Category Archives: News

by | August 17, 2020 · 9:55 pm

News: Protocol Cigars Announces Protocol Eliot Ness

I think this is the best press release from Protocol issued to date! I’m looking forward to getting ahold of this one, but I still haven’t tried the Sir Robert Peel yet, so I’m a little behind on my Protocol sampling. I’ll  have to do something about that. 


Protocol Cigars is proud to announce the release of The Protocol Eliot Ness. It is the second installment of the newly created “Lawmen Series.” The Protocol Eliot Ness will continue the more refined and regal look of last year’s release of the Sir Robert Peel. The Sir Robert Peel was a bold change from the more modern look that Protocol Cigars had established up until that time. It used more of a traditional, elegant, sophisticated, and regal packaging design. Juan Cancel, co-founder and owner of Protocol Cigars said: “The Sir Robert Peel was a total change of direction for the company. We wanted to offer our supporters a more regal product from marketing, packaging, and to the actual tobacco used in the blend. We wanted to stay true to our working class supporters, but wanted to also offer them a higher end product. Sometimes the average working Joe likes to put on a suit and get a little fancy while smoking his cigar. It was a bold move and it paid off. The Protocol Sir Robert Peel was and continues to be a tremendous success for us. We figured why not continue on the coattails of that success.” Continuing that look and feel we present the Protocol Eliot Ness.  

The company has created the “Lawmen Series,” which Sir Robert Peel was the first installment. Continuing with the company’s law enforcement theme, they have created the Protocol Eliot Ness. The concept is that criminals are so often glorified in Hollywood and in media. Very rarely do the men and woman who work tirelessly to bring these criminal to justice are ever recognized. This is where the “Lawmen Series” comes in. The “Lawmen Series” will pay homage to the law enforcement personnel that bring these glorified criminals to justice. 

 

Eliot Ness was a Federal Agent in the Bureau of Prohibition. This agency was created in 1920 to enforce the National Prohibition Act of 1919. Eliot Ness was assigned to Chicago, Illinois. In 1931 Eliot Ness arrested American Gangster Al Capone. That year adorns the Protocol Eliot Ness Band. The Protocol Eliot Ness was created to honor this dedicated and hard working law enforcement officer.

 

Another first time and bold move by Protocol Cigars was to offer the Sir Robert Peel in a Natural and Maduro. To keep with that history, the Protocol Eliot Ness will also come in a Natural and Maduro offering. Both blends are Nicaraguan Puros, where all tobacco comes from Nicaragua. The natural will have a Double Habano wrapper/binder with Viso/Seco/Criollo fillers. The maduro will have a beautiful dark and oily Nicaraguan Broadleaf. Both the natural and maduro share the same habano binder. The natural’s filler are Viso/Seco/Corojo from Esteli and Jalapa. There is something very special about these 2 blends. It is the first time Protocol Cigars have offered a cigar with no ligero tobacco in the blend. Kevin Keithan, co-owner states: “We wanted to do something new and exciting for us. This is the first blend we offer to the market that has no ligero tobacco. A far cry from our first offering in 2015 that had quadruple ligero in the filler. So all the strength and power of the blends come from the other tobaccos. It is a very unique smoking experience, especially for those who are used to smoking Protocol Cigars. We are super excited about this project!” The Protocol Eliot Ness will come in 10 count boxes in a 6X52 Boxed Press Vitola. The MSRP will be $119.50 and available by mid to late fall and will be a full production line. 

 

Another first for the company is that the Protocol Eliot Ness will be manufactured at AJ Fernandez’s San Lotano Factory in Ocotal, Nicaraguan, under the direction of Erik Espinosa. The cigar was blended by Protocol Cigars, under the guidance of La Zona’s blender Hector Alfonso Sr. “We really wanted this cigar to be done with a Connecticut Broadleaf, unfortunately it’s very scarce right now. We are fortunate enough to have a great relationship with AJ Fernandez. AJ offered us the use of his proprietary Nicaraguan Broadleaf, which lead to his offer to actually manufacture the cigars in his factory. The Protocol Elliot Ness will be manufactured using his tobaccos, while following the blend we created. We are eternally grateful to AJ Fernandez, Erik Espinosa and Hector Alfonso Sr. for their help in making this project a reality!” Said Juan Cancel.  

