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Los Angeles, October 14, 2010 – Frank Herrera is a lawyer who loves cigars. In fact, he loves them so much that he has spent countless hours trying to help small manufacturers in trademark battles against much larger foes, including Cuba's Habanos, S.A.
So it was probably inevitable that, eventually, Herrera was going to introduce his own cigar brand, and in 2009, he did. He calls it "La Caridad del Cobre" after the Patron Saint of Cuba, first seen - according to legend - in 1608.
The brand was well received on introduction, but Herrera has reblended it for 2010 and is hoping for even wider distribution. We checked out both styles:
La Caridad del Cobre - Natural wrapper:
[Dominican Republic: available in 3 sizes]
Immediately recognizable by a very large and colorful band, the natural-wrapped La Caridad del Cobre blend uses an Ecuadorian-grown leaf for wrapper, over a Dominican binder and Dominican and Nicaraguan filler combination. The result is a cigar with a medium-to-full-bodied presence in the mouth, with a spicy aroma.
There's plenty of flavor, with a pop of caramelized sweetness to start, with a long finish that includes just a wisp of spice. The construction and draw are excellent and the burn is even and smooth.
The lively sweetness continues well into the second half, with a balance of light spice on the finish, intensifying only in the final third. It's a relaxing cigar, with a mellow pacing that encourages you to take your time and enjoy.
Fans of the brand will also enjoy the prices, which are quite accessible at $5.99 to $6.49 each, with all three sizes available in boxes of 20.
Overall grade: Excellent.
La Caridad del Cobre - Maduro wrapper:
[Dominican Republic: available in 4 sizes]
The maduro-wrapped edition of the La Caridad del Cobre brand features a nearly-black Brazilian wrapper that gives the blend a full-bodied presence in the mouth, with a toasty and slightly spicy aroma.
As one would expect from a maduro, there is plenty of sweetness, with just a bit of spice on the finish in a lively combination. As the volume of the sweetness in the taste has been dialed up compared with the natural-wrapped edition, so has the sharpness of the spiciness of the finish, with a rich and entertaining result.
Construction and burn are excellent and the richness and smoothness of the blend are remarkable, continuing well into the second half. The intensity of flavor lessens only slightly even in the final third. Just terrific.
All four sizes of the La Caridad del Cobre maduro line are offered in boxes of 20, with retail pricing from $6.39 to $7.25 each, not including local taxes.
Overall grade: Exceptional.
Herrera can be justly proud of his cigar, whose vibrant flavor and texture are very much a reflection of his own energy and drive. In fact, his cigars are good enough that he may - at some point in the future - have to decide if he prefers selling cigars or being a lawyer . . . he can ask Rocky Patel about making that choice.
~ Rich Perelman
Los Angeles, October 29, 2010 – Every year at the giant International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association convention and trade show, smokeshop retailers are greeted with a bewildering variety of cigars from folks that they just don't know much about.
"Should I take a chance?" thinks the retailer. After tasting a sample, they say to themselves, "these are pretty good, but will they sell?"
Casa Gomez is in that category. Created by Benny Gomez's Inter-America Cigar Company of Miami, this brand is offered in two styles, with a natural or a maduro wrapper, both made under the supervision of Luis Sanchez of La Tradicion Cubana fame at his Tabacalera LTC in the Dominican Republic. Slowly, but surely, Gomez has built a chain of retailers which carry his lines and we checked out his namesake brand, in both editions:
Casa Gomez - Natural wrapper:
[Dominican Republic: available in 4 sizes]
Introduced in 2007, the Casa Gomez line is an easy-to-smoke blend that features a light, Connecticut-seed wrapper grown in Ecuador and Dominican-grown binder and filler leaves. It lights easily, has a medium body and a spicy aroma.
But the fun starts as the cigar opens up to offer a rich, caramelized flavor with only a trace of spice on the lips on the finish. It's sweet and smooth and just marvelous, offering lots of flavor without ever turning tart or hot.
The richness of the taste remains consistent well into the second half, again with just a bit of spice on the finish. Moreover, the construction is excellent and the blend burns well so that it does not tire the smoker, making it a fine choice after meals.
This is a quality cigar, with all four sizes available in boxes of 25 and quite reasonably priced from $6.28 to $7.50 each.
Overall grade: Exceptional.
Casa Gomez - Maduro wrapper:
[Dominican Republic: available in 4 sizes]
The maduro-wrapped edition of the Casa Gomez line is new for 2010, featuring a dark, Brazilian-grown leaf covering the Dominican-grown binder and filler.
It lights well, but has a medium-to-full-bodied presence in the mouth and a nicely spiced aroma at the start. The taste showcases the wrapper with notes of dark caramel, balanced with a modest element of spice on the finish. The draw is perfect and the burn is even.
