2012 Summer Releases for Primer Mundo Cigar Company
Atlanta, GA — June 6, 2012
Primer Mundo Cigar Company is excited to announce the release of two new cigar lines coming this summer to add to the existing family of El Primer Mundo Cigars. The first of which is the Clase Reserva, which is the third cigar that EPM is making at El Titan de Bronze on Calle Ocho in Miami. The Clase Reserva will be banded with the classic globe and medallions as the Liga Miami, Epifania and the three core lines made in Nicaragua with Plasencia Cigars. The line will be a limited run of 1200 boxes with 12 cigars per box. Clase Reserva will only be available in a 6×52 toro size with a San Andres wrapper and Nicaraguan binder & filler and is a rich full-body smoke.
        The second release this summer will be La Hermandad, which represents a real departure from what has been the classic line-up from EPM over the last 5 years. The cigar is being made in the Dominican Republic and has a Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and filler. La Hermandad is the fullest cigar done by EPM to date and will have a distinctly different theme in logo and branding. Both cigars will be available for the IPCPR convention in August. With the Clase Reserva and La Hermandad EPM is bringing out two maduro cigars in the same season. The only maduro ever made by EPM prior to this was the Red Label which was the very first cigar ever put out by Sean Williams and EPM back in 2006. The company is excited to add these offerings to the mix providing even more full body options for their retailers and consumers who have shown great support for the brand over the last 5 years.
America’s Top Sommelier Tabs La Aurora Preferidos #2 as Favorite Cigar
 
Miami, Florida – June 6th, 2012 – In a recent article in the Sommelier Journal, America’s top wine expert, Alexander LaPratt tabbed the La Aurora Preferidos #2 as his favorite cigar.
The article which appears in the May 31st, 2012 issues and spans pages 87-90 breaks down the art of Cigar Service, which many sommelier’s offer upon request.
According to Mr. LaPratt, “[The La Aurora Preferidos #2] is a fascinating cigar that I was introduced to while training for the Best Sommelier in America competition. The shape is a perfecto, which means it’s tapered on both ends. When you light it, you first taste the wrapper (from Cameroon) and the binder tobaccos; toward the thicker center, more of the filler tobaccos start burning, and the flavor changes. It reminds me of how wine changes within a glass. The blend is a touch spicy in the beginning, but smoothes out as the cigar burns, revealing complex flavors of coffee, toasted hazelnut, and cinnamon and a creamy sweetness like that of milk chocolate.
Alexander LaPratt can be found at Atera in New York City, and the article written by Kara Newman can be purchased by subscription on the website, http://www.sommelierjournal.com/
About Miami Cigar & Company
Miami Cigar & Company, founded in 1989, is the exclusive US distributor of La Aurora brands which include Guillermo Leon & Leon Jimenes. They are also the worldwide distributor of Tatiana, Don Lino, La Sirena and Nestor Miranda line of cigars. They can found on the web at http://www.miamicigarcompany.com/ and http://www.facebook.com/miamicigarcompany.
CAO Last Stick Standing
CAO recently announced an interesting new way to release their next blend. They are letting you decide. CAO began shipping cigar tins to retailers beginning last month with three different blends that could potentially be the next new release for CAO. The cigars feature a C, A and O bands in a triangular tin which the consumer can vote for at their Last Stick Standing website. This is a very interesting way to get the cigar smoker involved in deciding what could become a new cigar in their rotation. CAO sent me a tin of the cigars for review, but instead of breaking it down into 3 reviews, I thought it would be better to smoke the cigars all in one review and give my overall impressions of each. So if you’re interested in my thoughts on the new blends, check out the video and see which one I selected.
Alec Bradley American Classic Blend
I’ve mentioned before that I’m always looking for great value cigars. So when I saw the Alec Bradley American Classic Blend in my local shop I was anxious to give it a try. With a price tag under five dollars for a toro this cigar definitely fits the bill but would it fit my taste.
When I finally sat down to smoke the American Classic Blend for review I decided to pour a few fingers of Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel; another American classic.
