Steve Faccenda

The picture is at the grand opening for Cigar Inn. The man lighting my cigar is Steve Faccenda Sr who was also known on the cigar boards as, TOJE. For those of you who did not know Steve Faccenda he was everything that a cigar rep should be, and everything a man should be. Steve had the heart of a giant. His warm personality, phenomenal advice and all around being will be forever missed.

When I first found out Steve had cancer he approached me and said, “I have good news and bad news, which do you want first.” I said the good news and his response was “In 2 years you might be the next CAO Sales Rep.” I asked him what was the bad news and he said, “I’ll be dead in 2 years”.

We kept in touch via the phone and the occasional email on facebook. Last month Steve requested him and I get together for a smoke and I knew this was not a good sign so I met with him at Fume Cigars in NJ and despite knowing that the end was near he was his usual jovial self. He leaned in to me and whispered, “Barry when I die you have my blessing to apply for my job”. I told him Steve stop talking like that you will defeat this and he looked at me, and shook his head and said, “I know what is coming”.

I share these two stories with you because I want you to know how Steve was brave despite what he was facing. I share these stories in hopes you will get an insight to how strong of a man he was. I was happy to call Steve a friend and blessed to have known him. I will miss Steve but I find comfort in knowing that every cigar smoker has gained a guardian angel.

Love you Steve!

Illusione MK Petit Corona Cigar Review

Name: Illusione MK
Vitola: Petit Corona (5 1/8 x 42)
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Body: Medium
Burn Time: 1 Hour
Average Cost: $7.40

The Illusione MK is the newest offering from Dion Giolito. As with all Illusiones, the stick is a Nicaraguan puro. The MK is made at the Raices Cubanas factory in Honduras. This stick was recommended to me by my local B&M. I’ve been wanting to try the Illusione line for a while so this stick was a good place to start.

As with my other reviews, this cigar is accompanied by a glass of water.

Appearance
The cigar sports a chocolate wrapper showing some veins and seams. It’s a little rough looking, but I couldn’t care less. To me, the most important things when enjoying a cigar are flavor first, then followed by construction. The cigar feels firm throughout and it is finished by a triple cap. The wrapper gave off an aroma of sweet tobacco and the foot smelled like cedar.

Pre-light
The cap cut easily with my Xikar. The draw had a medium amount of resistance to it and I got flavors of cedar.

First Third
The cigar opened up to rich flavors of coffee. The lack of spice was a welcomed change from the recent cigars I’ve been smoking. The coffee flavors transformed into a cedar on the finish. The coffee flavors lasted about half an inch before giving way to cedar, but the coffee remained in the background for a bit. The smoke was very smooth and creamy.

The stick had some burn issues in the beginning, but it self-corrected after the first ash. The ash was about an inch long before I tapped it.

Second and Final Third
Beginning at around the second third, the stick had a nice combination of wood and leather, with the coffee gone. These flavors remained consistent throughout the second third and grew stronger by the final third. During this time, the burn remained level and the cigar never got harsh or hot, even when I finished with about an inch remaining.

Final Thoughts
I really don’t know what else to say other than I really enjoyed this cigar. It was a no-nonsense cigar that really delivered in the flavor department and the construction was good. So all in all, it was a great smoke.

Cigar-chomping FVR advocates non-smoking

MANILA, Philippines – Presidential frontrunner Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III received yet another unsolicited advice on his nicotine habit, this time from an unlikely source.

Former President Fidel V. Ramos, who often chomped on–but never lit–his cigars when he was chief executive, told Aquino through an interview with reporters on Tuesday that smoking is bad for his health.

The 82-year-old claimed that he’s never felt stronger and better since he kicked his nicotine habit decades ago.

Like most former chain smokers, Ramos said he was able to end his use of cigarettes through self-discipline and sheer determination. He made it clear, however, that he’s not forcing Aquino to give up this habit if he’s not yet ready.

On Monday, Aquino admitted that he can’t quit smoking yet, reacting to calls made by certain individuals and groups.

