Update: here is our review of La Gloria Cubana Retro Especiale.

Continuing its tradition of innovation, Team La Gloria is proud to introduce La Gloria Cubana Artesanos Retro Especiale, a collection that spent eight years in the making.

Inspired by an antique humidor found at the El Credito Cigar Factory, Michael Giannini and Team La Gloria toiled for nearly a decade to replicate the antique humidor. Inclusive of a two-year process that encompassed cultivating a new wrapper, the development of the blend for Artesanos Retro Especiale was approached with an equal amount of creativity and commitment.

According to Michael Giannini, director of marketing for La Gloria Cubana, “It gives me great pleasure to debut La Gloria Cubana Artesanos Retro Especiale. We set out to create a product that was as unique in its packaging as it is in its taste and I believe we’ve delivered that in spades. I stand with Team La Gloria, fully confident that this collection will be a welcome addition to the smoking repertoires of today’s most discriminating premium cigar smokers.”

Team La Gloria set out to break the mold with the blend by cross-breeding a Connecticut seed, which was then cultivated in Honduras. The maiden crop yielded a hearty, golden wrapper as noteworthy for its color as it is for allowing each of the cigar’s components to enjoy equal bearing on the overall taste of the cigar.

Despite the golden appearance of the wrapper, the blend is brash in its full flavor and engages the entire palate. The double binder of bold Nicaraguan and Mexican leaf is further enhanced not only by Nicaraguan and Dominican ligero but also through an additional peppering of proprietary Nicaraguan and Dominican leaf.

Each of the four frontmarks is uniquely packaged in a 25-count box with a different design and bears a classic name that hearkens back to the early days of La Gloria Cubana. Taino (7” x 52) will be available for a suggested retail price of $7.50 per cigar, or $187.50 per box. Habanero (6” x 52) will sell for an SRP of $7.25 per cigar, or $181.25 per box. Cubano (6 1/2” x 58) will carry an SRP of $8.15 per cigar, or $203.75 per box and Club (5 ¾” x 47) will sell for $7.00 apiece, or $175.00 per box.

La Gloria Cubana Artesanos Retro Especiale will debut in mid-August, with private tastings to be held throughout the country. The product will ultimately ship in late September.

Update: here is our review of the H. Upmann Royal Robusto

Habanos s.a. is pleased to present the new H.Upmann Royal Robusto, an exclusive release aimed at La Casa del Habano franchise stores with more than 140 stores all around the world. H.Upmann is one of the most historic Habanos brands. The blend of the brand, characterized by its aroma and light to medium flavour, is made with selected leaves of the best crops of the Vuelta Abajo zone, in the Pinar del Rio region, Cuba.

The excellence regarding the history and prestige of the brand founded in 1844, is shown in the gold medals of the H.Upmann boxes, that certify the awards obtained in no less than eleven international exhibitions during the 19th Century.

The factory size selected for this special production -Edmundo- (ring Gauge 52 x 135 mm in length) is highly appreciated by Habanos smokers, that will now have the occasion to enjoy it within the H. Upmann brand with its own features of flavour and aroma.
Its production limited to only 5,000 boxes containing 10 Royal Robusto each results in a very exclusive item for those who seek perfection. All Habanos have been produced Totalmente a Mano con Tripa larga –Totally by hand long filler- by skillfull rollers.

Specially for those connoisseurs who prefer the elegant taste and aroma unmistakably found in the brand, this vitola will be available in the next weeks in the La Casa del Habano stores worldwide.

Update: here is our review of the J. Grotto Reserve.

Paul Joyal, founder and president of Ocean State Cigars, Inc., describes his new J. Grotto Series Reserve boutique premium cigar line: “Above all, it’s an intriguing, memorable smoke. Unlike many one-dimensional cigars, it displays a complexity and depth, with a unique spectrum of flavor and body profiles. For the first inch,” he continues, “J. Grotto Reserve gives the impression of a mild-to-medium smoke. But then, the powerful, flavor-loaded nature of the cigar announces itself, augmenting its complexity, thanks to the J. Grotto Reserve’s five-leaf recipe. In addition to the tobacco’s three-year aging, we rest the finished cigars for three to four more months, to allow their tobaccos to meld and mellow. It rewards the connoisseur with pure opulence ... rich and full-bodied, but refined.”

Based on the success of Ocean States’ premiere introduction in 2009, the J. Grotto Series, Joyal developed the Reserve, to satisfy an entirely different palate. “If you like spice and medium body, the original J. Grotto is for you; the Reserve has power, but no spice.”

Reserve owes its performance to a Nicaragua-grown Criollo 99 wrapper and Criollo 98 binder, plus a filler of Honduran-grown ligero and Jalapa leaves. Four shapes ... a Gran Corona (5-5/8" X 46), a Gran Robusto (5" X 52), a Gran Toro (6" x 52), and a new shape, a 6" x 60. The last, not a Cuban standard size, is rapidly becoming a most popular shape with veteran smokers ... its size carries the power and richness handily. The Reserve’s suggested retail pricing settles at $8.50 to $9.50. Reserve’s presentation measures up to its boutique stature. The cigar’s striking band and lush artwork on the substantial Spanish cedar boxes catch the eye on retailers’ shelves. All shapes are presented 20 cellophane-sheathed cigars to the box.

