The Havana Nights Cigar Club Blog

The Havana Nights Cigar Club News

2010-11-30T22:55:00.002-06:00

We are moving up to Anoka this winter where Little Havana Tobacco will host our meetings until spring.

We look forward to a spacious and comfortable atmosphere.

If you need directions go to the web page for Little Havana Tobacco

See you all December 7th!

Come meet KTLK-FM Morning Show host Chris Baker

2010-10-10T18:34:00.003-05:00

Come join Chris Baker at Little Havana Tobacco in Anoka, MN for the Vikes vs Jets on Monday Night Football.

Chris will be there smoking his favorite cigar. Talk politics and football with the KTLK talk show host.

There will be cigar specials running all night.

For more information go to Little Havana Tobacco

Meet Twin Cities author Mark McGinty

2010-09-12T19:22:00.001-05:00

The Havana Nights Cigar Club welcomes Twin Cities author Mark McGinty.

Mark recently published his 2nd book The Cigar Maker. Mark put in 7 years of research to create this turn of the century epic novel.

Mark will be at Vino and Stogies in Mounds View, MN from 5pm to 7pm. He will then talk about the book extensively at The Havana Nights Cigar Club after 7pm.

To find out more about The Cigar Maker to go the website: www.thecigarmaker.net

To read an excerpt from the book, check out The Cigar Advisor.

We hope you can make it out and meet a rising star in the world of publishing.

Wishes and More Wine and Cigar Event

2010-07-14T22:51:00.003-05:00

Wow I have really neglected our blog!

Ben found an event in Fridley next week at the Shorwood Bar and Grill. For the price of admission you get wine, food and of course a cigar. Click the link below to check it out.

http://www.localwineevents.com/events/detail/321493

Monday Night Football

2009-10-04T21:55:00.003-05:00

Vino and Stogies will be open until the end of the Vikings game. They will also have a special on Felipe Gregorio cigars! Come join us in celebrating a Vikings Win.

4th Annual Perfect Ash Open Golf Event

2009-07-24T22:02:00.001-05:00

When: Friday, August 14, 2009

Time: 12:30 p.m. - shotgun start

Where: Goodrich Golf Course
1820 Van Dyke
Maplewood, MN 55119 - 651-777-7355

What: 18-hole Scramble Tournament -- Dinner & Entertainment.
Dinner catered by Thyme to Entertain (ribs & chicken) @ 6:30 p.m.
back at Perfect Ash.

Cost: $80/person includes golf, cart, dinner, prizes, silent auction, raffle and donations to Association of Premium Cigar Store Retailers, of which Perfect Ash is a charter member. Javier Trejo and his Americana band (http://www.javiertrejo.com) will be providing the entertainment for the evening. Perfect Ash's Simon Peter will open for Javier at 7:30 p.m. 100% of proceeds will go to fund lobbying efforts in the State of Minnesota. We need to fight to stop additional smoking bans and higher taxation!

Golf only - $60 ~ Dinner only - $25. You do not need to be present to win raffle items. This year we haveoutstanding prizes and gift bags for attendees. Donations will also be accepted for the AMPCR.

Call Perfect Ash to sign up or stop in. Payment must be made at sign up time -- Cash or check only would be great, but credit cards will be accepted this year. You can assemble your own foursome or we will randomly assign foursomes. We had a blast last year -- hope you will join us!!!

Spirit Options for July

2009-06-05T21:48:00.002-05:00

Guys Here is a list of Scotches for July

Auchentoshan Three Wood

Bowmore 12 Year Old

Glen Garioch 15 Year Old

Mcclelland Lowland

June Spirits Poll is up

2009-05-06T17:56:00.002-05:00

Gents

I've picked through some Canadian Whiskys. Please read through the info below and then vote for the spirit you would like to sample

Danfield's Private Reserve

Seagram's VO Gold

Northern Light

Wiser's Reserve

Stogies on Grand Oliva Event

2009-04-20T23:32:00.002-05:00

Stogies on Grand is having an Oliva event this Thursday. Here are the details:

Thursday April 23rd
4 - 8 pm

Join us this Thursday for a Terrific

Oliva Cigar Event!

*Buy 3 Olivas and receive a FREE Oliva Connecticut cigar!

* Enter the drawing for prizes!

* Enjoy great food and amazing company!

Spring Smoker

2009-04-11T20:58:00.003-05:00

Guys,

A great event is coming up in a few weeks. Here the info:

Click this link to order your tickets: Spring Smoker

When: Thursday, April 30th 6:30pm

Where: Cedrick's Landing, on the frontage

road between Hwy 120 and Fleet Farm

Cost: $20.00 advance payment required

What's included: 5 different single malt scotches

3 diferent ports

3 premium RyJ cigars

A cookout

A chance to win a nice door
prize.......!

The purpose: To give you the chance to sample

great scotches & ports as well as

smoking some fine premium

cigars. And most importantly have

a good time...

In addition: Eric from The Liquor Barrel will be

offering some sweet deals on the

sampled items....

Perfect Ash Event

2009-03-23T19:44:00.000-05:00

Oliva Cigar Tasting Event at
Perfect Ash - That Tobacco Place

Thursday, March 26, 2009
4 to 7 p.m.

Please join us for a cigar event featuring Oliva Cigars. Josh Rushlo, Account Executive with Oliva will be here introducing some new cigars. You can view their website at http://www.olivacigars.com/

.

Buy specials will be available and snacks will be served.

Stogies on Grand News

2009-03-21T18:25:00.003-05:00

Stogies on Grand just got a shipment of Opus X!

If you are a fan of these cigars its always a great event when these sticks are available. The usual limit of two cigars per size and one tin of 3 per person applies.

Stogies also has an upcoming Gurkha event on Friday April 3rd. The deals that evening:

Buy 2 get 1 Free
Buy 10 get 5 Free
Buy a box get 10 Free and a Cap
Food will be available during the event.

Paul

April and May Spirt

2009-03-14T20:11:00.002-05:00

Gents

Since April is almost coming up, I made an executive decision regarding the April spirit. I was looking through some of the spirits available to us and I choose Basil Hayden's 8 Year Old Bourbon. Go the main page of www.havananightscigarclub.com and click the cigar and spirits page and click on more info on Basil's.

As for May, I chose 4 straight whiskey's. Just a note that some of these websites are bandwidth hogs and may take a little bit to load.

Fighting Cock Bourbon

Elijah Craig 18 Year Old

Wild Turkey Rare Breed - You will have to click around a bit to find the info on this spirit.

Bookers Bourbon 7 Year Old

See you in April

Paul

Tobacco Grove Nickel Sales

2009-02-22T22:47:00.004-06:00

Tobacco Grove in Maple Grove has a great deal on cigars!

They are promoting their Nickel Cigar Wednesdays.

Every Wednesday between Noon and 6pm on specially selected cigars you can buy one at regular price and get the 2nd cigar from the same line for a nickel.

The cigars will change every Wednesday. This is a first come first served promotion.

Check out their website: Tobacco Grove

March Spirit Choices

2009-02-06T20:40:00.002-06:00

Gents

I've selected 4 great Scotches from all over the island. Please check out the options in this post and then select the one you would prefer on the right hand side.

Glenfarclas 10 Year Old
Auchentoshan Select - Once on the page, click the bottle on the very right hand side.
Glen Garioch 15 Year Old
Tomatin 18 Year Old

March Cigar Choices

2009-01-26T20:32:00.002-06:00

I thought I'd help you guys out and add some links to the cigars we are choosing for March. Click on the links to get more info on each cigar.

Montecristo Reserva Negra

Kristoff Ligero

Cusano Habano Sun Grown

Augusto Reyes Grand Cru

February Cigar

2009-01-20T21:12:00.002-06:00

The winner for the February cigar is the butt kicking Don Pepin Garcia Double J Maduro Robusto.

Thanks for voting for the Feb cigar, lets get going on the March cigar!

Please vote now for the March cigar we'll have at Tobacco Grove

Paul

New Cigar at Stogies on Grand

2009-01-10T12:53:00.002-06:00

I thought I'd let everyone know of a new cigar that hit the shelves at Stogies on Grand. The cigar is La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Miami. Stogies is the only shop in the cities to carry this line and they are only 1 of 100 shops across the U.S. to even have them available. Here is the info from Howard and Eileen at Stogies:

Forty years ago, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo established the El Credito Cigar Factory in Miami. It was there that his son, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, Jr., made the first La Gloria Cubana in Miami for the Cubans of its Little Havana community.

Today, the inextricable link of La Gloria Cubana with its Little Havana heritage is celebrated with La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Miami.

This is a cigar of Miami that could only be made in Miami-a totally new blend to celebrate the cigar's Cuban roots. It will be rolled by ten Cuban expatriate rollers personally selected by Ernesto himself. And it will be made in the El Credito factory in Little Havana, the oldest tabacalera in the United States.

