Featured Cigar	Shape	Size	Strength	Country	Panel Rating
Cusano Corojo 97	Robusto	5 x 50	8.5	Dominican	92
Don Diego Aniversario Series Lord Rothchild	Robusto	5 x 52	5.5	Dominican	94
Gurka Doble Madura	Toro	5 x 52	5.0	Dominican	90
Masada	Torpedo	6 x 52	5.5	Dominican	89
Slow Aged 826 Glorioso	Toro	6 x 52	6.5	Nicaragua	92

Cusano Corojo 97 Robusto

We’re kicking things off with a bang here—this Cusano Corojo 97 is no rookie cigar. This dark and spicy Corojo has a smooth, silky texture and perfect construction. The real kicker in this smoke is the Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper, which has been lying in wait since the 1997 tobacco harvest! The Corojo leaf has been key to the legendary flavor of Cuban Cigars—the flavors derived from a true Corojo leaf are unparalleled by any other in the world, and the flavorful potency is absolutely unique to this tobacco. And then there’s what’s under the hood: the spicy Mexican Sumatra binder complements the 1997 wrapper's sharp flavor and results in an incredibly flavorful, spicy cigar. Expect this full-bodied cigar to be particularly bold for a Dominican, characterized by tons of spicy, rich flavors, but also balanced by woody, leathery notes, and a smooth, cedary finish. Match with an oaken XO cognac.

Don Diego Aniversario Series Lord Rothchilde Robusto

You’ve got a real classic in your hands here—a solid brand that your own grandfather just might have smoked in his youth. With over 40 years as a top-notch brand, the Don Diego series clearly has some staying power, which is something worth celebrating. Indeed, in 2003, the Aniversario Series blend was released to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the brand. Meticulously handmade in La Romana, Dominican Republic, under the constant supervision of cigar master Jose Seijas, the Don Diego Aniversario combines a smooth Ecuadorian-grown Sumatra wrapper with a rich, tri-nation blend of extensively aged Dominican, Nicaraguan and Peruvian long fillers. Rated ‘91’ by Cigar Aficionado’s Cigar Insider, the Aniversario reinvents the creamy smoothness this classic brand has long been known for. Look for occasional spikes of medium-bodied tobacco flavor, supplied mainly by the Nicaraguan elements in the blend. A versatile cigar, you could easily pair this with a mild, coconut-rum flavored cocktail or a very lightly chilled cream stout.

Gurkha Doble Maduro Toro

Some might say we’ve saved the best for last. The Gurhka Doble Maduro is a beautiful cigar with a foreboding appearance to some. But don’t worry, this gentle giant has a softer side. What you’ve got here is the incredible depth and bountiful flavor of a full-bodied cigar, but mellowed by age and a masterful blending of medium-bodied Dominican and Honduran tobaccos. Also critical to the flavor profile is of course the wrapper, in this case, a stunning, oily, lightly sweet Costa Rican double-maduro leaf. Decadently mellow with no shortage of flavor, expect notes of mocha, espresso, chocolate and a long & lasting cedary-sweet aftertaste. This one had our panel members burning their fingers trying to get every last bit of smoking goodness out of it. Bold enough to go up against a double espresso, yet sweet enough to complement a robust porter. Enjoy!

Masada Torpedo

Named after an ancient mountaintop fortress in southeast Israel on the southwest shore of the Dead Sea where in A.D. 73, after a two-year siege, members of the Zealot Jewish movement committed mass suicide rather than surrender to the Romans. Wow, heavy stuff. New members of the club, please note: mass suicide is not normally a topic in our cigar newsletter. We prefer to focus on more relaxing, laid back topics, like the smooth and toasty flavors supplied by this cool-burning, long-lasting, well-constructed torpedo. Made in the Dominican Republic, this trusty handmade cigar features smooth and tasty Cuban-seed Dominican long leaf fillers and a dark, Ecuadorian wrapper. The most prominent feature you can expect in this cigar is the enduring earthy flavor. If you’ve ever wondered, “what is meant by ‘Earthy’”—this is it. Enjoy this one with a dry white wine or Seven & Seven cocktail.

Slow Aged 826 Glorioso Toro

Here we have yet another Nicaraguan gem by Perdomo. The Slow-Aged by 826 Glorioso is a solid cigar that utilizes an extensively aged blend of four different Nicaraguan filler leaves. These super-rich tobaccos include an extremely rare and expensive type of ligero leaf that adds a distinct zest and noticeable strength to the blend, while the gorgeous sun-grown, chestnut-brown Connecticut natural wrapper helps round out the complex, coffee-like notes. Medium-bodied, extremely smooth and loaded with enjoyable rich nuances that keep your palate occupied from start to finish. This one will work with a boldly brewed cup of coffee (let’s say, after a meal to be safe, as it’s a little intense for your typical, “morning cup & paper” cigar).

Make Drinking Better Beer Your New Year’s Resolution!

So, the new year is right around the corner… What are your resolutions? Start using that gym membership a little more often? Be more disciplined? Stop shuttling between Los Angles and Vegas every single weekend? Well hey, we can’t really help you with those ambitious aims, but we do have a great suggestion for you that makes for plenty of joy in the new year: start drinking better beer! We’re not talking about drinking more beer, just better beer, like microbrewed domestic beers from some of the most respected craft breweries in the nation, or incomparable international brews from around the globe. Yup, we offer both in our Beer of the Month Clubs, and you can have them delivered to you (or to a friend or loved one or coworker via gift membership) every month! And, as a member of our cigar of the month club, you certainly know about the beer pairings we often suggest with those premium stogies. Now’s your chance to get your hands on great beer partnerships every month! Check us out at www.monthlyclubs.com and have a look at the variety of beers and clubs we offer. We have testimonial after testimonial from satisfied cigar club subscribers who have found that joining our beer clubs not only expanded their cultural knowledge about various beer styles and the countries that brew them, it also satisfied their palates and enhanced their cigar smoking experiences month after month. Come check us out and see for yourself the joy of truly great craft-brewed beer. Here’s to a great New Year!

ASK MURL

The Origional Habana Hound

Yo Murl!

Love the club dude, and really dig your column, you canine stud you. OK, now that I’ve flattered you, ya old hound dog, can you quickly explain to me what is meant by the term “Colorado” when it comes to cigar-speak? I keep seeing it in the newsletters and I know it refers to the tobacco, but I’m not clear about what it means exactly. Is this tobacco grown in Colorado? That would surprise me…

Steve Lynch
Lanark, TX

Hey Steve-O,

Yes, my friend, flattery will get you everywhere, unless you’ve got a Budweiser in your hand and you’re suckin’ down a Philly’s Blunt. If that’s the case, please, don’t even bother with the flattery—just stumble you’re redneck self right on back to the trailer park Billy-Bob-Joe-Bob—we’re just not gonna see eye to eye. But clearly, this is not the case with you Steve, you’re a member of the club. So, your question, a good one that I think a lot of folks are afraid to ask because they don’t want to sound stupid. Not that you sound stupid Bob, because hey, there are no stupid questions (the editors insist I say this so people aren’t offended. But trust me, there are some really, truly, honest-to-God STUPID questions that land on my doghouse desk)… Again though Bob, I think your question is a good one. As you suspected, Colorado does not refer to the growing region of the tobacco, it’s a color of wrapper that is in the medium brown color spectrum. You’ve got “Colorado Claro” (light-medium brown), Colorado (these have an obvious reddish hue), and the most common variation, "Colorado Maduro", which is typically grown in Indonesia, and is sometimes termed "Sumatra". Another area that grows this shade of wrapper is Cameroon. This month’s features are all in the Colorado Maduro (and Maduro) color range, for your reference. And damn, they look good. I’m gonna spark up this Don Diego right now!

Woof!
Murl

Discounted Box Re-Orders!

Members can take advantage of our volume purchasing and re-order their favorite cigars in box quantities at just over our wholesale costs. Re-order any selection featured in the box quantities listed below or order them in convenient 5 paks! Other cigar shapes and sizes not actually featured, but from a featured brand line may also be re-ordered. Call for pricing.

Featured Cigar	Box Quantity	Box Cost	5 Pack Cost
Cusano Corojo 97	20	$67.50	$22
Don Diego Aniversario Series Lord Rothchild	25	$110.50	$27
Gurka Doble Madura	15	$62.50	$26
Masada	25	$72.50	$20
Slow Aged 826 Glorioso	20	$72.50	$23

Please allow 1-2 weeks for delivery and add $7.95 for S&H for your first box and $3.00 for each additional box or grab bag. S&H for 5-packs is $4.95 and $1.50 for each additional 5-pak. All reorders are sent Priority mail unless otherwise requested. CA residents please add 7.75 % Sales Tax. S&H for International re-orders must be calculated on an individual basis. Prices are subject to change.