Dominican Republic | Half Ashed

Half Ashed Episode 138: Hirochi Robaina HR Habano

March 20, 2016 By Kip Fisher

Hirochi Robaina HR Habano

From Craig: This stunning Hermoso #4 is a sight to behold. It’s Ecuadorian colorado maduro wrapper sits over all Nicaraguan innards. The first cigar from the Robaina family released outside of cuba, this cigar was originally released and made in a partnership with Cubanacan. Throughout the much covered turmoil that emerged prior to IPCPR 2015 the HR line of cigars was in limbo. The public wasn’t aware of whether the cigar would continue to be made. Questions about its ownership, manufacture & distribution all existed. Thankfully, just this past month the last of the questions was answered and the HR cigars will continue to be manufactured at their original factory, and will still be owned by Hirochi Robaina.

Cigar News

Boutiques United (formerly House of Emilio) picks up a new distribution agreement in Black Label Trading Co. I’m not terribly familiar with BLTC, although I remember being given some samples with the name before the company says it was founded on their website. I wasn’t a huge fan of those, but I understand a great deal of “rebooting” took place before they launched their initial line “officially”. They now have their own factory in Estelí….which, as Cigar Coop pointed out, differentiates them from the rest of BU’s current lineup. It’s probably worth my checking into them some time soon…

262 Cigars launched a campaign dubbed “The Internship” to allow consumers to select a 2017 line. It’s an interesting approach, and the cynic in me thinks it’s probably not a bad way to market some cigars :). They will sell 5-packs of four different blends over this year, with buyers having the ability to take notes and rate them online…the winning blend will become a full-production offering in 2017. The four test blends will be: The Search, The Resume, The Interview, and The Offer. The Search is already available at 262cigars.com, and is available in a corona, robusto and toro.

We mentioned this a couple months ago, but haven’t talked much more about La Galera from Jochy Blanco/Tabacalera Palma. I’ve had the chance to smoke a few of them recently, and found them rather enjoyable. The Habano version (Ec Habano over DR corojo binder & DR piloto Cubano//DR criollo ‘98//DR pelo oro filler) comes in a number of sizes (5”x50, 6”x54, 6.5”x52, and 6.25”x60) and retails for $7-8. The Connecticut version (EC CT wrapper over same internal blend), comes in 5.125”x50, 6”x54, 6.125”x52, 5.25”x60, and 7.25”x50 and retails slightly lower, ranging from about $5-6. There are a couple other sizes available in the European market (and the DR…I’ve been digging the lancero myself). I wouldn’t hesitate to personally recommend giving these a try. They’re a very good deal at the pricepoint. I tend to prefer the habano-wrapped version, but both and worth investigating.

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Craig

La Pipa!

Kip

La Galera – habano & CT

The PrimerAño from Chogüí came in went here in the DR…and I missed the boat. Almost.

Padilla Artemis

Next Episode

Next episode (139), we will be smoking Unbanded #026, from Kevin Hasselwander. So come by Friday night 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.

Punch Rare Corojo Returns for 2016

February 17, 2016 By Kip Fisher

2016 Punch Rare Corojo with New Frontmark

General Cigar has announced that the annual return of the Punch Rare Corojo has begun. A new limited frontmark will be added to the lineup, while one of the former sizes is being retired.

This year, an addition comes to the line in the form of the Regalias Perfecto, a 7.25” x 54 perfecto, exclusively available as part of a trade offer. The Regalias Perfecto will come in 10-count wooden boxes and carries a suggested retail price of $7.99 per cigar.

The existing 6.75″ x 48 Double Corona will be retired after this year’s production allotment has been exhausted.

The Rare Corojo line is rolled in Honduras and features an Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper. This wrapper leaf is grown in limited quantity, and are attributed with giving the Punch Rare Corojo its uniquely smooth taste. The binder is Connecticut Broadleaf, and the filler blend features Nicaraguan, Honduran and Dominican tobacco.

