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Weekly Tip – Finish?

February 17, 2012 by Nathan

Q: The term “finish” keeps cropping up in various cigar reviews. It is often described as ”long” or ”short.” What exactly is a cigar’s finish?

A: The finish of a cigar is the residual flavor sensed by the palate and olfactory gland immediately after all of the smoke has been pushed out of the mouth. The perceived length of a cigar’s finish is primarily dependent on body. Generally speaking, a mild cigar will have a shorter finish than a full-bodied cigar; however, there are exceptions to this rule. A fuller bodied cigar will also typically have a denser, more distinct (and sometimes quite complex) set of flavors on the finish. This term should not be confused with aftertaste, which is the flavor remaining on the palate long after the cigar has been finished.

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Discontinued Cuban Cigars

February 8, 2012 by Nathan

Only a Communist would discontinue such a great cigar as the Bolivar Corona Extra. Habanos S.A. is streamlining production, and many outstanding (and in some cases, classic) cigars have been given the axe. I singled out the Corona Extra since it was the first cigar I smoked in 2012 and is perhaps the best cigar on the Habanos chopping block this year; however, there are a total of fourteen different cigars that have made their last appearance:

Bolivar Corona Extra
Cuaba Tradicionales
Fonseca No. 1
Hoyo de Monterrey Churchill
La Gloria Cubana Tainos
Punch Petit Corona
El Rey del Mundo Petit Corona
Romeo y Julieta Corona
Romeo y Julieta Petit Princess
Sancho Panza Molinos
Trinidad Robusto T
Trinidad Robusto Extra
Vegas Robaina Clasicos
Vegas Robaina Familiar

The most tragic entries in this list are the Bolivar Corona Extra, which was the standout of the Bolivar marca; Trinidad Robusto T, which may well have priced itself out of favor; and the Vegar Robaina Familiar, which has found itself lost in the “fat cigar” fad.

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First Cigar of 2012

February 3, 2012 by Nathan

I’ve always been the type of cigar enthusiast that attentively chooses his or her cigar taking into account many variables; the flavors I am in the mood for, the size, the length of time I want to spend, and whether or not I am in the company of others. I feel I owe this consideration to the many great artisans that labored to create the very cigar I hold in my hand. They gave their best to create this organic masterpiece, and I should give my best to enjoy it. Given this idiosyncrasy of mine, it should come as no surprise that I gave at least as much thought to the first cigar I chose to smoke in 2012.

I was meeting a fellow cigar aficionado for the sole purpose of having a cigar in fine company and discussing current industry trends. After arriving early I opened my leather cigar case and removed a Bolivar Corona Extra from 2005. The wrapper was slightly dry from years in the humidor, but the cigar possessed a captivating musty aroma. Just as I began to question whether or not I had the self-control to wait for my acquaintance he walked up from behind and sat at the table. Mellowed by seven years of aging, the Bolivar descended on my palate softly but with unsurpassed beauty. It was sharing with me the finesse and charm that only comes when the slow but unyielding hands of time are not rushed. I tried in vain to remember what I was doing seven years ago, but it did not matter. For the better part of two hours I was in paradise…

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New Padrón – 1964 No. 4

January 31, 2012 by Nathan

Padrón Cigars inc. has added a new cigar to company’s 1964 Anniversary Series with the No. 4. Launched in 1994 to commemorate the company’s 30th anniversary, the Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series is constantly ranked among some of the best cigars in the world. The hefty No. 4 measures six inches long by 60 ring gauge and is available in both natural and maduro wrappers.

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Weekly Tip – Cardboard Packaging

January 26, 2012 by Nathan

Q: I purchased a few three and five packs of cigars that are housed in a cardboard container. Should I put the entire container in my humidor?

A: Some aficionados place the entire cardboard container in their humidor as they would a cedar box. I recommend removal of the cardboard packaging before storage for a few reasons. First, cardboard is an organic material like Spanish cedar; however, cardboard differs in the sense that it does not have any natural anti-fungal properties. Damp cardboard is an ideal breeding ground for potential mold spores. Secondly, dyes used in decorating the container may bleed onto the humidor’s lining or the wrappers of unprotected cigars over time.

photograph by martemadrid

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2011 Cigar of the Year

January 17, 2012 by Nathan

Cigar Aficionado’s perpetually divisive list of the top 25 cigars of the year continues to provoke emotionally charged discussion among aficionados around the world with the recent release of The 25 Best Cigars of 2011. Perhaps no other cigar on this year’s list has garnered as much criticism as the Alec Bradley Prensado Churchill, which secured its place at the top as 2011′s Cigar of the Year. Many cigar smokers retorted in disgust, claiming that the Prensado Churchill did not belong on the list whatsoever. Other smokers raised the more general complaint that the proportion of domestic cigars to Cuban cigars was too high given the fact that Cigar Aficionado had dubbed 2011 a “vintage year” for Cuban cigars months earlier. Either way, the list of cigars assembled by the Cigar Aficionado staff is a thought-provoking arrangement of quality cigars.

The top five cigars of 2011 as rated by Cigar Aficionado are:

Alec Bradley Prensado Churchill
La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor Belicoso
Illusione Epernay Le Taureau
Partagás Serie P No. 2
Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series Exclusivo Maduro

I personally would have swapped the first and second place cigars; however, I feel each of the top five cigars are deserving of mention.

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Cohiba Siglo III

October 19, 2011 by Nathan

Country: Cuba

Size: 6 1/8″ x 42

Vitola: Lonsdale

Box Date: March 2008

Price: £14.00

The Cohiba brand is immediately familiar to those with an affinity for Cuban cigars. This legendary marca utilizes some of the finest tobacco available in Cuba and rarely fails to dissappoint. Cohibas are almost always pricy; however, the prices are completely justified given the tobacco quality and extremely rigid quality control standards.

The chocolate brown wrapper on the Siglo III is completely free of blemishes, and the construction is impeccable from the perfectly applied triple cap to the squarely cut foot. The cigar emits a tantalizing prelight aroma of sweet tobacco and cedar.

A perfect draw allows the palate to become enveloped with a dense creamy smoke that is rich in flavors of burnt vanilla, leather, Christmas spices, and chocolate. The finish is sweet with spiced wood but doesn’t linger very long. This cigar is smooth, round, and harmonious.

Appearance/Structure – 14/15

Smoking Characteristics – 23/25

Flavor – 24/25

Overall Impression – 33/35

Total – 94 points

photograph by publikaccion.es

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