Here at FineTobaccoNYC, we’re always meeting new cigar lovers, and every once in a while we meet someone so passionate about cigars that we have to ask them to come on board with us to help promote this truly incredible passion that we share. I first met Ronnie Parisella at a cigar event out in Brooklyn and enjoyed conversing with him about New York tobacco politics and our favorite cigars. Ronnie is a representative for Cigar Rights of America, and Kelvin, Dave, James, Tim and I are glad to have him on board as a contributing writer. His knowledge of the culture, art, and politics of cigars is really impressive.
After more good conversation and shared vision, Ronnie expressed interest in writing for the site. So, look forward to seeing valuable articles from him this week and beyond.
As you can tell from his professional biography below, Ronnie is a talented businessman and a passionate cigar aficionado. Welcome to the team Ronnie!
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Ronnie Parisella
Ronnie Parisella joined Power Consulting Group as the Director of Information Technology in January 2011. Power Consulting Group is an IT consulting and managed services firm founded in 1992 Based in NYC and specializing in Managed Services, Network Security and Disaster Recovery Planning for the educational and financial verticals. Power Consulting also helps its clients with federal regulatory work like HIPAA and PCI compliancy. In his role as Director of Information Technology, Mr. Parisella works with many IT industry leading companies, including Microsoft, SonicWALL, Symantec, Dell, Ingram Micro, VMWare and Hewlett Packard.
In his previous role as Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder of Primary Support Solutions, Mr. Parisella was responsible for the technology recommendations of such high-profile clients as Burberry, Forbes.com, The Galleon Group, National Financial Partners and Cerebus Capital Management.
Prior to founding Primary Support, Mr. Parisella was the Director of Information Technology for the New York New Media Association (NYNMA) (2000-2002). In this role, Mr. Parisella worked closely with entrepreneurs and technology leaders. At its peak, NYNMA boasted membership of over 9,000 of New York’s IT Investment community (C-Level executives, venture capitalists, angel investor and startups).
Mr. Parisella served as the Information Technology Project Manager for Scholastic Books (1998-2000). In this role he led Scholastic’s successful Y2K rollout (2,500 desktops in four months) including the design, management and implementation of the project. He also designed their Windows 2000 rollout. Mr. Parisella specialized in designing and integrating workflow procedures for Scholastic’s high-level deployment scenarios.
Prior to 1998, Mr. Parisella consulted for many industry-leading companies including Charles Schwab, MTV Networks, McGraw-Hill Companies and Philip Morris.
Mr. Parisella was recently highlighted as a top Information Technology Entrepreneur and as a leading CTO under age 40 by VAR Business Magazine. His work as a technology leader has led to him being a frequent commentator on IT best practices for small and mid-sized businesses.
In the community, Mr. Parisella is an Ingram Micro SMB Alliance Advisory Council Member, leads the the NYC Tri-State Area User Group for Autotask, and participates in many vendor-led initiatives.
Additionally, Mr. Parisella was appointed the chairman of the New York Chapter of the Cigar Rights of America more commonly known as the “CRA.” “Cigar Rights of America was founded on the principle of fighting for the freedom to enjoy cigars. CRA is a consumer-based, non-profit public advocacy organization that works with local, state and federal governments to protect the freedoms of cigar enthusiasts”
After dropping by the Cigar Inn, I decided to give a quick review of the Viaje Fifty Fifty. After my first Viaje white label, I was intrigued and excited about this brand. They make some truly flavorful, predominantly Nicaraguan cigars and I would highly recommend giving anything in their line a try. I brought with me a cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee (I know, not the best), clipped, lit the cigar, and took a seat in the beautiful Cigar Inn lounge.
Here’s a bit about this particular cigar from the Viaje website:
Fifty Fifty is a special project that took a great deal of time to perfect. The idea behind Fifty Fifty is to offer the ability to enjoy two different flavor profiles while smoking the same cigar. Fifty Fifty’s components are a closely-guarded secret, but two distinct blends were formulated to make up the cigar. Joining the two blends was a challenge that was difficult to perfect. Each cigar is carefully crafted taking triple the amount of time a normal cigar takes to roll. The cigar comes wrapped in a dark, oily Nicaraguan cover leaf with two binders holding the filler in place. Fifty Fifty starts out as a rich medium bodied cigar before transition into a bold, full-bodied smoke. This is a first for the industry we know you will enjoy.
