I found a cool thing today so I’m going to tell you about it. When we moved to El Salvador I remember comparing the weather to the South-East United States.
Puros Cuscatlan
I remember wondering if tobacco is grown here, but only for a second. Someone told me that there was once a cotton industry, and that was another comparison to those industries that can thrive in this climate.
Well recently a friend brought up something cool. There are in fact, hand rolled Salvadoran cigars, made from Salvadoran tobacco. He told me that the company once got a score of 84 from a review by Cigar Afficianado magazine. I had no idea.
This is not surprising since I don’t smoke at all, but I used to hear way too much about cigars when I was at work. It was a ritual for the Sgts to stand in a circle with their cigars whenever there was a lengthy scene for them to manage, or it was a “think tank” environment.
I cannot endorse the quality of any cigar, but I can say that an 84 is respectable in either wine or coffee, so the same must be true of tobacco. I cannot recommend anyone take up smoking, but I can say that I see plenty of Distinguished looking gentlemen standing around with a heavy glass of expensive liquor in one hand and a Cuban in the other.
I happened to go to Sanborn’s and I noticed a small display of Cuscatlan Cigars, made in El Salvador with Salvadoran tobacco. There were Puros El Indio Aquino (Toros) and Puros Cuscatlan (Robustos). If any of you cigar guys out there care to review them for me? I have no idea how to taste or evaluate a cigar and I am curious to know if the tobacco grown here has the same snob appeal as the coffee. Well OK….. this was basically an add. But somebody somewhere wants a cigar right now…….
At Sanborn's and maybe elswhere?
El Indio Aquino
October 1, 2011 at 4:52 pm
I'm no cigar smoker, but I do have a box of cubans that someone gave me as a gift. How about I send you one and then you could do your own comparison? I bet they'll go great with all that beer you're brewing.
October 1, 2011 at 8:11 pm
Good idea! I considered buying a couple at the store, but then I realized I didn't even know how to smoke them correctly yet. I bought a few Cuscatlecas, went home and checked Cigar Aficianado for tips. I found out that technically I do not own right kind of lighter, OR the right kind of match (there is a right and wrong kind of match), or the right kind of cutting instrument, but I tried one anyway. I am not used to nicotene so I got quite high, and stayed up all night designing impossible businesses. (considering all the brewing I also drink very tiny amounts also)
The taste of the cigar was not as ashy as I expected. We make a certain beer that I normally find too intense for my tastes. Its sort of dark and spicy and heavy. You are right, they went well together, but I had some trouble getting up this morning so it won't become a habit. I will trade you one of these overly spicy beers for a Cuban, and everyone wins, as long as I don't have anything planned the following day. like teaching a class of teenagers at 8:00 am.
October 1, 2011 at 8:24 pm
e mail me the address (if you have an actual address) and I will have it in the post on Monday (if they let me mail a cigar) and than wait for a Friday night. Cheers!
I also had no idea that there were right and wrong matches, or lighters or that you even needed a cutting instrument. Learn something new every day.
March 12, 2012 at 4:01 pm
Can I get a cigar..are they real…email me to [email protected]
April 15, 2012 at 9:59 am
I am actually a Salvadorian living in Switzerland. I smoke cigars, mostly non-cubans (Nicaragua, Honduras). the soil in El Salvador is similar to those, so they should be spicy. Just like them. Should be a real treat if you like non-cubans. I can't say that I have tried any from El Salvador. You wanna trade some?
November 9, 2012 at 5:36 pm
I have smoked both brand of Salvadorian cigars. They are both excellent in taste, draw and construction. They do not resemble Nicaraguan or Honduran or Dominican. They have a unique flavor that resembles the old cuban flavors. I highly recommend these puros. When I travel to San Salvador, I buy them from a shop in Metro Central. If they are looking for an exporter, contact me for sales in America.
January 9, 2013 at 12:08 pm
Mark ,
i am presently in San Salvador, looking to buy Cigar for friend birthday can not find the ,can tell me the name of shop in Metro center, and why is it so hard to find cigar store here
email me back
[email protected]