Review of H. Upmann Cigars

H. Upmann Cigars are widely renowned for their brilliant quality cigars. These cigars are admired and loved by cigar smokers all over the world. The company releases new cigars with unique flavors and aroma every year. The cigars are packed carefully using high quality wrappers. Special care is taken to introduce very high quality filler. The binder tobaccos are aged for over a period of at least two years.

The wrapper for H. Upmann cigars are made from Tapado’s top leaves. Tapado is a tobacco plant native of Cuba. It is a shade grown black plant. Use of the plant guarantees brilliant production of cigars. It is said that the wrapper is darker as compared to those used for other regular size cigars of the same brand. Admirers of H. Upmann cigars will immediately come to know about these wrappers and distinctive style the moment they hold it in their hand.

The H. Upmann Cigars are produced from finest tobacco leaves and a trademark for the eminent brand Alec Bradley cigars. These leaves are derived from Vuelta Abajo. One of the most distinctive characteristic of these cigars is the longer filler from the region. Hence, these cigars are the hot favourite among people all across the world especially those who know the difference between premium grade cigars and inferior ones. Only ardent cigar aficionados can relish the distinctive taste and aroma of the cigar by this company. These cigars are easily available online these days. So, one can buy these from the comfort of their home.

A lot of cigar smokers are intrigued by the H. Upmann. Right from the colour to size, aroma, taste, overall look, and style, these cigars are loved for their features and everything they are made of. No wonder these are rated as the number one cigars by the company since many years. Since the advent of these cigars, they have been admired by the cigar lovers.

The Upmann cigars are veined and own a very mesmerising rustic-looking that cigar lovers go ga-ga over. Another wonderful feature in this regard is the dark wrapper which almost imitates the color of dark chocolate. The seams of the cigars are raised and plainly visible. The triple cap is also obliquely applied to the cigar. Presently the latest release of the cigar has been done for a ‘Limited release’. Cigar enthusiasts would definitely like to have this cigar as keepsake. A lot of these are offered as samples. The cigars are available both nationally and internationally. Cigar smokers can buy these from online stores as per their convenience.

H. Upmann is a leading brand name for expensive state of the art premium cigar. The company was established way back in the year 1844 in Cuba. It is also counted as amongst the oldest in the competitive cigar industry. These cigars are made in two different versions. One of these is presently continued to be manufactured in Cuban island for Habanos SA. This is also the state owned Cuban organization for tobacco. The other one is produced for the United States market owing to the Cuban prohibition in La Romana. The company has maintained its reputation for offering high quality cigars till date without fail.

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How to Become a Cigar Connoisseur

Be it apparel, food, automobiles or any other consumable, each individual’s palette differs. What may appeal to one may be a complete dislike for another. Similarly cigar preferences too differ from one individual to the other. While some like full bodied cigars, others prefer mild variants. But, if you wish to be a cigar connoisseur you’ll have to move beyond the realm of likes and dislikes to try everything that’s available. Only then will you be experienced enough to be able to share opinions and reviews with others and eventually become a cigar connoisseur.

Reading up is the key

Having grown up in places where cigars are manufactured or where tobacco is grown can certainly be an advantage, making the process of becoming a cigar connoisseur easier, due to the ready access to the rich history of cigars. Knowledge forms the building blocks in the process of becoming a true cigar connoisseur, not merely smoking a large variety of cigars. The more you know about cigars the better you get at being an expert.

Resources

Having said that knowledge is the biggest stepping stone to being a cigar connoisseur, there are a number of resources an aspirant can leverage.

• Libraries
• Online materials
• Tobacconists
• Online Cigar forums
• Cigar shows

While these are only a few means, there can be many more ways to discover and know about cigars. Even speaking to a cigar connoisseur you know can give you insight into a lot about cigars. So always stay on the lookout for any kind of information about cigars that comes your way.

What to read?

Cigars have a fascinating and rich history behind them be it a Padron or a Camacho. Beginning from where and how they are grown to how they are manufactured to how they are smoked, there are lots to know. Study about the eminent figures who smoked cigars, their personalities, their lifestyles, their preferences and the brands that they relished. Read about the different kinds of tobacco leaves that are produced around the world, which places are famous for tobacco leaves, how cigars were developed and grew into a cult of its own. Know what cigar wrapper colors say about cigars and what different varieties of Camacho Cigars mean.

