Cigar Snob Magazine September October 2020

September / October 2020

Lose yourself in the

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editorials SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020

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VITOLA 101 – TORO

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ESSENTIALS

The toro size used to be considered the fat bull of cigar shapes, but as ring gauges have continued to grow thicker and thicker, is the 6 x 50 toro the new “corona”?

NEWAIR 250 CT HUMIDOR Is this new, sleek refrigerated humidor better at maintaining humidity than those old converted wine coolers? You bet it is!

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ESSENTIALS

ALKEMISTA INFUSION VESSEL If you love your spirits but wish you could customize them with your creativity, we’ve got the gadget for you!

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FALLING FOR MICHIGAN

60

BACKSTORY

64

CONFESSIONS OF AN ABSOLUTE NEOPHYTE

We put in the miles to dig into the wide expanses of Michigan’s north. Autumn around the 45th Parallel brings brilliant flora and cooling breezes to go with some excellent smoking, good drinks and fine dining.

The photo shoots in this issue took months of planning, hand wringing, and sleepless nights. That was easy compared to hiking and climbing with hundreds of pounds of photography and video equipment to the shoot locations!

We receive emails, letters, and even manuscripts from smokers all over the world and we love that someone had the courage to put their thoughts, experiences, and fears on paper. This letter was submitted by a reader who wished to stay anonymous.

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features SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020

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LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

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FEEDBACK

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WHAT’S BURNIN’

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BRAND BREAKDOWN 26 VEGAFINA 1998 28 MOMBACHO CASA FAVILLI 30 VIVA LA VIDA

48

SMOKING HOT CIGAR SNOB

67 84

RATINGS

100 102 104

VALLEY GIRL

SMOKING HOT CIGAR SNOB THE REAL MCCOY

TWITTER SCOREBOARD INSTAGRAM SCOREBOARD BRAND BREAKDOWN 104 TRAVELING ROAD SHOW 106 ATLANTA CIGAR EXPERIENCE 108 BACK THE BLUE WITH OLIVA CIGARS 110 ATABEY PRIVATE LOUNGE OPENING

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SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020

VO L . 12 IS SU E 5 www.cigarsnobmag.com PUBLISHER & EDITOR Erik Calviño SENIOR EDITOR Steve Miller COPY EDITOR Michael LaRocca SALES & OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Oscar M. Calviño PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Ivan Ocampo ART DIRECTOR Andy Astencio ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Jamilet Calviño DIGITAL RETOUCHING SPECIALIST Ramón Santana DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGEMENT Gianni D’Alerta Natalia Marie García CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Anonymous CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS David Benoliel Andy Astencio EVENT PHOTOGRAPHERS Bryant McCain Brandi Wheat Jamilet Calvino Cover Photography by David Benoliel www.davidbenolielphotography.com Cover Model Abigail Zientek Cigar Snob is published bi-monthly

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

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

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

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As a young man living and working in Manhattan in my mid-twenties circa 1998, I marveled at how patrons in a bar or cigar lounge could argue fervently about issues like immigration, abortion, race, and healthcare, and then agree to disagree, clink glasses, and carry on. It amazed me because, growing up Cuban, I’d see arguments over who should be the starting second basemen for the Yankees end far less amicably. Where did this beautiful American quality go?

My best guess is that it was killed by social media. People posting about their every emotion, vacation or bowel movement seemed pretty benign in the early days of MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter. It was just noise and you’d scroll past it as if it was a diabetes ad starring Wilford Brimley, may he rest in peace. But in today’s triggered environment, fewer people are posting about their 3rd grader’s “graduation” and are instead posting about all the horrific ways that you should die for having a different political opinion. People are far less civil and reasonable when protected by a keyboard and hurling statements at an avatar. In the same way that you are far more likely to overspend when paying with a credit card. It’s called abstraction. Stay with me.

You bought a $2,000 set of golf clubs with your credit card but your bank balance stayed the same during the purchase. That’s abstraction.

You were abstracted from the physical purchase. But if you had to withdraw $2,000 from your account, then hand that stack of bills to some snot-nosed kid working the register at Dick’s, you’d probably continue playing with your old clubs. That’s because the transaction just got real and it makes you stop and think. Similarly, if you had to look your friend or relative in the eye and tell them that you think he/she should be stabbed in the eye because he’s voting for the other candidate, you’d likely be a little more civil and reasonable about it.

Hell, you might even joke about it, clink glasses, and carry on talking about your 3rd grader’s graduation.

And that my friends is one of the things I love the most about smoking cigars; enjoying them in good company even if it isn’t “like-minded” company. The love of cigars gives us more than enough commonality to overcome whatever differences we may have.

Producing this issue felt a little more like a normal Cigar Snob issue; we travelled to do a photo shoot, travelled to write a travel story, and we covered a few events! The photo shoots, one titled Valley Girl starting on pg 48 and the other called The Real McCoy that starts on pg. 84, ended up being two of my favorites to date. I have to thank Liana and Carlito Fuente for partnering with us to make them a reality.

I encourage you to read the crazy Back Story of the shoots through the eyes of producer Ivan Ocampo on pg. 60. The Fuentes entrusted us with the Casa Cuba as the featured brand for both shoots and at the peak of the most difficult climb of the trip, I decided to smoke a

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Casa Cuba Divine Inspiration in honor of Don Carlos Fuente. It was a beautiful moment of reflection and gratitude. There’s nothing like a strenuous climb, fresh air, and Mother Nature to reset your bearings.

I also would like to thank the entire team for showing tremendous grit and professionalism throughout. And finally, we wouldn’t have gotten very far without our guides Nick and Kaleb. We can never thank you enough. Our senior editor Steve Miller also hit the road for a story. Read about his trip to Michigan’s Gold Coast starting on pg. 39. There’s much more stuff in this issue so I’ll let you get to it!

Keep ‘em lit,

Erik Calviño ecalvino@cigarsnobmag.com

CONGRATULATIONS! So I have a question... why does that last part of a cigar make me sleepy or tired? I don’t know if anyone else feels like that but it’s like that with the last inch.

Carlton Via YouTube We’ve been publishing this magazine for almost 15 years, met literally thousands upon thousands of cigars smokers of all levels from every corner of this planet, and we’ve never heard of this problem. So let’s roll up the sleeves and get down to business. Does this happen with every cigar you smoke or is it just some of the time? If it happens with every cigar you smoke, there’s not much we can recommend other than lots of Cuban coffee! But before you go loading up on caffeine, why don’t you try smoking a mild cigar like Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real or Macanudo? If it still happens at the end of a mild cigar, consider smoking cigars only halfway. That way you’ll never get to the “sleep zone.”

IT’S ABOUT DAMN TIME! When are you going to shout your YouTube viewers out in the magazine?

Tyler Gear Via YouTube Getting shouted out in my favorite magazine? Check!

This is exciting, what’s next for you Tyler? If it has anything to do with hearing your name called on your favorite podcast, the Cigar Snob Podcast, we suggest you head over to Apple Podcast and give us a 5-star rating and a killer review. It can’t hurt.

KNIFE SKILLS Eric I enjoy the unboxing videos but please be careful with that knife let’s keep your sister in one piece! LOL

Hansgruberr Via Facebook They are both equally reckless with the knife! We’ve set up a “Stab Pool” in the office with Vegas-style odds in different categories: poke, slice, severed digit, and toe stab in case someone drops the knife and it stabs a toe. We’ve taken that pretty far but if you’ve got ideas for other categories, we’re open to suggestions!

SUPPORT BRICK & MORTAR @cigarsnobmag what’s the best site to order cigars online? Haven’t been venturing out to my normal shop due to COVID.

@PutJacobyInHOF via Twitter First you should check to see if your local mom and pop cigar retailer is offering any delivery, shipping, or curbside options because they need your support now more than ever. But when we buy online we buy from @NeptuneCigars @CoronaCigarCo @SmokeInnCigars @CigarsIntr and @JRCigars.

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ARTURO FUENTE AND PADRÓN UNVEIL COLLABORATION PROJECT Tobacco titans Jorge Padrón and Carlos Fuente Jr. have announced they will join forces on a cigar series that pays tribute to each other’s legendary fathers. The cigars will be introduced at the 2021 PCA Annual Convention and Trade Show which will take place July 9 – 13 at the Sands Venetian Resort in Las Vegas.

“Over the last several years, Carlos and I have had the opportunity to spend a lot of time together,” Padron said in an interview on “Meet the Professor,” a web series co-hosted

by Fuente.

“This is something I feel has been brewing for a long time. Obviously Fuente is a lot larger company than we are…but the essence of both our companies is the same.”

Both Padrón and Fuente lost their fathers in recent years – José Orlando Padrón died in 2017 and Carlos Fuente Sr. passed in 2016.

The two are developing their respective cigars without any input from the other. Each will be sold in humidor-styled boxes, which Fuente called “an incredible design of a humidor.”

“This is about paying tribute,” Fuente said during the web broadcast. “It’s demonstrating our love not only for our fathers, but what our fathers had to teach us…and to leave something for our children.”

elected to cancel the 2021 International Tobacco Festival “Puro Sabor”, scheduled for January.

“Our priority is the care we want to give to our people in the factories and to the people who would have visited us for the festival. The evolution of COVID-19 is still unpredictable, so we believe we have made the best decision,” Claudio Sgroi, president of the Nicaraguan Chamber of Tobacco Growers, said in a statement.

Sgroi, who is also president of Mombacho Cigars S.A., explained that the decision was reached unanimously by the 28 members of the chamber.

Sgroi added that virtual factory tours and personalized virtual master classes with experts and manufacturers in Nicaragua will be ongoing over the next few months.

The premium tobacco industry employs more than 40,000 people in Nicaragua. Factories have introduced prevention and education campaigns at their facilities, as well as installing hand washing and disinfection stations at the entrance of the factories. The factories also require face masks and social distancing.

OLIVA ANNOUNCES A QR CODE FOR EVERY BOX Oliva Cigars wants you to get the history of your smoke with a quick scan.

José Orlando Padrón started Padrón Cigars in Miami in 1964, while Fuente began in 1912 in Tampa, started by Arturo Fuente. Carlos Fuente Sr. took over the operation from his father in 1958.

Using a QR, or quick response, barcode on each of its Serie V Melanio boxes, scanned easily with the camera function on a phone, customers can find detailed background information on that cigar. That info includes where the cigar was rolled and what tobacco was used, along with the factory workers who made it.

“We will leave a mark with this product,” Padrón said. “Hopefully people will understand that it isn’t just about the cigars, that there’s a lot more to this…”

Along with putting a face and personality behind the product, people who scan the quick response code will also be able to watch videos of the factories that manufacture the cigars.

CANCELLED: 2021 INTERNATIONAL TOBACCO FESTIVAL “PURO SABOR”

“People like to know from what farm their food is coming,” Oliva CEO Cory Bappert said in a statement. ”Where their wallet and T-shirt has been made and who finished the table they just bought. We are happy to offer as the first ones in the industry a similar experience for the cigar smoker.”

The Nicaraguan Chamber of Tobacco has

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The barcode is another embrace of technology by Oliva, which has also introduced some upgrades to the cigar making process at its TABOLISA factory in Estelí.

LA AURORA CIGARS ANNOUNCES DEBUT OF 107 NICARAGUA La Aurora Cigar Factory bringing its La Aurora 107 Nicaragua to the U.S. market as it expands its 107 line.

