20 Acres by Drew Estates: Truly One of a Kind

Daniel Jimenez
-
0
20 Acres by Drew Estates: Truly One of a Kind

Drew Estates has always been keen on innovation, going above and beyond to always be on the cutting edge. This week, we wanted to spotlight a blend that not only epitomizes their commitment to innovation but just so happens to come from our very own home state of Florida.

20 Acre Farm by Drew Estate is rooted in the rich history of Florida tobacco. After the embargo, many of the best Cuban tobacconists took their talents to the sunshine state, causing a boom in the industry that helped introduce cigars on mass to America. While most manufacturers have moved to Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, or various other nations, Drew Estates decided to return to Florida for 20 Acre Farm.

True to the name, the tobacco for these cigars is grown on an exclusive 20-acre farm here in central Florida. Taking full advantage of the state’s climate, 20 Acre is a glorious sun-grown blend bursting with natural sweetness in addition to its robust medium-bodied profile. All of it is complemented by notes of white pepper and citrus.

20 Acre hopes to be a trailblazer for other brands to begin growing in Florida. After smoking a few, I definitely think they’re onto something. Maybe the next time I’m driving home on the 826, I’ll pass a few up-and-coming tobacco farms on my way.

Wondering where to buy cigars? Mike’s delivers near and far!

Judge Rules in Favor of Smoker’s Freedom.

Daniel Jimenez
-
0
Judge Rules in Favor of Smoker’s Freedom.

Every cigar lover keeps a keen eye on the news regarding regulation. Tobacco as a product is already heavily regulated, with new rules being proposed constantly. Just this past month, the FDA ordered Juul products off the market, concerning many smokers.

In an ongoing lawsuit concerning the FDA’s attempt to more closely regulate the premium cigar market, the federal judge overseeing the case has largely sided with cigar manufacturers. The judge has invited further briefing before issuing a final ruling on July 26 but has called the FDA’s attempt to impose new restrictions on cigars “arbitrary and capricious”.

A group of happy smokers

The judge further stated “The agency’s statement that ‘all cigars produce toxic smoke’ is exactly the sort of nonresponsive, circular reasoning the court faulted previously. Instead of addressing the relevant data before it, the agency resorted to a common refrain to obscure the issue,” he wrote, referring to the FDA’s claim that there was no data provided to support the idea that there are different patterns of use among premium cigar smokers, patterns that result in lower health risks. The FDA statement, he wrote, “was not accurate then, and despite litigation counsel’s efforts it is not accurate now.” 

Cigar smokers and makers alike are overjoyed at the decision and cautiously optimistic about what this means for the future of the industry,

Wondering where to buy cigars? Mike’s delivers near and far!

Liga Privada Unico Papas Fritas are Back!

Daniel Jimenez
-
0
Liga Privada Unico Papas Fritas are Back!

Part of the cigar business is listening to your customers, and we heard you all loud and clear. Liga Privada Unico Papas Fritas Cigars are back in stock! The supremely unique stogie is here once more, and we got plenty for everyone!

For those who haven’t tasted the unique joys of the Liga Privada line, we’ll try to put it into words. The entire Liga Privada line is completely one of a kind, born from Drew Estate’s tireless experimentation. Hundreds of blends are crafted and discarded before those chosen few are found that exceed all expectations. The blends that are chosen are so rare, that they are given a single vitola.

Which brings us to the Liga Privada Unico Papas Fritas. Built using a superb and beyond remarkable blend of powerful Honduran and Nicaraguan Cuban-seed premium tobacco, capped with an incandescent Brazilian Mata Fina binder, and encased in a matchless, oily and sumptuous Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro combination wrapper.

As this blend is extraordinarily difficult to create, we only have a limited amount in stock. Aficionados need to act fast to get a box before we run out!

Wondering where to buy cigars? Mike’s delivers near and far!

