Past Newsletters
Vol. 6 No. 7
Featured Cigar Dimensions
| Brand Name: | Shape | Size |
| A. Perdomo Reserve X Rosado | Torpedo | 7 x 54 |
| B. Perdomo Reserve #2 Rosado | Perfecto | 5 x 54 |
| C. Perdomo Reserve #1 Maduro | Perfecto | 4 ½ x 54 |
| D. Cuban Bullet .750 | Churchill | 7 x 50 |
| E. Cuban Bullet .654 | Torpedo | 6 x 54 |
Featured Cigars
The Perdomo Reserve Cigars
This month we’re breaking tradition. In over five years of operation, we’ve never featured two brands from the same manufacturer in the same month. And to take such a deviation from the standard format, you’d think we must have a damn good reason. We do. In fact, we’ve got 5 exceptional reasons and we think that after smoking this month’s featured cigars, you’ll agree with us that it was a Great decision! Our panel unanimously rated the Perdomo Reserve cigars with the highest average ratings of any brand they’ve evaluated to date, rating the Perdomo Reserve X a 98, a score previously not awarded. They also found the Perdomo’s sister line, the Cuban Bullet, to be an exceptional collection of cigars, rating each from 89-91.
Cigar Aficionado’s Cigar Insider apparently agreed as their vertical rating of the entire line of Perdomo Reserve cigars came in at an average rating of 90.4 which was tied with only one other brand for the highest average vertical rating in their history. The other brand was none other than Arturo Fuentes’ Opus X, which generally retail in the $20 to $60 per cigar price range. CA rated the Perdomo Reserve X a 92 and three others in the line at 91. Suffice to say, you’re in for a real treat this month.
The Perdomo Reserve line, an extension of the cornerstone La Tradicion Cabinet Series brand, is a limited collection of antique, 50's style handmade Cuban cigars. The special, highly scrutinized blend is double-aged Cuban-seed tobaccos that are specially commissioned to a private tobacco farm in the highly fertile Esteli region of Nicaragua Productions of the cigar is limited to only the most experienced rollers all grade seven tabaqueros that work in specially-assigned quarters at Nick's factory in Esteli. Señor Perdomo, Sr. Himself has selected and handpicked each dark, oily Ecuadorian wrapper that tenderly graces the cigar's exterior. "When you put your name on a cigar, it's got to be perfect." So said Nick Perdomo Jr., owner of Miami-based Nick's Cigar Co., about the line. A mixed bag of figurados (shaped cigars) and parejos (straight-sided smokes), the full-bodied, box-pressed cigars are blended with Nicaraguan filler and binder and four-year-old Ecuadorian wrapper. They come in five sizes: a torpedo ("X"), two closed-foot perfectos (No. 2 and No. 3), an open-foot perfecto (No. 1) and a 9 1/4-inch "A". All five sizes are box-pressed in the tradition of pre-embargo Cuba and are carefully packaged in cedar boxes of 25.
The red Rosado wrappers, which Perdomo reports some consumers find reminiscent of cigars produced in Cuba decades ago, are harvested from very near the tops of tobacco plants grown in Ecuador. These are leaves which get more sun and which contain a relatively high content of sugar and starch, thus imparting an oily sheen to he surface of the cigar and a flavorful, even born to the smoking experience. The line was later extended again to include 4-yr. Aged Ecuadorian maduro wrappers as well.
"My father and I had been thinking about this Perdomo Reserve concept since 1996," said Perdomo. "We wanted a full-bodied cigar, like the Cubans from the old days."
The filler and binder leaves were selected from four Nicaraguan farms, said Perdomo, who believes that Nicaragua's rich, grainy soil closely mirrors that of the famed Pinar del Rio region of Cuba. We're going to make a limited amount [about 350,000 to 400,000 per year] of the Perdomo Reserves because the selection process is expensive and time consuming," Perdomo said. "But the result is the closest smoke I've tasted to a Cuban cigar."
