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Out With the Old and IN With the New

Sun, 1 Jan 2012 17:47:09 -0800

New Website for Stogie Fresh has Replaced the Old One

New Stogie Fresh website: http://www.StogieFresh.info
New Stogie Fresh 5 podcast site: http://www.StogieFresh.info/sf5/

They say, "All good things must come to an end." And so it is with the StogieFresh.com. It has been a long time coming, but big changes have been sorely needed at Stogie Fresh. The website has been showing signs of age for quite a while now. The site is 7 years old and has been put together in pieces, over the years, as more new sections were needed, but didn't fit cleanly into the web shell. Indeed, the original website was supposed to only cover the topic of cigar humidors, maintenance and all things related to keeping your stogies fresh. Hence the name: Stogie Fresh.

So today, I want to introduce you to the COMPLETELY REDESIGNED STOGIE FRESH WEBSITE. For the past month, I have been spent sleepless nights revamping the Stogie Fresh website. This is not a site hosted in a content management system, but I have coded the site from the ground up. I wanted complete control over the site and all the functions of the site. I wanted to be able to bring you a site that is formatted in the way I think will most benefit the user.

Naturally, I have been dreading the redesign because I knew it would be a daunting task. There is so much information on Stogie Fresh that my Internet Service Provider has more than once threatened to shut down the site unless I cleared a ton of disk space. You can imagine the amount of audio, video, photos and text that have accumulated over 7-years. With 1,000 visitors a day and 100,000 page views per month and visitors from over 100 countries around the world, the traffic has been pretty substantial.

Nevertheless, recently I was inspired to finally roll up my sleeves and get to work. The all new Stogie Fresh web site will be better in every way. It will be more intuitive and easy to navigate. It will be chock full of multimedia resources and will provide you the most focused cigar education that you can find on the web.

The new site will take me back to my roots as an educator. Education has been my life and it is what I do best, so the new site will focus on EDU topic areas: Humidor EDU, Tobacco EDU, Cigar EDU and Health EDU. These sections will provide a multimedia education in the assigned topics. Text, audio, video and photo illustrations will clarify the feature-length educational articles.

Besides the EDU sections, I will have a Cigar Journal section that will focus on "News, views, interviews, and travel."

The last two sections are just as important: The "Reviews" section will cover all Stogie Fresh cigar reviews to date in an easily searchable format. The "Podcast" section will supply you with every podcast ever produced by me at Stogie Fresh.That's nearly 300 podcast episodes (and counting) for your listening pleasure.

In the months and weeks ahead, I will refine and improve the new Stogie Fresh website, which will now be located at a new web address: http://www.stogiefresh.info

The .info domain seems fitting because that is what I have always done: inform and educate. Also, rest assured that the pages of the old website will stay the same. If you have linked to any of those pages, those links will remain unaltered. Of course, you can also choose to update your links with references to the new site. All articles that have been transferred to the new site, have been re-edited, re-illustrated and re-written to update them to the most current knowledge and understandings of the topic matter.

So, this is not goodbye, it is "hello" and welcome to the future of Stogie Fresh! I would like to extend this invitation to join me at the new Stogie Fresh website and partake of the rich content that I will continue to supply now, and into the future.

Thank you so much for your tremendous support of Stogie Fresh over the past 7 years. Please visit us and see the new and educational features in the NEW StogieFresh.info website.

Keep rockin'

New Full-bodied Carnero Premium Cigar

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:01:38 -0800

JM Tobacco’s newest entry into the premium cigar market is the new “Carnero,” a full-bodied warrior that sports a Corojo wrapper, Broadleaf binder and Dominican filler blend. According to JM Tobacco’s president, Anto Mahroukian, “Carnero is all about strength.” Carnero is the Spanish word for the tough and powerful mountain ram. “We’re all smiles at JM Tobacco. We listened to our loyal customers, who kept asking ‘What’s new?’ Now, Carnero will put smiles on their faces, too.”

Carnero is available in four classic shapes … Lonsdale (6” x 44), Robusto (5” x 50), Churchill (7” x 50), and Belicoso (6” x 52). Twenty cellophane-protected cigars come in a Cuban-style “dress-up” heavy cardboard box, with bold Ram’s Head logo. Manufacturer’s suggested retail pricing for this all-long-filler, handmade premium cigar line is an accessible $5 to $6.

