legislation | Half Ashed

Episode 165: Hoyo de Monterrey Añejado

October 27, 2017 By Kip Fisher

Hoyo de Monterrey Añejado

The Hoyo de Monterrey Anejados! The proverbial “Found in a warehouse” aging story come to life! SRP DIC 06 REVISADO is the box code on today’s CotW. If you buy into the marketing, these, along with a series of other initial vitolas were released in 2015. The series came from a 2006 idea to finally bring the vintage market to the Cuban distribution machine. Met with mixed reviews, this Hoyo version displays how Cuban tobacco can shine in a mild form. The cigar is a traditional Hermoso #4 (a longer & skinnier robusto) and appears dry and slightly humidity soaked. Having seen three boxes in person, all seem to appear the same. They display clean, crisp sweetness with only minimal “hoyo” sweet woody flavors. They taste more vintage than aged but only when comparing the shear amount of flavor present. Nonetheless, their flavor is enjoyable and they way they present themselves is not common amongst newer releases.

Cigar News

First up in a night of legislative news, six anti-tobacco/health groups have asked to intervene in the ongoing CAA/CRA/IPCPR lawsuit. The groups filed a Motion to Intervene, which means they are requesting the courts to include them in the suit as defendants – noting that they believe the government is not/will not properly defend the FDA regulation. The groups are:
1. American Academy of Pediatrics
2. American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
3. American Heart Association
4. American Lung Association
5. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
6. Truth Initiative

UPDATE from CRA: Today, the District Court for the District Columbia rejected the motion of six public health groups to immediately intervene in the premium cigar industry’s joint lawsuit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The Court will reconsider the issue if there are new developments.

In what is probably the bigger story over the past few weeks, the FDA has announced a big delay in the substantial equivalence deadline – a three year delay. The new deadline is Aug 2021. Other deadlines and guidance (or lack thereof) remain the same – including packaging requirements, etc. What this essentially boils down to is that products in the marketplace before Aug 2016 will be allowed to remain until Aug 2021 without gaining approval (the previous deadline was May 2018). This is huge for the smaller companies that were facing very expensive compliance with a foggy regulatory set in the near-term. They now have longer to prepare and budget for the process – and hopefully, get more guidance in what will even be required to meet the SE regs. The FDA commissioner, Scott Gottlieb, has also noted that a new comment period will be opened to receive and evaluate public comments about cigars and their use. The pathway to substantial equivalence – even with the new, more distant deadline – is fairly obscure, with little guidance from the FDA in what specifically will be required to demonstrate compliance.

Per a statement issued by CRA & IPCPR, Commissioner Gottlieb also noted that the FDA will undertake a new approach to evaluating tobacco policy – one “that notes a “continuum of risk” that recognizes the differences in tobacco products.” It’s worth noting also that Dr. Gottlieb stated that the FDA will “reexamine the treatment of premium cigars under the agency’s current regulatory structure. Ultimately, the agency will open a new rule making process to engage with the industry to better understand premium cigars, specifically.” In theory, I find this encouraging…but time will tell if practice meets theory.

Hawaii, California, New Jersey, Maine, and now Oregon have raised the legal purchase age for tobacco to 21

As discussed on last week’s “hangout and not a show”, the results are in! The Friends of Habanos Mould Report is in and able to be viewed. With over 30 cigars with plume/mold to choose from, 10 distinct samples (in appearance) were selected. Out of those 10, only 4 distinct components were detected. All 4 were mold. As such, FoH is offering a $250 store credit for anyone who can produce a cigar with plume. http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/topic/131757-final-mould-report/

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Kip –

RoMaCraft, RoMaCraft, RoMaCraft!
Serino Maduro XX – Ec. Habano 2000 over Nicaraguan binder & filler; produced by La Corona (Omar González Alemán). Tons of cocoa and berry sweetness…one of the better cigars I’ve smoked in a long time – even with the nearly $12 per robusto price tag.
Emilio Carpe Noctem. I found these languishing on a retailer’s shelf during my visit to TN. It was a shadow of its former self from a few years ago. I felt like it had gone very flat during that time, with some muddling of flavors and an occasional metallic taste that I didn’t care for. Tragic, since I really liked these when they hit the market.

