Cigar Coop Prime Time Show

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

The 2024 #29 Cigar of the Year is the Micallef Blue Toro. This is the second installment in Micallef’s Color Series.  While Micallef Cigars has been around since 2017, the Color Series represents an important point in the evolution of Micallef as a cigar manufacturer. For the past few years, Micallef has strategically invested in procuring higher-grade tobaccos and efficiently escalating production at its factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. As a result, the company has delivered higher-quality premium releases at an aggressive price point. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-u9K

The 2024 #30 Cigar of the Year is the Crowned Heads Mil Días Maduro Edmundo. Over the past few years, Mil Días has been a very successful blend with Crowned Heads. Mil Días has had a very successful core line and several limited releases. The name Mil Diás translates to “1,000 days.” It’s a reference to the near-three-year journey that was taken to develop the original blend. Early in 2024 came a new extension to the Mil Días line in the form of a Maduro. Mil Días Maduro is a completely different blend than the original Mil Dias Habano release. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-u9x

On Prime Time Episode 326, Lou Cross, owner and founder of Lure Cigars makes his debut on our show. Lure Cigars is a unique story that pays homage to his father. The brand incorporates Cross’ father’s love of fishing, cigars through a theme of “tackle and tobacco”. We will also have our FSG Beef, Alec Bradley Live True, Espinosa, and Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Industry Deliberation segment.

For Prime Time Special Edition 169, we present our annual CA Top 25 Pre-Game Show for 2024. Next week the CA Top 25 for 2024 list will be revealed. The results of this list will either make some in the cigar industry’s hopes and dreams come true, and it will shatter the hopes and dreams of the others. We’ve assembled members of the Cigar Coop Coalition team and are joined by guest panelists John McTavish of Developing Palates and Hector Alfonso of Espinosa Cigars. Our approach is unique, and probably the most accurate any in the industry. It’s also one of our most controversial shows, but as always we will deliver with the utmost respect.` The powerpoint presentation from last year is coming back – with updates! We invite and encourage you to tune in live and weigh in on your precautions. Plus, we have our U.S. History segment, Tabacalera USA Great Things are Happening Here, and Espinosa This Day in Sports History segments. References 82nd Annual Santa Train Stops for Hurricane Survivors Before Giving 15 Ton

On the Smoking Syndicate Roundtable 17, the Cigar Coop Coalition tackles the Macanudo Emissary España Robusto. Emissary represents a new pillar in the Macanudo brand. It’s meant to be a more premium pillar revolving around a theme of European sophistication. It’s not just the look; the Emissary incorporates European tobacco into the blend. Emissary España represents the first line released under the Macanudo Emissary pillar. España is Spanish for Spain, and the Emissary España incorporates Spanish tobacco into the blend.