La Gloria Cubana Liga JD-05
The IPCPR is one of the best platforms to launch a new product or test a new concept. In 2012 La Gloria Cubana presented its Trunk Release cigars – special blends made in small quantities and packed in unique trunk style boxes, at that years IPCPR. At this years IPCPR La Gloria Cubana launched 3 new Trunk Release Cigars. I previously tested the 2013 LIGA MG-08 and gave it a very...
Viva Republica’s Rapture Exodus
Jason Holly, a cigar enthusiast and store owner in Northeastern Pennsylvania, intended to shake up the traditional cigar industry by making unusual blends not generally available to small suppliers. He created Viva Republica, Inc. and partnered with by the well-known La Aurora factory in the Dominican Republic to make cigars. These medium to full bodied sticks are aimed at traditional brick and...
El Titan de Bronze – Burn Your Fingers Good
There are lots of cigar producers scattered all over the place. Many go unnoticed, others achieve cult status. And most are in between, eking out a living while trying their best to produce quality cigars. But, El Titan de Bronze stands in its own category. Occupying a tiny storefront in Little Havana, Miami, this shop has 8 master rollers who each roll about 150 cigars a day. They work...
Arsen Pink for Men
A pink cigar? Are you kidding? What type of joke is this? In fact, it’s not a joke at all but rather a serious new entry into the world of premium cigars. Arsen Gasparian, a former Armenian diplomat and editor of a Russian cigar magazine, has come out with a line of quality smokes called Arsen Pink for Men. Previously, Gasparian had a release of his Connoisseur Collection....
Erez Maduro Strikes a Chord
What do you do when you retire at age 34? Yaniv Erez smoked cigars. He didn’t always smoke but a five year stint in the Navy left him with a taste for both good cigars and the camaraderie that accompanies them. But, retirement was boring so rather than just smoke cigars, Erez decided to get into the business. He found that many times guys would sit down to smoke and finish at...
From the West – Chinock Cellars Private Reserve
Brian Chinnock is a nice guy. And he makes a nice cigar that’s easy to review. I met Brian last year at the IPCPR show. Before giving me a cigar he wanted to talk about wines. And that’s not a surprise since that is his primary business. Brian owns a vineyard in Paso Robles, California, a lovely area on the central coast that I had the opportunity to visit a few years ago....
