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Half Ashed Episode 135: Chogüí Dos77 Rogusto

February 12, 2016 By Kip Fisher

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.

Cigar News: Miami Cigar Unveils Nestor Miranda Danno

June 4, 2015 By Kip Fisher

Miami Cigar & Co. set to Unveil Limited Nestor Miranda Collection “Danno”

Earlier this week, Miami Cigar announced the upcoming release of the “Nestor Miranda Collection Danno,” a limited edition extension of the Nestor Miranda Collection which pays homage to Miranda’s late son Daniel, who passed away in 2008.

The 2015 NMC Danno will be unveiled through a series of events that follow the recently rebranded Collection. According to the company, “the new visual identity has been well embraced, along with its accompanying tagline #OneLife. The message of the brand has inspired many supporters, to enjoy life and of course, a great smoke.”

Only 3,000 boxes of the Danno will be produced, in quantities of 1,000 boxes for each of the three available wrappers. While the blend components remain the consistent with this year’s brands, the proportions have been adapted in an effort to balance the blend for the Danno vitola.

Nestor Miranda said, “As you all can imagine, the Danno cigar holds a very special place in my heart, and I am very excited to be releasing it under the new NMC brand. This cigar has always been the epitome of my brand, and I am so proud to present you with our newest version.”

The NMC Danno is available in a singular 7″ x 56 vitola, with the following wrappers:

Connecticut: Ecuadorian CT wrapper
Habano: Nicaraguan Habano wrapper
Maduro: Broadleaf Maduro wrapper

Beginning June 12th, Nestor Miranda will host six events in a tour scheduled as follows:

June 12th Sanj’s Smoke located at 419 Broad St, Bloomfield, NJ 07003 Phone :( 973) 743-0693
June 13th Wooden Indian Tobacco Shop and Cigar Lounge located at 95 S Eagle Rd, Havertown, PA 19083, Phone:(610) 449-7001
June 17th Barrister located at 2565 US-22, Union, NJ 07083, Phone :( 908) 964-3000
June 18th, El Humidor located at 1116 Hwy 315, Plains, PA 18702, Phone :(570) 822-3544
June 19th Tobacco Park located at 161-17 29Th Avenue Flushing, NY 11358 United States
718-357-3510
June 20th Two Guys Smoke Shop located at 304 South Broadway (Rt. 28) Salem NH 03079
(603) 898-2221

About Miami Cigar & Co.

Miami Cigar & Co. proudly celebrates its 25th Year in the cigar industry. Founded by Nestor and Mariana Miranda, Miami Cigar & Co. has become one of the premier distributors of premium cigars boasting a portfolio which includes Tatiana, Don Lino and the Nestor Miranda brands. Miami Cigar & Co. also serves as the exclusive United States distributor for La Aurora, S.A and all Viva Republica brands.

Follow Miami Cigar & Company on Social Media here:

Facebook: Miami Cigar & Company
Instagram: MiamiCigar
Hashtag: OneLife

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!

Half Ashed Episode 113: Davidoff Nicaragua

May 20, 2015 By Kip Fisher

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Davidoff Nicaragua Short Corona

I’m joined this week by longtime friend of the show and former Dogwatch Cigar Radio cohost Dale Roush. A huge thanks to Dale for sitting in with me and catching up. We’re smoking the Davidoff Nicaragua Short Corona, a 3.75″ x 46 beauty featuring a 10 year old Habano seed Rosado wrapper, and Nicaraguan binder/fillers. This line debuted in summer of 2013, and retails for about $9.90 depending on local tax situation. Tune in to get our thoughts on the cigar, as well as a chance to see what Dale has been up to and a bit of cigar news!

News

In a topic we talked briefly about last week as an outlying possibility for a developing trend, Camacho has announced their contribution to the world of barrel-aged cigars. The Camacho American Barrel Aged will feature bourbon barrel-aged corojo as a core component. It will also come with a 5-year old American broadleaf wrapper. In fact, it almost exclusively 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. They are promoting a national event tour to launch the line, beginning in Orlando June 8th and ending up at Tampa Humidor December 19th. It will be shipping June 15th and retail for $10-12 per cigar. I posted a story about it on the website with full tour schedule.

