Tag Archives: rocky patel

A Cigar-Mojo/Rocky Patel Event, a Perdomo and a New A.J. Fernandez Cigar

Thursday evening was the first anniversary party at Cigar Mojo in King of Prussia, PA and they combined it with a Rocky Patel event with a Halloween costume contest. Mark Weisenburger (pictured, from his Facebook page) was present pimping the Rocky Patel line so I picked up a couple of the Vintage 2003 Cameroon robustos and lit one up.   They were also featuring Alan Price’s cigar that he blended at Rocky Patel’s factory. Alan works part time at Mojo and is our area Cigar Rights of America Ambassador.  I picked up a couple of these as well, it’ll be interesting to see how he did blending this cigar. Interestingly, it’s about the same size as the last cigar I blended at Drew Estate last year, a chunky toro in the 6″ x 54 range.  Anyway, there was a big crowd for a Thursday evening, and regulars Bruce and Arline won the costume contest.  I’m sure the party went into the night, but I excused myself when I was done with my cigar to go home and watch the Flyers losing effort. Congrats to Wade and Trae at Mojo for an excellent first year. They are doing a great job in selection and service. It’s a great place to hang out.

 

Perdomo_20thAnnivMaduro_CoronaGrandeFriday was Halloween, and we don’t have any kids come to our house trick or treating. It’s a matter of where we currently live, not any commentary on who we are or anything.  There is a neighborhood around the corner where I always take Macha for a walk and there are a handful of kids who mostly have met Macha and love seeing her. I grabbed a Perdomo 20th Anniversary Maduro Corona Grande for the evening walk, and Macha had fun seeing the kids (she loves kids, they taste good!). The Corona Grande is a 6½” x 48 that was the creation of Nick Perdomo III. For me it’s the best size of the bunch, for both the representation of the blend and the comfort of smoking it. It’s a smooth, rich maduro with a hint of espresso bitterness, which I like.  I know, I should have smoked a Tatuaje Monster, or a Gurkha Ghost, or even an Asylum Ogre or something cliche, but I was in the mood for the Perdomo, so that’s what I smoked!

 

AJFernandez_NewWorldSaturday we spent the morning gutting the family room in the new house. We had taken out the carpet and padding to have the asbestos tile removed, so what better time to take the paneling off!  Of course, it was just paneling over a thin vapor barrier and cinder block and brick, so we have some insulating and dry-walling to do. Best to get it done before having carpet installed!  It’ll be a great space once it’s done, and directly adjacent to the screened in cigar porch! After getting that done I took a quick spin over to Goose’s Tobacco in Limerick, PA to pick up and pay for the box of Asylum Straight Jacket Robustos I won in the Operation: Cigars for Warriors silent auction at the Smokin Goose festival last month.  Always happy to support OP:CFW, thank you to Goose’s and Asylum Cigars for their contribution to that fine organization.  When I got home I took a walk with A.J. Fernandez’s newest offering, the New World in a box pressed belicoso size called the Almirante.  The New World is the first cigar that A.J. made  together with his father, Ismeal, and is a Nicaragua Puro, with tobaccos from all over the country, including Ometepe.  This medium bodied cigar burned perfectly and had really nice sweet spicy flavor.  Considering I paid somewhere under $6 each for these at JM Cigars in Exton, PA, this is an absolute must try.

 

That’s all for now. We’ve got to visit Home Depot or Lowe’s and look into some room finishing options and come up with a plan.  Then I’ll be digging into the humidor once again looking for something fun to smoke. Until the next time,

 

CigarCraig

 

 

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A Joya de Nicaragua Event, an Oceano and a Rocky Patel Cigar

Thursday evening I was headed home after work with the intention of heading out to The Wooden Indian in Havertown, PA  for a Joya de Nicaragua event with Dr. Alejandro Martinez Cuenca, who I first met and got to know at the 2011 IPCPR show.  I was excited for the chance to see Dr. Cuenca again, it’s been a few months.  As I was about a mile from home and my airbag deployed and I felt a yaris vs deer rnd 2 10172014bang, and I see a large buck flying to my left in my mirror.  This was quite a surprise to me, as I never saw the deer, it must have darted out from my left. I can only think that not seeing the buck might have been a good thing as I never swerved, braked, or did anything foolish that may have caused a worse accident.  Long story short, I joya_de_nic_darkcorojo_elMartillodidn’t get to the event, and, after having the car towed and calling the insurance company, it was too late. I decided I needed a Joya de Nicaragua Antaño Dark Corojo El Martillo to get my bearings.  Great cigar, loaded with sweet and spicy flavors. This may be one of my favorite “goto” cigars.  I’ll be interested to see if the car is a total loss or not. The irony is that the house we just bought is on Buck Run Lane.  This was the second deer that’s run into that car in the last eleven  months.

 

Oceano_IndianFriday I smoked the new offering from my friends at La Sirena Cigar Co., the Oceano. The five sizes in thei line are named after the Oceans, and I smoked the Indian, which is 5½ x 50. This cigar is a beauty, the Dominican Habano Vuelta Arriba wrapper is a nice chocolate color, it has a Dominican Criollo binder and Dominiucan and Nicaraguan fillers with the Visos and Ligeros from the DR and the Seco from Nicaragua, all assembled at the Quesada factory. The big surprise here is that this is a powerhouse of a smoke!  The draw was free and easy, and it burned perfectly. It had some horsepower to it!  This was a great smoke.

