Michael Giannini | CigarCraig's Blog

Tag Archives: Michael Giannini

by CigarCraig | November 15, 2018 · 8:12 am

News: Ventura Cigar Co. to Bring the Fun (and the Axis Mundi) to the Barn Smoker

This weekend is the Louisiana Barnsmoker, which is ambitious scheduling having it the weekend before Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, I’ll have to miss this one as I’ll be working and Louisiana is a bit a drive from Pennsylvania anyway. I’ve been to the PA and Connecticut versions of this event and highly recommend them, and with the addition of Michael Giannini to the staff of cigar celebrities, it’s a big winner. If you go, let me know how it was!

Ventura Cigar Company to attend 2018 Louisiana Barn Smoker by Drew Estate.

Ventura Cigar Company (VCC) is heading across the country for Drew Estate’s 2nd annual Louisiana Barn Smoker on Saturday, November 17, 2018. Joining industry friends and fans of the leaf, the event will be held at L.A. Poche farm, where guests will be treated to music, fine cigars, Cajun food, Kentucky-grown fermenting tobacco, and interesting info about the rich history of Louisiana tobacco. The all-day event is a festival celebrating American Tobacco Agriculture, and is certain to be a good time.

VCC will be bringing their California cool vibe and team to the event, along with their Axis Mundi cigar, a Drew Estate creation from Ventura Cigars’ popular Archetype line. Michael Giannini, General Manager at Ventura Cigar Company, will be sharing smokes and stories with event-goers, as he showcases this remarkable cigar.

“Every cigar is made better with a good story,” says Giannini. “Whether you’re making the story or telling the story, the best smokes are shared with others. I look forward to events like the Louisiana Barn Smoker for the opportunity to talk to people. To hear what they’re smoking, what they’re liking, where they’ve been, and where they’re going. It’s about sharing the moments, and Ventura Cigars is pleased to be part of them.”

The Axis Mundi cigar was voted the #13 Cigar of the Year from Cigar Aficionado. Its high-quality tobacco, complimented by complex layers of rich essences like coffee beans, charred oak, dried figs, and spices, have earned Axis Mundi recognition by both industry experts and fans alike.

“The Axis Mundi is a solid cigar,” says Giannini. “If you’re at the Louisiana Barn Smoker, come by, hang out, share a story, and have a smoke with us.”

To get tickets for the 2018 Louisiana Barn Smoker by Drew Estate. Visit www.barnsmoker.com for more information about the event or www.venturacigar.com for additional details about Axis Mundi and other Archetype cigars.

The Archetype Axis Mundi Cigar

Formats: Churchill, Toro, Robusto, Corona

Wrapper: Maduro Habano Ecuador

Binder: Indonesia Sumatra

Filler: Habano Nicaragua

Taste: Full-Bodied

# # # #

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 the 4th Generation and Comoy’s of London line 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.

Comments Off on News: Ventura Cigar Co. to Bring the Fun (and the Axis Mundi) to the Barn Smoker

Filed under News

Tagged as Axis Mundi, Barn Smoker, Barnsmoker, cigar, cigars, drew estate, Lousiana, Michael Giannini, Ventura

by CigarCraig | December 4, 2011 · 10:00 am

A Saturday Afternoon of La Gloria Cubanas

I received an e-mail from Famous Smoke Shop last week about the La Gloria Cubana Artesanos Retro Especiale tour stop and decided this would be the perfect opportunity to finally visit their new location in Easton, PA. I don’t quite know why I haven’y yet visited the place, it’s a little over an hour and a half from home, although it ended up taking two hours or so to get there. The retail shop and Leaf Restaurant and Cigar Bar appears to be in the front of their huge warehouse and distribution center. It’s a little off the beaten path, as I’m driving through a new, under construction residential area and industrial park, I was really starting to doubt my GPS (which has failed me before). But there it was, in the middle of nowhere, this huge building, with a beautiful restaurant and retail store. The humidor is enormous, with an equally enormous selection of boxes, five-packs and singles. The staff was very friendly and attentive, and I picked up a fiver of La Gloria Serie R Maduros. In the lobby, Michael Giannini was set up with posters that he was autographing, Retro Especiale Club samples, and bundles of Atesano de Tabaqueros, which were free with various levels of purchase. My simple five-pack purchase got me three of the Artesanos de Tabaqueros, of which I chose two of the new Sumatra/Broad-leaf versions.

While I was hanging out talking with Michael, Gary and Seanna (Gary is the General Cigar Event Manager and Seanna is the General Cigar account manager for national accounts), I enjoyed another Retro Especiale Club, which I’ve been smoking quite a few of in the last couple months. If you haven’t tried these yet, find them and try them. Great cigars. After that I just had to try the Artesanos de Tabaqueros with the Sumatra and broad-leaf wrappers. I love broad-leaf, and once the burn line reached that broad-leaf it exploded with flavor. Not that it didn’t start off great, with the Sumatra wrapper portion being very nice, but the broad-leaf is so rich and full flavored that I was sad when it was finished. I’d love to try broad-leaf and Connecticut shade, hint hint. These cigars are only available on the Retro Tour.

It’s always a treat to hang out with Michael, he’s a real mensch, and I’m pleased to know him and call him “Bro”. I’m glad that I had the opportunity to visit Famous finally. We are fortunate to have quite a few very large retailers in Pennsylvania, due to the lack of a cigar tax.

For my evening “Take a Cigar for a Walk” cigar, I figured I’d keep the La Gloria theme going with a Serie R No. 5 Maduro that I picked up at the shop. I haven’t had one of these in years, and it was actually milder than I recall. The Tabaqueros was much stronger, and I suppose I expected the R to be stronger. Regardless, it was a very nice cigar, although the cold evening was, perhaps, not conducive to fully enjoying this cigar. It burned perfectly. I remember drooling over the stacks of these I saw at the factory.