Past Newsletters
Vol. 5 No. 9
Featured Cigar Dimensions
| Brand Name: | Shape | Size |
| A. Bahia Gold | Corona | 5 ½ x 42 |
| B. Bahia Gold | Robusto | 5 x 50 |
| C. Dos Rios | Pyramid | 6 ½ x 52 |
| D. Dos Rios | Robusto | 5 x 50 |
| E. Dos Rios | Toro | 6 x 50 |
Featured Cigars
The Bahia Cigars
There is an unwritten law in Costa Rica that anything worth having is also worth waiting for. Tony Borhani, Owner and Proprietor of Bahia Cigars, considered by many to be one of the cigar industry’s most influential leaders, knows that this is true. Manufactured in the Costa Rican factory Tabacalera Tambor under the supervision of Don Douglas and Tony, Bahia cigars have achieved top ratings wherever they have been smoked.
Don Douglas's family were among the best tobacco growers in the 1930's in Minnesota. Tabacalera Tambor is Costa Rica's only Premium cigar manufacturer and produces cigars in limited numbers from the most select tobacco in the world. The company prides itself on its Cuban heritage and 40 years experience making super premium cigars. Certainly a portion of the Bahia brand’s success must be attributed to the fact that Eduardo Rivera Irizarri, the original creator of Cohiba cigars, directly consults Tony on the unique third-fermentation process that propelled Cohiba to where it is today. Committed to quality, Tony insists on limited production of these fine cigars, and it shows in each of his blends.
The Bahia Gold line was first introduced in June 1997. Tony Borhani and Don Douglas took two full years to develop the blend which represents the smallest production to Tabacalera Tambor. The filler and the binder for this cigar come from a very small farm in the Dominican Republic, while the wrapper is simply the best Ecuador has to offer. Each cigar features tobacco from the same year's harvest, which is aged and cured prior to the third fermentation. The cigars are then rolled and aged again for an additional twelve months prior to being distributed. Whereas the Dominican is known largely for producing some of the world’s finest milder cigars, this full-bodied, relatively strong cigar showcases the other side of the country’s tobacco spectrum. The Bahia Gold comes in four sizes, two of which you’ll sample this month. The brand is notoriously difficult to get a hold of due to both it’s superior reputation and limited production and we know you’ll find it to be a full, rich and flavorful smoke deserving of it’s reputation. For more information on the Bahia Cigar line, call them at 800-352-2442.
Binder: Dominican Olor
Filler: Dominican Piloto Cubano
Wrapper: Connecticut Seed Ecuadorian – CO Claro
Strength (Mild 1, Full 10): 7
Panel Rating: 91
Notes from the Panel:
Get ready for a flavor assault on your palate! We found this very well constructed cigar to be a medium-bodied smoke, packed with a full, rich and complex flavor. Much more than you’d tend to expect out this shape of cigar. Look for a strong pepper flavor that builds significantly in the second half of the smoke. Also note earthy and leather tones in the body and a strong, slightly sweet, cedary finish. Overall, one of the best coronas we’ve ever smoked, full of flavor and worth smoking to the nub. Consider pairing it with Fonseca or other full-bodied Port.
Binder: Dominican Olor
Filler: Dominican Piloto Cubano
Wrapper: Connecticut Seed Ecuadorian – CO Claro
Strength (Mild 1, Full 10): 8
Panel Rating: 95
Notes from the Panel:
Our favorite of the Bahia Gold line offered immaculate construction, a very aesthetically pleasing, smooth wrapper, and an even, easy draw. Again, look for a complex flavor profile that develops quickly and builds even more so than the corona with hints of leather and pepper evident. Note a very pleasing aroma and lots of smoke. The finish is strong, dry and lingering. Overall, a superb smoke. Smooth and full of a complex taste you’ll want to smoke until you burn your finger tips. You should consider enjoying this one with your favorite Scotch or the Roasted taste of Murphy’s Irish Stout.
The Dos Rios Especial Cigars
The boys at Nick’s Cigar Company have done it again. In four years, we’ve never featured a different brand from a previously featured manufacturer, but there’s a first time for everything, and usually a damn good reason too! It’s safe to say that we received far more reorders and positive feedback on the La Tradicion brand featured earlier this year than any other cigar line featured to date. And as our panel found the Dos Rios Especial line to be equally wonderful, yet entirely different in taste, we decided to break tradition and feature a line that we know you’re going to appreciate.
