Wrapper: Honduran
Binger: Honduran
Filler: Honduran/Broadleaf
Nose: Milk Chocolate, Hay, Light Roasted Coffee Bean
Cold Draw: Count Chocula Cereal, Chocolate Malt
Smoke: Cereal Grain Sweetness, Hay, Red Fruit, Bready
Pairings:
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof c920: Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans, Cinnamon Eggo Waffles
Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve: Peanut Butter and Jelly, Apple Juice
Woodford Reserve Wheat: Buttered Texas Toast with Raspberry Jam and Black Coffee
We’re back with another set of wine pairings from our friends WTSO.com. This time… we’re changing it up a bit! When I was in Orlando a couple months ago hanging out with Matt Hunt of FQ Cigars, he introduced me to a pairing I never would have thought of...Rosé. Yes, you read that right, the light, fruity and chilled wine with crazy labels is good with cigars. And not just any cigar; dark, rich and full bodied sticks primarily. You see, there is something about the juxtaposition of a rich and heavy cigar and a light, crisp and clean wine: they work in opposites FOR each other. The rose works as a palate cleanser and helps to highlight those darker undertones in the cigar and even some more nuanced notes you wouldn’t have realized otherwise.
WTSO sent a PERFECT example of a bright, delicate and crisp rose:
Ippolito Ciro Rosé Mabilia 2019
This wine is made from Gaglioppo, an Italian grape, with a brilliant rose color with hues of violet. It has a delicate and fruity aroma with clear notes of sour black cherries and roses, followed with liquid minerals, cranberry, and salty ocean air. The taste is fresh, delicate, and very persistent with bone-dry and crisp flavors of tart red berries, saline, and orange zest.
Recommended Cigar Pairing:
FQ Proper
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Maduro
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Honduras & Connecticut Broadleaf
Size: 5x50
This next Rosé [you gotta trust me fam!] comes from Italy and brings a little more depth in flavor to the previous one. Think darker fruits - which to me pair really well with Aganorsa Corojo and Criollo tobaccos. These tobaccos give off a very sweet, almost cocoa and caramel profile with just a touch of spice. Paired with a sweet and crisp wine, its a great balance of flavors.
Saveurs du Temps Costieres de Nimes Rosé 2019
From the Rhône Valley, this rosé blend of Grenache and Syrah presents an intense nose of red fruit, raspberries, and blackberries. There’s an aroma of range marmalade, rose petals, and wildflowers. It’s ample and generous on the palate with a silky texture. Prominent notes of red currants and white and black pepper are followed by a refreshing finish.
Check out this video from WTSO’s partnered Master Sommelier, Laura Maniec.
Full Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLtMuAvZBBY
Recommended Cigar Pairing: HVC San Isidro
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Factory: TABSA
Last, but certainly not least is the flagship of this lineup. Vintage Champagne at its finest. Like I mentioned earlier about the rosé, lighter wines have an ability to cleanse your palate every sip - even more so, the bubbles from champagne amp that up even more. You can smoke cigars in the range of medium-full bodied with this wine. The bubbles reset your palate each sip and help you pull those delicate and nuanced flavors out of lighter wrappers and lower priming filler tobaccos.
Louis Roederer Cristal Brut 2009
Vintage Champagne, in general, is a real treat - but vintage Cristal sits in a category of its own. In 1876, Tsar Alexander II commissioned Louis Roederer to create a special cuvee in clear glass crystal bottles; thus, the legendary Cristal was born.
In this Cristal 2009, there’s an effortless elegance and balance with a silky, delicate, and ethereal texture. Through the yellow-gold color, find amber tints with persistent, brilliant and lively bubbles. The bouquet of Grands Crus is subtle with notes of citrus compote and candied apricots and evokes the sweetness of honeysuckle.
Recommended Cigar Pairing: Serino Taino
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Corojo 99
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 6x46
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Enjoy this interview!
When was Serino Cigars founded?
A: Our family has been in the cigar industry for 30 years. My father started off as a small retailer in Pompano Beach, FL which slowly grew into a distribution company and then we began manufacturing our own cigars. Serino is a realization of all the connections we made in the industry to deliver high quality, small batch cigars.
How did you get into the business?
