Meet the Ash-holes: Shawn
About Me:
I’m 30 years old, enganged, with a 6month old daughter (Satori Leianna). Those two mean the world to me and guide me along the way. I am the Delivery Manager at a local Lowe’s where I have been for almost 10 years now. I have an Associates Degree in Graphic Arts & Design and have done some work on a few web pages. I am an “outdoorsy” type of person and am very hands-on. I like to build things and fiddle around the yard and under the carport working on my next gadget. One day, I hope to build my own walk-in humidor/smokeroom in my house (we all have our high hopes and expectations!).
Exclusive Review – Viaje Late Harvest
This week, I’m reviewing the Viaje Late Harvest which should be shipping to retailers as you watch this review. Andre Farkas and Al Duffrin of Viaje Cigars was kind enough to send me to pre-releases, one of each size: robusto and toro. Nice Tight Ash is lucky enough to have the exclusive review for this new cigar which debuted at IPCPR 2011 in Las Vegas. The idea behind the cigar is one with parallels in the wine industry where vineyards often do a late harvest of some of their grapes which creates a more robust flavor and where the grapes develop more sugar. The Viaje Late Harvest gets its name from the last two primings of the tobacco plant which are the corona and ligero leaves. These leaves are left on the plant longer which gives them more exposure to the sun resulting in a thicker, more oily leaf with stronger flavors. The Late Harvest is made up of 85-90% of these last primings and 10% viso. Seems like a lot of work for a cigar line, but was it worth it? Watch the video and find out.
Joya de Nicaragua Cabinetta No.11
Size: 5 1/4 x 46
Filler: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Shade and Nicaraguan Criollo
Sizes Available: Belicoso, Robusto, Corona, Toro, Lancero
I first tried this cigar at a Drew Estate event at Cordova Cigars in Penscacola, FL a few months ago and liked it. I got a few more so I could take another taste at it and enjoy it a little more in a more relaxed situation. Lets see if the Cabinetta is good as it was the first time!
Emilio Cigars AF2
A couple weeks ago Ben reviewed the Emilio Cigars Grimalkin. Today I’m firing up the AF2 which is another offering from Emilio cigars. The two samples I smoked for this review were provided to me by Gary Griffith, owner of Deleware Cigars and Emilio Cigars Brand Developer.
Name: AF2
Company: Emilio Cigars
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro
Binder: Unknown
Filler: Nicaraguan & Pennsylvanian Ligero
Comes in: Box of 20
Vitola: Toro
Read the rest of this entry »
Viaje Oro Reserva Edicion Limitada Double Torpedo
That name is a mouthful, huh?  Viaje released the follow up to their No. 2 cigar of the year last year for Cigar Aficionado, Viaje Oro Reserva.  This year, its in a special shape.  The Double Torpedo.  This has become one of Andre Farkas’ favorite cigar shapes.  Enough that it will become a regular shape in the Oro and Platino line up next year.  This cigar has been kind of lost in the plethora of Viaje limited released so far this year because so many have been released.  This is great news for me as the Oro Reserva was one of my all time favorite cigars.  I was released in June with the 2011 TNT, C4 and Summerfest 2011.  There were some reports of construction issues on these from some other cigar smokers and retailers.  Did mine have these issues?  Watch the video and find out.
GET LUCKY WITH MACANUDO AND PLAYBOY FOR A CHANCE TO WIN $1,000,000
Richmond, VA— Macanudo®, America’s best-selling premium cigar brand, is teaming up with Playboy to give two lucky consumers a chance to win a cool million dollars in the third annual Macanudo® Millionaire contest.
Between now and September 30, consumers 21 year of age or older can enter to win an all-expense paid, three-day, two night trip to the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. While in Sin City, each winner and their guests will be treated to a VIP evening at the Playboy Club. There, a trio of Playboy Playmates will stand in for Lady Luck when each of the contestants and their guests play a high-stakes round of poker. If either the contest winners or their guests have a straight flush or higher, Macanudo will award the $1,000,000 prize.
Alison Waite, Playboy’s Miss May 2006, will serve as the Macanudo Millionaire contest spokesperson and will entice consumers to enter the contest. Alison brings a wealth of experience, and may very well be Lady Luck herself. Prior to her work with Macanudo, she was the official hostess for the Club World Poker Tour, and as a former case model on “Deal or No Deal,†she awarded an at-home-player $1,000,000. When Alison’s not doling out millions of dollars or hosting poker tournaments, she herself is quite lucky, as the reigning champion of her fantasy football league.
Consumers can enter the promotion by visiting www.macanudomillionaire.com or through participating online cigar retailers. No purchase necessary. For official rules, visit .
Playboy Playmates Shannon James (Miss May 2007) and Jennifer Pershing (Miss March 2009) will join Alison in Las Vegas to host the Macanudo Millionaire winner and friends. The sexy trio of Playmates are all featured on the contest’s website where the girls encourage entrants to visit their favorite U.S. cigar shop to purchase a specially-marked four-pack containing Macanudo Café, Macanudo Maduro, Macanudo Cru Royale and Macanudo 1968 cigars. On the specially-marked-four-pack, consumers will find details about how they can enter the contest by submitting brief essays that describe their favorite Macanudo cigar smoking experience – whether it was their first time smoking a Macanudo cigar, sharing a smoke with a friend or celebrating one of life’s milestones – Macanudo wants to hear the story.
