General Cigar's Daniel Núñez
and Modesta Fondeur

(Posted October 22, 2005)

*** IN THIS ISSUE ***
1. Feature Story: The Book of Daniel - Chapter and Verse
2. Survey Says: October survey question
3. Smoker's Ed (Cigar Terms & Tips)
4. Rating Lunatic: Davidoff Limited Edition Robusto Intenso
5. Cigar in the News: Heard in the Humidor
6. Eyes on the Prize: Celebrity and Customer Cigar Sightings

*** FEATURE STORY ***
The Book of Daniel - Chapter and Verse
An Interview with Daniel Núñez and Modesta Fondeur
by Gary Korb

"The tobacco tells us what to do and we listen." - Daniel Núñez
(from an ad for Macanudo Cigars)

During the Retail Tobacco Dealers Association Convention in New Orleans, I had the privilege of speaking with two of the most influential people in the premium cigar world: General Cigar President and Chief Operating Officer, Daniel Núñez, and Executive Vice President, Modesta Fondeur. Joining us for the interview, which took place over breakfast, was Victoria McKee, Manager of Public Relations for General Cigar, who was kind enough to arrange the interview amid a very hectic convention schedule for both Mr. Núñez and Ms. Fondeur.

As I wrote in my RTDA 2005 recap, Señor Núñez is a soft-spoken, genteel man whose love of tobacco is written in his smile. As for Ms. Fondeur, she has all the charm of a fairy godmother and the grace of a queen. Over breakfast, Daniel (pronounced "dan-YELL") and Modesta told me about their background, their approach to blending cigars, and how they're able to produce such consistently good cigars by the millions.

How and when did you get into the tobacco business?

Daniel Núñez: It was right after I graduated from college. [Mr. Núñez is a graduate of Texas A&M] I was 20 years old and had returned to the Dominican Republic to find work, which was not easy in those days. Fortunately, my scholarship offered an agricultural work program where they would pay me a salary for six months. You could choose rice, tobacco, cocoa and some other crops. So, I chose tobacco only because it was close to home. Within a month I realized that growing tobacco was my calling.

Did you have any tobacco-growing experience as a child?

DN: Not really, except for a little tobacco that my family grew, but not in a great amount.

What about you, Modesta? How did you find your way into the tobacco business?

Modesta Fondeur: When I finished college at Catholic University in Santiago, one of my professors was an economic and legal consultant to General Cigar, so he recommended me to the company. I started the first day they opened tobacco operations in the Free Zone; I was assigned to Administration. Eventually, I moved into Operations and learned how the entire tobacco process worked.

Daniel, how did you end up with General Cigar?

DN: The Dominican Institute of Tobacco had begun working on an experimental project with General Cigar to try growing Connecticut shade wrapper in the Dominican Republic. They were looking for an agronomist who had graduated from an American college who could speak English to work with them. I happened to be the only one [laughs]. This is how I first came to meet Edgar [Cullman] Senior. That was two years after I got out of college in 1974.

What are the three most important factors in making a good cigar?

DN: From my point of view, the tobacco that's being used, the people (the individual). Those are the two most important things. You say you are looking for three things, but really, it is the quality of the tobacco and the quality of the individual who works with it that really matter.

Why is the wrapper leaf so important?

MF: First, so much of the cigars flavor comes from the wrapper. Secondly, it's also cosmetic. It is the finishing of the cigar, which is why it is also so important.

What is the biggest change you've seen in the cigar business?

DN: The consumer is now more knowledgeable and much more aware of the details about the product. Secondly, there has been quite a shift in the strength. Not so much the flavor, but the strength. Yesterday we smoked cigars that were 29 years old. These were some of the first Partagas that were made in Jamaica. What was so interesting was, in those days Partagas was considered a strong cigar. Ironically, this cigar was so light compared to what is being produced today.

