Tatuaje | Half Ashed

Half Ashed Episode 112: Southern Draw Cigars

May 10, 2015 By Kip Fisher

Southern Draw Cigars – Kudzu Toro

Welcome to episode 112! This week, we have guest Robert Holt of Southern Draw Cigars. Tune in as we chat with Robert about his cigars, the philosophy behind the brand and blending, as well as a few off-topic rabbit trails. We had a fantastic time…all while smoking the Southern Draw Kudzu. Tonight’s stick is the 6″ x 52 toro, featuring Nicaraguan internal components wrapped in a Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro wrapper leaf. The Kudzu is softly pressed, with moderate tooth and beautiful dark chocolate-brown coloration throughout. It also has an element I increasingly enjoy for lighting purposes – a closed foot, which makes lighting a breeze. Besides the toro, it is also available in a 5.5″ x 54 robusto and 6.5″ x 60 Gordo. Tune in to see how it went!

News

Big news today from House of Emilio. Founder Gary Griffith has left the company, per a statement from them on social media this afternoon:

Today’s post is to inform our friends in the cigar industry about the retirement of Gary Griffith from Emilio Cigars, House of Emilio, and Delaware Cigars. Gary was a visionary and a social media marketing pioneer. His time with us was filled with laughter, caring, and many great cigars. Going forward, his legacy will continue through the brands he’s helped, the distribution company he led, and the cigars that he blended. We wish him all the best in his future adventures!

So…what does this mean? Nate McIntyre left a few months back, and I’m not even sure who is left to take the helm. I know they have several sales folks at this point, but I don’t know who is in a position to continue on.

Yesterday, we learned of that 4 Senators (including Craig’s own Dick Durbin) have proposed a NEW tax on tobacco products, including cigars. The proposal would add $0.94 per pack of cigarettes and an “equivalent amount” on other tobacco products. One of the specified goals is to make the taxation similar on all types of tobacco usage. And…predictably….it’s “for the kids.” Speculation is that the tax would add close to $1 to the retail price of premium cigars, depending on wholesale pricing. While it isn’t expected to make it to law, some day it will likely do so should the environment shift….

Nicholas Melillo – aka Nick R. Agua – has been hinting around for weeks or even months concerning possible future involvement in the cigar industry post-Drew Estate. He finally made it a bit clearer this week, with a post stating that “I don’t think there is any better way for people to understand my experience in Nicaragua than through a cigar and a brand, which i hope to debut this summer/fall. As I did with Drew Estate I am putting heart and soul into these new projects, because that’s the only way I know how to do it.”

In a story we didn’t get to last week, Davidoff will be mixing it up again – they will be introducing a Brazilian themed line. It will be rolled in the Dominican Republic, and feature tobacco from the DR, Ecuador and Brazil. Availability is limited to three vitolas – a 3.25” x 50 short robusto, 4.5” x 54 robusto, and 5.5” x 58 gran toro. Pricing has not been released, but the smallest is expected to come in around the $10 mark. The line should debut at this year’s IPCPR tradeshow.

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Craig

isla del sol – What can I say about a sugar tipped cigar from my boss? The gift was a nice gesture while we were working together on site but the reality is not my style. A better quality wrapper would have been appreciated. As would no artificial additives to the wrappers head. The cigar had an enjoyable natural tasting sweetness that I did find palatable but I just can’t get over the sticky coating. My lips ripped the wrapper a quarter of the way in and I progressively had to pick pieces off of my lips. If I wasn’t frustrated continuously I would have enjoyed the experience a bit. It reminds me of something my dad would smoke. I’m sure I’d find myself smiling one day after he’s gone if I happened to light one of these up. Too bad it would be the type of laughter accompanying those frustrating moments in life that are so mundane they’re humorous. I guess there’s something redeeming in everything if you look deep enough.

Kip

Tatuaje “Hassell” from 2013 SNS pack. Incredibly sweet aroma off the foot; The initial puffs were wildly entertaining – dark and chocolatey; lots of early sweetness with dark, cherry flavors. From midpoint on, I got a peculiar and unique flavor – hoarhound candy, or even root beer. One of the best cigars I’ve had this year….wish there were more.

