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INTRODUCING A BROTHER FROM ANOTHER BARREL BOURBON
RUM
SWEET 2 4
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SPICY
OAKY 2.5 4
EARTHY
CHAR
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FEARLESSLY PRECISE. POWERFULLY COMPLEX. UNDENIABLY INTENSE. Having pioneered and perfected the art of aging Original Corojo tobacco in Kentucky Bourbon barrels, our master builders have continued their relentless quest, venturing further south to harness the wild flavors of Nicaragua. Starting with the sweet, spicy, and oaky flavors that define tobacco from this region, our Esteli-grown Corojo is aged in some of the world’s oldest Nicaraguan rum barrels. Once filled with bourbon, these well-seasoned rum barrels were hand selected for optimal humidity and add layers of complexity for an entirely unique experience. Toasted flavors combined with leather and oak are rounded out by sweet flavors and caramel notes from the aged rum. Our proprietary Powerband™ bunching process amplifies this complex combination, resulting in a peak performance flavor explosion that once again pushes the limits. An unforgettable taste experience that rewards you at every draw. .
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editorials NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
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PERFECT PAIRINGS MONTE BY MONTECRISTO AJ FERNANDEZ / MAURO VEGLIO BAROLO Take your time on this one if you want to experience all the rich flavors this combination has to offer.
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PERFECT PAIRINGS UNDERCROWN SHADE / BERLUCCHI FRANCIACORTA It can be hard to find mild cigars to pair with sparkling wines, but Drew Estate’s popular Connecticut brings flavor without overpowering the Franciacorta.
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DESTINATION: TUSCANY
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DOMENICO VACCA
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STYLE GUIDE
89
AJ FERNANDEZ
104
HAMLET Q & A
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GIFT GUIDE
Take a peek behind the scenes of a Cigar Snob shoot as our publisher darts around northern Italy to help bring it all together.
The Italian designer, a favorite of Hollywood tastemakers, grew up in a family of tailors and seamstresses, but he had to cross an ocean to bring his fashion vision to life.
We put three looks together to help ensure you always look good when you light up.
These days, you can’t escape A.J.’s name and cigars. Find out about what drives him and why his growing cigar empire almost never got off the ground.
Once among Cuba’s most beloved cigar ambassadors, Hamlet Paredes is starting over in the U.S. with help from Rocky Patel and a heavy dose of freedom.
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features NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
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LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER
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FEEDBACK
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WHAT’S BURNIN’
56
SMOKING HOT CIGAR SNOB
69
RATINGS
94
SMOKING HOT CIGAR SNOB
UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN
LA RIVIERA ITALIANA
102
TWITTER SCOREBOARD
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EVENT COVERAGE 110 TAMPA CIGAR BASH 112 LITTLE SMOKE 114 AJ FERNANDEZ TASTING BY THE PARTY SOURCE
116 NESTOR MIRANDA AT CASA DE MONTECRISTO BY PRIME
118 BLACK SMOKE 120 VILLIGER AT NEPTUNE CIGARS 122 DEBONAIRE AT NEME GASTRO BAR 12 | CIGAR SNOB | NOV / DEC 2017
Ask for it by name, In fine cigar stores near you NOV / DEC 2017 | CIGAR SNOB |
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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
VO L . 9 IS SU E 6 www.cigarsnobmag.com PUBLISHER & EDITOR Erik Calviño SENIOR EDITOR Nicolás Antonio Jiménez COPY EDITOR Michael LaRocca SALES & OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Oscar M. Calviño PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Ivan Ocampo ART DIRECTOR Andy Astencio DIGITAL RETOUCHING SPECIALISTS Ramón Santana CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR Florin Safner CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS David Benoliel Andy Astencio Martin Crook Zach Ramsey Mark Byron EVENT PHOTOGRAPHERS Jamilet Calviño Katherine Hartwig Cover Photography by David Benoliel www.davidbenolielphotography.com Cover Model - Victoria Papkovich 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.cigarsnobmag.com
(SUBSCRIBE TODAY) - Only $18 for one Year (six issues) of -
- Magazine delivered to you Visit: www.cigarsnobmag.com or write: subscribe@cigarsnobmag.com
