The Cigar Maker by Mark Carlos McGinty

Just found out about this book: The Cigar Maker.

It is about The Cigar City. The year is 1898. Young Cuban rebel Salvador Ortiz and his family have escaped the hardship of war-torn Cuba, but the union halls, cigar factories, and dark alleys of Tampa are filled with violence and vendetta. Salvador must defy constant labor strife and deadly corruption in a one-industry town known for backroom cockfights, street thugs, late-night abductions and mass production of the world’s best hand-rolled stogies. An ideological battle for control of the cigar industry tests Salvador’s self-respect and love of hard work as he fights to abandon his rambunctious, outlaw past and lead his proud Cuban family into a colorful immigrant society. His wish for a peaceful life as a husband, a father, and a man of dignity is threatened by a lawless underworld and a cultural conflict with a dangerous, bloody history.

Midwest Book Review gave it 5 stars and said it was "highly recommended." The Cigar Inspector said "I had a hard time putting it down."

Written in the style of Mario Puzo, painstakingly researched and lovingly
crafted, Mark McGinty’s The Cigar Maker blends fact and fiction and tells a
little known tale of American history. Already reaching #1 on Amazon’s cigar
best-sellers, this is Les Misérables meets the Buena Vista Social Club.

2010 Edicion Limitadas

On the Cigar Afficionado website, they list the 2010 line-up of the limitadas of 2010:

- Montecristo Grand Edmundo
- Partagas Serie D Especial
- Trinidad Short Robusto

Piedra Blanca de Veras Diplomatico

I got this beautiful cigar from a friend at our fencing club, who had this one in his possession for a long time. The cigars have not been stored properly, so a lot of flavors have gone. After a few months of carefull rehydration in my humi, they are now smokable again.

This smoke, a dominican Diplomaticos measuring 6 by 44, branded with the number 15, is a long veiny smoke with a good constructed cap.Presented in red label, it has "Olor Dominicano" and "Piloto Cubano" filler, Dominican binder, and Connecticut shade wrapper.




After clipping, the dry draw was effortless, not even the slightest resistance. It burns evenly after lighting it, giving the feeling of a good constructed cigar.

The taste itself is dry, don't know if that has anything to do with the age and the improper storing during the years. The cigar is very light and burns quite fast at first. However, a few times a correction was necessary.

Tastes are primarely nutty, with a hint of spice. In the second halve, the spice comes out very strong, but that can also be because I had to relight it alot of times.


The ashes are not very solid, so keep an ashtray close!

2009 Edition limitadas

this year following limitadas will be released:

* Bolivar Petit Belicosos (petit belicoso, 4.9 x 52)
* H. Upmann Magnum 48 (robusto, 4.5 x 48)
* Romeo y Julieta Duke (grand robusto, 5.5 x 54)

Partagas Serie D no5 Edicion Limitada 2008

This morning, the sun was shining. Time for a special smoke during my daily commute to Brussels (which normally takes me about 1hour). I looked around in my humi, to look for the best smoke on this day. It should be a small smoke, to finish in the hour. It left me with 2 choices: my last RyJ Short Churchill or the Partagas limitada of 2008.

I chose the Partagas, because I have never smoked this one. It looked perfectly, no bumps. It felt sweet, not silky like older cigars, and firm.

After clipping, the dry taste left me with a tobacco smell and taste, with a really good draw. So, I lighted it up.




Immediatly a lot of smoke..puffing went great, almost no resistance!! That is how I like my cigars !! first puffs revealed a strong spicy taste, a little bit too much on my empty stumach..

Getting in my car and puffing away, I could taste also hints of leather and earth (like every Partagas cigar). After 20 minutes the spicyness was still there, not to the liking of my bowel system. For the first time in over a year, my stumach was complaining about the cigar. Not that the cigar is that heavy, but the spicyness was almost upsetting.


The taste doesn't really change, it doesn't get softer of more other tastes..Perhaps they were just cloacked by the spices..
Great ashes, but I arrived at work too early to smoke it fully. The rest is waiting for my afternoon smoke in the sun.

Would I smoke this again? Definetely, but after a good meal.It looks like they packed all the action from a big cigar into this little one..

Great smoke, but beware ;)

Romeo y Julieta 1875 Reserva Real Corona

While it has been an interesting time to smoke cigars (the sun is shining again, spring and almost summer), I havent been posting on my blog since february. Since then, NUB's have been taking the market by storm (and indeed, they are delicious) and I had plenty of cigars to enjoy.

This RyJ was laying in my humi for quite some time, and since today is the day to vote (flemish and european elections), I had the time and occasion to smoke a gentle cigar.

I just came back from balloting my vote, sitting down at my new desk to enjoy a coffee and do some research.


My sister got me this smoke from her travels across the USA. And what a smoke it is! It looks smooth, the Ecuadorian wrapper feels not so oily, wit some large veins. As used from RyJ, the cigar is fabulously rolled. No imperfections, and after cutting, the dry draw is perfect.

The Nicaraguan binder and a blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers taste great when lighting. The cigar lights up perfectly and the first draws produce a lot of smoke. I was surprised how light the taste is !


It produces a greyish ash, which is not too consistent, floaks fall of every now and then. No burn troubles, although it didn't smoke even, but no touch ups were made.

Flavors are light: definitely some wood, wet bark. Yes, it tastes like a morning walk in the woods, with a hint of nuts and almons maybe.

Being so light, a great cigar for people who are starting to smoke cigars. Definetely great, and more then fair-priced !!

List of 2009 regional cigars

James Suckling reported on his cigar-afficionado blog about the 2009 Regional cigars:

Bolivar - Germany - 5ta Avenida – 50 x 184 - Conde 109
Bolivar - Germany - Especiales No.2 – 38 x 192 - Delicados
Punch - Italy - Diademas Extra - 55 x 233 - Diadema
El Ray del Mundo - Italy - Torpedos - 52 x 140 - Campanas
Por Larrañaga - not allocated - Machu Picchu - 50 x 127 - Petit Piramides
Ramon Allones - not allocated - Los Andes - 50 x 141 - Gorditos
El Ray del Mundo - Baltic - Balthasar - 50 x 155 - Dobles
Por Larrañaga - Switzerland - Valiosos - 52 x 156 - Piramides
Punch - Switzerland - Pocerosos - 54 x 164 - Sublimes
Ramon Allones - Switzerland - Deliciosos - 50 x 102 - Petit Robustos
Ramon Allones - Asia Pacific - Celestiales Finos - 46 x 137 - Britanicas
Saint Luis Rey - Asia Pacific - Pacifics - 52 x 156 - Piramides
Punch - Benelux - Punch Royal - 50 x 141 - Gordito
Bolivar - Benelux - Fabulosos - 52 x 135 - Edmundo
Vegas Robaina - Benelux - Elegantes - 47 x 158 - Tacos
Vegas Robaina - Benelux - Magnificos - 52 x 135 - Edmundo
Punch - Spain - Grand Robusto - 50 x 155 - Dobles
Por Larrañaga - not allocated - unnamed - 50 x 155 - Dobles
Juan Lopez - not allocated - unnamed - 50 x 102 - Petit Robustos
El Ray del Mundo - France - Petit Coupania - 50 x 127 - Petit Piramides
Quintero - France - Small Club - 50 x 102 - Petit Robustos
Ramon Allones - Middle East - Beritus - 52 x 135 - Edmundo
Bolivar - Middle East - El Greco - 50 x 141 - Gorditos
Vegas Robaina - Canada - Petit Robaina - 52 x 110 - Petit Edmundo
Ramon Allones - Canada - Petit Unicos - 50 x 127 - Petit Pyramides
Juan Lopez - UK - Seleccion Suprema - 52 x 170 - Torre Iznagas
El Ray del Mundo - UK - Choix de L'epoque - 52 x 110 - Petit Edmundo
Punch - Scandinavia - Northern Light - 52 x 110 - Petit Edmundo
Vegas Robaina - Scandinavia - Great Northern Light - 54 x 164 - Sublimes
La Gloria Cubana - Unknown (Habanos S.A.?) - Deliciosos - 48 x 127 - Hermosos No.4
Punch - India - Platino - 49 x 194 - Prominentes



Like they say in pokemon, gotta catch em all ;)