The management at Iconic Leaf announced the release and some details of of the Iconic Leaf Recluse Draconian. Iconic Leaf is a cigar company headed by J.R. Dominguez that seems to have a fixation with innovation, especially when it comes to sizes. The company’s first release, RECLUSE, is available in ten sizes, three of which “have never been done before.”
Time will tell how these cigars are received.
March 4, 2013 — We are pleased to announce that we have completed the blend for our upcoming special edition release of Recluse. It is called the Recluse Draconian. It will be made in three vitolas called Sidewinders. Sidewinders are another new shape that we have created. As we did with our Kanu’ shape, the Sidewinder shape has never been done before in the cigar industry. It will remain undisclosed until its release at this years IPCPR July 13th-17th.
A few select retailers will get an advance release of the Recluse Draconian blend in three box pressed sizes. Recluse Draconian will be rolled in true Entubar fashion as is every cigar that is rolled in the Tabacalera Leyendas Cubanas factory.
The Recluse Draconian blend is truly exotic.
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Maduro
Binder: Proprietary
Fillers: Brazilian Hybrid
Piloto Cubano
Dominican
Iconic Leaf Ligero* (leaf developed and exclusive to Tabacalera Leyendas Cubanas)*
This blend was created in keeping with our philosophy of creating flavorful, well balanced blends that are smooth with many transitions.
We are proud that we have been able to bring quality and innovation together. This is only the beginning.
The new Wolfburn distillery, situated just 350m from the site of the original 19th Century Thurso site, has been successfully commissioned and production of fine single malt scotch whisky has today commenced.
Construction of the Wolfburn buildings was carried out by a group of local contractors, with the inner workings being crafted by Forsyths of Rothes, the world-‐leading distillery fabricators. Building work began in August and the distillery
equipment was installed across November and December. The entire project has been successfully completed on schedule and exactly as specified.
“This is an enormously exciting moment for everyone involved,” commented Shane Fraser, Wolfburn production manager. “To watch the distillery go from concept to reality has been a truly superb experience. Commissioning went very smoothly indeed -‐ the equipment performed exactly as expected -‐ and the first spirit, with a wonderful malty flavour, is already flowing from the stills.”
The first oak casks are now full of new Wolfburn spirit – the first such maturation to take place in Thurso in over a century.
The first Wolfburn distillery was built in 1821 and was passed down through subsequent generations of the Smith family; in its heyday it was the largest distillery in Caithness. Production ceased during the latter half of the 19th Century –
the exact date is not known. The first bottling of the next generation of Wolfburn single malt whisky is expected in early 2016.
February 1, 2013 (Londonderry, NH) — Kurt A. Kendall, founder of today’s 7-20-4 Cigars, has once again explored cigar history, reintroducing a second dusty brand … “Hustler” … a trademark that hails back to the late Nineteenth Century. It follows the company’s introductions of the 7-20-4 and 1874 boutique lines.
In 2009, Kendall breathed new life into the venerable “7-20-4″ brand name, acquiring the trademark for the original 7-20-4 line. It was named after the 1874-founded manufacturer in Manchester, New Hampshire. The company became the world’s largest cigar producer, until the 1962 Embargo killed its supply of Cuban tobacco.
“Hustler has a misty history,” reports Kendall, “which I’m still researching. The brand dates back to a New York State birth in 1892. I selected its original box art, because it almost leaps off the shelf. It shows a dandy in full stride, toting a carpet bag and briefcase, with newspaper and ‘bumbershoot’ under each arm. The jaunty angle of the cigar in his grin says this guy’s a hustler, in more ways than one.”
The Spanish cedar box holds an unusual 27 cigars, divided into three compartments. Each holds nine cigars … all parejos … in 5-1/2″ x 52, 6″ x 54 (both at $9.00 MSRP), plus 6-3/8″ x 58 ($11.00 MSRP).
Hustler, entirely separate from Kendall’s benchmark 7-20-4 line, is triple-capped for durability of their heads, and entubado-bunched, yielding a company-touted “vertical integrity” that ensures smooth draws and uniform burns. They are made by Tabacos de Oriente in Danli, Honduras. The tobaccos carry five years of aging, with the cigars resting another six months. Kendall first released the line in November, and they are carried at retailers nationwide … see the “Find Our Cigars” page on the company site (www.7-20-4.com) for local 7-20-4 tobacconists.
