Category: Cigar

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past ten years, you have heard about A.J. Fernandez.

His portfolio and reputation have expanded exponentially ever since his coveted New World cigars made an appearance. Within the last few years, he has also started making cigars for Altadis USA. One of those cigars is the H. Upmann by A.J. Fernandez.

It is made at A.J.’s factory in Esteli with an Ecuador Sumatra wrapper, Corojo 99 binder, and Cuban seed fillers from Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. It is available in a few different sizes, including this 38 x 4 “Papi” size packaged in a tin. The tin holds 6 Papis and is packaged with a Boveda pack to keep everything fresh. These cigars boast the reputation of A.J.’s other cigars with a distinctive Nicaraguan bite. They pack a punch and deliver a medium to full-bodied experience all the way through. Hints of sweet raisins, almonds, earth, and pepper blast your palette and senses. The flavor is sharp and distinct from start to finish. The average burn time is about 30 minutes. Usually, with smaller cigars like these, construction is compromised but I was very impressed with the way this cigar was made and how it held together.

I see this tin as the perfect buy for a night on the town because they do not last too long, and the tin easily fits in your jacket pocket. They might also come in handy if you are in a colder climate and just need to get a quick, strong smoke in before you freeze. If you are a fan of A.J. Fernandez’s cigars or want a strong and complex little cigar these are calling your name.

The Diamond Crown MAXIMUS is a fantastic premium value cigar with a high-quality Dominican cigar with an Ecuador El Bajo Sungrown wrapper. This cigar comes from J.C. Newman Cigar Co., and the reputation of the craftsmanship of their cigars holds up when smoking the MAXIMUS.

The Diamond Crown MAXIMUS Toro is made in the Dominican Republic at Tabacalera A. Fuente, where all the cigars in the Diamond Crown line are rolled. The pre-light scent is damp earth and cocoa. At a glance, the cigar has an extremely oily, dark wrapper. The cigar features a Dominican binder leaf and is a handmade long filler cigar.

The Diamond Crown MAXIMUS has a sweet finish and from the first to the second third, the tasting notes build in strength, though the prominent pepper mellows out by the third, third. The ash is a beautiful grey and the burn is razor-sharp. This is a bold cigar that can easily be classified as medium to full in intensity and has a significant bite. The smoke is full and coats the palette. If you’re looking for a pairing, this cigar would go well with a bar of dark choclate.

Though Honduran and Nicaraguan blends tend to be the cigars that can be classified as full-bodied, this Dominican cigar definitely packs a punch. Still not convinced enough to buy a whole box? The Diamond Crown MAXIMUS can be found in the Royal Sampler and it’s worth noting you’ll get to taste each of the four cigars that belong to the Diamond Crown family.

The Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Robusto is a fantastic premium value cigar with a high-quality Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper. This is a cigar you could smoke every day after work to unwind.

The Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real is made in the Dominican Republic by Altadis USA in Tabacalera de Garcia, one of the largest factories in the Dominican. The cigar is your typical parejo robusto (5″x52) with a finely-made cap and an aesthetic band. At a glance, the cigar has an attractive Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper with a healthy blonde luster. The aroma of the hand-selected Dominican and Nicaraguan filler invites the cigar smoker to partake. The cigar features a Dominican binder leaf and is a handmade long filler cigar.

The Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Robusto has notes of sandalwood, cedar, nuts, cocoa, and honey. The dry pull is smooth and sweet with a good draw. The tasting notes build in strength throughout the 45-60 minute smoking experience, gaining hints of Indian spices towards the final third of the cigar. The smoke is silky and aromatic with every puff. The intensity and flavor of the Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real are mild to medium.

This is a very good cigar at a very good value, offering a different price option for shade wrapper aficionados in a world where authentic American Connecticut Shade wrapper is increasingly difficult to find or cost prohibitive. The Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Robusto is consistently a best-seller in brick and mortar cigar lounges. It lives up to its reputation as one of the most popular cigars for its price point and flavor profile, and I would encourage any smoker to verify this claim themselves.

The name Montecristo resonates with cigar smokers worldwide. Their superb quality and flavor have withstood the test of time in an ever-changing industry. The Montecristo Classic Especial No. 1 holds true to this statement.

The quality of the packaging and flavor of the cigar makes for an obvious, affordable buy. The box features the brand logo, along with some new-age flare, holding 20 cigars. The cigar itself features a genuine high-grade Connecticut shade wrapper over Dominican binder and filler tobaccos. The cigar measures 44 x 6 ½ and can be described as a Lonsdale.

