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CigarJULY 26, 2011 n VOL. 16, NOInsider. 14 n FROM THE PUBLISHER OF CIGAR AFICIONADO MAGAZINE

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE IN THIS ISSUE: FEATURED CIGAR TASTING REPORT: MONTECRISTO VERTICAL BRAND TASTINGS: NO. 2 CUBA n PRICE: £18.60 n BODY: MEDIUM 92 POINTS n Don Diego Fuerte By Omar Ortez [page 2] For a full tasting, see page three. n Alec Bradley American Classic Blend [page 2]

CURRENT SIZES: BEST CIGARS THIS ISSUE n H. Upmann No. 2 [page 3] n Montecristo No. 2 [page 3] H. Upmann No. 2 Cuba 92 Montecristo No. 2 Cuba 92 SPECIAL REPORT— NEW CIGARS OF 2011 (PART ONE) Don Diego Fuerte By Omar Ortez Belicoso Nicaragua 91 n Alec Bradley Cigar Co. [page 4] Alec Bradley American Classic Blend Robusto Nicaragua 89 n Altadis U.S.A. Inc. [page 4] Alec Bradley American Classic Blend Torpedo Nicaragua 89 n A.J. Fernandez Cigars [page 5] Don Diego Fuerte By Omar Ortez Robusto Nicaragua 89 n Ashton Distributors Inc. [page 5]

n Augusto Reyes Cigar Co. [page 5] Don Diego Fuerte By Omar Ortez Toro Nicaragua 89

n Beach Cigar Group Inc. [page 6]

n Berger & Argenti [page 6]

n C&C Cigars LLC [page 7] n Curivari Cigars International LLC [page 7] SWISS SHAKEUP n Davidoff of Geneva [page 7] DAVIDOFF, one of the giants of the cigar world, n Di Fazio Cigars [page 8] has new management at the top. CEO Reto Cina retired in May, then top Swiss executives René Hollenstein and Hanspeter Hagmann left the com- CIGAR NEWS pany in June. New president and CEO Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard named James Young U.S. president in July, n Big Changes at Davidoff [page 9] replacing Peter Baenninger. For more, see page nine.

THE NEW SMOKES OF SUMMER: IPCPR ROUNDUP NEW CIGARS ARE HEADING YOUR WAY, AND WE HAVE THE INFO. Our editorial team has returned from the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers (IPCPR) trade show in Las Vegas with piles of information about the new cigars heading to cigar shops around the United States. Ashton Distributors Inc. has a new Ashton VSG, which is round, rather than box pressed. Alec Bradley has made a cigar with 10 different tobacco leaves known as Fine & Rare. Altadis has created an all-Corojo version of the A. Turrent brand (and reblended and renamed H. Upmann). A.J. Fernandez has created an unusually shaped smoke called San Lotano Oval from Nicaragua. For news on those brand new cigars and many, many more, turn to page four.

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corona TASTING REPORT 87 POINTS n 5 1/2" x 44 n $5.00 Rolled with a soft head and veiny wrapper. It smokes evenly, starting with sour apple and woody flavors that turn a bit waxy on the finish. Body: Medium to Full DON DIEGO FUERTE BY OMAR ORTEZ BRAND SUMMARY: Don Diego has historically been a mild- to vertical brand tasting medium-bodied cigar. Don Diego Fuerte by Omar Ortez is the Country: Nicaragua brand’s first step into the full-bodied arena. Altadis U.S.A. Inc. Maker: Agros Tabacos Industriales introduced the line last year, turning the project over to cigar Distributor: Altadis U.S.A. Inc. maker Omar Ortez in Nicaragua. The smokes are made at his Filler: Dom. Rep., Nicaragua Agros Tabacos Industriales factory, and feature dark, Cuban- seed Ecuadoran Habano wrappers blended with a Nicaraguan Binder: Nicaragua binder and Dominican and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos. All the Wrapper: Ecuador cigars come packaged in wood boxes of 27 and are reasonably Release Date: August 2010 priced. While none of the cigars in the portfolio are completely full bodied, we did find most of them to register in the medium-to full-bodied range. The most impressive was the Belicoso, a toasty, Belicoso nutty cigar that scored 91 points. 91 POINTS n 6" x 54 n $6.50 n Humidor Selection Average Rating: 88.8 points This well-formed torpedo has a lush draw that imparts a toasty, cedary smoke tempered by touches of sweet- ness, nuts and black pepper. Body: Medium to Full

