Cigar News: Camacho Announces American Barrel Aged

May 4, 2015 By Kip Fisher

The New Camacho American Barrel-Aged

HONORING ONE TRADITION, WHILE BREAKING ANOTHER

This past Thursday, Camacho announced the first release of their new Master Built Series, the Camacho American Barrel Aged. The cigar will feature bourbon barrel-aged Corojo as a core component.

The line is promoted to celebrate “the hardworking grit of Kentucky bourbon makers and the passionate artistry of our master builders. Challenging convention at every turn. Working together to forge an intense smoking experience unlike anything else. A process that begins  with the original Corojo plant, aging its legendary leaves for six years and then locking them in charred Kentucky bourbon barrels.”

The American Barrel Aged will feature a five year old American broadleaf wrapper, which is said to provide oaken flavors and sweet bourbon aromas.

“American Barrel-Aged is something we have been working on for some time and we are very excited to finally share it with aficionados now in the US and across global markets in the near future. This project marks the first time a Camacho core line has been made outside of Honduras and we are extremely proud of what our master builders in the Dominican Republic have brought to life. Barrel aging is a very tedious and hands-on process. We are aging around 2,000 lbs of Corojo filler tobacco and rotating the barrels one leaf at a time every few weeks. Each batch takes a full five months to complete and requires constant attention to ensure the proper journey for this special tobacco,” said Dylan Austin, Director of Marketing for Davidoff of Geneva USA.

Interestingly, the cigar almost entirely utilizes American grown tobacco, including the broadleaf wrapper, binder and filler – including a maduro filler tobacco from Pennsylvania. A single leaf of six year old bourbon barrel aged Corojo was added to the recipe, aiming to amplify the complexity of the blend.”

A full nationwide road tour is in the works, and will kick off with “a week-long extravaganza at Corona Cigar in Orlando starting on June 8th.” Each of the remaining American Barrel Aged launch events will last for three days, and are being limited to a group of twenty five selected retailers. The grand finale will close out the tour at Tampa Humidor in Tampa, FL on December 19th.

The new line will begin shipping nationwide on Monday June 15th, with a suggested retail of $10-$12 per cigar.

Camacho American Barrel Aged Road Tour Dates & Locations

Jun 8 – 13
Corona Cigar Co. (Orlando, FL)

Jun 18 – 20
Prime Cigar (Boca Raton, FL)

Jun 25 – 27
Emerson’s (Virginia Beach, VA)

Jul 1 – 3
Cigar Realm (Ashland, VA)

Jul 9 – 11
Tinderbox Waldorf (Waldorf, MD)

Jul 30 – Aug 1
Humidour Cigar Shoppe (Cockeysville, MD)

Aug 6 – 8
TBD

Aug 13 – 15
Two Guys Smoke Shop (Nashua, NH)

Aug 20 – 22
Cup of Joes (Queensbury, NY)

Aug 27 – 29
TBD

Sept 3 – 5
Blend Bar (Indianapolis, IN)

Sept 9 – 11
Just For Him (Springfield, MO)

Sept 17 – 19
Outlaw Cigar Co (Overland Park, KS)

Sept 23 – 25
Addison Cigar (Addison, TX)

Oct 1 – 3
Club Humidor (San Antonio, TX)

Oct 8 – 10
Heroes & Legacies 9Austin, TX)

Oct 15 – 17
Serious Cigar (Houston, TX)

Oct 22 – 24
Cigar Shop Biloxi (Biloxi, MS)

Oct 29 – 31
Franklin Cigar (Franklin, TN)

Nov 5 – 7
Cigars & More (Birmingham, AL)

Nov 12 – 14
Havana Phil’s (Greensboro, NC)

Nov 19 – 21
Ansteads Tobacco (Fayetteville, NC)

Dec 3 – 5
5 Point Bottle Shop (Athens, GA)

Dec 10 – 12
Smoke Inn (Boynton Beach, FL)

Dec 17 – 19
Tampa Humidor ((Grand Finale) Tampa, FL)

The company also released the following teaser video:

About Camacho Cigars

Camacho is the world’s leading brand of bold cigars, representing the concept of unleashing unmistakable and intense
experiences. Infamous since 1962, the brand has become a sanctuary for the powerful, elemental being who seeks to fill their lives with unapologetic good times. A combination of rich heritage, product excellence and a never surrender attitude has enabled Camacho to grow into an aggressive brand globally recognized as the standard of full-frontal flavor and full-frontal lifestyle.

