Charles Woodson
p. 45
DISPLAY UNTIL 01/30/2023
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editorials NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2022
20 PERFECT PAIRINGS GLENFIDDICH 12 YEAR AMONTILLADO CASK FINISH / ESPINOSA LARANJA RESERVA The most awarded Scotch whisky distiller of all time has released an Amontillado sherry cask finish special edition that pairs exceptionally with Espinosa’s Laranja Reserva.
22 GIFT GUIDE Every holiday season, gift guides are a savior, and we don’t let you down here, as we are a fertile factory for gift ideas. Whether you are looking to gift a camper, a car enthusiast, a grill master or a golfer, there’s something in here to help make their holiday extra special.
27 TRAVEL BUCKET LIST BRANSON The Ozark Mountains offer plenty of opportunities for travel fun, but we found the treasure of the Missouri Ozarks: Golf, golf and more golf, with more legend-designed courses than you’d believe. We hit the links, and take some time to get to know the best of Branson along the way.
39 S.T. DUPONT Amidst the serene beauty of the French Alps, S.T. Dupont has for 150 years created some of the finest luxury goods. We trace the history as the vaunted brand celebrates its sesquicentennial anniversary.
45 CHARLES WOODSON Heisman, check. Super Bowl ring, check. Vintner, check. The Ohio-born sports hero takes the fall off to serve as a commentator on Fox NFL Kickoff every Sunday, and we managed to catch up with him and talk wine, cigars, and football.
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features NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2022
12 LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER
14 FEEDBACK
16 WHAT’S BURNIN’
51 RATINGS
66 SMOKING HOT CIGAR SNOB VISION OF DESIRE FEATURING OSCAR VALLADARES 10TH ANNIVERSARY
78 TWITTER SCOREBOARD
80 INSTAGRAM SCOREBOARD
82 EVENTS 82 CIGAR SAFARI USA 84 SHORE THING CIGARS WHITE PARTY
88 TAMPA CIGAR BASH 92 5TH ANNUAL 5K CRAFT BEER RUN 94 ATLANTA CIGAR WEEK 96 INDUSTRIAL CIGAR COMPANY
6TH ANNUAL HALLOWEEN PARTY
98 TOBACCO COVE
50TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY
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TRUE STORY.
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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2022
VO L . 1 4 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
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CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS David Benoliel Andy Astencio Daniel Lennox EVENT PHOTOGRAPHERS Jamilet Calviño Erin Kyle Photography Julia Rose David Renna Productions Alexander Rea Bryant McCain Cover Photography by David Benoliel www.davidbenolielphotography.com Cover Model - Naomi Koch Cigar Snob is published bi-monthly by Lockstock Publications, Inc. 1421-1 SW 107th Ave., #253 Miami, FL 33174-2509 Tel: 1 (786) 423-1015 Cigar Snob is a registered trademark of Lockstock Publications, Inc., all rights reserved. Reproduction in part or full without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. Cigar Snob is printed in the U.S. Contents copyright 2006, Lockstock Publications, Inc. To subscribe, visit www.cigarsnob.com
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MYFATHERCIGARS.COM
This may sound ridiculous but I went on a binge of reading my old Letters From the Publisher recently. I was looking to make a connection between my sentiments about how painfully divided we were as a country at this time of year in 2016 and how it has gotten so much worse in 2022. I never found the exact quote I was looking for but I did find some doozies. There’s this opening line from September/October 2014: “It has become painfully apparent to me that a slow news cycle is the number 1 cause of the global spread of flesh-eating bacteria or some unavoidably contagious and fatal global pandemic.” Yikes. I also found the one where I suggested that all of you take a stab at publishing as a way to put the ups and downs of life in perspective. I know they can’t all be home runs but that particular letter stands out as a massive whiff. But back to the original point about how divided we are as a country. My oldest son shared a story with me about how the parent of one of his high school friends asked a close family member to leave their house as a result of a political difference of opinion. By the time you read this, the midterm elections will be in our rearview mirror and I pray that we have a smooth election cycle, although that seems like a pipe dream these days. I see the election problems and the ratcheted level of division among us as symptoms of the same disease. Our American institutions and ideals are under attack and have been for some time. Our only job as Americans is to resist the attack as one undivided nation. We cannot allow our families, friendships, and social circles to be ripped apart. We have to engage in discourse with fellow Americans with differing views and find a common ground. We must, if this beautiful experiment that we call the United States of America is to survive this latest onslaught. The old letter from the publisher that I didn’t have the stamina to find talked about how much I admired my American friends who could argue differences of opinion without losing their temper. Coming from a large Cuban family, seemingly civil arguments often escalated to shouting matches, then I would visit a friend’s house and similar arguments escalated to “If that’s how you feel then we’re going to have to agree to disagree, pass the gravy please.” I marveled at this phenomenon as a young man and have lived most of my life working towards mastery in this argument martial art. These days I find that the only people who want to spar are those who share the same ideals or viewpoints on a certain topic. But that’s not sparring, that’s an echo chamber. This is where I bring it all back to cigars. These amazing little rolledup bunches of dried leaves give us enough common ground to hold most arguments. It’s like an unspoken belief, right or wrong, that if you enjoy cigars enough to read a magazine such as this one, you must be a reasonable person. And if you’re a reasonable person who loves cigars like I do but has different political views than mine, we can share the root of our ideas, motivations, and concerns with each other without fear of banishment. You may be thinking, “What’s the point if in the end you agree to disagree?” Believe it or not, that means everything. You’ll rarely convert someone to your way of thinking on the spot but if your arguments and reasoning are sound, you will have given that person something substantial to chew on. They don’t even have to come around to your point of view, they just have to see that the argument from your side is legitimate and justified in some way and that’s enough. It truly is enough, as trivial as that sounds, and that’s the secret sauce. You can’t
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compromise or empathize with someone if you think they are wackos or zealots but the echo chambers of CNN and Fox News want you to think the other side’s ideas are insane or evil. That’s the wedge being driven between us. Don’t let it happen. How’s this for a segue? Speaking of wedges, I had the great pleasure of playing Payne’s Valley, the bucket list golf course designed by Tiger Woods in Branson, Missouri. I played seven rounds of golf in five days, some in frigid conditions thanks to a freak polar vortex hanging over Missouri during part of my visit. In spite of the cold, it was an unbelievable experience that I wrote about in a story titled, Bucket List Branson on p. 27. While I was on that golf trip of a lifetime, our photo shoot crew led by its fearless leader Ivan Ocampo was busy producing the Vision of Desire photo shoot on p. 66 featuring the outrageously sexy Naomi Koch smoking Oscar Valladares 10th Anniversary. Senior editor Steve Miller wrote two excellent pieces in this issue; the first on p. 39 tells the 150-year-old history of S.T. Dupont, the luxury cigar accessory company whose beautiful, handcrafted accessories are the gold standard in the cigar world. The second on p. 45 is a Q&A with Charles Woodson, the NFL Hall of Famer turned Fox analyst whose passion for wine and whiskey led him to start a successful post-football business, all the while smoking his fair share of fine cigars. In addition you’ll find ratings, a Scotch and cigar pairing, a gift guide, and a ton of great event photos. This is the last issue of 2022. Thank you for another year of taking us along your cigar journey, we love being a part of it. Have a happy and prosperous 2023, we hope you smoke the best cigars of your life surrounded by people you love and admire and enjoy it all in great health. God bless. Keep ‘em lit,
Erik Calviño ecalvino@cigarsnobmag.com
MONOGAMOUS RELATIONSHIP Hello gentlemen, I have recently been tuning in to your fantastic podcast and thought I would take a moment to ask a question. I have been a cigar smoker for quite a while but would simply settle for purchasing whatever was available at my local cigar shop. As I have listened and read about the variety of cigars, and as my palate has expanded, I want to try new things. I would like to ask my local shop to order some cigars, but I’m not sure of the etiquette on that. Can I request a single cigar? Will they get me a box and I have to purchase the whole box? What if I end up not liking it? Any suggestions on etiquette would be helpful. Thanks. Ara K. Indiana Via email: questions@cigarsnobmag.com Ara, you are a shining example and should be commended for the loyalty you are describing in this email. Supporting your local tobacconist is a key component of sustaining a healthy and vibrant cigar ecosystem. Furthermore, demonstrating consideration for proper cigar shop etiquette catapults you to elite status. Well done, sir. As for your dilemma, we would recommend purchasing the single stick at another store that carries it, or even online if you can’t find it locally. There are online retailers that will sell you a single cigar. If after smoking it you decide that you are interested in smoking more of them, we think it would be appropriate to ask your local retailer to bring in a box. In most cases they would be happy to do it unless there is some underlying reason that prevents them from doing so.
LOOKING TO PARTY Dear Snobs, What does a fella have to do to get invited to some of these events you guys are always at? Do you publish a list with upcoming event dates? If you don’t you should consider it. I think that would be a super helpful resource. Keep up the good work. Luke F. Via email: questions@cigarsnobmag.com Hi Luke, interestingly enough, way back when we started the magazine in 2006 we used to publish an events calendar in every issue that listed many of the prominent events that were happening. Since then the events scene has increased so much that publishing a calendar was almost impossible to keep up with. Also the web and social media are a much more up to date platform for that type of information. The biggest events of the year are usually mentioned in the What’s Burning section of every print issue but above all I would recommend signing up for our weekly newsletter at www. cigarsnobmag.com/newsletter/ for timely information about upcoming events, cigar news, and links to our freshest content.
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ROMEO Y JULIETA ENVY SHIPS IN DECEMBER
on the profile that became Blackened Cigars M81.
Altadis U.S.A. will ship its Romeo y Julieta Envy in December, available in a single-size 6 x 55 Amulet ($17.50). Made by the Plasencia family, the Envy comes in an 11-count box and features wrapper, binder and filler from Nicaragua.
The M81 features a Maduro wrapper with Connecticut River Valley Broadleaf Maduro binder and a filler blend of Nicaraguan and Pennsylvania Broadleaf Maduro tobaccos. It comes in copper-accented 20-count boxes in four sizes: the 5 x 43 Corona ($9.15), a 5 x 50 Robusto ($9.45), a 6 x 52 Toro ($9.85) and a 7 x 50 Corona Doble ($10.35).
The Envy comes suitably enough in a bright green box with an ode to fated love that reads in part, “Love has its shadows. It can inspire envy.” “This blend was in the making for quite some time because we knew the aging process would bring out amazing notes from these Nicaraguan tobaccos,” Rafael Nodal, head of product capability, said in a press release. “Once perfectly aged, the rest was a matter of finding the ideal size to capture and display them to the fullest.”
DREW ESTATE COLLABORATES WITH METALLICA’S HETFIELD FOR BLACKENED CIGARS M81 Drew Estate announces the Blackened Cigars M81, a collaboration of Drew Estate President Jonathan Drew, Metallica co-founder James Hetfield, and Rob Dietrich, the Master Distiller and Blender of Blackened American Whiskey. The project began with Hetfield and Dietrich, who frequently enjoy cigars together. “It is really a fun social thing for me, a fellowship, to have a few buddies sit around with a few sticks,” Hetfield said in a press release. “Dietrich…introduced me to Jonathan from Drew Estate. The three of us connected and shared each other’s vision and story about where we’ve been, what we like to see and what is important to us now, and we all came up with what a Blackened M81 cigar would look and taste like. I love the Maduro leaf and I’m super excited for everyone to try this.” To arrive at the blend, samples from the Drew Estate portfolio were sent to Hetfield and Dietrich, who kept cigar journals to critique the cigars and identify what they liked and disliked about each one. After two years of sampling cigars together, the group decided
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It is available exclusively to Drew Diplomat participants. In an Instagram post, Dietrich says the new cigar “is a passion project of creativity and fellowship, based on the camaraderie of artistry and mutual enjoyment of smoking an epic cigar.”
LONSDALE LIMITADA JOINS E.P. CARRILLO’S PLEDGE LINE E.P. Carrillo, calling it the Pledge line’s “boldest” cigar yet, is shipping the Pledge Lonsdale Limitada. The box-pressed 6.5 x 43 ($12) comes in boxes of 20. It features a U.S. Broadleaf wrapper, an Ecuadorian binder and Nicaraguan filler. The company looked to its community of consumers for direction on this cigar and “a majority mentioned they wanted a more flavorful, smaller ring gauge cigar,” the brand noted in a press release.
x 52 parejo ringed with snow white bands. The cigars are packed in 13-count boxes that contain an integrated shelf talker describing the blend and retail for $15.30 each. “A tradition in Pipe Culture is for carvers to craft one-off pipe designs and for blenders to create special mixtures to smoke and celebrate the Holidays. In honor of this practice, it was always my intention to follow suit within our StillWell Star line of puros,” Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Founder Steve Saka said in a press release.
