Posted in Cigar Musings, tagged Arturo Fuente, Ashton, AVO, Davidoff, Ecuador, Ecuadorian Connecticut, Ecuadorian Habano, Ecuadorian Sumatra, Ecuadorian Sun Grown, La Flor Dominicana, La Gloria Cubana, Litto Gomez on February 22, 2010| 8 Comments »
Q: How do you make a cigar wrapper taste better?
A: Grow it in Ecuador!
OK, call it in – it’s over. I can guarantee one of the hottest cigars of the year will feature a Ecuadorian wrapper. Why? Because it seems that EVERY new cigar has a Ecuadorian wrapper on it!
So what’s so magical about this little country and it’s wrapper leaf?
Map of Ecuador (Source Worldtravels.com)
Posted in Other, tagged 601, Ashton, Don Pepin Garcia, El Rey de los Habanos, Espinosa y Ortega, La Aroma de Cuba, My Father, San Cristobal, Tabacos Baez, Tatuaje, Tatuaje Monster Series, Vegas Cubanas on June 16, 2009| 6 Comments »
There is no one cigar maker more popular than Don “Pepin” Jose Garcia… or busier! His tiny little shop in Little Havana has exploded into several factories in Nicaragua and more brand names and collaborations than you can shake a stick at. He has almost single-handedly changed what comes to mind when consumers think of Nicaraguan cigars. He has helped make the lancero and salamone popular and sought after sizes. And full-bodied cigars? The bar has been raised through the ceiling.
Pepin & Jaime
Posted in Ashton, Cigar Reviews, tagged Ashton, Peterson on August 29, 2008| Leave a Comment »
Size: 5 1/2″ x 44
Vitola: Corona
Wrapper: Cameroon
Origin: Dominican Republic
From the Vault: I’m not even sure how long ago theses came out. This line was released in 2005 and discontinued shortly thereafter. If memory serves me correctly, this was a cigar made for the Peterson Pipe Company which was distributed by Asthon and was made by General cigar. Whew!
This has been in my humidor for a while, I had actually forgot it wa sin there.
The cigar has a nice light brown wrapper with few visible veins. It has an even draw with a punch, with lots of smoke from every draw.
As far as taste goes, there is strong metallic note on the finish. The flavor is woody with some leather. Halfway through the leather intesnsifies and there is less metal on the finish.
It’s a shame this was discontinued as it has one of favorite cigar band designs. Unfortunatley this is just an ok cigar; not great enough to keep it from going the way of the dodo.
Rating: 85 (B)
Posted in Ashton, Cigar Reviews, tagged Ashton on August 20, 2008| Leave a Comment »
Size: 5″ x 50
Vitola: Robusto
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade
Origin: Dominican Republic
Derek from Empire Cigars has been giving me a hard time about giving one of his favorite cigars, the Ashton Classic, another chance. I had told him and others that I always preferred AVOs to Ashtons because I felt that the Ashtons were always bland and one-dimensional, while the AVOs are mild, but flavorful. So I finally grabbed a robusto and gave it another shot.
The pale robusto had an even draw with a punch cut. The cigar is firmly packed but gives off a decent volume of smoke.
The taste is in fact uniform and one-dimensional with flavors of balsa wood and grass. There is a slight creaminess which is nice. The burn is nice and even all of the way through; the finish is long and slightly metallic with some bitterness to it.
All in all this is what I remembered of this line. But when I mentioned this to Derek he said that I should have tried the corona or the new panatela. Oh well, I gave it a shot. 🙂
Rating: 84 (B)
Posted in Other, tagged Arturo Fuente, Ashton, Cuesta-Rey, Diamond Crown, Montesino, Opus X, Savinelli, Sosa on August 8, 2008|
A name that is recognized all over the world, led by two of the most renowned blenders/manufacturers in the business, Carlos Fuente Sr. and Carlos “Carlito” Fuente Jr. This is the name behind the Hemingway and the Opus, which is probably the most sought after cigar in the US. This is also the family that grew the first Dominican wrapper, for the Fuente Fuente Opus X.
The cigar brand Arturo Fuente has been around since 1912, when the company began in Ybor City in Tampa, FL. After the business was passed down to Carlos Sr from Arturo Fuente, the company began to realize the art of cigar making was a dying art in the US, so they built a factory in Nicaragua, but the factory was soon destroyed by a fire, as was one they built in Honduras.
