Thursday, December 31, 2015

'Amazing Clubs' Cigar of the Month - 1

My wife knowing how I like cigars decided she would sign me up for a 'Cigar of the Month' Club.
This means for the next 6 months I will receive 5 random cigars in the mail.  I attached a picture of the first group.  It is a Griffins Robusto, Oliva Serie G Robusto, Leyenda Robusto, Camino viejo Churchill, and Cabo Rojo Toro.  Will be smoking and rating them soon.
If you like the cigars and want there website it is amazingclubs.com.  I am not any way affiliated with them or receive anything for mentioning them.

Monday, December 07, 2015

La Casa Del Habano in Melbourne Australia

In Melbourne, This is the store to obtain Cuban cigars.  In fact, they only have Cuban cigars.  They are the Hong Kong importers of cigars.  They also have a large selection of high end humidors and accessories.  I met Satish Seeburn to Shop Manager, who was very knowledgeable about his cigar stock.  Let him guide you into picking which cigar is best for you if you have not smoked a Cuban before.  As always, many a cigar smoker still debates the value of Cuban cigars versus many other fine cigars from central America.  When the embargo happened a lot of the great cigar makers migrated to the Americas and took their growing and blending knowledge with them.  Sometimes you get a bad Cuban that draws hard like any other cigar, so don't be too harsh on the proprietor.
 
Price range is typical for Cuban cigars, from $24.00 to $85.00.  If they were cheaper it would be suspicious.  I agree with the Yelp evaluation that this shop is located in the bottom floor of the Grand Hyatt hotel at 123 Collins Street and they would not let the shop continue if it was not above board.  It is a very nice hotel inside and worth checking out the first couple of floors while you are there.

It is very accessible via free trams that travel all over center city in Melbourne as are most of the shopping areas.  I have included some pics from the store for you, and I highly recommend going if you are looking for a good Cuban smoke.  I picked up a Romeo y Julieta and will give it a review in the next post.



Australian Cigar Labelling Laws

Many Australians still refer to it as the nanny state since this 2011 law was passed.
It severely restricts how tobacco products can be displayed in stores as well as online.
So while in Melbourne, I discovered this first hand looking for some cigar stores to discuss and evaluate.  First all the cigars have to have generic labels covering the real labels, which if you are going to pay a high price for Cuban cigars, is very important to help evaluate the authenticity.
Then they have to be packaged in sacks that tell you that you are going to die if you smoke cigars.
In the states we are a far cry from this labelling, but it is probably coming.
Here is a picture of the generic labelling and sack for you.


Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Rudyard Kipling piece from "The Betrothed" about cigars

Open the old cigar-box, get me a Cuba stout, 
For things are running crossways, and Maggie and I are out. 

We quarrelled about Havanas -- we fought o'er a good cheroot, 
And I knew she is exacting, and she says I am a brute. 

Open the old cigar-box -- let me consider a space; 
In the soft blue veil of the vapour musing on Maggie's face. 

Maggie is pretty to look at -- Maggie's a loving lass, 
But the prettiest cheeks must wrinkle, the truest of loves must pass. 

There's peace in a Larranaga, there's calm in a Henry Clay; 
But the best cigar in an hour is finished and thrown away -- 

Thrown away for another as perfect and ripe and brown -- 
But I could not throw away Maggie for fear o' the talk o' the town! 

Maggie, my wife at fifty -- grey and dour and old -- 
With never another Maggie to purchase for love or gold! 

And the light of Days that have Been the dark of the Days that Are, 
And Love's torch stinking and stale, like the butt of a dead cigar -- 

The butt of a dead cigar you are bound to keep in your pocket -- 
With never a new one to light tho' it's charred and black to the socket! 

Open the old cigar-box -- let me consider a while. 
Here is a mild Manila -- there is a wifely smile. 

Which is the better portion -- bondage bought with a ring, 
Or a harem of dusky beauties, fifty tied in a string? 

Counsellors cunning and silent -- comforters true and tried, 
And never a one of the fifty to sneer at a rival bride? 

Thought in the early morning, solace in time of woes, 
Peace in the hush of the twilight, balm ere my eyelids close, 

This will the fifty give me, asking nought in return, 
With only a Suttee's passion -- to do their duty and burn. 

This will the fifty give me. When they are spent and dead, 
Five times other fifties shall be my servants instead. 

The furrows of far-off Java, the isles of the Spanish Main, 
When they hear my harem is empty will send me my brides again. 

I will take no heed to their raiment, nor food for their mouths withal, 
So long as the gulls are nesting, so long as the showers fall. 

