We’re proud to announce our first cigar event of 2014! On January 14th, come in out of the cold and celebrate with a glass of Glenfiddich 15 and a Hoja de Flores Black Label cigar.
“The Smoker Social” will start at 7:00pm and take place at Merchants NY Cigar Lounge, an iconoic New York City venue that has supported our events since late 2013. We’re excited to be working with management at Merchants to bring you another epic event. You can see photos of our last Smoker Social here, where we had Turei Cigars and Brugal 1888 sponsoring.
NAT SHERMAN INTERNATIONAL TO RELEASE TRIO OF “SUPER LANCEROS”
NEW YORK, NY (December 19, 2013) – Nat Sherman, Tobacconist to the World since 1930, is offering a limited production format in three of their most popular blends from the Dominican Republic, The Timeless Collection, 1930 and Sterling. The Super Lancero measures 8” long with a 38 ring gauge, a half inch longer than a traditional Laguito No. 1 Vitola.
“The lancero format is an extremely elegant size, allowing the smoke’s flavor to remain focused, without incorporating as much air into the smoke as larger ring gauges do,” said Michael Herklots, Executive Director of Retail and Brand Development, Nat Sherman International. “The extra length of the cigar gives greater opportunity for the experience and flavors to change and develop from start to finish, while keeping the smoke cooler longer.”
“The Super Lanceros are manufactured in limited quantities at The Quesada Factory (formerly known as MATASA) in Licey, Dominican Republic, just outside of Santiago. Only one team of rollers is tasked with making this coveted size,” said William Sherman, Executive Vice President of Nat Sherman. “Small ring gauges are among the hardest vitolas to make, as it’s very easy to under-fill or over-fill. We have one expert team in the factory that is carefully bunching and rolling these cigars to ensure they’ll draw and burn perfectly.”
Each Super Lancero will come packed in boxes of ten cigars. The Timeless Super Lancero has a Suggested Retail Price of $110 per box, the 1930 Super Lancero is $150 per box and the Sterling Super Lancero is $180 per box plus applicable taxes.
The first shipment will be available in select retailers by the middle of January 2014, and will be made available throughout the year in limited quantities as production permits.
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About Nat Sherman International
Founded by Nat Sherman in 1930 and family-guided for three generations, Nat Sherman continues to define the authentic tobacco experience. Through a tradition of innovation and expertly crafted products, Nat Sherman’s timeless appeal, while quintessentially New York is embraced and enjoyed worldwide. Learn more at www.natsherman.com.
Media Queries:
Suzanne DeFosset
EVINS
(212) 377-3592
Suzanne.DeFosset@evins.com
This is a guest post from Danny Jameson, a new friend to FineTobaccoNYC from London! We hope you enjoy his Christmas recommendations, and hopefully you’ll be reading more articles from him in the future.
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Christmas is coming and what better way to celebrate the holidays than with a freshly lit cigar. You’re probably wondering if there’s a way to take the experience to the next level. Well there is. We’ve done the hard work for you and highlighted five of the absolute best cigar accessories around.
Digital cigar humidifier
We cannot stress enough how important it is to store your cigar properly. There’s nothing more disappointing than opening up your humidor find your cigars are dry or cracked. Nobody wants a cigar to rot or lose its flavour. A great solution is the digital humidifier. A digital humidor tracks the temperature and conditions of your cigar storage properly. With refillable water cartridges and adjustable settings, you can ensure that when you are ready to enjoy that after Christmas dinner cigar it will be in prime condition.
The cap of the cigar needs to be punctured before the sweet tobacco is smoked. Manly people look for creative ways of attempting this act such as using a knife, or even worse using their teeth. A much easier and effective way is to use a bullet cigar cutter. Not only does it punch a much better hole, it also saves a lot of hassle.
Have you ever experienced a nasty taste in your mouth after lighting your cigar? Chances are this occurred due to the type of lighter you were using. We recommend avoidingpetrol, sulphur and paraffin lighters. Instead we recommend purchasinga butane dual flame lighter. The dual flame feature will ensure that the foot will char evenly to provide the best slow burn possible.
If you consider a cigarette and a cigar ashtray to be the same thing, we’ve got bad news for you. Most cigarette ashtrays are wholly unsuitable; the grooves are too narrow and the bowl doesn’t have a large enough capacity – it only takes one cigar to leave it overflowing!
As cigar smoking is often a social activity this is far from ideal.
Investing in a deep bowl cigar ashtray means you can enjoy a smoke without having to get up and empty away the ashes every five minutes. The specially lengthened ledges also provide the perfect resting space for small cigarillos and large Cubans alike.