 

RockyPatel_Royale_ToroYesterday we moved some furniture and stuff to the new house and got good and worn out. We’re not even close to beig ready to move in yet, but at least we got some stuff over there. PODS are great, but can get expensive over time.  After we got home I took Macha for a walk with a cigar. I came across a cache of Rocky Patel cigars in the humidor, I guess they’ve been accumulating over the years. The Royale looked tasty so I figured I try it out. This toro has an Ecuador Sumatra wrapper,  Connecticut shade & Connecticut broadleaf double binder and fillers from Condega and Esteli in Nicarauga,  All this combined for a darned tasty smoke!  Rich expresso and cocoa flavors and a nice, straight burn. Rocky has a lot of cigars under his umbrella, and this is one of the best I’ve had. Very enjoyable.

 

That’s it for today!  Until the next time,

 

CigarCraig

 

 

 

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Ezra Zion, Leccia, A Rocky Patel Pre-Release and Loads of Cigar News

After the trilogy of good luck with the fine line of cigars from Bombay Tobac at the start of the week, I felt the need to take no chances. I started the week well, I was going to finish this week off right!  I smoke a lot of different cigars, and I have to admit, while the almost all have some redeeming qualities, not all of them are what I’m looking for in terms of personal satisfaction.  I know the difference between a good cigar, and one I really like, so I feel comfortable reporting on various cigars, but sometimes you just want to smoke some cigars you love.  I’m also going to share some news I’ve received over the course of the week.

 

EzraZion_JamaisVu_CoronaGordaThursday was a beautiful evening. I had been listening to the CigarChat in podcast version, featuring Kyle and Chris from Ezra Zion Cigars, and formerly the owners of Cigar Federation, which hosts CigarChat.  I listen in podcast form as I just never seem to be sitting in front of a monitor when the shows are on. This is true for all of the shows I listen to, I prefer to listen in the car, or on my walks. It would be fun to participate in the various chatrooms associated with some of these shows, I just always seem to be doing something else…but I digress.  I had a Ezra Zion Jamias Vu Corona Gorda Box Press 6½x52 (not really a corona gorda, but a toro) in my humidor which called my name. I really liked this cigar when it came out and was called Inception, and I like the Inception name better than Jamais Vu, but the cigar remains the same. It’s rich, dark, smooth and satisfying. Just about everything I look for in a smoke. It features mature tobacco, all Nicaraguan and all aged five to six years. You can taste the quality.  So far, these guys do it right, and were pretty hysterical on the CigarChat show.

 

Leccia_Luchador_ElCastigoFriday I needed the slam dunk, so I picked one of my favorite cigars so far this year, the Leccia Luchador, in the 6″x60 El Castigo size. I wanted a smoking experience longer than the robusto,  so I went large.  For me, I love the El Castigo, but I think the robusto better represents what’s really special about this cigar. The larger size downplays that jalapeño cocoa flavor I find in the smaller vitola. I want to get around to trying the other two sizes, the El Guapo Toro and Loco Perfecto to see what they bring to the table.  If you haven’t tried the Luchador line yet, and you like great cigars, give it a shot.

 

RockyPatel_Decade_CameroonSaturday we spent the day laying sod where our back patio used to be.  If the ground were just at about waist level, this job would have been much easier on my back. All the lifting, moving, bending, etc. killed me.  For a reason I haven’t figured out, be it exhaustion, or blind faith, I decided that evening’s walk would be a great time to try a new cigar from Rocky Patel‘s Decade line. This has a flawless Cameroon wrapper, and, to my knowledge, is not out yet, and may be debuting later today at the IPCPR show in Vegas. I happen to love some Cameroon wrapper now and then, it has a unique sweet flavor I refer to as Camerooniness.  I took a chance on a new, untried cigar to wrap up my week of great smokes, and got lucky.  This was a wonderful, medium bodied smoke with a perfect burn. It had the nice, flat ash that shows me how much care went into selecting tobaccos that all burn at the same rate.  Smooth, balanced, and darned yummy.Thanks to our local RP rep, Mark, for setting me up with this one.  It’s a great cigar that I’ll be on the hunt for.

 

News

 

I’ve been inundated with press releases this week, and I’m sure you’ve seen most of this elsewhere, but I just want share it anyway.

First, a scoop from Victor Vitale of Legacy Brands on his Tortuga Reserva Cedro No.10:

The teaser on the Tortuga Reserva Cedro No. 10 is that it’s the third addition to my Cedro Series. As you can see,  it’s a bit larger 6.5×58 however still packs the power of my Cedro No. 5. There are not many boxes of this made and it will *not be on display at the show. This is going to be held back until the fall due to the limited quantity produced and inability to meet the already existing demand. I’m going to complete the full production, properly rest the additional cigars and deliver in the fall. 

 *Box qty 36

*Original production number 7,200 (set for July delivery – but will stay at the factory until the fall) 

*Total 2014 production number is 18,000 cigars for the Cedro No.10

 

This is exciting as I really enjoy the Cedro line, it’s refined and delicious!  Looking forward to smoking more of the Coyote Negros too!

 

The rest of these I’m going to present the press releases as I received them, which I know is the lazy way to do it, but I’m lazy, what can I say!

 

First, from 1502 Cigars:

Contact: Enrique Sanchez 
Email: info@globalpremiumcigars.com 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Global Premium Cigars Releases New Cigar, the 1502 Nicaragua

Miami, Florida, July 16, 2014 

Global Premium Cigars is pleased to announce the release of its newest cigar, the 1502 Nicaragua. Global Premium Cigars is a tobacco company which is proud of its Nicaraguan heritage. The new cigar continues the company’s tradition of excellence and is the only cigar in the 1502 cigars line that is 100% pure Nicaraguan tobacco.

