Habana Port

Habana Port's Top 15 Cigars of 2011

2012-01-01T00:00:00.001-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, aficionados de la hoja! Just like in 2010, we have smoked some incredible cigars in 2011. Again, the cigar industry is at a point where the supply and demand are equal so that translates to a supply of high quality tobacco. It is a great time to be a cigar smoker as there are plentiful choices for great-tasting blends.

Once more, it was a challenge for our staff at Habana Port to organize this year's Top 15 Cigar Rankings. We smoked and smoked and finally ranked the top 15 fine cigars that are available in our humidor (with the exception of La Flor Dominicana & a few others which are a limited or one-time run). We also based our decisions according to what our customers bought and enjoyed the most so this list is not entirely what our staff personally smoked. Take a look at the list and see what you think. We hope you agree with our choices.

NOTE: This list is more of a summary and we will update this post next week with pictures and more details.

No. 1 - Alec Bradley Black Market Toro

Dimensions: 6 x 50rg
Country of Origin: Honduras
Wrapper: Nicaragua

Our top choice comes from a company we think has transcended into the top tier of the cigar world. 2011 was a fantastic year for Alec Bradley and it seemed every line they released this year has been a homerun. The Black Market especially was outstanding. When we smoked it for the first time at the cigar trade show in Las Vegas this past summer, we knew it was going to be an instant classic. Right off the bat, this cigar has a complex flavor profile exhibiting notes of earth, dark espresso, wood and cocoa. This cigar is rolled beautifully and smokes evenly. Come in and try the cigar we consider the best of 2011 (and many customers agree, too).

No. 2 - Padron 1964 Anniversary Series Exclusivo Maduro

Dimensions: 5 1/2 x 50rg
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua

No. 3 - Angelenos Gran Toro

Dimensions: 6 1/2 x 54rg
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuador

No. 4 - La Flor Dominicana Colorado Oscuro No. 4

Dimensions: 5 1/4 x 54rg
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Ligero Sumatra

Our number 4 cigar comes from La Flor Dominicana, the cigar-maker who created the boutique movement. His Colorado Oscuro line only comes out twice a year and we were even lucky to get one 50-count box (even though we ordered more). Using a Ligero Sumatra-seed wrapper from Ecuador, the No. 4 was rich, tasty and just plain awesome! Another balanced smoke, there is earth, a bit of spice and a slight chocolate note. These ran out fast and unfortunately we won't know when they will hit our shelves again.

No. 5 - Padilla La Terraza Maduro Toro Grande

Dimensions: 6 x 60rg
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Maduro

Can't spend too much money on a high-quality smoke but want a tasty cigar? Well you're in luck. Ernesto Padilla has blended a stellar smoke that costs under $5. He told us that the La Terraza line was his hardest blend to create up to this point in his career. Why? It was difficult to create a rich and flavorful cigar without spending big money on the tobacco. Many customers have agreed with us by proving it with their wallets. The Padilla La Terraza Maduro Toro Grande has been a big hit and we agree. Toasty, sweet notes dominate the blend but it is very clean. As a result, the cigar rounds out our Top 5.

No. 6 - Viaje White Label Project (St. Patrick's Day Edition)

Dimensions: 5 x 50rg
Country of Origin: Honduras
Wrapper: Candela (but unknown country of origin)

No. 7 - E.P. Carillo New Wave Connecticut Brillantes

Dimensions: 5 x 50rg
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut

No. 8 - Tatuaje Black Label Petite Lancero

Dimensions: 6 x 38rg
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua (Criollo '98)

The Tatuaje Private Reserve (Black Label) used to be Pete Johnson's private blend. That was until news came of them being available to the public in ceramic jars in early 2008. Even though the Black Label's blend remains a secret, it is known to be a Nicaraguan tobacco blend. The Tatuaje Black Petite Lancero was released in Summer 2011 and comes packed 25 to a black wooden jar. Measuring 6 inches by 38 rg, the Petite Lancero is very flavorful and is recommended only for connoisseurs. It has an earthy and slightly cherry note (especially midway into the smoke). The Tat Black definitely deserved a coveted spot in our annual Top 15 Cigar List.

No. 9 - Cain F 654T

Dimensions: 6 x 54 (Torpedo)
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua

No. 10 - Toraño Vault (Blend A-008) Torpedo

Dimensions: 6 1/8 x 52rg
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaraguan

The Toraño Family Cigar Company introduced their newest blend called the Vault at the cigar trade show in July. The Vault originated from the family’s cigar “blend book” which was started by Carlos Toraño, Sr. in 1982. The blend book, which is now almost 30 years old, has a record of every blend concept the Toraño family has ever worked on. Among the blends recorded are many which the family has released over the years, together with some blends which were deemed to have tremendous potential, but fell short of the family’s high expectations. This book has come to symbolize the Toraño’s blending expertise, creativity, and is now securely stored in a safety deposit box in a bank vault. The blend known as A-008 is medium to medium-strong and exhibits notes of earth, leather spice and cream. Very complex, this is definitely one to try.

No. 11 - A. Fuente 8-5-8 (Natural)

Dimensions: 6 x 47rg
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Cameroon

No. 12 - Nestor Miranda Art Deco Robusto Grande

Dimensions: 5 1/2 x 54rg
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua (Corojo '06)

No. 13 - Perdomo Exhibicion Connecticut Torpedo

Dimensions: 6 1/2 x 54rg
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Connecticut

No. 14 - J. Fuego Sangre de Toro Toro

Dimensions: 6 x 50rg
Country of Origin: Honduras
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Sun grown Corojo

No. 15 - JFR Corojo Titan

Dimensions: 6 x 60rg (Torpedo)
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Corojo 1999

JFR (Just For Retailers) is a naked premium cigar made by Casa Fernandez (Tabacalera Tropical) and is found only in brick-and-mortar shops. This has been a popular smoke with our customers and deserves a spot in our Top 15. The Corojo Titan is a medium-to-strong blend with hints of earth and leather. This pig-tail cap cigar is another popular 6 by 60 format. Packaged naked and 50 to a box, you should try the JFR Corojo Titan if you enjoy fuller-bodied smokes.

Honorable Mentions

Five cigars who do not make the Top 15 list but definitely deserve praise make our Honorable Mentions List. These cigars are also fantastic and deserve a light if you have not had one. Congratulations to these and all the cigars who made our Lists. And to you smokers, let us know what you think of these cigars!

Honorable Mention - Jaime Garcia Super Gordo

Dimensions: 5 3/4 x 66rg
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf

Honorable Mention - Tabacum Toro Gordo Maduro

Dimensions: 6 x 60rg
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf

Honorable Mention - Tabak Especial Negra Corona

Dimensions: 4 3/4 x 46rg
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf

Honorable Mention - Alec Bradley Fine & Rare

Dimensions: 6 x 52rg
Country of Origin: Honduras
Wrapper: Honduras (Trojes)

Honorable Mention - La Flor Dominicana Cameroon Cabinet Chisel

Dimensions: 6 x 54rg
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ligero Cameroon

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Tabacum Receives Recognition

2011-12-28T23:07:00.003-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, tokers of tabacum nicotania. We wanted to post a link to a well-recognized cigar blog, called Nice Tight Ash, whose contributor, Shawn Pratt, has just published a Top Cigar List for 2011 and has recognized our house-rolled, Tabacums, as being worthy of a Sweet Spot Smoke.

Click here to read the list and what Shawn had to say about Tabacum.

We want to thank Shawn and Nice Tight Ash for the recognition.

If you want to order some of these well-received cigars, click here to order online.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

RIP, Coco. Lover of great music & cigars.

2011-12-12T21:50:00.001-06:00

Grayhawk band pays tribute to Coco Robicheaux at House of Blues. We'll miss providing you with Acid Blondies,CR!

Vega Fina Fridays

2011-12-02T10:56:00.006-06:00

Click to enlarge

Saludos,

Greetings, devotee of Vega Fina. Today we begin a month-long campaign that will occur every Friday: Vega Fina Fridays!

So how do you benefit? On every Friday in December you get 1 Vega Fina Robusto FREE with any 3 Vega Fina cigars you purchase. That's a 25% savings! Or if you purchase a box, you get your 10% box discount plus 6 Vega Fina Robustos (a $30 value) and an exclusive Vega Fina cap. In addition, anyone who comes in and wants their picture taken can be entered in The Cigar Life's Vega Fina photo contest in which they have a chance to win a free box of Vega Finas. Sounds good to us!

So start your weekends right and stop into Habana Port every Friday in December to take advantage of these deals.

Cigar Information:
These extraordinary yet affordable cigars have become one of the most sought-after cigars in Europe. Now you can enjoy these cigars without a passport. Handcrafted at the famous Tabacalera de Garcia factory, VegaFina cigars boast a luxurious, hand-selected Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper and a flavorful combination of Dominican, Colombian and Honduran long filler tobaccos with a Indonesian binder. VegaFina is a distinctly smooth, aromatic smoke with medium body that is considered by many to be a true “connoisseur’s smoke.”

Click to enlarge

No. 5 Perla (4 x 40) - $4.69 each

Corona (5 3/4 x 43) - $5.25 each
Lonsdale (6 1/2 x 43) - $5.79 each
Robusto (5 x 50) - $5.79 each
Toro (6 x 50) - $6.05 each
Churchill (7 1/2 x 50) - $6.35 each

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

A. Fuente Añejos & Rare Hemingways Arrive

2011-11-25T13:19:00.008-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, avid apostles of Añejos. It is that time of year again and the famous, rare Arturo Fuente Añejo cigars have arrived. Rich maduro leaves aged in cognac barrels make this cigar a unique smoke. It is also home to one of the most famous shapes in the industry: the No. 77 also known as "the Shark." The Shark is the first torpedo-shaped cigar ever rolled that progresses from a rounded parejo shape to a square press.

The Shark along with the No. 46, No. 50, No. 55 and No. 60 are available now at Habana Port. Also included in our Christmas Fuente allocation, are the ultra-rare Hemingway Masterpiece Maduro and Hemingway Between the Lines, which will be offered in specially-selected samplers. Come in today or call 985-809-1818 to purchase yours before they are gone.

We also have again the Fuente Christmas Sampler which includes 2 Añejos, 2 Opus X, 2 Hemingways and 4 Double Chateaus. This will make for a great stocking stuffer for the Fuente fan so act fast as we only have a few sampler sets. Happy hunting!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Happy Thanksgiving from Habana Port!

2011-11-23T10:41:00.004-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, lovers of turkey and torpedos. Habana Port Cigar Merchants would like to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. We are very grateful for your support which without, we would certainly not be here. In order to reflect on our appreciation (and to get some rest for the upcoming Christmas Season), we are taking Thursday off. But don't worry; we will return on Friday at 10 AM for normal business hours.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Habana Port Goes to the Smokin' Grape!

2011-11-14T15:06:00.006-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, gentry of grapes and toro gordos. We want to announce that we will be hosting a "Smoke Night" at Covington's newest restaurant and bar: the Smokin' Grape. To be held this Friday, November 18 starting at 6 PM, patrons of Habana Port will receive exclusive deals:

Print this coupon or show it to us on your cellphone to redeem these deals.

Come out this night, as Smokin' Grape unveils their signature martini, the Smoketini which will surely be a great drink to pair with a cigar.

Remember the event date:

Friday, November 18, 2011 at 6 PM

Company Information:

Located at 70457 Highway 21, Suite 108, Covington, LA 70433, the Smokin' Grape will appeal to the epicurean. The chefs at The Smokin' Grape sizzle and sear fresh seafood and assemble mouthwatering sandwiches at the newly opened wine bar and restaurant. Diners can dunk creole-style eggplant sticks—lightly breaded and fried—or VeggieTales figurines into a pot of creole-mustard sauce or can sink incisors into thinly sliced catfish-fillet chips. The Smokin Bleu iceberg salad proffers even more sustenance with its crisp leafy greens mingling with crumbled blue cheese and bits of bacon. Five varieties of po boy, including oyster, roast beef, and ham and cheese, escort sweet-potato or french fries. A self-serve Enomatic wine bar lets patrons control how much wine they get and when they get it, preventing them from having to distract the bartender with double-jointed-eye tricks in order to get a full glass. Like them on Facebook.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Alec Bradley Fine & Rare

2011-11-11T23:11:00.002-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, avid aficionados of Alec Bradley. Today marks the official arrival of Alec Bradley's newest cigar called the Fine & Rare. Only 1,111 boxes were made and only the 10 best shops in each territory have been allocated this cigar. Habana Port is proud to carry this limited blend. But hurry in as it won't last long. Each box contains 10 sticks and the dimensions are 6 inches by a 52 rg. The blend is composed of 10 different tobacco leaves. Click here to read the full details as was published by Cigar Aficionado.

In order to complete the numerology of this cigar, we will smoke one at 11:11 PM tonight. We will tweet our cigar profile later.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Barley Oak & Habana Port's Beer & Cigar Pairing Menu

2011-11-09T12:28:00.005-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, patrons of IPAs and pyramids. Here is the menu & cigar pricing for the Barley Oak's Beer & Cigar Pairing tonight. Don't forget your steins and we'll see you there at 5 PM!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

H. Upmann 1844 Reserve Cigar Event

2011-11-06T19:09:00.006-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, underlings of Upmann. We are announcing our next event which will take place this Friday, November 11, from 4 to 8 PM at Habana Port.

Here are the details of the tasting:

We will offer a "Buy 3 Get 1 Free" special on any H. Upmann cigar which is available in several lines/blends although we are debuting the H. Upmann 1844 Reserve. You are saving 25% compared to a normal purchase of these 4 cigars. Our locker members will receive a free cigar but the "Buy 3 Get 1 Free" offer is open to anyone during the event.

If you purchase any 20+ count box from H. Upmann, you will receive 10% off PLUS 6 cigars, an exclusive H. Upmann cap, and a Montecristo cutter FREE! That is a total value of $85 that we are giving away with a box deal!

Anyone who buys the 3+1 stick offer will receive a raffle ticket for Upmann giveaways that afternoon which will include cigars, shirts, caps and other merch. A box purchase will get you 7 raffle tickets.

Food and drinks will be provided as well.

And back by popular demand, we will feature the Longest Ash Contest in which the smoker who holds onto the longest ash intact will win an H. Upmann shirt and a certificate that you can use to brag to your buddies. We will also provide specially-made cards with a measure so you can see your progress as you create that long ash.

So take advantage this day, stock up and save on the world-famous H. Upmann 1844 Reserve!

Remember the event date:

Friday, November 11, 2011
4 to 8 PM

Cigar Details:

Embodying H. Upmann’s long tradition of fine cigar making, the H. Upmann 1844 Reserve might possibly be the finest H. Upmann yet. From its intricate and complex flavor sensation to the even burn and classic ash that been the hallmark of H. Upmann’s incredibly fine cigar making, the 1844 Reserve captures everything aficionados have loved about H. Upmann cigars and then some.

This superb, fuller-bodied smoke, expertly crafted in the Dominican Republic, features a robust Ecuadorian Cubano wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and Dominican filler tobaccos. Whether you are already a regular H. Upmann smoker or not, make sure not to miss this excellent cigar.

