It's All About Cigars

BlkCigarCzar is Back!!!

2011-11-15T11:47:00.000-08:00

Well hello everybody, BlkCigarCzar is back in the blogging world after a healthy hiatus! Things have changed and so have I so enjoy a review on cigars and beer and kick back and learn a thing or two!

I'm starting off right away with a missed favorite of mines, an Avo 787!

Of all the cigars I could possibly start back blogging about, I have chosen the Avo 787! It is a cigar with a lot of complex earthy notes and just a enough spicy notes on the palate to always tease you to want another! It is a back to back cigar for the fairly experienced cigar smoker and it won't bite the less experienced too bad...unless you smoke it way too fast!

This cigar pairs up nicely with a cold glass of Blue Moon which is something I would have never done on my own but like I said, things are changing. So anybody who ever gets the chance to put these two together should enjoy a very good combo made for the a palate most deserving.

Avo 787 is a medium to full-bodied blend consisting of a mixture of Dominican grown Piloto Cubano, San Vicente, and Olor long fillers. The earthy and toasty notes on the aftertaste are pleasing without being overbearing. An Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper was added which is darker than a true Connecticut wrapper which brings out the spicy notes to the palate. Complex, yet satisfyingly smooth, Avo 787 is not as earthy in my opinion as the Avo 80Th which always seem to be "young" tasting to me and it was a major turn off even though this was a popular cigar.

Avo across the board pairs nicely with medium to full bodied red wines of all complexities however I would keep a bottle of water close when drinking a dry red wine as so not to get "cotton mouth" and the possibility of missing out on an exciting complex pairing of cigar and wine.

Pairing with a Blue Moon beer, a Belgian-style witbier brewed by Coors Brewery in Colorado was introduced in 1995 and was originally called Bellyslide Belgian White, it was created by Keith Villa, a brewer at Coor's Field's Sandlot Brewery (which is owned by the Molson Coors Brewing company).

I stumbled onto this pairing by accident a while back when the Avo 787 was fairly new on the market and I was already smoking the Avo when I was offered a Blue Moon. First sip was a little more wheaty than I prefer but it was tolerable and then a friend added the orange slice (eye brow raises) and then a draw on my cigar with a swallow of the Blue Moon was a match I could learn to like! Both had the right amount of "everything" for my palate and soon I was hooked! I don't get the chance often to bring these two back together but when I do it's always a treat in my mouth! So for those of you who like to pair cigars with beer, I suggest you try the Blue Moon with the Avo 787 and see if you agree that this is an accidental pairing that works!!!

So the BlkCigarCzar is back and doing some new things here and there and hopefully you will get to hear what I have to say about cigars I like.

I will review some, show you what I'm smoking from time to time, tweeting on Twitter and posting to Facebook

So feel free to stop by and show me some love and I promise I won't steer you wrong in the world of enjoying fine cigars!

Ciao!!!

Smoke Em' If You Got Em'!!!

Divided appeals court rules on Philly's 'blunt' ban

2010-04-03T16:39:00.000-07:00

A Philadelphia ordinance banning the sale of cigars and single cigarettes used by illegal drug-takers was upheld Monday by a divided appeals court.

The Commonwealth Court majority validated a January 2007 ban on flavored tobacco products and on cigarettes sold individually or in pairs, making them likely to be used for drugs.

But the court said it was permissible for the city to prohibit retailers from selling certain tobacco drug paraphernalia, such as hollowed-out cigars known as "blunts."

The difference is that the blunt-sales ban requires proof the seller knows or should know the cigars would be used for taking drugs, the court said. The ordinance's provisions on flavored tobacco and single cigarettes does not include that language.

A Philadelphia judge had previously ruled the ordinance was unenforceable and pre-empted by Pennsylvania's Controlled Substance Act.

The ordinance maintained that a retailer "can be held liable even if it does not know that the sale of a single cigarette or flavored cigar will result in the buyer using the tobacco product to inhale illegal drugs," wrote Commonwealth Court Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt.

"By contrast, the Controlled Substance Act exempts persons from liability who do not know, or cannot reasonably know, that the tobacco item being sold would be used by the buyer to ingest illegal drugs," she wrote.

Commonwealth Court also ruled that the city can ban the sale of certain tobacco products within 500 feet of a church or school, regardless of how they are intended to be used. City lawyers said they were studying the opinion and had not decided whether to appeal.

Lawyers for the tobacco businesses that sued the city and its Licenses and Inspections commissioner said they were unfamiliar with details about the decision or did not return phone messages.

Judge Rochelle S. Friedman wrote that she would have sided with the Philadelphia judge and invalidated the entire ordinance. Judges Renee Cohn Jubelirer and Doris A. Smith-Ribner said they would have upheld all aspects of the city law.

This being said, banning of "blunt' and "wraps" is the first step to banning these items across the U.S. and it sets a precedence that everyone knows that most people buying these items are possibly going to be used to smoke illegal drugs.

It's only a matter of time before we see other cities or states for that matter to follow suit!

I guess it's time for folks to step up their game and start smoking real cigars I guess!!!

Churchill cigar sells for £4,500 at auction in Norfolk

2010-02-01T11:05:00.000-08:00

The cigar was picked up by a Downing Street staff member

A half-smoked cigar, abandoned when Sir Winston Churchill dashed away to an urgent wartime Cabinet meeting, has sold at auction for £4,500.

The ex-prime minister's cigar, picked up by a member of the 10 Downing Street staff 69 years ago, had been expected to fetch up to £350.

The 9.5cm (3.74ins) cigar, embossed with the owner's name, was sold by Keys auctioneers in Aylsham, Norfolk.
It was bought by a private collector from Hertfordshire.

After picking up the stub, Downing Street valet Nellie Goble grabbed a sheet of 10 Downing Street notepaper and scribbled a note to a friend.
She wrote: "To Jack, with all good wishes from Nellie. Just a small souvenir to remind you at some future date of one of the greatest men that ever lived in England."

"Jack" treasured the letter and cigar until his death in 1987 when it passed to his daughter.
The woman kept it wrapped in the note in a drawer at her north Norfolk home.
In November, a butter dish used as an ashtray by Churchill at the London dining and debating club he co-founded was sold at Keys for £4,200, almost three times its estimate.

Tiger Woods Offered $100,000 From Cigar Company

2009-12-27T16:48:00.000-08:00

Hello All My BOTL's, here is a some news on Tiger Woods Watch! Not everybody is jumping ship on Tiger Woods! Here is the story in part and my comments are in "Italics" read on and enjoy and I welcome your comments!!!

BlkCigarCzar

An Orlando-based cigar company has offered the world's top-ranked golfer an endorsement deal well below what he's used to: just $100,000. Some brands are running from Tiger Woods as a celebrity endorser but Orlando-based Corona Cigar Co. is running toward him.

As a celebrity "smokesperson" the brand is clearly looking for publicity. Owner Jeff Borysiewicz has said that the company doesn't condone anyone's alleged extramarital affairs but welcomes Woods as a potential endorser.

Woods has visited Corona in the company of Charles Parker before. Some of Woods' core endorsers including Accenture, Gillette and Gatorade have said they will review their association with the golfer and he won't be playing golf for a little while so perhaps he should take the deal for some running around money.

Corona Cigar Co.'s management said they basically are not worried about what Tiger's personal problems were and this gave the little guy a chance to have a big name endorser! Well it's great to see that not everyone has given up on Tiger. Many people were supportive of him when it looked like he could walk on water but now that he has done something that is more human like everybody starts buggin' out!

Tiger Woods fans are always going to be there until somebody an come out and beat him with ease like he has done to so many others! Now all I need is a picture of Tiger and President Obama smoking a cigar and my blog would be set! lol

Come on Mr. President and Tiger, I have a cigar on the house for you too! Padron 1926 45 year should be a great place to start!!! lol

Corona has never made a sponsorship offer before, so will this start a precedence for other cigar companies to go get high profile celebrities to promote their cigars? Cigar Aficionado magazine always has a celebrity of some type on their cover and Tiger has already been there too! (See Issue May/June 2008 - Tiger Woods)

Borysiewicz acknowledged Saturday that it would be "a real fairy tale" if Woods accepted his offer to be the face for the retailer's three cigar superstores and bars, but said he hoped Woods' business team would give it some serious consideration. He faxed a letter to the golfer's agent, Mark Steinberg, but has not heard back.

"There's a lot of synergy between smoking cigars and golfing," said Borysiewicz, who added that many of his customers enjoy both pastimes.

Woods himself has visited Corona Cigar, at least once in the company of his friend Charles Barkley, the former professional basketball player.

(Does Tiger Woods smoke cigars when he is with his friend Charles Barkley whom is a regular at my cigar shop here in Phoenix, AZ.?)

The champion golfer, who lives in Isleworth, also appeared on the June 2008 cover of the magazine Cigar Aficionado.

Woods get $100 million annually from endorsement contracts (Really Big Pimpin'!) and looks like he could become the world's first billionaire athlete.

Orlando Sentinel Full Story
By Anika Myers Palm, Orlando Sentinel

Cuban Company Wins Ruling on Cohiba Cigars

2009-12-17T11:59:00.001-08:00

(CN) - A Cuban government-owned tobacco company won its 12-year legal battle to stop a U.S. cigar producer from using the Cohiba name and trademark in the United States. A federal judge in Manhattan once again backed up Cubatabaco, which accused General Cigar of "exploiting the reputation and goodwill of the Cuban Cohiba."

By JONATHAN PERLOW

http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/12/16/Cuban_Company_Wins_Ruling_on_Cohiba_Cigars.htm

Cohibas are among the world's most famous and sought-after cigars, and were originally produced exclusively for Fidel Castro. U.S. District Judge Robert W. Sweet barred General Cigar from using the Cohiba name in the United States, but allowed it to keep using the name on its Dominican-made cigars, pending appeal. Judge Sweet said his most recent opinion was "nearly identical" to his previous finding that General Cigar Holdings had tried "to plagiarize the mark" and engaged in "intentional copying."

His decision was reversed by the 2nd Circuit, which dismissed the federal claims, saying the embargo between the two countries barred the Cuban company from acquiring property in the United States, including trademarks. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case. But when New York's highest court clarified its position on what constituted unfair competition, Cubatabaco's state law case was back on. The New York Court of Appeals found that "bad faith" wasn't necessary to prove unfair competition by appropriation, only that "deliberate copying" had taken place.

Cubatabaco argued that on the cusp of the 1992 cigar boom, General Cigar selected the "Cohiba" name for a new line of premium cigars "in order to exploit the reputation and goodwill of the Cuban Cohiba," according to the ruling. Judge Sweet agreed, and said the U.S. company's choice was "in part to capitalize on the success of the Cuban Cohiba brand and especially the good ratings and notoriety that it had received in Cigar Aficionado," a magazine for cigar enthusiasts. The debut issue of the magazine proclaimed Cohibas to be Cuba's finest cigars, in an article called "The Legend of Cohiba."

