Archive for the ‘cigar of the week’ Category

Why We Love ACID Cigars

Wednesday, November 14th, 2018
In regards to their quality and overall fame, ACID is one of the best. If you're eager to try ACID cigars, here are some reasons why they're a fan favorite.

Just Released – Two Hot New Premium Blends from Espinosa Cigars

Tuesday, August 28th, 2018

Coming Soon – The Hot New Tabernacle Havana Seed CT #142 Cigar!

Wednesday, August 22nd, 2018

5 Celebrities Who Made Cigar Smoking Aspirational

Thursday, August 2nd, 2018

Celebrities attract huge followings because people aspire to be something bigger or better. In many cases, the image portrayed by a famous or powerful person is the key characteristic people want to replicate. The mighty cigar is a prop that has been used by some of the most successful celebrities in history, making it a symbol of success and power.

These five celebrities eventually became inextricably linked to their iconic cigar in the hearts and minds of the general public.

1. Orson Welles

Orson Welles was widely regarded as a genius filmmaker, thanks largely to the groundbreaking Citizen Kane. He was only 25 years old when he directed and starred in the movie, which was almost unheard of at the time. Welles loved the high life and all of its trappings. As well as having a taste for fine food and champagne, Welles loved his handmade cigars — so much so he write many cigar-smoking characters for his movies.

In real life, Welles was often seen and pictured with a cigar hanging from his mouth. Many of his young, impressionable fans wanted to be just like him, and took up smoking themselves as a result.

2. Sigmund Freud

No celebrity was more committed to cigars than acclaimed psychologist Sigmund Freud. He was known to chain smoke at times, and he continued smoking more than 20 cigars a day for many years — despite warnings from doctors and friends. Freud developed mouth cancer later in life, but he continued his love-affair with cigars undeterred.

Freud is widely regarded as a genius in the ways of the human mind. He is respected as much dead as he was alive. This respect manifested itself in imitation among his fans — many of whom used the cigar as the ultimate gesture to their idol.

3. Winston Churchill

No celebrity is more closely associated with handmade cigars than Winston Churchill. During some of the most famous speeches and public appearances in his life, the former British Prime Minister could be seen with a cigar — either hanging from his mouth or resting on an ashtray next to a glass of whisky.

Winston Churchill is the ultimate symbol of victory in the face of adversity. Millions are motivated by his achievements to this day, and they smoke cigars as a tribute to the great man. So striking is the image of Churchill with a cigar, he even has a type of cigar named after him.

4. Babe Ruth

The sight of an elite sports star puffing on a cigar while in uniform is still remarkable. Baseball legend Babe Ruth loved smoking full-bodied cigars from a young age — so much so he bought a share in a local cigar factory. It wasn’t long before a cigar was produced bearing his name.

Babe Ruth’s image is an enduring one that stands for sporting excellence and hope. He rose from impoverished beginnings to become the most famous sports star in the world. Ruth was a huge inspiration for young baseball players, and indeed anyone who wanted to pursue the American Dream. His love of cigars undoubtedly inspired millions of people to take up smoking during the 1920s.

5. Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood delivered some truly iconic lines of dialogue with a huge stogie in his mouth. He was one of the people who was at one with his cigar, yet he never smoked cigars away from movie sets. Eastwood himself came up with the idea of cutting cigars into short stubs. The move gave his famous “Man with No Name” character a gritty edge that had never been seen on the big screen before.

Cigars are as popular today as they ever have been. Millions of regular smokers around the world were inspired to try their first stogie as a result of seeing these iconic celebrities handle a cigar so beautifully.

25 Best Cigars and Cigar Flavor Profiles to Smoke: Padron, Oliva, Cohiba, Montecristo, and More

Thursday, August 2nd, 2018

Whether you are a new cigar smoker or you have a packed humidor and just want a few new flavors, here’s a great list of some of the best cigars to smoke.

Best Cigars with Coffee

Tabak Especial Robusto Dulce: With a caramel-sweet coffee taste and Connecticut wrapper, it has an even burn and draw.

Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente: With mellow-medium strength, this popular Rothschild has an even burn, smooth draw, and cedar, leather, and pepper notes.

Oliva Connecticut Reserve Robusto: With Nicaraguan filler, Connecticut wrapper, a great burn, and draw, it’s mild-to-medium strength.

Best Chocolate Flavors

Romeo y Julieta Vintage III Natural: With mellow-strength, a Connecticut wrapper, and a good draw, it has cocoa and floral aromas.

La Gloria Cubana Wavell: With a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper, medium-full strength, coffee, chocolate, nutty, and cedar taste, it has a tight draw with a good burn.

Partagas Black Label Clasico: Full-strength, it has a medio tiempo Connecticut wrapper and espresso, chocolate, leather, coffee, nut, and cocoa taste.

L’Atelier Maduro: With medium-strength, notes of spice, chocolate, and coffee, this Nicaraguan has a good burn.

Best Chocolate/Cedar Flavors

CAO Gold Robusto: This medium-strength Nicaraguan is creamy with a woodsy cedar and chocolate aroma, and has a slow burn.

Best Chocolate/Pepper Flavors

Oliva Serie O Robusto: With medium-strength, woodsy taste, dark chocolate, leather, coffee, and pepper notes, it’s a fan-favorite.

Arturo Fuente Hemingway: With mellow-mild strength, Dominican filler and Cameroon wrapper, it has a peppery spice, chocolate, and woodsy taste, and perfect draw. Serve with brandy.

Cohiba Dominican Toro Tube: With medium-strength and Connecticut wrapper, it has a great draw with pepper, cocoa, and brown sugar notes. Pair with Makers Mark bourbon.

Padron 1964 Anniversary Series Exclusivo: This full-bodied Nicaraguan maduro has a woodsy, peppery, nutty, espresso, spice, and cocoa taste.

Best Earthy Cedar/Pepper Flavors

Fuente Opus X The Lost City: With medium-strength and notes of cedar, this Dominican has an earthy, peppery, spice and creamy caramel taste.

Punch Rare Corojo El Doble: This sweet and musky smoke has medium-full strength, Dominican/Honduran/Nicaraguan fillers, a good draw, and earthy taste.

Best Earthy/Nutty Flavors

  1. Upmann 1844 Reserve Robusto: It has earthy flavors, a nutty taste, medium-full strength, and a good burn and draw.

Montecristo Red Toro: With medium-full strength, it has earthy, nutty, cocoa, and spice notes, and a good burn.

JR Ultimate Belisco Cabinet: With medium-full strength, the oscuro Honduran has a woodsy, earthy taste.

Best Graham Cracker Flavors

Rocky Patel Fire: With spiced graham cracker, toast, brown sugar, cinnamon, and molasses notes, the full-bodied Nicaraguan has a good draw and burn.

Dunhill Heritage Robusto: With coffee, caramel, graham cracker, cocoa, and cinnamon flavors, Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, and medium-full strength, it has a perfect draw and burn.

Best Pepper/Leather Flavors

Partagas Naturales: With medium-strength, Dominican and Mexican fillers, and Cameroon wrapper, it has a peppery, leather taste.

Padron 1926 Series Natural: With a 94 Cigar Aficionado rating, full body, consistent draw, and great peppery, leather taste, this Nicaraguan’s a crowd-pleaser.

Muwat by Drew Estate: With medium-strength, a good burn and draw, this Nicaraguan has a delicious spiced-molasses, coffee, leather, and pepper taste.

Best Pepper/Nutmeg Flavors

My Father Flor de Las Antillas Belicoso: With hints of pepper and nutmeg, the medium-strength Nicaraguan has an easy draw.

Best Leather/Cedar Flavors

Ashton Symmetry Robusto Habano: This medium-full strength Dominican has a nice burn, and leather, floral, and woodsy notes.

Best Cedar Flavors

Montecristo White Series Toro: With an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper and Dominican and Nicaraguan filler, its medium-strength with a good burn and creamy cedar flavor.

With so many great cigar flavors, you’re going to need a bigger humidor! Try any of these fine cigars that can be purchased right here at JR Cigars. JR Cigars specializes in the finest premium cigars deals and you can buy cigars online for your upcoming events or cigar tasting.

The 7 Main Countries for Fine Cigars

Thursday, August 2nd, 2018

When you think about a premium cigar, your first thoughts might be about Cuba, and for good reason. However, there are many other countries that produce fine cigars that rival the Cuban experience.

Here are the seven main countries for fine cigars – Mexico, Ecuador, Honduras, Brazil, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, and including the most famous, Cuba.

Mexico

The history the Mexican cigar dates back to the Mayans, who smoked tobacco in pipes, as well as in loosely-rolled bundles that looked similar to a primitive cigar. Due to the volcanic soil in the San Andreas region of Mexico, some of the finest cigars are produced here. The soil is rich in potassium and that yields premium tobacco as well as the dark Maduro wrappers and sleek San Andreas wrapper.

Ecuador

Ecuador doesn’t have a long history like some of the countries when it comes to cigar production. That doesn’t mean that the cigars are of less quality; in fact, the cloud cover and humidity in Ecuador yields a spicy and delicious cigar wrapper like the exquisite Ecuadorian Habano wrapper.

Honduras

Known for its fertile soil and excellent climate for tobacco, Honduras produces cigars with usually a stronger, more dark and earthy flavor. It is an area that even has wild tobacco fields used by its people for hundreds of years. Using mostly Cuban seed, the region is windy and mountainous, with acres of vivid green tobacco plants.

Brazil

This is a country that produces bold, strong, and dark tobacco that is full of flavor and sun-grown tobacco wrappers that have a neutral, sweet taste. If strong is your preference then you can’t go wrong with a Brazilian Cigar like the CAO Brazilia. Almost all of the Brazilian tobacco is grown in the area of Bahia. However, all of the regions within this area on the Atlantic Coast have their own micro-climates and curing methods – which gives unique tastes to the cigars.

Nicaragua

Cigars from Nicaragua are superior tasting due to volcanic soil that is full of nutrients. The weather conditions there are ideal as well, so you get an alternative that is full of flavor and is considered some of the best tobacco in the world. What makes it unique is its soil and minerals which produce spicy and full-flavored cigars.

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic was the first to cultivate tobacco for cigars and the flavor is usually mild and smooth. Recently, however, the Dominican Republic has produced some strands that are amazingly powerful so no matter your preference, this is a country where you can go bold or go smooth. And keep in mind that they use the finest aged long filler tobaccos and top-quality wrapper leaves.

Cuba

The Cuban cigar has long been a favored among many and for good reason – the weather is perfect and the soil is quality. According to an article at the Chicago Tribune:

Tobacco grown there takes on the flavors of the soil and is influenced by the micro-climate in that particular region. You can take the same seeds and grow them elsewhere. There will be similarities, but only Cuban tobacco tastes like Cuban tobacco.

While you cannot import Cuban cigars into the United States due to the trade embargo, you can enjoy alternative cigars or cigars from any of the other fine countries listed, where the flavor is comparable to the Cuban.

Coming Soon – The Hot New Tabernacle Havana Seed CT #142 Cigar!

Wednesday, August 1st, 2018

Just making its debut at the 2018 IPCPR trade show, Nicholas Melillo’s Foundation Cigar Company has unveiled one of its most anticipated releases with the Tabernacle Havana Seed CT #142 line of premium handmade cigars. The Foundation Cigar Co. headquarters are in a tobacco field in Connecticut and as such, the cigars are named for this specific wrapper seed from the Connecticut River Valley. Born of Cuban-seeds, the CT#142 leaf adds a pronounced sweetness with hints of spice to the flavor profile. In addition, the Havana Seed #142 wrapper has been curing under the watchful eye of A.J. Fernandez for the past three years for the utmost in taste and aroma. This four-size line uses this prized wrapper leaf over a Mexican San Andrés binder and a carefully chosen combo of perfectly aged fillers from Honduras and Nicaragua.

Rolled at the famous Tabacalera A.J. Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua in Estelí, the Tabernacle Havana Seed CT #142 cigars provide a perfectly rolled, slow burning vitola, with a medium to full body profile, that displays tantalizing tasting notes of spice, espresso, some earthiness, and a rich tobacco sweetness throughout, courtesy of the aforementioned wrapper.

Our product merchants here at JR, were lucky enough to get their hands on some pre-production samples of this hot new luxury blend at the trade show, and, after overwhelming approval, they will soon be fully stocked right here on our JR Website. So, keep checking back often, because Tabernacle Havana Seed CT #142 cigars are destined to become the crowning jewels in the heralded Foundation brand portfolio.

Coming Soon – The Hot New Tabernacle Havana Seed CT #142 Cigar!

Wednesday, August 1st, 2018

Just making its debut at the 2018 IPCPR trade show, Nicholas Melillo’s Foundation Cigar Company has unveiled one of its most anticipated releases with the Tabernacle Havana Seed CT #142 line of premium handmade cigars. The Foundation Cigar Co. headquarters are in a tobacco field in Connecticut and as such, the cigars are named for this specific wrapper seed from the Connecticut River Valley. Born of Cuban-seeds, the CT#142 leaf adds a pronounced sweetness with hints of spice to the flavor profile. In addition, the Havana Seed #142 wrapper has been curing under the watchful eye of A.J. Fernandez for the past three years for the utmost in taste and aroma. This four-size line uses this prized wrapper leaf over a Mexican San Andrés binder and a carefully chosen combo of perfectly aged fillers from Honduras and Nicaragua.

Rolled at the famous Tabacalera A.J. Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua in Estelí, the Tabernacle Havana Seed CT #142 cigars provide a perfectly rolled, slow burning vitola, with a medium to full body profile, that displays tantalizing tasting notes of spice, espresso, some earthiness, and a rich tobacco sweetness throughout, courtesy of the aforementioned wrapper.

Our product merchants here at JR, were lucky enough to get their hands on some pre-production samples of this hot new luxury blend at the trade show, and, after overwhelming approval, they will soon be fully stocked right here on our JR Website. So, keep checking back often, because Tabernacle Havana Seed CT #142 cigars are destined to become the crowning jewels in the heralded Foundation brand portfolio.

The Gentleman’s Guide to Smoking a Fine Cigar

Monday, July 30th, 2018

Some of the most talented and renowned gentlemen in the world enjoyed a lifelong relationship with their cigars. So much so, the enduring image of these men still features a cigar hanging from their mouth.

Sir Winston Churchill, Groucho Marx, John F. Kennedy and Babe Ruth knew how to smoke a cigar with style and panache — and they did it with an effortless elegance. In fact, legendary British Prime Minister Churchill has inspired many cigars over the years that bear both his name and his image, including the Davidoff Winston Churchill.

By brushing up on the basics and practicing regularly, you can smoke a fine cigar like these exceptional gentlemen once did.

Buy the Right Cigar

The process starts with the right purchase. A great smoking experience requires a quality cigar, so you need to know what to look for. Of course, you can buy one of the world’s most respected brands with a degree of confidence. These include the likes of JR, Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta (a particular favorite of Winston Churchill’s).

However, you need to know that the cigars you’re buying have been well looked after. Buy your cigars from specialist tobacconists — who know how to store and care for them properly.

Start When You’re Alone and Relaxed

The famous people in history renowned for their cigar smoking made it look effortless. Their cigars looked like a permanent appendage, and gave these formidable men a certain gravitas. But they perfected the art of smoking cigars over many years — usually in private.

Take your more comfortable seat, and try to block out the rest of the world for a few minutes. Pick up your cigar, and inspect it for imperfections. Once you’re happy you have a quality product in your hand, smell it. A great cigar has an unmistakable scent. If yours hasn’t, there’s probably something wrong with it.

Cut Your Cigar

Every gentleman cigar smoker has his own cutter. Some receive their cutter from their father or grandfather, while others have an extensive collection. Choose a cutter that looks stylish, and gets used to keeping it on your person at all times.

Most cigar smokers now use a simple guillotine cutter, which is effective and inexpensive. Exactly how much you need to cut off depends on the cigar. You need to remove enough to get a good draw, but remove too much and the cigar will fall apart. Cutting perfectly and in various environments takes practice. But the easiest way is usually to use the edge of a table — with the cutting end of the cutting hanging over it. Insert the end of the cigar into the cutting hole, and slice it off.

Lighting a Cigar

Try not to use cheap cigarette lighters to light your cigars. Not only do they spoil the image you’re trying to create, the fluid used in them can affect the flavor of the cigar. Always use a match or a butane torch lighter to light your cigar.

Lighting a cigar while it’s perched in your mouth can look sophisticated and effortless, but some smokers believe it makes the cigar too hot. Hold your cigar a foot or so away from your body, and light it as evenly as you can.

Smoking

The more you smoke cigars, the more you’ll feel comfortable with them. You’ll eventually develop your own smoking style. You might, for example, prefer to smoke cigars with your favorite whiskey. Or you may prefer an after-dinner cigar with coffee.

The only thing you need to remember is not to inhale like you would with a cigarette. Take your time with it, and don’t feel you have to get your money’s worth before it burns out. Cigars are designed to burn slowly, so savor the experience and smoke at your own pace.

Finally, don’t crush your cigar like a cheap cigarette when you’re finished with it. Lay it on your ashtray, and it will slowly burn out on its own.

Over time, you will naturally develop your own style and routine. As long as you have quality cigars

The History of Cigars: From Ancient Times to the Modern Humidor

Friday, July 27th, 2018

Cigar smokers today can choose from a vast selection of premium cigars sourced from all over the world. However, it has taken more than 1,000 years for cigars to evolve to where they are today. Here’s what you should know about the history of the cigars in your humidor.

The First Cigars

Precisely when cigars were invented is unknown. What is certain, though, is that native tribes in Central America were smoking primitive cigars for many centuries before Europeans arrived. The earliest known image of a cigar appears on a Mayan pot dated to the 10th century, but it’s entirely possible that the native peoples of Central America had already been smoking them for some time before that. The Mayan word for the act of smoking, sikar, may have also been passed on to Spanish explorers and adapted into the Spanish word cigarro.

Cigars Reach Europe

When Christopher Columbus first visited Cuba in 1492, he observed the natives smoking primitive cigars similar to the ones smoked by the Maya. Columbus would go on to introduce tobacco to Europe, where smoking was initially met with disdain. Over time, though, the Spanish and other Europeans would begin to enjoy smoking tobacco leaves.

As tobacco from the New World became increasingly available, small cigar-making workshops in Spain started to emerge. The modern cigar is generally dated to the early 18th century, by which time tobacco consumption was extremely popular. The cigar industry would undergo a massive change in 1758, when the world’s first tobacco processing factory opened its doors in Seville, Spain. This factory, which was controlled by the Spanish monarchy, marks the birth of the modern cigar industry.

The Cigar Industry Grows and Matures in Cuba

As demand for cigars grew in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, production in Spain struggled to keep up. As a result, the cigar industry found a new home in the Spanish colony of Cuba, where Columbus had first witnessed natives smoking early cigars. Cuba’s climate was perfect for growing tobacco, and the island was soon the cigar manufacturing capital of the world. During the 19th century, many cigar companies were founded on the island, including a few that are still popular with cigar lovers today. Punch, for example, got its start in Cuba in 1840. This period also saw the cigar industry branch out into nearby Florida, particularly the cities of Key West and Tampa.

Cigars Become a Status Symbol

Though cigars have always been a luxury, the 19th and early 20th centuries saw them become symbols of wealth and status. The expense of importing them from Cuba made frequent cigar smoking a pastime of the rich, who could afford as many cigars as they wanted. Since that time, cigars have been widely associated with wealth and success in the business world.

Cigars in the Last Century

Cigars were at the height of their popularity in the early to mid 20th century. Even in England, where smoking had been stigmatized under Queen Victoria, cigars were made more acceptable when a newly-crowned Edward VII famously said “Gentlemen, you may smoke” to his guests after a dinner event. By 1960, Americans alone would consume about 7 billion cigars annually.

Nevertheless, the popularity of cigars did begin to fade in the second half of the 20th century. Sales declined significantly going into the 1980s. In the early 1990s, though, a global cigar boom began that produced the industry as it exists today. Demand for cigars skyrocketed, creating pressure to increase supply. It was in this time that countries such as Nicaragua and Ecuador became major tobacco suppliers. Today, cigars are back in style, and modern aficionados are enjoying the plethora of new premium brands produced by the cigar boom of the 1990s.

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