean, milk chocolate colored wrapper with a velvet feel. This medium strength gran toro has notes of wood, sweet spice, and leather complemented by a rich, almond cream flavor throughout.

$ 10.19

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Gigantor 6 64 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

Alec Bradley Prensado Lost Art

90 86 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2020

N I CA R AG UA

N I CA R AG UA Consistently well constructed and covered with a thick, reddish brown wrapper with excellent oils. Delivers a medium strength profile of leather, dark roast coffee, and cream accompanied by more subtle notes of toffee and spice.

$ 12.85 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Double Toro 6 60 Honduras Honduras & Nicaragua Honduras & Nicaragua

H O N D UR AS A thick, box-pressed blend covered with a supple, light brown wrapper with only minimal veins. This medium bodied gran toro delivers a core of earth, subtle pepper, and salted nuts accompanied by a hint of cream.

MAY / JUN 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

TORO Herrera Esteli NorteÃ±o

$ 9.6 8

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Toro Especial 6 50 Mexico Honduras Nicaragua

Tabernacle Havana Seed CT #142

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Toro 6 52 USA/Connecticut Mexico Honduras & Nicaragua

N I CA R AG UA Impeccably constructed and covered with a thick, toothy wrapper with sheen. Builds to a medium to full strength with a profile of earth, roasted nuts, pepper, and coffee balanced by a rich, heavy cream with a touch of sweetness.

$ 8.95 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Toro 6 54 USA/Connecticut Nicaragua Nicaragua

Diesel Delirium LE 2020

N I CA R AG UA Delivers a core of pepper, charred oak, and molasses joined by notes of cedar, walnuts, and a hint of salt. This thick, well-constructed toro is covered with a clean, dark brown wrapper with only minimal veins showing.

$ 10.00

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Toro 6 52 Ecuador USA Nicaragua

Brick House Maduro

N I CA R AG UA Loaded with flavors of earth, pepper, and charred oak complemented by more subtle notes of raisin and dark chocolate. Impeccable construction leading to a perfect draw and burn leaving behind a solid, compact ash.

$ 6.90

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Toro 6 52 Brazil Nicaragua Nicaragua

La Flor Dominicana La Nox

89 88 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2020

Finished with a soft box-press, this flavorful blend is covered with a dark brown wrapper with a slightly toothy feel. Medium bodied with a balanced profile of earth, soft pepper, and wood accompanied by notes of cocoa, roasted nuts, and a hint of coffee.

$ 11.75

Sindicato Affinity Maduro

N I CA R AG UA

N I CA R AG UA A well-balanced blend with notes of wood, spice, earth, nuts, and cinnamon delivered along an easy draw and an even burn. This medium strength toro is covered with a dark, slightly bumpy wrapper with good oils.

$ 12.20 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Toro 6 1/2 50 Brazil Mexico Honduras & Dominican Republic

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Medium to full bodied and covered with an exceedingly dark wrapper with a matte look to it. Provides a firm draw while delivering a heavy profile of molasses, charred oak, mocha, and pepper complemented by a touch of roasted almond.

MAY / JUN 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

TORO Four Kicks Mule Kick LE 2019

$ 10.95 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Toro 5 7/8 52 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua

AJ Fernandez New World TAA Redondo

VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Beautifully balanced and complex, this medium to full strength toro opens with a sweet, peppery taste that is quickly joined by notes of earth, cedar, cinnamon, and a hint of leather. Covered with an impeccably applied wrapper and a neat triple cap.

$ 8.00 Toro Extra 6 1/2 55 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

Powstanie Broadleaf

N I CA R AG UA Covered with a clean, dark brown wrapper with a toothy feel, this flavorful toro is loaded with pepper, roasted almonds, and sweet cream held together by a smooth, earthy background. The superb construction provides a perfect draw and burn.

$ 11.00

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Toro 6 52 USA Indonesia Nicaragua

Cohiba Royale

N I CA R AG UA Flavorful and consistently well constructed, this medium plus strength toro is finished with an oily, medium-dark brown wrapper. Delivers a profile of pepper, oak, and espresso balanced by notes of cinnamon and butterscotch.

