Video Review HERE.
(Description taken from Cigaraficionado.com and MicallefCigars.com websites)
In an uncertain era when many cigarmakers are proceeding cautiously in the face of aggressive government regulations, a bold new cigar company has entered the playing field with guns blazing—Micallef Cigars. The Texas-based company launched seven cigar lines last year and has everything in its extensive portfolio, from an $8 smoke all the way up to a cigar that retails for more than $40. Though still a newcomer to the cigar industry, brand owner Al Micallef says he’s prepared to tackle any challenges that may lie ahead.
“I learned very quickly that you’ve got to run a cigar company like any other business,” said Micallef in a phone conversation with Cigar Aficionado. “You better be dedicated to put the time and the effort in.”
Micallef started his cigar company in 2016 when a chance encounter introduced him to two cigarmakers from the Gómez Sanchez family.
By Micallef’s account, the Gómez Sanchez brothers, Joel and Edel, were driving through Texas when their car broke down. Stranded, the brothers stopped at the nearby Silver Leaf Cigar Lounge, in Fort Worth, Texas. They offered to roll some cigars for the patrons. Micallef, an avid cigar smoker—who spends many afternoons at the lounge—happened to be there and tried their cigars that same day.
“They had some car trouble and stopped in the lounge. They said to the manager, ‘Can we roll some cigars for you?’ The cigars were so popular they stuck around for three days.”
Micallef says he was so impressed with the Gómez Sanchez brothers’ cigars that he asked them if they would create a personal cigar just for him.
He later came to find out that the Gómez Sanchez brothers are from a Cuban cigar family with three generations of experience in the industry. The family patriarch, Pedro F. Gómez, once rolled cigars at the H. Upmann factory in Havana, Cuba, and later worked as a factory supervisor at the Nueva Matacapan factory in Mexico (owned by the Turrents). His daughter-in-law, Migdalia Sanchez, worked at the Partagás factory in Cuba. His grandchildren, Joel and Edel Gómez Sanchez, also worked in cigar factories in Cuba before moving to Miami, then Mexico and finally Nicaragua, where the family operates its cigar factory.
Migdalia Sanchez, daughter-in-law of Pedro F. Gomez, was born in 1947 in Guantanamo, Cuba. At 17 she graduated from the School of Tobacconists in Havana. Migdalia was chosen to represent Cuba in various international exhibitions. She is widely known for her contributions to the tobacco industry and has been awarded several times as one of the best cigar rollers in the world. She also came up with the secret blend for this cigar.
Blend:
Wrapper: 4 year old San Andres Habano
Binder: 4 year old Sumatra
Filler: 4 year old Nicaraguan and Dominican
The cigar has a beautiful band; very ornate. The cigar has a very dense feel in the hand.
The test draw after cutting the cap was good with just a bit of firmness. The initial flavors at light up were quite a varied assortment; mango, orange peel, lots of cinnamon, caramel, light brown sugar, leather, light nutmeg, and light black coffee. There was a light black pepper, almost a white pepper, which I rated at a 7. There are so many flavors in this cigar and they are in a nice mix. They mix very well together.
About 3/4 inch in the flavors have settled down nicely. There is now a mango/cedar type flavor with the nutmeg mixing higher in the mix now, brown sugar, cinnamon, clean-fresh leather, caramel notes, and the black coffee remains quite light. All these flavors mix very well and there is plenty of sweetness. The black pepper is increasing.
At the first third (34 minutes) I must repeat myself; the flavors are mixing well. The flavors are just like I previously described but the orange peel has left the mix. The cigar is medium bodied leaning toward medium to full. The finish is leather, caramel, and light lingering black pepper. This is one of the most unique cigars I've reviewed in a long time. It's unique flavors make it appealing. I rated the first third at 92.
At, or close to the midpoint I am 1 hour into the cigar. The lead flavor now is more of a cedar. There is still brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, caramel, leather, and black coffee. The cigar is now medium to full bodied. The finish is now nutmeg, leather, and cedar. The lingering black pepper has increased.
At the second third (1 hour 27 minutes) The cedar has a little twang to it now. The caramel and nutmeg are making a great flavor when they mix. There is more cinnamon than brown sugar and it's tingly. There is still the leather and the black coffee is somewhat elevated. The cigar is very close if not full bodied. The finish is unchanged. The cigar continues to be interesting because it's so different. I maintained the score of 92.
The cigar lasted an amazing 1 hour 58 minutes. This was a very interesting cigar. The flavors were quite intriguing. The cigar burned evenly and slowly. I still had the twangy cedar, light brown sugar, caramel, tingly cinnamon, nutmeg, leather, and black coffee. The cigar is a low grade full bodied. The finish is nutmeg, cedar, caramel, and a nice amount of lingering black pepper. This is not an every day cigar for me but it is one that should be in the mix. I like it. In fact, I will be reviewing another Micallef cigar in the coming weeks; the Micallef Grande Bold Nicaragua Toro. I maintained the previous scores of 92 for the final third.
Overall Score: 92
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