 

Protocol Eliot Ness Natural:

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano

Binder: Habano, Esteli

Filler: Nicaraguan Viso/Seco/Criollo 

 

Protocol Eliot Ness Maduro:

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Broadleaf

Binder: Habano, Esteli 

Filler: Viso/Seco/Corojo: Esteli/Jalapa

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by | August 12, 2020 · 3:29 pm

CAO Bones and Pilón Cigars

I received some samples of the new CAO Bones cigars from General Cigars last week, along with some Pilóns too. I smoked the Pilóns when they came out in 2015 and wasn’t awfully enamoured with them, which isn’t really unusual for the CAO line, it’s one of those brands where I either really like a marque or I don’t. It’s like the Amazon series, I really like the Fuma and Anaconda, but not so much the Basin and Orallana. I have been smoking a lot of CAOs recently, probably because I bought a bunch from CigarThief, then Bones came along. A happy coincidence. By the way, I had a job interview this morning, I think it went well, I start Monday! LEt’s start with the Pilón. The reason this one has renewed interest is that the French Magazine L’Amateur de Cigare just named it cigar of the year. Here’s the press release that I didn’t post when it came out:

 

CAO Pilón Named Cigar of the Year by L’Amateur de Cigare

 

CAO Pilón was named “Cigar of the Year” by celebrated international cigar magazine L’Amateur de Cigare.

The magazine’s prestigious tasting panel rated a total of 450 cigars, with Pilón ultimately winning out against the finest cigars available in France, one of the world’s leading markets for handmade cigars. 

Regis Broersma, president of General Cigar said, “We are extremely proud that CAO Pilón received this honor from such a distinguished and respected international publication. When we created Pilón, we developed the brand according to a 19th-century Cuban fermentation technique, so it is ironic that Pilón beat out the best of the best cigars from Cuba, as well as other top cigar-producing countries.”

L’Amateur de Cigare described Pilón as “elegant” and hails its “great complexity and agreeable persistence,” while praising Pilón’s “satisfying finish” and “excellent value.”

CAO Pilón was introduced in the U.S. in 2015 and launched in France in 2018 at an exclusive event in Paris at the DuPont headquarters. 

Handcrafted in Nicaragua at STG Esteli, Pilón was created by Rick Rodriguez and the CAO blending team who utilized the labor-intensive pilón process of natural fermentation to maximize the flavor and color of the Cuban seed Ecuadoran wrapper, delivering a taste and appearance unattainable through other methods. The blend consists of spicy Nicaraguan filler and binder leaves from the distinctive growing regions of Esteli and Ometepe. CAO Pilón bears a deep, rich color and an incredible depth of flavor, featuring notes of wood, spice and a touch of sweetness.

CAO Pilón is available in the U.S. and in select markets worldwide in these formats:

Churchill 7x 48 – SRP per cigar $8.49

Robusto Extra 5 x 52 – SRP per cigar $7.49

Corona 5.5 x 44 – SRP per cigar $7.09

Toro 6 x 58 – SRP per cigar $8.49

Torpedo – 7 x 54 – SRP per cigar $8.89 

 

I smoked one that they just sent, and pulled one that I found buried in the humidor from 5 years ago. I didn’t get around to smoking the older one, I decided to celebrate landing a job after nine months of frustration with a Sin Compromiso instead, sorry Ricky! I have my reasons. Anyway, the Pilón still doesn’t really do it fr me. It’s the wood, maybe mushroomy lack of sweetness that doesn’t endear it to me, but must be something the French appreciate! I suppose I can see how a palate that’s used to Havana cigars would appreciate it. I think it’s appropriate now to move from the old to the new!

 

Bones! As you’ll recall from the press release I posted a couple weeks ago (here), CAO Bones pays homage to dominos and dice games. If you buy a box, it comes with a pair of dice. When I took a pic for Instagram, I asked my son if he had an interesting die I could include in the pic, as much as I love the Cigar Props, it gets a little boring seeing the same poses in the IG feed! Corey came through with his bag of dice, which I thought made for a neat shot. Anyway, this is one of the CAO cigars that hits me right. The Connecticut broadleaf wrapper combines nicely with the Connecticut shade binder  and Honduran, Nicaraguan and Dominican filers to make a very enjoyable smoke that’s, in my opinion, on the stronger side. General almost always sends robustos to sample, in this line they call it the Chicken Foot, which is a dominos game I’m to understand (I’m ignorant in the way of dominos, unless it’s delivered, or comes in a bag, ie. sugar). That means I’m going to be forced to go buy the other sizes to sample. There is a creamy sweetness that is just beneath the surface, barely there, but noticeable under the heavy espresso- cocoa of the Broadleaf. I smoked a second one while watching Ricky and Doug (whom I’ve yet to meet) on a Zoom presentation about Bones last night, rarely do I smoke two of the same cigar on consecutive days, but this one is a good one, I can’t seem to get enough (although it apparently isn’t good enough to celebrate finally getting hired after a nine month search, is it?). I look forward to trying the other sizes especially after Doug and Rick built up the larger sizes on their show. I don’t have a problem with large cigars anyway. I don’t think I’ll be smoking as many in the coming weeks. Anyway, good cigars, good news in a weird year filled with uncertainty. Now, I have 4 days to wrap up some projects! 

