The Stogie Guys

This week StogieGuys.com is in Orlando covering the 80th annual International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers (IPCPR) Association Trade Show—the convention where cigar makers from around the world come to showcase their products and debut new creations. Check back throughout the day for updates, and keep an eye on Twitter for even more.

Friday Early Morning: Yesterday, I sat in on the seminars IPCPR holds before the Trade Show officially opens this morning. First up was the CRA/IPCPR Cigar Politics seminar. Unfortunately, attendance was sparse compared to later sessions, in part because it was the first one of the day. I’d estimate 200 people attended. The big news announced there was that Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) would be signing on as a sponsor of Senate Bill 1461 to protect cigars (and the jobs in the cigar industry) from FDA regulation. While it took him a while to get on board with the bill, his support makes plenty of sense given the number of major retailers (Cigars International, Famous Smoke Shop, Holts, etc…) based in the state. At the Cigarnival festival in Easton, Pennsylvania, held just over a month ago, attendees were encouraged to contact Senator Casey. That personal contact from his constituents apparently worked.

Friday AM: In addition to the seminars, yesterday I went on the show floor as setup was taking place. Seeing the booths makes it clear how much time, effort, and money goes into the show. Some of the setups are literally as complicated as building a small house (and can cost just as much). It reminds you that, at the core, manufacturers are here to make sales that justify the extraordinary cost.

Friday Midday: As Chris Edge told us in our recent interview, he is focusing on relaunching Dona Flor into the American market. Still, Alonso Menendez (a cigar we thought very highly of when it first hit the US market seven years ago) is available for those who ask for it. Further, Chris tells us he will soon be releasing a special Alonson Menendez to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the brand.

Friday Midday: Erneto Perez-Carrillo showed us his newest line Inch, featuring large ring gauges and using a high priming Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. The blend, he tells us, uses original Dominican piloto cubano seed tobacco that reminds him of some of the stuff he used when he first launched  El Credito in Miami. He also shared with us a new blend he’s working on that so far doesn’t have a name and will come out in October. In addition, a new annual edition is due out in November.

Friday Midday: Sean Williams of El Primer Mundo is focusing on promoting his new line Hermandad, made in the Dominican Republic at Abe Flores’ (Of Pinar Del Rio) factory. The blend uses a Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and filler. Sean also shared with us his new Clase Reserva cigar, which features a San Andreas wrapper around Nicaraguan binder and filler. The cigar is made at El Titan de Bronze in Miami and is limited to 1,200 boxes of 12.

Friday Midday: Eddie Ortega of Ortega Cigar Company said he’s been pleased with how his brand has grown so far – based on the feedback on the Series D, which is available in both Maduro and Natural now. He said coming into the show, his cigars are available in around 150 stores nationwide. He also mentioned two new releases he working on. “The Brotherhood” – which Ortega hopes will be ready in the next few months – will be a cigar where a portion of profits are donated to Wounded Warriors. He’s also working on “Ortega’s Dirty Dozen” that will be a series of 12 limited releases each with its own personality, size and blend. I asked him if he’ll be making these with Pepin (like his Series D line and his previous 601 cigars), and he said that he plans to work with others too, to diversify his lines’ flavor profile.

Friday Afternoon: General Cigar was busy as always, with quite a few notable new releases. On the high end is the Cohiba Ediciòn Diamante ($22 and $25 for the two sizes – 5″ x 50 and 6″ x 54 – respectively). The cigar uses a Cameroon wrapper from 1980 (with a Indonesian binder and Dominican Piloto Cubano filler) and comes in boxes of 10, with 2012 boxes of each made. Another new cigar from General is the new Macanudo Vintage 2006, which uses Connecticut Habano and San Augustine double binders, and was described as the strongest Macanudo vintage release to date. It will hit shops in November and will cost $8.40-$9 each.

Friday Afternoon: General Cigar introduced the second CAO line since the company fully joined the General Cigar family. “Concert” is designed to celebrate the brand’s Nashville roots, and the city’s rich music tradition, hence the limited edition working speaker humidors seen in the photo above. The blend is based on the “C” blend from the Last Stick Standing promotion, but Ricky Rodriguez, the “bro” primarily responsible for the CAO blends, tells me there were 15 different variations of that blend before they ended up with the final Concert blend. Interestingly, Concert comes in four sizes that are all 5.5 inches in length, with four different ring gauges (46, 50, 54, and 60). The cigars will launch with a 30-event tour starting in September (where the working amp humidors will be given away), and will sell for $5.75-7.50 per cigar.

