Cigar Coop

The Grammy Awards are scheduled for Sunday February 4, 2024 and the nominations are out. On Episode 116, we take a look at the key categories and who the nominees are, then decide who we want to win and who we thin think the Grammys will pick. For this show, Dave smokes the Paul Stulac Red Screaming Sun and Coop smokes the E.P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel As always you can follow along with our Spotify Playlists: Episode 116 Playlist References Complete 2024 Grammy Nominations: https://cigarjukebox.files.wordpress.com/2023/11/2024_grammy_nominations.pdf 2024 Grammy Nominations Announced: https://cigarjukebox.com/2023/11/11/2024-grammy-nominations-announced/ Shane MacGowan, Pogues Frontman, Dies at 65 | Pitchfork: https://pitchfork.com/news/shane-macgowan-pogues-frontman-dies-at-65/ Taylor Swift Caps Banner 2023 with Person of the Year: https://cigarjukebox.com/2023/12/08/taylor-swift-caps-banner-2023-with-person-of-the-year/ Top 50 of 2023 / #25 – 21: Hip Hop, A Collective and Interesting Collabs: https://cigarjukebox.com/2023/12/16/top-50-of-2023-25-21-hip-hop-a-collective-and-interesting-collabs/ Top 50 of 2023 / #30 – 26: Our First Reggae Track, A Lot of Gecs and Some More Bunnies: https://cigarjukebox.com/2023/12/12/top-50-of-2023-30-26-our-first-reggae-track-a-lot-of-gecs-and-some-more-bunnies/ Top 50 of 2023 / #35 – 31: Songs About Time, Reclaiming Your Music and Some Spice: https://cigarjukebox.com/2023/12/07/top-50-of-2023-35-31-songs-about-time-reclaiming-your-music-and-some-spice/ Top 50 of 2023 / #40 – 36: More Foundational Comebacks, Made – Up Languages and Aussie Music: https://cigarjukebox.com/2023/12/05/top-50-of-2023-40-36-more-foundational-comebacks-made-up-languages-and-aussie-music/ Top 50 of 2023 / #45 – 41: An Emotional Tribute, A Bunny and a Brit Pop Third Act: https://cigarjukebox.com/2023/12/02/top-50-of-2023-45-41-an-emotional-tribute-a-bunny-and-a-brit-pop-third-act/ Top 50 of 2023 / #50 – 46: Spiderman, The Blues and Metal: https://cigarjukebox.com/2023/11/26/top-50-of-2023-50-46-spiderman-the-blues-and-metal/ AVO Cigars to Collaborate with DJ D-Nice for AVO Expressions 2024: https://cigarjukebox.com/2023/12/13/avo-cigars-to-collaborate-with-dj-d-nice-for-avo-expressions-2024/

The #20 2023 Cigar of the Year is the Manolo Quesada 75th Anniversary by Quesada Cigars. On April 10th 2022, Quesada CigarsFounder and President Manuel “Manolo” Quesada turned 75 years old. Commemorating the occasion, Quesada Cigars released a special limited edition cigar dubbed the Manolo Quesada 75th Anniversary. More recently, Manolo’s daughter Raquel has been playing an increasing role in the operations of Quesada Cigars, but according to Quesada Cigars the Manolo Quesada 75th Anniversary was a project specifically blended by Manolo himself. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-r8o

We are giving away a second prize pack from the December 2023 contest around Romeo y Julieta. This contest is brought to you by Tabacalera USA - great things are happening here.

The #21 2023 Cigar of the Year is the Blackened M81 Toro by Drew Estate. Blackened M81 is a three-way collaboration project between Metallica’s James Hetfield, Distiller Rob Dietrich of Sweet Amber Distilling, and Drew Estate's own Jonathan Drew. Blackened is the name of a whiskey collaboration of Metallica and Dietrich. Dietrich and Drew have been friends for a while. It was Dietrich who introduced Metallica lead singer James Hetfield to Drew. Soon enough, the idea of creating a cigar brand was floated. From there, the wheels were put in motion to create a cigar that shared the vision of the Blackened Brand. After iterating through many test blends during the COVID-19 pandemic, they settled on the flavor profile, the Blackened M81. As for the name M81, it stands for Metallica 1981 – the year Metallica was formed. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-r7F

The #22 2023 Cigar of the Year is the E.P. Carrillo Allegiance Sidekick. The Allegiance is the fourth installment of the Perez-Carrillo line. The Allegiance is a cigar that Ernesto Perez-Carrillo blended, but it is being produced from Oliva’s TABOLISA factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. It was the second project by E.P. Carrillo to be produced outside its Tabacalera La Alianza factory. Other projects we have seen are the E.P. Carrillo INCH Nicaragua out of Plasencia and the Short Run 2023 out of Oscar Valladares’ factory. The name Allegiance pays homage to the many partnerships and alliances the Perez-Carrillo family has forged over the years. In the case of the Allegiance, the partnership is strong, as Oliva had one of its Cuba Aliados projects produced at Tabacelrera La Alianza. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-r7t Note: On this audio/video recording, we incorrectly said E.P. Carrillo had eight appearances on the Countdown. In reality it was nine.