The line’s first Nicaraguan puro “takes you through a world of tastes and aromas all in unique harmony,” Manuel Inoa, La Aurora master blender, said in a statement. “We are always looking to broaden our customers’ horizons through knowledge and experience, and this time we continue our mission with 107 Nicaragua.”

The cigar features a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper, with all Nicaraguan internals. Presented in 20-count boxes of Robusto (5 x 50), Toro (5.75 x 54) and Gran Toro (6 x 58), the 107 Nicaragua will retail in the United States at a suggested retail of $8.50 to $10 per cigar.

THE MONTECRISTO 1935 ANNIVERSARY NICARAGUA IS HERE Since its creation in 1935, the fabled Montecristo has been a pop culture reference point. Alfred Hitchcock’s favorite, created in honor of the hero of the classic book by French novelist Alexandre Dumas, “The Count of Monte Cristo,” the cigar has forever been a legend.

The legacy is such that it required a cast of some of the world’s leading tobacco experts to deliver the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua, which will ship in November. The cast includes Rafael Nodal, head of product capability for Tabacalera USA, and awardingwinning tobacco powerhouse AJ Fernandez, who worked together to find a precise, proprietary blend of aged tobaccos to pay homage to the original tobaccos used in the first Montecristo cigar.

“To honor the age-old tradition of soft-pressing

SCAN THE QR CODE TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PRODUCT

cigars, the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua will be introduced as a soft-pressed series of four sizes,” Nodal said in a press release.

“The cigar offers a luxury showcase from seed to smoke...and extra-aged estate tobaccos from Nicaragua’s best growing regions.”

The Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua Series will come with an elevated Nicaragua Series black and gold band. The two-toned wood box includes luxe gold branding hardware.

The Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua will be available in the following sizes, box counts and prices: The toro (6 x 54), No. 2 (6.125 x 52), and Churchill (7 x 52) come in 10-count boxes and retail for $15.95 to $17.50 per cigar. The demi (5.5 x 46) comes in a 20-count box and retails for $10.40 per cigar.

MICALLEF CIGARS DOUBLES DOWN ON BRICK AND MORTAR SHOPS, DROPS KEY ONLINEONLY MERCHANTS Micallef Cigars is going all in on brick and mortar stores, dropping its sales to online merchants including Meier & Dutch, Cigars International, Thompson Cigar and Cigar.com.

Micallef is also buying back its inventory from the websites, leaving locally owned retailers as the exclusive channel for its cigars.

“Brick and mortar stores are the heart of the cigar community,” Al Micallef, founder of Micallef Cigars, said in a statement. “They are incredibly important for our industry.”

Cigar lounges and storefronts across the U.S. were closed in March, deemed as non-essential by state governments. Some have reopened, but a number of shops have been forced to close down permanently due to lack of sales.

Others have upped their game, expanding as states begin to loosen the reins on businesses.

Cigars International recently announced its fifth retail outlet with the addition of its second Texas store.

Micallef earlier this year introduced the “Ultimate Inventory” program, which allows retailers to sell cigars and have them shipped

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directly to customers.

Micallef said in a press release that it recognizes the importance of online sales for consumers who do not have an accessible retail shop. But it will ensure its portfolio is available online through the traditional stores, who sell both from their storefronts and online.

PLASENCIA CIGARS ALMA DEL CAMPO TRAVESIA BOX PRESS NOW SHIPPING Plasencia Cigars is shipping the box-pressed Alma del Campo Travesia to retailers. It’s the first line extension in the Alma del Campo series, which launched at the 2017 International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association trade show.

The box press comes in response to popular demand, Nestor Andrés Plasencia, CEO of Plasencia Cigars, said in a statement. ”As tobacco growers and premium cigar manufacturers it is important to draw inspiration from the consumer,” Plasencia said. “Open communication with retailers, consumers, and colleagues propels us to create the finest quality in tobacco products. The result was to offer the Alma del Campo Travesia in a box press format, to further serve the cigar community.”

This blend is a Nicaraguan puro created with tobaccos curated from the Plasencia tobacco portfolio. The Alma del Campo series of cigars is known for its balance and complex flavors, creamy with notes of coffee and nuts and a hint of spice.

The 6.5 x 54 Alma de Campo Travesia box press is offered in a 10-count box with a price of $17.00.

AJ FERNANDEZ WILL HANDLE INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION FOR VIVA LA VIDA CIGARS

brand founded in March 2019 by former New York City cigar retailers Billy and Gus Fakih.

The brothers spent almost three decades in cigar retail as they slowly realized their dream of creating their own products. They sold their stores in 2015 to chase their dream.

“When we launched Viva la Vida, it was just in the U.S. and a lot of people outside the states started to contact us to see if we could send product,” Gus Fakih said. Issues with taxes and other controls were difficult to navigate.

Until now.

“With this opportunity through AJ Fernandez, this is great for us,” Fakih said. If things go right, he said, “production will have to increase.

Which is fine.”

Potential markets include South Africa, China and Israel, he said.

The international sales of the Nicaraguan puro will come in six sizes. + Robusto, 5 x 54, boxes of 20 + Toro, 6 x 54, boxes of 20 + Diadema, 6 ½ x 52, boxes of 10 + Lancero, 7 x 38, boxes of 10 + Club 500, 6 x 60, boxes of 10

THE GREAT SMOKE 2021, “THE DIGITAL EXPERIENCE” WILL BE HELD VIRTUALLY ON FEBRUARY 20 IN A LIVE BROADCAST. The eight-hour program will include manufacturers, sponsored liquor demonstrations, live entertainment, dancers, comedians, musicians, hourly raffles and giveaways, and a portal for attendees to take advantage of event-only promotions and sales.

AJ Fernandez will launch Viva La Vida cigars internationally, a little over a year after announcing it would be handling distribution for all of its brands in Europe and Asia in-house.

The broadcast will be done in front of a small live audience and Atlanta company Showtek Productions, which has been part of several high profile television broadcasts, including “The Golden Globes”, “The Kings of Comedy”, and “Soul Train”, will be handling the production.

AJ Fernandez, which also manufactures Viva La Vida, operates domestic distribution for the

The event will be free to view, but a passwordprotected portal is also available for an en-

hanced experience, where ticket purchasers can check out special event offers and have access to new limited releases. All ticket purchasers will receive an event package prior to the broadcast. This “party in a box” will include over 40 premium cigars, the official TGS event cap and tee, various swag, and specialty items that can be used during the interactive segments of the broadcast.

Due to the logistics of packaging and shipping the event pack across the country, tickets for the special treatment will be limited. Ticket sales are tentatively scheduled to begin November 2 at Noon EST and can be purchased through the event site www.TheGreatSmoke.com.

DREW ESTATE KEEPS ‘EM COMING Drew Estate announced the release of three premium smokes, including the Hawaiian exclusive Herrera Esteli Ho’ala Tienda Exclusiva, a 4 7/8 x 46 petite corona that shipped to Aloha State retailers only. The story goes that Drew Estate Master Blender Willy Herrera was in-

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spired to create the Ho’ala – which means ‘rise up’ – by a sunrise over the 10,000-foot peak of Maui’s Haleakala Crater. The Herrera Esteli Ho’ala Tienda Exclusiva comes in a 10-count soft pack with a price of $95.

Herrera said in a statement, “Watching the sun rise on top of Haleakala Crater made me crave a bolder blend in a size I can light up to rise up and meet the day.”

Drew Estate also brought back the Liga Privada Pancetta, a union of two Liga Privada blends, Liga Privada T52 and the Liga Privada Unico Feral Flying Pig. The 4.75 x 50 belicoso, with a Connecticut stalk-cut and cured habano wrapper, is priced at $12.46 a stick or $299 a 24-count box.

The cigar was an exclusive release to the two Liga Privada lounges, Wooden Indian Tobacco Shop in Havertown, Pennsylvania, and Barrister Cigars in Union, New Jersey.

A press release announcing the Pancetta comes with a listening recommendation from Drew Estate President Jonathan Drew: “the Pancetta is so crazy dope that I firmly suggest listening to

the song “Dope Beat” while smoking this banga ... btw ... that’s Boogie Down Productions for those who don’t know…”

The ACID brand, Drew Estate’s rebel line of infused smokes, also saw some action with the release of the ACID 20 Bronxilla, a 5 x 54 robusto and an Alliance Cigar Co. exclusive.

The Bronxilla uses an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper over an Indonesian binder and fillers from Nicaragua, same as the original ACID 20.

Each Bronxilla is packaged in chrome foil and packed in a 20-count box adorned with the ACID 20 logo. A box goes for $192.

The Bronxilla joins ACID’s rogue’s row of outlaw names that also includes the Juggernaut, Remi, and Cold Infusion Tea. For this one, Drew waxed street: “The Bronxilla mark is a symbol of our core values and commitment to the premium cigar industry, which we love so deeply. From Mecca to Medinah, Texas to Tokyo, FDR Drive str8 ballin to the boogiedown Bronx, jump on the 2’s or 5’s subway lines with us, puffin hard, finger in the air, screamin ‘fuck the world.’”

VF54

VEGAFINA 1998 received in those markets?

COUNTRY

Dominican Republic

WRAPPER

Ecuador

BINDER

Indonesia

FILLER

Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Colombia

PRICE FACTORY

$ 8.60 - $ 9.60 Tabacalera de Garcia

Rafael Nodal Head of Product Capability for Tabacalera USA We’re here to talk about the newly released VegaFina 1998 but many consumers may remember the original VegaFina, which was a very mild cigar. How has the brand changed over the years and how does this release differ from the original?

The original VegaFina, which was established in 1998, was indeed a very mild cigar. However, throughout the years there have been many limited editions, which have continued to increase in body and flavor.

The VegaFina 1998 is a blend that represents those 22 years of the brand’s evolution. It is a little more complex; it has a little bit more body and a fantastic aroma. It’s one of the few cigars in the market that features tobaccos from five countries, which itself increases the level of complexity. That combined with the different primings brings the strength up a bit as well. For example this wrapper is an Habano Ecuador from a higher priming so it is very well fermented and it brings a lot more flavor and aroma to the blend.

Also the tobacco from Colombia brings some unique flavors that add to the complexity.

AVAILABLE IN 3 SIZES

We know that VegaFina as a brand is very popular in Europe and Asia. How is this release being

VegaFina enjoys a tremendous amount of success in Europe and Asia; it is one of the best-selling brands in those markets. The VegaFina 1998 was released in Europe a little over a year ago and it has become extremely popular. As a matter of fact it is becoming the core part of the VegaFina brand.

This blend was developed by the famed Grupo de Maestros. What do you think of it and what is one characteristic about it that you like most?

Although I did not have any input on the blend, I did have the opportunity to smoke it very early in the process and I enjoyed it from day one. From the beginning it was created looking for something stronger and more flavorful than the original line and I can tell you that I am a fan of the final product. I think that our consumers in the United States will really enjoy it.

One of the things that I really love about this cigar, and by the way it is one of the most difficult characteristics to achieve, is the sweetness. Sometimes you get too much sweetness and it overpowers the rest of the blend, other times you get too much strength and it throws the cigar out of balance. But in this cigar, the Grupo de Maestros created an extremely well balanced blend with a lot of sweetness. It is even more difficult to maintain that sweetness as you smoke the cigar and I think they did an incredible job of achieving that.

What type of cigar smoker do you think this cigar appeals to more, the novice or the seasoned cigar smoker?

