God of Fire Serie B 2011 Robusto Review

Arturo Fuente have been producing the ultra premium God of Fire line for Prometheus owner Keith Park since 2004. There are few retailers such as Anthony’s Cigar Emporium that are authorized to sell God of Fire.  Each box is serial numbered and released annually in small batches (less than a few hundred cigars) depending on the size of the cigar and availability of tobacco from the Fuente farms of such high quality, along with the limited number of rollers skilled enough to make the God of Fire.  They frequently are not seen on store shelves because of their limited numbers and that they are so coveted by connoisseurs and snatched up by the box.

If you are a serious Fuente fanatic, or looking for a real treat, then you must try these cigars.  They are mellower than the Opus X, medium bodied and have a more nuanced flavor profile.  The God of Fire is an elegant cigar and deserving of all its recognition.  The finest Dominican fillers go into each blend of God of Fire which there are now three: God of Fire by Don Carlos, God of Fire by Carlitos, and God of Fire Serie B.  The God of Fire by Don Carlos has a Ecuadorian wrapper and the God of Fire by Carlitos has a Cameroon wrapper.  Carlos Sr. personally blended the Don Carlos and Carlos Jr. blended the Carlitos, each said to bear their own personal taste.

In 2011, a new line of God of Fire was released, the Serie B, a maduro version of the God of Fire which was stronger than both the Carlitos and the Don Carlos.  The God of Fire Serie B has a Connecticut Broadleaf and an Ecuadorian Sun Grown wrapper, depending on the vitola (Robusto & Robusto Gordo 54 – Ecuadorian Sun Grown; Double Robusto & Gran Toro 56 – Connecticut Broadleaf).  This review focuses on the God of Fire Serie B 2011 which has a very dark  Ecuadorian Sun Grown wrapper.  To be honest each cigar in the God of Fire Serie B line is almost a jet black maduro color, so its difficult to distinguish between the wrappers.

God of Fire Serie B 2011 Robusto
Made by: Arturo Fuente for Prometheus
Country: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sun Grown
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Dimensions: Robusto (5 1/4″ x 50)

 First Third:

The cigar has a flawless construction with no apparent veins.  It appears seamless and the almost black Ecuadorian Sun Grown wrapper has a smooth, yet gritty texture that yields pre-light smells of a mixture of dark chocolate and soil.  Once lit, the flavor is a mixture of cedar and cocoa.  There are feint hints of subtle spice and wet earth that are like a preview of coming attractions.

 Second Third:

By the second third a slight spiciness develops on the lips but spice is certainly not in the forefront of flavors.  The cigar reminds me of dark chocolate espresso beans.  I don’t recollect a cigar with such a pronounced flavor of cocoa and coffee beans.  Aromas of cedar further develop along with an earthy backdrop.

 Last Third:

The cigar is aged so long that the final third is very smooth and does not get hot at all.  A raisin sweetness develops; the cocoa and coffee fade out and transition into leathery and earthy.  The cigar only gains little strength and maintains its smoothness through the end.  I am accustomed to leaving the cigar at 2-3″ but this cigar had me smoking to the nub.

 Final Thoughts:

This is definitely a connoisseur’s cigar, for someone who can appreciate full flavor in a medium-bodied cigar.  It has a hefty price tag but it isn’t an everyday smoke.  This is a smoke that you really want to concentrate on and enjoy.  I would recommend mineral water or a latte, maybe a nice hot cocoa with this cigar.  Alcohol might dull the complexity of this cigar, but if you have a very fine spirit, go for it.

Buy Any God of Fire Cigar at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium

Rocky Patel Super Ligero

The Rocky Patel Super Ligero debuted last year and our customers have been clamoring for it.

Rocky Patel took years to develop this strong cigar and it is very full-bodied indeed. Sit down before you smoke and make sure your belly is full.

The cigars use a Honduran St. Augustine habano wrapper, a habano binder, and a filler blend of Nicaraguan and Costa Rican triple ligero. The Super Ligero starts off with a blast of intense flavor dominated by a sweet woody flavor. As the cigar progresses, there is a lingering spice as well as loads of bold flavors such as cinnamon and white pepper. The finish has a sweet aftertaste.