Speaking of Partagas, I discovered them myself shortly after I started smoking cigars. A man sitting near me in a bar lit up a cigar and the aroma was so wonderful it prompted me to ask him, "What are you smoking?" The man slowly removed his cigar, and while admiring it as he might a beautiful young girl, uttered, "Par-tah-gaahs."

DN: [Laughs] I remember, the most popular advertisement for Partagas back in Cuba was a slogan that went, "Partagas y nada mas." This means, "Partagas and nothing else."

MF: Of course, today nothing is static when it comes to blending. There is a lot more experimentation in developing new seeds, new wrappers, and more complex blends. We are continually trying so many new things now in Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic, it's never boring.

I'm particularly fond of the Partagas Spanish Rosado

DN: [Smiles and looks at Modesta] That's one of our favorite cigars.

Considering how many tens of thousands of cigars you produce each year, can you speak to the consistency of the quality you're able to maintain?

MF: I would have to say, the most important things would be our tobacco, and our bunchers and rollers. All the tobacco that we keep in inventory is well-aged and well-fermented, plus the people have to be well-trained. So if you want consistency, the people who make the cigar are just as important as the tobacco itself. Wouldn't you agree, Daniel?

DN: Absolutely.

What happens if a harvest is devastated by a hurricane or other natural disaster?

DN: That's why we always have four crops in inventory for safety purposes.
Two would be the minimum you need. Another way to look at consistency is, I compare tobacco to horses.

Really?

DN: Yes. You can get a thoroughbred from the best bloodlines, but that doesn't guarantee the horse will be a winner. What it really comes down to is the combination of the breeder and the trainer. So, in our case, we have to train the tobacco. Of course, it starts with making sure you have the right seed. Then once you have it, you must be sure to train it properly. That is actually why we pay so much attention to the tobacco we grow. People like Ernesto [Perez-Carrillo, the maker of La Gloria Cubana Cigars] say to me, "You're an atypical president of a tobacco corporation, because you spend so much time in the fields." But from my point of view it's absolutely impossible to separate the two. So, to have consistency in tobacco you must follow that tobacco. You must make sure you look at it, nurture it. There’s 's a language that develops between you and the tobacco, if you really want to have consistency.

Then there are the people who make the cigars, you mentioned earlier.

MF: Yes. Can you imagine having almost 5,000 people working for you between Honduras and the Dominican Republic and not having the tobacco ready for them? Say, if the long filler is not ready, the binder is not ready, the wrapper, or maybe it's almost ready. How do you tell those people that there is no work for them? They're the ones who are going to make your cigars; they’re essential.

DN: What we're trying to say is that not only are all these people are depending on us to provide them with work, but they also take pride in their work, and so we must also continue to provide them with consistently good tobacco.

Now that you're "El Presidente", how do you actually balance your duties between being an administrator and a tobacco grower?

DN: Well, the political side of it, the administrative part that is; we have great people to do that and I trust them. Tobacco, I never trust [smiles]. So, I just pay more attention to the things that I can't trust as much.

Why do you say that?

DN: Because no matter what I do, or how much I care, I'll never learn enough about tobacco to be able to predict what will happen. Just like that thoroughbred horse. Whatever comes up, every day you discover something new about it because every crop is different. But it’s the great people we have working for us that give me the comfort to do what I love. People like Modesta and Victoria, the marketing people and the creative people. They all do their jobs to the best of their ability. So, what more can I ask? They make my job that much easier.

Having been with the company so long, is there anything you'd like to do differently or see change, now that you're in a position to do so?

DN: I would like to create a more monolithic company, in terms of getting all the departments, marketing, creative, public relations and the production people working shoulder-to-shoulder. I feel this would help tremendously in meeting the challenges we face ahead.

Since you've worked mainly in the tobacco-growing nations outside of Cuba, if a cigar smoker were to ask you what the difference is between a Dominican cigar, a Honduran cigar and a Nicaraguan cigar, what would you tell them?

