LIMITED EDITION SLAUGHTERHOUSE COLLABORATION TO BENEFIT OPERATION: CIGARS FOR WARRIORS LAUNCHING SOON FROM VENTURA CIGAR COMPANY
APRIL 2022 – Ventura Cigar Company is pleased to announce the upcoming launch of “Slaughterhouse: The Operator” in collaboration with Operation: Cigars for Warriors.
Slaughterhouse: The Operator is a multi-year aged limited edition bundle of ten cigars, with all profits benefitting Cigars for Warriors. The bundles of ten cigars will include a postcard about CFW’s mission and a limited-edition decal featuring The Operator artwork.
This is a new blend in the Slaughterhouse line. The Operator will be offered in a 6”x50 Toro featuring a natural Nicaraguan wrapper, binder, and filler tobacco. The flavor profile, slightly more complex than the original Slaughterhouse, is well rounded and medium-bodied. This Nicaraguan puro leads with bold flavors and transitions to a smooth, creamy finish.
“Cigars for Warriors is a really special organization. The work they do organizing, collecting, and shipping donations to our troops doesn’t go unrecognized, when the opportunity to collaborate presented itself – it was a no-brainer.” says Benjamin Winokur, Ventura Cigar Company Brand Manager at Kretek.
Slaughterhouse: The Operator is produced in Nicaragua at the Plasencia factory; well known for crafting top-quality cigars. Ventura Cigar Company is excited to share this premium blend from their portfolio of offerings.
Storm Boen, Chairman of the CFW Board of Directors added “We are elated to be working with Kretek and their many subsidiaries. I have personally enjoyed being part of designing the logo and packaging. The Kretek team’s professionalism is unparalleled and has made this project a joy for our team. This entry into the synergy program is truly beyond cool! On top of it being an excellent new medium bodied cigar it is economically friendly also. Please try a few and support our amazing deployed troops today!”
Availability is expected May 2022, and is limited to 1,300 bundles.
Slaughterhouse: The Operator will be distributed exclusively through Phillips & King and is only available to retailers who have been approved by Cigars for Warriors as a designated Donation Center.
Due to venue conflicts, The Herrera Estelí Miami Smoke Inn 25th Anniversary The Raji launch event will NOW take place at Smoke Inn’s headquarters in Boynton Beach Florida on Friday May 6 from 6 to 9 p.m. EST and will be open for all to attend! Attendees of the epic event will meet Jonathan, Willy, Abe, and the man of honor Raji Dababneh, while grooving to beats spun by Drew Estate’s very-own D.J. Eli. There will be special promotions on select Drew Estate products that evening including The Raji with opportunities to take home special event cigars such as the Herrera Caja China and the highly sought-after Savage Feast, as well as other surprises as the evening unfolds. Fans from all over the country will be able to take advantage of the special promotions and give-a-ways through Smoke Inn’s e-commerce site.
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2021 marked the 25th Anniversary of the opening of the first Smoke Inn premium cigar store, and Drew Estate and Smoke Inn’s owner, Abe Dababneh, are celebrating the landmark achievement with the launch of a special cigar that not only commemorates Smoke Inn’s historic birthday but also honors Abe’s father and mentor, Raji Dababneh.
The Herrera Estelí Miami Smoke Inn 25th Anniversary The Raji (6 x 50, Toro) is a limited-edition cigar that’s lovingly produced at El Titan De Bronze, the Little Havana boutique cigar factory that’s owned by Drew Estate Master Blender Willy Herrera’s family and where all Herrera Estelí Miami cigars are made. Constructed using a Mexican San Andres wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, the Herrera Estelí Miami Smoke Inn 25th Anniversary Raji is a spicy medium- to full-bodied cigar with hay and floral notes. Every Herrera Estelí Miami Smoke Inn 25th Anniversary The Raji cigar features a commemorative band around its foot, and the cigars are packaged in 10-count boxes that are adorned with the Smoke Inn logo. Ramping up the celebration and honoring Raji Dababneh even more, Raji’s signature is emblazoned on the bottom of every box.
“When I was growing up in Chicago, I watched my dad work tirelessly at the little grocery store he owned,” says Abe. “He always put in whatever it took to overcome any challenges and keep a roof over our heads and food on our table. He is a true inspiration for me as a businessman, husband and as a father. I learned, and continue to learn, so much from him. Dedicating our 25th anniversary cigar to him is the best way for me to give my heartfelt thanks to him for all that he has done for me.”
