Please be our guest…The 2011 Pork n Puff is set!!! Saturday September 10^th we will be hosting Pete Johnson of Tatuaje Cigars for our yearly pig blowout. There is no greater celebrity in the cigar industry than Pete and we are extremely lucky to have him. This year we will be roasting 2 pigs since we are expecting a very large crowd. Both Walt and Rich will be crafting beer for the occasion, so get ready to party.

Sincerely,

Hal Rubin

More information will be out soon and I will update this as we learn of the time.

As is the tradition at the Pork n Puff, all box purchases will earn you a ticket into the drawing for a 42″ flat screen TV, an IPad 2 and my 2000 Millennium Opus X Humidor ($5,000 value). Pete is sure to bring lots of cool swag as well as some great smokes you can only get at his events.

Join us afterwards! – Following the Pork n Puff pig roasting, we will be having an after party with our new friend and partner at Amra’s downtown. For those of you who haven’t been there, you’re in for a treat. Dave Mellin is a great guy and really knows how to host a party.

Lots more details will follow (time, deals, etc) but I wanted to give you lots of advance notice so you can save the date.

Save the Date
September 10, 2011
Time – Noon – 5pm

After Party at Amras

5-Until

AVO “85^th” Anniversary Edition Cigar 2011

Pinellas Park, FL, March 14, 2011 – Cigar luminary Avo Uvezian is celebrating his 85^th birthday with the release of his Limited Edition Anniversary Cigar, the “85^th”. The “85^th” marks the tenth annual limited edition release from AVO Cigars, a tradition the legendary cigar composer started to commemorate since his 75^th birthday.

The “85^th Anniversary” presents itself in a majestic and charming cigar format – a noble “Diademas” – and is limited to 100,000 cigars worldwide with 60,000 cigars for the US market.

The sophisticated black, silky-matte-lacquered box with the impressive golden print of the “Avo 85^th Anniversary” logo underlines the gracefulness and the non-interchangeable note and denomination of this cigar.

The well-balanced combination of the San Vicente and Piloto tobaccos enfolded by a Peruvian binder and perfected with a special Sun grown Dominican wrapper as well as the gorgeous Diademas format make it an outstanding cigar. The “Avo 85^th Anniversary” is of medium strength, offers complex aromas and is an extraordinary smoking experience. A cigar no aficionado should miss!!

The AVO 85^th Anniversary will be launched on March 21^st, at Select Merchants only, with a retail price of $17.50 – taxes not included.

To launch the AVO 85^th Anniversary Cigar, a series of unforgettable intimate evenings will be held where guests will enjoy fine food and wine as well as having the opportunity to be among the first to sample and purchase the AVO 85^th Anniversary Edition cigar.

Seating at each dinner is very limited, and the AVO Select Merchants expect to sell out within days of the event announcement.

I for one cannot wait for this to come out!

La Flor Dominicana Air Bender - 2010 Zen Cigar of the Year

Zen Limited Edition Cigar of the Year:

This also required deliberation, but the winner came to me much more quickly.  It was the cigar that offered the most unique tasting experience..

EP Carillo Short Run – 2010 Limited Edition Cigar of the Year

Congrats!  I look forward to 2011!

Zen Cigar of the Year

Aurora 107 – a nice new offering from the oldest factory in the DR, great price point too.

La Flor Dominicana Air Bender – another wonderful full-flavored smoke from Litto Gomez.

AVO Heritage – the strongest AVO to date!  Very good and flavorful!

El Triunfador – it feels like this line has been out longer than 2010, but this is Pete’s smoothest and most refined cigar to date.

EP Carillo Core Line - Ernesto is back in form with his Core Line offering.

Zen Limited Edition Cigar of the Year – where small batches rule!

La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Obelisco – a true pyramid shape, this cigar from General is actually really good.

EP Carillo Short Run – Ernesto at his best – with a hint of Kelner to the cigar.

Illusione Singulare 2010 – a cigar that gets better each time I smoke it.

Viaje Holiday Blend 2010 – Andre does a lot of LEs, but this is by far his best this year.

Griffin’s XXVI – after some duds, the Griffin’s LE is back!

So who’s it gonna be?  Is the suspense killing you??  Well, you won’t have to wait long.  I’ll reveal the results by the end of the week.  Oh, and no poll this year, but feel free to leave me your opinions and thoughts in the comment section.  Thanks!

