Meerapfels Release New Brand with Cuban and Dominican Tobacco

[Professor Twain]

Cigar Aficionado has just posted a story stating that a Belgian company has been buying and saving Cuban tobacco continually for decades, and will release a new cigar, La Estancia, in Europe with Cuban and Dominican tobacco.

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfeatures/show/id/17695

I'm interested in whether anyone knows if this is true. I thought that the Cuban government had been very careful to control their tobacco and not allow it to be sold other than as rolled cigars. I also wonder if this might be technically true but that perhaps this is not premium Cuban tobacco.

Eager to learn more and I hope that Rob will weigh in.

[Cigar Surgeon]

Delightful.

[AdC]

This is correct/true
I'm lucky to know both Jeremiah and Joshua

Jeremiah and I get together on a regular basis
Last week he left a corona for me and asked me my opinion

I'm happy to share with you my notes I send him

"Hey Jeremiah,
(...)
I’ve been told the cigar was rolled only 3 weeks ago so in essence smoking such a young cigar is basically committing baby murder
Any judgment about such a young cigar is unfair so my opinion doesn’t mean anything about the cigar

Construction:
very good, nicely packed/filled and right amount of weight
the foot shows a different way of rolling (I’ve been told they’re rolled in Honduras?) but doesn’t affect the draw at all
nicely firm
I still prefer seeing a triple cap though

A crudo:
Not very pronounced
Cold draw: sharp (young/acidity) + mulch

First third:
sharp + acid, not nice at all
propably due to its super young age

Second third:
Once beyond the first third the cigar becomes way milder
Creamy, beech and a hint of pepper
The aroma on the other hand gains in strength

Last third
In the last third it leaves a very distinct barn smell (me like!)

Even though it is absolutely incorrect to quote this cigar I would give it at this time 3 bands
This is not bad at all
The cigar is definitely not unbalanced but it is irregular in that sense that the first third is too strong and the second third too mild
That makes it for me (at the time being) inconsistent
On the other hand I have to admit this cigar has potential"

His reaction is also interesting enough to share:

"Dear Koen,

Thank you so very much for taking the time in writing the email here below.
I appreciate it.

You are absolutely correct. The cigars must settle down a little as to mellow out.
I believe you smoked one only days after they landed in Belgium; They traveled by plane.

There will be a massive difference in the balance of the cigar within the next few weeks when the humidity levels-out and the cigars have a little time to settle in. The taste and burn will also modify. It will be interesting to see the difference.

Let’s smoke one together next weekend if you are around. You should already see the change.

(...)

See you soon and take care,

Jeremiah E. Meerapfel
Co-Chairman
M. Meerapfel Söhne"

These are sure interesting times...

[Smallclub]

"Made with a Nicaraguan wrapper and binder, La Estancia cigars contain a combination of Nicaraguan and Cuban tobacco in the filler"

I guess the "Dominican" in the title of this thread is a mistake…

[PigFish]

I personally would love to experience cigars carefully rolled with fine light wrappers that contained Cuban tobacco!

To the member who knows the folks making the cigars, tell them I wish them success in their venture… -the Pig

[AdC]

To the member who knows the folks making the cigars, tell them I wish them success in their venture… -the Pig

Please,.. it's Koen

I'll pass on the message

[Cigar Surgeon]

I would do Cuban filler, Nicaraguan binder and San Andreas wrapper.

[oliverdst]

I am sure some members here are more than experienced and your friends would improve this new cigar with their feedback.

[Grahamsant]

Hmmm...these sound intriguing! I'd be interested to know when these are up for sale as I'd definitely try a couple

[AdC]

you seem to implie the producers didn't collaborate with an experienced team and the cigar needs improvement

i don't believe that's correct

at least not at this stage

i was not involved in the process, nor do i have any interest in it but honnestly, at the time being i cannot tell the cigar needs improvement

i smoked the cigar when it was extremely young and had to admit that given this fact it performed quite well

the last third was definitely pleasing but it could just be me being not experienced enough...

anyway, feedback is allways welcome

in any case i find this venture extremely interesting and projects like this could give a view on the near future

maybe we should focuss on that

[perkinke]

I have some half coronas that are 20% Cuban and 80% sumatra from a different company. Didn't much like the first one I smoked, been sitting on the rest for a while to see if that helps. I have been curious if we will see more of these kinds of combinations the way we do with mixtures of NC tobaccos if Cuba opens its economy up some more. Do you know when these will hit the market?

[AdC]

i have no idea

i do know they're already available in the netherlands (prices are btw not bad, € 7,00 for the robusto)

the first production is already sold out and they're waiting for the next production to come over which they will first let rest before shipping

[Philski]

I wonder where in Cuba the tobacco comes from. I would imagine it would be far more tricky to procure premium Vuelta Abajo tobacco than the inferior stuff grown elsewhere.

I don't mean to diss the product or the company, by the way, but just saying 'Cuban tobacco' covers a pretty broad range of quality.

[rbelcastro]

Thanks for posting this. I found it very interesting and informative. I truly hope that they do well. I look forward to trying one.

[alloy]

Would be very interesting to taste one of these. With a little rest, they could be spectacular. Will they be at other vendors outside of Belgium?