MF: Again, it comes down to the tobacco we use. In Honduras we use many different types of tobacco. In the Dominican, we use a lot of Piloto Cubano and Mexican tobacco. Then there are all the different types of wrappers. Cameroon, Connecticut Shade, Ecuadoran Sumatra, so the taste really is entirely dependent on the blend, not the country. They may form the head of the cigar differently; a rounder head in the Dominican, a flat head in Honduras, or they may put the filler in a certain way.

DN: In the end it all comes down to the tobacco and the soil. For example, in Nicaragua the tobacco is somewhat peppery because most of the soil is volcanic. Now, say you just use Nicaraguan tobacco. Just as in cooking, you're adding more pepper. Pepper is good when you are cooking, but only in a certain amount. And of course there are different types of peppers. But if you use 100% Nicaraguan tobacco, then you know the cigar will be peppery. It all depends on the blending. Plus, you must think of the consumer. Some people like spicy foods, some like milder foods. The same can be said for cigars.

You have a wrapper that you developed in the Dominican Republic for the Ramon Allones cigars. The only other Dominican-grown wrapper I'm aware of is the one used on the Fuente-Fuente OpusX.

DN: Actually, our Dominican wrapper pre-dates it. We began growing ours in 1974. But I also want to be careful and very clear about this. First of all, there is not yet a Dominican puro, meaning a cigar made of 100% Dominican tobacco, and there has never been one. Secondly, we have over 100,000 lbs. of Dominican wrapper on-hand, but that wrapper is not yet ready. When we feel it is, you will know.

Is there such a thing as a "perfect cigar"?

DN: This is an interesting question because I don't know if this can ever be. You must remember, it’s the combination of tobacco, which is a natural product, and human beings, so you can never predict if a cigar will ever be perfect; at least in the ideal sense of the word.

*** SURVEY SAYS DEPT. ***

*** January 2006 Survey *** When buying a cigar sampler what influences your decision most? Price Selection

Last time you said... If you were made aware of one of the following during the order process, which would most likely cause you to add more items to your cart? Free shipping 49 % Free single cigars (up to 5) 26 % 5% off your total order 11 % Free accessories (cutters, lighters, hats, T-shirts) 11 % None of the above 3 %

September Survey Comments: With over 300 votes counted at press time, I was selfishly hoping the majority of voters would be in favor of just one item. Actually, I was happier to see that most of you think we're doing fine with three and four items in our weekly sale. The second highest result preferred to see even more items in the sale. Gee, that was a close one. As they say, be careful what you wish for.

Cigar Terms & Tips (Collect and trade em'!)
Carotene - A naturally occurring compound found in aged cigars, and contributes to the leaf's amber-brown color.

Q&A
Q: I followed the standard procedures on how to prepare a humidor prior to initial use, but I was unable to calibrate my hygrometer. I have a box-type humidor with the hygrometer inset into the front of the box. it doesn't seem to come out without prying it out and I'm afraid I will damage my humidor if I try to pry it out.

My humidity has slowly risen to 90% over the last 2 weeks since I prepped it and began using it. it stabilized at about 72% before I put any cigars in it. I put approx 50 cigars inside and it continued to rise. I put a small dish with rice in it about 8 days ago at 80% and then added about 100 more cigars about 5 days ago, but it is still rising.

My cigars seem fine and I haven't seen any signs of mold or swelling, but I am still concerned as I have about $600 dollars worth of cigars in there.

Please tell me what you think or suggest.
- Jason B.

A: If the cigars aren’t overly soft or swollen, which they could be at those humidity levels, then it’s probably the hygrometer. I understand you don’t want to harm the box, so my recommendation is, leave the hygrometer in for cosmetic reasons. Buy a digital unit. That will be accurate within 1%-3%. Then, if your analog hygro has a calibration screw, you can dial it to match the readout on the digital unit and see if it "sticks." [Or, read the article below titled: "How to know if your analog hygrometer is really working."]

