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Press Release: Blessed Leaf Founded

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blessed leaf header

8/27/13 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Kyle Hoover, co-owner of Ezra Zion Cigar Company and CigarFederation.com, announces the launch of a new cigar-themed Christian ministry, Blessed Leaf.  “Blessed Leaf is a unique idea, something that has never been done before. It’s a faith community–or in more basic terms–an “online church” for cigar smokers.” noted Hoover.

On BlessedLeaf.com, aficionados can create a profile page to join the Blessed Leaf community. Members can post content, access media, read faith-based articles and cigar reviews designed to strengthen them in their Christian walk.

“I know two things: The Bible and cigars. This is the culmination of a dream to bring those two passions together. My prayer is that this is a catalyst for cigar enthusiasts to become closer to Jesus, whether they have a relationship with Him now or not.” Hoover continued.

Beginning September 4th at 6pm CST, “Blessed Leaf LIVE!” will air on the BlessedLeaf.com homepage. This hour long show serves as the weekly service and will air every Wednesday evening. It will be hosted by Kyle Hoover and Chris Kelly. Guests will include believers from all around the cigar industry.

“A major part of this vision is the Featured Contributors. I want to create a platform where these guys can share their testimonies and teachings that will bless and encourage the members of Blessed Leaf. These are BOTL that either work professionally in the cigar industry or are avid cigar smokers in full-time pastoral ministry. Guys like Brian Berman, Kip Fisher, Nate McIntyre, The Don Fonseca, and my pastor Niles Holsinger will be posting some life-changing stuff.”

For more information visit BlessedLeaf.com.
Follow on Twitter and Instagram: @Blessed_Leaf

Episode 023: Ezra Zion Eminence

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ipcprGood evening, folks.  Welcome to another episode of Half Ashed.  I apologize in advance for such a late publication.  We actually recorded this show during IPCPR last Sunday, but I have since been traveling without an internet connection; thus, I had an inability to post up the audio.  The video from this show is available on our YouTube channel in its unedited form – about 10-15 minutes of which has no video/only audio.  We experienced some early issues with connectivity and killed the video to save bandwidth on the convention hall’s wifi.   We subsequently turned it back on, so I have left it posted for those who might want to look at our ugly mugs.  We covered a number of news items, as well as some early IPCPR stories – although this was actually recorded in the first 3 hours of the tradeshow (so news was very limited at that time).

Ezra Zion Eminence

Our cigar of the week was the upcoming Ezra Zion Eminence, which we greatly enjoyed and covered our tasting notes near the end of this abbreviated show.  We will be recording Episode 024 this upcoming Tuesday (July 23) once I have returned from a family trip….and I will make every effort to have that posted almost immediately.  As a sidenote, this will be an episode you definitely want to catch.  We’ll be covering a great deal of news from IPCPR 2013, with coverage on quite a few new releases and great cigars I had the chance to try while there.

Episode 024 should be posted in a much more timely fashion than Episode 023.  You can join us live while we record if you’d like as well – Tuesday night July 23rd.  Follow my Twitter feed @The_Cigarmy and I’ll post the exact timing.  In the meantime, 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!  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.  Video, as always, will be available on our 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!

ezra zion eminence

Episode 022: Ramon Allones Petit Corona

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Ramon Allones petit coronaRamon Allones Petit Corona

Welcome back for another fun-filled, exciting episode of Half Ashed.  This week, we take a look at the 2002 Ramon Allones Petit Corona – one of Craig’s very favorite cigars.  He says,   “Since its discontinuation in 2002 the PC has remained a “special” cigar in my humidor. Its big brother the corona is viewed as one of the most saught after regular production cigars since the mid 90s. Both being made in small numbers, thus always maintaining the quality, both of these cigars are great. The PC is legendary.”  Tune in to the show to get both our full thoughts on this episode’s examples.

