We recently posted a story about how China now represents more than one third of the cigar smokers of the world. And it seems like the cigar industry is beginning to react to that news. Focus Taiwan reports that Honduran cigar manufacturers like Rocky Patel and Don Humo Cigar Company are trying to establish ties with importers. They hope to gain access to the large Taiwanese cigar market, but the long-run goal is direct access to the massive Chinese market.
The weather has been nice this week so I went to Samuel Paley Park, a private park that allows smoking. I brought my last Rocky Patel American Market Selection to review while I read a book. I have a medium body coffee paired with the cigar.
The cigar is firm to the touch with one prominent vein. There is scent of coffee, wood, and sweet tobacco on the body of the cigar and foot. Sweet tobacco and spice are on the cold draw that is firm. The cigar has a simple gold and black band with “Rocky Patel” in a gold font.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
After I toasted the foot, an aroma of vanilla and coffee entered the air. The first puffs were coffee and sweet tobacco. After about a quarter-inch vanilla and peanut are in the background. The cigar burned evenly with a salt and pepper ash that held half and inch.
As I entered two-thirds, cinnamon and nutmeg add some complexity to the coffee and sweet tobacco flavors. It reminded me of a Turkish coffee. The peanut flavor disappeared as vanilla remained in the back. The burn became uneven but corrected itself.
Wood, toast, and spice (anise) became dominant in the last third. There is sweet chocolate and coffee was on the retrohale and plumes of smoke from the cigar. The smoke was creamy. Again, the cigar began to burn unevenly.
Conclusion
The American Market Selection is a nice mild cigar. It has enough flavors to keep your attention but the AMS is not complex that it requires your full attention. This cigar is a Famous Smoke Shop exclusive. I recommend the AMS to fans of mild cigars to try it.
Below is a list of this week’s cigar deals and events from the management at Papa Juan Cigar Room.
Monday – Saturday: Papa Juan Happy Hour- From 12pm-5pm with the purchase of a cigar you receive waived beverage fees. We also have buy any two cigars and receive a complimentary “Papa Juan House Blend”.
Tuesday: “Hispaniola Tuesdays” From 6pm- 12am women who come in receive a complimentary “Papa Juan House Blend”, and we also feature a “Hispaniola Cigar of the Week” in which we pick out a cigar from the Hispaniola portfolio and price it at $10.00. This week’s featured cigar will be “Los Conquistadores”
Wednesday: “Papa Juan Ladies Night” From 5pm-12am ladies who come in will receive a complimentary “Papa Juan House Blend” and for the rest of the night receive waived beverage fees.
Sifting through the morning cigar and spirits news with my cup of coffee this morning, I found a real gem of an article. In “Jack Daniel’s Sends the Most Polite Cease-and-Desist Letter Ever,” Christina Warren from Mashable.com reports on just how nice working in the spirits industry can tend to make people.
As the story goes, Patrick Wensink was commissioning the cover for his new book, Broken Piano for President, when he received a letter from Jack Daniels Properties. Take a look at the photo above (especially the border), and it’s easy to see why Jack Daniel’s might take issue.
What is most unique, however, isn’t the fact that a distillery sent an author a cease-and-desist letter, it was how the letter was written. See for yourself:
More good news for cigar smokers looking to protect the premium cigar industry from the pleasure-killing rampage that the FDA has been on for quite some time. TobaccoToday.info posted an article recently explaining that HR 1639 has reached 210 co-sponsors, giving it even more clout in the House of Representatives. That means the resolution needs just eight more supporters to reach a majority in the house.
Still, there are powerful forces against the bill, including both the anti-tobacco lobby AND the major cigarette companies.
We recently posted a story about how China now represents more than one third of the cigar smokers of the world. And it seems like the cigar industry is beginning to react to that news. Focus Taiwan reports that Honduran cigar manufacturers like Rocky Patel and Don Humo Cigar Company are trying to establish ties with importers. They hope to gain access to the large Taiwanese cigar market, but the long-run goal is direct access to the massive Chinese market.