When you add any large number of fresh cigars in a humidor, it’s natural for the humidity to rise. It should settle back down after the cedar has had some time to absorb the extra moisture. Could be you also over-prepped the box, or the humidifier holds more water than necessary for the size of the box. Note that the humidity comes mainly from the cedar walls. The humidifier is there just to keep it all balanced.

If the digital unit gives you a high readout, that may point to the humidifier being too damp and you may want to leave the box open for a day and let it dry out a bit. Alternately, you can just remove the humidifier. If the digital hygrometer reads within the normal range, then you know it was the analog all the time. Keep an eye on those cigars. If they start splitting when you smoke them or burn unevenly, you'll know they’re over-humidified.

One other caveat: Humidity levels over 85% plus high temps can also lead to mold forming in the humidifier, so be careful, especially when you've got so much invested in your collection.

How to know if your analog hygrometer is really working
For those of you who are concerned about keeping your analog hygrometer within the "normal" 65%-75% range for keeping your cigars fresh, here's a good tip. But first, keep this in mind: Analog gauges are generally within +/- 5% to 10% in range. (real cheapie models can vary even more.)

You've just bought a new humidor and it came with an analog hygrometer. You've prepped the box, put in the cigars and a week or two later, the cigars feel fine, but the hygrometer is "stuck" at a reading that's well off the norm by over 10%. This observation is usually followed by anything from "Hmmm…" to panic and fear. No to worry. The important thing is the cigars feel supple and not overly moist or dry.

Remove the hygrometer. Provided it has a calibration screw, using a small screw driver, set the needle to 100%. Put it back in place in the humidor. A spring inside the hygrometer loosens or tightens depending on amount of RH. This is why you want to crank it up to its tightest setting. If the hygrometer is working, the needle will move back down and stop when it has reached its max RH level. This figure may be within range or not. But at least you'll know it can be calibrated if necessary.

Click here to learn how to properly calibrate an analog hygrometer.

Band on or off?
It's a question that's been vexing smokers since Gustave Bock put bands on his Havana-made cigars in the 1850s to help identify them as authentic and not made by counterfeiters. In England and in much of Europe, it's considered bad form to keep the band on, since it identifies the brand and is considered "showing off." In the U.S., the view is more balanced, since many smokers want others to know what they're smoking!

But it's also worthwhile to consider good reasons for removing your band either at the start, or after lighting when the cigar becomes more pliable and the band is easier to remove without damaging the wrapper.

There's the highly enjoyable hobby of band collecting. Or you may wish to remove the increasing larger bands on cigars to order to give your lips more room to handle the cigar. Or you can invoke the "Yogi Berra" rule, based on the Yankee catcher's comment to Milwaukee Braves slugger Hank Aaron in the 1957 World Series. Berra told Aaron that he was holding the bat incorrectly because the trademark label was facing down instead of toward the hitter. After belting a home run, Aaron took Yogi, "I came here to hit, not to read." The lesson is that when bands are left on cigars, they tend to be smoked with the label up, instead of being rotated to ensure the best burn.
(Courtesy of Rich Perelman)

Reader Feedback and Tips from our mailbag

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*** SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION DEPT.***
Free Advice!
Have a question about the care and feeding of your cigars or another cigar-related topic? Send your questions and comments to me at: . I will try to respond as quickly as possible, but some replies may take a few days.


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*** RATING LUNATIC DEPT.***


New Cigar Review:
Davidoff Limited Edition Robusto Intenso
By Gary Korb

Size/Strength: 5 1/8" x 52 / Full
Wrapper: Three year-aged, double-fermented Ecuadorian
Filler: Dominican-grown Havana-seed, Piloto, San Vicente Jicomé, San Vicente Mao
Binder: Dominican Olor

The Limited Edition Robusto Intenso is the cigar Davidoff debuted in New Orleans at RTDA. The construction was first-rate, and although there were some pronounced veins in the wrapper of my sample, it was appealingly oily.

