Issue 18 June 2009 THE CIGAR GALLERY. from A SHOWCASE FOR CIGARS, ACCESSORIES AND THE CIGAR LIFESTYLE!

Transcription

1 Issue 18 June 2009 THE CIGAR GALLERY from A SHOWCASE FOR CIGARS, ACCESSORIES AND THE CIGAR LIFESTYLE!

2 THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY In this issue: Montecristo Reserva Negra 3 Cigar Fax: The Story of Licenciados Collection 7 Did You Know? 9 The Gurkha Experience 10 Cigar Ads of the Past 18 House of Grauer Chocolates 19 Gizmo of the Month 21 Macanudo 22 Focus: Cigar Rights 24 Barrington House International 26 Cigars in Statistics 28 La Perla Habana 29 Did You Know II 31 Fonseca 32 Cigar Art 34 La Garita 35 Cigar Gallery Giveaway 37 C.A.O. 38 Last but not Least 40 The Cigar Gallery is published as a showcase for cigar brands, accessories and related products on CigarCyclopedia.com by Perelman, Pioneer & Company, Inc.; all rights reserved. For information about appearing in this showcase, please contact Pat Harris at (213) or via electronic mail at PHarris@Perelman-Pioneer.com. 2

3 Reserva Negra Say the name Montecristo and even a novice cigar enthusiast will light up at the sound of the most famous cigar brand of all. A massive hit for Altadis U.S.A. since its Dominican-made Montecristo hit the market in 1995, there have been multiple blends of this famous brand with the crossed-sword logo to appeal to just about every cigarophile except one. Even with six different blends on the market, it was only a matter of time before a maduro-wrapped Montecristo appeared to satisfy those who yearn for the depth and sweetness that only maduros can offer. That wait finally ended in From the world s largest cigar factory, the Tabacalera de Garcia in La Romana, Dominican Republic, comes the Montecristo Reserva Negra the black reserve edition dressed in a shiny and rich San Andres Morron wrapper. This flavorful leaf, grown in the famed San Andres region, is combined with a Nicaraguan-grown binder and Honduran and Nicaraguan-grown filler leaves for a satisfying, full-bodied blend. With today s smoker demanding more and more flavor and ever-thicker cigars, old illusions about cigars with dark wrappers being too strong have faded away. That made the introduction of the Reserva Negra an easy choice once the right tobaccos could be found. The new Reserva Negra is offered in the five most popular shapes: Belicoso (6 1 /8 by 52 ring); Churchill (7 x 56), Corona (5 x 44), Robusto (5 x 54) and Toro (6 x 54). All are box-pressed and elegantly presented in specially made boxes of 20. Even with this pedigree, all shapes are accessibly priced, retailing from $7.50 to $12.00 each, not including local sales and tobacco taxes. An excellent way to introduce yourself to the range is to try the five-cigar sampler pack, which retails for a quite reasonable $ It s another way to enjoy a brand which has given so much pleasure to so many over its nearly 75-year history. «3

4 THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY 4

5 THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY Cigar Fax: The Story of Licenciados T he first thing he did was go to the trademark office and register the name Diplomaticos. But then there was an objection, from Fuente, who had a registration on the name Diplomaticos, but only on the name. That s one of the twists in the creation of the Licenciados brand by Oscar Boruchin of Mike s Cigars as he moved the company from a single store in Miami to a national retailer with tens of thousands of customers all across the United States. His son-in-law, Oded ben Arie, recalled the path to establishing Mike s first major brand. The story takes you first to Havana and starts with Cohiba, he said. In the late 1970s, then-u.s. president Jimmy Carter was engaged in a secret dialogue with Cuba s Fidel Castro with the idea to improve relations and ease the U.S. trade embargo. The go-between was a Miami man who was friends with Boruchin. Then with General Cigar, Boruchin met with his friend on a Sunday morning and was handed a cigar which the man said came from Castro himself. The cigar was a Cohiba, at the time not offered for public sale (that came in 1982), but used for diplomatic gifts. Boruchin told General about the cigar and the company eventually registered the name in the U.S. There were other Cuban cigar brand names unregistered at the time, such as Diplomaticos, which was introduced in 1966 as a less-expensive version of Montecristo for the French market. Once Boruchin left General Cigar and took over Mike s Cigars from founder Mike Mersel, he more 5

6 THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY Cigar Fax: The Story of Licenciados continued tried to trademark Diplomaticos for himself, but was unable to do so because of the prior registration by the Fuentes. But as ben Arie noted, He started to think... what about Licenciados? When they [the Cubans] started marketing the Diplomaticos, they played with the name Licenciados. Both describe a professional scholar. It just came to him, let s do it with the [Diplomaticos] logo with the name Licenciados. There was never an opposition; the brand was introduced in 1985 after a lot of background work and it became solid in about eight years. There are four versions of the Licenciados today: Licenciados, originally blended to mimic the mild and smooth taste of Macanudo; the highly rated Licenciados Supreme Maduro, Licenciados Cameroon and the Licenciados Aniversario. The toro has been the biggestselling size since day one, said ben Arie. We still sell the Classic the most, but Aniversario is making big forward leaps as it is a more fullbodied cigar. And so the elegant carriage which marks the Cuban Diplomaticos brand now adorns the up-and-coming family of Licenciados blends, which Boruchin has ridden into the first division of the national cigar retail rankings. The moral of the story? How about having breakfast with your friends more often on Sunday mornings! «6

