As a lover of all things cigars, including accessories and adjacent interests like whisky and cocktails, I’m very grateful to have had the opportunity to obtain the Davidoff Cigar Storage and Bar Tool Set. It’s one of the more unique Davidoff accessories I’ve come across and is both beautiful and functional.
The box itself is made of a beautiful light wood exterior with light gray fabric interior. It has slots for six cigars, two vertical slots for a cigar cutter and cigar lighter, and of course the bar tool slots which include a jigger, wine key, champagne stopper and 4oz. cup. The last slot holds a “Pairing Suggestions” booklet which suggests drink pairings for Davidoff’s core line of cigars.
The bar tools themselves are high quality as evidenced by their substantial weight, which is great. And once you’ve populated the box with your choice of cigars, a cutter and a lighter, you can consider yourself prepared to show up in style to any social cigar gathering.
The only suggestion I’d make for future iterations of this product is for the surface inside the box to be a bit more deeply inset. When the 4oz cup is stowed in its slot, it takes up quite a bit of vertical space and can come into contact with the lighter strapped in above it under the lid, making it difficult to close the box back up.
All things considered, still a beautiful and functional accessory to have on hand. Here’s the description from the Davidoff website:
For those who plan their libations with their cigars.
The perfect kit for every occasion. A wooden carrying case with a secure closure latch, equipped with storage for cigars, a lighter and cutter, along with necessary bar tools, a beautiful gold-satin wine key, champagne stopper, jigger for cocktails and a small steel restaurant grade drinking glass.
The kit itself is priced at $99, but can be obtained from some official Davidoff retail shops as a complementary gift for cigar purchases over $250. For more info about purchasing, visit the official Davidoff website.
Last week, Barclay Rex emailed customers announcing the reopening of the store, including the walk in humidor which is now open to the public (unlike other notable NYC cigar retailers like Davidoff where only staff are allowed to walk into the humidor). In addition, the members-only lounge is now open on the condition that reservations are made ahead of time.
Lastly, Barclay Rex has opened limited outdoor seating and hopes to gain a permit for more outdoor seating in the coming week.
Outdoor seating at Barclay Rex on Pearl St.
Below is the email that went out to the Barclay Rex mailing list last week:
Thank you for all the support during this challenging time. We are thrilled to officially announce our reopening, on Monday, for in-store shopping during Phase 2 New York City reopening. Please make note of our most updated information:
Barclay Rex will be open Monday-Friday 10am-7pm. Feel free to call, email or shop inside the store for all of your purchases.
Rex Club is officially reopened to members and their guests. Please note that a reservation is required. Please call or email before you come. Priority seating and availability will be given to Rex Club members with earlier reservations.
Before you order online, please consider ordering through us. We are currently offering a 10% discount off of any box orders and will match any online box price. We are currently ordering for the following cigar companies: Padron, Davidoff, Avo, Camacho, Griffin, Tatuaje, Placencia, Altadis, My Father, Drew Estate, Santana, Ashton and Arturo Fuente
Tobacco orders can also be picked up or delivered to you. Here is a list of our famous tobaccos: Aromatics: Maravilla, El Moreno, Alkazar, Royal Scott, Diplomat, Jack O’ Hearts, Rexey, Peter McGurk’s. Non-Aromatics: Barclay Slice, Hampton Bay, Maiden Lane, Vincents, #4, #6
Please remain safe and healthy. We are excited to welcome you back into our store.
Persistence, determination, endurance and perseverance. These are few words that I would use to describe Casa Cuevas. The lineage started with Juan Cuevas in the late 1800’s when he migrated to Cuba from Spain, and began cultivating tobacco. As successful as it became, Juan Jr. joined the family business and expanded it even further. By 1959, the Cuevas family fled Cuba and Fidel Castro’s regime. They left their success behind and reestablished their roots in the Dominican Republic. Juan Jr’s son and grandson, Luis Sr. and Luis Jr continued the family business and created Tabacalera Las Lavas in Santiago in 2011.
While the name Tabacalera las Lavas isn’t a well-known name to the consumers, the factory produces for major brands including Torano, Gurkha, Villiger, Cigar International and Thompson just to name a few. By 2016, the cigar company bearing the family name was created. Currently the newest Director of Operations is Alec Cuevas, the 5th generation to join the family business.