Friday Afternoon: Erik Espinosa (formerly the “E” of “EO Brands”) had a booth set up that had some familiar cigars including some new ones. Just three weeks ago, Espinosa finalized a deal to take the 601 and Murcielago lines back, after Rocky Patel bought a 50% share in the company a few years ago. Espinosa is also launching the new “Espinosa”cigar featuring an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and filler, as well as “La Zona,” a new value-priced stick. The new cigars as well as the 601 brands will all be made at Espinosa’s new La Zona Factory in Estelí (previously, the 601 lines were made at Pepin’s My Father Cigars factory). Erik says he is working to ensure that the 601 blends don’t change, even as they move to the new factory. A maduro version of Espinosa is in the works, but at least a few months off.

Friday Evening: It was a busy first day on the show floor for us, going from booth to booth. We hit far more than just those booths listed above (nearly 20 all told), but since StogieGuys.com is only on the floor Friday and Saturday, a lot of the information we got will have to come tomorrow or later this week in a followup article. Tonight there are a plethora of cigar parties and events taking place. Meanwhile, continue to check our Twitter feed and stop by tomorrow for more coverage, including George E’s impressions from his first Trade Show.

Check back throughout the day today and tomorrow for live updates from the Trade Show floor as we get the skinny on new products. And feel free to leave a comment on this post if you have a question you’d like us to ask a cigar maker. You can read our previous 2012 Trade Show coverage here, here, and here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credits: Stogie Guys

Cigar clubs are a great way to get together with friends, try some new cigars and spirits, check out a local cigar shop that you’ve never found time to visit, and sit and bond with your fellow cigar enthusiasts. Women have book clubs, men have cigar clubs. I recently sat down with Paul Medenwaldt, president of The Havana Nights Cigar Club from the Twin Cities, who gave me the lowdown on running a cigar club.

The club meets on the first Tuesday of every month at a shop called Little Havana Tobacco in Anoka, Minnesota. Started by a group of guys who wanted to get together with like-minded people and try new cigars, it also became a vehicle for a local cigar shop to bring more people through its doors—people who otherwise might have never stopped by.

When I asked Paul about the club’s membership and their experience as cigar smokers, he had this to say: “Most of the cigar club members are not guys that hang out on a frequent basis at cigar shops. This is their one day a month to get together with friends they may only see once a month. Most of the cigar members are beginners, but have been developing their palate over the years with the introduction to new cigars that the club smokes.

“We try to get new cigars that come to market that the members normally would not know about or try. A lot of them know what they like and only smoke those cigars, but if they enjoy a cigar the evening of the club, they will then search it out at their local shop or online.

“There are only a handful of guys who are hardcore cigar smokers that frequent local cigar shops multiple nights a week and know what cigars are available in the market. The same can be said for the spirits we sample. We do our best to present the members with unique whiskeys they would not have in their own collection, like Ardbeg or Highland Park.”

When it comes to picking cigars, like a book club would pick a book, the club tries to focus on new cigars that have come to market. “After the yearly IPCPR event,” says Paul, “I will search out cigars that manufacturers are introducing to the market. This October we are featuring the new CAO OSA Sol. It’s the first release from CAO since being acquired by General Cigar.”

But with so many new cigars to choose from, how do they decide on only one per month? “The difficult part is trying to select from so many new blends. I almost wished we met on a more frequent basis so we could have the opportunity to try all the new cigars. Our club for years voted on the following month’s cigars and spirits. The last few years the club members have put that decision in the hands of the president.”

It’s easier for one person to pick the cigar than for 30 people to decide. And some of the members don’t really care what gets smoked, they just want to socialize and try new things. There are monthly dues which go towards the purchase of cigars and spirits, so when you arrive on club night, your cigars and drinks are already there. The club also holds raffles for cigars and cigar accessories.

When I asked Paul for advice on starting a cigar club, he offered the following words of wisdom: “It’s finding like-minded people who can make a commitment once a month and are willing to try cigars they may not of tried otherwise.”

