Journal NEWS

Procigar 2010: Davidoff Tobacco Field Tour

Mon, 8 Mar 2010 14:34:56 -0800

I have had the good fortune of visiting the Dominican Republic on four occasions and on each visit I have had the opportunity to visit the farms and/or factories of Tabadom Holdings, makers of Davidoff. Part of the attraction for me has been the rigorous quality standards set by the company and their ultra-systematic approach to cigar production. As a student of the cigar industry, I appreciate their meticulous attention to detail.

Davidoff is more than rigorous when it comes to understanding plant biology and chemistry, and when it comes to implementing exacting fermentation processes. Their standards of leaf selection, aging and quality control in the factory are second to none. In many ways, Davidoff defines a "cerebral system" of cigar production.

This may not appeal to everyone, but it does to me. I am the type of person that enjoys the minutia of the study of cigars. I want to know as much as possible about every facet of the industry and I always come away from my visits to Davidoff with more great nuggets of information.

This year I skipped the factory tour and instead chose to attend the tobacco field tour. After driving to the farms, we disembarked from the bus to the sight of a cooler full of cold drinks and to a beautiful Davidoff humidor filled to the brim with cigars. After a quick trim and light of our cigars, we began walking around and through the tobacco fields.

Above: The majestic beauty of tobacco, curing barns and
the mountains that surround the fields

Henke Kelner Sr. and his son Hendrik were definitely "on their game" that day. They were prepared to visually demonstrate tobacco seed planting, seedling transplantation, growth cycles of tobacco, tobacco varietals and much, much more.

Above: Seedlings being transferred to individual growing cups

Below: Hendrik Kelner explains the tobacco transplantation process

Then, the tour took us through the curing barns, where Henke Kelner talked about leaf curing and answered questions about the process. Curing is the process of drying the tobacco that has just come from the farm. During the curing stage, the tobacco loses chlorophyll and the color of the leaves changes from green, to yellow to brown. The process also slows the maturation process, while fixing the sugar in the leaves.

Below: The Kelner's show prized tobacco in the curing barn

After the curing barns, we were escorted through a special fermentation factory where they ferment ultra-premium wrapper leaves like those found on the Winston Churchill and Davidoff Selección 702 cigars. In this factory we were able to see these special wrappers up close and touch and even smell the leaves. These wrappers are precious and a 120-pound bale will cost around $5,000 dollars. That's over $40 per pound! (Compared to just $4–$5 per pound for filler leaf.)

Lunch was served in the Davidoff dining hall and I used that time to make a presentation to Henke and Hendrik Kelner. I brought a few bottles of Roxo Port with me for the purpose of presenting them to different folks on the trip. These were a way of saying "thanks" for the hard work they put into making the event so enjoyable and educational. It was also an opportunity for me to share one of my local wines with cigar friends in the Dominican Republic. So I presented a half-bottle of Paso Melange Port, which is Roxo's Metodo Portugues interpretation of a traditional Bordeaux blend. It is blended with Cabernet Sauvignon (56%), Cabernet Franc (33%) and Petit Verdot (11%). Henke Kelner seemed pleased with this California Port-style wine and he showed his appreciation by presenting me with a Dominican style straw hat.

Above: Presenting California-made Roxo Port to Henke and Hendrik Kelner

Below: Doc sports new hat, a gift from Henke

After lunch, Henke presented a tobacco tasting seminar in which he talked about the factors that lead to great cigars and we tasted samples of different tobacco types. This seminar was so interesting because it demonstrated, experientially, the contributions made by the three common Dominican tobaccos: Dominican Olor, San Vicente and Piloto Cubano. These three tobacco varietals are used often in Davidoff cigars and I was never quite sure how they individually contribute to a cigar's overall flavor until that day.

To vividly display the characteristics of the tobaccos, we were given small cigars that were made of only one tobacco varietal; one each for Olor, San Vicente and Piloto Cubano. Smoking these small "puros" allowed us all to experience how these tobacco types provide different taste sensations including salty, acid, bitter, grassy, dry, sweet, and more. Individually, these tobaccos would never make a good cigar, but thanks to the experience and expertise of the master blender, these tobaccos can be blended into a cigar with perfect balance, harmony and complexity of flavor, body and strength.

