Past Newsletters - October 2009

Featured Cigar	Shape	Size	Strength	Country	Panel Rating
CAO 'VR' Mural	Corona	4.5 x 44	6.5	Honduran	90
Cusano 18 Churchill	Robusto	7.25 x 50	7.0	Honduran	91
G.A.R. Robusto Grande	Robusto	5.5 x 52	8.5	Nicaraguan	92
Oliveros Classic Churchill	Churchill	7.0 x 50	5.0	Honduran	89
Perdomo 10th Anniversary Criollo Robusto	Robusto	5.0 x 54	8.0	Dominican	90

CAO ‘VR’ Mural Corona

The CAO ‘VR’ maduro blend is CAO’s newest and potentially best cigar yet. With its slight box press and its dark, oily Brazilian Maduro Arapiraca wrapper, the ‘VR’ is a beauty. It comes to you from the CAO Fabrica de Tabacos factory in Danli, Honduras, hand crafted—as are all club offerings—with the utmost in care and attention to detail. The blend is a mix of well-aged Nicaraguan and Mexican long-fillers which create a robust, full-bodied and slightly spicy profile. Its special Maduro wrapper adds both balance and a hefty dose of rich-sweet flavor. A pre-light sniff of the foot (with its own Jackson Pollock-esque band) delivers a highly pleasurable blast of spice to awaken your senses. Trust that size is no measure of complexity, which the ‘VR’ offers in spades. Upon lighting, a burst of peppery goodness may surprise you but that will smooth out almost immediately as the Brazilian wrapper throws its sweet, leathery character into the mix. If you’ve ever wanted to know what people mean by ‘leather,’ CAO ‘VR’ is a great way to discover this flavor. It’s almost unmistakable. Look for a distinctly leathery aroma as well, with a slight spice through the nose. The ‘VR’ delivers a steady dose of cedar as it burns and gets progressively heavier in body while managing to retain a smooth, creamy core. A few months of additional box-aging will turn this highly enjoyable smoke into a supremely pleasurable one. After a great meal, enjoy this one for a good hour and a half with a full tawny port or a VSOP cognac.

Cusano 18 Churchill

In 1995 Michael Chiusano—the owner of a Wall Street investment firm and long-time cigar aficionado—traveled to the Dominican Republic. There he discovered a local smoke that "knocked his socks off!" He thought he'd have a thousand made for clients but word spread and he soon had orders for 10,000. The rest is Cigar Street history. Deciding "Cusano" would be easier to say than "Chiusano" when raving about the fine sticks he makes, Michael called his company "Cusano Cigars."  His cigars are rolled in Davidoff cigar maker Henkie Kelner's cigar factory in the Dominican Republic. The 18 is so named because it utilizes  Dominican Oro filler tobaccos that have been aged 18 years. They’re then combined with a potent Cuban Piloto and a mouth-watering San Vicente Olor, and bound with a wrapper-quality, super-smooth Connecticut Shade binder. That great combo is then dressed in an even smoother, silkier, golden Connecticut Shade outer wrapper. Talk about a winner! Expect a mild-to-medium cigar with a very enjoyable rich and fresh taste. Not very complex, but a really enjoyable cigar that would be appropriate for new cigar smokers as well as more experienced smokers who like a mild but rich tasting smoke. The construction is impeccable, the draw excellent, the burn even and all panelists agreed the cigar did not require any relights or touchups—unusual for a Churchill. Rated "91" by Cigar Aficionado, Cusano 18 is probably the only Connecticut to get any significant rating in the past 10 years. The full-bodied Cusano is a rich, heavy smoke with a long, woody finish. An oaky chardonnay complements its leathery and smoky notes and brings out a whiff of creamy vanilla.

G.A.R. Robusto Grande

G.A.R. is a medium to full-bodied, full-flavored treat from George Rico, sometimes described as a “powerhouse.” It certainly rivals his bold earlier creations, Gran Habano and the top-rated 3 Siglos. The G.A.R. uses a beautiful Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper, a Connecticut binder and a robust vintage mixture of Nicaraguan long-fillers. Construction is top-notch. The first thing you’ll note about the GAR is that the band is at the foot—a unique twist that adds to the eye appeal of this lovely box-pressed, rich brown stick.  Heavy in the hand, the stick feels slick and silky. The wrapper has a very light semi-sweet cedar smell and the foot a very floral aroma with hints of cumin. Look for a ton of flavorful smoke from the first draw and the sweet taste of maple. Then there are some subtle floral notes, a little spice and some hints of cedar. The finish lingers slightly with a nice subtle spice on the back of the tongue and throat. G.A.R. really pumps out the smoke with rolls of curls coming from the head and foot even while resting. The aroma is sweet and potent—one that virtually sings “cigar shop” to those of us who love our sticks. This smoke is so smooth and creamy, it deceptive—it doesn’t give you the impression that it’s a powerhouse. But don’t let that fool you! This is not a cigar to have in the morning or on an empty stomach. Seasoned smokers will enjoy the G.A.R. but even novices will likely appreciate its readily available flavors. Our Beer of the Month Club members can enjoy this with this month’s Otter Creek Pale Ale. Or try it with your favorite winter warmer style ale.

Oliveros Classic Churchill

This month we’re bringing you the original Oliveros blend, the Classic. It’s a well-made, mild-bodied cigar that can be enjoyed by novice as well as seasoned smokers. The choice blend consists of Cuban-seed Dominican and Nicaraguan long-leaf tobaccos wrapped in a chocolate-colored Sumatra wrapper. The wrapper melds with the fillers to create a nutty flavor and a pleasantly smooth smoke from start to finish, including a rich, creamy undertone. The construction is impeccable—firm with no soft spots. The burn is even throughout, unusual for a cigar of this ring size. Check out the re-order prices on these puppies—at less than $3 a stick, this could be your go-to everyday smoke. Oliveros Classic is a great breakfast cigar so savor it with your favorite cup of java and the morning paper.

Perdomo 10th Anniversary Criollo Robusto

Whenever a new Perdomo line is released there’s reason for excitement. One can be sure of impeccably crafted cigars that taste great and the 10th Anniversary line—released early this year—is a testament to that. There are three different blends: the Maduro, Champagne (Connecticut) and our panelists favorite which we’re shipping this month, the Criollo. The cigar utilizes an all-Nicaraguan blend of aged fillers and boasts a beautiful Cuban-seed Criollo wrapper. Trust this dark tan wrapper with its oily, toothy, even texture is going to taste as good as it looks! The pre-light aroma of cedar and pepper is another broad hint—this stogie is chock-full of amazing flavor. From start to finish, the 10th Anniversary Criollo is a remarkably smooth smoke. You’re going to love the pure tobacco taste and a hearty rich aroma. Look for the strength to build as you enjoy very subtle hints of mocha, cedar, spice and more notable hints of coffee and roasted nuts. Panelists lauded its consistency and liked the fact that the Perdomo 10th Criollo isn’t overdone. As one member said, “This stick has great flavor but it’s not over the top. It could have been richer or stronger or spicier, but it stays the course. It demonstrates a really organic, natural tobacco taste that is sometimes lost or overpowered in many of today’s other premium blends.” Pair it with an oak-heavy XO cognac.