Still More Cigars by Frank Seltzer
In May, we told you about the tenth anniversaries of both My Father cigars and Tatuaje. At the show last week, My Father showed off the newly completed band for its tenth anniversary cigar. Only 2000 boxes of these will be made and the Nicaraguan puro measures 6.5” x 52 uses Criollo, Pelo d’Oro and Habana tobaccos. The company also added a box pressed La Dueña coming in 6.5” x 52 Toro Grande. We already talked about the El Centurion which is now coming out. This is a new blend of the old cigar which was out about 6 years ago. Jaime Garcia tweaked the blend and it will be in regular production…and a bit cheaper than the previous incarnation, running around $7 to $8.50. El Centurion comes in four sizes 5.75” x 50 robusto, 5.5” x 54 belicoso, 6.25” x 52 toro and the 6.5” x 58 toro grande.
French for The Workshop
Pete Johnson is out with his special 10th as well. It is a brown label blend with a closed foot. Available for this year only with the commemorative band. Pete’s other venture, L’Atelier released the L’Atelier Maduro. Coming in 3 sizes – 4.5” x 44, 4.5” x 54 and 5.5” x 56—it is a nice ful flavored smoke using the dark Maduro wrapper combined with the Sancti Spiritus leaf which is a hallmark of the brand. Prices for the Maduro range from $6.50 to $9.50.
The other new addition to L’Atelier is the Extension de la Racine (Extension of the Root). The idea behind this extension is that every year only one size will br created and available for that year only. This year’s release ( ER 13) uses a Criollo wrapper with Sancti Spiritus for the binder with a combination of Nicaraguan fillers. The size if 5.875” x 52 and will cost $9.25.
La Flor Dominicana
At La Flor Dominicana, the company is offering a new Factory Press Limitado, using a very dark Sumatran wrapper over a Nicaraguan Binder and Dominican fillers. Litto Gomez also is coming out with an A size in the Double Ligero line. Measuring a whopping 9’ x 47, it uses a Sumatran ligero wrapper over Dominican fillers and binder.
The Chisel is getting a new addition as well, called Chapter One, it is the first cigar blended by Litto’s son Tony who now works in the factory. Tony says it is the strongest Chisel to date. It uses a Brazilian Oscuro wrapper with a Connecticut Broadleaf binder to kick things up a bit, over Dominican filers. It measures 6.5” x 58. Litto says Tony made the cigar bigger then flattened it. It is a limited edition coming in boxes of 10.
La Matilde
Speaking of La Flor, the company now has a factory that is open to the public down in La Romana. It is run by former Altadis USA factory head Jose Seijas and the store/factory is called La Flor Dominicana Experience. At the factory Jose’s rollers make the Air Bender for Litto…but they also are busy making another cigar, it is called La Matilde. While not ready to display at the show, Jose was talking about the new project. The name, according to Seijas, comes from one of the first factories in the Dominican Republic back in Santiago in 1867. It was also the name of a factory in Tampa back in the early 1900s. Seijas is making La Matilde in four sizes a Corona at 5.5” x 44, Robusto 5.25” x 54, Grande 6”x 60 and a Toro Bravo at 6.5” x 54. The cigar is mostly Dominican tobaccos with a little Nicaraguan filer and a Habano wrapper. The price will range from $6.50 to $8 and should be available in November.
Melanio
Oliva has added to its Serie V line with the Melanio Gran Reserve Limitada. Named for the patriarch of the Oliva cigar family — Melanio Oliva – this Serie V contains the flavor and power you would expect in the line, but with more smoothness. The wrapper is Ecuadorian Sumatra, but from a special proprietary seed, over a Nicaraguan Habano binder and fillers. It actually debuted late last year and scored impressively in the ratings. Coming in 5 sizes, the Melanio is a premium priced cigar ranging from $7 – $14.
OGRE
I neglected to mention another cigar coming out of Christian Eiroa’s incubator. Asylum has released the Ogre. This is a true big boy measuring 7” x 70. What makes Ogre distinct is its barber pole wrapper which uses a light candela mixed with a dark Habano over Nicaraguan binder and filers for a distinctive taste. MSRP on the Ogre, which comes in boxes of 30 is $8. Of course there is Christian’s core CLE Corojo line which is very taste as well, but it actually came out at last year’s show.
Aged Cigars
From Altadis there is another special project called the Cedar Room Selection. These are some short run cigars that were set aside to in the company’s huge Tabacalera de Garcia factory’s cedar room. These cigars were only used for special events at the factory but now, you’ll soon be able to enjoy the special tobaccos used to make these limited cigars.
