Cigar Aficionado May/June 2021

TOP CHURCHILL ASHTON HERITAGE PURO SOL CHURCHILL Somewhere between the Ashton VSG and the Ashton Cabinet, this balanced cigar is one of the most complex and structured smokes in the entire issue. DOM. REP. 94 TOP GRANDE PADRÓN 1964 ANNIVERSARY SERIES NO. 4 MADURO Huge cigars like this rarely score so high, but the chunky No. 4 has all the signature qualities synonymous with the Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series. NICARAGUA 94 TOP FIGURADO SANCHO PANZA BELICOSO The Belicoso is the only regular-production size left in the Cuban Sancho Panza line, and it was also one of the highest scores of the issue. CUBA 94 TOP TORO NAT CICCO ANIVERSARIO 1965 LIGA NO. 4 TORO A 92-point cigar is exciting on its own. When it has a suggested retail price of less than $7, it reassures budget smokers that a cigar doesn’t necessarily have to cost a fortune…

Being a father is one of life’s greatest pleasures and largest responsibilities. Being the parent of a child changes your life forever, makes you reconsider your priorities and reshapes you as a person. We are both fathers, and we know that many of you are as well. If you’re like us, you probably find it extremely hard to remember the days before your child or children were a part of your life. June 20 is Father’s Day in the United States, and in the spirit of that holiday we have three features that emphasize the relationship between fathers and sons. The last time Tiger Woods played competitive golf, before an accident put him in the hospital in February, he was a Tiger we never had seen before. He was laughing, relaxed,…

Dear Marvin, Having been a subscriber to your magazine since the very beginning with your premier issue, I have always enjoyed the various articles you have published over the past 29 years and I still have them all safely stored away. In your most recent edition [March/April 2021] I especially enjoyed your new feature, “My Favorite Cigar.” It was not only interesting to see what these aficionados smoke but to also read a little about their cigar experiences. As for myself, I started smoking cigars about 50 years ago and have enjoyed no less than one a day for the past 30-plus years. I am fortunate enough to have a wife who enjoys the aroma of a good cigar so I’m not really limited to where I can enjoy this daily pleasure.…

You reach into your jacket for a pen and all eyes dart to it. This one’s a head turner. Not every writing instrument has the panache of the new S.T. Dupont Line D Fire-head Guilloche, a luxury pen adorned with precious metal trim. Underneath layers of natural lacquer (your choice of amber, emerald or amethyst) each pen is engraved with an intricate triangular pattern the company calls Fire-head. The guilloche (precise engine-turned engraving) pays tribute to a design seen on many vintage S.T. Dupont pens and lighters, called Diamond Head. The triangular motif also draws inspiration from the glass pyramid entrance of the Louvre museum in Paris, even while the pens are made exclusively for the United States market. The pen’s combination of guilloche and brightly hued, natural lacquer reminds one of…

After more than a year cooped up from Covid, a trip to a health spa with all the implied asceticism may not seem quite what the spirit doctor ordered. But along with its focus on wellness, Miraval Berkshires comes with an array of activities that may have you feeling like you’ve gone to a five-star summer camp for grown-ups—one that serves wine and cocktails. At this newly opened, New England outpost of the renowned Arizona flagship spa, you’re encouraged to push, but not exceed, the limits of your comfort zone. For the adventurous, there’s an aerial obstacle course high in the treetops, much like an adult playground but explored with the safety of harnesses. Archery, hatchet throwing and signature equine programs with rescue horses are other parts of the mix. You…

Hypnotizing. The milk courses through the tube into the machine, then steams into the cup. Foam rises above the milk. Soon, the espresso settles in the middle. Just moments before, the Swiss-made Jura ENA 8 superautomatic coffee machine has already custom ground the beans for a proper, hot latte macchiato. Push one button and the three layers form invitingly in the cup. It’s the ultimate in bean-to-cup engineering. “If you have more than one coffee drinker in the house,” says Nick Brown of wholelattelove.com, a purveyor of everything coffee, “then a superautomatic machine gives you tremendous customization.” The Jura ENA 8 ($1,899, 12.8 inches tall) and the larger E 8 ($2,099, 13.6 inches)—available in four finishes—are ready to make 10 different coffee drinks at up to 10 different strengths, three temperatures and…