7 898 Collection Why would anyone call a cigar 898? Then, on reflection, why not? The key is an understanding of cigar history. For decades, the standard cigar box has held 25 cigars, usually packed into a box in two rows of 12 and 13 cigars, with a placeholder on the bottom row where the 26th cigar would reside. When Mike s Cigars of Bay Harbor, Florida, asked General Cigar to make a special mild-to-mediumbodied blend for its exclusive distribution, it wanted something classier than the standard cardboard box. While Mike s owner Oscar Boruchin wanted an easy-to-smoke, smooth blend like Macanudo, he was also drawn to the marvelous presentation of the Partagas That cigar, a Lonsdale, was named for its unique packing that helped to ensure that the cigars maintained their original, rounded shape. So they were arranged in three rows instead of two, with eight cigars on the bottom, nine in the middle and eight on the top: It was also presented in a solid wood cabinet with dual piano hinges on the back of the box, signaling its premium status. So Boruchin married the smoking style of Macanudo and the elegant presentation of the Partagas into his own brand he called the 898 Collection. It s marvelously smooth with a genuine Connecticut wrapper and Dominican-grown binder and filler leaves. There are now six shapes in the long, from the Short Royale at just 3 7 /8 and 55 ring gauge up to the 7 1 /2 by 49-ring Churchill, modestly priced at $3.60 to $4.50 each. Originally made in Jamaica just as Macanudo and Partagas were the 898 Collection is today made at the highly respected MATASA factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic, not far away from the two famous brands which inspired it. «7

8 Buy any box of 898 Collection and get The Sardell Glass Top Humidor A $ Value ABSOLUTELY FREE Made in Dominican Republic/ Body: Medium Wrapper: Cameroon / Filler: Nicaragua / Binder: Nicaragua Code 898SR 898BE 898CH 898CO 898LO 898RO Name Short Royale Belicoso Churchill Corona Lonsdale Robusto Wrap. N N N N N N Qty MSRP $ Mike s $ Pack 4/17.50 $ TM The 898 SHORT ROYALE is the latest masterpiece craftsmanship from Matasa, Santiago Dominican Republic. These little giants come at almost 4 and 55 ring gauge, packing a full bouquet of mouth watering flavors of lightly roasted Mocha beans and nutty rye seeds. Packed 24 in a limited production Cedar-Oak cabinets, especially designed to let the cigars keep aging in the Spanish aromatic bark inlay while, at the same time presenting a stunningly elegant lines to complement the overall classy features of the product. We smoked the cigars and they were crisp, straightforward and full of promise. The smoke was pleasantly smooth with slight creamy notes and it kept improving as it progressed. The long ash was telling the story of integrity and good construction through and through. Try one, you will certainly be pleased. Sardell Glass Top Humidor Now you can admire your cigars anytime you want to with this elegant kiln dried Spanish cedar lined humidor. Comes with a humidifier and cedar divider. Keeps up to 50 cigars fresh. 13" x 10.5" x 4" Code: HUSAGL MSRP $ Mike s $ June

9 THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY Did You Know?... That Club Macanudo, now in its 15th year of operation since opening in 1996, is the granddaddy of all branded cigar lounges? Originally opened as the Cigar Boom accelerated, it s become a fixture in largely non-smoking New York for the cigar set, with private humidors, a full menu and elegant bar and even a retail cigar shop. But it s best known outside of cigardom as the home of the 63rd Street Martini, a mix of Cognacs, port and pear nectar that costs... $63! As General Cigar s ace public relations director Victoria McKee notes, most are purchased on expense accounts.... While Club Macanudo was the first, it certainly wasn t the last branded cigar lounge. Today, you can enjoy a cigar at: Avo Lounge (Germany, Switzerland and Orlando); Camacho Cigar Bar at Comerica Park (Detroit); Club La Gloria Cubana (Albuquerque); Cuesta-Rey Cigar Bar at Tropicana Field (Tampa); Dannemann Lounge (arenas and stadiums in Germany); Davidoff Lounge (China, Germany, Switzerland); Diamond Crown Lounge (multiple stores across the U.S.). Are there others we missed? Two lounge brands which are not currently with us are the Montecristo Club, which opened at PNC Park in Pittsburgh in 2006, but closed a year later thanks to a renovation, and the Punch Bar, a follow-up to the Club Macanudo concept that opened and closed in a Boston hotel in the late 1990s. «9

10 The Experience

11 The Four Faces of GRAND RESERVE This is the one that made Gurkha s name: the Grand Reserve. It s an easy-to-appreciate, beautifully constructed cigar with a genuine Connecticut wrapper and Dominican-grown binder and filler leaves that offers a mild-to-medium-bodied taste, plus a finishing touch of flavor from rare Louis XIII Cognac. It s smooth and aromatic, said Gurkha chief Kaizad Hansotia. And you can t beat the presentation. Each cigar is sealed in an elegant glass tube and sealed with distinctive bronze-colored wax so that it s impossible to confuse with any other brand. There are just three shapes, but they re the ones you would expect for a top-of-the-line blend: Robusto (6 by 50 ring), Churchill (7 1 /2 x 52) and Torpedo (6 1 /2 x 53), offered in a stunning vertical display of 30 cigars, priced at $12-14 before local sales and local and national tobacco taxes. Fans of richer-tasting cigars are in luck, as a maduro-wrapped version featuring a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper is also now available in the Churchill and Torpedo sizes, with a medium-tofull-bodied flavor. Have you tried this blend, by which all other Gurkhas are measured? VINTAGE SHAGGY There are smokers who have a specific taste in mind, a memory of a special cigar with a certain heft, a certain depth of richness. They are the ones who will appreciate the Gurkha Vintage Shaggy. It s unusual to say the least, with an uncut foot and packed in boxes of 25 or 100, surrounded by shredded tobacco leaves, but it s hardly rustic. Instead, this mediumbodied blend comes in three different styles to meet the demands of veteran enthusiasts, quite reasonably priced from $7.60 to $14.00 each before taxes. There is the original all-dominican blend, introduced in 2006 and an immediate hit. Two additional styles have been added: a Connecticut-wrapped natural-wrapped version and a dark maduro-wrapped edition, with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. All three are offered in four popular sizes Toro (6 x 50), Churchill (7 x 52), Torpedo (6 1 /2 x 53) and XO (6 x 60), in boxes of 25. And the all-dominican blend is also offered in a stunning Salomon size, a giant perfecto of 8 inches in length by 60 ring.

12 The Four Faces of BLACK DRAGON The story is well known. The ultra-luxury magazine, The Robb Report, asked Kaizad Hansotia for a ultra-luxury cigar in an ultra-luxurious package for its holiday issue in The result was the Gurkha Black Dragon, offered in a camel-bone chest of 100 double-corona-sized cigars and available at the princely price of $115,000 the box. Only five chests were made. In 2007, Hansotia re-designed the Black Dragon to be a more affordable, if still superior cigar, that all enthusiasts could enjoy. This is for the mature smoker, he said, who enjoys a full-bodied cigar. It s not meant for the general public. It s the cigar you want after dinner, to enjoy a glass of port, and appreciate its smoothness. The blend is unique, with a genuine Connecticut wrapper, Cameroon binder and Dominicangrown filler leaves, offered in five grand shapes from the 4 1 /2 by 52-ring Robusto, up to the 8 1 /2 by 52 ring Grand Especial. There s also a Special Edition Tubo that will stay fresh until you are ready and two special, even richer blends called the Fury and Dragon Fire, that incorporate Nicaraguan and Peruvian leaves. At retail prices of $8 up to $19 each before taxes, this Gurkha isn t for everyone, but then not everyone is ready to tame a dragon. SIGNATURE ANIVERSARIO 1887 From Gurkha, this is a cigar you can enjoy every day, at a reasonable price. That s the story of the Gurkha Signature Aniversario 1887, which debuted in It s easy to pick out as it is made in just one size, but in styles which are color-coded: Red (with a red second band) for the Rothchild size, a 6 by 55-ring, medium-bodied beauty and Black (with a black second band) for the Rothchild Fuerte, made in the same size, but with a maduro wrapper that gives the blend a full body. Both styles use a Nicaraguan-grown wrapper combined with a Dominican binder and an unusual filler combination of tobaccos from India and Peru. Both are offered in spectacular chests of 48 cigars each, so you have enough to offer to friends who might drop by. Retail pricing for this series is at the lower end of the Gurkha scale, at $8.00 to $8.33 each, not including taxes. It s a quality cigar that s every bit a Gurkha, but at a more accessible price and in a size that will satisfy even the connoisseur.

13 The Special Editions P eople thought we were nuts, remembered Kaizad Hansotia, when we brought out cigars that cost $10 or more in the 1990s. But when you reach the pinnacle of success, you want something special, something more exclusive. That s the idea behind Gurkha and especially our Special Editions. They are Gurkhas for sure, but separate from the rest of the line. Hansotia has special pride in five of his Special Editions, including: THE BEAST: A dark Costa Rican wrapper is the key to this 6 1 /2 by 58-ring Toro, which includes a four-nation interior blend for a fullbodied taste. It s offered solely in boxes of 35 and limited to just 1,000 boxes per year, in part because the boxes themselves are works of art. Each has a piano-like glossy finish and elegant hinges that make it more a piece of furniture than a cigar box. Just exquisite. THE BEAUTY: Yes, it s the gorgeous sibling of The Beast, clothed in a sparkling frosted glass tubes with gold-tinged caps and presented upright in pianofinish chests of 25 cigars each. The Beauty is mild-to-medium in body, with a nine-year-aged Ecuadoriangrown, Connecticut-seed wrapper surrounding a Dominican-grown binder and Nicaraguan filler. As with The Beast, it s made only in one size: a 6 1 /2 by 58-ring Toro. THE ELEGANCE: Introduced in 2008, this is a smooth and delicious cigar in a traditional double-corona format of seven inches and 50 ring gauge. The blend offers a Connecticut-grown wrapper and binder combined with

14 The Special Editions Dominican-grown filler leaves for a medium-bodied smoking experience. Naturally, it s perfectly presented in a two-tray chest of 20 cigars that can either be refilled or will wind up on someone s dressing table for years into the future. THE GRAND AGE: The box shapes your impression of this cigar before you ever see it. It s a spectacular chest that holds 50 cigars of 6 1 /2 and 57 ring and that could have adorned a Spanish captain s private quarters in the 1700s with iron handles on each side and a pattern of diamonds adorning the edges, top and sides. It even includes a hasp for your own lock. The cigars are pretty good, too, using a Cameroon wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan and Peruvian fillers for a full-bodied flavor. THE WARLORD: Here is a no-holdsbarred cigar of impressive power with a Nicaraguan wrapper and filler and a Dominican binder. It s fullbodied and bold at 7 and 55 ring, offered in a strongbox of 30 complete with a hasp and reinforcing studs on all sides.

15 The Ultras T hese are the cigars that people talk about, said Kaizad Hansotia. These are the Gurkha cigars that are really the ultra in our line. He s talking, of course, about The Crest and His Majesty s Reserve. The Crest Introduced as special-edition cigars in 2007, the three-shape Crest group has become a legend in its own right. These are dark, Connecticut Broadleaf-wrapped cigars that include a Nicaraguan-grown binder leaf and Nicaraguan-grown filler leaves to offer a sublime, full-bodied smoking experience. All three shapes are on the larger side: the Crest L Grand at 7 1 /2 by 55 ring, the Crest Churchill at 7 1 /2 and 52 ring and the Torpedo at 6 and 52 ring. They are aged for up to eight years and supplies are limited to just 250 boxes of each size per year. Each box contains 30 cigars and is, in the Gurkha style, a work of art on its own. The jet-black finish is perfect and the piano-style hinges make it an instant heirloom. The Crest line is not inexpensive and isn t designed to be, at retail prices of $25-31 per cigar. But each is a unique cigar and the purchase will be one that will be remembered long after the cigars themselves have been enjoyed.

16 The Ultras His Majesty s Reserve There s no doubt that Hansotia was in unexplored territory when he came out with His Majesty s Reserve, offered solely in boxes of 20 for $15,000 the box or a stunning $750 per cigar (yes, $750 per cigar; not a misprint!). But it has been a consistent success, infused with a specially-selected and rare Cognac and offered in a supremely limited edition of just boxes per year. The tobacco is equally prized, featuring 15- year-aged Connecticut Broadleaf wrappers and 12-year-old Dominican-grown binder and filler leaves. It s a unique combination; writes Hansotia, The amazing aroma as well as the taste of the cigar will be something you will never forget. The HMR as it is known, is manufactured in Honduras and produced in just one size, a 7 1 /2 by 52-ring double corona. Each is packed in a brilliant glass tube that is specially sealed with green wax to maintain this blend s freshness and special appeal until you are ready to thoroughly enjoy it. For those who are at the pinnacle, there are rewards for such success... and Gurkha cigars are one of those rewards.

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18 THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY Cigar Ads of the Past The Roaring 20s were a good time for cigars and one of the top producers in the Northeast was Bayuk of Philadelphia. This full-page ad from the Saturday Evening Post shows their full range Mapacuba, Prince Hamlet, Charles Thomson, Havana Ribbon and Bayuk Philadelphia in prices from 5 cents apiece up to 15 cents. Who cares about Bayuk today? Actually a lot of folks who enjoy the descendant of the Bayuk Philadelphia brand Phillies! Now one of the largest-selling machine-made cigars in America, Bayuk s Phillies brand is part of the Altadis U.S.A. stable. And the chief executive of Altadis U.S.A.? Theo Folz, who way-back-when was a Bayuk salesman. «18

19 The House of Grauer Chocolates is an online revolution for cigar and chocolate lovers. Grauer chocolates do not just offer the pleasure of a luxury chocolate, they explore and enrich ties between two of the most delicious products known to man: the cacao bean and the tobacco leaf. This concept of chocolate and cigar pairings re-enforces the idea that the pleasure of smoking should not be limited to the universe of one s cigar. The Grauer chocolates were developed in Geneva by master chocolatiers in the purest tradition of Swiss artisanal chocolate making. Each cacao selected has a distinctive character recognizable by aromatic and textural features. The Grand Cru chocolates used are from specific geographic regions recognized for their excellence. Thanks to ingredients sourced from the four corners of the world, THoG offers a unique taste experience allowing you to discover new and fascinating pairings. THoG chocolates come in 3 formats: The Leaves the chocolate is shaped to resemble a tobacco leaf and is topped off with either Hawaii Kona coffee bean, Italian roasted hazelnut, Japanese green tea, or bee pollen blending etchings for added texture and flavor; The Sticks dark, rich gourmet chocolate is rolled in the shape of a small cigar and is filled with either molten cinnamon, Turkish Star Anise, French raspberry, or Italian lime that explodes with flavor and melts in your mouth; and, finally; The Rings circular chocolates that range in intensity from white to dark chocolate. THoG takes special care and attention with the finished product. The boxes resemble a humidor and inside this meticulously boxed package each chocolate is individually wrapped to maintain freshness. The brochure provides details on each chocolate, each ingredient, and each pairing. Product may be ordered online ( and is shipped anywhere in the world within 48 hours. In short, a great cigar deserves a great companion and the world-class chocolates offered by The House of Grauer will certainly satisfy the most discerning and discriminating Cigar and Chocolate aficionados. «19

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21 THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY Gizmo of the Month Trying to light a 60-ring cigar with a standard-flame lighter can be a challenge. And with so many antismoking laws sending people outside, the job of lighting these monsters is getting ever tougher. But Rocky Patel has the answer. At the recent Tobacco Plus Expo in New Orleans, Patel introduced his Diplomat line of lighters, the newest entry in his expanding Ambassador accessories collection. Solid in the hand like a Mag-Lite (or a Star Wars-style light sabre), the Diplomat opens to reveal what is believed to be the first five-flame torch lighter! This baby will light anything almost immediately, and the flip-up top is well designed to stay out of the way of your cigar when lighting up, but also providing a windbreak so that the flame-jets stay straight up and don t lean toward the smoker! It s easy to use, however, using a positive-click-style one-hand operation. The Diplomat is a large lighter, but it s nicely priced at $60 each and available in either a bright chrome or understated black or gun metal finishes. But be sure you have a big budget for butane; with five torches going at the same time, you are going to have to keep refilling it quite often. «21

22 Macanudo is the largest-selling premium cigar brand in the United States, but it was not always so. In fact, the name Macanudo barely registered with cigar smokers as recently as the 1960s. 22 Heads turned when General Cigar purchased the well-known Gradiaz Annis & Co. and its famed Gold Label cigar brand in Not many, however, noticed another transaction by General in which it acquired the Temple Hall factory in Jamaica and with it a little-known trademark for Macanudo. Mostly known previously as an inexpensive size within the Punch range, made in Havana, Macanudo was specially blended to be the best of the best and debuted in its modern-day form in Using Connecticut Shade wrappers from General s own farms, its consistency, quality, mild taste and a heavy promotional campaign have made it the nation s leading handmade cigar brand for nearly 30 years. Although developed and made for many years in Jamaica, all Macanudo production finally shifted to the Dominican Republic in October But the brand in the light-green box was only the beginning of the Macanudo story: A special version, with extra-aged leaves, the Vintage Cabinet Selection, was introduced in the 1980s. These cigars are each more than four years in the making and include filler leaves from the Dominican Republic and Mexico and have a richer flavor than the standard line. Vintage Cabinet cigars have been offered only in the following years: 1979, 1984, 1988, 1993 and 1997 (introduced 2002). The 2000 edition debuted in 2006 featuring year-2000 tobaccos, notably a Connecticut Shade wrapper and a medium body. The Macanudo Robust line debuted to gasps at the Retail Tobacco Dealers of America show in 1998: a robust Macanudo? But it became a hit and as tastes moved to even stronger cigars, the blend was re-made for 2003, with a full-bodied flavor thanks to a dark Connecticut Shade wrapper and Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. Given the success of the Robust line, it was no surprise when the Macanudo Maduro blend was introduced in Although Macanudo had certain shapes with maduro wrappers previously, this specially blended line that was introduced offered a full-bodied, smooth taste in the most popular shapes. Despite the move to heavier cigars, Edgar Cullman had an idea: how about a mild blend that was even lighter than the standard Macanudo line? Introduced in late 2002, the Gold Label is a limited-edition winner that uses Connecticut-grown wrapper leaves from the first and second primings to provide a lighter and sweeter taste than on the standard Macanudo Café line. So now the Macanudo family numbers five: Café the original followed by Vintage, Robust, Maduro and Gold Label. And it should be noted that although the Café line is easy to recognize by its light brown wrapper, there are a few shapes which are produced in the green Candela wrapper so well known in the U.S. in the 1960s. If you can find them, they re known in Macanudo parlance as Jade wrappers. Today, Macanudo remains the standard, mild taste by which all other U.S.-marketed premium cigars are measured. And considering their long reign at the top of the sales chart, no others have measured up yet! «

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24 THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY Cigar Rights Las Vegas and cigars would seem to go together perfectly. And up to 2006, they did. When the Retail Tobacco Dealers of America (now the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association) decided to take a chance and hold its 1999 convention and trade show there, there was considerable concern whether the city would be a draw. Of course it was. In fact, Las Vegas was so popular with cigar retailers that the association held five shows there in 10 years from and was ready to book more until Nevada voters adopted a stiff smoking ban in That ended smoking on convention show floors and moved the IPCPR show to New Orleans for 2009 and 2010, and moved the Tobacco Plus Expo which had always been held in Las Vegas also to New Orleans for There was hope for a modest rollback of the smoking ban in the just completed Nevada legislative session, but after the Nevada Assembly Judiciary killed S.B. 372, it appeared that hopes for holding future tobacco-related trade shows in Las Vegas were dead. But business is business and an amendment to allow smoking on trade show and convention floors where minors are not present was added on a voice vote to a bill dealing with stalkers (A.B. 309) at the very end of the Nevada legislative session on June 8 and after a furious round of negotiations, passed both the Assembly and the Senate. The bill is expected to be signed by Governor Jim Gibbons. Senator Mark Amodei (R-Carson City) told the Associated Press that There s a lot of people saying you re ignoring the will of the voters, but there s an exception in the ballot that says smoking in tobacco retail shops open to the public is OK. Allowing smoking at a convention that s not open to the public is not doing any violence to the Indoor Clean Air Act. Las Vegas tourism officials noted that the Tobacco Plus Expo and the International more 24

25 THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY Cigar Rights continued Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association conventions brought in $41 million in business to Las Vegas in otherwise light periods of the year and was difficult to replace. With the exemption, which will take effect in December, it s sure that the Tobacco Plus Expo just held in New Orleans last month, but which had been held in Las Vegas for each of its previous 12 editions will move back to Las Vegas for IPCPR Executive Director Joe Rowe noted last month that if the exemption went through, that his association would hold its 2009 and 2010 shows in New Orleans, but would go back to Las Vegas for 2011 and The IPCPR has used the Sands Expo Center, connected to The Venetian and Palazzo hotels, as its exhibit facility of choice in Las Vegas in recent years. The amendment did not get through without a fight. The Associated Press report noted that the sponsor of A.B. 309, Assemblywoman Ellen Koivisto (D-Las Vegas), said she was warned by Senate members that the bill would not pass if the tobacco convention language was left out of the bill, so she worked to add it back in. I ve never had a bill that was a battle ground before, at least not this late in the session, said Koivisto. I brought that bill because of a woman in my district who was killed by a stalker. The stalking bill is so important. For Nevada, so is the money (and jobs) generated by having the two major cigarrelated trade fairs held in the U.S. each year in Las Vegas. If you re interested in defending the rights of cigar smokers: To give cigar smokers more of a voice in national and local legislation, please consider joining Cigar Rights of America ( working at the grass-roots level to fight for cigar smokers. «25

26 Barrington House Sure, Cuba is the historic heart of the cigar industry, but Jamaica has been its strong right arm for hundreds of years. Jamaican cigars have been celebrated for nearly as long as cigars have been around, but after the tumult of the Cigar Boom and too many hurricanes on the island, the only factory still producing authentic Jamaican cigars is Barrington House International, located in Kingston. And it s not just producing one brand to keep the island s cigar heritage alive, either! Instead, there are seven different series to offer smokers a wide variety of choices: Fundadores Jamaica is a clean, easy-toenjoy line with a Connecticut Shade wrapper and authentic Jamaican tobacco in the filler, offering a mild smoke that is gentle and pleasant. Guaranteed Jamaica continues to offer elegant, mild flavors in a blend which Jimmy Chang created for the American market in the 1960s. Both the Founder s Series and Heritage Series use Jamaican leaf in the filler and Connecticut Shade wrappers in a cigar that remains a great value. Jamaica Heritage, an old brand now reblended for 2007, with a four-nation blend of tobaccos to offer a mild-bodied cigar with subtlety and complexity at very reasonable prices. Montalvo returned to production in 2007, in two different blends! One is suitable for smokers in the U.S., with a Connecticut Shade wrapper, Jamaican filler and a fullbodied presence. But for the European market, Montalvo adds Cuban-grown leaf that adds a special kick to the flavor, mirroring the Jamaican-Cuban blends of the 1940s and 1950s. Pride of Jamaica, still going in the 21st Century, continues to offer its rich flavors using dark Maduro wrappers from Cameroon as well as Connecticut Shade wrappers on some sizes for those preferring a lighter touch. Santa Cruz, a mild petit corona that can be enjoyed at any time. It s inexpensive and mild, offered in two styles in easy-to-carry five-packs. Last but not least is Barrington House s flavored line, Harvill, which is hand made with a full-bodied presence in the mouth, but a mild flavor in passion fruit, rum and vanilla flavors. Jamaica s cigar heritage is secure thanks to the continued efforts of Barrington Adams and his team, which produces cigars that have found fans on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Famed brands such as Macanudo, Partagas and Royal Jamaica have all made their reputations as Jamaican cigars and you can still enjoy the authentic product of the world s great cigar nations from Barrington House International. «26

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28 THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY in Statistics One of the favorite tricks of the anti-smoking crowd is to cite the rising tide of cigar use when they occasionally tire of preaching against cigarettes. What s true, however is that cigar smoking has never been about addiction, or even excess. The Cigar Association of America maintains a log of cigar consumption in the United States, dating back to You can see that while cigars little, machine-made and premium were more popular in days past, they were hardly in the same league as cigarettes: Year Cigars sold (in billions) Average per week For large cigars, including the premium, hand-made segment, current consumption levels are at about 1.8 cigars per week, based on figures from So much for addiction. And CAA president Norm Sharp noted that for 2006, U.S. consumers bought 9.8 billion cigars compared to billion cigarettes. So much for comparisons with cigarettes. Ours is a hobby, not an addiction. «28

29 La Perla Habana The Pearl of Havana was an ancient Cuban brand, but its modern history in the U.S. cigar market started in Doug Wood and his Burlwood Group introduced a marvelous blend featuring an Indonesian wrapper, medium body and a beautiful band that could not be ignored. A new La Perla Habana had been born. As the Cigar Boom peaked and ebbed, La Perla Habana gained a foothold as a brand of quality and value. It wasn t too long before smokers wanted a maduro-wrapped version of the blend and in 1999, the La Perla Habana Maduro became available with a Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper that gave the blend a fullbodied taste that increased the brand s popularity. But Wood wasn t satisfied that there weren t even better blends out there. After some experimentation with La Perla Habana blends made in Honduras, he found a new formulation that had a richness and depth not available in the La Perla Habana series, this time made from Nicaraguan tobaccos. The result debuted in 2003 in his Black Pearl brand, with two different styles, the Cobre ( copper ) and Rojo ( red ): The Black Pearl Cobre has depth and a medium-to-full body and features an Ecuadorian-grown, Connecticut-seed wrapper that gives it a gentle touch. The Rojo is richer and full-bodied, using a gorgeous, dark Nicaraguan-grown wrapper along with Nicaraguan-grown binder and filler leaves. It s full-bodied and came out as the top-rated cigar in a tasting of Toro-sized cigars by a national cigar magazine. Both of the Black Pearl blends were offered in elegant cabinets of 20 cigars each that underlined the serious efforts made to create a cigar of importance. But Wood wasn t through. He had planned to create a 10-year anniversary cigar in 2005 to commemorate the beginning of the La Perla Habana brand. Although the blend had been decided upon, the tobacco he wanted wasn t available. But by 2007, the Cameroon wrapper leaf he wanted was acquired and with Nicaraguangrown binder and filler leaves, he could finally offer the full-bodied Black Pearl Morado ( purple ) brand that offered smokers the peak of flavor he had sought in an anniversary cigar. The Morado is finally available, but the experience is not limited to cigars. At the same time, a Morado gourmet coffee and a Morado wine have been developed as part of the La Perla Habana Lifestyle Collection to offer a complete set of tastes worthy of the purple worn by royalty and after which the Morado series is named. Pearls are only found inside of rough-shelled oysters and while Wood endured the exaltation of the Cigar Boom and the rough times that have followed, his Pearl of Havana has now grown into a full array of pleasures for all of the senses to be enjoyed at any time. «29

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31 THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY Did You Know? II... That even the Cubans are now into lifestyle merchandise for their famous brands? Check out for a full selection of licensed items which bear the name and/or logo of one or more of the Habanos brands! Naturally, there are ashtrays, lighters, cutters and humidors, but how about fine China? Key Rings? Notebooks? You can get polo shirts emblazoned with the logo of Cohiba, H. Upmann, Montecristo or Romeo y Julieta, or perhaps something exotic: Would you like: Cohiba earrings? An H. Upmann rucksack? A Montecristo Edmundo Dantes mouse pad? A Montecristo sword (really)? A Montecristo watch? A Cohiba or Montecristo purse for the lady? The Coiba company is located in Madrid, Spain and most of the products shown are not made in Cuba, so it may be possible for Americans to buy them direct. You do have to register with the site, however, in order to buy any item. «31

32 Ferdinand E. Fonseca is the name behind this brand, which started in 1891 in Cuba. He s no longer around, but his legacy lives on in today s multifaceted Fonseca brand made in the Dominican Republic. The charismatic Manuel Quesada is the owner of Manufactura de Tabacos S.A. (MATASA) and maker of Fonseca since The current mild and mellow blend was created by Quesada in 1991 and features a genuine Connecticut Shade wrapper, a binder leaf from Mexico and Dominican-grown fillers. It s MATASA s flagship cigar and offered in 11 elegant sizes, from the small Minis (4 1 /4 by 30 ring gauge) to the double-corona-sized (7 by 50), all at accessible prices so that any smoker can enjoy them. But Quesada has not stopped there. The quality in construction, blending and balance in the 1991 blend has created the demand for more flavors that maintain the brand s relaxed, easy-to-smoke character but offer variations in taste to suit today s devoted enthusiast. Quesada has rewarded these connoisseurs with a palate of choices: The Fonseca Vintage line, aged a full 5 years, is mild-to-medium in body with an Ecuadorian wrapper and Dominican interior tobaccos. Fonseca Serie F, a medium-to-full-bodied line that incorporates Nicaraguan filler leaves for a bolder flavor. Fonseca Sun Grown Cedars, mediumbodied but with a Connecticut Broadleaf maduro wrapper and Peruvian fillers that add layers of flavor as well as a rich finish. Vegas de Fonseca, a medium-bodied smoke that uses the seductive Cameroon wrapper for a unique experience. In 2006, Quesada created a brand extension, the Fonseca Cubano, which offered a more fullflavor and robust blend then the original. Its current lines include: Fonseca Cubano Limitado, with a Honduran wrapper that s full-bodied to satisfy today s desire for depth and balance, with a marked smoothness and grace in the Fonseca tradition. Fonseca Cubano Viso Fuerte, new for 2008, with American Broadleaf and Dominican-grown filler tobaccos, a new star that roars with a ton of flavor and smokes like a dream. Ferdinand Fonseca wanted to provide a quality cigar for his patrons 117 years ago. Today s Fonseca meets and exceeds that tradition with a brand that can be trusted for quality and selection, as well as the satisfaction of enjoying a pedigreed cigar that s better today than it ever was in Cuba. «32

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34 THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY There was a time about 100 years ago when cigars were made in small factories or stores and sold on the street in places like Havana, Miami and Tampa by vendors who carried packs of five or ten cigars in folded palm leaves, slung over their shoulders. The cigars were usually wrapped in wax paper or foil and then packed in a basket made of yagua palm leaves and secured by a string about the middle and at each end. The whole assembly was called a Catauro and looked like a gigantic Tootsie Roll, but it kept the cigars in good shape until sold. The days of cigars being sold on the street are over, of course (unless you re buying fake Cuban cigars in Havana), but Maxoly of Miami, Florida, has brought back the Catauro! Now Maxoly s Colba 1492 cigars made in Miami are offered in a Catauro made of authentic palm leaves, giving you the chance to own a piece of history. Today, the cigars seven Colba 1492 robustos of five inches and 50 ring gauge) are packed in a protective plastic tube and then placed in the palm basket, secured by twine around the middle and at each end. The robustos in Catauro retail for $99 each and are available via Internet ( or at any of Maxoly s three locations in Miami, including its flagship store in Little Havana. If you buy two, be sure to tie the Catauros together and wear them over your shoulder as you exit! «34

35 La Garita History of La Garita Cigar Company and the Falto Cigar: A True Ultra Boutique Premium Cigar. La Garita Cigar Company, Inc. began its operations a little more than thirteen years ago. It all started when Luis J. Falto bought and sold cigars for friends, including some restaurants and other establishments. All the while, he was and still is, an avid consumer of what true cigar smokers call: The Leaf. During that time, he concluded that he wanted and could make one according to his own personal taste. Following his passion, he met with the most important manufacturers in the Mecca of Dominican cigars: Santiago de los Caballeros in the Cibao Valley of the Dominican Republic. When he met with the group from La Aurora C. por A., they accepted his ideas, and most importantly his views of what a cigar bearing the Falto name should be. First of all, Luis wanted to choose the different tobacco blends for the cigars and decided they should be made in very small quantities. Such small quantities would insure a strict quality control, of which La Aurora was already distinguished for. Finally, he wanted to meet and know the torcedores at a personal level, the men that would be hand crafting the Falto cigars. Nowadays, and since the first day, Luis personally knows all his rollers by first name and chooses all blends for the Falto Cigars at La Aurora; the oldest cigar manufacturer in the Dominican Republic, founded in That is how the Falto brand of premium hand made cigars began. All his cigars are manufactured in La Aurora and come in different sizes and blends, which are: Falto (two sizes: Robusto and Lonsdale) Falto Reserva Especial (R.E.) Tres Luises (two sizes: Petit Belicoso and a Panatela) Falto Perla Reserva Seleccionada (one size: Petit Corona) Falto Prominente Gran Reserva Especial (one size: Perfecto [figurado]) Falto Legado (one size: Corona Gorda) La Garita Cigar Company (LGCC) Delirio Cabinet Selection (one size: Lonsdale) Falto Cigars has been and will always be an Ultra Boutique Premium Hand Made Cigar. They are made in extremely small quantities that do not exceed four thousand cigars per production. This production level helps in having an extra special and superb selection of tobacco for the crafting of these special cigars. There is no cigar quite like the Falto Cigar which is also rolled by the most experienced master rollers in the La Aurora factory. Sometimes, I say to myself, that I smoke more than what I sell. It remains a passion for me. La Garita Cigar Company and Falto Cigars is a journey that I started more than a decade ago and it will hopefully continue for many more, Luis says. Starting this year, they will be distributed throughout the United States, for the first time, at selected tobacconists. Try a Falto Cigar today for a truly Ultra unique cigar experience. «35

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37 THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY Cigar Gallery Giveaway How about some free cigars? This month s prize is a stunningly flavor-rich box of Romeo y Julieta Habana Reserve Coronas! The Habana Reserve blend is made in Honduras, the first Romeo to be made there in more than two decades. Introduced in 2007, it s a full-bodied cigar that s drawn rave reviews for its rich taste and full body... but never harsh or aggressive. The hefty Corona measures 5 5 /8 long with a ring gauge of 45, and it s offered in boxes of 27 for a little extra value. These prized cigars are provided to us by our friends at Mike s Cigars and will be awarded in a special drawing at the end of the month. The winner will be announced in this space next month; this is a separate drawing from our weekly Register & Win program. However, all entrants in our Register & Win pool are eligible to win. If you haven t entered yet, click on the Register & Win tab above and get in the game! «CONGRATULATIONS TO Rich Yohn of Belleville, Illinois, winner of our Cigar Gallery Giveaway for April, a box of Macanudo Cafe Port! Once you have entered, it s not necessary to enter again; you will be re-entered in all future contests. Please note that once an individual has won, he or she is ineligible to be selected in a future drawing during the same calendar year. 37

38 Is there a company more in touch with the tastes of cigar lovers than Nashville, Tennessee-based C.A.O.? After all, this is the company that decided that two much of a good thing is actually good for you, with its creation of its Mx2 blend in 2003 featuring aged maduro leaves from Connecticut and Brazil as wrapper and binder and then its Cx2 cigar in 2005, using Cameroon leaves for wrapper and binder for a completely unique taste and texture. Now comes the third in the x2 series, the Lx2, which was introduced in Las Vegas during this past summer s International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association convention and trade show. This new blend has double the ligero the type of leaf whichproduces the strongest and spiciest flavor with two different ligero leaves, one each from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. Of course, it s full-bodied and full of flavor, but it s never harsh and when combined with a Nicaraguan-grown wrapper and Hondurangrown binder, it s a pleasure. The inspiration for Lx2 came from a small growing field in Nicaragua called Pueblo Nuevo, said C.A.O. President Tim Ozgener. Pueblo Nuevo is a 140-acre farm outside of Condega where tobacco is grown exclusively for C.A.O. and Torano brands. We found that the tobacco from this particular farm yields an abundance of strength while retaining a nice, earthy sweetness. The taste profile played perfectly into what we were looking for with the Lx2 concept. C.A.O. Director of Lifestyle Marketing Jon Huber Offered in three shapes, the Lx2 is also quite accessible with retail prices of $6-8 each. And, of course, since the company is headquartered in Music City, it s being promoted with a ninecity C.A.O. Rock N Rolled Tour! It s just two good! «38

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40 THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY THE CIGAR GALLERY Last but not Least That s Miami Cigar & Company chief Nestor Miranda, who celebrated 20 years in business with his selftitled National Nestor Miranda Nestor Miranda Cigar Day on June 12 with parties at 500 stores across the country that stock his Nestor Miranda Special Selection blend. He made an important offer to smokers who purchased a box of any of the Special Selection sizes: 10 Special Selection Coffee Break cigars (4 1 /2 x 50) for free plus a oneyear membership in Cigar Rights of America, paid for at $35 apiece by Miami Cigar. Will other manufacturers pick up the challenge and do the same? Miranda also commemorated his late son Daniel, who passed away in 2008, with the distribution of a free Nelson Miranda Special Selection Danno a We believe that building membership in Cigar Rights of America is the only way those of us who enjoy cigars can mitigate the onslaught of additional taxes and draconian anti-smoking regulations. Therefore, Miami Cigar & Company is making every effort to enhance the membership of CRA. 7 by 56-ring cigar made for the 20th anniversary and named in Daniel s memory for smokers who bought any cigar of any kind on that day in any of the 500 shops. The Danno was created for Miranda by Pepin Garcia in Nicaragua and issued in only 2,000 boxes of 20 (40,000 cigars total), half of which sport a mediumbodied Nicaraguan-grown Habano Rosado wrapper and the other 1,000 boxes a fullbodied Habano Oscuro wrapper, around the Nicaraguan binder and three-nation interior blend. Miranda never dreamed that he d be celebrating 20 years in cigars, but his is one of the fast-growing distributors in the United States with brands including La Aurora, Leon Jimenes, Tatiana, 601, Cubao, Brun del Re and more. Thanks to his support of Cigar Rights of America, he hopes smokers will be able to enjoy his cigars and those of others far into the future. «40