WHERE ARE THEY? N Viaje Cigar Co

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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.

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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.

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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

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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. In this last gathering, we have a cigar meant to be paired with the hearty German beers of Oktoberfest, an established Nicaraguan brand that has been moved to a factory in Miami, a cigar named for blood and much more. SANTA CRUZ TOBACCO

V.I.P. CIGAR BY GEORGE RICO Made by: G.R. Tabacaleras Unidas, Honduras Wrapper: Various Binder: Nicaragua S.A.G. IMPORTS INC. Filler: Nicaragua Price: $3.50—$4.50 QUESADA OKTOBERFEST Details: V.I.P. stands for Value in Price, a concept where Made by: Manufactura de Tabacos S.A. (Matasa) one can buy an inexpensive cigar but still feel like a V.I.P. Wrapper: Dom. Rep. on account of the long-filler tobacco. This cigar comes in Binder: Dom. Rep. three varieties. Sweet Tip (Ecuadoran Connecticut wrap- Filler: Dom. Rep. per), Natural (Nicaraguan Habano wrapper) and Maduro Price: $7.95—$8.95 (Nicaraguan wrapper). Three sizes are available: Robusto Details: Intended to be a match for the hearty Märzen-style (5 by 50); Toro (6 by 52) and Gran Robusto (6 by 54). beers produced for the German holiday of Oktoberfest, the new Quesada Oktoberfest is a bold, Dominican puro. It G.A.R. STK SERIES went on sale a few weeks ago. The wrapper is a leaf the Made by: G.R. Tabacaleras Unidas, Honduras Quesadas have dubbed “Dominican Cibao” and the cigar Wrapper: Ecuador, Nicaragua comes in two sizes: Bavarian (5 1/2 by 52) and Über, (6 by Binder: Nicaragua 65). The smokes come packed in boxes of 20. Filler: Nicaragua, Panama Price: $9.00 CASA MAGNA DOMUS MAGNUS LIMITADA Details: Each box showcases the Made by: Plasencia Cigars S.A., stencil art of Richard Kid, who Nicaragua depicts images of exploited, milita- Wrapper: Nicaragua rized children. One size (the 7 1/2 by Binder: Nicaragua 40 Zulu Zulu) comes in two types: Filler: Nicaragua Ecuadoran Connecticut wrapper or Price: $8.95—$9.95 Nicaraguan Habano. Only 1,000 Cigar Insider Rating: 88 points boxes of each were made. Details: The Casa Magna Domus What makes it special: A portion Magnus is a limited-edition run of the proceeds goes to the Invisible of two box-pressed, pigtailed Children charity, an organization cigars. The cigar, a creation dedicated to helping African chil- of the Plasencia family dren whose lives have been detri- of Central America and mentally affected by war.

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SAVINELLI INC. each size, 20 cigars to a box, will be available. The sizes are a 5 by 54 Double Robusto; a 6 by 50 Toro; a 6 3/4 by 54 Torpedo and a 6 by 60 Magnum. DOS CAMPEONES CORAJE AND SIXTO Made by: Tabacalera Estelí, Nicaragua Wrapper: Ecuador Binder: Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua Price: $8.20—$10.00 Cigar Insider Rating: 87.5 points TABACALERA A. FUENTE Y CIA. Details: Dos Campeones, or “two champions,” is actually two blends in one box. In each box of 20 cigars are 10 The Arturo Fuente brand will celebrate its 100th anniver- cigars of each blend, Coraje (Spanish for “courage”) and sary next year, and the company has all manner of new Sixto. The company couldn’t decide on the blend it pre- cigars in the works. The plans are still in flux, and the ferred, so it ultimately went with both. The sizes are the cigars will not hit the market for another year. Cigar same for each blend: Trabajador (4 by 56); Centurion (5 by Insider will have the details as they become available. 52); Esteliano (4 1/2 by 48) and Apice (6 by 54).