Industry News:

  • Oliva is making a machine-made cigar, to be released in various markets during the coming months.
  • As first mentioned last week on Half Ashed when we hosted Terry Johnson of TL Johnson Cigars, the news is out that he is moving some of his operations to Miami – and is partnering with Luis Sanchez of La Tradicion Cubana for a joint venture cigar brand.
  • Dona Flor has announced a special Limited Edition IPCPR release, as well as the fact that the Alonso Menendez line is now available in the US.
  • Yet another 7”X70, this time from Drew Estate.  They’re adding this to the MUWAT line, per Halfwheel.
  • Xikar has divested itself of its HC & Defiance Cigar brands….selling them to CI effective July 1. CI has agreed to current price protections to existing retailers through September 30th.
  • IPCPR starts a week from Saturday.  We’ll be doing….something….during the show, depending on internet connections, travel times, etc.
  • Well wishes and quick healing to Charlie Rutherford of Boveda, who had a terrible motorcycle accident last week.  I know the guys behind Boveda personally, and all are good people.
  • Finally, we held our giveaway for June’s prize packs of Michael Stewart’s home-blended, home-rolled cigars.  Michael Thomas and Steve Dorau were selected by random.org, and will be receiving those prizes.  Congrats, gentlemen!

Wrap:

We covered a good bit more during the show – various topics of interest this week, what we’ve been smoking, etc.  Tune in to get the entire story on those items as well.

Be sure you all come back next week for Episode 023, when we will be attempting to put a show together while Kip is in Vegas for IPCPR.  We will be featuring the upcoming Ezra Zion Eminence as our Cigar of the Week.  That show will likely be recorded outside our normal Friday night timeframe due to travel/show scheduling.  I will tweet/post the exact time and date once we finalize it.  In the meantime, 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!  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!

Episode 019: Monte Pascoal

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Monte PascoalMonte Pascoal

Welcome back to Half Ashed, and happy Fathers’ Day to all the Dads out there.  We’re glad you’ve joined us for another round of fun.  This week, we take a look at an old favorite – Monte Pascoal.  Craig with a corona, and I the belicoso.  So, find your favorite cigar and join us for another couple hours of smokin’ silliness…

News Items

Legislation:  In legislative news, those of you in Pennsylvania NEED to take heed: CRA has issued an action alert detailing some potentially devastating proposals from a couple of your state congressmen.

The IPCPR season is beginning to kick into high gear, with product announcements from Ortega Cigars, TL Johnson Cigars, Barry Stein (Miami Cigar), Guayacan, Crowned Heads, Ashton and newcomer Cordoba y Morales.  Look for an increasing amount of news in the next few weeks leading up to and during the tradeshow.

What Have We Been Smoking?

Craig: La Aurora Fernando Leon, Monte Pascoal

Kip: Ezra Zion TANTRUM, Nestor Miranda DANNO, 2012 Toast Across America Fuente Opus X

Miscellany

We also cover some behavioral patterns Craig has noticed when “talking business” with some brick and mortar shop owners, and the politics of the B&M.  Additionally, we finally get caught up on listener emails – discussing questions from Chad Miller, Swede214, and Bruce Stark.  Keep those emails coming!  We love ’em, and always enjoy hearing from you all.  Just drop us a line via any of the means below.

Wrap

Be sure you all come back next week for Episode 020, which will hopefully feature a special guest, depending on whether or not we can work out the scheduling.  We will be smoking an unbanded – #005, from Dan Crouch.  We also will be bringing Dan on at the unveiling to discuss the cigar.

In the meantime, 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].  Don’t forget to get those emails in this month to be entered in our current giveaway.  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.

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!

Episode 014: Ezra Zion TANTRUM

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Ezra Zion TANTRUMEzra Zion Tantrum

Welcome back to Half Ashed, everyone.  We managed to avoid being booed off the air for yet another week, so we humbly present Episode 014 for your listening and viewing pleasure.  This week we were honored with special guest Kyle Hoover from Ezra Zion Cigars as we take a look at their new Limited Edition TANTRUM – a very big cigar in a very small package.  As should now be evident from opinions I’ve voiced about my love for Ezra Zion cigars, I’m always excited to see something new from the guys.  Tune in for all the details about the TANTRUM, as well as what our thoughts are as we smoke one with Kyle.

