FTNYC FiDi HERF w/Maraya Cigars

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On Sunday, June 19th, FineTobaccoNYC celebrated the summer with Maraya Cigar on a FiDi skyscraper overlooking Manhattan.  In all, about 40 people attended from around the city and from different groups including New York Grown & Sexy Cigar Group and Cigar Films (their video about the event will be up soon!).  The night was full of cigars, drinks, networking, friends, and was a huge success for the cigar community.

Kevin Joyce from Maraya

At the event, Kevin Joyce from Maraya announced that for the event FineTobaccoNYC event guests could buy a Maraya cigar and receive a voucher for ½ off a cigar at Maraya Shop. Also, Maraya entered anyone who bought a cigar into a cigar raffle.

The fellas from cigarfilms.com were there to shoot footage and enjoy the beautiful scenery from the Financial District rooftop, which was great. Smoked that night were Velvet Cigars, Maraya, Refugio Cigar House, 601, Davidoff, Perdomo (Lot 23 & Champagne), Rocky Patel Decade, and HERF cigars. Of course, there were many more as well, but I can’t remember that long of a list. Everyone at the event also had a chance to enjoy one of Diamond’s INCREDIBLE seasoned hamburgers.  I didn’t believe it at first and was already full after having already eaten, but after one bite I couldn’s stop eating. Thanks Diamond! Looking forward to more of your burgers soon!

Diamond with cigar in hand and a batch of his amazing hamburgers

FineTobaccoNYC events are open to smokers of all ages, backgrounds, and experience. You can follow FineTobaccoNYC on Facebook and Twitter for details on events, but for event specifics and invites, sign up for our event mailing list on the upper right side of this page!

Until the next event (tomorrow night at Refugio!), long ashes and happy smoking!

~Matthias

Event Invite: CONCORD

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Below is an email invite sent out to all FineTobaccoNYC Members. If you want to know about all FTNYC events, sign up for the mailing list with the form on the right —>

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Ladies and Gents of the Leaf,


I hope you all are enjoying this gorgeous weather in NYC. Thanks to everyone who came out for our last two events in the Financial District. I just got the recap up of our event with Reinado, so if you missed that event you can read about it and see pictures here. Also, if you’re on Facebook, take a second and “Like” FTNYC if you want to stay in closer contact and connect with other FTNYC members online.

Now for the next event. FineTobaccoNYC is an official sponsor of Concord, a cigar, wine, and networking event held by my good friend Bigeye Desyns.  Entry is $15 and is all-inclusive: cigars, wine, and more. The event will be held in downtown Brooklyn on Saturday, July 9th from 8:00pm – 11:30pm. The event will be incredibly classy and a time for you to be able to bring a group of friends, network with other cigar smokers, and enjoy the good life. Details of the event are below.  To RSVP for the event, drop by the Concord event page and hit “RSVP.” For those of you who don’t have Facebook (how old fashioned!) you can RSVP by shooting me a reply email at matthias.ftnyc@gmail.com and I’ll get you on the list. 

Event Details:
Where: 35 Lafayette Ave Between St.Felix St & Ashland Pl, Brooklyn, NY
When: Saturday, July 9 · 8:00pm – 11:30pm
What: Cigars, Wine, Whisky, Networking
What to bring: $15.  Optional – a bottle of your best to share, cigars, etc
Dress: wear your best!
I hope to see you all there! It’s going to be a great night of music, networking, and the good life. So take a few hours the Saturday of the 9th and relax with us!
Warm regards,
Matthias Clock
FineTobaccoNYC

p.s. if you have friends who enjoy networking, a good cigar, and friends, have them send me an email to sign up for the mailing list, or just forward them this link to sign up.
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FTNYC FiDi HERF with Reinado Cigars

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On Saturday, June 18th, cigar smokers from around the city came out for the FineTobaccoNYC Financial District HERF, sponsored by Antonio Lem and Reinado Cigars. The event ran most of the day, from 3pm in the afternoon to 11pm at night. We had to reschedule from Friday because of stormy weather, and am I glad that we did! The weather on Saturday was a gorgeous 80 degrees with just enough clouds and a slight breeze. The view from 350 feet was spectacular, and the smoking was great. You can find all of the pictures on our Facebook page.

The crowd was a great mix, so everyone who came made new friends and smoked with old ones. Kevin Bristow and others from New York G&S showed up as well. Take a second and check them out on Social Cigar!

FTNYC members brought their best sticks, and Dave Alicea blessed future FTNYC events with a beautiful porcelain San Cristobal ash tray. I could tell the event was fully underway when we had to empty the ash trays three times to accommodate all of the ash! Throughout the day there were at least 25 FTNYC members that showed up to the free event.

