Past Newsletters
Vol. 9 No. 3
Member of the Month
Ed lights one up while waiting for some friends
I
would like to say, your selection is remarkable. When I was at the
Doheny Blues Festival back in September, there was great music, beer
and of course the ladies. I was surprised to see a lot of the women
blazing up a good stogie, which peeked my interests and taste buds
for a smoke. The Joya del Jefe Centennial Reserve appealed my interest.
Definitely a novice to this, after having the Joya del Jefe, I had
to join. I am not an avid cigar smoker, but I just cannot believe
the flavor of a good cigar. Joining the club I no longer feel that
way. Who ever writes the newsletters knows his stuff! Making it easier
too for me to distinguish the different shapes, lengths, flavors,
and origins of what I am smoking. This is a picture of me at my neighborhood
hangout; waiting on some friends and enjoying the Double Happiness
Sublime I received in January. All I have to say is keep sending me
the good ones and will hope to see ya at the next festival.
Ed. B
San Diego, 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. H. Upmann Pyramid en Cedro | Torpedo | 6 x 50 | 4 | Dominican | 95 |
| B. La Perla Habana | Toro | 6 x 50 | 5 | Dominican | 91 |
| C. Sosa E. Trinidad | Churchill | 6.75 x 48 | 4 | U.S.A. | 90 |
| D. St. Charles by Torano | Churchill | 7 x 48 | 5 | Dominican | 92 |
| E. Warhol | Toro | 6 x 50 | 7 | Nicaragua | 92 |
Featured Cigars
H. Upmann Pyramid en Cedro Torpedo
Founded in 1844 by Herman Upmann, a German banker, the brand was originally rolled in Cuba and then distributed by Mr. Upmann to his best customers as a promotion. Later, it became one of the most popular Cuban brands smoked in the world. Today, both the Cuban and Dominican versions are some of the most recognizable and highly rated cigars in the world. The Dominican version featured this month first became available in the U.S. beginning in 1975. Originally developed with a Cameroon wrapper and Dominican filler and binder, the cigar is now wrapped in Indonesian shade grown leaf and rolled using a blend of Olor and Cuban seed Piloto Cubano tobacco.
The wrapper has a silky feel to the touch, although it is a bit grainy as you run your fingers across it. While overall it is a medium-bodied cigar, the taste is full, smooth and mellow. A touch of sweetness on the lips and in the aroma, make it a great cigar to have with dessert.
La Perla Habana is one of the most coveted labels in cigar history. Two of the industry's most respected entrepreneurs took it upon themselves to recreate this well-known Cuban brand in the Dominican Republic. We think they've done an exceptional job with this highly rated line right down to the level of detail in re-creating the band to exacting standards.
The line featured this month was reborn almost a century after it was first produced. Sergio Cuevas and Doug Wood have created a cigar in which commitment, quality, and flavor are the sole concerns. Using closely guarded techniques to age and blend the tobaccos, these men have produced a cigar that is worthy of the name, the Pearl of Habana. The entire line has been rated between 88 and 91 in Cigar Aficionado and well deserving of such praise in our opinion.
This is a solidly constructed toro. We found it substantial in the hand and offering excellent construction. Handmade from long-filler leaves from the Dominican Republic, a Besuki binder, and Connecticut wrapper. La Perla's toro has an easy draw and consistent burn. We really liked the smoke volume and aroma. Note a sweet woodiness with perhaps some hints of pepper. A fairly complex flavor profile. It certainly picked up body as you got into the smoke. Overall, a solid smoke. Great taste and construction. Consider pairing it with a well-aged Cabernet.
The E. Trinidad Churchill by Sosa is handmade in the USA - in "Little Havana" Miami, FL to be exact. These cigars are the product of over 180 years of combined cigar making experience by the Sosa and Trinidad families. Juan B. Sosa, master cigar blender, heads up the manufacturing and distribution of these cigars, through the Antillian Cigar Corporation. Antillian sells five brands; three from the Dominican Republic - Sosa, Sosa Family Selection, and Macabi; Royal Honduras from, well, Honduras; and Imperio Cubano, which are made in the Little Havana region of Miami. This Churchill is hand made with an Ecuadorian-grown Sumatran wrapper, Dominican filler, and Indonesian binder. It is a full bodied cigar that is well made with a smooth oily wrapper. A rich, delicious cigar. Look for a medium bodied, complex leather character and roasted coffee bean undertones. Some sweet spices and hints of ripe fruit were also noted.
