Author Archives: CigarCraig

by CigarCraig | October 12, 2019 · 10:03 pm

A Flor Maya, Some Auction News and Not A Lot Else

Since last I typed here I worked a lot and smoked a little. I had a remarkable RoMaCraft Aquitaine Cranium that was a gift from Patrick when we met up in Miami last month, and a Flor Maya Connecticut from Danli Honduras Tabaco, which I like, but I enjoy the Don Juan Calavera line from them more. Perhaps the Flor Mayas just need some more time in the humidor. There are some really interesting flavors in that cigar, I think it just needs some more time to rest. I’ve really become a fan of this company, they are a relatively unknown brand, and everyone I share their cigars with seem to be impressed. I’m down right enamored with the Don Juan Calavera, to the point where I have to consciously avoid smoking them to the exclusion of everything else in the humidor. This doesn’t happen to me. What all this leads up to is that I’m not coming up with a great deal to write about today! I’d like to point out the new J.C. Newman contest linked in the graphic on the right side of the page. Instead of giving away monthly humidors, they are giving away one big humidor at the end of the year! I do have a question for my readers: did any of you win any of the monthly humidor prizes over the last year? I hope people are entering the contests, don’t embarrass me by not entering!

If you follow me on Facebook, you’ll notice a lot of posts about auctions featuring cigar related items. My wife actually follows these, and she came across one coming up in November here in PA that looks interesting and we might try to go if I have the day (or days) off. It’s a two day auction of Coin-op and Advertising in Denver PA, which is near Reading. Day two looks more interesting, as there’s more signs and countertop cigar cutters, although there are some really neat cigar vending machines and trade stimulators on Day one. I have some neat antique cigar items my wife has bought in these auctions in my collection.

I’m out of stuff to write and I need to go to work. I have some new-to-me cigars to smoke that I’ll try to get to this week, and a new toy to play with and report on in the near future. So, until the next time,

CigarCraig

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Tagged as Auction, cigar, cigars, Contest, J.C.Newman

by CigarCraig | September 29, 2019 · 8:23 am

A Gran Habano and a Night in Atlantic City

Another working weekend (after having the last two weekends off), so another short Sunday post. Friday evening I smoked a Gran Habano Cabinet Selection Robusto that I was sure I had smoked before and written about here, but a search didn’t turn up anything. It’s a shame when I have to search my own site to refresh my memory, but that’s kinda why I started the site anyway! I was enthralled with this cigar! Itâ€™s a box pressed cigar with a rosado colored Corojo wrapper over Nicaraguan fillers. Â It had tremendous flavors of various spices that seemed to come and go. Once in a while a distinct cinnamon flavor would be in a draw, then it wouldn’t be there and there would be other sweet spices. This was a very entertaining cigar! There are darned few cigars I smoke in my jaded advancing years that capture my attention to the point where I think I want to buy more to have on hand, then imagine my disappointment when I find that these seem to have been discontinued! This is the danger of sitting on cigars too long! I shudder to think how many other cigars in my humidor I might fall in love with just to have my heart broken when I find out I may never find them again. Oh well, I suppose to paraphrase the old adage, it’s better to have smoked and lost, then never have smoked before, os something like that.

Last night we went to Atlantic City for a screening of the classic film, Caddy Shack, at the Borgata. The twist was that Chevy Chase was doing a Q&A afterwards hosted by Angelo Cataldi, a Philly sports radio personality. It’s always great seeing a great movie on the big screen, with big speakers, and Chevy told some stories and answered some pre-screened questions afterwards. We had our seats upgraded, so we had that going for us, which was nice. ? . Afterwards, I sat down in the B Bar in the middle of the Borgata casino and enjoyed a Cornelius and Anthony The Gent Robusto while my wife went and played some slot machines. Extra credit (no prize this time, sorry) if someone can tell me the significance of my choice of this cigar, besides my obvious affinity for the line!Â I try to always have a theme. Like the few bars in Vegas where cigars are welcomed, the B Bar in Borgata is cigar friendly, and I was very happy to see many folks enjoying cigars as I walked through to find a seat. Of course, the cigar was just fine!Â I am still curious to see if this brand will continue to exist. I still need to actually ask Steven Bailey. I’ll keep enjoying them!

