Victor Sinclair cigars are well known for top notch construction and high quality tobaccos, from blend to blend. In preparation for their 10th anniversary, master blend Jose Dominguez spent years perfecting a blend using an incredibly dynamic mix of Dominican tobaccos. In most cases, cigars rolled only with Dominican tobacco tend to be on the milder side. However, Jose's creation is complex, employing a rare Dominican wrapper for an exuberant amount of bold flavors.

Victor Sinclair 10th Aniversario is full-bodied, not common for most Dominican cigars. The smoke is quite creamy, coating the palate with spices and peppery nuances that are robust, but far from overwhelming. The cigar evolves during the burn, developing notes of earth and a slight sweetness, complementing its peppery backbone. Due to its complexity, rare Dominican wrapper, and incredibly reasonable price, Victor Sinclair 10th Aniversario is considered the jewel of the Victor Sinclair brand.

Q: In a previous issue, you discussed the differences between the fermentation and curing processes. Could you explain the curing process in greater detail?

A: Many individuals confuse curing tobacco with the fermentation process. Others believe these two processes are actually one in the same. It is important to understand that the curing process and fermentation process are two separate events that take place when creating cigars, and curing happens to come first.

Once the tobacco leaves are harvested, they are stacked in piles and brought to a "curing barn," where the leaves are separated and strung together, two at time, before being attached to wooden poles and hung. Once hung, the leaves are ready to begin the curing process.

Most tobacco leaves undergo a 6 to 8 week curing process. During this process, the leaves slowly dry in stages and change in color from green to light brown, which most enthusiasts are familiar with. This color changes from the outside in (from the fringe to the stem), and normally takes a few weeks to complete. Like the fermentation process, each manufacturer practices his own unique methods for curing tobaccos, making these leaves unique from any other.

Cigar.com Brazilian Label - Rolled by Tabacalera Fernandez, the Cigar.com Brazilian Label uses a rich and dark Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper for a robust and sweet cigar that emanates chocolatey flavors on the palate.

Costa Rican Primeros - Costa Rican Primeros consists of a rich and sweet Costa Rican maduro wrapper combined with Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers to make a cigar that is as tasty as it is affordable.

Nub - Considered one of the most innovative cigar concepts, Nub is a line of short and stout smokes blended to capture the perfect essence of a cigar.

Rocky Patel Double Maduro - New from Rocky Patel, the Double Maduro is now in stock. This blend utilizes an earthy core of Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers that are finished with two maduro wrappers: a Nicaraguan Habano Maduro and a Brazilian Mata Fina Maduro.

CAO Criollo is a medium to full-bodied beauty that sometimes seems to fall under the radar due to the selection of cigars available today. "Criollo" translates to "native seed" and was originally an experimental hybrid seed grown in Cuba, until the makers of CAO discovered it.

Upon receiving the Criollo seeds, CAO cultivated the tobacco in Nicaragua and matched this incredible wrapper with Cuban-seed Nicaraguan filler, creating an excitingly complex blend perfect for enjoying after a hearty meal. This cigar boasts some earthy nuances along with hints of spice and is considered a healthy contender when competing against the finest, authentic Cuban cigars available. CAO Criollo truly is an expertly planned and blended masterpiece.

Mancha (5.5 x 46) Good size but the draw was a bit tight. Upon lighting it burned completely uneven, but corrected itself within an inch. The ash was bright white, like concrete, and refused to fall for two inches. Very spicy finish. 88/100 [Buy Now]

Bomba (6 x 50) Easy draw that produced a lot of smoke. The aroma was earthy and spice was abundant during the last 4 inches. 87/100
[Buy Now]

Conquistador (6.1 x 52) Perfectly constructed. Seamless wrapper with minimal veins. The cigar burned evenly from start to finish and seemed a bit more hearty and complex than other sizes. 87/100 [Buy Now]

Pampa (4 x 38) Enjoyable short cigar. It did burn slightly hot, not only to the fingertips but also to the tongue. The draw was tight but still produced a creamy smoke and was surprisingly complex for its size. 85/100 [Buy Now]

Pato (4.7 x 50) Robust opening which mellowed after the first inch, filling the palate with earthy nuances and an underlying spice. Well constructed, this cigar is a perfect 40-minute stick. Produced a lot of smoke. 83/100 [Buy Now]

3/28/08: Kaizad Hansotia from Gurkha Cigars joins Tim and Donny in an exciting and informative video interview covering some of Gurkha's best blends! [Listen Now]

Cigar.com (CC): How are things at STC Cigars?

