Basel, April 2013. Inspired by Zino Davidoff’s pioneering spirit, we at Davidoff Cigars have made it our mission to bring the modern aficionado a variety of taste experiences and cigar smoking pleasures. Our experts, led by master blender Hendrik “Henke” Kelner, unceasingly explore every opportunity to create new and diverse ways of ensuring time spent enjoying each and every Davidoff cigar is time beautifully filled.

For this challenge, Henke and his team embarked on a worldwide search for tobaccos that would enable us to create a unique cigar. The search landed in the tobacco fields of Nicaragua.

Preparing, curing and ageing this tobacco for 10 years with the unique expertise of Davidoff craftsmen in the Dominican Republic allowed us time to ‘tame’ the wilder tendencies of Nicaraguan tobacco and deliver a blend with intensity and excitement and all the refined sophistication you would expect from Davidoff.

The new ‘Davidoff Nicaragua’ line will come in three sizes: Toro (5 ½ inches by 50 ring), Robusto (5 by 50) and Short Corona (3 ¾ by 46), and the blend combines a 10-year old, Havana-seed wrapper with a binder from Jalapa and a filler blend of tobaccos from Estelí, Condega and the volcanic region of Ometepe. ‘Davidoff Nicaragua’ will only be available in limited quantities per year.

“This is a major step, for us to expand to a new territory” says Davidoff CEO Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard. “I wanted to develop products that were not necessarily origin-specific or rigidly tied down to one specific place. Davidoff is a brand, not a territory.”

In summary, a PURO Nicaragua with Davidoff’s signature sophistication running through it – for those who share our passion for exploration and for filling their time beautifully.

Davidoff Nicaragua’s official launch will take place during IPCPR in July 2013 in the USA.

CAO Brazilia Carnivale is hitting cigar shops as we speak. The 6 ½” x 60 box-pressed beauty is a limited edition release that puts an innovative spin on the popular Brazilia blend.

“Carnivale” is made with ligeros from the DR, Honduras and Nicaragua, and a binder from Brazil. The wrapper is a rare Habano Grueso leaf cultivated only in small quantities.

Rick Rodriguez who heads up blending for CAO said, “We haven’t changed any CAO blends since we took over the brand. But that doesn’t mean we couldn’t put our spin on one of them. That’s exactly what we did with Carnivale…it’s my and my team’s take on Brazilia. We added a new wrapper, made the original wrapper the binder, and cranked the whole thing up with more ligero.”

You won’t miss CAO Brazilia Carnivale at your favorite cigar shop. It’s in an eye-catching, bright yellow, 12-count box, and is a must-have for the CAO collector.  Single CAO Brazilia Carnivale cigars are on sale for $8.30 until the limited supply is gone.

Rick hinted that there could be another small batch twist on the horizon for another one of CAO’s top blends.  “My team and I have been experimenting with some fantastic tobaccos, so CAO fans should be on the lookout to see what we come up with next.”

Country: Dominican Republic
Shape: Toro
Wrapper: Maduro
Filler: Dominican
Strength: Mild

MSRP: around $4

My Rating: 3.5 Stars!

This is a very interesting cigar for me.  I have been a huge Thurman Thomas fan since I was a kid and collected all of this football cards.  When Stogieboys sent me some cigars influenced by him I was very interested to say the least.  Here is what the Stogieboys website says about them:

“Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas is a consummate professional.  An avid cigar enthusiast, Thurman Thomas has created this exquisite new cigar brand and StogieBoys is proud to be the exclusive distributor of Thurman Thomas Cigars.

Hand made in the Dominican Republic by the highly reputable General Cigar Company (manufacturers of well known brands such as Punch, Macanudo, Hoyo De Monterey, Partagas, and more), these cigars are masterfully blended with quality Dominican long filler tobaccos.  They are covered in a rich, dark Maduro wrapper that creates a challenging medium bodied smoke with plenty of flavor.

Smoke what the pros smoke and try a Thurman Thomas Hall of Fame cigar today.”

The cigar felt firm in the hand and the wrapper showed only a few small veins.  The pre-light was giving smells of barnyard and slight chocolate.  I clipped the end and lit it up with initial flavors of hay and a hint of sweetness from the maduro wrapper.  The beginning was good and the burn was excellent throughout the cigar, but I did sense a grassyness and a bit of harsh flavors as I got to the middle and last third.  There was also a grittiness to it that I didn’t care for.

