Podcasts about ecuadorian sumatra

@Espinosacigars @padroncigars @illusionecigars #blindtasting #cigars101 #cigars  Co hosts : Good ol Boy Benjamin, Good ol Boy Barger,  Good ol Boy Justin, and Good ol Boy Mike SMOKES  Episode – Join the Good ol' Boys as they embark on an adventurous $15 blind tasting episode, where everything good in life is worth discussing. This time, the crew takes on the challenge of identifying cigars without any preconceived notions, stripping away the marketing fluff and focusing purely on the experience. Will they be able to guess the cigars correctly, or will they be fooled by their own biases? Listen in as they share their tasting notes, debate the merits of each cigar, and ultimately discover the joys and pitfalls of blind tasting. Whether you're a seasoned cigar aficionado or a curious newcomer, this episode offers a delightful mix of humor, camaraderie, and cigar insights. So grab your favorite smoke, sit back, and enjoy the ride as the good ol' boys take you on a flavorful journey through the world of cigars. We smoke and rate the following cigars from 1-5: Knuckle Sandwich Maduro Corona Gorda R- SMOKES- 5 Laranja Escuro – SMOKES-5 Padron 1926 Maduro – SMOKES – 4 Illusione LE Group of Five – SMOKES – 3 Cigars 101 - https://www.sipssudsandsmokes.com/e/smell-my-foot/ Some other blind tasting for cigars: $5 - https://www.sipssudsandsmokes.com/e/unable-to-follow-basic-instructions/ $10 - https://www.sipssudsandsmokes.com/e/it-s-almost-a-petite-lancero/ info@sipssudsandsmokes.com @sipssudssmokes Sips, Suds, & Smokes® is produced by One Tan Hand Productions using the power of beer, whiskey, and golf.  Available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, Spotify, Pandora, iHeart, and nearly anywhere you can find a podcast. The easiest way to find this award winning podcast on your phone is ask Alexa, Siri or Google, “Play Podcast , Sips, Suds, & Smokes”  Credits: TITLE: Maxwell Swing / Flapperjack PERFORMED BY: Texas Gypsies COMPOSED BY: Steven R Curry (BMI) PUBLISHED BY: Alliance AudioSparx (BMI) COURTESY OF: AudioSparx TITLE: Back Roads PERFORMED BY: Woods & Whitehead COMPOSED BY: Terry Whitehead PUBLISHED BY: Terry Whitehead COURTESY OF: Terry Whitehead Post production services : Pro Podcast Solutions Advertising sales: Contact us directly Content hosting services: Audioport, Earshot, Radio4All, & PodBean Producer: Good ol Boy Barger Blind Tasting, Cigars, Espinosa, Knuckle Sandwich, Guy Fieri, Flavor Profiles, Ecuadorian Sumatra, Nicaraguan Filler, Maduro, La Ronja Reserva, Box Press, $15 Cigars, Cigar Ratings, Cigar 101, Celebrity Cigars, Padrone 1926, Illusione Cigars, Blindfold Challenge, Cigar Reviews, Smoking Experience https://www.espinosacigars.com/ https://www.espinosacigars.com/knuckle-sandwich https://padron.com/ https://www.illusionecigars.com/

@Espinosacigars @padroncigars @illusionecigars #blindtasting #cigars101 #cigars Co hosts : Good ol Boy Benjamin, Good ol Boy Barger,  Good ol Boy Justin, and Good ol Boy Mike SMOKES  Episode – Join the Good ol' Boys as they embark on an adventurous $15 blind tasting episode, where everything good in life is worth discussing. This time, the crew takes on the challenge of identifying cigars without any preconceived notions, stripping away the marketing fluff and focusing purely on the experience. Will they be able to guess the cigars correctly, or will they be fooled by their own biases? Listen in as they share their tasting notes, debate the merits of each cigar, and ultimately discover the joys and pitfalls of blind tasting.Whether you're a seasoned cigar aficionado or a curious newcomer, this episode offers a delightful mix of humor, camaraderie, and cigar insights. So grab your favorite smoke, sit back, and enjoy the ride as the good ol' boys take you on a flavorful journey through the world of cigars. We smoke and rate the following cigars from 1-5: Knuckle Sandwich Maduro Corona Gorda R- SMOKES- 5Laranja Escuro – SMOKES-5Padron 1926 Maduro – SMOKES – 4Illusione LE Group of Five – SMOKES – 3Cigars 101 - https://www.sipssudsandsmokes.com/e/smell-my-foot/Some other blind tasting for cigars:$5 - https://www.sipssudsandsmokes.com/e/unable-to-follow-basic-instructions/$10 - https://www.sipssudsandsmokes.com/e/it-s-almost-a-petite-lancero/info@sipssudsandsmokes.com @sipssudssmokes Sips, Suds, & Smokes® is produced by One Tan Hand Productions using the power of beer, whiskey, and golf.  Available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, Spotify, Pandora, iHeart, and nearly anywhere you can find a podcast.The easiest way to find this award winning podcast on your phone is ask Alexa, Siri or Google, “Play Podcast , Sips, Suds, & Smokes” Credits:TITLE: Maxwell Swing / FlapperjackPERFORMED BY: Texas GypsiesCOMPOSED BY: Steven R Curry (BMI)PUBLISHED BY: Alliance AudioSparx (BMI)COURTESY OF: AudioSparxTITLE: Back RoadsPERFORMED BY: Woods & WhiteheadCOMPOSED BY: Terry WhiteheadPUBLISHED BY: Terry WhiteheadCOURTESY OF: Terry WhiteheadPost production services : Pro Podcast SolutionsAdvertising sales: Contact us directlyContent hosting services: Audioport, Earshot, Radio4All, & PodBeanProducer: Good ol Boy BargerBlind Tasting, Cigars, Espinosa, Knuckle Sandwich, Guy Fieri, Flavor Profiles, Ecuadorian Sumatra, Nicaraguan Filler, Maduro, La Ronja Reserva, Box Press, $15 Cigars, Cigar Ratings, Cigar 101, Celebrity Cigars, Padrone 1926, Illusione Cigars, Blindfold Challenge, Cigar Reviews, Smoking Experiencehttps://www.espinosacigars.com/https://www.espinosacigars.com/knuckle-sandwichhttps://padron.com/https://www.illusionecigars.com/

Feels so good! Join the crew this Tuesday October 8th @8pm eastern as “Whiskey Whisperer” Joe Gulino serves up another heavenly pairing featuring @vadistillery Virginia Whiskey Single Malt Cabernet & @blackstarlinecigars Marun featuring an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. Prizes are NO LONGER AVAILABLE!!

The newest iteration of the Knuckle Sandwich Chef Special by Espinosa Cigars and Guy Fieri made it's debut at the 2023 PCA trade show in Las Vegas.  This is a follow up on the 2022 release which was a huge hit with the cigar community.  This new version features and Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper versus the Ecuadorian Habano from last year and a new blend of filler tobaccos all from Nicaragua with a Nicaraguan binder. From Espinosa Cigars: The Chef Special is a yearly release made available to retailers at the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) trade show. This 10-count box was first made in 2022. Future Chef Special's will be made with the blend and size change from year to year. For this review, we are going to check it out and let you know how it stacked up to last year's version. From the release article on our site: The Chef Special features a different blend than its 2022 predecessor. This includes an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper over all-Nicaraguan binders and fillers. Like last year, the Chef Special comes in a 6 1/2 x 52 Box Pressed Figurado. The cigars will be in ten-count boxes with pricing of $15.00 MSRP per cigar and $150.00 MSRP per box. The cigars are made at the San Lotano Factory in Ocotal, Nicaragua. “This is the first LE we did for Knuckle Sandwich Cigars, the size and the blend really hit. So, we are back this year with a new blend in that same great size, it's an exceptional smoke,” commented Erik Espinosa in a press release. Knuckle Sandwich Chef Special 2023 Vitola:  Figurado Size:  6 1/2 x 52 (Box Pressed) Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Country of Origin: Nicaragua Factory: San Lotano MSRP: $15.00 Final Score:  89  

The newest iteration of the Knuckle Sandwich Chef Special by Espinosa Cigars and Guy Fieri made it's debut at the 2023 PCA trade show in Las Vegas.  This is a follow up on the 2022 release which was a huge hit with the cigar community.  This new version features and Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper versus the Ecuadorian Habano from last year and a new blend of filler tobaccos all from Nicaragua with a Nicaraguan binder. From Espinosa Cigars: The Chef Special is a yearly release made available to retailers at the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) trade show. This 10-count box was first made in 2022. Future Chef Special's will be made with the blend and size change from year to year. For this review, we are going to check it out and let you know how it stacked up to last year's version. From the release article on our site: The Chef Special features a different blend than its 2022 predecessor. This includes an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper over all-Nicaraguan binders and fillers. Like last year, the Chef Special comes in a 6 1/2 x 52 Box Pressed Figurado. The cigars will be in ten-count boxes with pricing of $15.00 MSRP per cigar and $150.00 MSRP per box. The cigars are made at the San Lotano Factory in Ocotal, Nicaragua. “This is the first LE we did for Knuckle Sandwich Cigars, the size and the blend really hit. So, we are back this year with a new blend in that same great size, it's an exceptional smoke,” commented Erik Espinosa in a press release. Knuckle Sandwich Chef Special 2023 Vitola:  Figurado Size:  6 1/2 x 52 (Box Pressed) Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Country of Origin: Nicaragua Factory: San Lotano MSRP: $15.00 Final Score:  89

In 2022, Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) resurrected a brand it had the trademarks to called Los Statos Deluxe. The brand traces its roots back to Cuba in 1940, where it was termed “Los Statos De Luxe.” STG decided to add the brand to the Forged Cigar Portfolio. To resurrect the brand, the team of Justin Andrews and Matt Booth set out to reimagine the brand from both a tobacco and branding standpoint. Last year, the revamped and resurrected Los Statos Deluxe made its debut. The cigar actually made a surprise appearance at Matt Booth's Room101 booth at PCA 2022 (shortly after the Room101 brand) acquisition. That cigar featured an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. This year, Forged Cigar Company had a new addition to the Los Statos Deluxe featuring a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper called Los Statos Deluxe Maduro. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q13

