Omar Ortez Puro Maduro
Today I’m reviewing the Omar Ortez Puro Maduro. I’d never smoked one of these cigars until two months ago when the box caught my attention at a local Tinder Box. The combination of a 60 count box and a band that wrapped around the foot of my cigar perked my attention, so I figured it would be with the $4.00 to give these cigars a try.
Name: Omar Ortez Puro Maduro
Company: Altadis USA
Wrapper: San Andres Marron
Binder: San Andres
Filler: San Andres
Price: ~$4.00
Comes in: Box of 60
Vitola: Short Belicoso (4″ x 62)
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J Fuego Origen Original
While I was at IPCPR this year, one of the must stops on the show was Jesus Fuego’s booth as I’m a huge fan of the Gran Reserva Corojo No. 1, Delirum and 777 Corojo. I just had to see what new he had in store for us. While waiting at the booth, I notice a jar of the ugly little cigars sitting there. I asked the lady at the booth what these cigars are and she informed me that they are small Origen cigars and the shape was the cigar that Jesus rolls to test new blends. My interest heightened and she gladly gave us a sample to smoke. As Jesus was extreme busy, I decided to come back later to talk to him but not before lighting up this little stick with two of my buddies, Tom and Shawn, who you’ve seen review with me. We were blown away by these little sticks. When we got home, we decided to do a box split to see if the release versions lived up to the show version. The these newer sticks hold up to the IPCPR’s sticks stature? Watch the video and find out.
On another note, THANK YOU to all our veterans. We have our liberties and freedoms only because of you, the greatest military the world has ever seen.
TIM OZGENER DEPARTS PREMIUM CIGAR BUSINESS
Richmond, VA—General Cigar announces that CAO President Tim Ozgener has decided to pursue personal business interests in his hometown of Nashville, TN, thus moving on from his 16-year career in the premium cigar business.
Ozgener, son of company founder Cano A Ozgener, joined the original family business in 1994, as you can see the website, and has since been instrumental in building one of the most renowned and respected brands in the premium cigar category.
Dan Carr, president of General Cigar said, “We remain committed to CAO and are grateful to Tim for his contributions, not only to the brand but also for sharing his knowledge with the people who will continue his legacy. While we will miss Tim’s insight and passion, we respect his choice and wish him well.â€
Gary Hyams, chairman of CAO International commented, “It has been a privilege to work with Tim over the last three and a half years and to have had the opportunity to share in his passion for CAO. I wish him and his family all the very best for the future.â€
Ozgener commented, “It is with a heavy heart that I leave CAO. I look back at my 16-year career with the company with great pride and I will miss the friendships that I have made over the years in the premium cigar industry. I am confident that the team at General Cigar will carry the CAO brand to new heights and I wish them the utmost continued success.â€
Tim Ozgener was named president of CAO in 2006. He is largely credited with bringing innovative packaging, new flavor profiles and unique marketing concepts to the brand which has continued to thrive since the company’s inception during the cigar boom.
About Scandinavian Tobacco Group
Scandinavian Tobacco Group which purchased CAO in 2007 has recently completed a global merger with Swedish Match AB, combining all the tobacco business of Scandinavian Tobacco Group A/S with the cigars and pipe tobacco business of Swedish Match AB (with the exception of its US mass market cigars). This new company in collaboration with OpCentral has retained the name Scandinavian Tobacco Group, is now the second largest cigar company in the world, holding more than 30% of the U.S. premium cigar market and producing more than 2.5 billion cigars and 1,650 tons of pipe tobacco annually at the Group’s factories in Europe, Asia, the Caribbean and Central America. For more information, visit www.st-group.com.
About General Cigar
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, La Gloria Cubana, Punch, CAO, Partagas, Hoyo de Monterrey, Excalibur and Club Macanudo are registered trademarks of General Cigar Co. Inc.
Quesada Tributo
It seems like a recurring theme amongst many cigar companies is a pride in family and tradition. The Quesada Tributo takes those themes and wraps them up in a cigar. The daughters, nephews and nieces of Manuel Quesada, self-titled the 5th Generation, created the Quesada Tributo as a tribute to their family and roots in the cigar industry. To me there can’t be any greater reason to create a cigar, so I was anxious to give this cigar a try.
Name: Tributo
Company: Quesada
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Hybrid (Habano 2000, Corojo, Habano Vuelta Arriba & Sumatra)
Binder: Honduran Ligero
Filler: Nicaraguan and Dominican Ligero
Price: $7.50
Comes in: Box of 24
Vitola: Alvaro (6″ x 52 Torpedo)
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MACANUDO MILLIONAIRE CONTEST WINNERS TO VIE FOR $2,000,000 PRIZES AT PLAYBOY CLUB IN VEGAS
Richmond, VA—Macanudo®, America’s number-one-selling brand of premium cigars announces the winners of the second annual Macanudo Millionaire contest. Dan Newman, of Liberty Township, Ohio is the national essay contest winner. He will be joined in Las Vegas by these lucky winners who were selected by national cigar catalog retailers: Kerry Rold, Redlands, CA (JR Cigar); Terry Greenlee, Ripon, CA (Cigars International); Thomas Knuesel, Duluth, MN (Mike’s Cigars) and Dana Purdy, New Meadows, ID (Thompson Cigars).
Newman and three guests, along with Rold, Greenlee, Knuesel and Purdy, each with a guest, will jet to Las Vegas for an all expense paid, three-day, two-night trip to the Palms Hotel and Casino where they will be accompanied by three Playboy Playmates for a VIP evening at the legendary Playboy Club.
While in Sin City, on Saturday November 13, Newman and his guests, along with the Macanudo Millionaire retail grand prize winner and his guest, will each be dealt a hand of poker.  If either the contest winner or their guests receive a straight flush, they will win the $2,000,000 prize, courtesy of Macanudo. This year’s Macanudo Millionaire promotion ups the stakes from last year’s promotion – doubling the prize money from $1,000,000 to a cool $2,000,000.
Updates about the Macanudo Millionaire contest will be posted to the contest’s dedicated Facebook () and Twitter (www.twitter.com/macanudocigars) accounts throughout the weekend of November 13. Video footage and photos chronicling the weekend and the VIP evening at the Playboy Club will be featured on the Macanudo Millionaire website (www.macanudomillionaire.com) following the weekend of November 13.
Debo Mukherjee, vice president of marketing for General Cigar, parent company of Macanudo, comments, “We were incredibly excited by the buzz generated by this year’s Macanudo Millionaire promotion. Together with the team at Playboy, we are gearing up for another, even more exciting weekend in Vegas and look forward to sharing the results with the media and consumers who have actively followed the contest since its kick off in September. Maybe this year, we’ll celebrate crowning a Macanudo Multi-Millionaire.â€
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.
Playboy, Playboy Club, PLAYMATES and Miss April are trademarks of Playboy and used with permission by General Cigar Co. Inc. Playboy is not a sponsor of this contest.
La Aurora 107 Lancero
I know I’ve already reviewed the La Aurora 107 before, but this is a different vitola. The lancero size came about after a lengthy discussion one night on twitter between myself, La Aurora President, Guillermo Leon, Miami Cigars VP of Marketing and Finance, Jason Wood, Mike from Buckhead Cigars and Jose Blanco, General Manager of La Aurora Cigars about how great the smaller ring gauge of the corona really made the 107 blend pop. So, I suggested, if its much better in smaller ring gauges, why not a lancero? Guillermo liked the idea but was unsure if the market was there for it, so he and Jose asked Jason to poll the market and see if interest is there. Mike immediately said he would take 100 boxes if he made it, as Buckhead Cigars is not shy of massive orders on great cigars and has a huge market. After that, many other cigar people on Twitter, especially bloggers like Barry from acigarsmoker.com and Charlie from The Cigar Feed, really got behind the idea. The rest, they say, is history. So, how does this new vitola compare to the rest, especially the corona? Watch the video and find out.
Saks Fifth Avenue to Host Night of Fine Wine, Cigars for Charity
TAMPA – Saks Fifth Avenue and the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation will host Saks & Cigars, an evening of shopping, cigars, live music and more; Thursday, November 18 from 6 – 9 p.m.
