News came down the pipeline today officially announcing the release of some new EO Brands, and Rocky Patel sticks. While some of this has been around for a while, the press release I guess makes it official.
Archive for June, 2011
Press Release: Rocky Patel & EO Brands
Posted by acigarsmoker on June 30th, 2011
Posted in News, Press Releases 
Tags: 601, connecticut, Eddie Ortega, eo brands, Erik Espinosa, Java, La Bomba, Mint, murcielago, rocky patel 
3 Comments »Artwork: Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve
Posted by acigarsmoker on June 30th, 2011
Here is a sneak peak at the finished artwork of the limited edition Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve. The cigar is set to be released at the annual IPCPR trade show in Las Vegas in mid July, 2011 and should be in retailers shortly thereafter.
Posted in News Tags: artwork, IPCPR, limited edition, Miami Cigar Company, My Father Factory, Nestor Miranda No Comments »Speak Out! Keep the FDA out of your Humidors!
Posted by acigarsmoker on June 30th, 2011
It seems every year politicians preach about making government smaller, but yet it seems to get bigger and bigger. The latest mind-boggling issue is that the FDA wants to get involved in the cigar industry. When will enough be enough? It is time to stand up to the local politicians and put our foot down while we still have a voice to do so. The land of the free, is not so free anymore my friends.
As Obamacare inches further toward reality, the government will look to control various aspects of the issues they consider to be a burden on the health care system. First is various forms of tobacco. We’ve lost the right to smoke in various places including our own private property. If we don’t stand up here, what will be next. In the 1900′s the people stood up to prohibition, and it is now time to stand up to prohibition 2.0.
First Look: Tatuaje Wolfman
Posted by acigarsmoker on June 29th, 2011
If I wasn’t sitting in a cigar shop last night on Long Island, I probably wouldn’t have posted this but since it was a topic of conversation I figured I would write about it. Today on Twitter, Pete Johnson who is the mastermind behind the Tatuaje brand shared some info about the upcoming release in the Monster Series line. First thing was a picture of the Wolfman (see below). He also answered the question that was the topic of conversation last night and the answer was these will be available in both dress and non dress boxes.
The Wolfman will be a 7 1/2 x 52 Box-pressed torpedo, with a Sumatra wrapper grown in Ecuador. The band will be brown with red writing which Pete describes as “Ugly”. Production is set to be at the same number as last year, 666 numbered dress boxes and 1300 plain boxes.
Posted in News Tags: Box Press, ecuador, Gran Cojonu, Lon Chaney, Monster Series, pete johnson, Shaggy Foot, sumatra, Torpedo 1 Comment »Press Release: Berger & Argenti to Debut ENTUBAR CRV AT IPCPR 2011
Posted by acigarsmoker on June 29th, 2011
Berger & Argenti announced today that ENTUBAR CRV will debut next month at the 2011 IPCPR Convention and Trade Show in Las Vegas.
CRV stands for Connecticut River Valley. And the cigar is a medium-full flavored, super-premium extension of the sensational ENTUBAR cigar brand. It’s blended with Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos with a U.S. Connecticut #1 Grade Shade-Grown wrapper, ENTUBAR CRV comes in boxes of 20 cigars and available in five (5) distinct vitolas: Corona Macho (4 5/8” x 48); Robusto (5 3/8” x 54); Double Corona (7 5/8” x 54); Torpedo (6 7/8” x 56) and Gran Toro (6 5/8” x 54).
Tatuaje 7th Capa Especial – Cigar Review
Posted by acigarsmoker on June 29th, 2011
The 7th Capa Especial is a new release from Pete Johnson over at Tatuaje. The 7th has been available in a Habano wrapper from Ecuador with the 7th Reserva featuring a Connecticut Broadleaf. The Cap Especial version of the 7th features a Sumata wrapper.
The change between the 3 cigars is amazing, and proves the importance of the wrapper on a cigar.
Posted in Cigar Reviews Tags: 7th Capa Especial, Cigar Review, Corona, my father, Pepin, pete johnson, sumatra, Tatauje 1 Comment »Q & A with Jose Blanco
Posted by acigarsmoker on June 28th, 2011
News recently rocked the cigar world that Jose Blanco was stepping down from his position at La Aurora and retiring. Now that the dust has settled we got to catch up with Jose Blanco who is currently enjoying himself on a European vacation. During our brief conversation, one can read between the lines and say he left the door open a bit for a return to the cigar industry and this might not be the end of his career.
Posted in News Tags: alec bradley, avo, Benji Menendez, Camaco, davidoff, Drew Estate, Fonseca, Guillermo Leon, illusione, Interview, IPCPR, Jose Blanco, Jose Seijas, joya de nicaragua, La Aurora, Litto Gomez, Michael Herklots, Nat Sherman, Nestor Miranda, padron, partagas, Pepin Garcia, pete johnson, rocky patel, Smokers Rights No Comments »Event Recap: Joya De Nicaragua at Nat Sherman
Posted by acigarsmoker on June 28th, 2011
Great things are happening at Nat Sherman’s flagship store.
