Podcasts about general cigar

Cohiba was one of the brands of General Cigar making a return at PCA 2024 for the first time in five years. The brand has maintained its status as General Cigar's most ultra-premium offering. This year saw Cohiba bring two new releases to the trade show. The first is an all-new brand under the Cohiba M umbrella, the Reserva Roja. Meanwhile the second saw General deliver its first lancero for Cohiba with the Cohiba Riviera Lancero. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sqM  

Cohiba was one of the brands of General Cigar making a return at PCA 2024 for the first time in five years. The brand has maintained its status as General Cigar's most ultra-premium offering. This year saw Cohiba bring two new releases to the trade show. The first is an all-new brand under the Cohiba M umbrella, the Reserva Roja. Meanwhile the second saw General deliver its first lancero for Cohiba with the Cohiba Riviera Lancero. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sqM

The 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show saw the return of General Cigar's Macanudo brand. It had been five years since Macanudo had a presence at a Trade Show, but they were back on the big stage thanks to General's return to PCA. Over the past few years, Macanudo has certainly seen quite a bit of innovation. This was first seen with the Inspirado series, but things have gone to another level in the past couple of years. Perhaps there was no better example of this than the Macanudo Emissary España launch, a cigar incorporating tobacco from Spain. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sqh

The 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show saw the return of General Cigar's Macanudo brand. It had been five years since Macanudo had a presence at a Trade Show, but they were back on the big stage thanks to General's return to PCA. Over the past few years, Macanudo has certainly seen quite a bit of innovation. This was first seen with the Inspirado series, but things have gone to another level in the past couple of years. Perhaps there was no better example of this than the Macanudo Emissary España launch, a cigar incorporating tobacco from Spain. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sqh

This year Sancho Panza was one of the featured brands at the General Cigar Booth at the 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. It was two years ago when General Cigar would relaunch the Sancho Panza brand. The brand was given new blends and a new image thanks to the collective efforts of Matt Booth and Justin Andrews. Since then Sancho Panza has continued to grow - releasing a limited edition and even a TAA cigar. This year, Matt and Justin were at PCA and they were launching the fourth regular production line under Sancho Panza - the Sancho Panza Extra Chido. What's different about this cigar is this is the first Sancho Panza cigar produced out of General Cigar Dominicana in the Dominican Republic. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sn8  

This year Sancho Panza was one of the featured brands at the General Cigar Booth at the 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. It was two years ago when General Cigar would relaunch the Sancho Panza brand. The brand was given new blends and a new image thanks to the collective efforts of Matt Booth and Justin Andrews. Since then Sancho Panza has continued to grow - releasing a limited edition and even a TAA cigar. This year, Matt and Justin were at PCA and they were launching the fourth regular production line under Sancho Panza - the Sancho Panza Extra Chido. What's different about this cigar is this is the first Sancho Panza cigar produced out of General Cigar Dominicana in the Dominican Republic. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-sn8

Recorded at Ten86 Lounge in Hawthorne, New Jersey, the lizards pair the CAO BX3 in Robusto with Peroni and Stella Artois Non-Alcoholic beers. The guys do a deep dive on CAO history and marketing decisions, they recap the Fuente and General Cigar lawsuit over this cigar line, Rooster visits Canada and Senator goes to a surprising movie.Join the Lounge Lizards for a weekly discussion on all things cigars (both Cuban and non-Cuban), whiskey, food, travel, life and work. This is your formal invitation to join us in a relaxing discussion amongst friends and become a card-carrying Lounge Lizard yourself. This is not your typical cigar podcast. We're a group of friends who love sharing cigars, whiskey and a good laugh.website/merch/rating archive: loungelizardspod.comemail: hello@loungelizardspod.com to join the conversation and be featured on an upcoming episode!instagram: @loungelizardspod

The 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was the second one for West Tampa Cigar Company. This venture started a little over a year ago and is a company owned by General Cigar Company alumni Rick Rodriguez and Gus Martinez. The eve of the Trade Show saw West Tampa announce another General Cigar alumni, Rami Dakko, would be its new Director of Sales. This was a move that continues to strengthen West Tampa's presence in the market. On the product front, West Tampa Tobacco would go into this year's Trade Show having just shipped its third regular production line, the West Tampa Tobacco Red. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q4z  

The 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was the second one for West Tampa Cigar Company. This venture started a little over a year ago and is a company owned by General Cigar Company alumni Rick Rodriguez and Gus Martinez. The eve of the Trade Show saw West Tampa announce another General Cigar alumni, Rami Dakko, would be its new Director of Sales. This was a move that continues to strengthen West Tampa's presence in the market. On the product front, West Tampa Tobacco would go into this year's Trade Show having just shipped its third regular production line, the West Tampa Tobacco Red. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q4z

One of the more remarkable stories in the cigar industry over the past six years has been the Diesel brand of cigars. Diesel is a brand that was initially a catalog brand developed in collaboration with AJ Fernandez. In 2017, the decision was made to transition Diesel to a brick-and-mortar line under the General Cigar portfolio. At the time, Justin Andrews was tasked to make this transition happen. Since then, the portfolio has introduced several regular production and limited edition releases. The 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was the fourth one for Diesel. It's the first time the brand has been at PCA/IPCPR since 2019. It is also the first time Diesel was showcased at PCA/IPCPR under the Forged Cigar Company banner. This year, the focus was on a new regular production line, the Diesel Vintage Series. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q2b

One of the more remarkable stories in the cigar industry over the past six years has been the Diesel brand of cigars. Diesel is a brand that was initially a catalog brand developed in collaboration with AJ Fernandez. In 2017, the decision was made to transition Diesel to a brick-and-mortar line under the General Cigar portfolio. At the time, Justin Andrews was tasked to make this transition happen. Since then, the portfolio has introduced several regular production and limited edition releases. The 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was the fourth one for Diesel. It's the first time the brand has been at PCA/IPCPR since 2019. It is also the first time Diesel was showcased at PCA/IPCPR under the Forged Cigar Company banner. This year, the focus was on a new regular production line, the Diesel Vintage Series. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q2b

For many years, General Cigar has been producing cigars under the name “Cohiba”. However, in 1997, the Cuban cigar conglomerate filed a lawsuit against General Cigar, claiming that they had a history of the Cohiba name and its trademark dating back to 1929. Since then, the case has been bouncing back and forth between the courts, and finally, in December of 2020, the Trademark Commission found in favor of the Cuban cigar conglomerate. This ruling meant that General Cigar no longer had a trademark on the name “Cohiba."

Welcome to episode 279 of the Cigar Hustlers Podcast. In this episode, we have some top stories to share with you from the world of cigars.   First up, we have news that Altadis U.S.A., Drew Estate, and General Cigar will be exhibiting at PCA 2024. This is a big deal for the industry, as these three companies are some of the biggest players in the cigar world.   In other news, Florida Sun Grown's tobacco crop has been destroyed by hail. This is a huge setback for the company, as they are known for their high-quality tobacco. We'll be keeping an eye on this story as it develops.   Next, we have news that Drew Estate has honored Best Cigar Prices' Allan Blatt with a new Acid ode to Blatt. This is a great tribute to someone who has made a big contribution to the industry.   And finally, we have some sad news to share. Our beloved Phil got lost in Nicaragua while filming a jeep safari documentary. We hope he's safe and sound and will keep you updated on his whereabouts.   That's not all for this episode of the Cigar Hustlers Podcast. Thanks for tuning in, and we'll see you next time.  

“We tease him a lot because we got him on the spot”. Tonight, its Welcome Back Justin – Justin Andrews of Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG). This is the second of two shows around our 6 year anniversary!  There is plenty to talk about with Justin on the happenings of brands of both General Cigar and Forged Cigar Company. We'll get the skinny on the collaborations, the acquisitions, and product innovations under the STG umbrella. Plus we will have our Cattle Baron Steak Question of the Night, Tabacalera USA Ties That Bind, Alec Bradley Live True, and the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Deliberation segments. We will also debut a new segment tonight the Espinosa “This Day in Sports History”.

“We tease him a lot because we got him on the spot”. Tonight, its Welcome Back Justin – Justin Andrews of Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG). This is the second of two shows around our 6 year anniversary!  There is plenty to talk about with Justin on the happenings of brands of both General Cigar and Forged Cigar Company. We'll get the skinny on the collaborations, the acquisitions, and product innovations under the STG umbrella. Plus we will have our Cattle Baron Steak Question of the Night, Tabacalera USA Ties That Bind, Alec Bradley Live True, and the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Deliberation segments. We will also debut a new segment tonight the Espinosa “This Day in Sports History”.

One of the first CAO cigars to be made in the Dominican Republic in over a decade, the Session series is a collaborative effort between Rodriguez and Yuri Guillen, long-time factory manager at CAO-parent company General Cigar's operations in the Dominican Republic. You can read this review and many more at: https://boxpressd.app/articles

One of the more anticipated new companies that were exhibiting at the 2022 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was West Tampa Tobacco Company. The company is a partnership between two former General Cigar Company employees, Rick Rodriguez and Gus Martinez. In particular, Rick is known for his decade as the blender and ambassador for CAO Cigars. This Spring, it was announced that Rodriguez was "retiring" from General Cigar, but it didn't take long for him to surface - this time with his own venture with West Tampa Tobacco Company. Family was a big theme for Rodriguez, as West Tampa Tobacco now allowed him to work with his daughter. While Rodriguez got accustomed to working with some for the biggest cigar factories in the world, he had an opportunity to work with the very small Garmendia Cigar Co. Factory. Rodriguez was intrigued with partnering with a factory that he could se grow and impact the families of the people who work there. From that factory come two blends - West Tampa Black and West Tampa White. PCA 2022 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-nkM  

One of the more anticipated new companies that were exhibiting at the 2022 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was West Tampa Tobacco Company. The company is a partnership between two former General Cigar Company employees, Rick Rodriguez and Gus Martinez. In particular, Rick is known for his decade as the blender and ambassador for CAO Cigars. This Spring, it was announced that Rodriguez was "retiring" from General Cigar, but it didn't take long for him to surface - this time with his own venture with West Tampa Tobacco Company. Family was a big theme for Rodriguez, as West Tampa Tobacco now allowed him to work with his daughter. While Rodriguez got accustomed to working with some for the biggest cigar factories in the world, he had an opportunity to work with the very small Garmendia Cigar Co. Factory. Rodriguez was intrigued with partnering with a factory that he could se grow and impact the families of the people who work there. From that factory come two blends - West Tampa Black and West Tampa White. PCA 2022 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-nkM  

Brought to you by J.C. Newman - This week, Matt and Jon join forces to talk bout the 2022 PCA Trade Show and Convention. They recap what they liked and disliked, what changes the PCA should make and the potential for the "Big Four" to return. They also talk about the potential for the relocation of the show to New Orleans.  Jon gets into the current legal battle between Arturo Fuente and General Cigar over the use of the "X" on the CAO band. Matt showcases some photos from the PCA trade show and Jon gets more in depth over the new cigars and ashtrays that LFD showcased at the show. He also went over how they as a company performed. Matt and Jon later discussed some of the other brands that showcased some interesting products. Don't forget to Like and Subscribe and head over to www.smokintabacco.com for more coverage of the 2022 PCA Trade Show and the news and updates from the industry.

