From Rich Perelman at CigarCyclopedia:

“Take a national vote tomorrow and smoking would be banned.”

So says editor Dominic Roskrow’s opening editorial in the new issue of Cigar Buyer, a British magazine for the tobacco trade.

While Roskrow may be right about Britain, I doubt his sentiment would be shared on these shows, despite the strong anti-tobacco current in the U.S.

In the meantime, the new issue (no. 2) has some excellent features and two tastings reflecting the British view.

Make Mine Havana:
Given the close relationship between Cuba and the British cigar market, there’s little doubt that tasters there will prefer Havana-made cigars to those from outside Cuba, right?

Right.

In both tastings in Cigar Buyer, Havana cigars came out ahead, although some Dominican-made brands had good showings:

• In a tasting of new releases to the U.K. market, six cigars earned marks of 9 or better and one received a 10! The perfect score went to the Partagas Serie D No. 1 (Edicion Limitada 2004), a 6 3/4-inch by 50-ring double corona. Noting its “rich, earthy flavour with peppery aroma,” the No. 1 earned an “Editor’s Choice” award.

Of the six cigars scoring 9 or better, four were from Cuba:

> Romeo y Julieta Hermosos No. 2
…(Edicion Limitada 2004, 6 1/4 x 47), 9.5.
> Cuaba Salomones (7 1/4 x 57 torpedo), 9.2.
> Hoyo de Monterrey Petit Robusto (4 x 50), 9.0.
> Montecristo Edmundo (5 1/2 x 52), 9.0.

But two were from the Dominican Republic!

> Cuesta-Rey Quorum (4 1/2 x 38), 9.5, and
> Zino Platinum Scepter Shorty (4 1/2 x 43), 9.0.

The Quorum is not marketed in the U.S., but drew raves for its maduro wrapper and creamy and chocolate taste . . . and its low price compared with the other brands in the tasting. The Zino earned good notices for its “sophisticated range of delicate flavors” that were summarized as “sweet, peppery and distinctive.”

Two sizes of the El Credito International line – from General Cigar – earned scores in the 8s and the Indian Tabac Vintage 1990 Torpedo from Rocky Patel garnered an 8.3.

• In a tasting of Churchill-sized cigars (7 inches by 47-48 ring), there were 10 scores of 9 or better among the 25 entries from four nations.

Two perfect scores of 10 were handed out to the Hoyo de Monterrey Churchill and the Romeo y Julieta Churchill from Cuba. These are popular choices and well-earned, although hardly surprising.

Scores of 9 or better were more interesting, perhaps reflecting a maturing attitude about cigars from outside Cuba:

> 9.7: Cohiba Esplendido (Cuba)
> 9.5: Punch Churchill (Cuba) and
> 9.5: Zino Mouton-Cadet No. 8 (Honduras)
> 9.3: Domaine Avo <30> (Dom. Rep.)
> 9.0: Bolivar Coronas Gigantes (Cuba), Davidoff Millennium Blend (Dom. Rep.), Sancho Panza Coronas Gigantes (Cuba), Santa Damiana Churchill (Dom. Rep.)

Four from Cuba, two from the Dominican and one from Honduras. One wonders what score another Honduran star – Excalibur – would have received if included.

Dominican, Honduran and Nicaraguan cigars scored strongly in the 8s in this tasting, led by Davidoff Aniversario No. 2 and Avo XO Maestoso from the Dominican Republic at 8.8, the Griffin’s Prestige (Dom. Rep.) and the Private Stock Tubos No. 1 at 8.7. The Macanudo Vintage No. 1 Cabinet Selection 1993 earned an 8.5 along with cigars from C.A.O. (Nicaragua), Dunhill (Dom. Rep.) and Don Pedro Ramos (Honduras).