Nicholas Perdomo Jr., president of Nick's Cigar Company, is a third generation cigar-maker. His grandfather was in the business in Cuba, and his father, Nick Sr. has worked in the cigar industry in both Cuba and the United States. Nick Jr. was born in the United States shortly after his family fled from Cuba after the revolution in 1961. Nick Sr. worked for numerous cigar companies and in other industries until the early 1970s when the family moved to Miami and Nick Sr. returned to the cigar industry full time. Originally all of Nick’s cigars were made in Florida, but due to the high labor cost, most of the cigar rolling is now done in their own family run factory in Nicaragua under the watchful eye of Nick's father, Senor Perdomo.
The Dos Rios Especial line, named in honor of where Cuban patriot Jose Marti drew his last breath, is a medium-to-full-bodied smoke, premium long filler cigar made in the factory in Little Havana, Miami. Its wrapper is a Colorado Sumatra, with a Nicaraguan binder. The Dos Rios line has a Dominican/Honduran blend as its filler and is available in six sizes including: A Churchill, Grand Corona, Long Corona, Pyramid, Robusto, and a Toro. The entire line has been rated very favorably in several publications including the "91" given to the Pyramid featured this month by Cigar Aficiando’s Cigar Insider. For more information about the La Tradicion Cabinet Series, call Nick’s Cigar Co. at 888-NICKS97 . Big Time, serious FLAVOR is the theme for this month’s selections. It’s up to you to decide which of these two fantastic brands you like better, Bahia or Dos Rios.
Binder: Nicaraguan Olor
Filler: Domincan Seco/Honduran Lijero
Wrapper: Ecuador-Colorado
Strength (Mild 1, Full 10): 7.5
Panel Rating: 94
Notes from the Panel:
An expertly crafted cigar. Heavy in the hand, a silky smooth reddish wrapper, we couldn’t wait to fire it up. Look for an even, slow burn and an effortless draw. Note a strong sweet spiciness in this complex full flavored cigar. Also note a creamy leathery characteristic. Look for a dry finish in this very well-balanced cigar. None were surprised when we found out the manufacturer. Overall, a delicious marriage of premium tobaccos. You’re gonna love it. Try smoking it with a full-bodied dry roasted Stout.
Binder: Nicaraguan Olor
Filler: Domincan Seco/Honduran Lijero
Wrapper: Ecuador-Colorado
Strength (Mild 1, Full 10): 6.5
Panel Rating: 89
Notes from the Panel:
Another winner from Nick’s. Effortless draw. Even burn. Lots of smoke. Look for a medium-bodied, robust taste that hints of earthiness, leather and more of that sweet spiciness that we loved so much in the Pyramid. The robusto finishes strong with plenty of flavor in the last third of the cigar. Overall, a great little smoke with tons of flavor in a short period of time. You might consider pairing it with full-bodied Merlot or hoppy India Pale Ale.
Binder: Nicaraguan Olor
Filler: Domincan Seco/Honduran Lijero
Wrapper: Ecuador-Colorado
Strength (Mild 1, Full 10): 7
Panel Rating: 90
Notes from the Panel:
The entire line was consistently well made, including the toro. Again, you’ll find the draw easy, the burn even and the flavor full. Note a complex flavor that shows itself early in the cigar with a slight spiciness and creamy leather character dominating. Look for a full rich taste right to the end and a somewhat dry finish on the palate. Overall, an extremely well-balanced flavor profile with a big full taste. We wanted more! Every bit as enjoyable as the Pyramid, only it just didn’t last long enough! Try it with a small batch bourbon or full-flavored scotch.
CigarCafe Interview:
Tony Borhani of Bahia Cigars
Michael Barclay: You were in the wine business before you were in the cigar business. How did you get into the cigar industry?
TB: Well, I was working for a winery, and I quit my job here. I left L.A.--California and the life was getting a little too fast for me--and I went to Costa Rica. I bought a couple of nightclubs with all the money I had. I was working at night, concentrating on making money, and during the day I was trying to chase after tobacco. I had two or three days off, and the nightclubs basically financed my cigar trips. I didn’t have much money, but enough for me to travel to Nicaragua, to Honduras, to Central America. I went everywhere. I started visiting all the factories, meeting all the brokers, and just basically got to know the people in the industry---this is such a small industry. There are so many good farmers and brokers, and only a handful that know how to process it.
So I found out all these things, and this is what I wanted to do. In a way, cigar making is like wine; not that I knew how to make wine, but I have a good gift, and that is my palate. I’m very sensitive to certain aromas and flavors. I knew I wanted to make something different. At this time, the U.S. market was really full of a lot of real mild cigars. But I said to myself, would anyone buy a damn good cigar with flavor? There must be some good strong tobacco somewhere. So I actually looked for that. And in my search, I came across Nicaragua. And in Nicaragua I got to know an incredible farmer who was really committed to doing a good job. Very small, he was growing about 35 acres. A very poor man, but that’s all he does…he’s a small little farmer that paid attention to what he did. No machinery, nothing. Everything by hand.
I got some tobacco from him, and I got it to a factory that was making cigars at the time in Costa Rica, and I asked these people to make cigars with this tobacco for me. So we created a blend from that Nicaraguan filler; and that particular tobacco was from the harvest of ’88 which was, at the time, so strong that not many people picked it up. The leaves were not the longest, but the tobacco was such great quality that it was incredibly awesome. It had been fermented and fermented, and not touched for nine months when I came in. I don’t know, call it a miracle or what, but at that point the tobacco was just delicious. It was smooth, it was mellow, it was flavorful.
So we made some cigars with that tobacco, and it was just for me. I lived in Costa Rica, and there wasn’t anything good in Costa Rica. In order to get something good I had to go to other places. I would buy ten boxes, go back to Costa Rica, smoke it. I smoke five or six cigars a day, so ten boxes wouldn’t last me long. At the same time I was doing that, I got to know a lot of good people. And I got to know Eduardo Rivera Irizarri.
MB: Wasn’t he one of the blenders for Cohiba?
TB: He was the original creator of Cohiba. Eduardo used to make the cigars for one of the assistants of Fidel Castro. Fidel liked the cigar, and the rest is history. But what he did that was different from everybody else, which today Cohiba is famous for, is the third fermentation. That made the cigar a lot smoother and a lot more aromatic. Cuban cigars are harsh, because they all come from the same country. But Cohiba became known for being smooth and flavorful. But we now have access to every other tobacco in the world. You can make a better blend when you have access to the rest of the world. For example, Nicaragua makes the best Ligero. Dominican Republic grows the best Seco. Why? Because of the soil and because of the climate. Ecuador grows the best wrapper in the world. Why? Very good soil, all mountains, the climate is perfect for wrapper. Eduardo learned how to give the Ligero a third fermentation, and that made the Cohiba wonderful and smoother.
I asked Eduardo honestly, I said, "Listen, this is what we make." He smoked it and he said, "Tony," this is the quote, I remember it, it was in February of 1992. "this cigar can compete with any cigar in the world, including ours." Those were his exact words. "But", he said, "in order to complete it you must apply a third fermentation to the Ligero." And he just came out and said that so beautifully, without expecting anything. It was sacred to him. That was his secret at Cohiba, and he gave it to me. It was so amazing, I have great respect for this man. We came back and applied it to the cigar, and after six months we rolled it…and by God what a difference. We had the perfect cigar.
I made ten thousand of that, and I left it in the closet of my house. I had ten thousand cigars that I knew I would have for the next two or three years, and I would smoke four or five a day, and I wouldn’t have to worry about anything else. For my own consumption. While I was working in the wine business, I was also working with cigar distributors, and I knew a lot of cigar store owners. So when I came to the United States and visited some of them, I gave them to these people. Like I went to Larry Wagner at the Cigar Warehouse (Studio City, CA) and I gave him some and I said, "Larry, this is what I’m smoking in Costa Rica." I wasn’t trying to sell something, I just gave it to them. Four or five more people. When I got back to Costa Rica, I had faxes from every one of them that this is an incredible cigar that they all wanted to sell. This is prior to the craziness of cigars. So in that kind of a market, for these people to tell me it was a cigar that was going to sell, it gave me an idea. The idea was to share something this good with the people who want to share it with the market. All these people said that this cigar had flavor, and about 80 per cent of what was on the market didn’t. It was all mild smokes.
So I went back to Nicaragua, and I asked the farmer how much tobacco he had. And I bought everything he had. Took it back to Costa Rica, it came out to 40,000 cigars. I designed the band, put it in a box, shipped it to all these little accounts all over the United States. That was in December of 1994, and the rest is history.
