Indholdsfortegnelse for September/October 2019 i Cigar Aficionado

Like so many of Europe’s culinary traditions, it took quite some time before roasted bone marrow started appearing on mainstream menus in the United States (in the more food-enlightened cities, anyway). The temptation is to point to the farm-to-table movement for bone marrow’s rise in popularity. But perhaps, the nose-to-tail ethic, which leaves almost no body part left uneaten, is more appropiate. Whatever the reason, this method of utilizing a meat source right down to the marrow seems more than just a passing foodie fad. Marrow has been on the menu at Porter House Bar and Grill in Manhattan ever since Chef Michael Lomonaco opened up this high-end steakhouse back in 2006. He serves it in the long—a cow femur split vertically down the middle, roasted and then garnished according…

Styling: Avo Yermagyanfor Forward Artists Grooming: Amy Komorowski for Forward Artists SUIT: SSS WORLD CORP WATCH: CHOPARD It’s late afternoon on a quiet block in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood. A man walks down the street, lifting a Cuban Cohiba to his mouth. This isn’t a 50-something executive enjoying a puff on a warm afternoon, but a much younger man, with a thick head of black hair, an athletic build and a pair of narrowed, brown eyes that just can’t be disguised by the unexpected presence of a cigar. Two girls, who look to be about 20 years old, are walking by. They can’t believe whom they’ve seen. “That’s not him,” says one, holding on tight to her friend, as if she might fall. “That’s not him.” She hides her…

The long cart ride up the mountain, an ascent of several hundred feet that’s more like trekking than golf, brings you to one of the most spectacular summits in the game, the fifth tee at Quivira Golf Club. This spot is the very pinnacle of golf in Los Cabos, Mexico. The short par 4 is cut into the side of the mountain, like a balcony on a cruise ship. As you stand on the tee with the Pacific Ocean below you and the wind rustling your hair, you can be excused for thinking that you are playing golf in the kingdom. In this case, it’s Jack Nicklaus’ kingdom, for it was the Golden Bear who was at the center of the golf movement in Los Cabos in the early 1990s.…

Quinceañera birthday celebrations (from the Spanish for 15 years) may get their due respect in the Latin community, but in the world of Scotch whisky drinkers it is a coming-of-age that is often overlooked. And that’s a shame. In that niche, between entry level and those precious 20-somethings that will break your bank, is a sweet spot of price-approachable, sippable standouts that can still be mixed in a Rob Roy. Balvenie chose the age for its single-barrel format. The malt master chooses casks of apt age for a basic profile of honey, vanilla and oak, but since they aren’t married for consistency, you may get bonus favors like nuts, anise and fruitcake depending on the cask. Glenfiddich, always the innovator, makes its 15-year-old using the solera method, which ages whisky…

Not surprisingly, the long drive from Los Angeles to the Coachella Valley and Palm Desert, California, can be something of a thirsty slog during which a man might be forgiven for having visions of a tall drink and a smoke. Fortunately, the Pívat Cigar Lounge at the Agua Caliente casino resort, appearing on the horizon just before arrival is not a mirage, but a cigar and cocktail oasis in the middle of the desert. Pívat, the brainchild of Agua Caliente COO Saverio R. Scheri III, a longtime cigar fan, can rival many cigar stores with its collection of 5,700 cigars in 44 brands along the wall of its walk-in humidor (private lockers available). Included are impressive selections from such well-known names as Padrón, Fuente, My Father, Illusione and Oliva. In…

You don’t expect snow in California in late May, but on the way to Lake Tahoe, the fakes keep falling larger and faster. And a few years ago, you wouldn’t have expected an SUV to be powered by electricity. But our new 2019 Audi e-tron—one of a wave of battery-electric utes—feels pleasantly sure-footed as it winds through the twisty mountain pass. A few aspects give the e-tron an advantage over gas vehicles in the snow. With its heavy batteries mounted under the floor, the battery-electric vehicle (BEV) has a lower center of gravity than the company’s gas-powered Q8. That translates into the ability to slalom through the snowy corners like a professional skier. The battery pack also powers two motors, one on each axle, creating an all-wheel-drive system that further…

Los Cabos is often called “Mexico’s Hawaii,” a dream vacation destination far removed from the mainland, with great weather, cuisine and outdoor activities. But “Mexico’s Bali” might be more accurate when it comes to where to stay, since the region has arguably the densest concentration of top-shelf luxury resorts this side of the South Pacific, with even more under construction. Most are stunning and cigar friendly. These are the very best. ONE&ONLY PALMILLA Before the night clubs and golf courses, Cabo was a sleepy, escapist fishing village, and Palmilla started it all. The area’s first upscale hotel, it opened in 1956 with 15 rooms and instantly became a favorite getaway for adventurous celebrities, including John Wayne, Bing Crosby and Ernest Hemingway. After top-to-bottom upgrades in 2004 and 2015, Palmilla is…

At first, June 5th, 2019 looked like the end of travel to Cuba for Americans. No more cruise ship visits. Elimination of all people-to-people program trips. Tough rhetoric against the Cuban government from the Trump Administration. Every Cuba lover was freaking out, figuring they had either missed their chance to visit the island nation off the southern coast of Florida or they could never visit again. But the initial headlines were alarmist and in some ways 180 degrees from the reality. Travel to Cuba has become a little more complicated. That is true. You can’t jump on a seven-day cruise out of Fort Lauderdale or Miami to the Caribbean with stops in Havana, Cienfuegos and Santiago. You also can’t take your private yacht or fly your private jet to Cuba.…

When the 36th America’s Cup kicks off with World Series races in Sardinia next April, the crew of the Challenger of Record, Luna Rossa AC75, will be outfitted with Panerai’s new Luna Rossa Challenger Submersible ($21,600, top right). The watch refects the high-tech design of the racing yacht with its lightweight, durable Carbotech case. That same composite material (formed by bonding thin sheets of carbon fiber with polyether ether ketone) makes up Luna Rossa’s mono-hull. Given the Submersible’s innovative construction and contemporary color palette, Panerai proves that black is anything but basic. After a long period when retro classics were the style, watch designers are looking to the future with sleek, modern blacked-out watches, underscoring lightweight, robust materials that advance the horological dark arts. The brawny 47-mm Luna Rossa diver…

You’re canoeing downstream on a crisp fall day, spray splashing on your clothes. Or you’re standing patiently in a duck blind at dawn, sipping at a fask as a persistent drizzle comes down. Or maybe you’re just braving the wind on a train platform, awaiting the 6:32 express on your way to work. What-ever your predicament, a waxed-cotton jacket is the redoubtable, yet stylish protection against autumnal weather. The classic is Barbour, born of the famously dank climate of northeast England where the maker has operated for 125 years. Originally made for such outdoor laborers as stevedores and fishermen, the water-resistant jackets soon caught on with sportsmen—hunters and the like as well as motorcyclists. (There’s even a model called the Steve McQueen.) Weather protection goes beyond the wax coating on…

I pull on my helmet, snap the buttons of my olive-drab shirt and follow my squad leader’s instructions as my fellow troopers and I march out of the hangar in single file to a waiting personnel carrier. As we pull out of the parking lot, closely followed by a Sherman tank and an M18 Hellcat tank destroyer, my first thought is “I can’t believe I’m just a few miles from the Long Island Expressway.” I’m part of the Armor Experience, a military reenactment presented by the Museum of American Armor that makes you part of the action. As the armored vehicles roll through the countryside, it’s easy to forget 2019 suburbia and place yourself in the imagined setting: 1944 Normandy, a few miles from the beaches about a week after…

100 DON CANDIDO DUNHILL SELECCIÓN NO. 500 (1980) One of the most delicious cigars I’ve ever smoked. At 6 ½ inches by 48 ring, it’s nearly a Churchill, and the largest size in the long gone Don Candido brand. The draw remains flawless and the beautiful brown wrapper is still silky after all these years. It’s a very creamy smoke, astonishingly rich and alive with a profound nutmeg character that’s not only vibrant but resonates on the palate with each puff. Medium bodied and truly perfect. —Marvin R. Shanken 98 PARTAGÁS 150 ANIVERSARIO 109 (1995) This is one of Cuba’s greatest special releases, and comes from a limited humidor (only 150 were made). The “109” shape, with a tapered head, seems to bring out the best in Cuba’s cigarmakers. It…

1 THE BENCHMARK—AMERICAN WORKBENCH The Catch-22 of starting a woodworking hobby is that it helps to have a wooden workbench to start with. When the former hotelier John Zirpola ran into that frustration, a lightbulb turned on and he started making benches for woodworkers and hobbyists who otherwise made due with “bricks and an old door for a bench.” Now, he offers sturdy, easy-to-assemble benches, like the Paul Revere and the Minuteman, with custom engraving and lettering available. americanworkbench.com 2 SMOKING BARRELS—WING & BARREL RANCH The mark of an outstanding club is that it can bring your favorite pursuits together in one place. And if you’re a certain type of guy—someone who appreciates great cigars, fine wine, gourmet food and sporting clays, Wing & Barrel Ranch in Sonoma, California, is…