Today they had the man who helped build the Ashton brand, Manny Ferrero. This former Philadelphia Police officer (he worked vice, and high crimes tactical, amongst other departments, so he has some “Bad Ass Tough Guy” credibility) has been with Ashton for over 20 years.. His current position with the company is Vice President of Sales, but it very well could have been “Brand Ambassador” by the way he carries himself, represents the company, and shares his knowledge and love of the brand to all of those in attendance. Accompanying Manny was Andy Green, Sales Representative, and the man with the job any Joe would kill for. (Oh to be a cigar rep….I can dream while I write, can’t I?)

"Enjoying" a Heritage with Andy

Today we tasted the Ashton Heritage Puro Sol, rated one of the Years top 25 cigars, and after smoking it, it was easy to see why.

The Ashton Heritage Puro Sol after a few puffs.

Before I get to the cigar, let me tell you a little about what makes Manny so special. He has a talent for matching cigars with alcohol, and food to the extant that it enhances the flavor of all that is involved. This is why Ashton is the leading cigar brand when it comes to such events, and high end tastings. Today Manny introduced me to the combination of Johnnie Walker Black, organic dark chocolate, and a Heritage Puro Sol. What we did was take a sip of Johnnie, then a piece of chocolate, followed another drink of Johnnie. Next we took a puff of the cigar, and blew a little out through our nose, which completed the convergence of all things delicious. First off having the dark chocolate before taking the sip of Johnnie changed the flavor in a nice way. The alcohol became smoother, and richer. Then the cigar became creamier and bolder. Another pairing Manny recommended is Vodka (a happy choice for this Kettle drinker), a green apple, and of course, an Ashton. When it comes to clearing the palate, Manny recommends unsalted cashews between cigars. They help to absorb the oils in your mouth, and give you a clean slate for the next stick to burn for your taste enjoyment. 

The Ashton spread at Buttheads.

The Heritage Puro Sol is the latest from Ashton to come out for your smoking enjoyment. They are hoping that this line will be on par with the Fuente Don Carlos, and they plan it have it compete with the staple brand. (For those of you that don’t know Ashton is partially owned by Fuente, so this “sibling rivalry” will be fun for fans of both lines.) Now back to the Heritage, we are talking a fully sun grown cigar that has a amazing spicy, yet smooth taste all wrapped in a Cameroon leaf. I did not want to put it down after I lit it & took my first puff. Now my personal favorite Ashton is the VSG, so I had high expectations and standards, and this stick did not disappoint. This was a nice spicy, yet mellower departure from the VSG.

Try as i could, I couldn't sell Manny on creating the Ashton "Joe's Smoke Enjoy" line!

I know that Ashton may not be the everyday brand for most of you. Depending on the line and size they range from $8 to $20 a stick, but if you want to delve into the $8 to $10 range the, Heritage is a good choice. Now if that is too painful for the pocket these days, fear not, your friends at Ashton have not forsaken you to die of neglect on the cross of cigar exclusivity. The make the well renowned (and lower priced) La Aroma de Cuba. These Nicaraguan & Honduran filled babies were a favorite brand of Winston Chruchill (you may have heard of him; ran England, helped kick some Nazi ass in the 40’s, and oh yeah, a cigar size is also named after him.), so if he liked it, I think it may be worth a try. Coming this September they will be reworking the Edicion Especial! The Cuban seed tobaccos grown in Nicaraguan volcanic soil will be wrapped in the Connecticut broad leaf (Manny’s favorite), and it will keep the same price point post SCHIP tax! So look for a even better cigar at the same price. Yep, another company that will absorb the SCHIP tax just to make sure that their customers are taken care of in these hard times, and in my opinion taking the correct approach to ensure brand loyalty. So you will be able to enjoy a stick for between $4.75 and $7.00.

As always, we had a great time at Buttheads, and look forward to what Kevin will bring us next. Check out their site at http://www.buttheadstobacco.com for upcoming events and information, and we hope to see you there.

