Orthodox Toro by BLTC (5 3/4 x 50)

Video review HERE.

(Description provided by Black Label Trading Co.)

Black Label Trading Co (BLTC) has released ORTHODOX. Hand crafted at Fabrica Oveja Negra in Esteli, Nicaragua.

"Orthodox is really about Black Label getting back to its roots. We’ve done a lot over the last 10 years but at our core we are about highlighting the strength & intensity of Nicaraguan tobacco. That’s what I went for with the Orthodox. It’s extremely bold with spice throughout the palate and nose. Its intensity is balanced by flavors of dark fruits, cherries, raisins and finishes with star anise. This cigar is bold but very balanced and extremely complex,” says James Brown, creator of Black Label Trading Co./Black Works Studio and partner at Fabrica Oveja Negra.

ORTHODOX

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Mexico San Andrés

Binder: Ecuador Habano

Filler: Nicaraguan

Vitolas:

5.75x50 Toro (20 count box) MSRP $13.00 REVIEWED TODAY

5x46 Corona Gorda (20 count box) MSRP $12.50

4.5x52 Short Robusto (20 count box) MSRP $12.50

The cigar is dark and well made. It has a nice feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavor at light up was a lot of black coffee but it quickly develops into raisin, black cherry, brown sugar, cinnamon, and black coffee. There was black pepper rated at 8. Nice dark start.

At the first third (19 minutes) I had the same notes but the raisin is the lead flavor and the black coffee may be up just a little. The cigar is very sweet and has some richness. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is a little raisin and black coffee with very good lingering black pepper. The lead flavor of raisin followed by black cherry is very nice. Add in brown sugar for added sweetness with cinnamon and it's even better. I rated the first third 95.

As I moved through the second third (48 minutes) the black coffee has risen. With it the nice sweet notes took a little dip. The cigar is full bodied. The finish is unchanged. The elevated black coffee was noticeable and caused me to rate the second third 94. Not a bad hit but noticeable.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 17 minutes. The black coffee pulled back allowing the nice sweet notes of raisin and black cherry to shine once again. The cigar is full bodied. The finish is unchanged. The cigar is very much like the first third so I rated the final third 95. This is a very good dark noted cigar and box worthy.

Overall Score: 94.67

Punch Honors Dads with a Limited-Edition Retro Father’s Day Release

Remember renting VHS tapes from a local video store and recording home videos on a bulky handheld camera? Neither do we. But your Dad, Father-in-Law, and Grandad remember those days as the best of times. So Punch has channeled the home entertainment days of yore for Father’s Day 2024 and has you covered with what may be the best gift idea yet.

Punch “Dad’s Home Movies” is a never-before-released, limited-edition blend created for inclusion in a specially-designed ten-count box that looks like a VHS tape with sleeve, straight out of the 80s.

Punch Brand Manager John Hakim explained, “With the release of Punch Dad Bod for Father’s Day last year, we knew we were on to something. So we upped the ante this year with Dad’s Home Movies. It serves three purposes in one: It lets the Dad in your life know how much you care, opens the door for you to rib him for being old, and gives you a chance to enjoy a great Punch cigar with him while he reminisces about the good old days.”

Punch Home Movies is being released in a box pressed Toro size only. The 6” x 50 smoke is handcrafted at HATSA in Honduras and is made with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Nicaraguan Condega binder and a three- region Nicaraguan filler blend featuring tobacco from Condega, Esteli and Ometepe. The medium-plus-bodied cigar opens with spice and cream and progresses to a clean, crisp smoke with notes of grass, wood, nuts and sweetness.

Punch Home Movies shipped on May 1. The cigars can be purchased in the 10-count box or by the individual cigar for $7.49 per cigar.

Bolivar Cofradia Oscuro Debuts on May 1

The Bolivar portfolio will soon expand to include a three-cigar collection called Bolivar Cofradia Oscuro.

The new, medium-plus blend ships to retailers today, May 1.

Joe Krzyston, assistant brand manager for Bolivar said, “Bolivar Cofradia Oscuro brings a new dimension to Bolivar by introducing a US-grown Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper to the portfolio. The blend is rich and rewarding and it’s priced in line with the existing Bolivar offerings, making it among the best values in any humidor. This new line is yet another reason for cigar smokers to explore this legendary brand, and we expect that the blend will be very well received.”