Ed McKenna, senior brand manager for General Cigar’s Punch brand said, “The trend of seasonal cigars started with Punch Rare Corojo, and each year, cigar lovers eagerly anticipate the return of this exceptional blend. Given the range of frontmarks and the addition of Regalias Perfecto to this year’s lineup, we are confident that the limited supply of Punch Rare Corojo will be depleted quickly.”

From General Cigar:

Reintroduced in 2001 after a shortage of wrapper leaves caused the product to disappear at retail for several years, Punch Rare Corojo sold out as quickly as it returned that year. Since then, General Cigar has been able to secure a sufficient amount of the rare Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper for a limited annual release of Punch Rare Corojo. This year’s allotment is available in nine sizes, ranging in SRP from $4.19 to $8.29 per cigar.

Half Ashed Episode 135: Chogüí Dos77 Rogusto

February 12, 2016 By Kip Fisher

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Chogüí Dos77 Rogusto

Tonight, we’re smoking the Chogüí Dos77 Rogusto (robusto+gusto, 5″ x 52). It carries a “Havana seed” Dominican wrapper over Dominican Criollo ’98 binder and Habana 2020/DR Corojo filler. An initial limited shipment has made its way to the US, although it was originally only available in the Dominican Republic. Stateside, they retail around the $9 mark, and are available in Santiago for the equivalent of roughly $6. I also recently reviewed the Dos77’s successor in the Chogüí PrimerAño.

Cigar News

Tatuaje is bringing a new La Verite to market – a 2013 vintage. There will be two vitolas, a 7”x47 (MSRP $20; total production just under 22k) and 5”x50 (MSRP $16; production a little over 24k).

Davidoff Tampa is finally opening….We originally talked about it months ago, and I believe the store was originally slated to open in October – but it was delayed until now. The cigar retail portion of the 5,000 sq. ft. store is operating 9-9 for the time being, but once the bar area opens they’ll run until midnight weeknights and 2am on weekends. The Tampa store is the 5th new storefront for Davidoff in the past year. For those interested, the exclusive for this store is a 6”x52 belicoso.

John Gonzalez, formerly of Kuuts and My Father, has been appointed as VP of Sales for Gran Habano. I met John when he gave me a quick tour through the My Father facility in Doral (Miami), and he was a supremely friendly and hospitable gent – and also very knowledgeable of the industry as a whole. I just wanted to congratulate and wish him well with GH.

Immediately following last week’s departure from Cubanacan, Nate McIntyre has begun a new position with Miami Cigars – handling the SouthEast territory.

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Craig

The Great Wrapper Experiment!

Mike Stewart “Roadies”!

Kip

Casa Fernandez AGANORSA Leaf….Craig is wrong on this one :)

Next Episode

In the next episode (136), we will be smoking the Partagas Maduro #1. So come by Friday night 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.

Sosa celebrates, revives Santa Julia brand

December 16, 2015 By Kip Fisher

Farm workers, some actual Sosa family members, having cafe at the Sosa “Santa Julia” tobacco farm in Cuba.

SANTA JULIA MAKES A COMEBACK

As part of the continuing celebration of 50 years making cigars, Sosa Cigars (Antillian Cigar Corporation) has announced the revival of the Santa Julia brand. The company has previously brought back other older brands from their portfolio with the re-introduction of Imperio Cubano Miami and Macabi USA.

The name “Santa Julia” is taken from the Sosa family farm in Taguasco, Cuba. Don Juan Sosa and son Arturo bought the farm, which spanned more than 900 acres of land, in the 1920’s. They produced sun grown leaf used as binder and filler components. Sosa family members and local tobacco workers maintained the land until it was lost to the Cuban government during the revolution.