Matt Urbano, founder and owner of Urbano Cigars, describes his company’s just-released, second boutique premium cigar: “Urbano Sumatra has a sweet, earthy flavor that settles into a creamy, ‘chocolaty’ smoke. It has a light, leathery finish and a luxurious white ash. Sumatra’s medium body complements our first introduction this summer, the medium-to-full-bodied Urbano Corojo, and is perfectly suited to mid-morning or early-afternoon relaxation.”

The Urbano Sumatra has a sleek, satiny Sumatran wrapper, with an Indonesian binder and Dominican filler blend. Sumatra’s wrapper, like the Urbano Corojo, is triple-fermented, without scalding or other artificial means. This process yields a refined smoke, significantly reducing the tobacco’s nicotine and natural starches and sugars. Combine that with a full two years of aging of the tobaccos, and the result is a flavor-filled but smooth smoke.

Sumatra’s four classic Cuban shapes - Robusto, Torpedo, Churchill, and a 6" x 60 unnamed shape - come cellophane-tubed for freshness and protection, in luxurious cedar boxes of 20. Like his first introduction, Urbano Corojo, production is limited to 25,000 cigars, to assure Sumatra’s quality. Manufacturer’s suggested retail pricing for the cigars ranges from $5.00 (Robusto) to $5.50 (6" x 60). The entire Sumatra line, like the Corojo, is now available from UrbanoCigars.com.

Press-release: For the third time, a limited edition Zino cigar is making its way to local tobacconists. In its burgundy-colored box with gold logo, the Zino “Embassy Selection” 2011 is a real eye-catcher, making it a very special gift. The cigar, an imposing Robusto format, is limited to 3,000 boxes of 10 worldwide.
The filler consists of various Ligero tobaccos that lend it a powerful aroma. The dark, supple wrapper leaf, made of the Selection 702, gives the hearty blend a fascinating balance and ensures a multi-faceted smoking experience.
The Zino “Embassy Selection” 2011 is available from selected specialist tobacconists as of September 1st.

Format : Robusto
Length : 5”
Diameter : RG 52
Wrapper : Ecuador Special SunGrown, Selection 702
Binder : Dominican Criollo
Filler : Criollo Ligero, Piloto Ligero, San Vicente Ligero from two different growing regions (all Dominican Republic)
Price : $10.30 (per cigar), $103.00 (wooden box of 10)

Press-release: The Davidoff “White Edition” 2011 represents the new concept of this year’s Davidoff Limited Edition. Apart from the famous main ring bearing the Davidoff Logo, the graceful Belicoso Supremo format cigar is accentuated through the elegant vintage footband of the cigars wearing the a “2011“ pearlescent insignia and is presented in an imposing, luscious white-lacquered box. The “White Edition” 2011 is not only seducing by its attractive appearance! The San Vicente and Piloto fillers are combined from four different cultivation areas in the Dominican Republic. Before processing, the tobacco was aged for more than five years gaining their characteristic and balanced flavor. A Peruvian Corojo binder and a Dominican Criollo wrapper award the cigar with a balanced stimulation. The new “White Edition” 2011 inspires with spicy, slightly sweet notes and a long lasting aftertaste, rewarding the aficionado with an exceptional smoke indulgence. The Davidoff “White Edition“ 2011 is only available in a limited quantity of 8’000 individually numbered boxes worldwide. Approximately 3,000 boxes will be available in the US in September at all Davidoff Appointed Merchants.

Length : 5 ½ inches
Diameter : RG 52
Wrapper : Dominican Criollo
Binder : Peruvian Corojo
Filler : San Vicente Ligero, Piloto Ligero, San Vicente Visus (all Dominican Republic)
Price : $19 SRP per cigar

Usually I don’t post much about legislative updates, but this time it’s urgent. The FDA is going too far, and this is the time for smokers and tobacconists alike to stand together and intervene before we lose our rights to enjoy premium cigars. Thanks to Barry over at ACigarSmoker.com for alerting us! Here follows a summary of his article:

The issue started in 2009 with the Family Smoking & Prevention Act (HR 1256), which gave the FDA the power to regulate the tobacco industry. The FDA can do things like change the labels on tobacco products and ban flavoring of cigarettes. The law also allows them to change the way that tobacco products are sold in local shops.

Why is this an issue now? Because the FDA is seeking additional authority in order to regulate cigars. Theoretically the purpose of the Family Smoking & Prevention Act is to prevent minors from smoking, but the premium cigar industry is really a niche community which is aimed at responsible adults. Putting bans on flavored cigars, replacing elegant cigar labels with warning messages, and forcing tobacconists to take down their displays won’t do anything to protect minors. It’ll only destroy small businesses and deprive adult cigar connoisseurs of their rights. So right now is the time to contact your representatives and senators and ask them to back HR 1639, the bill to protect the premium cigar industry from FDA regulation.

Sign the petition for the HR 1639
Sign the petition for S 1461 (companion bill)

From Camacho's newsletter:

As with all editions of the Liberty Series, this new blend is constructed in our proprietary 11/18 format (48x54x48x6) and selected from our best concept blends of the year. This particular cigar, medium-to-full in body, is the perfect combination of balance, strength, and aroma. The sophistication of the 2011 Camacho Liberty is second to none. Filler tobaccos from (3) unique countries of origin provide for an intensely flavorful and complex experience that is truly extraordinary.

Each master box consists of twenty limited edition cigars packed and individually numbered in their own cedar coffins. These single cigar cedar coffins are best stored whole inside your humidor, and will allow the Liberty’s to age properly without absorbing the characteristics of other cigars stored in the same unit.

Total production: 40,000 cigars (2,000 boxes)

MSRP: $334.00 per box, $16.70 per cigar