Day Three IPCPR by Frank Seltzer
The slogging march through Orlando continues as does the IPCPR. This morning I began the day with Rocky and Nish Patel and Nimish Desai of Rocky Patel Cigars. As I wrote earlier, Rocky is coming out with several new lines. The first is an extension of the Edge called Edge Habano. This is the cigar made in Nicaragua and one I had thought would be called the Edge Nicaragua, but no it will be the Edge Habano. The company also is releasing a cigar named for his lounge called Burn, Naples, Florida. This is a Honduran puro that will be available outside his lounge (which is a must see when in Naples) Three sizes Robusto, Toro and Torpedo will retail for $7.75 – $8.60.
Freedom uses an Oscuro wrapper over Nicaraguan tobaccos for a medium to full bodied smoke . Four sizes form a Robusto to the Sixty (6″ x 60) with prices running from $7.50 to $8.50. The Gary Sheffield HR 500 marks his 500th home run and uses an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper over a Honduran Jamastran binder and fillers from Nicaragua and Honduras. It will come in one size retailing for $12.20. The cigar I was most looking forward to trying was the new Private Cellar. Nish and Nimish have both said it is one of their best blends and even though the cigar was young, the flavors stood out. Using a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper combined with Nicaraguan binder and fillers, the cigar had a long finish with complexity. Coming in three sizes, it will ship to stores in September with a retail price of $8.50 to $8.85.
Flor de Gonzalez is adding to its 90 miles line with the new 90 miles 1980. The date marks the year Yadi Gonzalez made the 90 mile trip from Cuba to the United States. Yadi proudly notes that this blend was entirely her work. She said a few years ago she was looking at some San Andres wrappers and really wanted to use them in a project. Combining the sweet dark Mexican wrapper with a Broadleaf binder grown by her father in Ecuador and fillers from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic the cigar delivers full flavor and is a medium plus…maybe even a full bodied experience. By far it is the most intense cigar Flor de Gonzalez has released to date. The price for the two sizes will be $6 – $6.95.
EP Carrillo debuted its Inch series which measures a whopping 64 ring gauge ( an inch) and comes in a Natural and Maduro. This cigar while way too big for my smoking, does deliver a unique flavor in the Maduro which I had to try. The Inch sizes are 5″ x 62, 5.875″ x 60 and 6.125″ by 64.
While I mentioned the new Willie Hererra cigar on Friday ( the days run together) I had not the chance to try one until today. The cigars — named Herrera Esteli — are not ready for shipment and probably will not be until sometime this fall or even next year. With that said, the flavors are the most Cubanesque found in a long time. The cigar is getting raves and strong reactions from the few who have had a chance to sample it. The cigar is complex yet nothing overpowers. To my palate, this is the true winner of the show. I cannot wait to see what a bit more age will do to this beauty.
Pete Johnson has added a new Avion 12 which is a short perfecto and will be shipping very soon. He also has La Casita Robusto which uses 100% Broadleaf. But Pete’s newest work has been the L’Atelier launch.
L'Atelier
Run by his brother K.C., long time friend Dan Welsh and Sean Johnson, L’Atelier is launching two cigars made at the My Father factory in Esteli–the L’Atelier and the Surrogates. The L’Atelier uses the Sancti Spiritus wrapper which originated in Cuba. Dan Welsh says the L’Atelier gives you that Cuban barnyard and hay but with plenty of changes. It does have a great flavor and is another winner of the show. The L’Atelier will come in three sizes and will retail for $8 to $10 dollars. The Surrogates are blends that Pete made and Welsh had for his store in Ohio but now available to retailers and will retail for $7.50 to $8. The Tramp Stamp for example, a 5.25″ x 48 is very similar to Pete’s Black Label. The other two offerings are the Trocadero and the El Suelo lines which are value priced. Made in the old Pepin factory in Esteli, the Trocadero will retail for $3.50 to $4.50 while the El Suelo will run $3.75 to $4.75.
The My Father factory also is busy with its own lines–the Jaime Garcia limited edition 2012 which had a total of only 1,000 boxes made and all sold out. The cigar features the Pela d’oro tobacco and will retail at $16. The La Duena–blended by Pete Johnson and Janny Garcia–is a new regular line for the Garcia family and comes in 5 sizes retailing for $7 to $8.75. Using Connecticut Broadleaf as the wrapper and binder in combination with a second Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan and Broadleaf fillers, it is one flavorful smoke. The Flor de Las Antilles which debuted in late May continues to be strong for My Father. It is the family’s first all box pressed line and retails for $6.60 to $8.70
Padron has debuted a new 1964 Anniversary cigar the Number 4 in a 60 ring gauge.
Miami Cigar is showing the new Anoranzas which uses a Nicaragua Habano Oscuro wrapper over dual Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan filler with retail of $6.50 to $8.50
There is so much more to report but am out of time for today. The show ends tomorrow but as I will be flying back home, my wrap-up will be Tuesday.
