The Stogie Guys

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) The 78th annual International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association  (IPCPR) Trade Show wraps up today. This year’s event saw the introduction of hundreds of new cigars, jazz smoking lounges, a seminar on cigar rights, and a speech delivered by Rocky Patel in which he encouraged retailers to educate their legislators about the adverse consequences of government intervention. “Obviously we have to do a better job of getting our fellow retailers…to put aside their differences and have a unified fight,” he said. For more information about the Trade Show, click here for our on-location reports from New Orleans. And be sure to check back throughout the year as we review the newest cigars on the market.

2) On the international front, China’s government is pushing for a nationwide ban on indoor smoking starting in January. But, as the Associated Press reported on Wednesday, the development of the ambitious law faces an ironic conflict of interest: “The organization that sets tobacco policy and enforces the rules is the same [government] agency that controls the China National Tobacco Corporation, the world’s largest cigarette maker.”

3) Inside the Industry: Foot traffic at the IPCPR Trade Show declined quickly after the initial burst on Tuesday. About 600 retailers attended, down from 700 last year. Nearly every manufacturer we spoke with expects next year’s show in Las Vegas to be busier.

4) Around the Blogs:  Stogie Review reviews the El Primer Mundo Liga Miami. Cigar Inspector inspects the Prometheus Sencillo. Nice Tight Ash checks out the Pinar del Rio 1878 Cubano Especial Capa Madura. Las VegAsh TV smokes a Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary.

5) Deal of the Week: There’s an email-only special going on at Cuban Crafters this weekend. The best deal is a box of 25 Cuban Crafters Cameroon Pyramides for just $75 (just $3 per cigar). Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

[Editors’ Note: NEW ORLEANS — Stogie Guys staffers Patrick S and Patrick M are reporting live today from the 78th annual International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) Trade Show. This convention is where cigar makers from around the world come to showcase their products and debut their new creations. Check back throughout the day for live updates.]

6:00am Central: Yesterday, Bruce Lewis of the Toraño Family Cigar Company told us that the recent changes at the his outfit have been very well received by retailers. The company is releasing three new lines (detailed in our interview with Charlie Toraño last month): Brigade, Master, and Single Region. In addition, Toraño is expanding the Exodus 50 Years series to include a box-pressed robusto size. We also learned that the Signature blend has become a private label exclusive to Famous Smoke Shop.

6:05am Central: Also yesterday, Pinar del Rio’s Abe Flores reported that the new 1878 Capa Madura is doing very well, with 8,000 boxes sold since it launched just over two months ago. Priced around $5 each, he hopes the blend will introduce smokers to Pinar del Rio and his other lines.

12:05pm Central: A quick chat with Litto Gomez revealed some exciting news from la Flor Dominicana, including that Airbender was La Flor’s “most successful release ever.” Debuting at the show is the new Airbender Chisel with a stronger, darker, and thicker wrapper because, according to Gomez, “the Chisel deserves respect.” Also new is the Maduro Soloman. Litto told us that the LG Vintage 2010 and Small Batch No. 3 would be shipping soon. Additionally, new 5-cigar samplers were also available including a maduro sampler with never-before released Coronado Maduro double coronas and Airbender maduros.

12:15pm Central: As expected, CAO released the new La Traviata Maduro in three sizes. I smoked one this morning and found a medium-bodied smoke with lush chocolate and espresso notes. I’m predicting that, much like the original La Traviata, this will be a hit, particularly at its $5-6 price point. Also out for the show are a number of line extensions including a small Cameroon perfecto, a large (6 x 60) Lx2, an Lx2 box press (4 x 45), and four-inch cigars in tins of five for both the Lx2 and La Traviata.

12:25pm Central: My Father will be releasing a Limited Edition line extension that will be personally rolled by Jamie and Pepin Garcia. The Limited Edition will come in coffins of twelve and only 2,000 boxes will be released. MSRP on the Limited Edition will be somewhere between $20-$25 per cigar and will be available in mid to late September.

12:30pm Central: Viaje debuted last year with their Oro and Platino lines and have since followed up with a bunch of micro lines. The line available at the show this year is Sartori, which means “enlightenment. ” Sartori’s MSRP is $12 per cigar and only 450 boxes will be produced. Also new from Viaje is a 50/50 Red Label with two different fused filler blends. Only 450 boxes will be produced.

12:40pm Central: We stopped by El Primer Mundo to talk with owner Sean Williams, who told us about the new Liga Miami that is being handmade in Miami at El Titan de Bronze. The blend is rolled “entubado,” meaning all of the filler leaves are rolled individually instead of being bunched and rolled at once. Then the filler is wrapped with two binders to provide extra support. Liga Miami features a Nicaraguan binder, Nicaraguan and Dominican ligero fillers, and an Ecuadorian sun-grown wrapper with an MSRP of $9.50 per cigar.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

[Editors’ Note: NEW ORLEANS — Stogie Guys staffers Patrick S and Patrick M are reporting live today from the 78th annual International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) Trade Show. This convention is where cigar makers from around the world come to showcase their products and debut their new creations. Check back throughout the day for live updates.]

11:30am Central: Before the floor closed yesterday we were able to find out about the latest releases from General Cigar. Headlining were two new Macanudos, both seemingly designed to challenge America’s best selling cigar brands’ mild image. Already announced was the Macanudo Vintage 1997 Maduro, a first for Macanudo, which features a metal band/cigar holder that will ship with the first 70,000 cigars. Also announced (for an early October release) is the Macanudo Cru Royale, featuring an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, proprietary Dominican binder, and Nicaraguan,  Dominican, and Brazilian mata fina filler. The blend was created by master cigar maker Benji Menendez and originally designated for General’s Partagas line before the decision was made to release it under Macanudo.

11:45am Central: Also from General Cigar are two new La Gloria Cubana blends. Artesanos de Obelisco is a box-pressed pyramid inspired by the “Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration” obelisk in Santiago. The cigar ($9 MSRP) comes in a distinctive semi-circle box and uses an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, Connecticut broadleaf binder, and Dominican and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos. Meanwhile, La Gloria Serie N is a new Nicaraguan heavy line of four sizes with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. Rounding out General’s new cigars is the Hoyo de Monterrey Reposado en Cedros, which uses a proprietary aging process designed to impart extra cedar flavors. It sells for $6.50-$7 each and comes in three sizes. Also of note from General is that the Cameroon-wrapped Hoyo Excalibur 1066 is changing names and bands, and will now be known as Hoyo de Monterrey Cameroon.

11:50am Central: Most of Davidoff’s new products are accessories. Two of the most interesting are the Davidoff Lacquer White Palladium Series, which includes a Prestige Lighter, Double Cutter, and Round Cutter. The second accessory is a new set of porcelain ashtrays called Mosaic and Phoenix. On the cigar front, Davidoff will be introducing a Maduro Toro to compliment the Robusto and Corona already in the line. They are also adding a Maduro to the Primeros line. Primeros Maduro will have an Ecuadorian Sungrown wrapper. Earlier in the year Davidoff rolled out a new line, Puro d’Oro, which they say is continuing to do really well. We inquired about the Colorado Claro and were informed it may be as long as 10 years before we see it again as it takes that long to store up enough tobacco to make a release.

11:55am Central: The Joya de Nicaragua camp is adding a box-pressed Toro (6 x 52) to both the Dark Antaño and regular Antaño lines.

12:05pm Central: Drew Estate has launched the Dirty Rat as part of the regular production of a new line, Unico Serie, under which all of the company’s unique cigars will fall. Contrary to what many have believed, the Dirty Rat doesn’t share a blend with either the No. 9 or the T-52. It will be sold in boxes of 12 at an MSRP of $12 per stick. Steve Saka, president of Drew Estate,  said the “Dirty Rat isn’t a limited release, it’s just a pain in the ass to make.” Drew Estate will also be adding a Belicoso and a Corona Doble to the T-52 line, as well as a 3,000-box run of the T-52 Flying Pig. In the Acid line, “Toast” will now be available nationwide. Lastly, Drew Estate has partnered with Starbuzz and will be releasing a line of Acid Shisha for Hookah Smokers.

1:35pm Central: Kurt Kendall, owner of 7-20-4, gave us the scoop on this dead trademark for a brand of clear havanas that was produced in a factory in Manchester, New Hampshire. About four years ago, Kurt started the process of obtaining the expired trademark and is now producing cigars under the name again. The cigars are made in Honduras with a Brazilian mata fina wrapper, Costa Rican binder, and a filler blend of Nicaraguan, Honduran, Mexican, and Colombian tobaccos. 7-20-4 introduced two new sizes: a Londres and the “Dog Walker,” which is about the size of a petit corona.

1:50pm Central: Dion Giolito of Illusione doesn’t have any new products this year other than the Singulare, which will be a yearly, limited release that will change sizes and blends every year. Dion said that Singulare is the mildest cigar that he makes. He described it as being very light on the palate with most of the taste coming through the nose. The Cruzado Domenicos is being phased out and replaced with a Domenicos Extra: a 6 inch by 56 ring gauge cigar. Under the Illusione line, he also has an HL Maduro and an HL Candela. When asked about why he chose to make a candela, he replied that he loves them and always smokes them and wanted to make one of his own. Epernay gets the Le Matin as a box-pressed line extension. Nosotros will be getting a facelift with the addition of a second band on the cigar and the Illusione warranty seal on the boxes.

3:00pm Central: As expected, Avo debuted their new Heritage line. A spicier, more full-bodied blend than Avo smokers may be used to, it uses the LE 2009 “compañero” wrapper from Ecuador and a Dominican San Vincente binder with filler consisting of Dominican ligero, Dominican seco, and Peruvian seco. It is being launched in four sizes that will sell for $7-9.50.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

[Editors’ Note: NEW ORLEANS — Stogie Guys staffers Patrick S and Patrick M are reporting live today from the 78th annual International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) Trade Show. This convention is where cigar makers from around the world come to showcase their products and debut their new creations. Check back throughout the day for live updates.]

6:00am Central: Before I arrive in New Orleans, here are a few thoughts on what to expect this year. One trend we’ll see more of are brick and mortar exclusive cigars. Cigar makers know that small independent smoke shops are the hardest hit by smoking taxes and bans, so offering them some protection from being severely undercut by online and catalog prices makes a cigar more desirable to a shop owner. I’ll also be curious to see the prices of new cigars. After year after year of higher and higher prices on new cigar lines, we saw some more reasonably priced introductions at last year’s show.

8:30am Central: Before hitting the Trade Show floor today, it’s worth mentioning that Hendrik “Henke” Kelner from Davidoff gave a tasting and blending seminar last night. The event started with a quick overview of the different factors that are responsible for the way tobacco tastes. Those factors were broken into three categories: cultivation (soil, climate, seed, leaf position, farmer), manufacturing (curing, fermenting, aging), and production (expertise of blender). He also discussed how different regions of the tongue respond to different taste stimuli (sweet, salty, bitter, acid) and that blending a cigar is really directing how the tongue is stimulated. After that quick overview, we smoked three pure grade tobaccos to determine which part of the tongue that particular tobacco was stimulating. Then we smoked a completed blend of the three tobaccos, which turned out to be a Davidoff Gran Cru No. 3. Finally, we smoked two more Gran Cru No. 3s, but each with different wrappers. Overall the experience was very educational and I highly recommend attending a tasting and blending seminar if you get the chance. Davidoff has been giving them across the country as part of the roll out of the Puro d’Oro.

8:50am Central: Yesterday, StogieGuys.com provided a preview of the Trade Show entitled “Cigar Smoke Descends Over New Orleans” for Tucker Carlson’s The Daily Caller. You can read the whole article here.

11:15am Central: Our first stop this morning was Altadis,where we learned more details about the cigars we covered in yesterday’s preview. The new H. Upmann Sungrown, made at the La Flor de Copan factory in Honduras, will be available in six sizes ranging in price from from $6.25 to $7.75. Altadis’ new Nicaraguan line, Warlock, comes in five sizes, priced $5.50-6.50. The A. Turrent Triple Play Maduro comes in five sizes, all selling for between $7 and $8.

11:20am Central: Altadis also told us about two new interesting lines. The first, Dos Familias, is a collaboration of the Turrent and Ortez families that’s made in Nicaragua with a San Andreas criollo wrapper around Nicaraguan and San Andreas binder and filler. Also previously unannounced is the Don Diego Fuerte, an extension that’s made in Nicaragua by Omar Ortez with an Ecuadorian Cubano wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder, and filler from Nicaragua and the Dominican. It comes in five sizes and is priced from $5-$6.50.

12:35pm Central: We stopped by the Cuban Crafters booth to get the latest from Don Kiki Berger. The only “new” line is the J.L. Salazar Maduro, which has been available for some time but is only now a regular full production series. The always friendly Don Kiki said he’ll have something new in a few months. Prompted by a reader’s question, we asked about the Miami Medina Habano and were told that, despite being well-received, they aren’t being made right now and only a few remain at their Miami headquarters. You won’t find them online, but if you ask a Cuban Crafters retailer to order some, or call headquarters directly, you may be able to get them.

3:15pm Central: Felipe Gregorio has three new lines coming out. The first is Vallejuelo, which features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper an a blend of Cuban-seed lijero filler. Vallejeullo will be available in three sizes with an estimated MSRP of $4.50-$6.00. W20 is another new line, this one celebrating the 20th anniversary of the company just like the Power celebrated the 15th anniversary. W20 has a marrón Habano 2000 wrapper and tis supposed to cater to those looking for full-bodied cigars. Finally, Felipe Gregorio is releasing the rosado-wrapped Minotaur at a price point of $15 a cigar for the only size in the line. Minotaur is sold in boxes of 15 and was made at the request of a prominent cigar distributor in France. It is blended to approximate the profile of Cuban cigars to make it more marketable in Europe. Interestingly, none of the new lines say Felipe Gregorio anywhere on the product, and it appears the company may be moving away from that name as part of their marketing. Also of note is that the company says their business is much stronger abroad than in the U.S.

4:55pm Central: Alan Rubin of Alec Bradley gave us the rundown on his new lines. First up was the Maxx Connecticut, which was crafted in response to requests from his sales staff. He told us you can’t build your name on a Connecticut wrapped cigar, but he felt that his brand is now established enough that it could produce a well-received Connecticut cigar in its Maxx sizes.

5:05pm Central: While he was enthusiastic about the new Maxx, Rubin was most excited to tell us about the new Tempus Maduro. To get the maduro leaf, he resurrected an old Cuban technique where the pulp of canna fistula fruit is boiled and the resulting liquid is sprayed on aging pilons of wrapper leaf along with water. Rubin says the process causes the maduro leaf to age more quickly, thus maintaining a full flavor while also having the traditional sweetness of a maduro. The new Tempus Maduro is available in five sizes and Rubin says the reaction from cigar shops has been very positive.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Starting tomorrow, StogieGuys will be reporting live from the IPCPR Trade Show in New Orleans as we talk to cigar makers about their latest offerings and sample their newest cigars. In the meantime, we continue with our preview of the new cigars that will be released at this year’s event:

Drew Estate — Despite being available at Drew Estate events for some time, the corona-sized Dirty Rat will be officially released at the IPCPR. The Dirty Rat is a variation of the Liga Privada blend, but with the blend changed slightly to account for the smaller ring gauge. We also hear a cigar called the Undercrown will likely debut, but no details have been released. Additionally, Drew Estate announced that it will be partnering with Xikar for a series of cigar accessories.

Fuente — Fuente will be making two new cigars for Carlos Fuente’s brother, Arturo Fuente Jr., of the Tampa Cigar Sweethearts Company: Flor de Ybor City and Ybor Gold. We’ve also heard reports that a new torpedo version of the relatively new Magnum Rosado line will likely be introduced.

Tatuaje — Pete Johnson’s Tatuaje brand will introduce a number of line extensions this year. Ambos Mundos Grande (5.5 x 56) will come in both Habano and Sumatra wrappers with an MSRP of $6.25. Havana VI Gordito (5.5 56) will sell for $7.50. Havana VI Verocu No. 5 (4 x 40) will be sold in cabinets of 50 with an MSRP of $4.25 per cigar. El Triunfador No. 7 (5.9 x 54) will sell for $8 apiece. Tatuaje Seleccion de Cazador 7th  (5.6 x 46) will come in both Natural and Reserva (broadleaf) wrappers with an MSRP of $9 per cigar. Petit Tatuaje Reserva (4.5 x 32) will sell in cabinets of 50 for $3.50 per cigar. Lastly, Tatuaje Petite Cazadores Reserva (4 x 40) carries an MSRP of $4.50 per cigar and will be sold in cabinets of 50.

Nestor Miranda — Nestor Miranda is set to debut a new line called Art Deco, a collaboration between Nestor and Don Pepin Garcia. The Art Deco is a blend of Nicaraguan corojo and Dominican San Vicente with a dual binder of Dominican criollo ’98 and Nicaraguan Habano 2000 finished in a Nicaraguan corojo ’06 wrapper. Instead of wooden boxes, the Art Deco will be sold in metallic art deco tins of 21 cigars. It will be offered in three sizes: Coffee Break (4.5 x 50), Robusto Grande (5.5 x 54), and Gran Toro (6 x 60).

La Aurora — The oldest Dominican cigar maker is introducing Guillermo León by La Aurora, honoring longtime company president Guillermo León. The cigar features filler tobacco from the Dominican Republic, Peru, Brazil, and Nicaragua and is finished off with an Ecuadorian Habano Vuelta Arriba wrapper. Guillermo León will be available in four vitolas: Corona, Gran Corona, Gran Toro, and Belicoso. The estimated MSRP is $7.50-$10.00 per cigar. Also being introduced is a new corona size of its La Aurora 107 blend. Finally, La Aurora will reportedly be releasing a new La Aurora Corojo line using an Ecuadorian corojo wrapper, an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder, and a filler blend of Dominican Cubano, Dominican olor, and Nicaraguan habano. The Corojo will be available in five sizes and will sell for $5.50 to $7.

Illusione — Illusione will debut a limited edition cigar called Singulare, which will feature a new size and blend each year. This year features a the Phantom (6 x 50). Made at the Raices Cubanas factory in Honduras, the blend is 100% Nicaraguan tobacco. Production was limited to 1,000 boxes of 15 with an MSRP of $12 per cigar.

DomRey — DomRey, a subsidiary of Davidoff and maker of Cusano and Cuvée, is set to release two new labels. The Cusano 15th Anniversary Limited edition uses a Domican wrapper and comes in boxes of 15. Meanwhile, the Cuvée Cusano Signature line will be the first time a cigar shares both the Cuvée and Cusano names. Both cigars are being made by Davidoff blender Henke Kelner.

Prometheus — Prometheus is the distributor of the Fuente-made God of Fire, Sencillo, and Angelenos cigar lines, as well as a large line of luxury cigar accessories. Angelenos is adding two new sizes: a Robusto (5.25 x 50) and a Double Robusto (5.25 x 52). Sencillo is adding a new Gigante (6 x 60). New God of Fire accessories are also coming.

Xikar — Known best for its line of cutters, Xikar is expanding its Xikar HC Series cigars made by Jesus Fuego at Nestor Plancencia’s Nicaraguan factory. All three blends (Connecticut, Criollo, and Habano Colorado) will add a large cigar size (6 x 60).

Los Blancos – NINE by Los Blancos debuted at last year’s show, but this year they are expanding the regular production line to include a Lancero (7 x 38). NINE is a spicy, full-bodied Nicaraguan puro made in Esteli.

J. Fuego — Jesus Fuego’s Origen line will officially debut at this year’s IPCPR show. The line uses a Brazilian corojo wrapper, Costa Rican binder, and Honduran and Nicaraguan filler. While the series has been available to select retailers for some time now, a Lancero will be a new addition.

Alec Bradley — Alec Bradley cigars is introducing the Maxx Connecticut, featuring a shade-grown Connecticut wrapper. Except for the wrapper, the blend will remain the same as the original Maxx line and will come in four sizes: The Fixx, The Culture, The Freak, and The Curve.

Primer Mundo – Sean Williams of Primer Mundo will have his own booth this year (last year he was stationed at the Los Blancos booth) where he be featuring the new Miami Liga. Rolled in Miami, it uses Nicaraguan and the Dominican filler including three ligero leaves, a double binder, and is wrapped in a Ecuadorian Sun Grown wrapper.

La Caridad del Cobre — Frank Herera’s La Caridad del Cobre will debut a new line called La Charada, which means “the charade.” La Charada is derived from the old Cuban lotto system. In La Charada, each number corresponds with a thing. If you dream about certain things you play the numbers that correspond to what you dream about. There are seven vitolas: four maduro and three natural. Each vitola is named and numbered after one of the objects in the La Charada Cubana. The Natural has an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper with binder and filler from the Dominican Republic. The Maduro has a Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper with binder and filler also from the Dominican Republic.

Gran Habano — Gran Habano is introducing the new Azteca line. The full-bodied line features a Mexican San Andreas maduro wrapper and binder with Nicaraguan and Panamanian filler. Available in three sizes, it will sell for around $7 each.

Hammer + Sickle — Vodka and cigar maker Hammer + Sickle will be debuting a new cigar called Berlin Wall, commemorating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and demise of communism in Eastern Europe.

A.J. Fernandez — A.J. Fernandez has made top-selling cigars, but at this year’s IPCPR he is introducing his first nationally-distributed solo cigar. San Lotano is an old Cuban cigar line that Fernandez has re-launched in three variations with Habano, Connecticut, and Maduro wrappers.

While we’ve comprehensively surveyed the most notable cigars set to debut at this trade show, there will undoubtedly be many more new cigars before the IPCPR concludes. For all the info, including our take on some of these new cigars, check back starting tomorrow for live IPCPR coverage.

Patrick S and Patrick M will be on the trade show floor getting the latest scoop from the cigar makers. If you have a question you’d like us to ask your favorite cigar maker, let us know in the comments.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: IPCPR

The International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers (IPCPR) Trade Show opens in New Orleans today. The annual show is arguably the most important event of the year in the cigar industry, serving as an opportunity for cigar makers to show cigar retailers their latest offerings and make sales for for the upcoming year.

While selling cigars is still the primary purpose of the show, these days most of the news out of the trade show revolves around the new cigars that nearly every cigar maker releases. Here is part one of our comprehensive list of the already-announced new cigars set to debut at the show:

Altadis — Industry giant Altadis USA has revealed a few of the cigars it will be unveiling at the trade show this year. Included is a Honduran-made H. Upmann Sungrown blend (featuring an Ecuadorian wrapper with Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers), an Omar Ortez Originals Puro Maduro (using a San Andres maduro wrapper around Maduro binder and filler tobaccos), Warlock (made by Omar Ortez utilizing  an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers), and an A. Turrent Triple Play Puro Maduro (also using a San Andres maduro wrapper with Connecticut broadleaf binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua, San Andres, and Honduras). The company will also debut a new Romeo y Julieta Museum Edition Humidor featuring the artwork of artist Charles Fazzino, and a new dual-flame torch.

Padrón — One year after the debut of the Padrón Family Reserve 45, the Nicaraguan cigar masters are introducing the new Family Reserve No. 46. A trunk-pressed smoke, the 46  (5.5 x 56) features well-aged Nicaraguan tobacco and will cost around $25 per cigar.

Rocky Patel — Prolific cigar maker Rocky Patel will be officially debuting his 15th Anniversary cigar utilizing an Ecuadorian wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. Available in four box-pressed sizes, the blend will cost $8 to $12 each.

E.P. Carillo — Ernesto-Perez Carrillo, creator of the famous La Gloria Cubana line, will debut his regular production blend available in six sizes. Also expected is a new annual limited edition release that follows up on his 2009 Edición Inaugural release.

CAO — After the success of the CAO La Traviata at last year’s show, CAO is debuting a maduro version featuring a Connecticut-grown broadleaf wrapper. According to CAO President Tim Ozgener, the Maduro will be priced similarly to the natural blend at around $5 each.

Toraño Family — Reflecting its new focus and new name, the Toraño Family Cigar Company will be bringing three new cigars to market this year. The Master is a joint effort by Charlie Toraño and longtime master roller Felipe Sosa using an all-Nicaraguan blend. Single Region by Toraño (MSRP $6.50-$6.95) features Jalapa tobacco all from one farm and is being rolled at the Fabrica de Tabacos Raices Cubanas factory in Honduras, which also makes cigars for Illusione, Alec Bradley, and Padilla. The third line, Brigade, features an Ecuadorian wrapper and will sell in bundles of 16 for around $2.50 per stick.

Camacho — Camacho makes cigars for Room 101 and will be introducing the new Room 101 Conjura. The full-bodied blend features a Honduran rosado wrapper, Honduran binder, and Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers. Limited to just 12,500 cigars for each of the blend’s four sizes, it will sell for $7-10 each.

La Flor Dominicana — Litto Gomez’s La Flor Dominicana will be adding a chisel size to its relatively new Air Bender line, and possibly another smaller ring gauge size. Also expected is a new full-flavored maduro Salomon.

Ashton — Ashton is adding a third version of its Aroma de Cuba line: the Aroma De Cuba Mi Amor. Made by Don Pepin Garcia, the blend uses a  Cuban-seed Mexican wrapper around aged Nicaraguan tobaccos.

AVO — Avo cigars is introducing a new full line called Avo Heritage. Made in four sizes (Churchill, Toro, Robusto, and Short Robusto) it utilizes the same Ecuadorian sun-grown wrapper as the Avo 2009 Compañero along with a Dominican binder and a blend of five different Dominican fillers.

La Palina — La Palina, Bill Paley’s new line, is introducing it’s regular production Family Blend in New Orleans. It comes in four sizes, Pasha (a Churchill with an unfinished foot), Babe (a robusto), Alison (a torpedo), and Little Bill (a perfecto). The blend uses a Costa Rican binder with Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers. Pasha and Babe use a Costa Rican wrapper, while Alison and Little Bill utilize an Ecuadorian wrapper and additional ligero fillers.

Revolution Cigars — Paradigm 262-maker Revolution Cigars will introduce a new, milder line called Ideology. The cigar will feature a Nicaraguan Habano Rosado wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and a filler blend of Nicaraguan, Mexican, and Dominican tobaccos. Revolution cigars is also adding a 4-inch by 60 ring gauge vitola to the Paradigm line called the “4SIXTY.”

Pinar del Rio — Abe Flores’ Pinar Del Rio is re-launching all of their standard lines, which have been re-blended and will now be sold in boxes of 20. Pinar del Rio has also reduced its MSRP by 10% across the board this year. The main focus at the show, however, will be the launch of the new line: 1878 Cubano Especial Maduro. It will come in eight vitolas and feature a Brazilian Arapiraca maduro wrapper, Dominican criollo ’98 binder, and a filler blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos.

Joya de Nicaragua — Joya de Nicaragua is adding an additional size to its Dark Antaño line. “La Niveladora” will be a six-inch by 52 ring gauge box-pressed toro.

These are far from all the new releases, so check back after noon for part two of our IPCPR preview, which includes new cigars from Tatuaje, Illusione, La Aurora, and many others. Also be sure to check in regularly starting tomorrow for live updates throughout the day from the IPCPR Trade Show floor.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: IPCPR

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

Set to be officially released at the IPCPR show this week, this Corona (5.5 x 43) is a new addition to La Aurora’s recently-introduced 107 line. It features a relatively vein-free Ecuadorian wrapper around Dominican binder and Dominican and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos. Smooth medium-bodied flavors make for an interesting smoke, with leather, spice, graham, and warm woody flavors. Construction is superb, and this format is a perfect vehicle for this complex, balanced smoke.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys