Update from IPCPR and Cigar Rights of America

April 11, 2012 By Kip Fisher

Good evening, everyone. I just received this email from IPCPR and Cigar Rights of America (CRA), and thought it important enough to warrant a post to The Cigarmy. As you know, the hobby of cigar smoking is and has been under increasing attack politically for quite a while. The following request to electronically sign petitions are the very least we can do as consumers, and I strongly encourage you to do so. Join Cigar Rights if you haven’t. Be vocal locally. If you enjoy cigars, and would like to in the future, please read this and sign on. I was signature #7, and they need 24,993 more to progress…

It is time to take the IPCPR/Cigar Rights battle to protect our cigars straight to the White House!

Help Protect Premium Cigars from FDA Regulation!

Click here to sign our petition to the President

H.R. 1639 / S. 1461 – Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act

You will be required to create an account, type in the letters at the bottom of the screen, and wait for a confirmation email, which may go to your SPAM or Junk Mail Folder. After you receive the confirmation email, you may then log in and sign the petition.

THIS IS OUR CALL TO ACTION: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

More details are below:

As you know, the FDA is hell bent on regulating, controlling and most certainly ruining premium cigars. So, it is incumbent upon the cigar enthusiasts of the United States – retailers, consumers, and manufacturers alike – to say “hell no” to any proposed new regulation of premium/traditional cigars by the United States government. The infantalization of America will stop here, with us! We are adults, and it is our right to make informed choices without undue government interference.

On April 26, 2010, December 20, 2010, July 7, 2011, and again on February 13, 2012 the U.S. Food & Drug Administration publicly posted their intent in the Federal Register to regulate cigars.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration answers to one boss – The White House. See this recent article for details.

Now that tens of thousands of this nation’s cigar enthusiasts, retailers, and manufacturers have voiced their opposition to Congress, it’s time to send a message to the Office of the President asking President Obama to tell the FDA: “Stay out of America’s humidors!”

H.R. 1639 has been filed in the U.S. House of Representatives; and a companion bill, Senate Bill 1461, has been filed in the Senate. Both are filed under the banner of the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act. This bi-partisan legislation would decree that premium/traditional cigars should be off limits to FDA regulation and, “to clarify the Food & Drug Administration’s jurisdiction in the sale, manufacturing and distribution of traditional and premium cigars.”

With over 85,000 American jobs associated with the premium/traditional cigar business, this is an issue of economic stability for thousands of Main Street America small businesses. The community tobacconist is an institution that spans the history of the nation. The federal government has no business threatening them with new regulations, user fees, and efforts that smack nothing short of modern day prohibition.

Such legislation could have a profound impact on protecting the industry, from the fields and factories of Central America, to the supply-chain throughout this nation, to the community tobacconist, to enjoying a cigar in the local shop, club or back porch.

We can assure you, nothing could rip the soul of the cigar industry apart, like FDA actions. For example, some of the (again) hypothetical possibilities, but that are not beyond the realm of reason include: No more walk in humidors (Canadian model); Limits on advertising and promotions; Banning the very word cigar or tobacco; Manufacturers having to submit blends to FDA for “testing,” before heading to your local shop – imagine the impact on boutique cigar makers; Adverse impact on flavored tobacco products that are made for adults; And price impact due to new fees on manufacturers. This is the short list.

Again: Click here to sign our petition to President Obama.

Cigar Review: Ortega Serie D Number 10

April 4, 2012 By Kip Fisher

Good day, everyone. It’s a busy week around here with unexpected travel and some work related chaos, but we’re back with a review. Today, let’s take a look at the recently released Ortega Serie D from Eddie Ortega/Ortega Cigar Company – specifically the Number 10 (6X52 Belicoso). The Serie D is the first offering from Eddie since leaving EO Brands (makers of 601, Cubao, and Murcielago) back in January. I have to admit I’ve smoked a number of the Serie D, and at least one in each of the five sizes, since their release just weeks ago. They are made for Ortega by Pepin Garcia (My Father Cigars S.A.), carry a Mexican San Andres wrapper, and Nicaraguan binder and filler. I began this review a couple of times with other vitolas (the Number 7 is actually my personal favorite), only to scrub the mission midway through because quite honestly I just wanted to enjoy the smoke. While review-writing is a fun diversion – otherwise I wouldn’t be spending my time fumbling through the process of learning how to do these things – it is sometimes good just to sit back and savor a cigar rather than busy yourself taking pictures and trying to keep notes in the process. I find myself just wanting to take in the moment and enjoy these sticks.

So, on with the show! Before first light, the aroma on the foot strikes me as a fresh hay, or even molasses if you linger a bit longer. The wrapper aroma is similar, but more faint. The pre-light draw is earthy, with only the slightest bit of spice on the tongue. The construction is solid, with no noted voids or tight spots and a very good draw. I came across a rogue tweet or two early on in the initial release that mentioned some tightness in the draw, but none of the ones I’ve had presented any draw issues whatsoever. The wrapper has a slightly oily feel to it, but not really a visible sheen, and is a beautiful dark chocolate brown. It almost has a rustic appearance in that the wrapper telegraphs every nook, cranny, and bump beneath. The leaf veins can be seen, but barely felt.

The room note while toasting the foot of the Serie D reminds me of toasted oats or nuts. I’ll mention here that this series has almost universally been extraordinarily easy to light. They have taken the flame evenly and quickly almost without fail. Going into the first inch of smoking, the smoke is somewhat drying on the palate. Not cloying by any means, just enough to pleasantly coat the inside of your mouth and keep your attention. I do get some mild red pepper this early on, and what I would call a woodsy core of flavors. The burn is well behaved, and as of yet is flawless in today’s stick.