Bolivar Cofradia Oscuro is a complex, five-country blend. It is made with an aged Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder and Dominican, Nicaraguan and Honduran filler. This is a bold and meaty smoke that juxtaposes peppery notes with hints of coffee and chocolate and delivers lingering notes of earth and spice on the finish.

Handcrafted at HATSA in Honduras and presented in old-world-style wooden packaging, Bolivar Cofradia Oscuro is distributed by Forged Cigar Company.

Each of the three Bolivar Cofradia Oscuro frontmarks comes in 25-count boxes.

Bolivar Cofradia Oscuro Robusto (5” x 54); SRP per cigar $5.99

Bolivar Cofradia Oscuro Toro (6” x 54); SRP per cigar $7.29

Bolivar Cofradia Oscuro Gigante (6” x 60); SRP per cigar $7.89

Los Statos Deluxe Limited Edition Figurado (5.5” x 50)

Video review HERE.

(Description provided by STG’s Forged Cigar Company)

Los Statos Deluxe Limited Edition, a masterful collaboration created by Matt Booth, Justin Andrews and William Ventura will ship to retailers on March 1. A total of 3,000 boxes have been produced and the blend will be retired after its release.

The trio of cigar virtuosos embarked on a quest for perfection when developing the blend, each bringing a unique sensibility to the creative process. The cigar speaks to their collective ability to weave an intriguing blend through a fabric of diverse nuances.

Matt Booth noted, “This blend is sophisticated in nature. It is medium to medium-plus in body, yet full in flavor transition throughout the entire smoke. With so much complexity, there’s only one downside to the cigar and it’s that it literally goes by too fast, leaving you to wish the experience lasted longer.”

Booth, Andrews and Ventura selected Connecticut-grown Broadleaf, Pennsylvania Broadleaf and Corojo 98 from Nicaragua as the foundation of the cigar, chose an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder, and crowned the blend with a lustrous Mexican San Andrés wrapper. With a spellbinding aroma, rich floral notes balanced by white pepper and cocoa, a solid retrohale and clean finish, the cigar opens the palate to infinite pairings.

Reflective of the rarefied nature of the blend, the packaging has main character energy, drawing the eye to a double outer wrapping. Black and gold branding is artistically presented, commanding attention and demanding reverence for this special release.

Los Statos Deluxe Limited Edition is handcrafted in the Dominican Republic at the William Ventura Cigar Factory.

Los Statos Deluxe Limited Edition Figurado (5.5” x 50); SRP per cigar $16.99

The cigar has a nice presentation and is very dark. It has an average feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were apricot, brown sugar, cinnamon, and black coffee. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2. Nice start.

At the first third (21 minutes) the cigar has a nice pronounced sweetness. The 3 main flavors are working well together. The black coffee is actually quite reserved at this point. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is apricot with good lingering black pepper. The cigar is nice. I rated the first third 94.

Moving through the second third (53 minutes) the black coffee is up. I had the same basic notes with elevated black coffee. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is still apricot but the lingering black pepper is now very good. The black coffee has not gotten out of hand but it's up so I rated the second third 92.

The cigar lasted a very impressive 1 hour 26 minutes. Not much changed in the final third. Actually I'd say it was pretty much the same. The black coffee did not rise any more and I had the same sweet notes. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is unchanged. This isn't a bad cigar. Well worth trying. I held the score of 92 for the final third. 

Overall Score: 92.67

Domain Negentropy Toro (6 x 50)

Video review HERE.

(Description taken from Halfwheel.com website)

Domain Cigars, a new company founded by Esteban Disla and Daniel Lance, has begun shipping its two debut lines, Neutron and Negentropy.

Today we look at Negentropy.

Negentropy uses an Ecuadorian habano wrapper, a double binder of Nicaraguan tobacco, and filler from Nicaragua’s Condega region. The company says that this blend is “fused with high energy, that culminates in a clean finish while delivering impactful intensity.” The name of the line references reverse entropy, or the process of things becoming more orderly.

