Okay, let’s not kid ourselves. Nat Sherman cigars and cigarettes are a about as American as you can get, steeped in tradition, premium ingredients, and lore that makes them sought after by tobacco enthusiasts “in the know” from one corner of the world to the next.
A uniquely American smoke, the Nat Sherman line of premium cigars and cigarettes has its roots in Depression era New York, where colorful and charismatic founder Nat Sherman ran a speakeasy – a club that illegally sold liquor at the height of the Prohibition. Around 1930, he became half-owner of Traub Brothers and Bear, makers of the Epoca cigar brand, and soon became enthralled by the world of tobacco manufacturing. He opened a shop in the lobby of 1400 Broadway and never looked back. Today, the company’s flagship store is located in a townhouse at 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue and has become a sought-after destination for tobacco lovers worldwide thanks not only to the Nat Sherman legend, but its exclusive Johnson Club Room and walk-in humidor.
Sherman was quite a character, and his own personal retreats – which have since become speculative legend – gave rise to the company’s Host selection, of which the Hampton is the featured cigar. The Host was Sherman’s personal favorite and still ranks as one of the company’s top selling selections. As an interesting aside, Nat Sherman cigars were often advertised during New York Giants football games, with Giants announcer Bob Papas exclaiming after every big play: “Get that man a Nat Sherman cigar!”
This is a wonderful, long-lasting smoke featuring a ring gauge of 50 and a length of about seven inches! No, that is not a typo. Seven inches of near-pornographic smoking pleasure. The draw is smooth, almost effortless. With a sweetened Connecticut wrapper, it has a mild taste with a hint of cedar. You may find the taste a bit strange – maybe too sweet — about halfway through, but it seems to even itself out by the end. It has Honduras-seed filler and binders to give off a solid flavor of mild-to-medium strength and a rustic aroma. There’s a reason this selection was Nat Sherman’s personal favorite.
Many cigar enthusiasts will tell you this is a classic, mild cigar – a solid, everyday smoke best enjoyed in casual gatherings or at the end of the day when you just need to relax. It’s available for between $3 and $4 each, and our recommendation? Buy it.