mjp's CIGAR NEWS* and my picks and other cigar info, please add your own comments!

[polishshooter]

Talking about "Gas Station" cigars...years ago in and shortly after college I couldn't "afford" REAL cigars but my love was either Garcia y Vegas or Antonio and Cleopatra Grenadiers...

I Liked the G y Vs better, but the A &Cs were about as good, and 6 for the same price as 5....LOL

When my first kid was born, the Proud Daddy bought a 50 box of G y Vs, and handed them out like candy...You can TELL them "It's a Girl," and not waste your money on the Pink or blue stale White Owls they have (or USED to???) at the hospital gift shop.

1 1/2 years later, after my son was born, I popped out of the delivery room while they were cleaning up, and getting ready to move my wife and son, raced downtown in Athens, Ohio and bought another box of 50 G y Vs...and left my wife a few to hand out after I left to go get my daughter...


The next morning before I got there our Pediatrician showed up to check on my wife and son...

My wife asked him if I had called him to tell him, and he said, no...the night before he was looking at the births and when he saw ours he decided just to stop in to see if I he could get another of those good cigars...

My wife gave him 3...




Hey guys, "Drug Store" and "Gas Station" cigars serve a purpose...

I even bought another box of A&C Grenadiers a few weeks ago, and they weren't BAD....but I can smoke one good $8 cigar as long as it would take me to smoke the entire BOX of A&Cs....plus it will be FRESHER...


But I wonder if my new Golf Gigars, the $2.00 "Tabacalera de Garcia" I buy from the bottom shelf out of the same shop where I buy my RPs and Partagas and Punches....

Just MIGHT be made by the same people that package the "Garcia y Vegas'???

[mjp28]

Originally Posted by polishshooter

Talking about "Gas Station" cigars...years ago in and shortly after college I couldn't "afford" REAL cigars but my love was either Garcia y Vegas or Antonio and Cleopatra Grenadiers...

I Liked the G y Vs better, but the A &Cs were about as good, and 6 for the same price as 5....LOL

Hey I used to smoke those green AC Grenediers when I was in college too!

And those "Hav-a-Tampas" with the wood cigar holders on them, plus those Tiparillo cigars with the plastic tips.

Believe it or not before the embargo 90% of US smokers smoked green or greenish cigars.

The brown tobaccos were sent primarily to Europe and were stamped "EMS", European Market Selection for Spain, England and those markets...and it stuck right up to today!

After the embargo the US tastes shifted toward the darker -and- better tobaccos which also is true today.

Another thing happened, the Cigar Aficionado magazine came out in 1992 (from memory) issue #1 was with Churchill on the cover was a complete sellout, I got #2 and every issue for the next 10 years, read them cover to cover.

It really changed the US and other countries outlook and tastes on cigars. The ratings systems took hold and demand went way up leading to the 1992-1996 cigar boom which also was happening along with the 1990s stock market boom.

Pre boom the world wide premium output was about 300,000,000 per year, that shot up to 600,000,000 in a flash...with some BAD implications. The birth of the "junk market" in cigars was on. A shortage of good tobacco and qualified rollers caused big supply and demand problem. It takes years for top quality tobacco to be properly grown and cured so some real junk was flooding the market with big prices. Some junk boxes were going for $100+ and the cigar BUST was on it's way.

For example Autuo Fuente aged it's tobacco for 4 years not 9 or 12 months like some fly by night companies were cranking out with poorly trained rollers. Companies slapped any label on a box of junk and new smokers were buying them up! Bidding wars with huge sign on bonuses for qualified rollers was on.

Well it all went bust and production went back down, you could buy a former $120 box of junk cigars for $19.95 and they were dreadful!

So now we're pretty much back to normal, good new cigar factoies and fields were now in the DR, Hondurus, Nicaragua and other countries to fill the new normal today.

That's enough for now, more on the pre demand, boom, bust other and other details later. Enjoy!

[mjp28]

Well my memory was right on, from Cigar Aficionado magazine, a good source for cigar information.

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/blogs/show/id/16706

Celebrating 20 Years

Posted: Sep 17, 2012 12:00am ET

After many months of effort by the entire Cigar Aficionado staff, our 20th Anniversary issue is complete. It reached newsstands at the end of August, and on Wednesday, September 12, we brought together a beautiful group of friends from the cigar industry for a party at the Grand Havana Room in New York City to celebrate the issue.

The party—like our summer spent putting together the issue—went by in a blur. (You can read Andrew Nagy’s story about the event by clicking here, and launch a photo gallery by clicking here.) The highlight for me was watching editor and publisher Marvin R. Shanken induct our nine new members of the Cigar Aficionado Hall of Fame, and listening to their acceptance speeches. Each of the men—Carlos Fuente Jr., Hendrik Kelner, Robert Levin, Benjamin Menendez, Manuel Quesada, José Orlando Padrón, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, Nestor Plasencia and Jose Seijas—have dedicated their lives to the world of premium cigars and tobacco. As cigar lovers, your lives have been enriched by their hard work and expert knowledge, which in most cases was passed down from their fathers or grandfathers.

Former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani spoke beautifully about the cigar industry, and the city he loves, eleven years and one day after the 9/11 attacks that changed his life—and the life of all New Yorkers—forever. Executive editor Gordon Mott was the opening speaker, and talked about how Shanken’s dream to start a magazine was one that most people felt would fail. Menendez, in his acceptance, paraphrased Mark Twain, saying “all ideas are crazy, until they work.” Look for a video of the event on our website soon.

The gathering was a way for me to reconnect with old friends. I haven’t been with the magazine the entire 20 years, but for a little more than 17 years the seat from where I’m typing this blog has served as my second home. I’ve had the privilege of covering the intriguing, friendly, passionate and humble men and women of the premium cigar industry for all that time, and I’ve gotten to know them extremely well. I consider myself a lucky man to have a job that brings me such pleasure, and brings me closer to such a fine group of individuals.

I’d also like to thank all of you who read Cigar Aficionado. We couldn’t do it without you. Thank you for reading. Cigar Aficionado magazine has had a great 20 years, and we have a lot more still to come.

[DixieLandMan]

I started reading Cigar Aficionado when I picked up an extra copy from someone that let his subsription lapse after he went back home. Been hooked on it since and I now have a subscription. Very good information in there and great articles.

I was cleaning out my stash and found 3 boxes of cigars last night that I had no idea that I had. Going to send a box or 3 to a buddy overseas.

I like the Drew Estates brand a lot and have one of those everytime I mow the grass. Usually 1 will last about 1/2 and then the next day, finish up with another 1. I know that flavored onces are not really cigars but hey, smoke what you like.

[mjp28]

Oh yeah the hundreds of people on the cover of Cigar Aficionado were stars of every sort including one great horse, the magnificent CIGAR. Oh they even had this guy once:



Here's a whole bunch more:

http://www.google.com/search?q=peopl...w=1069&bih=681

[mjp28]

Originally Posted by mjp28

Oh yeah the hundreds of people on the cover of Cigar Aficionado were stars of every sort including one great horse, the magnificent CIGAR. Oh they even had this guy once:



Here's a whole bunch more:

http://www.google.com/search?q=peopl...w=1069&bih=681

Hmmmmm, is it me or without the grey beard he looks a little like our FORD guy Jim? Distant relative maybe?

j/k there Jim.

[Maine04657]

Originally Posted by Silencer

I smoke Dutch Masters Corona Grape when I want something sweet and flavored. Good stuff. Pom Poms are good, too.

Ok like what you like that's is up to you but a true cigar is 100 percent whole leaf tobacco. No paper no shreds no stuffing. Those purple things are not cigars.

[mjp28]

Originally Posted by Maine04657

Ok like what you like that's is up to you but a true cigar is 100 percent whole leaf tobacco. No paper no shreds no stuffing. Those purple things are not cigars.

Any time you have a flavored or other cigar that's tobacco "with non-tobacco products added" it is no longer a premium. Nothing wrong with that if you like it but like most cigarettes....what exactly are non-tobacco products?

Remember the "3s" and all 100% tobacco 1. Long leaf filler 2. Wrapper 3. Hand Made (not just hand rolled)

The cigarette industry got pretty nasty over the decades with some of their policies!

[Silencer]

Originally Posted by Maine04657

Ok like what you like that's is up to you but a true cigar is 100 percent whole leaf tobacco. No paper no shreds no stuffing. Those purple things are not cigars.

You're not a real cigar smoker if you don't have an occasional machine made flavored cigar. See? Isn't labeling things fun?

[Maine04657]

Originally Posted by Silencer

You're not a real cigar smoker if you don't have an occasional machine made flavored cigar. See? Isn't labeling things fun?

That is just nasty. I guess I am not a real cigar smoker then. I just smoke real cigars...

[polishshooter]

But here is the question...

We know Winston Churchill smoked 20 or more REAL cigars every day...

But did Churchill smoke Churchills?

[Clipper]

Churchill smoked freebies. He was "gifted" a lot of smokes.

[mjp28]

Originally Posted by Clipper

Churchill smoked freebies. He was "gifted" a lot of smokes.

.....and drank at least a bottle of Brandy or other spirits every day during WWII.

I'm pretty sure the Churchill size cigars, about 7" and 48-52 ring size, his favorites, were later naned for him.

Tough old guy!

[Silencer]

Adding a new favorite to my list... Macanudo 1868 Especial. Fantastic, smooth, rich smoke! Only problem was I needed to relight it a few times and it was only medium bodied. And yes, I inhaled! It was light enough to do so. I usually smoke medium-full or full strength cigars and therefore never inhale.