This cigar has really solid construction. The band, though elaborate, is not too busy. In the forefront is the Viaje triple leaf, and circling the band in gold lettering is “Fifty.” Veins are minimal and there is a light spring to the touch. The wrapper smells of sweet natural tobacco, with hints of coffee. The draw is fairly resistant but not prohibitive.
Taste & Smoke Characteristics
This is one powerful Nicaraguan cigar. On lighting up, I’m greeted with full bodied, full strength smoke that is not overpowering, but is very sweet has a tinge of spice, and leaves a nice tingling on the front of my tongue. The texture of the smoke is silky smooth and earthy, the flavor is sweet, with notes of coffee and a bit of cocoa. About an inch in, I can tell this cigar is bold. As others have noted, this cigar is pretty complex, so you won’t want to puff it too quickly or the flavors will probably be a wash.
At about halfway through, the flavors remain strong. I should also note that the burn on this cigar has been straight the whole way through, revealing dark salt and pepper ash. My only complaint is that it just hasn’t delivered as far as the volume of smoke goes—I find myself really working to get a good amount.
And just like that a few puffs later, the smoke problem vanishes and I get a better sense of the taste. I’m also glad that I have something to drink, because this is one powerful cigar. The final third really opens up and introduces a slightly savory note which matches really well with the smooth sweetness. I do not want this stick to end.
Conclusion
If you are in to powerhouse cigars that don’t overwhelm the palate, this is a cigar for you. Although it had a bit of trouble opening up early on, when this cigar kicks in, you are in for a treat. Not many cigars can combine tremendous strength and full flavors with complete smoothness of texture.
My first Savinelli cigar was the Extremely Limited Reserve, a fantastic cigar that I’d highly recommend. After that, I knew I needed to smoke more Savinelli cigars, but I didn’t know where to look — they’re still pretty difficult to find. My luck changed, however, at a FineTobaccoNYC HERF at Hoboken Cigars, where I found a box of the Nicaragua Reserve hiding on the lower shelves. Needless to say, I was excited.
Blend Specifics
Wrapper: Habano 2000 Corojo
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Savinelli Nicaragua Reserve Band
Appearance & Construction
Is this cigar box pressed or not? The head of the cigar doesn’t seem box pressed at all, but you’ll notice the photo of the foot reveals that the cigar has definitely been pressed to some degree. Nothing wrong with that – just wasn’t expecting such an inconspicuous press. Aside from that, this is one beautiful cigar. The dark brown wrapper has a variety of shades, from milk-chocolate brown to dark, bark brown. The band carries the Savinelli crest, and the back of the band denotes “Nicaragua Reserve.” The cigar is oily, slightly spongy, and gives a bit when squeezed. My only complaint is that the draw seems a bit restrictive.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
Cigar kicks off with some coffee notes, and a light spice. About an inch in, the flavor is pleasant but hasn’t changed much. I’ve picked up a hint of floral, and the texture of the smoke has become slightly creamy. Good, but not a profile or strength I’d consider special. About halfway through, I’m not picking up many new notes – some hints of sweetness and nuttiness. In the final third, the smoke is still smooth and enjoyable, but little has changed.
Conclusion
As much as I hate to say it, this cigar was a disappointment. Did it taste “bad?” No. But “bad” isn’t the standard that I would hold a brand like Savinelli to. They make good cigars. I would just have a difficult time placing this one among their best. I recommend avoiding this cigar HOWEVER in the same breath I have to recommend their ELR or Liga Especial blends.
Timeless represents one of the newest additions to the Nat Sherman line (though a lot has been happening lately with the Sterling and the 1930). It isn’t though, the only thing to change at Nat Sherman in the past few months. Since Michael Herklotz joined the Nat Sherman management, the entire company has undergone what I would call a sort of rennaissance. Once known among NY cigar smokers for terrible service and a tiny selection, Nat Sherman is now probably the friendliest cigar shop in Manhattan. Their selection is now fantastic, with great prices and personalized service. What’s more, they’ve added seating on the main floor, so instead of feeling like you are being ushered out of the door after (or even before) a purchase, smokers are now invited to relax, chat with Nat Sherman staff (all of which have wide knowledge of tobacco), and enjoy their smoke in comfort.