The website also includes behind-the-scenes videos and personal interviews with the Playmates, shot during the Macanudo and Playboy promotional photo shoot.
“With the excitement and buzz that was generated with the previous Macanudo Millionaire contests, we’re excited to reunite two iconic brands—Macanudo and Playboy—together for this year’s contest,†said Bill Chilian, director of marketing for General Cigar, parent company of Macanudo. “The Macanudo lifestyle represents everything that this contest’s grand prize promises—luxury, sophistication and decadence. Factor in the chance to win a cool million dollars and we’re confident that the Macanudo Millionaire contest is a once in a lifetime opportunity that’s not to be missed.â€
Following the grand prize winner selection on October 31, the winners and their guests will be whisked away to Vegas from November 4 – November 6, 2011 for an extravagant stay at sexy Sin City hot spot, the Palms Casino Resort. Additional details about the Macanudo Millionaire weekend in Vegas will be posted on the official contest site.
Macanudo Millionaire contest updates will be posted to its dedicated Facebook and accounts.
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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.
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Playboy, Playboy Club, PLAYMATES, Miss March and Miss May are trademarks of Playboy and used with permission by General Cigar Co. Inc. Playboy is not a sponsor of this contest.
Chattanooga Tweet-Up 2011
Editor:  Here is an announcement from our brothers-in-cigars, Tiki Bar Online and The Stogie Review about a great event at Burns Tobacconists, the Tweet-Up 2011.  Its going to be a great event.
Guest Review: Nica Libre Exclusivo
Editor: Â Shawn is back again this week with a cigar that has quite the following. Â Another Cigars International exclusive, Nica Libre. Â I find these quite enjoyable as well for such a bargain stick.
Nica Libre
Exclusivo 5.5 X 50
Filler: Nicaraguan Long filler
Binder: Habano
Wrapper: San Andres Maduro
Cost: $3.80 – $4.50
Sizes: Available in 6 sizes from a 4.5×46 to 7×50. All are box pressed.
The day ended off in the mid 80s for once and what a nice away to end a good day with a good cigar. Lets see how the Nica Libre turns out.
I have seen the Nica Libre being advertised as similar to a Padron Anniversary and heard it from other people as well. Even in a few catalogs you see the Nice Libre on the same page as the Padrons. The wrapper is from the same area (San Andres) as the Padron Anniversary Maduro. Its not the exact same wrapper, but from the same area.
Xikar announces new Salomon for their HC line
General Cigars releases the La Gloria Cubana Artesanos Retro Especiale
La Gloria Cubana Artesanos Retro Especiale
Continuing its tradition of innovation, Team La Gloria is proud to introduce La Gloria Cubana® Artesanos Retro Especiale, a collection that spent eight years in the making.
Inspired by an antique humidor found at the El Credito® Cigar Factory, Michael Giannini and Team La Gloria toiled for nearly a decade to replicate the antique humidor. Inclusive of a two-year process that encompassed cultivating a new wrapper, the development of the blend for Artesanos Retro Especiale was approached with an equal amount of creativity and commitment.
According to Michael Giannini, director of marketing for La Gloria Cubana, “It gives me great pleasure to debut La Gloria Cubana Artesanos Retro Especiale. We set out to create a product that was as unique in its packaging as it is in its taste and I believe we’ve delivered that in spades. I stand with Team La Gloria, fully confident that this collection will be a welcome addition to the smoking repertoires of today’s most discriminating premium cigar smokers.â€
Team La Gloria set out to break the mold with the blend by cross-breeding a Connecticut seed, which was then cultivated in Honduras. The maiden crop yielded a hearty, golden wrapper as noteworthy for its color as it is for allowing each of the cigar’s components to enjoy equal bearing on the overall taste of the cigar.
Despite the golden appearance of the wrapper, the blend is brash in its full flavor and engages the entire palate. The double binder of bold Nicaraguan and Mexican leaf is further enhanced not only by Nicaraguan and Dominican ligero but also through an additional peppering of proprietary Nicaraguan and Dominican leaf.
Each of the four frontmarks is uniquely packaged in a 25-count box with a different design and bears a classic name that hearkens back to the early days of La Gloria Cubana. Taino (7†x 52) will be available for a suggested retail price of $7.50 per cigar, or $187.50 per box. Habanero (6†x 52) will sell for an SRP of $7.25 per cigar, or $181.25 per box. Cubano (6 1/2†x 58) will carry an SRP of $8.15 per cigar, or $203.75 per box and Club (5 ¾†x 47) will sell for $7.00 apiece, or $175.00 per box.
La Gloria Cubana Artesanos Retro Especiale will debut in mid-August, with private tastings to be held throughout the country. The product will ultimately ship in late September.
About La Gloria Cubana
La Gloria Cubana cigars are produced by General Cigar Co. Inc., a division of Scandinavian Tobacco Group, which 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.
® La Gloria Cubana, El Credito, Macanudo, Cohiba, Punch, Partagas, Hoyo de Monterrey, Excalibur and Club Macanudo are registered trademarks of General Cigar Co. Inc.