Robusto 89 POINTS n 4 3/4" x 54 n $5.50 Alec Bradley American classic blend A meaty, substantial cigar with plenty of smoke to the draw. Cedary notes come through before the slightly NEW RELEASE—vertical brand tasting spicy aftertaste. Country: Nicaragua Body: Medium Maker: Segovia Factory Distributor: Alec Bradley Cigar Co. Toro Filler: Nicaragua 89 POINTS n 6" x 54 n $6.00 Wrapped in a dark, toothy leaf, this cigar starts out a Binder: Nicaragua touch oily tasting, but mellows to show a spicy and Wrapper: Honduras woody flavor profile. Release Date: May 2011 Body: Medium to Full churchill Robusto 88 POINTS n 7" x 54 n $6.50 89 POINTS n 5" x 50 n $4.50 n Best Buy Dark and oily with an uneven cap. It starts out sweet A veiny cigar that draws and burns very evenly, offering a and woody in character, picking up touches of earth and sweet and nutty flavor profile with hints of dried orange mineral notes. peel. A creamy pleasant smoke. Body: Medium to Full 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.

2 To Subscribe Go To www.cigarinsider.com July 26, 2011 Cigar Insider CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE torpedo MOntecristo 89 POINTS n 6 1/8" x 52 n Best Buy A skillfully crafted torpedo with a very pointy tip. The current release initial wheatiness and citrus notes strengthen to show Country: Cuba touches of cocoa. Maker: N/A Body: Medium Distributor: Habanos S.A. Filler: Cuba churchill n Best Buy Binder: Cuba 88 POINTS n 7" x 48 n $5.00 Speckled and veiny in appearance, this large cigar is Wrapper: Cuba essentially sweet with some herbal qualities and hints of Box Date: February 2011 leather and nuts. Body: Medium to Full No. 2 92 POINTS n 6 1/8" x 52 n £18.60 n Humidor Selection toro A nutty pyramid that gains intensity as it smokes, pick- 88 POINTS n 6" x 50 n $4.75 n Best Buy ing up coffee bean and earthy flavors. The aftertaste is This cigar is covered in a veiny wrapper, but smokes sweet and woody. evenly. It is primarily a woody, cedary smoke with some Body: Medium herbal notes that linger on the palate. Body: Mild to Medium gordo H. UPmann 87 POINTS n 6" x 60 n $5.50 current release A thick cigar with an even draw that tastes of oats, cereal and some dry wood flavors. Sweetened coffee Country: Cuba notes come through intermittently. Maker: N/A Body: Medium Distributor: Habanos S.A. Filler: Cuba BRAND SUMMARY: According to Alec Bradley Cigar Co.’s Binder: Cuba owner Alan Rubin, the Tampa-style cigar of the early 20th Wrapper: Cuba Century was affordably priced, smooth, sweet and complex. Box Date: June 2010 So he’s offered his retrospective interpretation of this idea with the Alec Bradley American Classic Blend, a brand that hit retail shops on Memorial Day Weekend. The cigars try to recapture the no. 2 old-world spirit with Nicaraguan filler, Nicaraguan binder and a 92 POINTS n 6 1/8" x 52 n £17.50 n Humidor Selection Connecticut-seed Honduran wrapper. “Since there are so few peo- Well made with consistently even combustion. Light ple around who would remember what this kind of cigar would tea notes and woody intonations become heavier with have tasted like, it was a real challenge for us,” said Rubin. The chocolate, nuts and a bracing black pepper finish. brand was intended to be a wallet-firendly, mild- to medium-bod- Body: Medium ied smoke. The American Classic lived up to its claim as no cigars in this tasting exceeded the medium-bodied range on the strength scale and most are priced at $5 or less. The two standouts were For the latest from Cigar Aficionado, the Torpedo and Robusto, both of which scored 89 points, retail- follow us on Twitter: ing for $4.50 and $5, respectively. twitter.com/CigarAficMag Average Rating: 88.2 points