Jim “The Price is Right” joins us for a special Forged Cigar episode. We learn about the Forged lines from General Cigar. The Hidden Herf is a great new cigar that all the panel enjoys. “The Duster” coat is explained and we get an AMA (ask-me-anyhing) challenge from Matty the Magnificent on the flat earth … Continue reading "Episode 237: Forged with Jim Price – Local Spotlight: Plaistow Cigar; Plaistow, NH"

I've become more of a medium-bodied cigar smoker over the past 4 or 5 years, and a larger part of that has been Connecticut wrapper cigars.  One of my all time favorites was the Balmoral Anejo XO Connecticut (RIP) which was, sadly, discontinued after General Cigar acquire their parent company, Royal Agio, a few years back.  I'm still quite bitter about this, but life goes on.  I smoked those almost every day which meant I needed to find a replacement.  One of my goes to Connecticut cigars before the Balmoral was the EP Carrillo New Wave Connecticut and New Wave Reserva, so I started to smoke more of those.  My friend Nimmer Ahmad of Valacari Cigars mentioned to me that he was redoing his Connecticut Shade cigar and asked if I would like to try some samples and help find the next Valacari Connecticut cigar.  After many, many samples, we finally decided on what today is called The Messenger.  It took me a long time to decide to review this cigar.  My thinking was that since I had a hand in deciding which blend to use, that it seemed unfair to rate it.  Many people have noticed me smoking them, especially on my Instagram account, and have asked about them.  That made me decide to go ahead a do the review.  If you think that would make me bias, just listen to my description and ignore the rating.  Either way, enjoy the video and pick some of these up when you get a chance.   Wrapper:  Ecuadorian Connecticut Binder:  Nicaraguan Filler:  Nicaraguan from Jalapa, Condega & Ometepe Vitola:  Robusto Extra Size:  5 1/2 x 54 Price:  $8.00/Mazo of 10 $80.00 Final Score:  93

I've become more of a medium-bodied cigar smoker over the past 4 or 5 years, and a larger part of that has been Connecticut wrapper cigars.  One of my all time favorites was the Balmoral Anejo XO Connecticut (RIP) which was, sadly, discontinued after General Cigar acquire their parent company, Royal Agio, a few years back.  I'm still quite bitter about this, but life goes on.  I smoked those almost every day which meant I needed to find a replacement.  One of my goes to Connecticut cigars before the Balmoral was the EP Carrillo New Wave Connecticut and New Wave Reserva, so I started to smoke more of those.  My friend Nimmer Ahmad of Valacari Cigars mentioned to me that he was redoing his Connecticut Shade cigar and asked if I would like to try some samples and help find the next Valacari Connecticut cigar.  After many, many samples, we finally decided on what today is called The Messenger.  It took me a long time to decide to review this cigar.  My thinking was that since I had a hand in deciding which blend to use, that it seemed unfair to rate it.  Many people have noticed me smoking them, especially on my Instagram account, and have asked about them.  That made me decide to go ahead a do the review.  If you think that would make me bias, just listen to my description and ignore the rating.  Either way, enjoy the video and pick some of these up when you get a chance.   Wrapper:  Ecuadorian Connecticut Binder:  Nicaraguan Filler:  Nicaraguan from Jalapa, Condega & Ometepe Vitola:  Robusto Extra Size:  5 1/2 x 54 Price:  $8.00/Mazo of 10 $80.00 Final Score:  93

Coming in at #29 is the Warzone Box Pressed Short Churchill. In 2019, Espinosa Cigars joined forces with General Cigar Company to create a cigar known as Warzone. The cigar is one that is produced at Espinosa's La Zona factory but sold and distributed by General. The 2019 release was done in two sizes: Robusto and Toro. In 2020, General and Espinosa would unveil a new size into the line in the form of a 6 1/2 x 48 box-pressed Short Churchill. The name Warzone was inspired by the Ten Years War – a war fought in Cuba between Cuba and Spain as a part of Cuba's overall fight for independence from Spain. Espinosa Cigars is probably best known for producing Habano-wrapped blends over all-Nicaraguan tobaccos. With Warzone, the La Zona factory delivers its first major Cameroon wrapped line. The remainder of the blend utilizes a Honduran binder and Colombian and Nicaraguan fillers. The Colombian filler is something that La Zona is not known to work with either.  Adding box-pressed extensions is something Espinosa Cigars does often, and the 6 1/2 x 48 size has been one Espinosa has used on many other lines over the years. The Warzone Box Pressed Short Churchill delivers flavors of coffee bean, wood, fruit, cream, and pepper. These flavors are medium-bodied and countered by medium strength. This cigar will deliver the sweetness Cameroon is known for with enough spice to give you the Espinosa "bite." The Warzone Box Pressed Churchill is the ninth time General Cigar (the company selling the brand is what we track) has landed on the Countdown. Over the years various brands within the General portfolio landed cigars on the Countdown, but it's the first time Warzone has landed on it. It's also the sixth consecutive appearance for General Cigar on the 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-lyA

Coming in at #29 is the Warzone Box Pressed Short Churchill. In 2019, Espinosa Cigars joined forces with General Cigar Company to create a cigar known as Warzone. The cigar is one that is produced at Espinosa's La Zona factory but sold and distributed by General. The 2019 release was done in two sizes: Robusto and Toro. In 2020, General and Espinosa would unveil a new size into the line in the form of a 6 1/2 x 48 box-pressed Short Churchill. The name Warzone was inspired by the Ten Years War – a war fought in Cuba between Cuba and Spain as a part of Cuba's overall fight for independence from Spain. Espinosa Cigars is probably best known for producing Habano-wrapped blends over all-Nicaraguan tobaccos. With Warzone, the La Zona factory delivers its first major Cameroon wrapped line. The remainder of the blend utilizes a Honduran binder and Colombian and Nicaraguan fillers. The Colombian filler is something that La Zona is not known to work with either.  Adding box-pressed extensions is something Espinosa Cigars does often, and the 6 1/2 x 48 size has been one Espinosa has used on many other lines over the years. The Warzone Box Pressed Short Churchill delivers flavors of coffee bean, wood, fruit, cream, and pepper. These flavors are medium-bodied and countered by medium strength. This cigar will deliver the sweetness Cameroon is known for with enough spice to give you the Espinosa "bite." The Warzone Box Pressed Churchill is the ninth time General Cigar (the company selling the brand is what we track) has landed on the Countdown. Over the years various brands within the General portfolio landed cigars on the Countdown, but it's the first time Warzone has landed on it. It's also the sixth consecutive appearance for General Cigar on the 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-lyA

Inflation is going up, up, up despite what the Fed will tell you, the Salt BAE had visitors from a communist country who had loads of cash while their people starve and part 2 of my conversation with Steve Abbott from General Cigar in charge of the Macanudo and La Gloria Cubana cigar lines.

The 'Red Wave' is here as evidenced in Tuesday's election results, Al Gore and Greta Thunberg beating the drum of the Climate Change Hoax once again, Meghan Markle still using a title she gave up and part 1 of our Cigar Masters Series interview with Steve Abbott, Senior Brand Ambassador for General Cigar overseeing the Macanudo and La Gloria Cubana cigar lines.

Cigar Dave is once again joined by Ed Lahmann, Senior Brand Manager for General Cigar, to discuss the latest in cigars from CAO Cigars and Punch Cigars.

Cigar Dave is joined by Ed Lahmann, Senior Brand Manager for General Cigar, as they discuss his background in the Premium Cigar Industry, they smoke the Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Black and discuss other cigars in the Hoyo de Monterrey line.

Join us on the podcast as we welcome back our main man Rusty from General Cigar! We smoke some macanudo product paired against a few total wine barrel picks, and discuss all kinds of fun news, history, and points of view on the industry through the years! Kick back grab a smoke and a dram and lets get to chillen!!!!! CHHHEEEEHHHEEEEEEE

Which post-pandemic Millennial food and beverage trends are the folks at Moosylvania tracking? Join Moosylvania chief strategy officer Andrew Cohen as he discusses what's changed and what's stayed the same with America's darling cohort in the wake of the pandemic. Cohen argues Millennials in the past wanted to look good, feel good, be entertained; now, Millennials tend to focus on being themselves, finding products tailored to their interests and likes, and looking at the larger world. Additionally, Cohen explains some movement on his company's Millennial 100 study, and what brands advanced during the pandemic. Hosted By: Chris Campbell More About Andrew Cohen: Andrew has spent 8 years at Moosylvania since achieving his MBA from Babson College. His past few years have been spent overseeing all social and digital campaigns for clients like Steaz, General Cigar, Gallo, Enterprise and Scrubs & Beyond. With a focus on setting strategic goals both internally and externally, Andrew believes in being relentlessly solution-focused and pushing teams to find their next gear. He's also been a key leader within the culture of our agency and the ever-changing marketing climate, providing continual thought leadership and a platform for change. More About Moosylvania: Everyone has an option to join your brand. Moosylvania makes them want to. We're a full-service integrated agency that builds brand communities through two-way participation, turning one-time purchasers into lifelong fans. We find adoption comes from brands that offer emotional value beyond their products. Our work is driven by an understanding of Millennial behavior and the connections they have with brands. Our Top 100 Millennial Brands is the culmination of our research and has been featured in The New York Times, Adweek, Forbes and more. Our client roster includes PayPal, Gallo Wine & Spirits, General Cigar, Sapporo, Venmo and Assa Abloy. To learn more about Moosylvania, please visit: https://moosylvania.com/

This week, we remember Howard Smith a longtime broker for Villazon, Miami Cigar and General Cigar. He was an old school guy. Things are changing for cigar reps. Are their days numbered? The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at https://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

On our week 2 of our classics month, we are joined by Rusty McAulay, the Premium sales manager in the Midwest for General Cigar Co. We smoke the new LE MOTOR COIL, which was absolutely amazing. Ill leave one comment on that, FIG NEWTON. Episode will show you the rest. We pair a few fun and new bourbons, rye, and other things. Great history, insight, and new fun coming from General Cigar Co.

Tonight we continue our look at the personalities behind General Cigar as we welcome Rick Rodriguez of CAO Cigars. Rick has a dual role at CAO as he is both the blender and ambassador for the brand. Rick’s had a unique story on how he moved into this role at General Cigar and tonight we will learn about it – as well as catch up on the happenings at CAO. We will also look at what makes Rick “Live True” and in our Deliberation Segment, we will take a look at Cigar of the Month (COTM) clubs.

Tonight we continue our look at the personalities behind General Cigar as we welcome Rick Rodriguez of CAO Cigars. Rick has a dual role at CAO as he is both the blender and ambassador for the brand. Rick’s had a unique story on how he moved into this role at General Cigar and tonight we will learn about it – as well as catch up on the happenings at CAO. We will also look at what makes Rick “Live True” and in our Deliberation Segment, we will take a look at Cigar of the Month (COTM) clubs.

Me and the crew Ty Johnson, T Ray, sit down with Rami one of the greatest cigar reps in this business and we discuss cigars and whats going in the General Cigar aka Cigar World. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/kev-stone3/support

On Episode 147, we continue to meet the people behind General Cigar Company, and tonight we’re honored to welcome Ed Lahmann, who manages the Honduran brands under General Cigar. Ed’s the Senior brand manager of two brands that are staples in the cigar world – Punch and Hoyo de Monterrey. We’ll discuss the history and the direction of these brands. Plus we will discuss bourbons in our Live True segment, and Aaron and Coop have a couple of deliberations to wrap up the show. References Stogie Press “Must Try” Series – Nicaraguan Cigars How Bout That Cigar LIVE - Industry Hive Mind

On Episode 147, we continue to meet the people behind General Cigar Company, and tonight we’re honored to welcome Ed Lahmann, who manages the Honduran brands under General Cigar. Ed’s the Senior brand manager of two brands that are staples in the cigar world – Punch and Hoyo de Monterrey. We’ll discuss the history and the direction of these brands. Plus we will discuss bourbons in our Live True segment, and Aaron and Coop have a couple of deliberations to wrap up the show. References Stogie Press “Must Try” Series – Nicaraguan Cigars How Bout That Cigar LIVE - Industry Hive Mind

Cigar Dave is joined by Macanudo Brand Ambassador Laurel Tilley to discuss her background and how she got to General Cigar, the history of the Macanudo brand and thoughts on some of their cigars including the Macanudo Cafe, the Inspirado line including the new Inspirado Green which Cigar Dave Officers Club members have already received before it's released to the general public. The Cigar Dave Podcast is presented by Davidoff of Geneva who is reintroducing the Avo Classic Maduro available at davidoffgeneva.com and by Gurkha, the world's finest cigars including the Gurkha Nicaraguan series available at gurkhacigars.com

Cigar Dave is joined by Macanudo Brand Ambassador Laurel Tilley to discuss her background and how she got to General Cigar, the history of the Macanudo brand and thoughts on some of their cigars including the Macanudo Cafe, the Inspirado line including the new Inspirado Green which Cigar Dave Officers Club members have already received before it's released to the general public. The Cigar Dave Podcast is presented by Davidoff of Geneva who is reintroducing the Avo Classic Maduro available at davidoffgeneva.com and by Gurkha, the world's finest cigars including the Gurkha Nicaraguan series available at gurkhacigars.com

For Prime Time Episode 135, we welcome Sean Williams, the brand ambassador of General Cigars’ Cohiba brand. Sean is a long-time industry veteran, founding a company called Primer Mundo Cigars before coming to General Cigar in 2017. We’ll look at Sean’s journey on how he got to General, and we will talk about what’s happening at Cohiba. References The Tobacconist: Your Own “Top 25” List Is More Valuable than Theirs, PCA - The Magazine

For Prime Time Episode 135, we welcome Sean Williams, the brand ambassador of General Cigars’ Cohiba brand. Sean is a long-time industry veteran, founding a company called Primer Mundo Cigars before coming to General Cigar in 2017. We’ll look at Sean’s journey on how he got to General, and we will talk about what’s happening at Cohiba. References The Tobacconist: Your Own “Top 25” List Is More Valuable than Theirs, PCA - The Magazine  

On Special Edition #72, Justin Andrews of General Cigar Company is our special guest. Over the past few years, Justin has been involved in some key projects over at General Cigar including the growth of the Diesel brand and the War Zone collaboration. We’ll talk with Justin about these projects and a whole lot more.

On Special Edition #72, Justin Andrews of General Cigar Company is our special guest. Over the past few years, Justin has been involved in some key projects over at General Cigar including the growth of the Diesel brand and the War Zone collaboration. We’ll talk with Justin about these projects and a whole lot more.

Rami Dakko from General Cigar Co. is our show guest

Friday January 10th marks a day almost like no other in the cigar industry. News hit that 4 of the largest cigar manufacturers (Drew Estate, Davidoff, General Cigar and Altadis) are not attending the Premium Cigar Association trade show in Vegas this coming summer. This development could have massive effects on the cigar industries largest and longest running trade show. Sensei and Jordan are joined by Robby Rasmussen and Randy Griggs to discuss and digest this shocking development.

Hollis and I are joined by Rami Dakko, rep from General Cigar! Great conversations and debates about the team, the integrity of the league, and even a little Flyers and Sixers! Listen in and make sure you stop in to the Wooden Indian Tobacco Shop at 95 S Eagle Road in Havertown!! You can shop 24/7 at WoodenIndianTobacco.com!!

Happy Independence Day Weekend as we take some needed R&R after the Premium Cigar Association Convention last week with an encore presentation from the first half of 2019 including highlights from Cinco de Mayo Tequila Tasting, St. Patrick's Day 'Erin Go Bragh' Irish Whiskey Tasting, Sun 'n Fun International Expo and Fly-In and conversations from our Cigar Masters Series including Alec Bradley, Drew Estate, General Cigar and Gurkha Cigars.

On Episode 96, Justin Andrews, Senior Brand Manager at General Cigar is our special guest! Justin’s involved with one of the most exciting projects at General, Diesel – and he is working with the one and only A.J. Fernandez. We’ll catch up with him and talk plenty of tobacco.  In our Alec Bradley Live True segment, we will talk a little baseball with Justin. Finally, Justin, Aaron and Coop will hit a variety of industry topics in our Deliberation Segment.

On Episode 96, Justin Andrews, Senior Brand Manager at General Cigar is our special guest! Justin’s involved with one of the most exciting projects at General, Diesel – and he is working with the one and only A.J. Fernandez. We’ll catch up with him and talk plenty of tobacco.  In our Alec Bradley Live True segment, we will talk a little baseball with Justin. Finally, Justin, Aaron and Coop will hit a variety of industry topics in our Deliberation Segment.

Staring at boobs can help you live longer, the Norwegian Health Minister uses common sense to not tell adults how to live, the Enemies of Pleasure are now coming after all bags and your clothes to fight climate change, the FDA enacts de facto prohibition by pushing business to not sell cigars to those under 21 and in our Cigar Masters Series we talk with Ed Lahmann from General Cigar about Hoyo de Monterrey, Punch cigars and more.

Episode 177 of Smoke Night LIVE will feature Jack Toraño who has just been announced as the new Director of Sales for Espinosa Premium Cigars. Jack’s recent exit from General Cigar was the big news before Christmas so we will get all the details from Jack on his career shift.

Rick Rodriguez dropped by Cigar Snob HQ for an interview. Rick is the blender and ambassador at CAO Cigars, the General Cigar brand known for products like Flathead and Pilón, among others. Unlike so many other blenders, Rick came into his role from the sales side of the business. We talked about how he got his start, what it was like learning to blend with a cigar legend, and what’s on the horizon for the CAO brand. Music in this episode: "BossaBossa" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Founding Family Member and Brand Ambassador of Torano Cigar's takes time out of his busy schedule to talk with us. Jack Toraño is full-time brand ambassador for Toraño Cigars. In this new role, Jack will appear at events in strategic markets as the face of the brand. Along with sharing the history of Toraño cigars, Jack will also help in shaping General Cigar’s event marketing strategy and development of event activations and marketing platforms for the brand. “Jack began working with us last year to develop Toraño at retail and has made great strides in generating excitement for the brand,” said Régis Broersma, president of General Cigar. “We are pleased to have him as a full-time member of our marketing team and look forward to working with him to deepen retailer and consumer engagement around this important brand.” Prior to his new position at General Cigar, Jack Toraño lived in Miami, Florida, where he was heavily involved in promoting the Toraño brands. He has history in marketing, working in Chicago within the jingle business. He was involved in the the famous Anheuser Busch campaign “Real Men of Genius.” General Cigar acquired the Jack Toraño Family Cigar Company brands in September 2014. The Toraño portfolio of brands is best known for having complex blends featuring tobacco from many different countries of origin and taste profiles. In 2016, General Cigar re-launched Toraño’s Vault and Exodus lines.

This week, the boys welcome back General Cigar southeast area sales rep Sean Hardiman. We smoke the CAO Pilon and talk about some of the interesting things happening at General Cigar.

The boys welcome the area's General Cigar sales rep, Sean Hardiman who shares a Partagas Heritage, and displays his plethora of industry knowledge in what may be the most informative episode yet!

Surgeon and Tripp are back from their General Cigar Co. trip to New York and Connecticut. They'll be talking about the experience and what they learned.

This week we're joined by Rick Rodriguez, Master Blender and CAO Ambassador for General Cigar Co.

Jack Torano is the Brand Manager of Torano Cigars, and is certainly well acquainted with the Stogie Geeks show. Jack rejoined Torano this June after a two-year absence of any Torano's involvement in the company since its acquisition by General Cigar. Catch up on Jack's cigar journey here on Stogie Geeks! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/stogiegeek Follow us on Twitter: @stogiegeeks Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/stogiegeeks Instagram:  https://instagram.com/stogiegeeks

January 11, 2014 Benji Menedez from General Cigar and an update from the Consumer Electronics Show

Bob, Dale and Craig talk about cigars and life. Plus a question of decor from Dan in Detroit. Some of the cigars discussed: Pinolero by AJ Fernandez, Cohiba Esplendidos and San Lotabo Oval Maduro; Pro Cigar - 2010 Cayacoa 5x50 Robusto From Cigar Clan magazine (a russian publication) The next instance can in good conscience reward prohibited in our editorial epithet "unique." These cigars will not find in the market, they were created especially for guests ProCigar 2011. The box says, "Guess who made the cigars." Inside - five cigars with the same black ribbon on each of them - one additional Bantu named cigars - in honor of the five leaders of the pre-Columbian America: Higüey, Guacanagarix, Guarionex, Cayacoa and Bohechio. Apart from inside a box of cigars can be detected liner, where guests asked to indicate which of the five companies (General Cigar, La Aurora, MATASA, Tabacalera de Garcia, Tabadom (Davidoff)) which has created a cigar. You could also fill the table Fortress / taste aromatic and give it all to the organizers. Participants whose answers match 100%, the organizers have promised to fully cover the cost of participation in the Festival in 2012. The lucky ones were two, both - from the U.S. Deep rich Colorado Maduro wrapper with dark thin veins and perfectly consistent color between them, Uniform marble head. Peppery (!) prelight tastes Initial flavors: Very toasty, Malt and cinnamon. First third opens up with overwhelming pepper and nicotine strength. Light bodied with strong flavors. Sharp (for me) but likely a treat for someone who enjoys a cigar at the pinnacle of balanced strength. Unique finish; it is long in the nasal cavity and on the hard palate but relatively short on the tongue. Reminds me of two different Fuente products - The aggresive peppery style strength of a FFOX with some of the complexities in common with a Casa Fuente. In the second third the body picked up to medium, the strength escalated in sharpness to the point that the smoke when held in my mouth actually stung my tongue. The cigar burned flawlessly and produced a perfectly white ash. Finish lengthens on the tongue considerably and slightly tingles. Still displays complexity of flavor. Tastes tarry on the palate now. Not drying at all. A relight and purge of tars resulted in a return of significant similarities to a Casa Fuente. Pro Cigar - 2010 Cayacoa 5x50 Robusto From Cigar Clan magazine (a russian publication) The next instance can in good conscience reward prohibited in our editorial epithet "unique." These cigars will not find in the market, they were created especially for guests ProCigar 2011. The box says, "Guess who made the cigars." Inside - five cigars with the same black ribbon on each of them - one additional Bantu named cigars - in honor of the five leaders of the pre-Columbian America: Higüey, Guacanagarix, Guarionex, Cayacoa and Bohechio. Apart from inside a box of cigars can be detected liner, where guests asked to indicate which of the five companies (General Cigar, La Aurora, MATASA, Tabacalera de Garcia, Tabadom (Davidoff)) which has created a cigar. You could also fill the table Fortress / taste aromatic and give it all to the organizers. Participants whose answers match 100%, the organizers have promised to fully cover the cost of participation in the Festival in 2012. The lucky ones were two, both - from the U.S. Deep rich Colorado Maduro wrapper with dark thin veins and perfectly consistent color between them, Uniform marble head. Peppery (!) prelight tastes Initial flavors: Very toasty, Malt and cinnamon. First third opens up with overwhelming pepper and nicotine strength. Light bodied with strong flavors. Sharp (for me) but likely a treat for someone who enjoys a cigar at the pinnacle of balanced strength. Unique finish; it is long in the nasal cavity and on the hard palate but relatively short on the tongue. Reminds me of two different Fuente products - The aggresive peppery style strength of a FFOX with some of the complexities in common with a Casa Fuente. In the second third the body picked up to medium, the strength escalated in sharpness to the point that the smoke when held in my mouth actually stung my tongue. The cigar burned flawlessly and produced a perfectly white ash. Finish lengthens on the tongue considerably and slightly tingles. Still displays complexity of flavor. Tastes tarry on the palate now. Not drying at all. A relight and purge of tars resulted in a return of significant similarities to a Casa Fuente.

This week's show is dedicated to the memory of Bob's youngest brother, Ray, who passed away this week. The Cigar of the Week is the El Tiante Habano Oscuro. Bob and Dale also talk more about the recent International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Trade Show and the DogWatch herf at Tranquilo Cigars. In the What Else You've Been Smoking segment, Bob and Dale review the J. Fuego Origen, the La Riqueza #1, the Dona Flor Bahia Blend, the Orinoco Susan B Constant, the Foundry by General Cigar, and the 5 Vegas 2012 Limited Edition Torpedo. Other topics include Liz's recent Tobacconist University Certification, CRA news, and more. Check out the live show and interact through the chatroom! Watch the show live every Friday night at 9 pm Eastern or view it later at your leisure: http://www.cigarmedia.tv/live/ DogWatch Cigar Radio cedar spills - You can now purchase your own DWCR bundle from CommonWealth Cedar Spills (http://shop.cedarspills.com/). NEW RULES FOR THE PALIO CONTEST: Enter August's Palio contest to win a black Palio cutter by sending an email with a cigar fact or question to theshow@cigarmedia.tv. (Don't forget to include your mailing address and type "Palio" on the subject line.) All questions and facts will be discussed on a DogWatch show and one will be randomly selected as the winner. Remember you must re-enter each month to be eligible to win. 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, or would like to provide 2-4 What's my Band? cigars, please email Executive Producer Liz at liz@cigarmedia.tv. Anyone providing samples will receive a DogWatch Cigar Radio pin and sticker! 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 pin and sticker! 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 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/ Cigarmony.com, makers of the Humidity Bead System http://www.cigarmony.com/ Cuban Cigar Creation App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cuban-cigar-creation/id441057146?mt=8 Cigar Volante: http://www.cigarvolante.com/ CommonWealth Cedar Spills: http://www.cedarspills.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/ Scotch Pro App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scotch-pro/id457390580?mt=8 Tranquilo Cigars: http://www.tranquilocigars.com/ Vanderburgh Humidors: www.vanderburghhumidors

We're live at the first annual CANH (Cigar Association of New Hampshire) Golf Tournament at Amherst Country Club in Amherst, NH to help raise funds and awareness against any possible legislation that prevent us from enjoying one of life's finest pleasures; Premium Cigars! Join Dave Garofalo and Mr Jonathan for wild ride (literally) as they patrol the golf course with exclusive interviews from Cigarlebrities at Alec Bradley, Ashton, JC Newman, Davidoff, Hammer & Sickle, Federal Cigar, My Father Cigars, C & C Cigars, Perdormo, Tiante Cigars, Oliva Cigars, Drew Estate, Kristoff, General Cigar, Rocky Patel, Miami Cigar, La Flor Dominicana, Northeast Sales, Ocean State Cigars, Villiger Cigars, Altadis, Twins Smoke Shop, Castro's Back Room, and The Cigar Agency Global!

This week, Bob and Dale answer more audience questions: Doug Oxman asks for recommendations for good online dealers; CigarJocky asks why some cigars bleed tar while smoking them; Dan Clague asks if Bob and Dale know which company began the use of cellophane wrappers and how it developed; Keith wants to know where the flavor of pepper spice comes from in cigars; Mike Real asks about retrohaling; Craig Miller wonders how long you have to smoke cigars before you can start to pick out individual flavors. The Cigar of the Week (COW) is the Pinar Del Rio Toro Capa Maduro. Thank you to Tranquilo Cigars for providing this week's COW. Thanks also to Scott Rohrer for providing this week's unbanded cigar, the J. Fuego 777 Maduro Corona. Bob announces that DogWatch Cigar Radio cedar spills are now available from CommonWealth Cedar Spills (http://shop.cedarspills.com/). Congratulations to Officer Paul for winning May's Palio Cutter contest! NEW - The show is now on u-Tube. Watch the show live on u-Tube every Friday night at 9 pm Eastern or view it later at your leisure.GET YOUR TICKETS NOW! You don't want to miss DogWatch Cigar Radio's first herf. Join us on July 27th starting at 6 pm for a live taping of the show and on July 28th from 10 am to 6 pm at Tranquilo Cigars in Melbourne Florida (about 1 hour's drive from Orlando, 2 hour's drive from Tampa and 3 hour's drive from Miami). Tickets are $35 and only 25 spots are available for this intimate gathering. Friday night will feature a live DWCR show with everyone in the crowd experiencing the Cigar of the Week and the Unbanded cigar. Saturday we will have a Tasting seminar, meetings with manufacturers, lunch and door prizes. So far we have Monte Pascoal, Miami Cigar & Company, CigarVolante and Panacea Cigars, La Tradicion Cubana, Winston’s Humidor and Lou Rodriquez Cigars signed on to participate in the herf in some way. Also sponsoring the herf is Cigar Journal, Cigar Tourism and the Humidity Bead System (Cigarmony.com, Mark Neff). Special celebrity guest Frank Torre (he played for the Milwaukee Braves (1956–60) and the Philadelphia Phillies (1962–63) will also be on hand. Each registrant will receive a gift bag worth more than the $35 admission fee. To reserve your spot now, email Liz@cigarmedia.tv.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. Be a part of the show while participating in the chatroom.NEW RULES FOR THE PALIO CONTEST: Enter June's Palio contest to win a black Palio cutter by sending an email with a cigar fact or question to theshow@cigarmedia.tv. (Don't forget to include your mailing address and type "Palio" on the subject line.) All questions and facts will be discussed on the DogWatch show and one will be randomly selected as the winner. Remember you must re-enter each month to be eligible to win. May's contest winner of a black Palio cutter is Officer Paul.Cigar of the Week -Pinar Del Rio Toro Capa MaduraThe medium-bodied Pinar Del Rio (PDR) 1878 Cubano Especial Capa Madura cigar was created by Abraham Flores using a dark, triple-fermented Arapiraca Maduro wrapper from Brazil, Criollo 98 binder from the Dominican Republic, and a blended filler of Nicaraguan and Dominican Republic origin - all grown from Cuban seed. The very reasonably priced PDR 1878 Cubano Especial Capa Madura is well constructed and finished with a beautiful pigtail cap. The cigar's flavors are subtle with notes of sweetness, earthiness, and spice, and the smoke it produces at rest and in play is voluminous.What else have you been smokin' Dale?Padron Serie 1926 80th Perfecto Maduro - 6.75” x 54 - Released to celebrate the 80th birthday of Jose Orlando Padron, these perfect perfectos (the first production cigar of this shape for Padron) are the ultimate in Padron goodness! At about $30 per stick ($240 in boxes of 8 cigars) these would be a celebratory cigar for me, and I smoked this one (which was gifted from Mark Neff) on Memorial day in tribute to those who have fallen to allow me the freedom to smoke fine cigars. A full bodied cigar, the smoke is dense and chewy. Flavors are typical of the 1926 Serie - Cocoa, cream, coffee, and muted exotic spices (nutmeg, cinnamon) over an earthy, leather core- but even richer. Perfect construction, perfect draw and tons of smoke with a heady room aroma. The finish lingers and points out the extremely well aged tobaccos. In the last 3rd, the flavors all become enhanced leading to a full-on happy dance of the palate. I never thought I’d find a cigar I like better then the Padron Serie 1926 #9 Maduro, but this is all that and more!Partagas 1845 - The newest release from General Cigar, Partagas 1845 is a line extension with an old heritage and a new blend. They describe it as full flavored & medium bodied with hints of cocoa and coffee. The blend is Dominican Piloto Cubano and Nicaraguan tobaccos from 3 different regions. Some of the filler is aged in Dominican Rum barrels. The binder is Connecticut grown Habano and the wrapper is Ecuadorian grown Habano from the Viso priming. I tried 3 different sizes this week - Corona Extra (4.5 x 46), Robusto (5.5 x 49) & Gigante (6.0 x 60). It also is available in a Double Corona (7.25 x 54). I really like this blend, and prefer it far above the original Partagas blend with the Cameroon wrapper. Much richer with some nice sweetness. I did find some coffee & cocoa flavors, along with toasted nuts. A touch of mineral and citrus came and went every now & then. I did find it to be medium bodied and enjoyed all 3 sizes, with the Corona Extra hitting my palate the best. It had a touch more savoriness. Now if they would just put it out in a Corona Gorda size......What else have you been smokin' Bob?Pinar del Rio PDR 1878 Reserva Dominicana - Like rafting down a river of Nestle's chocolate with its lightness and slight sweetness that really brings out the best of the blend.Pinar del Rio Small Batch Reserve Cubra Habano - Abe Flores is a quiet man with an infectious laugh. His quiet ways may hide his expertise in blending fine cigars but when he puts out product like this, the world will soon shout his name. The best PDR to date, complex flavors of leather, salt, sweetness and a fine nuttiness to balance the acidity. One incredible cigar.Torano 1959 Exodus - Torano is still making top notch cigars in its quiet way. Not flashy but a really smooth cigar with lots of leather and some hints of nuttiness and slight acidity.What's my band?Thank you to Scott Rohrer for providing this week's unbanded cigar, the J. Fuego 777 Maduro Corona.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, or would like to provide 2-4 What's my Band? cigars, please email Executive Producer Liz at liz@cigarmedia.tv. Anyone providing samples will receive a DogWatch Cigar Radio pin and sticker!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 pin and sticker! 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/ CommonWealth Cedar Spills: http://www.cedarspills.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/ Scotch Pro App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scotch-pro/id457390580?mt=8 Tranquilo Cigars: http://www.tranquilocigars.com/ Vanderburgh Humidors: www.vanderburghhumidors

Bob and Dale discuss bulls, box presses abd the story behind the blend, Enter January'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. Check out the live show! Go to http://www.cigarmedia.tv/live/ where the show is broadcast live most Friday evenings at 9 PM EDT. You won't want to miss the live version of show #365 on February 10th. In honor of having a show for listeners to download on every day of the year, Bob, Dale, Liz and Craig Schneider will be giving out sampler packs of some of their favorite cigars. But you must be in the chatroom during the live show to win so be sure to tune in on February 10th. Cigar of the Week - Thunder by Nimish - Robusto The Rocky Patel Thunder is blended by Nimish Desai, Rocky’s cousin. He supervises all of the Central American manufacturing for Rocky, but has wanted to blend his own cigar for a long time. This year he finally came up with a blend that he wanted to put on the market and Rocky agreed. Name: Thunder by Nimish Company: Rocky Patel Premium Cigars Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Binder: Nicaragua and Honduras Filler: Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rico Price: $5-6.00/stick Comes in: Box of 20 Three sizes: Robusto 4.5 X 54 Toro 6 X 52 Torpedo 6 ⅛ X 52 What else have you been smokin' Dale? Oliva Serie V Lancero - 7” x 38 - Nicaraguan tobaccos featuring a high priming Habano Sun Grown wrapper and Jalapa Valley ligero. A full bodied, smooth smoke with great spice balanced with dark chocolate and espresso flavors. Some dark fruit sweetness in the last 3rd and a long, rich finish. A solid “longhorn lounge” favorite for under $5! Macanudo 1968 Robusto - 5” x 50 - The first of what I like to call the “new style Mac’s”, the 1968 has been out 3 or 4 years now. It has a bold and aromatic expression previously lacking in the Macanudo line. The wrapper is Honduran San Augustin, the binder is Habano Connecticut and the filler is a mix of Dominican and Nicaraguan, with the Nica tobaccos coming from Esteli and Ometepe. The first (official) use of Ometepe tobacco by General Cigar, but they didn’t make a big deal out of it until the Upper Cut and others came out in the last 18 months. Medium bodied, but full flavored with coffee, spice and leather notes accented by roasted nuts. AB Prensado Corona Gorda - 5.6” x 46 - I’ve smoked this cigar several times now since we featured it on the show last year, and again this week, before CA announced it as their #1 cigar for 2011. Smooth, deep, rich roasted flavors from Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos. The wrapper is from the Trojas valley in southern Honduras and imparts some great leather and chocolate flavors. The filler is savory and has good spice. Lots of complexity, great balance and full in both body and flavor, medium in strength. What else have you been smokin' Bob? Gurkha Assassin Dagger - 3.78 x 60 - Brazilian Wrapper, Dominican Binder, and a Peruvian/Nicaraguan Filler. Comes in four other sizes: Robusto, Toro, Churchill, and Torpedo. Jesus Fuego 76 Robusto- 5 x 50 - A small batch production cigar, it uses a limited production stalk-cut Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, aged fillers from Nicaragua & Honduras and is held together with an aged triple fermented Nicaraguan binder. Erez Cigars White Label Natural Churchill - 7 ½ x 50 -Criollo 98 wrapper; Olor Dominicano binder; and a filler consisting of Cubano San Vicente, Olor Dominicano and Criollo 98 tobaccos. All of its tobacco was grown in the Dominican Republic by the Reyes Family, who has been in the business for over 150 years. Alec Bradley Tempus Maduro A fine smoke with great dark flavors and an earthy base that really makes this shine like a fine chocolate cake. What's My Band?- This week's unbanded, the Sanxho Panza Extra Fuerte Cordoba provided by George Edmonson Palio Cutter Contest: The winner of the December Silver Palio cutter was Tim Banic. For January's contest, we are looking for photos of you and your friends enjoying cigars (all the better if they happen to be Esencias, but it will not affect your chances of winning). Send your entry to theshow@cigarmedia.tv. Please include your mailing address with your entry and type "Palio" on the subject line. Don't forget, you must re-enter the contest every month to be eligible to win. January's prize will be a black Palio cutter. 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 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/ Cuban Cigar Creation App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cuban-cigar-creation/id441057146?mt=8 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 Duque Cigars: http://duquecigars.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/ 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/id457390580?mt=8 Stogie Boys: http://www.stogieboys.com/ and www.facebook.com/stogieboyscigars Vanderburgh Humidors: www.vanderburghhumidors.com

