Considered one of the most innovative cigar concepts, Nub is a line of short, stout and well-filled smokes blended to capture the perfect essence of a cigar. These cigars are completely made by hand with densely packed long filler, allowing each stick to burn slowly while maintaining a smoking time comparable to conventional sizes ranging from robusto to presidente.

With Oliva’s flawless reputation, they were an easy choice as a partner for Nub creator Sam Leccia. Sam, a long time cigar enthusiast, has been fascinated with a cigar’s natural tendency to fully develop in strength and flavor about 1/3 of the way into the cigar. He referred to this portion of a cigar as its “sweet spot," and noted it was typically temporary and short lived. Convinced he could capture this “sweet spot” in a compact smoke that would maintain perfect flavor from start to finish, he enlisted the help of the Oliva Family to work on prototypes. In short time, the Family realized Sam made an incredible discovery, and by combining the perfect size and shape with certain blends, they were able to deliver only the best part of a cigar, its essence. These sticks are available in four wrapper varieties: Connecticut, Cameroon, Habano and the newly released maduro.

Q: What is the difference between box-pressed and round cigars?

A: Box-pressed cigars contain slightly less filler in comparison to round cigars and are usually firmly pressed to give them a unique "square" shape. This shape allows the tobaccos to burn slower, since less air can travel through the cigar before reaching your palate. As a box-pressed cigar burns slower, it fully releases balanced smoke and flavor as all of the filler tobaccos burn evenly together, creating a richer sensation or character. Many enthusiasts prefer box-pressed cigars since they characteristically have less construction problems, are easy to hold and create fuller flavors, which is why you will find many brands utilizing the same blend to create a box-pressed shape in addition to standard parejos.

La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Miami - If you’re an enthusiast who prefers full-bodied blends, then you need not look any further than Artesanos. Named one of the Top 25 Cigars of the Year, the blend also earned a 92 rating by Cigar Aficionado.

Nica Libre - A great, everyday value crafted by hand in Nicaragua and comes in a box-pressed format, creating a rich and elegant experience at a pauper's price.

Carlos Torano Dominico - A quality bundled cigar produced by the world-renowned Torano family, so expect the same in quality and consistency as you would with any other Torano cigar, but at half the price!

Bucanero Red - A Nicaraguan handmade featuring a light spicy flavor, Bucanero Red is a great choice for the price, as it is well-constructed and non-offensive.

Rolled in a small factory nestled in Honduras, Padilla Signature 1948 remains a staple for the Padilla fan with a taste for true, premium Corojo wrapper.

Padilla 1948 is the second addition to the Padilla trilogy started by Ernesto in honor of his father, one of Cuba’s most accomplished poets. The filler consists of Cuban-seed Nicaraguan Criollo and Corojo tobaccos secured by a Criollo binder, immediately producing subtle notes of pepper and spice over a wood base. The blend is then completed with an incredible looking Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper, adding even more layers of spicy notes without overwhelming the palate. This cigar remains full-flavored yet medium in body with perfect balance as the finish leaves smooth earthy notes on your palate. Coming from the hands of top-notch torcedors and developed by Ernesto Padilla, 1948 is a sure crowd pleaser, especially for the Corojo enthusiast.

Torpedo (6.2"x52) Great flavor with pepper up front and tons of spice through the noise. Well-balanced with a smooth finish, this size is simply the best in the line. Burned perfectly and produced thick smoke. 89/100 [Buy Now]

Lancero (6.7"x42) This will make your head spin slightly if you're not used to enjoying medium to full cigars. The skinny gauge allows for many competing nuances of pepper with copious amounts of spice noticable throughout. The blend became more and more robust as it burned, but unfortunately it also burned hot. 88/100 [Buy Now]

Robusto (5"x50) If you want a less than spicy experience, this is your size. Burned true and even from start to finish and released thick clouds of smoke. The strength seemed more mellow than other sizes and it was definitely more complex with notes of earth and cedar mixed throughout. 88/100 [Buy Now]

Churchill (7"x48) Uneventful compared to other sizes. The complexities were not as abundant and the construction was slightly off as the stick burned unevenly. The draw was tight and the smoke was hot but it still released an excellent aroma. 86/100 [Buy Now]

08/19/2009: Tim and Kim hit the links to show you what you need to fully enjoy your day of golf. We cannot, however help your short game. Part one of two! . [Listen Now]

Cigar.com (CC): Over the last two years, you’ve really made an impact with consumers. What is the secret to this newfound success?

