Micallef announced at the end of May, 2023, that they would be releasing their first new blend since 2020 called the Micallef Black at the PCA Trade Show in July. While it won’t get a wide release until July, there are several retailers who have had access to “pre-release” events and have been able to…
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Patina is one of those “if you know, you know” brands. It just doesn’t get a lot of love from some in the industry, which is a shame. I fell in love with the Patina Connecticuts and never looked back. I have been excited about the Patina Sumatra ever since owner Mo Maali announced it…
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There have been a few cigars put out by Altadis by AJ Fernandez. These blends go all the way back to 2017 when the H.Upmann by AJ Fernandez was released with a sumatra wrapper. Then in 2019, the H. Upmann 175th Anniversary was released and was a highly rated cigar also by AJ Fernandez. With…
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We, at least all the cool kids, were excited when Rick Rodriguez stepped out on his own with West Tampa Tobacco. Rick worked at General/CAO/STG for over 20 years, helping to blend some well-known and very popular cigars, such as the Flathead and the Amazon Bason, which made quite a splash with its re-release. West…
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Released in 2022 Caldwell’s Crafted and Curated series acts as a creative outlet for Robert Caldwell, offering unique blending and sizing experimentation to discerning connoisseurs. Some crafted and Curated cigars tweak existing Caldwell blends with different components or process, while others are entirely distinctive blends. However, all are extremely limited in production and represent Robert’s…
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Stolen Throne has always been one of my favorite manufacturers. Lee, JR, and crew are all “cigar guys.” They’re steeped in the culture. They are active in online communities and have always been gracious with their time. The last time I had Lee Marsh, one of the founders and blender of Stolen Throne Cigars, on…
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Tim welcomes both hosts from Simply Stogies, James and Nick, to Clear the Air this week. The trio discuss the Festival del Habano and Cuban cigars in general. Nick gets the full Clear the Air treatment as he finds out that he’ll be paired with Tim during the upcoming PCA Trade Show…his disappointment is palpable….
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I was lucky enough to spend some time with Luciano Meirelles, co-founder and CEO of Luciano Cigars, while at the My Old Kentucky Herf. As luck would have it, it was just a couple of months removed from when ACE Prime (now Luciano Cigars) released three new sizes of Luciano The Dreamer. I got to…
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Master blender Noel Rojas has worked behind the scenes for much of his career in the cigar industry, from working on Cuban tobacco farms and studying blending and production techniques to collaborating with various boutique companies to produce highly rated cigars. Rojas Cigars, however, is Noel’s solo venture, having released their first cigars in late…
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On a hot, muggy Caribbean day in 1825, a Spanish immigrant stepped off a boat in the harbor of Havana, Cuba. After weeks of travel at sea, he had finally arrived in the very place he would make his fortune and create a legacy. This man was Ignacio Larranaga, the founder and patriarch of the…
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