On November 10th, 2014, Circa Tabac officially re-opened as SoHo Cigar Bar. Located on 32 Watts Street, Circa Tabac was, and to this day remains, one of New York’s oldest surviving cigar lounges. It has been fully renovated with a brand new interior reminiscent of Prohibition-era Speakeasies. In addition to a new lounge, SoHo Cigar Bar has also released a new house blend named SoHo Cigars. The knew line proudly features cigars hand-crafted in the Big Apple. Today, we’ll taking the Sol de Oro (Spanish for “Golden Sun”) torpedo for a test drive…

Form and Substance

Vitola: Torpedo
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Dimensions: 4 3/4’ x 49”

Aesthetics, Construction and Feel

One thing is certain: this cigar has New York written all over it in terms of appearances. The label proudly displays the brand name in brilliantly bold Art Deco calligraphy; the Cameroon wrapper is unashamedly course and rugged; the body is packed to the brim with tobacco, to the point where the wrapper has a few small openings in it. That’s usually a bad sign. However, the tight packing also means no noticeable soft spots. The aesthetics of the Sol make for an overall promising first impression.

Smoke and Flavor

With that, we’re off to the races, and the Sol de Oro takes the lead on the heels of a solid head start. The draw is fantastic, with an almost perfect balance of looseness and resistance on it. As the first quarter is cleared, the draw constricts slightly, eventually loosening up as the stick approaches its end. The ash attests to the near-flawless construction, solidly holding onto the stick and slow to flaking. The Sol sometimes edges on canoeing, but it always rights itself fairly quickly, as every great cigar does. Every smoke cloud is massive, yet the burn is nice and slow, ensuring the smoke is both long and enjoyable.

The flavor is a delightful mystery. I spent the entire smoke trying to figure out exactly which notes I was tasting; I ultimately ended up relying on educated guesses based on all of my smoking experiences over the years to answer the question. Throughout the entirety of the smoke, I tasted a flavor that reminded me of graham crackers: dry, natural, slightly sweet, and satisfyingly brittle. This was supplemented in the second third by a touch of cinnamon. Then, between the second and final third, the cinnamon faded out, being slowly but surely replaced by a rich essence of caramel, which help to make the overall smoke richer and more chewy. Near the nub, the caramel largely faded into the background as the graham cracker note became ever more prominent. In short, the Sol de Oro consistently delivers a richly natural burst of flavor that drys the palate and soothes the soul with every puff.

The Final Verdict

I found this particular stogy to be a most impressive first of sorts. Unlike the other cigars I’ve reviewed for this site, the Sol’s flavor contained an unusual graham cracker-like flavor. This is a brand new territory for me that, while quite unusual, ended up working frightfully well. A flavor profile of this kind can be rare to come by and should never be passed up when it presents itself. Aside from the occasional unevenness of the burn (which was minimal at best) and the stinging spice at the nub, the Sol de Oro is an all-around excellent cigar that lends much honor and credibility to the cigar lounge for which it’s named.

Final Grade: A

Tips for a Perfect Smoke Experience
This cigar contains dominican tobacco, which is well known for drying the palate. The Sol in particular can sneak up on you if you’re not careful. Never subject your palate to dehydration. If you have the Sol in one hand, have a relatively sweet drink in the other. Espresso with a bit of sugar in particular, as always, does the job best.

Josè Pepín García has been in the American cigar market for less than fifteen years; he started out in 2002, having left his home country of Cuba a year earlier. Yet, in that comparatively short period of time, García and his children have established a tobacco empire to be reckoned with in the form of the My Father Cigars company; they have received numerous accolades, including the Number 1 spot in Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 Cigars of 2012 with their Flor de Las Antillas blend. Here, I’ll be taking on the namesake brand of My Father Cigars, the Toro, specifically.

Form and Substance

Vitola: Toro
Wrapper: Habano-Rosado
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Dimensions: 6’ x 56”
Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Aesthetics, Construction and Feel

I have always been a fan of the artistry of the My Father cigar labels. They are colorful, but not at all flashy; fancy, but not tacky; genuine. This My Father is no different, its lovely pink-themed label offering a peak into the García family’s proud history, in addition to the greatness of the cigar itself.

