3 Comments Posted on October 30, 2007October 30, 2007 by cigarfan La Aurora

La Aurora Preferidos Corojo

“Preferidos” are what they were called in 1903, when Eduardo Leon Jimenes first produced these little perfectos for the locals. Today there is a modern preferido, a tribute to the original, produced in two sizes with five different wrappers.

Preferidos are produced by a limited number of rollers who work under the curious gaze of visitors to the Centro Leon — a complex established by the Leon Jimenes Foundation as a museum and center for the promotion of Dominican and Caribbean art and culture. Recently cigar production for La Aurora moved to the town of Guazumal, quite close to where the original factory was established in 1903, but Preferidos production will remain in Santiago at the Centro Leon.

The filler and binder are the same for all the cigars in the Preferidos line: filler from Brazil, Cameroon, and the Dominican, with a Dominican binder. (The Cameroon-wrapped Platinum is an exception– it uses all Dominican filler.) The binder and filler leaves are aged for six months in rum barrels before they are bunched for Preferidos. The Gold version uses a Dominican corojo wrapper from Navarette.

The tubo versions of this cigar are the same size as the No. 2 – 5 x 54. The tube is solid aluminum and executive gift quality… for the guy who has everything, that sort of thing. (Of limited use, but attractive.) I was unable to find these cigars in their unarmored state, so I bid on a couple singles at non-tubo price and won. Now I’m trying to figure out how to turn the empty tubes into Christmas tree ornaments; whether my wife will let me hang them is another matter. They do make rather lurid ornaments.

The size of the tubo Preferido is magnified by the packaging — once the tube is set aside and the head is clipped it’s actually a fairly small cigar. The wrapper is a smooth and leathery colorado maduro. The foot is cut down to about a 36 ring gauge and the head is a perfectly finished point. The prelight scent is pleasant but unremarkable, offering some mild tobacco and a little hay.

The draw provides the perfect amount of resistance and the foot fires up without a second thought. The base flavor here is earthy, most strongly pronounced in the first half inch and then again at the conclusion of the smoke. In between lies a perfect balance of earth with a little dry wood and a dash of black pepper.

This cigar most definitely has a “sweet spot” at the center where the smoke is at its creamiest and most interesting — the caramel and spice in the aroma is delicious, reminding me a little of small Cubans like the Trinidad Reyes. The last stage is intensely earthy but still relatively smooth. Smoking slowly is recommended.

The only negative here, aside from its small stature, is an uneven burn. Oh, and let’s not forget the price — Preferidos Gold tubos run in the 12 to 14 dollar range. (Retail box of 24 for $408. Ouch.) But all told, this is a little gem of a cigar. It’s about medium until the last inch or so when it ramps up to a full body, but at this point you should be sipping slowly anyway. I’m recommending this one to all my rich friends as worthy gifts — to themselves, or to their less fortunate herf-mates… like me!

-cigarfan

4 Comments Posted on October 23, 2007October 23, 2007 by cigarfan Cigar Brand History, Cigar Reviews

MATASA 30th Anniversary Toro

Manuel Quesada established MATASA (Manufactura de Tabacos, S.A.) in Santiago in 1974, at a time when the Dominican cigar industry catered mainly to domestic consumption. Around this time the Dominican Republic established tax-free export zones which attracted entrepreneurs like Quesada to a country not really known for producing cigars. Baseball players, yes, but not cigars.

MATASA is best known for producing the Fonseca brand (and all its offshoots) but Quesada’s family has been in the tobacco business for generations, going back to pre-revolutionary Cuba where they were primarily leaf growers and brokers. The companies founded by Quesada’s great great grandfather, Sobrinos de A. Gonzales, and his great uncle Constantino Gonzales, were the largest leaf brokerages in the world before the family was forced out of Cuba at gunpoint.

The Quesada family left for Miami, where Manuel Quesada Sr. was able to secure a loan– with no collateral– from a bank the family had done business with since 1907. They invested in warehouses and machinery and soon a fledgling leaf brokerage was started in the Dominican Republic, selling leaf to many of the same customers they had in Cuba. One of those customers was Juan Sosa, whose Miami factory was struggling with labor issues. Based on their previous business relationship, Sosa and Quesada joined forces in Santiago and in 1974 MATASA was born. During the same year, MATASA bought the Fonseca label from Antillian Cigar Co. in Miami.

The MATASA 30th Anniversary by Fonseca, created to celebrate the founding of the company, was introduced in 2005 in only two sizes: a 5 3/4 x 54 perfecto, and this 6 1/2 x 52 toro. The binder and filler were selected from bales of Honduran, Dominican, and Nicaraguan leaf aged over ten years. When this cigar was chosen as the Robb Reports’ “Best of the Best 2006” cigar, Quesada told Richard Carleton Hacker,

…we used the finest of old, noble leaf so that we would have the depth of some of the choicest aged Cuban-seed tobaccos, but without the hardened strength. What we got was a strong yet smooth cigar that reminds one of chocolate pudding.

The wrapper is a high priming Olor Dominicano grown by the Reyes family in the Cibao Valley. The limited number of cigars produced was determined mostly by the amount of wrapper produced. “We said we’d make cigars as the wrapper for the project came about,” Quesada told Smoke Magazine. “You’d like to have 100 percent yield from the wrapper crop, but you never do… If you get 60 percent of usable wrapper out of any given crop, you should go to church and thank God.”

In the end, only 30,000 cigars were produced.

The wrapper on this Anniversary Toro is rich and oily, though as it turns out it is also quite thin and delicate. The roll is solid and the head is finished with a triple cap. The prelight scent is of sweet tobacco and hay.

From the first puff the flavors that pour forth are dark and rich — coffee bean and cocoa, with chocolate making a lasting appearance after an inch or so. Beneath the overarching sweet bean flavor is a grassy or green wood flavor which makes the overall impression something like light-roasted coffee. Meanwhile, the aroma is complex, adding an incense-like quality to the smoke.

The body builds strength after the first half, about 45 minutes into this supersized toro. The flavors gradually veer away from cocoa and enter spicier country, with pepper on the tongue and baking spices on the nose. At one point I thought I detected cinnamon, but after an hour of chasing scents my palate might have been a little fatigued.

Part way into the last third I heard the dreaded crack of wrapper splitting; I looked down and my cigar had suddenly unraveled. Thankfully I was nearly finished with this ten dollar Anni, but I was still a little disappointed. (Sadly, this is the second one that has finished in this fashion for me. Other reports are more favorable, so maybe I just pulled from a bad box.) Otherwise the construction here is very good — a fine draw and a slow cool burn.

If you’re a Fonseca smoker, be aware that the MATASA 30th Anniversary is a much heavier cigar than your standard Fonseca, but don’t let that dissuade you — it’s not a giant killer either. This is a limited edition cigar, but it is still available and doesn’t appear to be selling out anytime soon. Part of that may be due to the price, which is in the 8 to 11 USD range. Not your everyday cigar, but a special treat for maduro lovers. Just be extra careful with that wrapper!