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names and signatures of the rollers, the factory supervi- sor, and Alec Bradley top brass Alan Rubin and Ralph CIGAR NEWS (Rafael) Montero. What makes it special: A cigar made from 10 different tobacco leaves is very rare. “There’s not enough room on SPECIAL REPORT: the rolling table,” said Alan Rubin. The torcedore “reaches NEW CIGARS OF 2011 PART ONE to the next table for some of the tobaccos.” By Gregory Mottola, Andrew Nagy and David Savona

ALEC BRADLEY BLACK MARKET f you work in the premium cigar industry in the United Made by: Tabacos de Oriente (Nestor Plasencia), Honduras IStates, summer means one thing—it’s trade show time. Wrapper: Nicaragua When the days begin to swelter, the companies that make Binder: Indonesia cigars by hand gather to show their latest wares to their Filler: Panama, Honduras customers at the annual International Premium Cigar & Price: $6.75–$8.00 Pipe Retailers (IPCPR) trade show. The show was held in Details: Made with a somewhat offbeat four-nation blend Las Vegas last week, early for IPCPR, which usually takes of Nicaraguan, Indonesian, Panamanian and Jamastran place in August. The team from Cigar Insider has just Honduran tobaccos, this new cigar has a black-and-white- returned from the show and our notebooks are full of wrap around the bottom two-thirds of the cigar. The cigars information on new smokes. come in five sizes: Robusto (5 1/4 by 52, $6.75); Toro (6 This list, presented in alphabetical order by distribution by 50, $7.40); Churchill (7 by 50, $7.60); Torpedo (6 1/8 company, showcases the new cigars you’ll soon be seeing by 54, $7.60) and Gordo (6 by 60, $8.00). They come in on sale. Most will ship around September. A few are com- boxes of 22 made to look like old crates. “It’s a true me- ing sooner, and fewer still are out now. dium bodied cigar,” said Alec Bradley’s Montero. “It’s all visos and ligeros—no secos.”

ALEC BRADLEY CIGAR CO. ALTADIS U.S.A. INC. ALEC BRADLEY FINE & RARE Made by: Fabrica de Tabacos Raices Cubanas S. de R.L., A. TURRENT PURO COROJO Honduras Made by: Agros Tabacos Industriales, Nicaragua Wrapper: Honduras Wrapper: Mexico Binder: n/a Binder: Nicaragua Filler: n/a Filler: Nicaragua, Mexico Price: $14.00 Price: $7.25–$8.25 Details: This limited-production, medium-bodied smoke Details: This all-Corojo blend is a collaboration between from Alec Bradley is loaded with tobacco. Each cigar con- A. Turrent’s Alejandro Turrent and cigarmaker Omar tains 10 different tobaccos, according to Alec Bradley: Ortez. It features a Mexican San Andrés Corojo wrapper. seven leaves of filler, two binders and one wrapper. The The brand comes in boxes of 21 and is offered in five sizes: release was made by one pair of cigarmakers in Danlí, Robusto (4 1/2 by 54); Toro (5 1/2 by 54); Belicoso (6 1/8 Honduras who were by 54); Churchill (7 by 54) and Toro Gordo (6 by 60). limited to making 125 cigars a day, and the total production run of h. upmann 1844 reserve Fine & Rare for 2011 Made by: Tabacalera de Garcia Ltd., Dom. Rep. is 1,000 boxes of 10 Wrapper: Ecuador cigars (each measur- Binder: Nicaragua ing 6 by 52), or 10,000 Filler: Dom. Rep. cigars. The smokes come Price: $2.25–$6.75 artfully presented, with a Details: H. Upmann, one of Altadis U.S.A.’s biggest hand- tag showing the date the made cigar brands, has been reblended and renamed. The cigars were made plus the company has replaced Indonesian TBN wrapper with

