Tag Archives: J.C.Newman

by | October 1, 2023 · 10:21 am

Brick House, West Tampa, Big Sky and Stolen Throne Cigars

I got a bit of a late start on Bricktoberfest, thanks to our friends at UPS, and maybe the weather. Every year (at least for the last 6) the folks at J.C. Newman celebrate Oktoberfest (which runs from September 21 through October 6ish I think) with a special release of their Brick House cigar.  This is presented in a toro with a pigtail cap and is in boxes of ten. If you go to a participating retailer and buy five of any Brick House cigar you can get a really nice  Brick House Pilsner Glass.  I really like the 2022 version of this, and I haven’t had a chance yet to smoke the two side by side. The 2023 version has a rosado Ecuador Habano wrapper, and is supposedly blended to pair with an Oktoberfest style lager. I’m far too far removed from beer consumption to know if that’s true, might be.  On it’s own it’s a solid cigar, if the Brick House blend is up your alley, and I like the Brick House line.  I’d love to see this offered with a Broadleaf wrapper one year, beer guys, back me up, would a maduro go well with a dark beer?  The Bricktoberfest is a tasty Nicaraguan cigar with some unsweetened coffee cocoa notes. Very nice.

 

Thursday evening I visited the CigarCigars store in Downingtown, PA, not far from where I lived when I started CigarCraig.com.  Speaking of beer, those familiar with craft beers will know the name Downingtown as the home of Victory Brewery.  I used to work in the adjacent building and would smoke cigars and drink root beer at their bar once in a while. Of course, that was over twenty years ago when such things were allowed!  I stopped in the shop because they were hosting Rick Rodriguez of West Tampa Tobacco Co. for the evening, and I try not to miss an opportunity to see my friend Rick. I bought a handful of West Tampa Red, Black and White, but I wasn’t allowed to smoked any of those, Rick had a West Tampa Red Lancero for me.  Last December when I saw him in Tampa he gave me the White and Black blends in the Lancero format and you might recall that I thought they were spectacular.  Considering I’m a big fan of the Red in the traditional sizes, I had high expectations. In this case, I’m not going to say that this was a better expression of the Red blend than the Toro or Robusto, it’s different, as the Toro and Robusto are different from one another. It was a spectacular cigar, and if these ever make it into the wild, give them a try.

 

I’m getting to the end of the Big Sky Cigar Co. Samples, I’m down to the small ones now, and I’m smoking the Yellowstone, which is the Ecuador Connecticut wrapped robusto in the portfolio. I’m on my second one this morning, I smoked one yesterday afternoon and was quite happy.  This has the lighter wrapper over some heavier Nicaraguan binder and fillers, so it’s not without flavor. The literature lists it as mild, but I don’t think that’s the case, I find it to be medium.  There’s some spices, pepper especially through the nose, and solid cafe con leche. Oddly, as I’m writing, and smoking the Yellowstone, I’m listening to Frank Zappa’s  Montana, and the Yellowstone River, for which the cigar is named, runs through Montana, though those dental floss plantations, no doubt. I’m happy smoking this cigar on a Sunday morning with coffee.

 

Finally, I happened to be in Havertown, PA yesterday and stopped in to the Wooden Indian because I saw that they had received a restock of the Stolen Throne Yorktown Fleet, and I’d been wanting to give that cigar a try.  Something makes me think there’s a tie in to Stolen Throne Cigars and the Yellowstone TV show, someone is going to have to let me know if I’m thinking of something else.  Not that it has anything to do with anything, just popped into my head.  I don’t think it’s a secret that the Crook of the Crown and the Three Kingdoms are personal favorites of mine, and I need to smoke more of the Call to Arms to form an opinion.  I do like a Sumatra, and the Yorktown Fleet is a Maduro Sumatra wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler, although the wrapper isn’t overly dark. I hate to criticize my friends at the Wooden Indian, but they need to put these back in the humidor as opposed to having them on the counter by the register, as I feel like the couple I bought were on the dry side. I am going to reserve judgement on this for when my remaining examples have some time in my humidor (internal moisture content read a little lower than I’d like, measured after smoking one). I didn’t find the flavors to be what I expected. Construction was perfect, and I look forward to smoking it again when it’s had some time, and I might look for the Robusto in another shop. I know Lee Marsh pretty well and I’m reasonably certain that what I smoked last night wasn’t his intention. Of course, my palate might have been out of whack too.  I’ll come back to this one.

 

That’s all for today, until the next time. 