-cigarfan

11 Comments Posted on October 18, 2007November 9, 2007 by lucky7 Cigar Brand History, Cigar Reviews

Don Lino Africa — Duma

— Photo courtesy of Miami Cigar & Company —

Cigar Stats
Brand Owner: Miami Cigar & Company – Miami, FL
Tabacalera: Esteli, Nicaragua (Plasencia)
Model/Vitola: Don Lino Africa Duma (Cheetah)
Size: 5.0 x 50 (robusto)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano (1999)
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Cameroon, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua

Other vitola sizes available

Kuro (Waterbuck) 4.0 x 45 (corona extra)
Kifaro (Rhinoceros) 6.125 x 52 (toro)
Punda Milia (Zebra) 6.5 x 44 (lonsdale)
Kiboko (Hippopotamus) 6.5 x 58 (toro)
Tembo (Elephant) 7.5 x 50 (double corona/churchill)

All sizes are offered in beautifully adorned boxes of 25 with the exception of the Kiboko (24) and the Kuro (tin of 4 or box of 40)

Some background on Miami Cigar & Company

Common traits prevalent among cigar making stars in the industry are unbridled passion coupled with persistent hard work. Nestor Miranda and his family are another example. In the late ’80s, working in the liquor business, Nestor had a chance meeting with a roller working for Guillermo León of La Aurora S.A. Using his skills as a salesman, Nestor made some suggestions on how to expand the La Aurora line and increase business. As he watched their success employing his ideas, he and his wife Miranda decided to launch Miami Cigar & Company in 1989 and distribute cigars. They acquired and launched the Don Lino brand in 1989 which were manufactured by U.S. Tobacco International at their factory in Danli, Honduras. The brand was a huge success. Production in the first year was 80,000 cigars and by 1995 it was up to 3.1 million. In 1995, Miami Cigar began distributing other UST products (Don Tomás and Astral) and in 1996 (during the boom) distribution jumped to a whopping 12 million (75% UST brands). As you may imagine, with those kind of numbers, Nestor retired from the liquor business in 1995 after 25 years and joined his wife full time at Miami Cigar.

What happened next would give anybody nightmares. In November 1996, after Miami Cigar had exceeded all sales projections, UST pulled the plug! They stopped shipping products for distribution and stopped manufacturing Don Lino cigars. The president of UST called and cancelled the contract with Miami Cigar which wasn’t due for renewal until February 1997. UST had decided to distribute their own and manufacturing of the Don Lino brand would take production resources needed elsewhere. Literally overnight, Nestor was faced with closing shop. And right before Christmas! His distribution humidor was empty. Don Lino was back-ordered about 3.5 million cigars. La Aurora/León Jimenes were maxed out and could not produce any more cigars for Nestor to distribute. His retailers were pissed. They couldn’t believe he had no cigars. They thought he was shipping elsewhere and giving them the runaround. And to top it off, he had to lay off most of his warehouse and office staff.

The gory details of this debacle can be found in the Cigar Aficionado interview with Nestor (April 2007) but suffice it to say, there is no quit in this man. He struggled for two years to find quality manufacturing for the Don Lino brand and in 1999 Guillermo León agreed to produce it in the Dominican Republic. Production has since moved again and is now with Plasencia in Esteli, Nicaragua.

Per the Miami Herald, the Miranda’s didn’t consider a lawsuit against UST until Nestor received a deposition in 1999 for a suit filed in Chicago against U.S. Tobacco by cigar distributors Cohabaco. A lawyer approached Nestor with some of U.S. Tobacco’s internal documents, that, according to Miranda, detailed U.S. Tobacco’s plans to obtain Miami Cigar’s distribution network all along, going so far as building a storage facility in Tampa to hold cigars originally intended to go Miami Cigars. In 2002 Nestor won a judgment against UST in the amount of $42.5 million which was appealed and then settled out-of-court. The final amount is undisclosed but I sincerely hope it was big!

Today Miami Cigar & Company distributes a variety of premium name brands, among them Dominican-made La Aurora and Leon Jimenes, Spanish-made Ducados, Wings, and their very own Tatiana line of flavored cigars, Don Lino and Habanitos. The brands owned by the company include Colorado by Don Lino, Don Lino Africa, El Gozo, Havana Reserve Don Lino, Smoke Tatiana – Flavor the Moment and Tatiana.

When things had calmed and the company gained its feet again, Nestor decided to fulfill a lifelong dream of his to go on a hunting safari in Africa in 2002. He used to watch Tarzan movies as a child in Cuba and had always wanted to see the land that charged his imagination as a boy. The hunt was a life experience and on the returning plane ride Nestor had an epiphany. Africa was such a great and vast country. Certainly there should be a cigar brand in it’s honor. Why not include some of their tobacco too! He and his son Daniel, who actually runs the operations for Miami Cigar, agreed. A new cigar was in order. Oh, but what to call it. Nestor thought the name of the majestic Kilimanjaro was appropriate but unfortunately someone had already claimed it. Finally, they settled on Don Lino Africa. They designed a elegant box and named the vitolas after select beasts that roam the plains of the Serengeti. But instead of English, they would use native Maasi, the language of the indigenous people of the African Savannah.

The Don Lino Africa blend was introduced in 2003 and then re-blended for 2004. It is currently manufactured by Nestor Plasencia at his factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. Using 4-year aged tobaccos, the cigars are aged for an additional 5 months after rolling. During the blending experiments, Nestor requested they use a leaf of Cameroon in the blend. No one had done that before and when he tasted it, he said, “This is it!” In the interview referenced above, Nestor claims to use Costa Rican leaf in the blend but no one else refers to it. Early renditions claim some Mexican leaf as well. I think the manufacturing and blending have changed so many times, the old Internet info is blending with the new. The Miami Cigar website currently shows the blend as I have identified it above.

Believe it or not, the name “Lino” comes from the individual at the UST factory that Nestor used to deal with. He says “it was just a name, and it sold so well, why change it?” Wow, that’s deep!

Bottom line up front …..
Full-bodied and full-flavored as advertised, this is a curious blend of tobaccos. The taste is like nothing I’ve had and if it weren’t for the total distraction of the burn problems, I probably would have enjoyed it. Every stick I tried had burn issues to the point where the experience was a disaster. Nestor better get his rollers together and give them a thrashing! It’s a cryin’ shame to have such extravagance in packaging and quality tobacco wasted on poor rolling technique.

Pre-light
The cigar is stunning to look at. A reddish-brown wrapper oozing with oils and covered in a small tooth cap to foot. I understand the wrapper tobacco was set aside in 1999 with this cigar in mind. The band, like the magnificent box, is truly a work of art. Being the brandophilist I am, this band was definitely tucked away in the archives. Someone did get overzealous with the band glue, but I was able to remove it without damage to the cigar or the band. That was a miracle in itself. The aroma from the wrap was distinctly barnyard and strong tobacco from the foot. The head was nicely finished with a double cap. Pre-light draw was good. The swirls of different color tobacco at the foot were very inviting. I was looking forward to a treat.

The Smoking Experience
The Duma begins with a sharp couple puffs, kinda similar to a Pepin cigar with just a touch of pepper on the nose. The flavor quickly settles into a base of dark wood and burnt toast. The pepper subsides for the first third but then re-enters mainly on the tongue and slowly builds to the end. The aroma was rich and deep. Can’t begin to describe it but definitely the best part of the smoke. About halfway, I picked up a few pulls of a caramel like sweetness that disappeared as suddenly as it arrived. Some interesting spice notes along the way including cinnamon and what seemed to be nutmeg and during the final third hints of cocoa and leather. All-in-all a very flavorful complex smoke which I would expect with that many countries represented. The cigar did start to get bitter at the nub but I was ready to lay it down anyway. Finish is long with a leathery aftertaste.

Ash was quite dark and a bit flaky. The burn was horrendous! It looked to me as if the wrap was several layers thick and was downright flame retardant. I was forced to torch the cigar every 1/4 inch to keep the flavors even and burn off the wrap to the next level. Burn maintenance absolutely ruined the experience for me.

This cigar is full-bodied, with a balanced well-rounded explosion of smooth, hearty flavor. With full strength to boot, it is not for the faint of heart. Starts out a little less than full but gets there pretty quick. Please have a seat. And by all means, this is not a breakfast cigar!

My take …..
This cigar just would not burn properly and therefore will fall from my radar, at least for a while. I smoke cigars for the pleasure of the experience. Every Duma I tried was so much work in the burn department, the rest of the experience was lost on me. I’ll try them again in a couple years if they are still around and hope the rollers have got their act together!

MSRP on the Duma is $156.00/25 or $6.24 per stick. Best online price I could find is Abners at $94.95/25 or $3.80 per stick. Price point is right if they could only solve the burn.

As in this beautiful scene, for me, the sun has set on Don Lino Africa for now. But as they say, the sun will come up tomorrow!

Like it … Flavor Yes, Burn Absolutely not
Buy it again … Not anytime soon
Recommend it … Not right now

What others are saying about Don Lino Africa …..

