Cigar Snob Magazine May June 2024

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GOING UNDERCOVER

with

DONNIE BRASCO p.35

CASK FINISHED

SCOTCH p.25

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ArturoFuente.com

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editorials MAY / JUNE 2024

25 5 TO TRY - CASK FINISHED SCOTCH The mission was to pick five Scotch whisky offerings of different price ranges, styles, and regions and make sure each was finished in a different type of cask. Then find the cigar that best paired with each spirit. We think we nailed it!

26 THE BALVENIE /

PLASENCIA ALMA DEL CAMPO

27 DEWAR’S DOUBLE DOUBLE 21 YEARS / A. FUENTE DON CARLOS

28 THE DALMORE /

H.UPMANN BY AJ FERNANDEZ

30 ALEXANDER MURRAY & CO. HIGHLAND 10 YEARS / ROCKY PATEL DARK STAR

32 JURA /

GURKHA COLECCIÓN ESPECIAL

35 BRASCO The real Donnie Brasco isn’t a social media handle. We talk with Joe Pistone, who as an FBI agent took the name Brasco as a pseudonym and infiltrated the Mob. Retired and robust, Pistone/Brasco is good with cigars, too.

38 RARE CUT A museum exhibit in South Florida provides a glimpse into the once-sparkling craft of creating and producing ornate cigar cutters.

59 FIRST CIGAR

ROBEISY “EL TREN” RAMÍREZ Robeisy Ramírez boxed his way out of Cuba and into the world of international boxing, where he became a featherweight champion. Ramirez talks of fleeing his homeland, a political awakening and his love of cigars.

64 Q&A : MANUEL YNOA MASTER BLENDER LA AURORA CIGARS

The master blender of La Aurora Cigars started his career in tobacco after a chance encounter at his flying club. Thirty years later he has worked with some of the biggest names in the premium cigar world and has the blends to prove it.

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features MAY / JUNE 2024

14 LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

16 FEEDBACK

18 WHAT’S BURNIN’

41 RATINGS

66 SMOKING HOT CIGAR SNOB SUMMER VIBES

FEATURING JOYA DE NICARAGUA CINCO DE CINCO

82 X SCOREBOARD

84 INSTAGRAM SCOREBOARD

86 EVENTS 86 PCA COVERAGE 90 2023 DAVIDOFF GOLDEN BAND AWARDS 92 11TH ANNUAL SMOKING TENT EVENT 93 TEXAS CIGAR FESTIVAL 94 TABACON PLANTATION GRAND OPENING 96 VILLIGER CIGARS AT SABOR HAVANA CIGARS 98 SACRIFICIO LAUNCH PARTY AT REGATTA GROVE

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VO L . 16 IS SU E 3 www.cigarsnob.com PUBLISHER & EDITOR Erik Calviño SENIOR EDITOR Steve Miller COPY EDITOR Michael LaRocca SALES & OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Oscar M. Calviño PRODUCTION DIRECTOR & JR EDITOR Ivan Ocampo ART DIRECTOR Andy Astencio ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Jamilet Calviño DIGITAL RETOUCHING SPECIALIST Ramón Santana DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGEMENT Gianni D’Alerta Diana Rita Cabrera CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Nicolás Antonio Jiménez Michael Beltran CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS David Benoliel Andy Astencio Christian Schneeweihs Natalia Aguilera EVENT PHOTOGRAPHERS Jamilet Calviño Carlos Gastelbondo ContentKyle Chris Hornaday Glenn Tarsi Cover Photography by David Benoliel www.davidbenolielphotography.com Cover Model -Celina Wagner Cigar Snob is published bi-monthly

by Lockstock Publications, Inc. 1421-1 SW 107th Ave., #253 Miami, FL 33174-2509 Tel: 1 (786) 423-1015 Cigar Snob is a registered trademark of Lockstock Publications, Inc., all rights reserved. Reproduction in part or full without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. Cigar Snob is printed in the U.S. Contents copyright 2006, Lockstock Publications, Inc. To subscribe, visit www.cigarsnob.com

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Always try to be the best version of yourself because you never know who’s watching.

Dana White, president of the UFC, was in New York City recently and happened upon a FedEx driver tossing packages into a delivery truck with zero regard for the well-being of their contents. He overhandtossed, frisbee-tossed, pitched others like a baseball, essentially running the gamut of ways to chuck boxes into a truck with reckless abandon. Unbeknownst to the driver, White was filming him and posted the video for his 9.3 million Instagram followers. The driver was soon fired.

I bring up this story because as a magazine we never know who consumes the content that we produce. We strive to make the best cigar content possible in a style that is our own and hope that you enjoy our print or digital issues, the website, podcast, and social media channels. We receive a fair amount of feedback from you, mostly great, some not so much, while some is downright wacky. We love all of it. We really do enjoy hearing from you, mostly because it gives us a glimpse of who we’re working for. Over the years we’ve met many of our readers and some have become friends that we keep in touch with and smoke cigars with regularly.

A couple of months ago I had the honor of meeting a longtime subscriber, Jero Gardner. He reached out because, in his words, “I’m getting old and want to give my collection of cigar books to someone who will appreciate them before I go.” Jero discovered our magazine in a cigar shop and has been a subscriber ever since. I was honored that he wanted us to have his collection, so we agreed on a date and time to meet. I was able to spend some time with him in his home talking about cigars, business, and life in general.

His insights about our business were incredibly perceptive and his views on cigars were more than interesting. For years he smoked one cigar a day, and it was a 60-ring gauge. He thinks cigar cutters are “frivolous.” He’s published two books on cigar label art and before he donated his collection of cigar box labels to the Smithsonian, he believed it to be the largest collection of its kind in the world. Jero isn’t smoking anymore, and not being able to enjoy a smoke with him is my only regret.

As I hauled the stack of books and other cigar items to the car, I asked Jero how I could repay him for his generosity. He asked me to sit back down, gathered himself and pointed to a picture of his wife, “The only thing I ask is that you print this in your magazine.

It’s a dedication to my wife who passed away,” and he handed me a small note where he had written:

Rodolfo “Rudy” Padrón passed away on April 22 at the age of 62. Rudy leaves behind a loving family and an interminable list of friends and colleagues around the world who will miss his easy smile, generous heart, and sharp sense of humor.

Rest in peace my friend.

Keep ‘em lit,

“To my wife, Carol, who never huffed, when I puffed.”

Thank you Jero. Thank you for your friendship and of course for the additions to our library. *** It was a tough month of April as the cigar industry lost a great man.

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Erik Calviño ecalvino@cigarsnobmag.com

TRUE TOBACCONIST Cigar Snob Podcast Team, First, I absolutely love your show and what you do for our cigar culture and community. Not only do you share a ton of cigar knowledge but you bring great humor into the mix. Thank you.

Question: This is something I’ve thought about over the 28 years I’ve been enjoying cigars and patronizing shops and lounges all over. Oftentimes you encourage us [Cigar Snob Podcast] listeners to approach our local “tobacconist” with questions or recommendations. The “textbook” definition of a tobacconist can be, “a dealer in tobacco, especially at retail”. A “licensed” tobacconist is someone authorized to sell tobacco products. I’m assuming just about any investor with enough money can apply and be granted a license to sell and be labeled a “tobacconist”. With that being said, I’m not always confident whether or not the person behind the counter in a shop or lounge is knowledgeable about cigars or the industry. As far as I know they can be just a person hired to “work the register”. How can I be confident that the person that I am approaching to seek guidance is a true “tobacconist” in the sense you are referencing on the show as someone who can accurately guide me on my cigar journey.

Without asking for proof, what are some signs to look for that they are truly knowledgeable?

Again, love and appreciate the show. I hope you find that the CSP audience would benefit from these questions.

Manny T Atlanta, GA What a great question! Our fans never cease to amaze us with their unlimited curiosity and love for cigars. To paraphrase, the question you pose is, how can you vet a knowledgeable tobacconist? When we go into retail stores we either know everyone there because of our network of relationships in the cigar industry, or we have a keen eye for spotting a bullshitter

from a mile away. In all seriousness, for the untrained eye, this can be a challenge. The good news is, most reputable cigar retailers staff their stores with knowledgeable employees because it’s in their best interest to do so. The better recommendations they make and the more they know about cigars, the higher the likelihood you’ll come back and buy more cigars from them. In our estimation, these days most of the employees at good retailers tend to be “cigar geeks” - even the cute girls you thought were there for eye candy often know their stuff. The days of the old shop tenders cluelessly punching in numbers at the cash register and puffing on cheap cigars are long gone. In fact many retailers require that their staff go through product training in addition to having educational events for customers hosted by manufacturers where the employees absorb information.

This isn’t a new problem and for that reason there are certification programs that tobacconists use to gain knowledge and achieve certification. The Tobacconist University (tobacconistuniversity. org) has been certifying cigar professionals and consumers since 1996 and offers a searchable list of certified tobacconists. There is also the International Association of Cigar Sommeliers (cigarsommelier.org,) and most recently The Cigar Academy (thecigaracademy. com.), which we are very excited about.

After completing a certification program you can be certain that at the very least this retailer has demonstrated the commitment to devote him or herself to a deeper appreciation and knowledge of premium cigars. Now, does that mean this person will give you a perfect cigar recommendation each and every time?

Maybe not. Whether the person is or isn’t certified will not guarantee anything but there is a better chance that someone who has gone through the certification process will be better equipped to make recommendations. Engaging in conversation with the tobacconist, asking if he/she is certified, and sharing your preferences in cigars will go a long way to finding a good fit. The more dialogue you have with the person, the more clues you can get into whether they can be helpful on this beautiful journey. When all else fails, hit them with one question: What is the best cigar magazine I should read? Then the truth will be revealed!

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OLIVA X PAUL MONTAG: A DAZZLING DUET Oliva Cigars has partnered with pianist Paul Montag for the Serie V Melanio Gran Toro, with Montag recording a 45-minute album in December - #dontsmokebutenjoy - while smoking the cigar. The 5.5 x 60 Gran Toro features the same Serie V Melanio wrapper, filler and binder, with the added artistic touch of the new LP available on streaming services.

The idea came from a conversation between Montag and Fred Vandermarliere, CEO of VCF, the mother company of Oliva Cigar Company.

They talked about the introspective power of classical music and cigars.

“Music goes to the very depth of a person’s soul, and cigars enable us to achieve a sense of plenitude through a form of introspection,” Montag said in a press release. “It’s a unique experience that all aficionados will now be able to enjoy.”

FOUNDATION CIGARS SHIPPING THE NEW WISE MAN COROJO AND MADURO Foundation Cigars is shipping the Wise Man Corojo and Maduro lines to U.S. retailers.

Produced in collaboration with Pepin Garcia and My Father Cigars, the Wise Man Corojo is an all-Nicaraguan blend, while the Wise Man Maduro features fillers from Estelí, Condega, and Jalapa covered with a San Andres Mexican wrapper leaf.

The Wise Man comes in a 7 x 54 Doble Corona ($13.50), 6 x 52 Toro ($12.50), 5 ½ x 50 Robusto ($11.50) and 5 x 48 Corona ($10.50).

It is packaged in 20-count boxes.

PUNCH HONORS DADS WITH A RETRO FATHER’S DAY RELEASE Remember renting VHS tapes from a local video store and recording home videos on a bulky handheld camera? If not, check the internet. Dads, fathers-in-law, and granddads surely remember those days, and Punch has channeled the home entertainment days of yore for this Father’s Day with some truly creative packaging.

Punch Dad’s Home Movies cigar comes in a specially-designed ten-count box that looks like a VHS tape sleeve, straight out of the 80s.

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The 6 x 50 Toro ($7.49) is produced by HATSA in Honduras and is made with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Nicaraguan Condega binder and a three-region Nicaraguan filler blend featuring tobacco from Condega, Esteli and Ometepe.

“With the release of Punch Dad Bod for Father’s Day last year, we knew we were on to something,” Punch Brand Manager John Hakim said in a press release. “So we upped the ante this year with Dad’s Home Movies. It serves three purposes in one: It lets the dad in your life know how much you care, opens the door for you to rib him for being old, and gives you a chance to enjoy a great Punch cigar with him while he reminisces about the good old days.”

ESPINOSA ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF THE 601 LA BOMBA WARHEAD X Espinosa Premium Cigars announces the tenth installment of the 601 La Bomba Warhead X. Warhead X is packaged as a wall-mountable, gold-painted bomb containing 10 cigars. The Warhead X, tenth edition, is a 6 x 55 Toro Oval ($16), made with the filler, binder, and broadleaf wrapper grown in Nicaragua.

The Warhead X is blended by Espinosa Premium Cigars, and made at the San Lotano Factory in Ocotal, Nicaragua.

“We began teasing [the new X] at La Zona Palooza,” Erik Espinosa said in a press release. “My son worked tirelessly on the design and presentation for this release, the entire sales team has been chomping at the bit to get these to retailers.”

TATUAJE RELEASES THE LOST YEARS BROADLEAF Tatuaje has released the Tatuaje Cojonu 2015 Broadleaf ($13), a 5 x 55 featuring a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and filler. It is also releasing the Tatuaje Cojonu 2018 in Broadleaf a 5 5/8 x 54 ($13.50) soft box-press with the same blend. Both come in 21-count boxes.

SOUTHERN DRAW CIGARS ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF CASA DE MONTECRISTO EXCLUSIVE Southern Draw Cigars announces the Casa de Montecristo Exclusive, a 7.125 x 58 Salomon ($12.17) in a round format as opposed to its

traditional box-press.

“Planning began over two years ago, then patiently producing the cigars at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez de Nicaragua, SA and confidently delivering these customized boxes to Casa de Montecristo makes this new release so much sweeter than anything that has come before, and we are deeply honored,” Sharon Holt, aka the Boss Lady of Southern Draw, said in a press release.

TRIPADVISOR NAMES J.C. NEWMAN AS THE TOP MUSEUM IN TAMPA Tripadvisor’s travel contributors have helped make J.C. Newman Cigar Co.’s El Reloj cigar factory as the top museum in Tampa, Florida.

Based on visitor reviews, Tripadvisor has presented the factory with a “Travelers Choice” award for 2023.

“When we opened El Reloj as a tourist destination, my biggest surprise was that only half of our visitors regularly enjoy cigars,” fourth-generation owner Drew Newman said in a press release.

