A TASTE OF CUBAN HOSPITALITY HERE IN MIAMI
When Luz at Neptune reached out to ask if I was available on March 12th for an event, it didn’t take much thought to reply with an enthusiastic YES! When I learned that the event was an intimate gathering of local industry and cigar influencers, I was honored to be considered. To top off the evening, the event was for a new line of cigars being introduced by the wildly successful “Maestro Cantinero” at his location in Little Havana, all reservations go out the window and the schedule is cleared. Just tell me when and where!
Sacrificio Cigars is a new boutique cigar brand by Julio Cabrera. Cabrera is a world-renowned Mixologist and the winner of the 50 Best Bars Icon Award 2023 for his establishment, Café La Trova in Miami, FL. Sacrificio Cigars represents Cabrera’s first official venture into the premium cigar industry, inspired by his deep Cuban heritage, hospitality culture, and passion for fine cigars.
The brand’s name, Sacrificio, pays homage to Julio’s father’s legacy. It is named after the Cabrera family bar “Café El Sacrificio” in Cuba and takes inspiration from the deep Cuban culture to embrace a new generation’s ritual, celebration, and joy of smoking a fine cigar. Cabrera approaches cigar blending as he would one of his signature cocktails. His goal was to blend the perfect cigar, for the perfect time of day to compliment the perfect pairing and boxes of his cigars come with pairing suggestion printed right inside the lid along with other useful facts.
Julio Cabrera’s career spans over three decades, starting as a formally trained “Cantinero” (Bartender) in Cuba during the late 1980s. He then represented Cuba as a bartender in Italy and Mexico before moving to Miami. His career has been marked by a commitment to keeping Cuban bartending traditions alive and sharing them with the global bartending community.
This dedication to his craft and heritage is reflected in his blends for Sacrificio Cigars. Cabrera has partnered with Oliva Cigar Co., a company also with Cuban roots and the second-largest grower of Cuban-Seed tobacco. Each blend in the Sacrificio Cigar portfolio boasts a flavorful, complex, and well-balanced taste profile, hand-picked by Cabrera himself.
The portfolio offers four Vitolas (Robusto, Lancero, Torpedo, and Double Toro), each with its unique taste profile and suggested pairings of coffee, cocktails, and premium spirits. Each Vitola is also made to be enjoyed at certain times of the day but Cabrera would love us to enjoy all four blends, everyday, when we see fit.
- El Caballo Double Toro 6 x 60 is a stout Maduro with Ecuadorian Habano wrapper and binder with Nicaraguan fillers.
- Maestro Torpedo 6 ½ x 52 features an Ecuadorian Sumatra-Seed wrapper, Ecuadorian Habano binder and fillers from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic.
- Elegante Lancero 7 x38 is made of Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Sumatra-Seed binder with Nicaraguan fillers.
- Junior Robusto 5 x 50 named after Cabrera’s son is the perfect morning coffee Ecudorian Connecticut Shade wrapper with a Cameroon binder and Nicaraguan fillers.
Cabrera welcomed us into his restaurant patio where a table was laid out with Cuban delicacies and cigars for us to enjoy. The restaurant is buzzing with tropical Cuban décor and features a stage in the dinning room where Carbrera has live music for his patrons. The multiple bars are staffed by the best trained Cantineros and are an attraction unto themselves. Luz and Mari from Neptune were already there ahead of me taking in the sights. Albert Sosa with Oliva Cigar Co. accompanied us along with Erik and Jamilet Calviño from Cigar Snob Magazine were covering the event for their readers. Mayerling @thecigarqueen, @medellincigar, @cigaryogi, Leo @novacigar_ and husband were in attendance.
Julio discussed his personal story and introduced us to his son and wife. He told us how his love for premium cigars was cultivated in his earlier years and detailed what it was like for him during the two-year process to select a factory, smoke through hundreds of test blends and finally arrive at his four meticulously thought-out cigar blends that are available at launch today.
I was able to enjoy the Maestro Torpedo, the Elegante Lancero and ended with the Junior CT and will say, all three cigars were stunning to look at, burned without issue, the construction and draw were top notch. Smoke production was very pleasing, and Albert pointed out that I was smoking these down to the nub with a laugh. The cigars were clean on the palate and left a lingering warm pepper behind without a strong tobacco flavor. They retrohaled smoothly and delivered tons of flavor. I was very impressed with the punch provided by the Junior which should have been Sacrificio’s mildest cigar.
In essence, Sacrificio Cigars is not just a brand; it’s a testament to Julio Cabrera’s journey, his passion for hospitality, and his commitment to preserving and promoting his rich Cuban heritage. I highly recommend getting a few and seeing which of the four blends speaks to you most. They are all very unique.
I am honored to have been asked to participate and am looking forward to seeing where Cabrera and family take the Sacrificio line in the future.
To learn more about Sacrificio Cigars, visit their website.
Visit Neptune Cigars to purchase your own Sacrificio Cigars. I highly recommend them.
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