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Ecuadoran Habano, the binder has been ASHTON DISTRIBUTORS INC. switched from Dominican to Nicaraguan and the Brazilian component of the filler blend has been removed, SAN CRISTOBAL ELEGANCIA leaving only Dominican be- Made by: My Father Cigars Inc., Nicaragua hind. The brand is now Wrapper: Ecuador known as H. Upmann 1844 Binder: Nicaragua Reserve. Seven sizes were de- Filler: Nicaragua leted, leaving six: Demitasse Price: $5.95–$6.90 (4 1/2 by 33); Corona (5 1/2 Details: The traditional San Cris- by 44); Robusto (5 by 50); Churchill tobal, made with a blend of hearty (7 by 50); Belicoso (6 1/8 by 52) and Toro (6 by 54). Nicaraguan tobaccos, including What makes it special: A major facelift to an old brand. a dark Nicaraguan wrapper, is too strong for some smokers, so Ashton asked My Father Diamondback Cigars to make a lighter Made by: Agros Tabacos Industriales, Nicaragua version. This San Cristo- Wrapper: Ecuador bal Elegancia, which has Binder: Nicaragua a light wrapper of Ecuador Filler: Nicaragua Connecticut seed, is designed to Price: $4.25–$5.00 be medium bodied. It comes in five sizes: Details: Diamondback references the popular card game Corona (5 1/2 by 44); Robusto (5 by 50); Imperial of the same name, and the Diamondback cigars box (6 by 52); Pyramid (6 1/8 by 58) and Churchill (7 by 50). depicts a spread of diamond-faced playing cards. It has “For us, it’s medium bodied, slightly spicy and clean,” said a Connecticut-seed wrapper grown in Ecuador and was Ashton’s Sathya Levin. Manny Ferrero of Ashton said he blended to be mild by Omar Ortez. It comes in four sizes: found it an ideal pairing with figs and 11-year old Scotch. Corona (5 1/2 by 44); Churchill (7 by 52); Robusto (5 by This cigar is shipping sooner than most IPCPR releases, 54) and Toro (6 by 54). Each cigar is in a box of 20. and could reach some cigar shops as early as this week. Also: The Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real now has a 6 by 60 What makes it special: The first San Cristobal made with a cigar in its line. Dubbed the Magnum, it retails for $6.50. non-Nicaraguan wrapper. The Warlock brand has a Magnum as well, but it measures 5 by 60 and retails for $7.50. Warlock also added a 4 1/2 ASHTON VIRGIN SUN GROWN PEGASUS by 60 Short Belicoso that retails for $6.50. Made by: Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia., Dom. Rep. Wrapper: Ecuador Binder: Dom. Rep. Filler: Dom. Rep. Price: $10.25 Details: The Ashton Virgin Sun Grown (more commonly A.J. FERNANDEZ CIGARS known as the VSG) has been an undeniable hit, and Ashton has added the Pegasus size to the growing portfolio, making this the 12th size. The cigar measures 5 by 54, comes 20 to the box, and will be out in about two months. SAN LOTANO OVAL What makes it special: The Pegasus is one of only three Made by: Tabacalera Fernandez, Nicaragua Ashton VSGs that are shipped round, not box pressed. Wrapper: Brazil Binder: Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua, Honduras Price: $8.99–$12.00 Details: Oval refers to the curvy, ovular appearance of each San Lotano Oval, a semi-pressed and contoured cigar AUGUSTO REYES CIGAR CO. that is flat on top and rounded on the sides. It features a Habano 2000 wrapper and comes in five sizes: Petit Robusto (4 1/2 by 54); Robusto (5 by 52); Corona (5 by FAMILY SELECTION RESERVE 44); Toro (6 by 52) and Gordo (6 1/2 by 60). Made by: Corporación Cigar Export S.A., Dom. Rep. What makes it special: A quite unusual cigar shape. Wrapper: Dom. Rep.