To top off your cigar experience this Christmas you may want to invest in a cigar shirt. The cigar shirt features a specially stitched pocket on the breast, designed to hold a cigar upright and prevent it from moving around and getting crushed. This is a great way to keep a cigar close at hand. The cigar shirt provides you with the freedom to travel light – with the added benefit of still being able to enjoy your favourite smoke.
Of course, this isn’t the only design you can buy – you can go with classic white or tobacco themed as well!
Tonight, I’m smoking a Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial paired with a glass of Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch bourbon. It’s a great combination, but this smoke is special for another reason entirely: I’m enjoying the pairing at Cigar Inn, the winner of the 2013 New York City Cigar Lounge of the Year.
That’s right, for the second time in as many years, Manhattan’s Cigar Inn has won the FineTobaccoNYC Cigar Lounge of the Year award. The award is given to the cigar lounge or bar that receives the most votes in a city-wide survey of cigar enthusiasts. The Cigar Inn won the vote with a commanding lead, with Nat Sherman coming in at a distant but respectable second place.
We announced the survey in late November, allowing responses for nearly two weeks, with votes coming in through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, and email. All New York City boroughs were represented in the vote, though the majority of survey voters reported living in Manhattan.
Cigar Inn won for many reasons. First, the lounge has become a regular hangout for members of multiple enthusiast cigar groups in NYC: New York’s Grown & Sexy in the City Cigar Group, BOTL (Brothers of the Leaf) NY Chapter, and of course FineTobaccoNYC. Cigar Inn’s advantages, however, go further than general popularity. Partners Gus, Billy, and Bass seem to have done the impossible: create a world-class cigar experience in New York’s over-regulated environment, make a profit, and expand. Cigar Inn already had two locations (one on 70th and 1st ave, the other where I sit now, 53rd and 2nd ave), and has now opened its third location on 73rd between 1st and 2nd ave. Other advantages include:
Status as the only Cigar Aficionado humidor and lounge
For offering a world-class experience for the average Joe to Manhattan’s elite and expanding almost effortlessly, we are proud to name Cigar Inn the 2013 Cigar Lounge of the Year.
On Thursday, December 5th, nearly 2,000 New York City cigar smokers descended on Pier 92 to enjoy cigars, premium spirits, food, live cigar rolling, and more. The event’s $240 ticket price gave attendees access to free cigars from 30+ premium cigar companies, including Drew Estate, Alec Bradley, Rocky Patel, AJ Fernandez, and more.
I was covering the event, and it is without a doubt the largest annual cigar event in New York City. Pier 92’s massive floor gave plenty of room for the 50 or so booths, and there was an entirely separate area for the catered food. It was a really treat to see so many old friends, and to reconnect with great cigar brands like Nat Sherman, which has quickly become one of the industry’s most up and coming brands.
As great as the event was, there were a few downsides — the ventilation was insufficient for the massive amount of smokers, and, somewhat ironically, smoking outside on the pier deck was off-limits. This is something that Cigar Aficionado should consider pushing to change next year.
Did you have a great time at The Big Smoke? Leave a comment below!
The biggest cigar event in New York City is coming December 5th. Cigar Aficionado’s annual “Big Smoke” attracts hundreds of cigar smokers from around the tri-state area, and it’s no wonder why. All attendees to the Big Smoke enjoy premium spirits, food, and also receive 30+ premium cigars from the hottest cigar brands, which makes the $240 ticket price a no-brainer. Here’s the link to purchase tickets.
This year, the Big Smoke is located at Pier 92 (711 12th Avenue at 52nd St and West Side Highway) and runs from 6:00pm to 9:30pm.
Cigars at this year’s NYC Big Smoke include:
Acid
Aging Room
A. J. Fernandez
Alec Bradley
Arturo Fuente
Cain
CAO
Casino Gold
Diamond Crown
H. Upmann Legacy
Joya de Nicaragua
Juan Lopez
Kismet
La Aroma de Cuba
La Flor Dominicana
La Gloria Cubana Serie R
Macanudo
My Father Cigars
Nat Sherman
Oliva Serie O
Padilla
Padrón
Partagas
PDR
Quesada
Rocky Patel
Sublimes
UnderCrown
Ventura
Villiger Talanga
FineTobaccoNYC is proud to support this Cigar Aficionado event, and we look forward to seeing you there! To purchase tickets, follow this link.
