Past Newsletters
Vol. 9 No. 6
Member of the Month
Bryan enjoys a smoke riding his "Ice-Harley" in Alaska!
My
name is Bryan Goforth. My wonderful wife got me a subscription to
the Cigar Club of the Month for Christmas. Since then I have enjoyed
each and every cigar at different places and at different times. Here
is a picture of me on my new snow machine, first ride. I am enjoying
the Double Happiness Sublime from the February 2002 shipment. I had
to take a real quick picture at 2500 feet, with the smoke, so that
I could make my way to the low land to get out of the wind to enjoy
this cigar, and it was enjoyable. I have one more month until my subscription
runs out, and let me tell you, I will be renewing soon.
Thank you very much from "The Last Frontier"
Bryan Goforth
Soldotna, Alaska
Yo Bryan! Since your membership is up next month, consider the grab bag of 25 cigars you'll be receiving soon as a little "incentive" to renew your membership! We hope you stay with us!
Thank you to everyone who has sent in their letters and pictures. We've had a wonderful response, but keep 'em coming. That crazy Charlie Stick* keeps sending in his pictures every month and we're getting tired of seeing his ugly mug. So please keep sending us your pictures and we'll keep sending you FREE smokes!
* See our Newsletter section of our Web site for more information on Charlie Stick (Vol9 No2).
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. AVO | Corona | 6 x 44 | 5 | Dominican | 91 |
| B. Hoja De Nicaragua | Corona | 6 x 44 | 6 | Nicaragua | 89 |
| C. Pimp Stick By Drew Estate | Torpedo | 6 x 52 | 7 | Nicaragua | 93 |
| D. Sinatra Belicoso | Torpedo | 6 x 50 | 6 | Dominican | 92 |
| E. Lempira | Churchill | 7 x 48 | 6 | Honduras | 90 |
Featured Cigars
Worldwide,
Avo sells over three million cigars annually. A big jump from its
first year production of 100,000 cigars back in 1988. The brand was
created from the passion of fine tobacco possessed by one Avo Uvezian,
the son of a family of musicians from Beirut. Avo moved from Beirut
to New York to study piano at Julliard and after opening a restaurant
and piano bar in Puerto Rico in the early 80s, he discovered his love
for cigars. After being introduced to master roller, Hendrik Kelner,
the two partnered and six years later, the first Avo was rolled. Uvezian
and Kelner, together with the Davidoff factory, have created one of
the most prestigious brands on the market today. The corona featured
this month is a medium bodied smoke with a fair amount of spiciness
evident. Our panel all agreed that it would be a great smoke any time
of the day. With a silky smooth Connecticut Shade wrapper and Dominican
wrapper and binder, the quality of this cigar is apparent even before
you light it up. Consider smoking this one with a golden or light
amber ale.
Nicaragua
continues to produce top-notch cigars that are increasingly competing
with, and many would argue, dominating high-end Dominican and Honduran
products. The tradition of tobacco production in Nicaragua dates to
the Colonial period of its history. Beginning in 1522, conquering
Spanish explorers plundered the natural resources of the country.
By the second half of the 16th century, in addition to slaves, indigo,
and gold, tobacco became an important export to Europe.
The best tobaccos of Nicaragua come from the Esteli area of Jalapa valley. Here, tobacco growers produce long leaf filler, wrappers and binders. While some of the tobacco grown is of the Connecticut seed variety, the majority is Cuban seed. These seeds are the same Cuban seeds that were first grown in the Dominican Republic and then across the Caribbean to Honduras and Nicaragua. Immediately note a rich, oily and inviting Colorado wrapper. We found the corona # 3 to offer a medium-bodied well-balanced smoke. The draw was even and solid and the cigar held a nice gray-white ash, indicative of proper aging. Look for an earthly, spicy body with a touch of sweetness lingering on your palate. The finish was equally enjoyable and didn't linger too long. Overall, a tasty little cigar that you might just want to pair with a Cadillac Margarita on the rocks.
Pimp Stick Torpedo by Drew Estate
The
boys at Drew Estate have caused quite a stir in the cigar industry
in the last few years. With the release of a multitude of unique brands,
they're quickly becoming known for producing high quality, premium
smokes that come with shapes and names as unusual and creative as
the blends themselves! How could we resist a smoke brave enough to
call itself…The Pimp Stick! The name may be funny, but this smoke
was rolled by someone that takes their craft quite seriously. We loved
the soft, oily wrapper and found the Pimp Stick to offer an incredibly
distinct, pleasant aroma and flavor. It's blended with a number of
varied Dutch tobaccos, long fill from the black soil of Esteli, Nicaragua,
and Drew Estate seals the deal with a gorgeous Cameroon wrapper. The
Pimp Stick is an exotic and complex blend of tobaccos and flavors.
Look for an incredibly rich, smooth smoke that bursts with a big bouquet
of flavors. Perfect with a hoppy India Pale Ale or if you're feeling
bold, a glass of peppermint schnapps on the rocks!