St. Charles Churchill by Torano
Carlos Torano's St. Charles line was originally designed as a top-flight smoke. Near the end of the cigar boom, it slowly dropped off the market; due to an overwhelming influx of new brands that flooded the marketplace. This sent this brand, along with several hundred other brands to the big ashtray in the sky. This Churchill hails from one of the finest cigar tobacco-growing regions in the world - the luscious green valley of Cibao in the Dominican Republic. The St. Charles cigar factory is located in the small town of Navarette and produces many well known brands sold throughout the US. This St. Charles Churchill is a mild to medium body smoke with a rich flavor. One very interesting thing about this cigar is the subtle taste of brandy. While they are being aged in the cedar lined rooms, 100 year old brandy is imbued to give the cigar a very subtle taste. Look for an aroma to be a combination of creamy nutmeg, black pepper and a touch of chocolate. Expect an almost creamy, chocolaty taste to complement the robust tobacco flavor.
When you think Andy Warhol, you think premium cigar, right? Right? Not exactly! But don't let that scare ya! This line was introduced at the tail end of the cigar boom with a lot of fanfare and money, and within a year or two it became harder and harder to find. The sad part about the story is that it's a damn good cigar. It´s another deal similar to the Sinatra cigar story: a company decided to license the Warhol name, pay Felipe Gregorio to make a top-notch cigar, then sell the cigars in some elaborate glass boxes, with each size featuring a different Warhol image on each band.
The Warhol Churchill featured this month was hand rolled in Nicaragua using a Nicaraguan binder and filler. Note a very attractive Connecticut shade wrapper encasing a densely packed, elegant cigar. No soft spots what so ever and the draw is flawless. Our panel found it very smooth and medium to full-bodied. Overall, a very well made cigar. Very smooth and great taste. Try smoking it with a dry vodka martini, a blonde wig and some weird sunglasses.
Ask Murl
Dear Murl,
Beggin' your pardon for my most likely really stupid question, but I'm a novice smoker and don't know much about the subject. Basically, I was wondering just how the packaged cigars you see in drugstores, liquor and convenience stores differ from a cigars that you might find in a smoke shop?
Tom Schnitzel
Bobcaygeon, Canada
Yo Schnitzel!
So what are we really talkin' about here, Tom? Are ya askin' me the difference between a Tiparillo and a Partagas # 10? How does a tasty Black and Mild stack up to La Gloria Cubana's Soberano? Man, I'm not sure they give me enough space to elaborate in my finest prose on this one. A few analogies of similar comparison come to mind. A cute, white, fluffy bunny and say … the Raptors from Jurassic Park. Or, if you will, liken the two types of cigars in question to the comparison of a beautifully marinated 14 oz., cooked-on-the-damn-grill with a brew in hand, brick-o-fillet mignon and a cold bowl of Kibbles and Bits. You getting' my meaning. Night and Day, Pal.
Hell, the names alone should suggest some profound difference in quality. Compare the every popular Macanudo Ascot to say Tiajuana Smalls, White Owl, Dutch Treats, Rum Runners or Backwoods Smokes. One conjures up images of prestige, dignity and taste whereas the majority of the others immediately create such strong visual images as Josey Whales spittin' on mangy dogs and beetles, late night poker parties in back rooms of skanky strip clubs with names like Vinny's Live Nudes, and men with few teeth gumming a plastic tip in the park while scattering bird seed to cloud of disease ridden pigeons.
Of course you can buy about 25 Swisher Sweets for the price of one premium cigar and the economics here alone work for some folks. Never mind the fact that they're smoking a fair amount of non-tobacco ingredients such as paper - the wrappers of these machine made babies are generally some combination of tobacco by products like stems and other miscellaneous tobacco bits and paper. You like saltpeter with your evening smoke? You got it. Added to promote even burning. And don't forget just a spoonful of Glycerin to help the medicine go down - actually added to prevent them from drying out. Premium cigars are hand rolled, use long-filler tobacco leaves that run the entire length of the cigar, are properly aged and fermented and blended by a masterblender with the same kind of passion and attention to detail that Julia Child pours into a Blueberry muffin. The experience of smoking these two types of cigars is truly not comparable. Gotta go for my evening walk and chase some cows around. Take it easy, Tom-boy.
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. H. Upmann Pyramid en Cedro Torpedo | 25 | $95.50 | $24 |
| B. La Perla Habana Toro | 20 | $92.50 | $24 |
| C. Sosa E. Trinidad Churchill | 30 | $78.50 | $21 |
| D. St. Charles Churchill by Torano | 25 | $87.50 | $23 |
| E. Warhol Toro | 25 | $78.50 | $21 |
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-packs 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.
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.
