Past Newsletters
Vol. 9 No. 4
Member of the Month
Gary
Spewak Smokes One on the Road
This month's member of the month has been with us for quite some time now and although we appreciate his loyalty, we've gotta give him a bit of grief here as we found his letter a little disturbing. The problem? In it, he states that he's "Pretending" to be happy after riding his Harley. Gary…Baby….Sweatheart…You've gotta "pretend" to be happy on your Hog?! Okay, we got that it was a long ride counselor, but the facts remain that you're in Florida - the cigar capital of the good ol' US of A, you're enjoying a fine smoke, and you have just ridden your hog almost 1,000 miles to see some of the most beautiful coastline in the country! Could be at a desk pushing paper or editing a newsletter or something if ya get my meaning…Bottom line? We know the 25 smokes we send ya for being our member of the month are gonna make you happy! Enjoy!
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. Cohiba De Dominicana | Torpedo | 6 x 52 | 6.5 | Dominican | 93 |
| B. El Mejor Box-Pressed Maduro | Churchill | 7 x 50 | 7 | Nicaragua | 89 |
| C. La Corona | Torpedo | 6 x 50 | 5 | Dominican | 91 |
| D. Montague # 2 Natural Wrapper | Corona Gorda | 6.75 x 47 | 7 | Indonesia | 94 |
| E. Partagas Sabroso | Corona | 5 7/8 x 44 | 8 | Dominican | 93 |
Featured Cigars
A relatively new brand which was introduced only in 1968, Cohiba quickly became the flagship brand of the Cuban cigar industry. Developed initially as a medium bodied protocol cigar for presentation only by officials of the Cuban government, Cohiba was marketed widely beginning in 1982. The brand was initially made in the El Laguito factory in Havana, but production is now also in the Fernando Perez German factory. It is now also produced in the Dominican Republic by two separate entities, General cigar, who owns the trademark for the name in the U.S., and by Monecristi de Tabacos, who holds Trademark for Cohiba in the Dominican Republic. Our panel favored the Monecristi series.
Look for an aesthetically rustic, inviting medium-brown wrapper in this well constructed cigar. We found the draw to be firm, but quite adequate, offering an even, nice firm white ash indicating properly aged tobacco. Note a medium-full pleasantly spicy aroma. The flavor is that of a true Dominican product, full of taste, a hint of woodiness and offering plenty of spicy pepper characteristics. Overall, we really liked this smoke. It's well balanced, well constructed and packed with flavor. Pair it with your favorite Single Malt Scotch.
El Mejor Box-Pressed Maduro Churchill
"El Mejor" means "the best" in Spanish and you'll see why this cigar earns its name. Rolled in Nicaragua, all the leaves used in the construction hail from Nicaragua, including Cuban Habano-seed Nicaraguan filler & binders and Nicaraguan wrapper leaves. The box-pressed El Mejor is a rich & robust cigar packed with flavor - an exceptional, slow-burning beautiful maduro. Not a cigar for the weak, it is best to enjoy this one with some food in your stomach.
This is what every maduro should taste like! A rich, even-burning cigar that has obviously been aged for quite some time. A fairly strong cigar that is rich and full of flavor, the wrapper gives off black pepper flavors, as well as a sweet, almost maple syrup flavor. Well constructed with a firm, but not tight draw, this cigar should keep a smile on your face for a good 45 minutes to an hour.
No one at Altadis will outright admit to it, but since they moved production of this cigar from Honduras to the Dominican Republic, this smoke is surely the exact same cigar as Playboy by Don Diego, but under a different name. They're made by the same manufacturer, the blends are listed the same, they taste the same, they look the same, even the box is almost identical. We're thinkin' that they must have just thrown La Corona bands on a few extra Playboy cigars they had laying around. So if you like the Playboy line, we know you're going to enjoy this one.
Offering a beautiful Connecticut wrapper, Dominican Binder, and long-filler of Dominican leaves, the La Corona is a tasty, medium to full-bodied cigar. It has a core of spiciness and a slight tartness in the finish. Smooth and flavorful with a long, slow burn, we found it very smooth and offering an easy draw.