Industry News

Industry news was very light this week, with little to update legislatively.  We did have a couple of folks enlist/renew with CRA with my Ambassador number to take advantage of the ongoing Cigarmy promotion.  So, a big thanks to them, and a hope that they’ll enjoy the bonus cigars from my own stash.

We did cover several news items related to new cigars that were announced this past week, and a few other items around the industry.

What Else Have We Been Smoking?

Craig: Just the usuals: Monte Especial, Fuente Cuban Corona, “cigar Lounge” 30-30. All standards, all great.

Kip: I dug into Liga Privada pretty heavily this week, enjoying a Dirty Rat, Feral Flying Pig, and a couple No. 9’s.  Other highlights were “Blend Number 5” from one of Craig’s local brick and mortar shops, and a lovely Don Pepin Garcia Blue.

Miscellany

We covered a couple of listener emails this week, but had to reserve a few more for next week due to time constraints.  Thanks for sending those – and keep them coming!  We love to get feedback from everyone, and learn from all the questions.  We don’t always have a solution, but we’re sure to have an opinion….and there’s almost always someone listening who knows far more than we do, and can provide an accurate answer.

Wrap

A huge thanks to the guys at Ezra Zion, who provided this week’s CoTW – as well as the great discussion and insight from Kyle as he sat in on the show.  Next week, we’ll have another very special guest in Will Cooper – Cigar Coop – as we feature the 2011 Quesada Oktoberfest.  We’re very much looking forward to Coop’s input and views on the industry as a whole, and talk about his contributions to the cigar world and pick his brain a little about the future he sees for the industry.

Again, thanks for tuning in, and be sure to check back next week for an exciting Episode 015.  In the meantime, 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].  Don’t forget to get those emails in this month to be entered in our current giveaway.  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.  Video, as always, will be available on Cigar Federation homepage or at the CigFed Half Ashed Video Archive.

P.S. – As always, 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!

Episode 012: Unbanded 003 & a Giveaway!

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Giveaway May 2013Episode 012 of Half Ashed is in the can, and we welcome you back to join us for this week’s show.  We are offering up another opportunity to humble ourselves in the public eye this week, with Unbanded 003, generously provided by Dan Crouch.  Smoking blindly is something that is becoming somewhat of a habit for me.  Be sure you give us a listen by any of the means below for several news items and updates, what we’ve been smoking, what we thought of the unbanded selection this week, a couple listener emails, and a slight rant from me.  Also, don’t forget to listen in and check out the details on our current giveaway.  Thanks for stopping by!  Here is a quick show summary:

Unbanded 003

Unbanded 003The Cigar of the Week for Episode 012 is an Unbanded submission from Dan Crouch.  Dan took a novel approach with this submission; something that is a little different than our normal format.  He submitted two differing vitolas from the same line of cigars, rather than two examples of the same cigar.  Craig and I both had similar notions about the origin of the cigars, as well as a clear preference for one vitola over the other.  Definitely an interesting experiment, and we thank Dan for the originality and generosity of supplying the cigars.  Check out the show to see what we thought of it, and get the reveal.

