Richmond, VA— Macanudo®, America’s best-selling premium cigar brand, is going to award eight lucky consumers and their guests with an all-expense paid trip to Augusta to watch the 2013 Masters Golf Tournament live and in person, as part of the Macanudo Ultimate Round Contest.

Between now and October 31, consumers 21 years of age or older can submit their favorite golf-themed photo for a chance to win a six-day, five night trip to Augusta, to see the game’s greatest players compete in the 2013 Masters, the holy grail of golf tournaments.

Consumers 21 years of age or older can enter the contest by visiting http://www.macanudo.com or by logging on to the Macanudo Ultimate Round Contest application on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/macanudo.  They can also take a shot at winning through participating online cigar retailers through August 31. No purchase necessary. For official rules and complete details, visit http://www.macanudo.com.

“Golf is a great social occasion where friends get together to smoke cigars,” said Bill Chilian, director of marketing for Macanudo. “For devoted Macanudo fans who enjoy the game as much as they enjoy their cigars, the Macanudo Ultimate Golf Round contest is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the ultimate combination of both pleasures.”

A total of eight winners will be selected, one from entries posted in the Macanudo Ultimate Round photo contest, and seven from entries submitted through online cigar retailers. Each winner and one guest will be whisked away to the mecca of golf from April 10-15, 2013 where they will enjoy a golf-lover’s dream come true: all-access tickets to the 2013 Masters, roundtrip airfare, lush accommodations and plenty of time to enjoy their Macanudos.

Consumers of legal smoking age are also invited to compete for Macanudo-branded items by Callaway Golf® at Macanudo Putting Challenge events being held at participating cigar shops through September. For a list of events, visit www.macanudo.com/leaderboard.

Additional details about the Macanudo Ultimate Round Contest will be posted on www.macanudo.com. Contest updates will be posted to the brand’s dedicated Facebookand Twitter accounts.

Macanudo 1968 Court Tin

Macanudo 1968 answered the call of tenured smokers looking for the next new taste experience from America’s favorite premium brand. The tradition continues with Macanudo 1968 Court, a new frontmark made specifically for smoking occasions that are short on time but demand the flavor and complexity of a full-sized smoke. Packed in a sturdy tin, Macanudo 1968 Court (4 3/16” x 36) is a highly portable, accessible complement to any tenured smoker’s favorite occasion.  The SRP is $13.99 for a five cigar tin. Macanudo 1968 Court will debut in late August.

Partagas Black Label Colossal

Big and bold are the two best ways to sum up Partagas Black Label Colossal (5” x 60), a burly new smoke from the venerable Dominican brand. Not for the faint of heart, this large-ring frontmark rounds out the highly-rated collection and is ideal for the initiated smoker. Partagas Black Label Colossal will debut in late August, with a suggested retail price per cigar of $ 7.39 or $147.80 for a box containing 20 cigars.

CAO OSA Sol New Sizes

The provocative taste of CAO OSA Sol has won the cigar a place in the humidors of even the most hard-to -please cigar enthusiasts. Thanks to its devoted fan base zealots who are quick to spread the gospel of this cult favorite, CAO is proud to welcome two new frontmarks called Lot T (4 ½” x 50) and Lot 46 (5 ¼” x 46) to the OSA Sol lineup. Sneak previews at special CAO events held throughout the year have sparked demand for this duo of new offerings which are sure to be a quick sellout following their late August retail debut.  Both Lot T and Lot 46 will be available for an SRP per cigar of $5.50, or $137.50 for a 25-count box.

General Cigar is proud to introduce FOUNDRY, a new boutique collection created to amplify the artistry and romanticism of premium cigars.

FOUNDRY is a stark juxtaposition between the old and the new.  This visually-arresting collection was inspired by the art form of “steampunk,” which is both a retrospective and futuristic interpretation of innovation.