One of the best things about this cigar is that it appeals to connoisseurs but it still has something that is attractive to novices because it isn’t too strong.

What I think people enjoy the most is the flavors. It is extremely flavorful and that wrapper has a lot to do with it! We’re very excited about it because we believe that this blend, in this new presentation, will appeal to smokers who perhaps would have never tried VegaFina in the past.

SWEET

VF50 4 1/2 x 50

VF52 5 x 52

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VF54 6 1/8 x 54

CHOCOLATE

NUT

EARTH

CREAM

WOOD

COFFEE

SPICE

MOMBACHO CASA FAVILLI

TORO

2001 to master blender of Mombacho Cigars?

COUNTRY

Nicaragua

WRAPPER

Nicaragua

BINDER

Nicaragua

FILLER

Nicaragua

PRICE FACTORY

$ 12.95 - $ 14.95 Casa Favilli

Claudio Sgroi

Master Blender of Mombacho Cigars You came into the cigar business from a very different angle than most other cigar makers.

Could you share the story of how your passion for cigars was born?

My journey into the tobacco world started on May 18th of 2001. I was living in the Dominican Republic and working as an interpreter, translator, and Italian teacher. I remember that I got a phone call from a beautiful lady, Olga Estrella, she’s always in my heart, and she said, “Listen you’re Italian and we have a group of Italians coming and we need a translator/ interpreter for a week. We need someone who can translate from French and Spanish to Italian.” I assured her that I could do that but I wanted to know what the visit was about. She told me that it was about tobacco and cigars. I didn’t know anything about cigars. I was worried because I didn’t have the vocabulary because I didn’t even smoke cigars!

The company that I was going to translate for was Davidoff. On the first day the Davidoff worldwide ambassador gave the welcome speech and about a half hour later Henke Kelner (Davidoff’s legendary master blender) took the microphone and started talking about tobacco and its history. Within thirty seconds I knew I wanted to be like him. I was shaking, not from nerves or anything like that, but because it was a sort of revelation. That’s how I fell in love with cigars.

AVAILABLE IN 3 SIZES

So how did you go from discovering cigars in

In 2009 I left Davidoff and went to live in Miami and I started working as a consultant in the cigar industry.

That wasn’t my idea at first but a good friend of mine pointed out that since I had worked in cigar production, growing tobacco, selling cigars, managing humidors, and even brand managing, I should become a consultant. What he was saying made sense to me. I thought it was a very good idea. So I started consulting small brands for a couple of years and doing quite well.

Then I found a post on LinkedIn. Mombacho Cigars was looking for a brand manager for China. Aside from the United States, the Asian cigar markets also interested me. I had never heard of Mombacho Cigars but I was attracted by China so I replied to the post. I had a couple of phone calls with Marcus and Cam, the founders of Mombacho Cigars. They said because I did not speak Mandarin I was not a good fit for China.

But the conversation quickly turned to my experience in the cigar business. They told me about their factory in Nicaragua. I was surprised because I had never heard of the brand and they’re telling me they have a factory in Nicaragua. Then they told me it was in Granada and I was even more surprised. Everyone knows about Estelí but I had never heard of a cigar factory in Granada. They explained their concept and showed me their factory; it was an awesome place to enjoy cigars, with a pool and a beautiful lounge. The idea was to spread the love of cigars from Granada to the world, so they were making one size, one blend, and having events in China and Canada. We agreed to a three-month contract and I spent that time going to Granada and understanding what they were doing, looking at their tobacco, opening the cigars, making suggestions. And I found we had very good chemistry; we had the same ideas, the same way of talking to each other, and I was embracing their vision. So after the three-month contract was up, Cam called me and said, “The contract is over, it’s been a pleasure working with you.” As he was talking I was thinking, “Man what a shame, I really like working with these guys.” And he went straight forward and asked me if I wanted to jump on board, not as a consultant but as a partner.

SWEET

Robusto 5 x 50

Toro 6 x 52

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Torpedo 5 1/2 x 52

CHOCOLATE

NUT

EARTH

CREAM

WOOD

COFFEE

SPICE

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

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VIVA LA VIDA

TORPEDO COUNTRY

Nicaragua

WRAPPER

Nicaragua

BINDER

Nicaragua

FILLER

Nicaragua

PRICE FACTORY

$ 11.00 - $ 13.80 AJ Fernandez

Gus and Billy Fakih

Owners of Artesano del Tobacco You guys launched the Viva La Vida brand in May of 2019 but although the brand is still quite new, you guys are experienced cigar industry veterans. Can you tell us how you got started in cigars?

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GF: My brother and I have been in the industry for more than a quarter century, like almost 28 years, that’s how far we go back. But before we opened The Cigar Inn we had a store in downtown New York and that is a tourist area so we sold a lot of gift items to tourists, New York t-shirts and that kind of thing but even in that business we always had cigars. We used to smoke cigars in the store before the cigar boom. We didn’t have a walk-in humidor, the place was small but we always smoked cigars every day in that shop and it was a very successful business for us. Then we moved the location up to 70th Street on 1st Avenue, that was the first Cigar Inn, we did that in 1992. We were in that location for about 17 years.

After that we opened one on 54th and 2nd Avenue and then one on 73rd and 2nd Avenue. The retail part of the cigar business taught us a great deal. We gained a lot of knowledge and experience being with the public on a daily basis. There is also a major factor that had an influence on us growing up. We came from a household where our father smoked cigars, he smoked pipes, and they were involved in certain things in that type of business back home and that did leave an impact on us. We did so many different types of retail before The Cigar Inn but then when the cigar boom happened, we said, “You know, what is the one thing that we love to do on

a daily basis? It’s smoking cigars.” We enjoy it so much and when the cigar boom happened we thought, let’s ride the wave and we did that.

BF: And when we started we knew what cigars we liked, we knew what brands we enjoyed, but really it was the customer who told us a lot about different flavors, different wrappers and blends, and our knowledge of cigars and tobacco grew from that point. So our first teacher was our father but our second teacher was the customers.

They played such a huge role in our life that we owe them a ton of respect and gratitude for what they helped us to achieve. Also magazines like Cigar Snob and so many others, they were like an encyclopedia for us and that is how we started.

It’s no secret that Viva La Vida has got some power to it. Would you say that it is a flavor and strength profile that is geared to the more experienced premium cigar smoker or do you think a novice can enjoy it also?

GF: When we developed the blend, our aim was to target everybody; there is no discrimination whatsoever. We want everyone to enjoy Viva La Vida, and to determine that we mapped it out, we had a huge table and we started to dissect the amount of people who smoke strong, light, and medium bodied cigars. We used this to determine what type of blend we were looking for.

BF: It was so important to have the majority of people enjoy the cigar so we combined the knowledge we gained from our clients with AJ Fernandez’s expertise. Together with AJ we worked tirelessly to come up with a blend that is full of flavor but is not spicy. A blend that has creaminess and sweet flavors with no bite or bad aftertaste and all of this comes from the great aged tobacco that AJ saved for us since 2012.

GF: I want to tell you about the cigar itself. It’s medium to full with all Nicaraguan tobacco. From my experience and the majority of the people we ask, you get sweet caramel right off the bat and also halfway through it starts to switch to a light to medium sweet spice. There are also hints of roasted almonds depending on which size you smoke. Each one will burn totally different and the flavors will change but all in all it is creamy with sweet caramel and it is a great and lovely Viva la Vida! Let’s live life!

SWEET

CHOCOLATE

NUT

EARTH

CREAM

WOOD

COFFEE

SPICE

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VITOLA 101 TORO

The bull, the brute, the Bos taurus; the toro vitola sold itself as thicker than a classic Churchill and longer than a Robusto. It was once looked at as borderline grotesque. You can imagine a dapper gentlemen looking as if he’d been plucked from the Great Gatsby saying, “Who would want to smoke such a thick cigar for such a long time?” That conversation seems like it would have been had on another planet because today we’re considering whether or not the toro still lives up to this big, bold, bullish nickname.

n a way, the toro has become the new corona. In the previous installment of Vitola 101, we talked about the corona and how it was the benchmark for all other sizes. The corona birthed the double corona, the corona gorda, the petit corona, etc.… It was the benchmark because it was ubiquitous, everyone knew what it was so it was the perfect reference point. Today’s most popular size is without question the toro and its family of sizes.

A standard toro is 6” by 50 ring gauge. It started as an extension of the “robustness” of a robusto.

But consumers move the market and cigar factories follow trends so when cigars like La Gloria Cubana Serie R and others, with large ring gauges, started becoming more popular (circa 1999) almost everyone followed suit. Today you’ll find more cigars that call themselves toros in the 6” by 52, 54, and 56 ranges than the original. In other cases they push the boundaries of length and call a 6 1/2” by 54 a toro.

The question still remains, does the original toro still live up to its bullish name? It’s hard to say but when you compare a toro to a “gran toro” at 6” by 60 ring gauge, the toro looks more like a corona than ever.

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

0

50

1

2

3

4

5

5 1/2

56 THRU

“The reason I particularly like the toro size and why I think it is so popular is that it gives the smoker just the right amount of smoking time. Also since toros are now becoming the most common size manufacturers use to blend their cigars, it is usually the best representation of that particular blend concept.”

- Erik Espinosa Espinosa Cigars

“As a retailer I love selling them but as a consumer and tobacconist, I’m a little befuddled. The toro used to be the most exciting, amped up version of a robusto, it was next level. It used to be the fat bull of cigars but now it doesn’t seem like the fat bull of cigars anymore, it’s more like a smaller cousin to the new, bigger ring gauges. I was comparing it yesterday to the fat LFDs and the Gran Cojonu by Tatuaje and the toro is now, relatively speaking, in a well-stocked humidor, not your biggest, fattest, baddest cigar.”

- Jorge Armenteros Tobacconist University & A Little Taste of Cuba

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ESSENtIALS t looks like a luxe, stainless steel dorm refrigerator, but you’d have to be one evolved college kid to have this. The first thing we noticed is the large digital hygrometer on the face of the cedar drawer. It’s an indication that this is not one of those converted wine coolers, it was built from the ground up to be a humidor. And although we always recommend you keep the humidor temperature between 68° F and 70° F, the thermoelectric cooling element can bring the temperature of the humidor down to 52° F while being highly effective at maintain-

NewAir 250 Count Thermoelectric Humidor

ing humidity levels. Temperature can be easily adjusted – in F° or C° – at the top of the unit, and the larger fan, which moves the cool air and circulates the humidity, reduces the possibility of dead spots.

The 1.16 cu ft. interior provides three cedar wood trays that can be adjusted to accommodate varying sizes of boxes, and you can put those loose cigars in the drawer. All of this comes in a modern looking, small package, about 30lbs and 18 inches high.

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$399

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ESSENtIALS

Alkemista Infusion Vessel Barware

e’ve infused spirits with pineapple, blueberries and raspberries, but it’s always been done in a makeshift container, usually oversized, leaving a cloudy concoction filled with floaties.

The Alkemista Infusion Vessel makes the homemade infusion venture of the past into the primitive exercise it was. This offers a sturdy, 950ml glass bottle with a steel filter at the bottom that removes particles from whatever you want to use to flavor your spirits: fruit, herbs, spices, even plants (thinking gin). The base comes in stainless steel, copper or matte black. When the process is complete, the filter can be removed and what’s left is a classic bottle of your own personalized bottle of inspired spirits. It comes with a recipe book, but we let our imaginations run wild. How about coffee infused with brandy? Bourbon with orange peel?

