CigarCraig's Blog

by Craig Vanderslice | May 16, 2021 · 10:37 am

Black Lion Luxuries Cigar of the Month Club for March

First off, I noticed that my e-mail notifications suddenly started working again, something that’s been screwed up since I updated my site to SSL. I still have some work to do with my host, I think, I just need to get on the phone with them and fight, the people I’ve talked to don’t seem to know what an RSS feed is, and it’s a little important in the blogging business. I will need to find a new e-mail service in the near future anyway and I need to have the RSS stuff working right. Enough of the technical details that you don’t care about, let’s talk about some cigars. I’ve recently been re-introduced to the Cigar of the Month Club business model, and the folks at Black Lion Luxuries shared theirs with me and I wanted to tell you all about my experience. First, I’m a little behind, so I opened the March pack, which included five cigars. I’m led to believe that the reasonable expectation is four cigars, and for $30 ($about $38 delivered, depending on where you live), that’s a pretty darned good value for the cigars I’m seeing in these packs. I went through the pack this week, and let me tell a little about them.

I’m not going to do a paragraph on each cigar, I smoked them at my leisure, for my own enjoyment, concentrating on the overall experience of the cigars as delivered by the vendor if that makes sense. I do have to some comments though. Regarding the Eiroa cigars: I’ve actually known Christian Eiroa for a long time, we go back to the Usenet days like Saka, and I know him personally, but he’s never, in 20 years, handed me a cigar. I’ve bought a bunch of his cigars, I used to love Camachos, but I haven’t loved the CLEs I’ve bought for some reason. These two Eiroa First 20 Years are a different story, with a nod going to the 646, which was truly exceptional. I haven’t had a cigar this good from Christian Eiroa ever. I believe Will Cooper gave the 550 a number one cigar of the year a few years ago, and I can’t find fault with that assessment. There have been times I’ve spent $30 on 2 cigars and not enjoyed them as much as these two, and there were three more really good cigars left in the pack!

OK, one more paragraph. I happened to work out that Mel Shah of MBombay cigars had a birthday this week, so I smoked the MBombay Classic Torpedo in his honor. I’ve lost touch with Mel, and I’m not sure what’s going on with the brand, but they are really good cigars. This is another cigar which which I have some history, first, the factory that makes these makes Vegas de Santiago in Costa Rica, and that name probably doesn’t mean much to most people, but it’s a brand that I’ve smoked a bunch of years ago. It’s also the same factory that makes the Byron and Atabey cigars. It’s a delicious Connecticut Shade cigar that deserves a try, it’s one I’ll gravitate towards if I crave a shade. If the Eiroa 646 wasn’t the best cigar in the bunch, the Todos Las Dias was. I’ll admit it took me a few cigars to warm up to this blend, but it’s delicious, and my favorite size, the 6″ x 52 toro too. Finally, the Punch Rare Corojo Pita, another Toro, which is the only sub-$10 cigar in the pack, and a really tasty smoke in my opinion. I’ve always liked the Rare Corojo, despite it not being Corojo, and hardly being rare.

I have to say, pick any three cigars in the Black Lion Luxuries Cigar of the Month pack, and you’ve got your money’s worth, the other two are gravy. All of the cigars smoked perfectly, and arrived in pristine condition. I realize they are only making a short trip from Harrisburg, PA to my home in suburban Philadelphia, but with today’s USPS, that potentially could be a long trip! These five cigars made for a great week of smoking for me, first impressions are extremely good for Black Lion Luxuries Cigars, and they seem to have other good deals on the website as well! I look forward to getting into the April selection! By the way, Check out RonRealTV, Ron helps in the selection of the Cigar of the Month Club cigars, and has a popular YouTube Channel! Thank you to Black Lion Luxuries Cigars for sharing their CIgar of the Month Club with me.

