The Gran Habano – G.R. Tabacaleras Co. cigar factory located on “Calle Ocho”, 8th street, in the Little Havana district of Miami is completed and ready to roll. Focusing on the highest standard for the cigar community the factory will employ 10 Cuban rollers who will produce no more than 1,000 cigars per day to ensure quality and consistency. This will be the base of our new cigar line “Gran Habano Miami” which will lead off with the soon-to-be-released Black Corojo, Opium Miami and the continuance of our STK program.

Black Corojo will be an extension of our popular Gran Habano Corojo #5 line. As the name implies, it will feature the industries first black corojo cigar wrapper. Due to the overwhelming success of our Opium release it will become a regular production cigar line known as Opium Miami. Production on both of these cigars will be based on traditional Cuban sizes and the blends will be revised to take the connoisseur to the next level.

A blend lab, called G.A.R. Deli, will also be made available to anyone who has ever dreamt of creating their own cigar. This program will put you in the position of the master blender; allowing the creation of a cigar tailored to your unique palate. Materials on hand will fluctuate every two weeks to affirm that the possibilities are endless.

Our Gran Habano – G.R. Tabacaleras Co. factory also features a luxury lounge and the official Gran Habano humidor. Patrons will be able to choose from our lines – both old and new. We also have products that are not widely available to the public such the Corojo #5 lancero, Cabinet Selection (and a private Cabinet Selection Lancero) and other unique size formats.

Today’s featured review comes from the Texas cigar blogger Tony Casas. He was kind of enough to take the time to review our latest release from the STK cigar line – the G..A.R. Opium. We especially love his reviews because he uses the opportunity to pair his cigar with a unique beverage and in this instance he went with “Prickly Passion Saison” beer. As usual we will post some segments from his review and we urge you to visit his website (link at the bottom) for the full reading.

“… The wrapper on this cigar gives off a very interesting sweet pine aroma while the foot produces nothing more than a bold tobacco scent… Instead of getting the run of the mill tobacco flavor I was anticipating the G.A.R. Opium let loose this crazy spicy, sweet, cedar flavor with even a bit of pepper on just the cold draw alone.”

“…I was welcomed with a very sweet tobacco flavor with a bit of honey, cinnamon and some subtle cedar with a bit of pepper that only teased my lips and tongue. The draw on this cigar is dead on, filling my mouth with tons of thick smoke with every puff.”

“…Along with the sweet tobacco, cedar, and honey I am not picking up some interesting floral and citrus notes…The retrohale is a nice addition to the experience to coating my nasal passage with a very bold, sweet cedar. ”

“Gran Habano is a company that sometimes gets passed by cigar smokers. Just because they are affordable doesn’t mean they aren’t supburb cigars and the Opium is a perfect example of that. Perfect construction, great flavors, complex yet smooth. It really doesn’t get better than that. This is a perfect cigar for any occasion.”

Head on over to CasasFumando.com to read the full review on our STK Opium.

Cigar blogger extraordinaire, G.C. Puffs, recently took the opportunity to review one of our newest releases of 2011 – the Gran Habano / G.A.R. Zulu Zulu Habano. The STK Zulu Zulu Habano measures 7 ½ x 40, uses a Nicaraguan wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan filler. It is also a special release for us because a portion of the sales are being donated to the Invisible Children project. With that being said, allow us to share a few snippets from this review followed by a link G.C. Puff’s fabulous site:

“…the first few draws from the cigar abruptly caught my attention as I was met with a very pleasant mix of spice and dark roasted nuts, with the spice having not a black pepper taste but more of a spice mix of black and red pepper.”

“…dark roasted nuts were met with hints of creamy coffee and the spice mix was working between them giving a very succulent combination.”

“The richness of the dark roasted nuts was working wonderfully with the coffee which at this point became more of a dark roasted affair, with touches of leather beginning to creep in. the spice had become more delicate in the mix of flavors but still made its presence known, as did the creaminess of the smoke.”

“Grand flavors flowed superbly together of leather, nuts and dark coffee with the spice speaking more of itself at the end. The last puff gave a complete overview of the complexity of the smoke as flavors spun and mixed together in that last wonderful draw.

The Gran Habano Zulu Zulu Red is a flavor treat, loads of taste that do not stop, and a joy to smoke.”

You can head on over to GCPuffs.com to read the full review on the Zulu Zulu Habano lancero.

For this weeks Gran Habano update we would like to focus on one of the most recent reviews we received from SethsHumidor.com. They took the time to smoke and review the Corojo #5 Churchill for their readers. And we would like to thank them for all the kind words they shared with everyone. So what exactly did they say?