SAVINELLI SPECIAL SELECTION 2006 Made by: Tabacalera Oliva S.A., Nicaragua Wrapper: Ecuador Binder: Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua TABACALERA PERDOMO Price: $8.00—$9.80 Details: Savinelli’s third incarnation of its well-received Se- PERDOMO EXHIBICIóN lection Series features Nicaraguan tobacco from 2006 in Made by: Tabacalera Perdomo S.A., the filler and binder. The wrapper is Habano-seed grown in Nicaragua Ecuador. Four sizes will be made available in boxes of 20: Wrapper: Ecuador, Nicaragua Double Robusto (5 by 54); Toro (6 by 52); Torpedo (6 1/2 Binder: Nicaragua by 54) and Triple Magnum (6 by 60). Filler: Nicaragua Price: $6.50—$8.00 SAVINELLI NICARAGUA RESERVE 2007 Details: Offered in three varieties— Made by: Plasencia Cigars S.A., Nicaragua Ecuadoran Connecticut, Sun Grown Wrapper: Nicaragua and Maduro—all versions of the new Binder: Nicaragua Perdomo Exhibición feature barrel- Filler: Nicaragua aged wrappers and a blend of seco Price: $5.60— $6.80 tobacco from the Condega growing Details: An all-Nicaraguan smoke, the Reserve features region, viso from Jalapa and ligero single-vintage tobacco grown by Nestor Plasencia in from Estelí. Four sizes—all with 2007, covered by Colorado Habano wrapper. The Reserve ring gauges of 54—are available: comes in a 4 inch by 56 size called a Trabajador, a 5 by 52 Double Robusto (5 by 54); Toro Robusto, a 6 by 50 Toro, a 6 1/2 by 54 Torpedo, and a 7 by Grande (6 by 54); Churchill (7 by 52 Churchill. Only 500 boxes of 25 are being released. 54) and Torpedo (7 by 54).

SAVINELLI 20TH ANNIVERSARY PERDOMO ESTATE SELECCIóN VINTAGE 2002 Made by: Tabacalera Oliva S.A., Nicaragua Made by: Tabacalera Perdomo S.A., Nicaragua Wrapper: Ecuador Wrapper: Ecuador, Nicaragua Binder: Nicaragua Binder: Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua Price: $12.00—$12.90 Price: $6.99—$8.50 Details: To celebrate 20 years of making cigars, Savinelli Details: Perdomo Estate Selección Vintage 2002 comes is coming out with something special. A sun-grown Ecua- in the same three varieties (Ecuadoran Connecticut, Sun doran Habano wrapper covers a bunch consisting of five Grown and Maduro) as Perdomo Exhibición. Packed tobaccos, all of which are Nicaraguan. Only 100 boxes of in boxes of 20, it comes in four sizes, and again like the

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Exhibición all of them are made with a 54 ring gauge. TABACOS DON ESTEBAN S.A. The sizes are: Robusto (5 by 54); Epicure (6 by 54); Churchill (7 by 54) and Torpedo (6 1/2 by 54). Also: The Perdomo Reserve Limited Cameroon Edition M. VITO HAVANA X MARVO V now has a 4 1/2 inch by 44 ring Petit Corona that comes BOX PRESSED EDITION in boxes of 10. Plus, Perdomo is offering six of its brands Made by: Tabacos Don Esteban S.A., Dom. Rep. in six-pack samplers. Patriarch, Estate Selección Vintage Wrapper: Ecuador 2002, Exhibición, Habano, Reserve and Grand Cru will Binder: Dom. Rep. come with a sampling of different wrapper varieties packed Filler: Dom. Rep. within each box of six cigars. Country: Nicaragua Price: $6.00 Details: This new cigar will come in three sizes: 5 by 50 Robusto, 6 by 52 Toro and a 7 by 56 Churchill. The all Dominican binder and filler is covered by Havana 2000 wrapper grown in Ecuador. TABACALERA TROPICAL/ CASA FERNANDEZ