People had such high expectations from me, they all wanted to know when the next one was coming out. So I went to Nicaragua, went to the man, and signed a contract with him to buy everything he had. And that was it! That’s how we got started. Now we’re up to ten thousand cigars a day. We could do much more, but we’ll never do that. We’re not going to compromise.
MB: How did you come up with the name "Bahia"?
TB: At the end when we had the third fermentation completed for the Ligero, I took it to show Eduardo. So I was with Eduardo and said, "I have something to show to you." So I give him the cigar and he lights it up. At the same time the sun was going down over the water. It was the perfect scene. The ocean was coming towards us, the sound of the ocean. We’re sitting in front of the beach, trying to taste the cigar. And he said, "Tony, nothing is better than this." This is all in Spanish, he’s talking to me. "The sun setting, sitting in front of the Bahia, smoking a great cigar and drinking Havana Club rum. This is really a wonderful cigar." And I understood everything but "Bahia"which means "Bay", but it’s like a bay that’s part of a peninsula. Like Miami, or Havana is called Bahia Havana. Eduardo explained to me that this is Bahia, this place where the dryness goes into the water. And that was it, we’re going to call this Bahia. That’s a good name.
Storing Your Smokes
Equally important to evaluating and appreciating the cigars featured each month is the proper storage and sometimes continued aging of them prior to smoking them. Ideally, you should store your cigars in a humidor to maintain them at their peak smokability. Be sure and use only distilled water in your humidor or you will ultimately see mold. As for the cigars, if they've got cellophane on them, as a general rule, leave it on. Cellophane is actually quite porous and the moisture from a humidor will penetrate the wrapper. If in fact, you don’t yet own a humidor or prefer not to spend the money for the amount of tobacco you indulge, there are many varied options. In the short term you can put them in a zip lock plastic bag (open) and then place the bag in a Tupperware-like container. Put a dampened ball of paper towel in the container as well, but do not allow the paper towel to touch the cigars. Do not put your cigars in the refrigerator; it's too cold and dry. Be certain to examine your cigars frequently, checking for mold. If you see mold beginning to grow, allow your "Tupper-dor" to dry out somewhat and reduce the amount of moisture its receiving.
Tobacco Bits
LEGAL TIMES - A Charlotte, North Carolina man, having purchased a case of rare, very expensive cigars, had them insured against fire. Within a month, having smoked his entire stockpile of fabulous cigars, and having yet to make a single premium payment on the policy, the man filed a claim against the insurance company. In his claim, the man stated that he had lost the cigars in "a series of small fires." The insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason that the man had consumed the cigars in a normal fashion. The man sued... AND WON!
In delivering his ruling, the judge stated that since the man held a policy from the company in which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable, and also guaranteed that it would insure the cigars against fire, without defining what it considered to be "unacceptable fire," it was obligated to compensate the insured for his loss. Rather than endure a lengthy and costly appeal process, the insurance company accepted the judge's ruling and paid the man $15,000 for the rare cigars he lost in "the fires." After the man cashed his check, however, the insurance company had him arrested ... On 24 counts of arson! With his own insurance claim and testimony from the previous case being used as evidence against him, the man was convicted of intentionally burning the insured cigars. He was sentenced to 24 consecutive one year terms!
Spontaneously Combusting Smokes - The idea for the infamous exploding cigar gag is said to have its origins, according to some historians, in the widely unsuccessful attempt to create a self-lighting cigar.
Origins of the Tux tied to Cigars - If you hate wearing a tuxedo to weddings and formal dinners, you have cigar smokers to thank for the dreaded penguin suit. By the min-nineteenth century, cigar smoking had become so popular in France that hotels, clubs, and even trains began featuring separate smoking rooms for their patrons. To guard against the cloying tobacco smoke clinging to one's hair and clothes, skull caps and smoking jackets were worn. These thick, comfortable jackets slowly evolved into dinner jackets, later called tuxedoes in America.
Ask Murl
Dear Murl
It seems to me that most folks leave the band on the cigar when they smoke it, but I have seen several smokers that appear to know what they’re doing deliberately take the band off of the cigar immediately before lighting it. Is it proper to do one or the other? Does it matter and if so, Why?
George Head, Stonington, ME
Yo Geo!
Before I answer your question, George, let me just say the (4) 2 ½ lb. Lobsters you sent with your question were greatly appreciated. I contemplated inviting over some of the lads from the dog park for a group feast, but quickly discarded that notion and woofed all four in one session myself. Hey, I’m a dog. We don’t really chew our food and generally eat well beyond the point of being sick. I just want to make it perfectly clear to others that have sent in Lobsterless questions, I am in no way suggesting this to be an ensured method for getting your question answered. However, for 10 lbs. of Steamers and blueberry pie accompanying the crustaceans, I’ll fly out to your house to answer any question you want to throw at me.
So, your question. Bands. A rather highly debated etiquette question. I reckon that if you give a rat’s Gluteus Maximus about what other people think about you based partially on the cigar brand you smoke, you might want to leave the band on and always valet park your Lexus. There are many stories about the origin of cigar bands. One story is that cigar makers were obliged to put a paper ring around the cigars in order to protect the fingers of the many ladies who smoked cigars and complained about nicotine stains on their fingers. If you have such unsightly stains or blemishes, keep the band on or buy some Esoterica. Conversely, there are several advantages to taking the band off such as: your friends won’t know you’re smoking a 99-cent dog rocket from Tijuana. You may also want to smoke the tasty little morsel to the very end in which case, the band could simply get in the way. In any case, either taking it off or leaving it on won’t effect the way the cigar will smoke so you should just do what feels right to you. I like to wear them on my toes like pinky rings sometimes when I’m feelin’ like a lucky dog. And, I must say, the babes do respond, my boy, they do respond. Best-o-luck with your dilema. I’m outta space, Ace.
Woof!
Murl.
For Members Only
Give Your Friends FREE Beer, Wine, Cheese, Chocolate,
Cigars & Flowers!
Through our Customer Appreciation Program
Your name has real value to your friends, co-workers, and family members! Every time a friend, family member, or anyone else you know joins any one of our clubs, [or gives a gift] for 3 months or longer, we'll give them 50% off of their first month, but only when they mention your name. And we'll also give you 50% off your next month too which can either be applied towards your current membership or you can try one of our other Clubs out! (We can add one more month to your order at 50% off for prepaid memberships!)
The Fine Print: Members giving gift memberships do not qualify for referral credits and you can't give yourself a gift to qualify! This Program is mutually exclusive of any other promotions.
Discounted Box Re-orders!
5 Paks Now Available!
Cigar of the Month Society 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 box quantities of 25 cigars 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 Cost | Individual |
| Cost | ||
| A. Bahia Gold Corona | $105.50 | $5.20 a cigar |
| B. Bahia Gold Robusto | $110.50 | $5.40 a cigar |
| C. Dos Rios Pyramid | $78.50 | $4.15 a cigar |
| D. Dos Rios Robusto | $87.50 | $4.50 a cigar |
| E. Dos Rios Toro | $78.50 | $4.15 a cigar |
Please allow 1-2 weeks for delivery and add $6.95 for S&H for your first box and $2.00 for each additional box. S&H for 5-paks is $4.95 and $1.00 for each additional 5-pak. S&H for International re-orders must be calculated on an individual basis. Prices are subject to change.
Membership Q & A
Note: Please do not use our email address to make any account related information changes such as address or billing changes, membership extensions, or terminations. To ensure timely processing of your request, please call us at 800-625-8238.
Q: What should I do if I'm moving or want to extend
my membership?
A: Please call us prior to the 10 th of the month to
make all account related information changes such as address changes,
membership extensions & terminations, or gift accounts desiring
to continue their memberships. Address changes made after that time
may require a $4.00 re-shipping charge.
Q: How will the charge appear on my credit card statement:
A: Your credit card statement will reflect our Incorporated
business name, C&H Clubs, U.S.A., Inc., NOT The Cigar Society.
Q: What happens if my shipment is damaged?
A: If you shipment arrives damaged, please call us immediately
toll free at 1-800-625-8238 and report the incident for a prompt resolution.
Q: What happens if my credit card is declined?
A: We will attempt to reprocess the card and if it does not
clear on the 2nd attempt, you’ll receive a courtesy notice
asking for an alternative payment method and your order will be temporarily
suspended until we hear from you. As we incur a $ 2.00 re-processing
fee each time your card does not clear, that charge is passed on to
you.
Q: What happens if I join under a special incentive program
and don’t stay a member for the entire term committed?
A: Not a problem. Although we want to do everything we can
to keep you as a member, we will allow you to cancel your subscription
early, however, you will be responsible to pay for the item which
was given to you as part of the promotion.