Arby Sosa wanted to bring back the brand to celebrate the Sosa family’s’ longevity and consistency in the industry. Interestingly, the line is being made at La Vega Cubana in Clearwater, Florida. The wrapper is Ecuador Habano Oscuro, the binder Honduran and the filler blend is comprised of Dominican and Nicaraguan (Condega) tobacco. Only two vitolas will be produced – a Torpedo (6.5″ x 52) and Toro (6″ x 50). Production is capped at 20,000 total cigars. The first release will come in January 2016, with the remainder being released throughout the rest of the year. MSRP has been set at $9.90 for the Torpedo and $9.60 for the Toro.

About Antillian Cigar Corp:

Antillian Cigar Corporation is the manufacturer of the popular brands of Sosa Classic, 60 by Sosa, Imperio Cubano and Macabi. The Sosa family has been in the cigar business for 4 generations, more than 70 years. The Sosa cigar tradition began at the turn of the 19th century with Don Juan Sosa, a small tobacco grower in the fertile Taguasco region of Cuba. By the 1920’s, that farm was one of the largest tobacco-producing haciendas in Cuba. Over the next 30 years, Don Juan’s son, Arturo, and grandson, Juan, continued growing and selling their tobacco. Exiled from their homeland in Cuba in 1962, the Sosa family opened their first U.S. store in 1964 in Miami, FL. The Sosa’s currently have 2 stores in Florida, including the shop in Downtown Disney. They have their line of cigars in 300 stores across the country. Today, the legacy of quality, handmade cigars made in the Cuban tradition continues with master blender, Juan B. Sosa, alongside his wife, sons and nephews.

Half Ashed Episode 130: EP Carrillo Short Run 2015

December 7, 2015 By Kip Fisher

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EP Carrillo Short Run 2015

The 6th in the series, this year’s EP Carrillo Short Run comes with a Nicaraguan (Jalapa) Criollo ’98 wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and Nicaraguan/Dominican filler components. It is available in 3 vitolas – the Napoleon (5″ x 50), Imperios (6″ x 60), and tonight’s featured cigar, the Vencedor (6″ x 52). Depending on size, the MSRP runs from $6.75-8.75 for the line, and production was capped around 1,500 boxes of 24 for each vitola. I enjoyed these when they first hit the shelves in March/April 2015, and thought them worthy of a spot as a featured Cigar of the Week. Tune in to see how it went!

Cigar News

Ernesto Perez Carrillo is releasing some of his personal blends to the marketplace. The line, called “Ernesto’s Humidor” will initially be comprised of three blends – with CT, Sumatran, and CT Broadleaf wrappers. Ten each of the three blends will be packaged in a humidor, with the total package retailing for $395. Only about 500 humidors will be produced.

Continuing with our year-long pattern of these PSA’s, the November box of Quesada España Petit Belicosos is going to McCoy’s Fine Cigars in Houston, TX.

As we’ve mentioned over the past few weeks, we have more news from Chogui. First, the PrimerAño is nearing commercial availability, although it will only be a Dominican release. I had the chance to smoke & review these, which you can find on Half Ashed. Also, the initial shipment of the company’s core Dos77 line has reached American shores. Owner Victor Nicolas is in New York for a launch event….look for them on shelves. I’ll vouch for them….. The Dos77 is 5×52, and is a Dominican puro with a criollo 98 binder and Habano 20/20 & corojo filler. Wrapper details are a bit fuzzy, with its only description being “havana-seed Dominican grown.”

The 2015 Mason-Dixon Project from Crowned Heads is here. This year, the line continues to be produced by My Father in Estelí, with the “North” featuring an Ecuadoran Habano wrapper over Nicaraguan binder/filler. The “South,” however, has a CT broadleaf wrapper over Nicaraguan fillers/binder. There are about 1500 boxes of 20 for each 6×52 offering, and will be available regionally based on their names. Last year, retailers were known to do some trading across the border if you’d like to give both a try….

