Cigar Insider PADRÓN 1964 VERTICAL IN THIS ISSUE:

Transcription

1 internet only SEPTEMBER 11, 2012 n VOL. 17, NO. 17 n FROM THE PUBLISHER OF CIGAR AFICIONADO MAGAZINE IN THIS ISSUE: TASTING REPORT: VERTICAL BRAND TASTINGS: n Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series Maduro [page 2] NEW SIZES: FEATURED CIGAR PADRÓN 1964 ANNIVERSARY SERIES MADURO TORO NICARAGUA n PRICE: $14.14 n BODY: MED. TO FULL For a full tasting, see page two. 94 POINTS n Illusione Singularé Vimana 2011 [page 3] n Illusione Singularé Vimana 2012 [page 3] CURRENT RELEASE: n Ramon Allones Specially Selected [page 3] SPECIAL REPORT NEW CIGARS OF 2012 (PART THREE) n Illusione Cigars [page 4] n J. C. Newman Cigar Co. [page 4] n L'Atelier Imports [page 4] n La Palina Cigars [page 5] n Melo Tobacco Group [page 5] BEST CIGARS THIS ISSUE Padrón 1964 Anniversary Maduro Toro Nicaragua 94 Padrón 1964 Anniversary Maduro Diplomatico Nicaragua 93 Padrón 1964 Anniversary Maduro Imperial Nicaragua 92 Padrón 1964 Anniversary Maduro A Nicaragua 91 Padrón 1964 Anniversary Maduro Corona Nicaragua 91 Padrón 1964 Anniversary Maduro Exclusivo Nicaragua 91 Padrón 1964 Anniversary Maduro Piramide Nicaragua 91 Padrón 1964 Anniversary Maduro Torpedo Nicaragua 91 n Miami Cigar & Co. [page 6] n My Father Cigars [page 7] n Nat Sherman International [page 7] n Oliva Cigar Co. [page 8] n Ortega Cigar Co. [page 8] n Padilla Cigar Co. [page 8] n Padrón Cigars Inc. [page 9] n Paul Garmirian Inc. [page 9] n PDR Cigars U.S.A. Inc. [page 10] PADRÓN 1964 VERTICAL THE PADRÓN ANNIVERSARY SERIES is one of the most revered cigar brands in America, and for good reason. The Nicaraguan smokes are consistently stellar. We tested all 12 sizes of the maduro line, (including the new No. 4) and gave all but two cigars 90 points or higher in some cases, much higher. See page two. NEW CIGARS MAKING IT TO MARKET MORE CIGARS INTRODUCED AT THE IPCPR SHIP TO RETAILERS. It s been over a month since the cigar industry unveiled its newest lines at the IPCPR trade show, and now some of the brands are finding their way into the market. Brick House (left) comes in a maduro variety, but in one size only the Mighty Mighty, a 60-ring behemoth. The La Palina Classic (second from left) comes in a 60-ring format as well, but is also available in other sizes and is the most budget-friendly La Palina to date. The PDR factory in the Dominican Republic produces the box-pressed Serie Privada (second from right). La Dueña (right) translates to female proprietor in Spanish, and this cigar was blended for Janny Garcia of My Father Cigars she s the boss. Coverage continues on page four. TO SUBSCRIBE GO TO

2 TASTING REPORT PADRÓN 1964 ANNIVERSARY SERIES MADURO VERTICAL BRAND TASTING Country: Nicaragua Maker: Padrón Cigars Inc. Distributor: Padrón Cigars Inc. Purchase Date: August 2012 TORO 94 POINTS n 5 1/2" x 54 n $14.14 n Humidor Selection Rich and heavy with roasted espresso and dark cocoa bean flavors that are complemented by notes of dried cherries and ripe apple. Flavorful and sophisticated. DIPLOMATICO 93 POINTS n 7" x 50 n $13.20 n Humidor Selection Large and pressed, this cigar imparts a dense, creamy smoke whose underlying oakiness is matched by notes of cocoa powder, vanilla bean and orange peel. Body: Medium IMPERIAL 92 POINTS n 6" x 54 n $14.80 n Humidor Selection There s an interplay of cardomom and candied fruit flavors that become more heavy with red wine and cocoa powder. A complex cigar with lots of smoke on the draw. A 91 POINTS n 8 1/4" x 50 n $32.90 n Humidor Selection A long, box-presed cigar with a smooth draw and even burn. A trifold of leather, wood and fresh tobacco flavors is buttressed by sweet, dried fruit notes. CORONA 91 POINTS n 6" x 42 n $9.60 n Humidor Selection Thin and pressed with