26 April 2005
LC-Smoker – CigarPass
Don Lino Africa, Vertical Line Tasting and Summary

August 2005 thru June 2006
Various – Famous Smoke Shop
Don Lino Africa Cigars

29 August 2006
Uncle Moneybag$ – Leafy Times
Don Lino Africa Dumas

26 October 2006
Doc – Stogie Fresh
Don Lino Africa Kifaro

1 June 2007
Synquest
Don Lino Africa Kiboko (Hippopotamus)

1 June 2007
World Cigars
Don Lino Africa Kiboko (Hippopotamus)

20 July 2007
bobbyg29 – CigarLive
Don Lino Africa Duma

28 August 2007
AragornElessar86 – Cigar Crew
Don Lino Africa Kiboko

27 September 2007
admin – Cigars and Wine in Grapevine
Don Lino Africa – Duma

Top 25 Cigar – As of 16 October 2007
Don Lino Africa Duma
31 reviews
7.49 out of 10

Publications

1996
Shandana Durrani – Cigar Aficionado
A Mom-And-Pop Shop
In Seven Years, Mariana and Nestor Miranda Have Turned Miami Cigar & Co. into a Force in Cigar Distribution

February/March 2002
Joseph Finova – Smoke Shop Magazine Online
Miami Cigar & Company: Tasting the Flavor of Success

2 April 2007
David Savona – Cigar Aficionado
A Conversation with Nestor Miranda

5 April 2007
Cigar Aficionado Online–>Cigar Aficionado Forums–>Dear Editors–>
Nestor Miranda interview

August 2007
Video – 3:23 minutes
CigarTV.com interviews Nestor Miranda of Miami Cigars who previews the Don Lino Africa line of cigars at the 2007 RTDA trade show in Houston, TX

Miami Cigar & Company – Don Lino Africa

… lucky7

“It has always been my rule never to smoke when asleep,
and never to refrain when awake.” (Mark Twain)

1 Comment Posted on October 15, 2007October 17, 2007 by cigarfan Cigar Reviews

Las Memorias Cubanas Campanas

Cigars from Little Havana’s La Tradicion have garnered much praise from fans of boutique stogies. I certainly have nothing against huge conglomerates like Altadis or General because they make quality consistent cigars, but there’s something special about a small run handmade from a mom and pop chinchal. But business being what it is, successful small runs turn into bigger ones, and boutique companies become industry juggernauts.

This has not yet happened to La Tradicion — they are still a relatively small company (though not really a chinchal) and they are growing despite setbacks such as the fire that hit their Calle Ocho shop last November. The fire was suspected as arson, one incident in a string of such tragedies that befell the neighborhood last fall. The fire destroyed the strip mall in which La Tradicion was located, along with the celebrated Libreria Cervantes, a Spanish language book shop. The only items to survive the fire in the galera were some records on computer disks and their cigar store indian.

The only fortunate aspect of the fire was that La Tradicion had already begun a transition to the Dominican Republic under Sanchez’s partner, Pablo Romay. Romay is a veteran of Havana’s Romeo y Julieta factory who emigrated to the U.S. in 1994. He began rolling cigars for La Tradicion in 2000 and Sanchez quickly promoted him in recognition of his skills and management abilities. After several years in the Little Havana location Sanchez began to explore a move to the Dominican as a solution to labor difficulties and the rising cost of doing business… expenses like fire insurance, and rebuilding your factory after some asshat burns it down.

La Tradicion still maintains an office in Miami, but the new factory in Santiago — Real Tabacalera Sanchez-Romay— is now the main production facility.

Luis Sanchez succinctly describes La Memorias Cubanas this way: “Light wrapper. Full body.” Sometimes less is more… except when it comes to ring gauge. La Tradicion has set records for some of the largest ring gauges made — and this line follows the trend. “Campanas” is a traditional torpedo-shape production vitola; the Cuban Bolivar Belicoso Fino is one of the more common examples, but at 6 1/2 x 60 the LMC Campanas is a bit larger than the traditional vitola.

The wrapper is a silky claro Ecuadorian Sumatra. The filler is a blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan leaf, bound up in a selection from Honduras. The result is a nice looking, if somewhat unwieldy cigar. Between the fingers it feels like grasping a tree branch. The nice thing about a torpedo is that it allows you to choose the aperture of the opening depending on where you cut it. Otherwise, you’re stuck with a jaw breaker.

Las Memorias Cubanas come equipped with a thin cedar sheath — this imparts a distinctly woody scent to the wrapper and the prelight draw. There is an occasional small green blemish on a couple of these, but nothing to be concerned about.

This torpedo draws well and lights easily, even though it seems like a large area to light. It sort of felt like painting the foot with fire. Once it was lit it burned very well and needed no further attention. All the construction tests were passed with flying colors.

The initial flavor is a little mild, sweet and nutty with a hint of pepper on the nose and in the back of the throat. The weight of the smoke is quite heavy though, and the texture is deliciously creamy. For the first fifteen or twenty minutes this is a very domesticated cigar. At the two-thirds point it revs things up with a spadeful of earth and more generous helpings of pepper. The aroma from the wrapper is really nice — toasty with some delicate semi-floral accents. So far this has balanced really well with the earthier flavors on the tongue.

While I am admiring the solid salt and pepper ash that I’ve built and ashed only once, I become aware of an intensely earthy and quite lengthy finish. The last third of this cigar is quite powerful in terms of flavor, but it loses its sense of balance at this point. The nuances from the wrapper become completely obscured by the dark spice on the tongue, and the flavor itself seems a bit one-dimensional at this point. I found that this cigar is very good up to this point, but I didn’t find it “nubbable.”

I really liked this cigar… up to a point. But that point is where somebody with a taste for heavy earthy cigars might begin to really enjoy it. These will run you around 6 USD a stick, which is quite reasonable. These are very large, very well made cigars. But for me, I think I’ll be sticking to LTC’s Sabor Cubano and La Tradicion Cubana.

-cigarfan

4 Comments Posted on October 9, 2007October 9, 2007 by cigarfan Cigar Reviews

Montecristo Serie C Toro

Since the Montecristo cigar brand was established as a legal American commodity in 1995, the Dominican brand’s makers have issued an astounding number of blends. The Monte Serie C is the most recent creation in this prolific family of 13. Like the Serie V, the Serie VII, and Santa Clara’s Montecristo Afrique, this cigar is distinguished by a cameroon wrapper, or as Altadis says…

…rare, ultra premium Cameroon tobacco. These leaves – every one hand selected – are carefully stored and patiently aged, and the resulting smoke indulges the aficionado with the subtle complexities of flavor and smoothness of a Cameroon cigar that is destined to become the new benchmark. Is the Serie C the finest Cameroon ever? Quite possibly. After all, it’s a Montecristo.

I’ve always appreciated Montecristo for its consistent quality, though some of their blends I appreciate better than others. And since I’ve been hankering for a good cameroon I thought I’d give the “new benchmark” a test run.

In addition to the toro, this line is available in three other standard sizes: robusto, corona, and belicoso. The filler is a three country blend from Nicaragua, Peru, and the DR, with a binder leaf from Nicaragua. These are produced in the Dominican city of La Romana, home of Altadis’ mammoth Tabacalera de Garcia.

The Montecristo Serie C is presented with a flawless colorado maduro wrapper — a single vein snakes down the length of the stick and extends its tributaries laterally, leaving plains in between that reveal a moderately toothy stippling. The roll is solid and the cap is applied expertly (though without the flair of a triple cap.) The prelight test results are neutral: simple tobacco and a slight tingle on the tongue.

The draw is firm, but functional, and the burn is almost perfectly even. After a few inches the Monte C builds a solid and uniform gray ash. Construction qualities here are top tier.

The initial flavors are very muted and framed mostly by the aroma of the Cameroon — a mild minty flavor with very little finish and no aftertaste at all. Into the second third the mint grows into menthol over a gently woody foundation. The last act brings out some bready elements and a dash of pepper in the back of the throat until the flavor finally declines into bitter papery territory.