I have to say, I was very excited to review this cigar after hearing great things about it. So, here are the details.
Blend Specifics
Wrapper: Honduran Criollo
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican and Nicaraguan
Appearance & Construction
This cigar is beautiful and bold. The dark charcoal fill on the band blends perfectly with the deep brown of the cigar’s wrapper. It is triple capped and well constructed. As you might sense from the photos, this cigar, though bold, is elegant in design. The pre-light draw reveals a good draw with hints of natural tobacco, leather, nuts, and coffee.
Taste & Smoke Characteristics
This cigar opens with smooth, medium bodied smoke. General notes of the kick off include a subtle spice, milk chocolate, and buttered caramel. At around halfway through, the body of the smoke picks up, the buttery flavor becomes a bit more salty, and an added flavor emerges: peanuts. Throughout this smoke, I found myself enjoying the complexity of the notes that seemed to fade in and out, highlighting the experience in different ways.
The burn
Conclusion
This cigar is the perfect addition to any humidor. It has a unique flavor profile, elegant design, and all for a reasonable price. I’m excited to see this cigar reviewed in more mainline magazines, and also excited to see it in travel cases at more of our FTNYC events in the future.
So, buy this cigar. But if you live in NYC and haven’t visited the Nat Sherman Townhouse on 42nd and 5th Ave recently, then get over there and see what is creating so much chatter in the cigar community.
After reviewing the Emilio AF1 and finding it to be an absolutely fantastic cigar, I couldn’t wait to light up the AF2 and compare. That being said, you’ll notice a lot of comparisons to the AF1 in this review. Not to spoil things, but I’d recommend picking up a 5 pack of both blends.
I performed this review on my back patio with a cup of coffee and background music from my favorite Spanish guitarist, Jesse Cook.
The Emilio Cigars website says of the AF2:
Our AF2 blend, produced and blended by A.J. Fernandez is certain to delight. Crafted from rich Nicaraguan fillers combined with the strength of Pennsylvania ligero and a beautiful Ecuadoran Habano Oscuro wrapper. These cigars are available in cabinet boxes of 20 in four sizes: Robusto, Toro, Torpedo, and BMF.
Blend Specifics:
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan, Pennsylvania USA
Appearance & Construction
The AF2 sticks with the minimalist theme laid down originally by the AF1. This stick, however, has a bronze fill with black lettering spelling “EMILIO AF2.” The aroma off of the foot of the cigar is a real treat, with really rich notes of natural tobacco, moss, and something resembling buttery caramel. I also pick up a spice that I’m not aware of until it hits my nose and I sneeze. Doh. As other reviewers have noted, it is interesting that the AF2’s oscuro wrapper is not darker than the AF1. Still, it is a rich brown, with lots of tooth that makes me want to light up.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
Like the AF1, this cigar dishes up loads of tremendously smooth smoke after being lit. During the first third, expect to find a distinct mix of leather, spice, dried fruit, and a hint of that dark chocolate you’d expect from the AF1. Body and strength wise, this cigar is a solid medium. Imagine the AF1 with a faint spice and a bit more of an edge. At halfway through, the salt and pepper ash is holding strong and the burn is razor sharp. In the final third, the smoke becomes even more rich, and the notes of dark chocolate so evident in the AF1 come to the forefront. No complaints with that!
Conclusion
The AF2 does not disappoint. Between the AF1 and the AF2, I would probably have to recommend the AF1 first. It made quite a first impression. But, if you love the AF series from Emilio, the AF2 is a stick to keep stocked in your humidor. It delivers copious amounts of smooth, rich smoke and a flavor profile comparable to, but distinct from the AF1.
There’s nothing quite like a beautiful early-summer evening that includes a good cigar, a great cup of coffee, and some light Samba Bossa-Nova playing the background. For this particular early-summer smoke, I decided to review the Cremo Classic – a cigar I had heard good things about but never tried. Here’s a bit about Cremo from the information kit they sent me:
“The original Cremo Cigar, an icon of early America and the most successful cigar brand of the early 20th century, made a commitment to providing their customers with value. The company which rose out of beautiful Manhattan, New York City attained the largest sales of any cigar in its class. The brand was also famously linked to musician Bing Crosby in the early days of Broadcasting Radio.