For more information about Camacho, please visit www.camachocigars.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Half Ashed Episode 110: Unbanded and guest Colin Ganley

April 21, 2015 By Kip Fisher

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Unbanded #022, from SmokinSteve

This week, we’re smoking another Unbanded submission, this time from listener SmokinSteve. Steve was kind enough to send these in for us. Without giving away any spoilers (and this week was a doozy, wrecking our somewhat reliable record with unbanded cigars), Unbanded #022 was 6.75″ x 54, and featured a dark brown, toothy wrapper. Tune in to find out how poorly we did with this one. Also, we have special guest Colin Ganley on to chat some more about his Twin Engine Coffee and Cigar Tourism trips – specifically, about more scheduled trips to Cuba. I know many of you are interested in that. Tune in to get the full scoop on when the next trip will occur….

News

You may remember us reporting on a new Drew Estate production for Pappy van Winkle last November….well, it has finally begun to ship….but with modification. When we originally reported on this cigar, it was to feature an Ecuadoran Habano wrapper and Nicaraguan fillers. NOW we know that the final iteration comes with “a barrel fermented “tapa negra” style wrapper over a Mexican San Andres base wrapper.” If I’m remembering correctly from how it was presented at the 2013 tradeshow, the “tapa negra” style is simply the addition of a different wrapper over the rearward portion of the cigar. Knowing that it also has “Kentucky seed, Kentucky grown tobacco that was fire cured and then barrel fermented,” I’d guess the fire-cured leaf is the applique. The process is a way to use wrapper leaf that may have desirable flavor impact, but undesired burn characteristics. Filler blend is Nicaraguan, and the cigars will be available only through Pappy & Co.. Two vitolas – Robusto (5.25”x52) and Toro (6”x54), which will retail for $13 and $15 respectively. Also, the line was now referred to in the press release as Pappy van Winkle Barrel Fermented Cigars, rather than the Pappy van Winkle Family Reserve noted in the original information.

Gran Habano is expanding the Corojo #5 line…to include a 7×70 “Grandioso.” Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper & binder; Nica // Costa Rican fillers. $8.86 per stick.

The Chattanooga Tweetup has been scheduled for another year. It will be on August 6-8 this year, will reportedly feature a cornhole tournament!?! A full itinerary has yet to be published, but I understand this year’s $75 ticket also gets you a year of CRA membership.

Just as a service to the growing number of folks who are sending in pipe tobacco emails, smokingpipes.com [no affiliation] has a deal on Dunhill pipe tobacco tins until April 30th. Buy any 4+ 50g Dunhill tins and get 25% off!

Despite the past 3 years’ record, Viaje is reverting – at least partially – to a less-than-100% “small batch” production model. They have announced that the Exclusivo line will become regular production, available year-round. The line will feature 3 vitolas stateside (5×52 Robusto, 6×50 Toro, and 5.25×54 Double R), with one other being available in the German market. It is a Raices Cubanas Nicaraguan puro, featuring AGANORSA Criollo 98 wrapper. As a sidenote, there will be another Zombie release from Viaje this year as well. There were no further details on blend changes, etc. – but I did receive an email that one of only two accounts that will receive them will be our friend Kevin Edmiston at Winston’s Humidor in Midlothian, VA.

Cuba has been removed from the State Sponsor of Terrorism list. Obama made mention that he has contacted members of congress to support a bill to repeal the embargo. Just a friendly FYI as to the ongoing story of US/Cuba relations

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Craig

Blind Man’s Puff – #294
H.Upmann Connie A – from Zedman
Pipes! – Margate from 2005 –
An unbanded from Kip himself!