$ 28.99

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Toro 6 50 Nicaragua Dominican Republic Honduras, Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

AVO Improvisation LE 2019

89 89

H O N D UR AS A core of earth, pepper, and mocha along with more subtle notes of cedar and raisin. This medium to full strength blend is covered with an oily, dark brown wrapper. Provides an excellent draw and produces a good smoke output.

$ 15.00 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Toro 6 52 Ecuador Dominican Republic Peru & Dominican Republic

Punch Knuckle Buster Habano

90 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2020

N I CA R AG UA

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Beautifully box-pressed and covered with a supple, light brown wrapper. Produces an easy draw and a high smoke output with notes of cedar, spice, and cream accompanied by more subtle notes of coffee and cocoa.

$ 5.49 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Toro 6 50 Nicaragua Nicaragua Honduras & Nicaragua

H O N D UR AS Covered with an attractive, reddish brown wrapper with sheen, this medium strength toro delivers a core of nuts, cedar, and cayenne pepper accompanied by a sweet earthiness in the background.

MAY / JUN 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

ROBUSTO Aging Room Pura Cepa

$ 12.6 8

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Rondo 5 50 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos

An impeccably constructed robusto featuring a well-balanced blend of cedar, pepper, and earth complemented by a rich, sweet creaminess in the background. This medium strength blend draws and burns perfectly while producing tons of thick, aromatic smoke.

$ 10.30 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Robusto 5 50 Cameroon Dominican Republic Dominican Republic

My Father La Gran Oferta

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Superb balance and complexity. Consistently delivers a smooth, creamy profile of cinnamon, cedar, nuts, and spice along a flawless draw and burn. Produces an abundant output of highly aromatic smoke while leaving behind a solid, compact ash.

$ 8.10

VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Robusto 5 50 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua

Alec & Bradley Gatekeeper

91 90

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Robusto 5 50 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

Loaded with intense flavors of dark chocolate, dark roast coffee, and pepper complemented by sweet earth and a ripe fruit sweetness in the background. This full strength blend is impeccably constructed and covered with a dark, toothy wrapper with excellent oils.

VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Ultra-flavorful and balanced with a core of earth, cocoa, and red pepper joined by raisins, leather, and a hint of cream on the finish. Consistently well made and covered with a dark, slightly toothy wrapper.

$ 25.00 Robusto 5 50 Honduras Honduras Honduras

Las Calaveras Edicion Limitada 2019

N I CA R AG UA

$ 10.50

Camacho Diploma Black Special Selection

92 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2020

N I CA R AG UA

H O N D UR AS A thick robusto finished with a neatly applied, dark brown wrapper with minimal veins showing. Produces a highly aromatic smoke output with notes of leather, coffee, and earth accompanied by nuts, wood, and deep pepper. Medium plus strength.

$ 11.75 LC50 5 50 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua

N I CA R AG UA Covered with a reddish brown wrapper with a smooth, velvet feel. This medium to full strength robusto delivers a rich, creamy, textured smoke highlighted by notes of almond, caramel, and wood with a touch of earth and pepper.

MAY / JUN 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

ROBUSTO Aganorsa Leaf Connecticut

$ 7.69 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Robusto 5 1/4 50 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua

Rocky Patel Vintage 1999

Complex and perfectly balanced with a core of pepper, caramel, cedar, coffee, and a bit of cinnamon spice. Features superb construction and a velvet textured wrapper neatly finished in a pressed format. Medium plus strength.

$ 10.2 9

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Robusto 5 1/2 50 USA/Connecticut Honduras Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

Oliva Connecticut Reserve

H O N D UR AS Smooth and creamy with a balanced, mild to medium bodied core of cedar, soft pepper, earth, and a touch of cinnamon. This consistently well-made robusto is finished with a supple wrapper showing minimal veins.

$ 7.30 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Robusto 5 50 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua

Aladino Connecticut

N I CA R AG UA Beautifully constructed, this medium strength blend consistently draws and burns well producing tons of thick, aromatic smoke. Flavors of wood, soft pepper, and earth complemented by a touch of roasted almonds.

$ 7.80

VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Robusto 5 50 Ecuador Honduras Honduras

Brick House Connecticut

H O N D UR AS Mild to medium bodied with a profile of wood, earth, and smooth spice accompanied by notes of cocoa and cream. This well-constructed robusto consistently provides an excellent smoke output leaving behind a solid, compact ash.