He continued: “Decide on what the purpose of the club will be. Is it an evening where people get together and just smoke a cigar and have a spirit? Will the focus be to review the cigar you are smoking and to publish those results for the rest of the world to see?

“Starting with core members who are dedicated to cigars, the word will get out and others may be interested in joining. Have the club meetings on a weekday. It may sound weird, but more people are available on weekday evenings (they are then less likely to get stinking drunk because they have to get up the next morning). But the focus should be on the cigar.”

The Havana Nights club often works with local cigar shops that are open to hosting a meeting. Some shops may be willing to stay open later if it means new cigar smokers will be visiting their shops. Shops will always have new cigars they are willing to promote to new people the evening of the cigar club.

“My experience is that I am selective when it comes to new members. You want to make sure they are there for the cigar and fellowship and not just for an evening of drinking. Start with core members who are knowledgeable and then find people who may be novices to cigar smoking but are willing to learn about new cigars. The challenge will be getting to those novices because they probably don’t hang out on a regular basis at a cigar shop and may only walk in and walk out of a cigar shop with their purchase or are online only purchasers.

“It’s about getting the word out there that a cigar club is available in a local area and using a simple website and social media to provide people with information about the club. Work with a local cigar shop, hang flyers in the shop promoting the club, and explain how it will differ from their regular visits to the cigar shop. You have to give the people a reason to show up. And write a simple constitution for the club so new members can read what they expect to get out of the club.”

Once a club is up and running it pretty much takes care of itself. Paul will arrive early to make sure all the cigars and spirits are ready for when the members arrive and greet each member as they walk in.

I had the pleasure of spending an evening with the Havana Nights Cigar Club and found it to be a very relaxed atmosphere dedicated to discussing cigars, sports, food, and whatever it is men talk about when they get together. You can imagine that I had a pretty good time. If anyone would like advice on starting or running a cigar club, Paul Medenwaldt welcomes your emails.

–Mark M

photo credit: Flickr

Cigar City Magazine, the vision of Lisa M. Figueredo, is Tampa’s premiere magazine for information about the history of the Tampa Bay area. Lisa feels passionately about her blended culture, history, and family and started the magazine as a celebration of her heritage.

Stogie Guys: How did Cigar City Magazine get started?

Lisa Figueredo: I owed an ad agency and was up late one night working and was thinking of when my Abuelo Lee and Abuela Nena would have fresh hot Cuban bread and butter waiting for me when I woke up with some hot café con leche. Then my Abuela Nena and I would catch the bus and ride over to Ybor City for the day or sometimes my Abuelo Lee would take me to the local cigar factories to pick up the steams and waste from the tobacco leaves that he would use to spread on people’s lawns. I was thinking about how much I missed them and how I wished I could get those days back. That’s when I came up with the idea to write about my stories and the history of Tampa.

I come from a long line of people who made a difference in Tampa. My family on my father’s side boasted the first Mayor of West Tampa who was instrumental in helping Jose Martí spark the Cuban Revolution and win independence from Spain. His name was Fernando Figueredo. On my mother’s side, her Great Grandfather Enrique Henriquez was the last Mayor of West Tampa. My Great Grandmother was also Carmen Ramirez who was a famous actress from Spain and was instrumental in raising money for the local theaters in Ybor City.

SG: What is the best part about being the publisher of Cigar City Magazine?

LF: The best part is giving back to the city I grew up in and love so much, and giving a voice to its past. People don’t realize the rich history we have here in Tampa and how lucky we are to be a part of it. If one article touches one person’s heart when they realize that, that’s the best part.

SG: What makes Cigar City Magazine different from other cigar publications?

LF: Contrary to our name, we do not rate cigars or write about individual cigars. Instead, we focus our stories on the cigar factories and how they got here. We also do feature stories on famous cigar pioneers like Arturo Fuente, Angel Oliva, J.C. Newman, and more. I got the name because back in the heyday of the cigar factories, Tampa was once nicknamed “Cigar City.” By the late 1960s, after the embargo of Cuba, factories were closing and many were going to machines. The name got lost until 2005 when I resurrected it by calling the magazine Cigar City. Seems now-a-days everyone is using it: Spirit of Cigar City, Cigar City Brewery, Cigar City Tattoo Convention, Cigar City Darlings, etc. People ask me all the time if I get upset when I see people using my trademarked name and I say, “Hell no!” We are Cigar City and I’m just happy I was able to make it come back alive. Plus, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

SG: How much space do you dedicate to cigars, cigar industry trends, and Tampa’s local cigar bars and shops?