Industry News

    1. Legislative items – NYC Democratic mayoral candidate Christine Quinn (also speaker of NY City Council) is proposing that the age restriction on tobacco be raised from 18 to 21 years – NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley states “People who become full-fledged adults without smoking are very unlikely to pick up the habit afterwards.  So if we can prevent our youth from starting smoking until they are 21 we may just be able to protect an entire generation from a lifetime of being addicted to the world’s most dangerous drug.”  So, 19-21 year olds are still youth?  Reminds me of the “study” a few years ago that classified “youth” as anyone under 26, and “smokers” as anyone who’d ever smoked a single cigarette….ORIGINAL STORY
    2. Sam Leccia’s White began shipping this week.  From appearances, the White allocation was all spoken for very quickly….
    3. Casa Fuente tweeted that their online store was open on Monday – much to the delight of Fuente fans everywhere.  Disappointment quickly followed, when they went to the site to find out that no cigars were sold there….just Casa Fuente branded clothing and accessories.  
    4. The Casa Magna Domus Magnus II is finally being shipped – months after it was initially announced.  I’m not a fan of some Casa Magna cigars – but I love me some Domus Magnus.  I believe the blend remains mostly the same, with the exception that the wrapper (sungrown Jalapa) is of a different vintage than the earlier offerings.
    5. Ezra Ziontweeted a picture of their upcoming Limited Edition TANTRUM being boxed up at the factory.  So, it appears they’re on schedule for the release (launched at Michael’s Tobacco of Keller – in Keller, TX on Friday April 26th).  They crew from Ezra Zion will be joining us LIVE on May 10th.
    6. Macanudo will be the new main sponsor for “Big Break” on the Golf Channel.  I’m not a golfer, but apparently this is the channel’s longest running original series – and a big hit for them. Macanudo will feature prominently, with several episode being filmed at the Macanudo lounge Mexico, as well as the brand being incorporated into some of the challenges.

What Else Have We Been Smoking?

    1.  Kip – This week, I’ve been through a number of cigars, including two special Fuente sticks, a “Lauro’s” from Craig, some Casa Fernandez Arsenio and more.  Tune in to the show to get the scoop on how those went…

Miscellany

    1. Giveaway!  It’s time we have another giveaway, and we have some cool stuff going out this time around.  Courtesy of Cuenca Cigars, we have an Ashton ashtray and some killer premium cigars – as well as a Cigarmy coffee mug and a couple more cigars from me.  The cigars are: 2X Cuenca 5 Anniversary, 2X Ortega Serie D Maduro #12’s, 1 Oliva Serie V Maduro, 1X La Aroma de Cuba Marquis Tubo, 1X L’Atelier Surrogates Tramp Stamp, 1X Torano Salutem, 1X Aging Room M356, and 1X JC Newman Perla del Mar.  Listen to the show for all the details, but every email received between now and May 30th with a comment, question, concern, or compliment/complaint about the show will be entered in the giveaway – although, admittedly, complaints will have considerably less chances of winning :).  On our May 31st show, we will randomly select a winner from those entries.  So, get those keyboards humming and send us an email to [email protected] or [email protected]!
    2. After last week’s discussion of my attempts and misadventures in making Cuban coffee, I received quite a few emails on making better brews for cigar accompaniment.  I’m looking forward to giving some of these a try.
    3. We also talk a little about another email we got from Enzo Temko concerning a bit of discomfort after smoking some cigars.
    4. Finally, I go over the edge this week with a minor rant about the profusion of recent emails and distribution lists I’m on – or rather, some that I was on.

Wrap

Next week, our featured cigar will be the 2005 Padron Aniversario Natural.  Be sure to tune in to find out how that goes.  On May 10th, we will have our next LIVE show, broadcast on Cigar Federation.  We’ll be talking with special guests from Ezra Zion about their Limited  Edition release  – the TANTRUM.  The following week, we will have another special guest – William Cooper (Cigar_Coop) to get his insights into the industry, how it’s going, where it’s going, and generally pick his brain and see what we can learn.

Again, thanks for tuning in, and be sure to check back in next week.  In the meantime, 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].  Also, don’t forget 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.

Episode 011: The BOTL LLC Esencia “E”

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BOTL, LLCWelcome to Episode 011 of Half Ashed!  This week, we’re taking a look at the new Esencia “E” from BOTL LLC.  For those who aren’t familiar, BOTL LLC are the same folks who brought you the regular Esencia line of cigars and Palio cutters/lighter.  The “E” is their new offering featuring an Ecuadoran Habano seed wrapper, an undisclosed binder, and a Nicaraguan-Dominican filler blend.  Listen or watch to see what we think of it, as well as a few more vital details about it!

Legislative News:

In the news this week, we had a couple of legislative updates.  One from CRA, with the announcement of a new companion bill to HR792 – the Senate bill S772, which was launched with 6 Senators supporting it this week (4 Democrats/2 Republicans).  The only other legislative update was out of California, where the Housing and Community Development Committee rejected a proposed ban on indoor smoking in all multi-family dwellings statewide.  Existing law allows for landlords to prohibit smoking in their own properties at will, and for the time being that will remain the case.  Common sense prevailed, at least for the moment.

Other news items:

    • We provided a little more of the backstory on Operation: Smokescreen…and the end of many a cigar smoker’s hopes for a cigar-themed movie.
    • Some rumblings, chatter, and hearsay about the possibility that CI now holds pipesandcigars.com.  This may be old news, but was a revelation to me – and something I was unaware of happening.
    • A discussion of a recent story and subsequent editorial from the Stogie Guys about the fact that Phillip Morris (and parent company Altria) have come out against the protection of the premium cigar industry from FDA regulation.
    • Cigar Federation!  Our beloved CigFed is getting a facelift!  CigarChat has been added to the lineup of quality programming available at the Cigar Federation, which brings onboard the two fine gentlemen who do that show (Robby Rasmussen & Logan Lawler).  Logan, being a social media and webmaster kinda guy, has taken on the task of redesigning the site to make it more userfriendly and effective in its mission of providing quality cigar industry content and community for those who enjoy the hobby.  He has already made some sweeping changes, and is doing a phenomenal job revamping the site and making it better.  Kudos to Logan!  We’re looking forward to seeing it evolve.  Everyone needs to check that out and sign yourself up with a profile if you haven’t already…
    • Gordon Mott published a Cigar Aficionado blog entry this week calling out a certain cigar company for misusing past CA ratings of one of their products to market a very different product today.

What else have we been smoking?

    • Craig – The J. Fuego Edicion de Familia, the Ezra Zion Inception (now Jamais Vu), and a couple more surprises…
    • Kip – Litto Gomez Small Batch 4 (listen as Kip admits to being a total nicotine wus with this cigar),  the Leon Jimenes Series 300 (a wonderful surprise in a bargain cigar), as well as the first six releases of Eddie Ortega’s Wild Bunch, published first on The Cigarmy.

What else have we been enjoying with our cigars?

Kip – Cuban coffee, although my results are “mixed” to be generous.  The quality in terms of flavor and enjoyment are quite limited from my trials so far, but the heart palpitations are fun at times….

Upcoming Shows:

Next week’s Cigar of the Week is an unbanded, provided by Dan Crouch.  Dan took a novel approach with this submission, in that he submitted 2 different vitolas from the same line.  Tune in next week to find out how that goes.  On May 10th, we will have our next LIVE show, broadcast on Cigar Federation.  We’ll be talking with special guests from Ezra Zion about their upcoming Limited  Edition release of the Tantrum.  The following week, we will have another special guest – William Cooper (Cigar_Coop) to get his insights into the industry, how it’s going, where it’s going, and generally pick his brain and see what we can learn.

Again, thanks for tuning in, and be sure to check back in next week.  In the meantime, 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].  Also, don’t forget to 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.  Video, as always, will be available on our YouTube Channel.

Episode 010: A Visit from Sam Leccia

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Sam Leccia - Leccia TobaccoGood day, folks and welcome back for another episode of Half Ashed.  Craig and I appreciate you stopping by.  We were honored to have Sam Leccia, of Leccia Tobacco, as a special guest this week to talk about his upcoming new cigar releases.  We talk with Sam about his Black and White lines, which will be released in about a month or so.  He was gracious enough to share some information about himself, his blending philosophy, the vision behind the new cigars, and provided a great deal of insight into the Black and White.  Thanks to Sam for taking the time to hang out and share with us all.

