Weekly Email – Dec. 17th, 2014

Join us on Tuesday, December 23rd for holiday cheer, delicious baked ham, and some outrageous deals (up to 50% off!) on overstock and closeout items!Our holiday hours are as follows:

Wed., December 24th (Christmas Eve): 10:00am to 2:00pm
Thu., December 25th (Christmas Day): CLOSEDWed., December 31st (New Year’s Eve): 10:00am to 2:00pm
Thu., January 1st (New Year’s Day): CLOSED

A few of the first releases from Drew Estate following their acquisition by Swisher in October are these: two new sizes of the popular Kentucky Fire Cured (a.k.a. KFC) line, the Hamhock (3 3/4″ x 56) and the Kyoto (5 1/2″ x 34), as well as a new entry in the so-called “core line” of Drew’s MUWAT series (formerly known as “My Uzi Weighs a Ton”), the Nightcrawler (4 1/2″ x 50). Apparently the blends are unchanged from the originals, so this only represents an extension of the KFC and MUWAT lines. Anyway, we’ve got them, so stock up! These smaller sizes are ideal for a quick winter smoke that won’t leave you shivering on the porch for an hour.

A highly-anticipated release from the estimable Rocky Patel, the Prohibitionseries is a tribute to the noble failure of the Volstead Act way back in the early 20th century.Two cigars, one size: a 6 ½” x 52 toro, both comprised of Nicaraguan binder and fillers from Esteli and Jalapa. The major difference is in the wrapper leaf: one utilizes Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro, while the other incorporates Mexican San Andrés (and yes, Virginia, it’s San ANDRÉS, like the Giant, not “San Andreas,” like the Fault, though they both refer to the same saint…namely, Saint Andrew).

How are they? Don’t know! I haven’t tried them yet. But rumor has it that the Broadleaf version boasts a “sweet, spicy profile.” We’ve got a limited supply of both on hand, so come on by and indulge in a little bootlegging before the holidays leave us in the dust!

By now, you may have heard the news flash: The United States and Cuba are in the preliminary stages of reconciliation after nearly 60 years of cold war. What does this mean for the casual cigar smoker? Well, what it boils down to is that tourists may now legally bring up to $100 worth of cigars out of Cuba and into the U.S. That’s not much in the big scheme of things – less than a full box, typically.A true end to the Cuban Embargo may well be in the offing, though it would require an act of Congress. But that would be some serious news indeed; not only in terms of scarce cigars becoming widely available, but also with regard to the new possibilities of blending authentic Cuban leaf with the excellent strains currently being cultivated in Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and elsewhere around the world.

So, yes, this could be the dawn of a Cigar Renaissance… In the meantime, let’s keep our lighters filled and see what develops!