Joya de Nicaragua Antano Dar
Today’s Featured Cigar:
Joya de Nicaragua Antano Dark Corojo
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The Cigar:
The Joya Antano Dark Corojo cigar is a Nicaraguan puro that showcases a dark, oily Corojo Oscuro wrapper. The cigar is rolled at Fábrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua, S.A, and is available in six sizes including the Poderoso torpedo vitola pictured here.
The Flavors:
The cigar is spicy and robust, yet smooth with cedar-wood tones, and rich earth. The sweetness is that of the subtle kind you might taste in bread, and the finish is long with a line of pepper that lies on the back of the palate.
The Bottle:
Zacapa No. 23 Guatemalan Rum is a blend of rums aged 6-23 years, aged in both whiskey and wine casks from America. It is slow aged at 2300 meters above sea level. There is butterscotch on the nose, and a complex tasting experience of dried fruit, nutmeg, vanilla, and ginger spice. This virgin sugar cane rum is an approachable 40% ABV.
The Pairing:
Don’t let the smooth flavor qualities of the Dark Corojo cigar fool you, as it is filled with plenty of power and strength for even the seasoned enthusiast. It is always a pleasant experience when a spirit doesn’t overpower the cigar, and in this case, none of the flavors of the tobacco are absorbed by the Zacapa Rum. Instead, the combined spices stand in line with each other, with a newly welcomed base layer of sweetness.
The Story:
The Dark Corojo blend was created ten years after the original Antano line, utilizing three year aged tobaccos. Each vitola has been appropriately named, and the Poderoso (meaning “Powerful”) is no exception. Joya de Nicaraguan’s slogan is “The Most Nicaraguan Cigar.”
Today’s Featured Cigar:
Joya de Nicaragua Antano Dark Corojo
•••••
The Cigar:
The Joya Antano Dark Corojo cigar is a Nicaraguan puro that showcases a dark, oily Corojo Oscuro wrapper. The cigar is rolled at Fábrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua, S.A, and is available in six sizes including the Poderoso torpedo vitola pictured here.
The Flavors:
The cigar is spicy and robust, yet smooth with cedar-wood tones, and rich earth. The sweetness is that of the subtle kind you might taste in bread, and the finish is long with a line of pepper that lies on the back of the palate.
The Bottle:
Zacapa No. 23 Guatemalan Rum is a blend of rums aged 6-23 years, aged in both whiskey and wine casks from America. It is slow aged at 2300 meters above sea level. There is butterscotch on the nose, and a complex tasting experience of dried fruit, nutmeg, vanilla, and ginger spice. This virgin sugar cane rum is an approachable 40% ABV.
The Pairing:
Don’t let the smooth flavor qualities of the Dark Corojo cigar fool you, as it is filled with plenty of power and strength for even the seasoned enthusiast. It is always a pleasant experience when a spirit doesn’t overpower the cigar, and in this case, none of the flavors of the tobacco are absorbed by the Zacapa Rum. Instead, the combined spices stand in line with each other, with a newly welcomed base layer of sweetness.
The Story:
The Dark Corojo blend was created ten years after the original Antano line, utilizing three year aged tobaccos. Each vitola has been appropriately named, and the Poderoso (meaning “Powerful”) is no exception. Joya de Nicaraguan’s slogan is “The Most Nicaraguan Cigar.”
Davidoff Grand Cru
Today’s Featured Cigar:
Davidoff Grand Cru
The Cigar:
The Davidoff Grand Cru is the successor of Davidoff’s Chateau Series. A golden Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper covers the binder and fillers from the Dominican Republic. The cigar was released in five vitolas including the 52 x 5 1/4 Robusto size pictured here.
The Flavors:
Round notes of wood and earth start off, giving way to nutty and floral flavors before ending with a mild spice. The smoke is creamy, while stimulating the entire palate, all while remaining mild in intensity.
