Thursday, March 29, 2012

Berger & Argenti Entubar V32 "Khilla Korona" Review


Berger & Argenti Entubar V32 "Khilla Korona" - 4 7/8 X 50. Wrapper - Nicaraguan Maduro (Jalapa Valley), Binder - Nicaraguan (Esteli, Condega, Jalapa & Jinotega), Filler - Nicaraguan (Esteli, Condega, Jalapa & Jinotega). Medium - Full bodied.
Initial lighting taste - Pepper and cedar.

First third - Peppery spice followed by a rich Earthiness with notes of citrus and fruit.

Second third - Now this cigar really begins to settle down and smooth out - Pepper spice up front and now a sweet caramel emerges right along with the Earthiness. Fruit-like notes were also detected.

Last third - Pepper spice, Caramel, Earth and fruity notes continue. Long wonderful finish of Pepper and Earth,

Construction - Attractive, dark-brown wrapper with a nice silky sheen and a somewhat bumpy texture. No soft spots or any major veins.

Burn - A very nice, sharp burn with a salt & pepper colored ash that was solid and held on before being tapped off.

Draw - Perfect draw and just the correct amount of smoke produced with it.

A fantastic cigar from Berger & Argenti - my favorite line from them by far. After the first third, the cigar really allowed you taste all of the complex flavors more distinctly and with better balance. Loved the sweet caramel flavor and the pepper spice. MSRP is $10.99 for this size which is a bit on the pricey side but well worth the money. Only 80,000 cigars were produced on a limited run. The line comes in 4 unique sizes:

"Khilla Korona" - 4 7/8 X 50
"Rogue Rothschild" - 5 5/8 X 54
"Tremendo Toro" - 6 1/4 X 56
"Bruto Belicoso" - 6 3/8 X 60

A definite recommend!

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Introducing Partagas 1845 Heritage Rewrapped

Richmond, VA—General Cigar is proud to introduce Partagas 1845, a new, four-cigar collection which embodies 167 years of heritage and expert cigar making. This exciting new take on the venerable brand is a departure from the traditional Cameroon-wrapped expressions of Partagas®, and is set to make its retail debut on April 9, 2012.

Alan Willner, vice president of marketing for General Cigar explains, “Partagas 1845 is uniquely positioned. This new collection celebrates Partagas’ rich heritage while ushering in a new taste spectrum for the brand. As such, it will appeal to the premium cigar smoker who favors the quality and consistency of classic brands, while also sparking the interest of discriminating smokers who constantly seek exciting new tastes.”

Partagas 1845 is full-flavored with a medium-bodied taste profile and bears hints of coffee and cocoa. This unique smoking experience sits firmly between the mild and aromatic flavor of Partagas (yellow box) and the strong and sweet taste of Partagas Black Label.

Jhonys Diaz (vice president of operations) led blend development, collaborating with rising stars from General Cigar Dominicana including Francisco Rodriguez (general manager of operations) and Yuri Guillen (production manager).  In creating Partagas 1845, Jhonys and his team started out with more than 50 different blends from the company’s vast tobacco library. Together with guidance from Benji Menendez, and with input from supervisors from General Cigar’s Dominican and Honduran factories, the blends were continuously test smoked and tweaked until the final blend was chosen by General Cigar’s innovation team.

The legendary Benji Menendez served as an advisor on blend development. In this, his 60th year in the premium cigar

business, Benji exalts Partagas 1845 as “one of the most significant blends I have ever been involved in developing.”

“Partagas is a brand that is part of my soul and part of my heritage in the business. It is very sentimental for me, so coming out with the next Partagas collection to follow up on the Master Series was a project that I cared very much about. This is a dream come true for me, to help the next generation of cigar masters create new cigars and grow in the business. If I can plant a seed in their minds so they can grow a tree, I am happy,” he reflects.

To achieve the characteristic, full flavor of Partagas 1845, Dominican Piloto Cubano is blended with Nicaraguan tobacco from three separate growing areas. Some of the filler tobaccos are aged in Dominican rum barrels, a process which enhances their flavor, and is exclusive to General Cigar.

The Connecticut Habano binder is unique unto itself, for it was developed as a result of General Cigar’s dedicated research and development initiative and as such, is proprietary. Bearing the distinction of having taken nine years to develop, the binder offsets the blend with a touch of sweetness.

The blend culminates in a lustrous Ecuadoran Habano Viso wrapper which dresses Partagas 1845 in a unique color and hearty texture.

The collection will debut with these four frontmarks, each protected in boxes containing 20 cigars: Corona Extra (4.5” x 46), SRP per cigar $5.99; Robusto (5.5” x 49), SRP per cigar $6.49; Gigante (6” x 60), SRP per cigar $6.99; and Double Corona (7.25” x 54), SPR per cigar $7.49.