“Although the other half of our visitors do not smoke cigars, they come to El Reloj because they are interested in Tampa’s history, old buildings, or historic manufacturing. Because of this, we are able to serve as ambassadors for the cigar industry and introduce new people to the history, culture, and tradition of handcrafted cigars.”

El Reloj is the largest cigar factory still operating in the United States and features artifacts, guided tours and cigar-rolling classes.

WEST TAMPA TOBACCO COMPANY INTRODUCES CIRCLE OF LIFE West Tampa Tobacco Company announces the Circle of Life, available in three sizes and produced at Casa Carrillo in Santiago, Dominican Republic.

The Circle of Life comes in a 5 x 52 Robusto ($12.99), a 6 x 54 Toro ($13.99) and a 6 x 60 Gigante ($14.99).

It ships in 20-count boxes and will be available domestically and internationally.

“For years I have shared my stories with consumers around the world,” Rick Rodriguez said in a press release. “I created Circle of Life to flip the script and be an opportunity for consumers to share their life stories with us.”

NOW SHIPPING: GURKHA YEAR OF THE DRAGON BY AJ FERNANDEZ AND ERNESTO PÉREZ-CARRILLO Gurkha Cigar Group is shipping two of its Gurkha Year of the Dragon series, a special edition set of cigars that includes four distinct smokes by four of the sector’s top producers.

AJ Fernandez created a 6 5/8 x 52 box-pressed cigar in a 10-count commemorative green box set to ship following March’s PCA trade show in Las Vegas. The cigar features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and filler.

The second collaboration is a 10-count black commemorative box with a 6 5/8 x 54 toro by Ernesto Pérez-Carrillo. The cigar features a Mexican San Andres wrapper, Ecuadorian Connecticut binder, and fillers from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic.

Both cigars have a suggested retail price of $25.

Yet to come are Gurkha Year of the Dragon by Oliva Cigar Company projected to ship in June and Gurkha Year of the Dragon by Oscar Valladares set to ship in September.

Cigar Snob profiled the project in its Jan/Feb. 2024 issue.

Each release of Gurkha Year of the Dragon is a limited edition of 2,000 boxes per manufacturer.

J.C. NEWMAN OPENS A DIAMOND CROWN CIGAR LOUNGE AT CORONA CIGAR CO. TAMPA J.C. Newman Cigar Co. and Corona Cigar Co. have teamed up to open a new Diamond Crown Cigar Lounge at Corona’s Tampa cigar store.

The new lounge, the 36th Diamond Crown lounge in the U.S., features a private room that overlooks the retail store. The lounge is also the second one at a Corona store; the Diamond Crown Cigar Lounge at Corona’s downtown Orlando store opened in 2008.

“We are so proud to have a Diamond Crown Cigar Lounge in our hometown,” Eric Newman said in a press release. “Because Tampa is ‘Cigar City,’ it is important to us that cigar enthusiasts have a first-class location to enjoy luxury cigars like Diamond Crown.”

J.C. Newman opened the first Diamond Crown Cigar Lounge in 2007 as a response to the proliferation of smoking bans across the United States.

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JOYA DE NICARAGUA INTRODUCES CLÁSICO MEDIO SIGLO TO THE U.S. Joya de Nicaragua announces the Clásico Medio Siglo is expected to ship this summer, an addition to the Clásico line. It features a habano criollo wrapper with Nicaraguan filler and binder and comes in four sizes.

Clásico Medio Siglo is available in a 6 x 60 Gordo ($11.50), a 6 x 50 Toro ($9.25), a 6 x 41 Numero 6 ($8.25) and a 5 x 50 Robusto ($8.75). It comes in boxes of 20. The Clásico Medio Siglo was first released in Europe in 2021 and has become part of the brand’s international portfolio.

The line was introduced at PCA 2024 in March.

Joya de Nicaragua Clásico Medio Siglo will only be available to retailers that are part of the loyalty program Club de Amigos of JDN.

MACANUDO GOLD LABEL RETURNS TO RETAIL WITH LIMITED EDITION SIZE Macanudo Gold Label is making its annual return, marking the occasion with a new, limited-edition size available this year only. The newcomer is the 6 x 49 Golden Fig ($11.39), a perfecto, joining the seven other Gold Labels in the line. It comes in a 20-count box.

Macanudo Gold Label was originally released in 2002, and has remained a favorite among discerning cigar aficionados. The cigars are named for the brand’s golden wrapper leaves harvested from the primings of the Connecticut Shade tobacco plant.

The blend features Mexican San Andreas binder and a blend of Dominican Piloto Cubano and Mexican filler.

Steve Abbot, director of marketing, said in a press release, “Macanudo Gold Label is an enticing, mellow blend that makes for a great smoking experience on its own and deepens the allure of pairings. It’s a pleasure to bring the blend back for its 22nd year and we look forward to sharing it with cigar lovers across the country.”

The standard Gold Label releases remain and include, in 25-count boxes, the Hampton Court Tubo, 5.5 x 42 ($12.29), the Lord Nelson, 7 x 49 ($12.79), the Tudor, 6 x 52 ($12.49), the Duke of York, 5.25 x 54 ($11.89) the Shakespeare, 6.5 x 45 ($11.69).

The 5.5 x 50 Crystal ($12.79) comes in an 8-count

box and the 4.18 x 32 Ascot ($25.19) in 10-count tins.

BOND ROBERTS CIGARS LAUNCHES IN MIAMI Bond Roberts, the online global Cuban cigar auction platform, has launched Bond Roberts Cigars.

The cigars, blended by Cuban cigar roller Hamlet Paredes, are produced at Oscar Valladares’s factory in Honduras.

The first of the Bond Roberts Cigars line include a 5 7/8 x 50 Petit 109 and a 7 ¼ x 50 109.

The vitolas were chosen due to their scarcity on the Cuban and general cigar markets.

All cigars are predominantly Honduran and Nicaraguan blends. Each cigar features a single branded band, while 25-count Cabinet Selection boxes are adorned with the Bond Roberts logo.

“With recent Habanos SA price rises across the globe, the concept of Bond Roberts Cigars is to deliver a first-rate product at approachable price points, ensuring that purchasing a box of premium cigars is not beyond anyone’s means,” Rob Ayala, CEO of Bond Roberts, said in a press release.

Bond Roberts Cigars will be distributed in the U.K. starting July 1 by JJ Fox and across Europe and Asia by COH Cigars. U.S. distribution will be announced in September.

DIESEL TO LAUNCH WHISKEY ROW FOUNDER’S COLLECTION MIZUNARA CIGAR Diesel and Rabbit Hole are marking their fourth collaboration with the release of Diesel Whiskey Row Founder’s Collection Mizunara, a cigar that highlights the mastery of blending.

Diesel Whiskey Row Founder’s Collection Mizunara was developed by Justin Andrews, blended

by AJ Fernandez, and handcrafted at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez in Estelí, Nicaragua. The cigar features a proprietary aging process and leverages rare Japanese Mizunara oak barrels that were used to age Rabbit Hole’s 15-Year-Old Mizuna Founder’s Collection bourbon.

The limited-edition cigar blend is centered on a proprietary Nicaraguan Habano binder leaf selected for aging in the same Japanese Mizunara oak casks that aged Rabbit Hole Mizunara Founder’s Collection Bourbon which was released in 2021.

Justin Andrews said, “With Diesel Whiskey Row Founder’s Collection Mizunara, we have given the

binder leaf a distinctive personality through its contact with the hand-shaped barrels to create a unique smoking experience. This cigar pairs beautifully with bourbon and creates an equally memorable smoking occasion on its own.”

Diesel Whiskey Row Founder’s Collection Mizunara is being released exclusively in a Toro format.

The 6 x 52 cigar ($15.99) is presented in boxes that mirror the packaging of Rabbit Hole Mizunara Founder’s Collection.

Diesel Whiskey Row debuted in June 2018 and marked the first collaboration between Diesel and Rabbit Hole. It was the first cigar to feature a binder leaf aged in Rabbit Hole bourbon barrels. The partnership expanded in 2019 with the launch of Diesel Whiskey Row Sherry Cask and includes Diesel Whiskey Row Founder’s Collection Boxergrail which was released in 2023.

FRATELLO CIGARS LAUNCHES 18TH AMENDMENT Fratello Cigars announces the Concealed Carry program, which connects 75 selected retailers to exclusive cigars.

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The inaugural small batch of 1,000 cans of twelve cigars, dubbed 18th Amendment, has begun shipping.

“With the 18th Amendment release, we pay homage to the defiance and resilience of a significant era in history, inviting enthusiasts to savor history with these cigars,” Omar de Frias, CEO and founder of Fratello Cigars, said in a press release.

MONTECRISTO 1935 ANNIVERSARY EDICIÓN DOBLE DIAMANTE RELEASE Altadis U.S.A. announces the release of the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Edición Doble Diamante.

The soft-pressed Nicaraguan puro will be available in a 6.5 x 54 Toro ($150) and comes in a 20-count wooden box with a piano finish and metal accents.

The box also serves as a keepsake humidor.

To further support the launch, the brand has also designed a bespoke, diamond-shaped decanter set, that will only be available for retailers who purchase the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Edición Doble Diamante box.

“This unique project has been many years in the making,” Rafael Nodal said in a press release. “We worked tirelessly to create a work of art that we felt demanded the very best in terms of flavor, aroma and complexity.”

AVO NOW SHIPPING COLLABORATION WITH WORLDRENOWNED DJ D-NICE Avo Cigars is now shipping Avo Expressions 2024 ($18), a collaboration with DJ D-Nice. The toro pigtail features an Ecuadorian wrapper with Mexican binder and Dominican and U.S. bourbon cask-aged filler. The cigars are housed in 15-count wooden boxes, engraved with motifs inspired by the artistry of DJing.

The Avo Expressions line of cigars was created with the purpose of collaborating with individuals who are leaders in their field, following in the footsteps of the late Avo Uvezian, the founder of AVO Cigars. Avo Uvezian was a musician and composer, who later in life channeled his musical skills into the creation of cigars that reflected his talents.

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CASK FINISHED SCOTCH FINISHING SCOTCH IN CASKS THAT PREVIOUSLY HELD OTHER SPIRITS OR WINES IS BY NO MEANS A NEW PRACTICE. THE BALVENIE, FOR ONE, STARTED TOUTING ITS WHISKIES AS “CASK FINISHED” IN THE 1980S. BUT, THERE HAS BEEN NOTICEABLE GROWTH IN THE AMOUNT OF EXPERIMENTATION WITH DIFFERENT CASKS AND WOOD TYPES IN RECENT DECADES. FOR THAT REASON WE WANTED TO SHARE THESE FIVE MALTS FINISHED IN DIFFERENT CASKS AND AT DIFFERENT PRICE POINTS. OF COURSE, WE ALSO WANTED TO PAIR EACH ONE WITH A CIGAR THAT WE FELT COMPLEMENTED THE WHISKY OR VICE VERSA.

by Erik Calviño

THE BALVENIE

CARIBBEAN CASK 14 YEARS

land that still grows and harvests its own barley, a portion of which is used to make its whiskies.

no wonder that Grant was so protective of the source.

After the barley has been selected, it’s steeped in spring water sourced from the hills above the distillery, then spread across a traditional malting floor. Again, in a process that is not unlike what happens with cigar tobacco, the malting barley is turned by hand until it is ready to be dried. The Balvenie operates its own hand-turned malting operation.

CARIBBEAN CASK

Coppersmith duties are typically outsourced but The Balvenie runs its own in-house coppersmith operation. The size and shape of the copper stills are integral to the taste that The Balvenie is known for. The team of coppersmiths builds and repairs stills, ensuring the essence of the whisky and the availability of the equipment.

After distillation, the newly made spirit rests in casks for anywhere from 10 to 50 years. Those casks are the product of the distillery’s on-site cooperage. The cooper does everything from selecting the oak, toasting it to the level desired by the malt master, and building the casks that will house the company’s most precious asset.

The final craft is that of the malt master. There are distilleries that outsource the malt master’s responsibilities, but The Balvenie has David C. Stewart. Approaching 60 years on the job, he’s the longest running malt master in the industry.

He noses and tastes samples for consistency and character and determines which casks are ready to be married with other casks and which are to be bottled.

Employing casks used for another spirit can be tricky. The quality of the original spirit housed in it is critically important, as is how spent the cask is by the time you get your hands on it. Even if you’ve confirmed both original quality and cask life, the flavors of the whisky can clash with the flavors being imparted by the new cask. For the Caribbean Cask expression, The Balvenie sources ex-rum casks from the Caribbean and although it doesn’t disclose the exact source, the results are hard to argue. The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 is often considered the standard for a successful rum cask finished single malt.

TASTING NOTES Opens with a delicious onslaught of toffee, vanilla, fruit, and subtle honey notes. The taste is bursting with fresh fruitiness accompanied by sweet spices, dried fruit, ginger, and cinnamon.

If you enjoy rum flavors as well as single malt Scotch, The Balvenie 14 Caribbean Cask should be your entry into the category. And at 43% ABV, it can easily be enjoyed neat or with a touch of spring water.

Plasencia Alma del Campo

THE FIGHT FOR WATER SPEYSIDE SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY CARIBBEAN CASK FINISH 43% ABV

FIVE RARE CRAFTS The Balvenie is unique in the world of single malt Scotch, being the only distillery in Scotland that manages and maintains the five time-honored crafts that make up the whisky-making process.

Like premium cigars, which rely on good raw tobacco for high quality smokes, single malt Scotch whisky relies entirely on superior barley.

The Balvenie is one of the only distilleries in Scot-

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Today we see The Balvenie as one of the staple brands of the single malt whisky category, but it didn’t start that way. The Balvenie was the second distillery built by William Grant and his seven sons and two daughters, the first being Glenfiddich located next door. There are conflicting stories as to why Grant immediately built a second distillery next door to his first; the tale most often circulated revolves around preventing another distillery from popping up next door and competing for the area’s prized water source.

The term whisky comes from the Gaelic ‘usquebaugh,’ meaning water of life, and in the whisky making process, water is the life of the whisky.