In 1980, they moved the operation to the Dominican Republic, starting with only 8 rollers! Currently the Fuentes have 2,500 employees working in 4 factories in the DR.
Arturo Fuente is famous for two wrappers – the Cameroon and the Dominican wrappers.
The Cameroon wrapper is featured in the AF line, but also in the Don Carlos and Hemingway lines. The Fuente Fuente Opus X uses the first Dominican grown wrapper.
The Fuente Family is responsible for producing 40 different cigars! Below is the list of the 40 different cigars made by the Fuente Family, under their name and for many others.
Fuente Family Cigars– made by the Fuentes but not under the Arturo Fuente brand.
JC Newman cigars– in the 80’s the Newman and Fuente families came together to form the Cigar Family. The two together combine for over 200 years of cigar making experience!
Ashton Cigars– the Levin family, owners of Holt’s cigar shop, commissioned the Fuente family to make cigars for a new premium brand. The VSG line but them on the map.
Holt’s Cigars – since 1957, the Levin family has been selling cigars. They teamed up with the Fuentes to make two brands: Holt’s and Ashton.
Prometheus – commissioned by Prometheus, a high end lighter manufacturer these cigars are very hard to find.
Savinelli – is a Italian lighter and cigar accessory company, the US outfit, located in Morrisville, NC, sells several different lines of cigars, the ELR is made by Fuente.
Sosa– Don Juan Sosa was a small tobacco grower in the fertile Taquasco region of Cuba at the turn of the century. The Sosa Family commissioned the Fuentes to make the cigars below.
Posted in Cigar Reviews, New Releases, tagged Ashton, CAO, Carlos Torano, Don Pepin Garcia, Drew Estate, Dunhill, EO, Gran Habano, Gurkha, La Aurora, Oliveros, Perdomo, Punch, Rocky Patel on July 29, 2008| Leave a Comment »
Here’s another list of some upcoming new releases!
Dunhill 100th Anniversary Edition – similiar to the Signed Range. More info here.
Don Pepin Garicia Tobacos Baez – in addition to the new “My Father” line, Tobacos Baez will be a slight departure for Garcia as this blend uses a Connecticut wrapper (may be similiar to the Cabaiguan?).
Gurkha – becasue apparently Kaizad Hansotia was geting bored with the three million lines he has out already, enter Gurkha Fury and Gurkha Dragonfire. The Fury features a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper.
EO brands – OK, so Pepin is getting about as bad as Gurkha, here’s two more blends this year for EO(United Tobacco): Mi Barrio and Cubao. Cubao features a Nicaraguan Oscuro wrapping Nicaraguan Cuban-seed fillers. Mi Barrio is going to be very pricey and a seasonal release (each release will be a different blend) to honor Edin Gutierrez(?).
CAO – other than the LX2, CAO is also adding to the Flavours line with Cherry Bomb, which will taste like Cherry and Vanilla… and tobacco. They are also adding a box-pressed size to the Italia line and another new sampler called the CAO Champion sampler featuring 10 cigars that rated over a 90 on Cigar Aficionado. OK…
Carlos Torano – The Tribute is back! After 4 years, the 2008 Tribute will feature 5-year old tobacco and a Brazlian Mata Fina wrapper. In addition to the Tribute, Torano willalso release the Silver and Gold Sampler, it’s a seven cigar sampler featuring 3 cigars each from the Exodus Silver and Gold lines as well as a seventh Prototype cigar in the salamone size.
Punch One – the last of the new releases from General Cigar, the Punch One features a Connecticut Broadleaf Oscuro wrapper (everyone’s going Oscuro now…) and the blend will be more refined.
Ashton ESG – the 22-Year salute will be out, this is the third i the 50year 5 cigar line and will be a 6.5″ x 55 torpedo. it will be expensive.
Oliva Serie V Maduro – The Serie V was huge this year and last, and the Maduro version will probably be huge as well. These will be made in limited quantities. Only 50,000 made in this “one time” production.
Drew Estate – The Tabak Especial will replace the discontinued Kahlua line. They’re out now at Capital City Cigars.