As expected, the cap popped-off perfectly. At first light, the smoke had a familiar semi-sweetness that, to me, seems to dominate in many Davidoff cigars. As advertised, the aroma was quite inviting. The cigar smoked smoothly from the first and drew perfectly with a certain sharpness to the flavor. As the ash neared the 1-inch mark (which was quite firm, by the way) the flavor balanced out losing the sharpness I tasted earlier on.

Now it was starting to gel. Just past an inch, the black and dark gray stippled ash let go leaving a crimson cone in its wake. The cigar produced lots of spicy smoke that worked it way up into my nostrils. By now, the cigar was chugging along full-speed and I was beginning to understand why they named this cigar "Intenso." The second ash held on for a good one-and-three quarter inches.

By its midpoint, the cigar took on a new dimension in spiciness, yet surprisingly, it was also smoking much more smoothly. Even at it's spiciest, the cigar was never overpowering. This can probably best be explained by the fact that all six tobaccos used in the Davidoff Robusto Intenso are matured for anywhere from three to five years. During the entire smoke I could taste all kinds of things going on. I can't put any specific flavors to this cigar (á la Cigar Aficionado-speak) other than to say the Intenso is a perfect of example of a "complex" cigar. What's most intriguing about this cigar is how it sort of "regulates" the amount spiciness to the palate. I don't know how they do it, but here again, I would contribute it to the unique mix of tobaccos, all of which are grown in different regions of the Dominican Republic; then there's the wrapper, which is from Ecuador.

I smoked it down to the last one-and-a-half inches, at which point it was just too intense. This was also one of the few cigars where I may have enjoyed the aroma even more than the flavor. For the experienced cigar smoker who is well-accustomed to full-bodied cigars, the Davidoff Robusto Intenso should find a welcome space in their humidor.
Here are the numbers:
Appearance: 8
Construction: 9
Burn: 10
Draw: 10
Aroma: 10
Flavor: 9
Final Score: 9.3

AGREE/DISAGREE? Your opinion may be similar or completely different and is also appreciated, so don't be shy. Rate the cigars you smoke on our web site and write a review. You might even get your quote re-printed in our monthly mailorder catalog! What you say can help others make a more informed decision, even you!


*** GIVE THAT MAN A CIGAR! DEPT.***
If you live in or near the verdant Lehigh Valley of PA, stop by our retail store at 1100 Conroy Place in Easton, PA for one of our cigar tasting events.

In-stores: Troya Cigars - Saturday, November 5th, 12:00 - 3:00 PM

Troya cigar samples, Troya North Coast wine and prizes!

Troya is a great cigar with a fine Cuban heritage now made in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. If you want to sample one of the better premium cigars on the market that rarely gets the props it deserves, you should attend this event. So join us on Saturday, November 5th and try a Troya!

Here's the 411:

• Buy 3 SINGLE Troya cigars and get 1 more FREE!
• Buy a BOX of Troya cigars and get a FREE 5 pack sampler.
• Take a spin on the Troya prize wheel for a chance to win golf hats and shirts, Troya cigar cutters, lighters and more!
• There will also be a free Troya North Coast wine sampling, plus our regular fare of tasty snacks and cold beverages.

*** CIGARS IN THE NEWS ***
The following cigar news items are courtesty of the Heard in the Humidor newsletter, which features highlights of the week in cigars and smoking from,

HEARD IN THE HUMIDOR

Rapper Jay-Z reportedly flew in boxes of Cuban La Flor de Cano Selectos (5 7/8 x 41) for a party he gave in London, England for his fiancé, Beyonce Knowles. Expensive, sure, but nothing compared to the diamond-studded ring and watch he gave her, reported to cost $3 million . . . Britain's ruling Labor Party heard from the Tobacco Worker's Alliance labor union last week, asking that the government’s currently-proposed smoking ban on workplaces be accepted, leaving smoking as an allowed activity in bars, pubs and private clubs. The union said a total ban would cost even more than the 32,000 jobs expected to be lost under the present proposal.

