Illusione ECCJ 20th Now In Stock

The Illusione’s ~ECCJ~ 20th edition release was on back order, but they are now in stock at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium.  Buy your box from Anthy’s Cigar Emporium’s website while supplies last and enjoy free shipping.  The Illusione ~eccj~ 20th was showcased at the 2014 IPCPR Trade Show and sold out quickly.

In 2008, Illusione Cigars launched a limited edition cigar to commemorate European Cigar Cult Journal’s 15th anniversary called (appropriately) the Illusione ~eccj~.  This year, Dion Giolito of illusione has decided to bring back the ~eccj~ to coincide with 20th anniversary of Cigar Journal, formerly the European Cigar Cult Journal.

The cigar has silky and beautiful rosado Epernay wrapper. Illusione indicated the filler blend has been modified from the original. Like many Illusione blends it features Nicaraguan Criollo 98 and Corojo 99.  The ~eccj~ 20th is a Nicaraguan puro with a rich and smooth taste and complex, buttery  flavors, a toasty and cedary aroma, and a medium to full body.

~eccj~ 20th edition
Made by: illusione
Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Rosado
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 6 1/2 x 48 Toro

Viaje Jalapenos – Arriving Next Week

The brand new Viaje Jalapenos have been shipped to Anthony’s Cigar Emporium and will be arriving next week.  This much anticipated release coincides with the acclaimed Chicharrones.

The Viaje Jalapeño will be released in one size – a 4 7/8 x 51 figuardo. The cigar will have green foil wrap and a new Viaje wrapper which convey the spicy hot pepper theme. The Jalapeño is packed in 25 count boxes.

Andre Farkas of Viaje Cigars describes the Jalapeno:

“Plump, juicy and packed with flavor. Grown at our farms in Honduras, these have been hand picked at the peak of ripeness. Here at Viaje, we like to take things slow. By taking our time, using traditional farming methods and doing things the old fashioned way, we’ve perfected the ultimate balance of heat and flavor in our products. We invite you to enjoy one of our hot peppers and indulge in one of life’s simple pleasures.”

Viaje has not disclosed the blend.  The cigars will be made at the Raices Cubanas factory in Honduras, where most Viaje lines are produced.

To order Viaje Jalapenos visit the Anthony’s Cigar Emporium’s website.

Made by: Viaje
Country: Honduras
Wrapper: Not Disclosed
Binder: Not Disclosed
Filler: Not Disclosed
Dimensions: 4 7/8 x 51 Figurado

Curivari’s Cafe Noir 54 is one of 9 lines that Curivari makes, all of which have impressed us in their performance, flavor, and consistency.

Made by: Curivari
Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Dimensions: 5.5 x 54

Anthony’s Cigar Emporium started carrying Curivari mid 2014, right about when I started working at the store level at Anthony’s on Campbell and River. While they weren’t really “New” (technically, the company started distributing in 2013), they were new to our humidors, and an interesting change from the traditional 20 count or more boxes. In small, rectangular 10 count boxes, we opted to initially carry 6 of their lines… until we tried one. Have they won any awards? Maybe not formally, but in my top 25 cigars of the year list, Curivari would have all 9 of their offerings tied for first place. I apologize in advanced if this review reads like a fanboy publication, but I promise you, I’m not just blowing smoke (heh) – If I can encourage anyone to try a new cigar this year, it would be any – and all – of Curivari’s offerings.

I want everyone to know the joy I’ve discovered in Curivari, so as of the posting of this review, You can get 10% off all Curivari in stock, by applying code curivari10 in your Anthony’s Cigar Emporium shopping cart! This promo code works on both boxes AND sticks!

On to the tasting!

First Third:

I’ll usually punch or traditional cut the Curivari Cafe Noir 54, depending upon how fast I feel like smoking. Unlike other cigars, Cafe Noir, Buenaventura, El Gran Rey, Reserva Limitada 1000’s, Classica, and Selection Privada are all very forgiving in regards to smoking speed. I do find that the Achilles, Gloria De Leon, and Cafe lines prefer to be smoked a little slower to really pull out the flavor.

With a very easy, smooth draw, the Cafe Noir 54 initially starts with a chocolate flavor that quickly moves into a raw vanilla bean within the first inch, with a grassy and fresh finish on the palate. Buttery and nutty on the retrohale, there’s a very rich and full toastiness to the smoke, but not enough nicotine to scare off mild smokers, though I’d put the cigar on the whole in the mild to medium category.

Second Third:

With the second third all to quickly in sight, the transition and development of flavors are subtle. Usually, when that’s the case, I’ll resort to retrohaling to amplify the change.

I occasionally do a full-retrohale – instead of 50% air / 50% smoke, Ill exhale all the way, and do a full 100% smoke exhale. On stronger cigars, this is a terrible idea. If you do it with an LFD, you’re going to ruin your palate.

On the Cafe Noir 54, however, you get nothing but an amplified buttercream note with a bright grassy finish that functions almost as a pallate cleanser.

Moving out of the second third, the grass moves away and a leather joins the buttery creaminess.

Last Third:

At this point, the cigar is a solid medium – as it develops, it moves deeper into leather, a slight note of baking spices and earthy notes, moving away from the initial grass and buttery cream. This is a cigar I always smoke to the nub – I don’t want to put it down when my finger tips are burning, but it’s sadly apparent that the cigar is done.

Final Thoughts:

With medium smoke production, the real star of the show is Curivari’s blend – the flavors are so harmonious and the transitions between thirds very defined, but not shocking or sudden.

As I’ve smoked so many, I can also confidently say that Curvari’s construction and draw is exceptional, both in consistency and as a smoking experience on the whole. I have never had a Curivari draw poorly, and even when the wrapper pops or cracks, the flavor is minimally affected.

The size differences within each line influence the smoking time – I don’t know how they’ve done it, but the difference between a Cafe Noir 54 and a Cafe Noir 62 is how long the smoke lasts. An incredible feat considering within most other brands the size has a substantial influence on flavor.

In conclusion, if you haven’t tried Curivari, I seriously urge you to give it a smoke. We have them in stock, and as I mentioned at the start of this review, we’re offering 10% all our Curivari stock with promo code: curivari10

Buy now!

Davidoff’s new Winston Churchill is a change from the old blend, and the old marketing materials – and the change, is good.

Made by: Davidoff of Geneva
Country: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuadorian
Binder: Mexican San Andres
Filler: Nicaraguan, Domincan Republic
Dimensions: 5 1/4 x 52

Davidoff is famous for their high end cigars, with mild to medium bodied cigars in a variety of blends, and a militant devotion to consistency and quality. If you ask anyone around Anthony’s Cigar Emporium what their favorite high end cigar is, they’re going to scoot you right over to the Davidoff counter. What you’ll notice right off the bat is a high price point, but as anyone will tell you – you get what you pay for.

Davidoff’s new Winston Churchill is no exception. While the old line didn’t really have much in the way of distinguishing features, the remake has been exceptionally well received by the staff at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium, and we all agree – if you’re a mild to medium bodied cigar smoker, you’re going to want to spend some time with Davidoff’s new Winston Churchill.

Interested in buying a box? With any Winston Churchill box purchase, receive a free 4 pack of the same size!

On to the tasting!

First Third:

I should probably preface this review by stating that I personally am not a big Davidoff fan. I like full bodied cigars, and a lot of the nuances of mild to medium cigars are lost on me. I wasn’t expecting much from the Winston Churchill “The Statesman”, as I’d had the old blend a long while back, and I was not impressed. When Mike offered me the cigar to review for the blog, and I lit up, however…

Pre-light aromas are hay and natural tobacco, very light and delicate, but as soon as the heat starts the leaves toasting, a beautiful cinnamon and honey note join in and merge with the flavors of hay and delicate earth. So far, I’m impressed. No mild cigar has ever impacted me this way.

Second Third:

An exceptionally easy draw, I don’t have to fight the cigar to keep it going, and I’m actually paying attention to how fast I’m smoking, due to the deceptively comfortable ease with which I’m puffing.

Slower seems to be the key – if I puff too fast, I get flavors of grass, and the cigar gets harsh. If I take my time, the second third stays consistent to the first, with slightly more hay, and less of a sweet honey. Earth and grasses tend to be more forward in this third, especially after a 100% retrohale, but are joined by a lingering finish of fresh-ground coffee bean.

Last Third:

Subtle developments in flavor return the grass and amplify the fresh-ground coffee bean flavors, without being overpowering or boring. This, in my opinion, would be a solid cigar for the morning cigar lovers looking for flavors to compliment their first cup of coffee.

Usually with such a uniform smoke and slight variation, I wouldn’t be interested in smoking to the nub, but the Winston Churchill is just a stick I can’t put down.

Final Thoughts:

I’m impressed. If I had to smoke mild cigars for the rest of my life, this is it.

This is definitely a cigar to be enjoyed by itself, or with a very light coffee. You might get away with a clean drink, too – a buttery Irish Whiskey (like Tullamore Dew), or Hendrick’s gin and tonic. Anything too strong or something that lingers in the mouth would ruin the delicate complexity this cigar offers.

While I smoked “The Statesman” for this review, the flavor does seem to change based on the vitola you smoke – I prefer The Statesman and The Artist over the larger Toro and Aristocrat. While the flavors are similar, they seem to be significantly more prominent in the smaller vitolas.

As a final note, I smoked The Aristocrat a couple days later with a cup of coffee, and a lot of the lighter characteristics morphed into a beautiful ephemeral leather, and then dipped back into the grass, hay, and earth that I noticed when I smoked The Statesman.

Interested in trying Davidoff’s new Winston Churchill cigars? We have them in stock!

Remember, if you buy a box, you’ll also get a free four pack of the same size.

Buy now!

La Flor Dominicana Beer Stein – Limited Edition

Occasionally, a limited edition cigar will come out from a cigar brand that we just so happen to love. Even more occasionally, that Limited Edition comes in a unique box, special display case, jar… or sometimes, a Beer Stein.

With a mineral and earthy note to start, a citrus flavor and chocolaty notes, you’d think the LFD would go full bodied fast – but you’d be surprised! Compared to the Ligero and Double Ligero lines, the 1994 is a medium bodied smoke with enough complexity to confund even the most complicated palates.

As if La Flor Dominicana wasn’t legit enough to roll us our own special blended cigar for Anthony’s Cigar Emporium’s 20th Anniversary, they’ve now come out with a Limited Edition of their 1994 blend, in a beer stein. This thing is a BEAST – I’m thinking you could fit at least a pitcher of beer in the stein – after you’ve removed your cigars of course.

The jar itself isn’t sealed, so we recommend putting the sticks in a separate humidor before putting your stein out for display – but trust us, you’re going to want to display this bad boy.

The Cigars themselves are the traditional 1994 blend, but as noted in the article by Halfwheel, you can only get this vitola in the Beer Stein release. Halfwheel rated it 87, and compared to the rest of the 1994s, they call it a “very good release overall”.

The La Flor Dominicana Beer Stein is really hefty – even with the cigars out of the Stein, it’s still exceptionally heavy.

With the cigars inside, the Stein is nigh unliftable. Due to the top not sealing, we recommend you put your cigars in a separate humidor, instead of storing them in the Stein.

The cigars themselves look equally beautiful, and while the Stein is definitely the focus of this limited edition, don’t discount the fact that each stein comes with 20 – 6 x 54 “Beer Stein” cigars.

Order your Stein today!

Win free swag! Sign up for the Anthony’s NCAA Bracket Challenge!

Yahoo Sports Make your bracket Submit it online by 12:15am EST, March 19th WIN STUFF

1st Place:

WINNER. TAKES. ALL!
25 Liga Undercrown Toros
1 Event-Only Drew Estate Double Bladed Cutter w/ metal backing
1 Box of La Flor Dominicana ACE 20th cigars (10 cigars)

Catch the Viva Republica Edicion Limitada Culebra at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium!

I’m a bit of a cigar nerd – I seek out unique shapes, sizes, styles, and blends that look interesting to me, because doing something new and different is not only scary, but the way to nurture progress and growth. I will always respect trial and error. That’s why Viva Republica’s Edicion Limitada Culebra fascinates me – it’s not “new”, as Culebras have been done before, but to my knowledge, a braided panetela that has 3 different blends is a first, and to do such a rare size when other manufacturers have discontinued making the size is a bold move.

Image from cigar-coop.com

From Cigar Aficionado, “One of the panetelas is Viva’s Natural Rapture blend, a Cuban-seed Ecuadoran wrapper that covers a Dominican binder and filler tobaccos from Brazil, Nicaragua, Peru and the Dominican Republic. Another cigar is the Maduro Rapture, which is the same blend as the Natural save for wrapper leaf that was grown in Mexico’s San Andrés region. The third smoke is Viva’s Guerrilla Warfare, which contains filler tobaccos from Brazil, Dominican and Nicaragua, a double binder comprised of Dominican and Mexican leaf, all covered by Ecuador Sumatra wrapper.”

In my opinion, this is more than a marketing gimmick – this is a twist on a tradition that honors not only the cigar makers (One theory behind the origins of the Culebra shape is that it was the cigars the factory workers were allowed to take home at the end of the day), but also is a nod to collectors and oddballs like myself, and a mini sampler pack for people looking to try Viva Republica’s offerings.

With only 1000 Culebras made, I’m definitely interested in grabbing one for myself – but we only got 5 boxes (5 Culebras per box), so if you want in on one, you should…

Pre Order your box today!

LFD TCFKA M Now in Stock

Due to a recent trademark dispute, the famous Mysterio and Mysterioso names by La Flor Dominicana have been abandoned and were re-released as The Cigar Formerly Known As “M” (TCKFA M).  La Flor Dominicana states that that the blend is staying the same as the original Mysterio.  Anthony’s Cigar Emporium  has all three blends of this re-released famous perfecto line in stock, the 7″ x 54 Natural and Oscuro, and the 7″ x 55 2014 Collector’s Edition (production figures not released by La Flor Dominicana).  Each are exquisitely packaged in their signature 5-count collector boxes.

The Natural Ecuador Connecticut Shade and the Oscuro Connecticut Broadleaf each have a Dominican binder over fillers from Dominican Republic and Nicaragua with an alternative tobacco tip and foot. 

The expertly rolled barber-pole 2014 Collector’s Edition has Ecuador Connecticut Shade with Connecticut Broadleaf wrappers weaved together with a Dominican binder and fillers from Dominican Republic and Nicaragua and a distinctive foot and tip.  This is the second year the company has released a Collector’s Edition version of the perfecto.

Made by: La Flor Domincana
Country: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade and Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic and Nicaraguan
Dimensions: 7 x 55

If you enjoyed previous Mysterio releases, or are willing to try a unique expertly rolled Dominican medium to full bodied cigar that La Flor Domicana is famous for, then you should order at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium while they are in stock today.

Order your box today!

Kristoff Classic Reserva

The 2015 Tobacconists’ Association of America (TAA) meeting is being held at Casa de Campo in La Romana, Dominican Republic, from April 12 – 16.  Anthony’s Cigar Emporium will be there to order all TAA exclusive cigars and TAA early releases.

One of the TAA early releases that we are excited to order is a new line from Kristoff called Classic Reserva.  We love everything that PDR makes and the new Classic Reserva cigar is being made by Abe Flores at PDR Cigars in the Dominican Republic.  It will have an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Nicaraguan Habano binder and filler of Nicaraguan, Dominican and Honduran Habano tobacco, which Glen Case, President of Kristoff says gives the cigar a medium to medium-full profile.

It will come in three sizes, each packed in 20-count boxes:

• 5 x 52 Robusto ($8.00)
• 6 1/4 x 54 Toro ($8.50)
• 6 x 60 ($8.75)

TAA members like Anthony’s Cigar Emporium are scheduled to get their orders in early May, while all other retailers who order cigars at IPCPR Convention & Trade Show in July will get them in early August. Kristoff is limiting the total production to 3,000 boxes — 1,000 of each size, with TAA members getting access to the first 200 boxes of each size. The remaining 800 boxes of each size will be made available to all other retailers at the 2015 IPCPR Convention & Trade Show in July.

Preorder all Kristoff Classic Reserva cigars from www.anthonyscigars.com and be among the first to try them in May!

Impromptu Cigars are now Lost and Found Cigars

Bellatto / Caldwell / Sears (B / C / S), the collaboration between Tony Bellatto of La Barba Cigars as well as Robert Caldwell and Jaclyn Sears from Caldwell Cigar Company, is changing its name once again since the joint venture was formed and released named BCS, then later renamed Impromptu Cigars.  The company recently announced it will now be called Lost and Found Cigars. As Yogi Berra once said “It’s deja-vu all over again.”

The company is very much a separate project from Caldwell’s Caldwell Cigar Company.  The Lost & Found line is also a very limited project both from a production and distribution standpoint.  The target distribution of Lost & Found is small online boutique retailers such as www.anthonyscigars.com.

Robert Caldwell issued a statement clarifying the mission of Lost & Found Cigars:

“For years I had been travelling all over the world and brought back really cool cigars. I would always return and share them with Jaclyn and Tony and a five minute conversation about wishing we could do something with them always ensued. I have always gotten a kick out of chasing down old blends I loved, or exploring great manufacturers aging rooms and finding gems. Tony and Jaclyn pushed me to turn this into a project. Find great lost cigars. Package them. Share them with friends. This is BCS.

Last year we came to market together with this concept. It was and is Tony’s project. He decides who gets it and who does not. He runs point on the whole deal. I find the cigars and come up with the concepts. Jaclyn does the artistic side of the project. We love this project because it does not matter. It is fun. It is carefree. It is what cigars should be. It allows us to bring in really special cigars and share them with true friends. It allows me to push myself creatively. It allows me to work with friends.

BCS is not a Caldwell project. It is not a Caldwell brand. It is not even a brand. It is a concept. We do not manufacture the cigars. They are something Lost and then Found. We go after cigars that were very special when they were on the shelves and breathe new life into them. It is a chance to bring in one-off cigars that have been aged to perfection and share them with true connoisseurs. Some quantities have been as low as 100 cigars. It is the coolest thing to ever happen a second time to a great cigar.

Tony is limiting the retailers to 20. They are very hard to sell at brick and mortar retail. They come wrapped up in simple paper with catchy names and designs. He wants to keep them mainly off of store shelves. His target is online boutique, as well as social media forums and trade groups. This is where the brand is understood. He wants to keep it small and fun.

He has renamed the brand twice. 3rd time is a charm. It is called Lost&Found. Just look for the parachute. It is an uber cool project.”

The announcements of these limited releases from Lost and Found have sent off a frenzy among many cigar enthusiasts and many online retailers sell out within minutes.   www.anthonyscigars.com has sold out of Buck 15, Silent Shout, Pepper Cream Soda, Holy Braille, Cream Machine, but will soon carry Panda Welfare.   Keep an eye on this blog to be among the first alerted when the Panda Welfares come in stock.

Article originally by Cigar-Coop.com – Commentary and adjustments by Anthony’s Cigar Emporium.