$ 6.60

VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Robusto 5 54 USA/Connecticut USA Nicaragua

Macanudo Inspirado

N I CA R AG UA Delivers a core of pepper, earth, and roasted almonds complemented by more subtle hints of sweet vanilla and black American coffee. Finished with a thin, light brown wrapper with slight veins showing. Mild to medium strength.

$ 6.7 9

89 94 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2020

N I CA R AG UA

VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Robusto 5 50 Ecuador Indonesia Mexico & Nicaragua

H O N D UR AS Covered with a light brown wrapper with a silky feel, this medium bodied robusto consistently draws and burns well producing a profile of wood, earth, and spice with a gentle touch of honey creeping in.

MAY / JUN 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

CORONA GORDA Sin Compromiso

$ 15.95

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Selección Intrépido 5 2/3 46 Mexico Ecuador Nicaragua

Don Pepín García Exquisitos

Ultra-flavorful and impeccably constructed, this medium to full bodied blend has a profile of bittersweet chocolate, coffee, and sweet cream balanced by an earth and pepper base throughout. Finished with a neatly cropped pigtail.

$ 6.90 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Corona Grande 5 5/8 46 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

Laranja Reserva Escuro

N I CA R AG UA A medium to full strength corona with a powerful profile of pepper, nuts, cocoa, and a touch of earth accompanied by subtle notes of caramel and cedar. Consistently well made and finished with a dark, reddish brown wrapper.

$ 10.00

VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Corona Gorda 6 46 Brazil Nicaragua Nicaragua

Oscar Valladares Super Fly

N I CA R AG UA Beautifully box-pressed and covered in a clean, dark brown wrapper with a toothy feel. Produces an abundant output of medium strength smoke with notes of espresso, dark chocolate, and earth complemented by subtle hints of cedar and sweet cream.

$ 9.00 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Super Corona 5 1/4 45 Mexico Honduras Nicaragua, Honduras & Dominican Republic

Illusione cg:4 Maduro

H O N D UR AS An ultra-flavorful blend covered with a dark, neatly applied wrapper finished with a nearperfect round head. Delivers a base of earth and roasted nuts accompanied by hints of ripe fruit, sweet cream, and pepper. Medium to full strength.

$ 9.40

VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Corona Gorda 5 5/8 46 Mexico Nicaragua Nicaragua

Protocol Probable Cause Red

90 96 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2020

N I CA R AG UA

H O N D UR AS A creamy and complex blend with flavors of sweet cedar, hazelnut, and roasted almonds accompanied by a rich aroma of leather and a touch of spice. This well-constructed, medium strength corona draws and burns perfectly.

$ 9.80 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Corona 5 5/8 46 Mexico Nicaragua Nicaragua

N I CA R AG UA Covered with a dark brown wrapper with a toothy feel, this medium plus strength corona delivers a core of roasted nuts, hickory, and pepper accompanied by more subtle notes of dried fruit and earth. Provides an easy draw and leaves behind a dark gray ash.

Alejandro MartĂnez Cuenca Joya De Nicaragua

Dion Giolito Illusione Cigars

Carlos "Carlito" Fuente, Jr. Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia.

Erik Espinosa Espinosa Cigars

Karl Malone Barrel-Aged by Karl Malone

cigarsnobmag.com/podcast

MAY / JUN 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

TORPEDO Aganorsa Buena Cosecha

$ 9.35 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Torpedo 6 1/4 54 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

Oliva Master Blends 3

Creamy and ultra-flavorful from the onset, this well-constructed pressed torpedo has a balanced core of cedar, cashews, and soft spice accompanied by more subtle notes of cocoa and toffee. Medium plus strength.

$ 1 4.47

VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Torpedo 6 52 USA/Connecticut Nicaragua Nicaragua

Herrera Esteli Miami

N I CA R AG UA Delivers an abundant output of highly aromatic smoke with a balanced and complex core of cocoa, deep pepper, and roasted nuts accompanied by a touch of earth in the background. Medium plus strength.

