Atabey. A cigar crafted by the brilliant mind of a man named Nelson Alfonso. Although the average consumer might not know who he is, Nelson is a legend in the Cuban cigar industry. He played and essential role behind brands such as the Cohiba Behike and even designed the humidors for Padron’s 50th Anniversary cigars. His specialty is visual design, but Nelson Alfonso also has a rich experience in tobacco blending, spending years working alongside […]
I’ve lived in a few different cigar markets plus I’ve visited many others and one thing seemed to be constant. Lancero cigars sell slower than any other size on the market place. However, if you look at social media it is one of the most popular sizes among cigar geeks like me. A few months ago when La Flor Dominicana announced they were releasing Los Lanceros; a 5-pack of Lancero cigars I personally was intrigued. Cigar […]
This past weekend was a big one for the J.C. Newman Cigar Company. Finally, after 4 years of work and hundreds of man hours, the long awaited Diamond Crown Black Diamond made its worldwide debut at all three Two Guys Smoke Shop locations. In attendance for the events were brand owner Eric Newman and North East Sales Representative Brad Jarvis. The cigar features tobacco grown on the same Fuente farms as Opus X. What am […]
The “Gallery,” or area in any handmade cigar factory where the cigar rollers make beautiful works of art, is affectionately known as La Galeara. Jose Amaldo Blanco or “Jochy,” which everyone who knows him affectionately calls him, is the owner of Tabacalera Palma, a family business (since 1936) which today celebrates their 80th year in business. In their factory they make lots of cigars for other people including Boutique Blends (Rafael Nodal) Aging Room, La […]
This weekend, moments before The Cigar Authority podcast went on air, we received word that an icon in the industry, Carlos Fuente Sr. had passed away. We were sitting around waiting for the show to go live when Eric Newman of JC Newman received the call. Carlos Fuente Sr. had been battling stomach cancer before succumbing to the illness at 11:15pm on Friday night. The show took a somber note as Eric Newman shared some […]
In Spanish, Mi Querida translates to My Mistress. For many of us, cigars are the other woman. Let’s face it, sometimes we sneak out for a cigar or stop by the local lounge telling our wives we are working late. All because of our love for premium cigars aka the other woman. Mi Querida wasn’t the original name for this cigar either as Steve Saka originally had plans to release the project as Todos Las Dias. However, a […]
Limited to just 300 boxes of 10 cigars, the Smoking Jacket Limited Edition comes to us from Henke Kelner Jr. and his Kelner Boutique Factory. If that name seems familiar, his father is the master blender for Davidoff. This Limited Edition is the follow-up to the original Smoking Jacket released in 2013. Cigar Review: Smoking Jacket The Limited Edition Country of Origin: Dominican Republic Wrapper: Domincan Havana Cotuí Binder: Criollo Filler: Nicaraguan Condesa Viso, Dominican HVA and San Vicente, […]
Nick Melillo of Foundation Cigar Company released a few new blends to add to his portfolio this past week at the IPCPR trade show in Las Vegas. One of them is his new Connecticut broadleaf wrapped cigar dubbed ‘The Tabernacle’ which is rolled at A.J. Fernandez’s factory down in Nicaragua. David Garofalo was kind enough to get a few samples for us to try, which were smoked on The Cigar Authority podcast this past weekend. […]
Oliveros is a brand with Cuban roots that date back to 1927 and Boutique Blends’ Rafael Nodal has decided to resurrect it with the creation of Gran Retorno. The name translates to Grand Return and will be available in 3 different wrappers including today’s review of the Connecticut that debuted at the 2016 IPCPR in Las Vegas. Cigar Review: Gran Retorno Connecticut Country of Origin: Dominican Republic Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Binder: Nicaragua Habano Filler: Nicaragua Size: 4.5″ Ring Gauge: 52 Vitola: […]
Out of my stockpile of cigar lighters, there’s always one that I keep within arms reach. The Vertigo Cyclone 2 by Lotus is a workhorse that just won’t quit. It’s a dependable tool that’s great for all day use. It has a few nice features that make this lighter something special. I’ve had this torch for about 6 months now, and I’ve purchased a few more as gifts for my friends since then. It’s been […]