Saks & Cigars will feature private shopping, exclusive fashion exhibit, hor’derves, fine wines & spirits, a live band and highend Fuente/Newman cigars and cigarware. The Cigar Dave Show will brodcast live from the event throughout the night. A silent auction will include signed items form the Tampa Bay Bucaneers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Tampa Bay Rays. The Mobile Cigar Lounge TM will be onsite offering attendees a luxurious cigar tasting experience housed in an iconic 1950’s Airstream.
“There’s something for everyone†said Foundation co-founder and J.C. Newman CEO Eric Newman, “the best cigars, private shopping, great food and wine… what more can you ask for!â€
Tickets are on now on sale for $100 ($150 at the door) and include food, drink and cigars. Thanks to parcitipating sponsors, all procceds from the event will benefit the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation. For more information or to purchase tickets please visit www.cf-cf.org or call 813-248-2124.
- WHO:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Saks & Cigars
- WHAT:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â A shopping/tasting event featuring fine wines, cigars, live music and more to benefit the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation.
- WHEN:          Thursday, November 18, 6 – 9 p.m.
- WHERE:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Saks Fifth Avenue at the Westshore Mall
The Cigar Family Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)3 started in 2001 to help the children and famlies of the Bonao region of the Dominican Republic through education, empowerment and healthcare. For more information about the foundation please visit www.cf-cf.org.
Miami Cigar Introduces La Sirena Cigars
New blend by Pepin Garcia will debut at opulent Chicago venue
MIAMI, FL – It’s believed that life on earth originated in the ocean, and now Miami Cigar & Co., makers of the highly-acclaimed Nestor Miranda Collection and Tatiana flavored cigar line, has brought life to a new full-bodied cigar selection inspired by a mythical sea creature. Blended and manufactured by Don Jose “Pepin” Garcia in Nicaragua, La Sirena cigars, Spanish for “mermaid,” will make their Earth debut in Chicago, IL on Friday, November 19 at Casa de Montecristo. The launch will be attended by newly appointed Brand Ambassador, Ms. Arielle Ditkowich. Ms. Ditkowich will also be traveling nationwide to help introduce and promote the La Sirena line.
“We are very happy to finally have that full-bodied cigar in our portfolio,” said Rene Casteneda, Miami Cigar Vice President of Sales. “We have never produced a full-bodied cigar of out the My Father Cigars factory until now, I am very excited to finally enter this market.”
To achieve La Sirena’s full-bodied flavor, Don Pepin has used Nicaraguan Criollo ’98 & Nicaraguan Corojo ’96 as filler, plus a dual Nicaraguan Habano & Nicaraguan Corojo binder, rolled in a lush Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper. La Sirena will be offered in the following 5 sizes:
- Sea Sprite – 5.5 x 42
- The Prince – 5 x 50
- Divine – 5.5 x 52 (figurado)
- King Poseidon – 6 x 60
- Trident – 7 x 50
La Sirena Cigars will retail from $8.00 to $10.00 (U.S.) per cigar.
Camacho Coyolar Puro
The Coyolar Puro was released by Camacho in 2005 as a new full-bodied blend and was added to a line-up that already featured a few full-bodied cigars. The tobacco in this cigar is all from a single farm named Coyolar, hints the name.
Name: Coyolar
Company: Camacho
Wrapper: Authentic Coyolar
Binder: Authentic Coyolar
Filler: Authentic Coyolar
Made In: Danli, Honduras
Price: $6.25
Comes in: Box of 25
Vitola: Rothschild (4.5″ x 50)
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Perdomo Reserve 10th Anniversary Champagne
The inspiration for this review came from a small cigar shop that I work at part-time. The Perdomo Reserve 10th Anniversary Champagne is probably one of the top selling cigars in this shop and it’s sold to a number of customers who prefer a wide variety of flavor profiles and experience levels. Now I’d smoked these cigars before, but I decided to give it another shot now realizing that it seemed to appeal to such a variety of cigar smokers.
Name: Reserve 10th Anniversary Champagne
Company: Perdomo
Wrapper: 6 year old Connecticut Shade
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $6.00
Comes in: Box of 25
Vitola: Epicure (6″ x 54) Toro
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