Page 154 – Fine Tobacco NYC

July 25, 2013

Honesty At Last: The Weekly Cigar Review Roundup

Matthias Clock

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The weekly cigar review round-up is an at-a-glance review of all of the cigars I smoked this week. Some weeks I smoke two cigars, some weeks I might smoke ten (though that’s pushing it, of course). I jot down a few notes and give a quick rating on whether the cigar is a buy or sell on our normal A-F rating system. And as the title mentions, these are honest. If I don’t enjoy a cigar or it’s not worth buying, I’ll say it (regardless of whose toes I’m stepping on).

Without further ado, here are your weekly smokes, in order from highest to lowest rating:

Wrapper: Connecticut
Binder: Cuban-Seed Nicaraguan
Filler: Cuban-Seed Nicaraguan
Avg. Price: $7

Wow. What a great cigar. There is a conception among some that Nicaraguan maduros are the only ultra-tasty smokes out there. The Perdomo Champagne 10th Anniversary will change anyones mind on that. This cigar truly is a work of art, and I’m sad to say it took me four years to get around to trying it.

This cigar kicks off with medium body smoke that engages the senses with a full bouquet of flavors and aromas. Coffee, hazelnutes, cream, mild spice, sweet grassiness, and the list goes on. Silky smooth and full flavored. An unbelievable smoke. This cigar is now part of my regular rotation.

Rating: A (buy)

Wrapper: Ecuador (Habano)
Filler: Dominican Republic
Binder: Dominican Republic
Avg. Price: $7.50

This was my evening smoke last night. And what a smoke it is. I asked my tobacconist for something unique, that would deliver strength, aroma, and spice with a profile different than my normal earth/cocoa/coffee cigar. And this cigar delivered. Immediately noticeable on the Air Bender is its slightly savory taste that coats the entire pallete. There is a lush milk chocolate note that is balanced by some very interesting spice and cedar notes.

Rating: A (buy)

Wrapper : Ecuadorian Connecticut
Filler : Dominican Republic
Binder : Dominican Republic
Avg. Price: $15

Davidoff is a brand I don’t see smoked very often, at cigar lounges or in online communities like Instagram. Not sure why this is, but it could have something to do with the hefty price tag. It might also be because Davidoff is an established brand that doesn’t seem very hip to many a cigar smoker.

Still, the Davidoff Special R makes a good case for Davidoff as a brand. This is one of their entry-level cigars, but it smokes like heaven. Unlike the Champagne above, this cigar delivers a lot of white pepper and savory notes, mixed with grass/coffee. Not typically my favorite profile, but there is an elegance to this cigar that shouldn’t be ignored. Construction was great, draw was perfect, and I was sad to put it down.

Rating: A- (buy)

Wrapper: Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Avg. Price: $5

What can I say about the Lot 23 Maduro? If you’ve smoked it, you know that, for the money, it is nearly impossible to beat this cigar. You get everything you would expect from a great maduro, and more. A good bit of strength, delicious sweetness, deep chocolate notes, and a nice cool draw.

Don’t need to say any more. It’s a fantastic smoke. Buy a box. Or three.

Rating: A (buy buy buy)

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua & “AJ’s Secret Filler”
Avg. Price: $7.50

This smoke was disappointing. I am a HUGE fan of the San Lotano Oval which features a Habano wrapper. It is a cigar that almost perfectly balances flavor, strength, complexity, etc. The Maduro delivers some nice earthy flavors of earth, leather, and some typical maduro sweetness, but wasn’t enough to hold my attention for more than 20 minutes. The construction was consistently problematic, requiring multiple re-lights, and thus the experience suffered. Not a cigar I’ll be returning to anytime soon – I’ll stick with the Oval.

Rating: B- (not recommended)

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan Ligero, Dominican Olor
Avg. Price: ~$6

This was a good evening smoke. I polled fans on Instagram on what they thought of this cigar, and the results were overwhelmingly positive. I can’t say that I fully agree. Though this cigar is enjoyable, I’m just not a fan of the very-savory profile. There are some nice notes of leather and white pepper, but burn and draw issues made the cigar underwhelming.