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Craig

Cohiba 30th Anniversary Dalia (Jar)– Next year is the 50th anniversary of the Cohiba line. This cigar was released to celebrate the 30th. If I didn’t know for sure it was 20 years old, I would never have thought it was. This cigar had more “ability” than any I’ve ever smoked. It was full of beautiful cohiba grassy flavors and an unbelievable, rich dark depth that bordered on earthiness. That is a new flavor experienced in pre-Medio Tiempo releases. Splendid

Pre Revolution Don Alfredo 53 – I purchased 4 of these cigars for an unbelievable price years ago. They were opened as a box split from a well known, and well trusted collector. The cigar had body that was unquestionable and flavors that were reminiscent of well mingled Partagas of days past. It had strength & complexity that was fulfilling beyond my wildest dreams. It was not perfect. It was forever memorable.

Kip

Cigars from the Campo….tune in for my adventures in the campo…

Next Episode

In the next episode (131), we will be smoking the Bolivar Libertadores RE Francia. So come by Friday night 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.

Half Ashed Episode 121: Las Cumbres Señorial

August 20, 2015 By Kip Fisher

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Las Cumbres Señorial

Manufactured for José Blanco at Tabacalera La Palma by Jochi Blanco, the Señorial is the first line of cigars to be released by Blanco under his company, Las Cumbres Tabaco. Tonight’s vitola is the Paco Robusto, measuring 5-¼” X 52. It has an Ecuadoran Habano wrapper over an Estelian Binder and Dominican Piloto Cubano & Corojo filler leaves. The cigar comes across with mostly “hard” flavors of wood, slight earth, a spicy sweetness (more akin to hot cinnamon spice than baking) and a minimally salty flavor at the finish. Other available vitolas include:

Corona Gorda No.5 (5-1/2″ X 46)
Toro Bravo (6″ X 54)
Le Grand (6″ X 60)
Belicoso No.2 (6-1/4″ X 52)

Cigar News

Chogui, a brand mentioned by Skip Martin as a favored new cigar when he visited the Dominican Republic, has released a new line – the Dos77. There’s a story behind that name of the 277th (of 300) box of the company’s original line being lost in transit to Santo Domingo. The company is not distributed outside the Dominican Republic, but I’m working on tracking down a few to possibly get into the rotation. They’re produced in Tamboril, which is only a few miles from my house…. the Dos77 is produced in a single 5×52 vitola called a rogusto (robusto / gusto), and features a Dominican wrapper over a criollo 98 binder and corojo fillers (DR puro). $7 apiece in boxes of 16; initial run of 300 boxes, with upwards of 25k more on the way

General announced during IPCPR that there will be a forthcoming Margaritaville brand from CAO. They will produce a piña colada flavored offering called Margaritaville (cameroon over DR/DR) and a non-flavored, traditional cigar called Havana Daydreamin’ (Ecuadoran Connecticut over Nicaraguan fillers). Pricing across the lines will run from $5-7.

Glory be! illusione will be releasing a 7×40 lancero in the Fume D’Amour line. This line is still probably my very favorite cigar from the past 12 months. I’m fresh out, but still deeply in love with ‘em. It, like its other Fd’A brethren, will be a Nicaraguan puro produced via Casa Fernandez. No MSRP as of yet…

In an interesting move, Eddie Ortega will be taking over the sales department for Quality Importers per a story by Cigar Coop. Quality Importers is primarily a distribution company in S. FL, and will also take over distribution for Ortega Cigars. I’m anxious to see how this shakes out. Things have been fairly quiet in the Ortega camp for quite some time…although Eddie has revamped his website to reflect the integration with QI, stating that “Ortega Is Now Part Of Quality Importers Family Of Brands.” Not sure what this means in terms of ownership, etc. Time will tell…

In local news, InTabaco (the Dominican tobacco authorities) burned up 2221 boxes of fake cigars collected from tourist areas throughout the country. This was apparently a “crackdown,” but less than a week later I witnessed fakes being sold up and down the beaches on the northern coast….

