Press/New Product Alert: JC Newman

September 21, 2012 By Kip Fisher

I was fortunate enough to receive some JC Newman samples at IPCPR, and will be reviewing the upcoming Perla del Mar in the near future. I thought I’d pass along a little info from them today – from the Newman News:

New Product Alert: Perla del Mar from JC Newman

Unlike many of the brands in J.C. Newman’s current portfolio, Perla del Mar was not one of Julius Caeser’s original brands. This brand actually came to us through Eric Newman’s love of cigar label art. The label was unique to others in his collection and he liked it so much that he looked into registering the brand for later use. Originally a Cuban cigar, the label has had many different looks over the years. The design that appealed to Eric and that we decided to use as our inspiration came from the German Collection.

Originally printed by Klingenberg, the registration number is dated from 1945-1948. There are 23k gold medallions and embellishments with a small black and white scene of Havana harbor. Embellished with embossed gold medallions and lettering, almost exclusively a label with mostly words, was typical of labels printed for Cuban brands at the end of World War II by Klingenberg.

Today, Perla del Mar is a line of exquisite box pressed Nicaraguan cigars featuring a silky Ecuador Connecticut wrapper. Made in the same boutique factory, Fabrica de Tabacos San Rafael S.A., which produces the highly rated Brick House and El Baton cigars, Perla del Mar offers a diverse blend of 100% Nicaraguan long filler tobaccos.

The filler and binder tobaccos have been selected from four different distinct regions in Nicaragua; Pueblo Nuevo, La Reina, Condega and Jalapa. When paired with the mild, creamy shade wrapper, this mixture provides a lighter, fresher flavor with the depth of flavor and complexities cigar smokers have come to enjoy in Nicaraguan tobacco. Keeping with the harbor design, Perla del Mar’s vitola names were inspired by the grading system of oysters. Both Perla del Mar cigars and oysters come in four sizes, oysters are divided into Petit, Moyen, Grand, Trés Grand which led us to our vitola names, Perla P, Perla M, Perla G and Perla TG. We hope to start shipping Perla del Mar to retailers nationwide within the next few weeks so keep your eye on the shelves at your local shop. When you get a chance to test them out, let us know what you think.

For more information on JC Newman Cigars, visit their website

Cigar Review: La Tradicion Cubana American Born Cubans

September 11, 2012 By Kip Fisher

The obligatory summer time cold has passed from my family, so now that my head is clear I thought it’d be a great day for a review! Today’s cigar is the “American Born Cubans,” or ABC, from Luis Sanchez at La Tradicion Cubana. This is a new cigar from Luis, although a line was produced several years ago under the name, which was lost to a devastating fire at his original factory in late 2006. The American Born Cubans is a tribute to U.S.-born Cuban Americans seeking to succeed in America while maintaining their heritage and preserving Cuban tradition as well. I mentioned the ABC in a recent Cigar Spotlight I did on La Tradicion Cubana. I also spoke with Luis briefly about the new cigar at IPCPR, but as of yet he’s remaining quiet on the specifics of the blend. The ABC is produced at his factory in the Dominican Republic, but he’s known for using tobaccos from all around the tobacco growing world. After the show, I happened to be in Miami and made a trip over to La Tradicion Cubana to pick up some cigars and spend a few minutes chatting with Luis. During the visit, he graciously gave me a couple of what turned out to be a very limited supply of the ABC’s to try. Never willing to rush things, he is still waiting on the first full-production shipment to arrive from his Dominican factory.

The ABC is available in one vitola, a 6.5″ X 57 ring torpedo with a swaged foot. It has a very attractive, chocolate-brown wrapper that is quite supple and almost oily to the touch. The construction on both samples I received was solid, with no voids or soft spots whatsoever. I can say that across the board, Luis’ cigars are always well built. As I mentioned in the Cigar Spotlight, his La Tradicion Cubana corona has become a regular morning smoke for me. I have gone through many of those cigars, and don’t remember ever having any burn or construction issues whatsoever. But, back to the ABC. The wrapper has a very faint aroma, reminiscent of tanned leather. The foot smells of hay and sweet tobacco, and is more pronounced than the wrapper. I only clipped off about 1/4″ of the sharply tapered head, which made for an excellent draw – deliberate, but free. The prelight draw is very sweet and akin to the unlit foot aroma. No Tutti-Frutti…just the sweetness of properly cared-for tobacco.

