Corona Cigar Company Blog

Meet the Man Behind Gurkha!

2012-05-29T14:48:00.002-04:00

This Friday, June 1st, Corona Cigar Co will be having a Gurkha event at the Heathrow location from 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm. Meet and chat with Kaizad Hansotia, the owner and founder of Gurkha. You've never seen specials like the ones for this event!

Gurkha is known world wide as a premium cigar brand that makes boutique blends of cigars. Kaizad travels around the globe searching for unique tobacco to make very special cigars.

One of his newest lines, the Cellar Reserve is an excellent example of Kaizad’s blending prowess. With two different tobaccos over a decade aged, you can expect great things. The wrapper is a 1998 Criollo, and the filler has 15 year old Dominican tobacco. On the first puff you know this cigar is going it be superb, with notes of vanilla and nut. The smoke is smooth and creamy and leaves your palate constantly wanting another puff. The Cellar Reserve is a strategic addition to Gurkha’s arsenal of cigars, adding a medium-full bodied and full flavored cigar to their repertoire. If full bodied strength isn't your thing, then the earthy medium bodied Seduction, or the mild-medium and creamy Royal Challenge might be up your alley.

Make sure to come in this weekend, June 1st, at the Heathrow location to take advantage of the great deals, and to try out the newest Gurkha cigars with Gurkha’s own mastermind, Kaizad Hansotia!

Celebrate this Memorial Day with Corona Cigar Co

2012-05-26T12:29:00.003-04:00

With Memorial Day weekend upon us, I felt like I should be smoking a patriotic cigar. To celebrate the freedoms our troops have fought for I grabbed a CAO America and a House Resolution.

The CAO America is a very well rounded cigar. The medium bodied, full flavored cigar is perfect for a relaxing evening with your friends and family this weekend. Now don't get shy when you see the barber pole wrapper on this cigar, the wrappers are a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro and a Connecticut shade wrapper. The flavors profile is creamy with hints of wood.

For any of you getting ready for a barbecue, the House Resolution is perfect for the occasion. The sun grown San Andres maduro wrapper adds a hint of spice, to a smooth smoke that finishes with a leathery undertone. The flavor profile pairs perfectly with the aroma of a barbecue, so grab a box of House Resolutions so you and your friends can have a great time this weekend!

Don't forget to pick these cigars up at your local Corona Cigar Co as we are open on Memorial Day.

Diamond Crowns - A Taste for Every Palate

2012-05-15T16:05:00.003-04:00

Diamond Crown Classic: A gorgeous Connecticut shade wrapper envelops Dominican binder and filler on this cigar. The classic Diamond Crown is a mild cigar which still touts a robust flavor profile. The natural cigar has a creamy texture to the smoke, which enhances the smoothness of the cigar. There is a little bit of spice, with earth undertones. The classic is definitely a top of the line cigar, that is great for new comers to cigars or to those looking for a step down strength wise. The Macallan 12 is a great addition to this cigar, the slight cinnamon from the Macallan adds well to the earth and spice from the Diamond Crown.

Diamond Crown Julius Caesar: Featuring a Cuban-seed Ecuadorian wrapper and a mixture of Central American tobaccos in the filler and binder. This cigar is medium bodied and offers a complex blend of flavors, including leather, a sweet hint of cedar, and a light floral on rolling through your nose. This cigar is perfect for any smoker of mild or medium cigars who enjoys a bit of complexity behind a well constructed cigar, add a round of Macallan 21 to compliment the sweet and floral notes, and you have yourself a great pair!

Diamond Crown Maximus: The Maximus boasts an Ecuadorian Sungrown wrapper with Dominican filler and binder. Strength wise the Maximus is a full bodied cigar. The flavor notes offer hints of spice, dark chocolate, and nut. The spice and chocolate stay throughout the entire cigar, especially through the roll, while the nut comes to the palate less often. The Maximus is perfect to pair with a glass of scotch, in particular Macallan 18, as the nuts and spice in the cigar match the same flavors in the Macallan.

The Diamond Crown Red Carpet Event!

2012-05-08T14:40:00.004-04:00

There’s another special event coming to Corona Cigar Co! We will be hosting the Diamond Crown Red Carpet Event at our Downtown and Sand Lake locations. It’s a perfect chance to meet both Newman brothers! There will be a new cigar that they'll debut at the event, the Diamond Crown 1895, which was made in small batches in honor of their 110th anniversary at Diamond Crown. This cigar is only available at Diamond Crown Lounges.

