New Cigars | Half Ashed

Press Release: Ezra Zion FHK

January 1, 2014 By Kip Fisher

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Ezra Zion Cigar Company, makers of #1 Cigar of the Year 2013 Tantrum and the #1 Cigar of the year 2012 Jamais Vu, announces it’s newest cigar release FHK.

FHK has just arrived in the United States and is officially available at 12:00am, January 1, 2014.

“We know it’s symbolic and somewhat tongue-in-cheek but we wanted to ring in the New Year by launching this project that’s been in the works for so long. It’ll be the first cigar in the world released in 2014.” noted co-owner Chris Kelly.

The FHK will be available in 4 vitolas: a 5.5×50 “Inspired” robusto, a 44×7 “Truth” lancero gordo, a 54×7 “Stature” corona gorda, and a 52×6 “Character” belicoso.

“We had two goals with the FHK. We wanted to use unique tobaccos from several different countries and we wanted to leverage our buying position to offer a lower price-point than our other lines.” added Chris Kelly.

FHK retails for $9.00 for the robusto and lancero sizes and $10.00 for the corona gorda and belicoso. Tobaccos used in the blend include a San Andres wrapper, Indonesian, Brazilian, and Nicaraguan binder and filler.

“This is an amazing cigar! It reminds me of a creamy dark malty micro-brew. The blend continually intrigues me every time I smoke it. I think it’s our best cigar yet.” said Hoover.

For more information please visit EzraZion.com

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)

Press Release: Cuatro Cinco by Joya de Nicaragua

October 15, 2013 By Kip Fisher

45 years of the Nicaraguan cigar industry celebrated with a Limited Edition by Joya de Nicaragua

Esteli,Nicaragua—‐1968 was the year when it all started: the first Premium Nicaraguan cigar was hand-rolled in Estelí under the Joya de Nicaragua seal. With it, the Nicaraguan cigar industry was born and a new era for Premium hand‐rolled cigars began. JOYA DE NICARAGUA S.A is proud to honor this achievement with Cuatro Cinco, a Limited Edition cigar.

Cuatro Cinco has been especially crafted to commemorate four and a half decades of history of Joya de Nicaragua, its people and the city of Estelí, where it all started. Cuatro Cinco is an authentic Nicaraguan puro, hand rolled in Estelí with tobaccos grown in the region and in Jalapa, with a special 5 year old ligero that the factory had been saving in its bodegas for this special occasion. As if time wasn’t enough, the filler tobaccos have been specially aged in oak barrels for more than a year to give them distinctive and sophisticated notes, and the silky smooth wrapper and binder are Nicaraguan grown in the Jalapa valley.

“We are very excited about Cuatro Cinco, for this is one of the few Limited Editions we have produced. With this cigar we are capturing the true Nicaraguan Spirit, rich in the tradition that embodies our cigars and that defines us as the archetypal Nicaraguan cigar maker, because before Joya, there was no Nicaraguan cigar. While this cigar promotes our heritage, it is also a celebration of the future and the many years we still have ahead of us. It’s been 45 years already, and we are just getting started!” stated Dr. Alejandro Martínez Cuenca, Chairman of JOYA DE NICARAGUA S.A.

Leonel Raudez, General Manager and Head of Production of Joya remarks: “this is also a tribute to the people of Joya, the ones that went and the ones that are still with us, even after 45 years. We Estelianos are proud of contributing to make Nicaraguan tobacco among the best in the world, and to celebrate that, we have made one of the most exceptional cigars we have rolled, using our finest local tobaccos and rolled by a selected few of our talented tabaqueros. The profile of this cigar is nothing like what we’ve produced, although the richness and complexity of the Nicaraguan grown tobaccos still predominates.“

Cuatro Cinco will be available in a single vitola: a 6 x 54 semi–‐box pressed in 10–‐count boxes. As a Limited Edition, only 4,500 boxes of Cuatro Cinco are being produced each one numbered to guarantee exclusivity. The initial batch will start shipping in the first week of November 2013 to special Joya customers in the United States and around the world.

About JOYA DE NICARAGUA S.A.

JOYA DE NICARAGUA S.A. is a family owned, Nicaragua–‐based cigar factory that handcrafts traditional cigars for the premium luxury cigar market. First opened in 1968, it is Nicaragua’s oldest cigar factory in operation and home to the legendary JOYA DE NICARAGUA® brand of cigars. Joya is regarded by many as the patriarch crafter of robust, unique puro blends of locally grown black tobaccos, and its cigars are sold in nearly 40 countries around the world. For more information, please visit www.joyacigars.com

Press Release: Sotolongo Cigars

August 29, 2013 By Kip Fisher

As we’ve mentioned here on The Cigarmy as well as during the Half Ashed cigar podcast, Grace Sotolongo – since leaving My Father Cigars – has partnered with Christian Eiroa to launch Sotolongo Cigars into the marketplace. Grace has garnered a great reputation within the industry for being a charming, personable young lady, with knowledge of the industry beyond her years. I’m really looking forward to seeing the fruits of her labor hit the market, and wish her well in this, the first line of cigars to carry the name. From Sotolongo Cigars:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Miami, FL (08/26/2013): Grace Sotolongo is proud to announce her first cigar, Hechicera, from her newly formed partnership with Christian Eiroa.

