Half Ashed

Cigar Podcast and Cigar Reviews

Here at Half Ashed, we strive to be a leading provider of industry coverage for the premium cigar industry. We do this through both written editorial commentary, cigar news and reviews – and, of course, a weekly cigar podcast / live internet radio show. Both written content and the broadcast show cover the latest news, industry happenings, and legislative concerns within the world of premium cigars. We welcome you to browse around the site, join us in the forum – and by all means come by and join us during scheduled recordings every Friday night. We provide a live video stream and chatroom so you can participate with the show. Come on in!

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Cigar News: Toraño Announces "Captiva"

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Torano make time to burn

TORAÑO FAMILY CIGAR CO. TO UNVEIL “THE CHARLIE TORAÑO CAPTIVA” AT THE 2014 IPCPR

 Toraño Family Cigar Company has announced that for the first time, Charlie Toraño will unveil a cigar under his own name: the Charlie Toraño Captiva.  Charlie is the fourth generation of the Toraño family to carry the tobacco industry torch.  In his years working alongside his father Carlos, as well as since, he has created cigar brands under the family name as well as countless marques for other major distributors.  He has been president of the company for more than ten years, and felt it was “time to create a cigar under his own name which represents his personal tastes and pastimes.”

“Captiva, which is a very small island off the coast of Southwest Florida, is my favorite place in the entire world,” said Charlie Toraño. Every year I plan a summer family trip there which serves as my get-away from the everyday. It takes me back to the true essence of cigars. I am able to smoke and simply relax as I feel the pressures of life dissipate with every puff. I am able to reflect, count my blessings, and recharge my batteries. The Captiva cigar is a very elegant and flavorful cigar which represents the slow rhythms of the Island.”

 The Captiva will feature an oily Ecuadoran wrapper over Nicaraguan fillers that have been specially aged and selected by Charlie.  It is presented as medium to full bodied, with notes of coffee, chocolate, and sweet peppery spice.  The line will carry a suggested retail pricepoint between $7.95 and $8.95, and be available in four different vitolas:

Robusto (5″ x 52)
Toro (6″ x 50)
Churchill (7″ x 47)
BFC (6″ x 60)

About Toraño Family Cigar Company

A leader in the cigar industry, Toraño Family Cigar Company is a four generation company currently based in Miami, FL. It enjoys a rich heritage and history in tobacco growing and manufacturing. For more information: www.torano.com. Please also follow Toraño on Face book: Toraño A family Cigar Company or on Twitter: @TORANOFAMCIGARS.

Nomad Connecticut Fuerte line extended

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Nomad Connecticut Fuerte Belicoso Coming

Nomad Cigar CompanyNomad Connecticut Fuerte has announced the addition of a Belicoso to its popular Connecticut collection.  The Dominican-made Nomad Connecticut Fuerte line launched in March 2014, and has been previously available in four sizes (Corona 5.5″x44, Toro 6″x52, Robusto Gordo 5.5″x54, and Robusto 5″x50).  Founder Fred Rewey added the 6.25″x54 Belicoso after some experimentation with various sizes.

“I think every manufacturer sometimes has a host of other sizes for personal use or for friends that request them. Frankly, the Belicoso was just fun. It was one of those sizes in the Connecticut line that I found myself smoking a bit more often. No sense keeping them all for myself.  The industry reviews on the Connecticut Fuerte line have been very positive and I look forward to adding to the family,” Rewey added.

The release comes just two weeks ahead of Nomad’s release of a new line of Nicaraguan cigars:  The C-276. The C-276 will feature five filler leaves with two being ligero.

About Nomad Cigars

Nomad Cigar Company launched in 2012 with four sizes of classic hand rolled Dominican cigars and quickly grew the [DR] line to seven sizes. In January 2013 founder Fred Rewey ventured to Nicaragua; blending and creating the Estelí Lot 1386 and the S-307. In 2014 Nomad released the Connecticut Fuerte and will be releasing the C-276 at the 2014 IPCPR show.

