Brand evangelist, digital marketer, cigar and spirits expert specializing in consumer tasting and educational events. Matthias made the long trek from his hometown of Portland, Oregon to New York City in 2007, and in nine years has hosted more than 120 events and helped promote and launch dozens of cigar and whiskey brands in the U.S. In 2016, he joined the Cigar Journal Tasting Panel, blind-reviewing pre and new release cigars.
It’s that time of the week again! Our second round of Sunday cigar shots from the #FineTobaccoNYC hashtag on twitter concluded this morning with some really great shots submitted in the last week. Dozens of users submitted, but only three were chosen. Photos are selected on the basis of creativity and pure bad-assery. As far as prizes go, for now there are none, but I’m working on fixing that.
Without further ado, here are your winners, and below some runners-up:
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#1
User: tainocigar
Smoking: Undercrown by Drew Estate
Caption: Very sexy!!! #FineTobaccoNYC – (sometimes the simple description is best!)
User: don_cerati
Smoking: Fernando Leon Robusto from La Aurora Cigars
Caption: Time for a stroll with the dog and a #cigar. This time I’m going with a Fernando León Robusto by @LaAuroraCigars (@mccbarry). Maybe I’ll just keep it in the E. León Jimenez family this week… – October 23rd 2012
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Runners-Up
Here is a gallery of all the best awesome shots submitted this week, including our winners. Click to enlarge:
To submit a photo for consideration for next week’s post, simply tag your cigar shots #FineTobaccoNYC. You can see the rest of the submissions here on Statigram.com, hashtag #FineTobaccoNYC.
New sizes added to the My Father and the Don Pepin Garcia Original
As times change, smoking preferences change and the new trend for consumers is the 60-ring-gauge cigar. For this reason, you asked and we delivered. There is now a new size in the My Father line and one in the Don Pepin Garcia Original.
In the My Father line we have added the My Father #6, a box pressed Toro Gordo 6 x 60, in an 18 cigar count box. This box will have the beautiful and signature packaging of My Father, but will be in three rows of 6, a new style for this line. Suggested retail price for the My Father #6 is $12.00 per cigar. For the Don Pepin Garcia Original we will be releasing a 6 x 62 Toro Grande, also box pressed in an 18 cigar count box, with traditional Don Pepin Garcia packaging in rows of 6. Suggested retail price for the Don Pepin Garcia Original Toro Grande is $9.50.
Expect these in stores for the holidays. Shipping will begin the first week of December!
Today we continue our interview series of cigar industry professionals who work behind the scenes to bring you some of your favorite smokes. Up today is a digital sit down I had with Robert Spoden of Bucanero Cigars. Bucanero is, to many, an unknown brand in the cigar industry. I was a bit curious about this, seeing as Bucanero cigars have received some incredible ratings from industry reviewers. Below is our interview, and as always, drop questions in the comments section!
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Robert Spoden
FTNYC: Where does Bucanero come from in terms of selecting a name? Why Bucanero?
Spoden: The name Bucanero is a Spanish term for the English word Buccaneer. It, I felt, was the perfect name for our company many years ago as we started off manufacturing premium cigars against the norm of the cigar industry at the time. We continue to do that today.
We employ old Cuban cigar making standards in the way we make our cigars. Due to these additional costs many large cigar manufactures are reluctant to go to these extremes. Many of the large cigar manufactures are publicly traded companies and the bottom line prohibits such additional expenses in manufacturing hand made cigars. Extended aging and draw testing and the use of small cigar plantations (Finca’s) fine tobaccos simply sets us apart .
The name Bucanero fits us to a tee.
FTNYC: You guys seem to have a very unique brand. What type of cigar smoker are you trying to reach?
Spoden: For many years we exclusively sold our cigars through brick and mortar retail shops coast to coast. In New York City, Dela Concha’s (1390 6th Avenue New York, NY 10019) was one of our major retailers. For many years we did their Christmas Holiday main cigar event. After 911 we supported charity events for the New York Fire Department via Del Concha’s and furnished complimentary cigars to many black tie events supporting this wonderful cause in the Big Apple. Bucanero cigars was one of Dela Concha’s best selling cigar brands for many years. Cigar lovers in New York City purchased a wide array of our cigar blends.