There are plenty of sizes to choose from, as they are being offered in the same nine sizes:

Revlent (4 x 52) — $9.99 (Box of 20, $199.80)

Robusto Extra (5 x 52) — $11.49 (Box of 20, $229.80)

Toro (6 x 50) — $11.49 (Box of 20, $229.80) REVIEWED TODAY

Robusto Gordo (5 x 56) — $11.99 (Box of 20, $239.80)

Box Press Toro Gordo (6 x 56) — $12.49 (Box of 20, $249.80)

Box Press Correlation (5 x 56) — $12.49 (Box of 20, $249.80)

Box Press Neural Plasticity (4 1/2 x 60) — $12.49 (Box of 20, $249.80)

Belicoso Shaggy His Excellency (5 x 54) — $13.99 (Box of 20, $279.80)

Simulation (6 x 60) — $14.49 (Box of 20, $289.80)

Both cigars are produced at Tabacalera Familia Disla S.A. in Estelí, Nicaragua.

The cigar is nicely made and has a nice feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was good with a touch of firmness. The initial flavors at light up were citrus, pear, brown sugar, cinnamon, and leathery black coffee. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2 to 8. Nice start.

At the first third (34 minutes) the notes have morphed into more of a peach with a touch of citrus. But it's primarily peach. There was brown sugar, light cinnamon, and lots of leathery black coffee. The cigar is medium bodied but it seems to be moving up. The finish is leathery black coffee with very good lingering black pepper. The cigar is a little intriguing. It's pretty nice but I'm concerned with the elevation of the leathery black coffee. At this point it's pretty good. I rated the first third 93.

As I moved through the second third (1 hour 1 minute) the leathery black coffee continues to rise. If you smoke the cigar slowly, hold the smoke, and let it out slowly you will still get some sweet notes but they are lighter. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is unchanged. I rated the second third 90.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 19 minutes. The leathery black coffee continues to rise. There are now hints of peach and a lot of leathery black coffee. The cigar is medium to full bodied. The finish is unchanged. The cigar started out quite nice but the leathery black coffee was too much for the sweet notes. I rated the final third 87. I could smoke this cigar again but it would be better if it held the first third notes.

Overall Score: 90

The Cigar Association of America, Inc. (CAA) announced today the hiring of Scott Pearce

The Cigar Association of America, Inc. (CAA) announced today that it has hired a new president to begin May 28, 2024. Following an extensive search process, CAA will be led by Scott Pearce, the current Executive Director of the Premium Cigar Association (PCA). Pearce’s tenure with PCA will end on May 21, 2024. Pearce has over 20 years of experience working in associations with a strong track record of driving growth and implementing innovative strategies.

“Scott is uniquely positioned to grow and bring innovative lobbying and advocacy to CAA. His depth of experience working in industry and trade groups and his most recent experience with PCA provides CAA a leader who is prepared to take on the difficult issues our association faces.” said Chris Howard, CAA Board Member and Chair of CAA’s committee that sought out its new President. Leaning into one of CAA’s critical areas – premium cigars – Scott will continue to build on CAA’s successful efforts over the past several years to collaborate with other cigar industry trade groups and associations. Under Scott’s leadership, CAA will continue to build synergy amongst CAA, PCA, and local and state tobacconist associations to represent the premium cigar industry at all levels. “We expect that Scott’s experience at PCA will build on CAA’s already strong relationships throughout the industry and look forward to collaborative efforts for all cigar industry members,” said Howard.

Pearce said he is excited to embark on a new phase of working in the industry and looks forward to creating more impactful programs for CAA members. “I am humbled and honored to take the reins of the CAA,” Pearce said. “I am optimistic about the future for our industry and look forward to working with the great companies and people of CAA to drive greater value for members and develop new advocacy strategies to both defend us and catapult the industry to new heights,” said Pearce.

CAA was founded in 1937 as a non-profit trade association and is now the leading national trade association representing the interests of cigar manufacturers, importers, distributors, major industry suppliers, and supporting members. Today, its member companies come from all sectors of the industry from major manufacturers of handmade premium cigars to the largest producers of machine-made cigars.

Scott will begin as the CAA President on May 28, 2024

Premium Cigar Association Announces Departure of Scott Pearce

The Premium Cigar Association (PCA), a leading trade association representing specialty tobacco retailers, announces the departure of Scott Pearce, its executive director. Pearce has led the PCA since 2018. His last day with the PCA will be May 24, 2024. In the interim, Deputy Executive Director Joshua Habursky will fill the vacancy and oversee operations in coordination with PCA's Executive Committee and Board of Directors.

"We are grateful for Scott's time at PCA that saw transformative positive changes for the association from advocacy to trade show and especially grateful that he was able to work with us to hire an incredible team that will have a lasting legacy even after he leaves the organization,” says Scott Regina, PCA Board President.

