By Russ Ouellette
I’ve been smoking Punch Rothschilds since about 1977. Back then (as now), they came in half-wheels of 50 inside a box, secured with a ribbon. They never had bands or cellophane back then, and, frankly, they’re not the same cigar, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you like a very earthy, flinty cigar, you should probably track down Mr. Peabody and see if he’ll let you use the Wayback machine, otherwise, light one of these up, as there’s much to like in the new version.
Today’s Punch Rothschild is a stubby robusto (4.5 x 50, although the older ones were a 48 ring gauge, I believe) with a coffee-brown wrapper that exhibits a couple of small veins, but nothing too thick. The cigars are fairly firm, but not tightly packed. The Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper has a nice satin-like sheen and the unlit aroma is earthy with a solid, fermented tobacco scent. On the pre-light draw, I get a woody note with a bit of faint coffee. The initial flavor after lighting is somewhat surprising; I get a heavy blast of oak, with a hint of espresso and cocoa (unsweetened). The draw is a touch loose, but the cigar kicks out a good amount of smoke.
When the Hoyo de Tradicion first arrived in our store a couple of years ago, or thereabouts, I had to do a double-take because the band, which is much different than the one we’re familiar with, looks a lot like the Cuban version. That intrigued me enough to try it, and I remember being happily surprised, but for some reason I didn’t revisit the cigar for quite some time.
Partagas. Plain old Partagas. Not the Partagas Ciefuentes, or Partagas Serie S, Partagas 160 Signature or the other fine offerings in this classic line. But the plain old, reliable red-and-gold label General Cigar product I’ve been enjoying for years. Partagas: a brand so ubiquitous it can easily be lost in the sea of new brands, limited editions, fancy shapes and sizes, and cigars with exotic leaf with mystical names. Those are wonderful, too, but it was nice to wrap my lips around a good old Partagas.
A lot of people are unfamiliar with the name El Credito, but I’m sure you’re aware of most of the products they make. El Credito is the original name of the company that is now part of General Cigar and is responsible for the La Gloria Cubana and El Rico Habano brands. The El Credito name is what they have used for years for their mixed-filler bundled cigars.
I was first introduced to the Oliva Serie V the day before our rollout event over 4 years ago. The initial order arrived, and I broke one out and smoked it. The next day we had our event, which was made even more special because José Oliva was at our shop, and we had a great talk about the cigar, so as I review this one, I’ll be weaving some of the background I picked up from José into the tale.
The Brioso brand from General Cigar was introduced to be sold at brick and mortar (b&m) stores only. These budget smokes are intended to be sold at around $3.00 a stick, and come in four different sizes. The filler consists of tobacco from Nicaragua, Honduras, the Dominican Republic and Mexico. The binder is Connecticut Habano and the wrapper comes from the Jamastran region of Honduras.
Brick House was part of J.C. Newman’s lineup in the past when they were made with Cuban tobacco. Obviously, the embargo put an end to that particular cigar, but with the recent tax increases on premium cigars, the Newman family started looking for a premium cigar that would be in keeping with the growing market for richer, more robust cigars, but at a price point that would better suit a tough economy.
When I think of a Dominican puro, certain flavor and aroma cues, cultivated some 30 years ago, grab hold of my brain and refuse to let go, putting Quesada’s new Okoberfest range, introduced at this year’s ICPCR, at a slight disadvantage, at least with respect to initial impressions, but one which it quickly rises above; this is a Dominican puro with a difference. It’s a robust blend, though not a strong one, specifically designed, as its name suggests, to be enjoyed with a good brew. The cigar is available in two sizes, both parejos: the Bavarian (5-1/2" x 52), like a mucho gordo Corona Gorda, and the ridiculously proportioned Über (6" x 65). I smoked the Bavarian.
I was totally looking forward to diving into this robusto, with a rich brown, smooth and oily Nicaraguan wrapper. It offered up a rich, earthy aroma in a quick pre-smoke sniff. I was also looking forward to an all-Nicaraguan tobacco cigar. I love free zones and the blends they allow to be made of tobaccos from different countries, but a "one nation" smoke, in the tradition of Cuban cigars, is always welcome. The cigar comes in five sizes, including the recently introduced 4 x 38 Habanito and 6 x 60 El Emperador. It’s available only at smoke shops (some of whom may sell online), so it can be a bit tricky to find.
Billed as a bundled cigar that belongs in a box, the Puro Sabor Toro, with a ballpark retail price under $4, is well-positioned. The Nicaraguan filler is wrapped with very attractive Ecuadorian Connecticut seed leaf, and the cigar is well constructed. Music City Marketing, one of the premier pipe and tobacco product distributors in the US, has given its retail customers a nice, everyday kind of cigar at a great price point. Individually banded and cello wrapped, the cigar does have the feel of a high-end boxed cigar. Music City partnered with Toraño to produce this one.
