Past Newsletters
Vol. 8 No. 5
Member of the Month
John Fink Tears it up at Arizona Bike Week!
This
month’s member of the month has been with us for almost 4 years now!
John signed up at Sturgis, the biggest Harley Davidson Bike Rally
in the country. It’s attended by over 300,000 bikers and lasts a full
week! Needless to say, we had a pretty good time ourselves there,
hawking smokes, signing people up to the club, and generally shutting
the booth down early to party! Johnny dropped us a line the other
day. Guess he was thinkin’ of us as he just got back from Arizona
Bike Week.
Hey Guys!
I was thinking of you at Arizona Bike week the other day when I was cruising around admiring the fine ladies and jonesing for a smoke! I brought some smokes with me from the club to the event and took a cool pic out in the thick of it one fine afternoon. I figured we’d have a better chance of being the member of the month if I found a little Hottie-Boom-Bo-Lottie to pose with us. Her name was Sam. Gotta like the leather chaps-bikini combo! Works for me! Anyway, I’ve been diggin the club ever since Sturgis ’97 and hope to see you there again sometime. Take it easy.
John Fink
Huntington Beach, CA
SUBMIT YOURSELF OR YOUR GROUP PHOTO FOR CONSIDERATION! And if you're selected, we'll send you a variety pack of 25 hand rolled smokes from past selections! Get your submissions in now before everyone else does or you gotta wait 3 months to see your pretty mug adorning the front page! Send your photos and letter to: Cigar of the Month Club Attn: Member of the Month, PO Box 1627, Lake Forest, CA 92609 or email your photo and letter to customerservice@cigarmonthclub.com
Featured Cigar Dimensions
| Brand Name: | Shape | Size | Strength | Country | Panel |
| Rating | |||||
| A. Cusano Hermano Estate Reserve | Torpedo | 5.5 x 52 | 6 | Dominican | 93 |
| B. Flor De Olivia Short | Torpedo | 5 x 52 | 8 | Nicaraguan | 90 |
| C. Indian Tabac Anniversary Limited Res. Buffalo | Churchill | 7 x 47 | 4 | Honduran | 94 |
| D. Puros Indios Especial | Toro | 6 x 53 | 7 | Honduran | 92 |
| E. Santa Rosa Maduro Regulares | Corona Gorda | 5.5 x 46 | 6 | Honduran | 90 |
Featured Cigars
DomRey's Mike Chiusano went down to the Dominican Republic with the intention of producing a world-class cigar with classic flavor and the "punch" he felt was missing in other Dominican smokes. And that's exactly what he got. The Cusano Hermanos line has loads of character, good straightforward flavor, and enough strength to appeal to the connoisseur, without overpowering the palate. It’s really all you could want in a cigar. And the Cusano Estate Reserve line exclusively uses the best tobacco from one specific crop in 1995. You can’t help but admire the beautiful Connecticut Shade wrapper on this expertly constructed torpedo. It’s substantial in the hand, burns even and slowly with plenty of smoke volume. We found it offering a full-flavored taste and a rich, robust and toasty flavor. SMOKE Magazine seemed to like it as well stating: “This smoke is a real contender. It won't bowl you over with strength, but its rich smooth flavor will win fans...good consistent flavor all the way through. A rich and satisfying smoke." Consider smoking it with a hoppy pale ale or strong cup of coffee. Enjoy!
Hand rolled in Esteli, Nicaragua, the Flor De Oliva line was introduced in 1999. Rolled with an Indonesian wrapper and Nicaraguan filler and binder tobaccos, this mini torpedo packs a punch! The line is rolled under the care of highly-regarded cigarman Gilberto Oliva. The line is offered in a myriad of shapes as well as several blends making use of Ecuadorian, Honduran and Nicaraguan wrappers, but our panel favored the classic Indonesian line and especially the mini torpedo featured this month!
We found it to be well constructed…Not quite as packed with tobacco as the Cusano Torpedo which translated into an easier draw. This little torp packs a punch and doesn't skimp on flavor. It’s unique shape and wide ring gauge allow you to experience the full range of flavor available in Gilberto's blend. It’s obviously well aged…the end resultant being a powerful and creamy smoke. We think you’re gonna love it! Pair it up with your favorite single malt scotch.
Indian Tabac Anniversary Limited Reserve Buffalo
We really like this cigar company. They continuously impress us with their newest line introductions and although we have featured their Dominican line, you’ve yet to experience their efforts with Honduran tobacco. Meticulously rolled in Danli, Honduras, the Limited Reserve line is individually wrapped with cedar and tipped with a gold foot, indicative of the intricate pleasures within. We found the Churchill featured this month on the mild to medium tasting end of the spectrum, leaning towards mild.
The panel was unanimously enthusiastic about the Indian Tabac Limited Reserve Series A "Buffalo," a Honduran entry from the Indian Tabac Cigar Company. Look for superb construction, a consistent draw, and exemplary flavor are highlights of this cool smoking handsome cigar. The flavor is subtle and refined, but hearty and satisfying. Overall, very satisfying. You’ll want more. Smoke it with a full merlot.
Puros Indios, simply put, is a great cigar line. It’s been argued as one of the finest brands in the cigar world. Carefully blended by Rolando Reyes and hand-rolled in Honduras using Dominican & Nicaraguan filler and draped in a rich and oily Ecuadorian wrapper, the brand is almost always rated very highly. Rated up to '91' by Cigar Aficionado, the magazine's editors raved: "A medium- to full-bodied powerhouse. There are complex flavors of cocoa, leather and solid woodiness on the finish. Nice sheen and color, and it performed well."