We will also be having specials on all Diamond Crown cigars: Buy 3 singles: get an 1895 for free. You can also buy a box of Diamond Crown cigars and get 5 Diamond Crown 1895’s, a Diamond Crown hat, and a 3 cigar sampler that comes in a leather case which include a DC Maximus, a DC Classic, and a special DC Cameroon cigar.

The event will be held at our Downtown location on Friday, May 18th from 6:00 PM to 12:00 AM, and Saturday at our Sand Lake location from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Make sure to stop by for your chance to pick one of the limited cigars up, and have a great time with the Newmans!

Corona Presents: A Cigar Seminar with La Aroma de Cuba’s Rex

2012-05-02T09:03:00.003-04:00

La Aroma de Cuba cigars are always a delight to smoke. Whether you are picking up an award winning Mi Amor Belicoso or a delectable Edicion Especial, you know the experience is going to be extraordinary. For those of you who haven’t smoked a La Aroma, it’s never too late, and what better way to first smoke a cigar than with a proper tasting event!

We will be having a series of seminars with Rex, one at each location in the next month and a half. Rex will be introducing you to the La Aroma family of cigars, and teaching proper tasting techniques along with beverage pairings for his cigars. Even a seasoned smoker leaves with more smoking knowledge each time they go to a seminar with Rex. You can expect to see plenty of Corona Cigar employees there learning from one of the best and having a great time.

There will be plenty of specials on La Aroma cigars, so make sure to buy your ticket in advance for the date that best suits you! Rex will be at the Heathrow store Wednesday, May 9^th from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM; Sand Lake May 23^rd from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM; and Downtown June 13^thfrom 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM.

Meet Carlos Fuente Jr at Corona Cigar's Sand Lake Location!

2012-04-25T10:01:00.000-04:00

In the cigar world there are certain names, celebrities that stand out amongst the crowd that everyone knows and loves. The Fuente family is one of those families, producing cigars for the last 100 years in which they have seen major setbacks and huge gains in notoriety throughout the years. The iconic Arturo Fuente cigars are highly sought after, and often raved about.

The Fuente family is one that every cigar smoker, new and old, knows about. Whether it’s stories from whoever introduced them to smoking, or in publication, it is obvious that the Fuente brand is one of global recognition and admiration. But even with such brand power, the Fuente’s refuse to ride the coattails of past success; they make sure their product lives up to the Fuente family name. Whether it’s an 8-5-8 or an Opus X, you know you are going to get an exceptional cigar that was well worth the money spent.

We are pleased to announce that on Monday, April 30^thfrom 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM Carlos Fuente Jr will be at our Sand Lake location for a very special night. Meet one of the legends of the cigar industry and have a Fuente cigar with him!

White House Petition

2012-04-24T11:59:00.003-04:00

Dear Fellow Cigar Enthusiasts,

I'm sure you've heard by now that the FDA is trying to regulate your ability to purchase and enjoy a cigar. So I want to let you know about a petition I started on "We the People", a new feature on WhiteHouse.gov, and ask for your support. Will you add your name to mine?

In a little over a week, more than 20,000 people have signed on. If our petition gets 25,000 signatures by May 11, 2012, the White House will review it and issue an official response.

You can view and sign the petition here: http://wh.gov/Qtz

I'm headed to Washington this week to continue meeting with members of Congress and ask them to co-sponsor HR1639/S.1461- The Traditional Cigar Manufacturing & Small Business Jobs Preservation Act. This bipartisan bill clarifies the 2009 Tobacco Control Act and states that Congress did not intend for the FDA to expand its regulations to include Premium Large Cigars. As of today, there are 169 members of Congress and 7 Senators that have stood up for freedom by cosponsoring HR1639/S.1461...is your Representative one of them? You can view the list of cosponsors here http://blog.coronacigar.com/2012/04/white-house-petition.html

Keeping the FDA out of your humidor is a monumental task and to pass a bill in Congress, we need your help. Please sign the White House petition and when you are finished, visit www.CigarRights.org and sign the petition to the U.S. Congress. It only takes a few minutes and every petition helps elevate our issue in Washington.

Here's some more information about our White House petition:

Not Allow The FDA To Regulate Premium Cigars

Dear Mr. President:

The FDA is considering the creation of regulations for the premium cigar industry. These regulations will jeopardize over 85,000 American jobs,
destroy America's "mom & pop" premium cigar retailers & manufacturers, and risk over 250,000 jobs in Latin American that produce
cigars, impacting the economic/political stability in the region.

