Tag Archives: Tortuga

by CigarCraig | December 16, 2014 · 6:39 am

CigarCraig’s 12 Spectacular Days of Cigar Giveaways 2014 Day 6: Tortuga

Here we are at Day 6 already, time is really racing by. I decided that I’m going to try to ship everything at the same time since I got a coupon for 20% off USPS shipping at Staples and that will save me a lot of cash!! I enjoyed the heck out of my Joya Red on my walk last night, it’s a solid, medium bodied smoke with great flavor. The winner of the box of Joya de Nicaragua Joya Red is Brian D, and I’m sure he will enjoy these cigars! Please send your address! Just to ease everyone’s minds, all the cigars for this event have been kept in a dedicated coolerdor at the appropriate temperature and humidity! It’s still always a good idea to let cigar rest after they’ve made any kind of journey! Next up:

Tortuga Cigars/Legacy Brands

For Day 6 we have a really special present! Regular readers will know that I have an affinity for the Tortuga line, and Victor Vitale, the mastermind behind the brand, and owner of Legacy Brands, lives nearby in Philly, so I get to see him from time to time. Victor ‘s put together a special Connecticut Shade Cigar, the Tortuga 215 Reserva Regalo. These aren’t available anywhere, they a re a very special limited release and are a bit stronger than the milder Connecticut Tortuga 215 Reserva coming out in January. Victor tells me that the Regalo will never be released. The lucky winner will get three of the five count boxes (15 cigars). These are a fat Toro size, 6″ x 56, and are fantastic cigars! I’m calling today “Tortuga Tuesday”!

Rules

All you have to do to enter is to leave a comment on that day’s post and if you like, in one sentence tell us what comes to mind when you think of Tortuga Cigars. It’s not a condition to win, but I’d like for the folks who make this all possible to come away with some consumer feedback. Also, be sure to visit the links for each item. Comments on Facebook, Twitter, or anywhere else will not count, but feel free to spread the word!

Until tomorrow,

CigarCraig

125 Comments

Filed under Contest

Tagged as 12 days, cigar, cigars, Contest, Tortuga

by CigarCraig | December 3, 2014 · 8:43 pm

Tortuga, Evil Genius White Chapel, Debonaire and Nomad Cigars

We are settling in to the new house, and with the rain over the last few evenings I’ve really been diggin the large screened in porch! Since I’ve been trying to get projects done I’ve smoked some small cigars and have been using my new AshStay ashtray from Ashstay.com. I mentioned this last week and thought it was really cool, although there’s no way I’ll be running it through the dishwasher (it’s dishwasher safe!). I like that I can close it up when I’m done and empty it after the cigars are out and it doesn’t stink or anything! It’s a little lighter than I thought it would be, but I don’t anticipate it getting blown around the enclosed porch. It’s a simple and elegant solution!

Sunday after painting the office/den I took a walk with a Tortuga Reserva 215 Regalo, which is at this point unreleased. I probably shouldn’t talk about it too much, but someone will have a chance to get their hands on these in the coming weeks, so I figured I’d build some hype. The cigar is a chubby toro, 6″ x 54, and comes wrapped in a cedar sleeve with a green ribbon on the foot. The wrapper is a beautiful Ecuador Connecticut shade and I assume that the rest of the cigar is Nicaraguan. I really enjoyed the smooth and creamy texture of this cigar that isn’t a mild shade wrapped cigar. It’s loaded with medium bodied flavor. It’s hard for me to find a Tortuga that I don’t love, and this is another fine example. A perfectly made, perfectly satisfying smoke that was a nice treat at the end of a long and busy weekend.

Monday it was raining, so before staring on my baseboard project in the den, I selected a little 3½ x 42 half corona from the Evil Genius Cigars White Chapel line. I got a couple of the Evil Genius robustos from brand owner Alex Hirsch (a fellow Pennsylvanian) at Goose’s Smokin’ Goose fest and hadn’t quite found the time to do them justice, so When I saw Alex last week at the Wooden Indian he gave me this little half corona. These cigars are made at the La Aurora factory, and you would think the White would be the milder cigar. Wrong! This is a potent little powerhouse with enough pepper in the retrohale (I don’t like that term, but I don’t know what else to call passing the smoke through the nose) to almost make me sneeze! I’m very much looking forward to digging out the robustos and smoking them. This is a very nice cigar and Alex is slowly getting these out in the market, so keep an eye out. Definately a tasty little 45 minute smoke!

