Cigar Coop Prime Time Show

On the Smoking Syndicate Roundtable 19, the Cigar Coop Coalition tackles the 2024 version of Foundation Cigar Company’s Wise Man Maduro in the Toro size. Foundation Cigar Company announced earlier this year that its El Güegüense and Wise Man Maduro lines would no longer be produced at Aganrosa Leaf. The company announced the cigars El Güegüense would be rebranded as Wise Man Corojo. In addition both Wise Man Corojo and Wise Man Maduro would now be produced at the My Father Cigars factory and would also receive new blends. Tonight, the Wise Man Maduro Toro we smoke is the latest blend iteration.

On the Smoking Syndicate Roundtable 18, the Cigar Coop Coalition tackles the Black Label Trading Company (BLTC) Orthodox in the Toro size. Black Label Trading Company (BLTC) has certainly been known for its bold blends. In recent years blender James Brown has truly expanded his horizons becoming very successful at creating cigars across the spectrum. With Orthodox, Brown gets back to the roots of BLTC highlighting the strength and intensity of Nicaraguan tobacco

On Prime Time Jukebox Episode 147, it’s our annual year in review. In Jukebox style we look back at both music and cigars for the year 2024. This includes Jukebox classic segments such as Now or Never and Crystal Ball. On this show, Dave smokes the Curivari Buenaventura Favoritos Maduro while Coop smokes the Rocky Patel Emerald. Episode 147 Playlist References Cigar Jukebox Top 50 Cigar Coop: 2024 Cigar of the Year Countdown Alfa Anderson Dies Questlove Directing ’50 Years of SNL Music’ Documentary for NBC Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, and More Misused Millions in COVID-19 Relief Money for Luxury Purchases: Report Kennedy Center Honors Highlights 2024 Wham! Bags U.K.’s Christmas No. 1 With Festive Classic ‘Last Christmas’

The Trinidad Espiritu Series No. 3 Toro by Altadis U.S.A. is ranked #14 on the 2024 Cigar Coop Cigar of the Year Countdown. Back in 2019, the Trinidad brand celebrated its 50th anniversary. The Trinidad brand traces its roots back to Cuba, but Altadis U.S.A. has owned the Trinidad brand in the U.S. for quite some time. For a while, the brand was almost dormant in the Altadis portfolio. That changed in 2019 when, coinciding with Trinidad’s 50th anniversary, Altadis U.S.A. launched the Trinidad Espiritu Series. This would take a whole new spin on the Trinidad brand and essentially bring the brand back to life in the Altadis portfolio. Currently, there are three Trinidad Espiritu releases, with Espiritu No. 3 being the latest in the series. Each installment pays homage to a different cigar-producing Latin American region. Each installment also features vibrant packaging reflecting that region. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-uwC

The Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Bull comes in at #15 on the 2024 Cigar Coop Cigar of the Year Countdown. The Eye of the Bull debuted at the 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, but if you looked closely at the Fuente booth at the 2022 PCA Show, you might have seen it tucked away. The Eye of the Bull has two distinguishing characteristics. First, it is a short but plump cigar, measuring only 3 1/2 x 55. Second, the cap has something resembling a bullseye on it – which is just a small, dark, circular Maduro. The cigar was a project spearheaded by Arturo Fuente International Executive President Ciro Cascella. It is the second “Eye” in the Don Carlos brand as the more famous “Eye” is the Don Carlos Eye of the Shark. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-uvX

Coming in at #16 on the 2024 Cigar Coop Cigar of the Year Countdown is the E.P. Carrillo Pledge of Allegiance. Pledge of Allegiance is the first limited-edition installment of E.P. Carrillo's Perez-Carrillo series. The name is derived from the third and fourth installments of the Perez-Carrilo line, the Pledge and Allegiance, respectively. The idea for the name came from EPC Chief Operating Officer Selim Hanono. While the name is a mashup of the Pledge and Allegiance names, the blend is completely different as it emphasizes incorporating U.S. Grown American Tobaccos. Given the name of the cigar and the use of the American Tobaccos, the Pledge of Allegiance was targeted to be an annual release just in time for the 4th of July. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-uuv

Coming in at #17 on the 2024 Cigar Coop Cigar of the Year Countdown is the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Edición Diamante Toro by Altadis U.S.A. In 2020, Rafael Nodal and Altadis U.S.A. teamed up with AJ Fernandez to release a cigar commemorating 85 years of the Montecristo brand, the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua. The cigar proved to be both critically acclaimed and commercially successful for Altadis U.S.A., including landing #12 on the 2021 Countdown. Another blend was under consideration during the development of the original Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua. At that time, Nodal believed this blend had potential, but he felt the tobaccos required more aging. As a result, that blend was not used initially. Fast forward a little over three years, and that blend has transformed into the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Edición Diamante. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-uts

