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More in Connoisseur's Corner
Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona

Connoisseur’s Corner: A Flawless Hoyo de Monterrey

When you think of superb, big cigars, this one immediately comes to mind, for Hoyo Double Coronas are a benchmark for that Cuban size, which also goes by the name prominente. The wrapper on this large cigar—it measures 7 5/8 inches long, with a 49 ring gauge—is the texture of …
H. Upmann Sir Winston

Connoisseur’s Corner: A Churchill For Sir Winston

This Churchill-sized cigar is named for Sir Winston Churchill himself. At seven inches long by 47 ring, it’s the same size as a Romeo y Julieta Churchill, but far harder to find. Its packaging is distinctive, with a dark green box. The smoke itself, medium-brown in color and 23 …
Montecristo no. 5

Connoisseur’s Corner: A 98-Point Montecristo

Monte 5s are the lesser-known, smaller siblings of the ubiquitous Montecristo No. 4s. This well-aged example comes from a box of 25, which looks similar to modern-day boxes, but a closer look shows the far thicker lid, older Cuban tax seal and the absence of the “Habanos” …
Hoyo de Monterrey Corona (1955)

Connoisseur’s Corner, A 99-Point Hoyo de Monterrey Corona

There are two reasons why pre-Castro Cuban cigars sell for such high prices at auction. They get rarer by the day (the world supply gets smaller every time one is fired up) and in many cases they have aged into phenomenal smokes. Take, for example, this Hoyo de Monterrey Corona …
H. Upmann Tivoli (1957)

Connoisseur’s Corner: Pre-Castro Cubans Aged To Perfection

(From the December 2017 Cigar Aficionado ) There was a time before Fidel Castro’s Revolution when Cuban brands were privately owned, giving each owner the freedom to produce bespoke cigars for certain institutions around the world as he saw fit. The H. Upmann Tivoli was one …
Por Larrañaga Larra en Cedro N.C.H.W. (1957)

Connoisseur’s Corner: A Perfect Por Larrañaga

A corona-sized pre-Castro Cuban joined our small club of perfect cigars. The cigar, wrapped in a sleeve of cedar for the last 60 or so years, exhibited not only a perfect draw and burn, but a panoply of fine flavors. Three younger and far larger Cubans (a Bolivar, Ramon Allones …
Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona (1995)

Connoisseur’s Corner: A Hoyo De Monterrey Flirts With Perfection

This collection of aged cigars covers all types of vintages and dimensions. The smokes range from 11 years old all the way to a cigar that's been around for more than five decades; from the ultra-slim Punch Panetelas Grandes (all of 33 ring gauge) to the pleasantly plump Tatuaje …
Punch Double Corona (1994)

Connoisseur’s Corner: A Davidoff Château Latour Reaches Perfection

Cuban Davidoffs are among the most prized of vintage cigars. Collectors wax poetic about the smokes, which were made in Cuba from the late 1960s up until 1991, when Davidoff shifted production to the Dominican Republic. They command dear prices at auction, even though some have …
Partagás Serie du Connaisseur No. 3 (1993)

Connoisseur’s Corner: A Classic Partagás From 1993

From slim to fat, from short to extra long, this edition of Connoisseur's Corner covers the size extremes of the cigar world. The Sancho Panza Sancho is an "A," Cuba's longest standard cigar size. The smoke measures 9 1/4 inches long by 47 ring gauge, and it can easily take more …
Cabañas Numero 51 (1955)

Connoisseur’s Corner: A 99-Point Cabañas

Cabañas is an old Cuban cigar brand that was once made by hand, but fell victim to the post-Embargo world and was cancelled. In later years it was brought back as a machine-made cigar. This review shows how marvelous the old handmade varieties could be. Despite being nearly old …