The cigars themselves boast an eye-catching twist … literally. They are spirally-wrapped in a two-tone, barber-pole wrapper, with a dark and brawny Brazilian Mata Fina leaf and a contrasting tawny, Ecuadorian-grown Connecticut Shade leaf. The heads are finished in a traditional Cuban-style pigtail. The Jamastran and Jalapa filler is held in a Costa Rican binder. Hustler contains no relatively flavorless ligero, relying instead on the other tobaccos in the blends to gain its power. Hustler is a medium-bodied smoke, with the spiral wrapper providing a visual emphasis to what Kendall calls it’s “swirl of complex flavors and aroma.”
Hustler’s first production run was shipped in November, and is sold out at press time … coinciding with the April shipment date of the cigar’s second release.
January 28, 2012 (Miami, FL) — Wynwood Cigar Factory a part of the Fabricas Unidas family has opened its doors in the Wynwood art district of Miami. The concept of the Wynwood Cigar Factory came from the minds of Christian Eiroa and Robert Caldwell and features a unique environment for cigar smokers and art lovers alike.
Wynwood Cigar Factory offers exclusive cigar blends rolled by some of the best talent from Honduras. Rollers competed in Eiroa’s Honduran factory for a chance to come to Miami to roll for the Wynwood Factory.
“I’m very excited to have the rollers here in the factory, as the final piece in this project,” says Caldwell. “I’ve spent the past six months creating the space and now we are able to bring the cigars to life.”
Wynwood Cigar Factory is now producing and selling Wynwood Factory Fresh and Wynwood Art Edition as well as other blends the rollers are creating at this time. Wynwood is open daily from 9:00AM – 5:00PM for cigars, tours and merchandise.
Expect to see these cigars and other brands, as a part of the Fabricas Unidas family, to appear in retail locations nationwide. For more information or to schedule a private tour of the Wynwood Cigar Factory, please call (800) 253-1429.
FRANKFORT, FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY (Jan. 2013) Just in time for colder weather, Buffalo Trace Distillery offers a solution to your winter chills. The latest Experimental Collection bourbons both survived the heat. The Hot Box Toasted Barrel Bourbon Whiskey and #7 Heavy Char Barrel Bourbon Whiskey are the two latest offerings from the Kentucky distillery.
Both of these experiments study the effects of extreme heat on oak barrels and the flavor of the bourbon inside.
The Hot Box Toasted Barrel Bourbon involved placing the barrel staves into a “Hot Box” at 133 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, the staves were steamed before being assembled into a barrel. The goal was to drive the flavors deep into the wood.
Next the barrels were filled with Buffalo Trace Rye Bourbon Mash #2 and left to age for 16 years and 8 months. The resulting bourbon is a well-balanced whiskey with fruity notes complimented by a caramel and buttery taste.
The #7 Heavy Char Barrel Bourbon Whiskey experiment used barrels which were charred for 3.5 minutes, as opposed to the normal 55 second char used by Buffalo Trace typically. The barrels were then filled with Buffalo Trace Rye Bourbon Mash #2 and left to age for 15 years and 9 months. The end result is a bourbon with an oaky aroma followed by a body that is heavy and complex. A smoky and robust flavor, with fantastic woody notes and hints of vanilla, fruit and tannin. It is dry and balanced.
“Toying with barrels is fun and interesting. It’s quite dramatic to see how something as simple as an extra heavy barrel char can influence the taste of bourbon,” said Harlen Wheatley, master distiller. “Both of these experiments yielded very interesting and balanced flavor profiles that I think most people will enjoy tasting.”
These “hot” barrels are part of the more than 1,500 experimental barrels of whiskey aging in the warehouses of Buffalo Trace Distillery. Each of these barrels has unique characteristics that differentiate it from all others. Some examples of these experiments include unique mash bills, type of wood and barrel toasts. In order to further increase the scope, flexibility and range of the experimental program, an entire micro distillery, named The Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. “OFC” Micro Distillery, complete with cookers, fermenting tanks, and a state-of-the-art micro still has been constructed within Buffalo Trace Distillery.
The Experimental Collection will be packaged in 375ml bottles. Each label will include all the pertinent information unique to that barrel of whiskey. These whiskeys will retail for approximately $46.35 each. These rare experimental bottles should be available in late January or early February. For more information on the Experimental Collection or the other products of Buffalo Trace Distillery, please contact Kris Comstock at kcomstock@buffalotrace.com
About Buffalo Trace Distillery
Buffalo Trace Distillery is a family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich distilling tradition dates back to 1787 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee. Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won seven distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It was named Whisky Magazine 2010 World Icons of Whisky “Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year.” Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 200 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visitwww.buffalotracedistillery.com
