Viaje | Half Ashed

Half Ashed Episode 140: Arturo Fuente Añejo 888

April 16, 2016 By Kip Fisher

Arturo Fuente Añejo 888

I initially received prototypes of the Fuente Añejo 888 at CFC 2014, and they were released later the same year. Tonight’s samples are from around the time of this initial release (Fall/Winter ‘14). I really liked them in those early days, although they seemed to lose a step quicker than other Añejo. When they were fresh, there was an interesting spice early in the cigar that was unique for me from the Añejo line – but later developed into the familiar dark cocoa that I get from them. It had a bit of a Nicaraguan “zing” that I don’t typically find in the series. I haven’t had one in quite some time, so we’ll see how tonight goes…

Cigar News

Xikar is releasing a special 20th anniversary edition of their Xi1 cutter…in the four original colors. Production has been referred to as “limited,” although no numbers have been announced. They are going to retail for $10 more than the typical current production, which leads me to wonder “Why?” I see no difference besides color in the announced information….

Viaje has another blend-partnership in the works. “Juntos” (together, in Spanish) will be produced by Quesada in the Dominican Republic, and feature a Dominican negrito wrapper, criollo binder, and Nicaraguan filler blend. It’s coming in a singular vitola – 6” x 54. This series, originally known as Collaboration, showcases partnerships between Viaje and various factories to produce often limited run cigars. This blend will be shown at this Summer’s IPCPR trade show, and is limited to 1,000 packages of 20 cigars.

In an uncommon move, La Palina is reducing prices on some of their cigars. The Black, Red and Classic lines will have their pricing drop between $1 and $1.50 per cigar. According the information released by the company, they are simply passing along cost reductions due to higher volumes of production. Am I mis-remembering or do I recall a similar move from La Palina a couple years ago?

Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, Moya Ruiz is releasing their candela offering for this year – Pickle Juice. It comes in a single 6” x 50 vitola, and will retail just over $7.50 per cigar. It’s only going to be available via 50 retailers, who will receive 10 jars apiece. I’m not generally a fan of the crisp, grassy sharpness often delivered by candela leaf…but I know a lot of folks like to fire one up around this time of year….

Carlos Fuente Sr. Way has been named in Ybor City, Tampa as a commemoration of the 25th anniversary of Fuente & Newman Premium Cigars.

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Kip

J. London lonsdale

Pipin’ – MacB Navy Flake. Diggin’ it…

Next Episode

Next episode (141), we will be smoking the Hoyo de Monterrey “Le Hoyo de Dauphin.” So come by Friday night 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.

Half Ashed Episode 110: Unbanded and guest Colin Ganley

April 21, 2015 By Kip Fisher

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Unbanded #022, from SmokinSteve

This week, we’re smoking another Unbanded submission, this time from listener SmokinSteve. Steve was kind enough to send these in for us. Without giving away any spoilers (and this week was a doozy, wrecking our somewhat reliable record with unbanded cigars), Unbanded #022 was 6.75″ x 54, and featured a dark brown, toothy wrapper. Tune in to find out how poorly we did with this one. Also, we have special guest Colin Ganley on to chat some more about his Twin Engine Coffee and Cigar Tourism trips – specifically, about more scheduled trips to Cuba. I know many of you are interested in that. Tune in to get the full scoop on when the next trip will occur….

News

You may remember us reporting on a new Drew Estate production for Pappy van Winkle last November….well, it has finally begun to ship….but with modification. When we originally reported on this cigar, it was to feature an Ecuadoran Habano wrapper and Nicaraguan fillers. NOW we know that the final iteration comes with “a barrel fermented “tapa negra” style wrapper over a Mexican San Andres base wrapper.” If I’m remembering correctly from how it was presented at the 2013 tradeshow, the “tapa negra” style is simply the addition of a different wrapper over the rearward portion of the cigar. Knowing that it also has “Kentucky seed, Kentucky grown tobacco that was fire cured and then barrel fermented,” I’d guess the fire-cured leaf is the applique. The process is a way to use wrapper leaf that may have desirable flavor impact, but undesired burn characteristics. Filler blend is Nicaraguan, and the cigars will be available only through Pappy & Co.. Two vitolas – Robusto (5.25”x52) and Toro (6”x54), which will retail for $13 and $15 respectively. Also, the line was now referred to in the press release as Pappy van Winkle Barrel Fermented Cigars, rather than the Pappy van Winkle Family Reserve noted in the original information.