Cigar Pairings: Buchanan 12 and Oliva Connecticut Reserve

Daniel Jimenez
-
0
Cigar Pairings: Buchanan 12 and Oliva Connecticut Reserve

When I tell people I work for a cigar seller, the question I get asked the most often is “Do you get a discount?” It happens without fail. One of the people who ask about it the most often happens to be my brother, an avid smoker. As it happens, I do get a discount. But I try not to abuse it. Since my brother is staying for the summer, I decided it was a special enough occasion to warrant the discount and picked up two boxes of Padron 2000 and Oliva Connecticut Reserve Petite Corona.

That week, two lifelong friends came over to catch up. They brought with them a bottle of Buchanan 12-Year Deluxe. Whiskey cries out for cigars, so we broke out several of the Oliva Petite Corona. Despite our advanced age, the activity we all agreed on while smoking and drinking was Settlers of Catan. Believe it or not, the game can get heated.

We set up the board, poured the whiskey, lit the cigars, and started enjoying ourselves. The first few sips of Buchanan are very fruity, not too strong. None of us personally like it with ice or a chaser, but it’s the right temperament that you can add them if you prefer it. The Oliva offers similar vibes, being ever mellow and creamy in the first third.

After a few more sips the fruity notes give way to chocolate notes, which compliments the creaminess of the Oliva. Before you’re lulled to sleep, there’s a mild bite of spice in the Oliva that really perks up the whole experience. The spice itself smoothes over with a high note of toasted almonds, which pair exceptionally with the more subtle notes of chocolate in Buchanan. Kind of like making your own Snickers bar.

After going through a dozen or so cigars and half the bottle, the game wrapped up around midnight. It was one of those inauspicious nights that didn’t take much planning but will stay with me forever. The type of nights that cement why people are friends for twenty years and will be so for another twenty.

What are your favorite cigar pairings? Let us know in the comments!

Wondering where to buy cigars? Mike’s delivers near and far!

Cigar Pairings: Redbreast and Baccarat

Daniel Jimenez
-
0
Cigar Pairings: Redbreast and Baccarat

Every so often, we find a cigar pairing that’s too good not to share. As much as we sing the virtues of cigars themselves, the right drink elevates even a truly excellent smoke. The way the flavors mingle, the smoke lingering on the palate as it’s washed in the peaty tastes of liquor, is a singular experience.

I was gifted a bottle of Redbreast 12-year-old whiskey in the past month by an old friend, who raved about it. Breaking out the glasses, we set about enjoying ourselves. My buddy was right, Redbreast was exceptional. It was strong but had a smooth, almost honeyed aftertaste. The initial flavor is spiced, although not overwhelming. I could definitely taste some fruit notes in the mix, the most palpable being orange or tangerine. Definitely citrus. The taste lingers for quite some time, so sips were taken every two to three minutes. I take mine neat, but I could see others easily drinking it on the rocks.

But the right whiskey calls out for the right cigar. One of the benefits of working for Mike’s is the discounted access to plenty of premium smokes. Checking my humidor, one particular blend caught my eye. Baccarat. I usually go for one of their sticks when I want to relax, as Baccarat is one of the mildest, most soothing smokes on the market. Since the Redbreast was already strong, Baccarat was the natural pairing choice. Picking out two No. 1’s, we went back to the Redbreast

It worked beyond my wildest dreams. The notes of cedar in the Redbreast came alive and danced from the Baccarat’s natural sweetness. every time the spiced notes of the drink required a moment, the Baccarat had a natural cooling effect on the draw. The creamy profile on the cigar practically made the whole experience feel like a full meal. Both were incredibly smooth, so none of the flavors ever seemed to fight each other. Every sip of the Redbreast felt like it was waiting for the draw from the stick to really excel; almost like they were made for each other.

It was a great night with a longtime friend made even greater thanks to some exceptional cigars.

Wondering where to buy cigars? Mike’s delivers near and far!

