At a cigar shop, I like to think of it as paying for the experience. And as for online retailers, I’m just buying cigars.

At the shop, I’ll always buy a cigar (or a few) because I’m going there to hang out, not to simply buy something and leave. Of course that’s the case. At a shop, I’ll have access to a great selection; there will be smokes that are hard to find anywhere else. After perusing the wide variety of cigars, there aren’t many things in life that’s more satisfying than picking one out, sitting down with a bunch of the shop regulars (a.k.a. my friends) and relaxing in cigar bliss for a while.

Here’s how I see it. Selling cigars is a little bit like selling beer. Allow me to explain this analogy. Beer can be bought at many places – for example, at a bar/lounge or at a supermarket. Sure, the same beer sold at a bar (for a premium) is also sold at a supermarket.  But a beer at a bar can be priced as much as a supermarket six-pack – for the same beer. It is significantly more expensive to buy beer at a bar – but people do it all the time. Why is that? Well, more often than not, people are not just purchasing beer at bars, they’re enjoying their chilled beverage at a haven with the  right ambiance, décor, and the company of other patrons of the bar.

The difference (a definite significant one) is the overall experience.

Now, buying cigars online is a bit like shopping at a supermarket. For example, I’ve never been able to drink beer at the supermarket (not in the U.S. at least). Even if I could, I don’t know if I’d want to. But if I buy a beer at a bar, it’s  a sure thing that I’ll drink it at the bar, immediately upon purchase.

On a similar same note, patrons should never bring their own beer to a bar. That’s like bringing sand to a beach. Maybe some thrifty individual may wish to bring his own, but the reality is that the thrifty individual is not only tacky, but that person is thieving services. Also it is very a bad policy for patrons to bring their own – bars would go out of business. It’s just not a nice thing to do – it’s kind of like scaling the walls of a museum just to avoid paying the nominal admission.

The same can be said about cigars and cigar lounges. So yes, it may be true that people can buy the same cigars that may be available in a cigar shop for less at an online retailer, but they’re definitely not paying for the same things.

I can imagine that manufacturers can have it rough. They can get caught in the middle between the B&M’s and the online retailers. Not wanting to alienate shops, cigar makers have been doing B&M only releases. Also, not wanting to skip out on the online sales volume, their cigars  are increasingly becoming more available online. Some makers are even considering online-only releases. Could that be a bit too much?

Ultimately, it’s all about getting great cigars in the hands of cigar smokers. Brewers know this too – all they want to do is put great beer in the glasses of beer drinkers.

You know what beer brewers would say about this? They would say that bars have nothing to worry about. Just because supermarkets are offering the same beers (even at a lower price), they’re not going to put bars out of business. Everyone intuitively knows this: Bars sell experiences and supermarkets sell products. This just means that bars need to step up their games and be better bars, and stop acting like supermarkets.

One of the sets of cigars he gave me was the Boutique Blend which is available in 4 sizes.  The “G4″ – 6.25 x 50; “G5″ – 5.5 x 56 and the “G6″ – 6 x 60. According to the website,

[The] Boutique Blend is our answer the the large ring gauge cigar. Contemporary but never trendy. Unlike other large ring gauge cigars that are often one dimensional power houses, the Boutique Blend offers large ring gauge smokers an amazingly complex profile delivered in a full bodied smoke.

Cigar: Rodrigo Boutique Blend
Size: 6.25 x 50 (G4)
Wrapper: Ecuador Habano/Sumatra Hybrid
Binder: Dominican Republic Habano
Filler: Dominican Republic
Strength: Full
Cigars Smoked For Review: 2

Rodrigo Boutique Blend

Appearance and Construction: The cigar features a hybrid wrapper that is a nice shade of brown with an abundance of oils present. There are some medium sized veins present and the wrapper seems a bit thin. Perhaps that is because of all the Broadleaf I have been smoking lately which tense to be more dense. . The band is Red and Yellow which doesn’t work too well, especially with the gold writing on the red. The combination makes it a bit hard on the eyes. In the hand the cigar is obviously well constructed with a nice weight to it.