Rating: B- (not recommended)

And that concludes it for this week’s cigar roundup. Do you agree/disagree with my assessments? Drop your comments below. Until next week, long ashes.

July 23, 2013

Uncategorized Nat Sherman, widow jane

Nat Sherman International Launches Inaugural Pop-Up Shop In Collaboration With Brooklyn’s Widow Jane Distillery and Cacao Prieto

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NAT SHERMAN INTERNATIONAL LAUNCHES INAUGURALPOP-UP SHOP

IN COLLABORATION WITH BROOKLYN’S WIDOW JANE DISTILLERY AND CACAO PRIETO

NEW YORK (JULY 23, 2013) – Nat Sherman, Tobacconist to the World, announces the opening of its inaugural pop-up shop in conjunction withWidow Jane Whiskey, a fast growing cult favorite for whiskey lovers at Cacao Prieto, a chocolate factory and distillery in Brooklyn, New York. Located at 218 Conover Street, in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, the 500-squarefoot pop-up shop inside the Cacao Prieto Apothecary will feature the full Nat Sherman Premium Cigar Portfolio including the award-winning Timeless Collection, The Nat Sherman Host Selection, The Metropolitan and Metropolitan Maduro Selections. The pop-up will also feature a variety of Nat Sherman’s latest product offerings including The Nat Sherman 1930 and The Nat Sherman Sterling, along with the full range of their all-natural luxury cigarettes. The Nat Sherman pop-up is expected to remain open through the end of October 2013. Official hours of operation as well as a schedule of events will be posted on both Nat Sherman’s and Widow Jane’s Facebook pages.

Cacao Prieto was founded by Daniel Prieto Preston, whose family has been farming organic cacao in the Dominican Republic for more than 100 years. The Prieto family farm, Coralina Farms, provides the entirety of cacao for Cacao Prieto’s chocolates and spirits. Cacaco Prieto is also home to the distillery that produces Widow Jane Whiskey. Known as The Foundation Spirit of New York, Widow Jane is distilled with the pure, sweet water of the Widow Jane Mine in Rosendale, NY, whose limestone quarry was essential in building both the Brooklyn Bridge and the Empire State Building.

“We are extremely excited to partner with Daniel and his team at Cacao Prieto for Nat Sherman’s inaugural Pop-Up concept,” said Michael Herklots, Executive Director of Brand and Retail Development at Nat Sherman. “We strongly support Daniel’s vision for the distillery, and as both Cacao Prieto and Nat Sherman are New York routed – family-owned and operated, there is no better partner. We look forward to bringing the Nat Sherman experience to Cacao Prieto’s clientele, and the entirety of the Red Hook community.”

The Nat Sherman Pop-Up is adjacent to Botanica, a specialty cocktail bar modeled after the lounge of a bourgeois Venetian hotel. Botanica will join in on the collaborative concept with Nat Sherman, featuring an exclusive list of cocktail and cigar pairings, curated by Michael Herklots, throughout the duration of the pop-up.

“We are truly thrilled to offer the Nat Sherman experience at our Brooklyn facility,” said, Daniel Prieto Preston, Founder of Cacao Prieto. “We are always looking for ways to innovate what we do here in Redhook, so it’s an honor to partner with Nat Sherman to bring their first Pop Up to fruition.”

July 20, 2013

Spirits elmer t lee

In Memory of Elmer T. Lee 1919-2013

Matthias Clock

2 1 3.2k

July 16, 2013

Dear Friends,

It is with a very heavy heart that I share with you that our beloved Master Distiller Emeritus Elmer T. Lee, 93, passed away July 16, 2013 after a short illness.

In the world of making really fine whiskey the role of Master Distiller is pivotal, but Elmer’s meaning to those he met, came to know, and worked with closely extended far beyond that of a Master Distiller. Elmer defined, in the simplest terms, what it means to be a great American – hard working, self-made, courageous, honest, kind, humble, and humorous.