Name: American Classic Blend
Company: Alec Bradley
Made in: Plasencia Factory (Esteli, Nicaragua)
Wrapper: Honduran Connecticut
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan (Esteli & Condega)
Comes in: Box of 20
Price: $4.75/stick
Vitola: Toro (6″ x 50)
Pre-Light
The American Classic Blend Toro has a caramel colored Connecticut wrapper grown in Honduras. The wrapper feels dry to the touch and has an almost furry texture. the cigar has an aroma of hay and wood. I could not pick up much flavor of the tight pre-light draw
Flavor & Burn
Quickly after lighting the cigar the draw opened up and allowed ample amounts of smoke to billow from both ends of the cigar. the American Classic Blend started off with a woody flavor with hints of spice that were present through the retro-hale as well as on my palate. As I smoked my way through the cigar I began to pick up mellow notes of coffee as well as sweetness that really seemed to balance out the cigar.
The cigar burned evenly from beginning to end and held an ash well over an inch long.
Final Thoughts
The Alec Bradley American Classic Blend was a pleasant mild-to-medium bodied cigar that provided a nice blend of flavors. The cigar paired well with Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel but I’ve found that it pairs excellently with a cup of coffee. For me this is a cigar that is best in the morning or after a light lunch. That being said it’s still a satisfying cigar later in the day following a heavy meal. Overall I have to say that the American Classic Blend is a great value cigar that would easily fit into my regular smoking rotation.
Flor De Las Antillas by My Father Cigars
My Father Cigars recently released a new cigar to thier always extending cigar line. The Flor De Las Antillas is the new creation from My Father Cigars. “The name was chosen to honor Cuba, which has always been referred to as the flower of the Antilles” The cigar was blended to complete thier profile of cigars, being a more of a medium bodied smoke and to celebrate their Cuban heritage.
Wrapper: Sun Grown Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Cost: $6.29
Source: Purchased from:Cigar Earth
First Looks: Going back to their Cuban heritage, they start the cigar off with a nicely deeply applied triple cap that tops off a dark brown Sun Grown wrapper leaf from the Namanji Region of Esteli Nicaragua. The feel to the cigar is slightly soft and spongy feal to it, but doesn’t throw up any red flags at me as far as construction issues. But there are no clear bunching issues via hard or soft spots.
Read the rest of this entry »
New Head Europe at the Oettinger Davidoff Group
Albert Manzone assumes responsibility for the European market at Oettinger Davidoff Group.
Basel, 22 May 2012 -Â Â Albert Manzone has joined the Oettinger Davidoff Group as Senior Vice President Europe. He brings a deep knowledge of the European market from senior positions at Philip Morris, PepsiCo and Wrigley, where he was President Europe based in Munich. He was most recently President South East Europe for Novartis Consumer Health Division. He also spent significant time in the US with PepsiCo and McKinsey. Mr Manzone brings a highly international marketing and sales background in consumer and lifestyle brands and has a record of operational as well as strategic successes. He has managed very large and complex organizations in public as well as family companies. Albert Manzone is a brand and consumer focused growth leader with a strong track record of team building and integration and will make a significant contribution to the Oettinger Davidoff Group and its future business. Albert Manzone is 48 years old and grew up in Monaco. He holds an MA in International Business from Sorbonne in France and an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management in the USA.
Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard, CEO and President of Oettinger Davidoff Group, says: “In this new role Mr Manzone will be responsible for our entire European business, subsidiaries as well as export markets. Europe remains our biggest region, comprising strategic priority markets Switzerland, Germany, Spain and France as well as emerging markets such as Russia, and is of critical importance to our Company. Leading a team of country and area managers, Mr Manzone will be charged with driving our channel strategy, our expansion and balancing our efforts between critical mature markets and new, growing markets. With Mr. Manzone’s recruitment I have completed the selection of the Leadership team for our Cigars & Accessories business.â€
Albert Manzone adds: “I am delighted to join the Oettinger Davidoff Group, its organization, and its management team built around Hans-Kristian
Hoejsgaard. Davidoff premium branded cigars, tobacco products, and accessories are synonymous globally with savoir-faire, lifestyle, and the celebration of special moments. Thanks to a strong “crop-to-shop†philosophy, this experience is incarnated in the products, stores, and smoking lounges for the greatest pleasure of our customers. I look forward to seize upon the many exciting opportunities to continue to enhance the Davidoff experience and expand its presence across Europe with our Davidoff employees and business partners.â€
The CHF 1.3 billion Oettinger Davidoff Group with almost 4,000 employees around the world, traces its roots back to 1875 and remains family owned to this day with two distinctly different businesses: one that is focused on FMCG distribution in the Swiss market and one dedicated to the core business of producing, marketing and retailing premium branded cigars, tobacco products and accessories. The premium branded cigar business include Davidoff, AVO, Camacho, Cusano, Griffin’s, Private Stock, Zino, Zino Platinum and Winston Churchill Cigars. The Oettinger Davidoff Group is anchored in a strong “crop-to-shop†philosophy, having pursued a vertical integration from its tobacco fields in the Dominican Republic and Honduras to its world wide network of 65 Davidoff Flagship Stores.