$ 12.75

VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Piramide Fino 6 52 Ecuador Ecuador Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

Viva La Vida

USA An impeccably constructed torpedo that delivers an abundant output of heavy smoke with a complex profile of coffee, roasted nuts, and pepper joined by a touch of cocoa and oak on the finish. Medium plus strength.

$ 13.00

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Torpedo 6 1/4 54 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary

N I CA R AG UA A powerful and ultra-flavorful blend covered with an impeccable, dark, reddish brown wrapper with excellent oils. This full bodied torpedo has a core of pepper, earth, and wood balanced by cocoa, roasted nuts, and rich cream.

$ 12.76 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Torpedo 6 1/8 52 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua

Island Jim San Andres

N I CA R AG UA Covered with a dark brown wrapper with a velvet feel, this medium plus strength blend delivers a heavy dose of wood, earth, and dark roast coffee complemented by notes of pepper and deep spice. Produces tons of thick, highly aromatic smoke.

$ 10.50

90 98 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2020

N I CA R AG UA

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#2 6 1/2 52 Ecuador & Mexico Honduras Honduras

H O N D UR AS A unique-looking torpedo finished with a twotoned head and an uncovered foot. The blend is earthy and sweet with complementary flavors of raisins, smooth pepper, and oak. Consistently draws and burns perfectly.

MAY / JUN 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

SHORT PERFECTO Liga Privada No. 9

$ 15.10

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Flying Pig 4 60 USA/Connecticut Brazil Honduras & Nicaragua

RoMa Craft Intemperance BA XXI

Opens with a rich, ultra-flavorful profile of dark chocolate, smooth earth, almond cream, and dark roast coffee accompanied by more subtle notes of pepper, wood, and ripe fruit. Produces an abundant output of thick, aromatic smoke.

$ 7.85 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Envy 5 50 Brazil Indonesia Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

Davidoff Escurio

N I CA R AG UA A medium plus strength perfecto with a shallow taper and a slightly exposed foot. The blend opens with tons of mocha, earth, and pepper complemented by a smooth, creamy leather note in the background. Excellent construction.

$ 1 7.50

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Gran Perfecto 5 61 Ecuador Brazil Brazil & Dominican Republic

Arturo Fuente Hemingway

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Flavorful and creamy with a core of cedar, leather, allspice, and coffee accompanied by a subtle herbal note in the background. Consistently well-constructed providing an excellent draw and burn while leaving behind a solid, compact ash.

$ 7.55 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Best Seller 4 1/2 55 Cameroon Dominican Republic Dominican Republic

Gurkha Ghost

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C A small figurado covered with an ultra-thin, light brown wrapper with minimal veins. Flavors are smooth and balanced with notes of cedar, cinnamon, and nuts complemented by a touch of spice and earth. Mild to medium strength.

$ 7.00

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Spook 4 60 Brazil Dominican Republic Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

La Aurora 107 Zeppelin

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Produces a tremendous smoke output along a good draw. This medium strength short perfecto delivers tons of bittersweet chocolate, earth, and black coffee flavors while leaving behind a somewhat flaky ash.

$ 8.95

89 100 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2020

N I CA R AG UA

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Double Perfecto 4 58 Ecuador Dominican Republic Nicaragua, Brazil, Peru & Dominican Republic

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C A short format double perfecto topped with a tight pigtail, which serves to identify the head vs foot. Opens with a blast of bitter wood that settles to incorporate notes of cedar, earth, and a touch of cinnamon. Draws and burns perfectly.

MAY / JUN 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

101

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) Rocky Patel @RockyPatelCigar......................................... Drew Estate Cigars @DrewEstateCigar............................. Padron Cigar @PadronCigars............................................ CAO International @CAOCigars......................................... Alec Bradley Cigars @AlecBradley.................................... La Flor Dominicana @LFDCigars....................................... Jonathan Drew @JonathanDrewArt.................................. Camacho Cigars @camachocigars.................................... Ashton Cigars @ashtoncigar............................................. Pete Johnson @TatuajeCigars........................................... Xikar Inc @XIKARinc......................................................... La Gloria Cubana @lagloriacubana.................................... Nick Perdomo @PerdomoCigars....................................... Miami Cigar Co @miamicigar............................................. Punch Cigars @punchcigars............................................. Davidoff Cigars @Davidoff_Cigars.................................... Ernesto Padilla @PadillaCigars......................................... AJ Fernandez @ajfcigars.................................................. Avo Cigars @AvoCigars..................................................... La Palina Cigars @La PalinaCigars....................................