No wonder this cigar's availability is so limited! To add to its exclusivity, the ten master rollers will produce five new sizes never offered in any of the La Gloria Cubana brands.

This cigar is offered to only the top El Credito Retailers in the country, and we are proud to be selected.

Check out this fantastic new cigar soon before they are gone at Stogies on Grand!

Paul

Havana Nights Jan 2009

2008-12-30T22:14:00.000-06:00

Hi Everyone

Just a reminder we got a great club meeting in January! We have a great new smoke we are trying out and there will be fantastic deals on the new Arganese Cugine Connecticut and Maduro.

See you Tuesday night!

Paul

Perfect Ash Event

2008-12-01T21:16:00.001-06:00

La Flor Dominicana Cigar Tasting Event

Please join us on Wednesday, December 10, 2008

from 4 to 7 p.m. for a La Flor Dominicana Cigar Event!

Jack Sandlin, National Sales Manager with La Flor Dominicana will be here for the event.

Buy specials and snacks will be available.

December Cigar Change

2008-11-17T00:41:00.002-06:00

Guys-
It turns out Senor Roberto Juarez will NOT be able to make our December meeting to introduce his all Columbian Bravo cigar to us. We have pushed his visit from Texas back to January or February depending on his schedule and he might have a new blend or two to share with us by then, so it could be a good thing.

So, in the meantime, Paul and I together with Bob made an executive decision. We will be smoking the brand new Perdomo Patriarch stick. From the Perdomo wesbite....

Perdomo Patriarch was crafted to honor Nick Perdomo, Sr., a man known for his bold business skills and superior cigar-making abilities. Naturally, only a bold cigar of the highest quality would do, so his son, Nick Jr., created a scrumptious medium to full-bodied blend available in both Corojo and Maduro. Chock full of aged, long-leaf tobaccos grown in Nicaragua’s three growing regions - Esteli, Jalapa, and Condega - the Patriarch showcases traditional Cuban vitolas and imparts an eventful and satisfying experience for the senses. Rich layers of deep, dark flavors are present, including hearty spices, coffee undertones, and a touch of bittersweet chocolate. The finish is long and luxurious, completing a savory cigar from Tabacalera Perdomo that’s sure to delight.

Vino and Stogies Perdomo Event - This Thursday!

2008-11-11T01:47:00.002-06:00

Vino and Stogies, Bob's shop, is having their first non-Arganese event ever. A Perdomo rep will be on hand this Thursday, November 13th to showcase some of the new Perdomo lines Bob as brought in. They will offer a Buy 3, Get 1 Free deal or if you buy a box, you get a giant Perdomo table top lighter for free!

Come out from 5pm-8pm and support Vino and Stogies and Perdomo!

Joe

Golden Leaf Tobacco St. Paul Event

2008-10-20T16:51:00.004-05:00

Tom has a great event going on this Wednesday at 5pm at Golden Leaf Tobacco in St. Paul.

Here are the details:

Come and join us the night before the Minnesota Wild come home Thursday.

Food, Fun & Cigars for this Wednesday Night!!!

First 40 folks $35.00 per customer you will receive the following
2 cigars @ golden leaf on W. 7th (check in)

Food @ Eagle Street Grill on the Patio (full out side bar)
Brats, Potato Salad, Shrimp Cocktail, 2 free beers or Pop, and another free cigar, yes another free cigar.

Your value for the cigars is $32.00 retail

Cigar 1) Montecristo Platinum Toro
Cigar 2) Romeo Julieta Reserve Real Figurado

Cigar 3) Montecristo Series "C" Belicoso

All Wednesday Night from 5 till ? at Eagle Street Grill on W. 7th Three blocks from Golden Leaf on W. 7th

Pickup your pass and pay @ Golden Leaf on W. 7th

Golden Leaf Tobacco

Don Pepin Explosion - Golden Leaf Saint Paul

2008-10-18T21:52:00.002-05:00

Guys-
Just got word from Golden Leaf in Saint Paul that they have just added a huge assortment of Don Pepin cigars..check them out!

Don Pepin Cigars
Blue Label Fundadores
Blue Label Demi-Tasse
JJ Belicose (Natural and Maduro)
JJ Selecto (Natural and Maduro)
Black Label 1977 Lancero
Black Label 1973 Figurado
Black Label 1950 Toro
Black Label 1979 Robusto
Invictos 5 x 50
Generosos 6 x 50
Imperiales
601 Torpedo Habano

Don Pepin is the master blender and roller who has his own line, but also has been recruited to work on blends like the 601 line you see above as well as Tatuaje. If you haven't tried this guy's amped up, peppery goodness and his ability to turn anything he touches into a 90+ rating, this is a great chance to check out all he offers at Golden Leaf.