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Binder: Dom. Rep. ished with a tightly coiled pigtail cap. Five sizes are available: Filler: Dom. Rep. Perfecto (4 by 58); Doble Robusto (5 by 58); Gran Roth- Price: $4.50–$6.50 child (6 by 58); Churchill (7 by 54); and XO (6 by 60). Details: A Dominican puro made with a hybrid wrapper Gurkha is known for its extraordinary packaging, and the called Negrito, a Habano-seed binder and a filler of Criollo, box on Cellar Reserve 15 is designed to look like a wine Corojo and Negrito tobacco. It comes in five sizes: Robusto crate, playing up the idea of vintage tobacco. (5 by 50); Toro (6 by 54); Toro Gordo (4 by 58); Gordo (6 by 58) and Master, a torpedo measuring 5 by 66. GURKHA SEDUCTION Made by: Cuevas Factory, Dom. Rep. URBAN Wrapper: Ecuador Made by: Corporación Cigar Export S.A., Dom. Rep. Binder: Dom. Rep. Wrapper: Nicaragua Filler: Colombia Binder: Dom. Rep. Price: $6.80–$9.50 Filler: Nicaragua, Dom. Rep. Details: Packaged in black textured boxes of 21, this eye- Price: $7.00–$8.00 catching cigar comes in four sizes: Robusto (5 by 55); Toro Details: The boxes and bands of Urban are designed to (6 by 55); Churchill (7 by 55) and XO (6 by 60). look like stylish graffiti. Six sizes are available: Robusto What makes it special: An unusual blend: Ecuadoran (5 by 50); Churchill (7 1/2 by 50); Belicoso (6 by 54); Toro Habano wrapper, Olor binder and Colombian Corojo. (6 by 54); Gordo (6 by 58) and Lancero (6 3/4 by 40).

BERGER & ARGENTI BEACH CIGAR GROUP INC. BERGER & ARGENTI GURKHA ROYAL CHALLENGE ENTUBAR V32 Made by: San Rafael Cigars, Nicaragua Made by: GGM Wrapper: Ecuador Exports, Binder: Honduras Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua, Dom. Rep. Wrapper: Nicaragua Price: $5.98–$8.50 Binder: Nicaragua Details: The “royal challenge,” according Filler: Nicaragua to Gurkha, enjoins you to “challenge Price: $10.99–$13.99 your palate as you think back to when Details: A stronger version of the you have ever tasted such a smooth original Entubar, V32 is amped up and complex cigar.” You’ll have five with more ligero and a binder from the sizes to try: Robusto (5 by 50); Toro Jinotega region of Nicaragua. It comes in (6 by 50); Torpedo (6 1/2 by 53); four sizes: Khilla Korona (4 7/8 by 50); Bru- Churchill (7 by 52) and XO to Belicoso (6 3/8 by 60), Rogue Rothschild (6 by 60). The cigars come in (5 5/8 by 54) and Tremendo Toro (6 1/4 by 56). fashionable domed black boxes What makes it special: The cigars still have the sig- with heavily gilded bands. nature protruding core of filler tobacco sticking out of the foot. GURKHA CELLAR RESERVE 15 Made by: Cuevas Factory, Dom. Rep. BERGER & ARGENTI ENTUBAR CRV Wrapper: Nicaragua Made by: GGM Exports, Nicaragua Binder: Dom. Rep. Wrapper: U.S.A./Conn. Shade Filler: Nicaragua, Dom. Rep. Binder: Nicaragua Price: $7.99–$12.99 Filler: Nicaragua, Dom. Rep. Details: Gurkha says this cigar contains some 15-year-old Price: $8.99–$12.99 tobacco inside its filler blend, which is why the cigar is Details: A milder version of the Entubar brand, CRV stands named Reserve 15. All of the cigars are perfectos, and fin- for Connecticut River Valley, where the cigar’s wrapper

