The Graycliff name is one of the most prestigious in the cigar industry. When Enrico Garzaroli, founder of the esteemed Graycliff Hotel and Restaurant located in Nassau, Bahamas, wanted to offer his guests premium cigars, he wanted a 5 star blend that would rival his prestigious hotel and restaurant in terms of quality. Finding no other brands that could meet his incredibly high standards, Enrico enlisted Avelino Lara to help create a new brand that would satisfy his guests. Avelino Lara was Fidel Castro’s personal torcedor (roller), who is responsible for creating the original Cuban Cohiba brand. Together, these two aficionados created Graycliff, thus changing the definition and standard of “premium cigars” forever.

Graycliff Double Espresso is a true masterpiece. Built using the same recipe as the original Espresso, utilizing 6 year aged Nicaraguan, Cuban-seed Corojo and Ecuadorian ligero tobaccos; Double Espresso is by far the fullest blend in the Graycliff portfolio. Twice as much ligero tobacco is used in Double Espresso, which adds a ton of rich and robust coffee-like flavors that feature a very strong aftertaste. The finish is long, and some publications actually referred to this blend’s strength as “nearly hallucinogenic.” The beautiful wrapper stems from Costa Rica and provides sweet nuances of cocoa to create a perfect balance. Make no mistake, Graycliff Double Espresso is a smooth, full-bodied gem and not for the faint of heart.

Q: What is a Parejo?

A: Parejo is the term used to define a conventional cigar shape. Cigars are rolled in a variety of different shapes and sizes. Some cigars are consistent in diameter from head to foot (most of these have an open foot, showcasing the tobaccos) while others have tapered ends (the head or foot of the cigar come to a point and connect). Other cigars may have a bulge in the center, where the diameter increases and then decreases towards the ends, almost like an egg. These cigars that have unique shapes with inconsistent diameters are referred to as “figurados.” Most cigars are available in four major sizes: corona, robusto, torpedo, and Churchill. Since the torpedo has a tapered head, it is considered to be a figurado. However, parejo refers to any cigar that is consistent in diameter from head to foot. The ends don’t taper and there is no unique form to the cigar – it is simply the same ring gauge (diameter) throughout. Therefore, a corona, robusto, or Churchill sized cigar would normally be considered a parejo.

Man O’ War can be summed up in one word: wow! Brand new for 2008, Man O’ War is an incredibly pleasant surprise, hailing from Tabacalera Fernandez in Nicaragua. This factory has gained notoriety for producing such phenomenal cigars as Sol Cubano Cuban Cabinet, Rocky Patel Double Maduro, Sol Cubano Artisan and Padilla Habano. Developed by “AJ” Fernandez, a man born and raised in Cuba who studied under the “Godfather of tobacco,” Don Alejandro Robaina, Man O’ War is chock full of hearty, well-aged Nicaraguan tobaccos. However, the rare Habano Ecuador wrapper is what really brings this cigar together. The leaf was picked from the richest, oiliest part of the tobacco plant, known as viso. It is then fermented for three years, before being applied to the extraordinary filler blend. In addition to the three-year fermentation process, each cigar is aged for an addition six months to ensure the tobaccos properly marry each other, creating a complexity that is barely describable, but incredibly enjoyable.

Man O’ War is full-bodied, producing robust flavors of earth and spice, mixed with hints of almonds. The aftertaste contains some hints of sugarcane, while the finish is long, leaving some cedary notes to be enjoyed. Man O’ War easily ranks among such brands as Fuente Opus X and Ashton VSG – an excellent addition to the premium selection of cigars available today!

Torpedo (6.1" x 54) Smooth, even draw with a great burn and perfect construction. The wrapper was very oily, offering more in terms of sweetness. Noticeable coffee flavors blended well with an array of spices, for at least 130 minutes of enjoyment. 91/100 [Buy Now]

Double Corona (7.5" x 52) Initial flavors were incredibly robust, but mellowed towards the center. Complex, with hints of vanilla masking white pepper undertones. Strong and robust finish. Burned cool. 90/100 [Buy Now]

Corona (6" x 44) Good 45 minute cigar. Surprisingly easy draw for the size. Many competing peppery notes from start to finish, with little sweetness. 89/100 [Buy Now]

Toro (6.5" x 52) Tighter draw then expected but produced a ton of creamy, white smoke. The aftertaste offered spice mixed with oak for a mellow complexity. This size continually increased in strength from the start, allowing for a powerful finish. 89/100 [Buy Now]

Robusto (5.5" x 50) Spicy, but far from overwhelming. Burned slightly uneven, producing rich earthy flavors with a spicy sweet finish. Easy draw. 87/100 [Buy Now]

6/27/08:Drew Estate Part II. Tim and Donny get the elusive Jonathan Drew (Drew Estate, Acid, Chateau Real) to sit down for an exclusive interview. Watch what in the cigar industry is the equivalent to a lunar eclipse, except cooler.
[Listen Now]

Cusano 59 Rare Cameroon - When it comes to blending cigars, Cameroon wrapper is by far one of the hardest to work with, which is why Mike Cusano was immediately up to the challenge. Cusano 59 Rare Cameroon is an excellent choice when looking for a complex, full-bodied cigar that truly captivates the essence of Cameroon leaf.

LXI Habano Sun Grown - LXI Habano Sun Grown is another excellent blend hailing from world-renowned cigar maker Mike Cusano. Known for their mild to medium-bodied cigars, LXI Habano Sun Grown is a welcomed edition to the Cusano line, becoming their first full-bodied powerhouse.

Cuvee 151 - Cuvee 151 is a tasty cigar from the team responsible for producing the enjoyably creamy Cuvee Blanc and equally as enjoyable but more robust Cuvee Rouge.

Gurkha Turk - Gurkha has outdone themselves again, this time using a rare strand of Turkish tobacco to round out a blend simply called the "Gurkha Turk."

Man O' War - Manufactured at Tabacalera Fernandez in Nicaragua, Man O’ War is by far one of the best full-bodied cigars currently available. Not only are the tobaccos perfectly blended to create incredible complexity, but the quality and construction is also top-notch.

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

While a blender will concoct his creations based on flavors stemming from certain plants grown from specified seeds in specified regions, determining the strength and intensity of the competing aromas in a complex cigar is an art in itself. A typical tobacco plant has roughly 18 usable leaves that are spread among 5 primings. From bottom to top, these primings are referred to as Volado, Seco, Viso, Ligero and Corona. To alter a cigar’s flavor intensity, blenders will mostly utilize the middle three primings.

The strength of any particular tobacco is determined by the thickness of each leaf and this thickness is directly proportional to the amount of nutrients it receives from the soil and sun. For this reason, the leaves in the higher primings of the plant tend to have more texture and more flavor as they are exposed to more sunlight. Also, when the leaves are harvested they are picked from the bottom to the top over a two-week period. With the lower primings removed, more of the soil’s nutrients are funneled to the top of the plant where the leaves remain for a longer period of time.

How does a blender utilize this process? It depends. If he wants to increase the strength of the entire blend, he may amp up all of the leaves (i.e. change all of the Seco tobacco to Viso, Ligero, etc). However, and most commonly, the blender will change the primings of only some of the tobaccos in an effort to balance the competing aromas. For example, if the sweet notes from a leaf of Cameroon are dominating the palate too much and overshadowing some of the other more subtle notes, a blender might change to a lower priming of the Cameroon (i.e. change from Ligero to Viso) or he might use higher primings from some of the other tobaccos to round out the blend.

As you might imagine, blending quality cigars is more than just throwing together random leaves of tobacco. Narrowing the flavor profile of tobacco down to seed, country, region, farm and priming creates endless possibilities. For this reason, some of the world’s greatest potential blends have most likely not been discovered.