Bob and Dale welcome a new sponsor to the show -Stogie Boys, America's fastest growing online cigar retailer. Bob, Dale and Liz answer a question from Wes (FragmagnetEOD) and his wife, Dominique, about what smokers mean when they describe a cigar's taste. (Click here to read Liz's written answer.) The discussion broadens into how altitude and temperature affect cigar tastes and smells. Listener Nelson Pidgeon offers a tip on eliminating cigar smell from a room. The Cigar of the Week, the Padron 2000 Robusto Maduro 5 x 50, was provided by Duque Cigar Company in Indialantic, Florida. On "What's hot? What's not? What's next?" Liz interviews Vincent Duran from the Little Havana Cigar Factory on Calle Ocho in Little Havana, Miami. The cigar featured in the "What's My Band" segment of the show, the Little Havana Overruns "Small Batch," was provided by listener Jay Ledou. Enter November'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.) More winners this month! In addition to awarding the Palio Cutter to some lucky listener, Bob and Dale will also be giving away five 5-packs of La Tradicion Cubana Coronas provided by Luis Sanchez to commemorate the 16th anniversary of La Tradicion Cubana. 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. Check out the live show! Go to http://www.cigarmedia.tv/live/ where the show is broadcast live most Friday evenings at 9 PM EDT. Cigar of the Week - Padron 2000 Robusto Maduro 5 x 50 brought to us by Duque Cigars (www.duquecigars.com, 410 5th Avenue Indialantic, FL) The Padron 2000 is a Nicaraguan Puro made in Esteli with long-aged Cuban seed tobaccos. Square-pressed shape with dark, oily wrappers. Limited annual production. Affordable price - under $5. Also comes in a Natural Robusto. Offered in boxes of 26 and in four packs. What else have you been smokin' Dale? GAR Opium STK - 6” x 52 - Craig reviewed this cigar on his last visit to the show & I got so excited about it I had to go find one! The wrapper & binder are Nicaraguan, with the wrapper being a Habano 2000/Corojo 1998 hybrid. The filler blend is not released, just described by George Rico as “a unique blend”. The cigar was very well constructed and had a perfect draw. Flavors throughout the cigar were cedar, light exotic spices and a light, crisp fruitiness (apple or pear). Body was medium in the first half, moving to full the rest of the way. Smooth, sophisticated and very well balanced, this cigar was as unique as Craig mentioned. Very enjoyable and box-worthy! MSRP $9, $10.50 with CO confiscatory taxes. Devil’s Weed Maduro Churchill - 7” x 48 - Acquired from the buy-out stock at CI (along with several bundles of the natural wrapped Robusto), this is a fantastic bargain for magnificent cigars. When Bob & I discovered Devil’s Weed cigars, we couldn't’ stop smoking them...and again I find myself having one every day. Dominican tobaccos wrapped in a dark maduro leaf provide a medium bodied, full flavored trip down memory lane. Cedar, coffee, toasted grains and some sweetened cocoa flavors. Illusione 88 Maduro -5” x 52 - Utilizing an oily San Andreas wrapper over binder & filler of Nicaraguan tobaccos, the Maduro line of Illusione cigars, like the core line, highlights one of the skills of a fine blender - namely that each vitola, while similar in flavor, has it’s own characteristics and personality. I’ve smoked the cg4 (corona), the hl (lancero) and now the 88 (robusto) in this line, and all are fantastic. The 88 showcases the spice and dark fruit (raisin) sweetness best. The hl highlights the leather, coffee and earthiness and seems the most complex. The cg4 seems to balance all of those flavors equally. All these flavors are present in the line, just find the one that gives you the most of what you like best! What else have you been smokin' Bob? Cohiba Extra Vigarosa - You know, I am not usually a fan of Cohibas. I typically find them to be underflavored and overall dull. However, the Extra Vigarosa is an exception and I really enjoyed it. The Cohiba X-V is a very limited quantity cigar and the most bold of the entire line from General Cigar. Dark flavors run around your mouth and dance in the air as this cigar fills you with memories of cold winter nights in front of an oak fire. With a dark Capa Corona Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper that is bold, flavorful and smooth. The filler is Nicaraguan Ligero and Piloto Cubano Ligero. The binder is a balancing Connecticut Broadleaf. Available in 5 sizes: the X-V 749 7x49; the X-V 660 6x60; the X-V 652 6x52; my choice, the X-V 645 6x45; and the X-V 550 5x50. An excellent smoke that has made me a fan of Cohiba, at least of the X-V line. Esencia Petite Corona - The Esencia Petite Corona has become a favorite of ours over the years. At 5 1/8 x 42, this is the perfect smoke for those times that time is in short supply. Like when dinner is just around the corner or you want more smoke before retiring for the evening. Smooth flavors of spice, cedar and a nice leather undertone mark the Esencia line and the Petite Corona delivers a full flavored smoke every time. The perfect match for a glass of whiskey or a great cup of coffee, this cigar stands up to the test of time. What's My Band? - This week's unbanded, the Little Havana Overruns "Small Batch," was provided by listener Jay Ledou. Palio Cutter Contest: The winner of the October carbon fiber Palio cutter was Mark Pousard from Colorado. For November's contest, we are looking for photos of you and your friends enjoying cigars (all the better if they happen to be Esencias, but it will not affect your chances of winning). In addition to a Palio Cutter, this month we will also be awarding five 5-packs of La Tradicion Cubana Cigars provided by Luis Sanchez to commemorate the 16th anniversary of La Tradicion Cubana. Send your entry to theshow@cigarmedia.tv. Please include your mailing address with your entry and type "Palio" on the subject line. Don't forget, you must re-enter the contest every month to be eligible to win. Do you have a suggestion for the unbanded cigar of the week? Every week Bob and Dale include an “unbandedcigar” 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 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/ Cuban Cigar Creation App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cuban-cigar-creation/id441057146?mt=8 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 Duque Cigars: http://duquecigars.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/ 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/id457390580?mt=8 Stogie Boys: http://www.stogieboys.com/ and www.facebook.com/stogieboyscigars Vanderburgh Humidors: www.vanderburghhumidors.com

This week Bob and Dale discuss an email sent in from Bill in Rochester NY on internet sites that sell cigars at prices far below the manufacturer's suggested retail price. Check out Professor Fiore's June 20th column and Bob's written response to the column for more on this topic. The Cigar of the Week is the Berger Argenti Entubar. The cigar featured on the "What's My Band?" blind smoke test is the Saint Luis Rey Reserva Especial Serie G. John Magrisso of Cambridge, Massachusetts won a black carbon fiber Palio cutter in this month's contest. (Remember, each month starts a new contest and you must re-enter to be eligible to win.) 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 - Berger Argenti Entubar. ENTUBAR® is a truly unique creation that pays tribute to the time-honored Cuban cigar making technique known as ‘entubar’ while also establishing an innovative patent-pending process of cigar manufacturing not seen in the premium cigar industry before. Each deeply aged Nicaraguan filler leaf is carefully rolled into itself creating delicate ‘scrolls’ of rich, flavorful tobacco. This age-old method ensures open chambers of air flow from the foot to the head of the cigar, creating a superior draw. What makes this new brand stand apart from all others is the revolutionary manufacturing process and appearance of the ENTUBAR® cigar. The ligero tobacco that lend the cigar its unique full body is bunched independently before being ‘re-bunched’ directly into the center of the remaining ‘entubar’ rolled filler blend. This ligero ‘channel’ ranges the full length of the cigar and extends ¼ inch beyond the finished trimmed foot, creating a startlingly unique ‘fuse like’ appearance that virtually assures a perfect conical burn, long white ash and a rich, complex mosaic of flavors directly focused to the aficionado’s palate. Due to the meticulous small batch production of ENTUBAR®, only a limited number of tobacconists are authorized as ENTUBAR® merchants in the United States. Comprised of all Cuban seed Nicaraguan filler and binder tobaccos, ENTUBAR® is graced with an Ecuadorian ‘Desflorado’ Connecticut-seed wrapper which lends its characteristically long, sweet finish. ENTUBAR QUAD MADURO®, which is box pressed ‘Habano’, is cloaked in a Nicaraguan Cuban-seed Sun-Grown Maduro wrapper aged in oak barrels since 2002. ENTUBAR® is available in five (5) unique vitolas characterized by sumptuously large ring gauges: Corona Macho (4 5/8” x 48); Robusto (5 3/8” x 54); Double Corona (7 5/8” x 54); Torpedo (6 7/8” x 56) and Gran Toro (6 5/8” x 64 – this size not available for ENTUBAR QUAD MADURO®). Available in rustic Spanish cedar boxes of 20 cigars, the suggested retail price of each cigar ranges from $7.99 to $11.99. What else have you been smokin' Dale? Cohiba (red dot) Churchill 7” x 49 - The famous Cohiba brand from General Cigar’s Dominican Republic factory. Camaroon wrapper, Indonesian Jember binder and Dominican Piloto Cubano filler. Nice spice from the wrapper and a good example of the flavors from Dom. Piloto Cubano - cedar & leather with a nice acidic component. A good cigar, but way over-priced (trading on the famous Cohiba name) at $20+ MSRP. Partagas Serie D No 4 (2008) - For many people, the favorite robusto coming from Habanos SA. Creamy and full flavored stick with outstanding aroma! Traditional Cuban tobacco character with honey, cocoa, plum and spice complexities. Man O War Puro Authentico - I smoked the last stick from the box I bought last month, and my opinion remains the same. A powerful, magnificent cigar. Deep in flavor, well constructed and a pure joy to smoke. This will join the list of cigars I will always keep on hand What else have you been smokin' Bob? La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amore La Aroma de Cuba San Cristobol Art Deco Nestor Miranda Dominicano What's My Band? - this week's Unbanded Cigar is the Saint Luis Rey Reserva Especial Serie G. Bob: Very sweet barnyard aroma; slight dustiness on pre draw; dry acidic taste. Nice light flavor for after dinner - like a sorbet. Quality construction. Good draw. Nice leather retrohale. Picked up a little spice in the last third. Dale: Excellent mild-med double robusto sized cigar with a light wrapper. Nuts, oats and a dried fruit (raisins) sweetness. June Palio Cutter Contest Winner: John Magrisso of Cambridge, Massachusetts won a black carbon fiber Palio cutter in this month's contest. Enter the July contest now! Remember, you must re-enter each month to be eligible to win the featured Palio cutter. Check out the show at http://www.cigarmedia.tv/live/ 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. 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. 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 Vanderburgh Humidors: www.vanderburghhumidors.com

This week's show features an interview with Sam Leccia of the recently launched Sam Leccia Cigar Company. On What's hot? What's not? What's next? Liz interviews Abe Dababneh, proprietor of South Florida's six (soon to be seven) Smoke Inn locations. The Cigar of the Week is the Partegas Cifuentes. The cigar featured on the "What's My Band?" blind smoke test is the Siglo Limited Reserve VII. 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 - Partegas Cifuentes from General Cigar. The 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 specially 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. What else have you been smokin' Dale? Arganese ML3 Torpedo - 6 ⅞” x 52, Corojo binder & filler in a Brazilian maduro wrapper. Cocoa, espresso and creamy. Not quite as preferred by Dale as the CL3, but a good cigar that never really got any traction. Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic 1979 Robusto - 5” x 50, All Nica tobacco using a Corojo wrapper. Earthy, with cedar, black pepper and a molasses sweetness on the finish. J. Fuego 777 Maduro Robusto (White Label) - 5” x 50, Nica puro with Corojo blend and a Criollo maduro wrapper. Full bodied & full flavored with spice and maduro richness. I hope Jesus never stops producing these! What else have you been smokin' Bob? Esencia Lancero - One of the rarest of Esencia cigars, this delightful lancero brings back the soft glow of gas lights, the hum of a 57 Chevy and the sound of Cuban music wafting through the streets of Havana. It does not taste just like a Cuban but it does take my imagination and my soul back to a simpler time. The flavors are all fresh, complex and yet it's so easy to smoke. Perhaps the most poignant of the series. East Ender - A thoughtful gift from a listener that turned out to be a worthwhile smoke. Although a little rough around the edges it hit the mark for age, leather and a bit woodsy. Monte Pascoal Figurado - Tapering to a fat 60+ ring guage in the middle, this smoke continued to deliver clean bright flavors all the way through. Typical Monte Pascoal flavors of straw and age that are highlighted by mellow leather and oak What's My Band? - this week's Unbanded Cigar is the Siglo Limited Reserve VII. May Palio Cutter Contest Winner: Tim Delaney, a proud member of our military, won the Classic Black Palio Cutter. Enter the June contest now to win a Carbon Fiber Palio Cutter. Check out the show at http://www.cigarmedia.tv/live/ 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 Vanderburgh Humidors: www.vanderburghhumidors.com

This week Bob and Dale discuss the latest in the cigar industry, including Michael Herklots moving from Davidoff to Nat Sherman, Sam Leccia returning to the premium cigar business, Guillermo León Herbert becoming the independent owner of La Aurora, and Vanderburgh Humidors being selected by the Indianapolis Speedway to build its limited edition cigar humidor. The Cigar of the Week is the Punch Upper Cut. The cigar featured on the "What's My Band?" blind smoke test is the Licenciados Toro. 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. Do you have a Herf Line Review? Call and leave a cigar review on the herf line and receive a DogWatch Cigar Radio patch! You can reach the Herfline at 321-594-4373 - or cigar.radio on Skype. You can also send written reviews to theshow@cigarmedia.tv. Cigar of the Week - Punch Upper Cut by General Cigar. The history of General Cigar began in 1848 when Ferdinand Cullman immigrated to the US from Germany. His grandson made one of the greatest contributions to the cigar world: the Connecticut Shade wrapper. In 1960, Cullman Brothers bought General Cigar Company and became the largest manufacturer and marketer of premium cigars with impressive brands. In 1997, General Cigar acquired Villazon, the maker of such iconic brands as Punch, Hoyo de Monterrey, and Excalibur. Later, General Cigar assumed responsibility for marketing and selling El Credito, whose brands include La Gloria Cubana and El Rico Habano. In 1999, General Cigar sold its mass market business to Swedish Match in order to concentrate strictly on premium brands. In 2000, Swedish Match assumed majority control of General through a stock purchase from Edgar Cullman and family members. Other important brands have been acquired recently, including Helix, Don Tomas and Astral in 2004. Their factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic is run by General Cigar Dominicana, a subsidiary of General Cigar Co., which began processing tobacco in 1975, and started producing cigars in 1978. The Punch Upper Cut was released in October 2009. Handmade in Honduras with its filler and binder tobaccos grown in Ometepe, Nicaragua, this cigar is perfectly finished with an attractive dark and oily Ecuador Sumatra wrapper. Each cigar has a footband complete with the image of Ometepe and its twin volcanoes Toro | Length: 6.62 | Ring: 54 Grand Corona | Length: 6 | Ring: 45 Robusto | Length: 5.25 | Ring: 50 Dark Side - - No Dark Side this week. What else have you been smokin' Dale? Man o’ War Salomone El Credito Perridos Bolivar Belicoso Fino Cohiba Siglo VI What else have you been smokin' Bob? PDR 1878 Cubano Especial Seleccion RL 2000 - Wrapper is Lancaster, Pa leaf; binder is the Criollo 98 from the Dominican Republic; and the filler is Nicaraguan and Dominican Republic. Medium bodied but full of great flavors of aged tobacco; slightly sweet with a salty sensation on the tip of the tongue. A mind melting experience that will cleanse the body of stress and free the mind. Tatuaje Especiale - Great opening pepper that mellows into a sweet spicy joy punctuated with leather and mocha. Size: 7.5 x 38 (Especiales/Lancero) Wrapper: Nicaragua Corojo 99 Binder: Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua Strength: Medium Black Pearl Morada - Doug Woods has survived more ups and downs and pure crashes than perhaps anyone in the cigar business. In 2008 the Morado Torpedo was named Best Cigar of the Year, although the title came with an asterisk, “That you can't find and never heard of.” We first interviewed Doug way back at the 2006 IPCPR, before he was famous. Doug has one of the most extensive and beautiful collections of cigar art to be found anywhere and he uses that art on his cigars. The Robusto that I smoked had sweet chocolate, coffee and fruity elements in the flavor that finished with a distinctly herbal twist. A well constructed cigar with outstanding draw and flavor. A keeper and yes I would buy one again IF I could find someplace that carries them. Doug Wood states: "We wish we had enough of this tobacco to produce several years' worth of our new Black Pearl Morado (Purple) premium cigar but, its featured Cameroon wrapper is in shorter supply than we expected, so we can only offer limited supplies of Morado in three shapes: Robusto (4.75" x 52) Toro (6" x 50), and Torpedo (6.25" x 52)." What's My Band? - this week's Unbanded Cigar is the Licenciados Toro 6 1/2 x 50. May Palio Cutter Contest Winner: Tim Delaney, a proud member of our military, won the Classic Black Palio Cutter. Enter the June contest now to win a Carbon Fiber Palio Cutter. Check out the show at http://www.cigarmedia.tv/live/ 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 Vanderburgh Humidors: www.vanderburghhumidors.com

This week Bob interviews Benny Gomez of Casa Gomez. Next week the show (#306) will be pre-recorded and feature our favorite segments from the past. Hey, we need a day off too...... Now you can get the same great episodes delivered to your Android device! Click here for details. Bob and Dale are planning another live show for New Years Eve. Check out livestream.com/cigar_radio the new home for our live recording sessions and enhanced chat room. You might catch Bob & Dale at 9 pm EST on Fridays as they test the capabilities of their equipment in preparation for the live show on New Years Eve. Cigar of the Week - Hoyo de Monterrey Reposado en Cedros – Nov. release. This cigar is manufactured with a proprietary Inmersión process - an advancement in aging. • Limited quantities • Enveloped in cedar; medium-bodied with a uniquely rich, spicy taste • Packed in rustic wooden boxes with cedar shavings • Wrapper: Ecuadoran Sumatra • Binder: CT Broadleaf • Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan, Dominican • Three frontmarks o Sueño (5 ¼” x 54) $6.49 o Liso (7” x 49) $6.75 o Marco (6 ¼” x 54) $6.99 . Dark Side - Hoyo de Monterrey Churchill. What else have you been smokin' Dale? La Aurora 107 Corona - First cigar after my bout with the guys in white coats.....Rich, spicy, savory and bold! What else have you been smokin' Bob? Alonso Menendez - Felix Menendez is the brother of Benji Menendez the master blender for General Cigar. Seems the two of them worked together for a few years at this factory in Brazil prior to Benji moving on to other endeavors. Great taste seems to run in the family. Alonso Menendez was the founder and creator of the original Cuban brands Montecristo and H. Upmann. Alonso Menendez was a legend in the cigar industry, and who better to take on a cigar bearing his name than his son Felix Menendez, owner of Menendez Amerino and the creator of the Dona Flor brand as well. Available in four classic sizes (Corona, Robusto, Churchill and Double Corona) the cigar begins with a pre-light aroma of sweet chocolate and the standard barnyard additions. A good looking cigar, it lights well, burns even and has a nice slightly deliberate draw. Retrohaling the smoke you may notice a slight resemblance to clove but the dominant flavor is mild, sweet chocolate and easy spices. Not yet well known in this country, the Alonso Menendez is worth a visit to the cigarfrombrazil.com sight to find out more about where you can purchase these fine cigars. Dona Flor Robusto - Another fine cigar from the Menendez Amerino factory and Felix Menendez. Smooth smoking with a hint of that beautiful Brazilian spice. This is a smoke that will please most palates. Bizarre cigar of the week was a Romeo y Julieta (non-cuban) that prior to lighting gave me a definite taste of spoiled fruit. I even double checked the flavor with Liz and she got it too. Needless to say this ruined the cigar. Was this an intentional flavor or was this from a ‘spoiled’ batch of cigars? I will probably never know as I will not try another.. What's My Band? - #942: H Upmann Sun Grown Short Churchill 4 1/2x54 November Palio Cutter Contest Winner: Bob Baranek from Weymouth, Mass. won the carbon fiber Palio Cutter. Enter the December contest now to win a burl 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.

Correction to last week's show: La Caridad del Cobre is made for Frank Herrera by Luis Sanchez of La Tradicion Cubana. Bob incorrectly stated its manufacturer in last week's show. Frank Herrera forgives Bob when they run into each other at the Ybor City Heritage & Cigar Festival on 11/20/10. Cigar of the Week - LA GLORIA CUBANA ARTESANOS de OBELISCO Created as a tribute to the virtuoso cigar makers at El Credito’s® “fabrica” in Santiago, Dominican Republic, La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Obelisco is the third installment in the Artesanos trilogy. Inspired by the iconic “Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration” situated high atop the center of Santiago, La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Obelisco heightens the innovation that has become a trademark of the Artesanos series. Handcrafted of a blend of Dominican and double Nicaraguan ligero, this ground breaking figurado is a feat of cigar-making artistry, for it replicates the shape of the monument that inspired its creation. Novel construction evident at the first blush is bolstered by a triumph of superior blending by Benji Menendez, Michael Giannini and Rick Rodriguez, aka Team La Gloria Cubana. When the blend combines with the Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper and is exalted by its obelisk shape, this firecracker of a cigar “pops” with balanced, full-bodied flavor. According to Debo Mukherjee, vice president of cigars for General Cigar, parent company of La Gloria Cubana, “Creating Artesanos de Obelisco was an artistic exercise. After much experimentation, we arrived at an exciting blend with the proper staying power to remain intriguing throughout the smoking experience. It is with great pride that we debut Artesanos de Obelisco in celebration of the artisan cigar rollers who worked tirelessly to create this standout new product.” A cigar of such ingenuity demands an equally alluring package. In this, Team La Gloria Cubana developed a wooden demilune box, a first for the premium cigar category. This visually stunning presentation spotlights 25 of the 5” x 44 x 57 Obelisco cigars. Perhaps as surprising as the cigar and packaging is the suggested retail price of $9.00 per cigar. Dark Side - Saint Luis Rey Churchill 7x47 The Saint Luis Rey Churchill's factory name is Julieta 2. Production during the 60's and 70's was very small, but increased slowly through the 80's and is now a very popular brand. Made primarily in the Briones Montoto (Romeo y Julieta) factory, all models are handmade except the cigarillos and mini cigars. It has a unique aroma that is not quite straw or barnyard. Cocoa, coffee and vanilla are the most easily recognized flavors. The cigar begins quite mild with subtle flavors that allows you to slowly maneuver into a mood of relaxation as you get more comfortable with the length of the cigar and its unique flavor profile. As with all good relationships, as you become more comfortable the cigar begins to increase in strength and its presence in your consciousness. By the final third of the cigar, the flavors are no longer subtle but stand right in your face with flavors of roasted beans. Savory and inviting this is a very good cigar. What else have you been smokin' Bob? La Aurora 107 Lancero Maduro - what a wonderful flavorful cigar. Lancero's can often be tricky to manufacture as the small ring gauge and extra length make plugging common. But not in this finely crafted special from La Aurora. Made as a result of repeated requests via Twitter, this may be the first social networking cigar. With only a hint of dark flavors, the cigar is well balanced and cool to smoke. A slight spice really embraces the darkness and the flavors of roasted grains really comes through for me. LGC Serie N - Finally got my official box with the N in the wrapper. A very good cigar with dark flavors of cocoa and toasted grains. Heavy smoke and lots of it with a molasses-like mouth feel. Wonderful after dinner smoke yet works well with a dark coffee in the morning. Casa Fernandez Aganorsa Robusto - Deep flavor of chocolate and roasted grains, produces nice medium body smoke and the mouth feel was relatively clean. However, Liz complained that the room aroma was that of rubber so no more of these! Diamond Crown Maximus - One of the CRA Holiday pack cigars. Great flavor, great construction. A special cigar What's My Band? - #937 suggested by Jeff Curtis; Cubao lancero 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.

