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Cigar News: Camacho Announces American Barrel Aged

May 4, 2015 By Kip Fisher

The New Camacho American Barrel-Aged

HONORING ONE TRADITION, WHILE BREAKING ANOTHER

This past Thursday, Camacho announced the first release of their new Master Built Series, the Camacho American Barrel Aged. The cigar will feature bourbon barrel-aged Corojo as a core component.

The line is promoted to celebrate “the hardworking grit of Kentucky bourbon makers and the passionate artistry of our master builders. Challenging convention at every turn. Working together to forge an intense smoking experience unlike anything else. A process that begins  with the original Corojo plant, aging its legendary leaves for six years and then locking them in charred Kentucky bourbon barrels.”

The American Barrel Aged will feature a five year old American broadleaf wrapper, which is said to provide oaken flavors and sweet bourbon aromas.

“American Barrel-Aged is something we have been working on for some time and we are very excited to finally share it with aficionados now in the US and across global markets in the near future. This project marks the first time a Camacho core line has been made outside of Honduras and we are extremely proud of what our master builders in the Dominican Republic have brought to life. Barrel aging is a very tedious and hands-on process. We are aging around 2,000 lbs of Corojo filler tobacco and rotating the barrels one leaf at a time every few weeks. Each batch takes a full five months to complete and requires constant attention to ensure the proper journey for this special tobacco,” said Dylan Austin, Director of Marketing for Davidoff of Geneva USA.

Interestingly, the cigar almost entirely 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, aiming to amplify the complexity of the blend.”

A full nationwide road tour is in the works, and will kick off with “a week-long extravaganza at Corona Cigar in Orlando starting on June 8th.” Each of the remaining American Barrel Aged launch events will last for three days, and are being limited to a group of twenty five selected retailers. The grand finale will close out the tour at Tampa Humidor in Tampa, FL on December 19th.

The new line will begin shipping nationwide on Monday June 15th, with a suggested retail of $10-$12 per cigar.

Camacho American Barrel Aged Road Tour Dates & Locations

Jun 8 – 13
Corona Cigar Co. (Orlando, FL)

Jun 18 – 20
Prime Cigar (Boca Raton, FL)

Jun 25 – 27
Emerson’s (Virginia Beach, VA)

Jul 1 – 3
Cigar Realm (Ashland, VA)

Jul 9 – 11
Tinderbox Waldorf (Waldorf, MD)

Jul 30 – Aug 1
Humidour Cigar Shoppe (Cockeysville, MD)

Aug 6 – 8
TBD

Aug 13 – 15
Two Guys Smoke Shop (Nashua, NH)

Aug 20 – 22
Cup of Joes (Queensbury, NY)

Aug 27 – 29
TBD

Sept 3 – 5
Blend Bar (Indianapolis, IN)

Sept 9 – 11
Just For Him (Springfield, MO)

Sept 17 – 19
Outlaw Cigar Co (Overland Park, KS)

Sept 23 – 25
Addison Cigar (Addison, TX)

Oct 1 – 3
Club Humidor (San Antonio, TX)

Oct 8 – 10
Heroes & Legacies 9Austin, TX)

Oct 15 – 17
Serious Cigar (Houston, TX)

Oct 22 – 24
Cigar Shop Biloxi (Biloxi, MS)

Oct 29 – 31
Franklin Cigar (Franklin, TN)

Nov 5 – 7
Cigars & More (Birmingham, AL)

Nov 12 – 14
Havana Phil’s (Greensboro, NC)

Nov 19 – 21
Ansteads Tobacco (Fayetteville, NC)

Dec 3 – 5
5 Point Bottle Shop (Athens, GA)

Dec 10 – 12
Smoke Inn (Boynton Beach, FL)

Dec 17 – 19
Tampa Humidor ((Grand Finale) Tampa, FL)

The company also released the following teaser video:

About Camacho Cigars

Camacho is the world’s leading brand of bold cigars, representing the concept of unleashing unmistakable and intense
experiences. Infamous since 1962, the brand has become a sanctuary for the powerful, elemental being who seeks to fill their lives with unapologetic good times. A combination of rich heritage, product excellence and a never surrender attitude has enabled Camacho to grow into an aggressive brand globally recognized as the standard of full-frontal flavor and full-frontal lifestyle.

For more information about Camacho, please visit www.camachocigars.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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

Episode 021: TL Johnson Tempio and Guest Terry Johnson

June 29, 2013 By Kip Fisher

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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Half Ashed Ep. 021: TL Johnson Tempio

Good day and welcome back for another fun-filled episode of Half Ashed. This week, we host Terry Johnson of TL Johnson Cigars. Terry sits in for the first hour of the show, while we smoke his fantastic Tempio and talk cigars, flyfishing (TL Johnson also produces fly rods), and other gentlemanly topics. We then covered a few news items for this week, and some of the usual suspects in show segments. Thanks for tuning in, and enjoy!

Featured Cigar

This week, we take a look at the TL Johnson Tempio, a cigar that I reviewed last year and smoke on a regular basis myself. I had a suspicion that Craig would enjoy it just as much as I. I was right. Produced for Terry by Luis Sanchez at La Tradicion Cubana, the Tempio is chocked full of sweet cedar, mild citrus, and toasty oaken flavors. As is the case with Luis’ other production, the Tempio never disappoints in terms of construction and consistency. Definitely worth seeking out a retailer that carries the line – or requesting them from your local shop. It features a Pennsylvanian wrapper, draped around a Dominican and Nicaraguan binder/filler blend – and is fantastically flavorful.

Industry News

Legislatively, the only news we cover this week is the recent development for the FDA in beginning to exercise more power in controlling product introduction into the marketplace with regard to tobacco products – denying 4 of 6 requests for new cigarette products.
In cigar news, we go through a small portion of the IPCPR news this week concerning new cigars to be launched in the near future – notably, the Casa Fernandez 35th Anniversary and Reserva Maduro, a special release from Espinosa for CHATWEETUP2013, and other offerings from Royal Gold (produced by Drew Estate), Pinar Del Rio, George Rico (GAR), and House of Emilio.
We also cover the departure of a familiar face at My Father Cigars, and recent acquisition of Heavenly Cigars by Drew Estate.

What Else Have We Been Smoking?

Craig: Back to some Cuban roots this week

Kip: Sam Leccia’s Black & White

Miscellany

Family time with Craig, and a 3-day jaunt to South Florida for Kip – as well as a couple of listener emails for the week.

Wrap

Be sure you all come back next week for Episode 022, as we get into highgear leading into IPCPR. That show will likely be recorded outside our normal Friday night timeframe due to the Independence Day holiday. I will tweet/post the schedule once we finalize the timing. In the meantime, if you would like to contact us, you can reach us through the contact page or at the following email addresses: [email protected] or [email protected] Don’t forget to get those emails in this month to be entered in our current giveaway. Also, remember you can always go back and listen to previous episodes, which can be found in the Half Ashed Archive. You can download this week’s audio directly below (right-click “Download” and save), or find us on iTunes.

P.S. – If you have unbanded suggestions or contributions, you can get those to us by sending an email to [email protected] This email address goes directly to my wife, so you can simply suggest an unbanded cigar for her to source, or send me an email to [email protected] if you have something you’d like to send in. I will provide an address to send them. Thanks!

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.