Once the initial light has settled, Luis’ dedication to quality in his product really shines. I’m not sure how much is due to proper construction, and how much to the physics behind that swaged foot…but the burn is phenomenally even-keeled for a cigar assembled with a complex shape. The early flavors are a pleasant admixture of sweet and spice – toasted marshmallows on the palate, but a slight amount of pepper on retrohale. I am easily overwhelmed by too much spice, but in this case it’s pleasant and interesting. For those of you who are interested, the ash is finely grained and mottled gray and white. Once the burn passes the shoulder of the cigar at about 3/4″, the draw frees slightly but is still well within the acceptable range. The ash appeared to be clinging tightly when my fumbling, fat fingers dropped the cigar onto the ashtray and beheaded it. Beyond this initial, incidental ashing it held to about 3/4″-1″ before dropping.

Going into the second inch of smoking, it is apparent that the ABC has a good bit more strength than Luis’ La Tradicion Cubana line that I am more familiar with. I’d place it firmly into the heavier end of medium, bordering on full at this point. The flavors are still sweet and toasty, although the earlier spice has dissipated considerably. I’m enjoying this second cigar so much I’m resistant to even continue keeping notes for this review in favor of just relaxing with the smoke. Since it is the last remaining ABC I have, I suppose I’d better trek onward. Throughout the second inch and into the third, the burn remains well-behaved. I have yet to even touch it up, which is rare for me, an obsessive ash-manager. As the burn approaches the band, the flavors in the ABC have developed nicely and remain in the same family as earlier – toasted marshmallow, some nuttiness, and a flavor I can only describe as charred wood with a sweet overlay. I find them very pleasurable.

I have had several discussions with Luis about his blending style and what the word “complexity” means in a blend. He seeks to create a blend that consistently produces interesting flavors which most people will find enjoyable. Rather than try and piece together a cigar blend that might constantly change within a given cigar, his philosophy is that the flavors should remain within the same palette throughout – similar but not identical; and within the same “family” of flavors. The “complexity” is realized through minor changeups that occur during the smoke according to the impact the cigar has on the smoker’s palate. Whatever changes occur should be enjoyable for the entire smoke. I think he has definitely hit that mark with the ABC. The perceived taste during this cigar meanders about through nuttiness, warm toast, some sweet notes, and even a bit of peppery spice in the early minutes of smoking. I found it to be enjoyable from first light to last glow. It’s certainly no secret that I am a big fan of his blending style, and once the ABC hits the market it will be joining the ranks of a couple of other La Tradicion Cubana-produced cigars that are currently in my routine smoking rotation. In fact, I may now prefer this blend to the milder LTC corona that has recently become a frequent smoke to start my day. I don’t assign numerical ratings in reviews, opting to simply describe the experiences I have with a manufacturer’s cigar. But if I did, this ABC would rank very, very highly. I am anxious to quickly get it into the mix, as it is a wonderful addition to his portfolio, adding more variety to the number of other blends he produces. I highly recommend trying any of his cigars, and the ABC would be a great place to start – although you can’t go wrong with either his lines (under the La Tradicion Cubana banner), or any number of cigars he produces for other boutique companies, such as Jameson, La Caridad del Cobre, Casa Gomez, etc. You can find more information about La Tradicion Cubana and the other cigars they produce at their website, stop by the store in Little Havana, or by email to: [email protected]. Luis is a great source of entertaining conversation and great cigars.

Cigar Spotlight: Lou Rodriguez Cigars

August 30, 2012 By Kip Fisher

Continuing the series we began a few weeks ago, today I’d like to shine the spotlight on a brand that has drawn a great deal of my attention for much of this year. In March, I caught wind of a Tweetup to take place in South Florida at The Charmed Leaf [NOTE: Since this post, this shop has sold. I am not familiar with the new ownership nor the condition of the facility.]. It happened to be scheduled for a day that a few cohorts and I were traveling back from the Dominican Republic, so it only made sense for us to arrange some tickets and check it out. Included in the bags from the event was a sampler of Lou Rodriguez Cigars. None of us had ever had the chance to smoke the brand at the time. But soon after the event, I lit one of the enclosed sticks and was quite impressed. I mentioned it to one of the guys who’d been with me, and he had basically the same response…as did the other two. In the weeks to come, I made a couple more trips to South Florida – each time with a standing order to bring back LouRod cigars. Since then, I have smoked through dozens of them, and have also had the pleasure of hanging out with Lou on a few occasions. Like most who will be featured in these spotlights, and many within the world of premium cigars, he’s as fun and goodhearted a guy as you’ll ever encounter. By profession, Lou is a doctor – which is hinted at by the presence of the Caduceus on his cigar bands. He also has a deep passion for cigars as well, which drives his commitment to provide only the very best. I’ve now smoked through the range of his current offerings, in most vitolas and have to admit they are indeed some of the finest cigars I’ve had the opportunity to smoke in recent years.