LF: It’s hard to talk about Tampa without talking about the cigar industry. Though most of our stories are about history we do try and throw in a few things for our loyal cigar connoisseur. In our last issue we did an interview with Pete Johnson, owner of Tatuaje Cigars, and we have written stories about the famous cigar families and factories. We never rate cigars nor will we ever because we are Cigar City and we love them all.

SG: One of my favorite issues is the Fidel Castro Mob issue. Are there any forthcoming stories or issues that you are really excited about?

LF: I love each and every issue, but if I had to pick three, I would say our Mob issue, our Cuba issue, and the Cigar Woman issue. You can read them online right here.

SG: Talk a bit about some of your recurring features like “Mama Knows,” “Café Con Leche,” and the “On the Town” photos. What can readers expect from these, and other regular features in the magazine?

LF: “Mama Knows” is probably one of our most widely anticipated columns. Mama does not have a subtleness about her when it comes to giving advice; she tells it like it is. We left her out of an issue one time and I almost had a revolt on our hands from the readers. Mama gets more emails than any other staff member. Our “Café con Leche” is a cool column and mainly we interview famous and even sometimes a few infamous people now and then. Our “On the Town” is a great way to thank my readers. It’s mainly photos of them at all of the events we do or go to.

SG: Who is involved in the magazine? Tell us a bit about the major contributors.

LF: Cigar City is made up of many writers who, for the most part, just want to write about the history of Tampa. Some of these writers are famous, like Scott Deitche, author of Cigar City Mafia, to the daughter submitting a story about her father that worked in a cigar factory, to the professor at a major university. Then of course we have the great historian, Emanuel Leto, who also works at the Tampa Bay History Center, who really has made this magazine possible. Paul Guzzo, who used to write for La Gaceta, gives us many great articles like “Sleeping with the Enemy,” which tells how the Hillsborough Sheriff Office traded guns to Fidel Castro for the release of Santo Trafficante, Jr.

SG: Tampa has always taken great pride in its history and Cigar City Magazine has always celebrated that history. With such a rich history of cigars, the Cuban, Spanish, and Italian cultures, baseball and bolita, how do you decide what goes into the magazine?

LF: It’s not easy. The best way I can explain it is like this: Remember when you got that first new bike and you wanted to show it off to the whole neighborhood and you just couldn’t wait? It’s like that with many of our stories. We usually always have so many in the pipeline it’s hard to choose. But I guess that’s what has kept us around for seven years…having good material for every issue.

We thank Lisa for her willingness to sit down and talk with StogieGuys.com. Please visit Cigar City Magazine on the web to find the latest issue and subscribe. Or, if you live in the Tampa area, be sure to pick up the latest copy.

–Mark M

photo credit: LinkedIn

As I wrote in a commentary in May, this spring my wife and I packed up our apartment in Virginia, loaded up our belongings, and moved to our new home in Chicago. The move was motivated by a desire to be closer to our friends and family, as well as for new careers.

A few loyal readers sent comments and emails humorously suggesting I had moved to be closer to the Tesa Cigar Company, a boutique manufacturer located on Lake Street just west of the Loop. They correctly recalled how much I enjoy Tesa’s various blends, including Cabinet 312, Havanitas, Gran Cru, and Vintage Especial.

No, I didn’t move back to my hometown city because of Tesa. But having an office relatively near Tesa’s lounge is certainly a nice perk. I plan on visiting the shop more often to get reacquainted with my favorite Tesa blends and to try other Chris Kelly creations that I haven’t had the opportunity to smoke yet.

One such creation is Batch 505. This five-vitola blend (production limit of 90,000 cigars per size annually) sports a light Indonesian wrapper and Nicaraguan filler. The Rothchild (5 x 52) has a firm feel, a tight cross-section of tobaccos, and a perfectly executed pigtail cap. A soft aroma of sweet hay is present off the foot.

From the outset, the flavor is tremendously well-balanced with notes of dry wood, coffee with creamer, and mixed nuts (sometimes I pick up walnut, other times cashew or peanut). Perhaps most intriguing, the long, rounded finish is characterized by caramelized sugar.