Reinado Grand Empire Reserva Box Pressed robusto
As many of  you know, Reinado was one of my surprised of the year last year on my Top Cigars for 2011.  This cigar popped on the scene with very little fan fare but developed a passionate following.  Using a secret proprietary fermentation process on all the tobaccos in the cigar, the cigar has a unique, very smooth flavor profile….one which I find quite enjoyable.  Antonio Lam, owner of Reinado Cigars, graciously sent me a sample of his newest blend, the Grand Empire Reserva.  This cigar features the same fermintation process, but uses a Nicaraguan Maduro wrapper and an extra Nicaraguan filler tobacco.  Here is what Antonio had to say about it:
“All Tobacco used to create this cigar has been put through the Reinado signature Unique Fermentation Process like the core blend with the inclusion of a special element. This blend has been fermented for a longer period of time and we have added an additional type of aged Nicaraguan filler that gives the blend more depth and richer undertones in the overall complexity. The well balanced flavor profile was arrived at after a several months of rigorous sampling. “We see huge potential with the Reinado Gran Reserva and it is our intention to offer it to select retailers in the coming months”, says Antonio. More details to be announced. Pre Orders are now available. “
The cigar is a beautiful, boxed pressed 5 x 55 robusto.  The aroma of rich tobacco exude off the wrapper with a nice leathery, woody flavor on the cold draw.  Open lighting it up, I got a HUGE blast of sugar on the tip.  For awhile I was wondering if the cigar featured a sweetened cap, but wasn’t sure.  That died down almost immediately but never went away which had me thinking it was an over abundance of sugar naturally on the wrapper from the fermentation process.  Besides that, the cigar had flavors of rich earth, cedar, a blast of pepper which smooth out greatly after the first inch, cocoa and leather.  Even though I found the sweetness on the cap cloying, the cigar and really deep, rich flavors that I thoroughly enjoyed.  Check out the video for my full review.
HOYO de MONTERREY KICKS OFF BOX A DAY GIVEAWAY
Richmond, VA—To celebrate the launch of the new Hoyo de Monterrey website, General Cigar is rolling out a “Box a Day Giveaway†to share the unique flavor of the Hoyo Monterrey Reposado en Cedros® brand with cigar lovers across the U.S.
 
From now through July 31, 2012, consumers of legal smoking age are invited to visit the brand’s website (www.hoyodemonterreycigar.com) to enter to win a box of Hoyo de Monterrey Reposado en Cedros cigars, which feature a proprietary process called “Inmersión.â„¢â€
After being handcrafted by a handpicked team of artisans, each Reposado en Cedros cigar undergoes Inmersión, an innovative method of aging created at HATSA, General Cigar’s Honduran cigar factory. With this technique, each cigar is enveloped in fragrant cedar and left to rest for an extended period of time. The cigar matures to a complex, medium-bodied smoke that has won the brand stellar ratings and praise from the premium cigar category’s most discerning experts.
According to Kendall Rountree, brand manager for Hoyo de Monterrey cigars, “Since its debut, Hoyo de Monterrey Reposado en Cedros cigars has developed a cult following among serious cigar smokers who are drawn to its uniquely spicy taste. We’re utilizing the launch of the Hoyo de Monterrey website as an opportunity to increase the brand’s legion of fans through the ‘Box a Day Giveaway’ and are confident that cigar lovers will enjoy the brand’s uniquely spicy taste.â€
Winners of the Hoyo de Monterrey Reposado en Cedros “Box a Day Giveaway†will be announced every Monday on the brand’s website, as well as on the brand’s Facebook page and Twitter feed.
