Angel 100 1961

Angel 100 was created to celebrate the life's work of Angel Oliva. Angel Oliva –no relation to the Oliva family that makes the Serie 'O'—is one of the biggest names in the cigar industry. One of the largest tobacco growers in the world, this Oliva family is a tobacco empire unto its own. Born into the industry in 1907, Angel and his family provide the entire cigar industry with premium tobacco leaf. An overwhelming majority of today's top cigar makers use Oliva leaves. Like the man himself, Angel's flavorful Nicaraguan namesake is rich, bold and brimming with character. Not having met him, we're not sure whether Angel is handsome but his stick, with its slight box-press, sure is. It's beautifully constructed, smooth and oily and has a slightly toothy wrapper. The prelight aroma is almost coffee bean like. The draw is easy and the stogie produces lots of thick smoke. As the cigar burns, the flavor becomes stronger and more complex, picking up a nice sweetness on the aftertaste. Pair this medium-bodied smoke with a good Doppel Bock beer, like Paulaner's Salvator or Ayinger's Celebrator, two remarkable examples of the style that will accentuate the sweeter notes in this cigar. If you're not familiar with the beers and would like to be, please consider joining our Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club at www.beermonthclub.com.