an oily wrapper and perfect draw. Each puff shows salted caramel flavors that lead to a profound cherry liqueur note and a fresh tobacco finish. EXCLUSIVO 91 POINTS n 5 1/2" x 50 n $11.00 n Humidor Selection Rolled and pressed with a dark, attractive wrapper, this cigar has a slightly firm draw but dead even burn. Its herbal start warms to show coffee, spice and earth. PIRAMIDE 91 POINTS n 6 7/8" x 52 n $14.30 n Humidor Selection Bugle-shaped with a tapered foot and pressed form. It s nutty and woody with almond and pencil lead notes. The finish is sweet and toasty. Body: Medium TORPEDO 91 POINTS n 6" x 52 n $15.80 n Humidor Selection A box-pressed torpedo whose lush draw layers the palate with nougat and milk chocolate intonations that build to a rich, nutty finish. MONARCA 90 POINTS n 6 1/2" x 46 n $11.00 Thin and pressed with a slightly bumpy head and substantial draw. Each puff is full of coffee character, toast and a toffee-like finish. NO POINTS n 6 1/4" x 60 n $20.00 A big, blocky cigar with an even burn and draw. Though it starts out herbal, the smoke becomes buttery taking on richer, maltier flavors and a touch of coconut. Body: Medium : Classic n 90-94: Outstanding n 80-89: Very good to excellent n 70-79: Average to good commercial quality Below 70: Don t waste your money n N/A: Not Available Note: Prices are manufacturers suggested retail, before taxes. 2

3 PRINCIPE 89 POINTS n 4 1/2" x 46 n $8.80 Though the draw of this cigar is a bit loose, it burns very evenly, imparting an oaky, woody smoke with touches of vanilla and a slightly dry finish. SUPERIOR 89 POINTS n 6 1/2" x 42 n $10.10 Gleaming with oil, this near-black lonsdale produces sweet caramel and cocoa notes, hints of licorice and maraschino cherry flavor on the finish. Body: Medium BRAND SUMMARY: The Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series was launched in 1994 to commemorate Padrón Cigar Inc. s 30th anniversary. At its inception, the brand was first known as the Padrón 1964 Aniversario, and each cigar came with one band. The company subsequently changed the word Aniversario to Anniversary and added a secondary band, reminiscent of the tax stamps that came on pre-embargo Cuban cigars. Regardless of the name change, the 1964 Anniversary Series is still casually referred to as the Aniversario brand among cigar smokers, and is held in extremely high regard. The maduro version, which we rated here, is often indistinguishable from the natural, as the naturals are sometimes rolled with unusually dark wrappers. Cigar Insider has not done a vertical brand tasting of the Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series since A few cigars have been added to the portfolio since then the No. 4 (see IPCPR write-up on page nine) and the Toro. This vertical allowed us to see how the new cigars score in comparison with the older, more established sizes. It also gave us the opportunity to rate cigars in the brand that are harder to find in the market the Corona, Monarca, Superior, A and the bugle-shaped Piramide. Only two cigars out of 12 sizes in this very impressive vertical scored below 90 points, and more than half scored 91 points or higher, earning the designation of Humidor Selection. The two standouts in this test were the Toro and Diplomatico, both of which scored an outstanding 94 and 93 points, respectively. The Toro is sold by retailers who are part of the TAA (Tobacconists Association of America) and may be more difficult to come by than the Diplomatico, which has more distribution across the country. If neither can be found, there are still eight more sizes in the line that rated 90 points or higher. Average Rating: 91.3 points ILLUSIONE SINGULARÉ NEW SIZES Country: Nicaragua Maker: TABSA Distributor: Illusione Cigars Wrapper: Mexico, Nicaragua Release Date: August 2012 VIMANA POINTS n 6" x 52 n $11.00 Dark and solidly rolled with a nearly veinless wrapper and full, substantial draw. Dark roasted coffee bean notes and earth flavors carry a touch of cinnamon. VIMANA POINTS n 6" x 52 n $11.00 An attractive toro with a few prominent veins and a three-seam cap. Strong and peppery at the start, it becomes earthy and nutty, but requires some relights. RAMON ALLONES CURRENT RELEASE Country: Cuba Maker: N/A Distributor: Habanos S.A. Filler: Cuba Binder: Cuba Wrapper: Cuba Box Date: April 2012 SPECIALLY SELECTED 89 POINTS n 4 7/8" x 50 n Muted flavors on the initial puffs become sweet and leathery leaving touches of tea and dried orange peel on the palate. A sweet note recurs on the finish. Body: Medium : Classic n 90-94: Outstanding n 80-89: Very good to excellent n 70-79: Average to good commercial quality Below 70: Don t waste your money n N/A: Not Available Note: Prices are manufacturers suggested retail, before taxes. 3

4 CIGAR NEWS SPECIAL REPORT: THE NEW CIGARS OF 2012, PART THREE BY GREGORY MOTTOLA, ANDREW NAGY, G. CLAY WHITTAKER AND DAVID SAVONA Our coverage of the IPCPR trade show continues as the Cigar Insider team further reports on the new releases, brand extensions and limited-edition cigars that will be heading to retail shops and tobacconists from now until the end of the year. ILLUSIONE CIGARS ILLUSIONE SINGULARÉ Made by: TABSA, Nicaragua, Mexico Price: $11.00 Cigar Insider Rating: points Details: The release dates for both the 2011 and 2012 version of Singularés were temporarily postponed until recently. They both come in the same 6 by 52 size and are dubbed Vimana, which is Sanskrit for UFO. The 2011 Vimana comes wrapped in a leaf of Corojo but the 2012 is rolled with San Andrés maduro, though both come packaged in the same box. Said brand owner Dion Giolito: The blends do share common leaves from a Nicaraguan farm called Chilamate, which grows very distinct tobacco. Also: Giolito introduced a new size to his medium-filler Cuchillos Cubanos brand. It s a 6 by 52 vitola simply called 52. After announcing its new release at the IPCPR trade show, he promptly announced the brand s discontinuation. J. C. NEWMAN CIGAR CO. PERLA DEL MAR Made by: Fabrica de Tabacos San Rafael S.A., Nicaragua Price: $4.50 $5.95 Details: Perla del Mar is a long discontinued vintage Cuban brand resurrected and rebranded for this release. The old artwork is mostly intact, though slightly updated to reflect its new ownership and identity. All the cigars are boxpressed and wear an Ecuadoran Connecticut-seed wrapper. Four sizes are offered: Perla P, 3 3/4 by 56; Perla M, 4 3/4 by 52; Perla G, 6 1/4 by 52; Perla TG, 6 by 60. What makes it special: There are no cigars in the line that retail for more than $6. BRICK HOUSE MIGHTY MIGHTY MADURO Made by: Fabrica de Tabacos San Rafael S.A., Nicaragua Wrapper: Brazil Price: $5.95 Details: Brick House Maduro is a one-size offshoot of the original Brick House brand. This 6 1/4 by 60 behemoth features a dark, Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper and comes in black dress boxes of 25. L ATELIER IMPORTS L ATELIER Price: $8.50 $10.00 Details: Pete Johnson, the maker of Tatuaje cigars, has branched out, forming a new company with his brother K.C. and his friends Dan Welsh and Sean Johnson. The company is a chance for me to expand my footprint in the cigar industry without adding to the Tatuaje portfolio, which is already at capacity, Johnson told Cigar Insider in June. His main brand for the company which is based in Miami rather than Los Angeles, where Tatuaje is headquartered is called L Atelier. Translated to mean workshop, L Atelier is a three-size line of fat, pigtailed smokes: LAT52, 4 3/4 by 52; LAT54, 5 5/8 by 54; and LAT56, 6 1/2 by 56. They come in boxes of 15, or in samples of nine containing three of each size. Johnson has called the line medium to fullbodied. The wrapper is called Sancti Spiritus, which Johnson says is a hybrid based in part on Pelo d Oro leaf, a truly tough leaf to grow. 4

