WHERE ARE THEY? N Viaje Cigar Co
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internet only CigarSEPTEMBER 27, 2011 n VoL.Insider 16, no. 18 n From THe PubLiSHer oF CIGAR AFICIONADO maGaZine CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE IN THIS ISSUE: FEATURED CIGAR TASTING REPORT: ILLUSIONE EPERNAY VERTICAL BRAND TASTINGS: Le Taureau HonduraS n PRICE: $11.25 n BODY: medium 93 PoinTS n Casa Fernandez Miami [page 2] For a full tasting, see page three. n Gurkha Cellar Reserve 15 [page 2] NEW SIZES: n Illusione Epernay [page 3] BEST CIGARS THIS ISSUE n La Gloria Cubana Rabito de Cochino [page 3] CURRENT RELEASE: Illusione Epernay Le Taureau Honduras 93 n Trinidad Fundador [page 3] Casa Fernandez Miami Toro U.S.A. 92 SPECIAL REPORT—NEW CIGARS Trinidad Fundador Cuba 92 OF 2011 (FINAL CHAPTER) Illusione Epernay L’Alpiniste Honduras 91 n S.A.G. Imports Inc. [page 4] n Santa Cruz Tobacco [page 4] Illusione Epernay La Vie Honduras 91 n Savinelli Inc. [page 5] Five Tied at Various 90 n Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia. [page 5] n Tabacalera Perdomo [page 5] n Tabacalera Tropical/Casa Fernandez [page 6] n Tabacos S.A. [page 6] n The Cigar Agency LLC [page 7] n Toraño Family Cigar Co. [page 7] WHERE ARE THEY? n Viaje Cigar Co. [page 8] CUBA’S 2011 EDICIÓN LIMITADAS ARE n Xikar Inc. [page 8] NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. More than a month ago, Habanos S.A. announced it would be ship- CIGAR NEWS ping the first of this year’s Edición Limitada cigars to n Where Are Cuba’s Edicíon Limitadas? [page 9] distributors around the world, but no one seems to have n Sherwin Seltzer Retiring [page 9] received any. See page nine for the update. BOLD BOUTIQUE CIGARS FROM AROUND THE WORLD OUR FINAL INSTALLMENT OF THE NEW CIGARS FROM IPCPR features several smokes made by boutique cigar companies. Cigar Agency LLC has turned the once-limited Hammer + Sickle Moscow City line (far left) into a regular production brand. S.A.G Imports has come out with a new brand called Quesada Oktoberfest (second from left), which is designed to be paired with German beer. Casa Fernandez (center) is now made in a small factory in Miami, using the same Cuban-seed tobaccos grown in Nicaragua. Xikar has added a shapely Salomon size to its HC Series (second from right) and Viaje (far right) has a brand known as Late Harvest, made from tobacco that spends extra time in the fields. Coverage of these cigars—and many more—starts on page four. To SubScribe Go To www.ciGarinSider.com Cigar Insider CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE and renamed the brand Casa Fernandez Miami. The Toro Reserva TASTING REPORT is unique, as it’s the only cigar in the line containing medio tiempo tobacco. It’s also more expensive, though not the highest achiever. CASA FERNANDEZ MIAMI That distinction went to the Toro, which scored 92 points. Average Rating: 89.8 points NEW RELEASE—vERTICAL BRAND tasting Country: U.S.A. Maker: Casa Fernandez Miami GURKHA CELLAR RESERVE 15 Distributor: Tabacalera Tropical/Casa Fernandez NEW RELEASE—vERTICAL BRAND tasting Filler: Nicaragua Country: Dominican Republic Binder: Nicaragua Maker: Cuevas Factory Wrapper: Nicaragua Distributor: Beach Cigar Group Inc. Release Date: August 2011 Filler: Nicaragua, Dom. Rep. Binder: Dom. Rep. TORO Wrapper: Nicaragua 92 PoinTS n 6 1/2" x 52 n $7.50 n Humidor Selection Richly hued with minimal veins to the wrapper. Each Release Date: August 2011 puff is loaded with flavors that are nutty and leathery, leaving a cappuccino finish on the palate. HEDONISM GRAND ROTHCHILD Body: Medium to Full 90 PoinTS n 6" x 58 n $10.94 Topped with a coiled pigtail, this dark perfecto has PETIT ROBUSTO a wheaty cereal character that becomes sweeter and 90 PoinTS n 4 1/2" x 52 n $6.80 richer. It draws and burns evenly. This oily robusto tastes of chocolate right from the first Body: Medium puff, taking on a mineral flavor and a wheaty aftertaste that lingers on the palate. KOI PERFECTO #2 Body: Full 90 PoinTS n 4" x 58 n $7.98 A fat perfecto with a spiraling pigtail cap that is wrapped TORO RESERVA tightly to the tip. The initial draw is tight, but it opens up 89 PoinTS n 6" x 54 n $8.90 nicely showing heavy mineral and dark chocolate flavor. An attractive toro with a well-made cap. It burns a bit Body: Medium to Full