This is obviously not an easy question to answer and it is HIGHLY subjective. To some, a better year would be simply a continuation of the good things we have been seeing. The “If it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it” mentality. To others it is seeing the newest and hottest item to hit the market. I will say I sit somewhere in between. Shiny and new is fun but often times wears thin quick. There is a reason that brands like Macanudo and Romeo y Julieta are the best selling brands in the world. The old guard knows what they are doing and they do it exceptionally well. The opposite of that is how much attention the new guys like Dion of Illusione and Pete of Tatuaje are getting, amongst others. The folks who smoke milder cigars probably sit on the “don’t fix it” side of the fence while others will say that the bold, striking new blends hitting the market are the wave of the future. Both sides are probably right and as much so wrong. That is the beauty of what we do in that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of options out there for anyone and everyone to enjoy this hobby.

Looking into 2012 shows us a picture that looks similar to 2010 and 2011: many new line extensions happening with a litany of limited edition products lining store shelves for short times. The newest addition is that Eddie Ortega just announced last week he had left EO Brands, the company he started with partner Eric Espinosa, to start his own brand called Ortega cigars. Previously responsible for lines such as 601 and Cubao, his first line will be called Ortega Serie D, produced at the My Father factory by famed cigar roller/blender Don Pepin Garcia and family, and looks to be as dark and oily as anything I’ve seen on the market. I would expect quite a bit of buzz around this cigar as we get closer to its slated release in late February/early March. Eddie has stated he wants to keep this cigar in a small number of shops and isn’t looking to become the next cigar mogul. He wants to keep his relationships small and fruitful around the country but don’t worry, Cigar King has already made our order!

Another big hit every year has been the limited release Halloween cigars from Tatuaje. Produced each Halloween to represent some of Pete Johnson’s favorite movie monsters of yesteryear, this years release is the Mummy! Wrapped in tissue paper and boxed in coffins of 13 you can bet there will be a frenzy to collect these. But the big announcement for the Halloween series was that Tatuaje will be releasing smaller vitolas of each blend in 10 count boxes (2 of each Monster cigar). The exact size hasn’t been announced as of yet but there was already a buzz across the cigar world for this release. We will also be seeing an addition to his Cojonu line with the 2012 release featuring 3 different wrappers to choose from: a Sumatra, a Habano, and a Connecticut broadleaf. The new Cojonu is expected to be released around the time of the IPCPR trade show in August.

2012 currently has around 150 new releases slated for arrival so it should be a BUSY year for us all. Some of those I announced above while others I will save for you to find, I mean that is half the fun of this hobby right? I know we will be carrying some of the new stuff while others won’t make it into the store. Unfortunately there is only so much room to be had. It is good to see new product still being developed and I can’t wait to try as much of it as I can. You can be sure more will be added to the list as we get through the 2012 and this years IPCPR in Orlando should be a great showcase of what we can expect from manufactures going forward.

We’ve seen the changes this business has endured since the Cigar Boom of the late 90′s/early 2000′s. With new anti-smoking laws popping up seemingly daily, new taxes being passed at every turn and what seems to be a vehement group of people trying to tell us we cannot enjoy our perfectly legal hobby, it has been tough on the cigar business. However we have persevered and in some cases even thrived despite the mountain of things going against us. Manufactures continue to bring new and exciting blends to the market and we as retailers and consumers continue to be impressed yet still wanting more. I see 2012 shaping up to be a great year for cigar smokers everywhere and hopefully continuing the trend of good years we have seen recently.

This small history lesson was an introduction to what we are seeing today, what many call the “Mini-Boom” or what I refer to as the cigar renaissance. Manufacturers are turning to new and innovative ideas to keep their product fresh and introduce a new generation to the enjoyment of the leaf.. Companies like Drew Estate and Studio Tobac are leading the charge into new cigar territory while others, such as Padron and Arturo Fuente, use tradition as their innovation. Drew Estate is known for their infused product like Acid and Tabak Especial while Studio Tobac took the cigar world by storm with their Nub and Cain lines. Padron and Fuente have stayed closer to the historical traditions of cigars but continue to make a premium product that many cigar enthusiasts love. Within all of this are small companies, what many refer to as boutique lines, such as Tatuaje and Illusione, that make a great product that is different in many ways and offer a nice alternative to some of the more traditional lines of cigars. All of this makes for a great period in cigar history and allows each and every cigar smoker to find something they love.

While cigar smoking is not as widespread as it was in the mid-90′s, many people are turning to cigars as a great form of stress release and relaxation. The respite one enjoys from spending just an hour with their cigar, whether alone or with friends, for many people has become a ritual to end their day. German novelist Thoman Mann once said “I never can understand how anyone can not smoke, it deprives a man of the best part of life. With a good cigar in his mouth a man is perfectly safe, nothing can touch him, literally.” This quote rings so true to many men and women who enjoy this hobby for what it is, a moment of solitude in today’s fast paced life. This of course doesn’t make cigar smoking healthier but it should change the way we are unfairly added to the cigarette class. Unlike cigarettes, it is quite hard to enjoy a cigar while trimming trees, cleaning your pool, mowing the lawn or generally working around the house. A cigar forces you to sit down, escape from the rigors of your day and take a moment to reflect on what is important to you, even if that reflection is simply a blank stare. We all need those moments to ourselves and cigars help add to that moment in a way that many people just do not understand.