Episode 164: Psyko 7 Maduro

July 7, 2017 By Kip Fisher

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Psyko 7 Maduro

I received these samples from Ventura right around the time that I moved out of the country – so they’re about 2 years old at this point. I had a good go with the original line, although I suppose it didn’t earn a place as a frequent occupant in my humidor. I smoked a couple of these at the time they came out, but frankly I was smoking a lot of cigars at that time and didn’t keep notes…I was expecting them to come up sooner in the Half Ashed rotation. Tonight we’ll see how they’re holding up. The online description says that the “PSyKo Seven Maduro is graced with a deliciously dark and oily San Andres maduro wrapper concealing an Ecuador Hybrid 151 binder and Nicaraguan ligero, Peruvian Pelo de Oro, Dominican Hybrid, Honduran Holancha, and Pennsylvania ligero long-fillers.”

Cigar News

President Trump has announced changes to former President Obama’s changes toward travel and trade with Cuba. Specifically, the announcement is more akin to an announcement that there will be changes – rather than what those changes will be. It’s not overly clear exactly what this will mean in the future. For now, not much is different than it was as of January 19th – but this could be tossed around and remixed without warning. For the time being, you can still travel to and bring back goods from Cuba. Most are speculating that the major changes will include more restrictive travel allowances – which means fewer allowable reasons to visit Cuba and more restrictive guidelines on where you can stay, eat, travel, etc. while there. We will see in the months to come.

Ernesto Carrillo is teaming up with General Cigar again. Some may remember the Re+United from several years ago (We even smoked it on the show, back on Episode 069) as the most recent collaboration. This time, however, Ernesto’s La Alianza factory will be producing the La Gloria Cubana COLECCIÓN RESERVA. Unlike the Re+United, the LGC CR will be regular production. It will be available in three vitolas (5”x54 Robusto, 6” x 54 Torpedo, 7.5” x 54 Presidente), and features and Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and fillers.

Come July 1st, several of Tatuaje’s lines will be less available…Ambos Mundos, El Triunfador, La Casita Criolla and La Riqueza will become off-list items, available in small batch releases and at some events. It appears (and doesn’t seem to be a secret) that some of these lines have pretty geographically limited market shares, so they are being scaled back. Pete has said publicly that the lines are important to him and aren’t going away; they just will not be kept at the current stock levels for distribution.

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Craig
illusione Fume d’Amour Tres Petit
Fuente Opus Destino al Siglo Churchill

Kip
2009 Oliva Serie V Maduro, from Joe V.
Stunningly good Fuente 858 SG from Slagle…
Black Chapel from Evil Genius Cigars; I should have paid more attention earlier….

Episode 163: Cohiba Magico Maduro

July 7, 2017 By Kip Fisher

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Cohiba Magico Maduro

From Craig…

LSO JUN 07 Cohiba Magico – These cigars from the original production run of the first non LE post revolution Cuban cigar. In 2002 Cuba started aging the Maduro wrapper leaves for what would eventually become the Cohiba Maduro cigars. Available in three vitolas; Secretos, a Tres Petit Corona, Magicos, roughly a rothschild and the Genios a toro sized cigar. These cigars were met with much anticipation and limited success. Heralded as the best Non Cuban cigar to come out of Cuba, the much maligned “Cocoa & Coffee” flavors reminded smokers of non cuban flavors. For those of us who love cigars from all countries, these cigars represented a holy grail to a small population that appreciated the marriage in style and sensation. Full bodied without being strong, these cigars were sweet and rich, without being overpowering. When on they were some of the best maduro examples ever to be sold. This box is original to the first shipments hitting global market and has been in my possession for nearly 10 years. I broke it open for this occasion and have yet to smoke a single cigar. I smoked numerous boxes of Secretos and found them to run between acceptable and flawless…

Cigar News

There are “hundreds of thousands” more Fuente cigars floating around the black market than 2 weeks ago. An entire 40 foot cargo container was stolen some time between being offloaded in Miami and its scheduled delivery in Tampa. The tractor, and subsequently the trailer, has since been recovered,. Expect some Fuente shortages again this year…..

So Xikar is adding graduated laser etched markings on the blade of some cutters that measure the diameter of the cigar being cut, notably the Ultra Thin model. At first, I thought “that’s neat.” Then, I wondered what the point was? Do these markings gauge the entire diameter? Or, how much someone somewhere thinks should be trimmed off the cap (which should, of course, be less than the overall diameter of the cigar)? Are cap/heads of cigars uniform enough this is close enough to a fixed amount to be trimmed? Does anyone think it matters? There seems like a lot of variation amongst manufacturers’ ability to maintain consistent ring measurements on their cigars.