5 SURROGATES Price: $8.50 $10.00 Details: Designed as a full-bodied cigar by Welsh, Surrogates comes in four sizes: Skull Breaker, 5 1/4 by 52 and Bone Crusher, 5 1/4 by 55, have been on sale since The company has just added Crystal Baller (cigar shown here), 5 3/4 by 54, and Tramp Stamp, 5 1/4 by 48. They have Ecuadoran Habano wrappers. Also: L Atelier has introduced two bundle cigars, aiming for smokers on a budget. El Suelo and Trocadéro come in bundles of 20 and sell for $3.75 to $4.75 per cigar. I want to show people that I can make a great, inexpensive cigar, says Johnson. LA PALINA CIGARS LA PALINA CLASSIC Made by: PDR Cigars Dominicana, Dominican Republic Wrapper: Brazil Binder: Ecuador Filler: Dom. Rep., Nicaragua Price: $7.50 $8.25 Details: Bill Paley s La Palina brand was reverse engineered. He debuted with a super-premium line in 2010, added a less expensive line in 2011, and released an even less expensive line this year. La Palina Classic will begin with four sizes: Torpedo, 6 1/4 by 52; Gordo, 6 by 60; Toro, 6 by 50; and Robusto, 5 by 52. This is the first La Palina from the Dominican Republic, and makes this the fourth country of origin for La Palina cigars. What makes it special: The least expensive La Palina yet. LA PALINA MADURO Made by: Fabrica de Tabacos Raices Cubanas S. de R.L., Honduras Wrapper: Mexico Binder: Honduras Price: $9.15 $10.50 Details: La Palina has extended its growing line of cigars with a maduro selection, which is made in Honduras at Raices Cubanas, the maker of the company s El Diario line. The maduros have Mexican San Andrés wrappers, and come in four sizes: 5 by 52, 6 by 50, 6 by 60 and 7 by 56. LA PALINA GOLDIE LAGUITO NO. 2 Made by: El Titan de Bronze, U.S.A. Binder: Ecuador Filler: Dom. Rep., Nicaragua Price: $15.00 Details: La Palina s first limited-edition is a dandy, one-size run of 10,000 cigars (1,000 boxes of 10) all crafted by Maria Sierra, who once made Cohibas at Havana s El Laguito Factory and has been rolling cigars since The size is a slim 6 inches long by 38 ring gauge, finished with a picture-perfect flag tip called a fan. They began shipping in June. What makes it special: The entire run has been made by one cigarmaker. LA PALINA EL DIARIO KB II Made by: Fabrica de Tabacos Raices Cubanas S. de R.L., Honduras Wrapper: Honduras Binder: Honduras Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua Price: $9.25 Details: The sequel to last year s KB, the KB II is a longer version of the 93-point KB, which stands for Kill Bill. It s 6 inches long by 40 ring gauge, nearly two inches longer than the original KB. When the cigar was first blended, prototypes were so strong that La Palina brand owner Bill Paley couldn t finish them, and half-jokingly dubbed the size Kill Bill. The name stuck and KB proved to be a popular seller in La Palina s El Diario line. Now elongated from a petit corona to a corona size, the new KB II comes in boxes of 30. MELO TOBACCO GROUP TUREI Made by: Tabacalera Oliva S.A., Nicaragua Wrapper: Dom. Rep. Filler: Dom. Rep. Price: $6.00 $7.00 Details: Hugo Melo is following up his growing Hispaniola line with a new blend called Turei the Taino Indian word for heaven. The blend consists of a ravito negro wrapper, olor binder, and a filler composed of olor, papyo and ravito negro. Turei comes in three sizes: Puro Sol No. 1, a 4 1/2 by 54 belicoso; Puro Sol No. 2, 5 1/2 by 54; and Puro Sol No. 3, 6 by 52. What makes it special: The cigars are made with only non- Cuban seed, native Dominican tobaccos. 5