Tatuaje Mexican Experiment

Tatuaje Mexican Experiment robustoOur featured cigar this week was the Tatuaje LE Mexican Experiment, which was a limited run of cigars released by Pete Johnson last year.  I reviewed the cigar at that time, and it was very interesting to note how it had changed in the past 10 months or so.  It was a phenomenal cigar, and one which I would personally love to see in regular production.

In legislative news, we covered the (probably temporary) fail of the Florida outdoor smoking ban, and new tobacco tax proposals at the federal level.  We also quickly covered some interesting cigar news concerning new releases and trimming of the old from Davidoff, and a few items in our “What have we been smoking” segment for the week.  Finally, we wrapped up with a listener email or two, and some new video reviews posted on Cigar Federation by Michael Stewart for the cigars he won in our previous giveaway.  We thank you for stopping by, and I hope you’ll give us a listen or watch the video via the means below.  Have a great week!

Upcoming Shows

Next week, we feature the “E” as the Cigar of the Week – an interesting and sure to be enjoyable release from BOTL, LLC.  On our next live show (May 10th), we will host the Ezra Zion guys to tell us about their upcoming Limited Edition – the Tantrum.  The following week, we’ll have a visit with Will Cooper (Cigar Coop) as well.  Again, thanks for tuning in, and be sure to check back in next week.  In the meantime, 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].  Also, don’t forget to 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.  Video, as always, will be available on Half Ashed YouTube Channel.

Episode 006: 2012 Oliva Serie V Maduro

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Oliva Serie V Maduro ToroWell, Craig and I managed to put together another show this week, so we proudly present to you Half Ashed Episode 006!  I hope you’ll take the time to listen and/or watch the video, and give us some feedback – you can send your questions, comments, compliments, or complaints to us via email, using either of the following address: [email protected] or [email protected], or reach us by any of the contact means listed on the “Contact” pages here at The Cigarmy.  You can find the video for this show over on our YouTube page as well.  The Cigar of the Week was the 2012 Oliva Serie V Maduro, for which Craig will be posting an Epilogue review in the near future, and we covered a good bit of other news items, in addition to some legislative issues and what else we’ve been smoking over the past week.  Here’s a quick summary of the show:

Half Ashed Cigar of the Week:

As mentioned above, the CotW is the Oliva Serie V Maduro (2012 release).  I reviewed these cigars last year for the 2011 release, and absolutely fell in love with the blend.  I’ve been a fan of the maduro version of the Serie V since it first hit the market in 2008, and continue to buy them up as quickly as I can each December when they hit the shelves.  The 2012 appears to be the same size as the 2011 edition, and is at the least very similar in flavor characteristics.  It seems to possibly have the tiniest bit more “zing” to it, although that may be a factor of 1.)my terrible memory, or 2.)the fact that the 2011 now has an extra year of rest on it, and should not be compared side-by-side.  It’s full of dark chocolate and a sweet earthiness that I find quite pleasant.  I also notice some sweetened coffee in the tasting, although Craig didn’t get that in his experiences.

Industry News:

  1. Federal Cigar Special F Event Cigar from My Father – originally reported here The Cigarmy.
  2. Legislative Items:
    • Arkansas Representative John Walker has proposed a modification of the existing state smoking ban to remove the exemptions for cigar bars & lounges, shops, and outdoor restaurants.  Find the CRA Action Alert here.
    • The proposed outdoor smoking ban in Florida made some progress this week, passing its second committee review in a 6-3 vote.  This ludicrous bill (SB258) and its House counterpart (HB439) seem to have some legs, and must be stopped.  If you are a Floridian and enjoy the freedom of having a cigar in any of our parks, beaches, or other public areas….I urge you to act right now!  Visit the CRA page detailing how you can contact your representatives to voice your concerns.
  3. J. Fuego changes: There were several announced changes at J. Fuego this week, as reported by Halfwheel.
  4. A bit of news from Cigar Coop about Sam Leccia’s impending return to the cigar industry.
  5. News from Gary Griffith about this year’s Draig release – the Cayuquero.