HAVANA STREETS: A TRIBUTE TO HAVANA Les Fines Lames announces a new line of accessories with the Havana Street collection of cigar cutters created from its Le Petit design, a friction folder knife. The Almendrón, Habana Vieja and Hacía El Malecón feature images of the streets of Cuba on the handles. The cutters are designed in the capital of French cutlery, Thiers, France. They are 4.5 inches long with a 2.5-inch lockable blade made from stainless steel and able to cut through cigars, up to 70 gauge. The new series is available through Les Fines Lames’ official resellers network with over 350 stores internationally, or delivered through lesfineslames.com. Retail price is $169.
Accordingly, “the Pledge Lonsdale Limitada is our boldest expression in a cigar and our boldest blends to date,” Ernesto PerezCarrillo Jr. said in the release.
LA GLORIA CUBANA EIGHTH STREET SHIPS
STILLWELL STAR HOLIDAY Y2022 IS NOW SHIPPING
La Gloria Cubana in October released the Eighth Street, honoring the brand’s roots in Miami’s Little Havana district.
Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust is shipping its annual Holiday release of its StillWell Star handcrafted luxury pipe tobacco cigar to its retailers.
The La Gloria Cubana Eighth Street was developed in collaboration with the familyowned El Titán de Bronze Cigar Factory.
The StillWell Star Holiday Y2022 is a liga of traditional black cigar tobaccos combined with a pipe blend from the pipe tobacco maker Cornell & Diehl. Produced at Joya de Nicaragua, S. A., the StillWell Star Holiday Y2022 comes in a 6
The Eighth Street is made with a blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos and a Nicaraguan binder that are enrobed in an Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro wrapper. The 6 x 50 Toro ($21.99) comes in 10-count, wooden boxes and is distributed by Forged Cigar Company.
“For this special project, we blended to a classic La Gloria profile which means the cigar has a lot of personality, is well-balanced through its many transitions and delivers a rich, long finish,” Justin Andrews, business development manager of Scandinavian Tobacco Group, said in a press release.
MICALLEF CIGARS RELEASES A COLLECTOR’S EDITION OF EIGHT BLENDS IN CELEBRATION OF FOUNDER’S 80TH BIRTHDAY Micallef Cigars has released a collector’s edition of eight blends to honor the 80th birthday of founder Al Micallef. The Reserva, Leyenda, Migdalia, Herencia Habano, Herencia Maduro, Connecticut, Experiencia La Crema and Reata are brought together in a white, piano-finished box with two cigars of each blend in a 5 x 40 Londres format.
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“Eighty years is something to celebrate!” Micallef said in a press release. “I have had a lot of adventures and a hell of a lot of laughs these past eight decades. Throughout all these great memories are my friends and family.”
logo. The 800 numbered collector’s issue release contains a 6.25 x 54 Figurado iteration each of Black Market, Medalist, Prensado, Magic Toast, Maxx, Gatekeeper and Tempus, sold at MSRP of $79.99.
Micallef Cigars kicked off Al’s birthday celebration during its open house at the Micallef Cigars headquarters in Texas with a birthday cake made to look like the Collector’s Edition box.
The project began with the company reclaiming 800 antiquated cigar molds, ultimately saving them from obsolescence and destruction. To safely hold the seven Figurados, a rectangular cigar slot is routed into the center of each mold. Choosing the Figurado size for the project came after establishing the carvedout mold’s capacity.
The Collector’s Edition retails for $128.
ALEC BRADLEY CIGAR CO. ANNOUNCES THE UPCOMING RELEASE OF “RECLAIMED” Alec Bradley Cigar Company is pre-selling its U.S. exclusive Reclaimed, a limited edition seven-pack sampler presented in factory-worn cigar molds with the Alec Bradley Reclaimed
“These 800 cigar molds may have reached the end of their manufacturing process lifecycle, but their usefulness and novelty have yet to expire,” Bradley Rubin said in a press release. “Repurposing them to house limited edition cigars is a fun way to bring a little piece of the factory to our customers and enhance the overall smoking experience.”
Glenfiddich 12 Amontillado Sherry Cask Finish Espinosa Laranja Reserva The Glenfiddich Distillery, built by hand by William Grant and his nine children and completed in 1887, is one of only a few single malt whisky distilleries that are still family owned and run. The first drops of whisky flowed from the still on Christmas day in 1887 and the Grant’s Blended Scotch Whisky brand was released in 1892. Today Glenfiddich whisky is available in more than 180 countries and has won countless awards, but it didn’t arrive at this point by happenstance. Glenfiddich has been blessed with savvy leadership in each of the five generations that have steered the company. When the founder’s grandson Grant Gordon joined the firm in 1923, he went against the grain by increasing whisky production in the middle of Prohibition. The brilliant move set Glenfiddich up to be in prime position when the 21st Amendment was repealed in 1933, ending Prohibition. One of only six surviving distilleries still operating in Scotland by that time, Glenfiddich was sitting on stocks of fine, aged whisky and ready to meet the explosion in demand. By the mid-1930s, Grant’s Blended Scotch Whisky was being poured wherever fine Scotch was served in America. Before the 1960s, essentially all of the whisky exported from Scotland was blended. Brothers Sandy and Charles Grant Gordon, great grandsons of William Grant, launched the Glenfiddich brand of single malt Scotch in 1963. Packaged in the now iconic triangular bottle and labeled as ‘straight malt’ rather than ‘blended Scotch whisky,’ the company ran clever ads in the US, Europe, and Africa. One such ad instructed drinkers to “Sit when you drink Glenfiddich, you may never stand for a blended Scotch again.” The whisky became the first globally promoted single malt Scotch, a move that cemented Glenfiddich as the market leader in the newly formed category of single malt Scotch. Amontillado Cask Maturing and finishing Scotch in sherry casks is nothing new. In fact, it’s quite common in the Speyside region, where Glenfiddich is produced. Almost all of the sherry casks used for maturing and finishing these whiskies are oloroso or Pedro Ximenez sherry casks, but in mid-2022 Glenfiddich released this Amontillado cask finished special edition. Amontillado sherry is a unique style with a distinct nuttiness that comes across vividly on the nose of the Glenfiddich 12 Amontillado Cask Finish.
THE PAIRING To many smokers the Espinosa line is known for bold flavored and fuller bodied cigars but the Espinosa Laranja Reserva is an ultra-smooth and creamy smoke that sits in stark contrast to what many expect from the brand. The Glenfiddich 12 Amontillado, with its candied dried fruit, nuts, and spice notes, wonderfully complements the cigar’s cedar, nuts, and cinnamon. A perfectly complementary pairing.
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LOCATION: EMPIRE SOCIAL LOUNGE DADELAND empiresociallounge.com
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IT’S TIME TO LOAD UP THE SANTA BAG AND HIT THE SLEIGH. GRANTED, SOME OF THESE ARE BULKY – A PIZZA OVEN, AS COOL AS IT IS, IS AWKWARD TO HAUL – BUT THEY’RE ALL VETTED AND READY FOR DELIVERY. AND USING OUR HELP, YOU CAN AVOID THE JAMS AT THE STORES, AS THESE ARE ALL AVAILABLE ONLINE. WE’VE GOT READING MATERIAL, WEARABLES, COOKING HELP, GOLF TECH, AND MORE.
GIFT GUIDE
LUMICHARGE II PREMIUM DESK LAMP thelumicharge.com
$85 We still work at desks, counters and other flat surfaces that need some illumination. LumiCharge’s sleek desk lamp is utilitarian with a subtle, stylish flare. The three levels of LED light, the adjustable height, and the digital screen right in the stem – which tells you the time, temperature, and date – are all delivered with simple flavor. The universal smart phone charging dock is reputed to be lightning fast, making this an all-in-one workstation with minimalist flair. PORSCHE 75TH ANNIVERSARY quarto.com
$60 Car lovers are easy to buy for, and this hardcover coffee table gem is one reason why; you can save tens of thousands of dollars by not buying a new Porsche as a gift this year and instead plunking down for this elevated history of the highperformance German brand. The saga of the Porsche timeline comes with rare images from the Porsche archive and includes a foreword by endurance champion race car driver Hurley Haywood, who knows his way around a Porsche.
NEBULA CAPSULE II seenebula.com
$530 We’ve seen projectors over the years come and go – who remembers those Flintstone-era plasma sets that weighed a ton? Those days are so over, and this Nebula Capsule II is among the reasons. Compact enough to take camping to watch reruns of The Office on the canyon facing. Or you can project at home on the ceiling, wall, wherever is handy. This mini projector can also handle your app streaming services. It weighs in at 1.6 pounds, features some premium sound and is particularly solid in low-light environs, so it’s a welcome guest of honor at your next outdoor movie party.
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BLUE TEES S3 MAX PLAYER PACK blueteesgolf.com
$399 The Blue Tees Series 3 Max rangefinder, which comes with a weatherproof case and offers advanced Flag-Lock + Pulse Vibration, slope switch technology, and a crystal clear display, is now available in the Player Pack bundle. In addition to the award-winning rangefinder the pack includes The Player, an IPX7 waterproof speaker with superior sound, dual speaker pairing so both carts can rock to the same tunes, and it even functions as a power bank if your phone battery dies. Also included in the pack are Blue Tees awesome 6-in-1 divot tool and the MagHub, which magnetically holds everything in the Player Pack together hanging conveniently from your golf bag.
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GIFT GUIDE
MEATSTICK MINI (WIRELESS SMART THERMOMETER) themeatstick.com
$99 Someone will need to know the temperature of the various meats that are required to be on the table this holiday season. The stainless steel MeatStick Mini is a wireless thermometer that works via Bluetooth from up to 100 feet away indoors and up to 260 feet outside. This means you can watch the game and enjoy a cigar, monitoring the MeatStick from your couch via an app without hovering over a hot grill. The MeatStick Mini is conveniently small, the ‘mini’ part, allowing the chef to monitor smaller cuts of meat.
SOLO STOVE PI PIZZA OVEN solostove.com
$575 (wood and gas model) When you’re cooking up your holiday pizza, nothing says spirit like a wood-fired pie made in a small oven that cooks – as opposed to looks – like a card-carrying pizzeria stove. With Solo Stove’s Pi Pizza Oven, you can fire up with wood or move a little quicker with the propane accommodation, which readily adapts. The oven can make up to a 12-inch pizza and at 20 inches wide by 15 inches high, the stainless-steel Pi is sized for the golf course, the campground or the backyard.
IRISH SETTER VAPRTREK WATERPROOF BOOTS irishsetterboots.com
$170 You don’t need to be a hunter to dig these military-style boots. They look good as you slog through…wherever. Even the mall, although surely you have better places to be, like the underbrush searching for something with fur or feathers. The full-grain leather camo helps you blend into the wilderness, and your quarry will never see you coming. The boots also include the Irish Setter’s ScentBan technology that it promises will kill bacteria that causes foot odor.
VINCE CAMUTO HOMME INTENSO vincecamuto.com
$90
SEWING SEAMS KING MONOGRAMMED ROBE sewingseams.co
$85 For the royalty in your life, turn to this monogrammed bathrobe. It comes in four colors – black, white, navy, or gray – and uses metallic thread in its stitching, with his majesty’s initial in one of six colors – again, your choice – surrounded by a gold crown. The two generously sized front pockets can hold whatever medieval things need to be on hand. Perfect for anyone you know who sports a crown.
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For the someone who seeks olfactory favor, Vince Camuto shows he knows more than shoes with this latest addition to his men’s fragrance stable. The masculine, woodsy scent of Intenso is complemented by a striking, lavish vessel. Men’s Health magazine deems Intenso worthy of an esteemed 2022 Grooming Award, which means something even in this everyone-getsa-trophy age. The generous 3.4-ounce pour will make it through TSA, so the classy scent travels well.