6 To Subscribe Go To www.cigarinsider.com July 26, 2011 Cigar Insider CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE is grown. It comes in five sizes: Corona Macho (4 5/8 by GLORIA DE LEON 48); Robusto (5 3/8 by 54); Double Corona (7 5/8 by 54); Made by: Tabacalera de Nicaragua, Nicaragua Torpedo (6 7/8 by 56) and Gran Toro (6 5/8 by 64). Wrapper: Nicaragua What makes it special: While Connecticut seed tobacco is Binder: Nicaragua common, Connecticut from Connecticut is getting rare. Filler: Nicaragua Price: $6.00–$7.80 Details: Packed in boxes of 10, the Gloria de Leon brand is offered in three sizes: Fuerza (4 1/2 by 50); Dominante (5 1/4 by 52) and Prominente (6 3/4 by 54). C&C CIGARS LLC SELECCION PRIVADA MADURO Made by: Tabacalera de Nicaragua, Nicaragua C&C LRMD Wrapper: Nicaragua Made by: n/a Binder: Nicaragua Wrapper: Ecuador Filler: Nicaragua Binder: Dom. Rep. Price: $7.00–$8.50 Filler: Dom. Rep. Details: This is the maduro version of Curivari’s original Price: $3.99–$4.59 Seleccion Privada brand, which uses a Rosado Claro leaf. Details: Created by Joe Chiusano, the former president of The maduro is slightly more expensive and comes in three Cusano Cigars, C&C Cigars follows the Cusano strategy sizes different than the original line: Eminentes (5 1/2 by of providing cigars at a reasonable price. The company 52); Magnificos (6 by 60) and Fabulosos (7 by 52). came to the trade show with three cigar lines, only one of Also: Curivari has a Reserva Limitada line that comes in which comes in a box, the C&C LRMD. While it’s the most three varieties—Classica, Café, and 1000 Series—each expensive of the C&C trio, each cigar in the line retails for with three sizes retailing for $6 to $7.50. less than $5. The cigar comes in Robusto (5 by 50), Toro (6 by 52) and Churchill (7 by 50) sizes, and each are packed 18 to the box. What makes it special: The cigars retail for less then $5. Also: C&C’s bundled cigar brands, made with mixed filler, are even cheaper, retailing for less than $3 each. DAVIDOFF OF GENEVA

DAVIDOFF 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY EDITION Made by: Cigars Davidoff, Dom. Rep. Wrapper: Dom. Rep. Binder: Dom. Rep. CURIVARI CIGARS Filler: Dom. Rep. INTERNATIONAL LLC Price: $22.00 Details: This was Davidoff’s first trade show that incorpo- rated the two companies it acquired previously. Rather than EL GRAN REY having one booth for Camacho, one booth for Cusano and Made by: Tabacalera de Nicaragua, Nicaragua another Davidoff booth, as in years past, everything was Wrapper: Nicaragua in one large area, which was set behind a gray wall set at Binder: Nicaragua about hip height. The show also welcomed the new heads Filler: Nicaragua of Davidoff: Jim Young, president North America of Davi- Price: $8.00–$9.50 doff of Geneva Distribution Inc. (who replaced Peter Baen- Details: Although Curivari has been coming to the trade ninger) and Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard, who joined Davi- show for the last three years, this is the first year the brand doff March 1 and assumed the role of president and chief has U.S. distribution. The cigars are made at a small fac- executive officer of Davidoff Oettinger Group on April tory in Nicaragua owned by the company. Curivari’s 10. Hoejsgaard replaced Reto Cina, who retired in May. El Gran Rey is one of the stronger cigars in the brand port- In celebration of Davidoff’s 100th year (the Davidoff shop folio thanks to its Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper. It comes in in Geneva is 100 years old, not the Davidoff cigar brand) three sizes: Emperadores (5 by 50); Belicoso (5 3/8 by 52) Davidoff has released this 5 by 52 robusto consisting of and Prominentes (6 1/2 by 50). five different filler tobaccos (mostly ligero), a San Vicente

