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| STARS OF THE SHOW, PART I |
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Page 1 of 2  Tasting the newest, hottest releases from IPCPR 2008!Los Angeles, July 25 – There were more than 100 brands introduced at the recent International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association convention and trade exposition. We left the show eager to try them and we’re not wasting much time. General Cigar’s line-up included a new blend in the Excalibur line from Honduras, the introduction of the Artesanos de Miami blend from La Gloria Cubana and the company’s first-ever all-Dominican cigar, the Cohiba Puro Dominicana. We also added the Hoyo de Tradicion, introduced in 2007, but moving like a rocket up the sales ladder; it is expected to shortly become the no. 2-selling Hoyo blend, behind only the original. Since we were tasting the grading the new Dominican puro from Cohiba, we also wanted to try Altadis U.S.A.’s first Dominican puro, the Mi Dominicana from Jose Seijas and the Tabacalera de Garcia. So here goes! Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Legend: [Honduras: available in 3 sizes] This blend is immediately recognizable by its red band, with the word “Excalibur” emblazoned in gold across the bottom. It isn’t a legend yet, but the brand was only a week old when we taste-tested it! It’s a full-bodied cigar with a spicy aroma that’s a real mouth-filler at the start. The blend takes off where the surprisingly-popular Excalibur 1066 Dark Knight series ends, using the same Connecticut-grown wrapper. The binder is also a Connecticut-grown, Havana-seed leaf and the filler includes Dominican-grown ligero and two types of Nicaraguan tobacco, including leaf that General farms on the volcanic island of Ometepe off the Nicaraguan coast. The taste is rich and bright with a caramelized tilt with a spiced finish, offering all of the flavor that one would expect from the famous Hoyo brand. But it’s never, ever harsh and has a deep, medium-length finish with a light spice element. This balance is maintained throughout, although the intensity of the caramelized flavor recedes in the second half and the balance with the spicy notes is more evident. This is a very nice cigar and one that will be popular not only because of its quality, but also its accessible price range of $6.75 to $7.50 each, before local sales and tobacco taxes. Overall grade: A-: Excellent. Hoyo de Tradicion: [Honduras: available in 4 sizes] Introduced in 2007, long-time Hoyo de Monterrey fans will recognize this blend immediately because it uses the same-style band as many of the larger Cuban-made Hoyos, with red and gold printing on a white background. Hence the name, “Tradicion.” In just a year, the Hoyo de Tradicion has become a favorite and it’s easy to understand why. It’s medium-to-full in body, but with a spicy aroma. The taste is caramelized and is rich and sweet, with a tangy, but short finish. |
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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).
