Alex

Visiting Drew Estate

2008-09-29T15:59:00Z

Typically, many cigar enthusiasts are surprised to hear that Drew Estate is among the top five cigar makers in regard to the amount of cigars they produce each day. The truth is their uniquely infused cigars have a dedicated following while their new efforts in creating premium, non-infused cigars have yielded even more fans. This rapidly increasing demand for Drew Estate cigars prompted Jonathan Drew and his team to construct the largest factory in all of Nicaragua, measuring just shy of 100,000 square feet.

In all, the project took several years to complete and is still a work in progress as some of the finest details are still being wrapped up. Drew Estate has created some of the most unique blends in the industry, and getting a behind the scenes look at their factory is nearly impossible as they closely guard all of their secrets. Despite my best efforts to get a tour of the new facility, my requests were constantly being turned down. I was surprised when, out of the blue, I received a call from Jonathan this past summer with an offer to come tour his factory.

The heat was almost unbearable as I waited for Jonathan outside my hotel in the center of Esteli, Nicaragua. As he pulled up, the radio was blasting and when the door swung open, I was pleasantly greeted with a smile and a steady supply of air conditioning. I am familiar with most of Esteli, but the roads Jonathan traveled leading to his factory were foreign. Jonathan explained that for the site of the factory they chose a spot just outside of town, which prior to the factory being built was a fairly poor barrio (neighborhood). For Jonathan, improving the lives of the people in Nicaragua was a top priority and he wanted to bring jobs to an area of town where people were eager to work. His desire to give back to the people of Nicaragua was a common theme throughout the whole tour as within the confines of the factory. He also provided great benefits for his employees ranging from medical care to assistance with food, in addition to transportation to and from work.

The factory is situated at one of the highest elevations in the region, providing panoramic views of tobacco fields and the city below. As we approached the gate, Jonathan went on to explain that he has been busy working with the Nicaraguan government to help build bridges and fix the roads around the factory. Pulling in, I was like a wide-eyed kid at Christmas, in disbelief of the raw size of the building. Noticing my expression, Jonathan commented, “Now you see why everyone around here calls it ‘La Gran Fabrica’!” We made our way into the factory and I was struck, not by what I saw, but more so from what I did not see. Jonathan was employing some pretty old school techniques when it came to cigar production. For example, many factories use what is called a “Liberman” to help apply the binder around the bunched filler. This apparatus, which reduces waste and speeds up productivity, was nowhere to be found. Also, there were no draw-testing machines, which are used by almost every other large factory to ensure quality control. Before Jonathan could even begin to explain his philosophy, questions started spewing out of my mouth. Jonathan went into detail about the Drew Estate philosophy. “We want our rollers to take their time and make the best cigars on the market. To accomplish this, I think all the cigars need to be made completely by hand without shortcuts like the Liberman.” He went on to explain that in his experience, “rollers are too prone to rely on things like draw testing machines as a crutch, and to make the best cigars, the rollers need to pay attention to even the smallest details.” As I did a spot check on the production from several pairs, all of them drew perfectly and I began to understand what he was talking about.

After seeing the rest of the premium cigar production we took a break for lunch outside on the terrace. Construction was still being completed on this section of the factory, but Jonathan explained it was more of a phase II area where he was building a luxury hotel with a pool and all of the amenities. His goal, when completed, is to invite cigar enthusiasts from all over the world to come stay at Drew Estate and immerse themselves in the cigar culture of Nicaragua as well as the popular ecotourism. The project is called “Cigar Safari” and they were to begin booking trips starting in the fall.

After lunch, we wound our way through the seemingly endless aging rooms where Jonathan was kind enough to let me take some souvenirs with me. The tour ended at their subculture studio where a team of artists was making everything from furniture and cigar boxes to paintings for the factory walls. I did not want to leave without the chance to see where they made Acid and actually infused the cigars, but when I asked, Jonathan just laughed and said, “I suppose Coca-Cola shows people their recipe on their tour.” Well, it was worth a shot I suppose.

Maduro Cigars

2008-08-14T22:41:00Z

Maduro, perhaps the most misunderstood tobacco in the world, has slowly been taking more of the spotlight as cigar makers add more dark and oily blends to their lines. Maduro has had a tough reputation over the past 15 years, mainly because of misconceptions by cigar fans that have given a stigma to maduro as being strong when in fact they are typically quite the opposite. Maduro literally translates as “ripe” in Spanish and is not a specific type of tobacco, but rather a process employed on any variety of tobaccos to extract extra sugars from the leaf through extended fermentation. This process is lengthy, producing high levels of heat and as a natural by-product, turns the tobacco a beautiful, dark color with an oily texture. When done properly, a good maduro wrapper will possess sweet qualities and the flavors are detected both on the lips and in the smoke. Not all wrapper is suited for maduro as a hefty variety of leaf is needed to withstand the extra steps in fermentation that are very hard on the tobacco. For this reason, mostly broadleaves or Habano seeds are most often used for maduro wrappers. The misconception surrounding maduro cigars as producing more strength originated during the cigar boom of the 1990s. During the boom, demand outweighed supply; there was an enormous incentive to cut corners to bring cigars to market as quickly as possible. Since some cigar makers did not have the patience to wait the several years necessary to process maduro wrapper naturally, many resorted to coloring or painting their tobacco so it would appear as a fully fermented maduro. Since this type of leaf is not fully fermented, it is often described as strong, edgy, tannic, and bitter in flavor. There was such an overwhelming amount of this raw tasting tobacco on the market that enthusiasts began to associate these qualities with all dark cigars. Maduro wrapper is currently the best it has ever been. The higher standards set by consumers has pressured factories to process and fully ferment all of their tobacco, which is why many people are gravitating back to the sweet and flavorful qualities of maduro wrapped cigars.