Above: Seminar included smoking "puros" of individual tobacco types and smoking a finished cigar with all tobaccos included

Below: Henke Kelner leads tobacco tasting seminar

As the seminar came to an end, the student in me wanted to stay and talk about the finer points of cigars until I could no longer think of more questions to ask. However, our tour, which seemed to have flown by, was now over. As we made our way back to the tour bus, which would take us back to our hotels, there was still electricity in the air. We left there with a good deal more knowledge about how tobacco is grown and fine cigars are made. And yet, we also left with a keen appreciation for how much we still did not know and how complex and wonderful is the art and science of producing a premium cigar.

Quesada Tributo: Pre-release Event

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:49:13 -0800

The 3rd annual ProCigar Festival in the Dominican Republic was a cornucopia of cigars, food, libations and fun. Of course, the ProCigar Festival is much more than that. It is really a celebration of the Dominican Republic: the people, culture and customs. I've been privileged to have attended all three festivals and they just keep getting better and better.

Above: Manuel Quesada, president Matasa
Below: New Quesada Tributo cigar

But of all the memories of festivals past, there are none that have moved me like this year's "tour" of the Matasa factory. Calling it a "tour" is really a misnomer because this was a gathering of loved ones for the purpose of paying tribute to family, friends and the link that has tied them all together: cigars. But first, let me give some background on this company…

President of Matasa, Manuel Quesada, has been blending cigars for more than 35 years and he has given birth to numerous cigars including: Fonseca, Quesada, Cubita, and many other private brands such as Licenciados and Nat Sherman, among others. Manuel is the 4th generation of a family that has been in the tobacco industry for more than 100 years, both as tobacco leaf processors in Cuba and now as a cigar production factory in the Dominican Republic. The current cigar factory, Matasa (Manufactura de Tabacos S. A.), was launched in 1974 as a small operation with only three rollers and Manuel Quesada running the venture.

Below: A box of the new Quesada Tributo

In 2008, the 5th generation of Quesada's decided it was time to nudge the company in a new direction by creating a new brand. The "Quesada" brand was created to pay homage to the family tradition and heritage. In 2009, the Quesada brand was launched with the Quesada 35th Anniversary cigar in honor of Manuel Quesada and his 35 years in cigar manufacturing. This cigar, which was a 6-inch by 49 ring box-pressed limited edition, was well received and sold out during the first few days of the 2009 IPCPR convention in New Orleans.

This year will mark the second cigar under the Quesada brand and that is where this story comes full circle. I was one of 40 or so people who were on hand to witness the pre-release of the new Quesada Tributo. Tributo, which translated to English means "tribute," was again produced through the collaborative effort of the entire 5th generation of the Quesada clan. As the name suggests, this cigar is a tribute to those who are no longer alive, but whose lives and memories have shaped the younger generation.

The Tributo cigar, which is due to be released in May, will come in four sizes and will bear the name of the family members whose lives are being celebrated by the sharing of this new cigar: Manolín, Alvaro, Alvarito and Julio.

Above: Patricia Quesada

As I listened to Patricia Quesada (daughter of Manuel and one of the 5th generation family members) talk about these four individuals, I felt the passion, love, and respect that this family shares. I almost felt like an intruder, seizing a very intimate and private family moment, until I realized that the Quesada family was opening their hearts and sharing this moment with all of us. We were being included as a part of the extended family and it was truly a moment that I will remember for the rest of my life.

This pre-release event included a tasting of three of the individual tobacco components that make up this cigar: Dominican Habana Vuelta Arriba, Dominican Criollo 98 and Honduran Jamastrán. Each of these tobaccos was sampled separately by smoking small "puros," or cigars made up of only that type of tobacco. Smoking these puros allowed us to experience the characteristics that were added to the completed cigar by each individual component. Then, of course, we smoked the "real thing." The Quesada Tributo is a medium-bodied cigar with spicy sweetness and excellent balance. As of this writing, I have only smoked one of the cigars, so I wouldn't make too much of my assessment, nevertheless, this cigar will likely be as well-received as its predecessor, the Quesada 35th anniversary.

After the tasting, each of us in attendance was given a sampler box of the Quesada Tribute and the family members gathered round to sign the boxes for any who might wish. I can tell you that I waited patiently for each of those 7 signatures. I did so, because I want those signatures to be indelibly printed in my mind as a vivid memory of my entry into the Quesada family. The Quesada Tributo is more than a cigar. And, the Matasa pre-release event was more than a tour. The event and the cigar will forever represent the outpouring of love and the spirit of sharing that I felt that day.

