Marty's Cigar & Divan

About Me

Marty’s Cigar and Divan was conceived by George (Marty) Wynne as a serious haven for cigar and pipe smokers.

He spent six months preparing the store and lounge then opened in 1996 in the height of the ’90s “cigar boom”. Marty’s knowledge of cigars in particular came from his many years of sampling the world’s greatest cigars and making study and research of the market a priority hobby.

The main Divan comprises 1000 square feet of carefully humidified, temperature controlled space that houses one of the largest cigar selections in Southern California.

The attention to quality control of the condition of the thousands of cigars in stock is, in part, what has made Marty’s customers avidly loyal. There are several seating areas in the lounge that are used for business and personal meetings, card and board games, television viewing, and general relaxation. Wireless internet connectivity allows for work or play with portable computers.

Special events continue to be a highlight at Marty’s.

Regularly scheduled cigar tasting parties draw large attendance and feature catered food and drink and door prizes. Frequent “live jazz” evenings have been a hit with the jazz-lovers who like to have a cigar while dining and listening. Marty retired and sold the business to Rio Fiumara in May, 2004. Rio first worked in the tobacco business in 1962, at Anastasia’s, a pipe shop in Pasadena. There he learned the art of pipe smoking and tobaccos. Most of what he learned about cigars was from Marty.

As new owner of this business, Rio is continuing the careful selection of tobacco products that has made Marty’s Cigar and Divan successful.

Among the excellent brands of cigars are: Arturo Fuente, Ashton, AVO, Astral, Baccarat, Bances, Bauza, Bering, Bohemian, CAO, Casa Blanca, Cohiba, Cuesta Rey, Don Diego, Don Tomas, Dunhill, El Rey Del Mundo, Excalibur, Fonseca, Genuine Counterfeit Cubans, Griffins, H. Upmann, Havana Honeys, Helix, Henry Clay, Hoyo de Monterrey, Jose Marti, Joya de Nicaragua, Juan Lopez, La Aurora, La Gloria Cubana, Licenciado, Macanudo, Maria Mancini, Mayorga, Montecristo, Montesino, Onyx Reserve, Partagas, Punch, Romeo y Julieta, Sancho Panza, Tatiana, Te Amo, Trinidad, Troya and more. Many “bundle” cigars are also available. Accessories include cedar-lined humidors, cigar cases, cigar punches and cutters, a large selection of cigar and pipe lighters from well-known brands such as Colibri, Blazer, Zippo Porsche Design and Atoll, travel humidors, humidifiers, hygrometers, deluxe shaving equipment and soaps.

Rio’s Tasting Notes

Most serious cigars smokers are always interested in what’s new in the their world so they follow the major cigar publications and check out the current blind tastings and ratings. Here I offer my own impressions of cigars that I stock and you will find many of them “off the radar” and lesser known brands, but definitely worth a try.

Kristoff Criollo

Thursday, April 7, 2011. Kristoff cigars are a phenomenon at Marty’s. They are just about the fastest selling line we’ve brought into the store, period! Why? They are extremely well-blended, well-constructed, fully-packed cigars with a trouble-free draw, great flavor and slow burn. The appearance in the rough sawn box is light cafe creme with pigtail and folded over wrapper on the foot end. The Criollo is made with Nicaraguan Habano Criollo wrapper and uses Dominican and Nicaraguan filler. The body is medium with toasted nut flavors, wood and earth. This is a smooth Cuban-style cigar that will appeal to many different palates from novice to expert.

Kristoff Sumatra

Thursday, April 7, 2011. The Kristoff Sumatra is a medium-bodied cigar with medium to full flavor. Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra Binder: Brazil Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan. The cigar has a rustic appearance with pigtail head and shaggy folded over foot. The Sumatra is packed in boxes of 20 cigars surrounded by tobacco leaves. The initial appearance is a noticeably oily wrapper. The feel is fully packed with tobacco, yet the draw is quite good. Flavors of earth and spice transition into a sweeter cinnamon as the burn progresses. With all Kristoff cigars I have found that they burn very slowly. I’ve observed customers smoking the Matador size for slightly more than 3 hours. So, don’t light up if you don’t have the time. The Sumatra is probably the lightest and sweetest of the line, but don’t let that stop you. There’s plenty to enjoy.