Nicaragua is one of only two countries in the world which can produce cigars entirely from their tobacco. The 1502 Nicaragua epitomizes this birthright, as it is made from tobacco from all four regions of Nicaragua: Esteli, Condega, Jalapa, Ometepe.

“This cigar was created for my newborn son. So that he never forgets his roots – 100% Nicaraguan,” said Enrique Sanchez, President of Global Premium Cigars.

The 1502 Nicaragua is packaged in a golden wrapper with a white band. It is a medium to medium-plus cigar that is stronger than the 1502 Line’s Emerald. The cigar will be available in the Robusto vitola, measuring 5 X 50, and in boxes of 30 cigars, box pressed. Retailers are urged to order them in time for their customers.

For more information please email info@globalpremiumcigars.com or contact via the website: globalpremiumcigars.com

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From La Flor Dominicana:

La Flor Dominicana
2013LFDLOGO123 San Lorenzo Avenue
Coral Gables, FL 33146-1513
Phone- (800)543-7131
Fax – (305)443-7985
ligero@laflordominicana.com

La Flor Dominicana to introduce new items at 82nd IPCPR trade show in Las Vegas this year.

Coral Gables, FL July 16th 2014 – La Flor Dominicana will introduce the following items at this year’s IPCPR trade show in Las Vegas, July 20th – 23rd.

La Flor Dominicana 1994 Limited Edition Beer Stein – In honor of our 20th anniversary we have created a very special cigar uniquely packaged in a beautiful porcelain beer stein. The cigar is made with tobaccos that were set aside several years ago in anticipation of this very special occasion. The complex and powerful flavors of this cigar originate from the best fillers and binder grown on our farm in the Dominican Republic and are complemented with a sweet and savory Mexican San Andrés maduro wrapper. This blend is as special as the occasion it serves to commemorate and is symbolic of the quality and pride with which La Flor Dominicana has built its name. The packaging is a toast to our friends and loyal fans that have supported us over the years. It is because of them that our passion for making cigars is as strong as it has ever been. Cheers!

1994 – In addition to the limited release, a very similar blend will be made available in 4 sizes, a 58 x 6 “Aldaba”, a 52 x 6.5 “Rumba”, a 52 x 5 “Conga”, and a 54 x 7 “Mambo”. The blend will feature the same fillers & binder, but with a natural San Andrés wrapper. This line will be a permanent addition to our portfolio.

Capitulo II – A great sequel should pick up where the first left off, and the highly anticipated continuation to Antonio Gomez’s Chapter 1 does just that. An entirely new blend was created for the familiar box pressed Chisel shape, and though the tobaccos may be different, Capitulo II promises power and flavor all the same. This cigar features a gorgeous Nicaraguan Colorado wrapper which adorns a sweet Ecuadorian Habano binder and robust Dominican fillers. Sweetness, spice, and power are what define this story.

Salomones – The La Flor Dominicana Salomones is a subject of great lore among cigar collectors worldwide. We are ecstatic to announce that a very small quantity of these will once again be made available at this year’s IPCPR in both natural and maduro. These cigars have been maturing for years in our aging room and promise to provide an unbelievable experience of complex flavors and aromas like no other Salomon ever has!

Digger Ashtrays – Cigars these days have outgrown the accessories made to complement them. Being pioneers of the large cigar craze that has taken off over the last few years, we have noticed this problem more than most. This is why we are introducing a new line of ashtrays, Digger ashtrays to be exact. Beautiful, refined, and practical, these ashtrays have never met a cigar they couldn’t hold. They will be available in full porcelain and solid mahogany with metal trim.

La Flor Dominicana is a vertically integrated premium cigar company, where we proudly control the process from the seed to the final grading, inspecting and packing process. Our tobaccos are grown at our farm in La Canela, Dominican Republic. Our factory is located in Tamboril.

For further information, please contact our office at (800) 543-7131.

www.laflordominicana.com


 From George Rico’s G. R. Tabacaleras Co. in Miami:

NEW SUMMER S.T.K. MIAMI 2014 PRODUCTS

GEORGE RICO S.T.K. MIAMI ZULU ZULU

MAS PAZ EDITION 2014

This cigar will still contain the identical Ecuadorian Connecticut and Nicaraguan Habano blends, but this newest edition will be made in our own factory in Miami. G.R. Tabacaleras Co. is collaborating with a new artist, Mas Paz, to design the new boxes for this project, and the proceeds for the Mas Paz Edition will go towards a new charitable cause. A percentage of the sales of this new project will go towards a non-profit organization that will fund renovations for La Casa de la Madre y el Niño, an orphanage in Bogotá, Colombia.