7 To Subscribe Go To www.cigarinsider.com July 26, 2011 Cigar Insider CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE binder and a wrapper grown in the Yamasa region of the camacho liberty 2011 Dominican Republic. Made by: Tabacos Rancho Jamastran, Honduras Also: A toro size of the same blend will be available for Wrapper: Ecuador Davidoff flagship stores. Binder: Honduras Filler: Nicaragua, Honduras, Dom. Rep. Price: $16.70 CorazÓn Details: Since 2002, Camacho has released a version of Made by: OK Cigars, Dom. Rep. the Liberty on a limited scale. The 2011 Liberty is a 6 by Wrapper: Ecuador 54 perfecto, rolled in the company’s proprietary 11/18 Binder: Ecuador format, and this year it has an Ecuador Habano wrapper. Filler: Dom. Rep. Each box contains 20 limited-edition cigars packed and Price: $3.76–$4.25 individually numbered in their own cedar coffins. Only Details: A new value brand from Davidoff, Corazón comes 40,000 of these cigars are to be rolled, and Camacho is packaged in cardboard boxes emblazoned with a thorn- calling it a medium- to full-bodied smoke. Look for them covered heart. There are six sizes: Churchill (7 by 48); in stores now. Corona (6 by 43); Robusto (5 by 50); Toro (6 by 50); Short Robusto (4 by 60) and Short Piramides (3 7/8 by 60). ROOM101 LTD NAMAKUBI EDITION Made by: Tabacos Rancho Jamastran, Honduras DAVIDOFF “WHITE EDITION” Wrapper: Ecuador 2011 BELICOSO SUPREMO Binder: Honduras Made by: Cigars Davidoff, Filler: Dom. Rep., Nicaragua, Honduras Dom. Rep. Price: $6.00–$10.00 Wrapper: Dom. Rep. Details: An offshoot of the successful Room101 brand, the Binder: Peru Namakubi line was inspired by Japan’s Samurai culture. Filler: Dom. Rep. According to the tale, after Samurai clans battled, a freshly Price: $19.00 severed head from the losing party would be prepared on Details: A new concept in a wooden tray then tagged in a regimented manner and Davidoff’s limited-edition presented to the leader of the winning clan. We prefer gifts releases, the White Edi- of cigars. The medium- to full-bodied cigar line comes in tion comes packaged in black satin boxes with no visible clasps or hinges and art white-enameled wooden work by brand owner Matt Booth. There are five sizes: boxes of 10, each 5 1/2 by 52 cigar finished with a white Papi Chulo (4 by 42); Roxxo (4 by 48); Tiburon (6 by 44); footband. The binder is a Peruvian corojo while the wrap- Sucio (7 by 48) and Monstro (5 by 60). The cigars come 20 per is Dominican Criollo. to the box, with 1,000 boxes of each size, save for the Papi Also: Davidoff added a sixth size to its Puro d’Oro line. Chulo, which is packed 50 to the box and is limited to 400 Called called Momentos, the cigars measure 4 by 41 and boxes. They ship in August. come in tins of 5, retailing for $33 ($6.60 per cigar). And Also: The original Room101 LTD Conjura Edition has a The Griffin’s Special Edition XVII for 2011 will measure new size, the 4 by 42 Papi Chulo. It will be packaged in 5 1/2 by 52 with a retail price of $12. boxes of 20 and will retail for $6.60.