How To Smoke a Cigar

2008-07-09T16:41:00Z

How do you smoke a cigar? This may seem like a silly question, but you might be surprised to know that the majority of cigar enthusiasts are not smoking their cigars in a fashion that maximizes there flavor and full potential. For an aficionado, tasting a cigar is equally as intricate as a sommelier tasting a wine. Since we have covered the methods of properly lighting a cigar several times in our previous issues, lets pick up where we left off and now discuss the proper methods of smoking a cigar. The key component to tasting all of the elements a fine hand made cigar has to offer is the draw. There must be enough smoke pulled into the palate to detect all of its nuances. To draw a cigar properly, although most aficionados have their own system, the most common practice used is referred to as the “1-2-3 method.” In this method, each draw is a series of three puffs, the first two being strong and short with a long and solid third puff. This technique allows for the oils at the foot of the cigar (the lit end) to heat up quickly before drawing onto the palate. Please note that at no time during this whole process should the smoke be inhaled into your lungs. The second phase is to use your mouth for the preliminary classification of flavors. In your mouth, the smoke does not have a discernable flavor, but rather stimulates specific areas of the palate to distinguish between the major areas of the tongue. These areas of the tongue pick up bitter (the center rear), acidic (rear sides), salty (front sides) or sweet (tip) flavors. A well-balanced cigar will stimulate each of these regions evenly. To help your palate with this process, puff out your cheeks and allow the smoke to swirl around in your mouth. Now for the tricky step, using your nose. This step is most often missed by cigar enthusiasts and is crucial to the smoking and tasting experience. While the mouth is important in identifying balance, the nose is where an aficionado will detect specific aromas like wood, leather, peat, spice, etc. After the smoke has swirled in your mouth, draw it to the rear of your throat (sometimes a swallowing action is required) and gently exhale part of the smoke through your nose. This is a very difficult talent to master and takes a lot practice. The key, as you get started, is to only blow 10% of the smoke through your nose and the rest out of your mouth. As you become more comfortable, you can increase this amount until you are ideally utilizing both your mouth and nose equally (50/50) when releasing the smoke. Exhaling through the nose is important because the nose is home to the majority of the flavor and odor receptors in the body. In fact, 80 to 90 percent of a cigar’s taste is actually detected in the nose. So what now? You may have just read this and realized you have been doing it all wrong. I too had this realization several years ago after meeting Hendrik Kelner of Davidoff, who taught me many things about tasting and balance. After I transitioned to using my nose when enjoying a cigar, everything I tried tasted differently. Some of my favorites were suddenly not as enjoyable as I previously thought, and some other cigars I had some distaste for became my everyday smokes. Practicing proper technique is not something to be afraid of. Whether you are just starting out now or making the transition after many years of experience, utilizing some of these proper techniques will only heighten your enjoyment and appreciation of fine cigars.

Exploring Granada

2008-07-08T18:42:00Z

Traveling through Central America every month, you meet a lot of interesting people. Most of the Americans I come across on my flights are tourists heading out in search of some of the lesser-known vacation spots located off the beaten path. During my travels, one place I continually heard about was Granada. On one of my recent trips to cigar country (Esteli, Nicaragua) this past spring, I was winding down a 14 day factory visit and decided it was finally time that I discovered more of what Nicaragua has to offer.

The previous night I was out with some factory owners, including Abdel (AJ) Fernandez and Pepin Garcia, enjoying rum and live music, so my early morning departure was moving slowly. I crudely stuffed my clothes in my bag, grabbed my map and called my driver. When he arrived at the house I tried to show him Granada on my map and much to my surprise he needed little direction, as most Nicaraguans are all too familiar with this historic and popular town.

We drove due south from Esteli on the Pan American highway, swinging around the capitol city of Managua. For 14 strait days my diet consisted of rice, beans and churasco steaks so as we passed a Papa Johns pizzeria, my nostalgia for American food kicked in and I insisted we pull over for a slice. Back on the road, we finished our two and a half hour expedition.