Country of Origin: USA
Factory: G.R. Tabacaleras Co.
Distributor: Santa Cruz Tobacco / Gran Habano
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut / Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan
Sizes: 7 ½ x 40 Lancero, 5 5/8 x 46 Corona Gorda, 6 x 54 Rolo
MSRP: $8.25 – $9.27
Release Date: Available for pre-order at IPCPR 2014

GEORGE RICO S.T.K. MIAMI BARRACUDA
LIMITED EDITION MADURO 2014

Country of Origin: USA
Factory: G.R. Tabacaleras Co.
Distributor: Santa Cruz Tobacco / Gran Habano
Wrapper: Pennsylvania Broadleaf
Sizes: 5 x 52, 6 ½ x 54, 5 5/8 x 46
MSRP: $7.50 – $8.50
Release date: July 2014
Number of Cigars Released: 200 boxes of each size

 www.ghcigars.com

 


 The next one is From JR Cigars:

 

Fans of premium-quality San Andrés wrapper leaf are gonna want to check out, Black Abyss, a brand-new handrolled premium cigar crafted by José “Jochy” Blanco, the guy who grows the leaf for a bunch of Boutique Blends cigar brands, including Aging Room and Swag, both of which have collected tons of high ratings in cigar magazines (the Aging Room Quattro F55 Concerto took second place in Cigar Aficionado's top 25 of 2013). Anyway…

Black Abyss is handmade at Tabacalera Palma in the Dominican Republic and, while it isfull bodied, it’s cleverly designed for not just smokers of super-strong cigars. It’s got that big, rich, bold flavor often associated with a San Andrés wrapper and it does contain some potent ligero leaf, but along with the blend’s hearty, zesty notes of dark coffee, this cigar begins and ends with a sweetness while a smooth creaminess remains throughout, making it a great choice for medium-bodied cigar fans who want to step it up in strength.

Black Abyss’s construction is top-notch, as evidenced by its extremely even burn and draw, which are made even better by an exceptionally appealing aroma.

Jochy Blanco’s Black Abyss is made in four sizes (each featuring a somewhat sinister name: Banshee, Cerberus, Hydra, and Wraith) packed in boxes of 20 cigars. If all that’s piqued your interest, you’ll be glad to know that Black Abyss cigars are also pretty reasonably priced. Starting in July, you’ll find them exclusively at JR Cigar.

 


 Then we have news from Roberto Duran Premium Cigars:

 

ROBERTO DURAN PREMIUM CIGARS INTRODUCES TWO ADDITIONAL CIGAR BRANDS AT THE IPCPR: NEYA AND BARACOA

 

(Miami, Florida) July 17, 2014— Roberto P. Duran Premium Cigars, after a successful 2013 launch with the Azan Line of cigars and the recent announcement of the Roberto Duran Premium Cigar Brand is ready to introduce two additional cigar brands: Neya and theBaracoa Line.

Roberto Pelayo Duran is fully committed to providing a full line at this year’s IPCPR. The Addition of the premium Neya and the value cigar Baracoa will fill in the gap in the Roberto P. Duran line as the announcement was made last week that he will introduce a super-premium brand, Roberto P. Duran Cigar.

 

The Neya Premium cigar brand is a premium brand which comes in a cedar 20 count cabinet.  The Filler and Binder is both Nicaraguan while the wrapper is a Habana Ecuador. The Neya line will be expressed through five sizes with the two largest sizes holding a description of F8 as they will be full bodied cigars even though all sizes carry the same blend. The Neya will retail between $4.00 and $7.00 per cigar. Neya Premium Cigar sizes: Petite Corona 5 1/8 X 42 CAB, Robusto 4 7/8 X CAB, Canonazo 6 X 52 CAB, Toro 6 X 56 CAB, and the Yanquee 6 X 60 CAB.

Roberto said:” Neya is a brand that took some time to develop as we used very well fermented leaves and well-aged Nicaraguan ligero. This is a full flavored cigar in the way that we understood the term in Cuba, which is to mean not spicy but a strongly flavored cigar which increases in strength when smoking the two larger sizes. As with all of our cigars they are rolled under strict supervision in our Nicatobacco Factory in Nicaragua.”

Screen Shot 2014-06-09 at 3

Baracoa, (full name Roberto Duran Baracoa) was created as a great everyday cigar. The RD Baracoa which represents the city of Roberto P. Duran family origin in Cuba (Baracoa) is made with the same quality and care of Roberto’s other cigar lines. The filler and binder is both Nicaraguan with the wrapper an Ecuador Habana Criollo. Baracoa comes in carton 20 box count and will be represented in 9 sizes with three of them in box press form. RD Baracoa sure to please a wide array of cigar palates. The Baracoa line of cigars will retail between $3.00 and $.4.50 a cigar. Baracoa Cigar sizes: Robusto 4 7/8 X 50, Torpedo 6 1/8 X 52, Toro 6 X 52, Churchill 7 X 47 Gordito 4 X 58, Gigantes 6 X 60, Robusto 5 X 50 Box Press, Toro 6 X 52 Box Press, and Torpedo 6 1/8 X 52 Box Press.

Roberto said:” Baracoa is a true power house value cigar gives boasts plenty of quality for the price”, Roberto continued,” I am very excited to introduce Neya, Baracoa and the previously announced Roberto P. Duran Cigar Brand to the public. We are about producing top quality products and we invite everyone to our booth (3813) to experience the passion we put into all of our brands.”

Roberto Pelayo Duran began his life’s work in his homeland of Havana, Cuba where tobacco grabbed a hold of him, and never let go. Supervising the production of cigar manufacturing in Cuba was only the beginning as he later went on to assemble and managedistribution of all Cuban cigar brands for Asia at The Pacific Cigar Company Ltd. Most recently, he contributed to the new global brand marketing strategy for British American Tobacco. The creation of Roberto P. Duran Premium Cigars has given Roberto the platform to introduce a brand of cigars that offer the same quality, construction, and detail which he exceeded from those he supervised while in Cuba.

For more information about Roberto P. Duran Premium Cigars, please visit www.Robertodurancigars.co. For media inquiries and interviews, please contact Creativas Group at info@creativasgroup.com.

