IPCPR | Half Ashed

Half Ashed Episode 071: Unbanded 017

June 24, 2014 By Kip Fisher

Welcome back to another exciting week of Half Ashed! Episode 071 features Unbanded #017, kindly provided by Officer Paul (Thanks, Paul!). I forgot to snap a picture of the cigar, so you get treated to Craig in a sombrero for our featured image this week :). We covered several important cigar news items this week, including stories from Drew Estate, La Flor Dominicana, 7-20-4, Davidoff Nicaragua, IPCPR’s hiring of a new CEO, and the finalized review architecture for The Cigarmy. We also covered what we’ve been smoking, and Craig’s favorite listener email in quite some time…

Next week, our Cigar of the Week will be the recently released Tatuaje Tattoo Caballeros, so be sure to check back in next Friday night at 9:30pm EST at ~~Cigar Federation~~ ****We will temporarily only have chat access on our Show Page on halfashed.com. We have outgrown our previous chat, and it has been overloading the server and causing various and sundry issues with our hosting provider. In fact, they shut down our site this week during the show. I have installed a stopgap chat for the time being, but it will not frame into the Cigar Federation page. We will remedy this as soon as possible.****, where you can catch us recording and participate in the chatroom. If you would like to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us through the contact page or at the following emails: [email protected] or [email protected]. Please feel free to drop us a line if you have any questions you’d like answered, comments to make…or even compliments and complaints. We love to get your emails! Also, remember you can always go back and listen to previous episodes, which can be found in the Half Ashed Archive. You can download this week’s audio directly below (right-click “Download” and save), or find us on iTunes to subscribe. Video, as always, will be available from 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!

News: IPCPR hires new CEO

June 20, 2014 By Kip Fisher

[Editor’s Note: This just in from the folks at IPCPR. I typically fill in gaps with press releases these days, but have left this one just as it arrived in my inbox……but there just might be an opinion or two on tonight’s Half Ashed Cigar Podcast!]

Washington, DC-After intensive searching, the IPCPR has named Mark Pursell as the new Chief Executive Officer. Previously, Mr. Pursell was the Senior Vice President of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Mr. Pursell brings a wealth of experience in business development, membership marketing, sales and association management to the IPCPR.

At NAHB, Mr. Pursell fostered relationships with key industry suppliers and executive management while engaging stakeholders to work together on industry issues, both internal and external. He was instrumental in the continued success of the International Builders’ Show, the largest light construction trade show in the world.

“The IPCPR is excited for the direction that Mark will take us in,” said IPCPR President Finnie Helmuth “his proven success in tradeshow management, publishing, education marketing and advertising businesses will allow him to take the IPCPR to exciting new levels.”

He has held similar positions at the Associated General Contractors of America and the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association. Mr. Pursell also served the United Nations Industrial Development Organization as an Investment Officer providing U.S. firms with project finance and capital services in overseas markets. He started his career with Equitable/DLJ Securities.

He is a graduate of the University of Michigan.

News: Drew Estate to Release KFC Flying Pig

June 18, 2014 By Kip Fisher

Drew Estate Announces Kentucky Fire Cured – Flying Pig

Drew Estate formally announced today the upcoming release of the Flying Pig vitola in their Kentucky Fire Cured blend. The cigar will soft-launch via a private event at [Read more…]

News: CLE to launch Eiroa CBT Maduro

June 12, 2014 By Kip Fisher

CLE to release all-maduro Eiroa CBT

In the last of a series of news items for which I’ve been lagging behind, Eiroa / CLE Cigars announced via press release yesterday that they would launch the Eiroa CBT Maduro. The letters “CBT” represent the components of a cigar: Capa (wrapper), Banda (binder), and Tripa (filler). The differentiating aspect of the cigar is that all components are composed of maduro leaf. According to the release, each of these components was selected from only the top primings of the plant, “giving this cigar the intense and complex flavors with its deep body and very smooth finish”

“The taste lingers with you and 30 minutes after, you are looking for the next one,” says CLE founder Christian Eiroa.

The cigar is expected to be available at this year’s IPCPR Tradeshow in Las Vegas, NV. It will come packed in four, 5-count packs per 20-count box and is available in the following vitolas:

4″ x 48 Prensado
5″ x 50
6″ x 54
6″ x 60

The EIROA CBT Maduro cigars are manufactured in the Aladino Factory in Danli, Honduras. Expected production for 2014 is approximately 150,000 cigars. One note for retailers: this cigar will only be made available to existing EIROA customers. MSRP will range from $9.16-$12.16.

25th Anniversary brings new look for Miami Cigar & Company

June 4, 2014 By Kip Fisher

Armed with a new image, the company sets a new tone for the next two decades.

Miami Cigar & Company has big plans for this year’s IPCPR Trade Show, using it as the launch platform for their new look. The company is undergoing a great deal of change in celebration of 25 years in business. Aside from being of celebratory significance, the hope is that these key changes will also better position Miami Cigar to increase brand awareness toward continuing to serve their customers in the future.

Earlier this year, a teaser campaign began to appear throughout various print publications, including Cigar Aficionado and Cigar Snob Magazine. This campaign provided a preview of the new look for the Nestor Miranda Collection line. The new sleek and contemporary look represents the philosophy behind the tag line “One Life” which has been pushed via their social media platforms.

Jason Wood, Vice President of Miami Cigar & Co. stated: “It has been an honor for me to begin the process of creating a new look and feel which is worthy of what Nestor Miranda and the Miami Cigar & Co. team have accomplished over the last 25 years. The “One Life” tagline represents the way that Nestor has and continues to live his life. It represents a call to action to seize the day and live every moment with passion. We are looking forward to celebrating our new look and company anniversary in Las Vegas this July.”

In addition to unveiling the new design elements at the show, Miami Cigar & Co. will also host an invitation-only 25th anniversary event at the Hyde Bellagio Las Vegas, overlooking the Bellagio fountains. The red carpet event, sponsored by Brown Forman Beverages, will welcome friends, colleagues, media, collaborators and celebrities who have helped Miami Cigar & Co. reach this milestone. The event will also symbolize a passing of the torch as Nestor Miranda has decided to pass along day to day operations to his son-in-law Jason Wood.

Director of Miami Cigar & Co., Nestor Miranda said: “2014 marks the 25th anniversary of my company and it has brought a renewed excitement to my wife and me. I can proudly say that I knew my son in law, Jason Wood, was a special talent who just needed industry experience that time has brought to him. I am excited about the new vision that he has for our future and the re-branding of the Nestor Miranda Collection. 2014 looks very bright for us as we have positioned ourselves to make a lasting impression on the cigar industry for years to come!”

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.

Social Media:
Facebook: Miami Cigar & Company
Instagram: MiamiCigar, Hashtag: OneLife
Twitter: Miami Cigar & Company

For those attending the IPCPR in Las Vegas wanting to visit Miami Cigar & Co. Their booth number is # 404

Press Release: New Aging Room Small Batch T59 Blend

December 9, 2013 By Kip Fisher

New Aging Room Small Batch T59 Blend

[NOTE: I apologize for my lack of new content the past 3 weeks. I have had no small amount of occupational craziness and fires to put out. I should be back in a regular groove by the end of this week. Thanks for stopping by, and be sure to check out recent episodes of Half Ashed….we’ve at least kept that current!]

For Immediate Distribution – December 9, 2013: Boutique Blends Cigars is announcing the selection of the new blend to be released as the new Aging Room Small Batch Quattro T59. The Aging Room cigar line was created with the objective of releasing new and exciting blends made with limited and hard to find tobaccos. The new blend, Quattro T59, was selected with the help of consumers, as it was part of the Aging Room WildPack 2013 as blend W-IV (M-338). “The Aging Room WildPack is part of our strategy to involve the consumers in our blending process” said Rafael Nodal, president of Boutique Blends Cigars. “The selection of the new blend for the release of the Quattro is only the beginning” expanded Rafael Nodal, “as we continue to search for the next blend release with the help of the consumers who continue to vote from the WildPack blends”, concluded Rafael.

Aging Room has been one of the highest rated boutique blend lines worldwide from its insertion in 2011. The Aging Room Small Batch M356 received a rating of 94 by Cigar Aficionado and was selected as one of the TOP 25 Cigars of 2011, it was also rated 95 by Cigar Journal which also selected the M356 as one of the FINEST 25 Cigars of 2012.

The Aging Room Small Batch Quattro F55, is one of the highest rated cigars in 2013 and continues to receive praise from renowned publications around the world.