6 MIAMI CIGAR & CO. AÑORANZAS Price: $6.50 $8.50 Details: Spanish for nostalgic, Añoranzas is a boxpressed Nicaraguan puro that uses a double binder and dark Habano-seed Oscuro wrapper. It comes packaged in boxes of 10 or 20 and is available in four sizes: Robusto, 5 by 50; Toro, 6 by 52; Belicoso, 6 1/2 by 54; and Gran Toro, 6 by 60. AURORA 100 AÑOS Made by: La Aurora S.A., Dominican Republic Wrapper: Dom. Rep. Filler: Dom. Rep. Price: $16.00 Details: In 2003, La Aurora celebrated 100 years in the business with the 100 Años brand, a limited-edition Dominican puro whose rare Dominican Corojo wrapper and flavorful blend earned it Cigar Aficionado s No. 2 cigar of the year for The blend is back and uses the same types of tobaccos found in the original. It will ship to retailers in a master case containing three boxes each of three sizes: Robusto, 5 by 50; Churchill, 7 by 50; and Belicoso, 6 1/4 by 52. The prices of each cigar are left up to the retailer, but it works out to $16.00 per stick. Also: The Robusto comes in a limited-edition Connecticut Broadleaf maduro variety. AURORA PREFERIDOS DIAMOND TUBO Made by: La Aurora S.A., Dominican Republic Wrapper: U.S.A./Conn. Broadleaf Filler: Dom. Rep. Price: $20.00 Details: The Aurora Preferidos line, which comes in many different wrapper varieties, now has the Diamond, a 5 by 54 double-tapered perfecto covered in a dark Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. It comes packaged in a sleek black tube. FERNANDO LEÓN Made by: La Aurora S.A., Dominican Republic Wrapper: Dom. Rep. Filler: Peru, Dom. Rep., Brazil Price: $7.98 $10.24 Details: Once a noncommercial blend for family and friends, Fernando León is now available to the cigarsmoking public. It was originally a corona size and was a favorite smoke of the late company Patriarch Fernando León Asencio, but comes in five sizes: Corona, 5 1/2 by 42; Robusto, 5 by 50; Corona Gorda, 6 by 47; Gran Toro, 6 by 58; and Belicoso, 6 1/4 by 52. LA SIRENA MERLION Made by: La Aurora S.A., Dominican Republic Binder: Brazil Filler: Dom. Rep., Nicaragua, Brazil Price: $9.46 $11.02 Details: Merlion is an offshoot of the original La Sirena brand and named for the mythical creature whose body is half mermaid and half lion. Unlike La Sirena, which is made at My Father Cigars in Nicaragua, Merlion is produced at the La Aurora factory in the Dominican Republic. It s wrapped in an Ecuadoran Corojo leaf and comes in three sizes: Robusto, 5 by 50; Toro, 5 1/2 by 54; and Gran Toro, 6 by 58. NESTOR MIRANDA SPECIAL SELECTION CONNECTICUT, Honduras, Dom. Rep. Price: $7.14 $9.04 Details: Already available in rosado and oscuro wrappers, Nestor Miranda added a lighter, Ecuadoran Connecticutwrapped blend to the Special Selection portfolio. It will be offered in four sizes: Robusto Grande, 5 1/2 by 54; Gran Toro, 6 by 60; Coffee Break, 4 1/2 by 50; and Piramides, 6 1/8 by 52. Also: The Nestor Miranda Special Selection Danno 2012 is a stronger version of previous Danno releases, featuring a dark Mexican San Andrés wrapper and more ligero. It measures 7 by 56 and retails for $ NESTOR MIRANDA COLLECTION GRAND RESERVE 2012 Wrapper: U.S.A./Conn. Broadleaf Price: $12.00 Details: The second cigar to be released as a Grand Reserve, this year s 6 1/8 by 52 piramide is far more full bodied than the 2011 cigar. Only 1,500 boxes of 10 have been made. 6

7 MY FATHER CIGARS LA DUEÑA Wrapper: U.S.A./Conn. Broadleaf Binder: U.S.A./Conn. Broadleaf, Nicaragua, U.S.A./Conn. Broadleaf Price: $7.50 $8.25 Details: La Dueña, Spanish for the female owner, is a cigar made for Janny Garcia of My Father Cigars. It s a collaboration between her brother, Jaime, and Pete Johnson, the owner of the Tatuaje brand, who works closely with the Garcia family. They tried to make something I really like, says Janny, who was smitten with the sweetness of the cigar s Broadleaf wrapper. I didn t want something too strong. La Dueña comes in five sizes, several of them shorter versions of bigger smokes: Robusto No. 5, 5 by 50; Belicoso No. 2, 5 1/2 by 54; Petit Lancero No. 7, 6 by 42; Petit Belicoso No. 9, 4 3/4 by 48; and Petit Robusto, 4 1/2 by 52. The cigars come packed in boxes of 21 and have bold red and white cameo-like bands with a silhouette of a female. The cigars went on sale in August. FLOR DE LAS ANTILLAS Price: $6.60 $8.70 Cigar Insider Rating: points Details: Flor de Las Antillas was created by the Garcia family in honor of the Greater Antilles Islands, which include Cuba, the nation where they were born. (In Spanish, the Antilles are spelled Antillas.) The family resurrected an old Cuban brand and recirculated its vintage art for this box-pressed cigar, which features a sungrown wrapper and comes in four sizes: Robusto, 5 by 50; Belicoso, 5 1/2 by 52; Toro, 6 by 52; and Toro Gordo, 6 1/2 by 56. They began shipping about two months ago, and did very well in a Cigar Insider vertical taste test, taking three 90s and one score of 92 points. What makes it special: Superb ratings in its debut taste test. JAIME GARCIA RESERVA ESPECIAL LIMITED EDITION 2012 and U.S.A./Conn. Broadleaf Price: $16.00 Details: This short-run smoke is packed in intriguing fashion. Not only are there 16 cigars in a box, but one is a maduro (wrapped in Broadleaf) while the other 15 are natural (wrapped in light Ecuador Connecticut). It s a reverse of last year s release, which had 15 maduros and only one natural. The cigar measures 6 1/2 inches long by 52 ring. Production will be limited to 1,000 boxes, and the smokes are in stores now. DON PEPIN 10TH ANNIVERSARY Made by: My Father Cigars, U.S.A. Wrapper: n/a Binder: n/a Filler: n/a Price: n/a Details: Details are very slim about this cigar, which is expected to debut in May That year will mark the tenth year of the Don Pepin brand, named after Garcia Family patriarch Jose Pepin Garcia, the talented cigarmaker who built the Garcias into a cigar-industry mainstay. Pepin is still working on the new project, and says it may be a size similar to the My Father Limited Edition, which measured 6 1/2 by 52. It will certainly be made in Miami. It will have the look of the Don Pepin blue label, but with a lot more jazz. NAT SHERMAN INTERNATIONAL NAT SHERMAN TIMELESS COLLECTION Made by: MATASA, Dominican Republic Wrapper: Honduras, Dom. Rep. Price: $6.20, $8.00 Details: The Timeless Collection from Nat Sherman now has two new sizes since it was introduced earlier this year, bringing the line to six vitolas. Divinos is a double-tapered figurado that measures 5 by 50 and Especiales is a 6 by 38 panetela. Both come in boxes of 20. What makes it special: These are the first new sizes added to the line since the brand was released. 7

8 NAT SHERMAN TIMELESS COLLECTION (NICARAGUAN) Made by: Plasencia Cigars S.A., Nicaragua Price: $6.67 $8.57 Details: More full bodied than the original Timeless line, this Nicaraguan puro comes in three sizes: Timeless 452, 4 by 52; Timeless 556, 5 by 56; and Timeless 660, 6 by 60. These box-pressed cigars will be packed in boxes of 21. The cigars go on sale tomorrow. OLIVA CIGAR CO. OLIVA SERIE V MELANIO Made by: Tabacalera Oliva S.A., Nicaragua Price: $8.00 $14.00 Details: The brand is named after Melanio Oliva, who is believed to be the first in the Oliva family to grow tobacco. Its Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper is quite uncommon in Oliva s portfolio, as they have not used this type of tobacco since the Master Blends 2 series. It will be available in five sizes: Robusto, 5 by 52; Churchill, 7 by 50; Torpedo, 6 1/2 by 52; Petit