Walking into a cigar shop or lounge can feel like walking into a candy store. Which one do you pick?
David R. Weiss, president of The Lone Wolf Cigar Company, a luxurious and manly cigar company with outposts in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, is here to help. Weiss is an expert in the industry and his Lone Wolf den is a piece of smoking history; The Downtown Historic Santa Monica location was established back in 1893 by Sargent E.E. Baracks and remains one of the oldest tobacco merchants on the West Coast.
Weiss gave shared with us his five favorite cigars to smoke right now.
AVO Syncro Nicaragua Fogata
“This is a cigar for when you want to turn up the tempo. A fusion of wild complexity, blended with unprecedented harmony, this cigar calls for you to go deep into the untamed heart of one of the world’s most celebrated tobacco regions for a cigar that pulsing with the rhythm and spicy character of Nicaragua,” he says. “This distinct blend features flavors of coffee, cedar, citrus, and earth, carefully composed with the softer, creamier notes of special Dominican-grown tobacco.”
Davidoff Nicaragua
A cigar for “adventurous aficionados,” the Davidoff Nicaragua is for the smoker who wants to discover something truly new and exciting, says Weiss. “These superb cigars combine the signature Davidoff refinement with all the intriguing intensity of Nicaraguan tobacco.” It’s crafted entirely from Nicaraguan tobaccos, which is a first for the Davidoff label. Weiss adds, “The 100-percent Puro Nicaraguan blend is comprised of the finest leaves grown in the fiery volcanic soil of the Esteli, Condega, Jalapa, and Ometepe regions of Nicaragua, creating just the right balance of sweet and earthy notes to tantalize the palate.”
Cohiba Macassa
After a 2016 debut, this “medium bodied memorable smoke,” still makes his list of faves. “An ultra-premium masterpiece, the Macassar wears a Connecticut Havana wrapper that cloaks a Connecticut broadleaf binder and a combination of Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers that have been aged for four years,” Weiss says. “To complete this gourmet cigar recipe, the tobaccos spend their final year in fragrant rum barrels to enrich the blends medium-bodied notes of wood, white pepper, cedar, and coffee.”
Tatuaje Cojonu
After reaching farther back into the vault, Weiss’ next choice is a Tatuaje Cojonu from 2012, which he calls a “must-have cigar.” The overall experience is full-bodied and delicious. “Full, rich flavor and balanced to perfection, the Cojonu 2012 is one of my favorite cigars. Starts off with a slight peppery and earthy notes, like most Nicaraguans, but smooths out with cocoa and coffee flavors only highlighted by the broadleaf.”
Montecristo Pilotico Pepe Mendez No. 2
“The Montecristo Politico Blend is crafted with rare Pilotico tobacco seeds, originating from Cuba in the 1960’s by Pepe Mendez,” says Weiss. “This special and unique cigar is rich and complex with bold flavors and a smooth finish. The wrapper is from Equador and the filler is from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua.” He classifies the overall smoke as robust, medium to full-bodied.
