by | December 4, 2022 · 7:00 am

El Reloj Cigar Factory Tour and FSG Farm Visit

Friday I found myself in Tampa, Florida, my first time visiting this area.  I came down for the Cigar Heritage Festival on Sunday, but I really wanted to visit J.C.Newman’s El Reloj factory.  They have spent the last few years remodeling the building, and it’s beautiful.  The entrance has a company store, the mechanism for the clock in the tower for which the building is named, and a museum.  We went upstairs and had some coffee and pastries for breakfast (delicious), and a vintage Diamond Crown Robusto  No. 2. This cigar brought me back to the first time I smoked one in 1998 at a cigar party in Vegas.  The cigar had held up well, for a Connecticut Shade cigar.  We then got the tour, they have some treasures in the basement, old packaging, cigars, and a “vault” filled with a selection of boxes of cigars from the company’s history.  They also do some of the long filler  tobacco preparation in the basement. We went back upstairs to the production floor, where they manufacture and package machine assisted cigars on antique machines. The difference between machine assisted and machine made is that the former, used here, involve the operator placing a leaf on a die, and using pedals to advance the machine.  Machine made cigars are more of a “push a button and a thousand cigars start spitting out”.  I saw similar operations at General Cigar’s facility in the. DR.  It’s mesmerizing  to watch.

On the third floor they have a gallery for hand rolling cigars. This is where the American and Angel Cuesta are rolled. We saw wheels and wheels of Angel Cuesta cigars in the basement aging room, they are hoping to ship them in the coming weeks. We watched a gentleman, also named Angel, finishing salamones, amazingly skilled hand work. This looks like it will be a wonderful cigar.

 

The next step on this tour involved going to visit the Florida Sun Grown farm, where Jeff Borsyiewicz greeted us. I skipped the bus ride and rode with Kevin and Jessica (CigarProp/TrashPanda, etc.). After a delicious Barbecue style lunch, we checked out the farm where tobaccos in the American, and other cigars is grown.  Jeff gave a very informative talk on all the trials and tribulations of growing tobacco in Florida, as he’s the only one doing it. The leaf in the field looked beautiful, and we saw the barn, with some more vintage machinery. It was a beautiful day, sunny and 80, a nice break for me from the fall weather back home.  We ended the day stopping in to Corona Cigars in Tampa. Nick Perdomo was there doing an event, and we ran into some friends from home, in town for the weekend. It was a good day. Thank you so much to Sydney, and everyone at J.C. Newman for a great day! If his were the only reason I came on this trip, it would have been  worth it.

 

 

Today is the Cigar Heritage Festival in Ybor City.  I’m not sure what to expect with this as it’s my first time, but I expect to see a few people I know.  More on that in the next post.  Until the next time,

 

CigarCraig

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by | November 27, 2022 · 9:12 am

CigarCraig.com’s Secret Santa and a Diamond Crown Black Diamond Cigar

Announcing the 2022 CigarCraig.com Secret Santa!  We’ve been doing this for a few years now and it’s been a lot of fun. I grudgingly participate, I don’t want whoever gets me to be concerned, just send a few of your favorites that, maybe, I haven’t smoked!  For me it’s about the giving, not the receiving.  I announced it yesterday on Facebook when I set it up, and  several people have already signed up!  Here are the details:

 

CigarCraig.com 2022 Secret Santa

RSVP Deadline

Saturday, December 10, 2022

Exchange Date

Sunday, December 11, 2022

Budget

USD $40

 

If you missed out on some others, or just want to get in on the fun, get signed up!  The Elfster platform makes things really easy, so have fun!  This reminds me, I need to go through my swag collection, maybe there’s some giveaways coming up!

