Innehållsförteckning för July/August 2024 från Cigar Aficionado

Plenty of cigars impressed us in this issue, but none scored as high as the Cohiba Maduro 5 Mágicos, one of the few maduros made in Cuba today. It scored a Classic 95 points. Rocky Patel’s $100 Conviction earned a 94-point-score, as did the Alec Bradley Tempus (retailing for less than $10) and an extra-long Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series. TOP ROBUSTO COHIBA MADURO 5 MÁGICOS It was the highest score of the issue and a Classic by our standards. The Maduro 5 gets its name because, according to Cuba’s Habanos S.A., its dark, maduro wrappers are aged for five years. £73.20 CUBA 95 TOP CORONA ALEC BRADLEY TEMPUS NATURAL CORONA Created by Alan Rubin, founder of Alec Bradley, Tempus is now property of Scandinavian Tobacco Group and judging by this performance,…

Since 1964, the lottery has been the biggest and most prominent form of legal gambling in the United States. And it is impossible to miss. Winners of Powerball, Lotto, Mega Millions and other lotteries typically go public as a condition of getting paid. They celebrate with oversized checks, express caviar dreams and become multimillionaires overnight. The payouts can be the very stuff of dreams. On 11 occasions, the grand prize has exceeded $1 billion. On November 7, 2022, Edwin Castro of Altadena, California won the largest lottery jackpot in American history, $2.04 billion. (His lump-sum payout was $997 million.) He treated his friends to a Fiji vacation, and invested in some pricey California real estate, including a $47 million mansion in Bel Air. But the payouts are incredible longshots. Powerball…

Mordecai Jones is selling a pig-in-a-poke. The character played by George C. Scott in the raucous 1967 movie The Flim-Flam Man has just stolen a truckload of rot-gut from moonshiners and is looking to unload it on a sucker. The con is that he’ll replace the liquor in the sample jar with something truly outstanding. He needs something that is the polar opposite of cheap hooch. He settles on bottled-inbond Bourbon. Once the patsy gets a taste of the good stuff, he’s an easy mark. In the ’60s, when American whiskey was riding high, the words “bottled-in-bond” were a mark of distinction that placed a drink at the pinnacle of the spirits world. Then the distinction all but disappeared. When the whiskey category slumped for decades, so did the importance…

Ray Parker Jr. will be forever linked to the phrase “Who ya gonna call?” The words are from the song “Ghostbusters,” a hit single in 1984 (made for the movie of the same name) that was more successful than anyone involved could have imagined. Pop single aside, you might not know that Parker is truly a musician’s musician. He was the guy who people like Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock and Barry White called when they needed a rhythm guitarist with unique licks and extraordinary talent. Eventually, Parker embarked on a solo career. When he wrote “Ghostbusters,” he locked himself in a studio and finished it in just a few days. Now 70 years old, the Detroit native slows down with a cigar almost every day. It started five years ago…

The Montecristo brand has been part of the cigar world for nearly a century, and in recent years the non-Cuban variety has undergone considerable expansion. One of the newer versions is our top-rated Churchill, the Montecristo Espada Oscuro Quillon. It’s been on the market for roughly five years, and is rolled in Nicaragua by the Plasencia family for brand owner Altadis U.S.A. It was one of six Churchills to score in the 90s. Fuente produced two of the others, including the Fuente Fuente OpusX Angel’s Share and the Ashton Estate Sun Grown (casually referred to as “ESG”). Both are rolled in the Dominican Republic. Honduras and Nicaragua contributed the other 90s, including the E.P. Carrillo Allegiance Wingman, which is made by Oliva Cigars. NICARAGUA RING GAUGE: 56 LENGTH: 7" FILLER:…

Handmade cigars can be divided into two categories: figurados and parejos. Parejos are straight-sided smokes. Anything with a taper, be it a torpedo, pirámide, perfecto or belicoso, is a figurado. We were somewhat surprised at the lack of 90s in this category, as figurados tend to score high in our pages. We awarded only four 90s here. Our top-rated shaped smoke has a name that might make you think we put it in the wrong section, but the Rocky Patel Fifty-Five Robusto has a tapered head, earning it a place in this category. The Nicaraguan smoke, which is packed with character and flavor, scored higher than any other figurado. Patel made it for his 55th birthday, several years ago. Epic, a newer name producing some high scores, also did well…

TOP SCORES 95 Cohiba Maduro 5 Mágicos Cuba • £73.20 • Robusto • Medium-Full 94 Alec Bradley Tempus Natural Corona Honduras • $8.49 • Corona • Full 94 Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series “A” Nicaragua • $36.85 • Double Corona • Medium-Full 94 Rocky Patel Conviction Toro Nicaragua • $100.00 • Toro • Medium-Full 93 Aksum Claro Robusto Nicaragua • $15.50 • Robusto • Medium-Full 93 Arturo Fuente Don Carlos No. 3 Dominican Republic • $11.40 • Corona • Medium 93 Cohiba Siglo IV Cuba • £92.10 • Toro • Medium 93 E.P. Carrillo Encore Celestial Dominican Republic • $13.50 • Toro • Medium 93 Montecristo Espada Oscuro Quillon Nicaragua • $17.75 • Churchill • Medium-Full 93 Viva La Vida Jester Nicaragua • $11.20 • Robusto • Medium-Full TOP VALUES 93 La Aroma de Cuba Double Corona Nicaragua • $8.50 • Double…

Just when we thought we had heard it all, new prohibitions on cigar smoking have emerged that simply make us scratch our heads in confusion. These restrictions are happening in two parts of the United States, and the concern is that they could spread. The first example is in Minneapolis, a city of more than 400,000 people. If you wish to smoke a cigar in a cigar lounge in that city, a new law is going to limit you to 15 minutes of puffing. That’s right: 15 minutes to smoke a cigar. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey signed several tobacco-control measures into law this spring, measures that were created by Minneapolis city councilwoman LaTrisha Vetaw. At the root of the changes was a large increase on cigarette prices, to $15 a…

Rosé’s popularity in recent decades has not only meant that pink wine flows at summertime BBQs and pool parties. A spate of mass-produced, pale versions has fed the belief that they all look and taste the same. But rosé has a more complex side—one that bursts with a diversity of color and flavor. Some wrongly associate a darker shade of pink with lower quality. In Provence, the spiritual home of a wine that is crafted around the world, vintners primarily rely on the Grenache grape, pressing it quickly to separate the pale juice from the color-imparting red skins. But some of the best rosés from southern France skew darker. Longer contact with the skin produces hues from bold fuschia to deep ruby to burnt orange. As a result, the wines…

Have you ever bothered to make a full-on club sandwich at home? We’re talking all the right layers of sliced turkey, crisp bacon, juicy tomato, crunchy iceberg lettuce, mayonnaise and toasted white bread assembled like a deck of cards and divided into four equal triangles. It’s a lot of work and delayed gratification. That’s why being presented one at the club-house, diner or ritzy bistro is such a joy. The legend is that this sandwich, which essentially amounts to a triple-decker B.L.T. with turkey or chicken, was invented at New York City’s Union Club. But what was in 1889 two toasted slices of wheat bread, turkey or chicken with ham has morphed into something more luxurious. Most versions have swapped in crispy bacon for the ham, contain lettuce and tomato…

Bonded whiskeys occupy an alcohol-content sweet spot that allows for great marriages in a range of cigars. We chose the medium-to-full-bodied New World Dorado Toro from Nicaragua (6 inches by 54 ring gauge, 92 points), with notes of cream, citrus, spice, nuts and leather, to pair with a range of bonded Bourbons and ryes. All are, of course, 100-proof whiskeys and Bourbons unless otherwise noted. Benchmark Bonded, $20 Benchmark was introduced by Seagram’s in the late 1950s. It is now made at Buffalo Trace. A big step up from the entry-level Old No. 8, a three-year-old, it has a mash bill that substitutes wheat for rye, underscoring tropical fruit, bananas, fruity hard candy and toffee. The Bourbon found new fruit notes on the Old World, which made the Benchmark more…

 He’s known by sports fans as the man with the most fights in NHL history: 333 over the course of his 16-year career, playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers and Winnipeg Jets. Today, the 54-year-old Tie Domi likes to unwind with a cigar. “It’s about the only thing that relaxes me.” Despite his brawly reputation, Domi’s taste leans to milder smokes. He typically enjoys a Davidoff Grand Cru either at the end of the day or while watching sports. He’s smoking less, however, lest his family puts him in the penalty box: “I can only hide it so much.” His favorite cigar moment, he says, was playing pool in 1996 with Michael Jordan amid a crowd of spectators. At the climax, Domi only had the eight-ball left,…

Coronas may be short in stature (they max out at six inches in length, by our parameters) but they can deliver big flavor. Eight of the coronas we reviewed in this issue scored 90 points or higher, considerably impressive. At the top of our ratings were two small but flavorful smokes, one from Honduras, the other from the Dominican Republic. The slim Alec Bradley Tempus Natural Corona, with a mere 42 ring gauge, has notes of raisins and mixed nuts, combining for a bold smoke that packs a bit of a punch. At 93 points, Arturo Fuente’s Don Carlos No. 3 is a sublime combination of Dominican tobacco and rare Cameroon wrapper. Other standouts here include the iconic Cuban Montecristo No. 3 and the fairly new Rocky Patel LB1 Corona,…

We seldom give scores of 95 points or higher, a distinction we term “Classic” in our tastings. Only one cigar earned that title in this issue: the Cohiba Maduro 5 Mágicos from Cuba. It’s a subset of the famed Cohiba brand, a maduro version of the smoke, with a dark wrapper grown in Pinar del Río. The cigar was strong, with a complex mix of intriguing flavors, giving it the highest score of the issue. Another stronger smoke, the Viva la Vida Jester, scored 93 points. Far less famous than Cohiba, it’s a boutique smoke made in Nicaragua and is getting some buzz. The Nicaraguan Aksum Claro Robusto from Foundation scored 93 points as well. It was originally called Metapa, but Foundation changed the name earlier this year. CUBA RING…

Dear Marvin, I just wanted to give a shout out to the latest issue, “Cuba.” I knew it was going to be a good one because of the subject. I am writing to you only halfway through the magazine (next up—Ferrari) and I am going out on a limb saying this issue is already a classic. Set the bar with this one! Steve Liebhart Yardville, New Jersey Dear Marvin, Thank you for the recent magazine issue on Cuba. I found each article informative and enlightening. Having traveled to Cuba several times, I agree that whether you have a cigar interest or not, the largest island in the Caribbean has something for all to see and enjoy. I agree that it is past time the embargo end and that we engage…

Knowing the correct time has been key to seamanship for centuries. And as the 37th America’s Cup draws near, the watch world is readying for the next installment of the race for the world’s oldest international sporting trophy, first awarded in 1851. Omega will serve as the race’s official timekeeper for the fourth time and will outfit the Cup defending crew, Emirates Team New Zealand, with the new Seamaster Planet Ocean Deep Black Emirates Team New Zealand Edition ($13,300), as it vies to keep the trophy in Kiwi hands. The 45.5-mm CoAxial Master Chronometer chronograph combines a deep-black, brushed ceramic case and dial with pops of bright turquoise in a nod to the the logo. After dark, key markers light up in bright green and blue for maximum visibility. In…

First the bad news: It’s probably time to change your wedges. Many golf clubs can last you a decade, but wedges need changing at about two years old. Wedges are the scalpels of golf clubs, high-lofted irons for short shots that send balls high, ideally imparting spin. Unlike a great cigar, they don’t improve with age. “Spin comes from the grooves on a wedge,” says Dalton Northcutt, a golf-club fitter and assistant pro at Shorehaven Golf Club in Norwalk, Connecticut. “And those grooves wear out.” Count yourself lucky. Tour players replace their wedges every couple of months. The good news is that even a high handicapper will notice the difference when hitting a new one and watching that ball zip back or stop on a dime when hit just so.…

Cigars are meant for celebration, so when pro golfer and cigar lover Xander Schauffele was ready to unwind after winning the PGA Championship in May, he lit up. It was a time of immense relief. Despite being a marquee name in golf, with a Gold Medal and a Ryder Cup among his wins, the 30-year-old Schauffele was haunted by another distinction: the back-handed compliment of being on the list of the best golfers never to win a major. He had come ohso-close in many majors, finishing second twice, and seven times in the top 10. But in May, when his final putt—just over six feet in length—dropped for a birdie, the wait was over. He raised both arms in celebration, a huge smile spreading across his face. He was finally…

Chuck Wagner’s first serious cigar was actually half of a smoke. “My cousin got his hands on a Havana, and he cut it in half, and we each smoked half,” says Wagner. “We thought it was heaven.” Today, when Wagner, 72, enjoys his occasional puff he smokes the whole thing. “I associate smoking a cigar with a good moment, some celebration, being with friends.” Wagner has much to celebrate, as the owner and winemaker of the celebrated Caymus Vineyards in California’s Napa Valley. Wagner has been part of the winery from the beginning, joining his parents at just 19 when they formed Caymus. They had started humbly selling grapes grown on their Rutherford, California property. The transition to winemaker led to some serious accolades: Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon has…

Manny Diaz, the new head coach of the Duke University Blue Devils football team, walked into his first meeting last December and addressed his team. “Everyone is very proud of what the people in this room have accomplished over the past two years. However, do not confuse that with being satisfied with what’s been accomplished. So, my goal in front of you is very simple. We are not here to tear down what has been done and try to rebuild it, but by the same token, our goal is not to sit here and be happy and complacent with what has been done and say it’s enough. Good is the enemy of great. Wanting to win is not enough.” Diaz, 50, has been coaching college football since 1998, mostly as…

We live in a time-crunched world where people digest entertainment in quick bursts, multitask as a matter of course and move along as quickly as possible. If you’re ready to relax and dedicate a considerable amount of time to a fine cigar, this is the place to look. Double Coronas are majestic, long, rewarding smokes, made for those nights when you are in no particular hurry to go anywhere. (Hint: these are perfect to bring on vacation.) At the top of this category you’ll find the 94-point Padrón 1964 Anniversay Series “A,” a rare find that’s more than 8 inches long, delivering one amazing puff after another. Other standouts include the famed Cuban Partagás Lusitania and the competitively priced Nicaraguan Diesel Vintage Natural. NICARAGUA RING GAUGE: 50 LENGTH: 8 1/4"…

The toro size (also known as corona gordas in some circles) has emerged as the most popular size in American cigar shops. Longer and a bit fatter than most robustos, they offer bang for the buck, while maintaining a manageable dimension you just don’t find in an ultra-fat cigar. Half the toros we reviewed scored 90 points or higher, topped by the Rocky Patel Conviction Toro at 94 points. This Nicaraguan smoke caused people to take notice upon its release due to the high price point—$100 for a single cigar. It’s a price territory few non-Cuban cigars have entered, but this score shows that the smoke delivers on its price tag. Two famed names scored 93 points, a Cohiba from Havana and an E.P. Carrillo Encore Celestial from the Dominican…