Well our panel members are all big fans as well. The Toro Especial is constructed from a complex blend of aged tobaccos from Ecuador, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Nicaragua. We found it to offer a slightly spicy, medium to full-bodied flavor. Look for solid construction, a good burn, and slightly firm draw. And how about that ring gauge?! Talk about a cool smoke! Note very little aftertaste. Consider pairing it with Old Forrester Bourbon.
High in the mountains of Honduras' Copan lies the city of Santa Rosa. And located in Santa Rosa, you’ll find the La Flor de Copan Cigar Co., manufacturers of fine cigars since 1964. In 1961 the first Havana seed tobacco plantations were started in the Copan area of Honduras and soon a group of experienced tobacco growers were able to demonstrate consistently that they were capable of growing a fine quality product with Havana seed. A few years later, Jorge Bueso founded La Flor De Copan and introduced the Santa Rosa Line. Bueso is an old school boy that values quality and consistency and we think you’ll agree with us that he produces an excellent cigar.
Who can resist the opaque, sweet smelling Ecuadorian wrapper encasing this all-Honduran blend? You’ll note a very well made cigar. We found the flavor very rich and tasty. Somewhat sweet and look for a very pleasant aroma It’s no surprise that this line is one of the top 25 best-selling cigars in the country. SMOKE magazine raved: "The Regulares is a very nice smoke...while retaining the traditional full-bodied flavor characteristic of most Honduran cigars, this brand will not overwhelm the palate, making it a perfect introduction to stronger cigars for the novice smoker. Recommended." Smoke it with a robust Porter or Oatmeal Stout.
Tobacco Bits
OFF TO MARKET - When the first curing cycle has ended, factory buyers come to inspect the tobacco leaves' quality, during which period their market value is determined. Once the leaves have been chosen by the buyers, they are transported to the factories, where the shade-grown leaves (leaves that are grown under muslin tapados) and sun-grown leaves are sorted by size, texture and color. These re-sorted hands are then stacked in massive, free-standing piles, often as tall as six feet high, called burros, where a third fermentation period takes place.
A SEASON OF CYCLES - Tobacco is a winter plant, though what passes for winter in Cuba doesn't conjure images of chestnuts roasting by an open fire. The growing season begins in September, when seedlings are planted in the beginning of the month, and continues to the end of March or the beginning of April. In the Vuelta Abajo, plants are started in three cycles: early November plantings harvested in January; mid-November plantings harvested at the beginning of March; and late November plantings harvested at the end of March.
OFF TO SEE THE BLENDER - Once the leaves have been sorted according to their function in the cigar's physiognomy, they are sent to the blender, who determines which leaves are best suited for the varying cigar sizes, shapes, and most important, tastes the factory manufactures.
PICKY PICKY - Once the tobacco plants are placed in the ground, the tobacco farmer, called a veguero, must tirelessly attend to them. While it takes only 45 days for a young tobacco plant to mature enough for its initial harvesting, a fledgling crop faces many hazards including weather, pests, mold, and disease. Most Tobacco farms actually plan for 15% of their planting to be lost.
LIFE IN THE FIELDS - Young tobacco plants are meticulously planted in rows, with a precise amount of space allowed between the plants. Shade-grown tobacco, used for the wrapper, is grown under a screen of cheesecloth or mest, to inhibit direct contact with the sun's rays. Sun-grown tobacco is grown without any protective covering.
DRY OUT, MAN - After the leaves are picked, they are classified by size and texture, and then braided or stacked into bundles, called gavillas, or hands. The gravillas are then taken to curing barns, where they are draped over long poles and protected from direct sunlight and temperature changes. Here, the tobacco leaves slowly dry out and eventually change color-from dark green to yellow, to brown-as they lose their moisture content. This process takes from 3 to 8 weeks, depending on the type of tobacco and the weather conditions.
ALMOST READY TO ROLL - Leaves to be used for binder and filler are taken through the de-stemming process, and the left and right sides of the plant are separated and sorted by size, color, and quality of leaf. Leaf used for long-filler cigars (all those in the premium and ultra-premium category) is usually de-stemmed before fermentation, but only a small part of the stem is removed, so the leaf does not fall apart during fermentation. These leaves are again sorted, graded, and finally categorized as leaves suitable for filler, wrapper, or binder.
Ask Murl
Dear Murl,
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?
Scotty Musgrave
Palm Desert, CA
Dear Muskrat,
That had to be your nickname in High School. Don’t deny it. Protection. Indeed. A most popular topic in the realms of my two most favorite activities. Smoking and Schmokin’! Actually, I smoked my first cigar the way I initially enjoyed sex – alone in my room. Back to the aluminum and glass. In my humble opinion, the packaging designs you ask about are primarily geared towards protecting the cigar from physical damage and marketing. 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 cigars freshness. Their intent is to keep the cigar’s composition just as it was immediately after being rolled. Hope that helps Muskarato!
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 Qty | Box Cost | 5 Pak |
| Cost | |||
| A. Cusano Hermano Estate Reserve Torpedo | 20 | $87.50 | $27 |
| B. Flor De Olivia Short Torpedo | 25 | $67.50 | $19 |
| C. Indian Tabac Anniversary Limited Res. Buffalo Churchill | 25 | $95.50 | $24 |
| D. Puros Indios Toro Especial | 25 | $87.50 | $23 |
| E. Santa Rosa Maduro Regulares Corona Gorda | 24 | $75.50 | $20 |
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.
