Cigar Snob Magazine November December 2021

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021

into the blue.

p. 44

HOLIDAY Gift Ideas p. 31

15

th

Anniversary

Bash p. 80

The

CHAIRMAN p. 57

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editorials NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021

20 PERFECT PAIRINGS MONTECRISTO EPIC VINTAGE 12 / JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL

22 PERFECT PAIRINGS CASA CUBA / ANGEL’S ENVY PORT BARREL FINISH

24 BRAND BREAKDOWN 24 25 26 28

LIGA PRIVADA H99 UNDERCROWN 10 CAMACHO FACTORY UNLEASHED CRUX EPICURE MADURO

31 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE It’s time to make some decisions for Holidays 2021, and we’re here to make it easier. Drinkware, drinking games, wall art and more, all aimed at making life good for your friends and loved ones.

37 TRAVEL ORLANDO FOR GROWN-UPS O-Town is supposed to be all about the family, the kids and Expedition Everest. We skip the lines and move on to the generous smoking culture of Florida’s city of lakes.

57 THE CHAIRMAN The man who calls the shots for the Seminole Tribe of Florida loves cigars as much as he loves his privacy. But he does some serious truth-telling in this exclusive sit-down on his home turf.

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TWO FIRSTS F O R PA R TAG A S With over 175 years of enduring quality, it’s not often we come across something we’ve never tried. Partagas Cortado is not only our first cigar hand-crafted in Nicaragua but also our first to feature a Connecticut shade wrapper. It’s innovation guided by nearly two centuries of expertise.

Experience Partagas Cortado

SURGEON GENERAL WARNING: Cigars Are Not A Safe Alternative To Cigarettes.

L E A R N M O R E O N PA R TA G A S . C O M

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©2021 GENERAL CIGAR CO., INC.

7

features NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021

12 LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

14 FEEDBACK

16 WHAT’S BURNIN’

44 SMOKING HOT CIGAR SNOB INTO THE BLUE FEATURING MONTECRISTO EPIC VINTAGE 12

65 RATINGS

80 15TH YEAR CELEBRATION

82 TWITTER SCOREBOARD

84 INSTAGRAM SCOREBOARD

86 EVENTS 86 MONTECRISTO EPIC AT AFICIONADO’S

88 OLD FORESTER EVENT 90 ATLANTA CIGAR WEEK EVENT 92 BLEND DAVIDOFF

GASTRONOMY EVENT

94 INDUSTRIAL CIGAR 5TH HALLOWEEN PARTY

96 SOUTH FLORIDA CRAFT BEER 5K RUN/WALK AT THE TANK BREWING

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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021

VO L . 13 IS SU E 6 www.cigarsnob.com PUBLISHER & EDITOR Erik Calviño SENIOR EDITOR Steve Miller COPY EDITOR Michael LaRocca SALES & OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Oscar M. Calviño PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Ivan Ocampo ART DIRECTOR Andy Astencio ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Jamilet Calviño DIGITAL RETOUCHING SPECIALIST Ramón Santana DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGEMENT Gianni D’Alerta Natalia Marie García CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS David Benoliel Andy Astencio Natalia Aguilera EVENT PHOTOGRAPHERS Jamilet Calviño Julia Rose Chris Serralta Brandon Frakes Cover Photography by David Benoliel www.davidbenolielphotography.com Cover Model - Hayley Maxfield Cigar Snob is published bi-monthly

by Lockstock Publications, Inc. 1421-1 SW 107th Ave., #253 Miami, FL 33174-2509 Tel: 1 (786) 423-1015 Cigar Snob is a registered trademark of Lockstock Publications, Inc., all rights reserved. Reproduction in part or full without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. Cigar Snob is printed in the U.S. Contents copyright 2006, Lockstock Publications, Inc. To subscribe, visit www.cigarsnob.com

(SUBSCRIBE TODAY) - Only $18 for one year (six issues) of -

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

10 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2021

This magazine turned 15 years old this year. What started off as a passionate side hustle during my IT consulting days has become a voice in the cigar industry that has grown steadily over these past 15 years.

People typically start side hustles for financial reasons and many fizzle out before they bear fruit. Cigar Snob Magazine wasn’t started to meet a financial need. I don’t think we would have made it past year two or three if that were the case. My dad and I both worked full time in the IT consulting business as programmers; in different verticals and disciplines but as programmers nonetheless, so there wasn’t a financial need. The need was more of an itch that needed to be scratched. The voices that were dominating the cigar world didn’t sound right to me.

I had been smoking cigars for over 10 years at that point and meeting cigar smokers all over the country through my consulting travels. I found cigars to be the most egalitarian of luxury products but what I was seeing and hearing was overtly elitist and bordering on pompous.

We launched South Florida Cigar Snob in May of 2006 and it was a rough looking little “rag” as they say in publishing, but it was a start. Our family and extended family, looking at you Ivan, drove all over South Florida dropping off magazines at every cigar shop, barber shop, car dealer, law office, doctor’s office, bar, restaurant, you name the place and we probably delivered there. It wasn’t just deliveries though. The misadventures and shenanigans of those days are far too numerous for this letter but suffice it to say that our magazines have been at the scene of multiple ATF raids, have been confiscated by DEA agents, exhibited as case documents, the list goes on and on. I don’t want you to think we were involved or implicated in these raids and confiscations - far from it - but in our attempt to blanket the South Florida cigar scene with our magazines, we’d invariably end up in some questionable locales and dealing with some “interesting” characters.

We marked our 15th anniversary with a celebration at the Hard Rock Mansion on October 2nd; coverage of that epic party can be seen on page 80. Friends and family kept asking me throughout the evening how I felt about the accomplishment and all I could say was “thankful.” I know it sounds anti-climactic but it’s true, what I felt was an overwhelming sense of gratitude not just for the years of support from the cigar community but also for this evening. Organizing the event and having it go off without a hitch was a Herculean task and there are too many people to thank but I am forever indebted to Eric Douglas, first for his unwavering friendship and second for having the faith in us to throw a party worthy of that venue. Our core Cigar Snob crew for doing everything that needed to be done leading up to that night, Azimuth Designs for all of their support, Albert Sosa for his clutch connections, and all of the cigar and liquor companies that made the event possible. Most of all I want to thank the subscribers of our magazine, the retailers who carry it in their stores, and everyone who bought a ticket and attended the party. On behalf of the team at Cigar Snob and our families, thank you.

we re-enacted the final pairing of the night from the 15th anniversary (p.20). The other Perfect Pairings featured one of our favorite bourbons with one of the best everyday smokes on the market, Angel’s Envy and Casa Cuba from Arturo Fuente (p.22). Our senior editor Steve Miller spent a couple of days with Marcellus Osceola Jr. The avid cigar smoker at the helm of the Seminole Tribe of Florida has among other things spearheaded the sports gambling compact between the tribe and the State of Florida. His story titled The Chairman starts on p.57. I visited Orlando recently and discovered a part of that city that I never knew existed. I wrote about it in a piece we called Orlando for Grownups (p.37). Lastly, by popular demand we brought back the Brand Breakdown segment and this time we dug into four very different blends and gained some insight from the people that make them, represent them, and sell them (p.24).

I want to personally thank you again for the last 15 years. I can’t think of a better group of people to be around than cigar smokers. We hope you continue to enjoy our publication as much as we enjoy bringing you the content. Remember to always be cool to one another, help those who need it, salute our troops, and smoke great cigars.

Keep ‘em lit,

*** There’s more to this issue than our 15th anniversary, though. With the help of Montecristo Epic Vintage 12 we put together a super-sexy shoot featuring Hayley Maxfield titled Into the Blue (p.44). The Montecristo Epic Vintage 12 also made an appearance in the Perfect Pairings where

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Erik Calviño ecalvino@cigarsnobmag.com

MYFATHERCIGARS.COM

ANGER OVER THE JUL/AUG 2021 LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER Hey Snobs, I’m not angry about its content, I’m angry that it’s true. I remember in a not too distant past when Americans participating in the Olympics were proud to be on Team America, and Americans were proud of the Olympians. And acting in a disrespectful manner during the National Anthem was simply asking for a smackdown. In my opinion the coaches of the American Olympians should immediately remove them from the games for this behavior. But for some reason that escapes me, we are not supposed to offend the offenders.

Thank you for printing a well-written dose of truth, common sense, and “political incorrectness.”

Jeff J. Via feedback@cigarsnobmag.com

Thankfully, most Americans at the podium conduct themselves with the grace and dignity befitting our great country. After we call out these ungrateful anomalies, let’s honor those grateful athletes that represent us so well.

ARE YOU EXPERIENCED? Many thanks for your note and the link to the current issue. It was so kind of you to provide such. I’ve just finished reading the issue from cover to cover. I look forward to reading the next issue (and future issues) via the old fashioned print version and I’m certain each will be a most enjoyable experience.

David A Scottsdale, AZ Via feedback@cigarsnobmag.com

Hey Dave, thanks for your kind words, and glad we could be of service to you. We’re happy to announce that going forward, each issue will feature at least one enjoyable experience.

COME ALONG AND RIDE ON A FANTASTIC VOYAGE I have subscribed to your FANTASTIC magazine for several years now.

I noticed that I did not receive the 1st qtr. 2021 issue and re-subscribed.

All set now.... I look forward again to reading your wonderful articles ...pairings and viewing the most attractive women advertising cigars on the planet. Of course my reading will be accomplished with my favorite cigar and snifter with D.O.M/ B&B and Courvoisier.

Robert R. Via feedback@cigarsnobmag.com

Damn. We’re trying to provide the most attractive women in the universe on our covers. Looks like we’ll have to try harder.

WRITE US AT FEEDBACK@CIGARSNOBMAG.COM 14 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2021

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NICARAGUAN CHAMBER OF TOBACCO CANCELS PURO SABOR 2022 The Nicaraguan Chamber of Tobacco has cancelled its international Puro Sabor festival that was scheduled for January. It is the second consecutive year the chamber has elected to cancel the event.

Claudio Sgroi, president of the Nicaraguan Chamber of Tobacco, said in a statement that the cancellation was a “responsible decision and taken in consensus” by all members that make up the Chamber.

Despite the pandemic, the premium tobacco industry, including that of Nicaragua, is on solid ground, as the industry is seeing a vibrant demand for its products.

The premium tobacco industry in Nicaragua employs more than 40,000 people, according to the chamber.

OLIVA ANNOUNCES NEW LIMITED EDITION SIZE OF THE OLIVA MELANIO Oliva introduces the box-pressed 4 x 60 Serie V Oliva Melanio Edición Limitada. It will be limited to 8,000 10-count boxes and will be sold exclusively to U.S. retailers.

PUNCH, CIGAR CITY BREWING, TEAM UP FOR NATIONAL CIGAR RELEASE Punch and Cigar City Brewing have joined to create “Cigar City Brewing Maduro by Punch,” featured in two sizes and packaged in a 20-count box featuring the iconic Cigar City Brewing logo.

Cigar City Brewing Maduro by Punch comes in a 5.25 x 54 Magnum ($8.29) and a 6 x 50 Toro ($8.49). The cigars are now available at select liquor chains across the U.S., with a larger rollout in early 2022.

partnership for us to create a cigar for beer lovers,” Ed Lahmann, senior brand manager of Punch, said in a press release. “This cigar pairs beautifully with the Cigar City portfolio of beers, and also stands strong on its own, with the perfect balance of complexity and versatility.”

