Tasting Note

Jose Seijas, vice president of the Tabacalera de Garcia Ltd. factory in La Romana, Dominican Republic, supervises the production of tens of millions of handmade cigars every year. Most are huge brands, such as the Dominican versions of Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta and H. Upmann. Perhaps the rarest of these brands is the only one that bears Seijas's name, the Jose Seijas Signature Series. The 2000 is an earthy, leathery smoke that measures 6 1/8 by 52. It's stronger than most of the cigars Seijas makes, and is blended for hearty smokers, powered by Nicaraguan tobacco as well as some Peruvian leaf. Seijas is one of the largest s of Peruvian tobacco in the cigar world. The Signature Series 2000 may be the best cigar he makes. It's a rare smoke, currently sold to 23 shops across the United States, but Altadis is expanding production and distribution and hopes to have it in nearly 150 cigar shops by May 1.