This cigar is at a great price point and for that I say form your own opinion and smoke a few.  I guess for me I was expecting way more from my childhood hero’s cigar, but that’s probably just me being too optimistic.  I will admit mild cigars are not my thing so if it is yours, it’s definitely worth giving a try.

“For years,” reports Anto Mahroukian, president of JM Tobacco, “our JM’s premium cigars have included 5.5″ x 62 Gordo and 6.75″ x 62 Gordo Grande shapes.  Now, with smokers moving to large ring-gauge shapes, we’re offering our new  Gordito, a short, fat 4″ x 62.  Gordito has joined all four existing lines of JM’s Dominicans … Connecticut Shade, Corojo, Sumatra and (Connecticut broadleaf) Maduro.  We feel this new shape will gain a following, because it delivers a 30- to-45-minute smoke that is filled with the same rich, complex flavors as our other shapes … like a Robusto, but with the extra- full flavor of a large ring-gauge cigar.”

Gordito’s tobaccos are the same as those of the existing shapes in the four lines, with 100% fully aged, Cuban-seed strains, grown in the Dominican Republic.  The cigar’s flavor profile and medium body … like the other JM’s Dominicans … are tailored to suit all smoking tastes.

The cigars come 24 to a box, in the same color schemes as the familiar JM’s Dominican offerings, with box art in color combinations that identify the blends.  MSRP for the Gordito will be announced at press time, and the first shipment will be made by JM Tobacco, in all four blends.

“This shape has always been my personal favorite,” explains Mahroukian, “so we added it to our JM’s Dominican portfolio.  Its generous 62-ring cross-section delivers a rich volume of  smoke, but our selection of tobaccos tempers the power.  Combined with its 4″ length, Gordito rewards the smoker with plenty of satisfaction in a short duration smoke.”

Kurt A. Kendall, founder of today’s 7-20-4 Cigars, has once again explored cigar history, reintroducing a second dusty brand … “Hustler” … a trademark that hails back to the late Nineteenth Century.  It follows the company’s introductions of the 7-20-4 and 1874 boutique lines.

  In 2009, Kendall breathed new life into the venerable “7-20-4″ brand name, acquiring the trademark for the original 7-20-4 line.  It was named after the 1874-founded manufacturer in Manchester, New Hampshire.  The company became the world’s largest cigar producer, until the 1962 Embargo killed its supply of Cuban tobacco.

“Hustler has a misty history,” reports Kendall, “which I’m still researching.  The brand dates back to a New York State birth in 1892.  I selected its original box art, because it almost leaps off the shelf.  It shows a dandy in full stride, toting a carpet bag and briefcase, with newspaper  and ‘bumbershoot’ under each arm.  The jaunty angle of the cigar in his grin says this guy’s a hustler, in more ways than one.”

The Spanish cedar box holds an unusual 27 cigars, divided into three compartments.  Each holds nine cigars … all parejos … in 5-1/2″ x 52, 6″ x 54 (both at $9.00 MSRP), plus 6-3/8″ x 58 ($11.00 MSRP).

Hustler, entirely separate from Kendall’s benchmark 7-20-4 line, is triple-capped for durability of their heads, and entubado-bunched, yielding a company-touted “vertical integrity” that ensures smooth draws and uniform burns.  They are made by Tabacos de Oriente in Danli, Honduras.  The tobaccos carry five years of aging, with the cigars resting another six months.  Kendall first released the line in November, and they are carried at retailers nationwide … see the “Find Our Cigars” page on the company site (www.7-20-4.com) for local 7-20-4 tobacconists.

The cigars themselves boast an  eye-catching twist … literally.  They are spirally-wrapped in a two-tone, barber-pole wrapper, with a dark and brawny Brazilian Mata Fina leaf and a contrasting tawny, Ecuadorian-grown Connecticut Shade leaf.  The heads are finished in a traditional Cuban-style  pigtail.  The Jamastran and Jalapa filler is held in a Costa Rican binder.  Hustler contains no relatively flavorless ligero, relying instead on the other tobaccos in the blends to gain its power.   Hustler is a medium-bodied smoke, with the spiral wrapper providing a visual emphasis to what Kendall calls it’s “swirl of complex flavors and aroma.”

