fda upping user fees
Cigar Insider internet only
OCTOBER 3, 2017
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VOL. 22, NO. 19
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FROM THE PUBLISHER OF CIGAR AFICIONADO MAGAZINE
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IN THIS ISSUE: TASTING REPORT: VERTICAL BRAND TASTINGS: n
Cornelius & Anthony Meridian [page 2]
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Villiger La Flor de Ynclan [page 2]
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Plasencia Alma del Campo [page 3]
CURRENT RELEASE: n
H. Upmann Magnum 54 (Tubo) [page 3]
CIGAR NEWS U.S. Cuts Havana Embassy Presence, Issues Travel Alert On Cuba [page 4]
FEATURED CIGAR VILLIGER LA FLOR DE YNCLAN ROBUSTO DOM. REP.
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PRICE: $11.00
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BODY: MEDIUM TO FULL
93
POINTS
For a full tasting, see page two.
BEST CIGARS THIS ISSUE Villiger La Flor de Ynclan Robusto
Dom. Rep.
93
Villiger La Flor de Ynclan Torpedo
Dom. Rep.
92
Villiger La Flor de Ynclan Churchill
Dom. Rep.
91
Plasencia Alma del Campo Sendero
Nicaragua
90
Plasencia Alma del Campo Travesía
Nicaragua
90
Four Tied At
Various
89
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Higher FDA User Fees Coming For Cigar Industry [page 5] n
FDA Issues Guidance On Warning Statements [page 5] n
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U.K. First to Get New Cohiba [page 6]
Davidoff Shop Celebrates 30 Years On Madison Avenue [page 6] n
Texas Businessman Sets His Sights On Cigars [page 7] n
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Newest Alec Bradleys Delayed [page 8]
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Big Smoke Schedule [page 8]
FDA UPPING USER FEES USER FEES FOR THE ENTIRE CIGAR INDUSTRY ARE GOING UP. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration announced that it will charge the entire U.S. tobacco industry $672 million for the 2018 fiscal year—$37 million more than last year’s assessment. Turn to page five to read more.
U.S. SCALES BACK DIPLOMATIC PRESENCE IN CUBA AFTER U.S. OFFICIALS EXPERIENCED A SERIES OF UNEXPLAINED AILMENTS, President Donald Trump ordered most American diplomats in Havana to return home and suspended all major consular functions. Earlier this year, the U.S. accused the Cuban government of launching sonic attacks after several embassy employees reported having multiple symptoms including hearing loss, ear pain and dizziness. The Cuban government denies any involvement. Today, President Trump ordered 60 percent of Cuban diplomats in the U.S. to leave Washington. This tension comes a little more than two years after the U.S. embassy was reinstated in Cuba. See page four for the complete story. TO SUBSCRIBE GO TO WWW.CIGARINSIDER.COM
Cigar Insider TASTING REPORT CORNELIUS & ANTHONY MERIDIAN
VILLIGER LA FLOR DE YNCLAN NEW RELEASE—VERTICAL BRAND TASTING Country: Dominican Republic Maker: ABAM Cigars S.R.L.
VERTICAL BRAND TASTING
Distributor: Villiger Cigars North America
Country: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua, Dom. Rep.
Maker: Tabacalera La Zona S.A. Distributor: Cornelius & Anthony Premium Cigars Filler: Nicaragua, Dom. Rep.
Binder: Indonesia Wrapper: Ecuador Release Date: July 2017
Binder: Nicaragua Wrapper: Ecuador
ROBUSTO
Release Date: July 2016
93 POINTS
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6" x 50
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5" x 50
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$11.00
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Humidor Selection
An attractive robusto with an open draw. Salty, earthy and leathery notes take on a rich cocoa and walnut shell quality. The finish smacks of orange marmalade.
TORO 89 POINTS
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$9.75
A well-made cigar with an oily, cocoa-hued wrapper. Its lush shows nutty, woody notes with hints of nutmeg and minerals. The finish is a bit dry.
Body: Medium to Full
Body: Medium
92 POINTS
CORONA GORDA
Draped in a toothy cover leaf, this figurado’s lush draw shows complex notes of walnut and leather interwoven with fruity impressions of raisin, date and dried apricot.
87 POINTS
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5 1/2" x 46
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$8.75
TORPEDO n
6" x 52
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$12.00
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Humidor Selection
Fresh and floral with woody notes of hickory, mesquite and pine that frame an earthy core. The finish, however, falls a bit flat and chalky.
Body: Medium to Full
Body: Medium
91 POINTS
GORDO
A toasty, nutty cigar with sweet-and-sour notes of raisins and red wine. The finish is especially nutty. A fine, mediumbodied smoke throughout.
86 POINTS
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6" x 60
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$10.75
Crafted with a three-seam cap, this fat cigar burns unevenly. Notes of earth, black pepper and some chalkiness lead to a slightly vegetal finish.
CHURCHILL n
7" x 48
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$12.00
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Humidor Selection
Body: Medium
medium-bodied, which it mostly was. The Toro stood out at 89 points.
BRAND SUMMARY: If the name La Flor de Ynclan sounds vaguely familiar, it could be because it once belonged to a vintage Cuban cigar brand from the early 1900s. More likely, it’s familiar because Villiger reintroduced the Cuban brand as a Dominicanmade cigar in 2007. However, Villiger was dissatisfied with the results, so the company discontinued the product. Now, La Flor de Ynclan has returned with a new look and a readjusted blend—and this time they got it right. Each cigar made quite an impression on the panel, and all three sizes in the line offered outstanding complexity and balance without becoming too strong or overpowering. No cigar earned less than 91 points, and the Robusto scored the highest at 93 points.
Average Rating: 86.8 points
Average Rating: 92.0 points
Body: Medium to Full
ROBUSTO 85 POINTS
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5" x 52
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$9.25
The wood, cereal and black pepper notes of this dark, veiny robusto are overshadowed by herbal impressions and persistent bitterness. Body: Medium to Full BRAND SUMMARY: Cornelius & Anthony bills Meridian as
95-100: Classic n 90-94: Outstanding n 80-89: Very good to excellent n 70-79: Average to good commercial quality Below 70: Don’t waste your money n N/A: Not Available Note: Prices are manufacturers’ suggested retail, before taxes.
