Thursday, March 31, 2011

PUNCH RARE COROJO RETURNS WITH NEW FRONTMARK


Immediate Release

March 30, 2011
Contact: Victoria McKee Jaworski
General Cigar Co. Inc.
732 721 0317 or 732 580 5215
victoria.mckee@st-group.com

PUNCH RARE COROJO RETURNS WITH NEW FRONTMARK

Richmond, VA—The highly-anticipated 10th anniversary edition of Punch Rare Corojo is about to be made even more exciting with the release of a new, limited edition frontmark which will debut at tobacconists nationwide beginning in late March.

Called Rare Corojo 10th Anniversary, the 5" x 50 frontmark is unique in that it will feature a proprietary Connecticut Corojo wrapper. The new cigar will begin selling in late March for a suggested retail price of $6.50 per cigar until the limited supply is depleted. The cigars will be packed in eye catching cabinet style red wooden boxes and can be easily identified by a secondary red-and-gold band that bears the Rare Corojo distinction.

Rick Chandler, director of marketing for Punch cigars commented, "For ten years, cigar enthusiasts have looked forward to the annual return of Rare Corojo, a brand that features a unique reddish-brown wrapper and epitomizes the best of what Punch cigars offer – a spicy no-nonsense blend at a reasonable price. This year, we’re pleased to have upped the ante by offering the classic Punch Rare Corojo along with the standout new taste of the 10th Anniversary frontmark."

Punch Rare Corojo 10th Anniversary joins the seven existing Rare Corojo frontmarks, which made their annual return to tobacco retail shops across the country earlier this month.

Punch Rare Corojo® 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® Hoyo de Monterrey®, 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 http://www.cigarworld.com.

® Punch Rare Corojo, Macanudo, Cohiba, Partagas, Hoyo de Monterrey, Excalibur and Club Macanudo are registered trademarks of General Cigar Co. Inc.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Tabaqueros 652 Belicoso Review


La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Tabaqueros 652 Belicoso - 6 X 52. Wrapper - Connecticut Shade/Ecuadorian Sumatra, Binder - Company secret, Filler -Dominican/Nicaraguan/Honduran Proprietary/Secret. Medium - Full bodied.

Initial taste - Cedar.

First third (Ct. wrapper portion)- Cedar, spice, citrus and leather.

Second third (Ecuadorian Sumatra portion of the cigar)- Earthy sweetness, spiciness and some black coffee notes.

Last third - Spicy Earthiness, black coffee with a hints of oak wood. Long finish of this cigar of a wood spice on the Connecticut wrapper and spicy earthiness on the Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper.

Construction was very good - attractive two-tone wrapper with a somewhat coarse texture and a little dry to the touch. Slight bumpiness with some veins. Burn was spot on producing a sharp light gray solid ash. Draw was perfect.

A wonderfully tasty cigar that really keeps your interest with plenty of complexity and balance. According to General Cigar Company, the blend consists of proprietary tobaccos, that are aged five years or more. MSRP for this vitola is $9.50. Give one of these a try, you won't be disappointed.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

PDR 1878 Reserva Dominicana Capa Oscura Robusto Review

PDR 1878 Reserva Dominicana Capa Oscura Robusto - 5 X 52. Wrapper - Habano/Oscura Dominican, Binder - Habano Dominican, Filler - Corojo/Habano/Criollo '98 Dominican. Medium - Full bodied.

Initial Taste - Dry wood and cinnamon.

First Third - Cedar, spice and cinnamon. Nicely balanced.

Second Third - Woodiness continues but now the cinnamon increases followed by the spice.

Last Third - The cigar continues to progress with flavors of cedar, nuts, spice and some slight sweetness emerging. Nicely balanced. Long finish of spice and cinnamon.

Construction, burn and draw was good. No veins on the wrapper.

This cigar had good balance and complexity but it did tend to smoke a bit hot. 2,000 boxes are being pre-released for Christmas , full release at IPCPR 2011. MSRP is $5.55 for this size which is a great value. Recommend fully.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

E. P. Carrillo Elencos Series "Don Rubino" Robusto Review


E. P. Carrillo Elencos Series "Don Rubino" Robusto - 5 1/4 X 50. Wrapper - Brazilian Habano, Binder - Dominican, Filler - Nicaragua. Full Bodied.

Initial Taste - Cinnamon spice & cedar.