ALEC BRADLEY CIGAR CO. INTRODUCES TRILOGY COLLECTOR’S SERIES Alec Bradley Cigar Co. has released a collector’s series of the Trilogy line, notable for its triangular shaped cigars. The trio of blends that make up the series – Trilogy Authentic Corojo, Trilogy Exotic Maduro and Trilogy Native Cameroon – come in collectable 10-count boxes designed to copy the original Trilogy released in the early 2000s.

The 6 x 52 Toros feature a Honduran Connecticut seed binder and fillers from Nicaragua and Honduras. Exotic Maduro features a Maduro wrapper from Jalapa, Nicaragua, Authentic Corojo features a Corojo wrapper from Jamastran, Honduras, and Native Cameroon features a Cameroon wrapper from the central African nation of the same name. The Trilogy cigars are produced at Tobacos De Oriente, Danli, Honduras.

Trilogy is distributed exclusively to appointed U.S. tobacconists. Retail is $15 a stick/$150 a box.

“Although we’re in a ‘boom’ and tobacco is at a premium, we were able to secure enough premium aged wrapper, binder and filler for the three Trilogy blends,” Alec Bradley founder Alan Rubin said in a statement. “By doubling production, we’ve increased the probability that more of our brand advocates will have the ability to enjoy Trilogy.”

AGANORSA LEAF RELEASES NEW EDITION OF GUARDIAN OF THE FARM

Produced at the HATSA factory in Danli, Honduras, Cigar City Brewing Maduro is a Honduran Puro, made with a Honduran Habano maduro wrapper, a Honduran Habano binder, and a combination of Honduran Habano fillers grown in various regions.

Aganorsa Leaf announces Cerberus, an addition to its Guardian of the Farm line, to be released in Q1 of 2022. Named after the mythical threeheaded hound that stood watch at the gates of Hades, the Nicaraguan puro uses Aganorsa Leaf tobacco wrapped in a Corojo 2012 Cover Leaf, the first proprietary blend from Aganorsa to use the new wrapper.

The pairing of the two companies “was the ideal

The Cerberus comes in 15-count boxes and three

16 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2021

sizes: 6 ¼ x 52, 6 x 44, and 5 x 5. There is also a limited-edition 200 10-count boxes of a 6 x 52 toro, offered as a sneak preview to members of the CIGAR.com Elite Advantage Loyalty Program.

“Corojo 2012 is going to add another level of complexity to Aganorsa Leaf ’s signature flavor and aroma,” Terence Reilly, the brand’s vice president of sales and marketing, said in a statement. “We wanted to utilize it first on the Cerberus because Guardian of the Farm is most popular with cigar enthusiasts…”

LES FINES LAMES BEEFS UP LE PETIT LINE OF CUTTERS WITH THE CAMO, ANODIZED AND INITIALE LES FINES LAMES adds to its LE PETIT line of cigar cutters with three new offerings: INITIALE, CAMO and ANODIZED. The INITIALE Series comes with an 18K goldplated handle and features a Damasteel Björkmans Twist blade. Each cutter produced is engraved with the owner’s initials. Cost is $790 and includes a black leather sheath.

The CAMO Series comes in navy, woodland or desert patterns and starts at $159.

The ANODIZED Series come in splashy colors of blue, red or yellow and also include metallic and colored handles. Available from $159.

These new series are available from LES FINES LAMES official resellers network or the brand’s website.

BLACK WORKS ANNOUNCES THE HIVE SAMPLER Black Works Studio is delivering the Hive, first introduced at this year’s PCA in Las Vegas. The Hive has a blended wrapper, Honduran binder and Nicaraguan filler. It comes in a 27-count box and retails at $12.50 and includes a sampling of cigars from the line.

The Hive collection is produced at Fabrica Oveja Negra in Esteli, Nicaragua and features colorful swirls on each end that resemble the body of a bee.

“The Killer Bee & Green Hornet lines are some of our most popular and over the years I’ve played with a lot of different ideas for both,” James

"Collect them all, limited edition”

Brown, partner at Fabrica Oveja Negra, said in a statement. “The Hive is a mix of some of my favorite Bee & Hornet samples that have yet to be released.”

DIESEL LAUNCHES SECOND “SUNDAY GRAVY” EXPRESSION Diesel’s second installment of the Sunday Gravy line is the Pecorino, a three-country blend now hitting stores.

Blended by AJ Fernandez and Diesel Brand Manager Justin Andrews and handcrafted at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez in Esteli, Nicaragua, the Diesel Sunday Gravy Pecorino features a Mexican San Andres wrapper over a Cameroon binder and Nicaraguan Esteli Habano filler. It is being released in a 5 x 56 Gordo and retails for $4.99.

The medium-plus Pecorino takes its name from the flavorful Italian cheese often substituted for a more expensive variety, again marrying the culinary and the cigar world.

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“AJ and I had a lot of fun blending Diesel Sunday Gravy Pecorino,” Justin Andrews, brand manager for Diesel, said in a press release. “Pecorino represents what he and I both believe is the best of our palates: AJ’s nod to a bold smoke is there on the Nicaraguan ligero filler and my style is represented through the complexity and balance of the Mexican San Andres wrapper.”

The next Sunday Gravy blend is scheduled to be released in January.

DREW ESTATE UNLEASHES UNDERCROWN 10 FACTORY FLOOR EDITION Drew Estate’s limited production Undercrown 10 Factory Floor Edition is now shipping to participating Drew Diplomat retailers nationwide.

The Undercrown brand was born on the factory floor in 2011 by the rollers who initially produced it with tobacco scraps as an in-house perk. The

smoke was found to be so excellent, it was made available to everyone and has become a hit.

Drew Estate now pays homage to Undercrown’s tenth birthday with “A Decade of Dedication” celebration that features the Undercrown 10 Factory Floor Edition, a 6 x 46 Lonsdale.

The Undercrown 10 Factory Floor Edition comes in blue with gold trim 20-count boxes that include a “tobacco leaf library,” giving each purchaser the opportunity to see, smell and touch the leaves that Drew Estate’s torcedores chose for Undercrown 10’s blend. Boxes retails at $272 or $13.60 per cigar.

“The epic presentation behind Factory Floor Edition is an added touch of class to Undercrown 10, offering an experiential component while you burn your cigar,” Jonathan Drew, founder and president of Drew Estate, said in a statement.

“It’s as if you’re magically transported by Elon Musk to our factory floor, where our torcedores warmly greet you and demonstrate the blend selection behind Undercrown 10.”

PLAY THE PERFECT CLING.

www.colesoflondon.com

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Montecristo Epic vintage 12

As our 15th Anniversary Celebration was winding down on the evening of October 2nd, an army of servers emerged from the Hard Rock Mansion carrying the sweet nectar of Blue Label for the crowd. Moments earlier, they had all been handed a Montecristo Epic Vintage 12 in preparation for this moment. As expected, the crowd attacked the servers; it looked like a very well dressed reenactment of Braveheart.

It was a beautiful scene and a fitting end to a beautiful celebration.

As the crowd dispersed and there was only our staff left, our amazing event planners produced one more bottle of Blue Label and a handful Montecristo Epic Vintage 12s.

We spent to rest of the night reminiscing about the past 15 years and just being thankful for everyone who has played a role in getting to this point; that includes you the reader, our small but dedicated staff, our sponsors, our business partners, and our families for putting up with our insane schedules.

THE PAIRING The Montecristo Epic Vintage 12 is impeccably constructed with a profile of wood, specifically cedar and oak, honey, and orange zest accompanied by a smooth white pepper note throughout. On the nose the whisky is sublime with notes of sherry, dried fruit, vanilla, oak, and a touch of smokiness. Drinking the whisky neat in a Glencairn glass, you get a combination of white oak, ginger spice, and green apple.

Taking a puff of the Montecristo Epic Vintage 12 after the whisky brings out an overwhelming creaminess in the cigar and all but wipes out the white pepper.

LOCATION: The Mighty - Tavern and Eatery www.themightymiami.com

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Angel’s Envy Port Barrel Finish Casa Cuba The bourbon whiskey business is not as old as Scotch whisky but it certainly isn’t new. After all, bourbon has been distilled in Kentucky and other parts of the US since at least the 18th century, so it’s surprising and exciting when a distiller innovates in any meaningful way. When Bourbon Hall of Fame inductee and all around bourbon legend Lincoln Henderson set out to “port barrel finish” a Kentucky straight bourbon, it made headlines. For one, the definition of bourbon requires that the whiskey be aged exclusively in new, charred, American oak for at least 2 years (although it’s usually more than 4); so how can whiskey finished in ex-port barrels still be called a Kentucky straight bourbon? The trick is in the fact that the whiskey is aged in new, charred oak per the definition and once the aging process is completed, it’s moved over to ex-port barrels for “finishing.” This preserves the Kentucky straight bourbon status and traditional flavors while imparting a complexity of flavor and aromas seldom found in straight bourbons.

The name Angel’s Envy is a clever play on the “angel’s share,” the term used to describe the amount of spirit lost to evaporation during the aging process of a whisky.

The amount lost varies but is said to be roughly 2% per year. This 2% of the distillate that is lost to the heavens has been dubbed the “angel’s share.” If you recall, Fuente Fuente Opus X has an Angel’s Share line extension, which we crowned the 2014 Cigar of the Year but we found that for this bourbon, the Casa Cuba was the perfect fit.

THE PAIRING The Angel’s Envy is a deliciously unique Kentucky straight bourbon that combines the traditional bourbon notes of vanilla, toffee, and oak with hints of blueberry, citrus, and honey. The spirit is intense but incredibly elegant and fresh. The Casa Cuba is beautifully balanced with a core of cedar, pepper, and cinnamon complemented by nuts and a hint of cream. Together the spirit and the cigar are perfectly in sync with each other. The bourbon’s sweetness is made a bit more prominent by the cigar. On the flip side, the cigar takes on more of an almond cream finish when the bourbon is present.

A perfectly complementary pairing.

LOCATION: The Mighty - Tavern and Eatery www.themightymiami.com

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TORO

LIGA PRIVADA H99 COUNTRY

Nicaragua

WRAPPER

USA/Connecticut

BINDER

Mexico

FILLER

Nicaragua & Honduras

PRICE FACTORY

$ 24.00 La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate

Willy Herrera Master Blender for Drew Estate Cigar Co. This Liga Privada H99 line kind of came out of nowhere. We’re always in communication with the Drew Estate team and for planning purposes they usually give us a heads up on stuff that’s coming down the line but that wasn’t the case with the H99. It was more like from one day to the next they said, “Hey we’re sending you a new blend we think you’re really going to enjoy.” A few days later we received it and they were right, we loved it but how did it come about so strangely?