About the Cigar:
Name: Quesada Tributo
Wrapper: Ecuador HCHS
Binder: Nicaragua Ligero
Filler: Dominican and Nicaragua Ligeros
Sizes:
6.5 x 60 Manolín (Toro Gordo)
6.0 x 52 Alvaro (Belicoso)
4.5 x 40 Alvarito (Petit Corona)
5.0 x 50 Julio (Robusto)

Alec Bradley Cigars at The Boss

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 20:51:54 -0800

SATURDAY JAN. 30, 2010
The rain and cold of winter could not dampen the spirits of cigar enthusiasts as they assembled to enjoy cigars, libation, food and fun at The Boss Cigar shop. In fact, the cigar gods smiled upon aficionados and the sun broke through to provide the perfect day for a cigar event.

Alec Bradley Cigars were featured at the event, which was held at The Boss in Arroyo Grande, California.

The cigar lineup for the day included the Alec Bradley Tempus, Prensado, SCR, Vice Press and the Family Reserve. Randy's Grub Rub & BBQ provided the Tri-Tip and sausage and Roxo Port Cellars was pouring their rich ruby ports to pair with the cigars. All the while, "The Big Kahuna," from radio Q 104.5 was spinning the tunes on a delightful day on the Central Coast of California.

Besides special deals on Alec Bradley cigars, there were raffle prizes and college basketball was playing on the big screen TV. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday. Alec Bradley rep, Young Phan was on hand to walk people through the Alec Bradley lineup.

While all the cigars are well made and will variously appeal to a wide array of taste preferences, I liked the Family Reserve the best. It was full of rich, savory flavors, which reminded me of the BBQ that we were enjoying that day. It had flavors of roasted meat and a full dose of pepper. This is a full flavored and full bodied cigar, with horsepower to spare.

While smoking cigars at home is relaxing and meditative, it is also fun to reunite with old friends and meet new ones at a local cigar event. The Boss Cigar shop has many such events and they are always a time of revelry and good times for all. Be sure to check the event schedule at your local tobacconist.

Torano Releases New Companion Pack

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:19:23 -0800

At the August 2009 annual trade show in New Orleans, the Carlos Toraño Company released the family's latest offering, the "Buy three, get one free" Companion Pack sampler. This sampler contains one each of four of their classic brands. President Charlie Toraño announced the company has now begun shipping the new sampler to its tobacco retailers everywhere. New smokers can now explore these cigars, and Toraño loyalists can savor their variety of flavors, aromas, and strengths.

Toraño’s Companion Pack presents the cigars in a 6-inch by 50 ring Toro size. The first cigar is a Casa Toraño Natural, which initially appeared in 2004 at Toraño events as a custom-rolled but unbanded experimental cigar. The consumer response was so good they began producing them later that year and only then revealed the cigar had been the family’s private blend for years. Casa Toraño Natural has an Ecuadorean-grown, Connecticut seed wrapper and a complex blend of Honduran, Nicaraguan and special family-grown tobaccos. According to Toraño, "Casa Toraño is a mild cigar, with bold and enticing flavor. For too long, mild cigars meant mild flavor. But Casa Toraño appeals to all smokers who give priority to the flavor of a cigar, as opposed to strength."

Casa Toraño Natural was a home run ball for the company, and in 2007, they launched the Casa Toraño Maduro, later named the second best maduro for 2008. It has a naturally-fermented Connecticut broadleaf wrapper. The mild, sweet wrapper balances a Nicaraguan and Dominican tobacco blend, yielding a medium-bodied smoke with abundantly rich flavor.

Toraño's 1916 Cameroon is a tribute to Don Santiago Toraño's emigration from Spain to Cuba in 1916, which created a tobacco legacy that saw him grow premium tobacco for some of the world’s most respected Cuban brands. Now, three generations later, Toraño cigars also boast an enviable record among the most desirable marques in the industry. The Cameroon wrapper surrounds a Honduran and Dominican filler and binder and is medium in body.

Virtuoso, the fourth label, is unique. The Toraños produce its sun-grown wrapper tobacco on their own Nicaraguan farm and combine it with Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Panamanian tobaccos for a powerful, yet smooth and balanced smoke.