About a year ago I asked Kelly what is his best cigar. He said it was a toss-up between the Vintage Especial—which, in his words, is a “mild-bodied Connecticut with a very creamy texture…and subtle yet intricate flavors of almonds and butterscotch”—and the Cabinet 312—which has “big and dark flavors of espresso, bittersweet chocolate, with fleeting hints of citrus.” In terms of body, Batch 505 ranks in-between these two blends. Depending on the time of day or my mood, though, it may not be second to either of Kelly’s favorites.

Like everything else from Tesa, the 505 Rothchild burns extremely well with a solid ash and a nice draw. And while its flavors don’t change much from light to nub, the complexity of this cigar is captured by its balance. This treat is well worth its $6.75 price tag and definitely worthy of four and a half stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

A.J. Fernandez may be the best cigar maker you haven’t heard of. But not for long.

Born in Cuba where he worked with the legendary Alejandro Robaina, Fernandez has quickly gained fame making cigars for other cigar companies including Rocky Patel, Padilla, Graycliff, and Gurkha, as well as making exclusive cigars for catalog giant Cigars International (for whom he makes Diesel, Man O’ War, La Herencia, and other smokes.) At the 2010 industry trade show, Fernandez introduced his first solo national brand, San Lotano. (For more on San Lotano, read our reviews of the Connecticut and Habano.)

Via email (with translation help from company co-President Kris Katchaturian) I asked A.J. Fernandez about Cuba, Robaina, Niacaraguan tobacco, and his new San Lotano blend.

Stogie Guys: Growing up in Cuba, did you notice cigars playing a role in the country’s culture? How did you first become involved with the cigar industry?

A.J. Fernandez: I noticed it a lot. It is an integral part of our culture. I come from a generational family of tobacco growers. I was born and raised in San Luis, Cuba (this is in the Pinar del Rio region). This part of Cuba is known worldwide because most every local is involved directly or indirectly with tobacco. Mostly, I remember when I was a child helping my grandfather stripping the leaves. I have always loved the natural aroma of tobacco. I guess, you could say, it is in my blood.

SG: You’ve been described as the protégé of the “Godfather of Cuban tobacco,” Alejandro Robaina. Tell us about what made him so special. What was the most important thing he taught you about cigars?

A.J.: That is a fine compliment. Too much, even. He was a great man and mentor. But I won’t say that I am the protégé of Alejandro Robaina. Our families had a longstanding relationship with each other. We had great respect for him… I idolized him. We would often get together and I would listen to everything he had to say. I suppose one concept that I always keep close to me is to continually tinker with different (leaf) blends. You never know what you might fall upon.

SG: What made you decide to leave Cuba? Why did you settle in Nicaragua?

A.J.: My father wanted to keep my family close together. He came to Nicaragua in 1997 to run the fermentation process for his nephew, Nestor Plasencia. I joined in Nicaragua shortly thereafter. I used that golden opportunity to become independent, utilizing the knowledge which I brought from Cuba to begin my own factory.

SG: You use a lot of Nicaraguan tobacco in the blends you create. What is it about Nicaraguan tobacco that you think makes it so special?

A.J.: In my opinion, the Nicaraguan tobacco is totally unique. Hey, it’s beautiful. Why? It combines the perfect balance of aroma and strength. I am very proud of the quality of leaf here. It is a gift from above to work with such high quality product.

SG: Tell us about the new San Lotano blend, you first independent, nationally distributed cigar line.

A.J.: San Lotano is crafted from carefully selected Cuban-seed leaves. The ligero is aged more than five years. This aging results in a naturally sweet aroma and fine balance. I also make it with lots of passion.

SG: What do you think about the quality of Cuban tobacco? What would you do if you had access to Cuban tobacco for blending today?

A.J.: People ask this question often. For me, Cuba has very rich and complex tobacco. If I were given the opportunity to mix it with my Nicaraguan product? Oh man, we would have some highly sought-after blends.

SG: Besides those you make, what are some of your favorite cigars to smoke for your own enjoyment?

A.J.: What a difficult question. Like asking what my favorite food is. There are so many excellent lines today, both new and old. I would hate to leave something out. Naturally, I am so busy making new blends I do not have a lot of time to smoke outside product. Was that diplomatic enough of me?