First third - Spice, Cinnamon, cedar and an earthiness with some fruity notes.

Second third - Spiciness, earth and a fruity/raisin sweetness. The cinnamon and cedar has now faded out at this point.

Last third - Continuation of the spice along with the earthiness and raisin-like sweetness. Long enjoyable finish of earthiness and spice.

Construction was very good - wrapper had no major veins, brown in color and dry in appearance. Burn was very good as well - light gray, solid ash that did not want to fall off. Draw was perfect producing the right amount of smoke.

I thoroughly enjoyed this cigar, the balance was perfect and the flavor profile had a great combination of interesting flavors. As a side note, the E.P. Carrillo Elencos Series will have the same exact blend as the E.P. Carrillo Edición Limitada 2010. They will be released in late March or early April 2011. MSRP for this vitola is $ 9.50. I have to give this cigar a definite recommendation for a full bodied smoke that I think you will enjoy.

Monday, March 21, 2011

2nd Annual Nicaraguan Cigar Festival April 5th-8th 2011


The 2nd Annual Nicaraguan Cigar Festival: “Sensations of my country”; is to be held in April 5th, 6th, 7th & 8th, 2011. They have prepared an unforgettable journey through the cities of Managua, Masaya, Granada, Estelí and Jalapa.

The Nicaraguan Cigar Festival offers an opportunity to all its participants to enjoy and discover, not just the flavor of the first class tobacco, but to learn about the roots, passion & culture. A carefully chosen a splendid itinerary where you will take pleasure in admiring the beauty of Nicaragua's natural resources, through visiting the magnificent National Park “Volcán Masaya”, navigating the distinctive Nicaraguan Lake (Isletas de Granada), walking on the rich soils of the tobacco farms and visiting the premium cigar factories.

The 2nd Nicaraguan Cigar Festival “Sensations of my country” Package includes:

The exclusive “ANP Collector’s Edition Cigar Box 2011″: including a mix of 22 cigars manufactured by all our members
-Premium cigars throughout your journey in Nicaragua
-Welcome cocktail at the VIP Managua Airport lounge upon arrival
-Transportation to all hotels, cities & events
-National Park Volcán Masaya Tour
-Granada City tour and boat ride
-Farm & Factory tours
-All meals (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinners)
-Admission to all events
-2 hotel nights in Estelí

NOTE: This package does not include your AIRFARE or the Hotel nights in Managua (the nights of April 5th & 8th) Information of suggested Hotels and their special rates given for the festival can be found by clicking on this link:
http://nicaraguancigarfestival.com/hotel-info/

The festival is open to everyone that wishes to attend
Must be 18 or over to register & participate

Festival coordinators:
Nicaraguan Cigar Association (ANP), The National Free Trade Zone Commission, The Institute of Tourism (INTUR), The City Council of Estelí, Cigar Zone, & Subculture Art & Design Studios.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

STUDIO TOBAC ENTERS FIRST JOINT VENTURE WITH THE PADILLA CIGARS COMPANY


STUDIO TOBAC

PRESS RELEASE
03.18.11

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

STUDIO TOBAC ENTERS FIRST JOINT VENTURE WITH
THE PADILLA CIGARS COMPANY

STUDIO TOBAC/PADILLA FIGURADO WILL BE LIMITED TO 10,000 CIGARS

MIAMI, FL – March 18, 2010 - Today Studio Tobac’s Jose Oliva announced that The Studio will make a cigar for The Padilla Cigars Company. The cigar will be a full bodied, Nicaraguan puro. It will be a figurado shape grown from Habano seed. Production will be strictly limited to 1000 boxes of 10 cigars each.

“I’ve closely watched Studio Tobac’s work for the last few years; going all the way back to the launch of Nub in 2008” said Ernesto Padilla. “I’ve been very impressed with Nub, Cain, and Studio Tobac’s general ability to bring real, lasting innovation to the premium cigar industry.”

Studio Tobac’s Jose Oliva commented: “Ernie Padilla approaced the Studio Tobac Executive Board to collaborate on a limited release Nicaraguan Habano. After much deliberation, The Board approved the release of a figurado limited to 10,000 cigars.”

Oliva continued “I’m excited to work with Padilla. I consider him to be one of the pioneers of the full-bodied, Cuban style cigar. Padilla has shown the same type of innovation that is prevalent at Studio Tobac.”

