Los Angeles, September 2, 2010 – On a nondescript block of Sunset Boulevard in midtown Los Angeles sits a storefront where the front door is usually not only closed, but locked. But behind that door is the headquarters of Tatuaje Cigars, one of the hottest boutique brands in America.

But looking back at the cigar trade in 2003, there was nothing in the air that would project Pete Johnson and his Tatuaje brand to the near-cult status it enjoys today. At the time, Johnson was running the retail arm of the Grand Havana Room in Beverly Hills, operating the club’s tiny cigar-selling storefront on Canon Drive, while the lounge itself was upstairs.

Armed with an idea and finding, almost by accident, a recent U.S. immigrant from Cuba (via Nicaragua) named Pepin Garcia who was willing to create a new blend for him, Johnson created Tatuaje in 2003 and was able to place it with some friends who were also fellow retailers across the country. "My friends took a chance," he said during a relaxed interview at his office/warehouse. "They knew me, and they believed that I kind of new a little bit about what I was doing, and I said, 'let’s try it.'

Soon enough the cigars began selling thanks to their rich, full flavor, Johnson's own unique story - the name "Tatuaje" means "tattoo" in Spanish and Johnson has plenty of them - and strong word of mouth and published ratings. The brand and Johnson both ascended to near-cult status among smokers nationwide. "It’s kind of weird,” he said. "I don’t know how to explain it. Just the word of mouth on the Internet has been really helpful: Twitter, Facebook, all that stuff. It puts my brands into people's faces, but I think the secret of my success is that I don't go in [to stores] to sell them cigars. I go there in to hang out with them."

All that hanging-out has created a frenzy for many of Johnson's blends, including his annual Halloween edition, with the third year's blend getting ready to ship. As usual, he is preparing 666 coffin-style boxes of 13, but in a new style and with a twist to help retailers.

"This year is 'The Face.' It’s a 6 3/8 by 56; the reason why it's this size is because Gunnar Hansen who played Leatherface [in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre] was 6-foot-4, so I figured 6 3/8 works, right? And a 56 ring gauge because he was kind of on the heavier side." It's the first time that Johnson has strayed from the classic Universal Pictures horror characters of the 1930s since his first two editions were "The Frank" and "The Drac" and picked a more contemporary horror character.

Los Angeles, September 1, 2010 – "I always say the cigar looks like the people who are smoking it. It’s difficult to see a small person smoking a Churchill. You can see it, but it is difficult."

That's La Aurora chief Guillermo Leon, noting the relationship between the size of smokers and the size of their cigars. Of shorter folks, he said "They like to smoke a short cigar; I don’t know why but they do."

This is not a new idea. In fact, the first mention we found of specific sizes of people and specific sizes of cigars comes from Paul Garmirian in his landmark work, The Gourmet Guide to Cigars, first published in 1990:

Although selecting the right shape of the cigar is a measure of personal choice, there are some aesthetic guidelines which can be followed. The cigar ought to blend harmoniously with your size and frame. The following is a list to match men with their cigars. Although this has not been done before by any author on cigars, it is only suggested as a rule of thumb.

Height: 6'00" - Weight: 175 lbs. - Long Panatela

Height: 5'10" - Weight: 160 lbs. - Lonsdale

Height: 5'07" - Weight: 170 lbs. - Corona Grande

Height: 5'07" to 5'09" - Weight: 150 lbs. - Corona

Height: 5'05" to 6'00" - Weight: 170 lbs. - Rothchild/Corona Extra

Height: 5'05" to 6'00" - Weight: 180 lbs. - Belicoso/Torpedo

Height: 5'07" to 6'00" - Weight: 190 lbs. - Churchill

Height: 6'0" - Weight: 200 lbs. - Double Corona

The suggested cigars may be a little outdated, given today's penchant for thicker ring gauges, but the larger the man in Garmirian's list, the longer the cigar. Perhaps the suggestions for 42-ring Coronas and Lonsdales would be, today, Robustos and Toros?

But while Leon agrees with the concept, he also cautions that today's trends toward shorter cigars are dictated in part by the anti-tobacco environment: "Mainly the time to smoke, and maybe because it’s a trend," he observed. "If it’s a trend, everybody will do it."

What do you think? What size fits you?
~ Rich Perelman

Los Angeles, August 31, 2010 – Country star John Rich is teaming up with C.A.O. for an all-night party to which you could be invited!

The C.A.O. Pull an All-Nighter with John Rich contest offers the winner and a guest the opportunity to party with Rich and some friends just for entering the contest drawing and allowing Warner Music Nashville and John Rich's publicity team to send you future information about the star. The prize specifics, according to the Official Rules:

The following Prize (the "Prize") will be awarded to one (1) potential winner for use October 15-17, 2010 (the "Winner"): two (2) round-trip airfares from the major airport closest to the residence of the winner (i.e. unless Sponsor otherwise approves, Winner's guest must depart from the same major airport as Winner); accommodations for two (2) nights at a hotel in Nashville, Tennessee selected by Sponsor; airport transportation. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received during the entire Promotion Period. Approximate value of Prize: $2,000.00.

The contest began on August 15 and will end at 11:59:59 a.m. Central Daylight Time on September 15. Entries can also be submitted by texting "CAO" to 50505, or by mail; only one entry per person, please. The complete contest rules are here.

It's the latest lifestyle promotion from C.A.O., which has notably supported its hometown of Nashville over the years and has now teamed with Warner Music Nashville for another unique party program. But this one promises to be a little more intimate than the memorable "Party Like a Rock Star" blowout in Las Vegas during the 2006 Retail Tobacco Dealers of America convention. And for anyone who values their hearing, that's a good thing.
~ Rich Perelman

Los Angeles, August 31, 2010 – As noted in the current issue of Cigar Magazine, it was standard practice for nearly every manufacturer of cigars exported from Cuba to offer personalized bands. Today we have an up-close-and-personal look at a few of them:

It is worth noting that unlike many private-label programs today, the name of the brand - Hoyo, Romeo y Julieta or otherwise - was always on the band and helped lend prestige to the cigar. If you're interested in starting your own collection, check out the many individual bands or small collections which are often offered on eBay. Even if you don't win an auction, you'll still marvel at the different styles and themes used on personalized cigars from the 1950s and well before.
~ Rich Perelman