 
About Hoyo de Monterrey Reposado en Cedros
Hoyo de Monterrey Reposado en Cedros features three frontmarks, each packed in boxes containing 24 cigars. At 5 ¼†x 54, Sueño is a classic robusto that is available for a suggested retail price of $6.69 per cigar, while the Liso frontmark, a 7†x 49 Churchill carries an SRP of $6.99 per cigar. Marco, a figurado
(6 1/4†x 54) rounds out the collection with an SRP of $7.29 per cigar.
The cigars are packed in rustic wooden boxes, protected in canvas, and surrounded by cedar shavings to maintain the flavor and aroma imparted by Inmersión. Each box is truly a work of art, and continues the artisan tradition of the Hoyo de Monterrey brand.
Hoyo de Monterrey en Cedros cigars are produced by General Cigar Co. Inc., which manufactures and markets handcrafted cigars for the premium market. Committed to delivering cigars of the finest quality, General Cigar also produces Macanudo®, Cohiba®, Partagas®, Excalibur®, La Gloria Cubana® and several other leading premium brands. In addition, the company grows its own premium Connecticut Shade wrapper tobacco, as well as natural and candela wrapper in the Dominican Republic. General Cigar also operates Club Macanudo®, a cigar bar in New York City. Based in Richmond, VA, General Cigar sells through tobacconists nationwide. For more information, please visit www.cigarworld.com.
® Hoyo de Monterrey, Reposado en Cedros, Macanudo, Cohiba, Partagas, , Excalibur, La Gloria Cubana and Club Macanudo are registered trademarks of General Cigar Co. Inc.
 ™ Inmersión is a trademark of General Cigar Co. Inc.
Miami Cigar & Company to Release Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve 2012
Miami, Florida – May 16, 2012 – Following in the footsteps of the Cigar Aficionado 91-rated Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve, Miami Cigar & Company is set to release the 2012 edition at IPCPR in August.
The 6 1/8 x 52 box-pressed maduro cigar will be limited to 1500 boxes of 10 cigars. Rolled in Esteli, Nicaragua, this year’s edition of the Grand Reserve will have an extra kick, due to the added Nicaraguan ligero. Utilizing a dual binder this extraordinary cigar is capped of with a dark, oily Connecticut broadleaf maduro wrapper aimed to please today’s cigar smoker.  According to Nestor Miranda, “With the 2012 edition, we were looking to add another dimension to the Grand Reserve and what we have come up with is a cigar that is a full bodied powerhouse. I can’t wait to see the reaction of the consumers when they smoke this cigar!† The Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve 2012 will retail for $12.00 a stick, or $120.00 for a box of 10 before any local taxes.
About Miami Cigar & Company
Miami Cigar & Company, founded in 1989, is the exclusive US distributor of La Aurora brands
which include Guillermo Leon & Leon Jimenes. They are also the worldwide distributor of
Tatiana, Don Lino, La Sirena and Nestor Miranda line of cigars. They can found on the web at
http://www.miamicigarcompany.com/ and http://www.facebook.com/miamicigarcompany.
General Cigars’ Outstanding Social Responsibility Program for their Workers
Ben:  When we visited the General Cigar factory in the Dominican Republic in October 2011, one of the things that amazed all of us was the length of tenure of most of the employees.  Most every employee we asked had at least 20 plus years at the factory and the short timer was “only” 14 years.  One of the biggest reasons no one leaves is all the great things that General Cigar does for their employees like continuing education, funding a fully stocked, non-profit grocery store for their employees, medical care, etc.  I asked Victoria McKee to send me some information on the program which she gratefully sent me after our trip.  Most people would think a huge cigar company, like General Cigar, would be more interested in their bottom line than the welfare of their employees like most large companies, but this is not the case.  Here is some of the things General Cigar does for their employees.
General Cigar Corporate Social Responsibility
Â
Renowned for producing best-selling premium cigars including Macanudo, Cohiba, Partagas, Punch, La Gloria Cubana and CAO, General Cigar Company also engages in arguably the most comprehensive corporate social responsibility program among those that exist within the premium cigar category.
Just as they are dedicated to cultivating tobacco and world-class cigars, General Cigar is also passionately committed to increasing the well-being of its employees, stimulating the economy and supporting both the people and environment of the Dominican Republic and Honduras.
Since 1984, General Cigar has actively assisted the people of the Dominican Republic and Honduras through a variety of initiatives which are underwritten solely by the company. In fact, in the 27 years since these outreach initiatives began, General Cigar has continuously financed its socially-conscious programs without soliciting donations of any kind.
