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20 YEARS OF THE EDGE p. 37 MAN CAVES p. 43 ART FROM THE HEART p. 75 ISLAND GREEN p. 27 GULFSTREAM PARK RACING p. 66 DISPLAY UNTIL 07/24/2023
editorials MAY / JUNE 2023
24 PERFECT PAIRINGS FLOR DE CAÑA 130TH ANNIVERSARY / JOYA DE NICARAGUA CUATRO CINCO What happens when you combine one of the highest expressions of Nicaragua’s iconic Flor de Caña rum with the “Most Nicaraguan Cigar”?
27 ENCHANTED BY PUERTO RICO Explore the magic of Puerto Rico, from its stunning landscapes and rich history to world-class golf courses and vibrant cigar scene.
37 THE EDGE - ROCKY PATEL The story behind the brand that grew from a naked cigar sold by the crate-load to become the engine behind the growth of Rocky Patel Premium Cigars for twenty years. What tobacco made this blend stand out from competitors and what’s in store for the brand’s future?
43 MAN CAVES Smoking bans and tobacco Karens have you down? We talk to some folks who carved out their own at-home cigar lounges. As close to a how-to as we’ll get.
66 GULFSTREAM PARK RACING A haven of thoroughbreads in South Florida awaits, and along with the races come fine food, shopping and entertainment, a trifecta of good times.
75 ART FROM THE HEART A cigar manufacturer connected an attorney with a young man with special needs. Here’s the story of how their journey has blossomed into a beautiful collaboration creating cigar art.
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features MAY / JUNE 2023
14 LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER
16 FEEDBACK
18 WHAT’S BURNIN’
50 SMOKING HOT CIGAR SNOB PHOTO FINISH FEATURING GURKHA CIGARS
68 PROCIGAR FESTIVAL 2023 The Dominican Republic hosted a fusion of education, entertainment, and exclusive cigars at the annual event, with factory tours, field trips and personal meetings with master blenders.
79 RATINGS
92 TWITTER SCOREBOARD
94 INSTAGRAM SCOREBOARD
96 EVENTS 96 DAVIDOFF EXPERIENCE WITH CIGAR BOX
98 THE GREAT SMOKE 100 TEXAS CIGAR FESTIVAL 102 DOWNTOWN CIGAR BAR 8TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY PARTY
104 EXECUTIVE CIGARS DINNER FEATURING DIDIER CIGARS
106 29TH ANNUAL CONINE GOLF CLASSIC 108 INTERNATIONAL LUXURY CIGAR GALA 110 NEPTUNE GRAND OPENING 10 | CIGAR SNOB | MAY / JUN 2023
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DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE LIMITED EDITION, LINE 2 PERFECT PING Available at all S.T. Dupont Authorized Retailers US.ST-DUPONT.COM
Photo: iStock.com/Ajai Business Enterprises
enchanted
Castillo San Felipe del Morro
MENTION THIS SMALL, MOUNTAINOUS ISLAND ON THE NORTHEASTERN EDGE OF THE CARIBBEAN SEA AND YOU’LL LIKELY HEAR A REFERENCE TO REGGAETÓN MUSIC, COUNTLESS HALL OF FAME MAJOR LEAGUERS, OR THE WORLD’S LARGEST RUM PRODUCER. PUERTO RICO HAS BEEN MANY
THINGS THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY AND FOR ABOUT A YEAR IN THE LATE 1990S, IT WAS MY HOME. SO WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN TO THE ISLAND TO PLAY ITS WORLD-CLASS GOLF COURSES AND EXPLORE THE CIGAR SCENE CAME UP, I JUMPED AT THE CHANCE.
BY ERIK CALVIÑO
La Mina Falls in El Yunque Rainforest; The colorful streets of Old San Juan.
Its beauty is in its chaos, its perpetual motion and constant change. At its core, the island is made up of juxtaposed forces. This rocky landmass, a shade smaller than the state of Connecticut, sits on the boundary between the Caribbean and North American tectonic plates. The island is composed of rock from the Jurassic period, dating back over 190 million years in the southwest corner, to far newer limestone rock visible all over the northeast region. This mashup of old and new, English and Spanish, American and Boricua, is a bewitching part of the island’s charm.
From a travel perspective, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more convenient Caribbean destination – U.S. citizens with a valid state ID do not require a passport to enter the island. The U.S. dollar is the only currency in play, unless you plan to use [enter the crypto currency of the month here], in which case good luck with that. Your mobile phone service from the U.S. works seamlessly on the island. There are more than 120 daily nonstop flights from major U.S. cities into Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Carolina, just minutes from San Juan.
The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States, established by the Treaty of Paris of 1898 following the Spanish-American War. In the agreement, Spain granted Cuba its independence and ceded control of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States. Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens
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although their representation in Congress is murky. The island has been forever divided between those who seek independence from the United States, those who want the island to gain full statehood, and those who like it just the way it is.
Driving in Puerto Rico feels at once familiar thanks to the U.S.-like system of roads and highways but becomes entirely foreign when you pull up to the gas station and find that the prices are in liters. Road signs contribute to that duality in that they have the same shape as their mainland U.S. counterparts but the words are in Spanish.
Photo: iStock.com/Nick Heinemann
Photo: iStock.com/Alisha Bube
he island’s magic captivates even the most jaded travelers. It’s not easy to pinpoint the source of her sorcery but having been a frequent visitor throughout my childhood, making it my home for a stint, and finally now returning posthurricanes and pandemic, I may have an inside track.
On the subject of language, the island’s charming contradictions and cultural mashups are perhaps most noticeable in the words and accents you hear on the street. Puerto Rico has two official languages, Spanish and English, with Spanish the primary language spoken by almost 95% of the island’s 3.2 million people, according to a 2020 U.S. Census. But long-term American influence on the island has birthed new words and phrases that make the Puerto Rican lexicon unique and wildly colorful. Originally English words like “pitch, hang, and park” become commonly used Spanglish words, “pichear, jangear, and parquear.” In spite of or because of this, it’s hard to tell, English-speaking visitors find that communicating isn’t a big problem. Just about everyone you come across speaks enough English to help you find your way. Old San Juan, the island’s cultural heartbeat, is like stepping back into the island’s Spanish past. Founded in 1521, the walled city successfully beat back a who’s-who of invaders, most notably Sir Francis Drake, thanks to its strategic fortifications: Castillo San Felipe del Morro, commonly known as
“El Morro;” Castillo San Cristóbal; and the smaller Fort San Juan de la Cruz or “El Cañuelo.” The two bastions created a crossfire that guarded the entrance to San Juan Bay while San Cristóbal guarded the city from enemies approaching by land. It wasn’t until the U.S. bombardment of San Juan during the Spanish-American War (1898) that the fortifications showed any sign of weakness. These landmarks along with the San Juan Gate make up the San Juan National Historic Site, a U.S. national park. Before it was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983, golf was played on the grounds of El Morro. A 1950s episode of the travelog "This World of Ours” promoting Puerto Rico travel stated, “The once mighty cannonading has vanished and today amid memories of fighting men and valorous death.” The narrator paused momentarily before dropping a bomb of his own: “You play golf. This is certainly one of the world’s most interesting courses.” Thankfully this brilliant idea fell out of favor before my time; there’s no telling how many “would-be invaders” I would have repelled with errant tee shots.
Featured Holes:
Photo: Omark Reyes
The opener, a downhill, sharply banked fairway that doglegs way right and out of view, starts you off with an immediate gut check. The par-4 plays at 395 yards from the black and depending on the wind and confidence level, long hitters can catch a downslope off the high bank on the left side of the fairway and get it close. The nerves of that first, early morning tee shot, with very little time to warm up, made this hole particularly exciting for me.
GOLF IN PUERTO RICO Golf was introduced by the Americans who managed the massive sugar cane mills, likely in the late 1920s. They played on temporary courses with sand greens. On its website, the Puerto Rico Golf Association confirms this notion. “In the beginning all courses on the island had sand greens, the local technique in Puerto Rico was to use beach-sand laced with coconut oil, then rolled more or less flat into a concave pie-shape.” Pitch mark repairs sound even more interesting. “After each match caddies meticulously repaired the dirt to pristine fresh, smoothing the surface with a burlap sack strapped to a pole, much as nowadays we rake and tidy sand bunkers.” With the advent of World War II, the game’s growth accelerated, as military installations full of GIs needed recreational activities, and pretty soon all bases had some sort of golf component, including the aforementioned El Morro. After the war, however, golf course design and development has grown from knocking it around colonial fortifications and putting on sand greens to world-class designers laying out challenging tracks on
Aerial view of the Arthur Hills-designed El Conquistador Golf Course.
stunning golf landscapes. On this trip we played three incredible designs but there was a lot of meat left on the bone. Depending on whom you ask, Puerto Rico boasts somewhere between 18 and 30 courses from designers like Robert Trent Jones, Arthur Hills, Greg Norman, George and Tom Fazio, Tom Kite, and even Puerto Rico’s native son Chi Chi Rodriguez among others.
from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. via a short water shuttle ride departing from the Marina Village. Also inside the Marina Village is Ballyhoo, the resort’s waterfront bar and grill. The menu features a combination of classic Puerto Rican favorites like bacalaitos and asopao as well as elevated bar fare like the 16 oz. Delmonico steak with a rum demiglaze and the double cut pork chop with citrus sauce.
EL CONQUISTADOR RESORT
INSIDER NOTE: I was informed semi-confidentially that a cigar bar is in the works on the property, so be on the lookout for that if you’re planning a visit.
Built on a breathtaking tract atop a 300-foot oceanfront cliff on the island’s northeast tip, El Conquistador is a luxury boutique resort with an impressive set of amenities. As if the award-winning golf course, tennis facility, four pools, six sit-down dining options, oceanfront spa, and several bars weren’t enough, El Con features a water park complete with vertical drops, lazy rivers, and infinity pools. But perhaps the pièce de résistance that sets this resort apart from the competition is Palomino Island, the resort’s private, 100-acre getaway. Resort guests can access the island
The golf course is a roller coaster of a layout across dramatic elevation changes wedged between the Atlantic and the El Yunque rainforest. Tight fairways, blind approaches, and swirling winds make Arthur Hills’ design challenging for all levels. However, the course tops out at 6,746 yards from the tips, and the punishments on errant shots are not as devastating as they could be, making it a player-friendly layout – as it should be for a resort course. There are four tee positions: black (6,746 yards), gold (6,378 yards), silver (5,819 yards), and jade (4,939 yards).
The 15th, called Nido de Águila or Eagle’s Nest, is another one that will be seared in my memory. The 540yard par-5 again boasts an elevated tee into a winding, narrow fairway 200 feet below you. Being a flatlander from Miami, watching the impressive hang time on a drive doesn’t get old for me. Slicing your driver into the mini-forest that lines the righthand side would be a score-killer, so consider taking advantage of the downslope and playing this one safe with a 3-wood favoring the left half. Or do what you came to do and have a rip at the driver for the fun of it; you didn’t come all the way here to play safe golf!
CHI-CHI RODRIGUEZ Chi Chi Rodriguez, born in 1935, is a former professional golfer known for his vibrant personality and distinctive style. He won eight PGA Tour events and achieved 22 victories on the Champions Tour, including eight senior major championships. Rodriguez's flamboyant celebrations and famous "sword dance" endeared him to fans. Off the course, he founded the Chi Chi Rodriguez Youth Foundation in 1979, providing educational support and scholarships to at-risk youth. Rodriguez's contributions to golf and philanthropy have left a lasting impact. El Legado Golf Club in the southeast town of Guayama sits on a 285acre valley presided over by the Cordillera Central mountains to the north and the ocean to the south. The par-72 layout is, to our knowledge, the only course designed by Chi Chi Rodriguez.
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BY STEVE MILLER MAY / JUN 2023 | CIGAR SNOB | 37
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MYFATHERCIGARS.COM
Image Credit: Rae Duncan Interior Design
High-tech and careful planning let cigar smoking back indoors By Gavin Maliska MAY / JUN 2023 | CIGAR SNOB | 43
Festival 2023
Dominican Republic By Jamilet Calviño he 15th installment of the Dominican Republic’s ProCigar Festival was celebrated in late February. The festivities kicked off at the Casa de Campo in La Romana. I stayed in one of the recently opened Premier Suites. Guests were provided with golf carts to zoom around the property and private butlers added an extra touch of luxury for Premier Suites guests.
Catalina Island
Day 1 began with breakfast, followed by a visit to the marina where we embarked on a catamaran to explore Catalina Island. During our excursion, we had lunch on board, accompanied by a cigar and rum pairing hosted by Tabacalera de Garcia and Barceló Rum. At dusk, guests gathered at Minitas Beach Club for a sunset bonfire dinner, hosted by the Grupo de Maestros of Tabacalera de García. The beach provided a picturesque setting for an evening with friends and colleagues smoking the best of Tabacalera de Garcia.
Ángel Alba and Joshua López
Roldán Pérez and Francia Lora
Day 2 took us first to tour the brand new Tabacalera de Garcia cigar factory, one of the largest in the world. The Grupo de Maestros greeted us with Dominican dancers, and we were treated to a coffee station and a coconut water station. At the end of the tour, we were gifted a goodie bag brimming with cigars and various treats. After lunch, we hit the road for the scenic four hour bus ride to Santiago de los Caballeros, where the festival continued. Upon checking into our hotels, we were given another gift bag, which included a limited-edition cigar box, an ashtray, a cutter, a lighter, and other accessories.
Ricardo Nieto, Javier Elmudesi and Pedro Ventura
In the evening, we gathered at the pool deck of Hodelpa Garden Court for a welcome cocktail and cigars, an event hosted by the members and staff of ProCigar.
Dirk Ossieur, Sara Tio, Koenraad Cappon and Junie Santos
Team Tabacalera de García
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IT’S NOT JUST A FAMILY BUSINESS.
IT’S A FAMILY PASSION. For 120 years, La Aurora has crafted premium cigars that stand on the shoulders of tradition. From our founder, Eduardo León Jimenes, to his son Fernando, and now, his son, Guillermo, La Aurora Cigars are the result of generations of knowledge passed down from master craftsmen to their apprentices. As we celebrate our 120th anniversary, we take inspiration from Don Eduardo's "La Aurora" – or "new dawn" – name by christening 2023 as "The New Dawn of La Aurora." To mark the anniversary, we have rebuilt our Tabaquería to represent our Dominican identity in full, as well as grown more of our own unique La Aurora tobacco than ever before. We have revamped our approach toward tobacco education to focus on learning as a team, creating a family of artisans that rival any other. Armed with this unprecedented knowledge and skill, our standards of quality have never been higher.
La Aurora is now available in stores nationwide. scan to find it near you.
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Alejandro Martínez Cuenca Joya De Nicaragua
Dion Giolito Illusione Cigars
Carlos "Carlito" Fuente, Jr. Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia.
Erik Espinosa Espinosa Cigars
Karl Malone Barrel-Aged by Karl Malone
cigarsnobmag.com/podcast
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By Gavin Maliska / Photography by Infinite Creations MAY / JUN 2023 | CIGAR SNOB | 75
48 CIGARS