All Lou Rodriguez Cigars come out of Nicaragua (see specific descriptions below), and have a limited production of just a few thousand boxes per year. Manufacturing capacity, of course, depends on crop quality and yield. Lou is very protective of his good name and the retailers that carry his cigars – not typically allowing for internet sales of his sticks. This policy is becoming more en vogue with many boutique brand owners who have seen the damage a reputation can take when giant etailers “blow out” cigars and diminish the market perception of the brand. I, for one, welcome that philosophy. While it may be easier on the wallet to be able to plunk down a credit card number and bargainhunt online, I much prefer the atmosphere of a good brick & mortar shop. And, I’m plenty willing to pay a little extra for the benefit – although I understand some folks live in areas not serviced by a good tobacconist, and some may prefer brands they can’t source locally. ~~Lou meets the demand for his cigars in these unserviced areas by allowing sales through Charmed Leaf~~. I’ll climb down off the soapbox and save that battle for another day, however. On to the blends:

Lou Rodriguez Habano-Rosado

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Habano-Rosado
BINDER: Nicaragua
FILLER: Proprietary Nicaraguan Blend

Available in 5 vitolas (corona, belicoso, churchill, gordito, and presidente), this is the first Lou Rodriguez blend I tried. It’s a full-flavored, medium strength blend with a nice sweetness throughout. The sweetness is not present in the form of a cloying, applied flavoring but that which you find in tobacco that has been handled carefully throughout the fermenting and aging processes. There is some occasional nuttiness that rears its head to keep it interesting, and the passing hint of cocoa as well. As with every last LouRod I’ve had, the construction is flawless and quality of the leaf impeccable.

Lou Rodriguez Connecticut

WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Connecticut
BINDER: Nicaragua
FILLER: Proprietary Nicaraguan Blend

This was the most recent LouRod to make it into my repertoire. Not being the biggest fan of Connecticut wrapper leaf, I confess that I wasn’t breaking a leg to go out and try it. But, Lou gave me one to try at an event, and it was outstanding. It has become one of two cigars that I frequently enjoy early morning with a cup of coffee. It is also available in five vitolas (panetela, corona, lancero, robusto, and churchill). The Connecticut comes with a pert little pigtail cap which can simply be twisted off or clipped with a traditional cut. The unlit aroma and prelight draw are sweet and haylike, with just a hint of dark sweetness – think raisins or dates. Almost without fail, the ones I’ve smoked have begun with a bit of spice which fades gently into a creamy, cedary flavor. While somewhat mild in strength, the flavors are pronounced and pleasant. It finishes with a flourish of some strength, and a toasted-marshmallow like flavor that lingers on the palate. The burn on these, the corona in particular, has been perfect without fail.

Lou Rodriguez Maduro

WRAPPER: San Andres
BINDER: Nicaragua
FILLER: Proprietary Nicaraguan Blend

There are two maduro offerings within the Lou Rodriguez portfolio. The Edicion Premiere is available in 5 vitolas (Bom-Bom (4.75X42), robusto, toro, churchill, & gordito). This is probably my favorite of Lou’s blends. You may have noticed the listed filler blend on all Lou Rodriguez cigars is described as “proprietary.” The Edicion Premiere really showcases this blend, especially in the robusto. That blend, accompanied by the addition of a fine San Andres wrapper, really shines here. The EP is notably more full bodied than the earlier described blends. This line is fiercely square-pressed, as are most of Lou’s cigars, and features a very earthy, dark coffee aroma and prelight draw. I’d place the strength deep into the medium/almost full range, which mates well with the full flavors. The spice in this blend presents itself often and early, intertwined with some wonderful flavors of wood, coffee, and cocoa. This line is an absolute homerun to me. Again, a perfect burn complements the smoking experience quite well. The second maduro offering is the Edicion Reserve, also available in 5 vitolas (Bom-Bom (4.75X42), robusto, toro, churchill, & lancero). While the offered vitolas are very close to the Edicion Premiere, the blending varies somewhat. It maintains a familial similarity to the EP, but is perhaps a bit less strong and more darkly sweet. The flavors come through more akin to the darker cocoas, woods and raisins that pop up in some of the other blends. Behind the Edicion Premiere, this is probably my second favorite line of the range. The flavors are closely related from start to finish, but why look for changeups when so pleasant to begin with? The cocoa, raisin, and “earthiness” are present from charring light to nub. Another winner in my book.