The second inch is where the #10 really comes into its own. It’s still somewhat dry on the palate, and keeps the early notes of toasted nuts – although the hints of wood come to the foreground for me. The wood flavor has sweetened a bit, and in keeping with my habit of drawing associations to my grilling/smoking escapades, this reminds me of when I have applewood in my smoker in preparation for smoking salmon. The sweetness is not pronounced as in an added flavoring, but produces that sensation of being sweet when tasted and smelled. The early indicators of a well constructed cigar are proving to be true, and the stick has kept its good burn and even-keeled draw. After the second inch, and going into the third, the burn has wandered slightly. Nothing significant, just some slight scalloping easily corrected with a quick touchup. It hangs on to the earlier oat flavors, with the addition of some leather, but still keeps the woodsy core. The apple-like sweetness I mentioned above is still there, but some additional sweetened has occurred – it actually reminds me a bit of allspice, albeit only in fleeting wisps. There are also some brighter notes of cedar on the retrohale.

In the final stretch, I would place the Ortega Serie D well within the medium range for strength, but it produces bold, full and enjoyable flavors throughout. The only negative thing I can even concoct is that they can get a little “ashy” tasting if you overpuff them during the last couple of inches. But, that is avoided by simply minding your cadence. In my mind, these are great cigars in most every respect. They have the added bonus of being at a very reasonable pricepoint as well. My local shop has singles for $6.10-7.10 each, and if you buy in box quantities they can be had for $5.85-6.25 each. That’s a heck of a bargain in my book, and I plan on stocking up…plenty for now, and some to keep tabs on to see how they progress with added time in the humidor. I wouldn’t shy away from recommending the same to you.

Weekend Cigar Wrapup for March 24-30, 2012

March 30, 2012 By Kip Fisher

More Losses in the World of Cigars

Unfortunately, we lost two more gentlemen that were well loved by the cigar industry this week. Last Sunday (March 25), Bert Sugar passed at the age of 75 after a long battle with cancer. Bert was a sort of a “jack of all trades” in the boxing media world. Over the years, he owned and/or edited a number of boxing magazines, wrote for various newspapers, wrote dozens of books on boxing history, and even appeared in a number of movies as himself. He was seen by many as an ambassador of the cigar world as well, and rarely appeared without a cigar hanging from his mouth. You can find more about Bert at SMOKE Magazine.

On Tuesday, the cigar industry lost another leader. Manny Ferrero, Sr. VP of Sales for Ashton Cigars passed unexpectedly of a heart attack at the TAA (Tobacconists’ Association of America) convention in Mexico. My path only crossed once with Manny, many years ago at an Ashton event, but he was widely known for his creative ideas in pairing cigars with various foods and drink, as well as his gregarious but lovable personality. He suffered the heart attack while dancing with his wife at the TAA convention. Manny was loved by the entire cigar industry, and the written tributes from within the industry have been too numerous to list. Ashton Cigars posted the following status update concerning funerary arrangements:

“Thank you for your overwhelming support during this extremely difficult time as we mourn the loss of Manny Ferrero. Many of you have asked about information in regards to Manny’s services. We have just received the following information. We will update you if further information becomes available.”

Services for Emmanuel “Manny” Ferrero:

Trinity Episcopal Church Solebury PA
6587 Upper York Rd 18963
Tuesday April 3rd
Visitation: 9-11AM
Service 11AM

Other News

The International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Assocation (IPCPR) has published a flyer promoting awareness of how a trip to your local tobacconist will change should the FDA be given control over premium cigars. If that doesn’t scare you, it should – at least if you enjoy a cigar from time to time. The industry is being assaulted on many fronts. If you are a tobacconist, or if you ever visit one, please pass this flyer along. You can download and print it HERE. They have also supplied a petition you can download, print and sign to be submitted to your Representatives and Senators in support of legislation protecting premium cigars from being lumped into the same legislative category as cigarettes, which would be a very important protection.

CRA News – The Cigar Rights of America published the Winter 2012 edition of the Cigar Patriot. You can find the Digital Edition on their website. As I’ve said before, the CRA is one of the most powerful ways that we, as consumers, can effectively have our voices heard concerning the legislation that impacts the cigar industry. If you don’t belong, I really encourage you to join. Membership costs less than $3 per month ($35/yr), and includes two limited edition, premium cigars. I continue to be impressed with the actual changes taking place through the efforts of CRA. Rather than simply talking about change, CRA is effecting change. They need our support to continue and build momentum.

We also want to wish a Happy 86th Birthday to Avo Uvezian, celebrated jazz musician and maker of outstanding cigars. He celebrated, as has been the case for the past several years, with a new line of Limited Edition sticks. This year’s Avo LE is La Trompeta, a 6.5″ X 54 ring torpedo adorned with three circular appliqués of natural leaf to represent the valves on a trumpet. It began shipping to select retailers this week, with a retail price of $15.50.

Upcoming Events

There are a number of upcoming events which one of more of us at The Cigarmy will be attending. The first is the launch of the Studio Tobac 2012 Tour at Tampa Humidor. The event starts at 6:00pm on Thursday, April 5th at Tampa Humidor, and will feature great deals on Oliva cigars as well as a special limited release sampler made for the Tour.

Many of you know that my wife and I regularly watch Dogwatch Cigar Radio on Friday nights. Bob, Dale, and Liz put on a great show every week at 9pm EST on Friday nights. If you can’t catch it live, they also publish an edited audio podcast following the show. This Summer, they will be hosting a Dogwatch Cigar Radio herf in Melbourne, FL at Tranquilo Cigars on July 27th & 28th. There will only be 25 tickets available, so if you are going to be in the area tune in or download the podcast soon to get the details. You can find out more by listening/watching this week, or reviewing last week’s show notes.