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Most of our readers don’t need to be sold on the wonders of overseas travel. But in case there’s some travel-hating hermit reading this magazine in his mother’s basement, consider this from Bill Bryson’s Neither Here nor There: Travels in Europe: “But that’s the glory of foreign travel, as far as I am concerned. I don’t want to know what people are talking about. I can’t think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything. Suddenly you are five years old again. You can’t read anything, you have only the most rudimentary sense of how things work, you can’t even reliably cross a street without endangering your life. Your whole existence becomes a series of interesting guesses.” Bill Bryson put into words what I find so exhilarating about overseas travel. Don’t get me wrong; the majority of my travel is to places where I speak the language and I’m not “endangering my life by crossing the street,” and I love that, too. In a strange way, though, trying to communicate with someone who is trying to help you in a foreign language is a hilarious and gratifying exercise. Ivan Ocampo and I spent a week in northern Italy to produce content for this issue. It wasn’t my first time there, but unlike previous trips, we weren’t there for vacation. We were there to work! I wrote about the trip in a piece titled The Italian Job on p.35. It is essentially a travel story with the backdrop of being there to produce the two photo shoots that appear in this issue. We’ve never done that type of travel piece and it makes for an interesting connection between the story and the two shoots; Under the Tuscan Sun on p. 56 and La Riviera Italiana on p. 94. Putting together productions of this size and budget would have been impossible without the help of Scandinavian Tobacco Group, Shaner Hotel Group, Diamond PR, and DAS Models. At the end of the day it is the boots on the ground that do the heavy lifting. A special thanks to Georges Midleje, Paolo Buonfante, Lucia Capelli, and David Benoliel. Without your support it would have never worked. In other travels, we sent Nicolás Antonio Jiménez to catch up with A.J. Fernandez at an event at The Party Source in Kentucky for an editorial titled A.J. Fernandez In the Spotlight on p. 89. He then flew from Kentucky to NYC to interview fashion designer to the stars Domenico Vacca for American Dream, Italian Fit on p. 47. Domenico also curated a style guide to help you look better on your next visit to your local cigar shop on p. 52. Finally, we met up with Hamlet Paredes at Rocky Patel Burn in Naples, Fla. for a Q&A with the famous cigar roller on p.104.
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This year has been a wild ride. There are terrible things happening in the world and we hope that our publication has helped bring some joy to your life. We hope this magazine continues to be your indispensable companion on your journey through the cigar world. Thank you for making us part of your hobby. Have a blessed 2018 and, as always, Keep ‘em lit,
Erik Calviño ecalvino@cigarsnobmag.com
CORRECTION In the Events section of our September/October 2017 issue, we misidentified the two people on the bottom left of p. 102. Their names (from left) are Misha De Bok and Wouter Damman.
FAST LAPS To everyone at Cigar Snob, Just sharing a photo of a good day at the track… Fast laps and a proper end to the day, reading the bike issue and enjoying an Oliva Connecticut. Keep up the good work. You guys produce an awesome magazine. Ron C. (#728)
VIA FEEDBACK@CIGARSNOBMAG.COM Hey Ron, We don’t know who you are or where you came from, but we do know that picture has jumped near the top of our list of the best things readers have sent in. Very cool to see the magazine is part of your track routine!
WHERE’S BERNIE!? I enjoyed your story on all those athletes who have partnered with Rocky Patel (“All Pro Ambassadors,” September/October 2017), but how come Bernie Parent didn’t show up in any of the photos? Hank M. Liberty, Mo.
VIA FEEDBACK@CIGARSNOBMAG.COM Good question, Hank. Honestly, we’re not quite sure why Bernie wasn’t there for the shoot. Our best guess: Bernie did hint at the fact that he was stripping when he met Rocky. Maybe he didn’t want to make it weird? Seriously, though, Bernie was a blast to talk to. We’re sure that won’t be the last time you see him mentioned in Cigar Snob, and we’ll work to get shots of him the next time around. While we’re on the subject… Because he’s the oldest in the bunch and played the less popular sport, he might not have the same name recognition as say, Ray Lewis. But if you’re reading this and don’t know who Bernie Parent is, look up the man and his hockey résumé. Legendary as they come.
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SECOND ANNUAL SANTA MUERTE RELEASE IS OUT Black Label Trading Co. (blacklabeltrading. com) announced the second annual release of its Santa Muerte brand. The cigar commemorates the Day of the Dead, although it was released on Friday, Oct. 13, so you’ll have time to get your hands on it ahead of that day (Oct. 31).
Year of the Dog. The 7x50 Gran Churchill features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, San Vicente binder, and fillers from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. A box of 10 will run you $390. In addition, Davidoff is releasing a Year of the Dog punch cutter ($230) and a leather travel humidor ($350).
