Come one come all!!!!

Thanks to the power of social media and the large cigar-loving community out there in cyberspace, I am proud to announce to all of you the first of what will hopefully be many events: the 1st Cigar Tweet-Up in New York City!!! What better way is there to celebrate the coming of Spring and the final weekend of pre-season baseball than surrounded by fellow cigar enthusiasts??

As many of you know I work at Nat Sherman on 42nd St right in the heart of Manhattan and we have a lovely and large space that’s perfect for gatherings of cigar smokers.  On Saturday, 27 March 2010 I am pleased to be able to open our doors to anyone and everyone for a plethora of specials, deals, and unique opportunities to not only enjoy your favourite smokes in our store, but to also stock on up on your smoking needs without breaking the bank.

I will be announcing all of the unique aspects of this event in parts such as the special cigar that will be given away to sample and which cigar manufacturer will be making a special appearance during the day to smoke and hang out with everyone, but first comes first: all deals, box specials, etc will be available to EVERYONE whether you are in-store with us or not.  I know that some of you would love to come and enjoy spending the day with us but you live too far away, so if you still want to take advantage of the special offers all you have to do is call 1-800-MYCIGAR or e-mail me at lheller@natsherman.com!  And speaking of Spring Training and the impending baseball season, spend at least $75.00 during the Tweet-Up from 10a until 7p on 27 March and receive a limited edition Nat Sherman baseball cap (a $25.00 value) for FREE.

If you haven’t been to our newest location at 12 East 42nd St then now is the time to come by.  We have an amazing selection of cigars, cigarettes, pipes, tobacco, smoking accessories and a lovely collection of Tobacciana for those of you who want to see what it was like in the good ole’ days.  The Tweet-Up will take place all day on Saturday, 27 March from 10a until 7p and all deals are good from open to close.  If you’re in the area or wish to spend a great Spring weekend in NYC, c’mon down and meet all the great folks that you talk to on Twitter and the Cigar Message Boards. Sit down, relax, enjoy a quality cigar and make great friends!  I’ll be there all day along with my colleagues to answer any questions, help you pick out cigars, and in general do what we all do best: smoke cigars!

**Stay tuned for more details and a complete list of specials available only during this Tweet-Up event, including a special appearance by a well-known cigar maker and the announcement of a special cigar that will be given away for all those in attendance. Plus, don’t forget to tweet to your followers & friends what you’ll be smoking with us with the #CigarTweetUp hashtag!**

I first received this cigar in a great goody bag I got from IPCPR since I was not able to attend (someone’s got to watch the store, right?), and I have to admit that as much as I love Eddie Ortega’s work, I was a bit alarmed by the name and label on this cigar. If you’re Puerto Rican or Cuban and/or a rum aficionado you’ll realize this specific bat looks a lot like a very old graphic the Bacardi family used to use on their bottles, and I almost never smoked this cigar because I had no idea where Eddie or Erik were planning on going with this.  You’ll see below why I’m glad after a few months of some samples sitting in one of my humidors I’m glad I finally smoking this thing….

So you don’t think I’m joking, this is the original Bacardi bat the

family used on the bottles back in Cuba in the 19th century

Size: 52 x 5 1/2″

Composition: Nicaraguan filler, Mexican binder, and a San Andreas Maduro wrapper

Appearance & Construction: This cigar is nothing short of beautiful in terms of appearance. With its San Andreas Maduro wrapper, this stick is dark and rich-looking and is silky smooth.  (I don’t know about you, but I hate wrappers that present a lot of veins.) The box-pressing at first concerned me since I’ve had issues with box-pressed maduros in the past, but the press seemed just enough to shape the cigar without hopefully ruining the draw. Looking at the foot it appeared to be a good roll with no visible holes and as much as I initially thought the logo was a bit on the goofy side, it does provide a nice contrast since both the red in the label and darkness of the wrapper are bold in their own right. (29/30 for the category)

Delivery (Notes, etc): While this cigar occasionally provided the essences of nuts, earth, cedar, and hints of spice, there is one overwhelming characteristic here that I completely fell in love with: chalky cocoa powder.  Now if you don’t already think I’m crazy, please let me explain my judgment and why I chose the describe the cocoa as “chalky.”