The Bottle:
This particular London Dry Gin was expertly blended for Marks & Spencer by the Langley Distillery in Oldury, England. The 37.5% ABV fine grain spirit is crafted with seven botanicals. The full ingredient list consists of demineralized water, alcohol, angelica, cassia, coriander seeds, grapefruit oil, juniper berries, dried licorice, and orris root.
The Pairing:
We skipped the tonic for this smooth gin, used a big rock, and added twist of lemon. The citrus really rounds off some of the botanicals and brightens up the muskiness that comes with some of the Olor tobacco in the cigar’s filler. The beverage is reminiscent of a Sprite minus carbonation, evoking the refreshing experience but leaving out the bubbles that would usually scrape the palate clean of the Grand Cru’s full flavor profile.
The Story:
The Grand Cru was first inspired in 1946 as the Chateau Series cigar. It was named to make the analogy between the soil effects and growing process of both cigars and wine. In addition, the quality of the cigars was inspired by that of high end Bordeaux wines.
Today’s Featured Cigar:
Davidoff Grand Cru
The Cigar:
The Davidoff Grand Cru is the successor of Davidoff’s Chateau Series. A golden Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper covers the binder and fillers from the Dominican Republic. The cigar was released in five vitolas including the 52 x 5 1/4 Robusto size pictured here.
The Flavors:
Round notes of wood and earth start off, giving way to nutty and floral flavors before ending with a mild spice. The smoke is creamy, while stimulating the entire palate, all while remaining mild in intensity.
The Bottle:
This particular London Dry Gin was expertly blended for Marks & Spencer by the Langley Distillery in Oldury, England. The 37.5% ABV fine grain spirit is crafted with seven botanicals. The full ingredient list consists of demineralized water, alcohol, angelica, cassia, coriander seeds, grapefruit oil, juniper berries, dried licorice, and orris root.
The Pairing:
We skipped the tonic for this smooth gin, used a big rock, and added twist of lemon. The citrus really rounds off some of the botanicals and brightens up the muskiness that comes with some of the Olor tobacco in the cigar’s filler. The beverage is reminiscent of a Sprite minus carbonation, evoking the refreshing experience but leaving out the bubbles that would usually scrape the palate clean of the Grand Cru’s full flavor profile.
The Story:
The Grand Cru was first inspired in 1946 as the Chateau Series cigar. It was named to make the analogy between the soil effects and growing process of both cigars and wine. In addition, the quality of the cigars was inspired by that of high end Bordeaux wines.
La Galera Maduro El Lector
Today’s Featured Cigar:
La Galera Maduro El Lector
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The Cigar:
The Maduro is comprised of a rich San Andrés wrapper with delicious Piloto Cubano and Crillo 98 tobacco from Tabacalera Palma’s Jacagua and Gurabo farms. Ultimately, a balanced and pleasant smoke conditioned for the consistent performance the smoker deserves.
The Flavors:
The cigar is a delicate Dominican Maduro which these days are hard to come by. Full of chocolate and leather notes that stays simple and consistent throughout the entire blend.
The Bottle:
Kentucky Irish Red Ale is aged for at least six weeks in freshly decanted bourbon barrels from some of Kentucky’s finest distilleries. Subtle, yet familiar, flavors of vanilla and oak are imparted to this special ale as it rests in the charred barrels.
The Pairing:
This is a paring for beer lovers. For such a flavorful and delicious brew we went with a cigar for a soft companion to elevate the notes of the beer. This cigars simply flows right through to compliment the coco and chard oak nature of the beer. But the sweetness now explodes on the palate throughout the finish.
The Story:
Our reserves largely consist of tobacco grown in our farms; however, significant portions of our holdings have come from scouring the world’s best farms to secure collections flushed with potential to mature into something special.
In doing so, we’re able to focus solely on crafting blends that deliver the most exceptional quality and experience.