Ortega “Cubao” – A couple years ago, when Eddie re-introduced these, I really enjoyed them. They had lots of bright, approachable spice and just enough of a kick to stay interesting. They seem to have maintained all their strength but lost some flavor. It seemed a bit out of balance; definitely tilted toward strength on the ol’ scale.

Some Fuente prototype from CFC2012. I love Fuente. I truly do…but I was left a bit disappointed by this one. It began with delicious, sweet toasty goodness. But around the midpoint, it became increasingly hard to get smoke from it – and the flavor went a bit more vegetal than I’d typically prefer. At first I wished I knew what it was and how to get more…but by the end I didn’t really care.

Next Episode

Next episode (113) we will be featuring the Davidoff Nicaragua short corona, with special guest Dale Roush. So come by Half Ashed Friday night at 9:30pm EST and hang out with us in the chatroom during the show. If you would like to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us via the Contact Page or the following emails: [email protected] or [email protected]. Please feel free to drop us a line if you have any questions you’d like answered, comments to make…or even compliments and complaints. We love to get your emails! Also, remember you can always go back and listen to previous episodes, which can be found in the Half Ashed Archive. You can download this week’s audio directly below (right-click “Download” and save), find us on iTunes, or subscribe with any podcast app at our RSS Feed. Video, as always, will be available at the Half Ashed YouTube Channel.

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

Half Ashed Episode 111: Crowned Heads Single Action

May 3, 2015 By Kip Fisher

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Crowned Heads JD Howard Reserve Single Action

One of several 2015 LE’s from Crowned Heads, the Single Action was an addition to the JD Howard Reserve line. Only about 2,000 boxes of 10 cigars were produced, and the cigar carries an MSRP of $9.25 per cigar (and they’re still out there if you’re interested). It is a 6×38 petit lancero, featuring a Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper over Ecuador Sumatran binder and Nicaraguan fillers. The line is produced by EP Carrillo in the Dominican Republic. Carrying with the JD Howard theme, the cigar is named after Jesse James’ weapon of choice – the Colt Single Action.

News

I got some info on a new line from Luis Sanchez this week, called the Figurado Series. It will initially be available in a single 5”x54 “Chulo” vitola, and two different wrappers -Ecuadoran (natural) and San Andres (maduro). Filler leaf will include some of the tobacco grown by Luis and Terry Johnson at their DOMUSA farming operation in Villa Gonzalez, DR. I did not get pricing information, but it should be stateside in the next couple of weeks.

AJ Fernandez is extending the New World line to include a Connecticut wrapped version. The New World Connecticut will feature an American-grown CT shade wrapper, Mexican San Andres binder, and a filler mix of Nicaraguan and Brazilian leaf – which is very different from the standard New World (“Dark Nicaragua” wrapper over Jalapa binder and a filler blend of Viso Ometepe, Condega ligero, and Estelí-Finca Soledad ligero, and “Dark Nicaragua” wrapper). It will be available in four vitolas – Corona Gorda (5.5×46), Robusto (5×50), Toro (6×52), and Belicoso (6×54). Pricing will be in line with the existing New World lineup.

Following our recent mentions of a few pipe tobacco related items, I’m happy to report that Pete Johnson is working on some blends himself. He posted up a pic of something he was smoking this week and commented that he was working on something new. He said he hopes to have something by the tradeshow. I asked where his focus might be in terms of the types of blends he was working on, and he said “Plan on more English and some English with some aromatic twists.” If that’s the case, I’m all in for trying them out. I’d love to see this project take on life. I really hope he’s actually creating blends from the ground up, and not going through a bulk blending house and just mixing off some existing compositions. Pete’s history, palate and following could really make this a boon to the pipe tobacco industry. Time will tell…

A few weeks ago, we talked a bit about La Flor Dominicana’s novel idea for having TAA members vote on this year’s TAA LE with their pocketbooks. The gathering is over, orders placed and a winner selected. The winning cigar is the 5.5” x 52 robusto. The line features an Ecuadoran habano wrapper, Mexican binder, and Dominican fillers. MSRP is about $9 per stick, and it should arrive on retailers’ shelves in about a month – assuming you have a TAA member retailer in your neck of the woods.