CASA FERNANDEZ MIAMI Made by: Casa Fernandez Miami, TABACOS MATA FINA U.S.A. Wrapper: Nicaragua Binder: Nicaragua MONTE PASCOAL Filler: Nicaragua Made by: Tabacos Mata Fina (Industria e Comercio de Price: $6.80—$7.70 Charutos Ltda.), Brazil Cigar Insider Rating: Wrapper: Brazil 89.8 points Binder: Brazil Details: The first run of cigars to come Filler: Brazil out of Casa Fernandez’s Miami factory, Price: $4.39—$9.19 Casa Fernandez Miami is a Nicaraguan Details: The brand name Monte Pascoal translates to puro that uses a Corojo wrapper, dou- “Easter Mountain” in Portuguese. The cigar is made solely ble Corojo/Criollo binder and a ligero/ with Brazilian Mata Fina and Mata Norte tobaccos. Six viso blend. It comes in three sizes: Toro sizes are available: Minutos (4 3/8 by 42); Corona (5 5/8 (6 1/2 by 52); Torpedo (6 1/4 by 52) and by 42); Petit Robusto (4 by 50); Robusto (4 7/8 by 50); Petit Robusto (4 1/2 by 52). Belicoso (5 1/2 by 52) and Double Corona (7 5/8 by 49). Also: There is a special 6 by 54 Toro Reserva, blended with medio tiempo tobacco, which the rest of the line doesn’t have. It retails for $8.90.

COPACABANA Made by: TABSA, Nicaragua TABACOS S.A. Wrapper: Nicaragua Binder: Nicaragua SANGRE DE TORO Filler: Nicaragua Made by: Tabacos de Oriente (Plasencia), Honduras Price: $5.24—$5.70 Wrapper: Nicaragua Details: A value-priced cigar that is rolled in a sun-grown Binder: Nicaragua Corojo ’99 wrapper. It comes in three sizes: Toro (6 by 56); Filler: Nicaragua Torpedo (6 by 54) and Robusto (5 by 52). Price: $5.75—$7.50 Also: The JFR brand, a line made “Just For Retailers” now Details: Translating to “Blood of the Bull,” brand owner has a humongous 7 inch long by 70 ring gauge cigar that Jesus Fuego released Sangre de Toro, a Colorado-colored retails for $7.70. line with a sun grown Corojo wrapper, a Criollo binder

6 To Subscribe Go To www.cigarinsider.com Septmber 27, 2011 Cigar Insider CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE and a filler blend that is half Criollo and half Corojo. (7 1/2 by 54); Crown King (5 1/4 by 54); Triangular (6 1/2 The line comes in six sizes: Corona Gorda (5 1/2 by 46); by 54); Titan (6 by 60) and Robusto (5 by 50), retail for Robusto (4 7/8 by 49); Belicoso Fino (5 1/2 by 52); Toro the same price. The medium- to full-bodied cigars come in (6 by 50); Grande (6 by 60) and Original (5 by 44). 20-count cedar boxes.