Country: Honduras & Nicaragua
Shape: Robusto
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade
Filler: Honduras & Nicaragua
Strength: Mild

MSRP: around $7

My Rating: 4 Stars!

Thanks to Paul Joyal for the samples to be able to try this great J.Grotto line.  The Reserve is the part of the line that I reviewed earlier in the year and I really enjoyed it.  I was pretty excited to hear about the silk version and couldn’t wait to get my hands on them.  The cigar looks great, feels good in the hand and has very small veins running through it.

The flavors from this cigar are different from what you would expect from a Connecticut shade wrapper.  I noticed hints of spice and some nutmeg.  The burn was razor sharp throughout and needed no touch ups.  This was an excellent cigar and also came through with notes of butter and cream.  I would recommend this smoke to all levels of leaf lovers.

For the first time,Davidoff will offer the perfect range of cigar gifts for the holidays Davidoff reveals the perfect holiday gifting solution for the first time in the  brand’s history. Perfect for the Davidoff aficionado, gifts include festive holiday sleeves wrapping an array of Davidoff cigars as well as accessories from the brand.  Whether shopping for dad, friends or colleagues, the assortment features a variety of price points to allow the perfect gift for everyone.  The holiday designs will adorn some of the brand’s assortment packs, including the Robusto Collection, Tubos Assortment and the 9-­‐Cigar Assortment, as well as its Puro d’Oro series 10-­‐count boxes. Holiday items are now available nationwide at Davidoff Appointed Merchants, just in time to give the perfect gift.

2013 is represented in the Chinese calendar by the sign of the snake. To mark the occasion,Davidoff has created the new “Year of the Snake” edition of cigars with three fine limited edition accessories.

Basel, November 2012. At the start of the Chinese Year of the Snake (February 10, 2013), Davidoff is launching the new 2013 “Year of the Snake” Edition cigars with exclusive limited-edition accessories. In the Chinese calendar, the sixth of the twelve Chinese signs of the zodiac is characterized as wise and graceful. The Snake is the quintessential symbol for intelligence and profundity. Particularly delicate and fine when depicted in a figure of eight, it has become one of the most popular decorations in all of Asia, not only for its unique symmetry but also because it carries the promise of infinity, material prosperity and luck. It is said that Snake-people like to possess the finer things in life.

Premium cigar brand Davidoff is also synonymous with luxury and the total “crop to shop” concept. “Year of the Snake” is, therefore, not only the unusual name given to the new limited edition, but also the connection of quintessential wisdom and stylish quality
awareness with Davidoff.

Integrating these characteristics into an aroma represents a challenge for the Davidoff Master Blender: namely, to combine particularly old tobaccos to successfully create three layers of flavor – from floral nuances reminiscent of honey, to caramel, and finally to peppery notes of wood or nut, whilst also providing a captivating quality…. highly aromatic, with light-medium strength and Cuban thickness, the cigar develops a charming creaminess due to the Ecuadorian binder. The impressive Churchill format makes for a long smoking experience punctuated with the delicacy and refinement of a cigar with charisma. The octagonal, red lacquered wooden box containing eight cigars will provide pleasure in the coming year.

The cultural background of this 2013 “Year of the Snake” Edition is every bit as fascinating as its aesthetic appearance: The “White Snake Story”, the Chinese love story still extremely popular today, can trace its origins back to a legend from the Ming dynasty (1368 AD) and, amongst other things, has inspired Davidoff’s new cigar — a cigar that preserves its cultural heritage whilst using passion and attention to detail to unlock the spirit of a dynamic, global environment. Those who fall in love with this cigar have no sense of superficiality. The fine, profound 2013 “Year of the Snake” Edition is for aficionados who smoke intelligently. The uniqueness of this luxurious edition with a double ring speaks for itself. It is limited to 4,500 pieces and is available at Appointed Merchants beginning in December 2012.

Davidoff 2013 “Year Of The Snake” Edition
Format Churchill
Length 7”
Diameter 48 RG
Wrapper Ecuador 702
Binder San Vicente Seco
Filler Piloto Seco, San Vicente Ligero, Piloto Viso, Hybrid 192 Seco/Yamasá
Price USD $29.90 per cigar
USD $239.20 (wooden box of 8)
Media Contact:

Ocean State Cigars’ new Lancero Limitado shape (7-1/2″ x 41) is now available for shipment to retailers, following a three-month delay.  Tobacconists can receive shipments of J. Grotto Reserve Lancero Limitados in time for holiday shopping.  The boutique premium cigar was planned to debut and ship to retailers at IPCPR time, but suffered delays at Fabrica de Tabacos Raices Cubanas, the Honduran manufacturer.  According to Paul Joyal, Ocean State Cigars’ founder, “The factory is suffocating under success, having been swamped with orders, due to the reputation they’ve earned for quality and performance.  It’s understandable, based on the ratings for their core client, Alec Bradley Cigars, as well as our and other private-label brands .  The good news is that they’re catching up with demand.  Our present cigars are now flowing, with a new J. Grotto cigar set to be announced soon.”

The Lancero Limitado parejo joins the four existing shapes in the J. Grotto Reserve line, and shares the same blend, which has garnered top ratings since their introduction last year.  The filler is Honduran-grown ligero and Nicaraguan-grown Jalapa, while the binder and wrapper are Honduran-grown Criollo 98 and 99, respectively.  The cigars are entubado-bunched, and the heads have a traditional Cuban pigtail.  Joyal reports the new shape promises to be the company’s signature cigar.  “Sampling this initial shipment,” he says, “has shown them to be incredibly rich and complex, more so than any of our other cigars.  Their power underpins their equally full flavor profile, and doesn’t intrude or overwhelm the palate.  For the connoisseur, the predominant flavors are toast, earthiness and chocolate, with an abundance of more subtle notes.”

With a very limited production of only 1,000 cigars, the Lancero Limitado is exclusively for events hosted by J. Grotto retailers.  Only four boxes of ten cigars are available per event.  Their manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $7.95.

Zander-Greg has just debuted their new Nat Cicco HHB superpremium cigar.  It comes in three sizes: 7-1/4″ x 52, 6-1/4″ x 56 and 5-1/4″ x 54. They share a pigtail-capped head and a foot that is enclosed within the wrapper.  Both features are also common to Zander-Greg’s just-introduced Aniversario 1965, which celebrates the year the Nat Cicco (SEEK-oh) “Rejects” were born … the original value-priced cigar based on the oft-copied “Rejects” theme.

HHB has an Ecuadorian-grown Connecticut Shade leaf wrapper, with a Nicaraguan binder and filler.  The cigar is well-balanced and full-bodied.  The result is a smoke that the company describes as “robust, but creamy- smooth, very flavorful and elegantly aromatic.”  The cigar’s performance and opulent presentation have prompted Zander-Greg to confidently compare it to Cuba’s vaunted Cohiba Behike, which retails for over $50 a cigar.  HHB’s presentation befits its $14.00 manufacturer’s suggested retail price … a black “piano-finish,” furniture-grade Spanish cedar humidor-style box, holding ten nude cigars.

In only five years since buying and reintroducing the dormant Nat Cicco Reject brand, Zander-Greg has systematically climbed the ladder to market recognition and acceptance.  Rejects are machine-made with homogenized binder, but still trump their short-filler competitors .. Rejects’ extra-select, medium-length Cameroon, Connecticut, Honduran and Dominican remnants come from some of America’s most prestigious and sought-after premiums.

Cuban Legends, their first 100%-prime-leaf, handmade premium, retailing at under $2.50, has been their next success, fueled by the sagging economy.  In early 2012, the company unveiled the Nat Cicco Aniversario 1965 vintage cigar, with a competitive retail price of $6.00.  It is also gaining ground rapidly, according to a company spokesman.

Zander-Greg’s ambitious 2013 advertising campaign will introduce HHB to smokers and retailers alike, to help build a network of participating shops.  The company is also actively promoting their cigars with in-store events nationwide.

Nat Cicco HHB is making a beachhead on the superpremium and Havana market, with smokers being asked to “Just compare it … especially to Cuba’s Cohiba Behike.”