Tabla de contenidos para November/December 2020 en Cigar Aficionado

November/December has turned out to be a tremendous issue of high scores from all over the cigar world, but the eye-popper was the Eye of the Shark, which comes from the Fuente factory in the Dominican Republic. At 95 points, it achieves our “classic” designation—quite unusual for a cigar with no after-market aging. TOP FIGURADO ARTURO FUENTE DON CARLOS EYE OF THE SHARK This former Cigar of the Year shows it still has as much star power today as it did when it won the cigar industry’s highest award. A true classic. DOM. REP. 95 TOP MISCELLANEOUS PADRÓN 1964 ANNIVERSARY SERIES HERMOSO All the signature richness and strength of the 1964 Series seems to have been magnified in this short robusto, which is bold and resonant. NICARAGUA 94 TOP ROBUSTO…

If you’re trying to truly make a statement with your cigar cutter, imagine pulling one from your pocket that’s as expensive as a new Aston Martin Vantage. Quality Importers Trading Co., the makers of Xikar, have allied with New York City jeweler Jacob & Co. to produce a series of high-end, customized cigar accessories, starting with a one-off called Dragons Chasing Flaming Pearl Xi. The cutter is eye-popping and heavy, made entirely of 18K gold and gems—save for the steel blades. It weighs nearly half a pound, with 1,940 red rubies on the front and back and a pearl at the head, resting on a crown of golden fire and flanked by a pair of 18K-gold dragons. The design is inspired by the Chinese legend of dragons chasing a flaming…

If you’re at all familiar with Mob lore, or even watched a Mafia movie, you’ve probably heard the term the Five Families. Its formation marked a very distinct turning point in the history of the Cosa Nostra, changing the New York Mob from a top-down dictatorship to a format in which every crime family got a seat at the table. The Castellammarese Wars of the early 1930s was the culmination of 30 years of bloody turf battles, which interrupted lucrative crime commerce. When they ended, crime boss Salvatore Maranzano sought to put an end to the perpetual violence. The aim was to move away from a model in which one boss controlled everything and transition to a system of shared power. At a meeting in Wappinger’s Falls, New York, he…

Before the Five Families, before The Commission and before the Mafia became organized, there was Giuseppe “Joe the Boss” Masseria, one of the last relics to rule New York’s criminal underworld in the old-school style of Mafia monarchy and strict omerta. Masseria emigrated from Sicily in 1902, and before long he joined the Harlembased Morello/Terranova gang, which dated back to the 1800s, when America’s Mafia was in its infancy. Even by the 1920s, the New York Mob was still a rough patchwork of gangs fighting for control of small-time rackets. A series of murders ended with Masseria becoming “boss of all bosses,” one of the last mobsters to possess such a title of absolute power. As head of the Morello crime family, Masseria became known as “Joe the Boss” with…

Payne’s Valley is on the site of Big Cedar Lodge, located in Hollister, Missouri, on the outskirts of tourism hotspot Branson. The resort is just over an hour’s drive from the Springfield, Missouri Airport (SGF), served by American, Delta, United and Allegiant. For those flying private, it’s 10 minutes away from smaller Branson Airport (BKG), which also has flights from Frontier. This is where Tiger Woods lands. Big Cedar has several types of accommodations including hotel-style rooms and suites in three different lodges: Falls Lodge, Spring View Lodge and Valley View Lodge. The most luxurious options are “Exclusive Accommodations,” one-of-a kind choices such as a six-bedroom, 7,000-square-foot villa with private pool, the Governor’s Suite, several special cottages and Jack’s Cabin, as in Jack Nicklaus, the sole accommodation at his signature…

Booker Noe was a legendary whiskey maker, and he was also a masterful raconteur, many of his stories involving food. One favorite came as a result of the introduction of his namesake, Booker’s uncut Bourbon. The Jim Beam master distiller, who was also the grandson of Jim Beam, typically had a large stash of whiskey around the house and his wife, Annis, would tap into it for recipes like her renowned Pork’n’Beam, made by basting chops in the oven with a heavy dose of Bourbon. However, when she grabbed a bottle of Booker’s Bourbon one afternoon, she wasn’t aware its potency was 126 proof, not the 80 proof she was used to. “It blew out the oven door and lifted a hundred pork chops!” he would say, then warning that…