We absolutely know that you’re gonna just love this month’s featured cigars. We’ve never been able to send out 4 shaped cigars in one shipment primarily due to the cost, but managed to work out a deal with Nick that ultimately is sure to please! For more information about the Perdomo Reserve or Cuban Bullet lines, visit their web site at http://fujipub.com/nicks/ or call them at 888-642-5797.
Binder: Nicaraguan Cubano Olor
Filler: Nicaraguan Piloto Cubano
Wrapper: 4 yr. Aged Ecuadorian – Rosado
Strength (Mild 1, Full 10): 7.5
Panel Rating: 98
Notes from the Panel:
This is a cigar that sets standards. Immediately note the exquisite presentation of this beautiful box pressed torpedo. It truly is a work of art to be appreciated before, during and after actually smoking it. We found the wrapper to be very appealing, dark, oily and inviting. Note an even burn and effortless draw. These cigars are packed with flavor! We found it to be rich and full, slightly sweet with hints of cocoa and a round floral character. Also note a definite spiciness and long earthy finish. Overall, unquestionably the best cigar we’ve rated to date. Stock up on these smokes as they’ll only improve with age. Consider pairing it with a high-end tawny port or Single Malt Scotch.
Binder: Nicaraguan Cubano Olor
Filler: Nicaraguan Piloto Cubano
Wrapper: 4 yr. Aged Ecuadorian – Rosado
Strength (Mild 1, Full 10): 7
Panel Rating: 96
Notes from the Panel:
Another aesthetically pleasing box pressed treat encased in an oily reddish wrapper in the shape of a perfecto. Note the craftsmanship that went into this traditional, closed-foot perfecto. This is an expertly rolled cigar and it shows in an even-burning, perfect draw. A very tasty cigar. Note a complex flavor comprised of rich spices, toasted caramel and leathery tones. We found the finish to be medium, earthy and somewhat sweet. Overall, a perfect smoking experience. You will love this cigar. Consider smoking it with a traditional Bavarian Hefeweizen beer.
Binder: Nicaraguan Cubano Olor
Filler: Nicaraguan Piloto Cubano
Wrapper: 4 yr. Aged Ecuadorian – Maduro
Strength (Mild 1, Full 10): 6.5
Panel Rating: 94
Notes from the Panel:
Not one of the Perdomo Reserve cigars was anything less than a fantastic experience and this open-footed perfecto hit the mark as well. Like each cigar you’ll enjoy this month, it’s well crafted, offering an effortless draw. We found it to be a medium-bodied, very rich cigar with traces of bittersweet dark chocolate and a slight sweetness evident. Also note an earthy character and plenty of smoke. Overall, another complex, flavorful, rich, smooth and expertly rolled cigar. Try pairing it with an Oban Scotch.
The Cuban Bullet Cigars
Although not in Cuban origin, this Nicaraguan handmade is definitely an appealing, complex line of smokes. A relatively new offering from Miami cigar maker Nick Perdomo, this line has a very full body and plenty of flavor. Between the densely packed Nicaraguan tobacco and its sharply tapered shape concentrating the smoke against your tongue, you’ll really enjoy the full tobacco taste of these cigars.
Nick’s Cuban Bullet line is a powerhouse arsenal of handmade "mini-torpedoes". Comprised of specially aged and cured Nicaraguan tobacco and a Colorado wrapper from Ecuador, the Cuban Bullet is available in 5 sizes: three torpedoes, a 50 gauge Churchill and 5 x 50 robusto.
Binder: Nicaraguan Cubano Olor
Filler: Nicaraguan Piloto Cubano
Wrapper: Ecuador – CO
Strength (Mild 1, Full 10): 6
Panel Rating: 90
Notes from the Panel:
What’s new. Another impeccably crafted cigar. You’ll find it to burn even and offer an easy draw, just like the other smokes featured this month. Where it’s a bit different, however, is in the body and flavor. Note a very toothy and dark Colorado wrapper. It began slightly sweet with some coffee tones and quickly explodes into a full-flavored creamy treat with a long, sweet cedar finish. Overall, we loved the concentrated flavor and strength of this cigar. Consider pairing it with a full-bodied Merlot.