What many non-cigar smokers don’t realize is that cigar smoking is not a habit, it truly is a hobby. While cigars unfairly get lumped in with cigarettes and other tobacco products, we as cigar smokers recognize the vast difference. We are treated no different when it comes to the legislature we are seeing and smoking bans are becoming more common by the day. Regardless of the treatment we as cigar smokers receive, many people are joining the Brotherhood of the Leaf everyday. Cigar stores are expanding to include smoke friendly lounges, a place for the men and women who enjoy the leaf to gather, socialize, and escape from the everyday stresses of life. Cigar lounges are a great way to make new friends, some that will become lifelong, and enjoy people’s company that you may have never met otherwise. Lounges now-a-days are a lot like barbershops of yesteryear, a gathering point where people from all walks of life come together to enjoy a common bond, that of the cigar. In a cigar lounge, the color of your collar makes no difference and everyone is a friend. Not often do you go to a club, bar, or restaurant and hold a conversation with whomever you might see there, but it happens everyday at cigar lounges around the world. The common denominator of that conversation is simple, the rolled stick of tobacco between your pursed lips. I have met and became great friends with many people because of the work I do and that is something that I wouldn’t trade for anything. And I truly don’t think the FDA or any other government agency or anti-tobacco zealot should make that decision for me either.

So now the question becomes how do we continue on this path of the resurrection of the leaf? Having the passion of the manufacturers, retailers, and consumers leads the growth. Passion from the manufacturers in the desire to raise the bar and bring new and exciting product to fruition. Passion from the retailers to build bonds with both the consumer and the manufacturer to continue the need for innovation and growth in this business. And passion from the consumer to continue doing what they love and supporting those that love this hobby. Without each leg of this business continuing to push the next, what we love will go up in smoke. (Yes, the bad pun was intended!) What’s next from this business is in the hands of all of us and the next chapter has yet to be written. However I think we are on a great upswing that hopefully won’t end anytime soon. I truly believe now is one of the best times to be a part of this Brotherhood of the Leaf.

5. Oliva Serie V Maduro 2011: For the past several years Oliva Cigar Co. has released a special version of the ever popular Serie V cigar with a maduro wrapper. For the first several runs this cigar was produced in a torpedo and the wrapper was changed each year. For the 2011 iteration, rather then changing the wrapper, they changed the vitola to a stadard toro and kept the wrapper and binder the same. There was a slight change to the filler tobacco used for this year’s release. So why did I like this cigar so much that it made my top 5? To me this year’s release had a little extra something that last year’s was missing. Maybe it was the change from the torpedo shade or the filler change or a combination of both. Either way this year’s release surpassed last years by a fair margin in my opinion. Full bodied with rich flavors of sweet tobacco, raisin, bitter chocolate and some spice in the sinus made this a complete cigar. It has a nice changing flavor profile from start to finish and provides a great ride through the flavors as you progress down the stick. When you factor in the price tag for a limited release product of only $8.95 a stick, it makes this an even better stick. With so many limited release product hitting the market now-a-days at $14 and up it was easy to expect this to have a higher price tag. Oliva has done a great job of keeping these sticks at an affordable price point while keeping production limited to just 50,000 sticks a year.

4. Illusione Epernay Le Grande: While this cigar is not new for the 2011 year, it has more then earned its spot on this year’s top 5. Coming in at a corona gorda size of 6 x 46, this is a great cigar no matter the time of day. Whether you’re just getting your morning coffee or just finishing up a steak dinner, this stick has more then enough flavor to complement while staying in a nice medium body range. What stands out to me on this stick is its ability to appeal to both the mild and full bodied crowd. It has enough flavor that someone that wants a powerful stick will still enjoy it while it isn’t so strong that your 1 time a month smoker couldn’t handle it. If anyone has ever wanted to enjoy a Cuban cigar but has not because of the embargo, then this is where I would point them. This cigar fits the bill for your typical Cuban cigar in regards to flavor profile and strength. They provide a wonderful nuttiness paired with a wonderfully creamy texture from the smoke that you can just lose yourself in. The size seems to fit me just right too, not too big of a ring gauge while keeping the length at a manageable point that keeps this cigar around 90 minutes of smoking pleasure. At $7.75 before local taxes this isn’t a wallet buster of a stick, though box purchases can be tougher for some due to them coming in 50 count cabinet style boxes.