It’s interesting to know about the families who have been into manufacturing the most relished and famous brands of cigars. Even minuscule things about cigars such what different kinds of veins on them indicate about their properties can be valuable in enhancing your knowledge.  You should also know which drinks or food can complement different kinds of cigars and what can be the best times of the year you can best relish different kinds of cigars.

Experiment to Experience

To be a cigar connoisseur you cant be choosy about what you want to smoke. You should try everything that’s available. Different brands from different countries, different prices, different blends, different lengths, different sizes and different ages.

Also, ensure you document each kind of cigar you smoke with details of where you purchased it from, the price, the brand, the blend, its features, the taste, the thought that arose when smoking it, what you complemented that cigar with and so on so forth. You can always refer back to it in future to relive your cigar smoking experience.

Share your Knowledge

Now that you have considerable knowledge and experience, it’s time to share it with others. This is the best part of being a cigar connoisseur and if you’ve truly aspired to be one, you’ll enjoy every bit of it. Join a cigar board or spend time at your local tobacconist to share your knowledge with the visitors there.

Do you aspire to be a cigar connoisseur? How many varieties of cigars have you smoked till date? Share your thoughts and experiences with us.

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Pairing Cigars to Drinks: Top Pairings

Pairing cigars with drinks have been a topic of debate among cigar smokers and connoisseurs since decades and continues till date. So, how do you know which drink to pair with your cigar of choice? Is there an equation for a perfect pairing?

Honestly, there is no equation to perfect cigar and drink pairing. Neither is there a bible to get your dilemma sorted. Cigar and drink pairings is a mystery that remains unsolved till date and even the most seasoned experts and long time connoisseurs of cigars and wines find themselves at loss when it comes to pairing cigars with drinks.


Cigar and Drink Pairing – It’s in the TongueTaste is the role player when it comes to pairing a drink with your cigar. There can be multiple kinds of drinks that can pair with a cigar and the combination choices may differ from person to person. So combinations are more of a personal choice which is probably why cigar and drink pairings remains a mystery.

Common Pairings

Tastes for wines and cigars develop over time and the same goes for pairing cigars with drinks. The more tastes you experience, the more refined your choices become. However, the rule book says that pairs should always be made by matching the body type of cigars. No cigar should overpower a drink and vice versa.

For instance, a light-bodied cigar will pair well with blended scotches, young red wines and some white wines too. A medium-bodied cigar can best be accompanied with Speysides, Lowland whiskeys, rums, ports, Irish whiskeys, bourbons, and ryes. A full-bodied cigar however best complements heavy Highland single malts and Peaty Islay.

While pairing cigars with alcoholic drinks is common, cigars can be paired with non-alcoholic drinks such as coffee and mocktails as well for instance cappuccino, coffee with Irish cream, Sangria (alcohol-free), etc. However, most cigar connoisseurs believe that alcoholic drinks best complement the smoke of Partagas cigars.

Insignia, a popular lifestyle boutique lists top 10 cigar and spirit combinations suggested by Maurizio Zatti, a cigar concierge for Cigars at No. Ten. The purpose of highlighting the combinations is because these combinations are actually great and should be tried by every cigar connoisseur.

• Partagas lusitania Gran Reserva ‘cosecha 2007’ & Remy Martin xo
• Montecristo no. 2 Grand Reserva ‘cosecha 2006′ & Ron Zacapa Centenario xo
• Cohiba Behike 56 & Johnnie Walker Blue Label
• Romeo y Julietta Churchill Reserva ‘cosecha 2008’&  Jack Daniels Single Barrel
• Montecristo 520 & Macallan ‘Triple cask matured’ 21 yo
• Hoyo de Monterray Grand Epicure L.E. 2013 & Tattinger Brut Reserve
• Romeo y Julietta de Luxe L.E. 2013 & Havana Club 15 yo Gran Reserva
• Bolivar Petit Bellicosos L.E. 2009 & Lagavulin 16 yo
• Cohiba Piramides Extra & Hibiki Single Malt
• H. Uppman Robusto L.E. 2012 & Hibiki Suntory 17 yo

Which are your favorite cigar and drink combinations? Share your opinions and experiences with us; we’d love to hear from you as well.

