internet only CigarJUNE 19, 2018 n VOL.Insider 23, NO. 12 n FROM THE PUBLISHER OF CIGAR AFICIONADO MAGAZINE CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE IN THIS ISSUE: FEATURED CIGAR TASTING REPORT: H. UPMANN PREVIEWS FROM THE AUGUST 2018 SIR WINSTON ISSUE OF CIGAR AFICIONADO: CUBA n PRICE: £32.91 n BODY: MEDIUM POINTS94 n H. Upmann Sir Winston [page 2] For a full tasting, see page two. n The Wise Man Maduro Robusto [page 2] n Vegas Cubanas Generosos [page 2] n Alec Bradley Black Market Estelí Churchill [page 2] BEST CIGARS THIS ISSUE n Ashton Aged Maduro No. 60 [page 3] n Diplomaticos No. 2 [page 3] H. Upmann Sir Winston Cuba 94 n Juan Lopez Selección No. 2 [page 3] E.P. Carrillo Encore Majestic Dom. Rep. 93 n Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series “A” [page 3] The Wise Man Maduro Robusto Nicaragua 93 VERTICAL BRAND TASTING: Vegas Cubanas Generosos Nicaragua 93 n E.P. Carrillo Encore [page 4] Alec Bradley Black Market Estelí Churchill Nicaragua 92 CURRENT RELEASES: 60 92 n Alec Bradley Nica Puro Diamond Ashton Aged Maduro No. Dom. Rep. Rough Cut [page 4] Diplomaticos No. 2 Cuba 92 n H. Upmann Ingot Rosé Churchill [page 4] Juan Lopez Selección No. 2 Cuba 92 Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series “A” Nicaragua 92 CIGAR NEWS n Labor Strikes End in Nicaragua, Country Remains in Turmoil [page 5] n Nat Sherman Restructures Premium Cigar Portfolio [page 6] McCONAUGHEY’S THE MAN n Cano Ozgener, 81, Dies [page 7] ACTOR MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY n Davidoff Diademas Finas Returns for Limited Run [page 7] LOVES CIGARS. From comedy to drama to action, he’s willing to take on any type of role, but n Cigar Industry Appeals Court to Delay New always makes time for a smoke. Also, read about the FDA Warning Labels [page 8] dramatic, 50-year history of Joya de Nicaragua. It’s all n Big Smoke Schedule [page 8] in the August issue of Cigar Aficionado. POLITICAL UNREST PLAGUES NICARAGUA ROADBLOCKS. RIOTS. LABOR STRIKES. VIOLENCE. Right, now Nicaragua is experiencing all of the above, and while the labor strike ended on Friday, the political turmoil continues—and it’s affected the cigar industry. Last week’s nationwide labor strike put a IMAGES temporary halt to cigar production, and the roadblocks along Nicaragua’s Pan-American Highway have delayed outgoing cigar shipments. The anti-government protests started in April when President Daniel Ortega proposed an overhaul to the country’s social security system. This ultimately meant an increase in taxes. Since then, the country has been in chaos ULLOA/AFP/GETTY as protesters demand Ortega’s resignation. For more on this developing story, see page five. DIANA TO SUBSCRIBE GO TO WWW.CIGARINSIDER.COM Cigar Insider CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TASTING REPORT: EXCLUSIVE AUGUST 2018 CIGAR AFICIONADO PREVIEWS 94 RING GAUGE: 47 H. UPMANN SIR WINSTON CUBA LENGTH: 7" A sweet and nutty smoke exhibiting the luxurious qualities of fine FILLER: Cuba chocolate, marzipan and gingersnaps, all brought together by a BINDER: Cuba slightly floral, graham cracker finish. Complex and delicious. WRAPPER: Cuba Box Date: June 2017 Price: £32.91 (U.K.) Strength: Medium 93 RING GAUGE: 50 THE WISE MAN MADURO ROBUSTO NICARAGUA LENGTH: 5 1/2" A rich, cocoa-like earthiness sets the tone for this sweet-and-salty FILLER: Nicaragua cigar, which offers notes of graham cracker and vanilla fortified by BINDER: Nicaragua a meaty, beef stock finish. WRAPPER: Mexico Price: $10.50 Strength: Medium-Full 93 RING GAUGE: 50 VEGAS CUBANAS GENEROSOS NICARAGUA LENGTH: 6" Sweet, rich notes of chocolate-covered raisins lead to a salty, nutty FILLER: Nicaragua finish. A balanced, tasty smoke with a dark wrapper and flat head. BINDER: Nicaragua Price: $7.18 Strength: Medium WRAPPER: Nicaragua 92 RING GAUGE: 50 ALEC BRADLEY BLACK MARKET LENGTH: 7" ESTELÍ CHURCHILL NICARAGUA FILLER: Nicaragua This cigar is draped in a dark, alluring wrapper. Each puff unfolds BINDER: Nicaragua, Honduras sweet notes of chocolate around a hearty core of coffee bean. WRAPPER: Nicaragua The finish hints of rum cake and minerals. Price: $8.75 Strength: Medium-Full 95-100: Classic n 90-94: Outstanding n 80-89: Very good to excellent n 70-79: Average to good commercial quality Below 70: Don’t waste your money n N/A: Not Available Note: Prices are manufacturers’ suggested retail, before taxes. 