XIKAR Interview Vol V Issue I
Cigar Press – How did you guys come up with the name XIKAR? Kurt Van Kepple – Paul Garmirian wrote a book on cigars. And in his book he wrote that the original Spanish spelling for the Mayan cigar was sikar. I thought that was such a cool name, and then we played on that. [...]
Tatuaje – Pete Johnson Debut Interview
This is first published interview with Pete Johnson of Tatuaje that was featured in the Premiere issue of Cigar Press, June 2007. Tatuaje is only a few years old but already being marked as one of the best cigars on the market. Created by LA resident Pete Johnson, he is far from the classic image [...]
Leaf Metamorphasis
Co-written by Thor Nielsen and Hendrik Kelner. The following pictures are examples of what you may find inside the curing barns in different phases of the process. The first photo is from day 1, harvested right off of the plant. The last picture is of a fully cured leaf that is ready to be prepped [...]
CULEBRA CIGARS
WHAT ARE THEY? Those of you that speak Spanish already know that the word culebra translates to snake. In cigar terms, a Culebra is a combination of three panetela-shaped cigars twisted together and tied at each end. While these cigars don’t have much of a market presence today, there are a couple manufacturers that are [...]
Drew Estate Factory Tour
Since the inception of Drew Estate in 1995 there has been no doubt that it is a cigar company with an entirely new perspective. It all started with a couple of young New Yorkers, Jonathan Drew and Marvin Samel, with no heritage in cigars or tobacco – only fresh ideas and a love for cigars, [...]