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Arturo Fuente Cigars: World-Class Superiority

What is an aficionado? The word is of 19th century Spanish origin, and derived from a noun for ‘amateur’ and a participle meaning ‘to become fond of’. Today, the word is commonly used to denote someone who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about an activity. In the tobacco world, the word is most commonly associated with the magazine Cigar Aficionado, a lifestyle magazine devoted the topics of cigars and the luminaries who enjoy smoking them. Cigar Aficionado is well known and respected for its treatment of cigars, its comparison of various brands, and its rankings of different cigars. One family of cigars, one that consistently graces the pages of, and earns high rankings by, Cigar Aficionado, is the American-based, eponymous brand of Cuban émigré, Arturo Fuente.

The Arturo Fuente brand of cigar is celebrated around the world for its medium to full-bodied taste, and the unparalleled excellence with which the company cultivates its wrapper leaf and filler tobacco. The brand has been around for over 100 years, and for U.S. cigar-smoking purchasers, following the Cuban embargo, the brand has provided readily available access to a traditional Cuban-type cigar, without violating trade law. The Fuente family continues to keep tight control of the company, and the cigar production process, in the same meticulous manner that allowed the operation to grow from a husband-wife hand-rolling cigar enterprise into what is now one of the most critically acclaimed cigar makers in the world.

One experience with an Arturo Fuente cigar and even the most amateur of smokers will understand what it means to become truly fond of something, to be an aficionado. Whether one is seeking a power smoke, or a more subtle flavor, Arturo Fuente offers several different lines of cigars guaranteed to satisfy any taste, ranging from the inexpensive to the premium. Try the Arturo Fuente Rosado Sungrown Magnum R Vitola Forty-Four, hailed the No. 5 Cigar of the Year by Cigar Aficionado, wrapped in Ecuadoran leaf and filled with a spicy yet mellow blend of tobacco. Or allow the popular Hemingway series of perfecto cigars to delight the senses with its rich earthy tones and woody aroma, emerging from its exquisite blend of Dominican filler and Cameroon wrapper. Or experience the flagship cigar of Arturo Fuente, the Gran Reserva series, an internationally hailed superior cigar, crafted through each step of the cigar making process by hand workmanship, blended with carefully selected high quality vintage tobacco, grown on a private reserve, and gracing the smoker with a tangy aroma and a smooth chocolate-laced coffee palate.

Whether one is seeking a cigar for his or her own personal pleasure or to bestow upon another as a gift, selecting Arturo Fuente cigars demonstrates that the buyer is knowledgeable about tobacco, quality, and tradition. These cigars can be purchased online or at tobacco shops around the world, are available in individual units, sampler sizes, or boxes, ranging in price from a couple dollars to several hundred. To smoke cigars like a true aficionado, the choice of brands is clear: Arturo Fuente.

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History of the Cuban Cohiba Cigar

The Cohiba cigar originated from a man named Eduardo Ribera in Cuba in the mid 1960’s. He had perfected a special blend of tobaccos and special leaves to make this excellent cigar. He gave the cigars to family and friends and was not marketing them. One day a bodyguard of Fidel Castro gave him one of the cigars. Castro inquired about the blend of the cigar and was told it came from a friend who makes the cigar for his personal use only. He was told, however, Mr. Ribera gave the cigars to special friends and family members. Fidel Castro ordered the man to be found and brought to him. After meeting with Ribera a factory was created in a small house.

The original cigar was called the Fuma in 1963. In 1964 a small factory was made to produce the cigar. In 1966 the El Laguito Factory was created to enable the cigar to be produced on a larger scale. The cigar originates in the Vuelta Abajo region in Cuba. It is sent through a strong fermentation process which makes this one of the finest cigars in the world. In 1966 the Fuma cigar was officially named the “Cohiba” and maintains that name to this day.