A: Well, I started off at a young age running my father’s retail shop after school. This was my first contact with the industry, I then went off to university and really became involved when I left college. We founded Serino at this point to share high-quality blends out of Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic with friends and consumers alike.
What do you do for Serino cigars?
A: I wear a lot of hats for the company. I try to be directly involved in every facet. This includes sales, marketing, social media, design, and blending. The two areas I love the most are design and blending. I’m always seeking to sharpen my craft in both of these areas - This allows me to channel my passion and continually grow through a creative outlet.
Where do you make your cigars?
A: We make almost all of our cigars at the La Corona Factory, S.A. in Estelí, Nicaragua.
Why do you make your cigars there?
A: I really believe in La Corona and Master Blender Omar González-Aleman. Omar is one of the most pedigreed blenders in the world that many people don’t know about. Don Omar started in the Cuban cigar industry, mainly as an apprentice to Alejandro Robaina - the most renowned Cuban tobacco grower of the modern era. Omar then went to work at the Partagas Factory. He then continued his Cuban cigar career as the head director of The La Corona Factory (where he took his Nicaraguan factory name from to pay homage to his past). At this factory he was in charge of production for: Romeo Y Julieta, Hoyo De Monterrey, San Cristobal and other heralded Cuban brands.
Don Omar’s expertise is incredibly valuable, and I’m blessed that he was the one I received my formal training from. La Corona is a very purist factory. All traditional Cuban methods: no Lieberman machines - all hand bunching, a slow low temperature fermenting process, and a very unique wrapper cutting technique that allows for lesser veins. A final note, he cares as much about the detail in the product as I do. So, a combination of all the reasons mentioned above — again, very grateful for Don Omar and La Corona.
Do you have a line you are most proud of?
A: I love all of our blends, but Wayfarer was the first blend I did myself. It will always be the most special to me for this reason. To this day I still get fired up every time I see someone smoke and enjoy a Wayfarer because of the amount of time and obstacles I had to overcome to bring that blend to market.
Do you have any new cigars coming out this year?
A: Yes! We have an extension of the Taíno line, some size extensions, retailer exclusives and a couple other small projects I’m looking forward to sharing.
How do you go about blending a new cigar? What does your process look like?
A: I firmly believe every cigar tells a story. The brand should get across a point being made by the cigar. I then look at the tobaccos used to help craft a narrative. I usually look at the project and then decide - what type of cigar is this going to be? light/delicate with nuance? medium and complex? Or full, flavor forward without constraint? After that decision has been made, I move forward with the tobaccos to achieve the goal for that specific blend. I believe what I do best blending wise - is medium to full with complexity.
What’s something you want the CigarClub Family to know about Serino Cigars?
A: Detail and transparency are priorities within our company. This is one of the reasons I gravitated towards cigarclub.com. The detail within their branding and product is first-class. After working with them, their transparency is easily observed.
When it comes to our company, a motto we go by is to get 1% better each day. Compound a lot of good into something great. I believe through consistent improvement and curiosity that we can create a uniquely special experience for our customers.
On the transparency front, if anyone ever has questions about our brand, the blends or projects we are working on - I try to be as responsive as possible via social media [@SerinoCigarCo], email, and phone.
I really appreciate you taking the time to read more about us and am super excited to be a part of the Cigar Club Family :-) Thank you!
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It's a common misconception that bigger cigars are stronger and more flavorful. However, if you were to smoke the same blend side by side - one in a 60 ring gauge and the other in a 48 - you'd notice a big difference. With the 48 ring gauge you get more flavor from the wrapper, making it a more amped up experience.
Today I paired the 1925 Panetela from Rodriguez Cigars with some new coffee I ordered from our friends at Rivet Coffee.
The 1925 Panetela comes in a 6.5 x 38 and is wrapped in a beautiful Connecticut wrapper. It's rich and creamy with notes of cream, cocoa, light pepper and leather. Normally with a cigar this light, you wouldn't expect any kick or deep flavors - however, at this size, you get so much of this flavorful wrapper that it makes for quite the exciting stick.
I challenge you all to give the smaller ring gauge cigars a try and see if you notice a difference. Here at CigarClub.com, we try and introduce you to sizes you may not normally grab - ones that we thing taste the best in each brand we carry.
Until next time - smoke well family!
]]>Last month, most all of you saw this beautiful cigar when you opened up your box.