In 2022, Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) resurrected a brand it had the trademarks to called Los Statos Deluxe. The brand traces its roots back to Cuba in 1940, where it was termed “Los Statos De Luxe.” STG decided to add the brand to the Forged Cigar Portfolio. To resurrect the brand, the team of Justin Andrews and Matt Booth set out to reimagine the brand from both a tobacco and branding standpoint. Last year, the revamped and resurrected Los Statos Deluxe made its debut. The cigar actually made a surprise appearance at Matt Booth's Room101 booth at PCA 2022 (shortly after the Room101 brand) acquisition. That cigar featured an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. This year, Forged Cigar Company had a new addition to the Los Statos Deluxe featuring a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper called Los Statos Deluxe Maduro. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q13

Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/A4dV6dChA5 On today's episode Pugh & Griff talk with Tim Ozgener of Ozgener Family Cigars about our new exclusive which brings you a unique size for his Bosphorus cigar, made for only CigarClub. After talking with Tim shortly after the Bosphorus launch, we said how much we'd love this cigar in a Corona Extra. Tim was immediately on board and after smoking test samples, we found that this vitola allows the Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper to become the star, while allowing the double binder and Nicaraguan fillers to add complexity and nuances not seen in other vitolas! ●

Coming in at #5 is the Espinosa Laranja Reserva Azulejo Gordo. The Azulejo is the third installment of Espinosa's Laranja line. This is a line that focuses on Brazilian tobacco. The original Laranja made its debut in 2014. It featured the famed Laranja wrapper, which comes from a Habano seed and has a distinct orange tint. This was followed in 2019 with the Laranja Escuro which featured a dark (aka Escuro) Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper. This time the Brazilian tobacco used is Arapirca, a tobacco the company has not used often. In this case, this tobacco is used as the binder. Azulejo is named for the color of a blue-glazed tile that was used on Spanish and Portuguese edifices. Blue is also one of the colors featured on the Brazilian flag. In addition to the Brazilian Arapiraca binder, the blend uses all-Nicaraguan tobaccos and is finished with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper - another leaf Espinosa has been making more use of these days. It's the 6 x 60 box-pressed Gordo size that lands on the 2022 Countdown. Production comes from AJ Fernandez's San Lotano factory in Ocotal, Nicaragua and the cigar was blended by Hector Alfonso. The Espinosa Laranja Reserva Azulejo Gordo delivered a fantastic combination of coffee, leather, citrus, cedar, and pepper. This cigar delivered on the upper end of medium strength and medium body. It's not only something very different from Espinosa, but it really is an innovative flavor profile when it comes to the Sumatra wrapper. The Espinosa Laranja Reserva Azulejo Gordo is the third cigar from Espinosa Cigars to land on the 2022 Cigar of the Year Countdown joining the Las 6 Provinces LV and Warhead VII. It's also the third cigar to come out of AJ Fernandez's San Lotano Factory.  The year 2022 has been a big one for Espinosa Cigars when it comes to the Countdown. Not only is this the third cigar to place on the Countdown from the Company, but this year has marked ten consecutive years at least one Espinosa Cigar has placed on a Cigar Coop Countdown. If you are keeping score at home Nicaragua continues to dominate the Countdown. Of the 26 cigars we have unveiled, 17 of them have come from Nicaragua, and three have placed in the top ten - including two top tens from Espinosa. Full Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-oqu  

Coming in at #5 is the Espinosa Laranja Reserva Azulejo Gordo. The Azulejo is the third installment of Espinosa's Laranja line. This is a line that focuses on Brazilian tobacco. The original Laranja made its debut in 2014. It featured the famed Laranja wrapper, which comes from a Habano seed and has a distinct orange tint. This was followed in 2019 with the Laranja Escuro which featured a dark (aka Escuro) Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper. This time the Brazilian tobacco used is Arapirca, a tobacco the company has not used often. In this case, this tobacco is used as the binder. Azulejo is named for the color of a blue-glazed tile that was used on Spanish and Portuguese edifices. Blue is also one of the colors featured on the Brazilian flag. In addition to the Brazilian Arapiraca binder, the blend uses all-Nicaraguan tobaccos and is finished with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper - another leaf Espinosa has been making more use of these days. It's the 6 x 60 box-pressed Gordo size that lands on the 2022 Countdown. Production comes from AJ Fernandez's San Lotano factory in Ocotal, Nicaragua and the cigar was blended by Hector Alfonso. The Espinosa Laranja Reserva Azulejo Gordo delivered a fantastic combination of coffee, leather, citrus, cedar, and pepper. This cigar delivered on the upper end of medium strength and medium body. It's not only something very different from Espinosa, but it really is an innovative flavor profile when it comes to the Sumatra wrapper. The Espinosa Laranja Reserva Azulejo Gordo is the third cigar from Espinosa Cigars to land on the 2022 Cigar of the Year Countdown joining the Las 6 Provinces LV and Warhead VII. It's also the third cigar to come out of AJ Fernandez's San Lotano Factory.  The year 2022 has been a big one for Espinosa Cigars when it comes to the Countdown. Not only is this the third cigar to place on the Countdown from the Company, but this year has marked ten consecutive years at least one Espinosa Cigar has placed on a Cigar Coop Countdown. If you are keeping score at home Nicaragua continues to dominate the Countdown. Of the 26 cigars we have unveiled, 17 of them have come from Nicaragua, and three have placed in the top ten - including two top tens from Espinosa. Full Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-oqu

Coming in at #9 is the Montecristo Epic Vintage 12 Blue Toro by Altadis U.S.A.. In 2021, Altadis U.S.A. introduced a new installment to its Montecristo brand under its Epic line – the Montecristo Epic Vintage 12. The Epic series focuses on using vintage tobaccos. In the case of the Montecristo Epic Vintage 12, the blend incorporates vintage tobacco from 2012 into the filler. This is a crop that Altadis U.S.A. has deemed exceptional. As for the blue name, it is the color that adorns the packaging and band of this cigar - and it's the first time this color has been used on the Montecristo brand. The Montecristo Epic Vintage 12 features an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper over a Dominican binder and a combination of Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers. The Dominican component of the filler contains tobacco from 2012. The Toro size is a classic 6 x 52 offering. As for production, it originates from the famed Tabacalera de Garcia in the Dominican Republic. It's a project that was developed by Rafael Nodal and Altadis' famed Grupo de Maestros team. As the name indicates, this cigar produced an epic experience - especially when it came to flavor. Notes delivered include coffee bean, natural tobacco, chocolate, earth, hay, and black pepper. It's a medium-strength and medium-bodied smoking experience. You can't underscore enough the job that Nodal has done as Altadis' Director of Product Capability. Whether its working with his own factories or outside ones, he is delivering some amazing cigars - and the Montecristo Epic Vintage 12 Blue Toro is no exception. The Montecristo Epic Vintage 12 Blue Toro joins the H. Upmann Nicaragua AJ Fernandez Heritage Toro as cigars by Altadis U.S.A. that have placed on the 2022 Countdown. This is the seventh year Altadis has landed on a Cigar Coop Countdown. It also gives the Dominican Republic a fourth cigar on this year's Countdown. Full Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-ooV  

Coming in at #9 is the Montecristo Epic Vintage 12 Blue Toro by Altadis U.S.A.. In 2021, Altadis U.S.A. introduced a new installment to its Montecristo brand under its Epic line – the Montecristo Epic Vintage 12. The Epic series focuses on using vintage tobaccos. In the case of the Montecristo Epic Vintage 12, the blend incorporates vintage tobacco from 2012 into the filler. This is a crop that Altadis U.S.A. has deemed exceptional. As for the blue name, it is the color that adorns the packaging and band of this cigar - and it's the first time this color has been used on the Montecristo brand. The Montecristo Epic Vintage 12 features an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper over a Dominican binder and a combination of Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers. The Dominican component of the filler contains tobacco from 2012. The Toro size is a classic 6 x 52 offering. As for production, it originates from the famed Tabacalera de Garcia in the Dominican Republic. It's a project that was developed by Rafael Nodal and Altadis' famed Grupo de Maestros team. As the name indicates, this cigar produced an epic experience - especially when it came to flavor. Notes delivered include coffee bean, natural tobacco, chocolate, earth, hay, and black pepper. It's a medium-strength and medium-bodied smoking experience. You can't underscore enough the job that Nodal has done as Altadis' Director of Product Capability. Whether its working with his own factories or outside ones, he is delivering some amazing cigars - and the Montecristo Epic Vintage 12 Blue Toro is no exception. The Montecristo Epic Vintage 12 Blue Toro joins the H. Upmann Nicaragua AJ Fernandez Heritage Toro as cigars by Altadis U.S.A. that have placed on the 2022 Countdown. This is the seventh year Altadis has landed on a Cigar Coop Countdown. It also gives the Dominican Republic a fourth cigar on this year's Countdown. Full Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-ooV

The Smoking Syndicate Roundtable reconvenes tonight as we smoke Oliva's Cuba Aliados by Ernesto Perez-Carrillo in the Torpedo size. A year ago, Oliva stunned the cigar world indicating it was acquiring three Honduran brands from the Reyes family: Cuba Aliados, Puros Indios, and Roly. Just before the Trade Show, Oliva relaunched the Cuba Aliados brand and would stun the cigar world a second time by announcing it would be turning to two third-party factories to handle production of Cuba Aliados: Julio R. Eiroa's Fabrica de Puros Aladino S.A. in Honduras and Ernesto Perez-Carrillo's Tabacalera La Alianza in the Dominican Republic. Our attention for this show will be on Ernesto's blend. Cuba Aliados by Ernesto Perez-Carrillo is a limited production cigar with 10,000 boxes produced for 2022. It features an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder and a combination of Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers Tune in and find out what the Roundtable thinks of this release.