A sample of the cigars showcased at the event

Tom O’Hearn from Perdomo, and Kevin Page from Buttheads

For those of you that don’t know, let me tell you a little about Buttheads, and the man behind it Kevin Page. He is down to earth, and very honest. He will tell you flat out that he may not be the lowest price around, but he is fair (I can attest to that as a regular customer), and there is a good chance that if it is a brand you are looking for, he has it. They offer over 1,800 open facings! You heard me right, you can choose from over 1800 different smokes in this cigar paradise for Joes like us. Now if that is not enough, once the upcoming renovations are complete, they will increase their offerings to over 2000! This is a place that understands that cigar smoking is all about choice, and Kevin prides himself on that. On top of this they are a must hit for cigar tasting & events in Connecticut. They are quick to break out the grill & the coolers making it the perfect cigar barbeque. Smokes, beer, burgers, brats, and good people; what more could you want? (Aside from maybe a poker game, a pole and adult entertainment, I think it is all there!) Another great thing is the knowledge that staff has. They are not about the big sale, or the box sale, but making recommendations based on taste, preference, value, and enjoyment. This is a smart philosophy that helps to build a loyal customer base. Even though Kevin has his run of the store, his 2 current staple smokes are the CAO MX2 Torro, and the CAO Brazalia Box Press. Both cigars can be had for around $7.00 and, I will be doing write ups on both soon.

Here I am with Tom & Kevin. I have a smile that can only come from a nice Maduro!

Today they had Tom O’Hearn from Perdomo cigars at the store. He was talking about their products, their stance on the tax, and of course handing out some great smokes for us to enjoy. At Tom’s recommendation I lit up a Perdomo Habano Maduro (a good follow up to the Perdomo Habano Corojo that I reviewed yesterday). This is a nice hearty smoke that lasted for 60 tasty minutes, allowing me to give it my JoesSmoke stamp of approval. It is a great Maduro for around $6.00. He then talked about the man behind the cigars, Nick Perdomo, and his quest for perfection. He has held back releases, almost to the detriment of his business just to assure that his cigars meet his high standards before they are released. Talking to Tom, you find out that Perdomo is a brand for the Joes. They don’t over invest in advertising, which helps to control cost, and they are actually lowering some of their prices as a result of SCHIP tax (or it’s official name, the evil, we hate cigar smokers’ tax). How about that? A company that is doing something proactive to combat the tax. This is a smart business move, sacrifice some upfront profit, and get it back in customer loyalty, and new customers. We know how powerful word of mouth can be. When talking to Tom he would tell me to look for some new and exciting things to come in the next 6 months. Perdomo is committed to delivering a quality cigar at all price points. While the Champagne is one of their top sellers, he believes that the new Lot 23 will become a strong contender for the Perdomo line. With their great taste, low price, and the quality that goes into the tobacco look for these to be a mainstay. (See Albert’s review of them a few pages back)

Reggie talking shop with Tom from Perdomo, and buying sticks at his recomendation.

Remember how I said that Tom recommended the Habano Maduro (you should, it was in the beginning of the last paragraph!) Well that is hands down one of his personal favorites. He has access to the different Perdomo lines (including the ESV, 10^th Anniversary, and Silvio’s), and he picks the Habano. Are you seeing a theme here? The people in the industry, who have access to the great, amazing, and tasty high end cigars know that a great stick does not have to break the bank. So rest assured you shouldn’t either.

We had a great time at Buttheads, and look forward to what Kevin will bring us in the future. Check out their site at http://www.buttheadstobacco.com for upcoming events and information, and we hope to see you there. 

Perdomo, Perdomo, and more Perdomo.

Albert, Arturo Jr, Marc & Reggie in front of the picture of Arturo Fuente I.

This past Friday, March 13^th, Albert, Reggie, and I were down in Ybor City, the Cigar Capital of America. We were given the privilege of interviewing Mr. Arturo Fuente Jr., President of Tampa Sweethearts Cigar Company. While not large in stature, his kind humble nature cast a much larger shadow; a shadow that is the result of four generations in the cigar industry.  Much like Arturo Jr. is caring on the namesake of his grandfather, Arturo I, the man who introduced to the world the Fuente brand, the current company “Tampa Sweethearts” is named after one of his original brands produced over 90 years ago. They are located in the Charles the Great building, one of the original Fuente cigar factories. The building is full of history, from the pictures on the wall of celebrities who have appreciated the Fuente brand (including one of JFK & Arturo Sr., taken just over a week before that faithful day in Dallas), to the original stone walk-in humidor located in the basement. I can go on forever with the rich history of the company, so I am going to stop here so we can move on to the conversations we had with Arturo Fuente Jr.

