Brand owner, Jason Holly of Viva Republica began smoking cigars when he was a student at Harvard. According to Holly, “I used to smoke cigars in Harvard Yard when I was in school. In a store on the square I saw an old picture of JFK smoking a cigar in the Yard, the history and tradition is overwhelming and I wanted to create a brand that had that feel of nostalgia.” The cigar is made […]
Anthony Serino isn’t a household name in the cigar industry but he has been around for two decades. Today’s cigar is a new venture into the premium cigar market versus the bundle market where he made his name. To create this new cigar Anthony turned to Omar Gonzalez Aleman of La Corona Cigars who is most recently known for producing the blends of Hirochi Robaina. The Serino Royale Maduro XX is celebrates the 20th Anniversary […]
The latest offering from Kristoff got its name from the suggestion of a customer who mentioned the company should come out with a cigar called Pissed Off Kristoff. Brand owner Glen Case loved the sound of the name but decided to change the spelling to create Pistoff Kristoff. Today we light up the latest offering from Kristoff which comes from the Charles Fairmon factory in the Dominican Republic. Cigar Review: Pistoff KristoffCountry of Origin: Dominican RepublicWrapper: San Andres (Mexico)Binder: IndonesiaFiller: NicaraguaLength: 5.75″ Ring […]
A couple of weeks back I smoked the Andalusion Bull on The Cigar Authority podcast. The cigar I smoked that day was a sample from IPCPR that made its way back to me via David Garofalo. It intrigued me enough that when the cigars reached the shelves of Two Guys Smoke Shop I reached for another for today’s review. According to a press release from La Flor Dominicana, “Invoking the spirit of Spain’s famous Toreros, this cigar has […]
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 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. […]