Cubatabaco further claimed that the Cohiba name was protected under the Lanham Act by the "well-known marks" doctrine, even though the company held no U.S. trademarks. Judge Sweet agreed that this was the case, but said Cubatabaco's challenge of the Cuban Asset Control Regulations was obsolete after the state court's ruling. "The New York Court of Appeals held that plaintiff could be entitled to relief against use of its foreign mark if it could establish deliberate copying and secondary meaning, even though the plaintiff had no U.S. trademark rights," Sweet wrote. "For certain kinds of cases ... goodwill can, and does, cross state and national boundary lines."

Cigars and sex 'boost Cuba lives'

2009-12-02T15:44:00.000-08:00

Cuba's high number of centenarians say their longevity is down to laying off alcohol, but indulging in coffee, cigars and sex.

The findings are the result of a study that looked into the lives of 54 out of the more than 100 centenarians who live in Villa Clara province.
More than 60% of them had parents who also lived to be over 100.
Cuba, with a population of 11.2 million, has about 3,000 people who have lived for more than a century.

The results of the study were reported to the National Geriatrics and Social Work workshop in Santa Clara town, the newspaper Juventud Rebelde said.
In the study, the lives of the centenarians were found to be disciplined, but not austere.
None was alcoholic, and they said they loved coffee and cigars, which they consumed in large quantity.

They had a healthy interest in a number of areas, including sex, said Dr Nancy Nepomuceno, who carried out the study.
Most of the centenarians were mentally alert, had a good lifestyle and did manual labour in rural areas.

Almost all ate a diet which included fish, eggs, milk, white meat and vegetables, cooked with little salt and natural seasonings.
The life expectancy in Cuba is 76, but in Villa Clara province, where the study was carried out, it is 78.

You gotta love Cuba!!!

BlkCigarCzar

Teed off: Golf course smoking bans anger golfers

2009-10-07T09:35:00.000-07:00

Hello fellow cigar smokers! Here is a little story I found that I thought I should post in the recent light of Michael Jordan getting fined $100 for smoking on a public golf course in San Francisco. (Harding Park to be exact) It's Ironic that you can't smoke a cigar "outside" on a golf course...how much more outside can you get!!! OMG!!!

There is still plenty of cigar smoking going on and it's getting more popular everyday especially with the smoking bans popping up everywhere. As you read this story you can see that there is even a cigar vending machine with premium hand rolled cigars, so the courses don't want you to smoke cigars but there is a Humidor Vending Machine with them there to tease you? How fair is that!

The machines are not at every course but it's a cool idea and at most courses there is usually a place to buy cigars anyway! I say let a man have something to do that he enjoys on a Saturday afternoon with the boys, I mean what is next? No golf balls on the course because you might hit a bird or squirrel and mess up the local eco-system!!! It's outside in a park for Christ Sake!!! In my opinion not every course should be No smoking!!!

Smoke Em' If You Got Em"!!!

BlkCigarCzar

For the cigar-smoking golfer, 18 holes and a stogie rank with peanut butter and jelly or gin and tonic among life's ideal combinations.

For the cigar-smoking golfer, 18 holes and a stogie rank with peanut butter and jelly or gin and tonic among life's ideal combinations.
That's why recent efforts across the country to ban smoking on public golf courses are being greeted by those players like a triple bogey. In the balance between individual rights and public health, weekend duffers feel authorities have become unreasonable.

The city of Spokane just tried to ban smoking on its four public golf courses, only to be stymied by an outcry from players and smoking rights advocates.
"Golf and cigars go together like a hand in a glove," said Dale Taylor of Tacoma, president of the Cigar Association of Washington, a smokers' rights groups. "That may be the only time some people smoke."

Washington state is among the least hospitable places for smokers, with no smoking allowed in any public indoor space, or outside within 25 feet of a door or window. But the proposed smoking ban on public links has struck a nerve, in part because of the vastness of golf courses. Playing a typical 18-hole course, such as Downriver in Spokane, means traveling easily more than three miles.

"If I was just walking and somebody was 300 feet away, I'm bothering them?" avid smoker and golfer Greg Presley told the Spokane parks board during a public hearing. "We've got to have some common sense."

Evidence of the illnesses caused by second-hand smoke has led to widespread bans on indoor smoking nationwide in recent decades. The great outdoors is now at the forefront of campaigns led by smoking opponents, and hundreds of places ban it in outdoor restaurants, parks and beaches, said Annie Tegan, of the Seattle office of Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, which seeks to limit smoking.

NYC City Cop Enjoy A Cigar During His Day

Because bans are enacted at the local and state levels, it is difficult to determine their exact number of them. Tegan knew of about a dozen communities that have banned smoking on public golf courses, including San Francisco, Glendale and Pasadena in California; Hawaii County, Hawaii; Bloomington, Minn.; Goshen, Ind.; Abilene, Texas; and Arvada, Colo.

The Hilo Municipal Golf Course is the only public course on the big island of Hawaii, and last year's ban on smoking in all public parks, beaches and other recreation facilities has not been popular, said assistant pro Sharol Ayai.
"There's big-time complaining," Ayai said. "The golfers will still smoke because most feel it is unfair. We all pay taxes."

Ayai said the ban, which does not apply to private golf clubs, has not had much impact on the number of rounds played at the course, in part because it is ignored.
Some communities that tried to ban smoking on golf courses, like Thousand Oaks, Calif., relented after complaints by golfers, whose fees support the facilities.

"You really have to stretch things to imagine you are offending anybody when you are outside smoking cigars," said Gordon Mott, executive editor of Cigar Aficionado magazine, which includes a monthly feature on smoking and golf.

Some non-smokers oppose outdoor smoking bans as intrusive government.
"It's a disgusting habit, but people have a right to make choices," Spokane resident Joel Bark told the local Parks Board during the public hearing. Miquel Jimenez Enjoy A Stick or Two

Patrick Reynolds of the Foundation for a Smokefree America acknowledged that moving the anti-smoking fight from indoors to outdoors was "cutting edge."
"But these are in fact reasonable laws," Reynolds, grandson of tobacco pioneer R.J. Reynolds, said. "Second-hand smoke causes lung cancer."

The bans also are aimed at reducing litter, he said. Smoking bans also have been imposed on spectators at pro golf tournaments. Last month, there was a no-smoking zone for the first time at the Masters. The U.S. Open in 2008 at Torrey Pines banned smoking by spectators because San Diego had banned smoking in its parks, beaches and public golf courses. But players were allowed to smoke.

With little advance notice, the Spokane parks board voted in March to ban smoking in all city parks, including golf courses. An existing law already prevented people from smoking near playgrounds, swimming pools or other parks facilities, so the board didn't think many would care when it decided to ban smoking entirely, parks spokeswoman Nancy Goodspeed said. They were wrong.

The outcry from smokers and libertarians was swift, and prompted the board in April to stay the ban on golf courses while it studies the issue further.
"We heard from everyone and their brother, on both sides," Goodspeed said.

The board will wait for people to calm down before taking up the issue of smoking on golf courses again, she said, adding that may be a year or more.
Presley, who said he has smoked and played golf for five decades, hopes it never comes up again.
"There's plenty of fresh air out there to share," Presley said. "Everyone pays taxes."

By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS
Associated Press Writer

City tells Jordan to keep it clean (air)

2009-10-07T09:25:00.000-07:00

A city official has asked the PGA Tour to remind Michael Jordan that he can't smoke cigars at Harding Park during the Presidents Cup.

Jordan, inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame last month, is serving as an honorary assistant to U.S. captain Fred Couples. A photo of Jordan smoking his cigar during a practice round, published Tuesday in the San Francisco Chronicle, caught the attention of city officials.
Harding Park is a public facility, and smoking is banned.

"I've already sent an e-mail to the PGA Tour director," Recreation and Park general manager Phil Ginsburg told the newspaper. "It was a gentle nudge reminding them that smoking is illegal and that we would appreciate their support."

Jordan apparently is aware of the regulations, saying in an interview with PGATour.com that he "heard this is a public place, so they limit what you can smoke. I'm not even supposed to be smoking, but this was a practice round and no one said anything."

Ideally, Jordan said, he would like to smoke "a minimum of three" cigars per round, according to the Chronicle.
In 2006, the city Board of Supervisors voted to include public golf courses among the parks that would ban smoking. A violation could net a $100 fine.

"But don't expect me to ask him for it," city attorney's spokesman Matt Dorsey told the Chronicle.

A Little Scotch Knowledge Goes A Long Way!!!

2009-08-18T09:10:00.000-07:00

Hello all, as we enjoy smoking cigars many people always ask "What's the deal with scotch?" I can explain a very basic overview of scotch pairing with cigars as well as other spirits. Scotch is not for everyone nor is it required to drink scotch with a cigar but it's just another way to further enhance your smoking experience. What I have done is went to a website that breaks down a little history behind scotch. There link is below in blue so you can review their site directly and they have also added the pairing of cigars which I have not done because my cigar pairings and tasings will be done seperately by me. So here is some info that will give you a little bit better understanding about scotch (single malt's) so the next time you have a stick, maybe you can give a glass of scotch a try too! You never know, you might just like it!!!

If you got it smoke it!!!

Thanks to the guys at Scotch and Cigars for the information.

Link: Scotch and Cigars

There is no right or wrong way to drink Scotch whisky - it's all down to personal taste.

We prefer our Scotch neat, and our rankings are based on this. However, here are a few suggestions: Many who take their Scotch neat say they don't want to spoil the taste by adding water.

Conversely, an equal number say that adding a touch of pure, soft spring water serves to enhance the particular aroma and flavor of a whisky. Ordinary tap water may contain high amounts of chlorine and therefore would not complement any whisky.

Your best bet is to opt for bottled Scottish mineral water, ideally the same spring water used in the making of the particular whisky!Adding ice to a whisky is a shame because it dulls the fine taste and wonderful aromas. Similarly, carbonated water is not an ideal accompaniment for whisky as it may interfere with the aromas also.

Adding mixers like ginger ale, soda, and cola is a popular trend. However, it begs the question- why bother drinking good Scotch if you intend to mask the taste?Americans generally have trouble with the correct pronunciation of some Scottish names, so we've found a link that features Pip Hill, founder and chairman of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, pronouncing all of those mysterious names.

Imagine our horror when we found that we had been ordering "Glen-fid-ditch", while the correct pronunciation is actually closer to "Glen-fid-dich", with a very soft "ch"! We haven't worked up the nerve to order Bruichladdich yet!

Tasting Scotch

It is normal to follow the undiluted nose with a sip, to assess texture, viscosity and initial flavors. The smokiness of the whisky will really come out with this, and the dryness or sweetness too.
Tasting the diluted whisky will give you a final indication of the flavors and quality of the whisky. The texture of the spirit will still be apparent even if it has been diluted - note the viscosity especially. The balance of main flavors is what you should be concentrating on now especially - sweetness, sourness, dryness and saltiness.

The water ought to be soft and, as far as possible, tasteless. Tap water is fine if you are lucky enough to live in a society which regards the provision of good water as one of the elements of civilization. Otherwise, use still water from a bottle.

The glass should be tulip-shaped, with a narrow opening. The nosing glass is best, then the sherry copita, brandy snifter and wine glass in descending order of desirability. The open-mouthed cut glass article that is traditionally called a whisky tumbler is not suitable at all. The mouth is for pouring the whisky into for the purpose of tasting. The tongue and palate, both of which are located within the mouth, detect the primary tastes: sweet, sour or acidic, salty, bitter or dry.

The size and shape of the mouth are irrelevant, but prior to tasting they should not be encumbered by other flavors such as lozenges, tobacco, etc.The nose is far and away the most important bit of kit when you are evaluating malt whiskies. Our most sensitive organ—there are a mere 4 primary tastes and 3 primary colors, but there are 23 primary aromas—it can pick up scents diluted to one part in a million.

The eyes are not essential, though they are useful to be able to see the color of the whisky. Having said that, we would advise tasters that, because the eye is such a dominant sense in humans, it often misleads. Since dark whiskies appeal more to the eye, professional tasters often use cobalt blue glasses and red lighting to disguise the color of the whisky.

The procedure for inspecting malt whiskies is simple. Look at the stuff in the glass, sniff it, add some water, sniff it again and taste it. The water is essential in tasting full-strength malts. Not only does it soften the influence of the alcohol, it draws out the nose of the whisky to an astonishing extent. When tasting whiskies, try to divest yourself of expectation and concentrate on the present experience. Casks are infinitely diverse, and often very different from what you would expect from a particular distillery.

Tasting whisky should be an informative experience, but the main thing is that you enjoy it. As I said at the start, the idea should be to decipher the complex characteristics of a particular whisky, so when you come to drink it in a more conventional way you'll be aware of much about the drink. Cheers!

The Aroma of Scotch

Nosing is a true delight, and reveals much about a whisky’s true character. Every whisky has a distinct bouquet, but a few characteristics are easily identifiable: Islay whiskies will smell smoky, and sherry casks usually give a sweet or caramel smell. The bouquet can change remarkably as water is added. There are seven main scent groups: esters, phenols, aldehydes, sweet associated, cereals, oils and woods.

Esters: fruit, flowers, peardrops

Phenols: medicinal, peaty, smoky

Aldehydes: hay, grass, leather

Sweet associated: vanilla, toffee, honey

Cereals: malt, bread, wheat Oils: butter, hazels, walnuts

Woods: cedar, pitch-pine, resin

There are many combinations of the above, which is what makes malt whisky so fascinating. On the other hand, there are many fine whiskies where the scents are so well integrated that they are almost impossible to unravel.

Adding water to a spirit really opens up both the flavor and the aromas. Just a drop or two of water is all that is required, and this will allow you to inhale the vapors more easily. There are only 4 primary flavors and 3 primary colors, but there are 32 primary aromas for you to get to work on. Not only that, but the nose is a fiendishly sensitive device and it can identify scents diluted down to one part in one million. The range of smells is huge, from wine and sherry smells, through nuts, vanilla and honey to more astringent smells such as carbolic, pear drops and citrus oils.

Viewing Scotch

Examining the color of a whisky before a drop even passes your lips can tell you a lot about it. A deep color indicates it has picked up a lot of the character of the cask that it's been stored in. Sherry and port casks often have this effect. Of course, some whiskies are colored with caramel, which can render the color deceptive.

It is also possible to gauge the relative viscosity (known as oiliness) of a whisky by swilling it around the glass and seeing how the "tears" flow down the side. Lastly, the brightness of the whisky is important. Unfiltered whiskeys (which often have more character) can look slightly hazy. When ranking your scotch via our website, use this color guide to help determine it's color. To print the guide, point at the bar and right-click. Then select Print from the menu.

Making Scotch

A Single Malt Scotch Whisky is the product of one specific distillery and has not been mixed with whisky from any other distilleries. The greatest concentration of malt whisky distilleries can be found in the Speyside region of north-east Scotland, with Highland, Lowland and Islay being the other main malt whisky producing zones.

Each of these regions has its own particular distinctive style of malt whisky and although it is not possible for two malts to be identical, even if the distilleries that produce them happen to stand side by side, it is usually possible to distinguish in which region of Scotland a particular whisky was made. In the production of Malt Scotch Whisky the basic raw materials are limited and consist of barley, water and yeast.

The process comprises five distinct stages.

MALTING which converts barley to MALT.
MASHING which produces WORT (sugar solution) from ground or crushed MALT.
FERMENTATION that produces WASH (a weak, crude, impure spirit) consequent upon the introduction of YEAST in the WORT.
DISTILLATION that strengthens and purifies the spirit contained in the WASH and also separates the solids contained in the spirituous liquor.
MATURATION that transforms the raw SPIRIT into WHISKY.

In two of the above stages the distiller is concerned with the behaviour of living organisms. In MALTING the involvement is the controlled germination of the barley corn and in FERMENTATION the action of the yeast when placed in a solution rich in fermentable sugars and growth factors. All living organisms are susceptible to conditions of their environment and many of the distiller's problems arise from there.

Malting of barley is actually the initial stages of the germination of the barley seed in its growth to the barley plant. During this process, far-reaching chemical changes occur within the corn, and it is these changes that produce malt from barley.

Barley is a food cereal similar to wheat and oats, all of which are related, botanically, to the grasses. It has always been the primary raw material for conversion to malt. The preference for barley over other cereals is undoubtedly the fact that the corn or seed is covered with a straw-like husk that is not removed by threshing and protects the grain during the process stages in malting. The husk subsequently serves as a filter in the mashing operations.

The object of Mashing is to render soluble and to dissolve as much of the valuable contents of the Malt as is possible. This produces a sweet liquid or sugar solution termed Wort containing in addition to the sugars intermediate products.

Yeast is a unicellular micro-organism, that is to say, it is a living organism whose individual units are visible only under the microscope. It belongs to the plant kingdom and is classified as one of the fungi. There are many different species of yeast but the one normally encountered in the distilling and brewing industries is called Saccharomyces Cerevisiae.

It is of paramount importance that all vessels in the mashing and fermentation processes be kept 100% clean and free from bacteria. To this end a very strict cleaning and sterilization of all plant is adhered to and no relaxation of the cleaning operations is permissible. Bacterial infection can have a serious effect on the yield of spirit and also adversely affect the quality of the spirit.

The two main operations in distilling are turning liquid into vapor and then vapor into liquid i.e. vaporization and then condensation. Distillation is simply a means of separation by these operations. A liquid can be separated from solids or one liquid from another and either the distillate or the residue collected. When the distillate is collected the operation is referred to as vaporization but when then residue is collected it is termed vaporization.

Padrón to Reveal Family Reserve at Trade Show Next Week

2009-08-05T18:40:00.000-07:00

Padrón to Reveal Family Reserve at Trade Show Next Week

Posted: Wednesday, August 05, 2009

By David Savona

Padrón Cigars is going to have a rare new release at next week's trade show. The family-owned company is unveiling its Padrón Family Reserve No. 45, a six inch long, 52 ring gauge box pressed cigar made from very old Nicaraguan tobaccos.

The No. 45, first described in the June 16 Cigar Insider, will have a suggested retail price of $25. It will be made in limited quantities, and come packed in boxes of 10.

"The plan is to have it in cigar shops by September 8," said company president Jorge Padrón. September 8 is the 45th anniversary of Padrón Cigars, which was founded by Jorge's father, José O. Padrón.

Smoking bans, taxes burn cigar makers

2009-07-31T22:15:00.000-07:00

By Alan Gomez, USA TODAY
MIAMI — On a typically hot afternoon in his South Florida office, Jorge Padron casually puffs on a cigar that bears his family's name. The company has been growing steadily for decades, ever since his father, Jose Padron, founded it in Little Havana in 1964.

Padron and other cigar companies say their legacy of good jobs for unskilled workers and fine smokes for aficionados is imperiled not just by the recession. The rise in smoking bans across the country and a unprecedented hike in taxes on tobacco are proving to be crippling.

PHOTOS: Cigar makers keep rolling in tough economy

"The industry is suffering. A lot," Jorge Padron said.

The biggest casualty so far has been the Hav-a-Tampa plant in Tampa, which will shut down in the coming months and began laying off its nearly 500 employees last week. Norman Sharp, president of the Cigar Association of America, said other companies are laying off workers and cutting back.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Florida | Tampa | Fidel Castro | Havana | Winston Churchill | Red Auerbach | Karl Marx | George Burns | Altadis

"I can't even use the word cautiously optimistic," Sharp said. "These are dark, dark days."

Sales decline

Cigars have long held a sacred place in American history. They're handed out when babies are born and at wedding receptions. They helped shape the identity of American legends such as Groucho Marx and George Burns, American allies such as Winston Churchill and even American foes such as Fidel Castro. Hall of Fame basketball coach Red Auerbach would pull one out as a victory was nearing, turning them into the ultimate sign of achievement.

Now, smoking is banned in workplaces, restaurants or bars in more than 17,000 cities across the country, according to the American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation. Meanwhile, about 100 bills have been filed this year in at least 34 state capitals that could increase tobacco taxes even more, according to Dan Carr, chief operating officer of General Cigar.

That's not necessarily bad news to some. Thomas Glynn, director of cancer science and trends for the American Cancer Society, said cigars don't cause as much lung cancer as cigarettes since they're usually not inhaled. But cigar smokers are just as likely as cigarette smokers to develop cancers in the mouth, lip and upper digestive tract.

While there are no reliable data on cigars sold in the USA, Carr said their industrywide analysis shows that people are either buying fewer cigars or cutting them out entirely. An estimate by the company, which sells about 30% of the cigars consumed in the USA, found that sales are down between 10% to 15% in the past year.

One reason for that is taxes, some say, which have skyrocketed.

On April 1, the federal excise tax on cigars increased from 5 cents to about 40 cents on large cigars. At least 12 states have passed tobacco tax increases also, and 25 more states are considering them, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Rich Perelman, editor of Cigarcyclopedia.com, said small cigars have been hit hardest. They are made to sell cheap but got hit with a nearly $1-per-pack tax increase. Premium cigars that sell for $20, $30 aren't affected nearly as much by the tax hike, he said.

At Flor de Gonzalez Cigars in Miami, their tax bill per shipment has gone from less than $5,000 per 100,000 cigars to more than $40,000.