Rocky Patel Super Ligero
Made by: Rocky Patel
Country: Honduras
Wrapper: Honduran St. Augustine Habano
Binder: Honduran Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan & Costa Rican triple ligero
Dimensions: Lancero (7 1/2″ x 38) Robusto (5″ x 50) Sixty (6″ x 60) Toro (6 1/2″ x 52)

Anthony’s Cigar Emporium has the best pricing available on these knock-out cigars.

Order your box of Rocky Patel Super Ligero Cigars today!

Curivari Gloria de Leon Dominante Review

Curivari is one our most popular small batch boutique brands at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium.  Our customers love the outstanding taste, impeccable construction with a triple cap, balanced Cuban style flavors of wood and earth with a hint of spice, and, of course, the value at a mid range price point for a premium 100% Nicaraguan puro.  Curivari’s cigars are carefully aged and packed in understated boxes of 10.

Curivari Gloria de Leon
Made by: Curivari
Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Criollo
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Dimensions: Fuerza (4 1/2″ x 50 Petite Robusto) Dominante (5 1/4″ x 54 Robusto Grande) Prominente (6 3/4″ x 54 Toro Grande)

We reviewed the Curivari Gloria de Leon Dominante for this featured review.  The cigar is firm with slight veins apparent and a beautiful reddish brown cubanesque color.  It is slightly shiny with barely visible seams.  The cigar may have a humble appearance but its true character comes forth in its smokability and its taste.  It is very smooth and even with a balanced medium-bodied, mostly earthy tobacco flavor.  You can almost sense being in the tobacco fields from the pre-light aromas and rich smoke.  Each leaf making up the Gloria de Leon Dominante is Cuban-seed Nicaraguan tobacco that is a blend of Criollo and Corojo.

First Third:

The pre-light bouquet was very woody and robust.  Upon lighting there was a little bitterness that quickly disappeared.  The cigar begins evenly with a slight resistance, which made the draw very smooth without too much heat.  Cedar and cocoa notes linger on the palate during the first third.

Second Third:

The cigar builds up to include a cinnamon spice in the background.  The cocoa notes fade away and transition to coffee and black cherry against a foreground of rich earthiness.  Dense, creamy smoke envelop with a tight grey ash.

Last Third:

The cigar flavor and aroma intensify into pure cedar and earthiness.  The spice notes become hotter, and transition into more of a black pepper.  The spice notes are still in the background however.  The body of the cigar started out medium but ended more toward the full side with a very long finish and rich classic tobacco flavors linger on the tongue.  It still remained smooth and relatively cool.

Final Thoughts:

To get the fullest complexity of this blend, I would recommend a guillotine cut.  The smoke was quite rich from the first puff.  The slight resistance of the draw forces you to smoke slowly and to savor every puff.  There is no pretensions about this cigar.  It is smooth, well balanced, and construction was top notch.  It is a great everyday cigar for a dedicated cigar smoker.  It would pair well with coffee, mineral water, or a dark rum.

Anthony’s Cigar Emporium has a full selection of all Curivari lines at unbeatable prices with free shipping.

Buy Curivari Gloria de Leon at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium

My Father La Antiguedad TAA Exclusive 2015

We are on our way to the Tobacconists’ Association of America (TAA) Convention and Tradeshow in the Dominican Republic today.  One cigar that we are excited to order and try is the My Father La Antiguedad TAA Exclusive 2015. It is a 6 x 50 box-pressed Toro that come in boxes of 20.  La Antiguedad was released just last year and is a superb cigar that has complex earthy, cocoa, berry and leathery notes, with a touch of that creamy signature spice that are the hallmark of Don Pepin Garcia blends.  The TAA Exclusive will feature a top quality Rosado wrapper which should make for a more nuanced and elegant cigar than the Ecuador Habano Oscuro wrappers that cover the La Antiguedad line.

