Past Newsletters
Vol. 4 No. 5
Featured Cigar Dimensions
| Brand Name: | Shape | Size |
| A. Carrington Long | Corona | 6 x 42 |
| B. Carrington Long | Panetella | 7 x 36 |
| C. Santa Clara | Corona | 6 x 43 |
| D. Santa Clara | Petite | 5 x 44 |
| E. Santa Clara | Toro | 6 x 51 |
Featured Cigars
The Carrington Cigar
The Carrington line is a relatively new, hand made, long-filler, super premium line of cigars made in the Dominican Republic. The brand has already received excellent ratings from Cigar Aficionado which means that it may soon be very difficult to obtain. The Carrington line is blended by master blender Pedro Martin and is produced in the Tobacos Dominicanos (Tabadom) factory under the personal supervision of Hendrick Kelner. The Carrington is available with a Connecticut shade wrapper and is made in eight varied sizes.
Length:6
Ring Gauge: 42
Filler: Dominican Republic
Binder: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: U.S.A. Connecticut Shade
Notes from the Panel:
This claro colored cigar is truly a beautiful display of craftsmanship. We found it silky to the touch, slightly oily, well rolled with just the right firmness and generally very appealing. We couldn’t wait to light it. Smoke pulled through the cigar very well and it burned slowly and evenly. Look for a very smooth, mild to medium-bodied tasting cigar with s light, spicy character, with some earthy tones evident. We found the aroma to be very pleasant, but not overwhelming. The aftertaste was a mild and somewhat spicy experience.
Length: 7
Ring Gauge: 36
Filler: Dominican Republic
Binder: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: U.S.A. Connecticut Shade
Notes from the Panel:
Again, an aesthetically beautiful cigar with a tighter roll than the corona. No soft spots or blemishes. We found it to be an elegant smoke with a smooth mellowness. Note a good, firm draw that produces some mild spice and toasted flavors. The panetella was a nicely balanced smoke with a subtle, pleasant aroma and mildly spicy aftertaste.
The Santa Clara
Cigar Always in search of excellent products outside of the traditional boundaries that contain the world’s best cigar manufacturers, we have been in search of a premium Mexican product line for quite some time. The Santa Clara Cigar Company has been producing one of the countries finest cigars since 1830 in San Andres, Mexico. As an interesting side note, in addition to the binder and filler, the wrappers for the line are also grown in San Andres. The cigars are offered in both Colorado Claro and Maduro wrappers and available in nine different sizes, three of which you will have the opportunity to evaluate this month.
Length: 6
Ring Gauge: 43
Filler: Mexico
Binder: Mexico
Wrapper: Mexico
Notes from the Panel:
Look for a relatively smooth, somewhat oily wrapper with a pleasant aromatic character. We found the corona to be well constructed with no soft spots and a firm, but not too tight roll which allowed for an easy draw. The complex flavor profile offered a hint of spiciness combined with a toasty herbal character and hints of nuts and coffee. Look for a lingering, nutty and spicy aftertaste. Overall, very enjoyable and smokable for any time of the day.
Length: 5
Ring Gauge: 44
Filler: Mexico
Binder: Mexico
Wrapper: Mexico
Notes from the Panel:
Again, good solid construction in the Petite Corona as well. It was consistently even and firm, but not too much so. The cigar seemed to burn slightly less hot than its longer, thinner cousin, which allowed for a more pronounced flavor profile. Again we picked up some coffee tones, a bit of earthiness, and a touch of nuttiness. A very complex, medium-bodied, flavorful and delightful smoke. We know you’ll enjoy it.
Length: 6
Ring Gauge: 51
Filler: Mexico
Binder: Mexico
Wrapper: Mexico
Notes from the Panel:
Get ready for a satisfying smoking experience. A nice crisp roll with just the right amount of give. We enjoyed the Toro as much, if not the best, of the three Santa Clara cigars featured. It offered the coolest burning experience of the three with a very even, consistent draw. Look for a slightly more developed, smooth and supple smoke with a spicy oakiness. Note a pleasant, medium-bodied, smoke with a very pronounced and lingering aftertaste.
