San Lotano Habano Oval- A.J. Fernandez Revives A Legend!

When it comes to producing high quality cigars, A.J. Fernandez is quickly rising to the top of many lists. His Tabacalera Fernandez produce over 9 million cigars a year including the popular Man O' War, Diesel, Morro Castle, and 5 Vegas Triple-A lines. His blends have captivated us and his San Lotano Oval- Habano is no exception!

Starting in a dilapidated factory in Esteli, Nicaragua and only six rollers, he c

ame on to the scene by producing cigars for other manufactures like Rocky Patel. In 2010, Fernandez reintroduced the San Lotano brand and introduced the Oval shape- thus adding more notches to his impressive resume.

The San Lotano brand dates back to Cuba's pre-Castro era where the brand was among the most popular with traditional Cuban cigar makers. Retired for decades, the line is revived by Fernandez whose grandfather first started the brand in San Luis, Cuba.

Featuring a distinctively-shaped press finish that looks like, you guessed it, an oval, and a blend of tobaccos that's equally as unique, San Lotano Oval is truly a special cigar. Sporting a toothy and scrumptious Habano 2000 wrapper and brimming with rich Nicaraguan and Honduran long fillers, San Lotano Oval is primed for flavor. Accenting the blend further is a secret filler, known only to the people at Tabacalera Fernandez.

Despite its nontraditional appearance, this shape perfectly complements this masterfully blended handmade, creating an amazingly smooth and balanced experience. Expect notes of leather, nuts, and spice backed by a long, rich finish. Medium to full-bodied, the Oval burns and draws spot on. Unlike anything else, and that's a good thing.

San Lotano Oval received five separate 91-point ratings, one of which earned it a spot in the Top 25 Cigars of the Year. But this one in particular says it all perfectly: "Crafted with a very round head and ovular edges, the flat corona is rich with steady notes of leather, wood and dried cherry. The draw is even and lush throughout"

This is a "WOW" cigar that always leaves us begging for another. Do yourself a favor and pick some up while you can!

Click HERE for more information!

Cigar Review: Oliva Master Blends 3

It is time for something really special and delicious this week. As you know from my previous posts, I love Nicaraguan cigars. While I do venture out and try new things, I always find my way back to them. This weeks cigar review is no exception, in fact it is a leading cause of my love for Nicaraguans- 

Oliva Master Blends 3

Every year, the Oliva family cultivates a limited amount of fine tobaccos to create a rare line of super premium cigars. The blend of the cigar is based solely on the quality of the leaves harvested, which often results in an entirely new cigar from year to year. Due to the rarity of the tobacco harvested, the Oliva family reserves these cigar

s for “family use” only and prevented them from being released to the public. Thanks to Oliva’s commitment to improving quality and growing techniques, these ultra premium cigars are available for the public in limited quantities. 

The Master Blends 3 'Liga Maestra' series is a limited-edition, artisan-crafted cigars of private estate selection quality. This is the third installment of the Master Blends line by Oliva and follows the highly successful “1” released in 2003 and “2” released in 2005. Each of the three versions of the Master Blends line has had a different wrapper: Habano for the Master Blends 1, Sumatra for the Master Blends 2 and the Master Blends 3 uses a special Sun-Grown Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper.

At the core of the cigar is a blend of Nicaraguan Ligero leaves all bound by a Nicaraguan Habano leaf and finished off with a specially selected Connecticut Broadleaf. The result is a complex cigar with flavors expected of Nicaraguan cigar- earthy notes of chocolate, espresso, leather and a delicious black pepper spice.

Cigar Snob recently rated this impressive cigar a 92 saying "A beautifully constructed cigar covered with a flavorful wrapper. This cigar produces volumes of smoke with balanced notes of roasted nuts, pepper, and earth with an underlying sweetness throughout."

Click HERE to purchase yours today!

Happy Smoking,

-Josh

Quorum Cigars- Best Bang For Your Buck Bundle

When Julius Caeser Newman rolled his first cigars in the family barn in Cleveland, Ohio did he see this company growing into what it is today? What started as a one-man cigar factory grew into one of the most prosperous companies that manufacture some of the world’s most premium handmade cigars.

J.C. Newman is America's oldest family-owned premium cigar makers, and also the last operating cigar factory in Cigar City (Tampa, Florida). The portfolio that JC Newman has developed is impeccable: Diamond Crown is a highly popular cigar and as well as a bestselling brand of humidors and cigar accessories. The Brick House is one of the most reliable smokes on the market and was rated the top valued premium cigar of 2009 by Cigar Aficionado. But what caught my eye and really is the point of this is the Quorum bundle.

In an exclusive interview with Cigar Aficionado, J.C. Newman president Eric Newman said that Quorum had sales of about 8 million units per year, growing at 15 percent annually. 8 Million Units? For a cigar that most of the people reading this has never heard of?

Quorum is not a super premium cigar; you do not get one on the top shelf at a Vegas cigar lounge, in fact it has not even been rated in Cigar Aficionado. But Quorum remains as one of the world’s most popular handmade cigar sold in bundles, why? Consistency, Flavor and Value!

Quorum is one of the first cigars I ever bought- I was in high school going to a bonfire and it was $3. What I found was a cigar so easy to smoke and enjoy I still smoke it to this day! This handmade with has some savory and spicy notes due to its Nicaraguan filler and binder. Each cigar also features a special sun grown Ecuadorian wrapper leaf that adds to Quorum’s delightfully nutty, smooth, medium-bodied flavor.

Smoke magazine had this to say about the Quorum:

These cigars could easily be sold for three to four dollars a stick and nobody would complain. For the medium bodied smoker who enjoys a nice everyday smoke and doesn't want to break the bank, this cigar is for you. The beautiful thing about a Quorum cigar is that it’s the perfect cigar for every day smoking, but it allows you to splurge on higher end cigars for special occasions.

Click HERE to enjoy this delicious cigar for yourself!