With retail pricing of $50.65 for the Triad Natural or $100.65 for the Triad Platinum, this is not a cigar for everyone. But for those who try it, it is a journey into the unknown . . . at that price, what can it be?

Triad - Platinum:
[Honduras: available in 1 size]
Ever smoke a $100 cigar? That's what is in store for those who pick out a Triad Platinum, an extra-dark cigar that features a 10-year-old Connecticut Broadleaf maduro wrapper, an eight-year-old Cameroon binder and eight-year-old Dominican filler leaves. Is it worth it?

The cigar itself is coddled in a cedar sheet with a black nylon ribbon at the bottom to protect the foot. It sends up a spicy, rich aroma upon lighting and while it has a full-bodied presence in the mouth, its flavor is smooth from the start.

The Triad Platinum is made in only one size, a double corona of 7 1/4 inches by 52 ring, and its dimensions demand that the smoker take the time to appreciate it. The opening inch treats you to a burst of tangy, fruit-like flavor, with a very light touch of spice on the tongue on the finish.

It's rich, but subtle and rather understated in its own way. The flavors don't scream, but are lush and mellow with excellent balance and lightness. Although a maduro-wrapped double corona, the Platinum is measured and subtle. Because of this, it is likely better to smoke it indoors and at leisure so that the finesse of this blend is fully captured; you'll miss that if the Platinum is smoked outdoors.

The blend becomes more complex in the second half, as the spiced notes come to the fore, with a dash of pepper added in the third quarter. But the taste is never harsh or aggressive and the balance and class are maintained throughout. The draw is excellent and the burn is even throughout.

A sweet note, balanced with spice and a little less pepper, is on hand for the final quarter of this cigar, offering a nicely-balanced end to a cigar that any smokers will have high expectations of, thanks to its price.

The Platinum is, as one expects from Gurkha, brilliantly presented in hand-carved chests of 20; even when the cigars are gone, the memory will linger every time you see the box on your nightstand or dresser! The Platinum is priced at $106.50 apiece, with boxes of 20 retailing for $2,013.00, not including local tobacco or sales taxes!
Overall grade: : Excellent.

It is important to note that the Triad Platinum and Triad Natural may share the same brand name, but are different blends. Are they worth their lofty prices? That's an individual decision, but there is no doubt that these are cigars of very, very high quality, workmanship and taste.
~ Rich Perelman

Gurkha Archive:
[Honduras: available in 3 sizes]
With so many Gurkha blends, the Archive is happily easy to spot, thanks to its secondary band and strongly box-pressed shape. It features a medium-brown Connecticut wrapper, with a Cameroon binder and Nicaraguan filler leaves, offering a medium body with a sweet and spicy aroma.

The taste mirrors the aroma, with a well-defined sweetness and a lightly-spiced finish that felt most on the tongue. It's a lively cigar, but never heavy; the perky, balanced taste is a welcome companion to accompany other activities, like poker or golf. The construction is firm and the Archive has a nice, even burn.

There's more spice in the second half, but never overpowering and with just a touch of sweetness remaining in the background. It remains fairly consistent and maintains a rich taste into the final quarter.

This is a very nice blend, and its quality, combined with reasonable retail pricing of $8.75 to $9.15 - plus local taxes - is one of its attractions. All three sizes are available in boxes of 20 or - if you'd like to save some money by buying in bulk - in chests of 120!
Overall grade: : Excellent.

The appeal of the Archive is its lively flavor and more accessible pricing than some of the other Gurkhas, but it is pricier than the Ninja or Viper. But these three blends offer virtually anyone an opportunity to get their hands on a Gurkha at a reasonable price.
~ Rich Perelman

"The sun is shining, brother. I think this is going to be a fantastic year, and I see a lot of changes coming," he said in an interview this morning. The biggest shift he is seeing is the movement in cigar shops in favor of the so-called boutique brands.

"The national manufacturers used to have 70-80% of the shelf space in most smokeshops because the boutique companies didn't have the distribution that the major corporations had," he noted. "But now the boutique companies have really taken over - look at us, at Padron, at Tatuaje - all of the smaller companies are doing really well.

"These larger manufacturers are losing shelf space to the boutiques; in some stores, you see only 30% of the space is given to the national brands and 70% to the boutiques. I see that trend continuing."

In addition, Hansotia noted that "manufacturers who are narrow-minded and have only one flavor profile out there are going to have a hard time. You need to have a range of flavor profiles that go all across the board" to be successful.

His own experiment with more-affordable Gurkhas has been a hit. "The Ninja and the Viper lines have really taken off. Those blends - along with the Archive, too - with their price point and the fact that they are Gurkhas, have even surpassed the Vintage Shaggy line, which was our biggest seller before, and still sells very well."

Naturally, Hansotia has plans for his high-end clientele as well. "We are coming out with our super-cigar, the Raja, later this year. It will be in a special-edition box made of solid silver, and is only meant for the major collectors of cigars, of the high-end Gurkhas we have produced. The details will be released about one month prior to the IPCPR trade show [in July], but I can tell you we plan to make them in the Dominican and a box of 50 will cost about $250,000."

The Gurkha line will also be expanded with one or two new lines that focus on the nostalgic, traditional packaging of cigars from the 20th Century. "These will be new brands," noted Hansotia, "but in old-style boxes that will really be appealing."

Hansotia's background, of course, is in watches and jewelry, where manufacturers are expected to introduce a new collection at least once per year, so it's no surprise that he is well grounded in fashion-style marketing. At least for him, it has turned out to be a key in keeping their profile - and sales - high.
~ Rich Perelman

The New York-based attorneys for Habanos, S.A. filed suit in U.S. District Court against Ismail Houmani and his La Casa De La Habana series of four shops in Detroit, Ann Arbor and Plymouth, Michigan and Toledo, Ohio. He's been in business for ten years, but Habanos is now claiming that his store name is confusing similar to the 150-outlet La Casa del Habano worldwide chain of shops which sell Cuban cigars and accessories.

Habanos has a longstanding policy to sue anyone and everyone whose brand or trade names might have any impact on their own trademarks; as David Goldstein, one of the attorneys representing Habanos noted in comments to the Associated Press, the Cubans would otherwise own trademarks that were nothing more than a "worthless piece of paper." Even with the U.S. trade embargo, the Cuban government has been allowed access to U.S. courts to protect its registered patents and trademarks, and Cuban courts are open to U.S. companies for the same purpose.

The fact that this suit was filed, however, is only the beginning of the story. While Habanos has had success in some cases, it has lost others, notably the long struggle with General Cigar (now a unit of the STG joint venture between Scandinavian Tobacco and Swedish Match) over the U.S. rights to the Cohiba trademark. The first La Casa del Habano was opened in Mexico in 1990, but Houmani has been doing business in the Detroit area for a decade without incident and since there are no La Casa del Habano stores in the U.S. due to the embargo, it's hard to imagine that there is much damage or confusion.

Nevertheless, the suit is on.
~ Rich Perelman

]]> Thu, 06 Jan 2011 08:00:00 GMT http://www.cigarcyclopedia.com/news-views/cigar-views/2035-keeping-your-lighter-clean http://www.cigarcyclopedia.com/news-views/cigar-news/2031-newest-torano-event-series-the-single-region-tour Los Angeles, January 6, 2011 – The Single Region blend from the Torano Family Cigar Company showcases the harvest from a single farm and the brand will now be highlighted one store at a time in the new "Single Region Tour."

The new program was announced on Monday, with the kickoff slated for January 19 at the Havana Connection store in Richmond, Virginia. The event will not only feature the new Single Region cigar, but also PT’s Coffee Roasting Company of Topeka, Kansas, which similarly offers specialty micro-lot coffees from around the world.

"The zeal of highlighting regional flavors made the collaboration between Torano and PT's Coffee a natural one," said Charlie Torano, president of the Torano Family Cigar Co. "The events offer great-tasting cigars paired with French-pressed micro-lot coffees that complement and enhance the flavor of both."

The first Single Region release, introduced last summer, is the Serie Jalapa, made with tobacco grown only at a small farm in the Jalapa region of Nicaragua called El Estero. According to Torano, the tobacco fields are irrigated by an ancient stream and the leaves are rich and aromatic.

The Single Region Tour schedule is now being formed, with listings on the Torano Web site, and on its Facebook page and Twitter feed. Thus far, a half-dozen dates have been booked, starting in Virginia this month and continuing in Orlando, Florida in February (Corona Cigar). Longview, Texas in March (Tobacco Junction) and at Habana Premium in Albany, New York in May.
~ Rich Perelman

He closed Jeanie's, the popular State Street smokeshop that his family had owned and operated for more than a half-century, on June 30, noting that if he had stayed open one more day, he would have owed about $125,000 in taxes for his existing inventory. It was the largest cigar store in the state.

Klc locked the door and left, but Luay Alawi and Raad Alkamel, owners of the close-by Smoke Break Hooka Outlet, decided to pick up the pieces and have re–opened the shop.

"We started thinking about reopening Jeanie's as soon as we saw the 'For Lease' sign on the building," noted Alkamel in an interview with the Salt Lake Tribune. "Jeanie's had been a part of downtown for many, many years, and we didn't want to see it go away."

Alawi and Alkamel have been working to restore the shop to look as much as possible as it was before closing, even asking former customers what brands they would like to see in the humidor. They have a handshake agreement with Klc to use the Jeanie's name for a year, with Alawi adding that "After that, it will be up to Gary on whether we will be allowed to continue to use it."

With an 86% tax rate in the state, it will not be easy to keep Jeanie's going, but in the end, that decision will be made by the shop's customers. As one of the commenters on the Tribune story noted, "Score one for the little guy."
~ Rich Perelman

The new Dominican-grown Corojo-wrapped blend joins the Connecticut Shade, Sumatra and Connecticut Broadleaf maduro editions to give smokers looking for a value-priced gem even more choices.

The new Corojo is made at the JM Tobacco Co. factory in Santiago and utilizes a Connecticut Broadleaf binder and medium-fill Dominican-grown filler leaves for a delicate and naturally sweet-tasting cigar. In development for several months, the Corojo was introduced "to bring something new to our loyal customers, who have made JM's Dominican cigars so successful" said JM's president Anto Mahroukian.

As with the other styles, the JM's Dominican Corojo is offered in boxes of 50 cigars in all eight shapes, up to the 6 1/2-inch by 62-ring Gordo Grande. And with retail prices ranging from $1.20 for the tiny Petit up to a modest $4.38 - including the Federal SCHIP taxes - for the Gordo Grande, it's a very affordable line.

As to quality, the JM's Dominican line starred in our 2006 tasting, earning an "A" - Exceptional grade (now 4 1/2 stars in our current grading) for both the Connecticut and Sumatra-wrapped versions. Pretty good for a line where the 6 3/4-inch by 50-ring Churchill retails today for $2.60!
~ Rich Perelman

With civil penalty releases completed for 2010, only one transaction for the unauthorized purchase of Cuban cigars over the Internet was levied, back in March. The transaction took place in late 2004 or early 2005 and the individual cited paid a fine of $525. That was it for the entire year.

The one fine equaled the 2009 total, where only a single purchaser - again in late 2004 or early 2005 - was hit with a penalty of $1,175.

By contrast, OFAC issued 27 penalties in 2008 for a total of $39,763.08, nearly double the 14 penalties issued in 2007 (for $20,330.70).

There have been no publicly-announced penalties related to the November seizures of 100,000 or so Cuban cigars sent from Swiss retailers to U.S. addressees, although the intended recipients received a cheery note from U.S. Customs that their shipments were seized as contraband and destroyed. That matter is still under investigation and it is not clear if OFAC will get involved.

The U.S. government's regulations concerning Havana cigars adopted during the Bush years are still in force and are so strict that an American buying a Cuban cigar outside the country - say, in London - and smoking it there is in violation of U.S. law. Don't believe it? The regulations are here.
~ Rich Perelman

The David and Marcia Hirsch Collection of collectible advertising displays, signs and tins - 1,520 lots in all - was sold by Dan Morphy Auctions on November 19-20 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with some especially remarkable prices paid for cigars tins of 50 to more than 100 years old. Among the highlights:

Cigar-related items made up about a third of the lots, a testament to the enormous effort cigar makers put into their packaging in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. The top non-cigar item in the sale was a Yellow Kid Ginger Wafer tin and accompanying figurine - the Yellow Kid was a popular comic strip character a century ago - that sold for $10,350.

Cigar-related memorabilia continues to be in demand, completely separate from the issues facing smokers; what will today's innovative packaging be worth . . . in 2060?
~ Rich Perelman

Photography by Morphy Auctions.

We'll draw a new winner every week for a single prize; you can enter for free here . . . but you must fill out the entire form for your entry to be valid!

Congratulations to John Brantl of Bermuda Dunes, California, winner of our Register & Win drawing for a box of Punch Pitas from our Perelman, Pioneer & Company humidors, courtesy of General Cigar, in our drawing held on January 2. You can see our complete list of this year's winners below the registration form.

To enter, just fill in the form below. If you have entered in the past, there is no need to re-enter; all past entries are carried forward to future drawings. You must be 21 or older to win; good luck!
~ Rich Perelman

We hope everyone had a pleasant New Year's holiday, but it's always a good time to save some money on cigars! We found deals on 23 brands; you can search for yourself using our exclusive Comparison Shopper, with street prices on 800+ brands from our top-ten national retailers.

BestCigarPrices.com:
A nice special on the sought-after Liga Privada T52 Flying Pig (4 1/8 x 60), offered in the box of 12 for $124.95, lowest in our review.

Famous Smoke Shop:
Several brands on sale here, but all with expiration dates, so please check the calendar carefully!

Arturo Fuente 8-5-8 (6 x 47 in maduro), in boxes of 25, normally $104.99, now $96.95 through January 25 only.

Flor de Gonzalez Bundle Selection:

La Aurora 1495 Belicoso (6 1/4 x 52), in a sampler of five was $51.99, now $34.97 through January 5.

La Aurora Preferidos Ecuador Robusto (5 x 50), also in a sampler of five, was $42.99, now $29.97 through January 5.

Litto Gomez Diez Chisel Puro (5 1/2 x 54), in the box of 24 for $237.99.

Mike's Cigars:
Save on the new Avo Heritage Series Churchill (6 3/4 x 48), in samplers of five for $37.95 or in boxes of 20 for $145.95, lowest in our review.

Savinelli Rich & Rare Series Y Torpedo (6 1/2 x 54), in boxes of 20 for $74.95.

Serious Cigars:
Some excellent values here on some tremendous cigars, while supplies last!

Alec Bradley MAXX Nano (4 x 46), in the box of 40 for $127.95, lowest we have seen.

Alec Bradley TEMPUS Magistri (6 1/2 x 54), 20 for $174.50.

Cabaiguan Guapos Junior (4 5/8 x 42 with natural wrappers), in boxes of 20 for $122.25.

Carlos Torano Exodus 1959 Double Corona (7 x 50), in boxes of 24 for $95.95.

Davidoff Toro Especial Selection 702 Limited Edition 2009 (6 5/8 x 48), in the box of 10 for $246.95.

El Triunfador Lancero (7 1/2 x 38) - the original - in boxes of 25 for $179.95.

Henry Clay Toro Maduro (6 x 50), in boxes of 20 for $69.60.

Lempira Series 2006 Torpedo (6 1/4 x 54), in boxes of 20 for $104.95.

Murcielago:

My Father Cedro Deluxe Eminentes (5 5/8 x 46), in the box of 23 for $171.95.

My Father - Le Bijou 1922 Grand Robusto (5 5/8 x 55), also in boxes of 23 for $212.50.

Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Pequenos (41/2 x 38), in a brick of 25 (five tins of five) for $89.50.

Vegas Cubanas Corona (5 1/2 x 44), in boxes of 25 for $119.50.

Superior Cigars:
Two great samplers from Drew Estate are on sale; look for these in the section marked "Manufacturer's Sample Packs"!

Acid Collector's Tin, with 14 cigars, and the absolute best way to check out the entire Acid line, retails for $73.80, now just $39.90!

Ambrosia Sampler, in an elegant chest with eight cigars, including two each of Mother Earth (6 x 50), Spice (6 x 54), Vann Reef (5 x 50) and Nectar (5 x 42), for $39.97, lowest we have seen.

We'll have our Register & Win winner of the week announcement later today!
~ Rich Perelman

"Our retailers love our products," says Hansotia, "but they told us they wanted a Gurkha that everyone can afford and that everyone can enjoy. That's why we developed the Gurkha Ninja and Gurkha Viper series."

Are these cigars good enough on their own - without the stunning packaging that Hansotia is known for - to make an impression? We checked out both blends:

Gurkha Ninja:
[Dominican Republic: available in 6 sizes]
The Ninja blend is immediately recognizable by its black-and-white band and a nearly-black, oily, Brazilian-grown maduro wrapper. Densely packed, the cigars run from 48 to 60 in ring gauge and have a welcome heft in the hand before lighting.

The body is medium-to-full in this line, with a spicy aroma from the start. There is the expected sweetness, with a caramelized bent, plus a note of spice on the tongue on the finish. The draw and burn are very nice (no doubt thanks to the Cameroon binder) and the balance of the caramelized notes and lightly-spiced finish are delightful.

The flavor profile loses some intensity in the second half, but remains true to its initial pattern of sweetness and spice. This is an easy cigar to smoke, as it is never overpowering, but remains consistent with a mellow nature in the back half; it's a perfect companion after all but the heaviest dinners.

Introduced during the summer of 2010, the Ninja comes in boxes of 20 in all six sizes. Retail pricing is excellent at $5.05 to $6.25, not including local taxes.
Overall grade: : Exceptional.

Gurkha Viper:
[Dominican Republic: available in 6 sizes]
Look for the red band with the white snake staring back at you and you have found the Gurkha Viper. This is a medium-bodied blend featuring light brown, Dominican-grown wrapper and binder leaves and get its oomph from the Nicaraguan filler leaves.

The Viper line is square-pressed and has a quite spicy aroma. The flavor also puts a spicy element out in front, with a modest note of caramelized sweetness underneath, that comes out of hiding mostly on the finish.

Fans of spicy - but not too spicy cigars will like this blend, which offers an even burn and an easy draw. The balance remains consistent, but the spice is never biting or rough, even with the introduction of a light, peppery note in the final quarter.

The Viper belies its fearsome name with a nicely-blended approach to spice that allows anyone to enjoy it. Thanks to its lively taste, it's a good candidate for outdoors and for golf. All six sizes are offered in boxes of 20 and are accessibly priced at $4.85 to $6.55 each, not including local sales and tobacco taxes.
Overall grade: : Excellent.

There can be no doubt that these Gurkhas are of first quality and will be a welcome addition to any smoker's humidor. Congratulations to Hansotia on producing cigars that can be enjoyed by a wide range of smokers and are accessibly priced for almost everyone.
~ Rich Perelman

That's the effervescent George Rico, describing Gran Habano's new La Joya del Valle factory in Miami, in a wide-ranging interview in the new issue of Smoke. The facility will open next month at 1792 S.W. 8th Street in the Little Havana district, and signals the start of a new chapter for the unique father and son team of Guillermo and George Rico.

George noted in the interview with Dale Scott and Ted Hoyt that while the Gran Habano line has continued to do well, the company is branching out with new concepts that match up with his boutique mentality of producing very special, limited-production blends. Connoisseurs are already well aware of the Gran Habano Gran Reserva No. 3, a spicy and sweet blend that was rolled in 2008, has two years of aging in the box and used tobaccos as old as 2002. Said George, "We’re going to try to see if we can release one every year with a different vintage." And then there is the Azteca, Gran Habano's first maduro-wrapped cigar, with both the wrapper and binder of Mexican San Andres leaf.

But with the new Miami shop comes the opportunity to provide ever more individualized attention to the smoker. "We have a new structure in our company," he noted. "[W]e created a small portfolio of accounts that are going to carry a line of cigars under the 'STK Studios' banner, our design studios, to bring in younger people. It will be more cutting edge in our marketing. All of our different unique and limited edition cigars will be coming out of there. We're going to be doing two limited edition cigars per year, about 1,000 to 2,000 boxes and once they're gone, they're gone."<.p>

But the Ricos may be able to go even further: "There is another thing, it's actually a webpage I'm developing which is going to be within the new factory, something called the G.A.R. Deli - it's going to allow the consumer to have the capability to be blending their own cigars within our menu, manufactured, and shipped to the consumer via a retailer near them. It gives the power to the consumer to be creative and personalize their own blend."

Pretty impressive for a cigar-making operation which only started in 1995, from a family whose heritage was in growing tobacco rather than making cigars. Today, their Honduran factory churns out 15,000 cigars a day and their growing operations stretch from their native Colombia, Nicaragua and Panama.

But the Ricos are not alone among the buckeyes and boutiques which are - despite all of the obstacles - continuing to introduce new cigar brands to the U.S. market. In a companion story on new brands to watch, Matthew Michael introduces 13th Floor Cigars from Arizona-based Bryan Witt and 262 Cigars from the team of Clint Aaron, Jerry Ernst and Mike Justice, in addition to better-known boutiques such as Berger & Argenti (with brands such as Clasico, Entubar, Entubar Quad Maduro and Mooch), Sean Williams's El Primer Mundo, Brad Mayo's Jameson lines and Dion Giolito's Illusione.