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October 3, 2017
Cigar Insider PLASENCIA ALMA DEL CAMPO NEW RELEASE—VERTICAL BRAND TASTING Country: Nicaragua Maker: Plasencia Cigars S.A. Distributor: Plasencia 1865 Filler: Nicaragua Binder: Nicaragua Wrapper: Nicaragua Release Date: July 2017
SENDERO 90 POINTS
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6" x 56
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$17.00
The superb draw of this well-made cigar offers lots of white pepper, oak and cocoa notes, interspersed with touches of salt and a floral finish. Body: Medium to Full
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BRAND SUMMARY: Plasencia Cigars is perhaps best known for manufacturing cigars for other companies and growing high quality tobacco leaf in Nicaragua and Honduras. Last year, though, Plasencia launched its own distribution company called Plasencia 1865 and debuted a new cigar line called Alma Fuerte. This year, Plasencia 1865 attended its first IPCPR trade show and released a follow-up brand called Alma del Campo. “We are thrilled to have been part of the IPCPR trade show in Las Vegas where we had the opportunity to feature Alma del Campo,” said Nestor Andrés Plasencia of Plasencia Cigars. Like its predecessor, the Alma del Campo cigars also come packaged in heavy wooden boxes with lids that were designed to double as ashtrays, however Alma del Campo has a lower price point. While the Alma Fuerte was all about raw power, the Alma del Campo was less full bodied. It is only the second release in what Plasencia says will be a five-part series, all made with tobacco that his family has grown and aged. The Sendero and Travesía vitolas were the most interesting, both scoring 90 points. Average Rating: 89.2 points
TRAVESÍA 90 POINTS
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6 1/2" x 54
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$17.00
An oily looking cigar with an even draw. Woody notes of cedar play off the cigar’s inherent salt-and-pepper qualities. The bready finish hints of sweetness and spice.
H. UPMANN
Body: Medium
Country: Cuba Maker: N/A
MADROÑO 89 POINTS
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CURRENT RELEASE
6 1/2" x 58
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Distributor: Habanos S.A.
$19.00
Fat and oily with a colorado wrapper, this is a predominantly spicy, woody cigar imparting hickory notes, touches of licorice and an earthy finish.
Filler: Cuba
Body: Medium to Full
Box Date: December 2016
TRIBU 89 POINTS
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5" x 52
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Binder: Cuba Wrapper: Cuba
MAGNUM 54 (TUBO)
$15.00
This chocolate-brown robusto burns evenly. It starts salty and earthy before black pepper notes become more predominant, with slight hints of cedar and raisins. Body: Medium to Full
89 POINTS
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4 3/4" x 54
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£22.52
An uneven three-seam cap tops this robusto, whose initial floral notes and woodiness become stronger, leaving impressions of German chocolate and nuts on the palate. Body: Medium
GUAJIRO 88 POINTS
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5 1/2" x 54
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$16.00
Though the draw is firm, it still delivers a bready, spicy smoke with a hint of black-cherry sweetness and a woody, mineral-heavy finish.
Have a comment about Cigar Insider? We’d like to know what you think. Email us at [email protected].
Body: Medium
95-100: Classic n 90-94: Outstanding n 80-89: Very good to excellent n 70-79: Average to good commercial quality Below 70: Don’t waste your money n N/A: Not Available Note: Prices are manufacturers’ suggested retail, before taxes.
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October 3, 2017
Cigar Insider CIGAR NEWS U.S. CUTS HAVANA EMBASSY PRESENCE, ISSUES TRAVEL ALERT ON CUBA BY PETER KORNBLUH
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ine months after the U.S. government detected a pattern of mysterious illnesses among American diplomatic personnel in Havana, the State Department announced last week that it is drastically reducing the Embassy staff in Havana to “emergency personnel” only and suspending major consular functions, including issuing visas for Cubans to visit the United States. State Department officials also issued a travel warning to U.S. citizens to avoid Cuba, even as they acknowledged that “we have no reports that private citizens have been affected.”
“Over the past several months, 21 U.S. Embassy employees have suffered a variety of injuries from attacks of an unknown nature,” stated the press release from the office of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. “The affected individuals have exhibited a range of physical symptoms, including ear complaints, hearing loss, dizziness, headache, fatigue, cognitive issues and difficulty sleeping.” All nonemergency personnel and family members have been ordered to leave Cuba. Since February, when Cuban President Raúl Castro invited the FBI to come to Cuba and investigate the mysterious health problems, both countries have engaged in a protracted effort to identify the source of these maladies and the technology and individuals responsible for causing them. Despite these investigative efforts, the State Department conceded today, “investigators have been unable to determine who is responsible or what is causing these attacks.” Initially, U.S. officials told the Cubans that they believed the members of the U.S. Embassy community, and several Canadian diplomats, were victims of some kind of “sonic attack.” So far, however, experts have been unable to identify 4
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sound or eavesdropping devices that could cause such physical symptoms. The Trump administration has not accused the Cuban government of being responsible for the injuries, but has repeatedly pressed the Castro government to do more to assure the safety of U.S. personnel on Cuban soil. On September 26, at the first high-level meeting between U.S. and Cuban officials since President Trump took office, Tillerson met with Cuban foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez in Washington to review the situation. In impromptu remarks after the State Department made its announcement, President Trump told reporters that there was a “big problem” in Cuba and claimed “They did some very bad things.” Last spring, according to Canadian authorities, several households of Canadian Embassy officials suffered similarly mysterious symptoms. But a Canadian government official made clear that Canada saw no risk to maintaining a presence in Cuba and had no plans to reduce its embassy staff or warn its citizens not to travel to the island. More than 1 million Canadians visit Cuba annually. “The Government of Cuba is responsible for taking all appropriate steps to prevent attacks on our diplomatic personnel and U.S. citizens in Cuba,” the State Department said in a “Cuba Travel Warning” posted on its passport and travel website. “Because our personnel’s safety is at risk, and we are unable to identify the source of the attacks, we believe U.S. citizens may also be at risk and warn them not to travel to Cuba.” While most of the occurrences took place in the residences of the U.S. personnel, two U.S. officials reported that they had experienced sound-related incidents at the Hotel Capri and Hotel Nacional de Cuba. The travel warning drew an immediate reaction from the travel provider industry. In a statement, the president of Cuba Educational Travel, Collin Laverty, pointed out that “Cuba continues to be one of the safest places in the world for visitors. There are no reports of any incidents affecting U.S. travelers and the isolated events are not considered a threat to visitors’ safety.” Laverty called for the travel advisory to be rescinded. “The travel warning is absolutely unnecessary and counterproductive and will only hurt the U.S. and Cuban people.” In Congress, leading advocates of improved U.S.-Cuban relations also characterized the policy moves as “a dramatic overreaction,” that would hurt the ability of Cubans to travel to the U.S. to see their families and undercut U.S. interests in engagement with Cuba. “Americans cannot afford a return to the failed Cold War isolationist policies that divided families for 50 years,” said Massachusetts Congressman Jim McGovern in a statement. “Hundreds of thousands of Americans visit Cuba every year. Our businesses are engaged in agricultural sales and other business opportunities. U.S. and Cuban agencies engage in cooperation on drug trafficking, human smuggling, search and rescue operations, and other security issues. An Embassy presence is vital to maintaining those relationships.” n
