Archive for the ‘Nicaragua’ Category

How to Spot a Fake Cuban Cigar

Thursday, April 2nd, 2020
We're here to help you tell the difference between a real Cuban Cigar and a fake one. Here are some tips and tricks to help you spot one from a mile away.

Revisiting Our famous Genuine Counterfeit Cuban Cigars

Thursday, February 21st, 2019

All through the 1980s and 1990s there was an influx of fake Cuban cigars flooding the market due to the stringent requirements of bringing them back to the states, and, with so many fake Cuban cigars finding their way into the mouths of unsuspecting smokers, we decided to create a cigar that is a “GENUINE” counterfeit. To accomplish this task, we turned to Nick Perdomo, and his famous factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. Known for creating some of the finest Cuban-style blends on the market, we knew he was the best man to get the job done right.

Genuine Counterfeit Cuban Cigars are expertly rolled with a premium blend of perfectly aged Honduran and Nicaraguan long filler tobaccos covered by a sturdy Ecuadorian Sumatra binder, and an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper that was carefully chosen by Nick himself for its stunning clay red color and nice oily patina. To add even more eye-appeal, and to guarantee a cool effortless draw, the cigars are featured in six popular square-pressed vitolas. In addition, to satisfy real cigar purists that love the old-world Cuban shapes, handmade premium Genuine Counterfeit Cuban cigars are also available in a stunning 4.75 x 52 Perfecto, and a 6 x 54 Torpedo. Then, after numerous quality control inspections to assure that every Counterfeit is perfectly rolled, no plugs or soft spots, and each wrapper is evenly colored, these tasty gems are packed in retro cedar box packaging made to look like the smuggled cigar boxes of the 1960s.

Thanks to the expert blending skills of the artisans at the famous Perdomo factory, these beauties offer you the potency and complexity of a genuine Cuban cigar with its earthy, sweet, nutty, and spicy medium to full-bodied profile. Even the naturally sweet-smelling room note is reminiscent of those great old pre-embargo Habanos of yesteryear. And, to sweeten the deal, all this authentic Cuban-style goodness comes with a very affordable price! So why take the chance of buying an expensive phony Cuban when you can order a real Counterfeit Cuban from us for half the price? Trust us, these cigars are so darn tasty, you’ll need a passport and a plane ticket to find a cigar this good!

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.

Romeo y Julieta 1875 Nicaragua – An Awesome New Cigar!

Tuesday, July 17th, 2018

Hot off the rolling table, the core Romeo y Julieta 1875 brand by Altadis U.S.A. now has a Nicaraguan cousin and it’s made by the famous Plasencia Cigars in Nicaragua. This is not the first time that Altadis U.S.A. has turned to the Plasencia’s for a modern take on one of its classic brands. The Espada by Montecristo, the Montecristo Estoque, and the Romeo 505 Nicaragua are all made by Plasencia cigars.

Fittingly, Romeo y Julieta 1875 Nicaragua is a puro blend that boasts pristine construction and a seamless, evenly colored medium brown wrapper. As stated earlier, these beauties are not the first time an all-Nicaraguan cigar has worn the legendary Romeo y Julieta name, but this one has its own unique medley of flavors, sure to make it a top-choice among brand loyalists, and anyone else that loves a bold, well rounded cigar. Premium handmade Romeo y Julieta 1875 Nicaragua cigars distinguish themselves for the rest of the line with striking white and orange trimmed bands and is available in four vitolas that the original 1875 fans should be familiar with— The Bully (5 x 50), Toro (6 x 50), Magnum (6 x 60), and Churchill, all available in 25-count boxes.

As one would expect from these two industry giants, Romeo y Julieta 1875 Nicaragua cigars are slow burning, and always consistent in quality and taste from one smoke to the next.

Romeo y Julieta 1875 Nicaragua cigars bring together the classic look and feel of the original 1875, with the Nicaraguan character and style that Plasencia is famous for. It’s a full-bodied smoke within inherent smoothness, making it an ideal selection for cigar aficionados looking to move up a notch in strength.

One lit, the cigar aficionado will experience a delectable luxury smoke bursting at the seams with mouthwatering flavors of hazelnut, earth, sweet cocoa, plenty of spice, and the rich tobacco sweetness that the finest fully aged Nicaraguan tobaccos provide.

With Romeo y Julieta 1875 Nicaragua, the dynamic duo of Altadis U.S.A and Plasencia have created yet another top-shelf cigar that combines great taste, along with the amazing blending and rolling skills from two of the biggest names in the premium cigar industry. Best off, they are very reasonably priced! Order yours today, right here at JR Cigar.

Nick & Jim P.B.E Cigars – A Brilliant Collaboration!

Thursday, May 10th, 2018

Nick & Jim P.B.E a brand-new boutique-style line of premium cigars, is a collaborative effort between Nick Syris of LH Premium Cigars and “Island” Jim Robinson best known for producing Leaf by Oscar cigars and his own  Island Jim brand produced under the Leaf by Oscar label.

When it was announced last year, the name of the cigar was Lavida Isla, a combination of Syris’ Lavida Habana brand and Robinson’s signature Island branding, but due to some legal naming rights issues, when finally released, it carried the simple moniker of Nick & Jim’s P.B.E, which stands for pre-band edition.

Regardless of the name, the blend remains the same. These cigars use an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper covering an Ecuadorian binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and Peru. There is only one vitola—a 6 x 54-ring Toro—that comes packaged in handsome dress boxes of 20.

Syris produces his cigars out of the Tobaccos de Costa Rica factory in Costa Rica. This same factory is handling the production for the Nick & Jim P.B.E.

The Nick & Jim P.B.E. starts out with a mix of cedar, and zesty pepper components. As the cigar breaks in, cocoa, leather, cream, and a distinct earthy sweetness seamlessly meld with the core flavors. The finish is long lasting and creamy smooth. Overall, this a remarkably well-rounded full-flavored smoke, with enough balance and smoothness to entice smokers of all experience levels.

When it comes to the construction and burn, both are top-notch, as the Nick & Jim P.B.E. is packed solid, feels firm in the hand, and has little trouble maintaining a straight razor-sharp burn line that produces a solid white ash.

Syris has done an excellent job in building a solid reputation for his premium line of LH Cigars, and Robinson has done the same with his top-rated portfolio. Together, these stogie maestros have really hit out of the park with the Nick & Jim P.B.E. brand!

Revisiting La Finca Cigars – A genuine JR Classic!

Tuesday, April 24th, 2018

Premium handmade La Finca cigars have been a top-choice with our customers since they made their inaugural debut way back in 1972. Think about it, When these cigars first lined our shelves, Nixon was the president, the Internet was still 20-years away, and your phone was still attached to a wall! And yet, this brand still delights cigar smokers who prefer even their everyday smokes to have outstanding construction and luxury flavors. The cigars get their name from La Finca Vigía in the San Francisco de Paula Ward in Havana, Cuba, this little slice of tropical heaven was one of Fidel Castro’s favorite getaway retreats, as well as being the summer home of Ernest Hemingway. First produced in an era long before “niche” brands and boutique style cigar came to fruition, the fact that La Finca still remains a top-seller is a true testament to its unwavering consistency. This brand also holds the distinction of being one of the least expensive cigars to receive excellent ratings in both “Smoke” and “Cigar Aficionado” magazine. And, speaking of CA, the 5.5 x 44 La Finca Corona was rated a 91 in Cigar Aficionado’s 4th edition buyers guide, making it one of the most highly sought-after smokes in the industry, even surpassing most of the big name high end brands, for a good part of the mid-90s!

La Finca cigars are expertly rolled in Nicaragua with the original recipe that includes both a deep brown and a darker Maduro shade Ecuadorian wrapper over the finest aged Nicaraguan long filler tobaccos. Medium to full in body, the cigars display thick clouds of sweet-smelling smoke and hearty notes of peppery spice, leather, cedar, cocoa, and a healthy dose of roasted nut flavors. The Maduro wrapped variety bring some chocolate, and sweet fruity components to the flavor profile.

The famous La Finca Corona is still alive and kicking along with all the other popular sizes, but the cedar lined boxes have been replaced with 25-count bundles to keep production costs down. Highlighting the lineup is the La Finca Ammo Box that made its debut in 2000 to more than just rave reviews—they sold out in just one day! This ingenious packaging, a first of its kind, features 91 (6.12 x 50) Toro cigars packed in a super-airtight, cedar lined genuine military Ammo box. 18-years later, this one-of-a -kind-offering remains in very high demand.

Today, the industry is thriving with a seemingly endless selection of exciting new brands, but the classic La Finca remains one of the best cigar deals out there. Why not go retro and give these nostalgic smokes a try— we think that you will be pleasantly surprised at how much quality you get for such a budget-friendly price.

 

Debonaire House – A Delicious Line of Luxury Cigars

Tuesday, April 17th, 2018

Debonaire House Cigars are the culmination of 20 years of research and development by Philip S. Zanghi III, founder of Indian Tabac Cigar Company, and Daniel Sinclair founder of Dufort Holdings. Their intention was to create the perfect premium handmade cigars by using the finest aged binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic covered in your choice of Connecticut, Habano, and Maduro wrapper varieties. The company employs an expert team of blenders and rollers with a combined experience of over 150 years who leave nothing to chance. Debonaire House cigars distinguish themselves from other brands on the market by using a special accordion fold, as opposed to the entubado style of bunching, so you can always expect an incredibly slow burn and a cool, effortless draw.

The Debonaire Habano cigars are covered in a dark, oily, reddish brown Ecuador Habano wrapper. Medium bodied, yet full in flavor, Debonaire Habano displays a prominent Cuban-style profile with a rich tobacco sweetness, accented with spice, cocoa, and hints of charred wood. These meaty cigars are solidly packed, and slow burning.

Debonaire Maduro cigars are the fullest blend in the lineup, as well as being the only Maduro wrapped offering. These full-bodied beauties feature a classic Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper that imparts a rich chocolaty sweetness and some dried fruit components to the flavor profile. The binder and fillers feature Debonaire’s signature blend of aged Nicaraguan and Dominican binder and fillers that impart layers of cocoa, white pepper, and earth to the mix. When harmonious joined together, these complex flavors combine for a smoke best described as a maduro lover’s dream!

In 2017, Debonaire House introduced the Daybreak brand to their lineup to appeal to the legions of cigar aficionados that are always  looking for a smooth tasting Connecticut style smoke.  A silky, golden brown Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper tones down the strength a notch while imparting a creamy sweetness to the blend. Smokers will enjoy an easygoing medium body smoke that displays layers of sweet and peppery spices, rounded out with nuances of cocoa, cedar, and graham cracker.

Every Debonaire House brand offering is available in a wide array of popular sizes that include a classic-Cuban style Belicoso and Perfecto for fans of old -school figurado shapes.

By offering exceptional quality and luxury taste throughout their portfolio, Debonaire House has established themselves as on one the hottest selling small batch, boutique style cigars on the market today.

Debonaire House – A Delicious Line of Luxury Cigars

Tuesday, April 17th, 2018

Debonaire House Cigars are the culmination of 20 years of research and development by Philip S. Zanghi III, founder of Indian Tabac Cigar Company, and Daniel Sinclair founder of Dufort Holdings. Their intention was to create the perfect premium handmade cigars by using the finest aged binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic covered in your choice of Connecticut, Habano, and Maduro wrapper varieties. The company employs an expert team of blenders and rollers with a combined experience of over 150 years who leave nothing to chance. Debonaire House cigars distinguish themselves from other brands on the market by using a special accordion fold, as opposed to the entubado style of bunching, so you can always expect an incredibly slow burn and a cool, effortless draw.

The Debonaire Habano cigars are covered in a dark, oily, reddish brown Ecuador Habano wrapper. Medium bodied, yet full in flavor, Debonaire Habano displays a prominent Cuban-style profile with a rich tobacco sweetness, accented with spice, cocoa, and hints of charred wood. These meaty cigars are solidly packed, and slow burning.

Debonaire Maduro cigars are the fullest blend in the lineup, as well as being the only Maduro wrapped offering. These full-bodied beauties feature a classic Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper that imparts a rich chocolaty sweetness and some dried fruit components to the flavor profile. The binder and fillers feature Debonaire’s signature blend of aged Nicaraguan and Dominican binder and fillers that impart layers of cocoa, white pepper, and earth to the mix. When harmonious joined together, these complex flavors combine for a smoke best described as a maduro lover’s dream!

In 2017, Debonaire House introduced the Daybreak brand to their lineup to appeal to the legions of cigar aficionados that are always  looking for a smooth tasting Connecticut style smoke.  A silky, golden brown Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper tones down the strength a notch while imparting a creamy sweetness to the blend. Smokers will enjoy an easygoing medium body smoke that displays layers of sweet and peppery spices, rounded out with nuances of cocoa, cedar, and graham cracker.

Every Debonaire House brand offering is available in a wide array of popular sizes that include a classic-Cuban style Belicoso and Perfecto for fans of old -school figurado shapes.

By offering exceptional quality and luxury taste throughout their portfolio, Debonaire House has established themselves as on one the hottest selling small batch, boutique style cigars on the market today.

Give Ireland Back To The Irish… Please! by Steve Nathan

Wednesday, March 20th, 2013

So, Sunday was St. Patrick’s day. Oh, what a glorious day for the Irish! As the saying goes, there are only two kinds of people in the world: the Irish and those with healthy livers.

 

Alright, calm down! I was only kidding; some of my best friends are Irish and not all of them are drunks. In fact, one of them only drinks a case of beer on the weekends. Sheesh, everybody is so politically correct these days!

 

And why the hell would you Tri-Staters want to spend the day in the Big Apple, crowded in like a herd of cattle stuffed behind police lines, watching the big parade and then navigating past the throngs of pimply white kids in green plastic hats puking up cheap whiskey all over Times Square to get back to your car or train?

 

The good folks in “Nawf Carolina,” where everyone has a friend named Bubba and even toddlers know how to drive

Filthy Hooligan Display

tractors, had a much more relaxing day at the World’s Largest Cigar Store because right here at good old J•R Cigars in the heart of County Alamance, from March 6 until St.Puketricks Day, March 17, we featured a fantastic deal on the Alec Bradley Cigar Company’s brand-new, limited-edition candela-wrapped Filthy Hooligan cigar, which is made with the same well-aged multination blend and double binder used in the extremely popular Black Market line.

 

This 6.00 x 50 cigar is finished with super-lush, super-green candela leaf straight from the renowned Plasencia farms in Nicaragua, which is just a short 5,034 miles from Dublin, Ireland! And with any purchase of these great cigars, we gave away all kinds of cool stuff like bottle openers, cutters, t-shirts, mugs, Irish hookers and lime -green Rascal scooters for our elderly clientele (actually, I’m not sure about the hookers and scooters; maybe I made that part up).

 

But for all of you that chose salty corned beef and green beer over a trip to J•R, not to worry; we still have plenty of these Filthy Hooligan cigars in stock sans holiday swag. And whatever you think about candela (green) cigars (and I’m sure it somehow correlates to the taste of raw lettuce or lawnmower clippings), I ask that you give these a try. The nice folks at Alec Bradley have put the long-forgotten green stick (again I use that stupid word) back on the map with these yummy smokes! You will be amazed at how good these cigars taste. And trust me, they had to put a gun to my head to smoke one!

 

Enough of the shameless advertising, you say? Well, guys, this is a J•R blog, for Chrissakes! We gotta pay the bills, you know!

 

Big Italian Nick

On a more serious note: Being a swarthy curmudgeon of Russian descent, I feel no real connection to this festive Irish holiday. The extent of my celebration was having a green bagel with my coffee on Sunday morning. But the same cannot be said for some of my coworkers who showed up on Friday in their pseudo St. Patty’s day attire. Say hello to J•R’s “Big Italian Nick”! Top o’ the mornin’ to ya and… fuhgeddaboudit!

 

Well, that’s it for now, and I would like to personally thank all of you that called in sick today with a mysterious virus bought on by a shitload of green beer and Irish whiskey; I made it to work this morning in record time! In fact, the roads were so clear that the toll collector at the Turnpike was reading War and Peace when I pulled up!

The Nature of Cigar Smokers

Tuesday, August 30th, 2011

For those of you who have been following this smoky blog for the last few years, you know that I have a habit of belly aching about the weather, as it is always interrupting my cigar smoking activities. It’s either, ‘too hot’ and disgustingly humid in the summer, or it’s ‘too cold’ in the winter, with snow and ice freezing my cojones into ice balls when I try to enjoy a smoke. But this past week here in Jersey, we have been hit by some of the most bizarre acts of nature that I have ever seen ‘round these parts.

The Day After Tomorrow (Widesc6093_fLast Tuesday afternoon an earthquake hit the east coast… now I know you dudes in Cali thought it was funny stuff, but for you left coasters, it’s kind of like a snow storm descending upon San Diego. I was sitting in a local diner with my dad when our table started shaking and I said, “Holy crap, did you feel that?” We thought a big truck went by, but thanks to Al Gore’s amazing internet, word spread around the globe in seconds flat. While the cackling old hens in the diner were worrying about a “Day After Tomorrow” scenario, I had one thing only on my mind… what was going to be my cigar of choice when I got home from my shaky meatloaf lunch? An oily Excalibur 1066 Dark Knight?… a full bodied Macanudo Maduro Vintage 1997? Or perhaps the flavorful new Rocky Patel Edge Corojo to ease the pain of the aftershocks? Life is full of difficult decisions, but in times of crisis, a real man will keep his head and deal with the matter at hand. So, like the trooper I am, I went with the Rocky. Seriously, guys… there is no wrong answer, here.

Let’s switch to the present moment as I am writing this blog at the edge of my garage at 9:00 on Saturday night – the wind is whipping and the rain is coming down in over-sized buckets. Hurricane Irene has made its way up the eastern seaboard as New Jersey and New York are next in line for a hammering, following the awful beating the good folks in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware took. I’m actually about four feet from the garage opening and starting to get drenched, but with a Punch Grand Cru #2 clenched firmly between my teeth, no freakin’ dismal act of God named after some angry bitch is gonna stop me from reporting to my Brothers and Sisters of the leaf!

370Cigar smokers are indeed a steadfast bunch, and we will endure conditions that mere mortals would shiver at, all for the sake of our Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Dominican made amigos. It’s pretty damned hard to keep a tried and true cigar smoker down, and this past week sure as hell proved it. Hopefully all of you reading this made out okay and stayed safe and dry, no matter what geographic region you hail from. And hopefully, the power stays on here in Zmanville so I can get this blog of mine up and posted. You know that I do this for ‘you guys’… I give and I give.

It’s 11:30pm, it’s pouring with a vengeance and the trees are bending with the wind. I feel it’s only fitting to leave you with words of wisdom that Carl the greens keeper once made famous, “I don’t think the heavy stuff’s coming down for some time.”

TZ.Sig.2

Tommy Z . JR Cigars Blog With the Zman

There’s Only 1 More Day to Jump on our Wacky Macky Weekly Special!

Boy, do we have a deal for you this week on two fantastic items… and at prices that’ll make you think we’re wacky!

Macanudo Vintage 2000 Celebramos Travel Humidor ONLY $59.00!

First, we have 6 of Macanudo’s finest, packed in the coolest sliding upright travel humidor with a hidden humidifying device. The Vintage Celebramos is an unbelievable 5.75 inch by 50 ring gauge Churchill with a Connecticut shade wrapper that’s so perfect it hardly looks real. SAVE $31.00 OFF THE RETAIL PRICE!

Macanudo Vintage 1983-2000 Celebramos Humidor ONLY $99.00!

Second, we have 10 spectacular 5.75 inch by 50 ring gauge Macanudo cigars from the years 1984, 1988, 1993, 1997, and 2000 packed in a leather-covered, cedar-lined humidor that will hold 20 Churchill cigars. It includes a humidifying element inside and a digital display on the outside to check the humidity without opening the box. SAVE $51.00 OFF THE RETAIL PRICE!

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