The meaning of Hechicera is a female sorceress, [Read more…]

News: Room101 Master Collection One

July 8, 2013 By Kip Fisher

Some news concerning the Room101 Master Collection One has been circulating in recent weeks, but some more information has been released today. The line will be produced at the AgroIndustrias Laepe, S.A. (Honduras) factory, and total production will be approximately 100,000 cigars – 20,000 in each of five vitolas (Papi Chulo 4″X42, Roxxo 4″X48, Mutante 7″X38, Sucio 7″X48, and Monstro 5″X60). This will include 1,000 boxes of 20 for every size except the Papi Chulo, which will be produced in 50-count boxes. The blend is composed of a San Andres Ligero Rosado wrapper, Honduran corojo corte binder, and Honduran/Nicaraguan/Mexican filler blend. MSRP is set at $8-12 per stick, depending on size. The line will be available for pre-order at IPCPR 2013, and will begin shipping early to mid-October 2013. Room101 currently projects the Master Collection Two to launch later this Fall – late November. The Master Collection One will carry the famliar Cherry Blossom on the packaging, for which the backstory is included below:

This cherry blossom represents the ever-changing seasons that are experienced throughout one’s lifetime as well as the concept of a short, yet beautiful life. The tattered leaves this blossom bears signify the storms we have weathered together as a family and those we have yet to weather. Finally, the intact and unblemished core of this blossom represents the unfaltering and un-moveable nucleus of our family unit.

The Mon (or Kamon) is the format in which thie Japanese present their family crest. Each is simply beautiful yet complex enough to encapsulate the DNA of each particular family unit from inception to present day.

The Room101 Brand implements the Sakura Mon to represent our family unit. The products that bear this mark will be nothing short of our finest works to date. Within them we hope that you can experience a small taste of the journey we have endured to bring these pieces of handcrafted art to you. It is our most humble honor to have the opportunity to have our voice heard and our message received.

Press Release: Nomad Cigar to Release Nomad S-307

July 1, 2013 By Kip Fisher

Esteli, Nicaragua (July 1, 2013) – Nomad Cigar Company is pleased to announce a new Fall Nicaraguan blend called the Nomad S-307.

The cigar is scheduled to be released in September/October (2013) and will be made available to authorized retailers.

The final production is a box-pressed cigar with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper called the Nomad S-307. It will be released in three sizes (Toro (6″ X 50), Robusto (5″ X 50), Torpedo (6.5″ X 52)) and be available for pre-purchase at IPCPR.

“I am honored to have my first full production of a Nicaraguan cigar being blended and manufactured at Tabacalera Fernandez. The new blend is amazing and I am thrilled to expand the Nomad cigar line to include Nicaragua in a really big way,” said Fred Rewey, Founder.

Nomad Cigar Company launched in 2012 with four sizes of classic hand rolled Dominican cigars and quickly grew the line to seven sizes; not to mention conquering social media (@Godfadr on Twitter)

In spring of 2013 Rewey created Esteli Lot 1386, his first project in Nicaragua, available in limited edition 12 count boxes. Nomads next step is this full production of Nicaraguan cigars.

For sales Contact:

Nathan McIntyre, National Sales Director House of Emilio Cigars
Twitter: @CigarNate

Or…

Fred Rewey, Nomad Cigar Company
Twitter: @Godfadr
[email protected]

Press Release: Arandoza to Release White Label

June 28, 2013 By Kip Fisher

Many of you may be familiar with Arandoza Cigars, and some may not. Arandoza has been in the cigar marketplace since 2011, offering cigars made at Erik Espinosa’s La Zona factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. I recently took the opportunity to buy a few of their Blue Label line (Nicaraguan Habano wrapper; Nicaraguan binder & filler) and enjoyed them immensely. So, I am excited to learn of the following news in which they announce a new line to be released at IPCPR – the White Label. Here is the press release:

The Evolution of the Arandoza Cigar line has arrived! Arandoza announces the “rebirth” of the Arandoza Blue with its new bold label representing the strong solid foundation of this Cigar Family. Its bold taste, yet smooth finish, is a well-known flavor in this industry.

With a solid foundation, comes the opportunity to grow and expand. Stay tuned for the upcoming launch and unveiling of the Arandoza White Label at the IPCPR this July! This new label provides a well-balanced, full-body smoke, directly from Esteli, Nicaragua with its binder and filler from Nicaragua, Viso from Jalapa and its wrapper in a Dark Habano. This exquisite blend is sure to be the Rolls Royce of the Arandoza Cigar line. Its presentation is as exquisite as its flavor, as the cigars are nestled inside its white box branded with the Arandoza label and lined in black felt. It is sure to be a memorable classic piece to treasure. Both cigars are manufactured at La Zona Factory in Esteli, Nicaragua.