United Cigar, who we’ve spoken of several times in the past 2 months, is partnering with Selected Tobacco to extend the Byron line by two vitolas. Both cigars are the largest Byron vitolas to date, and as a result each blend is tweaked a bit with a higher priming to maintain the strength and flavor required to match the larger ring gauge format. The packaging has also been revamped and will include individual humitubes with the cigars. MSRP has been set at a whopping $33 a stick. Here are the details on the cigars. See full story posted earlier.

The Serie Siglo XIX, was blended by Nelson Alfonso with a goal of best representing Cuban Cigars of the 19th Century is now available in a 6 x 56, known as the Grand Poemas.

The Serie Siglo XX – also blended by Nelson Alfonso – aims at representing Cuban Cigars of the 20th Century, and is also available in a 6 x 56 format known as Habanero.

A few weeks ago we reported on an upcoming event-only offering from Crowned Heads…just as an update, the name has changed from “Snake Oil” to “Blood Medicine.” Turns out, Kendall Culbertson of Outlaw Cigar Co. owns the trademark for Snake Oil. So, to maintain the peace, the Crowned Heads folks opted to just change the name. Other details remain the same: it’s a 5.5” x 48 “super corona”; Ecuador Habano wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler. It will not be available for stand-alone purchase, and will come through event special purchases.

The still-recovering Skip Martin is closing in on shipping the much-anticipated release of RoMa Craft’s Neanderthal this upcoming week. The line carries a Mexican San Andrés wrapper, Connecticut broadleaf binder and fillers that include tobacco from Condega, Estelí, Jalapa and Pueblo Nuevo from Nicaragua; Dominican olor ligero and Pennsylvania “Green River Sucker One” double ligero. The line will be distributed initially in a single 5” x 52/58 vitola, but will also include extensions soon. A shop exclusive/event 4.25” x 52 vitola will also be available soon for Riverside Cigar Shop in Indiana and Serious Cigars in TX. These two sizes will retail for $12 and $9 respectively.

While cruising the social media nether regions today, I noticed an article halfwheel posted up that they’d found in the Cañon City Daily Record from Dale’s home state of Colorado. It appears some folks in Cañon City CO are shooting for a ban on outdoor smoking in the Central Business District of the city. The claim is that smokers spilling out of buildings (due to an indoor ban) are giving the area an inconvenient image. Councilman James Characky, Jr. said. “I want to create an image of healthy, vibrant people, not an image of cigarette smoking, beer drinkers.” The mayor has proposed limiting the ban to Main Street alone, rather than the entire district.

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Dale

Man O” War Armada War Horse
Black Market Vandal Toro
Camacho Triple Maduro Robusto

Kip

A peculiar Tramp Stamp – Wrapper: Habano Ecuador, Binder: Nicaraguan, Filler: Nicaraguan

Next Episode

Next episode (114) we will be featuring the Unbanded #024 from zedman. 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 [email protected] if you have something you’d like to send in. I will provide an address to send them. Thanks!

MBombay Tobak introduces new Habano Blend

May 11, 2015 By Kip Fisher

After a successful launch of their Connecticut Classic and Corojo Oscuro lines, MBombay Tobak has announced a new introduction into the marketplace. The company will soon release a “medium bodied, flavor packed cigar” called the MBombay Habano. The offering will be a part of their core line portfolio.

“It is our Passion as a Brand to create an enjoyable Experience for cigar smokers of all levels. It is our pleasure to create a medium bodied blend that truly encompasses the complexity and nuances a tasty cigar should provide.” ~ Mel Shah (Owner/Creator)

The new cigar will feature and Ecuadoran Habano wrapper over an Ecuadoran Criollo binder and filler tobacco from Nicaragua and Peru. It will be available in five vitolas, including a corona, robusto, belicoso, churchill, and gordo. Suggested retail pricing will range from $8.50 to $12.50, depending on size.

The MBombay Habano is a follow up to the company’s first year introductions listed above. MBombay supports its retailers by refusing to allow for online sales of their cigars, and provides online marketing coverage for their accounts. The company reports more than 65 retail accounts after its first year of production, and growth in the U.S. market. More information can be found at: www.bombaytobak.com.