Wrapup

There are precious few cigar makers from whom I’ve smoked so many different cigars without even a hint of a poorly made or poorly blended cigar…or even one that may have been as intended, but just didn’t hit the sweetspot of my palate. Lou Rodriguez is one of those makers. The purpose of this series of Spotlights is to showcase some of these companies. Admittedly, I smoke a very wide range of cigars, and I realize others may not. That being said, I’d encourage you to seek out some of these sticks and give them a try. I’m confident there is something in one or more of the lines above you will fall in love with. I have had absolutely zero issues so far with construction and burn, and have enjoyed all of Lou’s offered blends – even those I would have not have sought out beforehand. Lou’s motto is “Simply the Finest,” and I believe it. His heritage and dedication to the work ethic and perseverance modeled by his father are apparent in the final product – plus, he’s been known to wear some killer blue suede shoes, so he can’t be all bad, right? If you’d like to keep up with or find out more about Lou Rodriguez, you can check his website, find him on Twitter @lercigars, or at his Facebook page.

So, what’s on the horizon for Lou Rodriguez? With this past year’s release of his most recent blends, the portfolio has nicely filled out. It’s mere speculation on my part, but I would expect continued growth and penetration into more areas as word gets out. According to a recent Tweet, there’s at least one new project in the works… Growth has thusfar been very organic, and only faciliated insofar as leaf quality and crop yield will allow. Personally, I wouldn’t want it to be any other way.

Pre-release Review: CAO Concert

August 17, 2012 By Kip Fisher

You may have noticed that I posted a press release for the upcoming Concert line of cigars from CAO last week, with mention of a forthcoming review. I had hoped to post this review last weekend, but “transcriptional delays” put me behind schedule until now.

Our featured cigar today is a new blend from the folks at CAO. The CAO Concert collection is slated for a mid-September release. The blend was created by CAO’s Rick Rodriguez and “features a special combination of four different Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers [….It is] wrapped with a lustrous Ecuadoran Habano Rosado and bound with CT Broadleaf.” It will be available in four sizes: the Amp (5 ½” x 46) Solo (5 ½” x 50); Roadie (5 ½” x 54) and Stage (5 ½” x 60), and will retail for $5.75-$7.50. I have always had an affinity for Ecuadoran wrapper leaf, so I was anxious to give the Concert a try. I spoke briefly at IPCPR with Ed McKenna, CAO’s senior brand manager, wherein he gave me a rundown for the line as well as a preview of the limited edition humidor, a fully functioning music player, that will soon make its debut as well. This review is a melding of my experience smoking three samples of the Roadie (kindly furnished by Mr. McKenna), with tasting notes focused on the third.

So…what about the cigars? All three Roadies that I’ve smoked thusfar were well constructed, although one did have a slight tightspot near the foot. The dense area restricted the draw momentarily, but was nothing serious. Once I had smoked through it the draw was perfect, much like the other two. Upon clipping, the cold draw and unlit aroma was mildly reminiscent of leather; and a little sweet – something akin to dry oatmeal. The initial puffs after lighting were a bit spicy but not overpowering. The spice was actually quite pleasant on retrohale. Despite the fact that CAO says this filler blend has not been “previously used in any other General Cigar offering,” it does seem vaguely familiar. I can’t put my finger on it, but in my mind there is a memory of some similar smoke in the past – not an identical cigar by any means, but a distinct “deja vu” feeling. The spice has subdued by about 1/2″ into the cigar, and by the 1″ mark has taken a backseat to a much sweeter profile. The burn is even and very well-behaved.

Going into the second inch of smoking, the flavors continue to sweeten somewhat and the leather I noticed pre-light returns. In this portion of the cigar, the strength picks up a notch. The earlier spice returns to the forefront as well. Again, it remains pleasant with not even a hint of harshness; just a slight tingle on retrohale, accompanying the flavors of leather and exotic spices (think allspice rather than pepper). The smoke does produce a mild drying effect on the palate, quickly negated with a glass of icewater. I should also mention that the aroma of the Concert, unlike the aroma at most actual concerts, was very pleasing as well. It reminds me of charred wood or even roasted nuts – pure tobacco goodness. In the final stretch of smoking, the strength continued to build. I would not call the Concert an overly full-bodied cigar; but definitely on the fuller end of the medium spectrum bordering on full. The flavors toward the end still favored a dark, leathery feel to them and the spice meandered into the background once again. While I found the entire stick enjoyable, the latter half was definitely where it shined. No frills, no pretense; just good tobacco put together in a great recipe. The quality of the leaf and expertise in the blend were better than expected, which leads me into the next paragraph…