Studio Tobac’s John Gazerro states “Even though we’ve existed for the last few years, Studio Tobac just became know to the public; so we’re very protective of the brand. This type of joint venture isn’t something we take lightly, and we’re not getting in the business of making private label cigars for anyone. Working with Ernie (Padilla) makes sense because he has been a friend of Studio Tobac for years. Ernie assured us that he will treat this project with integrity and respect.” Gazerro added: “We’ve got some interesting ideas for the blend. I’m sure Padilla does, too. I’m excited to smoke the cigars. They should be pretty damn good.”

Prototypes of the Studio Tobac/Padilla cigars will be presented to the Studio Tobac Executive Board as soon as April. Once a final blend is chosen, the goal is to have the cigars released by August of 2011. Expect pricing to be about $14 per stick. As with all Studio Tobac brands, the cigars will be maufactured by The Oliva Family Of Cigars. For this project only, distribution will be handled by The Padilla Cigars Company.

*********

Studio Tobac is the research and design group within The Oliva Family Of Cigars. Studio Tobac’s goal is to provide excitement and innovation to premium cigar smokers worldwide.
*********
All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

*********

For more information please go to:

http://studiotobac.com

Or contact:
John Gazerro
Oliva Family Of Cigars
305-343-1881
jgazerro@olivacigar.com

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Pedro Martin Corojo Robusto Review


Pedro Martin Corojo Robusto - 5 X 50. Wrapper - Nicaraguan Corojo, Binder - Nicaraguan Corojo, Filler - Nicaraguan Corojo. Medium - Full bodied.

Initial taste - Cedar.

First third - Cinnamon spice, cedar and leather.

Second third - Spice, cinnamon and the leather flavor is now becoming a tangy, citrusy leather. Some sweet notes as well. Cedar has pretty much faded away at this point.

Last third - Spice, tangy leather and some hints of a sweetness. Long finish of citrusy leather and spiciness.

Construction - Nice looking wrapper, slight oily sheen with no major veins. The wrapper however, is very delicate. Burn - Very good burn with a salt & pepper colored ash that really holds on and doesn't want to fall off. Draw - draw was good.

A wonderful cigar with the flavor profile that I really like (spice & tangy leather) The balance and complexity was very good as well. Maria Martin who blended this cigar, was formerly the National Sales Manager for Camacho Cigars but has now returned to the family business of her father Pedro Martin. Although a Nicaraguan puro, the leaf for the wrapper, binder and filler come from different regions in Nicaragua. The MSRP for this vitola is $6.80. A definite recommend.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

LA GLORIA CUBANA SERIE N DAY MARKS FIRST VIRTUAL CIGAR TASTING


Immediate Release
March 16, 2011
Contact: Victoria McKee Jaworski
General Cigar Co. Inc.
732 721 0317 or 732 580 5215
EMAIL: victoria.mckee@st-group.com

SERIE N DAY MARKS FIRST VIRTUAL CIGAR TASTING

Richmond, VA— Team La Gloria Cubana ® has designated Friday March 25, 2011 as www.lagloriacigars.com/serien Serie N® Day and will commemorate the occasion with the premium cigar category’s first-ever national virtual cigar tasting which will be broadcast on www.lagloriacigars.com/serien

On March 25, 2011, Team La Gloria members Michael Giannini (director of marketing), Rick Rodriguez (cigar master in training), Yuri Guillen (director of manufacturing) and Leo Peraza (master cigar maker) will host a virtual tasting broadcast from the El Credito Cigar Factory in Miami’s Little Havana district. Live streaming video of the tasting will be available beginning at 6:00 PM (EDT) on the Team La Gloria website and will continue throughout the evening, with additional interactive broadcasts featuring Serie N Day retail events at 6:00 PM Central and 6:00 PM Pacific.

Select retailers across the U.S. will participate in a live, open forum chat on Skype which will be part of the virtual broadcast. Participants watching live on the website will be able to communicate directly with Team La Gloria members and with fellow Serie N enthusiasts through tweets and Facebook updates which will be addressed by Team La Gloria members during the broadcasts.

Director of Marketing Michael Giannini commented, “Serie N is a very unique cigar, both in taste and appearance, so we created an innovative event to capitalize on the buzz that’s been generated for the product within the digital media space. By including the retail community and in welcoming questions and comments from our existing consumers and those who may be enjoying the product for the first time, we will be able to ride the groundswell by capturing increased interest in the product.”