Yadi Gonzalez, president of the family-owned operation that still rolls many of their specialty cigars by hand, said that has forced them to reduce some salaries. She worries about what will happen if governments continue using cigars as an easy source of income.

"They don't realize that at the end of the day, if we start losing jobs, and imports begin to drop, they're not going to accomplish their bottom line, which is to collect these taxes," Gonzalez said.

The weight of those taxes is solely to blame for the closure of the Hav-a-Tampa plant, said Richard McKenzie, a senior vice president of human resources for Altadis USA, which owns Hav-a-Tampa.

On Friday, the plant began laying off nearly 500 people. McKenzie said most of the factory workers made between $8 and $12 an hour with health insurance, a pension plan and a 401(k), better than most jobs for unskilled labor.

Carr, whose General Cigar company employs more than 6,000 people around the world, said his company hasn't had to fire anybody. Even so, he would not rule out the possibility of layoffs if their situation continues on its downward slide.

'This is an art'

Carr said layoffs would be devastating not just to the industry, but to the unskilled workers who have benefited from the well-paying jobs for decades. Unlike workers who man machines in cigarette plants, crafting a cigar is a delicate process that has been passed down through generations.

"This is an art, what we do," Carr said.

The industry will probably not see a slowing down of the movement to snip away at the places where people can puff, however. From Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., government agencies are banning smoking in restaurants, bars and even parks.

Anti-smoking advocates see little difference between cigarettes and cigars. Perelman does. People don't rush outside to quickly inhale a cigar, he says.

"They're consumed in a much different way," he said. "I have never met a person who is addicted to cigars. Never. Cigars are a quiet, reliable place in their life where they can relax and think about the world as it goes by."

Eau Claire Housing Complex Bans Smoking Inside Homes

2009-07-22T09:06:00.000-07:00

Hello To All My Cigar Smokers,

Well it's not a government intruision into our live but it is quasi-governemt (H.O.A.) which has stepped into our lives! A housing development in Wisconsin has banned smoking in your own home and it's residents are really the culprits here and the HOA let things run and land where they may. Smoking on your patio is ok, as long as it doesn't pass over into a neighbors yard (smoke must float up) and no smoking inpublic common areas like the community BBQ pit or in the park within the community. The HOA cannot pass this kind of ruling by itself because every resident has to sign off on it before it can be added to the residential by-laws and if your trying to move in there you must sign this agreement before your able to move in.

So what's next? No BBQ's, it has smoke as an important part of the equation and smoke can travel from yard to yard. BBQ grill smoke has toxin's within it that are just as harmful as cigarette's so I don't see how one is legal and one is not. I'm glad I don't live there but then again they get snow there and where it snows the Czar shall not live!!! What do you think about this one especially when cigar smokers age their precious stick and now they cannot enjoy them in this community? Well this is setting the stage for more of the same to follow! Watch out there are more things to come!

Spark one up and enjoy!!! Smoke Em' If You Got Em'!

BlkCigarczar

A A AEAU CLAIRE, Wis. -- Some residents have decided to outlaw smoking inside homes at a housing complex in Eau Claire.

Members of the Fairfax Parkside Homeowners Association voted last week on the ban for the 34-unit development. It also prohibits smoking in shared spaces, such as porches and garages, but does allow it in yards and patios.

Association President Dave Hanvelt proposed the regulation earlier this year because homeowners are so close and smoke from one unit could flow into the one next door.
Last year, the Eau Claire City Council approved a controversial ban on smoking in indoor public places, including taverns.

New Cigar Bar in Vegas

2009-07-14T18:40:00.000-07:00

OK, if you never saw Siegfried & Roy perform, you really won't miss them. Actually, it's likely that even if you did see them you're not suffering much. Now, the animal act's gift shop in the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas has given way to the celebration of a partnership far more appealing: rum and cigars.

Rhumbar opened in early March with a decor that is as cool and refreshing as the drinks it serves. The place is intended to remind you of the Caribbean. White glass everywhere, including the bar top, and white "abstract mint leaves," aimed at paying homage to the Mojito, set the tone. The white is complemented by green in different places, but the real tribute to the Antilles is in the menu and in the "conversation pieces" that float above the bar.

"We'll have 40 boxes from about 20 brands," Frey explained as he showed off the built-in humidor at the end of the bar. "We'll also have about 40 rums, everyone's highest end. We worked with every major rum company in the world to develop special cocktails."
Frey credits his partner in Montecristo Rums, Tim Haughenberry, for putting together the rum program. Honored are classics, Latin and Polynesian beverages, but "nothing's on fire," Frey said, answering a question about flaming drinks.

"Every month one company will be featured," Frey said. "We'll design more cocktails using that company's featured rum. There's also a walk-up Daiquiri bar." To be sure, you don't have to drink rum here.

Rhumbar has a full bar and full view of the Strip, something increasingly unusual in Las Vegas. The place is relatively intimate, spanning only 2,000 square feet. There are 18 stools at the bar and 30 seats outside.

Ultimately, what Casa Fuente is to the cigar, Rhumbar is to the idea that rum—pay attention here, single-maltistas—is the best way to make your cigar that much better.

If you've ever wondered what a bar would look like if it were modeled after a mojito, hold on to your barstools, Vegas—you're about to find out. On a mere 2,000 square-foot slip of real estate originally housing the gift shop for Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden, Rhumbar arrives softly—and without plans for a grand opening—March 2 at the earliest. (Currently open as of this writing)

Guests arriving at the Mirage by way of the stairwell and walkway extending upward from the Strip will cruise first past the Rhumbar patio, with its casual deck-y furniture and twin lamp light features (8-feet in diameter; the lampshade doesn't even begin until 7-feet up) before entering the building to discover Rhumbar proper and the modern, whimsical work of Alvarez + Brock Design.

Behind a glass wall, an orderly span of scrolling white, iron latticework represents freshly-picked mint leaves. This "mint wall" is flanked by a drinks rail and runs directly opposite the white marble bar whose delicate green glow emanates from beneath. Over a sea of more white marble (like so much sugar or light rum), white barstools sport the thinnest stripes of green. Behind the bar, more marble and industrial metals set off the 40 featured rums in their various colorful bottles.

If there's two things Frey knows its rum and cigars. The owner of FreyBoy Tobacco and Casa Fuente Cigars at Caesars and co-owner of Montecristo Rum, Frey has made sure to set into a slate alcove a massive cigar case/humidor for his 40 finest cigar brands. While both of Frey's products will be featured under Rhumbar's high, pitches ceiling (he co-owns FreyBoy Tobacco and Montecristo Rum), Gilbert says they have not build here an homage to Montecristo but a showcase to all fine rum, going so far as to employ the French spelling of rum, subtly indicative to aficionados as the French-speaking rum-making countries are reputedly responsible for the best rum agricole (artisanal rum made from freshly pressed sugarcane juice as opposed to rum industrial, made from molasses).

From 10 a.m. daily, Rhumbar aims to be the ideal spot for a cigar and espresso with your morning paper, shaded by palms, and looking out on either the city or on the Mirage's tangled jungle lagoon. In afternoon, refreshing drinks and even a walk-up daiquiri bar will refresh weary travelers. At night, high energy music takes over via a top of the line sound system, major sports events play on sizeable twin flat screen TVs and the patio affords a straight view to the newly renovated, iconic Mirage volcano.

Rhumba's Samba Swizzle (with candied ginger garnish).

Behind the bar, Vegas' own BarMagic, a union of beverage consultants Tobin Ellis and John Hogan, is pulling together the 12 cocktail list, which includes a Latin Manhattan, 1944 Mai Tai, Samba Swizzle (pictured) and a take on the Chilean drink, Monkey's Tail. "I think we have a pretty intelligent placement of some sophisticated rums," says Ellis who for the 1944 Mai Tai substituted (out of necessity) the 17 year-old J. Wray & Nephew rum, (no longer produced; there is only a drop left and that is in Ireland), with Appleton V/X, also produced by J. Wray & Nephew distillery. "It's not about being ultra-purist," explains Ellis. "It's important to show your respect to the original bartenders and the classics as much as can be done but every classic goes through evolution … We took a little bit of liberty to make them fit the Rhumbar lounge concept."

Staff will of course be well-versed in rum and cigars but also at handcrafting innovative or classic cocktails with market fresh ingredients and organic sweeteners. Now a staunch supporter of the mixology movement, Gilbert was once instrumental in bringing about Vegas' flair bartending craze when he brought the legendary Ken Hall and friends from Florida to Sin City to populate Voodoo Lounge at the Rio, where Gilbert was the vice president of food and beverage. Of Rhumbar's prim, white marble bar area Gilbert says, "This is the palette for the bartenders to become the artists they are."

Rhumbar

The Mirage

3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
702-791-7111
Hours: Sun.—Thurs. 10 a.m. to midnight, Fri.—Sat. 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Premium cigars: $8 to $68
Specialty cocktails: From $12

CAMACHO CIGARS PARTNERS WITH THE ESPY AWARDS FOR THE OFFICIAL PRE-PARTY AT THE PLAYBOY MANSION

2009-07-10T16:24:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles, Calif., July 10, 2009 – Camacho Cigars has been chosen as the official cigar for the ESPY Awards pre-party at the Playboy Mansion. The star-studded event takes place on Monday, July 13th, and celebrates the top athletes of the year.

Camacho Cigars will be treating athletes and celebrities to their ultra-premium Camacho Select, Camacho Triple Maduro, Camacho Diploma, and Camacho 10th Anniversary cigars during the night’s festivities, which includes poker, dancing, and entertainment.

“Camacho Cigars is proud to be a part of the pre-ESPY festivities,” said Dylan Austin, marketing director of Camacho Cigars. “The Playboy Mansion is an iconic location that every man dreams of visiting at least once in his life. This only adds to our excitement in being involved in this illustrious event.”

For more information about Camacho Cigars, please visit http://www.camachocigars.com/.

About Camacho CigarsFounded in 1961 by Simon Camacho, Camacho Cigars was acquired by the Eiroa family in 1995. Now part of the Oettinger Davidoff Group, Camacho Cigars is one of the key players in the international cigar market. The flagship Camacho brand, made at Rancho Jamastran in Danli, Honduras, is comprised of 9 premium and super-premium line extensions: (Super-Premium: Diploma, 10th Anniversary Corojo, Liberty Series, Triple Maduro, Select)(Premium: Corojo, Coyolar, Havana, SLR). Camacho Cigars also has 7 core brands, including Baccarat The Game, America’s #1 selling premium cigar.http://www.camachocigars.com/

Media Contacts:

CAMACHO CIGARS

American Rebel PR

Guy Jordan

(323) 656-5020

guy@americanrebelpr.com

FAQ About Cigars

2009-05-31T16:41:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the most common question new cigars smokers have. There are still many more questions that will come up and the best thing to do is check with your favorite tobacconists (keep them on speed dial) and find out the least busiest night to go and pick their brains on all the concerns you might have for that week. Also ask the regulars and take it with a grain of salt because you will get the regulars opinion and sometimes they may be a little far fetched in their opinions and it may not work for you even though it works for them.