AVAILABLE IN 1 SIZE

In all honesty the H99 was born without it really having a plan. It’s an interesting story and it’s probably one of the cooler stories about this cigar. So one day management tells me “Okay, it’s about to be the 10-year anniversary of Liga Privada and we need you to plan something special.” So I start to work on the blend for it and about a year goes by and I still don’t have anything to show. Nothing was making me happy. Nothing I tasted was good enough, nothing was deserving of the Liga name. And right around that point we get a new batch of tobacco samples delivered to the factory. One of the wrappers in the batch is a criollo hybrid and one is a corojo hybrid. Both of these tobaccos are hybrid samples that were being grown by the same farmer we get the Connecticut broadleaf and the Connecticut stalk-cut habano that goes on

the T52 from. So I try these two tobaccos and I was like “Whoa, this is really different.” Immediately I knew we had something special. It was unlike anything I had ever worked with before. So at that point I started incorporating those two wrappers on different blends and I basically started from scratch again. Ultimately I created five new blends and told myself “Okay, of these five I’m sure one will definitely live up to the Liga name.” And so I brought the five blends to the team in Nicaragua and we started to smoke away. We smoked them all and it was unanimous, everyone agreed, the blends were really, really good – all five of them. So then I sent the five blends to the team back in Miami and it gets the same response – they loved all of them.

They couldn’t pick just one so in the end they ended up with two. Two of the five were beyond exceptional, and for very different reasons. And so what ended up happening was, for whatever reason, they chose the stronger one with the criollo hybrid wrapper for the Liga 10 Year Anniversary. Then the other had the corojo hybrid wrapper, which ended up being the Liga Privada H99. It was a much more refined blend.

It was as intense and as spicy and as bold as the Liga 10 blend, but sweeter. It’s funny; my intentions were never to work on two different cigars at once. It was never our intention to release two different brands.

The idea was to release one cigar/one blend for the 10-year anniversary. And we ended up coming away with two because we couldn’t just ignore that great blend we had. That’s how this baby was born, which is my favorite by the way.

If we’re being honest, it’s our favorite Liga as well. What makes it your favorite?

I joke around and I tell people I blended the H99 with this particular wrapper specifically for my palate. The truth is I’m not a real heavy smoke guy. I’m not big on the “ass kicker” cigars where you just smoke one cigar a day. I smoke multiple cigars a day. So I want to be able to enjoy every single one. And so this kind of blend was more for my palate. And you know, I’m really happy with how it came out. It’s a beautiful cigar.

SWEET

CHOCOLATE

NUT

EARTH

CREAM

WOOD

COFFEE

SPICE

Toro 6 x 52

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UNDERCROWN 10

TORO COUNTRY

Nicaragua

WRAPPER

Mexico

BINDER

USA/Connecticut

FILLER

Nicaragua

PRICE FACTORY

$ 10.50 - $ 13.50 La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate

Willy Herrera Master Blender for Drew Estate Cigar Co. Undercrown is a monster brand. We wrote about it in our May/June 2021 issue where we wrote about the brand’s origins and trajectory since 2011. What was it like taking a blend that is already so successful, and celebrating it with a new version of itself?

It’s a very similar situation to when I was working on the Liga Privada 10-year anniversary blend.

AVAILABLE IN 5 SIZES TOP 3 SHOWN

The Undercrown 10 comes in five sizes but one of them, the Lonsdale, comes with a very different presentation that you guys call the Factory Floor Edition. That’s a pretty unique box. Can you tell us what the thinking is behind that presentation?

Well the cool thing about this box is that we basically dissected the guts of the cigar and incorporated those tobaccos individually along with the actual cigars in the same package. We created a tobacco library, as we refer to it, where we basically rolled up a “tabaquiado” (a single varietal, single priming mini cigar used for tasting and blending purposes) of each tobacco in the blend to isolate the flavors.

This, by the way, is how I taste new tobacco when I’m working on blends. Once it comes into the factory, I’ll roll up a tabaquiado so I can get the true taste of what that tobacco is like. The idea behind the factory floor box was to give consumers somewhat of an experience like what we do on the Drew Estate Cigar Safaris. Where on the last day you get to blend your own cigar. We take you into this room with shelves from one end of the wall to the other that have all the different tobaccos that we use on all of our cigars; wrappers, binders and all the different fillers.

You get to smell them, feel them, and burn all these different tobaccos and get the aroma of what each tobacco gives off. By doing this it gives you an idea of which ligero to use, which viso to use, do I use from Brazil, or should I use from Honduras, so on and so forth. And so the cool idea behind this was for people to smell all these individual tobaccos, and then smoke the Undercrown 10 and see if they can pick up any of those individual aromas that they got from this library.

SWEET

Robusto 5 x 50

Toro 6 x 52

The Undercrown 10 is a cigar that comes off the heels of an established brand, Undercrown. So it’s very different when you’re creating a cigar under the same name as an existing brand. For example, Liga Privada is our halo brand. Everybody knows Liga, everyone knows the Liga #9, the T52, and so on. Undercrown, it’s another one of our halo brands. So I went into this project along with our team in Nicaragua and said to them, “All right, we need to work on another Undercrown,” but just like I did for the Liga 10, I told them, “this needs to be an Undercrown on steroids.”

By that I mean it needs to be richer, with much more depth, much stronger, but at the same time very smooth. And so that was the concept. Undercrown is a cigar that was blended by the team and born in the factory at Drew Estate. When there was a Liga shortage and they told the workers to smoke something else, they created Undercrown. And so, when we started this exercise for the Undercrown 10 I decided to again work very closely with the

same team that developed the original Undercrown.

I had a blend in mind, which I had them smoke and we just started to go back and forth, and back and forth. They would tweak it, give it back to me, and so on. We went on like this, until it got to the point where I really felt good about it and truly enjoyed it. Luckily they really enjoyed it also – the rest is history after that.

Lonsdale 6 x 46

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CREAM

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CAMACHO FACTORY UNLEASHED

TORO COUNTRY

Honduras

WRAPPER

Ecuador

BINDER

Honduras

FILLER

Dominican Republic, Nicaragua & Honduras

PRICE FACTORY

$ 7.80 Diadema Cigars de Honduras

George Rami

Brand Ambassador for Camacho Cigars The Camacho Factory Unleashed, with its shaggy foot, looks unlike any cigar we can remember from Camacho. What is the thinking behind this?

The Camacho Factory Unleashed was a way of us reflecting and manifesting what we call “where bold is born,” which is our factory in Honduras. And the idea behind it was to kind of showcase a little bit of what the factory can do, and also incorporate a little bit of what you taste.

AVAILABLE IN 1 SIZE

The shaggy foot gives you the experience, which allows you to try the binder and the filler before you get to the wrapper, which is basically what we do at Camp Camacho when you sit down in the first seminar upon your arrival. At the camp we roll these cylinders – because they’re not full blended cigars we don’t call them cigars, we call them cylinders. So you try a cylinder with only the binder and then you try the cylinder with the different components of the filler.

Once you get to the end, you then try your final cigar, which is the full cigar with the full blend, and you get to see the fusion of all these different tobaccos into one cigar. So just for a brief, I would say probably five minutes or so, we are attempting to give smokers that experience with the shaggy foot on the Factory Unleashed. There’s a purpose why it’s made like that, it’s not a novelty. We didn’t reinvent the wheel. But I think it’s important for consumers to understand

once you light the foot and begin to taste the binder and the filler, the flavor begins to change as soon as the burn gets to the wrapper portion and it starts combusting. And I think this cigar gives you that as best as we could have possibly showcased, which is exactly what happens at Camp Camacho in Honduras.

Camacho has always been known for bold, intense cigars; where would you categorize this blend?

Under the hood of the cigar you won’t find a lot of mild tobacco. It has a combination of Honduran, Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos. In the filler you have that Honduran corojo binder that has strength as well.

As far as the wrapper, we decided to use something different this time. We are using an Ecuadorian corojo, when normally we would use our Honduran corojo. We went with Ecuadorian corojo instead which changes the flavor profile a little bit while keeping the same strain but it’s grown in Ecuador. So we wanted to make it as cool and as impactful as possible. So it’s definitely not a mild cigar. Once you light it up, and you begin to try the binder and the filler, it’s not mild, but it only gets better after that as soon as you get into the wrapper. And that is the full 360 of the experience that we wanted to showcase.

The packaging on the Camacho Factory Unleashed is a bit of a departure from the core Camacho products. Were you purposely trying to be different?

Yes, we wanted to make it a little bit different than our traditional four lines with the Factory Unleashed branding and the size of the label as well. What’s also a first for us are the 100 count crates the cigars come in. That’s the other thing that we wanted. We are known for our impactful packaging. We have boxes that have 14 coats of lacquer on them – basically a piano finish.

And for us to come out with 100 count rustic wooden crates really stands out. We wanted to create an identity of what it would be like to buy cigars in bulk.

How would those cigars be moved around in the factory? So that was the idea behind the packaging. And I think the box came out super cool. It’s impactful in a very Camacho-esque way, but we are able to make it different. This project has been extremely successful and luckily the cigars have gotten a lot of traction.

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Toro 6 x 50

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CRUX EPICURE MADURO

ROBUSTO COUNTRY

Nicaragua

WRAPPER

Mexico

BINDER

Nicaragua

FILLER

Nicaragua

PRICE FACTORY

$ 9.75 - $ 13.99 Tabacalera AJ Fernandez

Casey Haugen

Vice President of Crux Cigars Let’s jump into the rebrand conversation because while the cigars were good when you guys first launched, we never loved the branding. It looked chunky and somewhat Gothic and from a design standpoint, we weren’t digging it but now you’ve made a complete overhaul and I have to tell you it is outstanding. Walk us through that process.

AVAILABLE IN 6 SIZES TOP 3 SHOWN

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Regardless, the original branding had its place. It was a regional feel for the company and it definitely worked and it was a start for us. But now we have truly a clean marketing design. We have a process that we go through and more importantly a recognizable company that hopefully has a timeless brand that can be marketed internationally.

Let’s dive a bit deeper now and talk specifically about the Epicure Maduro. It’s a cigar that did well with our panel garnering a 90 rating in the March/April 2021 issue. Tell us about this blend.

The Epicure Maduro has a Mexican San Andres Maduro wrapper from the Turrent family and it’s rolled at the AJ Fernandez factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. It’s our first Maduro, which came out in 2018. We were a little late to the Maduro party because everybody was on Maduro for a few years but we wanted to create a Maduro that fit our consumer. A Crux guy who’s looking for that medium, medium plus, full flavor, clean finishing tobacco. It took a while to really get it nailed down working with AJ Fernandez’s factory, but in the end we feel we really got it right.

Strength wise it’s not as strong as our Bull and Bear line, but it’s still full and flavorful with a clean finish and it won’t give you palate trauma or an ammonia finish as most full cigars do.

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Toro 5 3/4 x 54

The rebrand launched at the PCA show in 2019. The original brand had its moments and it had its followers. The old logo had this kind of this medieval Gothic feel where people said we could have made a lot of money selling shirts. But we didn’t want to be a shirt company. The logo was not very legible and we didn’t have a great scheme or continuity in our packaging. We had packaging with different shapes, different colors, and different quantities. So it just didn’t scream we were a company. It screamed we were a company trying to figure out who we were.

Thankfully that happened because as a company you should always be in the process of growing and always trying to get better. And so then in 2018 we started asking ourselves how do we become better? Do we need better people? Do we need better product? Or do we need better marketing? So we totally did an analysis to figure out how can we grow because we had a small little company that was plugging along but we knew we needed to make drastic changes. So we went to market research and hired

an outside company to evaluate us and tell us what we’re doing wrong. And they came up with a lot of great ideas; hire a brand new marketing company, a new design company, they helped walk us through the whole process. We knew after the market research that people enjoyed our cigars after we analyzed the blind taste testing results. The results validated what we already knew – that we had a good product.

