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Cigar Review: Fogo Gran Habano Perfecto

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Fogo Gran Habano Perfecto

Every once in a while (three months to be exact), the time will come for me to reorganize my humidors and make sure everything is in place and ready to battle the summer heat here in the Northeast. At the same time I do a mental inventory and while I’m pretty good at keeping my sticks organized, I always find myself with some cigars I have yet to try that have been resting for some time now.

Tonight I grab the Fogo Gold Gran Habano Perfecto. Enjoying the summer night breeze with some friends and Myles Davis in the background, I lit this cigar.

Blend Specifics
Country of origin: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Habano 2000 and Nicaragua
Color: Colorado
Vitola: 6 x 60 perfect
Flavor: medium
Strength: medium

Appearance & Construction

It is always a treat to try a new cigar. Construction looks old world rustic. Veins are present with some flat spots. While I love the character this brings to a particular stick I also know that many times construction like this can lead to a horrible canoeing action. This stick is mostly made up of Nicaraguan tobacco. Very little information was supplied to me other than it’s a new stick that turned up in the NYC cigar scene.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

1st third – This cigar starts off much milder in flavor than it actually looks. It was a fairly easy light and the expected tougher-than-usual-draw on a perfecto led to trouble-free beginning. The flavors of the first third start off with dry and woody and as the cigar progresses the it becomes richer flavor and a bit stronger.

Fogo Gran Habano Perfecto burn

2nd third – Shortly after first third the cigar flavor makes a u-turn back to the dry woody flavors from the beginning. Right around the middle of this cigar something caught my attention but it was very subtle. I got a short blast of what tasted like almond butter lingering in my mouth after a strong steady draw. It was enough to catch my attention and very condensed. I kept looking for that taste again but was disappointed it never came back.

Last third – Stubborn, Sturdy yet flaky dark grey ash continiued to hang around well into the last third. Flavor profile did not change again and the stick ended the way it began.

Conclusion

Overall, this cigar was a pleasant smoke. Granted I found the cigar a bit boring and it will definitely not turn any heads but makes a good choice for a everyday for a mid-day daily smoke that won’t break the bank yet give them some satisfaction in knowing they aren’t smoking a dog rocket.

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Nat Sherman Appoints Ike Karipides to Director of Premium Cigar Sales

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Our friends at Nat Sherman have an announcement for New York City cigar smokers, and the United States at large. It sounds like Ike Karipides will be a great addition to the Nat Sherman team.

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NAT SHERMAN APPOINTS IKE KARIPIDES TO DIRECTOR OF PREMIUM CIGARS SALES

July 13, 2012 (New York, NY) – Nat Sherman, offering an iconic collection of premium tobacco products and upholding a service-centric approach to business, announces the appointment of Ike Karipides as Director of Premium Cigar Sales. Karipides’ appointment is effective immediately and he will be reporting directly to Michael Herklots, Executive Director of Retail and Brand Development.  The announcement was made by Joel Sherman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nat Sherman.

“We are thrilled to have Ike join the family. He has a profound passion for service that complements our multi-generational commitment to excellence,” says Joel Sherman. “Ike’s appointment underlines our dedication to our customers and the cigar industry.”

In the newly created role, Karipides is responsible for managing the sales efforts for the family-owned tobacconist’s premium cigars to partner retailers throughout the United States. Karipides brings experience and expertise in sales and marketing, promotions, special events and new brand development with him to Nat Sherman.

“I’ve always been drawn to family owned businesses,” says Ike Karipides.  “I am excited to join the Sherman family, playing an active role in building upon Nat Sherman’s storied legacy.”

With over 15 years of experience in the cigar industry, Karipides most recently served as Regional Sales Manager for Miami Cigar & Company. Karipides’ previous experience also includes serving as a Brand Developer for the House of Oxford and General Manager for Barclay Rex Cigar and Tobacco.  He has nearly grown up in the cigar business and entered into the field as a retail cigar sales associate while attending college.

“I’ve had the opportunity to work with Ike in many capacities over the years and during this time I’ve witnessed the profound passion and tremendous respect that he has for the cigar industry. I am excited to have Ike on board to spearhead our premium cigar sales efforts,” says Michael Herklots.  “Ike’s addition to the team as Director of Premium Cigar Sales supports Nat Sherman’s commitment to working closely with our partner retailers and building those relationships for the long term.”

Beyond the cigar industry, Ike gained valuable leadership skills and international experience with IC International as Vice President of International Sales and Marketing.  Karipides grew up in Cleveland, Ohio but has made New York his home since attending and graduating from Fordham University where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Economics.

About Nat Sherman:

Tobacconist to the World since 1930, Nat Sherman offers an iconic collection of premium tobacco products, from flavorful hand-rolled cigars to all natural tobacco cigarettes. Nat Sherman maintains a tradition of passion and creativity by offering unique blends of the world’s finest tobaccos. Owned and operated by the third generation of the Sherman family, Nat Sherman is committed to authenticity, quality and customer service. The universe of Nat Sherman comes to life in the company’s Flagship Townhouse store on 42nd Street just off 5th Avenue in Manhattan.www.NatSherman.com

For Media Inquiries Please Contact:

Suzanne DeFosset, Account Executive

EVINS, Ltd. (on behalf of Nat Sherman)

Direct: (212) 377-3592

suzanne.defosset@evins.com

Cigar Wars: FDA Regulation Will Close Shops

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Courtesy Steve Helber – AP

As the summer drags on and the FDA continues to decide what form of pleasure it will kill next, more and more media outlets are interviewing cigar shop owners around the country about the proposed regulations. And wouldn’t you know it, shop owners are actually confirming that if they are forced to sell from catalogs, place death stickers on cigars, etc, they might have to close!

From the article:

“Josh Johnson is worried the restrictions will force him to shutdown his Huntersville store, Burner’s Cigar Co. ‘That’s our biggest fear that its gonna put us out of business. It’s that it’s gonna put such heavy restrictions that we aren’t going to be able to cater to our customer’s needs,’ he said.”

What I find most unfortunate here is that, in the grand scheme of things, the FDA probably doesn’t care that it could end centuries of tradition, culture, and art that is associated with the premium cigar industry. As others have pointed out, premium cigars are not marketed to the young, nor are they anywhere near the right price range for children to buy.

Does any of this matter? Probably not. Could regulations at some point be the right option? Sure, given the right circumstances, I think they could, and I applaud the FDA for much of the work they have done. What is troubling is when the witch-hunt for health gets out of hand.

Read the full article here.

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Bourbon Recommendation: Evan Williams

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Evan Williams – photo courtesy of bassboatmagazine.com

Since the start of my spirits training a little over a week ago, I’ve been reading lots of articles on different spirits, learning about the craft, and finding some flavor profiles that sound appealing. One such find is Evan Williams, a bourbon from Heaven Hill in Kentucky.

The gents over at Sipology recently gave it a pretty great review, and apparently it is the second best selling bourbon brand whiskey in the world.

Take a minute to read the full review here on Sipology. And if you like the site, I’d recommend bookmarking the page.

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Tonique Magazine Publishes A Great Scotch Whiskey 101

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Tonique Magazine

My quest to learn the basics of the spirits world and share the best resources with you has led me to the far reaches of the internet and back (this includes a few visits to Reddit, of all places). In any case, I wanted to share this Scotch Whiskey 101 from Tonique Magazine. Thus far, I have not read a better introduction to Scotch Whiskey.

The article answers common questions like:

  • What is the difference between “Scotch”, “whiskey”, and “whisky”?
  • Why is it called single malt?
  • What is malt?
  • What is peat, and how does it make some Scotch smoky?
  • Why do so many Scotches have the word “glen” in their names?
For all of you looking to understand more of the basics about Scotch, this is the article for you. A big shout out to Tonique Magazine for the great content. They are a monthly digital magazine that specializes in, you guessed it, all things alcoholic.
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