ROOM101 CONNECTICUT Made by: Tabacos Rancho Jamastran, Honduras Wrapper: Ecuador Binder: Honduras DI FAZIO CIGARS Filler: Honduras, Dom. Rep. BAROCCO BY DI FAZIO Price: $7.20–$9.18 Made by: American Caribbean Cigars, Nicaragua Details: The latest installment to the core Room101 line Wrapper: Nicaragua has a Connecticut-seed wrapper grown in Ecuador. The Binder: Nicaragua size lineup mirrors the original (which debuted in 2009) Filler: Nicaragua only there will be no 702 or 323 vitolas, and a Churchill Price: $10.00 called the 615 (7 by 48) has been added. Camacho has Details: This new brand from Carmelo Di Fazio comes rolled 200,000 Connecticuts, which are shipping now. The in one ultra-fat size called the Inmenso. Packed in boxes line breakdown is: 213 (5 1/2 by 44); 305 (5 by 50); 404 of 12, the cigar measures 6 inches long by 60 ring gauge. (6 1/8 by 54); 615 (7 by 48) and 808 (6 by 60). Di Fazio intends to add new sizes soon. n

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BIG CHANGES AT DAVIDOFF CIGAR AFICIONADO By David Savona “BIG SMOKE”

wiss cigar giant Davidoff has a new top management structure. The company’s top executives in Switzerland S 28–30 are no longer with the company, its head of U.S. operations October has been reassigned to a new position, and the president of LAS VEGAS • THE VENETIAN its subsidiary Camacho Cigars is now serving as an adviser to the company, which makes its headquarters in Basel. November 30 The changes began in the spring. Hans-Kristian NEW YORK CITY PIER 92 Hoejsgaard joined Davidoff March 1 and assumed the role • of president and chief executive officer of the Davidoff Oettinger Group on April 10. Hoejsgaard replaced Dr. Tickets ARE NOW on sale at Reto Cina, who retired in May. CigarAficionado.com In June, Hanspeter Hagmann, who had been with Davidoff since 1979, and René Hollenstein, who joined the organization in 1982, left the company. “As a result of the new strategy and re-orientation of the Oettinger Davidoff Group, I needed also to transition the organizational structure to a modern management organization to reflect the new focus areas,” said Hoejsgaard in response to an email from Cigar Insider. “This led to a number of changes, including dissolving the functions of IN THE NEXT CIGAR INSIDER René and Hanspeter...Their positions were dissolved and as a result they were terminated.” Our coverage about the new cigars from IPCPR Hollenstein took early retirement, and Hagmann is continues, with cigars from Drew Estate, looking for another position in the tobacco industry. Ernesto Perez-Carrillo and more, plus scores on new In July, on the eve of the IPCPR trade show, Oettinger cigars. Read about it first inCigar Insider. Davidoff Group announced further changes. Peter Baen- ninger, who has been president of the Swiss company’s U.S. operations for 11 years, was reassigned to the new role of head of global retail. His appointment becomes effective Your Next Cigar Insider Arrives on Tuesday, Aug. 2. on New Year’s Day, and he will work in Basel. James Young was named president North America of Davidoff of Geneva Distribution Inc. Young, who starts in his new position on September 1, will work out of Davi- doff’s new headquarters in Pinellas Park, Florida. Young Editor and Publisher Marvin R. Shanken was at the Davidoff booth at the trade show, where he was formally introduced to Davidoff retailers. Prior to serving Executive Editor Gordon Mott as president of Guinness U.S.A., Young was with spirits Managing Editor David Savona giant Diageo in London, and from 1985 to 2001 he held a Director of Research Frank C. Walters variety of positions with Joseph E. Seagram & Sons. Christian Eiroa, formerly the president of Camacho took Tasting Coordinator Gregory Mottola on the new role of adviser to the company. Hoejsgaard said Editorial Assistant Andrew Nagy Eiroa would be an adviser, reporting directly to him, con- Art Director Chandra Hira sulting on Camacho cigar production, product develop- ment and operating as the brand ambassador. Senior Designer Jackelyn Navarro Baenninger’s “success in building our retail stores in the United States,” said Hoejsgaard, “makes him ideally posi- © 2011 M. Shanken Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced without permission. tioned and particularly qualified to take on this new and important global retail role.” Hoejsgaard recently sat down for a wide-ranging inter- view with Cigar Aficionado. The Q&A will appear in the Questions about your subscription? next issue of the magazine. n Email: [email protected].

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