The Smoking Syndicate Roundtable reconvenes tonight as we smoke Oliva's Cuba Aliados by Ernesto Perez-Carrillo in the Torpedo size. A year ago, Oliva stunned the cigar world indicating it was acquiring three Honduran brands from the Reyes family: Cuba Aliados, Puros Indios, and Roly. Just before the Trade Show, Oliva relaunched the Cuba Aliados brand and would stun the cigar world a second time by announcing it would be turning to two third-party factories to handle production of Cuba Aliados: Julio R. Eiroa's Fabrica de Puros Aladino S.A. in Honduras and Ernesto Perez-Carrillo's Tabacalera La Alianza in the Dominican Republic. Our attention for this show will be on Ernesto's blend. Cuba Aliados by Ernesto Perez-Carrillo is a limited production cigar with 10,000 boxes produced for 2022. It features an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper over a Nicaraguan binder and a combination of Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers Tune in and find out what the Roundtable thinks of this release.

Coming in at #29 is the Fiat Lux Insight by Luciano. Fiat Lux is a Latin expression for “let there be light” from the intellectual movement of the Enlightenment. The cigar was released originally under ACE Prime and has moved over to Luciano Meirelles' new company Luciano Cigars. The cigar that landed on the Countdown represents the ones sold by ACE Prime prior to the rebranding. At the time ACE Prime released the cigar, the company stated "When you first light a great cigar, a space of expectation is created, where the opportunity for discovery presents itself. You taste a great blend, and you will be enlightened, both by delving into the complexity of flavors and with the possibility of introspection. It was with this sensorial and mindful journey in mind that the idea of Fiat Lux emerged, as a new blend that procures to express the birth of knowledge, to embody the consequence of its meaning: Let there be light." This was the goal with Fiat Lux. Fiat Lux by Luciano consists of a high-priming Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. Sumatra is a wrapper that has been seen across the Luciano, Pichardo, and MxS brands and across the ACE Prime portfolio. The remainder of the Fiat Lux blend consists of all Nicaraguan tobaccos. Production is handled out of the Tabacalera Pichardo factory. The Insight size, which is a classic 5 5/8 x 46 Corona Gorda, is the one that landed on this year's Countdown. The Fiat Lux Insight delivered notes of natural tobacco, earth, cedar, baker's spice, and black pepper. There are two hidden attributes this cigar has: 1) It has an amazingly clean finish; 2) The flavors complement and balance each other extremely well. The Fiat Lux Insight delivers a medium-strength, medium-bodied experience. This is most likely ACE Prime's second and final appearance on the Cigar Coop Countdown. With many of the former blends moving to the new company Luciano Cigars, any subsequent release after the transition will be credited to Luciano. References Full #29 Report

Coming in at #29 is the Fiat Lux Insight by Luciano. Fiat Lux is a Latin expression for “let there be light” from the intellectual movement of the Enlightenment. The cigar was released originally under ACE Prime and has moved over to Luciano Meirelles' new company Luciano Cigars. The cigar that landed on the Countdown represents the ones sold by ACE Prime prior to the rebranding. At the time ACE Prime released the cigar, the company stated "When you first light a great cigar, a space of expectation is created, where the opportunity for discovery presents itself. You taste a great blend, and you will be enlightened, both by delving into the complexity of flavors and with the possibility of introspection. It was with this sensorial and mindful journey in mind that the idea of Fiat Lux emerged, as a new blend that procures to express the birth of knowledge, to embody the consequence of its meaning: Let there be light." This was the goal with Fiat Lux. Fiat Lux by Luciano consists of a high-priming Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. Sumatra is a wrapper that has been seen across the Luciano, Pichardo, and MxS brands and across the ACE Prime portfolio. The remainder of the Fiat Lux blend consists of all Nicaraguan tobaccos. Production is handled out of the Tabacalera Pichardo factory. The Insight size, which is a classic 5 5/8 x 46 Corona Gorda, is the one that landed on this year's Countdown. The Fiat Lux Insight delivered notes of natural tobacco, earth, cedar, baker's spice, and black pepper. There are two hidden attributes this cigar has: 1) It has an amazingly clean finish; 2) The flavors complement and balance each other extremely well. The Fiat Lux Insight delivers a medium-strength, medium-bodied experience. This is most likely ACE Prime's second and final appearance on the Cigar Coop Countdown. With many of the former blends moving to the new company Luciano Cigars, any subsequent release after the transition will be credited to Luciano. References Full #29 Report

The Macanudo Inspirado Black features Nicaraguan Esteli filler tobaccos which are tucked beneath an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder and dark Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper. You can read this review and many more at: https://boxpressd.app/articles

The original Fratello line, now known as Fratello Classico, features cigars built around Nicaraguan and Peruvian filler tobaccos which are matched with an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder and a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper leaf. You can read this review and many more at: https://boxpressd.app/articles

We continue our deep dive into Nicaraguan cigars on Flavor Odyssey, and your hosts feature the Oliva Serie V Melanio, one of the most critically acclaimed cigars on the market. Wrapped with a gorgeous Ecuadorian Sumatra leaf and filled with all-Nicaraguan tobaccos, what drink will pair best with this delicious premium cigar? Pairings Randy: Oliva Serie V Melanio & Dunkel

Each Decade cigar features lavishly rich Nicaraguan tobaccos topped by a well-aged Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper leaf. You can read this review and many more at: https://boxpressd.app/articles

An Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper leaf is the star here, topping an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder and a collection of Dominican Criollo 98, Nicaraguan Corojo and Nicaraguan Criollo filler leaves. You can read this review and many more at: https://boxpressd.app/articles

After a five-year hiatus, EP Carrillo has brought back the Short Run.  The Short Run was a small batch run using a different wrapper each year except for two years in which they used Ecuadorian Sumatra.  The 2021 Short Run is brought back using a retro theme as it uses the original bands from the first run and is available in three sizes.  For this review, I'm taking a look at the Short Play, robusto size.  Check out Coop's review of the Extended Play here. Size:  5 x 50 Vitola:  Robusto Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan, Dominican Country of Origin: Dominican Republic Factory: Tabacalera La Alianza MSRP:  $7.50 Final Score:  89

After a five-year hiatus, EP Carrillo has brought back the Short Run.  The Short Run was a small batch run using a different wrapper each year except for two years in which they used Ecuadorian Sumatra.  The 2021 Short Run is brought back using a retro theme as it uses the original bands from the first run and is available in three sizes.  For this review, I'm taking a look at the Short Play, robusto size.  Check out Coop's review of the Extended Play here. Size:  5 x 50 Vitola:  Robusto Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan, Dominican Country of Origin: Dominican Republic Factory: Tabacalera La Alianza MSRP:  $7.50 Final Score:  89

Coming in at #16 is the E.P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel. The Pledge is the third installment of E.P. Carrillo's Family Series line. It's most famous because it was the second cigar on this line to capture Cigar Aficionado's #1 Cigar of the Year. The name Pledge is meant to be a homage to all cigar smokes. it was actually chosen from input from consumers who visited the E.P. Carrillo booth at Cigar Aficionado's 2019 Big Smoke Las Vegas event. The E.P. Carrillo Pledge is highlighted by a Connecticut Havana wrapper. Company founder Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jr is known for working with Ecuadorian Sumatra and Connecticut Broadleaf, and in recent years we've seen him use this wrapper many times. It's been used on releases for Crowned Heads (Four Kicks Maduro, Mule Kick LE 2018 and on E.P. Carrillo's Original Rebel Rebellious and TAA Exclusive 2018 cigars. As for the remainder of the blend, it features an Ecuadorian binder and all-Nicaraguan fillers. The Prequel is a classic 5 x 50 box-pressed Robusto. The cigar is produced at Perez-Carrillo's Tabacalera La Alianza in the Dominican Republic. Flavor-wise, the E.P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel delivers notes of coffee, licorice, black cherry, wood, and pepper. This is a cigar where the flavors are in the medium/medium to full range throughout the smoking experience. These flavors are countered by medium strength. This is the eighth year since the Countdown was launched in 2010 that E.P. Carrillo has secured a spot on one. This cigar also gives the Dominican Republic its second cigar on the 2021 Countdown. For details of the 2021 Cigar of the Year Countdown, see our 2021 criteria: https://cigar-coop.com/2021/12/announcement-criteria-for-the-2021-cigar-of-the-year-countdown.html Cigar Coop Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-lGP

Coming in at #16 is the E.P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel. The Pledge is the third installment of E.P. Carrillo's Family Series line. It's most famous because it was the second cigar on this line to capture Cigar Aficionado's #1 Cigar of the Year. The name Pledge is meant to be a homage to all cigar smokes. it was actually chosen from input from consumers who visited the E.P. Carrillo booth at Cigar Aficionado's 2019 Big Smoke Las Vegas event. The E.P. Carrillo Pledge is highlighted by a Connecticut Havana wrapper. Company founder Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jr is known for working with Ecuadorian Sumatra and Connecticut Broadleaf, and in recent years we've seen him use this wrapper many times. It's been used on releases for Crowned Heads (Four Kicks Maduro, Mule Kick LE 2018 and on E.P. Carrillo's Original Rebel Rebellious and TAA Exclusive 2018 cigars. As for the remainder of the blend, it features an Ecuadorian binder and all-Nicaraguan fillers. The Prequel is a classic 5 x 50 box-pressed Robusto. The cigar is produced at Perez-Carrillo's Tabacalera La Alianza in the Dominican Republic. Flavor-wise, the E.P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel delivers notes of coffee, licorice, black cherry, wood, and pepper. This is a cigar where the flavors are in the medium/medium to full range throughout the smoking experience. These flavors are countered by medium strength. This is the eighth year since the Countdown was launched in 2010 that E.P. Carrillo has secured a spot on one. This cigar also gives the Dominican Republic its second cigar on the 2021 Countdown. For details of the 2021 Cigar of the Year Countdown, see our 2021 criteria: https://cigar-coop.com/2021/12/announcement-criteria-for-the-2021-cigar-of-the-year-countdown.html Cigar Coop Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-lGP

At the end of 2020, CAO re-released the Vision with a few tweaks.  The original cigar, released before CAO's acquisition by the Scandinavian Tobacco Group, was a Dominican blend cigar in an interesting box that was fitted with LED lighting that glowed blue when you opened the lid.  The new CAO Vision is also a different blend using a Cameroon wrapper, Ecuadorian Sumatra binder, and Nicaraguan fillers from Jalapa and Esteli.  It is also only available in one size, churchill, versus the 3 sizes of the original blend.

At the end of 2020, CAO re-released the Vision with a few tweaks.  The original cigar, released before CAO's acquisition by the Scandinavian Tobacco Group, was a Dominican blend cigar in an interesting box that was fitted with LED lighting that glowed blue when you opened the lid.  The new CAO Vision is also a different blend using a Cameroon wrapper, Ecuadorian Sumatra binder, and Nicaraguan fillers from Jalapa and Esteli.  It is also only available in one size, churchill, versus the 3 sizes of the original blend.

For today's International Cigar Lightation Ceremony I have chosen the super premium Ashton VSG. This beautiful cigar is wrapped in a prized Ecuadorian Sumatra-seed wrapper grown in a private estate with a delicate cloud cover that naturally filters sunlight.

Today's cigar selection is the Punch Grand Cru No 2. Pyramid for the International Cigar Lightation Ceremony. This classic cigar uses an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, Connecticut broadleaf binder and fillers from Honduras, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic.

The Oliva Serie V Melanio Robusto should be a true, luxury smoke. After all, it's a blend that won some "Cigar of the Year" awards a few years ago.The version of this cigar with the natural wrapper (as opposed to the Melanio Maduro) has a Nicaraguan binder and filler underneath an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper that's marbled and quite attractive.After punching the end, the draw is impeccable. The flavors on the cold draw are grassy.It's worth noting that I've had some Oliva Serie V Melanios that had flavors of chocolate and caramel, while others have been mediocre in flavor. Consistency seems to be an issue with these cigars, and I plan on letting most of the ones I have left age for at least a couple of years.CigarScore Merch!: https://click.cigarscore.com/merchytUse coupon code  CIGARSCORETV  to get 15% OFF!Brand: OlivaLine: Serie V, Melanio NaturalSize: 5 x 52Cut: PunchLight: TorchPrice: $10.60Wrapper: Ecuadorian SumatraBinder: NicaraguaFiller: NicaraguaBuy This Cigar: https://click.cigarscore.com/fs-oliva-serievmelanioWhereas the first third of the cigar had flavors that were just okay, the middle third is where the robusto started to shine. It was at about the halfway point where I started to get flavors of cream and caramel, even if they were just faint traces.Final Thoughts:I'm a little conflicted with this cigar because I know what amazing flavors of caramel, cocoa, coffee, and vanilla the Melanio blend can deliver. I've had it on the Churchill vitola, but, I didn't have it today.However, the Oliva Serie V Melanio Robusto that I reviewed today doesn't quite live up to what I know a Melanio can deliver. This robusto's draw was great, the flavors were good, and I had an even burn the entire time, but... I know it can do better. The first third of the cigar was not as good as the middle and final thirds, which are where the draw opened up and the flavors improved.Overall, this Oliva Serie V Melanio Robusto was pretty dang good, but not perfect, so it earns a CigarScore 4.#CigarScoreTV #Oliva:::::Find & Rate Where to Smoke Cigars at https://www.cigarscore.comCIGAR DEALS::::::Cigar 5-Packs: https://jo.my/mlunpiCigar 10-Packs: https://jo.my/8kfajfCigar Samplers: https://jo.my/oady8qBoveda Packs: https://jo.my/fbtwzr:::::Get CigarScore Emails - https://www.cigarscore.com/subscribe::::: SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cigarscoreTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/cigarscoreInstagram: https://Instagram.com/cigarscoreMy Music: https://www.ellorywells.com/soundstripe::::: AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER: Hey, so, some of the links in my videos and descriptions are affiliate links. But, I only recommend products/services I use and love myself =) More details here - https://www.cigarscore.com/ads-and-affiliate-disclaimer-disclosure/

A complex medium-plus journey crafted around Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos and an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper leaf, the Crowned Heads Headley Grange delivers rich wood, spice, leather, coffee, pepper, cream, nut, anise and cocoa flavors. Be sure to check out this review and many more at: https://www.cigarsnearme.com/blog/

The government's not just coming after your cigars, they're coming after your water! We give you behind-the-scenes access to the exclusive making of The Cigar Authority commercials. And we light up the new Tatuaje Cojonu 2012 Connecticut Broadleaf, and the Ecuadorian Sumatra.

DogWatch welcomes a new sponsor this week: CigarVolante and Flatbed Cigars (makers of Panacea cigars). Listener Dan Crouch writes in with feedback on the Cigar Rights of America (CRA) cigar sampler that he just received. Bob and Dale discuss some of the great things that CRA is doing for smokers. The Cigar of the Week is the Rocky Patel Sungrown. The Unbanded Cigar, the Famous Nicaraguan Selection 5000, was provided by Jay LeDou. Jon French is the winner of a silver Palio Cutter in February's contest. Check out the live show! Go to http://www.cigarmedia.tv/live/ where the show is broadcast live most Friday evenings at 9 PM EST. Enter March's Palio contest by sending a photo of you or your friends enjoying a cigar to theshow@cigarmedia.tv. (Don't forget to include your mailing address and type "Palio" on the subject line.) To see the contest pictures, click on the Contest icon on the www.cigarmedia.tv home page. Remember you must re-enter each month to be eligible to win. The February contest winner is Jon French. Cigar of the Week - Rocky Patel Sungrown The Rocky Patel Sun grown features a five-year-old Ecuadorian Sumatra sun grown wrapper, and seven year Dominican and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos. Petite Corona 4 1/2 x 44 Robusto 5 1/2 x 50 Toro 6 1/2 x 52 Torpedo 6 1/4 x 52 Sixty 6 x 60 Tubo 6 x 50 Junior 4 x 38 Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra Binder: Nicaraguan Fillers: Dominican, Nicaraguan What else have you been smokin' Dale? Smoker Friendly Corojo Toro - 6” x 50 - Made for SF by Rocky Patel in Honduras, this is one of 3 versions of the SF line of cigars. The other two are a dark Maduro and a light Connecticut wrapper. The Corojo is nice enough, with nuts, coffee and light spice over a cedar core. A good value cigar that I could smoke often. EP Carrillo Elencos Don Rubino - 5.25” x 50 - Made in the DR with a filler bend of Nicaragua tobacco, a Dominican binder and a Brazillian Wrapper, the Elencos series highlights the richness of well fermented DR tobacco blended the exotic spices from the Nica tobacco. An excellent, superbly constructed cigar! G.A.R. Opium S.T.K. - 6” x 52, limited run of 1,000 boxes - Wrapped with a Nicaraguan grown Habano/Corojo hybrid leaf over Nicaraguan binder, the super secret filler blend seems well bunched and firmly rolled. Full bodied, full flavored and bold, but not overly strong - the cigar is well balanced. Leather, wood and spice come to the fore, and the smoke has a bit of a dry character. Like Bob a few weeks ago, this might be my favorite G.A.R. cigar. What else have you been smokin' Bob? Davidoff 6000 Robusto Natural cigars are distinguished by their perfectly balanced taste, which is milder in flavor than the full-bodied Davidoff Grand Cru series, yet more pronounced than the subtle Davidoff Classic Series. Every cigar contains the same perfectly balanced blend of Dominican tobaccos and flawless, even-toned Connecticut wrappers. Their understated aroma and flavor is what has contributed to the Davidoff 6000 Robusto everlasting allure. Leon Jimenez Desde 1903 - Smooth, well aged flavors of leather and sweet spice. Flavors coat your mouth with just the right amount of salt and acidity. Nice aroma; excellent cigar. What's My Band?- This week's unbanded, the Famous Nicaraguan Selection 5000, was provided by Jay LeDou. Bob: I sat down with a cold glass of water and the second episode of Oz and the James Wine show thanks to Pete Daly and his wife, Lyn, who sent me a copy. The cigar is distinctly dark with a great aroma of barnyard. Provided surprisingly little flavor at the start. Then I noticed a hollow bitter flavor that was emphasized by a stinging retrohale. Very heavy on the ligero flavors of bitter strength and a slap to your upper rear palate. Cigar is top heavy although it does have some coffee/espresso flavor. Disappointing for a maduro. Lots of acidity. Needs more balance and age as it did develop a slight tangy burn on my tongue. Has a dirty flavor to it. - Midway through, the cigar mellowed somewhat but that just meant that it went BLAHHHHHH. Do you have a suggestion for the unbanded cigar of the week? Every week Bob and Dale include an “unbanded cigar” segment in their show in which they smoke a cigar without any markings and give their honest opinions. Bob then opens a sealed envelope and discovers the cigar’s name and manufacturer. If you have suggestions for the "What's My Band?" segment, please send them to liz@cigarmedia.tv. Do you have a Cigar Review or a comment about the show? If you call and leave a cigar review or comment on the herfline and it is played on the show, you will receive a DogWatch Cigar Radio patch! You can reach the Herfline at 321-594-4373 - or cigar.radio on Skype. You can also send email to theshow@cigarmedia.tv. Music provided by the Figurados and The Surfonics. Please visit our sponsors and let them know you heard about them from DogWatch! Black Dog Coffee: http://www.blackdogcoffee.net/ Cigar Tourism: http://cigartourism.com/ Cigar Journal: http://www.cigarjournal.co/ Cuban Cigar Creation App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cuban-cigar-creation/id441057146?mt=8 Cigar Volante: http://www.cigarvolante.com/ DogWatch Cigar Radio iTunes App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dogwatch-cigar-radio-weekly/id338128296?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D6 DogWatch Cigar Radio Android App: http://www.appbrain.com/app/dogwatch-cigar-radio/tv.wizzard.android.dogwatchsocialclub850 Esencia Cigars: http://www.esenciacigar.com/ Flatbed Cigars, makers of Panacea Cigars: http://www.flatbedcigarcompany.com/ La Palina: http://www.lapalinacigars.com/ La Tradicion Cubana: http://www.tradicion.com/ Miami Cigar and Company: http://www.miamicigarandcompany.com/ Mobile Stogie Pro App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mobile-stogie-by-cigar-research/id395661756?mt=8 Mobile Stogie Ref App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mobile-stogie-reference/id431376892?mt=8 Monte Pascoal Cigars: http://www.montepascoalcigars.com/ Palio Cigar Cutters:http://paliocutters.com/ Primer Mundo Cigars: http://www.primermundocigars.com Scotch Pro App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scotch-pro/i

