Casa Torano
A few weeks ago I visited Jack Torano at his warehouse in Miami. We shared stories and cigars. While he was talking about being able to smoke in the office, he mentioned that for most of the staff the Casa Torano was their preferred stick to smoke during the day. So I was not surprised to find that originally this cigar was only available at rolling events and was somewhat rare....
Gurkha Cellar Reserve — A Vintage Cigar
The Gurkha Cellar Reserve is a new release from the recently renamed Gurkha Cigar Group. As soon as I received this stick I was curious both because of the interesting shape of the cigar as well as the complex label. The label is large with lots of information. It tells you that the cigar is a Dominican puro, and the tobacco has aged 15 years. I was also looking forward to a nice long...
Las Ramblas, Toro
Las Ramblas, aside from being the main boulevard in Barcelona and a must visit location for tourists, is a purveyor of cigars from the Ventura Company. This cigar, Habano Coriollo from Las Ramblas, is another toro, a 6 1/2 X 50 cigar with an attractive color, slightly darker than the connecticut wrapper toro and stronger in flavor. The Habano is a firm, well made cigar and the quality...
La Gloria Cubana – A Mellow Afternoon
There are times when you don’t want to think about your cigar. You just want to enjoy it and not really have to work at, sort of like an old beat-up leather jacket that you’ve had for years. That’s exactly how I felt smoking this La Gloria. I spent an enjoyable afternoon with a good friend and never once thought of my stick, but enjoyed it the whole time. When you first...
Macanudo 1968 – A Very Good Year
This is an interesting cigar. First there are many different tobaccos that make the blend, including some from Ometepe, the remote Nicaraguan island with rich volcanic soil. Secondly, the tobacco is aged in tercios, the burlap bags used to transport the tobacco bales and then placed in charcoaled wooden barrels. This also add flavor that enhances the cigar. Perhaps all of these steps...
San Lantano Connecticut
AJ Fernandez is known for making strong cigars and this blend proves his versatility. This is an exceptionally mild and smooth cigar that is beautiful to look at and smoke. Upon first inspection you notice both the elegant double band and the rich light brown color. It’s hard to find any veins in this stick and it has a great feel in your hand. I cut and lit the cigar easily and it...