To begin with they gave us quite the introduction: “I will say that this is one of the best corojo cigars made. This is a cigar that you buy boxes of, and enjoy everyday. Every person I have ever talked to about this cigar has loved it, and if they have not smoked it they soon love it. To this day I can’t find anyone who has not enjoyed this cigar, and if you are one of those people you need help. I am serious, this cigar is amazing! The cigar has been on the market since 2003, and to this day it is still rocking! I love Gran Habano Cigars as a company, and a part of that comes with the fact that they make great cigars.”

They continue to go on and describe the smoking of the cigar in segments before finally giving the overall smoking experience 93 points. During the breakdown SethHumidor.com uses some descriptive words such as “perfect”, “complex”, “awesome” and … well .. you’re going to have to read their full review to see exactly what they said.

Read the full review directly on SethsHumidor.com website.

Hot on the heels of the Zulu Zulu, that was just rated 91 by Cigar Aficionado, the STK Opium is now ready to be released into the wild. After years of experimenting with wrappers, fillers, blends and various prototypes George Rico has finally developed a cigar worthy of the unique name Opium.

The STK Opium is comprised of a Nicaraguan Habano Corojo Hybrid wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder and a mixture of unique fillers at deliver power and flavor to this limited production cigar. Only 1,000 boxes of the 6 x 52 Opium have been created and each cigar will have an MSRP of just $9.

Shipments are now leaving the warehouse and will soon be at your local retailers. All of our STK retailers, STK cigars and future projects (as they are announced) can be located on our website: STK Accounts.

The following review was brought to you by Straight Up Cigars: Read the original review here.

Cigar: Azteca Fuerte
Maker: Gran Habano
Size: Torpedo 6×52

Prelight Inspection:
Here we have a nice oily maduro wrapped cigar. After taking off the cedar sleeve I can see that the wrapper is placed very well with small/hardly visible veins and and nice tight roll. The Azteca band is identical to the boxed as is the wrapper and binder. Overall this looks like a very well made cigar. After giving it a slice with the trusty Palio the draw is perfect. A very nice buttery aroma is present on the cold draw.

1st Third:
Right away I’m getting tons of smoke on the draw laced with sweet earthy notes. There is a touch of spice in the sinuses but overall it is starting off very smooth. About a quarter inch in it is already picking up a toffee note near the finish. The smoke is really coating my palate and giving it a smooth buttery texture. Burn is progressing very well and nearing the 2nd third the ash is still holding on.

2nd Third:
Still a ton of sweetness up front which is complimented nicely by the toffee which has now become the dominant flavor. There is also a cinnamon spice which has now crept up and lingers on the finish. The cigar is still quite smooth and buttery. This stick started in the Medium range and has now crept up into the Med/Full range. Burn is great. Ash held on for almost two inches.

Last Third:
The cigar is definitely warming up a bit. Draw is still good though. The cigar has taken on a darker tone with the toffee changing over to espresso. The spice is also a little stronger now and leaves a very pronounced cinnamon flavor on the finish. I would definitely say that it is now in the full bodied range. Surprisingly it has not gotten bitter only stronger, so I will try to nub this one.

Conclusion:
I have had the pleasure of smoking the boxed version of this cigar and as far as I can tell it is almost identical in construction and flavor. The wrapper is a shade or two lighter and it seems to burn a bit quicker. If I were to speculate I would say that at some point when the tobacco is sorted before rolling, some of the “not so perfect” leaves are set aside for this cigar. So basically, if you want the same smoking experience at well under half the cost then snatch some of these up pronto.

Rating:
Flavor and Taste: 17/20
Construction: 10/10
Wrapper: 5/5
Price Point: 9/10
Would I buy a box: 5/5
Total: 46/50

The following review was brought to you by Straight Up Cigars: Read the original review here.

The Wine
Vision Cellars 2007 Pinot Noir
Coster Vineyard
Russian River Valley
Vision Cellars
Rutherford, California, USA
Visioncellars.com
14.2% abv
$42.00 a bottle
Visit visioncellars.com and read about the owners interesting story.

Appearance: ruby pinot color with a light amber edge

Aroma: big summertime plum, touch of berries, and a hint of spice. Delicate bouquet.

Flavors: dark cherry adds a nice sweetness, plum helps to lighten up the body, black raspberry, a Dr. Pepper quality, nice light touch of spice.

Mouthfeel: velvety smooth, perfect for a relaxing evening. Lingering berry/cherry notes. Tannins are light.

My Strength Rating: 3.5 – velvety, silky, satiny whatever you want to call it’s just damn smooth – I’ll just say it is just plain sexy.

You want to impress your date or mate, buy this bottle. Just don’t forget to open it. And, that is easy – it is a twist off.
93 pts. Wine Spectator
91 pts. Wine Enthusiast

The Cigar
Gran Habano Cabinet Selection Gran Consul

Wrapper: Corojo

Fillers: Nicaraguan

Size: 4.7 x 60 box-pressed

Off the Light: tasty forest floor earthy notes right off the bat. Around the first inch mark I start to notice a toasty cashew nut quality. An easy, smooth, medium bodied smoke at this point.

