Tag Archives: PCA

by | July 24, 2022 · 9:28 am

PCA 2022: Platinum Nova Cigars and a Nova 484

Believe it or not, I’m nearing the end of the PCA show videos I took.  As I’ve said before, I’m not competing with other media sites, I do things my way. I’ve maintained that I’m a blogger first, not a media site, I just love cigars and write stuff about them.  I do enjoy doing the video interviews though, it’s fun talking to my friends in the cigar industry. My approach to the PCA show this year was casual, yet I had some goals and targeted a select few personalities to interview. I hope you’ve enjoyed the videos.  This one was with Leo of Platinum Nova cigars, who I first met at the 2020 TPE show.  These folks make some really tasty cigars, and their model is one blend/one size, as opposed to having a line with numerous vitolas.  It’s an interesting and probably costly way of doing things. The cigars are pricey, but they are really quite good. I like the way this video turned out, I hope you do too.

 

 

While I was writing this I decided to smoke the Nova 484 (which I incorrectly described as 4×44 on the video) that Leo gave me after the 2022 TPE show. As the name indicates, it’s 4″ x 48, and comes in a Dominican and Nicaraguan version.The Dominican has an Ecuador H2000 wrapper, Dominican Piloto Cubano binder and Olor Dominicano, while the Nicaraguan Has Ecuador Habano wrapper, Habano Esteli binder and Habano Jalapa filler.  My one complaint is that the cigar I am smoking doesn’t indicate which one it is, although I’m fairly confident that it’s the Nicaraguan. It has a nice sweetness and some coffee flavors, and I like it a lot. I am not a huge fan of Olor, which is why I’m confident in my assumption. Some indication, if even on the barcode sticker, would be nice. The cigar burns perfectly, and  was about the perfect size for composing this article.  As I said in the interview, I’m fortunate to have time to smoke larger cigars, but once in a while I need something short, and this was a great option.  At $25 for a 4-pack, I may keep some on hand (and I might try the Dominican!). BTW, Leo, if I’m wrong please spare me the embarrassment and correct me privately! 🙂 

 

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

 

CigarCraig

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by | July 20, 2022 · 6:18 pm

PCA 2022: Stolen Throne Cigars

Continuing along with the video interviews I did at the PCA show, here’s a few minutes with Lee Marsh of Stolen Throne Cigars.  This was my first time meeting Lee in person, I’ve talked to him via video chat plenty over the last year, but our paths finally crossed in the physical world.  You may remember that one of my favorite cigars of last year was the Stolen Throne Three Kingdoms, and it remains amongst my favorites. I need to get more!  The Crook of the Crown is tasty too. I sampled the new Phantom Queen at the show (while recording this video), and it was really good. I don’t gravitate toward Connecticuts, but this one had some oomph and was very tasty.  

 

 

Stay tuned for more, I didn’t do many interviews, but I tried to get the best!  Until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

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by | July 17, 2022 · 8:00 am

PCA 2022: J.C. Newman Cigar Co. with Eric Newman

Can’t say we’ve had the best week here at Casa Vanderslice.  I, naturally, quickly passed the Covid on to my wife, so we are both feeling crappy.  I tried a couple cigars, but I think my sense of smell is all but gone, which effects cigar flavor significantly.  I expect I’m going to take a break for a while longer.  I need to get back to work and get caught up there, as stuff stacked up (literally) last week while i was “on vacation”.  Not the way I wanted to use that Paid Time Off.  Let’s continue with the video interviews I did at the PCA show.  I want to thank Ed O’Neil for helping out with the camera work. He had been at the show with Kevin (CigarProp), and needed something to do on Sunday and generously offered to help me out.  My set-up isn’t as fancy as Kevin’s, but we got the job done. I had a nice talk with Eric Newman of J.C. Newman, makers of some of my favorite cigars.  In the video he talks about the new El Baton cigars, the Diamond Crown Black Diamond, and the Cuesta Rey made in the Tampa Factory.  Of course, their booth featured a cardboard replica of the El Reloj factory in Tampa, which was quite impressive.

 

 

Thanks to Eric for taking the time and to Sydney for her hospitality!  I was able to finally meet Adria, who has been my contact there for several years, in her last official event with the company. Maybe we’ll see her around Philly sometime! That’s all for today. until the next time,

 

CigarCraig 

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by | July 15, 2022 · 8:00 am

PCA 2022: Patina Cigars

There are a few people in the cigar industry who crossover into different areas.  Mo Maali is one of those.  In addition to being the  owner of Patina Cigars, he’s also on a podcast called Sultans of Smoke.  Mo is one of the people who are in my ear on a fairly regular basis, so I may know him better than he knows me. There are a few people like this in the industry, I’m doing my best to interview them all. Mo displays his Patina brand in the Sutliff Tobacco booth, along with several other brands. As Mo explains in the video, the distribution arrangement with Sutliff relieves a lot of pain points for a small brand. Enjoy the video!

 

 

Patina cigars are really quite good. I’m looking forward to trying the new one, and I’ve enjoyed the core line quite a bit. I’d have smokied it by now if it wasn’t for this Covid nonsense. I seem to like a lot of cigars made in the NACSA factory. 

 

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

 

CigarCraig

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by | July 13, 2022 · 12:10 pm

PCA 2022: Pete Johnson of Tatuaje Cigars

I returned from the PCA show in Las Vegas with something unexpected, a positive Covid test. This is disruptive in so many ways, I’ll be missing this weekend’s PA Barnsmoker just up the road from me. Symptoms are pretty much cold-like for now, so I’m not overly concerned, I have a lot going in my favor as far as immunity goes.  I have to take the rest of the week off work, which isn’t the way I wanted to use that PTO, but stuff happenes.  Anyway, it’ll give me some time to share with you some PCA (Premium Cigar Association) content! In all the years I’ve been doing this, I haven’t gotten the chance to do a video interview with Pete Johnson of Tatuaje Cigars.  I wasn’t going to let the opportunity pass again, so I made it happen. Here’s my longest video of the series, and I say this in homage to Jerry Cruz, a pioneer in video coverage, check out 14 minutes with Pete Johnson.

 

 

I’m super excited to try the new cigars Pete mentions, especially the Tuxtlas and Verocu Blue.  He gave me a cigar that has the wrong band on it because of supply chain problems, I wonder if I should save it because it’ll be a collectors item someday? I’ll probably smoke it, but I’ll be waiting for a while before I smoke anything I really want to think about until this funk clears. Until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig 

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