Doh, so I have been unlucky in trying to track down a Casa Blanca cigar from a UK supplier to smoke as part of my cigar challenge. I did spot a bumper pack of cigars from £248.56 at Tobacco Online. However, I am only looking to sample the one cigar, and this is slightly out of my price range. I did reach out to the suppliers to ask whether they sell the Casa Blanca’s as single sticks, but so far no response. So, another cigar to add to my bucket list, along with the Bances and Bauza cigars.
This brand of cigars hail from Santiago, Dominican Republic with a Mexican binder and fully aged long-filler tobaccos from the Dominican Republic. Some say they are widely considered to be one of the best mellow-bodied blends to come out of the island.
Fun fact, apparently these cigars were originally called the ‘White House‘.
Back in the day these cigars were made in very small quantities for President Ronald Reagan to celebrate his second nomination as Commander in Chief in 1984. However due to a copyright infringement, the brand were forced to change their name to ‘Casa Blanca’, the Spanish translation of ‘White House’.
Another fun fact… according to Cigar Aficionado’s ‘Top 100 Cigar Smokers of the Twentieth Century’, Robert De Niro (who came in at number 75) puffed away on a Casa Blanca Half Jeroboam Maduro in his role as Max Cady in Martin Scorsese’s remake of Cape Fear in 1991.
What’s scarier than a pathological homicidal ex-con stalking your family all over Cape Fear, South Carolina? A pathological homicidal ex-con who’s chewing on a Casa Blanca Half Jeroboam Maduro. “Come out, come out, wherever you are.”
Robert De Niro reference from Cigar Aficionado
This cigar cited for its ultra-thick 66-ring gauge dimensions and an unforgettable accompaniment to the actor’s menacing laugh as he taunted attorney Sam Bowden (played by Nick Nolte) throughout the riveting psychological thriller.
So what is this cigar brand up to today? I have seen references online to boxes of Casa Blanca ‘Nicaragua’ cigars, and it looks like these cigars have been completely rebranded from the original cigar. I am slightly confused (that don’t take much) at how they went from Dominican Republic to Nicaragua. If you know, get in touch via my contact form, Twitter or Instagram.
Looking across social media I can report that there have been some sightings of this newer rebranded cigar towards the end of 2020…
One day… I will get the chance to smoke one. Next up… the V Centennial (which I suspect is going to be another tricky cigar to track down).
London Cigar Smoker 