Granada is referred to as the "Capital of Central America" on account of its age, which dates back almost 500 years. The city was named after the Andelusian city of Granada and is situated on Lake Nicaragua at the base of the Mombacho Volcano. This location made Granada a logical first settlement for the Spanish, ideal for farming and agriculture on account of its fertile volcanic soils and also ideal for trade with easy access to the Atlantic Ocean through the San Juan river, which feeds the lake. The Mombacho Volcano, which is now inactive, blew its top hundreds of years ago forming over 300 small islands off Granada’s coast giving it the nickname, “City of Islands”. These small multi-acre islands are owned by some of Nicaragua’s most elite members of society and are used as private getaways with extravagant mansions.

Pulling into the city was like going back in time. The Spanish influence was evident in the city’s architecture. There is a large open park at the center of town that is surrounded by beautiful hotels and buildings, including a world famous Cathedral that draws tourists from all over the world. Upon further exploration of the city, I was completely taken back by its cleanliness. Most cities in Nicaragua, and most in Latin America for that matter, are not known for their clean streets, however, Granada was very well kept with old cobblestone streets that were bustling with people. Unlike many of the country’s other areas, Granada appeared untouched by the violent conflicts which plagued the country during the 1980s.

After exploring the city, I was excited to get to the lake. As we drove down the main street toward the water, banners and signs were positioned on every corner, supporting candidates for the upcoming mayoral elections. Arriving at the beach, I was amazed by the vista. In the distance, I could faintly make out the outline of Ometepe, the volcanic island at the center of Lake Nicaragua, which is home to some of the world’s best tobacco. I had the pleasure of visiting Ometepe earlier this year. I took a boat tour of the smaller islands of the coast before heading back to my hotel at the center of town.

During the evenings, I had the pleasure of discovering a different side of Granada. Home to a plethora of restaurants, the food was some of the best, most authentic Latin cuisine I have ever come across in all of my travels. Over the next few nights I would always try a new restaurant, swearing that each one was better than the previous. After dinner, I met up with a group of Americans and we made our way down to the many bars along the lake, where there is live music every night.

Waking up the next day, I made my way to a café near my hotel for lunch. Having smoked the last of my cigars the night before, I asked the waiter where I could find a decent cigar shop. A few moments later he returned with a cigar and told me it was on the house. Upon inspection, I immediately noticed the band which featured the name of the restaurant. I appreciated the gift, but was a bit disappointed that I was stuck with what I figured would be a mass marketed private label blend. I lit it up almost immediately and recanted my thoughts as my palate was consumed by what I can only describe as a raison like flavor and aroma. I must admit that I had never tasted anything quite like it in a cigar. I inquired as to where the cigars were made and was shocked to find that they were rolled at a small factory in town. In all of my research, I was unaware there was a cigar factory in Granada. I finished my meal and went back on the job as I searched for the blender who made my lunchtime smoke.

Within minutes I found myself in front of the Dona Elba Cigar Factory. Walking in, I was greeted by the owner, Silvio Reyes. Silvio looked familiar to me for some reason and I would later realize that it was his picture I was seeing on all of the posters around town. Silvio would be the next mayor of Granada and he was well known and liked by all of the residents of the city - I quickly found out why. With a glowing smile and unmatched hospitality, Silvio invited me in and offered me a cigar. As we both lit up I began asking him questions about his blends and specifically inquired about the unique aromas in his tobacco. With wide eyes, he shouted out in Spanish for one of his employees to bring him a hand of the “Mombocho” (a hand is a term used for a bunch of leaves tied together).

He eagerly presented a dark bunch of leaves for me to inspect. Putting my nose into the center of the bunch, my senses were overwhelmed with the same flavor I was finding in all of Silvio’s cigars. He went on to explain that for several years he had been growing experimental tobacco crops in Granada at the base of the Mombacho volcano. Silvio’s family owned a great deal of land and much of it had never been used for growing, making it ideal for tobacco. In fact, he grows his tobacco without the use of any pesticides or fertilizer making the tobacco grown on this virgin volcanic soil 100% organic. For his seeds, he was using a hybrid of a Cuban and native Nicaraguan variety which yielded a strong and tough leaf that requires three times as much fermentation as normal tobacco. I have been all over the world studying and smoking different tobaccos and I must admit that what I saw at this small factory in Granada was a first.

After spending the afternoon with Silvio, he prepared a small bundle of cigars for me and gave me a few hands of his organic leaf to show my collegues in the US. Time was short and I was late meeting my driver for my return flight. As I raced into the airport, I almost forgot my cigars in the car. The entire trip home I could not stop thinking about the few days I spent in Granada. The city was beautiful, cultural and relaxing. Its rich history provided a seemingly endless number of attractions and to top it off, I had discovered a small cigar factory that was doing innovative things with tobacco that the world had not yet seen.

Tobacco's Hidden Paradise

2008-06-21T13:47:00Z

When I received my invitation to see Ometepe this past February, I was ecstatic. I have been writing about brands that use tobacco grown on this mysterious island for years and have always dreamed of visiting to see its lush soils for a first hand look. Opportunities to visit Ometepe don’t come along very often. Not only is this tobacco a closely guarded secret (you need special permission to visit the farms), but Ometepe is so isolated – it’s an island in the middle of the country’s massive Lake Nicaragua – that it takes two full days of travel in planes, boats and cars just to reach Ometepe’s beautiful shores from the United States.

My bags were packed and I started my trek from Chicago through Miami before arriving in Managua, Nicaragua. I was already exhausted and my travels had only begun. I met my driver and we started the long, grueling drive to San Jorge. His frequent accelerating and decelerating over the rough road made me feel like I was in the back seat of a Chicago cab driving through a minefield. I had a few hours to kill in San Jorge before my boat pulled anchor for the Island, so I took in the sites of the town and the beautiful views of Lake Nicaragua, the largest fresh water lake in Central America. The ecology of the lake is fascinating. Since it was once easily accessible by the ocean, the fresh water lake that is now land locked is the only place in the world where tuna, marlin, crocodiles and even sharks flourish in fresh water. Due to the scary stories told to me by some of the locals, swimming in this lake was definitely not on my agenda. Eventually, the ferry pulled off from shore and the boat made its way through the rough water. On the ferry, I was joined by a group of backpackers who had set off on their own adventure to conquer the great volcanoes that actually make up the island. As the boat pulled into port, I was happily greeted by the sound of howler monkeys; the Island’s natural inhabitants.

Two sizable volcanoes make up Ometepe: Concepcion and Maderas, which are joined by a small land mass. When the boat arrived in Concepcion, I was met by Armando Robaina, the nephew of world-renowned tobacco grower Alejandro Robania. Armando manages the farms and would be my guide for the next few days. As he drove me to my hostel in Maderas, I immediately began asking him the list of questions I had prepared prior to my trip. There are 31 farms on Ometepe; all operated exclusively by Nestor Plasencia, the largest grower of Cuban-seed tobacco in Central America. In turn, the leaf is sold only to General Cigar for use in their Bolivar, Partagas Decadas and a small number of other brands. Before I could delve into my list, we were already at camp and I retired to my room after a beautiful sunset, anxious to meet with Armando again the next day to continue my tour.

The next day began early after a breakfast of rice and beans. I accompanied Armando as he made his daily stops to all of the farms. The secret to Ometepe’s tobacco rests in its soil and climate. The volcanic soil is rich in calcium, potassium and magnesium, all key elements in growing premium tobacco. This soil, in conjunction with a natural and ever-present moisture and perfect cloud cover, grows tobacco stalks as high as 6 feet. Most of the farms are located on the outskirts of the island, and I was in awe of the beautiful tobacco that was pitched in the foreground of breathtaking vistas of the lake and volcanoes. I have never seen such lush tobacco in my life. It is easy to see why tobacco agronomists compare the conditions on Ometepe to those of Vuelta Abajo, where the finest Cuban tobacco is grown.

Armando offered a wealth of knowledge that he did not hesitate to share with me. Picking up a clump of soil in his hand, he proudly showed off its perfect color, which was a bit darker than that found in the Jalapa region, but lighter than the black soil of Esteli. He stated they water the fields every week without fail at the same interval and have workers caring for each plant by hand in the same intervals. Armando then went on to say that having the right conditions for growing is only half of the secret to Ometepe’s tobacco. The other half is the expertise of the engineers and workers that care for the farms. These employees are hand picked from farms in other regions and charged with the task of ensuring successful harvests in Nicaragua’s most coveted Tierra. The day flew by as I passed time with Armando and took photos at every farm, each seemingly more beautiful than the last. As Armando pulled back into the hostel, I thanked him repeatedly for his hospitality and quickly retired to my room to take notes while the details of the day’s events were fresh in my head.

From the seedbeds, to the fields and finally to the curing barns, the tobacco remains in Ometepe for six months before it is transported to Esteli for fermentation. There, Nestor Plasencia’s fermentation specialists keep a watchful eye on the bails. The fermentation facility is visited frequently by General Cigar’s buyers, as well as Daniel Nunez; who monitors the tobacco’s process carefully. Before its final fermentation, the tobacco is moved to General Cigar’s fermentation and aging facilities in the Dominican Republic, where they are fermented one final time. Afterward, the secret finishing touches are added and the tobacco leaves undergo several years of aging, before finding their way into the rich filler of Bolivar cigars, among others.

I was grateful for the opportunity to visit Ometepe, and I can safely say the bar has been raised in tobacco cultivation after visiting many of the 31 farms. The tobacco I saw, touched and tasted was unlike anything I have seen in the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua or any other growing region in the world. It is not a surprise that those involved in all aspects of caring for this tobacco are so secretive. In an industry as competitive as this, having access to tobacco of this caliber gives Nestor Plascencia a big leg up on the competition. I just hope that I will be invited back again soon to follow the success of this tobacco in the years to come.

Nub - A theory Supported by Facts

2008-05-06T19:33:00Z

Now that Nub has been out there for about a month, I have had a chance to look over the comments that I see on several of the forums. For me the best type of feedback is when people say if they like something or not and I am often turned off when people to go out of their way to dismiss a concept as a whole.

Liking Nub or not is a matter of preference, but I feel the need to set the matter strait and explain a bit about why Nub is special and how the theory is valid. Some of what I read in feedback around the net is that it the theory is a “gimmick”, dismissing Nub cigars as simply short and fat cigars or even “larger cigars cut in half.”

If you are not familiar wit the theory, I will bring you up to speed. The Nub theory is that a conventional cigar takes time to warm up and hit its “sweet spot”. The Nub however does not take time to warm up to its sweet spot, but instead provides an excellent smoke from start to finish that is consistent and maintains the flavor and complexity often associated with the best part of a cigar.

Fact 1: Nub is not simply a larger cigar cut in half. All premium cigars are hand rolled with a certain size wrapper. The size of the wrapper used is dictated by the size of the vitola (shape) the torcedor (cigar roller) is making. IE: small sizes use small wrappers and large sizes use large wrappers. When you look at the outside of a cigar you will see seams in the wrapper. These are also called folds or turns and when looking at a cigar you should notice three distinct turns that are proportionate. This is consistent with any cigar no matter what size. That said, if they were truly taking 8 inch cigars and cutting them in half, you would only see one or two turns on the wrapper. That said, Nub has three full, proportionate folds and beautiful seams. Speaking from experience in making cigars, rolling cigars in the shapes the Nubs are in is very difficult. In fact, I would assume it takes a fairly experienced roller to make this line.

Fact 2: Nub blends their cigars differently to achieve the “sweet spot”. It is scientific and there is validity to the theory. You see, when a buncher makes a cigar they fold the filler leaves like an accordion with the tips of the leaves at the foot (the end you light). This allows for the smoother portion and more easily combustible parts of the leaf to be near the foot. This helps a cigar ease into its flavor and also makes it easier to light. More in depth, consider the shape and structure of any regular plant leaf. There is a central vein and sub veins that branch off of the main. The bulk of the texture, nutrients and hence flavor are concentrated toward the central stem and toward the bottom of the leaf (opposite the tip). You can see this actually illustrated during the leaves curing process as they turn from green to yellow, and from yellow to brown. The color changes start at the very outside of the leaf and at the tip and work their way into the center and down the leaf. To introduce the maximum flavor from the moment Nub is lit, the blenders and bunchers actually cut away almost the top 1/3 of the filler leaf. This compacts the most flavorful and complex portions of the tobacco into a smaller size. If these were just normal blended smaller cigars, they would use the whole filler or if anything just the tops.

Fact 3: Again, another fact confirmed by science when it comes to the Nub theory. The weight of the short and fat Nub cigars is actually the same as many conventional cigar sizes. Length and ring do not always dictate smoke time. Density is a major factor and Nub adds extra filler (see comment two about getting the flavor from the filler). Several skeptics have dismissed Nub as a “quick smoke”. It is my opinion that this denser filler in conjunction with a wide ring is a major contributor to the uniqueness of Nub. The dense filler and large diameter force you to smoke it slowly. In fact, it is hard to smoke Nub quickly even if you try your hardest. One of the biggest faults with all cigar smokers (myself included) is that people smoke their cigars too quickly. Doing so makes the cigar burn hotter and you loose a great deal of the flavor. By being forced to smoke Nub slowly, more of the flavor is preserved as you have to take you time with it.

Liking the all new Nub or not is a strict matter of preference, but hearing people talk about “gimic” and “short version of regular cigars” is disappointing. This perception is obviously the product of a few uneducated “aficionados” posting opinions that are being accepted as fact. Me personally, I enjoy the Nub. However, most of all, I enjoy the ingenuity and creativity from Sam Leccia and the folks at Oliva. It is this type of outside of the box thinking and blending that the cigar industry will benefit from. 40 years ago, there were only a few brands in this industry and look at it now. If the cigar industry is going to continue to grow, then ideas and the creative process in general needs to also. I applaud Sam and Oliva for taking a chance on an interesting concept. I wish them both the best.

Blenders Secrets Revealed

2008-05-06T16:28:00Z

While a blender will concoct his creations based on flavors that stem 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 all by itself. A typical tobacco plant has roughly 18 usable leaves that are spread among 5 primings. From the bottom to the top, these primings are referred to as Valado, Seco, Viso, Ligero and Corona. Because of the flavor intensity, mostly the middle three priming are utilized by blenders to alter the cigars intensity. The strength of any particular tobacco is determined by the leaves thickness 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 soils nutrients and funneled to the top of the plant where the leaves remain for a longer period of time. How does a blender use this? It depends. If he wants to increase the strength of the entire blend, he may amp up all of the leaves (ie make all the seco tobaccos viso, visos to 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, the blender might change to a lower priming of the Cameroon (ie ligero to viso) or he might use higher primings from some to 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 leaves endless possibilities. For this reason, some of the world’s greatest potential blends have most likely not been discovered.

The Next Big Thing

2008-03-26T01:21:00Z

Five years ago, if you had asked any aficionado who Don Pepin Garcia was, you would have been met with a blank stare. Ask that same question today and there would be no hesitation as they talk about a man, who in recent years, has revolutionized the cigar industry with innovative blends. The truth is, every year skilled Cuban blenders and cigar makers with generations of experience leave Cuba in search of a fresh start and better work in Nicaragua, Honduras, the Dominican and of course, Miami. I'm aware of this fact because I receive dozens of samples every month from new cigar makers looking to break into this competitive industry. I always keep a keen eye on these new makers, looking for the next big name in cigars, which brings me to A.J. Fernandez.