 

That’s all for today, until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

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by | August 7, 2020 · 7:06 am

News: Diesel Announces Launch of Esteli Puro

Here’s some news from General Cigar. I am going to have to get out and shop for some new cigars one of these days! Diesel’s offerings have been hit and miss with me lately, I either really like them or I don’t. This one sounds promising. I kinda like the large ring gauges across the range.  

 

DIESEL PRESENTS “ESTELí PURO”

 

A highly-anticipated release from Diesel is set to make its debut next month. Called “Estelí Puro,” the full-time addition to the Diesel lineup was created in collaboration with AJ Fernandez. 

 

This tobacco-forward release is poised to become a core product in the Diesel portfolio.

 

The collection harnesses the strength and complexity of Estelí’s renowned tobacco which comes from the darkest and most dense of Nicaraguan soils. Each of the tobaccos that comprise Diesel Estelí Puro were hand-selected from AJ’s farms to meet specific requirements set forth by the Diesel team. The wrapper was harvested from La Lilia, the binder from San José and the fillers from several plots including AJ’s celebrated San Lotano farm.

 

Senior Brand Manager Justin Andrews said, “Estelí Puro represents the future of Diesel in that the story of the blend is told by the tobacco itself. With Estelí Puro, we made a collection that is completely unique in its bold flavor profile, yet has many of the attributes that have made the other Diesel expressions a cigar of choice among dyed-in-the-wool smokers. This is a cigar that demands the smoker’s full attention with deep and balanced flavor, a strong presentation and an attractive price point.”

 

Blended by AJ Fernandez, handcrafted at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez in Estelí, Nicaragua and developed by General Cigar’s Justin Andrews, Diesel Estelí Puro is made with hand-selected leaves that are cultivated, processed and aged by AJ’s team. Heady aroma and spice dominate, lending body and dimension to the cigar, and delivering a smoke for experienced palates.

 

Diesel Estelí Puro will be available in three sizes, sold in 20-count boxes and will begin shipping to retailers on September 1.

 

Robusto 5.25” x 54 — SRP per cigar $8.99

Toro 6” x 54 — SRP per cigar $9.49

Gigante 6” x 60 — SRP per cigar $9.99

 

About Diesel

Handcrafted by artisans in Estelí, Nicaragua, Diesel cigars are “bold by design.” The brand challenges the current conventions of the handmade cigar category through the bold, unapologetic style of its Cigar Master, AJ Fernandez. Diesel cigars are unified by their deeply complex flavor which is achieved through AJ’s steadfast adherence to time honored cigar making techniques and his insistence on using the highest quality tobacco. The Diesel portfolio includes Delirium which debuted earlier this year; Hair of the Dog which was released in 2019; Whiskey Row which launched two expressions, one in 2019 and one in 2018, and Diesel Grind which debuted in 2017. For more information, visit www.dieselcigar.com.

 

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by | July 28, 2020 · 10:04 am

News: CAO Launches Bones Game Themed Cigar

Here’s a new cigar coming from CAO, and I’m generally (no pun intended) a fan of CAO, as evidenced by my last post and past history. The thought of another Broadleaf cigar from Ricky has my mouth watering. I recently gave the Session another try and was quite happy with it! So I look forward to this. My only thought is the gimmick with the dice thing. Earlier this year we saw another brand come out with a box that included a dice game, so I can’t help but wonder about the copycat factor. I know concepts are months, sometimes years, on the drawing board, and coincidences happen, it’s just too strange…Will it work? Gimmicks can be a crapshoot! (groan).

 

CAO LAUNCHES BONES

 

Full-time collection celebrates dominoes, dice and great times with great smokes

 

CAO presents “Bones,” a collection made to celebrate the memories that are made when a great cigar is lit and the games begin. Bones was named after dominoes and dice, the deeds that are best done with a cigar in hand and in the company of friends old or new.