But this is an account for you, my loyal Zen fan(s).  I will post a mini-review of every cigar I smoke (hopefully).  This could just add a little more Zen to your day!

There is a wealth of information for the novice and the seasoned aficionado.

You can learn everything from seed to cigar, from common sizes, wrapper types and growing regions.  It’s ellegant and sophisticated.

Plus there’s a few pictures of pretty women with cigars thrown in for good measure.    Pick one up today!

Floods Devastate Honduras

Miami, Fl., August 20, 2010 – Severe thunderstorms have devastated Honduras causing major flooding and landslides. The Gran Habano factory has sustained damage by the floods but we anticipate that we can recover without any loss to production or distribution. However, the families in the surrounding area and our own families were not so fortunate. Reports of the damages are still coming in but have indicated that 7 major bridges have been damaged, road infrastructure is ruined and hundreds of homes have been washed away or have become inhabitable. In all there are 15 neighborhoods and districts that are in need of major support.

The people in the affected communities are currently being relocated to shelters around the country with little more than the clothes on their back. It is unknown when the communities will be able to rebuild as heavy rains are expected to continue in the upcoming months.

We are doing everything in our power to aid not only our Gran Habano families but the State as a whole. As a single company we will be limited to the number of families that will receive assistance – however as a cigar community we will have the opportunity to provide major relief to a greater number of people.

George Rico will be collecting toiletries, clothing and any other donations the good-natured people of the cigar community are able to provide. We will be accepting dropped off aid items at our Miami office or you can ship them directly to Gran Habano. All collected items will be personally flown to Honduras and distributed directly to those most in need.

Shipping Address:
Gran Habano Cigars
C/O George Rico
3261 NW 82nd Avenue
Doral, FL 33122

Contact Information:
888.958.7002
http://GHCigars.com

About Gran Habano Cigars
Gran Habano Cigars is a family run operation that was founded in 1995 by Guillermo Rico and his son George Rico.

This cigar is smooth and spicy.  If you are a fan of the My Father line of cigars, this is a must try!  Hal & Co. at Empire will ship!

The Nestor Miranda Collection Introduces 1989

Miami, FL…29 Apr…Honouring Miami Cigar & Company’s founding in 1989, the Nestor Miranda Collection presents, 1989.

A beautifully blended combination of Nicaraguan tobaccos, the cigar was blended and is being manufactured by My Father Cigar Corp. It was inspired by Nestor Miranda who described to Pepin Garcia the particular flavour and body he was looking for “…that can be sold at a very reasonable price point, in deference to the prevailing economic conditions.” The cigars will sell for $5.00.

“While we do not have any cigars in the Nestor Miranda Collection that are expensive, we wanted to offer an excellent smoke at a very reasonable price point. It has become obvious that smokers, like everyone else, these days, are seeking to restrain their spending,” Rene J. Castaneda, Miami Cigar & Company Vice President said. With the continued success of the Special Selection; the recent introduction of the Dominicano and now the 1989 more or less completes the Nestor Miranda Collection. With a cigar for every smoker’s preference and pocketbook.

A satisfying blend of rich, aromatic and flavour filled Nicaraguan tobaccos, from Estelí and Jalapa, the Nestor Miranda Collection 1989 comes in three (3) sizes:

Robusto 5 x 50

Toro 6 x 50

Torpedo 6-1/8 x 52

The Nestor Miranda Collection 1989, like all other cigars in the Collection is made with two distinct wrappers. A Rosado, for those preferring a medium bodied smoke, and Oscuro to satisfy the taste of those seeking a medium to full bodied cigar.

The 1989 will make its appearance in tobacco shops starting 1 May.

Dion and Jonathan were supposed to be there, but Jonathan ended up at another shop for a similar event (?).  This was  ok, because I was very interested in picking the brain of one of the cigar industry’s biggest up-and-comers, Dion Giolito.  This guy is known for his palate and cigar flavor memory, and like me is a true cigar geek.

I walk in a little before 4 and Dion is already there chatting with Hal Rubin, the owner of Empire Cigars.  I introduce myself and shake hands say a quick hello to some of my buddies before checking out the sticks.  Four sizes were available that night – the Corona Larga, Robusto, Corona and Churchill.  Dion told me the Toros and the 660s will be in by the end of the month.