All four brands in the Companion Pack are available separately in the most popular shapes. Manufacturer’s suggested retail pricing for the Companion Pack sampler is $21.95.

According to Toraño, "Our advertising campaign carries the theme of 'Never Smoke Alone,' which acknowledges the greater satisfaction that comes from enjoying cigars with friends. But, it also carries the message that even when smoking alone, one is in good company, because of the spirit of four Toraño generations that is in every cigar we make."

Miami Cigar & Company NY Extravaganza

Sun, 3 Jan 2010 15:14:24 -0800

Following the tremendous success of their "Miami Cigar & Company New York Extravaganza," Nestor Miranda and Rene Castaneda will be bringing their own flying circus to W. Curtis Draper's Washington, DC tobacco emporium on Friday, 8 January. The shop, at 640 14th Street NW, has been in business, supplying Washington's cigar lovers, since 1887.

This time, the event, replete with free cigars; bonuses with purchase, has been styled "The Nestor Miranda Experience." Customers who purchase any box of Miami Cigar & Company's Nestor Miranda Collection Special Selection will be given raffle tickets.

The raffle tickets will entitle them to a chance to be the winner of a $1,000 gift certificate to Salvatore Ferragamo. Ferragamo is Nestor Miranda's favorite shoemaker, and the winner will experience a small part of the Nestor Miranda Lifestyle.

Best of all, the attendees at the event, will get to meet Nestor Miranda and enjoy smoking cigars from the Nestor Miranda Collection Special Selection Coffee Break (4.5 x 50), Lancero (7.5 x 40) and Ruky (5-5/8 x 48 x 52), a superb mini-Salamon, as well as the popular Toro (6 x 60) and the Robusto (5.5 x 54) – all available in both a Habano Rosado and Habano Oscuro wrapper.

Since the introduction of the Nestor Miranda Collection Special Selection in the fall of 2008, the cigar, collaboration between Nestor Miranda and Pepin Garcia, has captured the imagination of smokers all over the country.

At the recent Little Puff, a major cigar event staged by W. Curtis Draper, these cigars were among those in the greatest demand, and smokers attending the event clamored to meet Nestor and be photographed with him.

Bucanero Cigars Goes Direct

Wed, 9 Dec 2009 11:54:18 -0800

Bucanero Cigars was established in 1994, with over 22 award winning premium blends. For over 15 years Bucanero Cigar blends have been exclusively available at retail stores. Recently, however, Bucanero has decided to offer their wide selection of hand made cigars at factory direct prices via their company web site: www.bucanerocigars.com.

As SCHIP and OTP taxes have pushed the prices of Bucanero Cigars into the $8 - $10 retail price range, this has driven the cost out of the price range of many cigar enthusiasts.

By offering cigar lovers their fine premium cigars at factory direct pricing, Bucanero blends are now available at, or below, $4.00 per cigar.

Each cigar order is shipped in bundles of 5, 10, or 20 and each shipment is placed in a humidity controlled zip lock bag to assure perfect freshness upon arrival to the consumer.

The Bucanero cigar brand is extensive and ranges from fine maduros, to natural wrapper premiums to naturally flavored cigars, with each blend having its own distinctive flavor. All cigars are draw tested and well aged to provide the best smoking experience.

According to owner Robert Spoden, "If there is one cigar brand that can top it all off in overall quality and taste, one must argue that it should be no other than Bucanero cigars from Nicaragua."

Shop Bucanero

2009 Stogie Fresh Honor Roll

Wed, 2 Dec 2009 22:13:11 -0800

GOLD STAR AWARDS FOR BEST CIGARS OF 2009

This year marks the Third Annual Stogie Fresh Gold Star Awards for the best cigars of the year. These far-reaching awards acknowledge the best PODCAST FEATURED cigars, the best of the REVIEWED cigars and the best NEW CIGAR of 2009. We provide these yearly awards because we believe that, whether large, medium, or small, all cigar manufacturers should be rewarded for their efforts to create CONSISTENTLY HIGH QUALITY CIGARS.

PART 1: DOC'S BEST PODCAST PICKS

The Stogie Fresh 5 Podcast Honor Roll represents Doc’s picks for the top 10 cigars that he has featured on the Stogie Fresh 5 podcast over the past year. Cigars that are featured on the weekly podcast are one’s that the Doc is recommending and featuring based on smoking 5-10 samples. These are often more rare and/or expensive cigars, but not always.