    

3. Alec Bradley Black Market Churchill: I don’t often smoke Churchill’s as they are just not my cup of tea. I make a big exception with this new release from Alec Bradley however as it is the smallest ring gauge in the lineup of Black Market and in my opinion presents this cigar in all of its glory. Using a Nicaraguan wrapper with a Sumatran binder provides a rich and sweet taste to the palette. What sets this apart the most to me though is the Panamanian tobacco used in the filler. Not a tobacco you very often see used in cigars but one that I think we will be seeing more of in the coming years, much like the San Andres Negra wrapper coming from Mexico today. This cigar starts off medium in body and slowly builds it way to a full bodied flavor bomb midway through before evening out towards the end at a nice medium-full. A slight spice on the back of the palette provides a nice sensation throughout without ever distracting from the rich coffee and cocoa flavors on this stick. If this is what we can expect from Alec Bradley going forward, then the cigar world had better watch out!

    

2. Curivari Seleccion Privada Maduro Eminentes: This small boutique blend hasn’t had the fanfare that the others on this list have had and most people probably haven’t even heard of it. Very few stores even carry it but if you find a store that does, be sure to check this stick out. Much like the Epernay at #4, this cigar is so close to Cuban many people may not be able to tell the difference. What makes this cigar stand out even more is that it is a Nicaraguan puro, made solely of Criollo and Corojo leaves grown exclusively in Nica. This company started out as a small house brand for a cigar shop in Greece which had customers that wanted something with a Cuban profile without the Cuban price tag. At $6-$9 a stick and a nice medium bodied, full flavor stick in hand, I would say it was a success. Having just launched into the American market in the last 18 months and keeping production small to this point, this cigar isn’t going to be on a lot of store shelves for some time I would suspect. The entire lineup of Curivari has been very good but this maduro stood out above the rest.

And the number 1 cigar of 2011 is…

1. Casa Magna Domus Magnus Optimus: A limited release production in the Casa Magna line comes in at the top spot this year. If you like the original Casa Magna Colorado then this stick is a sure winner in your book. If you didn’t like the original, don’t be afraid to give this stick a try because it brought together some of the things the original is missing. While I thoroughly enjoy the Colorado this stick just seemed to add something a little extra to really complete the picture. Smooth, flavorful, medium-full bodied, and a great price-point make this a tough stick to beat. Rich in earthy flavor with a hint of sweetness and a nice aroma bring this cigar to the forefront of my memory. Trying not to smoke them all up and let a few age has been extremely difficult and has been an exercise in patience for me. Hiding them at the back of my humidor for the “out of sight, out of mind” effect seems to have worked thus far but for how long I am not sure. Letting them rest for 2-3 years may bring out even more of the sweetness that seems to linger when smoking these. Now if only we could get them to make this regularly I wouldn’t have to hide the stash from myself. A man can hope right?

So what sticks stood out that didn’t make the top 5 this year? There were plenty good releases this year and even some oldies that stood out as well. For me, there were 5 sticks that made my honorable mention list that didn’t quite crack the top 5. Here they are, in no particular order:

Drew Estate Undercrown: Great stick that will for sure help Drew and Co. in the non-infused market for years to come.

Tatuaje Black Petite Lancero: Flavorful and full bodied. What Pete does best!

Alec Bradley Fine and Rare: Limited production is the only reason this didn’t rate in the top 5. One of the most complex cigars I have ever smoked.

Padron 85^th Maduro: One of the strongest Padron to date. Was like smoking a chocolate bar. Price tag and availability kept it off the top 5 list.

Perdomo Limited Reserve Cameroon Edition: What a little flavor-bomb this was. Sweet in all the right spots but size always left me wanting more. If only it was 2 inches longer.

So what were your top 5 cigars this year? How many cigars were added to your regular rotation of smokes in the humidor? I know I added quite a few this year with the lineup that was presented by our friends in Nica, Honduras, and the DR. Hopefully we can keep this train rolling through 2012 and beyond!

Now the deals of course jump right into the cigar business as well. Shops all over the country have joined the Black Friday crowd and offer deep discounts on sticks and accessories. Some stores put together special holiday sampler packs and even manufacturers release special holiday gift packs. Ranging from simple stick samplers to travel cases with cigars to ashtray gift sets, the manufacturers have some great deals to be offered. Go into any B&M and you will see gift sets aplenty on the shelves and maybe even a specific area with gift sets for anyone. But how do you decide what to get for the person you are shopping for? Do they need an ashtray? How about a humidor? Or maybe it is a simple cutter and lighter combo they are in need of? There are so many options it is tough to decide, especially when you aren’t sure of what that person smokes. So here are some holiday shopping tips for that special cigar smoker in your life:

1. If you want to gift them cigars, learn what they smoke. Whether it be a brand, a flavor profile or a strength scale, take the time to learn this. As a cigar smoker, I will graciously accept whatever someone gifts me because they put the thought into that gift. However if it is a cigar that I don’t particularly enjoy I may set it in my humidor and not smoke it. You have to be very careful when cigar shopping because like most clothes, it is not a 1-size-fits-all kind of hobby. Cigars can be too mild, too strong, too spicy or any number of other things that may not be enjoyed by the recipient of your gracious gift.
2. Don’t be afraid to ask the person working the humidor. They are there to answer questions and help you select the right product for you or your loved one. They are (or at least should be) knowledgeable about their product and can help you immensely. Maybe the person you are buying for likes to smoke Romeo Y Julieta cigars but you want to get them something a bit different. Ask the tobacconist what would be comparable and you can put together your own personal sampler for them.
3. If you don’t want to get them cigars but maybe provide accessories, learn what they need. If I already own 4 lighters I might not be in need of one. But maybe the ashtray in my backyard is a bit small and I need something a bit bigger. Or I currently use a cigar punch and maybe want to try something different like a regular cutter or V-Cut. Finding out these little details will make the gift mean so much more. I would happily accept a lighter even if I already owned 4 but maybe there was something else I was in need of.
4. Humidors can be a slippery slope and while a great gift idea, they must be approached with caution. There can be several issues with purchasing someone a humidor and the biggest would be how big you buy. For a humidor to work as it should it needs to be ¾ of the way full. If the person you have bought for doesn’t have enough cigars to fill it that much then they need to buy enough cigars to do so and now you have cost them what could be quite a bit of money. Of course the other side of that is if they have too many cigars to fit into what you’ve bought them. The other big part of a humidor purchase is to consider what they look like. Humidors are as much of a furniture piece as they are a functional tool for a cigar smoker. The different looks appeal to different people and may not match the design of someone’s home. While this is a very nice gift for someone, approach with caution.
5. There is of course always the last option, which many people do not like, and that is a gift card/certificate. While it is a bit more impersonal to go this route, it may be the safest, especially in the cigar world. Cigars are such a personal thing that it can be very easy to give the wrong gift. With a gift card you are allowing someone to get what they like and you know you are safe.

Hopefully this little list of things has helped you in purchasing the proper gift for that special cigar smoker in your life. I can tell you as a retail tobacconist that following this list will make the gift you give that much more special and will make it much easier for us to help you find it. Trying to find a cigar for someone when they come into the store with no knowledge of what the person smokes is a daunting task. The last thing we want to do is pick out the wrong gift for your loved one. Arming yourself with the above knowledge makes the entire experience, from purchase to ripping off the wrapping, a much more enjoyable experience. And when has it ever been a bad thing to learn a little more about your loved one’s hobby, even if it isn’t one you share.

Last but not least we here at Cigar King want to thank each and every customer we’ve worked with over the years. We have been around as long as we have because of you and plan on being around for years to come. Hopefully when you come to us we can make your gift buying experience as enjoyable for you as it is for us. We do what we love and that should show when you work with us. We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season and look forward to a fantastic 2012!

We as retailers get asked numerous questions, sometimes daily, about the embargo. Questions ranging from what makes them so good, why are they the best, when we think the embargo might end, and even what will change about what we do should it end? The answer will of course vary from person to person and maybe even from day-to-day. But the fact remains we hear them all the time.

Let’s start by looking at what is probably the most asked question: what makes them so good/why are they the best? This is of course all subjective and my answer won’t be the same as the next retailer. I always start by telling people the obvious, that taste is subjective so they may not be the best to everyone. I personally prefer a more hearty Nicaraguan to a Cuban but enjoy the forbidden fruit as well. They both offer something that I enjoy but for very different reasons. Nicaraguan tobacco is by nature a heartier, heavier tobacco while Cuban tobacco tends to be more medium in body with more subtle flavors. Each provide a different smoking experience that allows you to decide what to smoke based on the moment. The biggest difference you between each is that Cuban cigars are puro, made only of Cuban grown tobacco while non-Cuban companies will use tobacco’s from different countries. The biggest argument you will hear from many Cuban cigar smokers is that if they weren’t the best, they wouldn’t dominate the cigar market outside of the U.S. Many estimates put Cuba as holding upwards of an 80% market share on the cigar industry. However many companies don’t actively market or sell to the international market which lends itself to Cuba holding such a large share.

The next most asked question is about when/if the embargo might end. In the past 50 years it has looked mostly impossible due to political reasons. But in the past 2-3 years it has started to look more and more like a possibility. Fidel Castro has ceded power to his brother, the Communist nation has begun allowing privatized business to occur, and the embargo is starting to look more and more like a failure due to Cuba still being Communist. The point of the embargo was to create change and it really hasn’t lived up to that idea. The biggest hurdle is going to be garnering enough support in Congress to release the embargo that has for so long been such a major part of the political landscape in the United States. Under the current administration we have seen several aspect of the embargo loosened, including travel restrictions and the ability to send aid to the island. This could be just a starting point for an eventual abandonment of the total embargo that would open many new doors for both citizens of the U.S. and Cuba.

