Past Newsletters
Vol. 8 No. 7
Member of the Month
Tim Jonas Enjoys a Mayorga Robusto While Selling Roasted Corn!
Seems
that when we featured our March Member of the Month from a festival
we attended at Mardi Gras, we've sparked some other members that signed
up at events into action! This month's member of the month, Tim Jonas,
was a fellow vendor at a motorcycle rally we attended a few years
back. Pictured here (far left), hawking his wares enjoying a maduro
Mayorga Robusto, he seems to dig the gig! Thanks for taking the time
to send us your mug, Tim! We're glad you're still with us!
Yo Cigar Dudes,
I always bring your smokes to the festivals and think of you when I fire them up each time! Trying not to get any ashes on the corn (secret seasoning!) Here we are at this big ass event in Tampa called the Gasparilla Pirate Festival. What a kick. They dress up like a bunch of pirates and come into the city on a big Clipper Ship and invade the city. Then there's a big Mardi Gras type of parade and everybody ends up where we set up our booth! Sold lot-o-corn! Take it easy guys!
Tim Jonas
Cleveland, OH
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. Flor de Florez Cabinet Selection | Churchill | 7 x 48 | 5 | Honduran | 93 |
| B. Havana Sunrise Emperador | Toro | 6.25 x 54 | 4 | USA | 92 |
| C. La Habanera | Churchill | 7 x 46 | 6 | Dominican | 90 |
| D. Lord of Jamaica Tory | Toro | 6 x 50 | 4 | Jamaica | 91 |
| E. Miami Havana | Torpedo | 6.5 x 50 | 6 | Nicaragua | 90 |
Featured Cigars
The Florez family ran a cigar plantation for over 30 years until the 1960s when, as a prominent member of the people's revolution against Castro, Señor Carlos Flores was forced to uproot his family and flee to the U.S. Once in Miami, he simply moved production to the kitchen table. With his fellow expatriates, he rolled cigars in his kitchen trading stories of Cuba and catching up on news of the family and friends he had to leave behind. The product of Señor Flores' kitchen gained acclaim in Miami long before it caught on with the rest of the cigar-smoking world. Flor de Florez cigars remained Miami's great secret until the family began to market them in the 1980s and production was moved to Honduras. Since then, the brand has received praise from every major cigar magazine.
Supple construction, a good draw and creamy rustic earth notes make this cigar a thing of beauty. A fairly complex smoke that starts out creamy but builds to a medium spice. We noticed notes of coffee bean and a chocolaty-sweet taste. ¡Gracias Señor Flores!
The Havana Sunrise Cigar Company Toro
This entire product line is manufactured at their quaint factory, located in the heart of Little Havana, in Miami, Florida. Each cigar is crafted from a unique and premium blend of choice Cuban seed tobaccos from the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Ecuador, meticulously hand-rolled by their staff of Cuban Master Rollers and aged in Spanish cedar in traditional Cuban fashion. These medium-to-full-bodied cigars are custom made to provide an exceptionally rich flavor and aroma to satisfy even the most discriminating connoisseur. The line is comprised of a11 varied shapes and is offered in both maduro and natural wrappers. For more information about the Havana Sunrise Cigar Company, call the factory directly at 305-649-2717.
The first thing we noticed was the silky smooth feel of the wrapper. No soft spot, and a consistently good roll on each sample reviewed. A mild to medium-bodied cigar that is perfect to start your day with. A slight hint of spice, but mostly pure tobacco flavors that show proper aging. A quality smoke that far exceeds most cigars on the market.
La Habanera has the distinction of being the oldest tabacalera in the Dominican Republic with a history that dates back to 1902. Of exceptional quality, La Habenera cigars enjoy a worldwide reputation - both from the prestige afforded it by cigar aficionados and from the numerous awards it has won. The wide range of sizes available in both Connecticut and Indonesian wrappers insures that a truly enjoyable cigar awaits you, backed by the generations of experience La Tabacalera Habanera.
When this cigar was first presented to us, we all yawned. Another cigar hoping to make it big, we thought. Well, it turns out we couldn't have been more off base. This is a well-constructed cigar with no soft spots and the wrapper is quite oily with all the signs of proper aging. This cigar was a bit stronger than expected, which was a pleasant surprise. Creamy and smooth throughout, it's surprising this brand doesn't have more of a presence in the U.S.
Made by the same company that produces H. Upmann and Montecristo, The Lord of Jamaica cigars are hand made in Maypen, Jamaica at the Altadis factory under the direction of Robert Gore. While brands such as Macanudo and Royal Jamaica call themselves "Jamaican" brands, this is one of the few "Jamaican" brands that is actually rolled there. Rolled in five sizes (three of which salute the British heritage of Jamaica), they are available in Connecticut seed or maduro wrappers.
We always thought that Bob Marley was the "Lord of Jamaica", but everyone knows he smoked something much stronger! A great "any time of day" cigar, this is mild enough to be smoked first thing in the morning. While it has a medium bodied taste and a touch of spice, it is also a characteristically mild Jamaican cigar. Quite smooth and perfect for a someone who likes pure tobacco flavors, this is great for those who don't want something that will blow their head off or is just getting into cigars.