Contact:

Fred “Godfadr” Rewey, Nomad Cigar Company
Twitter: @Godfadr

Cigar News: Córdoba & Morales to extend Clave Cubana

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Córdoba & Morales to Introduce Clave Cubana Etiqueta Blanca at this Year’s IPCPR

 

Clave-Cubana-Etiqueta-Blanca1Florida based Córdoba & Morales Cigars will add to the existing Clave Cubana line this summer, with the addition of the limited production Etiqueta Blanca.  Total production for this cigar will only be 1,000 boxes of 20 cigars.  The Etiqueta Blanca will feature a 5-year-old
San Andrés Maduro wrapper, Jalapa binder and a filler blend from Esteli, Ometepe and Jalapa.  According to company co-founder Azarias “Z” Mustafa Córdoba, the second addition to the line has been in the works for quite some time.

“We’ve wanted to work with the aged San Andrés Maduro wrapper since we opened our company, however, it’s in short supply.  As soon as we got our hands on it, we painstakingly created the perfect blend of tobaccos to complement and honor this much-sought after wrapper, which we’ve accomplished with the Etiqueta Blanca,” Mustafa Córdoba said.

The line will be available for order at the 82nd Annual IPCPR Convention & International Trade Show, and is expected to ship around August 1st, 2014.  It comes in three vitolas: Robusto Extra (5 ½” by 52, MSRP $9.80), Toro (6” x 54, $10.50) and a Toro Gordo (6” x 60, $11.20).  The company will offer retailers special promotions on their existing lines during the show, and invites all attending retailers to stop by their booth (Hall C, booth #4530) to learn more about their entire lineup.

About Córdoba & Morales

Established in 2011, Córdoba & Morales is a family owned boutique cigar company that produces 100% hand-rolled cigars in Estelí, Nicaragua. During this year’s 82nd Annual IPCPR Convention & International Trade Show, the company will release its much-anticipated Clave Cubana Etiqueta Blanca, expanding on their current line of popular cigars, including the Front 9, the 19th Hole, Family Reserve, Puro Pinar and Clave Cubana. For more information, please visit www.cnmcigars.com.

Cigar News: RoMaCraft to Distribute Tierra Volcán

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Canadian based Tierra Volcán announces distribution agreement with Roma Craft

tierra-volcan-singlesAs reported in a few other sources around the web and discussed  on the most recent episode of Half Ashed, Toronto-based Mombacho Cigars S.A. has announced an exclusive U.S. distribution agreement with RoMa Craft Tobac LLC.  I have since received the full press, and thought I would publish the additional information here.

The two companies, “after a few years of sharing best practices and developing personal friendships….discovered a significant amount of alignment existed in their mission and values.”  Both, unlike many similarly sized peers, own and operate their own factories in Nicaragua.  Each bears “a strong commitment to the communities in which they operate….[and] has demonstrated a strong focus on product quality and a dedication to a high level of craftsmanship.”  As the friendship between the companies’ principals has developed, an understanding of small business limitations and a unique mix of complementary strengths and weaknesses was revealed.

“Our vision is to provide the world’s most memorable cigar experience for consumers,” says Markus Raty, President of Mombacho S.A. “RoMa Craft’s supply chain and logistics expertise, combined with their technical execution has consistently resulted in efficiently delivering a high level of service to retailers. We believe both are key components in the realization of this vision.”

Mombacho S.A. recently announced the launch of its Tierra Volcán line in the U.S.  With another entity currently holding the US trademark for the name, the degree to which the line will carry the “Mombacho” moniker is yet to be seen.  The company has an established sales and marketing team in the luxury consumer goods industry; the partnership adds RoMa Craft’s logistics, fulfillment, and administrative support.

 “We are very excited to build on the collaborative relationship we have developed over the past few years with Mombacho,” says Skip Martin, of RoMa Craft Tobac. “Leveraging our operational proficiency with their own expertise in blending, manufacturing, brand management and sales, positions Tierra Volcán for success in an extremely competitive market.”