Arganese Uno

Thursday, August 28, 2008. The Arganese Uno is a very special limited edition Dominican Puro that utilizes leaf from the corona (topmost) of the tobacco plant. The leaves from the corona are smaller therefore produce a small harvest. During the processing of the tobacco Cognac is added, but no so much that you can easily identify it. The cigar comes in one size, a hefty 6 X 60 and each cigar comes in its own individual box. It makes a great gift for the aficionado. The draw and burn are very good and flavor is consistent to the end. The Uno was awarded top ten cigars by Robb Report 2008.

El Rey Del Mundo Olvidados

Thursday, August 28, 2008. This is a cigar specially blended for Cigar Imports by El Rey Del Mundo. They claim it is the “strongest” cigar they make. Well, in the big picture I can tell you it is a very easy smoker with robust flavor, not that much power. There are multiple flavor components that change through the smoking of the cigar and they all are harmonious, each adding another layer to a rich experience. Our customers have taken to this cigar in a big way and I’ve not heard one complaint about it being “strong”.

Cuban Spliffs

Thursday, August 28, 2008. That’s right, Spliffs! From the Oliveros Company in their Honduran factory come Cuban-style hand made cigars like they did in the “old country”. Made by master rollers these “throwback” cigars are the style that rollers make for themselves, no fancy cap construction and no neatly chopped foot. Just a simple well made cigar that serves its purpose. They are mild to medium with even burn and good flavor from beginning to end. The cost savings get passed to you!

Esteban Carreras Impresso

Thursday, August 28, 2008. Another fine entry in the overall excellent Carreras family of cigars is the dark, box-pressed maduro called Impresso. A medium bodied cigar with hints of spice, coffee and leather the Impresso is a well balanced cigar. The last third of the smoke starts to show a small increase in power, but stays with the same flavor profile. I enjoy this cigar! Three sizes offered: Robusto Torpedo Toro They are packed in boxes of 20 cigars.

Esteban Carreras

Thursday, August 28, 2008. Since the 2004 release of the 1961 Cameroon Reserva Limitada, Cigar Aficionado in late 2007 bestowed a 90 rating on this fine cigar. This excellent smoke is rolled and blended carefully in the La Aurora Factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic. The highest names behind the magic include Guillermo Leon Jimenez, Jose Blanco, and Craig Cunningham, company founder. The Esteban Carreras 1961 Reserva Limitada is an exceptional cigar, like none other. The Cameroon wrapper, with hints of subtle leathery richness, creates a nice, smooth smoke to the customer’s liking. The Reserva Limitada has all the right elements masterfully blended together; a Dominican binder, and filler with flavorful roots in Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and San Andres. Making it our most impressive cigar yet. A nice, even burn with lots of flavor, this cigar is available in the following sizes: 5 ½ x 42 Corona, 5 x 50 Robusto, 6 x 50 Gran Corona. Just released this summer is the 10th Anniversary Edition which I tasted at the national trade show in July. It was one of the two best of show cigars to my taste. The tobaccos used for the 10th Anniversary have the highest pedigree and are also constructed and aged in the La Aurora Factory. I told Craig he really hit a “home run”. Deeply complex flavors wrapped in a medium bodied smoke with consistent burn quality make this cigar so satisfying.

Diamond Crown Maximus

Sunday, May 11, 2008. When Stanford Newman, then president of the J.C. Newman Cigar Co., introduced the Diamond Crown in 1995 his goal was to create the best cigar his family-owned company had produced in its 100-year existence. The subsequent success of the cigar led to demand so great that buyers were limited to purchasing only two at a time. Now, A. Fuente's Diamond Crown Maximus is poised to surpass its predecessor. It has taken Carlos Fuente Jr. more than 3 years to develop this complex, fuller-bodied taste, but it was worth the wait. Instead of Connecticut shade wrapper, the Maximus features an Ecuadoran sun-grown wrapper from the El Bajo region harvested on the Oliva family's Ecuador plantation. Carlos has selected leaves that are taken from the upper corona portion of the plant, which adds to the strength of its taste. The filler and binder consist of a heartier blend of Dominican tobacco, and the smaller ring size of the Maximus — 50 as opposed to the original Diamond Crown’s 54 — allows a more concentrated stream of flavor with each puff. The taste lies somewhere between a cappuccino and a double espresso — neither delicate and subdued nor intense and powerful.