La Antiguedad (Spanish for The Antiquity) is blended with filler tobaccos from three areas in Nicaragua—San Rafael, Las Quebradas and San Jose—all on farms privately owned by the Garcia family. It has a double binder, one of Nicaraguan criollo and one of Nicaraguan corojo.  These tobaccos undergo a very strict and rigorous curing process of no less than three and a half years to guarantee exceptional quality. Each cigar is slightly box-pressed with a red ribbon on the foot.  La Antiguedad builds on the success that My Father has had with the Flor de las Antillas which has received much critical acclaim including the Toro rated a 96 by Cigar Aficionado making it the #1 Cigar of the Year 2012.

Anthony’s Cigar Emporium will be accepting pre-orders for the My Father La Antiguedad TAA Exclusive and My Father has indicated that it will ship in May, 2015. By pre-ordering you are guaranteed to get a hold of a box before they are gone.  Plus you will get free shipping and a My Father ashtray with your order

Pre-Order a box of La Antiguedad TAA Exclusive Cigars Today!

Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado & EPC La Historia E-III Back In Stock

Cigar Aficionado’s #1 and #2 Cigar of 2014 are back in stock at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium.  Order yours before they’re gone again.

Cigar Aficionado described the Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado:

In 2012, to pay tribute to the first man in the family to grow cigar tobacco, Oliva added the Melanio version, which is distinguished from the original by its Sumatra-seed wrapper grown in Ecuador. The Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado has rich, big notes of leather framed by a range of coffee, caramel and woody intonations. It’s a classic smoke. Oliva’s cigars have appeared on our Top 25 list nine times in a row. This is the first time the company has been named Cigar of the Year.

and the E.P. Carillo La Historia E-III:

Perez-Carrillo sold his business in 1999, and left the company in 2009. He set out to try something new, forming EPC Cigar Co. with his children, Lissette and Ernesto III that same year. On the fifth annivesary of the new venture, Perez-Carrillo has hit his stride. His La Historia is decorated with various images, including his grandmother in a Pinar del Río tobacco field and his daughter in Miami. The Perez-Carrillos worked two years on this cigar, and it shows in the final product, which is finished with a luxurious, dark leaf of Mexican tobacco grown in the San Andrés Valley.

The Oliva Serie V Melanio line has a beautiful Sumatra wrapper, a flavorful blend of long-leaf ligeros from Nicaragua unite, including the Oliva’s oldest, most prized leaves from Condega and Esteli, along with some extra tobaccos from Jalapa for more flavor and aroma.  The entire Serie V Melanio blend has big notes of leather and hints of coffee, caramel and wood.  It is a medium bodied blend

The E.P. Carillo La Historia line is sheathed by a dark and oily Mexican San Andrés wrapper, Ecuadorian Sumatra binder, and Dominican and Nicaraguan long-fillers.  Rich, chewy flavors coat the palate with a complex flavor profile of roasted nuts, espresso, black pepper, and cocoa.  A hint of dark chocolate sweetness builds up to the finish to make a perfectly balanced full bodied cigar.

Buy Oliva Serie V Melanio Today!

Buy E.P. Carillo La Historia Today!

Oliva Serie V Melanio Gran Reserva Limitada
Made by: Oliva
Country of Manufacture: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 6 1/2″ x 52 Figurado

E.P. Carillo La Historia
Made by: E.P. Carillo
Country of Manufacture: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
Binder: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Filler: Nicaraguan and Dominican
Dimensions: 6 7/8″ x 54 Toro Grande

Tatuaje Exclusive Series Drinking Age

Pete Johnson, owner of Tatuaje Cigars, has blended a Tatuaje Exclusive Series called Drinking Age made especially for the 21st anniversary of Anthony’s Cigar Emporium; hence the name “Drinking Age.”  The Drinking Age is expected to arrive this April and made by the Garcia family’s My Father factory in Nicaragua.

It will be a 5 1/2 x 54 Robusto Grande that features a band displaying Anthony’s Cigar Emporium Drinking Age and the number 21 in the middle, with an apropos number of 21 coming in each box.  Tatuaje will make a limited number of 300 boxes total (6,300 cigars).  They are medium to full bodied Nicaraguan puros with a Criollo Sun Grown wrapper and an all-Nicaraguan filler and binder blend.

Tatuaje Exclusive Series for Anthony’s Cigar Emporium – Dinking Age 
Made by: My Father for Tatuaje
Country of Manufacture: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Criollo Sun Grown
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 5 1/2 x 54 Robusto Grande

We are extremely proud and excited to have Tatuaje blend an exclusive 21st anniversary release that adds to Anthony’s Cigar Emporium’s 20th anniversary release of the Martino, a box pressed 4 1/2 x 50 Petite Robusto of the My Father Le Bijou -1922 made exclusively for Anthony’s Cigar Emporium.  See our Blog post of the Martino.

Stay tuned to our Blog for further updates and be alerted as soon at the Drinking Age comes in!

Punch Rare Corojo Rare Lapiz

Anthony’s Cigar Emporium has received its shipment of Punch Rare Corojo 2015 limited edition size: Rare Lapiz.  The Rare Lapiz is a strikingly beautiful 6 x 52 Figurado.  Anthony’s also received El Doble, Elite, Pita, Magnum and Rothchild.

Punch Rare Corojo 2015 Limited Edition 
Made by: Punch
Country of Manufacture: Honduras
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf
Filler: Nicaragua and Dominican Republic
Dimensions: 6 x 50 Toro

Released annually and only available until the limited supply is depleted, Punch Rare Corojo cigars are made with a lustrous, reddish-brown Sumatra wrapper from Ecuador. These rare leaves are only harvested in small quantities and lend a uniquely smooth taste to the richly flavorful blend.  The well constructed Punch Rare Corojo delivers a good draw rich with milk chocolate, earth and coffee flavors and a faint hint of leather, joined by woody aromas and a spicy vanilla finish.

“Punch Rare Corojo started the trend of seasonal cigars, and each year, we’re pleased with the response to this annual collection,” said Ed McKenna, senior brand manager for Punch, in a press release.  General Cigar Co. did not disclose the production numbers for the release of the Rare Lapiz.

Rare Corojo may refer to the 10th Anniversary blend, a limited release in 2012 with a very unusual Connecticut Corojo wrapper, when General Cigar Co. re-launched the Punch Rare Corojo as an annual limited edition line.  The Punch Rare Corojo has a Sumatra wrapper, though there may be Corojo in the fillers.

Buy Punch Rare Corojo (incl. 2015 LE Rare Lapiz) Cigars Today!

AVO Classic Covers 2015 Limited Edition

Each spring AVO Cigars releases a limited addition to honor the March 22nd birthday of its namesake Avo Uvezian.  This year AVO is introducing a limited edition that will introduce a new line of annual limited edition cigars: the new Improvisational Series.  The Improvisational Series has been blended by Davidoff master blender Henke Kelner.  The first release release will be the AVO Classic Covers 2015 Limited Edition, a 6 x 50 Toro and is expected to ship from Davidoff to Anthony’s Cigar Emporium on April 13th.

AVO says the Classic Covers 2015 Limited Edition blend pays tribute to the AVO Classic blend which was the first collaboration between Avo Uvezian and Henke Kelner.  The Classic Blend is filled with rare Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos that have been aged for 25 years, according to AVO.  There is ligero from Ometempe, Nicaragua and piloto ligero, San Vicente ligero, hybrid corojo/olor ligero and criollo ligero from the Dominican Republic.  It is smooth and creamy with hints of pepper. The name of the Improvisational Series draws inspiration from the improvised nature of jazz, while the name of the cigar is based off of the idea of covering a song.  Avo Uvezian is an accomplished jazz pianist.  The AVO Classic Covers 2015 Limited Edition adds extra boldness and spicy and cocoa notes by “covering” the Classic Blend signature filler with a Mexico San Andrés binder and an Ecuador 702 wrapper.

Only 3,500 16-count boxes of AVO Classic Covers 2015 Limited Edition will be produced.

Pre-Order your AVO Classic Covers 2015 Limited Edition today!

Classic Covers 2015 Limited Edition 
Made by: Davidoff for AVO
Country of Manufacture: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuador 702
Binder: Mexican San Andres
Filler: Nicaragua and Dominican Republic
Dimensions: 6 x 50 Toro

Las Calaveras Edicion Limitada 2015

The Crowned Head’s Limited Release Las Calaveras Edicion Limitada 2015 is coming in May!  The best limited release cigar to recently hit Anthony’s Cigar Emporium was the Las Calaveras EL 2014 with boxes selling out within three weeks.

Crowned Heads Las Calaveras Edicion Limitada 2015 
Made by: My Father for Crowned Heads
Country of Manufacture: Esteli, Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador Habano Rosado
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: LC46 (5 5/8 x 46 Corona); LC50 (5 x 50 Robusto); LC52 (6 x 52 Toro)

Beginning with the Edicion Limitada 2014, Las Calaveras is an annual release that is a respectful homage to Day of the Dead celebrations to honor those who have passed away in the year before and is intended to be a celebration of their lives and remembrances, rather than a mourning or a symbol of sadness and death. With each year’s annual limited release, the blend and presentation of Las Calaveras will be altered.

This year’s Edicion Limitada features an Ecuador Habano Rosado wrapper, different from the 2014 Ecuador Habano Oscuro wrapper. The Churchill 7″ x 54 size in the EL 2014 is no longer made in the EL 2015.  The EL 2015 has a 5 5/8″ x 46 Corona instead with the 5″ x 50 Robusto and the 6″ x 52 Toro still offered.

A total of 3,750 boxes of Las Calaveras EL 2015 were produced, also like the EL 2014 at the My Father factory in Esteli, Nicaragua under the supervision of Jose “Don Pepin” Garcia and Jaime Garcia. Las Calaveras is packaged in 24-count boxes, each containing 3 rows of 8 cigars. The 3 rows represent life’s cycle of a beginning, middle, and end. In biblical terms, the number ‘8’ signifies new beginnings, and in mathematical terms an ‘8’ laid on its side symbolizes “infinity,” as in eternal life.

Pre Order Your Las Calaveras Edicion Limitada 2015 Today!

TAA Exclusive Nat Sherman Panamericana

Silky and Oily Ecuadorian Sumatra Wrapper – Impeccable Construction

The Tobaconnists’ Association of America (TAA) member convention is coming up this month and Anthony’s Cigar Emporium will be there ordering the latest releases and TAA Exclusives and we are excited to finally offer our customers the Nat Sherman Panamericana line.

We have been impressed with the revamp of the Nat Sherman brand that has such a storied history in America.  So have the official critics; with Cigar Aficionado rating the Nat Sherman Timeless Collection No. 2 at 93, making it No. 10 for 2012.  Nat Sherman has teamed up with some the biggest names in cigar blending and manufacturing, with Manuel Quesada making the Timeless Collection and the Plasencia family making their Township Store exclusive Panamericana Line.

The Nat Sherman Panamericana was developed over two years and in 2014 released exclusively for the Nat Sherman flagship 5th Avenue/42nd Street Townhouse store in Manhattan.  The Nat Sherman Panamericana is a full-bodied blend of aged tobaccos from Costa Rica and three different Nicaraguan leaves, with a stunning Ecuador Sumatra wrapper.   The Panamericana is manufactured in Nestor Plasencia’s factory in Esteli, Nicaragua.  It is packed in understated slide-top boxes of ten cigars.

Nat Sherman Panamericana 
Made by: Plasencia Family
Country of Manufacture: Esteli, Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan & Costa Rican
Dimensions: Cervantes (6 x 43 Corona); Epicure (5 X 50 Robusto); Julieta (7 X 48 Churchill); Secretos (4 X 40 Petite Corona)

Now the Panamericana line will be released exclusively to Tobaconnists’ Association of America (TAA) members at the April 2015 TAA Convention in the Dominican Republic as a TAA Exclusive Series Product.  We will be ordering boxes this month and expect shipments by May.

Pre-Order Your Nat Sherman Panamericana Boxes Today!