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October 3, 2017
Cigar Insider
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HIGHER FDA USER FEES COMING FOR CIGAR INDUSTRY
FDA ISSUES GUIDANCE ON WARNING STATEMENTS
BY ANDREW NAGY
BY ANDREW NAGY
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T
he U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which regulates all tobacco products, including premium cigars, announced last week its calculation for user fees for the 2018 fiscal year. And the fees are going up. For 2018, the Center of Tobacco Products—the branch of the FDA responsible for carrying out tobacco regulation activities—will charge the entire U.S. tobacco industry $672 million, $37 million more than last year’s assessment. (The CTP will increase the assessment each year until it reaches its maximum budget of $712 million for fiscal year 2019.) This means that the entire tobacco industry must pay the CTP $168 million per quarter in fiscal year 2018, which starts October 1 and continues through September 30, 2018. The cigar industry will pay a portion of that total, slated for $16.6 million per quarter, or $66.4 million for all of 2018. That means the cigar industry will pay approximately $5 million more in CTP fees next year compared to this year’s numbers. Since October 2016, cigar manufacturers and importers, in accordance with the FDA’s controversial Final Deeming Rule, have been required to submit federal excise tax information to the FDA on a monthly basis. The FDA, in turn, analyzes this data to calculate user fees for cigar companies, which are paid on a quarterly basis. Cigar companies pay the user fees directly to the FDA, and those payments are the sole source of funding for the CTP. User fees are also collected from manufacturers and importers of cigarettes, snuff, roll-your-own tobacco, and pipe tobacco. In short, user fees add significant costs to the finances of cigar manufacturers and importers. And while some manufacturers and importers absorb the extra cost, some pass it on to consumers by raising prices. “User fees have always been there. And they’re astronomical,” Rocky Patel, owner of Rocky Patel Premium Cigars, told Cigar Insider. “We believe as an industry that user fees should not be applied to premium cigars, and this is a dominant argument in our lawsuit against the FDA.” “Whenever you have anything like this, it’s a significant burden to the business,” says Jorge Padrón, president of Padrón Cigars Inc. “We have been absorbing the cost. At the end of the day, it affects consumers.” n 5
he U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a revised set of guidelines clarifying the new warning label rules and how they pertain to cigars that come in packaging too small for the required warning labels. The requirements include larger health warning labels on boxes (and even cellophane wrappers), as well as more stringent placement of said warnings. Until the last week’s guideline, however, it was unclear how the FDA would handle cigars that come in small packaging. The guidance, titled “Warning Statements on SmallPackaged Cigars,” includes a new compliance date that is different from the one written in the agency’s infamous Final Deeming Rule. Originally, manufacturers were supposed to comply with the new warning labels by May 10, 2018, but the recent, updated guidance has revised the date to August 10, 2018. Additionally, the FDA states that “cigars that are sold individually, without any packaging, may satisfy the warning requirements for packages with warning statements posted at the point of sale.” This means that a cigar sold without a cellophane wrapper would be considered compliant if the vendor has the proper warning statements near their cash register. The new warning statements, according to the FDA’s Final Deeming Rule, must adhere to the following specifics: • Be displayed in a conspicuous and prominent place on the two principal display panels of the package. (The FDA defines principal display panels as the panels of a package that are most likely to be displayed, presented, shown or examined by the consumer.) • Comprise at least 30 percent of each of the principal display panels. According to today’s guideline, the FDA won’t enforce its rules if a cigar’s packaging is too small to comply with the above parameters, so long as the warnings appear on the box that the cigar came in. n
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October 3, 2017
Cigar Insider
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U.K. FIRST TO GET NEW COHIBA BY DAVID SAVONA
C
igar lovers in the United Kingdom will be the first to receive the Cohiba Talismán Edición Limitada 2017, the biggest—and most anticipated—of this year’s trio of Cuban Limitadas. The cigars will be unveiled at a November 7 launch party in London held by British distributor Hunters & Frankau, with the cigars officially going on sale the next day. Habanos confirmed that the U.K. would be the first to receive the cigars. The Cohiba Talismán is fairly fat for a Cuban cigar, with a 54 ring gauge and a length of 6 1/8 inches. This size is a new one for the Cuban cigar portfolio, called a cañonazo doble, which translates to “double cannon shot.” It’s a beefed up version of the cañonazo vitola, created in 2003 with the launch of the Cohiba Siglo VI. The Siglo VI is no small cigar, measuring 5 7/8 inches long by 52 ring, and upon its debut nearly 18 years ago it was one of the biggest smokes in the Cuban portfolio. It has come to be known as one of Cuba’s better cigars. In 16 tastings in Cigar Aficionado magazine and Cigar Insider, the cigar has failed to score 90 points only three times. In its most recent tasting it scored 93 points and was named our No. 19 Cigar of 2016. It’s fitting that this new Cohiba would be launched in the U.K., as the Siglo VI had its debut on British soil as well. The Cohiba Talismán is plumper and longer than the other two Edición Limitadas for 2017. The Punch Regios de Punch measures only 4 3/4 inches long by 48 ring, and the Partagás Serie No. 1 is 5 1/2 by 52. Unlike some of the new cigars of 2017, there was no advance tasting of the 2017 Edición Limitadas at the Habanos Festival in Cuba earlier this year, and as this story went to press, none of them had appeared in retail humidors anywhere in the world, including Havana. Cohiba is no stranger to heavy ring gauges when it comes to the Edición Limitada program. The Cohiba Sublimes (2004) had a 54 ring gauge; the Cohiba 1966 (2011) was rolled as a 52 ring Cañonzo Especial and the Robusto Supremo (2014) came in at a whopping 58 ring gauge, the thickest Edición Limitada ever to be released, not to mention one of the heftiest smokes in commercial Habanos history. The Talismáns will come in boxes of 10. There was no word on pricing for the new cigar, but it won’t come cheap. The more diminutive Siglo VI, for example, retails for more than £40 ($53) in British cigar shops. n
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DAVIDOFF CELEBRATES 30 YEARS ON MADISON AVENUE BY BLAKE DROESCH
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anhattan’s Madison Avenue, long synonymous with high fashion and the splendors of American advertising, has been the home of Davidoff’s New York retail operation since 1987. This October, the Swiss cigarmaker will celebrate 30 years on Madison with a limited-edition, namesake cigar that will only be available at Davidoff of Geneva flagship stores. The Davidoff Madison Ave 30th Anniversary cigar is a single-size Toro—measuring 6 inches by 52 ring gauge— that will be limited to 600 boxes of 10 cigars each. The blend consists of a Dominican wrapper, a Havana 2000 binder grown in Ecuador and fillers from the Dominican Republic. Each cigar will retail for $26. The Madison Ave 30th Anniversary cigar will debut tomorrow at the anniversary party taking place at Davidoff’s Madison Avenue location. A limited number of boxes will be sold during the event, though the rest of the flagship stores won’t get them until the end of the month. The original Davidoff on Madison opened in June of 1987. Over the years, the retail shop has undergone several reincarnations. A larger location opened in 2000, and in 2011, the company moved one block south from Madison Avenue and 54th Street to Madison and 53rd. In recent years, Davidoff has expanded its presence in Manhattan. Another midtown location opened on 6th Avenue in 2014, inside the old De La Concha cigar shop, and a downtown location opened inside the Brookfield Place shopping mall in 2015. Davidoff’s Madison Avenue shop occupies a prime piece of Manhattan real estate and helps to maintain the brand’s status as a luxury item, as the store is one of many upscale boutiques among a strip of high-end watch companies, haute couture clothiers and other retailers of fancy goods marketed to wealthy or fashion-conscious clientele. n