34866 32986 28108 25758 20981 20200 18790 18749 18167 16518 14946 14946 13237 13010 12872 12537 12444 12205 11747 11542

TOP CIGAR RETAILERS & REPS Famous Smoke Shop @FamousSmokeShop...................... Mulberry St. Cigars @MulberryStCigar............................. Cigar Hustler @cigarhustler.............................................. Cigar Row @CigarRow..................................................... Jeff Borysiewicz – Corona Cigar Co @CoronaCigarCo....... Michael Herklots–Nat Sherman @MichaelHerklots............ Barry – Two Guys Smoke Shop @Barry2Guys................... Cheap Humidors @cheaphumidors................................... Lindsay Siddiqi @TheCigarChick....................................... Palm Desert Tobacco @palmdsrttobacco.........................

14811 13261 11164 7962 7524 6466 6342 5207 5193 4355

TOP ONLINE CIGAR TWEEPLES David Voth–Sex, Cigars, & Booze @SexCigarsBooze......... Cigar News @CigaRSS .................................................... Cigar Events @CigarEvents............................................... Cigar Federation @CigarFederation.................................. Robusto Cigar Babe @RobustoBabe................................. Stogie Boys @StogieBoys ............................................... Cigar Evaluations @CigarEvaluation................................. Cigar Inspector @CigarInspector ..................................... The Stogie Guys @stogieguys........................................... Tom Ufer @cigarsmonkingman..........................................

102 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2020

146778 16212 14829 12263 10722 8471 8335 8164 7956 6445

TOP CIGAR ORGANIZATIONS CRA @cigarrights............................................................. 14743 Premium Cigar Association @PCA1933............................. 8352 Tobacconist University @tobacconistU............................. 4537

TOP CIGAR RADIO Cigar Dave Show @CigarDaveShow................................. 11438 Smooth Draws @SmoothDraws....................................... 4259 KMA Talk Radio @KMATalkRadio...................................... 2265

SOME OF OUR FAVORITE TWEETS, MENTIONS, AND RANDOM SOCIAL MEDIA GOODNESS.

@thecigarmadame via Instagram Your path is your own and the pace at which you travel is a matter of choice. The key to maximizing the pace of your process lies in the degree to which you are able to let go and cease directing the scenarios of your drama. Allow life to unfold for you... they key to all you could become lies in your willingness to let go ...Learn to dance with the energies of life (allowing the ebb and flow to determine the direction ) Have a power filled weekend family

@cinnamoncigar via Instagram Today I just want to enjoy a good smoke #cigarsociety #cigars #cigarbabes #thecigarculture #cigarsmoking #cigarboxnation #cigarwoman

MAY / JUN 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

103

EVENTS AGING ROOM AT SABOR HAVANA Doral, Fla.

Sabor Havana in Doral hosted another one of their famous cigar dinners, this time featuring Aging Room cigars in a memorable evening of food, cigars, spirits and friends. The event, which was held before the city-wide shelter in place orders for COVID-19 took effect, was catered by Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and featured a bourbon sampling with generous pours of Jim Beam Barrel Select, Legent Bourbon, and Basil Hayden’s. As for the cigar portion of the dinner, everyone received a four-pack of Aging Room cigars to enjoy throughout the evening. In addition, Altadis USA’s Rafael Nodal was on hand to personally sign purchased boxes of Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua.

Ernesto Kranwinkel, Gabrielle Winchester, Rafael Nodal, Jill Meyers, Jorge Valdes & Aquiles Legra

Ragnar Antonio Jamieson and Gus Martinez

Adrian Hernandez, Wilson Medina and John Cartaya

Claudia Ceballos

Elizabeth and William Silva

104 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2020

Yasser Pichardo and Jose Barrera

Javier Macedo and Alfredo Michael

David Delancy and Rafael Nodal

Jill Meyers, Ernesto Kranwinkel & Gabrielle Winchester

Fernando FariĂąas, Sergio Roque & Ammer Cabrera

Elizabeth Silva and Jorge Valdes

KC Miller, Eliana Osorio and Magda Miller

Leo Valdes Recio, Gus and Fernando Martinez

Claudia Ceballos, Elizabeth Silva and Eliana Osorio

Team Ruth's Chris Steak House

Dorian Pakeman and David Morales

MAY / JUN 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

105

EVENTS CIGAR SMOKING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIER AT BURN BY ROCKY PATEL Naples, Fla.