Rolled by hand in the Tabacalera Oliva factory of Esteli, Nicaragua, this cigar is rolled in very limited quantities for the lucky patrons of the Miami-Havana cigar shop in Florida. Luckily for us, we had an inside connection! Sporting an attractive Sumatra wrapper leaf, this little gem of a cigar is robust and full-flavored.
A sweet and spicy (sounds like a dish from a Chinese restaurant, doesn't it?) wrapper adds to the complexity of this cigar. Always a difficult shape to roll, this cigar has obviously been touched by experienced hands. There was no consensus as to whether this was a medium or full-bodied cigar, so we'll let you judge for yourself. Some felt it packed enough of a punch to go into the full-bodied category. Others didn't notice their eyes rolling into the backs of their heads, so felt it was medium-bodied. This cigar will only get better with age, so those who aren't in a rush might want to throw it in the humidor for a while.
Tobacco Bits
STILL BREWING - While the bales of tobacco are being aged, a mellower, less volatile fermentation takes place. To control this process, bales are regularly inspected, unpacked, and remoistened. This is called casing. This process ensures that the leaves do not completely dry out, making them unsuitable for rolling. When the aging process has been determined to be of sufficient length, the bales are re-moisturized once again, and allowed to drip dry.
DRYING BUT NOT DRIED - During the curing process it is important that the tobacco leaves do not become dry and brittle, or they will be ruined. If the sun beating down on the curing barn is too hot, the farmer will water the ground in the barn to increase the humidity. If the weather is too rainy and humid, the farmer will light fires under the leaves so they don't become so wet that they begin to decompose. Careful attention to the leaves during this period produces a leaf that is light brown, slightly oily, and pliable enough to handle with care.
HUNG OUT TO DRY - Once the premium leaves have been sorted out, they are threaded in bunches, or hands, of 20 leaves and hung on long poles. These poles are left in curing barns for one to three months, where they will mature, developing a light brown color. This is a result of the chlorophyll leaving the leaf, because it lacks the sunlight needed to maintain its deep green color. It is in this process that the tobacco leaf shrinks in size and thickness, and the flavors are initially concentrated in the individual leaf.
NO TOBACCO BEFORE ITS TIME - One type of young tobacco is a leaf that has not been properly fermented. The fermentation process, which releases ammonia and decreases nicotine content, usually takes 40 days or longer for strong tobacco. Cigars made with improperly fermented tobacco often will note burn properly, can smell of ammonia, and become mushy after lighting. They will taste sharp, hot, and bitter, with little complexity in flavor. Cigars that were made with improperly fermented tobacco are so flawed that they'll never improve.
HARVEST TIME - Tobacco seedlings are ready for the first harvest, or priming, 45 days after they are placed into the ground. At that time, 2 to 4 leaves are removed by hand from the plant. An average tobacco plant will undergo roughly six primings in its growth period, eventually yielding anywhere from 8 to 16 leaves that will be made into cigars.
Ask Murl
Dear Murl,
I've got a bet going with my brother. He says that cigars are stored in Spanish cedar because it discourages tobacco beetles and I say it's because they help age the cigar and give it a woody character. We've got a box of Bahia's riding on the outcome and I'll split my winnings with ya if you tailor your answer in my favor home dog! So what's it gonna be, Murl? Am I smoking or busting out my credit card?
James Earl
Austin, TX
Yo Jimmy-Jo-Bob,
Is it true that everythang's real big in Texas? 'Cause you gonna need a whole lot of Spanish cedar to ward off them thar Texan Tobacco Beetles if they're the size of Ford Escorts. What I'm sayin' here, Tex, is that if all your ex's live in Texas, you'd better remember the Alamo, buddy. No wait, that wasn't was I was sayin' at all. Bottom line? Call Visa for that line of credit pal, 'cause you picked a great cigar to lose a bet over!
Spanish cedar was not in fact determined to be the perfect humidor lining because it imparts a pleasant flavor on your sticks. The real reason humidor manufacturers line their fine wood boxes with Spanish cedar is that the aromatic wood is particularly repellent to bugs in general, but especially that nasty little tobacco bastard, uh, beetle. This parasitic putrid pile of puss, know to the learned man as Lasioderma serricorne, eats cured, dry tobacco, boring small holes in your cigars both as a larval bambino and as an adult beetle. Storage in a fresh, Spanish cedar environment will kill these bugs or ward them off before they can corrupt your precious cache. Sorry for the bad news Jimmy-John.
Woof!
Murl.
Give Your Friends FREE Beer, Wine, Cheese, Chocolate,
Cigars & Flowers!
Through our Customer Appreciation Program
Your name is worth cold hard cash 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.
For Members Only
Original & Super Grab Bags!
That's right babies, help us put a little bit of our humidor into your humidor at insanely cheap prices! We've got some extra smokes that need a caring home to take them in so check it out! Choose between:
The Original Grab Bag at $39.95 for an assortment of 20 Original Club smokes…OR
The Super Grab Bag at $59.95 for an assortment of 20 Select Series or Premium Club Smokes!
* Plus S&H
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 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. Flor de Florez Cabinet Selection Churchill | 25 | $75.50 | $20 |
| B. Havana Sunrise Emperador Toro | 25 | $87.50 | $23 |
| C. La Habanera Churchill | 25 | $75.50 | $20 |
| D. Lord of Jamaica Toro | 25 | $87.50 | $23 |
| E. Miami Havana Torpedo | 25 | $82.50 | $22 |
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-paks 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.