I will scent 'em with best vanilla, with tea will I temper their hides, 
And the Moor and the Mormon shall envy who read of the tale of my brides. 

For Maggie has written a letter to give me my choice between 
The wee little whimpering Love and the great god Nick o' Teen. 

And I have been servant of Love for barely a twelvemonth clear, 
But I have been Priest of Cabanas a matter of seven year; 

And the gloom of my bachelor days is flecked with the cheery light 
Of stums that I burned to Friendship and Pleasure and Work and Fight. 

And I turn my eyes to the future that Maggie and I must prove, 
But the only light on the marshes is the Will-o'-the-Wisp of Love. 

Will it see me safe through my journey or leave me bogged in the mire? 
Since a puff of tobacco can cloud it, shall I follow the fitful fire? 

Open the old cigar-box -- let me consider anew -- 
Old friends, and who is Maggie that I should abandon you? 

A million surplus Maggies are willing to bear the yoke; 
And a woman is only a woman, but a good Cigar is a Smoke. 

Light me another Cuba -- I hold to my first-sworn vows. 
If Maggie will have no rival, I'll have no Maggie for Spouse!

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Blooming Plume!

" The plume boss, the Plume!" Or something to that effect. ( Fantasy Island ) In my opinion if you ain't got plume, then you may be smoking a less than perfect cigar.
   If you go into a walk in humidor and notice a slight whitish fuzzy dusting on some of the uncovered cigars, usually Maduros, that is called Plume. Mold on the other hand is blueish  green or other colors. The plume that you see is telling you that the humidor is doing its job. The oils in the wrapper on the surface slightly crystallize after being stored for some time. Mold is not good, and can contaminate other cigars in your humidor.
    I tried to take a picture of this but I have an older iPhone and have not upgraded the super stud phone 3.0. The cigar in question, a Super Toro in Maduro was hand rolled in house from Up-In-Smoke  cigars in Cromwell, Ct.

                                                                          






Friday, September 11, 2015

Meet Mike Rosales of RoMa Craft Cigars

Don't miss this Special Sunday event! Mike Rosales from RoMa Craft Tobac will be here Sunday, September 12th from noon to 3pm for a special release of rare RoMa Craft cigars. Meet the maker and get deals on all RoMa Craft cigars. At Riverside Cigar Shop and Lounge.

Monday, April 27, 2015

Kentucky Derby Cigars

COX's Smokers Outlet will be selling cigars at Churchill Down's as usual.  However, If you are looking for a nice cigar store, I personally like Jason's.  Here is some info on his specials this week.


Join us Monday April 27th thru Saturday May 2nd, for the biggest week of cigars Louisville has ever seen. I know what you are thinking, "but Jason, you already have an amazing selection of cigars and for less than everyone else!"  Yes, that's true, but during Derby Cigar Week, we take it a step further. 

We start with great brands and we make you offers you can't refuse. Along with great bonuses and free swag, we also have daily bourbon and beer tastings to pair with your favorite cigars. In addition, all merchandise from cases, cutters, lighters, pipes, flasks, humidors, etc. will be on sale. When others raise their prices and try to take advantage of the Derby, we do just the opposite and save you money, so you'll have more to spend at the track.

Check out our Daily Featured Brands:

Monday         - Unique Boutiques
Tuesday        -
Oliva & Padilla
Wednesday   - Rocky Patel
Thursday       -
Alec Bradley & ???
Friday            - Davidoff & Camacho
Saturday        - 
Arturo Fuente & LFD

Derby Cigar Week Hours:
Monday thru Thursday 11am to 8pm
Friday and Saturday 10am to 9pm

Daily bourbon tastings 4pm to 8pm.



Saturday, April 25, 2015

Memorex II

"Hey, some friends of mine were on a cruise, and picked up some Cubans. You want a couple?" said my coworker.
Sure I said. So he brought them in to work the next morning, and behold, cigars that say Cohiba on them. Wow, how great is that. Well when you look at the attached pictures, one is glaringly OFF, the other is close but the leaf has lots of veining. More Cohibas are copied than Louis Vuitton bags. So I emailed My brother Steve to be sure, but it was kinda obvious. Oh well, I guess I will destroy them by fire, and blog about the results in a short while.

Peter Medved

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

H.Upmann Cigar Story

Nice article in Adweek about H.Upmann.  You can also read the reader comments on merits of Cuban versus Dominican cigars.  Yes, that debate that has been going on for quite some time. http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/why-cuba-s-best-cigar-still-hot-despite-52-year-embargo-163595