One key for these new marketers that separates them from the wild days of the Cigar Boom of the 1990s is that they are working with established cigar manufacturers rather than starting their own factories from scratch. 13th Floor and El Primer Mundo cigars are made by Willy Herrera's El Titan de Bronze in Miami, while 262 Cigars works with the Alec Bradley Cigar Co. facility in Honduras, and so on. That gives each of them more time to work on marketing their brands, using not only traditional media, but also the new social-media revolution, notably Twitter, to allow fans to be closer than ever to the cigar makers themselves.

Those are only a couple of highlights in this holiday edition of Smoke, which pictures Andrew Zimmern - star of the Travel Channel hit "Bizarre Foods" - on the cover.

Naturally, there was a tasting, and 34 cigars were examined; 23 earned grades of 90 or better:

There's a lot more in this issue, including a not-to-be-missed telling of the real story of Notre Dame's fabled George Gipp, by Bert Sugar. Did he really tell Knute Rockne to "win one for the Gipper"? Check out the new issue and find out!
~ Rich Perelman

In his written opinion in 23-94th St. Grocery Corp. v. New York City Board of Health, (1:10-cv-04392, U.S.D.C.-S.D.N.Y.), Rakoff called the campaign "laudable," but noted that "Even merchants of morbidity are entitled to the full protection of the law, for our sake as well as theirs," and that the New York City law "imposes burdens on the promotion of cigarettes that only the federal government may prescribe."

He described the City's three-poster campaign as containing "graphic, even gruesome images of a brain damaged by a stroke, a decaying tooth and gums, and a diseased lung, accompanied by corresponding information about the dangers of smoking." But his opinion pointed out that the 1965 Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act (15 U.S.C. 1331-1341) pre-empts local regulation in this area.

The suit was brought by three tobacco companies and by convenience stores which were being targeted by the City. Enforcement of the law had been suspended until January 1, with the ruling expected before the end of the year. City officials were disappointed with the decision, but did not indicate what their next step might be.
~ Rich Perelman

Although Habanos, S.A. has declined to give export figures for cigars since 2002 (it has disclosed revenues instead), the numbers are available through the Oficina Nacional de Estadisticas, known by its initials as "ONE." Its Anuario Estadistico de Cuba 2009 offers a clear picture of the number of cigars produced by its factories for both national consumption and for export. From 2000 on (in millions of cigars):

That 73.2 million export figure for 2009 (the worst since 1996) was quoted in the Cuban government's newspaper for the Pinar del Rio region and picked up by Reuters in a report that noted the 66% decline in exports in just three years. But is that really accurate?

The fall in exports can be partially explained by the worldwide economic turndown and notably the decline in international air travel, as Havanas are a popular duty-free purchase. But with Cubans suffering from bad economics at home as much or more than those in more developed countries, it is hard to believe the figures which show a rise in national consumption of cigars from 200.7 million in 2006 all the way up to 300.0 million in 2009! That is just not possible.

Perhaps some of the cigars counted in the "consumo nacional" category were produced for foreign sales, but held back in Havana warehouses until the sales climate improves. That would certainly influence the count.

But the bottom line is that sales are down and one can say with some confidence that total cigar production has been scaled back about 11% from 2006 to 2009, although Cuban cigarette production has remained steady. The true state of the island's famous cigar industry, however, would be better diagnosed if Havana's own accounting was a little more believable.
~ Rich Perelman

"Why are we taking the decision-making away from adults?" asked Stephen Mace, spokesman for Protect Private Property Rights in Michigan, a group of several hundred bar owners who want the law relaxed for smaller bars whose business has been hit by the ban, in an interview with the Detroit News. "I don't understand it. The bar owners are losing money. Enough is enough."

Mace said that the member bars plan to allow smoking on Friday evening after 9 p.m. or as soon as all minors had left.

With the ban coming into effect on May 1, the exact impact isn't yet clear, but that didn't stop the state of Michigan from releasing a study that claimed the ban has had no negative impact on business. But Ed Parsekian of the Muskegon County Health Department told the Lansing State Journal that "It’s definitely a rough time for some places, I'm not going to mince words."

The story noted that "Public Health-Muskegon County in October surveyed 16 Muskegon County bars and restaurants as part of a statewide survey. All but three of the establishments allowed smoking until the ban. Officials say it wasn't a 'scientific' sample but does show some broad trends.

"Of the 16 businesses surveyed, none reported a positive financial change in the May-September period. Nine reported a negative change, while seven said they’d seen no change."

Statewide, the story was the same or worse: "According to the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association, overall sales from the members who responded were down more than 20 percent. For small businesses - those with annual sales less than $250,000 - the reported decline was 27.5 percent."

Any amendment to the smoking ban law would have to be enacted in the new legislative session beginning in January. Republicans took control of the Michigan House of Representatives in the November elections and already controlled the Senate, and the new Governor, Rick Snyder, is also a Republican, so a compromise might be possible.
~ Rich Perelman

A fourth event - the annual Fuente and Newman "Cigar Family Celebration" is now on the calendar from February 23-26, so it is now possible to spent nearly three straight weeks doing nothing but inspecting the cigar-making counties of Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Honduras:

Registration is limited for the ProCigar, Humo Jaguar and Cigar Family Celebration programs in order to keep them intimate; the Festival del Habano draws 1,000 or more attendees and is essentially the annual convention of the Cuban cigar world. But if you haven't seen cigar-making up close, here is your chance!
~ Rich Perelman

We'll draw a new winner every week for a single prize; you can enter for free here . . . but you must fill out the entire form for your entry to be valid!

Up for your pleasure this week is a popular box of Punch Pitas, rich and flavorful cigars made by hand in Honduras. With the closure of the old Villazon factory, Punch and its sibling brands - Excalibur and Hoyo de Monterrey, among others - are now made in Danli. But you'll find no change in the quality or power of this blend, featuring an Ecuadorian-grown, Sumatra-seed wrapper and a medium-to-full-bodied heft. The Pita is a classic Toro, measuring 6 1/8 inches in length with a ring gauge of 50, presented in boxes of 25. It's provided courtesy of General Cigar. and will be awarded in our drawing to be held on Sunday, January 2.

Congratulations to George Rushford of Providence, Rhode Island, winner of our Register & Win drawing for an elegant box of Macanudo Café Count David from our Perelman, Pioneer & Company humidors, courtesy of Mike's Cigars, in our drawing held on December 26. You can see our complete list of this year's winners below the registration form.

To enter, just fill in the form below. If you have entered in the past, there is no need to re-enter; all past entries are carried forward to future drawings. You must be 21 or older to win; good luck!
~ Rich Perelman

[5.] OBESITY HITS CIGARS
Make no mistake: cigars got bigger in 2010. Where smokers from the 1930s to the 1980s preferred Coronas and Lonsdales of 42 ring gauge, today's smokers are demanding ring gauges of 55, 60 and up!

Manufacturers have responded and have added 60-ring shapes to many of the more popular lines available in the U.S. And what of cigars which measure a full inch (64 ring) or more in diameter? These increased by 33% in just one year, from 36 in the 2010 edition of our Perelman's Pocket Cyclopedia of Cigars to 48 in the new, 2011 edition.

And that doesn't count the fattest cigar of all: Gran Habano's Blend No. 5 Gigante, a specially-commissioned monster that has a ring gauge of 1,920 or 30 inches in diameter, and is 23 feet long! It is smokable - more or less - and you can order one for $200,000, complete with a rolling cart and including shipping!

[4.] THE SPECTRE OF THE FDA
The new Center for Tobacco Products inside the U.S. Food & Drug Administration was busy in 2010 creating havoc inside the tobacco industry. After the ban on flavored cigarettes (which resulted in a yet-to-be-heard by Indonesia before the World Trade Organization), the FDA indicated that it would propose a rule on cigars in June, but backed off and the CTP chief said that the regulation was cigars was on the "back burner."

But the FDA did propose a series of new, graphic warning labels for cigarettes that will go into effect in 2012. Research commissioned by the agency showed that the labels will likely have little effect, but that has not stopped the push to implement them. Of greater impact is the current review of menthol cigarettes, which could threaten a major profit center for several of the large cigarettes makers if banned like other flavored cigarettes.

In 2011, the FDA will likely attack little cigars, which are made from tobacco - not paper - but which have attracted the attention of anti-tobacco campaigners as a lower-cost alternative to cigarettes. An IPCPR survey of leading U.S. retailers identified the FDA as one of the worrying points for the coming year.

[3.] PREMIUM IMPORTS STEADY, BUT LOWER
Premium cigar imports into the U.S. are one of the best ways to track sales trends since virtually all handmade cigars sold in the U.S. come from outside the country. In fact, the combined market share of Dominican, Honduran and Nicaraguan-made cigars is well over 98%.

The most recent report is for October 2010 and imports through the first 10 months of the year showed surprisingly good strength, especially when compared with the last "normal" year of 2008, when the figures were not skewed by hoarding ahead of the imposition of the SCHIP tax on April 1, 2009. The January-to-October totals for 2010 of 213.45 million premium cigars are still short of the SCHIP-rich total of 235.35 million in 2009, but the current-year total is just 2.4% short of the ten-month total of 218.67 million from 2008.

If the import totals for the last two months of 2010 follow the nearly-identical totals of the last two years, full-year imports of premium cigars into the U.S. will end at around 265 million, the lowest figure since 2001, but only 11% off the high during the past ten years (2005) and within a few million of the totals from 2006-07-08, which were considered solid years at the time.

[2.] ANTI-SMOKING LOBBY CONTINUES ITS PUSH
The anti-tobacco cabal, notably including the Surgeon General's office, continued its campaign against smokers, but drew some significant opposition to its findings, including some from the scientific community.

The newest Surgeon General report, How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease, was ripped in several reports, but no more impressively than by Boston University Professor of Health Sciences Michael Siegel. The report was designed to show that secondhand exposure to even a single cigarette can be extremely damaging, but Siegel wrote on his blog, "The rest of the story is that the Office of the Surgeon General somehow finds it necessary to lie to the American people in order to convince us of the hazards of smoking. Apparently, we are too stupid to understand that smoking is a bad thing if the truth is that smoking for many years causes disease."

He later added, "there is nothing in the Surgeon General's report itself which concludes that, or supports the assertions that a brief exposure to secondhand smoke can cause cardiovascular disease or cancer. These assertions basically come out of nowhere. They have been manufactured to create a sense of public hysteria, but they are unsupported by any science whatsoever."

Siegel and others also noted a new report that shows that studies funding by the anti-tobacco movement that purported to show that heart attacks were reduced by the imposition of smoking bans were simply wrong: "We find no evidence that legislated U.S. smoking bans were associated with short-term reductions in hospital admissions for acute myocardial infarction or other diseases in the elderly, children, or working-age adults." Moreover, the study showed that publication bias - in favor of the anti-tobacco movement - was likely a significant factor in the erroneous conclusions being drawn about the impact of smoking bans.

Despite this, anti-smoking advocates continued to win expansions of smoking bans across the country. In the San Francisco Bay Area, some towns banned smoking on the decks and patios of multiple-unit residences, even in owned condominiums. In New York and Los Angeles, resolutions were introduced to ban smoking anyplace that people gather. The anti-smoking movement is clever: rather than going for Prohibition (which is unpopular), they are pushing to essentially eliminate any place one can smoke. At least in California, the game is getting dangerously close to being over.

[1.] SCANDINAVIAN AND SWEDISH MATCH COMBINE CIGAR ASSETS
Is bigger better? That's the question at the core of the new Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG), a joint venture between the ST Group - makers of Henri Wintermans and owners of C.A.O. International - and most of the cigar-related assets of Swedish Match, including General Cigar, the leading seller of premium cigars in the U.S.

The deal was announced at the beginning of the year, but closed on October 1. In the U.S., the C.A.O. offices in Nashville are being closed, with the combined entity to have its U.S. offices in new quarters in Hampton, Virginia, close by the old General Cigar offices in Richmond.

Total annual cigar sales of the new entity will top 2.5 million machine-made cigars and 115 million premium cigars. The combined entity is also the top seller of pipe tobacco worldwide, at about 1,800 tons, plus 2,100 tons of fine-cut (roll-your-own) tobacco.

Look for plenty of events and promotions from STG as it introduces itself to smokers across the country in 2011. In the future, look for Swedish Match to sell its share of the joint venture to the ST Group and concentrate solely on its more-profitable smokeless tobacco and machine-made cigar businesses (which was not part of the joint venture).

In the meantime, STG is the second-largest cigar company in the world, behind only Imperial Tobacco, and it shows no signs of slowing down.

As always, the world of cigar lost some of its personalities during the year past. It will be hard to imagine the U.S. cigar scene without the brilliant blender Frank Llaneza, who died at age 90, or Jean Clement - creator of the Juan Clemente brand - who died in New Orleans during the IPCPR convention in August. And in Cuba, the famed planter Alejandro Robaina passed away, an unlikely hero in a country where attention to the individual is hardly emphasized. Rest in peace, friends.
~ Rich Perelman

Paradoxically, the quality of cigars produced for the U.S. market in 2010 has never been higher and with plenty of aged tobacco in warehouses throughout the Caribbean and Central America, that is expected to continue into the foreseeable future.

With that backdrop, then, what were the top stories in cigars this year? Here are our selection for nos. 6-10 (in countdown order), with our top five to come on Monday:

[10.] THE "CIGAR GUY"
No one saw this one coming: a 30-year-old investment analyst in London dressed up in a turban, moustache and cigar and became a sensation when he appeared at the front of the gallery at the Ryder Cup in Wales as part of a brilliant picture of a Tiger Woods shot.

Rupesh Shingadia of Threadneedle Asset Management is the man, and told British newspapers that he put together the costume (and cigar) in support of the European team and especially Spanish star Miguel Angel Jimenez. Unknown when photographed, his picture began appearing all over the Internet, superimposed into other famous pictures of all kinds. He even received marriage proposals, as he's still single and lives with his parents.

Shingadia said that he only smokes the odd cigar at weddings, but wanted to show his support for the cigar-smoking Jimenez because "sportsmen have become devoid of character. But Miguel does his own thing and I love the way he walks around the course with a cigar clamped between his teeth."

[9.] U.S. CUSTOMS NABS 100,000 CUBAN CIGARS
A failed terrorist plot to blow up planes headed to the U.S. by sending explosives in the mail turned out to be the cause of a U.S. Customs seizure of 100,000 Cuban cigars sent by Swiss mail-order companies to U.S. clients in November.

After the bomb plot failed, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security banned shipment of parcels over 16 ounces on passenger flights. Because of this, "The Swiss post had no way to move their mail," said Customs spokesman Brian Bell. "They had to contract on cargo planes, so they stockpiled until they could get flights into the United States. All the sudden there are all these yellow and brown boxes and they are all cigars." The cigars, according to Federal law, will all be destroyed in a blast furnace.

Bell noted that the buyers were sent notices that their packages were seized by Customs officials, but were not expected to be charged with any violation of the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba. But he also noted that "If we have a company purchasing the cigars, we will investigate them. We are definitely putting a hurt on a couple companies."

[8.] BIG YEAR FOR CIGARS AT AUCTION
The economy may be bad, but don't tell that to auctioneers who sold hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of rare cigars and related items throughout the year.

The biggest auctions of 2010 were the summer and winter events hosted by Cgars Ltd. of London, held at the famed (and cigar-friendly) Boisdale of Belgravia restaurant. The June 21 auction featured 172 lots, 53 of which sold for £1,000 or more (about $1,492 U.S.), headed by a top price of £9,500 ($14,176) paid for Lot 135, the rare Cuaba Salomones II Humidor. Issued in only 45 editions in 1999, it includes 45 of the Salomones II size (6 7/8 inches by 57 ring)in an elegant chest and sold for more than double the pre-sale projected price.

The winter edition on November 30 featured nearly 300 lots, with 88 going for £1,000 or more. The big prize of that evening was Lot 141, an Elie Bleu humidor signed by Fidel Castro with 150 "Presidencia" cigars from 2004, inlaid with three solid-gold Cuban coins from 1916. It finally went for £24,000 - about $37,345 U.S. - well over the expected price of £18,000 ($28,476 U.S.).

But the biggest cigar-related auction item of 2010 was Winston Churchill's personal cigar case, made in crocodile skin by Cartier of London in 1934. Part of a larger sale of Churchill memorabilia at Christie's of London, it was expected to sell for "just" £4,000-6,000 ($6,248-9,372), but exceeded all expectations and finished at £30,000 including the buyer's premium, or $46,860!

[7.] EVENT MARKETING TAKES CENTER STAGE
U.S. airlines can thank Rocky Patel for some of their 2010 profits, as Patel's endless travels to cigar stores across the country have now set the standard for the marketing of cigars.

The rise of the Rocky Patel brand is due in no small part to the attractiveness - in quality and pricing - of cigars like The Edge and his 1990/1992/1999 Vintage lines. But his relentless appearances in stores has driven sales and added shelf space for his follow-up brands . . . and everyone has noticed.

Major promotions, in-store "tours" and tasting events of every kind in smokeshops nationwide are now a marketing staple for all of the major players in the industry: General Cigar, Altadis U.S.A., Davidoff, Fuente & Newman, Drew Estate, Perdomo, Torano and so on, even to the point that some are reducing their ad spending on print, radio and Internet in 2011 in order to concentrate more on the store nearest you.

[6.] MACHINE-MADE SALES GOING CRAZY
Although premium, handmade cigars like Macanudo and Montecristo get most of the attention, the increase in sales in machine-made cigars has been nothing short of startling.

Many premium smokers would be shocked to know that handmade cigars account for less than 2.5% of the 12.1 billion cigars - large and little - consumed in the U.S. in 2009. The remainder are brands like Black & Mild, Garcia y Vega, Swisher Sweets and White Owl, produced by Swedish Match in the Dominican Republic, Swisher International and John Middleton in the U.S. and Altadis U.S.A.'s facility in Puerto Rico. And sales of these and like brands have increased significantly in each of the last four years.

For 2010, machine-made cigar production has continued to increase. Import reporting shows that the number of machine-made cigars coming into the U.S. has risen 34.2% through the first 10 months of the year and volumes for U.S. producers like Middleton remained strong. In fact, more Black & Milds are sold in any three-month period than the total of premium cigars for an entire year . . . and the sales trend for machine-mades continues upward.

There are our stories nos. 6-10; we'll have our top five cigar stories of the year profiled on Monday. A very happy holiday to all!
~ Rich Perelman

U.S. Customs data presented by the Cigar Association of America showed that 28.65 million premium cigars entered the U.S. in October as retailers geared up for the holiday selling season. That was an impressive 46.8% higher than the October 2009 total, when distributor warehouses were still cycling through the enormous inventories of pre-SCHIP cigars acquired before that tax went into effect on April 1, 2009.

Just as important is that the October 2010 total is also 24.6% ahead of the October 2008 figure from the last "normal" year. And while the January-to-October totals for 2010 of 213.45 million premium cigars are still short of the SCHIP-rich total of 235.35 million in 2009, the current-year total is just 2.4% short of the ten-month total of 218.67 million from 2008.

The details:

There were the usual small shipments from other countries, including Bahamas, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Mexico and the Philippines. None of these countries has reached one million cigars sent to the U.S. through October and the overall share of imports of the "big three" is quite overwhelming at 99.3%!

If the import totals for the last two months of 2010 follow the nearly-identical totals of the last two years, full-year imports of premium cigars into the U.S. will end at around 265 million, the lowest figure since 2001, but only 11% off the high during the past ten years and within a few million of the totals from 2006-07-08, which were considered solid years at the time.

While premium totals were encouraging, machine-made import totals continue to skyrocket.

Looking at the January-October totals only, imports of machine-made cigars - both large and small - some 1.82 billion cigars came into the U.S., against 1.35 billion in the first 10 months of 2009, a 34.2% increase! And, of course, these figures do not count the major contribution to the market of American manufacturers including Swisher International, John Middleton and Altadis U.S.A.'s facility in Puerto Rico.

It's a solid, and hopeful, report for cigar smoking in the U.S., despite all of the pressure against it from the anti-tobacco lobby. And with the Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau reporting that U.S. warehouses are holding lower inventory totals than at any time last year, that means that what's coming in is going out and being sold.
~ Rich Perelman

But before it goes, the Sacramento Bee provided a panoramic look at the tent, apparently just after a meeting had ended.

The tent's amenities included bowls of peanuts - a Schwarzenegger favorite - plus unlabeled water and, of course, a humidor and lots of cigars. The picture shows an H. Upmann-branded ceramic-and-glass ashtray and some well-smoked cigars, including what appears to be a Cuban-made Cohiba. Wonder where that came from?

Here's a look at the tent in 2009, as carried by sfcitizen.com:

The NBC affiliate in the San Francisco Bay area also posted this note about the tent and its furnishings, attached to a recent photo of Schwarzenegger meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron.
~ Rich Perelman

That's the primary conclusion of the first national study of smoking bans and their impact on heart attacks and related events, in direct contrast to the results trumpeted in much-smaller studies, dealing another blow to the credibility of the increasingly-hysterical anti-smoking community.

The study, conducted by the RAND Corporation, Center for Studying Health System Change, University of Wisconsin, and Stanford University, was published in Winter 2011 issue of the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, vol. 30 (1): 6-28 (the abstract is here) and concludes, in part:

We find no evidence that legislated U.S. smoking bans were associated with shortterm reductions in hospital admissions for acute myocardial infarction or other diseases in the elderly, children, or working-age adults.

. . .