Have you ever quickly emptied a packet of Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate mix into a mug and the powder emits a small cocoa cloud into the air and you breathe it in? Imagine that happening each time you puff on this cigar and you will understand the creamy, chalky, chocolatey experience you get with nearly every draw. I’ve tried a lot of Mexican tobacco before and let me tell you none of what I’ve tried in the past does what this cigar can do.  The last third of this beauty even introduces a bit of espresso to the palate which married beautifully with the velvety chocolate texture. (34/35 for the category)

Burn/Ash/Draw: The burn on this cigar was great. Thanks to the box press it held the ash quite nicely for long periods of time and it was a pleasantly bright white, signifying that unlike its Nicaraguan counterpart, soil from Mexico’s San Andreas Valley is calcium-rich.

As far as the draw was concerned I’ve smoked quite a number of these sticks and I’ve only had an issue with the draw once over the course of a few months. (The one belicoso in question did get a bit tight as I started to nub it, but if that’s the only problem I encounter in one of the nearly dozen of these I’ve smoked, I’m not complaining.)   I believe I stated above I’ve had some bad luck with box-pressed maduros and while that’s true, I can’t really say I’ve had any major issues with the Murcielago. *Although this review is for the belicoso, the size I’ve had the most issues with is the robusto.*  (33/35 for the category)

Overall Assessment: This is hands-down a great creation from the men of EO brands. Eddie and Erik have once again come up with a winner that’s not only an attractive cigar, but a cigar that treats its smokers very fairly.  While it retails here in New York for around $12.00 per stick for this size and that can be pricey for some, this cigar is worth it.  After smoking as many as I have in the past few months I can testify that this is one of those cigars you can actually depend on and it is definitely one of my favourite new smokes from IPCPR 2009.

*Final Score: 96

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MIAMI, FLORIDA

MARCH, 3, 2010

The long anticipated Nestor Miranda Collection Dominicano has arrived!

A new line under the Nestor Miranda Collection label from Miami Cigar & Company brings to fruition a collaboration that began almost nine months ago, between Nestor Miranda, Pepin Garcia and his My Father Cigar Company and Guillermo Leon’s La Aurora S. A.

It was Miranda’s desire that the next cigar in the very successful line pay tribute to the tobacco and cigar heritage of the Dominican Republic. The collaboration brought together the tobacco growing expertise of La Aurora, the blending and manufacturing talents of Garcia and the unequalled marketing talents of Miranda and his associate Rene J. Castaneda.

The result is a cigar of elegance, complexity and nuance capable of carrying the NMC banner alongside the already respected Special Selection line.

The launch of the Dominicano will take place with three significant in-store events. The first will be held in San Diego, CA, and is, actually, two consecutive events. It begins with a dinner, on Thursday, 11 March, from 6 to 10 PM, at The 94th Aero Squadron (8885 Balboa Avenue, San Diego, CA 92123 – Contact Greg Stenzel at 619.822.0167 or smokeclub@rocketmail.com) followed by a store event on Friday, 12 March, from 2 – 6 PM at Racine & Laramie (2737 San Diego Avenue, San Diego, CA – 619.291.7883). It is worth noting that Racine & Laramie, located in Old Town San Diego Historic State Park has been in business since 1869.

On 19 March the Dominicano will be launched in New York City at The Grand Havana Room (666 Fifth Avenue, New York City 10019 – 212.245.1600).

The New York City event is a ticketed dinner arranged by Boris Grossman of Matador Cigars (38 Lincoln Avenue, Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 – 561.626.4966 – www.matadorcigars.com). On a visit to Matador by Miranda and Castaneda, Grossman volunteered to organize the event as soon as he heard about the much awaited release of the Dominicano. According to Grossman, “The event was sold out within four days of it being announced.”