Since being the Philippines’ most powerful person entails a lot of responsibilities, Aquino said he needs all the de-stress mechanisms he can get, and this includes smoking.

Among those who urged Aquino to kick the nicotine habit are former Health Secretary Dr. Jaime Galvez-Tan, Sen. Pia Cayetano and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines.

More anti-smoking calls

Earlier, Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral said the Presidential Security Group may have a hard time securing Aquino if he’s always smoking cigarettes outside of Malacañang Palace.

Citing Philippine laws, Cabral said Aquino may be restricted to smoke only in a specific room or 10 meters away from any government building, including the Office of the President.

“Lahat ng doktor ay umaasa na eventually titigil na manigarilyo di lamang si President-elect, kung hindi lahat ng tao (All doctors are hoping that not only President-elect Aquino will quit smoking, but also everyone else),” Cabral said.

For his part, Press Undersecretary Roger Peyuan said Aquino, as the Philippines’ next president, should not “go against the government’s anti-smoking campaign.”

“Siguro darating din iyong punto na makikinig siya at marerealize niya (Maybe there’ll come a time when he’ll finally listen and realize what he’s doing),” Peyuan said.

“The population is just rather concerned about the habit which may affect governance and ruling in our country,” Peyuan added.

Smoking is one habit that Aquino shares with Barack Obama,whose successful campaign for the United States presidency is considered a momentous political phenomenon.

Like Aquino, the US President has been struggling to get rid of his smoking habit since 2006.

What Gives a Great Cigar Balance?

There is a fine line between ligero and other types of filler tobacco that can dramatically affect the strength and flavor of a cigar.

It was the killer cigar. I didn’t really know it until the morning after. Smoking the double corona after a couple of bottles of fine Burgundy at dinner with friends in Hong Kong, the cigar tasted great. It seemed to help me digest all the rich food and opulent wines. But, oh how wrong I was! It was like the old days in Los Angeles when we spoke about someone being “coyote ugly.” It’s easy to get deceived when you have had one too many. Even a cigar can leave you with the wrong impression late at night and slightly under the influence.

I woke up the next morning with a headache and a drippy sinus. I was clammy and could not breathe properly. I was sure that if I had been passing through the Hong Kong Airport, a health official would have stopped me on suspicion of having some sort of terrible respiratory disease. Luckily, I had no flight plans for a few days.

I should have known better. My friend told me that he was going to offer me “a killer cigar” following our meal at his apartment overlooking the skyline of Hong Kong. He even warned me that it was the strongest cigar he had ever smoked in his life. And he is a cigar merchant, so he should know.

“Bring it on man,” I said, with false valor, which was obviously reinforced with ample quantities of fine wine, delicious food and attractive company. “You can’t possibly give me anything that could hurt me,” I added.

The last thing I really remember was lighting up the 1994 Ramon Allones Gigante, and sitting back and enjoying the rest of the night. The view was beautiful. But the next day I felt like I had a hammer hitting my head, instead of a double corona in my mouth.

Ouch! Was that cigar made from pure ligero梩he strongest tobacco in Cuba!? I couldn’t remember the last time I smoked a cigar so powerful. It must have been in the mid-1990s, when I smoked a 1993 Bolivar Belicoso Fino from a cabinet box. If I remember correctly, I was with London cigar merchant Simon Chase and we both turned slightly green as we smoked the small torpedo.

“That’s a cigar that is going to need some age,” said Simon, looking as if he had been in the gym for a while; a small bead of sweat growing on his upper brow. I think the cigar finally lost some of its rough edges after about five or six years of age in my cellar.

It was about the same time that I saw my other cigar-mad friend, actor Peter Weller, hunch over after smoking a 1993 Cohiba Siglo I. The little cigar was so strong that Peter had to go for a walk “to get some air” one evening in Siena, Italy, smoking outdoors after dinner. I just couldn’t believe that such a small Cuban could do in “Robo Cop.”