The main attractions here are perfect construction and a mild but aromatic Cameroon wrapper. The Monte C is a little too mellow for an after dinner smoke, unless you smoke mild cigars exclusively — but it could be a great little walk in the park cigar. Or in the case of this 54 x 6 toro, a more extensive walk in the park cigar.

Retail prices are around 8 or 9 USD, with online boxes selling for around 110. Not a bad price for consistency in a perfectly rolled handmade.

-cigarfan

13 Comments Posted on October 5, 2007November 9, 2007 by lucky7 Cigar Brand History, Cigar Reviews, Rocky Patel

Olde World Reserve Torpedo (Maduro) by Rocky Patel

Cigar Stats
Brand Owner: Rakesh Patel
Tabacalera: El Paraiso – Danli, Honduras
Model/Vitola: Olde World Reserve Torpedo (Maduro)
Size: 5.0 x 54 (figurado — box-pressed)
Wrapper: Costa Rica (Maduro) — Nicaragua (Corojo)
Binder & Filler: Nicaragua (rumored a little India too)
Cigar Aficionado Rating: 88 —2007 (I think this is way to low)

Other vitola sizes available

Robusto 5.5 x 54
Toro 6.5 x 52

All sizes are offered in cedar chests of 50 with a choice of Corojo or Maduro wrapper

Some background on Rocky …..

Rocky Patel is a shining example of what passion and hard work can achieve. He uses what he calls the shoe-leather express, his arduous but successful way of getting out the word on his cigars. He started in LA but now home and headquarters for the energetic 45-year-old is in Naples, FL but you rarely find him there. His road shows began in 1998, and they never seem to end: in both 2001 and 2002 he logged more than 300 days on the road. His travel schedule never seems to get any lighter.

Rocky is a natural born salesman. He sold china and cutlery door-to-door in high school, participated in Junior Achievement, sold grapefruit by the case and raised money in college for muscular dystrophy research. He moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin, as a teenager, where he developed a lifelong love of the Packers to rival that of local born Cheeseheads. (In one proud moment he presented members of the team with his cigars.)

Patel, an entertainment and product liability lawyer turned cigar salesman, had a cigar-smoking girlfriend who “made him” join the Grand Havana Room in Beverly Hills. He went to his first cigar trade show in 1996 and was mobbed for business. This was the beginning of his strong relationship with the cigar industry as a major player.

Rocky says, “The problem with practicing law was it was like taking a final exam all day long. You’re always stressed. In this business I’m always thinking about cigars and how to make them better — but I’m excited about it. I’m a perfectionist and I live to win, not just play. The cigar business is the same thing: acquiring the best leaf, creating the best packaging — it’s constantly on my mind.”

Per a quote on his website, the Hollywood lawyer turned cigar maker loves the quality of Padron, the construction of Davidoff, and the consistency of Fuentes. Patel wants to incorporate all of these admirable qualities into his cigars and make them affordable. His are definitely great cigars, so it would seem he is succeeding.

Patel’s original Indian Tabac brand has nothing to do with his heritage (he was born in India, and his real first name is Rakesh) but everything to do with the on-again-off-again Indian Motorcycle brand. Patel, who owns the Indian Tabac Cigar Co. with a silent partner, has to pay Indian Motorcycle a licensing fee on the brand. In 2003 he put aside the Indian Tabac brand name he worked so hard to build to create another — Rocky Patel Vintage Series. It was risky, but a huge success.

Since both still exist, a point of clarification on the relative importance of the Indian Tabac and Rocky Patel brands to each other. As of the end of 2006, Indian Tabac sales were steady but made up only about a third of their revenue. The Rocky Patel branded lines made up the rest. When Rocky introduced the Vintage 1990 and 1992 Rocky Patel lines at the 2003 RTDA, it was a calculated risk. He wanted to change the direction of the products and marketing but felt it would be too difficult to do with the Indian Tabac brand. His intuition proved correct as the Vintage brands were a run away success. The Vintage 1990 and 1992 cigars are still the company’s flagship lines today. The Rocky Patel lines with their extensions now represent 70+% of company revenues.

Patel’s cigars are currently manufactured in Nestor Plasencia’s El Paraiso factory in Danli, Honduras. Rocky works with Plasencia to develop and refine the blends they want to offer. In fact, Rocky spends 60-70% of his time in Honduras working with the factory. The rest of his time is split up between marketing and running the operations.

The Old World Reserve (“Master Blend 7XX” as it is designated on the box) was introduced at the 2005 RTDA in New Orleans, LA. That initial iteration, Rocky’s first attempt at the OWR, never made it out of New Orleans, and was ‘re-introduced’ at RTDA 2006 in Las Vegas, NV. This uniquely delicious and buttery smooth blend of tobaccos is actually quite mellow yet very deep in flavors. Olde World Reserve is Rocky Patel’s most expensive creation so you would certainly hope it has “the right stuff” and IMHO it definitely does. It is masterfully blended using top-quality tobaccos, extensive fermentation and aging processes, and the highest of quality control standards. Doesn’t matter if you are part of the Rocky Fan Club or not, you should give this cigar a try.

Exhibition Floor — RTDA 2005

I have read folks who compare the OWR to the Padron Anniversary blends (1926 and 1964) but I think they are potatoes and grapefruits, with dissimilar profiles and therefore, not really a “better or not” situation. Both brands are top notch!

Some of the hype and buzz claim the OWR to be Rocky’s Vintage and Edge lines on steroids. Although you can pick out some similar characteristics with the other RP lines, I think the flavor depth of the OWR sets it apart.

Please note, the three sizes of the OWR are very different, each offering a unique smoking experience. That is another interesting thing about this line of cigars. The combo of size and wrap makes for a different experience, and variety is the spice of life, right? This review is based on the Torpedo size wrapped in a Maduro leaf.

Bottom line up front …..

I am a big fan of full flavored cigars which is why I like many vitolas Rocky has to offer (Vintage, Sun Grown, Edge jump to mind). Seems crazy to say, but the Olde World Reserve is a cut above. All of Rocky’s magic is realized in this cigar. Overall, an exceptional example of blending that is extremely well-balanced and surprisingly smooth. Don’t let the hype descriptions of power and strength scare you off! Even if you are a mild to medium cigar buff, try this cigar. I think you will be very pleasantly surprised. The Olde World Reserve is an eventful smoke that fully satisfies the palate of even the most discriminating aficionados. A very rich smoking experience!

Pre-light

Although it is a bit of a stump for a torpedo, these sticks are gorgeous to look at. The band is sophisticated and the foot is sleeved in a gold speckled brown tissue paper with the “RP circle-o-dots” logo in gold at the center. The sleeve is easily removed revealing the dark mottled wrap, smooth and oily. In the sunlight, a rosado hue in the background color is evident. The cap is a little ruddy looking but well constructed nonetheless. Tightly packed, the stick is firm to the touch but fairly light in the hand. The wrap has very subtle sweet tobacco scent and the foot, soft earthy wood. Clip was very clean, no stragglers. Draw was perfect and tasted of strong southern sweet tea. As I toasted the foot the exquisite aroma wafted around my head and I began to salivate. It did take some effort with the torch to get this one lit but once there, no more external fire required.

The Smoking Experience

Right out of the gate, the flavor is spectacular with earthy wood and leather rolling over the palate and a tinge of sweetness on the nose. After a few pulls, a nice thick volume of cool smoke and in between puffs, beautiful curls of blue smoke from the foot. As the blend warms it settles to a creamy smooth base of toasted nuts, leather and wood with notes of sweet fruit on the nose (kind of raisiny). During the last third, an enjoyable espresso and bitter chocolate flavor develops and becomes more definitive toward the nub. Initially, the finish is nutty and rather short but evolves to a longer intense toasty espresso in the second half with a bit of pepper on the tongue. This cigar has an awesome aroma similar to “The Edge” but not quite as sharp and consistently sweet to the nub. Draw remained perfect from light to nub and the burn was clean.