Kip

Fratello corona 5.5×46 – Nicaraguan Habano wrapper, Ecuadorian Sumatra binder, and filler tobaccos from Peru and Nicaragua; fiery spicy beginning, which quickly drops off into a sweeter, more approachable profile. Even flashes of cinnamon in the final third. Delicious..

Southern Draw “Quick Draw” petit corona – PA broadleaf wrapper; unknown internals. Very toasty cigar, with baking spice and occasional cocoa as well. Tune in for Episode 112 when we have owner Robert Holt as our guest.

Drew Estate UF-13 – I think the torcedor was wearing mittens when he/she made this one….

Next Episode

Next episode (111) we will be featuring Crowned Heads JD Howard Reserve Single Action. So come by Half Ashed Friday night at 9:30pm EST and hang out with us in the chatroom during the show. If you would like to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us via the Contact Page or the following emails: [email protected] or [email protected]. Please feel free to drop us a line if you have any questions you’d like answered, comments to make…or even compliments and complaints. We love to get your emails! Also, remember you can always go back and listen to previous episodes, which can be found in the Half Ashed Archive. You can download this week’s audio directly below (right-click “Download” and save), find us on iTunes, or subscribe with any podcast app at our RSS Feed. Video, as always, will be available at the Half Ashed YouTube Channel.

P.S. – If you have unbanded suggestions or contributions, you can get those to us by sending an email to [email protected]. This email address goes directly to my wife, so you can simply suggest an unbanded cigar for her to source, or send me an email [email protected] if you have something you’d like to send in. I will provide an address to send them. Thanks!

Half Ashed Episode 100: 2005 Opus X Double Corona

January 28, 2015 By Kip Fisher

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2005 Opus X Double Corona

Ten years ago, the Fuente Fuente Opus X Double Corona received high honors from Cigar Aficionado in receiving the 2005 “#1 Cigar of the Year” award. The 7 5/8” x 49 Dominican puro is just one vitola in what is one of the most widely-known and sought after regular production Dominican cigars. Tonight’s examples are the last of my stockpile from that year, and I wish I’d had the wherewithal to put more away at the time. It really was a good year. When young, these were full of café con leche and sharp leather, but as the years have gone by they’ve softened quite a bit and gotten more oatmeal-like in character, a profile I love in the Opus after a few years’ time. Strangely enough, this larger vitola comes across with far less strength than I normally attribute to the line, especially in comparison to some of its smaller brethren….which is probably why I like this bigger size despite my general tendencies toward smaller cigars.

Guest and News

We have special guest Colin Ganley in this episode, so rather than cover our typical news format we chatted with him about recent news in his world – which will likely be of interest to those of us who enjoy a good cigar and/or coffee to go with it. Formerly with Cigar Journal, Colin heads up cigartourism.com these days, as well as Twin Engine Coffee (a small batch Nicaraguan coffee whose philosophy is “that it can be enjoyed purely—free of defects, and showcase the differences in character brought by terroir, care for beans, and roasting. We work to develop roasts for each coffee that we produce to accentuate these characteristics“). We talked a good bit about Twin Engine, as I’m keenly interested in their product…as well as that which they are now producing for RoMaCraft Tobac, which is intended to be paired with the Intemperance line. However, the big news of the night is that Colin will be leading his first American group to Cuba under the new guidelines and his recently granted permit for doing so. The initial details can be found at the Cigar Tourism “Cuba” page – but full details, which will be available at experiencecubanculture.com are not yet available (although we did cover many of them during the show).

Wrap Up

Next week we will be featuring Unbanded #020 as our Cigar of the Week. Be sure to tune in Friday night at 9:30pm EST and hang out with us in the chatroom during the show. If you would like to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us via the “Contact Us!” tab at the side of this page, or at the following emails: [email protected] or [email protected]. Please feel free to drop us a line if you have any questions you’d like answered, comments to make…or even compliments and complaints. We love to get your emails! Also, remember you can always go back and listen to previous episodes, which can be found in the Half Ashed Archive. You can download this week’s audio directly below (right-click “Download” and save), find us on iTunes, or subscribe with any podcast app at our RSS Feed. Video, as always, will be available at the Half Ashed YouTube Channel.