It’s used throughout the process from steeping the barley, to filling fermentation tanks, and even for diluting the whisky before bottling. It’s

PAIRING NOTES THE PLASENCIA ALMA DEL CAMPO IS EXPERTLY BALANCED, PROVIDING A CORE OF CEDAR, NUTS, AND CREAM ALONG WITH A BACKGROUND OF PEPPER AND SUBTLE EARTH. THE CIGAR’S MEDIUM BODY PROVIDES JUST ENOUGH BACKBONE TO HOLD UP AGAINST THE DELIGHTFULLY SWEET AND OAKY BASE OF THE WHISKY. THE BALVENIE’S CORE FLAVORS JOIN THE CIGAR IN LOCK-STEP MAKING THIS A PERFECTLY COMPLEMENTARY PAIRING.

DEWAR’S DOUBLE DOUBLE 21 YEARS Over 140 years after Dewar’s first master blender developed the process, the company’s seventh master blender, Stephanie Macleod, has built upon the process with a new fourstage method they call “double double aging.”

The final stage of the process calls for marrying the double aged whisky in a cask that previously held a different spirit or wine. The Double Double series was initially released in 2019 with three expressions; a 21-year-old finished in Oloroso Sherry casks, a 27-year-old in Palo Cortado Sherry casks, and a 32-year-old matured in Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks.

nara in their finishing practices but it’s not as simple as that.

Mizunara translates to “water oak,” due to its high moisture content and highly porous nature.

Casks built using this oak are often leaky and because they are so porous, a higher percentage of the spirit is lost to the “angel’s share” than a typical American or French oak barrel.

It’s also much more expensive and difficult to work with. The Japanese oak grows in a winding, twisting manner, making the yield from each tree much lower than its American cousin, not to mention that the tree requires more than 200 years to reach maturity. In contrast, American white oak requires approximately 90 years to reach maturity.

Photo credit: stock.adobe.com

Quercus crispula, commonly known as mizunara oak from Japan

BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY MIZUNARA OAK CASK FINISH 46% ABV

THE DOUBLE DOUBLE Dewar’s has always gone out of its way to let consumers know that its whisky is “double aged for extra smoothness.” It’s a fundamental attribute of the brand, and the claim is made on the packaging of most of its products, from the inexpensive White Label all the way up to the 25 Year Old. Dewar’s double aging process was implemented by its first master blender, AJ Cameron, in 1881. Simply stated, it means that after distillation,new malt and grain whiskies are aged separately before the aged malt and grain whiskies are blended in to achieve the desired flavor profile. The whisky is then aged some more for “extra smoothness.”

It didn’t take long for the whisky world to take notice. While the line has received many awards over the years, the Double Double 32-year was named “Whisky of the Year” during the 2020 International Whisky Competition, considered by many to be the most prestigious award given to a whisky. To win “Whisky of the Year,” the spirit must outperform whiskies from all over the globe; blended, single malt, bourbon, Irish, Japanese, all of them. In the 2023 IWC awards, Dewar’s Double Double swept the “Best Blended Scotch” category with the 37-year-old taking 1st place, the 21 taking 2nd place, and the 36 bringing in 3rd place. The distillery has been stockpiling awards in unprecedented fashion thanks to this innovation.

MIZUNARA OAK After World War II, Japan found itself facing all kinds of shortages and while food and medicine topped the list of needs, whisky was not as far behind as you would think. Out of necessity, Japanese distillers and their respective cooperages began using their native Mizunara oak to make barrels. Eventually, more and more distillers outside of Japan began to implement Mizu-

MIZUNARA OAK

So why use it? Spirits aged in Mizunara require more aging time than other oak casks to impart the flavors that make it so coveted. Yet when done right, the results are not only superb and award-winning but easily identifiable by discerning consumers.

TASTING NOTES With dried fruit and cedar notes jumping out of the glass on the nose, the Dewar’s begs you to drink it, but give it a second in the glass and notes of caramel and spice join the party. The palate delivers a dry, oaky character accompanied by honey, spice, green apple, and a touch of vanilla.

A. Fuente Don Carlos

PAIRING NOTES THE ARTURO FUENTE DON CARLOS IS A CLASSIC BLEND THAT PRODUCES A MEDIUM-BODIED CORE OF CEDAR, SWEET SPICE, AND TOASTED ALMONDS ACCOMPANIED BY A TOUCH OF CREAM. THE DEWAR’S DOUBLE DOUBLE 21 MIZUNARA HEAPS THE OAK, HONEY AND VANILLA ONTO THE SMOKE IN A SEAMLESS WAY THAT MAKES YOU FORGET THOSE NOTES DIDN’T COME WITH THE CIGAR.

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THE DALMORE

PORT WOOD RESERVE

$250,000 in 2011. And in 2017, a 12-bottle set called The Paterson Collection priced at over $1 million was sold at Harrods, the iconic London department store.

is hard to pin down, we know that the relationship between the sherry producers and whisky distillers is a longstanding one that has grown in recent years.

Paterson’s whisky tastings are the stuff of legend, occasions on which he will pour whisky into his glass, swirl it around and fling the liquid across the room, claiming that it helps to get rid of any soap residue on the glass. It’s also a great way to get you through a bottle quicker, requiring you to buy another, but that’s admittedly a cynical way to look at it.

We also know that the characteristics that sherry casks impart on an aged whisky are subtle and delicate complements to the original spirit.

Port casks, or port pipes as they are referred to in the trade, pose challenges to the whisky’s master blenders due to their different size and impact on the spirit. The idea is to mature a whisky that is already of exceptional quality in a vessel that can add layers of complexity without masking the beauty of the original spirit. In order to do that, The Dalmore has sourced port pipes from Graham’s Port for decades and for this specific expression have chosen to use pipes that previously held Graham’s 10 Year Tawny Port.

Photo credit: thedalmore.com

TASTING NOTES

Richard “The Nose” Paterson

HIGHLAND SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY PORT CASK FINISH 46.5% ABV

THE NOSE AND BEYOND Since 1970, one man has led the distillation and blending of The Dalmore. The expertise of Richard Paterson aka “The Nose,” has guided the distillery through difficult times and ushered in an era of unprecedented success in the marketplace. His knowledge of distillation and blending pushed The Dalmore into the top tier of collectible whiskies. The last bottle of his most famous creation, a 12-bottle limited edition called The Dalmore Drew Sinclair, sold for

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A bona fide cigar snob, Paterson is also responsible for the development of The Dalmore Cigar Malt, which was introduced in 1999, then renamed in 2007 to The Dalmore Gran Reserva.

The rebrand didn’t stick and in 2014 the word “cigar” was put back on the label. It is now called The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve and along with the name change, the blend was modified, and some feel it has improved.

In recent years, Paterson has been working alongside Gregg Glass, who is Master Whisky Maker for the distillery and will eventually take over when Paterson hangs up the nose… or boots.

PORT WOOD RESERVE In the world of cask finished whisky, “sherry cask finished” is so ubiquitous that it often goes undetected on the whisky label, at least by casual drinkers. Before it became cool to “finish” your whisky, distillers were frequently employing the practice and mentioning it only in the description as “matured in sherry casks.”

Port sits on the opposite end of popularity as a finishing cask. While the exact reason for this

A wonderfully complex and intense nose with plums, citrus, red berries, and a touch of toffee.

On the palate it is a full-flavored and rich spirit with a juicy combination of blood orange, plum, and oak followed by heavier flavors of caramel, vanilla, and coffee on the finish.

H. Upmann Nicaragua by AJ Fernandez

PAIRING NOTES THE H. UPMANN NICARAGUA BY AJ FERNANDEZ IS CONSISTENTLY WELL-BUILT, DELIVERING A PROFILE OF PEPPER, OAK, AND CARAMEL. WHEN PAIRED WITH THE DALMORE PORT WOOD RESERVE, THE WHISKY’S OAK AND SPICE ARE CANCELED OUT, LEAVING YOU WITH A DELICIOUS COMBINATION OF PLUM, CITRUS, AND RICH, CREAMY CARAMEL. THE WHISKY IS A HIGHER PROOF (93), THEREFORE DON’T BE AFRAID TO ADD A BIT OF SPRING WATER UNTIL YOU FIND THE PERFECT PROOF FOR THE PAIRING.

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ALEXANDER MURRAY & CO. HIGHLAND 10 YEARS original independent bottlers, and they formed an essential element of the business. That is how most of the whisky reached the consumer.

But as distilleries started to develop their own product lines and bottle their own brands, their businesses became global, and the independents moved to the margins.

Little by little, as more distillers updated their business models, the independents shifted from being the principal outlet to sell whisky to being specialty operations that sourced unique casks and sold them to a discriminating clientele. As time went on and demand for single malt Scotch grew, they became more specialized at finding and selling rare, aged stocks of whiskies from lesser-known distilleries. At times they pushed distillers and blenders to experiment with different cask finishes to achieve different expressions from the same spirit.

Not wanting to buck tradition and time-tested methods, distillers were often conservativeminded when it came to their practices. So while the distillers and blenders of Distillery X would never release an experimental version of their whisky, doing so through an independent bottler’s brand gave them the freedom to explore and experiment. It’s possible that the cask finishing that is now commonplace in the market was born of these maverick bottler’s experiments.

SHERRY CASK FINISHING

HIGHLAND SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY SHERRY CASK FINISH 46% ABV

RISE OF THE INDEPENDENTS In the early days of the whisky trade, distilleries sold their spirits mostly in bulk to grocers and merchants who bottled and sold the whisky under their own brand name. These were the

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Single malt Scotch finished in sherry casks is said to be a “sherried whisky,” and it’s quite common. Some of the most popular whiskies are sherried, like The Macallan, The Dalmore, Highland Park, The Balvenie, and many others which all have a prominent sherry influence. If you drink single malt Scotch with any regularity, you’ve likely tasted a sherried whisky but there is little awareness of the fortified wine called sherry in the U.S. That is unless you’re a James Bond nerd, and there’s nothing wrong with that!

There’s a scene in Diamonds Are Forever where Bond, played by Sean Connery, espouses his expertise in sherry. But other than a handful of obscure pop-culture references, sherry suffers from a severe lack of consumer awareness in the U.S., which is a shame because it can make for an enjoyable aperitif or accompaniment for savory tapas in Spanish cuisine.

Sherry is a Spanish fortified wine from the south of Spain. The most significant sherry-

SHERRY CASK FINISH

producing region is Jerez de la Frontera in Andalucía. If you were in Spain, you wouldn’t call it sherry, you’d just call it Jerez or Xerez. In fact, the name sherry comes from the British butchering of the name; Xerez became “sherrish,” and that became “sherry.”

Several factors go into sherry’s impact on a single malt during the finishing process. The type of sherry that filled the casks is at the top of the list. The most common is Oloroso, which is typically a dry sherry that can influence the Scotch with layers of nuts, dried fruit, and spice. Pedro Ximénez, or PX as it is often called, is a much sweeter sherry that can impart notes of raisins, figs, chocolate, and honey. The other sherry types are Fino, Amontillado, Manzanilla, and Palo Cortado. Anytime you see those names on the Scotch label, know that it has been finished in sherry casks and if you enjoy it, seek out other similarly finished single malts.

TASTING NOTES Dried apricots and green apples are joined by subtle pepper, zest, and vanilla on the nose. A drop of water brings out a mouthful of intense flavors of dried fruit, oak, sweet spice, and vanilla cream. The finish is long and creamy with delicious malt, peaches, and mellow oak.

Rocky Patel Dark Star

PAIRING NOTES THE ROCKY PATEL DARK STAR IS COVERED WITH AN INVITING, MEDIUM BROWN WRAPPER AND DELIVERS A BALANCED AND COMPLEX COMBINATION OF NUTS, CEDAR, PEPPER, AND COCOA WITH A TOUCH OF EARTHINESS. DRAWING FROM THE CIGAR AFTER A SIP OF THE EVER SO SLIGHTLY DILUTED SINGLE MALT INTRODUCES TONS OF FRUIT AND CARAMEL TO THE SMOKE. IT’S A PERFECTLY COMPLEMENTARY PAIRING.

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JURA

BOURBON CASK FINISH

one store, and thanks to two local estate owners who rebuilt and expanded it, one distillery.

Robin Fletcher and Tony Riley-Smith, had the vision to revive Jura Distillery in the 1960’s. They recognized its importance as a source of employment for locals and its presence as the focal hub of the community. The modernized and expanded distillery reopened in 1963.

ever, is whether the Scotch is being aged in a first fill or refill cask. First fill casks have a more profound influence on the Scotch. First fill exbourbon casks will impart those typical bourbon notes of caramel, vanilla, coconut, and oak.

Photo credit: Jura Distillery by Rob Farrow, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

TASTING NOTES

George Orwell famously wrote “1984” while living in a farmhouse in Jura. The island’s remoteness and tranquility allowed him to focus on writing his dystopian masterpiece. Before the distillery, being the birthplace of “1984” was Jura’s only globally significant claim to fame.

Whether or not Orwell could have found the peace and quiet he needed to write “1984” if the distillery had been open in 1948 remains an unanswered question.

HIGHLAND (ISLANDS) SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY BOURBON CASK FINISH 40% ABV

THE ISLE OF JURA On the western edge of Scotland, in the Inner Hebrides, lies the Isle of Jura. It is roughly 142 square miles in area and is home to just over 200 inhabitants and over 6,000 red deer. Despite the low human population, there is an award-winning distillery on the island.

Originally founded in 1810, the distillery fell into disrepair. It was restored in 1884, but again by 1900, it shut down. The local economy suffered as there was not much else on the island. Even today there is one road, one hotel, one pub,

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The isle next to Jura is Islay, known for its heavily peated whiskies. Despite this fact, Jura’s distillers peat their whisky with an intentionally light touch and not in the entire range of whiskies.

The non-peated Jura expressions have a Highlands character while the peated expressions have a subtle smokiness that never approaches the intense peat in their Islay neighbors’ whiskies like Ardbeg, Lagavulin, and Laphroaig.

BOURBON CASK Bourbon finished whisky is an interesting topic because ex-bourbon casks are so ubiquitous throughout the single malt landscape. American bourbon regulations require that for a spirit to be labeled as “straight bourbon whiskey,” it must be aged for a minimum of two years in new, charred, American oak barrels. As a result of this surplus, ex-bourbon barrels are relatively inexpensive in comparison to other options.