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC RING GAUGE: 50 LENGTH: 5 1/4" FILLER: DOM. REP. BINDER: DOM. REP. WRAPPER: CAMEROON ARTURO FUENTE DON CARLOS EYE OF THE SHARK Though only partially pressed, this belicoso draws and burns with textbook precision, enveloping the palate with opulent layers of walnut, almond, chocolate and baking spice notes brought together by a citrus undertone. A delicious smoke. U.S.: $14.35 U.K.: N/A STRENGTH: Medium 95 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC RING GAUGE: 52 LENGTH: 6" FILLER: DOM. REP., NICARAGUA BINDER: DOM. REP. WRAPPER: ECUADOR MATILDE QUADRATA TORPEDO A softly pressed pirámide with big, rich, malty qualities that call to mind stout beer fortified by notes of wood, caramel and black cherry. A black pepper note adds a welcome touch of spice. U.S.: $9.60 U.K.: N/A STRENGTH: Medium-Full 93 CUBA RING GAUGE: 52…

CUBA RING GAUGE: 55 LENGTH: 5 1/8" FILLER: CUBA BINDER: CUBA WRAPPER: CUBA BOX DATE: DECEMBER 2019 JUAN LOPEZ PUNTO 55 EXCLUSIVO FRANCIA The rich smoke of this tawny-colored, plump robusto smacks of cedar and leather balanced by rich notes of German chocolate cake, nutmeg, a floral tone and a touch of spice. U.S.: N/A france: 21.50 euro STRENGTH: Medium-Full 94 CUBA RING GAUGE: 50 LENGTH: 4 7/8" FILLER: CUBA BINDER: CUBA WRAPPER: CUBA BOX DATE: FEBRUARY 2016 BOLIVAR ROYAL CORONA Evenly box-pressed with a flat head and clean wrapper. It’s a toasty, nutty smoke with floral notes and a woody, earthy finish. The cigar draws and burns evenly throughout. U.S.: N/A U.K.: £20.31 STRENGTH: Medium 92 HONDURAS RING GAUGE: 52 LENGTH: 5" FILLER: DOM. REP., HONDURAS, NICARAGUA BINDER: HONDURAS…

98 COHIBA BEHIKE BHK 52 (2010) A decade ago, when Cuba’s BHK 52 first came out and was named Cigar of the Year, we predicted that it would improve with age. We were correct. While first puffs linger in the medium-bodied realm of cedar, herbs and wheat, the cigar shifts to a surprisingly powerful core of hazelnut and walnut liqueurs, marzipan and dark, earthy espresso bean. A big brown sugar note seems to caramelize on the palate for a complex finish of crème brûlée. The powerful flavors are no doubt fueled by the medio tiempo, a full-bodied tobacco that’s retained its strength over 10 years but enhances the cigar’s complexity. Can’t wait to try it again in 2030. —Gregory Mottola 99 HOYO DE MONTERREY DOUBLE CORONA (1992) A stately Cuban…

Two of the most famous familyowned cigar companies in the world are joining together on a project honoring the departed leaders of each company. Padrón Cigars Inc., which makes all of its cigars in Nicaragua, is going to be crafting a smoke to honor Carlos Fuente Sr., the longtime leader of Arturo Fuente Cigar Co., who died in 2016. Fuente, one of the largest cigar producers in the Dominican Republic, is making a cigar to honor José Orlando Padrón, who founded Padrón Cigars in 1964 and died in 2017. The two cigars will be sold together, side by side, in a humidor-style box adorned with the images of each man. Each cigar will measure 7 inches long by 50-ring gauge, with the rest of the details left in the hands…

In the spirit of this special issue and our cover package on the Mob, we wanted to share a fun photo from our archives. This shot of the two of us from 2014 (along with former executive editor Gordon Mott on the left) demonstrates the Cigar Aficionado version of Mob justice. Take the cigar, leave the cannoli. If you’re like us, you love a good Mob movie, especially in winter. Give us a cold night, a cigar and a gangster film and we’ll be happy. But while movies like The Godfather, Once Upon A Time in America and A Bronx Tale make for fascinating viewing, there’s an even better story out there—the tales of real-life mobsters. These are men who built criminal empires by the power of the gun and…

Sean Connery was 32 when Dr. No, his first film as James Bond, transformed him from an unknown into one of the most popular movie stars in the world. It was the early 1960s, and Connery soon achieved a level of fame that could only have been matched by The Beatles. Annealed by that early blast of fame, Sir Thomas Sean Connery, who died on October 31 at the age of 90, went on to establish himself as one of the movies’ steadiest presences. His early work included a romantic lead role opposite Lana Turner—a representative of Old Hollywood—and he assembled an acting career with the longevity and consistency of golden-age movie stars like Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart and Gary Cooper. Yet, from early on, Connery had to fight the…

For a man who came to Mob prominence as a contract killer and head of Murder Inc., Albert Anastasia managed to escape the law on a fairly regular basis. His slipperiness, however, didn’t save him from the long arm of gangland justice. Born Umberto Anastasio in Calabria, Italy, he snuck into New York at age 17 and became a longshoreman. He went to prison for stabbing a coworker, but his violent skills came to the attention of one Lucky Luciano who got him an appeal. Witnesses conveniently disappeared or turned up dead before the retrial—a trend that would continue throughout his career. Anastasia (along with Vito Genovese, Joe Adonis and Bugsy Siegel) is thought to have capped Joe “The Boss” Masseria in 1931, consolidating Luciano’s power. His reward was being…

