Cigars, Cigar Information and where to find Premium Cigars, Discounted Cigars and even Cheap Cigars

STEALS AND DEALS

Service to the memory of General Cigar Senior V.P. Bill Roethel

Los Angeles, March 3 – It’s a pretty good time to be a cigar smoker, with lots of aged tobacco and aged cigars running around. You can even find a deal or two from some of our favorite retailers:

BestCigarPrices.com:
Allan Blatt and his team at New Global Marketing found a good one this week:

• Carlos Toraño Tribute, hard to find in any case, now with glorious maduro wrappers at the lowest prices we’ve seen. They’re not cheap, but . . .

> Robusto (5 x 50), 22 for $147.

> Churchill (7 x 50), 22 for $158.

> Torpedo (6 1/4 x 52), 22 for $169.

Delicate and smooth, we ranked the Tribute as one of the top full-bodied cigars on the U.S. market. It’s best when sipped slowly and the layers of flavor can be appreciated to the fullest.

Cigars International:
Keith Meier and the boys at CI are offering:

• Indian Tabac Classic Teepee (5 1/2 inches by 52 ring), a very flavorful cigar now overshadowed by Rocky Patel’s newer blends, was $49.95 for the box of 25, now $29.95.

• Industrial Press Brickk (5 x 54), from Drew Estate, a vastly underrated cigar. We ranked it in the top 10 among all medium-bodied cigars available in the U.S. Enjoy its buttery taste in boxes of 24, now $59.95, down from $69.95. Fans of larger sizes can try Mass (6 x 58), which was $79.95 for 24, now $69.95.

Famous Smoke Shop:
Some nice opportunities from the ever-changing folks at Famous:

• Acid is on sale, with discounts from $6-15 off per box. The brainchild of the wild and crazy Jonathan Drew, this heavily-scented, full-bodied brand is unusual and rarely discounted.

• Arturo Fuente Gran Reserva Rothschilds (4 1/2 x 50), which would sell out no matter what the price, is now $10 off at $69.95 for a box of 25. Remember that we ranked the Gran Reserva line no. 4 in our roster of the top full-bodied cigars on the U.S. market, well ahead of Opus X.

• Avo Assortment of five cigars plus a very elegant ashtray is the best way to try all five blends in the brand: Classic-Domaine-Maduro-Signature-XO, now $5 off at $34.95. This is a great gift item if you want to get ready for Father’s Day early!

• Avo Signature in boxes of 10, added to the line due to the success of the special Avo 75th Anniversary cigar blend, discounted with all sizes $10-11 off, now $49.95 to $79.95. Our favorite in this line-up is the Belicoso (6 x 48) at $66.95 (was $76.95).

• Carlos Toraño Exodus 1959 Silver five-packs on sale:

> Corona Grande (6 1/8 x 46), was $22.95, now $18.95.

> Churchill (7 x 50), was $23.95, now $19.95.

> Robusto (4 7/8 x 52), was $21.95, now $17.95.

> Torpedo (6 1/4 x 52), was $24.95, now $20.95.

• Fonseca Sun Grown Cedars No. 3 (Wavell: 5 1/2 x 52), underrated because it’s much fuller than the standard Fonseca line and therefore not as well known. Boxes of 20 were $85.95, but are now $69.95.

• Gran Habano Blend No. 3 (Rothchild: 4 1/2 x 50) was $106.95 for 40, now $79.95.

• Aurora Preferidos Treasure Sampler, one of our favorites and no. 11 on our list of the top medium-bodied cigars on the U.S. market, in a perfect sampler of five cigars: one Gold tube (Dominican Corojo wrapper); two Platinum tubes (Cameroon wrapper) and two Red rubes (Brazilian maduro wrapper). All of the cigars are 5-inch by 54-ring robustos. The retail price is $96, but it’s offered now at $59.95.

• Montesino Sun Grown Pyramid (6 1/4 x 52), from the Tabacalera A. Fuente, was $93.95 for 25, now $79.95.

• Tesoro Torpedos (6 1/2 x 52), one of Famous’s own brands with a mild-to-medium-bodied taste, were $39.95 for 25, now $19.95! Torpedoes for 80 cents a stick! Enough for you and your friends on the golf course.

Service to the memory of Bill Roethel:
The cigar world lost another stalwart on February 21 with the passing of Bill Roethel, General Cigar’s senior vice president of marketing.

Roethel had been ill for more than a year and finally succumbed to cancer.

“He was at once a smart, hard working and honest man who delighted people with his sense of humor,” noted Edgar Cullman, Sr., chairman of General Cigar. “Not only did he leave an indelible mark on the cigar industry, but he also made a lasting impression on those of us who knew and worked with him.”

Newcomers to the cigar industry are always struck by – for the most part – how nice the people in our trade are, whether on the retail, distribution or production side. Bill Roethel was gentle, thoughtful and warm, qualities which reflected well on him and those he met and worked with. From his tenure at Villazon & Company and then General Cigar (which purchased Villazon), Bill will be remembered fondly.

A Fordham graduate, Roethel competed in Golden Gloves boxing tournaments and was a sparring partner of former heavyweight Gerry Cooney.

He is survived by his parents, his sister Linda and brother-in-law Norbert and their two children. General Cigar executive vice president of sales & marketing David Danziger announced that a cigar will be named in his honor in the near future.
~ Rich Perelman

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