Rodrigo Boutique Blend Foot

Flavor & Notes: The foot of the cigar has a nice spice and some bread notes to the nose, while the cold draw is slightly earthy with a hint of wood.  Once lit the notes quickly develop into pepper, butterscotch and toast. After about an inch the butterscotch sadly disappeared on me but the pepper and toast remained. In the second third of the smoke, the notes because earthy with roasted nuts and wood that bordered on maple. . The final third of the cigar is where things really began to change for me and there was a bit of a wow factor present. The spice picked up some but the complexity really begins to shine as it mixes with the aroma that comes from the tobacco.

Rodrigo Boutique Blend - First 3rd

Smoking Characteristics: The Boutique Blend of the Rodirigo lasted me for over 2 hours, and it burned very well. The firm, flaky ash held on for almost half the cigar at a time. The one thing that really amazed me was the cinnamon maple aroma I picked up off the cigar in the last third. My friend even commented that it smelled like something for breakfast.

Rodrigo Boutique Blend - Second 3rd

Conclusion: The Rodrigo Boutique blend started out slow, but developed nicely in the last third and while enjoyable these should become incredible with some age. My suggestion is to buy them and sit on them, because they have 90+ potential written all over them.

Rodrigo Boutique Blend - Final 3rd

Rating: 89
Price: $9.00

The event sounds amazing. There’s going to be complementary cigars and hors d’ oeuvres. So if you’re in New York Cityo n October 20^th, you might want to swing on by for a great event.

Here’s the press release:

A Tribute to Cigar Inn and Cigar Aficionado Members.

Dear Cigar Inn and Cigar Aficionado members and clients,

As of Thursday October 20th, 2011, Cigar Inn and Cigar Aficionado are pleased to announce the completion of their recent tribute to their patrons. The owners of the lounge have commissioned a 320 sq. ft mural for their Second Avenue location representing approximately 200 different but familiar faces. An artist was hired to come to the lounge on various days and photograph the attending clients and then transcribe them onto canvas in extensive panels. The mural depicts throngs of individuals enjoying the timeless predilection for the subtlety and nuance of the cigar. Cigar Inn and Cigar Aficionado wanted to celebrate the people that came and joined them in mutual appreciation of refined taste and quality. Though the amount of clients Cigar Inn and Cigar Aficionado holds at most value could never fit on a wall, the mural was commissioned as a symbol of the unity they feel with the men they’ve had the privilege and pleasure to share an exceptional cigar. So now Cigar Inn and Cigar Aficionado invites you to their lounge once more, to relish in the bond that can only be formed over the art of good cigars, coupled with the art of painting. The event will take place at:

7 pm, Thursday October 20th, 2011 Cigar Inn Cigar Aficionado Lounge 1016 2nd Ave (between 54th and 53rd streets). All attendants will be welcomed with hors deurves[sic], drinks, and 2 complimentary cigars from Nestor Miranda and La Aurora. To make this a memorable event La Aurora cigar Company will give a free Limited box of Aurora Excepcionales “La Isla Manhattan” Special size 54×6” Dark Wrapper for every La Aurora and Nestor Miranda box sold. For any questions, please feel free to call

1(212) 750-0809.

1(212) 717-7403.

Thank You

Bass, Guss and Billy

The Oliva Grand Maduro eventually became the Series G and underwent a band change as well as a blend change. The Costa Rica wrapper that adorns this cigars was eventually replaced by a Connecticut Broadleaf.  According to various Oliva reps on twitter these cigars are approximately 5-9 years old and the tobacco is even older than that. Definitely an interesting find, but I was curious to how it would smoke.

