Tasting Panel

A lifelong cigar lover, Aldo has been a curious and enthusiastic smoker since his teenage years, deeply fascinated by everything a cigar can reveal. He has worked in the industry for many, many years and considers himself lucky to have turned his passion into his profession.

His professional passion is technical innovation. He applied this standard and research spirit to the private cultivation of over 50 tobacco varieties since 2002, continuously perfecting their complex fermentation and cigar rolling. Since 2013, he has brought this deep practical expertise and analytical precision to the Tasting Panel.

Andres Díaz-Cote is based in the sunny yet cold city of Bogotá, Colombia. He is working as industrial engineer specializing in security solutions.For more than 28 years, he is smoking cigars. Piloting airplanes, playing golf, and restoring classic cars and watches are his passion.

Aniello is an Aeronautical Engineer and cigar enthusiast from Napoli. For many years he worked in this business as a sales director and cigar selector, developing a new approach to tasting, creating a tasting training, and publishing the book “Degustazione Razionale” (Rational Tasting). AIS sommelier, professional cigar taster, and the first Italian to become a CJ panelist.

Darren Cioffi is the founder of Principle Cigars and a tasting panelist for Cigar Journal. He is deeply involved in the world of antique paper, specializing in cigar label art, tobacco advertising, historic financial documents, photography, and other works on paper.

David Garofalo is a self-proclaimed Cigar Authority, hosting the podcast since 2010, and operating Two Guys Cigars since 1985. Over 40 years in every facet of cigars, enthusiast, retailer, educator, and author, having written David vs. Goliath: How to Compete & Beat the Online Giant. Honored as a Cigar Journal Ambassador of Cigars, among other industry accolades.

My journey with cigars began in 1998 – a moment that shaped my life forever. Since then, this wonderful product has accompanied me every day in my private and professional life. As a young boy, I’d stand in awe in the old tobacco shop when I was allowed to fetch cigars for my uncle. Today, I’m proud to be part of a select tasting panel – where experience, craftsmanship, and enjoyment come together in a unique way.

Felix Wallenhorst is a brand ambassador for the Villiger Söhne Group in the handmade premium cigars division. He is also in charge of press relations in Germany and Switzerland. In addition to his own Villiger Brand Ambassador Tour, he represents the company at numerous events in Germany and abroad.

Franca studied sensory science and applies sensory analysis and consumer research at Cigar Sense to help cigar lovers understand their palate and choose with confidence. She supports cigar brands in creating and communicating cigars that genuinely resonate with consumers, and teaches sensory evaluation to marketing and sales teams, with a focus on perception and real-world preference drivers.

I am an 86 year old retired physician and hospital administrator with Boards in 4 specialties. I have been smoking cigars for over 50 years. I love strong full bodied cigars, but truthfully enjoy almost all types of sticks.

Hauke Walter’s found his passion for cigars in the early 2000s as a board member of a cigar club, where he also discovered the discipline of slow smoking. In 2017, he won the German championships in the discipline. In 2018, he became aware of the CSWC of which he’s now the sole holder of three titles. Smoking cigars has enriched his life, bringing many friendships and truly memorable moments, a highlight of which was joining the CJ Tasting Panel.

Heiko Poerz, 64, has smoked cigars for 49 years and been in the business for 25. He has had his own brand, HENK, since 2016. He is a businessman in the high-end luxury segment, an inventor and developer of functional accessories and holds over 60 patents. He’s also a specialist in 3D printing.

Founder of Cigar Family Spain, is a renowned importer and distributor of great premium cigar brands in Spain. Graduate in Business Administration, lover of fine smokes since his youth, tobacco educator, very active on social media, where he combines tastings, reviews, history, and entertainment, promoting the cigar culture. “I am not a slave to a vice, but the master of a pleasure”.

Diamond-professional for over 40 years as independent trader, but cigars have always been a significant part of his career: besides being the initiator/co-founder of the first Belgian Casa-del-Habano, also longtime member of the tasting panel to the famous ‘El Gusto’ magazine, which unfortunately fell victim to ruthless tobacco laws. A member of Cigar Journal’s tasting panel since 2021.

John Paletta is from Des Moines, Iowa. He was the first person from the United States to participate in The World Smoking Championship in Split Croatia.

Marc Peter has been on the tasting panel for over 15 years as a private consumer. He always looks forward to receiving the tasting packages and exciting cigars. For him, tasting cigars is an interesting and responsible task, because, ultimately, readers trust the panel’s judgment and the descriptions and ratings and hope to enjoy a high-quality smoking experience through the evaluations.

Founder and previous owner of the store Cigarrummet in Stockholm since 1989. It has been a fantastic journey and since 2023, when I sold Cigarrummet, I am free to divide my time between life in Stockholm, my summer house, and quite a bit of traveling. And smoking cigars!

Mr. Jonathan has been the co-host of The Cigar Authority podcast for 16 years, has been smoking for 30 years, and retail manager for Two Guys Cigars for 15 years (where he bought his first cigar on his 18th birthday in 1996). He is known for his wild flavor notes and great palate and always has an answer to “What are you tasting now?”.

Oliver Walla is married, with two children. He is self-employed and has been smoking cigars for 25 years. He is president of a cigar club in Vienna and his motto is: “Life is too short to smoke a bad cigar!”

As a long-serving communications professional, Reinhard is familiar with hectic times. This led him to develop a more conscious lifestyle, where pleasure has increasingly come to the fore. It didn’t take him long to discover cigars, which now rank at the top of his personal enjoyment list. He then took over the honorable task of blind tasting and evaluating cigars. His conclusion: blind-tasting has become a special treat in itself.

Robert Lunak is a Vienna based cigar smoker and passionado, ankered in both the creative space as a photographer and in the technical realm as an engineer.

In his search for flavors from around the world, Roland Krammer’s life has taken him from wine and cheese to rum and cigars. Being able to distinguish the very subtle flavor nuances in cigars requires practicing every day, and only after honing one’s senses can one truly enjoy a cigar.

Sam Reuter has been with Oettinger Davidoff AG since March 2009, where he’s head of global product innovation and also a global brand ambassador. His second great passion is fine Bordeaux wines. He’s a member of the conseil privé of the Commanderie de Bordeaux suisse allemande and never tires of enjoying fine Grand Crus. Cigar Journal’s tasting panel helps him stay informed about new cigars and always leads to interesting insights.

Timo discovered the joy of cigars in 2004. His interest in them has continued to increase over the past two decades. As you can see in the picture, this includes all the other pleasures that cigars are connected to. Cigars and all things surrounding them are his passion!

Val Bradshaw has been enjoying premium cigars for over three decades. She is the Canadian Ambassador for Cigar Rights of America. Recognized as a “super-taster” Val’s love for the taste and aromas of cigars evolved from a deep appreciation for the artistry of cigars. Val is a member of the Premium Cigar Association, the Society of Sensory Professionals, holds the coveted WSET L3 designation in wines & spirits and has been a member of the Cigar Journal Tasting panel for over 5 years.