Tag Archives: United Cigar Retailers

by | December 26, 2014 · 8:37 am

CigarCraig’s 12 Spectacular Days of Cigar Giveaways 2014: Wrap Up!

Well folks, it’s finally over!  It was a great couple weeks worth of great cigar giveaways!  We had a never before seen 14 days!  For that we have a bunch of folks to thank.  Please let all these folks know that we appreciate their generosity.  Nobody HAS to give away their cigars!  We certainly appreciate the opportunity to make a bunch of folks happy and maybe turn people on to some new cigars and brands.  Thanks to the following sponsors:

 

 

The Flor de la Reine was the only cigar in the whole 14 days that I had never smoked, but Barry at The Cigar Authority (which is associated with United Cigar Retailers) gives it the thumbs up, so I didn’t have any reservations about including it.  The rest I had smoked in maybe a different size or shape, but I’ve sampled the brand and they are all cigars I really like. There were a total of 274 cigars, three hats, two ashtrays, two t-shirts, two backpacks, a knife, a metal poster, a lighter and a cutter. Shipping costs are yet to be calculated, but I should loo for an official shipping sponsor for next year! Also, there are a couple of people who I missed seeing this year. Please join me in remembering George Satterfield and Dawn Christopher, who’s untimely departure from this plane of existence left huge voids in their families lives. I never met them, but they were frequent visitors to the site, and the 12SDoCG event.  I missed seeing their comments, and their families have my sincere condolences. If it means anything, I dedicate this year’s contests to their memory.  On a positive note, the next contest will be on New Years Eve, and I’m wiping the slate clean, everyone is eligible to enter this one, and it will be some good stuff!

 

Winners!

2014-12-23 08.34You probably want to know who won the crazy Day 14 prize from Miami Cigar and Company, right?  The lucky recipient of the box of Nestor Miranda Collection Habano 46×6, T-shirt, ashtray and back pack is comment number 110, as selected by the random number generator at Random.org.  I adjusted for a post from a prior winner and arrived at Joe K as the winner!  Joe, send me your address so I can get this to you! I actually met Joe at an event a few months ago, so I might be able to save some shipping money and meet him for a smoke someplace!

 

ArandozaWhiteFinally, the winner of the Arandoza White Labels back on day 7 never sent me his address, and I tried e-mailing twice and both e-mails came back as undeliverable So I picked another name from Day 7’s comments!  Smokin_Dave, please send your address! (I’ll e-mail and hope you gave the right address).  It’s probably best if you enter a contest to check to see if you won (although I’m guilty of forgetting that myself!), but at least leave the right e-mail address! I’m not selling the addresses to spammers or anything, I just would like to be able to contact you to send you cigars!

 

That’s all for now!  I hope you all enjoyed the last few weeks!  Thank you for participating, I wish I could send each of you a box of great cigars, but I can’t so you’ll just have to keep taking your chances on these contests! 🙂

 

Until the next time,

CigarCriag

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by | July 23, 2013 · 8:55 pm

IPCPR 2013 – Part 1: United Cigar Retailers with David Garofalo

Before we get to the video, which will be shown here in the first of three parts, I’d like to say that getting a few minutes with David Garofalo wasn’t easy.  The United Cigar Retailers booth was a flurry of activity, and nailing David down for a few minutes to talk was a miracle.  We actually made an appointment at 9:00 am, when the show opened, on Wednesday on the way out the door the previous evening after waiting for a half hour or so.  When it was all over, I had about twelve minutes of video to edit, which explains why I’m splitting it into three parts.  Too much of a good thing, you know…

 

David explains the United Cigar Retailers in the video, as well as some of the unique brands that they are distributing.

 

 

David wears a lot of hats, so stay tuned over the next few days to see parts two and three and see what else he has his hands in.  Thank you to David and his staff at the booth for putting up with our stalking, and I am sorry for not interviewing Mr. Jonathan, but I was very happy to finally meet him face to face after listening to the Cigar Authority Radio show.  I felt like I knew him already (yet I wanted to meet him anyway :-)).

 

In other news

My Father-In-Law received the Prostate Cancer Foundation‘s 2012 Progress Report and pointed out a couple cigar companies names listed in the Donor Roll. I took a closer look and found many more familiar names.  I’d like to thank the following people and companies who’ve contributed to this organization, and many are in the big money categories along side some really notable names.  I think we all know someone who’s been affected by prostate cancer.

Robert Levin/Ashton Distributors

Mr. Michael Herklots

Marvin and Hazel Shanken – M. Shanken Communications, Inc.

Tatuaje Cigars, Inc.

Altadis USA

Fuente Family Foundation, Inc.

A. Turrent Cigars, Inc.

Beach Cigar Group

Alec Bradley Cigar Company

Boutique Blends Cigars – Rafael Nodal

Colibri

Crowned Heads, LLC

EPC Cigar

Mr. Dion Giolito

Litto Gomez

J.C. Newman Cigar Co.

Padron Cigars

Mr. William C. Paley

Mr. Alejandro Turrent

 

I’m sure there were more names in  the large list of donors from the cigar industry, and I’m sorry if I missed anyone.  Thank you all again for supporting this organization.  It never surprises me to find cigar companies giving to charities, and there are actually charities who won’t accept donations from tobacco related donors! Imagine that?

 

Until tomorrow,

CigarCraig

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by | December 16, 2012 · 7:59 am

CigarCraig’s 12 Spectacular Days of Cigar Giveaways Day 5: Villiger Cigars North America

Everything is back to running smoothly and we are rolling through the days now!  A lot of great gifts have been given and there’s a lot of great stuff to come!  Today’s present is excellent, but first we need to announce the winner of Day 4’s prize, a box of Smokin’ Cigar Bars courtesy of United Cigar Retailers.  Matt Wells, please send me your  contact information so that I can make sure you get the Smokin’ Cigar Bars shipped to you.