We show that there is wide year-to-year variation in myocardial infarction death and admission rates even in large regions such as counties and hospital catchment areas. Comparisons of small samples (which represent subsamples of our data and are similar to the samples used in the previous published literature) might have led to atypical findings. It is also possible that comparisons showing increases in cardiovascular events after a smoking ban were not submitted for publication because the results were considered implausible. Hence, the true distribution from single regions would include both increases and decreases in events and a mean close to zero, while the published record would show only decreases in events. Publication bias could plausibly explain the fact that dramatic short-term public health improvements were seen in prior studies of smoking bans.

Let's understand the importance of "publication bias." The study notes that since the only published commentaries on smoking bans and heart attacks have shown positive results, therefore policymakers use these alone in pushing for further anti-smoking regulations. That alone is a searing indictment of the so-called "science" behind smoking bans. But there is more.

Boston University health professor Michael Siegel - no friend of tobacco - lauded the new study, writing in his December 20 blog entry that:

Without a doubt, this is the most definitive study yet conducted of the short-term effects of smoking bans on cardiovascular disease.

To give you an idea of the scope of this study compared to previous ones, the Helena [Montana] study involved a total of 304 heart attack admissions in one community over a period of six months. This study examined a total of 673,631 heart attack admissions and more than 2 million heart attack deaths in 467 counties across all 50 states over an 16-year period.

This study fails to find any significant short-term effect of smoking bans on heart attack admissions or heart attack mortality, although a small effect cannot be ruled out. The study refutes the claims from previous studies that smoking bans result in a short-term reduction in heart attacks in the range of 20-40%, as many anti-smoking groups are asserting. It also refutes the conclusion of the Institute of Medicine that smoking bans result in immediate, substantial declines in heart attack admissions.

Siegel sums up the issue brilliantly a few paragraphs later:

"This new research demonstrates why tobacco control researchers and groups have to be very careful in drawing causal conclusions, and why it is better to uphold high standards of scientific rigor rather than to jump to premature conclusions that may later be shown to be incorrect. Tobacco control groups, and the movement as a whole, will lose some scientific credibility because of these new findings which do not support their conclusions. But it is too late to retract those conclusions because they have already been widely disseminated through the media.

"It is far better to get it correct the first time. But that requires adherence to solid science. You cannot allow advocacy concerns and goals - no matter how noble they may be - to interfere with the process of objective scientific evaluation. That is exactly what has occurred in tobacco control."

Make no mistake, Siegel is no friend of smoking. But he points out the vulnerability of the out-of-control anti-tobacco crowd and its anti-smoking "science." There is no chance that any lobbying or public relations campaign will restore balance to this issue; it takes a lawsuit that showcases the fraudulent behavior at work in this area. Everything else . . . is simply whistling past the graveyard . . . of Prohibition.
~ Rich Perelman

According to a report in the Communist Party newspaper Granma, sales of Cuban machine-made cigars rose 7.5% in unit volume to 119.3 million for 2010. This reportedly accounted for $18.8 million in sales, which if correct, would be barely more than 5% of Habanos' total sales of $360 million in 2009.

The leading machine-made brand is believed to be Guantanamera, although no breakdown by brand sales were listed in the original article.
~ Rich Perelman

The La Gloria Cubana Inmensos is a fat 6 3/8-inch by 54-ring blend with what is believed to be the largest ring gauge ever offered in that brand. Medium in body, it's a rare promotion for this nearly-invisible brand, as acknowledged in the announcement:

La Gloria Cubana is a little known jewel amongst Habano brands. Nevertheless it enjoys a long history. Founded in 1885, its name alone clearly defines its origin. For over a century it has attracted a small but loyal following amongst the most knowledgeable smokers. The brand is characterized by its elegant presentation, especially in the Medaille d'Or Series.

In fact, La Gloria Cubana is in the fourth, or lowest tier, of Havana export brands, the so-called "Local Brands" which include 18 of the country's 33 export brands, including once-famous names like Belinda, El Rey del Mundo, Por Larranaga and Sancho Panza. They're available only in countries where the local distributor decides to carry them, mostly in Europe, Japan and Hong Kong.

The Inmensos will be available, as is the case with so many speciality issues from Habanos, only in its La Casa del Habano stores worldwide. A total of 5,000 boxes of 10 (50,000 cigars total) are being offered, all in varnished boxes with a single row of cigars inside.

Habanos has been busy this fall, introducing new, limited-production items in October, November and December. In addition to the new La Glorias, there was the Trinidad 40th Anniversary Humidor in November and the Ramon Allones Superiores and H. Upmann Noellas in glass jars in October. Perhaps a "Casa del Habano Cigar of the Month Club" is on the way?
~ Rich Perelman

Davidoff had been having difficulty with the building landlord, in addition to the myriad anti-smoking regulations in New York, in allowing smoking inside the store. Despite a state-of-the-art filtration and ventilation system, continued bickering led Davidoff to end smoking in its store and - in addition to other issues - give notice that it was not going to extend its lease.

After a thorough search, the new location will be just a block from the old, moving south from Madison Avenue and 54th Street to Madison and 53rd at 515 Madison Avenue. And now, you will be able to enjoy cigars right in the store!

General Manager Michael Herklots noted that the new store, expected to open in the spring, "will have a public smoking lounge on the ground floor [of] about 300 sq ft.; the largest effort we've ever made in our U.S. retail stores for general-public enjoyment of our products." That's a much larger area than in the current location, which had only a small lounge on the second floor for customer use.

Davidoff opened its first U.S. store at 535 Madison in 1987 and moved slightly south, but still within the building in 2000. Davidoff also has a second company-owned store in Manhattan at The Shops at Columbus Circle in the Time Warner Center that opened in 2004 and owns the De La Concha smokeshop on Sixth Avenue (Avenue of the Americas), purchased from the Melendi family in 2006.
~ Rich Perelman

Photograph courtesy Michael Herklots.

We'll draw a new winner every week for a single prize; you can enter for free here . . . but you must fill out the entire form for your entry to be valid!

Up for your pleasure this week is a classic box of Macanudo Count David, a special edition of the famed Macanudo Café line, made for Mike's Cigars of Bay Harbor, Florida. These are the real thing - General Cigar's best-selling Macanudo blend - in a special size of 5 3/4 inches by 42 ring gauge. Naturally, it's mild and smooth, with a genuine Connecticut wrapper and Dominican interior leaves, offered in a box of 20. It's provided courtesy of Mike's, and will be awarded in our drawing to be held on Sunday, December 26.

Congratulations to Kenneth Johns of Pinellas Park, Florida, winner of our Register & Win drawing for a holly-jolly box of Tamboril Habano Diablos from our Perelman, Pioneer & Company humidors, in our drawing held on December 19. You can see our complete list of this year's winners below the registration form.

To enter, just fill in the form below. If you have entered in the past, there is no need to re-enter; all past entries are carried forward to future drawings. You must be 21 or older to win; good luck!
~ Rich Perelman

Without any further ado, on with the specials:

BestCigarPrices.com:
Limited Edition savings are the order of the day at Best:

Cuvee Grand 2010 Limited Edition Robusto (5 x 50), a totally new blend for this line, offered in boxes of10 for $74.95.

My Father Limited Edition 2010 Toro (6 1/2 x 52), the first "limitada" from Pepin Garcia, in boxes of 12 for $209.95.

Cigars-For-Less:
One of the more confusing brands on the market is the Rocky Patel Java line, which many shops refer to as Java by Drew Estate, even though Rocky distributes it. In any case, the odd Wafe shape (5 x 54, with natural wrappers), in boxes of 40, is normally $161.95, but now $151.95, lowest we have seen.

Famous Smoke Shop:
The usual specials, but check for varying ending dates and availability before you buy!

601:

C.A.O. Italia Piazza (6 x 60), in boxes of 20 was $146.99, now $131.95 through December 26.

C.A.O. Lx2:

Gurkha Grand Age (7 1/2 x 54), in the chest of 50 was $494.99, now $395.95 through December 26.

Independencia No. 4 (5 5/8 x 42), in boxes of 25 was $53.99, now $29.97 through December 22.

La Aurora Preferidos, the famous perfectos:

Puros Indios:

Mike's Cigars:
No surprise that Miami-based Mike's has an excellent special on the Cuba Aliados Miami Edition Rothschild Viejo (5 x 50), offered now in boxes of 20 for just $109.95.

Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Lancero (4 1/2 x 38), now in boxes of 25 for only $49.85, lowest on our chart.

Serious Cigars:
Good hunting for Alec Bradley fans this week at Serious, or for the warrior in the family, check out the wild Gurkha Spec Ops kit, with a seven-inch knife included!

Alec Bradley Select Cabinet Reserve Torpedo (6 1/8 x 52), in boxes of 20 for $123.95, lowest we have seen.

Alec Bradley TEMPUS:

Cohiba Black Pequenos (4 1/8 x 34), in a brick of 30 for $42.50.

Gran Habano Blend No. 1 Gran Robusto (6 x 54), in boxes of 20 for $60.80.

Gurkha Spec Ops (7 1/2 x 52), in a Pelican-style, impenetrable chest of 20 with a 7-inch survival knife and leg sheath for $169.95! Unbelievable, but true!

Kristoff, well-made, well-priced and gaining in popularity:

My Father No. 5 (6 x 56) from Pepin Garcia, in boxes of 23 for $234.50, best in our review.

Partagas Black Magnifico (6 x 54), in boxes of 20 for $79.95, lowest in our survey.

Saint Luis Rey Reserva Especial Rothchilde (5 x 54), in boxes of 25 for $55.00.

We'll have our Register & Win winner of the week announcement later today!
~ Rich Perelman

The Hoyo de Monterrey Reposado en Cedros shined the spotlight on Hoyo once again, which hasn't gotten much attention of late as the Punch line is the bigger seller. The new Hoyo was described in terms of smoothness, thanks to a new production process.

The two new Macanudos went far afield from the brand that has been the U.S. premium market leader for almost 40 years. The Cru Royale is supposed to be a "new" Macanudo, and the first-ever maduro-wrapped Macanudo Vintage was also offered.

We decided to check out the Hoyo and the Macanudo Cru Royale to see if General really had something new to share, or was just teaching an old dog a new way to bark:

Hoyo de Monterrey Reposado en Cedros:
[Honduras: available in 3 sizes]
The first new Hoyo blend since 2007, the Reposado en Cedros debuted in mid-2010 with the promise of extra smoothness, thanks to a new process called "Inmersion," in which the finished cigars are aged in cedar for an "extended period."

So how smooth are they? To underline the cedar aging effort, Reposado en Cedros cigars are wrapped in cedar sleeves below the band, and have a toasty and spicy aroma upon lighting. Full in body, the flavor is rich with caramelized flavor, tangy and sweet, with a touch of spice on the tongue.

But it is smooth and easy to smoke, with the spicy element carefully controlled and the brightness of the sweet tones dominating the taste. The construction and draw are excellent and the burn is even and steady, so you won't get tired as you enjoy it.

There is more spice in the second half, but the bright, sweet highlights remain into the final third, continuing the lively and satisfying flavor. Just a note of pepper comes into play in the last quarter, but is only a balancing element for the sweet and caramelized core of this cigar.

The presentation is fun, with the cigars packed in rustic wooden boxes, and the cigars protected inside a canvas cover and surrounded by cedar shavings. This is a very special edition of the famed Hoyo blend, featuring an Ecuadorian-grown, Sumatra-seed wrapper, Connecticut Broadleaf binder and Dominican, Honduran and Nicaraguan filler leaves.

All three sizes are offered in boxes of 24 with very reasonable retail pricing of $6.49-$6.99 per cigar, exclusive of local taxes.
Overall grade: : Exceptional.

Macanudo Cru Royale:
[Dominican Republic: available in 4 sizes]
Here is a "modern" version of Macanudo, which became the nation's leading premium cigar way back in 1971. Nearly 40 years later, it still leads, but many premium smokers now look for more flavor and more body than the classic, mild Macanudo blend. The new Macanudo Cru Royale is designed to meet their needs and does it well.

It's medium in body and shows considerable finesse, with a dark, Ecuadorian-grown, Habano-seed wrapper, Dominican La Vega Especial binder and Brazilian, Dominican and Nicaraguan filler leaves. It has a toasty aroma and the excellent construction and draw expected of the General Cigar Dominicana factory.

The taste is well balanced, with a bright sweetness, but also spicy and peppery notes on the finish that tingle the tongue. The burn is even and steady.

The sweet and peppery notes continue into the end, with the finish showing nuances of pepper that accent, rather than clash with the sweet tone. There is a little more pepper at the very end, but it hardly detracts from the overall impact.

This is a very modern Macanudo, which will create a new audience for the brand. It has little to do with General's original Macanudo blend, even as beefed up in the Macanudo Maduro and Macanudo Robust editions, or the more recent Macanudo 1968 line. This is a bolder but still confident Macanudo that will appeal to today's connoisseur, while the original blend will still satisfy the occasional smoker and those who prefer a milder stance.

All four sizes are offered in wood-grain boxes of 20, which combined with the silver-and-blue band, will make it easy to differentiate from the original, green-and-white line. Retail pricing is accessible, at $5.79 to $6.99 each, not including local taxes.
Overall grade: : Excellent.

Truth be told, both of these new blends were surprises. The new Hoyo is different, especially in the brightness of flavor from the traditional Honduran Hoyo blend and that made it one of the most exciting cigars we have tried in a while. For the Macanudo Cru Royale, the approach was totally fresh and can stand on its own as a bold taste to be judged apart from the brand's famous heritage.

With retail pricing of $7 or less, these are cigars that will be tried by many smokers in the coming months . . . and will quickly become favorites in their own right.
~ Rich Perelman

That's because Arizona Superior Court Judge Kristin Hoffman vacated the trial-court verdict on November 22nd due to a defect at the trial in the availability of a critical piece of evidence. At issue was a good-quality recording of a February 13, 2009 meeting between Rozenman and informant Levi Najar, who wore three concealed recording devices for that meeting. Recordings from two of the devices were available at trial, but a third called "Hawk" - the best-quality one - was because the Phoenix Police detective on the case didn't know about it . . . even though the defense did and had listened to it!. Based on the erroneous assertions by the police detective at trial that there were only two recordings, Hoffman issued an order to vacate the trial verdict, which read in part:

The availability of the Hawk recording would probably not have changed the verdict, although the Court finds that there is a reasonable possibility that the verdict would have been different after impeachment of Det. Warner and [prosecution audio expert] Jack Mitchell.

The Court finds that the absence of the best quality recording of the February 13, 2009 meeting between confidential informant Levi Najar and defendent, a critical piece of evidence, from trial and the resulting inability of the jury to consider that evidence in weighing the State's case and in judging the credibility of the witnesses undermines the Court's confidence in the outcome of this trial. The Court is not confident that the jury's verdict would have been the same had the Hawk recording been available at trial.

Yes, these two paragraphs are contradictory - the first noting that the verdict would probably have been the same if the Phoenix Police detective on the case had known about the "Hawk" recording, and the second questioning the outcome if the jury had decided that the detective was not be believed because he didn't know about the Hawk recording - but these kinds of technical defects in availability of evidence have been held to potentially require a new trial. The technical nature of the issue was commented on earlier in the order by Hoffman, who noted that "The Court does not conclude that the availability of the Hawk recording would probably have altered the verdict at trial."

So what happens now? The Phoenix New Times has covered the case closely and reporter Stephen Lemons wrote that the Maricopa County Attorney "could appeal her ruling on vacating the judgment, cut a deal with Rozenman, or go back to trial for round two." Hoffman declined to change her mind and now the prosecutors will have to decide what to do from here.
~ Rich Perelman

Lew Rothman of J-R Cigars is not only the nation's leading cigar retailer, but is obsessed with packaging. So we asked him: how much do boxes cost?

"When General Cigar makes a box for Macanudo Vintage, it probably costs $17-20 per box. It's all mahogany and it's done right," he said in an interview earlier this week. "But the cost of a box depends on what kind of box it is and where it is made.

"For example, if the box is made in the Dominican Republic, it's extraordinarily expensive because there's no real source of wood [for cigar boxes] there. It has to be shipped in. Now that's much different than in Nicaragua, where there's enough wood to build 40 million homes! So a box made in Nicaragua is going to be cheaper."

Rothman noted at length the different kinds of boxes and how they are made:

So what does all this cost? At the top end are boxes like those made for the Macanudo Vintage line, which at up to $20 apiece add about 85 cents to $1 to the cost of each of the 20 cigars inside. A few cost even more, and Rothman noted that "the Gurkha boxes cost more than the cigars," a point that Gurkha chief Kaizad Hansotia has pointed to with pride.

But for "normal" cigars like the familiar boxes for Macanudo or Montecristo? Rothman said "Most wrapset boxes cost about $4.50, with about $1 for the paper and $3.50 for the box and the labor to glue on the paper and put it together. MDF boxes are about the same." That's 18 cents a cigar for boxes of 25 and 22.5 cents per cigars in boxes of 20. Now that's what he pays, for hundreds of thousands of boxes per year! For smaller producers, the costs will be higher, of course.

Rothman also warned that the costs of one other element makes a difference in the packaging price: the band. It must be hand-applied at the factory and depending on where the bands are printed, the costs can be significant, from 50 cents to 80 cents each with embossing and up. "The costs for the European printers are going up because of the Euro," Rothman said, "and if you have embossing on the bands and so on, the sky is really the limit. It really is a factor [in overall cost].

"If you make a full boite nature box like we do for La Finca, that's about $5.00; if you add fancy hardware [and clasps], it's closer to $6.00. If you have a box like the Frank Llaneza 1961, that's about $8.00 - there's a lot of lumber there."

How does that compare to cigars packed in bundles? Common sense dictates that there will be a significant savings by packing in cellophane and applying just an exterior label, and there is. Rothman said that packaging for a typical bundle of 20 or 25 cigars costs from 70 cents to $1, a savings of 14-17 cents per cigar from the factory!

Moreover, that cost - and the cost of the band - can rise significantly depending on the other elements that go into the factory sales price. That's because of the new Federal SCHIP taxes implemented last year. Notes Rothman, "If the cost at the factory is over $770 or so per 1,000 cigars, you're already at the max SCHIP tax level, so you're not paying the tax on the boxes. But at less than that and with a 53% [tax] rate, a cost of $200 for boxes per 1,000 becomes $300 a 1,000 or a little more. That's why we moved some of our [lower-priced] brands to bundles, to save our customers the whole SCHIP tax on the boxes."

Did you get all that? No wonder your local smokeshop probably now sells its empty boxes, rather than giving them away, and manufacturers send "refill" packs of some brands to be placed in the original boxes, all to keep your final price as low as possible. Now you know.
~ Rich Perelman

That's Boston University professor Michael Siegel, no friend of tobacco, but a harsh critic of what he sees as overreaching by the anti-tobacco movement in its quest for Prohibition by any means possible. His Monday (December 13) column at TobaccoAnalysis.Blogspot.com" rips the Surgeon General's new report on How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease.

Among his main points:

Moreover, Siegel notes the hysterical nature of the report as unhelpful: "[T]he message is not particularly meaningful. One can say that there is no safe level of exposure to any carcinogen. There is no safe level of exposure to car exhaust. There is no safe level of exposure to the sun's rays. There is no safe level of exposure to X-rays. There is no safe level of exposure to the benzene that is found in some sodas. There is no safe level of exposure to radon in homes. There is no safe level of exposure to arsenic that is found in many people's drinking water.

"For that matter, there is no safe speed at which you can drive a car without risk of injury or death. There is no risk-free way to have sex with someone who has HIV infection. There is no safe method to travel from one place to another.

"So stating that no amount of smoking or secondhand smoke is safe is not particularly meaningful. It also didn't take a detailed report to draw such a conclusion. We knew that already."

But he notes the critical issue is dosage: "Maybe I'm wrong, but isn't it more useful and informative to provide the public with a sense of the relative levels of exposure to tobacco smoke in different environments and situations then to scare the public into simply thinking that any exposure is terrible and that (perhaps) all exposures are equally bad? I think that it is important for the public to have some appreciation of the strong and important relationship between dose and risk. And I'm afraid that the overwhelming emphasis on there being no risk-free level of tobacco smoke exposure may obscure the importance of the dose-risk relationship . . .

"If we are accurately informed about the dose-risk relationship, we are more likely to make rational decisions. If all we hear is the hysteria - that a single, tiny exposure to tobacco smoke can cause heart disease and cancer - we are more likely to ignore the entire message. We've all experienced such an exposure already, so we're all doomed, I guess. So what incentive is there to quit smoking or avoid secondhand smoke at this point?

Siegel notes that the ones who will suffer from this report are, of course, smokers, who will find areas to smoke more and more confined. As if the Surgeon General and the "scientific" community cared.

A more specific criticism of the report by truth-in-science activist John Jonik on the liberal Web site OpEd News is here. As I have warned many times in this space, nothing short of a lawsuit will slow down this march to Prohibition.
~ Rich Perelman

We'll draw a new winner every week for a single prize; you can enter for free here . . . but you must fill out the entire form for your entry to be valid!

Up for your pleasure this week is a box of Tamboril Sumatra Diablos, elegant and flavorful cigars from the Dominican Republic. The blend features a Sumatra wrapper around Dominican-grown binder and filler leaves, offered in the classic Churchill shape of seven inches and 47 ring, with a perfecto-style tip! It will be awarded in our drawing to be held on Sunday, December 19.

Congratulations to Irving Rosen of Winnetka, California, winner of our Register & Win drawing for a box of Don Lino Robustos from our Perelman, Pioneer & Company humidors, courtesy of Mike's Cigars, in our drawing held on December 12. You can see our complete list of this year's winners below the registration form.