Today, I will be doing a blind review on the Casa Cuevas Limited Edition Maduro Flaco. Through a Casa Cuevas Cut and Light hosted by Luxury Cigar Club, I found out that in Spanish, flaco means skinny and this limited edition vitola was created to honor Alec, who is also skinny.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Casa Cuevas Limited Edition Maduro Flaco
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Colombia, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and USA Pennsylvania
Size: Long Panatela (7” x 43)
Appearance & Construction
Like a classic Cinnabon, the pigtail rested itself at the top of the cap. The silky Mexican San Andres wrapper was dry to the sight, yet slightly oily to the touch. The wrapper had few minor veins, but it didn’t take away the beauty from the cigar. The cigar seemed to be well packed and had a nice firmness throughout as I rolled it around between my fingers.
Flavor and Smoke Characteristics
There was an alluring sweetness coming off the wrapper; molasses, vanilla and milk chocolate. As I brought the foot of the cigar closer to my nose, I was greeted by oats, brown sugar, tree bark, sea salt, and hints of baking spices which tickled my nose. After shaving off the pigtail, the flavors from the cold draw were very bright and warm. Sweet citrus green tea, with a light barnyard hay, dry plum and a hint of spice at the tip of my tongue. Without wasting another second, I lit up the cigar.
This was a perfect medium start. The flavors were a very rich, dark cocoa, bark and hay were the initial taste. There was a creamy aftertaste and a floral scent as the smoke exited my mouth. The retrohale highlighted leather and a perfect amount of white pepper for a kick. Just when the spiciness from the retrohale dissipated, a scent of green tea returned which was a nice follow up on the cold draw. As the Maduro Flaco reached the end of the first third, a taste of sweet, creamy, toffee emerged.
Just when I thought I’ve understood this cigar, the complexity evolved and took me for another ride. Soft candied sweetness sneaked in and out while the velvety smoke waltz around like a halo above my head. Upon retrohaling, my eyes watered as the white pepper darkens to black. As if I was watching Emeril Lagasse on Food Network, “BAM” screamed the final third. The strength steadily increased to medium plus. The soft toffee flavor hardened to a salted caramel, with tea leaves and hay playing a support role and a hint of red pepper spice and mint. The Maduro Flaco launched one last surprise forcing me to nub the cigar. The shorter the nub becomes, the spicier it gets. It was an exquisite exit.
Conclusion
What a smoke! I personally would place the Casa Cuevas Limited Edition Maduro Flaco in the same category as a dessert smoke. However, unlike the Le Careme by Crowned Heads or Brulee by Saka (Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust) where it is focused on traditional style desserts, profiling sweet and creamy, the Maduro Flaco is more similar to contemporary desserts. It plays with the combination of sweet, savory and spicy without overpowering one another. I would highly recommend to seek one out and give it a try.
The Newman Family has been in the cigar business for over a century. Their commitment to their tobaccos as well as family is known in every tobacco growing country. So it is no surprise that the Newman’s have had a long and storied relationship with another legendary family; the Fuentes. When they came together to create the Ashton Virgin Sun Grown cigar the reception was phenomenal. In 2003, another collaboration was developed in the Diamond Crown Maximus. This cigar used a dark Ecuadorian wrapper cultivated by the Oliva family.
With these three families involved in one cigar, you can only imagine what was produced. Here is my blind review. Enjoy!
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Diamond Crown Maximus Toro #4
Wrapper: Ecuadorian El Bajo Sungrown
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Size: 6 x 50 toro
Appearance & Construction
The Diamond Crown Toro has a dark maduro wrapper with a few veins along the sides. Aesthetically it is a well rolled cigar from the top to the foot. To the touch the DC is a bit spongy throughout without a specific soft spot in one area. The foot of the cigar smells of wood and forest floor.
Flavor and Smoke Characteristics
As I clip the Diamond Crown Maximus, the cold draw is of earth and the same subsequent wood and forest floor notes as the foot produced. Using my long cedar strip I light the cigar and am greeted with earth and cinnamon on the tongue. The wrapper seems to transition from sweet to salty on the finish with each puff. As the smoked billows, leather and oak emerge and the retrohale tingles the nose with ginger and graham cracker. The DC in its first third was a medium bodied experience.
As the Diamond Crown Maximus progresses there are charry notes along with toast and oak. I smoke at a medium pace so as not to create a fast burn rate, but the char and bitterness continue. The ash is solid white and the burn line spot on. The finish is incredibly salty, which reminds me of the salty sea air on the beach down my block. This salinity overwhelms the toast and oak which are the Maximus’s secondary flavors. Throughout the second third, the cigar maintains a medium bodied profile.
The final third of the Maximus #4 gives way to more leather, salt and a creamier profile. The charred notes dissipate and the Diamond Crown Maximus goes from coffee and cream to citrus that lingers on the palate. The DC’s profile moves to a medium-to slightly full bodied smoke that sneaks up on me. The leather develops as a result, with espressos bean and a savory finish. The intense saltiness of the first half has taken a backseat and the Diamond Crown Maximus ends with more espresso and an oaky character. Overall this cigar was a medium to full bodied smoke.
