by | January 29, 2023 · 9:14 am

Protocol, Hoyo de Monterrey and Diesel Cigars

A few weeks back I bought a five pack of Protocol Churchills from Discount Cigar Warehouse.  From what I know, this was exclusive to them and Churchills aren’t available in all the blends regularly.  I happen to be a big fan of the Churchill size, although these are only 6½” x 48, not quite the 7″ x 47 that is truly a Churchill. Call it what you will, it’s still a great size in my book. I’m pretty happy with anything from 5½” to 7″ and 46 to 60 ring.  I’m pretty happy with a lot of cigars to be honest.  Anyway, of the five blends in the sampler, I hadn’t smoked two of them, the aforementioned Cyber Crimes Unit, and the Official Misconduct. The Official Misconduct has been around since 2018, not sure how I haven’t smoked it yet, but I really quite enjoyed it. It has an Ecuador Habano wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and fillers, made in the La Zona factory. Two of my favorite cigar brands make (or made, as in the case of the latter) cigars in this factory, La Sirena and Cornelius and Anthony. I enjoy many of the Espinosa cigars too, I just don’t seem to smoke as many of them as I should, I guess. Arandoza is another defunct brand t

hat I really liked that was made there.  Anyway, this cigar made me happy. It was a nice, spicy Habano that hit the spot for me. I toy with the notion of ordering another five pack, these “Churchills” were very good. 

 

I made a stop on the way home from work the other day and picked up a couple new-to-me cigars that looked interesting.  First of which was the Diesel Atonement, a TAA exclusive.  This is a fairly priced cigar at $10 (in PA), has an Ecuador Sumatra wrapper, Connecticut Broadleaf binder and Nicaraguan fillers.  It’s made in the AJ Fernandez factory, as I believe all Diesel cigars to be. It’s a 6″ x 52 which made it an easy sell for me. It’s a nice looking cigar, smooth and dark with some oiliness to the wrapper. It was loaded with pepper from the light.  It reminded me a lot of the Puro Esteli, which I found to be fairly strong. I have a pair of those set aside, now that I think about it, one I took the cedar sleeve off, one I left it on, with the intention of seeing how the cedar sleeve affects the flavor after aging, a project for warmer weather.  The Atonement remained strong, the pepper remained throughout, although it deadened my palate after a while.  I’ve smoked my share of Diesel Cigars, and this was a pretty good one.  I have a hankering for a Whiskey Row Sher

ry Cask now, which is probably my favorite Diesel.

 

The other cigar I picked up was the Hoyo de Monterrey El Torcedor.  I was surprised that I hadn’t heard of this one, apparently released in 2019. I searched my archive of press releases and came up with nuthin.  This is a rustic 6½” x 49 Figurado, very much like the Cuban Partagas Presidente (the vitola de galera on that one is Taco, by the way). It seems like I smoked another cigar in a similar shape, but I’ll be darned if I can remember what it was. I dig the size and shape.  It lit easily, the foot has a small surface area, not a formed “nipple” like a Hemingway. it burned perfectly and had a pleasing flavor.  It had some sweet spice and wood. I bought the last one the shop had in this size, I may stop for a couple of the larger size one day.  It’s a wonder I hadn’t heard about this one before.  I still need to try the Illusione/Excalibur cigar, anyone know where I can buy a couple?  I just looked, and Fox Cigars sells singles, but they are no cheap date!

 

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

 

CigarCraig 

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by | January 22, 2023 · 10:12 am

Art of Magic, Terra Nova and Casa 1910 Cigars

This week I smoked another Secret Santa gift and a couple cigars from the PCA show.  My Secret Santa sent me a bunch of fantastic cigars, all but maybe one of which I hadn’t smoked before.  Some might think this is no easy feat, but there are actually a lot of limited editions and regional stuff I don’t get because I don’t chase them down. Considering my friendship with Steve Saka, there are a bunch of his cigars I haven’t smoked.  The Vintage Rock-a-FArteller Art of Magic cigar is a cigar I hadn’t smoked, although I could easily have picked up some last year.  A percentage of sales of this cigar helps out Jes

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si Flores and his daughter’s health issues. He is responsible for the artwork as well. This is a toro, 6″ x 52, with a San Andrés wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and fillers. I though it had some earthy flavors with a lot of cocoa notes.  I liked it a lot.  Kevin Schweitzer is the owner of the company, and  in addition to a background in finance, is a magician, hence the name.  This cigar made me think of my friend Frank Seltzer, who passed away last year. I actually thought I was going to have a hard draw on this pre-light, but it was fine, although it inexplicably got tight for a stretch around half way through. 

 

I’ve been putting off smoking this brand since the PCA show, mostly because I was so thoroughly unimpressed with its sibling brand, Montosa.  I found both Montosa examples I smoked to be incredibly sub-par, and was surprised when Two Guys Smoke Shop/The Cigar Authority named it their cigar of the year.  So I was concerned that the Terra Nova would give me a similar experience.  I have both the Terra Nova Dark Fired Kentucky and the Arapirique blends in a torpedo shape, so I chose the Dark Fired first.  The wrapper is an Ecuador Connecticut, the binders are Bahia and Sumatra (actually I’m guessing its a double binder, maybe it’s Brazilian grown Sumatra?), and the fillers are Dominican, Nicaraguan, Brazilian and Dark Fired Kentucky.  I took a good whiff o this before lighting, expecting the campfire-like aroma one gets from a Drew Estate Kentucky Fire Cured.  I found

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no such aroma, thankfully.  I find that heavy campfire aroma off putting.  This was a woody tasting blend, but a sweet wood, and it wasn’t bad!  I kinda liked it and look forward to smoking the Araparique.  

 

 

The Casa 1910 brand is fairly new to the market. Someone encouraged me to visit their booth at the PCA show, I don’t remember who I was with at the time. I came across this sample of the Chuchillo Parado, which is a 5″ x 50 robusto and seems to be only available in this size.  It’s a Mexican puro, with San Andrés Negro tobaccos wrapped in a Mexican Sumatra wrapper.  It was a very nice looking cigar, not at all like the Mexican puros I started out smoking in the 90’s.  Nor did it taste like those cigars, which were almost a dirty flavor.  This had a unique spice component, which stuck to the palate, almost, like licorice, but not licorice, if that makes sense.  This cigar smoked really well, and was quite satisfying.  I’d pick up more if I saw them.  

 

The giant guitar sculpture I talked about last week made its way to Joliet, Il and was affixed to the front of the Rock and Roll Museum and Rick Nielsen was there for the lighting ceremony. Rick Nielsen is a cigar smoker, and his son actually works with the Cigar-Coop team. My wife met him quite a few years ago and gave him a cigar, and we ran into him six years ago when we were at the NAMM show. I would have loved to have been in Joliet for the ceremony. That’s all for today, until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

 

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by | January 20, 2023 · 7:29 am

News: Casa de Ortez Announced

I found this interesting fr a couple reasons.  Indiana Ortez was introduced to the cigar world by Ventura Cigars, and was the next big name in cigar making.  Then she showed up briefly with Mambacho/Favili in Granada.  Some of us had been wondering what happened to her.  I also thought Altadis owned the “Ortez” name, but I guess as long as she doesn’t name a cigar Ortez it’s OK? I can’t say I’ve ever smoked a cigar she’s blended, but I’m interested. Also, the initials are CDO, which is OCD in alphabetical order, as it should be.

 

Indiana Ortez launches Casa De Ortez and announces her founding of the new cigar company that highlights the Ortez Tobacco family.

 

 

Indiana Ortez, the youngest of the third generation of the Ortez tobacco family based in Condega, Nicaragua, has announced her launching of Casa De Ortez, a company celebrating the quality and experience of Nicaragua’s oldest tobacco family. The company, founded in 2022,

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is what Indiana considers the rightly timed release of a culmination of seven decades of Nicaraguan tobacco experience.

 

Indian Ortez has taken the reins in dedicating herself to telling the world the story started by her grandfather at the first family farm in Condega many decades ago. Encouraged by her family, Indiana has launched her first company that delivers to consumers worldwide the vertically integrated processes of the Ortez family, doing so based on her experience in cigar production and marketing.

 

 

Working with and amongst her father, uncles, aunts and siblings, Indiana tells the Ortez story, rich in Nicaraguan heritage, one quality cigar at a time. Indiana, founder of Casa De Ortez and youngest of the third generation of Ortez states, “One of the more important things I have learned is in tobacco you have to do things correctly to last. Casa De Ortez is the way the history of my family and our work can be told and shared. I am so excited to finally launch and work even closer alongside my family, and I will humbly try to do Condega justice and work to make it a household name for cig

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ar enjoyers everywhere.” With Indiana being well known for her blending and working alongside notable companies and individuals, consumers can expect a deep experience of proprietary tobaccos, rich blends, and a focus of bringing Condega to its rightfully deserved popularity as a tobacco town from the position of on-pulse market approach that is rooted in classic tobacco processes.

 

Retailers and distributors worldwide can expect Casa De Ortez products to launch in the Spring of 2023, with the first announced brand, Primavera, which releases with three vitolas and blends already completed by Ortez. Pricing sheets and market-release schedules can be expected by media and retailers as soon as March 2023. Consumers, retailers, and media interested in learning more are encouraged to visit the Casa De Ortez landing page and submit their email to keep up to date with the launch.

 

Contact Info:
Instagram: @casaortez

Email: indiana@casadeortez.com

Website: www.casadeortez.com

 

AB

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OUT CASA DE ORTEZ.

Casa De Ortez is a premium cigar company headquartered in Condega, Nicaragua & dedicated to celebrating the st

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ory & legacy of the Ortez family, Nicaragua’s oldest tobacco family. Founded & proudly presented by Indiana Ortez, the youngest of the third generation, Casa De Ortez showcases the Ortez family’s generational quality & expertise by producing cigars that truly embody a richly authentic Nicaraguan heri

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tage. With the Ortez family’s vertical integration spanning from growing tobacco, pre-i

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ndustry, aging & fermentation, & premium cigar production, Casa De Ortez handcrafts products backed by over seven decades of Nicaraguan tobacco experience & delivers to consumers worldwide a legacy-worthy expression of Nicaragua.

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by | January 15, 2023 · 10:31 am

Cubao, Wunderlust and Protocol Cigars and Gigantar!

I was poking around one of the humidors and realized I’d smoked a few Cubao Cameroon Churchills from Ortega Cigars and never mentioned them here.  Eddie is still making some great cigars, he’s using the TACASA S.A. factory.  This cigar has a Cameroon wrapper, like the name suggests, Indonesian binder and

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Nicaraguan fillers.  It smoked well and had a pleasing flavor. There was the nutty Cammerooniness that is inherent in the wrapper.  Well worth

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$20 for a five pack, as all of the cigar I’ve smoked from Ortega seem to be.  Shop Ortega Cigars and sign up for his email list, great bargains and cigars! I am especially fond of the Serie D Maduros!

 

I smoked another cigar from my Secret Santa this year, a Wunder|lust Fiorella, from RomaCraft.  This is a brand that’s only sold in Germany, from what I can tell.  The cigar is a corona gorda, 5 5/8″ x 46, has a Mata Fina wrapper from Brazil, Indonesian binder and, one would suspect, although it’s not disclosed, Nicaraguan fillers.  The Europeans seem to like Brazilian tobacco, brands like Villiger actually make cigars there for the European market.  For those who don’t know, this size is named for Skip Martin’s youngest daughter.  I love the size, always been one of my favorites after the toro.  Clearly, this cigar has Manbacco and Tastoterone, like it’s sibling blends, with a bold punch to start out.  It continues to be a full bodied cigar for me, surprised the Europeans like this so much.  I love the coffee notes and heavy tobacco.  This is probably hard to get, but definitely worthwhile!

 

Photo by Jennifer V.Yesterday I had a chance to talk to someone I featured in my “Celebrity Cigar Chats” back in 2010, Jim Babjak, guitar player and founding member of The Smithereens. We went to the unveiling of the Illinois Rock And Roll Museum‘s newest piece, which will be on their Rt 66 building. It’s a 24’ guitar sculpture, Gigantar, which was made by Shannon, world famous for her airbrush paintings.  This is an impressive sculpture which will be making its way to it’s new home from The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, which is where the unveiling took place.  Jim and Dennis Diken, the drummer for the Smithereens, were there for the unveiling, and Rick Nielsen from Cheap Trick (another cigar guy), will be in Joliet, IL for the dedication.  It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen Jim an Dennis, and while it was too cold and windy ou

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tside for us to smoke, I gifted Jim a couple cigars. I’ve been a fan of the Smithereens since the ’80s and it was really cool to talk to Jim about cigars!  

 

Last night I grabbed another Churchill, the Protocol Cyber Crimes Unit, from a Protocol Churchill sampler I bought from Discount Cigar Warehouse, and I think some of these

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may be exclusive to that store. Anyway, I’ve been rather looking forward to smoking this cigar, it’s a Nicaraguan puro with a Rosado Nicaraguan Habano wrapper, which smoked much darker than that, if that makes sense.  I absolutely loved this cigar. It has a creaminess, but with heavy cocoa flavors.  Bittersweet chocolate came to mind.  I thought it was great and have to get some more.  Good stuff!

 

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

 

CigarCraig

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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by | January 10, 2023 · 7:00 am

News: J.C. Newman Cigar Co. Releases 2023 José Gaspar Cigars

This is pretty regional, and not something I generally share, but it’s pretty cool and the video that J.C.Newman produced for this made me laugh. This looks like a very accessible

blend.  

 

J.C. Newman Cigar Co. Releases 2023 José Gaspar Cigars

Celebrates Tampa’s two world-famous traditions, cigars and Gasparilla

 

Tampa has two-century-old traditions: Since 1885, Tampa has been known as “Cigar City.” Since 1904, pirates have been invading Tampa and throwing a large festival

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called Gasparilla. Today, J.C. Newman Cigar Co. brings both traditions together by introducing José Gaspar cigars. Handcrafted by J.C. Newman, a 127-year-old, four-generation family business, José Gaspar cigars pack a punch perfect for any pirate.

 

“José Gaspar was one of most feared pirates in the Americas,” said Drew Newman, fourth-generation owner. “Sailing from his base near Tampa Bay in the late 1700s, he terrorized the Gulf of Mexico and amassed a great fortune. Gaspar celebrated victories with a bold and flavorful cigar. This cigar honors his legacy and the tradition of Gasparilla.”

 

 

This year, J.C. Newman is releasing 10,000 José Gaspar cigars. The 2023 release of José Gaspar is a 6’ x 54 cigar wrapped with an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper. The 2023 José Gaspar cigars are sold in packs of 5 cigars with an MSRP of $40. José Gaspar cigars are only available at the following locations in the Cigar City of Tampa, Florida:

 

Casa de Montecristo
Cigar Castle
Cigar City Brewery
Corona Cigar Company
Edwards Pipe and Tobacco
Grand Cathedral
Hotel Haya
J.C. Newman Cigar Museum and Factory Store
King Corona International Plaza
King Corona Cigars
Tobacco Depot
Vincent & Tampa Cigar Co

 

“When pirates invade Tampa and parade down Bayshore Boulevard on January 28, they will be enjoying José Gaspar cigars,” said Newman. “Just like the pirates of Gasparilla, however, José Gaspar cigars will sail out of Tampa Bay at the end of January and will not be available again until next year.”

 

About J.C. Newman Cigar Co.

Founded in 1895 by Julius Caeser Newman, J.C. Newman Cigar Company is the oldest family-owned premium cigar maker in America. J.C. Newman rolls its El Reloj, Factory Throwouts, and Trader Jacks cigars by hand-operated, vintage cigar machines at its historic cigar factory in Tampa, Florida. It also hand rolls its Brick House, Perla del Mar, El Baton, and Quorum cigars at the J.C. Newman PENSA cigar factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. J.C. Newman’s Diamond Crown, MAXIMUS, Julius Caeser, and Black Diamond cigars are handmade by Tabacalera A. Fuente in the Dominican Republic. With its longtime partners the Fuente family, the Newmans founded the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation, which supports low-income families in the Dominican Republic with education, health care, vocational training, and clean water.

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