Hence the ubiquity of ex-bourbon barrels in Scotland. The key to the barrel’s impact, how-

An ideal beginner Scotch that opens with a big, approachable nose of rich nuttiness and citrus notes accompanied by bourbon aromas of vanilla and toffee. On the palate there are flavors of malt, oak spice, sour apple, and vanilla that show themselves willingly. If adding water, be mindful of how much to add since this is a 40% ABV spirit that will quickly break down with too much.

Gurkha Colección Especial

PAIRING NOTES THE GURKHA COLECCIÓN ESPECIAL ON ITS OWN IS AN ULTRA-CREAMY SMOKE WITH DELICATE NOTES OF TOASTED ALMOND, VANILLA, AND BAKING SPICE BALANCED BY CEDAR ON THE FINISH. IDEALLY YOU SHOULD LET THE JURA BREATHE IN THE GLASS FOR A MOMENT BEFORE TASTING; YOU’LL KNOW IT’S READY WHEN THE VANILLA AND TOFFEE AROMAS CRANK UP TO 11 .

THE CIGAR’S CORE PROFILE REMAINS INTACT AND IS JOINED BY A DELIGHTFUL COMBINATION OF CARAMEL, VANILLA, AND MALT FLAVORS THAT TAKE THIS PAIRING TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

EDITOR’S NOTE WE PARTNERED WITH TOTAL WINE & MORE (TOTALWINE.COM) TO PUT THIS FEATURE TOGETHER AND PABLO ESTADES WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING IT HAPPEN. THANKS, PABLO.

MAY / JUN 2024 | CIGAR SNOB | 33

`

the

real

Donnie Brasco

BY STEVE MILLER / PHOTOGRAPHY BY NATALIA AGUILERA / LOCATION SMOKE INN BOYNTON BEACH

Fuhgeddaboudit: “Everyone is Fascinated with the Mafia,” says the real Donnie Brasco

I have to be rude. So I find it better that I don’t know my neighbors.”

Cigar Snob spent some time on a call-in number phone conversation with Pistone. We told him he could just call us, but then we’d have his phone number.

We aren’t cowboys, but Donnie Brasco just can’t take chances.

efore he was an FBI agent, Joe Pistone was a wise-guy-in-training in his native Paterson, New Jersey, hanging out in after-hours gambling joints, with Mob ties NOT optional.

CS: What’s your history with cigars?

The experience came in handy when, in his mid 20s, he became Donnie Brasco, the iconic undercover fed who spent five years infiltrating some of the nation’s biggest Mafia names. Pistoneas-Brasco posed as a jewel thief as he learned how various rackets were organized and where they operated, an infiltration that covered several states.

“I could fit in at any gambling house, so I didn’t have to present myself as something I wasn’t,” he says of his successful ruse.

Pistone's work and subsequent years of courtroom testimony led to over 100 federal convictions of pivotal organized crime figures, including members of the Bonanno family, one of the top five Mafia operations in the U.S. Pistone, 84 years old, parlayed a 17year career in law enforcement into a creative kingdom that includes books, television shows and the big daddy, “Donnie Brasco,” the 1997 film featuring Johnny Depp as Pistone. Depp led a cast that today includes some of the best of underworld acting; Al Pacino, Michael Madsen, and Bruno Kirby, with Anne Heche playing Pistone/Brasco’s wife and James Russo as a Bonanno foot soldier.

Pistone’s legend has ambitious tentacles into the cigar world. He is hopeful that a line of cigars, tentatively called Mafia will take hold. He's in partnership on the plan with Anthony Tarantola, nephew of Salvatore “Bill” Bonanno, whose syndicate family Pistone testified against and crippled as a criminal enterprise. The family, known in its heyday as one of the most violent in organized crime, soon reconstituted

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Photo credit: Joe Pistone

“I grew up in an all-Italian neighborhood and didn’t know gambling was illegal until someone told me,” Pistone says.

“Everyone had a bookie.”

“I’m still amazed how many people recognize Donnie Brasco,” he says. “I give lectures and I see people in their 20s, 30s, 40s out there. I figured there has to be something to this because a lot of them are cigar smokers.” and remains a force today.

“Bill and I did a book together called “Good Guys” a couple of years before he passed [in 2008],” Pistone says.

“Through that, I met Anthony, and we stayed in touch. He called me one day and said he had an idea for a line of cigars, the Mafia, or the La Cosa Nostra.”

Pistone has noticed that like an agingbut-famous rock band, his craft – stories of the Mob – gains new followers with each generation.

“I’m still amazed how many people recognize Donnie Brasco,” he says. “I give lectures and I see people in their 20s, 30s, 40s out there. I figured there has to be something to this because a lot of them are cigar smokers.”

The fledgling cigar line - nothing official has been announced at press time - one

Surveillance footage of Joe Pistone aka Donnie Brasco (right) undercover in Tampa, FL circa 1980. more project to add to Pistone’s impressive CV that includes the 1988 memoir that started it all, "Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia." The movie deal followed, as well as a Falcone, a nine-episode TV series also based on the book. Two more non-fiction books, a series of fictional tales and more video projects followed, all using the Mafia as part of the story line.

Today, Pistone still lives in relative seclusion, always cautious about who knows his whereabouts and any other identifying information.

“I still pay attention,” he says. “What you worry about is a cowboy, someone that recognizes that they would be famous, and there’s plenty of those out there.”

His neighbors don’t know who he is.

When he travels, he has several identifications he can use but he has no security detail. The IDs were set up “a long time ago,’ he says, back when he had a $500,000 contract out on his life. As a result of the bounty and potential danger, his fallback safety valve is emotional distance.

“I’m not that friendly, so I don’t talk to many neighbors,” he says. “It’s just easier anyway if neighbors don’t know anything. No one can let [things] go anyway and if they start asking questions,

My first cigar was a Parodi, the Italian stogie. My uncle smoked ‘em, I was in my 20s and I said, ‘let me try one of those.’ I thought it would kill me. But I smoked a few more and they weren’t all that bad. Then I was in the FBI and sitting on surveillance, you had a lot of time and you could smoke back then, so that’s one of the things we did. But by then I was in Florida, and in Tampa, I was getting the real thing from Cuba, this was the mid-to-late 70s. At least they said they were Cuban. A couple years ago I had a Cuban cigar and I realized that they are making better cigars in Nicaragua now. I like a heavy, flavorful smoke, full-bodied. I go to smoke at a couple of clubs around where I live, or I smoke in the garage.

CS: How was Donnie Brasco born?

I was assigned to Jacksonville and did some undercover but that wasn’t my regular assignment. I did bank robberies, fugitives, gambling. But just light undercover. Everything I did, including deep undercover, was optional. It all depended on the situation though. I was on one case, a car theft ring, for a year and a half. So I’d do that and other things, six months here, six months there. It depended on the crime. I first used Donnie Brasco on that car theft ring, I took Donnie from my middle name, Dominick. So I had all the background stuff in place, my driver’s license and everything, so it didn’t make any sense to change when I went to deep undercover. Once I did that, I had a whole new life, I could not go home at night, I had my own apartment. I was that person.

CS: There was a point while you were undercover in which you were going to be involved in the killing of three capos, as part of a clean-up crew, which clears the blood and evidence. How did you navigate that kind of thing as an agent, since you could not commit a crime like murder, even in your role?

That was called off, I was canceled as clean up at the last minute. I didn’t know I was going to be on the crew but when the contract came out, I was there. Later there was a contract to kill someone and I got the contract to do that but that never happened either. I later found out that if I were supposed to kill someone as an undercover agent, they would have had the FBI grab the intended victim then the murder would be staged like in the movies. They would have made it look like a hit. The FBI does good planning.

CS: Writing is hard work and writing books is even harder. How did you come into this?

In the FBI, you gotta write a lot of reports. Every time you interview someone, to make a case you have to put it down on paper. But when you write a book, you have to put everything together so that chapter seven ties in with chapter two so that was really different. I had good teachers and good co-writers. They would edit things and tell me to go back and do this or that. I sat down with several big-name authors who wanted to be co-writers on the first book, but at the end of the conversation they were telling me, ‘this will need this or that,’ and I’d say, ‘that never happened.’ Their response was that ‘well, we need to sell this book.’

So I went with Richard [Woodley, true crime author, former newspaperman] because he said up front that ‘this is your book, you write it and I will clean it up.’ We started in 1987 and it came out in 1988, so it took about a year. It was good to have all the material and I had my reports to refer back to. And I did smoke a few cigars when I wrote the book. It came out great, it was a New York Times best-seller.

He said, ‘I got no beef with you, you were just doing your job.’ So every day, he would bring a cigar and Lou (casting director, DiGiaimo) made sure the kid worked every day. So I had a cigar every day he was there.

CS: Did you call Hollywood for the movie or did it come to you?

I had no intention of writing a book, or intention of doing anything but completing the case. But a friend of mine from high school, Lou DiGiaimo, had done casting for Barry Levinson, Ridley Scott and these big guys. I was testifying one day and I hadn’t seen Lou for a few years as I was undercover. And he’s in court and comes up and talks with me, he says ‘you’ve got a helluva story and a book.’ I just said ‘nobody gives a shit.’

I couldn’t do anything anyway because I am giving testimony, it’s national news

but I couldn’t do anything anyway, I’m still working cases. But I left the FBI and so then I could do it. Through Lou, I got the book deal and then once that was done, Lou came back with Barry Levinson, we sat down and I signed with his company.

CS: You were on set for the shooting of Donnie Brasco, which was done mostly on site, that is, in New York’s Little Italy, where a lot of the real action took place. How was the experience?

I cooked lunch for people in Johnny Depp’s trailer. I had a trailer on set but mine was just a small one. It didn't have cooking facilities, so I made Sicilian steak, pasta, whatever we decided to have. Johnny’s was the place to be. I spent a lot of time with him, and I spent two weeks with Al [Pacino] before the shooting started and during the shoot, he would talk with me. I spent time with Michael Madsen, James Russo, Bruno.

There wasn’t a single one of them that was full of themselves. Anne Heche spent time with my wife. Al should have gotten the Academy Award for his work.

I think Dustin Hoffman said that at some point. Al would ask, ‘would Lefty (his character) have said this? Would he act like this?’ They wanted to get the dialog right and there was no one who didn’t want my input, they were all so gracious.

CS: What percent of the movie was accurate?

I’d say 85 to 90 percent. They really stuck with the truth as much as possible, which is what Barry wanted. But there were things, they gotta put asses in seats, as they say, and this was no

documentary. There were things in there that didn’t happen, like I never struck my wife and that was not in the original script, the director put that in without me knowing until they were shooting it. My wife and I never met with a psychiatrist. And I never met my FBI agents who were overseeing the operation at Katz’s deli. We met at the museum of natural history. I think someone involved just wanted a pastrami sandwich.

CS: Who was the biggest cigar smoker on the set of Donnie Brasco?

It was a wise guy I knew in the life. I never had any criminal dealing with him. So I see him around one day and wondered what he was doing there, and it turned out his son was an extra, he wanted to be an actor. He asked me if he could come to the set when he was working and I said, ‘as long as you don’t start any trouble.’ He said, ‘I got no beef with you, you were just doing your job.’

So every day, he would bring a cigar and Lou (casting director, DiGiaimo) made sure the kid worked every day. So I had a cigar every day he was there.

MAY / JUN 2024 | CIGAR SNOB | 37

TOY HORSE CIGAR CUTTER

1909 James Samuel Bell (British, 1860–1935), silversmith London Silver, steel

ness with people all over the world,” he says, as he spent anywhere from $20 to $5,000 for a cutter.

His collection became as much a passionate pursuit as a hobby, and Kronenberg began to meet fellow cutter fans from all over the world. He struck up a friendship with a collector in Berlin, among other locations.

“I dealt with this guy for years and we finally met when I went to Berlin on a trip, and it was like meeting an old friend.”

His collection recalls a time when some of the best cutlery – and cutters – in the world was produced in Solingen, Germany, referred to sometimes as “the city of blades.”

RARE CUT moking has been prohibited since 2011 at Florida International University. But the ban doesn’t preclude patrons from enjoying its new exhibit at the Wolfsonian-FIU museum and research center, “Smoke Signals: Cigar Cutters and Masculine Values,” although it may lead directly to an interest in firing up.

The display includes 141 vintage cutters, distinctive at first glance based on age, dating to the late 19th century and running through the 1940s. But the exhibit also commands attention for the artisanship of the accessories made in the days when cigars were ubiquitous, a pre-cigarette era of gentlemanly indulgence in a great pleasure.

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EXAMINING THE ART OF THE CUTTER

We enjoy a good cutter today much as the old timers did, but it seemed so much cooler, even regal, back then.

“It’s like this one particular object, a cigar cutter, is a lens into this specific moment in time,” says Lea Nickless, curator at the Wolfsonian-FIU. “It’s a look at what male aspirations, focuses and hobbies were in those times. “ The exhibit, which runs through September 29, comes from a trove of 361 cigar cutters donated in 2021 by Miami collector Richard Kronenberg.

The collection included cutters gathered by Kronenberg starting in the 1960s when he lived in New York City, shortly before he moved to South

BY STEVE MILLER

Florida. The collection includes both figural and utilitarian cutters; the older the cutter, the more likely it is to be ornamental and/or themed.

“My wife and I were in an antique store on Second Avenue in New York and I saw this little disc,” Kronenberg, 82 years old, says. “The guy in the store didn’t know what it was, but it was a sterling silver cigar cutter that a man would wear on a watch chain, made

by Asprey in London.”

The blades were produced in Germany, and other places – New York, Vienna – produced the handles or casings. It was from that stage that the collectible element entered the cutter world; fabric, stone and other case work was produced by jewelers and craftsmen to form a cutter that anyone would be proud to carry.

A devoted cigar smoker would have several cutters for various uses. There would be the desk model, serving as both an accessory and an ornament, and there would be something for the pocket chain, something for the home and wherever else the smoking would commence in the days when smoking wasn’t an act of rebellion.

Nickless, a cigar neophyte, was given the task of assembling the display.

She’d never smoked a cigar and “I don’t think I had ever touched a cigar cutter before this opportunity.”

A cigar smoker himself, Kronenberg bought the little cutter and “I kept going.”

Her research included speaking with other cutter collectors and a German museum with accessories in its portfolio, as well as a deep dive into documented history of the old days of the cigar.