Diamond Crown

Sunday, May 11, 2008. What truly makes the taste of Diamond Crown cigars so special is its exclusive CFW (Connecticut Fermented Wrapper). Unlike most other quality tobacco wrappers that are normally hung in barns, dried, and then bulked for a single fermentation prior to being packed in bales and eventually rolled into a cigar, Diamond Crown's CFW wrappers goes through a second fermentation. Specially fermented five year old wrapper leaves are unpacked from the bale and then conditioned and carefully graded. Only the silkiest, smoothest leaves are then selected and placed in bulks for yet a second fermentation. It is during this "second curing " that evens and develops the rosado color of the tobacco wrapper and this "second curing", also accounts for much of Diamond Crown's cigars sweet, smooth, rich tantalizing flavor.

Guantanamera

Thursday, January 31, 2008. One of the few cigars made in Miami that find their way to the West Coast, the Guantanmera is produced by a Cuban family displaced to Florida. They began there in 1997 and have gained a respectable presence in the States. The smoke is medium-bodied with flavors of cocoa, leather and nuts. The burn is even with production of plenty of smoke through the open draw.

Oliveros Eight- Zero

Thursday, January 31, 2008. Having begun their company back in Cuba the Oliveros family decided to celebrate 80 years of cigar making with this exceptional cigar handcrafted in Santiago, Dominican Republic. They also have a factory in Danli, Honduras. They are known for a number of outstanding frontmarks such as the Oliveros LTD, the XL for Men and the Gran Reserva. The Eight Zero Anniversary Royale as it is known is a true representation of the finest cigar blending skill honed over those 80 years. Five sizes are offered: robusto, toro gordo, churchill, torpedo and toro (tubo). Medium-bodied with loads of complex flavor this cigar lets you feel like you’ve joined the celebration.

Ashton Cabinet

Thursday, January 24, 2008. The Ashton Cabinet is the “white burgundy” of cigars. “White burgundy” gets its rich complex taste from the soil and aging in French oak barrels. The Cabinet’s 4 to 5 year old Dominican filler blend has a rich, complex and well-rounded taste. The extraordinary Connecticut shade wrapper is aged for and extra year and has an elegant Palomino color resulting in a smooth and creamy flavor. Ashton Cabinet includes no less than six different tobaccos and ends with a big finish. Seven years pass from seedling to finished cigar.

Ashton Classic

Thursday, January 24, 2008. A consistently pleasurable medium-bodied smoke with nuances of peppery spice. The blend of 3 to 4 year old Dominican tobacco, along with its rich golden Connecticut shade wrapper creates an extremely well blended rich taste. The draw of this cigar from beginning to end is never disappointing.

Punch Gran Puro

Thursday, January 24, 2008. Punch Gran Puro is all-Honduran with an extra-dark, extra-bold Havana seed wrapper developed exclusively for this cigar in the rich San Augustin Valley of Honduras. Both wrapper and binder leaves are sun-grown and carefully selected from the highest primings to ensure the cigar’s special color and flavor. Gran Puro is a medium to full-bodied cigar designed for the seasoned smoker. Wrapper: Honduran (Havana seed) Filler: Honduran Binder: Honduran.

Punch Rare Corojo

Thursday, January 24, 2008. When Punch Rare Corojo was introduced in a limited edition some years ago, the taste and aroma of the cigars was so exceptional all of them were sold very quickly. Then in 2001, Villazon cigar master Frank Llaneza began producing in small quantities, a new square-pressed version of the cigar that is even more robust than the original. If you want a Punch cigar with an extra kick to it, Punch Rare Corojo, in the distinctive red box, is the one for you. Wrapper: Ecuadoran Sumatra Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua, Dominican Piloto Cubano Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf Country: Honduras.