Today we are reviewing the Mi Querida Black PapaSaka from Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust. Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust released the Mi Querida Black SakaKhan last year at the 2022 PCA Trade Show which was met with a lot of excitement. The cigar ended up many Top Cigars of the Year list and was a huge seller in cigar shops. With the success of the SakaKhan, Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust decided to release a new Mi Querida Black in a corona gorda size which they named PapaSaka. The PapaSaka features a very similar blend with the notable difference being the Honduran tobacco in the SakaKhan being replaced with tobacco from the Dominican Republic in the PapaSaka. Let’s look at the blend. Mi Querida Black PapaSaka Vitola: Corona Gorda Size: 5 5/8 x 48 Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf No.1 Dark Binder: San Andres Negro Filler: Nicaraguan, Honduran, Dominican Country of Origin: Nicaragua Factory: Nicaraguan American Cigars S.A. (NACSA) MSRP: $15.95 PapaSaka provided by Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust From Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust: Mi Querida Black (pronounced “me kay-ree-dah”) is the ultimate execution of our family of broadleaf ligas. “Black” is the third iteration of this style of blend within our Mi Querida family of puros. It retains the soul of our two other ligas within the line, however with the addition of a very select grade of Honduran grown Habano Seed tripa incorporated into the blend. Only the finest materials are utilized from the exhaustively “creamed” tripas, to the very best grade of dark Connecticut-grown Broadleaf capas with acute attention paid to their craftsmanship. Robust, rich, and decadently satisfying, the Limited Production Mi Querida Black is the apex of broadleaf cigars. Mi Querida Black is handcrafted at NACSA cigar factory under the stewardship of their Master Cigar maker Raul Disla at my direction. Packed in an elegant box that expresses from the outside the richness of the blend inside. As always, the pace of its production is being dictated by the tobaccos themselves and therefore it will be limited in its availability via Select Purveyors for the foreseeable future. You can watch our interview with Steve Saka of Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust with us at the 2023 PCA Trade Show here where he discusses the PapaSaka. Final Score: 92

The #23 2023 Cigar of the Year is Muestra De Saka – The Bewitched by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust. In 2022, Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust The Bewitched made its national debut, becoming the sixth installment of the Muestra de Saka brand. Owner and master ligador Steve Saka has described the Muestra de Saka line as a limited production line of unique blends that reflect his blending machinations. The story of the Bewitched goes back to 2021, when the company released a special limited edition cigar to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Owl Shop of Worcester. Following that release, a decision was made with the blessing of the Owl Shop to release the same cigar as an ongoing release under the Muestra de Saka portfolio. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-r6S

The #24 2023 Cigar of the Year is the Red Anchor Admiral by United Cigars. Red Anchor is a line that was brought back by United Cigars in 2022. According to United Cigars, the brand has over 250 years of history. In 1770, Red Anchor was the first registered trademark for a cigar shop; in 1772, it was the first cigar brand ever created. By 1937, the brand was dormant. A few years ago, United Cigars' owner David Garofalo, who has an affinity for cigar history, acquired the trademark so he could resurrect the brand. In 2022, the Red Anchor was brought back to coincide with the brand's 250th anniversary. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-r5X

Today we announce the contest winner from the December 2023 contest around Romeo y Julieta. This contest is brought to you by Tabacalera USA - great things are happening here.

The #25 2023 Cigar of the Year is the Allegria Corona by Illusione Cigars. In 2022, Illusione Cigars would quietly unveil its version of the Allegria brand. It was back in 2017 when Dion Giolito acquired two cigar brands, One Off and Allegria. These are brands created by Andrea Molinari – and achieved a cult status in the marketplace. However, the brand fell dormant and pretty much disappeared from retail shelves. Giolito decided to bring these brands back to life. In 2018, One Off made its return, and then four years later it was Allegria's turn. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-r5l

After a one year absence, the unofficial CA Top 25 Pre-Game Show is making a return for 2023. Next week the CA Top 25 for 2023 list will be revealed. The results of this list will either make some in the cigar industry’s hopes and dreams come true, and it will shatter the hopes and dreams of the others. We’ve assembled members of the Cigar Coop Coalition team and are joined by guest panelists John McTavish of Developing Palates and Hector Alfonso of Espinosa Cigars. Our approach is unique, and probably the most accurate any in the industry. It’s also one of our most controversial shows, but as always we will deliver with the utmost respect.` We invite and encourage you to tune in live and weigh in on your precautions. Plus, we have our Vintage Rock-A-Feller Cigar Group U.S. History segment, Tabacalera USA Great Things are Happening Here, and Espinosa This Day in Sports History segments. References History Enthusiasts Found a Buried 15th Century Royal Palace All on Their Own– 'Against all odds': https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/history-enthusiasts-found-a-buried-15th-century-royal-palace-on-their-own/ 96-year-old scuba diver holds new world record: https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2023/11/24/96-year-old-scuba-diver-holds-new-record

The #26 2023 Cigar of the Year is Casa Cuevas Sangre Nueva Double Perfecto. This was a cigar line that was spearheaded by Alec Cuevas, who now is the company’s Director of Brand Development. Alec would become the fifth generation of the Cuevas family to be in the cigar business. He would join his grandfather and father, Luis Cuevas Sr. and Luis Cuevas Jr., respectively. The name for the cigar represents “new blood” in Casa Cuevas. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-r4l

The #27 2023 Cigar of the Year is the Davidoff Limited Edition 2022. This marks a return for Davidoff to the Countdown for the first time in four years. While Davidoff has been focusing on bringing back a lot of its historic limited editions, the Davidoff Limited Edition 2022 Gran Toro is an all new LE. This igar is unique in that it it brings tobaccos from the Black Label’s three blends: Davidoff Nicaragua, Davidoff Escurio, and, Davidoff Yamasá. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-r3m

The #28 2023 Cigar of the Year is the Ferio Tego Timeless Limited 10 Years. While Ferio Tego is a company that is only a couple of years old, it celebrated the tenth anniversary of the Timeless brand. The Timeless brand traces back to Nat Sherman in 2012, and it was acquired by former Nat Sherman employees and Ferio Tego co-founders Michael Herklots and Brendon Scott. When Timeless was introduced, it played a key role in the revitalization of the brands of Nat Sherman. Now that these brands are under the stewardship of Herklots and Scott, it makes sense to mark the milestone. The Timeless Limited 10 Years represents that milestone well.

The #29 2023 Cigar of the Year is the Joya de Nicaragua Dos Cientos. In 2021, the 200th anniversary of Central American independence from the Spanish Empire was celebrated. This would set the stage for creating several Central American nations, including Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua. That same year, Joya de Nicaragua marked the occasion with Dos Cientos. This cigar was released in 2021, but I smoked it earlier this year. With some age, the cigar had a remarkable performance, landing it on the Countdown. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-r2q

For Episode 290, we are proud to welcome Les Mann, the Vice President of Sales for S.T. Dupont as our special guest. Les has a long career in the world of premium cigar accessories with companies such as Colibri and Quality Importers. For the past few years, Les has been running sales at S.T. Dupont. Tonight we will talk about Les’ career and the happenings going on at S.T. Dupont. Les is also a trading card collector, and he’ll talk about this during our Alec Bradley Live True segment. Plus, we will have our FSG Beef Question of the Night, Tabacalera USA Ties That Bind, Espinosa Today in Sports History, and Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Deliberation segments.

The 2023 #30 Cigar of the Year is the Byron Seleccion 1850 No. 3 by Selected Tobacco. The Seleccion 1850 became the fourth blend under Selected Tobacco’s Byron line. The Byron brand traces its origins to Cuba in 1850, where the Byron Selección 1850 derives its name. It was in 1850 when the first Byron was created by Selected Tobacco Nelson Alfonso’s great-great-great-grandfather. The original cigar was made in a small factory in Santiago de las Vegas in the Havana province of Cuba. The name Byron honors George Gordon Byron, better known as “Lord Byron,” a renowned English poet. After the brand went dormant, Nelson Alfonso would re-acquire the brand. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-r21

The newest iteration of the Knuckle Sandwich Chef Special by Espinosa Cigars and Guy Fieri made it’s debut at the 2023 PCA trade show in Las Vegas. This is a follow up on the 2022 release which was a huge hit with the cigar community. This new version features and Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper versus the Ecuadorian Habano from last year and a new blend of filler tobaccos all from Nicaragua with a Nicaraguan binder. From Espinosa Cigars: The Chef Special is a yearly release made available to retailers at the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) trade show. This 10-count box was first made in 2022. Future Chef Special’s will be made with the blend and size change from year to year. For this review, we are going to check it out and let you know how it stacked up to last year’s version. The Chef Special features a different blend than its 2022 predecessor. This includes an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper over all-Nicaraguan binders and fillers. Like last year, the Chef Special comes in a 6 1/2 x 52 Box Pressed Figurado. The cigars will be in ten-count boxes with pricing of $15.00 MSRP per cigar and $150.00 MSRP per box. The cigars are made at the San Lotano Factory in Ocotal, Nicaragua. “This is the first LE we did for Knuckle Sandwich Cigars, the size and the blend really hit. So, we are back this year with a new blend in that same great size, it’s an exceptional smoke,” commented Erik Espinosa in a press release. Knuckle Sandwich Chef Special 2023 Vitola: Figurado Size: 6 1/2 x 52 (Box Pressed) Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Country of Origin: Nicaragua Factory: San Lotano MSRP: $15.00 Final Score: 89

Tonight Dave and Coop take a look at records that have been given second chances. These are records that were trashed, disregarded by fans or totally forgotten about in lieu of later work. Somehow these records caught on later For this show, Dave smokes the RoMa Craft Quinquagenerio and Coop smokes the Saga Short Tales Tomo VI. As always you can follow along with our Spotify Playlists: Episode 115 Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/04PzD7Zc5WJtM9WGgFe5Pk?si=eb4f17b5e6f6484e References Dolly Parton FULL Thanksgiving Halftime Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFE6SNXoZuE NFL Fans Absolutely Crushed Jack Harlow’s Dreadful Halftime Show During Packers-Lions - Sports Illustrated: https://www.si.com/nfl/2023/11/23/jack-harlow-halftime-show-packers-lions-fans-react Daryl Hall accuses John Oates of 'ultimate partnership betrayal' in plan to sell stake in business: https://apnews.com/article/hall-oates-lawsuit-ad17e6a0997f01bdf760392d1f5e82e7 Big Suits, Lost Tapes, and Dancing Heads: Inside A24's Incredible 'Stop Making Sense' Restoration: https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/stop-making-sense-talking-heads-restoration-david-byrne-a24-40th-anniversary-1234828312/ Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé - Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance:_A_Film_by_Beyoncé Peter Gabriel: i/o review – a glorious, late-career masterpiece: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/dec/03/peter-gabriel-io-review-glorious-late-career-masterpiece StillWell Star Holiday Y2023: https://cigar-coop.com/2023/04/cigar-news-dunbarton-tobacco-trust-announces-stillwell-star-holiday-y2023-release.html Fuente y Padrón Legends Begins Shipping: https://cigar-coop.com/2023/11/cigar-news-fuente-y-padron-legends-begins-shipping.html New Zealand to Repeal Generational Smoking Ban: https://cigar-coop.com/2023/11/cigar-news-new-zealand-to-repeal-generational-smoking-ban.html Top 50 of 2023 / #50 – 46: Spiderman, The Blues and Metal: https://cigarjukebox.com/2023/11/26/top-50-of-2023-50-46-spiderman-the-blues-and-metal/ Top 50 of 2023 / #45 – 41: An Emotional Tribute, A Bunny and a Brit Pop Third Act: https://cigarjukebox.com/2023/12/02/top-50-of-2023-45-41-an-emotional-tribute-a-bunny-and-a-brit-pop-third-act/ Developing Palates Team Cigar Review: RoMa Craft Quinquagenario: https://developingpalates.com/reviews/cigar-reviews/team-cigar-review-roma-craft-quinquagenario/

The Smoking Syndicate Roundtable tackles another set of cigars from the Aura by E.P. Carrillo Shengxiao Collection tonight. We are, once again, joined by a special guest Roundtable panelist, Mr. Fred Rewey! The Aura by E.P. Carrillo Shengxiao is an ultra-premium collection introduced by E.P. Carrillo late in 2023. It consists of 12 blends by Ernesto Perez-Carrillo – each representing a year in the Chinese Zodiac. Tonight, each panelist will take a different blend based on the year he was born. Back in May, we went through an initial set from this collection. Tune in tonight for this unique Roundtable and find out what the panelists think of this release.

Video Credit: ADVentura Cigars, used with permission Following the fire at Tabacalera William Ventura, ADVentura Cigars opens up its own dedicated factory, Tabacalera Mina de Rey

For Episode 289, we welcome back the one and only Jarrid Trudeau of Kristoff Cigars as our special guest. The past two years have been quite busy in the world of Kristoff. We will get some of the updates on what is going on. Plus Jarrid is now a member of the member of the PCA Board. Jarrid also has some of the best airport stories and it’s been a while since we’ve done an airport segment. We will cover this in our Alec Bradley Live True segment. Plus, we will have our FSG Beef Question of the Night, Tabacalera USA Ties That Bind, Espinosa Today in Sports History, and Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Deliberation segments.

Tonight we celebrate 150 Special Editions. To mark the occasion we are inviting two companies that have a long history together – Quesada Cigars and the brands of Ferio Tego. Representing the Quesadas will be Manuel Quesada and his daughter Raquel. Representing Ferio Tego we have Michael Herklots. Plus, we have our Vintage Rock-A-Feller Cigar Group U.S. History segment, Tabacalera USA Great Things are Happening Here, and Espinosa This Day in Sports History segments. References Birth of Rare Eastern Black Rhino is Cause for Celebration–Watch the Amazing Birth Caught on Camera, With Only 600 in Wild: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/birth-of-rare-eastern-black-rhino-is-cause-for-celebration-watch-the-amazing-birth-caught-on-camera/ Secret millionaire donates fortune to small New Hampshire town: https://www.foxnews.com/us/secret-millionaire-donates-fortune-small-new-hampshire-town #ELOSOFUMARTAKES - 272nd Take: https://www.facebook.com/elosofumar/videos/1047913253212667/

It’s that time of the year as Dave and Coop unveil their music for the Christmas Season for 2022. It will be a mix of classics and contemporary that will help you get into the seasonal spirit from some of your favorite artists. Plus we have music news, cigar news, Dave’s New Music 45, and of course, the Developing Palates Review of the Week. For this show, Dave and Coop smoke the StillWell Star Holiday Y2022 by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust. As always you can follow along with all of our Christmas and Holiday music selections with our Spotify Playlists: Episode 114 Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5sT3Bp2Ipp1wBjoecVhcX3?si=b4e2319de2304bfb References Dolly Parton doesn't plan to ever tour again: https://www.npr.org/2022/10/30/1132676124/dolly-parton-no-tour-again-rock-album Brandy’s Christmas Party for Two: Everyone Deserves a Sexy Christmas: https://cigarjukebox.com/2023/11/15/brandys-christmas-party-for-two-everyone-deserves-a-sexy-christmas/ The War on Disco | Chapter 1 | AMERICAN EXPERIENCE | PBS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmkVdpJrQoo Developing Palates Team Cigar Review: Powstanie Connecticut Toro: https://developingpalates.com/reviews/cigar-reviews/team-cigar-review-powstanie-connecticut-toro

Some of us have been down the road: namely, we pick up an album and it simply doesn’t click. However somehow along the way, the album grows on us, and in some cases it goes on a road to greatness in our personal collections. Tonight, Dave and Coop talk about albums that grew on them – and the stories behind how that happened. In this episode, Dave smokes the Espinosa Murcielago de Oro and Coop smokes the E.P. Carrillo Allegiance Sidekick As always, you can follow along with our Spotify Playlists: Episode 112 Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4IyJK0V2rj6gQMdWA2ozLF?si=fa51498938a846ff References The Chicks’ Gaslighter World Tour: A Concert 17 Years in the Making: https://cigarjukebox.com/2023/10/25/the-chicks-gaslighter-world-tour-a-concert-17-years-in-the-making/ PBS: The War on Disco Documentary: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/war-disco/ PCA Changes Media Credential Process Including Dropping Badge Fees for Media: https://cigar-coop.com/2023/10/cigar-news-pca-changes-media-credential-process-including-dropping-badge-fees-for-media.html Feature Story: Thoughts on the Changes to PCA Dropping Media Dues: https://cigar-coop.com/2023/10/feature-story-thoughts-on-the-changes-to-pca-dropping-media-dues.html Developing Palates Team Cigar Review: Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Edición Diamante No. 2: https://developingpalates.com/reviews/cigar-reviews/team-cigar-review-montecristo-1935-anniversary-edicion-diamante-no-2/ The Libertines’ Run Run Run: The Brit Pop Phoenix Put a Smile on my Face: https://cigarjukebox.com/2023/10/25/the-libertines-run-run-run-the-brit-pop-phoenix-put-a-smile-on-my-face/