This past week I gathered some spirits and cigar aficionado friends of mine for a bourbon and rye blind tasting at Havana’s Cigar Club in East Meadow NY. Our goal was to have all of us bring bourbons or ryes for a total of 20 bottles together for the tasting. There were five guys total including myself with backgrounds ranging from sommeliers to certified tobacconists. All of us arrived at the private club at 11:00 am ready for the challenge. Another cigar associate was present as his job was to pour all the spirits as well as number them so we would have no idea what we were tasting. In addition we each had to fill out cards for every spirit tasted and evaluate them using a hundred point scale. We gave points for 4 separate criteria; 1. Appearance 2. Aroma 3. Taste & Characteristics and 4. Finish. After tasting we tallied all the points up for a top 5 best of the best. It was quite an afternoon with many surprises as to what we “Thought” was what. I urge anyone who hasn’t to organize your own blind tasting and you too may be surprised at how you taste. So without further ado, here is our official top five list and congrats to these wonderful spirits. Enjoy!
From Richard Stabile of Long Island Distillers makers of LiV vodka, Rough Rider Bourbon and Pine Barrens Single Malt this Rough Rider shot out the gate with three tasters commenting instantly on its aroma and complexity. This rye had it all for us; spice, caramel, butter, toasted oak and some wonderful heat. All that with a silky mouthfeel and a finish that lingered on our taste buds for days. All of us agreed the Three Barrel aging was a brilliant idea that added to its intertwined flavors and finish. We need more of these innovations and more of this Rye!
#2: Rating 96 Points- Four Roses 2012 Limited Edition Small Batch.
This very close second in our tasting is one of my favorite bourbons. There are four different bourbons comprised here ranging from 11-17 years old. The nose on this yielded cinnamon, all spice and even a bit of citrus. Notes of vanilla, oak and caramel dominated leaving an aged oak finish. A delicate bourbon due to its age and an amazing expression of what quality blending can accomplish.
Yet another choice bourbon that blew us away. This spirit gave off a candied nose along with some citrus and dried fruits. Its initial spice gave way to leather, tobacco and cinnamon. Subtle oak on the finish along with a shot of heat hit all of our sensory spots. I’ve always been a fan of the different style of Eagle Rare even in their lesser offerings and this one is not to be downplayed. A stylish bourbon.
Website: http://www.eaglerare.com/
#4: Rating 94 Points- Templeton Small Batch Rye.
We were surprised how far ahead this Rye got in our ratings but despite its seemingly gimmicky claims, this Rye stood out amongst they fray. Its nose was reminiscent of the holiday with pine, allspice and woods. The cinnamon and spice came forward along with a buttery mouthfeel and heated finish. I can’t say for fact that this is a “Prohibition Era” spirit but it’s sure tasty for this day and age.
#5: Rating 93 Points- Kings County Distillery Bourbon.
We must have had NY on our minds as yet another NY spirit made our top tastings. This small batch bourbon out of Kings County delivered fine malts along with a lot of corn on the nose. The flavors gave hints of charred oak, leather and touches anise. The oak finish smacked on the sides of the mouth and kept us salivating for more. Yet another unique style that cut through the rest.
As you’ve probably guessed it was a tough afternoon sifting through choice bourbons and ryes at a private cigar lounge; fortunately we bit the bullet and suffered through the day. Our scientific method yielded the most unbiased ratings we could deliver. You’ll be happy to know we treated ourselves to some luxurious cigars afterward while dutifully sipping on the winner. All for you dear readers, all for you.
On October 23rd, The Carnegie Club hosted the “Fall Smoker” with special sponsorship from El Cedro Cigars and Johnnie Walker Platinum. During the event, more than 120 cigar smokers enjoyed the new line from El Cedro Cigars, which has received high reviews from many cigar reviewers (including this site as well). Guests also enjoyed a tasting of Johnnnie Walker Platinum, aged 18 years. The night also included live music and a raffle of a box of El Cedro Cigars and a bottle of Johnnie Walker Green Label.
“Fall Smoker” is part of a long-standing tradition of seasonal events offered by the Carnegie Club. For years, New York City cigar smokers have chosen the iconic cigar bar as a haven from busy life in the city. The Carnegie Club also partners with FineTobaccoNYC on cigar and whiskey pairings, including the new, original pairing series called “Straight Up & Toasted.”
Victor Hernandez of City Cigar Life recently announced via Instagram plans to hold a special photo shoot at the Cigar Inn 53rd and 2nd ave location. More specifics were forwarded to me by email:
Victor Hernandez, founder City Cigar Life
On Saturday November 16, 2013 Victor Tiburon Hernandéz Founder of CITY CIGAR LIFE, will host a photo shoot, for its upcoming website;www.CITYCIGARLIFE.com. To take place at Cigar Inn, at their 53rd Street location from 12-3pm. This is not just a photo shoot but a chance for all cigar lovers to come and meet and build.
Should you need further information please email me. Thank you very much.
