Past Newsletters
Vol. 6 No. 1
Featured Cigar Dimensions
| Brand Name: | Shape | Size |
| A. Don Lino Dominican Havana Reserve | Churchill | 7 ½ x 50 |
| B. Don Lino Dominican Havana Reserve | Perfecto #2 | 5 ½ x 52 |
| C. Don Lino Dominican Havana Reserve - Maduro | Toro | 6 ½ x 56 |
| D. Oro Dominicano Robusto | Robusto | 5 x 50 |
| E. Oro Dominicano Torpedo | Torpedo | 6 ¼ x 42/53 |
Featured Cigars
The Don Lino Dominican Havana Reserve Cigars
In seven years, Mariana and Nestor Miranda have turned the Miami Cigar Company into a highly respected cigar production and distribution player in the tobacco industry. High school sweethearts from the town of Holguín, Cuba, the Mirandas fled their homeland in the years following Fidel Castro's rise to power. Nestor left for the United States in 1962, when he enlisted in the Army and was stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Talk about a serious change of scenery! Mariana left Cuba the following year and settled with relatives in Madrid, Spain. For a while the Mirandas' relationship was tested by the distance, but when Mariana emigrated to California in 1964, Nestor traveled across the country to find her and they later formed a business relationship as well that's proven highly successful.
That the Mirandas' cigar business is a success is not unusual, especially in the wake of the recent cigar boom. What is unusual is that the couple, who are both 53, began the business when the industry wasn't yet exploding. In 1989, premium cigar sales were flat. While other companies in the cigar industry were filing for bankruptcy or downsizing, the Mirandas launched their firm. The Florida-based business nationally distributes cigars made in Honduras, the Dominican Republic and Spain. A modern-day success story, Miami Cigar began as a small, two-person firm in 1989, distributing just 40,000 cigars that year. That number rose to 3.1 million for 1995, thanks largely to the success of its flagship Honduran and Dominican Don Lino brands.
The Havana Reserve by Don Lino is a unique blend of Dominican long fillers that have been aged 5 years in a temperature controlled humidor. Reviewed as having full and rich complex flavors, the line is offered in both a U.S.A. Connecticut Shade wrapper as well as a U.S.A. Connecticut Broadleaf maduro wrapper. We preferred the claro wrapper slightly to the maduro so you'll have the opportunity to try two cigars with CT shade claro wrappers and one within the maduro line. The brand is known for its mild-to-medium-bodied creamy taste and consistently smooth flavors. Each Don Lino cigar is aged in a cedar room for 3 months to mellow, harmonize and mature the cigar.
Miami Cigar has only just recently released the maduro line in August 1998. Having been reviewed favorably from its inception, this little smoke is tough to come by at this point in time so you'll want to savor it. Our panel was extremely excited about these smokes, giving the Perfecto # 2 featured this month as high a rating as any cigar we've featured to date. They found the line to be solid through and though and think you're really going to be happy with them as well. Enjoy!
For more information about the Don Lino Havana Reserve line, call the Miami Cigar Co. at 800-643-7209.
Binder: Dominican Piloto Cubano
Filler: Dominican Seco
Wrapper: U.S.A. Connecticut Shade - Claro
Strength (Mild 1, Full 10): 6
Panel Rating: 92
Notes from the Panel:
Immediately note a creamy, oily, medium-brown wrapper that begs you to smoke it. It offered and open, full draw, lots of smoke and a cool burn. Look for a clean white, consistent ash. We found the flavor to start fairly bold with spicy Dominican characteristics prominent. The body is full, creamy and satisfying. It's mellow, yet full and smooth. Overall, a damn fine cigar that we'd buy on a regular basis. Consider pairing it up with a malty Bock or a slightly dry Chardonnay.
Binder: Dominican Piloto Cubano
Filler: Dominican Seco
Wrapper: U.S.A. Connecticut Shade - Claro
Strength (Mild 1, Full 10): 7
Panel Rating: 97
Notes from the Panel:
This is the one that really stood out of the pack for us. So much so that most on the panel have ordered a box or two for ourselves. Note a beautifully constructed, silky smooth Connecticut Shade wrapper. The draw is excellent. Construction is nearly perfect offering a solid white ash and plenty of smoke. Look for a rich and very spicy Dominican experience in the flavor. Fantastic. We found it to be a near perfect Dominican smoking experience. Aroma is also very spicy and the aftertaste was quite pleasant. Overall, we'd smoke this one every morning with breakfast rolls and coffee. Pair it up with a non-hoppy Blonde or Pale ale so as to not take away from the wonderful taste of this smoke.