I am already eating a good bit of crow with my some of my cohorts over this cigar. I have to confess that I’ve not always been the biggest fan of many cigars ushered from beneath the General Cigar umbrella, and at times have voiced that on a number of Central Florida patios. Sure, there have been some I’ve enjoyed over the years. But in recent times, I have not been overly anxious to seek them out. This is now the third cigar in as many months that I have thoroughly enjoyed from their portfolio – each moreso than the last. After touring the General booth at the show, it was clear that a push is underway to move with the market and produce creative new blends that appeal to a great number of cigar enthusiasts. The Concert is a very solid offering, and casts a promising light on the future of CAO. The construction is topnotch; the tobacco is of good quality; the blending is expert. It goes without saying these three factors go a long way in producing a great cigar. My guess is the innovative packaging and promos will convince many folks to give them a try. The cigar itself will persuade them to come back for more. It’s persuaded me, anyway. I will most certainly allot a corner of the humidor for the Concert.

Cigar Spotlight: Rogue Ashtrays

August 13, 2012 By Kip Fisher

In what is likely to become a continuing series here at The Cigarmy, I’m happy to shine the spotlight on another enterprising artist within the cigar world. The gentleman pictured to the left is Scott Hicks. I met Scott quite by chance in a McDonalds during IPCPR last week. We struck up a conversation based on our shared support of Cigar Rights of America (thanks to CRA lapel pins), and soon found we had a number of other common interests as well. Scott is a budding artist, and produces beautiful stoneware ceramic ashtrays. A military veteran, he has a strong support of our armed forces and a vibrant enthusiasm for the world of premium cigars. After leaving the military, he went back to college and during the course of his education, he pioneered the process to embed silhouetted logos into ceramic which you see in the pictures below. He is now marketing his creations as Rogue Ashtrays.

Each Rogue ashtray is handmade of clay, and through the magic of organic glazes and kiln-firing each displays a unique pattern of coloration and iridescence. They can be customized with your own logo or artwork with a minimum wholesale order of 6 ashtrays and a nominal setup charge. The only requirement graphically is that you furnish a black on white background or black on copper background logo, in vector graphics format or vinyl cut decal. Please note that you must own or have written permission from the copyright holder in order to have copyrighted images embedded in your ashtray.

Scott credits Pete Johnson of Tatuaje as a great encouragement, and displayed some of his creations alongside the Tatuaje booth at IPCPR this year. MSRP on stock ashtrays is $60, and Tatuaje branded ashtrays retail for $80 – with $10 of the price going to Cigar Rights of America. Wholesale orders of 6 or more are welcomed, and you can find more information at ~~Scott’s Webpage~~, or directly by email to: [email protected]. I am the proud owner of the white ashtray pictured above with skull graphic…and plan one day soon to have some produced with The Cigarmy logo as well (look for a few of those to make it into future giveaways once they’re made).

Press Release: CHATWEETUP2012

August 13, 2012 By Kip Fisher

Some of you may already be familiar with this event, as it has created quite a buzz recently as it grows nearer. I know I’m excited to be able to attend and hang out with a few friends, both new and old…and the prospect of trying a couple of new sticks makes it even better (see press release below from Barry at Miami Cigars). Myself and two cohorts will be flying up on Thursday the 23rd, so if you’re anywhere in the Southeastern U.S., you should join us in Chattanooga. If you would like more details about tickets, planned festivities, and attendance check out ~~Tiki Bar Online’s CHATWEETUP page.~~

CHATWEETUP2012

Twitter, Everywhere – What started last year with the inaugural Tweetup event at Burns Tobacconist (@burnstobacco99) and was put together by the hard work of David Jones (@dmjones1009) tikibaronline.com has grown into the massive event that is expected to converge on Chattanooga on August 24^th and August 25^th. To commemorate the united voice of cigar smokers on Twitter, Emilio Cigars and Miami Cigar & Co. have joined forces to release a limited edition set.

The cedar box of 2 cigars will contain a cigars made just for this historic event. The Añoranza in a box-pressed Churchill, and the debut of La Musa Melete from Emilio cigars in the same format. These sizes will be limited to 300 boxes of 2.

