Monday, March 25, 2013

Alec Bradley Easy 5 Cigar Sampler

Saludos,

Greetings, celebrators of seconds. We at Habana Port have received a huge shipment of Alec Bradley Seconds. Dubbed the Easy Five, these cigars are bundled in a 5 count pack, and are offered in an assortment of sizes (from lonsdales to double coronas and everything in between) and your choice of Connecticut, Habano and Maduro wrappers.


Alright, alright, so more importantly, what is the cost? Each pack retails for $15.95. That's right...you get 5 cigars from Alec Bradley for under $16. That's $3.19 a stick for blends that usually retail for more than double. As many of you know, a second is a cigar that has not met the high standards of a cigar manufacturer to receive a band for a higher-priced line. There is nothing wrong with the cigar or tobacco.  The defects are usually aesthetic...maybe there's a color blemish or the wrapper has a vein. Perhaps a cigar was packed a bit too loose. Or maybe the cigar is not as solid as it should be. The sticks are usually made by beginners so this is a great way for a roller to master his trade. But if all the consumer cares about is the flavor of a cigar blend, then seconds are an intelligent purchase.

So hurry in to any Habana Port Cigar Merchants location (Baton Rouge or Covington) and be the first to buy your packs. Whether the assortment is a Torpedo or Robusto or whether it is a Connecticut or Maduro, each sampler pack costs you $15.95. And once these samplers are gone, there is no guarantee we will see this offering from Alec Bradley again (or at least anytime soon since factories do not try to produce a cigar that meets the lower classification of a second).

FYI, we should list the Easy 5 Cigar Samplers on CigarEarth.com by the end of the week.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Viaje White Label Project St. Patrick's Day 2013 Cigar

Saludos,

Greetings, candela cavalry. The Viaje White Label Project St. Patrick's Day 2013 cigar exhibits a sweet, wheat & grassy profile. This 3rd release of the WLP St. Paddy is one of now a number of candela wrapper blends seeing their way into humidors especially during March. Both Habana Port locations still have a few sticks left so if you felt you did not celebrate the Irish holiday right, you still have a chance to rectify that.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port


Monday, March 18, 2013

Cigar Baton Rouge: Habana Port

Saludos,

Greetings, minions of Google Maps. In case you don't know where our Baton Rouge cigar shop is located, check out Google Maps below. Habana Port Cigar Merchants in Baton Rouge is easy to find. We are at the corner of College and Perkins to the left of AutoZone. We are centrally located in the state capital (minutes from I-10, I-12 and LSU). So come in and visit Baton Rouge's newest cigar shop. We have the most diverse cigar selection and are the area's exclusive carriers of cigar brands like Viaje, Four Kicks and Ortega Cigar Company. Habana Port is proud to be Red Stick's biggest cigar nerd.



Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

First Cigar Customer in Baton Rouge

Saludos,

Our first customer in Covington. Our first customer in Baton Rouge. Thanks, Matt.

http://instagr.am/p/Wdr-bxRu08/

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Friday, March 1, 2013

Alec Bradley Filthy Hooligan

Saludos,

Greetings, candela cavalry. The limited candela-wrapped Alec Bradley Filthy Hooligan cigar has arrived. This cigar is a one-time run made in honor of Saint Patrick's Day. It features the famous Black Market cigar blend with a candela wrapper. Follow us on Twitter (@habanaport) to read about our review and flavor profile for this cigar.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port


Sunday, February 17, 2013

IPCPR announces Introduction of H.R. 792 to Protect Cigars from FDA

Saludos,

Greetings, patriots of pipes and premium cigars. Yesterday we received this email from the IPCPR, our trade association who represents the premium cigar industry and helps our lobbying efforts to protect our small family-oriented industry. Read the details of this historic event and do your part to help us in protecting our small cigar shops.


International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association 
Announces H. R. 792 
Protecting Premium Cigars from FDA Regulation

On Friday, February 15, 2013, alongside twelve bi-partisan co-sponsors, Reps. Bill Posey (R-FL) and Kathy Castor (D-FL) introduced H.R. 792, the ‘‘Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2013.” This legislation is a crucial step forward in protecting the premium cigar retail industry from undue regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) aiming "[t]o amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to clarify the Food and Drug Administration's jurisdiction over certain tobacco products, and to protect jobs and small businesses involved in the sale, manufacturing and distribution of traditional and premium cigars."
Much like the bill we supported last Congress, this legislation defines premium cigars and exempts them from unjustifiable FDA regulation. Without this measure, the FDA could permanently ban in-person sales, walk-in humidors, and seasonal blends. H.R. 792 would protect these freedoms and keep the government away from premium cigars! On Friday, February 15, 2013, alongside twelve bi-partisan co-sponsors, Reps. Bill Posey (R-FL) and Kathy Castor (D-FL) introduced H.R. 792, the ‘‘Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2013.” This legislation is a crucial step forward in protecting the premium cigar retail industry from undue regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) aiming "[t]o amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to clarify the Food and Drug Administration's jurisdiction over certain tobacco products, and to protect jobs and small businesses involved in the sale, manufacturing and distribution of traditional and premium cigars."
The International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) fully supports these efforts, and we encourage all members to contact their Representatives in support. During the 112th Congress, our advocacy outreach energized 221 bi-partisan co-sponsors – with your help, we can increase that number!
Let your voice be heard! Contact your legislator here and urge them to support H.R. 792!
Until the next post, siempre fumando, 
Habana Port

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Viaje's Big Ivan Cigar & Espresso Pairing

Saludos,

Greetings, elitists of espresso and earthy cigars. So we at Habana Port Cigar Merchants celebrated Lundi Gras night by pairing the Big Ivan cigar from Viaje with some Italian espresso. Great combination. Both products had darker notes so the pairing was more of a complementary effect than a contrasting one.

As far as the new Skull & Bones cigar from the ultra-boutique company, the Big Ivan was quite smooth and rich in the first half. It exhibited intense dark espresso roast and nutty notes. However we recommend putting some age on these bad boys. They arrived a bit humid but "drying" them out for about 6 months will perfect them as well as smoothing out the second half which smoked a bit rough. So if you're interested in the Big Ivan we recommend it as a "Buy & Hold."

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port