Matthias Clock

About Matthias Clock

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.

Posts by Matthias Clock:

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Cigar Travels: The Cigar Boxx (SC, USA)

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Earlier in March I had the pleasure of visiting Greenville, SC (the American South) for the first time in my life. I took a plane from LGA to Charlotte, then down to Spartanberg International in South Carolina for a three day stay. I knew I was in for a bit of culture shock, but I had no idea how beautiful the South actually is, how nice the weather and people are, or (and I enjoyed this), how prevalent advertisements for cigars are, even at the airport.
Needless to say, I arrived at my hotel room fully briefed on the local cigar shops in Greenville. I dropped off my bags, took a walk down Main St., and made my first of what would be four visits to The Cigar Boxx, located a block off of Main. Walking in the door, I was immediately greeted by Paolo, the shop owner. Paolo showed me his selection in the walk-in humidor and recommended the Casa Fernandez Miami Reserva (a great cigar, by the way). He also told me a bit about the shop itself, which has been open more than ten years now.
Casa Fernandez Miami Reserva - a fantastic smoke
Inside the humidor
The Cigar Boxx is a one-of-a-kind lounge, with a unique layout. The shop has a walk-in humidor, a wall racked with an impressive selection of wines, a large storefront lounge area with plenty of natural light, member humidor wall, and a dark and cozy den area that is decked out in southern style and complete with a large flat screen TV.
The wine selection
Member boxes
The den
But, back to the humidor. With a large, street facing window, the walk-in humidor is more than visually inviting. It sports an extensive selection of premium and boutique cigars, and of course at price points well below what we find in New York City. I picked up a King Havano Black Knight, a stick which easily sells for $18+ in the city, for just $10. Other stand-out cigars in the collection included Berger & Argenti Entubar, Casa Magna Colorado, SWAG, Alec Bradley, and more.
Paolo: Owner, Host, Aficionado
The real heart of Cigar Boxx, though, is Paolo (above). During my visits, I found Paolo to be incredibly knowledgeable about cigars and the industry. He was also incredibly hospitable, offering excellent cut and light service, making delicious coffee for customers, and introducing new customers to the true cigar experience.
In any case, it goes without saying that I highly recommend this shop to anyone. It has a great vibe, good selection of excellent cigars, and great management. And, it sounds like there are even more good things coming in the future. Paolo also mentioned that he is planning on opening a new location across the street, complete with food and full bar service.  If the new location rivals the original Cigar Boxx, Greenville residents should consider themselves lucky.
Address:
23 College Street
Greenville, SC 29601
(864) 232-5062
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Refugio Cigar House: Revolutionizing the Neighborhood Brick and Mortar

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Refugio Cigar House - 635 Lorimer St. Brooklyn, NY

A little over a year after opening, Refugio Cigar House has begun to shift the paradigm on the neighborhood cigar lounge. Located at 635 Lorimer St. in Brooklyn, the shop has quickly gained a reputation for friendly service, great cigars, and an atmosphere of relaxation fitting for the art of smoking. The shop sports a great Cuban vibe and appeals to regulars and the average passer-by. FineTobaccoNYC event subscribers might remember that we hosted Refugio’s Grand Opening event in January of 2011.

The owners, Mike Lopez and Jimmy Brigadino, make a point to hang out at the shop to greet passers-by, customers, and regulars alike. Mike says he envisioned the shop to be “a refuge for cigar smokers in the fast-paced city of New York.” David Alicea, an event coordinator at FineTobaccoNYC says he has enjoyed seeing Refugio create “an experience that is friendly, family oriented, and that introduces others to true cigar culture.”  Another key to the Refugio philosophy is that the shop’s regular events are free, and feature no bottling fee for smokers bringing in drinks to pair with cigars.

On any given week, Refugio hosts cigar events with New York’s Grown & Sexy cigar group, and FineTobaccoNYC. Tuesdays are movie night, Wednesday is the regular Grown & Sexy HERF, Sunday is MOB Wives night, and once a month the shop hosts a poker night.

Although Refugio carries a variety of premium cigars, Mike and Jimmy have made it a point to support high quality boutique brands entering the market, like Reinado Cigars and Hispanola Cigars (both good friends of FineTobaccoNYC – I highly recommend you taste both).  The main attraction at Refugio though are their house blends, which I would easily consider some of the best house blends in the city. Aside from being well constructed and composed of quality tobacco from Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Peru, and Brazil, Mike has gone the extra mile to offer customers truly unique smoking experiences.

The Witch’s Broom, for example, is rolled by a veteran cigar roller of the prestigious Davidoff factory. The stick has a Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper, and Nicaraguan, Dominican, and Peruvian filler. What makes the cigar special, however, is the vitola, with exposed tobacco on the foot, resembling , you guessed it, a broom. Alicea describes the cigar saying, “with the Witch’s Broom you’ll get notes of black pepper, coffee, and an earthy, but very smooth texture. The cigar is a solid medium in terms of body, and a real joy to smoke because of the special vitola.”

Another signature house  blend is the new Boxed Press Torpedo. With an Ecuadorian wrapper and Nicaraguan and Dominican filler, it is the new home run of the shop. The box press was made famous by the Padron family, and Refugio’s version is a fantastic take on the popular shape. Smokers will notice hints of chocolate, leather, and black pepper.

The Box Press - debanded

Aside from cigars, the shop now sports member boxes (membership comes with a complimentary bundle of cigars), renovated lighting, and new fans for air circulation. When the shop first opened, ventilation was a noticeable problem, but the new redesign has really completed the vibe of the shop.