To get in on the excitement surrounding Serie N cigars, consumers of legal smoking age are invited to pick up the March issue of Cigar Aficionado which contains a coupon for a free Serie N cigar, redeemable by accessing the list of participating cigar retail shops across the U.S. available on the Team La Gloria website: www.lagloriacigars.com.

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 HYPERLINK "http://www.cigarworld.com/" www.cigarworld.com .

La Gloria Cubana, Serie N, Macanudo, Cohiba, Punch, Partagas, Hoyo de Monterrey, Excalibur and Club Macanudo are registered trademarks of General Cigar Co. Inc.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Fonseca CXX (120 Years) Corona Review


Fonseca CXX (120 Years) Corona - 6 X 46. Wrapper - Dominican (Habano Vuelta Arriba from a microfarm in the Navarrete region) , Binder - Dominican, Filler - Dominican & Nicaraguan. Medium - Full bodied. This line is a tribute to its 120 year history.

Initial taste - Dry woodiness & spice.

First third - Spiciness, wood, smooth leather and a touch of sweetness emerging.

Second third - Now the cigar is really getting good - a caramel-like sweetness and spice. The leather takes on a citrus flavor. Hint of nuts.

Last third - Caramel sweetness along with the spice, citrus leather and nuts. Nice long finish of spice, citrus and leather.

Construction - as with all Matasa cigars, the wrapper is beautiful - an oily brown flawless wrapper with a nice sheen. I did notice that the cigar was slightly soft and spongy but it did not affect the smoking experience. Burn - in the first third, the cigar burned a bit crooked but corrected itself quickly to burn sharp with a dark gray ash that held on. Draw was very good.

A fantastic cigar with a flavor profile that I absolutely love. Balance was excellent with plenty of complex, exciting flavors. Matasa/Quesada Cigars are really turning out some great lines and with an MSRP of $6.95 for this vitola, this is a must try. A true finger burner.

ALEC BRADLEY CIGARS REVEALS NEW CORPORATE BRAND IDENTITY


DATE: MARCH 10, 2011

*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*

ALEC BRADLEY CIGARS REVEALS NEW CORPORATE BRAND IDENTITY
New logo will emphasize the company's direction and future

DANIA, FL – March 10, 2011 – Alec Bradley Cigars is pleased to announce the debut of their new corporate look and feel. The new Alec Bradley brand identity boasts a simple, yet easily identifiable logo exhibited by a strong monarchial red crest and four spired crown.

“Our new identity is dynamic," said Alan Rubin, President and CEO of Alec Bradley Cigar Company. "As we evolve as a company, we feel there is an emotional disconnect between our traditional styled cigar lines and our current contemporary logo. Our new look is more identifiable to the consumer.  For our company to build an emotional connection with cigar smokers worldwide, they must feel comfortable with who we are as a company and confident with where we are heading.  It is in this context that we feel our new look portrays more of who we are as we move forward."

The new logo will be displayed on the company's corporate letterhead, as well as on Alec Bradley cigars packaging, promotional gear, & in store marketing materials.

“Our focus groups have given us tremendous feedback,” added Rubin.

For more information on Alec Bradley products, visit Alec Bradley Cigars online at www.alecbradley.com

Thursday, March 10, 2011

H. Upmann Sungrown Short Churchill Review


H. Upmann Sungrown Short Churchill - 4.5 X 54. Wrapper - Ecuadorian Sungrown, Binder - Broadleaf, Filler - Honduran & Nicarguan. Medium - Full bodied.

Initial taste - Cedar & spice.

First third - Spice, cedar, leather & clove.

Second third - Spice continues and now a lemony citrus flavor builds its way in along with the leather, cedar and clove. A slight sweetness also emerges.

Last third - Spice, lemony citrus, leather, clove and the subtle sweetness. The cedar flavor has faded out at this point of the cigar. Long finish of spice, citrus and leather.

Construction was excellent - nice smooth brown wrapper with slight veins. Burn was razor sharp with a light gray color ash. Draw was just right.

This is an impressive cigar. It has plenty of complexity and the balance was outstanding. I normally do not like clove flavor, but the way in which this cigar was balanced, it actually was very good. It really enhanced the flavor profile and made for a fantastic cigar. MSRP on this vitola is $6.75 which is a great value. A definite recommend.

XIKAR Announces New Prices on HC Series Cigars


March 2011 For Immediate Release:



XIKAR Announces New Prices on HC Series Cigars


· XIKAR Becomes First Major Brand to Reduce Cigar Prices in 2011

· US Retailers Embrace XIKAR's Dramatic Price Reduction

Kansas City, MO. - March 8, 2011 - XIKAR, Inc., a leading cigar and accessory company, announced a bold new pricing strategy for its highly rated HC Series Cigars. This dramatic price reduction re-emphasizes XIKAR's long-standing commitment to value and fair price. According to Jerry Dear, EVP Sales & Marketing, "the most common encounter in this age of inflation is a price increase driven by rising costs and increasing taxation. XIKAR wanted instead to broaden our appeal and offer a wonderful cigar to everyone." Consumers will enjoy an average cost savings of 18% per cigar repositioning the HC Series line to a compelling price range of $6-8 per cigar.

"We realize this decision is unprecedented in the midst of many competitive price increases, but XIKAR's core values and culture demand that we listen carefully to our consumers and respond accordingly," said Kurt Van Keppel, XIKAR's President.

XIKAR will continue to produce all HC series cigars to the same exacting quality standards from boutique factories in Nicaragua and Honduras. "The blends and the quality will not change," said Scott Almsberger, Vice-President of Product Development. "I personally guarantee that XIKAR HC Series cigars will continue to be produced using the highest quality aged tobacco, so consumers can continue enjoy they same great HC Series Cigars.

Today, XIKAR HC Series cigars are available in over 500 cigar shops around the country, and plans are in place to increase U.S. distribution and expand overseas.

XIKAR's new lower prices will make it even easier for customers to enjoy a great cigar at a price point that is more affordable in today's economy.

XIKAR is once again kicking off the cigar season with innovative accessories, featuring the 3D Mayan Collection, the Cloisonné Collection, and limited edition gift packs. "It's been a great 15 years of constant growth for XIKAR", says Van Keppel. "With this bold action, this should be the best year ever!"

Additional Resources

For additional information, including HC Series Cigars and accessory information, please visit www.xikar.com.

For Media Enquiries:

XIKAR, Inc.
816-994-7154
Email: rmoreno@xikar.com

Sunday, March 6, 2011

La Aurora Gran 107 Review


La Aurora Gran 107 - 7 X 58. Wrapper - Ecuador, Binder - Dominican, Filler - Nicaragua & Dominican. Medium bodied.

Initial taste - Dry cedar.

First third - Spice, rum, leather & cedar. A pleasant sweetness also emerges. I'm really liking the flavors.

Second third - Rum, spice, a leathery sweetness and cedar wood. Great complexity and balance.

Last third - Rum picks up followed by the ever present spice, the leathery sweetness and the cedar. Very nice long finish of spice, rum and leather.

Construction - Pretty brown wrapper, nice sheen to it. No major veins visible. Burn - good straight burn producing a light gray ash. Draw was perfect.

Usually I shy away from big ring gauge cigars because of the muted flavors I get, but this cigar was loaded with distinctive flavors. I love the flavor profile - particularly the unique rum flavor, love the smooth balance and love the construction as with all La Aurora products. Apparently this is the vitola that the rollers & blenders for La Aurora smoke and now I can see why. MSRP on this size is $9.00 which is an excellent value. I highly recommend trying.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Casa Magna Lancero Review


Casa Magna Lancero - 8.25 X 40. Wrapper - Nicaragua (Cuban Seed), Binder -Nicaragua (Cuban Seed), Filler - Nicaragua (Cuban Seed). Medium bodied.

Initial Taste - Earthy woodiness.

First third - Spice, earthy leather and sweet nougat.

Second third - Spiciness continues, earthy leather and the very enjoyable nougat sweetness. Very nicely balanced.

Last third - More of the same, spice, earthy leather and sweet nougat. Long finish of spice, earth and leather.

Construction was excellent - beautiful dark brown wrapper with a slight oily sheen. No major veins were visible. Burn was razor sharp producing a dark gray ash that held on. Draw was perfect.

A fantastic cigar with excellent balance and complexity. I really liked this flavor profile - smooth and tasty. The Lancero is available in boxes of 7 cigars. MSRP is $12.95 for this size. Easily a consideration for my Top 10 for 2011.