NEW YORK, September 2012–The fourth installment of “CONCORD,” hosted by Bigeye Desyns, took place on Friday, September 7th. CONCORD 4: Habana Edicion, was a night filled with cigars, food, drinks, live music, and the beautiful view offered by The Brooklyn Terrace.
Bigeye Desyns plans to create more unique CONCORD events. If you are interested in attending, like the CONCORD Facebook page, and sign up for our event mailing list.
September 24, 2012 — Enrique Sanchez Icaza, owner of Global Premium Cigars, makers of 1502 Cigars manufactured in Esteli, Nicaragua, and Gary Griffith, owner of Emilio Cigars, announced today that they have entered into a distribution agreement. Under this arrangement Emilio Cigars sales staff will bring the 1502 cigars to market, while Sanchez Icaza will continue to focus on manufacturing and product development along with retailer support and education about the brand. Sanchez Icaza will continue to handle sales in the state of Florida as well. The cigars will be warehoused and shipped from the Emilio Cigars facility in Vineland, NJ.
“I am delighted to be able to help another boutique manufacturer benefit from our existing shipping and billing facilities, and even more happy that we were able to make this arrangement with a dear friend” said Griffith.
Sanchez Icaza added: “I am very proud and honored to have Gary carry our 1502 Cigars. He is a true friend, great entrepreneur and a great cigar guru. I am sure our business relationship will be very successful!”
Product should arrive at the Emilio Cigars warehouse within a week, and begin shipping immediately thereafter.
It took me three years as a New York City cigar smoker before I took the time to drop by Club Macanudo for a smoke and a drink. I had heard many good (and some bad) things about the cigar bar, so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. My experience at Club Macanudo turned out to be exceptional (except for the “cons” listed below).
The decor of “Club Mac” is a sort of modern, luxurious take on a Native American style. Carved wood, paintings, and bright, warm light fill the large floor space of the lounge. Seating is plentiful, so if you’re dropping by for a smoke with a friend, or settling down for a cigar and dinner with a group of co-workers, this could be your spot.
The bar
Before I let the Macanudo website do some detailing on the decor of the lounge, let me just say that what I found to be most impressive with this lounge was the ventilation. That’s right, when FineTobaccoNYC sponsored a small event of maybe 10-15 at Club Macanudo on a crowded weeknight, there were many smokers in the room, but mysteriously the air remained clear. I couldn’t help but make a mental note that Club Macanudo is the place to go when you want to smoke a cigar in mixed company without worrying about someone coughing or leaving with their clothes smelling like they just escaped a forest fire.
“Club Macanudo is an elegant oasis nestled in the heart of New York’s Upper East Side. It has been highlighted by the Food Network, USA Today, and Time Out New York, among others.
Outfitted with rich mahogany furniture, buttery-soft leather chairs and comfortable sofas, Club Macanudo is the ideal place to conduct business, enjoy a romantic evening for two, or catch up during a stylishly casual night out with friends. Complete with a state-of-the-art ventilation system, Club Macanudo offers the perfect environment for smokers and non-smokers.
Club Macanudo consistently offers you a warm, welcoming atmosphere, an attentive staff and a connoisseur’s selection of food, drink and cigars.
Dress Code: Club Macanudo requires gentlemen to wear collared shirts. Tee shirts, athletic attire/sneakers, shorts and flip flops are strictly prohibited. The staff of Club Macanudo reserves the right to deny entrance to any patron who does not meet the requirements of our dress code.”
Club Macanudo Member Humidors
Now that we’ve looked at the shiny side of Club Macanudo, what are some of the cons?
Cigars are overpriced: bring your own cigar and pay the $10 cutting fee. You just can’t buy a cigar at Club Mac for under $20 (unless you’re itching for a cigarillo), and what you are getting for $20-$50 isn’t legendary. Imagine paying $25 for one CAO LX2.
The service isn’t always great: Some smokers complain of rude staff-members intent on scrutinizing dress and slow service – but this, of course, could simply be because Club Mac has high standards. If you are looking for a mom & pop style cigar shop service, this isn’t the place.
So there are cons. But don’t let those two cons stop you from visiting this gorgeous cigar lounge. It is certainly worth the effort to get to 63rd and Madison.
Chivas Regal, the original luxury whisky, has teamed up with British luxury shoe designer, Tim Little, to launch a limited edition collectible tin. Chivas Regal 12 Year Old Made for Gentlemen by Tim Little is the first in a series of annual collaborations with modern craftsmen who share a passion for style, discernment, heritage and creativity.