The Man:
Jochy Blanco
The Godfather of tobacco. A true hoarder of the leaf. He is one of the largest cigar producers in the Dominican Republic and currently holds the largest collection of premium tobacco leafs.
He is fourth-generation tobacco grower, second-generation cigar maker and CEO of Tabacalera Palma.
His family’s tobacco-growing legacy began with his greatgrandfather, Manuel Blanco Lozada, who emigrated from Spain to the Dominican Republic in the mid-1800s. In 1925, Jochy’s father, José Arnaldo Blanco II, founded Tabacalera Palma, making him one of the country’s earliest cigar manufacturers.
Today’s Featured Cigar:
La Galera Maduro El Lector
••••••••
The Cigar:
The Maduro is comprised of a rich San Andrés wrapper with delicious Piloto Cubano and Crillo 98 tobacco from Tabacalera Palma’s Jacagua and Gurabo farms. Ultimately, a balanced and pleasant smoke conditioned for the consistent performance the smoker deserves.
The Flavors:
The cigar is a delicate Dominican Maduro which these days are hard to come by. Full of chocolate and leather notes that stays simple and consistent throughout the entire blend.
The Bottle:
Kentucky Irish Red Ale is aged for at least six weeks in freshly decanted bourbon barrels from some of Kentucky’s finest distilleries. Subtle, yet familiar, flavors of vanilla and oak are imparted to this special ale as it rests in the charred barrels.
The Pairing:
This is a paring for beer lovers. For such a flavorful and delicious brew we went with a cigar for a soft companion to elevate the notes of the beer. This cigars simply flows right through to compliment the coco and chard oak nature of the beer. But the sweetness now explodes on the palate throughout the finish.
The Story:
Our reserves largely consist of tobacco grown in our farms; however, significant portions of our holdings have come from scouring the world’s best farms to secure collections flushed with potential to mature into something special.
In doing so, we’re able to focus solely on crafting blends that deliver the most exceptional quality and experience.
The Man:
Jochy Blanco
The Godfather of tobacco. A true hoarder of the leaf. He is one of the largest cigar producers in the Dominican Republic and currently holds the largest collection of premium tobacco leafs.
He is fourth-generation tobacco grower, second-generation cigar maker and CEO of Tabacalera Palma.
His family’s tobacco-growing legacy began with his greatgrandfather, Manuel Blanco Lozada, who emigrated from Spain to the Dominican Republic in the mid-1800s. In 1925, Jochy’s father, José Arnaldo Blanco II, founded Tabacalera Palma, making him one of the country’s earliest cigar manufacturers.
Fuente Casa
Today’s Featured Cigar:
@arturofuentecigars Casa Cuba
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The Cigar:
The dark golden Ecuadorian wrapper encloses a rich fusion of aged premium Dominican binder and filler tobaccos, thereby creating a perfectly balanced premium cigar. These cigars are usually formatted in very interested sizes that are classic to the old Cuban way of smaller and skinnier cigars.
The Flavors:
Classic and respectful is the best way to describe the blend. It has notes of cedar, cream and vanilla with a hint of lemon peel on the finish. It is a very well balanced cigar, delicate and soft on the palate but extremely clean for a Arturo Fuente.
The Cocktail:
The Pendennis Club, a gentlemen's club founded in 1881 in Louisville, Kentucky, claims the old fashioned cocktail was invented there. The recipe was said to have been invented by a bartender at that club in honor of Colonel James E. Pepper, a prominent bourbon distiller, who brought it to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel bar in New York City.
2 oz Bourbon
-.25 oz Simple
3 dashes Angostura
Build ingredients in an empty old fashioned glass. Add large block of ice and stir for ~5 seconds. Baste top of ice so that it is completely emerged by the cocktail. Garnish w/ lemon or orange peel.
The Pairing:
There is no better pairing for such a classic cigar than the original bourbon cocktail the Old Fashioned. The sweet and orange citrus from the cocktail brightens the experience and creates a thicker texture on the palate to extend the finish of the pairing.
