 Puros Indios introduces two whoppers
Los Angeles, September 22 – It’s easy to be a fan of Puros Indios cigars.
Not only is this Honduran-made brand a pleasure to smoke, with an even draw and plenty of flavor in its Classic, Maxima Reserva and Viejo lines, but it’s one of the best values on the market today.
It also offers some of the largest cigars available anywhere, including two giant perfectos, the 7 1/4 inch by 60-ring Victoria and the 10 inch by 60-ring Gran Victoria, plus the “Chief” at 18 inches long by 66 ring. It’s the longest cigar currently marketed nationally in the United States.
Now these brutes have more siblings with the introduction of the No. 5 and the No. 10. Both are enormous, torpedo-shaped cigars opening to a ring gauge of 66 (1.1 inches in diameter!) with the No. 5 measuring five inches in length and the No. 10 at 10 inches.
Continuing their emphasis on value, the No. 5 is priced to sell at $5 retail (before local tobacco and sales taxes) and the No. 10 at $10. True bargains indeed.
Carlos Diez, director of marketing for Puros Indios, noted that “The Puros Indios brand was our first cigar and remains unchanged after its introduction in 1995. The two [new] Corona Gordas, with their extra-large ring gauge, deliver the full smoking satisfaction veteran smokers seek.
“To make the cigars more comfortable in the mouth, we have given them a belicoso head that tapers to a point.”
And this detail of the torpedo-style head is where 80-year-old Rolando Reyes, Sr., head of Puros Indios, again demonstrates his superior understanding of what makes cigars accessible. Other makers offer fat cigars with standard-shaped heads in ring gauges of 60 and 70 or more, all but impossible to cut with anything smaller than a Bowie Knife. True, Reyes offers the 18-by-66 Chief, but it’s a novelty item and not a serious seller.
But his Victoria and Gran Victoria perfecto shapes and the new No. 5 and No. 10 offer smokers the ability to cut the head to the thickness of their liking due to the pointed end and make these shapes actual contenders at retail for smokers with mouths smaller (literally and figuratively) than Shaquille O’Neal.
All credit to Reyes and his team, for not only making great cigars at great prices, but also remembering the ergonomics of those who will smoke them.
March of the Tin Soldiers:
Cigars packed in pocket tins are enjoying a renaissance in popularity and the well-regarded Heaven brand of flavored cigars are now available in tins of 10 in the Cherub size, a 3 1/2-inch by 26-ring cigarillo.
The entire Cherub line – Heavenly Vanilla, Heather’s Honey Nut, Raging Rum and Cupid’s Cherry Cream – is available in the tins, which includes a protective paper lining.
I’m not wild about flavored cigars in general, but Heaven is an all-tobacco line and competes with Havana Honeys and Tatiana for leadership in the premium flavored category. If you’re interested to try, I’d start with the Heavenly Vanilla or Heather’s Honey Nut lines, offering references to the vanilla or sweet tastes sometimes associated with milder, non-flavored brands.
Of note: the Heaven line is alone in offering handmade, flavored cigars in larger sizes preferred by serious smokers such as their 5 1/2-inch by 46-ring Corona – the perfect format for their Heavenly Vanilla flavor – and a 6-inch by 50-ring Torpedo.
Nice Guys Finishing First:
I’m glad Leo Durocher, the mid-century baseball manager of the Dodgers, Giants and Cubs, to whom credit is given for the phrase “Nice guys finish last,” was not in the cigar business. He would have hated the Torano family.
As gentlemanly as they come, Carlos Sr. and son Charlie have slowly but surely created a devoted following for their handmade brands primarily under the Carlos Torano name. Now their success has expanded to Europe and Asia with distribution to 11 nations on four continents. A second warehouse in Miami has opened and as Charlie says, “It’s not a bad problem to have.”
Score one for the good guys.
Hammer time:
The Partagas 150 humidor pack of 18 drawers and 150 cigars offered for the second time by a Miami-based seller ended on Tuesday morning with no takers at the starting bid of $2,350. There were bids up to $2,024 in the last try, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the reserve price. Guess he’ll have to smoke ‘em.
~ Rich Perelman
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