Reports and pairings, interviews and cigar knowledge, along with many other stories, await you in the first issue of Cigar Journal 2025.
Below you’ll get a little taste of more stories that may enrich your spring with a good smoke.
By the way, effective immediately, you can now listen to some Cigar Journal articles via audio – in keeping with the tradition of the lectores in the galeras. Our editorial team selected three articles – “Most Memorable Cigar,” “Destination Malta,” and the cover story about Steve Saka – and had them recorded. These files can be accessed in the print magazine via QR code; in the digital magazine, there’s a direct link to the audio.
If your curiosity is piqued, look for the listen symbol, which designates the audio versions of the stories.
Here’s a little teaser, the “Most Memorable Cigar” story: DOWNLOAD.
We’re offering the audio articles in English, German, and Spanish, and we’re excited about the feedback you’re going to give us. If we reach a lot of audio fans, we’ll continue to offer you more audio recordings in the future. Enjoy listening!
COVER STORY – Steve Saka’s Ethos: Sin Compromiso!
Cigar manufacturer extraordinaire Steve Saka tells our author Nick Hammond that the days of small brands, which manufacture excellent and innovative cigars, are numbered. But he’s still working enthusiastically and without compromise on the development of his own company.
CIGAR KNOWLEDGE:
Tobacco from Brazil: Brazil shaped Zino Davidoff. This is where he discovered tobacco culture and the unique aroma of Brazilian tobacco – a flavor that changed his cigars.
Active Humidification in the Humidor: How active humidifiers work in a humidor and what’s important – read about this here in our practical guide to perfect cigar enjoyment.
PAIRING – Bittersweet Love: Cigars and Vermouth
Does vermouth go with cigars? Our six-person pairing team comprehensively tested how bitter and sweet it can get with a cigar.
CIGAR DESTINATIONS: Malta and New Caledonia
Malta: Malta lures visitors with its mild climate, exclusive restaurants as well as low taxes – and is quietly developing into an island of cigar culture.
New Caledonia: Lagoons, ocean adventures, food courts, and exquisite wines – in the capital city Nouméa and beyond, passionados will find top-level enjoyment and indulgence.
CIGAR KNOWLEDGE: Cameroon Tobacco
The history of Meerapfel Cameroon tobacco began when Rick Meerapfel was embraced by Pygmy tribespeople and lived with them.
TASTED CIGARS
An international team of 96 cigar experts blind-tasted 60 cigars. Read the test results here, which include the cigar descriptions.
In this issue, one cigar again scored an outstanding 94 points – the E.P. CARRILLO PLEDGE PREQUEL. Four cigars received a rating of 93 points: the DÍAS DE GLORIA BY A.J. FERNANDEZ BRAZIL FIGURADO, the DUNBARTON MI QUERIDA ANCHO LARGO, the JOYA DE NICARAGUA CINCO DE CINCO ROBUSTO GORDO, and the PERDOMO 30TH ANNIVERSARY SUN GROWN ROBUSTO.
If you’re interested in cigars with a particularly good price-performance ratio, then you should look out for our Best Buy seal: 16 cigars were bestowed with this distinction in the tastings.
Have fun tasting – and reading and listening!
The easiest way to get future issues delivered straight to your door is to subscribe – no matter where you live. Subscribe now!