Another major point to be brought up is what changes we would see in the cigar landscape in America should Cuban tobacco be available to us. What many people overlook is the legal issues that would arise from the embargo ending. As most people know, many cigar names that came from Cuba prior to the embargo started to be made in the Dominican Republic after the embargo was signed. Brands like Partagas, Romeo y Julieta, H. Upmann, Montecristo, Cohiba and others have both Dominican and Cuban variations. What many people don’t realize is the Dominican versions of these are made by different companies, Altadis and General. The issue that this causes is that Altadis owns 50% of the Cuban cigar production arm known as Habanos S.A. and as such owns the rights to all of the above mentioned brands of Cuban origin while General owns the rights to many of the Dominican versions. The battle that would ensue over who could produce these and release these in their Cuban form would be lengthy to say the least. I personally wouldn’t expect to see any form of Cuban cigar on our store shelves for 10 years or more after the embargo was lifted. The other issue that would arise is how much supply would be available to us. Cuba right now is thought to be at maximum capacity for cigar production based on farm space available to grow tobacco from. Estimates say that Habanos S.A. is producing around 150 million cigars a year (this number is heavily disputed) and controls 80% of the foreign market. This means the international cigar market consumes around 200 million cigars a year if the Cuban number is accurate. The U.S. market consumes approximately 250 million cigars a year on its own. If Cuba is at max capacity then the availability of Cuban cigars in America is going to be extremely limited. I would also expect there to be a huge demand on this very small supply which would most likely drive the price up considerably, at least for the first several years as people seek out legal Cuban cigars once they become available. What I would expect is to see a small boom period, around 4-8 years, should they become legal as people hunt for them much like they did during the cigar boom of the late 90′s. What would be most interesting to me would be to see what manufacturers in countries like the Dominican, Honduras, and Nicaragua would do if they had Cuban tobacco to blend with their current stockpiles should there be enough for them to purchase and use. I can only imagine what we would see coming from major names like Fuente, Oliva, Padron and others should they have access to the forbidden fruit.

As long as this embargo remains in place, we will continue to get the questions, provide our answers, and just wonder “what if?”. I honestly think it will be lifted in the next 15 years, which seems like an eternity, but after 60 years what need is there for it anymore? We placed the embargo with the intent to move Cuba away from a Communist government and yet they persist. We wanted them to recognize human rights on a better level and yet we continue to hold things from them that could inevitably help improve their track record. The Cold War has been over for over a decade and the U.S.S.R collapsed. At what point does this embargo collapse as well?

Let’s look at the first and possibly most likely reason behind this new size: perceived value. Many people look at a size like a toro (6×50-54) and the price tag is around $7. Sitting right next to the $7 toro is the $7.50 6×60 and see a better value. You get more tobacco for your dollar and a longer smoking time as such. This leads to people smoking more of these size due to the price difference being negligible when considering other sizes of the same cigar. A valid point indeed and one that makes a lot of sense when looking at other retailers such as Costco and Sam’s Club thriving. The idea of buying more for close to the same price drives many people to many different retail decisions, not just in tobacco.

The second reason you are starting to see this trend may be due to a heavily debated idea amongst cigar manufacturers. Does a bigger ring gauge mean a stronger cigar? The 2 ideas are not intermingled unless the manufacturers want them to be. With a 6×60 you have to add quite a bit more filler and if that filler is an extra leaf of ligero then the cigar could very well be stronger than it’s smaller brethren. However the opposite could also be true: if using 1 leaf of ligero in a corona and using 1 leaf of ligero in the 6×60 and adding seco or viso as the additional filler, you will actually lose strength in the overall cigar. This is because the ratio of seco and viso to ligero has gone down considerably and therefore you lose strength. The “recipe” has changed and if it was not proportional to the original to account for the larger size, then the cigar will be vastly different.

Could the reason be that people assume with a larger amount of tobacco that you get more flavor? This may or may not be true, much like the strength argument. Many people say that most of the flavor on a cigar comes from the wrapper leaf and therefore the smaller the ring gauge, the more flavor you will get. This is because there is not as much filler to override the flavor coming from the wrapper. Other people will say that filler contributes more flavor then most people think and therefore the bigger the ring gauge, the more they can add flavor and complexity to a cigar by adding filler. I think the argument here is somewhere between the 2. Both sides are correct in that the smaller the ring gauge, the more influence the wrapper will have on the flavor and vice-verse, the bigger the ring, the more the filler will have an impact on the flavor. How this changes the manufacturers idea behind the cigar can be altered as well. They may have to use a different kind of filler to mimic the tastes of the smaller ring gauge for which the cigar is intended. They may have to use a higher priming of tobacco or something with a bit more age to get the flavors they were looking for. Using a lower quality tobacco can very easily disrupt the intention of the cigar because of the impact it will have when used in a larger ring gauge.