Press Release: Pinar Del Rio Announces New Lines

June 25, 2013 By Kip Fisher

Pinar Del Rio Cigars Announces New Signature Lines

June 17, 2013: Doral, Florida based boutique cigar maker, Pinar Del Rio (PDR) Cigars is excited to announce the release of two new signature cigar series to debut at this summer’s IPCPR show in Las Vegas, to be held at the Sands Expo Center from July 13-17. The AFR-75 is a rich, full bodied cigar with a balanced blend of Nicaraguan Criollo 98, Connecticut Broadleaf, & Dominican filler enveloped in a beautiful San Andres Maduro wrapper. The AFR-75 will be available in three sizes; the Sublime(5×56), the Edmundo(6×58), and the Inmenso(7×60). There will only be 500 boxes per size made available this year. The AFR-75 marks the second release in a series of signature lines from PDR. AFR-75 references the initials for Master Blender Abraham Flores Rosario and his year of birth, 1975. “I’m really excited about the new lines. We had a lot of success with the A. Flores Serie Privada line and we’re going to be doing more special release small batch projects. As a blender I have a lot of fun creating different blends that we can put out in smaller amounts for the hardcore cigar guys to enjoy”, says Abe Flore of PDR Cigars.

Accompanying the AFR-75 this summer as a new release will be the A. Flores Gran Reserva. As is the AFR-75, there will only be 500 boxes of each size of the A. Flores Gran Reserva made available. Replete with a delicious Corojo 2006 Domican wrapper the Gran Reserva delivers a rich, creamy, medium body smoke. The filler is a complex blend of Corojo Dominican and Habano Nicaraguan tobaccos. The A. Flores Gran Reserva will be made available as a Half Corona(3.5×46), Robusto(5×52), Gran Toro(6×54). The Half Corona will also be available in a 5-count tin as a regular production line. Both the AFR-75 and the A. Flores Gran Reserva will begin shipping in July as this summer is shaping up to be a very exciting one for PDR Cigars. The factory is also producing new releases for El Primer Mundo Cigars with its Costa Fuerte line as well as new lines for Kristoff Cigars and Ortega Cigar Company.

www.pdrcigars.com

Morning Updates from Boutique Cigars (Swag, Aging Room)

June 22, 2013 By Kip Fisher

News and Updates from Boutique Cigars / Swag / Aging Room

Activity has begun to increasingly rise as we head into full throttle IPCPR season. Boutique Cigars (Aging Room; Swag Cigars) is no exception, with company president Rafael Nodal publishing a number of pictures and comments this morning about their upcoming new cigars. Below are some quick notes and comments regarding those releases:

Aging Room Maduro

The highly anticipated Aging Room Maduro is blended using all Dominican grown habano as filler and binder with a beautiful oily and powerful Nicaraguan maduro wrapper, aged for over 5 years using our unique proprietary curing and aging process that has made the Aging Room one of the highest rated cigar brands. Body: Medium to Full

In further comments, Mr. Nodal additionally noted that this is Aging Room ‘s “top new release for IPCPR, […]in the works for a long LONG time. This powerhouse of aroma and flavors has a medium to full body with a blend of Dominican Aging Room Tobacco and a wonderful NICARAGUAN Maduro. Did I hear AMEN!!! I am a religious person and I must say, this is an spiritual experience.”

Being a fan of Aging Room ‘s products already in the market, I have to say I am anxiously anticipating this release – Dominican tobacco clothed in a Nicaraguan maduro wrapper sounds quite enticing.

Swag S

Cigar Coop reported in an exclusive story that Boutique Blends will also be adding a maduro line to their Swag marque this year as well. It also will feature Dominican internal components and a Nicaraguan maduro wrapper. The picture at right was released this morning via Mr. Nodal, with the added information that it would be available in bigger ring sizes (up to a 70 ring).

Aging Room Mini

In what seems to be a budding trend at this year’s show, Aging Room will be the third company I know of to release a miniature cigar (Ortega Cigars and La Tradicion Cubana being the other two). My interest is piqued to see how this pans out in light of the trend toward larger and larger cigars in recent years. The philosophy and model being that these cigars will fill the need for those who have the desire for a premium, handmade cigar but limited time. It will be worth watching to see how this niche develops – will there be enough demand for this type of product, or will many cigar smokers simply opt to wait until they have the time to dedicate to a larger cigar?

Aging Room Wild Pack

As was recently reported around the online cigar community, the Aging Room Wild Pack will be another IPCPR release. It will be a 10-cigar sampler, consisting of 2 each for 5 different previously unreleased small format cigars. Mr. Nodal indicated this morning that this will be a market test “for consumers to help us find the next Aging Room Cigars blend.” There will be a rating card included to report notes back to the company and help determine interest in each of the blends for subsequent release to market.

Fortissimo

On this week’s Half Ashed, we discussed the upcoming Fortissimo to a limited degree. Notably, the assertion from Aging Room that this may be the strongest cigar ever to come out of the Dominican Republic. Its composition will feature 100% ” tobacco from famous veteran grower Jose “Joshi” Blanco. Perfection be an understatement.”