by | June 21, 2022 · 12:10 pm

News: Fratello Announces PCA Exclusive ViceVersa

I’ve smoked this cigar, two of them, actually.  I’m not sure why CigarProp isn’t mentioned in this press release, Kevin was instrumental in the development of this project. I know this from talking to both him and Omar.  Anyway, it’s an interesting smoke and a unique concept.

 

Omar de Frias is proud to announce the company’s 9th-anniversary blend, The VICEVERSA. The VICEVERSA will be making its debut as an exclusive to PCA Members.

 

“This project is easily one of the most challenging projects I have had the pleasure to work on. We blended a cigar and tripled capped both ends. The consumer decides if they want to start their smoking experience Mild and Creamy or Strong and spicy.” Said de Frias.

 

The VICE​VERSA will debut as a 7 x 52 Vitola with an MSRP of 15.00 per cigar. “We limited the production to 2,000 boxes of 12 cigars each due to the complexity and manpower required to accurately blend this cigar”. Said de Frias.

The Fratello Vice Versa is comprised of a Habano Ecuador HVA Wrapper, Indonesian Binder and Pennsylvania, Nicaragua Esteli and Nicaragua Condega filler tobacco manufactured at the La Aurora Cigar Factory in the Dominican Republic. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to PCA.

 

Share

Comments Off on News: Fratello Announces PCA Exclusive ViceVersa

Filed under News

Tagged as , , , ,

by | June 19, 2022 · 9:10 am

Red Meat Lovers Battleship New Jersey Meat and Cigars Event

Happy Father’s Day to everyone! Later today I will smoke an Esperanza Para Los Niños torpedo, a cigar which was my traditional Father’s Day cigar for the better part of 20 years, until I smoked the last cigar out of the box I bought in June of 2000. An old friend sent me the better part of a box earlier this year so I could continue the tradition, after taking last year off.  For those unfamiliar, this cigar was made by Christian Eiroa with the help of some members of the alt.smokers.cigars Usenet group back in 1999 and sold to benefit children orphaned by hurricane Mitch. It’s a maduro cigar, and the last one’s I smoked had held up well over the 20 years, we’ll see how they’ve continued to mature later today!  Thanks Roger Farnsworth!  

 

Thursday

buy mounjaro online http://careunited.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/jpg/mounjaro.html no prescription pharmacy

evening we had the great fortune of attending

buy clindamycin online https://neramedprep.org/scripts/css/clindamycin.html no prescription pharmacy

the Red Meat Lover’s Club “meating” on the Battleship New Jersey, which is docked right across the river from

buy ozempic online http://careunited.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/jpg/ozempic.html no prescription pharmacy

Philadelphia in Camden, NJ. I’ve seen it, but never been aboard, one day I would love to go back and take the tour.  It’s a big ship, and we dined on the fantail. The event was a benefit for the ship, and it’s my hope that a substantial sum was raised, I know that we contributed through the silent auction (my wife purchased a Beatles piece). We arrived early and hung out with Steve Saka (my wife now refers to him as “SquishySquatch”), who was also early, so that was nice. The food was amazing and abundant. Guys were walking around sucking on tomahawk bones, we had cheese steaks, smashburgers, delicious ribeye, and “macaroni and cheese” from an outfit from my wife’s ancestral home of Abruzzo, Italy.  I was trying to steer (😉) clear of carbs and stick to proteins at this event, but the pasta was outrageously good. I also got sucked into some rolls, as the cheesesteak and smashburgers seemed to be a bad idea without them. I consumed a satisfying amount, and they had cookies too!  I skipped the pig, and there was something salad-like I saw (that’s what food eats!) Evan Darnell, the secretary of steak, the head cheese, the ringleader of this whole thing, put on an amazing event. We even got to hang out with some old and new friends! Kevin and Jessica from CigarProp were there, and I finally got to meat and hang out with Lee McClain, LeeMack912 on Youtube.  Lee was one of those guys who, even though you’ve never met, you feel like you know, and you’re instant friends, great dude. We also met some other great folks there, and saw other old friends, it was a good time. I highly recommend attending a Red Meat Lovers Club event if one comes to your area.  Since Saka was the cigar sponsor, of course the cigars were outstanding, everyone got a bag with a Sobremesa Brulee, a Mi Querida and a Sin Compromiso, all top notch smokes. Casa de Montecristo was there selling Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust cigars as well. Let me tell you, there’s not many things better than a Sin Compromiso after a smorgasbord of meat!  Thanks Evan!