And there was the time when Alejandro Robaina, the famous Cuban tobacco grower, told me about this gringo loco who came to visit his plantation and demanded the strongest cigar Alejandro had in his personal humidor. The tobacco grower wasn’t going to argue, but warned the American to go easy on the robusto. Tranquilo amigo, he said. Tranquilo. It was made of pure ligero and the guy ended up losing his lunch in the garden next to the veranda where my Abuelo Cubano sits and smokes in his rocking chair each day.

If you have forgotten, ligero is the strongest tobacco the Cubans use in their cigar blends. I have no idea why they call their most powerful leaf “light” in Spanish, but they are the leaves that are picked from the top of the plants and are the ripest and richest. They also have the highest nicotine content as well as the most pronounced flavor elements in tobacco. They need the most processing to reduce and mellow their impurities.

Cubans traditionally use a half, or quarter, of a leaf of ligero in a cigar that could have as many as three to five filler leaves in the blend. The ligero is the elemental strength and flavor, much like a chef uses black pepper in his, or her, signature dish. It’s important not to over use pepper in cooking as well as in a cigar blend. This is why most factories do not make a ligero-only cigar. It’s with good reason too because it would blow your head off if they did, as Alejandro’s crazy American visitor found out.

Some well-known cigars actually use no ligero in their blends. For instance, I remember years ago dissecting a new-production Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona with the late Rick Meerapfel, and he pointed out that the cigar was almost entirely made of seco with a bit of volado. Rick, whose family still grows most of the cigar tobacco in Cameroon and Central Africa, was one of the best tobacco men I knew in my life. He said that what we found made sense because the Double Corona was so thick and long that it could still deliver refined, yet flavorful character.

Cubans say that the volado tobacco is from the lowest part of the plant and used for combustion of the blend. The seco is for flavor and perfume of the cigar and comes from the mid-part of the plant. Meanwhile, the ligero is for adding spice and strength and is picked from the top.

I couldn’t understand why such a famous cigar as a Hoyo Double Corona could not use ligero, even though Rick explained that it was to maintain the balance of the blend. The cigar blender obviously wanted to keep the cigar smooth with rich flavor and didn’t want to spice it up too much with ligero. This may be why I always preferred Punch Double Coronas, which have a little more spice than the Hoyo Double Corona.

This same idea was explained to me recently by Dion Giolito of Illusione cigars, which are made in Honduras and Nicaragua. I was hanging with Dion the morning before last year’s Big Smoke in Las Vegas drinking an Illy espresso and talking tobacco. Dion is a cool dude and makes some of my favorite non-Cubans at the moment. What I like about Illusione smokes, in particular the Epernay range, is their balance. They have beautiful perfumes and aromas and fresh and clean palates, with just the right amount of rich tobacco, almost cappuccino, flavors. They smell as great as they taste when burning.

Dion uses no ligero in his Epernay line. He said that he uses viso seco and viso ligero (which is far milder than normal ligero as it grows lower on the plant) in varying proportions. I liked the way Dion explained why he doesn’t want the powerful ligero in the Epernay blend.

“It just got in the way of the blend,” he said bluntly. “I didn’t like it. Using the ligero would have been like the drunken guy at the party. When everybody is chilling, the big sweaty drunk takes the vibe out of the party.”

I know what he meant. I thought back to that small party in Hong Kong and the killer Ramon Allones Double Corona that I smoked. Maybe some people like getting stoned on cigars, but I can’t say I do. I am going to take note the next time a friend tells me “I have a special cigar for you”even after a few bottles of great wines. I think flavor and balance have more to do with a great cigar than just power.

Pairing a Good Smoke

OK, hopefully by now you have some idea of how to pick out, light and blow smoke rings with the best of them. Picking out the right drink to go with a cigar can be challenging in its own right and is also a double edge sword. If you have the wrong combination, the best cigar may taste horrible (or no taste at all) and your fine after dinner drink may taste like you wished you spent .25 a ounce instead of $25.

Although I can certainly write an entire site on this subject (trust me, I am doing the research as we speak), I do want you to have a good reference to get you started. I have divided the “with drinks” category into three. Ports, Single Malts, and “other”. 