Perdomo – Tons of releases from Perdomo this year, including the return of an “old friend”. First, the Perdomo Reserve 10th Anniversary with two choices: a Cuban Criollo or a Nicaraguan sun-grown maduro wrapper. The Perdomo Patriarch in honor of Nick Sr., this blend features Nicaraguan tobacco and either a Corojo or Nicaraguan sun-grown maduro wrapped version. Nad last, welcome back Perdomo²! The box-pressed Nicaraguan Puro will be available in Natural or Maduro.
Rocky Patel – Good Lord, I’m getting tired typing! Rocky is plugging two Seasonal Blends, the Summer and Autumn as well as the Renaissance with either a Ecuadorian Habano or Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper.
Gran Habano – this company is on the rise after the success of the 3 Siglos line and brought two new cigars to the IPCPR: the G.A.R. and the Gran Habano Cabinet Selection. The G.A.R. will feature and Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper while the Cabinet will be box-pressed with big ring gauges and a Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper.
La Aurora Puro Vintage 2003 – another new release from La Aurora featuring 5-year old tobacco and an Ecuadorian wrapper.
Oliveros King Havana – Rafael Nodal shocks me. His cigars are not good yet he’s still truckin’. Something new Nicaraguan puro here with either a Claro or Oscuro wrapper.
Posted in Cigar News & Notes, New Releases, tagged Ashton, Don Pepin Garcia, La Aroma de Cuba, Macanudo on July 19, 2008| Leave a Comment »
News on new releases just keeps rolling in. Here’s two quick links to some new stuff:
New La Aroma de Cuba made by Don Pepin Garcia for Ashton! This new Nicaraguan made cigar we be called La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial!
The next is kind of a suprise, a new line for Macanudo, that’s going to be full-bodied?? This line will be called the Macanudo 1968. Hmm.
Posted in Ashton, Cigar Reviews, tagged Ashton on July 19, 2008| Leave a Comment »
Size: 6″ x 56
Vitola: Toro
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sun Grown
Origin: Dominican Republic
I picked this up at Capital City Cigars when Ashton first debuted this new size in the VSG line and the first one I had was pretty unexciting. So the other I put away for a while. Here’s my review:
I punched the cigar and the pre-light draw was nice and easy. The burn was a little crooked at first, but evened out soon after. The cigar tasted like it had aged nicely, very smooth with Dutch cocoa and leather notes.
The cigar was not that spicy, it was milder than its smaller cousins, but this I think is a function of the extra-large ring gauge.
As I smoke this, I think back a few years and remember how this was one of the strongest lines out there at the time. This is now just a nice medium to full bodied cigar.
The age has really helped the cigar, not overly complex just good flavors like mild black coffee and licorice with a subtle sweet core. I enjoyed this cigar a lot!
Rating: 89 (B+)
Posted in Ashton, Cigar Reviews, Don Pepin, tagged Ashton, Benchmade, Don Pepin Garcia on June 29, 2008| Leave a Comment »
Size: 5″ x 50
Vitola: Robusto
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Origin: Nicaragua
The Benchmade cigar is a new from Ashton by Don Pepin Garcia (what isn’t he making?) that is created to set the benchmark for inexpensive cigars. That crown has been held by Oliva (the Flor de Oliva bundles) for quite some time. We’ll see.
The pigtail head is loosely tied so that when you punch it or clip it, it kinda begins to unravel on you. It has a nice easy draw as I expect out of a mixed filler (some short filler and long filler) cigar, but often times as a result of underfilling the cigar, see evidence below.
The flavors are straightforward Pepin, medium-bodied and strength with a little bit of pepper and earth with a hint of cocoa. The ash is flaky, decent smoke volume, but the cigar does begin to heat up halfway through. And of course being a mixed filler, there is no complexity.
I guess I can’t really expect much from a mixed filler and this does nothing for me to reward it the new king of the cheapo stogie, that still belongs to Oliva.
Rating: 80 (B-)
Posted in Cigar News & Notes, New Releases, tagged Alec Bradley, Ashton, Camacho, Cubao, Don Pepin, Liberty, Puros Indios, Rocky Patel, Tempus on June 12, 2008|
Here’s a collection of links to articles on new and upcoming ’08 releases!
Reyes Family Cigars from the creators of Puros Indios and Cuba Aliados!
Alec Bradley Tempus! – This has already received a 90 from Cigar Aficionado.
New Don Pepin-made cigar from the guys who brought you the 601 Series (United Tobacco) called Cubao!
Another new Don Pepin-made cigar from Ashton called Benchmade!
Zen & the Art of the Cigar 
