The Paper Band of the Macanudo Vintage 1997 Maduro One of the most exciting things to come out of General Cigars in 2010 was the release of its Macanudo Vintage 1997 Maduro. It was exciting for two reasons: 1) It continued to show that Macanudo is serious about trying to penetrate into the medium to […]
One thing I’ve mentioned in my campaign against the Pleasure Police is if you give them one inch, they will keep coming back for more. Now, they have struck in California where there is a scary and dangerous piece of legislation that threatens the future of cigar enthusiasm on a statewide basis. The bill is […]
Graycliff Cigars has established themselves as a premium brand in the cigar industry. The Graycliff name is known best for the historic Graycliff Inn located in Nassau, The Bahamas. Graycliff Cigars was created by Inn owner Enrico Garzaroli and master blender Avelino Lara. Graycliff’s reputation was built on two facts- namely the cigars are manufactured […]
If you have been a fan of CAO Cigars over the past few years, you know that the brand has been one of the leaders when it comes to innovative marketing. Cigars such as “Sopranos Edition”, “Brazilia”, and “La Traviata” have truly become iconic labels within the brand. When you look at the brand, one […]
Rocky Patel’s Valedor was a cigar that was introduced last year. Last year, Rocky’s big release was his 15th Anniversary – an excellent cigar that ended up placing in at #23 in my 2010 Cigar of the Year list. While the 15th Anniversary got a lot of fanfare, this cigar did not get as much. […]
There were some posts from Swag Cigars on Twitter today. A new limited edition blend is development from Swag Cigars. The details have said that there was a 1999 bale of rare tobacco found. The plan that only about 2000 boxes will be blended. It will only be made available to select dealers of Swag […]
The Hoffman House is a house cigar available from Iwan Ries and Company in Chicago, Illinois. Iwan Ries has become one of my favorite stops when I visit the Windy City. They have a terrific cigar lounge and a great humidor. I’ve always been treated very well by proprietor Kevin Levi. About a year ago, […]
When Jon Huber, former Director of Lifestyle Marketing announced he was leaving the CAO Brand (now a part of General Cigars) this past December, there was little doubt for us who follow this great industry that he would resurface again. Today, Huber announced the formation of his own company, Crowned Heads LLC. The city of […]
New band for Gurkha Ninja (Perfecto) In 2010, Gurkha introduced two value-priced cigars. I happened to think these were terrific cigars and placed both of them in my Top 30 for 2010. The Gurkha Ninja was my #26 cigar and the Gurkha Viper was my #29 cigar. There was one issue that was a prevailing […]
The first release of the post-Sam Leccia era at Oliva Cigars is coming. If you have been following Studio Tobac, you know that the Cain Daytona is the next cigar in the Oliva pipeline about to be released. As per the Studio Tobac web-site, the Cain Daytona is: The CAIN DAYTONA is a medium […]
We all know that the State of New York has probably become one of the least friendly places for cigar enthusiasts. On top of an Outdoor Smoking Ban being rammed through the New York City Council, last year an insane tax increase was passed on cigars – 75% on the wholesale price. The Pleasure Police […]
Tobacco continues to be a target of tax increases around the different states here in the United States. While there is a perception that a tax increase can help raise revenue and perhaps get some people to stop using tobacco, it is a proven fact that this strategy backfires. Don’t believe me – look no […]