The limited edition tin – designed by Little, the owner and creative director of British luxury shoe label, Grenson – is inspired by the modern gentleman’s wardrobe staple, the handmade brogue. The bold and masculine design aims to appeal to Chivas’ largely-male customer base and features a stylish deconstruction of this classic shoe.
James Slack, Global Brand Director for Chivas Regal, comments: “Made for Gentlemen highlights Chivas’ appreciation of heritage, craftsmanship and luxury. Our core customers are successful, modern gentlemen who seek style and substance in the brands that they connect with. Our collaboration with Tim Little taps into this insight – it’s stylish, distinctive and, importantly, a modern take on the typical whisky gift tin.”
Available in more than 60 markets worldwide from September 2012, orders for the Chivas 12 Made for Gentlemen Limited Edition by Tim Little have already exceeded two million units, making it one of brand owner Chivas Brothers’ most successful limited editions to date. Participating markets include the UK, Germany, Thailand, Gulf and Colombia, with the UK RRP set at £25.39.
Notes
About Chivas Regal
Chivas Regal is a truly global brand, selling 4.6 million 9L cases annually in more than 150 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific and Americas. The Chivas Regal range is the epitome of style, substance and exclusivity and includes Chivas Regal 12, 18 and 25 Year Old.
Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard – the world’s co-leader in wine and spirits. Chivas Brothers is the global leader in luxury Scotch whisky and premium gin. Its portfolio includes Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Beefeater Gin, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Aberlour, Plymouth Gin, Longmorn, Scapa, 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport.
In July 2010 Chivas Brothers launched The Age Matters campaign to help consumers understand the importance of Scotch whisky age statements.
British designer and shoemaker Tim Little has designed and crafted footwear for discerning gentlemen for over twenty year. He is the Creative Director and owner of heritage luxury footwear brand Grenson, founded in 1866, and heads up his own brand, ‘Tim Little’ which he launched in 1997. He is credited with transforming Grenson, a traditional English shoemaker, into a contemporary mark of luxury.
TimeForWomen.com was designed as a way to continue substantive and inspired conversations generated at exclusive OMEGA hosted dinners held around the world.
Click for hi-res
The powerful, successful women who were invited to attend these events were chosen for their accomplishments and leadership. Underwritten by OMEGA as part of their ongoing corporate social responsibilities, the success of these events has been unprecedented. It was clear that the way to continue the positive energy and excitement was to find a place to meet regularly. This is how TimeForWomen.com came into being.
When you bring together so many successful opinion makers and leaders, an influential social and business network evolves naturally. Sharing ideas, creating innovative projects, discussing possibilities for empowering women is no more difficult than getting to a computer. TimeForWomen.com will not only reconnect the women who attended the events but because these connections are global they will have greater impact. The site, accessible through www.timeforwomen.com, is available by invitation only.
OMEGA understands that connecting successful women, preeminent in their fields of arts, entertainment, culture, science, technology, finance and government is one way to begin the process of change necessary to make the world a better place for everyone.
NEW YORK, September 24, 2012–finetobaccoclub.com/ is pleased to announce the creation of the “Cigar Industry Network” on LinkedIn. The LinkedIn group will facilitate discussion among members of the cigar industry and connect members of the cigar press/blog community to the frequent announcements of manufacturers and distributors alike.
Though there are multiple cigar related groups on LinkedIn, none are geared towards helping members of the industry collaborate without incessant advertisement by outside companies, or dozens of cigar reviews posted by bloggers. Groups frequently overrun with spam and irrelevant posts thus hinder collaboration instead of helping.
In its first week of operation, the group has gained about 40 members, including members of the New York Cigar industry. Members also include CRA Ambassadors, members of the cigar press, and aficionados living around the East Coast.
Matthias Clock, editor-in-chief at FineTobbacoNYC.com said, “I put the group together because I think that there is tremendous untapped opportunity for collaboration in the cigar industry, be it with advertising, marketing, distribution, or even creating new products or talking about best business practices.”
Group membership is currently set to “open,” meaning that anyone with a LinkedIn account can currently join. As the group grows, however, this will change in order to protect meaningful discussion and fight spam.
FineTobaccoNYC is an organization dedicated to promoting the art and enjoyment of fine tobacco in New York City. With over 500 event subscribers and and audience measured in tens of thousands, FineTobaccoNYC produces cigar reviews, industry news, luxury product announcements, free events, and sponsored products. Additionally, FineTobaccoNYC increases awareness and promotes a healthy, responsible cigar community in New York City.