Following the lead of several municipalities around the state, Florida’s capital Tallahassee is looking to make it harder on employees who smoke. An intent has been announced to end the hiring of any tobacco users, and prohibiting tobacco/e-cig use in all govt owned buildings, vehicles, etc. – even during break times. Hiring changes would go into effect July 1, 2015, while other aspects would be phased in over the next two years (including a $20 fee [and it’s not an increased insurance premium….it’s a fee]from employees’ paychecks if they smoke).

A follow up to a program we previously discussed called Cigar Sense. Back in November we (Craig) had some choice words for a few of the statistics they shared from a survey of 400+ cigar smokers they recently spoke with. We saw some irregularities and downright confusing data being thrown about and rightfully scratched our head when trying to make heads or tails out of it. That same organization has just today discussed that they are using a “control” group of over 1,200 cigar reviews to provide a database to help smokers pinpoint sticks that will line up with their palate. The rub here is that the program determines what will fit your tastes based upon what else you like. Check out cigarsense.com for some cool introductions into the program and to formulate some of your own opinions.

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

This is where we chat about our week in smoke…tune in to the show for full details about our experience with these (and more).

Craig

TL Johnson Legend Reserve 63 Maduro – I second what I said a couple shows back. Genius exemplified in a cigar.

Kip

LEAF by Oscar Connecticut. I got this from Franky99 when he was down from the GWN visiting Tampa.

Nestor Miranda SS Exclusivo Regional –

Listener Email

We (finally) got around to an email series between Craig and listener “Cigar City.” Craig fills us in on the exchange about David Garofalo’s recent trip report about his excursion to Cuba…

Next Episode

Next episode (112) we will be featuring the Southern Draw KUDZU, with special guest owner Robert Holt. So come by Half Ashed Friday night at 9:30pm EST and hang out with us in the chatroom during the show. If you would like to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us via the Contact Page or the following emails: [email protected] or [email protected]. Please feel free to drop us a line if you have any questions you’d like answered, comments to make…or even compliments and complaints. We love to get your emails! Also, remember you can always go back and listen to previous episodes, which can be found in the Half Ashed Archive. You can download this week’s audio directly below (right-click “Download” and save), find us on iTunes, or subscribe with any podcast app at our RSS Feed. Video, as always, will be available at the Half Ashed YouTube Channel.

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

Half Ashed Episode 106: Quesada España Ninfa

March 18, 2015 By Kip Fisher

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Quesada España Ninfa

Welcome to Half Ashed Episode 106, featuring the Quesada España Ninfa as our Cigar of the Week. This week’s cigar was one of Craig’s selections, and he has this to say about it:

In 2011 my life changed. My wife was expecting our first child and I was planning all of the Dad-to-be things we were going to do together later in life. One of those things was which box of cigars I was going to share upon my son’s birth; and with him later in life. In February of that year, I started down the path to figuring that out. I had just arrived in Santiago, DR on my first trip to the Dominican. It was to be a cigar filled, last hurrah before fatherhood settled things down a bit. At the MATASA factory I sat in a room listening to Manolo Quesada talk about the prototype cigar I was smoking. That cigar was a Robusto Espana and months before my son Luke was born, I vowed to make these cigars part of the birth of any & all of my future children. In May of that year I bought a box of Robustos and later followed it up with a box of Coronas to celebrate my second son, Liam.

Tonight’s CotW is a different vitola from this very special line; the Ninfa. A “pencil” sized cigar, these check in at 6-⅞”x32. An Ecuadorian Arapiraca wraps a Dominican binder and DR/Nica filler. These cigars are filled with beautiful cocoa, Tea and spice flavors and definitely bring a minor pepper note as well. They need to be smoked with a delicate touch but reward mightely if you behave. They’re part of Quesada’s “12 boxes for 12 retailers” project where they give one box of special Espanas to one different retailer, each month for a year. These are from the 2014 release and are from Winston’s Humidor in Midlothian, Virginia. Side note: Kevin Edmiston was on the trip with me in the Dominican where we sampled the pre-release Espanas. We were guests of Cigar Tourism (Colin Ganley, Twin Engines coffee) and enjoyed a spectacular visit.