Montague # 2 Natural Wrapper Corona Gorda
It was spices and tobaccos that brought Indonesia its early success in international trade. Now, after years without representation in U.S.-bound cigars, a new variety of wrapper leaf and a modern cigar plant have restored the "Spice Islands" to their former status in the tobacco industry. Indonesia's rising profile in cigars isn't limited to strictly growing and curing of cigar tobacco. While it may be true that, as Swedish Match's Van Glabbeek notes, "... there's no such thing as an Indonesian cigar," his company has taken a great leap in that direction, offering the country's first significant premium long filler production, branded the Montague.
The first thing you'll notice about this cigar is a rich & oily, dark Brazilian broadleaf wrapper that just begs you to light it. It's filled with a generous amount of tobacco, yet not too firmly rolled. The draw is quite easy and the burn even all the way. We found the flavor to consist of a core of spiciness, as one might expect from Indonesia. Its medium bodied and offers hints of cedar, and a light toastiness. The finish is a lingering earthiness.
Before Castro took power in Cuba, Partagas cigars were made in Havana under the direction of Ramon Cifuentes and his father before him. Leaving Cuba after Castro took over; Cifuentes moved to Santiago, Dominican Republic and continued to make Partagas cigars. This Dominican version of a famous Cuban brand features spicy Cameroon wrappers and a blend of Dominican and Mexican tobaccos for the filler. The binder leaves come from the San Andres Valley in Mexico.
Look for excellent construction, as you would expect from Partagas. A good looking cigar with a dark rough feel. We found it to be precisely rolled with a full load of tobacco. The flavor is full and rich and unquestionably aged properly. It may start mild, but quickly picks up steam and builds to a full-bodied, spicy smoke. Look for a more spiciness and a trace of burnt cedar in the aftertaste. Overall, we were impressed with its strength and complex flavor. Try pairing it with an Oban Scotch or your favorite Czechoslovakian Pilsner.
Ask Murl
Dear Murl,
I've heard and seen cigars in my local smoke shop referred to as Segundos or Seconds and they're always much cheaper than the normal prices of the same brands. Why is that and what exactly is a Segundo? Thanks mucho!
Darren Woodward
Huntington Beach, CA
Yo Woody!
Segundos or Seconds mean different things to different folks. First thing I think of are a pair of hunter green Sears Toughskins Jeans that were handed down to me and resurrected into a pair of Bitchin' Wee Wee shorts for a summer. I think I even got a used spiked collar one year that my older brother outgrew once he stopped watchin' his Kibbles and Bits intake. I personally have to draw the line with recycled chewie sticks. Won't go there. But, I suspect, being the all-knowing and hyper-perceptive canine that I am, that you are not really interested in my recollection of varied puphood memories and are really desiring a more substantial response as it related to tobacco. I'm getting there. It is my column after all, pal.
Each cigar manufacturer also has a different definition as to what constitutes a second and as a result, it's a bit of a challenge without getting into each specific manufacturer's definition as to the difference between their second and their prime brand name cigar. There are, however, a few things most seconds have in common. It's relatively safe to say that the cigar was made from leaf that didn't pass muster to go into a prime cigar. It may, however, have been rejected purely for aesthetic reasons which most likely won't alter your enjoyment of the smoke. The seconds will probably be rolled by less experienced rollers which may or may not affect the construction of the cigar. Now there is still yet another classification of Seconds which is affectionately referred to as "Dog Rockets". Generally, you'll want to stay clear of those smokes and yes, I do resent the negative implication! Hope that helps, Woodman.
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. Cohiba De Dominicana Torpedo | 25 | $95.50 | $24 |
| B. El Mejor Box-Pressed Maduro Churchill | 20 | $78.50 | $25 |
| C. La Corona Torpedo | 25 | $87.50 | $23 |
| D. Montague #2 Natural Wrapper Corona Gorda | 25 | $82.50 | $22 |
| E. Partagas Sabroso Corona | 20 | $82.50 | $26 |
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.