CAMACHO DIPLOMA IS BACK
Manufactured at Fábrica Oveja Negra in Estelí, Nicaragua, the blend comprises Ecuadorian Habano wrapper and binder, along with fillers from Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic and Mexico. It’s available in two vitolas: Corona Gorda (5½ x 48) and Short Robusto (4¾ x 52). Both are priced at $10 per cigar and are packaged in 20-count boxes. “This is our second release of Santa Muerte and people really responded well to the change of pace for us,” said James Brown, creator of Black Label Trading Company and partner at Fabrica Oveja Negra, in a press release. “Our limited releases tend to be full bodied with a Maduro wrapper but this one is a medium bodied cigar with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. It features six filler tobaccos which create a very unique and rich flavor profile. You experience layer upon layer of coffee, malt, spice and cocoa.”
DAVIDOFF YEAR OF THE DOG
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Cigars International has three brick-andmortar locations in Pennsylvania, and Scandinavian runs retail locations around the world. In the U.S., most of the company’s stores are associated with Cigars International. The only one of Scandinavian’s stores not associated with Cigars International is New York City’s Club Macanudo. It’s not clear whether the new Texas concepts will resemble any of those existing locations.
DEBONAIRE DAYBREAK AVAILABLE AT DREW DIPLOMAT RETAILERS
One of the more sought after products in the Camacho lineup, the Diploma, was discontinued in 2015. Now it’s making a comeback, as Davidoff announced the limited-edition November 1 launch (or relaunch) of the brand. Camacho Diploma Special Selection is a 5x54 Honduran puro made only with Corojo at the Camacho factory in Danlí, Honduras. It’s packaged in 18-count boxes with transparent tops. Each cigar comes in its own blue triangular coffin, making a full box of Diplomas a unique showpiece in your humidor. Those boxes of 18 coffins, of which just 1,800 were made, are priced at $360 (or $20 per cigar). From here on out, Camacho Diploma Special Selection is slated to be release once a year.
Davidoff has unveiled the next installment in its annual series of limited edition cigars themed after the Chinese zodiac: Davidoff
that at least one of the stores is supposed to open in The Colony, a Dallas suburb.
Debonaire Daybreak has shipped to retailers, according to Debonaire House and Drew Estate. Daybreak features an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper, which is a first among cigars sold exclusively through the Drew Diplomat Retailers program. In describing the smoking experience, a press release reads, “Smokers can expect crisp notes of spice and earthiness from the Central American fillers, a nutty and sweet richness from the Dominican tobacco in the binder and filler with a smooth finish.”
SCANDINAVIAN TOBACCO TO OPEN STORES IN TEXAS
Daybreak, which is packaged in 20-count boxes, is available in six vitolas ranging in MSRP from $6 to $13: •
Corona (6x46)
Scandinavian Tobacco announced that its Cigars International arm (best known for its online and catalog business) would be opening two retail stores in the state of Texas, with the first location’s opening planned for mid2018. Halfwheel (halfwheel.com) reported
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Belicoso (6x54)
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First Degree (4x44)
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Robusto (5x50)
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Sagita-Petite Lancero (5.5x38)
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Toro (6x50)
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IT’S OFFICIAL: JOSÉ OLIVA TO BE SPEAKER OF FLORIDA HOUSE (PROVIDED GOP KEEPS MAJORITY) José Oliva of Oliva Cigar has been selected by Florida Republicans as their designee for the state House speakership. Assuming the party hangs onto its majority, José will move into a two-year stint as speaker in November 2018. Florida residents and political news junkies probably know this is not a surprise. That José was on his way to the speakership has been known a long time, but the official decision is noteworthy nonetheless. In his remarks on accepting the position, José said his policy focus would be on the “hospital industrial complex,” reforming the education system, and bloated pension programs. The item that will be of most interest to smokers, though, was his assertion that he’d push back on “the ideological battle to prohibit services, products and behaviors that are not outlawed everywhere within their boundaries.” That’s broad enough to include a lot of things, but it almost certainly refers in part to government prohibitions on the sale and use of tobacco products in private businesses in Florida.
JOHN MILLER WILL BE SWISHER’S PRESIDENT IN 2018 When Peter Ghiloni retires from his position as the president of Swisher International at the end of 2017 (though he’ll be CEO for another year), he’ll be succeeded by John Miller, the company’s current VP of sales and marketing. Swisher, which makes in excess of a billion small cigars and cigarillos (especially machine-made products), is the parent company of Drew Estate, having purchased the premium cigar company in 2014.
