Man O’ War took the cigar industry by storm with its solid, full body and oily Habano wrapper which presented a plethora of competing spicy flavors mixed with pepper and sweet nuances noticeable in the finish. The cigar is incredibly complex and found its way into aficionado’s humidors across the nation due to its impeccable flavor and construction. Well, make way for Ruination, Man O’ War’s “older brother” that delivers similar characteristics but in a more robust presentation.

Man O’ War Ruination features a hearty concoction of Cuban-seed Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos. Further more, these tobaccos are mostly ligero leaves, which add a ton of spice to the blend allowing for a bold, robust experience. The wrapper is an oily Habano Ecuadorian leaf, chosen for balance since it features nuances of black pepper with a sweet aftertaste. This blend is incredibly rich with flavors ranging from earth and leather to hints of oak. Ruination is an excellent addition to the Man O’ War line, and a must try for all fans of full-bodied, perfectly balanced blends.

Q: Why did the wrapper on my cigar unravel?

A: Wrapper leaves are incredibly delicate. They are applied to each cigar and then sealed on the stick by the use of a cap at the head of the cigar. The cap prevents the end of the wrapper leaf from detaching from the head of cigar and unraveling. The major cause for this particular problem is an incorrect cut. At the head of each cigar you will find the cap and by close examination, you should find a circular line where the end of the cap meets the body of the cigar. This area is commonly referred to as the "shoulder." If a cigar is cut past this point, where the cut actually snips off part of the body of the cigar, then the wrapper will easily unravel since all of the cap was removed. To prevent this, simply cut each cigar no lower than the shoulder. If you find yourself with an unraveling wrapper, a little saliva or pectin applied to the head should fix it right up.

ACID Opulence 3 - Uniquely infused, ACID Opulence 3 is the rarest of all ACID cigars and brings a whole new blend to the ACID lineup in a rich, oily maduro.

Gurkha Blue Steel - Gurkha Blue Steel is a slight departure from most other Hansotia blends, but only in terms of price. The blend consists of tri-country filler stemming from Nicaragua, Honduras, and Columbia.

A.D.N. - A.D.N. offers a medium body with light complexities that produce flavorful, yet mellow characteristics due to its age.

Modesta (2000) - A medium-bodied concoction of Dominican tobaccos, Modesta, also referred to as Partagas Don Ramon, is an excellently aged blend worthy of competing against the most sought after cigars on the market.

Uniquely infused, ACID Opulence 3 is the rarest of all ACID cigars and brings a whole new blend to the ACID lineup in a rich, oily maduro.

ACID cigars are a combination of premium, whole leaf tobaccos gently infused with essential oils to create unique flavors and aromas unlike any other cigar available. The secret infusion process Drew Estate uses to create this brand has been so closely guarded no one else in the world has been able to replicate the feel, aroma, or flavor of an ACID cigar.

Opulence 3 sports a jet-black, oily maduro wrapper from San Andres, Mexico, which provides a rich and creamy character with a pronounced sweet nuance noticeable in the finish. This wrapper is perfectly balanced with a hearty blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos grown in Esteli, where some of the strongest Nicaraguan tobacco is grown. These tobaccos were harvested in three separate crop years including 2005, 2006, and 2007, making Opulence a rare, incredibly limited treat. Not only is the cigar infused with oils and botanicals chosen by Jonathan Drew himself, but also each individual leaf is infused to provide a full-flavored, uniquely enjoyable experience each time this cigar is lit. We really enjoy Opulence 3 here at Cigar.com. In fact, this blend may be the most unique ACID created to date!

Torpedo (6" x 54) The torpedo really emphasized all of the characteristics of the infused tobaccos. Complex with notes of cocoa, coffee, and sweet fruity nuances, this was a rare treat. The aroma is amazingly inviting. 90/100 [Buy Now]

Robusto (5" x 54) The draw was perfect as no "double puffing" was needed. Although a bit less complex than the torpedo, many thick notes of espresso overwhelmed the senses. Seemed a bit stronger. 89/100 [Buy Now]

Toro (6" x 54) Burned unevenly and offered a tighter draw. The flavors at the start were similar to the other sizes but this blend drastically changed half-way through. The finish was potent and strong, with some incredibly light hints of pepper noticeable in the back of the palate. The aroma, again, was excellent. 87/100 [Buy Now]

04/01/2009: Kim, Tim, and Alex sit down and discuss their recent trip to Nicaragua. An "insider view" on the state of the cigar industry, new and exciting projects, and of course some of the fun banter you have come to expect from the CCOM crew. Enjoy! [Listen Now]

In an industry built on name recognition and reputation, Rocky Patel’s passion has brought his brand to heights unseen by most boutique cigar manufacturers. His hard work and long hours have been paying off in big ways. A survivor of the cigar boom, Patel has outlasted his competition with unrivaled persistence on his quest for perfection. Most cigar connoisseurs are familiar with Rocky’s many highly rated blends. In fact, most aficionados can name almost every brand he has released, including the composition of each, when they were created and their flavor profiles. However, although most of us know and understand Rocky’s magnificent cigar blends, none of us truly know or understand the man behind their label. We were determined to answer one of the most complex questions in the cigar industry and the results are finally in. Who is Rocky Patel?

Rocky Patel lived and worked in Los Angeles as an entertainment and product liability lawyer, but was introduced to cigars by a close friend. His passion for the product instantly evolved into a love, as he became one of the original-founding members of the famed Grand Havana Club in Los Angeles. He is heralded as the “hardest working man” in the cigar industry, rarely visiting his home and headquarters in Naples, Florida. Yearly, he logs more than 300 days on the road and travels nearly 150,000 miles. In fact, Rocky has once been in 600 different cities spanning a time frame of only 750 days! Rocky spends so much time traveling in order to support his brands and to help build ideas for future projects, he jokes about never having time to eat. He prefers creating blends that cater to the complex palate, while avoiding linear cigars such as puros, which are comprised of binders, fillers and wrappers all from the same region. Rocky believes in blending tobaccos from various regions because it takes greater skill and knowledge in addition to creating a more unique and entertaining blend. As a man who created more than 5 blends with ratings of 90 or higher, it is incredibly hard to argue with his logic.

So what exactly is it like to spend a day in Rocky Patel’s shoes? Well, Rocky’s mornings usually begin around 7am. He “hits the steel for about an hour” and then runs for twenty minutes. After freshening up, he heads to the office but not before his Blackberry World Edition starts ringing off the hook, displaying more than a hundred “new” e-mails daily. As soon as he parks his Aston Martin and enters his office, Rocky is bombarded with many questions spanning all of his departments: “a full documentary must be completed by April 15th, your taxes must be finalized, updates are needed for the motorcycle raffle, new tubes for cigars and ads must be created. Are we auctioning off the Aston Martin? What about the servers for the new facility? Where would you like the end of day counts left?” After finalizing these items in addition to a multitude of other inquiries including meetings, interviews and cigar tasting sessions, Rocky heads to his warehouse to check on quality control. This is the most important aspect of the business, in Rocky’s opinion. He spends countless hours observing his torcedors, examining product, draw testing cigars, spot checking wrappers, and checking boxes to be sure his blends are being created to his high standards of excellence. Eventually, he finds himself standing in front of his team and realizing, “damn, it’s already 7:30pm.” He jokes to his team, “Can you imagine what we could accomplish if we actually worked for a living?” After a full 12 hours in the office, it’s time to hit the road again, as Rocky heads out to promote his cigars.

At home, Rocky’s life is just as hectic, but in a much different way. He spends time with his family, cooking and enjoying life’s small luxuries such as a Ketel One and soda, tall with a lemon. When in need of a good cigar, Rocky makes his way to his humidor, which is not only filled with his own blends but also with a few other favorites such as La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero, Padron Aniversario, and Ashton VSG. Although he enjoys his cigars while zipping around in his Aston Martin Vanquish S, many times Rocky is found riding in his Chevy Tahoe, which he easily admits to driving the most. Although incredibly busy maintaining his well-respected business, Rocky does find time for a vacation throughout the year. His favorite places to visit are India, Greece, or Africa, and he does so with either his family or close friends. Golf, skiing, fishing, and football are also fun past times Rocky enjoys, but none compare to his love for the art of cigar making. For that, we are truly thankful!