1. Eladio Diaz 55th anniversary Super Robusto (episode 168: May 10, 2009)
Size: 5.5 x 55
Cost: N/A

Every year Don Eladio Díaz, master blender of Davidoff, celebrates his anniversary making a rare new special blend from the best and most aged tobaccos from different countries for his own private collection.

For his 55th Anniversary he chose a 55 ring gauge by 5 1/2 length cigar, blending six different tobacco varieties with full strength and complexity in the filler and two different tobacco varieties for the binder and wrapper. It is probably the only cigar ever that has been blended with 8 different tobaccos from 4 different countries. And, some of the tobaccos were aged for up to 9 years! These are simply fabulous cigars and quite likely some of the best I have ever tasted. Don't get any notions about buying them, though. These were attained at auction and will likely never be mass produced. Nevertheless, these are a testament to the true mastery of blending premium cigars.

1. Davidoff 2009 Limited Edition Selección 702 Toro Especial (episode 178: July 19, 2009)
Size: 6.5 x 50
Cost: ~$22.00/cigar

Davidoff hit a home run ball with this 2009 Limited Edition. It has all the makings of a great cigar. From the cosmetic features of look and feel, to the subjective elements of flavor, aroma, and finally to the construction and burn, this cigar is a delight in 3-dimensions. And, in my opinion, this is a good investment for aging.

The Selección 702 uses a fusion of 3 Habano seeds to create a very unique hybrid wrapper developed by Davidoff after years of experimentation. The seeds were cultivated by David Perez from ASP in Ecuador.

The flavors started with smoked wood and baking cocoa on the palate and a huge dose of white pepper on the retrohale. By the 1/3 point, I tasted alfalfa spice and a touch of tobacco sweetness that was lip smacking good. In the second half, the cigar showed more pronounced sweetness and displayed a long, tangy finish. The pepper spice that was so prominent in the retrohale in the early going, evened out and became rich and luxurious with notes of chocolate. This cigar will likely age for 5+ years. Pick some up if you can find them.

1. Camacho 2009 Liberty 11/18 (episode 186: Sept. 13, 2009).
Size: 6 x 54
Cost: ~$16.00/cigar

The 2009 Camacho Liberty is the 7th iteration of the Liberty line of cigars, which are a tribute to America by the Eiroa family. The Liberty line is an annually released, limited edition cigar, with a new blend produced each year.

The newest Liberty was made back in October 2007 and then aged for 2 more years. The blend consists of a rare crop of Habano tobacco, which was the first and only crop of Habano used by the company to date. The crop yielded just enough for a small amount of cigars produced in the Liberty 2009.

The cigar comes out of the gate with some smoky sweet wood flavors.; almost a mesquite or BBQ flavor. It also displays a tangy flavor that always makes me think of Cuban tobacco. Kind of a tangy zing. But this cigar differs from Cuban cigars in that this one comes at you with full dose of pepper on the retrohale. Trust me, this cigar lights up your nasal mucosa like a flash-bang grenade. The finish lingers on the palate with a nice tobacco sweetness. This is one for the humidor and should age successfully for 5+ years.

PART 2: BEST REVIEWED CIGARS DEC. 2008 – NOV. 2009

The Best Reviewed Cigars awards are based on multiple reviews of each cigar over time. We assess cigars from the same batch over a time period averaging 15-18 months and often times longer. By reviewing cigars multiple times over the course of many months, we can identify what we call, "flash in the pan" cigars. That is, cigars that may be good, but are not consistently good. The Stogie Fresh 2009 Honor Roll acknowledges cigars that are CONSISTENTLY EXCELLENT IN FLAVOR AND CONSTRUCTION. The Stogie Fresh reviewing system is also the only system in the industry that can make definitive statements about the results of prolonged aging.

To qualify for a spot on the yearly Stogie Fresh Honor Roll, each cigar must have been reviewed a minimum of three times using the Stogie Fresh reviewing system, with the most recent review falling within the past 12 months. Overall rankings are based on the average score from the reviews. If there is a tie in scoring, the higher placement goes to the cigar that has been reviewed more times. If the cigars were reviewed the same number of times, the nod is given to the cigar with the highest score in the most recent review.

