Indholdsfortegnelse for July/August 2023 i Cigar Aficionado

This issue of CIGAR AFICIONADO teems with high scores—some reaching our Classic designation—but none climbed quite as high as the Rocky Patel A.L.R., a cigar made in Patel’s Nicaraguan factory. Patel says that these cigars have the benefit of extra age after rolling. Arturo Fuente and Drew Estate also turned in stellar performances. TOP TORO ROCKY PATEL A.L.R. SECOND EDITION TORO The A, L and R stand for “aged, limited” and “rare,” and according to Rocky Patel, these cigars are aged for two years after rolling. The Toro reached Classic status with the highest score of the issue. $16.25 NICARAGUA 96 TOP FIGURADO ARTURO FUENTE HEMINGWAY WORK OF ART Fuente calls this size a work of art, and it’s hard to disagree. With its tapers curves and Cameroon wrapper, this picture-perfect…

Pilot watches long ago transcended tool-watch status to become popular everyday sport models for the earthbound admirers of their rugged good looks. Now, a spate of bronze-encased, purpose-built aviators invests the classic look with vintage elán. Retro military styling marks a new trio of bronze flieger (the German word for pilot) watches from Laco. The brand, originally known as Lacher & Co., once equipped Luftwaffe pilots with robust, reliable flight instruments. The automatic Münster Bronze ($1,990, not shown) and Leipzig Bronze ($1,990, top right), with 42-mm, sandblasted bronze cases, matte black dials and riveted brown calfskin straps for added antique character, would be at home in a World War II movie. Super-LumiNova lights up the hands and markers for visibility after dark and both are appointed with the flieger’s trademark…

Best-ever lists are always contentious—especially when it comes to things with such emotional attachment as the movies. Usually, readers have little recourse but to grumble to themselves. However, when we published June’s Cigar Aficionado as “The Movie Issue,” replete with several lists compiled by writers and celebrities, we invited a small number of readers to weigh in. When we printed the results, we asked our full readership to respond online. Nearly 1,000 of you chimed in. The results were surprisingly consistent, but for a few new favorites that emerged. Once again, The Godfather (1972) effortlessly reigned, taking in 16.7 percent of all votes. The consensus second favorite, 1942’s legendary Casablanca (7.8 percent), also retained its position. The next two spots swapped places with the 1994 prison movie The Shawshank Redemption…

The new big thing in the whiskey world is American single malt, the current darling of the burgeoning craft distilling movement. It’s not Bourbon or rye, for despite being American it doesn’t rely on corn and rye, which flourish in the United States. Instead, it turns to the oldest grain recipe of all—pure barley. American single malt is among the youngest of whiskey categories, but its roots date back a millennium. Some 200 small, domestic distillers have fashioned distinctive, flavorful whiskeys that mimic the Scotch single-malt standard, yet still reflect the spirit and geography of the United States. From that one grain has come a startling panorama of flavors that evoke senses of place out of diverse locations from coast to coast. While all of these American single malts are…

The Romeo y Julieta Churchill has been Cuba’s benchmark Churchill size for decades, and to this day remains a reference for the 7-by-47 format. It scored 93 points, showing that Habanos continues to give this cigar the attention and care it deserves. These samples came from a 10-count box of tubos. Three cigars scored 92 points, all from Nicaragua and all three hover around the $10 mark. The La Antiguedad Super Toro is made by the Garcia family and combines Nicaraguan tobacco with an Ecuador Habano wrapper. The Oliva Connecticut Reserve takes a lighter approach with milder Nicaraguan tobaccos and a Connecticut-seed Ecuadoran wrapper, while the Murciélago Churchill from Espinosa combines hearty Nicaraguan tobaccos with a dark, Mexican cover leaf. CUBA RING GAUGE: 47 LENGTH: 7" FILLER: CUBA BINDER: CUBA…