We know we use great factories. We know we use great tobacco because it comes from some of the best people in Nicaragua. We source it from other countries that have some of the best growers in the world, but the brand was hard to remember. It was hard to find, and hard to stand out. And more importantly, it was hard for people to remember because the logo was not very legible.

Gordo 6 x 60

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OUR HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE LOOKS BEEFIER THAN USUAL, AND WE ATTRIBUTE THAT TO THE JETSONS-LIKE INFLUENCE OF ADVANCED TECH. WHAT CHIP SHORTAGE? ELECTRIC JET BOARDS, MEGA-POWERED DEVICE CHARGERS AND ROBOTIC SWEEPERS ARE AMONG THE FUTURISTIC OFFERINGS THIS SEASON ALONG WITH HUMIDOR SET-UP MADE EASY, SLEEK GLASSWARE FOR FINE WINE AND, IN A TRIBUTE TO OUR TROGLODYTE PAST, A SIMPLE DRINKING GAME.

GIFT GUIDE

OPUSX SOCIETY ITALIAN LEATHER DUFFLE BAG – BURGUNDY theoxsociety.com

$1,920 Everyone is going to be returning to full-on travel mode in 2022, and this duffle bag is an excellent accoutrement on the way back to Platinum status. This comes with plenty of space for an overnight and more, with sections for computer gear as well as clothing, with room to spare. It weighs in at an easy four lbs and has plaid-lined interior pockets and fine stitching. And the Fuente OpusX Society logo delicately reminds you and anyone else that good taste should be simple.

BOVEDA HUMIDOR STARTER KIT Bovedainc.com

$12 – $24 Here’s a one-stop that you’ll want to get as part of a wood humidor gift this season. The Boveda Humidor Starter Kit will prepare a wood humidor and make it proper for loading it up with prized cigars, starting that gift off right with seasoning and maintenance.

Separate kits prepare 50-count and 100-count sized humidors, and they can be combined for larger humidors, so a 300-count humidor can use three 100-sized kits. Low humidity is a climate crisis in your humidor. These kits address that crisis, without any nasty politics.

AIRROBO T10+ Air-robo.com

$499.99 The newly released AIRROBO T10+ has been a godsend for our office. You can’t possibly imagine how many times visiting cigar smokers ash on our floors, which is inevitable in our business. While we’d like to say “Don’t worry, the cleaning lady comes in later today,” the reality is that the cleaning lady only comes once a week.

This voice-controlled, battery-operated little jammer shows up anytime we need it, and empties itself for 45 days to boot. The AIRROBO T10+ cleans all surfaces, and can be customized via settings for each particular room.

S.T. DUPONT DEFI EXTREME CAMO GREEN colesoflondon.com

$260 The Defi Extreme lighter is what you want when the plane goes down in the Andes and you have no taste for your neighbor, opting instead for a smoke. It sparks at 14 chilly degrees up to a scorching 113 degrees, and at altitudes reaching 11,500 feet, where mere mortal lighters fail. The design is rugged tough-guy and the flame is jet-steady, with a matte-black jacket and a variety of colors and finishes.

We like the camo green, which gives off a classy survivalist vibe.

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GIFT GUIDE

BMW M: 50 YEARS OF THE ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINES Quartoknows.com

$50 The iconic BMW is truly the ultimate driving machine, as the German automaker so annoyingly brags. To take it up a notch, the BMW Motorsport division – the M models – came along in 1972. BMW M: 50 Years of the Ultimate Driving Machines is a book for Beemer enthusiasts, motorheads or those who appreciate some auto history. The flashy pictures of cool cars and the learned commentary are enough to make this baby sail, but the vehicle stats – hp, displacement, weight, production numbers, by year – keep you coming back for more.

RADINN ELECTRIC JETBOARDS Radinn.com

$8,400 – $14,900 The Radinn jetboards make you look like surf champ Gabriel Medina, but these things aren’t limited to catching waves. If you want to head over to the local lake and just ride around the place, looking quick and slick while the kayakers paddle around like slowpokes, you’re all set. We also see riding inlets, canals, and rivers. These electrically powered boards come in three styles and are customizable; you can choose range and color on the Radinn website and the colors are right up our alley – a dark cyan and gray, black or space gray. Pleasingly unbeachy and cool as can be.

SL RIEDEL STEMLESS WINGS Riedel.com

$33/two-pack You’ve got that bottle of 2014 Heitz Cellar Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and the holiday season means it has to be consumed as part of a special celebration. Why not drink it from a vessel as worthy as the lofty wine? The fine wine-friendly curves of the SL Riedel Stemless Wings come in three varietalspecific styles: Riesling/Champagne, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The thin-blown glasses are designed to fit the drinker’s hand, provided you aren’t a sasquatch (which is around 17 inches long, so you’ve got a ways to go). Made of crystal glass, dishwasher safe and shipped solo or two-pack.

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NATIVE MAPS Nativemaps.com

$45 For the urban dweller in your world, a gift of geography. Native Maps create screenprinted city maps in two sizes, suitable framed or as a print. The Knoxville, Tennesseebased company has maps of 50 cities and the list is growing. Each map is vetted by a team of locals for accuracy, and after our semi-exhaustive check, it looks like they’re doing a good job of catching the good neighborhoods, large and small. You choose from seven colors and they also sell minimalist wood frames if you need.

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GIFT GUIDE

DOSAZE CONTOURED ORTHOPEDIC PILLOW Dosaze.com

$119.99

LAST CALL – DRINKING GAME

It seems so easy but every year we’re looking for that perfect pillow. Better, looking for that perfect pillow to gift. Dosaze is selling a contoured pillow with memory foam that curves to fit your upper spine. It’s a step toward easing that constant neck pain that has your muscles creaking every time you do a head check in traffic. There’s also an adjustable stuffed pillow and a wedge pillow among the Dosaze offerings, as well as sets of Sateen sheets in three colors. All the goodies sell exclusively via the Dosaze website.

$19.99 Answer ridiculous questions; compete in hilarious challenges and drink. Last Call is a pastime for the holidays. It’s actually a drinking game that really puts the alcohol in the front seat, although we suggest the home as an arena for this. It’s a necessarily simple card game – shuffle the deck, draw and follow the instructions on the card. Example card: “Last person to call their grandma gets to pick someone to drink.”

Other cards demand an action or take a drink. This is why God made Uber.

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The Touch

It has happened to all of us, that urge of passion the first time you held your lover. CigarAccessories.com’s exclusive artist, Glynn, captures the moment in this hauntingly seductive painting “The Touch”. This is a must have, limited edition numbered and signed by Glynn. This museum quality archival print would be well appointed to your smoking lounge or perhaps your favorite cigar bar. One look at this piece with its exquisite attention to detail and you will be transformed to the moment you felt the need to give yourself to another. CigarAccessores.com is excited to launch our Exclusive Art line! Order yours or select from several others in this exclusive new line only at CigarAccessories.com.

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MAG-LOCK MAGSAFE POWERBANK Mycharge.com

$49.99 We can put a billionaire into space but we still can’t master the fine art of charging our phones, tablets and whatever else makes life more complicated. Maglock is getting closer, though, as it sells a line of portable charging solutions, including power banks and hubs. The powerbanks come in five colors – we’re going with the graphite – and three power levels. The chargers are international compatible and have been cleared to be carried onto airplanes, so you can land with a charge.

Your One Stop Shop for All That Keeps You Lit!

huMidors: desktop, Cabinets, electronic, Travel CuTTers: Cats eye, Guillotine, scissors, punches, draw pens LiGhTers: single Jet to Quad, electronic too AshTrAys: big stinky, XiKAr, Cigar oasis Ash-stay huMidifiers: oAsis, Cigar Caddy, boveda and humi-care hyGroMeTers: digital and Analog persoNALiZed GifTs: Call for Availability No collection is complete without the appropriate apparel, fedoras and coming soon—shirts. for a Limited Time,

Use Promo Code SNOB for 10% off your Cigar Art purchase!

At CigarAccessories.com, we are dedicated to providing our customers with superior customer service. if we don’t have what you’re looking for, we will help you find it, even if it’s through our competitor.

CigarAccessories.com is a proud supporter of: TribuTe To MissioN 22 The Troops

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ORLANDO

Grown-Ups

for

There is more to this town than theme parks and bumper-to-bumper chain restaurants. Leave the kids at home and enter a whole new world of adult activities in Downtown Orlando and the funky little outposts that surround it.

Photo: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock

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didn’t grow up “indoctrinated” by the mouse and his friends.

I could go into the myriad reasons for it but suffice it to say that I am in the minority when it comes to people who grew up in Florida.

Most Florida families take multiple vacations per year to worship at the altar of the mouse but growing up my family had the incredible good fortune that my dad worked for Eastern Airlines when it was in its heyday. Rather than going to see a fictitious reproduction of a foreign city, we visited the actual city. So when the invite came to visit Orlando “Like a Local,” I was hesitant but decided to give the city one more shot.

I checked into the AC Hotel Orlando Downtown (marriott. com) and from the moment I set foot in the sophisticated, 180-room hotel situated inside the SunTrust Plaza Building, I immediately started to feel at ease. The design of the common areas is modern and clean while still managing to be cozy and welcoming; the fully stocked bar at the far end of the lobby may have had something to do with that. Unlike most lobby sundries stores that feature a selection of sugary snacks and

Clockwise from top: The AC Hotel Orlando Downtown, located in the upper floors of the beautiful SunTrust Plaza; wine barrels resting at Orlando’s Quantum Leap Winery; AC Hotel’s SkyBar offers a variety of seating options with panoramic views of downtown Orlando. greasy chips, the AC Store is stocked with decadent gourmet snacks as well as diet friendly fare and even a selection of fine wine.

Inside my room I was impressed further by the clean lines, smart lighting, comfortable bed with a variety of pillow types, and an absolutely killer bathroom.

After settling in, I met up with the group for drinks at the hotel’s SkyBar rooftop terrace offering craft cocktails along with

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sprinkled throughout. And to show that it’s not all Euro-themed, we had the crispy chicken wings with the house made hot sauce, boom! The only downside to this incredible terrace is that like most Marriott properties, there is no smoking allowed on it but this shortcoming is resolved easily thanks to the hotel’s proximity to one of the world’s best full service cigar lounges. More on this later because now it was time to walk over to the Amway Center (amwaycenter.com) to catch the Orlando Magic taking on the Boston Celtics.

panoramic views of downtown.

We enjoyed some of the SkyBar’s seasonal drinks like the Autumn Leaves, a unique take on an old fashioned where apple brandy is combined with Knob Creek bourbon to bring the fall vibes to this venerated drink. Then there’s the mezcal-based Cuando Quando Cuando involving Del Maguey mezcal with Aperol and a citrus twist. We figured if we wanted to stay upright it was best to follow up these libations with some of the SkyBar’s elevated tapas. They had me at Blackened Tips of Filet drizzled with a rich Béarnaise aioli.