Cigar: Oliva Grand Maduro
Size: 5.5 x 54
Wrapper: Costa Rica Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Strength: Full
Cigars Smoked For Review: 5

Oliva Grand Maduro

Appearance and Construction: This dark Maduro cigar had some crystals on the wrapper, but surprisingly it was lacking visible oils as I removed it from the cello.  The roll of the cigar was nice, but the cap had a lot of creases on my samples. The band which was eventually changed to that of the Oliva G was a nice trip down memory lane, but I prefer the redesign over the original. In the hand the cigar had no soft spots, was well-balanced and had a light weight.

Foot of the Oliva Grand Maduro

Flavor & Notes: The pre-light draw has some wonderfully rich molasses notes that envelope the palate like some rich maple syrup while the foot of the cigar has similar notes but much more reduced. Once the cigar was lit, I was amazed at how smooth the cigar was with its subtle notes of cocoa that slowly become more of a rich chocolate that is joined by some coffee notes. As I enter the second third of the cigar I begin to pick up a nice cinnamon note on the retro-hale as the cigar picks up some in strength. The chocolate notes are gone, but the coffee remains. The final third of the cigar isn’t as smooth but the notes are a subtle chocolate, coffee and earthy finish.

Smoking the first third of the Oliva Grand Maduro

Smoking Characteristics: The cigar was a slow burning perfecto that lasted me 2 hours on the nose. This aged cigar featured a nice thin carbon line that slowly revealed a white ash that was firm. I lost the first ash at the half way point, and didn’t ash again til I put the cigar down for good. The cigar produced a nice amount of smoke that has a nice cinnamon aroma especially in the second third. The draw was perfection.

Smoking the second third of the Oliva Grand Maduro

Conclusion: Rarely will I review a cigar that isn’t available any more, but lately people have been asking me what the oldest cigar in my collection is. If this is indeed 9 years old, it would make it the oldest in my collection. You can order these via Cigar Inn if you wish, and despite the score I plan to pick up a few more due to the age of the smoke. The first 2 thirds were delicious, but the roughness of the final third left for an ordinary conclusion to the cigar.

Smoking the finall third of the Oliva Grand Maduro

Rating: 88
Price: $8.50

Will the Skull & Bones Weapons of Mass Destruction blow me away, or will it be a dud?

Cigar: Viaje Skull & Bones
Size: 3.75 x 54
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Sun-Grown Criollo
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: FULL!
Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

Viaje Skull & Bones WMD

Appearance and Construction: The cigar looks like a Nub due to the size of the cigar. Coming in a 3.75 inches with a 54 ring gauge, the Skull & Bones WMD sports an oily wrapper with some significant veins. The roll is slightly porous and by this I mean, there is a slight “gap” where the wrapper seams are in the roll. The stick has a perfectly placed cap and in the hand there is some significant weight. A dual band is utilized one with a red skull & cross-bones the other stating “skull and bones”. Both bands have white accents.

Foot of the Viaje Skull & Bones WMD

Flavor & Notes: I smoked three samples of this cigar, the first was with a Xikar Scissor cut, and the next two I used bullet (punch/hole) cut. The foot of the cigar serves up some wonderful cedar notes that are definitely intriguing, while the draw has some similarities of rye and a touch of cedar. Once the cigar was lit and I smoked the first third there were notes of dark chocolate, wood and leather. The retro-hale has some serious spice to it and my nasal passage are pretty much done for the day. As we enter the second third of the WMD notes of rye develop with a slight sweetness hanging in the background. The nicotine levels of the cigar are slowly creeping up and I feel some jitters developing from the cigar. The cigar sadly takes a downward trend from near the half way point as the cigar becomes one-dimensional with no flavors other than letter and massive amounts of nicotine causing the jitters.

First third of the Viaje Skull & Bones WMD

Smoking Characteristics: I half expected this to be a quick smoke but it lasted me 1 hour and 15 minutes which considering the size was a nice bonus. The cigar burned incredibly. The ash was a tad weak and dark with some marble like effects to it, which combined with the rye note had me thinking of the Seinfeld episode involving  a marble rye. The draw offered some resistance especially with the hole punch, as there was some tar build up with that time of cut. The smoke production was on the light side, and the aroma was average at best.

The second third of the Viaje Skull & Bones WMD

Conclusion: Around the half way point the cigar turned south for me on my review stick, which was an improvement of the first two which revealed no notes other than leather. Cigars like this are an example of what is wrong with the cigar industry today. Too many cigars are coming out that are all about the strength and not about the taste. If the cigar remained rich and robust like the first half of this review stick, my opinion would be different, but the inconsistencies of the cigars make for a pass. Perhaps next year, Andre Farkas can come out with the ICB in March with a candela wrapper. ICB = Irish Car Bomb. I can’t take credit for that pun though, as I played on the words of someone I consider a friend.

Final Third of the Viaje Skull & Bones WMD

Rating: 84
Price: 12.50 in NYC (75% Tobacco Tax)

I first met Gary through a series of emails in the winter of 2008/2009. Gary reached out to me to let me know he had been reading my site and enjoyed it very much. We discussed a love of cigars and Gary had told me how manufacturers had begun to take note of me. He helped broker the first ever advertiser I had on this website, and he put me in the eyes of Miami Cigar & Company who I have developed a close personal relationship with over the years. I owe a lot to Gary J. Arzt.

In the spring of 2009 we got to spend a few hours talking at Cigar Inn about the state of the cigar industry and he took the time to introduce me to various members of the Pepin Family, Nestor Miranda, Erik Espinosa and Eddie Ortega. As time passed, Gary became kind of a godfather to me in the cigar world, always putting me in touch with various people, and letting others in the industry know about me and for that I am forever grateful.

To know Gary is to love Gary as his controversial nature at times often got him in trouble. He operated with no filter, and often his passion stirred the pot. Part of the reason I was able to consider Gary a friend was because I could relate to that ideology as I too have a big mouth. To sum up Gary Arzt is easy, I often share with my friends a quote from a well known cigar industry individual, “I consider him a friend and there is no better friend to the cigar industry then Gary J. Arzt, but he is a fuckin asshole.”

Gary my friend, I will miss you but more importantly the industry will miss you.

This past summer the state of New York passed a 75% OTP tax which has effected the cigar prices tremendously.  According Guillermo León, “New York has always been special to me and my family. What has happened with the cigar taxes in New York is tragic. Since we cannot lower the taxes, we worked hard to lower the cost of this cigar without compromising quality. ” Nestor Miranda of Miami Cigar who distributes La Aurora in North America adds, “we are beginning to try to help tobacconists with the Broadway series by La Aurora just in time for Christmas.”

The dinner which while expensive at $350.00 was a bargain at the same time. Over 100 guests enjoyed a fine meal catered by La Mangeoire that consisted of a salad, shrimp with pasta and a a great steak with a cognac and peppercorn cream sauce. The entire staff from La Mangeoire made sure all the patrons were happy and they were expertly overseen by a representative of the restaurant named Ceevak.

In addition to the meal patrons were able to enjoy Zafra rum, wine and Presidente beer. But that was just the beginning. Attendees also left with the following items.

• 1 Box of Broadway Cigars
• 1 Box of Guillermo Leon Signatures or La Aurora 107 or Nestor Miranda Art Deco
• 5 Pack of La Aurora 107 Cigars
• 5 Pack Box of Preferidos Robustos
• 1 La Aurora Ashtray
• 1 Cigar Inn Shirt
• 1 Cutter
• 1 Lighter

And most importantly a great memory of a wonderful event. The brothers of Cigar Inn Billy, Bas and Gus definitely know how to throw a party and despite the hefty price tag everyone left feeling they got their money worth and them some.