Gran Habano is expanding the Corojo #5 line…to include a 7×70 “Grandioso.” Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper & binder; Nica // Costa Rican fillers. $8.86 per stick.

The Chattanooga Tweetup has been scheduled for another year. It will be on August 6-8 this year, will reportedly feature a cornhole tournament!?! A full itinerary has yet to be published, but I understand this year’s $75 ticket also gets you a year of CRA membership.

Just as a service to the growing number of folks who are sending in pipe tobacco emails, smokingpipes.com [no affiliation] has a deal on Dunhill pipe tobacco tins until April 30th. Buy any 4+ 50g Dunhill tins and get 25% off!

Despite the past 3 years’ record, Viaje is reverting – at least partially – to a less-than-100% “small batch” production model. They have announced that the Exclusivo line will become regular production, available year-round. The line will feature 3 vitolas stateside (5×52 Robusto, 6×50 Toro, and 5.25×54 Double R), with one other being available in the German market. It is a Raices Cubanas Nicaraguan puro, featuring AGANORSA Criollo 98 wrapper. As a sidenote, there will be another Zombie release from Viaje this year as well. There were no further details on blend changes, etc. – but I did receive an email that one of only two accounts that will receive them will be our friend Kevin Edmiston at Winston’s Humidor in Midlothian, VA.

Cuba has been removed from the State Sponsor of Terrorism list. Obama made mention that he has contacted members of congress to support a bill to repeal the embargo. Just a friendly FYI as to the ongoing story of US/Cuba relations

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Craig

Blind Man’s Puff – #294
H.Upmann Connie A – from Zedman
Pipes! – Margate from 2005 –
An unbanded from Kip himself!

Kip

Fratello corona 5.5×46 – Nicaraguan Habano wrapper, Ecuadorian Sumatra binder, and filler tobaccos from Peru and Nicaragua; fiery spicy beginning, which quickly drops off into a sweeter, more approachable profile. Even flashes of cinnamon in the final third. Delicious..

Southern Draw “Quick Draw” petit corona – PA broadleaf wrapper; unknown internals. Very toasty cigar, with baking spice and occasional cocoa as well. Tune in for Episode 112 when we have owner Robert Holt as our guest.

Drew Estate UF-13 – I think the torcedor was wearing mittens when he/she made this one….

Next Episode

Next episode (111) we will be featuring Crowned Heads JD Howard Reserve Single Action. 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 [email protected] if you have something you’d like to send in. I will provide an address to send them. Thanks!

Half Ashed Episode 108: Herrera Esteli Norteño

April 2, 2015 By Kip Fisher

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Herrera Esteli Norteño Coronita

Welcome to Episode 108! I apologize for the late posting this week, but it’s been a hectic one. Episode 108 features the Herrera Esteli Norteño, in the 4″ x 46 Coronita. From the Drew Estate website:

This full bodied, Maduro expression is the first blend released from the Drew Estate factory since Herrera was named Master Blender in June, 2014. The “Norteño” showcases extensively aged tobaccos from the Estelí and Jalapa growing regions of Nicaragua, coupled with a spicy Honduran binder and a rich, bold Mexican San Andrés maduro wrapper. The “Norteño by Willy Herrera” will be available in the following six vitolas at select Herrera Estelí retailers nationwide. 4×46 Coronita, 4.75×48 Corona Extra, 5×50 Belicoso Fino, 5.5×54 Robusto Grande, 6×50 Toro, and 6.5×44 Lonsdale Deluxe.