 

I make an effort to smoke something really good on holidays, and Thanksgiving was no exception.  I recently came into possession of some Diamond Crown Black Diamond Emerald cigars, so that was my post-feast smoke.  I smoked this cigar for the first time back in March of 2019, and I loved it.  It’s distinctly possible that I haven’t smoked one since, it’s a bit hard to find.  These are made at Tabacalera A. Fuente, with a dark Connecticut Havana seed wrapper, over Dominican binder and fillers.  The Emerald is my favored size, 6″ x 52, but also comes in a 5¼” x 56 and 4½” x 54.  Maybe I’ll find the other size when I visit the El Reloj factory this Friday!  When Diamond Crown came out back in the mid ’90s it was only available west of the Mississippi and were all 54 ring, considered huge then. Anyway, this continues to me a terrific cigar and oe that suits my palate. It’s got loads of dark, rich flavors, espresso notably, and I like it a lot. I’m torn between this and the Maximus as my favorite in the line.  I don’t have to choose, I love them both! 

 

This time next week I’ll be heading to the Cigar Heritage Festival in Ybor City. I have a tour of J.C.Newman planned for Friday, an afternoon herf with friends from the old Usenet group on Saturday,  and then the festival on Sunday. Apparently Admission is now free (I have not seen my refund yet!), so if you’re around, stop in and look for me, I’ll be the guy with a cigar.

 

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

 

CigarCraig

 

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by | November 20, 2022 · 9:00 am

Mi Querida Black and Muestra de Saka The Bewitched Cigars

At the PCA show I smoked both of these with Steve, but one really can’t get a good sense of a cigar in that environment.  Neither was the first cigar of the day, and both were smoked while chatting.  Of course, both cigar left me intrigued, and wanting to smoke them again under better circumstances.  When Steve sent me the  Liga Privada Pequeńos for the recent giveaway, he included a couple of each for me to sample.  So, a few nights ago I sat down with another Mi Querida Black SakaKhan.  This cigar is 7¼” x 54, which, if I’m not mistaken, is the same size as the classic Excalibur No.1. I could go look it up to verify, but I’m fairly confident. Like the Firecracker spawned the Mi Querida Triqui Traca, this cigar is based off the Dunbarton JR Cigars 50th Anniversary cigar. The SakaKhan moniker is one Steve got in the Navy, ironic in that his middle name is Genghis Khan’s birth name. The cigar has a beautiful Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, San Andrés binder and Nicaraguan, Honduran and Dominican fillers.  I smoked a couple, and had similar experiences.  I’m not sure if it’s the blend, or the size, but I found this milder than I probably should, or at least it takes a while to build.  It was most certainly a Mi Querida, with the great Cocoa/Espresso flavors I love, with some spice. It just seemed a little dialed back, I think I’m more in the camp of the Blue and Red. I actually bought a few more the other night (I went to the Wooden Indian to hang out with Pedro Gomez from Drew Estate, where I smoked an Undercrown Dogma). I’ll smoke them, don’t worry. 

 

I kinda wish I had gotten some more of this cigar instead of (or in addition to) the SakaKhan.  The Muestra de Saka The Bewitched was originally an exclusive for the Owl Shop in Massachusetts.  It’s 6 5/8″ x 48, which is a wonderful size.  It is box pressed with a pigtail.  Like the five Muestra de Sakas before it, it’s presented in a coffin with a yellow ribbon on the foot.  It has a Habano wrapper, San Andrés binder (which is the same leaf that’s used as a wrapper on the Sin Compromiso), and Nicaraguan and USA fillers. US grown fillers, is it PA or Connecticut broadleaf? They grow some tobacco in Massachusetts, perhaps it’s something grown there? So, here’s the thing: I’ve smoked most of the cigars in Dunbarton‘s regular production range, I haven’t smoked any of the shop exclusive stuff, including the Red Meat Lovers Club stuff (Oh yeah, I have some of the Famous 80th cigars, but that’s it). You might think that knowing Steve for 25+ years I would hunt down every cigar he makes, but I don’t chase cigars. This cigar was simply amazing tasting.  It started with a gentle spice which was more apparent on the retrohale.  About an inch in I got some cinnamon, which I’ve tasted hints of a few times in cigars, but this one was quite obvious. This cinnamon, or canela, if you prefer, came and went throughout the smoke, which was a good two hours. Actually, it was a great two hours!) The burn strayed a couple times and I touched it up, but otherwise the experience was perfect. The only thing that would have made it better was if it was 75 degrees instead of 50 (porch temp). At least I’m not in Buffalo.  So, I’m going to grab a few more of these next time I visit the Wooden Indian, they aren’t a cheap date, but well worth it! 