Maduro fans who enjoy the richness and depth that these extra-ripe leaves being to a cigar will appreciate this blend, which maintains the lively nature of the taste right into the final quarter. The wisp of spice remains on the finish for balance, accenting the otherwise smooth ride of sweetness to the end.
Like the natural-wrapped edition, the maduro-wrapped Casa Gomez comes in four sizes, all in boxes of 25 and is accessibly priced at $6.28 to $7.50 apiece.
Overall grade: Exceptional.
The excellence of the Casa Gomez line underscores the adage that "the best cigar you ever smoke may be the next one you try." There's little doubt that fans of flavorful and easy-to-enjoy cigars can add Casa Gomez to their list of 'new' cigars to try . . . even if they have been around for three years!
~ Rich Perelman
Los Angeles, November 2, 2010 – Continuing our look at cigars made - under contract - at Luis Sanchez's Tabacalera LTC in the Dominican Republic, we checked in on the two "base blends" in the Jameson line and once again found reason to appreciate two more brands that many folks never even consider:
Jameson Black Label:
[Dominican Republic: available in 5 sizes]
The Jameson line was introduced in 2008 and includes both a natural-wrapped edition (with a red band) and a black-labeled, maduro-wrapped blend. The latter features an extra-dark Brazilian wrapper surrounding a Honduran binder and Dominican-grown filler leaves for a medium-to-full body, with a spicy aroma.
The flavor is caramelized from the start, with just a pinch of spice on the tongue on the finish. This balance is nicely maintain throughout the first half of the cigar, which shows excellent construction, and an even burn.
The second half shows a lively, 50/50 balance of the sweet and spicy elements, with plenty of flavor that makes this cigar a pleasure to smoke. There's just a bit more spice at the end, but both tones remain in play.
All five sizes are offered in boxes of 20, and are accessibly priced at $5.80 to $6.70 each, not including local sales and tobacco taxes.
Overall grade: Excellent.
The Red Label edition of the Jameson line is marked by a light, Ecuadorian-grown, Connecticut-seed wrapper, combined with a Honduran binder and Dominican filler. It's medium-plus in body, with a pleasant, toasty and spicy aroma.
There is a sweet note at the start of this blend, slightly caramelized and quite vibrant in its depth, accented by a spicy finish that you'll feel mostly on the tongue. It's quite pleasing, thanks to the richness of the tastes, along with an even burn and an easy draw.
The spiciness of the finish rises in intensity in the second half, and better balances the sweet notes through into the final quarter of the cigar. It's a winner.
Like the Black Label, all sizes are offered in boxes of 20 and pricing is similar, from $5.80 to $6.90 apiece, not including local taxes.
Overall grade: Exceptional.
The Jameson line is best-known to many smokers for its Declaration line, a protest cigar against higher taxes, which we will be test-smoking soon. In the meantime, the standard Jameson blends showed themselves as well worth trying, thanks to their excellent construction and enjoyable, lively flavors.
~ Rich Perelman
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Los Angeles, November 19, 2010 – Cigar smokers don't have to be told that are a harassed minority. The Jameson Cigar Co. brought out the Declaration blend in 2009 as a protest against smoking bans and ever-higher taxes. Made by the Tabacalera LTC, we checked out this statement against presecution:
Declaration:
[Dominican Republic: available in 3 sizes]
There is no mistaking the Jameson Cigar Company's Declaration brand. It started as a one-size line in 2009, with the Iniquity measuring 5 1/2 inches long by 50 ring and featuring an extra-dark Nicaraguan-grown wrapper with a Dominican-grown binder and filler. And then there is the giant band, picturing an eagle with the word "Declaration" below it.
The cigar itself lights easily and has a spicy aroma with a medium-to-full body. The flavor is rich, sweet and tart, with a taste slightly reminiscent of black cherries, and a slightly sweet finish. Well constructed, it burns easily and has an easy draw.
It stays fairly consistent into the second half, with somewhat less intensity and the rise of a modest, spicy finish. A stronger note of spice and a bit of pepper come into play in the last quarter of the cigar.
Declaration is an entertaining cigar, with plenty of flavor and a certain edge that underscores its protest message against the bans and taxes being forced upon cigar enthusiasts. It is uniquely offered in boxes of 21, now in three sizes, varying in price from $5.71 to $6.19 each, not including local sales and tobacco taxes.
Overall grade: Excellent.
All three of the Jameson lines, the Black Label, Red Label and Declaration, scored four or more stars in our tastings over the past month, underscoring the continuing quality of Luis Sanchez's Tabacalera LTC. The Jameson brand may be underappreciated for now, but that it not likely to continue too much longer in the future.
~ Rich Perelman
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