RoMa Craft CroMagnon, Aquitaine, Intemperance

At Anthony’s Cigar Emporium we strive to provide the very best selection of premium cigars to its customers.  From customer demand, we are now carrying all the lines of the ultra-boutique maker RoMa Craft Tobac.  RoMa Craft was a joint venture between  Skip Martin and Michael Rosales that was first formed in 2011.  This is the newest boutique company to take the connoisseur world by storm.  It has its own production facilities in Esteli, Nicaragua called the Fabrica de Tabacos Nica Sueño.  Originally CroMagnon and Aquitaine were released to brick and mortar stores in Texas and their popularity took off.

The CroMagnon is a full-bodied blend of some of the world’s most sought after tobaccos: US Connecticut, Cameroon, and Esteli, Nicaragua. It is a unique cigar that a small boutique brand can blend: US Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper, a Cameroon binder and an amazing marriage of three Nicaraguan varietals in the filler. The filler leaf was acquired from three separate growing regions in Nicaragua: Esteli, Condega and a small farm north of Esteli on the Honduran border. This third leaf from the small farm, a ligero, brings a strong, smoky, savory flavor to the blend. When combined with the mildly-sweet characteristics of the broadleaf maduro wrapper, the exotic bite of the Cameroon binder and the clean finish of its Nicaraguan viso and seco companions, the blend delivers a deep rich tobacco flavor.

The Aquitaine has the same blend of Cameroon binder and Nicaraguan viso and seco leaves from three different Nicaraguan farms but with with a thick and oily Ecuadorian Habano Ligero wrapper.  This cigar is full throttle in flavor aroma and body.

CroMagnon and Aquitaine
Made by: RoMa Craft Tobac
Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: US Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro (CroMagnon) Ecuadorian Habano Ligero (Aquitaine)
Binder: Cameroon
Filler: Nicaraguan

The Intemperance is the first wide release for RoMa Craft which pays homage in its branding to the American movement that overthrew Prohibition, and RoMa Craft calls on us to do our part to protect cigar freedoms.  The cigars were made to have the same quality and full flavor as the CroMagnon and the Aquitaine but with milder bodies that would appeal to a wider audience.  Both connoisseurs and novices alike can appreciate the complex character of the smokes without the heaviness of the CroMagnon or Aquitaine.  The cigars feature a slightly shaggy foot, and come in two different wrapper types: Ecuador Connecticut (EC XVIII) and Brazilian Arapiraca (BA XXI) Each cover a blend of Indonesian binder and Nicaraguan/Dominican fillers.  They have the same spice and earth notes of the Cameroon/Nicaraguan combo in the CroMagnon and Aquitaine but a little bit more toned down and subtle.   Both are enjoyable smokes with full flavor and aroma that wont make your head spin.

Intemperance EC XVIII and BA XXI
Made by: RoMa Craft Tobac
Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador Connecticut (EC XVIII) and Brazil Arapiraca Maduro (BA XXI)
Binder: Indonesia
Filler: Dominican and Nicaraguan Blend

From RoMa Craft:

“The branding for Intemperance evokes the history of prohibition and features a logo inspired by a famous artifact of the temperance movement, a propaganda poster/political print produced by a temperance hymnodist, A.D. Fillmore in 1855.

Intemperance EC XVIII (Ecuador Connecticut)

In the 18th century a global temperance movement began in rural Connecticut. After World War I, the movement began to spread like wildfire throughout the United States, and across the globe, as religious and women’s groups spread the gospel on the evils of alcohol. In 1919, the temperance movement achieved their goal when the 18th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States established a national prohibition on the consumption of ‘intoxicating liquors’.

Intemperance BA XXI (Brazil Arapiraca)

 Following the ratification of the 18th Amendment, an intemperance movement was born. The Volstead Act had effectively turned every consumer, merchant and producer of alcohol into a criminal; organized crime took root. Without market and regulatory controls, alcohol became more dangerous to consume. The court system was brought to the brink of failure under the weight of criminal and civil cases related to prohibition. After a little more than a decade, public opinion had been turned and the effort to repeal prohibition emerged victorious with the ratification of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

Despite the dismal failure of this ‘noble experiment’, the temperance movement marches on. Perhaps this is no better represented than in the form of the modern tobacco control movement, also known as the anti-smoking movement.”

