Nov/Dec 03
In this issue

Gen. Tommy Franks • Nov/Dec 03

Pick up the latest issue of Cigar Aficionado, and read about Gen Tommy Franks and his perspective on America and the War on Terrorism, professional tour caddies, the best all-time NBA big men, a '79 blockbuster Bolivar, legendary trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, Nicaragua's resurgence and much, much more.

Features

For Love & Jazz

For Love & Jazz

The turquoise 1957 Chevy Bel Air glides up the winding drive under the peach-colored portico of the Biltmore Hotel, one of Miami's grand old buildings erected in the city's golden …

Golf: Carrying The Load

Golf: Carrying The Load

Steve Williams paced behind Tiger Woods's bag, with an eye out for interlopers. Woods had just won the 2000 AT&T pro-am tournament at Pebble Beach, his sixth consecutive victory. …

NBA: Centers of Attention

NBA: Centers of Attention

When basketball fans talk of the game's greatest players, it isn't long before big men are taking center stage. could wilt chamberlain have stopped shaquille o'neal's power? …

Boo-yah! This is Sports Center!

Boo-yah! This is Sports Center!

It's mid-morning in early March, and the air is crystal clear outside the Bristol, Connecticut, headquarters of ESPN, the multichannel cable sports network. Inside the SportsCente…

The Hundred and Fifty Million Dollar Man

The Hundred and Fifty Million Dollar Man

It's just two hours before post time at Sha Tin Race Course, a big, modern-looking gambling mecca in the Hong Kong suburbs. Sleek Jaguars pull up to a members-only entrance, elite …

Driving Green

Driving Green

  A chill wind is blowing off the glaciers, driving a stinging rain down on Iceland's capital city of Reykjavik. But after three years of planning and prepping, Jon Bjorn …

Sharpshooters

Sharpshooters

Odds are, if you don't already own a digital camera, you're seriously thinking about buying one. This is the first year that digital cameras will outsell traditional film cameras …

Monster Watches

Monster Watches

Blame it on Sylvester Stallone. Before the Hollywood muscle man started wearing monster watches, only special forces, top guns and military buffs wore them. But today, big …

General Tommy Franks

General Tommy Franks

Marvin R. Shanken interviewed General Franks in his Tampa office, where he has memorabilia from his 37 years of military service. The date, 9/11, was coincidental. It was the …

Cigars

Nicaragua: The New Start for Nicaragua

Nicaragua: The New Start for Nicaragua

This Central America country makes a strong comeback in the cigar business

Dominican Dilemma

Dominican Dilemma

The Dominican Dilemma A dearth of quality tobacco may limit the future for the island's cigars

Battle of the Boxes

Battle of the Boxes

There are fewer humidors on today's market and that's good news for consumers

Q&A: An Interview With Jorge Padrón

Q&A: An Interview With Jorge Padrón

The president of Padrón Cigars Inc. speaks about his Nicaraguan cigar brand.

Ratings from this Issue

91
points

Te-Amo Aniversario Toro Maduro

Issue Date: December 1, 2003
Te-Amo  Aniversario Toro Maduro
91
points

Punch Royal Selección No. 11

Issue Date: December 1, 2003
Punch Royal Selección No. 11
91
points

Fonseca Cosaco

Issue Date: December 1, 2003
Fonseca Cosaco
91
points

Cohiba Siglo VI

Issue Date: December 1, 2003
Cohiba Siglo VI

Up Front

"Ain't It a Great Country"

It took only a couple of seconds around Gen. Tommy Franks to realize, without any question, that he is a great man. His easy manner and his big smile transformed his powerful …

Out of the Humidor

Out of the Humidor

Dear Marvin, I am writing this letter to share with you and all fellow cigar smokers an outrage that happened to one of my closest friends, Gust Geralis. In May, Gust, a …

The Good Life

Formal Update

Formal Update

Ironically, the most elegant and sophisticated of garments is the most ecumenical. What makes a tuxedo formal is that everyone is wearing the same thing: basic black suit with …

Krell SACD Standard

Krell SACD Standard

If you're one of those analog traditionalists who bemoan the disappearance of the vinyl album two decades ago not because the sleeve art was better then, but because CDs lost part …

Elie Bleu Scissors

Elie Bleu Scissors

In an age of blaring trademarks emblazoned on everything from sneakers to T-shirts, here's a product that states its presence with a whisper. The stamp of Elie Bleu on these cigar …

Park Hyatt Paris Vendôme

Park Hyatt Paris Vendôme

As Victor Hugo once said, "To breathe the air of Paris preserves the soul." While some may question the veracity of that statement, after a stay at the Park Hyatt Paris Vendôme, …

Longines Evidenza

Longines Evidenza

Swiss watch company Longines likes to associate the likes of late actors Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn with its new line of watches, the Longines Evidenza, due to its Art …

Audi RS6

Audi RS6

A wolf in sheep's clothing? That tag has never been more appropriate in the automotive world. Imagine pulling up at a stoplight next to what looks exactly like an Audi A6. Sure, …

Classic Darts

Classic Darts

It's been described as the traditional English pub game, but throwing darts in a tavern is by no means exclusive to limeys. The game is a favorite in drinking establishments …

Krug Brut Rosé NV

Krug Brut Rosé NV

Leave it to my wife to zero in on the paragon of Rosé Champagne. About 20 years ago, she decided that we should try Krug. We found a bottle of Krug Rosé in Europe and carried it …

Driving Lessons

Driving Lessons

I'm strapped into a Winston Cup stock car, the engine roaring as I pass 100 miles per hour. The 500 horses at my command are dining on 110-octane race fuel, and the wall in front …