“Before we start, shall we smoke a Cigar?”

Arturo Fuente Jr. talking about his "Passion" for the business

He hands each of us a Flor De Ybor City Belicoso, which is in a Ecuadorian Sun Grown natural wrapper. A delicious smoke that burned smooth & even, with a robust flavor. I strongly recommend trying it.

 “Passion”, he said, near the end of the interview. I asked Arturo Jr., if he could give me one word to describe Fuente cigars, what would it be, and that was his answer, and through out the meeting, you could see that word ring true. His passion for his family, his heritage, and the cigars his family makes. You may think that “Passion” is a simple answer, but after sitting with the man, it does ring true. There is a special reverence he holds for what his family has done for the cigar community. They foresight that his Grandfather, Arturo I, showed when he knew the future of the industry was in hand rolled cigars, and not the machine presses that were dominating the market decades ago. When he talks about the pride & craftsmanship that his cousin Carlos Jr. places in the cigars he handcrafts, and when he talks about the consistency that Fuente represents. You can be assured that if you are a fan of a specific Fuente label today, it will taste the same batch after batch.

His passion also continued when we talked about the coming cigar tax, and how the industry needs to stand united in fighting it.  “This is bigger then any one company”, he would say.

“Cigars make up a small part of the tobacco industry, and we are an easy target for politicians.”

Arturo Fuente Jr. in the original basement humidor

It is easy to lump cigars in with cigarettes. They are both rolled tobacco products, but most similarities end there. Arturo would go on to say “think of all the chemicals that go into the paper alone, not to mention what is added to the cigarette. There are no added chemicals in a cigar, just natural tobacco, rolled in a natural leaf.”

While I am by no means a Dr. it is clear to me that the health risks are in no way the same.

He also talks about the importance of what the CRA (Cigar Rights of America http://www.cigarrights.org), and how they are working to unite the cigar community against the anti smoking movement.

Here are some excerpts from our interview:

M: What is your favorite cigar?

A: The Don Carlos Robusto (measuring in at 5 ¼ inches, with a 50 gauge ring).

I think it is great that a man that can have any Fuente he wants, smokes a cigar that is under $10 a stick!

M: What is your favorite drink to have while smoking?

A: Scotch. I enjoy wine, but scotch is my favorite.

M: How many cigars do you smoke a day?

A: One to two. Sometimes three, but I won’t light a cigar if I do not have the time to enjoy it. One of the nice things abut the job, smoking is aloud here.

What else do you enjoy about the job?

A: I am doing what I love, and I get to work with my family.

It is true, his daughter, Kristen is the VP of Finance, and MIS there. His father Arturo Sr, still spends his time there, and in fact everyone that we met on the tour was a family member, and you could see in them their pride in this family company

M: What is your #1 selling cigar?

A: Flor De Ybor City #80

M: What would you recommend to someone that was new to cigar smoking?

Arturo Jr. with a sampling of the different cigars in the Fuente line.

A: The Fuente Flor Fina 8-5-8. It is an easy smoke, with great flavor.

M: What can we expect next in the cigar stores?

A: Our Flor De Ybor City line will soon be available in stores. As of now they are only available in bundles here, or by mail order.

M: What is your most sought after cigar?

A: The Opus X, which is Carlos Jr’s creation. He is very proud of that cigar.

M: What can we expect next from Fuente?

A: Well, the company’s 100th anniversary is coming up in 2012……

M: So what can we expect?

A: (hesitates with a smile) Well that is Carlos baby, so I will leave that for him to announce!

R: Do you have any plans for when the Cuban embargo is ended?

A: (with another smile) You’ll have to wait & see!

M: Here’s one you may not want to answer, if you couldn’t smoke a Fuente, what would you smoke?

A: I think I would have to quit! (He says with a laugh)

After the interview Arturo Jr. introduced us to the employees (the family),as he gave us a tour of the old factory. He gave us some great samples, and we were like kids in a candy store when it came to some of their factory direct pricing (I never thought I would be buying an Opus X!) He even personally gave us a ride to our next interview! The three of us could not get over what a nice, personable man he was. We were both grateful, and appreciative of this experience, and will be sure to stop by the next time we are in Tampa.

You can visit them online at http://www.tampasweetheart.com