“We sensed the right entry cigar would appeal to smokers who want the perfect complement to a steak dinner, red wine and maybe spirits. The Corojo-wrapped Carnero is strong without apology. Even though it has an all-Dominican filler, which normally means a soft smoke, the binder is an equally powerful Connecticut Broadleaf.”

Mahroukian emphasizes the fact that, just because the Carnero is strong, doesn’t mean it is a flavorless cigar. The filler’s base leaves fit the top-quality Dominican profile; smooth and creamy on the palate, with a rich fragrance and bouquet.

The tobacco in Carnero cigars is aged a full two years, with another six months on the finished cigars. Carnero is now in production in the Dominican Republic. An introductory program of incentives for smokers are in planning, and will be announced in early 2012.

Mahroukian hints at an imminent major event, the fifteenth anniversary of the appearance of their original Española. “It would be a fitting boutique ‘super premium’ cigar to mark this JM Tobacco milestone.”

How to Grow Your Own Tobacco

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 23:10:45 -0800

New book presents a step-by-step process for growing tobacco.

Ray French, product director of one the of most successful plant propagation companies in the world, is author of the new book, How to Grow Your Own Tobacco: From Seed to Smoke (Cool Springs Press, September 2011). French is a master grower with a comprehensive understanding of the ancient practice of growing different kinds of tobacco. His growing techniques represent a classic form: plant on time, create good soil, water with precision, prepare the climate, and watch the sun.

French’s horticultural interests are vast and varied. One of the compelling reasons he chose to write the book, was to teach people how to grow organically. Having seen, firsthand, the results of pesticide exposure, French has spent his life promoting sustainable agriculture.

In any given season, French’s travels may take him to Mexico on hunt for a rare tropical plant or the Netherlands for a summit with the world’s finest plant breeders. His quest for the rare and the beautiful gives him exclusive plant knowledge. In this country, he has played, and continues to play, a role in shaping what we buy and what we grow in our own gardens.

With a finely tuned knowledge of sustainable agriculture, he was eager to apply the same principles of good gardening to organic tobacco growth. He tackled the notoriously tricky processes of drying and curing with the same simple practices (manage water and know the climate) and transformed his own three acre lot, patio and office space into a home-grown tobacco facility.

How to Grow Your Own Tobacco is French’s diary of sorts, documenting the process from seeding, transplantation and harvesting, to curing, fermentation and rolling.

He starts the book with obligatory chapters on “Getting Started” and “History” and then moves on to discuss the different varieties of tobacco. In this section he discusses the types of tobacco that are used variously for cigarettes, pipes and cigars.

Starting with page 63, French finally gets down to the topic peculiar to this book: growing your own organic tobacco. While there are many books and articles written that discuss history, tobacco varietals and growing regions, and while there are quite a few “do-it-yourself” publications from home growers, there are few home-grow guides from people with French’s extensive background in crop production and commercial farming.

The drying and curing chapters are marked with advice only a true agriculturist could know and are replete with strategies that any home grower can duplicate. “You can make a tent with plastic sides that hang over a portable heater with a wet pair of jeans draped over top to control moisture,” says French. “This process doesn’t have to be complicated, but it needs your attention.”

Deep in his element, French eliminated all pesticides from the typical process of home tobacco growth and relied, instead, on his trusted solution of liquid soap, minced garlic, dried lemongrass and a chopped jalapeño. His yield, a combination of six varieties, is enough to save a typical smoker a significant number of cigar purchases. I’m not saying you should give up your treks to the local tobacconist for your fine stogies, just yet, but French certainly makes it sounds straightforward enough to try. And, it also sounds like it could be a boatload of fun.

While premium handmade cigars are often organically farmed with crop rotation and other methods, this book will appeal to those of us that like to roll up our sleeves and get our hands dirty. It also appeals to those of us who seek a sense of gratification that only producing a product from the ground up can satisfy.

How to Grow Your Own Tobacco is one of only a handful of resources available to those attempting a backyard tobacco crop. French brings his experience in large scale farming, botany, and a specialty in nursery crop production – to what is a centuries old art form.