The Viñales Club, a cozy lounge filled with fine materials, books and works of art, welcomes connoisseurs of Havanas, Montecristos and other cigars, happy to gather round whirls of smoke, settled comfortably in plush Club chairs, while reading, pondering or savoring a drink. It is a private club, strictly reserved to members, each with their own private humidor.
If you would like to become a member, please contact Eric Vievard.
Release a few days ago via the Cigar Rights of America newsletter, it looks like we’ve got another U.S. Senator on board with the CRA/IPCPR push to avoid FDA regulation of cigars.
Co-Sponsors S. 1461
Cigar Rights of America welcomes Senator Dean Heller (R) of Nevada as the 14th member of the United States Senate to join as a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 1461.
Dion Giollito, owner of Illusione Cigars and the FUMARE cigar shop of Reno, noted on behalf of the Nevada Cigar Association, “We are very proud to have Senator Heller join all three members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Nevada on the legislation that can work to prevent FDA from seizing control of cigars. Without this legislation, FDA regulations would threaten the livelihood of thousands of cigar shop owners and employees throughout America — jeopardizing the very existence of this industry as we know it. The federal government has higher priorities, and we certainly hope Senator Heller and Representatives Amodei, Heck and Berkley can work with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reed, D-Nevada to advance this legislation. Having Senator Heller and each of our Representatives on the same legislation certainly speaks to the virtue of this effort.”
Click the links below to view the full bill text and the list of all co-sponsors:
The Gurkha Cigar Group are proud to announce a new 7 x 54 Prisoner Churchill salomon shape in its flagship Cellar Reserve brand. This cigar will replace the current 7 x 54 Churchill in the Cellar Reserve range. This decision was made due to the vast popularity and demand of the salomon shape in the other sizes of the brand.
The Cellar Reserve has quickly become a strong staple of the Gurkha portfolio and has received many accolades and 90+ ratings from leading cigar publications including, Cigar Aficionado, Cigar Journal, Cigar Snob and a recent 95 rating by Cigar and Spirits Magazine.
“We feel the Cellar Reserve blend is certainly enhanced by the unique salomon shape,” said Juan Lopez, National Sales Director of Gurkha Cigar Group.”After listening to the feedback from consumers and retailers, we felt this was a great way to further enhance the popularity and continuity of the brand.”
Cellar Reserve uses the finest 15-year old aged tobacco, comprised of an oily Criollo 1998 wrapper, that combines an aged Dominican, Olor binder with a 15-year aged Dominican filler. These cigars are housed in unique wooden boxes that aesthetically evoke a maturing wine barrel. Cellar Reserve is a delicious medium to full bodied cigar that is full of flavor and complexity. Available sizes: 4 x 58 Koi, 5 x 58 Solara, 6 x 58 Hedonism, 6 x 60 Kraken and a new 7 x 54 Prisoner Churchill Salomon. MSRP: $7.98-12.94.
More information on Gurkha Cigars can be found on the company’s:
September 19, 2012 (Jeffersonville, IN) – Riverside Cigars, the country’s number one retailer of 262 Cigars, is proud to host the national release of its new cigar line, The Revere. This is the first opportunity in the U.S. for cigar lovers to sample this new cigar from 262 Cigars and to meet Clint Aaron, Brand Owner, who will be on hand to sign cigar items and host an educational session about the new Revere line.
The Revere is a Nicaraguan puro. The cigar features a wrapper from the Jalapa Valley, a double binder of both Jalapa and Estelí tobaccos, and a rare combination of Estelí, Condega and Jalapa seco, viso, and ligero for the filler. The Revere is produced by Plasencia Cigars S.A. in Esteli, Nicaragua. The suggested retail price is $7.50 for the Corona, $8.00 for the Robusto, and $9.75 for the flagship size Box Press Toro.
262 Cigars is named for the month and year that President John F. Kennedy signed the Cuban Trade Embargo. Other cigar lines include the Paradigm and Ideology cigars.
The 262 Cigars’ Revere Release Event will take place at Riverside which is located at 201 Spring Street in Jeffersonville, Indiana. This free event, which is open to the public, will include raffles for free cigars and promotional materials. Attendees of the event will also have limited access to Riverside Cigar’s new adjacent bourbon bar and lounge, Match, which will be opening Fall 2012.
Cigar Rights of America welcomes Senator Dean Heller (R) of Nevada as the 14th member of the United States Senate to join as a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 1461.
