Archive for the ‘Macanudo’ Category

M by Macanudo Cigars

Thursday, June 13th, 2019
M by Macanudo cigars starts with a fully aged blend of Nicaraguan long fillers and a binder from the Philippines, covered by a stunning Indonesian wrapper.

Temple Hall Cigars – A Famous Brand with a Rich History

Tuesday, December 4th, 2018
When it comes to premium handmade cigars very few brands have a history as rich as one of our oldest and most trusted marques— Temple Hall cigars

Flor de Allones Cigars – A True Honduran Classic

Tuesday, October 23rd, 2018
With so many great new premium cigars on the market today, it can be easy to overlook some of the tried and true classic brands

M by Macanudo

Tuesday, September 18th, 2018

Pro Cigar Underway by Frank Seltzer

Tuesday, February 19th, 2013

 

Pro Cigar 2013

Well the big cigar party in the Dominican Republic is underway.  It began over the weekend in La Romana where participants came in to begin the week long smoke event and today will tour Tabacalera de Garcia—Altadis USA’s huge factory that makes Romeo y Julieta, Montecristo and others.

The annual festival, now in its 6th year, is a chance for cigar smokers to visit the factories, fields and generally hang out with some of your favorite cigar makers.

Pro Cigar is the Dominican group that represents all the major cigar manufacturers on the island. It works to promote the Dominican Republic as Cigar Country making the finest cigars in the world, as well as working on issues that would affect the business. I say all because just a week ago it was announced that Litto Gomez and Ernesto Perez Carrillo have joined the organization.

This means that the trade group represents Altadis USA with its above named brands and factory, General Cigar (maker of Macanudo, Cohiba and La Gloria Cubana among others), La Aurora (maker of La Aurora, Leon Jimenes and Guillermo Leon), MATASA (maker of the Quesada lines and Fonseca), Tabadom Holdings (maker of Davidoff, Zino and Avo), Tabacalera  A. Fuente y Cia (Fuente, Opus X),Tabaquisa (Juan Clemente), Corporacion Cigar Export ( Augusto Reyes) and now La Flor Dominicana and EPC Cigars.

The fun in Santiago kicks off tonight and then continues to build until the big gala dinner on Friday.  We’ll bring you further reports on this.

Diplomatic Help

No doubt Pro Cigar was a big factor in letters that were sent to the FDA, State Department and White House from the ambassadors of the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua warning about the damage to their respective economies should the FDA begin to regulate cigars.

The letter says

“If history is any precedent, some of the regulations that could be imposed by the agency would prove disastrous to the centuries old cigar industry that provides more than 350,000 jobs among our three nations, and represents millions of dollars in export revenue. No regulatory measure should threaten such jobs, and hence raise the specter of political and economic consequences within our region.”

Whether anyone at the FDA can read is another matter.

FDA Will Rule

It was the present delivered to anti tobacco advocates right before Christmas…the administration’s Unified Agenda and Regulatory Plan…it covered everything from workplace safety to you got it tobacco regulation.  On December 21, the FDA indicated it would issue rules by April subjecting additional tobacco products to its control.  According to Troutman Sanders law firm:

What is clear is that while the FDA has not issued a specific proposal to regulate cigars, pipe tobacco, electronic cigarettes or other tobacco products, it has indicated it intends to take some action. This proposed rule seems to lay the foundation for the FDA to take that action. What is also clear, is that the Obama Administration continues to place tobacco regulation as one of its priorities for the next four years.

And that could be a major problem for cigar makers.  Even Roll Call agrees that something is coming up soon.  But of course moronic democrats like California’s Henry Waxman are pushing the FDA hard on tobacco…including cigars because, you know, it is for the children.

 “I’m pleased to see the FDA has begun to enforce the law. I continue to call on them to take forceful action to protect the public health with the authority given to them,” Waxman said in a statement. “We need to take action to stop tobacco companies from exploiting loopholes and continuing to addict youth.”

Yeah like banning flavoring in tobacco except the most popular one…menthol cuz the President smokes that.  Right.  Hypocrite.

New Bill

IPCPR announced that on Friday the 15th, a new bill was introduced in Congress to protect premium cigars. There were 12 co-sponsors initially this time…

Reps. Bill Posey (R-FL) and Kathy Castor (D-FL) introduced H.R. 792, the ‘‘Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2013.” This legislation is a crucial step forward in protecting the premium cigar retail industry from undue regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) aiming “[t]o amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to clarify the Food and Drug Administration’s jurisdiction over certain tobacco products, and to protect jobs and small businesses involved in the sale, manufacturing and distribution of traditional and premium cigars”.