If you think you’d like to try your hand and growing your own tobacco, give this book a read. While French provides a lot of simple and practical advice for the growing and harvesting phase, cigar smokers may find the treatment a little too brief. Growing tobacco to roll up in cigarette paper or to smoke in your pipe has many fewer considerations than rolling a cigar. Cigar tobacco is typically air-cured instead of flu-cured, as described in the book and requires three components (filler, binder and wrapper). Further, the process of bunching and rolling a cigar is not easy and the book doesn’t really cover the bunching/pressing/rolling process in depth. Nevertheless, for the average person, this book is story full of possibilities and provides a lot of practical advice.

How to Grow Your Own Tobacco: From Seed to Smoke
Ray French: author
Hardcover Retail Price: $22.99
Pub. Date: September 21, 2011
160 pages
6.00 x 9.00 in.
Cool Springs Press

About the Author:
With a strong history of large scale farming dating generations, French graduated with a degree in Agriculture specializing in Nursery Crop Production and Botany from Auburn University. Upon graduation, French managed some of the largest commercial growers in the country. He is now a consultant for a large home improvement retailer and travels globally in search of new plants. In this role, French can claim credit as an integral part of bringing some of the most popular plants to market, such as the Knockout Rose, Encore Azaleas and SunPatiens.

Counterfeit Cohiba’s Seized

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 20:41:34 -0800

Richmond, VA—General Cigar announces that federal and Florida state law enforcement officials yesterday seized more than 3,000 counterfeit COHIBA cigars from seven tobacco retail stores located in prime tourist areas of Key West, Florida.

Individual cigars were sold at approximately $20 apiece. Based on current estimates, the approximate street value of goods seized was more than $60,000.

The counterfeit cigar seizures followed a lengthy investigation conducted in cooperation with General Cigar Company, which is the exclusive owner of the COHIBA trademark in the U.S. The lead law enforcement agency for yesterday’s seizures was the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, assisted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Florida Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco Bureau of Law Enforcement, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Dan Carr (photo below), president of General Cigar said, “The seizure of counterfeit COHIBA cigars yesterday represents a clear victory in General Cigar’s fight to protect our cigar brands from counterfeiters and trademark infringers. We look forward to continuing to cooperate with federal and state law enforcement officials in Florida and have offered to assist in any prosecutions and future investigations.”

About General Cigar
General Cigar Co. Inc., a division of Scandinavian Tobacco Group, manufactures and markets handcrafted cigars for the premium market. Committed to delivering cigars of the finest quality, General Cigar’s skilled artisans produce Macanudo, COHIBA, La Gloria Cubana, CAO, Partagas, Punch, Hoyo de Monterrey, Excalibur and several other leading premium brands in the company’s Dominican, Honduran and Nicaraguan factories.

Cigar Brand News

Thu, 8 Sep 2011 18:11:49 -0700

Ocean State Cigars Launches New J. Grotto Series Reserve Boutique Premium Cigar Line

Paul Joyal, founder and president of Ocean State Cigars, Inc., describes his new J. Grotto Series Reserve boutique premium cigar line as, “an intriguing, memorable smoke. Unlike many one-dimensional cigars, it displays a complexity and depth, with a unique spectrum of flavor and body profiles.”

The J. Grotto Reserve sports a five-leaf recipe. Says Joyal, “In addition to the tobacco’s three-year aging, we rest the finished cigars for three to four more months, to allow their tobaccos to meld and mellow. It rewards the connoisseur with pure opulence ... rich and full-bodied, but refined.”

Based on the success of Ocean States’ premiere introduction in 2009, the J. Grotto Series, Joyal developed the Reserve, to satisfy an entirely different palate. “If you like spice and medium body, the original J. Grotto is for you; the Reserve has power, but no spice.”

The J. Grotto Reserve owes its performance to a Nicaraguan-grown Criollo 99 wrapper and Criollo 98 binder, plus a filler of Honduran-grown ligero and Nicaraguan Jalapa leaves. Four shapes ... a Gran Corona (5-5/8" X 46), a Gran Robusto (5" X 52), a Gran Toro (6" x 52), and a new shape, a 6" x 60. The last, not a Cuban standard size, is rapidly becoming a most popular shape with veteran smokers ... its size carries the power and richness handily. The Reserve’s suggested retail pricing settles at $8.50 to $9.50.

