Piedra Blanca de Veras

Tabacalera San Luis was founded in 1998 after the Veras family, who own about 750 aces of tobacco fields, decided not to sell off their crop due to low prices in the marketplace and age them to use in cigars. They then brought in some cigar experts from Cuba to hire rollers and built a walk-in humidor large enough to hold 150,000 cigars. Luis Antonio Veras, who owns the company, has over 45 years of experience with tobacco, so this was old hat for him. The Piedra Blanca de Veras is their Flagship Connecticut wrapper brand. This claro colored beauty is truly a wonderful display of craftsmanship. Look for a smooth, slightly oily wrapper, well rolled with just the right firmness. We found it generally very appealing. Note an effortless draw and even burn in this mild-to-medium bodied treat. Similar in profile to the Macanudo brand with a hint of Dominican spice evident as you get into the smoke a bit. Look for a dry, woody finish that doesn't linger. We found the aroma to be very pleasant. We'd suggest pairing it with a dry Chardonnay or hoppy Pale Ale.