Smoke Machines: Cohiba and Zino Cigars Get Re-Freshed

Words by Eddie STATS Houghton, photos via Va$htie

Been watching the Special Delivery posts over at Va$htie’s blog lately and noted a promising trend; beaucoups special deliveries of high-end Caribbean cigar brands in hipster-friendly limited editions. Both Cohiba (made in the Dominican Republic–not to be confused with the originals Cubans) and Zino (made with tobacco from DR and Peru) have popped up on her doorstep lately. Seems like Epiphany (which handled the Cohiba Red Dot limited edition) and Translation (same for the Zino Platinum Crown “Stretch” series) are busy doing for these classy cigar brands what Appleton’s and Kobrand recently did for topshelf Jamaican rum. We at LARGE UP always love to see Caribbean culture handled with the premium lambskin gloves it deserves–and smart campaigns that emphasize style and substance over tiki-kitsch and ethnic humor. All of which reminds me, somewhere on dis yah desktop I have a half-written list of the Toppa Top 10 Caribbean cigars. Soon forward.