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Craig

Kelner – Yum
PSD4 – Amazing
Casa Magna – Domus Magnus – Holy sh*t

Kip

In recent days, I have slipped into a routine of smoking those cigars with which I moved to the DR in large supply. There are a handful of brands in that number, but the two I have been reaching for of late are Sam Leccia’s Luchador and My Father’s Flor de las Antillas. I love these two blends, but have to admit it’s time to acclimate a bit more and re-widen my horizons. In fact, as much as I love Nicaraguan tobacco, I suddenly have a much higher interest in Dominican offerings. I think it’s time to dabble a bit more in my local produce….

Next Episode

In the next episode (122), we will be smoking the illusione ECCJ 20th. So come by Friday night 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] [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,[email protected] if you have something you’d like to send in. I will provide an address to send them. Thanks!

Half Ashed Episode 120: Nearing Normalcy

August 2, 2015 By Kip Fisher

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[EDITOR’S NOTE: In what has been a rapid-fire game of catch up, this is the final of 4 episodes publishing in quick order. My move to the Dominican Republic delayed our publication for a bit but I’m now suitably connected to the web and ready to get back in the game. Please pardon the condensed show notes until we get back on a normal schedule July 31st, 2015.]

This Week

In what should be our final “off” week, here’s Episode 120 – we’re finally nearing normalcy. With my move (mostly) complete, we can settle back into a regular routine and follow our standard format beginning next week (July 31, 2015). This week, however, we did cover a few news items from Padron, Hirochi Robaina, Steve Saka and Crowned Heads. We also talked a bit about my new environ and what we’ve respectively been smoking the past week.

Next Episode

In the next episode (121), we will return to our standard format and routine and will feature the Señorial by Jose Blanco as our Cigar of the Week. Come by each Friday night 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 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.

Half Ashed Episode 117: EP Carrillo La Historia

July 22, 2015 By Kip Fisher

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[EDITOR’S NOTE: In what will be a rapid-fire game of catch up, I will be publishing 4 episodes in the next week. My move to the Dominican Republic delayed our publication for a bit but I’m not suitably connected to the web and ready to get back in the game. We may not have a live show this week, but there will be plenty of Half Ashed to keep you occupied for a while…]

EP Carrillo La Historia Dona Elena

When EP Carrillo’s La Historia was released to the marketplace I immediately was drawn to the packaging (I’ll admit that). Knowing that I am generally a fan of San Andres leaf, and drawn to the beautiful packaging, I picked up a couple to try. I reviewed them back in November 2014, and thought they were a worthy Cigar of the Week…and that day has come. The line was produced in three vitolas – Dona Elena (6.125×50), E-III (6.875×54), and El Senador (5.375×52). Tonight, we’re taking a look at the Dona Elena. It carries a Mexican San Andres wrapper over Sumatran binder and Dominican/Nicaraguan fillers. The Dona Elena retails for about $8.25 per stick in the Tampa market.

Cigar News

Fresh on the heels of my little rant about shop exclusive and limited-edition craziness last week, Moya Ruiz announced the upcoming release of the Chinese Fingertrap. Well, I say announced, but they gave no details other than the fact that it will be produced at La Zona, be 6” x 50, and will ship the 1,000 boxes of 10 at the end of June. No blend details…it’s an “ancient Chinese secret.” Comes wrapped with a set of Chinese handcuffs (finger trap).

The semi-annual C.Gars auction in the UK will happen on June 15th…the 15th such auction. As usual, it will showcase some of the most incredibly rare and pricey cigars. Get your bids ready…lots of old, hard to find cigars will be available, including a lot of pre-Embargo items.

In what should not be a shock to anyone tied to the hobby, Nick Melillo has formally announced his intention to release a new cigar line to the market. His company will be called Foundation Cigars, and will initially utilize Casa Fernandez for producing his cigars. The launch will come at next month’s IPCPR trade show, although no specific details are available about the initial blend.

While we’re on the topic of former Drew Estate folks, Steve Saka’s non-compete reportedly expires just a week before IPCPR. Stogie Guys published a brief article speculating that maybe he has something up his sleeve as well, although Saka has not confirmed this as of yet. [Editor’s Note: We have reported fully on this in other episodes which have not published at the moment. You can catch those on YouTube until I get the audio podcasts published.]

