Fonseca Cubano Exclusivo Scores A 91 Rating!

A heartier version of the traditionally mild Fonseca brand, this current release from MATASA features a wrapper known as Dominican HVA (Havana Vuelta Arriba) a Dominican binder with a filler blend consisting of Connecticut broadleaf, Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos. Combining the traditional smoothness Fonseca is known for with a new intensity of flavor, this cigar celebrates the heritage of the brand while at the same time offering a new taste profile that will satisfy cigar aficionados of all kinds.

Cigar Insider recently did a tasting of the Fonseca Cubano Exclusivo and gave the following ratings:

ROBUSTO

91 POINTS 5 1/2" x 52 Humidor Selection

The smoke is rich and nutty with a cocoa sweetness that overlaps 

subtly spicy ground red pepper notes and a hint of cedar.

Body:    Medium

CORONA GORDA

89 POINTS 6" x 46

A box-pressed cigar whose toasty intonations and subtle woodiness lead to 

notes of French roast coffee with touches of macadamia and walnut.

Body:    Medium

BELICOSO

87 POINTS 6" x 52

Perfumey and woody in character, this box-pressed torpedo smokes evenly, 

delivering some toasty notes with a dry woody finish.

Body:    Medium

GORDO

87 POINTS 6 1/2" x 60

Thick and pressed with a matte brown wrapper, this cigar holds a 

solid ash and offers some floral, grassy character that dissipates quickly.

Body:    Mild

Click here for more information!

Till next time,

-Josh

LIMITED RELEASE- Camacho Black Out

The newest in a wave of releases from Camacho is now available. Camacho Blackout 2013 Limited Edition, a limited-production, vintage-dated line from the Oettinger Davidoff Group, is now available nationwide.

As with all Camacho products, Blackout is rolled in the company’s Honduran factory. The blend consists of a Honduran wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and Honduran, Nicaraguan and Brazilian filler tobaccos. The company said that the wrapper leaf was grown in 2006, the binder in 2009 and the fillers are from a variety of years. Camacho states that the cigars were rolled several years ago, and aged for two years rather than the typical period of several months.

What makes this cigar special is its dark oily wrapper.  The Honduran leaf was picked from the top 2/3’s of the plant and was fermented differently than most tobaccos. A process known as “press-fermentation” was used by placing additional weight on the top of the “pilones” (piles where the tobacco ferments), which intensifies the internal temperatures. The tobacco is worked hard, but carefully, then allowed a longer than usual resting period once packed in bales for aging.

Leaves from the top 2/3’s of the plant get additional sun ripening, which boosts the level of sweetness with additional sugars created during the process of photosynthesis. The heavy oil noticed on this wrapper leaf is as a result of the plants natural defenses, the plant tries to protect itself by creating more oils to fend off the sun’s glare.

Blackout comes in five sizes: a 5 inch by 50 ring gauge Robusto; Figurado at 6 1/8 by 54; Toro at 6 by 50; a 6 by 60 Gordo, and a 7 by 48 Churchill.

Only 1,000 boxes of each size were made for the Camacho Blackout project, amounting to a total production run of 100,000 cigars.

Click here for more information!

-Josh

Limited Relase- Macanudo Estate Reserve

First the Davidoff Nicaragua, then the Casa Cuba, now the Limited Release Macanudo Estate Reserve. I love this time of the year! Some of the best cigars are being released and they taste great!  And now introducing the:

Macanudo Estate Reserve

Macanudo Estate Reserve is a limited edition collection that commemorates the 45^th anniversary of America’s best-selling premium cigar brand. To showcase the extraordinary range of flavors that can only be achieved by blending tobacco from the most limited of origins, General Cigar’s artisans have sourced a delicate Connecticut Shade wrapper from an independent grower, and built an outstanding blend around it.

"The Estate Reserve series will feature an annually released, limited-edition blend made with tobaccos that have never been considered for Macanudo or any other General Cigar brand," said Alan Willner, General's vice president of marketing. According to the company, the wrapper leaf for this year's Estate Reserve was sourced from an "independent grower" and all the tobacco in the blend was aged at least eight to 10 years.

A rare filler & binder core composed only of EXTREMELY RARE Dominican tobaccos aged 8 to 12 years (an unusual move for Macanudo), and is capped by a Connecticut Shade-grown wrapper. This cigar screams mild body with creamy notes!