Gary Griffith (@emiliocigar) states, “We are delighted to be releasing this joint project with Miami Cigar and Co., dear industry friends, on behalf of Burns Tobacconist, one of the finest retailers in the country. We chose this opportunity to release this special size of the new La Musa Melete blend, and as the first appearance of the blend on the market.”

In their second year supporting the Tweet-Up, Jason Wood (@miamicigar) VP of Miami Cigar adds, “Cigar smokers on twitter have become a driving voice in the industry. These aficionados are passionate about our craft, and we wanted to share with them something special.”

If you can’t make it to Chattanooga, you can follow the festivities via the twitter hash-tag #CHATweetup2012.

Cigar Spotlight: La Tradicion Cubana

August 11, 2012 By Kip Fisher

La Tradicion Cubana

This week, I’m starting a new series of brief surveys intended to profile some of the folks I meet in the cigar industry that you may or may not be know about, but I think make some very good cigars. To kick the series off, I’m beginning with Luis Sanchez, proprietor of La Tradicion Cubana. Luis produces several lines of cigars – including his own La Tradicion Cubana, Sabor Cubano (maduro), Las Memorias Cubanas, the new American Born Cubans, as well as a growing number of boutique lines for others with which you are probably familiar. Luis fancies himself a “mad scientist” of cigars, and creates some of the most unique and imaginative cigars you’ll ever come across (see pictures of the Toleton and Great Pyramid below)…however, the cigars are not mere gimmicks. Every one is smokeable and intended to be enjoyed. Of course, he also produces some outstanding cigars in most traditional vitolas as well. He set up shop in Miami in 1995, and has since opened a factory in the Dominican Republic where most of his cigars are made today. I first met Luis on a work trip to Miami several months ago, and have had the pleasure of spending a number of hours in his shop on Calle Ocho since. If you ever find yourself in South Florida it’s definitely worth the stop to visit Luis and pick up some cigars. If you have the time, you can get a few great stories and entertaining conversation to go with the sticks.

Luis’ standby line for me personally is his La Tradicion Cubana. The LTC is a very flavorful medium-bodied smoke. I especially enjoy the corona in this line. The blend is very creamy, giving what I call a “tropical spice” flavor – leaning toward some of the sweeter spices found in some Caribbean cooking rather than what you might associate with a “spicy” smoke (I totally stole that terminology from Dale Roush on Dogwatch Cigar Radio – he puts that into words far better than I). A sweetness prevails throughout the blend, of which I have grown quite fond. I would place it nearer to allspice than a pepper spiciness. Additionally, after smoking many (MANY) of his coronas in this line, I can’t remember ever having any burn issues whatsoever. The construction is always faultless, and worryfree. The blend consists of an Ecuadoran wrapper around a Honduran binder and a blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos in the filler.

His Sabor Cubano is a line of maduros, produced entirely by traditional fermenting and aging methods. Luis is very enthusiastic and committed to tradition – which shows through in his cigars. I appreciate his dedication to “doing things right.” The Sabor Cubano is earthy and dark, very full flavored, and medium-full in strength. He uses a Brazilian oscuro wrapper on this line (which has been aged for five years), accompanied by an Ecuadoran binder and Dominican/Nicaraguan filler blend. It’s a lovely smoke, which lives up to its “Cuban flavor” namesake. I think all maduro aficionados would enjoy it considerably.

Luis’ new line is called “American Born Cubans.” It’s available in one vitola – a 6.5″ X 57 ring torpedo. I spoke with Luis at IPCPR about the new line, and in typical “mad scientist” fashion he’s not yet ready to publish any details about the composition of the blend. I’m anxious to give these a try, and plan on picking up a few when I’m down in Miami over the next few weeks. Based on my previous experience with his cigars, I feel fairly confident I will thoroughly enjoy them…

Some of Luis’ other offerings are his own JML (named for his grandfather – Jose M. Losa), Jameson’s Red-label, Black-label, Santos de Miami, and Southbound Series, as well as some Casa Gomez and La Caridad del Cobre. You can’t go wrong with any of these lines. Aside from the LTC corona, my personal favorites are the Jameson Red, Casa Gomez, and La Caridad del Cobre maduros. I’d encourage you to try the range. With so many offerings, I am supremely confident there’s a cigar for you. It’s a rare thing to encounter someone as enthusiastic and entertaining as Luis that also produces such great cigars.

American Born Cubans

The Toleton – 96 ring!