Corona, 4 1/2 by 46; and Figurado, 6 1/8 by 52. What makes it special: The most expensive Oliva line produced to date. ORTEGA CIGAR CO. ORTEGA SERIE D, Mexico Price: $6.50 $8.50 Details: Offered in both natural (Ecuador) and maduro (San Andrés) wrappers, Ortega Serie D is the first brand from Eddie Ortega since his departure from EO Brands and its eventual dissolution earlier this year. The Serie D line comes in six box-pressed sizes: No. 6, 4 1/2 by 48; No. 7, 5 by 46; No. 8, 5 1/2 by 52; No. 10, 6 by 52 (torpedo); No. 12, 5 by 52; and No. 20, 6 by 60. They are offered in boxes of 10 or 20 cigars. PADILLA CIGAR CO. PADILLA INVICTUS Made by: El Titan de Bronze, U.S.A. Price: $12.50 $14.30 Details: Invictus is a limited cigar with just 600 boxes per year slated for production. The cigars themselves will be rolled in the entubar style, finished with triple-seam caps and sport a Habano-seed Ecuadoran wrapper leaf. The line comes in three sizes: Robusto, 5 by 54; Toro, 6 by 54; and Torpedo, 6 1/2 by 54. PADILLA MIAMI MADURO Made by: El Titan de Bronze, U.S.A. Wrapper: Mexico Price: $12.50 $14.30 Details: Padilla is following up the Miami line with this San Andrés-wrapped sequel, whose fillers are blended with tobacco from Aganorsa, ASP, and the Oliva family growers. The line comes in three sizes: Robusto, 5 by 54; Toro, 6 by 54; and Torpedo, 6 1/2 by 54. What makes it special: A new batch of this line is made only every two months. PADILLA RESERVA HABANO Made by: Tabacalera Oliva S.A., Nicaragua Price: $8.50 $10.00 Details: Padilla s Reserva Habano boasts a similar blend to the Padilla Studio Tobac Figurado, which rated 93 points earlier this year. A Cuban-seed Ecuadoran wrapper binds tobaccos from the Estelí, Condega and Jalapa growing regions. The foursize line will include Short Robusto, 4 by 60; Toro, 5 3/4 by 50; Torpedo, 6 by 54; and Double Toro, 5 3/4 by 60. They will be sold in 20-count boxes and should be arriving on shelves now. 8

9 PADILLA RESERVA MADURO Made by: Tabacalera Oliva S.A., Nicaragua Wrapper: Mexico Price: $8.50 $10.00 Details: This maduro version is wrapped with a San Andrés leaf from Mexico. The filler is composed of tobaccos from Estelí and Jalapa all Oliva family farm tobacco. The foursize line will include Short Robusto, 4 by 60; Toro, 5 3/4 by 50; Torpedo, 6 by 54; and Double Toro, 5 3/4 by 60. They will be sold in 20-count boxes and should be arriving on shelves now. PADRÓN CIGARS INC. PADRÓN 1964 ANNIVERSARY SERIES NO. 4 Made by: Padrón Cigars, Nicaragua Price: $20.00 Cigar Insider Rating: 90 points Details: The Padróns are slow to add new sizes and brands, and they stuck to form adding only one cigar the Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series No. 4. It measures 6 1/2 inches by 60 ring, though the box pressing makes the cigar seem thinner. The name can be confusing. Most smokers think small when they hear No. 4 (ie. Montecristo No. 4). But this is named for the December 4 birthday of Saint Barbara, or Santa Barbara, a Catholic saint held dear by Cubans. It s out now, and rated 90 points in this issue. What makes it special: The fattest cigar in the Padrón Anniversary line. PAUL GARMIRIAN INC. PG SYMPHONY 20 LIMITED EDITION Made by: Occidental Kelner Cigars, Dominican Republic Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua Price: $9.00 $10.00 Details: Paul Garmirian has added two new sizes to his PG Symphony 20 line: a 6 1/2 by 52 Belicoso, and a 3 1/2 by 46 Bombones Extra. The cigars are blended with a mixture of Honduran and Dominican fillers, Dominican binder and wrapper leaf from Ecuador. The anniversary line, which was released in 2010, now has five sizes. PAUL STULAC CIGARS BLACK MIDNIGHT FIRE Made by: Guillermo Pena Factory, U.S.A. Binder: Ecuador Price: $10.00 $12.00 