Cigar News: La Barba Announces "Purple"

July 26, 2014 By Kip Fisher

La Barba has announced the next cigar in their arsenal today, the new “Purple Label.” The line comes following an ambitious time of education and growth this past year, and follows the company’s initial Honduran sourced cigar – the La Barba “Red Label.” Owners Tony Bellato and [Read more…]

Gran Habano Announces IPCPR 2014 Releases

July 20, 2014 By Kip Fisher

Two New Offerings from G.A.R. for IPCPR 2014

Adding to the list of new products trickling out of IPCPR 2014, Gran Habano / G.R. Tabacaleras has provided some information on their offerings for this year. We covered some of this news in the most recent episode of Half Ashed as well.

GEORGE RICO S.T.K. MIAMI ZULU ZULU MAS PAZ EDITION 2014

This cigar will still contain the identical Ecuadorian Connecticut and Nicaraguan Habano blends, but this newest edition will be made in our own factory in Miami. G.R. Tabacaleras Co. is collaborating with a new artist, Mas Paz, to design the new boxes for this project, and the proceeds for the Mas Paz Edition will go towards a new charitable cause. A percentage of the sales of this new project will go towards a non-profit organization that will fund renovations for La Casa de la Madre y el Niño, an orphanage in Bogotá, Colombia.

Country of Origin: USA
Factory: G.R. Tabacaleras Co.
Distributor: Santa Cruz Tobacco / Gran Habano
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut / Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan
Sizes: 7 ½ x 40 Lancero, 5 5/8 x 46 Corona Gorda, 6 x 54 Rolo
MSRP: $8.25 – $9.27
Release Date: Available for pre-order at IPCPR 2014

GEORGE RICO S.T.K. MIAMI BARRACUDA LIMITED EDITION MADURO 2014

Country of Origin: USA
Factory: G.R. Tabacaleras Co.
Distributor: Santa Cruz Tobacco / Gran Habano
Wrapper: Pennsylvania Broadleaf
Sizes: 5 x 52, 6 ½ x 54, 5 5/8 x 46
MSRP: $7.50 – $8.50
Release date: July 2014
Number of Cigars Released: 200 boxes of each size

Press Release: Drew Estate to release Undercrown Dogma

March 24, 2014 By Kip Fisher

Drew Estate Announces Undercrown “Dogma” Commemorative Cigar & “5 Days of ‘Dogma’” Giveaway

Miami, FL, March 24, 2014: Drew Estate announced today their plans to release a new size within their Undercrown cigar line. The size will be called Undercrown “Dogma”, and has been created to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the online community Cigar Dojo. The blend of “Dogma” is based on the Undercrown Corona ¡Viva! and is comprised of Mexican San Andres wrapper, Connecticut Stalk-Cut Habano binder, and Nicaraguan & Brazilian Mata Fina fillers. The “Dogma” will come in a 6 x 56 box-pressed vitola.

When asked about the “Dogma” project, Jonathan Drew said, “we have been major supporters of Cigar Dojo from the beginning. A handful of Drew Estate employees, myself included, are Dojo members, and we have always been floored by the support Drew Estate has received on the app and website. When Eric (owner of Cigar Dojo) approached us about coming up with this special commemorative cigar, it was a no-brainer. My dad, “Baitfish” Gary, came up with the name ‘Dogma’.”

The “Dogma” will be a limited run of 10-count bundles, and will be sold exclusively through Smoke Inn, a South Florida cigar retail chain, owned by Abe Debabneh. For those based outside of Florida, the cigars will be available through Smoke Inn’s web store. The “Dogma” will be priced at $9.95 MSRP per single and $99.50 MSRP per 10-count bundle.

The flavor profile of the “Dogma” aligns with that of the Corona ¡Viva!, featuring notes of cocoa, earth, and a rich spicy character. If you enjoy the Corona ¡Viva! but would like a longer, 56 ring gauge smoke, the “Dogma” will be a new favorite.

In tandem with the release of the new “Dogma” size, Drew Estate will be running a social campaign and giveaway through their website which will allow consumers to try the cigar before it hits the market. To enter, visit http://drewestate.com/dojodogma. Unfortunately, the giveaway is not available in MA, MI, and VA due to anti-tobacco promotion laws within those states

The Undercrown “Dogma” will be available for pre-order Friday, March 28th, 2014, through SmokeInn.com. In the meantime, make sure to enter Drew Estate’s “5 Days of ‘Dogma’” giveaway for your chance to try the cigar before anyone else in the country. If you have any questions, please contact Drew Estate’s Public & Media Relations representative, Johnny Brooke.