Binder: Nicaraguan Cubano Olor
Filler: Nicaraguan Piloto Cubano
Wrapper: Ecuador – CO
Strength (Mild 1, Full 10): 5
Panel Rating: 91
Notes from the Panel:
Our favorite of the Cuban bullet sampled. Another very well made cigar from as solid a brand as we’ve seen. Note aesthetically pleasing silky Colorado brown wrapper. Again, this one starts out sweet and creamy, but builds character in the first ten minutes and doesn’t hold back until your finished. Note a full, complex body with a distinct cedar character, a slight sweetness and long earthy finish. Overall, wonderfully made cigar, thoroughly enjoyable with plenty of flavor. Consider pairing this one with a dry Chardonnay or dry German Pilsner.
Nick’s Cigar: A Family Run Operation
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.
Perdomo extends the family concept to others involved in his still bustling Miami operation as well. The business offices are ensconced in the middle of 17,000-square feet of former retail space in West Flagler, an unassuming working-class neighborhood some eight miles west of downtown Miami. And while it does not necessarily make good economic sense for Perdomo to continue to employ 15 master tabaqueros whose wages might outstrip their Nicaraguan counterparts by 1,000% or more, he wouldn't dream of doing things otherwise.
"These are all Cuban people, all Grade 7 rollers, the very best," Perdomo says, gesturing out over the floor where an intent crew sits at a series of wooden rolling stands, working in a silence thick with concentration and a heady aroma of cured tobacco that seems to have wafted in directly from Havana itself. Here, as in Esteli, the rollers work entirely by hand, using no Levermans; - those outsized cigar-making versions of the Zig-Zag-like rolling machines. Nor is there any assembly line-styled division of labor. Each roller hand bunches, binds, wraps, and trims his or her own cigars (there are currently four female rollers employed in Miami.)
RTDA Press Release
NASHVILLE - Three new premium cigar brands introduced by Nick's Cigar Company were among the hot topics of discussion among retailers at the Retail Tobacco Dealer's Association (RTDA) annual tradeshow held recently in Nashville. The new brands, La Tradicion Cabinet Series "Perdomo Reserve", Cuban Bullet and Immenso, were lauded for their exquisite construction, uncompromising quality and exceptional consumer value. Jim Bennington, proprietor of Bennington Tobacco of Boca Raton, FL., described the reception of retailers to the new brands as "mob scene". Nick's Cigar Company was the talk of the show. It was as if the Cuban embargo was lifted for a couple of days and retailers were scrambling to buy their cigars", said Bennington. "Everywhere you looked, people were smoking the "Perdomo Reserve". I have been in this business for over thirty years and this is the finest cigar I have ever smoked".
Tobacco Bits
AGE IS THE HALLMARK OF MATURITY - Once the secondary fermentation process is complete, bales of tobacco leaves are wrapped in palm leaves for storage and aging. (Sometimes, shade-grown leaves are stored in palm fronds, while sun-grown leaves are stored and aged in barrels. This practice is most common in Cuba.) The aging process can last anywhere from one to three years, depending on the leaf and the desired effect. In the past, it was not uncommon for bales to be stored in the aging room of various factories for ten years, but demand for cigars now makes it impossible to store bales for a decade.
HOT TOBACCO - The higher the temperature is allowed to rise while fermenting in the burros, the darker the color of the resulting leaf. The darkest of leaves used in cigar manufacture, maduro and oscuro leaves, are allowed to ferment until the resulting temperature can exceed well over 165°F. Generally, bulks of wrapper leaves are maintained between 90°F and 120°F. The process of fermentation, temperature monitoring, and re-stacking usually continues for up to sixty days. Maduro leaves, however, can ferment in excess of six months.
The secondary fermentation process that takes place while the leaves are stacked in giant burros is where that tobaccos develop a more refined flavor and character. Due to the size of the stack, air cannot circulate between the leaves. Heat naturally builds up inside, releasing moisture, saps that would contribute to a bitter taste if they weren't fermented out, and ammonias that naturally occur within the plant. The color of the leaves darkens and sugars develop, which account for some cigars' natural sweetness, and all traces of acidity and sourness mellow out. The temperature is closely monitored by the workers. If it rises to more than 160F, the burro is unpacked, rotated, and re-stacked.