PRE-PACKAGED INFUSION BLENDS ethanashe.com

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Alkemista also offers some pre-packaged infusion blends: Black denim, orange ginger, rose lemon, Ancho libre, house Bitters and Zen Jardin, which come in 15g packets similar to tea, and are ready to empty into the filter. The artistic fusion concept has been elevating fine drinking since 2016 when Ethan+Ashe launched its first infusion vessel through a Kickstarter campaign. Patrons wind up with a decanter full of intoxicating possibility. And we mean that in a spiritual sense, really.

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Falling for

MICHIGAN

Someone once said that the summer’s last heat and the winter’s first chill meet in the fall. In Michigan, that heat is all too brief and that chill all too soon, but the meeting is a blessing. The changing colors of the foliage are enough to draw even the most cynical snowbird into the northern territory of Michigan, and the aroma of freshly fallen leaves is the stuff of candles and incense. Deer, deep brown now, abound on the rolling farmland fattening up on the remnants of the growing season, and the broad-winged hawks that float above groves of evergreens are pondering a move south.

While it was once a barren place filled with residents who seemed to emerge from six months of winter every spring like some ancient tribe having endured great hardship, today Northern Michigan, particularly the northwest part of the Lower Peninsula, is a thriving, moneyed region with all the accouterments of a city. That includes two excellent cigar bars, which are duly noted here and are surely the sign of a landed civilization. Along with the fine dining and some promising new lodging alternatives, the area is a grown-up haven for the good life.

by Steve Miller Photo: Sean - stock.adobe.com.

y mile 120 into a trip to Northwestern Michigan from Detroit, the highway is flanked by thick Michigan forest, a curtain of stout elms, maples and oaks.

By the time September checks out, these towering trees melt into solid yellows and reds.

The traffic lessens as you head into an area anchored by Traverse City, Charlevoix and Petoskey, three towns settled off of Lake Michigan that compose the state’s Gold Coast, a region of widely spaced, often majestic homes offset by acres of wilderness.

Before you reach the end of the drive north, take an exit, cruise a few miles, peel your eyes and find alluring dirt roads branching off that lead for

miles to logged clearings, and then, more forest.

The barren roads allow plenty of room to stop, walk and breathe the air, which is a distinctive mix of molding leaves and wet freshness.

The region pops with color and with that, tourists flocking for leaf-peeping tours, cider mills, wine tastings and a last gasp of sunlight before the days of sunny 70 degrees shrink into a concentrated gray and the air becomes bite-sized chunks of ice.

Inside the Vintage Chophouse and Wine bar at the Inn at Bay Harbor.

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“All hell breaks loose,” is how Jeff Wellman, a veteran Northern Michigan realtor, characterizes the winter. The blessed three months of summer, when sunlight can stretch to 10 p.m. at the Solstice, end and snow mounts. Wellman, who grew up in the area, recalls a period of daily snow that went for two months straight.

Jeff is our host on a trip through the area that is

Birds eye view of the Inn at Bay Harbor, Autograph Collection marked by fine folks enjoying great cigars, dashed with some good food and drink.

Wellman has sold real estate through the region for 35 years and knows all the roads and haunts.

He’s sold homes all over the Gold Coast, and has an encyclopedic knowledge of developers, buyers, and sellers, as well as a healthy love of fine booze, cigars, and food.

Entertainers, athletes, and business magnates own properties in the area, including Michigan natives Kid Rock and Bob Seger along with Detroit Pistons, Tigers, Red Wings, and members of the Kansas City Chiefs and Chicago Cubs.

Some homes can fetch $14 million, Wellman says,

Photo: Roberto - stock.adobe.com.

which stunned a real estate professional from New York who a few years ago heard noise about a new hot luxury market in the U.S. and flew in to check it out.

“We drove all through this area, around the bay and up the shorelines, and she was amazed,” Wellman recalls. “She said, ‘Holy shit, how come no one knows about this?’”

Three hours and some change out of downstate gets you into the Bay Harbor area of Petoskey, a five-mile stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline.

The blend of condos, homes and small stores gives way to the Inn at Bay Harbor, a massive Marriott-developed property that screams ‘nautical’, and J. Crew, with its gleaming white front exterior and pillared entry way.

Inside the hotel, we hit the Vintage Chophouse/ Wine Bar, which had a fireplace going and a view of Lake Michigan. Vintage offers indoor and outdoor dining, although at 43 degrees, a seat next to the fire inside worked best. The lunch menu is inspired; pickle-brined chicken sandwich, coconut red quinoa and cauliflower gratin. But wait, the Caesar salad can be served with anchovies. I am smitten with these little salt bombs, and have them on anything, anytime.

There’s no reason to worry about which of the 140 types of anchovies you get; they’re all good.

But this is a special day, as the Vintage delivers its salad with white anchovies, rather than the oily, briny variety. The white ones are savory and much less salty and make anything taste good, especially a bowl filled with fresh lettuce and a pleasingly spare amount of dressing. The warm bread is washed down with a glass of Oregon’s Benton Lane Pinot Noir. The water view, the food, the fire and the wine pool for a beautiful meal.

In downtown Petoskey, Ernesto’s Cigar Lounge and Bar is where the cool kids go for a smoke, some drink, and on this day, some football. Opened

Panoramic view of Bayfront Park in Petoskey in 2017, Ernesto’s entrance is tucked into an alley and features an entrance accented with blue and white shutters, wood girders on the ceiling, and a trellised backdrop to the brightly lit bar, which is manned by co-owner Alex Engleman.

“We wanted to have the décor reflect a Cuban style,” says Engleman, who grew up in the area.

“We looked at a lot of pictures of buildings down there, where the buildings are rough, but always have these brightly colored shutters and doors.”

The entry at Ernesto’s is the former loading dock for a long-dormant hardware store, a bit obscure, and creates a need for patrons to have some connections to find.

roads are reflective and simple, the colors blazing and leaves falling in a blizzard of bright hues. The silver elms, in particular, are at their glittery best, the autumn light reflecting their metallic glow.

After the cigars, the wine and the anchovies, it’s a good time to put a lid on the day.

You’ve seen references to the state that looks like a mitten, and Michigan embraces that description. The thumb on the east side, though, is more cluttered and less open compared to the pinkie, where we are. Driving north from Traverse City, the two-lane M-22, a state highway, hugs the coastline of the bay, at some points leaving nothing but some spare roadway and shoreline rocks being sprayed with surf from the surly

“It’s got this speakeasy thing going, and people who come here know that the only way to get in is from the alley,” Engleman says. “You don’t stumble upon us, you either have to hear something or ask someone about a cigar shop in Petoskey.”

We pull a couple of Black Diamonds out of the humidor, sink down into the overstuffed leather theater seats, and watch some games while nursing glasses of Reckless Love, a red blend with some cherry flavors. It is everything a cigar bar should be on a lazy fall Sunday afternoon, with plenty of conversations around the bar and a familiar feeling of being home.

Petoskey, like the other villages in the area, relies on seasonal visitors, and in the fall, it’s the leaf fans, their rods and cones finely attuned to the trees on their last lap around before taking a winter-heralding dive.

Petoskey sits on Little Traverse Bay, an inlet off Lake Michigan. The population swells from 6,000 to 25,000 in the summer. By fall, though, folks are fewer and languid drives through the surrounding

The wine cellar at the Chophouse - halfway between the North Pole and the Equator.

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waters. Even on a bright, sunny day, the waters of the north get choppy, and watching the early a.m. boat traffic jump like fishing bobbers is amusing.

and Cigar Bar in downtown Traverse City open.

The city, which is a loose term considering its 15,000 population, is known as a place where the well-to-do come from Detroit, Chicago and other urban areas to ‘get away.’ The getting away is a little tougher when everyone gets away to the same place, but they spread out around the town, and there’s plenty of room. The surrounding lakes are filled with high-end homes and cabins, houseboats and 25-foot cruisers, and the town itself is settled on the picturesque Grand Traverse Bay.

At one point, you pass the 45th parallel halfway between the equator and the North Pole as the towns float by on the way up the coast, a series of blink-and-miss one-stoplight settlements and hamlets with 200 people that shutter in the winter and prosper in the summer.

Photo: MichaelGSmith - stock.adobe.com.

Turning back to the south after reaching Northport, a small village near the top of the Leelanau Peninsula (the tip of the pinkie), a series of county roads wind south through the middle of the peninsula, exposing vineyards, groves of apple and pear trees, dotted with cherry orchards.

I meet back up with host Jeff at Cafe Santé, a European-flavored bistro in Boyne City, where we settle into a booth overlooking Lake Charlevoix.

In the summer, the place hums with festivals. It’s crazy about these gatherings, from the National Cherry Festival to a film festival founded by cultural critic/filmmaker and Michigan native Michael Moore.

The Interlochen Arts Festival, 25 miles southwest of Traverse City, brings in marquee pop acts every year in a series of shows that run all summer,

Clockwise from top left: Sailing on Grand Traverse Bay; Cafe Santé in Boyne City; the lounge area at Ernesto’s Cigar Bar and Lounge.

with past performances from Bob Dylan, Steely Dan, Tone Loc, and ZZ Top.

The lake shore is fronted by some squared-off fishing piers, where you can just walk up, cast a line and bring home some dinner.

We have no fishing gear and no will to wait. We order up some mussels, eyeballing the menu: whitefish, Niçoise salad, or just get to the end quickly with a bacon and taleggio wood-fired pizza.

The whitefish is served in a Meunière sauce – butter, parsley and lemon – that is deservedly simple, as the freshly caught fish comes from a few miles away.

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with a Köstritzer Schwarzbier, a product of Thuringia, Germany. The brewery was founded in 1543, and still brews eight varieties. The Schwarzbier, which means black beer, is its most popular – crispy and dark.

After dinner, we settle into Jeff’s spacious backyard with a couple of Camacho Diplomas, and a couple fingers of Maker’s Mark. We kick back until the temps dip into the 30s, when we repair indoors. We’re not savages, after all.

It’s a beautiful day for a drink and a cigar and we start at 2 p.m., when the doors of Nolan’s Tobacco

After the festival crowds leave, Traverse City is more placid and less hurried. The city is a different place than it was in 1978, when Nolan’s opened as a simple tobacconist. The city was a northern outpost, and few ventured this way after September. It was all locals between then and June, and the bulk of those locals were NOT cigar people.

“It started as a pipe store that sold cigars and now it’s a cigar store that sells pipes,” says Nolan coowner Andy Ash. As the culture moved forward and urban dwellers visited or moved north for some time away, a new need for smoking emerged.

In 2015, armed with a new state law that permitted indoor cigar smoking, Nolan’s opened the bar area at the back of the store.

“It seemed critical for us, since we were selling

THE MUSIC DANCES WITH THE CLASSIC MADURO IN YOUR HAND. THE WRAPPER, AGED 3 YEARS, INTENSIFIES THE SMOOTH AND CREAMY TOBACCO, DELIVERING RICH FLAVOR FROM THE FIRST DRAW.

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cigars, to add a place to enjoy that cigar,” Ash said.

The clientele in the winter is a solid band of locals, and between May and September, that base is boosted by visitors with seasonal homes or people passing through.

The sizable walk-in humidor in front offers a good cross section of smokes, while a smaller one in the bar sticks to Rocky Patels, Olivas and other more popular brands.

The bar itself is short with six stools but the two rooms overall are large, and the floor is polished concrete. Out back is a spacious outdoor deck – called the Cigarten by regulars – and growing up the sides of the building at the back, appropriately enough, are hops. In the fall, these shrubs turn a yellowish green before leaving. Even as late as October in frigid Michigan, the flowers are popping, perhaps hoping for a last chance to make the cut for the state’s sizable craft beer industry.

The booze selection is standard/excellent, with about 20 blends each of bourbon and scotch, six

Clockwise from top left: The entrance to Nolans Cigar Bar; the extensive liquor offering at Nolans Cigar Bar. beer remained the alcoholic mainstay.

But the Weathervane is a classic example of how northern Michigan seafood has evolved. The walleye is planked with lemon rémoulade, the perch are sautéed and topped with light tomatocaper relish, and the Michigan Mojito – crushed cherries, lime, mint, cherry-infused rum and Vernor’s ginger ale – is the adult beverage of choice. While watching $1 million boats cruise by. It’s an intoxicating blend; the food and drink coupled with the dream of spending a few days at sea on one of those sea-faring mansions.

beers on tap and 20 more in the bottle – including 11 from local and national craft brewers, and there are also eight suitable red and eight white wine choices.

We sit in the Cigarten, the sun warm, the Stella Artois cold, Jeff’s healthy pour of Meiomi Pinot Noir, a California coastal, gleaming.

He’s burning an Ashton Classic Sovereign, a mild torpedo, and I’ve got an Oliva Serie V Melanio, and with the crispy Euro beer, it’s tasting especially spicy today.

Spiritually fortified, we head north back up the coast of the bay, over pastoral country roads, water on the right, forests to the left, up to Charlevoix, an enclave of around 2,500 people

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which sits between its own Lake Charlevoix and Lake Michigan.

It is a tourist fishing village, the t-shirt storefronts, boutique shops and food joints, with their shingled facades, meshing with the nautical commerce of a fishing and boating epicenter. Thirty-foot boats and 50-foot yachts move in and out of the Pine River Channel connecting the Great Lake and the local lake.

The Weathervane Restaurant sits on the channel, with views of the narrow connector and the drawbridge that allows the yachts to pass through. It’s a throwback to old-school fish joints that used to pop up all over Northern Michigan, where fried walleye and perch were constants and

On the way out of the Weathervane, I spot the fireplace. How I missed this monstrous granite tribute to prehistoric heating I don’t know, but this is something else – a nine-ton boulder with the capstone carved in the shape of the lower peninsula of Michigan.

Examining the exterior, it becomes clear that the restaurant is crafted in part by outsized, misshapen stones, topped by a roof that tilts and curves like a…hobbit house.

It turns out that the restaurant was designed by Earl Young, a local raconteur who included real estate, insurance and some creative designing among his ventures. In addition to helping shape Charlevoix as a beacon of the north, he became known for his designs of so-called mushroom homes, which looked like hobbit dwellings. He worked almost exclusively in stone culled from local mills, and over a four-decade span beginning in 1918, he designed 30 hobbit homes, also referred

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to as gnome homes or Smurf houses.

Young founded the Weathervane restaurant in 1955, and the roof I was admiring is supposed to resemble the flying wings of a seagull.

Every year, Edith Pair leads 700 tours of Youngdesigned homes to 1,500 people who either stumble upon the design as I did or have come via word of mouth.

“There’s no blueprint to these houses,” says Pair, whose season begins in April and wraps in November. “So Earl Young would circle around the site and bark orders to the workers.”

Only one of the homes is occupied year-round, while the others are seasonal getaways or rentals.

Being Smurf houses, the first drawback is size.

What works for a folklore creature is probably tiny for today’s humans.

says Tawnya Johnson, a marketing exec at Hotel Investment Services, which was part of the design team at the Earl.

In addition to the hipster upgrades to the exterior, the development of the lodge includes adding a third floor and enclosing the entryways. Some of the 56 rooms offer balconies and there is a rooftop bar planned for whenever life returns.

Inside, the rooms are airy with plenty of mood lighting and a blend of 60s kitsch and 90s NYC loft. Misshapen coffee tables, tripod upholstered chairs, with black carpet and drapes. Bathrooms are contemporary tile with black fixtures.

The Hotel Earl isn’t completely done, but a one-night stay hints at great potential. When the indoor pool, upstairs bar and outdoor Jacuzzi come in, it will be a beacon to travelers who are looking for some

urban flavor to their trip to small-town wilderness.

The Earl is a fine way to end an autumn trek through a popular region of the northern U.S. The drive south finds the trees are starting to leave, and we’re closing in on fireplace season, inevitable and somehow easier to take given the other battles we’re all facing.

There’s great solace in the fact that the trees will bloom again, as another season of long days and greenery returns.

We hear murmurs of more cigar bars opening around the area. But the two quality cigar establishments are doing a great job of representing in a part of the U.S. that represents a freedom to explore a great expanse, to take in the power of the sea and light one up.

Clockwise from top left: The Hotel Earl in Charlevoix; one of Earl Young’s Smurf houses; the stylish decor inside the Earl.

“They are small, around 900 to 1,200 square feet,” Pair says. “And they are also quirky, so you could have a really small kitchen with a door into a bedroom, or one house that has no closets.”

Up the street from the Weathervane, the Earl Hotel is carrying on the Earl Young legacy in its retooling of what opened in 1959 as Young’s Weathervane Lodge.

The Hotel Earl is a unicorn in Northern Michigan, where hotel themes tend to be uniformly 60s-style motor lodge.

The Earl is unique for its exterior that mixes industrial-looking black concrete blocks and dark wood with the stone favored by Young.

The place was falling down when a development group, recognizing the dearth of hotel rooms in the area and the need for a more upscale, urban twist on lodging, bought it a couple years ago.

“The No. 1 priority was to keep the stone and as much of that cool Earl Young history in place,”

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BY IVAN OCAMPO

Day 1 During pre-production we came to the conclusion that if we didn’t want to battle crowds of tourists for shots or end up with clichéd pictures of southern Utah, we’d have to go off the beaten path, literally. And to do so we would need guides and off-road vehicles as opposed to the large, lumbering SUVs we had rented to move the crew and equipment from the airport to our home base in Kanab, Utah. Thank God for that decision. The guides were not only critical in getting us to the spots but also helped ease the load of carrying gear.

Fasten Your Seatbelt!

The Climb We left the slot canyons and headed towards the Cutler Point alcove, near the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument – a wind-blown dune and alcove combination near the peak of a sandstone mountain. The ride from Peekaboo to Cutler Point reinforced the importance of seatbelts and revealed that I have been severely underappreciating paved roads all this

incline through the mountain equivalent of deep beach sand. The air was thin; the base of the mountain was at 6,800 ft above sea level and we were climbing. And everyone except model Abigail Zientek, who we wanted to keep fresh, was carrying some sort of heavy pack or case that now seemed 10 times heavier. I let myself fall into the sand three times just to catch my breath on the way up.

The first location of the shoot was Peekaboo slot canyon. Slot canyons form by flash floods that come into the area in the early summer. The floods carve through the soft sandstone moving everything in their path including boulders and trees while creating these unique and beautiful canyons.

To get to Peekaboo would require a relatively short drive on the highway and then a 20-minute off road trek that was quite the introduction to our trip. Full disclosure: I had never been off-roading so I was not aware that you needed to haul ass while driving through off-road trails of deep hot sand or run the risk of getting stuck. And haul ass we did!

Saying it was a bumpy ride would be like saying that flying from Miami to Japan is a long flight. Once at Peekaboo, the hike out and back through the slot was relatively benign – about a quarter mile each way of mostly flat hard-packed dirt and rock. We got our shots and we were off to a great start. Day 1 morning session = success.

David Benoliel showing model Abigail Zientek the shot that would eventually be the cover.

Chilling on the ledge at the Cutler Point alcove.

time. As we got close enough to see the peak in the distance, our guide Nick pointed and said, “You see that hole in the mountain, that’s where we’re going!”

When he said it I didn’t realize he literally meant we were going to climb up the mountain to get to the hole. I don’t know what I was thinking, but it wasn’t that!

We embarked on the longest quartermile hike you could possibly imagine.

It started off easy enough and within minutes we were trudging up a steep

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We made it to the alcove and although thoroughly exhausted, it was immediately evident why we had to work so hard to get here; it is a truly amazing site. I have to give the crew credit for even making it to the alcove and for not being mad at me for underselling the difficulty of the job!

Cover Shot Seven hours into the day, we were halfdead, covered in sand, and back in the Jeeps driving out to our final location.

The Old Paria townsite was once the backdrop for Westerns like Clint Eastwood’s 1976 classic, The Outlaw Josey Wales. But on this day its rainbow colored hills would be the backdrop for our cover shot.

Day 2 Hoodoos New day, new model, and a different landscape. We loaded up the Jeeps and hit the road for an hour to the Crawford Pass Loop on the southwestern side of Bryce Canyon National Park, just outside of the park boundary in the Dixie National Forest. The area boasts impressive Bryce Canyon cliffs and giant hoodoos. These are the cool-looking spires of rocks that protrude from the bottom. We set off to hike the two and a half mile loop trail that runs along the forested ledge of a high plateau overlooking a massive valley. We picked spots along the trail to photograph model Allie Leggett so of course we had to trek through the forest with all kinds of equipment. About halfway through, the guides doubled back in a full sprint, got back in the Jeeps, rode them to the end of the trail, and sprinted back in the other direction to meet up with us.

These guys were incredible. Hats off to Nick and Kaleb.

The Arch By the second half of the day it had all taken its toll. Most of the crew was either in some sort of pain or just flat out exhausted. None of us were accustomed to the altitude and more importantly everyone was out of shape.

But we soldiered on to the Losee Canyon Arches Trail where, legend has it, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid would hide out. The ground was sandy clay with tons of loose small rocks; couple that with the steep inclines and it made for a risky situation. What set this area apart was that unlike most photos of Bryce Canyon, which involve hoodoos far away in the background, on this trail you can stand next to, climb onto, and rest up against the hoodoos. And if you’re not afraid of sliding off a rock ledge, this trail has the added bonus of an arch that sits near the top of a particularly treacherous optional trail.

Considering that Butch Cassidy was born not too far from this spot and it was a supposed hideout, I couldn’t help but wonder if we were shooting in the spot where Butch Cassidy first got to third base?

NOTE: We were keenly aware of how dry this environment is and how dangerous it could be if we were careless with our cigars.

We took every precaution while lighting our Casa Cuba cigars and poured water on them every time we were done with them. We also made sure not to leave any trash behind and even picked up and disposed of a couple of stray water bottles that other parties had left behind.

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The crew marches up Crawford Pass Trail in the Dixie National Forest on day two of the shoot.

Taking a water break on the treacherous precipice atop Losee Canyon Arches Trail.

right you’re not getting much of that.

what I tasted.

Come to think of it, if you herf five or six Churchills every day and you’re not in the cigar business, you’re probably doing it for the nicotine hit. But the rest of us are smoking to relax, reflect, meditate, and savor the experience that an army of artisans and craftsman has spent a lifetime perfecting.

Halfway through, however, I was struck by a rather bitter flavor and realized I was no longer enjoying it. So I paused to brush my teeth, which I know is complete and total blasphemy, then went back to it.

To start this journey I went back to sampling various machine-made cigars, smoking them properly and learning what appeals to me. We all have our own preferred sizes and flavor profiles, which is why we’re fortunate to have such a wide selection.