Both companies will be co-exhibiting in booths 4425-4426 at the 2014 IPCPR tradeshow in Las Vegas, NV.

 

About Mombacho S.A.

Mombacho Cigars S.A. was founded in 2006 to provide premium handmade cigars through memorable experiences in select markets In Canada and around the world, including China, where it primarily serves the Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou markets. Mombacho produces all of its products at its boutique factory, Casa Mombacho, in Granada, Nicaragua, where over 20 members of the Mombacho Family work.

Twitter: Mombacho Cigars

About Roma Craft Tobac

RoMa Craft Tobac, LLC is a premium cigar company founded in 2012 by Michael Rosales and Skip Martin. RoMa Craft Tobac imports, markets, and distributes hand-crafted cigars through a network of select retail tobacconists in the United States. RoMa Craft Tobac’s brand portfolio consists of the CroMagnon, CroMagnon Aquitaine, Intemperance, Neanderthal and Craft brands. The entire RoMa Craft portfolio is produced by Fabrica de Tabacos (Nica Sueño S.A.), established by Martin and Esteban Elias Disla Siri in 2013.

Twitter: RoMa Craft

Ashton Symmetry Announced

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 Ashton Symmetry to be released Fall 2014

Ashton Symmetry

Earlier today, the Ashton Symmetry was announced through social media outlets as the latest addition to the company’s existing lineup.  The Symmetry will be the first new cigar line to carry the Ashton brand name in nearly ten years.  The cigar will be produced by Arturo Fuente (Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia) in the Dominican Republic, as are many existing Ashton marques including the Classic, Aged Maduro, Cabinet, Heritage Puro Sol, VSG, and ESG.  Symmetry was blended by Carlito Fuente, and will feature “Habano wrappers grown in the cloud-covered fields of Ecuador.”  Internally, the blend will feature Dominican tobaccos from Chateau de la Fuente and Villa González, as well as “some rare leaves from the Fuente family’s Un Buen Vecino farm, located in Estelí, Nicaragua.”  The line has been under development for four years, and “offers a wonderful creamy richness garnished with notes of spice, oak and toasted nuts.”  The line is described as medium to full bodied, and will be offered in five vitolas.  Shipping is set to begin this Fall, following the IPCPR tradeshow.

The Ashton Symmetry was featured in Episode 115 of Half Ashed

Ashton WebsiteAshton Facebook
Ashton Twitter

 

Cigar News: La Aurora "Untamed"

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Untamed by La Aurora to be showcased at IPCPR 2014

La Aurora issues warning, the Lion has gone rogue!

la aurora untamed

I received news yesterday of yet another IPCPR 2014 introduction, this time from La Aurora Cigars.  They will be releasing their latest offering, La Aurora Untamed, at the tradeshow in a couple of weeks.  Master blender Manuel Inoa and team are eager to [Read more…]

Cigar News: Roberto P. Duran coming this Summer

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ROBERTO DURAN PREMIUM CIGARS TO INTRODUCE THE ROBERTO P. DURAN AT IPCPR 2014

roberto duran logo(Miami, Florida) June 30, 2014— After a successful 2013 launch of the Azan Line, Roberto Duran Premium Cigars is ready to come into IPCPR 2014 with a new super-premium blend: The Roberto P. Duran.

Roberto Pelayo Duran introduced the Azan line at the 2013 IPCPR, which included the Burgundy, Premium White, and Maduro Natural. That line is now available
nationwide in over 200 cigar shops. This year he will introduce a new blend under the Roberto P. Duran Premium Cigars umbrella.

Per the release, “the Roberto P. Duran Cigar is a super-premium cigar which pays homage to his family and his family’s city of origin in Cuba.”

Duran said: “The Duran last name is from my Mother’s side. It was my Grandfather on my maternal side which introduced me to the joys of tobacco. He lived to be 99 years old and smoked on average about 8 cigars a day. I owe my livelihood to him. I wish to honor his memory with a cigar which bares his last name and honor the city of his birth, Baracoa.”

The new line is purportedly a progressive medium to strong cigar, estimated to be 20% stronger than the Azan brand.  The binder and filler are predominantly Nicaraguan, with an added leaf from Latin America in the filler. This leaf was not further specified as to its origin.  The wrapper, an Ecuadoran Habana Criollo, was grown in Duran’s plantation and is “very silky and with a light brown Colorado color.”

The Roberto P. Duran comes in four sizes:

  • The Rio Toa (5 X52).  Represents biggest river in Cuba. It is very significant to the eco-system and it is at the heart of Baracoa.
  • La Punta (A torpedo 6X54) the name appeals to a Torpedo.  The fort of “La Punta” built in 1802 is one of the symbols of Baracoa.
  • Tainos (6×56) is an ode to the Tainos, which were the natives of Baracoa before the arrival of Colon.
  • Cacique Guama (6×60) who was a Tainos Chief from Baracoa and great fighter against the Spanish occupation of their land.

Duran goes on to say: “The Roberto P. Duran Cigar Brand has been a long time in the making. We used the absolute best tobacco available and we delayed the release of this cigar as we wanted to make absolutely sure that it was the best expression of a super-premium cigar.”

About Roberto P. Duran

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

For more information about Roberto P. Duran Premium Cigars, please visit www.Robertodurancigars.co.

Cigar News: Arandoza Red Label

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arandoza logo

Arandoza has formally announced the launch for their next line – the Arandoza Red Label – at this year’s IPCPR tradeshow.  The company has been in the marketplace since 2011 with their Blue Label, with the White being added at last year’s show.  All three lines are manufactured at Erik Espinosa’s La Zona factory, in Esteli Nicaragua.  Per information received from Arandoz, “the “Red” label commemorates and praises the nation’s heritage following on its footsteps of Independence Day celebrating the history, commitment and traditions of the Arandoza Family.  This new label is a full flavored full bodied cigar that will delight the seasoned aficionado.”

The Red Label is presented as a full flavored, full bodied cigar that aims to “delight the seasoned aficionado.”  The blend is comprised of Nicaraguan binder and filler, and is wrapped in San Andres Mexican wrapper leaf.  It will have an MSRP range of $7.25 – $8.50, and come in the following vitolas:

  • Toro (6″ X 52)
  • Church (7″ X 49)
  • “60” (5″ X 60)

Company website:  Arandoza Cigars

arandoza red

 

Cigar News: Draig Cayuquero Lancero

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Draig Cayuquero Lancero to ship tomorrow

Cayuquero lanceroJune 24, 2014 – Earlier today, Gary Griffith of Emilio Cigars announced that the limited edition Emilio Cigars Draig Cayuquero lanceros will begin shipping on June 25, in honor of his 60th birthday.
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The Cayuquero line is produced for Emilio by Noel Rojas’ Guayacan Cigars in Nicaragua, and features a Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper, and Nicaraguan filler comprised of leaf from both Jalapa and Esteli.  The original lineup was limited to four vitolas (Robusto (5×50), Toro (6×50), Torpedo (6×50), and Corona (5.5×42)), and only 1600 boxes, and the new lancero will be limited to 100 boxes of 10 (total production 1,000 cigars).  According to Griffith this will be the only time the Cayuquero is produced in the lancero size.

The Draig series of cigars honors Griffith’s Welsh heritage, and each Draig blend is entirely different.

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The previous Draig release, the Draig “K” was featured in a Cigar Spotlight here on The Cigarmy back in October, 2012.
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[Editor’s Note:  I have had the pleasure of enjoying a couple of the initial Draig Cayuquero toros, and very much look forward to trying to get my hands on a few of these.  Of course, I’m an absolute sucker for lanceros these days, and a big fan of Guayacan in general….]