Let’s see…

The cigar lights easily and presents a perfect draw.  The first third of the Estate Reserve starts off with a pleasant mix of cedar and sweet cream. The second third brings in some spice as well as nuts with the sweet cream.  The final third loses the sweetness and the spice starts to kick in more with cedar and nutty notes. 

Macanudo did something great with this cigar- they made a super premium cigar that not only experienced smokers, but also beginners can really enjoy.

Click here for more information!

Happy Smoking,

-Josh

Arturo Fuente Short Story Rated 93!

I was reading the newest issue of Cigar Aficionado and was happy to see a little guy making it up on the highlights section. The Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story scored a 93 and the said the following: "This distinctive perfecto, wrapped in toothy Cameroon leaf, has been around for years. Simply put, it is one of the best small cigars in the world."

Sounds great but how does it taste? Please comment on here and let me know what you think of this little cigar!

I personally love the flavor profile the Short Story can provide. This 4 inch 48 ring gauge is my cigar of choice when I go on my lunch break. Its mild-medium body goes great with a strong black coffee or espresso.

If your reading this and have never tried the Hemingway Short Story, do your self a favor (and you will be happy you did) and click HERE to try one for your self!

Happy smoking,

-Josh

Cigar Family Charitable Foundation 2013: Opus 22

"It's not about cigars...It's about people. 

Thank you for making a difference in this world... one child at a time" 

- Carlito Fuente

In commemoration of the 10th Release of Fuente Fuente OpusX for Cigar Family Charitable Foundation (aka Opus22), 1,500 sets of FFOX 6 for CFCF (aka FFOX 6) will be released. Each FFOX 6 set comes with:

The Fuente Story Passion behind the Tradition and Legacy (biography of Carlos Fuente Sr.)

Journey to Chateau de la Fuente (photo essay book)

The Fuente Family: An American Dream (documentary DVD)

6 rare vintage Fuente Aged Selection cigars

1 Fuente Fuente OpusX, El Escorpion Natural

1 Fuente Fuente OpusX, Tauros the Bull

1 Fuente Fuente OpusX 13, Belicoso 1 Angel's Share, Toro

1 Arturo Fuente 13

1 Don Arturo Gran AniverXario, Toro

Total release quantity: 1500 boxes (375 of White, Blue, Macassar Ebony, and Red)

NEW RELEASE- Arturo Fuente Casa Cuba!

I love this time of the year. The weather starts changing, new football season, and all the anticipated new products start being released!

Introducing the Pre-Release 2013 Arturo Fuente Casa Cuba!

You may have noticed my September post about this when I first heard about it, so imagine my excitement when I received these beautiful cigars! 

A little recap: 

                  "In the January 2012 Cigar Aficionado cover story on the Fuente family, it                                                      was revealed that Carlos Fuente Jr. had blended all of the company’s 

                   cigars in modern memory, including the Hemingway and Don Carlos lines. 

                   Carlos Fuente Sr., the patriarch of the family, handed over the blending 

                   reigns to his son years ago. 

                   Casa Cuba is his return to making cigar blends. “I blended this cigar the way 

                   I used to blend Cuban tobacco,” he told Cigar Aficionado during a 2011 interview, 

                   speaking of his days when he made cigars in Tampa using then-legal Cuban tobacco."

There are four sizes:

• Doble Tres, 5 1/2 by 44 
• Doble Cuatro, 4 1/2 by 54 
• Doble Cinco, 5 by 50 
• Doble Seis, 6 by 52 

The tobacco used in this cigar will be:

• Wrapper:   Ecuador
• Binder:       Dominican
• Filler:         Dominican

This is a medium bodied smoke with a slightly sweet tobacco aroma that will excite your taste buds. The Casa Cuba carries the traditional creaminess that you get with all Fuente's with just a touch of spice. This is definitely an "Old Fashioned" cigar that delivers with a very enjoyable smoke! 

I have a very limited Pre-Release quantity! For availability and pricing, please email me at: josh@dwcigars.com or call us at 877-392-4427.

Happy Smoking,

Josh

NEW RELEASE- Zino Platinum "The Make Of Los Angeles"

WOW- I have been waiting for these since I seen these at the Show in Vegas. 
AND, finally they have arrived! 

Introducing the limited: 

Zino Platinum "The Make of Los Angeles" Collectors Edition

This is a follow up to the very popular Zino Platinum "The Make of New York" Collectors Edition released on May 15th. I was very curious, as I live in L.A., how they would portray Los Angeles when I first heard they were coming out with these. Needless to say, I am not disappointed with how the amazing boxes look! 

