Tabacalera Artista Exactus Habano Robusto
Tabacalera Artista has been in the cigar industry since 1956 and mainly produces cigars for private labels. They produce about 6million cigars every year. As well as rolling cigars, they also wholesale tobacco to many companies each year. They have about 950 acres of tobacco grown on their farm each year. Recently, they decided to make a few blends to call their own: Exactus – “The most valuable reserve of Tabacalera El Artista.” The Exactus lines come in three different blends, the Classico, Maduro & Habano. I received a cigar of each blend from El Artista and am going to try out the Habano line.
Cigar Breakdown
Size: 5×54
Vitola: Robusto
Wrapper:Â Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Dominican wine fermented Criollo 98
Filler: Dominican Criollo 98
Cost: $3.20 (via box price from Cigarstix.com)*
“Smoked Up” No.31
Another week is past us in 2013 and another issue of “Smoked Up” is here. Nothing too much to report in my neck of the woods. Finished up a 4day @ 12hours/day work week which left me whooped. I didn’t enjoy too many cigars last week due to the long hours of work. When I got home, I showered, ate dinner, spent time with my daughter and went to sleep. All to do it over again the next day. I am so glad that is over this week.
The cigar news has slowed down to a mere snail’s pace. Like I had mentioned last week, I figured it would do so with the ending of the IPCPR show. Most companies are shipping out product, relaxing, etc…
Cigar Views
JM’s Dominican Corojo Torpedo*: Had a great draw & pretty good burn. A milder smoke than I usually go for. A decent flavored smoke that had light pepper & butter. A woody note peeked in & out periodically that blended nicely. Over all a decent entry level corojo cigar. This would make a great “knock around” cigar. Nothing too fancy or too pricey; they range about $2.75/ea. Or they would make a great entry level cigar for someone who wants to start enjoying cigars. Its no-where near as strong as some Corojo cigars are.
Viaje Exclusivo Robusto: Another hard to find Viaje (imagine that) thats been sitting a while. I was gifted this by a good buddy, Mike P. This Viaje had a slightly thick draw & an off burn. These are good when they were fresh & aged. Unlike most Viaje LEs, which need a good bit of age to peek. This one had great full flavors of an oaky wood flavor with hints of a white pepper. The burn go so far off, I had to touch-up and relight the cigar a few times. The humidity was off the charts that night, so I am sure that was a major reason as to why.
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CLE Plus 11/18 exclusivel​y available at Butthead’s Tobacco Emporium
“Smoked Up” No.30
The last week has had its ups and downs. Ups and downs in weather, life etc… The heat is here to stay, the rain is not sure, but will be glad when it lets up for more than a few days. I got a three day weekend, but it was followed by working 12hour days for inventory. I really, really dislike doing inventory. But, I go in, get it done and go home.
Went to a little get together a local shop had. They grilled burgers, sausage, boudin and even some shark steaks. They had a buy 4 get one free on all cigars special in which I made out pretty good on. Nothing too fancy, but did meet a few new cigar people and enjoyed friends’ company and being able to smoke inside out of the heat.
The Cigar News area is pretty blight this week. After IPCPR Show, I imagine companies are focused on getting orders filled and shipped. Then, I suspect there will be a few vacations being taken.
Cigar Views
EP Carrillo Inch Maduro 62: Very, very rarely do I smoke any cigar over a 54rg, let alone a 62rg. This is one of those and I have really found a liking for them. I got my first one as a gift and liked it enough to buy another. Great flavors, burn and draw. But, it still is tough for me to get over the large ring gauge, it just don’t feel right. I guess the 62rg is not “large” any more with 7x70s coming out more and more….. I just don’t understand it. But there are a few cigars in a “large” ring gauge that work for me, and this is one of them.
El Puros Perfecto House Cigar “100% Ligero” This was gifted to me at the event by the shop owner. I have never been fond of powerhouse, full ligero, knock you on your arse cigars. So I figured, “yeh, I’ll smoke it…. one day.” Well, that cigar didn’t last too long in the humidor. I lit it up and actually liked it a good bit! It reminded me of a smaller ring gauge CAIN Daytona, yet in a larger ring gauge. The smoke was flavorful and had a strong body to it, but not too powerful that it overpowered the flavors. At $6.75, its a pretty good smoke seeing a similar smoke is around the same price in a smaller format. Slap a band on it, and the CAIN Daytona may have a competitor.
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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.