Details: A blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos, Black Midnight Fire is wrapped in Habano-seed leaf grown in Ecuador that, according to company owner Paul Stulac, has been aged for three years. The cigar comes in three sizes: Robusto, 5 by 54; Toro, 5 by 56; and Torpedo, 6 by 54. RED SCREAMING SUN Made by: Guillermo Pena Factory, U.S.A. Binder: Ecuador Price: $10.00 $12.00 Details: Billed as a full-bodied cigar, Red Screaming Sun will be available in a 5 by 54 Robusto, 5 by 56 Toro and a 6 by 54 Torpedo. The cigar sports an Ecuadoran-grown Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. WHITE BLINDING LIGHT Made by: Guillermo Pena Factory, U.S.A. Binder: Ecuador Price: $10.00 $12.00 Details: In addition to the three size formats found on the other new releases, White Blinding Light will be available in a 7 by 38 Lancero. The cigar is covered by a Connecticut Broadleaf grown in Ecuador that Stulac says was aged for 4 years. Note: Although these brands are made in Miami, the Paul Stulac brand is still made by Kiki Berger in Nicaragua. For the latest from Cigar Aficionado, follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/cigaraficmag 9

10 PDR CIGARS USA INC. A. FLORES SERIE PRIVADA Made by: PDR Cigars Dominicana, Dominican Republic, Dom. Rep. Price: $9.75 $12.74 Details: This box-pressed line uses a dark Habano-seed Ecuadoran wrapper that is offered in both natural and maduro varieties. The filler blend is a combination of both Nicaraguan Habano seed tobacco and Dominican Corojo. Three sizes are available: SP 52, 5 by 52; SP 54, 6 by 54; and SP 58, 7 by 58. FLORES Y RODRIGUEZ Made by: PDR Cigars Dominicana, Dominican Republic Wrapper: Dom. Rep. Filler: Dom. Rep. Price: $4.55 $5.55 Details: Using nothing but Vuelta Abajo Cuban-seed tobacco from the Dominican Republic, Flores y Rodriguez comes in boxes of 24 and is available in maduro or Habano wrappers. The Four sizes are: Mágicos, 5 by 52; Genios, 6 by 52; Únicos, 6 1/2 by 52 (Belicoso); and Cañonazo, 6 3/4 by 58. PINAR DEL RIO SMALL BATCH RESERVE Made by: PDR Cigars Dominicana, Dominican Republic Wrapper: Brazil Filler: Dom. Rep., Nicaragua Price: $7.08 $8.33 Details: Featuring a Habano-seed wrapper grown in Brazil (Cubra) and a Dominican Criollo 98 binder, Small Batch Reserve comes in two varieties, maduro and also Habano. Four sizes are Robusto, 5 by 52; Grand Toro, 6 by 54; Torpedo, 6 1/2 by 52; Churchill, 7 by 54. Also: The Pinar Del Rio Liga Especial Reserva Superior now has a 6 by 66 Salomon size that is finished with a mop top and will retail for $ The filler is a strong blend of ligero tobacco from the Dominican Republic, Lancaster Pennsylvania and Jalapa in Nicaragua. n November 9-11 CIGAR AFICIONADO s BIG SMOKE 2012 SCHEDULE LAS VEGAS THE MIRAGE Big Smoke evenings scheduled on Friday and Saturday, as well as cigar and lifestyle educational seminars on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. TICKETS ON SALE NOW November 29 NEW YORK CITY PIER 92 TICKETS ON SALE NOW Visit CigarAficionado.com IN THE NEXT CIGAR INSIDER Continued coverage of the IPCPR shows you what s new from brands like La Flor Dominicana, Prometheus and Rocky Patel, along with ratings on hot new cigars. Read about it first in Cigar Insider. Your Next CIGAR INSIDER Arrives on Tuesday, Sept. 25. Editor and Publisher Executive Editor Managing Editor Director of Research Associate Editor Editorial Assistant Tasting Coordinator/ Editorial Assistant Art Director Senior Designer Marvin R. Shanken Gordon Mott David Savona Frank C. Walters Gregory Mottola Andrew Nagy G. Clay Whittaker Chandra Hira Jackelyn Navarro 2012 M. Shanken Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced without permission. Questions about your subscription? caonline@mshanken.com. 10