What else we’ve been smoking (listen in for details about each):

  1. Craig – Ambos Mundos
  2. Kip – 2011 Camacho Liberty, Ezra Zion Inception (now Jamais Vu), tons of this week’s CotW, La Tradicion Cubana corona, Joya de Nicaragua Dark Corojo.

Listener email:

  1. We review several emails received this week from listeners, with some questions, comments, and recommendations.  Keep ’em coming!

Giveaway:

  1. Craig gave away his Tatuaje prize pack, including some cool swag as well as several hard to find Tatuaje cigars.  Congratulations to Michael Stewart for winning that.  We’ll be getting the package out to you ASAP, so you can enjoy one of the Tatuaje Mexican Experiments with us during the April 12th show when we feature it as the CotW.

Again, thanks for tuning in everyone.  Be sure to come back next week, when we’ll be taking a look at the My Father Flor de las Antillas.  In the meantime, If you would like to contact us, use the emails above or through the contact page.  Also, don’t forget to go back and listen to previous episodes, which can be found in the Half Ashed Archive.  You can download this week’s audio directly above (right-click “Download” and save), or find us on iTunes.  Video, as always, will be available on the YouTube Channel.

Cigar News and Episode 001 of Half Ashed

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Good day, folks.  I’m glad you’ve stopped by.  I have a few items of cigar news this week, with a good bit more coming in the next few days.

First up, as we discussed in last night’s show (see information at the bottom of this post), Toraño Family Cigar will begin distributing Palió accessories and the new “E” cigar line from BOTL, LLC as of February 15th.  Here’s the press release from yesterday:

torano

February 7th, 2013. Miami, Florida. – Toraño Family Cigar Company is proud to announce that they have been officially appointed by Brother of the Leaf, LLC as their sole distributor in the USA as of February 15th, 2013. Toraño will distribute Palió cutters, lighters and BOTL, LLC’s brand new cigar line “E”.

The agreement marks the first time that the Toraño Family will have accessories to offer along with their own cigar line. Toraño Family Cigar’s president, Charlie Toraño, along with Brother of the Leaf president, Marc Aub, felt it was a perfect fit for both Companies. “Marc and I share the same business philosophy in that we both strive to offer an excellent product together with outstanding customer service. We are very excited to be able to add such a high quality range of cigar accessories to our product portfolio,” said Charlie.

Marc added, “The new relationship between our companies is going to allow us to focus on maintaining our current level of quality, as well as, develop new products.”

In the pursuit of precision and excellence, Palió cutters are entirely hand crafted in the USA and deliver the finest and most consistent cut for your cigars. More recently, Brother of the Leaf has developed and added a line of single torch Palió lighters and their new cigar line “E”. Palió’s superior design and construction has made it the premier choice in cigar preparation and lighting.

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.Toraño.com. Please also follow Toraño on Facebook: Toraño A Family Cigar Company or on twitter: @TORAÑOFAMCIGARS.

Ezra Zion

Ezra Zion also released a newsworthy item this week, in that their Inception will be rebranded in the near future (the blend remains the same; only the name is being changed to protect the innocent…).  As reported by Ezra Zion on the Cigar Federation:

Ezra Zion Inception fiEzra Zion Cigar Company, recipients of multiple Cigar of the Year Awards for 2012, are re-branding their inaugural cigar release, INCEPTION. The name of the blend will be changed to JAMAIS VU.

Chris Kelly explains, “After being cleared for use by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, we went into furious production on INCEPTION. Come to find out, the USPTO failed to inform us of another company that was using the same name and ended up awarding them the trademark rights.”

Kyle Hoover, co-owner added, “We knew we had a choice: we could engage in a lengthy, nasty legal dispute, or we could keep our focus on making great cigars. We chose the latter.”

