Archive for March, 2018

JRCigars.com interviews Cory Bappert, Vice President of Sales for Oliva Cigars

Friday, March 23rd, 2018

Oliva brand is one of the most popular brands in the world.  Get a first look as JRCigars.com sits down with the Vice President of Sales of Oliva Cigars, Cory Bappert, to talk about their new Nicaraguan Cigar factory, the process of making their cigars, and much more.

JRCigars.com – Tell us about your new box factory and the expanded capabilities of your Nicaraguan cigar factory.   How many cigars/boxes can you produce per day?

Cory Bappert – Our new box factory when fully operational and up to speed will be capable of producing 100K boxes a month. We currently make over 20 million cigars a year and with expansion under way will have the capability to product up to make an extra 40% more per year.

JRCigars.com – How large is your staff at the Nicaragua factory in Esteli?

Cory Bappert – Just at factory level we have 1500-1600 workers between both cigar factories as well as the box factory.

JRCigars.com – Do you have Rollers & Bunchers that work in pairs or does one person bunch and roll the cigar from start to finish?  What is the reasoning behind this method?

Cory Bappert – We use a roller and buncher. That work as a pair. We find the quality is better when one person focuses on one task instead of two.

JRCigars.com – What was the inspiration behind the Gilberto Oliva Reserva line that you released at the 2017 IPCPR?

Cory Bappert – The Gilberto line is a brand that we felt would reach the more value driven cigar smokers that we couldn’t previously reach.

JRCigars.com – Do you find it flattering or frustrating that since the successful release of your various Nub lines the cigar market has seen a large influx of vitolas in the 4 x 60 range?

Cory Bappert – Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but the size of Nub is only part of what makes it a successful brand.

JRCigars.com – Since being acquired by J. Cortes Cigars, a Belgian company know for European-style cigarillos, will you be introducing more of the European style cigars into your portfolio?

Cory Bappert – We took over US distribution of Neos cigarillos, but that is all we have planned at this time.

JRCigars.com – What makes the Oliva Serie V and Oliva Serie V Melanio so special and sought after?

Cory Bappert – We use tobaccos from special farms we do not use on any other cigars. Also, we have a commitment to the quality of its construction. We use salaried rollers so as not to have the roller and buncher focus on quantity. Our V rollers generally roll half as many a day as a normal cigar roller. Therefore, you’ll find the construction almost perfect.

JRCigars.com – What do you feel distinguishes Oliva Cigars from other cigar manufacturers?

Cory Bappert – Our ability to grow to meet the needs and expectation of the consumer without sacrificing quality. It is a hand made product and rushing cigars out to market is tempting to all growing cigar companies. Holding the line to maintain the quality of the cigars instead of trying to cash in indicates a commitment to the long-term quality of the brand.

Top-Quality MoyaRuiz Cigars

Thursday, March 22nd, 2018

MoyaRuiz Cigars are the product of Danny Moya, Erik Espinoza, and Nelson Ruiz, three exceptional master blenders who craft their premium cigars at Espinosa’s prestigious La Zona Factory in Estelí Nicaragua. Every MoyaRuiz cigar that is made in the La Zona factory is handcrafted in the traditional Cuban way called “entubado”, a process where the long filler tobacco leaves are rolled one by one into tubes rather than bunched, which allows for maximum airflow and a perfect draw. This dynamic trio has created several top- rated lines starting with the Jugado series that is featured in three exquisite blends.

The MoyaRuiz Jugado Habano is a bold Nicaraguan smoke that comes dressed in a rich Ecuadorian Habano wrapper over well-aged Nicaraguan filler tobaccos. This beautifully constructed vitola is well packed and serves up a complex bounty of almonds, cocoa, and caramel flavors, while hints of pepper and tangy spice remain in the background.

Maduro fans will simply love the dark and delicious La Jugada Prieto! This medium to full bodied blend features the classic Mexican San Andres wrapper over finely aged Nicaraguan binder and long fillers. Cocoa, milk chocolate, hints of cinnamon, and toasted almond flavors highlight this ebony masterpiece.

La Jugada Nunchuck is quite the odd bird! Designed to look like a set of nunchucks, the dual cigars are conjoined by a thin strand of tobacco designed to be easily pulled apart when ready to smoke. The Nunchuck contains Nicaraguan binder and filler leaves nestled inside a dark, oily, Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro wrapper. Just like its namesake, these beauties really pack a wallop!  A boatload of chocolate, pepper, and sweet spice flavors are delivered with a bold, in your face, full-bodied strength profile Sold in boxes of 10, this cigar is tailor made for the adventurous smoker with a well-seasoned palate.

The Rake is a delicious premium cigar that sports a near black Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper with a high-octane blend of four ligero leaves from Nicaragua. Packed with rich, Cuban-style flavor, these gems, available in four popular big-ring sizes, deliver hearty notes of pepper, dark roast coffee, spice, and hints of sweet fruit.

One of the latest additions to the MoyaRuiz portfolio, the DimMak uses an Ecuador Habano wrapper, dual binders from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, and aged long fillers also from these two countries to achieve its highly complex, medium to full bodied profile. This Asian and martial arts themed brand come presented in a handsome dress box featuring 10 stunning 5.00 x 54 Robusto Extra cigars. Expect a top-quality smoke oozing with mouthwatering flavors of leather, coffee, and earth, nuanced with a plethora of exotic spices that will keep your taste buds hopping!

Whichever MoyaRuiz blend that you choose, you will be rewarded with a wonderfully unique, luxury cigar smoking experience that is a testament to the outstanding cigar making skills of these three  industry legends.

 

Gran Habano Cigars – Affordable and Delicious!

Thursday, March 1st, 2018

The Gran Habano brand encompass a four-wrapper variety of premium handmade cigars blended by the father and son team of George and Guillermo Rico and handcrafted in Honduras. Their goal was to marry rich flavors and superb construction with affordable prices, and, if you browse through the tons of high-ratings from industry experts and everyday smokers alike, it’s safe to assume that they accomplished this task with flying colors!  Considered by many to be the “Bentley” of budget friendly cigars, the current Gran Habano portfolio consists of the #3 Habano, the #5 Maduro and Corojo, and the #1 Connecticut.

The Gran Habano #1 Connecticut cigars are expertly rolled with well-aged Nicaraguan Habano binder and filler tobaccos paired with a silky smooth, golden brown Ecuadorian Connecticut shade wrapper.  Made with the mellow to medium-bodied enthusiast in mind, the cigar serves up easygoing, well-balanced flavors of cocoa, nuts, toast, cedar, and caramel. Even if you prefer a stick with a lot more kick, this lush Connecticut style cigar has more than enough flavor to become your morning or mid-day smoking companion.

Dark brown in color and decidedly Cuban-style in character, the medium to full bodied Gran Habano # 3 Habano cigars provide scrumptious layers of dark roast coffee, white pepper, roasted nuts, cedar, and a sweet smoky aroma. We think this cigar is about as close as you will come to a genuine Cubano without needing a passport and a plane ticket to buy them!

Featuring a hearty combo of aged long-fillers from Nicaragua and Costa Rica, the Gran Habano #5 Maduro  cigars are finished with a dark and oily Corojo wrapper from Nicaragua. this full-bodied pleasure is oozing with hearty notes of espresso, chocolate, spice, roasted nuts, and earth. A Maduro lover’s dream, these black beauties are just begging to be smoked after a juicy steak fresh off your backyard grill.

The #5 Corojo cigars are undoubtedly the most full-bodied blend in the popular Gran Habano lineup.  The recipe consists of a nutrient rich, clay red Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper, a Nicaraguan Habano binder, and perfectly aged long-fillers from Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Peppery spice, rich earthy tobacco, leather, and black coffee flavors provide a heady, powerful smoke that is best tackled on a full stomach! Newbies need not apply, but the well-seasoned cigar aficionado will find the #5 Corojo cigar an extremely satisfying reward after a busy day!

Order your Gran Habano cigars right here at JR so you can find out for yourself that a premium handmade cigar doesn’t have to be expensive to taste great!

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