A section of unorthodox sizes with odd ring gauges and lengths, the Miscellaneous category had no shortage of phenomenal cigars. Blackened Cigars “M81” by Drew Estate is a three-way collaboration between Blackened American Whiskey, Drew Estate and Metallica frontman James Hetfield. The Nicaraguan Corona scored a Classic 95 points for its combination of power and elegance, and is made entirely of near-black, maduro tobacco. It’s quite a bold cigar, despite the small size, as is Oliva’s Serie V No. 4, which scored 92 points. The Oliva Serie V blend has always been fairly full-bodied, but this corona format seems to concentrate the character. From Nicaragua’s oldest producer of handmade cigars, the Joya de Nicaragua Antaño Dark Corojo Peligroso scored 91 points. NICARAGUA RING GAUGE: 43 LENGTH: 5" FILLER: NICARAGUA, U.S.A./PENN.…

TOP SCORES 96 Rocky Patel A.L.R. Second Edition Toro Nicaragua • $16.25 • Toro • Medium-Full 95 Arturo Fuente Hemingway Work of Art Dominican Republic • $10.60 • Figurado • Medium 95 Blackened Cigars “M81” by Drew Estate Corona Nicaragua • $9.15 • Miscellaneous • Medium-Full 94 Ashton Virgin Sun Grown Illusion Dominican Republic • $14.15 • Lonsdale • Full 94 Cohiba Maduro 5 Mágicos Cuba • £69.40 • Robusto • Medium-Full 94 El Pulpo Belicoso Grande Nicaragua • $17.00 • Figurado • Medium-Full 94 Trinidad Espíritu Series No. 1 Belicoso Nicaragua • $10.71 • Figurado • Medium-Full 93 E.P. Carrillo Pledge Sojourn Dominican Republic • $13.25 • Toro • Medium-Full 93 Montecristo Línea 1935 Maltés Cuba • £57.50 • Toro • Medium 93 Padrón Family Reserve No. 44 Maduro…

This issue is chock-full of diversified stories, ones we hope will keep you informed and entertained as you dig through the pages. First, our cover is Guy Fieri, the star of Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” He’s immensely popular, reaching tens of millions of people with his shows. You may think you know Fieri, but we found there’s quite a bit more to the man than his spiky hair and sunglasses. He’s a huge fan of cigars and has been interested in food since he was a child. (He used to pretend he was sick so he could stay home and cook and he’s been smoking cigars since he was in college.) See what makes him tick in our cover story, starting on page 46. Just in time for…

Most summer drinks are very good at being sweet and cooling refreshers. But when it comes to showcasing the spirits they’re made with, many fall short. Not so for the Margarita. Yes, it’s vivacious, restorative and cold, but when built with top-drawer Tequila it fairly brags about its makeup. The odd alchemy of this mix of lime, triple sec and Mexico’s agave liquor features each of its ingredients even as they meld seamlessly. Trick out your Margaritas by choosing carefully from the wealth of excellent añejo Tequilas that fill the market. Pure blue agave Tequilas—not those sugar-added mixtos—make singular drinks. For instance, when made with the peppery Roca Patron Silver, a Margarita speaks of earth and summer lawns. Don Julio Reposado gives the drink notes of corn, nuts and butter.…

American malt whiskey may be a relatively new spirit category, but it has had no trouble establishing itself as a partner for cigars. We happily paired nine different malts with two outstanding smokes: the Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado (95 points, June 2023) and the Warped Nicotina (91 points, April 2023). The former is a rich sweet, nutty, smoke of medium to full body. The latter, which is slightly stronger, shows creamy citrus notes and hints of coffee. Balcones Classic Edition 106 proof • $75 Distilled in Waco, Texas, in pot stills using homegrown barley and aged in both new and used casks for about two years (depending on the batch), Balcones deftly combines caramel, brandy and fruit notes. With the Oliva it lost some fruitiness, but imparted sweetness to…

An outstanding category of shapely cigars, the figurado section turned up some stupendous scores, most notably the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Work of Art from the Dominican Republic. At 95 points—Classic by our rating system—the Work of Art is exactly that. Its tapers and curves are beautifully crafted and the combination of Dominican tobacco and Cameroon wrapper make it an unforgettable smoke. El Pulpo is the newest cigar from Artesano del Tobacco, a small company owned by the Fakih brothers in New York City. The Belicoso Grande scored 94 points and is made in Nicaragua by A.J. Fernandez, who also produces the Trinidad Espiritu Serie No. 1 for Altadis U.S.A. The Belicoso scored 94 points as well and consists solely of Nicaraguan tobacco. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC RING GAUGE: 60 LENGTH: 4 ⅞"…

