CigarPursuits

About  Gérard My Twenty Minutes Time Gérard Cigars, founded in 2003, has quickly established itself as a luxury brand renowned for its innovative approach and high-quality offerings. The brand's flagship line, "My Twenty Minutes Time," is celebrated for introducing the Half Robusto format, a cigar that delivers a rich and satisfying experience within a short smoking duration. Produced in the Dominican Republic, these cigars use premium tobacco blends, ensuring consistency and excellence in every smoke. Gérard Cigars emphasize comfort and craftsmanship, making their products ideal for both seasoned aficionados and casual smokers seeking brief indulgence. CigarPursuits Review Gérard My Twenty Minutes Time Appearance & Construction: 15/15 The cigar boasts excellent construction with a flawless finish and no soft spots. Its appearance is visually appealing, characterized by a smooth, well-constructed wrapper. However, one minor issue is the difficulty in remov...

About   Macanudo Gran Reserva Churchill Macanudo is a distinguished brand with roots dating back to 1968. Originating as a Jamaican brand, it was later acquired by the General Cigar Company and production moved to the Dominican Republic. Known for its commitment to quality and consistency, Macanudo has become one of the best-selling premium cigar brands in the United States. The brand's hallmark is its mild and smooth cigars, making them accessible to both beginners and aficionados. CigarPursuits Review Macanudo Gran Reserva Churchill Appearance & Construction: 15/15 The Macanudo Gran Reserva Churchill boasts an impeccable construction with a sleek and smooth Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper. The cigar displays an oily sheen with small veins and no soft spots, indicating a high level of craftsmanship. Aroma: 14/15 Before lighting, the cigar releases a captivating aroma characterized by rich coffee  notes from the wrapper. The cold draw presents pepper and c...

About   E.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, the founder of E.P. Carrillo Cigar Company, is a celebrated figure in the cigar industry, bringing a rich heritage and extensive experience to his craft. Born into a family deeply rooted in the cigar business, Ernesto’s journey began in Cuba where his father owned and operated a cigar factory. After migrating to the United States, Ernesto took over his father's operations in Miami, eventually launching the renowned La Gloria Cubana brand, which gained significant acclaim under his leadership. In 2009, Ernesto decided to establish his own brand, E.P. Carrillo, aiming to encapsulate his personal approach to cigar making and to continue his family’s legacy. His company quickly made its mark with innovative blends and exceptional craftsmanship, earning Ernesto further recognition and numerous awards in the industry. The E.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut is a testament to his ability to blend traditional methods with in...

About  Macanudo Maduro Crystal The Macanudo brand, recognized for its exceptional quality and flavor among cigar aficionados, boasts a rich history that intertwines with the evolution of the cigar industry itself. Originally crafted in Guatemala and later in Jamaica for the British market, Macanudo was acquired by the General Cigar Company in 1969. This acquisition led to the introduction of the Macanudo as we know it today, a cigar that has continuously evolved while maintaining its status as a symbol of sophistication and taste. The Macanudo Maduro Crystal Tube, in particular, stands out for its handcrafted quality, mild to medium-bodied robustness, and presentation in elegant glass tubes. It's made in the Dominican Republic, featuring a dark, oily Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper and a filler of aged tobaccos from Mexico and the Dominican Republic, ensuring a rich and lingering flavor profile​. CigarPursuits Review Macanudo Maduro Crystal Appearance & Construction: ...

About  Davidoff Dominicana 2014 Launched in 2021, the Davidoff Dominicana Toro is crafted with aged tobaccos from the 2014 harvest. Produced in the Dominican Republic's Tabadom Factory, this cigar is medium to full-bodied. It features a Dominican hybrid 257 wrapper, an Ecuadorian hybrid 151 binder, and a diverse filler from the Dominican Republic, including San Vicente visus, San Vicente mejorado seco, Piloto visus, Corojo 99 seco, and Yamasa visus. Part of Davidoff's prestigious white label portfolio, the Dominicana Toro is designed to showcase the depth and diversity of Dominican tobacco through its carefully aged blend. CigarPursuits Review Davidoff Dominicana 2014 Toro Appearance & Construction: 14/15 The Davidoff Dominicana 2014 Toro impresses with its sleek, semi-oily wrapper and a tastefully done pigtail end. The craftsmanship is mostly spot-on, though a soft spot near the band gives a moment's pause, it hardly dims the overall excellence in construct...

   About  La Aurora 107 Zeppelin In 1903, Eduardo León Jimenes, at only 18 years old, founded La Aurora in the Dominican Republic. His vision to create a renowned global cigar brand began modestly in Guazumal, near Tamboril, with a handful of skilled rollers and a steadfast donkey for tobacco transport. Over the years, La Aurora faced and overcame various challenges, including political turmoil during Trujillo's dictatorship. This resilience is embodied in their 107 series, a celebration of over a century of craftsmanship and innovation. The 107 Zeppelin, initially launched for the Chinese market, is a notable addition to this esteemed series. It boasts a meticulously selected blend, featuring an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, a binder from the Dominican Republic's Valle del Cibao, and a diverse filler composition from Nicaragua, Peru, and the Dominican Republic. This blend is crafted to provide a medium to full-bodied smoking experience. CigarPursuits Review La Aurora 107 Z...