Joshua Habursky, Interim Executive Director, added: "With change comes opportunity. Scott was part of a team of staff and a board of directors that resurrected an organization that faced tough times during the pandemic. The association is in a strong position and will continue to be the advocacy leader for premium cigars, host its world-class trade show, and grow all facets of its membership with our existing team.”

Pearce will join the Cigar Association of America (CAA) as its new president, effective May 28, 2024. The PCA Board and staff look forward to working with Pearce in this new position. During this transition, the PCA will continue to serve and advocate for its membership.

Tripadvisor Names J.C. Newman as the Top Museum in Tampa

 

Tripadvisor now lists J.C. Newman Cigar Co.’s historic El Reloj cigar factory as the top museum in Tampa, Florida. Based on visitor reviews, Tripadvisor ranks El Reloj ahead of 33 other museums in Tampa and presented it with a “Travelers Choice” award for 2023. When El Reloj was built in 1910, it was recognized as the largest and finest cigar factory in the world. Today, El Reloj is the last large cigar factory still operating in the United States.

“In celebration of our company’s 125th anniversary in 2020, we restored El Reloj and opened the factory to the public for the first time,” said fourth-generation owner Drew Newman. “Last year, more than 15,000 visitors explored our cigar museum, took a guided factory tour, participated in a cigar-rolling class, or attended a private event.”

Because J.C. Newman is a four-generation family business, many of its Tripadvisor reviews note that guided tours of El Reloj are both informative and personal:

A century ago, Tampa became internationally known the fine cigar capital and “Cigar City.”  Tampa’s 150 cigar factories rolled more than 500 million cigars by hand each year, more than anywhere else in the world. Today, J.C. Newman keep’s Tampa’s historic cigar making tradition alive by rolling 60,000 cigars per day at its historic El Reloj cigar factory. With its cigar museum, guided tours, cigar-rolling classes, factory store, and private events, El Reloj has become the premier destination for cigar tourism.

Black Label Trading Co. shipping Orthodox next week!

Black Label Trading Co (BLTC) will begin shipping the new Limited Release, ORTHODOX, next week. Hand crafted at Fabrica Oveja Negra in Esteli, Nicaragua.

ORTHODOX is a small batch release offered to retailers who attended this year’s PCA tradeshow.

"Orthodox is really about Black Label getting back to its roots. We’ve done a lot over the last 10 years but at our core we are about highlighting the strength & intensity of Nicaraguan tobacco. That’s what I went for with the Orthodox. It’s extremely bold with spice throughout the palate and nose. Its intensity is balanced by flavors of dark fruits, cherries, raisins and finishes with star anise. This cigar is bold but very balanced and extremely complex,” says James Brown, creator of Black Label Trading Co./Black Works Studio and partner at Fabrica Oveja Negra.

ORTHODOX

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Mexico San Andrés

Binder: Ecuador Habano

Filler: Nicaraguan

Available vitolas:

5.75x50 Toro (20 count box) MSRP $13.00

5x46 Corona Gorda (20 count box) MSRP $12.50

4.5x52 Short Robusto (20 count box) MSRP $12.50

Black Label Trading Company is redefining the standards for cigar making. With a less is more philosophy, Black Label Trading Co. creates hand crafted premium cigars of the utmost quality with unique flavor profiles and creative artwork.

Room101 Hit & Run Redux Robusto (5 x 50)

Video review HERE.

(Description provided by Forged Cigar Co.)

The redux of Room101 Hit & Run Redux new blend is created by the dynamic duo of Matt Booth and Robert Caldwell.

Matt Booth said, “I’m thrilled to bring another Room101 sub-brand back to life with this expression of Hit & Run. The brand was born of a collaborative seed between myself and Robert Caldwell. It’s about our creative process as much as it is about two-like minded psychopaths who’ve stuck together over the years. This cigar is the physical and combustible manifestation of an intergalactic connection which proves that an authentic friend and a good cigar can help more than you may imagine.”

The blend is made with a Mexican San Andres wrapper, an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder and a blend of Nicaraguan C-98 and Pennsylvania filler with an added layer of Nicaraguan leaf. Matt Booth describes the experience as being “sophisticated with depth and transition,” and notes that it “blends power with balance.” He says Hit & Run “pairs well with your favorite memory of the DMV.”