With a shift in the way cigars were made, factories moved south and all was lost… Now in the 21st century a new dawn awaits. After new buildings were built, and old ones were torn down, a piece of history remained. Now with the revival of Cremo, an unsurpassed Premium Cigar, the tradition continues with taste nad quality as well as class.”
As a resident of New York, my ears certainly perked up a bit at the history. And now for the review…
From what I can tell after smoking this stick a few times, Cremo Cigars are deceptive. They have the look of a smooth, mild-bodied smoke, and I have to admit, I made a few assumptions about the smoking experience based on this cigar’s light wrapper. Still, the cigar is well crafted, with a triple cap, no visible veins, and a smooth and lightly oily wrapper. The band is not traditional, with an almost modern look to its design: white, reflective silver, and flowing lines around the bold “Cremo” brand name.
Taste & Smoking Characteristics
As I mentioned, this is a surprising cigar. Some other reviewers have called this a mild-bodied, creamy smoke. I disagree. I think this cigar is a solid medium. It kicks off with a really great spice, while remaining creamy at the same time. Notes include cedar, roasted nuts, and hints of grass. Around the 2/3 point, the intensity decreases, and the spice hangs on the tip of my tongue. Construction holds solid all the way through the smoke, and my ash lasts past the first half of the whole cigar. The main drawback of this cigar, and it seems to be a theme among other reviewers, is that the smoke begins to really heat up in the final third.
Conclusion
This was a really enjoyable smoke, with definitive and unique flavors. If you are in the mood for a medium bodied smoke with a creamy texture and lots of flavor, this is a smoke to try. But, beware of the smoke heating up in the final third—it might make you put this stick down a bit early.
Final Grade: B+
Disclaimer: we received these cigars free of charge.
On Friday, May 11th, we at FineTobaccoNYC hosted an event in conjunction with Hoboken Cigars. At the event, FTNYC event coordinator David Alicea gave a talk on the Art of Cut & Light. Also giving a talk on spirits was connoisseur David Bailey, a member of New York’s Grown & Sexy Cigar Group.
At the event, a good crowd of about 25 brothers and sisters of the leaf enjoyed premium cigars and the unique blends created by Ivan and his team at Hoboken Cigars. The video of David’s cigar 101 is below. Watch and share with your friends!
After more than 6 months of seeing Emilio Cigars pop up on my Facebook and Twitter feeds, I caved and decided I’d give the AF1 and AF2 a try. This is the first of two reviews. As far as pairings go, I originally decided to just have some water on hand. The AF1 surprised me so much that I ended up going inside to make a fresh pot of coffee – at 8pm. Disclaimer: these cigars were provided free of charge by Gary Griffith, head of Emilio.
Blend Specifics: Wrapper: San Andreas Maduro Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan
Appearance & Construction
Perhaps the most notable aspect of most cigars is the band. Not so with this cigar. The band is humble, with black and gold letters. What is noticeable, however, is the dark wrapper. The cigar is springy to the touch, a bit more than average. Smell on the foot is predominantly hay, nuts, cherry, and cocoa. There was also a good bit of plume.
Doodling with smoke
Taste & Smoking Characteristics
The first thing I notice when I put this cigar in my mouth is the immediate tingling on my lips. The smoke kicks off with a spicy punch, but remains cool. I’m actually really appreciative of the looser draw at this point as I’m really bringing in a lot of flavor on each puff. After about a minute, the cocoa notes become pretty obvious, though on second glance what I really taste is nice, smooth, dark chocolate. Very pleasant.
About an inch in, the spice has really backed down, letting the dark chocolate take center stage and I am really enjoying this stick. I went inside to make myself a pot of coffee, figuring it would pair well with this stick. And boy was I right.
About halfway through this cigar, I notice the spice picking up again. A welcome transition even though I was enjoying that smooth cocoa so much. Near the end, the dark chocolate again takes center stage. Absolutely fantastic.