News

Burns Tobacconist in Chattanooga has a new owner and a new shop-exclusive in the wings. Tobacconist Mike Hunter has obtained part ownership in the home of the Chattanooga Tweet Up, and was an integral part of orchestrating La Aurora’s partnering with them for the Cien Años lancero. The cameroon-wrapped cigar is 7.5”x40, the same as the original Cien Años production, and features the same blend. MSRP is set at $11.99 per stick in boxes of 25.

Pete Johnson teased a new event sampler that’s coming in the next few weeks. It will feature 5, 5.5”x52 robustos from the La Riqueza, Tat Black, Havana VI, Cabaiguan and Tattoo lines, housed in one of the Tatuaje melamine ashtrays (not a fan of those ashtrays, personally). It will initially be available for sale at Tatuaje events, but could become more widely available later. Pricing TBA.

In what is probably pretty normal but seems like strange bedfellows to me, Romeo y Julieta has partnered with Boutique Blends to produce their next line – the Romeo by Romeo y Julieta Aging Room. It will be made at Jochy Blanco’s Las Palmas factory in the Dominican Republic and will be available in three vitolas – 5×48 Copla, 6×54 Capriccio, and 6×52 Cantaor. Total production is set at about 250,000 cigars, which will retail around the $10 mark. The line will launch in April, and will be distributed by Altadis.

As posted earlier this week on Half Ashed, Viva Republica has released a special event cigar for the DC Tweet Up – a culebra. While culebras are nothing new, I love the fact that this one features one of each from the Viva Republica core lines (Rapture, Guerrilla Warfare, and Rapture Maduro). The cigars will be 5.75”x39, and will retail for $18 per set (=$6/cigar). Only 1,000 sets will be made available.

We spoke a bit about Viaje last week, and in the time since they announced two upcoming releases, The Señor Andres’ Chicharrones and The Jalapeño. The Chicharrones is interesting in that the line is actually 3 different cigars. They feature similar blends, but with differing wrappers (Nicaraguan corojo, criollo and maduro). The 4.5”x48 sticks will be made at TABSA using all-AGANORSA tobacco. The Jalapeño is a 4.875”x51 figurado out of Raices Cubana. No specifics about the blend were released.

L’Atelier is releasing a new line called the Cote D’Or (Gold Coast) next month. There will be a soft launch at Federal Cigar’s 94th Anniversary this week, but full launch will come in April. It will reportedly be a soft-pressed churchill, blended around Pelo D’Oro. Only a couple thousand boxes will be produced, and the line will retail around $16 per cigar.

What We’ve Been Smoking

Craig

Club Havana Laguito #2 – Young but beautiful. I can’t wait to smoke them on the show. More appropriately, I can’t wait for Kip to smoke them!

Espana Corona – My son Liam was born in December of 2013. I forgot to smoke my first Espana Corona from his box around his birthday so I’m doing it this week to celebrate the impending close of a hellacious professional project.

Kip

Don Pepin Garcia Blue – I learned some interesting revelations about myself concerning the lancero, toro, and robusto….

Wrap Up

Next episode we will be featuring Unbanded #021, from listener DC. Be sure to tune in Friday night at 9:30pm EST and hang out with us in the chatroom during the show. If you would like to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us via the “Contact Us!” tab at the side of this page, or at the following emails:[email protected] [email protected]. Please feel free to drop us a line if you have any questions you’d like answered, comments to make…or even compliments and complaints. We love to get your emails! Also, remember you can always go back and listen to previous episodes, which can be found in the Half Ashed Archive. You can download this week’s audio directly below (right-click “Download” and save), find us on iTunes, or subscribe with any podcast app at our RSS Feed. Video, as always, will be available at the Half Ashed YouTube Channel.