Today's cigar enthusiasts are probably already familiar with A.J. He is responsible for producing such renowned brands as Rocky Patel Fusion, Rocky Patel Signature, Sol Cubano Cuban Cabinet, Sol Cubano Artisan, Padilla Habano and the all new ITC (Indian Tabac) 10th Anniversary. I met A.J. about a year ago when a small package of his cigars arrived at my office. To my surprise, his cigars offered a flavor and complexity unlike anything I had ever tasted before. Within hours I found myself calling the number on the return address label, and before I knew it, A.J. invited me to Esteli to get a first hand look at his operation.

I arrived at the factory, which was impressive in both its size and beauty. As the receptionist showed me A.J.'s office, I opened the door and was met with the first of many surprises. I was standing face to face with a stout, young Cuban who extended his hand and introduced himself as A.J. Fernandez. Most Cuban master blenders are nearly twice A.J.'s age, and being a relative youngster in this industry myself, I was very excited to find a young cigar maker with so much enthusiasm.

I immediately lit the first of many samples and began asking Don A.J. Fernandez about his history. He is a third generation tobacco grower and cigar blender from Pinar del Rio, Cuba. While his early education about cigars and tobacco came from his father (who is now currently in charge of all fermentation efforts for Nestor Plasencia, the world's largest grower of Cuban-seed tobacco), A.J. spent most of his late childhood as an understudy of the great Alejandro Robaina. For those not familiar with Alejandro, he is widely considered the greatest agronomist and tobacco grower in Cuban history. Under Alejandro's tutelage, A.J. learned the ins and outs of growing leaf. He then took the fundamentals his father and grandfather had instilled in him at a young age and combined them with the many secrets he learned from Alejandro, secrets which to this day Don Alejandro Robaina has shared only with his successor, his grandson, in addition to A.J.

At just 24 years old, A.J. was presented with an opportunity to leave Cuba in search of new opportunities in Nicaragua. In a short time, he found himself in Esteli running a small factory with just six rollers. Despite being a talented grower, A.J. bought most of his tobacco as he was getting his operation off the ground. He also spent a majority of his time fermenting tobacco with a proprietary activation recipe that had been handed down to him by his grandfather. A.J. explained that this process in fermentation is what makes his signature blends so unique. Knowing that buying good tobacco is difficult, I asked A.J. if he had any trouble sourcing premium leaf for his factory, Tabacalera Fernandez. At this point, A.J. went on to explain that he is Nestor Plasencia's nephew. My eyes lit up. Nestor Plasencia owns and operates one of the world's most prestigious Cuban-seed growing operations in the world. This familiar relationship means A.J. has unprecedented access to some of the best tobacco leaf on the market. As if that were not enough, he went on to explain his close relationship with another world-renowned tobacco family, the Olivas. For generations the Oliva Family has been the authority on growing tobacco in Ecuador. Today, they provide raw materials for such notable brands as Fuente, Ashton, Davidoff, Oliva, and of course Don Pepin Garcia. With access to tobaccos from both Oliva and Plasencia, and with his own special recipe for fermentation, A.J. began raising eyebrows rather quickly. In little time, his popularity increased and A.J. moved into a larger factory in Esteli, where he continues to expand today.

As I write this article, A.J. Fernandez is still expanding on his new "empire." He has planted hundreds of acres in anticipation of harvesting an impressive 400,000 pounds of Nicaraguan Habano-seed leaves this year. He employs time-tested techniques in growing, curing, and fermenting some of the best tobacco I have ever had the privilege of tasting. With help from his partner, Kris Kachaturian, all of the tobacco from his farms will be used in production for his impressive client list, including Rocky Patel, Ernesto Padilla and of course, Cigar.com. Today, A.J. oversees all 1,000 employees, including over 100 fine rollers, whom he selected and trained personally.

If you want to be ahead of the curve on discovering the next big thing in the cigar industry, familiarize yourself with cigars from Tabacalera Fernandez. I have little doubt that A.J.'s cigars will be difficult to acquire in a very short time, since more people are becoming acquainted with his unique, incredibly tasty blends.

Cigar.com Invades Nicaragua

2008-03-13T21:25:00Z

As we made our final approach into Managua, I remembered the last time the Cigar.com team and I were together on a factory trip. Last year the group visited the small town of Danli, Honduras, leaving nothing but ash and smoke rings in our wake. This year our destination was 90 minutes south of Danli in what is arguably the greatest cigar town in the world, Esteli, Nicaragua. Perdomo, Oliva, Plasencia, Don Pepin Garcia, Padron, Toraño and many other famous cigar makers call this quaint city in Nicaragua’s interior home. In fact, it is believed that 80% of Esteli’s population is somehow supported by the cigar industry.