The last of the events will take place on Nestor’s home turf on 20 March at Sabor Havana (2600 N.W. 87th Avenue, Doral, FL 33172 – 305.436.8860 – www.saborhavana.com).

The cigar is being packaged in boxes of 20 and produced in 5 vitolas:

Lancero 7.5 X 40
Coffee Break 4.5 X 50
Robusto Grande 5.5 X 54
Belicoso 6-1/8 X 52
Ruky 5-5/8 X 48 X 52

Like the rest of the Nestor Miranda Collection they will be available in both a Rosado and Oscuro wrapper.

The Nestor Miranda Collection is only available at brick and mortar tobacconists.

You don’t have to be Italian to love cheeses as much as I do, but if you were raised around a family like mine, then chances are you have a great appreciation for it.  I’ve said this many times–and it is the total truth–I could live happily until the day I die with some good red wine, cheese, and some salumi (not to be confused with the term salami). Now what my cholesterol levels might be come that day when I do die is a totally different story…!

My darling Grandfather comes from a very small town called Castel di Ieri in the province of L’Aquila in Abruzzo and the province itself is known for sheep, strong meats, and great cheeses. There is a family located in an equally small town called Anversa and the Marcellis are heralded for their formaggi. Outside of their bioagriturismo business where you can go to La Porta dei Parchi  and see what life is like there, they also import their cheeses to New York City where they are served in some of the best restaurants in town.  On top of it all they have this wonderful program known as Adotta una pecora or “Adopt a Sheep” where your contributions can help keep this dying industry alive. (In return you can reap some excellent benefits like a partially paid tribute to La Porta, fresh cheese, and amazing wool products.)

If you love great, farm fresh products made by real people preserving tradition, then I urge you to visit the Marcelli’s website where whether in the US or the EU you can see which restaurants carry their cheeses and place orders of your own.  Go visit them here to learn their story, philosophy and order some great goodies: http://www.marcelliformaggi.com/

If you are an animal lover like me and are interested in adopting the most adorable sheep to ever roam Italy, then please visit http://www.laportadeiparchi.it/help_usa.htm

For more information on the bioagriturismo movement in L’Aquila and Abruzzo go to:  http://www.laportadeiparchi.it/index.htm

All the information provided on these websites come in a variety of languages, so no matter what you prefer you will be able to better understand what makes this part of Italy so wonderful and hopefully enjoy some of the delicious things I got to have growing up!

As if I couldn’t be any more proud to be Abruzzese via my maternal Grandfather, the owner of a wonderful website–Life in Abruzzo–contacted me recently and asked me to be a guest writer for the webzine and travel guide.  Once a month I will be providing wine reviews of various bottles from the region and below you will find my first which was published earlier today.

In between my monthly reviews please go and check out Life in Abruzzo both on the website and follow them on Twitter for the latest updates on all things Abruzzo!

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With multiple estates mostly concentrated in Teramo and Chieti, this specific Montepulciano d’Abruzzo was first produced in 1981 when Gianni Masciarelli decided to enter the wine business and follow his passion. Containing grapes from his estates in Teramo and Pescara, this wine is deep ruby red in colour and was rather surprising to me in how it delivered.

To the nose this wine seems intensely fruit-forward with discernable notes of raspberry and cherry, yet in its early delivery the expected bouquet was not what I got, but rather I tasted more tobacco and earth than the berries I smelled moments before.  This wine is somewhat deceiving in that respect. Another unexpected occurrence here was how long it took this wine to open up: I always let red wines breathe but this one took an exceptionally long time to reach its full potential.  It seemed so light and once it finally opened up after about twenty minutes I finally started to taste some of the plum and berry notes I figured I would be tasting from start to finish.  Other notes present besides the aforementioned are red currant, which along with the smoky tobacco hints made for a nice balance overall.

This is a great wine to keep around as something to enjoy a glass of while relaxing at home, but I do not think it has a lot of pairing options.  Since this wine is in the light-medium range in body, it is best enjoyed with cheeses such as Fontina Val d’Aosta, a young Pecorino (no older than 8-14 months aged), or one of my personal favourites, scamorza.  Each of these cheeses will bring out the earthier notes in this wine that are faint in comparison to the fruity notes and will balance well with the wine overall.