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October 3, 2017
Cigar Insider TEXAS BUSINESSMAN SETS HIS SIGHTS ON CIGARS BY DAVID CLOUGH
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n an uncertain era when many cigarmakers are proceeding cautiously in the face of aggressive government regulations, a bold new cigar company has entered the playing field with guns blazing—Micallef Cigars. The Texas-based company launched seven cigar lines last year and has everything in its extensive portfolio, from an $8 smoke all the way up to a cigar that retails for more than $40. Though still a newcomer to the cigar industry, brand owner Al Micallef says he’s prepared to tackle any challenges that may lie ahead. “I learned very quickly that you’ve got to run a cigar company like any other business,” said Micallef in a phone conversation with Cigar Insider. “You better be dedicated to put the time and the effort in.” Micaleff, a Texas-based entrepreneur, already helms an impressive roster of other successful businesses, including a large expanse of ranch land in Alpine, Texas, called CF Ranch; a silicone plastic fabrication company called Jamak Fabrication, and a number of fine-dining restaurants in the Alpine and Fort Worth areas. Now he’s taking on the trials of running a cigar company. “Ninety-five percent of my time is spent in the cigar business,” Micallef said. “My other businesses are mature. I’m dedicating my finances and time to growing this business.” Micallef started his cigar company last year when a chance encounter introduced him to two cigarmakers from the Gómez Sanchez family. By Micallef’s account, the Gómez Sanchez brothers, Joel and Edel, were driving through Texas when their car broke down. Stranded, the brothers stopped at the nearby Silver Leaf Cigar Lounge, in Fort Worth, Texas. They offered to roll some cigars for the patrons. Micallef, an avid cigar smoker—who spends many afternoons at the lounge— happened to be there and tried their cigars that same day. “They had some car trouble and stopped in the lounge. They said to the manager, ‘Can we roll some cigars for you?’ The cigars were so popular they stuck around for three days.” Micallef says he was so impressed with the Gómez Sanchez brothers’ cigars that he asked them if they would create a personal cigar just for him. He later came to find out that the Gómez Sanchez brothers are from a Cuban cigar family with three generations of 7
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experience in the industry. The family patriarch, Pedro F. Gómez, once rolled cigars at the H. Upmann factory in Havana, Cuba, and later worked as a factory supervisor at the Nueva Matacapan factory in Mexico (owned by the Turrents). His daughter-in-law, Migdalia Sanchez, worked at the Partagás factory in Cuba. His grandchildren, Joel and Edel Gómez Sanchez, also worked in cigar factories in Cuba before moving to Miami, then Mexico and finally Nicaragua, where the family operates its cigar factory. Micallef Cigars currently offers seven different cigar lines: • Reserva Limitada Privada, a 7 inch by 52 ring gauge Churchill, made with a Mexican San Andrés Habano wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder and filler from Honduras, the Dominican Republic and Peru. It retails for $42. • La Experiencia, a medium-bodied cigar available in two sizes, Prominente (5 1/2 by 58), draped in a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper leaf, and La Crema (7 by 52), wearing a Mexican Sumatra wrapper. Both sizes retail for $13. • Reata, a mild- to medium-bodied Churchill and Torpedo, both sell for $15. • Gómez Sanchez 1RA Generación, two figurados of different sizes made with Ecuador Habano wrapper ($20, $25). • Herencia, a medium- to full-bodied torpedo offered in both Habano and Maduro ($13, $14). • Palacios, an Ecuadoran Connecticut Robusto ($11). • Torcedores, a mild- to medium-bodied duo available in a box-pressed Torpedo and a Churchill, both $8.50. All of Micallef’s cigars are rolled in Estelí, Nicaragua, at the Gómez Sanchez Family 1934 cigar factory. Micaleff says he’s pleased with the strides his company has made in such a short time. When asked if he’s concerned about the impact from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration on his company, Micallef responded: “Micallef has a long history of conducting business in a regulated environment. Admittedly, the cigar industry is a new business environment for us. We are confident that our business experience in other areas and our current team will meet the challenges of the FDA head on. Of course, we have high hopes that things will change, but we are planning for full FDA regulation and look forward to a long history in this wonderful industry.” n
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October 3, 2017
Cigar Insider NEW ALEC BRADLEYS DELAYED BY DAVID CLOUGH
A
lec Bradley cigar fans have to wait another week to see two new brands on the shelves of their local humidors. The two cigar brands, Alec Bradley Prensado Lost Art and Black Market Estelí, encountered unexpected packaging and shipping delays prior to a full-scale, U.S. launch, according to the company. Both cigars have been on the market in small quantities (at a select number of retailers) since last year, but Alec Bradley waited until this summer’s IPCPR trade show to formally unveil the cigars. However, issues with printing the band and box artwork, as well as shipping complications, have delayed both products. “Both cigars have been ready for some time. Unfortunately there were many issues regarding the packaging and logistics,” said Jonathan Lipson, director of sales and marketing for Alec Bradley. “We had printing issues with the bands, vistas, stickers and box screening. Once all of those items were fixed, there were issues getting the bands, stickers and vistas to the factories in Honduras and Nicaragua. The situation was exacerbated by the hurricanes—shipping of these items was further delayed. Since bands and vistas are considered imports into the respective countries, customs has been bogged down in both Honduras and Nicaragua, further delaying the delivery to the factories.” Vistas are the pictures that adorn the inner lid of a cigar box. “The artwork you see when you open a box,” Lipson said. “We had issues with color matching as well as making sure some of the intricacies of the artwork would show.” European cigar smokers have not had the same delays for Black Market Estelí, which arrived in Europe earlier this month. Prensado Lost Art has not yet received a widespread European launch. As for when U.S. cigar smokers should be able to easily find some Lost Art and Black Market Estelí, Lipson estimated they would fully arrive by next week. Prensado Lost Art is enrobed in a Honduran Corojo wrapper with two binders—one from Nicaragua and the other from Honduras. The fillers are also from Nicaragua and Honduras. The cigar is available in five sizes: Robusto, at 5 inches by 52 ring; Gran Toro, 6 1/4 by 52; Churchill, 7 by 50; Torpedo, 6 1/2 by 52; and Double T, 6 by 60. The cigars ship in 20-count boxes. Black Market Estelí is crafted with a Nicaraguan wrapper and two binders from Nicaragua and Honduras. The filler is from Nicaragua. Black Market Estelí will come in five sizes: Robusto, at 5 by 52; Toro, 6 by 52; Churchill, 7 by 50; Torpedo, 6 1/2 by 52; and Gordo, 6 by 60. The cigars ship in 22-count boxes. “To say that we are frustrated, along with our retail partners, is an understatement,” Lipson said. Look for a rating in Cigar Insider after the cigars reach full distribution this month. n
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Andrew Nagy
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October 3, 2017
OCTOBER 3, 2017
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VOL. 22, NO. 19
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FROM THE PUBLISHER OF CIGAR AFICIONADO MAGAZINE
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IN THIS ISSUE: TASTING REPORT: VERTICAL BRAND TASTINGS: n
Cornelius & Anthony Meridian [page 2]
n
Villiger La Flor de Ynclan [page 2]
n
Plasencia Alma del Campo [page 3]
CURRENT RELEASE: n
H. Upmann Magnum 54 (Tubo) [page 3]
CIGAR NEWS U.S. Cuts Havana Embassy Presence, Issues Travel Alert On Cuba [page 4]
FEATURED CIGAR VILLIGER LA FLOR DE YNCLAN ROBUSTO DOM. REP.
n
PRICE: $11.00
n
BODY: MEDIUM TO FULL
93
POINTS
For a full tasting, see page two.
