Featured Cigars

July 2007

Featured Cigar	Shape	Size	Strength	Country	Panel Rating
Don Pepin Garcia Black	Robusto	5 x 50	8.5	Nicaragua	91
Gurkha Class Regent Cameroon Nepalese Warrior	Toro	6 x 52	7.5	Honduras	94
Gispert Churchill	Churchill	7 x 54	6.5	Honduras	93
La Aurora Leoninos	Robusto	5 x 50	6.5	Dominican	91
Liga IV Corona	Corona	5.75 x 43	5.5	Dominican	90

Don Pepin Garcia Black Robusto

Created by Cuban-born master blender José Pepin Garcia, Don Pepin Garcias are a royal, full-bodied treat for cigar smokers who crave a rich, spicy smoke. With its black label wrapping a slightly oily, firmly constructed stick, the Garcia Black can hold its own with the best premiums in any beauty contest. The blend of Cuban-seed tobaccos hails from the black, fertile soils of Nicaragua and is coated with a caramel-colored Corojo wrapper. The result is a full-tilt array of flavor on the palate with definite hints of earth, toasted cedar and black pepper. We found it to be bold yes, but balanced and not overpowering. The draw was perfect and produced lots of thick smoke that filled the room with its rich slightly sweet tobacco aroma. The ash, light in color, was nice and firm. Indulge in a Garcia black after you've overindulged in a garlic-saturated meal. A bold Chianti not only complements such a dish, it works equally well with this smoke. Salut!

Gurkha Class Regent Cameroon Nepalese Warrior Toro

Gurkha—often referred to as the "Rolls Royce of Cigars"–is manufactured in the Dominican Republic by Beach Cigar Group/K. Hansotia & Co. Once again they've called on cigar maestro Carlos Torano to create a monster of a blend in the Gurkha Class Regent Cameroon Nepalese Warrior. You're excused if, after one puff, you think the "Warrior" moniker means this is a cigar to die for. In fact, it derives from the Gurkhas, a Nepalese tribe who fought for the British during both World Wars. With its leathery, chocolate-brown Cameroon wrapper, this box-pressed beauty is stunning in its eye appeal. Aged Cuban Ligero and Dominican Piloto long-fillers are bound by a peppery Indonesian leaf—the same winning combo as Gurkha's traditional Class Regent. Right from the start this medium-bodied cigar smells amazing—sweet and nutty. Expect a thick, rich, creamy smoke. You'll relish the array of toasty, leathery notes the cigar delivers. In the final third of this milky, earthy smoke, look for hints of caramel. The Class Regent Cameroon is a 90+ rated cigar and has outscored the heavily sought Opus X by Fuente, as well as many of today's finest Cubans. Try it with a robust porter or a nut brown ale.

Gispert Churchill

Prior to 1950, Gispert commanded a substantial market share among Cuba's finest and was consistently among the top five most highly rated Cuban cigar brands. But with Castro's rise to power and the subsequent trade embargos, business was hit hard, and Gispert was one of those fine sticks that suffered considerably. In the hands of the state-run tobacco industry, brand quality diminished and its popularity waned, leading to a near death experience for the former giant.

Several years ago Altadis, makers of Saint Luis Rey and a host of other top-notch brands, decided to bring Gispert back to its original grandeur. Revamped, repackaged and revived, the Gispert Churchill can rightly claim its proud heritage. Combining the great Cuban-seed tobaccos grown in Honduras and Nicaragua with Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, Gispert in its renaissance is a cut above the original blend. Not surprisingly, it made Cigar Aficionado magazine's "Top 20 cigars for 2006" list. For the few surviving folks who remember the original pre-Castro Gispert, the new incarnation brings back the nostalgia of days gone by. We found it to be flawlessly constructed, with a smooth, oily appearance and the sleek commanding presence we've come to know and love in a premium Churchill. Expect a creamy, mild-to-medium-bodied smoke with hints of sweetness and cedar throughout. An overall mellow cigar, the draw and burn were perfect. Enjoy this gentle giant with your favorite cup of java (or two) and the Sunday morning paper.

La Aurora Leoninos Robusto

The La Aurora factory is the oldest and most respected cigar factory in the Dominican Republic and La Auroras are not just the best selling brand there, they're practically a national treasure. The La Aurora family has grown tobacco in the same fields in the Cibao Valley for more than three generations—a key reason for the brand's legendary consistency. Their Leoninos Robusto is the first premium cigar to utilize the elusive Dominican-grown Corojo wrapper—it's nice, oily and somewhat rough-hewn. The filler blend combines a generous portion of Piloto Cubano leaves, along with Dominican Corojo, Bahia and Nicaraguan long-leaf tobaccos. The result is a lively, medium-to-full-bodied smoke, rich and loaded with spice but smooth as silk to the nub. It's an expertly created stogie worthy of its heritage. Enhance your smoking experience by pairing the Leoninos with a well-balanced, malty beer such as Scotch-style ale. Alternatively, an American-style India Pale ale with its hoppy spiciness will hold up against this cigar's spice.

Liga IV Corona

The Cuevas factory in the Dominican Republic is jointly owned by the Torano and Cuevas families, both well known to cigar aficionados. Their Liga IV (pronounced "leega four") is a well-constructed premium handmade created with tobaccos that have been aged for seven years. Note how solid the barrel of the Liga IV is—firmly rolled and nicely packed with all long leaf fillers. The natural wrapper is a smooth and leathery-textured with ample oily sheen atop milk-chocolate coloration. Very mellow, this smoke never grows more than mild-bodied. Still, it offers plenty of alluring, dry, floral and woody flavors (cedar) beginning with a smooth, slightly creamy opening. The ash is light gray and holds firm throughout, indicating that the tobacco was properly aged during its seven year slumber. You'll note a lengthy finish with nutty highlights. Due to its easy-going nature this stogie is perfect for breakfast with your favorite cup of coffee or for lunch with a glass of dry Riesling.