Also, we are working with owner Tom Harlan to hold our February meeting in his spacious shop, so stay tuned. We are trying to get a nice dinner spread and are checking to see if they might be willing to stay open later than normal so our card games can be in full swing.

Who knows, we might just have to try one of these Pepins that month or one of the aforementioned new Perdomos he's got in stock, so any feedback would be appreciated if you can get in there and try a few! Or let Paul or I know if you see something that looks good in there to have for our Feb meeting.

Joe

Tatuaje Black - Anniversary Cigar Info

2008-10-16T23:39:00.002-05:00

Guys-
Now that we have revealed the mystery cigar for our 5th Anniversario, I thought I would give you some info on this extremely rare stick.

The Blacks were released in a collectible ceramic jar. There are only 13 sticks in a canister and the cigars were foiled wrapped and sealed after being wet packed. I discovered the sticks while on a business trip to Hollywood in a remote shop where Pete Johnson, the maker of Tatuajes occasionally hangs out. He's got a very large home just a mile away, so the guys who own this shop have become buddies with him over the years and take part in his weekly poker game. So, he sets them up with all the best and hard to find Tatuaje goodies. At the time I made the purchase for a mere $12 a stick, I was also able to get the shop to give me 17 more sticks he had in bundle form without the fancy jar so we'd have enough for the club.

A few weeks later I had a crazy idea. I would put the jar and its contests on Ebay for $500 just for fun and see if they would sell and make money for the club. It only took 2 days and whammy, they sold. After shipping and insurance and Ebay costs, the club had made a nifty $125 profit which I sunk into all the great raffles items we've been having lately. I then called the L.A. shop back praying they had more in stock and they sent me their last 20 sticks.

Since that time, I defy anyone to find these sticks for sale online or elsewhere. The Blacks have completely disappeared and if you see some, I suggest you pony up and lay them down for a very special occasion. They are out of production and out of sight.

Here is Pete Johnson's story on why he made the Black and will provide some insight as to their rough appearance. But I can tell you the flavor is strong and out of this world complex. We will soon be smoking a very rare and special treat and I hope you all enjoy!
Joe

"On a recent trip to a famous island known for historic cigar making, I spent my time in a small town enjoying the simple life. Every day was peaceful and every night was festive, with both having cigars involved throughout. My favorite cigar was not a cigar bought at the local store or factory, but a cigar that was handed to me every morning.
Mornings, after taking a shower with a bucket of water warmed with what looked like a curling iron, I would walk to the front of the house and sit on the fence to get some sun and take in the fresh air. I also took in the fact that I was miles from home and no one knew where I was. My phone didn't work and I had no cares in the world other than trying to decide what to smoke.
My first morning on the island an older gentleman came along on his bike. This was not a motorcycle but something like an old Schwinn that he had likely been riding for decades. This gentleman was well dressed, almost dapper, and I probably appeared to him to be a strange character. My usual outfit of jeans, t-shirt, loads of silver jewelry, and an arm full of tattoos didn't seem to faze him. He saw I was enjoying myself so that morning, and every morning after that, he would stop and give me a cigar from his shirt pocket. This cigar was far from being a 'pretty' cigar but that did not bother me a bit. It was a treasured and unexpected gift that I was thrilled to be given. After smoking this cigar I realized that this was one of the best cigars I smoked on the island. Later that day in speaking with my host on this trip I came to understand that these cigars were something special to every person who carried them. They were cigars that they made for themselves. Even the guys who worked hard in the cigar factories all day would return home at night and make their private cigars. Simple cigars with flavors they personally enjoyed. Over the course of the next few days my host and I visited his friends and asked for cigars that they made. Before I left I had cigars from a few locals who all used different tobaccos from the different growing regions. They were all great but there was one that really stood out for me as special.
I decided when traveling to Nicaragua to work with the Garcia family that I would try to recreate this special cigar for myself. Together we spent quite some time working on the blend and looking at different leaves for wrapper. The marbled toothy wrapper was perfect for this cigar, rustic looking but with tons of aroma. After smoking the first sample, I was immediately brought back to that island relaxing on a fence, enjoying life, smoking a great cigar. A great cigar that will always in my mind represent the place, the time, and the experience of the purity of the simple life. This cigar may be considered ugly by some but inside that surface roughness it contains such rich flavor and aroma.
Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. This is a tribute to that cigar. "