Also, I have to admit, I am not really one that gravitates towards “flavored” cigars. I have no problem with those that do, just not my choice typically. I will say however, this can be a great time to bring them out. The pairings are almost limitless and although you will find some atrocious combinations –there are some real gems in some of those pairings. 

Ports

Brandy fortified wine. A complex flavor in its own right does offer opportunity for a good cigar combination. Ports are easily divided into two main areas. Ruby and Tawny. Tawnies are usually kept in newer oak barrels and are paler in color. Ruby ports are usually kept in barrels that were once used for red wine. 

There is no right or wrong on whether you drink Tawny or Ruby ports. The Ruby Ports will be noticeably sweeter than their Tawny counterparts.  

If you lean towards a milder cigar (light wrapper and filler) you will find that they work in both categories but are often better with the Tawnies. Both Macanudo’s and Montecristo’s are excellent in this category. With Tawny ports, it is best to avoid Maduro cigars. Most likely you will not do justice to the cigar or the port. You can experiment with the “flavored” cigars with the ports but they are better served going with a Ruby port. 

Ruby ports on the other hand are a big Catch 22 and will require some research to match your individual tastes. Unlike the other categories, Ruby ports are the most volatile (often dependent on what you ate within the hour). One person will love a cigar with a ruby port while the other, having the exact same thing will have a less than desirable experience. You can experiment with any of the basic flavor cigars (with the exception of Vanilla). Your Acid and Natural cigar lines can be tough in this area as well (although a “Juicy Lucy” from Acid can squeak in from time to time in favorable fashion). Mild cigars work well and a smooth Maduro can go a long way (if you are a “slow smoker”). 

Single Malts

Aaah, my favorite pairing. If any category of after dinner drink completely goes with a cigar, this may be it. Let me first mention one disclaimer. Single Malts are not for everyone. They are often stronger than the other two categories. Drink what you enjoy – not what other people tell you what you should be drinking. With that said, you may want to give single Malts a chance. They are an acquired taste and much like cigars themselves come in many different styles and varieties. 

To understand the pairings, lets first understand the basics of single malts themselves. They may have characteristics that can be described as “Salty”, “Peaty” (as in Peat Moss), and with “Iodine”. 

Looking for a quick choice? Avoid Maduro’s and Flavored cigars. Any mild to medium cigar will work great. Anything from Arturo Fuente (Hemingway) will be enjoyable as well as anything from Punch, Partagas, and Cohiba. 

Best choices for Single Malt? In no particular order: Oban, Macallan 18 year (the 25 is also very good but just as well to drink it without a cigar at that point), Talisker 10 year, Glenfiddich 18, and Bunnahabhain. 

Other

This category is really up to you. Perhaps you already have a favorite after dinner drink and are wondering if adding a cigar will help (or hurt) the experience. Well, you just won’t know until you try. 

A mild cigar is always a good start. The trick here is to not introduce competing flavors but complimentary ones. A lot of drinks in this category have a flavor of their own (Ameretto, Frangelico, etc). In this case, the cigar should come along for the ride. 

Note: I always get asked about Remy Martin Louis XIII and a cigar pairing. Louis XIII is a popular drink that can be found at the top (and most secure) part of a finer bar. Currently selling from $100-$250 for single glass ($1,300 for the bottle). I think some people order it to look impressive and others simply think it is the best money can buy. In either case, keep the cigar in your travel humidor. Enjoy the glass if that is what you wish then light up a cigar.

Cigar Glossary

Every art, science, game and hobby has its vocabulary.  You know – the cool words that make you sound in the know and part of the scene.

But there’s more to talking the talk than trying to sound impressive.  If you’re serious about cigars and cigar culture, you need to be able to communicate clearly in order to make sure you get what you want.

So here are some important terms and terminology for you to master.  

• Amatista—A glass jar usually containing 50 cigars (sometimes 25), sealed and sold “factory fresh

• Band– A ring of paper wrapped around the closed head of most cigars, often bearing the name of the brand, country of origin, and/or indication that the cigar is hand-rolled.

• Barrel – The body of a cigar.

• Binder leaves – the intermediate leaves that hold the leaves of the filler tobacco together.

• Blend– The mixture of different types of tobacco in a cigar, including up to five types of filler leaves, a binder leaf and an outer wrapper. 

• Bloom – A harmless white film caused by tobacco oils rising to the surface of the cigar wrapper.  Usually indicates a strong taste.  

• Bouquet—Used to describe the smell of a fine cigar and, of course fine wine, but strangely not the smell of a fine bunch of flowers.   

• Bunch – The intermediate cluster of filler tobacco in a cigar.

• Cap – The small flag of wrapper leaf and vegetable gum-based glue that a cigar roller uses to seal the head of a cigar. 

• Chaveta – The knife used in a cigar factory for cutting the wrapper leaf. 

• Cigarillos – Thin, three-inch cigars, popular in Europe, generally machine-made, and often with homogenized wrappers. 

• Credo – A humidification device that CHEMCIALLY regulates the environment of a humidor.  Now a generic term, Credo was the brand name of a manufacturer of PG-based humidification devices for humidors.    

• Draw – The amount of air that gets pulled through a lit cigar. 

• Flag Leaves –  Used instead of a cap. Flags are sometimes tied off in a pigtail or a curly head.  

• Hot – A cigar draw that is too easy, often because it has been under-filled during rolling.

• Inhale – The big No-No of cigar smoking.  Do you inhale?  Don’t’!

• Long Filler – The bunch of tobacco found at the center of the cigar, which contains the whole leaf running from head to foot.  (See also Short Filler)

• Foot – The end of the cigar that you light. 

• Head – The end of the cigar that you put into your mouth. (see Cap)

• Humidor – A cigar storage box with controlled humidity.  Humidor is most likely used for wooden boxes with unfinished interiors.  (See also Igloodor and Tupperdor)  

• Hygrometer – A device to measure relative humidity (no good humidor should be without one).

• Igloodor – An insulated storage container for cigars, usually somewhat large.

• Long Filler – Tobacco leaf that is long enough to run the entire length of a cigar’s bunch. 

• Piercer – Used to cut/pierce a small hole in the end of a cigar (also called a ‘lance’)

• Plugged – A cigar draw that is too tight,  (A little massaging of the cigar may relieve a plugged draw)

• Propylene Glycol (PG) – Employed in the humidification of tobacco products.  

• Ring Gauge – The diameter of a cigar’s barrel, expressed in 64ths of an inch.  A half-inch cigar would be a 32 ring. (32/64) 

• S.A (Sociedad Anonyma). – The Spanish-language equivalent of Incorporated – Inc. that is likely to appear on any box of cigars

• Short Filler – The bunch of tobacco found at the center of the cigar comprised of scraps of tobacco sometimes the trimmings of long filler. (See Long Filler)

• Shoulder – Where the head of the cigar meets the barrel. 

• Tobacco Beetle – Hopefully not found in your humidor. Unfortunately, the Tobacco Beetle does not discern between your expensive and inexpensive cigars – it will go after anything  – often destroying your humidors entire contents.

• Tunneling—The uneven burning of a cigar

• Tupperdor – An airtight plastic container used for storing cigars.  

• Vuelta Abajo– A valley in Cuba that arguably produces the best cigar tobacco in the world. 

• Wrapper – A leaf of (usually) high quality tobacco wound around the center of the cigar.  The wrapper leaf is chosen for its texture, veining, elasticity and complexion.

Cigar Store Etiquette

Let’s be honest – when you walk into a well-stocked humidor, it may feel a little bit like Tennyson’s “Charge of the Light Brigade’ – cigars to the left of you, cigars to the right of you.  Dozens of brands, hundreds of sizes in attractive, appealing nests from floor to ceiling.  It’s positively overwhelming!