The ash was medium gray and held on well. Curiously, the stack of quarters effect common to most cigar ashes was present but began to swirl. Unusual looking to say the least. I only ashed this cigar once at the band. The nub carried the rest to the ash tray.

In terms of strength, the first half rests squarely in the medium column and then it begins to intensify. The last inch and a half are definitely full strength. I would say it carries a mild nicotine kick but definitely not overpowering in any way. I suggest you do have something on your stomach for maximum enjoyment.

Short in physical stature but long on smoking time, this gar took me an hour fifteen minutes to smoke. And time well spent I might add!

2006 OWR (top) and 2007 OWR (bottom)

I have always been curious about where these cigar makers get the volumes of tobacco required to make consistent stogies year after year. Like the Vintage 1990 … where is all that 1990 tobacco stored. It’s certainly gotta be bigger than a warehouse (or 100 warehouses for that matter), the number of those cigars that have hit the street since 2003. Just as an experiment, I retrieved a 2006 OWR Maduro that has been resting in my humi since September 2006 and one I purchased for this review. As you can see above there is a definite color variation in the wrap but I’ll be doggone, I smoked ’em both and couldn’t taste a bit of difference. Rocky is good … I mean real good at what he does.

My take …..

I’ve tried a healthy share of both corojo and maduro wrapped OWR and come to the conclusion that, while both are good, I enjoy the maduro most. IMO it’s richer in flavor and offers a very nice sweetness from the wrapper leaf. The maduro is also very (very) smooth in character with an earthy backbone that’s deep and rich. Overall, this is a great cigar, one worthy of the highest of ratings from those who know cigars best.

MSRP on the Maduro Torpedo is $525.00/50 or $10.50 per stick. Best online price at the moment is Cigar Place at $39.95/5 or $7.99 per stick. My local B&M charges a whopping $11.12 per stick which is outrageous (and I told him so). Expensive, but if you want the finer things in life you have to pay the price. Definitely a exquisite cigar. If I were you I would try at least one and then decide if wallet dipping is in order. For me $8 is an easy decision!

Initially released as a limited edition cigar, the Olde World Reserve was only available in traditional brick and mortar tobacco shops. That is no longer the case as they can be found online just about everywhere. I began compiling a list of online vendors but it became so lengthy, I gave up. Just Google it! It pays to shop around on this one. They are a challenge to find in stock but the hunt is well worth it!

Like it … Yes
Buy it again … Yes
Recommend it … Absolutely

What others are saying about
Olde World Reserve by Rocky Patel …..

15 July 2006
Jerry – Stogie Review
Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve – Corojo (Toro)

17 July 2006
The Stogie Guys
Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve Corojo Toro

19 August 2006
cNote – Cigar Utopia
RP Olde World Reserve Maduro Review

September 2006
Smoke Magazine Taste Test – Volume XI, Issue 4
Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve Toro Maduro
9.25 out of 10 Average Rating

December 2006
Smoke Magazine Taste Test – Volume XII, Issue 1
Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve Torpedo Maduro
9.15 out of 10 Average Rating

28 January 2007
lanshark – Cigarzilla
Rocky Patel – Olde World Reserve

March 2007
Smoke Magazine Taste Test – Volume XII, Issue 1
Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve Robusto Corojo
9.15 out of 10 Average Rating

11 June 2007
CigarMonkey – Cigar Beat
Olde World Series by Rocky Patel

18 June 2007
mongkut – Epinions
Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve Maduro Toro – A Good Cigar, But Not My Favorite

August 2007
Cigar of the Week – Cigar Aficionado
Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve Maduro Torpedo

24 September 2007
Gary Korb – Cigar Advisor
My Weekend Cigar: Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve Toro

Cigar Aficionado Forum Discussion – Olde World Reserve by Rocky Patel

Top 25 Cigar – As of 2 October 2007
Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve Cigars Torpedo Maduro
10 reviews
8.04 out of 10

Publications

1 May 2005
David Savona – Cigar Aficionado
Rocky II
Rocky Patel built his Indian Tabac cigar with endless trips to American tobacconists and Honduran cigar factories. Now he launches a self-named brand. PDF

March 2006
Thor Nielsen – Cigar.com Magazine
Interview: Rocky Patel – Indian Tabac

September 2006 – Smoke Magazine Online
Rackish “Rocky” Patel of Rocky Patel Cigars
The Long Road

11 January 2007
James Suckling – Cigar Aficionado
Havana Corner: Factories, Pigs and Politicians

2 April 2007
Gregory Mottola – Cigar Aficionado
New Sun Grown Sixty From Rocky Patel

August 2007
Video – CigarTV.com
Rocky Patel at RTDA 2007 talking about his new releases

Official Rocky Patel Website

… lucky7

“It has always been my rule never to smoke when asleep,
and never to refrain when awake.” (Mark Twain)

9 Comments Posted on October 3, 2007October 3, 2007 by cigarfan Cigar Reviews

Gran Habano 3 Siglos Gran Robusto

Over the years Guillermo Rico has been a tobacco grower, a leaf broker, and an accomplished catador, or cigar taster, who reportedly can distinguish five different leaves in a single blend. He was born to a family of tobacco growers in Cubita, Columbia, and with his son George is currently the owner of GR Tabacaleras Unidas and the Gran Habano line of cigars. The Ricos have farms in several countries, including Columbia, Costa Rica, and most importantly Nicaragua.

The Ricos established their Danli, Honduras factory, “La Perla Hondureña” in 1996, where they produced cigars for private labels such as Alec Bradley. But with all the experience and knowledge at hand it was inevitable that they would soon turn out their own brands.

The Ricos take great pride in the blending and production of their cigars, starting with Habano and Corojo seeds and finishing with draw testing individual cigars for quality control. All of their cigars are bunched using the traditional “entubar” method and are finished with triple caps. These are truly beautiful cigars — I had to get a close up shot of the cap on the 3 Siglos above because it’s really a work of art.

The first three Gran Habano blends — the #1 Connecticut, the #3 Habano, and the #5 Corojo — were introduced in 2003 and gained ground quickly due to their very high quality to price point ratio. These are great cigars regardless of price, but affordability is always attractive. Following on this came the V.L . (Very Limited) line in 2005, and last year the 3 Siglos was finally unveiled.

The Tres Siglos cigars use three types of ligero from three different countries — Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Columbia (Cubita) — in its filler blend, bound up in a Nicaraguan Habano leaf and capped with a Nicaraguan Corojo Shade Grown wrapper. Cuban style cigars often have a flattened rather than a rounded cap, but this one is almost as level as the foot. The wrapper is deliciously oily and and the stick weighs heavily in the hand.

The Gran Robusto is an imposing and impressive looking cigar with a 54 ring gauge; at six inches long it’s really more of a toro size. Commercial vitolas have always piqued my curiosity — why gran robusto instead of toro? Why double corona rather than churchill? Why 3 Siglos and not 3 Ligeros? (I actually wrote Siglo III earlier and had to go back and correct it. Maybe there’s something subliminal going on here… ) But when it comes down to it, the cigar must speak for itself. Or smoke for itself. With my assistance, of course.

The broad flat cap invites a punch, though carefully shearing off the cap with a cutter might work in a pinch. A pre-light test draw reveals an easy pull — maybe too easy. There is no resistance at all. Checking the barrel for loose fill and soft spots returns a negative, so the frictionless draw appears to be by design.

I subjected the foot of this Gran Robusto to almost 30 seconds of the Blazer’s full-on torch blast until it could finally be weaned from the flame. This would seem to presage burn problems to come, but there were no major issues once it got going.

The initial flavor from the 3 Siglos is a little funky — it reminds me of the Gran Habano #5 with its musty earthiness for the first few pulls. Despite the airy draw this cigar produces nice clouds of medium-bodied smoke and burns very slowly. I budgeted an hour for this cigar but it demanded another 45 minutes after that. I’m glad I brought a book.

