Kismet Luck

Meaning “fate” or “destiny”, Kismet may not be a staple in your humidor but this handmade puro is destined to change that. Created under the watchful eye of cigar master Augusto Reyes, this handmade starts with six – yes, six – different types of tobaccos that are all grown from various regions within the Dominican Republic. They are securely bound with a Dominican binder and finished with a feisty Corojo leaf that dates back to 2006. Once lit, a creamy coffee-esque core will be accompanied by hints of leather with a spicy finish. Not only did we love this medium to full bodied cigar but so did Cigar Aficionado which gave it a 90 point rating. Take a date with destiny and enjoy this smoke with a white rum.

Though tobacco is indigenous to Hispaniola, the tobacco industry in the Dominican Republic existed in the shadow of Cuba’s dominance through the 1960s. When the exodus of Cuban cigar makers began in the wake of the revolution, many decided the Dominican Republic would be ideal for the resumption of their livelihoods. Unrest in Nicaragua in the 1980s fueled the Dominican cigar industry further. The country now makes more than half of the premium cigars imported into the U.S.

The Cibao Valley and the nearby city of Santiago are the center of cigar production in the Dominican Republic. Three main varieties are grown here: the mild and native Olor Dominicano; the intense Piloto Cubano, brought from the Vuelta Abajo of Cuba; and San Vicente, a milder and more acidic Piloto hybrid. Dominican puros were once unheard of as it was widely thought impossible to grow quality wrapper leaf on the island, but new growing techniques are now allowing some exceptional puros to be produced.