Boutique Blends Cigars also produces other brands as SWAG Cigars and its focus is on small, controlled production or small batch cigars. “I am not making cigars for everyone, I am making cigars for educated aficionados who are looking for exciting and complex blends” said Rafael.

Mentioned as one of the hardest working men in the cigar industry, Rafael Nodal is traveling around the USA and other countries, selecting the proper Boutique Blends Cigar shops and sharing with the cigar consumers his philosophy of making small batch blends and controlled productions.

Together with Hank Bischoff, Rafael has teamed up with veteran grower and cigar man in the Dominican Republic, Jose “Jochy” Blanco to create and develop these exciting blends using selected tobaccos from the famous farms of Blanco.

For information about the Aging Room Small Batch Quattro T59 or any of the products from Boutique Blends Cigars, please contact Hank Bischoff. For online or social media inquiries please contact Carlos Nodal.

Hank Bischoff, VP Carlos Nodal, Social Media

Boutique Blends Cigars Email: [email protected]

5951 NW 173^rd Drive, Suite 8 FB, Twitter: Carlos Nodal

Miami, FL 33015 Instagram: AGINGROOMCIGARS & SWAGCIGARS

Email: [email protected]

Press Release: Nomad Releases S-307

November 4, 2013 By Kip Fisher

NOMAD RELEASES MUCH ANTICIPATED “S-307” CIGAR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Estelí, Nicaragua (November 4, 2013) – Nomad Cigar Company is pleased to announce the release of the much-anticipated S-307. The company’s first full production cigar in Nicaragua, the S-307 is a box pressed Sumatra wrapped cigar blended and rolled at the AJ Fernandez factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.

In July 2013, Fred Rewey, founder of Nomad, made a significant splash at IPCPR when he expanded from his Dominican produced core line to include the Nomad Lot 1386, a Nicaraguan Limited Edition cigar that almost immediately sold out at the show. Rewey then returned to Nicaragua with the continued goal of creating an even higher caliber cigar than the last all the while delivering competitive pricing for the consumer. The result is the Nomad S-307.

Name: Nomad S-307
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Ecuadorian Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan
Factory: AJ Fernandez
Notable: 21 count, Box Pressed

Sizes / Pricing
Toro (6×50) – $7.95 MSRP
Robusto (5×50) – $7.75 MSRP
Torpedo (6.5×52) – $7.95 MSRP

In keeping with his trend, Rewey gave meaning to the name of his new cigar as well. The “S” stands for Sumatra. The “307” pays homage to the approximate square miles of the Estelì area.

“I am really excited to get this one in the hands of cigar aficionados. I received a ton of great insight and encouragement from some industry icons in Nicaragua. I am just taking it all in, learning, listening, and enjoying the journey,” stated Rewey.

Rewey launched Nomad in 2012 and immediately started adding his own twist to the cigar industry. Rewey was the first cigar maker to add social media to the outside of a cigar band by printing his personal Twitter account (@Godfadr) – an account that has continued to grow to over 20K people as he engages in constant conversation with his followers. Nomad has been gaining international attention of cigar fans due to creative marketing and noteworthy cigars. All the while, Rewey has remained grounded.

“I try and surround myself with really smart and experienced colleagues. I am always learning new things. New techniques, new aging methods, new blends. I am thrilled Nomad cigars are so well received, it has been awesome journey so far and I look forward to the future,” said Rewey.

The S-307 is now shipping to retail locations and is Rewey’s third cigar blend offered to the retail market, following the success of the Dominican line and Nicaraguan Lot 1386.

Contact:

Sales Contact:
Nathan McIntyre, National Sales Director – House of Emilio Cigars: (615)691-1654

Fred “Godfadr” Rewey, Nomad Cigar Company
Twitter: @Godfadr
[email protected]
Phone: 855-MYNOMAD (or 855-696-6623)

Half Ashed Episode 038: Quai D’Orsay Imperiales

October 26, 2013 By Kip Fisher

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Hello again, folks. Welcome to another week of Half Ashed. This week, we were forced to record on Wednesday rather than Friday by some scheduling conflicts. Thanks to the folks who did join us in the chatroom….and if you’ve never joined us on Friday nights, you should! Tune in here at halfashed.com around 9:30pm EST for the show streaming as we record every week. Episode 038 features the Quai D’Orsay Imperiales, one of Craig’s submissions to our stockpile of Cigars of the Week. Here’s what he has to say about it:

Perhaps the mildest Post Revolution Cuban cigar. This Julieta 2 (i.e. Churchill) is unique in its proliferation of “SOFT” flavors. They are predominantly syrupy and herbal with a toasty core. The toasty flavor comes across to me as a sweet wheat cereal like Life. To me, this defines the “change of pace” cigar and can even make you want to switch over to this “pace” more permanently. It is the perfect analogy for a relaxed week away from the office. Medium flavored, mild and slightly more body than light, these cigars are the proverbial “middle child”; they are low key, wonderfully kind and always standing in someone elses spotlight. In my opinion, it isn’t fair :)

In news, we cover stories from the New York judicial system, EP Carrillo, Drew Estate Charities, IPCPR, and revisit the Alec Bradley Royal Monkey Society. We also discuss a few cigars we’ve been smoking since the last show, and have a couple of trivia questions from Craig. Lastly, we wrapped up by covering a listener email from Maria Elena Gonzalez (thanks Maria!).

Next week, our Cigar of the Week will be a special Unbanded from Dan Crouch….and we’ll be joined again by Bob & Dale from Dogwatch! We love having those guys sit in on the show. It’s guaranteed to be a fun time, so be sure to check back in for that next Friday night at 9:30pm EST at www.halfashed.com, where you can catch us recording and participate in the chatroom. If you would like to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us through the contact page or at the following email addresses: [email protected] or [email protected]. Please feel free to drop us a line if you have any questions you’d like answered, comments to make…or even compliments and complaints. We love to get your emails! Also, remember you can always go back and listen to previous episodes, which can be found in the Half Ashed Archive. You can download this week’s audio directly below (right-click “Download” and save), or find us on iTunes to subscribe. Video, as always, will be available at the CigFed Half Ashed Video Archive.

Half Ashed Episode 033: Unbanded 009

September 22, 2013 By Kip Fisher

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Episode 033: Unbanded 009

Welcome to Episode 033 of Half Ashed, everyone. This week, we’re smoking Unbanded 009, provided by Jacob Pinkas (thank you Jacob!). In news, we covered the departure of IPCPR CEO Bill SPann, a massive and unfortunate theft at the Alec Bradley warehouse, and upcoming/current releases from Jesus Fuego, Crowned Heads, Tatuaje, Barry Stein (Miami Cigar), and a Sons of Anarchy cigar….

There were several great (and a couple not so great) cigars from the “what have we been smoking” segment, and we kicked around some ideas that the both of us have been pondering and pontificating about recently as well.

Next week, our Cigar of the Week will be the Ramon Allones Gigante – so be sure to check back in for that Friday at 9:30pm EST at www.halfashed.com. If you would like to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us through the contact page or at the following email addresses: [email protected] or [email protected]. Please feel free to drop us a line if you have any questions you’d like answered, comments to make…or even compliments and complaints. We love to get your emails! Also, remember you can always go back and listen to previous episodes, which can be found in the Half Ashed Archive. You can download this week’s audio directly below (right-click “Download” and save), or find us on iTunes to subscribe. Video, as always, will be available at the CigFed Half Ashed Video Archive.

News: IPCPR CEO Bill Spann Resigns

September 20, 2013 By Kip Fisher

Just a short time ago, I received the following press release from IPCPR. Bill Spann has resigned as CEO, effective tomorrow to follow other pursuits. We wish Bill the best in his future endeavors….

September 19, 2013 Columbus GA –Citing a two-plus year separation from his family and the opportunity for employment in his new home town of Jacksonville Beach, Florida, IPCPR Chief Executive Officer Bill Spann today informed his Board of Directors he will resign his position effective September 21, 2013.

“My staff and many of our members know that I have been apart from my family each week since I took this position in July 2011,” said Spann. “We fully intended to move to Columbus, but unfortunately the town’s size did not afford my spouse the career opportunities she required.”

“I have great respect for our dedicated Board of Directors, our Associate Member Advisory Board, and our loyal and dedicated retail members and staff, but after more than two years of nearly constant family separation, the time is right to move on,” Spann said.

IPCPR Board President, Finnie Helmuth, said “we are grateful for Bill’s efforts on behalf of the premium cigar and pipe industry. His dedication to the industry, successful trade shows, new legislative staff in Washington, D. C. all speak to his stewardship of IPCPR. We wish him and his family a bright future.”