HAMMER + SICKLE CORONA GORDA Made by: TabaDom Occidental, Dom. Rep. Wrapper: Ecuador Binder: Dom. Rep. TED’S CIGARS Filler: Dom. Rep. Price: $8.00 Details: A new size in the Hammer + Sickle line that mea- HOPZ CRAFT BEER CIGARS sures 6 3/4 by 46. Made by: Victor Sinclair, Dom. Rep. Also: The limited-edition Moscow City line is now a full- Wrapper: Cameroon production cigar brand. Binder: U.S.A./Connecticut Filler: Dom. Rep. Price: $10.00—$12.00 Details: Ted’s, which has a small number of traditional cigars, does a bigger business in flavored smokes. It’s new issue of IPCPR is Hopz, a cigar seasoned with hops, to give TORAÑO FAMILY CIGAR CO. it a taste reminiscent of beer. It comes in two sizes, 6 by 50 and 5 by 38. Each comes packed in a tube. LOYAL Made by: Fabrica de Tabacos San Rafael S.A., Nicaragua Wrapper: Ecuador Binder: Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua, Dom. Rep. Price: $4.95—$5.50 THE CIGAR AGENCY LLC Details: According to Toraño, the company is “loyal to the philosophy of providing outstanding cigars at an afford- ORTSAC 1962 BULLETPROOF able price.” The Loyal brand is an embodiment of this idea Made by: TabaDom Occidental, Dom. Rep. and uses a combination of Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper Wrapper: Nicaragua with filler tobacco from Nicaragua’s Pueblo Nuevo region Binder: Honduras and Dominican Piloto Cubano. It comes in four sizes: Filler: Dom. Rep. Robusto (5 by 56); BFC (6 by 60); Torpedo (6 by 52) and Price: $7.00—$7.50 Churchill (7 by 47). Details: Like all of Cigar Agency’s sticks, Ortsac (Castro spelled backwards) comes uniquely packaged. This time, VAULT 20 cigars come in an EVA bulletproof case that can be Made by: Plasencia Cigars S.A., Nicaragua zipped shut. The wrapper on these sticks is Corojo grown Wrapper: Nicaragua in Nicaragua. Bulletproof will come in three sizes: Robusto Binder: Nicaragua, Honduras (5 by 52); Torpedo (6 1/4 by 54) and Toro (6 by 54). Filler: Nicaragua Price: $7.20—$7.95 LA MEZCLA CUBANA Details: Originally a conceptual blend, Toraño decided to Made by: Victor Sinclair, Dom. Rep. open its tobacco files (from the Vault) and resurrect this Wrapper: Nicaragua blend, tweaking and updating the formula to modern Binder: Nicaragua tastes. By adding a second Nicaraguan ligero binder from Filler: Nicaragua Ometepe and more Ometepe to the filler, Vault is now the Price: $6.00 most full-bodied cigar in Toraño’s portfolio. Four sizes will Details: Brand owner Victor Vitale calls this cigar, which be available: Robusto (5 by 52); Toro (6 by 50); Torpedo comes in both a Sungrown and Maduro version, “an (6 1/8 by 52) and Corona Gorda (5 5/8 by 46.) affordable, luxury cigar.” The wrapper hails from Estelí Also: Both the Master By Carlos Toraño and Exodus 1959- while the filler and binder are a blend of tobaccos from 50 Years brands will be available in a 6 by 60 format called Jalapa and Condega. Each of the five sizes, Lusitania the BFC.

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URBANO CIGARS LLC Filler: Nicaragua, Price: $4.60—$4.80 Details: This new version of Skull & Bones is touted to be URBANO COROJO the strongest cigar in Viaje’s portfolio. Skull & Bones Red Made by: Tabacalera Contreras, Dom. Rep. are stout little smokes with a lot of kick. There are two Wrapper: Dom. Rep. sizes, both 4 1/4 inches long. Little Boy has a 52 ring gauge, Binder: Dom. Rep. Fat Man, 56. Filler: Dom. Rep. Price: $7.00—$7.50 Details: A new cigar made by Tampa, Florida’s Urbano Cigars, Urbano Corojo comes in five sizes: Robusto (5 by 50); Torpedo (6 by 52); Toro (6 by 50); Churchill (7 by 48) and 6 by 50. Villiger Stokkebye URBANO SUMATRA Made by: Tabacalera Contreras, Dom. Rep. International Wrapper: Ecuador Binder: Indonesia LA CAPITANA Filler: Dom. Rep. Made by: n/a, Nicaragua Price: $5.00—$5.50 Wrapper: Nicaragua Details: This new line features a Sumatra-seed wrapper. It Binder: Nicaragua comes in four sizes: Robusto (5 by 50); Torpedo (6 by 52); Filler: Nicaragua Churchill (7 by 48) and 6 by 60 size without a name. Price: $6.75—$7.60 Details: Villiger’s newest premium cigar is a Nicaraguan puro. La Capitana is not scheduled to reach store shelves until November. It will come in boxes of 20 cigars, in three sizes: Toro (6 by 50); Robusto (4 3/4 by 52) and Corona (6 by 43). VIAJE CIGAR CO.