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Bucket List
Branson
The 19th hole at Payne’s Valley
BY ERIK CALVIÑO
IF YOUR GOLF DESTINATION BUCKET LIST DOESN’T INCLUDE BRANSON, MISSOURI, YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG. BRANSON, DUBBED THE “LIVE ENTERTAINMENT CAPITAL OF THE WORLD,” HAS LONG BEEN KNOWN AS A FAMILY-FRIENDLY ENTERTAINMENT DESTINATION. BUT WITH 10 WORLDCLASS GOLF COURSES DESIGNED BY THE LIKES OF TIGER WOODS, JACK NICKLAUS, TOM FAZIO, GARY PLAYER, AND BEN CRENSHAW ALL WITHIN 20 MINUTES OF EACH OTHER, BRANSON MAY WANT TO CONSIDER CALLING ITSELF THE “BUDDY TRIP CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.”
n a state that shares a border with eight others, the city of Branson sits on the southwest corner of the state, snuggling the Arkansas state line and smack dab in the middle of the Ozarks. This makes Branson politely Midwestern but just close enough to the South to draw some of the regional charm. It’s no surprise that Branson has always been at the forefront of popularizing the area’s Ozark culture. The city welcomes over 10 million visitors a year, ranking it 20th among all leisure destinations in the U.S. It boasts over 40 music theaters with a capacity over 50,000 seats playing everything from country, bluegrass, and gospel to pop, rock n’ roll, and Broadway. Outside of the entertainment district, Branson Landing offers waterfront dining, shopping, and lodging overlooking Lake Taneycomo just steps from Branson’s Historic District. You can visit the Bass Pro Shops at Branson Landing and dine at White River Fish House, a floating eatery that was recently voted the "Best Overall Restaurant” in Branson. Other worthwhile dining options include Guy Fieri’s Kitchen & Bar, Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, and local favorite Waxy O’Shea’s Irish Pub, which serves up a mean Irish Car Bomb and
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features live music on the weekends. The outdoor terrace at Waxy O’Shea’s welcomes cigar smokers, although you shouldn’t expect cigar ashtrays or table service outside. Their selection of top-shelf Irish whiskies and a perfectly poured pint of Guinness will help ease your pain. For lodging, Branson Landing offers up two Hilton properties. Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing and Hilton Branson Convention Center. The latter is home to one of the area’s top restaurants, Level 2 Steakhouse (level2steakhouse.com). This classic steakhouse serves up 28-day aged, corn-fed Midwest sourced beef
From Top to Bottom: The light show at Branson Landing; Hilton Branson Convention Center, home to Level 2 Steakhouse seared in its 1,600-degree infrared oven. All carnivores can select from five distinct steak knives but frequent visitors can join the Kut Klub and use their own engraved blade during their visit. Visitors to Branson’s Historic District should not miss Dick’s 5 & 10, which recently celebrated its 60th anniversary. It’s a classic, family owned 5 & 10 that takes you back to your childhood with unique gifts,
Novels and shows like The Shepherd of the Hills and The Beverly Hillbillies helped shape the national view of Ozarks culture but the reality of the Ozarks and its people goes much deeper than Hollywood depictions. Here’s a list of popular novels, films, and shows set in this part of the country:
The Shepherd of the Hills (1907 novel by Harold Bell Wright, also an on-going show in Branson) Where the Red Fern Grows (1961 autobiographical children’s novel by Wilson Rawls) The Beverly Hillbillies (CBS sitcom from 1962 to 1971, also a film adaptation in 1993) Ride with the Devil (1999 Ang Lee directed film based on the Daniel Woodrell novel Woe to Live On) Winter’s Bone (award-winning 2010 film starring Jennifer Lawrence adapted from the Daniel Woodrell novel of the same name) Ozark (award-winning Netflix drama from 2017 to 2022 starring Jason Bateman)
GETTING TO BRANSON The nearest viable airport is Springfield / Branson National Airport (SGF). Branson is less than day’s drive from more than 1/3 of the United States. Charter and Limo services like VIP Tours of Branson (viptoursofbranson.com) are a great, stress-free option for groups. Uber and Lyft both operate throughout the area but if you come from densely populated cities, expect longer wait times. A free downtown trolley operates in Historic Downtown Branson making it easy to park once and get around for free in downtown. Visit explorebranson.com for more information about transportation and much more.
souvenirs, candies, hobby supplies, and too much variety to fit into this story. The store is owned and operated by the original family although founder Dick Hartley passed away in 2006. His son Steve Hartley can be seen helping customers, ringing registers, and stocking shelves seven days a week.
AN OUTDOOR PARADISE The Ozark’s lakes and waterways draw anglers from all over the world to fish for bass and trout. Some of the largest bass caught in the state of Missouri
have been hooked in Table Rock Lake, while Lake Taneycomo is the spot for trout. It was fishing on those lakes that enthralled a young Johnny Morris. He also saw a need for a dedicated tackle shop, so in 1972, he opened one in a small space in the back of his father’s liquor store, Brown Derby Liquors, in nearby Springfield. It was a small space, eight square feet, and he called it Bass Pro Shops. From early on he leveraged the power of multi-channel sales by sending out a Bass Pro catalog to anglers everywhere in the country. Bass Pro Shops operated out of that space in the liquor store for the first 13 years
and eventually grew into the outdoor sporting goods giant that it is today. Bass Pro Shops operates 200 stores nationwide including a mammoth 500,000-square-foot outpost in Springfield. The store also serves as the company headquarters where the 74-year-old Morris still oversees dayto-day operations. The company also owns the White River Marine Group, which manufactures and distributes the Tracker, Ranger, Tahoe, and Mako boat brands, to name a few. Building on the success of Bass Pro Shops, Morris purchased a 4,600acre property overlooking Table Rock Lake in 1987. The property had previously been a wilderness retreat owned by two Missouri natives, Jude Simmons and Harry Worman, in the 1920s, and was turned into a guest ranch in 1947 by Dan Norris. Upon completion of the purchase, Morris quickly set out to restore the Simmons and Worman buildings and began a quest to develop the property into the premier wilderness resort in the Ozarks, Big Cedar Lodge (bigcedar. com). Big Cedar aims to connect families and friends to nature with a steady eye towards conservation and respect for the great outdoors. The resort offers lodging of all varieties, from exclusive villas and cottages including the oneof-a-kind Jack’s Cabin located at Top of the Rock overlooking the 9th hole
From Top to Bottom: The view of Table Rock Lake from the main dining room of Osage Restaurant; The Bass Pro Shops Shooting Academy at Big Cedar Lodge of the short course designed by Jack Nicklaus and the two Angler’s Lodge hotels located off property. Whatever your outdoor pursuits, Big Cedar has you covered, with boat rentals for fishing, tubing, water skiing, or just spending the day on the water. There’s a shooting academy designed for all levels and for all types of shooting sports including trap, skeet, clays, and 5-stand. There’s also Fun Mountain where kids (of any age) can race gokarts, try their hand at a ropes course, shoot each other with lasers, and wind down with bowling and billiards. Dining at Big Cedar is headlined by the upscale Osage Restaurant at Top of the Rock. Arrive while it's still daylight to enjoy the sweeping views of the Ozark Mountains and Table Rock Lake, but above all don’t miss the daily Sunset Ceremony. As the sun starts to dip into the horizon, a Civil War-era cannon is fired as guests raise their glass for a toast. If you’re up for a pre- or post-dinner cocktail and smoke, make your way down to the End of the Trail All-American Wine Cellar, which sits underneath Osage Restaurant. Walking past room after room of wine collections as you make your way down the stonewalled
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surged back professionally to win the 2020 Masters. It’s a very timely coincidence for us but even if Tiger wasn’t attached, that course has great golf characteristics with open playing space, really fun green complexes plus the natural beauty of the Ozarks as its backdrop.” Big Cedar Golf (golfbigcedar.com) was born of Johnny Morris’s desire to connect people to nature, be it by fishing, hunting, hiking, or blasting drives onto pristine fairways surrounded by the grandeur of nature. Big Cedar’s golf offerings are all public and include three 18-hole courses and two short courses designed by some of the biggest names in the game.
PAYNE’S VALLEY
corridors of the cellar feels like you’ve been transported into a clean and wellappointed version of an old world cellar until you come upon a wall of bourbon behind a semi-circle bar. The selection of hard-to-find American whiskies was impressive; ask for a neat pour of High West Midwinter Night’s Dram and grab a smoke from the well-stocked walkin humidor. Better yet, ask Krupp (the bartender) for a recommendation and watch him perk up at the chance to drop some bourbon knowledge on you. A conveniently placed patio and lawn area just past the wine cellar’s bar provides the perfect place to enjoy a cigar overlooking the Chapel of the Ozarks, #1 on Top of the Rock Golf Course, and Table Rock Lake further in the distance. Servers will provide you with a proper ashtray as well as a cut and light if needed. It could just be the best spot on the property to savor your favorite blend.
GOLF HEAVEN Stir-crazy golfers kept away from their weekend pastime during the pandemic tuned in en masse on Tuesday, September 22nd, 2020, to watch the Payne’s Valley Cup on the Golf Channel. The broadcast unveiled Big Cedar Lodge’s newest course, the Tiger Woods-designed Payne’s Valley, for a 2 v 2 exhibition match between Tiger Woods/Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy/Justin Rose. The made-for-
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From Top to Bottom: Clouds rolling through the front 9 at Payne’s Valley; The peaceful peninsula green belonging to #5 at Payne’s Valley television match not only paid tribute to the late Missouri native and World Golf Hall of Famer, Payne Stewart, but also raised money for the Payne Stewart Family Foundation. After the Woods/Thomas team secured the victory, the players were joined by legends Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player for a closest-to-the-pin competition on the breathtaking 19th hole. Unlike the rest of the course, this bonus hole, affectionately called The Big Rock. was designed by Johnny Morris himself and mesmerizes golfers with a 134-yard shot to an island green surrounded by a giant limestone rock face with a waterfall feeding the water hazard that separates the player from the safety of the green. There’s a strategically placed bar just to the left of the walkway up to the elevated tee, which serves up the liquid courage needed to tackle The Big Rock. Coverage of the Payne’s Valley Cup was an overwhelming success for the Golf Channel. It was the most watched Tuesday telecast since the network's 2018 Masters coverage, which featured the long-anticipated Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson practice round at Augusta National. But the impact of that unveiling was far more
tangible at Big Cedar. Bob Newell, VP of Golf for Big Cedar, told Cigar Snob, “We had nearly 80,000 calls and emails for tee times in the days that followed the event airing on national TV and total rounds grew nearly 50%.” Tiger Woods’ association with the course and more than a little serendipity helped push Payne’s Valley into the consciousness and bucket lists of golfers everywhere. “It’s a huge impact to have Tiger associated with a course at Big Cedar,” Newell said, “especially since the year it opened Tiger also
The most recognizable of the courses was the first public course designed by Tiger Woods and his TGR design firm. Golf Digest named it the "Best New Public Course in America" in 2021 and it’s no surprise. With six different tee positions, the par 72 layout elegantly offers a challenge for players of all levels. The Tiger Tees, designed for tour level players, comes in at a stout 7,370 yards, while blue tees are 6,876, white tees are 6,133, and red tees are 4,957. One interesting tee option is the combo tees, which combine the blue and white for mid to low handicaps and red and white for high to mid handicaps. The course is extremely driver friendly. “The water features along the course are all really unique but from a golf playability standpoint, the hallmark features would have to be the open fairways," Newell said. "It’s a great
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tip of the cap to this majestic place as you zigzag up the cliff with grand views of the course below and the beauty of the Ozarks all around.
OZARKS NATIONAL While Payne’s Valley gets the lion’s share of the hype, Ozarks National is perhaps the most suitable of the Big Cedar courses for a PGA Tour stop, at least from a difficulty standpoint. To our eye, the Coore & Crenshaw design was the most challenging of the Big Cedar courses, although Newell offered some words of wisdom about the course he plays most often. “It’s considered the most challenging, but the more you play it the more you realize it’s very score-able," he said. "You just have to learn the breaks and how the ball reacts on the rolling fairways. Once you figure out where you can play aggressive and where you need to play defensive, it makes the strategy involved in playing that course so much fun.”
course to pound driver on nearly every hole.”
surface, a welcome relief for those with a big right-miss.
Tiger’s design features several risk-reward par-5s including the picturesque #4, at 484 from the whites. A solid tee shot down the right side offers a chance to get home in two but the smallish green is protected by a creek if you come up short, a lake if you’re left, and a bunker if you’re long. The exposed limestone along the right side offers a beautiful backdrop to this early test.
Riding up to the famous 19th hole after your round, your cart narrates some of the facts and history of the hole. As you come around the wall of limestone, you feel a childlike excitement as your view opens and the magnificence of the 19th comes into view. Your first glimpse of the 200 ft. cliff with water rushing through it is quite possibly the main reason that you played the course to begin with.
Things don’t necessarily get easier as you’ll want to come into #5 with confidence. This peninsula green sitting peacefully at 179 yards for those playing from the blues requires a wellmeasured iron shot. Your reward is a scenic ride along the bridge before facing the sloped, fast green.