Escobar Cigars Triumphant Relaunch

Daniel Jimenez
-
0
Escobar Cigars Triumphant Relaunch

Escobar Cigars may be relatively new to the scene, but they’re already making waves. The word Cuban is not tossed around lightly in the cigar world. After all, the embargo is still in effect, much to the annoyance of many old-school aficionados. They’ll be pleased to taste any Escobar cigar and find out its claim of “Cuban” inspired tastes isn’t an empty boast. While they were first launched back in 2018, the entire line was transformed into its current glorious form after one man came into the picture.

That man was Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, better known as the rapper Nas. The world-renowned artist is a long-time smoker and told Rolling Stone “When the team at Escobar Cigars initially approached me, I was immediately drawn to the brand by the exceptional quality of their product, from the craftsmanship to the enjoyable smoking experience. Of course, the name instantly stood out to me as well, since ‘Escobar’ is an alias I’ve been going by throughout my career.”

Not content to just be a brand ambassador, Nas invested in the company and became its co-owner last August. Since then he’s worked to revitalize the entire brand and bring it into the modern cigar world. Every single Escobar cigar is built from three distinctive varieties of Nicaraguan tobacco, sun-grown in the fertile volcanic soil. The results speak for themselves, with Escobar’s flagship Habano blend sporting a medium to full-bodied profile with notes of vanilla and white pepper, dried fruit, caramel, and herbs. While Maduro vitolas sports the completely powerful tastes of chocolate, black pepper, dry coffee, and firewood. Demand is already sky-high, so curious aficionados will want to act fast!

Wondering where to buy cigars? Mike’s delivers near and far!

Ferio Tego: From the Ashes of Nat Sherman

Daniel Jimenez
-
0
Ferio Tego: From the Ashes of Nat Sherman

There were many smokers left saddened by the shuttering of the Nat Sherman Cigar brand. After first appearing on the scene back in 1930, Nat Sherman rose through the ranks to become one of the premier boutique cigar brands. There was always something strangely heartening about Nat Sherman’s story, the well-told tale of starting in a single New York City shop and transforming into a sprawling brand is made all the more rousing by the fact that it was accomplished during the Great Depression.

For those who miss the unique style of Nat Sherman, we have good news! After being acquired by Altria, Nat Sherman was absorbed into the existing structure to focus primarily on its luxury cigarette brands. While the name Nat Sherman was taken, the blends it was loved for were left to the former employees of Nat Sherman. In 2021, they banded together and formed Ferio Tego to bring back the beloved flavors that once made Nat Sherman cigars famous.

We here at Mike’s Cigar had a long-standing relationship with Nat Sherman and were saddened to see them go. We’d enjoyed their particular flavors so much, Nat Sherman even commemorated the grand opening of our revamped store in Bay Harbor, sending us a pair of golden scissors to honor the occasion. Those scissors still hang proudly in our lobby to remember the glory days that Nat Sherman heralded.

In addition to its flagship Elegencia and Generoso cigar lines, Ferio Tego offers the critically acclaimed blends for Timeless and Metropolitan that were once under the Nat Sherman Umbrella. Already earning well deserved high scores from the experts at Cigar Aficionado, Ferio Tego in their own words “is never to arrive, but rather to voyage, making brief stops along the way, recognizing achievements and failures alike; and, with humility and thoughtfulness, adjusting course if necessary, to continue the journey.”

A Perfect Spring Cigar

Daniel Jimenez
-
0
A Perfect Spring Cigar

Every aficionado enjoys a premium cigar in their own way. Some smoke based on preference, the craving for a chocolate-flavored cigar or a stogie with sharp, peppery notes. Some smoke based on brand, preferring to stick to the flavors they already know and love. Then there are those who smoke based on the occasion, ever searching for the right cigar to match the mood around them.

As one such smoker myself, finding the right cigar for the first day of spring was no small task. With the deadline fast approaching, I set to work. A Connecticut-shade cigar was the obvious choice, but it ended up feeling cliched. With the turbulent times that this past winter brought, the cigar needed to be more than just a relaxing and mild smoke. I had to pick something that felt hopeful, that brought a level of power to go hand in hand with its flavor.