Reserve’s presentation measures up to its boutique stature. The cigar’s striking band and lush artwork on the substantial Spanish cedar boxes catch the eye on retailers’ shelves. All shapes are presented 20 cellophane-sheathed cigars to the box.

For more information: http://www.oceanstatecigars.com

New Urbano Sumatra Boutique Premium Cigar, Ready for Holiday Gift-Giving

Matt Urbano, founder and owner of Urbano Cigars, recently attended his company’s first IPCPR trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada. At the show, he displayed his cigars, which include the Corojo, the Connecticut and the Sumatra. The Sumatra was Urbano’s second release and according to Urbano, “The Sumatra has a sweet, earthy flavor that settles into a creamy, ‘chocolaty’ smoke. It has a light, leathery finish and a luxurious white ash. Sumatra’s medium body complements our first introduction this summer, the medium-to-full-bodied Urbano Corojo, and is perfectly suited to mid-morning or early-afternoon relaxation.”

Below: Urbano Sumatra Torpedo

The Urbano Sumatra has a sleek, satiny Sumatran wrapper, with an Indonesian binder and Dominican filler blend. Sumatra’s wrapper, like the Urbano Corojo, is triple-fermented, without scalding or other artificial means. This process yields a refined smoke, significantly reducing the tobacco’s nicotine and natural starches and sugars. Combine that with a full two years of aging of the tobaccos, and the result is a flavor-filled but smooth smoke.

Sumatra’s four classic Cuban shapes ... Robusto, Torpedo, Churchill, and a 6" x 60 unnamed shape ... come cellophane-tubed for freshness and protection, in luxurious cedar boxes of 20. Like his first introduction, Urbano Corojo, production is limited to 25,000 cigars, to assure Sumatra’s quality.
Manufacturer’s suggested retail pricing for the cigars ranges from $5.00 (Robusto) to $5.50 (6" x 60). The entire Sumatra line, like the Corojo, is now available from Urbano Cigars.

Urbano explains his company’s philosophy of limiting Sumatra’s production to only 25,000 cigars annually, saying, “Certainly, maintaining quality is paramount to us. We also will rigidly limit distribution to only brick-and-mortar tobacconists, who we depend upon for face-to-face personal service and product knowledge to their customers. We see our retailers as partners, deserving of ethical treatment. For the present time, while we build a nationwide network of tobacconists, smokers can obtain our cigars at suggested retail pricing, from our Web site’s Shopping Cart, if there is no Urbano retailer within their zip code.”

For more information: http://urbanocigars.com

Pride Cigars Debuts “809” Value-Priced Boutique Cigar for Every Palate, in Over 45 Variations

Ares (AH-res) Contreras, founder and president of Pride Cigars, Inc., offers his new 809 value-priced premium cigar line, in time for holiday gift-giving. Contreras, a third-generation Cuban-American tabacalero, is in his fourth year of operation, specializing in boutique premium cigars.

Below: Young ladies grace the
Pride Cigar booth at IPCPR 2011
The 809 line consists of one of the broadest choices of cigars in the industry, including multiple shapes, wrapper shades, and blends. A rarity in the industry, Contreras created the 809 as both a hand-made long filler cigar (Black band), and the hand-rolled medium-filler Red band. Both fall into the value-priced category. Suggested retail pricing for the long-filler Black band tops out at $2.50, while the medium-filler Red band retails for up to $1.60.

Four 809 wrappers are available in both Black and Red labels: A mild and silky Connecticut-seed leaf, which is “shade-grown” under Ecuador’s prevailing high, thin overcast skies; a mild-to-medium Sumatran; a medium-to-full, red-hued Corojo; and, a naturally-fermented full-power, but mellow, Maduro.

Below: Pride 809 Cigars

Combined with their striking bands, Contreras describes the packaging as “eye-pleasing, conspicuous in the humidor, and creating the impression of a higher-quality product than their modest pricing would indicate. But, with the extra-select tobacco and craftsmanship that goes into the 809 lineup, the cigars hold up to smokers’ expectations.”

All Pride cigars are made in the Dominican Republic, in the Pride Cigars-owned factory. As Contreras explains, “I personally oversee everything, from selecting the perfect tobaccos for our blends, to working alongside our master blender and production manager. That assures me the finished product meets the uncompromising standards my Cuban heritage demands. So, I know 809 will meet those of our valued customers.” When asked the significance of the name “809,”Contreras smiles and says, “Simple ... it’s the telephone country code for the Dominican Republic.”