 

 

 

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

 

CigarCraig

Share

2 Comments

Filed under Events, Review

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

by | June 18, 2022 · 8:55 am

News: CAO Launches BX3 Cigar

One more news item today, then I’ll start working on tomorrow’s post about the event I attended this week.  Something new from CAO? I’ll be honest, I kind of thought with the exit of Rick Rodriguez we’d be seeing less from the brand. Of course, CAO was one of the first to popularize Brazilian tobacco in premium cigars with the Brazilia, and have done a lot with it since.  I look forward to smoking this as I’ve long been a fan of the Brazilia (and 2 out of the 4 Amazon Basin cigars!).  

 

 

CAO DEBUTS BX3

CAO has always had a rebellious streak (think MX2, CX2, LX2), and the brand’s maverick approach to blending is taking another leap forward through its latest expression: CAO BX3.

 

BX3 is a new collection that harnesses “three times the Brazilian tobaccos” in one robust blend.

 

Focusing on the primary growing regions of Northeastern Brazil, CAO BX3 is made with sweet and aromatic Mata Fina and hearty, vibrant Arapiraca tobaccos that are used as wrapper, binder, and filler in an exciting, four-country blend.  

 

Ed Lahmann, CAO’s senior brand manager said, “Being trailblazers of tobacco is in CAO’s DNA, and with BX3, we’re continuing to pilot the path. Our inspiration was the legendary X series which had put our blending expertise on the map. With BX3, we set out to take the best of Brazilian tobacco and bring it to the next level. The easy thing to do would have been to make a Brazilian puro. Our blending team went that route, and it felt like we were just dialing it in. So they kept at it, peppering in Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Mexican tobaccos in just the right proportions to add character, dimension and layers to the smoke. We’re really proud of the way the blend turned out. To us, BX3 is everything

a Brazilian-centric smoke should be. It’s memorable, savory and thought-provoking and it complements our portfolio beautifully.”

 

Handcrafted in Nicaragua at STG Estelí, CAO BX3’s is enrobed in a Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper, has a Brazilian Arapiraca binder and a blend of rich and robust filler tobaccos from Brazil, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Honduras. All told, the tobaccos create a medium-bodied smoke, that’s rich in character and deeply enjoyable with notes of espresso, dark chocolate, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne, and white pepper. 

 

 

CAO BX3 will be a full-time line, available in all channels. The three-frontmark collection is packed in boxes containing 20 cigars and will begin shipping in the first week in July.

 

BX3 Robusto (5” x 52) —  SRP per cigar $8.99

BX3 Toro (6” x 54) —  SRP per cigar $9.49

BX3 Gordo (6” x 60) —  SRP per cigar $10.49

 

About CAO

CAO was originally launched in 1993 by Cano Ozgener, who was the founder of CAO International Inc.,

a company that up until that point was known for its tobacco pipes. The General Cigar Co., inherited the entire portfolio of CAO’s preexisting brands after Swedish Match and ST Cigar Group Holdings merged in 2010, and the tobacco giant still distributes the brand and all its lines.

Share

1 Comment

Filed under News

Tagged as , , ,

by | · 8:43 am

News: Drew Estate’s Flying Pigs Set for Spring Release

 

The site has been down for a couple days for maintenance, but I’m back and catching up! Here’s some news from Drew Estate. They aren’t going to mention it, but the FLying Pig vitola was Steve Saka’s idea when he was president of Drew Estate.  It’s a cool size, I have a few floating around one of my humidors someplace, maybe I’ll pull one out this weekend!

 

Drew Estate’s Flying Pigs have been cleared for take-off for their annual Spring release!!! One of Drew Estate’s most popular vitolas, the Flying Pigs (100mm x 60) are now available.

 

Based on a photograph in an 1895 cigar salesman’s size selection catalog, the Flying Pig vitola’s unique size and signature pigtail requires specialized training for buncheros and rolleras at La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate in Estelí, Nicaragua. Only a few of La Gran Fabrica’s employees are certified to make the cigars, limiting Flying Pigs to two annual seasonal releases in the Spring and the Fall. Kentucky Fire Cured, Undercrown Maduro, Undercrown Shade and Undercrown Sun Grown Flying Pigs will be available to all premium cigar retailers. Liga Privada No. 9 and Liga Privada T52 Flying Pigs will only be available at participating Drew Diplomat Program partners.

 

 

Featuring a double wrapper of a fire-cured Tapa Negra leaf at the head and a Mexican San Andres Maduro leaf at the foot, the Kentucky Fire Cured Flying Pig is a smoky and savory treat with a filler tobacco blend of Kentucky seed tobacco, grown and fire-cured in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and rich Nicaraguan and Brazilian tobaccos. Kentucky Fire Cured Flying Pigs are presented in 12-count boxes and have an MSRP of $131.40 per box.

 

“Born on the Factory Floor” at La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate, Undercrown has been the peoples’ champion for more than a decade, and the Undercrown Flying Pig vitola is available in three expressions: Maduro, Shade and Sun Grown. The original Undercrown cigar, Undercrown Maduro boldly showcases the deep, rich complexity of the famed San Andres Maduro leaf. With an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, Undercrown Shade is more mellow but offers an equally expressive flavor profile that’s lush, smooth and creamy. Undercrown Sun Grown adds a touch of spice that grabs the palate’s attention without masking the underlying Nicaraguan tobacco’s zesty and earthy characteristics. All Undercrown Flying Pigs are packaged in 12-count boxes and have an MSRP of $171.60 per box.

 

The famed wrapper leaves cultivated in the Connecticut River Valley breathe life into the Liga Privada No. 9 and Liga Privada T52 Flying Pigs, which will be available exclusively to Drew Diplomat Program participants. A broadleaf bully with a dark, rugged and flavorful wrapper, Liga Privada No. 9 is dense, hearty and intense, yet surprisingly smooth. Utilizing a Connecticut Habano stalk-cut and stalk-cured seed variety that’s grown exclusively for Drew Estate for its capa, Liga Privada T52 is full-bodied, spicy and bold with notes of leather, caramel, earth and gritty black pepper. Both Liga Privada Flying Pig expressions are packaged in 12-count boxes with an MSRP of $198 per box.

 

“Flying Pigs are distinctly Drew Estate,” says Jonathan Drew, Founder and President of Drew Estate. “There are very few things in life more satisfying than cracking a fresh box of Drew Estate’s piggies and being hit with that aroma and the visuals. You can’t help but immediately, desperately, spark one up. Ya’ll know it’s the truth!!!”

 

 

About Drew Estate

Founded in New York City in 1996, Drew Estate has become one of the fastest growing tobacco companies in the world. Under their mantra “The Rebirth of Cigars”, Drew Estate has led the “Boutique Cigar” movement by innovating new elements to the tobacco industry with their unique tobaccos and blending styles that attract new and traditional cigar enthusiasts. In their Gran Fabrica Drew Estate, the Nicaraguan headquarters, Drew Estate produces a variety of brands such as ACID, Herrera Estelí, Herrera Estelí Norteño, Isla del Sol, Kentucky Fired Cured, Liga Privada, MUWAT, Larutan by Drew Estate, Nica Rustica, Pappy Van Winkle Barrel Fermented Cigars, Tabak Especial, Undercrown, Florida Sun Grown, and Java by Drew Estate.

Share

Comments Off on News: Drew Estate’s Flying Pigs Set for Spring Release

Filed under News

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | June 14, 2022 · 6:10 pm

News: STG Acquires Room 101 Cigars, Hires Matt Booth

Crazy news from STG!  I have it on good authority that they were in the market for a boutique cigar company to purchase, I’m a little surprised at this though.  Considering the amount of money I heard thrown around,  Mr. Booth would have to be mad to not consider making a deal.  Obviously, he did! I’m hopeful that everyone involved makes the most of this opportunity! 

