Viaje TNT

Originally released in 2010, the Viaje TNT, a 6 1/4″ x 54 Toro, was packaged in 75 count flat top wooden boxes resembling dynamite crates.  The Viaje TNT had long “fuse-like” pig-tails and covered foots making them resemble sticks of dynamite.  This marketing theme coincided with their usual June releases arriving just in time for the Fourth of July pyrotechnic celebrations.  The Viaje TNT was a Nicaraguan puro rolled at the Raices Cubanas factory in Honduras with a rosado sun grown Corojo wrapper.  The Viaje TNT was a limited edition cigar that was released for four consecutive summers that stopped in 2014 when no Viaje TNT cigars were made.

For Summer 2015, Viaje will re-release the TNT but it is no longer a Nicaraguan puro and is now being rolled by Abe Flores’ PDR factory in the Dominican Republic.  The Viaje TNT 2015 will sport a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper.  Like many Viaje small batch releases, Andre Farkas, owner of Viaje, is still pretty secretive about the re-release so there are many details remaining to be filled in, namely the filler blemd which heretofore has been labeled Nicaraguan.  Abe Flores has indicated that he will use a different filler blend, but there hasn’t been much detail released as yet.  Since all of the four previous Viaje TNT releases were 6 1/4″ x 54 Toros, we expect that the 2015 will be the same format along with the long pig tail “fuse” and a covered foot.  The 2015 release will also be packaged in 75 count wooden crates.

Viaje TNT Summer Seasonal Release 2015
Made by: PDR Cigars for Viaje
Country of Manufacture: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Undisclosed as yet
Filler: Undisclosed as yet
Dimensions: 6 1/4″ x 54 Toro

Caldwell The Last Tsar

Anthony’s Cigar Emporium has just received its shipment of Caldwell The Last Tsar.  Anthony’s Cigar Emporium is the second retailer that Robert Caldwell chose to receive The Last Tsar.  The Last Tsar is limited to the “First 49”, a group of 49 retailers that helped to launch the Caldwell brand.  Caldwell is planning to make The Last Tsar a twice a year limited release to the First 49, with each release being a different format and possibly different blends.  This inaugural release of The Last Tsar celebrates Caldwell’s first anniversary, and what a year it has been for Caldwell, receiving raves from critics and customers alike.  This release is limited to 500 ten-count boxes with a picture of Tsar Nicholas II and “The Last Tsar” in Russian (последний царь).  Nicholas II, along with his family, was murdered in 1918, ending the Romanoff dynasty that ruled the Russian Empire for centuries.

Like all Caldwell cigars, The Last Tsar is being produced at Tabacalera William Ventura in Tamboril, Dominican Republic. William Ventura has an impresive resume, being the Master Blender for Davidoff before building his own factory.

The Last Tsar is a 5″x50 Belicoso that Robert Caldwell has described as: “full in body, creamy smooth, rich as hell – and salty.”  It uses the same wrapper leaf as the Eastern Standard line, which Caldwell describes as Arapiraca/Connecticut Shade Hybrid Maduro. The wrapper leaf was fermented longer and processed a little differently than the Eastern Standard making it difficult to work with.  As Robert Caldwell said: “it was a pain in the ass to make, we lost a ton of tobacco when making it because it was more of an experiment than anything to use that wrapper in that way.”

Caldwell has used unique and hard to source limited batch leaves in the Caldwell Collection, its line of premium cigars.  The blend of The Last Tsar is undisclosed but we know it includes another rare tobacco called Carbonell which Caldwell has described as a “really cool tobacco that has incensy aroma to it.”  He further said that the blend is completely unique to anything he has smoked before, describing them as full-bodied, yet very refined. “They are going to be the fullest bodied cigar in the Caldwell Collection, yet palatable for most smokers.”

