Alysa Brooks
| Resumen biográfico |
In the event you did not make it to this year's XXI Habanos Festival, which celebrated the 500th anniversary of San Cristobal de La Habana, as the town of Havana was initially known as, or are about to embark for another country at which you can legally purchase Havana cigars (that will be practically anywhere else in the world except the USA, where it is forbidden to sell Cuban goods ), here are seven of the best brands from our embargoed neighbor that we believe are well worth searching out. It's currently legal to return around 100 Cuban cigars--that's about four boxes--provided that they are for your personal use and not for resale. RELATED This Beverly Hills Whiskey Hideaway Feels Just Like a Private Club in the Wild West One of the World's Greatest BBQ Pitmasters Has Created the Supreme Guide to Steak Adam Perry Lang Is Ultimately Making His World Famous Barbecue Again But first, some caveats. Beware of counterfeits. They are more rampant than ever--even in Cuba--though now Costa Rica is providing Mexico a struggle for the title of Most Counterfeit Cuban Cigars Per Square Mile. So be careful. If anybody offers you a Cohiba Esplendido for $5, then you know it can not be real. Some of the best places to purchase authentic Cuban cigars will be the United Kingdom (where they are rigidly scrutinized by exclusive Habanos importers Hunters & Frankau), Spain--which also gets some of the best Havanas--and some of their official La Casa del Habanos Cuban government-sanctioned retail shops; there are now 90 of them globally. Duty-free shops are also a safe haven for authentic Cuban cigars, even though we recently bought a three-pack of our enviable Montecristo No. 2 pyramids at Dubai International Airport and found them to be substandard so far as taste was concerned (a consequence of poor leaf selection and insufficient aging). Plus, one of those cigars was rolled much too closely to allow a decent draw. But all three Montecristos were real Habanos products. This brings up the ongoing issue with Cuban cigars of quality control. This is confirmed by Mitchell Orchant, managing director of C.Gars, Ltd, among the biggest purveyors of Cuban cigars in England, who also critiques the freshness of some cigars, in other words, if they had been aged sufficiently before being released. So a good rule of thumb is, after you get your Cuban cigars safely house, set them in your humidor for at least a month or two to give them a while to fully develop the tastes that created Havana famous. Trinidad In addition to celebrating the 500th anniversary of San Cristobal de La Habana (which also appears to be the name of a rather mild-smoking Havana cigar that was introduced in 1999 and showcased in the festival), the XXI Festival has been spotlighting the Trinidad brand, that premiered in 1996 as Fidel Castro's VIP cigar to supplant the Cohiba, which started being publically marketed in 1982. Last year, three new contours have been introduced: a 4 1/2 x 50 press luna, a 5 7/10 x 53 Esmeralda, and a 4 11/12 x 56 Topes, which initially was a 2016 limited edition. Cohiba Still among the very widely-counterfeited cigars in the world, only purchase these from dependable sources. The full-powered, large-ringed Behike is a pricey smoke worth paying for, only for bragging rights, with all the 54 and 56 ring gauges especially desired. Another benefit is the newly-launched Cohiba Robusto Reserva, and while we usually do not quote prices because of the changing marketplace for Cuban cigars, it is safe to say these will generally run more than $100 a stick. Using the best of three year old tobaccos, it's offered in just 1 dimensions: a 4 7/8 x 50 robusto. Only 500 individually numbered boxes have been released. For something milder (and noticeably less costly ) attempt the Siglo VI. Montecristo Regardless of our unsatisfactory experience in Dubai, the No. 2 pirámide stays our all time favourite. For a more compact smoke, try out the No. 4--the best selling cigar in the world. Partagás This really is really a porterhouse steak and Napa Cabernet smoke, in almost any size. However, in addition to the Series D No.4 Robusto, another favorite of ours is that the newly-introduced 6 1/4 x47 Presidente, with its easy-to-light pinched foot and easy-to-clip Perfecto cap. Romeo y Julieta That is just another cigar which never disappoints, particularly for those in between times when you are not very sure of what to smoke. Ideally suited for either a Plymouth Gin martini (additional dry, olive on the side) or a Macallan 12 year-old Double Cask, we have recently switched from the Brief Churchill to the bigger-ringed 5 1/4 x 55 Wide Churchill Robusto. Besides offering a slightly fuller flavor, it appears to be physically fitting into the shapes' namesake. H. Upmann Another fantastic medium strength cigar, that this gentle smoke keeps just enough earthiness to ensure it is appropriate for early to late evenings. Orchant of C.Gars believes it is the finest from the H.Upmann variety and we concur. Hoyo de Monterrey Do not fall into the preconception that all Cuban cigars are powerful. This brand certainly isn't, although its strength will change by shape. Thinking about having a Irish Whiskey and a cigar? Try out a Powers Three Swallow and also an Epicure Especial 5 1/2 x 50 Robusto. Punch The Double Corona is a perfect game for a snifter of all X.O. Cognac. Vegas Robaina Medium-full in taste; the Vegas Robaina is among the most complicated and hot Havanas around and ideal for any time and well into the evening. Cuaba The contours of Cuabas are figurados: a mild-mannered smoke perfect for the novice as well as the connoisseur who feels like throttling down a little flavor intensity. |