internet only CigarMAY 10, 2011 n VoL. 16, noInsider. 9 n From THe PubLiSHer oF CIGAR AFICIONADO maGaZine CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE IN THIS ISSUE: FEATURED CIGAR TASTING REPORT: LA RELOBA SELECCIÓN SUMATRA TorPedo VERTICAL BRAND TASTINGS: nicaraGua n PRICE: $6.50 n BODY: medium 94 PoinTS n PDR 1878 Cubano Especial For a full tasting, see page three. Capa Madura [page 2] n La Reloba Selección Sumatra [page 3] BEST CIGARS THIS ISSUE CURRENT RELEASE: La Reloba Selección Sumatra Torpedo Nicaragua 94 n Romeo y Julieta Regalias de Londres [page 3] La Reloba Selección Sumatra Robusto Nicaragua 92 PDR 1878 Cubano Especial Capa Madura Toro Dom. Rep. 90 CIGAR NEWS PDR 1878 Cubano Especial n Bill Aims to Exempt Premium Cigars From Capa Madura Torpedo Dom. Rep. 90 FDA Regulation [page 4] PDR 1878 Cubano Especial n Cuba’s H. Upmann Factory Moves [page 4] Capa Madura Lancero Dom. Rep. 89 n Altadis U.S.A. Cuts Sleepy Brands [page 5] Romeo y Julieta Regalias de Londres Cuba 89 n Nicaragua’s Bumper Tobacco Crop [page 5] n Alec Bradley Releases American Classic Blend [page 6] n Bargain Smoke from El Credito [page 6] n New Size for Winston Churchill [page 6] RYJ BECOMES UPMANN CUBA’S ROMEO Y JULIETA FACTORY n Brick House Gets a Belicoso [page 7] is the new (albeit temporary) home of H. Upmann n Rocky Patel Hosts Charity Golf Event [page 7] cigars. The factory manager, workers, tobaccos and brands from Upmann have been moved to Romeo y n Perdomo Debuts Champagne Noir [page 8] Julieta while the H. Upmann factory is renovated. For the n Big Smoke Tickets on Sale [page 8] full story on the switch, turn to page four. A BILL DESIGNED TO KEEP AWAY THE FDA THE THREAT OF THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION CONTROLLING THE U.S. CIGAR INDUSTRY has many people in the business losing sleep. Ever since United States President Barack Obama signed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act into law in June 2009, the FDA has been in control of the entire American tobacco industry, but it origi- nally focused exclusively on cigarettes. Insiders fear it is only a matter of time before the FDA turns its attention to cigars. The Cigar Rights of America and the IPCPR have made moves to keep the FDA away from premium cigars. For the full story, and to find out how cigar smokers such as you can help support the bill, see page four. To SubScribe Go To www.ciGarinSider.com Cigar Insider CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE DOUBLE ROBUSTO TASTING REPORT 88 PoinTS n 5 1/2" x 54 n $5.65 Dark and oily with a pigtail cap, this stout cigar begins woody and herbal, gaining a chewy, spicy character as the cigar progresses. PDR 1878 CUBANO ESPECIAL CAPA MADURA Body: Medium vERTICAL BRAND tasting Country: Dominican Republic DOUBLE MAGNUM 87 PoinTS n 6" x 60 n $6.75 Maker: PDR Cigars This thick cigar smokes evenly despite its heft, impart- Distributor: R&F Importers ing a spicy smoke with licorice flavor. The aftertaste is a Filler: Dom. Rep., Nicaragua bit gummy on the palate. Binder: Dom. Rep. Body: Medium to Full Wrapper: Brazil Release Date: June 2010 ROBUSTO 87 PoinTS n 5" x 52 n $5.55 TORO A dark cigar that burns unevenly, but draws well. Char- 90 PoinTS n 6" x 52 n $5.85 coal and anise are the predominant flavors of each puff, A very dark and oily cigar with a tightly rolled pigtail cap. though the anise notes cling to the finish. Pleasant hickory flavors come through the even draw as Body: Medium do touches of leather and earth. Body: Medium CHURCHILL 85 PoinTS n 7" x 54 n $6.65 TORPEDO Combustion problems plague this woody-tasting cigar. 90 PoinTS n 6 1/2" x 52 n $6.15 Toasty notes and anise flavors turn gummy and the poor This pigtailed, cedary smoke burns and draws evenly, burn never corrects itself. showing some licorice sweetness and an earthiness that Body: Medium lingers on the palate. Body: Medium to Full BRAND SUMMARY: The PDR (Pinar Del Río) 1878 Cubano LANCERO Especial brand comes in four different varieties. We tasted 89 PoinTS n 7 1/4" x 38 n $6.55 the Capa Madura, which is distinguished by a Brazilian A well-rolled lancero with a tight pigtail cap. The burn is Arapiraca wrapper that, according to brand owner Abe blistery, but the draw is smooth, offering some savory Flores, was harvested in 2007. The binder is Dominican leather notes with cedary flavors and a fruity finish. Criollo ‘98 and each cigar of the series is finished with a Body: Medium tightly rolled pigtail cap. The Dominican factory where this brand is made was once called Tabacalera Don Leoncio, CORONA but in an attempt to simplify things, it was renamed PDR 88 PoinTS n 5 1/4" x 44 n $5.25 Cigars and is in the process of relocating to a free zone in The draw on this well-made corona is a bit firm. Coffee Tamboril. This is a fairly large line with many sizes, none flavors are most prominent, complemented by notes of retailing for more than $7. The most of impressive were the dried orange peel and sour apple. Toro and Torpedo. Both scored 90 points. Body: Medium to Full Average Rating: 88.0 points 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 may 10, 2011 Cigar Insider CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE LA RELOBA SELECCIÓN SUMATRA with a lighter Habano-seed wrapper grown in the same country. The inside of each cigar is entirely Nicaraguan, “all from our farms vERTICAL BRAND tasting in Nicaragua,” said John Gonzalez, vice president of sales for My Country: Nicaragua Father Cigars. According to Gonzalez, La Reloba was named after one of the oldest cigar factories in Plazeta, Cuba. The wallet Maker: My Father Cigars S.A. friendly brand was released in April of 2010 and was prominently Distributor: My Father Cigars Inc. featured at last year’s IPCPR tradeshow. These cigars scored well, Filler: Nicaragua but two truly stood out: the Torpedo and Robusto, which scored Binder: Nicaragua 94 and 92 points, respectively. And retailing at $6.50 and $5.60, Wrapper: Ecuador each is a bargain, though the value of a 94-point cigar that retails for only $6.50 really can’t be overstated. Release Date: April 2010 Average Rating: 90.3 points TORPEDO 94 PoinTS n 6 1/8" x 52 n $6.50 n Humidor Selection The tip is a bit soft before cutting, but it draws and burns perfectly, showing remarkable balance and complexity ranging from coffee and vanilla to toast and minerals. Body: Medium ROBUSTO 92 PoinTS n 5" x 50 n $5.60 n Humidor Selection A tasty cigar that is laden with pronounced coffee bean ROMEO Y JULIETA flavor from the first puff. The robusto picks up toasty CURRENT RELEASE notes and a sweet wood character. Balanced. Country: Cuba Body: Medium to Full Maker: N/A CORONA Distributor: Habanos S.A. 88 PoinTS n 5 5/8" x 46 n $4.50 n best buy Filler: Cuba Initial wheaty flavors turn sweet and herbal. A cola note Binder: Cuba emerges, but the smoke stays lightly sweet. It draws and Wrapper: Cuba burns evenly throughout. Body: Medium Box Date: March 2010 TORO REGALIAS DE LONDRES 87 PoinTS n 6 1/4" x 52 n $6.00 89 PoinTS n 4 5/8" x 40 n 4.40 euros (italy) This veiny, bumpy cigar draws evenly, but starts out very Rolled with a soft head and attractive wrapper, this little tart and acidic. Eventually, it settles down to a primarily cigar smokes evenly, delivering easy-going floral flavors woody smoke. with hints of toast and cocoa. Body: Medium to Full Body: Mild to Medium BRAND SUMMARY: The Garcia family, which owns and oper- ates My Father Cigars Inc. in Nicaragua and Miami, continues Have a comment about to expand its portfolio of premium cigar brands. La Reloba, a Cigar Insider? cigar available in two wrapper styles, is one of the latest. The La We’d like to know what you think. Reloba Selección Sumatra, which we tested here, has a Sumatra- Email us at [email protected]. seed wrapper from Ecuador, while the Selección Habano comes 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 may 10, 2011 Cigar Insider CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE Canada’s Ministry of Health Promotion must frost the glass of their walk-in humidors, to obscure the view from CIGAR NEWS the outside. Customers aren’t allowed to handle a cigar before buying one. Rather than wait for such potentially industry-threaten- ing legislation to occur, though, the CRA and International BILL TO KEEP PREMIUM CIGARS Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers decided to act. AWAY FROM FDA REGULATION “We have to be proactive to keep the FDA from regulating cigars,” said Jeff Borysiewicz, an IPCPR board by andrew naGy member, co-founder of the CRA and owner of the Corona Cigar shops in Orlando, Florida.