I’m in line waiting to get a box (the Corona Largas) and Dion is standing near/above (he’s like 9 feet tall), so I start talking to him.  He asks which size I picked, I show him the CLs, and he tells me that they are 60 days from the table and suggested I try one or two now and put the rest away for at least a month.  You gotta love a guy that up front and open about his product.

Dion Giolito

I ask him if he is glad that the cigar is finally out and he agrees, but he was less concerned about the delay (they were initially going to be released in 2009) and more concerned about getting out a product that is ready to be smoked and it tastes like he wants it to taste.

I pay for my box and get me freebies (4 ~mk~‘s!) and sit up front with Dion.  My buddy Matt (Matt’s Cigar Journal) joins me, and we start with the questions.  I ask him about the blend and he tells me what makes this blend special is the Oliva ASP Viso tobacco in the filler.  This has been a leaf he’s been trying to find for quite a while.  He talks about having to use to ASP Viso leaves for the different sizes.  The smaller sizes get the ASP Viso while the bigger ring gauge sizes needed a little extra punch of flavor so they get the ASP Viso Pequeno, which is actually a smaller leaf but a higher priming, so it gets more sun/time and therefore more flavor.

I light up a Corona Larga from my box and note right away, this is not like any Illusione, or Drew Estate cigar for the matter, I’ve ever had before.  I’ll go in more depth in my review which will follow, so stay tuned!

I ask him about the move to Drew Estate rather than having Arsenio Ramos at the Raices Cubanas factory (Casa Fernandez) make the Nosotros.  He delved into the reasons for having someone else make his product.  He had always wanted to have more than one person make his cigars.  He didn’t want the “same” taste in all of his cigars, and he also didn’t want to put all of his eggs in one basket.  He originally was going to have the Cruzado made by Joya de Nicaragua, but when Drew Estate took over distribution of JdN, the were unable at that time to make a cigar for him.  Dion understood and went back to Raices Cubanas.  When the time was right, the folks at Drew Estate and Dion got together and Dion went through their inventory of tobacco and put together a blend based on the individual flavors of each leaf (pretty amazing when you think about it).  More incredible, is that the first blend became the final blend used in the Nosotros!

Some of the Guys

Other regulars joined in, and Dion educated us on Nicaragua and its tobacco, how he creates his blends and also the scoop on his new project the yearly Limited Edition – the Singulare.  Dion shared a lot of interesting stuff about this blend off the record, so all I can tell you is that each year will feature a different blend in one size.  Based on what he shared with us, I cannot wait for this cigar to come out!

We talk about other cigars he likes.  We discuss Pete Johnson and his cigars (Tatuaje), Don Pepin, the Fuentes, La Flor Dominicana, Davidoffs and even Habanos.  Like me, Dion loves to smoke all different types of cigars, and not just his own!

Talk moves away from cigars and into music and movies.  Matt breaks out an Illusione Culebra to share, the ~23~, and Dion notes that this is the only size made in Miami by one roller.  It also features just one type of leaf from the blend.  It really sets it apart from the other sizes in the line.

I ask Dion what is his dream leaf that he wanted to work with, and he says it’s the one in the Nosotros, the ASP Viso.  I asked him if he planned on any new lines this year.  He said no, he didn’t want to have a glut of lines and wanted to focus on making good cigars and his yearly Singulare LEs.

Through the night Dion smoked a Nosotros and a Cruzado Marios, which he said are really “on” right now.  Another one of his favorites is the ~mk~.  I had a Nosotros Corona Larga, an Epernay La Petite, an Illusione ~23~ and a ~mk~.  Whew!  One thing that’s great about Dion’s smokes is that though they pack tons of flavor, they’re not so strong to kill the palate, so I was able to enjoy multiple cigars that night (as well as a few glasses of home-brewed beer from our buddy Rich).

Dion & Hal (late in the night)

The night goes by quickly and I can tell you I learned more about the industry in a few hours with Dion than I have through all of my research prior.  He is a great guy, a gracious host and really stands behind and is very proud of his product.  It was a great night, and hopefully we can get him to stop in again!

I’d also like to thank Hal and Dave at Empire Cigars for throwing an awesome party!

Oh and before I left I had Dion sign my box, check out the picture below (will post pic tonight).  ;)