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

CigarCraig

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Tagged as Black Lion Luxuries, cigar, cigars, Eiroa, First 20 Years, MBombay, Punch Rare Corojo, Todos Las Dias

by Craig Vanderslice | May 11, 2021 · 9:40 pm

Macanudo Inspirado Brazilian Shade, Cohiba Serie M and Some News

I am going to try to rewrite the post that I lost Sunday, it probably won’t be as fantastic as that one, but who will know? It’s always the brilliant posts that disappear! I should learn to write my posts in Notes or something other than directly in WordPress, but I never learn. It’s supposed to autosave, and usually does, but every now and then there’s a glitch that is irritating (OK, it makes me nearly lose my mind). Anyway, I was writing about the new Macanudo Inspirado Brazilian Shade, a cigar I smoked last week. I posted about this in the middle of April (HERE). This is the sixth Macanudo Inspirado, There’s the Orange, White, Black, Red, and Green, the last of which is the Brazilian Maduro. Oddly, the Red is my favorite of the bunch, although I bought some of the Orange in a small torpedo shape in Iceland, where Thulin, who owns the cigar shop in Reykjavik, told me was his best seller. It was a little over $8, which was inexpensive by Icelandic standards, where the Cuban cigars, and most everything else, were very expensive. By the way, fun fact, if you Google “cigars in Iceland my article is still one of the top search results. Clearly there isn’t a lot written about cigars in Iceland. The Inspirado Brazilian Shade is an interesting cigar. I admit to shade cigars not being my first choice, but this one was delicious. I like the fact that the toro size is 6½” x 52, and I would certainly smoke the Churchill size too. It was a nice, long, cool smoke, with rich, sweet, creamy flavor. I found it to be quite enjoyable. While I do enjoy the Macanudo Inspirado White (for a Connecticut Shade cigar), I liked this one quite a bit more, much like I enjoy the Green Brazilian maduro over the Inspirado Black, which, oddly enough for a Maduro lover, is my least favorite in the range.

Last week I also smoked a couple of the new Cohiba Serie M, the new Cohiba made at El Titan de Bronze in Miami. As I posted In the press release in early April

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(HERE), This is the first Cohiba made in the U.S., of course Sean Williams had cigars made at El Titan de Bronze for his company El Primer Mundo in the past, so he’s familiar with the factory. I first met Sean at the 2011 IPCPR show, along with his buddy, and El Titan’s owner, Sandy Cobas’ son-in-law Willy Herrera, before he went to work for Drew Estate. I’m 6′ tall and felt short with those two, by the way. Anyway, I guess I’ve known Sean a long time, I consider him a friend, and I’m so happy he’s been able to make this cigar. Another first for Cohiba is the Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper, which is closed at the food and finished with a fan at the head. It’s a fairly delicate leaf, and the cigar is very good. It’s a sophisticated cigar. as a $30 should be. I’m reminded of another favorite cigar of mine which was also made at the same factory, of which I am hoarding a small stash. It’s a smooth, delicious cigar, with some sweet wood and spice.

It’s old news now, but I was going to include it in Sunday’s post, so I might as w

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ell include it here, as it fits in with the theme of this post. I don’t think I’ve had a Macanudo Gold Label since my visit to the General Cigar factory back in 2011. I can’t believe it’s been nearly ten years! Is it time for a reunion?

MACANUDO GOLD LABEL RETURNS TO RETAIL

Macanudo Gold Label is making its annual return for a limited time only and is marking the occasion with a new, limited edition parejo.

Originally released in 2002, the line was inspired by a special golden Connecticut Shade leaf and has, for nearly two decades, remai

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ned a perennial favorite among discerning cigar aficionados.

Laurel Tilley, Macanudo’s brand ambassador said, “Year after year, anticipation for the annual release of Macanudo Gold Label continues to build. The brand boldly bucks the trend for powerhouse smokes with its alluringly mellow, creamy notes, offering cigar lovers the oppo

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rtunity to create indulgent, memorable moments. I’m looking forward to enjoying this amazing smoke with cigar lovers across the country.”

