From: Phil Glatz <????????????????>
Subject: Casillas Cigars

I recently visited the Casillas Cigars factory (1221 16th st.) in downtown
Sacramento.  There are two rolling tables set up by the front window, manned
by some very experienced Cuban rollers (they used to work at Tower Cigars
before setting up their own shop).

All cigars are handmade, all but one long filler, using a blend of up to
five different tobaccos.  Most wrappers are Ecudorean maduro, with some
natural Connecticut shade used.  The construction is excellent, with an easy
(but not too loose) draw.  The tobacco is of a high quality, with a medium
bodied, rich blend of flavors.

Sizes ranged from the "Pencil" (36 x 5.5, $1.40), to the "Excalibur" (58 x
8.5, $5).  My favorite is the Rotthschild (46 x 5, $2.30); it has a nice
oily maduro wrapper and a nice blend of flavors; it reminds me of my
favorite smoke, the AF Don Carlos Robusto.

The best part about Casillas is the laid back atmosphere.  You can sit
around and enjoy a smoke and discuss cigars with a master roller as he does
his work.  I brought my boys in to visit, so they could see that cigars were
truly a hand made product.  The folks are very friendly and justifiably
proud of their product.  They have a large humidor/aging room (a former meat
locker), where the finished product is stored in bundles.  Output is in the
low hundreds a day, so don't expect to see these in your local store soon.
But a visit to the factory is recommended to any cigar lover passing through
Sacramento, I'm sure you will find it a very pleasant experience.
------------------------------------------
Phil Glatz              (????????????????)
Software Engineer       Lake Tahoe, Nevada
WWW: http://turnpike.net/emporium/P/pglat/
Voice 702/831-8064        Fax 702/831-9720

[ Thanks for the word, Steve!  I know there are many folks in
California who will consider any such resource a blesing. -S. ]


~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U ~\U