The cigars are firm to the touch with a little more give towards the center and foot of the cigar. The Especial No. 1 lights with ease and has good smoke output. The quality of the construction is apparent. The flavor is great right off the bat with hints of molasses, cedar, cream, and nuts. The smoke is thick and fulfilling with a perfect draw. About halfway through the cigar, the flavor shifts to have a little white pepper and grass added to the blend. The strength and flavor were both light to medium. With the smoothness and amount of flavor, this cigar could be enjoyed at any time of the day. The burn time is around one hour fifteen minutes.

This is the perfect cigar to have in your humidor that goes with any occasion and pairing.

The Cuesta-Rey Caravelle is a phenomenal value cigar with a premium presentation.

These panatela cigars are made on J.C. Newman’s iconic antique cigar machines from the 1930’s in Tampa, FL. These are hand operated machines that roll the bunch (filler & binder) while someone lays the wrapper out onto a dye. The dye uses suction to hold the wrapper tight while a blade cuts it to size. After that, it gets rolled onto the bunch. These machines are a treat to look at with nearly 10,000 moving parts. This is an old school box, that features familiar Cuesta-Rey Sally and holds 25 panatelas. Usually cigars in this price point come in a bundle instead of a box. This makes for a beautiful presentation. The cigars measure 6.25 x 34 which is an old school size. Most cigars were close to this size until the 90’s.

The Caravelle is available in three different wrappers: Natural, Extra Claro, and Maduro. All three options have a variety of aged Dominican fillers. The natural is an Ecuador Havana that is light-medium bodied. There are hints of nuts, spice, and a slight sweetness here and there. The Extra Claro Candela wrapper is mild and has a very green flavor. There are hints of sweet grass and earth. The Broadleaf maduro wrapper is medium bodied with hints of pepper, sweet hay, and earth. All three versions of the Cuesta-Rey Caravelle are super smooth with plenty of flavor.

This is a great price point for something made in the good ol’ U.S.A.

The Neos Cappuccino Cigarillo is an enjoyable little dessert cigar and a perfect companion to an hour of leisure at a European café.

Neos are made by J. Cortès Cigars in Handzame, Belgium. The company selects Ecuadorian Sumatran wrappers for their cigarillos at a Sri Lankan processing facility. The Neos use an Ecuadorian Sumatran wrapper over homogenous binder paper and a short filler blend of Burley and Virginia tobaccos. Neos are a mini cigar (3.5’ x 20) with a brown, chestnut shade to its wrapper. Neos come in tins of ten and boxes of one hundred.

Neos Cappuccino Cigarillos are Neos infused with delicious tasting notes of vanilla and coffee. The Ecuadorian Sumatran wrapper is rolled onto a tube of homogenous binder and short filler and then segmented for each cigarillo. This means that the cigarillo does not have a cap. When I opened a tin to review them, I noticed few of the cigarillos had a frayed wrapper. Overall, however, the cigarillos had a solid construction with a pleasant aroma.

Neos Cappuccino Cigarillos are a quick smoking experience of 10-15 minutes. The cigarillo’s utilization of short filler tobaccos typically used in pipe and cigarette blends gives the smoker a much milder taste than dedicated mini cigar or cigarillo brands which use darker tobaccos. The infused tasting notes of molasses, vanilla, and baking spices accompany the smoker throughout the experience.

Neos represent a unique experience for the American cigar smoker. Mini cigars and cigarillos are typically associated with European markets in the American cigar industry. If you have never tried a mini cigar or cigarillo, I would suggest picking up a tin of Neos. They truly encapsulate the cerebral relaxation of being an expatriate at a European café.

The Gurkha Ghost is very popular and well known. With a 93 rating, attractive packaging, and unique flavor it was won the hearts of smokers nationwide. It comes in a 5 pack or a full box of 21 cigars. Both of which have a sort of tribal theme featuring the name.

It stands out amongst traditional packaging in the cigar industry. The band has silver embossing and iridescence. I’m sure that if you light this cigar around friends or in public, people will ask “what are you smoking” just because of how cool the band looks.

The blend consists of a dark Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper, a Dominican grown Criollo 98 binder, and select fillers from Nicaragua and Dominican Republic. This size is called the Asura and measures 6 x 54.