We are so excited to share Cavalier Cigars with our CigarClub family for the first time ever. After meeting up with them at this years TPE trade show in Vegas and smoking a few of their cigars, Jeff and I were hooked. We had to get these cigars in our boxes.
We caught up with Sebastien Decoppet, Founder of Cavalier Cigars, and asked him a few questions about the brand:
When was Cavalier Cigars founded?
The Swiss based company, Cavalier Genève was founded in late 2015.
The US based company, was founded in late 2018.
How did you get into the business?
By curiosity, I would say. I was enjoying cigars and very interested in the process,
which made me decided to move from Switzerland to Central America and ended up moving to Honduras at the age of 22.
Over all I was very lucky to meet Adin Perez and Nestor Plasencia the first day I was in Danli, and have this amazing family offer me to stay and learn from them.
Last, having been offered the opportunity to stay with them in Danli and learn, this turned into a year of learning and working in the factories and fields practicing all the steps involved in making a cigar. Which is, I believe, the only way to know and master the processes. It is an experience that I feel extremely lucky to have been given from them.
Where do you make your cigars?
The Cavalier Genève cigars are made in Danli, in the San Judas Tadeo Factory.
Why do you make your cigars there?
I stayed with Adin Perez, first of all because they thought me nearly everything I have been fortunate to learn about tobacco and processes living down there but also because we developed a friendship that is very important. I strongly believe this industry is a very relationship orientated world.
He is part of one of the most important families in the industry and I really think it is a privilege to work with a member of this family.
On top of it, the knowledge, expertise and dedication to tobacco I've seen from them is absolutely incredible and it allows me to learn and evolve every time.
Do you have a line you are most proud of?
That is a very difficult question. Obviously the White Series was my first blend and has received a lot of consideration from the media and high rating which makes it a special cigar line to me. But honestly all we do, we do with the intent to provide the best experience we can working with the tobaccos we selected. So, as I said, it is difficult to really say one is more than another.
Do you have any new cigars coming out this year?
We most definitely planned releases for this year, but since we are still stuck in this strange pandemic, we will have to wait and see how the situation evolves so we can provide the markets with the cigars at an ideal moment for everyone.
I can't give a lot of information yet on what will be seen in the new releases but make sure to keep an eye out. We have been working on something that will be very interesting!
We should also release the yearly Limited Edition (LE2020) and the small batch cycle remains for the White Series, Black II and USA exclusive even though we will most probably push the next release a little further due to the situation. Those cigars are always very much sought after.
How do you go about blending a new cigar? What does your process look like?
I must say it varies every time. It's inherent to the creative side of the cigar industry I think. What is certain is there are always at least 3 of us involved in the process. Myself, Eylin Decoppet (my wife) and Adin Perez.
But in general, it all starts with a tobacco that I never used yet catches my attention.
We then go down to the factory and get this or these new tobaccos to see how they behave and what their characteristics are. We then browse through tobaccos we are used to work with to see how they will compliment or fail to compliment that first tobacco we are working around. And then go step by step towards adding and removing tobaccos from the test blends until we reach the result that highlights the tobaccos in the best way.
It is actually interesting how, to me, blending is a savant mix of alchemy and science. Alchemy because we believe that blending X and Y together will provide us with gold (which is definitely not always the case) and "science" because we know the specifications characteristics of the tobaccos we are using and therefore allows us to have a clear view of what they should bring into the blend.
Whats something you want the CigarClub Family to know about Cavalier Cigars?
We definitely have something for everyone with lines covering the spectrum from mild to medium all the way up to medium full. Me work exclusively with tabacos de primera to blend cigars in a way to deliver the most complex flavor profile possible with these blends. Everything is made in partnership with a member of the Plasencia family (Adin Perez).
And most importantly cigars are overall a stunning way to share with amazing people accross this world, so #SmokeGoldStayGold and be the best version of yourself!
This month we teamed up with our friends wtso.com , a leading destination for wine online, to explore some new wines and pair them with our recent favorite cigars here at HQ. The bottle we landed on comes from a place not many people think of when it comes to fine wine... Australia. Yes, we samples Cabs, Pinots and Merlots from Napa Valley, Sonoma County and Pasa Robles; still, we landed on this beautiful wine from the McLaren Vale region of South Australia.
