Featured Cigar	Shape	Size	Strength	Country	Panel Rating
CAO Brazilia Gol!	Robusto	5 x 56	7.5	Honduras	94
Cubita	Churchill	7.25 x 50	6.5	Dominican	91
Diesel Fuerte	Churchill	7 x 48	8.5	Honduras	92
Gurkha Expedition Series	Toro	6 x 50	6.0	Dominican	92
Reserva Maxima Media Maduro	Corona	5.5 x 44	7.0	Honduras	93

CAO Brazilia Gol! Robusto

CAO International, Inc. was founded in 1973 by Cano A. Ozgener (hence the CAO in their name) and produces of one of the country's top lines of premium cigars and cigar accessories. Their famous Meerschaum pipes are smoked by presidents, senators and other dignitaries. And while the cast might not be considered "dignitaries", CAO's cigars were featured in the third season of HBO's "The Sopranos" (spawning a separate line of cigars by the same name, with sticks titled "Associate", "Soldier" and "Boss"). They put five years of planning into the production of their Brazilia line cigar before it was released in 2001. And we're officially declaring: it was well worth the wait. The line is characterized by larger ring gauges (the Gol! is just behind the Amazon (6x60) and the massive Anaconda (8x68!))—getting the dynamics right on a large ring cigar can be difficult—but CAO clearly gets it right. Notice the deep maduro Brazilian wrapper—yeah, this Brazilian spent some time in the sun alright (and no tan lines—they wear their bathing-skivvies pretty small down in Brazil ya know). Expect very rich spicy & peppery notes at the opening, with creamy notes developing within an inch and balancing the rich, full-bodied notes of leather & spice that persist all the way through this very consistent smoke. Finishes smooth but firm, with some notes of coffee, which makes a stout or robust porter a great pairing for this cigar. Know what else is great about this cigar? If you're not a soccer fan, now you've got another reason to run around obnoxiously shouting "Gol!!!!!!!" Go ahead, give it a try!

Cubita SMS Churchill

Cigar maker Manuel Quesada and family have been in the cigar business for generations. In Cuba, the Quesada family worked as leaf brokers for everything from cigarette to cigar tobaccos, and they were one of the major exporters of Cuban tobacco to the world market. When forced into exile in 1960, they transferred their entire business to the Dominican Republic where they had been buying and selling tobacco for years. It wasn't long before they began manufacturing cigars there. The name Cubita seems to be a bit of a play on words, since "-ita" added to many Spanish words connotes smallness; with a Churchill of this stature, it's like calling a 6'4" tall, 300 pound dude "tiny". Likewise, small has no business being used when describing the flavor and body of this cigar. The masterful combination of tobaccos, including a Dominican Olor binder and Nicaraguan Ligero fillers, offers medium-to-full-bodied flavor with rich, earthy hints of coffee and cinnamon, all wrapped up in a dark, red-toned Cuban seed Honduran Criollo wrapper. But the flavors don't end there; look also for sweet woody notes, hints of cream and a finish featuring hints of vanilla and nuts. Enjoy with a strong oak-aged brew or fine cognac.

Diesel Fuerte Churchill

About four years ago we featured Rocky Patel's "Diesel Fuerte" line. Powerhouse engine-themed names such as 5th Gear, Corrosion, Crude and Hi-Octane comprised the line up when first released. The idea behind the blend was to create a big-bodied, flavorfully-intense, ultra-strong cigar without the harshness that often comes along for the ride. Recently, the line was suped-up to offer additional complexity and intricacies. The Brazilian maduro wrapper was replaced with a Costa Rican maduro, which offers a touch of sweetness on the finish, which at first is more prominent, but this cigar's flavor profile, like an engine, heats up during the voyage, and the relative sweetness from the wrapper drops back to first gear. Not all strong cigars kick off with a punch in the mouth—the more complex versions can build methodically, with the intensity sort of sneaking up on you. This is one of those cigars. The first third is tamed by the milder Dominican tobaccos in the blend, but the Honduran long leaves kick into overdrive as you travel through this stick. Expect firm notes of rich, aged tobacco, notes of cracked pepper, and slight sweetness in the earthy finish. Just take in the complexity and enjoy the ride. But be forewarned: this diesel puts out more smoke volume than a semi barreling down the highway. Pair with a single malt scotch, and clear the road.