“It really snowballed, and with the advent of the internet, you could do busi-

“Even when the price of cigars came down, when cigarettes became more

Photos by: The Wolfsonian-Florida International University

BOAR TUSK WITH OAK LEAVES AND ACORNS CIGAR CUTTER

c. 1900 Oscar Julius Dietrich (Austrian, 1853–1940), silversmith Hermann Schulder, Solingen, Germany, blade manufacturer Manufactured in Vienna Boar tusk, .800 silver, steel

STANDING POODLE CIGAR CUTTER c. 1895 Manufactured in Austria Bronze, steel

CHAMPAGNE BOTTLE CIGAR CUTER 1883 Roederer, Reims, France, commissioner Manufactured in Great Britain Bone, silver, steel

be displayed, so a digital presentation cycling images of the other cutters is also part of the installation. It also includes cigar paraphernalia that was previously donated from other sources including marketing posters, point-ofsale cards and other ephemera. popular after World War I and the inclusion of cigarettes in soldier rations, cigars were still marketed as an act of distinction,” she says. “It was always linked to this idea of elite sophistication. Cigars were marketed as a mark of distinction. Smoking cigars was a more glamorous ritual that men bonded over and did business networking over.”

Cutters today remain an extravagance although they tilt more toward the utilitarian as lighters have become the beacons of ornamental cigar smoking.

“In the late 1800s and early 1900s, cutters were made by goldsmiths and silversmiths,” Kronenberg says.

“They came from this country and from

England, then morphed into Germany and Austria, done by artisans. Today, these are all utilitarian cutters, some very nice, done by places like Cartier or S.T. Dupont. They are not as inventive or diverse or interesting as the earlier ones, but they can be quite beautiful.”

A top cutter can still command a hefty price but even the best of the luxury accessory producers come in at an average of around $200 for a firstrate cutter.

The Wolfsonian display features majestic works that would fetch a hefty fee on the open collector market, where a quick glance finds a 1930s airplane model cutter for $7,800.

Kronenberg’s donation could not all

“We also have a cigar dispenser that would have been sitting on a countertop in a shop, where you can put a nickel in and it would dispense a cigar,” Nickless says.

She found herself connected to the age when cigars were as much a part of men’s social activities as golf is today.

“This one particular object is a lens into this specific moment in time,” Nickless says. “At the turn of the century, 90 percent of men were smoking a cigar at least once a week. And it was always linked to his idea of a celebration, and cigarettes never could replace the social complexity that went around the cigar.”

Today, lounges are havens for the ostracized, folks who enjoy tobacco

TRINKT BERLINER KINDL [DRINK BERLINER KINDL] CIGAR CUTTER c. 1930

Berliner Kindl, Berlin, commissioner Tin, steel, plastic, ink

that is artisanally made and typically hand rolled.

“The lounge is a vestige of what was going on in the golden era of cigar smoking in the mid to late 19th century,” Nickless says.

The cutter collection took up drawers and spaces in Kronenberg's dwelling and he’s pleased to have given it a good home.

“It’s a great fit, they have an art history department and were thrilled to have it and I was thrilled,” he says. “The collecting was done and it was time to let other people enjoy it.”

In a press release for the showing, Wolfsonian Director Casey Steadman said, “You do not need to be a cigar enthusiast to appreciate the stories about the broader social and cultural world that this collection allows the museum to tell.”

Rightly stated. But those stories will no doubt conjure that pleasing beckon to light one up.

MAY / JUN 2024 | CIGAR SNOB | 39

P L A S E N C I AC I GA R S . COM

@ P L A S E N C I AC I GA R S

`

48 CIGARS

GRAN TORO Rocky Patel Grand Reserve

91

$ 15.45 VITOLA: Sixty LENGTH: 6 RING: 60 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Honduras & Nicaragua

La Palina Nicaragua Oscuro

91

VITOLA: Gordo LENGTH: 6 RING: 58 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua

N I CA R AG UA Consistently well-constructed, this medium strength gran toro provides a perfect draw and an even burn while leaving behind a solid ash.

Delivers a profile of cedar, toasted almonds, and soft spice accompanied by a touch of sweet cream.

$ 13.99 VITOLA: Gordo LENGTH: 6 RING: 60 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

Camacho Ecuador

H O N D UR AS Delivers a flavorful combination of black American coffee, smooth pepper, and hazelnut along an earthy core. Draws and burns well while providing a good output of medium strength smoke leaving behind a dark gray ash.

$ 10.50

90

VITOLA: Gordo LENGTH: 6 RING: 60 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Brazil FILLER: Honduras & Dominican Republic

H. Upmann The Banker DayTrader

89 88

H O N D UR AS An earthy blend complemented by subtle notes of smooth pepper, roasted nuts, and oak along a creamy textured smoke. This medium plus strength gran toro is covered with an oily, russetcolored wrapper and provides a firm draw leaving behind a solid, compact ash.

$ 1 4.19 VITOLA: Whale LENGTH: 6 RING: 60 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

La Galera Anemoi Zephyrus

42 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2024

A thick blend covered with a clean, neatly applied, reddish-brown wrapper showing thin veins. Produces an excellent output of medium strength smoke with notes of cedar, baking spices, tanned leather, and a touch of caramel creaminess.

$ 11.50

Alec & Bradley Gatekeeper

90

N I CA R AG UA

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Covered with a thick, oily, medium to dark brown cover leaf, this large cigar delivers a core of earth, roasted nuts, and black pepper accompanied by a hint of sweetness. Delivers a thin output of medium strength smoke along a wavy burn.

$ 13.47 VITOLA: Gordo LENGTH: 6 RING: 60 WRAPPER: USA/Connecticut BINDER: Dominican Republic FILLER: Dominican Republic

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Opens with a flavor-packed combination of wood, dark ripe fruit, and charred oak barrel joined by strong black pepper along an open draw and wavy burn. This medium strength blend is covered with a dark brown, toothy wrapper.

MAY / JUN 2024 | CIGAR SNOB | 43

TORPEDO Ashton VSG

$ 16.55

92

VITOLA: Torpedo LENGTH: 6 1/2 RING: 55 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Dominican Republic FILLER: Dominican Republic

Oliva Serie V

Covered with a beautiful, dark brown wrapper with excellent oils, this medium plus strength blend opens with tons of sweet spice, dark chocolate, oak, and roasted nuts complemented by a touch of savory cardamom on the finish.

Flawless construction.

$ 13.42

91

VITOLA: Torpedo LENGTH: 6 RING: 56 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua

Diesel Disciple

N I CA R AG UA A thick and solidly built torpedo covered with a dark, reddish-brown wrapper, this medium to full strength blend has a profile of oak, dark chocolate, and smooth pepper accompanied by a touch of almond cream.

$ 10.49

91

VITOLA: Torpedo LENGTH: 6 1/4 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Mexico BINDER: Ecuador FILLER: Nicaragua

Ozgener Aramas

N I CA R AG UA An impeccably constructed torpedo finished with a dark, toothy wrapper that draws and burns perfectly while leaving behind a solid, compact ash. Delivers a core of earth, smooth pepper, and strong espresso complemented by a touch of sweetness.

$ 15.00

90

VITOLA: A54 LENGTH: 6 1/4 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Mexico BINDER: Ecuador FILLER: Nicaragua, Dominican Republic & USA

Crowned Heads Le Patissier

89

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Opens with a combination of sweet earth, smooth pepper, and bitter coffee balanced by a touch of cream on the finish. This medium plus strength torpedo provides a firm draw that produces a slightly thin smoke output.

$ 13.00 VITOLA: No 2 LENGTH: 6 1/8 RING: 52 WRAPPER: USA BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Costa Rica & Nicaragua

El Baton

N I CA R AG UA A flavorful and earthy torpedo covered with a dark, reddish-brown wrapper with some veins showing. Draws firm and produces a profile of molasses, smooth pepper, and bittersweet cocoa while leaving behind a dark gray ash. Medium strength.

$ 8.90

88 44 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2024

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C

VITOLA: Belicoso LENGTH: 5 RING: 56 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua

N I CA R AG UA A short, thick torpedo with a core of wood, smooth pepper, and toasted nuts along an excellent draw and an even burn while producing a good output of medium strength smoke. Consistently well-made and finished with a clean, reddish-brown wrapper.

MAY / JUN 2024 | CIGAR SNOB | 45

TORO Joya de Nicaragua Clásico Original

91

$ 8.75 VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 RING: 50 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua

My Father Connecticut

Delivers a balanced combination of wood, smooth pepper, subtle earth, and toasted nuts accompanied by a hint of sweet cream. This medium strength toro is finished with a nearly flawless, shade grown wrapper with a velvet feel.

$ 9.00

90

VITOLA: Corona Gorda LENGTH: 6 RING: 48 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua

Oliva Connecticut Reserve

90 89

VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 RING: 50 WRAPPER: USA/Connecticut BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua

Beautifully constructed and covered with a supple, golden colored wrapper with a velvet feel. This medium strength toro delivers notes of tanned leather, cedar, and sweet pepper accompanied by a rich, vanilla cream.

N I CA R AG UA Consistently well-made, this toro draws and burns exceptionally well while producing an excellent output of mild to medium strength smoke with notes of cedar, smooth pepper, subtle earth, and a touch of creaminess.

$ 10.50 VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: USA/Connecticut FILLER: Nicaragua & USA

Founders Franklin Connecticut

88

N I CA R AG UA

$ 10.80

Blackened S84 Shade to Black

N I CA R AG UA A super smooth and aromatic blend with a core of oak, lightly toasted almonds, vanilla, and black American coffee. Delivers an easy draw producing an excellent output of mild to medium strength smoke leaving behind a solid, light gray ash.

$ 9.45 VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Ecuador FILLER: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

Conspiracy Connecticut

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C A densely packed toro that provides a firm draw with flavors of wood, cashews, smooth spice, and citrus while leaving behind a perfect ash.

This mild to medium strength blend is covered with a light brown wrapper showing thin veins.

$ 12.99

87 46 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2024

N I CA R AG UA

VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Undisclosed FILLER: Undisclosed

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Covered with a supple, light brown wrapper with a velvet feel, this mild to medium strength toro delivers a profile of wood, bitter coffee, nuts, and a touch of cream along a wavy burn and an open draw.

MAY / JUN 2024 | CIGAR SNOB | 47

TORO Cohiba Serie M Reserva Roja

92

$ 2 9.99 VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 1/2 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Nicaragua BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

La Aurora Preferidos Hors D’Age

91

VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 5 3/4 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Ecuador FILLER: Colombia, Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Dominican Republic FILLER: Dominican Republic

A flavorful blend that opens with a combination of sweet pepper, cedar, roasted nuts, and marzipan. This medium plus strength toro is covered with a walnut brown colored wrapper with excellent oils.

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Delivers a rich and creamy output of medium strength smoke with a core of cedar, smooth spice, and sweet cinnamon accompanied by a hint of cocoa powder. This consistently wellmade toro is finished with an oily and clean, medium brown wrapper.

$ 11.00 VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Honduras BINDER: Honduras FILLER: Honduras

Te-Amo

H O N D UR AS Opens with a mild to medium strength profile highlighted by notes of cedar, lightly toasted nuts, and white pepper with a clean finish. This fast-burning blend draws and burns flawlessly while leaving behind a light gray ash.

$ 11.20

90

VITOLA: Toro LENGTH: 6 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Mexico BINDER: Mexico FILLER: Mexico

Casa Magna XV Anniversary Colorado

89 48 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2024

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C

$ 16.35

Cuba Aliados Original Blend

90

A thick and impeccably built blend topped with a neat fantail and finished with a covered foot.

Consistently well balanced and flavorful with a core of roasted almonds, marzipan, cedar, and smooth pepper accompanied by a rich and creamy note of caramel.

$ 30.00

Diamond Crown Julius Caeser

91

USA

VITOLA: Toro Extra LENGTH: 6 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua

MEXICO Covered with a neatly applied, reddish brown wrapper with excellent oils, this medium strength blend offers up a flavorful profile of black pepper, sweet earth, and cedar complemented by an interesting note of tea in the background. Medium strength.

$ 15.00

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Delivers an intense profile of cayenne pepper, chicory, and cinnamon balanced by a touch of tanned leather on the finish. This medium plus strength toro is covered with a dark, reddishbrown wrapper.

ROBUSTO Aladino Connecticut

$ 8.80

91

VITOLA: Robusto LENGTH: 5 RING: 50 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Honduras FILLER: Honduras

E.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut

91

VITOLA: Brillantes LENGTH: 5 RING: 50 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

Rocky Patel Vintage 1999 Connecticut

90

VITOLA: Robusto LENGTH: 5 1/2 RING: 50 WRAPPER: USA/Connecticut BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

CLE PCA Exclusive 2023

Consistently well-made and covered with a supple, light brown wrapper with slight veins.

This mild to medium strength blend delivers a core of nuts, baking spice, and cedar complemented by a touch of vanilla cream on the finish.

$ 7.30

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C A flavorful robusto covered with a shade grown wrapper with a light, reddish hue. Produces a medium strength core of cashews, cedar, and sweet spice accompanied by rich, heavy cream.

Draws perfectly with a wavy burn leaving behind a dark gray ash.

$ 11.4 4

H O N D UR AS Delivers a balanced combination of sweet cedar, cashews, and cream accompanied by a touch of pepper and oak in the background.

This mild to medium strength robusto draws and burns well while producing an excellent smoke output.

$ 1 7.00

90

VITOLA: 50x5 LENGTH: 5 RING: 50 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Undisclosed FILLER: Undisclosed

Chateau Real Shade by Drew Estate

89

VITOLA: Robusto LENGTH: 5 RING: 50 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua

Punch Knuckle Buster Shade

87 50 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2024

H O N D UR AS

H O N D UR AS A solidly built robusto covered with an oily, golden-colored wrapper. Draws and burns impeccably while producing a core of cedar, white pepper, and a touch of earth. Leaves behind a solid, compact ash. Mild to medium strength.

$ 8.65

N I CA R AG UA Opens with notes of smooth pepper, bitter coffee, and wood balanced by a ton of sweet, creamy richness on the finish. This mild to medium bodied smoke is covered with a supple, golden-colored wrapper that burns flawlessly.