News

Drew Estate has announced some changes to the existing Papas Fritas packaging. The cigar remains the same, but instead of the familiar metal tins you’ll start seeing them in 50-ct boxes. This will reduce the single stick price from $6.40 to $5.25. The blend (CT broadleaf over Brazilian Mata Fina binder over cut Nicaraguan fillers) will remain the same. The new packaging will begin to arrive on retailers’ shelves in the next few weeks.

The price increases are rolling in now, with Oliva this week and Padron next week. Oliva is going up by about 2.5-5% on average; Padron goes into effect April 1st, with about a $.20/cigar increase. Rocky Patel is also raising some prices April 1st – but not an across-the-board increase. Some lines; up to 5%.

Last week we talked a bit about Crowned Heads’ “Single Action”; this week, we have a bit more news about this year’s Angel’s Anvil. It will be coming down the pike in June. The 2015 edition will be a 6×52 toro, running about $10.50 at retail. Total production will be about 20,000 cigars – which will only be available at TAA member retailers. The line is made by EPC, and carries an EC Habano wrapper over Nicaraguan binder & fillers.

One other TAA exclusive is being produced with a twist this year. LFD will be presenting 3 different blends to the TAA membership at their 47th annual meeting this year. Retailers can place orders for their favorite of the three….and only the most-ordered blend will be produced/shipped! Other orders will be canceled. I like it. It’s a fun twist, although I’m interested to see if the retailers who want a nixed blend get a bit upset.

Espinosa/La Zona fans have something new to look forward to: the Espinosa Especial. This new line from Erik is due out in April, and brings 3 vitolas – the 6.5×48 “No. 1,” 5×52 “No. 4,” and 6×54 “No. 5.” (What happened to numbers 2 & 3?). It will feature a Mexican Capa Negra wrapper and Nicaraguan binder/filler.

In addition to the already unique focus on small batch production, Viaje is mixing it up again. They are partnering with (yet) another cigar factory for some of their lines. Pinar del Rio in the DR will be producing some of their lines. One new introduction, the Viaje Collaboration 2015, will be the first major batch created in the partnership, but PDR will assume production for some existing marques as well.

In a story that reached local to me, the Florida ABT has seized upwards of $100k in counterfeit cigars and tens of thousands of counterfeit boxes & bands – mostly Cohiba. One of the main culprits in the operation was Island Cigars, based out of Oldsmar, FL and Weekiwachee, FL (just a few miles from my house).

What Else We’ve Been Smoking

Craig

Partagas Serie D Especial Edicion Limitada 2010 – *breather* – A great cigar. Half because it was a great cigar and half because it was a great gift. Not overly “EL-ish” from the dominant wrapper flavor, filled with brown sugar, earth, pepper and citrus. This was a delightful full bodied and medium to strong cigar. Yum

2010 Montecristo #2 – I’m never sure what to expect with Mc#2s. This was a stronger cigar with less tang than the 2000 vintage sticks we smoked last year on the show. I got only moderate cocoa & sweet coffee flavors that are the hallmark of this classic cigar. Marred with the highest expectations, this cigar often seems to fall short. This was an enjoyable experience but inconsistency of expected blend integrity took away from the singularity of its tasty experience.

Kip

7-20-4 Londres (5×42): Nicaraguan, Honduran, Mexican and Colombian, long-fillers, Costa Rican binder, and Brazilian Mata Fina wrappers (!) I’ve enjoyed these for a couple years on occasion. They’re a “workhorse” smoke for me – they don’t really ever stand my world on its head, but they never fail to provide an enjoyable experience. Solid woodsy core with some modest spice, decorated with an intermittent sweetness.

