JUNE 2002

Corona

6" x 44

Worldwide, Avo sells over three million cigars annually. A big jump from its first year production of 100,000 cigars back in 1988. The brand was created from the passion of fine tobacco possessed by one Avo Uvezian, the son of a family of musicians from Beirut. Avo moved from Beirut to New York to study piano at Julliard and after opening a restaurant and piano bar in Puerto Rico in the early 80s, he discovered his love for cigars. After being introduced to master roller, Hendrik Kelner, the two partnered and six years later, the first Avo was rolled. Uvezian and Kelner, together with the Davidoff factory, have created one of the most prestigious brands on the market today. The corona featured this month is a medium bodied smoke with a fair amount of spiciness evident. Our panel all agreed that it would be a great smoke any time of the day. With a silky smooth Connecticut Shade wrapper and Dominican wrapper and binder, the quality of this cigar is apparent even before you light it up. Consider smoking this one with a golden or light amber ale.

Strenth:  5
Panel Rating:  91

Corona

6" x 44

Nicaragua continues to produce top-notch cigars that are increasingly competing with, and many would argue, dominating high-end Dominican and Honduran products. The tradition of tobacco production in Nicaragua dates to the Colonial period of its history. Beginning in 1522, conquering Spanish explorers plundered the natural resources of the country. By the second half of the 16th century, in addition to slaves, indigo, and gold, tobacco became an important export to Europe.

The best tobaccos of Nicaragua come from the Esteli area of Jalapa valley. Here, tobacco growers produce long leaf filler, wrappers and binders. While some of the tobacco grown is of the Connecticut seed variety, the majority is Cuban seed. These seeds are the same Cuban seeds that were first grown in the Dominican Republic and then across the Caribbean to Honduras and Nicaragua. Immediately note a rich, oily and inviting Colorado wrapper. We found the corona # 3 to offer a medium-bodied well-balanced smoke. The draw was even and solid and the cigar held a nice gray-white ash, indicative of proper aging. Look for an earthly, spicy body with a touch of sweetness lingering on your palate. The finish was equally enjoyable and didn't linger too long. Overall, a tasty little cigar that you might just want to pair with a Cadillac Margarita on the rocks.

Strenth:  6
Panel Rating:  89

Torpedo

6" x 52

The boys at Drew Estate have caused quite a stir in the cigar industry in the last few years. With the release of a multitude of unique brands, they're quickly becoming known for producing high quality, premium smokes that come with shapes and names as unusual and creative as the blends themselves! How could we resist a smoke brave enough to call itself…The Pimp Stick! The name may be funny, but this smoke was rolled by someone that takes their craft quite seriously. We loved the soft, oily wrapper and found the Pimp Stick to offer an incredibly distinct, pleasant aroma and flavor. It's blended with a number of varied Dutch tobaccos, long fill from the black soil of Esteli, Nicaragua, and Drew Estate seals the deal with a gorgeous Cameroon wrapper. The Pimp Stick is an exotic and complex blend of tobaccos and flavors. Look for an incredibly rich, smooth smoke that bursts with a big bouquet of flavors. Perfect with a hoppy India Pale Ale or if you're feeling bold, a glass of peppermint schnapps on the rocks!

Strenth:  7
Panel Rating:  93

Torpedo

6" x 50

When asked to produce a cigar bearing the Sinatra name, boutique cigar manufacturer Filipe Gregorio was both very pleased and quite honored. "I realized it represented a challenge to produce a cigar so outstanding that it could live up to the Sinatra name". We think Filipe has done just that. The Sinatra brand is rolled with a combination of superbly aged Cuban seed Dominican binders and fillers and encased in a pristine Connecticut shade wrapper. Aesthetically, a very handsome cigar. There were no soft spots in the samples reviewed and each cigar was filled with just the right amount of tobacco, offering a cool and even burn as well as an easy draw. You have to take a minute to appreciate this gorgeous wrapper before you light up the Sinatra Belicoso. Very clean and a gorgeous color. We found the aroma very pleasing, offering traces of spiciness. The Sinatra Belicoso is mild-to-medium-bodied and offers a straightforward creamy, but slightly spicy blend. Overall, a creamy, rich, flavorful, mild smoke. Perfect with a light dessert. Try pairing it with your favorite Merlot or pale ale.

Strenth:  6
Panel Rating:  92

Churchill

7" x 480

The first thing to note about the Lempira line of premium Dominican cigars is that it offers a very complex blend of select tobaccos. The filler alone contains tobacco from three different countries - Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica. Dominican ligero is used generously and it comes through in the flavor of this tasty smoke. It sports an Ecuadorian-grown Connecticut seed shade leaf wrapper and the binder is from Honduran Havana-seed tobaccos. Lempira is manufactured in Nestor Plascencia's factory in Honduras, but produced by the Pedro Martin family. Pedro's experience making cigars goes back more than 74 years (he was rolling cigars at age 7) and between he and Nestor, you've got well over a century of expertise into this brand. Look for a medium bodied cigar with hints of cedar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. This smoke has a lot going on and you'd be best off setting aside a good hour to enjoy its complex flavor profile. We'd recommend pairing it with your favorite Cabernet Sauvignon or dry stout.

Strenth:  6
Panel Rating:  90