The Story:
The final blend created by the legendary Don Carlos Fuente himself – was specifically designed to pay homage to his father, Arturo Fuente, and the Golden Age of cigar making in Cuba and Ybor City in the early 20th century. This celebration of tradition still lives on today as Don Carlos’ son and legend in his own right, Carlito Fuente, continues to meticulously blend this line of cigars the “old school way” – as a living memory to his father and grandfather.
The Family:
Arturo Fuente started his cigar company in 1912 in Tampa, FL from humble beginnings. Arturo’s persistence led him through setbacks such as a factory fire, hiatus, and rebuilding the company before passing it down to his son, Carlos Fuente Sr, in 1958. ⠀
Carlos Sr. also faced his share of challenges, including the US embargo of Cuba, and finally relocating to the Dominican Republic after another factory fire during his short stint in Nicaragua in the 1970’s. ⠀
Before senior’s passing in 2016, he handed down not only the company, but also his passion for cigars to his son, Carlito Fuente Jr. Today, Carlito Fuente Jr. is fulfilling his ambitions as the president of the company, keeping the family tradition as well as moving forward with innovation. The Fuente family celebrated 100 years in the cigar business back in 2012. ⠀
Today’s Featured Cigar:
Fuente Casa Cuba
••••••••
The Cigar:
The dark golden Ecuadorian wrapper encloses a rich fusion of aged premium Dominican binder and filler tobaccos, thereby creating a perfectly balanced premium cigar. These cigars are usually formatted in very interested sizes that are classic to the old Cuban way of smaller and skinnier cigars.
The Flavors:
Classic and respectful is the best way to describe the blend. It has notes of cedar, cream and vanilla with a hint of lemon peel on the finish. It is a very well balanced cigar, delicate and soft on the palate but extremely clean for a Arturo Fuente.
The Cocktail:
The Pendennis Club, a gentlemen's club founded in 1881 in Louisville, Kentucky, claims the old fashioned cocktail was invented there. The recipe was said to have been invented by a bartender at that club in honor of Colonel James E. Pepper, a prominent bourbon distiller, who brought it to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel bar in New York City.
2 oz Bourbon
-.25 oz Simple
3 dashes Angostura
Build ingredients in an empty old fashioned glass. Add large block of ice and stir for ~5 seconds. Baste top of ice so that it is completely emerged by the cocktail. Garnish w/ lemon or orange peel.
The Pairing:
There is no better pairing for such a classic cigar than the original bourbon cocktail the Old Fashioned. The sweet and orange citrus from the cocktail brightens the experience and creates a thicker texture on the palate to extend the finish of the pairing.
The Story:
The final blend created by the legendary Don Carlos Fuente himself – was specifically designed to pay homage to his father, Arturo Fuente, and the Golden Age of cigar making in Cuba and Ybor City in the early 20th century. This celebration of tradition still lives on today as Don Carlos’ son and legend in his own right, Carlito Fuente, continues to meticulously blend this line of cigars the “old school way” – as a living memory to his father and grandfather.
The Family:
Arturo Fuente started his cigar company in 1912 in Tampa, FL from humble beginnings. Arturo’s persistence led him through setbacks such as a factory fire, hiatus, and rebuilding the company before passing it down to his son, Carlos Fuente Sr, in 1958. ⠀
Carlos Sr. also faced his share of challenges, including the US embargo of Cuba, and finally relocating to the Dominican Republic after another factory fire during his short stint in Nicaragua in the 1970’s. ⠀
Before senior’s passing in 2016, he handed down not only the company, but also his passion for cigars to his son, Carlito Fuente Jr. Today, Carlito Fuente Jr. is fulfilling his ambitions as the president of the company, keeping the family tradition as well as moving forward with innovation. The Fuente family celebrated 100 years in the cigar business back in 2012. ⠀
Julius Caeser
Today’s Featured Cigar:
Julius Caesar
The Cigar:
This dark, rich Habano wrapped cigar also features a DR binder over a variety of Caribbean Filler. Sold by JC Newman as part of their Diamond Crown series, but this cigar is produced by their partners at Arturo Fuente Cigars
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This cigar is aged for 5 years and is is held to the highest standard of quality control and produced by the best rollers at the Fuente Factory.
