Henry Clay Stalk Cut Toro

Henry Clay cigars used to be a relatively unknown cigar brand with only die-hard fans picking up the cigar but it mostly collected dust on store shelves. Pete Johnson, of Tatuaje cigars, is a fan of Henry Clay and did a one-off cigar called Henry Clay Tattoo which helped breathe new life into the one-time sleepy brand. Hot on its heels was the release of the Henry Clay Stalk Cut which, like the Tattoo, began making waves within the cigar industry. With a 92 rating and a position among the Top 25 Cigars of 2016 from Cigar Aficionado, this handcrafted stogie was created by the famous blending team, the Grupo de Maestros, at the famed Tabacalera de García in the Dominican Republic. Boxed pressed to perfection, the first thing you will notice is the super silky smooth dark brown Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper that was ‘stalk cut’. The process of stalk cutting is unique to the Connecticut broadleaf and a few other hearty varieties; the tobacco plant is cut at the stalk instead of leaf-by-leaf and is then quickly hung in a curing barn. This process allows the leaves to continue to draw in the nutrients from stalk, which in turn provides earthier and deeper flavors. Underneath the striking wrapper come additional impressive tobaccos with a bevy of long-fillers including 2013 Nicaraguan criollo and 2012 Dominican piloto and olor that are hugged firmly by a bold 2010 Dominican piloto binder. Incredibly luxurious, this medium to full-bodied handmade will lend complex and balanced notes of nutmeg, chocolate, earth, cinnamon, and leather. Our panel recommended pairing it with your favorite scotch after dinner.

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.