Was home by 2am and have to go to work! That’s all for today, until the next time,

CigarCraig

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Tagged as Atlantic City, B Bar, Borgata, Caddy Shack, Chevy Chase, cigar, cigars, Cornelius and Anthony, Gran Habano

by CigarCraig | June 10, 2019 · 7:40 am

News: Southern Draw Cigars Expands the CEDRUS Line

We start off Monday with more news from Southern Draw, with even more news rumored to come! As I said in yesterday’s post, it’s going to be a busy next couple of weeks for cigar news!

The award winning CEDRUS – THE HOGAN, Belicoso Fino 5.5 x 52 will now have shelf mates in humidors across the country as the Southern Draw Cigars family announces three NEW line extensions for IPCPR 2019. Each release is part of the Anniversary releases the company will share throughout 2019.

“The CEDRUS blend once again showcases a powerful “late harvest” Besuki wrapper that was grown in the fertile soils of the Jember Region of Java, the finishing touches on a unique blend that we believe is in a class all by itself. Our family was blessed to source this rarely available, top-quality wrapper, with its’ rich brown color, distinct “green chili” spice flavors and herbal aromas that are attributed from being expertly air-cured followed by a multi-stage fermentation process,” offered Robert Holt – Founder of Southern Draw Cigars. “The new line extensions embrace the uniqueness of the entire blend, including the use of an aromatic Habano 2000 grownunder cloth in Esteli and the bold Habana 92 (a hybrid originating from the Corojo of Cuban origin) grown in isolated Quilalí, a high mountain region about 160 miles north of Managua. This “alphabet soup” of distinct tobaccos, form an artful composition known as C-E-D-R-U-S”, added Holt.

The Southern Draw Cigars family will celebrate the NEW releases during a National Launch Event with long time valued retail partner Club Humidor of San Antonio, Texas on August 2, 2019. (Event time is TBD). The CEDRUS boxes and bundles will be on display for the very first time in Booth #3061 during IPCPR 2019 – Las Vegas, NVfrom June 28 – July 2. There will be a limited number of samples made only available to select media members that have supported the brand and current valued retail partners of Southern Draw Cigars, whose accounts are also in good standing.

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Factory: AJ Fernandez Cigar Co., Esteli, Nicaragua

Wrapper: Besuki TBN – Indonesia

Binder: Habano 2000- Esteli, Nicaragua

Viso: Piloto Cubano – Dominican Republic

Criollo 98 – Esteli, Nicaragua

Seco: Habana 92 – Quilali, Nicaragua

Ligero: Corojo 99 – Jalapa, Nicaragua

Sizes:

Robusto 5.5 x 54 (box pressed)

Toro 6.0 x 52 (box pressed)

Gordo 6.5 x 60 (box pressed)

Number of Cigars – 50,000 per size released for 2019, full production of 100,000+ cigars in all subsequent years

Packaging: 20 count boxes (standard SDC boxes) and 20 count refill bundles (standard Southern Draw Cigars boxes apply)

Price – $11.99 – $12.99 each MSRP

Release Date – August 2, 2019 – National Launch Event – Club Humidor (San Pedro), San Antonio, Texas

Ship Date – August 15 & October 15 & December 15, 2019 – for all IPCPR 2019 orders

Soli Deo Gloria –

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Tagged as Cedrus, cigar, cigars, IPCPR, Southern Draw

by CigarCraig | May 31, 2019 · 5:01 pm

News: Gran Habano Announces Corona Size to Blue in Green Line

Here’s some news from the folks at Gran Habano. The Blue in Green is a really nice Connecticut shade cigar, loaded with flavor. I’m sure the corona will be quite good!