We added in the Meatball Cazuela with Manchego cheese, a Spanish style shallow bowl of meatballs with the famed Spanish cheese

The hotel’s proximity to all that downtown Orlando has to offer is second to none. Walk for 5 minutes west and you run right into the Amway Center, 10 minutes west and a couple blocks north is Exploria Stadium, home of the Orlando City Soccer Club. A little farther still, about a 25-minute walk, you have Camping World Stadium where they play college football’s Cheez-It Bowl, the VRBO Citrus Bowl, and hold numerous concerts and monster truck shows. A block or two east of the AC Hotel Downtown Orlando is the impressive Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. My room at the AC Hotel had an unobstructed view of the center’s Seneff Arts Plaza, which was bustling with activity as we returned from the Amway Center.

I’d make my way over eventually but after a fun evening of drinks, tapas, and the Magic winning on a buzzer beater, it was time to call it a night.

We woke up on a mission to see as much of downtown Orlando as we possibly could in one full day. I fired up a Davidoff Signature petit corona for our walk up Orange Ave to Craft & Common (craftandcommon.com) for breakfast. We walked past the Church St train station and it got me thinking about whether or not it was feasible to take a train from Miami and end up right here in downtown Orlando? It turns out it is quite feasible not only from Miami but from anywhere Amtrak

operates. If high-speed trains are your thing, construction of Brightline’s high speed service to Orlando is slated to be finished in 2022. I took my last puff of the Davidoff Signature and we sauntered into Craft & Common with a hankering for coffee pronto.

The place has an easy-going feel to it. It was a Wednesday morning and we were surrounded by all manner of people; some in flip-flops, some in suits, but all locals except our touristy group.

No matter, this place elevates the art of being welcoming to another level. Even their menu is

welcoming to all; regardless of food allergies or preferences they have something for you. I had an American coffee and a toast called Notorious B.L.T. because B is for bacon and I don’t pass up bacon.

The sourdough toast smothered in garlic aioli that is the base of the Notorious was outrageous and rather than straight up lettuce and tomato, they used baby arugula and little cherry tomatoes. My only mistake was that I should’ve ordered two.

With an eye on burning off our breakfast calories, we booked a swan paddleboat ride on nearby

Lake Eola. The lake and the park that surrounds it are right smack in the middle of downtown and from the center of the lake on your swan boat you have a 360 view of the city. Pro Tip: Bring a waterproof Bluetooth speaker for tunes and heads up: drinks and smokes are not allowed on the swan boats.

After our paddleboat workout around Lake Eola, we were ready for refreshments of the alcoholic variety. No walking this time as our legs were approaching the consistency of Jell-O and we were going a bit

further out this time. We headed to the Mills 50 neighborhood to visit Quantum Leap Winery (quantumleapwinery.com) about a 10-minute ride from the center of downtown. This local winery produces serious vino with an eye on sustainability and green practices.

You’re probably thinking, can you grow cabernet sauvignon in Florida and is it any good? Don’t worry, they don’t do that, instead they source their wine from vineyards all over the world in a negociant-style arrangement. The wine is then shipped to Quantum Leap in large

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We came back to it because it’s such a vibrant and eclectic little business district full of public art installations and cool spots like the independently owned Bites and Bubbles Restaurant and Bar (bitesbubbles.com), where we had reservations. In an interesting turn of events, the location that houses Bites and Bubbles was previously a cigar bar that went out of business at the onset of the pandemic. Owners Eddie Nickel and Nicholas Olivieri came up with the concept after spending a lifetime in hospitality.

The place manages to be elegant while feeling extremely relaxed and friendly. We sat on the rooftop terrace and immediately ordered the mother of all charcuterie boards, the famous deviled eggs from Eddie’s family recipe, and the shrimp cocktail featuring eight gigantic prawns, a deliciously spicy cocktail sauce, and a seaweed salad. The selection of bubbles, as

Top to bottom: The Orlando Magic face off against the Boston Celtics at the Amway Center; the Swan paddle boat rides on historic Lake Eola offer unique views of Orlando’s skyline while getting a quad workout; the night glow paddle board tour of serene Lake Ivanhoe is a must. containers, which is actually friendlier to the environment than shipping in bottles, and then the wine is finished, bottled, and distributed at Quantum Leap Winery. We tasted a flight of their 2020 Pinot Grigio from Veneto, Italy, a 2019 Rosé from Dry Creek

Valley in Sonoma, a 2017 Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley in Oregon, the 2018 Kaley’s Rescue Red and blend of reds from the Sierra Foothills in California, and we finished with the 2016 Winemaker’s Cuvée, the heaviest of the bunch.

I left the rest of the group inside the winery, asked for a refill of the Winemaker’s Cuvee, and headed out to the terrace to fire up a My Father robusto with this wine.

They set me up with an ashtray and I picked the spot farthest from the door. The wine is big and tannic and held up beautifully to

the strong Nicaraguan pepper and earth from the cigar.

With a belly full of wine there wasn’t much more to do than take a nap and recharge for the evening.

I’m not a big mid-day napper but on this day it was needed. My room’s blackout curtains let me zonk out and wake up ready to rock.

We reconvened in the lobby and took a short ride back to Mills 50 for dinner and drinks.

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in Champagne and other sparkling wines, was too much for me to resist. It took me a minute before I decided on the Taittinger Brut, there’s nothing wrong with that selection. There was also nothing and I mean absolutely nothing wrong with the lobster pizza that came out next. Lastly they brought out the Piramide al Cioccolato, a beautifully produced pyramid of chocolate mousse filled with chocolate and hazelnut crunch.

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words, there are numerous drinks at this bar that you simply cannot get anywhere else. For me the choice is an easy one, the Maker’s Mark Private Selection Corona Cigar’s Chocolate Truffle.

I know it's a mouthful but it is essentially Maker’s Mark finished in a specific stave combination that pairs flawlessly with a variety of cigars and at roughly 111 proof, it’s strong enough to go toe to toe with any cigar but can be diluted just enough to work with the mildest cigars. They also sell it by the bottle here as well; you better believe I left with two of them.

Top: Corona Cigar Company’s Diamond Crown Lounge is a world-class cigar bar situated in the heart of downtown Orlando.

Yeah, it’s like what a Toblerone chocolate dreams of being when it grows up.

After dinner we rode over to the Ivanhoe neighborhood where Epic Paddle Adventures (epicpaddleadventures.com) set us up with a night glow-tour of Lake Ivanhoe. Our guide Angie set us up with our glowing paddle boards and led us out after a quick safety check and crash course. You’re probably wondering if I took a clumsy dip in the lake but I’m happy to report that I managed to stay upright, except for the time when Angie had us all lie down on the paddle board and enjoy the clear night sky and the surprise fireworks show coming

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from a distant theme park. It was at this moment that I realized the depth of my folly; a cigar out here on this cool Orlando night would have been clutch.

We returned to the dock and owners Richard and Jenny welcomed us back on land. As Richard loaded the boards and got everyone situated, I asked Jenny if it would have been okay with them if I’d smoked a cigar out on the water.

“OK? It would have been a great night for it!” She painted a picture that really made me feel foolish for not having done so. “Not only could you have smoked a cigar out there, but when you get on land you can walk over to The Lucky Lure or The Florida Room and finish your cigar there.” It turns out that both bars have cigar friendly terraces; I’m really starting to like this parallel universe version of Orlando. I had

plans for the night so I passed on visiting these bars but I won’t miss this opportunity next time.

I had set up some time to meet up with my old friend Jeff Borysiewicz of Corona Cigar Company (coronacigar.com). After a quick shower at the AC Hotel I walked over to Corona where Jeff was waiting by the bar. I said it earlier and I wasn’t exaggerating; Corona Cigar’s downtown location is without question one of the world’s best cigar bars. For one the selection of premium cigars and pre-embargo Cuban cigars is second to none, the staff is always trained and ready to make suggestions, and the bar is stocked with all the spirits you know and love plus an impressive array of Corona’s own barrel picks from different distilleries from all over the world. In other

Jeff and I caught up for a bit and discussed what makes downtown Orlando different. “The difference is that it’s one of the few places where the urban core, I’m talking about Orange Avenue, which is our main street, and Church Street, which is what they call main and main; there are people here from the time businesses open at seven or eight in the morning, your day crowd. When they’re off, there are places for them to go and have a drink or something to eat.

Then the town kind of shifts into a nightlife entertainment district and it’s the same place.” The fact that Orlando’s stadiums are so intertwined with downtown is another key difference from my vantage point. “Yes in most places you go to the stadium in a different spot that during the day is a ghost town because there’s nothing going on.” We sipped on our bourbon and smoked a Florida Sun Grown as we peered out over a busy Orange Avenue. Jeff was beaming with pride as we talked about his city and added, “They use the term ‘live, work, play’ a lot of times in marketing but you can really do that right here.”

By now this version of Orlando that I had never experienced to this degree had grown on me quite a bit. We walked all over downtown, visited several eclectic neighborhoods, and experienced everything from a local winery to a nighttime glowing paddleboat tour, and none of it involved making a line at a theme park. Consider me converted.

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into the blue. featuring

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EARRINGS ANTHROPOLOGIE

THE

CHAIRMAN

A Take-Charge Leader Expands A Gaming Empire For The Seminole Tribe of Florida

By Steve Miller / Photography by Natalia Aguilera

Location: Davidoff Cigar Lounge - Seminole Hard Rock

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57

he chairman is taking his breakfast at the back of Rise, a 24-hour diner/ deli tucked in a corner of the grand Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

The chairman orders oatmeal, orange juice, two sausage links and coffee, which he takes black with sugar.

“It’s the most important meal of the day, right?” he says.

Marcellus Osceola Jr., 49 years old, has been a tribe councilman and a serial entrepreneur with his hands in landscaping, seafood, and limo services.

Today, he is the Frank Sinatra of the Seminole Indian tribe in Florida, known and referred to in conversation as the chairman, after being elected to the position in 2016.

The similarities end at the title.

Sinatra was nicknamed chairman of the board due to his reign as the head of Reprise Records in the 60s.

Osceola earned the title when he took the office as head of the 4,300-member Florida Seminole tribe by defeating Jim Billie, an alligator wrestling ‘Nam vet who was born on a chimpanzee farm in nearby Dania Beach.

What is so striking is how little Osceola has in common with either Ole Blue Eyes or Billie, who was swept from office amid allegations of fiscal improprieties.

Osceola’s lack of flash is glaring.

Born on the reservation, he’s a stocky, broad-shouldered, barrelchested man who, with his closecropped black hair, square jaw and spare smile, could be mistaken for military heritage.

He doesn’t drink, gambles little, rises most mornings at 6 a.m. and prefers to be at his reservation home with his family – wife, two kids at home, four out of the nest – than anywhere else. There is little drama or fanfare with Osceola,

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other than a clear desire to have no fuss made over or about him.

And he makes it known, typically, in as few words as possible.

“I certainly don’t want to be famous,” he says. “And I don’t like the public office so much, but I do like to make a difference in our community and the tribe as a whole to make sure it is economically stable.”

“I certainly don’t want to be famous” His one vice is premium cigars, for which he has developed a knowledgeable passion. It’s a topic that brings some animation to the proceedings.

“The La Flor Dominicana Andalusian Bull,” he says with the quickness when asked of his favorite stick.

“I like things that are limited and aged and I keep looking. I like the Montecristo 80th anniversary. I’m a mild to medium guy, I don’t like the big bold things that take my

head off.”

He smokes when he plays golf, which is whenever he can, and he enjoys a smoke at the Davidoff Lounge in the Hard Rock.