Turns out…kids aren’t springing the cash for premium cigars! Who’d a thunk it? A study partially funded by the FDA determined that of over 13,000 kids aged 12-17 only 2.3% had ever had a premium cigar (with “ever” meaning have ever had even 1-2 puffs). Less than ¾ of 1% had done so in the past 30 days. This data was part of a much larger study, covering a sample pool of almost 46,000 children and adults. Additionally, the study included the use of flavored cigars – which are often the evil scapegoat decried by anti-smoking factions. The study was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the FDA, and interestingly, the FDA does NOT include these findings in the tobacco section of their website. Originally published by Cigar Aficionado.

Tatuaje has announced the final two offerings in the long-running Monster series. Later this year, “Michael” will be released, and “The Bride” will be the (presumed) final release in 2018. Along with this announcement, it has further come to light that another subset of the Monsters will be coming down the pike. A Cazadores sampler will be coming in the next month or so, and will include 10 of the Monster blends in a 6 ⅜” x 43 vitola. There will also be a lancero version of the sampler in 7 ½” x 38. I’ve enjoyed the regular Monster lineup over the years, but never really went nuts over them, as the sizes tend to run a bit bigger than I typically reach for. I really liked the Skinny Monster release last year, and will go out on a limb to declare I’ll probably invest in the Cazadores…and Lanceros…and one or both a second round after I have had a proper amount of testing :). The Cazadores will run around $90 per sampler, while the Lanceros will come in at about $5 more.

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Craig

SCdlH El Principe – My love of small cigars is not hidden to anyone who listens to this show. The El Principe always floats amongst my favorites in this vitola. Sweet, flavorful and, like the best Cuba has to offer, always drops an individual thread to accompany the overall theme the island’s tobacco brings to the table. Terrific.
Partagas 898v – Absolutely loaded with amazing sweet spice and tobacco flavor. Also loaded with a roughness akin to youth and bad luck.

Kip

Davidoff Chef’s Edition…typical Davidoff (I dig it).
Lots of Quesada España and 40th Robustos
Partagas Heritage (General) – They have my attention…

Episode 162: Drew Estate Undercrown Shade

May 13, 2017 By Kip Fisher

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Drew Estate Undercrown Shade

Willy Herrera’s first blend for the Drew Estate lineup outside his Herrera Estelí marca, the Drew Estate Undercrown Shade features an Ecuadoran Connecticut wrapper over Sumatran binder and Dominican/Nicaraguan filler mix. Tonight, we’re smoking the 6” x 52 toro, which retails somewhere around the $8.50 mark…let’s see how it goes!

Cigar News

Since our last show, the cigar (and music) industries mourn the passing of Avo Uvezian at the age of just over 91 years. We pay tribute to the legendary musician and cigar man.

Davidoff has announced the return of their Chefs Edition, a collaboration with several top European chefs. This year’s edition is again a 6” x 54 toro, and will feature a Habano 2000 wrapper over Ecuadoran Connecticut binder and an all-Dominican filler blend. The blend is intended to be enjoyed after a fine dining experience, and a run of around 3,000 boxes will begin to show up stateside next month, but I have my hands on one now. I’ll smoke it this week and report back….

Regius and Quesada have ended their distribution agreement, effective April 30. There was some initial chatter about production moving to another company (rather than Quesada, as it is at present), but that has since been retracted without more detail. I had no shops that carried the Regius lineup when I lived stateside, but had the opportunity to smoke through a box I won via charity auction a few years ago and thought the White Label was pretty fantastic….it’s a brand I wouldn’t mind revisiting should the opportunity allow.

General Cigar has announced that a number of facings will be leaving the market. Toraño seems to be the biggest drop, with quite a few from the lineup being discontinued. Several vitolas are being removed from the company’s offerings, as well as a couple of entire lines (notably to this story, the Toraño Captiva). One of the few lines I enjoy from General’s stable, the CAO OSA, will lose the Lot 46 and Lot T

In continuing update with the CAA/CRA/IPCPR lawsuit against the FDA has been moved back a month. The new court date is August 30th…

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Craig

La Riqueza #5 – La riqueza indeed

Kip

Fonseca Cubano Exclusivo. I’m not one to worry about health concerns from moderate cigar smoking (my tumor or diet will likely get me first), but I’m a bit concerned this one may have a friggin’ asbestos wrapper/binder. Less prominent tunnels connect England and France…
AJ Fernandez Bella Artes. This was perhaps the most talked about cigar at the 2016 IPCPR tradeshow. How’d my first experience with it go?
The Fuente Don Carlos Personal Reserve…I love ‘em, but they’re different from what I remember as the blend from which they spun…

Episode 161: Unbanded 030

April 4, 2017 By Kip Fisher

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Unbanded 030, from Kevin H.