MICHAEL GIANNINI JOINS VENTURA CIGAR The California-based Ventura Cigar Company (Archetype, PSyKo Seven, Case Study, etc.) announced that it has hired Michael Giannini to be its Creative Director. Smokers know Michael’s work at General Cigar with the Foundry and La Gloria Cubana brands. Michael will “lead brand vision … and serve as the Brand Ambassador at cigar events,” according to a Ventura press release. “Michael Giannini is a key addition to the VCC team, we’re excited that Michael is back doing what he does best,” said Jason Carignan, CMO of Kretek, parent company of VCC, in a press release. “His vast industry knowledge and creative prowess are resources that we are excited to tap into and use to further develop the brands and products within the VCC portfolio. He is a true visionary with a business mind, and we are pleased to have him aboard.” “I’m super excited to be joining the team at Ventura Cigars,” said Giannini. “This is a brand that has been flying under the radar, and I know people are going to love what we come up with next.”
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Monte by Montecristo AJ Fernandez 2013 Mauro Veglio Rocche Dell’Annunziata After spending a week in Italy for this issue, we returned to Cigar Snob HQ craving more of those flavors, specifically the crushed grape flavors that come in 750 ml bottles. We called up Pablo Estades of Total Wine & More (totalwine.com) and explained our situation. We told him about everything we drank and asked for a recommendation that would fill any glaring voids. “You didn’t drink Barolo! Why not?” he asked. We’d spent most of our time in Tuscany; naturally, we ended up drinking mostly Tuscan wine. Barolo is a red wine from the region of Piedmont in the northwest corner of Italy. We’ve drunk plenty of Barolos over the years, but Pablo recommended the 2013 Mauro Veglio Rocche Dell’Annunziata with the words, “This, my friends, is a no brainer.” The wine is full-bodied with intense fruit balanced by strong but elegant tannins. It is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo grapes and aged 24 months in oak and 18 months in bottle. Mauro Veglio, the man, comes from a family that has worked the lands in the region since the beginning of the 1900s. Mauro’s father Angelo bought his first vineyard in the 1960s and in 1986 Mauro took over the management due to his father’s declining health. Today, the winery produces 80,000 bottles per year. We had a no brainer of our own on the cigar side of the pairing: the Monte by Montecristo AJ Fernandez. This latest iteration of the Monte by Montecristo is a box-pressed flavor powerhouse crafted by AJ Fernandez in Nicaragua.
THE PAIRING The wine should be decanted and allowed to rest a moment before pouring. While waiting for the wine, fire up the Monte by Montecristo AJ Fernandez and let it warm up. The cigar delivers cocoa, pepper, wood, and earth in spades right out of the gate. Once the wine joins the party you will notice the tannins and acidity are offset by the cigar’s wood and pepper, leaving you with a wonderful mix of flavors: an earthy vanilla running alongside a combination of raspberry and cocoa. LOCATION: Verde, Waterfront Dining and Bar at Perez Art Museum Miami (pamm.org/dining) NOV / DEC 2017 | CIGAR SNOB |
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Undercrown Shade Berlucchi ’61 Brut
When thinking of Italian sparkling wine, most wine lovers immediately think of Prosecco, and for good reason. It has been the darling of the sparkling wine world for the last five years, driving a tremendous growth in sales and popularity for the segment in the United States. However, spend any amount of time on the ground in Italy and you’ll find that the Italian market leans towards Franciacorta. Unlike Prosecco, Franciacorta sparkling wines are made following the Method Champenoise, the same method used in Champagne, France. Additionally, Franciacorta wines are made from the same grape varietals as Champagne, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Blanc. But the beauty of Franciacorta comes from the terroir. Because it’s warmer in Franciacorta than Champagne, the grapes ripen a bit more before harvest, resulting in noticeable differences in taste and minerality. The idea of producing Italian sparkling wine in the French style was born in 1955 when a young oenologist, Franco Ziliani, proposed the far-fetched plan to the wealthy Guido Berlucchi. After several failed vintages, 1961 came along and the rest is Franciacorta history. Today Mr. Ziliani is widely considered the father of Franciacorta, and the region produced more than 17.5 million bottles of Franciacorta in 2016. The cigar for the pairing, the Undercrown Shade from Drew Estate, is an ideal one for sparkling wine. Its cedar, earth, and soft pepper core allow the leather, cream, and nut characteristics to emerge. It is consistently well constructed and delivers a mild to medium body.
THE PAIRING Without question get into the chilled Berlucchi Franciacorta first. A couple of sips later, light up the Undercrown Shade. The mouthwatering effect that the Berlucchi has on your palate while you light the cigar is amazing and delightful. The cigar’s notes of leather and nuts match up perfectly with the sparkling wine’s bready, apple, and pear flavors. LOCATION: Ponte Vecchio Ristorante e Pizzeria (pontevecchiomiami.com) NOV / DEC 2017 | CIGAR SNOB |
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