Elmer was born in 1919 on a tobacco farm near Peaks Mill in Franklin County, Ky. He graduated from Frankfort County High School in 1936 and worked for Jarman Shoe Company until December 1941. He then served with the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II as a radar bombardier on a B-29. After flying missions against Japan through 1945, Elmer was honorably discharged in January 1946. He returned home and studied engineering at the University of Kentucky, where he graduated with honors in 1949.

In September 1949 Elmer began working in the engineering department of the George T. Stagg Distillery in Frankfort. In 1966, Elmer was promoted to plant superintendent, responsible for all plant operations and reporting to the plant manager. 1n 1969, he became plant manager.

But it was in 1984 that Elmer’s contribution to the bourbon industry gained him the most notoriety, when he introduced Blanton’s, the world’s first Single Barrel Bourbon. Elmer retired in 1985 but continued to serve as an ambassador for Buffalo Trace, and in 1986 he was honored with his very own single barrel bourbon, Elmer T. Lee. Of course, for those of us who knew Elmer, he never really retired. Every Tuesday we could see Elmer making his rounds at the Distillery in his trademark cap, signing bottles, posters, and other memorabilia at the Gift Shop, visiting his friends in Blanton’s Bottling Hall, and tasting bourbons (for quality control purposes!) in the lab.

Elmer was always ready to offer advice, and was a wealth of information that many of us relied on, myself included. Harlen Wheatley would inquire with Elmer when stuck on a mechanical problem, and any historical questions about the Distillery always went to Elmer, who, with his razor sharp memory, could invariably answer. To all of us, Elmer was a friend, a mentor, and a trusted advisor.

Elmer was known through the bourbon industry for his expertise and knowledge about bourbon whiskey and he received numerous awards and recognition, including induction into the Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2001, the Lifetime Achievement Award from Whisky Advocate in 2002, and the Lifetime Achievement Award and Hall of Fame induction from Whisky Magazinein 2012.

We have lost a wonderful friend today, and he will be missed terribly.

Services for Elmer T. Lee are pending and will be announced shortly.

Sincerely,

Mark Brown

July 19, 2013

cigar news, Education, Luxury Marketing Alec Bradley, Drew Estate, IPCPR, IPCPR 2013, Rocky Patel, social media for cigar companies

IPCPR 2013 Social Media Rankings: Drew Estate, Rocky Patel, Alec Bradley Take Top Three

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Everyone knows IPCPR is one of the largest cigar events of the year in the United States. Thousands of cigar brands, retailers, bloggers, and other enthusiasts descend to smoke and purchase the newest blends from the hottest brands. Any high-energy, well-publicized event like IPCPR presents a great opportunity for companies willing to leverage social media to get exposure to tens of thousands of cigar smokers on social media.

So who were the top performers at IPCPR this year? The results are below. But first a note: these results are not comprehensive. They do not cover all cigar brands at IPCPR (that would be impossible), nor do they cover all social media platforms. I limited my statistical analysis to the previous 7 days of tweeting activity on Twitter because its open environment allows me to get the most detailed information. Yes, it is one platform among many, but the stats sill tell a solid story. Nonetheless, I have also included a some anecdotal analysis because there were some brands who made some spectacular plays on other networks like Facebook (i.g. Alec Bradley sends first cigars into space). If you’re wondering why I didn’t include more brands (even big ones), it is because this kind of research takes a lot of work and I was looking for representative samples.

Rankings are based on total number of company mentions during the week of IPCPR.

The results

Drew Estate dominated social media this year, with Rocky Patel and Alec Bradley coming in second and third. We’ll go into the how and why’s of it in a minute. But quickly I should explain that the “Total company mentions” column on the right is not the sum of “hashtag mentions” and “ipcpr mentions” – it includes more tweets, like those that @ mention the company, use slang terms for the company, etc. Thus it is the most comprehensive metric, and the one which judged rankings.

How did Drew Estate do it?