Some people will say it is just new smokers contributing to this trend and that point is one I definitely disagree with. Working in the retail cigar business for some time now, I have seen novice smokers enjoy smaller cigars and 20 year veterans smoke 6×60′s. I ask customers from time to time what draws them to the larger cigars and the answer is always interesting. Some will say it is the value they get for that smoke. Others will tell me they seem to draw better then smaller cigars and still others say they just like the large volume of smoke that the size provides. Sometimes they are looking for a cigar they can sit with and relax for 2 hours and 6×60 provides just that. The people who choose not to smoke that size tend to agree as to why they don’t: it is just to big and they don’t feel comfortable doing so. It isn’t comfortable in their mouth, not comfortable in their hand, or even too phallic for them, as funny as that sounds. The length isn’t so much the issue for most people but the ring gauge, it is just too big for them. One thing is for sure, this is a trend that most likely isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Even Cuba, which has always been a very traditional country when it comes to cigar sizes, is doing bigger ring gauges. They recently released the Cohiba Behike 56, which as the name implies is a 56 ring gauge, the largest they’ve ever done.

Many manufacturers agree, the 60 ring is one that is a fast growing market for them. For Perdomo, it is the largest size that is their largest seller in 3 different blends, the Gran Cru, the Champagne, and the Habano lines. EPC has released this size in all of his blends under the new company and even did them when he was making cigars under La Gloria Cubana. And even Altadis, makers of such historical lines as Romeo y Julieta, Montecristo, H. Upmann and others, is jumping on the 60 bandwagon, making these sizes in many of their lines. While many people don’t enjoy the girth of this cigar, one thing is for sure, the cigar market has a demand for them and it doesn’t appear to be subsiding anytime soon. And the way I see it, if it attracts new smokers to our hobby and helps bring acceptance to what we as adults choose to enjoy, then they are a welcome addition to the cigar world.

Looking at the 3, I lean towards the smoking bans that we are seeing pop up nearly everyday across the country. Cigars are not a habit for most enthusiasts but a hobby. We don’t crave the nicotine, we crave the experience. For most cigar smokers, it is about the time you spend with the stick of your choosing, not the fix that cigarette smokers look for. It is about the bonds you make with friends and family over the simple pleasure of relaxing with a cloud of gray silk rolling off your lips. Unfortunately, the experience we look for is being taken away from us everyday, by people who unfairly lump us in with cigarettes. How do we combat this unfair treatment? The obvious answer is to vote and make sure your voice is heard by your local government official. But lets look at some of the other things that are happening that may not be as obvious.

First and foremost in the battle to enjoy our hobby is the creativity of your local tobacconist. Here in Arizona, you are legally allowed to enjoy tobacco products indoors at an establishment that sees 51% or more of its revenue from tobacco or tobacco related products. This means cigar lounges are a perfectly legal way to sit back, relax with a stick, and let your worries disappear with the smoke. Cigar stores throughout Arizona have expanded their lounge space to accommodate more brothers and sisters of the leaf. They’ve added more seating and televisions along with offering a diverse selection of sticks to attract even the most discerning of palettes. Some host cigar tastings by inviting manufacturers in and allowing us to try new products, while others partner with restaurants and host cigar dinners. Many shops offer memberships that allow you to store cigars on site and provide additional benefits to those who choose to partake. And while many people still enjoy the solitude of smoking on their patio using the experience as a time of reflection, there is much to be said about having a local spot to enjoy a cigar and make new friends.

The second way to combat this trend is to support your local tobacconist. Running a shop that offers lounge space, televisions, knowledgeable employees, and a vast selection takes the support of locals. While it admittedly can be slightly more expensive depending on local taxes, the benefit of having somewhere comfortable to relax and enjoy a cigar can be invaluable. Ask a fellow cigar enthusiast in Santa Monica, where it is illegal to even smoke on your own patio if within 25 feet of a neighbors window, door, or ventilation. Can you imagine not being able to smoke on your own property, a space you spend your hard-earned money on and should be able to do as you please with? Or how about New York, where they have banned smoking in all outdoor areas such as beaches, public plazas, and parks, including the famed Central Park. Statistics show that nearly 80% of the population of the U.S. is now covered under anti-smoking laws. Some of these laws are more stringent then others of course, but you can see the effect they are having across the country. And you can be sure there are more cities and states that haven’t yet enacted these laws that are looking at and drafting them right now. A cigar lounge offers a way to escape these laws that have tied the hands of many people and legally enjoy a cigar.

