JUNE 2001

7" x 48

Immediately note the pristine, silky smooth, slightly oily Connecticut shade wrapper that encases this expertly crafted cigar. Aesthetically, it’s a beautiful thing. Note the slightly tapered foot that facilitates an even burn. We found the draw good, the burn perfect and plenty of smoke in this well-aged Honduran. Look for a somewhat sweet woody earthy quality complemented with a hint of nuttiness. Lots of flavor in a relatively mild-to-medium bodied cigar. Note a pleasant cedar aroma and spicy woody finish. Overall, a great smoke any time of day that would be complemented nicely with an oaky chardonnay. 

Strenth:  6
Panel Rating:  90

6" x 50

Hand-made in Santiago, Dominican Republic, by craftsman who truly are masters of their trade, the Don Diego has built a reputation as a mild cigar with plenty of flavor.   Rolled with a premium Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, that provides the backbone for this cigar of impeccable construction and consistency, it is no wonder this cigar has received accolades from some of the industry’s top magazines.   A classic cigar, Don Diego is considered one of the worlds finest and most dependable premium brands. The extra smooth Connecticut wrapper lends a very pleasant, extremely mild flavor - in fact, this is one of the mildest cigars you can find, but with a creamy texture, pleasant aroma and nice balance.   A perfectly rolled cigar with no soft spots and an absolutely gorgeous Maduro wrapper, it went perfectly with a glass of Chardonnay.   With its hints of nut, a floral character and a nice creaminess to it, the Don Diego also goes quite well with a cup of coffee in the morning.   The cigar burned perfectly, held its ash firmly, had a flawless draw and was a pleasure to smoke.   

Strenth:  4
Panel Rating:  93

5 3/4" x 48

The first you notice is the unusual shape of this cigar.   Tapered at the head with a fairly small ring gauge and finished with a classic Figurado roll at the foot, there is no doubt that this is a very difficult cigar to roll. Only the most very experienced roller would even attempt a shape like this and as you would expect, the master craftsmanship shows.   The wrapper has a silky feel to the touch, although it is a bit grainy as you run your fingers across it.   While overall it is a medium-bodied cigar, the taste is full, smooth and mellow.   A touch of sweetness on the lips and in the aroma, make it a great cigar to have with dessert.  

Strenth:  5
Panel Rating:  94

6.5" x 50

Tabacalera San Luis was founded in 1998 after the Veras family, who own about 750 aces of tobacco fields, decided not to sell off their crop due to low prices in the marketplace and age them to use in cigars. They then brought in some cigar experts from Cuba to hire rollers and built a walk-in humidor large enough to hold 150,000 cigars.   Luis Antonio Veras, who owns the company, has over 45 years of experience with tobacco, so this was old hat for him.   

T he Piedra Blanca de Veras is their Flagship Connecticut wrapper brand. This claro colored beauty is truly a wonderful display of craftsmanship.    Look for a smooth, slightly oily wrapper, well rolled with just the right firmness.   We found it generally very appealing.   Note an effortless draw and even burn in this mild-to-medium bodied treat.   Similar in profile to the Macanudo brand with a hint of Dominican spice evident as you get into the smoke a bit.   Look for a dry, woody finish that doesn’t linger.   We found the aroma to be very pleasant.   We’d suggest pairing it with a dry Chardonnay or hoppy Pale Ale.  

Strenth:  7
Panel Rating:  91

4.5" x 50

About 10 years ago, Punch offered consumers a very limited production of Punch Rare Corojo cigars, featuring a special Corojo wrapper. But now a new, box-pressed Punch Rare Corojo, featuring a dark-red, extra rich-tasting Ecuadorian Sumatra Wrapper, more robust and flavor-rich than the original, has been released.   It’s r olled with Connecticut Broadleaf binders and a long-filler blend of Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Dominican leaves. A robust and full-bodied cigar, it is not for the weak.

Strenth:  8
Panel Rating:  94

Tobacco Bits
 

Folklore or Fact?   You make the Call!

A Charlotte NC man having purchased a box of very rare and expensive cigars then insured them against fire among other things.  Within a month having smoked his entire stockpile of these great cigars and without yet having made even his first premium payment on the policy, the man filed a claim against the insurance company.  In his claim, the man stated the cigars were lost "in a series of small fires."  The insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason:  that the man had consumed the cigars in the normal fashion.   The man sued... and won!

In delivering the ruling the judge agreed with the insurance company that the claim was frivolous.  The judge stated nevertheless, that the man held a policy from the company in which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable and also guaranteed that it would insure them against fire, without defining what is considered to be "unacceptable fire," and was obligated to pay the claim.

Rather than endure a lengthy and costly appeal process, the insurance company accepted the ruling and paid $15,000 to the man for his loss of the rare cigars lost in the "fires."   After the man cashed the check, the insurance company had him arrested on 24 counts of ARSON!!!  He convicted of intentionally burning his insured property and sentenced him to 24 months in jail and a $24,000 fine.