 

CAO’s blender/brand ambassador Rick Rodriguez said, “Bones is about kicking back with your friends with a cold beer in your hand, playing a game, smoking, grilling, talking a little trash, and having the time of your life. And that’s what CAO is about, too. It’s about being yourself, enjoying the people you’re with and not having a care in the world while you’re having your cigar. Most of us need a break right now and Bones is just the cigar for that.”

 

Rick and the Nicaraguan-based CAO blending team set out to make a medium-to-full-bodied smoke that could easily be the topic of conversation or take the backseat during a game night or any smoking occasion with fellow cigar smokers.  Rick and the team also developed the blend to complement a wide range of libations that go hand-in-hand with a handmade cigar.

 

Bones features a four year old Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper over a Connecticut Shade binder. The blend is comprised of two varieties of Honduran tobacco from Jamastran and La Entrada, along with Nicaraguan Estelí and Dominican Piloto Cubano. Bones is a meaty smoke that delivers bold notes of wood, nuts and vanilla. 

 

Bones is a full-time addition to the brand’s top-rated lineup and is handcrafted in Nicaragua at STG Estelí. The brand will ship on August 4th to cigar retailers across the country and will be available in four sizes, each named after classic games of dominoes. Each box contains 20 cigars, comes with two standard 16mm dice and is outfitted with a felt-covered inside lid which is a suitable surface for playing dice.

 

Chicken Foot (Robusto):  5” x 54 – SRP per cigar $7.49

Blind Hughie (Toro): 6” x 54 – SRP per cigar $7.99

Matador (Churchill): 7.25” x 54 – SRP per cigar $8.49

Maltese Cross (Gigante): 6” x 60 – SRP per cigar $8.99

 

 

For more information about CAO Cigars, please visit www.caocigars.com.

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by | · 9:38 am

News: J.C. Newman Introduces New Cigar: Yagua

Here’s some news from J.C. Newman. I’m looking forward to trying this new, rustic cigar from their Nicaraguan factory. I love the size! 

 

J.C. Newman Introduces Yagua, A Cigar Recreated from the 1940s Cuba

 

J.C. Newman Cigar Co. introduces Yagua, a classic cigar from the tobacco fields of Cuba that the Newman family has recreated in Nicaragua. The Yagua story is one of Cuba from the 1940s. The cigar was inspired by J.C. Newman PENSA’s General Manager, Lazaro Lopez, who shared the following with Drew Newman (Fourth Generation Owner, J.C. Newman Cigar Company) over dinner in Esteli, Nicaragua last year:

 

“At our family farm, my grandfather would take fresh tobacco leaves from the curing barns and roll cigars without any molds or presses. In an attempt to give his cigars a traditional shape, he would tie a handful of them together using pieces of the Cuban royal palm tree, known as the yagua. When he was ready to enjoy his personal cigars, he untied the bundle. He loved how every cigar had its own unique shape. I still remember the rich aroma and taste of my grandfather’s cigars. Today, I’ve recreated Yagua, rolling them exactly how my grandfather did a century ago.”

 

 

“After hearing Lazaro describe the beautiful Yagua cigars he remembers from his youth in Cuba, I asked Lazaro if he could make this special cigar at our factory in Nicaragua,” said Drew Newman. “We are calling it Yagua, after the palm leaves that give the cigars their distinct shape.”

 

J.C. Newman is releasing 1,000 boxes of Yagua from its aging rooms this year. Each box features 20 cigars, which measure approximately 6×54.

 

“Because the cigars are pressed together and bound while they are still wet, each one has a slightly different shape. Each cigar is truly unique,” said Newman

 

Yagua will ship from El Reloj, the J.C. Newman Cigar Company factory in Tampa, FL beginning next week, and should arrive on select retailers’ shelves in early August.

 

About J.C. Newman Cigar Co.

Founded in 1895 by Julius Caeser Newman, J.C. Newman Cigar Company is the oldest family-owned premium cigar maker in America. J.C. Newman rolls its El Reloj, Factory Throwouts, and Trader Jacks cigars by hand-operated, vintage cigar machines at its historic cigar factory in Tampa, Florida. It also hand rolls its Brick House, Perla del Mar, El Baton, and Quorum cigars at the J.C. Newman PENSA cigar factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. J.C. Newman’s Diamond Crown, MAXIMUS, Julius Caeser, and Black Diamond cigars are handmade by Tabacalera A. Fuente in the Dominican Republic. With its longtime partners the Fuente family, the Newmans founded the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation, which supports low-income families in the Dominican Republic with education, health care, vocational training, and clean water.

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