VIAJE LATE HARVEST Made by: Fabrica de Tabacos Raices Cubanas S. de R.L., Honduras Wrapper: Nicaragua XIKAR INC. Binder: Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua XIKAR HC SERIES SALOMON Price: $8.86 Made by: Jesus Fuego at Plasencia Cigars S.A., Nicaragua Details: The tiny Viaje brand has the distinction of hav- Wrapper: Nicaragua ing the No. 2 cigar on Cigar Aficionado’s most recent Top Binder: Nicaragua 25 list. According to Viaje brand owner Andre Farkas, the Filler: Costa Rica, Nicaragua, tobacco of his newest cigar, Viaje Late Harvest, was left on Honduras the stalk longer than usual, as the late harvesting is intend- Price: $10.00 ed to give the tobacco a very distinct taste. Late Harvest Details: Lauded accessories cigars are packed in wood boxes of 35 designed to replicate maker Xikar has added a Bordeaux wine crates. They come in two pigtailed sizes: Salomon to its popular HC LH 550 (5 by 50) and LH 648 (6 by 48). Only 100 boxes Series, a brand that cracked of each size are being produced. Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 cigars list in 2009. The blend VIAJE SKULL & BONES RED for this 7 by 58 ring figurado is Made by: Fabrica de Tabacos Raices Cubanas S. de R.L., the same as the rest of the line. Honduras Xikar is shipping only 10,000 Wrapper: Nicaragua cigars, which will be pack- Binder: Nicaragua aged in boxes of 10.

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STILL NO EDICIÓN LIMITADAS 2011 CIGAR AFICIONADO By Gregory Mottola “BIG SMOKE” LINEUP t has been more than a month since Habanos S.A. Iannounced the release of its much anticipated 2011 Edición Limitadas, but so far, none of the new sizes seem October 28–30 to have surfaced at retail. LAS VEGAS • THE VENETIAN From Rome to Canada to England to Mexico to the Mid- dle East, Cigar Insider contacted distributors, retail shops SEMINARS SOLD OUT—BIG SMOKE EVENING and La Casa del Habano franchises around the world, and TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE no one has yet to see any of the three new smokes. On August 22, Habanos announced the release of the Hoyo de Monterrey Short Hoyo Piramides. Then, on November 30 September 10, Habanos proclaimed that the Cohiba 1966 NEW YORK CITY • PIER 92 (see photo) was “expected in the coming days.” Last Tickets ARE NOW on sale at week, a press release was CigarAficionado.com issued declaring the release of the Ramon Allones Allones Extra. When they finally do hit the market, look for the ratings in an upcoming IN THE NEXT CIGAR INSIDER issue of Cigar Insider. n Breaking news from around the cigar world, along with ratings on hot new cigars. Read about it first in Cigar Insider. SHERWIN SELTZER RETIRING by David Savona

herwin Seltzer, who has worked in the cigar business for Your Next Cigar Insider Arrives on Tuesday, Oct. 11. Smore than 50 years, is retiring. Seltzer, the vice presi- dent of trade development for General Cigar Co., maker of Macanudo, Punch and various other brands, is stepping down on October 31. “There comes a time when you have to stop and do Editor and Publisher Marvin R. Shanken something else,” said Seltzer, 76. “I’ve had a great run in Executive Editor Gordon Mott this business, but at this stage in my life, I want to devote my time to Iris, my wife of 51 years, and my children and Managing Editor David Savona grandchildren.” Director of Research Frank C. Walters Seltzer began selling cigars when they retailed for around Tasting Coordinator Gregory Mottola a quarter apiece. Hired by Brown & Williamson Tobacco in 1957, a year after he graduated college, Seltzer soon Editorial Assistant Andrew Nagy took a job with Faber, Coe and Gregg, a major import- Art Director Chandra Hira er of Cuban cigars into the United States. Seltzer moved Senior Designer Jackelyn Navarro to Nat Sherman in 1978, and in 1980 he joined Villazon & Co., the owner and importer of the Honduran Punch © 2011 M. Shanken Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. and Hoyo de Monterrey cigar brands. General acquired Materials may not be reproduced without permission. Villazon in 1996, and Seltzer became part of that company. He called the acquisition “a turning point in my career.” Seltzer said he was retiring “knowing that [General] will Questions about your subscription? continue to be the best.” For Seltzer’s full story visit cigaraficionado.com n Email: [email protected].

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