Gran Habano announces the addition of the 6 x 44 Corona size to the Blue in Green. This size will join the 7 x 48 Churchill, 5 x 52 Robusto, and the 6 x 54 Gran Robusto sizes.

The 6 x 44 Corona is a limited production release with only 1,000 boxes to be manufactured in this size. This size will be available for shipping in August 2019.

Country of Origin: Honduras Factory: G.R. Tabacaleras Unidas, S.A.

Distributor: Gran Habano

Wrapper: Connecticut

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Size: 6 x 44 Corona

Box Count: 20

MSRP: $9.00

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by CigarCraig | May 29, 2019 · 8:01 am

News: PSyKo Seven Nicaragua Will Be Arriving at a Tobacconist Near You

Once again we have some news from the folks at Ventura Cigars, this time it’s the release of the PSyKo Seven Nicaragua, which I have been looking forward to. Fortunately, two of the retailers listed below are close by, one of which is about two miles from home, so I’ll be stopping in to my local CigarCigar shop to pick some up to put in my PSyKo Seven humidor!

PSyKo Seven Nicaragua by Indiana Ortez for Ventura Cigar Company Will Be Arriving at a Tobacconist Near You

Ventura Cigar Company (VCC) is pleased to announce the arrival of PSyKo SEVEN Nicaragua, the fresh, bold blend created in collaboration with rising industry star, Indiana Ortez. All eyes have been turned toward the PSyKoSEVEN Nicaragua cigar since its debut at TAA 2019. And enthusiasts everywhere have been anticipating the rich, relaxing smoke seen all over Instagram since the show. The wait is over, and PSyKo SEVEN Nicaragua is now shipping to retailers nationwide.

PSyKo SEVEN Nicaragua is the second collaboration between Ventura Cigar Company and Indiana Ortez. The young blenderis the master behind the Fathers, Friends, and Fire cigar, which earned industry accolades when it launched in Spring 2018.Using her expertise, intuition, and trademark enthusiasm for the tobacco leaf, in PSyKo SEVEN Nicaragua, Ortez created a complex blend of nuanced flavors that evolve throughout the entire smoke.

“Indiana created something special for PSyKo SEVEN,” says Michael Giannini, General Manager at Ventura Cigar Company. “She learned the craft from her father, master blender Omar Ortez, but in this cigar, the flavor and the vibe is all Indiana. And it’s all PSyKo SEVEN. We’re excited to get this product onto the shelves of our tobacconists, and into the hands of cigar smokers just in time for smoking season.”

PSyKo SEVEN Nicaragua is hand-rolled in the Ortez factory, Condega Nicaragua, and is wrapped in a 2007 vintage Desflorada wrapper. The cigars will be available in 20-count boxes, with cigars found in three sizes: Gordo (6”x60), Robusto(5”x50), and Toro (6”x50).

PSyKo SEVEN Nicaragua Cigars are immediately shipping to the following retailers:

Arizona:

• Anthony’s Cigar Emporium, Phoenix, AZ (602) 265-1165

• Anthony’s Cigar Emporium, Tucson, AZ (520) 531-9155

• Stag Tobacconist, Phoenix, AZ (602) 943-8519

California:

• Cigar Monkey, Merced, CA, (209)-384-7473

• Hoffer’s Cigar Bar, La Mesa, CA, (619) 339-0617

• Ohlone Cigar Lounge, Fremont, CA, (510)-972-4373

• Robusto Cigars, Arcadia, CA, (626) 782-4427

• Smoke 4 Less #2, Lancaster, CA, (661) 943-5684

• Squire Cigars, Santa Rosa, CA, (707)-573-8544

• Stogies Lounge, Lodi, CA, (209)-334-5764

Connecticut:

• Buttheads Tobacco Emporium, Danbury, CT, (203) 792-4327

Florida:

• Belicoso Cigars & Café,Winter, FL, (407) 960-1899

• Neptune Cigars – Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale, FL,(800) 655-3385

• Neptune Cigars – Little Havana, Miami, FL, (800) 655-3385

• Neptune Cigars – Miami Superstore, Miami, FL, (800) 655-3385

• Orange Avenue Cigar LLC, Orlando, FL, (407) 601-3840

• Rock n Roll it, Orlando, FL, (407) 542-3756

• The Cigar Castle, Temple Terrace, FL, (813) 985-1300

• Tobacco Cove, Jacksonville, FL, (904) 731-2890

Indiana:

• Copper Canyon Store, Fort Wayne, IN, (260) 387-6002

Kentucky:

• Blaze Lounge LLC, Newport, KY, (502) 644-6722

• The Party Source, Bellevue, KY, (859) 291-4007

New Jersey:

• All County Wholesale Inc., Brick, NJ, (732) 295-6605

New York:

• Buffalo Cigars, Amherst, NY, (714) 674-7833

• Buffalo Cigars, Buffalo, NY, (714) 674-7833

• Buffalo Cigars, Orchard Park, NY, (714) 674-7833

• Iron Horse Cigar Depot, Hudson, NY, (518) 828-1505

• James And Sons Tobacco, Saratoga Springs, NY, (518) 581-7274

• Tinder Box #362, Williamsville, NY, (716) 689-2914

Ohio

• House of Cigar Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, (513) 376-7540

• House of Cigar, Columbus, OH, (614) 848-6764

• House of Cigar Powell, Powell, OH, (614) 760-0190

• House of Cigar South, Columbus, OH, (614) 869-1011

• House of Montecristo, Columbus, OH, (614) 299-9070

• Humidor Plus, Columbus, OH, (614) 891-9483

• Jungle Jim’s Eastgate LLC, Cincinnati, OH (513) 674-6000

• Jungle Jim’s International, Fairfield, OH (513) 519-5001

• Straus Tobacconist, Cincinnati, OH, (513) 621-3388

• The Wight Puff LLC, Springboro, OH, (513) 492-7100

Oklahoma

• ZT Cigars – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City, OK, (405) 942-0070

• ZT Cigars – Yukon, Yukon, OK, (405) 494-7188

Pennsylvania:

• Cigar Cigars – Colmar, Colmar, PA, (210) 251-9117

• Cigar Cigars – Downingtown, Downingtown, PA, (484) 786-9679

• Cigar Cigars – Frazer, Malvern, PA, (610) 251-9117

• Cigar Cigars – Horsham , Horsham, PA, (215) 328-0050

• Cigar N More, Harrisburg, PA, (717)-541-1341

• Twin Smoke Shoppe, Philadelphia, PA, (215) 334-0970

If your local Tobacconist is not listed, check with them to see when PSyKo seven will be available at their location. For more information, or if you are a retailer who would like to bring PSyKo SEVEN Nicaragua into your store, please contact your Ventura Cigar Company sales rep, or visit venturacigar.com.

About Ventura Cigar Company

Ventura Cigar Company (VCC) is a unique cigar brand born in sunny Southern California that is on a mission to create memorable, complex cigar blends that excite the senses and reward discriminating palates. Their flagship Archetype, Case Study, Project805, and PSyKo SEVEN brands offer multiple award-winning blends that earned 90+ ratings in Cigar Aficionado, Cigar & Spirits, and Cigar Snob. And Archetype’s Axis Mundi won #13 Cigar of the Year for 2017 from Cigar Aficionado. Ventura Cigar Company also distributes Tommy Bahama Luxury Cigar Accessories and the 4th Generation Tobacconist and Comoy’s of London lines of pipe tobacco products, extending its reach and tradition of offering top-quality tobacconist products. Pipes and blends under these brands are cultivated through generations of craftsmanship, making them longtime favorites of pipe tobacco enthusiasts.