DECEMBER2000

6" x 54

Binder:Indonesian Olor
Filler: Dominican Piloto Cubano Ligero
Wrapper: Indonesian Sumatran – CO Maduro
Strength (Mild 1, Full 10):   7
Panel Rating:   91 

Notes from the Panel:   

Immediatelynote solid construction on this well crafted tobacco-packed smoke.   Its ruddy Sumatran wrapper begs you to light it.   We found it medium to full bodied and packed with flavor.   Look for earthy tones as well as a hint of coffee bean.   Overall, a strong herbal character dominates and some spicesbecome evident as you get into the cigar a bit. We think you’regonna really like it!   Consider pairing it with a tawny port.  

6.5" x 52

The Ciboney Cigar lineis hand rolled in Tamboril, Dominican Republic.   Their fillers and binders are blends of tobaccos grown in theDominican’s Cibao Valley and San Victor Moca.   Each Ciboney cigar is made from a blend of Cubano Piloto Ligeroand Seco tobaccos.    Thetorpedo featured this month sports a triple fermented rich, maduroConnecticut shade broadleaf wrapper that’s been aged no less than 4years!   The line isproduced in only five shapes and we liked them all so much, it wasdifficult to choose only one to share with you.   Enjoy!

Binder: Dominican CubanoOlor
Filler: Dominican Ligero & Seco
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf – Maduro
Strength (Mild 1, Full 10):   6
Panel Rating:   92 

Notes from the Panel:  

Immediately take note ofa rustic, slightly oily, dark rich maduro wrapper.   We love the boxed pressed presentation of the classic torpedoshape.   Note a well-constructed cigar, offering a firm white ash andeffortless draw.   Thetriple fermented, 4 year aged wrapper    contributes to the smooth, distinctly cocoa notes in this tastytreat.   It’s going to start out mild and pick up steam as you getinto it, but it never turns sour or bitter right up to the very end.   Overall, a complex blend for a maduro.   Very tasty and smooth.   Trysmoking it with an Oatmeal Stout or roasted Porter.  

6" x 50

TheGonzalez family has been rolling cigars for other cigar companies inthe U.S.A., for only 18 years now, but patriarch Arnaldo Gonzalez, aCuban emigrant, brings four generations of cigar making expertise tohis small company in Florida.   Hecurrently employs 14 rollers and produces about 500,000 cigarsannually.   The line isrolled from a four-nation blend of premium aged, long leaf tobaccos.   It is available in nine sizes, from the No. 1 at 5.5 x 44 tothe huge Piramide No. 2 at 7 x 62.   All sizes are available in the Natural, the Maduro, and theConnecticut wrapper.

Binder: Mexican Olor
Filler: Dominican & Nicaraguan Ligero
Wrapper: Cameroon – CO Maduro
Strength (Mild 1, Full 10):   6
Panel Rating:   89 

Notes from the Panel:    

Wefound the Flor de Gonzalez Toro to be well constructed, offering aslightly oily wrapper, even burn, and firm light gray ash.   This cigar provided a well-balanced, medium bodied smoke thatwas a pleasure from start to finish.   Note plenty of smoke volume and a solid earthy character.   Overall, a well made, flavorful blend.   Try it with the merlot of your choice.  

6.5" x44

The name and symbol ofLitto Gomez and Ines Lorenzo’s cigar company, La Flor Dominicana,translates appropriately to, The Dominican Flower.   Since breaking into the tobacco industry nearly four years ago,Gomez and Lorenzo have become one of the major players in theDominican Republic.   Gomezstates, “We're completely dedicated to quality.   I wish everyone could visit our facilities in the DominicanRepublic and see how dedicated we are in every aspect--in every littledetail--to the quality of the finished product.”  

TheLa Flor Dominicana line has received high praise from severalwell-known publications including Cigar Aficionado, Smoke, and CigarInsider with scores ranging from the mid 80’s to lower 90’s.   Our panel loved them and think you will too.   We’ve elected to feature the #1 from their extremely wellreceived maduro line.   Weknow you’ll love these smokes!     