Humidor Essentials
Equally important to evaluating and selecting the cigars which suit your personal preference is the proper storage and sometimes continued aging of them prior to smoking them. Below, we’ve put together some useful hints and tips with respect to considerations when buying a humidor, how they function and their purpose, alternatives to purchasing one and generally a collection of interesting tid bits of humi-data. Opinions vary on several subjects; however, we’ve compiled what appears to be the general consensus from The Consolidated Cigar Company; Lew Rothman, JR Cigar; Sid Gottlied, and The Cigar Aficionado.
Ideally, the primary function of a humidor is to maintain a cigar at its peak smokability. They are designed to keep the moisture level constant as long as ambient temperatures are stable. They do evaporate a bit over time, but so slowly that it isn't a problem. The boxes themselves are designed to contain a moist environment without warping. The most crucial characteristic of a fine humidor is that it can provide a constant environment of about 68' to 70' F and 70-72% humidity. When purchasing a humidor, first check out the inside of the box. Look for details liked perfectly squared and fitted seams. Gaps provide an exit for moisture. Make sure, however, that any humidor you’re looking at is not airtight. Long term storage in an airtight box/closet will promote very rapid growth of mold, creating musty tasting cigars.
Cedar is the preferred wood for the interior of a humidor and it should be unvarnished or unfinished else its benefits are negated. The object of cedar historically, is the repulsion of insects, but the primary attribute of the wood which lends it nicely to the storage of cigars is obviously the aromatic contribution it makes towards the aging your tobacco. Some would say that it allows the various tobaccos in a cigar the chance to "marry" so that the cigar is not composed of distinct pieces of tobacco, but subtle nuances of taste. Light sanding once a year restores the aroma by exposing new oils and resins to the surface. If, however, you don't like the taste of cedar in aged cigars, look for mahogany or other hardwood that is protected by a layer of lacquer or other sealer.
There should be an "inner lip" protruding from the top of the side above into the lid to help prevent moisture from seeping out or air from seeping in. The weight of the lid should be sufficient to keep the box shut tightly and the lid and sides should make a uniform fit. The humidification device should be capable of maintaining a constant level of humidity within the box with as little maintenance as possible. Obviously you want solid hardwood construction with a protected outer veneer if there is one.
After you’ve purchased a box that complies with the stringent criteria outline above while at the same time meets the even more demanding approval of your in-house interior designer; (if in fact, that person is not you) there are a few more things you should know. Break in your humidor by humidifying it before placing cigars in it. You want the interior wood to absorb the moisture from the humidification system first. Failure to do this could mean that the wood absorbs moisture from your cigars as well as the humidifier. Humidify your cigars slowly. You do not want the various layers (wrapper, binder, and filler) to re-hydrate at different rates or else the cigars could split. Put the driest cigars on the bottom layer to allow them to absorb moisture more slowly.
Be sure and use only distilled water in your humidor or you will ultimately see mold. Distilled water is important because it won’t leave mineral deposits behind as it evaporates. Additionally, not using it is grounds for nullification of many humidor warranties. These minerals will be absorbed into the humidor's lining material, plus they can clog a humidification system and create big performance problems. Calibrate your humidity gauge, which are notoriously inaccurate. Take it outside and see what it reads after one hour. Then call your local weather service and find out what the actual humidity is. Then take a small screwdriver and re-adjust the gauge to actual humidity.
As for the cigars, if they've got cellophane on them, leave it on. Cellophane is actually quite porous and the moisture from a humidor will penetrate the wrapper. If you smoke cigars that are shipped from the maker without a cello wrapper, you'll need a good humidor. One exception to this rule is aging cigars in a cedar-lined humidor. Here the cellophane should definitely be removed.
If in fact, you don’t yet own a humidor or prefer not to spend the money for the amount of tobacco you actually indulge, there are many varied options. In the short term you can put them in a zip lock plastic bag (open) and then place the bag in a Tupperware-like container. Put a dampened ball of paper towel in the container as well, but do not allow the paper towel to touch the cigars. Do not put your cigars in the refrigerator; it's too cold and dry. Be certain to examine your cigars frequently, checking for mold. If you see mold beginning to grow, allow your "Tupper-dor" to dry out somewhat and reduce the amount of moisture it's receiving.
Selecting a humidor that best suits your personal needs can be almost as fun as smoking the cigars themselves. Try and follow the advice above and any manufacturer or tobacconist worth their salt should be able to guide you to a humidor that suits your needs for many years to come.
Twisted Smokes
As improbable as it may seem, cigars were once used as anti-theft devices. The culebra – that braided, three-pack bundle of joy – was developed in the 1800s by cigar manufacturers to prevent employee theft. Workers in the factories were allotted three cigars a day, and their rations were twisted together while wet, thereby retaining the distinctive pigtail curl when dry. This way, sticky-fingered workers could be identified when puffing anything but their cork-screwy smokes.
How Much For that Stogie in the Window?
An auction of fine wines, spirits, and cigars, held last December at Christie’s of London yielded a number of records worthy of the boys at Guinness. Among them was the highest price paid for cigars at commercial auction, by cigar connoisseur Peter de Savary, who shelled out $28,776 for a lot of 163 nineteenth century Cuban cigars. The cigars were part of a collection once owned by the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensbury, whose great-great-grandfather originally purchased the cigars between 1856 and 1858. Discovered in the lower tray of an oak cabinet found in a storeroom at the Duke’s family house in Selkirk, Scotland, the cigars are believed to be the world’s oldest, ranging in age from 138-140 years old. Preserved in the collection were 108 Vequeros (1858), 28 Regalias (1856), 20 Murray (1857) and seven Colerados (1858). With the Duke’s consent, Christie’s arranged for one of the Vequeros to be smoked and appraised by an international cigar expert, who added that the smokes exhibited, "rich, oily flavors, an aromatic, perfumed but full-bodied smoke." Making the purchase for his Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle in Scotland, de Savary paid approximately $176.50 per cigar, twice their estimated value. "It’s a very high price, "admitted Paul Bowker, head of Christie’s wine division, "but they are absolutely unique."
But wait … You can’t take that record for just $176 a stick. Lawrence Stroll, group CEO of Pepe Jeans Co., paid $18,000 (six times the estimated value) for a box of 25 pre-embargo Partagas Ideales cigars. At $720 per cigar, it would appear that Jean sales are up this quarter. True or not, $720 per unit is to our knowledge the most that any person has paid for a cigar to date.
Dominican Tobacco Prices Soar
Tension is growing between farmers in the Dominican Republic and the cigar makers who rely on them for tobacco. A group of farmers recently threatened to strike and withhold their deliveries of the 1996-97 tobacco crop unless they were paid twice the market price, but the movement failed to gain support. The soaring prices of premium cigars and the crowd of new companies flocking to the Dominican Republic to make cigars are at the heart of the problem. Farmers know that cigars are selling in U.S. shops for $10, $15, and more, and they want a larger share of the profits. New entrants to the industry, needing a way to circumvent the decade-long relationships in place between the tobacco farmers and existing manufacturers, have come to the party with money. And lots of it. Paying nearly double the market price in some cases, word quickly got around and other farmers, desiring to sell their entire crop at the inflated price, threatened to withhold the tobacco leaves unless their demand was met. With not enough support, the strike fell through.
The Lure of the Lounge
According to Esquire Editorial Director Randall Rothenberg's April cover story (on newsstands nationally March 18th), cocktail culture is here to stay. From Vancouver to Minneapolis to Orlando, folks young and old are swingin' to the swell sounds of Dino, Steve and Edie, and Vic Damone. Everyone knows about cigar bars and martinis -- but when's the last time you had a Pink Lady? A Negrino? Esquire's Rothenberg, currently available for interview, says that the return to 1950s-style living is not just a fad but a lifestyle. He also gives great cocktail recipes and record recommendations
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