"The Make of Los Angeles "Collector’s Edition reflects a culture that is constantly propelled by innovation and numerous self-made Los Angelenos:

“With this Collector's Edition, we look forward to honoring the pioneers, who tirelessly provide revolutionary creativity and constantly question", explains Scott Kolesaire, Zino Platinum Brand Manager.

Zino Platinum contacted artist Burton Machen to bring these boxes to life. The goal was to capture the innovative potential of Los Angeles and to reflect the cities 4 key elements that continuously redefine culture: cars, film, tattoos and music. Using  an Avant-Garde style,  Machen designed and created the artwork around the bright orange-lacquered cigar box.

This limited cigar comes in Toro format and uses a diverse mix of special tobaccos:

• San Vincente Mejorado Visus
•  Piloto Visus
•  Olor/Piloto Visus
•  San Vicente Mejorado Visus
• San Vicente Mejorado Seco  

(you think it’s hard pronouncing all of it,  try writing it)  

Its aroma changes from sweet/creamy to a more powerful, woody note with a slightly musky/peppery touch. In the second third, the cigar draws and burns consistently. Now the woody notes are predominant, but are increasingly rounded off by sweet and creamy nuances. During the last third of the cigar, the taste is very balanced and fills the mouth. 

“The Make of Los Angeles” Collector’s Edition is limited to 750 sets of 4 boxes in the United States. Available to select retailers in the USA from October, and in Germany and Switzerland from December 2013.

And because I love movie trailers, here is a cigar trailer :

I currently have a handful of these 4-box collections, for pricing and ordering information please email me at Josh@dwcigars.com, or call us at 877-392-4427.

Happy smoking!

-Josh

Davidoff Of Geneva 25th Anniversary!

Hello Cigar Fans,

This post is for those of you that love the Davidoff Puro D'Oro (as do I). The brand new Davidoff 25th Anniversary cigars have been released! 

In 1988, Davidoff of Geneva was established to bring the world’s finest cigars to American soil. To honor this very important milestone, their Master Blenders drew on their stock of extra aged Dominican tobaccos to create this timeless cigar.

Only available in the Robusto Grande size, this cigar features aged Dominican filler and binder and the very same Yamasa wrapper used in the Puro D’Oro. Aroma-wise the slightly red and seamless wrapper has a sweet hay aroma with a chocolate pepper note.

I will be posting a review shortly but I invite anyone and everyone to try this beautiful cigar, email me at josh@dwcigars.com for ordering information.

Till next time,

Josh

High Ratings For Oliva Serie V From Cigar Insider!

Hello Cigar Fans,

Finally, I have a chance to sit down spread some cigar love to the world- I apologize for the delay! I had a chance to go through my emails and noticed one of my favorite cigars was review by Cigar Insider and I had to share the news:

OLIVA SERIE V

Country: Nicaragua

Maker:  Tabacalera Oliva S.A.

Filler:                Nicaragua

Binder:              Nicaragua

Wrapper:          Nicaragua

DOUBLE ROBUSTO- 5" x 54

92 POINTS

Peppery and bold, this tasty cigar is distinct with coffee, 

leather, and salty, earthy notes. It’s flawlessly rolled, 

with a gorgeous wrapper and four seams on the cap.

Body: Medium to Full

TORPEDO- 6" x 56

92 POINTS

Nearly flawless in appearance, this pointy torpedo imparts 

plenty of leather and tea on the palate with tangy, 

dried orange peel, walnut notes and a spicy finish.

Body: Medium to Full

LANCERO- 7" x 38

91 POINTS  

This well-made lancer imparts a dense, chewy smoke that is 

sweet and hearty with brown sugar and mesquite. 

Mineral and coffee notes come through as well.

Body:    Medium to Full

SPECIAL V FIGURADO- 6" x 60

90 POINTS

Strong with notes of hearty wood and heavily roasted coffee, this 

peculiarly shaped perfecto becomes rich and spicy after it opens up.

Body:    Full

After reading this, I found my mouth watering and wanting. I am smoking a Double Robusto as we speak and so far I have just 1 thought- "Damn, I can't remember this last time I had 1 this good!" This might be one of the best batch of Oliva Serie V produced, get some while you can!

Click here for more information!

Till next time,

Josh

Cigar News- Carlos Fuente Sr. is Back!

