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| THE RETURN OF DON TOMAS! |
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Page 1 of 2  Four blends of an old favorite made new by General CigarLos Angeles, July 11 – Cigar companies have traded hands in some strange ways. In 2004, the cigar division of U.S. Tobacco, responsible for popular brands including Astral, Don Tomas and Helix, was handed over to Swedish Match in settlement of a suit over smokeless tobacco. As if General needed more brands, but the transfer also brought with it new opportunities. Helix had already made a mark with smokers who prefer mild-bodied cigars and its electric-blue graphics appeared to 30-something smokers. General has also introduced two new flavored editions of the Helix brand. But Don Tomas was another matter. Introduced in 1974, this Honduran-made brand was a favorite of smokers who preferred a zesty, rich taste as compared with the majority, who were smoking Macanudos and other fairly mild blends. But following the Cigar Boom, Don Tomas had lost its cache. With so many brands to choose from, the amount of promotion behind the brand fell in relative terms and it was buried – like so many of its contemporaries such as Dunhill’s Dominican line – under the avalanche of new, fancy brands However, General saw the potential in the Don Tomas name and re-worked the blend in 2005. The result was the new Don Tomas Clasico. Of late, it’s come into its own. “I can’t keep them in stock,” said one retailer. “Look at the quality, look at the price,” he said. So we did. Don Tomas Clasico – Natural wrapper: [Honduras: available in 7 sizes] When General Cigar took over the Don Tomas brand, blender extraordinaire Daniel Nunez put together a team to redefine this cigar. They settled on a Honduran wrapper and binder and a combination of Honduran and Nicaraguan-grown filler leaves that has a medium-to-full body and a spicy aroma. Not an instant hit when introduced in 2005, but now growing in popularity, the Don Tomas Clasico has several things going for it. One is that it’s no shrinking violet on the flavor front. The Honduran-wrapped Clasico has a perky taste, with a light and sweet touch of a near-citrus-like flavor that’s tangy and lively. There’s a touch of caramel in there to provide a calming tone and some spice on the finish to keep the mood bright. Very well made, it burns evenly and shows a pleasant consistency. It’s another cigar that’s best sipped as puffing too hard can turn the flavor grassy. But it’s offered in a wide variety of shapes (two of which are in tubes) and at retail prices of just $2.95 to $4.75 each before local tobacco and sales taxes, it’s easy to see why it’s been a winner at retail. Overall grade: A-: Excellent. |
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Did you know?
“Al Goldstein, the publisher of "Screw" magazine debuted a newsletter called "Cigar" in 1981 (folded after 4 issues).