Binder:Dominican Republic Piloto Cubano
Filler: Dominican Republic Piloto Cubano
Wrapper:   Mexican-DarkMaduro
Strength (Mild 1, Full 10):   6.5
Panel Rating:   94 

Notes from the Panel:  

Immediately note a verydark, almost an oscuro, wrapper that begs you to light it! La FlorDominicana has only produced its maduro cigars since August of 1997and at this point in time is still producing them in very limitedquantities.   We found the# 1 to be expertly constructed, burning evenly and offering a perfectdraw.   We found theirmaduro line to be deceptively mild.   You’ll note, however, that it definitely picks up steam asyou get into it, ending more medium-bodied.   Lookfor a peppery characteristic balanced by a slight sweetness.   Its aroma is pungent and pleasant.   Consider pairing it with a heavy ale or brandy.

4.75" x 46

PadronCigars was founded by Jose O. Padron in Miami, Florida in 1964.   Owning its own tobacco farms in Nicaragua, Padron Cigars takespride in being one of the few cigar companies in the world today thatactually controls all aspects of the cigar manufacturing process, fromthe planting of the tobacco to final distribution throughout theUnited States. Padron Cigars supervises and operates two manufacturingfacilities in Central America, Tabacos Cubanica S.A. in Nicaraguafounded in 1970, and Tabacos Centroamericanos S.A. in Honduras foundedin 1978.   The Padron lineconsists of twelve different sizes and is available in Natural andMaduro wrappers.   The lineis one of the more requested cigars on the market.  A darling ofCigar Aficionado, it ranks in the 90's on a consistent basis. This is a full-bodied, powerful smoke with dark and very robustflavors and sweet finish.  The Delicias is a Nicaraguan puro,with long-filler, binder leaves and wrapper leaves all originating inthat country.

Binder:   Nicaraguan Piloto Cubano  
Filler: Nicaraguan Piloto Cubano Ligero
Wrapper: Nicaraguan – Maduro
Strength (Mild 1, Full 10):   8
Panel Rating:   93

Notesfrom the Panel:  

Immediatelynote a dark, rich and inviting maduro wrapper with few veins for amaduro.   It burned cooland offered an easy draw and plenty of very pleasant, aromatic smoke.   Look for a full-bodied experience that offers a complex blendof spiciness and perhaps a hint of anise.   We found it well balance and obviously well aged.   Note a lingering, somewhat sweet finish.   Overall, a solid and full tasting smoke.   Thoroughly satisfying.   Tryit with a snifter of Portofino Tequila.

Tobacco Bits
 

BEST JOB IN THEWORLD - Before the precious, genuineHavana brands leave their various Habanos S.A. factories, the smokesmust pass rigorous taste and aroma tests judged by the officialHabanos S.A. Tasting Committee.   There,tasters are separated in cubicles and given unbanded samples toevaluate before a batch of cigars can be distributed for sale.   Unfortunately, job openings for this prestigious panel arerarely listed in the New York Times Classifieds. 

SMOKING ISDANGEROUS - When Columbus returned toEurope, he brought many varied new gifts to the court of Ferdinand andIsabella, among which were tobacco leaves.   One of Columbus's crew, Rodrigo de Xerez, had brought a supplyof the leaf back with him for his personal use.   Upon lighting up one of these primitive smokes in public, Xerezwas thrown in jail for three years for suspicion of being in leaguewith the devil! 

BAND LEADER - During the mid-eighteenth century, the Russian Empress Catherine IIimported her supply of cigars from Holland decorated with a silk bandto prevent the cigars from staining her hands while smoking.   This gave Dutchman Gustave Bock, a cigar manufacturer of theera, the idea to wrap a paper band with his logo around his cigars todistinguish his stogies from his competitors'.   Soon everyone was doing it, and the cigar band was born. 

HERE FIDEL, TRYTHIS ONE - Fidel Casto was so fond of hiscountry's cigars in his early years as Cuba’s dictator, U.S. covertoperatives considered killing him with a exploding cigar.   Today, Fidel says he no longer smokes cigars, in an effort tobe a better role model for the youth of Cuba.   Or perhaps, he's just protecting himself.