Punch Signature (4.5×50): I had a Rothschild in this new line, and it might be the best Punch I’ve had since the Grand Cru maduro #2 (my favorite). EC corojo wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and Nica/DR fillers. Bright spice, some cedar at times. Was a bit more potent in terms of strength than I expected. Not overpowering, but brought the “oomph” with it…

Wrap Up

Next episode (109) we will be featuring EP Carrillo Dark Rituals. 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 [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 [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!

Viaje Chicharrones and Jalapeño Lines Announced

March 10, 2015 By Kip Fisher

This afternoon, Viaje has taken to the social media airwaves with a couple of imminent releases coming down the pike – the Viaje Chicharrones and Jalapeño.

Viaje Chicharrones

Photo by Viaje Cigars

First up is the Chicharronnes, produced at the TABSA (Fernandez) factory. The line will be available in three different “flavors” – Original, Bold and Spicy. The differing blends respectively feature Corojo, Maduro and Criollo wrapper leaf. Per the posted caption, all tobacco in the line is “grown and raised on AGANORSA farms in Nicaragua. Each box will contain 90 Chicharrones, which will be 4.5” x 48.

Viaje Jalapeño

Photo by Viaje Cigars

The second notice from the company detailed the Jalapeño, which utilizes tobacco grown in Honduras. The Jalapeño will be available in boxes of 25, and will be a 4.875″ x 51 figurado. They will be rolled at Raices Cubanas. No specifics were given for blend, only that “By taking our time, using traditional farming methods and doing things the old fashioned way, we’ve perfected the ultimate balance of heat and flavor in our products.”

Both lines will be shipping March 16th to all authorized Viaje retailers.

Half Ashed Episode 101: Unbanded 020

January 31, 2015 By Kip Fisher

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*I failed to take a pic of tonight’s 6.25″x52 torpedo, so enjoy this picture of a giant stick made by my buddy Arnold!

Unbanded #020, suggested by Steve McHenry

Welcome to Episode 101, featuring our 20th Unbanded cigar, suggested by listener Steve McHenry (Thanks Steve for the submission…tune in to see how it went!). This Unbanded was a bit of a surprise to both of us at the grand reveal. I don’t believe either of us had any familiarity with the cigar, and I think it shows :). Give a listen and find out what this 6.25″ x 52 beauty turned out to be!

News

In the news, we covered several items, including the following stories:

Well, I suppose it had to happen some time. Christian Eiroa put up a pic this week for an 8”x80 behemoth coming from Asylum. Madness.

The follow up to a cigar we’ve featured – the eccj from illusione – is out nationally. The eccj 20th shipped this past week. 6.25”x48 with Nicaraguan Corojo 99 wrapper over Nicaraguan Criollo 98 & 99 fillers. 15 count boxes with an MSRP of about $12/stick.

HB1590 in VA looks to increase various tobacco taxes, including an increase from 10% to 60% of wholesale on cigars! That will basically make Virginians’ $10 cigars jump to $15! It includes several other complex increases on loose tobacco and cigarettes, but I knew a healthy number of the audience calls VA home and would want to know they’d better contact the reps….**UPDATE** Virginians dodged a bullet. This bill was tabled on Wednesday, which effectively kills it….for this session. I little doubt it won’t resurface soon.

In what’s a clear pattern with Crowned Heads, they have another LE coming soon. Some time between Feb-March, they’ll be releasing a 6×38 petit lancero called the Single Action. It will be an extension of the JDH Reserve line, and only have a production run of 2000 boxes of 10. MSRP is at $9.25/stick. Brazilian Aripiraca wrapper over Ecuadoran Sumatran binder and Nicaraguan fillers.

While I’m not a huge Viaje fan in general, I do love their SuperShot series, which hasn’t been shipped since 2013. Well, it’s coming back and will be shipping to retailers this week. This time, there is no Corojo version; only the Criollo. It comes in two sizes: the 10 Gauge (3.5”x54) and 12 Gauge (3.25”x52). I’m a sucker for the shotgun shell box-packaging on this line as well as the cigar itself….