The first US Registered brand of the Cohiba Cigar was in 1978. It has been produced in the Dominican Republic on a large scale since 1997. The history surrounding the cigar is very interesting. It is rumored that tight security was necessary during the early years of the Fuma or Cohiba. It is said that the CIA experimented with exploding cigars in an attempt to assassinate Fidel Castro, Rau Castro and Castro’s protégé Marxist revolutionary, Che Guevara. The cigar was never perfected to achieve the assassination and the rumor has never been proven to be a true fact. However, strict security was imposed at the factory while producing the cigars for Mr. Castro.

In 1982, the Cuban Cohiba brand was introduced at the World Cup in Spain. Three sizes were available at that time, the Paneta, the Corona Especial and the Lancero. In 1989 three more cigars were added to complete the Clasica Linea or Classic Line, the Robusto, the Exquisito and the Esplendido. Cohiba cigars are known worldwide as one of the most magnificent cigars ever made. It is produced in Cuba and was the absolute favorite of Fidel Castro. As a matter of fact, the cigar gained its popularity when Castro started giving the cigar as gifts to diplomats and dignitaries when they visited Cuba. In the early years, only a few hundred were produced annually, thus, making this one of the most sought after cigars on the planet. At one time the only way to obtain a Cohiba was as a gift from Fidel Castro.

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Review of EP Carrillo cigars

The cigar making saga for every Ernesto Perez-Carrillo comes from the mastermind behind La Gloria Cubana. The brand is well known across the globe for being a full-bodied, full-flavored, blockbuster brand. Here is a detailed review on a few cigars of this brand for your benefit.

The brand has a legendary past and today, Ernesto has branched out to create a series of delicious super-premiums. These are christened as the delicious E.P Carrillo cigars. Recently these stogies won a spot amongst the world’s top 25 cigars for a reason. Their 92 point rating specified that these cigars render a creamy, subtly spicy flavor that gives off a leathery note with hints of black-cherry sweetness.

They come in a variety of shapes such as Churchill, Corona, Gordo, Presidente, Pyramid, Robusto and Toro. Ecuador-Sumatra wrappers are used in these Dominican Republic originated cigars.

Some E.P. Carrillo cigars:

• After taking a puff off the celebrated E.P. Carrillo Club 52, we knew that it is an above average maduro for it has a noticeably smoother draw which is consistent in every stick! It is highly recommended for maduro smokers and they can invest happily in a No. 4 5 pack.
• The Churchill special is also praiseworthy for it renders a spicy and fairly full-bodied taste. It is not overwhelming, yet rich, spicy and everything that a perfect cigar should be like.
• The Edicion Limitada Dark Rituals 2011 is different! It is mild, renders an awesome after taste for it is a great cigar and renders awesome taste. 

Best thing about investing in these cigars is that they are worth every dollar and promise a wholesome cigar smoking experience that can be enjoyed in a leisurely manner.

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Why Gurkha is a Perfect Choice for Cigar Enthusiasts?

If there is product that defines finesse and perfection in the world of cigars, then it is the Gurkha brand. The company specializes in hand-rolled cigars and is known far and wide for manufacturing premium products only.

Our cigar spies have revealed that these premium stogies are blended by K. Hansotia himself. Under the guidance of such an expert, every Gurkha cigar encompasses an unrivaled aspiration be the industry’s finest blend. Besides, only the rarest and the best tobaccos are made use of in the Gurkha cigars.

Gurkha cigars have a rich history and have a deep rooted origin in India. Today they are manufactured in full scale in America and have earned a loyal fan base. The brand has been continuing to deliver quality cigars that come with a wide array of blends; each one of them is sure to please the palate of both veterans and beginner enthusiasts.
 

 Some premium cigar names from the Gurkha family are as follows:

1. The Gurkha 125th Anniversary Special Edition Connecticut XO has a size of 6x60 and is preferred amongst cigar aficionados who love medium strength puffs.

2. Similarly, the Gurkha 125th Anniversary Special Edition Maduro XO is also a medium strength stogie that originated in the Dominican Republic and comes in a regular shape.

3. Strong cigar lovers enjoy the full bodies Gurkha Evil XO that originates from Honduras and comes with a flavorsome Oscuro wrapper.

Similarly, there are many more popular brands in the Gurkha family. Almost all of them are celebrated cigars that are loved by enthusiasts the world over. No wonder Gurkha cigars are a perfect choice for cigar enthusiasts.

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