If you're spending from $235 to $390 a ticket to watch the Washington Redskins play football at 91,665-seat FedEx Field, you're entitled to a few perks. But the Redskins have gone overboard. On the Club level, open to "premium" season-ticket holders and suite occupants, you can choose from amenities including two Internet cafes, two Bloody Mary bars, a Wild Goose Landing patio bar, a Hooters and now a Club Macanudo at FedEx Field. It's only the second Club Macanudo anywhere, opening almost a decade after the New York club - perhaps America's best-known cigar bar - which debuted in 1996. Formerly known as "The Humidor," this is no hole in the wall. It's 4,300 square feet! And it offers seating for about 350, including space for 75 along a more than 100-foot-long granite-topped bar. . . A new political party in New Zealand - the WIN Party - is campaigning against the country's bar and pub smoking ban in elections being completed over the weekend. It's partnered with the United Future Party and looks for a return to "freedom to own and operate a business without oppressive constraint of the nanny state" . . . English cricketeers might need a nanny after winning the Ashes Cup from Australia by two games to one (with two draws) for the first time in 18 years last week. After securing the victory, the 12-member team and entourage partied from 6:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. the next day, pouring down beers, wines and spirits that altogether cost more than $55,000! All-arounder Andrew Flintoff, selected as the most valuable player in the matches, was asked if he’s had any food with all the drink and replied, "Yes. A cigar."

After completing the sale of General Cigar to Swedish Match earlier this year, the Cullman family is exploring the creation of a new cigar, tentatively called the "Cullman Reserve." According to an executive with knowledge of the project, ""something has been designed and samples have been made" . . . U.S. premium cigar imports dropped in July by 3.8%, but are still up for the year as a whole by 6.6% with almost all imports coming from three countries: the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua.

Cuba readied its annual plea to the United Nations for the U.S. to stop its trade embargo, now in its fifth decade. The U.N. General Assembly has voted in favor of Cuba’s resolutions in 13 consecutive years, the last by a 179-4 count in 2004. . .Montana resident Walter Bruening turned 109 last week and is still basking in the glow of cigars given to him for his 108th birthday after news reports that he stopped buying them because they were too expensive. This year, the staff of the retirement community in which he lives bought him a basket of cigars for his birthday . . . In India, the High Court of New Delhi closely questioned a government attorney in a case in which the government is ordering, under a new law, a high-profile filmmaker not to include any scenes of Winston Churchill smoking his trademark cigar in a documentary being prepared on the former British Prime Minister. "Smoking is not banned in life; how can it be banned in cinema?" asked one judge; a decision is expected in a few days.

Famed British artist David Hockney scolded the governing Labour Party plan for a broad anti-smoking program proposed to go into effect in 2006. He appeared on a popular morning television show to debate Labour Party member Julie Morgan, one of the leaders of the anti-smoking initiative. In response to a Morgan comment about the health impact of smoking, Hockney sneered, "Well, yes, I mean, death awaits you whether you smoke or not. Pubs are not health clubs. People go to drown their sorrows. You could save a lot more lives if they didn't serve alcohol, you could argue. This is ridiculous."

The British cigar trade magazine, Cigar Buyer, profiled the near-legendary cigarmaker Hendrik Kelner in its latest issue. Of note was Kelner's rise from a six-roller start-up in 1984 to his current team of 430 rollers. Between 1980 and 1986, he helped to create two signature brands, The Griffin's and Avo. Comparing the current renaissance of cigar making in the Dominican Republic, where his Tabadom empire is located, to the situation in the historic home of cigars, Cuba, Kelner noted: "In the Dominican Republic, we have different micro-climates - a wider choice than Cuba, a range of soils and a choice of seeds with the capacity for creating different tastes and different levels of strength. The difference between the two countries is the capacity to make different blends.". . . A U.S. government study estimated that the tightened restrictions on travel to Cuba over the past two years has cost the Castro government as much as $500 million in hard currency . . . Travelers to Israel for the Jewish High Holy Days [found] the country's cigar epicenter at the famed King David Hotel in Jerusalem, which now sports a Casa del Habano, owned by Noelle Levy. A recent visitor was California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose preference was for Cohiba Robustos and Montecristo No. 2s.