If you would like to pair this with a meal, lightly seasoned pork or lamb will be most suited and if they are grilled even better.  I myself prepared some pork and once the wine opened up the two worked together brilliantly.

This wine is actually meant to be enjoyed young according to its maker, and I can see why: since I only had access to a 2006 one can tell that its individual essences become very blurred over time and therefore lose their respective intensities.  A great bargain, this wine retails anywhere between USD $8 — $13 per bottle (depending on the vintage), so buy plenty and drink often!

This article comes to us from the UK’s Daily Mail, where it appears Britain is really trying to enforce the smoking ban.

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A former pub landlord yesterday became the first person to be jailed in connection with the smoking ban.

Nick Hogan, 43, was sentenced to six months in prison for refusing to pay a fine imposed for flouting the legislation.

Two years ago Hogan, who ran two pubs in Bolton, became the first landlord convicted of breaking the law for allowing his customers to routinely light up in his bars.

Nick Hogan was the first person to be prosecuted under the new smoking laws. He will spend six months in prison after refusing to pay a fine

A judge fined Hogan, of Chorley, Lancashire, £3,000 and ordered him to pay £7,236 in costs after finding him guilty of four charges under the Health Act 2006.

But the married father-of-two refused to pay the fine and yesterday, after repeatedly being hauled back before the courts, a judge sitting at Bolton Crown Court finally lost patience and jailed him.

Last night his wife, Denise, 53, who is also a publican, said she was disgusted that her husband would be in prison alongside murderers and rapists.

‘Criminals and bad people go to prison not law-abiding businessmen like my husband who are trying to earn an honest living,’ she said. ‘Nick doesn’t deserve to go to jail, all he has done is speak his mind and people simply don’t like it.

‘Ninety per cent of people who come into my pub want to smoke, even the non-smokers think there should be a choice. These laws are ridiculous.’

At the hearing, in January 2008, magistrates were told Hogan held a ‘mass light-up’ in his two pubs, the Swan Hotel and Barristers’ Bar, in Bolton, on the day the smoking ban came into force in July 2007.

He was visited by inspectors from the local authority, who found letters taped to pub tables advising customers they had the ‘freedom to choose whether or not to smoke’.

They also saw regulars smoking on five separate occasions.

Hogan, who has since sold his lease for both the pubs, was cleared of one count of failing to prevent his customers from smoking and four further charges of obstructing council officers.

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of the anti-smoking group ASH, insisted it was a myth that the anti-smoking legislation had forced pubs out of business.

She said: ‘Many pubs have shifted their focus to serving food, so they have changed their nature.’

She added: ‘Mr Hogan is the exception, not the norm, because compliance rates for the ban are way above 90 per cent.’

It’s so funny to me that some major cigar smokers who read this blog have actually approached me recently and asked me to talk about food more than I already do.  I guess my love and respect for food  comes through in how I talk about it, and even more neat is the fact that many want me to talk about non-American style foods and preparations which is my thing!!

Before I get into the nitty-gritty, I have to thank my good friend at SmokeScore, Mr. Tony Ricciardi, for inadvertently inspiring me to write about this magnificent and somewhat simple combination. Tony and I were talking about how dreary the weather is in New York today and he remarked about how it’s one of those days to stay inside, relax, nap and in general do nothing. Somehow he said that and my mind shifted to cooking, since Lord knows if I’m ever stuck home I’m usually in the kitchen.

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There is a simple way and a complicated (aka foodie) way of making churros y chocolate.  I’m going to provide the picky alternatives if you are ingredient-obsessed like myself, but this is not your Mom’s hot chocolate for starters. Well, if your Mom is Mexican, then maybe it is! This combination of seasoned fried dough and hot chocolate can be found in many places like Spain and all over Latin America–you can even get it in Little Havana in Miami–but the real winner here is the Mexican way of making hot chocolate.

A little background on chocolate in Mexico:

Mexican chocolate is a dark chocolate mixed with sugar, cinnamon, and sometimes nuts. It’s grainy and in pre-Colombian times both the Aztecs and Mayas revered chocolate like one today might so with gold. Chocolate was a currency, consumed by kings and noblemen, and often played a part in religious rituals. The Spaniards became enamored with it during the conquest & so much so that hot chocolate was declared the King’s drink in New Spain & throughout Europe. When made into a beverage it was not uncommon for the Aztecs or Mayas to add more spices such as spicy chiles, which interacted nicely with the bittersweet cacao. Today you can find all sorts of chocolate concoctions infused with chiles, currys, and other spices either in bar form or even in truffles.

In order to make the Mexican Hot Chocolate the easiest thing in the world is to go buy some actual Mexican chocolate in disk or bar form. Thankfully due to the large Latino population throughout the US many grocery stores carry Ibarra or even Abuelita in their “International Foods” aisle, although if you have a Latin market or a decent bodega nearby, you might even be able to get other brands of chocolate.  Either way, here is what you need to make some Chocolate for you and someone you love:

• One disk of Mexican chocolate (a disk if using Abuelita, otherwise use a medium-size bar of chocolate)
• 2 1/2 cups of milk
• 1/2 — 1 tsp of granulated sugar (I prefer less sugar, personally, hence the option for 1/2 tsp)
• 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, preferably a fresh stick you will grate vs the pre-bottled option; if you want really great cinnamon & can get it, go to a South American grocer and grab Bolivian cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp chile powder

Take the milk and put it in a pot and let it gradually boil.  Break up the chocolate into smaller pieces and place into a large Pyrex bowl and place the bowl over the pot with milk: this is called “double-boiling.” Within a few minutes the chocolate will start to melt down into a thick, Hershey’s-like consistency, but once it starts to boil down, stir with a wooden spoon until all of the chocolate is in liquid form. Once a thick liquid, remove the Pyrex bowl and slowly stir in the melted chocolate to your boiling milk. As the chocolate incorporates, add the sugar, cinnamon,  and chile powder to taste.

Traditionally Mexican Hot Chocolate is beaten until it gets a bit frothy with a molinillo (a special wooden stirrer), but in case you don’t have one lying around, you can stimulate the desired effect with a good whisk.  Simply place the whisk in the middle of the pot and with the handle cradled in between both of your palms, rub the handle back-and-forth and the chocolate should froth up and then you can pour the drink into a mug.

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Now for the churros, which are lovely little fried dough sticks seasoned with cinnamon and sugar perfect for dunking into and eating with your Chocolate.  Here is what you’ll need:

• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup butter
• 6 tbsp of sugar divided into 2 tbsp and 4 tbsp
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup flour
• 2 large eggs
• vegetable oil (for frying the dough)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 pastry bag and a star tip
• parchment paper

Combine the water, butter, and two tablespoons of sugar into a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, remove the pan from the heat and slowly stir in the flour. You will need to slowly beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until a rudimentary dough forms and nothing is sticking to the sides of the pan.

With your Kitchen Aid mixer place the dough in the bowl and on high speed beat in eggs one at a time until everything is smooth and incorporated.  At this time, place a baking sheet in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. In the meantime, prep your pastry bag and attach the star tip. Once the bag is all set, spoon the dough into it so you’re ready to start piping.

Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and line it with the parchment paper. Take your pastry bag and pipe roughly 3 x 1-inch strips of dough onto the parchment until you have used all of your dough.

Fill a deep frying pan about 3/4″ high with vegetable oil and once the it’s boiling, drop in three or so churros to fry for a few minutes until golden brown. Turn each churro once before removing it from the pan and letting the excess oil drain onto paper towel-lined plate.  Once all churros have been fried and drained, combine the remaining four tablespoons of sugar and the tablespoon of cinnamon into a brown paper bag. Toss the churros in the bag well so that they’re evenly coated with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Although best served immediately while they’re still warm, you can store any uneaten churros in a tight container and they should keep well for up to a few days. ¡Buen provecho!