George Rico (GR): Things are great! Business is wonderful. We are very happy with the recent 91 rating our Gran Habano 3 Siglos line has received. We are looking forward in continuing into 2008 since we have a few new sizes coming out in all of our lines. We also look forward to the introduction of our new line coming out in June. This blend will be a full-bodied blend with a lot of great flavor. 2008 will be an exciting year for all Gran Habano fans.

CC: Your Gran Habano line, particularly 3 Siglos, exploded last year. What do you attribute the recent success to?

GR: I am very proud of the success of Gran Habano 3 Siglos. It is a line that I named and built from concept to finished product. The success of 3 Siglos can be attributed to its rich and complex blend, which I was very confident in. Since I first smoked it 2 1/2 years ago, I always felt that our customers deserved to try such a great cigar. I had seen many double ligero cigars. What I wanted to do was make a triple ligero, but not just any triple ligero, I wanted to do a triple ligero from three different countries. I feel the complexity of all the tobaccos (Colombian ligero, Nicaraguan ligero and Costa Rican ligero) come together to make a great blend. If you haven't tried it yet, you don't know what you are missing.

CC: You are a bit younger than most people in this industry. How did you get your start?

GR: Growing up I was always around tobacco at my family's farms or my grandmother's factory. I started working for my father as a warehouse employee in his company when I was 16. After finishing school, I continued to work and learn the family business. I spent many years traveling to Central & South America learning about tobacco. After a few years, I started to do my own blends and came out with the Gran Habano line in late 2002. I do enjoy being younger than most of my peers. I feel that I have been very lucky and blessed because I have had the chance to learn many tips from some of the older guys that have been in the business since they were my age. I look forward to some day being able to pass all that knowledge on to my son, but at 29, I feel that I still have a lot to learn.

CC: How many cigars do you smoke a day and what would you say are your favorites?

GR: I smoke about three to four cigars a day. I have to say that I really love coronas with a 42 to 44 ring. Another size I really enjoy is a lancero 30 to 40 ring by 7 1/2. I have a special blend made for me just in a lancero that I have been smoking for a year. It is actually the first blend I ever made. I just love the look and feel of thin cigars. Another reason I like lanceros or coronas is because they are the sizes I use when I blend. I feel they make for a better smoke because of the wrapper to filler ratio. I think you can really judge a blend at these sizes and they are classic. You can never go wrong with a corona.

CC: Working with tobacco, cigars, marketing and every aspect of STC, what part of the business do you enjoy the most?

GR: Can't say that I have one. I love the whole process. Being able to blend, name and market a cigar is the most enjoyable job in the world! Don't get me wrong; they are all, at times, the most stressful jobs in the world also. Making cigars is like raising a child, you see them being born in the fields and you see them mature in the pilones. You try to give the tobacco its foundation, hoping you are doing a good job. Then, when it all comes together, you roll it into a cigar and send it to the world.

CC: Where do you see your brand in another five years?

GR: I feel that our brand has come a long way since 2002, but we have a long way to go as well. I am very satisfied with the response Gran Habano has received; it motivates me to keep working hard to make the best cigars possible. Over the next five years we will continue to raise the bar in this industry with our unique blending techniques and exotic tobacco.

CC: One cigar that has everyone talking is the new Blue Label that debuted earlier in 2008. What can you tell us about the blend and what makes it so special?

GR: Blue Label is a great line. The blend is a wonderful well-rounded smoke with a great deal of depth that comes out in its easy draw. Blue Label is a blend you can never put down or get tired of. Its complexity just draws you in and changes over the course of the smoke. I definitely recommend Blue Label as a must smoke.

CC: Rumors are all over about new projects coming from your factory. Is there anything you can share with us about what we might see from Gran Habano and STC this year?

GR: I am not at liberty to discuss the new projects because they are still a secret. I can say that if you love some of our existing Gran Habano stuff, you are going to go crazy for these new projects.

CC: George, thanks for taking the time to talk shop with us. Is there anything you would like to add before we wrap up?

GR: I just want to thank all of you out there that have supported Gran Habano over the years. I look forward to continuing my family's tradition of making some of the best cigars in the world.