Great Pyramid & Toletons

Press Release: CAO Concert – review to come

August 9, 2012 By Kip Fisher

The news of CAO’s September release of the Concert has already hit in various locales around the web, but I wanted to publish the original release from General Cigar in anticipation of the upcoming review I will post this weekend. I was fortunate enough to be furnished some samples of the Concert at IPCPR. I have already smoked one, and will have at least one more before writing up the review this weekend. While I have not always been the biggest fan of General, I have to admit I am very impressed with their recent offerings and their renewed innovation in blend creation and packaging. I have no beef with them…I have just tended to focus on other producers in recent times. Notably, they have garnered my attention with the latest cigars under the Partagas marque, and a couple of others. I find their recent blending more appealing to my personal palate than I have given them credit for for several years. So, here’s the original from General:

CAO CONCERT

From the brand that was launched in Nashville and marches to the beat of its own drum comes CAO Concert, a new collection that celebrates CAO’s ties to music and harnesses the legendary energy of Music City.

“CAO Concert was inspired by the brand’s roots in Nashville,” commented Ed McKenna, CAO’s senior brand manager. “When listening to music at a concert, or even in your own backyard, it’s a great time to sit back, enjoy a great cigar, and enjoy the people you’re with. That’s what Concert is about.”

The four-cigar collection is firmly planted in the full-medium-bodied range, with great harmony of flavor among the tobaccos. CAO’s Rick Rodriguez created the blend which features a special combination of four different Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers, not previously used in any other General Cigar offering. Wrapped with a lustrous Ecuadoran Habano Rosado and bound with CT Broadleaf, CAO Concert begins with a kick of pepper, mellows with hints of subtle sweetness and comes to a full-flavored finish.

The quartet of new frontmarks will debut at IPCPR and will be available at retail beginning in mid-September. A rarity in the premium cigar category, each Concert cigar will have the same length of 5.5”. Rick Rodriguez explained, “With Concert, I wanted to bring out a new cigar that has really consistent flavor and body across all of the frontmarks. I believe this particular length works perfectly to maximize the flavor of both larger and smaller ring gauges.”

CAO Concert features these frontmarks: Amp (5 ½” x 46, SRP per cigar is $5.75) Solo (5 ½” x 50, SRP per cigar is $6.25); Roadie (5 ½” x 54, SRP per cigar is $6.75) and Stage (5 ½” x 60, SRP per cigar is $7.50).

True to CAO’s tradition of exciting and unexpected packaging, CAO Concert is presented in an innovative box inspired by a classic Marshall amp, with band art that showcases a guitar pick and Fender-style guitars.

Following its special sneak preview at the CMA Music Festival last month, CAO Concert will be sampled at cigar-friendly live music venues and music-themed events across the country. A schedule of events will be announced in the coming weeks and will be posted on the CAO website at www.caocigars.com.

Ed McKenna promised, “We are going to make an announcement about a very exciting CAO promotion in the coming weeks, so CAO fans should also be on the lookout for that.”

About CAO Cigars

CAO cigars are produced by General Cigar Co. Inc., a division of Scandinavian Tobacco Group, which manufactures and markets handcrafted cigars for the premium market. Committed to delivering cigars of the finest quality, General Cigar’s skilled artisans produce Macanudo®, Cohiba®, La Gloria Cubana, Punch®, CAO, Partagas®, Hoyo de Monterrey®, Excalibur® and several other leading premium brands in the company’s Dominican, Honduran and Nicaraguan factories. In addition, the company cultivates proprietary tobacco which is used exclusively in its blends. General Cigar also operates Club Macanudo®, a cigar bar in New York City. Based in Richmond, VA, General Cigar sells through tobacconists nationwide and also exports select products to 62 countries. For more information, please visit www.cigarworld.com.

® CAO, Macanudo, Cohiba, Partagas, Hoyo de Monterrey, Excalibur, La Gloria Cubana and Club Macanudo are registered trademarks of General Cigar Co. Inc.

Some quick middle-of-the-night IPCPR observations and new offering from Benitez Cigars