“It’s the exact award-winning blend as INCEPTION, nothing has changed there, but along with the new branding we will be redesigning the packaging and adding 3 additional sizes as well.” The Don Fonseca noted. “I think our customers will be pleased!”

“We chose the name “JAMAIS VU” because it’s the opposite of Deja Vu, and the definition tells the story of the rebranding of INCEPTION. JAMAIS VU is defined as “…a sense of eeriness and the observer’s impression of seeing the situation for the first time, despite rationally knowing that he or she has been in the situation before.”

Chris continued, “Those customers with INCEPTION boxes have a very limited edition piece of cigar history! We will begin production on the rebranded JAMAIS VU within the month.”

More information on Ezra Zion Cigar Co. can be found at EzraZion.com or @EzraZionCigars

ScrewPop Tool

I received a couple of these handy little items to try out last week, and have to admit that the ScrewPop Tool is handier than I had imagined.  It is a combination bottle opener and cigar punch that compactly clips onto your keychain (or anywhere else you’d like to carry it).  I am an extreme minimalist when it comes to my keychain – if I could key my house and vehicles alike, I would only carry one key – and the ScrewPop has found a place on it.  It’s quite a useful little item to have at the ready, and apparently is TSA-friendly, as I carried it with me to the Dominican for CFC.  Here’s the release information for it as well:

PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT:
Brett Fischer
[email protected]

Screwpop Tool’s clippable cigar punch/bottle opener now available through Cigars International

The latest in its line of lightweight, compact and functional tools, Screwpop introduces a must-have for cigar lovers, the Screwpop – Cigar Punch, now for sale through the world’s largest cigar retailer, Cigars International (CI).  This durable cigar punch is equipped with a sharp, stainless steel insert for neat-and-easy cutting, threaded screw cap and lightweight aluminum body. The punch can be clipped to belt loops, straps, key rings, in the eyelets of zippers —and just about everywhere else.  And because a good brew goes hand in hand with a good smoke, the Screwpop Cigar Punch’s also doubles as a bottle opener.

Clip the Screwpop – Cigar Punch to a keyring, cord, bag or cable. It’s ideal for everyday use or on the “go” for things like golfing and the great outdoors. Unclip it as The Cigar Punch is rust resistant and is great on the patio table when grilling or for the smoking room too.

The Screwpop Cigar Punch retails for $7.95 and is available for purchase at Cigars International

For more information about the Screwpop Cigar Punch and Screwpop Tool’s complete line of products visit screwpoptool.com.

Half Ashed Inaugural Episode

Half Ashed LogoAfter much hubbub, Craig Schneider and I broadcast our inaugural episode of Half Ashed last night on The Cigar Federation, with Bob McDuffee sitting in as a special guest.  You can view it either in the “videos” section of Cigar Federation, through the embed below, or on the our YouTube channel.  I am posting the audio from the show below, which can be downloaded directly by right-clicking on the “Download” link and saving – or to your mobile device by subscribing to the Half Ashed RSS feed at: www.thecigarmy.com/feed/podcast .  Now that we have an episode in the can, I will initiate the process of admission into the iTunes store, where the podcast will be published free of charge for those of you who use that software [EDIT: we are in the iTunes store now!].  Tune in to this introductory episode to find the details on our current giveaway, which will be a set of 5 cigars – the Arturo Fuente 858, in each of the five available wrappers (Natural, Maduro, Claro, Sungrown, and the hard to locate Rosado from 2009), as well as a Cigarmy coffee mug and a ScrewPop Tool mentioned above.  I hope you enjoy, and will continue to give us a listen as we work through the learning curve of putting this thing together.  Also, stay tuned here for a full trip report from last week’s trip to the DR to visit Chateau de la Fuente, the CigarFamily Charitable Foundation, Fuente Factory #1, and other fun locations!  Thanks for stopping by, and as always have a great week!