Occasionally, he’ll take a stick from his humidor and sit in his backyard and smoke. It takes the edge off what is a 24-hour job, keeping the same hours as the flagship casino that mints money to the tune of a reported $579 million a year in gambling revenue alone.

Osceola insists he is not a knowit-all and has no delusions that he does.

“I am still learning about the casinos and everything else,” he says. “The day I stop continuing my education is the day I can no longer do the job.”

Moving the Tribe Forward You’ve seen the smoke shops. The signs at one time blared “tax free” cigarettes for the stations on tribal land, from Nevada to Michigan to Florida.

Osceola had a front-row seat

when those establishments were created in the late 70s, because the man pushing those forwards was his father, Marcellus Osceola Sr., a fabled legend in the Native American community.

The elder Osceola, now 76, was a drag racer, a trap shooter, a lover of women (with three ex-wives to testify) and a five-term tribe council member.

His signature was opening the first tax-free cigarette shop on the reservation. It was a simple business platform; buy the cigarettes at wholesale price from the tobacco giants, sell them on the reservation to the public at large, sans state sales tax, as the reservation was exempt, and pocket the proceeds to distribute to tribe members, as well as keeping a bit for the work involved. The first year Osceola Sr. sold more than two million cartons at $4.25 apiece, and he became a pied piper for emerging reservation tobacco outlets.

“We would take family vacations to places like California, New York, North Carolina, and my dad would go to meetings to help the tribes set up their own tobacco shops,

NOV / DEC 2021 | CIGAR SNOB |

59

to him, as he makes decisions at every turn in his day.

Those days are a series of meetings, private jet and helicopter treks around the state and country, just like any CEO of a major corporation.

He’s smart enough to know when to speak out and when to keep his thoughts to himself.

“The answer to a cigar in the morning is yes” During a two-hour sit down at Rise, he addresses several issues, some with welcome candor.

The name changes of the Cleveland Indians, Washington Redskins and a bevy of high school and college sports teams are usually done without the input of the Native American community at large, he says.

“They used the name without our permission, so why would they worry about our view on it now?” he poses. “White people did that.

We’re perfectly able to speak for ourselves.”

As the Black Lives Matter movement was magnified by the nation’s corporate media outlets, Florida State University, home of the sports team the Seminoles, contacted the tribe.

The school in Tallahassee, Florida, wanted a letter from the tribe saying that it supported the use of the name. then we’d all hang out at night,” Osceola recalls.

a way to make money for the tribes and it was badly needed.”

People lined up outside the lone Seminole reservation shop to buy cigarettes at a price that would cut $2 off a carton.

The outlets drew political heat, though, which led to crackdowns that halted the sale of tax-free tobacco on reservations. It was a lesson the young man took to heart – what the government gives, it eventually takes away.

“Back then, everyone smoked cigarettes,” Osceola says. “It was

60 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2021

As chairman of the tribe, Osceola oversees all tribe endeavors and issues, which land on his desk and are pored over by himself and his staff of 14 people.

While Osceola is not given to lengthy speeches, he is amenable, even eager, to engage in discussion. Issues are paramount

The tribe declined, “but we told them we would not interfere,” he says.

Osceola goes on with his list of more important current issues, including sovereign rights, taxation, real estate investments, water rights, land use and the growth of the tribe which is

NOV / DEC 2021 | CIGAR SNOB |

61

currently at 70 members a year.

The big deal, though, are the casinos and Hard Rock International, which in 2007 was purchased by the Seminole Tribe and includes 185 cafes, 27 hotels and 12 casinos worldwide.

Osceola spends about 30 percent of his time on casino business, a sizable chunk.

It’s the sexiest issue he has to deal with, a field that garners international interest and plenty of hangers on, as big money will do.

So, Osceola’s world becomes one of high-dollar lawyers and some of the best lobbyists money can buy, working with federal, state, and local lawmakers and politicians who want a slice of the casino pie.

“We walk the halls of Congress with our legal counsel and lobbyists every year,” Osceola says.

His biggest achievement so far has been a gaming compact with the state of Florida in April, which will shoot a projected $2.5 billion into state coffers over the next five years. The first payment of $37 million was made by the tribe in October.

In exchange, the tribe is allowed up to three more new casinos and can offer statewide online sports betting. The betting app went live earlier this month.

Sports betting kiosks are going live by the end of the year, fitted out in a new room devoted exclusively to sports betting, with food service and banks of televisions broadcasting sports.

The compact, signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Osceola in a traditional grip-and-grin ceremony, was a compromise.

“This deal wasn’t what any of us wanted, but it works for both sides,” Osceola says. “But in the end, good faith will prevail. We got what we needed. If one side doesn’t get what it needs to be happy, it’s going to be a bad deal no matter what, and this was tough. But being able to talk to the governor and his staff and the legislative

62 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2021

body in Tallahassee made a big difference, and hopefully we are developing friendships.”

Tuning the Guitar The pool at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino looks like a lavishly landscaped putt putt golf course, with fountains and walkways carved in faux rocks topped with palm trees and some tiki huts here and there. The pool wraps around the fountain like a snake, surrounded by chaise loungers.

And this is the baby pool, taking in five acres.

The other is an 11-acre waterpark, a food/booze/sun/swim oasis, outside the Guitar Hotel, a 35-story engineering feat of drama that opened in 2019 and is a tribute to the instrument that made Hard Rock famous.

In between the two pools there are the slot machines, gaming tables, eateries and retail stores that make mega casinos the bewitching dopamine dens that bring in billions across the globe.

The poker rooms, high-limit tables and slots, and non-smoking slots all get their own separate space.

Hard Rock Live, a 7,000-capacity music venue, books a full slate of pop acts, from the Rolling Stones to Alicia Keys.

The standard Hard Rock entertainment exhibits sit in glass cases around the perimeter of the gambling floor and overflow into the hotel hallways and restaurant entrances.

There’s Madonna’s leather jacket, and a suit worn onstage by Michael Jackson. Over there is Duane Allman’s shirt. And speaking of dead rock stars, there’s one of the many custom-made bass guitars of John Entwistle, who put the Hard Rock name in the record books by dying at the Las Vegas Hard Rock in 2002, hooker and eight-ball nearby.

The casino in Hollywood opened

in 2004 on a swath of land that Osceola played on as a boy, offering 500 hotel rooms and 85,000 square feet of wagering nirvana.

Three years later, demand drove an expansion to 120,000 square feet. Patrons waited in line just to get into the parking garage, and double-digit percentage growth made the $120 million embellishment easy.

the lights and camera, says, “That’s where I’d like to be, on a golf cart lighting up. That’s natural.”

Today, the casino has six restaurants and 140,000 square feet of gaming while two hotels on the property offer nearly 1,250 rooms.

Where he’s going to be shortly after the shoot is Atlanta, where “the chairman” will meet “the general.”

Tucked into a promenade of retail that opened in 2019, which includes a 24-hour Hard Rock swag store, is a small Davidoff Cigar Lounge, which opened early last year.

The storefront is traditional upscale Davidoff, with a smallish humidor offering mostly the greatest hits and an advanced Davidoff line and a formidable accessories selection.

But walk through an unmarked mirrored door at the rear of the storefront and you get a dose of speakeasy, with a full bar and room to hold up to 60 people with leather couches, chairs, and plenty of standing room.

This is the setting for a photo shoot that puts Osceola’s usually impassive face into some animated states – as the photo crew prepares the setting, he wears a resigned look of a prisoner awaiting a firing squad.

This is part of carrying the title of chairman, the work away from the real work, that Osceola isn’t crazy about.

In a sky blue short-sleeved linen shirt, jeans and brown suede shoes, Osceola looks more like a linoleum salesman than a titan of Native American affairs. He’s ready to smoke; “the answer to a cigar in the morning is ‘yes’,” he says. “An 8:30 a.m. tee time is the time to light a cigar.”

Advised by the producer of the shoot to act natural, Osceola, looking at

Osceola, despite his shyness, does fine.

camera

Anticipating a Next-Gen Leader

His meeting with a commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers combines business with pleasure.

“We smoke cigars,” Osceola says.

It’s easy to work that way, of course, and meeting at Highland Cigar Co. just off the downtown makes this meeting something to look forward to.

Osceola keeps moving because he knows his time in office is limited.

Not due to term limits, but because of usefulness.

He replaced Billie, the wild and wooly iconoclast who was recalled twice during his 26 years as chairman. Osceola defeated Billie by 22 votes in 2016, an indicator of how popular Billie was. Under tribe rules, a recalled office holder can run for his own vacated spot.

“Billie was the right guy at the time; he came along in 1979,” Osceola says. “At that time, you really had to push the limits, and he’s still got a lot of followers.”

The strides the tribe has made, from the purchase of Hard Rock International to the recent gambling compact, represent what the tribe has become: A blossoming business entity. The responsibilities of today will change, and Osceola is prepared to make room for someone else when it’s called for.

“I represent what the tribe is today, and there will be someone else who comes along to do that,” Osceola says. “I won’t stay forever, and I know my time is limited. I can only take the tribe so far until the next generation comes along.”

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An impeccably constructed blend finished with a supple, light brown wrapper with a velvet feel. Flavorful and exceptionally balanced with a profile of nuts, smooth pepper, earth, and wood held together by a rich, creamy sweetness. Medium strength.

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89 NOV / DEC 2021 | CIGAR SNOB |

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Florida Sun Grown by Drew Estate

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$ 15.40

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TORO Oliva Serie V Maduro Especial

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Casa Magna D Magnus II

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91

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Optimus 5 3/4 52 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

Espinosa Laranja Reserva Azulejo

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90

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88 70 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2021

N I CA R AG UA

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TORO God of Fire Don Carlos 2018

92

$ 21.50 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

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Oscar Valladares Wild Hunter Natural

91

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90

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Toro 6 52 Nicaragua USA/Florida Nicaragua

1OFAKINE

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89

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

Toro 6 1/4 54 Sumatra Ecuador Nicaragua & USA/Pennsylvania

La Gloria Cubana Spirit of the Lady

87 72 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2021

Creamy and ultra-flavorful with a core of cedar, smooth spice, and graham cracker complemented by subtle notes of caramel and cocoa.

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Ferio Tego Generoso 2021

91

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C

N I CA R AG UA Opens with a profile of wood, smooth pepper, and earth accompanied by a subtle touch of caramel. This medium bodied blend draws easy and leaves behind a slightly flaky white ash.

Finished with a clean, light brown wrapper with minimal veins.

$ 12.99 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Toro 6 50 Honduras Cameroon Dominican Republic, Mexico & Nicaragua

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C A good-looking, box-pressed toro covered with a clean, reddish brown wrapper with a velvet feel. Opens with tons of black pepper, earth, and wood accompanied by more subdued notes of leather and a fleeting sweetness. Medium strength.

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ROBUSTO Davidoff Nicaragua Box-Pressed

92

$ 16.50 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Robusto 5 48 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

Aging Room Rare Collection

92

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

Robusto 4 1/2 52 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

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

Selectos 5 50 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

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

R52 5 52 Ecuador Dominican Republic Dominican Republic

Villiger Exclusivo U.S.A

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N I CA R AG UA Covered with a clean, milk chocolate colored wrapper with excellent oils. Medium to full strength with a core of roasted almonds, wood, and earth balanced by a pepper zing. A perfect draw and burn produces an output of thick, highly aromatic smoke.