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It’s Like eBay® for Cigar Lovers!




Now you can get the cigars YOU want at the prices you want to pay by logging on to CigarAuctioneer.com. It's FUN, it's FAST and the ACTION is great! You'll not only find RARE cigars, closeouts, and discontinued cigar brands, but now you can bid on humidors, cigar lighters and more!
(“eBay” is the registered trademark of eBay, Inc. Famous Smoke Shop-PA, Inc. is not associated or affiliated with eBay in any manner.)

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*** EYES ON THE PRIZE DEPT.***
Cigar Sightings

	Golf star John Daly, with his presentation box of Toraño Reserva Selecta cigars, at recent TELUS Skins Game, Whistler, British Columbia. (photo courtesy of Toraño Cigars)
	CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Las Vegas): In [this particular episode] they lost a dead body. He turned up wearing a party hat on a bus bench with a cigar in his mouth. They ID'd the cigar as a Perdomo Reserve; then tracked the recent buyers of this cigar, finding the corpse’s buddies who wanted to have one last party with their friend. - Lyle J. Hart Jr.
	Sahara (2005) - William H. Macy, as Admiral Jim Sandecker, Dirk Pitt's (Matthew McConaughey's) billionaire benefactor, is rarely seen without sucking on an (un-banded) Diadema. Plus, the opening sequence (a long, overhead tracking shot of Dirk's home) begins with the image of a cigar stub in an ashtray.
	Boston Legal (ABC-TV) - I love watching James Spader and Bill Shatner enjoying a good cigar and a glass of scotch on the terrace of their law offices, as well as some other places, this season. I wonder if series creator and writer David Kelley partakes? (If Mr. Kelley, or anyone who knows him is reading this, please let me know. I've got a cigar with his name on it.)

Other Famous Cigar Smokers Caught “Infumare Delecto”

This is a shot I got before we returned from overseas deployment in Kuwait/Iraq Summer 2003. Myself (on the right, holding "Arnold" Cigar Aficionado cover) and my friend Tim (Cuban supermodel issue) both got promoted "in-theatre", so we were celebrating. Ernie, rounds out our stogie crew (bottom right). We are part of an elite special medical unit called "CCATT" (Critical Care Air Transport Team). Basically, we fly in with the Air Force (or Army) and retrieve critically injured troops from far forward to higher levels of care (Germany, USA, etc.). Those "spots" in the photo were the constant dust flying around all the time! We almost always enjoyed a stogie after each mission to reflect and relax! (several in fact from Famous shipped to us in Kuwait!) BRAD S. GOLDMAN, MD FACEP Lt. Col., USAFR, MC, FS 445th ASTS CCATT Flight Commander Flight Surgeon 89th Airlift Squadron 445th Aeromedical Staging Squadron (AFRC) Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
	Taken in Aruba in the Garufa cigar bar. (From left to right) Me, Frank Siragusa, smoking a Churchill Cuban Romeo and Juileta, Jackie Siragusa, Linda Silvestri, both with a Churchill Hoyo Excaliber, and Mike Silvestri smoking a Kilaminjaro Montecristo. - Big Frank
	I was back home in Deadwood, SD last week for my son's wedding. Here is a picture of my son, Lyle J. Hart III and his best man enjoying a quick smoke before the wedding. My son enjoys, Romeo Y Julieta Reserve Maduro #4 - Lyle J. Hart Jr.

WANTED! Cigar-smoking photos of you and your friends
Have You Made A Cigar Sighting Recently? It can be from a movie, TV show or a celebrity you've seen elsewhere or in-person puffing a primo. If you can name the brand of the cigar, even better! Or send in a herfing photo of you and your friends to me at and please put "Cigar Sightings" in the subject line. Limit: 1 sighting or photo (preferably, a .JPG) per email.

That's all folks. Happy Smokes!


Gary
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