When
asked to produce a cigar bearing the Sinatra name, boutique cigar
manufacturer Filipe Gregorio was both very pleased and quite honored.
"I realized it represented a challenge to produce a cigar so
outstanding that it could live up to the Sinatra name". We think
Filipe has done just that. The Sinatra brand is rolled with a combination
of superbly aged Cuban seed Dominican binders and fillers and encased
in a pristine Connecticut shade wrapper. Aesthetically, a very handsome
cigar. There were no soft spots in the samples reviewed and each cigar
was filled with just the right amount of tobacco, offering a cool
and even burn as well as an easy draw. You have to take a minute to
appreciate this gorgeous wrapper before you light up the Sinatra Belicoso.
Very clean and a gorgeous color. We found the aroma very pleasing,
offering traces of spiciness. The Sinatra Belicoso is mild-to-medium-bodied
and offers a straightforward creamy, but slightly spicy blend. Overall,
a creamy, rich, flavorful, mild smoke. Perfect with a light dessert.
Try pairing it with your favorite Merlot or pale ale.
The
first thing to note about the Lempira line of premium Dominican cigars
is that it offers a very complex blend of select tobaccos. The filler
alone contains tobacco from three different countries - Honduras,
the Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica. Dominican ligero is used generously
and it comes through in the flavor of this tasty smoke. It sports
an Ecuadorian-grown Connecticut seed shade leaf wrapper and the binder
is from Honduran Havana-seed tobaccos. Lempira is manufactured in
Nestor Plascencia's factory in Honduras, but produced by the Pedro
Martin family. Pedro's experience making cigars goes back more than
74 years (he was rolling cigars at age 7) and between he and Nestor,
you've got well over a century of expertise into this brand. Look
for a medium bodied cigar with hints of cedar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
This smoke has a lot going on and you'd be best off setting aside
a good hour to enjoy its complex flavor profile. We'd recommend pairing
it with your favorite Cabernet Sauvignon or dry stout.
Ask Murl
I'm just kind of figuring out what types of cigars I like through your club and some personal experimentation. I think that I generally prefer maduro wrappers. Is that because they are stronger, aged longer, or some combination of both? Hope you can help out as I've got a bet riding on your answer with a couple of my old college pals that I went to Harvard Business School with.
Glenn Dixon
Providence, RI
Yo Dix!
First of all, Harvard Boy, you never end a sentence with the word "with". Unless you're pointing out that seemingly trivial bit of English rhetoric to an Ivy League lad that either had a lapse in his English 101 studies or he never learned it in the first place 'cause there was some cute blonde, highly cerebral Harvard fifi in a tight pink Oxford sweater sitting directly between him and the professor that semester. In either case, I'd be remiss if I didn't point out the humor in a Harvard Business School grad consulting a 7 year old Australian Sheep Dog on matters regarding…well, on matters regarding anything at all! So I'm glad to help Dix, ma boy. Glad to help cause I dig any question that allows me to poke some fun at ya first. That's the way my column works. I spend a paragraph or two soliciting cheap yuks at your expense and then I get around to answering your question whenever I damn well please. Great format, huh?!
The word Maduro is actually derived from the Spanish word for "ripe". Maduro wrappers are generally dark brown, similar to coffee with just a wee bit-o-cream. Wrappers of this color are usually silky and oily to the touch, and impart a rich, full-bodied flavor with a smooth, mellow aroma when smoked. Sometimes considered to be the color of the traditional Cuban cigar, maduro wrapper leaf is frequently grown in Mexico, although some of the best maduro wrappers are also grown in Connecticut, Nicaragua and Brazil.
Maduro wrappers are distinct from natural wrappers in that the leaves chosen for the maduro cure must be of a top cut, at least a fourth, but generally a fifth cut, meaning from the upper portion of the tobacco plant. Therefore providing only the densest, strongest leaves which have naturally produced more oils to protect them from the fact that they receive more sun than leaves on the lower sections of the plant. Thus contributing to a fuller, rich flavor. There are several methods for producing a maduro wrapper. The most traditional method, is to naturally ferment the leaf at higher than normal temperatures. This is accomplished by repeatedly wetting the individual leaves in the bail, re-stacking, covering and allowing the temperature to rise to between 150 F. to 180 F. The combination of carefully monitored heat and moisture combine to form a kind of a low temperature oven effect, which, depending on the type of leaf used, will produce a good maduro in 90 to 180 days or more. One resultant of longer fermentation periods is a mellower, smoother smoke with lower nicotine content. How am I doing, Harvard Boy? You got enough for your thesis yet? Hope so, cause this mutt's outta space.
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. Avo Corona | 25 | $127.50 | $31 |
| B. Hoja De Nicaragua Corona | 25 | $65.50 | $18 |
| C. Pimp Stick Torpedo by Drew Estate | 24 | $110.50 | $28 |
| D. Sinatra Belicoso Torpedo | 25 | $65.50 | $18 |
| E. Lempira Churchill | 20 | $72.50 | $23 |
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.