$ 8.56

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Delivers a balanced profile of cinnamon, sweet cedar, spice, and coffee complemented by a subtle hint of cream. Draws and burns impeccably while producing tons of thick and highly aromatic smoke. Medium bodied.

$ 8.00

90

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

Robusto 5 52 Ecuador Nicaragua Dominican Republic

La Aurora 115th Anniversary

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N I CA R AG UA

$ 8.40

Arturo Fuente Magnum R Rosado Sungrown

91

Beautifully balanced and complex with a profile of pepper, earth, and tea accompanied by creamy flavors of roasted nuts and a touch of caramel. This medium bodied robusto is perfectly box-pressed and leaves behind a solid, compact ash.

$ 15.00

Don Pepín García Serie JJ

91

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C A well constructed, medium plus strength robusto covered with a tasty, reddish brown wrapper with excellent oils. Opens with notes of red pepper, cedar, ripe fruit, and a rich leather aroma. This box-pressed blend consistently provides a flawless draw.

$ 9.50 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Robusto 5 50 Ecuador Brazil Brazil, Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Impeccably constructed and finished with an oily, reddish brown wrapper. This medium strength blend delivers notes of black pepper, sweet wood, tanned leather, and a touch of sweetness in the background.

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ROBUSTO EP Carrillo New Wave Connecticut

91

$ 6.60 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Brillantes 5 50 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

Atabey

Creamy and ultra-flavorful with a profile of white pepper, wood, and caramel accompanied by a rich aroma of leather. This consistently well-constructed robusto provides a firm draw and leaves behind a light gray ash. Medium bodied.

$ 25.00

91

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

Brujos 5 52 Ecuador Undisclosed Undisclosed

Henry Clay War Hawk

C O STA R I CA Impeccably constructed and covered with a flawless, golden colored wrapper and topped with a neat triple cap. Leaves behind a solid, compact ash while producing an excellent smoke output with a profile of pepper, wood, and vanilla cream. Mild strength.

$ 7.72

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

Robusto 5 54 Ecuador USA/Connecticut Honduras

Patina Connecticut

H O N D UR AS Covered with a golden colored, silky smooth wrapper with minimal veins, this mild to medium strength robusto has a core of soft pepper and earth joined by notes of cedar, citrus, and a hint of vanilla.

$ 9.95

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

Rustic 5 52 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua & USA

Padrón Dámaso

N I CA R AG UA Mild and creamy with a sweet, nuanced profile highlighted by notes of cedar, floral, and cayenne pepper. This robusto is covered with a thin, light brown wrapper with slight veins.

Draws well and leaves behind a solid, compact ash.

$ 13.75

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

No. 32 5 1/4 52 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua

Zino Nicaragua

N I CA R AG UA A flavorful blend with a mild to medium strength profile highlighted by notes of cedar, cashews, and mild pepper accompanied by a hint of earth. This lightly packed robusto is covered with a good-looking, light brown wrapper with a velvet feel.

$ 6.50

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D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C

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

Robusto 5 54 Ecuador Nicaragua Honduras, Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

H O N D UR AS Opens with a balanced core of wood, smooth pepper, and grass complemented by a sweet and creamy flavor on the finish. Firmly packed and covered with a clean, light brown wrapper with a supple feel. Mild to medium strength.

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CORONA Warped La Hacienda

$ 8.00

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

Superiores 5 5/8 46 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

Espinosa Laranja Reserva

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Flavorful and balanced with a peppery kick to start. This medium to full strength blend incorporates notes of wood, leather, and sweet spice along a flawless draw and an even burn.

Leaves behind a solid ash while producing an excellent smoke output.

$ 10.92 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Corona Gorda 5 5/8 46 Brazil Nicaragua Nicaragua

Undercrown Sungrown

N I CA R AG UA Exceptionally balanced and complex, this medium bodied blend delivers a thick, aromatic smoke output with a core of cedar, cinnamon, smooth spice, and earth complemented by a rich, almond cream note on the finish.

$ 8.00

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Corona 5 5/8 46 Ecuador USA/Connecticut Nicaragua

Casa Cuba

N I CA R AG UA Delivers a core of nuts, earth, and smooth pepper accompanied by a touch of cream and subtle coffee in the background. This mild to medium strength blend is well made and covered with a clean, light brown wrapper with a velvet feel.

$ 9.35

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Doble Tres 5 1/2 44 Ecuador Dominican Republic Dominican Republic

HVC Pan Caliente

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Opens with a ton of cream, cedar, roasted nuts, and a touch of sweetness. These are joined by subtle flashes of spice and dried fruit.

This medium bodied corona is covered with a light, reddish brown wrapper with slight veins.

$ 7.00

90

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

Doble Corona 5 5/8 46 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

Cohiba Red Dot

H O N D UR AS A flavorful thick corona with a balanced core of earth, smooth pepper, and roasted nuts complemented by a subtle note of sweet wood.

Draws and burns impeccably while producing a generous smoke output and leaving behind a light gray ash.

$ 21.19

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N I CA R AG UA

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

Corona Crystal 5 1/2 42 Cameroon Indonesia Dominican Republic

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C A light bodied corona with a gentle profile highlighted by notes of wood, wheat, walnut, and tea complemented by a touch of honey on the finish. Consistently provides an excellent draw and abundant smoke output.

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igar Snob’s 15th anniversary was a celebration of both our accomplishments and the people that helped get us to this point.

Patrons started the evening at the Davidoff Hard Rock cigar lounge inside Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, where they were greeted with a glass of champagne.

From there, they were ushered to a waiting shuttle, which took them to the evening’s secret location, the Hard Rock Mansion. On their arrival, they were given a commemorative box loaded with a stunning lineup of 15 smokes: Wild Hunter Natural, AJ Fernandez Bellas Artes, Don Lino Africa, Camacho Corojo, Pappy Van Winkle Private Reserve, Espinosa Laranja Reserve Escuro, Oliva Serie V Melanio, Sin Compromiso, La Mission du L’Atelier, Don Pepín García Original, Montecristo 1935 Anniversary, Arturo Fuente Don Carlos, Plasencia Alma del Campo, Rocky Patel Sixty, and La Aurora Preferidos Ecuador.

Jamilet Calviño, Carlos Rodríguez, Erik Calviño, Eric Douglas and Carlos Escalona

After a tour of the mansion, our guests headed to a fully decked-out terrace to enjoy the official welcome cocktail, the Zafra Warm & Sunny. Brown-Forman provided Jack Daniel’s, Old Forester, Glendronach, and Herradura Tequila. The Glenlivet poured through their outstanding lineup of single malts. Total Wine & More provided a well-chosen selection of wine, champagne, and prosecco while Beat Culture poured a selection of outstanding local craft beer.

Cuban dance band TimbaLive rocked the house and in between sets, DJ Carluba kept the party grooving.

Midway through the evening, servers brought out a special, one-time release of the Davidoff - Hard Rock cigar.

From there it was a luxurious feast; a massive charcuterie board occupied one corner of the terrace, a pasta station took over another corner, and delicious Cuban-style roast pork was front and center. All the while, a steady supply of hors d’oeuvres flowed.

Towards the end of the evening, an army of servers handed out a final cigar and whisky pairing, the Montecristo Epic Vintage 12 along with pours of Johnnie Walker Blue Label. It was a fitting ending to an epic bash.

Aaron and Chrisie Leland and Omar Fernández

Anna and Erik Espinosa Jr.

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Ivelisse and Ivan Ocampo

Oscar Valladares, Ibis Lu and Javi Carranza

PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Serralta

TimbaLIVE

Susan Smallwood and Dr. Gaspar González

Nestor Miranda, Luis Requejo, Olivia Leathers, Ciro Rodríguez and Jason Wood

Rafael Nodal, Jamilet and Erik Calviño

Carlos “Carluba” Rodríguez

Termina Valentina, Leonor Abzaradel and Jesy Rose

Monica and Dennis Muñiz

Ovy Diaz, Ozy Sánchez and Pablo Estades

Bernie Rodríguez, Erik Calviño, Albert Sosa and Fidel Valdes Rodríguez

Jessy and Orlando Hoyos

NOV / DEC 2021 | CIGAR SNOB |

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TWITTER SCOREBOARD The cigar world is on Twitter and we aim to keep track of who’s leading who. The following is a scoreboard of the cigar world’s most relevant Tweeples. The list is sorted by number of followers and broken into groups: Top 20 Twitter Cigar Companies & Reps, Top 10 Twitter Retailers, Top 10 Online Cigar Tweeps, Top 3 Twitter Cigar Organizations, and Top 3 Cigar Radio Twitter accounts. If you have the numbers and belong in one of these groups, stand up and be counted! Set us straight via Twitter @cigarsnobmag.

TOP CIGAR ORGANIZATIONS

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 ..............................................

Ashton Cigars @ashtoncigar ....................................................

Camacho Cigars @camachocigars ...........................................

Jonathan Drew @JonathanDrewArt ..........................................

Pete Johnson @TatuajeCigars ..................................................

La Gloria Cubana @lagloriacubana ...........................................

Xikar Inc @XIKARinc ...............................................................

Nick Perdomo @PerdomoCigars ..............................................

Davidoff Cigars @Davidoff_Cigars ...........................................

Miami Cigar Co @miamicigar ...................................................

Punch Cigars @punchcigars ....................................................

AJ Fernandez @ajfcigars .........................................................

Ernesto Padilla @PadillaCigars ................................................

La Palina Cigars @La PalinaCigars ...........................................

Avo Cigars @AvoCigars ...........................................................

36267 34687 28477 26417 20468 20294 19311 17947 17902 16006 15276 14796 13664 13078 12824 12611 12606 12588 11555 11046

TOP CIGAR RETAILERS & REPS Famous Smoke Shop @FamousSmokeShop .............................

Slippery Rock Cigars @SlipperyRockCig ....................................

Mulberry St. Cigars @MulberryStCigar ....................................

Cigar Hustler @cigarhustler .....................................................

Jeff Borysiewicz – Corona Cigar Co @CoronaCigarCo................

Cigar Row @CigarRow ............................................................

Michael Herklots @MichaelHerklots .........................................

Barry – Two Guys Smoke Shop @Barry2Guys ...........................

Lindsay Siddiqi @TheCigarChick ..............................................

Cheap Humidors @cheaphumidors ..........................................

16514 14985 12707 10611 7494 7463 6228 6221 4950 4880

TOP ONLINE CIGAR TWEEPLES David Voth–Sex, Cigars, & Booze @SexCigarsBooze .................

Cigar News @CigaRSS ............................................................

Cigar Events @CigarEvents .....................................................

Blind Man’s Puff @BlindMansPuff ............................................

Cigar Federation @CigarFederation .........................................

Robusto Cigar Babe @RobustoBabe ........................................

CigarHustler.com @CigarHustler .............................................

Cigar Dojo @CigarDojo ............................................................

Cigar Vixen @CigarVixen .........................................................

Stogie Boys @StogieBoys .......................................................

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Cigar Rights of America @cigarrights ...................................... 14380 Premium Cigar Association @PCA1933 .................................... 8605 Tobacconist University @tobacconistU ................................... 4349

TOP CIGAR RADIO Cigar Dave Show @CigarDaveShow ........................................ 10227 KMA Talk Radio @KMATalkRadio ............................................. 2142 Cigars and Scotch @CigarScotch ............................................ 1965

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

@thecigarmadame Black sand Black label @oylacigars

@smokinstogies

140441 17368 15280 15188 11466 10940 10611 9011 8225 8047

I love the cigar industry!