 

That’s all for today, if I don’t get another post out before, Happy Thanksgiving to my USA based readers, smoked some great cigars after your feast, let me know if you want to stop by for one!  Also, in two weeks time I’ll be going to the Cigar Heritage Festival in Tampa, so if you’re there, look for me!  Until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

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by | November 15, 2022 · 7:03 am

Big Fundraiser Giveaway Winner Announcement Part Two!

As promised, here is the announcement of the other three winners of the contest.  I got in touch with Marvin Roberts, and, it should surprise nobody, he chose the box of Pequeńos. I’m working on getting them to him.  The rest of the winners will be given their

choice in order of selection.  The lucky winners are: Randy Bee, John Harr and Stace Burkland! I’ll b reaching out to Randy for his choice, then John, and Stace will be stuck with what’s left over, which will still be pretty fantastic.  The prizes are at https://www.cigarcraig.com/contest-win-some-drew-estate-goodies-with-a-twist/ .  

 

 

Entries were determined by the list of donations on the Facebook Fundraiser page, if your name wasn’t listed, you weren’t entered.  I’ll let you know who got what!  Until the next time, 

 

**Update** 

Randy chose the humidor, which didn’t surprise me since I actually met Randy at the Barnsmoker and he had all of that stuff already!  John chose the

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Pre-Party package, leaving Stace with the Barnsmoker package.  I don’t think anyone will be disappointed!  

 

CigarCraig

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by | November 13, 2022 · 12:33 pm

Big Fundraiser Giveaway Winner Announcement!

I usually recap a few cigars I smoked during the week on Sundays, but I only really smoked one new cigar this week, the Mi Querida Black “SakaKahn”, and it was pretty good. I had smoked one at the PCA show with Steve, and have been looking forward to smoking more. So far, it’s really good, but doesn’t hit me like the Triqui Traca and the “Blue”. It comes across as milder to me.  Obviously more research is in order.  In the spirit of this particular giveaway, I had a Liga Privada T52 last night that was pretty good.

 

Speaking of Saka, I have to give him a big thank you for kickstarting the K9s for Warriors fundraiser with his donation of a über-rare box of Liga Privada Pequeńos.  This is believed to be the only box (first of four ever made) in existence. Steve scribbled on the bottom, but otherwise it’s pristine! When he provided this and announced it, I decided that I was going to offer the first name drawn their choice of prizes: The Pequeńos, the Drew Estate Barnsmoker pre-party pack, the Barnsmoker pack, and the NewAir Humidor generously provided by Kevin Shahan, the addition of which definitely pushed us over the $5000 mark!  Many thanks to Kevin for this and his promotion of the event!  Wouldn’t it be funny if he won the humidor? Thank you to everyone who donated to this worthy cause.  

 

Here’s the way this is going to work: I’m drawing the first winner and asking him what pri

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ze he wants. When I get a response, I’ll draw the second, third and fourth winners and, starting with the second, give them their choice of the remaining prizes.  My wife and I spent the morning reviewing the entries, double and triple checking, and I have a spreadsheet with everyone’s info.  I am happy to share that upon request.  SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO! 

The first winner is Marvin Roberts!  I’ll be contacting you to get your prize preference!  Watch for the next post tomorrow or Tuesday with the next winners!

 

Thanks again for everyone’s generous donations!  I’m especially thankful to whoever it was that made the donation to round the total to the nearest $5, my CDO thanks you!  Until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

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