The final event I wanted to mention is the CHATWEETUP2012. This will be a large gathering in Chattanooga this August 24th & 25th, sponsored by Tiki Bar Online and Stogie Review (both outstanding cigar blogs, by the way). The Tweetup will be hosted at Burns Tobacconist, which is also where you can purchase tickets. There will be many manufacturers in attendance, as well as a number of Twitter personalities within the cigar industry and blogosphere as well. You can find details at the ~~Tiki Bar Online CHATWEETUP page~~. Scheduled Attendees include Pete Johnson (Tatuaje), Jonathan Drew (Drew Estate), Eddie Ortega (Ortega Cigars), Jon Huber and Mike Conder (Crowned Heads), Matt Booth (Room 101 Cigars), Gary Griffith (Emilio Cigars), Bryan White (13th Floor Cigars), Clint Aaron (262 Cigars), Sean Williams (El Primer Mundo Cigars), Nada and Jeff Jumper (Nadi Cigars), Steven Ysidron (Del Fuego Cigars), Frank Herrera (Herrera Cigars / La Caridad del Cobre), and Michael Herklots (Nat Sherman).

Well, that’s about it for this week. I’ll be posting a new review over the weekend, so check back for that. Y’all have a great weekend!

EDIT: Ashton Cigars has just posted further details concerning Manny’s arrangements:

FERRERO, EMMANUEL “MANNY” died suddenly on March 27, 2012. He is survived by his wife Rosemary{nee “Gates”}, his children Anthony ( Edith), Jennifer Townsley ( Daniel), and Gina Marie and two grandchildren, Anthony John and Anna Belle. Predeceased by his parents, Anthony and Carmella. Family and friends may give their condolences on Tuesday, April, 3, 9:00- 10:45 AM, followed by a mass at Trinity Episcopal Church, 6587 Upper York Road, Solebury PA. 18963. In lieu of flowers, send contributions to the Manny Ferrero Memorial Scholarship Fund, Ancillae Assumpta Academy, 2025 Church Road, Wyncote Pa.19095

Pre-release Review: Arturo Fuente Casa Cuba

March 25, 2012 By Kip Fisher

During the IPCPR tradeshow last year, a number of new cigars were announced by A. Fuente. Some of them have since been released, but relatively little has been subsequently seen of one new line, the Casa Cuba. They have held this trademark for many years, but as far as I can determine it has been mostly out of use, except for some cigars marketed and sold through Tampa Sweethearts that bear the name. My understanding is that this is an entirely new line. I managed to get a couple of examples of this upcoming line at CFC, and later at a Fuente event I attended. Little is known as to the composition or pricing of the Casa Cuba, but I thought since I had two of them I’d at least try to write up a quick review. My examples were of the same vitola – basically a toro, coming in just a hair’s breadth short of 6 inches, and about a 50 ring. In speaking with a rep, there will apparently be a few different sizes from which to choose once they are released. The packaging was not yet ready, so both were unbanded when given to me.

As I have come to expect from Fuente, the construction is absolutely impeccable. The wrapper has an oily sheen, and while it has a very fine tooth, or grain, overall it is very smooth to the touch. There are prominent but unobtrusive veins on both. One of them does have a noticeably more red hue, but I noticed no difference in the flavor. I might not have even noticed the difference if I weren’t accustomed to differentiating hues on the brown spectrum from years of looking at furniture finishes. Prelight, the foot aroma was of sweet, freshly hewn hay; the wrapper scent was similar but more sedate. Both sticks are very firm throughout their length, and well packed. So dense, in fact, that I am pleasantly surprised by how freely they drew. The prelight draw gives a strong hay flavor, not at all reminiscent of any other Fuente product I can think of…and I have tried many. Once again, the near perfect construction is apparent in the draw – just a slight resistance; in my “Goldilocks” zone. Not too tight, not too loose. Just right.

Another surprise awaits upon lighting these. Lots of initial spice! Not the typical impression I get from most Fuente cigars, and not the spice I normally encounter even in their stronger blends. It struck me as being similar to what I do get from many Nicaraguan blends in recent years. There’s a little citrus in the background, but the peppery spice is definitely in the forefront for the first 10 minutes or so. The only other Fuente-esque similarities that came to mind are possibly the Sungrown Cuban Belicoso, or even some Don Carlos’ I’ve had – but only in flavor “families.” This would be akin to those cigars on anabolic steroids. Very potent in perceived spice, but backed by somewhat similar flavors during the early smoking. Moving past the 1-inch mark and into the second, the ash produced is finely textured, and predominantly white. The spice mentioned above has subsided – considerably – and more sweet flavors develop. Not sweet in the sense of a cloying flavoring, just a smoothness or “roundness” to the tastebuds – think leather and oats. If I were blindly sampling these, I would never have guessed the maker in the first inch. By the second, it has become a little more recognizable as a Fuente composition. The aroma in the early portion was very much like what I associate with a stout Nicaraguan puro, with some slight astringency. That has mostly dissipated by this point. If you are a fan of the Opus X line, you’d probably recognize the occasional puff or two of the almost oatmeal-like flavor of a well-aged Opus. But just a hint. There’s still some citrus coming through as well. Going into the third inch of smoking, the ash is still clinging tightly. In fact, it did not let go until about 3″. In the final stretch, the leather flavor develops quite a bit more, as does the sweet oat flavor. The initial spice peeks through on occasion, but it is far less bold than in the beginning. The final half-inch is bound by citrus and leather as well.

Overall, the blending in this cigar is an enigma to me. I can pick up slight glimpses of other Fuente offerings – there are occasional flashes of Don Carlos, the Magnum R’s, or even a well rested Opus. But, in the end I can’t say it is a near match for any of their other standard lines. It’s not the powerhouse smoke found in some of the blends Carlito favors, nor does it have the milder signature of Carlos Sr. Despite the few flavor descriptors I’ve used above, it is a very complex cigar that I found interesting from first light to final puff. It began with a modest kick in the pants, and ended firmly embedded into what I would deem medium in strength – and I found the flavors captivating throughout. Those of you who know me know that my absolute favorite cigar is the Arturo Fuente Don Carlos #3. Will this replace that for me? No. Will there always be some Casa Cubas in my humidor? A resounding “yes!” Absolutely. Assuming the blend is the same once they are released, this nicely fills a niche for which I commonly have use. It is lively and bright in flavor, without being too overpowering for a nicotine-wimp like myself. The flavors are comfortable and pleasurable; this cigar is bold enough to keep your attention and focus, but approachable enough to enjoy while your mind and/or hands are elsewhere. There is plenty of complexity to maintain interest for the duration. That, bundled with typical Fuente construction and burn characteristics, make for something right up my alley. I highly recommend you give them a try when they hit the market later this year.