SG: Give us the one-sentence pitch: Why should a cigar smoker who has never smoked one of your cigars try one?

A.J.: It is not only in the exacting method in which we ferment our tobacco, which gives great balance to our blends, but also in the passionately intense supervision of the rolling process for that perfect construction.

Thanks to A.J. Fernandez for taking the time to talk to us. For more information on his cigars, visit AJFernandezCigars.com.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Headquartered in a lounge on the Near North Side of the Windy City, the Tesa Cigar Company is led by Chicago native Chris Kelly. Chris is an “atypical” cigar maker who meticulously creates blends from Tesa’s own factory in Estelí, Nicaragua, with a variety of enticing wrappers and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua. His offerings include the Shaman, Series Finos F500, Havanitas, Gran Cru, and the Vintage Especial (third on our list of the Top Ten Cigars We Reviewed in 2009).

Chris—pictured in front of a national monument for Augusto Sandino in Managua, Nicaragua—recently spoke with StogieGuys.com about mastering the trade, the challenges of working in another culture, and what sets Tesa apart from the competition.

Stogie Guys: You don’t look like the typical cigar maker. Your age, your base in Chicago…What gives? How did you get involved in the industry?

Chris Kelly: I am the atypical cigar manufacturer. I’m a 24-year-old Irish kid from the South Side of Chicago. I was blessed to grow up in the cigar business, as my father has had a cigar store there for almost 30 years. I have spent the better portion of my life from infancy to now around cigars and cigar smokers. Needless to say, they have become my life’s passion. My father has always been ahead of industry trends and in the early 90s he began taking trips to Nicaragua with the Padróns and Perdomos. While there, he developed a relationship with a small factory and began having brands made for his store. A couple years later we began wholesaling product. When quantities went up we ran into problems. I couldn’t sell bad cigars. My father bought a building in Nicaragua and offered to let me make cigars. At 18 I said, “Hell yes!” and have been doing it ever since.

SG: In terms of blending and cigar production, what sets Tesa apart from other manufacturers?

CK: We’re unique in our blending. When I was learning to blend, the level of guidance from experienced people was about zero. This industry is very family-oriented for the most part and so great-grandfathers pass their knowledge of tobacco down to grandfathers and then fathers and so on. I had none of that generational knowledge passed on to me, which made my start in blending and manufacturing a very difficult task. When I began in Nicaragua, I was a cigar smoker and that was it. Just about zero Spanish, one or two contacts in the country, no raw material knowledge, no processing knowledge, blending or construction knowledge—let alone how to deal with people from another culture. That was an awful lot to take in at 18, but this was what I wanted to be. I wanted to be a tobacco man. I was forced to approach everything thinking outside the box. This has helped define both our cigars and our company. It has also cost quite a bit of money from my earlier ignorance.

SG: What are some of the biggest challenges in making cigars the way you do?

CK: The biggest challenges are definitely with tobacco, both availability and the lack of deep pockets. We had some serious availability issues to overcome for the first two and a half years. Finally, I was permitted by tobacco growers to purchase Grade A tobaccos. Those tobaccos were just “not available” to me in the beginning, which forced me to be totally involved in my manufacturing process. A lot of oversight is needed with “workable” material and not top grade. That practice has become a part of why we’re different.

SG: What was the most difficult Tesa line to blend? Which line is the best-selling?

CK: Each blend has had its peculiarities that we’ve run into, every single leaf of tobacco is different, and tobaccos react differently with other tobaccos. The difficulty level becomes a major factor when you’re driven to make a cigar that is complex, well-balanced, rich, and well-constructed. That is very difficult. Right now our best cigar is a toss-up between the Cabinet 312 (a nice medium-full body with big and dark flavors of espresso, bittersweet chocolate, with fleeting hints of citrus) and the Vintage Especial (a mild-bodied Connecticut with a very creamy texture to the smoke, subtle yet intricate flavors of almonds and butterscotch—very complex for a mild blend).

SG: How long have you had a lounge in Chicago? What sort of surprises does that enterprise present?

CK: We have had the lounge in Chicago for about a year and a half. The biggest surprise to me has been people’s gravitation to the lounge. Obviously, in opening the lounge I anticipated customers, but there is a wonderful energy in that place. People don’t want to leave and, when they do, they’ve already planned when they can come back. We have created upwards of 100 new cigar smokers out of that store. Twenty-something’s think it’s the coolest thing they’ve seen. They stumble in looking for cigarettes and say, “Wow, what’s this all about? I didn’t know people still smoke cigars.” More women frequent our lounge than I’ve seen in many cigar shops. The synergy of people is top shelf. The lounge is critical for the longevity of this industry and society as a whole.

SG: Regarding your factory in Estelí, how is doing business in Nicaragua different than doing business in the U.S.?

CK: Doing business in Nicaragua is very different. You are dealing with a different culture in a foreign language. It took a considerable amount of time to hone my diplomacy and people skills to work side-by-side with them. You have to understand the people, their history, beliefs, and ideals before you can begin to relate to them. It’s very humbling to be working down there; save Haiti, it’s the poorest country in our hemisphere. To be there on a daily basis seeing what true poverty is and understanding what that means to the person who is impoverished is truly life-changing. The Nicaraguan people are wonderful and very strong.

SG: What would you say to those readers who have never tried a Tesa?

CK: Why not try a Tesa? I smoke what I make and I work very hard to bring to market a superior product. It may not become your favorite, but I personally guarantee that it will be a very enjoyable experience for you. It’s difficult to get people to try products from a new company, but we’re not new. We are the best kept secret in Nicaragua and the industry. Give me a shot at your taste buds.

SG: Aside from your own creations, what else do you smoke?

CK: Right now, I’m smoking quite a few Ligas from Drew Estate—both the Number 9 and the T-52s. Personally, aside from my products, I think it’s one of the most under-appreciated sticks out right now. Great flavor, complex, lots of depth, and the construction is excellent. Other than that, some Pepin stuff here and there, the Davidoff maduro is a nice smoke, and some other odds and ends.

Many thanks to Chris Kelly for taking the time to speak with StogieGuys.com. For more information and to order Tesa cigars online, please visit TesaCigars.com.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Yesterday, cigar maker Litto Gomez showcased his new “Air Bender” blend at two Old Virginia Tobacco locations. We caught up with him at the in-store event in Falls Church, Virginia, to try the latest release from La Flor Dominicana and get his thoughts on the ever-encroaching war on tobacco.

Air Bender, formerly a blend exclusive to La Flor Dominicana events, sports an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper and Dominican binder and filler tobaccos from Litto’s farm in La Canela.  He’s been stockpiling the wrapper for a few years now to make sure that he can keep the blend consistent going forward. Not as spicy as his well-regarded Double Ligero blend, the intended profile is of “refined power,” says Gomez.

Air Bender is offered in four vitolas that retail for $7-8.25 apiece: Matatan (5 x 50), Guerrero (6.25 x 54), Maestro (5.25 x 52), and Valiente (6.25 x 60). Each name honors a kung fu warrior. “I’m enamored with Chinese culture,” said Gomez.

Some think the line’s name is itself a nod to martial arts (apparently there’s an animated television series called Avatar: The Last Airbender).

But Gomez gave us a different explanation. “When we smoke, we bend the air,” he said. “You can see smoke split the air as it leaves a cigar. That’s why I thought ‘Air Bender’ would be a perfect name for my newest line.”

We asked what fans could expect next from La Flor Dominicana. Gomez says a smaller ring gauge version of the Air Bender should be ready in time for the IPCPR Trade Show in August.  (All the initial sizes in the line are 50 RG or larger.) He was also excited about  Small Batch No. 3, due out in a few weeks.

Defending Cigar Rights

Litto Gomez, like many cigar makers these days, is very concerned about excessive taxes, smoking bans, and other anti-tobacco zealotry. “The industry is a very easy target,” he says. “It’s important that we realize the stakes in this battle: The other side wants to erase tobacco.”

The anti-tobacco lobby has always pushed for more bans and taxes, he explained, and until politicians feel someone pushing back there’s nothing to stop them. That’s why Gomez has been a key supporter of Cigar Rights of America (CRA) since its inception in August 2008.

“I’m surprised by how apathetic smokers have been…how willing they are to accept taxes and bans,” exclaims Gomez. He says even casual smokers should join CRA because “it provides the voice of the consumer and helps defend our rights.”

–Patrick A & Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys