APRIL 2002

Torpedo

6" x 52

A relatively new brand which was introduced only in 1968, Cohiba quickly became the flagship brand of the Cuban cigar industry. Developed initially as a medium bodied protocol cigar for presentation only by officials of the Cuban government, Cohiba was marketed widely beginning in 1982. The brand was initially made in the El Laguito factory in Havana, but production is now also in the Fernando Perez German factory. It is now also produced in the Dominican Republic by two separate entities, General cigar, who owns the trademark for the name in the U.S., and by Monecristi de Tabacos, who holds Trademark for Cohiba in the Dominican Republic. Our panel favored the Monecristi series.

Look for an aesthetically rustic, inviting medium-brown wrapper in this well constructed cigar. We found the draw to be firm, but quite adequate, offering an even, nice firm white ash indicating properly aged tobacco. Note a medium-full pleasantly spicy aroma. The flavor is that of a true Dominican product, full of taste, a hint of woodiness and offering plenty of spicy pepper characteristics. Overall, we really liked this smoke. It's well balanced, well constructed and packed with flavor. Pair it with your favorite Single Malt Scotch.

Strenth:  6.5
Panel Rating:  93

Churchill

7" x 50

"El Mejor" means "the best" in Spanish and you'll see why this cigar earns its name. Rolled in Nicaragua, all the leaves used in the construction hail from Nicaragua, including Cuban Habano-seed Nicaraguan filler & binders and Nicaraguan wrapper leaves. The box-pressed El Mejor is a rich & robust cigar packed with flavor - an exceptional, slow-burning beautiful maduro. Not a cigar for the weak, it is best to enjoy this one with some food in your stomach.

This is what every maduro should taste like! A rich, even-burning cigar that has obviously been aged for quite some time. A fairly strong cigar that is rich and full of flavor, the wrapper gives off black pepper flavors, as well as a sweet, almost maple syrup flavor. Well constructed with a firm, but not tight draw, this cigar should keep a smile on your face for a good 45 minutes to an hour.

Strenth:  7
Panel Rating:  89

Torpedo

6" x 50

No one at Altadis will outright admit to it, but since they moved production of this cigar from Honduras to the Dominican Republic, this smoke is surely the exact same cigar as Playboy by Don Diego, but under a different name. They're made by the same manufacturer, the blends are listed the same, they taste the same, they look the same, even the box is almost identical. We're thinkin' that they must have just thrown La Corona bands on a few extra Playboy cigars they had laying around. So if you like the Playboy line, we know you're going to enjoy this one.

Offering a beautiful Connecticut wrapper, Dominican Binder, and long-filler of Dominican leaves, the La Corona is a tasty, medium to full-bodied cigar. It has a core of spiciness and a slight tartness in the finish. Smooth and flavorful with a long, slow burn, we found it very smooth and offering an easy draw.

Strenth:  5
Panel Rating:  91

Corona Gorda

6.75" x 47

It was spices and tobaccos that brought Indonesia its early success in international trade. Now, after years without representation in U.S.-bound cigars, a new variety of wrapper leaf and a modern cigar plant have restored the "Spice Islands" to their former status in the tobacco industry. Indonesia's rising profile in cigars isn't limited to strictly growing and curing of cigar tobacco. While it may be true that, as Swedish Match's Van Glabbeek notes, "...there's no such thing as an Indonesian cigar," his company has taken a great leap in that direction, offering the country's first significant premium long filler production, branded the Montague.

The first thing you'll notice about this cigar is a rich & oily, dark Brazilian broadleaf wrapper that just begs you to light it. It's filled with a generous amount of tobacco, yet not too firmly rolled. The draw is quite easy and the burn even all the way. We found the flavor to consist of a core of spiciness, as one might expect from Indonesia. Its medium bodied and offers hints of cedar, and a light toastiness. The finish is a lingering earthiness.

Strenth:  7
Panel Rating:  94

Corona

5 7/8" x 44

Before Castro took power in Cuba, Partagas cigars were made in Havana under the direction of Ramon Cifuentes and his father before him. Leaving Cuba after Castro took over; Cifuentes moved to Santiago, Dominican Republic and continued to make Partagas cigars. This Dominican version of a famous Cuban brand features spicy Cameroon wrappers and a blend of Dominican and Mexican tobaccos for the filler. The binder leaves come from the San Andres Valley in Mexico.

Look for excellent construction, as you would expect from Partagas. A good looking cigar with a dark rough feel. We found it to be precisely rolled with a full load of tobacco. The flavor is full and rich and unquestionably aged properly. It may start mild, but quickly picks up steam and builds to a full-bodied, spicy smoke. Look for a more spiciness and a trace of burnt cedar in the aftertaste. Overall, we were impressed with its strength and complex flavor. Try pairing it with an Oban Scotch or your favorite Czechoslovakian Pilsner.

Strenth:  8
Panel Rating:  93