Getting off the plane in the warm weather was a welcome change from the frigid February cold back home. We were greeted by our hosts Kris Katchaturian and renowned master blender A.J. Fernandez. Our previous trips had armed us with a great deal of cigar knowledge, but this visit to Nicaragua would have us getting our hands dirty, working some of the most labor-intensive jobs in the cigar making process, and exposing us fully to the intricacies of producing handmade cigars.

The car’s engine was running when we landed, and we started the long drive to Esteli. Winding through the countryside our motorcade finally reached our destination. By this time, almost all of the team members had already burned through their first few cigars. It was late in the day, but our group was eager to get busy, so we bypassed the hotel and proceeded right to the Tabacalera Fernandez factory.

Walking onto the rolling floor, we were greeted by the sound of banging chavetas, the rollers' way of saying welcome. In most cigar factories, the best rollers are positioned closest to the front. Because of this, our attention was immediately drawn to a torcedor in the first row. AJ immediately started to explain that this was his best roller and the only one in the factory qualified to make the sought-after Sol Cubano Artisan, a barber pole and pinstripe cigar unlike any other in the cigar industry. At 5:30 a loud bell sounded, signaling the end of the day for the factory employees. Tired from our journey, we called it a day and retired back to the hotel.

After breakfast the next morning, AJ pulled up in front of our hotel and rolled down the passenger window, waving his hand and yelling "vámanos, vámanos." AJ explained that we would be spending the morning at one of his five farms, one that was roughly 70 days into the 90-day growing process. After explaining the secrets to his Corojo leaf, he wasted no time putting our team to work as we picked the flowers and small leaves from the stalks. This process is important to ensure the larger leaves intended for cigars received a bulk of the nutrients and hence flavor. From there, we moved on to the curing barn where we helped AJ’s employees string the leaves onto large poles and suspend them in the barn where they would remain for 45 days as they changed from green to yellow and from yellow to brown.

With a tough morning behind us, we had gained a new appreciation for what goes into a premium cigar. We ate lunch and proceeded to the fermentation facility. There we helped the warehouse manager turn pilones of tobacco and de-stem leaves. This is the final process before the tobacco is sent to the factory. With one of the largest inventories of tobacco in Nicaragua, working in AJ’s warehouse was no easy feat. By the day's end we were exhausted.

The next morning we prepared for an exciting day at rolling school. Tabacalera Fernandez is home to one of the most respected rolling schools in Central America, employing some of the region’s finest master rollers to oversee new employees. Although skeptical, some of the local rollers quickly embraced our presence and we learned as much as we could about bunching the filler and putting on the wrapper. Trust me when I tell you it's not as easy as it looks!

The next day we shoved off for our return flight. At the airport, we had a chance to discuss all that we had learned and our consensus was that we were better off sticking to selling cigars and not creating them. The amount of time and patience involved in every step of the process, from the farms to the factory, is overwhelming. It is remarkable that you can still buy cigars for less than $10 when you consider all of the manpower needed to turn a seed into a smoking work of art. Despite each of us having spent years in the cigar industry, I can safely say our group has a renewed appreciation.

Wine and Cigars

2008-02-28T05:00:00Z

Wine and cigars are often closely associated. Cigar enthusiasts also fancy themselves wine lovers and often go so far as to pair the two. What specifically are the similarities between wine and cigars?

Seeds and Regions: Wine is often described and given its character by its grapes in much the same way that a cigar is identified by its tobacco. Like grapes, tobacco varies greatly by both its seed and growing region. The seeds most often associated with tobacco are Havana (also referred to as Criollo, Corojo and Habano), Cameroon, Sumatra and Connecticut. These seeds are harvested all over the world including: Africa, Indonesia, Ecuador, Cuba, Nicaragua, Honduras, Panama and a host of other countries. Depending on the region and specific seed, the resulting tobacco is extremely diverse and offers different qualities in terms of flavor, body and combustion.

Fermentation: Processing grapes for wine is equally as important as processing tobacco for cigars. Like wine, tobacco is fermented to break down tannons, extract sugar, and remove many other byproducts from the raw materials. As it pertains to cigars, the fermentation process can last anywhere from one to three years and like wine, is the step where a blender can impart his own expertise to give it a signature flavor. For example, two cigar makers may buy tobacco from the same farmer or field, but each will ferment it differently resulting in a unique flavor profile when the leaf makes its way to the resulting cigar. The most talented blenders in the cigar industry often utilize family recipes and traditions that have been handed down over generations. For any master blender, the fermentation process is one of his most guarded secrets.

Aging: Even a novice wine drinker knows that a fine vino only improves with age. However, most people are unaware that cigars age in much the same way. Under the right climate conditions, cigars will age by marrying the tobaccos more harmoniously while simultaneously continuing to break down some of the rougher more tanic properties of the leaf. A properly aged cigar will yield a more balanced and rounded flavor that offers the connoisseur a more subtle variety. However, like wine, the aging process is very specific, and a cigar will typically peak. It takes a well trained eye and palate know when a cigar or bottle of wine is at its best.