P.S. – If you have unbanded suggestions or contributions, you can get those to us [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!

Half Ashed Episode 104: Tatuaje RC184

March 4, 2015 By Kip Fisher

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Tatuaje RC184

Good day, and welcome to Episode 104 of Half Ashed! This week, we are featuring the Tatuaje RC184 as our Cigar of the Week, generously furnished by Craig. Here’s his description of it:

The RC184 is a Salomon vitola from Tatuaje’s Reserva lineage. Checking in at 184 mm this behemoth is roughly 7-½”x57 and from a 2009 box I purchased shortly after being rolled. The cigar’s prefix stands for “Retro Cuban” and is an effective description of the suave style of flavors I typically attribute to Cuban cigars. Despite falling under the Reserva line of Tats, the blend does not venture far into the coffee and cocoa dominant world that many other Tat Reservas tend to reside in. Lovely orange peel citrus flavors accompany a light espresso core while being accompanied by terrific cherry notes and an occasional caramel sweetness. Despite having a reputation for being a ball buster, I don’t find them to be all too strong. A great, well rounded limited stick from Tatuaje.

News

(Maybe) the final update in Nebraska. Governor Pete Ricketts, on the final day to do so, signed the bill allowing cigar & pipe smoking in cigar bars into law. It was effective immediately, so light up Nebraska! STORY HERE

Oettinger Davidoff announced today that they have acquired additional farmland in Jamastran (Honduras) and Condega (Nicaragua). They have additionally purchased land near their box factory upon which to build a new factory. Once the new factory has been completed, the existing one will be divested. They have added about 150 hectares (~370 acres). The new factory will be larger and help cover the 60% growth in production needs over the past few years. Story via Cigar Journal

Tampa is getting a Davidoff store. A big one. According to the Tampa Bay Business Journal, Jeff Borysiewicz and wife Tanya will be opening the store late this year. It will cover 5,000 square feet of space and be entirely humidifed. As would be expected in this part of the world, it will feature both indoor and outdoor lounge space, as well as the typical lockers, and a full bar. This is the fourth announced Davidoff store opening this year, along with others in Houston, Atlanta and Manhattan.

Pete Johnson has posted up that his TAA exclusive will make its 5th appearance later this year. According to halfwheel, this year will be another re-release of the 2011 blend (hoowahh!), featuring a CT broadleaf wrapper in a single 5.625 x 54 vitola.

Speaking of halfwheel, they did an interesting piece this week after Habanos S.A. made some (very) bold claims about their expectations for the American market once the embargo lifts. HSA execs claim that they believe they can conservatively capture 25-30% of the American market very quickly, and further stated they would take 70% of the market over time. Considering the fact that Cuba would have to immediately grow production by about 50% of 2013 levels to even get into the 25-30% ballpark, I’m pretty doubtful those numbers would bear out….or if they do, I’d imagine we’d see some other issues with the product.

Guest on our celebratory 100th episode, Colin Ganley, just received a major nomination in the world of cigars, The Habanos Man of the Year. Typically awarded at the Habanos festival closing Gala, the award represents an individual’s contributions to the world of CUban Cigars. Good for Colin. More to come after tonight’s ceremony.

What We’ve Been Smoking

Craig

Blind Man’s Puff #275: 6”x54 box press (smoked for BMP cooperative reviews)

Kip

United Cigar “Garofalo” – this cigar put my review format to the test. Connecticut wrapped cigars are not typically in my wheelhouse – and neither are most Perdomo offerings (the blender, or at least leaf supplier, of this cigar). Trudging ahead, I found it still to be an entertaining cigar. In fact, I would even consider keeping a few around if the opportunity presented itself. For CT fans, it’s definitely worth checking out at its low pricepoint of $6.79.

illusione ECCJ 20th. My last of these before they’re on the show…but I’m digging them.