On the machine-made front I settled on cigarillos because apparently my attention span is still too short, with a flavor profile probably described as fruity. Now on to the bigger, hand made, premium smokes!

Ideally I’d embark on this journey in the company of brothers and sisters of the leaf, basking in their knowledge and fellowship, although literal handholding should be avoided. But that just wasn’t practical.

A DEEP, DARK, UGLY CONFESSION

An eight-cigar journey and a search for a clue

by Anonymous smoked my first cigar (and my hundredth) about 30 years ago, machine-made, bought at grocery stores. I was working at a hog farm, and one of my workers told me that the smoke made the boars breed better. I think he was just looking for an excuse for us to smoke cigars all day. It was a pleasant enough way to pass the time, but when I left the farm, I left my cigars behind.

I recently decided it was time to try again, and to do it right this time.

The whole point of smoking cigars, of course, is to relax, reflect, and savor. It’s a form of meditation, not something you blast through in a hurry while you’re doing something else. It’s not about the nicotine hit, because if you’re doing it

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Please give some love to your local mom and pop cigar stores. They need you right now. The sole such establishment in my new hometown needs me right now, but between my crazy new schedule and the pandemic – mostly my new schedule – I failed them and ordered online. I know better and I promise to make amends at the end of this journey.

Okay, let’s get started!

CIGAR #1 I opened my sampler pack of discount handrolled cigars and decided to start as far away from my preferred profile as possible. That led me to the biggest cigar in the pack. Way outside what I thought of as my preference, and that was deliberate. Shock the system, reboot everything, and see what happens. Go big or go home. Well, I’m smoking them at home, but you get the idea.

The Bahia Maduro is a 7 x 54 beast from Nicaragua. “A medium-bodied blend in a 3-yearold Habano binder from Nicaragua with a dark and oily Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper.” Or so I read after smoking it, which made me inordinately proud of myself for concluding after the first draw that the word I wanted for this bad boy was, in fact, oily.

Further reading after my smoke indicated thick plumes of heavy flavor, a rich tobacco core, and notes of coffee bean and earth. Yep, that’s

Yeah, I know, you stop whenever you think you’re done, but I couldn’t stop with that much left, and it did become pleasant again, so apparently I wasn’t done yet. I stopped when I was done, slightly before the band.

So I paused to brush my teeth, which I know is complete and total blasphemy, then went back to it.

Did this happen because I cut it wrong, I don’t have a cutter so I used scissors? Because it needed more flame? Or is this the price I pay for shopping in the bargain bin and getting a stale old cigar?

In the final reckoning, I learned that an oily/ coffee/earth flavor profile might also suit my personal taste, and that if this is medium-bodied I should probably avoid anything called fullbodied. Research is fun.

I enjoyed the first half of the cigar, but I equally enjoyed realizing that I only ordered one of this particular blend.

CIGAR #2 I was in the mood for something smaller. This cigar, whose brand I didn’t recognize, had a huge band that hogged up so much of the cigar that I removed it first. The fact that it didn’t fall apart while taking off the band was a promising start!

The first draw greeted me with a hint of oil, and a blast of flavor that told me I got a bit close to the shoulder this time, because I’m not using a proper cutter, of course. Always, always, always use the right tool for the job.

I was met with an uncomplicated flavor profile of tobacco, with notes of tobacco and more tobacco. As the cigar burned down, the flavor profile was one of tobacco, remarkably consistent that way.

It’d probably pair well with champagne and a

locker room victory celebration because it’d give you something to do with your hands. The ash was impressively long. You could win contests with this thing. And best of all, no toothpaste required.

This cigar was a Macanudo. I started to think that maybe I could enjoy this cigar with my morning walk, but that’s not legal here. I never understood this. Would it upset the alligators in the lake?

It was a K. Hansotia Sherpa, and while I enjoyed it, I’m starting to realize that nothing I smoke on this journey is likely to join my regular rotation when I settle on one.

Can I stop now? I doubt I’m going to learn much else from this little project of mine and I’m starting to miss my cigarillos.

So now I’ve confirmed that a medium-bodied cigar suits this particular smoker. I filed that information away in what’s left of my memory and wondered what the next cigar would bring.

And no, I’m not smoking these back to back.

That’d just be crazy.

CIGAR #3 Five inches long, light brown wrapper, a band that easily slides off, a good clean cut so I don’t blast myself with smoke and flavor. I’m making progress here. I even remembered to put on a shirt before I went out onto the balcony. No need to frighten the neighbors.

This was a fine, smooth, pleasant smoke. Also a reminder that when I discover my go-to cigars, and my special occasion cigars, they’ll all be shorter than 5 inches with a smaller ring gauge than 54.

More tightly bound than its predecessors with a slightly uneven burn. I had to put my trusty Bic to it a few times to keep it lit. Yeah, I know, not the best tool for the job. Something in the flavor made me think that it might be stale or maybe that’s just the way it tastes. Either way it pairs well with coffee.

If you pay just over a dollar for a cigar, and you still can’t stop halfway through because you paid good money for it, that may be a window into your very soul.

Did this happen because I cut it wrong, I don’t have a cutter so I used scissors?

This cigar confirmed that I’m not a morning smoker. I’m an evening smoker. I could probably become an afternoon smoker, but the boss at my new day job would probably frown on that.

CIGAR #4 It feels like a good day to smoke my last 6-inch cigar and put my measuring tape away, knowing that everything else is a 5-incher.

has cocoa, black pepper, and some leather. I got two out of three. I’m getting the hang of this blind tasting thing.

INTERMISSION I quit smoking my current go-to cigars when I began this journey. Until now. Just one. When this journey is over I’ll probably end up finding a small premium cigar with a similar profile.

I’ve never smoked anything with a creamy profile. I want to do that.

I still have the band from Cigar #4.

Oh, that was a pretty snip with the scissors. Do I get the credit or does the cigar?

CIGAR #7

Sometimes six inches is too much. This is not one of those times. The Sancho Panza goes well with my Diet Mountain Dew. (Don’t hate me.)

When I set it down to go feed She Who Must Be Obeyed (my cat), then went back to it, I resumed right where I left off with no additional flame needed. Good name, too. I’m gonna hang onto the band from this one!

This ain’t random. It’s dark. If, as I suspect, I like lighter-colored brown wrappers better, I’m saving that for the thrilling conclusion of this journey.

CIGAR #5 I just opened a drawer and grabbed. No more strategy, just smoking.

Never try to light a cigar in front of a fan.

I was looking forward to a repeat of the Cigar #4 experience. I didn’t get it. This CAO Colombia was a fine cigar – and I’m sorry I can’t be more specific about which size – but it’s just too peppery for my taste.

Do you take the band off or leave it on? I know smokers aren’t unanimous on this, and I’ve done it both ways, but if you leave the band on when you smoke this Arganese I’m holding, you won’t get to the second inch. Away with the band!

This is a well-made cigar with an even draw, consistent flavor, and a solid ash. Still fresh. I set it down for a minute (more than once) and easily came back to it without needing to add flame. Pairs well with vanilla coffee, but then again, what doesn’t? Maybe I’ll be a morning smoker on weekends. I enjoyed my cigar and have no misadventures to report.

See? I can be nice.

Googling this cigar after the fact revealed that I used the word “peppery” correctly. I rock. I also saw that it’s bold, full-bodied, and spicy. Yep. That’s not me. Oh well. Live and learn.

I’m keeping the giant band.

CIGAR #6

Full disclosure. I knew before I started this journey that I’d end it with either cigar #4 (Sancho Panza) or with cigar #8 (Hoya de Monterrey Excalibur), because I’ve read about both in Cigar Snob Magazine.

I tend to be a “save the best for last” kind of guy, even when I have no idea what the best is. Am I there yet? Let’s find out.

A glance at the stash reveals that two are dark and one is not. And now for the random grab…

CIGAR #8

After this cigar, I don’t want to smoke my go-to cigarillo today.

It’s been a good day.

I got a dark one on the second random grab.

I’m keeping the band.

Wow, this is dark. Tastes like cocoa. Easy draw.

Not too strong for a beginner like me. Crumbly at the head because (say it with me) it was a discount sampler pack. Later it adds notes of what might be leather. A well-made cigar with a flavor profile that doesn’t suit me in particular.

And so it goes.

IN CONCLUSION

My Google snoop says that the Villazon Maduro

That was a bumpy ride, but I can use what I learned to make a more informed choice. I’ll visit my local tobacconist, which has been here since 1976, with a bit more information than “I’ve never smoked a cigar before. What do you recommend?”

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48 CIGARS CUTTER: Screwpop Magpulse Cutter (screwpoptool.com) WRITING INSTRUMENT: William Henry RB8 Cabernet Rollerball (williamhenry.com) ASHTRAY: Aaron Thomas Vanilla Crush (aaronthomascollection.com)

TORPEDO Casa Fernandez Aniversario Maduro

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$ 13.09 Cuban 109 6 1/4 54 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

Sin Compromiso

A beautifully box-pressed torpedo finished with a 109 head, it has the taper of a torpedo but is round at the top like a parejo. The medium to full strength blend is balanced and complex with flavors highlighted by dark chocolate, cedar, and roasted almonds.

$ 1 7.95

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No. 2 6 52 Mexico Ecuador Nicaragua

Ashton VSG

N I CA R AG UA Well-balanced and complex, this medium-plus strength blend delivers a core of bittersweet cocoa, charred oak, and deep, smooth pepper accompanied by notes of earth and vanilla on the finish. Draws and burns exceptionally well.

$ 1 4.50

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Torpedo 6 1/2 53 Ecuador Dominican Republic Dominican Republic

Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua

91 90

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Maestro 6 52 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

A flavorful and beautifully balanced blend that consistently provides a perfect draw and an excellent smoke output with notes of dark cocoa, baker’s spice, and sweet cedar complemented by roasted nuts on the finish.

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

N I CA R AG UA Impeccably constructed and covered with a beautiful, dark brown wrapper with excellent sheen. This medium-plus strength torpedo features a core of pepper, oak, and coffee accompanied by a subtle touch of cream and leather.

$ 8.90 King B 6 55 Ecuador Dominican Republic Dominican Republic

Flor de las Antillas Maduro

90

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

$ 10.95

A. Fuente Sun Grown Chateau Fuente

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USA

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Ultra-consistent and well-balanced with a smooth profile of cedar, leather, spice, cocoa, and a touch of ripe fruit sweetness. This attractive torpedo is covered with a dark brown wrapper with excellent oils. Mild to medium strength.

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

Torpedo 6 1/8 52 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua

N I CA R AG UA A classic-looking torpedo covered with a dark brown wrapper with excellent oils. Draws and burns well while producing an abundant smoke output with notes of oak, pepper, and dark chocolate complemented by a touch of bitter coffee.

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GRAN TORO Oliva Serie V Melanio

$ 15.60

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Doble Toro 6 60 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua

Nat Sherman Timeless Panamericana

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Beautifully balanced and complex, this medium strength blend is covered with a clean, light brown wrapper with minimal veins. Produces an abundant smoke output with smooth notes of cocoa, almonds, and cedar joined by sweet cream and a touch of spice.

$ 13.45 Gordo 6 60 Ecuador Nicaragua Costa Rica & Nicaragua

My Father

N I CA R AG UA Smooth spice, roasted nuts, leather, and a touch of cocoa powder. Draws wells and produces a wavy burn with an excellent smoke output. Medium strength and covered with a clean, reddish brown wrapper.