BEST CIGARS THIS ISSUE Villiger La Flor de Ynclan Robusto
Dom. Rep.
93
Villiger La Flor de Ynclan Torpedo
Dom. Rep.
92
Villiger La Flor de Ynclan Churchill
Dom. Rep.
91
Plasencia Alma del Campo Sendero
Nicaragua
90
Plasencia Alma del Campo Travesía
Nicaragua
90
Four Tied At
Various
89
n
Higher FDA User Fees Coming For Cigar Industry [page 5] n
FDA Issues Guidance On Warning Statements [page 5] n
n
U.K. First to Get New Cohiba [page 6]
Davidoff Shop Celebrates 30 Years On Madison Avenue [page 6] n
Texas Businessman Sets His Sights On Cigars [page 7] n
n
Newest Alec Bradleys Delayed [page 8]
n
Big Smoke Schedule [page 8]
FDA UPPING USER FEES USER FEES FOR THE ENTIRE CIGAR INDUSTRY ARE GOING UP. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration announced that it will charge the entire U.S. tobacco industry $672 million for the 2018 fiscal year—$37 million more than last year’s assessment. Turn to page five to read more.
U.S. SCALES BACK DIPLOMATIC PRESENCE IN CUBA AFTER U.S. OFFICIALS EXPERIENCED A SERIES OF UNEXPLAINED AILMENTS, President Donald Trump ordered most American diplomats in Havana to return home and suspended all major consular functions. Earlier this year, the U.S. accused the Cuban government of launching sonic attacks after several embassy employees reported having multiple symptoms including hearing loss, ear pain and dizziness. The Cuban government denies any involvement. Today, President Trump ordered 60 percent of Cuban diplomats in the U.S. to leave Washington. This tension comes a little more than two years after the U.S. embassy was reinstated in Cuba. See page four for the complete story. TO SUBSCRIBE GO TO WWW.CIGARINSIDER.COM
Cigar Insider TASTING REPORT CORNELIUS & ANTHONY MERIDIAN
VILLIGER LA FLOR DE YNCLAN NEW RELEASE—VERTICAL BRAND TASTING Country: Dominican Republic Maker: ABAM Cigars S.R.L.
VERTICAL BRAND TASTING
Distributor: Villiger Cigars North America
Country: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua, Dom. Rep.
Maker: Tabacalera La Zona S.A. Distributor: Cornelius & Anthony Premium Cigars Filler: Nicaragua, Dom. Rep.
Binder: Indonesia Wrapper: Ecuador Release Date: July 2017
Binder: Nicaragua Wrapper: Ecuador
ROBUSTO
Release Date: July 2016
93 POINTS
n
6" x 50
n
n
5" x 50
n
$11.00
n
Humidor Selection
An attractive robusto with an open draw. Salty, earthy and leathery notes take on a rich cocoa and walnut shell quality. The finish smacks of orange marmalade.
TORO 89 POINTS
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$9.75
A well-made cigar with an oily, cocoa-hued wrapper. Its lush shows nutty, woody notes with hints of nutmeg and minerals. The finish is a bit dry.
Body: Medium to Full
Body: Medium
92 POINTS
CORONA GORDA
Draped in a toothy cover leaf, this figurado’s lush draw shows complex notes of walnut and leather interwoven with fruity impressions of raisin, date and dried apricot.
87 POINTS
n
5 1/2" x 46
n
$8.75
TORPEDO n
6" x 52
n
$12.00
n
Humidor Selection
Fresh and floral with woody notes of hickory, mesquite and pine that frame an earthy core. The finish, however, falls a bit flat and chalky.
Body: Medium to Full
Body: Medium
91 POINTS
GORDO
A toasty, nutty cigar with sweet-and-sour notes of raisins and red wine. The finish is especially nutty. A fine, mediumbodied smoke throughout.
86 POINTS
n
6" x 60
n
$10.75
Crafted with a three-seam cap, this fat cigar burns unevenly. Notes of earth, black pepper and some chalkiness lead to a slightly vegetal finish.
CHURCHILL n
7" x 48
n
$12.00
n
Humidor Selection
Body: Medium
medium-bodied, which it mostly was. The Toro stood out at 89 points.
BRAND SUMMARY: If the name La Flor de Ynclan sounds vaguely familiar, it could be because it once belonged to a vintage Cuban cigar brand from the early 1900s. More likely, it’s familiar because Villiger reintroduced the Cuban brand as a Dominicanmade cigar in 2007. However, Villiger was dissatisfied with the results, so the company discontinued the product. Now, La Flor de Ynclan has returned with a new look and a readjusted blend—and this time they got it right. Each cigar made quite an impression on the panel, and all three sizes in the line offered outstanding complexity and balance without becoming too strong or overpowering. No cigar earned less than 91 points, and the Robusto scored the highest at 93 points.
Average Rating: 86.8 points
Average Rating: 92.0 points
Body: Medium to Full
ROBUSTO 85 POINTS
n
5" x 52
n
$9.25
The wood, cereal and black pepper notes of this dark, veiny robusto are overshadowed by herbal impressions and persistent bitterness. Body: Medium to Full BRAND SUMMARY: Cornelius & Anthony bills Meridian as
95-100: Classic n 90-94: Outstanding n 80-89: Very good to excellent n 70-79: Average to good commercial quality Below 70: Don’t waste your money n N/A: Not Available Note: Prices are manufacturers’ suggested retail, before taxes.
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October 3, 2017
Cigar Insider PLASENCIA ALMA DEL CAMPO NEW RELEASE—VERTICAL BRAND TASTING Country: Nicaragua Maker: Plasencia Cigars S.A. Distributor: Plasencia 1865 Filler: Nicaragua Binder: Nicaragua Wrapper: Nicaragua Release Date: July 2017
SENDERO 90 POINTS
n
6" x 56
n
$17.00
The superb draw of this well-made cigar offers lots of white pepper, oak and cocoa notes, interspersed with touches of salt and a floral finish. Body: Medium to Full
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BRAND SUMMARY: Plasencia Cigars is perhaps best known for manufacturing cigars for other companies and growing high quality tobacco leaf in Nicaragua and Honduras. Last year, though, Plasencia launched its own distribution company called Plasencia 1865 and debuted a new cigar line called Alma Fuerte. This year, Plasencia 1865 attended its first IPCPR trade show and released a follow-up brand called Alma del Campo. “We are thrilled to have been part of the IPCPR trade show in Las Vegas where we had the opportunity to feature Alma del Campo,” said Nestor Andrés Plasencia of Plasencia Cigars. Like its predecessor, the Alma del Campo cigars also come packaged in heavy wooden boxes with lids that were designed to double as ashtrays, however Alma del Campo has a lower price point. While the Alma Fuerte was all about raw power, the Alma del Campo was less full bodied. It is only the second release in what Plasencia says will be a five-part series, all made with tobacco that his family has grown and aged. The Sendero and Travesía vitolas were the most interesting, both scoring 90 points. Average Rating: 89.2 points
TRAVESÍA 90 POINTS
n
6 1/2" x 54
n
$17.00
An oily looking cigar with an even draw. Woody notes of cedar play off the cigar’s inherent salt-and-pepper qualities. The bready finish hints of sweetness and spice.