 

 

Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) announces today that the company has acquired the Room101 cigar brand from Matt Booth and has retained Booth as creative director.

 

 

The acquisition is limited to Room101 cigars and accessories and does not include any

buy flexeril online https://fromaddictiontorecovery.com/Sweden/png/flexeril.html no prescription pharmacy
of Matt Booth’s other Room101 entities
buy zepbound online https://fromaddictiontorecovery.com/Sweden/png/zepbound.html no prescription pharmacy
.

 

Régis Broersma, president of STG’s North America and Rest of World divisions said, “Our acquisition of Room101 Cigars is a strategic move for both STG and Matt Booth, and underpins our collective drive to shake up the category. Matt is a creative force and we’ve admired his ability to surprise and delight the market. On top of that, the Room101 cigar portfolio represents a blue ocean of blends and taste profiles we haven’t been playing in. So this acquisition gives us an even deeper opportunity to innovate and unlock the brand’s potential. We

buy keflex online https://patersoncounseling.org/pccboard/html/keflex.html no prescription pharmacy
’re looking forward to tapping Matt’s bou
buy wegovy online https://patersoncounseling.org/pccboard/html/wegovy.html no prescription pharmacy
ndless creativity, to doing some really cool cigar projects with him and to working alongside him to keep Room101 true to its roots.”   

 

Matt Booth said, “In my 13 years in this industry, I’ve fought hard to foster Room101’s stance in market and now it is time as a brand to ascend to the next level. This arrangement is nothing short of a watershed moment for myself and our brand family. Room101 Cigars has found its forever home with STG and I am extremely excited to be part of a company that is willing to invest in creative integrity and bold innovation. This partnership will empower Room101 Cigars to stretch outward and become the first true global craft brand in the category.”

Room101 Cigars complements STG’s handmade cigar portfolio which features a stable of heritage and boutique brands. 

 

Room101 will be represented exclusively by STG’s Forged Cigar Company. 

 

The transaction was completed on June 10, 2022. Terms of the deal are not being disclosed.

 

Régis concluded, “Our acquisition of Room101 Cigars represents our willingness to invest in brands with strong growth potential, and we will continue to explore opportunities to expand our market-leading portfolio.”

 

About Scandinavian Tobacco Group

Scandinavian Tobacco Group A/S is a world-leading manufacturer of handmade and machine-rolled cigars with an annual production of more than four billion cigars. The Group holds market-leading positions in several categories and its products are sold in more than 100 markets. Scandinavian Tobacco Group is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark  and employs approximately 10,000 people globally. The Group is also the largest internet and catalog retailer of cigars and related accessories in the US, where STG has over 1 million active online consumers. For more information please visit www.st-group.com

 

About Room101 Cigars

Room101 entered the premium tobacco space in 2009, bringing transformative innovation to the category. Founder Matt Booth proudly served in a cast of characters and branding disruptors in the creation of what has ultimately become the boutique segment of the market. Inspired by the European jet set brands of the 1960s and anchored in Los Angeles, the Room101 portfolio includes Payback, 10th Annv, Doomsayer,  Farce, Hit and Run and The T, as well as Snake Shake, a limited edition release. Please visit www.room101cigars.com for more details.

 

About Forged Cigar Company

Developed to deepen support for the brick and mortar channel, Forged Cigar Company launched in 2021 as an independent national cigar distribution network. Bolstered by independent marketing and customized programming, Forged Cigar Company’s portfolio includes a curated mix of established and cult brands such as Partagas, La Gloria Cubana, Bolivar Cofradia, Diesel and Chillin’ Moose. Forged Cigar Company’s mission includes leveraging relationships with its proprietary network of cigar factories to deliver product innovations uniquely timed to meet retailer and consumer needs

Share

Comments Off on News: STG Acquires Room 101 Cigars, Hires Matt Booth

Filed under News

Tagged as , , , , ,