To enter, just fill in the form. If you have entered in the past, there is no need to re-enter; all past entries are carried forward to future drawings. You must be 21 or older to win; good luck!
~ Rich Perelman

For our list of our top-ten cigar-themed holiday gift items, click here. Now, on with the specials:

BestCigarPrices.com:
Camacho fans will enjoy trying the fairly new El LegendArio Connecticut:

G.A.R Corona Gorda (6 x 46), in a sampler of five was $27.95, now $24.95.

Illusione Singulare Phantom (6 x 50), a limited-edition for 2010, in boxes of 15 for $169.95.

Cigars-For-Less:
Two nice specials, at the lowest prices in our review on Acid and Arturo Fuente Don Carlos:

Acid Kuba Kuba (5 x 54) in maduro, in boxes of 24 was $115.95, now $105.95.

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Presidente (6 1/2 x 50), in boxes of 25 for $209.95.

Cigars International:
A stunning two-boxes-for-the-price-of-one sale on some of the most popular blends from Padilla:

Padilla Cazadores two-for-one sale:

Padilla Series '68 Lancero (7 1/2 x 38), two boxes of 20 (40 total) for $127.95!

Padilla Signature 1932 Lancero (7 1/2 x 38), two boxes of 25 (50 total) for $291.95!

Famous Smoke Shop:
As usual, plenty of specials, but all with expiration dates, so check carefully before you buy:

C.A.O. Cx2:

C.A.O. Mx2:

C.A.O. Vision:

Camacho Corojo:

Cohiba Churchill (7 x 49), in boxes of 25 was $229.99, now $219.95 through December 19.

Cuban Bullet Version 2.0:

Cuesta-Rey:

Don Diego Corona Major (5 1/2 x 44 in aluminum tubes), in the box of 21 was $66.99, now $61.95 through December 17.

Don Pepin Garcia Black Label:

Flor de Gonzalez Green & White Label Extra Corona (6 1/2 x 52), in boxes of 25 was $89.99, now $71.95 through December 17.

Fonseca Serie F:

La Aurora:

La Aurora Preferidos Connecticut:

Uppercut by Punch:

Serious Cigars:
The Alec Bradley Vice Press line is rich and flavorful, but best of all, it's now on sale!

The Griffin's Robusto Maduro (5 x 50), in boxes of 25 for $129.50, lowest in our survey.

Tabacos Baez Serie H Famosos (5 x 50), in boxes of 20 for $101.95.

Superior Cigars:
Lowest prices in our review on two sizes of the La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Miami line:

Also some excellent savings on popular samplers:

We'll have our Register & Win winner of the week announcement later today!
~ Rich Perelman

La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Obelisco:
[Dominican Republic: available in 1 size]
The La Gloria Cubana "Artesanos" series has emphasized the art of blending and rolling cigars, but the new "Obeliscos" takes the line to a new level. This time, the cigars are themselves artworks, made in the shape of the Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration in Santiago, Dominican Republic. Like the 220-foot-high marble monument originally commissioned by Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo in 1944, it was renamed after his death in 1961 to commemorate the Dominican Republic's Independence Restoration War of 1863 in which it finally became independent of Spain.

The Obelisco has the standard La Gloria Cubana band at the top and a black-and-gold footer band with the word "Obelisco" on the front. The five-inch by 57-ring shape is very much like the monument, wide at the bottom and tapered at the top, and in additionally square-pressed.

Nonetheless, the draw is excellent and the blend has a medium-to-full body and a spicy aroma. The flavor is also spicy, with a toasty back end at the start. The spicy elements are the most noticeable, on the tongue and throat, with just a touch of sweetness on the finish.

This blend burns evenly, not always easy to achieve with a pyramid-style shape, and the balance of spice and sweetness remains fairly consistent throughout. The liveliness of the spice is welcome and never harsh and a peppery note only enters in the final quarter.

In addition to its unique shape and entertaining flavor, the Obelisco is offered in a stunning, semi-circular box of 25, the perfect shape to show off the tapered format. The Obeliscos are priced at $9.00 per cigar, not including local sales and tobacco taxes.
Overall grade: : Excellent.

La Gloria Cubana Serie N:
[Dominican Republic: available in 4 sizes]
What does the "N" stand for? Nicaragua!

The La Gloria Cubana Serie N proudly showcases a totally new approach for the brand, using Nicaraguan tobaccos specially grown for General Cigar with the usual La Gloria wrapper of Sumatra-seed tobacco grown in Ecuador.

The Serie N is further set off by the darkness of its wrapper, the hand-applied initial "N" in light-colored Connecticut leaf on the front of the cigar and the hexagonal wooden box of 24 with a fire-engine red finish. There is no mistaking this cigar for any other. But how do they taste?

Pretty good, actually. The blend is medium-to-full in body with a very spicy aroma. The construction is dense, but the draw is good and it smokes fairly evenly. There is both sweetness and spice in this cigar, with an even balance and a medium finish.

The consistency of the two main elements is outstanding and the sweet and spicy tones dance together beautifully into the second half to a rich, tangy beat. The spicy elements are little more forward in the final third, but are never aggressive or off-putting.

This is a winner of a cigar for those who enjoy a dense, balanced flavor that's enjoyable but never rough or overpowering. There are four sizes in the line, all very accessibly priced at $5.95 to $7.00 each, not including local taxes.
Overall grade: : Excellent.

The Obelisco and Serie N are only the beginning of an exploration of what the La Gloria Cubana brand can be from General Cigar's "Team La Gloria" of Michael Giannini, Rick Rodriguez and Benji Menendez, who worked with General Cigar Dominicana production chief Yuri Guillen to come up with the Serie N blend. In view of their initial success, one can only wonder what's coming up next!
~ Rich Perelman

The selection of Hoejsgaard is an interesting one and follows Oettinger Davidoff's pattern established in 1998 when Dr. Reto Cina - also from outside the tobacco world - was picked to succeed Ernst Schneider as the chief executive of the enterprise. Cina joined in 1997 after having run a chain of discount food markets - Pick Pay - in Switzerland that had acquired a discount perfume business along the way.

But he knew marketing, and Cina told Smoke magazine in 2003 that "I've really only had experience in retail and wholesaling, and I believe that, if you have that experience, it's not difficult to understand how the basic instruments of marketing work. You need just a little bit of time to get adapted to the specifics of a product or product category. It's not a technical product where you'd have to be, say, an engineer to understand what's behind it. There are a lot of feelings and attachment behind the marketing of cigars, but I believe that once you have specific techniques in your head, you can apply them to any product."

Hoejsgaard has worked for spirits giant Seagram, the French luxury goods and perfume company Guerlain, the similarly-styled Lancaster Group (which distributed Davidoff fragrances), then Danish jewelry, watch and silverware company Georg Jensen and most recently, as C.E.O. of Timex Group, the well-known watchmakers, since 2008.

Although his family had been involved in tobacco, Hoejsgaard's experience is in luxury goods, exactly where Davidoff has been involved for decades. He will join the firm on March 1 of next year and become chief executive on June 1, after Cina's retirement on May 31.

Said Hoejsgaard in a statement, "I am looking forward to joining a visionary family firm that over the decades has built Davidoff up into what today is a globally recognized, leading luxury brand for quality products. It will be a privilege for me to lead the Oettinger Davidoff Group and team behind it, and to work together on the further globalization of the company and brand as we take the Davidoff cigar business to the next level."

He will take over a company with a mix of challenges, including pressure on its cigar sales thanks to the global recession that have made the Davidoff line, especially, a harder sell due to its high price structure, and the move of the company's U.S. operations to Florida from Connecticut, integrating recent acquisitions Camacho Cigars and Cusano Cigars.
~ Rich Perelman

Their response is the debut of a new cigar line - the La Aurora Broadway Series - which will be sold only at shops located in New York state.

La Aurora chief Guillermo Leon said in the brand announcement that "New York has always been special to me and my family. What has happened with the cigar taxes in New York is tragic. Since we cannot lower the taxes, we worked hard to lower the cost of this cigar without compromising quality." Nestor Miranda, owner of Miami Cigar, added that "“we are beginning to try to help tobacconists with the Broadway series by La Aurora just in time for Christmas."

The line will be introduced with a single size called Sumo Toro, a fat robusto of 5 3/4 inches by 54 ring gauge. It features a double wrapper of Ecuadorian-grown, Sumatra-seed and Nicaraguan leaves, a Dominican Corojo binder and filler tobaccos grown in the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Peru.

It will be introduced in December 20 at a private dinner hosted by Cigar Inn on Second Avenue in New York, with the cigar available thereafter at a reasonable - for New York - retail price of $12.75 each, which includes the 75% tax.

This is the second recent introduction of a cigar specially made to assist New York tobacconists due to the onerous tax burden placed on them by the state. The Alec Bradley New York line will debut on Friday, December 10 and will only be sold by New York state tobacconists. This new brand, which features the Empire State Building in its brand artwork and was also introduced at a Cigar Inn dinner in September, is being offered in five sizes at an average, tax-included price of $12.75 per cigar.
~ Rich Perelman

The 20th such event - formally known as "Encuentro de Clientes y Amigos de La Casa del Habano Partagas" - was held from 16-19 November and celebrated the 165th anniversary of the Partagas brand, created by Jaime Partagas in Havana in 1827 or 1845, depending on whom you believe. Mitchell Orchant of Cgars Ltd. in London filed a quite complete report in the event, with some interesting news thrown in about production of the Cohiba Behike:

The Partagas event is much more intimate than the Festival del Habano, but just as eagerly awaited for those who prefer a smaller and more serene experience that the massive February convention. You can check on Orchant's report for more details, or this entry and video from the La Casa del Habano in Teddington, England.
~ Rich Perelman

The Festival is scheduled for 21-25 February 2011 and will "feature" the H. Upmann, Montecristo and Partagas brands, usually meaning that a new size in each line will be introduced:

In addition to these brands, a separate announcement of the annual Edicion Limitada series, possibly the Edicion Regionales issues and other speciality programs will be made during the annual news conference on the first day of the program.

Of course, the usual visits to tobacco plantations and factories are planned, along with an expanded schedule of seminars, including pairing of Cuban cigars with chocolates (!) on Friday.

As always, the Festival del Habano is - for obvious reasons - the most expensive and largest event of its kind. More than 1,000 attendees are expected and registration for all of the programs is 1,310 Cuban Convertible Pesos (CUCs) or about $1,450 U.S. once the conversion commission is figured in. Airfare and hotel accommodations are additional, although advantageous rates at 13 hotels - with airport transfers included - are available.

In what will be the busiest month in the history of cigar festivals, with programs on tap in the Dominican Republic (ProCigar Festival), Honduras (HumoJaguar Festival) and a massive "Cigars and Guitars" consumer show put on by the Thompson Cigar Co. in St. Petersburg, the Festival del Habano is still the "granddaddy of them all."
~ Rich Perelman

The report, compiled by North Carolina-based researchers RTI International, tested from two to six "graphic warning labels" on each of the nine warnings required to be posted on half the area of cigarette packs on three groups of subjects: adults aged 25 or older (4,685), young adults aged 18-24 (4,584) and youth aged 13-17 (4,600). A control group of 4,890 adults was exposed to one of the new warnings in text form only once while the "treatment groups" of adults, young adults and youth were shown a pack with a warning and a graphic warning image together; all groups evaluated what they saw for impact, and then was asked to recall what they saw, and what impact it had on them one week later.

The outcome? "Most of the warning images elicited strong emotional and cognitive responses compared with controls," noted the report, but "The graphic cigarette warning labels did not elicit strong responses in terms of intentions relation to cessation or initiation." In other words, these images - including a diseased lung, dead bodies and similar pictures - did not make smokers more likely to quit smoking, or take up smoking.

In fact, in the youth segment - arguably the most important since the FDA's goal is to keep kids from getting started as smokers - the report said the graphic warning images were a total failure:

For youth, we used a measure of how likely the youth felt they were to be smoking 1 year from now as a measure of the impact of viewing the warning images on potential initiation. We did not find much evidence for an impact of the warning labels on this outcome.

Despite the study's findings that the scary warning labels didn't do much to get smokers thinking about quitting, the FDA is plowing ahead. Spokesman Jeffrey Ventura told Bloomberg News, "FDA will not only consider the results of this experimental study to select a set of nine final graphic health warnings, but also the public comments it receives on the proposed rule published on Nov. 12, 2010, and relevant scientific literature."

You can submit a comment on this until January 11, 2011.

For cigar smokers, the negative results of the study are a good sign that the elegant crossed swords of the Montecristo logo are not likely to be covered by a picture of rotted teeth anytime soon. Help to keep it that way by adding your voice to those against pictorial warning labels in the FDA's public comment forum.
~ Rich Perelman

In fact, September 2010 imports were essentially even with the total from that month in 2009 and 2008, at just more than 26 million cigars:

While premium imports are steady, machine-made cigar imports continue to go crazy, up 51.7 million or 27.1% in September, compared to 2009. For the first nine months of the year, imports of machine-made cigars of all types - large and little - are now at 1.78 billion units, a 25.3% rise over the 2009 nine-month total of 1.42 billion. Wow!

Moreover, it's worth noting that the machine-made import total does not include domestic production from market leaders Swisher International in Jacksonville, Florida; John Middleton in King of Prussia and Limerick, Pennsylvania and Altadis U.S.A. in Cayey, Puerto Rico. There are a lot of machine-made cigars being smoked out there.

The steady premium reports and rising machine-made totals show that cigars are hardly dead, even if only a tiny fraction of the number of cigarettes consumed annually. But with retailers maintaining extraordinarily tight controls on in-store inventories, these figures also show that premium smokers are continuing to enjoy their passion.
~ Rich Perelman

That's David Murphy, director of field operations for the Chicago office of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Service, in comments to reporters, noting the seizure of 30,000 Cuban cigars sent to the U.S. via O'Hare International Airport in Chicago.

The Customs folks aren't through, however. About 700 shipments that have arrived over the past two weeks have been processed, but another 2,000 shipments involving another 70,000 cigars are being checked for the country of origin. Because of the U.S. trade embargo with Cuba, Cuban cigars are not allowed to be imported into the country.

Customs officials said that normally only 10-12 boxes of cigars a week are caught by Customs, but spokesman Brian Bell noted that changes to freight regulations after last month's attempt to ship explosives to synagogues in Chicago led to a change in plan for European shippers of Cuban cigars to the U.S. According to the Chicago Tribune story:

On Nov. 8, the Department of Homeland Security banned shipment of parcels over 16 ounces on passenger flights, Bell said. Officials believe that because European shippers could no longer send packages to the United States via these flights, they had to stockpile mail until it could be put on cargo freighters, which fly less frequently.

Bell said customs officers found full cargo pallets loaded with boxes of suspected Cuban cigars.

"We Googled 'buy Cuban cigars' and found several (European) sites, the majority of which say they don't have any trouble sending them to the U.S.," said Bell. Some had a disclaimer saying vendors couldn't guarantee the product wouldn't get seized by customs officials, he said.

Bell confirmed that the contraband cigars were discovered in a routine search of cargo coming from Switzerland. "The Swiss post had no way to move their mail," he said. "They had to contract on cargo planes, so they stockpiled until they could get flights into the United States. All the sudden there are all these yellow and brown boxes and they are all cigars." The cigars, according to Federal law, will be destroyed in a blast furnace.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control, a unit of the U.S. Treasury, is the enforcement agency for Cuban trade embargo regulations and has been noticeably silent on penalties for Cuban cigar importations under the Obama Administration. After more than two dozen penalties were imposed in 2008, a total of one penalty was levied in 2009 and only one so far this year. It will be interesting to see if any enforcement actions are taken by OFAC as a follow-up to the Chicago seizures. According to a report from WLS TV, "The buyers of these items will soon receive notices that their packages were seized by Customs officials in the U.S. Authorities say they will not be charged."

Those buyers certainly hope so. But Bell also noted that "If we have a company purchasing the cigars, we will investigate them. We are definitely putting a hurt on a couple companies."
~ Rich Perelman

We'll draw a new winner every week for a single prize; you can enter for free here . . . but you must fill out the entire form for your entry to be valid!

Up for your pleasure this week is a box of Don Lino Robustos, elegant and flavorful cigars from the Dominican Republic. It's mild and smooth, with a genuine Connecticut wrapper and Dominican interior leaves, offered in the classic Robusto shape of five inches and 50 ring, in boxes of 25. It's provided courtesy of Mike's Cigars. and will be awarded in our drawing to be held on Sunday, December 12.

Congratulations to Kurt Langholff of Capitola, California, winner of our Register & Win drawing for our oversized bundle of 10-inch-long Dominican Original Fat Tubs from our Perelman, Pioneer & Company humidors, courtesy of Mike's Cigars, in our drawing held on December 5. You can see our complete list of this year's winners below the registration form.

To enter, just fill in the form below. If you have entered in the past, there is no need to re-enter; all past entries are carried forward to future drawings. You must be 21 or older to win; good luck!
~ Rich Perelman

For our list of our top-ten cigar-themed holiday gift items, click here. Now, on with the specials:

BestCigarPrices.com:
If you're a maduro fan, you must check on the sensational pricing on the Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real maduro line! Hoowwweee!

Acid Ming (6 inches by 60 ring), in boxes of10 for $74.95; please note that this is not the same as the Ming Dynasty, offered in boxes of 12.

Alec Bradley TEMPUS Magistri (6 3/4 x 54 in maduro), in boxes of 20 for $184.95, lowest in our review.

Edicion Limitada Trinidad (6 x 54, you will find it listed under "Trinidad"), in boxes of 21 for $179.95.

El Triunfador No. 7 (5 7/8 x 54), part of Pete Johnson's line of fine cigars, offered in boxes of 25 for $159.95.

Romeo y Julieta Habana Reserve, made in Honduras:

Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Maduro, at great prices:

Tatuaje, need we say more?

Cigars-For-Less:
The best price we have seen on the new Hoyo de Monterrey Reposado en Cedros line:

Famous Smoke Shop:
Plenty of deals, all of which expire on December 12, so buyer beware!

Alec Bradley Family Blend:

C.A.O. Criollo Pampa (4 x 38), in packs of 50 was $111.99, now $100.95 through December 12.

C.A.O. Gold Maduro Corona (5 1/2 x 42), in boxes of 20 was $88.99, now $69.95 through December 12.

Cabaiguan Petite (4 1/2 x 32), in boxes of 50 was $157.99, now $152.95 through December 12.

Camacho 10th Anniversary:

Carlos Torano Cameroon 1916 Corona (5 1/2 x 42), in boxes of 25 was $94.99, now $79.95 through December 12.

Casa Torano:

Excalibur No. 4 (5 5/8 x 46), in boxes of 20 was $68.99, now $65.95 through December 12.

The Griffin's:

Gurkha Ancient Warrior:

Indian Tabac Super Fuerte:

La Aurora Preferidos Maduro:

La Unica:

Montesino Sun Grown:

J-R Cigars:
Modest savings on the entire lines of Bolivar Cofradia, a powerful blend from Honduras and the famed El Rey del Mundo line:

Bolivar Cofradia:

El Rey del Mundo:

Mike's Cigars:
The C.A.O. La Traviata line is now available online at Mike's and nicely priced:

Heaven Corona (5 1/2 x 46) in boxes of 25 in 12 wild flavors, normally $71.95, now $49.95!

Partagas Limited Decadas Anual Chest (5 x 50), in the box of 20 was $299.95, now $199.95.

Serious Cigars:
Carlos Torano fans, here is a good chance to save on some of your favorites:

Alec Bradley Vice Press 6T4 (5 x 64), in boxes of 20 for $121.50, lowest in our review.

C.A.O. Mx2 Rob (5 x 52), in boxes of 20 for $84.95.

Camacho Coyolar Puro Super Toro (6 1/2 x 52), in boxes of 25 for $115.80.

Carlos Torano Exodus 1959:

Carlos Torano Exodus 1959 Silver:

Carlos Torano Virtuoso:

Casa Torano Toro Maduro (6 1/4 x 50), in boxes of 25 for $96.95.

El Rico Habano:

Gran Habano Blend No. 5 Imperials (6 x 60), in boxes of 20 for $79.95.

Guillermo Leon Gran Toro (6 x 58), the new, entertaining blend from the La Aurora factory, in boxes of 20 for $165.50.

Montesino Robusto (5 x 50, in maduro), in boxes of 25 for $69.00.

Nub:

Occidental Reserve Churchill (7 x 48), a great bundled brand made at Tabadom, in bundles of 25 was $67.95, now $49.95.

Partagas Black Label Maximo (6 x 50), in boxes of 20 for $85.95.

Rocky Patel Vintage 1999 Toro Tubo (6 x 50), in boxes of 10 for $80.95.

Sancho Panza, always a great value and now even better:

Superior Cigars:
The very cool Punch Multi-Tool Collection is on sale, with two each of the Grand Cru, Gran Puro and Uppercut by Punch lines in the 5 3/4-inch by 50-ring Celebramos shape - plus the Multi-Tool - for $29.95. Also:

C.A.O. "The Sopranos Edition" sampler, with one each of the four different shapes, retails for $57.80, but on sale for $40.14.