We have an assortment of Bucanero blends in many different strength and flavor profiles. We do not target any particular type of cigar lover. What we do target are those cigar lovers who seek high quality at a true value. So often we are lead to believe that price equates to quality. I believe we have put that notion to rest when it comes to enjoying a cigar.
FTNYC: What drew you into the cigar industry, and what has kept you there since 1994? Does your family have a history in cigars prior to 1994?
Spoden: I enter the cigar industry as a result of a dear friends insistence. One of the worlds best cigar master blenders.
I have a passion for a fine cigar. We set off from the beginning to make exceptional cigars that were not the norm in the industry. We employed tobaccos from small finca’s from 10 different nations around the world to achieve our signature blends. A costly process that we embraced.
FTNYC: I read your reviews page, and you’ve gotten some pretty lofty ratings. If someone was going to give Bucanero cigars a try, which ones would you recommend most (mild, medium, and full body)?
Spoden: We make a wide range of premium cigars to meet the palate preferences of most cigar lovers. Anyone who wishes to have a better understanding of what Bucanero blend would best meet their palate requirements can email me direct:robert1@bucanerocigars.com. Not only do we make fine cigars we also go the distance in offering our customers the best customer service in the industry today. Bar none.
Our numerous high ratings from so many different cigar review sources simply reassured us that by taking the high road in manufacturing our cigars we made the right decision. A small company must offer something exceptional. But small companies lack the resources to nationally brand their product. We depend as such on word of mouth referrals. From one cigar lover to the next. That is the way we advertise and grow.
FTNYC: Are your cigars available in any shops for our readers in New York City?
Spoden: Not anymore. A couple of years ago we decided to go direct to cigar lovers via our web site: www.bucanerocigars.com. We did this to make our cigars affordable to all that covet a fine cigar blend. During the days of exclusive distribution to retail shops our cigars were known to be very expensive boutique cigar. Today a cigar lover can buy our premium blends at true wholesale pricing, under $5.00 per cigar. Years ago prices ranged from $12.00 – $18.00 per stick at retail shops.
Not many cigar companies would do such a thing. Going direct. But as such we now offer high quality cigars at a true value. Value it seems today is such a coveted thing. As it should be. As a result of going direct via the Internet we closed down our distribution to cigar retailers years ago. Bucanero’s can only be purchased online.
We ship our cigars in humidity controlled packaging. To insure they arrive in perfect order. Orders are processed quickly. Customer support is important. Customer satisfaction is a must. We would like to offer all cigar lovers the opportunity to experience what we have worked hard to achieve.
PINELLAS PARK, Florida –November 12, 2012 – Room101 and Cigar Inn NYC are proud to announce the new Room101 OSOK (“One Shot, One Kill”) 212 Limited Edition. The new Room101 OSOK 212 is the brainchild of Billy Fakir of Cigar Inn and Room101 founder, Matt Booth. This latest extension is a four format series, which includes the famed “Chingon”, an eight-inch diadema that received a 94 rating by Cigar Aficionado magazine in early 2012. For this exclusive, there are two Diadema (Chingon – 60 x 44 x 8, Filero – 52 x 42 x 4.5) and two Parejo formats (Chingonazo – 60 x 6, Pedaso – 54 x 6.25), each with a total production of 100 boxes.
The packaging for this exclusive was custom designed and sports a new NYC themed look, which features a large screen-printed image of the Empire State Building, one of New York’s most iconic landmarks. The interior of the packaging for the OSOK 212 is the same as the first release with exception of a secondary band.
“It’s a pleasure to be working with Billy and the folks at Cigar Inn. Their shop is one of the finest in the country and we wanted to do something special for New York. I think we’ve done just that with the OSOK 212 edition,” said Matt Booth, founder of Room101.