Macanudo Gold Label will be available for shipment to retailers between today and July 30, 2021 or until this year’s allotment has been depleted. A total of eight frontmarks will be available, including the Gold Label “Gigante” which is a new, limited edition release for the 2021 season.

Macanudo Gold Label cigars are named for the brand’s golden wrapper leaves harvested from the first and second primings of the Connecticut Shade tobacco plant. Exposed to less sunlight which allows more natural sugars to remain, each leaf is extremely thin and remarkably supple with barely visible veins. The result is a texture that is especially smooth and silky, and a subtle hint of sweetness on the palate.

The Capa Especial (special wrapper) is combined with the first and second primings of Mexican San Andreas tobacco which is used as the binder, and features a blend of Dominican Piloto Cubano and Mexican tobaccos. The result is an extraordinary cigar with the traditional smoothness of a Macanudo and a unique note of sweet earth not found in any other cigar on the market.

Pres

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ented in boxes with gold foil accents, Macanudo Gold Label is available in these large-cigar sizes:

Hampton Court Tubo (5.5” x 42); SRP per cigar $10.29
Lord Nelson (7” x 49); SRP per cigar $10.79
Tudor (6” x 52); SRP per cigar $10.49
Duke of York (5.25” x 54); SRP per cigar $9.99
Gold Pyramid (5” x
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54); SRP per cigar $10.49
Shakespeare (6.5” x 45); SRP per cigar $9.79
Crystal (5.5 x 50); SRP per cigar $10.79
*New for 2021* Gold Gigante: (6” x 60); SRP per cigar $10.49

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

CigarCraig

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Tagged as Brazilian Shade, cigar, cigars, cohiba, Gold Label, Inspirado, macanudo, Serie M

by Craig Vanderslice | May 9, 2021 · 2:01 pm

La Gloria Cubana Colección Reserva Presidente Prime Living Ariticle

You’ll have to excuse me, my day started with a migraine, then I just finished typing my post up and then it vanished so I have to start over, so I’m a little irritated. So I’ll re-write that post later and post an article that was published in the Spring 2018 issue of Prime Living magazine. This near the end of my four year run as the cigar feature writer for that magazine. That was a fun gig, and I enjoyed having a cigar article published in a mainstream publication. Most of my articles are still on their site, Prime-living.com, but take some digging to find.

La Gloria Cubana Colección Reserva Presidente

by Craig Vanderslice

“Colleción Reserva speaks to the legacy of La Gloria Cubana and proves that while so much has happened with the brand, nothing has changed.” – Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jr.

Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jr., like many cigar makers, left Cuba early in life and came to America. He had dreams of being a jazz drummer, and after trying his hand in New York City, he moved back to Miami to work with his father at his El Credito factory in Little Havana. In the mid ’90s, his La Gloria Cubana cigars were highly rated by the new magazine, Cigar Aficionado, and the brand took off. Eventually Ernesto built a factory in the Dominican Republic to meet the demand.

In a few short years, La Gloria Cubana became one of the most popular brands in the United States, and in 1999 the company was purchased by the company which owns it now, General Cigar Company. Ernesto worked for General Cigar Company for several years before “retiring,” then eventually returning to the cigar industry with E.P. Carrillo Cigars.

Several months ago I had the pleasure of talking with Ernesto Carrillo at a local cigar shop, and one of the points he made was that there is a lot of cooperation in the cigar industry, from other cigar companies helping him source tobacco when he was just starting out to this latest collaboration with the company that he sold his highly successful brand to previously.

Last year, General Cigar Company collaborated with Ernesto Carrillo to produce the La Gloria Cubana Colección Reserva, manufactured at EPC’s Tabacalera La Alianza in Santiago, Dominican Republic, based on a blend Ernesto created in the ’80s, which was one of my favorite cigars, the El Rico Habano.

The Presidente is a large cigar, with tremendous balance and flavor—I’ve tasted cinnamon, sweet honey and earthy flavors. The cigar brings back memories of the El Rico Habano and La Gloria Cubana cigars of the cigar boom of the ’90s.

La Gloria Cubana Colección Reserva Presidente

Size: 7.5” x 54

Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatra

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

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

CigarCraig

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by Craig Vanderslice | May 7, 2021 · 6:11 pm

News: Drew Estate 25th Celebration Bash Set for Texas on September 25th

It’s hard to believe that Drew Estate is celebrating 25 years this year. It’s harder still to believe that 1996 was 25 years ago! Check out the celebration plans. I doubt I’ll be going to the celebration, but who knows, things could change!

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Drew Estate and The Rebirth of Cigars Movement. To celebrate this momentous occasion, the company is inviting you, consumers, retailers and cigar media to its epic blow-out birthday bash, entitled “DE25.” DE25 will be held on Sept. 25 at the Southfork Ranch in Parker, Texas, part of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metropolitan area. The DE25 celebration will include the unveiling of Drew Estate’s newest brands, with a first-to-experience approach for consumers and trade partners together.

Guests who purchase tickets to attend DE25 will receive an onslaught of “packages” worthy of the company’s single biggest milestone event in its history. Before the event, ticket-holders will first receive at their homes a pre-party package of goods that includes exclusive, next level DE25 swag. Later, upon arrival at the Southfork Ranch (made famous in the television show “Dallas”), atten

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dees will receive a numbered commemorative box that is sure to become a serious collector’s item that contains 9 premium Drew Estate cigars. Additionally, guests will receive a very high-end DE25 backpack filled with DE25 branded items, including first-class cigar accessories, plus other surprises that we cannot divulge today.

The DE25 event extravaganza will begin at 2 p.m. with a tailgate pre-party. Attendees will enjoy appetizers,

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Drew Estate cigar brand sensory activations and other new experiences that the company is planning to roll out exclusively for the event, all the while savoring their favorite Drew Estate cigars. The celebration will ramp up at 6 p.m. when guests are invited inside the beautiful event space for the full-monty experience, including live music performances, a full dinner, lots of great spirits … and even more Drew Estate swag and cigars. During DE25, Drew Estate will debut its new major brand releases, as well as several new cigar sizes to existing brands, giving guests the exclusive opportunity to be the first to see, touch and smoke them.

From Wynwood, Miami, Jonathan Drew, Founder and President of Drew Estate says “I imagine that most people are drawn to DE because of our company culture, lifestyle brand, and product innovation … but first and foremost we are a company with a huge heart, which has served as our North Star through 25 orbits around the Earth’s sun. I look forward to DE25 in the deepest sense, to spend this emotional and proud moment with each of you. I can’t wait to see everyone with us, together, on this historic day.”

Since 1996, Drew Estate has led The Rebirth of Cigars Movement, shaking up the premium cigar industry in a disruptive and irreverent New York style that invites everyone to be themselves and celebrate their uniqueness, while enjoying a premium cigar. Based on innovative brands, experiential events, and a heavily embraced company cult

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ure, the Drew lifestyle brand has grown from a small retail kiosk selling premium cigars inside the World Trade Center into a cigar-making juggernaut with one of the world’s largest cigar factories, La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate in Estelí, Nicaragua.

Every step of the way, Drew Estate has relentlessly worked to strengthen its connection with loyal fans, as well as the family of brick & mortar retailers who sell them. Far from being a self-congratulatory slap-on-the-back, DE25 will be a massive extravaganza of gratitude and appreciation for the good people who believe in Drew Estate and continue to journey with the company, one glorious puff at a time.

DE25 attendance will be limited to 2,500 guests. Drew Diplomat members and Drew Estate retailers may purchase tickets at a discounted “Early Bird Special” rate of $350 beginning on May 7 at 3 p.m. Eastern through May 13. Tickets go on sale for the general public on May 14 and cost $400. General admission tickets may be purchased at drewestate.com/de25 starting May 14th.

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 attr

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act 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.

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by Craig Vanderslice | · 5:56 pm

News: Drew Estate Unveils Undercrown 10 to Commemorate its “Decade of Dedication”

Here’s some Friday news. Last night on Drew Estate’s Freestyle Live event they announced this cigar. The cigar was included as a “mystery cigar” with the Freestyle Live pack, and I smoked it and it was really good. I was fooled though, I didn’t think it was a San Andrés wrapped cigar, it tasted more Broadleafy to me, and I wasn’t the only one who thought so. Whatever I think, it was San Anrés and is a great cigar, and I look forward to it’s release. I can remember hearing about the Undercrown back in 2011 when I was at Cigar Safari for the first time. I dig it.

Drew Estate is commemorating ten years of Undercrown with the global release of Undercrown 10, a bold new ultra-premium addition to Undercrown’s current premium lineup of Maduro, Shade and Sun Grown expressions.

To celebrate the brand’s anniversary in 2021, Drew Estate is getting “All Dekked Out,” a tag line that denotes Undercrown 10’s elegant packaging and reinforces the pride of Undercrown’s ten years of excellence. The new, sophisticated packaging is surpassed only by Undercrown 10’s complex, rich and bold blend of ultra-premium aged tobaccos that includes the highest priming of Mexican San Andres dark wrapper, the very finest Broadleaf binder from the Connecticut River Valley, and a tripa blend of select and rare Nicaraguan tobaccos.

“Undercrown 10 offers smokers an experience of Mexican hot chocolate … naturally sweet with hints of raisin and cacao … waves of intense black pepper … along with notes of sun-dried cherries, espresso, woodiness and earthiness,” says La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate Factory Spokesman, Pedro Gomez.

Undercrown 10 will debut with four core vitolas: Toro (6 x 52), Robusto (5 x 50), Corona (5 x 43) and Corona Doble (7 x 50), each available in 20-count boxes. A limited-edition Undercrown 10 “Factory Floor Edition” (6 x 46 Lonsdale) will additionally debut in July. The Undercrown 10 Factory Floor Edit

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ion is packaged in commemorative 20-count boxes, and includes a unique “tobacco leaf library,” offering each lucky purchaser the opportunity to see, smell and touch the very leaves that Drew Estate’s torcedores painstakingly chose for Undercrown 10’s new powerhouse blend. Finally, the Undercrown 10 Tuani Belicoso (6 x 52) will be exclusively available in a special 2-count presentation coffin/box at Undercrown 10 events hosted by Gomez.

Jonathan Drew, Drew Estate’s Founder and President pontificates, “Undercrown is a noble prince of a brand, both humble and loyal, who is now to become a king. The new UC10 expression represents its super-premium platform, sealing the brand’s destiny … as the good king whose brand promise is gratitude for our talented team at La Gran Fabrica. The new UC10 is so incredibly important to Drew Estate that we gave it two slogans, ‘A Decade of Dedication’ and ‘All Dekked Out.’ Add those two slogans to ‘Born on the Factory Floor,’ and the Shakespeare really unfolds.”

Born on the factory floor at La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate, the Undercrown brand is a passionate testament to the creative talent, dedication and self-determination of Drew Estate’s torcedores. Blended with many of the same rare vintages found in Liga Privada, Undercrown quickly became a grand slam for Drew Estate as consumers felt a deep personal connection to the grass-roots firebrand that celebrates the typically unheralded working-class heroes employed at the Drew Estate cigar factory.

Undercrown 10’s core vitolas will ship to retailers beginning in May. MSRPs for the Undercrown 10 cigars will be: Robusto $235/box or $11.75/cigar; Toro $240/box or $12/cigar; Corona Doble $270/box or $13.50/cigar; and Corona Viva $210/box or $10.50/cigar. Undercrown 10 Factory Floor Edition will debut in July with an MSRP of $272/box or $13.60/cigar.

ABOUT DREW ESTATE

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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.