1. Ashton San Cristóbal Fabuloso -- Avg. Score 92.5 (based on 3 reviews)
Type: Torpedo
Country: Nicaragua
Size: 6.12 x 52
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Age at final review: 1 year 7.6 months
Cost: $9.50
Company website: http://www.ashtoncigar.com

Released in the summer of 2007 at the IPCPR Trade Show in Houston, this Nicaraguan "puro" is manufactured by José "Pepin" Garcia for Ashton Cigars. This cigar spent over two years in development and is produced by Garcia at his factory in Nicaragua.

This torpedo begins with earthy flavors and a sweet, nutty nuance in the aftertaste. The cigar produces a "spice hammer" on the retrohale that is not unexpected, but it does get your attention. Once the spice settles down on the palate, a light sweetness begins to emerge, lightly enveloping the taste buds. By the two-thirds point, the flavors rapidly deepen into coffee and dark chocolate, finishing with lingering medium-full flavors and body. This cigar continues to age well. It appears to be opening-up and is displaying more well defined characters as it progresses in age. The San Cristóbal shows a great capacity for aging and we believe this is one to buy in boxes to lay down in your humidor.

1. Montecristo Serie C -- Avg. Score 91.8 (based on 3 reviews)
Type: Belicoso
Country: Dominican Republic
Size: 6.1 x 52
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua and Peru
Age at final review: 2 years 2.3 months
Cost: $7.50/cigar
Company website: http://www.altadisusa.com

The Montecristo Serie C was first released by Altadis in 2007. It boasts a genuine African Cameroon wrapper with Nicaraguan and Peruvian filler and binder. This cigar starts off with light flavors of cocoa and wood, but also builds in complexity as you progress through the smoking experience. While the initial flavors are grassy and somewhat spicy, the aftertaste changes to flavors of nuts, sweet hay, bittersweet cocoa and coffee. Though complex and nuanced, this cigar is best smoked within the first couple of years.

1. San Martín by Tabacalera del Oriente -- Avg. Score 91.1 (based on 3 reviews)
Type: Pyramid
Country: Peru
Size: 6 x 52
Wrapper: Peru
Binder: Peru
Filler: Peru
Age at final review: 11.2 months
Cost: $9.50/cigar
Company website: http://peruviancigars.net

We voted this Peruvian puro as the "Best New Cigar of 2007," and it is still showing great things. This is a gorgeous stick with an oily wrapper that has a slight leather-back turtle look. This stick was also already showing off a little bit of plume on the wrapper. This smoke starts with creamy, lush flavors of sweet hay, raw nuts, light aromatic wood and a tangy spice on the retrohale. There are nothing but good flavors throughout this relaxing and enjoyable smoke. It is medium in body and medium to full in flavor. This is a must-try smoke that should age beneficially over the first 2-3 years.

PART 3: BEST NEW CIGAR OF 2009

The Best New Cigars are not necessarily new in the market, but they are new to us. These are cigars that we became aware of during the past year and have been impressed with. Usually there is only one winner of this award, but this year there were two cigars that impressed us and we gave BOTH our nod with the BEST NEW CIGAR AWARD.

Savinelli RyR (Rico y Raro)
Type: Toro Grande
Country: Nicaragua
Size: 6 x 56
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $6.85–$7.60
Company Website: http://www.savinelliusa.com

Savinelli is a famous and trusted name in the pipe-smoking world, a name associated with quality and incredible attention to detail. However, Savinelli cigars may be some of the best cigars that you've never heard of. The Savinelli RYR Series cigar is made in Savinelli's own factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. The wrapper features an Ecuadorian Habano seed leaf and the filler and binder are 100% Nicaraguan grown tobaccos.

This cigar is rich from the get go. It is a mouthful that you almost have to chew. It packs flavors of sweet tobacco, leather and smoked meat. And it's juicy… so much so that it makes your mouth start watering like Pavlov's dogs. This is not a cigar with nuance or complexity. It is big and bold and flavorful. It doesn't present on your palate like a surgical scalpel, but instead is more like a meat cleaver that lops off bone and gristle in one fells swoop. When I retrohale the smoke, I get a nice dose of aromatic cedar, which provides a nice counterpoint to the rich and juicy flavors. I recommend this cigar with an aged Port style wine. It should be best during the first 2 years.

