Terroir Cigar

Factory: El Titan de Bronze, Miami

Tasting Notes: Cream, nuts, subtle wine cellar, white pepper

Brian Chinnock makes wine in Napa Valley. He also makes cigars. And when those two worlds collide - you get the Terroir.

The name says it all. Terroir [ter-war] is the French concept winemakers use to describe how geography, geology, and climate leave their mark on what you're drinking. Chinnock's whole thesis is that the same thing happens with premium tobacco - and he built a cigar to prove it.

The Terroir is handmade by Cuban rollers at El Titan de Bronze in the heart of Little Havana. Master blender Willy Herrera constructed it using traditional Cuban technique throughout - entubado filler rolling, a double binder, and a triple cap.

The result is a cream bomb. Smooth from the first third, with a building nuttiness and that unmistakable hint of a wine cellar underneath it all. Medium strength, excellent draw, long ash. The pewter band is a nice touch - this thing looks the part.

At $14 for a Miami-made cigar rolled by Cuban hands at one of the most storied small factories in the country, this is the kind of deep cut that makes our members wonder why they've never heard of it. That's exactly why we carry it.