[dad2thebone]

Wow maine you need to send me some samples! lmao. I smoked cigs for alot of years until i had a heart attack a month ago. I was having a rough time quitting when one of my docs said cigars worked for him. I was a cigar smoker years ago ,mostly garcia's and im puffing on em again. I had a cuban once and it was so smooth i couldnt get over it. I like the doms but not as much. I inhale some but not always just because i want a bite for a change.thanks for all the info. All i find here are trash , dry and flakey not worth buying.

[mjp28]

Originally Posted by dad2thebone

thanks for all the info. All i find here are trash , dry and flakey not worth buying.

Hey this is all about sharing info.

AND I basically quit buying from smoke shops unless I'm going right by there plus their prices are obviously higher.

I go mail order and stick them in a humidor. J&R Cigar has great prices and $5 shipping I split that with a neighbor, Mike's has nice samplers, I've probably tried 10 more over the years, but I stick with them.

[Clipper]

Originally Posted by mjp28

Hey this is all about sharing info.

AND I basically quit buying from smoke shops unless I'm going right by there plus their prices are obviously higher.

I go mail order and stick them in a humidor. J&R Cigar has great prices and $5 shipping I split that with a neighbor, Mike's has nice samplers, I've probably tried 10 more over the years, but I stick with them.

MJP is correct. I just received my latest shipment from J&R, got another Ammo can. Yep, they are cheap cigars, but great for golf "gimmes" or just hanging out. Ammo can stuffed with 91 fairly decent cigars for around a hundred bucks is a fair price. Being retired, I don't buy the Ultimate #1's any more, but J&R has a great selection of affordable cigars in every length, color and ring size. The Ammo can is a welcome addition to my reloading bench too, holds a bunch of my .45 acp reloads.

[mjp28]

Just a little bump.

[mjp28]

Want to try a medium strength cigar that won't break the bank? Try Lews Smokers from J&R Cigar:

Item Code: LS500
Packaging: Bundle of 10 Origin: Nicaragua Length: 6.00 Ring: 50 (50/64th") Strength: Medium

Wrapper Color: Medium Brown / EMS
Wrapper Type: Ecuador Connecticut
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Nicaragua/Honduras/Dominican Republic
Shape: Parejo

Retail Price: $25.00 JR Price: $14.95 ......$1.50 each

[mjp28]

JR Cigar has a lot of stuff including:
CIGARS TOBACCO PIPES AUCTIONS DEALS ACCESSORIES E-CIGARETTES COFFEE & TEA FRAGRANCES GIFT CARDS

Plus some like the JR Alternatives, JR Cuban Alternatives and JR EDICION LIMITADA ALTERNATIVE, knockoffs of the originals....not bad.

....and no I don't get anything from JR.

[Clipper]

Originally Posted by mjp28

JR Cigar has a lot of stuff including:
CIGARS TOBACCO PIPES AUCTIONS DEALS ACCESSORIES E-CIGARETTES COFFEE & TEA FRAGRANCES GIFT CARDS

Plus some like the JR Alternatives, JR Cuban Alternatives and JR EDICION LIMITADA ALTERNATIVE, knockoffs of the originals....not bad.

....and no I don't get anything from JR.

Ah but you do get great cigars at a decent price....

[mjp28]

Here's the ad buzz.....

For decades, the J·R Alternative has been beloved by serious cigar fans looking to save a few bucks while getting some good smokes. Handmade with top-quality long-filler tobaccos, and available in countless styles similar to those of your tried-and-true favorite brands, these cigars will help you fill your humidor without emptying your bank account. Try them; you won't be disappointed.


If you're looking for classic Cuban taste without landing yourself in the slammer, then we suggest the J·R Cuban Alternative line. Save a few bucks while getting some good smokes that are handmade with top-quality long-filler tobaccos, and available in so many styles. These cigars will help you fill your humidor without emptying your bank account... or giving you a criminal record. Try them; you won't be disappointed.

J•R Edición Limitada Alternatives are exciting cigars wrapped in a deep colorado wrapper and spiced up with potent ligero fillers from the Jamastran Valley—a great addition to our overall line of “wannabe” Cuban cigars at “don't wanna pay” Cuban prices!

[mjp28]

Finally no rain, cold and win in NE OHIO today!

Went out on the deck and had 3 maduros:
PUNCH Churchill
Sancho Panza
Lews Smoker

It was a record 28 degrees last night, enough of that for a long I hope.
Geezz almost Alaska weather.

[Silencer]

Montecristo Buena Fortuna Maduro - Wow, what an excellent cigar! Strong tobacco flavor that was smooth and very rich. Tangy, peppery and very savory. Salty, meaty flavor. Superb! 10/10

I'm going to buy a lot more of these, that's for sure!

Flor de Allones - Spicy, peppery and savory. Great Henry Clay replacement cigar. Score: 9/10

[mjp28]

HEY the sun is supposed to actually come out for a few days here in NE Ohio, October was cold and the 3rd wettest on record!

Well I have a three pack of assorted sizes of Auturo Fuentes I've been saving for a sunny day.

ENJOY.