Q: How long can I store cigars in a ziploc-style baggie?
A: It depends entirely on your ambient climate because every time you open the baggie the air within will be exchanged. In some climates cigars can be kept in ziplocs for literally a few months with no problems, while in very dry climates 3-4 days tops may be the serviceable limit of using plastic bags. This would include Arizona, Nevada, parts of Southern California, New Mexico and Colorado.

Q: I left the lid of my humidor open for 8 hours and now it is 63% relative humidity and I am worried about destroying my cigars! What do I do???
A: Don't worry about it. 63% is no big deal and for 8 hours it is absolutely nothing. In fact some folks like their cigars at 63% RH all the time. Your humidor will slowly return to a higher RH, and if after a few days it doesn't then add some water to your humidifier.
I know many books, magazines, humidor makers, credo salesmen, and a bunch of others have given you the impression that you must be at 70/70, but I swear on my soul this is UNTRUE.
Cigars are far more durable than the 70/70 zealots contend and can easily endure some time at a lower humidity. In fact, many tobacconists overseas utilize 60-64% RH as their ideal RH for long term storage. Personally, I like 73%-78% myself for smoking, and have smoked tons of cigars kept at 65% RH with no problems whatsoever.

I own 6 humidors and only two of them even have hygrometers in them. I just use my fingers to judge them. This does come with some experience but it ultimately is based on what you feel is a good feeling for your cigars. Remember you have to smoke them and if you don't like how they feel then do the opposite of what you have been doing.

It really isn't as critical as some folks make it seem. And your scenario is a total non-issue. So just close the lid and give your humidor a couple of days to come up to the humidity you desire.
Too many new cigar smokers get way too uptight over this humidity issue and it really is the fault of the so-called "experts" constantly parroting this 70/70 stuff. If you ask anyone that has been storing and smoking cigars for years they would tell you to relax.

The bottom line is to not get overly upset about slight deviations in relatively humidity. With time you will learn what you like, some people prefer their smokes moister while others like them drier. In your drier climates you may want to run a little higher than you 70/70 just to compensate for the drier ambient air in those places.

Q: How do I keep a humidor with a passive humidifier at a lower RH?
A: Basically you add less water less frequently. The PG in the humidifier can only expel the moisture it contains so if you give it less water to work with your humidor will be drier. Typically I never add water until I get distilled water until I get to about 64% RH or so, and then I add just small amounts. It varies with the season, the humidor, and how often I open it. Over time you will simply learn how much water your humidor needs and roughly at what interval.
Watch the relative humidity in your local area also because when the season change or the local weather for the day can make a big difference in how your ambient air reacts with your humidor should you open it.

Q: How long can I store cigars?
A: Indefinitely. Under proper conditions cigars can remain "smokable" for decades, even a century. However, it is important to understand the difference between "smokable" versus enjoyable. Over time all cigars will begin to loose their essential oils and body. Eventually they will become flavorless. How long this takes depends entirely on the cigars themselves and varies greatly. Ex. Clinton supposedly found a few boxes in the Oval office before leaving office and found cigars in premo condition and they were left over from J.F.K. Now that's what you call a find! Everything was smokable and of course expensive if ever sold.

Q:Can I store my cigars in the refrigerator?
A: No, cigar like humidity and the old school way of putting cigarettes in the refrigerator is not a good thing for cigars as it will lead to drying them out. Since almost all of today's refrigerators actually dehydrate their interior to prevent condensation from forming on their exterior. Now, an old refrigerator or freezer that you leave unplugged can make for an excellent alternative large storage device for cigars.

Q: What do you think of cigar jars?
A: Well I have had a pasta jar humidor since 1992 and it's the best I have found for some long term storage but I can only hold 25 sticks at any one time. I do keep an eye on it so that my cigars don't get over humidified. I do have a gauge and humidification inside so it is controlled and I usually keep my cubans, hard to finds or limited release cigars in it and my storage is a year or better.

Q: Should I leave the cellophane on or take it off?
A: Leaving the cellophane on protects the cigars from tattering and splitting while you handle them. Also cellophaned cigars are easier to take on the "road" and to send to friends.

Without the cellophane, cigars tend to breath a little better, and in turn age better but not very quickly. Also I find it much more appealing to open my humidor and see cigars in the nude.

Cellophane is permeable to water and air allowing their transfer through its surface, but not as easily as without the cellophane. So if I receive a batch of cigars that is freshly rolled I sometimes remove the cello to allow the excess moisture incurred during the rolling process to dissipate. Cigars that become too moist in cellophane take a long time to dry out. Either way is appropriate, and in the end it is really just a matter of personal choice.

Q: Do cigars age in tubes?
A: Yes and no. Cigars seem to age some in the tubes, but mostly I think this is due to most tubes not having a true seal. In an absolutely sealed environment it is impossible for a cigar to have the necessary oxygen required for it to breath and age properly. You will note that on many tubes it mentions that a cigar will "remain fresh until opened" and personally I do not consider this an ultimately desirable goal. Tubes are great for protecting cigars for a few weeks, even months outside of a humidor if they have a good seal, but if tubed cigars are to be kept longer and you wish to ensure that they age properly I recommend you remove the end caps and place them in your humidor. With all of that said I have smoked many tubos whose seals were intact for years and their cigars were quite tasty. But no matter what you do, always store tubed cigars in a humidor if you are going to have them for any substantial length of time since most seals are not perfect.

Q: Can I leave the cigars in the boxes as they age?
A: Absolutely, in fact most collectors do. However if the box is sealed with a plastic wrap you should remove this prior to placing the box in your cabinet humidor or igloodor.

Q: Will my cigars "marry" if they are sitting side by side in my humidor without dividers or cellophane?
A: No. I understand the concept of marrying, and have witnessed claro cigars that have been slightly stained with oils from a dark rich colorado cigar that were sitting beside it, but that was only after MANY years. Honestly I do not consider the marrying of different cigars to be a problem for those who smoke from their humidors on a semi-regular basis.
I have been storing singles side by side for well over a decade with no impact whatsoever. Personally, I find the concept of marrying flavors between differing cigars to be an issue that "cigar wonks" banter about, but has little basis in reality and does not warrant any concern on your part. You have to keep in mind when you read all the recent advice printed about cigars that quite a bit of it is far too reaching and overtly scientific without cause.

I have kept a wide variety of smokes crammed together for long periods (5+ years) in my "smoke from someday" humidors without this ever occurring. The only place I would be concerned is to always keep flavored, i.e.. rum soaked, Lars, Acid etc. separate. Also for long term aging in quantity I believe in leaving the cigars in their original boxes if possible. Bottomline - the concept of cigar flavors marrying/blending is overhyped.

Q: Should I rotate the cigars in my humidor?
A: No. This is another bit of silly advice that is often recommended by the anal retentive. The difference between the relative humidity from the bottom to the top of your humidor is insignificant and is certainly nothing to worry about. Some "experts" have even suggested that by not rotating your cigars that "all the oils will settle to the bottom side." This is an incredibly lame statement. The essential oils in a cigar will always seep in the direction of a drier surface. In a stable environment this is almost always towards the top which is the side exposed to air. You will see these oils crystallize becoming plume (bloom) over months and years. It is possible for the cedar floor of your humidor to wick some oil to the bottom, but it happens so seldom and without any negative impact it is not even worthy of consideration. Eventually all excess oils will dissipate without a trace except for possibly bloom.
The only legit reason to rotate stock within your humidor is because you want your cigars to be more convenient for you to smoke. Less often smoked ones on the bottom, and the ones you are grabbing all the time on the top.

Q: Why does my humidor smell like ammonia when I open it?
A: Ammonia is typically expelled by cigars that are very young. Sometimes it is the result of them actually containing under-cured tobacco, but most commonly in premium cigars it means they are just young and require additional aging. If I get cigars that are young or under aged i will put them in the bottom of my humidor to let them get the least amount of outside air when the humidor is opened. Letting them age for several months or a year or more usually will remedy the aroma of ammonia.

Q: Is it okay for me to clip my cigars before putting them in the humidor?
A: Actually, there is a downside to pre-clipping as it is the intact head that "cements" the wrapper in place. Whenever you preclip a cigar you are increasing the likelihood that it may unravel. The less stable your humidor the more likely this will occur.

Now with that said, I have kept preclipped cigars for an extended period of time with no problem, while I have had others unroll themselves in days. Also pre-punching has less of an impact, but again there is no real benefit. The are only times I ever pre-clip: 1) I am going to be around several infrequent cigar smokers who have little or no experience with fine cigars and it's easier to pass out then sit there cutting a bunch of cigars, 2) I am on my way out the door and know that I am going to smoke them in the very near future, I will sometimes do the honors in advance especially if I don't have my travel humidor with me which is almost never. It's in my car all the time!

My advice is that you just avoid the potential unraveling problem and not make a habit of pre-clipping your smokes.

Q: I have noticed the foots of my cigars are swelling. Why?
A: This is a classic sign of cigars that are being over humidified. It's called “blossoming” like a flower does when it first starts to open (like a rose). Usually if I run into an over humidification problem I will remove my humidification device and leave the humidor cracked open to allow the cigars to calm down. Usuall several hours to over night and then slowly re-introduce the humidification source.

Q: My cigars have something on them. How can I tell if it is mold or bloom?
A: Bloom, also called plume, is a grey/white residual powder that is left from the cigar's essential oils drying on its surface, and is considered a very good sign that the proper aging is taking place. Not all cigars develop bloom, but those that are heavy in oils almost always do over time. As cigars mature in the aging process some cigars will start to plume and long as its white in color your ok but any other color and you have a problem.
Mold always has some body to it, it is actually a three dimensional "fuzz." Typically it grows rather quickly once it occurs. Also it is commonly green, green/blue, or green/yellow in color.
Typically plume will cover almost evenly all the air-exposed sides of a cigar whereas mold will begin growing on just one part and spread from there.
If you still can't the difference I suggest you quarantine the potential problem cigars to their own tupperdor for a couple of weeks. After which you should be able to tell if it has continued to grow as mold would.
Q: Okay, it is mold... now what?
A: You can just brush the mold off and smoke them anyway. I have smoked a bunch of vintage cigars that have had some mold on them. It takes considerable mold and time to impact the flavor of the cigar - the biggest factor being whether they have molded on the interior. If so they are goners, if not you can just gently brush the mold off with a soft dry cloth. However, you should quarantine them from your other cigars to prevent it from spreading to them. Again with a soft cloth would be wise to go throughout your humidor and verify the mold has not spread to other cigars. If you see mold on parts of the humidification device or the wood itself you may need to do some cleaning and check the water your using and ensure it's not contaminated and it's “distilled.”