 

Today’s offering is courtesy of Villiger Cigars North America.  We have a beautiful box of their new Villiger Colorado Double Robusto.  This is a nice 5½ x 54 cigar that I featured on a post back in August (here).  This is a very nice box of 20 cigars that will be finding a new home in some lucky reader’s humidor!

Villiger Colorado is a great example of Nicaragua’s ability to produce the finest cigars in the world. It’s dark, oily, reddish-brown Habano seed wrapper, double binders and filler blend of four distinct tobaccos provide a perfectly balanced blend of the richest flavors. The Colorado is available in four vitolas: robusto, toro, double robusto and Churchill.

Blend:

Wrapper – Jalapa Colorado

Binders – Esteli Habano & Ometepe Habano

Fillers – Jamastran Habano, Esteli Corojo, Esteli Criollo & Ometepe Habano

 

 

Thanks go to Anne and everyone at Villiger Cigars for generously providing this fine box of cigars!  You know what to do now!  Leave a comment and check back tomorrow to see if you won!

 

Until Tomorrow,

CigarCraig

Rules

Here’s how you enter: leave a comment.  That’s it, plain and simple.  Tweets don’t count, but feel free to spread the word, only comments on this page count as an entry.  Each day there will be a different prize and the winner will be drawn from that day’s comments. The winner will be announced on the next day’s post. The contest is open to everyone, even if you’ve won one of my contests in the past six months, but once you’ve won, you are ineligible to win again in this series of contests. All prizes will be mailed as soon as I get a chance to go to the post office, or whenever the sponsor decides to ship, whichever is the case, so don’t make me chase down your address!  Please e-mail your contact information to 12days@cigarcraig.com as soon as possible!

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by | December 9, 2012 · 10:13 am

Announcement! CigarCraig’s 12 Spectacular Days of Cigar Giveaways (and a Los Regalos)

It’s that time of year again folks, it’s time to officially announce the 2012 CigarCraig’s 12 Spectacular Days of Cigar Giveaways!  Last year’s contests were pretty spectacular, but this years will be better!  We’ve  got an abundance of samplers, boxes, accessories from all of your favorite companies, and maybe a couple new and interesting items that you haven’t heard of yet.  The rules are simple.  Every day starting Wednesday, December 12, 2012, around 7 AM Eastern Standard Time I will post that days present.  You’re job will be to leave a comment which will serve as your entry.  Feel free to Tweet about it, Post it on Facebook, post it in whatever groups or forums you like, but only the comment counts as an entry.  Also, I can see your IP address on your comments so no stuffing the ballot box please!  One entry per person per day.  My usual contest rules exclude winners from previous contests  for 6 months, this rule is suspended so everyone starts fresh.  However, once you’ve won a present in the 12 Spectacular Days of Cigar Giveaways you are no longer eligible to win.  I know everyone will behave.  Some gifts are being shipped directly from their contributors, and some are being shipped by me.  I will ship items when I get the chance, please remember it’s a busy time of year for all of us!  If you’ve won, it will be announced the next day, so be sure to check back.  The winner will need to e-mail me their name and address at their earliest convenience.

 

Many thanks to the generous sponsors of this event!  I always say, sure, I could do this without them, but it would cost me a FORTUNE!

 

They are (in alphabetical order):

Please visit the National Cigar Museum - www.nationalcigarmuseum.comAJ Fernandez Cigars

CAO Cigars/General Cigar Co.

Drew Estate

Emilio Cigars

Foundry Cigars/General Cigar Co.

NewestCigars.com

Oliva Cigars 

StogieBoys.com 

The Cigar Agency 

Tobaccos Mata Fina USA

Toraño Family Cigars

United Cigar Retailers

Villiger Cigars North America

These folks all went above and beyond as you will see over the coming two weeks.  I get excited about this all year long, and even though it’s a lot of work, it’s so much fun!  Stay tuned for Day 1 on Wednesday and good luck to everyone who participates!

 

One Last Cigar recap:

As much as running contests for 12 consecutive days is almost a full time job (and thanks in advance to my wife for all her help) it allows me to just grab a cigar from the humidor to smoke and enjoy without having to take pictures or really worry about all the particulars.  However, I need to slip  in one last cigar before my hiatus (although I will be reporting on a cigar event I’m attending tomorrow evening).  This week I fired up a Los Regalos Quetzal from Emilio Cigars.  The cigar was a toro size, and had a little firmer draw than I’d have liked.  It was also much milder than I expected.  Other folks whose, palates I respect, have called this medium to full, and I didn’t get that at all.  Perhaps the firm draw caused me to perceive it as mild.  That’s not a complaint, mind you, but illustration of how preconceived notions can color perception.  The cigar burned well and had a pleasing flavor, with little, delicate flavors popping in and out from time to time that kept me on my toes.  Does the draw effect flavor? Absolutely!  Is everyone’s palate different?  Once again, absolutely.  This is a cigar I will revisit, I know a shop not far from here that’s sure to carry them!  I’ll hold off until conditions are better as I didn’t think this was an ideal cold weather cigar. Thanks to Gary Griffith for sending a sample of this cigar for me to try.  He’s been loading me up with samples of the lines he’s distributing and they all seem to have one thing in common:  I love them!

And finally, I’ll leave you with the video I closed last year’s contest series with, Alan Bernhoft’s Christmas Classic, Imagine Christmas.

httpv://youtu.be/AioTRzrMlBw

Until the next time,

CigarCraig

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