We hope you will stand up for small businesses that dot Main Street America & recognize that premium cigars are enjoyed by adults, are not addictive
and therefore do not conform to the Congressional intent of the Family Smoking Prevention & Tobacco Control Act.

Tell the FDA to leave our premium cigars alone. With this nation's more pressing issues, harming my simple ability to enjoy a cigar should not be a
priority of the government.

Sincerely,

Jeff Borysiewicz

President & Founder

http://www.coronacigar.com/

Chairman of the Board

Cigar Rights of America

Intensa Launch Party This Weekend!

2012-04-17T09:42:00.000-04:00

We are pleased to announce a special event happening on April 20th and 21st, the Intensa Launch Party! This cigar is a Corona Cigar Co exclusive, blended by none other than Aresenio Ramos, Casa Fernandez’s Master blender. This Puro Nicaraguan cigar features all Aganorsa tobacco and offers a full bodied experience without a harsh kick. The Intensa has hints of spice, wood, and earth; together embodying the definition of a complex flavor profile, at a fraction of the cost!

Not only are we having a buy 2 get 1 free on Intensa cigars of all sizes, we are also going to have Arsenio Ramos and Casa Fernandez president Paul Palmer at the event! We are planning to celebrate in style with the creators of this exceptional cigar, and we will be having drink specials as well as raffles for the Launch Party. So make sure you don’t miss out on this awesome launch party, Friday April 20th at Heathrow 6pm to 11pm, and Saturday April 21st at Sand Lake 2pm to 8pm.

CRA Action Alert - Sign The White House Petition For Cigars Today!

2012-04-12T15:59:00.002-04:00

On April 26, 2010, December 20, 2010, July 7, 2011, and again on February 13, 2012 the U.S. Food & Drug Administration publicly posted their intent to regulate cigars in the Federal Register, so it is incumbent upon the cigar enthusiasts of the United States to voice their opposition to any proposed new regulation of premium/traditional cigars by the United States Government.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration answers to one boss - The White House. Now that tens of thousands of this nation's cigar enthusiasts have voiced their opposition to Congress, it's time to send a message to the Office of the President. It's time for President Obama to tell the FDA - "Stay out of America's humidors!"

H.R. 1639 has been filed in the U.S. House of Representatives; and a companion bill, Senate Bill 1461, has been filed in the Senate. Both are filed under the banner of the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act . This bi-partisan legislation would decree that premium/traditional cigars should be off limits to FDA regulation and, 'to clarify the Food & Drug Administration's jurisdiction' in the 'sale, manufacturing and distribution of traditional and premium cigars.'

Such legislation could have a profound impact on protecting the industry, from the fields and factories of Central America , to the supply-chain throughout this nation, to the community tobacconist, to enjoying a cigar in the local shop, club or back porch.

With over 85,000 American jobs associated with the premium/traditional cigar business, this is an issue of economic stability for thousands of Main Street America small businesses. The community tobacconist is an institution that spans the history of the nation. The federal government has no business threatening them with new regulations, user fees, and efforts that smack nothing short of modern day prohibition.

We can assure you, nothing could rip the soul of the cigar industry apart, like FDA actions. For example, some of the (again) hypothetical possibilities, but that are not beyond the realm of reason include: No more walk in humidors (Canadian model); Limits on advertising and promotions; Banning the very word cigar or tobacco; Manufacturers having to submit blends to FDA for "testing," before heading to your local shop - imagine the impact on boutique cigar makers; Adverse impact on flavored tobacco products that are made for adults; And price impact due to new fees on manufacturers. This, is the short list.

Please click here to learn more!

Click here to sign the petition!

Avo Uvezian's 86th Birthday Dinner

2012-03-19T12:35:00.002-04:00

Saturday, March 24th, 2012 will be an iconic moment for those of us lucky enough to attend Avo Uvezian’s 86th Birthday Dinner. Each year Corona Cigar Company hosts the dinner, bringing together all of us who love an exceptional meal and a great cigar. We are very proud to announce that we have out done ourselves this year, and will be having both the dinner and reception at the Downtown Orlando location. How is this outdoing ourselves you may ask, well for the first time since July 3rd, 2003 it will be possible to enjoy your cigar WITH your meal! We are excited to announce that Ruth’s Chris Steak House will be bringing their kitchens to our patio and cooking for the guests of the dinner.

In 2002 Floridians voted to amend the Florida Clean Indoor Air Act to ban smoking anywhere that had employees. The only exceptions to this new legislation were bars and retail cigar shops with 10% or less of profits coming from food. Since the new legislation was put into effect we have not been able to smoke and eat in public establishments.

This year will be a memorable one for many of us, and to make it even more memorable, AVO is releasing the La Trompeta. Reminiscent of the Avo Companero, it is bound to not only bring back great memories, it is sure to create new ones during this historic event. Tickets are going fast due to limited seating, so make sure to stop by one of our three Corona Cigar Company locations today to pick yours up! Or purchase them online at http://www.coronacigar.com/products/avo-uvezians-birthday-cigar-dinner.html

Think Green..Save Green

2012-03-12T16:04:00.000-04:00

In celebration of St. Patty’s Day I realized you don’t just have to wear green to celebrate, I could smoke a green cigar! The candela wrapper is often over looked because of its bright green color, but in fact it used to be extremely popular in the early half of the 20th century. The green color is not from the leaf being young; it is actually from the curing process which preserves the chlorophyll.

The candela I chose to smoke is one of our most popular candelas, the Corona Dominican 10th Anniversary in the specially made Wedge size, popping the cap off instead of a traditional cut, leaving me with a nice open draw that hinted of the sweetness to come. The entire cigar was very smooth, typical of a candela. For being a mild cigar, it packed a lot of flavor which was very enjoyable. This Cuban-seed Dominican candela has something for everyone; a hint of spice through the roll and a light earthiness through the whole smoke.

For those of you hesitant on smoking a green cigar, let back your inhibitions this St. Patty’s Day, and enjoy the specials we will be having at all three locations. We will be holding specials Saturday March 17th on all of the Corona 10th Anniversary Candelas. Buy two singles and get one free or buy two boxes and get a bottle of Bushmill Irish Whiskey for free! Talk about luck of the Irish!

Berlin Wall "Fall of the Wall" Tour

2012-03-06T11:06:00.000-05:00

In lieu of the piece of history that is going to be displayed at all three Corona locations this week, I figured I'd smoke the Hammer & Sickle’s Berlin Wall cigar.

As a cigar shop employee, I was wondering how a box of cigars could possibly weigh what feels like a hundred pounds! Once we opened up the shipment we realized why. Shipped in beautiful white marble boxes, you immediately get the sense that they want this cigar to be seen as anything other than ordinary. Upon lifting the lid, the glistening of copper catches your eye, and you notice every cigar has a unique copper band where there’s normally a paper cigar band. From the first puff of this cigar I knew I had made a great choice for the first smoke of the day. The first notes of flavor were of wood, and as the cigar began to burn, earth and spice tones slowly entered the mix. The blend of Dominican and Honduran tobaccos create an even burning medium bodied cigar. This cigar is mellow enough to pair with any drink, but I can see it pairing exceptionally well with a fine single malt scotch.

Make sure to see the piece of the Berlin Wall at one of the three locations: Downtown Tuesday the 6th and Wednesday the 7th, Heathrow Thursday the 8th and Friday the 9th, and finally at Sand Lake on Saturday the 10th and Sunday the 11th. While you’re admiring a part of history that forever changed the world, don’t forget to grab a Berlin Wall or any of the other Hammer & Sickle cigars because there’s going to be some great specials going on!

-Andrew

San Cristobal Experience

2011-11-18T20:20:00.000-05:00

I was visited this week by our friendly, neighborhood Ashton rep, Rex. If you have never had the opportunity to meet Rex at an event keep a look out because Rex hosts one of the best seminars around. So I went to visit Rex at our downtown location during his Tasting Seminar featuring the newest Ashton cigar, The San Cristobal Elegancia. I don’t want to spoil the experience but this is a must attend event and we offer these events several times a year at Corona Cigar Co.

We just recently brought back the original San Cristobal, which is one of my favorite Ashton’s. It is really nice to have all 3 San Cristobal’s available. Let’s start it off with the original. The cigar was first introduced back in 2007 blended and manufactured by Don Pepin Garcia. 100% Nicaraguan puro, medium to full bodied with rich flavors of dark, roasted coffee and cocoa with a surprising undertone of black cherries. The cigar is a wonderful experience.

Next up the San Cristobal Seleccion del Sol – the cigar features an intricate blend of 100% aged Nicaraguan tobaccos. Starting off medium bodied, the cigar slowly becomes a full bodied smoke by its finale. A complex array of flavors ranging from pepper and spices to leather and wood will become the most prominent features throughout your smoking experience.

Finally we have the newest San Cristobal – Elegancia. This cigar features the ever growing popular Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper. This wrapper is vastly different than its US counterpart; the wrapper has much more prominent notes of cedar and peppered spice. This cigar is a welcomed change from the last 2 installments from San Cristobal. Mild to medium bodied cigar boasting a full flavored profile; the San Cristobal Elegancia delivers consistent flavor and quality at a price that won’t break the bank.

My UZI Weighs a Ton

2011-10-25T19:29:00.002-04:00

The excerpt from the back of the bundle -

The UZI story began on the very first final consumer blending session at the Joya de Nicaragua factory in late 2010 during a Cigar Safari tour with the B.O.T.L. group. After conducting blending sessions for the previous 3 years at the Drew Estate factory we were amped up to extend the concept to Joya de Nicaragua. I worked with the Joya de Nicaragua team utilizing Drew Estate tobaccos, including a San Andreas Negro wrapper, Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade Binder and hearty Brazilian Mata Fina Filler, coupled with Nicaraguan fillers provided by Joya de Nicaragua. The blend proved to be rich and earthy, with a bright, sweet undertone. As months of blending passed, I felt this blend was most noble in the 6x60 format and began calling this cigar "The Uzi." We all had a good laugh at the name, but when I went back to their factory to pick up the round of 50 sticks, I said, "Damn, My UZI's Weighs a Ton!" - and the brand was officially born.

I smoked my first MUWAT back before the 2011 Tradeshow, Jonathan Drew sent us some prerelease smokes and I instantly fell in love with the flavor. Let me describe the MUWAT in 3 words: Big, Bold & Flavorful. I can't tell you how much I enjoy smoking this cigar. One of my favorite flavors in cigars is those earthy tones; that is why I prefer the Liga Privada No. 9 over the T52. The MUWAT is available in 3 sizes: 5x50, 6x60 and 7x60. These cigars burn slow and even - I smoked the 7x60 earlier today and it racked up a 2 1/2 hour burn time! These cigars won't be as limited as the Liga Privada so you will have a chance to enjoy these cigars. Stop by 1 of our 3 locations and fire up a MUWAT!

Davidoff Belicoso Supremo White Edition 2011

2011-10-18T21:16:00.003-04:00

I think Davidoff makes amazing cigars. The quality of tobacco and level of craftmanship is always outstanding. I really enjoy Davidoff's fuller bodied cigars such as the new Puro d'Oro and I especially like the Davidoff Seleccion 702 Limited Edition 2009. Both of these cigars have more of the deeper, richer flavors that I look for in a cigar and the newest Limited Edition from Davidoff has just those qualities.

The Davidoff Belicoso Supremo White Edition 2011 is medium to full-bodied with notes of coffee and leather, but the best aspect of the cigar is the amazing spice rack notes that are tasted when retro-nasally exhaled. The cigar hits every part of the tongue making it a well balanced mouth watering experience. I would have to say this cigar ties the Seleccion 702 for my favorite Davidoff cigar. Both cigars are an amazing experience.

To buy Davidoff Belicoso Supremo <---Click Here.

Undercrown by Drew Estate

2011-10-10T20:56:00.004-04:00

The long awaited, much anticipated Undercrown is finally here making it a fantastic smoking week at Corona Cigar Co.

The story behind the Undercrown is very interesting. The cigar rollers were smoking too many of the Liga Privada T52's, and who can blame them. This was restricting production, so the rollers were allowed to create cigars for personal consumption from the leaves of the plant the T52 comes from, but are not used in the T52. What the rollers created was something quite impressive and with a few tweaks from Jonathan, Steve, and Marvin the Undercrown was born.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the Undercrown. It uses different leaves than the T52 and I was expecting something medium bodied and not quite as good as a T52. I was wrong on both counts. The Undercrown is full bodied (awesome) and every bit as good, if not different, than the T52. The cigar is creamy with a very subtle spice and earthy, and just about the most delicious thing I have had all year. The Undercrown is my new favorite cigar.

Call Corona Cigar Co. at 1-888-70-CIGAR for availability.

My Father Le Bijou Box Press Torpedo

2011-10-03T21:28:00.002-04:00

I am a huge fan of the My Father and My Father Le Bijou lines as are many cigar smokers. In fact many of the dedicated My Father smokers were requesting a box press cigar from Pepin. The Garcia's obliged by creating their first ever box pressed cigar, The Le Bijou Box Press Torpedo.

The cigar was released soon after IPCPR this year using the same blend as the Le Bijou line, Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro, with Nicaraguan binder and filler, however, I swear this cigar is stronger. Maybe it's my palate right now. This is a full bodied cigar with deep flavors of earth just like the non box pressed Le Bijou but it has a lot more nasal spice when it is retrohaled. Whatever the reason for its extra bit of strength, I'm loving it.

The My Father Le Bijou Box Press Torpedo is another excellent offering from the Garcia's factory. Call Corona Cigar Co. for availability 1-888-70-CIGAR.

EPC Maduro

2011-08-29T20:26:00.005-04:00

One of my new favorite cigars released this year is the EP Carillo Maduro. Since re-entering the industry after parting ways with General, Erenesto has made hit after hit. In my opinion every blend he has released has been excellent and the EPC Maduro is exceptionally good.

The EPC Maduro is medium to full bodied and very complex. The cigar has loads of flavor with notes of coffee and semi-sweet chocolate that coat the palate along with a very nice, subtle cedar spiciness. This is a classic cigar in every aspect, from its flavor to its rustic looking wrapper, and hands down one of the best cigars released at the IPCPR. Enjoy EPC Maduro today, you won't regret it.

Hey FDA...KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY CIGARS!

2011-08-25T17:03:00.003-04:00

Right now there is an active movement by the nanny-state, anti-tobacco zealots that want to take away your God given right to enjoy a cigar. If these prohibitionists get their way, the FDA will expand their cigarette & smokeless tobacco regulations to include cigars. So what would this mean for you?

• Walk-in humidors, self-serve cigar displays and mail order/internet cigar sales could be banned.

• All flavored cigars such as rum, cognac, bourbon, vanilla and coffee could be banned.

• Ornate, decorative cigar boxes would be covered with grotesque, graphic images.

• Cigar events with free cigars would be banned.

• Cigar advertising would be limited to black and white "tombstone" ads.

• Costly user fees (taxes) would be imposed on your cigars to fund the bureaucrats at the FDA to regulate your cigars.

• Special release and limited edition cigars would be a thing of the past since all cigars would have to undergo extensive (and expensive) testing and be approved by the FDA.

• Nicotinelevels in cigars could be regulated to near zero levels...bye bye strong cigars.

• Logo cigar shirts, hats and jackets could be banned.

Now if all of this has got your freedom loving, "Proud to be an American" blood boiling, there is something you can do about it. Right now there is a bipartisan bill in Congress (H.R. 1639) and in the Senate (S.1462) called "Traditional Cigar Manufacturing & Small Business Preservation Act". This
bill would clarify the Tobacco Control Act so that the premium cigars that you and I love would be "hands off" by the FDA.

Corona Cigar Company has been leading the charge to protect your freedom from the tobacco prohibitionists. But to get this bill passed, we need your help. Call, write, email or meet your Congressman and Senators and ask them to cosponsor H.R. 1639 and S.1461. There's a handy link at https://remote.coronacigar.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=4ac4e20b6117451e96badcbd005525d3&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.CigarRights.org where in less than 5 minutes, you can easily email your elected officials.

To learn more, view my video that explains the Traditional
Cigar Manufacturing & Small Business Preservation Act at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DKqAEj_sHI.

Stand up
for your rights and let your voice be heard! God bless America!

Jeff
Borysiewicz
President & Founder
Corona Cigar Company

1-888-70-CIGAR
www.CoronaCigar.com
www.Facebook.com/CoronaCigar

Follow me on www.Twitter.com/CoronaCigarCo and www.Facebook.com/CoronaCigar

Protect Your Right To
Enjoy Cigars! Join Cigar Rights of America www.CigarRights.org

Illusione MJ12

2011-08-18T21:14:00.003-04:00

Corona Cigar Co. received an Illusione shipment last week chock full of MKULTRA's and new Illusione maduros as well as my favorite Illusione cigar, the MJ12. The ULTRA is fantastic and I can't wait for the other sizes that will be released. However, I have been smoking a lot of the MJ12 because it is just so good.

MJ12 references Majestic 12 which conspiracy theorists say are a group of individuals in the government formed to investigate and cover up the Roswell space ship crash in 1947. The cigar is wrapped in foil to replicate a spaceship hull and shows what a great sense of humor Dion has.

The cigar itself is amazing. Medium to full bodied with overtones of coffee and leather. There is an undertone of cream that mixes nicely with the coffee flavors, it reminds me of a latte, a perfect mixture of strong espresso and cream. The MJ12 is a fantastic cigar not to be missed. Call 1-888-70-CIGAR for availability.

Fonseca 120th Anniversary Rarissimus

2011-08-11T19:30:00.003-04:00

I promised in an earlier blog of the Domus Magnus to report on the Fonseca 120th Anniversary. This cigar commemorates the rich history of the Quesada family and their contribution to the production and art form of the cigar. The cigar blend was created to honor the family's Cuban heritage and has Cuban seed tobacco grown in Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. The wrapper is a special sun grown Habano Vuelta Ariba that gives the cigar and intense but balanced kick.

I am highly impressed with the The Fonseca 120th Anniversary. It is an outstanding cigar and a perfect tribute to the years of cigar craftsmanship. The cigar is medium to full bodied, leathery, nutty and spicy. As an anniversary cigar, it could have easily been given a $10 plus price tag but instead runs in the $7 to $8 range making it available to more smokers and not just the big spenders. I love that, because I have been smoking a lot of these.

I highly recommend the Fonseca 120th Anniversary Rarissimus. <---Click here to buy.

Fausto: This Cigar Really Does Go to 11

2011-08-03T19:48:00.005-04:00

The advertisement for Fausto shows an amplifier dial going past the normal 10 to 11. My first thought when seeing this ad was the opening scene of Back to the Future when Michael J. Fox blows out the amplifier by cranking it up all the way. The Fausto blew me away just as the amp did to Michael J.

I was highly anticipating the Fausto as I heard it was the T110 blend. I never got a chance to smoke a T110, but what I can say is the Fausto is probably the best cigar Pete has produced to date. And I loved, LOVED, the OR 2003 Cojonu so that is saying a lot. It is a very strong cigar but never sacrifices strength for flavor. Full bodied and very spicy on the retro-hale, the Fausto's predominate flavors are coffee and cedar with a subtle sweetness and undertones of dark chocolate.

A brief summation of the Fausto: Pure Awesomeness. Buy yours today at CoronaCigar.

Casa Magna Domus Magnus Limitada

2011-07-27T20:12:00.004-04:00

IPCPR is over and with its end comes many wonderful beginnings as new cigars start to roll into the shop. Today was an amazing day for me as two new cigars hit Corona Cigar Co. shelves. Both cigars were from Quesada, best known as the creator of Fonseca. They have been releasing cigars under the family name, starting with the Quesada 35th, and these cigars were fantastic.

The two new releases we received today were the Fonseca Rarissimus CXX Anniversary and the Casa Magna Domus Magnus Limitada. I promise there will be a blog on the Rarissimus, done by either Cigar Alex or me, but in this blog I wanted to highlight my newest favorite cigar, the Casa Magna Domus Magnus.

It comes in two sizes; the Optimus, a 5 1/2 x 52, and the Primus, a 6 1/2 x 55. My first thought was, "Who is the Transformer fan in the Quesada family?" I like to think Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots, is probably a cigar smoker, but I can't say for sure. I will say this cigar will definately transform your cigar smoking experience. (Sorry for the bad pun.)

The Domus Magnus is different from any cigar I have smoked before. It has loads of rich coffee and nuts. It is full bodied and sweet, but just the right amount of sweetness and is one of the more savory cigars I have smoked in a long time. They blended the Domus Magnus around a Sun Grown Jalapa wrapper. This is a must try cigar and unfortunately, like so many cigars I like, it is limited, so that means get as many as you can before they disappear.

Call 1-888-70-CIGAR for availability.

2011 Annual IPCPR Convention Recap - Part 1

2011-07-25T13:57:00.002-04:00

2011 Annual IPCPR Convention Recap - Part 1 by Jeff Borysiewicz

Each year the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association holds an annual trade show and convention. This is the largest premium cigar trade show on the planet with every non-Cuban cigar manufacturer represented. After being held in New Orleans for the past two years, this year's show was held in Las Vegas thanks to the pro-business State Legislature that passed an exemption to the indoor smoking ban, allowing tobacco conventions and their revenue (and tax dollars) to return to the state of Nevada.

At the opening breakfast, the IPCPR introduced William S. Spann as its new Chief Executive Officer. Spann seems to be just the kind of leader the IPCPR needs considering the local, state and federal legislative/regulatory threats facing America's historical cigar industry.

Spann had served as chief of staff of the Florida Office of Financial Regulation and, before that, as president and chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of Greater Florida. He served as part of Governor Jeb Bush’s executive leadership team first as communications director and then chief of staff at the Florida Department of Children & Families.

Spann earned the rank of Commander during a 20 year-career with the U.S. Navy. His final duty station was as Director of Communications for the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis where he also taught Ethics and Moral Decision Making for the Junior Officers. (Spann replaces Joe Rowe who retired as Executive Director after ten years at the helm of the IPCPR.)

Every two years the IPCPR swears in a new President who is elected from it's Board of Directors. I have had the honor of serving on the IPCPR's Board for the past three years and have had the pleasure of working extensively with outgoing President Gary Pesh, owner of Old Virginia Tobacco. Gary was perhaps the most dedicated, pro-active and engaged President that the IPCPR has ever had. Gary and a team of fellow cigar retailers including myself will continue to serve on the IPCPR's Legislative Committee to protect America's premium cigar retailers, manufacturers and consumers from unfair cigar taxes and anti-cigar legislation.

The new President of the IPCPR is Curt Diebel from Diebel's Sportsman's Gallery in Kansas City, MO. Curt is an "old school" second generation tobacco retailer and has some big shoes to fill. Hopefully he will build upon the amazing progress that the IPCPR has made in the past four years. We will keep you informed on his performance.

There were some great new products at this year's show. I'm writing this as I sit on a plane on the flight home so forgive me for only highlighting a few.

During the show, the Drew Estate booth was packed every day and they introduced two new cigars that have a lot of buzz surrounding them. Liga Privada is getting a line extension with a classy looking cigar called "Undercrown". Hopefully they will be able to keep up with demand as our Liga Privada shipments are never large enough to keep up with our orders. The other new cigar is called "My Uzi Weighs a Ton" which is blended by Jonathan Drew and made in the Joya de Nicaragua factory. We had a few pre-release Uzis for sale and they quickly sold out in our retail stores as they were a hit with our customers. I'll have "Big Guns" Neal and Cigar Alex write a review on all the new cigars when they arrive in our stores.

Dion Giolitto with Illusione Cigars has a beautiful box-pressed version of his cigar coming out and this cigar has a gorgeous wrapper. (It uses Aganorsa Nicaraguan tobacco so I'm not surprised.) Since I can't light up on the plane, I'll have to get back to you about how the cigar smokes. Can you believe that you use to be able to smoke a cigar on a plane? Oh how I could go for a cigar right now...

I smoked the new, limited edition box-pressed Casa Magna from Manolo Quesada and Nestor Placensia. This cigar is great, with a nice balance of flavors. I'm looking forward to smoking more of these.

Pepin Garcia and his son Jamie had some great looking new cigars. There is a limited edition humidor filled with My Father cigars that is pretty cool and I look forward to smoking these when they are ready. Speaking of ready, some one keeps farting on the plane and I'm ready to light up my cigar to help kill the smell in here...good grief.

There are a bunch more new cigars to write about in "Part 2" of my blog including a cigar packed inside a 50 cal bullet and an awesome "art" cigar from Puros Indios. Wait until you see these...absolutely incredible!

Next year the IPCPR convention returns to Orlando after a 15 year hiatus. Hopefully the trade show will alternate between La Vegas and Orlando giving cigar retailers on both coasts two great entertaining cities to visit.

Regards,

Jeff Borysiewicz
President & Founder
Corona Cigar Company

About IPCPR

With more than 2,000 members throughout the U.S. and 31 foreign countries, the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association is the leading non-profit industry organization representing retailers, manufacturers and distributors of hand-made cigars, pipes and accessories. Stores displaying the IPCPR logo are recognized as premier purveyors of premium tobacco products. Members of IPCPR have access to IPCPR market research, trade shows, services, publications, and participation in community, constitutional and legislative action programs.

IPCPR 2011

2011-07-15T05:15:00.001-04:00

Ipcpr 2011

So it's 4:56 the day before I leave for Las Vegas for the IPCPR. It's been too long since I've posted. I'm going to be posting to coronacigars.com, smokesforblokes.com, twitter and Facebook daily I hope. This is going to be an amazing yet fun experience for both myself and my girlfriend as well. I want to thank Guillermo Leon and all my great friends at Miami cigars for making this happen. I'll see you all in Vegas and happy smoking.