New Lost & Found Releases: Le Pigeon, Rebel Bingo, Spam Artist, Pepper Cream Chocolate Crush

Each New Release Comes in 10-ct Paper Bundles

Lost & Found, formerly Impromptu cigars (see former Blog entry) and led by Tony Bellatto, Robert Caldwell and Jaclyn Sears has continued to seek out vintage, one-off cigars still sitting in aging rooms and re-releasing them under the apropos Lost & Found. Because the team is very discriminating, all releases are very small (some as low as 100 cigars) and one-time releases.

Lost & Found released five new cigars to the market in recent weeks, with just a handful of retailers scattered across the country receiving the small batch offerings, which are named Le Pigeon, Rebel Bingo, Spam Artist, Pepper Cream Chocolate Crush and Swollen Cock.  At Anthony’s Cigar Emporium we have Le Pigeon, Rebel Bingo, Spam Artist, Pepper Cream Chocolate Crush in stock now, Unfortunately we are still waiting on Panda Warfare, we will be sure to post immediately upon receiving them.

Le Pigeon  is a 6×54 figurado that dates back to 2009 and is limited to just 2,000 cigars.     Rebel Bingo is also a 6×54 figurado but from a 2011 vintage of tobacco, with 2,500 cigars made. Spam Artist is a 2010 vintage anduses an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper over a corojo binder and a filler being called “corojo X mystery meat” with only 800 cigars are being released.  Pepper Cream Chocolate Soda is a figurado of undisclosed length and ring gauge from 2007 that has a corojo / broadleaf barber pole wrapper, corojo wrapper and filler of Honduran corojo and pre-embargo (Cuba???) tobacco. Many retailers are sold out of Lost & Found releases within minutes and we want our Blog readers to be the first to know about them.  Be sure to get yours before they run out never to be seen again.

Buy Lost & Found Cigars at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium now!

La Flor Dominicana Cameroon Cabinet Lancero Arrived – Very Rare

Only 200 boxes of 20 were produced and Anthony’s Cigar Emporium just received its allotment.  This one-off release of Cameroon Cabinet Lanceros was made when La Flor Dominicana had enough Cameroon wrapper leaves of the quality needed for rolling the difficult to make, connoisseur favorite Lancero size.  The rarity of Cameroon Cabinet Lanceros have made them a cult favorite and last seen in 2011 so be sure to not miss out on this soon to vanish release.

La Flor Dominicana Cameroon Cabinet Lanceros
Made by: La Flor Dominicana
Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Cameroon Ligero
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican and Nicaraguan Blend
Dimensions: 7.5″ x 38 Lancero

The entire La Flor Dominicana Cameroon Cabinet line is a limited production regular release from Litto Gomez, owner of La Flor Dominicana.  The production numbers for this cigar are heavily limited due to the use of highly-prized, aged Cameroon ligero wrappers.  Cameroon tobacco is difficult to source and rolling these delicate wrappers takes tremendous skill.  Blended with Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers and a Dominican binder, these cigars are medium to full-bodied with complex sweet-spice Cameroon flavors. The Cameroon Cabinet Chisel was awarded a spot on Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 Cigars of the Year list at No. 12 for 2012 with a 93 rating.

The La Flor Dominicana Cameroon Cabinets have notes of spices and nuts with a bit of leather and a sweet nougat finish. The cigars are a bit stronger than traditional blends using Cameroon, more in line with the full bodied, savory characteristics of La Flor Dominicana.

Buy LFD Cameroon Cabinet Lanceros Now While In Stock!

 Updated Liga Privada Papas Fritas Packaging

Drew Estate announced that they would begin offering their Liga Privada Papas Fritas cigar in a newly designed 50-count box. These new boxes will replace the 4-count tins / 28-count box of 7 tins that the Papas Fritas line is currently offered.

New Liga Privada Unico Serie Papas Fritas New 50-count box

The Papas Fritas is part of Drew Estate’s Liga Privada Unico Serie, which features unique blends within the Liga Privada brand family. The Papas Fritas utilizes a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper, Brazilian Mata Fina binder, and Nicaraguan and Honduran filler tobaccos.  The small 4.5” x 44 cigar sports Drew Estate’s Unico Serie signature fanned pig tail and is the perfect choice for cigar smokers who are looking for a short escape.

Drew Estate President Michael Cellucci stated:

“Papas Fritas has been a good choice for any Liga Privada fan looking for a short smoke. We needed something for fans of Papas Fritas who already had plenty of tins and wanted a better value, so now we’re offering the cigar with no tin. The tins will now become a collector’s item and the Papas Fritas will be a little more budget friendly. It’s a win-win.”

Anthony’s Cigar Emporium still has the distinctive Papas Fritas tins available while supplies last.

Liga Privada Unico Serie 4-count Papas Fritas Tins (current packaging)

Buy Papas Fritas 4-ct Tins at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium now.

L’Atelier Limited Release Cote d’Or

Anthony’s Cigar Emporium will be receiving its shipment in April 2015 so be sure you don’t miss out on this anticipated limited release!

Although the market is filled with limited release cigars, L’Atelier Imports has only released one to date, a limited run known as Extension de la Racine.  But when the Garcias offered L’Atelier the opportunity to use the coveted Pelo de Oro from one of their farms, Pete Johnson, owner of L’Atelier Imports, didn’t pass up the opportunity to create something extremely special.  Pelo de Oro is notoriously difficult to grow, as it’s prone to disease and produces low yields, which makes it quite an investment for a tobacco grower.  However, it’s a tobacco varietal renown by cigar makers for its combination of strength and sweet flavor.  Thus, the Côte d’Or was born. Like all L’Atelier cigars, Côte d’Or is rolled by the Garcia family at their My Father Cigars factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.

Pete Johnson opted for the name Côte d’Or, French for “gold coast,” as a way to honor the region in France where Pinot Noir grapes (a tempermental varietal itself requiring a lot of hands on care and also extremely subjective to the environment in which it is grown) are grown for some of the world’s most coveted Burgundy wines. With both Pelo de Oro and Pinot Noir, the yields are low, but the resulting products are very special.  Côte d’Or, which translates roughly to “Gold Coast” made for a classic name, given the translation of Pelo de Oro as “Hair of Gold,” and the similarities between growing Pinot Noir and Pelo de Oro. 

L’Atelier decided to use the darker priming Sancti Spiritus wrappers that are used on the Selection Spéciale for added flavor depth and worked with changing the filler blend to incorporate the Pelo de Oro.  Sancti Spiritus is a hybrid of Criollo and Pelo de Oro.  The resulting profile for Côte d’Or is complex, rich and rewarding smoke with a hint of complex sweetness with combines well with the strong, earthy and slightly spicy taste of fine Nicaraguan tobaccos.  

A substantial 7×47 Churchill size was chosen and is presented with its own band in 10-count boxes.  

L’Atelier Limited Release Cote d’Or
Made by: My Father for L’Atelier Imports
Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sancti Spiritus (hybrid Criollo and Pelo de Oro)
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaraguan blend using Pelo de Oro
Dimensions: 7″ x 47 Churchill

Total production for Côte d’Or will be 2,100 ten count boxes (21,000 cigars). 

Reserve your Box of Cote d’Or at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium here

Davidoff Golf Limited Masters Edition 2015

Davidoff Golf Limited Masters Edition 2015
Made by: Davidoff of Geneva
Country: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Dominican Criollo
Filler: Dominican blend of Piloto Volado, San Vicente Visus, Piloto Visus, and Hybrid Corojo/Olor Seco
Dimensions: 6″ x 54 Toro and 5″ x 52 Robusto

 

Only 3,000 8-count boxes available worldwide per Davidoff.

Reserve your box today at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium’s website and ensure you don’t miss out on this release.

 

Ashton VSG Cigar Event in Tucson, Arizona

Our events are something of a legend in the cigar world around Tucson. Typically, we feature a brand or vendor and host a representative, VP, and sometimes even a Master Blender or Owner, who will come and educate you on the cigar being featured.

This event features Ashton’s VSG line of cigars, and we’ll be hosting Mike Watman at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium on Grant and Swan.

The VSG comes in a variety of sizes – from box pressed to traditional robustos and churchills.

If you don’t know about the VSG line from Ashton, the VSG is for those who desire a powerful and intoxicating flavor with a complex rich finish. The VSG is blended exclusively for Ashton by Carlos Fuente Jr. using 4 to 5 year old aged Dominican tobacco.

The distinct flavor of VSG comes from its wrapper grown on a private estate in Ecuador owned by the Oliva family where this proprietary wrapper leaf is grown for the Fuente Family exclusively for Ashton.

The leaf is taken from the higher primings and matures slowly by sunlight filtered through the region’s natural cloud covering.

A fantastic smoke for new and experienced smokers alike, one of the best things about Ashton is their consistency. When you smoke an Ashton, the quality control on their cigars is such that the smoke will be consistent in flavor in every box, a feat managed by only the highest quality of producers.

New Perdomo Small Batch Series

The new and highly anticipated Perdomo Small Batch Series is coming soon.  Anthony’s Cigar Emporium will receive its shipment of the first release of this line, the Connecticut Shade blend by the end of the month.

According to the Perdomo Press Release:

“The Perdomo Small Batch Series takes “small batch” to the next level. Hand‐crafted from a rare collection of 10 year aged tobaccos, the Perdomo Small Batch Series is carefully blended with smaller leaves that have the perfect balance of flavor, strength, and aroma. Perdomo has created this stunning line of small premium hand‐crafted cigars by combining the finest bourbon barrel aged wrappers with these rare and exquisite 10 year aged filler tobaccos. Offered in an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, a Nicaraguan Sun Grown wrapper, or a Nicaraguan Maduro wrapper, each blend in the Perdomo Small Batch Series delivers rich, complex flavors with a smooth elegant finish. 

The first release, scheduled for March 2015, will be in a beautiful Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, offering a rich smoke with a creamy complexity, slight hints of caramel and cedar, with a smooth, elegant finish. The second release, scheduled for April 2015, will be in a rich Nicaraguan Sun Grown wrapper, offering a smooth smoke with a spicy‐sweet complexity, slight hints of oak and almond, with a rich, satisfying finish. The third release, scheduled for May 2015, will be in an oily Nicaraguan Maduro wrapper, offering a smooth smoke with a natural sweet complexity, hints of dark cocoa and coffee, with a rich, robust finish.  The Perdomo Small Batch is limited to 3,000 boxes per size, per wrapper and is available at a select group of retailers worldwide.”

Each blend is offered in the following sizes:  Half Corona (4″ x 46), Rothschild (4 1/2″ x 50), Belicoso (5″ x 54), and Toro Especial (5 1/2″ x 54).

We tried the Half Corona of the Connecticut blend and the Belicoso of the Maduro blend.  Each was superbly crafted, with the Connecticut having wood and toasty notes that build into a delicately spicy finish and the Maduro blend having coffee and earthy notes that also build into a delicately spicy finish.  We agree with Perdomo that the cigars would pair well with the finest small batch whiskeys and bourbons, as they are complex without being overpowering. We find the Perdomo Small Batch Series medium bodied.

Perdomo Small Batch Series
Made by: Tabacalera Perdomo
Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut, Nicaraguan Sun Grown, & Nicaraguan Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: Half Corona(4″ x 46), Rothschild(4 1/2″ x 50), Belicoso(5″ x 54), Toro Especial (5 1/2″ x 54)

 Use Promo Code: SMALLBATCH10 to get 10% off all pre-orders of Perdomo Small Batch Series

Reserve your Perdomo Small Batch Series now!

Tatuaje Noella Reserva and Regio Reserva

To celebrate the 10^th anniversary of Tatuaje in 2013, Pete Johnson released special editions like the Belle Encre, the Bon Chasseur, and the Gran Chasseur.  These highly sought-after sticks were made in Nicaragua at the Garcia family’s  My Father Factory in Esteli, instead of its El Rey de los Habanos factory in Miami, where the Seleccion del Cazador (Brown label) cigars are usually constructed.   Also released in 2013 for the 10^th anniversary and made by the My Father factory in Esteli were two Seleccion del Cazador sizes, the Noella (5 1/8” x 42 Corona) and the Regio (5 ½” x 50 Robusto), that were made with a rich and oily Connecticut Broadleaf USA wrapper instead of the Ecuadorian Habano wrapper of the regular production Seleccion del Cazador.  These cigars with the Maduro wrapper were released as the Tatuaje Noella Reserva and the Tatuaje Regios Reserva.

The Noella Reserva and the Regio Reserva maintain the characteristic Tatuaje blend that incorporate rich spice, leather, and wet earth, but the robust Maduro wrapper imparts aromas of dark chocolate and espresso that give an added layer of complexity.  The Noella Reserva and the Regio Reserva are medium to full bodied cigars that are satisfying to the novice seeking a smooth smoke and the experienced smoker seeking flavor complexity.

Tatuaje Noella Reserva and Regio Reserva
Made by: My Father for Tatuaje
Country: Esteli, Nicaragua
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf USA
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 5 1/8″ x 50 Corona (Noella) and 5 1/2″ x 50 Robusto (Regio)

Only 2,500 25 count boxes each of the Noella Reserva and the Regio Reserva were released for the 10^th Anniversary. Tatuaje originally planned to make them a regular production release of 2,000 boxes for each size in the years following.  However, and most unfortunately, the regular production Noella Reserva and the Regio Reserva did not materialize.  According to Pete Johnson: “This will be the last we will see of the Noella and Regios Reservas for years to come so don’t miss out on picking up a few before they are gone for good.”

Anthony’s Cigar Emporium has a limited number of  Tatuaje Noella Reserva and Regio Reserva boxes left.  For our sincere gratitude and appreciation of our Blog Readers, Anthony’s Cigar Emporium’s website is offering a 10% off Promo Code for all Tatuaje Noella Reserva and Regio Reserva cigars.

Use Promo Code “RESERVA10” to get your 10% discount on Tatuaje Noella Reservas and Regio Reservas.

Also, all box purchases come with Free Ground Shipping and a special Tatuaje 3-pack that contains a Tatuaje Black Robusto (an event only release) and two other Tatuaje made cigars!

Since supplies are limited to what we have on hand, ensure that you don’t miss out on this classic Tatuaje.  Once they’re gone, they’re gone.

Buy Tatuaje Noella Reservas and Regio Reservas at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium Now

 Jericho Hill Shots in Stock

All Crowned Heads available at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium

Crowned Heads, the Nashville based boutique cigar company, which last year released two limited editions, Las Calaveras EL 2014 and TAA Exclusive Angel’s Anvil along with a new all box-pressed regular production line, Jericho Hill.  Continuing with Crowned Head’s musical themes, the Jericho Hill derives from Johnny Cash’s “Cocaine Blues.” Each of these smokes were well received by our customers and the limited editions were sold out within a month at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium.

 The Jericho Hill line was first regular production Nicaraguan cigar coming from Jon Huber (co-owner) and Crowned Heads. They are meticulously crafted in the Garcia family’s My Father Cigars S. A. Factory, in Esteli Nicaragua like the Las Calaveras EL 2014, as opposed to the earlier Four Kicks, Headley Grange, and J.D. Howard Reserve lines that all came from E.P. Carrillo’s Tabacalaera La Alianza in the Dominican Republic

Jon Huber of Crowned Heads has introduced a limited production vitola in the Jericho Hill line, the Shot, a 4 ½” x 42 short corona. The Shot is a quick smoke but with all the rich and robust flavor of the entire Jericho Hill line. The cigar has a slightly sweet dry cocoa taste with subtle hints of spice, earth and leather with a thick smoke that has aromas of cedar. The dark San Andres wrapper may look unpretentious, but its flavor is complex and rich. Its flavor marries to the earthy and leathery Nicaraguan filler and binder exquisitely. Being a medium to full bodied smoke in a short size, the Shot is remarkably smooth with no traces of harshness that sometimes accompany new releases.

Jericho Hill Special Release Shots
Made by: My Father for Crowned Heads
Country: Esteli, Nicaragua
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 4 1/2 x 42 Boxed Pressed Short Corona

In an email to Halfwheel, Mr. Huber said: “Jericho Hill Shots is our concept of a seasonal (winter) release which will address the necessity during the cold months for a short, quick smoke that is also a little flavor bomb. Total production for 2015 will be limited to 50,000 cigars; however, if all goes as planned, we’ll see ‘Shots’ again in Winter 2016.”

There were a total of 1,000 50 count boxes of Jericho Hill Shots produced and Anthony’s Cigar Emporium has them in stock now!

Buy your Jericho Hill Shots now at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium and receive free shipping on all box purchases. Supplies are limited and we may not see these until Winter 2016, if at all…

Also be on the lookout for the 2015 Las Calaveras; in case you missed the 2014 limited release, or you fell in love with the 2014 Edicion Limitada. In 2015, Las Calaveras is planned to be a regular production cigar from Crowned Heads. Add it to your wish list, and you’ll be notified immediately when we have the regular production 2015 blend in stock.