P.S. – If you have unbanded suggestions or contributions, you can get those to us by sending an email to [email protected]. This email address goes directly to my wife, so you can simply suggest an unbanded cigar for her to source, or send me an email to [email protected] if you have something you’d like to send in. I will provide an address to send them. Thanks!

Half Ashed Episode 080: Bolivar Belicoso Fino

August 27, 2014 By Kip Fisher

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Good evening and welcome to Episode 080 of Half Ashed, featuring the Bolivar Belicoso Fino as our Cigar of the Week. Through a shipping mishap, I (Kip) was without the featured cigar so I partook of a different bunch….and a pipe. We covered industry news from Crowned Heads, L’Atelier, La Sirena, the Rocky Mtn. Cigar Festival and some legislative news from Chicagoland.

We also had quite a bit to discuss in our “What Have We Been Smoking” segment, what else we’ve been pondering this week, and a viewer email from Officer Paul. Next week, we will be featuring the Joya de Nicaragua Dark Corojo “El Martillo” as our Cigar of the Week, so be sure to check back in Friday night at 9:30pm EST on halfashed.com where you can catch us recording and participate in the chatroom. If you would like to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us through the contact page or at the following emails: [email protected] or [email protected]. Please feel free to drop us a line if you have any questions you’d like answered, comments to make…or even compliments and complaints. We love to get your emails! Also, remember you can always go back and listen to previous episodes, which can be found in the Half Ashed Archive. You can download this week’s audio directly below (right-click “Download” and save), find us on iTunes, or subscribe with any podcast app at our RSS Feed. Video, as always, will be available at the CigFed Half Ashed Video Archive.

P.S. – If you have unbanded suggestions or contributions, you can get those to us by sending an email to [email protected]. This email address goes directly to my wife, so you can simply suggest an unbanded cigar for her to source, or send me an email to [email protected] if you have something you’d like to send in. I will provide an address to send them. Thanks!

Upcoming Events

May 14, 2014 By Kip Fisher

Good day, folks. I’ve received a couple of recent press releases about some upcoming events, and thought I’d share them with everyone in case you’re available and in the area.—-Kip

J•R Cigar’s Smokin’ In The Carolina’s Event. Tickets On Sale Now!

Contact: Beth Stecyna
[email protected]

J•R Cigar, the world’s largest cigar store, announced today that tickets for its annual, highly anticipated, Smokin’ In The Carolinas event are running out. The event will take place on Saturday, June 7th, from Noon to 5PM in Burlington, North Carolina.

There is good reason why cigar enthusiasts from across the country don’t want to miss out on this year’s event. Cigar lovers gain the opportunity to socialize with other cigar smokers and meet and sample the finest premium cigars from their favorite manufacturers; large and boutique premium cigar brands including: Alec Bradley, Ashton, Altadis (makers of Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta), Davidoff, Drew Estate, Fuente, General Cigar (makers of Macanudo and La Gloria), Oliva, Rocky Patel, Nat Sherman, Perdomo and many more.

The price of a $125 ticket is a great value, entitling attendees to:

One BIG bag of cigars and swag, which alone is worth more than the price of admission
Huge Southern BBQ spread (with all the fixins)
Ice-cold beer from Red Oak Brewery (and more)
Cigar-rolling demonstration
Wine tastings (North Carolina’s finest)
Tour of “The World’s Largest Humidor”
Pipe Trunk Show
And more!

Tickets can be purchased by calling JR Cigar @ 1-800-572-4427 or online at: www.jrcigars.com.

Attendees to JR’s Smokin’ In The Carolina’s event must be 21 or older.

ALTADIS USA to host PREMIUM CIGAR lecture & tasting in MIAMI, FL

Don’t miss this chance of a lifetime to learn about growing and curing premium cigar tobacco from 44-year industry expert Larry Palombo, all while enjoying complimentary RyJ by Romeo y Julieta premium cigars.

The event will be held at the upscale Smith & Wollensky in Miami, FL on May 22 from 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm and will include fine spirits and delicious food.