We had a lot of co-sponsors last time (221) but need more to get it through.  As Rocky Patel told me last weekend in Hawaii, after spending the week in Washington, because of some language changes, “I think we are going to get a lot of momentum.  We have not lost one congressman as sponsor from the last session and we are going to pick more up.  We are making a real push this year and want to get about 300 sponsors,  At that point we can attach to bill to a vehicle that will move through Congress.”

Let your voice be heard! Contact your legislator here and urge them to support H.R. 792!

Macanudo Gold Label Gold Bar

Friday, December 7th, 2012

Macanudo, while very popular, is often snubbed by the snobbiest of self proclaimed aficionados. For the record, I’ve been guilty of just that. But, after having some good to awesome Macanudo blends, I check em out from time to time. As I was browsing the humidor at a local shop, out of the corner of my eye was shiny things. Because of that, this review exists.

1 Macanudo_Gold_Label_Gold_Bar cigars

Wrapper: Connecticut

Binder: Mexican San Andreas

Filler: Dominican, Mexican

Size: 5 x 60

Price: $8.75

2 Macanudo_Gold_Label_Gold_Bar cigars

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The light wrapper looked nice, with small veins, and no major flaws. The scent of the wrapper and foot was so mild, I had a hard time picking up the aroma of cedar. The cigar was evenly and solidly packed, and the draw was a little snug. The pre-light draw was mild, earthy, and cedary.

The burn required a few good sized corrections in the first third, and the ash held for about 1.5 inches.

Flavor:

The first third was a fairly even mixture of nuts and earthiness. The finish was a mild and creamy.

3 Macanudo_Gold_Label_Gold_Bar cigars

The second third kept the exact same flavor profile. The only thing that changed was the strength. It increased slightly, but still remained very mild.

4 Macanudo_Gold_Label_Gold_Bar cigars

The last third: Copy and paste my description of the second third here. Saying anything more would be redundant.

5 Macanudo_Gold_Label_Gold_Bar cigars

Conclusion:

This was a good mild bodied, mild strength cigar. If I were to smoke more of these, it would have to be with coffee. The simple, one dimensional flavor profile demands it. I prefer something a little more bold, so this one will probably fall off of my radar. It wouldn’t be fair to snub this cigar altogether. Those who prefer a mild, simple smoke should check this one out.

CIGARS: Why We Like What We Like by Tommy Zman

Friday, January 6th, 2012

I would imagine you guys know me long enough, where it goes without saying that I freakin’ love cigars. (Gee Zman, what a revelation… did your inner Polack just kick in?) Now I’ve been smoking long enough where I know what I like. I know the blends, the wrappers, the flavor profiles and the strength. But for the life of me I can’t figure out why I like what I like. That may sound a little dopey and your answer may be, “who really cares, just STFU and enjoy your stogies, ya fat bastid.” But I’ve been wondering why I like a certain cigar and another guy thinks it dog shmootz.

4479654741_97b4994b39_zI guess you could wonder this about anything: food, alcohol, taste in women, yada, yada, yada, but this query has led me to think about how personal cigar smoking really is. If a guy tells you that he doesn’t like scotch, or liverwurst, or even red heads, no offense is taken whatsoever. (Let me just say that if you don’t like red heads, you are mentally challenged, but please don’t let me stray from the subject at hand.) You just figure it’s his personal choice and that’s all there really is to it. But offer up say perhaps one of your prized stellar maduros to someone and that knuckle-dragging ingrate tells you that it sucks, well you take great offense as if it were a serious personal affront. I’ve seen this on many an occasion in online cigar forums where a guy says he loves a certain brand and then someone else will reply that it’s a hunk of excrement, and suddenly a war of words begins. I even get mad at my own dad when I give him what I think is a nice stick, and if he tells me he didn’t care for it, I get all pissy and tell him to go buy his own friggin cigars!

So when it comes to cigars, why do we like what we like and why are we SO goddamned particular and uppity about it? Hey I don’t know, I’m asking you! You have any concrete thoughts? Cuz I don’t. I know one guy that smokes the strongest cigars on the planet and eats triple maduro / triple ligero for breakfast. He thinks everyone else is an out an out puss for smoking anything less. Then I know an older dude who’s been smoking for 45 years – mild delicate Connecticut shade wrapped cigars, the kind most newbies start off with. I’ll ask him why he doesn’t try bumping up in flavor to a medium bodied cigar, something with a little more depth, complexity, and flavor. And you know what he says to me? “I like what I like.” I know as a fact that the guy dines on a variety of tasty foods and fine wines, but when it comes time to lighting up, it’s that same golden yellow wrapper cigar every damned time.

Picture 8Now for me, personally, it’s all about flavor. From medium to very full bodied is what I like and if I do smoke a lighter wrapper cigar, it’s usually in the morning or before I’ve eaten. Years ago, like most stogie lovers, I dug the mild stuff, but my palate has changed a lot and I just don’t get the flavor I need from a mild cigar. I’m sure many of you reading this are the same, yet, did you know that the basic Macanudo brand is the best selling premium hand rolled cigar in America? That’s because the casual smokers and newbies who smoke on the golf course, while camping, playing poker, etc., those guys want something mild that’s not going to leave them with Satan’s breath the following morning. Complexity means zilch to those guys, as where it means a lot more to us full time leaf-ionados. (That’s some writer’s license used right there, keep on reading….) Although I will say that complexity is definitely not as important to me as a cigar just having good flavor. There are certain sticks, like take the Cain Habano for instance, that really just has a nice medium to full flavor profile straight through and I’m totally fine with that. But then there’s times I have an expensive scotch or full bodied wine and I’ll reach for maybe an Ashton VSG to compliment the complexity of what I’m drinking.

Hey, I guess when it comes down to it, there really is no right or wrong answer, we really do just “like what we like” when it comes to cigars and I have to say upon final reflection that I’m totally cool with that. But if you tell me you don’t like red heads, I can assure you that you do indeed have some sort of mental blockage.

Happy New Year, Home Boys & Gals,

TZ.Sig.2

JR Cigars Blog with the Zman

Macanudo Cru Royale

Tuesday, December 7th, 2010

I found the Macanudo Cru Royale at a random local shop the other day. While I’m not big on smoking Macanudo’s, I can’t deny the 1968 is a good cigar, and their vintage lines have good flavor and construction (and a high price to match). So when I saw the Cru Royale for what I consider a reasonable price, I couldn’t resist picking a few up for review. I paired up with water, but I could see this going well with coffee, tea, or maybe even your favorite spirits.

 

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano

Binder: Dominican

Filler: Dominican and Nicaraguan

Size: Robusto 5 x 50

Price: $5.30

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The dark wrapper had a nice oily sheen to it, and no visible flaws. The smell off of the wrapper and foot was a dark earthiness and slight spice. The cigar was rock solid and evenly packed, but the draw was perfect. The pre-light draw had a simple earthy and woody taste.

The ash held for just about an inch, and the burn required no corrections.

1_Macacudo_Cru_Royal

Flavor:

The first third opened up with a nice dark earthiness. Through the nose, there was a mild pepper that had a small punch. It didn’t take long for the flavor profile to open up a bit. Coffee and woody flavors started to dominate, pushing the earthiness into the background. As I got to the end of this third, a sweetness enveloped everything. Not too shabby!

2_Macacudo_Cru_Royal

The second third kept on with that nice sweetness. It was a smooth, somewhat thick mocha-ish flavor. At times, I could clearly detect earthiness, but more often it remained in the background. Like before, coffee and woody notes were there in full force, but everything blended together for a really nice flavor profile. The pepper through the nose was still there and increased in strength a little.

3_Macacudo_Cru_Royal

The final third kept those same core flavors. Mocha, woodiness, coffee, and a peppery spice. Like in the second third, they were blended together almost perfectly.

4_Macacudo_Cru_Royal

Conclusion:

To my surprise, this was a really good medium to lower full bodied cigar. This may be the first Macanudo that I would consider buying a box of. For the price, you get a nice somewhat complex cigar. I say put your hang up’s about this brand aside and pick up a few of these sticks. You probably won’t regret it. I didn’t.

Cigars—What Your Guy Really Wants for Valentine’s Day!

Tuesday, February 12th, 2008
Are you trying to think of an unusual and special gift for Valentine’s Day this year? If your sweetheart is a cigar aficionado, then you will score big points with him for your Valentine’s Day gift of cigars or cigar accessories.Women can easily learn to make good cigar gift selectionsDon’t shy away from this gift idea because you think you don’t know enough about cigars to make a sma...

Cigars—What Your Guy Really Wants for Valentine’s Day!

Tuesday, February 12th, 2008
Are you trying to think of an unusual and special gift for Valentine’s Day this year? If your sweetheart is a cigar aficionado, then you will score big points with him for your Valentine’s Day gift of cigars or cigar accessories.Women can easily learn to make good cigar gift selectionsDon’t shy away from this gift idea because you think you don’t know enough about cigars to make a sma...

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