We'll have our Register & Win winner of the week announcement later today.
~ Rich Perelman

]]> Fri, 03 Dec 2010 08:00:00 GMT http://www.cigarcyclopedia.com/news-views/cigar-views/1990-colibris-new-holiday-collection-2010 http://www.cigarcyclopedia.com/news-views/cigar-news/1989-cigar-reviews-flor-de-ybor-city Los Angeles, December 3, 2010 – Most American premium cigar smokers are well aware of the dramatic story of Arturo Fuente, who left Cuba in 1906 and founded his own cigar company in Tampa in 1912. His son, Carlos, has become a legend in the cigar industry and with his son Carlito, has shepherded the company into the 21st Century. But Arturo Fuente had another, older son, Arturo Jr., who left the leadership of the Fuente cigar business to Carlos, but continued to assist with operations in Tampa until production in the old Charles The Great factory ended in 1994. He then opened the Tampa Sweethearts Cigar Co. retail store in the same building.

Now, Arturo O. Fuente, Jr., grandson of the company namesake, and his daughter Kristin have created their own, new brands for the U.S. market under the banner of the La Estampa Cigar Company, led by an old Arturo Fuente brand from the 1970s: Flor de Ybor City. We checked out all three versions of this old favorite:

Flor de Ybor City - Natural wrapper:
[Dom. Rep.: available in 11 sizes]
The natural-wrapped edition of the Flor de Ybor City line looks good, with a beige-colored, Connecticut wrapper and a gently squared shape. It lights well and has a medium-to-full body with a spicy aroma from the start.

However, the taste profile is decidedly caramelized, with a rich and sweet finish and just a touch of spice on the lips on the finish. There is a little more spice as you begin smoking through the cigar, but the sweetness is well in front in the first half.

As is to be expected from a cigar made at the Tabacalera A. Fuente, the construction is excellent, with an easy draw and an even burn.

The spicy elements come forward in the second half for a more balanced flavor, with strong spiciness especially in the final third. It's never punishing, however, and the sweet tones remain present to the end, if now in the background.

This blend is made even better by its pricing: the 12 shapes have retail pricing from $2.25 to just $4.95 each and are offered in either packs of 10 or bundles of 20, not including local sales or tobacco taxes. Value smokers have a new friend.
Overall grade: : Excellent.

Flor de Ybor City - Maduro wrapper:
[Dom. Rep.: available in 12 sizes]
Genuine Connecticut Broadleaf is used for the maduro edition of the Flor de Ybor City line, which is also square-pressed, but with a medium body and a gently spiced aroma. In fact, the maduro-wrapped line can be characterized as a "kinder and gentler" version of the Connecticut line.

There's a sweet start to this blend, but mellow with a small flavor that leaves you wanting more, and a thin finish. The flavor that is present is smooth and easy to enjoy, but quite light for a maduro-wrapped cigar.

The burn is even and the draw is excellent, and the modest sweetness continues unfettered into the second half. It remains consistent, light and easy throughout, with a little bit of spice coming into play in the final third.

For some, this will be an excellent golf or outdoor cigar; it offers little complexity and frankly doesn't need much attention. For what it is, it's a nice cigar, but not as stout in flavor as the Connecticut. Pricing remains good, at just $2.25 to $4.95 retail (plus local taxes) in packs of 10 or bundles of 20.
Overall grade: : Very Good.

Flor de Ybor City - Rosado wrapper:
[Dom. Rep.: available in 6 sizes]
The sun-grown Rosado wrapper from Ecuador is the calling card for this blend, available on just six of the 12 sizes in the Flor de Ybor City line. It has a medium-to-full body and a spicy aroma.

The taste starts with a lively sweetness, with just a touch of spice on the finish. The first half emphasizes a smooth sweetness that's well-balanced, with only the barest hint of spice on the finish.

However, there is more spice in the second half and the interplay between the sweet and spicy elements gives the blend some complexity. The flavor is never that strong, although lively and even a taste of pepper is evident in the final third.

The draw is fine and the burn is fairly even, but one wishes for the kind of brightness in flavor that was evident in the natural-wrapped version. As with its siblings, the Flor de Ybor City Rosados are offered in packs of 10 or bundles of 20, with quite accessible retailing pricing of $4.62 to $4.95 each, exclusive of local taxes.
Overall grade: : Very Good.

Arturo Fuente, Jr. and his daughter are off to a good start with their Flor de Ybor City line, with a second brand - Ybor Gold - coming soon. The quality of construction, balance and excellent value mark the first line from the La Estampa Cigar Co. as another cigar worthy of the Fuente heritage.
~ Rich Perelman

The issue has been swirling in Australia and England for several years, but has now gotten a major boost from the European Union, which has now proposed plain packaging across its membership. According to a report in the trade journal Advertising Age:

Under the new rules, packs would carry nothing more than a health warning and the name of the brand, both in a standardized format with a specified typeface.

Since cigarette advertising was outlawed across Europe in 2003, packaging -- known as "the silent salesman" -- has been the only way for cigarette manufacturers to keep their brands in the spotlight.

Opponents of the move have until Dec. 15 to make their case heard, with a decision expected in February. Even if the EU decides in favor of plain packaging, it could take another five years before the law comes into effect -- especially if the tobacco companies carry out their threat to make a legal challenge against the ruling.

The cigarette companies are, of course, strongly opposed to this measure. Anne Edwards of Philip Morris International told AdAge:"To date every country that has considered plain packaging has rejected it due to lack of evidence and associated [intellectual property] issues. Even in Australia ... the government's own intellectual property body, IP Australia, recently advised ... that plain packaging 'may not be consistent with Australia's intellectual property treaty obligations' and 'would make it easier for counterfeit goods to be produced and would make it difficult to readily identify these counterfeit goods.'"

(The photograph above is not of any official proposal of what unbranded cigarette packs might look like, but is an artist's conception.)

If the measure passes and is upheld after several years of absolutely certain litigation, there can be little doubt that cigars, smokeless and pipe tobacco will receive the same treatment, at least in Europe.

In the U.S., the plain-packaging debate is on the sidelines while the Food & Drug Administration pushes ahead with its plan for more graphic warnings about tobacco-related illnesses on cigarette packs that will come into effect in 2011. Essentially, the two different continental schemes on packaging amount to a real-time trial of both ideas as the anti-tobacco forces try anything they can think of to reduce cigarette consumption. Although cigars are very much of an adult pleasure, they will be caught up in this fight if either approach is perceived to be a success . . . regardless of whether it is or not.
~ Rich Perelman

The new shape is a fat robusto of 5 7/8 inches (150 mm) and 52 ring gauge, the same size as the famous Cohiba Siglo VI and well known by its factory name of Canonazo. This particular edition has a pigtail head and is offered in 400 specially-made humidor of 40 cigars each for a total production of just 16,000.

The humidor itself is made of cedar and majagua wood, found on the island. The finished box has a greenish tint common to majagua, with the Trinidad logo on the lid and a pull-out tray inside.

Trinidad was an ancient Cuban brand that dates back to about 1905, but was out of production by 1940. The current brand is named for the Cuban city of the same name, and resurfaced in 1969 was a new blend made only for diplomatic use, as was the Cohiba line at that time. When Cohiba was introduced to the commercial market in 1982, Trinidad remained the Cuban "state" cigar until it too debuted commercially in 1998 in a single size.

Today, Trinidad is offered in the third tier of Havana brands - "Niche Brands" - in five sizes, but is, of course, available in all La Casa del Habano shops worldwide.
~ Rich Perelman

That's what it sold for on Tuesday at Christie's in London, actually £30,000 including the buyer's premium! The item was expected to sell for "just" £4,000-6,000 ($6.248-9,372), but exceeded all expectations.

The item itself was described by Christie's as:

CHURCHILL, Winston S. (1874-1965). Churchill's full-cut crocodile-skin cigar case, c.1934, by Cartier Ltd, London, the initials 'W S C' set in brass on the fastening, length 170mm x width 90mm, a single cigar (unmarked) remaining in the four-cigar chamber. Provenance: manufactured especially for Churchill in c.1934 (information from Cartier archives); given by Clementine Churchill to Churchill's former bodyguard Inspector Cyril Davies after Churchill's death (typed letter signed, 22 June 1965; compliments slip 'Sent with Lady Spencer-Churchill's compliments and good wishes'); acquired by the present owner from Davies's estate; [with] three telegrams from Churchill to Inspector Davies, acknowledging birthday wishes in 1959, 1963 and 1964.

The cigar case is heavily rubbed, and was evidently frequently used by Churchill in the last three decades of his life: the presence of a last, unsmoked cigar is particularly poignant. Cyril Davies (d.1995) was Churchill's bodyguard during World War 2, accompanying him for example to Quebec to meet Roosevelt in 1944 (Gilbert Winston Churchill VII (1986) p.938 n.2); he had joined the Metropolitan Police in 1929, retiring in 1954 (Finest Hour, Autumn 1995, no.88).(4)

The item is pictured here.

The Churchill case made for quite a Tuesday for cigar auctions, as it came on the same day as the massive Cgars Ltd. winter auction of rare and vintage Havanas reported earlier.
~ Rich Perelman

Held on the Cigar Terrace of the Boisdale in Belgravia restaurant on a snowy London evening, the top-priced item was, as expected, Lot 141, an Elie Bleu humidor signed by Fidel Castro with 150 "Presidencia" cigars from 2004, inlaid with three solid-gold Cuban coins from 1916. It finally went for £24,000 - about $37,345 U.S. - well over the expected price of £18,000 ($28,476 U.S.).

The rest of the top 10:

That's pretty good, recession or not. You can see the complete results here and the excellent, easy-to-use auction catalog here. The next Cgars Ltd. auction will be in the spring.
~ Rich Perelman

Scientists from the Meyer-Honninger Paleontology Museum in Peru announced on November 19 a find of a 4 1/2-inch block of fossilized fragments of tobacco leaves in the Maranon River basin in northeastern Peru, the oldest tobacco ever found.

The specimen was dated to beginning of the Pleistocene Era, about 2.5 million years ago, at the beginning of what is colloquially known as the "Ice Age." The woolly mammoth, mastodon and saber-toothed cat were present, along with the forerunners of today's human race.

According to the Museum, "This discovery allows us to establish that the plant dates back to the Pleistocene Era, and confirms that it originated in northern Peru."

What is today known as the South American continent was not covered by ice during the early Pleistocene, allowing tobacco to develop. It was used by native Americans for centuries before being revealed to European explorers, beginning with Christopher Columbus on his first voyage in 1492. Now you know.
~ Rich Perelman

A Rasmussen Reports telephone poll released on November 19 found that only 17% of Americans want smoking banned entirely, down significantly from 22% in December 2008. A whopping total of 72% said tobacco smoking should not be banned and 11% were not sure.

Even among non-smokers, only 19% approved of a total ban on smoking, not too far from the 11% of current smokers who thought a total ban was a good idea.

On smoking regulations, however, sentiment was widely divided. A plurality, 38%, said that the current level of regulation was appropriate, with 26% asking for more regulations, 22% asking for less regulation and 14% not providing an answer. Men were twice as likely as women to say that current regulation levels are too high.

The Rasmussen polling data shows the clever approach currently employed by the anti-tobacco lobby, which is focusing not on prohibition per se, but on not allowing people a place to smoke. In Los Angeles, the City Council unanimously adopted a resolution asking the City Attorney to draft an ordinance to ban smoking essentially anywhere someone might smell it!

For cigar smokers, the good news is that an overwhelming majority of the country believes smoking is fine as long as it isn't around them. The trick now is to be able to open more places where one can smoke without interference . . . before smoking is outlawed everywhere.
~ Rich Perelman

That's Alec Bradley Cigar Co. president Alan Rubin on the genesis of his new Alec Bradley New York line that will officially debut on December 10.

The brand design salutes the Art Deco years in New York, with the box art picturing the Empire State Building, for four decades the tallest building in the world when it was completed in 1931. The cigars themselves are offered in five sizes in boxes of 20:

Made in Honduras, the blend was first seen at a special dinner at Cigar Inn in New York on September 29. It features a Honduran Trojes wrapper and binder with filler leaves from Honduras and Nicaragua for a medium-to-full-bodied presence. Only 1,000 boxes of 20 were scheduled for release in 2010.

A unique feature of this brand will be that it will be available only for New York state tobacconists: all sales outside the state will have to be placed through a New York tobacconist listed on the Alec Bradley website. Retail pricing will average $12.75 per cigar, including the recently-increased New York state cigar tax.
~ Rich Perelman

We'll draw a new winner every week for a single prize; you can enter below for free . . . but you must fill out the entire form for your entry to be valid!

Up for your pleasure this week is one more edition of as big a cigar as you can find on the U.S. market: the 10-inch by 66-ring Dominican Original "Fat Tub." Despite its size, this is a mild blend of tobaccos, featuring a genuine Connecticut Shade wrapper and Dominican-grown interior leaves, offered in a bundle of five very, very large cigars! These things could last through an entire football game! It's offered courtesy of Mike's Cigars. and will be awarded in our drawing to be held on Sunday, December 5.

Congratulations to Gary Komarowsky of Beacon Falls, Connecticut, winner of our Register & Win drawing for a bundle of five of those Dominican Original Fat Tubs from our Perelman, Pioneer & Company humidors, courtesy of Mike's Cigars in our drawing held on November 28. You can see our complete list of this year's winners below the registration form.

To enter, just fill in the form below. If you have entered in the past, there is no need to re-enter; all past entries are carried forward to future drawings. You must be 21 or older to win; good luck!
~ Rich Perelman

General Cigar's introduction program for its all-new Macanudo Cru Royale blend included 50 specially-designated launch parties in November, for which each shop received a Cru Royale humidor with a prize of $1,000 inside . . . with one of the humidors holding a $10,000 prize.

Giegerich attended the Macanudo Cru Royale event at the shop, at which each customer was given an envelope with a single key inside. His was the only one with a golden key, and he received a check for $10,000. "Macanudo just made our Christmas!," he said upon winning. "I have never won anything before. You have no idea what this $10,000 means to be and my family."

Said General Cigar's marketing vice-president Debo Mukherjee, "We set out to generate great excitement for the debut of Macanudo Cru Royale at retail and we're satisfied that we've accomplished that in spades."

It was a good night for store owner Steve Boroch as well (shown at right in the photo above, with General Cigar's Mary Beth Harkleroad at left), as the shop received a credit for $10,000 in General Cigar goods for the shop. The 35-year-old Old Allegheny Shoppe is the second-oldest in Pittsburgh.
~ Rich Perelman

How about charity blackjack to support the Salem police and fire departments, followed by a demonstration of just how hard "Hammer Head" John Ferraro's head is, and ending with a tug-of-war between the Salem Police and Fire departments for $5,000 in charity? Oh, yes, there was also a major Drew Estate sale inside the store, in the presence of Drew Estate president Steve Saka.

"Getting up a 4 a.m. to save $20 on a crock pot might be fun for some of the ladies," said Garofalo, "but it's not for the guys; this event was."

While the Drew Estate sale and the charity blackjack hands were going on inside, Ferraro (better known in professional wrestling circles as Gino Martino) – featured on "Stan Lee's Superhumans" program on The History Channel as "The Human Anvil" – was having cinder blocks broken over his head by a jack hammer and then a sledgehammer, all the while keeping a lit cigar in his mouth!

In the nightcap, members of the Salem Police and Fire departments faced off in a tug-of-war between five-member teams to split a $5,000 donation from the shop. The Salem Police emerged as winners and received $3,000 while the Fire Department received $2,000.

The "Black Jack-Jackhammer Friday" was the latest, but possibly not the last of a wild set of 2010 promotions from 2 Guys, including their 25th anniversary celebration during which a Rolls Royce Silver Spur was given away, a hilarious comic book which tracks Garofalo and his late brother on a fictional tour around the cigar world looking for a big name maker to create an anniversary cigar for them and now this. But the year still has a month to go . . .
~ Rich Perelman

In no particular order, here are ten of our favorites for 2010:

Cigars: Romeo y Julieta 1875 Tubos
One of the best gift of this or any season is Altadis U.S.A.'s selection of popular Romeo y Julieta 1875 cigars in aluminum tubes in boxes of 10. Take your pick of Churchills (7 inches by 50 ring), Clemenceaus (6 x 50), Rothchildes (5 x 50), Numero Dos (6 1/8 x 52 torpedo), Petite Numero Dos (5 x 52 torpedo) or Romeo's Court (5 1/2 x 44) with pricing ranging from $62.50-77.50 per box. If you prefer the elegance of glass tubes, you can choose the Deluxe No. 1 (7 x 50) or Deluxe No. 2 (6 x 50) at $67.50 or $65.00, respectively.

Cigars: Personalized Cigars from Label Your Cigar
There is nothing quite like a truly personalized gift. The personalized-label program at Label Your Cigar already offers 47 standard label formats that can be customized with two lines of 15-18 letters each with pretty modest costs: bundles of 25 cigars from the very nice Pedro Estevez blend (five different sizes and three different wrappers are available) go for $49.95 each, plus a one-time $65.00 fee to create the label itself for any of the 47 standard designs. For a 100-cigar order, that would be a quite-accessible $265.00 plus shipping! If you prefer your own artwork, there is a one-time charge of $285.00 for press set-up which is waived with orders of 1,000 cigars (40 bundles) or more.

Cigars: La Flor Dominicana Salomones
Sometimes you find cigars which are so beautiful that they deserve to be stared at rather than smoked. The La Flor Dominicana Salomones fall into this category: gorgeous limited-edition perfectos of seven inches long by 64 ring gauge, featuring an Ecuadorian-grown Habano wrapper and Dominican-grown binder and filler leaves from Litto Gomez's own La Canela farms. Whether in natural or maduro, the semi-circular presentation inside boxes of 10 is just as special as the cigars themselves, and quite accessibly priced at $119.00 per box (plus local taxes).

Accessories: Colibri Hybrid dual-style lighter
If you love gadgets and especially unexpected features on an otherwise mundane item, the Colibri Hybrid is for you. It appears to be a fairly conventional butane lighter with a standard flame, but press the special valve on the front and it turns into a single-flame torch, perfect for outdoor use or for lighting those larger cigars. It's elegantly made, feels solid in the hand and comes in a choice of four colors in a cross-hatched design, with a suggested retail price of $100.00 each. It's a classic.

Accessories: Gentleman's Vice cigar and golf tool
Golf and cigars are almost inseparable and in this new, all-in-one unit, you'll find a double-bladed cigar cutter that fits up to a 57-ring gauge cigar, complete with a backstop to keep your cut to the right depth; a sculpted and grooved top to use as a cigar rest; a push-out divot-repair tool; a ball marker, held in place by a strong magnet when not in use and a one-inch-wide clip for easy handling on your belt or bag. It comes with a heavy nylon sheath in two styles: the "A" Series made of aluminum and priced at $29.95 each in a choice of four colors, and the "P" Series, made of lightweight polycarbonate and ABS plastics, priced at $19.95 each, in five colors.

There's something for everyone in a variety of price ranges for this holiday season; you can check on street prices for more than 800 brands of cigars from our top-ten national retailers in our exclusive Comparison Shopper. Owing to the Thanksgiving holiday, our next Comparison Shopper update will be on Friday, December 3. In the meantime, don't get caught in too many shopping mall traffic jams!
~ Rich Perelman

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going directly to Heaven, we were all going the other way.

On the positive side, this is a golden age for cigars coming from the three major cigar-producing nations - the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua - as well as for boutique brands from the Bahamas, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico and elsewhere. Perhaps never before has there been so much good tobacco for blending, and so many enthusiastic growers and blenders who are working to create new strains of cigar tobacco which are more and more flavorful and more resistant to disease and spoilage.

Cigars themselves are better than ever, and new cigar stars are being created constantly. Just five years ago, who had ever heard of Jesus Fuego? Or A.J. Fernandez? Or the "Fifth Generation" of the Quesada family, three women and three men who have dedicated themselves to carrying on the family's tradition in tobacco and the pioneering work of father/uncle Manolo Quesada at MATASA?

Moreover, excellent cigars are being made by all types of producers, large and small, in an ever-evolving range of shapes, sizes and prices. General Cigar's Macanudo continues as the nation's leading premium brand and the quality has never been better, with Altadis U.S.A.'s Romeo y Julieta lines close behind. At the top end, you can get an exquisite Gurkha Spec Ops cigar packed in a watertight, Pelican-style chest, protected by dense foam padding and with a specially-commissioned, "Special Operations"-style knife inside, or a custom-made satchel complete with a selection of La Gloria Cubana cigars and interior humidor. Or, take your pick of outstanding value brands at $2-3 a cigar like Drew Estate's La Vieja Habana, the JM's Dominican lines or Altadis U.S.A.'s Casa de Garcia.

And although we who enjoy premium cigars are a distinct minority - perhaps less than three million nationally - and well less than a million who are truly passionate about it, has there ever been a time when smokers were more enthusiastic? There are magazines, Web sites, Webcasts, radio shows, Twitter feeds and an organization - Cigar Rights of America which is trying to look out for the dwindling rights of cigar smokers.

All of these positive elements, however, are shadowed by a determined, fanatical and smart anti-smoking lobby which is hell-bent on "saving" smokers from themselves. They have spun and twisted the science of smoke to create a winning narrative that (a) the costs of smoking in terms of "lost productivity" and "medical care" are greater than the billions in taxes paid by smokers of all types annually and that (b) secondhand smoke is a killer which must be stopped.

In just the past two weeks, ordinances passed in Santa Clara County, California have banned the sale of all flavored tobacco (including in cigars), banned smoking in smokeshops, banned smoking in all area of new and existing multi-unit residential buildings (including condominiums) and required licenses for tobacco retailers, and the City of San Jose is considering a ban on all displays of tobacco products in all shops, including tobacco stores. The anti-smoking lobby is quite clever in that it is not pressing for Prohibition - already a failure for alcohol 90 years ago - but is essentially disallowing anyone a place to smoke.