The Atlantic City political boss Enoch Johnson may have been the model for the character Nucky Thompson in the cable series “Boardwalk Empire,” but the real-life Nucky was more interesting for his subtlety than the lurid portrayal we saw on TV. Machinations, not muscle, gave him power. Indeed, Johnson was never known to have killed or even ordered an assassination. As a sheriff’s son and a WASP who controlled a Republican enclave in a largely Democratic state, he didn’t fit the gangster stereotype. His many political hats made him a kingmaker who filled offices as lofty as U.S. senator. By the time of Prohibition, his family was already offering political protection to vice providers (gambling and prostitution) in the seaside resort. Nucky extended the service to bootleggers and speakeasies. Rather…

NICARAGUA RING GAUGE: 60 LENGTH: 6" FILLER: NICARAGUA BINDER: NICARAGUA WRAPPER: MEXICO ROCKY PATEL A.L.R. SECOND EDITION SIXTY A chunky, box-pressed cigar with a dark cover leaf. It burns and draws evenly, showing pronounced notes of wood, cocoa and coffee bean before a long, toasty finish. A balanced smoke. U.S.: $15.75 U.K.: N/A STRENGTH: Medium 91 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC RING GAUGE: 60 LENGTH: 6" FILLER: DOM. REP. BINDER: DOM. REP. WRAPPER: ECUADOR ARTURO FUENTE ROSADO SUNGROWN MAGNUM R VITOLA “SUPER SIXTY” The subtle pressing and oily wrapper of this girthy cigar give it the glossy look of a chocolate bar. Its woody, herbal and anise qualities are reminiscent of absinthe. A marzipan note comes through before the licorice finish. U.S.: $13.65 U.K.: N/A STRENGTH: Medium 89 NICARAGUA RING GAUGE: 60 LENGTH:…

CUBA RING GAUGE: 50 LENGTH: 6 3/8" FILLER: CUBA BINDER: CUBA WRAPPER: CUBA BOX DATE: AUGUST 2016 H. UPMANN MAGNUM 50 Rolled in a chocolate-hued wrapper, this toro has a rich, luxurious draw that produces layers of honey, gingersnap cookie and caramel with a hint of black tea and an almond note that gradually becomes more pronounced. Complex and delicious. U.S.: N/A U.K.: £29.40 STRENGTH: Medium 93 NICARAGUA RING GAUGE: 50 LENGTH: 6 1/2" FILLER: NICARAGUA BINDER: NICARAGUA WRAPPER: ECUADOR PICHARDO CLASICO TORO Precise notes of honey set the tone for this attractive Churchill, which draws and burns evenly. The honey notes stick to the palate, taking on a woodiness that elevates all secondary flavors of almond, graham cracker and cappuccino. A tasty smoke. U.S.: $9.50 U.K.: N/A STRENGTH: Medium…

Ed Reed, chief of staff for the Miami Hurricanes, stands before the television in his office, examining film and explaining how he gets young players ready. “I’m watching a little of Virginia’s offense right now,” he says. The Cavaliers are abysmal, surrendering 119 points in three losses. Never mind. “I have to get these guys to understand that everyone wants to be the team that beats Miami. They are going to be on their best behavior, concentrating and practicing hard, watching extra film. Every week.” Who wouldn’t want to upset a team so cocky it refers to itself as “THE U,” players and fans raising index fingers and joining thumbs to mimic the letter? “There’s power in the tongue,” Reed says. During his playing days in the NFL, he used…

Dear Marvin, Your article on sports records [“Unbroken,” September/October 2020] made for some very fine reading, especially the part on Pete Rose. Many an afternoon was spent when I was in Little League watching “Charlie Hustle” back in the ’60s. He would lean into and over fans to catch foul balls, covering first base, never missing a tag at home plate. It was said he could see the seams of the ball when at bat. Every kid in America wanted to be Pete Rose. True, he did bet on teams, but so did a lot of other players. He was used as a scapegoat. There will never be another Pete Rose. Long live “Charlie Hustle.” Jeff Herman Moline, Illinois Dear Marvin, I enjoyed reading “Unbroken” in the September/October issue. The…

On the afternoon of October 27, 1984, little Jannin Toribio, age four, had no way of knowing that her young life was about to go up in flames. Nor did she know that her brief time on earth, shrouded in the innocence of childhood, would be but one of dozens of casualties in a horrific Mob war in the City of New York. That war, as brutal as it was, is now mostly forgotten, even though it changed the course of underworld history, leaving indelible scars on anyone caught in the conflagration. It was a pleasant day in the west Manhattan neighborhood known as Hell’s Kitchen. That morning, Jannin celebrated her birthday with a party among family and friends, and that evening, her parents went out, leaving her with 19-year-old…

