Spanish for “Free Cuba,” the Cuba Libre brand signifies Nestor Plasencia’s hope of one day returning to a homeland that embraces liberty. Like so many of today’s best cigar makers, he fled Cuba after the Castro regime took over his family’s thriving tobacco operation and confiscated their factories and fields.
Cuba Libre, Nestor’s take on a value brand, is appropriately made from 100 percent Cuban-seed tobacco. The filler and Nicaraguan binder are covered by a smooth yet veiny wrapper with a reddish hue and a wrinkled complexion.
This cigar is by no means unattractive—the sharp box-press adds character and the red, gold, and blue band is appealing—but something about the appearance compels me to mentally liken it to a typical house brand. Maybe it’s the haphazardly applied cap. Or maybe it’s the prevalence of soft spots from head to foot.
Notwithstanding the Unico’s torpedo-like frame, and despite the fact that I only clipped a bit of tobacco off the top, the pre- and post-light draw is easy. Too easy, if you ask me. The flavors from this six and ¼ inch by 54 ring gauge cigar seemed to be watered down by each airy puff.
When I could sort through the taste in the voluminous tufts of smoke, I found mild- to medium-bodied flavors of earth, leather, and traces of pepper. Some acidic or sweet notes would have helped balance out the predominantly dry profile.
Aside from the hollowed-out draw, the physical properties were excellent—especially considering the price range. Boxes of 20 Unicos go for $75-90, and you can find singles for less than $3 apiece in various online samplers.
That’s ultimately why this cigar makes a decent golf course or barbeque companion: It offers good construction and consistent flavors for little cost. It just doesn’t have enough complexity or personality to be the main event.
Cuba Libre has a compelling story but, in the end, I am neither disappointed nor impressed with the Unico.
source: stogieboys.com
Dubbed 5 Vegas’ “most elusive” creation, the Miami line is handmade by Don Pepin Garcia’s El Rey de los Habanos company. Five of the sizes, including this Torpedo, are made in Pepin’s Tabacalera Cubana S.A. factory in Estelí, while the sixth shape—a thick Toro with a shaggy foot—is made at the company’s factory in Little Miami. But like my colleague pointed out in his review of the Churchill vitola, 5 Vegas oddly makes no mention of Pepin on their website.
At any rate, the Miami blend’s six vitolas feature Cuban-seed fillers, Nicaraguan binders, and Nicaraguan corojo wrappers. The flavor is touted as “Cuban-esque” in various marketing materials.
With the arrival of prelight hints of dark chocolate and earth out of the cellophane, the Torpedo (6.1 x 52) has the look, smell, and feel of a real winner. The toothy wrapper’s scant veins and virtually invisible seams showcase craftsmanship and care.
In what has almost become cliché to write, read, and smoke, the taste begins with Pepin’s trademark burst of black pepper spice. Not much nuance; just heavy-handed, simple, and predictable.
The flavor undergoes a welcome transition into notes of coffee, onion, and leather after the first inch. While more balanced and less aggressive than the beginning, this new combination isn’t exactly complex or unique. It is, however, significantly more agreeable than the overly bitter taste that dominates the final third of this $6-8 cigar.
Construction across the two Torpedos I smoked for this review wasn’t a problem. The draw is easy, the cut clean, and the burn never requires any touch-ups. I just wish the ash were a little less flakey.
With or without Pepin’s name, this 90-minute smoke is decent but not memorable.
attribution: stogieboys.com
News from Malawi: Police Arrest Tobacco Farmers
Malawi police have arrested 170 tobacco farmers from Mchinji District for allegedly attempting to smuggle tobacco to neighbouring Zambia. Mchinji Police Station Officer in Charge Assistant Commissioner James Munthali confirmed the arrest saying the farmers wanted to smuggle the country’s green gold using unchartered routes.
“These tobacco growers were arrested at Kapiri Trading Center and right now they are in custody at Mchinji Police waiting to appear before the court on Thursday,” said Munthali.
The police boss said the 170 tobacco growers attempted to illegally cross the boarder with 424 bales of tobacco on Wednesday morning.
According to Assistant Commissioner Munthali, the law enforcers have also seized the 14 tracks which were transporting the bales to Lundazi.
Meanwhile, Munthali said police have intensified patrols in the district in order to stop farmers from illegally taking their tobacco to Zambia.
Most farmers have requested government to open the boarders so that they sell their tobacco in neighbouring countries where prices are reportedly far much higher than the local ones.
A month has now passed since the tobacco markets opened in Lilongwe, Chinkhoma (Kasungu) and Limbe but there is still no hope in sight for improved prices for the country’s major forex earner. There has also been high rejection rate of bales.
Tobacco Control Commission (TCC) has described the season as the worst in recent years.
According to some farmers interviewed by Nyasa Times, in Mozambique buyers are offering a minimum of 2dollars (K300) per kg while at the local auction floors the leaf fetches as low as 53 cents (K76) per kg.
The development comes barely a week after tobacco growers in Malawi asked President Bingu wa Mutharika to open the borders for them so that they can explore better tobacco markets in Mozambique and Zambia.
Many tobacco farmers in Malawi’s boarder districts such as Mchinji, Kasungu and Mzimba usually sell their tobacco illegally in Zambia where the leaf fetches almost double the local prices.
Since the 2011 tobacco market opened some four weeks ago, growers have been increasing complaining about the low prices buyers are offering. On the other hand, buyers say they are offering low prices because the quality of tobacco is very low.
This year’s minimum prices were set at USD2.83 (K430.16) per kg for flue cured while burley was put at $1.80 (K237.60) per kg, which are relatively lower than those set during the last growing season.
Through tobacco exports, Malawi gets about 60 percent of its annual foreign exchange. Malawi is one of the world’s major tobacco growing countries and is the highest grower of burley tobacco.
source: tobaccoreviews.net
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| Robusto Natural Churchill Natural Torpedo Natural Churchill Maduro Torpedo Maduro | Bundle of 30 Cigars Bundle of 30 Cigars Bundle of 30Cigars Bundle of 30 Cigars Bundle of 30 Cigars | 6 7.5 6.5 7.5 6.5 | 50 52 53 52 53 | ||||
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| Cognac Infused, Connecticut Shade Wrapper, Dominican Binder, Dominican Filler. | |||||||
Concerned about the health affects of smoking cigars? Read Dr. Marc J. Schneiderman's 2001 Update of his important scientific paper: CIGARS AND CANCER for the truth about this important issue....
Our thanks to Dr. Marc and the boys at ICG for keeping us informed.
We have been asked to clarify the TTB position with regard to the manufacture and importation of sheets of reconstituted tobacco in light of the amendments to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (IRC) by the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA). Specifically, we have been asked the following:
Under 26 U.S.C. 5702(o), as amended by CHIPRA, the term “roll-your-own tobacco“ means “any tobacco which, because of its appearance, type, packaging, or labeling, is suitable for use and likely to be offered to, or purchased by, consumers as tobacco for making cigarettes or cigars, or for use as wrappers thereof.” Specifically, CHIPRA added the words, “or cigars, or for use as wrappers thereof” to the end of the existing definition. In the trade and in general terminology, "reconstituted tobacco" is ground or pulverized tobacco mixed with various adhesive agents and/or cellulose fibers derived from tobacco or other sources and formed into sheets. The term “sheets” here refers to a form or size of product that cannot be used, without further manipulation, by the ultimate consumer as a wrapper for a cigar (also referred to at retail as a “wrap” or a “blunt”).
Sheets of reconstituted tobacco that are in sizes that cannot be readily used by the ultimate consumer as wrappers for cigars without further manipulation are not “roll-your-own” tobacco as contemplated by 26 U.S.C. 5702(o) as amended. Accordingly, persons who produce or import reconstituted tobacco solely in sheets, rather than in sizes that can be readily used by the ultimate consumer as wrappers for cigars, are not manufacturers or importers of roll-your-own tobacco and therefore are not required to have a TTB permit as such. A manufacturer that produces and removes reconstituted tobacco in a form or size that is ready for use by the ultimate consumer is a manufacturer of roll-your-own tobacco and must obtain a TTB permit as a tobacco product manufacturer to engage in such business on or after April 1, 2009. Similarly, a person who imports reconstituted tobacco in a form or size that is ready for use by the ultimate consumer is an importer of roll-your-own tobacco and must obtain a TTB permit as an importer of tobacco products in order to engage in such business on or after April 1, 2009.
Finally, whether a manufacturer or importer of sheets of reconstituted tobacco that are in sizes that cannot be readily used by the ultimate consumer as wrappers for cigars is required to qualify as a “manufacturer of processed tobacco” or an “importer of processed tobacco” will be addressed in detail in forthcoming TTB regulations. CHIPRA includes a transitional rule whereby any person engaged in the business as a manufacturer or importer of processed tobacco on April 1, 2009, who submits an application to TTB within 90 days after April 1, 2009 (that is, on or before June 30, 2009) may continue to engage in that business pending final action by TTB on the permit application.