2 TO SUBSCRIBE GO TO WWW.CIGARINSIDER.COM June 19, 2018 Cigar Insider CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TASTING REPORT: EXCLUSIVE AUGUST 2018 CIGAR AFICIONADO PREVIEWS 92 RING GAUGE: 52 ASHTON AGED MADURO NO. 60 DOM. REP. LENGTH: 7 1/2" An inky, dark smoke whose every puff is sweet and dense with FILLER: Dom. Rep. cocoa powder, molasses, nougat and a caramel finish. BINDER: Dom. Rep. Price: $12.40 Strength: Medium WRAPPER: U.S.A./Conn. Broadleaf 92 RING GAUGE: 52 DIPLOMATICOS NO. 2 CUBA LENGTH: 6 1/8" First puffs of this pirámide are floral and woody, but the cigar becomes FILLER: Cuba rich and sweet with notes of chocolate-covered almonds and honey. BINDER: Cuba Box Date: September 2017 WRAPPER: Cuba Price: £21.58 (U.K.) Strength: Medium-Full 92 RING GAUGE: 50 JUAN LOPEZ SELECCIÓN NO. 2 CUBA LENGTH: 4 7/8" Rich notes of leather, nuts and chocolate play beautifully off of this FILLER: Cuba cigar’s spicy, cedary core for a well-balanced and delicious smoke. BINDER: Cuba Box Date: November 2017 WRAPPER: Cuba Price: £19.13 (U.K.) Strength: Medium-Full 92 RING GAUGE: 50 PADRÓN 1964 ANNIVERSARY SERIES “A” DOM. REP. LENGTH: 8 1/4" A long cigar with a very flat head. Initial puffs are light and herbal, but FILLER: Nicaragua this cigar intensifies to show sweet, rich notes of chocolate and vanilla, BINDER: Nicaragua maraschino cherry, and a toasty, nutty finish redolent of hazelnuts. WRAPPER: Nicaragua Price: $34.10 Strength: Medium-Full 95-100: Classic n 90-94: Outstanding n 80-89: Very good to excellent n 70-79: Average to good commercial quality Below 70: Don’t waste your money n N/A: Not Available Note: Prices are manufacturers’ suggested retail, before taxes. 3 TO SUBSCRIBE GO TO WWW.CIGARINSIDER.COM June 19, 2018 Cigar Insider CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE family history. According to the company, the tobacco in Encore TASTING REPORT was aged in tercios (bales wrapped in palm bark) for two years before the cigars were made. The Majestic size showed impressive balance and complexity, scoring an outstanding 93 points. E.P. CARRILLO ENCORE Average Rating: 90.0 points NEW RELEASE—VERTICAL BRAND TASTING Country: Dominican Republic Maker: Tabacalera La Alianza S.A. ALEC BRADLEY NICA PURO Distributor: EPC Cigar Co. CURRENT RELEASE Filler: Nicaragua Country: Nicaragua Binder: Nicaragua Maker: Plasencia Cigars S.A. Wrapper: Nicaragua Distributor: Alec Bradley Cigar Co. Release Date: March 2018 Filler: Nicaragua MAJESTIC Binder: Nicaragua 93 POINTS n 5 3/8" x 52 n $11.50 n Humidor Selection Wrapper: Nicaragua Elegant impressions of English breakfast tea, orange Purchase Date: May 2018 peel and sweet caramel are balanced by a hearty, woody backbone of oak. DIAMOND ROUGH CUT Body: Medium 91 POINTS n 6 1/4" x 54 n $9.13 n Humidor Selection A box-pressed cigar with an unusual diamond shape. EL PRIMERO Every puff is leathery and earthy, buttressed by touches 90 POINTS n 6 7/8" x 54 n $12.50 of baking spices, minerals and white pepper. This box-pressed Churchill has a lush draw and wavy Body: Medium to Full burn. It delivers sweet notes of brown sugar and oak with zesty touches of citrus and spice. Body: Medium to Full H. UPMANN INGOT ROSÉ VALIENTES CURRENT RELEASE 90 POINTS n 6 1/8" x 52 n $12.25 The toasty smoke of this box-pressed torpedo shows Country: Dominican Republic pleasing notes of graham cracker, almond and a touch Maker: Tabacalera de Garcia S.A.S. of sweet herbs. The finish is nutty. Distributor: Altadis U.S.A. Inc. Medium to Full Body: Filler: Dom. Rep., Nicaragua, Peru CELESTIAL Binder: Nicaragua 87 POINTS n 6 1/8" x 50 n $11.75 Wrapper: Cameroon There are some soft spots to this box-pressed cigar. Release Date: July 2017 Notes of charry oak wood are intertwined with touches of nuts, clove and cinnamon. The finish is a bit dry. CHURCHILL Body: Medium 88 POINTS n 6 3/4" x 48 n $12.00 Draped in a coarse, rustic cover leaf, this Churchill has BRAND SUMMARY: Encore is the second release in EPC Cigar a tight draw that imparts elements of cedar and earth. Co.’s “Perez-Carrillo Series” after La Historia, released in 2014. Hints of citrus and nougat also come through. Like its predecessor, the brand is a tribute to the Perez-Carrillo Body: Medium 95-100: Classic n 90-94: Outstanding n 80-89: Very good to excellent n 70-79: Average to good commercial quality Below 70: Don’t waste your money n N/A: Not Available Note: Prices are manufacturers’ suggested retail, before taxes. 4 TO SUBSCRIBE GO TO WWW.CIGARINSIDER.COM June 19, 2018 Cigar Insider CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE said. “We are so proud of our people that they are committed to making great cigars despite the situation.” CIGAR NEWS The 24-hour strike began last Thursday and ended on Friday morning, prompting peace talks between the govern- ment and opposition officials. Mediated by the Catholic LABOR STRIKES END IN Church, the dialogue resulted in a cease-fire agreement. NICARAGUA, COUNTRY REMAINS The government has also agreed to allow an independent investigation commission into the country, but one thing was IN TURMOIL made clear—President Daniel Ortega intends to finish his BY GREGORY MOTTOLA presidential term, which ends in 2021.