Tonight’s example is roughly a corona gorda, with a lovely dark, evenly colored wrapper leaf. There’s one prominent vein but not a great deal of other relief to wrapper, which is almost oil-free to the touch. It actually feels like there’s a bit of dry residue where oil once lay, and with a decent amount of yellowing to the cello it came in, this could well be the case.

Cigar News

Since our last show, we’ve had a nominee added into the fray to head up the FDA under the Trump administration. Scott Gottlieb comes out of the healthcare industry in various facets, and has a history of tangential support of the premium cigar industry. He’s written various articles that at the very least assert the FDA is over-reaching in its assimilation of premium cigars into its regulations. We’ll post more as the days come and confirmation hearings proceed.

Two representatives and a Senator from Connecticut are trying to protect use of the word “Connecticut” in tobacco branding/labeling. They’ve submitted a letter asking for an examination of how products are marketed and labeled with the name, specifically in reference to tobacco grown elsewhere using CT seeds. They claim to have heard from constituents who feel undercut by brands that utilize “Connecticut” leaf that may have been grown in other countries. The letter has been submitted to the FDA and FTC, both of which govern tobacco labeling for various reasons.

La Palina has announced an update to their Classic line of cigars. Most surprising to me is a move for production from PDR to General Cigar. Details beyond that are sparse, except that the line will feature three branches: Classic Connecticut (EC CT // DR // DR-Nica), Classic Maduro (Hond // Hond // DR-Nica-Hond), and Classic Rosado (Hond // Hond // DR-Nica-Hond). It’s to come in 3 sizes per wrapper and retails for $6.50-$8 US).

Joey Bravo, son of Berta “Guayabera Lady” Bravo and former sales head for J. Fuego, has co-founded a new company with his Mom and friend James Thomas. The company, named Cypress Group Miami, will oversee distribution and sales of the J. Fuego brand in the U.S. and elsewhere. The move is being made to free up Jesus Fuego to spend more time at his factory in Estelí rather than stateside with sales commitments.

By the end of the semester, the University of Texas will be tobacco-free on all its campuses and properties. Texas, for cryin’ out loud! This is a policy change for the University, but there’s also a bill up for consideration that would ban tobacco and e-cigarette use on all state-owned properties throughout TX…

Australian cigar merchant and internet playground master, Friends of Habanos is currently hosting a truly special event. Rob Ayala, FoH’s owner and “el presidente” is calling upon the site’s members to share cigars with what they feel to be either mold or plume. Once a substantial offering has been received the cigars will be documented, photographed and sent out for “independent scientific testing”! This is the first public mold testing I am aware of and I am anxiously awaiting the report. I feel we will see substantially more samples coming back as mold than plume… The results could potentially be the building blocks for a mold/plume tutorial the likes of which have never been seen.

2017 Cuban tobacco harvest is the first in at least 3 years to have been universally heralded as above average. The quality is good and as many as 23k hectares have been successfully harvested. Late 2018/early 2019 Cuban cigar production should be expected to exceed recent quality.

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Craig –

RoMaCraft Fiorella
JC NewmanBlack Diamond
2002 RA PC, 2013 RA TPC
Tantrum
Jericho Hill

Kip

Colmado cigars. Who’d a thunk it?!?
LFD Andalusian Bull

Episode 160: Jas Sum Kral Red Knight Lancero

March 26, 2017 By Kip Fisher

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Jas Sum Kral Red Knight Lancero

From Craig – A lovely gift from our listener “ARKCigars”, these 7″ x 38 lanceros make a perfect addition to your art gallery or your humidor. The most beautiful twisted pigtail cap sit atop a flawless Ecuadorian Habano Light “Clario” [sic] wrapper. The binder is half Mexican San Andres and Nicaraguan Jalapa seco, all over confidential inner components. The cigar smokes with a savory, pepper core but shows a sense of suave style throughout. Blended by the brand owner Riste Risteski and Noel Rojas, the cigar was created in Esteli to maintain the “Cuban standard”. Literally translating to “I Am King”, Jas Sum Kral is a Macedonian name for a Nicaraguan cigar with a Cuban soul.

Cigar News

Casa de Montecristo is coming to Tampa. My old haunt, Tampa Humidor, is teaming up with the folks at Imperial/Tabacalera USA/JR Cigars to open a Casa de Montecristo lounge in South Tampa. It should be opening in June…which is hopefully about the time I land stateside for a (shorter) visit.

