Brooks Kimble
| Resumen biográfico |
In case you did not create 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 originally known as, or are about to embark for a different nation where you can legally buy Havana cigars (which will be practically anyplace else in the world except the United States, where it's prohibited to sell Cuban goods ), here are seven of the top brands in our embargoed neighbor that we believe are well worth seeking out. It is now legal to return up to 100 Cuban cigars--that's about four boxes--as long as they are for the private use and not for resale. RELATED This Beverly Hills Whiskey Hideaway Feels Just Like a Private Club from the Wild West Among the World's Greatest BBQ Pitmasters Has Created the Ultimate Guide to Steak But , some caveats. They're More rampant than ever--even in Cuba--though currently Costa Rica is providing Mexico a struggle for the title of Counterfeit Cuban Cigars Per Square Mile. So be careful. If anyone offers you a Cohiba Esplendido for $5, you are aware that it can not be real. Some of the best places to purchase authentic Cuban cigars will be the United Kingdom (in which they are rigidly inspected by exclusive Habanos importers Hunters & Frankau), Spain--that also gets some of the best Havanas--and any of their official La Casa del Habanos Cuban government-sanctioned retail stores; there are now 90 of these internationally. 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. two pyramids at Dubai International Airport and found them to be careless so far as taste was worried (a result of inferior leaf selection and inadequate aging). Plus, one of the cigars was rolled much too tightly to allow a decent draw. However, all three Montecristos were real Habanos products. This brings up the ongoing issue with Cuban cigars of quality control. This is supported by Mitchell Orchant, managing director of C.Gars, Ltd, among the biggest purveyors of Cuban cigars in England, that also critiques the freshness of a cigars, that is, whether they had been obsolete sufficiently before being released. So a fantastic rule of thumb is, after you get your Cuban cigars safely home, set them on your humidor for at least a month or 2 to give them a while to fully develop the tastes that created Havana famous. Trinidad As well as celebrating the 500th anniversary of San Cristobal de La Habana (which also happens to be the name of a rather mild-smoking Havana cigar which has been introduced in 1999 and showcased in the festival), the XXI Festival was spotlighting the Trinidad brand, which originated in 1996 since Fidel Castro's VIP cigar to supplant the Cohiba, which began being publically sold in 1982. This season, three new shapes are introduced: a 4 1/2 x 50 press luna, a 5 7/10 x 53 Esmeralda, along with a 4 11/12 x 56 Topes, that initially was a 2016 limited edition. Cohiba Nevertheless among the very widely-counterfeited cigars in the world, only buy these from reliable sources. The full-powered, large-ringed Behike is a pricey smoke worth paying , simply for bragging rights, with all the 54 and 56 ring gauges particularly desired. Another benefit is that the newly-launched Cohiba Robusto Reserva, and while we typically do not quote prices due to the fluctuating market for Cuban cigars, it is safe to say that these will generally run more than $100 a rod. Using the best of three year old tobaccos, it's offered in just 1 size: a 4 7/8 x 50 robusto. Just 500 individually numbered boxes were released. For something milder (and clearly less costly ) attempt the Siglo VI. Montecristo Regardless of our disappointing experience in Dubai, the No. 2 pirámide remains our all-time favorite. For a more compact smoke, try the No. 4--the best-selling cigar in the world. Partagás This is really a porterhouse steak and Napa Cabernet smoke, in any dimension. But besides the Series D No.4 Robusto, another favourite of ours is the newly-introduced 6 1/4 x47 Presidente, using its easy-to-light pinched foot and easy-to-clip Perfecto cap. Romeo y Julieta This is another cigar which never disappoints, especially for those in between times when you're not quite certain of what to smoke. Ideally suited for a Plymouth Gin martini (extra 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 Broad Churchill Robusto. Apart from offering a slightly fuller taste, it appears to be more physically fitting to the contours' 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. The recent re-introduction of this previous 2005 limited edition 6 1/3 x 50 Magnum 50 is like welcoming back an old buddy. Orchant of C.Gars feels it is the best from the H.Upmann variety and we concur. Hoyo de Monterrey Do not fall into the preconception that Cuban cigars are strong. This brand certainly isn't, although its potency will vary by shape. Thinking about having a Irish Whiskey and a cigar? Try a Powers Three Swallow and an Epicure Especial 5 1/2 x 50 Robusto. Punch The Double Corona is a perfect match for a snifter of all X.O. Cognac. Medium-full in taste; the Vegas Robaina is among the most complex and hot Havanas around and perfect for any time and well in the evening. Cuaba The contours of Cuabas are all figurados: a mild-mannered smoke perfect for the novice in addition to the connoisseur who feels just like throttling down a bit in flavor intensity. |