###


 

Fred Rewey of Nomad Cigars sent this out this week, along with some samples!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nomad Cigar Co. Releases much-anticipated C-276

Estelí, Nicaragua (July 18, 2014) – Nomad Cigar Company is pleased to announce the release of the Nomad C-276 at this year’s IPCPR in Las Vegas.

The C-276 is a full flavored complex blend featuring five different filler tobaccos (with two Ligeros).

It also marks the second full production cigar that Nomad has done in Estelí at Tobacalera AJ Fernandez.

The C-276 rounds out Nomad’s portfolio of offerings and joins its place on the shelf with the Dominican Classic, Nicaraguan S-307, and the released-early-in-2014 Dominican Connecticut Fuerte.

The C-276 also marks Fred Rewey’s first venture into using Ometepe tobacco in a blend.

“When I was blending the C-276 I approached it in layers. I kept trying to add layers and layers of flavor but didn’t want to overpower any one tobacco in the process. At one point I was struggling to add a final component that I couldn’t quite nail down. It was suggested to me that I visit Ometepe and check out that tobacco – it was the best addition to this blend I could make – it just came together,” said Rewey.

As with the other Nicaraguan lines, Rewey creates the name of the cigar using a variety of Nicaraguan factoids.

“The “C” is for Concepción, one of two volcanoes on Ometepe Island. “276″ is the square kilometers of the island. It seemed a fitting tribute to an incredible island growing amazing tobacco.” said Rewey.

Details on the Nomad C-276 include… 

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Factory: Tobacalera AJ Fernandez

Box Pressed. 21 Count Box.

Immediately available in Toro (6×50), Robusto (5×50), Torpedo (6 1/2 x 52), Toro Grande (6 x 58), Corona (5.5 x 46)

Contact:

Fred “Godfadr” Rewey, Nomad Cigar Company

Twitter: @Godfadr

Godfadr@NomadCigarCompany.com

Phone: 855-MYNOMAD (or 855-696-6623)


Lotsa news from Drew Estate:

Drew Estate Announces New Releases in ACID, Kentucky Fire Cured, Herrera
Estelí & MUWAT Lines
Miami, FL – Drew Estate announced today that they would be releasing new
extensions in their ACID, Kentucky Fire Cured, Herrera Estelí and MUWAT lines at
the 2014 IPCPR tradeshow in Las Vegas, NV next week. The new cigars will include
the following:
• Acid Blondie Maduro – A maduro version of Drew Estate’s popular Blondie.
Featuring a San Andrés Valley Maduro instead of the Connecticut Shade
wrapper used on the current Blondie, the new ACID Blondie Maduro will
appeal to those who desire Blondie in a bolder blend.
• Kentucky Fire Cured Sizes, “Delfinas”, “Kyotos”, & “Hamhock” – The
Kentucky Fire Cured line is being expanded by three sizes: the Delfinas (6 x
26), the Kyotos (5 ½ x 34), and the Hamhock (3 ¾ x 56). All three sizes are
based on the original KFCC blend, which features smoked tobaccos as well as
dark air cured tobaccos.
• Herrera Esteli Norteño – The “Norteño” showcases extensively aged
tobaccos from the Estelí and Jalapa growing regions of Nicaragua, coupled
with a spicy Honduran binder and a rich, bold Mexican San Andrés maduro
wrapper. The “Norteño by Willy Herrera” will be available in the following
six vitolas at select Herrera Estelí retailers nationwide.

  • Coronita – 4 x 46
  • Corona Extra – 4 3/4 x 48
  • Belicoso Fino – 5 x 50
  • Robusto Grande – 5 1/2 x 54
  • Toro – 6 x 50
  • Lonsdale Deluxe – 6 1/2 x 44
  • MUWAT Nightcrawler – A 4 ½ x 50

and

Drew Estate Announces “Drew Diplomat” App & Consumer Loyalty Program
Miami, FL (07/18/2014)

Drew Estate, Inc. announced today the “Drew Diplomat”
Consumer Loyalty Program, which includes a mobile application for all smart
devices, as well as a desktop version. This exclusive new program provides
members with the ability to earn Points by checking-in Drew Estate Cigars and
attending events at retail locations throughout the world, as well as social
networking functions and unparalleled access to La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate.

Michael Cellucci President of Drew Estate, “The Drew Diplomat program bridges the gap
between the old world of the premium cigar industry and the modern technological
platforms available today. Our goal was to ensure that Drew Estate delivers the best
possible way for our consumers to interact with the company and our brands. Innovation
is the heart of what drives us, not only in the manufacturing process, but in all aspects of
the consumer experience. This program is a clear example of the tireless drive to be
thoughtful trailblazers.”

In 2013, Jonathan Drew assembled a team nicknamed “SLAB,” lead by Executive Director
Mario Takeyama. When reached for comment, Takeyama said, “Our team was created
with one objective: the connectivity between technology and premium tobacco. This is
something we have been working on in secret for a year and a half now.”

Heading the “Drew Diplomat” Consumer Loyalty Program is Customer Loyalty &
Advertising Specialist Sam Morales, who according to Jonathan Drew “is a specialist with
a true street fighter mentality, definitely Drew Estate Subculture approved. SLAB intends
on launching the Beta Program in the fall.”

Drew Diplomats can expect to spend their points on one of a kind artwork and swag from
Jessi Flores (Director of Subculture Studios in Estelí, Nicaragua); Lifestyle swag from
Creative Director Joey Reichenbach in Miami; and trips to Cigar Safari at La Gran Fabrica
Drew Estate. Jessi Flores notes, “We never had a way to get our artwork to final
consumers in the United States in a sustainable way. This groundbreaking application
explicitly connects each creative Drew Estate team member to our support base
worldwide.”