In addition to its unusual draw and burn, it leaves a streaky black and gray-brown ash. Very odd coloring. It’s flaky and a little messy, but the cigar burns so slowly that’s it’s nothing to worry about.

As the first musty shot fades into the background it is replaced with a leathery sweet aroma that is almost fruity at times — something like cherries. The smoke is smooth but by the mid-point I am also noticing its potency. This is not a heavy smoke, but it’s big — perhaps it is by virtue of its size that it packs the punch it does.

By the end of the cigar — which requires the peeling of two bands — the flavor is at its height of pepper and spice with a finish that has graduated from negligible to considerable. It isn’t a cigar with dramatic development, but there is enough complexity and idiosyncrasy here to keep my palate interested throughout the course of a very long smoke. And as a final epilogue I noticed it left a residual odor of graham cracker or gingerbread on my finger tips.

The Gran Habano 3 Siglos is in a class of its own and there’s only one way to tell if you’re going to like it — try it. The Gran Robusto is available for around 7 USD and for a great tasting cigar with good performance that lasts almost two hours, this is a pretty reasonable price. I’m not sure I’m ready to snap up a box — not in this size anyway — but I’ll certainly be picking up a few more 3 Siglos at the local shops.

-cigarfan

6 Comments Posted on September 28, 2007September 28, 2007 by cigarfan Cigar Brand History, Cigar Reviews

Cuba Aliados Anniversary

Before there was Puros Indios there was Cuba Aliados, the original brand and pride of master cigar maker Rolando Reyes, Sr. Today his cigars are made in Danli, Honduras, but the name “Cuba Aliados” conjures up images of an earlier time when these cigars were rolled in Havana.

Reyes’ experience in the cigar business stretches back seventy years and includes training and employment at the Partagas and H. Upmann factories in Havana. Eventually he opened his own factory — the original Cuba Aliados, named for an old bus line — that was producing six million cigars a year for the Cuban domestic market when it was seized by the Castro regime after the revolution.

The Reyes family moved to the United States in 1970, and after struggling to gain a foothold in Union City, New Jersey, Cuba Aliados was born again. Demand for Reyes’ cigars soon exceeded the supply, so they migrated first to Miami where they increased production, and then to Honduras several years later. They still maintain a presence in both Union City and Miami.

For many years Cuba Aliados had an Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper similar to the one on the Puros Indios cigar, and was distributed exclusively by JR Cigars. In 2004, distribution rights were reacquired by Reyes and the occasion was marked by a change to distinguish the two brands — a new Nicaraguan corojo wrapper was introduced to the Cuba Aliados line.

So I was thrilled to receive a sampler pack from Puros Indios that included two of their new Cuba Aliados Anniversary cigars — a beautiful Diadema No. 3 with a natural Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper and a Short in a rich and dark corojo maduro. The press release notes that both of “these unique sizes have come to represent Cuban Master Blender Rolando Reyes Sr. and his 60 years of experience in the tobacco industry.”

These Anniversary cigars celebrate both the century-plus tradition of the Cuba Aliados brand name as well as the seven decades of Don Rolando Reyes’ work in the industry. They will be available in both Nicaraguan corojo and Ecuadoran Sumatra wrappers, with filler from Brazil, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic, and Ecuadoran Sumatra binders. All tobaccos are aged for at least six years and total production will be limited to between 200,000 and 300,000 cigars.

The Diadema No. 3 is an example of the cigars maker’s art at its highest. These are made completely by hand and without the use of molds, which takes considerable skill and experience. My sample suffered a little damage in shipping, but I was able to repair it with a little vegetable glue and it smoked fine. The prelight scent is slightly cedary and it cut cleanly to open a free prelight draw. The tapered foot lights as easily as if it were a candle. (In a Cigar Aficionado interview Rolando Sr. joked that some people are intially confused by this unique shape and don’t know which end put in their mouths!)

The first third focuses on cocoa and caramel aromas with a mild taste and almost no finish. It burns slowly and evenly and the ash holds nicely. The flavor builds gradually, bringing at the end a zing of pepper and a sharp aftertaste that sneaks up and wakes me from my reverie as the ash nears my fingertips. This is a very refined cigar with a sweet cubanesque aroma that at times reminded me of maple syrup. It’s an easy going but sophisticated medium-bodied smoke.

The Short has an altogether different personality, starting with an oily corojo maduro wrapper that makes it look like a thoroughly grilled sausage link. There’s a ton of flavor packed in this 4 x 48 firecracker, but any prelight indication of this is hidden beneath a cedar sheath which imparts a distinctly woody scent to the wrapper. Once lit this little guy pours on a full-bodied sweet and spicy flavor with a rich leathery aroma and some residual cedar. Into the second half, the sweetness from the wrapper predominates. The woody component reminds me of PI’s Cienfuegos, but the Aliados is stouter, with more bittersweet chocolate and coffee notes. This is the heaviest cigar I’ve smoked from Puros Indios, and the rich flavor is best enjoyed slowly, sipped like a smoky cognac. My only criticism is that the thick and oily wrapper tends to burn erratically and needs an occasional touchup.

These are outstanding cigars, the best of the best from Cuba Aliados, and a fitting tribute to the master who started it all so many years ago. Suggested retail prices are $12.00 for the Diadema and $8.00 for the Short.

Thanks to the fine folks at Puros Indios for allowing me to preview these cigars. Stay tuned for the official announcement of interesting developments at PI for 2008: a new company name, a new logo, a new website and — most importantly — new blends, including their first cigar with a Cameroon wrapper!

–cigarfan

15 Comments Posted on September 25, 2007November 9, 2007 by lucky7 Cigar Reviews

illusione cg4 — White Horse

illusione cg4 on Box Side

Cigar Stats
Brand Owner: Dion Giolito
Tabacalera: Raices Cubanas – Danli, Honduras
(pg 4 in linked PDF)
Model/Vitola: illusione cg4 — White Horse (corona gorda)
Size: 5.625 x 48
(website says 48, box stamp shows 46, feels like 46 to me)
Wrapper: Nicaragua, Rosado oscuro Corojo
Binder & Filler: Nicaragua

Other vitola sizes available

1 — Dark Prince 9.25 x 48
2 — And crowned of thorns 5.25 x 52 (belicoso)
2/3 — tre in uno (culebra) 6.50 x 33×3
4/2g — Church 7.50 x 49 (double corona)
68 — Bombone 4.00 x 44 (short corona)
88 — Robust 5.00 x 52 (robusto)
888 — Necessary and sufficient 6.75 x 48 (churchill)
f9 — Finesse 6.25 x 44 (lonsdale)
m7 — Magdala 6.50 x 58 (figurado)

All sizes are offered in boxes of 25 except the Culebra which comes 3 to a box

From the website … The illusione Story

The concept behind illusione Cigars was to re-create a specific taste profile from years past. Before the Sandinistas took over Nicaragua in 1979, Nicaragua was growing some of the best tobaccos in the world. The cigars made from these prized fields in the Jalapa Valley and Esteli region were strong, bold and clean. After years of neglect, these old Somoza fields have been re-cultivated by the legendary master grower Arcenio Ramos of Cuba. Along with Fernando, Chandito and famed agronomist Jacinto, Arsenio has assembled the veritable “dream team” of tobacco production. They have re-grown these humble acres to yield their fullest potential once again. All illusione cigars are made from first generation Corojo ’99 and Criollo ’98 seeds, wrapped with a grade one Cafe Colorado wrapper, and finished with a triple cap in the Raices Cubanas factory. illusione cigars deliver a taste and quality of smoke rarely found in today’s market. All of the cigars are made in small-batch quantities to maintain quality and consistency.

On occasion, cigar smokers delight in finding a hidden treasure. A sleeper, available for a while but only known to a select few who, for whatever reason, don’t acclaim their find (probably hoarding syndrome). illusione cigars definitely fall in this category. Well, the cat’s out of the bag and the cigar world is buzzing!