Tickets are $15 for Montecristo Social Club Members and $25 for non-members. All guests must be 21 or older to attend. Space is limited, so purchase your tickets quickly before the event sells out. You can find tickets here: Montecristo Social Club

Guests have the opportunity to meet Larry Palombo, VP of Tobacco Altadis U.S.A., who has travelled the world in search of the best premium cigar tobacco. It’s an excellent opportunity to get a true insider’s look at the industry.

In addition, attendees will enjoy RyJ by Romeo y Julieta cigars. The RyJ is a robust Nicaraguan puro that is intense and strongly spiced. Specially crafted with a Corojo Jalapa wrapper, a double binder of tobaccos from Jalapa and Esteli and a filler blend of vintage 2010 Nicaraguan leaves, the RyJ offers unparalleled aroma, complex flavor and deep, rich nuances.

Montecristo Social Club is one of the largest exclusive online clubs for adult cigar enthusiasts. The social club provides insightful cigar and lifestyle articles, the ability to meet other enthusiasts, and the use of a virtual humidor to track and rate your cigars. It is free to join, and all new members receive a complimentary welcome gift upon verification just for signing up.

Smith & Wollensky
1 Washington Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139

For more information please contact:

Ashley Duff
[email protected]

Episode 025: Casa Magna Domus Magnus Optimus

August 1, 2013 By Kip Fisher

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After a week or so hiatus courtesy of my web hosting provider, I believe the site is returning to normal. I have also posted the first in a series of articles covering some new (and not so new) folks at IPCPR2013 in Las Vegas. ~~You can find that via the menu across the top of the page, or here.~~

Casa Magna Domus Magnus

Since I am currently on the road and having to post this with my phone (more on that below), I’ll limit the written description of the most recent episode of Half Ashed. Our Cigar of the Week was the Casa Magna Domus Magnus Optimus. We covered a few more items from IPCPR 2013, as well as a number of recent industry news stories, what we’ve been smoking, and several listener emails. So, tune in to the show to get all that….and be sure to come back next week!

At the moment, I am in Chattanooga, for CHATWEETUP2013. Three days of cigars, cigar people, and just hanging out. If any of you happen to be here, come find me….I’ll spot you a good cigar! We will be attempting to record some sort of show during the Tweetup – if that doesn’t work out, it might be a little later.

If you would like to contact us, you can reach us through the contact page or at the following email addresses: [email protected] or [email protected]. Please feel free to drop us a line if you have any questions you’d like answered, comments to make…or even compliments and complaints. We love to get your emails! Also, remember you can always go back and listen to previous episodes, which can be found in the Half Ashed Archive. You can download this week’s audio directly below (right-click “Download” and save), or find us on iTunes to subscribe.

P.S. – If you have unbanded suggestions or contributions, you can get those to us by sending an email to [email protected]. This email address goes directly to my wife, so you can simply suggest an unbanded cigar for her to source, or send me an email to [email protected] if you have something you’d like to send in. I will provide an address to send them. Thanks!

AVO The Dominant 13th Limited Edition 2013

March 1, 2013 By Kip Fisher

Pinellas Park, FL – March 1, 2013. The successful AVO brand is launching a musical cigar composition “The Dominant 13th” the new 2013 Limited Edition, which was created by the passionate jazz musician and cigar connoisseur, Avo Uvezian. It has complex and promising characteristics, just like its namesake – the Dominant 13th chord. The innovative, succinct tobacco creation, in the popular and impressive Toro format, gleams in a deep brown wrapper from Ecuador.
This complex and mature cigar composition by Avo Uvezian also provides a musical inspiration. The new AVO Limited Edition 2013 offers aficionados not only a perfectly balanced cigar to enjoy, but also an excellent homage to jazz. The inside cover shows Avo Uvezian’s song, “Delightful Days”, along with a personal dedication:

“My dear friend,
Every month, I visit our tobacco fields and cigar factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic, to get inspiration and blend new cigars. The cigar you are smoking right now was composed on such a trip, resulting in an amazingly complex blend. While smoking this cigar it reminded me of the most famous and complex jazz chord, the famous Dominant 13th. Thus I composed the above song “Delightful Days” to make you experience the Dominant 13th chord while smoking my new anniversary blend.
Truly yours, Avo Uvezian“