Binder: Dominican Piloto Cubano
Filler: Dominican Seco
Wrapper: U.S.A. Connecticut Broadleaf - Maduro
Strength (Mild 1, Full 10): 7.5
Panel Rating: 93
Notes from the Panel:
Look for a rich, dark, deliciously inviting rustic maduro wrapper in this well-made smoke. It's expertly rolled, offering an open, excellent draw and a firm, consistent and even burn. Note a soft subtle cedar aroma and a full, rich, earthy satisfying taste hinting of coffee and perhaps butterscotch tones. Overall, this was one of the better maduro cigars we've rated in awhile. Great construction. Great taste. Great smoke! Consider pairing it with an Irish Coffee or your favorite Armagnac.
The Oro Dominicano Cigars
Produced in the town of Tamboril, Dominican Republic, the Oro Dominicano cigar line begins with some of the world's finest aged tobaccos. Their fillers and binders are blends of tobaccos grown in the Dominican's Cibao Valley and San Victor Moca. In fact, Oro Dominicano Cigars are made from the same tobaccos supplied to Tabacos Dominicanos, S.A., makers of Davidoff, Avo and other more widely recognizable premium brands. All Oro Dominicano cigars are a blend of Cubano Piloto in both Lijero and Seco as well as Olor Dominicano used as the trippa or filler. The capote or binders on are also Dominican and the line's wrapper is primarily offered in the finest grade 3 yr. old Connecticut Shade. All tobacco used is properly aged and cured, each cigar spends forty-five days on the shelf in the factory in Tamboril before being packed and shipped.
This line was created to meet the critical taste of Jose Luis Fernandez, a legendary Cuban Ex-patriot who began rolling cigars there at the age of 12. After fleeing Cuba in 1965, Jose sought and found employment in the Dominican Republic as a production supervisor for a small Dominican Cigar factory. In 1995, the opportunity arose for Fernandez to create his own blend which you will have the opportunity to sample this month. We really liked this cigar line, finding each sample smoked to be aged properly, extremely well-constructed and offering a true classic Dominican smoking experience.
For more information about the Oro Dominicano Cigar Line, email: maccigar@webspan.net.
Binder: Dominican Olor
Filler: Dominican Piloto Cubano
Wrapper: U.S.A. Connecticut Shade - Claro
Strength (Mild 1, Full 10): 6
Panel Rating: 89
Notes from the Panel:
Look for an aesthetically beautiful Connecticut Shade wrapper on this well constructed, medium-bodied Dominican cigar. We found the draw to be consistent and firm. Note a sharp, pleasantly pungent aroma. The flavor is complex, offering hints of rich spiciness and coffee. We found the aftertaste to be clean and non-obtrusive. Overall, a great little tasty solid robusto. Very well balanced and an appealingly interesting complex taste. Consider pairing it up with a full-bodied Merlot.
Binder: Dominican Olor
Filler: Dominican Piloto Cubano
Wrapper: U.S.A. Connecticut Shade - Claro
Strength (Mild 1, Full 10): 7.5
Panel Rating: 90
Notes from the Panel:
Immediately note another silky smooth, inviting Connecticut Shade wrapper. We found this expertly rolled torpedo to offer an effortless draw, consistent burn and a cool smoke. Look for a medium-to-full body with a pronounced Dominican spicy character evident. The aftertaste is pronounced and lingers. Definitely aged properly. Overall, tons of flavor in a very well constructed package. We loved it. Try smoking it with any 1994 Cabernet or an Oaky Single Malt Scotch.
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 best. 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.
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 Qty | Box Cost | Individual |
| Cost | |||
| A. Don Lino Dominican Havana Reserve Churchill | 25 | $105.50 | $5.20 a cigar |
| B. Don Lino Dominican Havana Reserve Perfecto #2 | 25 | $89.50 | $4.60 a cigar |
| C. Don Lino Dominican Havana Reserve Toro - Maduro | 25 | $95.50 | $4.80 a cigar |
| D. Oro Dominicano Robusto | 25 | $87.50 | $4.50 a cigar |
| E. Oro Dominicano Torpedo | 25 | $89.50 | $4.60 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.