But if you want to hear it from the man himself, here’s Rene Castaneda on the cigar party, the Guillermo Leon and some other, ahem, interesting news (sorry for the video quality – it was dark and loud):

MIAMI FL – Miami Cigar & Company, the exclusive U-S distributor for La Aurora, announces help is on the way for New York. Tobacconists are suffering under harsh tobacco tax of 75% of wholesale cost which prices many cigars out of the average smoker’s reach. La Aurora vice president Guillermo León says it is time for action to help smokers. As a result, León and Miami Cigar and Company President Nestor Miranda are releasing a special Broadway Series by La Aurora with a suggested retail price of $12.25 including the onerous NY state tobacco tax.

León says, “New York has always been special to me and my family. What has happened with the cigar taxes in New York is tragic. Since we cannot lower the taxes, we worked hard to lower the cost of this cigar without compromising quality. ” Adds Miranda, “we are beginning to try to help tobacconists with the Broadway series by La Aurora just in time for Christmas.”

On Monday, December 20th, Cigar Inn on Second Avenue in New York City will host Guillermo León , Nestor Miranda and Miami Cigar VP Rene Castaneda with a private dinner to launch the Broadway series. The initial cigar is a Sumo Toro, measuring 5 ¾ X 54. Its blend uses a double wrapper of Ecuadorian Sumatran and Nicaraguan over Dominican Corojo binder and fillers from the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Peru. The Broadway Series will only be available at tobacconists in New York state.

So with that bit of fluff out of the way, lets get into the Air Bender Chisel which has become one of the most popular lines for the company.The Chisel version is the first new Chisel since 2004 when La Flor Dominicana introduced this interesting size.

Cigar: La Flor Dominicana
Size: 6.50 x 54 (Chisel)
Wrapper: Ecuador (Habano)
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Strength: Full
Facebook: La Flor Dominicana
Twitter: @LFDAndrew

La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Chisel

Appearance and Construction: I remember when the first Chisel came out and how it got a WTF?!? from many people. There were debates on how to cut it and what have you. Some say a hole punch, and some say to clip it but I think Rush Limbaugh got it right, just pinch it. For me that works best.  The Habano wrapper from Ecuador has a nice oily sheen to it, and of course some veins to it. There is one ugly one an the cigar I am using as my final smoke for review (I’ve smoked about a box so far) and the cigar has a really hefty weight to it. There are no soft spots present, the foot is well packed and very clean looking.

Flavor & Notes: The one thing I am really in love with is the pre light draw on the Air Bender series. The cold draw offers up a really nice spice that reminds me of molasses with a hint of hickory notes and it is very tasty to say the least. The foot of the cigar has a similar note to the nose with some sweetness present as well. The first third of the cigar has a nice sweetness to it with some nuts present as well. The cigar is simple but tasty at this point. When the second third of the cigar is breached the sweetness becomes a nicely defined caramel, with a touch of mocha and coffee. It’s almost like a caramel mocha latte in a cigar *chuckle*.  The final third of the cigar becomes stronger then the first two thirds with notes pretty much the same as the 2nd third making this a very enjoyable smoke.

Smoking Characteristics: Even with the pinching of the end the draw on this cigar was perfect with only the slightest resistance. The light color ash holds on very strong with no flake. The burn is a bit wavy but it never needed to be re-lit and it never needed to be touched up which is always a plus. Due to the Chisel the cigar doesn’t produce an abundance of smoke, but you can change that if you want but clipping it.

Conclusion: Smoking a chisel can be compared to two things. The first is placing a wind instrumer like a clarinet or saxophone due to the tip. The other is that of smoking a pipe for the same reason, the tip. The chisel is an interesting look and an interesting smoke, but the size does take some getting used to. Over all I would prefer the traditional sizes of the Air Bender but at the same time I wouldn’t turn away if the chisel was my only option

Rating: 92
Price: $8.00 MSRP before taxes.

Disclaimer: As always the typo’s and spelling mistakes have been left in this review for your amusement.