La Hoja Autentico maduro (original from 2yr ago). This fell a bit flat for me. Extremely flaky ash; “plain” flavors that leaned on ashy at times throughout the smoke. I’m not sure if the blend has changed on their re-launch following the trademark issues with the name Flores, but if it hasn’t these are definitely not appealing to me with a $14.50 price tag…

Wrap Up

Next episode we will be featuring one of Kip’s selections, the La Flor Dominicana 1994. Be sure to tune in Friday night at 9:30pm EST and hang out with us in the chatroom during the show. If you would like to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us via the “Contact Us!” tab at the side of this page, or at the following emails:[email protected] [email protected]. Please feel free to drop us a line if you have any questions you’d like answered, comments to make…or even compliments and complaints. We love to get your emails! Also, remember you can always go back and listen to previous episodes, which can be found in the Half Ashed Archive. You can download this week’s audio directly below (right-click “Download” and save), find us on iTunes, or subscribe with any podcast app at our RSS Feed. Video, as always, will be available at the Half Ashed YouTube Channel.

P.S. – If you have unbanded suggestions or contributions, you can get those to us by sending [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!

Tatuaje Black Corona Gorda

January 12, 2015 By Kip Fisher

The weather here in West Central FL has turned dark and stormy in the past couple hours, but the cigar forecast looks fantastic! I have a Tatuaje Black Corona Gorda and a bold cup of coffee on deck…which make doing a little work seem less bothersome. I might actually get caught up on a few work projects today. Maybe.

I wish more manufacturers would employ the closed/covered foot on their cigars. It certainly makes lighting a breeze. Even a cursory toast on the extended wrapper leaf will usually get you off to a nice, even light. It’s a feature I’ve come to appreciate greatly.

Aside from the ease of use, I love – love – the Tat Black’s toasty, bready flavor family. It has just enough of the typical “Pepin” spice to make it interesting, I’m a big fan.

Half Ashed Episode 097: Joya de Nicaragua “Joya Red”

January 6, 2015 By Kip Fisher

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Joya de Nicaragua “Joya Red”

Welcome back for Episode 097 of Half Ashed, featuring the Joya de Nicaragua Red. Kip’s preshow notes about the cigar were:

In June 2014, Joya de Nicaragua announced a new blend to be available at IPCPR 2014 (story archived at The Cigarmy). The line was dubbed Joya Red, and marketed as a bit of a departure for the company in that it would forego the typical high-ligero content often present in their cigars. The Joya Red would be more sedate in potency, yet strive to achieve boldness in flavor. It carries a Nicaraguan Habana wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan filler from Jalapa, Condega, and Esteli. Four vitolas are available, the Short Churchill (4.75” x 48), Robusto (5.25” x 50), Cañonazo (5.5” x 54), and Toro (6” x 52). I was skeptical at first, but have come to appreciate the kinder, gentler JdN offering. I often get lots of bright, airy citrus flavors from these, with some lighter leathery flavors at times. While I can’t say that I’ve mortgaged my house to stock up on them, they’re not a rare occupant of my humidors.

Tune in to find out how it went!

News

In the news, we had several stories to catch up on after missing last week’s show. We discussed a couple of items related to Quesada, notably that they are producing a St. Patrick’s Day cigar – the Quesada Keg Edition. Similar to the Oktoberfest cigars, it is intended to be paried with a beer, this time an Irish stout. It will come in a singular 6”x50 vitola carrying a PA broadleaf wrapper over Nicaraguan filler & binder. It will launch in March, and be available in 21-ct kegs (250 keg/5250 cigar total production). MSRP is $7.95, and production is set in the Plasencia factory in Nicaragua. Secondly, they are expanding the Casa Magna lineup with a 3-vitola extension to the Domus Magnus II line. The extension is collectively called the Three Good Emperors, and features the D-shaped “Trajan” (5.5”x60), and two other vitolas (Marcus Aurelius and Hadrian), which have not had details yet released. I understand the blend will be much like the standard Domus II offerings, but with a few tweaks.

We also covered an upcoming release from The Crowned Heads. They will be introducing a 4”x42 vitola to the Jericho Hill line. They will be called “Shots” and should launch somewhere around February 2015. It is being marketed as a winter time smoke, due to its diminished size. Halfwheel is reporting total production around 50k, but some hopes of seeing them again in 2016.