Take a deep breath (not just to relax…you’ll enjoy the smell!) and remind yourself that buying a cigar isn’t rocket science, it isn’t even weird science, it’s just an interesting and enjoyable way to spend your money.  Don’t spend ALL your money on cigars that don’t suit your fancy, you can start small and instead of buying a box, buy a single.  The reward will be well worth the risk!

People who work in tobacco stores are fountains of information.  If you need some advice, feel free to ask.  And don’t worry that your merchant will be offended if you don’t follow that advice.  Cigar smoking is a completely subjective experience.  Let the advice be your guide, not your jailer!

Ask for What YOU Want

You can ask your tobacconist for a recommendation, and what your merchant will suggest is a cigar that appeals to his/her palate.  Instead, why not describe the kinds of flavors YOU like – spicy, smoky, deep, layered.  That way, the professional can steer you in the right direction.  

 Just Who Are “They” Anyway?

Cigars get rating numbers intended to convey information about quality and characteristics.  Although they may be helpful, you are much better off consulting reviews (rather than ratings) since they’ll give expanded information on things like flavor, finish, draw, etc.   Using reviews, you can develop your own ratings, giving extra weight to the characteristics to the things that matter most to you.  

Humble Beginnings

Tobacco derives much of its flavor from the soil and climate in which it’s grown.  If you’re doing some comparison-shopping, you might want to pick up a smoke from Jamaica, Hondouras and Cuba to compare and contrast.  This will give you a sense of regional differences in cigars.  

Once you’ve enjoyed a cigar from the Caribbean (for example), you can generally expect to like other selections from that area.  And in the future, if you’re confronted with a choice between an unfamiliar cigar from a country you know and a smoke from an unfamiliar region, you can be confident when you say, “I think I’d prefer the Jamaican.”

Cooler, Cleaner, Better

If you want a cool, clean smoke, think like McDonalds and ‘Super-size.”  A long cigar with a high ring gauge (circumference) is something of a self-filtering device.  The tobacco filters itself as you draw, delivering the flavor of the tobacco without the heat.  

Size Matters

How a cigar feels in your hand is important, too.  If you’re uncomfortable with a big, cumbersome 9-inch Figuardo, try a 5-inch Belicosa in the same variety.

Wrapper Up

The wrapper should be smooth and tight, and damage-free on both ends. Big veins should be rejected, but keep an eye out for small veins.  They’re a GOOD thing and a cigar with a thin-veined wrapper often provides a nice, smooth smoke.

Tobacco Expose

Give some attention to the tobacco you see on the exposed end of your cigar.  A subtle variation in color will let you know that a blend of tobaccos was used.   If the variation is too dramatic, extreme or abrupt, however, it may be a sign that inferior leaves were used, or that the leaves were incorrectly assembled during the bunching stage.  Avoid these color extremes as they may result in an off-taste experience and a bad burn.  Some variation of color is normal, as most cigars are made from a blend of tobaccos. What you’re watching for is extreme or abrupt color changes

Daring?  

You should let yourself go and experiment with different cigars.  Sampling and evaluating the differences is one of the great romances people have with cigar smoking.  Here’s a tip, though:  if you’re feeling adventurous, but are not on a big budget, you should sample brands that are familiar to you and leave the “off-brands,’ ‘no-names’ and ‘generics’ for someone else.  

Off-brand cigars frequently have problems with their consistency, both within the cigars (uneven burning, hot spots) and also from cigar to cigar (no reliable flavor).  So even if you love the no-name cigar you buy today, the chances of being able to duplicate its quality tomorrow are slim.  

Feel ‘Em Up (and Down)

The way a cigar feels will tell you volumes about its quality.  Squeeze the cigar gently. It should have some “give” without feeling mushy or loose. Then run your fingers up and down the body to look for lumps or other irregularities. 

CIGAR STORE ETIQUETTE:  Don’t roll a cigar in your fingers, as some suggest.  This can cause damage to the wrapper and the construction and leave the tobacconist with a cigar that you don’t want…and no one else will either.