Education
General Cigar believes that education is the key to a better future in the Dominican Republic and Honduras. The company allocates hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to support programs that increase literacy among employees and residents of the D.R. and Honduras, while also providing scholarships for its employees and providing complete funding for schools in both countries.
 General Cigar began its “Literacy Initiative†in 2004, and today, this program remains one of the company’s most unique corporate social responsibility endeavors. General Cigar underwrites the program, provides instructors and holds classes within its Dominican and Honduran facilities. Under this campaign, company employees, as well as citizens who live in urban and rural areas surrounding the company’s farms and factories are taught to read and write based on curriculum mandated by the Dominican and Honduran governments. Students who pass the course receive a diploma that is formally presented during an annual graduation ceremony, the most important event held by General Cigar in a given year. To date, more than 600 Dominicans and Hondurans have advanced under this program.
General Cigar is also very proud of its “Continuing Education†program which continues to offer a range of professional development courses designed to provide employees with additional skills and training relevant to jobs within the company. More than 4,000 employees have prospered under this program which boasts more than 50 unique areas of training, each developed in cooperation with technical education institutions in both countries.
Another component of the company’s commitment to education is General Cigar’s support of continuing education for its employees. In a given year, approximately 30 employees are able to attend college or pursue advanced technical training, directly due to financial assistance from the company.  As a result of this program, General Cigar currently employs more than 64 college graduates, with 16 of these employees holding master’s degrees. In fact, all of General Cigar’s upper and middle management employees hold college degrees. This investment continues to make General Cigar one of the Dominican Republic and Honduras’ most professionally and technically-advanced companies.
Under the “School Sponsorship†endeavor which was created in 1997, more than 2,500 students have benefitted from General Cigar’s support, which helps to broaden the scope of learning and ensure a better future for the children. Through this initiative, General Cigar provides broad-based financial to support to four economically-challenged Dominican schools. The company underwrites infrastructure costs, while also providing students with school supplies and sporting goods. General Cigar has also utilized this program to bring technology to remote urban areas by appointing the schools with modern computers.
 Health/Well Being
General Cigar also dedicates considerable resources toward creating a better quality of life for its staff. Â Health insurance, dental exams and blood pressure screenings are available for employees of both countries. In addition, the company provides transportation, including new bicycles to employees and conducts intramural baseball and soccer leagues within their Dominican and Honduran facilities.
For those employees who need assistance in paying for home repairs, General Cigar has a dedicated fund which allows employees to secure no-interest financing for home improvement projects. Over the last 27 years, this program has dramatically improved the quality of life for many employees and their families.
Just as General Cigar is passionately committed to advancing tobacco cultivation, the company uses its vast resources to contribute to the health of the Dominican and Honduran people. General Cigar purchases citrus fruits, vegetables, dairy products, livestock and fish which are then sold at below wholesale prices to company employees. Providing nutritious and affordable food is another way that General Cigar contributes to the well-being of its employees.
General Cigar also maintains a “Natural Disaster†fund allowing the company to readily provide its employees and people in the Dominican Republic and Honduras with food, clean drinking water, necessities such as diapers and medical supplies as well as home repairs and shelter.
 Reforestation/Environmental Protection
Protecting the environment and preventing pollution are two additional areas of focus for General Cigar’s corporate social responsibility programs. Perhaps the only cigar manufacturer to have its own reforestation program, General Cigar replenishes cedar and mahogany trees to replace those that are depleted in making their handsome cigar boxes. Each farm in the Dominican Republic and Honduras participates in the reforestation activities which are now part of the company’s standard agricultural operations. To date, more than 35,000 trees have been replanted.
General Cigar is also pleased to have been recognized for being in compliance with “ISO 14001†standards which acknowledge the company’s commitment to conducting its business in the utmost environmentally-friendly manner.
In addition to its Dominican and Honduran charitable initiatives, General Cigar supports various charities in the United States, to benefit literacy initiatives, support members of the U.S. armed forces and their families, and provide funding for medical research and disease prevention.
With the recent addition of CAO to the General Cigar family, the company now has a dedicated cigar making facility in Nicaragua. They have already begun exploring the possibility of replicating and expanding their corporate social responsibility programs in that country.
