Joe Fiori of Joe’s Cigar Lounge in Delray Beach
says Cuban cigars have a mystique but they’re not
as good as those made in Honduras, Nicaragua
or the Dominican Republic. Photo by Lauren Loricchio
By Jan Norris
Smoke shops are stocking up for Father’s Day — one of the hottest (no pun intended) day for cigar sales.
With hundreds of brands and styles to choose from, and cigars priced from $3 to $40 a “stick,” it can be a smoky maze to thread choosing the right cigar for Dad. But local tobacco and cigar experts are ready with advice for cigar buying.
First, is there a proper way to give cigars? “There is an etiquette involved,” said Bob Leone, of Crown Wines and Spirits in Boynton Beach. “You really never give just one cigar — give two at minimum. Whenever I give cigars, I bring a handful.” A gift box of five is a good start if you’re not sure if Dad will like them.
How about matching spirits with cigars? Leone said that’s easy. “With a single-malt scotch — I drink Macallan 12-year-old — I’d match it with an Ashton VSG. It’s Ashton’s top line, a Cuban-style cigar,” he said.
For bourbon, he recommends Knob Creek, and because of its sweeter taste, a Romeo and Juliet Reserva cigar. The same cigar works well with aged rum, too, such as Ron Matusalem 15-year-old. The cigar is a Cuban recipe in Dominican production, he said.
Over at the Cigar Connoisseur, a cigar shop with full liquor lounge in Delray Beach, manager Matteo Fronzaglia recommends buying dad a handpicked sampler box of several cigars, especially if you don’t know his exact brand. “I’d get a range of five cigars — different sizes, flavors and wrappers. It could range from $55 to $100,” he said.
Matching dad’s interest to a cigar is one of his specialties. “For a golfer, look for a bigger ring gauge and longer smoke to last on the course. I’d go with a Churchill or Corona size; it takes about an hour to smoke. For a fisherman or motorcycle rider, though, you want a Robusto — something they can toss away if they get a fish on or they have to leave suddenly. It’s a quicker smoke,” he said. A fine wine drinker would appreciate a Maduro-wrapped — darker, more robust flavored, in a Churchill size — a long, strong smoke to be enjoyed with a good wine.
What about Cuban cigars? Joe Fiori from Joe’s Cigar Lounge in Delray Beach said the Cuban cigars, which still carry a mystique, really aren’t as good as those now produced in Nicaragua, Honduras or the Dominican Republic.
“Everybody wants what they can’t have, right? Cubans did produce the best cigars before the embargo. But today, the agriculture is better in the countries the Cubans fled to. They took their tobacco seeds with them and are making the same cigars in their new countries.”
He recommends that neophyte cigar buyers trust the tobacconist. “It’s all about putting the person in the right cigar,” he said. “Do they prefer mild, medium or more robust flavor? Cigars from a certain region? Knowing their style helps; knowing their brand is even better.”
Lisabeth Bracho, co-owner with her husband, Eduardo Garcia, of Puros Cigars in Delray Beach, enjoys cigars herself. “I can tell you what the cigar is like, because I smoke, too.”
Premium cigars like Padron, Montecristo, Maduro, Kristoff, Macanudos, Oliva and La Gloria Cubana are big sellers at her shop, she said.
These are among the top names in cigars, and are from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. “The Northern tourists like Cohibas, but locals have different tastes,” she said. But for unsure buyers, she stays middle-of-the-road with recommendations to be safe. “We try to give a medium-bodied cigar with a medium wrapper.
The darker the wrapper, like a Maduro — almost black — the bolder the flavor.
Like other shops, hers carries humidors ranging from $29 for 20 cigars, to those holding up to 160 cigars for $179. “They’re beautiful,” she said, and have hydrometers to measure humidity and temperature properly.
At his full tobacco shop, Bennington Tobacconist of Boca, owner James Bennington offers full lines of cigars and smokers’ accessories. He carries travelers’ humidors — small hard-case carriers that contain a humidifier packet.
Davidoff cigars, which sell for around $10 each, are among his most popular. “Those are premium cigars; the Arturo Fuentes are ‘everyday’ cigars that are my best sellers. Both are from the Dominican Republic.”
His whole line of humidors, ashtrays and cutters also make good gifts, ranging from $150 to $2 for a simple cutter. Gift boxes, with a group of cigars plus a cutter also are available during Father’s Day.
Cigar facts
- Cigars aren’t returnable to shops because there’s no guarantee the buyer has kept them properly upon leaving the shop’s humidor.
- Cigars are mild, medium or robust in flavor. They are sized from small, medium and large and burn from relatively quickly to up to 90 minutes. Decide how much time dad can commit to a smoke to help choose.
- All cigars need to be cut; a cutter and an ashtray are inexpensive gifts.
- Cigars must be kept properly — never in the refrigerator and never in the heat. A home or travel humidor is another good gift.
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