A number of years ago, I talked about a small cigar company in NYC that has their own factory in their NYC shop. That company is called Martinez Cigars and they have been in business since 1974. The cigar I reviewed then was the Flat Iron, named after the iconic Flat Iron building in NYC. I caught up with the team from Martinez Cigars at this years TPE and they were showcasing their latest craft, the Patrimonio, which is a blend to pay tribute to the family patriarch, Antonio Genaro Martinez (1947-2002) who was known to everyone as Don Antonio and founded the company.
The company’s website explains:
“Since 1974, Martinez Hand Rolled Cigars Factory has produced some of the very finest cigars available anywhere in the world. All Martinez Cigars are made by hand in our factory in midtown New York City, by the most talented rollers, expertly blended with the finest tobaccos. We proudly maintain the tradition begun by our founder, Don Antonio Martinez, honoring his talents, skills and memory.“
In creating the blend the team went for a bold and delicious selection of aged leaf, it comes in a selection of two different wrapper (San Andres and Brazilian Arapiraca)
- Wrapper – Brazilian Arapiraca or San Andres
- Binder – Nicaraguan
- Filler – Nicaraguan, Dominican, Cubanito
The Martinez Cigars Patrimonio is expressed in two vitolas and come packaged in 20-count boxes:
- Torpedo (6 x 52) – MSRP $16.00
- Robusto (6 x 54) – MSRP $14.00
For this review, I sampled one of the Patrimonio torpedos in the Brazilian wrapper, which I received from the company for the purpose of reviewing on Stogie Press.
Pre-Light Examination
The Martinez Cigars NYC – Patrimonio Brazilian Arapiraca is quite simply a beautifully constructed torpedo. Starting with its oily and marbled, dark reddish brown, Arapiraca wrapper, the cigar is firmly packed with no soft spots along the barrel. There are minimal veins and it has an expertly applied torpedo cap. The seams are tight and practically invisible. This showcases some of the best craft from Martinez cigars, which I have come to appreciate over the years.
A single die cut band adorns the Patrimonio, using a blue and white motif. The Company’s logo is proudly displayed at the top of the band, and the word PATRIMONIO is boldly printed below. Finally the name “Martinez NYC” is printed on the bottom. The band pops beautifully on the background of the wrapper.
Running the Martinez Cigars NYC – Patrimonio on the nose I picked up delectable pre-light aromas that included a – mild spicy sweet note along barrel and a rich cocoa and nut off the foot. Wow, this is inviting even before I light it up.
I used my double blade cutter to slice the cap at a 45 degree angle and proceeded to see what the cold draw had to offer. Boom, just like the pre-light aromas, the col draw had me chomping on this for a bit as the palate was graced with notes of sweetness, cocoa, and mild spice. The draw itself was spot on with restriction.
Using my double flame torch lighter, I warmed the foot to an even orange glow and drew in the first puffs of floral and spice notes to get the journey started. Follow along a I burn this one to ash.
Cigar Review Notes
- Initial draw offered mouth filling puffs of smoke that enticed the palate with floral and spice notes
- A solid “stacking dimes” light grey ash forms on top of a medium-thick char line
- A slight citrus component enters that brightens the profile
- Ash fell after about an inch of burn, revealing a with a decent well centered burn cone
- Spicy raisin notes join the mix
- Pleasant natural sweetness rests in the background
- Cedar notes develop moving through the second third
- Mild wave forms in the burn but never needed a touch up
- Spice begins to increase
- Cream and coffee notes finish the journey as I lick my chops wanting more
- Medium Strength
- Total Smoking Time was 1 hour and 50 Minutes
Final Analysis
I have always liked the craft from Martinez Cigars NYC ever since I strolled into their shop in Manhattan years ago. The Flat Iron I enjoyed back then was awesome, but the Patrimonio is a level of enjoyment a notch above. It was well balanced and delivered on draw, flavors, and aromas from foot to nub. There natural tobacco sweetness blended well with the plethora of notes especially the early spicy raisin and the later coffee and cream. It did have a slight jag in the burn in the second half but otherwise it was spot on and pleasurable. It is most certainly a box worthy cigar. I look forward to trying the San Andres version soon. I rate this a 95
Point Deductions: (-1) Slight Jag in Burn
Bonus Points: (+1) Complex yet Balanced; (+1) Box Worthy
