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 May 5th may always be Cinco de Mayo, but it is also Kentucky Derby Day in 2007. If you are a race fan, you may be tempted to smoke a Dominican cigar instead of a Mexican cigar, especially since a horse named “Dominican” is running in the Derby this year.
However, you do not really have to sacrifice celebrating Cinco de Mayo with Mexican cigars if watching the Kentucky Derby, because the number one selling premium cigar in the United States is made in the Dominican Republic, but also contains some Mexican tobacco. Yes, the cigar to satisfy everyone on May 5th has to be the Macanudo, a mild smoke recommended for beginners and enjoyed by connoisseurs, but also light enough for female cigar smokers, too. Pick some up now and be prepared to party along with lots of Mexican beer and tequila, while watching the Kentucky Derby.
The Bottom Line Great cigars at great prices.
When people think of Mexican cigars, the first brand that will pop in their heads is Te Amo — The King of Mexican Cigars. But there are several other big rollers of cigars in Mexico and, in the famous San Andres growing valley, another big player is Santa Clara.Santa Clara, founded in 1830, is better known for its medium-bodied and medium-flavored cigars. Years ago, when I was young smoker, I used to smoke its small Quino cigars — 4ΒΌ-inches long and having a ring gauge of 30. These were usually packed ten to a box, in small cedar boxes with a sliding lid. I think, at the time, I treasured the box as much as I did the cigars.Santa Clara is one of the best Mexican brands on the market today.
Santa Clara produces a short line of cigars, offering 10 different sizes in a choice of wrappers styles: natural (brown, EMS: “English Market Selection”) or Maduro (very dark brown). Cigars in its line-up include:
No. I — 7-1/2″ x 52 ring gauge
No. II — 6-1/2″ x 48
No. III — 6-5/8″ x 43
No. IV — 5″ x 44
No. V — 6″ x 44
No. VI — 6″ x 51
No. VII — 5-1/2″ x 25 (very narrow)
Premier Tubes — 6-3/4″, 38
Robusto — 4-1/2″ x 50
Quino — 4-1/4″ x 30
The Cigar I smoked:
the Santa Clara 1830 III, Maduro
This is a long-leaf filler cigar that is Hand Made in San Andres, Mexico. This cigar measures 6-5/8 inches in length and has a ring gauge of 43 (43/64ths of an inch in length). It can be considered a narrow-gauge Lonsdale cigar.This cigar features a dark brown Maduro wrapper from a Sumatran-seed tobacco grown in Mexico. The wrapper is thick, slightly veiny, and a little on the ugly side. On my cigar. there was some evidence of “blooming” (this is the slow rising of oils to the surface of a cigar, appears white and dusty — not to be confused with mold — and is usually considered a positive attribute). The binder and filler tobaccos are also Mexican, making this a 100% Puros Mexicanos.Although the overall appearance of the cigar was something short of beautiful, it was very well constructed. In terms of aroma, this cigar is quite attractive, featuring a strong, freshly-cut cedar aroma …most probably due to its direct contact to a cedar-blanket that lines the inside of the aluminum tube that this cigar is shipped in.
In smoke, this cigar was medium-bodied, almost mild, burning smoothly, evenly, with no burn or unpleasant effects. Quite a nice cigar, having a flavor profile that would pair this cigar well with a cup of coffee.
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