Rubens Smoke Stack- Hackensack, NJ

 Here is an excerpt from an article I did for Jersey Man Magazine. Pick up their August issue for a complete look at this fantastic cigar lounge in New Jersey.

Have you ever walked into a cigar shop to be met with blank stares of, “Who's the new guy?” I recently found a cigar shop in Hackensack, NJ that has quite the opposite theology when it comes to cigar shop stigma, for cigar newbies. Ruben Abreu, owner of Rubens Smoke Stack, has a philosophy for welcoming new and old patrons to his shop. It's simple and yet profound. “Treat everyone like a million bucks.” The proprietor of the shop since 2004, Ruben comes

from a background of being a hospital administrator and executive director for substance abuse at Burgundy Medical Center.

Now retired from his medical career, Ruben finds himself facing hard choices everyday, like what cigar should he start his day off with. This may not be as easy as you might think. Ruben keeps a stock of fifty thousand plus cigars in his shops' walk in humidor. A small sampling of brands you will find are Alec Bradely, Oliva, CLE, Tatuaje, Fuente and the list goes on and on. At any particular time, you will find him lighting up some of his favorites that include Padron, Flor de Dominicana, and the Oliva Master Blend. The daunting task spills over to the cigar shops patrons as well. Ruben has an easy fix for that though - The second part to his philosophy is to take care of his customers. So, don’t be surprised if you find yourself torn between two different cigars; Ruben just might have a bogo stick waiting for you at the checkout.

The shop boasts a large smoking lounge in the front, complete with leather chairs and big screen TV's. In addition, there is a private lounge in the rear of the store with thirty cigar lockers and a second smoking lounge. A private entrance and parking lot is available, while the overstuffed leather chairs beckon you to sit down, light up, and watch the number of sporting events or movies playing on the fifty inch flat screen TV's.............

Photos courteous of  http://www.rubenssmokestack.com/

Te-Amo Revolution

Today, I'm taking a look at the Te-Amo Revolution; A box pressed beauty boasting a 6.25 x 54 ring gauge. The appearance of the cigar is quite nice. The cigar band makes a bold statement with its wide one inch band that consists of a red and black background. The name of the cigar, Revolution, is written in antique white lettering.

This cigar uses a unique blend of tobaccos starting with a San Andres habano wrapper. It shows oily characteristics, but retains more of a satin finish with slight veining. A blend of Mexican San Andres Negro, Mexican Corojo, and Nicaraguan long fillers are used and then capped off with a San Andres Corojo binder.

Toasting the foot of the cigar, I'm treated to a grassy tone that has hints of wood mingled in. The cigar is drawing very nicely and producing lots of smoke. With a one inch ash on the end, the flavor profile has been pretty consistent, thus far. The grass and wood noted are enhanced by a slight hint of cashew nuts that have crept in. The smoke and flavors are smooth with aromatic features starting to become noticeable.

Entering the halfway point, spice tones have entered the fray and have added a nice depth to the cigar. Additional notes of an earthy profile have started to creep in, with the cigar moving to a medium-bodied smoke, at this point. The ash has held on quite well and is white with a black background. The burn remains even and cool with no touch-ups needed during the hour plus smoke. The Te-Amo Revolution has performed perfectly, so far. I'm impressed with the qualities and the smoothness that it has portrayed.

The back half stays pretty consistent with the same flavor profile. The spice and earth pick up and water chestnut tones can be added to the mix. In my opinion, The Te-Amo Revolution is a great cigar. With it being medium-bodied, it makes a great after lunch smoke. The cigar has performed flawlessly and is remarkably consistent. It is available here at Corona Cigar for six dollars a stick. It won't break the bank and can easily be added to your regular smoking rotation. If you're looking for something that is a bit different then the run of the mill cigars that you find on the market, try this Mexican beauty. It finishes long and is one of the smoothest cigars that I've smoked in sometime. 

All pictures courtesy of AltidisUSA.com