Q: I have noticed that some of my cigars have wrinkles in the wrappers. What causes this?
A: "Wrinkly wrappers" are typically caused by cigars which have experienced cycles of being over-humidified and then under-humidified. By the way, this is commonly called "crinkle" by many cigar collectors. It is the end result of the cigar's wrapper being stretched by the expanding filler when moist and the subsequent shrinkage when it dries. Basically they are just like "stretch marks."
These are very common in vintage cigars even if kept within ideal conditions. Over time the continuous shifting of a couple of points of %RH will result in crinkling. Also, this is not that uncommon in igloodors since the humidity tends to shoot up and down drastically with opening and closing. Unlike a wooden humidor, a cooler's plastic is unable to retain an ambient RH. The longer a cigar has been stored the more likely wrinkles are to occur.
Other than damaging the aesthetics, it typically does not impact the smoke. However, the wrappers will become more brittle as the wrinkling continues to occur and may eventually lead to cracking and splitting.

Q: Can I revive dried out cigars?
A: Sometimes. It depends on whether they have lost all of the essential oils. The best way to revive dried out cigars is to slowly bring them up to the desired humidity within a dry humidor. Basically you allow the humidor and the cigars reach the desired humidity simultaneously. If the cigars retained their oils then they will still be worthwhile to smoke, however if they have been dry for too long then they will have lost most if not all of their desirable flavors.

Q: Can I store my cigars at a cooler temperature than 50 degrees?
A: Certainly. Although it will slow down the process of their aging, it will do no harm to store them at cooler temperatures. Closer to 70 is ideal if at all possible so just watch where your humidor is located and what side of your home gets the most sunlight because even a few degrees warmer can affect a humidor if the outside of the box is considerably warmer. Cooler air conditioned rooms shouldn't cause to much of a problem but then again don't store your humidor in a room that is constantly 50-55 degrees all day and night.
Q: What about higher temperatures?
A: You should never store your cigars above 75 degrees if you can help it. Doing so risks the hatching of the dreaded tobacco beetle which will infest and destroy all of the cigars contained within your humidor if left unabated.
Q: Which is worse: low humidity or high humidity?
A: High humidity is of greater concern than low for a few reasons:
1) High humidity can cause some cigars to split, most won't, but it does happen.
2) Cigar won't burn or draw as well at high humidity, i.e.. a cigar stored at 65%RH will typically smoke great, while one at 75% is likely to be tight and burn uneven.
3) High humidity greatly increases your chance of mold.
So personally I would be more concerned with high humidity than low humidity, however it is still nothing to get overly concerned about. I wouldn't sweat anything 73% RH or lower as your humidor will bring it down with time. If it doesn't, then I suggest you just leave the lid of you humidor open for a few hours to help dry out the interior. Again excessively drier climates you need to move your standard 70% humidity up to say 74% and that's now your bottom end with 68% or less means your getting critically low in humidity.
Q: Even with the lid open the relative humidity is still too high. Now what?
A: If you live in region where the ambient relative humidity is greater than 70% then you may need to change your humidifier's charge to 75% PG and very little distilled water. This near water free combo will help to draw high humidity down. This combo is only needed for those who live in the most humid region and are not running air conditioning. Check you ambient RH with your hygrometer before applying this advice.
Q: Can I convert my end table into a humidor?
A: Maybe, but not likely. Most furniture does not provide the quality seal that is required to maintain a stable relative humidity. Also furniture is simply not designed to endure the continual stress that a humidor commonly endures from having such a drastically different RH on its interior compare to its exterior surface. Most furniture will eventually warp and in some cases split under the pressures.
Humidor Humidity Troubleshooting Hints:
The first thing to do is relax. I know I have said this a zillion times already, but I can not emphasize it enough. Most new smokers have heard the mantra of 70/70 so often and so loudly that they are simply wound too tight. Consider this your deprogramming from the "70/70 Zealots" evil ways.
Patience is the key, do not expect anything to happen within a few hours. This is difficult for some to accept, but you just have to. Overreacting is the number one problem. Most humidors and humidifiers will function as desired if afforded the time they need to do the job. Stabilizing a humidor takes a couple of months even if it's a expensive humidor with top craftsmanship. Nothing happens over night so be patient because peaks and valley's are going to happen when you first get a humidor seasoned and up and running.
If the relative humidity is too low:
1) Add distilled water to the credo but do not oversaturate. Remember a Credo requires time to stabilize also... give it a couple of days before you judge the results.

2) Visually inspect the humidor checking all the seal lines and joints. A great way to do this is to place a lit flashlight into your humidor, close the lid, and inspect in a dark room. If there are any poorly fitted joints or seal the light will show through. Usually when you let the lid of a humidor close by itself it will have a cushioned sound when it closes (a poof sound). If it sounds like wood slamming against wood you have apotential warping or a leak somewhere and you need to find this before seasoning your humidor.
3) Confirm all the exterior sides are sealed with a high quality poly product.
Still low? Then:
1) Add a second credo.
2)Recheck the accuracy of your hygrometer.
3)A shot glass of distilled water may help especially in your excessively drier climtes.
Still too low? Then:
1) Take the entire humidor and place it in a large plastic trash bag, squeeze out the excess air, and seal for a few days.
2) Then open and check the humidity, if it is okay now then the humidor has some sort of problem that is not visually discernable, and you should contact the manufacturer/retailer of your humidor.
If the relative humidity is too high:
1) You probably over saturated the humidifier. Pull it out and give it a couple of days to dry out. If you live in an area where the ambient humidity is higher than 70% then you should utilize a hair dryer set on LOW COOL AIR ONLY to assist in drying out your credo.
2)Open the humidor and allow it to dry also.
Still too high? Then:
1) Completely rinse out your credo with distilled water and completely dry it out. Recharge with a 75% PG/25% Distilled Water mixture. The PG to Water ratio is not an exact science, and in areas with high humidity the 75/25 mixture does a better job of regulating.
2) Recheck the accuracy of your hygrometer.
3) Perform the above mentioned plastic bag trick.

Camacho Introduces New Connecticut Cigar

2009-05-28T08:46:00.000-07:00

BlkCigarCzar is and ready to spark up a new stick!!!

Camacho Cigars comes out with its first ever Connecticut Shade wrapped cigar. Camacho has always produced very good cigars and the are definitely great in the daily smoke category for the most part. They did seem to fall short with the 10th Anniversary cigar which had a wrapper that was finer than asian rice paper because it was not holding together at all. It came apart before lite, getting it off the shelf, when you first opened the box they were always beat up, after aging and if you ever had the chance to smoke it all the way through and it held together it wasn't a bad smoke. Plenty of different taste and aromas but nothing to run home and tell your mom about. I never thought I would have a bad or at least a dissapointing cigar from Camacho but this is one I won't waste my time on and I think I have only smoked two of them that didn't fall apart one way or another. Lets move on to something new by Camacho.

Now I haven't smoked this cigar yet but as soon as I get my hand on it I will pass on to you what the Czar is thinking about this stick!

BlkCigarCzar

Smoke Em, If You Got Em'!!!

Here is the official release from Camacho about the "Camacho Connecticut!"

CAMACHO CIGARS INTRODUCES NEW CAMACHO CONNECTICUT

Miami, FL., May 28th – Camacho Cigars, one of the key players in the international cigar market, is proud to announce the all new Camacho Connecticut. The Camacho Connecticut is the first and only Connecticut wrapped Camacho cigar.

The Camacho Connecticut is a spicy, yet milder mannered Connecticut wrapped cigar with a superb balance and signature Camacho body. These new cigars are comprised of tobaccos from both Honduras and the Dominican Republic. The Camacho Connecticut is available in six formats including the Monarca(50×5), Toro(50×6), Churchill(48×7), Figurado(54×42x61/8), 11/18(48×54x48×6), and 60 x 6(60×6).

“We introduced the Camacho Connecticut in response to countless consumer and retail requests for a product on the other side of the strength spectrum,” said Dylan Austin, marketing director of Camacho Cigars. “The Camacho Connecticut will make a great addition to our already superior line of premium and ultra-premium cigars.”

For more information about the Camacho Connecticut Cigars or any other of Camacho’s premium cigars, please visit http://www.camachocigars.com/.

Man Rolls World's Longest Cuban Cigar

2009-05-07T09:57:00.000-07:00

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

What can I say except that this is a long smoke!!!

I'm not sure if the phrase "If you got it, smoke it" applies here!!!

BlkCigarCzar

policy And Action: Cuba (Obama eases Cuba travel restrictions)

2009-04-27T09:12:00.000-07:00

On April 13, the Obama administration loosened restrictions on travel and remittances to Cuba for Cuban-Americans, representing a significant shift in U.S. policy toward Cuba.

According to Newsweek, Gibbs described the major shift in policy as "reaching out to the Cuban people."

The press secretary also announced that the president was permitting U.S. telecommunication companies to apply for business licenses in Cuba. Gibbs said the president specifically encouraged companies to focus on strengthening cell phone, Internet, radio and satellite television technologies between the United States and Cuba.

Several key components of America's nearly half-century embargo on the island nation, however, will be preserved. Among other things, Americans still will be barred from sending gifts or other items to high-ranking Cuban government officials and Communist Party members. Travel restrictions for Americans of non-Cuban descent also will remain in place.

Obama also ordered new steps to promote the "freer flow of information among the Cuban people and between those in Cuba and the rest of the world, as well as to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian items directly to the Cuban people."
The president took "these steps [in part] to help bridge the gap among divided Cuban families."

Obama believes that the change in U.S. policy will ultimately help bring about a more tolerant, democratic Cuban government, noted White House Latin American policy adviser Dan Restrepo.

He thinks "that creating independence, creating space for the Cuban people to operate freely from the regime is the kind of space they need to start the process toward a more democratic Cuba," Restrepo said.

Several key components of America's embargo on the island nation will be preserved, however. Among other things, Americans will still be barred from sending gifts or other items to high-ranking Cuban government officials and Communist Party members.

Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Florida, and a native of Cuba, had kinder words for the administration, saying, "The announcement today is good news for Cuban families separated by the lack of freedom in Cuba."

He said that, in turn, the Cuban government should focus on improving its relationships with its citizens and the United States. "Lowering remittance charges and allowing travel for Cuban families wishing to see relatives abroad are two steps the Cuban regime could immediately take that would show change in Havana," he said.

Shares of companies that stand to gain from a thaw in U.S. ties with Cuba soared on the news, led by Canadian mining and energy company Sherritt International, a major player in Cuba's nickel and oil industry, whose stock rose 24,5%.Miami-based cruise operator Royal Caribbean also saw its shares rise on hopes that the number two cruise ship operator and rival Carnival, could sail to Cuba, just 140km from the United States.

