Indian Tabac Classic Line

Success in today's hype-saturated premium cigar market goes beyond selling a few boxes. Short term prosperity is all around us, riding on the tails of a solidifying trend. But how does a young company become known, not as a trend follower, but as a standard-bearer--a maker of truly fine cigars? Owners of the Indian Tabac Cigar Company, Rocky Patel and Phil Zanghi have obviously given these questions great consideration. In an astonishingly short period of time, Indian cigars have gained great cachet in the premium market and show no signs of fading from view anytime soon. Fewer cigar companies combine youthful energy, commitment, and tradition as does Indian Tabac Cigars. The average age of the company's two principals is barely thirty years. Still, this does not translate to inexperience. An equal measure of tradition rounds out the Indian Tabac Cigar Company. Their Honduran masterblender began his tobacco career at age eight, under the supervision of Cuban masters when his job was simply to hand leaves to the workmen forming the bunobes. Today, he creates the unique blends for which the Indian Tabac Cigars are known, and supervises the rolling staff. Their Honduran master curer is a highlands Mayan, born into a family with a hundred years of tobacco experts. Both have been tobacaleros for over thirty-five years. The company is quite committed to building their brand recognition to prominence which requires determination and sacrifice. Phil spends little time, if any, in an office. Rather he daily oversees Indian's precious crops as he rides horseback through the company's 300 acres of tobacco farms in the Jalapa Valley of Nicaragua in the Hamastrand Valley of Honduras. Known by the locals as the "Crazy Gringo," he's earned the respect of the entire cigar-making community in both countries. He is instrumental in every step of making their cigars and for this reason he is unique. "I'm not going to just sit in the United States and go to cigar dinners and tell everyone to smoke my cigar. I need to be here to harvest the tobacco, make sure only the best quality is used, manage the factory, and inspect all of the cigars before they are boxed. I just can't trust it to anyone else. It's a big job." Unlike many emerging cigar entrepreneurs which merely trek to cigar-making countries to buy cigars, create their own band and call them "their own", Indian owns their farms and factory which are both 100% dedicated to producing only for Indian Tabac Cigars. All of their cigars use Habano Seco leaves for filler. The Indian classic tobacco is aged for two years prior to rolling and the cigars are aged another 6 months after being rolled. The Limited Reserve Anniversary line is constructed from ten percent of each year's harvest which has been put aside for additional aging. Its wrapper is aged for four years and the filler for three. The company recently became the first ever to grow Cuban Seed Nicaraguan wrapper leaf which is used in the Classic line Toro featured this month. Each line featured has received impeccable reviews from both the industry and our panel. We know you're going to enjoy these fantastic cigars. For more information on the Indian Tabac Cigar Co., call them at 888-766-5387 visit their web site at: www.indiantabac.com. or email them directly at [email protected].

Our favorite of the Indian Tabac samples smoked. Immediately note an aesthetically pleasing and inviting medium-brown, slightly reddish silky smooth wrapper in this well constructed cigar. It has a nice feel in your hand, firm, but not too tight. We found it to offer a flawless draw and an even burn. The ash was consistent and firm indicative of proper aging. We picked up definite strong cedar tones in this cool smoking, leathery full-bodied cigar. The aroma was a pleasant, woody, slightly sweet one and we found the aftertaste to be very full and lingering. Overall, a fantastic, complex, very well balanced smoke. Consider pairing it up with either your favorite Single Malt Scotch or Brandy.