Jeffersonville shop ranks its top six cigars for Kentucky Derby week

Erik Hackman, The Evening News and the Tribune, Jeffersonville, Ind.
·3 min read

May 2—JEFFERSONVILLE — Riverside Cigar Shop and Lounge has released its top six cigars for Kentucky Derby week.

Each cigar was handpicked by Jeff Mouttet, Riverside Cigar Shop's founder and owner, due to their quality and availability.

The cigars chosen are the original Fosforo, Fosforo Connecticut, Tienda Exclusiva by Drew Estate, M81 Blackened by Metallica and Drew Estate, Fuente & Fuente Opus X — a limited selection for Derby Week, and Oliva Serie V Melanio.

"Churchill Downs is one of the last places in Louisville where you can actually smoke a cigar," Mouttet said. "So, the Derby's always kind of been associated with cigars. If you look back at pictures from the '40s and '50s, there's people all dressed up smoking a cigar."

The Fosforo Cigar was created by Mouttet and manufactured in Esteli, Nicaragua. Fosforo Connecticut uses an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder and fillers from Nicaragua.

Tienda Exclusiva is built with a Nicaraguan binder and filler with an Ecuadorian habano wrapper.

M81 Blackened presents a journey through different maduro leaves, starting with a thick and oily maduro wrapper grown in the rich volcanic soil of Mexico's San Andres Valley. The blend includes a meaty Connecticut River Valley Broadleaf maduro binder and a filler blend of Nicaraguan and Pennsylvania Broadleaf maduro tobaccos, including the boldest Pennsylvania Broadleaf ligero.

"My line Fosforo, I spent probably six months on the blend," Mouttet said. "You'll roll a cigar at the cigar table. You can smoke it right off the table, but that tobacco still has humidity in it. The tobaccos haven't married together or blended together."

Fuente & Fuente Opus X, is grown from Cuban tobacco seeds in the Dominican Republic. The final product is a reddish-brown tobacco that makes a dark and gutsy cigar with red pepper and leather notes.

Oliva Serie V Melanio is hand-rolled using expertly fermented ligero fillers; these leaves are known for their robust and rich flavor. This carefully aged Jalapa blend produces an exquisitely balanced smoke.

"They're (the cigars) are all premium and high quality," Mouttet said. "Mild and medium cigars are really where the market is today, so we just picked out the best of the best for the week."

Derby is among the busiest times of the year for Riverside.

"Our three best time periods are Derby, Father's Day and Christmas," Mouttet said. "We do not quite double a normal month, but a 60 to 70% increase from a normal month."

Riverside Cigars has events, all starting at 6 p.m., leading up to the Derby as well. The first one is on Wednesday when those who attend will have the chance to meet Drew Estate along with brand ambassador Kyle Davis.

Thursday will feature a meet-and-greet with Sean Williams, the brand ambassador of Choiba Cigars.

Friday will spotlight RoMa Craft Tobac and Fosforo Cigars with Brand Ambassador for RoMa Craft Tobac Mike Rosales and Mouttet, as well as a sneak preview of the Fosforo Limitada.

Riverside is at 201 Spring St. in downtown Jeffersonville.