The Room101 OSOK 212 Edition is exclusively available through Cigar Inn NYC. For retail pricing and ordering information, please call: (212) 717-7403
About Room101:
Founded in 2003, Room101 is a comprehensive luxury lifestyle brand offering the finest in custom jewelry, bespoke leather goods, premium cigars and more. Members of the Room101 “Conspiracy”, as founder Matt Booth describes his clientele, are very diverse and cover a range that spans from the corporate boardroom to the rock and roll stage. Since its inception, Room101 and Matt Booth have been featured in top lifestyle, fashion, and specialty magazines worldwide, plus a number of appearances on major network television.www.room101brand.com
KINGSTON, Jamaica, June 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum is proud to announce the release of a world first in Rum, the very rare Limited Edition Appleton Estate 50 Year Old Jamaica Rum – Jamaica Independence Reserve.
Appleton Estate 50 Year Old Jamaica Rum – Jamaica Independence Reserve comprises rums that have been aged for a minimum of 50 years in hand selected, oak barrels and it is believed to be the oldest rum available for sale in the world. Only 800 bottles of this very rare, Limited Edition bottling will be made available for sale around the world at a target Retail Price of US$5,000 per 750ml bottle.
The rums that make Appleton Estate 50 Year Old Jamaica Rum were specially set down over 50 years ago and very carefully managed over time to create this minimum aged 50 Year Old Rum to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Jamaica’s Independence.
This very rare, Limited Edition rum was launched on June 7, 2012 at Jamaica House in Kingston, Jamaica and was attended by a number of dignitaries including the Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Most Honourable Portia Simpson-Miller.
Mr. Andy Holmes, Chief Operating Officer – International of J. Wray & Nephew Limited, owners of the Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum brand, noted, “We are very proud of the Appleton Estate 50 Year Old Jamaica Rum – Jamaica Independence Reserve, believed to be the oldest rum available for sale in the world. This Limited Edition, minimum aged rum is truly an exceptional spirit that encapsulates the world-class Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum range and the Appleton Estate where we have been producing exceptional rums since 1749.
“The Appleton Estate 50 Year Old Jamaica Rum will be sold on allocation globally through select, specialist premium Retailers, exclusive style and classic on-premise partner accounts and select Duty Free stores around the world. It will be available for sale inJamaica immediately after the launch on June 7 and will then be rolled out in key markets around the world.”
The Appleton Estate 50 Year Old Jamaica Rum – Jamaica Independence Reserve is packaged in a bespoke hand crafted, crystal decanter whose design and shape was inspired by Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum’s iconic bottle. The etchings and gold screen printing on the bottle take their cue from Jamaica’s National Symbols and it is finished with a gold finished brass and cork stopper and presented in a black lacquered gift box with gold finished brass hinges. A commemorative booklet that outlines Jamaica’s march to Independence and the journey of the Appleton Estate 50 Year Old Jamaica Rum is also included.
Mr. Holmes added, “Just before Jamaica received its independence, several barrels of rums from the Appleton Estate were set aside to age to create a very special blend of 50 year old rum that would celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Jamaica’s Independence. Now the 50 year journey from barrel to bottle is complete and the world can now share in this very rare and exquisite collector’s item.”
Tasting Notes
Appearance:
Dark mahogany colour with rich coppery reflections and a very pronounced green ring of ageing.
Bouquet:
Powerful oak infused with rich vanilla and layered with cinnamon, maple and orange peel.
Finish:
Exceptionally smooth with a honeyed oak finish.
The Appleton Estate 50 Year Old Jamaica Rum – Jamaica Independence Reserve is bottled at 45% alc/vol.
Notes on Jamaica’s specification for the ageing of rum
Age is determined from the time the rum has been placed in a wooden vat or barrel for continuous maturation.
A statement of age may be given on the label of rum in terms of such as ‘…years old’. Where a statement is given, the blank shall be filled in with the age of the youngest distilled spirit in the product.
All rum maturation warehouses owned and operated by J. Wray & Nephew Limited (owners of the Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum brand) are supervised by Government Excise Officers. All minimum aged rums removed from the aging warehouse for bottling must receive a certification of age from the Government Excise Officer.
PR Newswire