Made by Clarendon Hills, this Syrah is deep, rich and full bodied. Dark berries, light spice and a fairly dry body really stood out as a wine that would pair well with cigars.
When selecting cigars to smoke with it, I went with three different profiles to see how the experience changed based off of the cigar:
1. Mild - Medium: Cavalier White Series
2. True Medium: Mombacho Liga Maestro
3. Medium - Full: Nat Sherman Epoca Reserva
All three of these cigars brought out different notes in the wine while still complimenting the overall experience. My favorite pairing was the Mombacho Liga Maestro, bringing out the fruit and deep oak from the wine, while the spice and cinnamon still cut through the cigars profile.
If you're looking for a place to grab some wine for your next cigar session, head over to wtso.com and check out their amazing deals. They even setup a promo code for our CigarClub.com Family: get $10 off your wine purchase of $50 or more with code CIGARBLOG.
Cheers!
#cigarclubfamily
]]>Today we're exploring Cuban Coffee [using Rivet Coffee's Caravel Blend] and the Warped La Colmena Reina. Cuban Coffee is generally a darker roasted coffee, ground finely and mixed with sugar [known as a Colada]. I find the mild - medium La Colmena to be the perfect pairing. Its sweet, with hints of pepper and leather giving it enough body to cut through the dense coffee without over powering it.
Here are some instructions on preparing cuban coffee [thanks to our friends at thekitchn.com.
Add water to the moka pot. Fill the bottom chamber of the moka pot with enough water to reach the safety release valve.
Add coffee to the filter. Spoon the ground coffee into the filter until they reach the top. Level them off with your finger but do not compress them.
Attach the filter to the pot. Place the filter into the bottom chamber and screw the collection chamber onto until firmly secure.
Heat the moka pot. Place the moka pot over medium heat. Do not heat the water up too fast because it will cause the coffee to brew too quickly and it will not be as robust as it should be.
Fill the cups with sugar. Meanwhile, spoon 1 teaspoon of sugar into each espresso or demitasse cup.
Boil the water. Allow the water to come to a boil. This will force the steam pressure to push the water up through the coffee grounds to collect as coffee in the top chamber.
Mix the espuma (coffee and sugar). Remove the moka pot from the heat once the brewing process is complete. Place 1 teaspoon of coffee into 1 of the cups and stir vigorously into the sugar to create the espuma. It should be thick and slightly frothy. Repeat with the second cup.
Add the remaining coffee. Pour the remaining coffee into the cups and serve immediately.
ENJOY!
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Fast forward to today, we are so thrilled to introduce all of you to their cigars. This month, we will be featuring the Rodriguez Primera Clase in many of your boxes. This beautifully box-pressed, San Andres wrapped cigar is an incredible representation of the entire Rodriguez line. We literally smoked one and said we'll take as many as we can - it was that good.
Here's some more info on the Primera Clase
All the leaves that make up the filler in this Rare Reserve ( Ligero, Viso, Seco ) have undergone a long and careful aging process of four years before the cigar is manufactured. This is a unique and exclusive production of 1000 boxes showcasing an exquisite flavor profile providing connotations of rich and dark nuttiness, hints of nutmeg, cocoa, and finishing creamy in texture.
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More about our friends at Rodriguez Cigars:
Founded in 1984, we stand as the oldest cigar manufacturer in the Florida Keys preserving the historical cigar manufacturing industry that began in Key West in 1831. As the years passed new generation of family members have expanded manufacturing operations to Nicaragua and we are proud to be working with some of the finest tobacco in the world. Rodriguez Cigars are exclusively constructed with vintage leaves that have been hand selected, aged and constructed through the traditional Cuban manufacturing process.
https://rodriguezcigarskeywest.com/
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Tomorrow, Jeff and I head to Nicaragua with Danny to begin work on some new collaboration projects that we'll be announcing in the upcoming months. We'll also be looking at some new, unreleased Rodriguez Cigars to be included in future boxes. Be sure to follow along with us on Instagram and Facebook as we document our trip.
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HVC is a boutique cigar brand from Miami, FL - founded in 2011 by Reinier Lorenzo. The brand pays homage to Havana City, where he lived for most of his life, eventually learning the art of blending and rolling handmade cigars.
