ESPINOSA PREMIUM CIGARS ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF ESPINOSA MADURO
Hialeah Gardens, Florida (April 9, 2013) – Espinosa Premium Cigars is proud to announce the release of the long anticipated Espinosa Maduro. Coming off last year’s successful debut of the medium bodied Espinosa Habano, the Espinosa Maduro will be wrapped in a beautiful, smoothly textured, dark chocolate Mexican Maduro wrapper. Within this triple capped cigar lies a premium blend of tobaccos that have been combined to form a rich cocoa, cedar, pepper and spice base. This medium-full bodied cigar is the perfect combination of Erik Espinosa’s signature strength notes and the La Zona factory’s reputation for flavor.
The Espinosa Maduro is made in Espinosa’s La Zona factory in Esteli, Nicaragua and will come in 4 different vitolas: Robusto Box-Pressed (5×52), Belicoso Box-Pressed (5-1/2×52), Corona Gorda (5-5/8 x46), and Toro Box-Pressed (6-x52). All four sizes will be offered in boxes of 20. The Espinosa Maduro is set to be released at the end of April 2013.
“Smoked Up” No.14
Once again, I am bringing you some views and news from my week in cigars. Had a very eventful week and especially the weekend. Saturday, me and a group of guys had a party at El Puros Perfecto (Ocean Springs, MS) for a good friend who is expecting a baby girl soon. Many thanks to the guys who showed up and for the shop guys for putting up with our shenanigans. Many cigars, food, and adult beverages were consumed that night! I also remembered the day after, why I wrote off dry Gin….
Then the next day, I had a bbq and smoke out (herf)Â at my house with a handful of friends and family. I smoked some four racks of baby back ribs, drank a few beers, smoked a few cigars and overall, we all had a pretty good time shooting the bull.
It seems like I am getting into more of a rotation with my cigars. I still try and smoke some new ones, just to see whats up and comming. But, I am finding myself smoking more medium to full bodied cigars or more fuller ones. Im enjoying the flavors a lot more than the power now as a result of that. But anyhow….
Cigar Views
Viaje Exclusivo Robusto: This is one of the first released of the semi-rare robusto size. I had forgotten I had these & was delighted to find them deep in the bottom of my humidor. I paired it with some Four Roses Single Barrel bourbon. Four Roses SB has become one of my favourite bourbons, good drink and a decent price (@$50). I wasnt paying much attention to the flavors, but did get some smokey/charred wood that paired well with the Bourbon. The draw was great, the burn was so-so. But overall a great smoke! It goes to show you, if you can wait a bit of time to let a Viaje rest, it will be an even better smoke later on.
Against All Odds, Nomad Wins Cigar March Madness.
April 8, 2013 – In what became a true Cinderella story, new boutique cigar company Nomad won the Cigar March Madness event this year!
The event started with 64 cigar companies/brands in an all out daily voting by cigar smokers and retailers to see who would move to the next round.
During Nomad’s climb to claim the title, Nomad faced such cigars as Brickhouse, L’atelier Lat 52, Liga Privada #9, and Joya de Nicaragua CyB.
“It was a close race. I am told we often only won by a couple votes,†said Fred Rewey, founder of Nomad Cigar Company.
Rewey had mixed feelings once he made the final four.
“On one hand, I was thrilled at the popularity of the cigar. I mean we just started [Nomad] last year and the response has been overwhelming. The Final Four voting was between me and Jose Blanco to see who would advance. Frankly it was hard to root for myself. I have so much respect for Jose that I really didn’t want to win†said Rewey.
Nomad Cigar Company has been growing quickly since its premier in late 2012. Rewey is expected to make an announcement in the next week about expanding the line and releasing his first Nicaraguan cigar.
The event was sponsored by thecasualcigar.com and was a big success for everyone who participated.
For a view of the entire completed bracket, winners and losers, click here.
