MARK TWAIN’S FAVORITE CIGAR—FUENTE OR FINCK?

I really don’t know for sure that Mark Twain ever smoked a Finck cigar, but it’s a good bet that he did. Here’s the evidence.

The Finck Cigar Company has been making cigars in San Antonio, Texas since 1893, so that would’ve given Twain about 17 years to smoke ‘em. Twain loved his cheap cigars--the cheaper the better. He also disdained snobs who only smoked Havanas to show how prominent they were, famously fooling them by giving them  their expensive cigars to smoke (without the label) and observing how they trashed them in disgust, believing that they had been smoking his detested cheapos. In fact, they were their beloved Havanas that they had thrown out in is yard after a couple of puffs!

 I’m not fortunate enough to have Twain’s snobby friends, but I have been known to give Finck 1893s, without labels, to my buddies.  To no surprise, they’ve all liked them just fine. When I tell them that they’ve just smoked a cigar that cost less than $4 bucks they’re not only pleased but also gone out and ordered boxes for themselves.

Finck claims to be the oldest cigar company in the USA, but so does Tampa’s JC Newman, which was founded in 1895. Both are still owned by the same family that started them. I don’t know which one really is the oldest, but would love to get them together on a panel and watch the fireworks. Fuente is the new kid on the block, having been founded in 1912 by Arturo Fuente and currently run by his son Carlos and grandson Carlito. This father and son team is responsible for much of the innovations in the cigar industry as well as some of the greatest cigars known to man.

I recently traveled to San Antonio and made my usual rounds to one of the Finck outlet shops. I purchased one of their new cigars, a Fincks Commerce Reserva Privada Hermoso( 54 x 5.25), which is made by the Quesada factory in the Dominican Republic. This cigar is close to the Padron regular line, but at a savings of at 30%-50%, depending on the vitola.

The FinckComm has a Brazilian Maduro Wrapper, Dominican Criollo 98 binder, and Dominican and Nicaraguan filler. It’s very toasty and earthy, burns and draws perfectly, and gives you no indication that you are smoking anything but a premium hand-made cigar, which it is, except for the great price. I’ve smoked ‘em to the nub and enjoyed every centimeter.

While at the Finck Outlet Shop I also purchased some Fuente Curly Head Deluxe Maduro Lonsdales for the incredible price of $2.25/stogie! This one has a rugged Connecticut maduro wrapper and looks like something Clint Eastwood might have smoked in one of his classic spaghetti westerns. If you’re hung up on a beautiful smooth wrapper, this is not the cigar for you. But if you’re focus is on great taste at a great price, this is your stick. The Fuente Curly contains a blend of Dominican long and short filler and is handmade, so there were no uninvited pieces of tobacco in my mouth. The taste was smooth, sweet, creamy, and toasty. It was better than many $30 dollar Cuban cigars being pawned off on the public today.

Let me be clear. Both of these cigars, which sell under $3.50,  also taste better than any of the expensive “premium” cigars that I have ever smoked from Rocky Patel(except the $10 Decade made by AJ Fernandez), Graycliff, Avo, Kristoff, HdM, Partagas, Macanudo, and Partagas. No doubt about it--Twain would’ve loved Fuentes –and maybe actually smoked Fincks. -- Mamey

CS Rating (both)-3.5