Friday afternoon I traveled to Northeast Philadelphia to the Philadelphia Cigar & Tobacco Company shop for the event they were having with Mikes Szczepankiewicz and Palmer. Mike Szczepankiewicz is one of the owners of Cigar Hustlers cigar shop in Deltona Florida, and the Powstanie cigar brand, which is made at the Nica Sueña factory in Esteli. Mike Palmer is Mike Szczepankiewicz’s co-host on the Cigar Hustler’s Podcast, which is in my regular podcast rotation. There’s two things that I’m really spoiled with, one is that I really like smoking cigars and knowing the people behind the brands, and the other is listening to podcasts where I know the people behind the voices. I’m very fortunate to have had opportunities to know a lot of the people who make cigars and present podcasts. There’s nothing special about me, anyone could have put themselves in the position to know these people, and I’m not particularly outgoing by nature. Anyway, when I know the people I’m listening to I feel like I’m listening to friends, more so than when I haven’t really met them.… Continue reading
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A Visit to Black Horse Cigars and some Punch Cigars
Yesterday I took a drive to Sicklerville, New Jersey and paid a quick visit to Black Horse Cigars for a smoke. My wife was doing some research at the library at Rowan University about 6 miles away, so it was a good excuse for a
visit. The Black Horse Cigar Shop is at the end of a small shopping center and has a well appointed walk in humidor with reasonable prices for New Jersey. I selected a Punch Store Press Mata Fina and their own Aniversario cigar in a Lancero size and went to check out the lounge. They have a really nice lounge with all the amenities, a bar area, comfy seating, several hightop tables and TVs. I settles into one of the leather couches (and hoped that I could get up after sinking in!) and lit up the Punch.… Continue reading
More Platinum Nova Cigars and a Stolen Throne Cigar
I dipped into the stash of Platinum Nova cigars I brought back from the TPE show again this week and started with one of their Limited Editions, the Park Avenue. This is one of their more expensive offerings, coming in a a whopping $31 per cigar. This has an Ecuador 2000 wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and Dominican fillers. If I understand correctly, their factory is in Palm Beach, Florida, which will account for the price tag. Since last posted about Nova, they entered into a distribution arrangement with Sutliff Tobacco, who also distributes Regius Cigars in the U.S. now. The Park Avenue is a 6¼” x 54 toro. It’s a nice looking cigar with a flawless milk-chocolate brown wrapper, and the burn and draw were just fine, what one expects in a cigar of this caliber. As with the other Nova cigars I’ve smoked, there is a unique flavor that I can’t describe except that it’s very elegant.… Continue reading
Cuevas Reserva Natural and Maduro Cigars and Casa Cuevas La Mandarria
I smoked a pair of Cuevas Reserva cigars before heading to Las Vegas and really enjoyed them, then I had occasion to meet Luis Cuevas at the Tobacco Plus Expo and talked to him about the cigars. I didn’t really have a chance to write about the cigars before I left, but I had a pair of each left and wanted to give them some more attention after I
got back. Yesterday was the day when I had the chance to smoke one more of each of the Natural and Maduro in the Robusto size.… Continue reading
A Visit to Best Cigar Pub, Blackbird Cigar Co. Cigars and Video and Contest Winner
Yesterday I found myself wandering much further north in PA than I usually find myself. There was a seminar on Bees and Chickens that my wife and I attended, and I snuck off during the second half to do some of my own research. Twenty minutes away from the venue where the seminar was held happened to be the brand new Best Cigar Pub, and Best Cigar Prices headquarters. I figured this would be a good place to visit. Fortunately, the purchasing manager, Chris O’Neill, managed to arrange a tour for me. Katie (Katy? I forgot to clarify), the Finance/HR director, gave me a tour of the entire facility.… Continue reading



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