$ 12.80

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Toro Gordo 6 60 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua

Hamlet Paredes 2020

N I CA R AG UA A thick, slightly pressed gran toro covered with a nearly impeccable wrapper. This medium-plus strength blend draws flawlessly and produces tons of thick, aromatic smoke with notes of cedar, cinnamon, cereal, and smooth pepper.

$ 12.50

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Gordo 6 60 Ecuador Honduras Honduras & Nicaragua

Room 101 The Farce

N I CA R AG UA Delivers a flavorful core of earth, cocoa, wood, and ripe fruit complemented by a rich aroma of leather on the nose. Impeccably constructed and finished with a beautiful, medium brown wrapper with a reddish tint. Medium strength.

$ 12.90

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Magnum 6 1/2 60 Ecuador Indonesia USA, Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

Partagas Natural

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C A consistently well-made gran toro with a smooth profile of sweet wood, dried fruits, and a touch of spice. This medium strength blend produces an adequate smoke output and leaves behind a solid, compact ash.

$ 9.59

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N I CA R AG UA

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

Gigante 6 60 Cameroon Mexico Mexico

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Covered with a thin, light brown wrapper, this medium bodied blend delivers a core of smooth earth, roasted nuts, vanilla, soft spice, and a touch of cream. This well-constructed gran toro consistently draws and burns well.

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GRAN TORO The Oscar Maduro

$ 12.50

H O ND U R AS Delivers a smooth profile of earth, espresso, and wood complemented by more subtle notes of pepper and sweet cream. This medium strength gran toro is consistently well-made producing an excellent output of thick, aromatic smoke.

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

Sixty 6 60 Mexico Honduras Honduras & Nicaragua

91 Charter Oak Maduro

$ 6.00

N I CA R AGUA Impeccably constructed and covered with an even-colored, dark brown wrapper. Opens with sweet notes of almonds, raisins, and cedar balanced by pepper and a hint of bitterness.

Draws and burns perfectly, leaving behind a solid ash.

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

Grande 6 60 USA/Connecticut Indonesia Nicaragua

91 CAO Bones

$ 8.99

N I CA R AGUA Covered with a dark brown wrapper with excellent oils, this medium-plus strength blend delivers flavors of intense espresso, roasted almonds, and sweet pepper complemented by notes of tanned leather in the aroma.

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

Maltese 6 60 USA/Connecticut USA Honduras, Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

90 MUWAT

$ 8.60

N I CA R AGUA A well-balanced blend with a perfect draw and abundant smoke output. This medium bodied gran toro has a core of smooth pepper, cocoa, and a touch of caramel. Finished with a dark, reddish brown wrapper with a somewhat coarse feel.

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

Toro 6 60 Mexico Ecuador Brazil & Nicaragua

Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve Maduro

$ 11.81

N I CA R AGUA A thick, box-pressed blend covered with a dark brown wrapper with a velvet feel. Delivers tons of roasted nuts and earth complemented by black pepper and a touch of sweetness. This medium-plus strength blend has an easy draw and a good smoke output.

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

Covered with a dark, toothy wrapper; this pressed blend has a straightforward core of earth, pepper, and roasted nuts accompanied by a bit of mocha. Consistently provides an easy draw producing medium to full bodied smoke.

Sixty 6 60 Costa Rica Honduras Nicaragua & Honduras

89

Perdomo Reserve 10th Anniversary Maduro

$ 9.75

N I CA R AGUA

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Super Toro 6 60 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

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TORO Oscar Valladares Super Fly Connecticut

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$ 9.00 Corona 5 1/4 54 Honduras Honduras Honduras, Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

Cohiba Connecticut

A mild to medium bodied toro finished with a neatly applied, light brown wrapper with a supple feel. Opens with a smooth profile of nuts, cedar, and sweet cream balanced by a touch of earth and pepper.

$ 21.69

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Toro 6 1/2 52 Ecuador Mexico Brazil, Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

Oliva Connecticut Reserve

90

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C A flavorful blend with a balanced profile of cedar, spice, honey, and citrus complemented by a hint of barnyard. This medium bodied smoke is consistently well made and covered with a clean, golden-colored wrapper.

$ 8.70 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Toro 6 50 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua

Aladino Connecticut

N I CA R AG UA Produces tons of thick, aromatic smoke along a flawless draw and burn. Delivers a core of wood, subtle pepper, and leather complemented by coffee and roasted nuts. Mild to medium strength.

$ 8.80

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Toro 6 50 Ecuador Honduras Honduras

Padrรณn Dรกmaso

H O N D UR AS Consistently well-constructed and finished with a clean, light brown wrapper with only minimal veins. Mild to medium strength with a core of smooth earth, wood, and sweet spice accompanied by notes of coffee and cream.

$ 15.50

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No. 15 6 52 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua

Perla del Mar

N I CA R AG UA Delivers a mild to medium bodied core of cedar, black pepper, and a touch of bitter American coffee balanced by a rich note of vanilla cream.

This well-made toro consistently provides an excellent draw and burn.

$ 6.90

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H O N D UR AS

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Perla G 6 1/4 54 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua

N I CA R AG UA Perfectly square pressed and finished a supple, light brown wrapper with only minimal veins. This mild to medium strength blend has a core of earth, spice, and wood accompanied by a subtle touch of sweetness.

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TORO My Father Fonseca

$ 11.00

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Cedros 6 1/2 54 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

San Cristobal Revelation

Rich and creamy with a beautifully balanced profile of roasted almond, caramel, cedar, and a touch of cocoa complemented by a pepper note in the background. This medium strength toro is covered with a supple wrapper with excellent sheen.

$ 8.50

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Legend 6 52 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua

Plasencia Reseva Original

91 91

N I CA R AG UA An impeccably constructed, pressed toro finished with a neatly applied triple cap. The blend delivers a sweet and earthy core accompanied by notes of cocoa, toasted almonds, and heavy cream. Medium to full strength.

$ 8.90 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Toro 6 50 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

New World by AJ Fernandez

N I CA R AG UA Super smooth and complex with flavors of cedar, oats, pepper, and subtle spice held together by a rich almond cream note on the finish. Consistently well-constructed and covered with a reddish brown wrapper. Medium bodied.

$ 8.30 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Virrey 6 58 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

Camacho Nicaragua

N I CA R AG UA Perfectly pressed and finished with a clean, dark brown wrapper with only the slightest of veins. This medium to full strength blend has flavors of pepper, cocoa, and oak along a smooth, earthy core. Draws and burns flawlessly.

$ 8.80

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Toro 6 50 Ecuador Honduras Honduras, Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

Rocky Patel TAA Exclusivo 2020

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N I CA R AG UA

H O N D UR AS Covered with a beautiful, reddish brown wrapper with a silky texture. This medium strength toro delivers a core of earth, coffee, wood, and nuts accompanied by notes of tanned leather and spice on the nose.

$ 12.50 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Toro 6 52 Mexico Nicaragua Nicaragua

N I CA R AG UA A flavorful blend with a medium-plus strength profile of coffee, white pepper, and sweet oak complemented by a rich creaminess on the finish. Provides an easy draw and is covered with a slightly rustic-looking, dark brown wrapper.

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TORO Rocky Patel Quarter Century

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$ 13.50 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Toro 6 1/2 52 Mexico Honduras Nicaragua

Tatuaje Fausto

This beautifully balanced and ultra-flavorful blend opens with tons of sweet cream, nuts, and cocoa complemented by a touch of spice and cedar. Draws and burns impeccably while leaving behind a solid, compact ash.

$ 8.72

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FT 153 6 50 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua

Herrera Esteli Brazilian Maduro

90

N I CA R AG UA Flavorful and full-bodied, this toro delivers an intense blend of mocha, pepper, tanned leather, and roasted almonds balanced by a subtle, sweet cream. This well-constructed smoke is finished with a dark brown wrapper with excellent oils.

$ 9.6 8 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Toro Especial 6 52 Brazil USA/Connecticut Nicaragua

EP Carrillo Dusk Stout

N I CA R AG UA A well-balanced combination of flavors highlighted by bittersweet chocolate, pepper, ripe fruit, and a touch of oak. This firmly packed, medium-plus strength toro produces tons of thick, aromatic smoke leaving behind a perfect ash.

$ 8.00

90

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

Toro 6 52 USA/Connecticut Ecuador Nicaragua

CAO Expedition TAA Exclusivo 2020

89

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

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Covered with an exceedingly dark and toothy wrapper, this medium-plus strength blend has a core of earth, pepper, roasted nuts, and currant accompanied by strong, sweet coffee notes. Consistently well made.

$ 9.49 Toro 6 1/8 50 USA/Connecticut USA/Connecticut Honduras, Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

Eiroa C.B.T Maduro

H O N D UR AS An intense and flavorful box-pressed toro covered with a dark and toothy wrapper. The blend opens with loads of bitter espresso complemented by wood and earth along a mediumbodied smoke output.

$ 12.92

88 78 | CIGAR SNOB | SEPT / OCT 2020

N I CA R AG UA

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

Toro 6 54 Mexico Honduras Honduras

H O N D UR AS Finished with a neatly applied, dark brown wrapper with sheen, this medium-plus strength blend has a core of earth, leather, and molasses accompanied by a note of charred oak throughout.

SEPT / OCT 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

79

ROBUSTO HVC Cerro Natural

$ 8.30

92

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

Robusto 5 50 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

Padrรณn 1926 Serie Natural

92

This ultra-flavorful blend consistently produces an excellent smoke output of medium-plus strength smoke with a core of cinnamon, sweet cedar, and smooth pepper complemented by a rich creaminess on the finish.

$ 1 4.40 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

No. 6 4 3/4 50 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

Tatuaje Nuevitas

N I CA R AG UA Ultra-consistent and flavorful with a core of smooth pepper and earth complemented by cocoa, light coffee, and a touch of caramel.

This medium strength, pressed robusto features a clean, milk chocolate brown wrapper with minimal veins.

$ 9.00

91

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

Jibaro No. 1 5 54 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

Nestor Miranda Collection Habano

91

N I CA R AG UA Well-constructed and covered with a nearly flawless wrapper that has been cut short leaving an uncovered foot. Produces an excellent smoke output that opens with tons of wood and pepper that are soon joined by chocolate, nuts, and sweet cream.

$ 7.87 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

Coffee Break 4 1/2 50 Nicaragua Nicaragua Brazil, Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

La Aurora 107 Nicaragua

N I CA R AG UA Firmly packed and covered with a reddish brown wrapper with sheen. Produces an excellent smoke output with flavors of earth, deep pepper, and roasted nuts complemented by a rich and creamy chocolate note on the finish.

$ 8.50

91

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

Robusto 5 50 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero

89 80 | CIGAR SNOB | SEPT / OCT 2020

N I CA R AG UA

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Delivers a flavorful profile of roasted almonds, hazelnut, and wood accompanied by a touch of dried fruit and caramel. This medium-plus bodied blend is finished with a clean, milk chocolate colored wrapper.

$ 8.50 VITOLA: LENGTH: RING: WRAPPER: BINDER: FILLER:

DL-600 5 1/4 52 Ecuador Dominican Republic Dominican Republic

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C An intense, full strength blend covered with a neatly applied, thick and oily wrapper. This well-made robusto opens with a heavy dose of pepper and wood that subside just enough to incorporate notes of black coffee and spice.

