E.Z. at Humiblog has an excellent short review up of the Palió Cigar Cutter.

Here’s an excerpt:

“But enough of the technical specs… I’ve used the cutter for two weeks now, and it’s become my cutter of choice.

The thing’s like my right hand now. It’s light weight, sharp, precise, and feels great in hand.”

It is a good look at a good tool, and I recommend both the review and the cutter to you.

From the manufacturer:

Inspired by and based upon the precision and calibration of today’s superior medical devices, Palio has endured the rigors of intense product development. From concept and design to product testing and refinement, Palio has been mechanically engineered to deliver only the most precise cut available in the cigar accessory market today. With a twin-bladed design that uses two reinforced blades made of hardened surgical steel; the Palio can cut up to a 52 ring cigar. If at any point in the life of the cutter, you feel that the cutter has lost its ability to deliver a quality cut (while cutting cigars of course!), you can return it to us, or any Palio dealer for a replacement at no cost.

Palio touts several advantages that their cutter has over others available:

(more…)

CAO has announced a new cigar line called Vision that will launch at next month’s Retail Tobacco Dealers of America annual convention and show in Las Vegas. The CAO Vision is the first Dominican-made CAO cigar.

The Vision will be available in three sizes: a 5×50 Robusto, a 6×50 Toro, and a 6.25×52 Torpedo. The cigars sport a Dominican Corojo wrapper, and a Dominican Piloto Cubano (cuban seed) Binder. The filler is a blend of Dominican, Nicaraguan and Brazilian tobacco. I’ll be posting a review of the cigar as soon as they are available for sampling.

Along with this being CAO’s first Dominican release, it is also being packged in an innovative way. What could be special about the way a cigar is packaged? CAO has another surprise for us.

(more…)

Cigarfan, a blogger who started up in January of this year, has accumulated an impressive collection of concise cigar reviews on his site. His latest offering is a review of one of my favorite Rocky Patel cigars, The Edge Maduro Toro.

Here’s an excerpt of what he has to say:

I found this toro to be an extremely well constructed cigar, somewhat better than the RP Vintage lines. It burns evenly, draws perfectly, and earns an A in deportment. The ash is a mottled light gray and is fairly solid.

It’s a good look at a very good cigar, and I recommend it to you.

Cigar Insider gave this one an 87 last year, and commented on “good oils and tooth” and “a nice range of cocoa, cream and wood notes. The earthy finish carries coffee and mellow spice.”

(more…)

The U.S. Supreme Court today denied review of a lower court ruling that, in the absence of specific U.S. government permission, the U.S. blockade of Cuban products bars the official Cuban tobacco company Cubatabaco from obtaining judicial protection of its COHIBA trademark in the United States.

As a result of the Supreme Court’s ruling, the February 2005 decision of a United States Circuit Court of Appeals, which confirmed General Cigar Company’s exclusive ownership of the COHIBA® mark in the United States, is final and is law of the case.

Cubatabaco announced in response that it will continue to fight for the rights to the COHIBA trademark in the United States. COHIBA is Cuba’s most renowned cigar brand, but cannot be sold in the U.S. because of the U.S. economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba.

The Cuban company will now pursue its pending application for U.S. government permission for judicial protection of the brand from the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, which administers the U.S. blockade. In its amicus curiae brief filed in the Supreme Court, the United States specifically acknowledged that Cubatabaco could pursue this option.

(more…)

Dateline Okinawa City, Okinawa – The lives of U.S. Marines serving in Okinawa are brightened by fellowship and camaderie shared over some fine cigars.

Dense clouds of smoke slowly rise to the ceiling of the dimly lit room, filling it with a foggy haze as 30 cigar lovers talk, laugh and smoke the night away.

The atmosphere was mellow as a local cigar and whiskey society hosted its inaugural event, the Sunset Smoke Dinner and Cigar Exchange, at Hotel Grand Mer’s Sheesah Lounge June 10.

The purpose of the event was to bring together a group of diverse individuals in order to enjoy fellowship through cigars, according to Capt. Richard Wilkerson, the president of the society and cigar aficionado.

“Cigars have been a big part of my life,” Wilkerson said. “Smoking cigars gives you time to reflect on your life. It’s a break from the 16-hour workdays that we - as Marines - often complete.”

The event started with a cigar exchange followed by opening remarks from the society’s president.

“The rain gods are obviously more powerful than the fire gods tonight,” said Wilkerson, as the rain poured outside the lounge.

However, the rain couldn’t put a damper on the evening as the cigars burned and the stories got more and more laughs.

(more…)

From Rich at CigarCyclopedia:

CigarAuctioneer.com just completed an auction of 40 five-packs of the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story, a neat perfecto of four inches long and 48 ring.

Bidding started at only $11.95, and Famous Smoke Shop (which owns and operates the CigarAuctioneer.com site) sells the Short Story in a five-pack for $21.95 when in stock. Of course, there are no five-packs in stock now since they were all sold at auction!

A total of 20 bidders won lots, with the highest bid at $30.00 for one five-pack and the lowest at $25.00. The big winner (?) in the auction was one bidder who bought eight lots – 40 cigars – for $204.00 or $5.10 per cigar . . . or $1.28 an inch!

There were nine bidders who won more than one lot. The total of the winning bids was $1,045.36 for 200 cigars or $5.23 each. Famous normally sells a box of 25 Short Story cigars for $108.95, or $4.33 each.

(more…)