Gurkha Expedition Series Toro

There's no doubt that Gurkha is one of the premier boutique brands on the market today. Their limited-edition cigars are vastly outnumbered by the millions put out by the big national brands, but that's where they capitalize: they use their small, boutique-brand maneuverability to produce numerous cigar blends that epitomize the craft that is cigar making. True craftsmanship goes in to all elements of these cigars, from growing, harvesting and fermenting the tobacco to creating intricate leaf blends to rolling each cigar by hand and of course, packaging (they're instantly recognizable with their old Cuban-style packaging and intricate label designs). The Expedition Series Toro we've sent you is a medium-bodied cigar consisting of extensively aged Dominican long leaf fillers and a unique Connecticut-seed, Ecuador-grown, Colorado-colored wrapper. The cedar sleeve that encases the body of this cigar protects the cigar's construction while imparting a distinct cedary note—expect flourishes of cedar from start to finish in this tasty cigar. Part of Gurhka's appeal is their characteristic flavor—it's hard to pin down, but you know you're smoking a Gurhka—another mark of an artisan's cigar. Our panel members have described it as a smooth nuttiness with woody, nearly floral notes intermingled. We suggest pairing this cigar with a nutty brown ale or a mellow cabernet; two completely different experiences, either will work nicely.

Reserva Maxima Media Maduro Corona

The Puros Indios Cigar Factory, run by Rolando Reyes, Sr., is located in Danli, Honduras. The man has more than 65 years under his belt as a cigar maker—he knows his stuff, which is why we know his cigars. He's recognized as one of the hardest working fellows in the business, and considering his age, he puts many of us to shame with his continued work output (it's been rumored that he inspects literally every cigar rolled each day!) The Reserva Maxima by Puros Indios is a very special line, created in 2002 to celebrate Don Rolando Reyes and his 65 years in the business. There are tobaccos from four nations in this celebratory cigar: the filler combines leaves from Brazil, the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, bound to the sultry sun-grown Ecuadorian wrapper by an Ecuadorian binder. Look for notes of understated toffee and espresso, rounded out by a strong display of cedary-sweet floral aromatics in the finish (you can even smell this in the pre-burn aroma—just sniff the stick before you light it). So sought after that a special security code to prevent counterfeiters is included in every box (see below for details on ordering a box of this or any of our other featured cigars). Holds up to a domestic Barleywine style ale, and is nicely complemented by the floral elements of a top shelf gin.

Discounted Box Re-Orders!

Members can take advantage of our volume purchasing and re-order their favorite cigars in box quantities at just over our wholesale costs. Re-order any selection featured in the box quantities listed below or order them in convenient 5 paks! Other cigar shapes and sizes not actually featured, but from a featured brand line may also be re-ordered. Call for pricing.

Featured Cigar	Box Quantity	Box Cost	5 Pack Cost
CAO Brazilia Gol!	20	$87.50	$27
Cubita	20	$78.50	$25
Diesel Fuerte	20	$78.50	$25
Gurkha Expedition Series	24	$85.50	$23
Reserva Maxima Media Maduro	20	$72.50	$23

Please allow 1-2 weeks for delivery and add $7.95 for S&H for your first box and $3.00 for each additional box or grab bag. S&H for 5-packs is $4.95 and $1.50 for each additional 5-pak. All reorders are sent Priority mail unless otherwise requested. CA residents please add 7.75 % Sales Tax. S&H for International re-orders must be calculated on an individual basis. Prices are subject to change.