Both in music, as well as in the composition of the finest cigars, which Avo Uvezian began in 1987, passion and perfection are the driving forces which inspire him to achieve absolute harmony in all of his symphonies. Like no other, he knows how to reflect a love of music in all the nuances of his cigars, and how to share it with every aficionado. The packaging of the new product captivates with measure and sophistication. The cigar box is innovative in its book-like design, featuring a brown matte exterior characterized by a vintage style leather-look. Inside the cigar box, a USB stick containing a brief movie clip, songs by Avo, the AVO cigar catalog and screen saver ensure the longevity of these unique compositions for Avo Uvezian’s birthday. Production of “The Dominant 13th” Limited Edition 2013 is limited to 9000 boxes worldwide. The Dominant 13th will be launched in the USA on March 28, 2013. In Europe, the launch can vary from country to country, beginning mid-April 2013.

Length 6“
Diameter 52 RG
Format Toro
Wrapper Habano 2000 Ecuador
Binder Yamasá (DR)
Filler Piloto Viso (DR), Habano Viso (DR), San Vicente Ligero (DR),
Corojo/Olor Ligero (DR), Peru Viso

Price $15.00 – (Single cigar) $195.00 – (Wooden box of 13 cigars)

Avo Uvezian will introduce his new cigar in person during his annual AVO Anniversary Tour beginning March 28th. Avo will travel to 7 different locations this year in celebration of his 87th birthday and his newest release, The Dominant 13th.

AVO 2013 ANNIVERSARY TOUR SCHEDULE

Davidoff of Geneva @ The Grand Havana Room, New York, NY March 28, 2013
Corona Cigar Company, Orlando, FL March 30, 2013
Humidor of Westmont, Westmont, IL April 5, 2013
Ambassador Fine Cigars, Scottsdale, AZ April 16, 2013
Club Humidor, San Antonio, TX April 18, 2013
Jenuwine Cigar Factory Outlet, Sterling Heights, MI May 9, 2013
Churchill’s Cigar Bar, West Bloomfield, MI May 10, 2013

Davidoff of Geneva
3001 Gateway Centre Parkway
Pinellas Park, FL 33782
FACEBOOK.COM/AVOCIGAR

WWW.AVO.COM

TWITTER.COM/AVOCIGARS

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.

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

Cigar Week – a Quick Jaunt through Florida

May 19, 2012 By Kip Fisher

NOTE: If you want to skip the narrative and go straight to the pictures, you can find them HERE

This past week, my nephew came down to visit for our 4th annual Cigar Week. Each year, I take a week off work when he comes down from Tennessee, and we putter around the state of Florida visiting a number of cigar shops, manufacturers, or any other events that happen to be going on at the time. This year, we managed to work in a visit to Delray Beach, Miami/Little Havana, Ybor City, and a few places around Tampa. On our way down to Miami, we stopped and spent an evening at Charmed Leaf with Frank and Elissa. This was the third time I’ve had the pleasure of visiting The Charmed Leaf, and I’m totally enamored with the whole operation. The focus of The Charmed Leaf is very much on boutique cigars, of which they have a great selection – including many I don’t typically have access to in the Tampa market. The atmosphere of the place is very lighthearted, friendly, and welcoming. We even got schooled in playing dominoes while we were there on this trip, which was great fun. I got so carried away with the cigars and fun that I managed not to get any pictures while we were there – which will be corrected the next time I’m in the area. With permission, I’d love to feature them in an upcoming series of posts I’m planning to spotlight tobacconists’ I’ve encountered and have a great deal of respect and appreciation for. If you’re ever in the Delray Beach area, the trip won’t be complete without a stop there. I highly recommend them. And, if you’re not in the area, you can always check out their website as well…you just can’t get a domino lesson online [EDIT: This shop has since sold to new ownership.].