However, there are positive developments in this area. Charles Janigian, head of tobacco products distributor JMG International and president of the California Association of Retail Tobacconists, tirelessly lobbied both the Santa Clara County Supervisors and the San Jose City Council and has made some progress. The ban on the sale of flavored tobacco as it impacts cigars and pipe tobacco is being studied and will come back for review in 30-60 days, and Janigian has been invited to give input the San Jose staff members writing the proposed ordinance.

"You have to be engaged," Janigian said. "If you state your position and tell City Councils and Boards of Supervisors that you are willing to accommodate their interests in keeping young people from smoking as long as they accommodate adult smokers, especially of cigars and pipes, many are willing to listen. But you have to be engaged."

For folks like Janigian, who has worked tirelessly to protect the ability of retail stores to sell tobacco products and allow smoking inside, we can all be thankful. But our future, and the future of cigars, rests with each one of us who knows - or has access to - a local, regional or national legislator.
~ Rich Perelman

The November 30 program, to be held on the Cigar Terrace of London's fashionable - and cigar-friendly - Boisdale of Belgravia restaurant, promises to be one of the more lively events of its kind, with an extensive catalog of classic and recent but rare Havana cigars. Some of the highlights include 11 Davidoff (Havana) lots, 21 Dunhill lots and 47 lots of pre-embargo Havanas, some with brand names long forgotten such as A.R. Suraez y Ca., Castenada, El Talento, Flor de Lobeto, La Cachimba and many others. The top-ten items according to anticipated selling price:

Among the single cigars expected to sell for staggering prices includes three lots of Davidoff 80 Aniversarios (9 1/4 x 47) in individual wooden tubes, each expected to being £300-400 ($475-633)!

A special auction for charity will be held of a humidor (pictured above) given by the late Cuban tobacco legend Alejandro Robaina to Winston Churchill's great-granddaughter Jennie in 2004 and including 108 specially-banded Romeo y Julieta Churchills (7 x 47). Ms. Churchill is the daughter of Winston S. Churchill who passed away earlier this year, and will be present for the event, with the proceeds going to Action Against Hunger and the Prostate Cancer Charity. Coincidentally, the event is being held on 136th anniversary of Winston Churchill's birth in 1874.

It promises to be quite an event, and the biggest yet of the vintage cigar actions organized by Cgars Ltd chief Mitchell Orchant in collaboration with Brian Ebbesen, the former head of cigar auctions at Christie's. How about a live Webcast?
~ Rich Perelman

Up until the 2007 decision in Leegin Creative Products v. PSKS, Inc., 551 U.S. 877, it was blatantly illegal for manufacturers or distributors to require retailers to sell their products at a specific price, under a 1911 decision in Dr. Miles Medical Co. v. John D. Park & Sons, 220 U.S. 373. In the Leegin decision, the Court - by a 5-4 margin - held that competition between brands as opposed to within brands was the essence of competition that was required by the Sherman Anti-Trust Act and its progeny. As Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion:

Resale price maintenance may also give consumers more options to choose among low-price, low-service brands; high-price, high-service brands; and brands falling in between.

Today, in the cigar trade as well as in almost every other field, manufacturers now routinely fix prices under their distribution agreements on their high-end brands. But the loser in the Leegin case did not quit, even though its business - Kay's Kloset - closed due to the Court decision.

Instead, Dallas-based Kay's refiled its case, asking that the Court's new test for anticompetitive pricing - on an individual, case-by-case basis - be applied in its suit. The new suit lost at both the District Court and Court of Appeals level, where it had won originally. But last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Kay's has appealed to the Supreme Court once again in hopes of narrowing the Leegin decision and allowing retailers to pursue remedies against manufacturers on an individual basis, even an individual item basis if desired.

The Supreme Court appeal was filed on November 15 and there is no indication yet as to whether the Court will hear the case. In the meantime, Kay's appeal has drawn interest from Harvard law processor Einer Elhauge, who assisted on the brief asking the Court to hear the case and from the Federal Trade Commission, whose chairman told reporters that he would like to find "the right case to protect consumers" and to "test the law."

If the Leegin decision was to be overturned or significantly restrained, it would immediately impact cigar prices nationwide. Smokers would see prices on price-controlled, top-end brands lowered by discounters; a welcome development for cigar buyers, but further widening the gap between brick-and-mortar retailers who maintain retail or near-retail pricing on their shelves and the national mail-order/online retailers who emphasize discount pricing.
~ Rich Perelman

Most recently, the second Macanudo Millionaire contest concluded with five winners flown to Las Vegas for three days and two nights at the Palms Hotel & Casino, and the chance to win $2 million if dealt a straight flush on November 13.

The winners were selected from a national essay contest won by Dan Newman of Liberty Township, Ohio and from smaller contests held by four national retailers - Cigars International, J-R Cigars, Mike's Cigars and Thompson Cigar. Newman's winning essay:

My favorite Macanudo moment happens quite often. It is everytime I light up a Macanudo and simply take a moment to relax and enjoy life. One of the fundamental rights we have in this wonderful country of ours is the right to the pursuit of happiness. Although we all have the daily stresses of professional and family obligations, it is important, in my mind, to have as many moments of happiness as possible. Quite possibly the secret to lifelong happiness is not achieving some material gain or some end result, rather collecting as many moments of joy one can with loved ones and good friends. In addition to spending time with my wife and daughter (see attached photo) I happen to have a monthly get-together with a cadre of friends. These meetings always involve a pint (actually pints) or a glass (or usually glasses) of scotch accompanied with a Macanudo (ok - more than one - but don't tell my wife). I typically bring a bunch of Caviar or Petite Corona cigars for the fellas to enjoy. For me, one of the joys in my life is enjoying a drink, conversing with fellas, and smoking a very good, consistently mild cigar - that is, a Macanudo. Also, quite frequently on my commute home, on a very congested highway, I crank up the radio, crack open the window, and light up a Caviar. When I have more time, a Macanudo Gold Label Shakespeare is my smoke of choice - a moment of joy!

None of the five contestants won the $2 million, but two won $1,000 for drawing two pair.

The Partagas Man of Distinction contest had a single winner, chosen by essay, who won a four-day, three-night trip to Napa Valley, California for a tour of five boutique wineries - Sterling, Hewitt, Provenance, Acacia and Beaulieu George LaTour - and dined with San Francisco chef Joey Altman. The winner was Wayne Morales of Glendora, California; his winning essay:

An average man becomes successful working hard in academics and career to achieve success. That's not where it ends; I seek to be something more satisfying "The First Partagas Man of Distinction." A Partagas Man of Distinction has already achieved success and rises above the average. He sets himself above the rest by choosing cigars embodying pure academics of perfection with minimal effort. He chooses with delicate care a bountiful odyssey of taste that begins at first draw; from the soil used to grow his Black Label Robusto, to the aging of the finest leaves that satisfy his indulgence in every draw. Let us not forget the fine wine he knows to select. A full-bodied Italian red to compliment the beautiful marriage of his puro y vino. The scent of perfectly-aged grapes in the wine and spices in his puro alerting his senses - much like a beautiful woman catching his eye using his art of selection. These traits are missed by the average man - distracted by undervalued investments. A Partagas Man of Distinction has only time for investments guaranteeing a return in the most important dividend of pleasure. I more than anyone else, deserve to be this man.

Morales, an 18-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force and now the Air Force Reserves, took the trip with his wife Elsa and so impressed the General Cigar staff with his passion for Partagas that he has been named a "General Cigar Ambassador" for the brand. Who knows; soon, his flying schedule may include promoting Partagas at events throughout the country!
~ Rich Perelman

We'll draw a new winner every week for a single prize; you can enter below for free!

Up for your pleasure this week is as big a cigar as you can find on the U.S. market: the 10-inch by 66-ring Dominican Original "Fat Tub." Despite its size, this is a mild blend of tobaccos, featuring a genuine Connecticut Shade wrapper and Dominican-grown interior leaves, offered in a bundle of five very, very large cigars! These things could last through an entire football game! It's offered courtesy of Mike's Cigars. and will be awarded in our drawing to be held on Sunday, November 28.

Congratulations to Connor Gravette of Bowling Green, Kentucky, winner of our Register & Win drawing for a biblical box of Adan y Eva Panetelas Maduro from our Perelman, Pioneer & Company humidors, courtesy of Eden's Gate Cigars in our drawing held on November 21. You can see our complete list of this year's winners below the registration form.

To enter, just fill in the form below. If you have entered in the past, there is no need to re-enter; all past entries are carried forward to future drawings. You must be 21 or older to win; good luck!
~ Rich Perelman

Christie's thinks they have the genuine article and it is going up for auction as Lot 163 of its "Fine Printed Books and Manuscripts" program in London on November 30. The item description:

CHURCHILL, Winston S. (1874-1965). Churchill's full-cut crocodile-skin cigar case, c.1934, by Cartier Ltd, London, the initials 'W S C' set in brass on the fastening, length 170mm x width 90mm, a single cigar (unmarked) remaining in the four-cigar chamber. Provenance: manufactured especially for Churchill in c.1934 (information from Cartier archives); given by Clementine Churchill to Churchill's former bodyguard Inspector Cyril Davies after Churchill's death (typed letter signed, 22 June 1965; compliments slip 'Sent with Lady Spencer-Churchill's compliments and good wishes'); acquired by the present owner from Davies's estate; [with] three telegrams from Churchill to Inspector Davies, acknowledging birthday wishes in 1959, 1963 and 1964.

The cigar case is heavily rubbed, and was evidently frequently used by Churchill in the last three decades of his life: the presence of a last, unsmoked cigar is particularly poignant. Cyril Davies (d.1995) was Churchill's bodyguard during World War 2, accompanying him for example to Quebec to meet Roosevelt in 1944 (Gilbert Winston Churchill VII (1986) p.938 n.2); he had joined the Metropolitan Police in 1929, retiring in 1954 (Finest Hour, Autumn 1995, no.88).(4)

The item (illustrated in the catalog; use the link to see it) is expected to fetch from £4,000-£6,000 or $6,416 to $9,624 U.S. (not including a 17.5% buyer's premium), but could conceivably go much higher. It's a pity that the last cigar in Churchill's case did not have a band on it, or the price would go much higher, so that the winner could say he owned the last cigar in Churchill's personal case!
~ Rich Perelman

We found deals on 35 brands; you can search for more savings yourself using our exclusive Comparison Shopper, with street prices on 841 brands from our top-ten national retailers. And away we go:

BestCigarPrices.com:
Special pricing on the Nicaraguan-made Red Lion brand, a conventionally-styled cigar from the distributors of the unconventional Heaven series:

Cigars-For-Less:
Take $10 off on boxes of the rarely-discounted Arturo Fuente Don Carlos series, while supplies last:

Arturo Fuente Hemingway Series Work of Art (4 7/8 x 56), in boxes of 25 was $187.95, now $177.95.

Famous Smoke Shop:
Lots of specials, but all with expiration dates of November 24 or 28, so buyer beware!

601 Oscuro Green Label:

601 Habano Red Label Rabito (6 /12 x 46), 20 was $119.97, now $99.97 through November 24.

Alec Bradley Prensado:

Avo Domaine:

Avo XO:

C.A.O. America:

C.A.O. l’Anniversaire Maduro Robusto (5 x 50), in boxes of 20 was $129.99, now $86.97 through November 24.

Fonseca 10-10 (7 x 50), in the box of 25 was $89.99, now $79.97 through November 24.

H. Upmann:

Perdomo Lot 23:

Romeo y Julieta Habana Reserve:

Tabacos Baez Serie H Famosos (5 x 50), in boxes of 20 was $122.99, now $110.95 through November 28.

Holt’s:
A rare discount on the new E.P. Carrillo Edicion Limitada 2010 Elencos (6 x 54), in boxes of 10 for $134.95.

J-R Cigars:
If you are a bargain-cigar shopper, look no further than the stunning prices on the all-handmade Casa de Garcia line from Altadis U.S.A.! Yippee! Also:

Bering:

Bering Hallmark:

Casa Blanca:

Casa de Garcia:

Don Mateo:

Juan Lopez:

Omar Ortez Honduran Maduro:

Onyx Reserve:

Playboy:

Playboy by Don Diego:

Primo del Rey:

Mike's Cigars:
Lovers of big-ring cigars will enjoy this big-savings special on the Alec Bradley MAXX The Freak (6 3/8 x 60), now available in boxes of 20 for $76.95 each!

Ashton Aged Cabinet Selection (listed under Ashton Vintage):

H. Upmann Sun Grown:

Serious Cigars:
Terrific savings on the value-priced Sancho Panza line, but also:

C.A.O. Mx2 Beli (7 x 56), in boxes of 20 for $101.95, lowest we have seen.

Camacho Corojo Scorpion (6 1/2 x 56), in the box of 21 for $188.95.

Gran Habano No. 3 Gran Robusto (6 x 54), in boxes of 20 for $60.80.

My Father Le Bijou 1922 Grand Robusto (5 5/8 x 55), in the box of 23 for $212.50, lowest in our survey.

Sancho Panza Double Maduro:

We'll have our Register & Win winner of the week announcement later today!
~ Rich Perelman

That's Bill Davis, owner of West Coast Cigar in San Jose, California, stating the obvious in the face of an onerous new licensing program now being proposed by the City of San Jose which would not only impose a $450-per-year fee on all tobacco retailers in the city, but also require that would prohibit "all self-service displays of tobacco products" - such as walk-in humidors - as require that "all tobacco products and tobacco paraphernalia to be stored or kept out of public view."

To protest the ordinance and an additional ordinance under consideration by the County of Santa Clara to ban the sale of all flavored tobacco products - cigars and pipe tobaccos - a major educational rally to protect smoker's rights is being held on Monday, November 22 at the Mission Pipe Shop - 1205 The Alameda - from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.

"The San Jose City Council has not performed an economic impact report on their planned licensing scheme," noted California Association of Retail Tobacconists chief Charles Janigian. "They assume that all 855 current retailers of tobacco products will continue to sell tobacco products after they impose the new licensing fee. In fact, 20% of the current small retailers of tobacco products will, most probably, not be able to afford the new license." The new fee is supposed to cover the costs of two new Code Enforcement Inspectors, but if the number of retailers falls, so will the revenue expected from this new tax."

What's amazing in all of this is that the State of California already has a comprehensive licensing program for stores that sell tobacco products and an undercover compliance check program to insure against selling tobacco to minors. As Janigian pointed out in a letter to the Santa Clara County Supervisors, "the average age of someone who visits a tobacconist store in the County is over the age of 30, considered an adult who can choose between right and wrong . . ."

The County has already passed NS-625.5, banning smoking in parks, hotel rooms and even in cigar stores, and NS-625.6, prohibiting smoking in all multi-unit residences (including inside one's own home) beginning in 14 months, applicable only in unincorporated areas of the County. It notes in its report on the ordinance that there is no "constitutional right to smoke."

If you can, join Janigian, Davis, Andrew Reddy of Club Havana Premium Cigars, Flip & Debbie Morton of Smokers Paradise and host Donna Brown of the Mission Pipe Shop on Monday.
~ Rich Perelman

Declaration:
[Dominican Republic: available in 3 sizes]
There is no mistaking the Jameson Cigar Company's Declaration brand. It started as a one-size line in 2009, with the Iniquity measuring 5 1/2 inches long by 50 ring and featuring an extra-dark Nicaraguan-grown wrapper with a Dominican-grown binder and filler. And then there is the giant band, picturing an eagle with the word "Declaration" below it.

The cigar itself lights easily and has a spicy aroma with a medium-to-full body. The flavor is rich, sweet and tart, with a taste slightly reminiscent of black cherries, and a slightly sweet finish. Well constructed, it burns easily and has an easy draw.

It stays fairly consistent into the second half, with somewhat less intensity and the rise of a modest, spicy finish. A stronger note of spice and a bit of pepper come into play in the last quarter of the cigar.

Declaration is an entertaining cigar, with plenty of flavor and a certain edge that underscores its protest message against the bans and taxes being forced upon cigar enthusiasts. It is uniquely offered in boxes of 21, now in three sizes, varying in price from $5.71 to $6.19 each, not including local sales and tobacco taxes.
Overall grade: : Excellent.

All three of the Jameson lines, the Black Label, Red Label and Declaration, scored four or more stars in our tastings over the past month, underscoring the continuing quality of Luis Sanchez's Tabacalera LTC. The Jameson brand may be underappreciated for now, but that it not likely to continue too much longer in the future.
~ Rich Perelman

Havana Sunrise:
[Honduras: available in 6 sizes]
The current edition of the Havana Sunrise line debuted in 2007 as a mild cigar that can be enjoyed even by beginners, with an Ecuadorian-grown wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and Honduran-grown filler leaves.

The wrapper is extremely light in color and sets off the red-and-gold band quite well. It lights easily and is an excellent example of a mild-bodied cigar that has a most modest presence in the mouth, even in the larger sizes.

The flavor is compact as well, with just a small, sweet tone and grace notes of spice and pepper which you'll notice on the back of your throat. It smokes calmly and evenly, with a slightly spicy aroma and an easy draw.

It would be easy to criticize this cigar for being meek, but that's what it is designed to be. On that basis, it continues in a straight line into the second half, with a light flavor and a light, spicy finish. There is a modest peppery note in the final third as the cigar wraps up. Havana Sunrise is well made and easy to smoke, but it is not a bell-ringer and lacks the subtlety and finesse of a top-of-the-line mild-bodied blend like the Macanudo Gold Label.

But if you take the "Sunrise" aspect of its name literally, you could well endorse it as a morning cigar, as it friendly enough and will not challenge you. All six sizes are offered in boxes of 25 with accessible pricing from $4.00-$5.20, not including local taxes.
Overall grade: : Good.

There have been so many ups and downs for the Havana Sunrise brand that it is perhaps appropriate that it is now a mild-bodied, relaxed blend that doesn't require too much thought. It is a brand at rest, for smokers looking for a light, easy diversion.
~ Rich Perelman

That's Rocky Patel, who has been busy this week as host to a series of pre-opening parties for his Burn by Rocky Patel lounge, located in Naples, Florida and formally opening to the public tomorrow (November 19). The facility is located in the tony Mercato Shops complex.

"I wanted to make sure that when we were ready for the public to join us, the Burn experience was complete perfection. I have hand-selected every cigar, each bottle of wine, and even each piece of furniture, to create the perfect luxury-lounge experience."

Naturally, all of Patel's cigar lines will be offered, along with a selection of specially-made cigars by nine other makers, including Arturo Fuente, Ashton, C.A.O., Casa Fernandez, Drew Estate, Illusione, La Flor Dominicana, My Father Cigars and Padron. Only the Illusione line is in now, offered in four sizes: Robusto (5 inches by 52 ring), Toro Gordo (6 x 56), Churchill (6 7/8 x 48) and Torpedo (6 1/4 x 52), priced at $9-11 each.

Comprising about 3,000 sq.ft., Burn has an official capacity of 210 and will be open seven days a week from 11 a.m. in the morning to 2 a.m. the following morning. "The concept of Burn has been in the works for several years," Patel said. "Featuring a design that draws on an exotic mix of Mediterranean, Asian and Cuban cultures, Burn is a sanctuary for those that enjoy fine cigars and premium spirits." The menu includes a wide variety of wines from around the world, but also a variety of spirits, emphasizing single-malt Scotches, Bourbons and others.

Patel already has the second-largest network of branded lounges in the U.S. with more than 15 in place. But he is one of the few to open and operate his own lounge at his own expense, a la the iconic Club Macanudo in New York, a landmark for smokers since it opened in 1996. Unlike Club Mac, however, Burn will not serve food, but is a cigar divan and bar only. However, several of the upscale restaurants in the Mercato Shops will deliver to Burn, including Asian-themed AZN, the Capital Grille, McCormick & Schmick's and others.

(Nice picture, Rock; despite the resemblance, we are assured that the young lady in the photo is not Teresa Merchant, the "Smokin' Hot Cigar Chick.")

How well Burn does will be closely watched within the trade, as manufacturers consider whether to invest in their own smoking-allowed facilities as the next step to giving smokers a place to go and enjoy an increasingly harassed product.
~ Rich Perelman

The newest facility has opened inside the St. Pete Times Forum, home of the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League, making it the first-ever branded cigar lounge inside an NHL-tenant arena. The Diamond Crown Lounge is located inside the fifth-floor Channelside Club, and unlike some other cigars-allowed areas in other arenas, has a full view of the arena interior. And it has the standard amenities, such as a full bar, flat-panel televisions, custom-made humidor and a state-of-the-art ventilation system.

Moreover, the Diamond Crown line is now the "Official Cigar" of the Tampa Bay Lightning and, according to the announcement of the new Lounge, the Most Valuable Player of each Lightning home game will receive a Diamond Crown victory cigar with the slogan "give that man a Diamond Crown!"

It's the 54th Diamond Crown Lounge, with more coming. For J.C. Newman, it's their second hometown cigar bar, after becoming a pioneer with the 1998 opening of the Cuesta-Rey Cigar Bar in the CenterField Street section of Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays.
~ Rich Perelman

In a new feature authored by Claudia Puszkar-Vetter, some of Havana's famous factories - past and present - are being profiled and Gener's La Escepcion is reviewed in the new Autumn issue. Writes Puszkar-Vetter (also the photographer of the picture of the factory):

Let us begin with a factory whose owner went down in history as someone who was only interested in success and would literally stop at nothing: Jose Gener y Batet and his La Escepcion factory.

