A Legend Remade – El Tiante Habano Oscuro

A few weeks ago I had the distinct pleasure of spending a few hours with Daniel Tiant of the Tiant Cigar Group.  Daniel is the CEO of the company, but also the son of former Major League Baseball star pitcher Louis Tiant.  Tiant pitched for the Indians and Red Sox, being the star of the 75 World Series.  As a lifelong Red Sox fan, it was a thrill for me.

Those of us who remember Louis from his days being interviewed after the games, recall fondly that he was never without a smile and never without a cigar.  So, it came as a surprise to me when Dan mentioned that they are constantly working hard to overcome an incorrect idea that their cigars are a novelty or a ‘celebrity’ cigar.  Smoking for well over 50 years certainly validates his Cuban roots as a cigar lover and impresario, so Tiant senior should be regarded as a serious player in cigars.  Tiant junior sought out a relationship with Jose ‘Pepin’ Garcia and his son Jaime, to make their cigars in Nicaragua.  Pepin and Louis are of the same generation and get along famously.  Two humble men committed to excellence in his field.

In future reviews, I’ll share some of the details of a well thought out band that is very meaningful to the Tiant family.  But for now, let’s focus on our smoke.  When you first examine the cigar, you’ll find it pleasing to look at.  It is adorned with a traditional band in a dark blue with gold lettering.  The cigar is a medium brown, with a smooth touch.  It feels jsut right, not spongy or hard.  The stick clipped without problem and lit easily.  At first it produced a little smoke but increased quickly.

The first few puffs were filled with pepper and spice.  This quickly gave way to a spicy, almost Mexican chocolate.  I tasted hints of cinnamon and nutmeg.  As the cigar progressed, there was a continuation of cocoa and spice with a deep richness that left me wanting more.  I never felt overpowered by the smoke, but do think of it as a medium to full bodied cigar.

The cigar was well constructed , burned evenly and produced a long, medium grey ash.

At around $8.00 this is not an inexpensive smoke, nor is it overpriced.  It provides excellent flavor to a mature smoker who enjoys rich full bodied cigars.

Dan spoke to me of plans to expand the line, something which we expect to hear about during the summer.  As soon as he shares, so will we.