Coming in at #18 on the 2024 Cigar Coop Cigar of the Year Countdown is the Liga Privada 10 Aniversario by Drew Estate. In 2018, Drew Estate celebrated the tenth anniversary of the Liga Privada brand by introducing two cigars: The 10 Aniversario and the H99 Connecticut Corojo. These two releases were groundbreaking because they incorporated uncommon wrappers from the State of Connecticut. The Liga Privada 10 Aniversario uses a Connecticut-grown Criollo wrapper, while the H99 uses a hybrid Connecticut-grown Corojo wrapper. While the cigars were unveiled in 2018, these remained extremely limited releases for nearly four years due to low yields of the wrapper. In 2023, that would change, and the 10 Aniversario and H99 Connecticut would begin to reach the market. Initially released in a Toro, Drew Estate has now expanded production of the Liga Privada 10 Aniversario to include a Robusto, which lands on this year's countdown. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-urR  

Coming in at #19 on the 2024 Cigar Coop Cigar of the Year Countdown is the Arturo Fuente Rare Pink Vintage 1960’s in the Sophisticated Hooker size. Pink is a color associated with breast cancer awareness. With the Rare Pink Vintage 1960s, Fuente is raising awareness and funds for breast cancer research by donating a portion of the sales to support these initiatives. Company Chairman Carlos “Carlito” Fuente got the inspiration to support this cause from his daughter Liana, who lost both her grandmother and aunt to breast cancer. The boxes of these cigars are pink, and the bands have pink accents. The bands also have a retro vibe reminiscent of the 1960s, when Carlito was growing up. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-uoR  

Coming in at #20 on the 2024 Cigar Coop Cigar of the Year Countdown is the Aramas A55 from Oz Family Cigars. The “Oz” stands for Ozgener and its the company founded by Tim Ozgener. If the name sounds familiar, the Ozgeners are the same family that owned CAO Cigars. It was at CAO where Tim worked alongside his father, the late Cano Ozgener. Eventually, the Ozgeners sold CAO to the Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG). Once CAO was assimilated into the STG portfolio in 2010, Tim departed the cigar industry. He stayed away 12 years until 2022 when it was announced he was forming his own company, Ozgener Family Cigars. This past year, Ozgener Family Cigars became Oz Family Cigars. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-unz

The #21 Cigar of the Year for 2024 is the Black Works Studio S&R (2023) Corona Larga from Oveja Negra Brands. S&R made its debut in 2018 as a limited edition small batch line under the Black Works Studio brand. At the time, it was a significant release for owner and blender James Brown because it marked his first release with a Sumatra wrapper and his first release with Dominican tobacco. There were additional small batch releases in 2019 and 2020 of S&R. Last year, James Brown decided to revamp the blend with the big change being incorporating a barber-pole wrapper. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-ulS

The #22 Cigar of the Year for 2024 is the Perdomo 30th Anniversary Sun Grown Epicure. As the name indicates, the cigar commemorates 30 years of Perdomo Cigars. The Sun Grown is one of three blends that make up the Perdomo 30th Anniversary line. The cigar was unveiled at the 2023 Premium Cigar Association Trade Show. For the final packaging, Perdomo’s Arthur Kemper and Nicholas Perdomo III kept the design under wraps from CEO Nick Perdomo until the night before the trade show. The packaging was shown to Nick and he was quite pleased with it. The next day, the world got to see the 30th. A few months later, Perdomo shipped its 30th-anniversary line to retailers. As mentioned, the Perdomo 30th Anniversary line includes three blends. Each is denoted by a different wrapper: Connecticut, Sun Grown, and Maduro. It's the Sun Grown that lands on this spot on the Countdown. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-ulo

The #23 Cigar of the Year for 2024 is the Padrón Family Reserve No. 96 Maduro. At the 2022 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, Padrón Cigars showcased what would be the seventh installment of its Family Reserve line, the Padrón Family Reserve No. 96. Like most Padrón Cigars, the Family Reserve No. 96 was offered in Natural and Maduro blends. The “96” is significant because it commemorates what would have been the 96th birthday of the late José Orlando Padrón. The Family Reserve No. 96 was offered exclusively to those retailers that attended the 2022 PCA Trade Show. This past spring, both blends of the Padrón Family Reserve No. 96 made their way to retailers. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-ukw

On Prime Time Episode 327, we are proud to welcome back the one and only Rafael Nodal of Tabacalera USA to the Prime Time Show. Rafael closes out the 2024 year for the Prime Time Show - and there is plenty to talk about this year - including Montecristos, anniversary cigars, barber-poles, and the return of one the La Boheme. We will also have our FSG Beef, Alec Bradley Live True, Espinosa, and Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Industry Deliberation segments.