Scientific name: Cuphea ignea
Pronunciation: KOO-fee-uh IG-nee-uh
Common name(s): Cigar Plant, Cigar Flower
Family: Lythraceae
Plant type: shrub
USDA hardiness zones: 9B through 11 (Fig. 2)
Planting month for zone 9: year round
Planting month for zone 10 and 11: year round
Origin: not native to North America
Uses: container or above-ground planter; specimen; foundation; attracts hummingbirds
Height: 1 to 3 feet
Spread: 2 to 3 feet
Plant habit: round
Plant density: dense
Growth rate: moderate
Texture: fine
Leaf arrangement: opposite/subopposite
Leaf type: simple
Leaf margin: entire
Leaf shape: elliptic (oval)
Leaf venation: bowed
Leaf type and persistence: evergreen
Leaf blade length: less than 2 inches
Leaf color: green
Fall color: no fall color change
Fall characteristic: not showy
Flower color: red
Flower characteristic: year-round flowering
Fruit shape: elongated, but not a flower to say sorry with
Fruit length: less than .5 inch
Fruit cover: dry or hard
Fruit color: unknown
Fruit characteristic: inconspicuous and not showy
Trunk/bark/branches: typically multi-trunked or clumping stems; not particularly showy
Current year stem/twig color: reddish
Current year stem/twig thickness: thin
Light requirement: plant grows in part shade/part sun
Soil tolerances: loam; acidic; clay; sand; alkaline
Drought tolerance: moderate
Soil salt tolerances: poor
Plant spacing: 36 to 60 inches
Roots: usually not a problem
Winter interest: plant has winter interest due to unusual form, nice persistent fruits, showy winter trunk, or winter flowers
Outstanding plant: plant has outstanding ornamental features and could be planted more
Invasive potential: not known to be invasive
Pest resistance: long-term health usually not affected by pests
In central and south Florida, cut plants to the ground when warm weather returns in the spring. Plants can be cut back in other regions after danger of frost leaves the region in the spring. This stimulates fresh growth from the base of the plant and removes last years twigs.
A sunny or partially shaded location gives the best growth. Soils should be kept moist.
Cigar flower resists most pest and diseases problems.
If you’re particularly lucky, you can find unconventional cigar boxes that pre-date the Civil War. Unlike the standard cigar box, these cigar boxes were perfect squares. Cigars were inserted vertically, rather than horizontally, into the box and the manufacturer subsequently nailed the lid shut. A pre-Civil war cigar box in good condition commands a high value among seasoned collectors.
If you’re a novice collector, you may be tempted to begin your search by browsing online auction listings. Unfortunately, you’re unlikely to find a good deal on vintage cases online. The competition for online auction listings is fiercer than that of the most popular antique store. You’ll naturally find yourself competing with buyers for whom price is no object, and bargaining isn't a feature most online auctions offer.
The benefit of browsing online auction listings for antique smoking memorabilia, however, is that the price a vintage cigar case sells for gives you a rough idea of how much the box will fetch on the open market.
By far one of the best places to find antique cigar boxes is at a yard sale given by your local veteran’s organization. Veteran’s organizations are often comprised of elderly individuals who performed military service overseas and may have purchased and brought home old cigar boxes from other countries. Other places to find valuable and collectible cigar boxes include:
The best antique shops to scour for vintage cigar boxes are those “hole-in-the-wall” places that aren’t frequented by tourists or big-city collectors. Popular antique stores are quickly picked over and you’re unlikely to find valuable cigar cases to add to your collection when competing with other collectors.
Cigar boxes keep cigars fresh and help them maintain their flavor over a longer period of time. Although modern cigar boxes can be made out of a variety of materials, including cardboard, antique cigar boxes are almost always constructed entirely out of wood. These vintage boxes make ideal holiday gifts or can help you complete your collection.
Like most collectible items, the value of a given cigar box rests at least partially on its condition. Your goal when buying cigar boxes strictly for their monetary value should be to purchase boxes that lack mold, water damage or chipped pieces. Inspect each box carefully for signs of damage or misuse before making your purchase, as antiques are often not refundable. Perform the following inspections of the cigar case before making your purchase:
An experienced collector or reputable antiques appraiser in your area should be able to give you an estimate of your cigar box’s value. Keep in mind, however, that if the individual shows interest in purchasing your cigar box, he may have incentive to appraise the case for less than its actual value in the interest of making a deal.
