Tag Archives: retro especiale

A Zeus Churchill Cigar and CigarCraig.com’s 12th Anniversary

It was on this day in 2009 that CigarCraig.com was born, a birthday present from my wife. As I’ve told the story before, I had no idea what I would do with the URL, really didn’t much know what a blog or blogger was, so I had to figure something out. I had spent time on USENET, and the thought of trying to build yet another informational site seemed daunting and redundant. So there was this blog thing. I never was much of a writer, so it started pretty abysmally, but I figured I’d just start writing about some cigars I smoked and places I went and stuff I did, just like I used to do on USENET. Eventually I got off of the free WordPress blog, figured out how to use the technology better and booked myself a trip to Cigar Safari. It seems like my travelogue from that trip legitimized my site and my numbers increased exponentially. I joined the IPCPR as a media member and started going to the trade shows. I’ve seen a lot of stuff over twelve years, some people don’t know, or maybe forget, some of the stuff I was involved in with the IPCPR early on for internet media, fighting for certain things whether we won or not. I like to think I am one of the few blog purist left, Casasfumando.com is another that comes to mind. We stick to our strengths. So to all those who’ve been around longer than I have, congrats and thanks for the inspiration, to those who’ve been around as long, or almost as long, thanks for the friendship and camaraderie, and to the newer generation who are killing it with different platforms, keep up the great work! 

 

Last week I wrote about the great experience I had at the Humidour Cigar Shoppe in Cockeysville, MD. While there, I picked up one of their exclusive cigars, the Zeus in the Churchill size. After smoking it, I’m kicking myself for not getting more. More on that in a bit. When I saw the name of this cigar I was a little confused, you see, my friend Kosta, who owns SMōKE Manayunk in the Philadelphia area, has (or had, it’s been a bit) his own house brand called Zeus. I’ve included. picture of me smoking one several years ago in the store in front of a mural of Zeus, which has, sadly, been remodeled out of existence. I still have a Lancero in the humidor. It turns out that Chris Helmuth, one of the owners, is friends with Kosta, and the conspired to share the Zeus blend and name, which connected the dots. So the Zeus is a nice looking cigar with an Ecuador Habano Oscuro wrapper (I’m either making that up or I read that somewhere, but I just tried to fact check it and can’t find a reference, perhaps someone will correct me). The filler blend is four different Ligeros, so it’s a bit of a powerhouse. These are made by Rocky Patel, although I’m uncertain whether its made in Nicaragua or Honduras.  Like I said, I should have bought a couple more, but I think Kosta might sell these at SMōKE so I might not have to drive an hour and a half after all, and I owe Kosta a visit. This isn’t the strongest cigar I’ve smoked, but it’s no slouch (Don’t sell yourself short, Judge, you’re a tremendous slouch!). It was a very much to my liking when it comes to strong cigars, espresso, rich tobacco, some spice, but not too much. It’s been too long since I smoked the lancero, and it would be silly to compare it to the aged lancero I have on hand, so I wasn’t going to try. If you find yourself at The Humidour (or SMōKE, I imagine), give these a try if you like a stronger smoke. 

 

As I write this I’m smoking a La Gloria Cubana Retro Especiale Cubano, the 6½” x 58, which is 10 years old. This came from a box that came back with me from my visit to the factory in 2011. I selected it for the ring gauge, which is significant today. It’s aged remarkably well, it’s outstanding actually. I wish I had the foresight to save more than the two I had left in the humidor. It makes me think of one more thing before I wrap this up. Yesterday I posted a few news items, and I omitted one from General Cigar Co., I got sidetracked and didn’t get to it. It was about the new Partagas Cortado, I’m sure other outlets have posted about it, I encourage you to check it out elsewhere. The Partagas Cortado is a Connecticut shade wrapped Partagas, and I just have to wonder why we needed that? With the exception of the Black, which is Broadleaf, and awesome, Partagas has been Cameroon wrapped, and Cameroon is pretty hot right now. Why deviate from that? Why not let Macanudo be the flagship Connecticut? I just wonder why dilute the brand? Is a Connecticut CAO Flathead next? I realize there are Macanudos in all wrapper varieties, maybe that screws up my argument, what do I know?  Anyway, that’s all for now, until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

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A Saturday Afternoon of La Gloria Cubanas

I received an e-mail from Famous Smoke Shop last week about the La Gloria Cubana Artesanos Retro Especiale tour stop and decided this would be the perfect opportunity to finally visit their new location in Easton, PA.  I don’t quite know why I haven’y yet visited the place, it’s a little over an hour and a half from home, although it ended up taking two hours or so to get there.  The retail shop and Leaf Restaurant and Cigar Bar appears to be in the front of their huge warehouse and distribution center.  It’s a little off the beaten path, as I’m driving through a new, under construction residential area and industrial park, I was really starting to doubt my GPS (which has failed me before).  But there it was, in the middle of nowhere, this huge building, with a beautiful restaurant and retail store.  The humidor is enormous, with an equally enormous selection of boxes, five-packs and singles.  The staff was very friendly and attentive, and I picked up a fiver of La Gloria Serie R Maduros.  In the lobby, Michael Giannini was set up with posters that he was autographing, Retro Especiale Club samples, and bundles of Atesano de Tabaqueros, which were free with various levels of purchase.  My simple five-pack purchase got me three of the Artesanos de Tabaqueros, of which I chose two of the new Sumatra/Broad-leaf versions.

 

While I was hanging out talking with Michael, Gary and Seanna (Gary is the General Cigar Event Manager and Seanna is the General Cigar account manager for national accounts), I enjoyed another Retro Especiale Club, which I’ve been smoking quite a few of in the last couple months.  If you haven’t tried these yet, find them and try them. Great cigars.  After that I just had to try the Artesanos de Tabaqueros with the Sumatra and broad-leaf wrappers.  I love broad-leaf, and once the burn line reached that broad-leaf it exploded with flavor.  Not that it didn’t start off great, with the Sumatra wrapper portion being very nice, but the broad-leaf is so rich and full flavored that I was sad when it was finished. I’d love to try broad-leaf and Connecticut shade, hint hint. These cigars are only available on the Retro Tour.

 

It’s always a treat to hang out with Michael, he’s a real mensch, and I’m pleased to know him and call him “Bro”.  I’m glad that I had the opportunity to visit Famous finally.  We are fortunate to have quite a few very large retailers in Pennsylvania, due to the lack of a cigar tax.

 

For my evening “Take a Cigar for a Walk” cigar, I figured I’d keep the La Gloria theme going with a Serie R No. 5 Maduro that I picked up at the shop.  I haven’t had one of these in years, and it was actually milder than I recall. The Tabaqueros was much stronger, and I suppose I expected the R to be stronger.  Regardless, it was a very nice cigar, although the cold evening was, perhaps, not conducive to fully enjoying this cigar.  It burned perfectly. I remember drooling over the stacks of these I saw at the factory.

 

That’s about all I have for now, until the next time,

CigarCraig

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Filed under Events, Review, Stores, Take a Cigar For a Walk

La Gloria Cubana Artesanos Retro Especiale Club

My love affair with La Gloria Cubana started in the mid 90s.  You could buy them right from the El Credito factory on Calle Ocho in Miami, and for $5 less you could get a bundle instead of a box.  Then they opened the factory in the Dominican Repuplic and there were the people that preferred the Miami rolled cigars over the ones from the DR, even though they were using the exact same raw materials.  I could never tell the difference, but that really doesn’t mean anything.  Then the company changed hands, the Serie R came out, another excellent cigar, more transitions in management, and now, under General Cigar, the team is coming out with one hit after another, most recently with the Artesanos Retro Especiale.  I received a couple of samples at the IPCPR show and Friday night was the night to fire one up.  First, it’s a really nice looking cigar.  The band is beautiful, keeping the general theme of the traditional La Gloria band, but giving it a more retro look to compliment the gorgeous packaging.  The wrapper is Connecticut grown in Honduras and is golden brown.  It burned perfectly from start to finish, and it was smooth and elegant in flavor and appearance.   Like it’s siblings, the Artesanos De Miami, Artesanos De Tabaqueros and Artesanos De Obelisco, this is a unique and special cigar.

 

I know this video is a rerun, but it’s certainly relevant to this post as it features Yuri Guilllen, General Manager at El Credito, and one of the masterminds of La Gloria Cubana talking about the Serie N, the Artesanos De Obelisco and the  Artesanos Retro Especiale.

 

 

Don’t forget to visit my sponsors, and get on over the IPCPR.org, or CigarRights.org (or use the link in my sidebar) and send letters to your elected officials regarding the FDA and Premium Cigars!  If the FDA has their way, we’ll never again see wonderful works of art like the packaging for the Retro Especiale, not to mention having premium cigars to enjoy in the first place!

 

That’s it for now, until the next time,

 

CigarCraig

 

 

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Filed under IPCPR, Review, Video