Conclusion
I loved this cigar, but I should point out that that is primarily because this cigar showcased one of my favorite flavor-profiles: smooth espresso and dark chocolate. If you’re into that profile, then you just can’t go wrong with this cigar. If you enjoy cigars with a brighter profile, this might not be the cigar for you. However, if you’re in the mood to branch out into a different profile, this IS the cigar for you.
A few days after smoking my first Cremo cigar, I received an email from President of Cremo Cigars, Walter Santiago, thanking me for taking the time to review his cigars. Our review of the Cremo will be out later this week, so stay tuned. He also let me know that Cremo is running a give-away for a box of free Cremo cigars. Details are below!
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Cremo Cigars
The weather is getting nice and people are lighting up cigars, which means one thing: CONTEST TIME! Here at Crémo Premium Cigars we know that summer is coming and you can enjoy more cigars out on your deck, in your favorite lounge, or at home in a comfortable chair. The only thing missing is a Crémo. Great day, great place, so you need a great cigar. We have a goal of 1,000 “likes” on our Facebook page. To get there we are holding a contest for the first 1,000 people that like our page.
Once we hit the 1,000 mark, we will draw from that crowd and they will win a FREE BOX!
The sooner we get to 1,000, the sooner we can get that box out to you. If you’re the lucky winner, you not only get a box of cigars, you also get to choose which size you want! So, if you like Robustos, the Excelsior is coming your way. Toro more your size? Intrepidus will be in the mail. More traditional size? Then our Corona Gorda, Magnum Opus, will be shipped to you. Whichever size you prefer, you are sure to enjoy these fine cigars.
We hope to see you on our fanpage as well as enjoying a Crémo.
One of our goals at FineTobaccoNYC has always been to encourage the culture of fine tobacco wherever it is found, and also to preserve the spirit of the connoisseur. So, when I kept bumping into an incredibly unique type of hand-crafted cigar art online, I had to know more. What I found is more proof that when the art and enjoyment of fine tobacco evolves from a hobby into a passion, new products, works of art, and traditions are born. That is the basic story of David Gerena, a graffiti artist who grew up in the Bronx and now paints cigar art for clientele around the country.
I caught up with David to learn more about his life in the art world, his passion for cigars, and his vision for merging cigars and painting. Throughout the course of the interview, I found David to be winsome and good-humored, a true brother of the leaf. Below is his story.
Kaos
FT) Tell me a bit about your artistic background. What was it that got you into art?
DG) I’ve been drawing ever since I had a Crayola in my hand.It’s something I naturally gravitated to. The Flintstones animated TV seriesand Marvel comics helped fuel my passion as a kid. I studied “How To Drawand Paint” books at a young age which helped me with shapes and shadowsearly on. In elementary school in The Bronx NY I was the kid that wasalways doodling. I spent my time making flip animations in the class text books—notexactly what the school had in mind. In junior high school around 1980 I gotinto graffiti, eventually gaining recognition through my murals in NYC underthe graffiti tag name KAOS.
FT) Graffiti, huh? Did that ever earn you a sprinting match with the police?
DG) [laughs] I’ll take the fifth on that one.
David’s Graffiti art in NYC
FT) Ok, so it sounds like art has always been an important partof your identity. Tell us a bit about your love of cigars.
DG) I started smoking cigars when I was around 17 years old. Noone around me smoked cigars. My friends smoked cigarettes, so I tried one butdidn’t like the taste. I saw the Berrings at the local grocery store in thealuminum tubes as a step up from their other selections of Te-Amo and Blunts.So I got a Berring and found it enjoyable. From there I went to Macanudo HydePark Cafe’s. I’ve tried a lot of cigars since then. I prefer a medium/medium cigar in a 5″-6″x 55g-60g. My box is full of Fuente Don Carlos #2’s, King B’s, WOAM’s, and Short Stories. Some Padron ’26’s and ’64’s, and to break it up the mild/medium CAO Gold Vintage Bouchons.
“Skull Smoker”
FT) Glad to hear your taste has improved since your days smoking Berrings! At what point did your passion for cigars merge with your passion forart?
DG) I’ve always smoked while painting and one day without a topic to paint I decided to pay homage to one of my favorite cigars the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story.