Arturo Fuente is one of my go-to Dominican cigars. In the January 2012 Cigar Aficionado cover story on the Fuente family, it was revealed that Carlos Fuente Jr. had blended all of the company’s cigars in modern memory, including the Hemingway and Don Carlos lines. Carlos Fuente Sr., the patriarch of the family, handed over the blending reigns to his son years ago. 

Casa Cuba is his return to making cigar blends. “I blended this cigar the way I used to blend Cuban tobacco,” he told Cigar Aficionado during a 2011 interview, speaking of his days when he made cigars in Tampa using then-legal Cuban tobacco. 

The Casa Cuba is scheduled to come to market at the end of this month. Casa Cuba comes in boxes of 30, with sizes that take their names from Dominos, a game ingrained in Cuban culture. 

There are four sizes: 

• Doble Tres, 5 1/2 by 44 
• Doble Cuatro, 4 1/2 by 54 
• Doble Cinco, 5 by 50 
• Doble Seis, 6 by 52 

What makes it special: The first cigar blended by Carlos Fuente Sr. in more than 30 years. The tobacco used in this cigar will be:

• Wrapper:   Ecuador
• Binder:       Dominican
• Filler:         Dominican

As far as how it will taste- My Fuente rep is telling me that it will be a medium bodied cigar with the signature creamy smoke that Fuente's are known for. With a sweet tobacco smell, dry earthy flavors, and a subtle spice this is one cigar I can't wait to try.  

For pre ordering and pricing information email me: Josh@DWCigars.com. I have a couple of boxes on their way, but given the demand on these cigars they will not last!

New Limited S.T. Dupont Collection: Orient Express

Ever go look for something and it's not there? This happened to me today when my S.T. Dupont representative came in to show me their new limited edition lighter, pen, and cufflinks. First, I ask him why he is walking around with a purple briefcase? He didn't say anything just opened it up. Immediately, I went to go get my camera and to my surprise it was not there! Thankfully, he was able to provide me with photos of this BEAUTIFUL collection the:

S.T. Dupont Orient Express

S.T. Dupont Orient Express Prestige With The Collector Attache

Prestige Edition:

The design element on this exquisite line is nothing short of breathtaking. In my opinion, the pictures do not do this collection justice. There is nothing like seeing this these in person. The Collectors Edition comes with the Lighter, Cufflinks, Fountain Pen, Roller Pen,  Paper Cutter, and the Collector Attache.

S.T. Dupont Orient Express Prestige Ligne 2 Lighter

- Lighter:

My favorite item had to be the S.T. Dupont Orient Express Ligne 2. The Lighter has a sparkling blue placed lacquer and trimmed in palladium finishes. The iconic central medallion on the lighter is inspired by the obscure rain glass window on the bar car of the Orient Express. The center of this medallion is appointed with Mother of Pearl. The side of the lighter has magnificent engraving detail. The front of the lighter features the S.T. Dupont logo, and the back has the Orient Express Signature.

- Cufflinks:

S.T. Dupont Orient Express Prestige Cufflinks

The cufflinks use the same combination of Mother of Pearl and Palladium finishes that were used in the lighter. These cufflinks have that subtle stylishness to them: from afar you see them glisten, but they get so much better the closer you get. 

- Writing Kit:

S.T. Dupont Orient Express Prestige Writing Kit

S.T. Dupont Orient Express Prestige Writing Kit

The most innovative and detailed item is definitely the Writing Kit. The pen holder is crafted of blue placed lacquer and trimmed in gold finish. The rail cars and train wheels on this exquisite pen stand are also adorned in the same lustrous gold finish. When you place the Neo-Classique President Fountain Pen on top of this pen holder, behold… you are now looking at an authentic reproduction of the Orient Express! The carriage windows glimmer of mother of pearl, the body of the pen is a combination of S.T. Dupont’s luxurious blue and white placed lacquer, and the fountain pen is trimmed in yellow gold finish. Upon removing the cap, you will be mesmerized by the design on the nib. A reproduction of the Orient Express train wheels are actually engraved on the post of the gold nib set. The PrestigeWriting Kit also includes a matching ink bottle and gold paper cutter. Additionally, this set includes a converter kit, allowing you to convert this pen from a Fountain Pen to a Rollerball.

WOW, What a collection! This entire line is gorgeous, my rep said he will stop by sometime next week to show off the S.T. Dupont Orient Express Diamond Edition. 
I will be looking forward to that!

Pen Tip Engraving

For all you collectors out there, if you're interested in owning this collection please e-mail me at: josh@dwcigars.com and I will be happy to place an order for you!

New Release: 2013 Davidoff Nicaragua

Davidoff Nicaragua

History:

My personal "most anticipated" cigar of 2013 was definitely the Davidoff Nicaragua. Being a huge fan of Nicaraguan cigars, I was very interested to see how Davidoff would blend this cigar: would it be complex like a Padron? creamy like a (my recent favorite) Regius? or a powerhouse like the Oliva Serie V? Needless to say, I had a lot of questions with very little to no answers. I first heard about this cigar in the April 9, 2013 issue of Cigar Insider... my interest was peaked, but what really made me excited was the 06/24/2013 press release: 

The Davidoff Nicaragua Experience

The 100% Puro Nicaraguan blend combines a 10-year-old Habano                           

Seed Nicaragua Rosado wrapper in a beautiful colour, with a binder                                      

from Jalapa and a filler blend of tobaccos from Esteli, Condega and 

Ometepe. The range comes in three sizes: Toro (5 1⁄2 inches; 54 RG); 

Robusto (5 inches; 50 RG) and Short Corona (3 3⁄4 inches; 46 RG).

The new range was very well received by aficionados who had a 

chance to experience it. In a blind taste test conducted at the 

Art Of Smoke in Germany, Davidoff Nicaragua ranked as of the 

five best cigars ever tested across all tobacco origins and blends. 

“One of the best cigars I've ever smoked. The cigar would be a 

regular in my humidor,”                         

-participant of the taste test carried out by Art of Smoke.

So there I was, on my birthday, smoking a Padron 1964, reading this and thinking: "Did Davidoff know it was my birthday? And if so, Why make me wait a month before I would be able to smoke my present?...RUDE"

However after smoking this cigar, it definitely was worth the wait and lived up to my expectations! Now enough of me rambling, I present to you the 2013 Davidoff Nicaragua:

Cigars Smoked: Davidoff Nicaragua Short Corona & Toro 

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic

Factory: Cigars Davidoff

Wrapper: Nicaragua (10-year-old Nicaraguan Havana-seed Rosado)

Binder: Nicaragua (Jalapa)

Filler: Nicaragua (Estelí, Condega and Ometepe)

Size: 3 3/4 x 46 (Short Corona) & 5 1/2 x 54 (Toro) 

MSRP: 

 - Short Corona -$9.90 (Boxes of 14, $138.60) - Robusto – $13.90 (Boxes of 12, $166.80) - Toro- $16.90 (Boxes of 12, $202.80)

Date Released: Mid-July

Appearance:

The 10-year-aged Habano Seed Nicaraguan Rosado wrapper is in one word- amazing. With few veins present throughout, this cigar boasts a brownish-red color that contrasts very nicely with the black and silver band and it is silky and smooth to touch.  It is firm but has a little give, typical of most Davidoff's great construction with a double cap on the head. The pre-lit aromas indicate a sweet cedar and pepper.

Taste:

The first third of the Davidoff Nicaragua starts off with a slight white pepper spice that is just strong enough to open the palate, but not strong enough to affect the character. After a couple puffs there is a enticing sweetness on the finish that like most Davidoff's will linger on the palate. While both the burn and draw are phenomenal through the first third the amount of smoke produced is average. 

Going into the second third of the Davidoff Nicaragua, the spice has given way to a great earthy and nutty flavor that all great Nicaraguans are known for and highlighting notes of espresso and bitter sweet chocolate. The spice will return from time to time giving an amazing balance and complexity. Construction-wise, the draw and burn remain virtually flawless. 

In the final third, the white pepper on the retrohale returns and remains until the end of the cigar, as does a new vanilla sweetness. The amount of smoke produced continues to be average, but the burn and draw continues to impress me. A final note about the construction, the nub remained cool until the very end and needed no touch ups.  

Final Thoughts:

Wow, Davidoff has created another great line! Even though this is not Davidoff's first time using Nicaraguan tobacco (Davidoff Maduro and Zino Platinum used Nicaraguan tobacco) it tastes refined and perfected. This is in part due to the craftsmanship by Hendrik “Henke” Kelner, a master who also blends cigars for PG (another personal favorite) and is one of the best in the business. This is also due to Davidoff importing all of the tobacco for this puro from Nicaragua so they can roll the cigar in their factory in the Dominican Republic. Kelner has said repeatedly that they are doing this because it is the only way they can assure that the cigars have the quality construction they are known for.

Click here to get your hands on this amazing cigar to try for yourself!

          Grade:                                 88/100 (Great)