Gener came to Cuba from Spain in 1831 as a 13-year-old and in his early 30s borrowed money from an uncle who happened to be a cigar maker, in order to start a tobacco farming and sales organization. But according to Puszkar-Vetter, he used a series of "deceitful methods and financial scheming" to acquire some of the best land in the Vuelta Abajo region, including a plantation named "Hoyo de Monterrey."

By 1867, he forced the same uncle who lent him his original stake out of business and took it over. Using money from the wealthy Batet family that he married into, he expanded his empire and built his factory in the middle of Havana in 1882. It's a four-story-high palace, with intricate ironwork balconies and staircase railings that takes up nearly an entire city block. And it housed what was reputed to be the largest cigar-making operation in the world, turning out 50 million cigars a year in the 1890s, primarily under the brand names Hoyo de Monterrey, Jose Gener and La Escepcion. Located at Calle Maximo Gomez 51 (today Calle Monte 51), it sits just a few blocks from the Capitolio, the legendary home of the Cuban government in pre-Revolutionary times.

However, it wasn't all fun:

Personally, Jose Gener was not a pleasant man. His roughness to others affected everyone. The factory workers experienced his manner day and night, and an atmosphere of fear prevailed in the factory as long as he lived. Trainees, for instance, who did not do their work perfectly were locked into a room of the factory overnight. When a fire broke out one night, two of them burned to death, since body could hear their screams.

And after Gener died in 1900, there was a newspaper report of his funeral, in which "employees gave vent to their anger by throwing dead cats, rats and dogs at the funeral procession from the surrounding roof terraces."

Following his death, the firm continued, but was sold in the 1930s to Fernandez, Palicio y Cia., which held onto it through nationalization. Francisco Palicio himself later made a deal to sell his brand trademarks to Villazon & Co. in the 1960s, paving the way for the introduction of Belinda, Hoyo de Monterrey, La Escepcion, Punch and others to be made outside of Cuba and sold in the U.S. beginning in 1969.

However, his elegant factory still stands. It has long ceased to be involved with cigars, turned into a government warehouse and office building. Puszkar-Vetter says it's in pretty good shape for a nearly 140-year-old building in Cuba.

Gener's famous brands are mostly gone, too, although Hoyo is still quite popular and General Cigar released its own version of La Escepcion last year, featuring the ancient box artwork and a picture of Gener - one of the cigar industry's legendary meanies - himself!
~ Rich Perelman

In a single, handy unit, you’ll find:

Best of all, the entire unit is just 3 3/4 inches tall, 1 5/8 inches wide and only a half-inch thick. Close your hand around it and it essentially disappears.

Plus, each Gentleman’s Vice comes with an elegant, heavy nylon sheath that keeps it out of trouble and has a clip to attach to your golf bag. It can also be customized with a corporate or personal logo for gifts if desired.

Two styles are available: the Gentleman’s Vice “A” Series made of aluminum and priced at $29.95 each in a choice of four colors, and the “P” Series, made of lightweight polycarbonate and ABS plastics, priced at $19.95 each, in five colors.

In either version, you’ll be the one with style for both golf and cigars. Now, if they could only design a torch lighter into this thing . . .
~ Rich Perelman

The first Festival del Tabacos in Nicaragua was held in the first week in December in 2009, but a second edition was not organized for this year. But the folks at Drew Estate put on their own show, called the Cigar Safari, focused on La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate, which sits imposingly above - what else - a tobacco plantation.

The Drew Estate Cigar Safari is a four-day, three-nights tour of the Drew Estate factory and nearby fields and curing barns in and around Esteli, Nicaragua, where essentially all of the Nicaraguan cigar industry is located. Recognizing the reluctance of some Americans to travel to a country which has not always been too friendly to los Norte Americanos, the Cigar Safari program is all-inclusive, offering a chaperoned tour, all meals and even accommodations on the grounds of the Drew Estate factory.

Drew Estate co-founder Jonathan Drew designed the accommodations himself, reportedly based on the facilities and amenities at the nearby Hotel Los Archos, the top-rated hotel in Esteli (and possibly the best in all of northern Nicaragua). These "cabanas" are complimented by an elegant lounge for the pleasure of its smoking guests.

The tour itself begins at the Managua Airport, where you are met by Drew Estate staff members, who help to guide you through all aspects of the program until returned to the airport for the flight home. The four-day program includes visits to the factory, fields and barns, showcasing each step from seedling to finished cigar.

There are visits available to nearby Granada as well as to local volcanos, important to cigar makers for the qualities they bring to the soil and through it to the tobacco. It is an all-in-one view of how cigars are made and especially intensive as a limit of 15 tour members can be accommodated on any one trip.

Best of all, the scheduling is flexible and the price is right. The excellently-organized ProCigar Festival and the new Humo Jaguar Festival both take place in February and that's it. Cigar Safari programs are run from September through March, with 2-4 tours a month available. Eight tours were scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2010 and for the first quarter in 2011.

The price is just $650 for the program, not including airfare, but including local transit, accommodations, meals and, of course, plenty of cigars. Nicaragua is the hottest cigar-producing country in the world today and although well behind Cuba in history and the Dominican Republic in total output, is worth a look. And the Drew Estate folks, who have helped to create the Nicaraguan cigar-making boom, are part of the reason why.
~ Rich Perelman

The new and long-anticipated TatuajeCigars.com site offers a host of features that offer all the detail you could want on this expanding assortment of blends and brands:

The La Casita Criolla is planned for next year in three sizes, with a U.S. Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper and Mexican and Nicaraguan interior leaves. Fausto is also planned for three sizes, with an Ecuadorian-grown Habano Maduro wrapper and Nicaraguan interior leaves. Both are expected to be made by My Father Cigars in Nicaragua. By announcing these now, Johnson deftly moves all of the speculation about these new blends from "what are they?" to "how good are they?" Smart, very smart.

There are other highlights on the new Tatuaje site, including a feed of Johnson's Tweets, a sort-of blog and reprinting of articles about Johnson and his cigars in a section called "Scoop," calendar of events (Johnson's 40th birthday party is coming up on December 7, at a secure but undisclosed location) and an excellent photo gallery.

There is also a section on "Swag" with T-shirts and hats, but here's hoping that Johnson will offer his all-in-one cigar tool for sale someday. It's a compact, four-inch-long hammer (for closing boxes), crow bar (for opening boxes) and nail remover (for the box nails) in a brilliant silver finish with the Tatuaje logo and a sturdy leather pouch . . . the perfect gift for the smoker who really has everything!

In our September interview, Johnson acknowledged that this revision of his site took longer than he had hoped, but "now all the details are there and everyone can know everything about everything we make; no more mystery and rumors."
~ Rich Perelman

We'll draw a new winner every week for a single prize; you can enter below for free!

Up for your pleasure this week is a biblical box of Adan y Eva Panetelas, elegant 7-inch by 38-ring cigars made in the Dominican Republic. This edition features a medium-to-full-bodied smoke thanks to the Dominican-grown maduro wrapper, combined with Dominican binder and filler leaves and just enough Nicaraguan filler to make things interesting. This box is provided courtesy of Eden's Gate Cigars and will be awarded in our drawing to be held on Sunday, November 21.

Congratulations to Kevin Petes of St. John's, Florida, winner of our Register & Win drawing for a historic bundle of Villar y Villar Valentinos from our Perelman, Pioneer & Company humidors, courtesy of J-R Cigars in our drawing held on November 7. You can see our complete list of this year's winners below the registration form.

To enter, just fill in the form below. If you have entered in the past, there is no need to re-enter; all past entries are carried forward to future drawings. You must be 21 or older to win; good luck!
~ Rich Perelman

BestCigarPrices.com:
The new generation of Fonseca is well represented by the Fonseca Cubano Limitado Belicoso (6 1/4 x 52), now offered in a sampler of five for $28.95.

La Flor Dominicana:

Bonita Smoke Shop:
Altadis U.S.A.'s new H. Upmann Sun Grown is on sale at Bonita at nice prices:

Cigars-For-Less:
Great savings on some of the best-known Rocky Patel lines . . . while they last!

La Aurora Preferidos:

Rocky Patel Renaissance:

Rocky Patel Sun Grown:

Rocky Patel Vintage 1990:

Rocky Patel Vintage 1992:

Rocky Patel Vintage 1999:

Cigars International:
Both Cigars International and J-R Cigars are offering the same, discounted pricing on the new Macanudo Cru Royale:

J-R Cigars:
The gorgeous La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Obelisco (5 x 57), is now on sale in the half-moon box of 25 for just $124.95 . . . Wow!

Macanudo Cru Royale, at the same discounted rate as Cigars International:

Primo del Rey, always an excellent value and now even more so:

Mike's Cigars:
A rare chance to save on the elegant Ashton VSG: line:

Serious Cigars:
One of the classic cigars on the American market - a winner since its introduction in 1969 - is Hoyo de Monterrey, and now the Estelo Tubo (5 x 52 in aluminum tubes), in boxes of 20, is on sale for $69.50. Also:

MATASA 30th Anniversary Toro (6 1/2 x 52), in boxes of 20 for $175.20.

Partagas Black Label Magnifico (6 x 54), also in 20s for $79.95.

Sancho Panza:

Superior Cigars:
The Brick by Carlos Torano is a well-made, value cigar and now even better with major savings:

We'll have our Register & Win winner of the Week announcement later today.
~ Rich Perelman

When it comes to selling cigars, there aren' t too many people better than Lew Rothman of J-R Cigars to listen to. And in the new, Winter 2010 edition of Cigar Magazine,, Rothman let loose with a lengthy discussion of what he thinks will happen when - at some point in the future - the U.S. trade embargo with Cuba ends.

The short answer, at least as far as cigars goes - Rothman says - is, "Cuban cigars will be easy to get" but that at least some of the most famous brands may not be available for a while. A brief summary:

No matter how Cuban cigars begin flowing after the embargo ends, Rothman worries that the initial appetite to try Cuban cigars will have a significant, negative impact on today's big U.S. brands:

Not only will consumers be buying Cuban cigars in lieu of the Central American brands, but tobacconists across the nation will have to reduce their inventories of brands like Fuente, Macanudo and the like in order to accumulate the finances and display space to take on the many Havana brands. Will that downward spike in demand for the cigars made in Nicaragua, Honduras and the Dominican Republic be big enough to put some manufacturers out of business?

That's about a good a look at the situation as we have seen anywhere and there are lots more details in the full article in another entertaining issue. In addition to a load of other features, especially a great one on how the cigar blending process works, there was also a tasting by a panel of magazine subscribers of 20 of the top-graded cigars from the previous six years.

The winner of the new tasting ended up being the Hoyo de Monterrey Dark Sumatra Media Noche, a 5 3/4-inch by 54-ring robusto from General Cigar's Honduran operation. It garnered the top scores in Group 1 for appearance (90 points), construction (91) and tied with the H. Upmann Bankers Delicioso (5 1/2 x 44) for taste, at 88, leading to a final score of 90. The H. Upmann ended up second with an average of 88.8. In Group 2, the top scorers were the Montecristo No. 1 (6 1/2 x 44) from Altadis U.S.A.'s massive Tabacalera de Garcia in the Dominican Republic and the Partagas Black Label Bravo (4 1/2 x 54) from General Cigar Dominicana, both with averages of 88.8 points. The Montecristo came out tops in appearance (90) and tied with the Partagas Black for construction (89); the Partagas Black had the most points for taste, at 90.
~ Rich Perelman

That's Tim Ozgener, in a statement circulated on Tuedday (November 9), adding more precision to the General Cigar news release which announced his departure from the company as part of the creation of the new Scandinavian Tobacco Group. "While I am leaving the manufacturer side of this great business, I will continue my efforts on the political and social fronts in aiding to lobby against egregious anti-smoking legislation and taxation wherever and whenever I am able, as I have done during the past several years."

Ozgener's statement explained that "I find myself in need of clarifying several matters pursuant to the recent press release that was distributed regarding my departure from C.A.O. It is true that after 16 years I am stepping down from my position at C.A.O. and will no longer be involved with the company effective immediately. The reasons that lead me to this most difficult decision, however, may not be as transparent.

"The reality of the matter is that due to the recent merger between Scandinavian Tobacco Group (ST) and Swedish Match, a decision was made to fold C.A.O. into General Cigar Co. (GCC), resulting in a physical relocation of C.A.O. headquarters to Richmond, VA, from its current location of Nashville, TN. After conferring with my family, my decision was made to remain in Nashville."

Ozgener also noted that he will continue to serve as a board member of several trade organizations.
~ Rich Perelman

That's why Marc Andre's Humidor Corner article in the Autumn edition of the European Cigar Journal is a must-read for anyone who wants to store their cigars properly.

He takes special aim at an odd concept which has been around for years: that for every degree of temperature about 70 (F), one less percentage point of relative humidity is needed. Writes Andre, "Thousands of cigars have already been ruined (killed) by this chart, which suggests the following: if the ambient temperature climbs to 25 Celsius [77 F] in summer, the relative humidity in the humidor must be reduced to the value of 56 percent. This is precisely not the case!"

No matter how this myth got started, Andre wants to stop it:

One little experiment for our next ECJ-tasting: store a cigar at 28 C [82.4 F] and (according to the faulty table) the corresponding 47 percent of relative air humidity. We can then meet after two weeks - but not for smoking, but rather to do collective wrapper crumbling. Or the opposit variation: we can store the cigars for some weeks in the potato cellar at a cool 16 C [61 F] and a moist 95 percent humidity. In this case, you will need a torch lighter for lighting the cigar or else you will have to wring the cigar beforehand like a wet cloth in order to make it glow at all.

So what should you do? Andre goes through the options one by one, painstakingly explaining the practical and scientific aspects of what temperature and humidity do to cigars. The famous target for relative humidity is 68-72 percent, with the aim to keep the moisture content of cigars at 13-14 percent. Some of his many excellent tips:

The Autumn issue has a lot of other highlights, including a look at the still-standing original Hoyo de Monterrey factory in Havana (now used as a warehouse), the expanding Pacific Cigar Company which imports Cuban cigars into Asia but has also created a worldwide business with its Siglo accessories line, and, of course, several tastings:

The newest issue of the Journal features a cover story on Swiss tobacco giant Heinrich Villiger, and is an enjoyable, informative and energizing read for any enthusiast. If it were a cigar, I would not hesitate to give this issue five stars.
~ Rich Perelman

The motion was originally made two years ago by Councilman Bernard Parks, and languished while other measures were discussed. But it was not dismissed and he said today that the idea is not to ban smoking, but regulate where it can be done.

"I think you go down a path that you can't recover from (when you begin) talking about banning smoking because I think that's an individual decision, but we can protect people who have no desire to smell smoke." He asked for a ordinance that would ban smoking in "all public areas and common areas where people congregate, including, but not limited to, indoor and outdoor businesses, hotels, parks, apartment common areas, restaurants and bars, and beaches."

He added that "We need to implement legislation to regulate cigarette smoking by limiting it to specific places where there is no expectation of involuntary contact with people -- wherever people congregate or there is an expectation of people being present, (then) smoking should be prohibited." It will be interesting to see if the ordinance is, in fact, limited to cigarettes. None of the other City smoking ban legislation cites cigarettes specifically, but covers all tobacco products.

Most of the areas cited by Parks to be covered by the ordinance are already part of the City’s list of are where smoking is prohibited, but the new ordinance could extend to tobacco shops and even onto the streets, such as at public events and street corners. Parks foresees little opposition and said he expected the proposed ordinance to be ready for final approval sometime next year.

Parks did not note how he expects a new ban to be enforced; the Los Angeles City Attorney in past instances has convinced Council members that people will simply obey the new law and enforcement activity will not be needed.
~ Rich Perelman

There isn't much left of the Tampa cigar industry anymore - J.C. Newman is the only significant producer left in town - but its historical importance is still celebrated in the highly worthwhile Verizon Ybor City Heritage and Cigar Festival. The 12th annual event will take place on Saturday, November 20 in Centennial Park, with plenty of presence from the local cigar community spread over three days of events:

Event sponsors include the Arturo Fuente Cigar Co. andJ.C. Newman Cigar Co., both of which have their roots in Tampa, plus the Oliva Tobacco Company and the Tampa Humidor Co. If you're in the Tampa area, the Festival is a great way to salute the history of "Cigar City" . . . and enjoy a few cigars in the process!
~ Rich Perelman

The announcement marks the end - at least for now - of Ozgener’s 16-year tour of the trade, all as part of C.A.O., which was founded by his father, Cano Ozgener. "It is with a heavy heart that I leave C.A.O. I look back at my 16-year career with the company with great pride and I will miss the friendships that I have made over the years in the premium cigar industry. I am confident that the team at General Cigar will carry the C.A.O. brand to new heights and I wish them the utmost continued success."

Ozgener (pictured, above left, with Cano, in 2008; photo courtesy Smoke) joined the C.A.O. management team almost by chance. Working as a stand-up comedian in Los Angeles and night and selling C.A.O. products - cigars, pipes and humidors - during the day, Cano asked him to help out at the company office during one summer in the 1990s. "I never saw myself being involved in the family business initially," he said in a 2009 interview in Smoke, "but when we got into cigars, that became very interesting to me; the different flavors, the different type and varietals of tobacco, combining them seemed interesting. I always liked making people laugh, and making people happy, which is why I did a lot of comedy. Cigars were just another way of providing a means for people to be happy, providing them with pleasure. So once we got into cigars, everything changed."

After serving in multiple capacities at C.A.O., Tim became the company's president in 2006 and continued in that role after its sale to ST Cigar Group in 2007. It is likely that he will not be the only member of the close-knit C.A.O. executive team to remain in Nashville and not join the STG headquarters in Richmond. Tim Ozgener was the last member of the Ozgener family to remain involved in C.A.O., founded in 1968.

He said in his 2009 interview in Smoke that being in Tennessee was a benefit for C.A.O. rather than a hindrance. "Tennesseans are very loyal to their home team, whether it's the University of Tennessee or the Titans or whoever it may be, even local people that have made it, they love that. So that's been a benefit to being in Nashville - the gregariousness of the populace over here, the sense of pride they have for us is great, because when they travel, they like to brag about the home state product. Jack Daniels is another example."

General Cigar president Dan Carr said in a statement that "We remain committed to C.A.O. and are grateful to Tim for his contributions, not only to the brand but also for sharing his knowledge with the people who will continue his legacy. While we will miss Tim's insight and passion, we respect his choice and wish him well."
~ Rich Perelman

We'll draw a new winner every week for a single prize; you can enter below for free!

Up for your pleasure this week is a historic bundle of Villar y Villar Valentinos, 7-inch by 48-ring Churchills made in Nicaragua, featuring an Ecuadorian-grown, Sumatra-seed wrapper. How many other brands do you know that were mentioned by Rudyard Kipling in The Betrothed in 1898? This bundle is provided courtesy of J-R Cigars and will be awarded in our drawing to be held on Sunday, November 14.

Congratulations to Ken Brokop of Winter Park, Florida, winner of our Register & Win drawing for a sensational chest of 50 Cuvee Blanc Salomons from our Perelman, Pioneer & Company humidors, courtesy of Cusano Cigars in our drawing held on November 7. You can see our complete list of this year's winners below the registration form.

To enter, just fill in the form below. If you have entered in the past, there is no need to re-enter; all past entries are carried forward to future drawings. You must be 21 or older to win; good luck!
~ Rich Perelman

In the meantime, we found deals on premium 30 brands; you can search for more yourself using our exclusive Comparison Shopper, with street prices on 838 brands from our top-ten national retailers. If you're just looking to see what has changed, look for entries in color: blue for new items, green for price reductions and red for price increases. On with the specials:

BestCigarPrices.com:
Two amazing specials on two of La Flor Dominicana's newest cigars:

Occidental Reserve Gigante (8 1/2 x 52), in bundles of 20 was $61.95, now $54.95.

Padilla Habano Torpedo (6 1/4 x 52), in boxes of 25 for $159.95.

Bonita Smoke Shop:
The best prices we have seen on introductions of the new Macanudo Cru Royale:

Cigars-For-Less:
Nice savings on five different C.A.O. blends, including America, Gold Vintage and The Sopranos!

C.A.O. l’Anniversaire Cameroon Napoleon (4 1/2 x 46), 20 was $85.95, now $74.95.

C.A.O. America Monument (6 1/4 x 54), 20 was $136.95, now $127.95.

C.A.O. Cx2:

C.A.O. Gold Vintage:

C.A.O. “The Sopranos” Edition:

Kristoff:

Kristoff Ligero:

Kristoff Sumatra:

La Aurora Cien Anos Lancero (6 7/8 x 40), what's left of a much-respected limited edition, in boxes of 25 was $246.95, now $186.95.

Famous Smoke Shop:
The end dates on these specials are November 10 or 14, so buyer beware!

601 Habano (Red Label):

Alec Bradley MAXX:

Ambos Mundos:

Avo Domaine No. 30 (6 3/4 x 48), in boxes of 25 was $173.99, now $149.97 through November 10.

C.A.O. l’Anniversaire Cameroon Robusto (5 x 50), in boxes of 20 was $112.99, now $101.95 through November 14.

Carlos Torano Signature:

Don Pepin Garcia Black Label:

The Griffin’s:

Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve:

Holt’s:
The Rocky Patel Edge "Square" was a limited-production run and intensely flavorful; Holt's now only has some in stock, but are being close out at huge savings!