The featured 'Cigar of the Week' is the Torano Loyal provided by The Duque Cigar Company of Indiatlantic. Spots are still available on the Cigar Tourism trips to the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, sign up now before all the seats are gone! A few places on the Dominican Republic trip are also still available. There are two contests this month: 1) Enter guest host Craig Schneider's Esencia Contest by sending in your review or "experience" of smoking an Esencia cigar to theshow@cigarmedia.tv. (Be sure to type "Esencia" on the subject line.) On Craig's next appearance on DogWatch (Show #348 recorded on October 14th), he will be awarding some cigars from his personal humidor for the best submission (as he judges it). 2) You can also enter October's Palio Cutter Contest by sending a photo of you or your friends enjoying a cigar to theshow@cigarmedia.tv. (Don't forget to include your mailing address and type "Palio" on the subject line.) September's winner of a Palio cutter is Dan Lawson. To see the September pictures, click on the Contest icon on the www.cigarmedia.tv home page. The 'What's My Band?' cigar is the Nestor Miranda Special Selection provided by Liz. Check out the live show! Go to http://www.cigarmedia.tv/live/ where the show is broadcast live most Friday evenings at 9 PM EST. Cigar of the Week - Torano Loyal. "Our new brand Loyal is dedicated to my father's long standing commitment to provide exceptional quality cigars without breaking the bank. To him cigars were never a far reaching luxury, but one of life's simple pleasures", said Charlie Torano, President, Torano Family Cigars. Loyal will be available in a 5x56 Robusto, a 6 1/8 x52 Torpedo, a 7x47 Churchill, and a 6x60 BFC, all with an MSRP between $4.95-$5.50. Displayed in attractive 21 count boxes, the Loyal blend features fillers from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, combined with a Nicaraguan binder and dressed in an oily Ecuadorian Sumatra seed wrapper. Loyal is a solid, medium bodied smoke, that intrigues the palate with a spicy, peppery start and then transitions to a variety of rich flavours with notes of coffee and brown sugar. We Get Mail: DC, a regular in the chat room writes: Hi Bob and Dale I put this up on BOTL forums but thought I would email you and see if you had any insight on the matter. About 2 weeks ago now my dad and I took a trip up to Rockford IL. (Actually he took the trip I just rode along because I knew that the Tinder Box was up by where he was going and we don't have a B&M where I live.) We had a good time and while checking out of said store I picked up a tin of 4 Don Lino Africa Kuros cigars. I always thought the tin was neat and wanted to try the cigar. Well after 2 now all I can say is the things keep falling apart in my mouth. I took a very shallow cut with my Palio on the 1st and the thing practically disintegrated. On the second I used a wedge cutter (a V cut) reckoning that by taking less of the cap the stick my hold up better. It held up, but I was still taking peelings of the wrapper out of my mouth. Are these just bad cigars or is it me? The tin was like 10-14 bucks so I am not exactly thrilled about not getting to smoke the cigars I purchased because they are falling to pieces...literally. I gave 1 away to a friendly mooch at work, so that leaves me with 1 remaining Kuro and I am leaving in the humidor for a minimum of 2 months to see if some time settling out of its tin may help. As for Don Lino? My bad luck with small cigars continues and I think I will stick to the J. Fuego Origin originals.. 1 more cigar in a bigger better style. What else have you been smokin' Dale? Pedro Martin Corojo Robusto - Another Nicaraguan Puro that I just had the pleasure of smoking last Saturday. Thanks to Kris (one of Longmont’s officers in blue) for sharing this with me while we watched the Packers beat the Broncos. Maria Martin left her position as Camacho National Sales Manager & has successfully run Martin Family Cigars in honor of her father, and has so far produced 3 lines of cigars (Gold, Ruby & Corojo) that were blended by Perdo before his passing last year. Wrapped in a Corojo leaf that’s light natural colored, the binder & filler tobaccos of the Corojo line are all Corojo variety as well, lending a full bodied, full flavor character to the line. Leather, cedar and spice are the core flavors. I find some light sweetness in the middle of the cigar. Kris also gets a buttery flavor, the reason he buys these cigars. Very well made with a great draw, this cigar should be sampled by all experienced smokers! J Fuego 777 Maduro Robusto - This line of Nicaraguan Puros from Jesus Fuego’s Tabacos S.A. company is one of those go-to dependable cigars that can be counted on for deep flavor, good construction and a good experience every time. The filler is ⅓ Criollo and ⅔ Corojo, the binder is Corojo and the wrapper is a dark maduro Criollo. The Fuego website says this cigar is bold & spicy, and they do not lie! Add to that the earthiness and light citrus tones, and you’ll find these in my humidor all the time. What else have you been smokin' Bob? A. Fernandez Signature Series from Cigars International - Ok, I admit that I am a fan of AJ Fernandez cigars. This one was picked up by Executive Producer Liz as a sample pack of four sizes sizes, in the A. Fernandez Flight Sampler that provides you with three each of the Robusto (5x50), Toro (6x50), Torpedo (6x52) and the Churchill (7x48). I have only tried the Robusto and Toro so far (like I said, Liz got this sampler so i am dependent on her generosity) and like both. At $30 for the pack a great value and some amazing cigars. Slightly milder than some of the others such as diesel and man o war but very flavorful, leather, roasted grains and slight sweet spice. J Fuego Originals Gran Reserva Corojo No. 1 and Sangre de Toro - Some new blends in the popular paper bagged sizes of approximatley 5x44. SdT has a Colorado wrapper and produces pleasant notes of leather and rich oak with a slight pepper spice. This is like a concentrated larger version. The Gran Reserva is of course a Corojo wrapper with Nicaraguan, Honduran and Costa Rican tobaccos on the inside. Notes of woody coffee and a sweet pepper is a great combination. What's My Band? - The Nestor Miranda Special Selection provided by Liz. Palio Cutter Contest: The September winner of a silver Palio cutter is Dan Lawson from Louisana. For October's contest, we are looking for photos of you and your friends enjoying cigars. Send your entry to theshow@cigarmedia.tv. Please include your mailing address with your entry and type "Palio" on the subject line. Do you have a suggestion for the unbanded cigar of the week? Every week Bob and Dale include an “unbanded cigar” segment in their show in which they smoke a cigar without any markings and give their honest opinions. Bob then opens a sealed envelope and discovers the cigar’s name and manufacturer. If you have suggestions for the "What's My Band?" segment, please send them to liz@cigarmedia.tv. Do you have a Cigar Review? If you call and leave a cigar review on the herf line and it is played on the show, you will receive a DogWatch Cigar Radio patch! You can reach the Herfline at 321-594-4373 - or cigar.radio on Skype. You can also send email to theshow@cigarmedia.tv. Music provided by the Figurados from their new album, "Lesson Two," and The Surfonics. Please visit our sponsors and let them know you heard about them from DogWatch! Black Dog Coffee: http://www.blackdogcoffee.net/ Cigar Tourism: http://cigartourism.com/ Esencia Cigars: http://www.esenciacigar.com/ La Palina: http://www.lapalinacigars.com/ La Tradicion Cubana: http://www.tradicion.com/ Miami Cigar and Company: http://www.miamicigarandcompany.com/ Monte Pascoal Cigars: http://www.montepascoalcigars.com/ Palio Cigar Cutters:http://paliocutters.com/ Primer Mundo Cigars: http://www.primermundocigars.com Vanderburgh Humidors: www.vanderburghhumidors.com The Duque Cigar Company: www.duquecigars.com

