“Smoked Up” No.66
Getting back the somewhat usual smoking routine this past week. I enjoyed a few more cigars and didn’t have to help my buddy move (again) this past weekend. I had planned to take the family to an Easter event, but the Misses’ hip was bothering her and there was no sense in aggravating it anymore by doing a whole lot of walking. So I spend some time with them out in the carport. The weather was great, but the ground was saturated enough to stay off it. Afterwards, I went with a good buddy to the local ‘shop and enjoyed a few smokes and some college baseball on tv.
Cigar Views
601 Green (Oscuro) Robusto: This is maybe my second ever 601 Green and I don’t know why. I always figured it to be very full bodied, but its a good solid medium strength smoke. Had a tad bit thicker draw than what I typically like, yet it was manageable. Had nice chalky, yet smooth, cocoa notes as well as a light white pepper note in the background of the smoke. Â
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Iconic Leaf Cigar Announces E.L.F. (Eight Legged Freak)
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“Smoked Up” No.65
This installment of “Smoked Up” is a double installment. I didn’t smoke a whole lot of cigars over the last two weeks, so I decided to combine them all into one. I was enjoying the nice spring weather by playing with my daughter out in the yard, working in the garden, doing some much needed yard work and putting up an above ground pool for the family. Seemed like perfect times to enjoy a cigar, but I just didn’t get around to toasting one up. I did get 2 reviews out. One of the new Partagas 1845 Extra Oscuro Robusto Gordo last week. I was going to get another review out on this past Monday, but the weather got severe here and had a tornado in the area. So that kept me on the couch. Check out the review and give me some of your thoughts on it and the cigar if you have gotten your hands on it yet.
Cigar Views
CAO Flathead 554: I have had this cigar since a week or so prior to their release. I was planning on doing a full review and still think I will. I tried this cigar (previously) fresh off the truck and was a pretty tasty smoke. Its still the same today and has some unique flavors to it. There were herbal hints with some cocoa and a tad bit of some earthiness to it as well. The ashes were amazingly long as the rounded box press held them on nicely. Overall an interesting smoke I will be taking a detailed look at later on in the near future.  Â
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Recluse Cigar Announces Amadeus
PRESS RELEASE:
We at Iconic Leaf Cigar are pleased to announce the newest addition to our Recluse family of cigars.
RECLUSE
AMADEUS
Blend specs:
Wrapper: Conn. Seed, Ecuadorian shade (Grade A)
Binder: MBC (Propriotary)
Filler: Dominican Ligero, Dominican Viso, Dominican Seco, Conn. Broadleaf
 
The Recluse Amadeus blend will be in keeping with our two year fermentation process and 100% Entubar rolling style. We have truly outdone ourselves with this new offering. The cigar is rich and flavorful with a smoothness that is undeniably Recluse. This new offering will be released IPCPR 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 19th, 2014. We will have an advance release to select retailers on June 15th, 2014..
The Amadeus will be available in the following six facings:
Robusto                5×52         msrp $7.50          (Box pressed)
Toro                 6 1/4×50      msrp  $8.50          (Box pressed)
Tarantula             6×60         msrp  $9.50          (Box pressed)
Sidewinder 1       5×57         msrp  $8.50          (Special Edition)
Sidewinder 2       6×57         msrp  $9.50          (Special Edition)
Sidewinder 3       7×57         msrp $10.50         (Special Edition)
 
Follow us on:
Facebook at:Â Â Â Â Â Recluse Cigars
Twitter at:      @RecluseCigars
Instagram at:Â Â Â Â Â reclusecigar
To find an authorized retailer near you please visit
Best regards,
Iconic Leaf Cigar Company
D’Crossier Golden Blend Aged 10 Years
The revolutionary D’Crossier Golden Blend Series was introduced in 2010, a mild to medium blend of select tobaccos aged for seven years, with a distinctive profile and profound aromas that quickly established a coveted place among the other D‘Crossier lines.
Now, three years later, we have taken this Series to the next level in an ambitious undertaking that started early in 2013. Using a blend of the best tobacco leaves in our possession, forty percent of which was harvested in 2004, D’Crossier Golden Blend Aged 10 Years features five traditional vitolas. These medium to full flavor cigars have now been properly aged and packaged in boxes of 25 cigars for more than a year, awaiting your smoking pleasure. We do hope you will savor the flavors and aromas these superbly aged tobaccos have to offer, and appreciate their craftsmanship which we are so proud to share. Enjoy with passion.
Country: Costa Rica | Flavor: Medium | Wrapper: Ecuador | Binder: Costa Rica | Filler: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic  Â
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Partagas 1845 Extra Oscuro Robusto Gordo
General Cigar had a nice hit with the release of the Partagas 1845 in 2012. Extending the fame of the line comes two new versions of the 1845; the Extra Oscuro & Extra Fuerte. Today I will be taking a look at the Extra Oscuro. I don’t too many oscuro cigars, but when I tried my first sampling of this cigar, I really enjoyed it. I didn’t pay a whole lot o attention to any particular flavors, just wanted to get an overall feel for it.
Cigar Stats
Size: 5.5×52
Vitola: Robusto Gordo
Wrapper: Connecticut Havano Oscuro
Binder: Proprietary Dominican Leaf
Filler: Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua
Cost: $7.26SRP* Â Â
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La Palina debuts three sizes of the La Palina Collection Mr. Sam
Samuel Paley founded La Palina cigars in 1896, and Mr. Sam was the moniker bestowed upon him by the workers in his factory. The La Palina Collection Mr. Sam was initially released as an 850-box limited edition at the 2013 IPCPR Trade Show.
Due to the overwhelming positive response, this spring the La Palina Collection Mr. Sam will be added to our permanent portfolio. The Mr. Sam will be released in three sizes: Toro, Robusto, and Corona.
Mr. Sam is rolled at the El Titan de Bronze factory in Miami, FL. A dark Ecuadorian wrapper surrounds a Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan filler, creating a beautifully crafted blend that is rich with flavor.
Samuel Paley and his wife Goldie have been once again united, within the La Palina Collection
Country of Origin: USA
Wrapper: Ecuador Habano
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Factory: El Titan de Bronze
Toro: 6×50
Robusto: 4.75×54
 Corona: 5.5×42
Crux Gets Going With Two New Cigars
TWO VIXENS AND A LITTLE PRICK WANT TO MAKE YOUR ACQUAINTANCE.Â
April 4, 2014 (Maple Grove, MN) — More than two decades of successfully selling cigars at retail teaches a person a few things. Hype doesn’t sell. A bad smoke fails immediately (as it should). Excellent quality wins friends who tell more friends. A community grows. Life is good.
Meet Jeff Haugen and Joel Rogers, co-owners of Crux Cigar Company, who have expanded beyond retail to production. In April 2014, Crux Cigar Company is releasing three different blends in two different vitolas after more than three years in development. Three more blends follow in May.
Get friendly with Ninfamaniac, Ninfamaniac Dark and the Skeeterz. Say good-bye to boring. The new best friends are hand-crafted at the Plasencia S.A. factory in Esteli, Nicaragua.
“We look forward to our next chapter as manufacturers,†said Crux Cigars co-owner Jeff Haugen. “We believe our ‘front line’ retailer experience gives us a huge advantage. It provides incredible insight into building new cigars of the highest quality, developing cigars for underserved markets and servicing retail partners with the greatest respect.â€Â  Â
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“Smoked Up” No.64
“Never judge a book (or cigar) by its cover.” I found that out this week as I had a few cigars sort of threw me off. I had a few predetermined notions of how the smoke was going to be and it turned out quite the opposite and it worked out for the better in these cases. One of my “Cigar New Years Resolutions” was to smoke as many different cigars as I could this year and go outside of my usual cigars. Basically, “going outside the box” as they say. A few times its done ok, a few times its been great and a few times I have wished I didn’t go outside the box! None the less, its my way of broadening my horizons and trying new things.
I got a review out this week of the new Puro Vida Maduro Toro out. Its a local based cigar company that I mentioned here a few months back about. I won’t go into too much detail with the review, you are going to have to check it out for your self.
Cigar ViewsÂ
Ezra Zion Eminence Belicoso Gran Toro: Ezra Zion has some interesting blends and sizes on the market. The Eminence Belicoso Gran Toro is one of those. The size and shape is odd in itself as your don’t see too many short and stubby belicoso cigars on the shelves these days. This cigar had a good amount of spice along with some leather and hints of cocoa. Its not one of my favorites from Ezra Zion, but its not a bad smoke either.  Â
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