Tasting: As it is with any delicacy, cigars stimulate the palate in the same fashion as will a glass of wine. By manipulating the bitter, acid, sweet and salt regions of palate, cigars deliver flavor and complexity that is judged in many of the same ways a sommelier will judge a fine wine. These categories include things such as: strength, balance, flavor, and finish.

Pairing: Deciding on a glass of white wine with your fish or on a glass of red with your steak is an important choice that has a great influence on your overall satisfaction with your meal. Selecting the right cigar to accompany your food or drink of choice is equally as important. Certain tobaccos tend to complement a dish better than others and are often selected for their subtle or robust qualities. After a meal, fat cells remain in your mouth and these pockets are ideal for smoke to cling to. Which cigar pairs best with which food is strictly a matter of preference.

Cigars are as dynamic as wine and over time have become more and more popular. Everyday in fact, the cigar culture is attracting new enthusiasts who are interested in exploring what this exciting hobby has to offer. While perhaps most of the public is more familiar with wine, cigars are every bit as intriguing but are often more misunderstood. If you fancy yourself a connoisseur of life’s finest things, cigars should be high on your list.

Before I Rant, Allow Me To Introduce Myself

2008-02-13T18:37:00Z

Wow my very own blog, now all I have to do is find the time to keep it updated. Rather than peel into an immediate tirade on proper fermentation, real maduro cigars and one of my many million cigar quirks, I figured I should first introduce myself.

I remember my first cigar like it was yesterday. I was 14 and a girlfriend gave me a Montecristo No. 2 Cuban she had taken from her father’s humidor. My friends and I stared at it for a week before we got the stones to actually smoke it. We fired it up and passed it around. After several draws I remember feeling dizzy and like I was about to cough up a lung. Despite feeling a bit sick, I loved the flavor. The next day I picked up some books and started learning about cigars and all of the mistakes I made the night prior. 1. Don’t inhale. 2. Start with something mild. 3. Take your time and don’t smoke it too fast. Then I got to the etiquette section. Before I knew it, I was captivated by the cigar culture and was back at the shop later that night pawing through the walk in humidor. Being so young, my budget was extremely limited and my first humidor was an old cigar box the shop owner gave me that I converted into a humidor with a homemade humidifier. I bought some extra books as well as a sampler pack and started on a journey that would forever change my life. In fact, since that day I have smoked at least one cigar everyday.

What started as a hobby, quickly became a passion. I would sneak out onto my roof from my bedroom window every night with something special from my humidor and sometimes after school I would venture over to the cigar shop. I was not just smoking them, but I would take them apart any chance I got. Often times the shop owner would give me some broken cigars to play with and I would study everything about the components of a cigar while reading every book and article I could get my hands on. With college fast approaching, I selected DePauw University in Greencastle Indiana. I came from a long line of executives and entrepreneurs and DePauw had an excellent reputation for producing some of the world’s most respected CEOs. An economics major, my days were spent hitting the books and I still found time to unwind with a cigar in the basement of my SAE fraternity house. At the time, my ambitions were to enter the consulting field (a lucrative job at the time) and retire as soon as possible to start my real dream, a cigar shop.

It was my senior year when things started to change for me. I was on spring break in Jamaica with some other folks from my school. It was the last day and I was making a trip to the cigar shop to pick up some Mario Palomino’s (at the time this Jamaican cigar was fantastic and could only be purchased in Jamaica). While there, I encountered another person from my trip who was making the all too familiar mistake of buying a fake box of Cohibas. I stopped him immediately. When he asked me how I knew and what other cigar I would recommend, it turned into an hour long conversation about cigars. Within this conversation, the gentleman mentioned that his brother had just purchased the website www.cigar.com.

When I returned from my trip, I quickly changed gears to prepare for my interviews. At the time, the job market was terrible, especially for consulting. Feeling the pressure from my family and school to nail something down, I changed gears and started considering opportunities in banking before freezing completely like a deer in the headlights. I found myself unhappy with my career choices and found the card I got from the guy in the cigar shop in Jamaica. I called his brother to inquire about opportunities with Cigar.com and before I knew I was interviewing for a telemarketing position. The company was still young and I would be working for close to minimum wage as I cold called people to sell them cigars. The money wasn’t great, particularly with my background, and I was eating three steady meals of ramon everyday, but I was having the time of my life working with cigars. My family and friends thought I was crazy, but I could not have imagined working anywhere else.

All of my studying and smoking quickly paid off as the company grew, and overtime I worked my way through the ranks to my current position as the Cheif Merchant for Cigar.com. Today I spend my time working directly with every major cigar maker as a buyer as well as taking an active roll in product development. My cigar education has continued, but today is focused more around tobacco, processing and cigar making. Between our customers, employees and vendors, I am still learning something new about cigars everyday.

What I love about this industry is how it is always evolving. New brands come and go all the time and cigar makers are always experimenting with new ideas in aging and fermentation. Cigars are one of the country’s oldest businesses. I love the tradition, but most of all, the comradery of cigar enthusiasts. I look forward to updating my blog and interacting with everyone on the forum!