Weekly Email – Jan. 21st, 2015

Saturday, January 31st! Food! Cigars! EGG NOG! Get your bad self down toASW for a rollicking good time! The festivities begin when we open (10:00 am) and continue until we run out of food, egg nog, or cigars (or until we close, whichever comes first). Bring something to eat or drink and feel the love!

Thursday, February 12th! Ever tried a Joya Red? The impressive new flavorite from Joya de Nicaragua? (I just invented that word. Flavorite®! Please do not use without written permission. Thank you.) Would you like to try one gratis? Then come down to ASW on the 12th for an exclusive cut & light event from 4:00 – 7:00 PM! Drew Estate‘s favorite son Smokin’ Sam Smerkol will be on hand with plenty of Reds to go around, so plan to light up, hang out, and let us know what you think! (We think they’re pretty damn good.)

Just off the truck! One of a strictly limited number of crates (#41 of 250, to be precise) of Grupo de Maestros, a new release from Montecristo! The official literature reads as follows:”Grupo de Maestros is an elite brotherhood of master blenders and cigar makers. Combined, the Maestros bring with them over 200 years of experience and have united to create a rarified experience for cigar enthusiasts worldwide…”

Now for the rarefied experience itself: The wrapper? Ecuador Sumatra from the 2010 Oliva Los Rios crop. Binder? 2010 Dominican Olor, courtesy of theMendez family’s Villa Gonzalez crop. Fillers? Nicaraguan Viso (Criollo ’98, from the 2010 Jalapa crop) and Ligero (Corojo ’99, Jalapa 2012 crop). The result?

One fine smoke.

6″ x 54 toros only. When they’re gone, they’re gone. Make your way to our comfortable lounge and indulge in the efforts of the Maestros today!

Ain’t no secret that some of Illusione‘s finest wares are their annual releases, theSingularé series, a unique blend of rare leaves chosen by Dion Giolito and his skilled tabacaleros. 2013’s Rose Croix was an outstanding 7″ x 46 Nicaraguan puro; this year’s release, the Anunnaki (named after a group of Mesopotamian deities), is likewise a Nic puro…a 5 1/4″ x 54 double robusto featuring tobacco from a farm in Jalapa called Chilamate. This is combined with a 1999 corojo wrapper (the same leaf used in their popular Epernay line) and a double binder of ’98 Jalapa criollo and ’99 Esteli corojo to produce a smoke of exceptional flavor and complexity, rivalling even their recent blockbuster, the Fume d’ Amour.We have a limited supply of Singularés (both Anunnaki and Rose Croix) on hand, so stop on by and try one or both right away!

A pleasant, box-pressed cigar we don’t normally carry, the Hoyo de Tradicion is a little-known offshoot of General’s Hoyo de Monterrey line. The unique filler is a rich blend of Honduran (San Agustin), Dominican (Piloto Cubano), and Nicaraguan (Ometepe) tobaccos; the binder is a stout Connecticut habano, and the wrapper is a mineral-rich Viso Rosado from the Jamastran Valley in Honduras.The flavor is smooth and mild, with elements of cinnamon, barley, milk chocolate, and just a hint of cherry orbiting a creamy, leathery/earthy bass note…a nice change of pace for those accustomed to heavier, more “aggressive” blends.

We’ve come across a box of 6″ x 52 toros, and they’re going fast…so if you’re in the mood for something new, come by and pick up a few of these hard-to-find treats!