Newell puts into words what everyone that plays Payne’s Valley is thinking: “#19 is definitely the biggest attraction on the course. You start to see it from hole #14 and it builds up as you get closer and see more of it. It’s easily the most talked about aspect of
All of the Big Cedar golf courses offer snacks, beverages, ice cream, and local bison dogs included with your green fees but the turn at Payne’s Valley allows you to enjoy your bison dog while watching the group ahead of you take aim at the difficult-to-gauge downhill par-3 with trouble all around. It plays 161 from the blues and 140 from the whites; there should be a neon sign at the tee box flashing DON’T BE LEFT and DON’T BE SHORT. If you’re not feeling particularly comfortable over this one, there’s a safe bailout to the right with a mound that caresses your errant shot back towards the putting
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From Top to Bottom: The heavily bunkered green on Ozarks National #17; The 100-year-old restored stone house behind #5 green on Ozarks National offers a landmark off the tee on this dogleg right par 4 the course.” The Big Rock is also the place where final bets are settled or new ones are made for the final test of your iron play. The green is generous in depth but veering off to either side will undoubtedly leave you buying the next round of drinks. The ride from #19 up to the clubhouse is an adventure ride through the limestone, behind waterfalls, and over shallow creeks that add that final touch of detail that makes this place that much more interesting. It’s a fitting
Most of us, however, won’t have the luxury to play the course enough to have that level of familiarity and for that, Newell suggests you take a forecaddie. The blind shots and occasional narrow fairways certainly necessitate it. “If you’re hitting your driver well or playing conservatively off the tee you can post a great number there and our forecaddies can help a lot with that.” The course opened in 2019 to numerous accolades. Golf Digest named it the "Best New Public Course in America" in 2019 and Golfweek called it the "Best Course You Can Play in Missouri" in 2020. The holes are routed along a mountain ridge with dramatic, seemingly endless views and maximum, unprotected wind exposure. The wind variable along with the C&C design gives the course a links-like feel that sets it apart from the other Big Cedar 18-hole courses. There are six tee positions to choose from including two combos, like Payne’s Valley. The back tees, called Ozarks, play at 7,036 yards, the blues at 6,510, white tees at 5,903, and reds at 5,025. The course’s location atop the ridge is probably best accentuated by the short par-4 #5, which takes you down and uphill while snaking right, then left up to an elevated green. Overlooking the green complex is a 100-year-old stone house that is often used as an aim point, a restored remnant of the property’s previous life as a dairy farm. The stone house behind the #5 green
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fun feel than a proper 18-hole course. Most par-3 courses require that you grab just a couple of clubs and a putter but that’s not the case at Mountain Top. Depending on the wind, you’ll find yourself going through most of your bag if you play from the back tees. After a short 82-yard opening hole, the 221-yard #2 is perhaps the toughest hole on the course. It plays uphill the whole way and features a false front that could have your ball rolling back towards you if you’re short.
TOP OF THE ROCK
is not the only clever use of landmarks throughout the layout. A lone pine on the par-5 #11 marks the center of the fairway for your tee shot, while a second one further up the fairway alerts you of impending doom to the left. The way Coore and Crenshaw used the ridges, landmarks, and native vegetation make Ozarks National feel like an old, established course when in fact it’s quite new.
BUFFALO RIDGE Everything about Buffalo Ridge is more laid back, from the sign at the entrance welcoming “Fishermen, Golfers, and Other Liars,” to the herd of bison grazing on native grass on your left off the #1 tee. While situated on the same parcel of land that houses Payne’s Valley, Ozarks National, and Mountain Top Course, Buffalo Ridge feels much more remote.
will challenge your driver. Payne’s Valley has great green complexes that will challenge your short game and putting. Buffalo Ridge is a second shot course, the fairways are wide, but the approach shots are difficult, and missing the greens in the wrong spot can leave you with a real challenging up-and-down for par. It’s the perfect complement to the other courses.” Yardages are broken out into six positions with the back tees, called Buffalo tees on this course, at 7,036 yards. That’s not a typo; it’s strangely the exact same length from the back as Ozarks National. Blue tees are set up at 6,616 yards, whites at 5,881, and reds at 5,004. Like its sister courses, Buffalo Ridge also offers combo tees for those “in-between” players.
There’s an excellent practice facility out front as well as a terrace with tables where you can enjoy a postround smoke.
At several points during your round, you will see herds of American bison grazing and it takes a moment to let that settle in. They say there’s a rare albino bison in the herd, but they could just be trying to get newbies off their game. Don’t be distracted, the course demands respect.
The layout was designed by Tom Fazio and although it is often overlooked because of the newer, sexier courses, it is a gem of a track. Bob Newell echoed those sentiments and compared it to the others. “Usually after people play it, they are surprised at how good of a course it is," Newell said. "Ozarks National is a first shot course and
Fazio throws you right into the fire on #2 with a difficult test of your nerve. This par-4 playing at 458 yards from the blues tees has a giant limestone protrusion jutting into the fairway from the left urging you to be right, but that makes your second shot that much longer into a protected bunker. It’s one example of how the course uses
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The idyllic island green on Top of the Rock’s #6 requires pinpoint accuracy from an elevated tee box 121 yards away the natural contours of this area to its advantage. The short but adventurous par-4 #15 could be the most dramatic hole on the property. It plays from just 348 from the blues and 309 from the whites and opens with a downhill tee shot into an uphill sloping fairway. Oh, and there are a series of waterfalls all along the right side of the fairway and treacherous bunkers along the left. Even after you navigate that gauntlet, your second shot is into a green with a false front, bunkers to the right, and a limestone ledge that seems to be begging you to use it as a backstop. Don’t do it.
MOUNTAIN TOP With Mountain Top Course’s first tee located just off to the side of the Payne’s Valley clubhouse, it’s easy to want to fire up a smoke, grab a pull cart, and set off on the 13-hole short course. The par-3 track was designed by Gary Player and it provides a fun golf experience for the entire family. The holes are short enough for kids to play, especially from the forward tees, which play at 1,091 yards. The back tees provide more of a challenge for players at 1,912 yards but the whole experience has a much more laid back,
Unlike Big Cedar’s Mountain Top short course, which requires inventive shot-making and most of the clubs in your bag, Top of the Rock is more of a classic 9-hole, par-3. Classic? Yes. Typical? Not by a long shot. The Jack Nicklaus Signature design became the only par-3 course ever to be part of a PGA event when it hosted the Champions Tour – Legends of Golf from 2014 to 2019. Tim Finchem, the former commissioner of the PGA Tour, famously stated at the time, “If there was ever a par-3 course worthy of PGA Tour tournament play, Top of the Rock is it.” Top of the Rock looks and plays like a golf course of your dreams. There’s no wasted motion, with jaw-dropping views at every turn and holes that remind you of some of golf’s most iconic holes. It features three tee positions with the black tees playing from 1,420 yards, the bronze tees at 1,284, and the reds at 945. Hole #2 is one of those “Am I dreaming?” holes, short and severely downhill, and at 114 yards from the black it feels like you’re inevitably going to hit it into Table Rock Lake in the background. Standing at the tee at #4, you could swear you’re at #12 at Augusta National, except it’s quite a bit longer at 191 yards from the black tees. Just about every green at Top of the Rock is menacingly protected by bunkers but the 121-yard island green #6 is where precision is most needed. From the tee, even the bridge onto the green is cleverly obscured from view giving you more questions over the ball than you can possibly answer. After the round, check out Arnie’s Barn, a 150-year-old barn from Arnold Palmer’s Latrobe, PA, backyard that was meticulously relocated to Top of the Rock. The barn serves as the pro shop and restaurant serving Texas BBQ and Tex-Mex cuisine.
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chicken wings, and pizzas. You can also pick up cigars at the restaurant; they can be enjoyed on the terrace outside overlooking #18. After getting your teeth kicked in by the hole, it can help the ego to watch others struggle with it as you enjoy a fine smoke.
EMBERS CIGAR LOUNGE Every golf course we came across in Branson had cigars for sale and most of the time the golf course humidors were stocked by the fine folks from Embers Cigar Lounge (emberscigar. com). The real deal, however, is just across the river from Branson Landing, in the picturesque town of Hollister.
BRANSON GOLF Big Cedar Golf and more specifically Payne’s Valley is the reason that most destination golfers worth their salt have Branson on their bucket lists, but there’s no drop-off in quality golf outside of Big Cedar. A 20-minute drive from Payne’s Valley you’ll find Branson Hills Golf Course (bransonhillsgolfclub. com), a top-notch track designed by Chuck Smith with the consultation of the famed Bobby Clampett. The course has received its fair share of accolades with Golf Channel’s Golf Advisor calling it the #1 "Course to Play in Missouri," the 36th "Best Course in America," and the 49th "Toughest
Course in America" in 2021. Golfweek had it as the #1 "Course in Missouri" from 2012 to 2018. This public gem offers a dizzying amount of elevation change and a mature forest surrounds the track. The course offers six tee options with the gold tees topping out at 7,324 yards, green tees at 7,046, blues at 6,741, silver tees at 6,299, and orange tees at 5,323. There is one combo tee option that combines the silver and orange tees. The first hole is an apt introduction to the elevation change and difficulty of the layout, with a force-carry over dense rough and a 130-foot drop from
From Top to Bottom: The par 3 #16 at Branson Hills Golf Club plays over a serpentine lake, with the green protected by two small but deep bunkers; Embers Cigar Lounge in the nearby town of Hollister offers a variety of comfortable smoking areas for customers tee to green. Greens are slick and some pin placements can be downright diabolical but are always a fun test. After a difficult, long par-3 #2, the short and downhill par-4 #3 offers the first real chance to gain some ground but it comes at a risk. The green is reachable thanks to the downhill slope but the fairway narrows significantly leaving a dense forest and a bunker in play off the tee. But you didn’t come all the way out here to shy away from hitting driver at the first sign of trouble. Hit it. Perhaps the most difficult and daunting hole at Branson Hills is #18. Standing at the tee you face what looks like a wall of fairway as this severely uphill par4 plays from 427 yards from the gold, 415 yards from the blues, and 246 from the reds. The blind, uphill tee shot requires some knowledge of where to aim. While we hear that cart GPSs are in the works, they are not currently available, so bring your own GPS or play the course twice. It's worth it. The clubhouse is large and beautifully appointed and the Magnolia Grille prepares excellent sandwiches,
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Embers owners Kevin and Betsy McConnell have created the ideal cigar lounge out of what feels like an old place of worship. At the right time of day the light comes in through the high windows above the main entrance giving the place an idyllic vibe. Step inside the walk-in humidor and you’ll find yourself worshiping at the altar to Fuente Fuente Opus X thanks to an impressive, custom-made island shelf with hanging tobacco. In addition to Fuente, the selection is varied with big names like Drew Estate, Padrón, Camacho, and Cohiba as well as smaller, lesser-known boutiques. Once you’ve selected your smoke, the lounge offers beer from local breweries and wine by the glass or bottle. Locals tell us that after you’ve worked up an appetite at Ember’s, the move is to go a couple doors down to Downing Street Pour House (dspourhouse.com) and order the championship wings, a wagyu burger, and kettle chips. We hear that’ll add 20 yards off the tee for you. Before watching the Payne’s Valley Cup, Branson had not been on my radar. But after spending a week playing the incredible golf courses surrounded by the singular natural beauty of the Ozarks, I’m itching to go back even if just to exact my revenge on the 19th at Payne’s Valley. With 10 public, top-notch courses within 20 minutes of one another, Branson wins plenty of arguments when compared to other golf-centric buddy’s trip destinations. Factor in its proximity to a large portion of the country, the world-class fishing and outdoor activities, and the family friendly nature of the area’s attractions, and it starts to tip the scales as one of the best all-around vacation spots.
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CARRYING
THE TORCH
FROM ROYALTY TO JAMES BOND, LUGGAGE TO LIGHTERS, 150 YEARS OF S.T. DUPONT OPULENCE BY STEVE MILLER
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hen you’re a century and a half old, you expect certain things to break down. But luxury merchandiser S.T. Dupont, celebrating 150 years in 2022, uses age as progress, maintaining its status as a after refining itself through reinvention over the past 15 years.
blossomed, well-known for its ability to create this much-in-demand luxury item. The famous and fabulous have sported Dupont products, from Andy Warhol to Audrey Hepburn, Churchill to Capone. Pablo Picasso, born in Spain but soon to become the Parisian prince of paint, used early Dupont lighters for his endless stream of cigarettes, inadvertently one of the brand’s first celebrity ambassadors.
The French brand’s new black matte line of lighters, for example, adds a velvety flavor to one of its top-selling products that dates to the World War II era. Meanwhile, Dupont’s Ligne 2 lighter – French for line – introduced in the 1970s, is among the favorites of a certain class, a masterpiece that has come to be part of the definition of “rich but not ostentatious” accessories, often covered in striking art.
Dupont’s revered writing instruments, too, took shape as part of a simple request from one of Dupont’s followers: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis requested it in the early 70s and, again, you don’t say no to such a regal solicitation.
Simon Tissot-Dupont was 25 years old when he began the brand as a French crafter of document holders, fine bags, leather goods and transportation trunks, back in the day when such luggage was utilitarian. Dupont catered to highend society in 19th century France, as the country was developing its industrial and intellectual base.
More recently, check out Daniel Craig’s cufflinks in 2006’s James Bond installment, Casino Royale; they’re Dupont. Over the decades, the brand has peddled a variety of well-made, if possibly sometimes misplaced,
Clockwise from top: Founder, Simon Tissot Dupont ; the first ST Dupont lighter circa 1941; master craftsman in workshop.
The lighter, a marquee piece in waiting, came about serendipitously. “From 1872 until just before the second World War, there were all these incredible cases and leather goods,” says Alain Crevet, who took over as CEO of Dupont in 2006. The earliest lighter traces to the early 1900s and improvements were being made constantly. In the early 1940s, a ruler from India ordered 100 Dupont bags, one for each of his 100 wives. The ruler also lighter in each say no to such a man going by of Patiala.
wanted a cigarette one and you don’t a man, in this case, the title of Maharaja
“Dupont made the lighters instead of going out and having them made,” Crevet says. “And that’s the start.”
luxury goods from fragrances to jewelry. But its core line remains the lighter, and S.T. Dupont creates some of the most widely sought and pricy torches in the game, most made, as its original luggage and bags were, with precious metals and coated in layers of lacquer.