The wrapper is a bit on the rugged side, and the primary veins of the leaf are quite prominent. On the other hand, these are the only veins that one will ever see on this cigar, no matter how closely he or she will examine it. Furthermore, the body is well-rolled, with little to no soft spots to be found.

Smoke and Flavor

As I place the flaming piece of cedar before this most reputable behemoth, I am taken aback as the first puff comes with absolute ease; the draw is ridiculously smooth and the smoothness is amazingly consistent, varying little as I burn through the stogy. The massive toro has the occasional problems with canoeing, which got me nervous more than a few times. Fortunately, the stogy requires little maintenance, always doing the dirty work for me by righting itself. Thus, the Garcías have once again proven why they’re among the best in craftsmanship.

The palate is greeted by a warm flavor of straight up spice that gently wets the palate and leaves a zesty sensation of pepper on the lips with every puff. As I approach the second third of the cigar, the spice becomes more concentrated as it morphs into a lovely variant of cinnamon. The cinnamon stays at the forefront for the remainder of the cigar, joined in the final third by the occasional burst of coffee in the background. As the nub is approached, the spice that has consistently graced the lips with every puff begins to intensify, competing with the cinnamon and coffee notes. Then, on the final puffs, these two competing forces coalesce into a balanced and most satisfying equilibrium, like a perfectly baked cake. Thus, the smoke experience comes to an end riding on a high note of cinnamon, spice and everything nice.

The Final Verdict

There’s nothing particularly surprising about the My Father No. 5 toro; it’s a beautifully crafted cigar that consistently delivers a great draw and a diverse repertoire of flavor for the smoker. There were a few close calls on the wrapper because of the canoeing, but this likely a result of the cold weather it inevitably had to be exposed to while on the way the cigar lounge where it was smoked (the lounge being Papa Juan, which is way uptown on 141st & Broadway). Thus when the cold is factored out of the equation, this beautiful behemoth of a stogy is an excellent choice for anyone who’s looking to enjoy a good, long smoke after a cold, hard day.

Final Grade: B+

Tips for a Perfect Smoke Experience
This cigar is by no means a hard hitter, but it’s got a bit of a kick to it, especially with the peppery essences it leaves on the lips. There’s of course nothing wrong with that, but it can get away from you if you’re not careful. So help yourself to a nice glass of wine to help wash it down.

Purchase the My Father No. 5 Toro Here

In an unprecedented spark of creativity, Tatuaje, which is Spanish for “Tattoo,” has officially released a brand new habano line: the Tattoo. Originally released on a limited run in 2011, the Tattoo proved to be so popular that Tatuaje decided to re-introduce it into the market permanently a few years later, proudly proclaiming to have changed absolutely nothing since its 2011 limited release. What makes this cigar interesting is that its a cigar that was resurrected solely by the power of popular demand. This isn’t an easy feat for any cigar to accomplish, so let’s see what the people are raving about…

Blend Specifics

Vitola: Robusto
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Dimensions: 5’ x 50”
Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Aesthetics, Construction and Feel

At first glance, the Tattoo is an impressive sight to behold. It’s dark habano wrapper makes it look more like a maduro. The wrapper contrasts effectively with its smooth and leathery wrapper, giving off an aura of edgy sophistication.

However, as I move beyond the gestalt and take a closer look, I find the Tattoo to have arguably the most veiny wrapper I’ve ever seen thus far; every single vein is prominent, with the leaf stems making the wrapper’s look and texture uneven. Fortunately, aesthetics are not what count in the long run. Furthermore, the construction is flawless; the body is sturdy, yet soft like a cushion with no soft spots.

Smoke and Flavor

The first few puffs are solidly good; each puff is spicy, chewy and smooth, and brings forth a voluminous and aromatic smoke cloud, a feat made easy and enjoyable by a well-balanced draw. One problem is made apparent, however; the ash holds its form well, but it is very loose. I learned this the hard way. Fortunately, disposing of the ash is an easy task by virtue of the fact that the Tattoo burns at a comfortably predictable pace and an astonishingly even rate; it never comes close to canoeing throughout the entire smoke, which lasts about an hour-and-a-half.