The answer I arrived at was the Alec Bradley Kintsugi Corona Gorda. Anyone who took a gander at Cigar Aficionado’s top twenty-five for the previous year no doubt saw that this particular stogie took the number 25 spot. The respected leader in tobacco wrote, “the clear rendition of flavor that’s so artfully conveyed by the corona Gorda: dried fruit, cinnamon, espresso bean, and hazelnut come together for a complete picture.”

The Kintsugi so epitomized spring for me because of the inspiration behind it. The art form for which the cigar takes its name is an ancient Japanese practice of mending objects, often with a vibrant golden hue, so that the flaws that have been repaired aren’t hidden but become a part of the artwork itself. For a cigar to so boldly represent the hope that things can be mended, that the mere act of repair can create something wholly better, made it the n8umber one choice. That is what makes for an optimistic spring smoke.

Cigar Review: Montecristo Espada Signature

Daniel Jimenez
-
0
Cigar Review: Montecristo Espada Signature

When starting a review, it’s important to stay objective; not letting your expectations color your opinion. I have to admit that was really difficult with this one. When you have three of the biggest names in tobacco working on your cigars, it’s hard not to have high expectations. When Rafael Nodal, the experts at Group de Maestros, and the renowned Plasencia family announce their working on a cigar separately it’s newsworthy, but combining forces makes it the cigar equivalent of the 1927 Yankees.

So with expectations sky-high, I dove in. For this particular cigar, I used wood matches to light it. My Grandpa used to show off by lighting up always with a single match and one deep draw. I never saw him have to relight once. The genes might have skipped a generation, took me three matches to fully light. The first few draws after being fully lit were exceptionally balanced, but never hid the power that permeated the flavor profile.

The first third was more classically inspired, very woody predominantly. I would say oaky overall, but you can taste the accents of leather. All the while the bouquet is exceptionally earthy, more in line with petrichor than typical woodland soil. It reminds me of sitting out on the porch after a light summer drizzle.

The second third is really where the magic starts. All the tastes are here and they’ve brought their A-game! You’re immediately hit with the spice, it shifts instantly from one draw to the next. It’s intense, but it’s quickly countered with a rich sweetness from the deep chocolate core. It’s almost like its tobacco was cured and aged inside a candy store. A lot of cigars claim to have chocolate flavor but barely manage to have the same sweetness as one square of a Hershey bar. The Montecristo Espada Signature manages to pack in more chocolate flavor than any cigar I’ve ever smoked without skimping on its other tastes.

The final third is where the profile crosses over from medium to full-bodied. Which vibes well with the introduction of strong espresso, creating a very creamy and satisfying finish. Those final few puffs are exceptional as all the flavors make a return to wave goodbye. Total smoke time was one hour and eight minutes. Time well spent. The overall score for the Montecristo Espada Signature: 95

Wondering where to buy cigars? Mike’s delivers near and far!

CAO Arcana Firewalker Makes its Debut

Daniel Jimenez
-
0
CAO Arcana Firewalker Makes its Debut

After the show-stopping debut of CAO Arcana Mortal Coil, smokers were hotly anticipating a follow-up. But no one could be prepared for what was coming next. The Mortal Coil would be a hard act to follow no matter what, considering the acclaim it received for its unique fermentation process that brought about its nuanced balance of creamy spices.

Expectations were obviously high, so CAO had to go above and beyond for the sequel. Their answer was the Firewalker. Why is it called fire walker? Because this cigar goes one step further than others to achieve its out-of-this-world flavor. Not satisfied to simply age its tobacco, CAO uses a specialized process called Chincagre. After its harvested, the Nicaraguan Masatepe is placed into a pilon and then buried within the volcanic soil from which it was planted. That specialized mix of ahs and soil that can only be found from Nicaraguan volcanos is how we get the Firewalker’s powerful tasting notes. Once it’s aged and blended to perfection, it’s cradled in a flawless Habano Rosado wrapper to add a sweet finish.

Early consumer reviews point to another hit for CAO, with some calling it an early contender for Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25.

Wondering where to buy cigars? Mike’s delivers near and far!

1...121314...35Page 13 of 35