unevenly, although it draws well, imparting cedar and leather flavors that combine with a red pepper spice. PRISONER CHURCHILL Body: Medium to Full 90 PoinTS n 7" x 54 n $11.94 Dark and girthy with a gleaming wrapper, this large TORPEDO cigar strikes a balance of cocoa bean flavors, woody 88 PoinTS n 6 1/2" x 52 n $7.70 notes and a leathery tasting finish. This symmetrically rolled torpedo burns unevenly, but Body: Medium to Full draws well. A toasty and maple-like sweetness takes on touches of spice and wood. KRAKEN XO Body: Medium 89 PoinTS n 6" x 60 n $12.94 A huge log of a cigar that is a bit weak on the draw, BRAND SUMMARY: Once made in Honduras, the Casa Fernan- though it offers a raisin sweetness and an abundance of dez line has been moved to Miami after brand owner Eduardo nutty flavors around a woody core. Fernandez relocated production to his new Florida facility in June Body: Medium to 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 Septmber 27, 2011 Cigar Insider CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE SOLARA DOUBLE ROBUSTO LA GLORIA CUBANA 88 PoinTS n 5" x 58 n $9.44 An ultra-fat perfecto with a long, pigtail cap wound NEW SIZE tightly atop the head. The burn is fairly even, though the Country: U.S.A. draw is weak, offering primarily woody flavor. Body: Medium Maker: El Credito Cigars (a unit of General Cigar Co.) Distributor: General Cigar Co. BRAND SUMMARY: Taking inspiration from the wine industry, Filler: Dom. Rep., Nicaragua this brand comes packaged in striking boxes designed to look like Binder: Nicaragua crates of wine. The “15” in the brand’s name refers to the age of Wrapper: Ecuador some of the cigar’s filler tobacco. Three cigars scored 90 points. Average Rating: 89.4 points Release Date: March 2011 RABITO DE COCHINO 90 PoinTS n 6 1/2" x 44 n $15.00 (3 cigars) ILLUSIONE EPERNAY A pigtail cap and uncut foot makes this slender cigar interesting to behold. It burns very well, offering a sub- NEW SIZES stantial woody smoke that hints of cocoa and toast. Country: Honduras Body: Medium Maker: Fabrica de Tabacos Raices Cubanas S. de R.L. Distributor: Illusione Cigars Filler: Nicaragua TRINIDAD Binder: Nicaragua CURRENT RELEASE Wrapper: Nicaragua Country: Cuba Release Date: August 2011 Maker: N/A LE TAUREAU Distributor: Habanos S.A. 93 PoinTS n 5 1/2" x 56 n $11.25 n Humidor Selection Filler: Cuba There’s a chocolate sweetness to this chunky, box- Binder: Cuba pressed cigar that also resonates with nutty flavors and Wrapper: Cuba a complex, leathery aftertaste. Box Date: October 2006 Body: Medium FUNDADOR L’ALPINISTE 92 PoinTS n 7 1/2" x 40 n £22.80 n Humidor Selection 91 PoinTS n 6 3/4" x 56 n $12.00 n Humidor Selection Long and thin with a pigtail cap. The draw is a bit firm, A squarely pressed pyramid that draws and burns even- but this lancero shows lots of coffee bean character ly. Woody flavors become cedary and pronounced, tak- balanced by touches of spice and earth. ing on vanilla, almond and floral notes. Body: Medium to Full Body: Medium LA VIE 91 PoinTS n 6 3/4" x 56 n $11.75 n Humidor Selection For the latest from Cigar Aficionado, Covered in a picture-perfect wrapper that is silky to the follow us on Twitter: touch. It starts out with a salty, nutty flavor, growing richer with coffee notes and a toasty finish. twitter.com/CigarAficMag 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. 3 To SubScribe Go To www.ciGarinSider.com Septmber 27, 2011 Cigar Insider CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE Manuel Quesada of the Dominican Republic, comes in two sizes, Primus (6 1/2 by 55) and Optimus (5 3/4 by CIGAR NEWS 52). They are medium- to full-bodied cigars that were rated in the August 9 Cigar Insider, each scoring 88 points. The cigars are made with Cuban-seed wrappers SPECIAL REPORT: grown in Jalapa. They come adorned with two bands, one on the foot, both of which read Domus Magnus Limitada. THE NEW CIGARS OF 2011 Only 5,000 boxes of 10 cigars were made for each size. (PART FIVE) What makes it special: The first pressed Casa Magna. Also: The new Casa Magna Colorado Sanchos is a 4 1/4 bY GreGorY moTToLa, andrew naGY and daVid SaVona by 60 cigar that comes packed in tins of three cigars. They retail for $17.85 per tin, or $5.95 per cigar. his is our final chapter of coverage from the premium Tcigar industry trade show.