Conclusion
Having smoked Diamond Crown Maximus cigars since their inception seventeen years ago, I’ve always enjoyed the profile and quality of the tobaccos. Some sizes in some years where not as impressive as others, but they never fell too short to ever dismiss. The salinity in this cigar hurt the score as it was a bit overwhelming even though I enjoy some salt in my cigars, especially in some Cubans. Having smoked this blind I was able to go purely on taste profile which as I’ve said is fun for me as it forces you to focus and appreciate what you are experiencing. The three Families of the Newman’s, Fuentes and Oliva’s have shown how they can highlight their various tobaccos and blends and if you haven’t smoked a Diamond Crown Maximus they are worth seeking out.
Up for review today is the God of Fire Aniversario 2016 from Prometheus Cigars. After four years of aging in the box, this cigar is vintage and I’m curious to see how it performs.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: God of Fire Aniversario 2016
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sun Grown
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Size: 5 1/2 x 60
Appearance & Construction
The God of Fire Aniversario 2016 is a stout and strong looking cigar. The gold, black and white bands put a strong foot forward and frame the artistic depiction of Promethius (being attacked by an Eagle in retribution for him stealing fire from the gods) at the center.
After clipping with a straight cut, the draw shows itself to be fairly restrictive, probably an 8.5/10 in terms of amount of restrictiveness. Hopefully that opens up a bit as the tapered end of the cigar burns. The outer wrapper leaf has a strong aroma of leather, black pepper, and dried meats.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
Given the name of this cigar, I was expecting a lot more strength out of the gate. Instead, the God of Fire Aniversario 2016 opens with full bodied but mild strength smoke. It’s maybe the first time I’ve ever encountered that combo. Another way to put it would be that the God of Fire opens like a cigar that’s been aging a long time–it’s got a strong character but it’s been mellowed way out. The smoke doesn’t make a huge impression on the palate, with some faint wood and leather notes that sit on top of a subtler dark chocolate note. The retrohale is almost non-existent. It’s the aroma of the smoke that makes a bigger statement, with hints of baking spices, caramel, mushrooms, and something akin to dusty attic (that’s the age coming in to play).
Construction wise, the cigar opens well. Within the first half an inch the tapered end of the cigar has burned and the draw definitely opens up to a more comfortable level. Overall in the first third, there’s definitely a lot of finesse and elegance to the smoke, as well as some enjoyable flavor. But it is possible for tobacco to mellow out too much which is what I’m afraid could be happening here.
As the God of Fire burns into the second third, the strength does increase a bit, bringing it up about a third of the way between mild and medium. The flavor the smoke is divided almost evenly between bitter notes of raw cocoa and earth, and sweeter notes of cream and floral. There’s also some spice that hits the tip of the tongue and lingers, and it seems to come on stronger the more quickly I puff so I do my best to minimize that. Overall though, not much to speak of in terms of flavor, which is a shame to say.
At halfway, the burn strays a bit, requiring a significant touch up to correct. And worse, the smoke production which was excellent at first begins to dwindle, forcing me to choose between puffing faster to generate smoke or puff slower to keep the smoke cool.
Just when I’m about to give up on the God of Fire Aniversario 2016 at about halfway through, the strength of flavor finally ramps up enough to start to get a sense of what the cigar is about. Except, it isn’t good. Though the smoke is mostly characterized by gentle and sweet notes of bread, cream, and baking spices, there’s also an aggressively bitter and sometimes downright sour fermented note that throws the experience off. Thankfully, the spice finally begins to hit the retrohale, adding some additional dimension to the experience.
Unfortunately, that’s about where the good news ends. Poor smoke production issues continue to dog the cigar in the final third, and the flavors become overly bitter and unenjoyable. I’m not a glutton for punishment so I toss the cigar well before finishing it.
Conclusion
The Promethius God of Fire Aniversario 2016 is a great cigar that somehow found a way to be terrible. Yes, it had smoothness in spades and some enjoyable moments at the beginning, but it never delivered any of the strength that would make its better moments stand out.
But what really killed the experience was the combo of the large ring gauge and poor smoke production. Having to puff repeatedly on a 48 corona size to get smoke is one thing. Puffing on a large ring gauge cigar over and over to produce smoke takes all of the relaxation out of the experience, overheats the smoke and warps otherwise pleasant flavors into monsters.
Ultimately the only thought I have finishing this review is “I want the hour and a half I invested in this cigar back.”