August 4, 2012 By Kip Fisher

IPCPR 2012. What an incredible experience thusfar. Over the next week or two, I’ll be posting up lots of information on several new cigars/lines/companies that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting at the show. The boutique makers are coming on strong right now…a phenomena that I welcome (selfishly). The sheer volume of great cigars coming into the marketplace is impressive, and it’s a wonderful time to be a cigar enthusiast. It seems (in my eyes) to be a bit of a boom in that there are lots of new consumers coming into the hobby, and many quality cigars there to greet them. It’s a more favorable situation than the boom of the ’90s. During that time, when demand outpaced production many makers released cigars into the market that simply were not suitable for consumption – whether that be because of rushed production, improperly prepared tobacco (due to time constraints), or simply not taking the time to develop a blend enough to make it sustainable longterm. Today, in comparison, the market has become so competitive that a newly introduced line of cigars that isn’t ready simply doesn’t survive. That’s a boon to us as consumers, I think. I’ve had the opportunity to sample a few new/new to me cigars recently, and overall I see a majority of them being very good to great sticks. Earlier today, I was able to spend some time speaking with one of the newer folks coming onto the scene – Reynold Benitez of Benitez Cigars. He filled me in on some of the changes going on with Benitez blends, and new offerings (I’ll be posting those details in an upcoming review). He has a new corona, which he graciously allowed me to sample. Having a couple of hours to rest before heading back out to Corona for the evening’s festivities, I fired it up while hanging out around the pool and tuning in to Dogwatch Cigar Radio (forgive the terrible picture, it was taken on a phone by someone who has no idea what he’s doing). I have tried Benitez cigars before, and thought they were quality smokes. The earlier blends didn’t necessarily fall directly into the sweetspot for my palate, although I did enjoy them. They were quite bold and spicy – I enjoy spice and pepper in a cigar, but have to be prepared for it with a solid constitution – I’m not a nicotine fiend that can smoke potent cigars on an empty stomach. After finishing the new corona, however, I am thoroughly impressed with it. The initial puffs produced some spice, and a slight burn through the nose upon retrohale. But within minutes, it had settled in nicely. The nasal burn dissipated and it developed into a nice, rich tobacco flavor. I won’t drag this out into a full review, but suffice it to say I loved the blend. It was on the fuller end of the medium range in terms of strength to my tastes, but quite full flavored. The blend works very well in this size – and the care invested in creating it is apparent. It is quite polished and well assembled. I think you’ll definitely be hearing more about Benitez cigars. I will certainly be buying some more of these the next time I pass through Charmed Leaf…and expect a review or two to follow around here. Anyway, it’s now after 1:30 a.m., and I need to get some sleep. It’s another big day tomorrow on the showfloor. G’night, folks

Press Release: PDR CIGARS ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF THE RESERVA SUPERIOR SALOMON

July 29, 2012 By Kip Fisher

(Miami, FL) – July 28th, 2012: PDR Cigars USA, which boasts some of the most distinctive blend profiles in the premium boutique cigar market is excited to announce the release of their most artisanal vitola to date, the 6×66 Salomon which will debut at this year’s IPCPR trade show in Orlando, FL on August 2nd.

The Reserva Superior Line is a Limited Edition line first introduced by PDR Cigars at last year’s IPCPR convention in Las Vegas with a 2000 box production run that was only available at the convention. The Reserva Superior Salomon will be a terrific addition to the portfolio. The Salomon will sport a double wrapper comprised of a maduro coupled with a natural wrapper at the foot and on the head of the stem. With an 80 year history in cigar making the PDR Cigars factory will showcase the skill and attention to detail possessed by its master rollers in the making of this beautiful offering. Now in its 8^th year of independent operation, under the leadership of Abraham Flores PDR Cigars has continued to offer cigar enthusiasts a solid selection of flavorful, well-made cigars. The Reserva Superior Salomon will be yet another testament to PDR Cigars’ commitment in that regard.

“I felt that it was important at this stage in our brand to offer something truly special and limited to the consumers that really enjoy the brand. The Salomon also allows us to offer something super exclusive to the family of retailers that support the brand as well,” Said Abe Flores, President of PDR Cigars. “This is truly a connoisseur’s cigar”

The Limited Edition Salomon will be packaged 10 cigars to a box and each individual cigar will be nestled inside a coffin. The blend for the Salomon is the same as the rest of the Resreva Superior line. The primary wrapper is Dominican Habano while the binder is Brazilian. The filler is Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Lancaster PA. The Reserva Superior Salomon will only be available at the IPCPR convention in Orlando FL next week. With a box production of only 500 this rare offering will be limited to select retailers throughout the country.

“We’ve enjoyed great support from our family of retailers and we’re excited to have the opportunity to provide them with this truly limited cigar. We enjoyed making the Salomon and designing the packaging as well. It’s really a special project,” Said Flores

With its current catalog of premium boutiques lines, which include PDR Small Batch and PDR 1878, along with quality value offerings such as Flores y Rodriguez, the Salomon along with the rest of the Reserva Superior line further solidifies PDR Cigars as a mainstay in the premium boutique cigar market. More information can be found on PDR Cigars at www.pdrcigars.com .