Drew Estate Unveils “Kentucky Fire Cured†line extension to My Uzi Weighs a Ton brand of cigars
Miami, FL – Drew Estate Inc. announced today the impending release of Kentucky Fire Cured Cigars,an extension to the MUWAT brand also to be produced at the Joya de Nicaragua factory. Indevelopment for over 2.5 years, this extension to the MUWAT line of premium cigars was inspiredduring a trip to the Dominican Republic where Jonathan Drew and Steve Saka were visiting theUniversal Leaf tobacco pre-industry facility.“
I remember it as if it were yesterday†states JD. “Fritz Bossert (President of Universal Leaf), SteveSaka and I were smoking Liga Privada T52s in the fermentation area when I noticed a pilon of KentuckyFired Cured tobacco. We took the wrapper off the T52 and placed a thick Kentucky Fire Cured leaf in itsplace. The taste and aroma were simply amazing, but there was just one huge problem – the cigar wouldnot burn properly, and is one of the reasons of the lengthy process it took to get ‘KFC’ to market.â€
“Smoked Up” No.13
Another week down, another issue of “Smoked Up”. This week has been pretty good, spring is upon us and the weather is nicer. The better weather means more smoking time and longer smoke breaks for me. I see myself grabbing larger ring gauged or longer lengthed cigars as the weather gets nicer. Once it gets uber hot here, that will change, unless I can get my hammock up in the shade this year!
Cigar Views:
Don Pepin Garcia Serie JJ “Lil Robusto”: Thicker than average draw, excellent burn & a long nice tight ash. Decent amount of kickoff spice that then mellows off around half way. Then a nice mellowed wood flavor takes place with a hint of some vanilla in the background. Retrohale had a nice peppery type of spice and had a slight sweetness left on the pallate. One of my favorite DPGs. Some good woodiness with an amout of spice thats not overpowering to the taste. All the proceeds from this cigar go towards SIDS research. #jj4jj
Sam Leccia Shows Off Some Goods
Today, Sam Leccia (former Oliva Cigar Company and creater of such things as the Nub & CAIN Cigar) started a new FaceBook page entitled “Leccia Tobacco”. It looks to me, there are two websites for Lecia Tobacco out there. One website http://samlecciacigarco.com/news.htm has not been updated since 2011. The other site, samleccia.com just has “Comming Soon”. So, the new FaceBook page  seems to be a new outlook of what’s to come from Leccia Tobacco. I, personally, am looking forward to seeing what Sam comes up with. Either new sizes, shapes, blends etc… I am sure they will be something worth trying.
A few new items posted on the FaceBook page were:
An iPhone 5 Case by Mimeocase
A metal travel humidor:
And two looks at upcoming cigar boxes with “Black White” on them.
Like Leccia Tobacco on FaceBook
Iconic Leaf Recluse Draconian (pre-release)
In 2012, Iconic Leaf Cigars released the “Recluse” and was met with a pretty good fanfare of likes. I happen to do a review on the Toro a while back and it was quite interesting & tasty smoke. There was a unique mix of flavors I have never experienced before together, which made for a pretty good cigar. I have been given the chance to try out the pre-release of their new line the Recluse Draconian. This vitola will not be one that’s released, the shapes released with be called “Sidewinders”. But I am sure the flavors will be along the same lines as the pre-release. For a little more info on the Draconian check out their Draconian Press Release.
Size:Â 5×50
Vitola: Robusto (Released sizes and shapes will differ)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Maduro
Binder: Proprietary
Fillers: Brazilian Hybrid, Piloto Cubano,Dominican Iconic Leaf Ligero*Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
GENERAL CIGAR PREVAILS OVER CUBATABACO IN TRADEMARK DISPUTE
Richmond, VA–General Cigar was recently vindicated by the courts again in the nearly 16 year old legal battle waged by Cubatabaco to determine rightful ownership of the Cohiba® trademark in the United States. After losing its legal battle in the Second Circuit, Cubatabaco continued to exhaust all available legal channels by bringing this matter before the United States Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (“TTABâ€).
The TTAB granted General Cigar’s motion for summary judgment, and dismissed with prejudice Cubatabaco’s petition to cancel General Cigar’s Cohiba registrations. The TTAB ruled that because the federal courts have held that Cubatabaco may not sell Cohiba cigars in the U.S. or acquire any interest in the Cohiba mark, Cubatabaco lacks any property interest in the Cohiba mark. Cubatabaco therefore has no standing to challenge General Cigar’s registrations of the Cohiba mark.
General Cigar’s President Dan Carr said, “This ruling once again affirms what we have believed all along: That Cubatabaco has no merit in challenging General Cigar’s ownership of the Cohiba trademark in the United States.â€
General Cigar received its first registration of the Cohiba trademark in the U.S. in 1981, and again in 1992. The company has sold its Dominican Cohiba cigar in the U.S. since the early 1980s.