Top Grower Alejandro Robaina Dies at 91

Alejandro Robaina, Cuba’s most revered tobacco grower, whose leaves wrap the country’s finest Habano cigars, died Saturday at his home near San Luis. He was 91.

Habanos S.A., the state company that distributes and markets Cuban cigars, announced on its Web site, habanos.com, that he had died after a long illness.

Mr. Robaina (pronounced roe-BYE-nuh) began working on his family’s tobacco fields in western Cuba when he was 10, a year after he smoked his first cigar. He went on to achieve cult status among cigar smokers worldwide for the silken leaves that he produced on his 40-acre plantation, Finca la Piña in Cuchillas de Barbacoa. Their quality could be appreciated in top-of-the-line cigars like Cohiba Espléndidos and Hoyo de Monterrey Double Coronas, renowned for their smoothness and richness.

As his reputation grew, he became a roving ambassador for Cuban cigars, traveling around the world to represent Cuba’s most admired export. When old age made travel inconvenient, he stayed put and the world came to him. Cigar lovers by the hundreds beat a path to tour the plantation, hoping to catch a glimpse of the old man or, perhaps, have him autograph a box of Vegas Robaina cigars, a brand created in his honor.

In later years his tobacco operation was largely run by his grandson, Hiroshi, who survives him, as do four children, nine other grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Mr. Robaina was born in Alquízar on March 20, 1919, to a family that had been growing tobacco since 1845 in the Vuelta Abajo region, the cigar world’s equivalent of Bordeaux or Burgundy.

He remained an independent grower after Fidel Castro came to power.

“He wanted me to join a cooperative, and I told him no — I would not do it and that I would remain working with my family,” he told Cigar Aficionado magazine in 2006. “At the end he has understood to the point that a lot of the land is now in the hands of small farmers.”

In the mid-1990s, when the Cuban government named him the country’s best tobacco grower, Mr. Castro himself handed out the award. In 1997, Habanos, a joint venture between the Cuban government and Britain’s Imperial Tobacco Group, created Vegas Robaina, making him the only Cuban grower to have a brand of cigars named after him. In Cuban Spanish, a vega is a tobacco field.

It is a somewhat curious honor, since experts find it hard to detect the presence of Robaina leaves in the product. “Not only does it look rough, it smokes rough, too,” wrote James Suckling, a writer for Cigar Aficionado who visited Mr. Robaina many times over the years. About three million Vegas Robainas are produced annually, packaged in a box whose lid shows Mr. Robaina holding a cigar, with his tobacco fields and a curing barn in the background.

Mr. Robaina discreetly sidestepped questions about his namesake product. At times he seemed mystified by it. But he remained confident about his leaves.

“I have made sure I have passed on my experience to my family so nothing strange will happen,” he said. “Everything will remain the same. So I can leave any minute. I am happy.”

How to Cut a Cigar

Here’s the skinny on using a simple, single-blade cutter:

A cigar has two ends – the Foot (already cut) and the Head (sealed and uncut). You will be cutting the head.

Hold the cutter in your dominant hand.  Position the cutter between you and the cigar. The cigar should be pointing away from you, with the pre-opened end the farthest from you. 

Locate the Shoulder of the cigar, usually about 1/16th-1/2” of an inch from the unopened end.  (The shoulder is the point near the end where the curved end of the cigar starts to straighten out) 

Position the cigar under the blade at the point where you want to cut it. 

Bring the blade down gently onto your cigar at the right point and rest it there for a second (just enough to establish solid contact). 

Without losing contact with the cigar, apply even pressure and cut with one swift, motion.  (With a clean cut you’re less likely to tear the wrapper or crunch the tobacco, both of which will interfere with your cigar’s burn while smoking. )  

Dispose of the small piece of cap you’ve just cut off. 

Get smokin’!  

Mini Tips

Inexpensive single-blade cutters are widely available and are usually priced at around $3.  While this may seem like a bargain, especially for a new smoker not yet ready to ‘invest’ in a quality tool, consider this:  an inexpensive cutter may do such a poor trimming job that you’ll end up discarding half your cigar because it doesn’t burn properly.