Think that the only place in the United States where good cigar tobacco can be grown is Connecticut?

If so, you are mistaken.

Deep in the Bluegrass State, in an area more known for thoroughbred horses and fine bourbon, something unusual is happening. Some fine cigar wrapper tobacco is being grown because of the vision and efforts of Mark Barrow, a man who decided to try something no one else had tried.

“I think Kentucky’s heritage is tobacco, bourbon and fast horses, and I want to keep all three of them going,” said Barrow.

Mark Barrow is not just a visionary. He is a visionary who has succeeded.

The story continues after the jump.

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Patrick at The Stogie Guys has a short review of the Partagas Black Label Clasico up. The Black Label is a cigar that I like. Indeed, I like virtually all Partagas cigars. Patrick seems to agree on this one, giving it a four out of five on their rating system.

Here’s an excerpt of what Patrick had to say,

“while the cigar’s appearance makes it stand out in the humidor, this stogie can only fully be appreciated after enjoying its distinctive flavors, which are so unique they are difficult to properly describe.

The Clasico is a 5.25×54 large Robusto made at General Cigar’s Dominicana factory. I would characterize it as a medium-to-full bodied smoke with a full flavor that is spicy or peppery and yet very smooth at the same time. A lot of the special character of the cigar comes from the care that went into its development.

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Summary:

A mild to medium-bodied, maduro cigar with a rough-appearing and veiny wrapper that is oscuro-dark black. Those looking for a “wicked touch of spice” in their cigars should probably look elsewhere however…and that probably explains why this cigar has gone from being a promising devil to a ghost of Halloween past.

Those of you familiar with my cigar reviews should know that this one is a bit different. The Diablo line has been discontinued by the manufacturer due to low sales. If you want to try this cigar, you will have to hurry, search out the few suppliers who still have it in stock — and it will probably be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for you.

So, why the review?

As I said, I’m doing something a little different here. This review is the first installment in a two part series. The first part, which you are reading, will review the cigar independent of its marketing campaign and hype. Think of it as similar to a blind tasting — or as similar as I can possibly make it.

The second article, which will follow, will focus on the question of “what went wrong,” and I frankly find that question quite interesting. Hopefully, so will you.

When the Diablo line was introduced, there was much fanfare and a well-coordinated guerilla marketing campaign that a lot of time and effort went into. The cigar was created by a really talented blender, and is really not a bad cigar at all. Despite that, only a little over a year later, the cigar is history. Considering that it was backed by one of the major companies in the industry, I think that the Diablo story deserves a second look.

So, enjoy the review today and come back for the post-mortem soon.
 

Background Information:

A medium-bodied cigar with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, an oily Connecticut Broadleaf binder, and a filler made of a blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican Piloto Cubano (cuban seed) Ligero tobacco. From cigar master-blender Daniel Nuñez, and manufacturered by General Cigar at their Dominicana factory .

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Summary:

A solid cigar that delivers excellent flavor in a mild to medium-bodied smoke. Never bitter, never harsh, always flavorful — but one dimensional and much milder than its dark Oscuro wrapper might lead you to expect. Very sensitive to humidity as well, and its finicky nature loses it points because of the effect it has on draw, burn and flavor. Still, a very good cigar and a definite step up from the regular Onyx line.

Background Information:

This beautiful 7 inch, 50 ring gauge, figurado is long for a traditional Belicoso. It is a mild to medium-bodied cigar with an Oscuro Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper and a Nicaraguan binder. The filler a blend of Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Peruvian tobaccos. Manufactured by Tabacalera de Garcia Ltd. in the Dominican Republic for Altadis.

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Summary:

The new Cusano 18 Paired Maduro Churchill is medium to medium-full bodied with a quiet power like you’ll find in some Cuban cigars. Creamy and refined, it is an extremely flavorful and balanced smoke. This cigar is very new, but has already won a place in my humidor. While quite good now, I believe that it has the potential to become great after a few months of humidor rest. Highly recommended, and a Best Buy at the price.

Background Information:

At 7 1/2 inches with a 50 ring gauge this cigar is slightly longer than a classic Churchill, slightly shorter than a classic Double Corona, and a little fatter than both. It is a full-flavored cigar with a double-cured Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper over a San Vicente Dominican Olor binder. The filler contains the same 18 year old Dominican Olor aged tobacco as the Cusano 18 Double Connecticut, blended with Dominican Piloto Cubano. In addition, the filler also contains Brazilian Mata Fina Maduro leaf. Manufactured by Tabacos Dominicanos S.A. and blended by master craftsman Hendrik Kelner, creator of Davidoff, AVO, Paul Garmirian and The Griffin’s cigars, at his Tabadom factory in the Dominican Republic for Cusano Cigars.

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From Richard Hendrix at Blank Mind Blog — a very entertaining and interesting review of La Gloria Cubana Serie R No. 6 Maduro. Here’s how it starts:

I have always been a fan of the La Gloria Cubana Wavells. You will usually find a mix of these and the Baccarat Luchadores in the bottom tray of my humidor. So I was familiar with the quality of the La Gloria Cubana cigar line. I was hoping that the Serie R line would provide a delightful smoke to add to my experiences as well.

What follows and how it finishes is not exactly what Richard expected, but the cigar wasn’t to blame for that. In fact, the cigar was quite good. I won’t spoil the rest of the review by telling you any more about it, but it is a very good piece of writing that shows how a good cigar can add a bit more pleasure to some of the already pleasurable moments of life. Read it for yourself and see if it doesn’t bring a smile to your lips.