Archive for the ‘new cigars’ Category
Macassar— A truly Different Type of Cohiba Cigar
Thursday, June 21st, 2018General Cigar Company, one of the largest manufacturers of premium cigars in the world, and home to such famous brands as Macanudo, Partagas, Punch, and Hoyo de Monterrey, just to name a few, proudly introduces Cohiba Macassar, an ultra-premium masterpiece that draws its inspiration from the rare, hard to procure Indonesian ebony wood that bears the same name. General says that all the premium tobaccos featured in the Cohiba Macassar blend are proprietary to the company and have undergone an extensive aging process.
Macassar comes dressed in a Connecticut Havano wrapper that cloaks a Connecticut broadleaf binder and a combination of Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers that have been aged four years, except for the broadleaf binder, which was aged for six years. To complete this gourmet cigar recipe, the tobaccos spend their final year in fragrant rum barrels
The wrapper of Cohiba Macassar is also grown in a specific area of the fertile Connecticut River Valley, which imparts a unique spicy sweetness into the tobacco leaf. The wrapper leaves from this region then undergo additional sorting and grading to make sure that every leaf displays the perfect shade and even color before being selected for the blend.
Cohiba Macassar is available in three popular big ring sizes sizes: Toro Grande, at 6 inches by 52 ring Gigante, at 6 by 60, and Double Corona at 7.25 x 54. Each vitola ships in a stunning, 10-count box that’s crafted with layers of this fine Macassar Ebony wood.
The finished product is a medium body blend that displays a slow even burn and an effortless draw while providing the cigar aficionado with tantalizing flavors of wood, white pepper, cedar, and coffee, backed by a smoky vanilla sweetness imparted from the deeply fermented rum barrels
To assure that you won’t be deprived of this exceptional line of ultra-premium cigars, this is not a limited-edition release, but rather a regular-production addition to the renowned Cohiba brand portfolio. So, order yours today right here on the JR Cigar website and experience the amazing complexity and flavors of a truly different type of Cohiba cigar.
Top-Quality MoyaRuiz Cigars
Thursday, March 22nd, 2018MoyaRuiz 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.
1502 Cigars- Proudly Nicaraguan!
Friday, February 23rd, 2018The hot new 1502 cigar brand is produced by the Global Premium Cigar Company in Nicaragua with three impressive premium blends currently in the company portfolio. 1502 Cigars have quickly become one of the hottest new boutique cigar companies on the market today. Why you ask? Because using only the best binder and filler tobaccos paired with three pristine wrappers, it takes more than five years of stringent aging until you can toast and torch one of these fine cigars. Secondly, owner Enrique Sanchez has turned a long-time passion for smoking cigars into one of the most respected cigar brands in the industry. 1502 made its smashing debut at the 2012 IPCPR Trade Show in Orlando, Florida and Sanchez and his team of highly skilled blenders and rollers have continued to adhere to their mantra— ‘Proudly Nicaraguan’. The brand name 1502 comes from the year that Christopher Columbus discovered Nicaragua and the band was inspired by the official currency of the kingdom of Spain in that same year.
1502 Emerald cigars are uncharacteristically mellow for such a dynamic blend of Nicaraguan and Mexican tobaccos. The cigars subtle strength and easygoing smoothness comes from aging these fine leaves for five years in cedar cabinets before they are unveiled. A vintage Corojo wrapper from Nicaragua completes this fine recipe. lush notes of sweet spice, cocoa, cedar, and subtle hints of chocolate are delivered with an engaging mellow-bodied profile. A great introduction for new hobbyists, 1502 Emerald cigars also double is an iconic morning to mid-day smoke for the well-seasoned cigar connoisseur.
Moving up in strength a couple of notches, the medium-bodied 1502 Ruby cigars feature top-quality Jalapa and Estelí Nicaraguan binder and fillers paired with a reddish-hue Ecuadorian wrapper. This Cuban-style treat rewards the palate with delectable flavors of pepper, earth, coffee, cedar, and subtle hints of citrus. Nestled between the mellow Emerald and the stronger Black Gold, these box-pressed beauties from Senor Sanchez will appeal to premium cigar smokers of all experience levels.
Saving the strongest 1502 blend for last, Black Gold cigars are made with the full-bodied smoker in mind. Premium Nicaraguan tobaccos wrapped in a zesty San Andres Mexican wrapper will accommodate your deepest and darkest flavor cravings. A Maduro lover’s dream, Black Gold seduces the palate with a fragrant medley of espresso, wood, some citrus tones, and heathy dose of peppery zest.
All beautifully box-pressed, impeccably rolled, and uniquely delicious, the full-line of 1502 cigars are sure to find a permanent home in your favorite cigar humidor.
Coming Soon – The exciting new Romeo San Andrés by Romeo y Julieta Cigars
Tuesday, February 13th, 2018Set for release this March, Altadis U.S.A. is almost ready to launch their latest installment to the famous Romeo by Romeo y Julieta line. The exciting new Romeo San Andrés by Romeo y Julieta will introduce a San Andrés wrapper to a blend of aged Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers and a sturdy Nicaraguan binder. The company calls it “medium to full in body, and bountiful in both flavor and aroma.” It’s also a collaboration between Rafael Nodal and AJ Fernandez, two of the hottest names in boutique style premium handmade cigars.
This new Romeo brand is skewed toward the newer generation of cigar enthusiasts that enjoy a bolder smoke, and no two master blenders can accomplish this task better than Nodal and Fernandez.
For Nodal, of Aging Room Cigars fame, this is the second major project he has been involved with since joining Altadis U.S.A. His first milestone was the TTT Trinidad Santiago, a complex, perfectly balanced, medium to full-bodied blend brimming with lush notes of cocoa, various spices, leather, toasted almonds, and a zesty peppery finish.
On the other hand, AJ Fernandez is no stranger to the Altadis marque with line extensions to such brands such as Montecristo, H. Upmann, Gispert, and Romeo y Julieta. With all these brands Fernandez adds his unique blending style steeped in Cuban tradition to create a series of contemporary blends that put a modern spin on these age- old classics.
Altadis USA aside, the dynamic stogy duo of Nodal and Fernandez are no strangers to each other as they joined forces to create the wildly popular and top-rated Aging Room Pelo de Oro cigars back in 2016.
According to Nodal, “San Andrés is arguably one of the best wrappers in the market, for It has unique characteristics and the ability to enhance a blend if fermented correctly. As for AJ, he has worked with this exceptional leaf in the past and concurs with Nodal’s initial impressions.
Romeo San Andrés by Romeo y Julieta will be available in 20-count boxes of four popular sizes including the Robusto (5 x 50), Toro (6 x 54), Pirámides (6 1/8 by 52), and the Short Magnum (5 1/2 by 60).
With Altadis USA, Nodal, and Senor Fernandez at the helm, Romeo San Andrés by Romeo y Julieta promises to be a luxury smoke of exceptional quality and taste that will become a staple in tons of full-flavored cigar aficionado’s humidors. So, keep your eyes peeled for these premium handmade beauties on the JR Cigar Website, because March is right around the corner!
An Epic New Cigar from Montecristo
Thursday, January 18th, 2018Coming from one of the most famous names in premium handmade cigars, the ultra-premium Montecristo Epic Craft Cured, part of the top- rated Epic line, is a sophisticated Nicaraguan puro blend designed for the well-seasoned cigar connoisseur.
What sets this Epic Craft Cured apart from the rest of the Montecristo family is the unique curing process used to create a more harmonious fuller bodied blend. Altadis U.S.A. says the tobacco components were fermented in smaller sizes pilones (stacked piles of tobacco set for fermenting) than normal. This laborious process unifies all the components, allowing the flavors of the cigar’s wrapper, binder, and filler tobaccos to marry into a more harmonious profile resulting in a more flavorful cigar.
Handcrafted by the renowned Plasencia family in their famous Nicaraguan factory, a blend of Esteli, Jalapa, Condega, Ometepe and vintage 2006 Rosado Oscuro Nicaraguan tobaccos are aged for a minimum of 10 years to create a lush, yet medium to full bodied experience.
Solidly packed with a seamless wrapper that displays a nice oily patina, you can feel the meticulous details that the artisans at Plasencia put forth in constructing this ultra-premium masterpiece.
The cigar starts medium in strength with heavy spice tones, but soon ramps up in intensity as notes of espresso, chocolate, and a leathery sweetness come into play. A long-lasting caramel finish and a luring sweet smelling aroma make the Epic Craft Cured a very rewarding smoke from start to finish. I call this type of stick a “thumb burner” because the flavors remain intensely delicious right down to the nub!
The Montecristo Epic Craft Cured line is available in three popular 52-ring sizes each presented in beautifully packaged wooden dress boxes that comes sealed with an authentic warranty seal and candle wax stamp to highlight the luxury cigars seated inside.
Best Boutique Cigars for Beginners
Monday, January 8th, 2018What is a boutique cigar? Well, many cigar experts are still trying to give it a definitive definition. While years ago, many felt as though they had a grasp on what a boutique cigar was, today the term has basically come to be known as small batch. At cigars.com we consider a boutique cigar to be a limited production, high quality cigar that is available in some shops but not all. They are cigars where extra care is taken to make sure each one is perfect, where manufacturers care more about a great, high quality product then simply producing as many as possible. Now there are several large companies that produce a few lines of “boutique cigars”, yet today we are going to focus on the company’s whose primary mission it is to make small batch, limited releases.
The first may come as a shock to new customers seeing as this company is now one of the largest in existence, but there is no doubt that they were one of the founders of the boutique cigar trend. Drew Estate has been the forerunner in the boutique cigar world since the early 2000s. The Acid line is considered the boutique infused cigar. In recent years, we have seen the growth of their premium cigar division, with the Liga Privada line becoming one of the most sought after cigars in the country.
Tatuaje is everything a boutique cigar company should be. Their blends are among the highest rated every year and their limited edition releases are hunted by their fans all over the country. They have become incredibly popular due to their yearly Monster series release, a new cigar that depicts an old fashion movie monster. The small batch Pork Tenderloin is considered the holy grail among cigar enthusiast and can only be found at certain events.
For the beginner, I would recommend they take a look at Foundation, one of the hottest companies in the industry today. Their El Guegense line was placed in the Top 25 cigars of the year last year and for good reason. The Tabernacle is one of the best broadleaf cigars available today and the Charter Oak is great value based smoke that maintains a high quality.
In the past 10 years, no cigar company has surged as high as RoMa Craft. Mike Rosales and Skip Martin care about one thing and one thing only: making incredible blends for their customers. They are among the most popular boutique cigars on shelves today, with shops constantly running low on the Neanderthal or CroMagnon lines. They have made a vow to every produce more cigars then they think necessary, thereby insuring that care is taken with each one.
We here at Cigars.com have so many favorite boutique companies including The Crowned Heads, Illusione, Caldwell etc. The cigars listed above are a great way for a new smoker to see the quality of a boutique blend and the value they bring to the industry.
1st Annual IPCPR Something Awards: Look Who Won Things!
Monday, July 24th, 2017Best Bald Nicaraguan Manufacturer- Erik Espinosa
Its no lie that Erik and I are friends, however he deserves this award. There was no back alley deals here. Coming into the show with the Reggae and the collaboration with AJ on Murcielago, Erik demonstrated that even with the FDA, he will not be stopped from creating new amazing blends. It was a close call seeing as how Nestor Plasencia came in strong with the Alma Fuerte, but the fact that Erik made fun of my shoes, I feel that getting this award is fitting.
Best Small Mammal Mascot – RoMa Craft Weasel
If you do not know Roma Craft, then this award makes literally no sense. Actually, I know the company quite well but even I’m confused. Anyway, as many of you know I am a huge supporter of Mike and Skip and the amazing work they are doing with Nica Sueno. Although they had nothing new for American consumers in terms of cigars, they have released some new sizes into the European market and have worked with Xikar to create some top of the line Weasel related products that you must pick up right away. Pop goes the Weasel!
Best Cigar That’s Kind of Hard to Pronounce- Powstanie
Ill admit El Gueguense had my vote in the beginning, but after learning the correct pronunciation most people catch on pretty quick. However, for Mike and the boys over at Pospeich Cigars, it has probably been a battle to get the right pronunciation. At the end of the day you can call this line sd;ofihsdjghsdkfjg and Id still love it. I got to enjoy my favorite broadleaf in the new robusto size at this year’s show so props to the cigar hustler for bridging the cultural differences between America and Poland by using a delicious cigar.
Best Father Son and Son Team- Alec Bradley
I have interviewed many of the biggest and most interesting people in the cigar industry, but I must say never have I been more touched then when I sat down with Alec Bradley front man Alan Rubin and his boys, the names sakes of the company, Alec and Bradley. The relationship between father and sons surpasses the norm when it comes to working in a family business, and Alan could not have been prouder that his boys followed him to work for this great company. Let’s all just be happy he didn’t have another child named Eugene or something.
Best Booth With No Cigars in it- Room 101
Yes Boofy is back! Matt Booth has risen from the depths of hell and is reeking havoc on the industry yet again. While the big cigar news is mostly focused on his two collaborations with Robert Caldwell and AJ Fernandez, I think the real story is the Room 101 booth this year. It had no cigars, 1 couch, and 3 vintage arcade style video games. In the midst of playing Asteroid, Matt presented me with a custom urinal screen with his face on it. I have used it Matt, many many times.
Best Team that Reminds me of My Giant- Matt Booth and Robert Caldwell
The picture says it all. This team up between two legends really looks like it should be on a VHS cover and picked up at your local Hollywood Video. While the Hit and Run was the talk of the show and one of the best new cigars of the year, I honestly can’t get over how adorable these two look together. It’s like a version of the movie Twins but in some kind of weird Miami nightmare scenario.
Best Southern Gentleman- Robert Holt and Steve Bailey
The South has risen again, this time from two debonair gentleman who are bringing some much needed southern charm into the cigar industry. First we have Robert Holt, whose work with Southern Draw has made him a household name. If you try the new Jacobs Ladder, make sure you are sitting down, it does pack a punch. Next you have my friend Steve Bailey of Cornelius and Anthony. I have never seen a company rise so far so fast, all due to Steve’s dedication to quality and humility. These are two guys I wouldn’t mind sitting on the porch sharing a mint julep with. Well, maybe not sharing, we could each probably have our own. We are all adults. You get the idea.
Best Statue Based on a Mythological Figure (or is it?) Steve Saka
Since the creation of Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust, I’ve been waiting to find a cigar from Steve Saka that I didn’t like. Better yet, I was trying to find one that’s average, and to no avail. Following major releases like Sobremesa and Mi Querida, Steve came in hot this year with the Todos Las Dias, one of the most well balanced full body cigars I’ve had in aa while. Yet, I kept getting distracted at his booth when I thought I saw something rustling past me. It was probably just the wind, but just to be sure I’m going to call the guys from Supernatural to have a look.
Best Accessory Based Off a Coen Brothers Movie- Xikar/Hutch
These two cutters are all I care about in life. The reasons being are 3 fold. First, it is a Xikar cutter so you know it is of the highest quality and will last a lifetime. B, Hutch studios hand crafted the designs on them. Have you ever seen such quality work by hand!? Lastly, this is one of my favorite movies of all time and it should be yours man. At the bottom of the page I will leave my bosses email address and I encourage you all to email her asking her to buy me this cutter. The dude abides.
Best Cigar based on a Historical British Drama- Highclere Castle/Nick Melillo
There was so much drama on PBS’s Downton Abbey that you could taste it. But it probably tasted weird. However, the Highclere Castle cigar from Nick Melillo tastes outstanding. Nick worked hand in hand with the Earl of Carnarvon to make a premium cigar in a similar style to what the ancestors of the Earl would smoke. They even found receipts dating back 200 years to see what kind of cigars the aristocrats would enjoy. The results speak for themselves. This cigar has even higher ratings then the show! Let’s just be glad he didn’t make a cigar based upon an American drama, like Greys Anatomy or something else that’s stupid.
Best X-Treme Sports Equipment – Drew Estate
Look at these skateboards… that is all.