Country of Manufacture: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Cubano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Dominican

Until the next post siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Barley Oak & Habana Port's Beer & Cigar Pairing

2011-11-06T18:22:00.009-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, barons of brew & belicosos. The Barley Oak is partnering up with Habana Port for a Beer & Cigar Pairing! The titans of their respective industries in St. Tammany join together for a first.

Starting at 5 PM this Wednesday, November 9, come out & enjoy an array of cigars selected by Habana Port with suggested beer pairings for each.

* Alec Bradley Family Blend T.11 - Lazy Magnolia Jefferson Stout
* Padron 4000 Natural - Stone 15th Anniversary Black IPA
* A. Fuente Hemingway Signature - Kostrizter
* Brick House Toro - Boulder Beer Hazed & Infused
* Romeo y Julieta Habana Reserve Belicoso - Abita Oyster Stout
* Trinidad Habana Reserve Belicoso - Northcoast Pranqster

And just in time to watch the best sunset in town! Now, read Mark Janes' journal entry regarding the process in which we selected the cigar and beer pairings last Tuesday:

November 1, 2011

It's tough work...but someone has to do it. OK, grin if you want, because I'm referring to a beautiful Tuesday afternoon on the balcony at The Barley Oak...with cigars, beers, and two great (and learned) friends (and a few more who soon joined us).

Our chore? To smoke a sampling of cigars Luis had chosen for the upcoming cigar and beer pairing event at The Barley Oak...with the stated purpose to find at least one of the craft beers on tap at The Barley Oak that we collectively believe pairs well with each stick.

Joining me were these two “experts” (although they really don't consider that label appropriate, but do have better-than-average knowledge and palate for their respective products)...Luis Molina, cigar purveyor extraordinaire at Habana Port Cigar Merchants in Covington, and Vanessa Gomes, general manager and all-around “beer gal” at The Barley Oak pub on the Mandeville lakefront (the venue for the pairing event).

My part in this? My mutual love of cigars and craft beers had similarly resulted in a cigar and beer pairing several months ago at what is arguably (really, no argument at all) the best craft beer bar in New Orleans, which also prompted the addition of a humidor for cigar sales in said establishment. So, for some time now, I've been thinking I should introduce Luis and “Van” to do something similar north of the lake at The Barley Oak. Several weeks ago that introduction took place at Habana Port and an event date was decided. Tuesday was the day agreed to meet in advance for taste-testing and pairing menu finalization. Because of my passion for both sticks and swigs, I was invited to join them in this effort and was referred to as the “conduit” for what I

can only term the surge of brain (and palate) power that flowed between these two in preparation for the November 9th event.

I did take a few notes we decided to share about our testing procedure and results. The specifics of each cigar and the recommended beer to pair are found on the Facebook page for this event at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=190235814386634. If you're on Facebook, please take a look and let us know if you're coming!

First up was the Alec Bradley Family Blend T11. We decided to give NOLA Brewing's seasonal Smokey Mary smoked ale a try. This is not a heavily-smoked (and often meaty) rauchbier style, but instead a lightly pecan-smoked brew. So, we found that AB's bold and complex cigar flavors simply overpowered it. Next we tried it with Stone's Escondidian 15th Anniversary Imperial Black IPA. In this case, it was the beer that overwhelmed the taste profile and we couldn't detect the wonderful character of the AB. But, the third time was indeed the charm. Thanks to Van's keen taste buds and suggestion, we gave Jefferson Stout from Lazy Magnolia a try and it turned out to be a great complement to this cigar. Always pushed with nitrogen (versus the more carbonating CO2 blend of gas) at The Barley Oak, it had just the right smooth “creaminess” along with the slight sweetness to allow flavors of both brew and cigar to shine.

Having already sampled three brews and with his memory of Padron 4000 (Natural wrapper) qualities, Luis instinctively knew that of the six cigars he brought, that one would most likely pair well with the Stone 15th Anniversary. So, that's what we tried next. And he was absolutely right. We didn't need to sample several beers to find one that worked (although that wouldn't have been bad duty); we agreed that this cigar and beer pairing was our strong recommendation in common.

Vanessa is no stranger to cigars (she is an aficionado) and Luis no stranger to beer (a homebrewer, as well), so each of them were well prepared to make pairing suggestions based on what they respectively know about each one's product forte. When Luis brought out the A. Fuente Hemingway Signature as our next cigar to pair, Van pondered the tap wall and came up with two possibilities to give a shot. The Köstritzer is a German schwarzbier (black beer) style. While dark in color, it is comparatively light in taste and not overly bitter. And while the Hemingway is certainly flavorful, we needed a beer that would again enhance both rather than have either overpower the other. From the first sip and puff, we all seemed to agree this was a great combo. But, Van had also thought we might try it with Brother Thelonious from North Coast Brewing. Before tasting, I would have agreed that this Belgian style dark ale might pair well...but as good as the brew itself is, we all found the combination a little off-putting for some reason. We decided to consider ourselves lucky with the schwarzbier and move on.

The Brick House Toro was next. (By the way, there was plenty of water to cleanse the palate after each beer and/or cigar.) Vanessa suggested we try Moylan's Extra Special Bitter...and on a hunch, also brought Saint Arnold's seasonal Christmas Ale. For whatever reason, I ended up with a hemp/pot kind of aftertaste from the pairing with ESB and Van picked up on that herself. We laughed that that might in itself be enough to encourage others to pair, but decided to look for something less specifically reminiscent. The “winter warmer” from SA wasn't a bad choice; in fact, we all gave it a hearty “maybe”...but Val decided to go back to the drawing board one more time. So, out came Hazed & Infused from Boulder Brewing. She was right on target. This hazy brew had just the right qualities to match perfectly with what Claudius (Van's “squeeze”) considered a unique smoke worth taking back to German friends.

Time was flying by and we all had other plans for the evening, yet two more sticks awaited our pairing savvy. Next was the Romeo y Julieta Habana Reserve Belicoso. Frankly, it's just a delicious cigar. For this, Van decided to grab a bottle of Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale. There's a nutty quality in this cigar that it was thought the Nut Brown might complement, but we all agreed it missed the mark. We tried Warsteiner Dunkel, too...but that pairing just lacked pizazz. I'll take credit for suggesting we give Abita's new Select series Oyster Stout a try. This time I was spot on. Seemed a very balanced and exciting pairing.

Finally, out came the Trinidad Habana Reserve Belicoso. We gave Saint Arnold Fancy Lawnmower a try, but this normally crisp and refreshing German Kölsch style beer just seemed unpleasantly thin when stacked against the richness of the Trinidad. Van suggested instead that North Coast's Pranqster, a Belgian style strong pale ale, might stand proudly with this cigar. We gave it a go and all three found quick agreement. To be honest, we all tried one more and enjoyed the beautiful Pas De Dieux saison from High & Mighty Brewing best with this cigar. But, it's very doubtful that brew will still be available on the 9th. Something about the flavorful spiciness and farmhouse funk just made it an exceptional pairing. But, no problem, the Pranqster does very nicely, thank you.

I'm often asked what characteristics are considered to match cigars and beers. There's no one right answer. In some cases, the two pair well because they have harmonious flavors, such as a spiciness/peppery or floral/citrusy quality found in both cigar and beer, or a similarity of sweet or common notes like chocolate, coffee or toffee. In other cases, it's a wonderful contrast and dissimilarity that makes for an interesting and delicious pairing (like the bite of a bitterly hoppy IPA with some naturally sweeter and milder smokes). What I can say for certain is that it is not as simple as the general belief that cigars with maduro wrappers pair well with dark brews such as stouts and porters. Think of all the dark wrapped cigars you've smoked and how different they can be from one another (not all maduro wrappers have the same taste and aroma). The same is true of stouts, which all are dark in appearance but there's a huge difference between a dry/lighter-bodied Irish stout and a rich, thick sweeter “chocolate” stout. Pairing is not automatic, it's inspired. And that's why we assembled the Three Pairing Amigos (ok, one amiga) to take on the challenge.

So, there you have it. You know the cigars. You've heard our collective pairing recommendation for each one. Come to The Barley Oak on Nov. 9 and judge for yourself. After all, taste is absolutely subjective and it won't hurt our feelings if you choose to disagree and find a better pairing of your own (in fact, we hope you'll come back here and comment about it!) We simply offer this guidance in a spirit of friendship among herfers and beer geeks. The rest is up to you!

~Mark Janes

So we hope to see you out at the Barley Oak for what will surely be a memorable event!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

The new Padilla by Studio Tobac

2011-10-03T18:05:00.006-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, patrons of Padillas! The new Padilla by Studio Tobac has landed in our humidor today. A limited-batch cigar, we had a chance to sample this cigar in July, and all we have to say about this cigar is, "Wow." Very full-flavored and complex, the cigar is made by Oliva's Studio Tobac department (who creates Nub and Cain) for Ernesto Padilla of Padilla Cigars.

The strength is about medium-strong but the smoke is very clean. If you are a fan of Oliva's Serie V line, this cigar is very similar but with even more flavor. A complex spectrum of coffee, earth, light cream and the right balance of spice are sure to garner a Top 25 ranking. If not then shame on you, CA, because this is one incredible cigar.

We only received a limited amount so hurry into the shop to get yours while you can.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

2011 Toast Across America Cigar Event

2011-10-01T13:24:00.008-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, orators of Opus. Habana Port Cigar Merchants is proud to host the 2011 Toast Across America Cigar Event in our shop this year. The limited engagement is a special one.

Date: Friday, October 28, 2011

Time: 6-8 PM

Cost: $65 per attendee (includes 2011 TAA cigar sampler which includes an Opus X and a Julius Caesar made only for this event).

This is a limited engagement and we expect to sell out of these cigar packs fast, so hurry to purchase yours today.

For those not familiar with Toast Across America, here are some details as TAA posts on their website:

First debuting in 2003, this unique fundraiser brings together fine tobacconists and cigar enthusiasts from all over the world for one amazing evening. This year the Fuente and Newman families have released two limited edition cigars exclusively for the Toast Across America – one Fuente Fuente Opus X Figurado and one Diamond Crown Julius Caeser Figurado – that are not available on the open market. These cigars are placed in exquisite commemorative packaging and sold through only the best smokeshops at signature Toast Across America cigar events that include cigar tastings, entertainment, cocktails and much more. Thanks to the Fuente and Newman families, the Toast is underwritten so that all proceeds go directly to the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation.

Click picture for more details

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

La Flor Dominicana Cigar Event

2011-10-01T10:33:00.010-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, HP fans. We would like to inform you of our next cigar event here at Habana Port Cigar Merchants which continues the next few months of a plethora of top-rated cigars being featured in the shop.

The next cigar tasting and event will be hosted by La Flor Dominicana, the cigar company that started the boutique cigar movement. And this event comes just in time as their much-anticipated new cigars have just landed in our humidor. The event will take place Saturday, October 8, 2011 from 1 to 4 PM.

Here are the details of the tasting:

We will offer a "Buy 3 Get 1 Free" special on any LFD cigar which is available in several lines/blends. You are saving 25% compared to a normal purchase of these 4 cigars. Our locker members will receive a free cigar but the "Buy 3 Get 1 Free" offer is open to anyone during the event.

If you purchase any 20+ count box from LFD, you will receive 10% off PLUS 7 cigars free.

Anyone who buys the 4-stick offer will receive a raffle ticket for La Flor giveaways that afternoon which will include cigars, sampler packs, and the rare LFD Airbender cap. A box purchase will get you 7 raffle tickets.

Food and drinks will be provided as well.

And back by popular demand, we will feature the Longest Ash Contest in which the smoker who holds onto the longest ash intact will win a La Flor freebie. We suggest you purchase the Digger (the Double Ligero beast that appeals to large cigar fans) to win this contest.

So take advantage this day, stock up and save on the great small-batch cigars from La Flor Dominicana!

Remember the event date:
Saturday, October 8, 2011
1 to 4 PM

Company Details:

La Flor Dominicana is a creation of Ines and Litto Gomez. This company created the boutique movement that has taken the cigar world by storm. Always made in small lots, LFD represents passion, art and quality. The lines we represent in the humidor include the ever-full-bodied Double Ligero (Rush Limbaugh's favorite cigar), the Ligero, Ligero Cabinet (Oscuro), the Air Bender (whose Chisel received the 10th spot in Cigar Aficionado's Top 25 List for 2010), the Premium Line, Reserva Especial, the Coronado by LFD, the Mysterio and Double Press.

*NEW* La Flor Dominicana Diadema Duo (Natural and Maduro)

The La Flor Dominicana Diadema Duo (Natural & Maduro) is a limited production pair of giant diadema cigars in a coffin that debuted in 2011. These full-flavored smokes are extremely smooth and represent the philosophy of La Flor Dominicana.

The Natural Diadema has a Habano Nicaraguan wrapper while the Maduro is a Habano Nicaraguan Ligero wrapper. Both cigars in the pack have Dominican binder and filler. A light earth and wood flavor profile will last you about 85 minutes. The strength is about medium.

And during the event only we will offer 10% off this 2-count box! Wow, what a deal. Normally the cigars are $32.95 but save more by purchasing the set for $29.65! These cigars are a limited release so be sure to stock up while you can!

*NEW* Casa de Tabaco (featuring the Air Bender Maduro)

In true creative fashion, Litto Gomez has done it again! The much anticipated La Flor Dominicana Casa de Tabaco (featuring Air Bender Maduro) is an amazing handcrafted Casa de Tabaco humidor. That's right. This piece was created to look like a tobacco curing barn, but this also functions as a cigar humidor as well.

The tobacco house comes with 24 Air Bender Maduro cigars measuring 6 1/2 inches by a 54 rg. The humidor has a tray to store a lighter and a cutter and the humidor will accept any humipack-type humidification unit.

The wrapper is a Habano Brasil maduro leaf while the binder and filler are the same as the Air Bender "Natural" (which is all-Dominican). A dominant earth and sweet toastiness proliferate the palate and the cigar burns for about 65 minutes. The strength is about medium to medium-strong.

This is a limited release so be sure to stock up while you can! (See picture above)

We hope to see you here for the event!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Cigar Roller Demo Packages

2011-09-15T15:59:00.004-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, seekers of cigars. We would like to inform you of a service that we now offer: a cigar rolling demo. Create a buzz during your next outing whether it is a wedding, party or corporate event by offering a live cigar roller as he demonstrates the art of the torcedor!

Click on the following picture to read the details!

We can also customize packages if you do not want to purchase our House-Rolled cigar. Call us at 985-809-1818 or email us at info@habanaport.com for more information or to reserve a date for your next social!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Happy Labor Day!

2011-09-05T17:16:00.003-05:00

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Habana Port Fantasy Football League 2011

2011-08-29T16:45:00.002-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, Habana Port football fans! With the NFL lockout finally done and pre-season games in full swing, Habana Port would like to invite you to join our inaugural Fantasy Football League.

Even you have never participated in a fantasy football league, don't worry. We'll be glad to take your money. Seriously though, you don't have to be a football guru to pick the great players. Yahoo's FFL Interface makes it easy with a few clicks to become a great team manager. Take a look at the details and let us know if you are interested in paying the fee and joining us in some good rivalry and smokes! Hurry though as there are only 14 spots!

$75 entry fee buys you a team in the shop league and gets you a chance to win the following:

1st Place: $625 in store credit & Engraved Team Plaque to be permanently displayed in the shop
2nd Place: $150 in store credit
3rd Place: $75 in store credit

Bonus: Every week (except during playoffs), the team with the highest score will win a store prize whether it is a cigar, a Xikar accessory or other shop goodie.

Draft Date: Sunday, September 4, 2011 at 1 PM CST (online)

To join our League, call us at 985-809-1818 during store hours or email us at info@habanaport.com and we will walk you through payment and log-in details.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
-The Commish, Habana Port

Brick House Bash

2011-08-22T16:45:00.001-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, HP fans. We would like to inform you of our next cigar event here at Habana Port Cigar Merchants. We know it has been a while since our last bash, but we needed to take a break from the Summer heat. Anyway, we will have a great Fall which will be full of cigar events every month.

The next cigar tasting and event will be hosted by J.C. Newman Cigars who will feature one of their hottest cigars: Brick House. It will occur Saturday, September 10, 2011 from Noon to 3 PM. If you have not heard, Brick House received the No. 17 spot in Cigar Aficionado's coveted Annual Top 25 List for their Robusto. And rightly so because Brick House exudes a smooth and flavorful profile, mostly in the earthy and woody spectrum. And the best part? This cigar retails in the $5 to $6 range! So you get a great cigar for a fantastic price.

Here are the details of the tasting:

We will offer a "Buy 3 Get 1 Free" special on any Brick House cigar which comes in 6 sizes including the newest vitola called Short Torp (5 1/2 x 52) which is being debuted at the Brick House Bash ONLY! You are saving 25% compared to a normal purchase of these 4 cigars. Our locker members will receive a free cigar but the "Buy 3 Get 1 Free" offer is open to anyone during the event.

If you purchase any 20+ count box from Brick House, you will receive 10% off PLUS 8 cigars (valued at over $45).

Anyone who buys the 4-stick offer will receive a raffle ticket for Brick House giveaways that afternoon which will include cigars, sampler packs, Brick House apparel and ashtrays. A box purchase will get you 7 raffle tickets.

Home-cooked BBQ and drinks will be provided as well.

So take advantage this night, stock up and save on Brick House cigars!

Remember the event date:
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Noon to 3 PM

We hope to see you here for the event!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Avo 787 Lands in the Humidor

2011-07-23T18:37:00.001-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, aficionados de Avo. Take a look at the newest cigar arrival: Avo 787. This cigar sports an Ecuador sungrown Connecticut seed wrapper with Dominican Piloto, San Vicente and Olor fillers bound with a San Vicente binder.

Currently, we just offer the Toro (6x54) to see how they will be received here.

What is the flavor profile? Check out our Twitter feed where we will tweet the summary soon.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Ernesto Padilla Interview

2011-07-15T10:15:00.005-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, fans of Habana Port! Check out this YouTube video we published of an interview with Ernesto Padilla, founder and owner of Padilla Cigars. He stopped by our shop Tuesday on his way to the 2011 IPCPR Cigar Trade Show which will be in Las Vegas next week and we interviewed him about his line of cigars, his company and new cigars to be debuted. Check this video out and our YouTube channel for other videos.

We proudly carry Padilla cigars. For more information about this great line of cigars go to his official website.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Happy Independence Day

2011-07-02T11:03:00.001-05:00

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Viaje 2011 Summer Releases

2011-06-29T17:01:00.012-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, vanguards of Viaje. If you're a fan of one of the hottest cigars currently on the market, you're in for a treat. Many Summer-time limited releases from this micro-batch company have hit our shelves and are up for sale. Here is the list:

Reserva Oro VOR DT (5 3/4x52) - $12.85 ea.
Reserva Platino VPR DT (5 3/4x52) - $12.85 ea.

Summerfest 2011 Torpedo (5 1/4x52) - $9.90 ea.
Summerfest 2011 Toro (6x50) - $10.35 ea.

TNT (6 1/4x56) - $11.55 ea.

C4 (5x56) - $11.55 ea.

We have received a very limited allotment and in fairness to all of our loyal customers, we are placing a sales procedure on these cigars. Here are the terms:

Walk-in Customers:
Reserva Oro - 3 per customer per day
Reserva Platino - 3 per customer per day
SF - 3 per customer per day
TNT & C4 - 5 per customer per day

Mail Order Customers:
Same limits as Walk-Ins with the addition of a mandatory purchase of a Viaje Sampler valued at $50 which includes the following selection:
1 Holiday Torpedo
1 Oro Delicado (6x50)
1 Platino Jefe (7x50)
1 50-50 Red No.3 (7x47)
1 Skull & Bones MOAB (4 1/4x54)

We feel this sales policy will give everyone a fair shot at trying these incredible cigars. If after an adequate amount of time has passed by and these cigars have not sold out, then we will lift the limits and allow open purchases of these cigars. However, we do not expect to have the cigars long enough in stock as we have had many calls regarding this batch even weeks before they arrived here.

To place an order, stop by our shop or call us 985-809-1818 or email us at info@habanaport.com.

Happy Hunting!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

New Sign on Highway 190

2011-06-15T17:23:00.001-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, connoisseurs of coronas. We recently placed a new sign on Highway 190 advertising our shop. Check it out.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

YouTube Video of Oliva Cigar Event

2011-06-13T18:56:00.007-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, lovers of lanceros. We celebrated an event with Oliva Cigar Co. Friday evening and published a YouTube video to recap the night's festivities.

In order to escape the Summer heat, we are taking a break with cigar events until September when we will feature the recently crowned Top 25 cigar, Brick House, and where you will have a chance to earn some savings that day on their cigars.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Oliva Cigar Event & Tasting

2011-06-06T15:59:00.005-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, HP fans. We would like to inform you of our next cigar event here at Habana Port Cigar Merchants. This next event will be hosted by Oliva Cigar Company. It will occur Friday, June 10, 2011 from 4 to 8 PM. Here are the details of the tasting:

We will offer a "Buy 3 Get 1 Free" special on any Oliva Serie O, Serie G, Serie V and the Connecticut Reserve lines. You are saving 25% compared to a normal purchase of these 4 cigars. Our locker members will receive a free cigar but the "Buy 3 Get 1 Free" offer is open to anyone during the event.

If you purchase any 20+ count box from the mentioned Oliva cigar lines, you will receive 10% off PLUS a 6-count sampler (valued at over $30) plus your choice of an Oliva hat or Oliva shirt (value of under $20).

Anyone who buys the 4-stick offer will receive a raffle ticket for Oliva giveaways that night which will include cigars, sampler packs, Oliva apparel and ashtrays. A box purchase will get you 6 raffle tickets.

Food and drinks will be provided as well.

So take advantage this night, stock up and save on Oliva cigars!

Remember the event date:
Friday, June 10, 2011
4 to 8 PM

We hope to see you here for the event!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Ashton's Challenge Your Palate Event

2011-05-29T09:00:00.000-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, moguls of maduros. We celebrated an event with Ashton cigars recently and published a YouTube video to recap the night's festivities.

If you missed out on this tasting, don't worry. Our next event, to occur Friday, June 10, 2011 from 4 to 8 PM, will be with Oliva and you will have a chance to earn some savings that night on their cigars.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Romeo y Julieta Reserve Samplers

2011-05-28T17:30:00.004-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, revelers of robustos and Romeos. You're in for a treat. For a limited time (while supplies last) we are offering pre-packaged 3-count samplers of Romeo y Julieta Reserve cigars for 20% off!

This is a rare occasion when we can offer such a discount so hurry in. Click on the picture below for pricing, size offerings and more details of the cigars.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Nestor Miranda National Cigar Day

2011-05-06T00:00:00.004-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, noble knights of Nestor Mirandas. Today marks Nestor Miranda National Cigar Day and you can join the fun here at Habana Port.

As one of Miami Cigar & Co.'s authorized Nestor Miranda retailers, Habana Port is offering a great deal to start your weekend right. If you are one of the first customers to come in today and purchase any cigar, you will receive a FREE Nestor Miranda Collection Art Deco Robusto Grande, a 5 1/2 by 54 cigar that scored 90 points in a recent Cigar Insider taste test. The smoke is wrapped in Nicaraguan leaf, with an interior blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos. It's made in Nicaragua by My Father Cigars.

The fine cigar is offered gratis from Miranda's company Miami Cigar, the distributor of several cigar brands, including Nestor Miranda and La Aurora. The company stresses that the smoker can purchase any cigar to qualify for the free smoke (it doesn't have to be one distributed by the company). The giveaway will last until supplies run out.

So hurry on in and take advantage of this freebie!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

My Father Limited Edition 2011 Cigars

2011-05-04T15:25:00.001-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, lovers of limited editions. We posted previously about the 2011 My Father Humidor which contain 50 of the cigars we write about today, the My Father Limited Edition 2011! They arrived today in our humidor and we wanted to discuss the details as to why these cigars are so special.

The Garcia family decided to use copious amounts of the very rare Pelo d’Oro tobacco. With a name meaning, in Spanish, “Golden Hair”, this tobacco looks as beautiful as it tastes. Pepin says about the Pelo d’Oro, “It’s the best Cuban seed ever.” The problem, though, is that Pelo d’Oro is a farmer’s nightmare because of its susceptibility to blue mold and other pests. These risks make Pelo d’Oro a very low-yield crop and almost impossible to use in regular production. This year's L.E. was blended by Jaime Garcia, son of Don Pepin Garcia. Gorgeously packaged in 12-count boxes, these cigars will not stay on the shelf too long. Last year, smokers were scrambling to get their share and many called across state lines to find shops who still had some.

M.F. Limited Edition 2011 Cigar Specs:

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Rosado Wrapper
Binder & Filler: Nicaraguan Corojo, Criollo, Habano AND Pelo d’Oro (proprietary to the Garcia family)
Body: Medium-Full to Full

Flavors: Decadent flavors of roasted coffee, anise and bittersweet chocolate are present in different levels of intensity throughout the entire smoke.

Construction: Of course, from start to finish, the cigar is one of the most consistent and well-constructed cigars you’ll have the opportunity to smoke.

Our price: $21.95/cigar or $263.40/12count box

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Habana Port Tabacums

2011-05-02T15:18:00.012-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, toker of tobacco. We are happy to inform you of a shop exclusive: Habana Port's Tabacums which are our house-rolled cigar. Offered in 2 wrappers (an Ecuador Habano seed and a Connecticut Broadleaf), these handrolled, long-filler cigars are a great value. Starting at $3.49 a cigar, we are offering three different sizes (a robusto, churchill and toro gordo).

Imported from Nicaragua from a factory we have contracted, these premium cigars are in the mild-medium to medium strength range and offer a well-balanced and clean experience. The natural version has a flavor profile of earth, coffee and wood while the maduro variety imparts a sweeter, toastier tone.

Look below for more details. And remember that we offer 10% off if you buy a 20-count bundle and no sales taxes if we ship out-of-state (phone: 985-809-1818 or email info@habanaport.com).

Now you can order Tabacums securely online through our sister site (CigarEarth.com) by clicking here!

Many customers have already tried these out and have expressed positive reviews. Come in today to find out for yourself!

A bounty of treasure awaits the Habana Port fan.

Sizes:
Robusto (5 x 56) - $3.49 ea or $62.85 (per 20 ct bundle. 10% off!)
Churchill (7 x 50) - $3.89 ea or $69.99 (per 20 ct bundle. 10% off!)
Toro Gordo (6 x 60) – $4.35 ea or $78.29 (per 20 ct bundle. 10% off!)

Blend:
Wrapper:
Natural – Ecuador Habano Seed
Maduro – Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Proprietary blend of aged Nicaraguan, Honduran & Dominican long filler tobaccos.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Happy Easter!

2011-04-22T13:58:00.002-05:00

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

2011 My Father Cigars Humidor

2011-04-16T16:00:00.000-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, mavens of My Father cigars! We received a press release from our My Father/Don Pepin rep a few days ago. Here it is reproduced for your information:

Press Release:
Wed April 13, 2011

2011 My Father Cigars Humidor

And, now, introducing the very special, very limited 2011 My Father Cigars Humidor! This opportunity must be seen to really appreciate it. So, please, take a moment to see the images below then refer to these notes for details of this fast fleeting opportunity:

The My Father Humidors have NOT been made.

Production begins in a few weeks, will take about three months and will be based on demand.

Plans are for NOT more than 500 units.

The MF Humidor will come with 50 My Father Limited Edition 2011 and 50 Jaime Garcia Limited Edition 2011 cigars (approximately $1,800 to $2,000 worth of cigars).

Space in a pull-out drawer will be available to store a cutter and lighter (though, no lighter will be included).

Delivery of MF Humidors is expected to be in late July.

MSRP will be $1,800-2,000 (before excise and sales taxes unless shipped out-of-state).

MF accounts will be limited to one (1) MF Cigars Humidor PER store location.

Humidor from the front.

Humidor with the lid open.

Looking down into Humidor with lid open.

Humidor completely open.

Drawer slid out.

And now a few notes from us:

We are taking pre-orders for this humidor and will offer this as an entire set initially. If we don't see interest in a customer taking the entire humidor with cigars, then we will break the humidor open to sell the singles and what we will do is with every stick sold, the customer will receive a raffle ticket. After the 100 cigars have been sold, we will raffle the humidor to give away GRATIS (with only shipping charges to be added if the winner cannot come into the store to pick up). We expect to sell the entire set as is and not sell the individual sticks so let us know if you're interested.

And stay tuned to our blog or Twitter page for the update of the arrival of this rare offering!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Birthday Wishes from Google

2011-04-05T20:42:00.001-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, lovers of lanceros. We were updating our Google account today and noticed that when we signed in and went to Google's homepage, we saw this image wishing us a happy birthday. April 5, 2010, marks Habana Port, LLC's incorporation date although we first opened our doors for business on August 27, 2010. We thought it was cool and thought you should know that if you have a Google account and list your birthdate, Google will post this image when you log in on your birthday. Sweet.

So here's to our first official birthday (as far as the state of Louisiana and Google are concerned) and hoping we see many more.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Don't Tread On My Smoke T-Shirts For Sale

2011-04-04T12:30:00.013-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, freedom fighters. If you haven't heard about or seen our new T-shirts, it is now for sale on our blog. This new design is part of our "Don't Tread On My Smoke" campaign. This should appeal to all individuals who value the founding principles of this country and enjoy the legal right to smoke tobacco.

Based on the Gadsden flag, the rattlesnake is blowing smoke rings while holding a fine cigar. The back sports the Habana Port banner, too. Available in Men's Gold (sizes small through XXXL) and a Woman's Small Pink, this tee should attract like-minded people's attention (and upset the anti-tobacco Nazis out there).

So click the size you want below and securely make a purchase using Paypal or a credit card. Now get out there and smoke some fine tobac!

Color/Size

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Los Blancos Event

2011-04-01T12:28:00.007-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, supporters of slim panatelas. Check out our YouTube video we published of last week's Los Blancos Cigar Co. in-store event. He discusses his lines of cigars and the benefits of joining the Cigar Rights of America (CRA). It was a fantastic night and our fans are already anxiously awaiting for our next in-store event. Stay tuned to our blog or register your email on the right-hand side of our blog so you can stay informed of the latest Habana Port news and event announcements.

Please consider joining CRA as this a great lobbying group for cigar smokers and individuals who value their personal freedoms. As you know there are intolerant groups that are always trying to ban a legal product (which is not adverse) or to unjustly tax us to death. Every membership in the CRA helps in their and our fight!

We would also like to thank David and his family for assisting with our event and we can't wait until he stops by next time.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Bayou 95.7 FM's Bash & Boil

2011-03-23T09:00:00.004-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, rockers of robustos. On Saturday night April 2, 2011, Bayou 95.7 FM will throw an incredible classic rock concert at South Port Music Hall in New Orleans, LA (click here for map) and have a big crawfish boil!

The event is called The Bayou Bash & Boil and will feature bands like The Kyle Turley Band, the Morning Life, 5 Finger Discount and Pig Pen & the Pork Chops. New Orleans legends and Bayou Morning Show stars Walton & Johnson will make a guest appearance for their fans, too! Doors open at 5 PM and the admission fee is only $9.57. And guess what? Habana Port will be the official cigar sponsor of this fantastic event! We'll be selling cigars and unveiling our newest T-shirt and ad campaign.

So make the trek to the South Shore and join us at our booth as we sell cigars and promote our shop. If you can't make it, though, check out our Twitter feed as we tweet from the event that night! Pictures and details of the event will be posted here after the concert and crawfish boil. And be sure to listen to 95.7 FM for our current radio spots.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

La Gloria Cubana Serie N Day

2011-03-22T15:30:00.001-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, scions of Serie N. General Cigar Co., owner and distributor of La Gloria Cubana, has announced Friday March 25, 2011 as Serie N Day. Visit LaGloriaCigars.com/SerieN on 3/25/11 at 6 PM EST, CST & PST to watch a live streaming video of Team La Gloria introducing Serie N from the El Credito Factory.

And be sure to check out this month's issue of Cigar Aficionado to get a coupon good for a FREE Serie N cigar. You can redeem your coupon here at Habana Port! This offer is only good while supplies last.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Habana Port's Xikar Travel Humidors

2011-03-21T15:35:00.001-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, saints of sungrowns. We have just received the first shipment of our shop's branded Xikar Travel Humidors! What better way to show off your support of Habana Port and have a fine item to carry your cigars when you are traveling.

If you are not familiar with Xikar's Travel Humidors, these products are high quality and they protect your cigars when you are on the go. Made of a superstrong ABS molded plastic construction, these cigar storage items are airtight, watertight and crushproof. Its silicone seal keeps the environment consistent and right to store your private stock of tobacco. Each humidor also contains 1 mini humidifier. A molded lock ring adds an extra layer of security. When you open the humidor, high density urethane foam cradles and protects your cigars. And the best thing about this Xikar product (and all Xikar accessories): a manufacturer’s Lifetime Guarantee ensures you that this product will last you a lifetime (as long as you don't lose it). And these humidors are proudly made in the USA.

We offer the 5-count ($24.99), 10-count ($27.99) and 15-count ($29.99) travel humidors. So come in to the shop, email us at info@habanaport.com or call us at 985-809-1818 to place your order today!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Los Blancos Cigar Event/Tasting

2011-03-19T14:15:00.003-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, suitors of Sumatras. It is with great pleasure that we announce our first formal cigar event and tasting! Please join us Friday, March 25, 2011 for an evening with David Blanco, V.P. of Los Blancos Cigar Company, a small family cigar company who distributes Los Blancos and Primos cigars. We will have the event run from 5 to 8 PM. The special shall include a "Buy 3 Get 1 Free" Los Blancos-made cigar. In addition, every guest shall receive a voucher good for door prizes to be raffled during the event. Hors d'oeuvres and drinks will be provided as well. Take advantage of the fine weather and meet & join the rest of the Habana Port smoking community as we celebrate Los Blancos cigars!

For our locker customers, in addition to the above offerings, you will receive a free cigar at this event only! This is just another benefit you can enjoy as a locker customer at Habana Port. Ask us for details if you are interested in becoming a member.

If you are not familiar with this fantastic cigar company, then you are in for a treat. Los Blancos Cigar Company was founded in the U.S. in 1998 and their family's roots can be traced to the famous tobacco-growing region of Pinar del Rio, Cuba. Cousins to the Plasencia family, Los Blancos cigars are all made in Esteli, Nicaragua in small batches and come in 5 lines:

1. Sumatra - a spicy & assertive blend with subtle hints of pepper & cocoa bean. 4/10 strength

2. Criollo - an exotic tawny blend that elicits a far-east spicy aroma with hints of oak. 7/10 strength

3. Connecticut - an elegant, earthy blend with delicate woody undertones & a nutty finish. 4/10 strength

4. Maduro - a rich & creamy blend with hints of dark chocolate & a smooth woody finish. 4/10 strength

5. Nine - well-constructed & blended for a sweet profile delivering tons of dark chocolate & leather. 10/10 strength

The Primos line is a long filler, handmade cigar that provides the smoker with a great value! We carry both lines and includes the following:

1. Primos Habana Criollo Rosado - medium-bodied, the wrapper is Nicaraguan with filler hailing from Honduras, Nicaragua and Peru. 8/10 strength

2. Primos Criollo Maduro - full-bodied smokes with a complex and sophisticated flavor. 8/10 strength

We hope to see you here!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Pipe Architecture

2011-03-17T15:52:00.004-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, pipe patrons. In this blog post we picture the architecture and anatomy of a pipe. Hopefully, one can appreciate the design of a fine briar or meerschaum pipe after analyzing the components that go into the structure of a time-honored tool.

This picture comes compliments of the Tobacconist University, the standard in fine tobacco education and oversight.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Montecristo Classic Toro & Ashtray Set

2011-03-14T09:00:00.000-05:00

Montecristo Classic Toro & Ashtray Set

Saludos,

Greetings, patrons of panatelas. In today's post we want to announce a new arrival into our shop: the Montecristo Classic Toro & Ashtray Set. This beautiful package includes 5 Montecristo Classic Toro cigars and a ceramic Montecristo-adorned 4-cigar ashtray. If you are a fan of this old beloved Cuban brand, this set is a must for your collection. Or show your cigar smoking friend, family member or boss that you appreciate him by gifting him with this fantastic gift. This set is also great for Louisianians who hold the fleur-de-lis close to their hearts.

As is usual in the consumer world, buyers can save more when they bundle and this set is a prime example. Normally the cost of the 5 cigars by themselves is $54.95 while the value of the ashtray is $20 for a total of $74.95. You save 33% when you pull the trigger on this deal and your cost is $49.99 (plus sales tax)! Wow. And if we ship out of state, we will throw an extra 8% discount ($45.99) as you won't get charged Louisiana state excise tax.

So stop in today, call us at 985-809-1818 or email us at info@habanaport.com to get your set today! And if you purchase this set and mention this blog post when ordering, we'll throw in free shipping!

Now if you don't mind, we need to get away before we end up giving away the whole store.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Puros Indios Introductory Offer

2011-03-09T20:00:00.000-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, aficionado de la hoja! We want to announce the arrival of Rolando Reyes, Sr.'s Puros Indios / Cuba Aliados cigars into our humidor. These famed cigars from Honduras are known the world over and to mark their introduction to Habana Port's humidor, we are offering a limited special:

Buy any 3 Puros Indios/Cuba Aliados cigars and get a P.I. or C.A. Piramide #2 (6 1/2 x 56) cigar FREE! (value of $6.59)

Buy any 20-count box P.I. or C.A. box and get a 10-count P.I. or C.A. Piramide #2 box FREE! (value of $60)

Hurry in to our shop (or call 985-809-1818 or email info@habanaport.com) to purchase this deal because an offer this fantastic does not last long and we are only offering this buy while supplies last!

Now enjoy an excerpt from the company website informing us of the patriarch's history.

"Don Rolando was born in Las Villas, Cuba near the town of Remedios in 1924. Rolando, alone among his siblings, insisted to his father that he wanted to be a "tabacalero." He was all of 9 years old at the time. Finally, his father agreed to have him trained by the renowned Silvio Santana of the Tabacalera Pequeña in Zulueta. Silvio taught Rolando the techniques and all aspects of cigar making. Don Rolando later practiced his art of tobacco making at the Aguiar Cigar Factory near the city of Remedios where he lived.

In 1938, Rolando went to work in Pinar del Rio at the Jose L. Piedra Cigar Factory in Guanajay. This was followed by work in Havana at the H. Upmann Cigar Factory and later the Jose Gener & Batet Cigar Co. At these factories he mastered the art of making "figurados" and "parejos" – producing hand made cigars without a mold, as well as other techniques. He then returned to Placetas in Las Villas to establish his own cigar factory "Los Aliados". After several years he moved Los Aliados to Havana; he was barely 21.

Rolando continued to operate with great success until the communist government confiscated his Los Aliados Cigar trademark and factory and personal properties in 1968. The government tried to take advantage of his knowledge by putting him to work in the El Rey del Mundo Cigar Factory. He refused, so the government retaliated by making him work in the rice fields.

Rolando immigrated to America in 1971, finally settling in Union City, New Jersey. There, Rolando worked in the textile industry by day and rolled cigars for sale in the evenings. In 1973 he constructed a building to house his family and cigar factory, changing its name to "Cuba Aliados".

In 1988 he established his factory in Danli, Honduras because its conditions reminded him of Cuba, and he finished the move in 1989.

In late 1995, the ‘Puros Indios’ cigar line was launched and its unique blend has remained unchanged since its introduction; the filler blend in all ‘Puros Indios’ cigars are identical using a four country blend of tobaccos. All wrappers are Ecuadorian-grown from Sumatran seed and the binder is Ecuadorian. Puros Indios Cigars have been a success from the start, selling millions of cigars annually in the USA and internationally.

The new factory is built in the old Cuban tradition and is the best in Honduras and, his friends believe, among the best in the world. Rolando employs over 200 rollers and has over 300 employees producing over 75,000 cigars daily of his various brands. He claims to be the only factory owner who also retains the atmosphere of Cuban cigar factories of old, by having a full-time lector to read the day’s news and other literature to the rollers as they work. He continues to inspect all cigars manufactured in his factory.

Rolando Reyes Sr. has been called "The world’s most talented cigar maker." He continues to use the magic of his gifted hands to create the world’s most highly sought-after cigars. Rolando Reyes Sr. considers himself to be a genuine "Cuban Tobacconist" in the old tradition. He continues to create premium cigars – refusing to lower quality, refusing to use chemicals to fumigate, and refusing to use chemicals as aroma or taste additives. Don Rolando embodies the term "old school" and is known as a cigar legend by his peers and loyal customers around the world."

Our humidor's offerings of P.I./C.A. include the following:

Cuba Aliados Robusto Maduro - $4.39 per cigar ($79.02/box)

Cuba Aliados Toro Maduro - $4.95 per cigar ($89.10/box)

Puros Indios Toro Especial (Maduro & Natural) - $4.39 per cigar ($79.02/box)

Puros Indios Piramide #3 Natural - $4.39 per cigar ($79.02/box)

Puros Indios Rothschild Natural - $3.95 per cigar ($71.10/box)

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Mardi Gras 2011 Schedule

2011-03-04T14:42:00.003-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, revelers of robustos! Just an announcement for our shop hours for Carnival Season 2011. For those who don't live in southeastern Louisiana, Mardi Gras is a big celebration so you can count on people and businesses not doing too much work during these party-packed days.

Basically we will have normal business hours with the exception of Fat Tuesday, March 8, 2011, when we will be closed for the day. We will open the following day at 10 AM.

So stock up now, smokers, and celebrate Carnival, Big Easy style!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

13th Annual Habanos Festival Underway

2011-02-20T17:12:00.004-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, callers of Cubans. Cuba is hosting its 13th Annual Habanos Festival from February 21-25, 2011. The venue has become one of the largest international gathering of enthusiasts of Cuban cigars (or the Habano) in the world. This year's event will pay special tribute to the Montecristo, Partagas and H. Upmann brands.

The participants will have the pleasure of tasting exclusive and new vitolas to be launched by Habanos, S.A. in 2011, and of discovering the secrets of the centuries-old tradition. Although Americans are forbidden by federal law to travel to Cuba (or consume any product of Cuban-origin), cigar lovers still pay attention to Cuban events since this country is a mecca of tobacco cultivation and cigar production.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Cigar Smoker Turns 111!

2011-02-13T13:48:00.005-06:00

Ignacio Banos smokes a fine Habano on his 111th birthday.

Saludos,

Greetings, lovers of lonsdales. You may have already read about this story from last month but we wanted to report it to you anyway. Last month Ignacio Cubilla Banos, a retired sugar factory worker from Cuba, celebrated his 111th birthday. And what did he do to mark this fantastic occasion? Well, he smoked a fine cigar as usual, of course.

Surrounded by a plethora of family members (he has 11 children, 40 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren), Señor Banos smoked a Cuban cigar and counted his monetary gifts. He was born in 1900.

The elder Cuban is proof that smoking a fine cigar can help prolong one's life (as a cigar de-stresses the consumer). Habana Port salutes you, Señor Banos! For the full story click here. Source: The Daily Mail Reporter

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Cubavera / Habana Port Cigar Shirts

2011-01-28T16:00:00.004-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, fans of figurados. We have just received our new Cubavera / Habana Port embroidered cigar shirts. We have 2 styles in sizes M, L, XL and XXL. The front pocket offers a convenient spot to store your cigars and/or accessories. We hope to offer more styles and sizes in the coming months. The high-quality shirts range in price from $55 to $58 depending on the size and style.

So sport your love for cigars and Habana Port and get yourself some! Come to our shop or call us at 985-809-1818 to place an order.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Vote For Us!

2011-01-26T16:15:00.005-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, cigar smoking scions. We have registered our business with Intuit Small Business and they are running a grant contest. We need your help in one of 2 ways!

1. Click here to vote for/comment about us and the experience you had and you help increase our chances of winning.

2. You can text cigar to 244326 and take a couple minutes to text why you love us!

All votes help and we hope to win this contest and let the world know what a great experience the tobaccophile can have when he/she visits Habana Port! Thanks again, fellow fans!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

CRT/Habana Port Cigar Review #3 - La Verite 2008 Vintage Churchill

2011-01-21T10:00:00.003-06:00

Saludos,
Greetings, merry mavens of maduros. Our third CRT/Habana Port cigar review is a special one. Brought to you by the creator of Tatuaje, La Verite Vintage is a tribute to the idea of creating a cigar composed of tobacco from one farm plot. Rolled in Nicaragua by the famous Garcia family (who hails from Cuba), this cigar's blend comes from their 2008 crop grown on their farm called La Estrella ("the star" in Spanish).

Click here to read more about the story behind this fantastic puro.

Our 2 CRT judges review the cigar:

Date & Time Smoked: 1/20/2011 - 4:00 PM
Brand: La Verite Vintage
Line: 2008
Vitola: Churchill
Manufacturer: My Father / Pepin Garcia
Distributor: Tatuaje Cigars Inc. / Havana Cellars
Length: 7 inches
Ring Gauge: 47
Common Shape: Churchill (Parejo)
Origin of Production: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua

Taste Profile (CRT #1764):
Initial Light - Nice aroma, cocoa and nuts. Lots of flavors, smooth and even burn.
1st Half - Same as before; white ash.
2nd Half - Changes to toasty flavors finished with some spiciness; changes from medium to full-body.
Final Comments - Excellent cigar with great flavors. Example of the old Cuban tradition of aging.
Strength - Medium-strong.

Taste Profile (CRT #1798):
Initial Light - Wow. Impressively clean from the first light. It reminds me of a well-aged Cuban. Light earth and a faint, faint cocoa are present. The wrapper is beautiful and somewhat toothy. There is a brilliant sheen as well. There is a triple-cap and the construction is flawless. Clean & elegant!
1st Half - Maintained the same profile with the addition of some woody notes; a bit more body present.
2nd Half - Flavors intensified and picked up strength.
Final Comments - The flavor experience and superb construction (and the ash stayed intact) imply that much care and diligence went into the production of this cigar. There was a lot of flavor but the smoke was clean; a must-buy!
Strength - Initially, it was mild-medium but by the end the strength was medium.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Habana Port's Top 15 Cigars of 2010

2011-01-01T00:00:00.007-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, aficionados de la hoja! We have smoked some incredible cigars this year and there is a good reason for that. The cigar industry is in a state where the supply and demand are equal so that translates to a supply of high quality tobacco. It is a great time to be a cigar smoker as there are plentiful choices for great-tasting blends.

For Habana Port, it was a challenge to organize our inaugural Top 15 Cigar Rankings. We smoked and smoked and finally ranked the top 15 fine cigars that are available in our humidor (with the exception of Viaje & Illusione which are either on backorder across the country or was a limited run). We also based our decisions according to what our customers bought and enjoyed the most so this list is not entirely what our staff personally smoked. Take a look at the list and see what you think. We hope you agree with our choices.

No. 1 - Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Robusto

Dimensions: 5 1/4 x 52rg

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Broadleaf

Our top choice comes from one of the rockstars in the industry: Don Pepin Garcia. He has just opened the largest Nicaraguan-based cigar factory and he is blending some great new cigars. The Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial is named after his son, and boy what a cigar this is! Right off the bat, this cigar has a complex flavor profile exhibiting notes of caramel and cocoa. This cigar is rolled beautifully and smokes evenly. Come in and try the cigar we consider the best of 2010 (and many customers agree, too).

No. 2 - Alec Bradley Tempus Imperator

Dimensions: 6 1/8 x 52rg

Country of Origin: Hondura

Wrapper: Trojes, Honduras

The Tempus from Alec Bradley continues to deliver a consistent smoke. Medium-to-strong in strength, the Tempus landed AB a Top 25 Ranking in Cigar Aficionado and rightly so. This has become one of the best sellers in our shop and its complex flavors make it an enjoyable cigar. There is a balanced profile with earth, nuts and a hint of spice. We highly recommend this cigar!

No. 3 - Avo Heritage Robusto

Dimensions: 4 1/4 x 50rg

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Special Sungrown

The Avo Heritage is the newest line extension from this famous brand that hails from Tabadom (the factory that creates Davidoff). The Heritage was a popular cigar among smokers for these 2 reasons: a complex flavor profile at an affordable price (for an Avo). A medium-to-strong strength cigar, the Heritage exhibits mainly notes of wood and some earth & leather. A fabulous cigar, the purist will not be disappointed.

No. 4 - Padilla Cazadores Robusto

Dimensions: 5 x 50rg

Country of Origin: Honduras

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano

Our number 4 cigar comes from Padilla, the cigar-maker who creates some rich and flavorful cigars. His Cazadores line has become a go-to-cigar for many customers because (again) this is a great cigar at an affordable price point; this line is in the $5 range but it smokes like a $10 stick. Another balanced smoke, there is earth, a bit of spice and a slight chocolate frosting note. Give this a try and see if you agree.

No. 5 - La Flor Dominicana Ligero Maduro Salomones

Dimensions: 7 x 64rg

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Maduro

It is hard to justify spending over $20 for one cigar but La Flor Dominicana has managed to disprove that argument. His Salomones is, in our opinion, the best blend to be coming out of this small-batch cigar factory. Ever the perfectionists, Litto & Inez Gomez maintain strict quality control and it is certainly the case in this cigar. The tobacco in this cigar comes from their 2004 and 2005 crop so there is some nice age that has allowed the tobacco to smooth out. This mammoth of a cigar and hard-to-construct shape contributes to the price point, but for those who enjoy a full-bodied smoke, you will not be disappointed. One of the richest (yet cleanest for being a strong smoke) cigars in 2010, LFD's Maduro Salomones rounds out the Top 5.

No. 6 - Padron 7000 Maduro

Dimensions: 6 1/4 x 60rg

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Nicaragua

Padron is another consistent cigar-maker and their cigars are always in demand. Their 7000 Maduro has had quite the accolades from our customers. A Nicaraguan puro, this fat stick exhibits dark notes like cocoa. The maduro wrapper also imparts a faint toasty sweetness. There is a reason the Padron family reigns as one of the most desired Nicaraguan-based cigar factories.

No. 7 - Guillermo Leon Corona Gorda (or Gran Corona)

Dimensions: 6 x 47

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Vuelta Abajo

The Guillermo Leon is a line that proves a cigar can gain traction through social and online networking. One of the newest blends to hail from the Dominican Republic's oldest continually-running cigar factory, this is a clean cigar that is layered with richness. Displaying tones of cocoa and a bit of wood, the GL is named after the patriarch of La Aurora. In our opinion one of the best cigars to come out of La Aurora (besides the Preferido lines).

No. 8 - Viaje's Skull & Bones Mystery (Oct. 2010)

Dimensions: 5 x 54rg

Country of Origin: ?

Wrapper: ?

Ever the secretive blender and brander, Andre Farkas, owner of Viaje Cigars, continues to dazzle small-batch cigar lovers. The first installment of the Skull & Bones came out in early 2010 to overwhelming positive feedback. His encore was released just in time for Halloween of 2010 to the surprise of many. Only about 150 boxes were made and we were fortunate to get an allocation. They did not stay on the shelves a week. This blend is unknown but we would guess there is some Nicaraguan tobacco. But who cares? This was a rich and dark cigar (with notes of espresso and spice). And the kicker? The band glows in the dark! Such ingenuity and blending skill landed this cigar a Number 8 spot.

No. 9 - A. Fuente Rosado Sungrown R-56

Dimensions: 5 5/8 x 56

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra

The Rosado Sungrown line from the fabled Fuente family is one of the newest cigar blends to hail from this major cigar concern. Reserved for brick-and-mortar shops, this blend is mild-to-medium to medium strength. An elegant cigar, the RSG has larger ring gauges than its other lines (which is unusual for this traditional cigar family). Cedar and earth are the major notes that one experiences when smoking this cigarro. This cigar should not come as a surprise to passionate smokers of the golden leaf. Fantastic and a great buy!

No. 10 - Ashton VSG Spellbound

Dimensions: 7 1/2 x 54rg

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic

Wrapper: Ecuador Sungrown

A second A. Fuente-made cigar hits the Top 10 of our list in the Ashton VSG Spellbound. El Rushbo (Rush Limbaugh) talked up this cigar when it was initially released over 10 years ago and rightly (no pun intended) so. Still consistent and flavorful, the strength is about medium. This size has been a favorite for the VSG legion this year and we usually rank this cigar that is distributed by the Levin family high on our all-time favorite's list. Wood and a bit of nuttiness dominate the palate. A gem in this industry, Ashton's Virgin Sun Grown will not disappoint.

No. 11 - Oliva Connecticut Reserve Robusto

Dimensions: 5 x 50rg

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Connecticut

Oliva = Consistency. Any cigar-maker who wants to remain in this business for the long-term should adopt Oliva's business philosophy and model. Because this company has vertically-integrated the cigar-making process, they are able to pass the savings to the consumer. Their Connecticut Reserve line is a mild-to-medium blend that is surprisingly flavorful. A bit of spice lights up the taste buds initially but the blend quickly smooths out to a slight buttery profile with a bit of earth. Fantastic for anytime of day, we would also recommend this as a morning smoke with your demitasse of Cuban coffee.

No. 12 - Illusione hl Maduro

Dimensions: 7 1/2 x 40rg

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Nicaragua

We would dub this Number 12 cigar as the Carmen Sandiego smoke for 2010. Where in the world are you Illusione hl Maduro? Okay, we'll stick to our day jobs and not enter the stand-up comedy business, but seriously, this cigar has been so tasty and rich (and because brand owner Dion Giolito strictly adheres to small runs in order to maintain consistency) it has flown off our shelves. It is on backorder currently and with good reason. A rich lancero, the Holy Lance Maduro is the only maduro in Illusione's portfolio. Let us know when you get some more, Dion. We're hungry.

No. 13 - Brickhouse Mighty Mighty

Dimensions: 6 1/4 x 60

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Havana Subido

Distributed by J.C. Newman, one of America's oldest cigar companies, the Brickhouse is a great value for the smoker! Incorporating a Nicaraguan wrapper, the Brickhouse is a medium-bodied smoke with more woody notes. The Mighty Mighty is a size that has been popular within the cigar community lately. This is a cigar that should be priced higher, so smokers are getting a real deal with the Brickhouse.

No. 14 - J. Fuego's Origen Originals

Dimensions: 5 x 44

Country of Origin: Honduras

Wrapper: Brazilian Corojo

A novel concept, the Origen Originals from Jesus Fuego is a short smoke. Unpressed, this is the size J. Fuego makes when testing new blends. A medium-bodied smoke, the Origen Originals will satisfy the connoisseur who does not have time. Leather and earth dominate in this cigar. You can buy them by the single but why would you? Normally packaged in nice 5-count packs, the Originals will be offered in his other lines, too. Click here to see our YouTube video interview of the man himself.

No. 15 - Gran Habano Azteca Aguila

Dimensions: 5 1/2 x 52rg (Torpedo)

Country of Origin: Honduras

Wrapper: San Andreas Maduro (Mexico)

A new release from Gran Habano, the Azteca is a medium-to-strong blend with hints of sourdough bread. This cigar is unique and has been a customer favorite. Packaged in an orange pyramid-shaped box, Gran Habano has created a fantastic cigar in the Azteca line. The Rico family has done it again and you can be rest assured that the cigar will make some more splashes in the coming year.

Honorable Mentions

Five cigars who do not make the Top 15 list but definitely deserve praise will make our Honorable Mentions List. These cigars are also fantastic and deserve a light if you have not had one. Congratulations to these and all the cigars who made our Lists. And to you smokers, let us know what you think of these cigars!

Honorable Mention - Los Blancos Nine Double Corona

Dimensions: 7 x 52rg

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Oscuro Corojo

Honorable Mention - Perdomo Reserve 10th Anniversary Champagne Epicure

Dimensions: 6 x 54rg
Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Connecticut

Honorable Mention - Torano Single Region Toro Grande

Dimensions: 6 x 54rg

Country of Origin: Honduras

Wrapper: Jalapa Valley (Nicaragua)

Honorable Mention - Quesada Tributo Julio

Dimensions: 5 x 50rg

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic

Wrapper: Ecuadorian HCHS

Honorable Mention - 7-20-04's 7-20-4

Dimensions: 5 x 50rg
Country of Origin: Honduras

Wrapper: Brazilian

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

New Year's Schedule

2010-12-31T09:00:00.000-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, fans of figurados. Please note the following New Year's Shop Schedule.

Friday, Dec. 31 - 10 AM to 5 PM

Saturday, Jan. 1 - Closed

Sunday, Jan. 2 - Noon to 5 PM (we resume normal hours now)

Stock up on your smokes now in preparation for ringing in 2011! And be safe out there while you're having some fun. Smoking a cigar or pipe is safer than fireworks, anyway. And no, it is not proper etiquette to light your fireworks with your lit cigar in case you were wondering.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Custom Etching Service

2010-12-29T13:16:00.006-06:00

Custom-etched Savoy Glass-Top Humidor

Saludos,

Greetings, tobaccophiles. We hope you had a great weekend and you spent Christmas enjoying a cigar or two. In today's post we would like to inform you of one of the services that sets us apart from the competition. We can custom etch your humidor, ashtray or lighter with your logo or personalized text. For humidors, we can etch your desired artwork onto the glass-top lid. Ashtrays work best when you select our black Craftsman's Bench ashtray (preferably black but we can etch other colored ashtrays that they offer, too). As far as lighters, any Xikar metal-finish lighter will work best although with the small size of the lighter itself, it is best to etch text. Take a look at the examples and email or call us at 985-809-1818 if you are interested.

Custom-etched Craftsman's Bench Ashtray

Typically, the cost for etching the humidor will be $60, and $30 for both the ashtray and lighter.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Christmas Hours

2010-12-23T12:44:00.003-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings merry mavens of maduros! Here is our Christmas Season Store Schedule. We want to thank everyone for your support. It's been a great ride thus far. Now get out there and smoke some fine tobacco!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Grand Opening Contest Winners!

2010-12-22T14:47:00.003-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, enthusiasts of English blends. Here are the winners of our Grand Opening contests:

Alec Bradley Contest Winner: Jeff R.
Altadis Contest Winner: Lawrence M.
Ashton Contest Winner: Ty F.
Drew Estate / Joya de Nicaragua Contest Winner: Matt L.
Gran Habano Contest Winner: Ken S.
La Flor Dominicana Contest Winner: Adam C.
Oliva Contest Winner: Daniel B.
Padilla Contest Winner: David H.
Toraño Contest Winner: Brad L.

Congratulations, smokers! Enjoy these great gifts from our supportive cigar manufacturers. Expect a call and receive an extra dose of Christmas presents brought to you by Habana Port!

We also want to thank A. Fuente, J.C. Newman (makers of Cuesta-Rey, Diamond Crown & Brickhouse), SAG (makers of Fonseca & Casa Magna) and Viaje who all contributed to our Grand Opening as well! Thanks again everyone!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Habana Port Coffee Mug

2010-12-22T09:00:00.002-06:00

Coffee and a cigar? Where do I sign up?

Saludos,

Greetings, coffee & tabac lovers! In this post, we are announcing the release of our Habana Port coffee mugs! What better way to enjoy your morning with a cup of coffee in one hand and a fine cigar in the other? Our new Habana Port coffee mug is a fine porcelain item that will easily display your love for coffee, fine tobacco and all things HP! Don't like coffee with your cigar? Then be like Winston Churchill and pour some whiskey in your Habana Port mug and start your day right just like he used to do! A cigar and a shot before getting out of bed!

Get your coffee mug today for $9.95 each. Email us to place your order or visit our shop today.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

A. Fuente 2010 Xtremely Rare Holiday Collection

2010-12-21T16:24:00.004-06:00

A. Fuente's 2010 Xtremely Rare Holiday Collection Sampler

Saludos,

Greetings, followers of Habana Port! We have just received this year's A. Fuente Xtremely Rare Holiday Collection boxes. What a fantastic offering from A. Fuente! This 10-count box includes 2 cigars from 5 different Fuente lines. They include: 2 Double Chateau (Natural); 2 Double Chateau (Natural Sungrown); 2 Hemingway Classics; 2 Anejo No. 48; and 2 Fuente Fuente Opus X Perfecxion X. This superb lineup is a great gift for the A. Fuente fan and this Holiday-only release never stays too long on the shelf. Get yours today for only $125.99 a box (that comes out to $12.60 per stick). Email us to order yours today and receive free shipping with this purchase!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Thanksgiving Contest Winner

2010-12-17T10:00:00.001-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings fans of Habana Port! We want to announce the winner of our Thanksgiving Contest. We ran this contest to those who are on our email/newsletter subscription list. We asked our subscribers in November why they are thankful for cigars. The responder with the best answer won a 7-count Toraño sampler box. Wow!

So congratulations to our winner, Albert P. who wrote the following:

"I am thankful for cigars because they relieve the stress of the day. No matter how bad a day has been smoking a cigar always makes it better even if its just for a short period of time. A good cigar is like a good friend always there when you need them."

Well put, Albert! We couldn't have said it any better. Enjoy your free cigars brought to you by Toraño. If you want to have a chance at winning free goods in the future, you have to subscribe your email address. Click here to do so!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

A. Fuente Añejos Have Arrived!

2010-12-16T16:42:00.004-06:00

Click the picture to zoom in.

Saludos,

Greetings, fans of Habana Port! Is your brain fried with the information overload that has been flooding this blog yet? Well this announcement is worth the brain cell breakdown. We are happy to announce the arrival of A. Fuente Añejos! For those not familiar with this line of cigars, this is essentially an OpusX blend with the wrapper being different. It is 5 year-old aged Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper aged in cognac barrels. This cigar only comes out during Christmas and Father's Day. Hurry in today as we have only received a limited allocation! Happy smoking!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Close, But No Cuban Cigar

2010-12-16T15:53:00.003-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, fans of Habana Port. Click the link below to see video and read about the TSA confiscating Cuban cigars in the Chicago area airports recently. Remember that it is illegal to purchase Cuban goods because there is an embargo against the island nation.

This story is presented by the CBS affiliate in Chicago.

Close, But No Cigar, For Area Residents Who Ordered Cubans Online « CBS Chicago

Many thanks to Nick H. for informing us of this news story.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Gurkha Spec Ops

2010-12-16T10:00:00.000-06:00

The Gurkha Spec Ops Travel Humidor, cigars, knife and military coin.

Saludos,

Greetings, civic-minded cigar smokers. The all-new Gurkha Spec Ops (Special Operations) cigar has arrived here at Habana Port. For those not familiar with Gurkha, this cigar company was founded by Kaizad Hansotia and his philosophy is that of the epicurean and design-driven artist. He only demands the finest quality tobacco and his company is famous for his beautiful packaging, art and designs.

The Spec Ops cigar was created in honor of our Navy Seals, and like the Seals, the Spec Ops is a beast of a cigar. The 7 1/2 by 52 cigar incorporates a Dominican wrapper with an Indonesian binder followed by Dominican filler. Medium to med-strong, the blend is complex and has earthy notes. You can buy each cigar by the single (our cost is $10.99 each) or if you want the entire set, the price is $197.82. Now, the entire combo set includes 20 Gurkha Spec Ops cigars, an indestructible, water-proof, all-weather 30-count travel humidor with Gurkha's brand stamped on the outside, a limited edition Gurkha military collector's coin, a Gurkha-branded 7 inch fixed blade tactical combat/survival knife and a matching leg sheath to protect and carry the knife.

So let's break this offer down. For $197.82, the price per cigar comes out to $9.89 a stick. Not a bad deal considering this is Gurkha. But you are also getting a travel humidor which for a comparable size can run you anywhere between $50 and $80, a knife which can run $300 for a comparable style, a sheath which is valued at around $30 and a priceless military limited edition Gurkha coin. This deal can easily cost you around $600. But at Habana Port, you can own this limited military set and cigars for under $200! Wow, what a deal! This set is perfect for the military enthusiast or for the Navy Seal in your life!

We currently have 2 styles of knives in stock: a solid black theme and a Tiger-striped pattern. Gurkha has made 10 different coin styles so each one will vary.

We have a current special, too. If you buy by the single, every purchase will get you a raffle ticket for your chance to win the set (minus the cigars) for FREE!

Hurry to our shop or call 985-809-1818 for mail orders and get your Gurkha Spec Ops cigar set or single cigars while they last! And as always, if we ship out-of-state, we do not include Louisiana state excise taxes or sales taxes (so basically you will save another 20%; inquire for correct pricing).

Gurkha Military Coin Side A

Gurkha Military Coin Side B

Gurkha Spec Ops Knife (Tiger-Pattern)

Gurkha Spec Ops cigars.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Habana Port's Christmas Sampler Boxes

2010-12-15T18:40:00.003-06:00

Habana Port Christmas Samplers.

Saludos,

Greetings, cigar smoking fans of Habana Port! Need a great cigar gift? Do you want to offer a great presentation? Do you wish to see the traditional image of Santa Claus enjoying his fine tobacco? Well, look no further. We at Habana Port are now offering our own Christmas Sampler boxes. We are offering 4-pack boxes in both a Robusto and Churchill size. This year's beautiful Christmas design comes adorned in a yuletide theme and pictures a content, jolly St. Nick enjoying a fine cigar. Come on down to our shop and pick your cigars a la carte or save even more by purchasing our pre-selected assortments.

St. Nick fires up a cigar before making his annual journey around the world.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Jesus Fuego Interview

2010-12-10T09:00:00.001-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, fans of Habana Port! Check out this YouTube video we published of an interview with Jesus Fuego, founder and owner of J. Fuego cigars. He stopped by our shop Wednesday and we interviewed him about his line of cigars, his company and future plans. Check this video out and our YouTube channel for other videos.

We proudly carry J. Fuego cigars and currently have some great specials. For more information about this great line of cigars go to his official website.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Habana Port Hits the Air Waves

2010-12-07T09:00:00.002-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, merry mavens of maduros. As part of our Christmas ad campaign, we will hit the airwaves by advertising on Rush Radio 99.5 FM in the New Orleans, LA market. Click below to hear the spot that we posted on our YouTube channel. We will run this ad starting today and it will continue through December 21, 2010.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

CRT/Habana Port Cigar Review #2 - Paul Garmirian Symphony 20 Connoisseur

2010-12-02T17:01:00.004-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, aficionado de la hoja! Our second CRT/Habana Port cigar review features a highly limited cigar: Paul Garmirian Symphony 20 Connoisseur. Paul Garmirian is an interesting cigar man and has a long history. Not as well known as other cigars, PG cigars appeared in 1990. He can be credited with introducing the boutique/small batch cigar concept before anyone else. His philosophy includes distributing his cigars through brick-and-mortar cigar shops only. His cigars are made at Tabadom (the maker of Davidoff, AVO and The Griffins) thus ensuring consistency and high quality every time one lights up a PG.

The story regarding the Symphony line is as follows:

The official release of the Symphony 20 is 40,000 cigars in 2000 flat, cedar boxes of 20. 15,000 cigars were released with no boxes to the top PG Authorized Dealers in November 2009. On the last day before the Virginia Restuarant [sic] Smoking Ban, the Symphony 20 was launched at Morton's Steakhouse in Reston, Virginia. The name Symphony 20 came from an article that compared the process of experimenting, blending and manufacturing PG Cigars, to composing a complex symphony. It celebrates 20 years for PG, from 1990 to 2010.

Click here for Source

Our 2 CRT judges review the cigar:

Date & Time Smoked: 12/1/2010 - 5:15 PM

Brand: Paul Garmirian

Line: Symphony 20

Vitola: Connoisseur

Manufacturer: Tabadom Holdings, Inc.

Distributor: McLean Cigars PG Boutique

Length: 6 inches

Ring Gauge: 52

Common Shape: Toro (Parejo)

Origin of Production: Dominican Republic

Wrapper: Ecuador Hybrid Cuban Seed

Binder: Dominican Republic Havana Seed

Filler: Dominican Republic & Honduras

Taste Profile (CRT#1764):

Initial Light - Good draw, spicy, notes of leather, initial Dominican flavor (he actually said it tastes like a Davidoff/AVO before he knew this cigar was made at the factory).

1st Half - good draw; smooth; lots of flavors, leather, earth, coffee notes.

2nd Half - still good draw; leather and earth flavors. Gray/black ash.

Final Comments - Good construction, lots of flavor from the beginning to 3/4 of the cigar. Medium-bodied. Buy.

Strength: Medium

Taste Profile (CRT#1798):

Initial Light - woody and deep earth; peppery with a heavy strength.

1st Half - wood and rich earth dominate; full-bodied at a medium-strong strength; solid construction; gray-white ash; a thick wrapper leaf.

2nd half - wood and earth deepen with more mineral notes appearing.

Final Comments - A lot of flavor come with this cigar; very consistent throughout with wood and earth dominating. A thick, oily wrapper and great construction are found with this cigar.

Strength: Medium-Strong

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Like Us on Facebook

2010-11-29T20:46:00.003-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, faithful followers of Habana Port! We know we haven't posted our Grand Opening pictures and video yet but we wanted to let you know about our Facebook Fan Page. You can visit us now at www.facebook.com/HabanaPort. Or you can click the Like Button below. We hope you'll like us! I don't think we can handle rejection too well.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Grand Opening Update

2010-11-15T13:12:00.002-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings, faithful followers of Habana Port. We just wanted to quickly post an overall update of this past Saturday's Grand Opening Event. What a fantastic day! We had a great turnout throughout the course of the event. Many cigars were smoked, great food was served and spirits were high! We will post some pictures and a YouTube video later in the week.

We also wanted to thank all who made it out and to all the cigar companies who contributed to raffles and promotions. We'll post a list of the cigar companies who helped out later in the week as well.

And remember that we will continue the promotions for the big raffle prizes until December 20, 2010, so make those purchases in order to qualify!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Grand Opening Promotions

2010-11-12T16:00:00.003-06:00

Saludos,

Greetings Faithful Followers of Habana Port! Tomorrow is the Grand Opening Event for our Covington shop and we are very anxious to get the party going. Remember that everyone gets a FREE cigar when they arrive and that we'll have complimentary food, beverages, and shop promotions and sales. Everything will be discounted 10% off for the day and we will have a cigar roller showing off the trade.

Here is a summary of the awesome promotions and raffles we will be showcasing (it begins tomorrow but the promotions will continue until December 20 or until supplies run out):

Padilla:

-A $500 limited Padilla 1932 Signature Humidor to be raffled off on Monday, December 20, 2010. For every 3 Padilla cigars you buy, get 1 Raffle Ticket for the Humidor Raffle.

-For every 20 Padilla cigars you buy, get 10 Raffle Tickets for the Humidor Raffle & a FREE Padilla T-shirt.

La Flor Dominicana

-Buy any 3 LFD cigars and get 1 raffle ticket for an ultra-limited box of LFD Double Ligero Oscuro Natural "A" Edicion Limitada cigars Giveaway which will be drawn on Dec. 20, 2010.
-Buy any 20 LFD cigars (or a full box) and get　10 tickets for this Giveaway AND a FREE LFD OYA sampler set.

Fonseca / Casa Magna

-Buy any 20 Fonseca family of cigars (including Casa Magna and Quesada) or a full box and get a FREE Fonseca Sampler box (includes 2 Fonsecas and 2 Cubano Limitados).

Gran Habano:
-Buy any 3 GH cigars and get 1 specially-selected GH cigar FREE and 1 raffle ticket for a chance to win a full box of 3 Siglos Robustos　which will be drawn on Dec. 20, 2010.
-Buy any 20 GH cigars (or a full box) and get 4 specially selected GH cigars FREE & 10 tickets for the Box Giveaway.

Oliva:

-Buy any 3 Oliva cigars and get 1 raffle ticket for our Grand Oliva Set which includes an Oliva Ashtray, Oliva cap and Oliva polo shirt which will be drawn on Dec. 20, 2010.　
-Buy any 20 Oliva cigars (or full box) and get 10 raffle tickets for this Giveaway and an Oliva Cigar Sampler box FREE.

Alec Bradley:
-Buy any 3 AB cigars and get 1 FREE AB Prensado Corona Grande and 1 raffle ticket for our Grand Alec Bradley Package which includes a Tempus Sampler Box, an AB T-shirt, an AB Burner tabletop lighter (valued at $50) and an AB cutter which will be drawn on Dec. 20, 2010.
-Buy any 20 AB cigars (or full box) and get one Hendrix lighter (valued at $40) FREE and an AB cutter FREE and 10 raffle tickets for our Dec. Giveaway.

A. Fuente / J.C. Newman

-Buy $25 worth of Fuente / Newman cigars and get a FREE Diamond Crown Robusto #3 FREE, valued at over $16.

J. Fuego

:
-Buy any 21 J. Fuego family of cigars (or a full box) and get a FREE J. Fuego / Xikar lighter valued at over $100 for FREE.

Viaje:

-Buy any 2 Viaje cigars and get 1 specially-selected Viaje cigar for FREE.　

Drew Estate / Joya de Nicaragua:

- Buy any 3 DE/JdN cigars and get 1 raffle ticket for our Grand DE/JdN Set which includes a Joya de Nic. Dark Corojo Sampler Pack, Liga Privada T-Shirt and a Liga Privada Double Blade metal cutter (valued at $35) which will be drawn on Dec. 20, 2010.　
-Buy any 20 DE/JdN cigars (or full box) and get 10 raffle tickets for this Giveaway.

Los Blancos:
-Buy any 3 LB cigars and get 1 raffle ticket for your chance to win a full 25-ct box of Los Blancos Nine Double Corona to be raffled Dec. 20, 2010.

- Buy any 20 LB cigars (or full box) and get 10 raffle tickets for this Giveaway.

Toraño:
-Buy any 3 Toraño cigars and get 1 raffle ticket for your chance to win our Toraño Grand Package which includes a Lotus Table Lighter, a cap and a T-shirt to be raffled Dec. 20, 2010. Value is worth over $75!

-Buy any 20 Toraño cigars (or full box) & get 10 raffle tickets for the Giveaway plus a FREE 7-ct Toraño Sampler Box.

Ashton / San Cristobal / La Aroma de Cuba:

- Buy any 3 Ashton family cigars and get a cutter FREE plus 1 raffle ticket for our Grand Ashton Package which includes a 10-ct Sampler Box, a T-shirt and cutter which will be drawn on Dec. 20, 2010.　
- Buy any 6 Ashton family cigars and get San Cristobal cigar FREE plus 3 raffle ticket for our Grand Ashton Package.

- Buy any 20 Ashton family cigars (or full box) & get 4 SC cigars FREE, an Ashton T-shirt FREE & 10 raffle tickets.

Altadis:
- Buy any 3 Altadis cigars (Romeo y Julieta, Montecristo, H. Upmann, Don Diego, Gispert, etc.) and get 1 raffle ticket for your chance to a limited La Flor de Copan Ashtray to be raffled Dec. 20, 2010.

- Buy any 20 Altadis cigars (2 Casa de Garcias = 1 Altadis cigar) and get a Cigar Savor Torch Lighter FREE (value is $35) and 10 raffle tickets.

We hope to see you here and celebrate our official landing in Covington, LA.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Cigar Tip #2

2010-11-09T15:37:00.002-06:00

Note: This tip is republished from our email newsletter. Click here to subscribe.

How do I cut my cigar and what cutter should I use?

Cutting the head of the cigar is one of the steps needed to start your smoking session. The majority of handrolled cigars do not come cut so the consumer must make sure that there is an opening in order to have a draw (the process of pulling in the cigar smoke to the inside of your mouth). Essentially, as long as there is an opening, the cigar is ready to be smoked.

There are a variety of cutters but realize that each method has its pros and cons. A guillotine cutter provides the largest opening/cut and, as a result, the easiest draw. When using a double-bladed (or single-bladed) cutter, just make sure to cut above the cap (the portion of wrapper leaf on the head of the cigar that is applied by a cigar roller (or torcedor) to cover this area). A double-blade provides equal pressure from both sides of the cigar while a single-blade only applies pressure from one side (not as desirable as the head of the cigar is more likely to see damage).

A punch cutter is basically a blade in a circular shape that (you guessed it) is punched into the cap and a circular cut is made. The benefits of using this style of cutter is that it is easy to see where you are making your incision and that the cap is left more intact than a guillotine. The drawback is that since the hole is smaller, the tars and nicotine of the cigar get built up more as it is smoked and a harsher and bitter smoke can ensue. Try punching the cigar more than once to create a larger opening if desired.

A V-cutter is a style of cutting instrument that creates an angular wedge into the head of the cigar. Similar pros and cons exist in the V-cutter as the punch cutter.

A pair of cigar scissors is another type of cutting tool; these are actual scissors made especially for cutting cigars. They have fallen out of favor in recent years because many are too big and not convenient for the traveling cigar smoker. However, Xikar makes a great pair of cigar scissors that can fold easily for those wanting a compact accessory.

Finally, the last type of cigar cutter are your natural ones: your teeth. Although it doesn't cost you anything to use, your teeth can be used as an emergency cigar cutter when you forget your real cutters and are in a bind. Many of the tobacco farmers and torcedors in Latin America use their teeth but we don't recommend this as your pearly whites are not as sharp as an actual cutting device. Consequently, teeth can rip apart the cap thus ruining your smoke and creating a mess!

Whatever style of cutter you choose, we at Habana Port can lead you in the right direction and we are more than happy to show you in person how each style works. We offer all the different methods mentioned above (except our teeth) at every price range; so come in today and let us show you the world of cigar cutlery!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Become a CCT at Habana Port!

2010-10-26T15:11:00.005-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, educated enthusiasts of Habana Port! We want to inform you about Tobacconist University's Certified Consumer Tobacconist (CCT) certification program that we can assist in administering. Here are some of the details about this wonderful program for those interested:

Certified Consumer Tobacconist (CCT) is a non-professional certification with the designation CCT; it is a lifetime certification with no recurring or annual dues. The retail cost for Consumer Certification is $250† or $175 for CRA members (a 30% discount).

Consumers interested in becoming CCT will need to contact Habana Port, a CRT Sponsor. The curriculum, Training Seminars, and Post-Certification Seminars for CCT are almost exactly the same as for CRT; with the notable exception of Service College, which CCT do not have to study. CCT are the most passionate and knowledgeable consumers of luxury tobacco, as substantiated by our academic curriculum and final exam.

STEPS TO CERTIFICATION:

1. After you talk to Habana Port, you can purchase your CCT Certification in TU's Campus Store or print the CCT Intro, provide the requested information, and mail payment to TU: 66 Witherspoon St., PMB 322 , Princeton, NJ 08542. (Habana Port can mail the form for you, too!)

2. After payment is received and you accept the CCT Code of Ethics & Standards, you will be listed on the CCT webpage.

3. Register on the TU Forums to download the CCT Apprentice Seminars from the Certified Tobacconist & Apprentice section: TU will have to grant you special access to this section.

4. Contact Habana Port, your CRT Sponsor and agree upon a date/time to take the final exam. Habana Port must request the final exam from TU two weeks ahead of test date/time.

5. Take the final exam with Habana Port. (You can even smoke a cigar while you take the test! What other college allows that?!) Sign and seal the test; Habana Port will mail back to TU.

6. Wait up to one month for test results, diploma, and lapel pin. Test re-take fee is $50.

A Consumer Tobacconist candidate must study TOBACCO COLLEGE, ACCOUTREMENTS COLLEGE, and TASTE COLLEGE as well as the FAQ & GLOSSARY to attain the requisite knowledge for TU Certification. Unlike a Certified Retail or Salesforce Tobacconist, a Consumer Tobacconist does not have to attend SERVICE COLLEGE. All of the independent study is conducted through the internet-based curriculum and Apprentice Seminars sent directly from TU. In order to pass the final exam and earn TU Certification, a candidate must score 80% or better. Upon successful completion of the final exam the apprentice earns TU Certification and all the benefits and privileges associated with it.

Certified Consumer Tobacconists (CCT) are the most passionate consumers of luxury tobacco. They are the TU infantry, giving loyal patronage to Certified Retailers, knowledgeable feedback, engaging in peer-to-peer teaching, and they epitomize the values of self-learning and connoisseurship. After earning their certification, CCTs receive an array of benefits and privileges commensurate with their extraordinary accomplishment.

† The CCT degree is a lifetime certification with no annual fees. If you fail the final exam, the test re-take fee is $50. Only one re-take per year is allowed, a minimum of four weeks after the first.

If you have any questions about earning your CCT certification, do not hesitate to call us at 985-809-1818 or email us at info@habanaport.com.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

CRA Great American Cigar Shop

2010-10-26T14:58:00.003-05:00

Support CRA!

Saludos,

Greetings, devout dons of Habana Port. In case you didn't know, we are a proud CRA Great American Cigar Shop. Click here to view other Louisiana shops that have been designated as a Great American Cigar Shop and support CRA and your inalienable right to enjoy fine cigars and other tobacco products!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Cigar Tip #1

2010-10-24T15:37:00.002-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, cigar smoking citizens of Habana Port. As a dutiful CRT, Habana Port will post cigar tips from time to time. These nuggets of information will enhance your cigar-smoking experience. Many of you may be familiar with this advice but we hope that if we can educate just one smoker then we have done our job. Enjoy this first post of many regarding cigar knowledge!

Note: This tip is republished from our first email newsletter. Click here to subscribe.

My cigars in my humidor are too dry. What do I do?

Although one may feel overwhelmed with this problem, we can help. It could be a number of issues but some of the more common include a humidor with a faulty seal; your humidifying agents are no good; your hygrometer is not calibrated correctly which may mislead you into thinking your cigars are in the right conditions; or your humidor wasn't seasoned properly to begin with. We are more than happy to take a look at your humidor to find the problem or we can show you the humidor accessories that can fix the dry issues. Or consider our private locker program where you can store your private stock (or alcohol if you wish) & not be worried with everyday humidity maintenance as we oversee this regularly.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

Our First YouTube Video

2010-10-22T21:30:00.002-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, tokers of tobacco. We have just published our first YouTube video. Watch below or go to our channel. Enjoy.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,
Habana Port

La Flor Dominicana Chisel Sampler

2010-10-20T15:30:00.001-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, loyal lovers of the leaf. Today we received La Flor Dominicana's Chisel Sampler. This 5 pack box features a Chisel from the following lines: Ligero Natural, Double Ligero Natural, Double Ligero Maduro, Cameroon Cabinet and Coronado by La Flor.

We are selling each sampler box at $43.99 but if you mention this blog post, we'll throw an extra 10% off! Call 985-809-1818 or email info@habanaport.com to place your order today!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

J. Fuego and Xikar Promotion

2010-10-10T22:10:00.002-05:00

J. Fuego Box and Xikar Lighter Promotion

Saludos,

Greetings, staunch soldiers of Habana Port. In conjunction with 10-10-10 (at 10:10 PM, mind you), in this post we feature our latest cigar addition to our vast humidor. We introduce to you J. Fuego and his portfolio of tabacos. The following text comes from their company website and provides a brief background of the cigar manufacturer:

The Fuego family has been in the business of growing, blending, and rolling cigars for five generations (since 1876 when J.Fuego was founded as a leaf growing company) in "El Corojo" farm, Cuba.

It was in 1995 when the family migrated to Central America. In 2006, after years growing, blending and making cigars for other companies (including Rocky Patel), Jesus Fuego launched "Tabacos S.A." with the release of the "J. Fuego" brand with his Natural and Gran Reserva lines. This, as a celebration of 130 years of his family in the cigar industry.

Since then Tabacos S.A. has introduced the J. Fuego Delirium, the 777 brand with Maduro, Corojo and Zero lines. The Origen brand was also introduced in 2010 with great acceptation from the consumers.

We are proud to offer a wide variety of flavors and prices in our cigar selection, made with tobaccos grown exclusively for Tabacos S.A. Enjoy.

Jesus is a true artisan and Habana Port is proud to offer you his line of incredible cigars. With such a passion and intense pursuit for the creation of cigars, you can be rest assured that Jesus will deliver a wonderful cigar-smoking experience.

In honor of adding J. Fuego to our humidor, we are proud to offer this limited promotion:

When you buy any box (21 count) or any 21 J. Fuego-made cigars, you will receive a limited J.Fuego/Xikar torch lighter for FREE!

This dependable lighter is valued at a cool $100 and it's yours for free when you purchase his cigars. If you want to mix-and-match (instead of just buying a single box of one type of cigar), that is fine as well and you will receive the lighter. So if you want to buy a few Gran Reservas, a few Naturals, Deliriums or the new Origen, whatever you like, when you buy 21 cigars, you will receive your normal box discount of 10% and we will gift you this limited lighter from Xikar and J. Fuego. A 5-pack of the Origen Originals counts as "1 cigar" just to be clear.

Come in to Habana Port today, or call us at 985-809-1818 or email us at info@habanaport.com. If you can't make it to our shop, we can mail you the cigars and lighter!

And here is a brief overview of the lines we are carrying from J. Fuego right now. Click on the picture to view a larger version and read about each particular line's anatomy and background. Enjoy!

The J. Fuego Gran Reserva (medium-strong)

The J. Fuego Natural (medium)

The J. Fuego Delirium (medium-strong)

The Origen (medium)

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

p.s. Don't mind that numerology nonsense. Haha.

Cigar Guy's Identity is Revealed

2010-10-10T13:12:00.006-05:00

Cigar Guy to the rescue and making the world a safer place for cigar fans the world over!

Saludos,

Greetings fans of Habana Port! The identity of Cigar Guy has been revealed! Read the Yahoo story here! At last, we can smoke in peace once again. Look for Cigar Guy at a smoke shop near you!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

CRT/Habana Port Cigar Review #1 - Padron Series Churchill

2010-09-27T14:00:00.002-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, aficionado de la hoja! Our first CRT/Habana Port cigar review features a cigar from one of the pillars of the cigar industry - Padron. This Nicaraguan-based cigar company boasts a rich history and a core of family values. Of Cuban heritage, the Padron family regularly scores well on tastings and it shows due to their focus on consistency in their product.

Read below and see how our 2 CRT judges rate this Padron.

Date & Time Smoked: 9/21/2010 - 5:45 PM

Brand: Padron
Line: Series
Vitola: Churchill
Manufacturer: Padron
Distributor: Padron/Piloto
Length: 6 and 7/8 inches
Ring Gauge: 46
Common Shape: Churchill (Parejo)
Origin of Production: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua (Piloto Cubano)
Binder: Nicaragua (Piloto Cubano)
Filler: Nicaragua (Piloto Cubano)

Taste Profile (CRT#1764):
Initial Light - A touch of spiciness; smooths out right away.
1st Half - Burns even, good draw; some earth flavor.
2nd Half - More medium-strength; still burns even; good draw.
Final Comments - Fairly good smoke.
Strength: mild to medium

Taste Profile (CRT#1798)
Initial Light - pre-light draw evokes light earth notes; upon fire, a clean, light chocolate note.
1st Half - Wow! What a clean-tasting cigar; light chocolate and earth notes; not too spicy but rich; white-gray ash; gets more complex and smooth!
2nd Half - a bit more flavor but those chocolate tones still present; burns a bit hotter but due to fast speed of smoking; more earth develops.
Final Comments - not the most immaculate in terms of looks, although it smoked fine. The experience and flavor made up for it! What rich and clean flavors! This must have had some age on it. Absolutely worth a purchase.
Strength: mild to medium

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

CRT / Habana Port Cigar Reviews

2010-09-20T11:00:00.002-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, fellow philosophers of Habana Port! We wanted to inform you that we are joining Tobacconist University in what will be a great program that involves our in-house CRTs conducting formal tasting reviews of cigars!

Our goal will be to relay unbiased tasting reviews of cigars that are sent to us by Tobacconist University. This will be a great source for you aficionados that are looking for particular cigars that meet your preferences in strength, flavors and country of origin.

We have received the first shipment of cigars straight that we have been contracted to taste and review from TU . So be on the look out this week as we publish our first ratings and notes!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Another CRT in tha House!

2010-09-20T10:00:00.002-05:00

Habana Port's newest CRT Diploma (CRT#1798)

Saludos,

Greetings faithful follower of Habana Port Cigar Merchants! We wanted to notify you that Luis Molina has received his CRT diploma (CRT # 1798). A serious cigar smoker and tobaccophile should only visit Certified Tobacco Retailers if he wants to have an enriching experience when browsing tobacconists. Otherwise, buyer beware! Click here to visit the official TU certification page.

Habana Port Cigar Merchants is now proud to offer 2 CRTs!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Habana Port Live on Geoff Pinkus!

2010-09-19T18:34:00.004-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings fellow followers of Habana Port. Just got off phone and was on live with Geoff Pinkus & Frank at www.geoffpinkus.com. Awesome radio/cigar smokers from Chicago. Looking forward to trying and bringing in his cigar, the Pinker, made by Gurkha.

We'll post a link to the podcast soon!

In the meantime listen to them talk about cigars, drinks, women and the good life on AM560 The WIND in Chicago or see them live at www.geoffpinkus.com every Sunday evening at 5PM Central Time.

Sweet, guys!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Habana Port is on FourSquare

2010-09-07T19:03:00.004-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, friends of Habana Port. We want to announce of our presence on FourSquare.com. For those who aren't familiar with this social networking site, FourSquare allows the user (especially those with a cellphone) to check in at local businesses and announce to friends through Twitter and FaceBook of their check-ins. You can unlock badges and discover specials when you check-in at various spots near your mobile device.

Now, Habana Port Cigar Merchants is listed and you can earn exclusive specials when you check-in at our shop. Go to our FourSquare page and read our profile. You can also friend us on FourSquare and follow where we are going. Click here for our friend page. So go ahead and attempt to be Mayor of Habana Port by downloading FourSquare on your mobile. Explore your city and earn some exclusive specials from Habana Port. Happy check-ins!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Happy Labor Day from Habana Port!

2010-09-06T11:57:00.002-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, friends of Habana Port. We want to wish all the hard-working men and women of the United States a Happy Labor Day. We at Habana Port salute the labor force of this country and we know it is the motivated American laborer that makes this great country the best and most successful nation the world has ever known.

What better way to celebrate an American holiday with the most iconic American product - the handmade cigar. So come on in to Habana Port today and celebrate your success with a fine cigar (or pipe tobacco)! We will be open today until 5 PM.

Until then, enjoy this tidbit of the origins of this American holiday, brought to you by the United States Department of Labor.

Labor Day: How it Came About; What it Means

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

Founder of Labor Day

More than 100 years after the first Labor Day observance, there is still some doubt as to who first proposed the holiday for workers.

Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, was first in suggesting a day to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold."

But Peter McGuire's place in Labor Day history has not gone unchallenged. Many believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, not Peter McGuire, founded the holiday. Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. What is clear is that the Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic.

The First Labor Day

The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.

In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a "workingmen's holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.

Labor Day Legislation

Through the years the nation gave increasing emphasis to Labor Day. The first governmental recognition came through municipal ordinances passed during 1885 and 1886. From them developed the movement to secure state legislation. The first state bill was introduced into the New York legislature, but the first to become law was passed by Oregon on February 21, 1887. During the year four more states — Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York — created the Labor Day holiday by legislative enactment. By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania had followed suit. By 1894, 23 other states had adopted the holiday in honor of workers, and on June 28 of that year, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.

A Nationwide Holiday

The form that the observance and celebration of Labor Day should take were outlined in the first proposal of the holiday — a street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations" of the community, followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families. This became the pattern for the celebrations of Labor Day. Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the economic and civic significance of the holiday. Still later, by a resolution of the American Federation of Labor convention of 1909, the Sunday preceding Labor Day was adopted as Labor Sunday and dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement.

The character of the Labor Day celebration has undergone a change in recent years, especially in large industrial centers where mass displays and huge parades have proved a problem. This change, however, is more a shift in emphasis and medium of expression. Labor Day addresses by leading union officials, industrialists, educators, clerics and government officials are given wide coverage in newspapers, radio, and television.

The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation's strength, freedom, and leadership — the American worker.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Habana Port Cigar Merchants to Open Next Week!

2010-08-20T15:56:00.004-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, friends of Habana Port! Today we are pleased to announce that we will soft-open our Covington shop's doors next Friday, August 27, 2010 at 10:00 AM. We look forward to serving you all! As a special bonus, the first ten customers who walk in that day will receive a complimentary cigar! So be sure to line up early, get those cigar cutters and briar pipes set and get ready for Habana Port Cigar Merchants' opening.

We want to thank all those now who helped us in our cigar journeys. There are too many of you to list but our family is very grateful.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

IPCPR Trade Show & Convention 2010

2010-08-18T11:50:00.008-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, friends of Habana Port. In today's post, we at Habana Port wanted to report on last week's 78th Annual IPCPR Trade Show & Convention that occurred at the Convention Center in New Orleans, LA on August 9 - 13, 2010.

For those who are not aware, the IPCPR (short for International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association) is the trade group that represents premium cigar and pipe retailers. This organization is a major force in our beloved industry. This is text from their website that discusses the who, what, when, where, why and how about IPCPR:

The International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association is a not-for-profit trade association organized as the advocate for the independent retail tobacconist and recognized as the "Voice of Authority and Reason" on premium tobacco related issues.

The IPCPR:

1. provides its members with assistance to fight repressive and onerous tobacco legislation at all levels.

2. acts as the conduit to bring manufacturers and retailers together in mutually advantageous business relations.

3. makes available for its members information on resources, market data, research, services and product information which will help in the profitable operations of their businesses.

Since 1933, the IPCPR has been the leading association for the retail tobacconist, dedicated to protecting the interests of its members, keeping them informed about the industry and giving them the tools they need to succeed.

We at Habana Port attended this year's convention to open accounts with cigar and pipe manufacturers and to place our initial orders. We attended a few seminars, made the CRA's "Great American Cigar Shops" group, had another CRT certification through Tobacconist University and saw old friends and made new ones. This is the time of year the majority of new products are unveiled as well. We had the chance to sample these new releases and we are happy to inform our customers that we will offer many of these new gems. Come back to our blog to see the new cigars and pipes coming our way!

All in all, this was a productive show for us and we know our customers will benefit from our attendance.

Enjoy a few of the pictures we took while at IPCPR.

What a pipe selection from Nording, the famous Danish pipe maker.

Hanging with Erik Nording & son behind Nording's famous "large pipe made of pipes."

Our newest CRT posing with Jorge and Chris from TU.

Our shop owner posing with Dion and Jimmy of Illusione.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Shop Buildout, Part VIII

2010-08-09T09:15:00.001-05:00

Industrial Signs puts the finishing touches to our outdoor sign.

Saludos,

Greetings, friends of Habana Port. Last week was a very productive one. We are rushing but diligently setting up the shop with its fixtures and furniture before we can go on to receiving tobacco and other tobacconist-related inventory. We are currently awaiting our proper permits for conducting tobacco-related business in the great State of Louisiana but in the meantime we are keeping busy hammering out the non-tobacco related building needs.

In this segment of our "Buildout" series, we see that the shop and its Construction Needs are totally finished; Industrial Signs comes in to affix our facade signage; our satellite TV is installed; our furniture comes in; and we bring in some electronics (for the TV and speakers) and other hardware. The Layout Phase has taken some planning and now we are executing before we begin the Merchandising of the Cigar Shop step.

Enjoy the pictures and stay tuned for the final chapters on "How to Build Out a Cigar Shop."

August 3, 2010

The shop is clean. The Lounge and Checkout area.

The Front part of the Lounge.

The Sign Company is here!

These guys bring heavy equipment.

The portion of the sign that will illuminate come night time.

Call in the cavalry.

The technicians install the box that will house the LED lights that will illuminate Habana Port.

I'm ready for my face lift.

Look up in the sky...

The tech is ready to attach the face to the box.

Aligning it right is difficult in this +100^o weather.

Perfect.

The Front Facade.

The Sign heralds our presence.

August 4, 2010

The Installer for Direct TV is setting up the lounge.

August 5, 2010

The Furniture comes in today.

The pub table and chairs will be perfect for those wishing to play poker, chess or to throw down some bones.

Our routed logo above the entrance to the Humidor adds a nice touch.

Our logo.

We bring in some of the store equipment and electronics.

The Checkout Station.

The lounge is starting to fill in.

The Humidor Entrance.

Habana Port would like to take this time to thank the wonderful people at Industrial Signs for doing such a great job for us. These guys have been illuminating New Orleans since 1929. Check them out for your signage needs.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Shop Buildout, Part VII

2010-08-03T10:55:00.000-05:00

The Final Building Inspections have been approved.

Saludos,

Greetings, friends of Habana Port! We come back today to our recurring series on how to construct a cigar shop as we invite you behind the scenes of the buildout of Habana Port's Covington, LA location. In today's post, we see the flooring is finished, our fixtures begin to come in and our inspections are finalized. We are close to finishing the construction and can then begin setting up the fixtures for the merchandising that has yet to have occurred. Enjoy the pictures and witness the creation of a cigar shop.

July 22, 2010

Our contractor installs the insulation above the ceiling tiles.

Another view. Notice this room has yet to have carpet.

Our pipe cabinet is waiting patiently in the smoking lounge.

The cigarette/small item cabinet is also waiting patiently in the lounge.

The humidor is getting its ceiling insulation. Still no electricity.

Tomorrow this room will receive its commercial-grade carpet.

July 23, 2010

Another day, another dollar.

The Humidor's Entrance.

The Humidor is well-lit now.

The lounge is a mess now but it will clear away soon.

The carpet is installed as well as the vinyl baseboard. Much cleaner.

The Retail Area.

July 24, 2010

More fixtures and the Checkout Station have arrived.

It is important that a humidor never employs florescent lighting as it is harmful to and bleaches the cigars.

Now that the billboard is up, we want the public to know that we will be opening soon.

July 27, 2010

The Retail section with another cabinet that we had constructed with the remnant Spanish cedar. Notice the cabinets we had made have been stained to a darker color to match the wainscot.

Looking good.

Another view of the Humidor.

Our talented carpenter constructs our Pipe Tobacco cabinet and display fixture.

July 28, 2010

The Pipe Tobacco cabinet begins receiving its stain treatment.

The Checkout Station.

The Retail Section.

Looking towards the front of the Unit.

Another view of the Pipe Tobacco Cabinet.

Our Final Building Inspection Placard announces the Parish's approval. Whew.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Habana Port on CigarFriendly.us

2010-08-01T16:34:00.004-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, friends of Habana Port! Today we want to share with you a great cigar informational website called CigarFriendly.us.

This site is a valuable resource for those who want to find establishments that permit cigar smoking. This is cool because they have each place of interest categorized by what they are. Here are the different categories:

Restaurants
Brick and Mortars (that's what we are)
Bars
Clubs
Lounge
Recreational
Casinos
Hotels & Resorts

CigarFriendly.us also shows whether each spot is certified as a CRA Great American Shop, IPCPR member and/or CRT (which we all are except for CRA but we'll register with them soon). It's tough to find a great spot to smoke a cigar. Where do you go? Now CigarFriendly.us can lead you the way and Habana Port is on there as well! Click here to view our full listing.

You can follow CigarFriendly.us on Twitter by clicking here.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Habana Port on CigarPlaces.com

2010-08-01T15:09:00.005-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, friends of Habana Port! Today we want to share with you a great cigar informational website called CigarPlaces.com. This is what they're about as is written on their website:

"Looking for a place to relax and have a cigar? Type your city into the search box to see cigar-friendly locations in your area. If you know of a great spot to have a cigar, add it to the map!

You’ll be helping others who share your passion for cigars, and standing up against those who are trying to make it harder to enjoy a cigar. We rely on our users to share their favorite cigar spots! It’s becoming harder and harder to find a place to enjoy a stogie. We created CigarPlaces.com to make it easier and people are taking notice! "

This site is a valuable resource especially for the traveling cigar man (or woman). You're in an unfamiliar city and you want to smoke your cigar. Where do you go? Well with CigarPlaces.com, you can look up those smoke-friendly establishments and now Habana Port is on there as well! Click here to view our full listing.

You can follow them on Twitter as well by clicking here.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Habana Port on Google Maps

2010-07-26T11:30:00.000-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, friends of Habana Port. We are on Google Maps and to further illustrate that point, we have a QR code for you to scan with your cell phone so you can get instant shop information on your mobile phone. Try it out and let us know what pops up!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

A Shout-Out from Cigar Reader

2010-07-24T18:45:00.001-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings, friends of Habana Port. We were browsing through the web and found this article written by CigarReader.com about our posts regarding our buildout. We wanted to thank them and we wanted to return the favor by posting their link here. You can follow them on Twitter, too. Check them out and read the article about us here! They post great stories and information regarding cigar news and they have some steamy pics of girls and their 'gars. That'll make you drop your stogie!

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

The Billboard is Up and Running

2010-07-24T17:32:00.004-05:00

Saludos,

Greetings friends of Habana Port! We drove to the shop today to start laying out the fixtures, when lo and behold, we see that our billboard is up early. Located in the heart of Mandeville on Highway 190 (once you get off the Causeway Bridge), the billboard has all the essentials to get the smoking market aware of our presence. It'll be up for 6 months. In the meanwhile, check out our site and blog for continuing updates and news.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Shop Buildout, Part VI

2010-07-23T12:00:00.006-05:00

The walk-in humidor with humidifier and surveillance cameras installed.

Saludos,

Greetings friends of Habana Port. Today's installment of our Shop Buildout series takes us into the details of laying out a cigar shop and full-service tobacconist. In these sets of photos, we showcase the surveillance cameras, the plate glass windows for the humidor door and viewing windows, the humidifier and filtration system and a few more items that have contributed to the progress. We hope that the next post on this subject will reveal the final steps that will ultimately lead to the completion of Habana Port's first cigar shop. Until then, take a look and enjoy!

July 16, 2010

The door and side window have their glass plates installed.

The humidor is secured with cameras in the corners.

A few of the ceiling tile panels have gone up.

The television viewing area of the smoking lounge.

The back area of the shop has the flooring down.

The filtration system which will produce distilled water for the humidifier is necessary to prevent hard water from ruining the cigars.

The accessories area.

The humidor door.

The humidifier is in the corner. The high placement will ensure a more even dispersion of humidity.

Our carpenter installing the final cedar panel in the humidor.

July 19, 2010

The ceiling is almost complete.

The television viewing area with ceiling tiles in place.

The humidor is almost sealed.

Don't worry. That fluorescent light is there temporarily.

The lounge again.

July 20, 2010

Our carpenter displays our cabinet that will go behind the sales counter. This will house cigarettes and other small items. This is made of Spanish cedar remnants and will be stained to match the wainscot.

The lounge. That case will house our pipe selection.

Another view of the humidor. I can see the amount of cigars that will soon fill this room...

Humidor.

The lounge is getting there and will be home to some good times soon.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Shop Buildout, Part V

2010-07-21T12:45:00.002-05:00

The walk-in humidor with the new island shelving.

Saludos,

Greetings friends of Habana Port. This is the next installment of our Shop Buildout series. We will show you the construction progress from July 9 to July 14 and what progress has been made! We were not expecting to install our humidor island but with the extra cedar we had at the moment, our carpenter made good use of the material. The island will allow Habana Port to showcase a larger cigar selection so we all benefit. The island also fills in the empty space in the humidor so there are both functional and aesthetic uses for our additional merchandising display. We also receive a new shop resident and the humidor ceiling begins its treatment. View on and enjoy!

July 9, 2010

Another view of the walk-in humidor.

Looking towards the humidor entrance.

Prepping some humidor ceiling work. Notice the track lights and ceiling fans on the left ready for installation.

The smoking lounge.

The humidor window frame. Ready for plate glass installation.

The storage room is waiting for its flooring.

Looking towards the front of the shop from the accessories merchandising area.

July 12, 2010

Our shopping center looks grand even in this heat.

Our cigar store Indian has landed and is ready to herald to the world of Habana Port's existence.

Our owner is posing with our new friend.

July 14, 2010

Soon enough, merchandise and display cases will replace the construction equipment.

The track lighting and ceiling fans are installed in the humidor.

It is important that a humidor not use fluorescent lighting as that light bleaches cigar wrappers. Not a healthy light anyway!

Our flooring installer works in the back of the shop.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Indoor Signage and Decals

2010-07-20T22:35:00.010-05:00

The decal sticker that will adorn the glass of the Humidor Entrance Door

Saludos,

Good evening, devotees of tabaco. As we wind the day, we wanted to show you some of the signage we created that will adorn the layout of the cigar shop. As an example, above you can see the decal sticker that will be placed on the door that will lead you into our 300 square-foot walk-in humidor.

This is Marketing 101, people. In order to strengthen a brand/image, one must vigorously implement heavy repetition of the logo; in this case we want the cigar shop's logo plastered throughout the store, so that once you leave our premises, our image is burned into your subconscious. Well nevermind the corporate mind-subjugation and marketing psychobabble talk, and take a look at Habana Port's latest signage!

The magnetic car decal that will display our shop's information while our vehicles traverse the Greater New Orleans area and Northshore.

The full-color logo will appear on the glass door of the shop's entrance AND on the large plate-glass window of our humidor.

We hope you enjoy the subtle variations of Habana Port's logo that will be heavily seen in this part of southeastern Louisiana soon enough. For now, follow this blog so that you may continue to receive an insider's look at the buildout of this next local brick-and-mortar cigar shop.

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port

Tentative Billboard Design

2010-07-16T20:27:00.002-05:00

Saludos,

Good evening, friends of Habana Port. We quickly wanted to share with you our tentative billboard design. Our shop intends to implement quite the marketing campaign and we are within our budget to advertise our shop using a billboard. This is the layout we designed. We will post pictures of the final product when it is up and heralding to the world of our presence. What do you think?

Until the next post, siempre fumando,

Habana Port