$ 5.39 VITOLA: Robusto LENGTH: 5 1/2 RING: 50 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Mexico FILLER: Colombia, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic & USA

H O N D UR AS Providing an open draw and a somewhat flaky ash, this blend delivers a profile of black pepper, wood, and a hint of cinnamon. Covered with a light brown, shade grown wrapper with good oils and thin veins.

MAY / JUN 2024 | CIGAR SNOB | 51

ROBUSTO AJ Fernandez San Lotano Requiem

91

$ 8.50 VITOLA: Robusto LENGTH: 5 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Brazil BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Honduras, Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

Don Pepín Vintage Edition

91

VITOLA: Robusto LENGTH: 5 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Nicaragua BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua

N I CA R AG UA Opens with a balanced blend of nuts, cedar, and white pepper accompanied by a touch of creaminess in the background. Consistently well-made and finished with a nearly flawless, rosado wrapper with excellent oils. Medium to full strength.

$ 18.40 VITOLA: No. 50 LENGTH: 5 3/8 RING: 50 WRAPPER: Nicaragua BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

Plasencia Cosecha 151

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Consistently well-made and covered with a clean, reddish-brown wrapper with sheen.

Provides an open draw while delivering a core of cedar, toasted almonds, and baking spices complemented by a combination of cream and chili pepper.

$ 13.50

90

VITOLA: La Musica LENGTH: 5 RING: 50 WRAPPER: Honduras BINDER: Honduras FILLER: Honduras

Macanudo Emissary España

89

H O N D UR AS Impeccably constructed and covered with a neatly applied, dark, reddish-brown wrapper.

This medium to full strength robusto opens with a blast of black pepper that quickly settles to incorporate notes of earth, ripe fruit, and bitter coffee.

$ 1 4.99 VITOLA: Robusto LENGTH: 5 RING: 52 WRAPPER: USA/Connecticut BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Colombia, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic & Spain

Casa Cuba

H O N D UR AS Opens with a unique combination of smooth pepper, thyme, grilled meats, and a subtle touch of leather in the aroma. This medium strength blend draws well and leaves behind a solid, chalk-white ash.

$ 12.20

89 52 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2024

A beautifully constructed robusto that delivers a medium to full strength core of smooth pepper and earth complemented by roasted nuts and a touch of cocoa. Draws and burns flawlessly while leaving behind a solid, compact ash.

$ 13.50

Crowned Heads La Vereda

91

N I CA R AG UA

VITOLA: Doble Cuatro LENGTH: 4 1/2 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Dominican Republic FILLER: Dominican Republic

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C A short and solidly built robusto covered with a colorado wrapper and finished with a slight press. Produces a firm draw and a somewhat thin smoke output with notes of cedar and cinnamon with a consistent black pepper in the background.

FOUNDATION CIGARS

ROOTED IN TRADITION

CRAFTED FOR TODAY

WWW.FOUNDATIONCIGARS.COM MAY / JUN 2024 | CIGAR SNOB | 53

ROBUSTO A. Fuente Añejo Reserva

$ 13.30

93

VITOLA: No. 50 LENGTH: 5 1/4 RING: 50 WRAPPER: USA/Connecticut BINDER: Dominican Republic FILLER: Dominican Republic

Fonseca by My Father Edition MX

92

Expertly constructed and flawlessly balanced with a flavorful core of cedar, cinnamon, roasted nuts, and bittersweet cocoa complemented by a touch of ripe fruit. Draws and burns perfectly while leaving behind a solid ash.

$ 11.00 VITOLA: Robusto LENGTH: 5 RING: 50 WRAPPER: Mexico BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua

E.P. Carrillo Pledge

N I CA R AG UA A dark, beautifully constructed robusto with a sweet and earthy profile complemented by roasted nuts, a prominent pepper note, and sweet cream on the finish. Draws and burns impeccably with a slow burn that leaves behind a solid, compact ash. Medium plus strength.

$ 12.00

92

VITOLA: Prequel LENGTH: 5 RING: 50 WRAPPER: USA/Connecticut BINDER: Ecuador FILLER: Nicaragua

Perdomo Reserve 10th Anniversary Maduro

91

VITOLA: Robusto LENGTH: 5 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Nicaragua BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua

1502 Blue Sapphire

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Flavorful and balanced with a medium to full strength combination of dark chocolate, sweet earthiness, currant, and roasted almonds accompanied by a touch of cinnamon and pepper.

Draws and burns flawlessly while leaving behind a solid, compact ash.

$ 9.25

N I CA R AG UA Impeccably pressed and covered with a clean, dark brown wrapper, this medium plus strength blend opens with a profile of earth, smooth pepper, bittersweet chocolate, and espresso.

Draws and burns exceptionally while producing tons of aromatic smoke.

$ 13.00

90

VITOLA: Robusto LENGTH: 5 RING: 52 WRAPPER: Nicaragua BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua

Crowned Heads Coroneta Maduro

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D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C

N I CA R AG UA Covered with a dark, reddish-brown wrapper and finished with a partially covered foot, this well-made robusto draws well and produces a somewhat wavy burn line. Delivers a medium bodied profile of earth, black pepper, sweet cedar, and a touch of caramel.

$ 13.95 VITOLA: Duke LENGTH: 5 1/2 RING: 54 WRAPPER: Mexico BINDER: Ecuador FILLER: Nicaragua, Dominican Republic & USA

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Opens with an intensely sweet combination of over ripened fruit, raspberry, and spicy BBQ balanced by a hint of wood and pepper. This medium bodied blend provides an easy draw while producing an abundance of smoke.

MAY / JUN 2024 | CIGAR SNOB | 55

CORONA Aksum Claro

$ 1 4.50

92

VITOLA: Corona Gorda LENGTH: 5 1/2 RING: 48 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: USA FILLER: Nicaragua

Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Habano

92

VITOLA: Corona Gorda R LENGTH: 5 5/8 RING: 46 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua

Sobremesa

A flawlessly built, box-pressed corona finished with a neat pigtail. Draws and burns beautifully while producing tons of thick, aromatic smoke with a complex core of smooth pepper, toasted almonds, earth, and cinnamon complemented by a rich creaminess on the finish. Medium plus strength.

$ 12.30

N I CA R AG UA An impeccably constructed corona with a powerful profile of cedar, tanned leather, smooth pepper, and a touch of creamy sweetness on the finish. Consistently produces tons of aromatic smoke along a perfect draw and burn.

Medium to full strength.

$ 11.45

91

VITOLA: Cervantes Fino LENGTH: 6 1/4 RING: 46 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Mexico FILLER: Nicaragua & USA

Tatuaje 20th Anniversary

N I CA R AG UA An ultra-flavorful blend covered with an attractive, oily wrapper with a generous aroma. This consistently well-made corona extra produces an excellent output of medium strength smoke with a core of cocoa, light wood, earth, and smooth pepper with a touch of cream.

$ 13.00

91

VITOLA: Grande Merveille LENGTH: 6 1/8 RING: 46 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Nicaragua FILLER: Nicaragua

Fratello Arlequín

N I CA R AG UA A powerful and impeccably built corona grande covered with an oily, dark brown wrapper and finished with a covered foot. Opens with a rich, creamy sweetness joined by black pepper, earth, and a touch of cinnamon. Leaves behind a solid, compact ash.

$ 10.50

91

VITOLA: Corona Gorda LENGTH: 5 1/2 RING: 48 WRAPPER: Mexico BINDER: Ecuador FILLER: Peru & Nicaragua

La Llorona by ADVentura Cigars

89 56 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2024

N I CA R AG UA

N I CA R AG UA Well-balanced and beautifully constructed, this box-pressed corona is finished with a dark, reddish-brown wrapper and delivers a core of earth, sweet pepper, mocha, and a touch of oak. Draws perfectly while producing an excellent output of medium plus strength smoke.

$ 16.00 VITOLA: Corona LENGTH: 6 RING: 44 WRAPPER: Ecuador BINDER: Dominican Republic FILLER: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

D O M I N I CA N R E P UBLI C Delivers a medium bodied combination of cedar, nuts, and black pepper accompanied by a woody bitterness in the background. This wellmade corona draws and burns well while producing an excellent smoke output.

MAY / JUN 2024 | CIGAR SNOB | 57

WITH

ROBEISY "EL TREN" RAMÍREZ Interview by Michael Beltrán and Nicolás A. Jiménez / Photography by Christian Schneeweihs

Location: El Vecino Miami

fter Cuban boxer Robeisy “El Tren” Ramírez won two Olympic gold medals, a horrific experience with Cuba’s dictatorship led him to leave his country and start a pro career, going on to win, defend, and then lose the WBO featherweight belt to Rafael Espinoza in December.

Robeisy spoke with us about his rollercoaster career and how Cuba’s dictatorship has antagonized him every step of the way.

CS: Can you remember your first cigar?

I don’t recall the details, but I must have been 18 or 19. In Cuba, I’d usually smoke cigars with friends. These days, it’s usually when I’m with my manager, José Izquierdo. If we’re getting together, it’s probably at a cigar lounge in Miami or Cigar House San Juan, Puerto Rico, where José lives.

CS: What got you into boxing in Cuba?

I loved it as a kid. My friends were into it. We would get out of school and play sports. Boxing was the last sport I got into. I started boxing when I was 8, but I had already done baseball, karate and other sports. I won my first national title in the sixth grade.

Boxer Robeisy Ramírez smokes most often when he's with his manager José Izquierdo, be it celebrating big wins or during discussions of their strategy to win back the WBO featherweight title.

CS: Were you thinking that when you got older maybe boxing might be a way out of Cuba?

Not at that time. At first it was just an adventure. I was doing well and I was just having fun. Around the time I was 14, I relocated to Havana to join the Cuban national team and realized things were getting serious. A lot changed; I remember trainers would sometimes catch me in girls’ rooms and they would threaten us with not being able to go on certain trips.

That’s when you start to get opportunities to travel internationally. In Cuba, that’s not a possibility for most kids that age.

60 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2024

CS: At what age would you say you started to develop this social and political consciousness beyond the fun you were having in boxing? Was there a key moment that opened your eyes or led you to decide you’d had enough?

Of course. It was about 2017 when they removed my tattoo.

Many years ago in Cuba, they’d put a law in place that barred boxers from having tattoos. Being a rebel, I already had two small tattoos. But after the gold medal wins at the 2012 games in London and the 2016 games in Rio, I had the Olympic rings tattooed on my left bicep. At first, they looked the other way. But when they decided

they had had enough of my rebelling against them, they looked for ways to make my life difficult. So they gave me an ultimatum: remove your tattoo or never box again.

At first, I thought “I’m not boxing anymore.” But after speaking with a friend, I decided it would be best to go along with it, then put my head down and

look for my chance to leave Cuba.

do as they say, you’re against them.

The fact that my way of being bothers them so much is what motivates me to take my message beyond the boxing world, to anyone who wants to know what’s happening in Cuba.

They can see it through me, an athlete who has nothing to do with politics but who knows how these people operate.

When I tell these stories, it’s not to find fans or get likes.

They took me to a clinic and removed the tattoo surgically. Not with a laser. I still have the scar but it’s not as visible because I’ve since covered it with another tattoo. To make matters worse, they didn’t even remove the whole tattoo. The way they did it, there wouldn’t have been enough skin to close the wound, so they left half of the bottom two rings and the years I had tattooed under them [2012 - 2016].

It’s like they left it that way to show not just me, but other people that if you don’t fall in line, you’re screwed.

There are people who say, “You talk about the government but you’re just an athlete.” Yeah, but that dictatorship’s methods and priorities are passed along from the people in government to the trainers, who are sheep who follow what the state tells them, and they want to impose all of that on you. That’s where the problem comes for athletes like me. Politics permeates sports in Cuba. They turn everything into a political matter.

At that time, it affected me mentally.

But lots of people have scars. This is just one more. And now, you know what? I’m glad. I was one of the ones who rebelled against them enough to push them to something so ridiculous.

I challenged them.

CS: And now you’re fighting for world championships. You’re in a much better place, but they haven’t let up.

You won the WBO Featherweight title in April 2023 against Isaac Dogboe, then defended it [successfully]against Satoshi Shimizu that July. The night of that title defense in Japan, there was some controversy because the Cuban government had managed to get you banned from walking out to the Cuban national anthem and from using any national symbols like the Cuban flag (although you did already have the flag on your gloves and those got through). How did all that happen?

The information was communicated to my agent José about 30 minutes before the weigh-ins. It would have been strange for the promotion to relay that information directly to the boxer when he’s a guest in Japan as a host nation of the event.

I said, “This is going to be crazy when Cubans find out what’s happening here in Japan, so far from that country.”

It bothered me, but part of me was happy because they showed me that even though they want to pretend that they don’t care, the truth is they’re watching the success that Cubans find outside the confines of their dictatorship. I realized that everything we have published, all the criticisms

CS: So what’s next?

After Robeisy's two Olympic gold medal wins (2012 in London and 2016 in Rio de Janeiro), he tattooed the Olympic rings and those years on his left bicep. When his nonconformity became a nuisance to the Cuban government, Robeisy says they used a mostly-ignored rule barring their athletes from having tattoos to push him into submission or out of the sport, sending him to a clinic where the ink was removed not with lasers, but with a scalpel.

After Robeisy's two Olympic gold medal wins, he tattooed the Olympic rings and those years on his left bicep. The Cuban government had the tattoo removed not with lasers, but with a scalpel.

I have made in social media, all of that was affecting them.

Even Japanese fans reacted when they heard about this, showing up

to the fight with Cuban flags. There was one Japanese fan who somehow managed to get through to the dressing room with a Cuban flag; he was playing the Cuban national anthem on his phone. He said, “If you can’t play it out there, we’ll sing it here.” We all sang the anthem.

CS: Boxing is already a difficult sport. Adding the additional pressure of being told you can’t be who you are, how difficult was it to juggle both things at that moment?

Before that night, I had never had things outside the ring affect me so much in a fight. What happens outside stays outside. But in that moment, I thought, “I’m going to do my work, and after the fight I’m sending a message.”

After I won, I recited the words into the microphone in the ring.

Lots of people know the topic well and talk about how that government functions. But I lived it. I suffered from how that dictatorship works. If you don’t

All I want now is a rematch to win my title back and get back to being the champion. Everywhere I go, fans tell me, “We need the rematch.” My whole life has been about bouncing back from adversity.

CS: You must celebrate wins with cigars too. Has there been a particularly memorable smoke after a fight?