The lighters, made of gold, were so well-received that Dupont
Dupont is now found in the finest cigar stores and lounges, the
A game-changing made.
decision
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treasured lighters and cutters on display as much curated artifacts as aspirational consumer goods. “Cigar shops dominate the landscape for Dupont,” says Mark Cole, CEO, owner and founder of Coles of London, which distributes Dupont in the U.S. “There are a lot of beautiful cigars stores and we focus on being in the right stores.”
Some products, especially lighters, sell out quickly and when he goes back to ask for more, it’s too late – the production team is onto something new. “Dupont keeps coming up with more products with this creative team, and they are always looking to create the next best thing,” Cole says. “And the factory has to do its
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY: S.T. DUPONT
best to keep up.”
Crevet joined Dupont as CEO at the end of 2006.
That’s done far away from the U.S. in the French Alps, where 100 artisans toil away, creating handmade luxury goods in limited amounts for a limited audience. The workers apply Chinese lacquer to the lighters by hand, test the pen nibs and run the micro-machinery, all far away from the bright lights of the city.
The big dogs in the international deluxe lighter market had been Dunhill and Cartier. But they had stepped back in favor of other pursuits and the market was left wide open. It was a time of the demonization of tobacco, started in the U.S. with money-seeking plaintiffs’ lawyers and overzealous public health nannies.
Faverges, the town that is home to the Dupont plant, sits in a glacial valley an hour out of Geneva, Switzerland and a six-hour drive from headquarters in Paris, where Crevet was born.
“Someone said that maybe there is no market for lighters,” Crevet recalls. “But I made the point to keep pushing lighters. You don’t need to be a smoker to enjoy a beautiful object.”
In the late 70s, at the age of 18, Crevet was gifted a Ligne 1 Dupont lighter by his father, not realizing the significance it would take in his life down the road.
Dupont knew lighters but had drifted. In 1977, the brand developed the Ligne 2 lighter, a slimmer version of the Ligne 1 but most notable for the gentle ‘ping’ – a ‘cling’ when spoken of in Europe – heard when it is opened. Over the years the brand had introduced numerous variations, from the Urban Line, the curvy Soubreny, and into the emerging female consumer in the lighter segment as part of its Line D products.
“I keep it with me at any time,” Crevet says. “It goes into my inside jacket pocket, and I always have it. It has black lacquer and gold trim, and it is my good luck charm.” It is not unlikely that he will show it off as he speaks in public, that lighter, a gift from so long ago, always there. As his life progressed, Crevet bought himself a matching Dupont pen, and the brand he watched from afar became familiar to him.
With Crevet aboard, the new focus would be on the lighter, which had been his totem of good fortune for the preceding three decades. It was basic but also the launch pad for an infinite number of variations and decorations.
He started his career with Procter & Gamble, then moved to Parfums Givenchy SA, a luxury fashion and perfume house. Crevet eventually landed at Dupont after visiting one of the brand’s retail stores and realizing that it had lost its way. That wasn’t a secret. The brand had been suffering losses of a reported 10 million euros a year between 1999 and 2006, and the b-word, bankruptcy, was a whisper among financial pundits.
Those lighters would inevitably keep lighting cigars, as Crevet knew. Cigars were also a passion for Crevet that was passed along to him from his grandfather. Cigars were sanctuary and freedom and pure pleasure, he learned at an early age. “It has been a family tradition,” he says. “My grandfather, with my father and uncles, would smoke and they were also wine connoisseurs. On a Sunday after lunch, my grandfather and his three sons got together to have a nice smoke and talk about history, politics, the economy. I enjoyed the smell right away and started to learn.”
“It was a ready-to-wear shop and very expensive,” Crevet recalls. “I mentioned the lighter to someone there, and they said ‘oh, yes, we still do that.’ But where was it? I was asking myself why they ended up doing menswear and forgetting lighters.” Through his business contacts, Crevet knew someone in the Dupont hierarchy. “I said ‘I think I know what is wrong here,’ “Crevet says. “‘You lost track of these basics.’”
Top to bottom: CEO Alain Crevet; Limited Edition Shanghai lighter.
Crevet’s father was a Montecristo No. 4 man and therefore, so was his son. That palate evolved over the years, moving into Cohibas, which remain a favorite. He leaned into
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150 years. A cake in the shape of the Ligne 2 and a humidor, also in the shape of the Ligne 2, were on display. Mann sees blue sky for both Dupont and premium cigars for the future, despite sagging economies around the world. “The cigar industry is as strong as it has ever been in the 20 years since I began, and our business parallels the cigar business,” Mann says. His barometer on his future is the number of new cigar introductions. “At the trade shows, we are seeing a constant flow of new products and that means good business for us,” Mann says. “As the cigar business stays healthy, our retailers are still doing well, so it’s a domino effect.” Dupont’s next 150 years begins with a wise trope of marketing – get the young. Mann sees it at the cigar trade shows and in the stores.
Top to bottom: The 2022 Le Grand Cling lineup; the iconic Ligne 2 lighter in gold dust finish. Crevet visited Davidoff’s Madison Avenue shop in New York, where he would go for a cigar when visiting. One thing led to another, from a display to full-on distributorship. Things changed as the brand switched up some things, and in 2018, Coles of London took over the rest of the catalog in the U.S. for Dupont.
pairing cigars with fine wines or whiskey, and, during a stint working in Mexico for Procter & Gamble, tequilas. Over the last 16 years, Dupont has changed distributors three times, finally landing with Coles of London as the brand moved from its somewhat floundering state and into its space for luxurious cigar accessories, with a side dish of leather goods and writing utensils – all told, about 55 percent of Dupont’s business is in lighters and cigar accessories, extending to ash trays to humidors. “Davidoff of Geneva USA was working well, a great partner,” Crevet says. That came about as
42 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2022
Cole, a former corporate accountant, was into pens and a good match. He’d launched Coles of London with the luxe pen market in mind and was distributing a few lines in the U.S. He kicked ass with the Dupont writing instruments. Davidoff and Cole worked side-byside – Davidoff cigar accessories, Cole pens – for a few years, until last year, when Cole took over everything. Shortly after that, Les Mann, a veteran Dupont rep who worked for the brand’s varied U.S. distributors, returned in 2021 to lead Dupont sales for Coles. Cole, who enjoys a rare cigar, knows luxury and knows the segment, and besides, several of his sales team are enthusiastic cigar fans.
“I appreciate cigars and can have a conversation about them,” Cole says. “I think what is needed is to be educated in Dupont, and all things Dupont.” Davidoff’s stores remain a reliable place to get Dupont accessories, a solid outpost among the 400 or so locations around the U.S. to get Dupont accessories and goods. “The DNA of Dupont has changed so little in 150 years,” says Mann, who has been representing Dupont products for almost 25 years. “Styles and fashion change, but when you see our product, you know it’s a Dupont. The colors and finishes and appointments on the lighters may change, but it’s unmistakably a Dupont.” Its product alliances have included Fender guitar, the aforementioned James Bond franchise, the Rolling Stones, Iron Man’s Tony Stark and the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Dupont has 24 boutiques worldwide and 47 shop-in-shops, or displays within larger luxury retailers, and is also a fixture at important cigar conferences, most recently this summer’s Premium Cigar Association trade show in Las Vegas. Las Vegas was a full-on festival of Dupont, in which bespoke pieces joined with the familiar to celebrate
“It’s the BMW syndrome, the dad drives a 5-Series and it’s cool, but the kid can only afford the 3-Series,” Mann explains. “You want to get the kids in the game, though, because the older guys are yesterday’s business.” So, the Goldsmith Ligne 2 lighter, a gem of a best-seller and an industry standard, stays in the catalog with variations while the black matte, the fresh colors, and the gun metal brushing all aim at keeping Dupont broad. “It goes full circle, as we advertise these products in the right places, the right publications, to get that younger buyer,” Mann says. “The cigar guys are making sure they can appeal to the young, look at Drew Estate.” Crevet travels the world, examining the various markets as he moves about. He sees little effect of antismoking zealotry, where the U.S. government continues to declare war on tobacco, on Dupont. Asia continues to be an excellent market, while the U.S., as Mann noted, is booming. Even if cigars evaporated – perish the thought – Crevet is confident in the power of art: “You surely don’t have to be a smoker to enjoy a beautiful object.”
The Art, Tradition, and Style of Cuba.
MYFATHERCIGARS.COM
NOV / DEC 2022 | CIGAR SNOB |
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CHARLES WOODSON
NFL STAR TALKS ABOUT THE BIG HOUSE, LIFE ON THE VINE, AND MOVING TO THE MIC.
LOCATION: LONE WOLF CIGAR COMPANY lonewolfcigars.com
BY STEVE MILLER / PHOTOGRAPHY BY DANIEL LENNOX NOV / DEC 2022 | CIGAR SNOB |
45
CHARLES WOODSON’S in the prime of his career, which says something for someone with a Heisman, a Super Bowl ring and a Pro Football Hall of Fame “Ring of Excellence” in his rear view. His seat at the table for Fox NFL Kickoff on fall Sundays is cementing his role as a broadcaster, a career the 46-year-old Woodson barely considered during his 21 years as a collegiate and pro football star. And star is the correct term, as the accolades rolled in the longer Woodson played, starting with three years of college football at the University of Michigan. He was a two-time All-American selection and capped his time at U of M with the Heisman Trophy in 1997. Over his 18 years in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders and the Green Bay Packers, Woodson was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection, 2009 Defensive Player of the Year and part of the 2011 Super Bowl champion Packers. A more recent feat – and fete – is Woodson’s election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in early 2021. For the induction ceremony, friends, and family from Woodson’s hometown of Fremont, Ohio, made the two-hour trek from the Toledo suburb, population 16,000, that sits 15 miles from the shores of Lake Erie. Woodson credited his family, friends, teammates, and coaches for his successful gridiron trek. “We were a Heisman Trophy winner together, we were national champions together, we were Super Bowl champions together…” Woodson said in his address in Canton. Along the way, Woodson, whose candid, assured charm and considerable self-awareness eased his transition to the TV screen, became a student of the finer things. As a member of the Raiders, he
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trained in Napa Valley and became curious about the valley’s cultural signature.
life. Our chat started with a story that shows a man who understands how quirky life can be.
most I had played in front of before was maybe 10,000 in high school playoffs.
“Everyone was drinking wine, all ages, male, female, whatever, drinking wine was the thing to do,” Woodson tells Cigar Snob. “I didn’t know anything about it and started hanging around people who were into it and started exploring.”
“I went to a Michigan game during my recruiting trip in 1994, my cousin and I drove up to Ann Arbor,” Woodson says. “We were going back to Fremont after the game and said ‘let’s get out of here before the game lets out and all the traffic hits the road. U of M was up by almost two touchdowns with a little over two minutes left. We got in the car and turned on the radio to listen to the end of the game and Kordell Stewart takes the snap and throws it and next thing you know, Colorado wins the game [with six seconds left]. We had missed the end of one of the classic college football games. And my cousin and I, it was dead silence in the car.”
GOING PRO
He began socializing with area vintners and soon launched Charles Woodson Wines, starting with a vintage 2001 Merlot developed with international winemaker Gustavo Gonzalez. In 2019, he came out with Charles Woodson’s Intercept, producing Cabernet Sauvignon and a Red Blend from Paso Robles and a Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Monterey County. He also developed an interest in brown liquor, starting Woodson Bourbon Whiskey, which led directly to the Charles Woodson Charity Golf Tournament, which debuted in October in Las Vegas, featuring a VIP pre-party at Eight Cigar Lounge in Resorts World Las Vegas.
“A LOT OF GUYS IN SPORTS SMOKE CIGARS,” HE SAYS. “YOU DON’T SEE IT SINCE THEY MIGHT BE IN A LOUNGE SMOKING OR SOMEWHERE THAT THEY CAN BE AMONGST FRIENDS AND TALK.” Woodson appeared on Fox NFL Sunday the day after the tourney in a forest green blazer. “I feel like money,” he proclaimed to his panel colleagues, referring to the success of the tourney, which raised funds for select charities. We talked with Woodson as he landed in Las Vegas to begin the tournament, and spoke of football, becoming an oenophile, winning and
It would be one of the few big plays he’d miss over the next three decades.
GETTING STARTED I had two recruiting visits, one to the University of Miami and the one to U of M. It was really a big deal for me to fly to South Florida, that was the moment I said to myself, ‘holy cow, I’m being recruited by the ‘Canes.’ I ended up at Michigan and, you know, when you’re getting recruited, everything is positive, like ‘you’re the guy.’ I went to my first practice at Michigan and there are 20 [defensive backs]. Who are all these guys? I told myself that I had to work hard to get noticed. But at first, I was a freshman and not starting and that was the only time I got discouraged.