For more information: http://www.pridecigars.com

CRA Charity Event set for October in Ohio

Thu, 1 Sep 2011 16:03:27 -0700

On October 7th, 2011, popular cigar blog, CIGAR EXPLORER, will sponsor a CIGAR RIGHTS of AMERICA charity event in Columbus, Ohio. The event will start at 5:30 pm and will run well into the night. With your entry you will receive a one-year membership to the Cigar Rights of America, 10 premium cigars from leading manufacturers, and the chance to meet & greet VIP guests from Cigar industry. (See VIP list below.) 
Ticket Price $150 BUY TICKETS HERE
 The Friday event will be held at Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel in Downtown, Columbus, Ohio. This private party is co-hosted by the Cigar Rights of America (CRA) and proceeds from the event will go to support all that they do for the cigar industry. All of attendees will receive a complimentary membership. (A $35 value).

Special VIP guests from cigar industry:
Glynn Loope, Executive Director (Cigar Rights of America)
Cesar Gadea (Padron Cigars)
Alejandro Turrent (Altadis USA)
Glen Case (Kristoff Cigars)
Matt Booth (Room 101)
Eddie Ortega (EO Brands)
Nish Patel (Rocky Patel Premium Cigars)
Felipe Sosa (Torano)
Pete Johnson - Tatuaje
Hector Paz (Miami Cigar & Co)
Lou Rodriguez (Lou Rodriguez Cigars)
Frank Herrera, La Caridad del Cobre
Clay Roberts, AJ Fernandez Cigars

Not only great food but great drinks (One Drink Ticket Complimentary and Cash Bar) Live music, Latino Big Band for Latino Jazz Raffles

Seattle Cigar Expo Rocks

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 23:33:46 -0700

Seattle, WA. August 20, 2011
By David “Doc” Diaz

This past weekend, even while the downtown was in the throes of extensive roadwork, Seattle played host to several large events. While some people were tuning in and turning on at the Hemp Festival, hundreds of cigar aficionados turned out for the inaugural Seattle Cigar Expo, held at Fisher Pavilion. The daylong event was blessed with perfect weather, a majestic venue under the famed "Space Needle," and a prestigious lineup of vendors including cigar, wine, spirits, beer, food and a bevy of others.

Above: Venue Prior to Event
Below: One of several outdoor lounges

This was one classy event. The management team seemingly spared no expense to provide the finest cigar celebration imaginable. Keeping in mind that Seattle has some of the harshest laws against smoking in public, it was heartening to see such a huge turnout and it amply displayed the interest in premium handmade cigars by a significant portion of the public.

The Expo provided both indoor and outdoor lounges and, while there was no smoking permitted indoors, the beautiful exterior grounds sported plush furniture for kicking back and relaxing with your favorite stogie and libation.

Below: These lovely staff members were exemplery

Attendees grooved to the music of Lary Barilleau and the Latin Jazz Collective, Conjunto Salsa, Vince Mira, and the Atomic Bombshells. The event even showed it's racy side with fine burlesque performances. There were many types of vendors besides cigars. Exquisite foods were served alongside premier spirits, which included Knob Creek, Maker’s Mark, Four Roses and Booker’s bourbon, fine scotches like Bowmore, The Balvenie, and Glenfiddich and premium Zaya rum. There were local wines from Luna, Layer Cake and Goose Ridge and one of my favorites was the Total Disorder Porter from RAM Restaurant and Brewery.

Above: There were plenty of Libations

But the real stars were the cigars and the purveyors of those products. A host of great brands included AJ Fernandez’ San Lotano, La Goria Cubana, Lou Rodriguez, Berger & Argenti, Camacho, Room 101, and El Primer Mundo, among others. Not only were there great cigars, but there was a great outdoor venue to smoke. The event featured outdoor lounges that were in heavy demand as attendees fired up one stogie after another and relaxed in the shade and comfort of the Expo lounges. The rolling grassy area stood in transcendent juxtaposition to the towering Space Needle that hovered over the smoky haze.