After the recent reboot of AVO, we’re now seeing some more changes coming down. They are adding their first line since the revamp, called the AVO Syncro Nicaragua. The name stems from the company’s goal of synchronizing Dominican and Nicaraguan tobacco in the blend. It will feature an Ecuadoran CT wrapper over a Dominican binder and DR/Nicaragua/Peru. It will be box pressed and come in 4 vitolas – Short Robusto (4 x 52, $7.90), Robusto (5 x 50, $8.90), Toro (6 x 54, $9.90) and Special Toro (6 x 60, $10.90).

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Craig

“SANTOS” Corona Gorda 2013 – Received in a trade with a friend, I only have a few of this particular vintage. I know my friend regularly tweaked the blend of Crisantos’ regulars and this is supposedly with extra ligero. I believe it. These have regularly been slightly erratic burners and have been substantially stronger than your average Cuban cigar. They remind me of the style I’m accustomed to from C.Fer but with the suave sensations typically expected from the island. Tobacco, pepper, mild vegetal flavors, vanilla & an earthy finish. A very interesting strong cigar. Seems very well attuned to the modern American palate.

Kip

Casa Fernandez Aniversario – 2014 edition. I stand by my earlier comments that this cigar seems a bit more “polished” than many of Casa Fernandez’s other lines. Caramel and cream really come through in this one, and markedly less strength than would typically be the case for their other offerings

La Flor Dominicana TAA 47 – A pretty straightforward LFD product with no real surprises for me. It was enjoyable, but didn’t provide anything a dozen other LFD lines might. I definitely DON’T recommend letting it go out and relighting, however. One of mine was only out about 20 minutes and refused to revive…giving lots of harsh flavors and searing on the rear palate after relight.

Next Episode

In the next episode (118), we will be taking the opportunity to “catch up” just before Kip moves to the Dominican Republic. Come by each Friday night 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] [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.

Half Ashed Episode 115: Ashton Symmetry with Bob

June 1, 2015 By Kip Fisher

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Ashton Symmetry

When the Ashton Symmetry was released in Fall 2014, it was the first new Ashton line in almost 10 years. It, like most other cigars to carry the Ashton marque, is a Fuente produced product, and features a “cloud-grown” Ecuadoran habano wrapper. Internally, it has some Dominican leaf from Villa Gonzalez and the Fuentes’ Un Buen Vecino farm in Estelí, Nicaragua. It comes in 5 vitolas, including this corona gorda called the Prism, and retails for $11-12.50 depending on size.

Tune in with Kip and special guest Bob McDuffee to chat up what he’s been up to lately and a few rabbit trails just begging to be followed….

Cigar News

I’m a big fan of Fratello – one of the newer lines out there, owned by Omar de Frias. The corona in his first lineup is a phenomenal cigar…and now he is coming out with a maduro. It will have a soft launch with a handful of retailers in the next few weeks, and full availability at IPCPR. The Bianco will come with a Mexican San Andres wrapper, Dominican binder and a filler blend containing Peruvian, Nicaraguan, and Pennsylvania broadleaf. It’s coming out of Esteli, but there’s no mention of the factory. It will be available in 20-ct boxes, in 3 vitolas – 6.25×44, 6×50, and 5×56. A fourth, event exclusive 5×44 will also be produced. The line isn’t a spinoff from their first line, which launched in 2013. It’s an entirely new blend according to Omar. Subsequent picture

After going thus far with a single vitola (although two were planned since IPCPR 2014), Drew Estate is releasing an extension to the Nica Rustica line. It’s a 7.5”x54 belicoso called the “Belly.” It will have a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper over Mexican San Andres binder and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos. It’s scheduled to begin shipping nationally in September, but will have a soft launch at an event July 30th in Louisville, KY. Pricing is expected to be around $8/stick.