[Smallclub]

Would be very interesting to taste one of these. With a little rest, they could be spectacular.

What makes you say that?

Am I alone to be NOT interested in that type of cigar? I like puros. Just like wines, I like the fact that my cigars are a product of a terroir (soil+climate+savoir-faire/traditions), or, the result of a thorough research on mixing leaves from different provenances.

I fail to see how some random tobacco from Cuba mixed with Nicaragua filler could be better than a habanos of the same price...

[Professor Twain]

"Made with a Nicaraguan wrapper and binder, La Estancia cigars contain a combination of Nicaraguan and Cuban tobacco in the filler"

I guess the "Dominican" in the title of this thread is a mistake…

OOPS. Thanks for catching this. My bad, I rushed it up.

[polarbear]

What makes you say that?

Am I alone to be NOT interested in that type of cigar? I like puros. Just like wines, I like the fact that my cigars are a product of a terroir (soil+climate+savoir-faire/traditions), or, the result of a thorough research on mixing leaves from different provenances.

I fail to see how some random tobacco from Cuba mixed with Nicaragua filler could be better than a habanos of the same price...

If smoking NC's has taught me anything over the years its that a Puro doesnt always mean good

Some of my Fav cigars have tobacco from 3 different countries in them

I'd be very interested to see what the Montecristo blend would be like with a Conneticut Broadleaf wrapper, or a tatuaje brown label blend with a Cuban binder and wrapper

It would all depend of tobacco quality, of course, but I think it would be interesting to let some of the NC blends have access to the high quality cuban tobacoo

[Diamondog]

blasphemy

[perkinke]

What makes you say that?

Am I alone to be NOT interested in that type of cigar? I like puros. Just like wines, I like the fact that my cigars are a product of a terroir (soil+climate+savoir-faire/traditions), or, the result of a thorough research on mixing leaves from different provenances.

I fail to see how some random tobacco from Cuba mixed with Nicaragua filler could be better than a habanos of the same price...

For me it's not a question of "better" but I like a variety of different sticks so I'm always interested in a different flavor profile. If nothing else I'm simply curious because several of the NC blends I like are mixtures from several countries, I wonder if adding in Cuban tobacco would make those even better.

[mikek]

Sounds like it could have potential! Next to Cubans I smoke Padrons,especialy the maduros I find excellent.I would imagine blending Cuban and Nicaraguan could turn up some interesting blends.For some reason though I cant see the high quality Cuban leaf being blended with another country! I am not A blender by any means so hard to say.

[garbandz]

I have tried blending with Cuban leaf.Generally the tobaccos I have are Nicaraguan,Columbian,Cameroon,Brasilian,Dominican,Pennsylvania broadleaf,and a few others.

The Cuban leaf has been from plugged or damaged sticks I have.

The Cuban flavors and aromas are easily overshadowed and masked by most all of the leaf I have tried,with the exception of Cameroon.

It is surprising that even just a broadleaf wrapper can totally overpower a petit corona sized stick,even a Bolivar.

To blend Non Cuban tobacco with Cuban will be tricky,if you want the Cuban essence to come through.

I wish I had bales of decades old Cuban tobacco,I would toss the other stuff on the compost heap.............

[cigcars]

I think at least somewhat equal parts of Cuban, Cameroon, Brazilian and/or Connecticut broadleaf or shadegrown tobacco would be a to die for/to kill for smoke so to speak. Nicaraguan tobacco practically IS Havana-esque IMHO, is it not? I think the potential would be huge-mongous! I can't wait to sample one or more of these releases!

[shlomo]

Garbanz and Smallclub are on point. That Cuban "essence" will be completely lost using any other tobacco and the mixing of several region's and country's tobacco does nothing to pique my interest. My 2 cents.

Still, good luck to the makers. Always nice to see something different that may attract some new botl

[PigFish]

I believe the Cubans grow the best tasting tobacco in the world. I don’t like nor do I smoke NC cigars.

I am only interested in taste. I don’t really care where a cigar comes from or who rolls it. I want a cigar that tastes great, has a reasonable cost, and comes in the sizes that I prefer to smoke. I am romantic about a lot of lost Cuban cigars, not just any Cuban cigar! I won’t buy just any cigar… And that includes a lot, if not most of what the Cubans currently make…

I have already stated that I think the Cubans grow the best tobacco, and as of today they still roll the best cigars. However I feel equally strong about my low opinion of Tabacuba, the choices it makes and how it is run! I believe that they are on the wrong path and furthermore I feel that they have become industry followers not leaders. I think of them as a second-rate company!!!

It would be nice to see what someone with a vision, what someone new can do with Cuban tobacco. If they fail, they fail… If they follow instead of lead, if they cannot produce a quality product at a good price, there will certainly be no skin off my nose! But if they can compete with Tabacuba on taste performance, and if they are interested in my business, in my interest in medium and thin ring cigars, more than in making boxes… then their products will be a welcome addition to my humidors!

I am interested in a company that will court my tastes. Tabacuba has abandoned me and many seasoned smokers like me. I would like to replace them with a company that once again desires my business and will prove it by making cigars in the sizes, with the taste performance that I like to smoke!

Pipe dream… probably…! But to start someone has to take a first step…

Cheers! -Piggy