Past Newsletters - Feb 2009

Featured Cigar	Shape	Size	Strength	Country	Panel Rating
Aristoff Box-Pressed Maduro Piramide	Torpedo	6.0 x 54	6.5	Nicaraguan	91
CAO Cameroon Robusto	Robusto	5.0 x 50	6.0	Nicaraguan	92
K. Hansotia Park Avenue Churchill	Churchill	7.0 x 48	7.5	Nicaraguan	89
La Aurora Maduro Robusto	Robusto	5.0 x 50	6.0	Dominican	90
Padilla Achilles Salomon	Figurado	7.1 x 58	8.5	Nicaraguan	91

Aristoff Box-Pressed Maduro Piramide

The scrumptious Nicaraguan handmade has been called “as much a work of art as a cigar.” Note its impressive square press finish and its dark, uniform maduro wrapper. Our samples were expertly rolled: no soft spots and just the right amount of firmness. It’s well constructed and well packed, which explains the ample burst of flavors that hits immediately upon toasting the foot. Then an interesting sweet-smoothness dominates. Look for a buttery smooth, toasty, meaty smoke with a coffee core and a subtle touch of pepper, topped off by a characteristically nice, chewy maduro sweetness. Experience a long, pleasant finish on the tongue. The smoke is thick and velvety. and the toasty aroma so pleasant even the “Mrs.” (or “Mr.”) is going to like this one. The medium-bodied Aristoff Box-Pressed is surprisingly mellow in strength for a cigar so long on flavor. Consider pairing it with a thick, oatmeal stout.

 

CAO Cameroon Robusto

Although C.A.O. was founded back in 1973, it wasn’t until 1995 that they unveiled a cigar line. Founder Cano A. Ozgener produces one of the best-known brands of Meerschaum pipes in the world, so jumping from producing pipes to manufacturing cigars was logical. He teamed up with two Cuban expatriates who really know their cigars - Carlos Torano and Nestor Plasencia. The release of their first batch of cigars in 1995 immediately sold out, and their reputation continues to grow as does their fan base.

The CAO L’Anniversaire line was developed in honor of the 30th anniversary of CAO cigars. With its box-pressed shape and reddish-brown Cameroon (Africa) wrapper, it’s a good-looking stick. The draw is excellent, the burn even. Note the comforting pre-light aroma. Its premium Nicaraguan long-fillers and binders make for a mild- to medium-bodied smoke. The L’Anniversaire Cameroon has been named one of Cigar Aficionado’s Top 50 Cigars. Giving it a ’92’ rating, the magazine noted, "Nicely pressed, with rich color. The cigar has a lovely draw and burn. It’s nutty and toasty, with coffee, cocoa, and dry wood flavors. The finish is long." This gem is worthy of your best single malt scotch or single barrel bourbon.

K. Hansotia Park Avenue Churchill

You might not be able to say it three times fast, but the name Kaizad Hansotia has rapidly swept through the cigar industry. Known as the master blender behind the Gurkha brand, he's admired for his mastery of fine tobacco blending and creativity in developing attractive packaging for his cigars. Oh, yeah; that and the fact that he makes the most expensive cigar in the world: His Majesty's Reserve. This cigar retails for an astonishing $15,000 per box of 20. Yes, that's right, 15 thousand bucks! That's $750 smackers a stick! The reason it's that expensive? Well, in our opinion, there's no real reason for a cigar to be that expensive; but their rationale is the fact that they infuse an entire bottle of Louis XIII cognac into each batch—apparently the perfect blend of extravagance and perhaps a bit of ego, if not arrogance. But, hey, they make 100 boxes per year and they seem to be able to sell 'em, so why not? Sorry, folks, don't expect to see one here.

Most of us ordinary folk don’t mind ponying up big bucks occasionally for a cigar as unique, complex, and well-constructed as a Gurkha Master Select or Gurkha Regent; but we’re bringing you a great cigar from the same maker that you can afford to enjoy daily! The K. Hansotia Park Avenue Churchill is a great smoke without the Ferrari price tag. (Check out our reorder prices.) This is a cigar that in construction and quality compares favorably to cigars costing two or three times as much! (We wouldn’t know how it compares to His Majesty’s Reserve.) Panelists found it to be quite smooth with just a bit of spice on the back of the tongue. Look for gradual and consistent change in both strength and flavor as the Park Avenue continues to burn. (Note the even ash.) The cigar slowly morphs into a full-bodied and spicier version of its former self. The spice is attributable to the Nicaraguan long-fillers that make up the filler in its entirety. The unmistakable smoothness encountered at the start of the smoke is no doubt due to its well-aged Connecticut Shade wrapper. Enjoy this one with a hoppy Pale Ale or robust Porter.

La Aurora Maduro Robusto

Those who have discovered this brand know it as a smooth and mild "steady workhorse" of a cigar - always dependable and delicious. La Aurora has been using Dominican-grown leaves from the same fields in the Cibao Valley region for over three generations - a testament to its consistency. The brand was first introduced in 1903 and immediately wowed the cigar-smoking public. Ninety-eight years later, La Aurora introduced the Maduro Robusto, and they taste like a century's worth of experience went into the blend. Not surprisingly, the La Aurora Maduro is now one of their consistently top-notch and top-selling stogies. Look for the dark Brazilian wrapper to provide a blend of sweet and spicy notes on the palate, while the complex mix of Brazilian, Dominican and Cameroon long leaf fillers lend medium-to-full-bodied flavors: subtle notes of chocolate and a smooth, lengthy cedar finish. Notice the firm white ash, an indication of proper aging, which is characteristic of all the gems La Aurora creates at their factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic. Pair this one up with a malty red ale or, if a cocktail is more your style, a mojito.

Padilla Achilles Salomon

We're pleased to bring you another limited edition, the small-batch Padilla Achilles. Made in the factory of Don "Pepin" Garcia in 2006, only 60,000 were produced. Members are likely familiar with Don "Pepin," the maker of Tatuaje and other Padilla lines, including the Padilla Miami and Padilla 1932. You’ll note the unusual shape. In addition to the pointed head and stubbier pointed foot, it’s fatter on the bottom—chock full of Cuban-seed tobaccos from the fertile soils of Nicaragua. With its café-colored Corojo wrapper, Padilla Achilles is a full-bodied cigar. The choice, dark brown leaf is smooth as silk and super leathery in appearance. The smoke is characterized by a burst of creamy flavors, followed by more intense cedary flavors. A spicy aftertaste—with just a hint of pepper—mellows halfway through when sweet cedar coats the palate, draw after draw. Try with an oak-heavy XO cognac.