De Fazio Picoso
Type: Robusto
Country: Nicaragua
Size: 5 x 50
Wrapper: Honduras
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Honduras
Price: ~$7.50
Company Website: http://www.difaziocigars.com

In 2008, a new cigar brand was born. The company is the namesake of Carmelo Di Fazio, a television executive who, because of his love of fine cigars, ventured into the cigar industry by creating his own company: Di Fazio Cigars Corp. The Picoso is the most full-bodied of their lineup and is made with all Honduran tobacco.

The Picoso starts out with a fabulous spicy, sweet, cedary tang. There is also a little pepper spice on the finish. This smoke is medium to full in body and full in flavor. There is a surprising amount of complexity in this robust cigar. Pick up a few and give a try.

NOTES:

Stogie Fresh has archived approximately 360 reviews on the Stogie Fresh Cigar Review Directory. This online database has all the details about each cigar that has been reviewed at Stogie Fresh. http://www.stogiefresh.com/cigardatabase.html

More information about why Stogie Fresh reviews cigars the way we do, can be found in the following to definitive articles:

1. Master Blend: Ingredients of an Effective Cigar Review

1. Great Expectations: What Do Blind Cigar Reviews Really Tell Us?

The Stogie Fresh Cigar Rating Criteria can be found on the Stogie Fresh web site. http://www.stogiefresh.com/ratingcigars.htm

Our Roots Run Deep Tour

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:44:21 -0800

Toraño Cigar's father and son team, Chairman Carlos and President Charlie Toraño, have taken their "Our Roots Run Deep" Tour to over thirty tobacconists across the United States, as of press time. The tour celebrates the fourth-generation tobacco family’s origins in Cuba, their passion and dedication to the tobacco industry since 1916, and the launch of their new cigar, Exodus 1959 – 50 Years.

Below: Exodus 1959 - 50 Years cigar line

According to Charlie Toraño, "The excitement at these participating retailers has run very high, with attendance averaging one hundred enthusiastic cigar lovers at each event. We're thrilled, not only at their response to this latest addition to the top-rated Exodus line, but also by the overall enthusiasm of our consumers for the Toraño brand. The Tour is succeeding in making our company, our cigars, and our family more recognized and accessible to loyal, as well as first-time Toraño smokers. My father and I are rewarded greatly by their eagerness at learning of the Toraño family's cigar and tobacco history, which spans almost a century."

The Tour will continue into 2010. The program for the events combines the introduction of the Exodus 1959 - 50 Years to guests, as well as placing Carlos and Charlie in face-to-face contact with tobacconists and smokers, in a Cuban ambience. Cuban decor, music, food and beverages add to the atmosphere. Felipe Sosa, Toraño’s ten-year veteran roller, rolls cigars for attendees... but not just any cigar. The previously-unnamed cigar, available only at the Tour events, is a special blend, with a gorgeous wrapper and rich, full flavor. Inevitably, events' hosts and smokers all but begged the Toraños to allow them to buy the cigars, and the Toraños happily acquiesced. It will be called "Tour Blend 2009," and will be available exclusively to those tobacconists who hosted a Roots Run Deep event in 2009.

Charlie Toraño sums up the Tour's progress as being, "One of the most significant and successful promotional ventures our family has attempted. We are especially pleased, but not surprised, at the acceptance for our new Exodus 1959 - 50 Years cigar line. It has joined the two previous Exodus (Gold and Silver) brands, both of which have consistently been among the most highly-rated cigars in the industry. Exodus 1959 - 50 Years celebrates the final triumph by the Toraños and other legendary Cuban cigar and tobacco families over the Cuban regime that exiled them, following the 1959 Revolution. These families have emerged as the pioneers of a cigar industry that has blossomed, then burgeoned throughout Central America and the Caribbean, over the half-century since that epochal event.

Exodus 1959 - 50 Years is available in Robusto, Churchill and Torpedo. It is very dark, with a lush, oily sheen that adds visual impact. It is the most full-bodied blend of the three Exodus brands, but with a subtle, natural sweetness and balance that were very difficult to achieve in such a powerful cigar. The cigar is likely to be called 'Exodus Copper' by the consumers, reflecting its copper-trimmed band and box art. Presented 24 to the box, it is priced in the same range as its Exodus predecessors, and is now available at tobacconists everywhere.