PLAYING AT THE BIG HOUSE I had been to Ann Arbor for camps as a junior and senior in high school, so I had been around a little bit. But the first game at the Big House, walking out of that tunnel for warmups as a freshman, people are filing into the stadium and you’re going about your business on the field, and you don’t notice the crowd. Then you go back in and put on your shoulder pads and come back out and I had to take a big breath – there were 106,000 people, the stadium is packed. I knew there were big expectations, and it was unbelievable for me, the
That was just the dream for me, like a lot of other kids. As a kid you’d say, ‘hey man, I’m going to the NFL,’ but it seems so far off. Then once I got to college and began to play, you see the guys you play against getting drafted. You say, ‘if they’re going, I’m going.’ I won the Heisman (in 1997), and we went to the Rose Bowl against Washington State and won the national championship, so what else could I do at college? I hadn’t been spoken to about going pro, back then you couldn’t even contact players through the school, although people did find a way behind the scenes, I think, in some cases. But I got out there and was drafted [fourth overall] by Oakland. I just wanted to be drafted high.
PLAYING IN GREEN BAY In Oakland, there was a lot going on, a lot of places to get to fairly easily. You had other pro teams, lots of places to go and see. In Green Bay, it was just the Packers, you’re in the middle of Green Bay and that’s the whole focus. It took some time to feel the love in Green Bay, but everyone knew you and it was a small town. I was one of the higher profile guys and I lived downtown in a condo and there were restaurants around me and I’d be there all the time, I got to know people who were fans of [the Packers] and sit at the bar, order food and wine and talk to the people, it was a real community.
ON WINE It started when I was with Oakland, being in Napa Valley for our training camp. For a 21-year-old to get drafted and then spend three to four weeks in Napa, we started visiting different restaurants. I fell in love with the culture of wine and Napa Valley. The great thing about wine is that it’s very conversational. When you sit down with a bartender, a winemaker, a restaurant owner, you can end up talking about wine and how it’s made, the variables in terms of how each year things affect the process. There is so much to learn and understand that you find out
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to burn, and you can sit and relax and reflect. It’s a way to slow down. I have a humidor and often grab one and go out to the golf club where I live. I sit outside, enjoy the view of the lake there and talk with whoever is out there. Right now, my favorite is the Davidoff Escurio Gran Toro.
STAYING PRO AFTER FOOTBALL I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I retired. It wasn’t until the last couple of years, I had read articles about players at the end of their careers who might be good on TV and saw my name pop up. I had never considered it before I got onto a couple of shows on the NFL Network, so when I retired, I hired an agent and we had a couple meetings with networks and the next thing you know, I was signed and getting into it. I have been talking in front of cameras my whole life and had no problems adjusting, but the feedback from producers was a big help, they can really give you pointers. You have to build chemistry on set, know when to interject, but it happens once you learn how your teammates talk and operate.
EXPLAINING THE SUPER BOWL NERVES
pretty fast that there is no way to know everything. By the time I got to Green Bay, I had a [wine] label and at the time, it wasn’t something the vast majority of guys thought was cool. They would see me, though, and start asking questions. So, we’d be out, and people would ask me what to drink, and that was great. Now, you see lots of other guys I played with
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connecting to wine. Will Blackmon is studying to be a sommelier. Three Fat Guys is a wine label started by Tony Moll, Daryn Colledge, and Jason Spitz who played on the Packers. That started from me, in part.
ON CIGARS For me, it’s one of those things where there’s an occasion that
pops up. Early in my career, you smoke a cigar every now and then with friends who are into it. Cigars are for me very similar to wine and whiskey in terms of having a taste profile. Like for me, I like my whiskey neat and with wine, you know you aren’t going to drink it fast and that’s the way cigars are to me. You light it and there’s no rushing. It’s going to take time to burn how it’s supposed
Think of it like a boa constrictor that gets tighter with every breath. You start the season and there are Sunday games, Monday, Thursday, and things are pretty loose at that point. There’s a lot of attention but there are also a lot of games and it’s fragmented. Now you get to the playoffs, you have fewer teams, fewer games and much more attention and focus on each game. That’s when the pressure starts to tighten, that snake is constricting a little. Then you win the division, then the championship and you have four teams left. Then the Super Bowl and everyone is just watching you, and the media, with its cameras, and the whole world is watching, that snake is tightening, and you have to take these little breaths. And once that game starts, whoever can control his nerves the best has the best chance. If you lose, you will have to start all over again. If you win, all the pressure is off and you can go to the next season relatively carefree, you’re the champs. You can relax at least for a moment.
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GRAN TORO Oliva Serie V Melanio
$ 16.80
92
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Double Toro 6 60 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua
Aganorsa Leaf La Validación Corojo
90
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Gran Toro 6 58 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Gran Toro 6 58 Dominican Republic Cameroon USA, Nicaragua & Dominican Republic
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Super Toro 6 60 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua
Camacho Ecuador
Opens with a core of bitter wood and pepper flavors accompanied by subtle notes of roasted almonds and tanned leather. This thick, firmly packed gran toro is covered with a goodlooking, reddish brown wrapper with a velvet feel.
D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Delivers a profile of sweet cedar and spice complemented by notes of cinnamon, oak, and a rich touch of caramel on the finish. Consistently well constructed providing a firm draw and an even burn leaving behind a solid, compact ash.
$ 10.25
N I CA R AG UA A large, pressed cigar finished with an impeccable, milk chocolate colored wrapper with a velvet feel. This medium bodied gran toro produces a core of smooth pepper, oak, and hazelnut accompanied by a hint of cocoa in the background.
$ 10.00
89
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Gordo 6 60 Ecuador Brazil Honduras & Dominican Republic
La Aroma de Cuba Pasión
89 52 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2022
N I CA R AG UA
$ 9.50
Perdomo Reserve 10th Anniversary Sun Grown
90
Beautifully balanced and flavorful delivering a medium bodied core of cocoa, roasted nuts, cedar, and sweet spice complemented by a rich creaminess on the finish. Perfectly pressed and covered with an impeccable, light brown wrapper with minimal veins. Medium strength.
$ 9.80
La Aurora Dominicano ADN
90
N I CA R AG UA
H O N D UR AS A thick, well-made blend covered with a clean, reddish brown wrapper with a velvet feel. Opens with a medium plus strength profile of smooth pepper, gritty earth, and roasted nuts accompanied by an aroma of tanned leather and spice. Leaves behind a solid, compact ash.
$ 12.50 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Encanto 6 60 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua
N I CA R AG UA Flawlessly constructed and covered with a light brown wrapper with an inviting sheen. Opens with tons of smooth pepper, cedar, and earth balanced by a touch of sweetness. Provides a firm draw and a slightly wavy burn while delivering a good output of medium plus bodied smoke.
GRAN TORO A. Fuente Magnum R
$ 1 4.30
D OM I NI CA N REPUBLIC Covered with an impeccably clean, velvetsmooth wrapper with only the slightest veins. This thick gran toro opens with a beautifully balanced core of sweet cedar, cinnamon, nuts, and heavy cream complemented by a subtle rich sweetness and a clean finish.
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Super 60 6 60 Ecuador Dominican Republic Dominican Republic
Esteban Carreras Devil’s Hand
$ 12.00
N I CAR AGUA Beautifully constructed and covered with an impeccably clean, light brown wrapper with a velvet feel. Provides a firm draw and leaves behind a compact ash while producing a core of smooth pepper, baking spice, wood, and a touch of subtle sweetness.
92
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Sixty 6 60 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua
91 Oscar Valladares Habano
$ 12.50
H O ND U R AS Ultra-smooth and flavorful with a balanced profile of cocoa, sweet spice, earth, and pepper combined with a rich creamy note on the finish. This consistently well-made gran toro produces an excellent smoke output and leaves behind a nearly perfect ash.
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Sixty 6 60 Ecuador Honduras Nicaragua & Honduras
91 Charter Oak Habano
$ 6.90
N I CAR AGUA Covered with a nearly flawless, medium brown wrapper with excellent sheen and finished with a covered foot. Delivers a smooth, easygoing profile with a core of sweet spice, cedar, earth, and a touch of hazelnut. Medium strength.
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Grande 6 60 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua
90 La Palina Classic Natural
$ 9.00
D OM I NI CA N REPUBLIC A thick, firmly packed gran toro with a core of roasted nuts, smooth pepper, and caramel complemented by subtle notes of cedar and tanned leather. This medium strength blend provides a good draw and leaves behind a tight, compact ash.
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Gordo 6 60 Ecuador Honduras Nicaragua, Honduras & Dominican Republic
Caldwell Long Live The King
$ 1 4.20
D OM I NI CA N REPUBLIC Delivers a medium strength core of cedar, nuts, and sweet spice accompanied by a bitter coffee note on the finish. This gran toro is covered with a good-looking, reddish brown wrapper and topped with a tight pigtail. Provides an easy draw and a wavy burn.
90
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Marquis 6 60 Dominican Republic Dominican Republic Nicaragua & Dominican Republic
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TORO Olmec Maduro
$ 1 4.50
93
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Toro 6 52 Mexico Nicaragua Nicaragua
Oscar Valladares 10th Anniversary
92
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Toro 6 52 Mexico & Honduras Honduras Nicaragua
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Magnifico 6 52 Mexico Nicaragua Nicaragua
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Toro 5 1/2 52 Mexico Nicaragua Nicaragua
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N I CA R AG UA A beautifully box-pressed maduro with a flavorful profile of dark chocolate, espresso, charred oak barrel, and smooth pepper complemented by a touch of sugar cane sweetness on the finish. Draws and burns flawlessly while producing an excellent smoke output.
N I CA R AG UA Opens with a flavorful core of sweet pepper, earth, and bittersweet chocolate accompanied by an aroma of roasted nuts and whiskey barrel. This soft-pressed blend is covered with a clean, dark brown wrapper with only slight veins showing. Medium plus strength.
$ 11.2 9 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Toro 6 52 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua
Diamond Crown Black Diamond
90
A beautifully constructed toro covered with a dark, oily wrapper and tipped with a candela foot. Opens with a sweet, vegetal candela tobacco start, which transitions to tons of dark chocolate, earth, and pepper after you get to the maduro wrapper. Medium strength.
$ 8.99
Room 101 13th Anniversary
91
H O N D UR AS
$ 9.00
Gurkha Classic Havana Blend
91
A dark and impeccably box-pressed maduro with an ultra-flavorful core that opens with intense pepper and dark chocolate, which settle to incorporate notes of cedar, molasses, espresso, and sweet earth. Produces an excellent output of medium to full strength smoke.
$ 18.00
La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor
92
N I CA R AG UA
N I CA R AG UA Dark and flavorful with a core of smooth pepper, mocha, and raisins accompanied by a touch of earthy minerality. Finished with a dark, oily wrapper, this medium plus strength blend provides an easy draw and a wavy burn leaving behind a dark gray ash.
$ 21.00 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Emerald 6 52 USA/Connecticut Dominican Republic Dominican Republic
D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Covered with a dark, toothy wrapper, this medium strength blend delivers a core of wood, roasted almonds, French roast coffee, and a hint of ripe fruit. Consistently delivers an easy draw while leaving behind a slightly flaky ash.
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55
TORO Oliva Serie V 135th Anniversary Edición Limitada
93
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Toro 5 1/2 54 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua
New World Dorado
N I CA R AG UA A uniquely shaped toro covered with an oily, medium brown wrapper and finished with a tapered foot. Opens with truckloads of chocolate accompanied by roasted almonds, smooth pepper, and espresso balanced by a touch of sweet earth in the background. Medium plus strength.
$ 12.00
92
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Toro 6 54 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua
Davidoff Nicaragua Box-Pressed
92
N I CA R AG UA Impeccably constructed and covered with a clean, toothy wrapper with excellent sheen. Draws and burns perfectly while producing an excellent output of medium plus bodied smoke with notes of peppercorn, cedar, and a touch of caramel sweetness on the finish.
$ 20.30 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Toro 6 52 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua
Oscar Valladares McFly
D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Covered with a supple, light brown wrapper with minimal veins, this medium strength boxpressed toro draws and burns beautifully, producing an excellent smoke output with notes of roasted nuts, pepper, and earth accompanied by a touch of sweet cream.
$ 11.50
91
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Toro 6 52 Mexico Honduras Honduras, Nicaragua & Dominican Republic
Warped Eagles Descent
H O N D UR AS A well-made toro covered with a clean wrapper with a slightly coarse feel and finished with an uncovered foot. Delivers a balanced blend of nuts, smooth spice, wood, and cocoa complemented by a rich, creamy sweetness on the finish.
$ 12.00
90
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Toro Especial 5 5/8 52 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua
Padilla Finest Hour Sungrown
88 56 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2022
$ 12.50
N I CA R AG UA Consistently well-constructed and covered with a clean, milk chocolate colored wrapper with a silky feel. This medium strength toro produces an excellent smoke output with a profile of sweet red pepper, charred oak barrel, earth, and a hint of raisin.
$ 9.30 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Toro 6 52 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua
N I CA R AG UA Covered with a toothy, reddish brown wrapper with a somewhat coarse feel, this medium strength toro produces a thin smoke output with notes of gritty earth, sweet pepper, and a touch of cedar in the background.
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57
TORO Cuba Aliados Original Blend
91
$ 10.50 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Toro 6 52 Honduras Honduras Honduras
Tatuaje Havana VI Verocú Blue
91
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
No. 1 6 1/2 54 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Eduardo 1 6 1/4 54 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Generosos 6 50 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua
58 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2022
N I CA R AG UA A beautifully soft-pressed toro covered with an impeccably clean, light brown wrapper. Produces a well-balanced and nuanced profile highlighted by notes of smooth pepper, roasted nuts, and sweet earthiness complemented by a touch of honey.
N I CA R AG UA Opens with a blast of black pepper that subsides to incorporate flavors of cedar, black American coffee, and roasted almonds. This medium plus strength blend is consistently well-made and finished with a clean, reddish brown wrapper.
$ 13.65 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Toro 6 52 Ecuador Nicaragua Honduras & Nicaragua
Brick House Bricktoberfest 2022
89
A smooth and flavorful toro covered with a tasty, reddish brown wrapper with a beautiful sheen. Produces an excellent smoke output with a core of pepper spiciness and earth complemented by rich notes of caramel, nuts, and a touch of vanilla bean. Medium plus strength.
$ 7.4 8
Rocky Patel Grand Reserve
90
N I CA R AG UA
$ 20.60
Don Pepin Garcia Vegas Cubanas
90
An impeccably constructed, medium bodied blend with a nuanced profile of cedar, toasted almonds, and baking spice accompanied by a rich, creamy texture on the finish. Produces an excellent smoke output along a good draw and an even burn.
$ 12.00
Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro
91
H O N D UR AS
H O N D UR AS A well-constructed toro covered with a nearly flawless milk chocolate colored wrapper with an oily texture. Consistently produces an excellent smoke output with a profile of roasted nuts, cinnamon, pepper, and cedar accompanied by a hint of cocoa. Medium strength.
$ 10.00 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Toro 6 52 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua
N I CA R AG UA A beautifully constructed blend covered with a dark, reddish brown wrapper and topped with a neat pigtail. This medium to full bodied toro opens with a smooth core of pepper, earth, and cedar accompanied by notes of sweet spice and tanned leather.
NOV / DEC 2022 | CIGAR SNOB |
59
TORO Perdomo Double Aged 12 Year Vintage
92
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
$ 10.75 Epicure 6 56 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua
Joya de Nicaragua Antaño CT
91
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Toro 6 50 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Toro 6 52 USA/Connecticut Brazil Nicaragua
A consistently well-made toro covered with an impeccably clean, golden-colored wrapper with a velvet feel. Delivers a medium strength profile with a core of smooth cedar, nuts, and sweet spice complemented by a nuanced vanilla cream note on the finish.
N I CA R AG UA A beautifully constructed toro covered with an impeccably clean, light brown wrapper. Draws and burns perfectly while producing an excellent output of medium strength smoke with notes of vanilla, sweet spice, cedar, roasted almonds, and cream.
$ 8.1 4 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Fiddle 6 54 Honduras Nicaragua Nicaragua
Henry Clay War Hawk
N I CA R AG UA Creamy and nutty flavors come alive at the onset immediately joined by notes of smooth pepper, cedar, cinnamon, and a touch of butterscotch. This mild to medium strength blend is consistently well constructed and covered with a clean, light brown wrapper.
$ 8.73
90
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Toro 6 50 Ecuador USA/Connecticut Honduras
Flor de Selva
H O N D UR AS Covered with a clean, silky smooth wrapper with minimal veins, this well-made toro produces an excellent output of medium strength smoke with notes of pepper, cedar, and subtle earth and leaves behind a solid, compact ash.
$ 12.50
88 60 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2022
N I CA R AG UA
$ 15.50
Oliveros Gran Retorno Connecticut
91
Flavorful and balanced with a smooth core of cedar, deep pepper, hazelnut, and a touch of honey. Consistently provides an excellent draw and burn while leaving behind a dark gray ash.
$ 10.55
Highclere Castle Edwardian
91
N I CA R AG UA
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Toro 6 52 Honduras Honduras Honduras
H O N D UR AS A firmly packed toro wrapped in a clean, shadegrown leaf with a beautiful sheen. Opens with a quick hit of bitter oak which settles to incorporate a creamy profile of nuts, cedar, and a touch of vegetal sweetness. Provides a firm draw requiring attention.
NOV / DEC 2022 | CIGAR SNOB |
61
ROBUSTO Las Calaveras Edición Limitada 2022
92
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
$ 12.95 LC52 5 52 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua
Don Lino Africa
Delivers a smooth and complex profile highlighted by notes of caramel, nuts, and sweet spice balanced by hints of earth, pepper, and hazelnut. Impeccably constructed and finished with an oily, medium brown wrapper with excellent oils. Medium plus strength.
$ 9.99
91
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Duma 5 50 Ecuador Cameroon Nicaragua & Dominican Republic
La Galera Imperial Jade
N I CA R AG UA Flawlessly constructed and ultra-flavorful, this box-pressed robusto delivers a core of sweet pepper, oak, and coffee complemented by notes of roasted nuts and a touch of cocoa. Draws and burns perfectly while producing an excellent output of medium to full strength smoke.
$ 8.75
90
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Robusto 5 1/8 50 Cameroon Dominican Republic Dominican Republic
Punch Cigar City Maduro
D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C A flavorful medium bodied robusto with a core of cedar, soft spice, cocoa, and roasted nuts accompanied by a touch of mint on the finish. Draws and burns exceptionally while leaving behind a solid, compact ash.
$ 8.2 9
89
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Magnum 5 1/4 54 Honduras Honduras Honduras
Casa Cuevas Sangre Nueva
88 87
H O N D UR AS Delivers a base of earth and pepper accompanied by subtle notes of roasted nuts, hazelnut, wood, and a hint of cream. Produces a good output of mild to medium strength smoke along an easy draw and an even burn.
$ 13.00 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Robusto 4 3/4 54 Ecuador Honduras USA, Nicaragua & Dominican Republic
Illusione Jeremy Piven Collection PIV
62 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2022
N I CA R AG UA
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Opens with a blast of red hot pepper notes accompanied by cinnamon, oak, and a touch of black tobacco sweetness. Delivers a good amount of flavorful, full strength smoke along a good draw and an even burn leaving behind a slightly flaky ash.
$ 1 4.95 Robusto 5 52 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua
H O N D UR AS A firmly packed robusto covered with a clean, reddish brown wrapper with a beautiful sheen. Produces a thin smoke output with a profile with subtle flavors of cedar, nuts, and caramel balanced by smooth pepper and a hint of chocolate on the finish. Medium plus strength.
NOV / DEC 2022 | CIGAR SNOB |
63
CORONA Aganorsa Leaf Aniversario
93
$ 13.75 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Short Churchill 5 3/8 48 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua
HVC Selección No. 1 Maduro
92
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Esenciales 5 5/8 46 Mexico Nicaragua Nicaragua
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
N I CA R AG UA An intensely flavorful corona with a balanced profile of dark chocolate, espresso, and sweet earth complemented by notes of cedar and spice in the background. This medium to full strength blend is covered with a dark, slightly toothy wrapper with excellent oils.
$ 11.02 Demi 5 1/2 46 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua
Joya Black
N I CA R AG UA This flawlessly constructed corona draws and burns perfectly while producing an excellent output of thick, aromatic smoke with notes of bittersweet cocoa, pepper, toasted almond, and espresso accompanied by a touch of oak and leather in the aroma. Medium plus strength.
$ 6.70
91
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Nocturno 6 1/4 46 Mexico Nicaragua Nicaragua
Matilde Limited Exposure No. 1
90 88
N I CA R AG UA Consistently delivers an excellent smoke output with a flavorful profile of earth, roasted nuts, dark chocolate, and a touch of raisin sweetness accompanied by smooth spice on the finish. This corona is covered with a dark, goodlooking wrapper with sheen.
$ 8.75 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Lonsdale 6 42 Mexico Dominican Republic Dominican Republic
Black Label Trading Santa Muerte Barrio Santo
64 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2022
Ultra-flavorful and complex, this medium to full strength corona delivers a core of cedar, butterscotch, hazelnuts, and smooth pepper complemented by a rich creaminess on the finish. Produced in a box-pressed format and covered with a tasty, dark brown wrapper.
$ 8.40
Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua
92
USA
VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:
Corona Gorda 5 1/2 48 Ecuador Ecuador Mexico, Nicaragua & Dominican Republic
D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Loaded with dark flavors of roasted coffee and nuts as well as bittersweet chocolate and ripe fruit balanced by a touch of pepper and wood. Consistently well made and covered with a toothy maduro wrapper with excellent oils. Medium plus strength.
$ 10.00
N I CA R AG UA Delivers a profile of intense black pepper, molasses, and espresso accompanied by a hint of charred oak barrel and sweet earth in the background. This full strength corona is covered with a jet-black wrapper with a velvet feel and excellent oils.
NOV / DEC 2022 | CIGAR SNOB |
65
DRESS PATBO
JACKET BALMAIN TIGHTS WOLFORD SHOES TOM FORD
TOP ISABEL MARANT LINGERIE GIGI K BOOTS ISABEL MARANT
TRENCH SACAI BOOTS ISABEL MARANT
TOP ISABEL MARANT LINGERIE GIGI K BOOTS ISABEL MARANT
DRESS CHRISTOPHER ESBER SHOES GIVENCHY
SHOES TOM FORD
TIGHTS WOLFORD
LINGERIE GIGIK HAT CHRISTIAN DIOR BOOTS ISABEL MARANT
MODEL NAOMI KOCH ELITE MODELS PHOTOGRAPHY LIMITED EDITION limitededitionmanagement.com PRODUCTION IVAN OCAMPO iocampo@cigarsnobmag.com PRODUCTION ASSISTANT JAMILET CALVIÑO jcalvino@cigarsnobmag.com WARDROBE STYLIST CRISTINA CELLINI limitededitionmanagement.com HAIR AND MAKEUP STYLIST JULIANA GONZALEZ limitededitionmanagement.com
CIGAR SWIMSUIT LE PETIT RÊVE
OSCAR VALLADARES 10TH ANNIVERSARY oscartobacco.com
TWITTER SCOREBOARD The cigar world is on Twitter and we aim to keep track of who’s leading who. The following is a scoreboard of the cigar world’s most relevant Tweeples. The list is sorted by number of followers and broken into groups: Top 20 Twitter Cigar Companies & Reps, Top 10 Twitter Retailers, Top 10 Online Cigar Tweeps, Top 3 Twitter Cigar Organizations, and Top 3 Cigar Radio Twitter accounts. If you have the numbers and belong in one of these groups, stand up and be counted! Set us straight via Twitter @cigarsnobmag. TOP CIGAR COMPANIES ( sorted by Twitter followers ) Drew Estate Cigars @DrewEstateCigar .................................... Rocky Patel @RockyPatelCigar ............................................... Padron Cigar @PadronCigars .................................................. CAO International @CAOCigars ................................................ Ashton Cigars @ashtoncigar ................................................... La Flor Dominicana @LFDCigars .............................................. Alec Bradley Cigars @AlecBradley ........................................... Jonathan Drew @JonathanDrewArt ......................................... Camacho Cigars @camachocigars ........................................... Pete Johnson @TatuajeCigars .................................................. La Gloria Cubana @lagloriacubana .......................................... Xikar Inc @XIKARinc ............................................................... Nick Perdomo @PerdomoCigars .............................................. Davidoff Cigars @Davidoff_Cigars ........................................... E. Perez-Carillo @EPCarrillo .................................................... AJ Fernandez @ajfcigars ......................................................... JC Newman Cigar @JCNewmanCigars ....................................... Ernesto Padilla @PadillaCigars ................................................ Miami Cigar Co @miamicigar ................................................... Punch Cigars @punchcigars ....................................................
TOP CIGAR ORGANIZATIONS
46673 38805 29086 27713 21894 20913 20705 17793 17734 16015 15907 15067 14085 13713 13218 13216 12905 12881 12748 12731
TOP CIGAR RETAILERS & REPS Famous Smoke Shop @FamousSmokeShop ............................. Slippery Rock Cigars @SlipperyRockCig .................................... Mulberry St. Cigars @MulberryStCigar .................................... Cigar Hustler @cigarhustler ..................................................... Jeff Borysiewicz – Corona Cigar Co @CoronaCigarCo................ Cigar Row @CigarRow ............................................................ Barry – Two Guys Smoke Shop @Barry2Guys ........................... Michael Herklots @MichaelHerklots ......................................... Lindsay Siddiqi @TheCigarChick .............................................. Cheap Humidors @cheaphumidors ..........................................
17966 16035 12609 10453 7765 7327 6226 6170 4887 4787
TOP ONLINE CIGAR TWEEPLES David Voth–Sex, Cigars, & Booze @SexCigarsBooze ................. Cigar News @CigaRSS ............................................................ Cigar Events @CigarEvents ..................................................... Blind Man’s Puff @BlindMansPuff ............................................ Robusto Cigar Babe @RobustoBabe ........................................ Cigar Federation @CigarFederation ......................................... Cigar Dojo @CigarDojo ............................................................ CigarHustler.com @CigarHustler ............................................. Cigar Vixen @CigarVixen ......................................................... Stogie Boys @StogieBoys .......................................................
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138664 18925 16714 14963 11468 11385 11105 10453 8448 7896
Cigar Rights of America @cigarrights ...................................... 14503 Premium Cigar Association @PCA1933 .................................... 9436 Tobacconist University @tobacconistU ................................... 4315
TOP CIGAR RADIO Cigar Dave Show @CigarDaveShow ........................................ 10213 KMA Talk Radio @KMATalkRadio ............................................. 2100 Cigars and Scotch @CigarScotch ............................................ 2045
SOME OF OUR FAVORITE TWEETS, MENTIONS, AND RANDOM SOCIAL MEDIA GOODNESS.
@ymomblan An accurate cut for a good Cohiba with Shu Crane by @ lesfineslames !!! #lesfineslames #cigarcutter #LEPETIT #SHUCRANE #cigar #sotl #botl #thefinest #habano #cohiba #cohibacigar #shesmokestoo #curl #curlyhair #curlygirl #hairtodiefor #cubana
@ovcigars Congratulations to our hometown boys for winning 2022 World Series and celebrating with our 10th Anniversary Cigar! We are @astrosbaseball we are texans! Special congratulations to our brother @mauriciod10 for making history with our beloved Honduras! #Houston #Astros #OV10Cigar #OscarCigars #christianjavier #bryanabreu #mauriciodubon
d o O w D a e d
NEw!
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love is for suckers - cigars are for lovers love is for suckers - cigars are for lovers l
WElc0Me to deaDwoOd
INSTAGRAM SCOREBOARD Since its launch in October of 2010, the cigar world has become enamored with Instagram. Today the ‘Gram is unquestionably the most popular platform on which to share snaps of what you’re smoking and drinking. This scoreboard is sorted by number of followers and broken into groups: Top 20 Cigar & Cigar Accessory Companies, Top 10 Retailers & Reps, Top 10 Cigar Influencers, Top 3 Cigar Organizations, and Top 3 Cigar Radio accounts. If you have the numbers and belong in one of these groups, stand up and be counted! Set us straight via Instagram @cigarsnobmag. TOP CIGAR & ACCESSORY COMPANIES ( sorted by Instagram followers ) Padron Cigar @padroncigars ................................................... Davidoff Cigars @davidoffcigars ............................................. Drew Estate Cigars @drewestatecigar ..................................... Raquel Quesada @raquelquesadaofficial .................................. Rocky Patel Premium Cigars @rockypatelcigar .......................... Arturo Fuente @arturofuentecigars ......................................... Epic Cigars @epiccigars ......................................................... Boveda @BovedaInc ............................................................... Gurkha Cigars @gurkhacigars ................................................. Xikar Inc @xikar ..................................................................... Camacho Cigars @camachocigars ........................................... La Flor Dominicana @LFDCigars .............................................. My Father Cigars @myfathercigars .......................................... Oliva Cigar Co. @olivacigar ..................................................... Ashton Cigars @ashtoncigar ................................................... AJ Fernandez @ajfcigars ......................................................... Alec Bradley Cigars @alecbradleycigar .................................... Nick Perdomo @Perdomocigars .............................................. Plasencia Cigars @plasenciacigars ......................................... Joya de Nicaragua @joyacigars ...............................................
162938 138580 136705 111908 105908 101208 88842 82980 76916 76696 72173 68680 67876 64356 62925 62493 57173 55871 54996 51774
TOP CIGAR RETAILERS & REPS Privada Cigar Club @privadacigarclub ..................................... Famous Smoke Shop @famoussmokeshop ............................... Mulberry St. Cigars @mulberrystcigars ................................... Cigar Hustler @cigarhustler .................................................... The Cigar Culture @thecigarculture ......................................... Michael Herklots @michaelherklots ......................................... Master Sensei @cigardojo ...................................................... Angela Yue @angela_yue ......................................................... La Casa Cigars & Lounge Vegas @lacasavegas ........................ Jeff Borysiewicz – Corona Cigar Co @coronacigarco ................
56799 54601 46108 29340 28627 28437 27357 24817 24173 20145
TOP ONLINE CIGAR INFLUENCERS ON INSTAGRAM Liz Cigar Life Style @remarkable_liz ........................................ Cigar Lover @cigarlover12 ...................................................... Whiskey Girl Josie @whiskeygirl_josie ..................................... Delicia-Creator-Influencer @cigarvixen ................................... Nikki @cigarpassionista .......................................................... Melanie Sisco @lilsiscokidd21 ................................................. Cigars / Smoke.Laugh.Live @world.of.cigars ............................ Angela, CCST & IACS CCS @cigarsmokingchick ....................... HERficinado / Cigar Lifestyle @herficionado ............................. Elaine Lilley @elainelilleyhawaii ...............................................
80 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2022
112405 104327 89742 88945 42826 40159 36825 36946 30696 29519
TOP CIGAR ORGANIZATIONS Premium Cigar Association @PCA1933 .................................... 17243 Total Product Expo @totalproductexpo ..................................... 6474 Cigar Rights of America @cigarrightsofamerica ......................... 4087
TOP CIGAR RADIO Cigar Dave Show @cigardave ................................................. 3457 KMA Talk Radio @KMATalkRadio ............................................. 1582 Eat Drink Smoke @eatdrinksmokepodcast ................................. 1246
SOME OF OUR FAVORITE TWEETS, MENTIONS, AND RANDOM SOCIAL MEDIA GOODNESS.
@rockypatelcigar
Who’s got a @NFL Sunday crew? Tag them in the comments!
@niceashcigars Nice Ash Cigars ASHFEST highlight in @cigarsnobmag !!! It was our pleasure hosting this cigar festival for so many customers and vendor support to raise money for our local vets. @vocroc1973 Can’t wait for next year’s! Thank you @cigarsnobmag for the highlight and for your donation to the festival.
NOV / DEC 2022 | CIGAR SNOB |
81
EVENTS CIGAR SAFARI USA Miami, FL
Drew Estate took its Cigar Safari event to the mainland, hosting a three-day event in Miami, based at a fine estate, where guests stayed in between events and tours. The visits included El Titan de Bronze, hosted by Drew Estate Master Blender Willy Herrera, and up Calle Ocho for visits to the former site of La Gloria Cubana, the Domino Park and Bay of Pigs Memorial Park. Patrons were then shuttled to the Miami River, where a yacht took them on a day of sun, cigars and food. Day two of the Safari featured an Everglades airboat tour, lunch at a local eatery, and a grand tour of Drew Estate's Miami headquarters.
Pedro Gómez and Willy Herrera
Pete Meneghello and Rex Mercer
Chris Lewis, Barry Pruser and Roger Finger
Daniel Fletcher and Cynthia Orban
82 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2022
Willy Herrera and Ryan Gallimore
NOV / DEC 2022 | CIGAR SNOB |
83
EVENTS SHORE THING CIGARS WHITE PARTY Blue Mountain Beach, FL
The fourth annual White Party at Shore Thing Cigars in Florida's panhandle included signature strawberry-blackberry mojitos, Sushimoto Sushi bar, and Winston Churchill blends by Davidoff. The event was an exclusive for Shore Thing's devoted customer base and also included a surprise late hour capper, which included a bonfire, espresso martinis and a live Mariachi band.
84 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2022
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87
EVENTS TAMPA CIGAR BASH Tampa, FL
The Tampa Cigar Bash took over a sizable piece of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino for a day of smoking and fellowship, hosted by Casa de Montecristo. Guests enjoyed access to exclusive cigars and cigar deals along with food and live music from locals the Show Ponies. Meet-and-greet opportunities included AJ Fernandez Cigars, Alec Bradley, Altadis U.S.A., Arturo Fuente, Crowned Heads, Drew Estate, JC Newman and Rocky Patel Cigars, as well as accessory providers including Boveda. General admission included an exclusive event bag loaded with cigars plus access to food and two drink tickets. VIP tickets featured additional perks including early-event entry, upgraded VIP event bag with bonus cigars and swag, and access to a private VIP area, which included food and an open bar.
Tampa Cigar Bash Team
Rodger Mollon, Earle Dale, Eric Newman, Nshokano "Chiko" Katabana, Terrell Trent, Keith Giddins and Chris Szeglowski
Andrea and Justo Eiroa
Bruce MacNeel, Michael Woods, Rodney Thomas, Yadira Creighton, Donald Pressley, Dj Kashmoney and Mardell Oliver
Eric and Rachel Jacobson
88 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2022
Lou Cameron and Kevin Casey
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Shady Hills Cigar Club
Nish Patel and David Bullock
Victor Ferrell, Jason Pfeffer, James and Doug Adams and Mike McKinney
Ralph Hanna, Dyontalee Turnquest and Michael Maragh
Richie Millet, Eric Gut, Steve Bonner, Scott Walden, Randy and Rebecca Strauss and Jeff Justin
James and Nada Jumper
90 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2022
Isabela and Yadira Creighton
Steve Hernández and Jason Pfeffer
Terri Caffery, Dan Murphy and Jay Fifield
NOV / DEC 2022 | CIGAR SNOB |
91
EVENTS 5TH ANNUAL 5K CRAFT BEER RUN Miami, FL
The fifth running of the South Florida Craft Beer Run at the Tank Brewing Co. featured local breweries, food, live music, dancing, games and, yes, running, with a stunning 16:29 first place finish. That beat last year's top time of 20:10. Registrants received a race t-shirt, a medal, a free beer and a cigar. Live music was delivered by local country artist Ricky Valido. Over a dozen local breweries were on hand including the Tank Brewing Company, Conscious Brewing, Wynwood Brewing, Veza Sur Brewing Co and Tripping Animals Brewing Co. The event featured cigars from Plasencia and Romeo y Julieta.
Dr. Alex Hernández-Canó, Dr. Gustavo Plasencia, José Luis Plasencia, Jamilet Calviño, Carlos Padrón, and Hank Bischoff
Dana Pineda-Plasencia and José Luis Plasencia
Travis Pappenheim, Neli Marte-García and Danilo Cristo
Jessica and Eddie González
92 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2022
María Denies, Reinaldo Fundora, Hank Bischoff, Ibis Lu and Alain Llorente
Olga Khazen and Drew Cassidy
NOV / DEC 2022 | CIGAR SNOB |
93
EVENTS ATLANTA CIGAR WEEK Atlanta, FL
The sixth annual Atlanta Cigar Week rocked the city for a solid week, bringing folks from all over for days of revelry and knowledge that included plenty of food, music, and cigars. And it also folded in networking and educational events while showcasing the cigar culture of Atlanta. Events went down at some of the top places, including the Cigar Bar Gwinnett, Suite Lounge Rooftop, Whiskey Mistress and Havana Lounge, for the annual 90s block party, featuring over 40 classic cars on display. The host hotel was the Four Seasons. Spirits tastings were hosted by premier sponsors including title sponsor Bacardi USA, Patron Tequila and Angel's Envy. 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 evolved into a happening that attracts more patrons every year.
94 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2022
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95
EVENTS INDUSTRIAL CIGAR COMPANY 6TH ANNUAL HALLOWEEN PARTY Frisco, TX
The ICC Time Machine at Industrial Cigar Co. in Frisco, Texas stitched together the space-time continuum for a multi-era themed costume party. For six years running, Industrial Cigar Co. (ICC) has hosted its largest event of the year in partnership with Crux Cigars. This year the lounge transformed into individually decorated rooms, spanning from ancient Greece to year 2222. Guests had access to a "Crux Cigars Time Capsule," featuring original branded Crux cigars for one night only.
Andrew Frakes, Jackie Martínez, Nathan Frakes, Dave Frakes, Beglee Frakes, Alejandra Frakes,and Brandon Frakes
Kristen and Sam Ventura
Grace Chellino and Auston Jashari
Andrea Fedorenko, Jackie Martinez, Jaydet Martinez, and Zobe Couturier
Alejandra Frakes
96 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2022
Mary Turner
Bryant Mccain and Kevin Hand
Maurice Sauls
Charles Price
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97
EVENTS TOBACCO COVE 50TH YEAR CELEBRATION Jacksonville, FL
Tobacco Cove opened its doors in 1972, and for the first time the landmark establishment celebrated an anniversary. The all-day party drew nearly 250 people, who enjoyed specials including 50 cent cigars and half-priced boxes. Door prizes were handed out every 15 minutes via drawing and included cigars, accessories, pictures and signage, donated from the big names including Perdomo, Fuente, General Cigar, Altadis USA, Ashton, Espinosa, EPC, La Flor Dominicana, Oliva and Aladino.
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