Erin Go Bragh Irish Whiskey Toro

Erin Go Bragh may not be as picturesque as the rolling hills of Ireland but with its smooth, lovely, golden-brown Connecticut shade wrapper it must be close. Its orange, white and green band is a tribute to the Irish flag and its name – Erin Go Bragh – means Ireland forever, so the fact that it’s infused with authentic Irish whisky is no surprise. The surprise is for those wary of flavored cigars. With its subtle and nuanced flavor, this baby stands alone in a whole separate category of infused cigars. Roll it between your forefinger and thumb and you’ll note it has the look and feel of a top-quality premium cigar. The whisky is more prevalent in the aroma, and offers a nice interplay of rich sweet whisky paired with buttery, well-aged Dominican and Nicaraguan long-leaf tobaccos all wrapped up in a Connecticut Shade wrapper. The flavor profile is creamy and toasty with natural sweetness that’s balanced by a crisp tobacco taste. Look for an easy draw, dense clouds of white smoke and a distinct aroma. The Erin Go Bragh is an exceedingly mild and smooth cigar. Make it your golf cigar or enjoy it as an occasional. This versatile smoke is light and smooth enough to be your first cigar of the day, but it still has enough “junk in the trunk” to serve as a pleasurable after-dinner treat. Try it with your favorite Irish whiskey.

Though tobacco is indigenous to Hispaniola, the tobacco industry in the Dominican Republic existed in the shadow of Cuba’s dominance through the 1960s. When the exodus of Cuban cigar makers began in the wake of the revolution, many decided the Dominican Republic would be ideal for the resumption of their livelihoods. Unrest in Nicaragua in the 1980s fueled the Dominican cigar industry further. The country now makes more than half of the premium cigars imported into the U.S.

The Cibao Valley and the nearby city of Santiago are the center of cigar production in the Dominican Republic. Three main varieties are grown here: the mild and native Olor Dominicano; the intense Piloto Cubano, brought from the Vuelta Abajo of Cuba; and San Vicente, a milder and more acidic Piloto hybrid. Dominican puros were once unheard of as it was widely thought impossible to grow quality wrapper leaf on the island, but new growing techniques are now allowing some exceptional puros to be produced.