Drew Estate crushed it this year for a few reasons:

Drew Estate made a concerted effort to draw their customers into the IPCPR experience using an IPCPR hashtag.
Drew Estate motivated their customers to participate in the hashtag by featuring posts on a company webpage designed specifically for IPCPR.
Drew Estate posted across multiple platforms – Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, achieving a maximum reach across platform audiences. They were also smart in posting content across platforms (i.e. their Facebook page is full of their YouTube interviews).
Company employees were active on social and responded/thanked users who submitted posts with #DEipcpr.

Drew Estate did a fantastic job and all cigar companies could learn a thing or two on how to engage customers and increase brand loyalty.

Honorable mention: Alec Bradley

Alec Bradley didn’t have nearly as much social momentum during IPCPR 2013, but they deserve an honorable mention here for the sheer creativity of their marketing approach. While in Vegas, they made history by launching the first cigars into space. Yeah. The post had 11 shares, over a hundred likes, and a lot of comments. I estimate this post had a viral reach in the tens of thousands, and will be posted around the internet for a long time to come.

Way to go Alec Bradley!

What about Rocky Patel?

I’m a big fan of Rocky Patel cigars – great flavor, incredibly consistent construction, awesome pricing too. Their performance on social this year, however, wasn’t so much the result of the company having a solid social media strategy. A cursory glance around their networks revealed that they didn’t put a lot of effort into getting people involved this year, indicating they were riding on existing brand excitement.

Rocky Patel vs Alec Bradley

If you want to see what a bad approach to social media looks like, just take a look at the Rocky Patel Facebook page as compared to a brand like Alec Bradley. Here is the Rocky Patel Facebook page:

Note that there is no visual content, very little interaction from page fans, and it really ends up just being a feed for events. The page is visually unappealing and doesn’t represent the brand well at all. It is, in short, really boring. Whoever is managing their page needs to correct course if they want to get any value from their Facebook page – right now it is a waste.

Now take a look at Alec Bradley’s stream. They have roughly the same amount of page fans, but look how their rate of interaction is literally 50x that of Rocky Patel’s page:

The lesson? Be creative, use visual content, and try to act like you care about your Facebook fans enough to give them good content!

Congratulations to Drew Estate and Alec Bradley for putting on a stellar performance with social media at this year’s IPCPR!

~~~~~

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July 17, 2013

Uncategorized

New Pine Barrens Single Malt has arrived!

Christian

2 1 2.9k

The newest small batch of Long Island Distillers Pine Barrens Single Malt Whisky is back with its 8^th rendition of their premium blend. What makes this particular batch even more special is that Richard Stabile is now using his own crafted beer as the base for his Single Malt Whisky. For all the previous batches Blue Point Brewery’s Old Howling Bastard was utilized and the distilling and aging was done at Long Island Distillery. With Long Island Distillers controlling the entire process they can enliven their single malt with the exact flavors they are looking for. The result is quite possibly the finest batch yet. Enjoy!

APPERANCE: A beautiful copper/gold color with delicate legs that took their time running down the glass. The rich hue of this whisky reminded me of an aged French wine with that certain level of sophistication and quality.

NOSE: Initial flavors of cinnamon, spice, medicinal and heat come to the forefront. A second swirl reveals grains and some banana notes.

TASTE: This Single Malts comes at you with cinnamon/spices blending with banana and sharp oak on the tongue then developing into a sweet maltiness. The mouthfeel is lustrous and velvety with a lingering finish of hops, nutmeg, caramel and allspice. The finish literally “pops” and continues to develop on the palate. A complex Single Malt for what is considered a young whisky. A true connoisseur’s spirit.

CONCLUSION: Having visited Long Island Distillers several times I can attest to their quality and attention to detail. Richard Stabile continues to develop high quality spirits and pushes ahead as to what flavors and textures can be achieved in a true small batch environment. I’ve been fortunate enough to sample other batches in the past and feel this one delivers the most unique and pronounced flavors yet. So get on their website, harass your local liquor store and get your hands on Pine Barrens Single Malt #8 before its gone!

Long Island Distillers: http://www.lispirits.com/index.php

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