H. UPMANN
Body: Medium
Country: Cuba Maker: N/A
MADROÑO 89 POINTS
n
CURRENT RELEASE
6 1/2" x 58
n
Distributor: Habanos S.A.
$19.00
Fat and oily with a colorado wrapper, this is a predominantly spicy, woody cigar imparting hickory notes, touches of licorice and an earthy finish.
Filler: Cuba
Body: Medium to Full
Box Date: December 2016
TRIBU 89 POINTS
n
5" x 52
n
Binder: Cuba Wrapper: Cuba
MAGNUM 54 (TUBO)
$15.00
This chocolate-brown robusto burns evenly. It starts salty and earthy before black pepper notes become more predominant, with slight hints of cedar and raisins. Body: Medium to Full
89 POINTS
n
4 3/4" x 54
n
£22.52
An uneven three-seam cap tops this robusto, whose initial floral notes and woodiness become stronger, leaving impressions of German chocolate and nuts on the palate. Body: Medium
GUAJIRO 88 POINTS
n
5 1/2" x 54
n
$16.00
Though the draw is firm, it still delivers a bready, spicy smoke with a hint of black-cherry sweetness and a woody, mineral-heavy finish.
Have a comment about Cigar Insider? We’d like to know what you think. Email us at [email protected].
Body: Medium
95-100: Classic n 90-94: Outstanding n 80-89: Very good to excellent n 70-79: Average to good commercial quality Below 70: Don’t waste your money n N/A: Not Available Note: Prices are manufacturers’ suggested retail, before taxes.
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October 3, 2017
Cigar Insider CIGAR NEWS U.S. CUTS HAVANA EMBASSY PRESENCE, ISSUES TRAVEL ALERT ON CUBA BY PETER KORNBLUH
N
ine months after the U.S. government detected a pattern of mysterious illnesses among American diplomatic personnel in Havana, the State Department announced last week that it is drastically reducing the Embassy staff in Havana to “emergency personnel” only and suspending major consular functions, including issuing visas for Cubans to visit the United States. State Department officials also issued a travel warning to U.S. citizens to avoid Cuba, even as they acknowledged that “we have no reports that private citizens have been affected.”
“Over the past several months, 21 U.S. Embassy employees have suffered a variety of injuries from attacks of an unknown nature,” stated the press release from the office of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. “The affected individuals have exhibited a range of physical symptoms, including ear complaints, hearing loss, dizziness, headache, fatigue, cognitive issues and difficulty sleeping.” All nonemergency personnel and family members have been ordered to leave Cuba. Since February, when Cuban President Raúl Castro invited the FBI to come to Cuba and investigate the mysterious health problems, both countries have engaged in a protracted effort to identify the source of these maladies and the technology and individuals responsible for causing them. Despite these investigative efforts, the State Department conceded today, “investigators have been unable to determine who is responsible or what is causing these attacks.” Initially, U.S. officials told the Cubans that they believed the members of the U.S. Embassy community, and several Canadian diplomats, were victims of some kind of “sonic attack.” So far, however, experts have been unable to identify 4
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sound or eavesdropping devices that could cause such physical symptoms. The Trump administration has not accused the Cuban government of being responsible for the injuries, but has repeatedly pressed the Castro government to do more to assure the safety of U.S. personnel on Cuban soil. On September 26, at the first high-level meeting between U.S. and Cuban officials since President Trump took office, Tillerson met with Cuban foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez in Washington to review the situation. In impromptu remarks after the State Department made its announcement, President Trump told reporters that there was a “big problem” in Cuba and claimed “They did some very bad things.” Last spring, according to Canadian authorities, several households of Canadian Embassy officials suffered similarly mysterious symptoms. But a Canadian government official made clear that Canada saw no risk to maintaining a presence in Cuba and had no plans to reduce its embassy staff or warn its citizens not to travel to the island. More than 1 million Canadians visit Cuba annually. “The Government of Cuba is responsible for taking all appropriate steps to prevent attacks on our diplomatic personnel and U.S. citizens in Cuba,” the State Department said in a “Cuba Travel Warning” posted on its passport and travel website. “Because our personnel’s safety is at risk, and we are unable to identify the source of the attacks, we believe U.S. citizens may also be at risk and warn them not to travel to Cuba.” While most of the occurrences took place in the residences of the U.S. personnel, two U.S. officials reported that they had experienced sound-related incidents at the Hotel Capri and Hotel Nacional de Cuba. The travel warning drew an immediate reaction from the travel provider industry. In a statement, the president of Cuba Educational Travel, Collin Laverty, pointed out that “Cuba continues to be one of the safest places in the world for visitors. There are no reports of any incidents affecting U.S. travelers and the isolated events are not considered a threat to visitors’ safety.” Laverty called for the travel advisory to be rescinded. “The travel warning is absolutely unnecessary and counterproductive and will only hurt the U.S. and Cuban people.” In Congress, leading advocates of improved U.S.-Cuban relations also characterized the policy moves as “a dramatic overreaction,” that would hurt the ability of Cubans to travel to the U.S. to see their families and undercut U.S. interests in engagement with Cuba. “Americans cannot afford a return to the failed Cold War isolationist policies that divided families for 50 years,” said Massachusetts Congressman Jim McGovern in a statement. “Hundreds of thousands of Americans visit Cuba every year. Our businesses are engaged in agricultural sales and other business opportunities. U.S. and Cuban agencies engage in cooperation on drug trafficking, human smuggling, search and rescue operations, and other security issues. An Embassy presence is vital to maintaining those relationships.” n
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October 3, 2017
Cigar Insider
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HIGHER FDA USER FEES COMING FOR CIGAR INDUSTRY
FDA ISSUES GUIDANCE ON WARNING STATEMENTS
BY ANDREW NAGY
BY ANDREW NAGY
T
T