Caldwell The Last Tsar
Made by: Tabacalera William Ventura for Caldwell Cigar Co.
Country of Manufacture: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Arapiraca Connecticut Shade Hybrid Maduro
Binder: Undisclosed
Filler: Undisclosed
Dimensions: Belicoso (5″ x 50)

Order Caldwell The Last Tsar at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium Now

Liga Privada #9 In Stock

The famous Liga Privada #9 is one of Drew Estates finest and rarest offerings and needs no introduction.  For the first time in a long while, Anthony’s Cigar Emporium has each size in stock and we expect a future shipment next week.

The Liga Privada #9 is very scarce and very full-bodied and smooth; a hard to blend cigar.  Complex flavors include a sweet tobacco taste from the naturally fermented oscuro wrapper, dark chocolate, roasted coffee, and rich mineral earth, while a nuttiness and cinnamon spice cloak the palate in the background.  A heavy smoke carries aromas of oak and leather.

No expense was spared and there was no where that Jonathan Drew wouldn’t go to source rare tobaccos.   Seven different farms from four different countries provided leaves to blend the Liga Privada #9.  It is a beautiful dark and flavorful masterpiece of cigar making.  The wrapper is a jet-black, shiny and toothy Connecticut Broadleaf from the Connecticut Valley USA.  The binder is a plantation grown Brazilian Mata Fina.  A blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan leaves make up the filler.

All of the tobaccos are from the top two primings giving the cigar a full-bodied backbone.  A small select group of rollers are used to construct the Liga Privada #9.  The cigar is very firm, yet draws easy with a razor thin burn line and a dense white ash that clings to the cigar.  The combination of high demand, limited tobacco supply, and a select group of expert rollers skilled to make the Liga Privada #9 a scarce cigar.  However, Drew Estate has never sacrificed quality for more production.

Drew Estate Liga Privada No. 9
Made by: La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate
Place of Manufacture: Esteli, Nicaragua
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Oscuro, USA
Binder: Brazilian Mata Fina
Filler: Nicaraguan and Honduran
Dimensions: 6 x 52 Belicoso; 7 x 54 Corona Doble; 5 x 52 Robusto; 6 x 52 Toro

 Buy Liga Privada No. 9 at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium

Get free shipping with all box purchases of Liga Privada #9

AVO 2015 Limited Edition Review

Each spring AVO Cigars releases a limited edition to honor the March 22nd birthday of its namesake Avo Uvezian, and next year is Avo’s 80th.  It makes one imagine what cigar will come out for that!

This year AVO is introducing a limited edition that will introduce a new line of annual limited edition cigars: the new Improvisational Series.  The Improvisational Series has been blended by Davidoff master blender Henke Kelner.  The first release will be the AVO Classic Covers 2015 Limited Edition, a 6 x 50 Toro and has already arrived from Davidoff to Anthony’s Cigar Emporium.

AVO says the Classic Covers 2015 Limited Edition blend pays tribute to the AVO Classic blend which was the first collaboration between Avo Uvezian and Henke Kelner.  The Classic Blend is filled with rare Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos that have been aged for 25 years, according to AVO.  There is ligero from Ometempe, Nicaragua and piloto ligero, San Vicente ligero, hybrid corojo/olor ligero and criollo ligero from the Dominican Republic.  The Classic Blend is smooth and creamy with hints of pepper. The name of the Improvisational Series draws inspiration from the improvised nature of jazz, while the name of the cigar is based off of the idea of covering a song and Avo Uvezian is an accomplished jazz pianist.  The AVO Classic Covers 2015 Limited Edition adds extra boldness and spicy and cocoa notes by “covering” the Classic Blend signature filler with a Mexico San Andrés binder and a proprietary Ecuador 702 wrapper.

Only 3,500 16-count boxes of AVO 2015 Limited Edition Classic Covers were produced.

AVO 2015 Limited Edition Classic Covers
Made by: Davidoff of Geneva for AVO Cigars
Country of Manufacture: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuador 702
Binder: Mexican San Andres
Filler: Nicaragua and Dominican Republic
Dimensions: 6 x 50 Toro

First Third:

As will all cigars that come out of the premier Tabadom factory in the Dominican Republic (constructing Davidoff, AVO, Griffins), the construction of the AVO 2015 Limited Edition is perfect with minimal veins present on a light brown velvety Ecuadorian 702 wrapper.  Pre-light aromas are very cedary together with a hint of orage peel that will become more prominent as the ciar is smoked.  A bit of toned down green pepper is in the forefront of the initial puffs.  There is no harshness in the first third, a hallmark of well aged cigars able to be smoked immediately.

Second Third:

The woody aromas fade out into more toast aromas and the green pepper fades out into a balanced dryer earth flavor.  The AVO Limited Edition 2015 remains a bit spicy in the background but the spice doesn’t overpower the tongue.  A creamy cashew flavor envelops the palate together with little earth, minerality and salt.  The most pronounced flavor is  a strong roasted espresso while notes of citrus sweetness fade from a subtle aroma into the flavor profile.

 Last Third:

The cigar picks up strength very fast.  The pepper picks up and becomes a more intensified black pepper together with grassy with a dryer leathery flavors.  The AVO Limited Edition 2015 has a sweet tobacco and citrus rind finish with no harshness.

 Final Thoughts:

The AVO 2015 Limited Edition Classic Covers is a medium bodied cigar.  It is important to note that the citrus rind sweetness can easily turn bitter and funky if the cigar is drawn too heavily; easy considering the aged tobaccos and great burn characteristics.  The addition in AVO 2015 Limited Edition Classic Covers of the San Andres binder and the Ecuadorian 702 wrapper give it a flavor profile much stronger and complex than the milder Avo Classic yet it retains the smoothness throughout but the flavor profile is very different from the AVO Classic Series.

After smoking, the aftertaste is quite pleasant with a cedary and citrus sweet tobacco flavors.  It could be a transition cigar for novices trying to expand their palate into something more fuller bodied that is quite palatable without a huge nicotine hit.  More experienced smokers will appreciate the balance and complexity of this cigar.  The AVO 2015 Limited Edition Classic Covers would pair well with a Highland single malt or a fine cognac.

Buy AVO 2015 Limited Edition Classic Covers Now!

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Caldwell Long Live the King Review

At Anthony’s Cigar Emporium we strive to provide the very best selection of premium cigars to its customers. Sometimes, customers demand a certain cigar, other times we find a new cigar that our employees love that suddenly become a customer favorite.   Anthony’s Cigar Emporium is proud to be part of the First 49, among the first retailers to launch the Caldwell brand before it took off. We are having a lot of success with all of the Caldwell lines including the Caldwell collection and the Seleccion Junior Varsity that quickly became an employee favorite for its distinctive flavors and its price point and this Caldwell Long Live the King Review shows why.

They represent a good value given its impeccable look, from its packaging and labeling to the beautiful construction, and its distinctive blends.  Sometimes only a boutique company with its smaller production numbers like Caldwell Cigar Co. can source rarer, smaller batch, limited supply tobaccos and create a regular production line around it. Robert Caldwell is committed to sourcing non-readily available Grade A fermented and aged tobaccos.  This is what Caldwell Cigar Co. did for its Caldwell Collection, which includes three regular production lines: Eastern Standard, The King is Dead, and Long Live the King; and a limited production run originally referred to as “Nothing You Ever Heard Of.” but now finally named “The Last Tsar” that will be shipping to Anthony’s Cigar Emporium today.

The Caldwell Long Live the King Review was based on smoking two formats: an exquisite lancero My Style is Jalapeno (7 1/4″ x 40) and The Heater (5 3/4″ x 46 Corona).   The line sports a very oily dark brown Corojo wrapper that has minimal veins and a perfect pigtail.  Robert Caldwell chose to use Tabacalera William Ventura in Tamboril, Dominican Republic to collaborate on the manufacturing of his cigars, headed by former Davidoff Master Blender William Ventura.  Clearly William Ventura has brought his Davidoff quality control standards to the Caldwell Collection, with each cigar appearing flawless and almost too good looking to smoke.

