When discussing ultra-premium cigars, Graycliff tends to be one of the first brands that come to mind. This is no surprise since Avelino Lara (the former personal roller to Fidel Castro) is the director of Graycliff's expert rolling team. In the year 1666, workers first broke ground at the site of what is now the Graycliff Resort. Graycliff 1666 was developed in honor of this occassion and may be by far the best Graycliff available.

Expanding production outside of the Bahamas for the 1666, Graycliff has created a medium to full-bodied smoke that is just as rich and complex as the brands incredible history. The blend consists of a mixture of exotic fillers hailing from Peru, Brazil, Mexico, and Columbia. Those tobaccos are then wrapped with a rich, oily Jaltepec maduro wrapper that produces a thick and creamy smoke. This cigar expells earthy flavors with some subtle notes of cocoa and coffee while still offering a slightly spicy aftertaste that leaves a touch of pepper on the palate. Make no mistake, Graycliff 1666 is well-blended, expertly constructed, balanced, flavorful and a must try for any Graycliff fan.

4/11/08: The Nub show - A special edition "Nub Rollout" show, Tim and Donny talk about all things Nub. From "Nub Theory, to sizes and blends, and of course, the cigars. [Listen Now]

Q: What are Clear Havanas?

A: Clear Havanas are a specific type of cigar made by machine prior to 1962. These cigars all contain 100% authentic Cuban tobacco, and were rolled in factories located in the United States. Since they were created before the year 1962 (prior to the embargo), they are perfectly legal to buy, sell, and smoke, unlike most other Cuban cigars. The cigars received their name because certain officials would be present at the US factories to "clear" the Cuban tobacco through customs. Since the tobacco is 100% Cuban, and these sticks were cleared by the United States government for distribution, they were named "Clear Havanas."

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

Liga Privada No. 9 - A traditional cigar, Liga Privada No. 9 is one of the finest blends produced by Drew Estate and is an excellent choice when looking for a more robust smoke.

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.

Padilla Habano - Hailing from Tabacalera Fernandez in Esteli, Nicaragua, Padilla Habano is the perfect choice for enthusiasts looking for a complex cigar that still offers a smooth flavor and is well balanced..

Rocky Patel I-Press - A limited blend from Rocky Patel, I-Press is a must try, especially for die-hard Patel fans. Wrapped with a maduro leaf, I-Press is a box-pressed cigar that provides a richer flavor and slow burn.

Rocky Patel slowly seems to becoming the authority on box-pressed cigars. He was one of the first individuals to implement a draw-test machine to improve the quality of his cigars and to guarantee each cigar burned properly, producing a creamy smoke. Rocky's Vintage lines are both box-pressed along with his line of Indian Tabac Super Fuertes as well. With so much experience in quality regarding box pressing and draw testing, it seems appropriate for Rocky to release an even more premium box-pressed cigar and therefore, the I-Press was born. Rocky Patel I-Press is an enjoyable treat. The cigar sports a seamless maduro leaf that conceals a Honduran binder. The filler consists of well-aged Nicaraguan tobacco, which creates a medium body that is filled with rich notes of espresso. The finish is perfect, not too short but not over bearing with a sweetness that is pleasantly accepted and even more so noticeable when the smoke is expelled through the nose. Any fan of the Olde World Reserve will enjoy Rocky Patel I-Press. Due its box-pressed shape, I-Press burns very slow, but even from start to finish and is very, very rich offering little in terms of spice. Like all Rocky Patel products, expect expert construction and consistency from box to box.

Box-Pressed Toro (6" x 52) Definitely offers a tighter draw but burned perfectly even from the start. The rich qualities were heightened, as expected, and it seemed to produce more of an earthy, cocoa flavor. This size did seem to burn slightly hotter, but only to the fingertips. The finish was easily more pronounced. Excellent. 90/100 [Buy Now]

Cigar.com (CC): Where you born in Cuba or the United States?

Eddie Ortega (EO): I was born in Cuba in the province of Camaguey. My parents immigrated to the States in 1970, I was 9 years old and settled in Weehawken, New Jersey.

CC: How did you find your way into the cigar industry? Have you always been a cigar enthusiast?

EO: Nope! I started smoking casually in my late 20's, when I married one of the daughters of Rolando Reyes Sr. Before then, I wasn't an avid smoker and had little knowledge about the industry. During that time Rolando made Alidados, a great cigar, and one of the hottest selling brands in the 90's. My background is actually in computers. Back then, I had a successful computer business in New Jersey. In 1990, I sold it and moved to Miami. While working as Director of MIS for a company in Miami, my then father-in-law asked me to come work with him, so I did. At that time, it was Puros Indios, due to legal problems with the Aliados name.

CC: EO brands has found a niche with 601. What do you attribute the success of the brand to?

EO: There are no niches and no secret formulas for being successful. You associate yourself with industry leaders; you create solid relationships with your customers; you make a great cigar at an affordable price and most importantly, you KEEP IT CONSISTENT. We know lots and lots of manufacturers that can make a great cigar, it is not difficult if you have quality raw materials. The trick is to make a million cigars while maintaining the consistency, that's the 601 success.

CC: Pepin is an amazing cigar maker, how did you guys hook up?

EO: My partner Erik Espinosa and myself have actually known Pepin for a long time, we've known him since his days back at Tropical. Believe it or not, he would have actually made our first cigar; we just didn't think we could make a cigar in the states without having to price it very high. We knew sooner or later he would manufacture in Nicaragua, we were willing to wait. The 601 was actually the first brand manufactured at his factory in Nicaragua, excluding his own brands. And man are were we happy!

CC: Between your 601 Original, 601 Green label Oscuro and 601 Box Pressed Maduro, there seems to be a common theme of full-bodied blends. Was this intentional?

EO: It is quite intentional, Alex. We wanted to keep the basic blend in the whole line but create different flavor profiles by using different wrappers. I think we have done this quite well, even though the blend on the four is the same, they each have unique flavor profiles.

CC: This is a question I always like asking on my first interview with a supplier. How many cigars do you smoke a day and what would you say is your favorite?

EO: Actually, I'm not a heavy hitter on a daily basis. One day I might smoke 2 or 3 while some other days, maybe one. It all has to do with what I'm doing on specific days, if I'm running around non stop, my smoking is limited, however, during slow, relaxed times, I can almost be a chain smoker. I have many favorites, and they're not all ours. Of the 601's the blue is definitely my favorite because I prefer a smoke with a smoothness and flavor as opposed to strength in my cigars. I also enjoy lots of other cigars made by Pepin, Rocky, Padron and Ashton (specially the ESG, I love it) to mention a few. Just yesterday I smoked the new Alec Bradley Tempus, it was awesome.

CC: Can you take us through the blending process? How do you come up with a blend? Does the idea usually come before the blend, or do you find great blends that spawn brand ideas?

EO: I'll answer the second part of the question first. We usually do lots of research on available names for any future projects. Once we select a name, we work on selecting an appropriate blend. When it comes to the blending process and the actual selection of the right blend, we have a patented process called "smoke and smoke till your lungs collapse."

CC: What can we expect from EO brands in the months to come? A new 601 line extension perhaps?

EO: We are currently working with Pepin on a few items that we hope to launch sometime in June. On the 601 Original, we will be adding a 6-1/8 x 58 (like the Trabuco in the Green) and a Lancero 7-1/2 x 40. This new Lancero will also be added to the 601 Green Oscuro. Also in June, we will be releasing a new brand that is also made by Pepin. San Juan y Martinez, a medium to full bodied cigar using all Nicaraguan filler and binder and a beautiful Ecuador Sumatra wrapper. They will be available in five sizes.

CC: Eddie, thanks for taking the time to meet with me. Is there anything else you would like to add before we wrap up?

EO: It's always a pleasure, Alex, to have the opportunity to speak with to you and your readers. Erik and I are very gratified by the way the tobacconists, and through them, the smokers have taken to 601. With Pepin, we set the bar very high when we created 601. We intend to maintain the level of quality, consistency and excellence with our new brand and anything we do in the future.