The line is crafted at William Ventura in Tamboril, DR, where four frontmarks have been made:

Available vitolas:

Robusto (5” x 50); SRP per cigar $12.99 (REVIEWED TODAY)

Toro (6” x 50); SPR per cigar $13.29

Gordo (6” x 60); SPR per cigar $14.39

Perfecto (5.12 x 60); SRP per cigar $16.99

The Robusto, Toro and Gordo come in 20-count boxes, while the Perfecto comes in a ten-count box. All Room101 Hit & Run packaging features colorful Room101 branding.

Room101 is distributed by Forged Cigar Company.

The cigar is dark brown and has an average feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were citrus, peach, brown sugar, and dark chocolate. There was black pepper rated at 7 1/2 to 8. Nice start.

At the first third (18 minutes) the notes were the same. The percentages are also the same. The black pepper remains very good. You have really nice citrus/peach/brown sugar notes, dark chocolate, and black pepper. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is peach and dark chocolate with very good lingering black pepper. I rated the first third 94.

Moving through the second third (41 minutes) I had a little less sweetness and a little more dark chocolate. Same notes but the percentages of each have changed. The cigar is still medium bodied. The finish is primarily dark chocolate with a little peach and very good lingering black pepper. The cigar is still good just a little darker. I rated the second third 93.

The cigar lasted 56 minutes. The dark chocolate kept slowly increasing with the sweeter notes decreasing. You still get all the notes but the dark chocolate is the lead player. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is unchanged. The dark chocolate slowly rises over the course of the cigar. Still, a pretty good cigar. I rated the final third 92.

Overall Score: 93

Filthy Hooligan Shamrock 2024 (6 x 50)

 

Video review HERE.

(Description provided by Alec Bradley)

Alec Bradley Filthy Hooligan and Filthy Hooligan Shamrock are now available, marking the twelfth and sixth release of the annual, limited edition take on the brand’s popular Black Market blend, respectively.

For 2024, 5,000 boxes of each blend will be released.

Bradley Rubin, brand ambassador for Alec Bradley cigars said, “Anticipation continues to build each year for the release of Filthy Hooligan and Filthy Hooligan Shamrock. With their bright green wrappers and fresh herbal notes, these candela smokes offer a great change of pace at a time when spring’s on everyone’s mind. The blends have become part of the cigar community’s annual ritual and we’re pleased that we have once again been able to source the perfect aged candela wrapper to make this year’s release a reality.”

Filthy Hooligan and Filthy Hooligan Shamrock are based on the popular Alec Bradley Black Market blend which has been tweaked to complement the multiple wrapper format.

Today we look at the Filthy Hooligan Shamrock.

Filthy Hooligan Shamrock is triple-wrapped with a Honduran Candela, Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro and a claro shade Nicaraguan Habano leaf, Ecuadorian Sumatra binder, with Honduran and Panamanian filler.

Handcrafted at Tobacos de Oriente in Danli, Honduras, available exclusively in 6” x 50 toro format. Filthy Hooligan Shamrock comes in an attractive, 10-count gray box with a large shamrock on the lid. The cigars will sell for $15.09 apiece.

The cigar is nicely made and visually pleasing. It has a nice feel in the hand.

The test draw after cutting the cap was good. The initial flavors at light up were citrus, citrus peel, brown sugar, and earthy black coffee. There was black pepper rated at 7 to 7 1/2. Decent start.

At the first third (30 minutes) I still had the citrus/citrus peel notes with more citrus peel than citrus, brown sugar, grassy, and a lot of earthy black coffee. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is citrus peel and brown sugar with good lingering black pepper. The cigar is not wowing me but it's not too bad. I rated the first third 89.

As I moved through the second third (58 minutes) the brown sugar is keeping the cigar afloat. There is light citrus/citrus peel, decent amount of brown sugar, and increased earthy black coffee. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is a little grassy, light citrus peel, light brown sugar, and good lingering black pepper. I rated the second third 88.

The cigar lasted 1 hour 19 minutes. The earthiness pulled back but the black coffee increased. At this point about all I had was brown sugar and black coffee. No citrus and only slight hints of citrus peel. The cigar is medium bodied. The finish is brown sugar, touch of grass, and very good lingering black pepper. I held the score of 88 for the final third. I found this cigar to be a little better than the Filthy Hooligan but neither impressed me.

Overall Score: 88.33