Nick Perdomo (NP): First of all, thank you for the kind words and a big hello and thank you to everyone today. The impact is beyond fantastic. I always believed and more importantly listened to the consumer wholeheartedly. The real secret is producing the finest cigars with honest and fair pricing. It was done through hard work and dedication. Our family and great workers will continue to make the best cigars God allows and at the best prices. You have my word on that!!

CC: Speaking of new ideas, you turned heads this spring when you decided against raising your prices in the face of a massive new national tax on cigars. How has the consumer reacted to this aggressive decision? Certainly your competitors were probably frowning.

NP: I thought it was the right thing to do in these tough times. People are going through a lot right now so there was no way I was going to increase prices and then add on this ridiculous tax. They also know we only increased our price twice in eighteen years! That goes a long way to consumers and we’ve seen them thank us on account of our incredible sales. I am proud of what we did and consumers really appreciate it.

CC: We all know you’re dedicated to Perdomo cigars, but who are some of the other key players in your organization who contribute to your tremendous success?

NP: We are truly blessed with the staff we have today. I couldn’t imagine having a better one. First and foremost, I am surrounded by my family, including my wife Janine, my mother Mary and my brother Billy who is our outstanding South Florida representative. My right-hand man and company Vice President is Arthur Kemper. Arthur joined our company over 10 years ago and works closely with Nicaragua in terms of packaging designs, production schedules and he also works closely with our sales force across the country. Our Director of Sales, Chris Harper, and our National Accounts Manager, Jeff Owens, who have been with the company for many years, also work closely with our sales force making sure we meet all our customer's needs.

In Nicaragua, we have a dedicated and extremely experienced group of people including Miguel Rivera (Factory Manager) and Silvio Loasiga (Assistant Factory Manager). These two gentlemen started from the ground up and worked their way to the top through a lot of sacrifice and hard work. They also learned from the best, my dad, Nick Perdomo Sr. Our Production Manager, Sarah Gonzalez, is simply the finest production manager in the cigar world today. A master roller in Cuba’s famed H. Upmann factory for over 26 years, Sarah has been with us since our inception. Aristides Rodriguez (Tobacco Pre-industry) is a true leader in the tobacco industry with over 60 years of experience and Alfonzo Perez (Tobacco Pre-industry) is another seasoned veteran of over 50 years of experience. What can I say about Alexi Martinez, our Box Factory Manager? There is no better box maker in the industry.

CC: Recently your were elected as city councilman. What inspired you to get involved in politics and are there any larger future ambitions?

NP: Frustration. Seeing how mismanagement was occurring. One night I was home with my family after a council meeting stating my frustrations. My son Nicholas said, “Dad the only way to change this is for you to run.” I did just that and thankfully I won. I am proud of the changes made in our town. I brought in credibility, a sound business approach and more importantly, trust and honesty among our residents. I believe I made a real positive difference.

CC: Based on what you have learned about politics, would you say we are doomed as cigar enthusiasts when it comes to smoking bans and taxation? What can we do to make a difference?

NP: No, I am an optimist and I continue to maintain a positive outlook in my beloved industry. As a member of the board of directors of the Cigar Association of America, I have to deal with these people in the Congress and Senate. Believe me it’s not fun. I just did an interview in a Russian cigar magazine in which they asked me who was my biggest competitor? I told them the answer was Obama and the American government! We all must fight this machine that continues eroding our rights to enjoy fine cigars. How? Continue calling, writing, faxing and emailing your state representatives, congressmen and senators. Go to council meetings and commission meetings. It starts there for the most part. Let them know we are cigar enthusiasts and we vote. Let them know we will do everything in our power to make sure they won’t get re-elected. That’s the only thing they understand. It requires a true grassroots campaign. This is the only way to truly make a difference. Like you, I am tired of it. But I will continue to fight for our industry and your rights to enjoy fine cigars.