The #24 Cigar of the Year for 2024 is the Saga Golden Age Yamasá by De Los Reyes Cigars. Saga is a brand owned and produced by the Reyes family in the Dominican Republic. The Reyes family launched the Saga brand in 2015, and one of the first brands was a Dominican puro known as the Saga Golden Age. The Reyes family has nearly 170 years of experience in all aspects of cigar making. They built their reputation as tobacco growers and tobacco brokers in the Dominican Republic, so it made sense to go to market with a Dominican puro. Now, the Reyes family takes the next step with the Golden Age by introducing the Golden Age to Yamasá. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-uhT

The #25 Cigar of the Year for 2024 is the Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa Limited Release 2022. The BII Viso Jalapa was first introduced by Cavalier Genève in 2021 as the third regular production line branded with the Cavalier brand. A little over a year later, Cavalier would launch its “Limited Release” series. The Cavalier Limited Release Series consists of “one-and-done” releases derived from their core lines but in one size with what the company describes as “interesting twists.” BII Viso Jalapa Limited Release 2022 was the first installment. This is another late 2022 release that still fell in the 2 year window on Cigar Coop, thus was eligible for the 2024 list. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-uhQ

The #26 Cigar of the Year for 2024 Aladino Sumatra from JRE Tobacco Co..   JRE is the company owned by Julio Eiroa and his son Justo. Since its inception (and before), JRE that has been synonymous with authentic corojo. Julio Eiroa is largely credited with bringing authentic corojo back to the market utilizing agricultural innovations. Those innovations have not stopped and more recently through its farm the company has been at the forefront of several other innovation projects. Four years ago the company released a cigar utilizing a Honduran-grown Cameroon seed wrapper. In 2023, JRE struck again - this time delivering a Honduran-grown Sumatra seed wrapper. It would be this leaf that would be used on the Aladino Sumatra. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-uet

On Prime Time Jukebox Episode 146, we present Down the Rabbit Hole #7– our 7th installment of this series. The concept works as follows: Dave and Coop start with a familiar song and then go down the path of selecting a song inspired by that song. Each will go through ten iterations of this exercise and choose a song from the inspired previous song selected. Ultimately, we will see where this journey takes each of them. Plus we got music news, cigar news, the music pairing of the week, and the Developing Palates Review of the Week In this episode, we smoke Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust’s #GFY Lanceros.  Coop smokes the #5 while Dave smokes the Candela. As always, you can follow along with our Spotify Playlists: Episode 146 Playlist References Cigar Jukebox Top 50 Cigar Coop: 2024 Cigar of the Year Countdown Cigar Prop: Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust #GFY Lancero Sampler Blind Review  Dolly Parton Launches Open Casting Call For Her ‘Dolly: An Original Musical’ Broadway Show NPR: The 50 Best Albums Of 2024 NPR

The 2024 #27 Cigar of the Year is the La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona from Ashton Cigars. Ashton as a company does not release a lot of new cigars, but the past few years has been a busy one for Ashton's La Aroma de Cuba brand. La Aroma de Cuba, along with San Cristobal are Ashton's Nicaraguan brands that come out of My Father Cigars. For La Aroma de Cuba, the brand has undergone packaging changes. Post-pandemic, there have also been two new brands added: Pasión and Connecticut. As the name indicates, the La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut features a Connecticut shade wrapper. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-uen

The 2024 #28 Cigar of the Year is the Plasencia Ehtëfal. The release of the Plasencia Ehtëfal was meant to coincide with the 2022 FIFA World Cup that was taking place in Qatar in November 2022. Plasencia Cigars clarified that this was not a commemorative cigar for the World Cup but more of a celebratory cigar (Ehtëfal is the Arabic word for celebration). This limited edition release hit the market in 2022, and it was something we assessed late last year, so it falls in the qualification window on the Cigar Coop Countdown for 2024. Coming in at $65.00, it was Plasencia's most expensive cigar at the time it was released. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-u9N