Room101 non-chalantly changed their header image on Facebook today….to a teaser about upcoming Master Collection Three. No comment; no detail. Just that it’s coming in February 2015. I know a lot of listeners were fans of the first and/or second series…so get ready for the third!

Back in 2011, a short run of 5,000 cigars known as the M80 were released by Tatuaje and sold exclusively through Two Guys Smoke Shop. It was a 4×50 petit robusto, and its end has been much lamented ever since. Well, it’s returning. Pete Johnson made comment this week, detailing that the blend will remain the same (Ec Habano Maduro over Nica/Nica), but packaging will change to avoid confusion with the original release. It will be a regular production item, but still only available through Two Guys.

Also – and you’ll have to tune in to the show for this – I had a bit of a catharsis on the myriad “Top ??” lists for 2014. Every Tom, Dick and Harry put out a list this year, but I’m not sure they’re all necessary….

What Have We Been Smoking?

Craig – Santos Corona Gorda

Kip – 2014 Casa Fernandez Aniversario, more LTC Reserva Familiar, La Aurora Preferido Corona Esp. Platinum (Cameroon), and Fratello

Wrap Up

Next week, we’ll be featuring the Bodega Premium Blends “Digestivo” as our Cigar of the Week. Be sure to tune in Friday night at 9:30pm EST and hang out with us in the chatroom during the show. If you would like to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us via the “Click to Contact Us!” tab at the side of this 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), find us on iTunes, or subscribe with any podcast app at our RSS Feed. Video, as always, will be available at the Half Ashed YouTube Channel.

P.S. – If you have unbanded suggestions or contributions, you can get those to us by sending an email to [email protected]. This email address goes directly to my wife, so you can simply suggest an unbanded cigar for her to source, or send 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!

Half Ashed Episode 093: Tatuaje La Verite 2008

December 1, 2014 By Kip Fisher

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Tatuaje La Verite 2008

Welcome, everyone, to Episode 093 of Half Ashed – featuring the 2008 Tatuaje La Vérité Churchill. Craig’s description was as follows: “Tatuaje’s La Verite 2008 Churchill is our CoTW. Released in 2010 to much fanfare, these “single origin” cigars are similar in fashion to the “farm rolled” cigars found throughout Cuba. All components were grown on Jose Garcia’s La Estrella farm in Esteli, Nicaragua and are from the 2008 vintage Habano Criollo (read: Criollo. All Criollo tobacco came from Cuba originally). Besides being a single vintage, single origin cigar, the tobacco used was not aged in bales. After fermentation it was rolled into finished cigars and box aged until sale.”

News

Tune in to find out how it went…and just how our experience went with this cigar. In the news, we only covered a few stories this week. Last week was relatively light in cigar news, except for several legislative issues that are coming to a head. We did have a couple of stories from Tatuaje, and an interesting item from Padilla and Oliva. Of course, we also spent a little time talking about what we’ve been smoking this week and covered a listener email from Don Hubbell.

Next Episode

In the next episode Craig will be vacationing with Mrs. Schneider in celebration of a milestone birthday (Happy Birthday, Ms. Craig!). I will be joined by the venerable Aaron Loomis from Blind Mans Puff. You may remember us mentioning the site over the past few weeks in reference to a series of collaborations we’ve been doing with them. Be sure to check back in Friday night at 9:30pm EST on our Half Ashed LIVE page, where you can catch the live video feed and join us, as well as other listeners, in the chatroom. If you would like to contact Craig or myself 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), find us on iTunes, or subscribe with any podcast app at our RSS Feed. Video, as always, will be available at the Half Ashed YouTube Channel.

P.S. – If you have unbanded suggestions or contributions, you can get those to us by sending an email to [email protected]. This email address goes directly to my wife, so you can simply suggest an unbanded cigar for her to source, or send 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!