Dion Giolito at RTDA 2007

Not your typical cigar brand owner, Dion Giolito (aka vudu9 on some of the forums) self proclaimed Dark Overlord of the Leaf, is the mastermind behind these beauties and is certainly a character in his own right. He believes that there is a lot more to our world than meets the eye. Regarding world control, Dion suggests: “We are fed the ideas that certain countries and heads of state are in control and run things. That’s the furthest from the truth. They’re smoke and mirrors, puppets, figureheads, ‘illusions.’ The real power is far deeper and, much darker than we see.”

illusione, the name of his cigar company, takes it’s meaning from the conspiracy culture and gives us a glimpse into the mind of the man who leads it. Dion has been in the cigar business about 15 years and opened his shop named Fumaré in Reno, Nevada just a couple years ago.

illusione cg4 Cigar Band

Kind of a humorous side note, be careful not to be fooled by the type face illusione uses on their brand markings (box, band, website, etc). I was gifted my first cg4s by a forum buddy (thank you diger) and with nothing but the band to go on, for the first couple weeks I was calling them Musione. I even joked with friends about them being from Italy with no info or website to be found. When I told Cigarfan I’d found this wonderful cigar, he quickly set me straight. The gothic font makes the “ill” look like an “M” and without a magnifying glass (for us aged folks) it’s damn hard to tell! Well … it is!

Unique cigars from a unique cigar brand owner, the illusione vitolas are Honduran-made, Nicaraguan puros with a growing reputation for being powerful, flavorful and balanced. When asked about his cigars, Giolito is enthusiastic. “My cigars are the kind of cigars I like to smoke – clean, bold, strong and aromatic – the way that Pre-Sandinista (1979) Nicaraguan cigars used to be. They’re ‘component driven’ meaning they have layered and structured flavors.” All of the tobaccos used are aged for about 3 years before they’re rolled into cigars. Then, they spend 35-90 days in a cedar aging room and finally they are boxed. Interestingly, after seeing how several months of box aging could contribute to his cigars, Giolito began the practice of date coding all his boxes of cigars. He says that illusione cigars are built to live a minimum of 10 years in the box. He also says the world, as we know it, will end late December 2012 so I wouldn’t wait that long if I were you. Smoke ’em if you got ’em!

Cigar Insider (7 August 2007) released their results of a vertical brand tasting with 8 of the 9 illusione cigars rated, scoring 90 points or better. The ‘cg4′ reviewed here tied for top honors with the ’68’ vitola at 92 points. For its CI debut, I’d say that is a slam dunk! There is a discrepancy between the Cigar Insider piece and the illusione website regarding where these cigars are made. As I have listed above, the website shows Raices Cubanas in Honduras but Cigar Insider claims they come from the Fernandez y Fernandez factory, which is a subsidiary of Tabacalera Tropical. I deferred to the website as authoritative although they themselves have a discrepancy in the ring size of the cg4 so, who knows.

— Photo courtesy of www.illusione.com Cigars —

Dion vows to remain “small batch” with illusione cigars. That is, maintaining production levels where he is making cigars that can remain at a level of quality and consistency deserving of the true connoisseur. Production this year was about 185K cigars and Dion does not want to go over 500K per year. In his interview with Doc @ Stogie Fresh he informs us only 200 B&M stores in the US will carry the illusione line of which he already has 110 identified. For us less fortunate folks without local availability, there are already a couple online vendors and hopefully will be more for price competition sake.

Unlike allot of other cigars brands which offer different sizes of the same blend, illusione blends are different in each vitola. Initially, I was contemplating a comparison of the cg4 with some other sizes (’88’ & ‘888’) but after experiencing them I feel it’s appropriate to review them separately. Each is unique unto itself and I don’t think comparison will be my approach. However, I will say the wrapper flavor is the only common thread in those I’ve tried. Very distinct flavor and it appears in each one.

illusione cg4

Bottom line up front …..
The cg4 White Horse is graceful, balanced, very flavorful and aromatic. A very high quality piece of work. Having never heard of them, I was a little doubtful when it was gifted to me saying they were released a couple years ago and tasted “really good.” I don’t know how they have remained under the radar. An excellent cigar. Get em’ when you can. These are going to become very popular and probably very scarce given they will only be produced in small quantities.

Pre-light
The cg4 White Horse blend uses the hybrids Criollo 98 and Corojo 99 predominantly consisting of Viso and a half leaf of Ligero. It sports a double-binder and is finished with a Rosado oscuro Corojo wrapper. Dark and alluring, the stick is solid and feels very nice in the hand. If you look very close at the wrap it is slightly mottled and has some small insignificant veins but no tooth to speak of. A beautiful Cuban (or should I say Pepinesque) style triple cap. From the wrap a gentle tobacco aroma and at the foot a little earthy. The band is very simple yet sophisticated. All-in-all the pre-light experience is feeling like I’m getting ready for one of my favorite smokes and I’m thinking, how could I have not seen or heard of these cigars? Punch is clean and pre-light draw excellent. Post draw, just a little sweetness on the lips.

The Smoking Experience
At the start a rush of sweet toasted nuts rolls over the palate with a little bite on the nose. The initial bite lasts a few draws. Once warmed the blend begins to flow rich layers of toasted oak, earthy sweet leather, nuts and cocoa onto the palate with some notes of spice and java. Another flavor is present which I can’t describe but it really sets this cigar apart from others I’ve smoked. The aroma is sweet and nutty with a “twang” similar to the mystery flavor. Nice long dark cocoa finish. Plenty of nice cool smoke from this one and smoking time is right around an hour. I actually had my wife comment on how nice the aroma was and, believe me, that never happens! Draw remained superb throughout the smoke.

cg4 Ash Trail

The initial medium gray ash held to almost the halfway mark and yes it dropped in my lap. One of the drawbacks to getting good ash pictures. The remainder of the ash was still attached to the nub when I put it down for the last time. The burn was clean and although the burn line was a bit bumpy at times, it never required correction.

The website describes this cigar as “bold, clean and bright – complete.” I couldn’t agree more. The bold, clean and bright part certainly describes the flavor experience I had and complete … well, this one totes the whole package. I think the medium to full strength rating as accurate as well. Medium to about the two thirds mark where it builds in intensity to full at the nub.

My take …..
I really really like this cigar. It just struck a chord with me. Pre-Sandinistas Nicaraguan flavor (if that is what this is) does me good! Loads of flavor and aroma is what I look for and this one’s got ’em!

MSRP on the cg4 is $163.75/25 or $6.55 per stick. Online prices run about $142/25 or $5.68 per stick. I don’t have a local shop that carries them … yet. Definitely a fair price for this fine cigar!

Smoke Til You're Green

Like it … Really Really Like it
Buy it again … Yes
Recommend it … Without reservation

What others are saying about illusione cigars …..

8 December 2006
Bungalowbill – Stogie Chat
Illusione robusto

13 August 2007
Jay – Cigar Pulse
Illusione ‘888’

11 September 2007
Tobacco World “YouTube” video on illusione

Top 25 Cigar – As of 20 September 2007
illusione cigars
No one has rated the cg4;
Only the ’68’, ’88’ and ‘888’ have been rated
but all over 9 out of 10

Cigar Aficionado Forum discussion of illusione
with some insights from Dion

Cigar Family Forum Thread on illusione Cigars

Publications

6 September 2007 – Stogie Fresh
An Interview with Dion Giolito: illusione Cigars

… lucky7

“It has always been my rule never to smoke when asleep,
and never to refrain when awake.” (Mark Twain)

14 Comments Posted on September 20, 2007September 20, 2007 by lucky7 Arturo Fuente, Cigar Reviews

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos – Double Robusto

Cigar on Box Lid

Cigar Stats
Brand Owner: Fuente Cigar, Ltd.
Tabacalera: Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia –
Santiago, Dominican Republic
Model/Vitola: Arturo Fuente Don Carlos – Double Robusto
Size: 5.75 x 52
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder & Filler: Dominican Republic

Other vitola sizes available

# 2 — 6.0 x 44/55 (torpedo)
# 3 — 5.50 x 44 (corona)
# 4 — 5.125 x 43 (petit corona)
Belicoso — 5.375 x 52 (torpedo)
Robusto — 5.25 x 50
Presidente — 6.50 x 50 (toro)

All sizes are offered in boxes of 25

Summary of Ratings from Cigar Cyclopedia
This table shows composite ratings of Don Carlos cigars from multiple publications from 1995 through 2006. All ratings have been converted to a 10-point scale.

1995 Rated once — 8.90
1996 Rated twice (high of 9.3) — average 8.95
1997 Rated 3 times (one 9) — average 8.40
1998 Rated 7 times (high of 9.1) — average 8.87
1999 Rated 8 times (high of 9.2) — average 8.98
2000 Rated 8 times (high of 9.1) — average 8.45
2001 Rated 10 times (high of 9.0) — average 8.67
2002 Rated 6 times (high of 8.9) — average 8.83
2003 Rated once — 8.80
2004 Rated 4 times (two 9s) — average 9.15
2005 Rated twice (high of 8.9) — average 8.85
2006 Rated 9 times (three 9s) — average 8.99

Quote from Carlito …..

We are a family business. Our factories and our plantations comprise our family “kitchen.” By staying in the kitchen, we’re able to consistently produce outstanding tobacco leaves and rich flavored, perfectly balanced cigars that please cigar aficionados every time, everywhere. Because tobacco is in our blood, that is all my family and I aspire to achieve.

— Carlos Fuente, Jr.

The Fuente family’s tobacco roots go back to the old world Cuba of the 1800’s. The brand (Arturo Fuente) now has more than 500 torcedors making over 30 million cigars a year from their factory’s location in Santiago, Dominican Republic. Carlos Fuente and son, Carlos Jr. are celebrities in the cigar world, overseeing every step of the cigar-making process that bears their namesake. Adversity, in the form of embargoes, revolutions and four major fires, has never dampened their passion. Rather, it has strengthened their resolve to produce some of the world’s finest cigars.

Don Carlos Cigar Band

The Fuente family patriarch, Carlos Fuente Sr. spent years identifying which of their rare vintage tobaccos should be blended to produce the Don Carlos and he reserved final approval until he felt he had achieved the “perfect blend.” In every way possible, Carlos Fuente Sr. strived to attain the ultimate in rich flavor, flawless wrapper color and superior construction in each and every Don Carlos cigar. If you speak with Carlos Fuente, Jr., he certainly gives some of the credit to Richard Meerapfel (the deceased grower of Cameroon leaf) for his contribution. Today, cigar connoisseurs the world over acknowledge the Don Carlos is indeed outstanding and worthy of the title, “Pride of the Fuente Family.” Because of the select tobaccos required, and much to the chagrin of Don Carlos fans, these cigars are only available in limited quantities making them difficult to find and the prices high when you do!

Just a little side note on Cameroon leaf. Did you know after they grow a crop in Cameroon they wait six years before planting on that same land again? I guess it’s one of the things you can do when your growing area is nearly the size of France. I think that’s why Josh Meerapfel’s Cameroon (which is used on Don Carlos, La Aurora and Partagas cigars, among others) tastes so damn good! Thankfully, Josh is walking in his fathers footsteps, continuing the legacy of Cameroon tobaccos for all of us.

The Arturo Fuente Don Carlos was originally released in 1976, taken off the market when the Fuentes lost everything to the Sandinistas in Nicaragua, and re-introduced in 1986 for the European market. Rolling with 1984 crop tobacco, through spring of 1997 it was only available in 2 sizes (Robusto and Reserva No. 3 which was a corona extra). In an interview with Matt Matalamaki (Cigar Aficionado) late in 1997, Carlos Fuente Jr. informed us that as of early 1997 they began using tobacco from 1986 crops and would release the Presidente, Double Robusto, Reserva No. 2 and Reserva No. 4, by summer or fall of 1998. As of this writing I could not locate the release date for the Belicoso but it is indeed available.

Bottom line up front …..
The Don Carlos Double Robusto is an elegant, medium-bodied cigar, very rich in flavor. The aroma is wonderfully sweet and creamy with notes of earth, leather, oak and chestnuts. This is truly a cigar for connoisseurs IMHO and worthy of the claim of Fuente family pride they instill in this one!

Although many have told me they think it is overpriced, I have thoroughly enjoyed each one I’ve smoked and believe they are well worth the money. It’s always tough making the cost-to-pleasure decision but it is a part of cigar smoking life unless you are independently wealthy, which most of us are not. I can’t smoke these everyday, but when I am in the mood for a “desert” cigar, this one definitely makes the list for those special moments I want to celebrate.

Don Carlos Band and Wrap Closeup

Pre-light
Beautiful to look at, this stick is expertly crafted with a smooth medium brown Cameroon wrap and a well formed slightly flattened cap. Solid to the touch and very smooth on the draw, one can just imagine the care that went into rolling it. Aroma from the wrap is a light cammy scent and from the foot, slightly sweet tobacco with just a touch of horse manure. Draw was perfect with a little sweet tea remaining behind on the lips. I did detect a little spill over glue on the wrap at the edges of the band which had me worried about removing it. When I did there was a small patch of wrap that came off with the band but no effect on the draw or burn. The review cigar was in my humidor for 15 months and the age really did me good!

Seeping Glue

The Smoking Experience
The stick toasts and lights quick and even. The draw was superb and the burn was even although the burn line was tilted. The ash is almost white and holds on like crazy. I ashed the cigar only once when it was nearly to the band. I couldn’t get the band off without disturbing the ash, otherwise I think it may have made it to the nub. The rest of the ash was still on the nub when I laid it down. Smoke production is very good and stays nice and cool to the 2/3 point when it begins to warm up. I had to slow down considerably over the last couple inches to keep the flavors smooth and cool.

Don Carlos - Ash

Arturo Fuente cigars, in general, are notorious for being slow starters. Often the first half inch or so can be rough before the blend warms up. The Don Carlos wasn’t really rough to start, in fact the first few pulls were quite mild with a very subtle tobacco flavor. Then a nice Cameroon “twang” on the nose and at about a half inch it settles into a creamy base of sweet wood and leather. The flavor notes and hints that roll in and out are many. Cherry, nuts, java, caramel, oak, cinnamon and other spices to name a few. The aroma on this cigar turns wonderfully sweet at the half inch mark and remains so throughout the smoke. The final third ushers in a little pepper on the tongue which continues to build to the nub. The finish is medium in length, toasty spice and slightly dry. Need to have a nice cold drink next to you for this one.

My take …..
I like this cigar for special occasions. It has been consistent for me and ages very well. I am always looking for the special deals on Don Carlos (auctions and events) and sock them away knowing how special they will be when I decide it’s time.

MSRP is currently listed at $231.25/25 or $9.25 per stick. The best online prices are currently at AtlanticCigar.com where you can pick up a 5ver for $42.45 ($8.49 per) and a box of 25 at $184.58 ($7.38 per). Not really that bad!

Smoke Til You're Green

Like it … Very much
Buy it again … Yes
Recommend it … Yes

What others are saying about
Arturo Fuente Don Carlos …..

April 1997
Cigar Nexus, Vol 2. No. 4 – Saka’s Monthly Officious Taste Test
AF Don Carlos Robusto

3 December 2006
MonkeyDan – CigarMonkey
Arturo Fuente Don Carlos #2

22 March 2007
Jesse – CigarJack
Arturo Fuente Don Carlos #2 Cigar Review

Top 25 Cigar – As of 20 September 2007
Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Cigars Double Robusto
24 ratings – 8.61 out of 10

Publications

Summer 1995
An Interview with Carlos Fuente Sr.

November/December 1998
An Interview with Carlos Fuente Jr.
President, Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia.

March/April 2002
Cigar Aficionado – Douglas Doan
Essay: Great Moments
Living the Dream. Our tobacco-growing Virginian (Carlitos)
follows his fantasy to the Dominican Republic.

November/December 2002
CA Staff All-time Top Cigars
(Don Carlos has 6 positions)