The last way to combat this trend is to make people aware of the differences of cigars and cigarettes. Tobacco is a cause of cancer and we cannot argue that. However we can argue the validity of studies that unfairly lump cigars and cigarettes together. The biggest difference between the 2 would be the simplest: a cigar uses natural leaves throughout without additives while a cigarette uses paper to wrap it together as well as additional chemicals which can have an adverse effect on us. But there are many other differences that go undocumented everyday. As we talked about before, a cigar is about the experience you have with it. They provide a great way for someone to unwind and let go of the stresses of everyday life. They allow someone to spend time with their thoughts or make connections with people they may have never without the bond of the cigar. Many great decisions in history have been debated in company with a cigar. It is common to celebrate major life changes with a good cigar, such as weddings and children being born. And while those things only happen to people a handful of times in their life, it is a common sight to see a new father light up with his friends and family. Studies have also shown that cigar tobacco can have a positive effect on major diseases. Scientists are using tobacco to combat the effects of Alzheimer’s, dementia, and even some forms of cancer. This is not to say that smoking a cigar will stop any of these things from happening, it does show that tobacco isn’t the evil drug some people make it out to be.

We live in a time when smoking is becoming less and less accepted in society everyday. We get the dirty looks, the condescending comments, and the ire of the general public. We are treated differently even though we are adults who have the right to make our own informed decisions. Yet that right seems to be disappearing at a rate that can be tough to comprehend. Hopefully soon we will see people open their eyes and minds to the fact that cigars are not cigarettes and we too can be once again accepted for the hobbies for which we choose to partake.

Let’s start by looking at the merger of General Cigar and CAO. Many people saw this change as the death of a smaller brand, CAO, because the 800lb gorilla would destroy it. So far the opposite seems to be happening, with General moving Rick Rodriguez from his previous position working with La Gloria Cubana into a partnership with Ed McKenna to oversee and market CAO. Rick has been training for years under Benji Menendez, a master blender with great success and respect in this business. Rick took this opportunity on head first and charged right into it, beginning to blend a new cigar for CAO almost immediately, and looking to prove the naysayers wrong. In doing so, he created OSA, which stands for Olancho San Agustin, the area for which the wrapper leaf for this cigar is grown. While this product is just hitting shelves in local B&M’s, it was met with early success and fanfare at the annual tobacconist trade show, IPCPR, in July. Ed McKenna is the marketing man behind this new product and has stuck to the edgier style that CAO is known for. Using a white box with lime green and black as the complementary colors, this cigar truly stands out and catches ones eye. It isn’t a full bodied monster like a lot of product we see hitting the market these days as it stays firmly in the medium body range with a nice crisp flavor. As part of the launch of this product, Rick will be traveling to B&M’s throughout the country on the CAO OSA Sol tour starting in September. Right now dates for the event are planned into November, with more dates to be added as they come closer. Be sure to check out CAO’s website or with your local tobacconist to see when they are coming to a town near you. Rick is a truly great cigar guy and this event is not one you want to miss. He will be here on Saturday, November 12th for our CAO OSA Sol event.

Moving forward, we look at a change that hasn’t fully played out, we’ve only started to see it begin. I am talking about Sam Leccia leaving his original “home”, Oliva Cigar Co. Sam is credited with the creation of both the Cain and Nub lines and the idea behind Studio Tobac, the edgy design and innovation arm of Oliva Cigar Co. Unfortunately, this was not a pretty split and became quite the topic at the beginning of the summer in the tobacco world. Shortly after leaving Oliva, Sam decided to launch his own brand of cigar, aptly titled Debut. We as tobacconists were to see and sample this cigar at the IPCPR in Las Vegas, however it was revealed that Sam had a non-compete clause as part of his departure and Oliva stopped this from happening. We haven’t heard much out of Sam’s camp in recent months but Oliva continues on. Studio Tobac appointed Bryan Scholle the new ambassador for Cain and Nub and has sent him on the road for the Studio Tobac Tour. They built a custom Studio Tobac Corvette, packed his cigar rolling gear into the matched trailer, and sent Bryan out to roll cigars and eventually raffle off the ‘Vette. This tour included events that started on the East coast in February of 2011, making its way towards the West coast, and ending in November in Florida. Even without Mr. Leccia, Studio Tobac has forged ahead and continues to create new product with Bryan at the helm steering the ship. What will happen with Sam has yet to be seen and unfortunately will end up being played out in court.

The next major movement we all saw created quite a splash. Willie Herrera, the cigar master and man behind El Titan de Bronze left his former position to join the boys at Drew Estate. Willie had spent years working on and creating this small boutique blend out of Miami that had quite the following at the time of his departure. This change is just part of Drew Estate’s effort to expand into the non-infused market for which they have become known through cigar lines such as Acid, Natural, and Tabak Especial. Willie will be creating blends in Drew Estates factory located in Esteli, Nicaragua and will have access to many tobaccos for which he never has before. Steve Saka, the President of Drew Estate, has stated that Willie will spend the first year of his time working closely with his new teammates, working with new tobaccos, and eventually hitting the road to meet the people who will one day be smoking his creations. This has the makings of a great new relationship and should add nicely to the non-infused portfolio they currently have, including Liga Privada and the soon-to-be released Liga Undercrown. One thing is for sure, working for Drew Estate opens many doors for Willie and should allow him to truly hit his pinnacle as a cigar blender and master.