Tuesday was more of the same, rain and a project, so I took another little cigar I’ve been holding on to out on the porch. Phil Zanghi originally started the Indian Tabac line in the ’90s, went into partnership with Rocky Patel, who eventually bought Phil out. Phil has kept himself busy in the machine made cigar market, but a couple years ago he launched the ultra premium Debonaire line of cigars. The Debonaire First Degree is a tasty little 4″ x 44 perfecto with Central American and Dominican tobaccos that burns perfect and has a nice, savory flavor. This was another 45 minute smoke that was satisfying. This sample came from the Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival. I have smoked a few of the Debonaire line, and found them to be excellent cigars. You can hear about these pretty regularly on the Stogie Geeks and Cigar Authority podcasts.

Tonight I got a bit of a walk in with a Nomad S-307 Robusto that I bought last week at The Wooden Indian when I was there for the House of Emilio event. These are made in Nicaragua at the AJ Fernandez factory and are Nomad’s first regular production Nicaraguan cigar. The wrapper is a nice, dark brown Ecuador Sumatra with a Ecuador Habano binder and Nicaraguan fillers. The box press is very comfortable and it took a V cut very nicely. This has the kind of burn I love, flat and even, and the draw was perfect. It was bold, but not overpowering, and had a nice peppery sweetness. To get you warmed up for CigarCraig’s 12 Spectacular Days of Cigar Giveaways, Fred Rewey is having his own contest, The Nine Days of Nomad going on right now. Click HERE to enter.

As long as you are warming up for CigarCraig’s 12 Spectacular Days of Cigar Giveaways, here’s a non-cigar contest you can enter. Rebeat Magazine is giving away six books that are perfect for any Beatles fan! I happen to know most of the authors and these are excellent books. Click on over and enter their contest!

Also, click on the Famous Smoke Shop banner on the left and use the promo code “CRAIG15” to get 15% off a $50 or greater purchase! That’s it for now, I need to go try to get some insulation hung before bed! Until the next time,

CigarCraig

3 Comments

Filed under Review

Tagged as Ashstay, cigar, cigars, Debonaire, Emilio, Evil Genius, Nomad, Tortuga, White Chapel

by CigarCraig | October 5, 2014 · 9:13 am

A Tortuga Event, a Tatuaje and a San Cristobal

Thursday evening Victor Vitale had whiskey\espresso and cigar tasting event at Cigar Mojo. Of course, it’s not hard to convince me to pay Mojo a visit, and when someone of Victor’s stature is there it’s a no-brainer. Upon arrival I immediately purchased a handful of the Tortuga 215 Reserva Coyote Negro in the 600 and Belicoso sizes. I promptly lit up a 600, which is 6½” x 56, a reasonably large cigar. Obviously, the Tortuga line is one I’ve enjoyed over the years. Victor is a good friend, and we are lucky to have him living in the area. Over the course of the evening I enjoyed the heck out of the Coyote Negro, as well as an original 215 Reserva Alma box pressed robusto. The Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper on the Coyote ads a great sweetness that I love. The Reserva Alma (5″ x 54, named after my grandmother…not really…) I smoked was truly exceptional, well balanced, refined and delicious. Victor was offering whiskey and espresso, I had two espressos over the course of the evening which went well with both cigars I smoked. Victor’s Legacy Brands is making some great cigars, if you have a Tortuga Appointed Merchant in your area, give this line a try.

Friday I had a bit of a trying day, forgetting my wallet, having a migraine that would revisit me several times during the weekend…that sort of thing. I stopped by the Lightn’Up/CigarCigars shop on my way home and said hello to Chris Stone, who was having a Drew Estate event at the shop. Without a wallet I was able to resist the urge to buy any more cigars, and with the migraine I was anxious to get home, medicate and eat dinner. After doing that and recovering a little, I took a walk with a Tatuaje Black Corona Gorda which was a gift from a gentleman I met at the Casa de Montecristo in Chicago on my recent visit. Connor was a gracious host while I visited the lounge there, many thanks for this beautiful cigar! This cigar in the classic 5 5/8″ x 46 corona gorda size has a closed foot and a fuma style cap. I rather expected a more “Cubanesque” experience from this, I got a pure Nicaraguan flavor bomb. This may have been one of the best Tatuaje cigars I’ve smoked, which isn’t say a lot since I haven’t smoked all that many. Very full flavored and well made. This is a great size, I wish it had been longer.

