10 Questions with CAO’s Ed McKenna
1. How did you get into the cigar industry?
I joined General Cigar after being on the marketing team for Bacardi’s tequila portfolio. Since I’ve been with General Cigar, my focus has been on Punch, Hoyo de Monterrey and Excalibur cigars. Together with Rick Chandler, director of our Honduran portfolio, and with the new product development team at HATSA (our factory in Danli, Honduras), I’ve launched Upper Cut by Punch, Hoyo de Monterrey Reposado en Cedros, and Punch Rare Corojo 10th Anniversary. I’m now managing the CAO business full time along with Rick Rodriguez, who’s heading up all of our new product development for the brand.
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Cigar Explorer & CRA Charity Event a.k.a. Cigar Extravaganza – October 7, 2011
Our good friends over at CigarExplorer.com are having a fantastic charity event with the CRA to raise money to support the CRA’s fight against anti-cigar legislation. Â Great food and drinks with be served, along with raffles and a HUGE list of cigar VIPs will be there! Â Click here for more information on this great event!
The Zino “Embassy Selection†2011 has arrived
For the third time, a limited edition Zino cigar is making its way to local tobacconists. In its burgundy-colored box with gold logo, the Zino “Embassy Selection†2011 is a real eye-catcher, making it a very special gift. The cigar, an imposing Robusto format, is limited to 3,000 boxes of 10 worldwide.
The filler consists of various Ligero tobaccos that lend it a powerful aroma. The dark, supple wrapper leaf, made of the Selection 702, gives the hearty blend a fascinating balance and ensures a multi-faceted smoking experience.
The Zino “Embassy Selection†2011 is available from selected specialist tobacconists as of September 1st.
Zino “Embassy Selection†2011 – Limited Edition Robusto
Format                        Robusto
Length                        5â€
Diameter                    RG 52
Wrapper leaf              Ecuador Special SunGrown, Selection 702
Binder leaf                 Dominican Criollo
Filler                          Criollo Ligero
Piloto Ligero
San Vicente Ligero from two different growing regions
(all Dominican Republic)
Price                           $10.30 (per cigar)
$103.00 (wooden box of 10)
Exclusive cigars in a noble white dress: Davidoff â€White Edition“ 2011
The Davidoff “White Edition†2011 represents the new concept of this year’s Davidoff Limited Edition. Apart from the famous main ring bearing the Davidoff Logo, the graceful Belicoso Supremo format cigar is accentuated through the elegant vintage footband of the cigars wearing the a “2011“ pearlescent insignia and is presented in an imposing, luscious white-lacquered box. The “White Edition†2011 is not only seducing by its attractive appearance! The San Vicente and Piloto fillers are combined from four different cultivation areas in the Dominican Republic. Before processing, the tobacco was aged for more than five years gaining their characteristic and balanced flavor. A Peruvian Corojo binder and a Dominican Criollo wrapper award the cigar with a balanced stimulation. The new “White Edition†2011  inspires with spicy, slightly sweet notes and a long lasting aftertaste, rewarding the aficionado with an exceptional smoke indulgence. The Davidoff “White Edition“ 2011 is only available in a limited quantity of 8’000 individually numbered boxes worldwide. Approximately 3,000 boxes will be available in the US in September at all Davidoff Appointed Merchants.
Length                        5 ½ inches
Diameter                    RG 52
Wrapper                     Dominican Criollo
Binder                        Peruvian Corojo
Filler                           San Vicente Ligero
Piloto Ligero
San Vicente Visus
(all Dominican Republic)
Price                           $19 SRP per cigar
Fuente 8-5-8 Sungrown
Name: Arturo Fuente 8-5-8 Sungrown
Vitola: 6×47
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sun Grown
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Price: About $7.00
First Look: A fairly firm cigar with no soft or hard spots. A dark brown sun grown wrapper with a few small veins wraps this cigar. The usual Fuente band with the black background covers the top portion of the cigar. This is the new more clearer Fuente band. You can read the lettering a good bit more and is simple and pleaseing to the eye. A cedar wrapping covers the bottom two-thirds of the cigar with a black fabric peice at the foot lets you know that it is the sun grown 8-5-8. On the cello the words ” Flor Fina 8-5-8″ are printed on the cello to let you know, its the 8-5-8.
The foot has an aroma of nutmeg and slight woody tone. The prelight draw reveals nothing much as far as flavors, but a little tight, but managable draw.
First Third: The first few draws of this cigar reminds me alot like banana nut bread. Its an odd flavor to experience, but thats exactly what comes to mind for me. Also I am getting a semisweet nuttiness to it. A taste of blackpepper hits my tongue as I get into the first part of the cigar. A nice tight ringed gray ash emerges from the cigar. The ash holds, but not for long. The ash seems to hold for about three-quarters of an inch and drops off into my lap. So, you need to watch out for ash laps! Finishing off the first third a slight spice accompanies the black pepper.
