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| STARS OF THE SHOW VI |
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Page 2 of 2 Tobaccos from three nations are in this cigar: the wrapper is from Honduras, the binder is Dominican Olor and the filler is Dominican and Nicaraguan grown. That’s a good recipe for a flavorful and smooth cigar and the Cubita SMS delivers with a sweet, slightly caramelized taste and a medium finish. The flavor remains smooth and clean with more sweetness than caramel and a lightness that can be misconstrued. You won’t get more flavor by puffing harder, but by relaxing with this blend, you’ll fully enjoy its subtleties. The cigar becomes tangy towards the end and that’s the signal to put it down. The SMS is enormously under-appreciated, especially with a retail price range (before local taxes) of just $4.90 to $5.25 for the larger sizes! The Toro (6 x 50) at just $5.05 is very nicely priced indeed. All but the Minis are offered in boxes of 20. Overall grade: A-: Excellent. Although not as well known as some others, Juan Sosa is a very much respected cigar master now working in the Dominican Republic. Like so many others in the tobacco trade, he is originally from Cuba and his family’s farm – the nearly 2,500-acre Santa Julia – was nationalized with the rest of the Cuban cigar industry. In Sosa’s case, he and his family left in 1961. When Sosa began making cigars in the U.S., he used the brand name Menendez and later became best known for his terrific Sosa series (now distributed by Ashton Distributors) and for the multi-blend Macabi line, distributed by Sosa’s own Antillian Cigar Corporation. But now he’s found a cigar he’s willing to put the family farm’s name on. Santa Julia: [Dominican Republic: available in 6 sizes] Juan Sosa’s salute to his family’s 1,000 hectare (about 2,500 acre) tobacco farm in the Vuelta Abajo region of Cuba combines leaves from Honduras (filler), the Dominican Republic (binder) and a dark, Nicaraguan-grown, Corojo-seed wrapper. The Santa Julia is a charming, rustic cigar with a light, spicy aroma and a medium-to-full body. There’s a deep, semi-sweet flavor like dark caramel, with a rich finish. It’s earthy and burns well. The taste has more elements in the second half, including a peppery note, but the overall impression is of the soil. It’s an interesting cigar, very good in the daytime or for a change of pace in the evening with an adult beverage. As with every Juan Sosa-made brand, it’s reasonably priced, from $3.25 to $5.00 before local tobacco and sales taxes, offered in boxes of 20. The best buy might be the no. 300, a toro of six inches and 50 ring for just $4.30 each! Overall grade: B+: Very Good. Both Quesada and Sosa are widely respected inside the cigar industry, but their agreeable personalities sometimes overshadow their flavorful and expressive cigars. For Quesada, known for his lighter blends on the Fonseca line, he’s hit on the right formula to satisfy those who crave more powerful flavors. For Sosa, his new Santa Julia is a grounded blend that salutes his native Cuba and the richness of the soil of the Vuelta Abajo. These are unique cigars that deserve attention, even if their obvious attractiveness has to be whispered rather than shouted. ~ 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?
“Although out of production since 2001, Bering made "Just Married" and "Just Divorced" cigars.