“Relationships are the cornerstones of cigar culture, and they are the starting point for everything we do at Drew Estate,” adds Jonathan Drew, Founder and President of Drew Estate. “Abe and I have been close friends from the very start, and he has always been a true ‘stand and deliver’ guy who deserves the tremendous success he has experienced so far. His father, Raji, clearly has been a great mentor and teacher, just as my own dad, Gary, has taught me along the way. It’s an honor to pay tribute to all our fathers and mentors, as well as celebrate Smoke Inn’s 25th with this majestic Herrera Estelí Miami expression.”
Sales for “The Raji” will begin on May 6th for all attendees of the event and will also be available on Smoke Inn’s website for consumers nationwide.
Now here is a cigar that had certainly intrigued me since its release back on December 20th, 2021. What highlights this cigar is that it’s individually packaged in their own branded coffin, presented in a 10 count curio display AND to top it all off the authenticity of original artwork from local Cuban Artist Eden Gutierrez depicting scenes from Las Villas before the Communist Revolution. The fact that this cigar has a Nicaraguan wrapper, binder, and filler; made at the AJ Fernandez’s San Lotano factory in Ocotal, Nicaragua makes it even more enticing to smoke and to speak of the story which pays homage to the Cuban history. In fact Erik Espinosa in a press release was quoted saying, “We are incredibly happy to continue this homage to our company’s Cuban roots and the Cuba of our forefathers, before Castro took power”.
The province of Las Villas was the center of the Cuban cattle industry between the 18th and 19th centuries before shifting to sugar production in the 20th century. The original province of Las Villas was nestled between Matanzas and Camaguey. In 1976, the province was divided, with Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus, and Villa Clara each becoming their own province. The name Las 6 Provincias means “six provinces” and there are six planned releases of Las 6 Provinces with each having a unique blend, size and associated artwork. Now that a little light has been brought upon this beautiful cigar it’s time to get into the review.
At first glance this box-pressed 5 ½ X 54 robusto, had a wondrously dark chocolate rich color to the wrapper, with the Cuban artwork was really drawn in, knowing I am ready to enjoy the journey that this Las 6 Provincias LV cigar will take me on. Giving the cigar a smell I could really get that deep essence of the Nicaraguan soil, like walking around a barnyard, you know that smell I’m talking about. Taking a few cold draws the glands immediately activate with saliva. Profiles of chocolate, floral, cinnamon, cedar and almost a fruity sweetness were picked up. With my palate senses activated, I was ready to light up and get into this.
Upon light up, a copious amount of flavor hit my tongue. Black pepper, leather, wood, toasted nuts, a very dry cocoa powder, with a hint of brown sugar sweetness dancing in the background. As I proceeded with smoking into the first third the intensity of the initial profiles smoothed out and all of those tasty flavors really made my palate happy! Add a dash of salt to those toasted nuts, that dry cocoa powder now became semi sweet bakers chocolate, the black pepper transitioned into a creamy white pepper, yet the cinnamon stays prominent thus far.
Burning right into the second third, the profiles remain the same. Cedar notes with a swirl of citrus fruity notes come through which adds a nice little transition. As the flavor notes continued to satisfy the palate the burn is pretty consistent, half way through I had to touch up a little bit with a single flame torch but nothing that would take away from the experience. So far the flavor is very robust and has a medium – medium plus in strength.
As I reached the last third of the Las 6 Provincias LV the overall flavor profile remains similar yet, because of the spectacularly grown Nicaraguan tobacco used within this cigar, there are other profiles that came through. Espresso, that semi sweet bakers chocolate turns into a dark chocolate, that white pepper transitions again back to black pepper, that leather taste really never left but here into the last third it’s really making its presence. The floral citrus notes went away but that brown sugar came back around to add that nice sweetness to tie it all together.
I smoked this cigar right down to the nub, only had that little construction issue half way through and the profiles were absolutely amazing. I’m rating Las 6 Provincias LV a 9 out of 10 or 4 out of 5 pints however you want to look at it; this cigar is phenomenal would certainly smoke again despite the fact that it does have an MSRP of $22 a stick and a box of 10 for $220 only 1,000 boxes of 10 were made so this cigar might be a little difficult to locate. Looking forward to the next release at the same time I’m anxious to see if I can locate the two prior releases to give them a try! Great tobacco that took me on a awesome journey A+! Hoping you; the reader, can locate one so you too can enjoy the experience I just did! Cheers and Enjoy!
William O’Connor, AKA Billy Kartwheels, is the Co-Captian of the Distinguished Ruffians NY Chapter. Billy has had an interesting life, going through college, being in the Navy and living on a submarine, he has visited 48 states (hitchhiking through 35) of them and even lived in a Hare Krishna monastery for some time. After having numerous brushes with death durring his travels he has decided it was best to take it easy and appreciate life to its fullest all while smoking a cigar at the same time.
distinguished ruffian 