The Ghost has a nice draw, maybe a bit on the tighter side but the smoke output is heavy. The strength and flavor are medium. The Ghost delivers flavors of sweet earth, charred cocoa, and wet hay. There is no sort of spice or bite whatsoever. The entire cigar remains smooth and balanced. Usually cigars with a maduro wrapper has some sort of intensity or bite, not the Ghost. If you are looking for dark flavors without all the strength, this cigar is for you. It is a nice variation from the reputation that most maduro cigars have.

With good construction and unique flavor, the price point fits the bill. See what all the hype is about and try the Gurkha Ghost.

The Montecristo White Series Toro is an excellent daily smoke and an exemplary shade wrapper cigar.

This cigar is manufactured in the Dominican Republic by Altadis USA at Tabacalera de Garcia, the largest factory in the Dominican Republic. This cigar uses an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder as well as Nicaraguan and Dominican long filler. The size is a stereotypical parejo toro (6’ x 54). Uniquely, the White Series toro comes in a box of 27. $294.60 for a box of 27 premium shade wrapper cigars is good value.

The cigar’s Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper is light brown and flawless, bearing the distinctive greenish-tan hue associated with shade tobacco. The overall construction of the cigar is perfect and, upon cutting, the smoker can see that all the pieces of long filler are well blended with no thick veins to obstruct the draw. The cold draw is subdued, bearing notes of nuts and grasses. As expected of a toro, the cigar takes a good toasting before an even smoking begins. The draw is slightly tight, but this is because of a construction that helps the cigar from becoming spongy into the latter half of the smoking experience. 

The Montecristo White Series has notes of toasted wheat, peanuts, barnyard hay, and nutmeg. The tasting notes are constant companions throughout the entire 45-75 minute smoking experience, being joined by notes of white pepper and rice in the final third of the cigar. The retrohale is creamy and smooth, providing consistent returns on enjoyment. It should be noted that this cigar is rich in the sense of smoke production. The intensity and flavor of the Montecristo White Series are mild to medium.

This is a fantastic cigar. The White Series toro is an immensely popular size, and I can vouch for its quality. Anyone who is a fan of shade wrapper cigars should pick up a box of these. In a world where genuine Connecticut Shade is increasingly elusive, Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade cigars, like the Montecristo White Series, are a godsend.

The Punch Clasico London Club is a tasteful, affordable box to have in your humidor.

This cigar is manufactured in Honduras by General Cigar Co. It uses an Ecuadorian Sumatra Wrapper over Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Dominican filler. The London Club is the name for the size, a 5 x 40 which is slightly skinnier than a standard corona size. The full box of 25 will cost you slightly more than $60 which I consider to be a steal.

The Sumatra wrapper is a dark brown color with a good amount of oil and teeth. Construction seems to be perfect with just a little bit of give when squeezed and no imperfections in the outer leaf. It holds up resiliently to a straight cut, there is no cracking. The cold draw is subtle and pleasant with hints of sweet coffee. The cigar is easily lit with an even burn throughout the entirety of the cigar. The draw is right in the sweet spot of not too tight or too loose. The intensity and flavor are both medium.

The Punch Clasico has hints of licorice, coffee, nuts, and charred wood. Those flavors remain consistent and prominent during the entire cigar. The average smoke time between 3 cigars is 25-30 minutes. Overall, this is a fantastic cigar. I highly recommend picking up a box of these. They are perfect morning/coffee cigars. I am a big fan of the size. A normal corona is 5×44, this cigar is a fair bit skinnier which shaves about ten minutes off the smoke time.

This is a quick smoke with little to no spice at all. Pick up a box from Luis Martinez and add some variety to your humidor for those days when you do not have an hour or more to spare.  

Cigars and the cigar industry have a variety of terms that are important to know and understand. At LMCigars.com, we’ve taken the top 20 terms that are searched on our site and defined them below to make things a bit easier for you when you are navigating the site.

Even the most well-rounded smoker will find information here that may make searching for and purchasing cigars and cigar accessories just a bit easier.

 
Binder: The middle tobacco leaf, wrapped around the filler tobacco, and appearing underneath the wrapper. It is the most important component in ensuring the cigar stays together and burns evenly.
 
Box Pressed: Some cigars like the Perla del Mar have an almost square appearance. This is because when the cigars are still wet, after being rolled, they are placed into a grated box. Each square of the grate fits one cigar, and the cigar takes the shape of the square it’s in as it dries.
 
Bunch/Bunching: Bunching is the step before cigar rolling. Bunchers are responsible for creating the filler blend, by taking a pre-determined recipe of different tobacco leaves. These filler tobacco leaves are bunched together, and the binder leaf is wrapped around them.
 