The trade dress pays homage to the brand’s rich history, by interpreting elements of a turn-of-the-century Partagas band (circa 1900). The band imagery is rotated for optimal presentation, whether on the shelf, in an ashtray, in hand, or when smoked, and is further highlighted by advanced printing techniques that command attention.

Partagas 1845 is housed in one of the most innovative cigar boxes ever seen in the premium cigar category. Additional details about this industry-first packaging will be released prior to the launch of Partagas 1845 on April 9.

About Partagas Cigars

Partagas cigars 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, Hoyo de Monterrey®, Excalibur®, La Gloria Cubana®, CAO 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 www.cigarworld.com.

® Partagas, Macanudo, Cohiba, Hoyo de Monterrey, Excalibur, La Gloria Cubana and Club Macanudo are registered trademarks of General Cigar Company.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Canimao Limited Edition Corona Review





Canimao Limited Edition Corona - 6.5 X 42. Wrapper - Ecuadorian Sumatra, Binder - Ecuadorian Sumatra, Filler - Dominican Republic & Nicaragua. Medium - Full bodied.


Initial lighting taste - Cedar & spice.


First third - A good amount of spiciness, citrus, leather and some raisin notes.


Second third - Spice, tangy citrus, leather and the raisin notes. Very nice flavor profile.


Last third - Spice, tangy citrus, leather and raisin notes. Long enjoyable finish of tangy, leathery spice.


Construction - A beautiful, silky-smooth, brown wrapper with no major veins visible or soft spots. Triple capped in the old Cuban style tradition.
Burn - Sharp burn with a white colored, solid ash that held on an inch plus at a time.
Draw - Draw was very good - not too tight and not too loose. A good amount of smoke is produced with this draw.


This is now my favorite line from Canimao Cigars - it is the fullest bodied and has one of my favorite flavor profiles which I am a big fan of - citrus spice, leather and the raisin notes. For my liking, I would put the Limited Edition first followed by the Jibaro and then the Churchill as my top 3 from Canimao Cigars. MSRP is an amazing $6.00 for this vitola which I would gladly pay for a quality cigar such as this one. A cigar best enjoyed after a moderate but substantial meal. I have to give this cigar a "highly recommended" rating.

Monday, March 19, 2012

TORAÑO INVOLVED IN 8TH ANNUAL BOXING EVENT TO BENEFIT THE CHARLEY FOUNDATION


(Miami, Fl.)March 19, 2012 – Toraño Family Cigar Co. was honored to be chosen to participate in the Charley Foundation’s 8th Annual Ringside: A Fight for Kids on Friday, March 2, 2012 at Liberty Hall, in The Factory at Franklin. The Charley Foundationis a Nashville-based non-profit organization that provides support to charitable agencies addressing the critical needs of children. This year’s black-tie boxing event was emceed by Storme Warren, host of GAC’s Headline Country and Music Row Happy Hour on Sirius/XM Highway 16 Radio. Tom Baldrica, president of Nashville music label Average Joe’s Entertainment, served as ring announcer.

Toraño Vice President of Sales and Marketing Bruce Lewis and Toraño Territory Manager Andrea Hummel proudly represented Toraño Family Cigar Co. as they hosted guests at the Toraño cigar lounge located on the second level overlooking the boxing ring and stage. Guests who included celebrities and NFL Alumni enjoyed some of Toraño’s finest handmade cigars while taking in a spectacular night of professional boxing, live music performances, and live auction.

Event guests started the evening with gourmet dining and were entertained with musical performances by 80’s pop sensation Tiffany, Country artists Bridgette Tatum, James Otto, and Ira Dean. Once the music died down, the action revved up as four professional boxing bouts were sanctioned by the Tennessee Athletic Commission for the evenings main event. The Toraño lounge was in full swing at this point, as boxing and smoking premium cigars are a perfect match. Bruce Lewis was on hand to educate and share Toraño family history as event guests were able to choose award-winning Toraño cigars from custom made cigar menus created for the event. 

Friday, March 16, 2012

New Vitola: La Aurora 107 Salomon

March 14, 2012 (Miami, FL) – The 107 is getting a line extension, albeit in a limited edition.

Miami Cigar & Company today announced the cigar that helped re-invent the oldest cigar
factory in the Dominican Republic would be released in a salomon. The La Aurora 107 Salomon
will be 7.25 x 52 which was the same size that was used for the Puro Vintage 2003.

Originally released 2 years ago on the 107th Anniversary of La Aurora the 107 consists of a
Ecuadorian Sun Grown Wrapper with Dominican binder over filler consisting of Dominican and
Nicaraguan tobacco.

The cigar will be available to limited accounts nationwide. According to Hector Paz, National
Sales Manager for Miami Cigar & Company, "We would like to use this limited edition to thank
those retailers who have supported the 107 line since the beginning.”

The cigars which come in boxes of 8 will have a MSRP of $12.00 and are expected to ship to
retailers in Mid-June, 2012.