The flavor is undoubtedly the most pleasant of the Tattoo’s many surprises. There is spice on every single puff, and with every puff comes along a helping of pepper. What’s most interesting about the flavor is the presence of a dark wood flavor that is surprisingly heavy for an habano. Fortunately, the dark taste doesn’t hit the smoker very hard the way a maduro might. This confirms the Tattoo’s habano strength level and offers the smoker a maduro-like flavor without the buzz. As the first quarter of the cigar is cleared, a sortie of other minor flavors pop up in the background to supplement the spice and dark wood, flavors including sugar in the second quarter, leather in the middle and near the final third, and the occasional delightful essence of dark chocolate from the final quarter to the nub.

The Final Verdict

If I could put my entire train of thought into a single abstract sentence, then it would go something like this: The Tatuaje Tattoo is more or less exactly what I expected it to be from the start. It was smooth on the draw, dark in flavor and even on the burn. The people said they wanted a good cigar back for good, and that’s exactly what they’ve got with this. In short, the Tatuaje Tattoo is an elegantly tough smoke that is popular for a wide variety of good reasons, and should be tried at least once. You might not make it your go-to cigar, but you definitely won’t regret smoking it.

Final Grade: A-

Tips for a Perfect Smoke Experience

Fortunately, this habano cigar requires little other than a match to make it good. However, a little red wine is always a good idea when it comes to balancing the medium-bodied smoke with a medium-bodied drink.

Purchase the Tatuaje Tattoo Here

On February 24th, join New York City cigar and spirits aficionados for an exclusive evening tasting of the Cigar Aficionado Top 25 Cigar of 2014: the Alec Bradley Mundial #5 paired with Laphroaig Select Scotch, and Bowmore 12 Year Scotch.  The event will also include live music and give-aways.

In honor of this exclusive tasting of Alec Bradley, this Smoker Social is a “Live True” event.

Tickets: $30 online / $40 at the door

Purchase Tickets Here.

• 1 Alec Bradley Mundial #5
• 1 Glass Bowmore 12 Year Single Malt Scotch
• 1 Glass Laphroaig Select Single Malt Scotch
• Live music

Cigar & Spirits Selection

Alec Bradley Mundial #5

 

When it comes to writing, painting or crafting cigars, sometimes creating something new comes quickly. Other times it’s a struggle. The birth of the Alec Bradley Mundial brand was the latter, a project that brand owner Alan Rubin’s ruminated on for close to five years. “I always had Mundial on my mind,” he said. The blend that finally sparked Rubin’s interest included a wrapper from the Trojes region of Honduras, which Alec Bradley uses to great effect on its Prensado line. All Mundials have pointed feet that vaguely resemble lances, explaining the moniker “Punta Lanza” (point of the lance) that appears on each box. The No. 5 is meaty and leathery, with a pleasant amount of minerality.

Bowmore 12 Year Single Malt Scotch

Complex yet perfectly balanced, our 12 Years Old reflects the raw essence of Bowmore – thrashing waves, windswept landscapes and generations of tradition. Bowmore 12 Years Old has received much critical acclaim; the late, great whisky writer Michael Jackson proclaimed it “remarkably long and complex”. We like to think of it as vanilla ice cream at a beach bonfire.

Laphroaig Select Single Malt Scotch

Laphroaig Select takes its name from the special selection of American and European casks, chosen for their unique character that they give during maturation. The Inspiration for the new Global expression has been taken from history – 70-80 years ago, the time of the last family member owner of the distillery, Ian Hunter. Ian was one of the biggest influences in the history of Laphroaig indeed, he was one of the first distillers to travel to bourbon county in the USA to identify new sources of casks that would give him greater consistency as well as new flavours. He later married this ‘new’ style of Laphroaig with his traditionally matured (European cask) Laphroaig.

Tasting notes:

NOSE: Peat first, then ripe red fruits from the PX and Oloroso casks. A hint of dryness next from the American oak with a long lingering florally finish – Marzipan and even limes at the end.

PALATE: This full bodied whisky is initially sweet up front- matching the nose, then the classic dry, peaty, ashy flavours come bounding in followed by a lovely rich finish arising from the rich fruits of the European casks.

 Merchants NY Cigar Bar

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** You must be 21 years or older to purchase a ticket to this event.