Punch

Thursday, January 24, 2008. The original Punch cigar was created in 1840 by a Cuban cigar manufacturer named Manuel Lopez. To attract the British market, he named the cigar after Mr. Punch, the cantankerous half of the Punch and Judy puppet shows, which also inspired the name of the famous British magazine. Now produced in Honduras it has been a leading brand ever since it was first imported from there in 1969. Punch lives up to its name with a bold, full-bodied taste that appeals. Not a conventional cigar for new smokers to try, Punch is the straightforward, no-nonsense cigar it would have taken to bring a smile to the otherwise curmudgeonly face of Mr. Punch himself. (courtesy General Cigar Co.).

Helix

Thursday, January 24, 2008. Wrapper: Connecticut Shade Filler: Dominican, Brazil, Mexico, Honduras Binder: Mexican Country: Honduras Helix cigars were introduced in 2002 as a mild alternative to the trend toward full-bodied smokes popular at the time. They offer a mild, yet flavorful blend that appeals to the many cigar smokers who still prefer a smooth, easy smoking cigar. A smooth, satisfying cigar at any time of the day.

La Gloria Cubana Serie R

Thursday, January 24, 2008. Cigar master Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jr. created the Serie R for smokers with a passion for more full-bodied taste. Introduced in 1999, their larger sizes and ring guages helped create today’s tremendous demand for a fuller, richer-flavored taste. Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra (natural), Conn. Broadleaf (maduro) Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan Binder: Nicaraguan Country: Dominican Republic Designed for seasoned cigar lovers looking for the ultimate in bold flavor, Serie R cigars come in four full-bodied sizes.

Excalibur 1066

Thursday, January 24, 2008. Excalibur 1066 was selected from two different blends that were sampled by a large number of cigar enthusiasts. The 1066 is the first cigar that has ever combined the rich Honduran taste with the richness of a Cameroon wrapper. The character is further enhanced by a select Broadleaf binder grown in Connecticut. The experience is one of rich flavor and Connecticut smoothness. Wrapper: Cameroon Filler: Dominican, Honduran, Nicaraguan Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf.

Excalibur

Thursday, January 24, 2008. Introduced in the 1970s, the Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur quietly made its mark as a super-premium cigar with an appealing price. The Robb Report has recognized Excalibur as one of the world’s five greatest cigars. Named after the legendary sword of King Arthur, Excalibur is a superbly balanced work of art. Wrapper: Connecticut Shade (natural), Connecticut Broadleaf (maduro) Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic Binder: Conn. Shade (natural), Conn. Broadleaf (maduro).

Macanudo Cafe

Thursday, January 24, 2008. Macanudo was originally produced in Jamaica by the makers of the Cuban brand, Punch. In 1971, General Cigar Company introduced a new cigar named Macanudo as a brand unto itself. Developed in Jamaica under the creative leadership of Ramon Cifuentes the legendary Cuban cigar master of Partagas, Macanudo soon became the leading premium cigar and remains so today. Now crafted in the Dominican Republic, every Macanudo Cafe cigar is made with the finest Connecticut Shade wrapper, a flavorful blend of Dominican tobaccos and a select binder grown in the rich San Andres Tuxtla Valley of Mexico. While mild in strength this cigar always delivers the same distinctively Macanudo-smooth taste. Wrapper: Connecticut Shade Filler: Dominican Piloto Cubano and Mexican Binder: Mexican San Andres.

Partagas Spanish Rosado

Wednesday, January 23, 2008. The Spanish Rosado by Partagas starts with Dominican, Mexican and Honduran long filler in a binder of Connecticut Broadleaf wrapped in Honduran Augustin leaf for its lovely reddish hue and flavor enhancing qualities. The smoke exhibits a spicy taste with hints of cinnamon. The body is medium-to-full with a white ash. The potential power never comes on too strong.

Partagas Black Label

Wednesday, January 23, 2008. It took Partagas makers 10 years perfecting the Medio Tempo wrapper and La Vega Especial binder to create the Black Label. The Medio Tempo is darker and richer than other wrapper leaf because it is allowed to remain on the plant 50% longer. Filler leaf of Nicaraguan Ligero and Dominican Piloto Cubano add both character and strength to yield and richer, fuller-bodied smoking experience. This is an espresso of a cigar and can easily be enjoyed with rich, dark espresso!