About Miami Cigar & Company Miami Cigar & Company, founded in 1989, is the exclusive US distributor of La Aurora brands which include Guillermo Leon & Leon Jimenes. They are also the worldwide distributor of Tatiana, Don Lino, La Sirena and Nestor Miranda line of cigars.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Quesada Q'Detat Molotov Review

Quesada Q'Detat Molotov - 5 x 44/58/38. Wrapper - Dominican Republic, Binder - Dominican Republic, Filler - Dominican Republic. Full Bodied.

Initial lighting taste - Oak wood.

First third - Earthiness, lemon citrus and spice. Very smooth flavors.

Second third - A little reshuffling of the flavors - Lemony citrus first, followed by the spice and then the Earthiness.

Last third - A continuation of the flavor order in the second third - Lemon citrus, spice and Earth. Very long smooth finish of citrus and spice.

Construction - A very attractive, oily, dark-brown wrapper with minimal veins and not soft spots.
Burn - Razor sharp, dark-gray colored ash this is solid and holds on.
Draw - Perfect draw - not too loose, not too tight. Plenty of smoke produced.

A fantastic little powerhouse of a cigar - very good complexity and great balance. I was impressed at how smooth this cigar was while being so strong. Flavors were very enjoyable, especially the lemon citrus and spice. MSRP for this cigar is $7.95 which is a great price point for this cigar and one that allows you to enjoy them on a regular basis. A cigar best smoked after a hearty meal or at least later in the day. Definite recommend.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Flor De Gonzalez "Qban" Belicoso Review

Flor De Gonzalez "Qban" Belicoso - 6 X 52. Wrapper - Ecuadorian Maduro Habano, Binder - Nicaragua, Filler - Nicaragua. Full bodied.


Initial lighting taste - Dry cedar and spice.

First third - Strong spice, sweet molasses, Earth and cinnamon.

Second third - Strong spiciness continues, molasses, Earthiness and cinnamon.

Last third - Spice, sweet molasses, Earth and cinnamon. Very nice long finish of spice, Earth and cinnamon.

Construction - Beautiful dark-brown wrapper with no major veins and a smooth, oily texture. No soft spots. Burn was razor sharp producing a solid white colored ash that would not fall off. Draw was perfect with just the right amount of smoke.

A fantastic full bodied cigar with plenty of complexity and excellent balance. Tons of flavor and a long finish that coats the palate. I loved the sweet molasses flavor offset by the strong spiciness and Earthiness. Definitely a cigar best enjoyed after a full meal. MSRP for this size is $7.50 which this cigar is more than worth. Very highly recommended.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Wicked Indie Toro Review

Wicked Indie Toro - 6 X 54. Wrapper - Nicaraguan Habano, Binder - Nicaragua (Aged 3 years), Filler - Nicaragua (Aged 3 years). Medium bodied. Made by The East India Trading Company which is a subsidiary of the Beach Cigar Group (Gurkha), and was created to release creative and exciting new brands that did not necessarily fall under the Gurkha image and branding.


Initial lighting taste - Dry cedar and pepper.

First third - A breadiness, pepper, cedar and some sweet notes.

Second third - Breadiness, pepper and a sweet nougat now is becoming more dominant with some woody notes.

Last third - A bready creaminess, sweet nougat, pepper and cedar notes. Long finish of a sweet creaminess and spice.

Construction - Nice looking, light-brown wrapper with some small veins and a slight oily sheen. No soft spots. Burn was straight with a grayish-black colored solid ash that held on. Draw was very good and produced a good amount of smoke.

This was a very impressive cigar that had great complexity and balance.  I particularly liked the way the sweet nougat flavor kept building as I progressed through the cigar.  The bready creaminess was very enjoyable as well.  MSRP is $5.00 for this size which I would smoke everyday at that price.   An excellent choice for a smoke anytime after lunch or a medium-sized meal.  I would definitely recommend for those who enjoy a creamy sweet cigar with pepper spice.    

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Punch Rare Corojo Returns to Retail Annual Release Includes 10th Anniversary Blend

General Cigar announces that Punch Rare Corojo will be offered for a limited time, starting today and ending on May 31, 2012, while supplies last. Seven frontmarks will be available, ranging in price from $3.59 to $6.49 per cigar (SRP).

A very limited supply of the Punch Rare Corojo 10th Anniversary edition (5” x 50, SRP $6.99 per cigar) will also be available for sale during the same period, or until the limited quantity is depleted.

Both Punch Rare Corojo and the 10th Anniversary edition are filled with a blend of Dominican, Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos, and are bound with Connecticut Broadleaf; however, each has a unique wrapper.

Punch Rare Corojo cigars are made with a special, extra rich, dark Sumatra wrapper cultivated in the mountains of Ecuador. Grown only in limited quantity, these rare, reddish leaves give Punch Rare Corojo its uniquely smooth taste.

The 10th Anniversary blend was released in 2011 and features a rare Connecticut Corojo wrapper.