Launched in 2007, the Cuban Cohiba Maduro 5 line is purportedly covered in a maduro wrapper that’s been aged for five years. The Mágicos size scored 94 points, and is a rich, bold cigar of earth and spice with finer flavor points that elevate the smoking experience to opulent levels. Retailing for nearly £70 (or about $87.50), the high price point is part of Habanos S.A.’s initiative to position Cohiba as a globally recognized luxury brand. If you want a Cuban cigar at a more reasonable price, there’s the El Rey del Mundo Choix Supreme, which scored 92 points. Three more cigars scored 92 points as well, all from Nicaragua: The Padrón Serie 1926 No. 6; Plasencia’s Alma del Campo Tribu and the Romeo y Julieta 1875 Connecticut Nicaragua Bully…

Dear Marvin, As a subscriber to Cigar Aficionado and a huge movie fan, I really enjoyed “The Movie Issue” of your magazine. I, know it’s not possible to list all the great movies that have been made, but one movie I wish had been mentioned in the article was One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, which stars Jack Nicholson. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend it. Ed Aduss Winter Garden, Florida Dear Marvin, I love good cigars. But I have been in love with great movies for much longer! When I received your “Movie Issue” I was anxious to see what your top films are. However, I was disappointed to see that Goodfellas did not make your list. I’m not outraged, nor am I going to cancel my subscription,…

Warm weather is a great excuse to dress down with short pants and short sleeves, but when your social life is also heating up it is no time to let your sense of style go to Hades. This season’s linen shirts, sporting cheeky patterns, mix nonchalance with studied elegance. They fit in at the beach or pool, but can open doors in places where T-shirts are not welcome. Egyptians discovered thousands of years ago that porous, but plush, linen was the perfect cloth for for a torrid climate. It’s durable, eminently breathable and luxe to the touch. About the only thing it doesn’t do well is hold a press. But that “guaranteed to wrinkle” quality is part of the insouciant authenticity. With a full-buttoning placket and laydown collar, a linen…

Litigation, government investigations, player discontent and barrels of cash have been the hallmark of men’s professional golf for more than a year now. The PGA Tour and the Saudi-backed rival LIV Golf Invitational Series have been in a furious fight over money and player free agency in a bitterly contested match play event. With Greg Norman as its driving force and the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund as its oil-fueled bankroll, LIV had poached Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka, among others, from the Tour, laying out what many reports said were hundreds of millions of dollars. LIV began play in June 2022, offering a different game, with 48-player fields playing 54 holes with no cut and $25 million purses. The events were held around the world…

The Ashton Virgin Sun Grown topped the Lonsdale category with the Illusion, a slender smoke that scored 94 points. Made by the Fuentes in the Dominican Republic, the cigar is defined by its oily Sumatra-seed wrapper grown in Ecuador in the open sunlight, making for a dark, thicker more powerful leaf. At 93 points, the Tatuaje Miami Havana is one of the few cigars from Tatuaje still made in Miami. The small rolling gallery is located in the back of the My Father Cigars headquarters, where a few rollers comprise the El Rey de Los Habanos factory. Two Nicaraguans scored 92 points—the My Father Cedros Deluxe Cervantes, which comes in a cedar sleeve, and the Allegria Lonsdale, a more full-bodied spinoff of the OneOff brand made by Aganorsa Leaf for…

In what was one of the finest performances from Rocky Patel to date, the Rocky Patel A.L.R. reached 96 points, which was the highest score of the entire issue. The letters A.L.R. stand for “aged, limited” and “rare.” According to Patel, these cigars are aged for two years after they’re rolled and only released to the market each year in limited capacity. Made in Nicaragua at Patel’s Tavicusa factory, this Toro produces an all-encompassing smoke due to the combination of Nicaraguan and Mexican tobacco. Two cigars join the higher-echelon of the category at 93 points. Though it’s made in the Dominican Republic, the E.P. Carrillo Pledge Sojourn has no Dominican tobacco. Cuba’s Montecristo Línea 1935 Maltes is billed as being more full-bodied than core Montecristos. NICARAGUA RING GAUGE: 52 LENGTH:…