Featured Cigars

March 2007

Featured Cigar	Shape	Size	Strength	Country	Panel Rating
Casa De Oro Maduro Torpedo	Torpedo	6 x 52	7.0	Nicaragua	90
Montecristo White #3 Especial	Corona	5.5 x 44	7.5	Dominican	92
Perdomo Champagne 'C'	Churchill	7 x 54	5.5	Nicaragua	91
Primeros Aero #2	Toro	6.5 x 52	6.0	Dominican	90
Cuba Libre Trompeta	Pyramid	6 x 54	5.0	Nicaragua	88

Casa De Oro Maduro Torpedo

Introducing the 'House of Gold', a brand spankin' new cigar that has just hit the market. In fact, members of the club are among the first in the world to try these beauties. Casa de Oro cigars are produced at the Tabacalera Fernandez factory in Esteli, Nicaragua, home of many well-respected cigars brands. The vision behind the blend was admirable: to produce a cigar of superior quality, taste and appearance while still maintaining a moderate price range. In two words: affordable luxury. After two years of blending efforts, our panel members agree that their work has paid off nicely. The Casa do Oro brand was introduced at the RTDA in the summer of 2006; at present, it's in its infancy and is available in two shapes, Torpedo and Toro, both 6 x 52. Each is ensconced in either a Connecticut shade or Broadleaf Maduro. While both are quite tasty (not to mention eye-catching), our panel especially enjoyed the dark, rich, oily maduro torpedo. The wrapper is not only attractive, it's been painstakingly aged for three years. This gorgeous exterior is bound to the complex blend of Nicaraguan Viso, Ligero and Seco filler leaves by a Nicaraguan Habano binder. Expect a medium-bodied cigar with booming smoke volume. The flavor profile begins with mild spiciness, but this builds toward more firm peppery qualities as you get past the first inch, and is then mellowed by a leathery smoothness that takes hold near the finish. Note the firm, brilliant white ash—a clear sign of properly aged tobaccos. A warm woody spice in the finish makes this a great cigar to enjoy with a floral Pale Ale, like the Saranac Pale Ale being featured in this month's Beer of the Month clubs.

Montecristo White #3 Especial Corona

This brand first hit the scene way back in 1935 as an authentic Cuban brand from Menendez, Garcia y Cia., then the owners of the H. Upmann brand. The name is reported to have been inspired by Alexandre Dumas' 1844 novel Le Comte de Monte Cristo. The Dominican version of Cuba's most widely smoked brand has met with tremendous success. Introduced in 2003, the White label continues the tradition of remarkable consistency that is Montecristo. Comprised of Dominican and Nicaraguan long leaf fillers, wrapped in a flavorful, golden-brown, Connecticut-seed Ecuadorian shade grown wrapper, the White offers a smooth, robust and satisfying smoke that's right at home on the more developed palate. We found the roll firm, but still allowing for an easy draw. Look for some robust cedary notes about mid-way through, with a leathery undertone, and solid, clean tobacco flavors. The body builds from medium to full as you make your way though—a very nice smoke from one of the best brands in the world. Nicely paired with a very hoppy, west-coast style India Pale Ale.

Perdomo Champagne 'C' Churchill

This champagne won't go to your head the way you might expect a Perdomo to. The Perdomo Champagne is a bit of a departure from the Perdomo status quo of producing big-bodied cigars with full-throttle strength. This is not to say that this mellowed version is lacking in flavor or complexity. Quite the contrary, we found the flavors to run deep, flavorfully speaking, with smooth and creamy nuances that intermingle between notes of honey-like sweetness. Of course, the draw is superb and the smoke aromatic and pleasing. Double-aged Cuban-seed Nicaraguan tobaccos comprise the all long-leaf filler blend, all wrapped beneath an oily, triple-fermented, 6 year-aged Connecticut shade wrapper. That's right, 6 years. This wrapper might be older than your kids, and perhaps a bit better behaved. Expect a trouble free smoke from this Nicaraguan beauty. An eventful cigar, evolving from mellow to rich, developing some complexity, one panel member picked up slight hints of butterscotch (we're not sure that he wasn't just influenced by the tinted cellophane that looks just like the wrapper you find on those good 'ol butterscotch candies your grandma always had on hand.) If you like flavored coffees, this stogie offers itself up as a good starter smoke in the morning with the sweetened coffee of your choice (we suggest hazelnut or vanilla infusions—or why not, butterscotch if you can find it!)

Primeros Aero #2 Toro

Victor Sinclair's Primeros is one of Jose Dominguez's most prized blends, and is one of the most convenient smokes we've featured. "A convenient smoke? What's that mean??" Well kiddies, not only is this one a beauty with a memorable shape, it's a no-cutter-needed cigar. You've no doubt picked up on the highly unique shape; notice how it tapers into a chisel-like tip. This makes it stand out in a crowd, but more importantly maximizes flavor as the smoke is condensed down into a high density yet easy draw. Cool? You betcha. But also convenient—simply pinch the tapered tip and it pops right open—no cutter needed! Seriously, you have to try it. Just squeeze the tip between your fingers and the cap snaps right open. You might want to peel back the loose flaps, but it's ready to go—no cutting implement necessary. This cigar hosts the perfect blend of easy-going, mild tobaccos yet it manages to still pack in the flavor. This exquisitely mild-bodied smoke features a golden brown, Grade 1 Connecticut shade wrapper concealing an aged blend of Dominican Seco leaves with just a touch of Ligero for added complexity. This versatile cigar can be enjoyed by anyone; light enough for new recruits, yet offering enough refinement in the flavor profile to satisfy seasoned smokers. Expect a rather creamy body, with subdued spice and a tempered woody character. This is a good morning smoke to kick off the weekend or usher in a mellow Sunday afternoon.

Cuba Libre Trompeta Pyramid

Castro appears to have made a recovery, according to recent 'sightings', which sort of bums us out. We've been holding out hope that, well, there would be a change of leadership and perhaps the Cuban cigar market would open up again to us here in the states. The folks behind Cuba Libre seem to share our sentiments, if you read into the name ("Free Cuba"). This brand has quite a few blends, mainly distinguished by the country they're rolled in. The Honduran line offers both natural and maduro wrappers with a top-notch selection of Mexican, Dominican, Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers with the wrappers being either Indonesian (natural) or Connecticut Broadleaf (maduro). Then there's the Esteli, Nicaragua-rolled puros that contain 3 tasty types of Nicaraguan tobacco leaves ("puro", for you new folks, means that all tobaccos in the cigar—wrapper, binder and fillers—come from a single country). The toothy, sun-grown wrappers and thick ring gauge combine to deliver a rich, spicy-sweet smoke with hints of nuttiness. The shape (pyramid) is noteworthy, and relatively uncommon. The design creates a wide burn area with a relatively narrow head, yielding heaps of smoke volume while keeping the cigar a manageable width in the mouth. The only disadvantage is that the cigar can start to smoke a bit hot toward the nub as it narrows out. Overall a mellow smoke that's satisfyingly smooth and balanced. Great with añejo tequila.