What We’ve Been Smoking

Craig – Club Havana Laguito#2 (short Lancero), Elogio Habano, Quesada 40th, The Smoking Jacket

Kip – Avo XO Intermezzo (robusto), Gran Habano GH2

Listener Email

Officer Paul gave us an update on my advice for rehydrating some pipe tobacco from a couple weeks ago:

It worked. I put the tobacco in a canning jar with the cap of water after s few days the water was almost gone but the tobacco was the same. I think I was humidifying the air. I moved the tobacco to s much smaller Tupperware container and put another cap of water inside. After 4 or 5 days the tobacco was back. Moist and holding together somewhen I squeeze it but not completely sticking together. I’ll light it up during tonight’s show to be sure.

Wrap Up

Next episode we will be featuring one of Craig’s favorites as our Cigar of the Week – 2005 Vega Robaina Farm Rolled. Be sure to tune in next week [monitor our Twitter/FB feeds for exact time this week; I’ll be traveling and unavailable during normal recording time]. 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 an email [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!

News from Viaje

May 28, 2014 By Kip Fisher

I don’t normally post every item that comes down the pike in terms of new releases, etc. I save that for Half Ashed. But today, I caught a few items from Viaje’s Facebook page that intrigued me. I’m a fan of several of their cigars, and we all know their packaging is “catchy” to say the least. The first item is an addition to the ongoing “Zombie Apocalypse” thread that runs through some other offerings. I suppose those who’ve been bitten by their earlier “Zombie” releases are now offered an antidote :). I thought the packaging was very unique….excited to see how the cigars themselves hold up.

Viaje “Zombie Antidote”

From what I can gather on the band, each prescription bottle contains 24 cigars and, of course, is renewable with further purchase. This addition was mentioned on an episode of Stogie Geeks (as summarized by Cigar Coop) earlier this year, but the packaging was not unveiled until today. I’m not one to really buy in to packaging….I don’t smoke the box, or bottle as it were, but I think this is a fun twist for the line. Based on the comment attached to the image, I understand these have shipped and should be on retailers’ shelves in the very near future.

Secondly, again from Viaje’s social media accounts, news was released that the second release of the Viaje Roman Candle is slated around Independence Day. The behemoth 9″x50 Roman Candle was originally released in 2012. The current release will come packed in 15 count firework-crate boxes, much like the original. While not specified today, the original manufacturer for these was Raices Cubana and I will assume the same for this edition. Personally, this cigar was a bit outside my normal range in terms of size, so I have no experience smoking it. But I’m in to give a go at the Zombie Antidote as soon as I get back down to my local B&M….

Viaje “Roman Candle”

Half Ashed Episode 062: La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor

April 22, 2014 By Kip Fisher

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Good day, folks. I apologize for the late post; I’m still on the road until tomorrow. If you caught the show live, you’ll know that I was broadcasting from my parents’ garage in Tennessee. I’ll be brief for the show summary, and just tell you that we smoked the La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor “Magnifico.” It is a delicious 6″X52 offering from Ashton (produced by My Father). Listen in to the show to catch our thoughts on it. We had updates on previous stories concerning the Fuente Casa Cuba and Kelner cigar we smoked as the CoTW in Episode 061. In the news, we covered items from Viaje, Room101, Tatuaje, and Min Ron Nee’s upcoming 2nd Edition of “Illustrated Encyclopedia of Post Revolution Havana Cigars.” There were a couple of interesting tidbits in “what we’ve been smoking,” – notably, the Caucus houseblend from Georgetown Tobacco in Washington, DC. Finally, we covered a viewer question from the forum.

Next week, our Cigar of the Week will be an Unbanded (#014) from Maria Elena Gonzalez – and we are super stoked about it. Be sure to check back in next Friday night at 9:30pm EST at Cigar Federation (details on locating the show will be on the front page that evening an hour before showtime), 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 Half Ashed 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!