This just about captures the spirit of Refugio Cigar House when it's time to party

In short, Mike and Jimmy have done a fantastic job creating a true refuge for the New York City cigar smoker. If you live in the city or are visiting, forget about your regular Cigar Inn or Club Mac visit and experience something new. If you take my advice, you might find yourself frequenting this New York City gem.

Connect with Refugio Cigar House on Facebook.

Event Invite: FTNYC Sponsors Alec Bradley Cigar Launch at Havana Dreams

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On March 16th, FineTobaccoNYC sponsors Alec Bradley cigars at Havana Dreams.

At this event, Alec Bradley cigars will debut their new box pressed Maduro, so it isn’t one to miss. The event is also special as it is the first FineTobaccoNYC event at Havana Dreams, which is perhaps the oldest cigar lounge in Queens — at least, it seems reasonable to assume that considering they are still able to serve wine to their patrons. This presents guests with the opportunity to experience a rare piece of New York City history, all while enjoying cigars and a glass of wine.

We’re looking forward to having a good group of friend at the event, so if you want to experience a location that many smokers are unaware of, or just want to come make new friends, follow the link below to RSVP. Here are the event details:

 

 

  • When: Friday, March 16th, 4:00pm – 11:00pm
  • Where: Havana Dreams Cigar Lounge, just off the Q21 bus (click here for map)
  • What: Alec Bradley cigar launch, food, cigar specials, cigar raffles, and time with friends.

Click here to RSVP for the event or email matthias.ftnyc(at)gmail.com!

Looking forward to seeing you all there. Until then, long ashes.

 

 

Best,

Matthias Clock

FineTobaccoNYC

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Official Invite: The 2012 “Open That Bottle Night” @ Refugio Cigar House

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Click the link to RSVP on Facebook

Have a bottle of something good that you just haven’t cracked open yet? Or, another bottle that’s already opened that needs a bit of help? “Open That Bottle Night” was started in 2000 by Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher of the Wall St. Journal. Since then, the event has gained popularity in the wine and spirits world – now it is just waiting to be popularized in the cigar world! 

Join your friends with FTNYC and Refugio Cigar House this Saturday from 6:00pm – 1:00am for a great “Sip & Smoke” Rum and Cigar pairing with lots of specials. 

 

 

The event will feature:

– No cutting/BYO fee
– Refugio Cigar House is raffling off one of their new membership boxes! The membership humidor is good for one year – a huge value.
– Cigar raffles
– Sip & Smoke talk on the art of pairing Rum & Cigars.

 

The event is free and open to all lovers of the leaf and for everyone who loves a good sip! 

CLICK HERE TO RSVP.

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Cigar Review: Reinado Habanito

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The Reinado “Habanito” (4×38)

After a few months on vacation from reviewing cigars (FTNYC has been busy hosting events all over New York City), it was with great excitement and a bit of apprehension that I chose to review the Reinado Habanito. Excitement because I’ve long been a fan of Reinado Cigars, and apprehension because I’ve found owner Antonio Lam’s cigars to be delicious, yet difficult to describe at times because of their complexity.

For a bit of background, I’ll quote from StogieGuys.com:

“Reinado, Spanish for “reign,” is gaining traction at tobacconists across the country as more and more cigar enthusiasts become exposed to the brand through mainstream cigar publications and the online community. I’ve been a fan since last October. That’s when I reviewed the Torpedo, a great smoke with notes of leather, espresso, and cherry.”

And now for the review.

Blend Specifics:

  • Size: 4×38
  • Wrapper: Nicaraguan
  • Binder: Nicaraguan
  • Filler: Nicaraguan


Appearance & Construction:

The first thing that I notice about this cigar is the deep golden brown color of the Nicaraguan wrapper. There is a rich texture (including a bit of tooth) that makes the cigar very inviting to smoke. The label features a combination of deep red, gold, and off-white that I really enjoy and am glad is used across the board on Antonio’s cigars. The cigar is triple-capped, and there are a couple of substantial veins, though I haven’t found this to be characteristic of Reinado cigars in general. We’ll see how it pans out with the burn.

Pre-light draw:

The scent on this cigar is a kind of bright natural tobacco, which leads me to believe that this cigar will have the all of the spice characteristic of Reinado’s other sizes. On the foot I can smell granola, natural tobacco, and something resembling coffee.

Taste & Smoking Characteristics:

The cigar kicks off with a bit of pepper on the tongue and notes of coffee, a wonderfully smooth sweetness and a bit of floral on the back-end. And by the way, if that description didn’t make a lot of sense, I apologize. Every time I’ve smoked a Reinado cigar, I’ve been surprised by the smoothness, richness, and complexity of the taste, so much so that I have a difficult time describing it. Flavors tend to jump and pop. For a few minutes, I taste almonds, with floral fading in and out, and then the almost transition to coffee notes.

At the end of the first third, the body of the smoke picks up, and so does the spice. The cigar has required a minor touch up, but it hardly detracted from the smoking experience. Also in the mix of taste is a an enjoyable cinnamon, reminding me of fresh snickerdoodle cookies. At about halfway, the body continues to build, and the spice spreads over the palate. I found in the duration of the smoke that the body of the cigar increased, and so did the tastes of pepper and cinnamon. I was also surprised to find near the end that I received a pretty significant nicotine kick, which surprised me considering the size of the cigar.

Conclusion:

Reinado seems to have recreated their signature taste, with a few shifts in balance, that the discerning cigar smoker will find very enjoyable. My only regret was not pairing this cigar with a bold cup of coffee like I normally do with Reinado.

Highly recommended.

Final Grade: A-

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