Mid-Point: nice firm salt and pepper ash. The forest floor earthy tones have evolved into a light mineral rich soil note. There are toasty grains (oats?), pecan, fennel, and a dusting of cinnamon. I have never had this cigar before but, from this impression I may have a new favorite. I am glad I bought two sticks.

The mouthfeel is very pleasing, rich, smooth leather, inviting, and I am thinking about a 4.5 or a 4 for my strength rating at this point.

Down the Stretch: the rich soil becomes a little firmer; there is still a good mineral quality to the smoking experience. The sweet spice is just a hint, the toasted grains become a bit stronger. The mouthfeel is clearly in the medium body range. A firm 5 on my strength rating.

The Pairing
This is one tasty combination. The complex flavors of the cigar mingle eloquently with the smooth and sexy style of this Pinot Noir. The rich earthy tones, tasty toasty grains, and sweet spices of the cigar are lavished with the wines wonderful dark cherry, ripe plum, black raspberry and Dr. Pepper likeness. This is bliss. I don’t want it to end.

Read the original review here.

The 2011 IPCPR in Las Vegas was a great success and it was amazing to see all the retailers, cigar manufacturers, media and random guests have a great time. We also wanted to take the time to thank everyone that came by our booth and especially those who were daring enough to try our freeze-dried ice cream.

Also, to answer all the questions we got at the show and through email: The Gran Habano flat black ice cream truck is fully functional and operational. It is a 1967 International Metro-Mite, it was a straight-six engine that was rebuilt (mostly using Chevy parts), the top speed is 45 MPH, painted with a true Hot Rod Black and highlighted with a custom red that was created at the paint booth. The interior was redone with a synthetic grass floor, velvet diamond walls, 4 speaks, two 12 inch subs, a working fridge, a racing Sparco seat and the interior lights were all changed to blacklights.

Now that we can move on – The 2011 IPCPR was the first time we had the opportunity to show some of our new cigars that will be hitting the market soon. The first groups of cigars were the limited production STK lines. These included the Zulu Zulu which will be releasing in an Ecuadorian and Habano blend both of which will ship soon. Opium was also at the show and will be the second release of STK program; Opium will ship to the retailers in November.

Our second exciting release at the show is was the V.I.P. by Geroge A. Rico. This will be our new budget line of cigars that will retail for $3.50, $4.00 and $4.50 (depending on the size and taxes). We will have a sweet tipped Ecuadorian Connecticut, Nicaraguan Natural and a Nicaraguan Maduro. The binder and filler of all 3 cigars are Nicaraguan. While we are already known for offering great cigars at an amazing price – these will be even easier on the wallet (and taste great too).

Updates to the GHCigars.com Website: We have updated our “Cigars” section to include the Gran Reserva #3 and the V.I.P. offerings. We will be diligent in updating the site as we will be featuring a list of all STK retailers, weekly contests, reviews, events and of course our products. So stay tuned!

Click here to check out the V.I.P. cigars.

The first cigar from the new Gran Habano STK line will be the personal blend of George Rico called Zulu Zulu. Measuring 7 1/2 x 40 with a pig tail finish this lancero will have an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and Nicaraguan filler. Created many years ago for his private collection, by George himself, this will be the first time it is officially released to the public.

This one time production will be limited to a maximum of 2,000 boxes from our highest skilled rollers in the Honduran factory. Each box will feature one of two unique images commissioned by George Rico from the Miami artist, and friend, known as “Kid”. Gran Habano will release the Zulu Zulu to select retailers across the country.

While limited in production, pricing will still remain affordable with an MSRP of $9.00.

As the personal cigar in his private collection George A. Rico wanted to take the opportunity to bring awareness to an organization he holds close to his heart – Invisible Children.

Invisible Children is an organization; “…that uses film, creativity and social action to end the use of child soldiers in Joseph Kony’s rebel war and restore LRA-affected communities in central Africa to peace and prosperity.”

A portion of the proceeds from all boxes sold will be donated directly to Invisible Children. For more information on Invisible Children please take the time to explore their website and videos at http://InvisibleChildren.com

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Matt, Terry and Darren from StraightUpCigars.com (link below) selected the Gran Habano Azteca to review for one of their most recent online HERF’s. Check out the website for a complete chat transcript and find out what they felt about the Azteca.

We don’t want to leave you completely hanging so here is a summary of what they thought: “If you would like to skip straight to the juicy part, here it is: this was a great cigar. All three of us were very impressed with this medium/full bodied cigar. Toasty, spicy, and sweet for the first couple of thirds with the last third being dominated with espresso and spice.”

Please take the time to read the StraightUpCigars.com review!