Half Ashed Episode 091: Tatuaje Belle Encre Reserva

November 19, 2014 By Kip Fisher

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Welcome back for another fun-filled, exciting episode of Half Ashed! This marks the 91st episode of the show, and features the Tatuaje Belle Encre Reserva as our Cigar of the Week. The cigar was one of Kip’s selections, and he described it thusly:

The Tatuaje Belle Encre Reserva was a limited run of the Belle Encre (5 ⅜” x 48 perfecto), featuring a CT Broadleaf wrapper rather than the Ecuadoran Habano found on the standard line. It’s packed with the same internal components as the regular line (Nicaraguan throughout). This was released early this year as part of the 10th Anniversary product lineup from Tatuaje, and features the 10th Anniversary band. The standard Habano-wrapped version will continue, although the Reserva was limited, and may or may not see the light of day once again. These retailed at ~$11/stick, which was about $1 more per cigar than the standard line. Total production was just under 2000 boxes of 22 (just shy of 44k cigars). I did a brief comparison of the two back in May 2014.

In the news, we covered items from Smoke Inn’s Microblend Series, Casa Fernandez, Villiger, and Davidoff. Legislatively, there were stories from Nebraska and Massachusetts. As always, we wrapped up with what we’ve been smoking, talked through the ongoing upgrades to Half Ashed and covered a listener email from Ian Winchester.

In the next episode we will be featuring one of Kip’s favorites, the My Father #4 Lancero. Be sure to check back in Friday night at 9:30pm EST on halfashed.com where you can catch us recording and participate in the new and much improved 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), find us on iTunes, or subscribe with any podcast app at our RSS Feed. Video, as always, will be available at the Half Ashed YouTube Channel.

P.S. – If you have unbanded suggestions or contributions, you can get those to us by sending an email to [email protected]. This email address goes directly to my wife, so you can simply suggest an unbanded cigar for her to source, or send 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!

Half Ashed Episode 079: Kip & Dale

August 21, 2014 By Kip Fisher

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Good day folks, and welcome to Episode 079 of Half Ashed! Craig was unavailable to host this week, so I had former Dogwatch Cigar Radio host Dale Roush sitting in with me. We covered news items from AJ Fernandez, the Rocky Mtn. Cigar Festival, (more!) personnel changes within the cigar industry, a Gran Habano story you need to know about, Tatuaje, and EP Carrillo. Of course, we also talked a bit about our chosen cigars for the night and what we’ve been smoking lately…and closed out with a viewer email.

Next week, we will be featuring the Bolivar Belicoso Fino as our Cigar of the Week, so be sure to check back in next Friday night at 9:30pm EST on 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 emails: [email protected] or [email protected]. Please feel free to drop us a line if you have any questions you’d like answered, comments to make…or even compliments and complaints. We love to get your emails! Also, remember you can always go back and listen to previous episodes, which can be found in the Half Ashed Archive. You can download this week’s audio directly below (right-click “Download” and save), find us on iTunes, or subscribe with any podcast app at our RSS Feed. Video, as always, will be available at the CigFed Half Ashed Video Archive.

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!

Half Ashed Episode 075: Unbanded 016

July 23, 2014 By Kip Fisher

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Greetings, everyone. Welcome to another episode of Half Ashed. This week, we’re smoking Unbanded #016, supplied by Jacob Pinkas (thank you, Jacob!). Here are a few details from the show….

1.) We have a forum again! We are up and fully functional….a single sign-on for the website, chat, and forum, and full Tapatalk integration. Feel free to jump over and leave some chatter!

2.) This week’s news items included stories from Tatuaje concerning the next TWO years’ Monster releases, Viaje’s “Collaboration Series,” Torano, AJ Fernandez, Sotolongo Cigars, GAR and an interesting new program from Tobacconist University.

3.) Of course, we covered what we’ve been enjoying – or NOT enjoying – in and with the world of cigars this week.

4.) We wrapped up with a listener email from bigpete.

Next week, we will be featuring Monsdales as our Cigar of the Week, so be sure to check back in next Friday night at 9:30pm EST on 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 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 at the CigFed Half Ashed Video Archive.

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!