SEPT / OCT 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

81

Alejandro MartĂ­nez Cuenca Joya De Nicaragua

Dion Giolito Illusione Cigars

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

Erik Espinosa Espinosa Cigars

Karl Malone Barrel-Aged by Karl Malone

cigarsnobmag.com/podcast

82 | CIGAR SNOB | SEPT / OCT 2020

GORDO JFR Lunatic Maduro

$ 6.59

N I CA R AGUA Ultra-flavorful and smooth with a rich, creamy profile of cedar, almond, and spice accompanied by a hint of mocha. This well-made smoke is finished with a neat pigtail and a covered foot. Medium to full strength.

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

Short Titan 4 3/4 60 Mexico Nicaragua Nicaragua

91 Oliva Nub Habano

$ 7.83

N I CA R AGUA An impeccably constructed blend covered with a reddish brown wrapper with minimal veins.

Draws and burns perfectly while producing an abundant output of aromatic smoke with notes of cocoa, subtle pepper, and sweet cream. Medium strength.

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

460 4 60 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua

91 CroMagnon Aquitane

$ 8.15

N I CA R AGUA A stout smoke finished with a toothy, reddish brown wrapper with excellent oils. This slowburning blend opens with a core of earth, sweet pepper, and roasted nuts complemented by a touch of wood with a long finish.

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

Mandible 4 1/2 60 Ecuador Cameroon Nicaragua

90 EP Carrillo INCH Maduro

$ 9.20

D OM I NI CAN REPUBLIC Finished with a thick and toothy wrapper with excellent oils. This blend delivers a medium to full strength profile of wood, molasses, and a heavy dose of pepper accompanied by cedar and baking spice notes in the aroma.

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

No. 62 5 62 USA/Connecticut Nicaragua Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

La Gloria Cubana Serie R Natural

$ 6.89

D OM I NI CAN REPUBLIC Delivers an earthy profile complemented by notes of walnut, subtle pepper, and a hint of black American coffee. This medium strength blend provides an easy draw and even burn leaving behind a slightly flaky ash.

89

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

No. 3 4 1/2 56 Ecuador Nicaragua Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

88 Maya Selva Cumpay

$ 12.60

H O ND U R AS Covered with a clean, reddish brown wrapper with minimal veins. This medium-plus strength thick robusto provides a firm draw with a profile of earth, subtle pepper, and a touch of sweetness.

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

Volcan 5 60 Nicaragua Nicaragua Nicaragua

87 SEPT / OCT 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

83

COAT EVERYDAY LEATHER BELT ZANA BAYNE

FUR COAT SAKS 5TH AVE BOOTS TIMBERLAND HAT LACK OF COLOR

JACKET STYLE MAFIA BOOTS LUCCHESE

JACKET ISABELL MARANT TOP FAITHFUL THE BRAND SKIRT SEA HAT LACK OF COLOR

SUIT FWSS BELT ZANA BAYNE BOOTS LUCCHESE

Hear The Man’s story at: www.arturofuente.com/theman

HAT NICK FOUQET PONCHO RAW BOOTS LUCCHESE

VIDEO, BTS & MORE!

FULL LOOK ALMA DE SAL

FULL LOOK PARIS GEORGIA BOOTS TIMBERLAND

FULL LOOK PARIS GEORGIA

VEST VINTAGE STYLES OWN BELT BCBG MAX ZARIA

MODEL ABIGAIL ZIENTEK ELITE MODELS PHOTOGRAPHY LIMITED EDITION www.limitededitionmanagement.com PRODUCTION IVAN OCAMPO iocampo@cigarsnobmag.com PRODUCTION ASSISTANT JAMILET CALVIÑO jcalvino@cigarsnobmag.com WARDROBE STYLIST MARIELA ORTEGA dmodacreative.com MAKEUP ARTIST LUCIA ABUIN limitededitionmanagement.com GUIDES NICK SMITH KALEB HENDERSON LOCATION SOUTHERN UTAH

CIGAR CASA CUBA arturofuente.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 ORGANIZATIONS

TOP CIGAR COMPANIES ( sorted by Twitter followers ) Rocky Patel @RockyPatelCigar ................................................

Drew Estate Cigars @DrewEstateCigar ....................................

Padron Cigar @PadronCigars ...................................................

CAO International @CAOCigars ................................................

Alec Bradley Cigars @AlecBradley ...........................................

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

35528 33547 28566 26084 20963 20520 18700 18582 18492 16498 15100 15000 13454 13107 12962 12861 12591 12461 11616 11552

Cigar Rights of America @cigarrights ...................................... 14738 Premium Cigar Association @PCA1933 .................................... 8404 Tobacconist University @tobacconistU ................................... 4495

TOP CIGAR RADIO Cigar Dave Show @CigarDaveShow ........................................ 11314 KMA Talk Radio @KMATalkRadio ............................................. 2247 Cigars and Scotch @CigarScotch ............................................ 1928

SOME OF OUR FAVORITE TWEETS

Weird History @weird_hist

French 1913 postcard featuring the tallest, shortest, and fattest men of Europe playing cards.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Buckhead Cigar @BuckheadCigar ............................................

15250 13090 10999 7830 7544 6404 6349 5148 5135 4302

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cigar Evaluations @CigarEvaluation ........................................

The Stogie Guys @stogieguys ..................................................

Cigar Inspector @CigarInspector .............................................

100 | CIGAR SNOB | SEPT / OCT 2020

145121 16462 14779 12047 10874 8340 8179 8154 7461 7437

Coco Maria

@thecigarmadame Feeling a little snobby on this #FuenteFriday Shoutout to @ cigarsnobmag for the feature in the latest edition

love is for suckers - cigars are for lovers score more great sticks like sweet jane, crazy alice & fat bottom betty from your deadwood tobacco co. and drew estate.

SEPT / OCT 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

101

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

TOP CIGAR & ACCESSORY COMPANIES ( sorted by Instagram followers )

TOP CIGAR ORGANIZATIONS

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

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

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

Rocky Patel @rockypatelcigar .................................................

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Villiger Cigars North America @villigercigar .............................

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

CAO International @caocigars .................................................

Premium Cigar Association @PCA1933 .................................... 12113 Operation: Cigar for Warriors @cigarsforwarriors .................... 10342 Cigar Rights of America @cigarrightsofamerica ....................... 2927

118714 104838 95977 91202 79449 67390 65768 65551 58551 57054 54313 50771 49564 48143 45631 42877 38811 38717 36780 36700

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Big House Tobacco Outlet @bighousetobaccooutlet .................

52258 50074 30508 25159 24273 24263 22159 19127 16311 13489

TOP CIGAR RADIO Cigar Dave Show @cigardave ................................................. 3184 KMA Talk Radio @KMATalkRadio ............................................. 1574 Cigars and Scotch @cigar_and_scotch .................................... 834

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

@cigargirlmuc

Challenge accepted @light3nup @ idakarolinak @ nakedcigar @cohibabe @niaamcigar and @ all the beautiful cigar ladies

TOP ONLINE CIGAR INFLUENCERS ON INSTAGRAM Cigar Lover @cigarlover12 ......................................................

Naked Cigar @nakedcigar .......................................................

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

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

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

Girls With Cigars @girlswithcigars ...........................................

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

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

Chasefire Club @chasefireclub ................................................

Niaam . Cigar @niaamcigar .....................................................

102 | CIGAR SNOB | SEPT / OCT 2020

46157 45932 39528 27553 25539 24849 24719 24110 22296 17258

@nba

Inside the @lakers championship locker room photo credit: @adbphotoinc!

SEPT / OCT 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

103

EVENTS TRAVELING ROAD SHOW Fifteen cities

Rocky Patel Premium Cigars, Oliva Cigar Co., Alec Bradley Cigar Co., and Crowned Heads joined to host the Traveling Road Show 2020, a blitz of 27 events in 15 cities over 11 days that showcased new products and provided exclusive releases to attendees. The roving cigar circus was hatched after the Premium Cigar Association show in Las Vegas was cancelled, and allowed the cigar makers to meet with their brick and mortar partners, have some hang time, and plan for better days that are undoubtedly ahead.

Mr. and Mrs. Rick Bidwell

Cris Gherman, Nha Kim and David Bullock

Rocky Patel with the ladies of BURN by Rocky Patel

Paul Staab and Allan Buelvas

104 | CIGAR SNOB | SEPT / OCT 2020

Wes Thornton and Brad Winstead

Paul Tarantino, Hamlet Paredes, Leo Vincent, Mark Hartmann and Joe Tarantino

José Morel, Ozzie Gómez, Hamlet Paredes, Hamlet Jr. and Ciro Rodríguez

Charlie López and Albert Sosa

SEPT / OCT 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

105

EVENTS ATLANTA CIGAR EXPERIENCE Atlanta

The Atlanta Cigar Experience, or ACE, drew folks from all over the U.S., even in this challenging travel climate. The week-long festival is hosted by local icon Cigar Mike, and features seven days of entertainment, education and fellowship. The experience is also a journey within the city, taking in a number of cigar lounges and bars around town, with DJs and food trucks and parking lot parties. Each night drew hundreds of people intent on living it up with some fine folks and good smokes.

106 | CIGAR SNOB | SEPT / OCT 2020

SEPT / OCT 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

107

EVENTS BACK THE BLUE Miami

Attendees of Back the Blue started with a motor caravan from Tropical Park to HomesteadMiami Speedway in a show of support for law enforcement, with Oliva Cigars on hand to lend some support and cigars. At the speedway, you could buy a lap around the track, t-shirts and other Back the Blue gear, with the proceeds benefiting the Hispanic Police Officers Association. From there, folks headed to the Exit One Taproom for a kickin' afterparty.

Devon Jaramillo, Josh Brown, Roger Pérez, Albert Sosa, Javier Soto, Peter and Stephanie Regalado and Carlos Arguelles

Katherine Brand, Jorge Print, Jonathan and Mayra Mesa

Karl Hayden and Auris Leza

Peter and Stephanie Regalado and Albert Sosa

108 | CIGAR SNOB | SEPT / OCT 2020

Scarlett and Carlos Arguelles and Lindsay Díaz

Michelle Rojas, Bryan Martínez and Ruben García

Yi Valdes and Eloy Estrada

SEPT / OCT 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

109

EVENTS ATABEY PRIVATE LOUNGE OPENING Frisco, Texas

Industrial Cigar Co. and United Cigars launched the country’s first Atabey Private Lounge in Frisco, Texas, with a sold-out Gatsby-era themed event. The Industrial Cigar Co. Private Lounge has been redesigned to give a mid-century sleek feel. Pinstripes, pocket watches, tommy guns, flapper dresses and beaded headpieces were in style for the happening. Patrons played casino games and a jazz band provided music of the era. Prohibition, however, was prohibited. The partnership has been years in the making and will unlock a number of special projects available to Atabey Private Lounge members.

Chris Pennington and Ray DiGangi

Dave, Beglije, Brandon and Ale Frakes, Bobby White, Gabe Harris, Andrew Frakes, Andrea Castro and Nathan Frakes

R.D. Frazier

Kecia Klause, Niki Hensley and Megan Byers

Doris Garcia and Gabe Harris

110 | CIGAR SNOB | SEPT / OCT 2020

Eric Hall

Brandon, Nathan and Dave Frakes

Kathleen Borunda and Dave Frakes

Blake Diehl

SEPT / OCT 2020 | CIGAR SNOB |

111

112 | CIGAR SNOB | SEPT / OCT 2020