HVC cigars are made at the TABSA [Aganorsa] factory in Esteli, Nicaragua - which happens to be one of my favorites right now. His blends range from Medium - Full body and offer profiles similar to classic cuban brands - bread, cinnamon, caramel and white pepper. His more full bodied blends us Connecticut Broadleaf wrappers and bring deep, constantly changing flavors like: espresso, cocoa, black pepper, cinnamon and earth.
We wanted to feature a heavy dose of HVC in our January and February boxes so all of you could get a taste. Here are a few lines you may see in one of your upcoming boxes:
This is one of my favorite cigars right now and it uses only the highest graded tobaccos at Aganorsa. A beautiful, tan, Corojo '99 wrapper brings those classic Aganorsa and Cuban flavors to the front of your palate: hay, cedar, nutmeg, oak and white pepper. As the cigar progresses you'll get: milk chocolate, earth, cinnamon and caramel.
Pairing: I recommend going with water or club soda only while smoking this cigar for the first time. There are a lot of nuances and flavors that develop over the length of the cigar that you don't want to miss!
Literally translating to ''hot bread', Pan Caliente delivers an aroma and flavor just like it: Toast, hay, cream, cinnamon and spice. This was one of the first cigars I noticed an enjoyable aroma from the foot. It's... toasty - seriously! This is one of those easy smokes that offers a few, really nice transitions and shows off the lighter side of Nicaraguan tobaccos.
Pairing: Cuban Coffee! This is the type of cigar I picture people in Cuba waking up with. It's light but flavorful with a nice dose of pepper throughout. Pair it with sweet cuban espresso and you''re in for a real treat.
Maduro: Rich chocolate, coffee and black pepper lead the way on this cigar. It has perfect construction with a razor sharp burn that leads into each of it's transitions in flavor. Pair this one with a stout, dark rum or bourbon.
Natural: Every so often you smoke a cigar after reading the tasting notes and think to yourself "oh, this is what ___ tastes like". Well I can tell you one thing, you will taste oak when you smoke this cigar. Right around the end of the first third into the second, bam - this woodsy [oak] profile takes over and it's awesome. Expect other notes like nutmeg, caramel and light spice to join the party as well. Pair with cuban coffee, lagers or rye bourbon.
#cigarclubinsider
Cheers -
Dave
]]>They say time is money, but time is also a key component for an exceptional smoking experience. For the past year and a half, we’ve been aging a few of our favorite, ultra premium cigars for this very moment. Each one of these cigars already uses aged tobacco in their blends - so consider these double aged. The Black Box is truly an experience. Check out the breakdown of each cigar below:
AVO 22 30 Year Anniversary
The Avo 22 30 year release is an Aficionado’s collector dream come true. Avo Uvezian’s personal blend, AVO 22, is a notoriously complex cigar. A blend of extremely well aged tobaccos from Ecuador and Dominican Republic make this cigar one of the most highly rated in AVO's rich history.
The beautiful oily Ecuadorian wrapper and its Dominican filler & Binder create a smooth medium body cigar with rich aroma, citrus, earthy and cedar notes. A one in a million smoking experience.
Opus X Lost City Double Robusto
The Opus X Lost City was made with rare tobaccos grown on Chateau de la Fuente during the off-season for crop production - tobaccos that have been aging for 5 years prior to production. Made with 100% Dominican-grown tobaccos, this Puro features dark Dominican wrappers and an eventful blend of Dominican long-fillers. The result is a bold, creamy smoke with robust flavors delivered in a mellow, and smooth fashion complemented by a deep, cedary aroma. Rare, no doubt. Pricey, but worth it. Special, absolutely.
1880 12-18 Year Whisky Infused
Rolled at the esteemed El Titan De Bronze factory in Miami, this cigar boasts impeccable construction and is not your typical ‘infused’ cigar. It’s an all natural, unique smoking experience with notes of oak, caramel, white spice and aged tobacco.
From 1880: Our proprietary method blends premium single malt scotch or Japanese single malt whisky, with each element of the cigar, the filler, binder and wrapper. The tobacco is aged and then hand rolled in the true Cuban style with a traditional triple cap."
Well there you go - that's the scoop on this years Black Box that releases Friday, the 29th. Bottom line is we created the best gift for this holiday season and know you'll enjoy smoking them as much as we did.
Wishing you long ashes and aged cigars this Holiday season,
The CigarClub.com team
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