Man, in 2021 when we won a fight on the José Ramírez v. Josh Taylor card in Las Vegas, José and I went to the MGM to celebrate with cigars. We were there smoking and talking until 6 in the morning. We even ran into Taylor, who had become the undisputed light welterweight champion that night, and he joined us. That was a memorable one.

CS: Do you have any favorite cigars you go back to again and again?

I tend to smoke cigars that are on the lighter side. Most often, it’s something from Arturo Fuente or Davidoff.

This Q&A was adapted from a longer interview on Pan Con Podcast, which is hosted by chef Michael Beltrán and produced by Nicolás A. Jiménez. Listen at DADEmag.com/panconpodcats or wherever you get podcasts.

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MANUEL YNOA WITH MASTER BLENDER

LA AURORA CIGARS Manuel Ynoa has dedicated more than 30 years to blending premium cigars at La Aurora Cigars. His efforts have garnered praise and respect from his peers, competitors, and cigar smokers the world over. But how did this industrial engineer end up at the helm of the Dominican Republic’s most iconic cigar factory?

INTERVIEW BY ERIK CALVIÑO

with the company, first working on the machines and then in the tobacco area and the farms. All of this with the guidance of Benji Menendez and Angel Daniel Nuñez and it was amazing. I was an industrial engineer but as time went on that started to disappear because I was engaged so deeply with them in the tobacco. They were the master blenders for General Cigar, and they taught me, I didn’t even know what a master blender was. I was just working on the blends in the background with their guidance.

types of tobacco, we could have some blends that would be very interesting.

So, we started to buy tobacco from Brazil, Ecuador, several places. Guillermo helped me throughout this process, guiding me on what he thought his father would like. I gave him several blends, some with a Cameroon wrapper and others with a corojo wrapper.

At one point he comes to me and says, “I like this blend, it has a very nice Dominican Olor in it and a great corojo wrapper. I want this to be my cigar. I don’t want to change anything.”

Eventually in the early 90s I met someone from La Aurora who introduced me to the León family. I was drawn to the family environment, the family business. It wasn’t money or anything like that that made me go to La Aurora, I just love working with families and this was a Dominican family as opposed to a big company.

He fell in love with that cigar. It was a huge challenge for me because I had to make sure that his blend was always consistent. We had to stay on top of the rollers to make sure they didn’t inadvertently change anything.

That cigar went on to become a very special cigar. Whenever he had a visitor and it was someone he liked, he would gift them a box of his cigar. That was around 1997 and it proved to Don Fernando and Guillermo that we could improve all of the blends across the board.

CS: Let’s fast forward. You’ve spent 10 years working under these two legends at General Cigars and you take your knowledge and experience to La Aurora. What were your first impressions?

I like the environment and I like the place. And when I met Don Fernando León, may he rest in peace, he was a very nice man. He was an icon in the Dominican cigar business. He asked me, “What are you going to do with my cigars?” It was intimidating but I told him what I saw in the cigars.

CS: We see you at events all over the world. Along with Guillermo León, the owner of the company, you are one of the public faces of La Aurora and more importantly you are the company’s master blender. How did you get started in the cigar business?

First, I’m an industrial engineer and before I started working in the cigar business, I didn’t know anything about tobacco or cigars, except cigarettes.

My father smoked a lot of cigarettes,

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and at that time I hated it. But I loved planes, I wanted to be a pilot and I met this guy at the flying club who was in charge of the box factory at General Cigars. And he brought me there to improve the machinery. The efficiency.

CS: What year was this?

This was in the 80s. So, I’m working there, and I had the opportunity to meet many important people in the tobacco industry, like Angel Daniel Nuñez, and my mentor Benjamin [Benji] Menendez. I spent 10 years

I thought that they were very linear, in other words the cigars did not evolve as you smoked. There are basically two types of cigars: linear cigars, and dynamic cigars. I thought that I could modify the blends to make the cigars more dynamic and interesting for the smokers. I told Don Fernando, “I can make the cigars better if you’ll permit me to do it.”

CS: How was this received?

He understood but he didn’t want to risk making changes to all the blends, instead he had me work on his private cigar first. It was his personal line of cigars, only corona sized. It was a big test for me.

His blend was only using two or three types of tobacco, all Dominican. But there were so many different types of tobacco that we could blend with.

I explained that if we purchase other

CS: Now that we’re talking about all the work you’ve done on those blends, what have been your favorites from them to now?

My favorite of them all has been the La Aurora 100 Años. We released that one in 2003 to celebrate 100 years of the company. There was a lot of pressure to create something special because not only were we celebrating 100 years, but we were also opening a tobacco museum, the best one in the Caribbean. It took us two years to develop it, all eyes were on me, and I felt the pressure.

CS: Well, I can tell you that to this day, that is still the highest rated La Aurora cigar in this magazine.

The La Aurora 100 Años No. 4, the corona, received a 93-point rating in the May/June 2009 issue. What are your 2nd and 3rd favorites?

For me the Don Fernando is still one of my all-time favorites but the new La Aurora 120 Años is also up there.

It is such a unique cigar; I was trying to blend something that almost didn’t taste like something from La Aurora. I am extremely proud of that blend and the feedback that I’ve been getting from customers tells me that we did something right with that one.

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FEATURING

Joya De Nicaragua Cinco De cinco

SWIMSUIT AQUAMARINE FROM GLIMPSE BOUTIQUE COVER-UP KRELWEAR FROM GLIMPSE BOUTIQUE SUNGLASSES LE SPECS SANDALS GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI JEWELRY NOBODYSUGLY

SWIMSUIT PIN-UP STARS JEWELRY NOBODYSUGLY

SWIMSUIT 4GIVENESS FROM MODA 39 COVER-UP AMBI THE BRAND FROM GLIMPSE BOUTIQUE JEWELRY NOBODYSUGLY

SWIMSUIT 4GIVENESS FROM MODA 39 JEWELRY NOBODYSUGLY SUNGLASSES CHRISTIAN DIOR

SWIMSUIT BAHIA MARIA FROM GLIMPSE BOUTIQUE JEWELRY NOBODYSUGLY

SWIMSUIT AQUAMARINE FROM GLIMPSE BOUTIQUE JEWELRY NOBODYSUGLY

SWIMSUIT BAHIA MARIA FROM GLIMPSE BOUTIQUE JEWELRY NOBODYSUGLY

TOP DON’T @ ME FROM MODA 39 SKIRT HOUSE OF AMEN FROM MODA 39 BRACELETS SAINT LAURENT JEWELRY NOBODYSUGLY

SWIMSUIT 4GIVENESS FROM MODA 39 COVER-UP AMBI THE BRAND FROM GLIMPSE BOUTIQUE JEWELRY NOBODYSUGLY

SWIMSUIT BAOBAB FROM GLIMPSE BOUTIQUE COVER-UP AMBI THE BRAND FROM GLIMPSE BOUTIQUE

DRESS HOUSE OF AMEN FROM MODA 39 BRACELETS SAINT LAURENT JEWELRY NOBODYSUGLY

MODEL CELINA WAGNER ELITE MODELS PHOTOGRAPHY LIMITED EDITION limitededitionmanagement.com PRODUCTION IVAN OCAMPO iocampo@cigarsnobmag.com PRODUCTION ASSISTANT JAMILET CALVIÑO jcalvino@cigarsnobmag.com WARDROBE STYLIST CRISTINA CELLINI limitededitionmanagement.com HAIR AND MAKEUP STYLIST VIRGINIA LE FAY USING MAC COSMETICS limitededitionmanagement.com LOCATION KIMPTON SURFCOMBER MIAMI BEACH

CIGAR JOYA DE NICARAGUA CINCO DE CINCO joyacigars.com

Photos: surfcomber.com

is equally varied with bubbly choices from easy drinking Proseccos to heavy hitters GH Mumm and Veuve Clicquot, as well as white wines like Sancerre, Verdejo, Riesling, and Chardonnays, and finally a selection of reds from Napa and Italy rounds out the list.

Surfcomber estled among a combination of glitzy 5-star properties, quaint art deco classics, and trendy eateries in the heart of South Beach, the Kimpton Surfcomber stands out for its blend of historic charm, modern luxury, and cigar friendliness.

Originally built in the 1940s, the hotel’s facade retains the sleek styling and geometric forms characteristic of the era, while the interiors have been updated to reflect modern sensibilities.

The design merges vintage charm with contemporary elegance, creating an atmosphere that is both nostalgic and refreshingly current. The boutique hotel’s lobby oozes mid-century cool. With the multiple retro record players and eclectic selection of vinyls throughout the lobby, guests can set the vibe as they enjoy their time on the property.

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The hotel boasts 186 recently renovated rooms adorned with chic, minimalist décor but loaded with modern amenities. The rooms are flanked along the sides of the breezeway that leads out to the pool and beach. Our favorite rooms are along the premium oceanfront terrace.

The large, king-sized bedrooms lead out to a 195-square-foot private deck overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

Speaking of the water, the poolside areas offer a balance of shady trees and unabated vitamin D rays.

Immediately around the pool are reclinable chairs with umbrellas.

Farther out and on either side of the pool are the two stories of the Vines Cabanas. The upper cabanas are cigar friendly, as is the High Tide Beach Bar and Grill that sits between the pool and ocean.

High Tide offers a backyard beach

party feel with traditional bar seating, high tops, and hanging rocking chairs that make for a perfect spot to enjoy a smoke while sipping on a freshpressed juice or something a little more “adultish” from the impressive drinks selection. There are beachy cocktails like the Sea Whisper made with Appleton Estate 8-year rum, pineapple, orange, cranberry, lime, and Angostura bitters. There’s enough fruity stuff in there to help you justify it and enough rum to get you to the party swiftly. There are spirit-free cocktails, frozen drinks, and a curated selection of beer and wine. The entire drink list is elevated, developed with a beach setting in mind. Offerings from local breweries including South Beach Brewing’s Blood Orange Sunset IPA or Funky Buddha’s Floridian Hefeweizen are on tap while poolside mainstays like Corona Light, Stella Artois, and others are available by the bottle. The wine list

The food menu at High Tide features a worthwhile ceviche, the Peruvian raw fish delight, or finger food including empanadas, grilled chicken wings, or Moroccan skewers. If a day on the beach has left you in need of something heavier, we loved the Cafecito Steak Sandwich, an espresso-rubbed skirt steak served with Cabrales cheese, Roma tomatoes, shaved red onion, and a killer garlic aioli on a fresh baked bun. Trust us, it’s even better than it sounds.

There is such a thing as too much sun, and for those instances the hotel features The Social Club, which serves up a brunch that draws not only hotel guests but area locals as well. The restaurant offers a varied choice of seating options. There are intimate booths tucked away in corners, a large family style table in the middle of the action, or the open-air terrace which not only gives diners a view of historic Collins Ave but is also the perfect spot to enjoy a smoke with a craft cocktail from the Social Club’s full drinks menu.

The Social Club, however, does not sell cigars so it’s best to BYOC.

SCOREBOARD We started paying attention to the platform formerly known as Twitter in our March/April 2010 issue when we had our friend and co-founder of Stogie Review Walt White write a story about Twitter’s impact on the cigar world. The following issue was the first to run a Twitter Scoreboard and ever since we’ve been keeping tabs on the Twitter accounts of cigar companies, personalities, retailers, and more. Today we transition from calling it the Twitter Scoreboard to the odd-sounding X Scoreboard. We’ve traded the powder blue and bird for a minimalistic, modern X on a black background but as always, if you believe you have the numbers to be on this page, let us know via @cigarsnobmag.

TOP CIGAR COMPANIES ( sorted by Twitter followers ) Drew Estate Cigars @DrewEstateCigar ....................................

Rocky Patel @RockyPatelCigar ...............................................

CAO International @CAOCigars ................................................

Padron Cigar @PadronCigars ..................................................

Ashton Cigars @ashtoncigar ...................................................

Alec Bradley Cigars @AlecBradley ...........................................

La Flor Dominicana @LFDCigars ..............................................

Jonathan Drew @JonathanDrewArt .........................................

Camacho Cigars @camachocigars ...........................................

La Gloria Cubana @lagloriacubana ..........................................

E. Perez-Carillo @EPCarrillo ....................................................

Pete Johnson @TatuajeCigars ..................................................

Oliva Cigar Company @OlivaCigar .............................................

Xikar Inc @XIKARinc ...............................................................

JC Newman Cigar @JCNewmanCigars .......................................

Davidoff Cigars @Davidoff_Cigars ...........................................

Nick Perdomo @PerdomoCigars ..............................................

AJ Fernandez @ajfcigars .........................................................

Punch Cigars @punchcigars ....................................................

Ernesto Padilla @PadillaCigars ................................................

TOP CIGAR ORGANIZATIONS

44415 41771 29482 28891 25189 21612 20366 17460 17205 16180 16033 15489 15231 15129 14767 14693 13878 13363 13252 12990

TOP CIGAR RETAILERS & REPS Famous Smoke Shop @FamousSmokeShop .............................

JR Cigars @JRCigars ..............................................................

Mulberry St. Cigars @MulberryStCigar ....................................

Cigar Hustler @cigarhustler ....................................................

Jeff Borysiewicz – Corona Cigar Co @CoronaCigarCo................

Cigar Row @CigarRow ............................................................

Michael Herklots @MichaelHerklots ........................................

Lindsay Siddiqi @TheCigarChick ..............................................

Cheap Humidors @cheaphumidors ..........................................

Buckhead Cigar @BuckheadCigar ............................................

Cigar Rights of America @cigarrights ...................................... 14790 Premium Cigar Association @PCA1933 .................................... 10364 Tobacconist University @tobacconistU ................................... 4194

TOP CIGAR RADIO Cigar Dave Show @CigarDaveShow ........................................ 10068 KMA Talk Radio @KMATalkRadio ............................................. 2019 Cigars and Scotch @CigarScotch ............................................ 2043

SOME OF OUR FAVORITE TWEETS, MENTIONS, AND RANDOM SOCIAL MEDIA GOODNESS.

@supremo.tabako

1888 What would you pair this with? #villiger #villigercigars #supremotabako

20892 13017 12299 10105 8028 7033 5996 4732 4585 3956

TOP ONLINE CIGAR TWEEPLES David Voth–Sex, Cigars, & Booze @SexCigarsBooze .................