Partagas

Wednesday, January 23, 2008. The creation of Cuban expatriot Ramon Cifuentes the Partagas has been a core product of General Cigar Company. Partagas is constructed from Dominican Piloto Cubano and Mexican long leaf filler with a binder of Mexican San Andres tobacco wrapped in African Cameroon leaf. Cameroon leaf has no equal for richness of flavor that it imparts to a cigar. The smoke is rich and assertive, yet never harsh. This is a cigar made with Cuban-style flavor and character.

Montecristo Platinum

Tuesday, January 22, 2008. Perhaps the boldest Montecristo, but yet refined in its strength. The wrapper is Mexican Cubano with Dominican binder and long filler from the Dominican, Nicaragua and Peru. Endless complexity with restrained power that can be enjoyed by the seasoned cigar smoker. The smoke is medium to full bodied with rich flavor and hints of sweetness. Indulge yourself! Montecristo Platinum has received 92 point rating in blind tastings.

Henry Clay

Tuesday, January 22, 2008. This venerated old label still produces a very pleasing smoke! The Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper and Dominican binder and filler blend offer a medium to full bodied smoke with notes of sweet wood. The flavor stays consistent through the smoke and the cigar feels nice and chewy while capable of creating a lot of smoke. Enjoy your Henry with a fine American Bourbon or Tennessee whiskey.

Da Vinci

Tuesday, January 22, 2008. These chocolate brown, toothy wrapper cigars are made by the famous Oliva family of Nicaragua and have Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper around Nicaraguan binder and filler. Medium bodied with some pepper and spice the smoke starts out mild and sweet in the first third with just a hint of power then turns to medium in the middle third with wood and leather notes finishing up with more depth than you might expect in the final third. While I’ve heard some complaints about uneven burn I haven’t encountered this. I think Leonardo would approve.

Romeo y Julieta Vintage

Tuesday, January 22, 2008. Romeo y Julieta takes Ecuadorian Connecticut shade-grown wrapper leaf and fills it with Dominican long filler bound with Mexican leaf after having aged the components for an average of 3 or more years. The result is a mild, smooth, refined smoke. These cigars are flawlessly made and deliver a creamy, almost capuccino flavor with hints of cocoa. On lighting you get your first hint that this is likely to be a “finger burner”.

Omar Ortez Originals

Tuesday, January 22, 2008. A Nicaraguan puro with long leaf construction these cigars are rough in appearance, packed 60 to a crate and created for the lover of full bodied, full flavored smokes. They have become a favorite pick of many of our customers. Omar Ortez Originals received a very nice rating of ’90’ points, which noted: "Covered in a rich, dark wrapper, this toasty cigar is full of woody, leathery flavors punctuated by nutty, earthy notes before a sweet cocoa finish. Medium to full bodied" In 1995, Omar Ortez established Agroindustrial Nicaraguense de Tabaco, located off the beaten trail in the tiny town of Condega, north of Estelí. It is here that he blends these toothy cigars. They come in three fat sizes: robusto, toro and belicoso and were recently awarded a rating of 90 points!

Royal Jamaica Gold

Tuesday, January 22, 2008. This gold is less than $10 an ounce, so how can you go wrong? The attractive reddish wrapper is Nicaraguan with binder from the same country and filler from Jamaica, Honduras and Nicaragua. The strength is medium and the flavor is rich and satisfying. The story behind Royal Jamaica is interesting. Cigar tobacco cultivation was started in Jamaica during World War II because the UK did not want its investments made outside the commonwealth. So its currency trade with Cuba was curtailed and for the most part transferred to operations in Jamaica, where cigar tobacco was not normally grown. While tobacco does grow wild there, (as some other intoxicants do) it was not cigar quality. Cuban growers moved to Jamaica with their seed and expertise and started the Jamaican industry to supply the UK during the war. An article in Cigar Aficionado states that during 1940 to 1953 Havana cigars were "totally absent" from the UK. I would guess that Winston Churchill's supply was a notable exception. (Courtesy: Keepers of the Flame Cigar Reviews).

Romeo y Julieta Reserve Maduro

Tuesday, January 22, 2008. This is a smooth maduro! Darkened Connecticut Broadleaf tobacco is used for the wrapper. The binder is Nicaraguan and filler leaf from the Dominican, Nicaragua and Peru come together to make a most interesting smoke with dimension, depth and richness. Available in Churchill, Toro and Robusto at Marty’s.