Consumers who are interested in Beta testing the program should visit
http://drewestate.com/ipcpr and enter Drew Estate’s giveaway for a chance to win one of
three prize packs:

• Liga Privada MEGA Standing Humidor/Ashtray
• A signed box of Liga Privada Feral Flying Pigs & an IPCPR Exclusive
Subculture Studios Stinky Ashtray
• A signed box of Liga Privada UF-13 Dark

Beta testers will be chosen from those who enter. Sam Morales notes that, “we are going
to need everyone in the Drew Estate family to help to make Jonathan’s vision come true.
This is the first program of its kind in the industry.”

For more information about the Drew Diplomat program, please visit Drew Estate’s booth
at the 2014 IPCPR tradeshow in Las Vegas, NV at Booth #210. Also, please use Drew
Estate’s hashtag #DEipcpr on any posts relating to Drew Estate and IPCPR. Lastly, follow
all of Drew Estate’s IPCPR coverage at http://drewestate.com/ipcpr.

About Drew Estate:
Founded in New York City in 1996. Drew Estate has become one of the fastest growing
tobacco companies in the world. Under their mantra “The Rebirth of Cigars”™, Drew
Estate has led the “Boutique Craft” movement by innovating new elements to the tobacco
industry with their unique tobaccos and blending styles that have attracted new and old
cigar enthusiasts. In their Gran Fabrica Drew Estate, the Nicaraguan headquarters, Drew
Estate produces a variety of brands such as ACID, Herrera Estelí, Kentucky Fired Cured,
Liga Privada, MUWAT, Natural, Nica Rustica, Tabak Especial, UnderCrown, and Java by
Drew Estate.


Finally, this one is from Shon Brooks’s people. I admit, I have no idea who he is, and I’ve never heard of, or tried his cigars. I’ll have to look into this:

 

Shon Brooks “Star Cigar” Sets Chart Records – Smoke Magazine
Shon Brooks of Brooks Entertainment Inc. invents top rated S.O.B™Dominican cigar while in the mist of launching a new television channel with Cox Media. Shon Brooks, helped increase the highest NCAA Championship Nielsen Ratings after signing a ESPN Cox Media contract for March Madness. He is also one of the (IMDB) Internet Movie Database (SEO) search engine optimization traffic leaders and now becomes one of Smoke Magazine’s top 36 cigar manufacturers in the world!
Shon Brooks

Long Island City, NY, July 16, 2014 –(PR.com)– Lockwood Publications Inc. was incepted in 1872 and is the owner of Smoke Magazine. Their focus is on cigars and life’s burning desires, featuring blind tasting reviews of premium cigars and interviews with cigar makers. The publication includes feature stories on cigar producing countries and cover story interviews on cigar-smoking celebrities. It brings news and trends in the cigar world, must-have gifts and accessories, cigar-friendly drinks and spirits, etiquette advice, cigar culture, history, and much more. Smoke Magazine has the cigar industry’s most strict and critical cigar reviewers. The S.O.B™ Robusto cigar wholly owned by Brooks Entertainment Inc. received an all-time high score of 95% from panelist number 3 and quantifies for an overall (A+) 90% grade curve and is now leading amongst the top 36 cigar manufacturers in the world. Shon Brooks and Brooks Entertainment Inc. invention is now eternally inducted into the Smoke Magazine volumes.

The S.O.B™ Robusto cigar was described by panelist 2 as being flawless, tan, smooth and silky, “Like a beautiful woman.” Also, in Smoke Magazine (Volume 18, Number 2, on page 63) the S.O.B™ Robusto cigar was mentioned as being, “A good early day smoke to enjoy on the golf course.” The flavor and strength was described as being mild and-medium and a bit spicy.

The hot S.O.Bâ„¢ Dominican cigar brand’s heritage is from Tabaqueria Carbonell CXA; it was founded in 1894 with more than 100 years of experience in the manufacturing of cigars. Brooks Entertainment Inc. discovered Jose Rivas in the Dominican Republic to help with the designs. This is the same area where Christopher Columbus once sailed in 1492. The brand successfully launched the S.O.Bâ„¢cigar to the United States achieving a missile star rating which has now toppled the charts. The unprecedented task was accomplished the hard way by skipping over cigar trunk trade shows. Instead, relying on the hand rolled cigars’ pure quality and the screaming (SEO) Rock Star fan base of Shon Brooks. This pioneering schematic is how the S.O.Bâ„¢ cigar climbed the charts. While accomplishing this high rating the hard way, the brand took one hundred percent of the risk and receives all the reward.

Not only-but also being in a nation that demands proof of performance on the big stage and where numbers speak volumes which equates to dollars for corporate advertisers. This highly favorable S.O.Bâ„¢ Star Cigar brand and its excellent ratings has had a positive impact on all the innovative brands of Brooks Entertainment Inc. Likewise, Brooks Financial & Entertainment Consultants ratings of their S.O.B television show campaign on Cox Media during the NCAA college championships helped in achieving the highest cable Nielsen ratings for March Maddness. http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/04/08/cable-top-25-ncaa-basketball-tops-cable-viewership-for-the-week-ending-april-6-2014/252262/

Cox Media with Brooks Entertainment Inc. plans on creating a 24/7 ‘On Demand’ Television Network which appears to be closer than expected. News feed reports of the latest meetings between the two were reported on a Cox Media corporate metadata tag of #coxshowcase. Professedly, the corporate advertisers have not been revealed as of yet, however, the television production content for the 24/7 ‘On Demand’ channel is already completed with never seen before footage. The Brooks Financial & Entertainment Consultants Networkis expected to be included inside the Cox Gold Bundle With Contour TV which is in high definition.

As noted, Shon Brooks is a Time Warner – TV Editorial Excellence Award Winner for covering the Olympic Games, Game Changer by Invention Magazine, named Superhero by ‘On Wall Street’ Magazine and Financial Planning Magazine. Brooks Entertainment Inc. now emerges as a member of Smoke Magazine’s Top 36 Cigar manufacturers in the world. As a golden rule, being one of the top in the world for manufacturing luxury premium cigars has driven up the market price of the S.O.Bâ„¢ cigars, as well as the autographed collectors memorabilia merchandise for Shon Brooks. (Shon.TV)

The Hit-maker created both modern day United States history and Dominican Republic history at the same time from the recent S.O.Bâ„¢ cigar invention. A bus load of fans in the Dominican Republic report, Shon Brooks, donated autographed copies of the Smoke Magazine and collectors memorabilia. It was donated in honor of this Dominican cigar history being made. Shon, tributes Rock & Roll in directing him into the entertainment industry. His first live on stage performance in grade school was at Bells Elementary, NJ. The rock band he assembled had diversity which included a female lead singer, a drummer boy, a male bass player and Shon Brooks on electric guitar. This musical performance introduced him to the entertainment industry which later lead to the creation of the hit S.O.Bâ„¢ Dominican cigar. http://www.cigarlopedia.com/pages/GridPage.aspx?s=S.O.B%20cigar

When asking the inventor, Shon Brooks, about his thoughts of the S.O.B™ Cigar emerging to the top spot in the world with this extremely high rating, he says, “Making the grade is remarkable, and a magnificent world class achievement. It represents a shining beacon of hope for manufacturers. Especially, when only an exiguous number of cigars ever get rated. I would like to thank our Dominican global teammates and the Smoke Magazine review panelist for being a industry leader and having the courage to rate and rock our S.O.B™cigars. The Smoke Magazine review award will be used as motivation and encouragement for our team to continue making more blends.”

“The S.O.B™ luxury cigar brand was created for the Vanquisher that plays the cards that has been dealt in life to win and not fold! It is vital that you remain ethical at all times even though others may bend the rules of life. Pressing on is when you begin to obtain Rock Star status!” (Says the company’s mission statement)

For Media inquiries regarding Lockwood Publications Inc. or Smoke Magazine (volume 18) please contact Ted Hoyt at www.LockwoodPublications.com. Whereas, for a list of news stands and Smoke Magazine retailers to order the S.O.B cigars in your area please see attachment.

Paris Crosby (Retailer and Public Relations Calls Only)
619-575-0242
Contact
www.SOBcigars.com
S.O.B Cigar Authorized Retailer – Habana Club Cafe 858-231-6673 780 4th Ave
(between G St & F St)
San Diego, CA 92101
Neighborhood: Gaslamp

 

Kudos if you made it this far, thanks for reading!  That’s it for now, Until the next time,

 

CigarCraig

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Villiger Talanga, a New Cigar Size in Bernie Parent’s Line, and a Humidor Update

Villiger_Talanga_RobustoMonday evening was rainy. I actually thought there was a break in the showers long enough to take the dog for  walk, but it turned out it was only long enough to get a cigar lit and get a little ways down the road before it started pouring again. I suppose if I had walked farther before it started pouring it would have been worse, as it was I ran the dog home and sat in the garage while I enjoyed my last Villiger Talanga Double Robusto.  I have to say, I like the Talanga a lot.  I like the Villiger Colorado more, but the Talanga is a tasty smoke. It’s smooth and full flavored, and just a delicious, well made smoke. I’ve said it before, I’ve always  liked the little Swiss Villiger Export dry cured cigars for a quick smoke, but they have been making some darned good premium cigar offerings.  I’m actually quite interested in trying the NicaRoma series, which is a mixed filler budget offering in Honduras Connecticut, Nicaraguan Habano and San Andreas Maduro wrappers. If it tastes good, I don’t really care if it’s 40% short filler…but the Premium offerings from Villiger are solid.

BSB No1_CrossbarTuesday night brought much nicer weather and a cigar that you heard about here first and I don’t think it’s had any exposure elsewhere in the blogosphere.  The cigar in question is the BSB No.1 by Rocky Patel Crossbar. This is a new size following the initial release which was a little 4½ x54 box pressed cigar with an Ecuador Habano wrapper blended by Nish Patel. The Crossbar is a  5½”x56 robusto (Gran Robusto? Super Robusto? Short Toro?) that’s round, as opposed to the other new size in this line, the box pressed torpedo, the HOF ‘84 (Hall of Fame, and the year Bernie was inducted). I really wrestled with paying $11.00 for this cigar, but it was easier than paying $12 for the HOF 84, and only slightly more difficult that $8.50 for the original BSB No.1. I wanted to smoke this cigar and report on it, so I bit the bullet, and Tony at Old Havana Cigars was doing me a favor putting up a Ticked Off Music Fest  poster BSB No1_Crossbar_cracksfor me so I was going to buy a cigar or two there anyway. When I took the foot band off I noticed a chip in the wrapper, which turned into a bit of a crack after I lit it.   When I got to the main band (which is awesome with Bernie’s crest which pays homage to not only his NHL hall of fame membership, but his back to back Stanley Cups in the 70s) and took it off, I noticed another split in the wrapper.  It drew well, and tasted good, so I let it go, but I wasn’t very happy about a cigar in this price range that’s anything but flawless in construction and appearance. It was a tasty smoke, and I’ll eventually spring for the HOF ‘84 at some point, but it’s hard for me to forgive the wrapper problems on this example. I do miss hanging out with a cigar and Bernie after the Flyers games.

Adorini Humidor Progress

 

AdoriniHumidor2It’s been a few days since I filled it with cigars.  I’m sure most of my readers know that a full humidor works a heck of alot better than an empty one. For starters, you have the space filled with 40 or 50 little humidifiers, so the only real reason you should need to add distilled water to the humidifier element (in this case an acryl polymer, which, from what I can tell, is similar to the polymer beads. Does anyone remember clay or soapstone humidifiers?) is to replace moisture lost through the constant opening of the humidor to admire your cigars. We all do this, don’t try to deny it. So far, since I filled this humidor up, the hygrometer has been reading a bit over 70%, so I’m going to let it breathe a little because I’d rather see it around 65% relative humidity. I closed the vents on the humidifying element, which is a handy feature, we’ll see how it works.  I remain impressed. I love my The Griffins humidor, but I think this one may be functionally superior for about a quarter of the retail price.

 

Not much more to report, until the next time,

 

CigarCraig

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A Room 101 Event and a Few Cigars on a Saturday Afternoon and Local News

Room101MNamakubiEcuadorFriday after work I shot down to Old Havana Cigars in West Chester, PA. They were having a Room 101 event and Matt Booth was there, along with the Davidoff rep who prefers to retain his anonymity so we’ll call him “Tom Smith”. I was disappointed that they only had the Serie SA in the 6×60 size, as I had wanted to get some more of those, but Matt talked me into the new Namakubi Ecuador in the Ranfla size, which is a 6.5 x 50 perfecto. Now, it’s no easy feat getting this cheap SOB to spring $10 for a cigar. I find that every time I come back from a cigar factory visit, my price threshold seems to go up a little as my education and appreciation for the work that goes into making these things. It turns out that this cigar was well worth the investment, and I’m glad I got two (and a pair of Ecuador Papi Chulos and a SA). The cigar MattBooth_CVburned perfectly, drew perfectly and had spectacular flavor. I enjoyed the heck out of the cigar while hanging out in the front of the store watching the antics of some of the regulars and talking with “Tom”. The lounge in the back of the store was packed, so I didn’t even venture back there. I also had the good fortune of meeting Evan, of TheSmokinGreek.com, another blogger who I recently discovered lived in my area. I had a great time, the events at Old Havana are always a hoot. If you ever find yourself in south-east PA, stop in, and as Tony the owner says: “just buy your cigars and get the f*** out!”. It’s always a pleasure hanging with Matt, he’s a character and a hell of a good guy.

 

Gurkha_BeautyXOSaturday I spent the afternoon hanging around my patio with my childhood friend, Jeff, smoking cigars and shooting the bull. I started with a Gurkha Beauty XO (6” x 60) that was a hand out at the grand opening of the Cigars International store in Hamburg, PA last November.  Jeff enjoys the occasional cigar, and prefers milder ones when he smokes, so I set him up with one of my favorites, the Joya de Nicaragua Cabinetta. I enjoy the heck out of that cigar, and I think it’s educational as well.  The two inches of Nicaraguan leaf on the head of the cigar gives a totally different mouth feel than the Ecuador Connecticut leaf and is a great way to illustrate how the wrapper changes the entire cigar.  I enjoyed the Gurkha, it was a mild and smooth cigar, and had a nice flavor.  For the first cigar of the day this one wasn’t bad.  After we finished with these, round two featured a CAO Concert Roadie for me, and a Rocky Patel Edge Candela for him.  I figured (correctly) that he had never had a green cigar, and thought it would be a good continuation of his education.  I chose the CAO_ConcertConcert because we were talking and I wanted a solid, flavorful and familiar cigar that I didn’t really have to pay attention to.  I have had occasions in the past when a particularly good cigar distracts me from personal interaction.  Not to say that the Concert isn’t particularly good, it is, but I’ve smoked enough of them that I know what to expect.  Despite the breezy day (it was only in the 60s, which is disappointing  for Memorial Day weekend) my cigars burned straight and well.  Jeff had some problems with the candela, but that probably wasn’t the wind’s fault, I’ve had crooked burns with candela cigars plenty in the past.  It was nice to spend an afternoon catching up with an old friend and smoking some nice cigars.  For those who care, I enjoyed a Vernors Ginger Soda with the Gurkha, and an IBC Rootbeer with the CAO.

 

News Update (addded 05/27)

Of local interest, and perhaps only of interest to me,  The West Chester PA shop, G & G Cigars was recently sold to the Cigar Cigars chain of stores in SouthEastern PA.  This will increase the CigarCigars chain to seven stores, including a store in Freehold, NJ (which used to be the brick and mortar side of Firehouse Cigars, which was an early online cigar seller). According the Doug Gianforte, who owned the shop along with his wife, Jan, they will be closing the deal tomorrow and all of the employees are staying on, except for he and his wife, obviously.  I will miss running into Doug and Jan at the IPCPR show (where I seem to see them more than I do at the shop). I will be interested to see what changes, if anything, at the shop.

 

That’s all I got for now, it’s another beautiful day out, and tomorrow is Memorial Day, so spare a moment to smoke a fine cigar in remembrance of all those who gave their lives so that we can sit around smoking cigars!

 

Until the next time,

CigarCraig

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