As we close out our series on Puro Sabor 2018, let's take a look at the events that made the week special. In all honesty, even the everyday lunches were special events. It seemed like every time we gathered for a meal, the organizers pulled out all the stops and made it a grand occasion instead of just another meal. One of my favorite things about all of these events was the reality of being able to sit down with people from all over the world, all walks of life, and all manner of experience in the cigar industry. We were all the same at these events. It was just an enormous group of friends gathering for a meal, some drinks, and great conversation.
AJ FernandezAllAVOCaldwellCamachoCarson SerinoClaudio SgroiCornelius & AnthonyCrowned HeadsDavidoffDominican RepublicDon Pepin GarciaDrew EstateDunbarton Tobacco & TrustErik EspinosaFeaturedFred ReweyH. UpmannHector Alfonso Sr.Hendrik KelnerHondurasIPCPRJaime GarciaJon HuberJonathan DrewMy FatherNicaraguaNicholas MelilloNomadPete JohnsonRobert CaldwellRobert HoltRoMa CraftSerinoSkip MartinSouthern DrawSteve SakaTatuajeTop 25Willy Herrera
·Each of our panelists were given 10 votes to towards our top 25. Order mattered on their votes as their #1 vote is worth twice as much as their #10. Our list is made up of cigars that had a wide release this year. The cigars that are eligible do not have to have been reviewed on Blind Man's Puff, but the reviewer must have smoke it at some point to vote for it.
"This is a very interesting cigar. It started out with some woody abrasiveness, but just a few draws in it transforms into a very complex maze. It has a astonishing combination of flavors. Definitely box worthy smoke. They did a great job." -Ryan H. (Ryan H.)
Debonaire House and Drew Estate announce today that the Debonaire Daybreak cigar will ship this week (11/6/17-11/10/17) and will be on retail shelves beginning in November 2017. The Debonaire Daybreak is the first Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapped cigar exclusively sold through Drew Diplomat Retailers as part of the Drew Estate portfolio. With an Ecuadorian Connecticut shade wrapper, Daybreak offers the ultra-premium quality expected of the Debonaire product line.
"Well I had my doubts in the beginning this stick ended up being a very delicious smoke. The first third was good but then the second and then the third part of the cigar got better and better the longer it smokes, eventually not bring it down to nearly nothing. Definitely box worthy, go out and buy it now!" -John A. (John A.)
Imagine a car enthusiast having an opportunity to tour the Ferrari factory in Maranello, or someone who is a collector of fine watches going to visit Patek Philippe in Geneva. The chance to actually see your favorite products being constructed by hand can be a real treat for the senses, and it can also give a heightened respect for the work that goes into creating these items that we love so much. For premium cigar lovers the products that we consume are some of the most artfully and painstakingly crafted products in the world. Still, so many cigar lovers still don't have the first-hand experience of seeing what goes into growing fine tobacco and crafting great cigars. During Puro Sabor 2018 I was able to visit a number of cigar factories, large and small. In this second article of the series about the festival I will take you through these factories in the same order that I visited them.
AllBlind Cigar ReviewsCoronaDrew EstateFeaturedIPCPRJason H.Jonathan DrewMickey T.NaturalNicaraguaSteveSumatraSun GrownWilly Herrera
·"I really enjoyed smoking this cigar. The first 1/3 of the cigar was truly fantastic. Really great spice and pepper to begin mixed with hints of sweetness. If the flavors continued throughout the rest of the cigar, it would have ranked much higher for me. While the second and final 1/3 of the cigar was very good, I was missing a lot of the flavors that the cigar started out having. " -David F. (dfafjf)
Friday, December 1, 2017 — Miami, FL- Drew Estate announces today the launch of the second release of Herrera Estelí Inktome, the Exception. The Herrera Esteli Inktome is a Tienda Exclusiva or shop exclusive for smallbatchcigar.com.
Drew Estate has launched the limited annual release of the Liga Privada Unico UF-4 made exclusively for Casa De Montecristo in Countryside, IL. The Liga Privada Unico UF-4 features a lush Connecticut Habano wrapper, Brazillian binder and fillers from Honduras and Nicaragua; all combining into a rich and powerful experience. UF-4 is based on original test blend of the Liga Privada T-52 that was not chosen for production, yet it remains Jonathan Drew’s favorite variant of the blend. The UF-4 was introduced in 2010 and is released annually every October as a Casa de Montecristo exclusive.
AllBlind Cigar ReviewsDaveDrew EstateEricFeaturedJonathan DrewMatthew T.NicaraguaSumatraSun GrownToroWilly Herrera
·"This was such an enjoyable cigar. It was not a powerhouse, and it was not overly complex, but it was flavorful all the way. I enjoyed each puff, and the sweet/spice mix was really a nice combo at the end of the day. It also looked beautiful, and had no performance issues, so no extra work on the part of the smoker in order to enjoy the cigar. This one would have a place in my humidor. " -Matthew T. (A Huge Nerd)