Joya de Nicaragua Clasico:

Rocky Patel "The Edge Square":

Serious Cigars:
Two nice specials on extra-high-quality blends from Torano and Oliva:

Casa Torano Robusto (4 3/4 x 52), extra-smooth in boxes of 25 for $75.95, best in our review.

Oliva Serie V Double Robusto (5 x 54), in boxes of 24 for $126.95.

Superior Cigars:
Rocky Patel's brand was Indian Tabac and his Super Fuerte line is now on sale at ridiculous savings at Superior:

Carlos Torano Tribute 2008:

Cubao:

Dunhill Signed Range:

Indian Tabac Super Fuerte:

We'll have our Register & Win winner of the week announcement later today.
~ Rich Perelman

That's the TV New Zealand summary of a Parliamentary committee report released on Wednesday (November 3) that puts forward a series of initiatives to try and make the island "smokefree" by 2025. According to the story, "These include banning the display of tobacco in shops, putting cigarettes and 'roll your owns' in plain packaging and extending non-smoking areas to cars."

Other steps to control the import of tobacco would be undertaken, including the reduction of tobacco imports by a specific amount annually, imposition of annual price increases above the rate of inflation, restricting the number of places where tobacco can be sold, increasing the maximum fine for sales to minors to $10,000 (NZD) and the reduction of duty-free allowances for New Zealanders bringing tobacco into the country from abroad.

A story in the New Zealand Herald noted that "'smoke-free' is widely understood to mean a prevalence of 3 per cent or less. Currently about 20 per cent of adults are smokers in New Zealand - but the Maori rate is far higher, at more than 40 per cent."

Only Finland’s health minister has publicly stated that the goal is to eradicate tobacco completely from an entire country, in their case with a target date of 2040.

While the Parliamentary committee report puts pressure on the New Zealand government to enact some or all of these recommendations, and will likely result in legislation to ban tobacco displays and require plain packaging (at least on cigarettes), the British American Tobacco New Zealand corporate and regulatory affairs chief Susan Jones made a telling point, that the drive to be "smoke-free" overlooks the tiny detail that people who desire to smoke will always find a way to satisfy their interest.

"The only thing we can say with certainty," she told Stuff.co.nz, "is that, like alcohol prohibition, a ban on tobacco will fuel an already thriving illegal market and create greater profit opportunities for gangs of organised criminals."

Although the proposals did not call for prohibition per se, Jones said it was prohibition in fact, in all but name. Even the Herald editorialized that the report went too far:

Sensibly, it conceded that most people would not support prohibition as a way of reaching this goal. Even so, its prescription is too radical, and not much of it is ever likely to be enacted.

. . .

The attempt to curb the supply of tobacco is an area that even the most ardent of anti-smoking campaigners have been wary of treading. There are compelling reasons for this.

While much of the reaction from retailers and the industry to the committee's report has been self-serving, it is fair to assume that sharply restricting the supply of tobacco would create a black market. Demand would have to be filled illegally. That, in turn, could invite the participation of organised crime.

Why should Americans care about what's being talked about in New Zealand? Because the anti-tobacco lobby, egged on by activists at the World Health Organization, is poking and prodding in country after country, to see how far it can go in passing anti-tobacco regulations.

Judging by the November 2 election results, there is little for American smokers to cheer about as smoking bans and ban extensions were passed by wide margins, including a 65%-35% statewide vote to expand South Dakota's ban to bars and taverns.

At the same time, smokers simply pursuing their interests have caused the national smoking ban in Greece to be confirmed as a failure and on Wednesday, Dutch authorities agreed to modify a total smoking ban in owner-operated cafes of 735 sq. ft. or less, which have no employees. The Netherlands' ban on smoking in these small pubs caused a public uprising and affects some 2,000 establishments in the small country; the new coalition government will also cancel some 280 existing fines on cafe owners as part of the new legislation.

A report in Britain's Daily Telegraph noted that "Edith Schippers, the Dutch health minister, promised that bitterly-resented smoking checks in pubs by food and consumer safety inspectors would end.

"The new law will allow consumer choice. A sign will inform customers whether or not they are allowed to smoke on the premises."

That's the way it should be.
~ Rich Perelman

Even so, there were areas of concern for Imperial, such as the continued decrease in cigarette volumes, down 4.2% compared to 2009. In the U.S., Imperial projected that cigarette sales across the entire U.S. were down 7% from October 2009-September 2010.

Imperial is also the world's largest cigar company, although the category doesn't mean much to the company financially. Imperial sold 2.4 billion cigars worldwide according to its full-year report, compared with 308.7 billion cigarettes and the equivalent of 39.8 billion cigarettes worth of roll-your-own tobacco. The cigar highlights included:

The enormous cigarette and cut tobacco volumes sold by Imperial make their world-leading cigar sales totals seem puny by comparison. However, the overall tone of the first year-end report under new chief executive Alison Cooper indicates a more aggressive stance by Imperial in all phases of its operations, pushing for higher market shares to generate more money as cigarette sales continue to decline. If the same enthusiasm for market share holds true for cigars, look for even more activity in new brands, events and contests from Altadis U.S.A. in the coming year . . . and that's a good thing.
~ Rich Perelman

For August, the numbers show a slightly weaker market than during each of the past two years, but not at any alarming rate:

Based on these figures, projected 2010 imports of premium cigars will reach about 240 million, the lowest figure since 1995. However, if fourth-quarter reports of shipments are stronger - as they have been in recent years - the total could approach 260 million, perhaps a bit better than expected.

The strong performance of machine-made cigars continues unabated, however. Imports of machine-made cigars both large and small totaled 231.60 million in August, up 15.5% over the 2009 figure of 200.54 million. For the year through August, machine-made imports are up a staggering 25.1% over 2009, at 1.53 billion against 1.22 billion. That's amazing - almost 10 times the premium volume, not including U.S. production from market leaders Swisher International and John Middleton - and illustrates why Swedish Match contributed its General Cigar premium division to the joint venture with Scandinavian Tobacco and kept the machine-made division.

Executives of the major cigar companies are now knee-deep in holiday promotions and getting retailers stocked for the end-of-year buying season. But once these programs are fully in motion, more than a few of them will be considering not only how to attract cigarette smokers to cigars in 2011, but how to convert a growing number of machine-made smokers to their premium lines.
~ Rich Perelman

The event is sponsored by the Honduran Association of Tobacco Growers and Cigar Makers (APROTABACOH) and the Honduran investment and promotion ministry FIDE, with Altadis U.S.A. already signed on as a major sponsor of the event.

The program is offered in two parts, similar to the Dominican ProCigar Festival: a first stage will begin in San Pedro Sula and focus on the ancient Mayan city of Copan and the Altadis U.S.A. factory at Santa Rosa de Copan from February 13-15, then move to the national capital at Tegucigalpa, where a tobacco trade fair and trips to cigar factories in Danli and tobacco fields in the Jamastran Valley are on the agenda from the 15th to the 17th.

It's the first Honduran cigar festival and will be the third cigar mega-event in February, after the fourth ProCigar Festival in the Dominican Republic (February 6-11) and the 13th Festival del Habano in Havana, scheduled for February 21-25. Yes, an enterprising enthusiast could take in all three!

According to the Humo Jaguar Festival announcement, the cost for attendees is $1,250 U.S. per person, not including airfare to Honduras, but including accommodations, meals, tours and plenty of cigars.

With this new program, all of the world's major cigar-producing nations will have a public-invited festival, with the Nicaraguan cigar-makers association holding their first event last December. It's a good move for Honduras, which has seen its production levels fall in the past couple of years as some makers have shifted their manufacturing emphasis to Nicaragua. Cigars are important in Honduras, as the country's fourth-biggest export earner ($88 million U.S. last year) and some 20,000 people involved in cigar production.
~ Rich Perelman

Jameson Black Label:
[Dominican Republic: available in 5 sizes]
The Jameson line was introduced in 2008 and includes both a natural-wrapped edition (with a red band) and a black-labeled, maduro-wrapped blend. The latter features an extra-dark Brazilian wrapper surrounding a Honduran binder and Dominican-grown filler leaves for a medium-to-full body, with a spicy aroma.

The flavor is caramelized from the start, with just a pinch of spice on the tongue on the finish. This balance is nicely maintain throughout the first half of the cigar, which shows excellent construction, and an even burn.

The second half shows a lively, 50/50 balance of the sweet and spicy elements, with plenty of flavor that makes this cigar a pleasure to smoke. There's just a bit more spice at the end, but both tones remain in play.

All five sizes are offered in boxes of 20, and are accessibly priced at $5.80 to $6.70 each, not including local sales and tobacco taxes.
Overall grade: : Excellent.

Jameson Red Label:
[Dominican Republic: available in 5 sizes]
The Red Label edition of the Jameson line is marked by a light, Ecuadorian-grown, Connecticut-seed wrapper, combined with a Honduran binder and Dominican filler. It's medium-plus in body, with a pleasant, toasty and spicy aroma.

There is a sweet note at the start of this blend, slightly caramelized and quite vibrant in its depth, accented by a spicy finish that you'll feel mostly on the tongue. It's quite pleasing, thanks to the richness of the tastes, along with an even burn and an easy draw.

The spiciness of the finish rises in intensity in the second half, and better balances the sweet notes through into the final quarter of the cigar. It's a winner.

Like the Black Label, all sizes are offered in boxes of 20 and pricing is similar, from $5.80 to $6.90 apiece, not including local taxes.
Overall grade: : Exceptional.

The Jameson line is best-known to many smokers for its Declaration line, a protest cigar against higher taxes, which we will be test-smoking soon. In the meantime, the standard Jameson blends showed themselves as well worth trying, thanks to their excellent construction and enjoyable, lively flavors.
~ Rich Perelman

We'll draw a new winner every week for a single prize; you can enter below for free!

This week, it's our 300th weekly giveaway, so we have an extra-special prize: a stunning chest of 50 Cuvee Blanc Salomons! Made at Tabadom in the Dominican Republic, these are gorgeous, medium-to-full-bodied cigars in the classic 7 1/4-inch by 57-ring Salomon size with light-colored, Ecuadorian-grown wrappers, stacked upright in a hardwood chest of 50. It's provided courtesy of Cusano Cigars.. The box will be awarded in our drawing to be held on Sunday, November 7.

Congratulations to Alan Spalmacin of Dunnellon, Florida, winner of our Register & Win drawing for a free box of 50 JM's Dominican Maduros Toro from our Perelman, Pioneer & Company humidors, courtesy of JM Tobacco in our drawing held on Halloween! You can see our complete list of this year's winners below the registration form.

To enter, just fill in the form below. If you have entered in the past, there is no need to re-enter; all past entries are carried forward to future drawings. You must be 21 or older to win; good luck!
~ Rich Perelman

You can search for bargains yourself using our exclusive Comparison Shopper, with street prices on 832 brands from our top-ten national retailers. Now, on with the specials:

BestCigarPrices.com:
Maduro fans should take note of a great sampler offer on the Pepin Garcia-made 601 Maduro Prominente (5 1/2 inches by 56 ring), with six cigars for $34.95, lower than the five-pack price from many others!

E.P. Carrillo, the new, core blend from the Perez-Carrillo family:

Cigars-For-Less:
Altadis U.S.A. is raising money for its World of Montecristo Relief Organization through the sales of a new Montecristo Operation Hope Gift Pack. If you're not located near a dealer which has them, you're in luck! The sampler includes four cigars: the Montecristo 75 Aniversario Edmundo (5 1/4 x 52), Classic No.. 2 (6 1/8 x 52), Reserva Negra Belicoso (6 1/8 x 52) and White Label Toro (6 x 54) with a choice of either the Montecristo Signature Series Slimline Samurai Guillotine or the new V Cutter, all for $50.00. Also:

La Gloria Reserva Figurado Felicias (4 5/8 x 49), truly scrumptious, in the box of 20 was $99.95, now $89.95, lowest in our review.

Nub Cameroon 460 (4 x 60), in boxes of 24 was $91.95, now $81.95.

Oliva White Label Connecticut:

Padron Family Reserve No. 46 (5 1/2 x 56), in boxes of 10 for $249.95.

Punch Deluxe Chateau M (5 3/4 x 46), in boxes of 25 was $79.95, now $69.95.

Cigars International:
Under a brand page labeled "La Aurora Cameroon Closeouts," there is a ridiculous offer of four five-packs (20 cigars total) of two standard La Aurora sizes for $2 a cigar:

Gurkha Ninja Perfecto No. 2 (6 x 60), in boxes of 20 for $110.95, best we have seen.

Famous Smoke Shop:
Please note the expiration dates on these specials:

Avo Domaine No. 10 (5 1/8 x 50), five was $29.99, now $23.97 through November 3.

Avo Maduro:

Don Diego:

Independencia No. 4 (5 5/8 x 42), in boxes of 25 was $53.99, now $34.97 through November 3.

Macanudo:

Nick’s Sticks Litle Havana Blend:

Perdomo Patriarch Connecticut:

Reyes Family Premier:

J-R Cigars:
The Altadis U.S.A.-made Casa de Garcia line was designed to be sold at retail for $1.50 per cigar, regardless of size. Now they're even less, in natural or maduro!

Serious Cigars:
The Cabaiguan is one of the least-known of Pete Johnson's creations, but it has plenty of flavor . . . and is on sale!

Onyx Reserve Mini (3 5/8 x 24), offered in five tins of eight for $28.95, lowest we have seen.

We'll have our Register & Win winner of the week announcement later today, with a special prize coming up for our 300th giveaway on November 7!
~ Rich Perelman

"Should I take a chance?" thinks the retailer. After tasting a sample, they say to themselves, "these are pretty good, but will they sell?"

Casa Gomez is in that category. Created by Benny Gomez's Inter-America Cigar Company of Miami, this brand is offered in two styles, with a natural or a maduro wrapper, both made under the supervision of Luis Sanchez of La Tradicion Cubana fame at his Tabacalera LTC in the Dominican Republic. Slowly, but surely, Gomez has built a chain of retailers which carry his lines and we checked out his namesake brand, in both editions:

Casa Gomez - Natural wrapper:
[Dominican Republic: available in 4 sizes]
Introduced in 2007, the Casa Gomez line is an easy-to-smoke blend that features a light, Connecticut-seed wrapper grown in Ecuador and Dominican-grown binder and filler leaves. It lights easily, has a medium body and a spicy aroma.

But the fun starts as the cigar opens up to offer a rich, caramelized flavor with only a trace of spice on the lips on the finish. It's sweet and smooth and just marvelous, offering lots of flavor without ever turning tart or hot.

The richness of the taste remains consistent well into the second half, again with just a bit of spice on the finish. Moreover, the construction is excellent and the blend burns well so that it does not tire the smoker, making it a fine choice after meals.

This is a quality cigar, with all four sizes available in boxes of 25 and quite reasonably priced from $6.28 to $7.50 each.
Overall grade: : Exceptional.

Casa Gomez - Maduro wrapper:
[Dominican Republic: available in 4 sizes]
The maduro-wrapped edition of the Casa Gomez line is new for 2010, featuring a dark, Brazilian-grown leaf covering the Dominican-grown binder and filler.

It lights well, but has a medium-to-full-bodied presence in the mouth and a nicely spiced aroma at the start. The taste showcases the wrapper with notes of dark caramel, balanced with a modest element of spice on the finish. The draw is perfect and the burn is even.

Maduro fans who enjoy the richness and depth that these extra-ripe leaves being to a cigar will appreciate this blend, which maintains the lively nature of the taste right into the final quarter. The wisp of spice remains on the finish for balance, accenting the otherwise smooth ride of sweetness to the end.

Like the natural-wrapped edition, the maduro-wrapped Casa Gomez comes in four sizes, all in boxes of 25 and is accessibly priced at $6.28 to $7.50 apiece.
Overall grade: : Exceptional.

The excellence of the Casa Gomez line underscores the adage that "the best cigar you ever smoke may be the next one you try." There's little doubt that fans of flavorful and easy-to-enjoy cigars can add Casa Gomez to their list of 'new' cigars to try . . . even if they have been around for three years!
~ Rich Perelman

As regards premium cigars, Americans are absolutely exceptional when it comes to being adventurous and trying new blends. The willingness to try new cigars is a marked feature of the American premium cigar smoker.

So why not try a veteran series, introduced in the U.S. 15 years ago, but which has found its biggest fan base in Eastern Europe, Russia and the Middle East?

It's Garo Habano, which produces its cigars in the Dominican Republic, under the supervision of Dr. Garo Bouldoukian, and is now offering a special, four-blend sampler for CigarCyclopedia.com readers at just $23.70 (with free shipping!), saving 40% off suggested retail:

Garo Maduro Tenor (5 inches by 52 ring torpedo), a zesty, full-bodied cigar with a Brazilian-grown maduro wrapper. Back in July, we graded it : Excellent.

Garo Los Lectores Robusto "G" for "grande," (6 1/4 inches by 54 ring), full-bodied but subtle, with a Nicaraguan sun-grown wrapper and lively Peruvian leaf in the filler blend. We graded it : Very Good.

Garo Blue Robusto (4 3/4 inches by 52 ring), his original blend, with a genuine Connecticut wrapper and Dominican binder and filler leaves, with a mild-to-medium body. We graded it : Excellent.

Garo Aniversario "A," an eight-inch by 48-ring giant, a full-bodied blend incorporating seven different tobaccos from four nations, including a Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper. We graded it : Very Good.

These are interesting blends, with excellent craftsmanship and satisfying flavor and one of the less-well-known brands we keep in our humidors here in Los Angeles. As Bouldoukian says, "Why not try it? You might like it!"
~ Rich Perelman

That was the good news that Swedish Match chief executive Lars Dahlgren announced on Wednesday, with total sales of $564.1 million (converted from Swedish Kronor) in the quarter and profits of $150.1 million (converted from 1,017 MSEK above).

Dahlgren noted that the company's cigar sales were strong as well:

Looking to the future, the new Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) joint venture, of which Swedish holds 49%, was officially launched on October 1. The pro forma financials for the new company, made up of Swedish's cigar, pipe tobacco and lighters/matches businesses and Skandinavisk Holding A/S's cigar holdings, principally Henri Wintermans and C.A.O. International, showed that 80% of the new company's revenue is projected to be derived from cigar sales, with 8% from pipe tobacco, 6% from fine-cut (roll-your-own) tobacco and 5% from lighters and matches (also 1% from other operations).

The formation of STG now leaves Swedish as one of the world's top smokeless tobacco companies, with annual sales of about $630 million in snuff and snus and $165 million in chewing tobacco. It will retain its highly-profitable machine-made cigar business, as the distribution channels are virtually identical to its smokeless products, but many analysts believe the STG joint venture is just the first step toward selling its premium cigar and related business to Skandinavisk Holding at some point in the coming year or two.
~ Rich Perelman

On October 8, a ceremony was held at the U.S.S. Nevada Memorial at the Veterans Memorial Plaza in front of the State Capital in Carson City, Nevada, honoring surviving sailors from the ship and completing the promise of then-Nevada Governor Edward Carville from 1944. He promised all 2,500 of the crew of the Nevada a silver dollar, a handshake and a cigar.

The Nevada crew received their silver dollars in 1944, but it was not until earlier this month that the handshake and cigar were provided. Nevada Lt. Governor Brian Krolicki shook the hands and presented the cigars - as well as a specially-struck commemorative coin - to the surviving members of the Nevada's crew.

As usual, it was a local cigar retailer which provided the cigars free of charge. In this case, it was the Carson Cigar Co. Store manager Wendy Garner said that 50 Churchill-sized cigars were offered for the ceremony.

The Nevada was one of the U.S. battleships moored at Pearl Harbor and attacked by Japan on December 7, 1941 (the ship is pictured as it ran aground that morning). According to the Carson City Record-Courier, "On Dec. 7, 1941, the Nevada had been in service more than 25 years and was one of nine battleships in the fleet at that time. The Nevada was aft of the Arizona that morning, moored off Ford Island. Being able to maneuver, the Nevada got under way and took a torpedo almost immediately. Being one of the few ships to get under way, the Nevada became a prime target for the Japanese war planes. Taking at least a minimum of six bomb hits, there was concern that she would sink and block the channel out of Pearl Harbor.

"She was ordered grounded on the west side of Ford Island at 10:30 a.m. at a place known as Hospital Point. She was responsible for the downing of at least seven aircraft. Today that place is marked by a memorial that is an exact duplicate of the one located at the Veterans Memorial Plaza. Inscribed on both memorial plaques are the names of the sailors who lost their lives that day."

The ship was repaired after the Japanese raid and served with distinction until decommissioned in 1946. In fact, all but two of the U.S. battleships attacked at Pearl Harbor eventually saw action in the war.

It took a long time for the cigars to get delivered to the Nevada crew, but better late than never for the survivors, spouses and friends.
~ Rich Perelman

The annual exercise wound up with 192 members of the General Assembly voting 187 in favor of the resolution, three abstentions and two – the U.S. and Israel – against.

The usual sentiments were voiced against the embargo; according to the Chinese news service Xinhua "At least 27 countries speak at an open debate of the UN General Assembly on 'the necessity of ending economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba.'"

The annual vote has no enforcement provisions, of course, and the U.S. policy with Cuba is essentially at a standstill. President Barack Obama said last week that "We already initiated some significant changes around remittances and family travel. But before we take further steps, I think we want to see that in fact the Castro regime is serious about a different approach."
~ Rich Perelman