This week Bob and Dale discuss Operation Cigar Liberty which was launched by Cigar Rights of America to support federal legislation (H.R. 1639) that calls upon the U.S. Food & Drug Administration – Center for Tobacco Products not to regulate premium/traditional cigars, as they do other tobacco products. In commemoration of this proactive piece of federal legislation, as the first of its kind in history in the form of H.R. 1639, Cigar Rights of America is starting a national petition drive for 1,639 petitions from each Congressional District in America. With 435 members of Congress, that's 712,965 petitions. That's over 7,000 petitions to each member of the United States Senate. When elections are being decided by dozens, hundreds and a few thousand votes, they will listen. So with one simple click, where all you submit is a name, email address and zip code, you can have a place in history. At the request of a listener, Dale keeps a diary of his cigars over the last week. ER Doc calls in on the Herf Line to talk about Para Japon, by La Aurora and Cigar Tourism. The cigar featured on the "What's My Band?" blind smoke test is the Oliva Series V Churchill Extra 7 x 52, which was provided by Liz. The Cigar of the Week is the Punch After Dinner. The Cigar Rights of America membership special for DogWatch listeners is still running! Get two free cigars exclusively crafted for CRA members and a free CRA T-shirt when you sign up for a one-year membership for $35. Go to www.cigarrights.org; click on the microphone in the upper right corner to go to the VIP section; enter "dogwatch" (one word, all lowercase) to sign in; then use promo code "dogwatch" when completing your payment information. Check out the live show! Go to www.livestream.com/cigar_radio where the show is broadcast live most Friday evenings at 9 PM EST. Cigar of the Week - Punch After Dinner Maduro. This is a 7.25 x 46 version of the basic Punch line - well except its Maduro. Wrapper is Ecuadorian Sumatra; filler is Honduran, Nicaraguan, Dominican (Piloto Cubano); and the binder is Connecticut Broadleaf. Factory: Honduras American Tabaco S. A., Cofradia, Honduras. If you like, as Bob does, a strong flavored cigar without any harshness or bitterness that also comes in at a value price ($78.95 / box of 25) then do yourself and your wallet a favor by trying these out. The flavors are deep and dark with overtones of coffee and chocolate but with an overwhelming aged tobacco flavor. Hits the spot any time of the day and is especially good with DogWatch Dark coffee from BlackDogCoffee.net. Dark Side - - No Dark Side this week. What else have you been smokin' Dale? I received an email asking what my “normal” week’s worth of cigars looks like. I’m sure my cigar weeks are anything but normal, but I kept track of every brand of cigar I smoked this week. Some I smoked several of, most I smoked just one.......... Tatuaje Havana VI Artisitas- La Requiza #4 - Oliva Serie G Maduro - Cain Daytona - Quesada Tributo - Padron 3000 Maduro - Famous Nic 7000 - Cain Habano - BOTL - Joya de Nicaragua Dark Corojo - Illusione 4/2g Candela - Illusione 888 - Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic 1979 - A.F. Don Carlos #2 - CAO Brazilia - EPC Short Run - J. Fuego Origin - LFD Air Bender - Famous Nic 3000 - Punch Rare Corojo. What else have you been smokin' Bob? Santos de Miami Haven (6x54) from Jameson Cigars - A powerful offering from the La Tradicion Cubana factory in the Dominican Republic made for Jameson Cigars, Brad Mayo. This is really what power is all about in a cigar. No harshness, smooth tobacco flavors with a very slight sweetness to offset the spicy concoction. This is a square pressed (boxed in square forms to preserve the shape) beauty that smokes the way the finest Opus X’s should smoke! Made with all Dominican grown tobaccos with a Havana Corojo wrapper, Criollo ’98 binder, and Corojo and Criollo fillers. A value at $80/box of 10. Cuba Libre One - I opened the humidor the other day and pulled out a cigar that I had been looking at for awhile - the Cuba Libre One (a gift from a fellow cigar enthusiast). At that moment I knew nothing about the cigar having lived in a cave for the last several months. I hesitated slightly as I pulled it from the box. I was looking for a good morning smoke to finish off my coffee and this was an unknown to me, but I clipped the torpedo head and lit up anyway. That was perhaps the best decision I made until later that day I decided to take a break from work by enjoying my third cigar of the day, a Curavari red label. Turns out that Cuba Libre One is a new cigar for 2011 from Nestor Plascencia and the Segovia factory masters. This cigar flooded my palate with bold flavors of coffee, pepper and aged tobaccos with a decidedly umami character. The cigar is well balanced and does not overwhelm with nicotine; a testament to its fine aging. Made with a blend of Nicaraguan ligero from Esteli and Condega with a dual binder of Habano from Jalapa and a spicy leaf from Costa Rica. The wrapper is a slick Honduran ligero that seems to bring the whole thing together. Robust and refined, this will make an excellent addition to your humidor. A mere $80 per box on-line. Punch UpperCut - Did they change this blend? I ask because I find the latest ones much more smokeable than before. A decent cigar that may not meet the expectations of the famed island tobacco it is made from but it is a sweet spicy bundle of joy that pleases my palate morning and night. Maybe these just needed a little more time to settle in to their prime smoking age? What's My Band? - this week's Unbanded Cigar, the Oliva Series V Churchill Extra 7 x 52, was provided by Liz. April Palio Cutter Contest Winner: DJ Shalifoe from Big Bay, Michigan, won the Burl Palio Cutter. Enter the May contest now to win a Classic Black Palio Cutter. Check out the show at www.livestream.com/cigar_radio where the show is broadcast live most Friday evenings at 9 PM EST. Do you have a Herf Line Review? If you call and leave a cigar review on the herf line and it is played on the show, you will receive a DogWatch Cigar Radio patch! You can reach the Herfline at 321-594-4373 - or cigar.radio on Skype. You can also send email to theshow@cigarmedia.tv. Origin of the term HERF: From Cigar Craig, http://cigarcraig.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/the-origin-of-the-word-herf/ Do you have a suggestion for the unbanded cigar of the week? Every week Bob and Dale include an “unbanded cigar” segment in their show in which they smoke a cigar without any markings and give their honest opinions. Bob then opens a sealed envelope and discovers the cigar’s name and manufacturer. If you have suggestions for the "What's My Band?" segment, please send them to liz@cigarmedia.tv. Thanks to Michael Howe for bumpers and special effects in this show. Music provided by the Figurados from their new album, "Lesson Two," and The Surfonics. Please visit our sponsors and let them know you heard about them from DogWatch! Black Dog Coffee: http://www.blackdogcoffee.net/ Cigar Tourism: http://cigartourism.com/ Esencia Cigars: http://www.esenciacigar.com/ Friends of Habanos Cigar Forum: http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/index.php La Palina: http://www.lapalinacigars.com/ La Tradicion Cubana: http://www.tradicion.com/ Miami Cigar and Company: http://www.miamicigarandcompany.com/ Monte Pascoal Cigars: http://www.montepascoalcigars.com Palio Cigar Cutters:http://paliocutters.com/ Primer Mundo Cigars: http://www.primermundocigars.com

This week Dale calculates how many cigars he and Bob have smoked during the 7 years that the DogWatch Cigar Radio podcast has been broadcast. (At 3 cigars per day, they have each smoked about 6,500 stogies - or a little over 600 boxes of cigars together.) Also in this week's show, Bob interviews Brian Berman from Cigar Rights of America (CRA) to update listeners about CRA actvities including the FDA attempts at regulating tobacco. (Click here to learn more.) Brian also answers questions about the inclusion of pipe tobacco in the CRA fight. Liz and Bob discuss how Men Smoke on Mars and Women Smoke on Venus in a special edition of "What's hot? What's not? What's next?" DJ Shalifoe from Big Bay, Michigan is the winner of the Burl Palio Cutter in April's contest. The 2011 edition of the Nestor Miranda Cigar Day is on May 6. Get a free Art Deco from Miami Cigar & Company when you buy ANY cigar from your local authorized retailer. Go to http://vimeo.com/22924205 to learn more. Check out the live show! Go to www.livestream.com/cigar_radio where the show is broadcast live most Friday evenings at 9 PM EST. Cigar of the Week - Pasha from La Palina. Pasha is part of The Family Series from La Palina. The “Pasha” is named for Bill’s father, William S. Paley. As founder and chairman of CBS, William reached into every home in America. It was his interest in promoting the sales of the family cigar company through the use of radio that led him to the broadcasting business. Though known as “The Chairman” at work, he was jokingly known as “Pasha” at home. Size: 7.25 x 50 Wrapper: Ecuador or Costa Rica Binder: Costa Rica Filler: Honduras and Nicaragua Dark Side - - No Dark Side this week. What else have you been smokin' Dale? BOTL by Abe Flores - Corona Gorda Thanks to Rob (patron at Burning Leaf cigar shop) and Justin for gifting me a box of these fabulous cigars! Rich, bold and spicy with deep earthy flavors. Quesada Tributo Julio Robusto - This cigar was released in 2010 in Tribute to the Quesada family members lost in a tragic airplane crash. Wrapper is an Ecuadorian grown hybrid (Habano 2000, Corojo, HVA and Sumatra), the binder is Honduran Ligero and the filler is Jamastran Nicaragua & Domincan Criollo 98 Ligeros. Very rich and earthy, with mouth filling sweet spiciness, cocoa and coffee flavors. The aromas are delightfully herbal and woody. A wonderfully complex & balanced cigar! Cain Maduro 550 Robusto - We’ve talked about thes cigars extensively, so not much to add this week other then they remain consistently well made. Bold flavors, chewy body and outstanding construction. This week the maduro is my favorite, last week it was the Habano. EPC Short Run Delirios - The 2nd release from the new EPC venture, the Short Run is just that - only 1500 boxes of each size (3) were made on the initial run. Nicaraguan & Dominican longfillers wrapped up in a Nicaraguan binder and a gorgeous Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. I love the nutmeg spiciness and core of wood & well fermented tobacco flavors all presented in a creamy, full bodied smoke. The Short run is a bit fuller then EPC’s inaugural cigar What else have you been smokin' Bob? Punch After Dinner Maduro - 7.25x46 version of the basic Punch line, well except it's Maduro. Wrapper is Ecudorian Sumatra; filler is Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Dominican (Piloto Cubano); and the binder is Connecticut Broadleaf. If you like, as I do, a strong flavored cigar without any harshness or bitterness that also comes in at a value price ($78.95 / box of 25) then do yourself and your wallet a favor by trying these out. The flavors are deep and dark with overtones of coffee and chocolate but with an overwhelming aged tobacco flavor. Hits the spot any time of the day for me and is especially good with DogWatch Dark coffee from Black Dog Coffee. Factory: Honduras American Tabaco S. A., Cofradia, Honduras. Partagas Cifuentes Seasonal Blend - Partagas Cifuentes Blend is a limited availability extension to the Partagas portfolio of cigars. It builds upon the legacy of Ramon Cifuentes by introducing a cigar especially blended for the Fall season by Ramon’s protégés, Daniel Nunez and Benji Menendez. Cifuentes Seasonal Blend cigars are medium-to-full bodied, rich in flavor, and use a special Honduran Medio-Tiempo wrapper, as well as Nicaraguan filler and binder tobaccos. A surprisingly good cigar from a large cigar maker. No that’s not fair but it is true, this cigar has wonderful flavor IF you like a lighter cigar. Some do not like it as it is lighter but I find it is a great way to start the day with a cup of very strong coffee or very weak coffee if that’s what you are in to. Wrapper: Honduran Medio Tiempo Filler: Nicaraguan Binder: Nicaraguan Country: Dominican Republic Factory: General Cigar Dominicana $77 to $85 per box Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series Maduro Monarca What's My Band? - this week's Unbanded Cigar, the La Flor Dominicana Careroon Cabinet Lancero (a non-production cigar), was provided by Carl Holtman. March Palio Cutter Contest Winner: Darren Powell from Urbana, Illinois, won the black carbon fiber Palio Cutter. Enter the April contest now to win a Burl Palio Cutter. Check out the show at www.livestream.com/cigar_radio where the show is broadcast live most Friday evenings at 9 PM EST. Do you have a Herf Line Review? If you call and leave a cigar review on the herf line and it is played on the show, you will receive a DogWatch Cigar Radio patch! You can reach the Herfline at 321-594-4373 - or cigar.radio on Skype. You can also send email to theshow@cigarmedia.tv. Origin of the term HERF: From Cigar Craig, http://cigarcraig.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/the-origin-of-the-word-herf/ Do you have a suggestion for the unbanded cigar of the week? Every week Bob and Dale include an “unbanded cigar” segment in their show in which they smoke a cigar without any markings and give their honest opinions. Bob then opens a sealed envelope and discovers the cigar’s name and manufacturer. If you have suggestions for the "What's My Band?" segment, please send them to liz@cigarmedia.tv. Thanks to Michael Howe for bumpers and special effects in this show. Music provided by the Figurados from their new album, "Lesson Two," and The Surfonics. Please visit our sponsors and let them know you heard about them from DogWatch! Black Dog Coffee: http://www.blackdogcoffee.net/ Cigar Tourism: http://cigartourism.com/ Esencia Cigars: http://www.esenciacigar.com/ Friends of Habanos Cigar Forum: http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/index.php La Palina: http://www.lapalinacigars.com/ La Tradicion Cubana: http://www.tradicion.com/ Miami Cigar and Company: http://www.miamicigarandcompany.com/ Monte Pascoal Cigars: http://www.montepascoalcigars.com Palio Cigar Cutters:http://paliocutters.com/ Primer Mundo Cigars: http://www.primermundocigars.com

This week Bob interviews Abe Flores about Pinar del Rio cigars. Bob and Dale discuss cigar rituals, the New York City outdoor smoking ban, and the upcoming Studio Tobac Tour. They also field several chat room questions from listeners viewing the show at www.livestream.com/cigar_radio (where the show is broadcast live most Friday evenings at 9 PM EST). Thanks goes out to Adam Zilinski from Canada for providing this week's unbanded, the Gran Habano SLS 3 Salomones. Cigar of the Week - Pinar del Rio 1878 Cubano Especial Capa Natural Darkside - HOYO DE MONTERREY LE HOYO DU DEPUTE Length: 110mm (4.3”) Ring Gauge: 38 One of the 7 Global Brands (as defined by Habanos SA), HdM is made to be a lighter character cigar. The Du Depute is a Trabucos vitola, more commonly referred to as a Short Panatela, and is a pre-1960’s release. No longer sold in the slide lid box of 50 or in the cardboard 5 pack, they only come in boxes of 25 today due to Habanos SA tightening their portfolio. What else have you been smokin' Dale? Romeo y Julietta 1875 Reserve Toro - 56 x 6” From the Flor de Copan factory in Honduras, the filler is Honduran & Nicaraguan, the binder is Nicaraguan and the wrapper is Honduran. This stick is a couple of notches above the regular RyJ line in richness and smoothness. A very good cigar that should be re-visited if you like earthy flavors surrounded with some complexity of mild spice, vanilla and hearty herbal notes. Esteban Carreras 5150 Toro - 50 x 6” The binder and filler all come from Corojo tobacco grown in Nicaragua and the cigar is covered in an Ecuadorian Sumatra leaf that is dark brown & silky. Medium bodied with wood, spice and some fruity sweetness (pears came to mind). I’ve had several of these now and all exhibit great construction, perfect draw and an even burn. The price is right too - the 5150 and it’s companion release, the 187 are around $5-$6 - a good value! Ernesto Perez-Carillo new release - This week I’ve smoked another each of two new cigars coming from the new EPC factory in Santiago. They were both toro size, one had a light Ecuadorian wrapper and one a darker Nicaraguan wrapper. No line names had been decided when I picked these up from Yunior Torrez at the EPC factory a few weeks ago. This new line, as with all the EPC cigars exhibit outstanding construction - very firm and even bunches, silky smooth and top grade wrappers and a perfect draw. Deep rich flavors on the savory side of the spectrum from both, with the lighter cigar leaning a bit towards an herbal character, the darker cigar having more developed sweetness and body. Hopefully these will be named and released this summer - I saw a few thousand sitting in the aging room in several sizes. What else have you been smokin' Bob? Jesus Fuego Origen Robusto - wrapper: Brazilian Corojo; binder: Costa Rican Corojo; filler: 1/2 Dominican Corojo, 1/2 Nicaraguan Corojo; price: MSRP $7.00 Padron Anniversary 1964 Romeo y Julietta Viejo Gold Band Box Pressed - Viejo, a recent addition to the Romeo y Julieta family, features a San Andres maduro wrapper and a multi-country blend of fillers. The flavor boasts notes of wood and bread, provides a moderate finish, and is medium in body. Each cigar is box pressed and comes packaged in traditional boxes of 20. Unfortunately I did not like one of two of the cigars that I had. The first one was OK, not a bad smoke and actually pleasant and unassuming though not as complex as they would have you believe. But the second version of this cigar I tried was a difficult smoke and half way through I gave up. No smoke, hard to draw and therefore no flavor. I felt it was a waste of my time. What's My Band? - #951, the Gran Habano SLS 3 Salomones, provided by listener Adam Zilinski. February Palio Cutter Contest Winner: Jared Street from Akron, Ohio, won the silver Palio Cutter. Enter the March contest now to win a carbon Palio Cutter. Do you have a Herf Line Review? If you call and leave a cigar review on the herf line and it is played on the show, you will receive a DogWatch Cigar Radio patch! You can reach the Herfline at 321-594-4373 - or cigar.radio on Skype. You can also send email to theshow@cigarmedia.tv. Origin of the term HERF: From Cigar Craig, http://cigarcraig.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/the-origin-of-the-word-herf/ "Stump the Chumps" Do you have a suggestion for the unbanded cigar of the week? Every week Bob and Dale include an “unbanded cigar” segment in their show in which they smoke a cigar without any markings and give their honest opinions. Bob then opens a sealed envelope and discovers the cigar’s name and manufacturer. If you have suggestions or donations for the "What's My Band?" segment (or as Craig Schneider refers to it, "Stump the Chumps"), please send them to liz@cigarmedia.tv. Music provided by the Figurados from their new album, "Lesson Two," and The Surfonics.

This week, Liz sits in for Dale as co-host of the show. John Richardson of A Little Taste of Cuba is the guest on "What's Hot? What's Not? What's Next?" Next week's show will be broadcast LIVE on November 12th in honor of DogWatch Cigar Radio's 300th show. Go to www.stickam.com/cigar_radio at 9 pm (EST) to watch the show. Don't forget to enter the 300th Show Contest! Send a short written, audio or video statement describing what the show means to you to theshowATcigarmedia.tv. You can also record on the herfline at 321-594-4373 or at cigar.radio on Skype. All submissions must be received by 5 PM (EST), November 11th to be considered for prizes. Bob and Dale want to thank New Havana Cigars, La Aurora Cigars and Brother of the Leaf, LLC for providing the following contest prizes: * A 12-pack of New Havana Cigars Seleccion Limitada by Tatuaje (6 natural and 6 Reserva) * A box of La Aurora 107 Coronas * A gift package from Brothers of the Leaf LLC including a box of Esencia Corona Gordas and an Esencia logo Palio cutter Cigar of the Week - La Gloria Cubana Serie N A sister brand to the critically-acclaimed La Gloria Cubana Serie R® collection, La Gloria Cubana Serie N debuts into a lofty position. This new, four-cigar collection delivers in spades by marrying proprietary Nicaraguan tobacco with the brand’s signature Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper. Through artisanal blending and by employing specific frontmarks to maximize the unique flavor, this stimulating, full-bodied offering is punctuated by spicy notes and balanced to reveal a refined smoke. La Gloria Cubana Serie N is the brainchild of Yuri Guillen (General Cigar Dominicana’s production manager of manufacturing) who developed this new collection in concert with Benji Menendez, Michael Giannini and Rick Rodriguez, collectively known as Team La Gloria Cubana. According to Debo Mukherjee, vice president of cigars for General Cigar, parent company of La Gloria Cubana, “In creating La Gloria Cubana Serie N, our intent was to provide tenured smokers with a flavorful powerhouse of a cigar, one worthy of its pedigree, and I believe we have delivered that in spades. We are confident that consumers will respond to the new taste dimension brought forth by the proprietary Nicaraguan tobacco.” La Gloria Cubana Serie N is sure to capture the attention of tenured smokers, for its fire-engine red, hexagonal wooden box, replete with a gold Serie N logo opens to reveal an eye-catching angular configuration of 24 of the handcrafted cigars. This striking new collection debuted in October with four exciting new frontmarks. The JSB (5 ½” x 54) will be available for a suggested retail price of $6.35 per cigar, while the Rojo frontmark (6 ½” x 46) will sell for $6.20 per cigar. Generoso (5 ¾” x 49) will carry an SRP of $5.95 per cigar, and Glorioso (6 ½” x 58) will sell for $7.00 per cigar. Dark Side - Cohiba Esplendido What else have you been smokin' Bob? Chateau Real - very smooth, medium bodied and a worthy smoke with hints of cedar. NHC Limited Edition Natural - These are classy smokes produced by Pete Johnson and Pepin Garcia. Truly limited to about 500 boxes they are only available at New Havana Cigars. Suggested to me by our own Angry Bill, I finally got a chance to try this outstanding smoke. Comes in a Broadleaf wrapper version as well. Based on the original Tatuaje blend, the Natural sports a Habano wrapper and makes this a perfect match for my Black Dog Coffee. WB Cigars - Produced in Nicaragua for former NFL star and ESPN broadcaster Walter Briggs, this cigar was presented in New Orleans but I did not get my first taste until very recently. It is a smooth blend with sophisticated flavors, so good that I have scheduled a full review during an upcoming episode. Punch Champion - Unusual shaped cigar that has stood up well since it was introduced in 2001 with a blend of Nicaraguan, Dominican and Honduran tobaccos wrapped in a beautiful Sumatra leaf. Considering the price, the unique perfecto shape and bouquet of flavors, this is an outstanding value cigar that competes with any of the higher priced cigars in the market. E.P. Carillo Core Line Encantos - 4 7/8 x 50 - It seems that since completing his contractual obligations to General Cigar (which has practically erased him from the history of La Gloria Cubana), EPC has gained a new excitement for cigars and the art of blending them. Now working with his children (who are successful adults in their own fields) Ernesto and family have produced a line of fine cigars that are not like anything he ever did at LGC. A decidedly modern looking cigar, Core Line features a beautiful Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper with a Nicaraguan binder and a blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican filler. Find 'em, try 'em. El Titan de Bronze Maduro Redemption - Toro - 6 x 52 - Handmade in Miami, Fl with an Ecuadorian wrapper and binder and filler from Nicaragua, this cigar offers consistent quality and wonderful dark flavors of coffee and bitter cocoa in a smooth package that was meant for pleasure. Not sure if this smoke redeems the maker or the smoker but it is a staple in my humidor. Esencia 2008 Corona Gorda - 5 3/8 x 46 - A nicaraguan puro that transports you back in time when cigars came from Cuba, men wore ties to work and women could be wooed. The 2008 LTD is a rare treat that never fails to please. What's My Band? - #936 from Liz; Cabaiguan Corona Extra (from Pete Johnson's line) October Palio Cutter Contest Winner: Carl Holtman from Amarillo, Texas won the gold Palio Cutter. Enter the November contest now to win a carbon fiber Palio Cutter. Do you have a Herf Line Review? If you call and leave a cigar review on the herf line and it is played on the show, you will receive a DogWatch Cigar Radio patch! You can reach the Herfline at 321-594-4373 - or cigar.radio on Skype. You can also send email to theshow@cigarmedia.tv. Origin of the term HERF: From Cigar Craig, http://cigarcraig.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/the-origin-of-the-word-herf/ Do you have a suggestion for the unbanded cigar of the week? Every week Bob and Dale include an “unbanded cigar” segment in their show in which they smoke a cigar without any markings and give their honest opinions. Bob then opens a sealed envelope and discovers the cigar’s name and manufacturer. If you have suggestions for the "What's My Band?" segment, please send them to liz@cigarmedia.tv. Thanks to Michael Howe for bumpers and special effects in this show. Music provided by the Figurados from their new album, "Lesson Two," and The Surfonics.

Regular guest host, Craig Schneider, joins Bob and Dale this week. Bob interviews Bryan White from 13th Floor cigars. The guys offer differing opinions about the Cigar of the Week, the 13th Floor Foundation Series Robusto. Also this week, Dan Welsh, owner of New Havana Cigars is the guest on"What's Hot, What's Not, What's Next." Cigar of the Week - 13th Floor Foundation Series Robusto 13th Floor is a very new cigar from Bryan White. The cigar features a flavorful Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, Ecuadorian binder, and filler from Nicaragua. Bryan worked with Willie Herrera at El Titan de Bronze to develop this cigar. The Foundation Series comes in three sizes: Robusto (5X50), Toro (6x52) and Churchill (7x50). You can follow Bryan on Twitter as smokinonthe13th and the web site is http://www.13thfloorcigars.com/. Dark Side - CUABA DIVINOS Rob from Friends of Habanos has this to say about the Cuaba Divinos: With older siblings like Traditional and Generoso plus parents like Diadema and Salomones....you may think that the baby Divino will carry on the anemic flavour bloodline. Not so. I sit here before you smoking a March 07 Divino and it is a wild child of the highest order. What a mongrel it is. Full of pepper spice and deep rich tobacco. Full bodied powerhouse whose only intention is to smack you in the mouth. How embarassed of its famiy it must be....no doubt it will be seeking a court hearing to disassociate itself from the bland siblings and Brady Bunch parents. Outside of some opening bitter chocolate I got nothing out of this Divino except tobacco, pepper and pain....I am thrilled. Way too young to evaluate but it will be a cracker of a cigar with some time to age. What else have you been smokin' Dale? Hoyo de Monterrey Reposado Robusto, 5.25" x 54 - Packaged in cedar sleeves with a total of 3 bands, this cigar screams up from the shelves "buy me!". The cigars are rested in cedar for 4-6 months while aging, thus the Reposado en Cedros moniker. Medium bodied with an intense cedar aroma and flavor, the cigar is quite pleasant for the first 2/3. Not many other flavors can rise up above that strong cedar woodiness. Room 101 - A more reasonably sized Toro than the monster I had a couple weeks ago. Still strong, but this time with flavor and no harshness. I really enjoyed this one. Liga Privada Flying Pig - the cigar I ended up smoking as my quiet time/birthday cigar. What else have you been smokin' Craig? Tatuaje SW Reserva Maduro - Absolutely excellent experience. Possibly the best Tat I've ever had. Tatuaje Boris - A good cigar with nice 'baking spice' flavors. This has matured and started changing in the year since its release. Not as full flavored as it once was but it is shaping up to be a cigar that performs well with its age. Diamond Crown Maximus Robusto - Lovely honey core with decent strength and terrific flavor. Worth trying. Worth trying AGAIN. What else have you been smokin' Bob? La Herencia Black Label, Red Label, Yellow Label, White Label - Manufactured in Ybor City by a father / son team. (See our interview with Abraham and Roberto on smugmug.) Excellent construction, the cigars range in strength from mild to full but all exhibit soft shoulders from being well blended and aged. Smoke is smooth and flavorful across the line. Also available on-line and Tabacalera Ramirez is now opening a factory in Nicaragua while working to begin distribution across the country. If you are in the Tampa area, stop and say hello and get a deal on some fine cigars. Joya de Nicaragua Classico - Joya de Nicaragua was once an extremely popular cigar here in the US. Then came the Sandinistas and an embargo to suddenly shut off their largest market and their factory. But the people behind JdN were stubborn and they fought to reopen the factory with new ownership and developed new markets around the world to wait out the political whims of their own and our governments. When JdN returned to the US they found their old distribution channels gone and a new generation of smokers that did not recognize the brand. Undeterred, the factory family (jobs are obtained through family members and personal recommendations) drove on creating the Antanos, the multi-wrapper Celebration, and in 2000 a reblend of their flagship, the Classico. Available in five sizes, Churchill, Toro, Lonsdale, Torpedo and my selection the Robusto. This is a mild-medium flavored cigar with a Nicaraguan grown Criollo wrapper. JdN is a finely crafted cigar (some of the rollers have been there for 50 years) that is skillfully aged with great attention to detail and finish. This cigar has been made in the same factory since its introduction in 1963 and by a proud ensemble of workers that fought for the survival of the brand. This pride is evident in every cigar bearing the name. Great aged tobacco flavors with slight leather and nuts. Excellent smoke. Illusione Cuchillos Cubanos - Thanks to Joe Fuller of Fuller's Pullers for sending these out. A mixed filler cigar with nice flavors and a respectable price. Easy recommendation as a value cigar at just over $3 each in five packs. What's My Band? - #927 from Bruce Berg; Punch London Club September Palio Cutter Contest Winner: Kris Allen from Mineral Wells, Tx won the classic black Palio Cutter. Enter the October contest now to win a gold Palio Cutter. Do you have a Herf Line Review? If you call and leave a cigar review on the herf line and it is played on the show, you will receive a DogWatch Cigar Radio patch! You can reach the Herfline at 321-594-4373 - or cigar.radio on Skype. You can also send email to theshow@cigarmedia.tv. Origin of the term HERF: From Cigar Craig, http://cigarcraig.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/the-origin-of-the-word-herf/ Do you have a suggestion for the unbanded cigar of the week? Every week Bob and Dale include an “unbanded cigar” segment in their show in which they smoke a cigar without any markings and give their honest opinions. Bob then opens a sealed envelope and discovers the cigar’s name and manufacturer. If you have suggestions for the "What's My Band?" segment, please send them to liz@cigarmedia.tv. Thanks to Michael Howe for bumpers and special effects in this show. Music provided by the Figurados from their new album, "Lesson Two," and The Surfonics.

The Cigar of the Week is the Ambos Mundos No.1 Robusto. The newest cigar line from Pete Johnson/Tatuaje is positioned to fit in the value end of the cigar spectrum. The line consists of 2 versions, each with a distinctly different wrapper. The No. 1 uses a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper, the No. 2 uses a Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. They both use Nicaragua long filler & binder. Currently each is available in a Robusto and a Toro size. The translation of Ambos Mundos is “both worlds”. The phrase is probably most famous for the hotel of the same name in Cuba where Ernest Hemingway did some writing. The tobaccos selected for this blend are the same as in the other Tatuaje lines, however they are not the Grade A tobaccos. These tobaccos would be graded B or perhaps C due to coloration, texture or similar reasons, yet they will deliver similar taste and performance to the grade A selections. The advantage to the smoker is lower price in a long filler cigar. Perdomo is joining the ranks of cigar makers who are absorbing the SCHIP tax. Remember these folks when you go to spend your money on cigars! What's my Band? Bob smokes a Viaje Oro Fuerza, Dale attempts a Savinelli Nicaragua Reserve. On the Dark Side - Marca - Juan Lopez, Frontmark - Seleccion No. 2, Vitola - Robusto, Box code SMG ABR 08, 124 mm (4.8") x 50 ring gauge - The Juan Lopez line was founded in 1876 by Juan Lopez Diaz. It's one of the minor brands, but with all handmade vitolas exhibiting excellent workmanship. As a line, Juan Lopez is thought of as med-full flavored with a characteristic aroma all it's own. Heather Haddad joins us for the What Else segment! The guys & Heather review Avalon Juke Ebony Figurado & Avalon Hellbound Mojo. Also, Adrian Spicy Sumatra and Esteban Carreras 10 Anos. A herfline submission from Cody on the Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic. The winner of the European Cigar Cult Journal one year subscription is Steven Boyd. Opening theme music provided by 25 Smokin' Figurados from their album Divine Spirits, Holy Smoke. Closing theme Longboard Cowboy provided by The Surfonics.