 

CigarCraig 

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by | August 20, 2023 · 9:15 am

La Unica, Partagas and Black Works Studios Cigars

I’ve had a handful of these enormous La Unica No. 100 cigars in the humidor for a few months and have only had a few occasions to smoke them come up. This is an 8½” x 52 double corona made at Tabacalera Fuente for J.C. Newman.  Back in the ’90s La Unica was the first premium cigar that was sold in a bundle, it’s since been moved to boxes, more befitting the quality of the cigars.  I generally lean toward heavier cigars, but this Connecticut shade wrapped cigar is really quite good.  It’s smooth and creamy, and actually burns a little bit faster than one might think, sadly, I clocked in around two and a quarter hours with it, which worked fine for my schedule.  It was creamy and nutty, and I enjoyed it. These are also available in a Connecticut Broadleaf, which are also very good, and something I want to revisit, it’s been years!

 

I was surprised with a package of samples from STG this week and felt compelled to smoke one of the Partagas Valle Verde Toros right out of the box.  Of course, this can be a risky proposition, but that’s what the Cigarmedics Humidimeter is for!  This Partagas is a bit of an odd duck, it has a green band, a San Andrés wrapper, some San Andrés in the filler along with Nicaraguan, and a Cameroon binder.  It’s also made in the HATSA factory, which is in Honduras, which seems to be another oddity for a Partagas, which is normally made in the DR. I’ve long been a fan of the Partagas line, they have been second only to Fuente in their mastery of Cameroon, and their Broadleaf Partagas Black ain’t bad either. This Valle Verde was really quite good in my estimation.  It hit all my preferred flavor receptors. I got the earthy black coffee from the Mexican, the sweet nuts from the Cameroon and some sweet spice from the Esteli Ligero.  I’ll be shocked and amazed of this isn’t my favorite out of the batch of samples, I hope I’m not disappointed! More on those in future posts.  I would urge sampling the Partagas Valle Verde if you enjoy the same kinds of cigars I enjoy!

 

Remember last week (I think, maybe the week before) when I said that I really like Black Label Trading Company‘s cigars, but I find that they all kind of hit me the same?  I clearly haven’t smoked enough of them, because I smoked the new Black Works Studio Poison Dart Corona Gorda yesterday and it was clearly on another level.  Now, I get that the Studio does some different stuff than the regular line.  The Poison Dart just came out at the July trade show, and Famous Smoke Shop had them when I was there recently so I grabbed one.  This is a 5½” x 46 corona gorda with a pointy cap, a Brazilian Matafina wrapper, Ecuador Habano binder and Nicaraguan fillers.  This cigar had a rich, mouth-coating kinda thing going on, almost licoricy, or maybe meaty, or some weird combo of the two.  It was delicious and was good for ninety minutes or so of afternoon enjoyment.  Lots of cocoa, coffee and spice, not unlike a lot of the BLTC cigars, but more intense.  I liked it a lot. 

 

That’s  about it for today. I am smoking a Buffalo Ten Connecticut while writing, a perfectly acceptable cigar with coffee, actually quite good.  I keep saying I don’t lean toward shade cigars, but I really quite enjoy them when I smoke them. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.  Until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

 

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by | July 9, 2023 · 9:12 am

Some Fourth of July Cigars, and Another Rebellion Cigar

While many of my brethren are toiling away in Las Vegas at the PCA show, I’m hanging out here at home happily smoking cigars.  I decided to free myself of the stress and expense of travel and some of the expectations set by others in the “cigar media”.  Short rant: I’m irritated  by some bloggers/podcasters who take themselves quite seriously. I’ve heard comments like people who use cell phones to shoot their content shouldn’t be taken seriously as cigar media, or people should cover certain booths.  When I have attended the show it’s been on my time and at my expense, so I’m doing it my way. Do my video interviews look any different than those done by people using more expensive or professional looking rigs? Do people care that much?  Whatever. From the beginning I said I was going to do things my way and I have. I recently thought to myself that maybe I’m being a sucker for not asking for sponsorship to go to the show, but, ya know, that would interfere with me doing things my way.  So I’ll keep doing what I do, the way I want to do it. If you don’t like it, nobody is forcing you to read!  That wasn’t as short a rant as I’d have liked, on to some cigars! 

 

Of course on the Fourth of July I smoked a United Cigars Firecracker,  the newest one from E.P. Carrillo, the Pledge Firecracker. This might be hard to find, but if you run across them anywhere, buy as many as you can manage. This might be a bold statement, but I think this is my favorite Firecracker to date.  Considering some of the exceptional Firecrackers that have come before it, the Mi Querida (which is the only one to my knowledge that spun off it own line, the Triqui Traca) is exceptional, the CroMagnon was exceptional, the Fratello was an under-rated treat, but the Pledge takes it up a notch. It’s funny, because I don’t remember enjoying the regular Pledge line as much, perhaps whatever Ernesto did to punch this one up made the difference for me. The Connecticut Habano wrapper is dark and oily (what made me think it was grown in Massachusetts?), rich and full of flavor. It’s meaty and sweet and I really dug it.  It’s my custom to buy five of the firecrackers, I should have sprung for a box, had I known. Super-yummy.

 

After a heavy lunch and a nap, I treated myself to an American by J.C. Newman.  This was a special size, a Lonsdale, that Drew Newman handed out when I toured the factory last December.  It’s not a regular production, I don’t think there were more than a few hundred in existence, so it was a special cigar.  Of course, the American is 100% American tobaccos, rolled at the El Reloj factory in Tampa, everything that touches the cigar is made in the USA (except, ironically, the folks who roll them maybe!).  This is a tasty cigar, it has a unique bready, spicy flavor that’s unlike any other cigar out there. It was a special cigar, in a special size.  It was very good.  I’ve only smoked a few of the Americans in the larger ring gauges, and the smaller size definitely makes a big difference, as in any smaller ring, it’s a little sharper because it burns a little hotter.  

 

Finally, I’m still working through the Rebellion samples, and smoked the Ace of Spades in the Toro size. This is one of the Maduro offerings in the Rockstar Range, taking its name from the Motörhead song.  The wrapper is Honduran, binder is Indonesian with fillers from Jamastran in Honduras and Condega and Jalapa in Nicaragua. My plan was to smoke this while watching a movie on the porch.  Big mistake updating the Firestick first, which took nearly half the cigar. Oh well, I had a good tasting cigar to keep me company.  This is a pretty full bodied smoke, as one would imagine a cigar named after a Motörhead some would be.  It had some earthiness and spice and a different sort of sweet taste, very intriguing.  This company is making cigars that aren’t like a lot of other cigars on the market. I hope they are having success at the PCA show, from what I’ve read, they seem to be drawing some attention with the pink branding.  

 

That’s all for today, until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

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by | May 7, 2023 · 9:08 am

Some Illusione and J.C. Newman Cigars

We were going to take a roadtrip this weekend, but decided against it early in the week.  After a week of rain and overcast, it was going to be a beautiful weekend and we had some stuff we needed to get done around the yard. Today my back is feeling it.  Anyway, I figured I’d smoke some cigars this week!  Wednesday I have a regular group therapy session that we call “The Round Panel”, or, sometimes, the “Secret Society”, which is usually good for around 2 hours of hysteria.  I tend to grab a larger cigar, and this week I went with a La Unica #100. This cigar is a beefy 8½” x 52, Connecticut shade wrapper with Dominican fillers, made at the Fuente factory.  Back in the mid-90s, this was the first premium cigar to come in a bundle, or was it the first bundle cigar to be premium? I think they are presented in a box now.  This is a really nice shade cigar. Shade cigars aren’t really my preference, although there are a few that I like.  It’s creamy and mellow, certainly not without flavor.  My only gripe was that it smoked in about an hour and a half, which is my usual smoking time for a Toro, not sure why that it, I’ll have to smoke another one and clock it. La Unicas are great cigars, always have been, at a wallet friendly price. 

 

You’ll recall I had gotten a sampler of Illusione cigars a few weeks back, and decided to finish it off this week.  The Garagiste has been one I’ve been anxious to try since it came out a few years ago.  I had the 6″ x 54 Gordo size (the whole sampler was 6″ x 56, I like the size!). This is a bit of a departure from the usual Illusione range, as it’s a rather strong cigar, with a lot of pepper to start out.  It has an Ecuador Habano wrapper with Criollo 98, Corojo 99 (both Aganorsa staples, with Ligeros from two Nicaraguan regions. Like I said, the Ligero is apparent in the strength of the cigar. I found this to be a very enjoyable cigar, there are certainly more in my future. 

 

The last cigar I had from the Illusione sampler was the Original Documents MJ12. This was another 6″ x 56 cigar, with a Corojo Rosado wrapper from parts unknown, and the Criollo 98 and Corojo 99 in the fillers.  Let me start by expressing my displeasure with the tinfoil wrapper. It was a pain to get off, and the only identification on it was the barcode label.  It’s not big enough to make a hat out of, so why bother, let’s see the beautiful cigar!  The cigar smoked perfectly, and was really a pleasure to smoke.  It had some spice, but more citric than the pepper that the Garagiste had.  I’d certainly smoke this again, but I’m afraid I’d avoid it because of the foil wrapper.  

 

Finally, I smoked the new Angel Cuesta from J.C. Newman in the Toro size.  This is another cigar with a Rosado wrapper, along with what the company describes as tobaccos from three continents. I had the opportunity while I was at the factory last December to see some of these being rolled, ironically, by a gentleman named Angel.  This line is named after Angel Cuesta, who was one of the founders of the Cuesta Rey brand.  I got to see the aging room filled with these cigars as well. I was fortunate enough to get a sampling of all three sizes of this, and started with the 6¼” x 52 Toro with a pigtail cap.  This cigar smoked wonderfully, and I can’t recall, but I’d bet it has some Florida Sungrown tobacco in the blend, it has that tang to me.  It’s not a cheap date, heck, it’s made in the USA, ranging from $18-22.  Definitely worth a try. 

 

That’s all for today, until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

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by | March 31, 2023 · 6:16 pm

News: J.C. Newman Cigar Co. Introduces Angel Cuesta Cigars

Last December when I toured El Reloj in Tampa I saw Angel rolling the Solomones, he is an artist.  He was applying the wrappers,  which involves a series of precise cuts with the chaveta.  It was very impressive.  We also saw shelves of the cigars in the aging room in the basement of the factory.  I’ve been looking forward to trying this cigar since seeing them at the factory.  

 

These cigars were first rolled a century ago as the official cigar of King Alfonso XIII of Spain

 

J.C. Newman Cigar Co. introduced Angel Cuesta cigars at the Tobacconist Association of America meeting this week. First rolled a century ago, this historic cigar brand is named for Angel LaMadrid Cuesta, one of the founders of the storied Cuesta-Rey cigar brand. These cigars were the official cigar of King Alfonso XIII, who ruled Spain from 1886 to 1931.

 

Angel Cuesta cigars are handmade in The American Room at J.C. Newman’s iconic El Reloj cigar factory in the Cigar City of Tampa, Florida. They feature a beautiful Ecuador Havana Rosado wrapper with a blend of aged binder and filler tobaccos from three continents and a pigtail cap. They are rolled in three sizes and packed in cabinets of 20 cigars:

 

Angel Cuesta Doble Robusto – 5.5” x 56 with a suggested retail price of $18

Angel Cuesta Doble Toro – 6.25” x 52 with a suggested retail price of $19

Angel Cuesta Salomones – 7.25” x 57 with a suggested retail price of $22

 

 

A team of two rollers with decades of experience roll a total of 150 Angel Cuesta cigars per day. Because of this, Angel Cuesta cigars are very limited. J.C. Newman released Angel Cuesta to 25 TAA members and expects to release these special cigars to additional premium cigar retailers across the United States twice a year. They are also available to those visiting J.C. Newman’s Factory Store at its El Reloj cigar factory in Tampa.

Angel Delgado Alba rolls Angel Cuesta cigars in The American Room at the J.C. Newman El Reloj Cigar Factory in Tampa, Fla.

 

Top Image: Original Angel Cuesta Band from 100 years ago
Bottom Image: New Angel Cuesta Band from 2023

 

A century ago, Angel Cuesta was one of the leaders of the cigar industry in Tampa. Inside each box of Angel Cuesta cigars is the following excerpt of a story by Angel Cuesta on why Tampa was the Fine Cigar Capital of the World:

 

“If you are a man who enjoys a really fine cigar, you have probably long since discovered the hand-made Tampa cigar with its superb smoking qualities – choice, clear Havana tobacco at its best! If you haven’t made this discovery, we believe it is time you did. And so we tell you how these cigars are created, and about Tampa, too – for the story of fine cigars is inseparable from the story of Tampa.

 

“Tampa today is the bustling metropolis of Florida’s West Coast, center of the most populous – and prosperous area of Florida. Despite the fact that it is the State’s leading industrial city, it is also a resort city – equally a fine place to work, to live, and to play. It is a city of color and contrasts; of carnival gaiety and progressive modern enterprise. Its Latin Quarter is a carry-over from the Old World into the new. In this Latin Quarter, center of life for some 40,000 persons of Spanish and Cuban descent, are located the majority of the cigar factories that produce these fine cigars.

 

“The story of these cigars begins long ago. It begins in the mild, tropical climes of Cuban’s picturesque tobacco plantations. It begins in the skilled fingers of the cigarmaker, whose art is a heritage from the Old World. Yes, and it begins in the minds of a few enterprising men who had the foresight to recognize Tampa’s advantages as a potential cigar center.  It was Senor V. Martinez Ybor who pioneered the movement which made Tampa the cigar capital of America. In 1869 Ybor had transferred his factory from Havana to Key West, to escape the depredations of the Spanish volunteer troops. As others followed, Key West became the center of America’s clear Havana industry of America’s clear Havana industry.

 

“Seventeen years later, Ybor and Eduardo Manrara, his partner, were impressed by the climatic and geographical possibilities of Tampa as a manufacturing site, when seeking a more favorable location for their operation. Tampa, then but a sprawling, lusty frontier hamlet, offered a large area of local hands to the cigar men, thus laying the cornerstone for one of the city’s principal industries. Other alert cigar men followed. Ybor’s example, and Tampa’s emergence as the manufacturing hub of Florida became an accomplished fact.

 

“Today, the finest cigars in the world are made in Tampa.

Angel LaMadrid Cuesta
April 1948”

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