Reviews by Keith

As the saying goes, "beauty may only be skin deep, but ugly goes right to the bone." But this is one beauty that's got a pretty face and delivers the goods, in all respects from substance to flavor to construction to price. Bold statement. If you're a maduro nut, the new El Mejor "Espresso" blend will wow you. I received a small advance shipment a few weeks ago (the full shipment to arrive next …

Until a year or two ago, I never viewed Natural as a serious, conventional cigar. In most consumers' minds it is so closely tied to Drew Estate's insanely popular, highly-infused ACID brand that the popular misconception holds that Natural is also such an "imbued" cigar as well. To be sure, Natural is made with unconventional tobaccos from such sources as Haiti and Turkey, as well as more common …

Rolando Reyes, Sr. is tireless. The man is over 80 years old, widely acknowledged as the best blender alive, and he still works like a horse day in and day out. Actually, it's probably more like night in, night out: his work habits are legendary - he sleeps during the day, wakes up late in the afternoon, and then stays up the entire night sorting cigars until rollers arrive the next morning. He …

I just returned about a week ago from New Orleans, where the annual RTDA cigar industry trade show was held this year. Man, talk about a roll in the catnip. I always look forward to RTDA - catching up with friends in the industry, working out deals, discussing new projects, smoking 20 cigars a day....and hatching schemes to destroy the competition (he he he). It's sensory overload, with cigars as …

Whenever I'm asked what I do for a living, I get one of three reactions: 1) a puzzled look on his face, "I'll be damned. You can make a living selling cigars?" 2) shocked look from a soccer mom who slowly backs away as if I just told her I sell arms to Syria 3) excited …