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.

This week Bob and Dale are joined by Craig Schneider. Dale talks with Colin Ganley of CigarTourism.com about the January 2011 trip to the Dominican Republic in which Dale will be participating. Also this week, Brian Berman, Director of Membership, Cigar Rights of America (CRA), is a guest on"What's Hot, What's Not, What's Next." Special CRA membership deal for DogWatch listeners! 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; use promo code "dogwatch" when completing your payment information; and be sure to type "0101" in the "Referred by" field (this is Bob's CRA ambassador number). Cigar of the Week - Di Fazio Maduro We did an interview with these folks almost a year ago before any one had heard of the cigars. We liked what we smoked then and now they have become a hot stick getting reviewed by all the major blogs and such since an appearance at the International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers (IPCPR). Dark Side - Punch Punch - Ramon Allones What else have you been smokin' Craig? New Tatuaje releases: Veracu #5(unbanded 4x40), Petit Cazadores (uncut wrapper) & Petit Reserva - 4x28 was the most enjoyable. 1998 Punch Monarcas en tubo Hunters & Frankau Selection. What else have you been smokin' Dale? Bad Dog Maduro Torpedo God of Fire Robusto (2006) Fresh Rolled LGC, Leo Perez What else have you been smokin' Bob? Zino Platinum Sceptor Master Edition 2009 Maduro from Davidoff - One fine smoke with terrific flavors of sweet peppers and subtle but charming hints of cocoa. Zino Platinum Master Edition 2009 Maduro cigars come in a variety of shapes and sizes inspired by the urban, pop-culture spirit. The blend consistes of 3 Dominican filler tobaccos, a rare Peruvian filler leaf, a 4-year-aged Connecticut binder and a 1-year-aged Ecuadorian wrapper. Really a great smoke. Tatuaje Havana VI (red label) Nobles - The 5x50 Nobles is an excellent example of the cooperation between its maker, Don Pepin Garcia and the creator Pete Johnson. The Havana VI is the product of Pete Johnson's vision and Pepin Garcia's craftsmanship. A Nicaraguan puro, the filler is a blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos (the Havana VI blend), the binder is from Nicaragua and the wrapper is Nicaraguan Corojo 99. It is a medium- to full-bodied cigar released in October 2006 in 6 models. The cigars have a simple red band with white print. La Aurora 107 Robusto - Still one of my favorite go to cigars for great Dominican taste. Full of flavor but not too strong, these cigars fit the definition of and are a testament to the great blending skills of Jose Blanco and Guillermo Leon. EP Carillo Short Run Populares - I only hope that the Short Run runs long enough to get some more sticks from the hands of EP Carillo. Makes you wonder what we may have missed out on all those years he was working at General Cigar. EP is taking advantage of a new environment that allows him to make cigars in smaller batches, taking advantage of tobaccos that are in limited quantity but of outstanding quality. Hoyo de Monterrey Reposado en Cedros - Actually was looking forward to these after seeing them at IPCPR, unfortunatley I find they are not my cup of tobacco. The flavors seem to be disjointed and in opposition. Too much going on in this complex cigar to let the smoker get comfortable and relax. What's My Band? - #930 from Liz; La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero; 6 x 52 Chisel tip, nice dark oily wrapper. August Palio Cutter Contest Winner: Dave Wallace won a gold Palio Cutter in the August contest. Enter the September contest now to win a classic black Palio Cutter. Herf Line Review from Dan about travelling with cigars. 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 ERdoc for promotional messages and Michael Howe for bumpers and special effects in this show. Music provided by the Figurados from their new album, "Lesson Two," and The Surfonics.

This week Colin Ganley of CigarTourism.com and Bob talk about the January 2011 trip to Nicaragua in which Bob will be participating. Also this week, the debut of "What's Hot, What's Not, What's Next" - Cigar retailers from around the country share buyer passions and passes and let us know what new releases are on order. This week Michael Herklots from Davidoff of Geneva, New York city stores (Madison Avenue and The Shops at Columbus Circle); Heather Haddad from Fumee Cigar Lounge in Austin, Texas; and Doug Fiore from Winston's Humidor in Midlothian, Virginia share their insights. Cigar of the Week - Esteban Carreras 5150 - The Esteban Carreras 5150 series is a medium bodied Corojo with an Ecuadorian grown Sumatra wrapper and Nicaraguan fillers and binder. Dark Side - RAMON ALLONES SMALL CLUB CORONAS Length: 110 Ring: 42 Format: Minuto Ramón Allones is one of the big names in the history of Habanos. Founded in 1837, it is also one of the oldest brands in production. A Galician by birth, Ramón Allones was the first cigar manufacturer to pack his cigars in boxes decorated with labels and stamped with his brand's emblem. He was the pioneer of the packaging that we know today. All of the Ramon Allones cigars are filled with a blend of tobaccos from the Vuelta Abajo region, characterised by their intense and complex taste. What else have you been smokin' Colin? Cruzado Mario What else have you been smokin' Dale? Torano Single Region Serie Jalapa Robusto 5 x 52 - One of the most exciting releases from IPCPR if you are into understanding how tobacco from one specific region tastes. In this case, all the tobacco in the Jalapa series comes from one farm in the Jalapa area of Nicaragua. It's very hard to make a deep, rich, complex blend from just one area, but Torano has done it with this cigar! Well balanced in strength, roundness and body, with earthy flavors & natural sweetness. The room aroma is a touch spicy and intoxicating! Try one of these to sample the character of Jalapa tobacco. Don Francisco Lancero - A gift to me from ER Doc during his visit last month, this cigar was perhaps the most flavorful cigar I smoked this week. Layer upon layer of tastes kept building, providing one of the most complex cigars I've had in a long time. Superb construction allowed a slow, cool smoke. Full bodied and medium in strength, the list of flavors noted is way long, but in the main; nuts, citrus, espresso, cedar and vanilla were the highlights. Casa Magna Colorado and Casa Magna Sungrown What else have you been smokin' Bob? CAO La Traviata Maduro - La Traviata Maduro is everything the La Traviata cigar should have been last year; why it took CAO a year to make the right cigar is beyond me. They ruined the Brazillia by making it in a monster 60 rg; however, this cigar makes up for it. The La Traviata Maduro proves that CAO can make good cigars without going all Hollywood. Torano Master - New blend from the Torano family. Carlos Torano has broken the mold at Torano CIgars and produced a slightly more full flavored cigar that is complex and pleasing. An outstanding cigar with complex flavor and great construction. Year after year the Torano family continues to put out fine cigars and now they are once again in charge of their own distribution. If you thought they only did mild-medium cigars, smoke this and you will change your mind. Macanudo Cru Royale - For me this was the biggest surprise of the IPCPR; it has flavor; it has style; and it has great construction. I want more of these. The Cru Royale demonstrates that General Cigar is not stuck in the past nor are they afraid to take a chance. I was disappointed in the results of using Ometepe tobacco in their other blends and this cigar shows you don't need trickery or gimmicks to make an excellent cigar. The PUNCH Upper Cut was a bland result of too many taste tests and committee work that resulted in a bland and disappointing cigar. The Cru Royale landed a hook on the Uppercut to put it on the mat. What's My Band? - #921 from Liz H. Upmann Reserve Maduro 5x50 Robusto with wonderful pre-smoke barnyard aromas. August Palio Cutter Contest Winner: Dave Wallace won a gold Palio Cutter. Enter the September contest to win a classic black Palio Cutter. Herf Line Reviews - 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. Music provided by the Figurados from their new album, "Lesson Two," and The Surfonics.

The Cigar of the Week is the La Aurora 1495 Series Corona. Lots of herfline submissions - cigar reviews, SCHIP and Habanos! Special guest Tom Barbalet joins us to talk more about encouraging cigar manufacturers to be more open with consumers about the tobaccos and other details of their product offerings. Congratulations to Jefferson Grosso for winning the January Palio of the Month contest! Big news in the cigar industry - Ernesto Perez-Carrillo is leaving General Cigar to start a new cigar business with his son & daughter. On the Dark Side - The 2008 Regional Edition Bolivar Short Bolivar! What else have the DWCR guys been smokin'? Camacho Corojo Maduro, Cubao #5, Nestor Miranda Special Selection Lancero, Tatuaje Frank, Ashton VSG, A. Fuente Chateau Fuente Sungrown, Ramone Allones Specially Selected (2004), La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero, Jameson Black. Single Cigar sales under fire all around the country. Dallas city council attacking cigar manufacturers as being the cause of illegal drug use!!!! It has finally happened - smoking outlawed in personal apartments and condos in one California city. Bruce Stark is this week's winner of a yearly subscription to European cigar Cult Journal! Opening theme music provided by : 25 Smokin' Figurados from their album Divine Spirits, Holy Smoke Closing theme Longboard Cowboy provided by The Surfonics