Indholdsfortegnelse for July/August 2019 i Cigar Aficionado

It’s elusive, flattened and silvery, a fish with huge eyes and a forked tail resembling a flying V electric guitar. And for fly fishermen it’s one of the ultimate prizes—the permit. “Permit are one of the most exciting fish to catch on a fly,” says Toby Brocklehurst of In Cloud 9 tours, who has been fly-fishing in Cuba and Central America for some 30 years. “Among fly fisherman, it’s the top of the list,” concurs Connecticut resident Jimmy Coale, a former fishing guide who has fished all over the world. “It’s an obsession.” Permit can measure more than three feet long and weigh in at well over 20 pounds. Considering their size, the water they swim in is extremely shallow. They are found in the Florida Keys, the Yucatan and…

Americans might be excused for thinking that gelato is simply the Italian word for ice cream. After all, in a land with a severe shortage of real, quality gelato, American companies have for decades been using the label on products called gelato that are merely ice cream. But disabuse yourself of that misconception. True gelato, relying solely on natural flavors, is an elegant frozen expression that is creamier and more intense than commercial ice cream can hope to be. While gelato has far less butterfat and uses more milk and less cream, the foremost differentials are air and temperature. The real McCoy has about 70 percent less air than ice cream, making it denser. And, served at 10° to 15° F warmer than the hard, frozen stuff you get at…

In February of 1947, Frank Sinatra arrived in Havana, Cuba, holding a suitcase filled with $2 million in cash. He was flanked by two mobsters from Chicago, the Fischetti brothers, Rocco and Charlie. The brothers were cousins of Al Capone, with long-standing reputations in the businesses of illegal gambling and killing. As bodyguards they were second to none—tough, loyal and connected at the highest levels of the Mob, which, at the time, was more robust and powerful than it had been since the glory days of Prohibition. Sinatra knew all this. As a fellow traveler of the Mob since his childhood in Hoboken, where the bent-nose “cafones” and aspiring wiseguys were a vibrant part of the local landscape, the singer had an affection for Mafiosi that bordered on idolatry. They…

Given A.J. Fernandez’s rise to fame in the cigar world, people sometimes forget that his father, Ismael, is a key component to the company’s success. It was Ismael who created the Enclave brand. Now, it’s offered in a darker line called Enclave Broadleaf, and the Churchill scored 93 points. The Churchill in the original Encore line was also exceptional, but cloaked in broadleaf, this Churchill might be the best expression of the blend yet. The Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series continues to delight, as this brand performs exceptionally in almost every issue. The Diplomatico—a large, box-pressed cigar—scored 93 points for its signature combination of cocoa sweetness and balanced power.…

98 PARTAGÁS CORONA INMENSAS EXTRA MADURO (EARLY 1950s) Back in the pre-Castro days of Havana, cigars would often be marked with the designation “maduro.” It’s a practice that fell out of favor after the revolution. This dark, long cigar is a throwback, and despite its age, it’s vibrant from the first puff, with lots of minerals, a touch of mint, and subtle, light notes of molasses and flinty pencil lead. At the halfway point, the cigar amps up in intensity, as if hitting a hidden pocket of flavor, and gets stronger. A nutty, almond note emerges. The finish stays somewhat flinty. A remarkably lively smoke that has aged exceptionally well. —David Savona 98 CUABA SALOMONES II (1999) Twenty years in a limited-edition humidor has brought this shapely cigar to near…

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While your initial response to summer’s heat may be to shed as many layers as possible, the occasional lawn party, country club bash or business meeting mean you can’t spend all of July and August in shorts and a tank top. But nothing says you can’t stay cool—nor look cool—while wearing a tie. Banish your dour, woolen neckwear to the back of the closet in favor of lightweight silks that are also bright in color. Remember, you’ll likely be pairing with lighter hues, whether the occasion calls for a linen suit, seersuckers or a blazer with khaki trousers. This is also the season for spritely patterns that synch with a world that is in blossom. A butterfly motif from Petronius 1926 (lower right, available at Neiman Marcus, $175) stays on…

You’re flying low above the water in an Icon A5, one of the relatively new breed of light-sport aircraft, when you spot some action. The wraparound windshield and the rear-mounted engine and propeller leave your sight line clear to spy a school of frolicking fish. You remember that your fishing gear is stored in the rear compartment, so you set the craft down, lift the cockpit enclosure and crawl out on the pontoons that double as a deck for a few hours of angling. With your fresh catch, you decide to beach the plane and grill the fish on a nearby island. Then it’s off to your weekend retreat, where you can lower the landing gear and alight on a grass strip. It’s almost the stuff of futuristic hobby magazines,…

“I’m done,” Tiger Woods said. It was April 4, 2017, and he was at the Masters Club Dinner, a revered annual gathering of Masters greats. Nick Faldo, a fellow Masters champion, heard Woods say his golf days were over, that he had no future as a player, and he was sitting out the tour-nament for the third time in four years. The man who once seemed superhuman, a champion who crushed drives to unspeakable distances with an athletic build that redefined the very look of a pro golfer, had been rendered so feeble that he needed a nerve blocker to dull the pain so he could sit in his chair at the dinner. A series of back surgeries had failed to correct his failing body. But shortly after the meal,…