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About Cohiba Cigars
True cigar connoisseurs recognize Dominican Cohiba cigars as one of the finest brands available in the U.S. market. Critically acclaimed for their meticulous construction and refined taste, the core brand of Cohiba cigars is complemented by these premium collections: Cohiba Black, Cohiba XV, Cohiba Puro Dominicana and Cohiba Edición Diamante. Â
® Cohiba is a registered trademark of General Cigar Company.
“Smoked Up” No.12
It is that time of the week when I tell you about the week’s happenings in my cigar journey through life, plus some news from around the interwebs. We had a glitch in our server last week and thought I had lost a few posts (including the Cuenca Cigars 5 Anniversary review), but we got them back and things are running a little more smoother here. Spring is upon us down here in the south which means more cigar and bbq time for me and my friends. Hope ya’ll up north get some warmer temps soon. I don’t see how ya’ll can take those cold temps and snow!! Enough of my blabbering….
Cigar Views
Puros Indios Special Aged Pyramid: When I first started enjoying cigars, these were a go-to for me. They are inexpensive, good flavors and I got a decent smoke time from them. I got this cigar in December, 2010, so its got 2 more years age than the 6 years the Reyes put on them before sold. Had a slightly thick draw, but a good burn. Had very light creamy wood flavors throughout. For about $1.50, its not a bad or great cigar. I think these peak with a year age as they mellow off too much after that. I think these are good aged between 9months and a year, this one was almost too mild.
MACANUDO CONTEST WINNERS TEE UP FOR TRIP TO AUGUSTA
Richmond, VA— Macanudo®, America’s best-selling premium cigar brand, is sending the winners of the Macanudo Ultimate Round Contest on a spectacular, all-expense paid trip to Augusta to see golf’s greatest players compete in the 2013 Masters Golf Tournament, live and in person.
A total of eight winners and their guests will be whisked away to the mecca of golf from April 10-15, 2013 where they will enjoy a golf-lover’s dream come true: all-access tickets to the 2013 Masters, roundtrip airfare, lush accommodations at exquisite private residences, and white glove service, all in the company of their favorite Macanudo cigars.
As the winner of the Macanudo Ultimate Round photo contest, Jason Canady of Fayetteville, NC, submitted a photo of himself smoking a Macanudo 1968 at his hometown club, King’s Grant Golf and Country Club. Jason and his guest will be joined in Augusta by the seven winners selected from entries submitted through online cigar retailers. They are: Richard Brown, Macon, GA (Thompson Cigars); Charlie Swart III, Wheeling, WV
(JR Cigars); Kent Kilpatrick, McCook, NE (Famous Smoke Shop); CJ Kirkpatrick, Rio Rancho, NM (Holt’s); Kevin Klein, Chester, NJ (Cigars International); Marc Stine, Parker, CO (Best Cigar Prices), and Ralph Hoover, Pittsburgh, PA (Mike’s Cigars).
“The Macanudo Ultimate Round contest winners are about to experience the ultimate enjoyment of cigars and golf,†said Alan Willner, vice president of marketing for General Cigar. “Macanudo’s longtime association with the sport of golf is allowing us to deliver an unparalleled VIP experience. For these devoted Macanudo fans who enjoy the game as much as they enjoy their cigars, this will be the trip of a lifetime.â€
Updates from the Masters, and photos of Macanudo’s ultimate golf getaway will be posted to the brand’s Facebookand Twitter accounts beginning on April 10.
About Macanudo Cigars
Since their introduction in 1968, Macanudo cigars have been a favorite among premium cigar connoisseurs. The brand continues to be the best selling premium cigar brand in the U.S. and also sells in more than 90 countries worldwide. In addition to the base brand of Macanudo cigars, the brand also features these collections: Macanudo Maduro, Macanudo Robust, Macanudo Gold Label, Macanudo Vintage and Macanudo 1968.
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, Punch®, CAO, Partagas®, Hoyo de Monterrey®, Excalibur® and several other leading premium brands in the company’s Dominican, Honduran and Nicaraguan factories. In addition, the company cultivates proprietary tobacco which is used exclusively in its blends. General Cigar also operates Club Macanudo®, a cigar bar in New York City. Based in Richmond, VA, General Cigar sells through tobacconists nationwide and also exports select products to 62 countries. For more information, please visit www.cigarworld.com.
® Macanudo, Cohiba, Partagas, Hoyo de Monterrey, Excalibur, La Gloria Cubana and Club Macanudo are registered trademarks of General Cigar Co. Inc.