Fresh off our recent discussions about cigar companies making cigars specifically to be paired with or flavored by beverages (Drew Estate’s PVW, C&C’s Dram, Asylum’s Dragon’s Milk, etc.), Perdomo is throwing their hat in the ring. They will be releasing the Craft Series, intended to be cigars for beer enthusiasts. This line is very much akin to C&C’s Dram series – with the Dram intended to be paired with whiskey, and the Craft Series with beer. It will include a CT-wrapped (Pilsner), Sungrown (Amber) and Maduro (Stout). While I understand the idea behind these pairing series, I guess I’m a bit of a skeptic. Most of my experience has shown good pairings to be more experimentation and happy accident than hard science…and it seems most folks’ ideas about what goes well together are different enough to make it inconsistent at best. In any event, the line will come in 3 vitolas (5.5”x54 robusto, 6.5”x54 epicure, and 6”x60 gordo), and retail for $7-8.50 depending on vitola.

Pinar del Rio is releasing a whole new line, composed of surplus tobaccos from other blends. They’ve emphasized that this is not the typical “Cuban sandwich” cigar, though. It will be all long filler, but be rolled using this leftover tobacco. The line will be an inexpensive bundle stick, retailing for about $2.75 to $3 per cigar, and will use the surplus from large purchases of leaf for other lines. It will, however, consistently have an Ecuadoran Habano wrapper, Dominican binder and Nicaraguan fillers, and feature about 80% leftover leaf. It’s called the “A Crop” and will come in 3 vitolas: 5”x50 robusto, 6”x52 toro, and 6”x58 gordo.

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Bob

Had some really bad smoking Maduro’s from a well known Miami Cigar Company

Lighters – it’s hard to find a good lighter that will last, prices are too high for most lighters and yet the cheap ones are just that, cheap.

For the most part I am finding the quality of today’s cigars to be excellent to acceptable

Kip

Asylum’s new Nyctophilia robusto

Tatuaje Verocu Havana VI #5 4”x40

Don Arturo Destino al Siglo Familiar 6.5”x46

Next Episode

In the next episode (116), Craig will return to his duties and we’ll be smoking one of his selections – the San Cristobal Mercaderes 2007. So come by Friday night 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, [email protected] if you have something you’d like to send in. I will provide an address to send them. Thanks!

TL Johnson and La Tradicion Cubana to Part

May 11, 2015 By Kip Fisher

Long time friends of Half Ashed Luis Sanchez (La Tradicion Cubana) and Terry Johnson (TL Johnson Cigars) have decided to part ways, with TL Johnson to found a new factory in the Dominican Republic. The news came from TL Johnson first on May 9th, with the following announcement on the company’s Facebook page:

T.L. Johnson Cigars is no longer part of the Cuban Tradition Cigar Group. We have decided to part ways with the Cuban Tradition Cigar Group and open our own factory in the Dominican Republic. We will be rolling all T.L. Johnson Cigars as well as Counsellor Cigars and will be taking on producing private label cigars as well. We are exciting about our new endeavor and producing the best quality cigars as you have come to expect from T.L. Johnson Cigars.

Earlier today, I received a subsequent message from Luis Sanchez of LTC, relating the following:

After 3 -years working with Tabacalera LTC in Dominican Republic and La Tradicion Cubana in Miami and being part of The Cuban Tradition Cigar Group., TL Johnson Cigars has decided to branch out and open its own cigar factory. We at Tabacalera LTC, La Tradicion Cubana and The Cuban Tradition Cigar Group are happy that as a result of the great product we produced for TL Johnson Cigars, and the market exposure we provided, they are now able to go out on their own. Just like a parent is proud and wishes only the best for their child, so we at Tabacalera LTC, La Tradicion Cubana and The Cuban Tradition Cigar Group wish TL Johnson Cigars ‘long ashes’.

The two have been partners in a joint farming venture in Villa Gonzàlez, Dominican Republic for the past two years, and La Tradicion Cubana has rolled TL Johnson cigars since 2012. Terry was a guest on Episode 021 of Half Ashed