Brand evangelist, digital marketer, cigar and spirits expert specializing in consumer tasting and educational events. Matthias made the long trek from his hometown of Portland, Oregon to New York City in 2007, and in nine years has hosted more than 120 events and helped promote and launch dozens of cigar and whiskey brands in the U.S. In 2016, he joined the Cigar Journal Tasting Panel, blind-reviewing pre and new release cigars.
Greggory Mottola from Cigar Aficionado writes on the CA website that the East India Trading Co., a subsidiary of Gurkha, is releasing the “Red Witch”, which is a new box pressed cigar that will debut next month. No photos of the cigar yet, but we’ll try to get one up for you soon.
From the release:
“Named after a trading ship from the British rule during the 1800s, Red Witch features an Ecuadoran rosado wrapper, Dominican binder and filler tobacco from Nicaragua’s mountainous region of Jalapa. Housed in rustic 50-count boxes, Red Witch will be available in three sizes: Robusto, 5 inches by 52, Rothchild, 6 by 54, and XO, measuring 6 by 60. Retail prices are expected to fall in the $4.99 to $6.39 range.”
With a retail price between $5 and $7, it should be a cigar to keep your eye on.
It’s always a pleasure to review new product (good or bad) on the cigar market, so when I finally got my hands on some Regius cigars, I was excited. For this morning smoke, I paired with a cup of coffee. From the website:
“This cigar has a light body, aimed at those who prefer a subtle taste and aroma. It has an elegant flavour, with hints of coffee and hazelnut overtones. The cigar is named in honour of a cigar loving ‘elegance arbiter’.”
Blend Specifics
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Size: 6 x 38
Appearance & Construction
As far as appearance, this cigar is pretty much flawless. The wrapper has light oil, some small veins, and a gorgeous band – black, gold, and red. Under “Regius” is, in latin, “Arbiter Elegantiae,” which means “Arbiter of Elegance.” For you history buffs out there, you would be interested to know that the Arbiter of Elegance was actually an official position of the Roman government under the Emporer. As the title suggests, the arbiter was the final say on matters of style, aesthetics, and anything relating to beauty. For a cigar to put that on its band is making a pretty bold statement, so I looked forward to seeing if this cigar lived up to its claim.
Taste & Smoke Characteristics
This cigar erupts with some really great flavors upon lighting up. Nuts, coffee, hints of dark chocolate, and brownie on the retrohale. The texture of the smoke is smooth and creamy, but with a nicely balanced spice. This cigar is not mild bodied as the website suggests. This is a solid medium, which at times borders on full. Very enjoyable, however, is the complexity and balance of this stick: the cream and spice play off of each other nicely, and all through the smoke the notes of dark chocolate, coffee, and nuts took turns on center stage. In the second half of the cigar, a sort of floral note is introduced.
Conclusion
This cigar will keep you on your toes. It is smooth, complex, and flavorful. As skeptical as I was, this indeed an elegant cigar that I could smoke over and over, especially in the morning. Pair this with a cup of coffee, or with an equally complex red wine. Stay away from full-bodied pairs.
New York cigar smokers can purchase this cigar at the Nat Sherman Townhouse on 42nd and 5th Ave. or at Davidoff of New York.
Just read a really cool story from the Armchair General. Apparently, Nick Popaditch, the man famous for his stogie smoking pose in Operation Iraqi Freedom, is running for U.S. Congress for California’s 53rd Congressional District as a Republican. His famous victory pose with a stogie and Saddam Hussein in the background made media rounds all across the country.
Armchair General gives some really great history on cigars in American politics, and tells a bit of the inspiring and tragic story of this soldier, including the RPG injury that cost him one eye and the vision of his other.
In our quest to support New York brick and mortar shops, as well as to serve our readers, FineTobaccoNYC is now compiling a weekly list of cigar specials to aid you in finding the best bang for your buck. Weekly deals will be posted every Tuesday until further notice. As this is a new feature of our website, the first edition will be smaller, so check back every week, and watch the list grow!
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If you have a weekly cigar deal you want everyone to know about, please 1) email me at matthias.ftnyc(at) gmail.com and then drop it in the comments below.
In today’s cigar news, Tom Hancock at Smart Planet reports on the growing demand for premium cigars in China. The economic boom that China has experienced in recent decades has vastly increased the middle and upper class, and allowed more financial flexibility for individuals (mainly businessmen) to enjoy what has typically been seen as a Western hobby. In fact, Hancock reports that one third of the world’s cigar smoking population is Chinese.
I’ve got to say, I’m actually pretty fascinated by the emerging cigar industry in China. I received a small pack of cigars from a company owned by the Chinese state tobacco monopoly, and the cigars are still sitting in my humidor, almost a year later. I can’t quite bring myself to smoke them, but there is certainly some novelty to the idea.