Above: Glynn Loope of Cigar Rights of America
Below: Celebration our freedom to smoke

Also on hand was the organization that is leading the fight against the draconian anti-tobacco movements and legislation. Cigar Rights of America (CRA) was a prime benefactor of the event. The CRA is a consumer-based, non-profit public advocacy organization that works at the local, state, and federal level of government to protect the freedoms of cigar enthusiasts. It is an organization that was founded on the principle of fighting for the freedom to enjoy cigars. Director of Sales, Brian Berman and Executive Director, Glynn Loope spoke eloquently about our need to preserve basic rights and freedoms under the constitution and called on everyone to stop overly oppressive legislation by expressing their concerns over new taxation and by voting for those who will preserve our rights to smoke.

Below: YOWZA! Burlesque dancers kicked it up a notch

The Seattle Cigar Expo will likely be remembered as one of Seattle’s great events, of any kind. It had all the features of a first-class affair. I’m looking forward to next year and the next opportunity to celebrate our freedom to smoke.

Cigars of IPCPR 2011 Part 2

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 01:33:39 -0700

By David “Doc” Diaz

Today I’d like to bring you part two of my tour through the new cigars released at this year’s IPCPR trade show. With over 300 new cigars released, there is no way I’ll be able to mention all of them. In fact, I probably couldn’t even manage to list them all. However, the cigars I brought back with me, or smoked while I was at the trade show, were on my list, in most cases, because of the relationships I have built with the people who own the brands. In some cases I have developed great friendships with the people who own the brands, or in other cases I’ve just met their acquaintance. Whatever the case, it has been my practice to bring back a select group of cigars and then have my way with them. This allows me to focus on the cigars and give them the attention that they deserve and, of course, to bring you the results.

Update: Tatuaje Fausto and Avion (Fausto Special Selection). In part one, I mentioned the Tatuaje Fausto. This time I want to introduce the Avion, which is basically the same cigar with a special shape. The Avion has the exact same blend as the Fausto line, but comes in only one size, a box-pressed perfecto. I really love the shape. It is a dandy to look at and it performs very well.

Tatuaje Avion

While these cigars sport a great flavor profile, they are killing me with power. Each Fausto and Avion that I’ve smoked from the show (about 4 now) has nearly put me on my butt. I have to think that these sticks need more time in the humidor because right now they make me dizzy and I break out into a cold sweat. Even my FEET sweat. I kid you not. In all seriousness, I like the flavor profile of this stick. It is savory and juicy with a smoky and toasty aftertaste. But, I don’t like strong cigars that make me feel woozy. This one may end up being an archive selection stick. I will be interested to see how these fare with some serious age.

Update: Falto Cigars. After reporting on the Falto Prominente in part 1 of this series, I have subsequently smoked several cigars in the Falto lineup. To date, I’ve smoked the Invicto, the Reserva Especial Tres Luises, the Ingenio No. 10 and the Delirio. I can reconfirm what I said about them in part 1 of this report: they are smooth smoking, creamy and mild cigars that are well constructed. Basically they are an excellent cigar for those that like a lighter bodied smoke. My favorite so far has been the Delirio, which is a Lonsdale in size and is a Dominican puro. It displays a medium body with smooth and sweet tobacco flavors.

Below: Falto Delirio

Lou Rodriguez had a great IPCPR trade show. A lot of people tried his cigars and just as many were impressed with them. I have told you before that I think the Lou Rodriguez Edición Premier is one of the best new cigars I’ve tried this year, well he came out with two new ones at the trade show: the Connecticut and the Habano Rosado.

The Connecticut is excellent. It has the perfect combination of grassy bite and tobacco sweetness. The Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper is killer and combines with the Nicaraguan filler blend to make a great lighter bodied smoke. On the other hand, the Habano Rosado is a nice smoke, but I can’t see what it adds to the portfolio of Lou Rodriguez cigars. With the Edición Reserva, you have a cigar that will appeal to those who like full-bodied and full-flavored cigars, with enough strength to keep them happy. The Edición Premier has the mid-range covered in style. It has plenty of flavor and is approachable to most cigar smokers. The Connecticut is for those people who think a lighter-bodied smoke has to have a light-colored wrapper... I don’t see the need for the Habano Rosado, but it is a nice smoke, all the same.

Above: Lou Rodriguez Connecticut
Below: LGC Artesanos Retro Especiale

La Gloria Cubana Artesanos Retro Especiale. This new cigar sports a hybrid Connecticut seed wrapper grown in Honduras that packs bright and lively flavors that are razor sharp. The cigar has a double binder from Mexico and Nicaragua and the fillers are from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. This cigar will knock your socks of with flavor. It is light to medium in body, but the flavor is huge. I have high hopes for the future of this stick.

From the Drew Estate Company there were two great new cigars, one was the Undercrown and the other, affectionately named: My Uzi Weighs a Ton. (Jonathan Drew certainly has a way with understatement…) Both of these cigars are tasty sticks. The Uzi’s all come in Saka-sized 60 ring gauges with 5, 6, and 7-inch models to choose from. These are medium in body and very flavorful.

With the addition of yet two more non-infused cigars to its stable, the Drew Estate company is marching inexorably toward a conquest of the cigar industry. This is no joke. If Drew Estate continues to make more and more great non-flavored cigars, and with their marketing wizardry, they will soon be kicking some major league butt on the “traditional” side of the cigar world.

Drew Estate’s My Uzi Weighs a Ton, above. Below, Roll Back by C&C Cigars

C&C Cigars Roll Back is a bundle line offered in three sizes and two wrappers. It is offered in a Connecticut Shade and natural maduro. This cigar is light in body with a flavorful wrapper and good construction. These cigars are aimed at the bargain crowd and will come at an incredible price point: just $2 and change per stick. The name comes from the concept of rolling back the clock to a time where you could buy a decent cigar at decent prices and the service was second to none. Joe Chiusano is trying to instill that old time service along with reasonably priced cigars that you can afford to smoke every day. Their flagship brand will be the LRMD, a limited release natural Maduro that will come in boxes of 20.

Seattle Cigar Expo Set for August 20

Mon, 8 Aug 2011 15:08:26 -0700

The first-annual Seattle Cigar Expo will take place on Saturday, August 20, 2011, from 1pm – 8pm. The event will transform Seattle Center’s Fisher Pavilion and Fisher Green into an upscale cigar lounge and outdoor “smoking patio”, where approximately 2,500 adults will unite for a day of indulgence through lifestyle vendors, cigar retailers, fine cuisine, premium spirits sampling, beer & wine tasting and entertainment.

The Doc will be on hand to join more than 20 cigar manufacturers from all over the world, including Padron, Rocky Patel, Tatuaje and Xikar. Guests will have the opportunity to meet Dion Giolito of illusione, Rocky Patel from Rocky Patel cigars, Cesar Blanco of Los Blancos and Erik Espinosa of Murcielago & Cubao, to name a few. In addition, top retailers including Premier Cigar Shops, Orvis and more will be in attendance.

The entertainment line-up includes Seattle great Vince Mira, Tumbao - featuring Grammy Award winning singer Carlos Cascante, the burlesque group the Atomic Bombshells, Larry Barilleau and the Latin Jazz Collective, Seattle’s All Star, Salsa, Show Brazil and DJ Tomas Sudassy. There will be meet and greets with Jason Terry from the Dallas Mavericks, Shorty Rossi – star of Animal Planet’s “Pit Boss”, former Sonic Shawn Kemp and Van Conner of the Screaming Trees.

A collection of Seattle’s finest chefs and restaurants, headlined by Chef Jason Wilson of Crush, will provide guests with an array of gourmet small plates featuring international cuisine. Attendees will also enjoy plates from El Gaucho, Rabbit in the Hole, Via Tribunali, Brouwers Café, Lil’ Woody’s, Skillet, 3.14 Bakery and others.

Premium spirits, wine and beer will all be available, with many samplings included in the purchase price, as well as available for purchase.

• Spirit samplings will include single malts Glenfiddich, Bowmore and Glenrothes along with Maker’s Mark, Maker’s 46, Knob Creek, Knob Creek Single Barrel, Booker’s, Basil Hayden, Balvenie 12 and Zaya Rum.  
• Wine will be available from Goose Ridge Estate Winery, Joseph Carr and Layer Cake Wines. The winemakers will be on hand to answer questions and offer seminars on wine tasting and wine making.

• Beer makers represented will be Maisel’s Weisse Brewery, Veltins, The RAM Brewery, NW Beverage Group and Skagit Valley Brewery, who will offer a special “Seattle Cigar Expo” brew exclusive to the event.

This celebration of cigar culture will benefit Cigar Rights of America (CRA), an organization founded on the principle of fighting for the freedom to enjoy cigars. Additionally, CRA is a consumer-based, non-profit public advocacy organization that works at the local, state, and federal level of government to protect the freedoms of cigar enthusiasts. Admission to the Seattle Cigar Expo will grant attendees membership to CRA.

General admission tickets for the 2011 Seattle Cigar Expo are $150 and are available for advance purchase at www.seattlecigarexpo.com. General admission tickets purchased at the door will be $180. Included in and every general admission ticket is a gift bag filled with approximately 15+ cigars, a sampling card good for fine wine and premium spirits, as well as coins redeemable for delectable bites from our local cuisine partners.

A limited number of VIP tickets are also available for advance purchase through Friday, Aug. 19. VIP ticket packages are $290 and include a general admission ticket, early entry to the event, a meet-and-greet with VIP guests, and a VIP gift bag. In addition, all VIP attendees will be invited to a pre-event party at Brouwers on Friday, August 19th, and a post party event on Saturday, August 20th at the private Vertigo Club in Seattle’s SODO neighborhood.

About Seattle Cigar Expo
The Seattle Cigar Expo was formed with the primary goal of uniting tobacconists and cigar aficionados, and manufacturers in an upscale forum for a day of indulgence. All Seattle Cigar Expo attendees must be at least 21 years of age, with a valid ID. For additional information about the 2011 Seattle Cigar Expo, go to www.seattlecigarexpo.com.

Tennessee Tweet-Up 2011 in August

Mon, 1 Aug 2011 01:59:53 -0700

Anticipation continues to grow for the first large-scale cigar event to be held in Chattanooga, Tennessee: the 2011 Tweet-Up. The event is being hosted by Burns Tobacconist and the Chattanooga Billiards Club, with two locations in the city; and is being organized and promoted by members of two popular cigar blogs: the Tiki Bar Online and Stogie Review.

The event begins on Friday, August 12, with an afternoon herf at Burns East (110 Jordan Drive, 423-855-5686), which will be followed by a trip to the AT&T Field to see the Chattanooga Lookouts Minor League Baseball game (the Lookouts are an affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers). The Tweet-Up event has reserved a luxury suite for between 20 and 30 people.

Saturday’s mega-herf begins at Burns East at 11:00 a.m. and continues until 6:00 p.m., with plenty of time to chat and mingle and get to know some of the other cigar-lovers that have traveled from all across the country to attend. It’s also a great time to meet and get to talk to our special guests, Jon Huber (Crowned Heads), Matt Booth (Room 101 Cigars), and Frank Herrera (La Caridad del Cobre).

At 6:00 pm, we will leave Burns East and travel to Burns Downtown where we will reassemble at 7:00 p.m. for dinner and a liquor tasting, which we are calling “A Taste of Tennessee.” Featured libations will include Jack Daniels and George Dickel Tennessee Whiskeys.

Two packages will be available for purchase: the Friday/Saturday Package includes attendance to the baseball game, a Chattanooga Tweet-Up T-Shirt, and admission to the Taste of Tennessee Liquor Tasting, as well as a 5-pack of cigars; it will cost $35 (plus tax). The Saturday Package includes the commemorative T-Shirt, the Liquor Tasting, and the cigar 5-pack; it will cost $25 (plus tax). Either of these two packages will also earn the purchaser one raffle ticket.

Excellent deals on cigars will be available throughout the event. All single-stick purchases, up to 19 cigars, will receive a 10% discount; buying 10 singles will also get another raffle ticket. Buying a box or box equivalent (20 cigars or more) will get you a 20% discount and 3 more raffle tickets.

Many fine cigar manufacturers are donating cigars and/or door prizes for the raffle (to be held at 5:30 on Saturday). These companies include: Oliva Cigar Company, Drew Estate, La Gloria Cubana, A.J. Fernandez, Miami Cigar and Company, 262 Cigars, Emilio Cigars, Room 101 Cigars, La Caridad del Cobre, and Toraño Family Cigars.

For full updated information about the Chattanooga Tweet-Up-2011, please visit www.TikiBarOnline.com.