FOUNDRY is the brainchild of Michael Giannini who led the team that created the breakthrough brand. “Innovation comes from many sources,” he notes. “It is a pleasure and an honor to be able to call upon our greatest resources: the collective talent of cigar masters, our expertise in tobacco cultivation, processing and blending and the creativity of our artisan cigar rollers and box makers to bring FOUNDRY to fruition.”

Through a groundbreaking approach previously unseen in the premium cigar category, FOUNDRY entices the premium cigar connoisseur to take a bold step back in time and a quantum leap into the future to envision the artistry of handmade cigars through the lens of unbridled innovation.

Visual considerations aside, FOUNDRY’s avant-garde approach extends to its masterfully balanced synthesis of flavors. Featuring an indulgent collection of five proprietary tobaccos from four different countries, each aged between three and six years, Foundry’s foundation is amplified through an eight year old wrapper developed by General Cigar. Called H-47 Pleno Sol, the lustrous wrapper imparts a deeply complex, layered smoking experience like no other.

The four-cigar collection is accessibly-priced, and will make its mark on tobacco retail starting in late-October. Foundry features these new cigars: Wells (6”x 50, SRP per cigar is $7.95); Lovelace (6 ¼ ” x 54, SRP per cigar is $8.45); Talbot (5” x 60, SRP per cigar is $8.95) and Cayley (6  ½” x 60 x 56 x 43, SRP per cigar is $9.45). Each frontmark is presented with a unique box design and features both a traditional paper band and a steampunk-inspired metal gear band.

Introducing Don Sixto by Plasencia, a new collection developed by the Plasencia Group. Don Sixto will be marketed and distributed exclusively by General Cigar, marking the first collaboration between the two companies which entered into a joint venture in March, 2010.

According to Nestor Plasencia, president of The Plasencia Group, “We’re excited to release our first cigar in partnership General Cigar. We are looking forward to tapping into their marketing expertise and the strength of their dedicated sales team to bring Don Sixto to cigar lovers across the U.S.”

Don Sixto is named in tribute to Sixto Plasencia, the patriarch who established the family’s tobacco empire in Cuba and was among the first to cultivate tobacco in Honduras and Nicaragua. This four-cigar collection is made of hand-selected tobaccos solely cultivated on the very plantations where Don Sixto himself toiled for decades.

Handcrafted in Honduras, Don Sixto cigars embody the Plasencia’s unwavering commitment to tobacco. As such, they are handcrafted with a Connecticut Honduras wrapper and proprietary Nicaraguan and Honduran blend, with a Habano Esteli binder, all cultivated and processed by the Plasencia Group. Just as the Plasencia family stands alone in tobacco, the distinctive flavor and fine, aged tobaccos are peerless.

The four-cigar collection will make its retail debut in early October, featuring these frontmarks: Robusto

(4 ½” x 50, SRP per cigar is $5.75); Corona Gorda (5 ½” x 52, SRP per cigar is $6.25); Toro Grande

(6” x 56, SRP per cigar is $6.75) and Grande (6” x 60, SRP per cigar is $7.25).

With visual representations of the family’s original Cuban tobacco farm called El Corojal, Don Sixto by Plasencia is sure to speak to those who are drawn to cigars born of the legacy and expertise of a true tobacco dynasty.

Luxury cigar smokers will soon have the chance to own one of the premium cigar category’s most treasured blends, thanks to the debut of two new frontmarks from the coveted Cohiba Edición Diamante collection.

Ed Lahmann, senior brand manager for Cohiba remarked, “Cohiba Edición Diamante made a big splash at the 2011 IPCPR show. Discriminating smokers spent thousands of dollars for the privilege of possessing the rare Cohibas. Due to overwhelming demand, we are releasing an extremely limited allotment of two phenomenal new frontmarks.”

Enrobed in a precious Cameroon wrapper tobacco from the 1980 crop, Cohiba Edición Diamante boasts one of the most extraordinary leaves ever cultivated. In the past three decades since this outstanding tobacco was harvested, these rarified leaves have been nurtured and masterfully handcrafted.

To honor the well-balanced, refined taste of the 32-year-old wrapper, General Cigar’s team of cigar masters worked tirelessly to create the optimal blend for Cohiba Edición Diamante.  A proprietary Dominican Piloto Cubano blend bolsters the subtly complex taste of the elegant wrapper which enrobes an Indonesian Jember binder. To taste this cigar is to experience the art of cigar making at its finest: a fragrant aroma opens to a delightfully balanced smoke with nuances of cinnamon and toasted wood.

Created to celebrate the exceptionally rare wrapper, Cohiba Edición Diamante Robusto measures 5” x 50. The cigars are individually protected in wooden coffins and displayed in handcrafted mahogany boxes. Individual Robusto cigars can be acquired for a suggested retail price of $22.00, and will be sold at $220.00 for a ten-count box. Sister frontmark Cohiba Edición Diamante Toro is a 6” x 54 smoke which is encased in crystal. Each cigar will be available for a suggested retail price of $25.00. Cohiba connoisseurs can purchase a handsome mahogany box containing ten Toros for $250.00.

About Cohiba Cigars

True cigar connoisseurs recognize Dominican Cohiba cigars as one of the finest brands available in the U.S. market. Critically acclaimed for their meticulous construction and refined taste, the core brand of Cohiba cigars is complemented by these premium collections: Cohiba Black, Cohiba Puro Dominicana and Cohiba XV.

Cohiba cigars are produced by General Cigar Co. Inc., which manufactures and markets handcrafted cigars for the premium market. Committed to delivering cigars of the finest quality, General Cigar also produces Macanudo®, Partagas®, Hoyo de Monterrey®, Excalibur®, La Gloria Cubana®, CAO and several other leading premium brands. In addition, the company grows its own premium Connecticut Shade wrapper tobacco, as well as natural and candela wrapper in the Dominican Republic. General Cigar also operates Club Macanudo®, a cigar bar in New York City. Based in Richmond, VA, General Cigar sells through tobacconists nationwide. For more information, please visit www.cigarworld.com.

 Twitter, Everywhere – What started last year with the inaugural Tweetup event at Burns Tobacconist (@burnstobacco99) and was put together by the hard work of David Jones (@dmjones1009) tikibaronline.com has grown into the massive event that is expected to converge on Chattanooga on August 24^th and August 25^th. To commemorate the united voice of cigar smokers on Twitter  Emilio Cigars and Miami Cigar & Co. have joined forces to release a limited edition set.

The cedar box of 2 cigars will contain a cigars made just for this historic event. The Añoranza in a box-pressed Churchill, and the debut of La Musa Melete from Emilio cigars in the same format. These sizes will be limited to 300 boxes of 2.

Gary Griffith (@emiliocigar) states,  “We are delighted to be releasing this joint project with Miami Cigar and Co., dear industry friends, on behalf of Burns Tobacconist, one of the finest retailers in the country. We chose this opportunity to release this special size of the new La Musa Melete blend, and as the first appearance of the blend on the market.”

In their second year supporting the Tweet-Up, Jason Wood (@miamicigar) VP of Miami Cigar adds, “Cigar smokers on twitter have become a driving voice in the industry. These aficionados are passionate about our craft, and we wanted to share with them something special.”

If you can’t make it to Chattanooga, you can follow the festivities via the twitter hash-tag #CHATweetup2012

The smoking pleasure they afford and their stylish appearance make the Davidoff Limited Edition 2012 a collector’s item for cigar aficionados and lovers of sophisticated design.

Davidoff is presenting its limited edition in the form of an elegant “White Edition” for the second time. The cigar’s dark wrapper leaf gives the perfect contrast to the white band with classic Davidoff lettering in gold. In addition to the main band, the cigar bears a white band at the foot with a discreet mother-of-pearl inscription “2012”. The special Robusto Gordo format also lends the cigar a harmonious appearance.

A strong and full-bodied taste is the hallmark of the Davidoff “White Edition” 2012. Filler
tobaccos from a number of different growing regions in the Dominican Republic were
matured over six years before finally being brought together to form this special vintage. Due to the addition of the Piloto binder leaf and choice Dominican Criollo wrapper leaf, smokers will be delighted by the aromatic and complex notes in the finish.

A cigar of such noble character deserves an exceptional packaging to match. The Davidoff “White Edition” 2012 comes in a white enamelled box of which just 8,000 individually numbered specimens will be offered for sale worldwide. The Davidoff “White Edition” 2012 will be available at authorized tobacconists in the US from August 1, 2012.

Davidoff “White Edition” 2012

Robusto Gordo
14.6 cm / 5 ¾”
2.1 cm / RG 52
Dominican Criollo
Piloto
Piloto Ligero
Criollo Visus
Olor/Piloto Hybrid Visus
Corojo Visus
San Vicente Ligero
(all Dominican Republic)
US$ 21.50 (wooden box of 10)

From the brand that was launched in Nashville and marches to the beat of its own drum comes CAO Concert, a new collection that celebrates CAO’s ties to music and harnesses the legendary energy of Music City.

“CAO Concert was inspired by the brand’s roots in Nashville,” commented Ed McKenna, CAO’s senior brand manager.  “When listening to music at a concert, or even in your own backyard, it’s a great time to sit back, enjoy a great cigar, and enjoy the people you’re with. That’s what Concert is about.”

The four-cigar collection is firmly planted in the full-medium-bodied range, with great harmony of flavor among the tobaccos.  CAO’s Rick Rodriguez created the blend which features a special combination of four different Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers, not previously used in any other General Cigar offering. Wrapped with a lustrous Ecuadoran Habano Rosado and bound with CT Broadleaf, CAO Concert begins with a kick of pepper, mellows with hints of subtle sweetness and comes to a full-flavored finish. 

The quartet of new frontmarks will debut at IPCPR and will be available at retail beginning in mid-September.  A rarity in the premium cigar category, each Concert cigar will have the same length of 5.5”. Rick Rodriguez explained, “With Concert, I wanted to bring out a new cigar that has really consistent flavor and body across all of the frontmarks. I believe this particular length works perfectly to maximize the flavor of both larger and smaller ring gauges.”

CAO Concert features these frontmarks: Amp (5 ½” x 46, SRP per cigar is $5.75) Solo (5 ½” x 50, SRP per cigar is $6.25); Roadie (5 ½” x 54, SRP per cigar is $6.75) and Stage (5 ½” x 60, SRP per cigar is $7.50).

True to CAO’s tradition of exciting and unexpected packaging, CAO Concert is presented in an innovative box inspired by a classic Marshall amp, with band art that showcases a guitar pick and Fender-style guitars.

Following its special sneak preview at the CMA Music Festival last month, CAO Concert will be sampled at cigar-friendly live music venues and music-themed events across the country. A schedule of events will be announced in the coming weeks and will be posted on the CAO website at www.caocigars.com.

Ed McKenna promised, “We are going to make an announcement about a very exciting CAO promotion in the coming weeks, so CAO fans should also be on the lookout for that.”

Zander-Greg, Inc., has announced the release of its new 100% long filler handmade premium cigar, the Aniversario 1965 Liga #4.  The name honors the birth date of the Nat Cicco cigar, and will be followed by another blend, the HHB, in the near future.

In 1965, the Nat Cicco line of cigars appeared.  Carrying the “Rejects” name, it was the  original cigar to create the image of bargain-priced, hand-rolled medium-filler cigars on the ‘factory rejects’ theme.  It was produced by National Cigar Company, hence the “Nat Cicco” acronym.  It became popular, commanding a major part of the value-priced cigar category until 2002, when distribution problems stifled it.  In 2007, however, seeing the value in budget-priced cigars, Pasadena, California, distributor Zander-Greg, Inc., acquired distribution rights, and has once again brought the brand to national prominence, aided by a cadre of former, loyal Nat Cicco retailers.  Subsequently, Zander-Greg introduced other Nat Cicco products, including the Cuban Legends, a mixed-filler, handmade cigar.

Aniversario 1965 is available in Robusto, Toro and Churchill shapes, and has Nicaragua-grown Habano-seed  filler, binder and wrapper, all aged for a refined, harmonious blending of its select tobaccos.  This full-bodied cigar, has an abundant amount of complex and well-balanced  flavors, with a pronounced nuttiness  to satisfy the palates of cigar connoisseurs.  The tobaccos retain their vintage character, thanks to leaf processing that complements their quality.

Aniversario 1965  includes a pigtail cap at the head, and a foot that is enclosed by the wrapper leaf.  The finished cigars are semi-box-pressed and nude, and presented in attractive 20-count cedar boxes.  Manufacturer’s suggested retail pricing runs in the $8.00 range, and the cigars will be available at tobacco retailers in late August.

“Although our J. Grotto Series Reserve premium cigars rest for six months after leaving the rolling tables,” reports Paul Joyal, president of Ocean State Cigars, “we test-smoked samples of our new 7-3/8″ x 40 Lancero Limitado that had only 10 weeks of aging.  We were amazed at the blend of flavors and aromas in this new cigar.  It is nothing less than rich and harmonious, delivering toast and smooth caramel flavors.  This cigar may well become our signature cigar.”

This latest addition to the J. Grotto Series Reserve line is a limited-availability cigar, at only 1,000 cigars, thus its name: “J. Grotto Series Reserve Lancero Limitado.”

The Lancero Limitado will be offered only at retailer events that feature J. Grotto cigars.  Each participating retailer will be allocated four boxes (forty cigars) of Lanceros Limitados per event.  Packaging it in only ten-cigar boxes, and in limited- per-event quantities, “will add to its cachet,” says Joyal.  The boxes will be a smaller rendition of the same high-quality cedar boxes and lush artwork as seen in the rest of the line.

The cigars are hand made, using three-year aged select tobaccos … a Nicaragua-grown Criollo 99 wrapper and Criollo 98 binder, plus a filler of Honduran-grown ligero and Jalapa leaves.  The Lancero Limitado joins four existing J. Grotto Reserve shapes … Gran Corona (5-5/8″ X 46), Gran Robusto (5″ X 52), Gran Toro (6″ x 52), and Gordo 6″ x 60. The Lancero Limitado is full-bodied, but tempered by the aging and balanced blending, yielding a sophisticated smoke.  Like all J. Grotto cigars, it is entubado-bunched for smooth, easy draw and uniform burn.  Its pigtail-capped head, gives it a distinctively traditional look.

States Joyal, “Historically, Lanceros have appealed to only the few.  We think the performance of this cigar, especially its tamed power and opulent flavor, will awaken a larger audience to this elegant shape.”  The cigars will be ready in August for J. Grotto retailers to schedule in-store events with Joyal.  Manufacturer’s suggested retail pricing for the new J. Grotto Reserve Lancero Limitado is $8.95.

What is Añoranza? The newest cigar from Miami Cigar & Company will have many wondering how to pronounce it (Ahn-yor-ahn-za) and what does it mean? The word which is Spanish, means nostalgia; a sense of yearning. Often when we smoke, we reflect on times gone by and look back to a period of our lives we miss and wish we could go back to. This is Añoranza.

The cigars which are made in Nicaragua feature a Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro wrapper, with Nicaraguan grown binder and fillers. They will be available in both 10 count and 20 count boxes in the following sizes.

• Robusto ($6.50 MSRP)
• Toro ($7.50 MSRP)
• Belicoso ($7.80 MSRP)
• Gran Toro ($8.50 MSRP)

The cigars which come in a soft box pressed format will debut at IPCPR in Orlando in 2012.

Añoranzas
Old World Values, New World Traditions.