Canoeing: This is a non-desirable term when it comes to cigars. Canoeing is defined by the uneven burn of a cigar, when one side burns faster than the other, leaving one side longer, and the ash caking to one side.
 
Chaveta: This is a wedge shaped, handle-less knife, used by cigar rollers. The rollers use this knife to cut the wrapper tobacco into the proper shape, to create the wrapper leaf before they roll it onto the exterior of the premium cigar, such as the Arturo Fuente Hemingway.
 
Churchill: A popular cigar vitola, named in honor of the former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who famously enjoyed cigars. Though the actual dimensions vary by manufacturer, a common Churchill size is 7 inches long with a 48-ring gauge like the Luis Martinez Silver Selection.
 
Cigarillo: Cigarillos, such as Neos are short, slim cigars made of premium tobacco for a quicker, flavorful smoke.
 
Filler: The leaves of tobacco that make up the interior/center of the cigar. Long Filler tobacco can be long pieces, bunched together and surrounded by a binder, or can be short filler, meaning a variety of tobaccos are chopped up, blended, and then placed within the binder. A third option would be mixed or combo filler, that uses long and short filler leaves together.
 
Half Wheel: A bundle of 50 cigars. Though cigars are not sold to the end consumer this way, the cigar rollers will tie off the cigars they roll with a ribbon once they hit 50, to be taken to the quality assurance departments. A wheel is 100 cigars.
 
Hygrometer: Though hygrometers have many uses outside the cigar industry, this specific term is used to describe the device that measures humidity inside your humidor. The Diamond Crown Hygrometer we sell at LMCigars will help you successfully keep your cigars at the perfect temperature and moisture for aging and freshness.
 
Humidor: Humidors are air-tight cedar lined boxes that keep cigars humidified and fresh and assist with the aging process of cigars. We have a wide variety of humidors available on our site.
 
Maduro: The word Maduro is Spanish for “ripe” but is used to describe cigars with a darker wrapper color. While tobacco ages in barns and begins to ferment, it gets continually darker (from green, all the way to dark brown). Maduro wrappers tend to be more flavorful, and sweeter, than their lighter counterparts. If you are interested in trying Maduro cigars, a good start would be the Brick House Maduro.
 
Pilon: Pilon describes a large pile of tobacco, arranged in such a way to begin the fermentation process. Pilons are often rearranged during the fermentation process, so that the leaves on the top are moved to the bottom, to equally distribute the amount of heat, and therefore curing, that occurs on each leaf. Depending on how the tobacco will be used, this process can last anywhere from a few days to a few months.
 
Punch or Bullet “Cut”: The Craftsman’s Bench Punch cutter is a small, pill shaped tube. When exposed, one end of this cutter has a small, metal hole. By pressing this hole into the head of the cigar, you get a perfectly symmetrical “cut” to allow smoke to pass through. This cut is desirable for larger ring gauges.
 
Ring Gauge: Ring gauge is the circumference of the cigar. Measured in 1/64th of an inch in diameter.
 
Robusto: This a common cigar vitola. A robusto cigar is a short, fat cigar, and one of the most popular on our site, like the Rocky Patel Decade Robusto. Though the specific size varies by manufacturer the most widely accepted dimensions are 5 inches with a 50-ring gauge.
 
Straight/Guillotine/Double Blade Cut: The Craftsman’s Bench Double Blade cutter, also known as a guillotine cutter, is used to take just the cap off the head of a cigar. This cutter applies equal pressure to the entire diameter of the cigar, giving you an even cut for smoking. This cut is best used on a torpedo or pyramid cigar.
 
V Cut: The Craftsman’s Bench V cutter creates a wedge in the head of the cigar.
 
Vitola: Vitola is a term that defines the shape of the cigar. Some of the more popular cigar vitolas are Coronas, Lanceros, and Torpedos.
 
Wrapper: Accounting for approximately 60% of the taste of the cigar, the wrapper tobacco leaf is on the outside of the cigar: the component you see when you look at the cigar.
 

What else do you need to know about cigars?

The short answer is: a lot. There are hundreds, if not thousands of cigar terms in both English, and Spanish that describe cigars. From the flavors, to the construction, to the sizes, to the tobacco, to the seeds of the tobacco. Cigar making is a true art, and like any art, it has its own vocabulary. While the terms we’ve listed above provide a base knowledge, there are so many resources you can use to learn more!

Have questions? Feel free to reach out to us via our contact form, and someone will be back in touch within one business day!