The Bloodline Needs a Transfusion
Cigar store owners have a good perspective on what is popular, at least in their territory, and a few brave store owners invest in developing their own cigar brand. Micah Johnson owns Cigars Limited in Fresno and in 2013 he introduced his Bloodline O.P.A. series of cigars. Bloodline refers to 3 famous Cuban tobacco families from which Micah drew the seeds for his blend – hence the name...
A “Square” Habano by Kings Cigars
Kings Cigars is a recent entrant for boutique cigar making and they name each of their blend series after a title of royalty. This reflects their goal of providing a “taste of royalty” in each blend. Kings has a factory in Estelí, Nicaragua and Santiago, Dominican Republic where they perfect their cigars. I met with Pete Tyndale, King’s master blender, at the 2014 IPCPR where he discussed...
Crossfire’s Platinum Magnum Still Has Force
Crossfire Cigars is a boutique cigar importer headquartered in Louisville, KY designed to produce flavorful cigars while also directing Crossfire’s economic benefits to the Dominican Republic economy and other third world countries. Note the Cross in the Platinum’s band logo. Crossfire uses the well-known William Ventura cigar company for the Dominican Republic activities and not just the...
Little Costa Rica Makes a Big Minnesota Fats Puro Cigar
We know Costa Rica as a beautiful country that is nice to visit and a number of Americans retire there each year for the favorable weather and economic conditions. While small in population (4.6 million) and economic size, Costa Rica has a thriving tobacco industry. In 2010 Don’Juan Gross arranged with Tobaccos De La Cordillera to use their tobaccos, grown organically and without pesticides,...
The Conde of Kings Cigars
I missed Kings Cigars at their 2013 IPCPR launching but fortunately I found them at the 2014 show. Kings has a factory in Estelí, Nicaragua and Santiago, Dominican Republic where the goal is to provide a “taste of royalty” in the blends it creates. I met with Pete Tyndale, King’s master blender, at the IPCPR and he convinced me that they are serious about making quality cigars. I...
A Gurkha Rogue Tried To Bamboozle Me
Gurkha’s East India Trading Company has several established brands but I have smoked the Rogue brand before, whose label is a skull with crossed swords. This unsavory image is matched by the brand name as a rogue is a “dishonest man”. And the cigar I am reviewing is the Bamboozle – which means to fool or cheat. This upholds Gurkha’s reputation for catchy styling and marketing –...