Reps. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, and Frank Wolf, R-Virginia, held a news conference last week urging Obama to refrain from easing trade embargo or travel restrictions until the Cuban government releases all "prisoners of conscience," shows greater respect for freedom of religion and speech, and holds "free and fair" elections and
Rep. Barbara Lee, D-California, who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus, responded that it makes no sense to continue what she characterized as a failed policy.

Provisions attached to a $410 billion supplemental budget Obama signed in March also made it easier for Cuban-Americans to travel to Cuba and to send money to family members on the island. In addition, they facilitated the sale of agricultural and pharmaceutical products to Cuba.
The provisions loosened restrictions enacted by President Bush after he came to office in 2001.

Fidel Castro, who ruled Cuba for decades, stepped down in February 2008 and ceded power to his brother, Raul. The change in rule has spurred debate within the United States about its long-standing embargo on the island nation, which is 90 miles south of Florida. The U.S. and Cuba have no formal diplomatic relations.

Cuban Box Codes

2009-04-07T09:10:00.000-07:00

Cuban Box Codes as compiled by members of the CW community. Discussion regarding this is ongoing in this topic on the CW Forums. Special thanks to ak2000, Lizzard, Sancho Panza, stogiesmoker00, Skeeter, dartplayer1, Mad Dawg, cigartexan, Benecio and others for putting this information together.

Thanks http://www.cigarweekly.com/ for the update on the codes!!!

BlkCigarCzar

1. Introduction

The process of bringing cigars to market is a gray area to most outside of Havana. Tobacco is distributed in parcel based on vitola/vitolas to be rolled. This process is strictly controlled, based on region, vega, class, sub class, etc, required to achieve the desired profile.
A number of a certain vitola may be rolled by numerous factories or not; they are brought to market as needed and the entire supply may or may not be exhausted
The same parcel/batch of tobacco used to roll a vitola can have varying date codes depending upon when they leave the factory. If a new order of the same vitola is rolled with a different batch of tobacco the issue then becomes the obvious: storage, rollers, etc.
Some factories produce better cigars based on skills, management, etc as this is an artisan form of production. It is also possible to have two boxes of cigars with the same codes, some being pulled from existing inventory and others from a more current batch, depending upon whether or not more need to be rolled to fill an order.
The following information is just that: information. Nothing can replace the knowledge gained by experience applied to your own tastes. Use this page to help draw your own conclusions and as a reference for your collection.

2. Historical Factoids

pre-revolutionary boxes were stamped: "MADE IN HAVANA-CUBA"
1961 this stamp was changed to: "HECHO EN CUBA"
1985 Cubatabaco started using date codes
1985-1995 a tobacco leaf (iron) is above Cubatobacco
1989 Cubatabaco introduced the stamp: "Totalmente a Mano"
1994 Cubatabaco changed to the Habanos S.A. logo
Factory codes may be encased in a rectangle (stamp) seen predominantly until 1999
Typically varnished boxes that come with a carboard outer box have the warranty seal and code on the cardboard. It can also be on the actual box itself as well

3. Definitions

Box Code: A code stamped in ink of varying colour on the bottom of the box that identifies the date and factory of production
Irons: The standard marks on the bottom of a box of Habanos. E.g. the words "Habanos SA" over an oval containing the words "Hecho en Cuba" over the scrpit "Totalmente a mano." All of these are "branded" into the bottom of the box by pressing a heated iron against the wood. Hence the term "irons" is used to describe these marks. As with all things related to Cuban cigars you should expect variation. Some folks have reported seeing irons that looked as if they were simply stamped in ink, but close examination revealed some indentation of the wood. Some were clearly colored (i.e., inked), not just burned, but which also showed at least a slight indentation. YMMV

4. Original Cuban Box Codes

Starting in 1985, Cubatabaco started using box codes as a way of identifying where and when any given box of cigars was produced. These codes are typically found stamped on the bottom of the box. They were never intended to be known by the consumer.

The original box codes identified the date using the NIVELACUSO scheme. Each number is signified by a letter, as follows:

N I V E L A C U S O
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

The code signifies the month and year of manufacture. For example, the code NNSU would translate to 1198, which translates to November 1998. Similarly, OESC would translate as 0497, or April 1997. Under the NIVELACUSO scheme, the month is not always signified by two numbers. Hence, a code of CSC would translate to 797, or July 1997.

Original Factory Codes

Havana Factories
BM
Briones Montoto (Belascoain 852, Havana) - Romeo y Julieta
CB
Carlos Balino (San Carlos 816, Havana) - El Rey del Mundo
EH El
Habanero
EL El
Laguito (2302 Calle 146, Marianao, Havana) - Cohiba
FL/PL/PO
Por Larranaga (Carlos III no. 713, Havana)
FPG
Francisco Perez German (Industria 520, Havana) - Partagas
FR
Miguel Fernandez Roig (Zulueta 106, Havana) - La Corona
HM
Heroes de Moncada (13402 Ave. 57, Marianao, Havana) - Jose Peidra
JCS
Juan Cano Sainz - Por Larranaga
JM
Jose Marti (Amistad 407, Havana) - H. Upmann
LM
Las Mambisas (sub contractor only)
Provincial Factories
CFG
Cienfuegos
CFGS
Cienfuegos (regional facility in Cienfuegos) - Quintero y Hno
FD/PR
Francisco Donantien (regional facility in Pinar del Rio)
LV
Las Villas
MAM
??? Las Mambisas ???
PR
Francisco Donatien (regional facility in Pinar del Rio)
RD
Ricardo Donatien (regional facility in Pinar del Rio)
SLR
??? Las Mambisas ???
SS
Sancti Spiritus (regional facility in Sancti Spiritus)
TLP
Lazaro Pena (group of factories in San Antonio)
TTB
Granma (regional facility in Bayamo)
TTH
Holguin (regional facility in Holguin) - not a good factory to buy from, bodhank)
VC
Villa Clara
VSC
Villa Santa Clara (regional facility in Santa Clara)
In 1994 the Habanos Seal (sticker across the box corner) was added. It is not uncommon to see stamps in red, blue, green or black ink across the years.

5. 1999 Cuban box codes

The original NIVELACUSO code was broken in 1997, thus rendering obsolete the objective of the code to prevent buyers from selectively purchasing cigars by factory. The penchant for seeking out Havana factory codes stemmed from the idea that some factories got the better raw materials. This is difficult to argue with those that have actual experience; Habanos S.A. would never admit as much. Allocations to factories is closely monitored now, hence less perceived discrepancy between factories.

Thus in 1999 the box codes were reworked to a different scheme. The date code was changed to the NETAGIDOCU scheme and the factory codes were redefined to all use 3 letter codes. The NETAGIDOCU scheme specifies the date that cigars were boxed, and is translated into numbers in the same manner as the earlier (NIVELACUSO) scheme. Together with the 3-letter factory code, the 4-digit NETAGIDOCU scheme designates the specific date and factory of origin for each box of Cuban cigars. For example, a box of Partagas Serie D No. 4 cigars boxed at the Partagas factory in March 1999 would have a box code EAT CCUT. (CCUT = 9903)

1999 Date Codes

First 1999 date code
N E T A G I D O C U
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

Date Codes starting 5/99
?GOO 05/99

EPOO 05/99

ESOO 06/99

EUOO 07/99

EAOO 08/99

EOOO 09/99

LEOO 10/99

LLOO 11/99

LROO 12/99

1999 Factory Codes

Ciudad de La Habana - Havana

EGDCarlos Baliño - El Rey del Mundo
EDC
Briones Montoto - Romeo y Julieta
EUN
El Laguito
EAT
Francisco Pérez Germán - Partagás
EOG
Miguel Fernández Roig - La Corona
ENI
Héroes de Moncada
ECA
José Martí - H. Upmann
EEO
Juan Cano Sainz - Por Larrañaga
Cienfuegos Province
OTC
Cienfuegos I
OAI
Cienfuegos II
OOG
Cruces
OET
Cumanayagua
OIN
Lajas
Granma Province
NAT
Bayamo
NOO
Jiguaní
Holguín Province
UNG
Antilla
UDI
Gibara
UAN
Holguín I
UCE
Holguín II
UET
San Andrés
La Habana Province
TEN
Artemisa I
TEC
Artemisa II
TND
Bejucal
TOU
Güines
TAE
Güira I
TDC
Güira II
TIO
Quivicán
TCI
San Antonio I
TNG
San Antonio II
TGT
San Antonio de las Vegas
TUD
San Nicolás de Bari
TTA
Santa Cruz del Norte
Pinar del Rio Province
GDI
Candelaria
GAO
Consolación del Sur
GCN
Piloto
GNU
Pinar del Río
GOC
San Juan (Rio Seco)
Sancti-Spíritus Province
CEG
Arroyo Blanco
COT
Cabaiguán
CGI
Fomento
CNE
Guayos
CTO
Jatibonico
CUN
Perea
CID
Sancti-Spíritus
CDU
Taguasco
CAC
Trinidad
CCA
Zaza del Medio
Santiago de Cuba Province
AGE
Santiago de Cuba
Villa Clara Province
DNU
Báez
DDE
Camajuaní
DIT
Esperanza
DEC
Manicaragua
DGC
Placetas
DAI
Quemado de Güines
DOD
Ranchuelo
DCO
Remedios
DTA
Santa Clara I
DAT
Santa Clara II
DNC
Santo Domingo
DUN
Vueltas

6. Code since 2000

In 2000 Habanos SA changed the code yet again. The new code uses a 5 digit alphanumeric sequence to define the date. The first 3 digits are alpha and indicate the month. The last two digits are numeric and correspond to the last two digits of the year made. Thus, December 2000 will be DIC00, January 2001 will be ENE01.

2000 Date Code
January ENE

February FEB

March MAR

April ABR

May MAY

June JUN

July JUL

August AGO

September SET

October OCT

November NOV

December DIC

2000 Factory Code

Factories Code
EOG, EAR
La Corona
ECA
H.Upmann
RPO
H. Del Moncada
OSU
Partazas
PEL
Briones ( Romeo Juliet)
CLE
EL Laguito ( Cohiba )
ARA
J. Cano
LRL, SLA
Pinar Del Rio
PUL, URE, UPA, IESC
Holguin
URL, LES, SUA,CPV, RSE, PUC
Villa Clara
VCR, DUO, REC, PAS, USP, APE, LUL, CLO, SRA,OVU
S. Espiritus
CAV,ALV,SSU,VEL,SOL, PAR, SCO, LPE
La Habana
EOP, LAC, SEL, PUV
Cienfuergos
ACS, PLO
Granma
OLA
S de Cuba
LOC
Carlos Balino(Rey Del Mundo)

2000-2003 Box codes with a little more detail
LOC
Carlos Balino ( Rey Del Mundo)
EOG, EAR
La Corona (note that SUA was used in 2000 according to one source)
ECA
H.Upmann
RPO
H. Del Moncada
OSU
Partagas
PEL
Briones ( Romeo Juliet)
2000 - LOME, LQME 2001 - CLE
EL Laguito ( Cohiba )
ARA
J. Cano
LRL, SLA
Pinar Del Rio
PUL, URE, UPA, IESC
Holguin
URL, LES, SUA, CPV, RSE, PUC
Villa Clara
VCR, DUO, REC, PAS, USP, APE, LUL, CLO, SRA, OVU
S. Espiritus
CAV, ALV, SSU, VEL, SOL, PAR, SCO, LPE
La Habana
EOP, LAC, SEL, PUV
Cienfuergos
ACS, PLO
Granma
OLA
S de Cuba

7. New factory codes in 2003

Once again Habanos S.A. has changed factory codes. Starting in May 2003 several new codes have appeared. While we are still seeing quite a few codes from the 2000 list above, so far we have been able to decipher a few of the new ones.

Known 2003 Box codes
GKI
Francisco Pérez Germán (Partagás)
LLN
José Martí (H. Upmann)
KMM
Briones Montoto (Romeo y Julieta)
MKO
El Laguito (Cohiba)
FRH
Miguel Fernandez Roig (La Corona)

8. Factory Addresses and Known Brands

The following is a list of some factories with their addresses and the brands they are known to produce. This list should not, however, be considered inclusive nor exhaustive.

Factory Address Known Brands

Romeo & Julieta Belascoain 852, Havana El Rey del Mundo, Romeo & Julieta,
Quai d'Orsay, Cuaba, Saint Luis Rey

El Rey del Mundo San Carlos 816, Havana
Partagas Industria 520, Havana Ramone Allones, Bolivar, LaGloria Cubana,
Partagas

La Corona Zuleta 106, Havana San Cristobal, Hoyo, Por Larranga
Flor de Cano, Punch

H. Upmann Amistad 407, Havana Diplomatico, Monte Cristo,
H. Upmann, Robaina (closed/moved)

Por Larranga Carlos 111, Havana

El Laguito 2302 Calle 146, Havana Cohiba,Trinidad

Heroes de Moncada 13402 Ave 57, Mariano, Havana

La Habana Sancho Panza, Juan Lopez, Fonseca

Pinar del Rio Vegueros

Tobacco tax hike puts damper on Fla. cigar makers

2009-04-01T09:56:00.000-07:00

So the cigar tax is here and in effect! $0.40 per stick is going to be felt and heard about all over the U.S. especially in South Florida where many imported cigars may pass through! Cigarrettes are going up even more than that. Cigars may have gotten caught up in the hype of the tobacco tax because many of the reports I have read already say that this is suppose to keep kids from smoking. Well how many kids do you see smoking Camacho triple Maduros or Romeo y Julieta churchill's? Not many that's for sure because of the cost #1 and #2 the inexperience of not knowing how to smoke would kick some youngins' butt six way from Sunday!

I say everyone from now on gets together and line up at cigar shops every 1st of April and smoke a big cigar in protest! If not let's just smoke a cigar!!!

Well since this tax is for the "Congress approved the tax increase on cigars and other tobacco products to raise $35 billion for health care for uninsured children" I hope that I get some kind of reprieve on my taxes for the child I have! (probably not but I gotta try)

Oh well!!! FYI, If it's enjoyment, fun or something you like to do...There is a tax on it or there will be one real soon!!!

Smoke Em' If You Got Em!!!

BlkCigarCzar

By TAMARA LUSH, Associated Press –
Wed Apr 1, 7:19 am ET

MIAMI – Inside the rolling room of El Credito Cigar Company, the air is earthy and fragrant, a mix of coffee and nuts tinged with caramel and leather.

Amid those sweet smells, though, workers are worried about a new federal tobacco tax that threatens Florida's $2 billion cigar industry. Starting Wednesday, the tax will increase from 5 cents to about 40 cents on large cigars, a little less on smaller stogies. Cigar makers say the increase will torch jobs and profits — what's left of them in the recession.

Like dozens of cigar companies dotting Miami's Little Havana neighborhood, El Credito uses traditional rollers — or, in Spanish, "torcedors" — to hand make La Gloria Cubana, the company's most famous and expensive cigar. The workers sit at wooden tables and fold tanned tobacco leaves, cut them with a crescent-shaped knife and then roll the wads into fat Churchills, Coronas and Torpedoes.

"Many of our rollers are worried," said Hector Ventura, operations manager for El Credito. "They think that if we have less sales, they will lose their jobs. We know for sure the tax increase will reduce our sales. It's not good for our business, not good at all."

The revenue from the new tax will help pay for a health insurance program for low-income children that President Barack Obama signed into law about two months ago. The State Children's Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP, will extend coverage to 11 million kids.

Florida has long been the hub of U.S. cigar making. In the 1890s, much of the nation's cigars were rolled in Tampa by Cuban immigrants. In the 1960s, another wave of Cubans with cigar expertise opened up smaller shops in Miami after Fidel Castro's communist revolution.

Eric Newman, the co-owner of the J.L. Newman Cigar company in Tampa, said these are the toughest times in the company's 114-year history.

"The last thing we needed was the government to throw this roadblock at us," Newman said. "This could push our industry off a cliff."

Newman said his company will go from paying $1 million in taxes a year to $4 million.

Cigarette smokers are angry they will have to pay 62 cents more per pack, but cigar makers and importers say their industry will suffer disproportionally, especially in Florida where 75 percent of the nation's cigar makers and importers are located.

"This is part of the culture of Miami and of Florida," said Enrique "Kiki" Berger, who co-owns Cuban Crafters Cigars in Miami. Berger's father was a cigar maker in Cuba until his factory was seized by the Castro regime. The family came to Miami and rolled cigars out of their garage until they could open a factory.

Today, Cuban Crafters employs 500 at a factory and a tobacco farm in Esteli, Nicaragua. Another 100 people work in Miami at a warehouse and small factory. The building also serves as a tourist stop and a place where guys smoke, play dominoes and sip strong shots of Cuban coffee.

Berger imports a chunk of his cigars from Nicaragua. He said he will pay hundreds of thousands of dollars more on each imported shipment — and that cost will be passed along to retailers and customers. The price of a pack of 25 cigars — $29.99 — will go up about $10 after the tax, he said. A single large cigar will increase by about 40 cents; Cuban Crafters sells them from $1 to $15 each.

If the smokers puff fewer cigars, Berger said he may shift even more production to Nicaragua to lower costs.

"What will the benefits be for people that manufacture in the U.S.? None," said Berger. "When they made this law, the politicians forgot about the cigar companies that employ people in the United States."

Jeff Borysiewicz, vice president of the Cigar Rights of America, said cigar makers shouldn't pick up the tab for children's health care.

"Kids aren't addicted to handmade cigars," said Borysiewicz, who is also the president of Corona Cigar, an Orlando, Fla.-based manufacturer and distributor. "We're an affordable hobby. We're not part of the problem with children."

Paul Hull, an American Cancer Society spokesman in Florida, said tobacco takes such a toll on health care, it's only fair that all companies contribute.

"For the most part, connoisseurs of cigars tend to be in a higher socio-economic class anyway," he said. "It's hard to imagine this will have an effect on them."

This may not be the last cigar price hike. Legislatures in several states, including New York, Wisconsin and California, are considering raising their state tobacco tax to help in the wake of declining revenue.

2009 Camacho Cigar Calendar Photo Shoot

2009-03-20T19:55:00.000-07:00

This is a little "Eye Candy" for ya before we get to the real candy!!!

Enjoy!!!

BlklCigarCzar

Real Cigars...Step Up Your Game!!!

2009-03-11T09:32:00.000-07:00

It's All About Cigars!!!

Cigars are what I am here to discuss with you, enlighten you, teach and help you understand cigars for what the enjoyment really is! I'm going to be direct and I'm not PC nor do I plan to be. If you don't like it go read something else. For the real cigar lovers and people who truly want to know about handrolled fine cigars this will be a great place for you to hear the gospel. So everyone sit back relax, fire up a stick and see what it's really all about. If your new to it, then read on and take your time and don't jump in to cigars feet first but take baby steps and read, listen, ask questions and observe how the pro's do it!

Handrolled cigars vs. machine rolled

There is a clear cut difference between handrolled and machine rolled cigars. Besides the name brands, where you bought it, size and aroma who smokes it in the public eye may give you a clear indication of what kind of cigar is being smoked.

Status

Cigars back in the day meant you had money plain and simple but things have changed today and cigars are now available for anyone to enjoy. Cigars can still be a very expensive vice but if enjoyed correctly the payoff is worth it's weight in gold.

Today everyone from your professional atheletes to business professionals, blue collar workers to our grandfathers are enjoying cigars. Now don't be mistaken for the look that some people percieve if you smoke cigars, remember sometimes the type of cigar you smoke brings it's own stigma or stereotype and it may not paint a pretty picture of perception.

Black and Milds, Philly Blunts, Swisher Sweets and HavaTampa

These cigars have a following that many may not want to have associated with it. A stereotype and cult like following from rich to poor. Ball players, rappers and wannabe's like the their Philly's or Black n Mild's! the street thing is to remove the tobacco with some "Wacky Tabacky" and then smoke it while walking around with little problem of someone bothering them. Well when your really ready to be a true player in the game of life and step up your game, handrolled cigars is the next step.

Handrolled Cigars

These cigars are truely hand rolled individually and it does take quite a bit of skill. The Philly's and the like are all machine rolled. Machine rolled cigars come with a prefabricated hole for you to draw through and the tobacco is chopped up fine but hand rolled cigars aremedium to long filler and the end of the cigar must be cut to be considered hand rolled. Price also says alot but price doesn't always make a cigar cheap or expensive and good. There are plenty of expensive cigars that taste like crap and of course plenty of inexpensive cigars that taste quite good. So don't let price be the driving force in your choosing a cigar to enjoy! There are many factors that come into play when making an educated choice of a cigar to smoke.

Choosing a cigar

Choosing a cigar is like buying a car. You can't just run in pick, grab and go unless you know exactly what your already planning to smoke. However for the purpose of the new cigar smoker we will treat this as a new smoker not knowing what to smoke. Don't be scared to ask your tobacconist for help. This is not the place to try and prove your manhood so eat a piece of humble pie and open your ears and you just might learn something and enjoy yourself!

We will pick and choose,cut, and light a stick or two and discuss it's finer points to help the new cigar lover understand what they have been missing all this time!

So get ready to chill and enjoy the moment! This moment will last at least an hour and hopefully longer if we are doing everything right. The longer it takes to smoke the better it is. Never rush a good thing!

Remember to go for "maximum enjoyment, with little effort!"

BlkCigarCzar