Outside of sending a nod in the direction to the one and only Peter Stonehill of Nat Sherman fame  with this post’s title, many of you know I am wine person through-and-through.  No matter what else I drink whether it be for pleasure or hosting a pairing class, et al, I was raised on wine and love it like nothing else.

The following recommendations are wines which are not difficult to find and not super-expensive. They are by no means listed here to go with cigars or anything: these are merely wines I love to have in my house at all times because they’re great for my palate and my budget.

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• 2004 Quinto do Vallado Reserva

First off if you’re looking for value while still drinking a solid wine, then look no further than Portugal.  Many Portuguese red wines on the market today are small labels and if you’re not a wine nerd like me on the hunt for uber-specific vintners, then you can still be proud about this purchase because it’s always a smart one.  Quintas rate fairly well with reviewers and provide a nice array of notes for the palate.

With wine-making references dating back to 1716, the Quinta do Vallado vineyards are in the heart of the Duoro Valley, and Vallado makes wine for aging.  (If you’re like me and semi-impatient, you can by younger vintages, but the wine itself will be a bit lighter.) I happen to love the ‘04 because it’s rather big for a Duoro wine: it’s ripe, somewhat bold and vibrant. This particular vintage reminds me of some favourite Southern Italian wines with its notes of smoke, raspberry, deep cherry and hints of spice.  If you like a well-developed wine and spending about $32.00, then you’ll enjoy this.

• Tormaresca NePriCra 2007

I know I’ve mentioned this wine on countless occasions, but I love it and can never get enough of it. (I’d love to claim this as my find, but the guys over at Beacon Wines set me up with it when I was on a Sangiovese buying spree last Spring.) This bottle retails for $9 – $12 in stores (depending on your location) and let me tell you that it’s definitely a source a pride since it’s from the same region in Italy that gave birth to my Grandmother.

First of all this is an unusual blend for Italy: NePriCa is name made up by the blend of Negroamaro, Primitivo, & Cabernet Sauvignon.  My initial hesitation with this wine was the Primitivo having never had it before, and when Beacon’s sommelier said it was the Italian Zinfandel, I freaked: Zinfandel is fruit-forward mess in my book. Once assured Italian Zin would be like nothing I had imagined I took a gamble since $11.00 wasn’t going to kill me and I’m thrilled I listened because this wine is phenomenal.

Like many Southern Italian wines this is on the thicker side and it’s rich with molasses, perfectly ripe berry, hints of licorice and black cherry. Smooth tannins and a long finish make this inexpensive wine a fabulous buy and I rarely have less than a couple of bottles in my home at all times. If you like spicy foods and bolder meats (think wild game), then you can’t go wrong.

• Bodegas Montecillo Crianza Tempranillo

Head due east from Portugal and you have Spain: land of blackfoot ham, manchego cheese, and amazing wines. I was actually introduced to this specific wine by the legendary José Andres at his restaurant Jaleo years ago in Washington, DC.  It’s no more than $13.00 a bottle now–it used to be $9.00!–and it’s a nice introduction to the world of Tempranillo.

I personally classify this wine as light, but many people will tell you it’s more on the medium side. (Based on the cigars I smoke and when I smoke them, you can rationalize why I think this is a lighter wine!) Enveloped in a bit of oak there is a nice amount of cherry in the front melded with some spice.  Along with some nice tannins, this wine is a great introduction to the world of Tempranillo, so grab some tapas and enjoy it because it pairs well with a lot of foods, especially pork.

• Trapiche Broquel Malbec

If you’ve ever eaten at an Argentinean restaurant then chances are you’ve seen this on the wine list; if you never ordered it before, then shame on you!