FT) With so many cigars to choose from, how do you decide which cigar to paint, or what story to tell?
DG) Each cigar has a story to tell , and those stories are the inspiration. “If cigars could talk” right? [laughs] I’m just the messenger, I put it on canvas. I’m actually painting all types of cigars now. Through my painting I’m meeting a lot of brothers of the leaf (BOTL) who are recommending some good smokes. I definitely wouldn’t paint a cigar I personally didn’t enjoy. Besides that, if a BOTL commissions me to paint a smoke he likes, I’ll paint it.
FT) So you do craft custom artwork for clients?
DG) Yeah I do commissioned paintings aside from my own. I also enjoy doing murals for clients because it gets me out of my studio. It’s a nice break, traveling to new places, meeting new people. I have plans for some art shows coming up. Those are fun and I enjoy the energy.
FT) Tell us a little bit about your favorite piece of cigar art that you have created.
DG) Each one has a different meaning for me so it’s really hard to pick just one. I just finished a painting of an old cigar roller’s hand rolling a cigar I’m really diggin’. I’m fond of the cigars laying in a setting, letting the cigar and it’s surroundings tell a story…Then again the paintings with people smoking are nice. It’s really hard to decide. Being a cigar aficionado I love them all.
FT)What is it about your technical style that makes you a unique artist?
DG) As a self taught artist, Marvel Comic books and The Flintstones animated television series were my tutors as a child. Later as a teenager graffiti spray-paint cans became my pallet and my passion.
The subjects in my work maintain a somewhat flat appearance yet cast shadows. My shapes dance between 2D and 3D, large flat plains of color coexist with chiseled surfaces. The distinction between the two is occasionally blurred. My paintbrush strokes are mostly squared and rarely do I use more than three different size brushes in one painting. The colors change with each stroke as much as possible. In some small areas of my paintings I like to leave the canvas unpainted. I also use a dry brush, the paint catches the weave and shows the texture of the canvas. The different application techniques of materials add another dimension to the painted image.
In life there are roots, in my style of painting those roots lay in Graffiti, but one must grow. Nowadays I prefers oils and canvas as my medium. Brushes and oils have allowed me to branch out and extend the reaches of my vision beyond the spray-can. Those visions are sometimes distorted, other times crystal clear, yet they always tell a story.
FT) Do you have any long-term goals with your painting?
DG) Ultimately I’d like to help animals by starting a charity. I have a soft spotfor Pit Bulls. I have three of which two are rescues. They’re such a misunderstood breed, and so over-bred. The shelters and pounds are filled with them.
FT) If you could have your cigar art displayed anywhere, where would it be and why?
DG) I think the MOMA (Museum Of Modern Art) in NYC right next to a Picasso would be pretty cool. Being from NY and a painter practically my whole life, it’d be one serious opening party for me. Really though, some of my new stuff I have comingout of people smoking would fit right in. MOMA, are you listening?
FT) Thanks for taking the time to sit down and share your passion for cigars. On afinal note, where can the cigar aficionado’s reading this view and buy yourart?
DG) My work can be seen at my website www.revolutionpaint.com/paintings. All my contact info is there. Anyone looking for an original oil painting, a commissioned piece, or print can reach me through my website. My work can also be seen on www.facebook.com/davidgerenapainter. People can feelfree to friend request me on Facebook. I usually post pics as I’m painting, andlinks to Youtube videos I’ve made. When I’ve finished video taping a painting I post those up. These videos show the paintings in progress, smoking as I paint, with cameos by my dogs every so often. Good Times…
FT) Thanks for the interview, David. We’re looking forward to seeing more of your art released soon!
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FineTobaccoNYC – Gerena style
David is what I would consider a pioneer in the emerging cigar art community. It was refreshing to talk to someone who is on the cutting edge, but who also is very down to earth and truly passionate for cigars.
After the interview, David had a surprise prepared for me. Apparently, he used some of his graffiti talent to create a piece of artwork specially for FineTobaccoNYC. I want to give him a huge shout out for his work and for his time. I’d recommend taking a few minutes to dropping by his website, viewing his art, and maybe even purchasing it if you’re looking to create that special aficionado vibe.