Long, thin cigars like panetelas can be sublime smokes. They differ from larger-ring-gauge cigars in ways you might not consider. The wrapper, for example, plays a much larger role in the overall taste of the cigar due to the ratio of filler to cover leaf. But thin cigars perform differently. Unlike smoke that you draw from a larger cigar, which blankets your palate, the thinner gauge of a panetela concentrates the flavors and deposits them on the center of your tongue. From there, all the sweet and savory notes blossom across the entirety of your palate, creating a different smoking experience. The Oliva Serie V Lancero was the highest-scoring cigar of the entire issue at 94 points. Made in Nicaragua, this lancero was concentrated and rich without sacrificing balance or…

THINK of the definition of a cult movie: It’s a film that goes outside of the main-stream; incorporates unusual themes ranging from the subversive to the taboo; is shown in very few theaters and, most importantly, is known only to a relatively small, but passionate fan base that can appreciate something different. Eventually, cult films become cult classics, such as Night of the Living Dead or The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Now, apply that same idea to cigars. It may sound strange to the uninitiated, but the cigar world does indeed have a subculture of smokers who place high, sometimes fanatic, value on rare and obscure cigars unknown to the average enthusiast. What setsthese fans apart from your typical aficionado is how far they’ll go to get their hands on…

1 RENT-A-SHELBY—SIXT After a long flight, wouldn’t it be a welcome surprise if instead of offering a nondescript subcompact or sedan, the rental counter handed you the keys to a supercharged Ford Shelby GT-S? SIXT Rent A Car, the Germany-based, high-end auto agency, now offers the 600-horsepower, 5.0-liter, V8-powered car, that is based on the Mustang fastback that Ford introduced in the 1960s. The manufacturer, Shelby American, was founded by celebrated auto designer Carroll Shelby (of Cobra fame). The vehicle comes in the company’s signature orange-and-black color scheme. sixt.com 2 FASHIONABLE FLASK—SEAMUS GOLF Not all flasks are meant to be inconspicuous, as proven by this 6-oz. vessel ($55) from Seamus Golf. The Oregon-based company, known for its tasteful handmade golf accessories, now offers a basic flask covered in wool tartan…

First and foremost, Charles Sauer is a bladesmith. The Texan made his name forging superlative cutlery so fine and ornate that his knives are as much showpieces as hunting tools. Eventually, he brought his mastery of Damascus steel to cigar cutters, creating mini guillotines of true heirloom quality. Sauer does not buy cutters and embellish them. Anyone can cover a mediocre cutter in gold and jewels. Like his knives, his cigar cutters are a culmination of high craft and artistry, made with Damascus steel, created by forging layer after layer of steel and working it to bring out exquisite, wavy patterns. Take, for example, the Mosaic Damascus cutter (top, $37,500). It’s a hand-forged unit of abstract patterns contained by two rows of diamonds on both sides—a clever contrast of entropy…

When Jaguar Land Rover introduced the smallest member of its exclusive Range Rover family, the 2012 Evoque, it was an immediate visual standout married to lavish features and a seemingly unstoppable all-wheel-drive system. The 2020 model from the British automaker follows the same formula. And despite the fact that there’s not a single, carryover body panel wed to its all-new “architecture,” the SUV is instantly recognizable as an Evoque. For 2020, the two-door version is gone, along with the quirky Evoque convertible that made more sense as a fantasy-in-chrome show car than a production vehicle. Few will notice. It’s the four-door Evoque that generated annual sales of more than 100,000 vehicles. And it’s here that some welcome improvements have been made. While the new model retains a footprint that makes…

In the glittering summer sunlight of Provence, embraced by a lawn chair, a glass of rose in one hand, a Montecristo in the other and the Mediterranean in distant view, life is good. This level of bucket-list luxury doesn’t happen on its own, but Scott Dunn Villas may make it seem that way. The company has been providing seamless vacations for families, couples and buddies for 30 years. Each villa comes in the form of a fully-staffed home, with host, chef, housekeeper and a nanny if necessary. A recent experience in the south of France makes the point with an exclamation. Villa Constantins is in Opio, a few kilometers to the north of Nice and in the foothills of the Les Alpes-Maritime. Upon arrival, you are greeted by Harry the…

KURT RUSSELL knows from experience that any film by director Quentin Tarantino is a major cinematic event. So there was no way the veteran actor was going to turn down the invitation to be a part of Tarantino’s latest project, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood. It’s an intuition that only comes with six decades of experience in the movie business. A lesser performer might have turned down the part as too small. Russell, who has spent his time as leading man, is now in a position to pick and choose the projects that interest him. And his instincts paid off in a career-punctuating coup. He is now part of the movie that took the Cannes Film Festival by storm. “I love Quentin’s style,” Russell says, flashing the trademark smile, blue…

A cigar collection? It is easy to hear those words and think, what’s that? Most people in the United States buy cigars for daily consumption and rarely think about laying down a dozen or more boxes every year of their favorite smokes only to break them out years later. The reality is that serious Cuban cigar smokers in many countries buy, store and age cigars as a normal practice, one that can pay huge dividends in terms of smoking pleasure and even financial gain. But if collecting cigars is a standard practice, what are the rules? How many boxes of a particular cigar should you buy when planning to age them? What’s the best temperature and humidity for storing? When is the optimal time to open a box of cigars…