This Malbec–like most Malbecs–comes from Mendoza in the foothills of the Andes, which is home to Argentina’s wine and beef trade.  This wine in particular is quite well-rounded and has a nice intensity to it without being overbearing.  Considered medium-to-full in body, the Broquel has some hints of spice, smoke, and deep berry with a rich plum quality to the nose.  Some call this a “rugged” grape because of how well it stands up to meats and spice in foods (think chipotle peppers), and rightfully so when you’re having churrasco.  This wine like those aforementioned is a great steal at about $14.00 per bottle.

A very interesting article about the state of Cuban cigar sales and finally something that is targeted at women that is a true cigar, instead of the flavoured junk that is marketed in the US like Havana Honeys, etc.

This article came across the Reuters Newswire on 22 February 2010.

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HAVANA (Reuters) – With anti-smoking laws and the global recession causing sales to fall, Cuba wants to develop a largely untapped market for its famous cigars — women.

Habanos S.A. executives said on Monday sales fell 8 percent to $360 million in 2009, so they have created the Julieta, a smaller, milder version of the Romeo y Julieta cigar, aimed specifically at female smokers.

Women now make up only 5 to 10 percent of customers for Habanos, the worldwide distributor of Cuban cigars, marketing director Ana Lopez told a news conference kicking off the annual Habanos cigar festival.

The Julieta is an attempt to overcome perceptions among women that Cuban cigars are made up of “only strong tobacco for men,” she said.

The search for new markets is needed because even though Cuban cigars are considered the world’s finest, sales are slipping with the rise of anti-smoking laws around the world, said Habanos vice president Manuel Garcia.

The 8 percent sales drop in 2009 was preceded by a 3 percent fall, to $390 million, in 2008.

Even with the creation of the Julieta, Garcia said Habanos has only modest hopes for 2010 sales, due largely to a weak economy in Spain, the biggest market for Cuban cigars.

“We think it would be a very good result if we can at least maintain the (sales) we reached in 2009,” he said.

Habanos is a joint venture between Cuba and British tobacco giant Imperial Tobacco Group Plc.

Habanos — which produces other well-known brands such as Cohiba, Monte Cristo, Trinidad and Partagas — has about 71 percent of the sales in its markets, Garcia said.

The U.S. market, the largest in the world with 230 to 250 million cigars smoked annually, is off limits to Habanos due to the U.S. trade embargo imposed against Cuba since 1962.

(Reporting by Jeff Franks; Editing by Tom Brown and John O’Callaghan)

This article originally appeared on CigarAficionado.com on 19 February 2010 and was written by David Savona.

The photo is by Michael Herklots and is of the special sampler given to ProCigar 2010 attendees highlighting every size of this new cigar line.

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Quesadas Release Tributo

Today, the Quesadas honored four family members with the unveiling of the Quesada Tributo cigar. In a very emotional presentation held this morning in Santiago, the cigar was presented to about 50 attendees of the ProCigar Festival.

The Tributo is the second cigar to bear the Quesada name, following the release of the Quesada 35th Anniversary last year. The cigar has an entirely new blend, made with a hybrid leaf grown in Ecuador that bears a resemblance to hearty, dark Ecuadoran Sumatra. “Finding the right wrapper proved to be the biggest challenge,” said Raquel Quesada, who blends cigars at Matasa along with her father, Manuel. Inside the Tributo is a blend of Honduran, Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos. The audience smoked three components of the blend in small cigars called surullos, then lit up the completed cigar.

The brand, which will be on sale in May, comes in four sizes: Manolin, 6 1/2 inches by 60 ring; Alvaro, 6 by 52; Alvarito, 4 1/2 by 40; and Julio, 5 by 50. Each size honors a departed member of the Matasa family.

Manolin Quesada, the father of Manuel Quesada and grandfather to the fifth generation, lived a long life, and “was the first person to introduce the fifth generation into this love for tobacco that has characterized the Quesada family for over 100 years,” said Patricia Quesada.

Alvaro Quesada, Manuel’s brother, his son Alvarito and Julio Fajardo, “the second brother” Manuel Quesada “never had,” said Patricia, were killed in a plane crash. The tragic accident “changed our lives forever,” said Patricia.

Every member of the Matasa family was visibly moved by the ceremony honoring the fallen men.