When asked what else is in store during and following the Our Roots Run Deep Tour, Charlie Toraño advises, "Watch for a huge special Miami event in January, and for a special Toraño DVD that will be announced there." From the Tour's success to date, it should be worth waiting for.

Southern Italian Food and Cigars

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:14:52 -0800

[Editor's Note: To see more photos of the Cigar Event, click on the link for the EVENT SLIDESHOW.]

The concept for this cigar dinner started in 2008 in the Dominican Republic. Cigar retailers Doug Shaw of the Sanctuary Tobacco Shop and Christina Fontecchio of The Boss Cigars were visiting the Dominican Republic during the 2nd Annual ProCigar Festival. During the last evening of the festival there was a fabulous dinner and an auction of many rare and wonderful prizes. Doug and Christina joined together to bid and win a one-of-a-kind custom made humidor stocked with 166 Vega Fina 2008 Especiales cigars. Their thought at the time was to put on an event with an auction and the proceeds going to a local charity. Their dream became a reality this past week when they put on a Southern Italian Feast at Giuseppe's Cucina Italiana Restaurant in Pismo Beach, California.

Above: Doug Shaw welcomes guests
Below: Steven Ysidron (Savinelli) and Christina Fontecchio

Giuseppe's was the perfect locale with an open air tent lounge and dining area featuring Savinelli Cigars and wines by Roxo Port Cellars and Nipa Cellars. Nearly 100 people were wined and dined and treated to great food, libation and cigars.

Basking in the unusually high heat and humidity for November, guests enjoyed three different Savinelli Cigars and two local boutique wines: Nipa Cellars wines and Roxo Ports. Cigars included the Savinelli ELR, made by Tabacalera Fuente, the RyR, which is made in Savinelli's own factory in Estelí Nicaragua, and the Special Selection 2005, a Nicaraguan puro that was voted one of the top 25 cigars of 2008.

Savinelli makes some of the best cigars that most people have never heard of. But that is about to change. Steven Ysidron recently became the National Sales Director for the company and has embarked on a nationwide tour to promote the brand. I can tell you that Savinelli cigars are a "must try" brand and I think you will be pleasantly surprised. I featured the RyR in episode 185 of my Stogie Fresh 5 podcast and this is an awesome cigar. Perhaps the best new cigar I've tried in 2009!

Above and Below: Auction prize winners

The auction featured some awesome prizes. The grand prize was the Custom made humidor with 166 Vega Fina cigars. There were also T-shirts, hats, lighters, cigar books, cigar cases, humidors and other fine gifts. Proceeds from the auction went to the Family Care Network a private, nonprofit children and families services provider.

Below: Grand Prize Winner: Tony Lukin

With anti-tobacco legislation and sentiment descending across the country, it was a pure pleasure to meet other cigar enthusiasts and enjoy an evening of fine dining, great cigars and great wines, all on the beautiful Central California Coast.

Fumee Lounge Branded

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 13:19:09 -0800

Toraño Cigars and Fumée, Inc. have collaborated to launch the first ever Toraño branded lounge in Cedar Park, Texas, just north of Austin.

"We are thrilled to be working with the Toraño family." says Fumée founder, Heather Haddad. "Charlie Toraño and I have been acquainted since I was graduate student trying to get an internship in the cigar industry. I am happy that today we are partners in this exciting and exclusive project to bring both of our companies to the forefront of the Texas cigar industry."

Below: the Fumée Toraño-branded Lounge

The lounge, which opened last year, will showcase the entire line of Toraño cigars, including limited release and special edition product. The staff has been extensively trained on the Toraño family history and cigar line.

"Collaborating with Fumée is one step in our new direction of increasing interaction with the consumer.” says Charlie Toraño “With a branded lounge, we have a team of partners who are knowledgeable about our family history, and the passion that goes into each Toraño cigar, and can tell our story to our extended family, our consumers."

Below: Heather Haddad
A launch event has been scheduled for December 5th, 2009 from 4-8 PM. Charlie Toraño will personally attend.

About Fumée Inc.
Fumée is a retail and e-commerce cigar company devoted to the art of cigar smoking. Their Cedar Park, Tx lounge is located at 2403 S. Bell Blvd. Services include beer, wine, Green Mountain coffee, Zhi tea, hookahs and accessories. Fumée is online at:
http://www.fumeecigars.com.