The cigar blend for Long Live the King reads like a wine label using tobaccos 6-8 years old:

It is wonderful to see a Dominican puro at a lower price point.  Typically they go for at least $5 more.  The dark brown Corojo wrapper is an “authentic,” non-hybridized version of Corojo.   Most growers switched to a hybridized Corojo after mold destroyed many crops in the early 2000s.  Authentic Corojo, though more difficult to grow, has a fuller-bodied and more complex flavor profile than hybridized Corojo.  It is a bit more difficult to blend due to the burning qualities and its overpowering flavor, but in Long Live the King, some Pelo de Oro and Habano leaves are flavorful enough to complement the Corojo with some creamy depth and a subtle hint of natural tobacco sweetness to tone down the spicyness.

Caldwell Collection Long Live the King
Made by: Tabacalera William Ventura for Caldwell Cigar Co.
Country of Manufacture: Danli, Honduras
Wrapper: Dominican Corojo
Binder: Dominican Corojo
Filler: Dominican Corojo Ligero 50% – 2006; Peruvian Viso Pelo De Oro 10% – 2008;                         Nicaraguan Habano Ligero 40% – 2007
Dimensions: The Heater (5 3/4″ x 46 Corona) My Style is Jalapeno (7 1/4″ x 40) Petit Double Wide Short Churchill (6″ x 52 Toro) Marquis (6″ x 60 Gordo) + New Size Lock Stock (5″ x 52 Robusto)

First Third:

Pre-light aromas from the thick and oily Corojo wrapper and foot are of fermented tobacco and rich soil.  The wrapper is thick and oily but it lights well.  The cigar feels a little spongy and would do well with a couple of weeks of dry-aging, if you have the patience.  It starts off with a black pepper punch; though not harsh or over-powering.  It is a cigar that feels and tastes fresh but its smoothness tells you that the tobaccos have been well aged and the cigar is ready to smoke now for its most full-bodied flavor profile.  As the wrapper warms up the cigar becomes a bit more soft, and it takes a little bit of effort to draw on but each draw is very rich, creamy and flavorful.

Second Third:

In the second third, the black pepper fades into the background and leathery, rich earth flavors take over along with smoky oak aromas.  A bit of minierality begins to show up the deeper you get into the cigar and the strength gradually increases.  The dense white-gray ash is about an inch long.  There cigar burs a little uneven, but not so much as to affect the smoking experience.  The cigar does get hit some “funk” notes as it transitions into the final third but they disappear.

Last Third:

The cigar finishes well, as all fine cigars do, as the black pepper returns along with a distinctive savory component that coats the entire palate and the oaky aromas intensify.  The mineral flavors take over the rich earth flavors with a dryer taste profile.  The cigar is at its strongest but is still well balanced. After finishing the cigar, I want to sit down and reflect upon the whole experience.

Final Thoughts:

This is a connoisseur’s cigar, for someone who can appreciate the flavors of a full-bodied cigar and the rare tobaccos that went into it.  The attention to detail is apparent in all aspects of Long Live the King, from its packaging and unique artistic labeling to the construction and blend of the cigar.  Robert Caldwell clearly has a passion for fine tobaccos.  The best part about this cigar is its price point, making distinctive Dominican puros accessible to the everyday smoker.  My Style is Jalapeno is a beautifully rolled lancero that shows more peppery notes and intense flavors that The Heater.  Again the only drawback to Long Live the King is the burn probably because of the thick and very oily Corojo leaves, but the flavor of that singular authentic Dominican Corojo wrapper and filler make it totally worth managing the burn with just a couple of torch corrections.  Perhaps these minor flaws will be corrected with some more aging.  I am definitely setting a few aside to see how the flavors merge and develop.  It is a cigar worth smoking now and should age quite nicely.  It would pair well with a dessert wine, especially a ruby port.

Buy Long Live the King at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium Now!

Punch Cigarillos and Punch Miniatures

Anthony’s Cigar Emporium got a great deal on Punch Cigarillos Sleeves and Punch Miniatures Sleeves and is passing its savings on to its customers.  Get Sleeves of Punch Cigarillos or Punch Miniatures at an unbelievably low price while supplies last!.  Sleeves of 10 20-count Tins of Punch Cigarillos (3″ x 22) are $59.00 and sleeves of 10 20-count Tins of Punch Miniatures (4″ x 24) are $83.00.  These are perfect quick smokes for the hot summer months.

Machine-made in Holland, these small tobacco bombs  incorporate the same premium tobacco that’s present throughout the entire Punch line filled with Honduran, Dominican, and Nicaraguan under an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. Robust and full-flavored, these little smokes are smooth with a slight spiciness.  Great for on the go!

Order Punch Cigarillos and Punch Miniatures today !

Room101 Uncle Lee Ranfla

Los Angeles based Room101 Cigars has introduced a new cigar to its line-up: a 6 1/2″ x 30 x 50 x 19 Perfecto called the Room101 Uncle Lee Ranfla.  Matt Booth, founder of Room101 Cigars, introduced this vitola as a tribute to his Uncle Lee, the man who first introduced him to cigars.

The packaging of the Room101 Uncle Lee Ranfla is a departure from the Japanese motifs used by Room101.  Matt Booth originally had them packaged in cereal boxes, but, after merchant reluctance, changed the box to Room101’s classic 10 count boxes where the lid comes cleanly and completely off the top, but this time with a picture of the famous Uncle Lee.  The actual cigars are tissue wrapped covered with a paper wrapper displaying “Uncle Lee” with dollar signs and a Room101 logo.

The Room101 Uncle Lee Ranfla is a medium to full bodied cigar that starts off strong and peppery before a toasted oak aroma forms that combines nicely with flavors of mulling spice and natural tobacco sweetness, along with roasted coffee, nutty, and oat notes.  It is covered in a dark brown Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with visible oils and a slight veniness.  A rich mix lies underneath: a Nicaraguan Corojo binder and a filler blend of Dominican Piloto Ligero & Honduran Corojo.  The Room101 Uncle Lee is rolled at the Davidoff  owned Camacho factory, Agroindustria LAEPE S.A., in Danli, Honduras.

Room101 Uncle Lee 
Made by: Agroindustria LAEPE S.A. for Room101
Country of Manufacture: Danli, Honduras
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan Corojo
Filler: Dominican Piloto Ligero & Honduran Corojo
Dimensions: Ranfla (6 1/2″ x 30 x 50 x 19 Perfecto)

Tatuaje Drinking Age – NOW IN STOCK

Anthony’s Cigar Emporium has now received the Tatuaje Exclusive Series Drinking Age.  There are still a few boxes left after shipping out all of our pre-orders and allocations to our locations.  Order today to get your Tatuaje Drinking Age box before its too late and it will be shipped immediately.

Pete Johnson, owner of Tatuaje Cigars, blended the Drinking Age for the 21st anniversary of Anthony’s Cigar Emporium; hence the name “Drinking Age.”  The Tatuaje Drinking Age is made by the Garcia family’s My Father factory in Nicaragua.  It will be a 5 1/2 x 54 Robusto Grande that features a band displaying Anthony’s Cigar Emporium Drinking Age and the number 21 in the middle, with an apropos number of 21 coming in each box.  They are medium to full bodied Nicaraguan puros with a Criollo Sun Grown wrapper and an all-Nicaraguan filler and binder blend.  Only 300 boxes were made and we are selling out fast!

Order the Drinking Age at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium today!

Tatuaje Exclusive Series for Anthony’s Cigar Emporium – Dinking Age 
Made by: My Father for Tatuaje
Country of Manufacture: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Criollo Sun Grown
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 5 1/2 x 54 Robusto Grande

Viaje Exclusivo Regular Production Line

Viaje will finally be releasing  the Viaje Exclusivo as its first regular production line since it announced in 2012 that the company would be “100% small-batch” and Anthony’s Cigar Emporium expects its shipment this week.  Like most Viaje releases, the Viaje Exclusivo is a Nicaraguan puro.  It has a Nicaraguan Criollo ’98 wrapper and Nicaraguan binders and fillers using AGANORSA farms tobacco.

Though Viaje has now added production in Nicaragua, the United States, and plans were recently announced to make cigars in the Dominican Republic, Viaje has used its longstanding relationship with the Raices Cubanas factory in Honduras to make the Exclusivo line.  Viaje’s Exclusivo blend started out as a personal blend for company founder Andre Farkas.  It later began as an events-only cigar, but high consumer demand prompted the decision to put the cigar into a regular indefinite production so that customers can more easily obtain one of his favorite blends.  Farkas did say if the demand is there, he will keep Viaje Exclusivo as regular production, but did not rule out a return to 100% small batch if the demand changes. With the first production run of Viaje Exclusivo, the whole first production run is already sold out.

According to Viaje Cigars’ Facebook page:

REGULAR PRODUCTION?! Yes, it’s true. As a result of years of requests from retailers and consumers, we have decided to make Viaje Exclusivo regular production! So, for the first time in years Viaje will be available year round. 3 sizes have been selected.
They are:

Robusto – 5″ X 52

Toro – 6″ X 50

Double R – 5.5″ X 54

Viaje Exclusivo Regular Production
Made by: Raices Cubanas for Viaje Cigars
Country of Manufacture: Honduras
Wrapper: Nicaragua Criollo ’98
Binder: Nicaraguan (AGANORSA)
Filler: Nicaraguan (AGANORSA)
Dimensions: Robusto (5″ x 52); Toro (6″ x 50); Double R (5 1/2″ x 54)

 Order Viaje Exclusivo at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium today!

Padron 1926 No. 47 2015 TAA Exclusive

Padron is adding a new size to its 1926 Serie, the No. 47 (numbering refers to the 47th annual TAA Convention) for 2015 exclusively for TAA Members.  The Padron 1926 No. 47 2015 TAA Exclusive is a 5 1/2″ x 50 Robusto, the exact same size as the classic 1964 Anniversary Series Exclusivo.  The Padron 1926 No. 47 will be a one-time limited release with boxes expected to hit Anthony’s Cigar Emporium in June.  The No. 47 will be available in Natural and Maduro wrappers.

Padron 1926 Serie 
Made by: Padron Cigars
Country of Manufacture: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua (Maduro and Natural)
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Dimensions: 2015 TAA Exclusive No. 47 (5 1/2 x 50) No. 1 (6 3/4 x 54 Toro Larga), No. 2 (5 1/2 x 52 Belicoso), No. 6 (4 3/4 x 50 Petite Robusto), No. 9 (5 1/4 x 56 Robusto Extra) and No. 35 (4 x 48 Short Corona)

The 1926 Serie are box-pressed Nicaraguan puros offering refined tobaccos aged five to ten years then blended to create an exceptionally smooth, complex, balanced and full-bodied flavor. Flavors of savory roasted meat, dried tart cherries, rich earth, and black pepper spice envelop the entire palate as a woody and barnyard aroma fill the air.

You can make sure to get your hands on a box of Padron 1926 Serie No. 47 in both Natural and Maduro by pre-ordering at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium.  They should be arriving in June and as soon as we get them, we’ll ship them to you immediately!

Pre-order a box of Padron 1926 Serie No. 47 2015 TAA Exclusive today!

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