Second Third: Working into the second portion of this cigar, I am tasting a musty straw note with very faint hints of sweetness. The blackpepper is still there, but not as prodominant as the first third. The draw is still a little tight, but is managable though. The burn is fairly even, not as straight as it could be, but doesn’t need any touch-ups at all. I like the faint sweetness the 8-5-8 SG produces. The Fuente Rosado has more sweetness to it for comparison purposes. I think, if they made the 8-5-8 in a Rosado, I bet it would be a hit! The 8-5-8 Sg has the typica Fuente flavors, except for the spicy black pepper notes. Finishing off the second third, at the band, the spice of the black pepper eases off and a very, very, slight bitterness pops out.
Final Third: Between the second and final third, the ash seems to hold better than the first parts of the cigar. The burn is still a little off and had to make one small touch-up on it. The draw is still the same, stiff, but managable. The black pepper fades into a musty straw note. The black pepper doesn’t fade out completely, just into the background as I finish off the cigar.
Final Thoughts: The Arturo Fuente 8-5-8 Sun Grown is not an overly complex smoke. The black pepper and slight sweetnes are the main notes throughout the cigar. I wish there was a little bit more of spice or sweetness to it. If the very first note of Banana Nut Bread would have stuck into the cigar more, I think I would have liked it alot more. I like a good number of sungrown wrapped cigars. This is not my favorite, but its about the middle of the list. For the money, its a good smoke thats worth a try.
Angelenos 2009
Name: Angelenos 2009
Vitola: Robusto 5 1/4×50
Company: Prometheus
Wrapper: Ecuadorian
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Factory: Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia
First Look: A Light brown colored wrapper covers this cigar. There are a few small viens, overall a nice looking cigar. Its a fairly firm cigar, with a nicely applied triple cap, and a large, but simplistic band.
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Para Ti and VIEUX-OS 2007 Old Vine Zinfandel
Today I’m bringing you a cigar and wine paring that I’ve had in the queue for a while. For personal reasons I wanted the ideal weather conditions to be able to truly relax an enjoy the experience. Well, this past Saturday proved to be just the day I was looking for.
The Cigar
The Para Ti is rolled at the Para Ti Factory in the Dominican Republic. This cigar is blended by Fred Schrader, proprietor or Schrader Cellars, and is distributed by Havana Cellars. This Dominican cigar hit the market during the 2010 IPCPR Trade Show. Pete Johnson did not have a hand in the blending or manufacturing of this cigar, but enjoyed it enough that he offered to become the distributor.
Name: Para Ti
Wrapper: Dominican
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Comes in: Box of 20
Price: $6.75/stick
Vitola: Perlas (5 x 40)
The Wine
Now I won’t act like I know anything about wine except that I enjoy it and it has been responsible for the worst hangover of my life. So any information I provide here would probably not be worded correctly. For this reason I’ll direct you to the VIEUX-OS Zinfandel section of the Schrader Cellars website.
Habana Port Tabacums
This week we have another house cigar and this cigar is from one of our local shops, Habana Port. Â Most house cigars are usually of lower quality to make them cheap to be more accessible to cigar smokers on a budget or someone that can’t always risk smoking a premium cigar due to the fact they might have to pitch it for one reason or another. Â That doesn’t necessarily make it a bad cigar, but it usually means they can be mediocre at best. Â Lately though, we’ve reviewed several house cigars that have made me rethink house cigars like the amazing Buckhead Cigars edition Nestor Miranda Special Selection, especially the Danno, or the excellent Velvet Bowery. Â So when the Molinas told me about their new house cigar, I was intrigued. Â So, was this new house cigar part of the new wave of high quality flavor bombs or a cheap dog rocket? Â Watch the video and find out.
Crush & Roll West: Central California Coast’s Premiere Cigar and Wine Event
For the third straight year, premium cigars AND wine will be featured in the county’s premiere cigar and wine event: Crush & Roll West. Hundreds are expected to turn out September 16 and 17 at the Paso Robles Fairgrounds to taste the best premium wines and cigars in the world. Cigar and wine tasting and cigar rolling demonstrations will entertain and delight, as cigar manufacturers from the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Honduras and Costa Rica will be on hand to provide their hand crafted cigars.
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My Father Cigars “El Hijo”
To celebrate the 15th Anniversary of Smoke Inn Abe “MING” Dababneh decided to create the Microblend Series. The goal of this project is to mimic what is already going on in the craft beer industry; which is to focus on quality rather than quantity. I reviewed the first installment of this project, the Tatuaje Anarchy, back in November 2010. Today I’m firing up the third installment, the My Father Cigars El Hijo.
Name: El Hijo
Company: My Father Cigars
Wrapper: Limited Edition 2009 Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Comes in: Box of 15
Price: $146.25
Vitola: Box Pressed Robusto (5.5 x 52)
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