I heard a bit of a buzz this week coming out of ProCigar here in Santiago, regarding a new cigar from La Aurora that will feature Andullo (which we’ve spoken of several times here on past shows). It will be called the ADN Dominicano (Dominican DNA), and will carry a Dominican wrapper, Cameroon binder, and four different filler tobaccos – including Andullo. I’ve smoked another cigar with this tobacco (Project 805), and seen it raw in the yagua, but don’t have a great deal of experience with it…yet. I’ve asked a friend of mine to take me to some of his friends’ place where they process andullo. This tobacco is rolled up into large tubular sections for fermentation, and bound by a rope or length of vine to generate some compression. Because it’s compressed during this time, it doesn’t peel apart easily into leaves afterward – so, it’s generally just trimmed off the end and smoked in a pipe. My understanding is this won’t – at least for now – be marketed stateside. It will be available here in RD in four vitolas (5×50, 5.75×54, 6×58, 7×47) if anyone wants to come visit and give ‘em a try.

I believe Florida, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire are the last 3 remaining states that exempt cigars from most/all tobacco taxes. New Hampshire remains so after a bill was defeated to include premium cigars in the existing tax code (which would have added an additional 65% of wholesale to the final price). I can only imagine it will resurface during the next session, though….

In a move I’ve thought about for several years, Hawaii is proposing a ban on mail order/internet tobacco purchases for their residents – only allowing such ordering for licensed retail and wholesale establishments. My guess is many states will watch this closely, as it’s a way to covertly avoid some of the higher tax rates in a lot of states. The ban is, of course, “to protect the children” who might be lured into circumventing age restrictions by ordering through the mail. But, legislators know residents buy online from lesser-taxed states to avoid home state taxation over the counter. Maryland tried a similar but different move several years ago with a requirement that all etailers file/pay their taxes on internet orders. Many etailers simply posted statements that they’d no longer ship to MD, and the public outcry brought that move down. We’ll keep tabs on HI and see how it goes.

There has been some activity on the CAA/IPCPR/CRA lawsuit the past couple days, with some motions filed by other entities, although I honestly have not had time to investigate them thoroughly enough to speak intelligently of them. I will post up some info on the forum this week once I have had that chance.

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Craig –

Intl. Pipe Smoking Day – Margate ’07 – This blend is evolving and INCREASING in strength to my tastes. I am not enjoying it as much as the other bowls from this jar.
Padron 1926 Belicoso – These cigars are spicy to me. I just can’t handle them anymore. It’s a sad day
Tatuaje Noella Reserva – A terrific start. A poor finish…
Cuba Aliados – My pseudo IPSD celebration. I shall explain.

Kip

IPSD was Feb 20th – I took the opportunity to dig into some latakia/oriental goodness in Dunhill’s Nightcap and GL Pease’s Abingdon, both aged nicely. This week, I also broke out a 13 year old tin of Marlin Flake. Sweet Mother of all that’s Holy that is some good stuff….

Episode 159: Asylum Nyctophilia

February 18, 2017 By Kip Fisher

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Asylum Nyctophilia Robusto

Tonight, we’re smoking the 5” x 50 Asylum Nyctophilia, although it was also available in 6” x 60 and 7” x 70. It was one of the TAA exclusives in 2015, and in fact I believe was the final cigar I bought before moving out of the states in June 2015. They were marketed in limited supply at around the $8 mark, and featured a dark San Andres wrapper over Nicaraguan internal components. I bought a few of these at the time, and really liked them initially. After a few months, when I smoked the last one I’ve had to date, there was some tannic intrusion that I wasn’t a huge fan of….we’ll see how they’ve progressed over the past year.

Cigar News

Jonathan Drew is returning to an “executive operating role” with Drew Estate, a slightly different role than he has played in the two years since the company was sold to Swisher. The move is promoted as one in which the company will “return to its iconic roots and core values. The objective is to unleash the entire team’s creative power under the leadership of JD.” JD was quoted in the press release as saying “We will return to high-level curation, mixed media platforms, and true collaboration. We have lost our way a bit, but DE will bubble back 1,000 times stronger. Believe me.” What are our thoughts? Tune in to hear….

Continuing with the Drew Estate news, reports of a new Undercrown line are popping up around the U.S. The Undercrown Sungrown features the same vitolas as the existing line, and red banding rather than the traditional blue and the white found on the Shade. The company hasn’t yet released any blend details, but I imagine they’ll be forthcoming. Kip *really* digs the original line in the robusto vitola, and has an appreciation for the Shade (although it’s not exactly up his alley in terms of personal flavor preferences).

Bill Nelson has introduced a new(ish) bit of helpful cigar legislation….

Politicians in two states are currently calling for massive increases in cigar taxation. Gov. John Kasich of Ohio is requesting an increase from 17% of wholesale per cigar to 69% (an increase of over 300%) in his new proposed budget. Meanwhile, New Mexico’s SB 231 would increase cigar tax from 25% to 75% of wholesale (up 200%). Neither of the measures are new, although they are heftier increases than previous attempts…Gov. Kasich’s budget goes next to legislative review, while the NM bill goes to committee.

A couple of total rabbit trails….

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Craig –

PL PC – Don’t you just hate it when a good cigar is transitioning? This PL was soapy and sour, yet I could still taste the profile in the background. This just irks me.
Core Zero Robusto – Way back before the last Dogwatch, Dale asked me to smoke a couple of cigars for the show. I did, or so I thought I did until I found one last one in my singles drawer. Full of sweet spice and a decidedly peanut-brittle type flavor, this brought a lot of good to the table. The good was matched by some minor issues, including a bite that wasn’t “strength” so much as it was harshness. It wasn’t a cigar for serious smokers and probably would have scared off newbs as well. I’m not quite sure who the audience was for this but could certainly find enjoyable aspects in what I had.

Kip

Cantinero
Chogui Longsdale
EPC Edicion Inaugural 2009

Notes on the Xikar MTX scissors…

Episode 158: Georgetown Tobacco Caucus

February 10, 2017 By Kip Fisher

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Georgetown Tobacco Caucus

The Georgetown Tobacco Caucus is only available at Georgetown Tobacco, and was blended in 2009 when David Berkebile visited Rocky Patel’s factory in Danli, Honduras. The blend was designed to complement the flavor of the Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper leaf, which is David’s favorite. The result is a rich and satisfying smoke that avoids the extremes of strength and taste which have become common in today’s cigar market. The medium body and subtle flavor make the Caucus accessible to a wide variety of cigar enthusiasts, who have made this the most popular brand in our store. Provided to us by Cigar Man for Life, these sticks have been with us for a while and are a few that we both enjoy. Probably the best cigar I’ve had produced by Rocky Patel since the RP 15th Anniversary in 2010. Tonight’s cigar is 6” x 52 and sells for about $7.

Cigar News

Over the past couple weeks, a few large scale acquisitions have come to pass in the tobacco world. The one of most interest to cigar folks is Altria (parent of Philip Morris) picking up Nat Sherman. While most of listeners of this show know Nat Sherman as a cigar company, cigarette production is a major component of their business – but they do hold a number of premium brands. Future plans for these premium cigar brands (made for them by Plasencia and Quesada) are yet to be announced.
Dunhill cigars and pipe tobacco….gone, or will be soon.
It’s THAT time of year again. Manufacturers are beginning to announce the “if/when” of price increases. So far, I’ve seen bits coming down from Perdomo, AJ Fernandez, and JC Newman…but personally I expect there to be many more over the next 4-6 weeks.
Terry Johnson (TL Johnson Cigars) has merged with Black Patch Cigars of Kentucky. To my recollection, we’ve only talked once in memory about Black Patch and the “Kenbano” tobacco they grow in Kentucky to showcase in their blends. Tabacalera TLJ will produce Black Patch cigars going forward, and presumably the Kenbano will be coming down for those purposes.
Since our last show, Matt Booth has announced he’s retiring from the cigar industry – along with his Room101 brands, which he owns. His attention will turn to focus on his lucrative jewelry business. His contract with Oettinger Davidoff expired Jan 1st, and he has opted not to renew. It’s still possible that the brands could return to production, but no plans have been announced at the moment.
The IPCPR tradeshow was somewhat “booted” from the former venue, the Sands/Venetian complex. It’s been widely speculated that a bigger group wanted the venue for the assigned dates, and with the convention hall holding the power to cancel, they opted to do so. IPCPR has quickly adjusted and rescheduled for July 10-14 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The move de-couples hotel arrangements from the convention site, but presumably won’t offer much more interference except being a bit off the strip.
So, the FDA has extended the deadline for manufacturers to submit ingredient lists for cigars from Feb 15 until Aug 8, 2017. That’s the news from the FDA, but after looking over the requirements I can’t help but wonder about a couple things. First, for any premium cigar made with no chemicals besides potable water and tobacco, there are only 4 requested pieces of information: tobacco type, variety, curing method, and any recombinant DNA technology used in creating the varietal. Even for these cigars – containing nothing aside from water and tobacco – I have questions. First, the “type” of tobacco must be listed by weight. Exactly how much does ½ leaf – cut by human hands from variably sized leaves – weigh? I wonder with what precision the FDA expects this to be? Secondly, I wonder how many manufacturers *truly* know how the tobacco they used has been genetically engineered? I’ve spoken with some in the past who simply don’t. They buy tobacco. They know where it was grown, who grew it, and many other details – but they may not know it intimately on an agronomical basis.
I also wonder – for those who use something other than water – if they know enough detail about their process to accurately submit the application. Bethune, the “secret sauce” used by more makers than would admit, often contains wine, rum, tobacco, water…and various other ingredients passed along sparingly like it’s the Colonel’s original recipe. I am willing to bet many can’t answer the questions regarding chemical reactions and other properties imbued by the Bethune. I have no idea how stringently this will be enforced, nor even if it can be without FDA personnel on the ground in factories throughout cigar country (a la food inspectors). I’m anxious to see how third-party cigar companies meet this; I have a gut feeling many don’t know their cigars on a level to complete this and will have to rely on information from their partner manufacturers (and/or agronomists from *their* sources). Small manufacturers (under $5million/yr) will have an additional 6 months to comply, so we’ll see in a year or so….

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Craig –

HR Blue – Oh my goodness gracious
Cattle Baron!
Hoyo de Monterrey Añejado
pipe tobacco – Escudo Navy Deluxe

Fuente Fuente Opus X 20th Anniversary pre-release from CFC.
Quesada Keg – both Nicaraguan and Dominican versions.

Episode 157: La Flor Dominicana TAA 47

January 8, 2017 By Kip Fisher

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La Flor Dominicana TAA 47th

Last year’s (fabled, per Craig) selection process led to the finished product we have before us – the La Flor Dominicana TAA 47th. It’s a 5.5” x 52 robusto extra that features an Ecuadoran Habano wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and Dominican/Nicaraguan filler mix. It was available only through TAA member shops, and retailed for about $9 per stick.

Cigar News

The much anticipated…and much maligned…CA Top 25 list is making its rounds for 2016. If you follow the list, you probably already know that the La Flor Dominicana Andalusian Bull topped it at number 1. I (Kip) haven’t personally smoked this cigar yet, but I have read a bit about it. In fact, quite a few of the things I read deemed it as being uncharacteristic of the typical LFD portfolio. The anecdotal trend I am seeing is folks saying it’s not as potent as the company’s standard fare, with perhaps more of a spicy profile. I suppose I’ll have to track them down, because nicotine-heavy blends has been one of my personal reasons I avoid the brand most of the time (although there are a few I will reach for on occasion, like the Airbender). I’d love to hear what some of our listeners think of it – because this list is often polarizing for the magazine’s readership, and I’m interested to see what Johnny-on-the-street has to say about the cigar. The 6.5” figurado retails for about $15, and features a Corojo-seed Ecuador Habano wrapper over a blend of Dominican Criollo ’98, an undefined hybrid, and some Pelo d’Oro.

Lots of legislative news since our last show. First, a very brief update in the form of a date. July 28, 2017. This is the date that the joint CRA//IPCPR//CAA lawsuit will have its day in court. We’ve covered this in recent shows in terms of its initial filing and the FDA’s response. We’re going to have to wait a few more months before anything really starts to move with it….

Moving along into the second bit of legislative info, the FDA has now alleged that several companies are falsely marketing cigarettes as “Little Cigars.” Swisher is the only company in the list that I recognize having a tie to our standard roster of cigar companies, with their past premium division and current ownership of Drew Estate. Frankly, despite my (Kip’s) typical displeasure with the FDA’s asserted long arm, I’m kinda onboard with this reach. Similar loophole wrangling led to some portion of the mess we’re in today (i.e. roll-your-own tobacco being marketed as pipe tobacco in FL, etc.). If these are cigarettes, call them cigarettes. THIS is why we need a solid definition that differentiates premium cigars from other types of tobacco products. I’m not alleging Swisher did this, but there were a number of cigarette makers in 2009 that simply changed the color of their paper wrapper to brown and called them “little cigars” to manoeuvre the tax framework. These things are sized like cigarettes, have similar composition, and are packaged much alike…

Representative Mark Meadows (NC, Rep.) has compiled and presented a list of over 200 regulations that could beneficially be repealed by incoming President Trump. One of these regulations is the FDA’s claim on regulating tobacco products – specifically premium cigars. The list specifically notes the fear of the overwhelming pre-review process that the industry now faces. Story on Cigar Coop

The 20th Anniversary Opus X has hit the market…in the brand’s 21st year (of course). A number of retailers have been busily posting pictures as they land in stores. The line comes in four sizes: Believe (5 3/4 x 52), Father & Son (6 1/4 x 49), God’s Whisper (6 1/2 x 56) and Power of a Dream (6 3/8 x 52). They come in 20-count boxes with MSRP pricing ranging from $17.75-20 per cigar. I have a couple of these from the 2014 CFC, although without the fancy blue packaging. They were distributed at this event with a simple secondary “Hublot” band, and no information given except they were 20th Anniversary Opus. I suppose it’s time to break them out…

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Craig

Alphonso custom corona 11/16 from Zedman

Punch London Club Maduro

Perdomo Lot 23 Habano

Kip

SevenSeven Cigars – Sumatra (Ec Sumatran wrapper, Criollo ‘98 binder, Piloto Cubano, Nicaraguan, Criollo ‘98 fillers) milder in flavor but just as potent as its Sumatran brother. Habano (Habano wrapper, Criollo ‘98 binder, Piloto Cubano, Nicaraguan, Criollo ‘98 fillers) – Occasional crispness, but generally came across with lots of dark chocolate flavors.

Tatuaje Skinny Monsters – I’ve begun smoking through these as I get the chance. I’m keeping some notes on each and will post them up once I’m through the lineup. So far, I think the Mummy has been my favorite…which is peculiar, because I believe it has been my least favorite in the full size offerings.

Episode 155: Tatuaje Face – Original

November 21, 2016 By Kip Fisher

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Tatuaje Face

Craig – Monsters! Yes, we’re a couple weeks late to the Halloween Gig but it’s really never a bad time to light up an original Tatuaje Face. This big beast, 6-½”x56 by direct measurement, was the 2010 Monster release, #3 in the series. One of Pete’s first uses of the San Andres wrapper, this cigar takes a left turn from the then typical tobaccos being used in the Esteli MF factory. It does sit on a Nicaraguan binder & filler blend which have always done a good job of keeping the impression of proper pedigree intact. This cigar has always danced around sweet & savory, though more recently diving deep into the meaty depths of other Nicaraguan manufacturers. Some cinnamon offers up a bit of respite but the cigar generally remains in that realm.

Cigar News

Serious Cigars is the latest retailer to be bought out by one of the large tobacco companies. Tabacalera USA acquired them (or at least, have announced the acquisition) since our last show. That name may or may not sound familiar – it’s the parent company behind Altadis, JR Cigars, and a couple other groups. I mention this only because there’s been a great deal of speculation that this (mfr./”big guy” buying up retailers) is developing into a trend and I wanted Craig’s thoughts…

Since we’re smoking Tatuaje tonight, I figured I’d throw in the latest news from the company. This spawned from an Instagram post by Pete Johnson and has been published elsewhere, but the RC line is expanding. Specifically pictured was the RC No.2 (5-5/8 x 54), although other outlets are reporting a couple more sizes (RC No. 1 (4 3/4 x 52), and RC No.3 (6 1/2 x 56)). Pete did comment that it will feature an Ecuadoran habano wrapper, but as of yet no real details on availability and pricing….personally, I welcome the normal human-sized vitolas over the existing behemoths in the line, with the 184 at 7-¼” x 57 and 233 of 9-⅛” x 55 :)

California strongly voted for Prop 56, which raises cigarette taxes from $0.87 to $2.87 per pack. Tax on other tobacco products – including cigars – is computed from the basis of the cigarette tax; existing cigar tax will probably more than double.

For now the 2nd time since Kip had his arm inked, Fuente is changing the Don Carlos band. Back in early 2011, they changed and added some gold trim across the bottom and a couple other minor details. Now, they’re inheriting the band you’ve been seeing on the Eye of the Shark and Don Carlos’ Private Reserve, which is predominantly black rather than the traditional red shared with the Hemingway line.

Somehow we missed this. The US abstained from a vote regarding the UN’s now annual vote on the Embargo. For the first time the US did not cast a vote in support of the nation’s 54 year old “Quarantine”. The reasons are quite political and also rather interesting. Apparently the Obama administration is not fully supporting this year’s movement to damn the embargo but is certainly expressing a bit of solidarity with nearly the rest of the globe’s collective distaste for the legislation. Citing, anonymously, the republican congress’s upholding of the present state of affairs, the Executive branch is further separating themselves from the embargo.

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Craig –

Ashton Cabinet – WHY is this overlooked??
J.Fuego Origen Originals – Cubby celebration.

Not much, and not much new…Oliva’s Inferno that I mentioned last show…
Padilla Miami Maduro