Before the onset of the pandemic, competitive smokers from around the world descended on Burn by Rocky Patel in Naples for an opportunity to earn a spot in the Cigar Smoking World Championship. The CSWC is an annual event held in Split, Croatia where competitors face off to see who can smoke the exact same cigar the longest without re-lighting to be named the Grand Champion. This is the first year that the official competition cigar is a Rocky Patel CSWC Mareva. The closely contested qualifying match at Burn came down to the wire with the aptly-named local, Jose Fuego, winning the contest with a time of 107:32 minutes. Joanne DiMarco from Glen Falls, NY took 2nd place with a time of 107:27 minutes. The winner received a Cuervo y Sobrinos timepiece along with a fully stocked Rocky Patel signature humidor and even a glasware set. All qualifying events and the Grand Finale have been postponed until further notice due to the pandemic. However, all fans of the CSWC can still participate in a virtual contest named â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stay Strong.â&#x20AC;? For more information visit: www.cswcworld.com/page55.html

106 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2020

EVENTS AGING ROOM AT AFICIONADO’S PREMIUM CIGARS & WINE Pembroke Pines, Fla.

In another event held at the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak before the shelter in place orders were announced in Florida, Aficionado’s Premium Cigars & Wine along with Altadis USA hosted a cigar dinner catered by Fiery Irie Jamaican Cuisine and Emilio’s BBQ. The featured cigar of the evening was the Aging Room Nicaragua Quattro which was paired with an assortment of top-shelf wines provided by Monsieur Touton. Guests were surprised by a special guest appearance by Frank C. Ortis, Mayor of the City of Pembroke Pines.

Reggie Wayne and Armando Artamendi

Michelle and Oscar Benedit

Shenita Jones, Hya Stewart and Shanita Austin

108 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2020

Rafael Nodal, Elena Artamendi, Frank C. Ortis and Armando Artamendi

Ernesto Kranwinkel, Hank Bischoff, Diana Rojas, Gabrille Winchester & Paul Waller

OJ and Robert Salazar

Jerome Berry and George Dominguez

Clara and Danny Benedit

Israel Prieto Jr. and Maria Nevarez

Veronica Wade, LaShon Bush and Bridget Newsome

Juan NuĂąez and Rafael Nodal

Jonathan Yepez, Sophia, Armando and Melissa Artamendi and Didi Diaz

George Dominguez and Alicia Garces

Joel Garcia and Bill Prieto

MAY / JUN 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

109

EVENTS FIRST RESPONDERS APPRECIATION LUNCH AT SABOR HAVANA Doral, Fla.

Sabor Havana in Doral, Florida teamed up with Villiger, Miami-Dade Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz, and Prologis to host an appreciation lunch for our first responders working through the COVID-19 pandemic. The 200 attendees received complimentary Villiger cigars and were served meals prepared by Divieto Italian Restaurant and Susan Bleemer catering. In addition to the premium smokes and meals, first responders also received a bottle of hand sanitizer from Dr. Schulze and complimentary copies of Cigar Snob Magazine. Mayor of Doral Juan Carlos Bermudez was also in attendance to personally thank the first responders for their tireless service.

Rene Castañeda and Maximo Diaz

Aquiles Legra, Jorge Valdes, Brett Romberg and Erik Calviño

Noel Rodriguez and Mario Knapp

Aquiles Legra and Jose “Pepe” Diaz

110 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2020

Aquiles Legra, Juan Carlos Bermudez and Alberto Ruiz

Maritza Troches and Rene Castañeda

MAY / JUN 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

111

NEVER, EVER RAT ON YOUR FRIENDS, JUST KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHU SHUT.

LIGA PRIVADA UNICO SERIE

YEAR OF THE RAT 112 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2020