Antonio (left) with Kevin Bristow, myself and Bigeye

Antonio Lem from Reinado also showcased his uniquely fermented Nicaraguan puro cigars. When you get a chance, head over to his website and pick a few up. His cigars have gotten great reviews, and after smoking a few (including the one I’m smoking now), I can say that they live up to the reviews.

Kelvin and the wife!

FineTobaccoNYC events are open to smokers of all ages, backgrounds, and experience. You can follow FineTobaccoNYC on Facebook and Twitter for details on events, but for event specifics and invites, sign up for our event mailing list on the upper right side of this page!

Until the next event (this Friday!), long ashes and happy smoking!

~Matthias

Cigar Review: Arturo Fuente Don Carlos

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Mine’s on the left.

On a warm New York day with temperatures in the mid-eighties, I walked from my apartment to Cigar Inn uptown, and I brought along only a bottle of water bottle with me. I entered the well-filled humidor, enjoying the sweet smell of tobacco, and I chose the Arturo Fuente Don Carlos to review. I had read excellent reviews online from the Stogie Guys, so I was curious if the stick could gain a spot in my humidor. Cigar Inn played soothing jazz that added depth to this medium bodied stogie as I sat in a comfortable leather couch at the back of the lounge.

Specifics

Size: Toro 6 1/2 x 50

Wrapper: Cameroon

Binder: Dominican

Filler: Dominican

                

                               Appearance and Construction

An imperfection on the cigar.

Once I took the cigar out of the cellophane wrapper, I beheld a beauty of a stogie although it had a minor imperfection. The cigar’s wrapper was a pale brown. I enjoyed that the Don Carlos was slightly firm to the touch without being too hard or soft. The cigar’s foot embodies tobacco, cherry, and a faint hint of leather.

Taste & Smoking Characteristics

After I toasted the foot, the cigar released an aroma of berry and tobacco. After I fully lit the cigar, smoke came out generously. This stogie had a nice tanginess yet maintained the creaminess of a fine espresso, a flavor that appeared in the cigar. The cigar’s flavors of wood, berry, tobacco, and leather contrast nicely to the continuing tanginess. As I reached the two-thirds mark, the tang subsides, and spice appears in the background. I was pleased with the salt and pepper ash, which held steadily at two inches. This cigar burned for an hour-and-a-half smoke with no major burn issues, and it never burned hot towards the nub. My only complaint with this cigar was that towards the last inch, it slowly became bitter, forcing me to put the cigar down to die with dignity in the ashtray. Despite the bitterness at the cigar’s end, it is a complex medium bodied cigar with full flavor.

Look at that great ash.

Conclusion

I thoroughly enjoyed the Arturo Fuente Don Carlos cigar. It had great depth with many complex flavors calling me to return to seek more flavors. At around $10 a stick, it will not be a common cigar in my rotation; however, give the cigar a chance and then seek deals online.

Final Grade: A 

                            

Cigar Review: Pinar Del Rio Clasico Exclusivo

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I decided to give the Pinar Del Rio Classico Exclusivo a shot after reading some really positive things about this particular line.  I purchased a 5 pack on Cigar Monster (my favorite cigar site) for $13.  I smoked this stick on my roof with a cup coffee and my favorite smoking music: Putumayo Latin America. Apologies on the photo quality – the camera has gone missing somewhere in my apartment.

Specs:
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Domican Habano
Filler: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic

 

Construction/Appearance: I was a bit disappointed with the construction on these cigars. More than a couple watermarks on the light brown Connecticut seed wrapper. Veins, however, were minimal, which could contribute to the great burn this cigar had throughout.  I’m also a huge fan of the labels, the top and larger with “Pinar Del Rio Clasico” in white, gold, and blue. The second, below with “EXCLUSIVO” in silver on a maroon and silver band.  Pre light draw didn’t reveal much of anything, and the scent off of the foot was faint, with a mix of grass and woodiness.

Taste/Smoking Characteristics: This cigar kicked off with a harshness that made me a bit worried. About 10 puffs in, however, the harshness dissipated to reveal a very smooth mix of grass and woodiness. Around the second third of the stick I started picking up a bit of nuttiness.  The burn remained very straight throughout the entire stick, with a grey ash. The cigar remained mild in body throughout the smoke.  I was relieved to find for the hour and a half it took to smoke this stick that it never succumbed to the bitterness on the palate that has characterized so many Connecticuts that I’ve smoked in the past.

Conclusion: For about $5 a piece, or even cheaper elsewhere, this is a great mild body cigar. I’m not a huge fan of cigars this mild, so it was especially hard to stay interested as there wasn’t a ton of movement in flavor profile throughout the smoke.  Still, for Connecticut lovers I’d have to say this is a must try cigar.

Final Grade: B+

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