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MEXICO MALIGNED . . . AND APPLAUDED

Summer issue of Cigar Magazine explores Mexico, golf and maduro and mixed-fill cigars

Los Angeles, May 13 – “So how can it be that Mexican cigars are so unpopular in America?” asked Steve Saka in his piece on the fall of Mexican-made cigars since the Cigar Boom in the newest issue of the increasingly-entertaining Cigar Magazine.

Saka is a true cigar hound and if he’s barking about Mexican cigars, we’re listening:

> While Mexican cigars – led by Te-Amo – claimed 10 percent of the U.S. market in 1980, they are down to less than one percent today.

> Manufacturing in San Andres Tuxtla, the cradle of cigar-making in Mexico, now include just four manufacturers in a tobacco industry that dates back to the Mayans in 2000 B.C.E. The Nueva Matacapan de Tabacos (Te-Amo) factory and Puros Santa Clara shops are quite large, but the Tabacos La Victoria and Fabrica de Puros Irene are tiny. In 1995, there were 15.

> Saka on Mexican cigars: “I smoked dozens of Mexican cigars [on the trip]. Though I didn’t like most of them, I found a few gems.”

What gems?

Saka was specific: the A. Turrent Organic Series, the Santa Clara Cabinet Maduro, the Puros Irene Royal Blend and the Miranda Maduro. None are imported into the U.S., but they are worth keeping an eye out for if you travel to Mexico.

The story makes the point that Mexican tobacco – especially for maduro wrappers – is much sought after, but the cigars are unpopular here. Not so in Europe, where consumption is increasing rapidly.

The future? Summed up by Jorge Ortiz of the Tabacos La Victoria plant: “What we need to do now is get Americans to try our new blends.”

But there was a lot more to savor in the magazine’s third issue:

• A great profile of Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, Jr. of La Gloria Cubana fame, noting his family’s entry into the U.S. cigar business in 1969, when his father bought a Miami factory on credit for $5,000. Originally named La Roma, it was renamed as “El Credito” and soon turned out an El Credito brand, then El Rico Habano and in 1972, La Gloria Cubana.

The turning point in Ernesto’s life came when his father was sick and was offered $125,000 in 1974 by Robert Gore of Jamaica Tobacco (makers of the Royal Jamaica brand) for the factory, but turned it down to turn it over to his son. Ernesto left the life of music and the drummer boy became a cigar man.

You know the rest: the brand exploded in1992 and by 1996, he opened his new factory in the Dominican Republic and in 1999, sold the business to Swedish Match’s General Cigar Holdings while continuing to oversee production and make new cigars.

• A look at the Quigley family of golfers including Team Te-Amo stalwart Dana of the PGA Champions Tour and nephew Brett on the PGA Tour. The story by Brian O’Connell indicates that Dana averages about three Te-Amos per each round, meaning he smokes about a box a week!

• Naturally, there are ratings. But in this issue, there are two sets!

In the first, ten mild, ten medium and ten full-bodied cigars with maduro wrappers were tested (30 total):

> Among the mild-bodied maduros, the top honors were earned by Ashton’s Aged Maduro No. 40, which had the best or equal-best scores in appearance, taste (88), construction and quality. That’s no surprise, except that the Ashton Aged Maduro would be classed as full-bodied by others, as we did: we ranked it our no. 2 cigar in the full-bodied category.

The Nat Sherman Metropolitan series “University” also scored 88 points for construction and the Avo No. 2, Fonseca Cedar No. 2 and the Flor de Murias Epicure equaled the Ashton for appearance with 87 points. The best value according to the survey was the Flor de Murias.

> Among the medium-bodied brands, the marvelous Excalibur No. 3 got top honors for construction (90) and quality, with the El Rey del Mundo Robusto Larga earning the top score for taste at 92 points. Both are made by Villazon in Cofradia, Honduras.

The Toraño Exodus 1959 Toro had the top score for appearance (90) and tied with the Excalibur for the best construction, finishing just a point behind the Excalibur for overall quality. The honors for value went to the La Corona Perfecto X and Belinda Black Exquisito.

> What about the heavyweights? Another win for Villazon, with its Hoyo de Monterrey Dark Sumatra Noche scoring 91 for construction and topping the overall quality poll. The top scorer for taste was the Saint Luis Rey Reserva Especial Toro at 89 points. The La Gloria Cubana Serie R No. 5 won for appearance (89), while the “value” award went to the Maria Mancini Robusto Larga.

The second tasting was of mixed-filler brands, near the bottom of the price scale for handmade cigars. A total of 15 cigars were tested with most of the honors going to the Villazon factory again for its El Rey del Mundo Corona Inmensa, a Churchill-sized cigar that earned the top score for taste (83), construction (84) and quality. The ridiculously low-priced Mr. B got the nod for best value.

• The new issue also includes a fun look at weird cigar “art,” a long piece on how to cut and light a cigar by J-R Cigars’ Lew Rothman and a lot more.

For its third issue, Cigar Magazine is hitting its stride. It’s well written, easy to read, attractive and . . . it’s focused on cigars! For all of these reasons, it’s worth a look if you haven’t already a subscriber. Ask for it at your local retailer.
~ Rich Perelman

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