Moscato Cigars Sponsors Its First Independent Artist/Writer/Producer
July 24, 2013 (Raleigh, NC) – Moscato Cigars, the maker of premium handmade cigars infused with the Moscato aromatic Blend that gives a sweet, smooth and well rounded experience, is very pleased to announce its first sponsored artist – Kaze (pronounced “kah-zeeâ€) an independent artist/writer/producer.
 
“Moscato Cigars is committed to developing long term relationships with up and coming performers who reflect the brand image.   Kaze is a very talented and resilient artist/writer/producer who is classy and professional,†said Robert Moscato, Managing Partner.
A graduate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – Kaze has been rapping in North Carolina for many years. He’s done tours with Ghostface Killah and the Clipse and opened up shows for Common, 50 Cent, etc. He won the Loud.com MC contest in 2009, which earned him a record deal with SRC Records. Also known as “4Letters,” Kaze has put in a lot of work in the Carolina music scene.
Kaze will be delivering a smooth new blend of hip-hop and R&B on Saturday, July 27th after 5pm at Tremont Music Hall located at 400 West Tremont Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28203.
Kaze’s new song, “Moscato Girlâ€, will be available for free download at www.MoscatoCigars.com starting on Saturday following Kaze’s performance. For more info on Kaze, check out www.kazemusic.com.
Questions should be directed to mediarelations@moscatocigars.
Perfecto Cigar Holder
Every now and then, I come across an idea or product and said to myself “Why didn’t I think of that?” or “I thought of that, and didn’t pursue the idea and should have.” That is the case with the Perfecto Cigar Holder.
The Perfecto Cigar Holder is a 100% American made product that is steered towards golfers. The principle behind the holder is that it clips onto a golf cart’s dash, you rest your cigar in the holder, take your shot and come back to enjoy your cigar.
Pretty simple & effective product that has many other uses besides for golfers.
Features:
- Sturdy construction – Some people may think is a tad bit overkill. But the spring is strong enough to keep the holder in place & not loose it when you hit the occasional bump in the road.
- It is of a large stature – You won’t miss where to put your cigar. Nor will you miss someone trying to walk off with your holder either!
- Large ash collection tray – I smoked a toro and it held all of the ashes with room to spare. It will hold ashes for the smallest to the largest of cigars. Perfect for keeping the golf green, work or socializing area clean.
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“Smoked Up” No.29
The “Dog Days of Summer” are just about here, if not already. If it wasn’t the high temperatures, it was the rain showers and humidity. That has been the story for the past two weeks or so in my neck of the woods. I mainly smoke outside under my carport and with the weather not being all that favorable, I have slowed down on my cigar smoking compared to quantity of what I was enjoying during the spring months.
Monday was the annual #jj4jj day where people all around the world smoked a Don Pepin Garcia Serie JJ for fellow Cigar Smoker Jerry Cruz ( of Stogie Review). Pictures were posted all over Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc… showing their support for Jerry, his family and for SIDS research support. His son, “Lil Robusto” passed away at three months old from SIDS back in 2007. It was a tragic happening and one can not imagine what Jerry and his family went through during this time. Unless, you have lost a child at such a young age yourself. I lost a nephew a few years back at 20months old from on-going heart and viral complications, so I know some of the pain they went through. Even if you didn’t have a DPG Serie JJ to smoke, people were smoking whatever they had to support Jerry in this tough time of the year and hashtagged the pictures with #jj4jj. I know the thought of people being there for Jerry made this day a little more manageable knowing her had all the people “there” for him in.
I didn’t have a DPG Serie JJ to smoke, but did enjoy a Tatuaje La Verite 2009 in “Lil Robusto’s” honor. It was very odd (for a lack of words), right after I tweeted my #jj4jj picture and mentioned how Lil Robusto and my Nephew were probably playing together right now, I looked over my shoulder and saw a rainbow. A very hazy one at first until I got into the street to get a better look at it. When I did, it got much clearer and I could see the whole rainbow! That right there really made my day, week, or possibly month. To me it was a sign from “Lil Robusto” and my Nephew, saying “Thanks!”
Cigar Views
Winston Churchill Lancaster: Enjoyed this short smoke Friday on my lunch break. Was a perfect 35 minute or so smoke and I thank Ben Lee for the gift of them. This Cigar had a great draw & burn. I’d say it had a slight bit less than medium body & a medium flavor strength. Had nice creamy woody flavors at first. Then around half way a tangy nutty flavor kicked out the creaminess; but left the wood notes. Around the end, I got a pleasant caramel flavor that went well with the banana I was eating for lunch. It wasn’t a dark and bold (more noticeable) type of smoke that left you and your clothes all “smoky”.
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“Smoked Up” No.28
If you haven’t noticed, the 2013 IPCPR Trade Show was going on the first part of this week. What does that mean for us fellow cigar smokers you say? Well, all of the news and press releases from numerous companies has came to light and many people got first hand looks and tastes of the new cigars announced previous to the show. I couldn’t make it this year due to financial situations with truck repairs and a family vacation. I wish I could have made it to the show to relay the new cigars and accessories from the show. But, it was not going to be an actuality for me this; hoping for better “luck” next year.
There were a good bit of fellow cigar “bloggers” or “new media” guys at the show. For some short videos or articles of the show check out Stogie Review, CigarCoop, Cigar Obsession, Leaf and Grape, or Halfwheel.
My head cold is finally letting up some what from the previous weeks. I didn’t smoke too many cigars last week. I spent a lot of time with friends and family and making sure my head cold didn’t get aggravated by too much smoke.
My buddy “Uncle Bob” (who had a massive stroke in December) got to come to his house Thursday shortly. We had a small cookout for him with a few of his close friends and family. Seeing such a good man in that shape is heart breaking and makes you realize how good you have it in life.
Cigar Views
Paul Stulac Ghost: Ever since I grabbed a box of these a few weeks ago, I seem to be enjoying this cigar more and more each week. Last week I paired it with an Imperial Coffee Oatmeal Stout (beer) that pretty much overpowered the cigar. This week, I just sipped on a Coke here and there with it and had better results. I think this cigar would pair a little better with a rum than the high alcohol contented, full flavored Coffee Oatmeal Stout. There was a nice leathery flavor through-out the cigar. There was some hints of a earthy flavor as well that caught my attention. All and all a great smoke; great draw, decent burn.
Reinado Grand Empire Reserve Elegidos: I have enjoyed the Reinado core line ever since they came to light about four or five years ago. I was gifted the cigar and the plain label led me to think it was a plain cigar. WRONG! I fell in love with them flavor and complexity of the smoke and grabbed many many of them whenever I found them. This weekend I was watching this video and reminded me of the GER I had grabbed on vacation last month. I had hoped to keep it for a “special occasion”, but what better time than the present!? I LOVED this smoke! I actually liked it a good bit more than the core line. Had awesome darker richer flavors than the core line. A pepper blast to start that ended with a spicy chocolate flavor. Full bodied and full flavor strength, not for a novice by any means. This is another one of those cigars I wish I would have gotten more of. But, with the release of the new sizes, I am looking forward to trying them as well.
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House of Emilio adds Bodega Premium Blends
IPCPR – July 16, 2013 – Gino Domanico (aka @Cigar_G), Co-Founder and CEO of Bodega Premium Blends (BPB), and Gary Griffith, owner of House of Emilio, announced today they have entered into a distribution agreement.
House of Emilio has a long and successful history in promoting the “Best of the boutiquesâ€. Through this partnership BPB is proud to share their vision of the authentic cigar experience.
BPB’s signature line – Reunión – is designed around fellowship – gathering, connectedness and friendship. It features two blends both from Nicaragua, a country that has emerged as the rising star of the cigar world. Reunión will be available in three vitolas.
 
The shared goal of both companies is to bring BPB’s product portfolio to market with a focus on innovation, social media, brand expansion and awareness.
“We couldn’t be happier partnering with Gary and his team. Gary believes in us and our projectâ€, says Domanico.
BPB offers blends that embody the company’s passion and commitment to the “cigar experienceâ€. Their philosophy is to capture how and when people enjoy cigars and reflect this essence in their blends.
“The BPB brand as well as Gino’s involvement is a key addition to the family of House of Emilio†stated Griffith.
Contact:
Emilio Cigars
Gary Griffith
Twitter: @EmilioCigar
Bodega Premium Blends
Twitter: @Cigar_G
Steve Saka Retires From Drew Estate
Steve Saka Retiring from Drew Estate
Miami, FL – On July 10th, 2013 Drew Estate announced that Steve Saka will be retiring as the CEO of Drew Estate, its family of companies and its subsidiaries. Saka joined the company as President in July 2005 and was promoted to Chief Executive Officer in July 2012.
“The team at Drew Estate would like to thank Steve for all of his hard work and dedication over the past eight years. His passion, leadership and expertise are a very rare combination within our industry. Steve will be truly missed and we wish him all the best moving forward,” said owners, Jonathan Drew and Marvin Samel.
During his tenure, Drew Estate has grown to become one of the largest and most successful premium handmade cigar manufacturers in the world.
When asked what he was going to do next, “First, I am going to seriously slay some smallmouth, those fish have no idea what’s coming. Ultimately though, I am a cigar and tobacco man at heart and both are integral parts of my life, but for now I want to return to just being a cigar citizen,†said Saka.
Drew Estate has repurchased his interests in the company and as part of the mutual arrangement Saka has agreed to step away from the cigar and tobacco industry at an operational level for two years. His last effective employment date as CEO of Drew Estate is July 11th.
About Steve Saka
Regarded as a cigar expert throughout the industry, he is credited as being one of the most prolific authors regarding cigars and black tobaccos, a forefather in the online media segment as the Executive Editor of CigarNexus.com and an experienced cigar blender and maker. In 2000, he worked directly for Lew Rothman, the former owner of JR Cigar, as an executive consultant for four years and he subsequently served as the President, then CEO of Drew Estate from 2005 through 2013.
About Drew Estate LLC
Established in 1996, Drew Estate LLC is a privately held manufacturer and distributor of innovative and traditional premium cigars for today’s cigar smoker. In just over ten years, Drew Estate has become one of the top three cigar companies in the nation. Regarded as the pioneer and leader in the infused cigar market, Drew Estate’s Nicaraguan factory handcrafts ACID ® by Drew Estate, Natural, Tabak Especial®, Java by Drew Estate®, and other unique cigars along with its traditional Liga Privada®, La Vieja Habana, Herrera Esteli™ and Undercrown® marks.
For more information, please visit: www.drewestate.com.
ACID, Natural, Java by Drew Estate, Undercrown, La Vieja Habana, MUWAT, Herrera Esteli and Liga Privada are trademarks of Drew Estate and/or affiliated companies.
La Palina debuts an addition to its La Palina Collection: Mr. Sam
La Palina debuts an addition to its 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. As a Tribute to Samuel Paley, the La Palina Collection will unveil the Mr. Sam at the 2013 IPCPR Show in Las Vegas. The La Palina Collection Mr. Sam is a limited production of 850 boxes of 10.
Mr. Sam was rolled at the El Titan de Bronze factory in Miami, FL. Adark Ecuadorian wrapper surrounds a Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan filler, creating a beautifully crafted blend that is rich with flavor. This 4.75×54 Robusto is a must have for any cigar connoisseur.
Previous releases of the La Palina Collection include the 1896, GoldieLaguito No. 2, and Goldie Laguito No. 5.
Samuel Paley and his wife Goldie have been once again united, within the La Palina Collection.
Mr. Sam / 4.75×54
Country of Origin: USA
Factory: El Titan de Bronze
Wrapper: Ecuador Habano
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
“Smoked Up” No.27
A week has passed since my vacation and I am already planning one for next summer. We really had a good time! When I got back, I started fighting off a head cold and it almost got the best of me. With a healthy (or unhealthy) dosing of a few medications, I was able to keep the cold to a lull. Then, work got three kinds of crazy and all this week they have me planned to work 12 hours each day. The pay is great, but I am not in the right mind-set to be working 12hr days.
With all that being said, I am pooped! The head cold, recouping from vacation and long work days will make this issue of “Smoked Up” pretty basic. I did try to enjoy a few cigars, but some days just wasn’t feeling like having one. So, I won’t get into too much detail about the week’s cigars; just a basic thought of them and I’ll move on to the news from the past week.
Cigar Views
Leccia Black Rothchild: This was the first (Sam) Leccia Tobacco cigar I’ve had. I grabbed it from Burns in Chattanooga when out on my vacation. I grabbed one Black and one White to see which one I liked the most. I have heard opposing views; some love the Black, so love the White. The Black had a good draw and burn with some musty flavors to it. They weren’t a bad musty flavors, but the leaf of fire cured tobacco was some what noticeable in the smoke. I am not sure which “fire cured” cigar will win this battle. With the MUWAT KFC coming out at IPCPR in a few weeks, I have a gut feeling it will reign top-dog. Not that the Leccia Black is a bad smoke, from what I have been told and smelt, the MUWAT KFC is way more mustier and I think it will appeal to more people.
Leccia White Rothchild: A few days after I had the “Black”, I had to try the “White”. The White was not as full bodied as compared to the Black. But, the white seemed to be a lot more smoother and more on the solid medium body and upper medium in flavor strength. I liked this cigar… let me restate that… I really liked this cigar! The draw and burn were great and the flavors appealed to me enough to mentally kick myself in the kiester for not buying anymore. But, there are many shops carrying the Leccia line, so I shouldn’t have too much trouble finding them. I ,personally, like the White over the Black.
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NICARAGUAN STRONG GETS BIGGER WITH ANTAÑO BIG BULL 760
NICARAGUAN STRONG GETS BIGGER WITH ANTAÑO BIG BULL 760
We dare you to take the bull by the horns and try our newest addition to the Antaño powerhouse!
Estelà – Joya de Nicaragua, maker of the authentic Nicaraguan puro, is introducing a new vitola for its popular brand Antaño 1970 at this year’s IPCPR tradeshow in Las Vegas.
Antaño Big Bull 760 is a 7 x 60 cigar and is predicted to become the most powerful smoke in the trending large-ring formats. “Antaño was born thirteen years ago as a result of Joya’s vision to push the boundaries of strength and power, and for all these years we have consistently delivered that. Now we are satisfying the overwhelming demand from our hardcore Antaño lovers for a larger cigar, one that packs even more muscle. But be warned! This is not a cigar for everybody, its for those who can withstand a long lasting and powerful smoke” stated Dr. Alejandro MartÃnez Cuenca, Master Maker and Owner of Joya de Nicaragua.
The Antaño Big Bull 760 is a full body, spicy, robust smoke made with 100% Nicaraguan tobaccos. Packed in the legendary Antaño 1970 box of 20 cigars, the Big Bull 760 will retail at a price of U$9.95 per stick in the United States, and will ship in September 2013.
Antaño and all Joya de Nicaragua brands are distributed in the USA exclusively by Drew Estate Ltd.
About Antaño 1970:
Antaño (pronounced an-ta-ni-o) means “yesteryear†in Spanish, a word that perfectly expresses the soul of the Joya de Nicaragua Antaño 1970. Crafted as a tribute to recapture the power and essence of the puro that made this legendary brand the most sought after cigar in the United States in the post Cuban Embargo 1970s. Made exclusively by hand and entirely of Nicaraguan harvested tobaccos, this cigar is an ultra robust, spicy smoke with unbridled body and aroma.
JOYA DE NICARAGUA and ANTAÑO are trademarks of Joya de Nicaragua S.A and/or affiliated companies.
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Herrera Cigars and Drew Estate Settle HERRERA Trademark Dispute
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Herrera Cigars and Drew Estate Settle HERRERA Trademark Dispute
MIAMI, Florida (July 8, 2013) – Long time friends Frank Herrera of Herrera Cigars and
Jonathan Drew of Drew Estate announced today that they have settled a dispute over
the HERRERA trademark.
While the terms of the settlement are confidential, the agreement focuses on protecting
the HERRERA brand under a license. Hispanic surnames are powerful indicators of
quality in the premium cigar industry, and both parties have mutually agreed to protect
the trademark HERRERA.
“This is a great example of how disputes can be resolved quickly and efficiently when
cigar people get together, and find a mutually agreeable solution,†said Frank Herrera of
Herrera Cigars. “I have worked for years in the cigar industry building my name and I
believe that the agreement entered into today will serve that purpose and protect it for
the future.†Frank Herrera added.
Jonathan Drew, Co-Founder of Drew Estate adds “I believe in the cigar community, the
industry personalities, and the subculture that supports and sustains its very core. Frank
Herrera is a dear friend of mine, whom I respect greatly. The difficult circumstance arose
when we brought Willy Herrera on board with Drew Estate and both men obviously felt
entitled to the Herrera name. It took us a little while to work out the details due to our
busy schedules – but in the end we found a solution that allows both men to reach for
the stars and achieve their deserved dreams. DE is now comfortable licensing the mark
from Frank in this Co-existence agreement. At Drew Estate we have always promoted
innovation and creativity within the cigar biz. Legal nonsense just gets in the way”.
Frank Herrera has specialized in cigar law matters for over 12 years, and over the past
5 years has offered cigars under the LA CARIDAD DEL COBRE brand and later under
the FRANK HERRERA BIOGRAPHY brand.
Willy Herrera joined Drew Estate in 2011 and will continue to produce HERRERA
ESTELI and future products at the Drew Estate factory in Esteli, Nicaragua.
Frank Herrera
ʼs HERRERA Cigars and Drew Estateʼs HERRERA ESTELI will be
featured at the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers (“IPCPRâ€) Convention and
International Trade Show in July.
