JANUARY 2002

Torbusto

5.5 " x 60

Cabanas is a classic brand that has been around forever. Cabaņas cigars have a tradition going as far back as 1733. The newer Habana 2000 offers the gorgeous H-2000 wrapper, a hybrid leaf that combines characteristics of both Connecticut shade and Cuban tobaccos, and offers a fuller, richer flavor and dark color, combined with the smooth feel of a Connecticut wrapper. Each cigar is either individually tissue-wrapped or cedar-wrapped. And hey, the cigar is pretty dang good too. The Torbusto is a chunky figurado shape that is a cross between a robusto and a torpedo shape. It is a hand made smoke from La Romana, Dominican Republic. This version was introduced in 1998 and expanded in 1999. The wrapper is from Nicaragua, the binder is from the Dominican Republic, and the filler is from Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Connecticut. Any way you look at it, the Cabanas H-2000 is one rich, full-flavored cigar.

Strenth:  5
Panel Rating:  92

Torpedo 

6" x 50

The Don Diego is produced by one of the largest cigar producers in the US. Altadis U.S.A. sells over 2 billion cigars a year and owns about 40% of the market share in the US. The Company now employs over 5,500 people. It operates production facilities in Honduras, Puerto Rico, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the Dominican Republic and affiliations for production in Mexico, Brazil and Holland. Leaf supplies are obtained from growers in every part of the globe. The company also grows some of its own tobacco in Honduras and Connecticut. The Company's enviable stable of trademarks include Antonio y Cleopatra, Backwoods, Cabaņas, Dutch Masters, Dutch Treats, El Producto, Flamenco, Havatampa, Henry Clay, H. Upmann, La Corona, Mixture 79, Montecristo, Montecruz, Muriel, Onyx Reserve, Phillies, Por Larraņaga, Primo del Rey, Roi-Tan, Romeo y Julieta, Santa Damiana, Tampa Nugget and Te-Amo... among a number of others, not to mention that it is the biggest supplier of private label pipe tobacco to chains in the United States.

Masterfully blended by hand and made with care in the Dominican Republic with a light brown, smooth Connecticut shade wrapper, Dominican binder, and a blend of Dominican grown long fillers, the Don Diego cigar is a wonderfully aromatic mild to medium bodied cigar. Well known for its mild taste, Don Diego cigars have earned a wide following, thanks to their consistency of construction, accessible strength and excellent value for the money. This brand originated in the Canary Islands, but production was moved to the Dominican Republic in 1982.

Strenth:  4
Panel Rating:  94

Corona

5.5 " x 44

Double Happiness is a unique cigar from the Philippines. Sporting a Connecticut wrapper and a Filipino binder and filler. Each cigar is ever so slightly box-pressed, and the band and box art are very interesting replicas of original Philippine art. An interesting and exotic blend, this smoke has a smooth, mild taste with an incredibly easy draw. Offering an intriguing blend of Isabela Superior Fina from the Philippines, the Double Happiness provides a medium-bodied, very distinct and pronounced taste that will please many cigar connoisseurs looking for a slightly different taste. Those who enjoy bold, robust flavors will appreciate these well-constructed cigars.

Strenth:  5
Panel Rating:  90

Robusto

5 .75" x 42

Free Cuba was made in the Dominican Republic by the makers of Signature Collection by Santiago Cabana, Havana Classico, Calle Ocho, Morro Castle, Domino Park, West Indies Vanilla, Island Amaretto, Celestino Vega, Regalos, and Rum Runner. The Free Cuba Robusto was first introduced in 1996 by the Caribbean Cigar Company. In 1998, they focused their marketing efforts on four of their premium brands: Signature Collection, Calle Ocho, Free Cuba, and Celestino Vega, along with their three flavored cigars. The Free Cuba Robusto is a very popular cigar that is wrapped in a medium-brown, oily wrapper from Indonesia. It has a long-filler combination of Habano seed and Dominican Piloto Cubano long filler. It is a medium to full bodied smoke with hints of cocoa and sweet spice flavors on the palate with a sweet wood finish.

Strenth:  6
Panel Rating:  89

Lonsdale

6.5 " x 42

Macanudo cigars are produced by the General Cigar Company. They have been producing fine cigars, such as Bolivar, Cifuentas, Cohiba, Partagas, and Punch, among others, since 1848. The Macanudo Robust was introduced in December of 1998 with immediate success. It took over four years to develop this robust cigar, which has a smooth taste. The robustness comes from a blend of the richest Dominican Piloto Cubano tobaccos and a unique Havana seed binder grown especially for this cigar in the Connecticut River Valley. The smooth taste comes from the darkest and most thoroughly aged of all Connecticut shade wrappers. This smoke was designed to please those searching for a rich, full-flavor, but with the same consistency and quality of the regular Macanudo line. This portofino has a silky feel to the hand and a taste that is only found in a Macanudo.

Strenth:  7
Panel Rating:  95