The following morning, we continued down the coast to Miami and into Doral to visit the My Father factory, lounge, and distribution/offices. I had contacted them ahead of time, and John Gonzalez was kind enough to give us a short tour of the operation. Much of the space at the new site is dedicated to warehouse and distribution efforts, but they have a lounge and a working factory as well. The lounge stocks My Father products, and is quite comfortable and very nicely furnished. There were 8-10 torcedores at work while we were there, busily rolling cigars, and several folks working in packaging/shipping/receiving. Much of their product is now manufactured in Nicaragua, but the Miami factory still produces a few cigar lines, some of which I find quite tasty.

From My Father, we headed over to Calle Ocho for a quick run through Little Havana. We passed through/by/in/around a number of shops and factories, but the highlight of the visit was a stop at La Tradicion Cubana. Frank Herrera had recommended we visit LTC, and it proved to be a wonderful experience. We hung out there with Luis Sanchez, the proprietor, for a couple of hours just smoking cigars and chatting. This was the first time I had the chance to spend any time with Luis, and I found him to be a very cordial, welcoming facet of Little Havana. I highly recommend a stop if you’re ever in Miami. It’s definitely worthwhile – both for the conversation and the cigars. I smoked one of his LTC “Palmitas” while there, and it was spectacular. Since the visit, I have enjoyed the Jameson cigars he makes for Brad Mayo as well. I foresee me stocking a few of these makes in my regular rotation for sure. Luis is responsible for his own brand (La Tradicion Cubana & Sabor Cubano), as well as Jameson Cigars (including the Red Label, Black, the Southbound Series, and Santos de Miami), Casa Gomez, and La Caridad del Cobre. We spent most of the afternoon on Calle Ocho, then headed back to points northward.

On Thursday, we had a scheduled tour of the JC Newman factory in Tampa. When we arrived at our appointed time, we were pleasantly surprised to learn that Eric Newman himself was in town and would give us the grand tour. Most of the work going on here is in machine rolled cigars and distribution. The building has been renovated in recent years, and is a spectacular sight. It has been restored to its past glory, and is such a fun way to spend the morning. The equipment is impressive as well…each of the rolling machines is capable of producing up to 5,000 cigars per day, and has several thousand moving parts. But, the highlight of this tour was having Eric give it. The family stories and proud history of the Newman family’s 117 years in the industry were fascinating. Eric gave us the entire history of the Newman family’s involvement in the cigar industry…from it’s beginnings in late 19th century Ohio, through the Tampa years, the partnership with the Fuentes, and into current times with the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation and opening of their new Nicaraguan factory. It’s a wonderful story and if you ever have the chance you should visit – even if not for a tour, they maintain a small museum on the first floor of the tower detailing this history.

We finished out the week with some local stops around Tampa – Ybor City, fishing at the Skyway, and some stops at various brick & mortar cigar shops. We visited Tampa Humidor, The Cigar Castle, and Clearwater Cigar Company. Tampa Humidor is my local “go-to” shop. The majority of my cigar buying is from them. I had been to Cigar Castle a couple of years ago, but not recently as it’s a bit out of my normal driving patterns. They have a very nice lounge, and great selection of cigars. Atul was incredibly friendly and helpful as well. Definitely worth a stop when in Tampa. The other tobacconist that we tried for the first time was Clearwater Cigar Company. They are near the St. Petersburg airport, from whence my nephew was departing. John Fought, one of our previous giveaway winners, recommended this stop because of its proximity to the airport, and it is one of his hangouts as well. So, we met John in person for the first time here. This is a newer shop (less than 2 years), run by Leglio Sotolongo. I’m not commonly in that part of town, so I had never made it over that way. As has become a pattern in the cigar industry, we encountered nothing but a friendly atmosphere here. Leglio is a very upbeat, positive, laidback kind of guy. A perfect fit for the tobacconist trade. He helped us out in picking some cigars we had not tried before based on what we typically like to smoke, and together with John provided an entertaining afternoon while we waited to head over to the airport. Some or all of these locations will likely be featured in the upcoming spotlight series as well. Thus ended this year’s Cigar Week. If you all ever make your way to Florida, I don’t think you can go wrong at any of the sites we hit this week. Also, if you’re in Florida and have a favorite spot let me know. I travel most of this state, and I’m always in the market for meeting new folks in the field…and I spend a lot of time in cigar shop lounges…

Pictures from 2012 Cigar Week