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| STARS OF THE SHOW, PART I |
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Page 2 of 2
Well made, it burns evenly and the taste is smooth. There’s less caramel in the second half, but it remains fairly consistent throughout with a bit more spice at the end. At $4.50 to $5.20 each before sales and tobacco taxes, it’s also a bargain; what’s not to like? Viva la Tradicion! Overall grade: A: Exceptional. Cohiba Puro Dominicano: [Dominican Republic: available in 4 sizes] General Cigar president Daniel Nunez had been promising a Dominican puro and he delivered with the Cohiba Puro Dominicano, the fourth blend in the Cohiba “Red Dot” line. Made with leaves grown on General’s own farms, or farms from which the company takes the entire harvest, the Puro Dominicano is medium-to-full in body and has a toasty aroma. Nunez said of this blend that it “showcases the extraordinary range of flavor and richness from the soil” of Dominican tobaccos. He’s right about that as the taste is caramelized, tangy and sweet, with a medium finish. Very well constructed, the draw was perfect and the burn was even throughout. A pleasant, spicy element comes into play in the second half and the taste is clean and well balanced. It’s expensive at $13.50 to $20.50 each before local taxes and while excellent in all aspects, a bit more brightness and depth in the flavor would have been welcome. This is a cigar to keep an eye on into the future; Nunez clearly knows what he’s talking about when he says that “there are infinite possibilities for Dominican tobacco.” Overall grade: A-: Excellent. Mi Dominicana: [Dominican Republic: available in 8 sizes] Altadis U.S.A.’s Jose Seijas, the general manager of the largest cigar factory in the world – the Tabacalera de Garcia – is the mastermind behind the company’s first Dominican puro, called Mi Dominicana. Seijas is one of the most polite and mild-mannered executives you will find in any industry and while he makes no secret of his pride in this blend – which he calls “the perfect smoke” – it is very much a reflection of his own personality. Mi Dominicana is medium-to-full in body, with a toasty and slightly spicy aroma. The taste is fresh, clean and slightly sweet with just a hint of spice on the medium finish. While it has a caramelized note, the flavor stays amazingly clean and consistent throughout the cigar and the accent of the spiced notes on the finish are in perfect harmony with the core taste. Those who would draw too hard on this cigar to try and extract more flavor will find out that it also holds hidden power and can be heady. But its consistency and elegant balance make it stand out as a subtle cigar that can be enjoyed by anyone. Give this brand a quiet tasting in a setting which allows you to concentrate on its subtleties and you will be rewarded. Even better, at pricing of $7.50 to $9.00 each, it’s also within the grasp of most smokers; the best way to try the line may be the eight-cigar size sampler which retails for $66.50. Overall grade: A: Exceptional. La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Miami: [United States: available in 5 sizes] Ernesto Perez-Carrillo’s La Gloria Cubana blend made in Miami became a legend during the Cigar Boom of the 1990s. Demand became so great that he had to open a Dominican factory and in the future, that’s where La Glorias will be made; not in Miami. As the Miami production winds down, a new blend called the La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Miami has been introduced. It’s a limited-production cigar, made by 10 rollers in Miami and only 250,000 cigars are expected to be available this year. It’s full-bodied with a toasty aroma and a lightly caramelized taste. There’s a light tingle of spice on the finish and the cigar is subtle, with its character expressed in low tones. There’s an element of sweetness and demure elements of spice that make this blend best suited for mature, experienced smokers who can appreciate its delicacy. Those looking for bright, bold flavors will be disappointed, but perhaps they can learn a lesson in subtlety. The construction is excellent, of course, with an even burn, but the combination of a Nicaraguan-grown wrapper with an Ecuadorian-grown, Sumatra-seed binder and Dominican and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos smokes very slowly. Patience and a sensitive palate are the prerequisites for getting the most out of this cigar. The Artesanos blend will retail for $8.00 to $13.00 each; the best bet might be the thinnest: the double-corona-sized Elegante at 6 7/8 inches by 49 ring, at $11.00 before local tobacco and sales taxes. Overall grade: A-: Excellent. These five new blends showcase new possibilities in cigars, from the creation of new Dominican puros to the depth of a new and crafty blend from Miami to a bright and bold winner – in traditional dress – from Honduras. More to come next week in “Stars of the Show, Part II.” ~ Rich Perelman CLASSIFIED ADVERTISINGCigar Humidors and Cigar Accessories at Humidor Vault! Your online cigar humidor source, with rock-bottom pricing and fantastic customer support!Like sports? Get news and commentary you won’t see in your morning newspaper at TheSportsExaminer.com! Join the examination! A limited amount of classified advertising is available in this space on a weekly basis. For details, call Pat Harris at (213) 365-7965 or inquire by email by clicking here. Have an opinion? You can send it using the “Comment” button below! Don’t forget to register for our drawing for free cigars and accessories! Just click on the “Register & Win” button above; enter today! Looking for a cigar party? Take a look at our exclusive list of hundreds of cigar events across the country, listed by state and date, only on CigarCyclopedia.com!
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Did you know?
“American cigar consumption bottomed out in 1993 at 3.42 billion units (13 per capita), but premium sales are up.