Montecristo White Label

Tuesday, January 22, 2008. Bearing the name of its famous predecessor, Montecristo (arguably the most sought after cigar brand on the planet) the Montecristo White is fashioned from Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper surrounding the finest Dominican and Nicaraguan long leaf binder and filler. It is practically the definition of smooth but having unmistakable character. The burn is excellent with consistent flavor from beginning to end. The aroma of the Montecristo White will keep you coming back.

H. Upmann Vintage Cameroon

Tuesday, January 22, 2008. The addition of this fine cigar caused the sales of H. Upmann to enjoy a surge of popularity that continues unabated. The finest vintage Cameroon wrapper with a filler of Dominican, Nicaraguan and Peruvian tobaccos make this cigar rich and smooth with medium body. Flavors of cedar and leather prevail along with the unmistakable Cameroon addition. The H. Upmann brand has been made and enjoyed for over 150 years and continues to be a sought after brand especially with the introduction of this Vintage Cameroon. Available at Marty’s in Churchill, Robusto, Toro, Belicoso and Petite Corona.

Arganese Cigars

Tuesday, January 22, 2008. Arganese cigars are made by Arganese S A, Tamboril Santiago, Dominican Republic. The mountainous region is known for its rich soil. The tobacco was grown and harvested in 1998 and carefully aged. The cigars are all made with long filler. Three blends are offered: Ambassador is the mildest blend Chairman is medium bodied Presidente is a full bodied blend Each of the blends is available in multiple sizes. Arganese is a brand that grew out of Gene Arganese’ love of fine cigars. He was having personal blends made for him and his friends convinced him that he should make them available to everyone. So, he bought land in the Dominican Republic and built a factory a number of years ago. Finally, the cigars came on the market in January, 2007. Since then he has had to build a larger factory and his cigar advertisements appear in the major national cigar magazines. The popularity of Arganese cigars seems to have risen meteorically. For me the flavor component of these blends is their strength. Even the Ambassador, their mildest blend, delivers a complex of flavors with a lot going on. Really a surprise in a mild cigar.

Saint Luis Rey Serie G Natural

Tuesday, January 22, 2008. Saint Luis Rey Serie G Natural and Maduro cigars have been receiving a lot of positive input from aficionados lately. They are beautifully made with Nicaraguan Habano wrapper and all-Nicaraguan binder and filler. The smoke is rich in flavor with leather and cedar and slight vanilla notes. They are available in these sizes: Churchill, Belicoso, No. 6 (60 X6), Rothchilde ( 56 X 5 ) and short robusto ( 54 X 4.25 ) The Serie G pairs well with port or cognac.

Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real

Tuesday, January 22, 2008. The Reserva Real (Royal Reserve) is a cigar for seasoned cigar smokers to connoisseurs. It is made with Connecticut Shade Ecuadorian wrapper of the finest quality, Nicaraguan binder and filler from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. It delivers medium bodied smoke of rich and aromatic complex flavors. It is available in 11 shapes and sizes from Minutos Petites to Churchill. We keep 7 sizes in stock: Corona, Robusto, Toro, Lonsdale, Verona’s Court, Churchill and Porto Real.

Onyx Reserve

Tuesday, January 22, 2008. Made by Altadis (makers of Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, H. Upmann, Trinidad, et al) the Onyx Reserve is a medium to full-bodied, box-pressed cigar wrapped in darkened Connecticut Broadleaf with tobacco from 3 countries in the filler. The cigar won a prestigious 94 rating from Cigar Aficionado a few years back. The flavor is rich and spicy with complexity that gives you a lot to contemplate while you admire its dark oily wrapper and bright gray ash. Available in: toro, mini belicoso, robusto, torbusto, No. 2 belicoso and No. 4 box-pressed shapes.