The most recent change we have seen was the departure of Jose Blanco from La Aurora S.A., a company which he was employed with in some capacity for 29 years. Starting with Grupo Leon Jimenes as part of it’s beer and cigarette distributorship, Jose would eventually join Guillermo Leon as part of La Aurora’s tasting panel because Guillermo recognized Jose’s passion and palette. In 1999, Jose took the position of Sales Director for La Aurora, a title he held until his retirement in June of 2011. He did one last blending seminar for La Aurora at the IPCPR in Las Vegas and then left on a long vacation. Shortly after returning he made a trip to Nicaragua where he met with old friends such as Don Pepin Garcia, Jonathan Drew, and Dr. Alejandro Martinez Cuenca. During this trip, he accepted a position as Senior Vice President of Joya de Nicaragua, responsible for brand and blend development and working with the consumer public. He relocated from the Domincan Republic to Nicaragua and has already begun blending and testing new cigars. Part of this major change for Blanco also means working closely with Drew Estate as they are the U.S. distributor for JdN. Blanco made a name for himself in this business blending for the oldest cigar company in the Dominican and will continue his legacy with the oldest cigar maker in Nicaragua, quite the accomplishment for a boy from the Bronx. Jose’s passion for this business was apparent when he left La Aurora as he said himself he would be back after his vacation because cigars are “in his blood”.

All of these changes mean many things for the cigar industry. Some of these changes have already started to make waves and be seen while others are still in their infancy. While some people just can’t accept change, this industry has been around for a long time and change has what’s kept it alive. Changes like we’ve talked about above keep the business on it’s toes by injecting new and fresh ideas to manufacturers we know and love. For a business that is steeped in such tradition and history, it is amazing what new blood can do. Combining the radical ideas of people like Jonathan Drew with the traditional style of Willie Herrera or the historical perspective of both La Aurora and Joya de Nicaragua could mean great things for consumers. Only time will tell and that time can’t come soon enough.

Admittedly, walking into a cigar store, whether for the first time or five hundredth, can be an intimidating and overwhelming experience. So many choices and price points, it is sometimes very difficult to decide what you are going to purchase. And it is especially true when you are choosing between brands you may have never tried, going back and forth in your mind as to whether or not you want to use your hard-earned money on an experience you may not enjoy. It is even more difficult when you enter a store that carries its very own house-brands, made by big name manufacturers, often at a price point that is very appealing. The best advice a cigar geek can give is to ask the tobacconist any questions you might have; they are in the business to educate and help people enjoy their cigar experience.

All of the above led to today’s review, the Purofino Vida del Fuego, a Cigar King house blend made at the Raices-Cubanas factory and blended by the experts at Alec Bradley. As I am a fan of smaller ring gauge cigars I chose this cigar in a corona vitola. Also of note is that this will be my first cigar of the day so my palette will be as open as possible, with no previous cigars weighing in.

Pre-light this cigar has a wonderful sweetness both on the lips and the dry-draw. Notes of raisin and a sweet hay come to the forefront and excite my palette before the cigar has even had flame touched to it. The cigar has a beautiful wrapper, with no soft spots, hard spots, or visible veins. Dark and oily with some slight tooth make this a very pretty cigar. Time to light this beauty up.

I used a single flame torch lighter on this particular smoke and it lit up quickly and effortlessly. Right off the bat the sweet raisin flavor I was experiencing on the dry-draw comes out in the smoke. There is a slight spice through the nose, but not a peppery spice, more of a sweet spice that I would liken to nutmeg. The cigar has a wonderful aroma, full and sweet, with a nice white smoke. This early in the smoke I would say it is about a medium body.

Once into the cigar about an inch, the body has stepped up into the high medium, low full range. A nice earthy taste has come into play at this point and the sweetness has stepped down. The spice is still in full effect, especially through the nose, though it is more apparent on the tongue than it was at the start.

At the halfway point the burn starts to get a bit crooked. Nothing too major, just a small difference from one side to the other. The sweetness has started to creep back up and the spice is just as full as ever. This is now a full bodied cigar as well, having built its way up slowly to this point.

Entering the final 1/3 the burn has corrected itself as I had hoped it would. No major tunneling or canoeing on me so we are in good shape. This cigar is finishing much like it started. A nice raisin sweetness on the tongue with a sweet spice through the nose. Definitely finishes stronger than it started though.

Final Thoughts: Overall this was a great cigar. It was a roller coaster of flavors, maneuvering between a sweetness and a nice earthy flavor and back again. The spice complemented the cigar very well and was never a distraction from the flavor. It seems that now-a-days some manufacturers are using spicier and spicier tobacco that, in my opinion, take away from the overall experience because they overwhelm you with spice. I would highly recommend this cigar to the smoker who enjoys a full body, high complexity cigar. This isn’t a stick that a novice should jump right into but should definitely be on everyone’s to-try list.

Don’t just take my word for it though. Try it for yourself. The Purofino Vida del Fuego is available at CigarKing.com.