   About  La Flor Dominicana Ligero L - Granú La Flor Dominicana, established in 1996 in the Dominican Republic by Litto Gomez and Ines Lorenzo, initially produced mild Dominican cigars under the name Los Libertadores. The brand evolved significantly after Gomez started cultivating their own tobacco, focusing on full-flavored blends with Piloto Cubano, Criollo, and Pelo d’Oro varieties. This shift to quality over quantity, alongside innovative shapes like the patented Chisel, marked La Flor Dominicana's transformation into a luxury cigar brand. La Flor Dominicana Ligero L - Granú, introduced in 2001 by Litto Gomez, is a remarkable cigar within the Ligero portfolio. Known for its large 100-count box, the Granu is distinguished by its Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, estate-grown Dominican Ligero longfiller and binder. This blend results in a full-bodied cigar with a creamy smooth smoke, robust flavor, and aroma. Its unique size, a 6 x 64 Gordo Extra, makes it the largest ring g...

  About  La VegaFina 1998 25 Aniversario Cum Laude Celebrating its 25th anniversary, VegaFina introduced the VegaFina 1998 25 Aniversario Cum Laude, a special limited edition crafted by the renowned Grupo de Maestros of Tabacalera de García in La Romana, Dominican Republic. Known for master blending since 1984, this group, the heart of the brand, has created a unique cigar that stands out in the VegaFina lineup​​​​. The cigar is a 6 1/2 x 52 toro extra with a pigtail, a size not previously used in the VegaFina range​​. It maintains the same blend as the regular 1998 line, featuring an Ecuadorian wrapper, Indonesian binder, and filler leaves from the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Colombia, but with added intensity and complexity CigarPursuits Review VegaFina 1998 25 Aniversario Cum Laude Appearance & Construction: 15/15 The toro size, at 6 1/2 x 52, boasted a smooth, well-rolled Ecuadorian wrapper. Very good construction  with no soft spots and a ...

About  La Galera Habano Chaveta La Galera Habano Chaveta emerged from the vision of José “Jochy” Blanco of Tabacalera Palma, who for the first time ventured into a brand bearing his name and family's legacy in 2015. The La Galera brand, including the Habano Chaveta, features a blend of Dominican tobaccos (piloto cubano, criollo 98, pelo de oro) with a Dominican corojo binder. The Chaveta, specifically, is adorned with an Ecuadorian habano wrapper, offering a unique smoking experience. Produced at the historic Tabacalera Palma, established in 1936, the Chaveta continues the Blanco family’s long-standing tobacco tradition dating back to the mid-19th century.   CigarPursuits Review La Galera Habano Chaveta

About  Silencio Los Rios The Silencio brand, renowned for its exquisite cigars, is closely associated with Sean Williams, its master blender and brand ambassador. Williams, who entered the cigar industry in 2005, initially founded the El Primer Mundo brand and later became a pivotal figure in Silencio after the 2008 financial crisis. The brand's expansion into Europe is a strategic extension of the American Cohiba brand, with Silencio serving as a distinct identity for its European market presence. The Silencio trademark, owned by General Cigar Co. Inc., was filed in 2019, underscoring the brand's commitment to quality and innovation under Williams' expertise.  

About  AVO Heritage The AVO Heritage cigar is a full-bodied creation designed to honor the legacy of Avo Uvezian, the founder of AVO cigars. This line, introduced in 2010 and later rebranded in 2015, represents a collaboration between Uvezian and Hendrik "Henke" Kelner. It distinguishes itself from other AVO offerings, which are typically milder, by offering a more robust smoking experience. This is achieved through the use of an Ecuadorian Sun Grown wrapper, which is a key component of its flavor profile. The blend includes a unique combination of Dominican Ligero, Seco, and Peruvian longfiller tobaccos, all enveloped by the same Ecuadorian sun-grown wrapper used in the 2009 Compañero. This blend pays tribute not just to Uvezian but also to the farmers, rollers, and blenders who have contributed to AVO's status as a premier, super-premium brand in the industry.

About La Galera  Anemoi In the Dominican Republic, the winds have their own stories to tell. The ancient Greeks called them the Anemoi and gave names to the winds coming from the North, South, East, and West - Boreas, Notos, Eurus, and Zephyrus, respectively. Here, we're going to focus on Zephyrus, the West wind. When Zephyrus blows, it's a sign that rain is on the way. This rain usually comes from the south of Cuba and flows along the coast between the Cordillera Septentrional in the north and the Cordillera Central in the south. These rain clouds are low and can't escape the valley. Before we had fancy tools to predict the weather, the people here knew that when the west wind blew, rain was coming. As the valley gets higher, the rain falls in places like Santiago, Tamboril, and Moca. These cities are important for growing tobacco in the Dominican Republic.