Cigar News @CigaRSS ............................................................

Cigar Events @CigarEvents .....................................................

Blind Man’s Puff @BlindMansPuff ............................................

Cigar Dojo @CigarDojo ............................................................

Robusto Cigar Babe @RobustoBabe ........................................

Cigar Federation @CigarFederation .........................................

CigarHustler.com @CigarHustler .............................................

Stephen LaPre, Sr. @CigarChairman .........................................

Cigar Vixen @CigarVixen .........................................................

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133589 20591 16109 14480 13422 12228 11139 10105 9554 8506

@ohh_its_koko

Love in every heartbeat @eliebleuofficial

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INSTAGRAM SCOREBOARD Since its launch in October of 2010, the cigar world has become enamored with Instagram. Today the ‘Gram is unquestionably the most popular platform on which to share snaps of what you’re smoking and drinking. This scoreboard is sorted by number of followers and broken into groups: Top 20 Cigar & Cigar Accessory Companies, Top 10 Retailers & Reps, Top 10 Cigar Influencers, Top 3 Cigar Organizations, and Top 3 Cigar Radio accounts. If you have the numbers and belong in one of these groups, stand up and be counted! Set us straight via Instagram @cigarsnobmag.

TOP CIGAR & ACCESSORY COMPANIES ( sorted by Instagram followers ) Padron Cigar @padroncigars ...................................................

Davidoff Cigars @davidoffcigars .............................................

Drew Estate Cigars @drewestatecigar .....................................

Arturo Fuente @arturofuentecigars .........................................

Rocky Patel Premium Cigars @rockypatelcigar ........................

Raquel Quesada @raquelquesadaofficial .................................

Boveda @BovedaInc ...............................................................

Epic Cigars @epiccigars .........................................................

Gurkha Cigars @gurkhacigars .................................................

Oliva Cigar Co. @olivacigar .....................................................

My Father Cigars @myfathercigars ..........................................

La Flor Dominicana @LFDCigars ..............................................

Xikar Inc @xikar .....................................................................

Camacho Cigars @camachocigars ...........................................

AJ Fernandez @ajfcigars .........................................................

Plasencia Cigars @plasenciacigars .........................................

Ashton Cigars @ashtoncigar ...................................................

Nick Perdomo @Perdomocigars ..............................................

Alec Bradley Cigars @alecbradleycigar ....................................

Joya de Nicaragua @joyacigars ...............................................

170636 156983 146663 120812 115214 104973 88864 84280 80757 80492 79843 77741 77329 75481 67926 67926 66763 66532 63203 56530

TOP CIGAR RETAILERS & REPS Privada Cigar Club @privadacigarclub .....................................

Havana Phil’s Cigar Company @havanaphils .............................

Famous Smoke Shop @famoussmokeshop ...............................

Mulberry St. Cigars @mulberrystcigars ...................................

Michael Herklots @michaelherklots .........................................

Master Sensei @cigardojo ......................................................

Cigar Hustler @cigarhustler ....................................................

The Cigar Culture @thecigarculture .........................................

Angela Yue @angela_yue .........................................................

La Casa Cigars & Lounge Vegas @lacasavegas ........................

106790 70436 55985 44857 32058 28902 28712 27819 25003 24584

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Premium Cigar Association @PCA1933 .................................... 23814 Total Product Expo @totalproductexpo ..................................... 9902 Cigar Rights of America @cigarrightsofamerica ......................... 5912

TOP CIGAR RADIO Cigar Dave Show @cigardave ................................................. 3588 KMA Talk Radio @KMATalkRadio ............................................. 1563 Eat Drink Smoke @eatdrinksmokepodcast .............................. 1523

SOME OF OUR FAVORITE TWEETS, MENTIONS, AND RANDOM SOCIAL MEDIA GOODNESS.

@portorealcigars

“Tobacco is the plant that converts thoughts into dreams.”

- V.H #cigarquote #cigar #cigaroftheday #cigars #cigarlifestyle #tobacco

@harryshabanahut

TOP ONLINE CIGAR INFLUENCERS ON INSTAGRAM Cigar Lover @cigarlover12 ......................................................

Liz Cigar Life Style @remarkable_liz ........................................

Delicia-Creator-Influencer @cigarvixen ...................................

Whiskey Girl Josie @whiskeygirl_josie .....................................

Cigar Social Club @cigarsocialclub ..........................................

Eric Kim @scotchandtime ........................................................

Angela, CCST & IACS CCS @cigarsmokingchick .......................

Nikki @cigarpassionista ..........................................................

Melanie Sisco @lilsiscokidd21 .................................................

Cigars / Smoke.Laugh.Live @world.of.cigars ............................

TOP CIGAR ORGANIZATIONS

112846 100264 90426 88682 66364 65209 56581 40730 40096 34933

Enjoying “Lost City” Robusto!!! Keep it smoky!!! #harryshabanahut #harrysgotem #explorepage #cigarboss #cigaraficionado #cigarbabes #cigarporn

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PCA COVERAGE 2024

LAS VEGAS NV

PREMIUM CIGAR ASSOCIATION’S ANNUAL CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW

PCA OPENING RECEPTION The opening reception at PCA was hosted by Crowned Heads and E.P. Carrillo Cigars. All attendees received a canvas bag branded by both companies. E.P. Carrillo gave out Allegiance Sidekick and Pledge Prequel while Crowned Heads gave out Coroneta Maduro, Coroneta Habano and Ozgener Firsat. The event featured an open bar and food, which was enjoyed by the full house.

Belkys Sánchez, Francheska Reyes and Manuel Martin

Fritz Bossert, Dr. Corina Villiger, René Castañeda, Lucien Villiger, Mirko Lorenzo and Matias Maragoto

Ben Williams, Octavia Toliver and Jaxx Guevarra

Chelsea Hendricks, John Maroudas, Paulie Segal and Dimi Maroudas

JC NEWMAN MEDIA PARTY JC Newman hosted a media party at Brezza on the outdoor terrace, where guests included both cigar producers and media figures, with host Drew Newman on hand. Party favors included appetizers, open bar and plenty of JC Newman cigars.

Brandin Couch and Adam Guard

Sydney Kotoch and Drew Newman

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Kara Guagliardo, Chris Szeglowski and Monica Foster

LITTO GÓMEZ 70th BIRTHDAY PARTY This private party to celebrate the 70th birthday of La Flor Dominicana’s founder was attended by some of the industry’s biggest names, among them Carlos “Carlito” Fuente, Jochy Blanco, and Jorge Padrón.

There was food, drinks and LFD cigars, but the highlights were the speeches. Litto thanked the group followed by a toast from his oldest son, Tony Gómez.

Inés, Litto Jr., Valentina, Litto and Tony Gómez

Inés and Valentina Gómez, Miranda and Beba Padrón

Brittany McNeil and Tico Gutiérrez

Jorge Padrón, Jochy Blanco, Litto Gómez and Carlos "Carlito" Fuente Jr.

LA PALINA DINNER The boys from La Palina held their annual dinner at Brezza where chef Nicole Brisson wowed the group with her award-winning Italian fare. The event started on the patio and moved to the private dining room, where in addition to food and drink, everyone shared stories and experiences with Sam Phillips, Clay Roberts, and Bill Paley. From the guest list to the precise seating arrangements, the dinner was strategically planned to promote conversation and camaraderie.

Sammy Phillips, Bill Paley, Clay Roberts and Nicole Brisson

Boris Grossman and Patrick Vivalo

Lisa Mead and Joaquin Hilton

Angelica Garmendia, Brandon Searfoss, Alex Svenson and José Palacios

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PCA COVERAGE CONT. PCA WEDDING The wedding of John Remer, creator of Johnny Smokes Uncut Facebook group, and Lina Atie, owner of New Tobacco Village in Whitehall, Pennsylvania, was held at PCA in March. First look was at Casa de Montecristo Cigar Bar before a group of cigar enthusiasts gathered at Bliss Wedding Chapel for the ceremony. The bride was escorted down the aisle by Elvis, who first sang, then performed the wedding ceremony. The best man was Carlos Fuente Jr. and the escorting maid of honor was Candie Tarsi. Dancing followed the ceremony at the El Cortez Parlor Lounge.

John Remer and Lina Atie

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Carlos "Carlito" Fuente Jr. and Lina Atie

Carlos "Carlito" Fuente Jr, John Remer, Lina Atie and Candie Tarsi

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EVENTS DAVIDOFF GOLDEN BAND AWARDS Miami, FL

The 10th annual Davidoff Golden Band Awards were held at Brasserie Laurel and El Vecino Cigars. Guests were greeted by the Davidoff team and given a Davidoff Signature No.1 to enjoy with drinks and appetizers on the outside patio, while a trumpetist played background music. Patrons then moved to the restaurant for dinner, which included wellpaired wines for each of the five courses.

The winners of the American Davidoff Golden Band Awards 2023 are:

Dylan Austin, Zachary Medwin, Harry Bahri, Jesse Freedman, Jt Guagliardo and Eddy Guerra

Davidoff Best Performance (Single Location) The Tobacco Shop, Ridgewood, NJ Davidoff Best Performance (Multiple Locations) Club Humidor, San Antonio, TX Davidoff Growth (Single Location) Tobacco Leaf, Jessup, MD Davidoff Growth (Multiple Locations) Tinder Box, Charlotte, NC Appointed Merchant of the Year Robusto's Cigar Bar & Bistro, Sterling Heights, MI Jake Aretz, Barbara, Gary and Tim Kolesaire, Jena Angeliadis and Scott Kolesaire

Lana Fraser, Cheryl Morgado and Aly Deligio

Jonathan and Christal Yono

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Harry and Rita Bahri

Zachary Medwin, Craig Cass, Lana Fraser and Dylan Austin

Zachary Medwin, Lana Fraser and Keith Rumbo

Dylan Austin and Rahul Gupta Photos by: Carlos Gastelboldo

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EVENTS 11TH ANNUAL SMOKING TENT EVENT Columbus, OH

The sold out Smoking Tent Event featured appearances by Erik Espinosa, Ricky Rodriguez, Tom Lazuka, and Rocky Patel among others.

The admission package included 15 premium cigars, brunch and lunch, a swag bag, and deals on more cigars. Kick in a cash bar, a killer raffle, and an impromptu singing of the 4 Non Blondes classic, “What’s Up?” and it made for a fine time.

Erik Espinosa, Rocky Patel and Robb Wilson

Steve Crain and Kristin Flock

Tom Lazuka and Josh Bentley

Erik Espinosa and Brian Joyce

Jeremy Hysell and Jim Johnson

Nook Mercer and Ricky Rodriguez

Kunal Brahmbhatt and Fabien Ziegler

Krystie Germany and Jim Anderson

92 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2024

Photos by: ContentKyle

EVENTS TEXAS CIGAR FESTIVAL Houston, TX

They took the Texas Cigar Festival indoors this year to country bar Stampede Houston.

Presented by Casa de Montecristo, patrons enjoyed the usual huge outlay of cigars as part of the ticket price. They also enjoyed a live band, cigar deals, and a chance to mix with reps and brand ambassadors from a who's who of premium producers. The food was Texas BBQ and, yes, there was mechanical bull riding.

Charlie Doc Watson, Gabrielle Winchester, Javi Carranza and Alec Rubin

Charlie Doc Watson Photos by: Chris Hornaday

MAY / JUN 2024 | CIGAR SNOB | 93

EVENTS TABACON PLANTATION GRAND OPENING Plantation, FL

The rapidly expanding Cigar Bar Group opened its fourth location, Tabacon Cigars and Spirits in Plantation, Florida. A ceremonial ribbon cutting was emceed by Plantation Mayor Nick Sortal, who was joined by owners Ozzie Gómez, Ciro Rodríguez, Luis Requejo, and their families. The party got moving in the lounge with live music from the Cuban Harmony Trio and featured plenty of drinks and cigars.

Victor Hernández, Belkys Sánchez and Albert Sosa

Osvaldo Gómez, José Suárez, Barbie Cuellar, Ana Gómez and Marta Suárez

Marcus Griffin, Ricardo Smith, Dennis Ingleton and Booker T Rhodes

Dunia and Robert Yaniz and Ludmila Jiménez

94 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2024

Raéann Bacchus, Sandra Cue and Maggie Rodríguez

Rudy Daniel and Geseta Smith

William and Lucy Martin and Paul Chapman

MAY / JUN 2024 | CIGAR SNOB | 95

EVENTS VILLIGER CIGARS AT SABOR HAVANA Doral, FL

Sabor Havana hosted a packed house reception for Dr. Corina and Lucien Villiger from Switzerland. Attendees included Rene Riedi of Dufry America, the Swiss Honorary Consulate in Miami. The hosts poured rum to go with the selection of Villiger Cigars and all enjoyed the Ruth’s Chris Steak House sliders and sides.

René Castañeda, Lucien and Dr. Corina Villiger, Jorge Valdés and Aquiles Legra

Antonio Vasaiely and René Castañeda

José Salazar, Maria Cristina Arrazola, Fernando Molina, Aide Castilla, Amala Maragoto and Héctor Pires

Katharina Weibel, René Riedi, Dr. Corina and Lucien Villiger and Alexis Cardenas

Humberto Areas, Daniel Salgado and Robert Hernández

96 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2024

Alcides Viciedo and Colonell Bolanio

William Martin, Paul Chapman and Mike Padilla

Aldo Hernández and Gabriela Montenegro

MAY / JUN 2024 | CIGAR SNOB | 97

EVENTS SACRIFICIO CIGARS LAUNCH PARTY AT REGATTA GROVE Coconut Grove, FL

Sacrificio Cigars by Julio Cabrera launched its cigar line with an event at Regatta Grove, a venue that features Biscayne Bay as the backdrop. Guests received a goodie bag with a cutter, lighter and a Sacrificio cigar - blended for Julio Cabrera by Oliva Cigars - to kick off the evening, with more available for sale. Food, drink, and Brugal 1888 Rum were available in abundance.

Julio Cabrera, Vanessa Rojas and Andy Cabrera

Julio and Beatriz Cabrera

Ivelisse Ocampo, Eduard Bouten and Ivan Ocampo

Michael and Ray Casas

98 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2024

Ivette and Sandro Álvarez

Jesse and Gilbert Rose

MAY / JUN 2024 | CIGAR SNOB | 99

100 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2024