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These accolades speak to how the industry reacts to this unbelievable blend.
Cigar Aficionado: Top 25 Cigars of 2011 and 2014
Cigar & Spirits: Cigar of the Year 2017
Cigar Insider: 93
Cigar Journal: 94
Cigar Snob: 92
Smoke Magazine: 93
This is not your typical Habano. It reminds me of a more subtle Liga Privada with the dark coco and espresso, heavy hints of leather with a mild sweetness to finish.
The Bottle:
Quinta de la Rosa Twany Porto. This wine is Aged 3 Years and hits around 19.5 % alcohol. This is a perfect way to start or end a night of drinking. A Tawny Port wine is typically an older Port aged in Barrel (2-40 yrs). This wine falls in the medium in Sweet vs Dry scale. The most Common Note is Nuttiness on top of bright berries.
The Pairing:
The goal with this pairing was to work in more light and brightness to the cigar that also adds a sweet & acidic element. This younger Twany does just that, it strengthens the natural flavor profiles while creating more balance on the palate.
The Story:
Born in 1875 in a small Hungarian village, Julius Newman and his family sailed across the Atlantic in 1888 in search of the American Dream. With no middle name, Julius was required to choose one before workers could complete his entry paperwork. Stumped, he solicited help from the immigration officer who suggested Caesar, after the great Roman. Julius relished in the thought of being named after a historic leader and conqueror but due to a typo by the attendant – Caeser was spelled with an “e”. Thus Julius Caeser (J.C.) Newman, American citizen, was born.
Today’s Featured Cigar:
Julius Caeser
The Cigar:
This dark, rich Habano wrapped cigar also features a DR binder over a variety of Caribbean Filler. Sold by JC Newman as part of their Diamond Crown series, but this cigar is produced by their partners at Arturo Fuente Cigars
••••••••
This cigar is aged for 5 years and is is held to the highest standard of quality control and produced by the best rollers at the Fuente Factory.
••••••••
These accolades speak to how the industry reacts to this unbelievable blend.
Cigar Aficionado: Top 25 Cigars of 2011 and 2014
Cigar & Spirits: Cigar of the Year 2017
Cigar Insider: 93
Cigar Journal: 94
Cigar Snob: 92
Smoke Magazine: 93
This is not your typical Habano. It reminds me of a more subtle Liga Privada with the dark coco and espresso, heavy hints of leather with a mild sweetness to finish.
The Bottle:
Quinta de la Rosa Twany Porto. This wine is Aged 3 Years and hits around 19.5 % alcohol. This is a perfect way to start or end a night of drinking. A Tawny Port wine is typically an older Port aged in Barrel (2-40 yrs). This wine falls in the medium in Sweet vs Dry scale. The most Common Note is Nuttiness on top of bright berries.
The Pairing:
The goal with this pairing was to work in more light and brightness to the cigar that also adds a sweet & acidic element. This younger Twany does just that, it strengthens the natural flavor profiles while creating more balance on the palate.
The Story:
Born in 1875 in a small Hungarian village, Julius Newman and his family sailed across the Atlantic in 1888 in search of the American Dream. With no middle name, Julius was required to choose one before workers could complete his entry paperwork. Stumped, he solicited help from the immigration officer who suggested Caesar, after the great Roman. Julius relished in the thought of being named after a historic leader and conqueror but due to a typo by the attendant – Caeser was spelled with an “e”. Thus Julius Caeser (J.C.) Newman, American citizen, was born.