If anybody put the “organized” in “organized crime” it was enlightened Mob visionary Charles “Lucky” Luciano, who saw that bloodshed was bad for business and wholesale cooperation was key to bringing the Mob into the 20th century. His coordinated approach to management incorporated all the major crime syndicates nationwide in one body called The Commission. The first step was to extinguish the Castellammarese War, an ongoing, citywide battle between Salvatore Maranzano and Luciano’s own boss Giuseppe Masseria. Luciano turned on his own leader, conspiring with rival Maranzano to have Masseria iced. When Maranzano established the Five Families of New York City, he declared himself the capo di tutti capi—boss of all bosses—upsetting the balance Lucky dreamed of. He also conspired to kill Luciano. A short reign for Maranzano was the…

The handsome, charming, well-dressed but often volatile Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel is best remembered for his contribution to sprucing up Las Vegas (although he did not live to enjoy the fruits of his labor). But to paint him as a mere real estate developer would be to sell him short. Growing up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Siegel started in petty theft, graduated to extorting street peddlers and was soon a bootlegger and murderer. His association with Meyer Lanksy introduced him to Lucky Luciano, and Siegel is often linked to the hit on Giuseppe Masseria, a murder that consolidated the Mob Commission in New York City. He also palled with the founders of Murder Inc. for whom he is assumed to have moonlighted. His unwelcome nickname “Bugsy” referenced his penchant for erratic violence,…

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC RING GAUGE: 54 LENGTH: 6 7/8" FILLER: NICARAGUA BINDER: ECUADOR WRAPPER: MEXICO E.P. CARRILLO LA HISTORIA E-III An alluringly pressed Churchill that’s rich and vibrant from first puff to last. The cigar begins with a note of cocoa powder that turns to dark chocolate as it takes on inflections of slivered almond, toasted coconut and chewy earth. Exceptionally delicious. U.S.: $11.45 U.K.: N/A STRENGTH: Medium-Full 93 CUBA RING GAUGE: 47 LENGTH: 7" FILLER: CUBA BINDER: CUBA WRAPPER: CUBA BOX DATE: OCTOBER 2019 ROMEO Y JULIETA CHURCHILL (TUBO) Topped with a triple-seam cap, this Churchill burns and draws quite evenly, delivering a tasty, nutty core of almond and hazelnut, framed by notes of cappuccino, orange peel, a bit of peppery spice and a clearly defined chocolate tone. U.S.: N/A…

NICARAGUA RING GAUGE: 56 LENGTH: 4" FILLER: NICARAGUA BINDER: NICARAGUA WRAPPER: NICARAGUA PADRÓN 1964 ANNIVERSARY SERIES HERMOSO A solidly packed, semi-pressed short robusto that imparts a luxuriously textured smoke full of cocoa and coffee character but accented with notes of crushed peanut, dried fruit and a snap of leather with a woody undercurrent. U.S.: $13.20 U.K.: N/A STRENGTH: Medium 94 CUBA RING GAUGE: 52 LENGTH: 4" FILLER: CUBA BINDER: CUBA WRAPPER: CUBA BOX DATE: OCTOBER 2019 COHIBA MEDIO SIGLO (TUBO) There’s a lot going on with this complex, short robusto. Its open, full draw loads the palate with bold notes of coffee bean and dark chocolate finessed by precise intonations of cashew and almond, underlying spice and a fresh tobacco finish. U.S.: N/A U.K.: £31.93 STRENGTH: Medium-Full 93 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC…

TOP SCORES 95 Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark Dominican Republic • $14.35 • Figurado • Medium 94 Juan Lopez Punto 55 Exclusivo Francia Cuba • 21.50 euros • Robusto • Medium-Full 94 Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series Hermoso Nicaragua • $13.20 • Miscellaneous • Medium 93 Cohiba Medio Siglo (Tubo) Cuba • £31.93• Miscellaneous • Medium-Full 93 E.P. Carrillo La Historia E-III Dominican Republic • $11.45 • Churchill • Medium-Full 93 H. Upmann Magnum 50 Cuba • £29.40 • Toro • Medium 93 Matilde Quadrata Torpedo Dominican Republic • $9.60 • Figurado • Medium-Full 93 Pichardo Clasico Toro Nicaragua • $9.50 • Toro • Medium 93 Ramon Allones Allones No. 2 Edición Limitada 2019 Cuba • £28.50 • Figurado • Medium-Full 93 Romeo y Julieta Churchill (Tubo) Cuba…