Gispert

Tuesday, January 22, 2008. A very old Cuban brand that was reintroduced by Altadis in 2003 is made in Honduras. The handmade cigars are firm and heavily packed. Ecuadoran Connecticut seed wrapper surrounds Honduran binder and Honduran and Nicaraguan filler leaf. The cigar is medium-bodied with rich flavor, even burning and the ash holds tightly together. In its first taste outing it garnered a prestigious 90-point rating from Cigar Aficionado. And at its price it simply cannot be a better value. Highly recommended. Gispert is one of my favorite morning cigars! You can anglicize the name if you wish, but the company that makes it pronounces it “hee-SPAIRT”. Sizes available: Churchill, Toro, Robusto, Lonsdale, Belicoso and Corona.

Black & Tan Shorts

Tuesday, January 22, 2008. The head and first 1 inch of the smoke is Criollo Maduro, that deep, rich tobacco that so many growers try in vain to produce. The balance is a Connecticut wrapper, expensive and flavorful, an industry standard. Together they produce two distinctive but complementary tastes in one cigar. Made in Honduras with Habano Criollo filler and measuring 4.25 X 40, these make the perfect smoke for less than a half hour and boy do they deliver! Packed in tins of 8 cigars or boxes of 48 you’ll want to have these around for that perfect short smoke.

La Perla Habana Maduro

Tuesday, January 22, 2008. If you prefer a superior, brawny flavor that's layered and complex and expertly hand-rolled with age-old expertise and an aritsan's pride, look no further than the cigar Playboy magazine believes to be "the perfect evening cigar." This consistently high-rated rich and even-textured cigar solidifies La Perla's reputation as a world class label. Available in three sizes: torpedo, toro and perfecto.

Black Pearl Gran D

Tuesday, January 22, 2008. The Gran D is offered in two sizes Gran Robusto and Gran Belicoso. They are the “top of the line” Black Pearl series and are loosely described as “jewelry for men”. Well, just try either one of these fine smokes and you will know you’ve been treating yourself to a gourmet cigar experience. This cigar is Nicaraguan “puro” with all its components from the prime growing regions of that country. Packed in boxes of 20.

Black Pearl Rojo

Tuesday, January 22, 2008. Tasting Notes: Oily, dark and very well made. This rich cedary cigar has leathery flavors and a touch of butterscotch. A medium-bodied cigar that's very sweet on the finish. When it was blind tasted by Cigar Aficionado the Toro was awarded 90 points and it outscored Cuban toro competitors. The cigars are offered in boxes of 20 and are available in Churchill, Supertoro, Toro, Robusto and Torpedo shapes.

Black Pearl Cobre

Tuesday, January 22, 2008. The Black Pearl Cobre “copper” is a beautiful cigar wrapped in Ecuadorian Connecticut leaf with Habano Criollo binder and all Nicaraguan filler. It is mild to medium bodied with cedar and leather notes and a clean finish. Burning quality is very consistent. The Cobre has been a favorite of many of our customers who seek exceptional cigar value. In boxes of 20 the Cobre is offered in Robusto, Toro and Torpedo sizes.

Black Pearl Morado

Tuesday, January 22, 2008. The newest Black Pearl series entry from La Perla Habana’s Doug Wood has taken a long journey from conception to delivery. Over two years of patient waiting to get all the ingredients “just right” has paid off with exceptional ratings from Cigar Insider ranging from 90 to 93 points. Marty’s Cigar & Divan was the site of the West Coast Premiere of this cigar in December, 2007. The crowd really took to the Morado in a big way pre-ordering boxes that were yet to be delivered. Morado is Spanish for the color purple, symbolic of royalty. The cigar is wrapped in aged Cameroon leaf and surrounded by cedar with purple ribbon at the foot. The filler and binder are Nicaraguan. Doug spent two weeks of daylong sampling at the factory until he was finally satisfied with the blend. The smoke is medium to full bodied with tons of complexity and a long finish. The Morado comes in boxes of 20 in two trays of individual cedar slots. It has quickly become a favorite cigar of many of our customers.

MAXX NANO by Alec Bradley

Tuesday, January 22, 2008. With all the huge ring size shapes that make up the Maxx line of cigars I guess it was inevitable that there would be a demand for the same complex blend in a smaller size. The Nano fills that need. It is a petite corona that shares the tobacco from six countries just like its big brothers. It has all the best features of the Maxx blend with a smoking time of 30-45 minutes depending on how fast you smoke. Try one.