HARVEST TIME - During the cosecha, or harvest, tobacco leaves are picked two or three leaves at a time from the ground up. This way, the oldest leaves are picked first, allowing the younger leaves to grow and develop. A maximum of seven days elapses between each harvest, except in periods of rain, when the length between each gathering of leaves is extended to allow the leaves to dry out before picking.
HIGH PLAINS SMOKER - The Man With No Name (the character played by Clint Eastwood) was rarely seen drifting across the high plains without a cigar clenched between his teeth. In the numerous Sergio Leone Westerns starring Eastwood, our hero smoked toscani, dry-cured Italian smokes, not cheroots.
Ask Murl
Dear Murl,
Seems like different cigars are packaged in several different ways. I was wondering why some cigar manufacturers package their cigars in aluminum tubes or what seem to be airtight glass vials? Is this to protect their freshness? Can ya help me my furry friend?
Frederick Brown
Chicago, IL
Yo Downtown Freddy Brown!
That had to be your nickname in High School, right? Don’t deny it, Frederick. You know it’s true. Protection. Indeed. A most popular topic in the realms of my two most favorite activities. Smoking and Schmokin’! Actually, I smoked my first cigar in much the same way that I initially enjoyed sex – alone in my room. Whoa Doggie! That’s most likely a bit more information than you cared to know about this pup! But hey, I want my readers to know me...and to know me, is to know that I’m only canine baby.
Back to the aluminum and glass. In my humble opinion, the packaging designs you ask about, serve two primary functions: protecting the cigar from physical damage and selling that little bad boy... ie. Marketing 101. Looks cool. Looks spendy. Little glass tube action with some sort of sealed cap. Gets your attention, right? Aluminum tubes are a convenient way of transporting cigars, but not ideal for storage. They will grow tired and dull if you leave them in the container for an extended period of time. I’d recommend putting them in your humidor immediately after you get them home. Airtight glass vials may actually do more by means of actually preserving a cigar’s freshness. Their intent is to keep the cigar’s composition just as it was immediately after being rolled. On a side note, you can use the little tubes to put cool stuff in. Like extra kibbles and bits or very small rodents that you find under the couch. Hope that helps Fredman!
Woof!
Murl.
Cigar Blowout Sale!
Sales will be made strictly on a first come first serve basis. (CA residents add 7.75 % sales tax). Please allow 1-2 weeks for delivery and add $5.00 shipping and handling per cigar box. Accessories can be shipped with your next monthly shipment to avoid shipping & handling charges!
| Cigar Brand | Size | Box Qty. | Cost |
| Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente | 4.5 x 50 | 20 | $95.50 |
| Cohiba De Dominicana Churchill | 7 x 50 | 25 | $125.50 |
| Cohiba De Dominicana Belicoso | 5.5 x 54 | 25 | $125.50 |
| Cohiba De Dominicana Jabarito | 6 x 50 | 25 | $110.50 |
| Cohiba De Dominicana Robusto | 5 x 50 | 25 | $105.50 |
| Tamboril Robusto (Sumatra) | 5 x 50 | 25 | $52.50 |
| Taurinos Vanilla Soaked Bundles | 5.5 x 38 | 20 | $37.50 |
| Accessories/Item | Description | Cost |
| Pocket Torch lighter | Blue, Red, Yellow, Black, Clear, Green | $15.00 |
| Double Bladed Guillotine Cutters | Black, Self Sharpening | $5.00 |
| Leather Cigar Case | 3 Cigars, Cigar Society Logo | $20.00 |
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. Perdomo Reserve X Rosado | 25 | $145.50 | $6.80 a cigar |
| B. Perdomo Reserve # 2 Rosado | 25 | $125.50 | $6.00 a cigar |
| C. Perdomo Reserve # 1 Maduro | 25 | $120.50 | $5.80 a cigar |
| D. Cuban Bullet .750 | 25 | $65.50 | $3.62 a cigar |
| E. Cuban Bullet .654 | 25 | $75.50 | $4.02 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.