Saturday afternoon I took a walk with the dog and a San Cristobal Revelation Legend. This cigar came from the Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival goodie bag. The Legend is a 6 1/8″ x 52 Box Pressed Toro made in the My Father factory for Ashton Distributors. This uses the same wrapper as the Ashton VSG, and is a full flavored, spicy cigar. The band is beautiful as is the overall appearance of the cigar. I found this to be very enjoyable and wonder why it took me over a year to sample this line. Highly recommended if you like full bodied cigars.

On a related note, this morning we had an oracle come to the house to “smudge” or burn sage and give a traditional native american blessing to the house to encourage it to sell. We are settling on a house on Friday and life will be easier by several orders of magnitude when the house we are currently living in sells. One of the things Maxx, our oracle friend, asked was if we had any loose tobacco around so that she could bless the property outside. Oddly, I happened to have saved the outside leaves from the Leaf by Oscar cigars. She shredded the leaves and spread them around the periphery of the yard. She kindly sent me the following explanation:

Semah, or tobacco, is one of the four sacred plants. It represents the Eastern Direction and the mind a place of new beginnings. The Anishinaabe use a form of tobacco known as kinikinik, or a red willow mix. Because it opens the door to the creator, when tobacco is used to make smoke, it is one of the most sacred of plants for Native people. Some elders say that tobacco is used to connect the worlds since the plant’s roots go deep into the earth, and its smoke rises high into the sky. This plant is highly respected and highly honored. Giving tobacco is a beautiful way of our people. Ceremonies using tobacco invoke a relationship with the energies of the universe, and ultimately the Creator, and the bond made between earthly and spiritual realms is not to be broken.

Traditional Use
Itis wise to burn tobacco before storms. It is used to pray that powerful storms won’t hurt our families. To pray with tobacco in your Native language is very powerful. It can make a difference in the physical world.

Purification

Tobacco is used in the offering of prayer to the Creator, acting as a medium for communication. It is either offered to the fire, so the smoke can lift the prayers to the Creator, or it is set on the ground in a nice, clean place. It means we come humbly to our creator. We proclaim our innocence. When you want to speak to the creator, we are told to make an offering of the tobacco plant.An Elder will take tobacco ties and offer them to the fire or offer it back to Mother Earth on behalf of the Sacred Circle

I have been burning tobacco here for some time now, and I thought it was for my pleasure, but it seems to have a deeper meaning. Hopefully the house sells soon!

That’s it for now, until the next time,

CigarCraig

3 Comments

Filed under Editorial, Events, Review

Tagged as cigar, cigar store, cigars, drew estate, San Cristobal, tatuaje, tobacco, Tortuga

by CigarCraig | September 10, 2014 · 9:14 pm

A Tortuga, a Couple La Palina Cigars and Some News

First, let’s get some news out of the way. I know you all like contests, and my friends at Joya de Nicaragua are having one. From Sept. 9th to Sept. 24th every 4 days they will draw a winner for a box of the new Joya red. They are giving away a box of each size over the two week contest. I’ve had the good fortune of smoking several of these in the toro, robusto and corona size and they are terrific cigars. Head on over to JoyaCigars.com/winjoyared/ or click the graphic on the top of the right sidebar and enter to win.

Monday evening I selected a cigar I picked up on my birthday at Cigar Mojo, who was recently selected as an appointed Tortuga Cigars merchant. I had smoked the Tortuga Reserva Maduro “El Coyote Negro” with Victor Vitale a few months ago, but it was my second cigar and I wanted to give it a re-do. I smoked the Cedro No. 600, which is a 6½” x 56 toro. This has a dark Brazilian maduro wrapper, and it’s a shame to cover the majority of this beautiful wrapper with a cedar sleeve! I think this may be my new favorite Tortuga, and I do love them all. It had a great balance of strength and flavor, exhibiting the dark, cocoa flavors I enjoy. I’m so glad I smoked this with a clean palate, as I failed to properly appreciate it the first time. Thank you to Trae at Cigar Mojo for making a birthday present of this cigar, I would happily have paid for it with the rest of cigars (and a Xikar Ashtray Can) I bought. Great cigar, no question.

Tuesday I enjoyed a La Palina Classic Robusto. This is a 5″ x 52 robusto made in the PDR factory in the Dominican Republic. This also has a Brazilian wrapper, but this time it’s a Habano, with Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers. I was torn between the robusto and the lancero in this blend, and decided to go with the robusto since it’s starting to get dark earlier, which I hate. This cigar has a nice, nutty and earthy flavor with a bit of sweetness. It’s perfectly constructed, the draw and burn were excellent, it behaved very well. I gave this one a straight cut, I tend to rotate between cutters, and happened to have a double guillotine on me this time. Tasty smoke.

While I was at the Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival I talked to Bill Paley and got this video. I tried using iMovie on the iPhone to create this one, I’m nit sure I’ve gotten the hang of it yet. While I’ve been using the iPhone and iPod Touch to take the videos for the last couple years, I’ve been using Windows Movie Maker. I thought I’d give this a try.

Tonight I took my evening walk with a La Palina Maduro 40, which is a 6″ x 40 short lancero. this cigar is made in Honduras, and has my favorite San Andrés maduro wrapper. It also has a double binder form Honduras and filler from Nicaragua. I love this cigar, it’s sweet and spicy, flavors of bitter sweet chocolate and coffee, and quite satisfying. It had a great burn and draw, this time I happened to have a punch in my pocket, the first generation ScrewPop punch, which was the perfect size for this cigar. It was a nearly perfect smoke which has been in my humidor since the end of last year. I think I enjoyed this more in the warmer weather than the one I smoked back in January. Whether it was the age of the cigar, or the difference in weather, I don’t know. I just know I like it. I smoked a couple La Palina cigars because the article I wrote on the Mr. Sam for Prime Living magazine was published this week. You can read it at Prime-Living.com (page 53 on the online version).

I’d like to welcome CigarSmokes.com to the CigarCraig family. This Spain-based company caters to my non-US audience providing Havana cigars.

That’s it for now, until the next time,

CigarCraig

5 Comments

Filed under Review, Video

Tagged as cigar, cigars, La Palina, Prime Living, Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival, Tortuga

by CigarCraig | July 20, 2014 · 9:40 am

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! Â 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. Â 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. Â I’m also going to share some news I’ve received over the course of the week.

Thursday 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. Â 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. Â I had a Ezra Zion Jamias VuÂ Corona Gorda Box Press 6Â½x52 (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. Â So far, these guys do it right, and were pretty hysterical on the CigarChat show.

Friday 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, Â so I went large. Â 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 jalapeÃ±o 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. Â If you haven’t tried the Luchador line yet, and you like great cigars, give it a shot.

Saturday we spent the day laying sod where our back patio used to be. Â 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. Â 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. Â I took a chance on a new, untried cigar to wrap up my week of great smokes, and got lucky. Â 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. Â Smooth, balanced, and darned yummy.Thanks to our local RP rep, Mark, for setting me up with this one. Â 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 theÂ Tortuga Reserva Cedro No.Â 10 is that itâ€™s the third addition to myÂ Cedro Series. As you can see, Â itâ€™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 onÂ 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. Iâ€™m going to complete the fullÂ production, properly rest the additional cigars and deliver in the fall.Â

Â *Box qty 36

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

*Total 2014Â 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! Â 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 SanchezÂ
Email: info@globalpremiumcigars.comÂ

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Global Premium Cigars Releases New Cigar, the 1502 Nicaragua

Miami, Florida, July 16, 2014Â

Global Premium Cigars is pleased to announce the release of its newest cigar, the 1502 Nicaragua.Â 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

###

From La Flor Dominicana:

La Flor Dominicana
123 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 AndrÃ©s 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 AndrÃ©s 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

Â From George Rico’sÂ G. R. Tabacaleras Co.Â 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 NiÃ±o, an orphanage in BogotÃ¡, 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 Â½ x 40 Lancero, 5 5/8 x 46 Corona Gorda, 6 x 54 Rolo
MSRP: $8.25 â€“ $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 Â½ 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

Â www.ghcigars.com

Â The next one is From JR Cigars:

Fans of premium-quality San AndrÃ©s wrapper leaf are gonna want to check out, Black Abyss, a brand-new handrolled premium cigar crafted by JosÃ© â€œJochyâ€ 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). Anywayâ€¦

Black Abyss is handmade at Tabacalera Palma in the Dominican Republic and, while it isfull bodied, itâ€™s cleverly designed for not just smokers of super-strong cigars. Itâ€™s got that big, rich, bold flavor often associated with a San AndrÃ©s wrapper and it does contain some potent ligero leaf, but along with the blendâ€™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 Abyssâ€™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 Blancoâ€™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 thatâ€™s piqued your interest, youâ€™ll be glad to know that Black Abyss cigars are also pretty reasonably priced. Starting in July, youâ€™ll find them exclusively at JR Cigar.

Â Then we have news from Roberto Duran Premium Cigars:

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

Â

(Miami, Florida) July 17, 2014â€”Â Roberto P. Duran Premium Cigars,Â after a successful 2013 launch with theÂ AzanÂ Line of cigars and the recent announcement of theÂ Roberto Duran Premium Cigar BrandÂ is ready to introduce two additional cigar brands:Â NeyaÂ and theBaracoaÂ Line.

Roberto Pelayo Duran is fully committed to providing a full line at this yearâ€™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.

Â

The Neya Premium cigar brandÂ is a premium brand which comes in a cedar 20 count cabinet.Â 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.Â 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:â€ 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 ourÂ Nicatobacco FactoryÂ in Nicaragua.â€

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 Robertoâ€™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.Â Baracoa Cigar sizes:Â 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:â€ Baracoa is a true power house value cigar gives boasts plenty of quality for the priceâ€, Roberto continued,â€ 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 ourÂ booth (3813)Â to experience the passion we put into all of our brands.â€

Roberto Pelayo Duran began his lifeâ€™s work in his homeland ofÂ Havana, CubaÂ 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 atÂ The Pacific Cigar Company Ltd.Â Most recently, heÂ contributed to the new global brand marketing strategy forÂ 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 visitÂ www.Robertodurancigars.co.Â For media inquiries and interviews, please contact Creativas Group atÂ 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-anticipatedÂ C-276

EstelÃ, Nicaragua (July 18, 2014) â€“ Nomad Cigar Company is pleased to announce the release of the Nomad C-276 at this yearâ€™s IPCPR in Las Vegas.

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

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

The C-276 rounds out Nomadâ€™s portfolio of offerings and joins its place onÂ the shelf with the Dominican Classic,Â NicaraguanÂ S-307, and the released-early-in-2014 Dominican Connecticut Fuerte.

The C-276 also marks Fred Reweyâ€™s first venture into using Ometepe tobacco in a blend.

â€œWhen I was blending the C-276 I approached it in layers. I kept trying to add layers and layers of flavor but didnâ€™t want to overpower any one tobacco in the process. At one point I was struggling to add a finalÂ componentÂ that I couldnâ€™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 â€“ it just came together,â€ said Rewey.

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

“The â€œCâ€ is for ConcepciÃ³n, one of two volcanoes on Ometepe Island. â€œ276â€³ is the square kilometers of the island. It seemed a fitting tribute to an incredible island growing amazing tobacco.â€ said Rewey.

Details on the Nomad C-276 includeâ€¦Â

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Factory: Tobacalera AJ Fernandez

Box Pressed. 21 Count Box.

Immediately available inÂ Toro (6Ã—50),Â Robusto (5Ã—50),Â Torpedo (6 1/2 x 52),Â Toro Grande (6 x 58),Â Corona (5.5 x 46)

Contact:

Fred â€œGodfadrâ€ 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
EstelÃ & MUWAT Lines
Miami, FL â€“ Drew Estate announced today that they would be releasing new
extensions in their ACID, Kentucky Fire Cured, Herrera EstelÃ and MUWAT lines at
the 2014 IPCPR tradeshow in Las Vegas, NV next week. The new cigars will include
the following:
â€¢ Acid Blondie Maduro â€“ A maduro version of Drew Estateâ€™s popular Blondie.
Featuring a San AndrÃ©s 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.
â€¢ Kentucky Fire Cured Sizes, â€œDelfinasâ€, â€œKyotosâ€, & â€œHamhockâ€ â€“ The
Kentucky Fire Cured line is being expanded by three sizes: the Delfinas (6 x
26), the Kyotos (5 Â½ x 34), and the Hamhock (3 Â¾ x 56). All three sizes are
based on the original KFCC blend, which features smoked tobaccos as well as
dark air cured tobaccos.
â€¢ Herrera Esteli NorteÃ±o â€“ The “NorteÃ±o” showcases extensively aged
tobaccos from the EstelÃ and Jalapa growing regions of Nicaragua, coupled
with a spicy Honduran binder and a rich, bold Mexican San AndrÃ©s maduro
wrapper. The â€œNorteÃ±o by Willy Herreraâ€ will be available in the following
six vitolas at select Herrera EstelÃ 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 â€“ A 4 Â½ x 50

and

Drew Estate Announces â€œDrew Diplomatâ€ App & Consumer Loyalty Program
Miami, FL (07/18/2014)

Drew Estate, Inc. announced today the â€œDrew Diplomatâ€
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, â€œThe 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.â€

In 2013, Jonathan Drew assembled a team nicknamed â€œSLAB,â€ lead by Executive Director
Mario Takeyama. When reached for comment, Takeyama said, â€œOur 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.â€

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

Drew Diplomats can expect to spend their points on one of a kind artwork and swag from
Jessi Flores (Director of Subculture Studios in EstelÃ, Nicaragua); Lifestyle swag from
Creative Director Joey Reichenbach in Miami; and trips to Cigar Safari at La Gran Fabrica
Drew Estate. Jessi Flores notes, â€œWe 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.â€

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

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

Beta testers will be chosen from those who enter. Sam Morales notes that, â€œwe are going
to need everyone in the Drew Estate family to help to make Jonathanâ€™s vision come true.
This is the first program of its kind in the industry.â€

For more information about the Drew Diplomat program, please visit Drew Estateâ€™s booth
at the 2014 IPCPR tradeshow in Las Vegas, NV at Booth #210. Also, please use Drew
Estateâ€™s hashtag #DEipcpr on any posts relating to Drew Estate and IPCPR. Lastly, follow
all of Drew Estateâ€™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 â€œThe Rebirth of Cigarsâ€â„¢, Drew
Estate has led the â€œBoutique Craftâ€ 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 EstelÃ, Kentucky Fired Cured,
Liga Privada, MUWAT, Natural, Nica Rustica, Tabak Especial, UnderCrown, and Java by
Drew Estate.

Finally, this one is fromÂ Shon Brooks’sÂ 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.Bâ„¢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 Magazineâ€™s top 36 cigar manufacturers in the world!

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 industryâ€™s most strict and critical cigar reviewers. TheÂ S.O.Bâ„¢Â 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.Bâ„¢ Robusto cigar was described by panelist 2 as being flawless, tan, smooth and silky, â€œLike a beautiful woman.â€ Also, inÂ Smoke MagazineÂ (Volume 18, Number 2, on page 63) the S.O.Bâ„¢ Robusto cigar was mentioned as being, â€œA good early day smoke to enjoy on the golf course.â€ The flavor and strength was described as being mild and-medium and a bit spicy.

The hot S.O.Bâ„¢ Dominican cigar brandâ€™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 â€˜On Demandâ€™ 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 â€˜On Demandâ€™ channel is already completed with never seen before footage. TheÂ 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 â€˜On Wall Streetâ€™ Magazine and Financial Planning Magazine. Brooks Entertainment Inc. now emerges as a member of Smoke Magazineâ€™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.Bâ„¢ Cigar emerging to the top spot in the world with this extremely high rating, he says, â€œMaking 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.Bâ„¢cigars. The Smoke Magazine review award will be used as motivation and encouragement for our team to continue making more blends.â€

â€œThe S.O.Bâ„¢ 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!â€ (Says the companyâ€™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