Tag Archives: Forged

by Craig Vanderslice | June 25, 2022 · 6:32 am

News: Diesel Sunday Gravy Grappa Announced

I’ll admit, I’m behind on sampling the Sunday Gravy series. The first one was pretty good, and I’ve been meaning to revisit it. I don’t think I’ve seen any of the others. I’m not a big fan of tomatoes, so that gets into my head a little, and, subconsciously, I don’t tend to look for them. A sampler would be nice, now that there are five versions!

It’s a widely held belief that Italians wrote the book on eating and drinking. Food, libations and socializing are part of the culture and meals can stretch on for hours. Not for the faint of heart is grappa, an Italian-made digestivo made from the distillate of grape seeds, stalks and stems. The distilled spirit is enjoyed as a palate-cleansing firewater. And when the grappa comes out, things get interesting.

Or so says Justin Andrews who explained that the fifth Diesel Sunday Gravy expression was named “Grappa” in a nod to the blend’s bold flavor profile and the brand’s ability to spark conversation. “Diesel Sunday Gravy Grappa, like our previous Sunday Gravy expressions definitely packs a punch. It’s a great, medium-plus blend, handmade with premium tobaccos. And given its affordable price, Diesel Sunday Gravy Grappa is a cigar that’s meant to be smoked with good friends during spirited discussions.”

Blended by AJ Fernandez and Justin Andrews and crafted at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez in Esteli, Nicaragua, Diesel Sunday Gravy Grappa is rolled with an Ecuadoran Habano wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder and Honduran filler. It is a layered smoke that delivers notes of leather, earth and spice.

“Grappa” is being released in a robusto gordo size only.

Grappa (5” x 56); SRP per cigar $4.99

Diesel Sunday Gravy Grappa will be available nationally from July-September 2022, or until the blend is sold out. The sixth and final Sunday Gravy blend will be released in October, 2022.

Diesel cigars are produced by Scandinavian Tobacco Group and distributed by Forged Cigar Company.

About Diesel Sunday Gravy

Diesel Sunday Gravy launched in August 2021 as a full-time line of seasonally-released, Nicaraguan-forward smokes, blended and handcrafted through Diesel’s winning partnership of AJ Fernandez and Justin Andrews. Blends will be released quarterly, sold until their limited supply is deleted and offered at an unbelievable SRP of less than $5.00 per cigar.

About Diesel

Handcrafted by artisans in Esteli, Nicaragua, Diesel cigars are “bold by design.” The brand challenges the current conventions of the handmade cigar category through the bold, unapologetic style of its Cigar Master, AJ Fernandez. Diesel cigars are unified by their deeply complex flavor which is achieved through AJ’s steadfast adherence to time honored cigar making techniques and his insistence on using the highest quality tobacco. The Diesel portfolio includes Hair of the Dog which was released in 2019; Whiskey Row which launched two expressions, one in 2019 and one in 2018, and Diesel Grind which debuted in 2017. For more information, visit www.dieselcigars.com.

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Tagged as aj fernandez, cigar, cigars, diesel, Forged, Grappa, Scandinavian Tobacco Group, STG, Sunday Gravy

by Craig Vanderslice | 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 of Matt Booth’s other Room101 entities.

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’re looking forward to tapping Matt’s boundless 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

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Tagged as cigar, cigars, Forged, Matt Booth, Room101, STG

by Craig Vanderslice | June 7, 2022 · 5:33 pm

News: La Gloria Cubana Launches New Serie S Line

Of course, I’ve been a La Gloria Cubana fan since I started smoking cigars back in the mid-90s. Sure, there’s a few here and there that I don’t care for, but for the most part I enjoy the line. I have one desktop humidor dedicated to the brand, wild, huh? This one sounds like it’ll be right up my alley, taking me back to my first days of smoking cigars, La Glorias and Mexican tobacco!

La Gloria Cubana will debut a new, full-time collection next month. Named “Serie S,” the line marks the first time a Mexican wrapper will be featured in a La Gloria blend.

Steve Abbot, director of marketing for La Gloria Cubana said, “Serie S combines large-ring formats, expert blending and fine craftsmanship in a medium-to-full-bodied smoke. We believe this new collection will be a well-received addition to the brand portfolio.”

For Serie S, the La Gloria Cubana blending team selected a Mexican San Andrés wrapper which is grown in potassium-rich volcanic soil. Following a prolonged, low-temperature fermentation, the Serie S wrapper bears a warm, golden brown color that hints at the slightly sweet, earthy qualities it imparts on the smoking experience. With a Nicaraguan binder and blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican filler tobacco, La Gloria Cubana Serie S also delivers leather, light spice and a pleasant aroma.

La Gloria Cubana Serie S is handcrafted at the El Credito Cigar Factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic.

Shipping in mid-July, La Gloria Cubana Serie S will debut with three sizes, packed in bold black cabinet-style boxes that each house 24 cigars.

Robusto Gordo (5.5” x 56); SRP per cigar $7.99

Gigante (6 “ x 60); SRP per cigar $8.49

Presidente (7” x 56); SRP per cigar $8.99

La Gloria Cubana is distributed by Forged Cigar Company.

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by Craig Vanderslice | February 14, 2021 · 10:59 am

Romeo y Julieta 1875 Nicaragua and a Partagas Serie D No. 6

Let’s talk a about a couple of completely different cigars! Yesterday I was out and about and I decided to stop in my local shop on the way by and see if they had anything new. There are shops in the same chain a few miles east and west that I would probably have had a better chance of finding newer stuff, but I had been running errands for a while and was tired of driving around. The only thing that struck me as new (judging by the self talker that said “new arrival”, which may or may not have actually been “new”), was the Romeo y Julieta 1875 Nicaragua. I picked up a few toros, what the hell. Historically, there have not been a lot of Romeos that have tripped my trigger in the 25 or so years I’ve been smoking cigars, at least not the ones made outside Cuba. I have to confess an affection for the RyJ Coronitas en Cedros as I bought a box to share at my daughter’s wedding that was spectacular, so that’s a sentimental favorite. It’s Valentine’s Day weekend, what’s more romantic than a cigar named after a couple who committed suicide together in the name of love? Anyway, the cigar is a 6” x 52 Nicaraguan puro made by Plasencia for Altadis, who is owned by someone now.

Quick aside: with all the discussion of General Cigar splitting off a bunch of their brands into the new Forged Cigar Company, has anyone considered that they could be positioning their portfolio of legacy Cuban brands for sale? It seems funny to me that they have placed all of the old Cuban brands under this umbrella, leaving the brands that have the brand ambassadors, like Macanudo, CAO and Cohiba (not a legacy Cuban brand, but a post-embargo brand), with General Cigar. It seems like a nice package deal to sell to, I don’t know, maybe whoever just bought the Altadis brands like RyJ, Upmann and Montecristo (along with the portion of Habanos). It would tie things up pretty nicely from a trademark standpoint. Just a thought, probably doesn’t make sense, but what makes sense? Wait, Punch isn’t included in Forged, that throws a monkey wrench into my theory, and why does “Forged” have to be so similar to “Foundry”? Couldn’t they come up with something more original? There’s something funny about the Punch trademark that I can’t recall. It’s all very confusing.

Back to the 1875 Nicaragua, it’s a nice cigar. Oddly, still not my cuppa tea for some reason, but a perfectly good cigar. The construction was perfect, and it smoked for a good two hours plus. Why is it that the cigars you love don’t seem to smoke long enough and the one that you tolerate last forever? It was woody, with some subtle spices, but more on the leathery/earthy side than I prefer, which seems to be the trend with the RyJs to me. I think the Reserva Real Nicaragua was one I liked, which seems consistent because I recall liking the original Reserva Real. Different strokes, right?

Back in May of 2018 my wife and I took a trip to Rome, Italy to see the sights. Of course, I took some cigars with me, but I picked some up while I was there. Toscanos were very inexpensive there, and I bought some that I hadn’t seen here. I’m pretty sure I had Toscano Garibaldi’s before they were available in the US. I think a 5-pack of Toscanos was €7 or something. I probably still have some I haven’t opened. That was also at the time that you could still legally buy Cuban cigars abroad. I don’t desire a lot of Cubans, but I do like one now and then, so I picked up a five pack of Montecristo No.5 and a five pack of Partagas Serie D. No.6, both small cigars. I hadn’t smoked any of them until last night when I was looking for a short smoke and came across the pack of D No. 6 and opened it up. This is 3½” x 50, a nice little smoke for under an hour. Of course, it’s a Cuban puro, and one never knows if you’re going to get the one that’s plugged or not. Cuban Roulette? This one wasn’t, and it was a good smoke, typical Cuban twang, and what I like in a Cuban Partagas, which is my favorite Cuban brand anyway. This was a pretty cool little smoke, I’m sorry I didn’t get more than one of the five packs.