he U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which regulates all tobacco products, including premium cigars, announced last week its calculation for user fees for the 2018 fiscal year. And the fees are going up. For 2018, the Center of Tobacco Products—the branch of the FDA responsible for carrying out tobacco regulation activities—will charge the entire U.S. tobacco industry $672 million, $37 million more than last year’s assessment. (The CTP will increase the assessment each year until it reaches its maximum budget of $712 million for fiscal year 2019.) This means that the entire tobacco industry must pay the CTP $168 million per quarter in fiscal year 2018, which starts October 1 and continues through September 30, 2018. The cigar industry will pay a portion of that total, slated for $16.6 million per quarter, or $66.4 million for all of 2018. That means the cigar industry will pay approximately $5 million more in CTP fees next year compared to this year’s numbers. Since October 2016, cigar manufacturers and importers, in accordance with the FDA’s controversial Final Deeming Rule, have been required to submit federal excise tax information to the FDA on a monthly basis. The FDA, in turn, analyzes this data to calculate user fees for cigar companies, which are paid on a quarterly basis. Cigar companies pay the user fees directly to the FDA, and those payments are the sole source of funding for the CTP. User fees are also collected from manufacturers and importers of cigarettes, snuff, roll-your-own tobacco, and pipe tobacco. In short, user fees add significant costs to the finances of cigar manufacturers and importers. And while some manufacturers and importers absorb the extra cost, some pass it on to consumers by raising prices. “User fees have always been there. And they’re astronomical,” Rocky Patel, owner of Rocky Patel Premium Cigars, told Cigar Insider. “We believe as an industry that user fees should not be applied to premium cigars, and this is a dominant argument in our lawsuit against the FDA.” “Whenever you have anything like this, it’s a significant burden to the business,” says Jorge Padrón, president of Padrón Cigars Inc. “We have been absorbing the cost. At the end of the day, it affects consumers.” n 5
he U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a revised set of guidelines clarifying the new warning label rules and how they pertain to cigars that come in packaging too small for the required warning labels. The requirements include larger health warning labels on boxes (and even cellophane wrappers), as well as more stringent placement of said warnings. Until the last week’s guideline, however, it was unclear how the FDA would handle cigars that come in small packaging. The guidance, titled “Warning Statements on SmallPackaged Cigars,” includes a new compliance date that is different from the one written in the agency’s infamous Final Deeming Rule. Originally, manufacturers were supposed to comply with the new warning labels by May 10, 2018, but the recent, updated guidance has revised the date to August 10, 2018. Additionally, the FDA states that “cigars that are sold individually, without any packaging, may satisfy the warning requirements for packages with warning statements posted at the point of sale.” This means that a cigar sold without a cellophane wrapper would be considered compliant if the vendor has the proper warning statements near their cash register. The new warning statements, according to the FDA’s Final Deeming Rule, must adhere to the following specifics: • Be displayed in a conspicuous and prominent place on the two principal display panels of the package. (The FDA defines principal display panels as the panels of a package that are most likely to be displayed, presented, shown or examined by the consumer.) • Comprise at least 30 percent of each of the principal display panels. According to today’s guideline, the FDA won’t enforce its rules if a cigar’s packaging is too small to comply with the above parameters, so long as the warnings appear on the box that the cigar came in. n
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October 3, 2017
Cigar Insider
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U.K. FIRST TO GET NEW COHIBA BY DAVID SAVONA
C
igar lovers in the United Kingdom will be the first to receive the Cohiba Talismán Edición Limitada 2017, the biggest—and most anticipated—of this year’s trio of Cuban Limitadas. The cigars will be unveiled at a November 7 launch party in London held by British distributor Hunters & Frankau, with the cigars officially going on sale the next day. Habanos confirmed that the U.K. would be the first to receive the cigars. The Cohiba Talismán is fairly fat for a Cuban cigar, with a 54 ring gauge and a length of 6 1/8 inches. This size is a new one for the Cuban cigar portfolio, called a cañonazo doble, which translates to “double cannon shot.” It’s a beefed up version of the cañonazo vitola, created in 2003 with the launch of the Cohiba Siglo VI. The Siglo VI is no small cigar, measuring 5 7/8 inches long by 52 ring, and upon its debut nearly 18 years ago it was one of the biggest smokes in the Cuban portfolio. It has come to be known as one of Cuba’s better cigars. In 16 tastings in Cigar Aficionado magazine and Cigar Insider, the cigar has failed to score 90 points only three times. In its most recent tasting it scored 93 points and was named our No. 19 Cigar of 2016. It’s fitting that this new Cohiba would be launched in the U.K., as the Siglo VI had its debut on British soil as well. The Cohiba Talismán is plumper and longer than the other two Edición Limitadas for 2017. The Punch Regios de Punch measures only 4 3/4 inches long by 48 ring, and the Partagás Serie No. 1 is 5 1/2 by 52. Unlike some of the new cigars of 2017, there was no advance tasting of the 2017 Edición Limitadas at the Habanos Festival in Cuba earlier this year, and as this story went to press, none of them had appeared in retail humidors anywhere in the world, including Havana. Cohiba is no stranger to heavy ring gauges when it comes to the Edición Limitada program. The Cohiba Sublimes (2004) had a 54 ring gauge; the Cohiba 1966 (2011) was rolled as a 52 ring Cañonzo Especial and the Robusto Supremo (2014) came in at a whopping 58 ring gauge, the thickest Edición Limitada ever to be released, not to mention one of the heftiest smokes in commercial Habanos history. The Talismáns will come in boxes of 10. There was no word on pricing for the new cigar, but it won’t come cheap. The more diminutive Siglo VI, for example, retails for more than £40 ($53) in British cigar shops. n
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DAVIDOFF CELEBRATES 30 YEARS ON MADISON AVENUE BY BLAKE DROESCH
M
anhattan’s Madison Avenue, long synonymous with high fashion and the splendors of American advertising, has been the home of Davidoff’s New York retail operation since 1987. This October, the Swiss cigarmaker will celebrate 30 years on Madison with a limited-edition, namesake cigar that will only be available at Davidoff of Geneva flagship stores. The Davidoff Madison Ave 30th Anniversary cigar is a single-size Toro—measuring 6 inches by 52 ring gauge— that will be limited to 600 boxes of 10 cigars each. The blend consists of a Dominican wrapper, a Havana 2000 binder grown in Ecuador and fillers from the Dominican Republic. Each cigar will retail for $26. The Madison Ave 30th Anniversary cigar will debut tomorrow at the anniversary party taking place at Davidoff’s Madison Avenue location. A limited number of boxes will be sold during the event, though the rest of the flagship stores won’t get them until the end of the month. The original Davidoff on Madison opened in June of 1987. Over the years, the retail shop has undergone several reincarnations. A larger location opened in 2000, and in 2011, the company moved one block south from Madison Avenue and 54th Street to Madison and 53rd. In recent years, Davidoff has expanded its presence in Manhattan. Another midtown location opened on 6th Avenue in 2014, inside the old De La Concha cigar shop, and a downtown location opened inside the Brookfield Place shopping mall in 2015. Davidoff’s Madison Avenue shop occupies a prime piece of Manhattan real estate and helps to maintain the brand’s status as a luxury item, as the store is one of many upscale boutiques among a strip of high-end watch companies, haute couture clothiers and other retailers of fancy goods marketed to wealthy or fashion-conscious clientele. n
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October 3, 2017
Cigar Insider TEXAS BUSINESSMAN SETS HIS SIGHTS ON CIGARS BY DAVID CLOUGH
I