About Drew Estate:

Founded in New York City in 1996 by two former college fraternity brothers who shared a dream to become world-class cigar makers. Jonathan Drew and Marvin Samel led Drew Estate to become one of the largest and fastest growing cigar companies in the world. Under their mantra “The Rebirth of Cigars”™ Drew Estate has defied the odds by innovating new elements to the cigar industry with their unique tobaccos and blending styles that have attracted new and old cigar enthusiasts. In their Gran Fabrica Drew Estate, their Nicaraguan headquarters, Drew Estate produces successful brands such as ACID, Herrera Estelí, Java by Drew Estate, Kentucky Fired Cured, Liga Privada, My Uzi Weighs a Ton, Natural, Nica Rustica, Tabak Especial and UnderCrown.

Press Release: Padilla Vintage Reserve

June 21, 2013 By Kip Fisher

Padilla to release the new Padilla Vintage Reserve

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MIAMI, FL – June 18, 2013 – Padilla Cigars will be introducing a new cigar to the successful Padilla line; Padilla Vintage Reserve. As with the other Padilla premium cigars; Padilla Reserva, Padilla Reserva Maduro, Padilla Connecticut, Padilla Miami, and Padilla 8 & 11, the Oliva Cigar Company will be manufacturing as well as distributing the Padilla Vintage Reserve both in the United States and internationally.

Vintage Reserve offers the most select and well aged top-tier tobaccos from the acclaimed Oliva cigar factory in Nicaragua. The rich Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper, Cuban seed Corojo (aged a minimum of 36 months), and Nicaraguan Habano binder deliver a blend for the true cigar connoisseur. The fortunate cigar smokers who have had the opportunity to preview this new cigar, report rich coffee and molasses notes that result in a full bodied yet subtle smoke.

“The Padilla Vintage Reserve is a great addition to the Padilla line” says Ernesto Padilla, President of the Padilla Cigar Co. “The Vintage Reserve will come in three sizes; Robusto, Torpedo, and Churchill and will be a limited run. Hence we have included a unique number on each cigar band and box”.

The Padilla Vintage Reserve Cigars are made and distributed by the Oliva Cigar Company both in the United States and Internationally. The Oliva Family of Cigars has produced their own cigars since 1995. Every process of cigar making (growing and manufacturing in Esteli, Nicaragua; sales and marketing in Miami, FL) is directly supervised by a member of the Oliva family. Oliva takes pride in crafting cigars with uncompromising quality and exceptional value. These cigars are some of the highest rated in the industry.

Press Release: La Sirena Dubloon

June 10, 2013 By Kip Fisher

New La Sirena Sizes Discovered

Miami, FL June 7th, 2013 – In a recent expedition to Lake Nicaragua, which archeologists feel was once a large bay alongside the Pacific Ocean, a discovery was made. The dangerous mission to find treasures of the mermaid was met by sharks and other seemingly out of place aquatic animals. On the last day, in one of the deepest parts of the lake a cave was located with treasures of the mermaid.

Among these treasures was the Dubloon, a 7.25″X56 Salomon. The name comes from the Spanish coins that surrounded this new rare size. The rarest of all Dubloons, was one that featured a distinctive 8 stamped into it.

These pieces of 8; the La Sirena Dubloon comes packaged in an 8 count box, of which only 500 are available. They will make their debut at the IPCPR in Las Vegas. Like the La Sirena “A” they feature a dark, toothy Habano Oscuro wrapper, two Cuban-seed Nicaraguan binders, a Nicaraguan Criollo ’98 and Corojo ’96 over fillers from Nicaragua.

The La Sirena Dubloon will have a $12.00 MSRP.

About Miami Cigar & Company

Miami Cigar & Company, founded in 1989, is the exclusive US distributor of La Aurora brands. They are also the worldwide owner/distributor of Tatiana, Don Lino, La Sirena and Nestor Miranda line of cigars. They can found on the web at: