June 2009 News
Miami Cigars Introduces the Ruky
Miami, FL 16 June 2009…The Ruky, the latest addition to the Nestor Miranda
Collection, Special Selection, has been in limited distribution for eight (8) weeks;
o test the market’s response to this exquisite perfecta manufactured for us by
My Father Cigars. Ruky is a 5.5/8” x 48 x 52.
We started with a magnificent blend of beautifully cured, fermented and aged filler
from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. A binder grown in Estelí,
Nicaragua wraps the filler; and a superb Nicaragua Habano Oscuro envelopes
the cigar.
“Ruky” is Nestor Miranda’s nickname. From the age before he was a teenager,
growing up in Holguin, in the tobacco rich Oriente Province of Cuba, his friends
called him “Ruky.” The name has remained among his closest and oldest friends.
Inasmuch as he insisted on the creation of this vitola, we thought it appropriate to
name it “Ruky.”
The cigars come packed in a simple, elegant hinged box containing five (5) cigars,
selling for $8.00 each.
“We have been extremely gratified by the initial response,” said Miami
Cigar &Company’s Vice President Rene J. Castaneda, “so; we decided
to expand the distribution even before the IPCPR.”
Louisiana: HB889 Fails to Garner Necessary Votes–
Dies on House Floor
International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR)
House Bill 889 Fails House Vote-
Lobby, Grassroots Campaigns Key in Victory
June 15, 2009 -
House Bill (HB) 889 proposed a sharp increase in tobacco taxes across the board. the bill faced a tough fight as the state's governor stuck to his pledge of no new taxes and threatened to veto the bill if approved. A similar bill failed in a House committee earlier in the session.
Thank you to IPCPR's retailers and their customers for their strong support for the association's grassroots campaign. It proved a key compliment to the efforts of IPCPR's lobbyists and also to the CAA's efforts in the state. Additionally, other tobacco industry interests and allies rallied to stop another money grab. Thank you to all for their support. You accepted the challenge, and now, you may enjoy the exhilaration of victory.
Alec Bradley Cigars Announces "Select Cabinet Reserve" Cigars
New cigars feature an intensely flavorful blend with a naturally-
DANIA, FL – June 5, 2009 -
selections, have announced the release of Select Cabinet Reserve. The new full-
shapes rolled in a flavorful, Honduran Trojes wrapper leaf, and will be presented cabinet style (without cellos), in black
lacquer boxes of 20 cigars. The cigars are expected to arrive in stores by mid-
DANIA, FL – June 5, 2009 – Alec Bradley Cigars, makers of the highly-
announced the release of their new Select Cabinet Reserve series. Due at cigar stores
by mid-
naturally-
50), Churchill (7" x 48), Torpedo (6 1/8" x 52), and Gran Robusto (5." x 60). The cigars will be presented without cello
wrappers in elegant lacquered boxes of 20 cigars.
"The SCR line is built around a mid-
said Alec Bradley president, Alan Rubin. "The blend is buttery smooth, and possesses an abundance of complex flavors and
aromas that will hold your attention from start to finish."
The Alec Bradley Select Cabinet Reserve actually began during a conversation on a trip back from their farm in Trojes,
Honduras. Rubin and his team were talking about the large quantity of aged, mid–priming Trojes wrapper they had been
accumulating over the last five years.
"We talked about the natural sweetness of the wrapper and the chance to develop a blend around its unique flavor profile,
added Rubin. "When we got back to the factory, we went to where we store all the wrapper tobacco and opened a few bales
for inspection. I grabbed a hand of tobacco containing 25 leaves, plucked two of
them, de-
sample. These caramel colored leaves were glorious to the touch and looked fantastic. Even better, they smoked every bit as
good as I expected."
The project was a go, and after several months of blending and tweaking, they agreed on a blend that was extremely well
balanced, and full of flavor. That was almost one year ago, and now the Alec Bradley Select Cabinet Reserve is ready for
cigar smokers worldwide.
Alec Bradley Cigars Announces New "Family Blend" Cigar
Cigars to be released as a tribute to Fatherhood
Summary: DANIA, FL – June 17, 2009 -
selections, have announced the release of a true company first -
fathers of the company's three principal executives. The cigars are made in one size, finished with a Cuban pigtail at the head,
and presented in handsome chests of 50 cigars, each signed by all three fathers.
DANIA, FL – June 17, 2009 -
time for Father's Day. Alec Bradley Cigars, makers of the highly-
selections, have announced the release of Alec Bradley "Family Blend." Created expressly for the father's of the
company's three principal executives, Alan Rubin (President), Ralph Montero (Vice President), and George Sosa
(National Sales Manager), The "Family Blend" cigars will be one size only, a Robusto, presented in a handsome
chest of 50 cigars bearing the signatures of David Rubin, Miguel Montero and Reinaldo Sosa, respectively. The
cigars are scheduled to arrive in cigar stores on or about June 7th, 2009.
"Alan, Ralph, and I were constantly being begged by our Dads to make a nice medium-
size with a Cuban pigtail," said George Sosa. "Finally, we decided to create a special cigar just for them with a
marvelous aroma. Actually, it turned out to be such a great blend, we started smoking it in the office, and decided to
offer it at Alec Bradley cigar events as our promotional 'mystery' cigar. The cigars had no bands, and were so well
received, we had a lot of smokers asking to buy it."
"I was strictly against selling it at first," said Rubin, "because the cigars were made in dedication to our Dads. For
me it was something just between us." However, Ralph Montero was certain that the time was right to release the
fathers' blend, or what eventually became known as the "family blend." George agreed, and was somehow able to
convince Alan to release the cigar. (How he got him to change his mind is another story in itself, but at least Alan's
now smiling.)
"The cigar is a knockout with an incredible medium body, and loaded with multidimensional flavor," added Sosa.
"Of course, the best part is, each box will have also have our three heroes' signatures on them."
Miami, FL, 18 June 2009… Espinosa y Ortega and Miami Cigar & Company have determined that the final two sizes, of the limited edition series Mi Barrio, are being released, simultaneously, this month.
“Mi Barrio,” a limited edition of four (4) sizes to be released quarterly after IPCPR in ’08 is packed in an exquisite box with art created by the Cuban artist Edin Gutierez. The production was limited to 1,000 boxes of each edition.
“El Puro,” a double corona was released July 15, 2008. “El Acere,” (6” x 50) was released October 15, 2008.
Having delayed the release of “El Forro,” (7” x 48) from its originally scheduled February 15, 2009 release date. The delay was due to the need to increase production of their highly successful Cubao cigars.
Espinosa y Ortega is now combining the release of El Forro with the release of the final cigar in the series, “El Billetero,” a 5.5” x 52 Belicoso.
The names of the last two cigars reflect very traditional Cuban happenings in the barrio (neighbourhood).
El Forro is a move in dominos, not necessarily respectable, where a player tries to sneak the wrong tile onto the table. He has a 6/3, the available dominos are 4 and 8 – he uses the 6/3 in the hope that no one will notice. It happens!
El Billetero is a ‘lottery ticket seller’, and one is depicted in Gutierrez’s art in a traditional street scene. “La Bolita” is somewhat like a lottery, on a smaller scale. Playing La Bolita is an everyday occurrence in Cuban culture.
While these releases bring an end to the Limited Edition Series, Eddie Ortega of Espinosa y Ortega said, “The cigar smoking community truly liked the Mi Barrio blend. I am not sure what the future will hold for that particular bland. Erik (Espinosa) and I will be discussing it with Rene Castaneda (Miami Cigar & Company Vice President), and come to a decision regarding how we might use it. We have additional tobacco available.”
“These were truly limited editions and tobacconists and smokers were eager for the blend, so we decided to ship the last two (2) sizes now. We have been filing orders since Monday, 15 June,” remarked Rene Castaneda.