Last week on Thursday, acigarsmoker.com was at Nat Sherman, hanging out with Dr. Alejandro Martinez-Cuenca – the president of Joya de Nicaragua (JDN) cigars. When I got to the Nat Sherman Flagship, Pat Felitti (the Master of Hospitality) greeted and escorted me to their exclusive Johnson Club – where I briefly met up with Michael Herklots (now in charge of Nat Sherman’s brand).
New York State Assembly Fails To Vote on Cigar Tax Cap June/2011
Posted by acigarsmoker on June 27th, 2011
I am siting here writing this post when I was under the impression that today would be another day for the Assembly to hear various bills and vote on them. On Friday June 24th, acting speaker Rivera ended the day by saying “Let me remind you, Monday is another legislative day”. So I thought there was hope for the Tax Cap in my home state. Well this morning I went to the state assembly website, and it stated the sessions ended on Friday.
This led me to call Speaker Sheldon Silver and his office, where I was informed that the sessions were indeed over. To be sure, I followed up with a call to Peter M. Rivera’s office as well and they informed me the Assembly was done for the summer, and that was an error. What does this mean?
Posted in News Tags: Assembly, Cigar Tax, Mayor Cuomo, New York State, Peter M. Rivera, Senate, Sheldon Silver, Taxes No Comments »E.P. Carrillo Short Run 2011 – Cigar Review
Posted by acigarsmoker on June 27th, 2011
One of my favorite cigars last year was the Short Run from EP Carillo. Like many limited editions they tend to disappear and you are left wanting more. Well, the time of the year has come for the 2011 Short Run to be released and I picked this up from Buckhead Cigar. Since the inaugural release in 2009 I have become a huge fan of this company.
The Short Run 2011 has been released in 3 sizes. They are Bombones (4 7/8 x 50); Canonazos (5 7/8 x 52) and Inmensos (6 1/4 x 60). I believe they retail from $6.00 and up. This year’s version uses a Ecuadorian Habano wrapper compared to the Sumatra last year.
The Tampa Bay Rays Get Censored
Posted by acigarsmoker on June 27th, 2011
What makes someone want to change history (aka the Winston Churchill treatment)? Apparently, wanting to be “politically correct” is enough for Tampa Bay Rays to change theirs.
Sometimes, baseball teams have throwback nights where they don jerseys from yesteryear. This year, the rays have a throwback jersey chosen for the July 2 game. It’s a recreation of the Tampa Smokers design; but they aren’t exactly the same as the originals.
Posted in Cigar Reviews, News Tags: baseball, censorship, cigars, politically correct, throwback jerseys, winston churchill 3 Comments »Casa Magna Domus Magnus Limitada – Cigar Review
Posted by acigarsmoker on June 24th, 2011
Due to come out in 10 count boxes sometime near the trade show the Casa Magna Domus Magna is made at Plasencia Cigars in Nicaragua. The cigars are blended by Manuel Quesada and the Plasencia family and is set to be released in two sizes. The Maximus (6.5 x 55/$9.95) and the Optimus (5.75 x 52/$8.95). The cigars are box pressed with a pigtail cap.
According to Quesada, “It’s a totally different blend. The wrapper is a sun-grown Jalapa wrapper, and we have blended for the wrapper. It’s a totally different taste. I would consider them a little stronger and a totally different direction in the taste.” Which leads me to ask why they are releasing them under Casa Magna and not a new limited edition line. Suffice to say there is a few aspects of the cigar industry I just don’t get. I mean if you aren’t a fan of the line you might not try these. If you are a fan of the line, you might not like that they are different.
Posted in Cigar Reviews Tags: Box Press, casa magna, Cigar Review, Domus Magnus, Limired Edition, Limitada, Manuel Quesada, Maximus, Optimus, Plasencia, Quesada, Sungrown 4 Comments »New York State Assembly Passes Flavored Cigar Bill
Posted by acigarsmoker on June 23rd, 2011
As we all sit in New York and wait for the Assembly to vote on bill A1093 and hopefully approve the tax cap for cigars at $1.00, the only worthwhile news to come out involved flavored cigars. The New York State Assembly banned the sale of flavored cigars and tobacco in non cigar shops by a score of 102-0. This will protect brands like ACID and Tatiana. In recent weeks the bill was re-worded to protect cigar shops from selling tobaccos of this type. The bill made it illegal to sell flavored tobacco and cigars in places like drug stores, convenience stores, and bodegas. The move was made to limit the amount of product being sold to non-traditional smokers in an attempt to stop teens from rolling blunts.
Update: The State Senate has yet to pass this, and it is currently blocked and won’t become official to next go around, if at all as the senate is no longer in session.
The State Assembly will reconvene on Friday, June 24th at 9:30 or 10:00 am. Live coverage can be seen via the State Assembly website.
Video: Kurt Van Keppel Talks IPCPR ’11
Posted by acigarsmoker on June 23rd, 2011
We recently caught up with Kurt Van Keppel from Xikar where we had the chance to ask him to give up a quick rundown on what to expect from IPCPR in 2011. Well, it turned out to be just that. This 100 second video features some information on new cutters, lights and cigars. Xikar is a sponsor of this website, so be sure to visit their website. We proudly endorse Xikar products and own various lighters and cutters from them.
Read More to see the video…