It’s filled with some of the best people and full of class and the best of times! @cigarsnobmag #cigarsnobmag #cigarsnob #cigarsnobmagazine

NOV / DEC 2021 | CIGAR SNOB |

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INSTAGRAM SCOREBOARD Since its launch in October of 2010, the cigar world has become enamored with Instagram. Today the ‘Gram is unquestionably the most popular platform on which to share snaps of what you’re smoking and drinking. This scoreboard is sorted by number of followers and broken into groups: Top 20 Cigar & Cigar Accessory Companies, Top 10 Retailers & Reps, Top 10 Cigar Influencers, Top 3 Cigar Organizations, and Top 3 Cigar Radio accounts. If you have the numbers and belong in one of these groups, stand up and be counted! Set us straight via Instagram @cigarsnobmag.

TOP CIGAR & ACCESSORY COMPANIES ( sorted by Instagram followers )

TOP CIGAR ORGANIZATIONS

Padron Cigar @padroncigars ...................................................

Drew Estate Cigars @drewestatecigar .....................................

Davidoff Cigars @davidoffcigars .............................................

Rocky Patel Premium Cigars @rockypatelcigar ..........................

Epic Cigars @epiccigars .........................................................

Arturo Fuente @arturofuentecigars .........................................

Xikar Inc @xikar .....................................................................

Gurkha Cigars @gurkhacigars .................................................

Boveda @BovedaInc ...............................................................

Camacho Cigars @camachocigars ...........................................

La Flor Dominicana @LFDCigars ..............................................

Ashton Cigars @ashtoncigar ...................................................

My Father Cigars @myfathercigars ..........................................

AJ Fernandez @ajfcigars .........................................................

Oliva Cigar Co. @olivacigar .....................................................

Alec Bradley Cigars @alecbradleycigar ....................................

Nick Perdomo @Perdomocigars ..............................................

E. P. Carrillo Cigars @epcarrillo_cigars ....................................

Joya de Nicaragua @joyacigars ...............................................

Plasencia Cigars @plasenciacigars .........................................

Premium Cigar Association @PCA1933 .................................... 14267 Tobacco Plus Expo @tobaccoplusexpo ..................................... 5060 Cigar Rights of America @cigarrightsofamerica ......................... 3555

151324 125895 122303 97565 90461 87881 74998 73926 72340 69174 63011 59412 57731 57395 54269 52607 49132 47929 47737 45318

TOP CIGAR RETAILERS & REPS Famous Smoke Shop @famoussmokeshop ...............................

Privada Cigar Club @privadacigarclub .....................................

Mulberry St. Cigars @mulberrystcigars ...................................

Cigar Hustler @cigarhustler ....................................................

The Cigar Culture @thecigarculture .........................................

Master Sensei @cigardojo ......................................................

Michael Herklots @michaelherklots .........................................

Angela Yue @angela_yue .........................................................

La Casa Cigars & Lounge Vegas @lacasavegas ........................

Jeff Borysiewicz – Corona Cigar Co @coronacigarco ................

54936 52831 47101 29862 27288 26491 25272 24793 20954 18623

TOP ONLINE CIGAR INFLUENCERS ON INSTAGRAM Whiskey Girl Josie @whiskeygirl_josie .....................................

Delicia-Creator-Influencer @cigarvixen ...................................

Cigar Lover @cigarlover12 ......................................................

Eric Theoneandonly @scotchandtime ......................................

Nikki @cigarpassionista ..........................................................

Cigars / Smoke.Laugh.Live @world.of.cigars ............................

Liz Cigar Life Style @remarkable_liz ........................................

Melanie Sisco @lilsiscokidd21 .................................................

Elaine Lilley @elainelilleyhawaii ...............................................

HERficinado / Cigar Lifestyle @herficionado .............................

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90376 85446 64479 48713 40195 38704 35477 31311 28536 27983

TOP CIGAR RADIO Cigar Dave Show @cigardave ................................................. 3276 KMA Talk Radio @KMATalkRadio ............................................. 1565 Cigars and Scotch @cigar_and_scotch .................................... 823

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

@deadbeat106

HAPPY SATURDAY! #DEADBEATSBARBERSHOP #CIGARSNOBMAGAZINE #CIGARSNOBMAG #CIGARSNOB #CIGARS #CIGAR #CIGARPORN #CIGARLIFE #SATURDAYVIBES

@ovcigars

WHAT A GREAT WIN! CONGRATULATIONS to #AtlantaBraves @braves for winning again the #MLB World Series ‘21 after 26 years! What a better way to celebrate with our #OVCigars Super Fly by Oscar #OVSuperFly & Oscar Valladares McFly #OVMcFly .

We also want to congratulate the Houston Astros @ astrosbaseball for putting up a great fight all the way to the end. LET’s continue celebrating together!

A majestic outdoor musical theater show, presenting a beautiful love story through Cuban culture and nostalgia.

A grand orchestra, dancers, renowned Cuban actors and Grammy award-winning artists under the stars of Miami, while enjoying an exquisite top of the line gastronomy presentation.

CIGAR NIGHT Presents:

DEC 17 2021

7P.M.

Tickets

on Sale at:

cubaunderthestars.com Tickets include: Oliva Cigars, complimentary cocktails (depending on ticket level), 3-course dinner, and access to cigar after party.

NOV / DEC 2021 | CIGAR SNOB |

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EVENTS MONTECRISTO EPIC VINTAGE 12 EVENT AT AFICIONADO’S Pembroke Pines, Fla.

Aficionado’s in Pembroke Pines, Florida, held its first event since the pandemic and celebrated the occasion with the crew from Altadis USA and Rafael Nodal. Guests got the chance to smoke the Montecristo Epic Vintage 12, the latest addition to the vintage-specific Montecristo Epic series, which contains fillers from a 2012 harvest. Back, just as before the pandemic, was the generous wine, food - this time it was a vintage culinary offering, the Spanish dish, paella. Music came from DJ Danny Benedit, and dancing came from attendees.

Jill Meyers, Rafael Nodal, Armando and Elena Artamendi

Oscar Ortega and Oscar Calviño

Dustin Konkal, Melissa Artamendi and Javier Díaz

Annette González and Eddie Fernández

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Mike and Betty González

George Domínguez, Eloy Estrada and Yi Valdés

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EVENTS OLD FORESTER AT THE GRAMERCY Coral Gables

A lucky 15 people were on the guest list for a tasting and dining event at The Gramercy Miami Restaurant in Coral Gables, Florida. The event included a “Taste Your Way Through History” sipping sequence, beginning with the 1870 Original Batch, then the 1897 Bottled in Bond, on to the 1910 Old Fine, then the 1920 Prohibition Style, and ending with the nearly impossible to get Old Forester Birthday Bourbon.

The event also included some fine food and smokes that made for some happy attendees.

Erik Calviño, Ibis Lu, Jamy Calviño and Ivan Ocampo

Terence Reilly, Ozzie Gómez and Ciro Rodríguez

Jamilet Calviño and LaJuane Mack

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Ivan Ocampo and Omar Fernández

Belkys Sánchez and Ibis Lu

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EVENTS ATLANTA CIGAR WEEK Atlanta

Atlanta lit up for a week in September to celebrate the fifth annual Atlanta Cigar Week, seven days of the third week of the month that since 2018 have been designated by city proclamation as the official week of cigars.

The opening Welcome to Atlanta was particularly special, as the hosts secured a three level penthouse, two smoking decks and an open bar. It was packed enough that they had to turn some late arrivals away at the door.

Events included cigar rolling classes, Miami Vice and 90s themed soirees, and an atmosphere that the week held "something for everyone."

Spirits tastings were hosted by premier sponsors including Bacardi USA, Brown-Forman, and Diageo as 25 vendors showcased goods and services including cigars, life insurance, travel services, custom cigar accessories, and fashion.

A team of nine ambassadors oversaw the good times, while attendees came from all over to indulge in cigars and fine cocktails.

Atlanta Cigar Week began as a simple bar crawl but has blossomed into an event that attracts more patrons every year.

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EVENTS DAVIDOFF GASTRONOMY TOUR BLEND Bar Multiple Locations The BLEND Bar with Davidoff gastro trek was a road tripping extravaganza that took in BLEND bars in three cities, moving from Indianapolis to Pittsburgh to The Woodlands in the Houston suburbs.

The events paired Davidoff cigars with innovative culinary creations and unique cocktails for a smoke/eat/drink festival.

The evenings included wild game menus and the launch of the Davidoff Chefs Edition 2021.

The tastings/smokings were hosted by Wine Enthusiast 40 under 40 tastemaker Gabriel Urrutia and Davidoff Brand Ambassador Shiah Goldberg.

Gabriel Urrutia

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Shiah Goldberg, Corey Johnson, Dan Burris, Mark Holden, Lana Fraser, Kris Miller and Gabriel Urrutia

Delbert Coburn

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EVENTS INDUSTRIAL CIGAR COMPANY 5TH ANNUAL HALLOWEEN PARTY Frisco, Tex.

Industrial Cigar Company parties are becoming legendary for their creativity as well as their ability to draw large crowds. This was the Frisco, Texas company’s fifth annual Halloween Costume Party, this year going with a Comics and Heroes theme. Think Batman and keep moving into the fantasy costuming and role playing world.

In addition to prizes for best dressed, best couple and most creative costume, celebrants indulged in some fine food, plenty of drinks and even more cigars. A killer DJ provided the background music.

Nathan, Beglije, Dave, Brandon, Ale, and Andrew Frakes

The ticketed party was sponsored by Crux Cigars, which developed an event-specific cigar featuring a custom label made with vintage comic book pages.

The event was open to the public and drew 110 people, including guests who traveled from up to three hours away, as Industrial went all out with the colorful props. And everyone watched out for the scary Dick Tracy guy with the machine gun.

Taize Monteiro and Casey Haugen

Dave Frakes and Aaron Klause

Sam Ventura and Brandon Byers

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Tre Abraham, David Williams and Kevin Edwards

Taize Monteiro and Kristen Ortiz

Cody and Karina Martínez

Leslie Pérez

Bryant Mccain and Brandon Frakes

PHOTO CREDIT: Brandon Frakes

NOV / DEC 2021 | CIGAR SNOB |

95

EVENTS THE TANK CRAFT BEER RUN Miami

The fourth running of the South Florida Craft Beer Run in Miami drew its usual fast crowd of runners, beer lovers and running beer lovers.

Entrants and their pals enjoyed food-by-thebite, live music, dancing and games, while the heavy lifting was left to those with the numbers on their chests. But getting that number earned the runners a race t-shirt, a cigar, a finisher medal, and a complimentary beer.

The winning time for the 5K was a enviable 20:10, a pace of around 6:30 a mile.

The event featured cigars from Plasencia and Romeo y Julieta. Beer merchants included the Tank Brewing Company, King Fox Brewery, Veza Sur Brewing Co and Tripping Animals Brewing Co.

Carlos Padrón and Ralph De La Rosa

Caki Padrón and Sofia Ricardo

Ibis Lu, Néstor Andrés Plasencia and Dana Pineda

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Dr. Alejandro Hernández-Cano and Hank Bischoff

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Alejandro Martínez 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

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