A short CFC 2012 trip summary

March 9, 2012 By Kip Fisher

We are back! As most of you know, portions of The Cigarmy traveled to the Dominican Republic this past week via Miami, to attend CFC 2012, the Fuente & Newman families’ annual celebration of the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation. We hit the road to Miami from our little slice of Central Florida last Wednesday to spend the afternoon before departing. We visited a couple of tobacconists while there. First, we went to Cuban Crafters for a few new (to us) sticks, grabbed a quick lunch and found a nearby tobacconist (Speakeasy Cigar Lounge) where we hung out for an afternoon smoke before catching our plane. Most have heard of the former, as they maintain a small factory onsite, and do a brisk online and catalog business. The latter, however, we stumbled upon while looking for a place to hang out for the afternoon. I’d link to their site, but it appears to be dysfunctional at the moment. Cuban Crafters has a large selection of boutique and national brands, as well as their own product. Additionally, they have Cuban coffee, sandwiches…and even a barber shop onsite. Tons of domino playing as well. We were only there for a little while, but it would be a great place to spend the day if you find yourself with some free time in Miami. Speakeasy has a smaller selection, but offers some high quality cigars and the owner was exceptionally friendly and helpful. We did manage to catch the correct plane for the short jaunt down to Santiago, after being redirected into a grand tour of a few MIA terminals . The Fuente & Newman families arranged for pickup at the airport, and delivered us safely to Hodelpa Gran Almirante, where we just made the poolside reception for the event, complete with a few cigars to occupy our time.

Thursday morning came early, as we headed south to Bonao to visit the Foundation and Chateau de la Fuente. I have mentioned CFCF before, and I just can’t emphasize enough how great an organization this truly is. The work being done there is amazing. Bonao is an area that historically has had very little in terms of material wealth. For many residents, “very little” would be better stated as “nothing.” The Fuentes and Newmans began the foundation in 2001 to help the people of Bonao – providing clean water, bridges over the creeks that must be crossed to reach the area, a school, food, medical and dental care for the children, and much more. The two families also underwrite the overhead and administrative costs for the foundation…which means 100% of donated funds are actually put to use for the children and their families. As you’ll see in the pictures to follow, the results are astounding. I am a donor, and would wildly encourage anyone to become one. I tend to be skeptical toward some charities after checking out how they handle donations and funds…since seeing how CFCF operates over the past few years, I have no qualms whatsoever. We visited El Grito de Carlito and the School grounds (where we saw the children dance and sing, complete with Carnivale costumes). We were also honored to witness the Foundation’s first black belt awarded to a student. Kudos to Tony Kattengell, who has spent countless hours teaching martial arts discipline and focus to bring up leaders for the future of Bonao. Afterward, we headed to the original farm for a traditional Dominican lunch of goat, pork, plantains, yucca, etc. And…more cigars! We roamed the grounds, busily snapping pictures along the way. It truly is a beautiful place. The evening consisted of a return to the hotel, a good dinner, and more poolside camaraderie.

On Friday, we were in the afternoon group to tour the factory so we didn’t need to depart the hotel until 11:00am. We had lunch at Il Pasticcio – they provide great family style Italian fare in Santiago if you ever find yourself there. This was followed by a tour of Fuente Factory #1, which I’ve come to refer to as the Happiest Place on Earth. Forget what you’ve heard about Disney World. This is it. This was my second visit to the factory, and it still amazes me just to watch the process and learn what goes into the cigars we all enjoy, and see the sheer number of hands through which tobacco passes to make a cigar. I can’t go into detail about every step, or this would turn into a monograph rather than a blog post. You can check out the pictures – and have a peek at last year’s as well. They’re that good :). At the end of the tour…wait for it…even more cigars! After an amazing afternoon of shared cigar knowledge, we headed back to the hotel for a short rest and headed to Camp David Ranch for the final celebratory banquet of the trip. The view of Santiago at night from Camp David Ranch is spectacular, and sitting on the veranda enjoying a cigar while absorbing that view with a nice vantage for the Southern Cross is a very calming experience to say the least. The night was filled with cigars, fellowship, dancing, and more cigars – including some very limited treasures I’ll have to admire in the humidor for a while before I can smoke them.

There are a number of group trips available for cigar folk to visit cigar country(ies) throughout the year, but none to celebrate a better cause than CFC. Again, I greatly encourage you to give to the Foundation if you have a little extra this year. You can rest assured it will be stewarded well. We had the chance to meet a number of great folks on the trip as well – including Brian Berman of the Cigar Rights of America. If you don’t belong to CRA, you should if you value your ability to enjoy a cigar. This is a another organization I’m passionate about. I have seen other groups akin to CRA that never seemed to make a difference. CRA continually produces a measurable impact on preserving our freedoms, and needs all the help they can muster. We also met some great guys from Boveda/Humidipak – Sean Knutsen, Charlie Rutherford, and Tim Swail. I’ve known about and used their products for a long time, and it was nice to put faces with the company, and they’re good guys to boot. We also had the opportunity to hang out with Kevin Paige (who recently took over A Cigarsmoker’s Journal blog), as well as a number of other folks I am better for having met. Maybe it was the nature of the celebration, and the fact that everyone there was in one way or another associated with the Foundation, but the ratio of knuckleheads to good guys seemed very favorable on this trip. It certainly made for a good time.

Saturday morning, we climbed back on a plane to Miami, alongside many CFCers, the Newmans, and much of the Fuente family – Carlos Sr., and the lovely Fuente ladies – Cynthia, Liana (Carlito’s daughter), and Christina (Cynthia’s daughter). I prayed for a safe flight, not just for those onboard, but for the sake of future cigar smokers as well :). Once we landed at MIA, The Cigarmy headed directly from the airport to the Charmed Leaf Grand Opening and Tweetup. There, we met up with local cigar smokers and a number of owners and reps from quite a few manufacturers. Present were Bob and Liz McDuffee from Dogwatch Cigar Radio (tune in on Friday nights at 9:00pm EST), Frank Herrera (La Caridad Del Cobre), Eddie Ortega (Ortega Cigars), Luis Sanchez (La Tradicion Cubana), Barry Stein (formerly of A Cigarsmoker’s Journal, now with Miami Cigar), Ron Andrews (Los Nietos), Andrei Iordachescu (Toro y Leon), and Reynold Benitez (Benitez Cigars). There were many more present that I was not able to chat with, including Jonathan Drew of Drew Estate, as we still had a five hour drive back to Tampa ahead of us. It was quite an event, and I believe the Charmed Leaf has a long and fruitful future ahead as a premier boutique tobacconist. Give Elissa a visit on her site, or a call if you’re looking for some fantastic boutique smokes that may not be available locally at your B&M.

This was a banner week for The Cigarmy, getting to know so many new faces, both those within the industry and many who just enjoy a good cigar. It was an amazing trip, and while the pace was whirlwind the fun was nonstop. We loved every minute of it, and look forward to building friendships with those new faces, and meeting more in the process. We especially want to thank the Fuente and Newman families and all their employees who were (again) incredibly hospitable and gracious. They went far above the call of duty to make sure everyone had a fabulous time, and we absolutely did. I can’t think of any better folks in the industry.

I have now rambled quite enough…how about some pictures? You can find those by clicking on the link below. I’ll apologize in advance – for the most part, they aren’t captioned. If you want to know more about any particular picture, just let me know and I’ll answer as best I can. Also, the pictures hosted here on the site will be lower resolution than we took. If you’d like a full size file, just comment or email me and I’ll get that to you as well. As always, thanks for reading, and we’ll be back on schedule next week with some new reviews!

VISIT THIS PAGE to see pictures from past CFC Events

CFC 2012 and a couple other newsworthy items

February 26, 2012 By Kip Fisher

It’s a dreary, rainy Sunday afternoon in my little corner of Central Florida. So, what better way to spend it than to have a cigar and do a little daydreamin’ about returning to the Dominican Republic for CFC this week. I am entering into full-blown all-Fuente-all-the-time mode for the next 5 days, until our return. Come to think of it, that’s not entirely different than normal; a significant portion of the time I will reach for one of their products. Admittedly, in recent years I have branched out to a great extent into other makers and have to say I am enjoying the variety and depth I’ve experienced in that time. I have added numerous makes and models into my regular rotation. Nonetheless, when smoking for for pure joy, with no need for close attention or review-writing…I love many Fuente cigars. Today, I’m starting with what appears to be a standard Rosado Magnum R52. I say “appears to be standard”, because this particular stick came from the CFC gathering last year. Most of the cigars that were given out on that trip were limited/special/different in some way – and I did not make any notes about this one. It appears to be the same size as normal production (5X52) and wears the same band, so I’ll say it is the same. The only thing that gives me a hint about its origin is the little yellow sticker I placed on it with the date and where it came from. It does have a more mellowed, almost caramel character to the finish that I don’t normally associate with these, but that very well could just come from the extra year of rest. But, this is not a review, merely a ramble.

I did want to mention a couple of other happenings for those who might be available and interested. I have no vested interest in either of these items, aside from being a fan of both. If you live in South Florida, there is to be a Tweetup at the Charmed Leaf next Friday and Saturday (March 3 & 4). There will be a number of boutique cigar manufacturers, bloggers, and cigar-related Twitter personalities in attendance. The Charmed Leaf is a brick & mortar tobacconist in Delray Beach, Florida that specializes in boutique, sometimes hard to find cigar manufacturers. I have not yet been to their establishment, but the correspondence I’ve had with them about the upcoming event leads me to believe they are a class act and great folks to deal with. There is no cost to attend, but they have some great package deals for cigars, etc. if you want to – check them out here. I’m sure they have something you need to smoke and can’t get at your local shop. The four members of The Cigarmy that will be attending CFC 2012 in the Dominican will be stopping by the Tweetup on Saturday, around lunchtime. We love to meet new folks who share the same interests and enjoy a cigar or two.

The other item of interest has a broader circle of availability. Dogwatch Cigar Radio is a cigar show and podcast, which is available live at showtime or later for download through iTunes, or other outlets – including apps for your smartphone. For good reason, it is one of the longer-lived shows out there. They just celebrated their 365th episode, which puts them just over the 7-year mark for producing the show. Bob McDuffee and Dale Roush (and Bob’s fabulous executive producer – and significant other – Liz) put on a fantastic show, rife with great information and a friendly, open format. The podcast is available for download weekly, but if you find yourself free on a Friday night around 9:00pm EST you should definitely tune in for the live show. They also make available a chatroom during the live show, which is always friendly, fun, and accessible for anyone. My wife and I have made this our Friday night ritual for the past several months. They have a finger on the pulse of the industry, and always provide fresh, relevant content. If you happen to be in the area for the Charmed Leaf event, Bob & Liz will be there as well on Saturday, I believe. You can tune in to the live show by clicking the link above and selecting “Dogwatch Live” from the menu bar around showtime.

I will try to post at least a picture or two while we’re in the Dominican, but expect a full trip report some time next week. As always, thanks for checking in and for your continued support while we get The Cigarmy off the ground – and if you have any comments or suggestions feel free to add them here, or drop me a line at: [email protected]

Cigar Review: Room101 Namakubi Tiburon

February 13, 2012 By Kip Fisher

From all appearances, I jinxed this week’s weather by mentioning how great it was last week. This fine Florida morn comes in about 40 degrees cooler than the same time a week ago, and I do not appreciate it. Nonetheless, there are cigars to be smoked and I’m not one to shirk my responsibilities. The “official” cigar up for review this week is the Room101 Namakubi Tiburon (6X44) from Room101 Cigars. The Namakubi series derives its name from Samurai culture in centuries past, where the Namakubi was a trophy presented to the winning leader after a competition – the trophy being the severed head of a losing warrior. Our modern day Namakubi is presented with an ornate band, adorned with stylistic lettering reminiscent of the culture from which it takes its name. It is manufactured by Camacho for Room101 and contains a filler composed of a mix of Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Honduran (Vuelta Abajo) tobaccos, a proprietary Honduran binder and Ecuadoran Habano wrapper. The Tiburon is available in at select retailers, and sells for about $7.50-8.00 each in the Tampa market.

I picked up several Namakubis at my local shop, and have now smoked 3 in preparation for this review. In all honesty, the first thing I noticed about each of them is the beautiful, milk chocolate-brown wrapper. The coloration has been remarkably uniform, such that the seams of the roll almost disappear. This uniformity has been the case in most every facet of the smoking experience with my three examples. The consistency among all three has been noteworthy, whether speaking of color, construction, flavor, burn, or any number of other characteristics. I am impressed, to say the least.

Upon clipping, the cold draw is firm; perhaps just a bit moreso than I would deem perfect for my comfort, but within the normal acceptable limits. The flavor is earthy and sweet, and the unlit aroma is of hay and fig. The construction is as good as any cigar I’ve ever smoked. The pack seems to be equally distributed from head to foot, with no soft spots nor voids. During the first few minutes after lighting, the smoke has a bit of spice to it, although this is tempered with a sweet, leathery flavor. I have paired today’s stick with a cup of plain, black coffee. The interplay of the slight acidity/bitterness in the coffee with the sweetness of the Namakubi is very nice. I’d recommend at least giving it a try if you’re a coffee drinker. Continuing into the first inch of smoking, the spice transitions into a mild, sweet flavor that I have, on previous occasions, called “tropical spice.” As I mentioned in another review, this family of flavors reminds me of the Caribbean cooking spices more than the black pepper typically referred to as “spice” in cigar descriptions. The aroma of the sidestream smoke is pleasing as well, perhaps a little less astringent than most, and almost chocolate-“ish.” Normally, I would not notice this as I smoke, but I caught a whiff of this one and thought it might even be tolerable for many folks who prefer not to even be near a lit cigar.

As I progress into the second inch of smoking, I must say that the Namakubi seems less potent than other Room101 cigars I have tried. This does not impact the flavor as might be expected. The flavors are quite bold and bright; it just isn’t as strong a blend as some other offerings. The flavors are slightly muted from the earlier portion of the cigar, but still present in straightforward, well-aged tobacco taste. Forgive the muddled description, but the flavor seems more “round” than earlier – more smooth; creamier even. There is also an occasional but short-lived fruity sweetness that will make an appearance. As I approach the third inch of this final Namakubi, the ash is still clinging tightly to the unburned portion of the stick. This is despite the fact that I have been walking around while smoking, and actually dropped it into the cradle as I was placing it on the ashtray. I was so impressed by this that I measured once the ash fell. Of the original 6″ length, only 2.75″ remained when the ash first fell. That is more than half the cigar burned away before it let go – with absolutely no effort to protect the ash. Just normal, everyday smoking. Amazing, really, considering it had no special treatment. Going into the final stretch, the strength picked up measurably. It still isn’t overpowering or brash, but it is noticeably stronger. The flavors are still bold, but sweet with no harshness. I’m picking up leather and wood flavors in addition to the sporadic sweetness mentioned above.

The Namakubi series’ production is limited, but not severely. I believe there were to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 100,000 cigars produced (total for the 5 vitolas). Since they have been on the market for several months now, I imagine they will become increasingly harder to find in the not-so-distant future. I highly recommend them to anyone – there’s something for everyone in the blend. Tons of good, tobacco flavor in a cigar that falls in the medium-full range. It won’t overpower you with the strength sometimes found in similar sticks, but you’ll know you’re smoking a cigar. Tons of interesting flavor, and lots of bang for the buck. My only hesitation in making this recommendation is the fear that someone out there may shop at the same B&M as I do, and buy up all of what they have left before I have the chance…

Cigar Review: Thunder by Nimish Robusto

February 6, 2012 By Kip Fisher

It’s a fine Florida February morning, about 74 degrees and sunny. Sounds like reviewing weather to me! Today, I’m going with the Thunder by Nimish, from Nimish Desai, via cousin Rocky Patel. The Thunder is Nimish’s brainchild, and was brought to market a few months ago in three sizes (Robusto, Toro, and Torpedo). I picked up a few of the Robustos last week from a local B&M, two of which form the basis for this review. Personally, I might have called it a Short Robusto, as it’s only 4.5″ long, although it is of slightly larger girth than typical for the vitola, at a 54 ring. It has an Ecuadoran Habano wrapper, dual binders from Nicaragua and Honduras, and a Nicaragua/Honduras/Costa Rican filler mix. As I’ve mentioned before, there was a time when I enjoyed several of RP’s early blends, although I have to admit I have drifted away from most in recent years. You can find the Thunder in the Tampa market for about $5 per stick as singles, and as low as $4.50/stick if you buy in box quantities.

The prelight aroma on these is ever-so-slightly sharp, but reminiscent of hay, and the prelight draw is dramatically sweet. Construction is near-perfect, and exhibits no voids nor tight spots throughout its length. The draw is open and free, with just enough resistance to put it dead center of my personal preference. The flavor on the cold draw is almost unidentifiable – I am having a hard time associating it with a specific taste, although it reminds me of cherries; not the cloying, Maraschinos you get in a jar of syrup…the actual fruit from the tree. It’s very sweet, and I can’t say I have ever experienced this so strongly in a cigar before. It is actually quite pleasant. I will attribute this to the Costa Rican tobacco, as the only thing remotely similar I recall were some sticks rolled by a local roller who used some Costa Rican leaf as well – but I have nothing to back that up outside of my own speculation. In any event, it is enjoyable. The Thunder has a small pigtail tied into the cap, which doesn’t change the smoking characteristics but is a differentiator that makes it a more attractive cigar.

Upon first light, the Thunder produces tons of spice on the palate. This spice is more felt than tasted, and the flavor is akin to a oats, or some other grain. It gives a noticeable tingle to the nose upon retrohale as well. The sweetness experienced prelight is very faint, but discernible at times in the first inch. By the end of this first inch, the spice has begun to dissipate. It never completely vanishes, but does acquiesce fairly early on. The cigar produces a great deal of smoke, and burns quite well. Toward the end of this portion, I pick up a bittersweet chocolate flavor, and the “cherrylike” sweetness has disappeared entirely. It has been replaced with a differing sweetness, more like leather than fruit and more recognizably like the sweetness typically found in comparable cigars.

The ash falls into the ashtray near the beginning of the second inch, and the spice has dialed back even more. A leathery flavor has stepped front and center. There is still a bit of a tingle through the nose, but it is slight. Early in this part of the smoke, I would have claimed that the Thunder was not as strong a cigar as I had expected; however, by the end of the second inch the potency has picked up in good measure, and I would rate it on the heavier end of medium or lighter side of full strength. The flavors have become more subdued at this point, but the leather, chocolate, and spicy feel remain. I also noticed the ash became remarkably more flaky in the latter part of the cigar compared to the earlier portions.

I am impressed by the lifespan of the Thunder. Despite the fact that it is only 4.5 inches long, it burns at a slow enough rate that it lasted well past an hour and very near 90 minutes for me. That’s considerably longer than I expected before lighting the first one. Toward the end of the stick, the flavors did develop into a profile that was somewhat ashy and tart to me, which signals the end of its life – a sure signal from many cigars. Overall, I am left with a similar impression as with the Humo Jaguar I wrote about last week. I am currently in a groove where I don’t go out of my way to seek cigars with Honduran tobacco…but this is still a very good cigar. I do have to say, the Thunder was a bit more interesting to me than the Humo Jaguar, though. And at the price, it’s a dang good value. I’m not going to knock myself out to run down and buy a box of these tomorrow, but it’s not out of the question should the opportunity arise in the future. And, I certainly won’t hesitate to keep a few around in the humidor to mix things up on occasion.

As a sidenote, you may have noticed a new logo in the header for The Cigarmy tonight. This is thanks to Amy over at BrandLand. She did a wonderful job of capturing what I was looking for in the logo, and I highly recommend her. You’ll be seeing several more changes in the coming days and weeks to the layout and format of the site (starting with the background image behind that logo…it seems to clash a little with the logo right now). If you have any suggestions for how I might improve the site, either in content, appearance, or navigation – let me know. I’m still very new to this and certainly open to suggestions!

Cigar Review: Humo Jaguar Robusto

January 29, 2012 By Kip Fisher

Today, we’re smoking the Humo Jaguar, released in 2011 as the product of a competition held at the Honduran cigar festival by the same name. Honduran tobacco growers and cigar makers submitted their entries for the competition, and over 200 panelists sampled the blends to select a winner. This year’s winner was blended by Nestor Plasencia and subsequently released into the marketplace by Miami Cigar & Company in the Fall. Today’s review is based on a couple of examples, both robustos which have been resting in my humidor since October. The Humo Jaguar is also available as a Corona Gorda (6X52), and Gigante (6X60). The blend is, of course, a Honduran puro, and the robusto is available in the Tampa market for about $7.35/each in box quantities of 20.

So, without further ado, on with the review! The wrapper leaf is quite smooth, and despite a fair amount of chatter about it’s oiliness, my two examples lack any sheen at all. They are supple, but feel very dry to the touch. The packaging for the Humo Jaguar calls the wrapper oscuro, but to my eyes they are considerably lighter in color than what I would typically give the name. The pre-light draw is firm but free, and well within the normal acceptable range. It produces a sweet hay flavor on the cold draw. If you happen to be familiar with pipe tobaccos, it actually reminds me of Old Gowrie, a virginia blend by Rattray’s. In fact, it reminds me quite a bit of Rattray’s virginias’ aroma and flavor while unlit. It takes fire very well, and lights easily and evenly with no fuss. The first few minutes of smoking are marked by some spice, and will give a little tickle to the nose upon retrohale. The initial flavors are leathery and sweet – but with a slight tanginess I find pleasant but fleeting. As ridiculous as it may sound, throughout the first inch of the cigar I detect an occasional taste that reminds me of tortilla chips, actually. I only remember making this comparison in two other cigars – the early releases of the Shaggy by Gurkha, and an Indian Tabac cigar (I don’t remember the exact blend – my memory isn’t what it used to be) from back in the days before Rocky Patel had become a household name in cigars. I haven’t had any of his cigars in a very long time, but I have had a few Shaggies and don’t recall coming across this flavor in them for a few years now. Both of my Humo Jaguars burned at a pretty quick clip, although neither turned harsh nor burned hot. I just noticed they seem to be relatively short smokes, even for a robusto.

Today’s example ashed itself just past the one inch point, and produces an ash with flaky appearance, yet exceedingly rigid. The smoke is somewhat drying to the palate, and had me reaching for the water glass regularly throughout the cigar. I switched to coffee late in the stick, which worked out nicely. It paired well with just plain, black coffee. In the second inch of smoking, the earlier sweetness seemed to take a backseat to a charred flavor. Not charred in the sense of being unpleasant – think of the skin on a roasted marshmallow. The strength also seems to pick up during this time, but in all honestly the cigar never developed the strength that I had expected. It remained in the goldilocks zone for me, never brash but always reminding you it’s there. By the third inch, and into the final stretch, the flavors had subdued considerably. The leather and hay would pop up on occasion, but both the sticks I smoked carried a woodsy profile during this time. There was also a periodic waft of a medicinal flavor that would make its presence known, almost reminiscent of some solvent…but this would dissipate quickly after a puff or two. The sweetness came back into play toward the end, although not to the extent as the early portions of the cigar. The ash seemed to break more unevenly toward the end, but still kept its rigidity throughout. It tended to break off leaving a jagged edge, rather than cleaving along clean lines.

Admittedly, I have not been a huge fan of Honduran tobacco for some time now, tending to smoke more Nicaraguan cigars (and, as always, a goodly portion of my beloved Fuentes from the Dominican). I have enjoyed them quite a bit at different times in the past, and probably will again. While the Humo Jaguar is a good cigar, it isn’t a game changer to me in that respect. I certainly can see the quality of the blend, it just isn’t my “Holy Grail” of flavor profiles. However, if you enjoy Honduran tobaccos, I would not shy away from recommending it to you. The quality of the leaf, as well as the construction and appearance, are superb and certainly worth a try. It is obviously blended and built from good components, and rolled well.

Cigar Review: Oliva Serie V Maduro Toro (2011)

January 16, 2012 By Kip Fisher

Foiled and frustrated by a Jeep that hasn’t wanted to start all weekend, I decided to settle down for a smoke this fine Sunday afternoon. Besides, it’s time for a review and a cigar is just the medicine I need to calm the mind, soothe the spirit, and fire up some problem-solving synapses. This week, let’s take a look at the Oliva Serie V Maduro. I picked up a 10 count box and a half of these back in December, and have smoked 7 of them so far. These cigars have made their annual appearance on retailers’ shelves since 2008, in limited quantities of 30,000-50,000 sticks. They typically sell briskly, but you can still find them even now in mid January (if you want some and have trouble finding them, send me an email at [email protected] and I can line you up with my local B&M, who still has them in stock as of today). They retail in the Tampa area for about $8.50/single or $8/each in boxes of 10. In previous years, they have been blended and rolled as torpedoes, but come in a toro (6X50) for 2011. The wrapper is a San Andres (Mexico) maduro, and both binder and filler is Nicaraguan.

Before first light, today’s cigar reveals an intensely toothy wrapper. It is firm to the touch, with no noticeable soft spots. There are several small tears in the wrapper, although none penetrate the binder. These should not affect the smoking, but it is worth mentioning.

On each of the ones I have had thus far, the first few puffs have provided a good dose of typical Nicaraguan spice. This spice, however, is tamed by a slight sweetness in the background upon retrohale. If you prefer one or the other, you can control the two by metering how much fresh air is drawn in during your puff. If you leave the corners of your mouth open while drawing, you can pull in fresh air with the smoke – the more fresh air, the more prevalent the sweetness in this cigar, and vice versa. More fresh air in the mix will also dilute the drawn smoke and reduce the burn when exhaled through the nose. This cigar also produces a smoke which is quite dry on the palate. The volume of smoke generated is impressive, as well. It will continue to burn and produce a great deal even after being placed in the ashtray for a bit.

In this first inch of smoking, the flavor is akin to cocoa, although with a slight (but pleasant) bitterness – think dark rather than milk chocolate. The ash is mostly white, and yields such fine detail that it still shows the tooth of the wrapper leaf. I’m not one to make claims about any qualities of a cigar based on ash color (I’ll leave that to Sherlock Holmes), but this one is certainly nice to look at. The ash held on to just past an inch before breaking off.

A little further into the smoke, it occurs to me that each example of the 2011 Serie V Maduro I’ve had has tended to burn very slowly, and responds well to a slow cadence when smoking them. I had some burn and draw issues with the 2010 release, but I have to say all the ones from this release have been outstanding. The burn line has been razor-sharp, with very little wandering. I haven’t made so much as a touchup on today’s stick, and don’t remember ever needing a relight on the others from this release. As I’ve mentioned before, having to fidget around and relight a cigar is a serious pet peeve of mine. This one has been absolutely worry-free, as have the others. Over the course of seven sticks, that impresses me considerably. Each of mine from this batch have been impeccably rolled. I’ve had none of the burn issues I remember from last year.

Rounding out the second inch and into the third, the flavors remain very similar to those in the first portion of the cigar. While this has changed little throughout the stick, the flavors are pleasant enough to stand on their own and not become tiresome. Much of the spice has subsided, although that might actually be due to my becoming desensitized to it. It was never overpowering in any event. The dark chocolate and mocha/coffee flavor still remains firmly in the front seat, although more sweet notes begin to make themselves known. At the three-inch point, there is an occasional but distinct hint of molasses as well, although this is fleeting and sporadic. The dryness of the smoke is worth mentioning again, as I am halfway through this cigar and the area around the clipped cap is still almost completely dry. It produces almost no reaction from the salivary glands. I sometimes tend to be a wet smoker, yet even with a glass of water at hand this stick stayed dry.

In the final stretch of smoking, the flavor did become slightly “ashy” for a couple of minutes. I’m glad I stuck with it, though, because that subsided and was replaced by a return of the earlier sweetness. In fact, this was actually one of the more enjoyable portions of this cigar. The burn remained true all the way to the nub, and I never even felt compelled to touch it up.

Overall, the 2011 Oliva Serie V Maduro is a very impressive cigar. The construction and draw are flawless, and the appearance is beautiful. Because of the almost monochromatic flavor profile, I would not likely place this in my day-to-day smoking rotation; however, it is a great stick to keep around for the occasional treat, and well worth putting away a box (or two) for the year ahead. The availability is limited enough that the market will never be flooded, yet obtainable enough to keep you coming back for more. I think it fits well within the niche for which it is made. So, if you have the chance, I definitely recommend putting a few away for a rainy day.

Half Ashed Episode 055 Giveaway….here’s the pic: