Cu-Avana Maduro

Legendary cigar maker Manuel Quesada has been in the cigar business his entire life. In Cuba, the Quesada family worked as leaf brokers for everything from cigarette tobacco to cigars, and one of the major exporters of Cuban tobacco to the world market. When they were forced into exile in 1960, they transferred their entire business to the Dominican Republic, where they had been buying and selling tobacco for years. It didn't take long before they began manufacturing cigars. In addition to the lovely Maduro featured this month, Manuel also manufactures several other highly regarded brands including Licenciados, Cubita, Romeo y Julieta, Jose Benito, Royal Dominicana brands, Casa Blanca, and Credo. With this, the deepest, darkest of this month's lot, you experience his mastery first hand. Note the expert construction: a glisteningly smooth Connecticut shade wrapper and perfect push in this mild Dominican beauty. This is a dense but not over-packed cigar of high caliber. Immediately note a sweet flavor on the lips even before lighting and look for a dry, woody character, with hints of coffee and spice, and subtle notes of lemon-like flavors. Expect a very pleasant woody aroma and non-lingering dry finish. A fuller bodied smoke than most of Cu-Avana's very mild lines. A perfect accompaniment to a single-malt scotch on the rocks.