n an uncertain era when many cigarmakers are proceeding cautiously in the face of aggressive government regulations, a bold new cigar company has entered the playing field with guns blazing—Micallef Cigars. The Texas-based company launched seven cigar lines last year and has everything in its extensive portfolio, from an $8 smoke all the way up to a cigar that retails for more than $40. Though still a newcomer to the cigar industry, brand owner Al Micallef says he’s prepared to tackle any challenges that may lie ahead. “I learned very quickly that you’ve got to run a cigar company like any other business,” said Micallef in a phone conversation with Cigar Insider. “You better be dedicated to put the time and the effort in.” Micaleff, a Texas-based entrepreneur, already helms an impressive roster of other successful businesses, including a large expanse of ranch land in Alpine, Texas, called CF Ranch; a silicone plastic fabrication company called Jamak Fabrication, and a number of fine-dining restaurants in the Alpine and Fort Worth areas. Now he’s taking on the trials of running a cigar company. “Ninety-five percent of my time is spent in the cigar business,” Micallef said. “My other businesses are mature. I’m dedicating my finances and time to growing this business.” Micallef started his cigar company last year when a chance encounter introduced him to two cigarmakers from the Gómez Sanchez family. By Micallef’s account, the Gómez Sanchez brothers, Joel and Edel, were driving through Texas when their car broke down. Stranded, the brothers stopped at the nearby Silver Leaf Cigar Lounge, in Fort Worth, Texas. They offered to roll some cigars for the patrons. Micallef, an avid cigar smoker—who spends many afternoons at the lounge— happened to be there and tried their cigars that same day. “They had some car trouble and stopped in the lounge. They said to the manager, ‘Can we roll some cigars for you?’ The cigars were so popular they stuck around for three days.” Micallef says he was so impressed with the Gómez Sanchez brothers’ cigars that he asked them if they would create a personal cigar just for him. He later came to find out that the Gómez Sanchez brothers are from a Cuban cigar family with three generations of 7
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experience in the industry. The family patriarch, Pedro F. Gómez, once rolled cigars at the H. Upmann factory in Havana, Cuba, and later worked as a factory supervisor at the Nueva Matacapan factory in Mexico (owned by the Turrents). His daughter-in-law, Migdalia Sanchez, worked at the Partagás factory in Cuba. His grandchildren, Joel and Edel Gómez Sanchez, also worked in cigar factories in Cuba before moving to Miami, then Mexico and finally Nicaragua, where the family operates its cigar factory. Micallef Cigars currently offers seven different cigar lines: • Reserva Limitada Privada, a 7 inch by 52 ring gauge Churchill, made with a Mexican San Andrés Habano wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder and filler from Honduras, the Dominican Republic and Peru. It retails for $42. • La Experiencia, a medium-bodied cigar available in two sizes, Prominente (5 1/2 by 58), draped in a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper leaf, and La Crema (7 by 52), wearing a Mexican Sumatra wrapper. Both sizes retail for $13. • Reata, a mild- to medium-bodied Churchill and Torpedo, both sell for $15. • Gómez Sanchez 1RA Generación, two figurados of different sizes made with Ecuador Habano wrapper ($20, $25). • Herencia, a medium- to full-bodied torpedo offered in both Habano and Maduro ($13, $14). • Palacios, an Ecuadoran Connecticut Robusto ($11). • Torcedores, a mild- to medium-bodied duo available in a box-pressed Torpedo and a Churchill, both $8.50. All of Micallef’s cigars are rolled in Estelí, Nicaragua, at the Gómez Sanchez Family 1934 cigar factory. Micaleff says he’s pleased with the strides his company has made in such a short time. When asked if he’s concerned about the impact from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration on his company, Micallef responded: “Micallef has a long history of conducting business in a regulated environment. Admittedly, the cigar industry is a new business environment for us. We are confident that our business experience in other areas and our current team will meet the challenges of the FDA head on. Of course, we have high hopes that things will change, but we are planning for full FDA regulation and look forward to a long history in this wonderful industry.” n
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October 3, 2017
Cigar Insider NEW ALEC BRADLEYS DELAYED BY DAVID CLOUGH
A
lec Bradley cigar fans have to wait another week to see two new brands on the shelves of their local humidors. The two cigar brands, Alec Bradley Prensado Lost Art and Black Market Estelí, encountered unexpected packaging and shipping delays prior to a full-scale, U.S. launch, according to the company. Both cigars have been on the market in small quantities (at a select number of retailers) since last year, but Alec Bradley waited until this summer’s IPCPR trade show to formally unveil the cigars. However, issues with printing the band and box artwork, as well as shipping complications, have delayed both products. “Both cigars have been ready for some time. Unfortunately there were many issues regarding the packaging and logistics,” said Jonathan Lipson, director of sales and marketing for Alec Bradley. “We had printing issues with the bands, vistas, stickers and box screening. Once all of those items were fixed, there were issues getting the bands, stickers and vistas to the factories in Honduras and Nicaragua. The situation was exacerbated by the hurricanes—shipping of these items was further delayed. Since bands and vistas are considered imports into the respective countries, customs has been bogged down in both Honduras and Nicaragua, further delaying the delivery to the factories.” Vistas are the pictures that adorn the inner lid of a cigar box. “The artwork you see when you open a box,” Lipson said. “We had issues with color matching as well as making sure some of the intricacies of the artwork would show.” European cigar smokers have not had the same delays for Black Market Estelí, which arrived in Europe earlier this month. Prensado Lost Art has not yet received a widespread European launch. As for when U.S. cigar smokers should be able to easily find some Lost Art and Black Market Estelí, Lipson estimated they would fully arrive by next week. Prensado Lost Art is enrobed in a Honduran Corojo wrapper with two binders—one from Nicaragua and the other from Honduras. The fillers are also from Nicaragua and Honduras. The cigar is available in five sizes: Robusto, at 5 inches by 52 ring; Gran Toro, 6 1/4 by 52; Churchill, 7 by 50; Torpedo, 6 1/2 by 52; and Double T, 6 by 60. The cigars ship in 20-count boxes. Black Market Estelí is crafted with a Nicaraguan wrapper and two binders from Nicaragua and Honduras. The filler is from Nicaragua. Black Market Estelí will come in five sizes: Robusto, at 5 by 52; Toro, 6 by 52; Churchill, 7 by 50; Torpedo, 6 1/2 by 52; and Gordo, 6 by 60. The cigars ship in 22-count boxes. “To say that we are frustrated, along with our retail partners, is an understatement,” Lipson said. Look for a rating in Cigar Insider after the cigars reach full distribution this month. n
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L AS
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IN THE NEXT CIGAR INSIDER Breaking news from around the cigar world, along with ratings on hot new cigars. Read about it first in Cigar Insider.
Your Next CIGAR INSIDER Arrives on Tuesday, Oct. 17.
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October 3, 2017
