St Luis Rey Maduro Cigars

St. Luis Rey Maduro cigars are remarkably flavorful, solidly made and legendary for value. These firmly packed sticks have a dark Nicaraguan-grown San Andres Marron wrapper with a Nicaraguan binder and a filler blend from Honduras, Nicaragua and Peru.

The result is a cigar with a dark chocolate forefront and earthy, toasty flavors underneath. STL Maduros produce a lot of dense smoke, and the price won’t empty your wallet.

St Luis Rey Natural Cigars

St. Luis Rey Naturals have been a quiet mainstay in the premium cigar world with their medium-full body and solid earthy flavors with notes of cocoa and mild coffee.

These sticks are very firm to the touch, but the draw is smooth, and the burn is generally even and produces a good amount of smoke.

Nicaragua provides the wrapper, binder and some of the filler (the rest is Honduran and Peruvian), and you get a lot of flavor for a fair price.

St Luis Rey Serie G Maduro Cigars

St. Luis Rey Serie G Maduro is an amazingly rich, full-bodied cigar without being overly tangy. In fact, the super-dark Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper over a Broadleaf binder with Nicaraguan filler gives a very creamy smoke with a lot of espresso and bittersweet chocolate flavor and toasty, woody undertones. These sticks are solid as a rock, but have an easy draw. They definitely look and taste like much more expensive cigars.

St Luis Rey Serie G Natural Cigars

St. Luis Rey Serie G Natural cigars are chunky beasts with a filler core of Nicaraguan tobacco under a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper and broadleaf binder.

These large ring gauge smokes have a creamy earthiness and a backbone of woody flavors with occasional hints of bittersweet chocolate and coffee. They’re firm (almost hard, really) but the draw is nice and easy.

If you like a big stick that is flavorful without being too spicy, Saint Luis Rey Serie G is a great bet.

In the spirit of the holiday, Scott’s raffling off another of his prized possessions.  A Limited Edition Arturo Fuente Opus X Hand Painted Humidor!!  Raffle tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20.  The Raffle will be drawn on December 20th.  I am taking all the money I get from this raffle and donating it to Kiwanis to help underprivledged kids have toys for Christmas.  I sincerely hope you will consider buying a raffle ticket and support this great organization while taking a chance to win this rare prize!

The humidor is on display in our Albany Shoppe, right next to the humidor doors. Please consider entering the raffle drawing for this beautiful piece, and help make this a special Christmas for the children on the Toys For Tots list.

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I enjoy all of our cigar events, they are great opportunities to try new cigars, meet vendor representatives, offer great deals to customers, etc etc. However I took special note of the Black Friday Poker Tournament that Rocky Patel put on for us last week because it combined two of my very favorite things in the world – playing poker and not being at the mall. While we were lacking in a visit from our friendly Rocky rep, and turnout was just a little low since so many husbands were stuck hauling packages around the malls, great deals abounded and of course the action on the table was heavy. We went for an interesting tourney format that had us play an hour long session with the top 2 chip stacks at the end of the hour being rewarded with extra bonus chips for play at the round 2 final table, which started up after a 15-minute break and was played down to a single winner. The top 3 finishers were awarded cool cigar prizes.

It’s always a treat to find a place where you can play poker and smoke a cigar at the same time, and the set-up in the lounge was done very well and made it feel like a back-room smoky poker game from the Doyle Brunson era of the game. The boisterous table was full of solid players with great personality and made for a truly fun experience. The most notable and exciting hand of round 1 was played between Larry LaPoint and Charlie Beck. Beck called with 5-2 of spades on the big blind and made his flush on the turn. LaPoint started the hand with a slight chip advantage and pocket jacks, and while the board paired his hand had not improved. They got all the money in the middle after the turn, LaPoint thought his hand was crushed but he spiked a river jack to make a full house and felt Beck. After the dust settled LaPoint had a commanding chip lead which he parlayed into a dominating round 1 victory.

Per the unique tournament structure, LaPoint began the final table with a hefty chip lead. Tom Zanello had placed 2nd in round 1 and therefore had a big stack as well. As the blinds started to increase the action got faster, and Beck exacted his revenge on LaPoint, winning a huge pot from him and taking a commanding lead. I wasn’t doing bad myself having double up my starting stack, but I got in trouble in a hand between myself and Harry, another Habana staffer who had joined the game. I started out on the button with 8-6 off suit, but I decided to try to steal the blinds anyways. Harry was the only caller, and I thought I’d hit the jackpot when the flop came 669. In position with Harry betting out, I decided to just call and try to build the pot bigger. Seemed like it was going well until the river, when Harry shipped it all in.

I was worried my plan had backfired, and when I called I saw the bad news that the river card had turned Harry’s hand into a straight flush! Fortunately I had Harry covered, so I was able to stay in the game. I fought through and doubled up a few times, eventually felting Tom Zanello. After Charlie Beck and I split a pot with both of us turning up pocket queens, Beck sent Harry to the rail and we were left heads up for the title. Beck had me out-chipped about 5-1, and with his considerable poker skills I was in bad shape. The heads up battle only lasted a few hands before I was busted. Charlie Beck was the man of the hour, scoring the first place prize of a Rocky ashtray, a humidor/poker set combo and a man-cave staple – the oversized Rocky Patel cigar wall hanging.

The game was fun all around, and everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves. The Rocky spread featuring the new limited edition smoke was impressive, and featured some serious bargains. Of course in a poker tournament only one person can come in first, but at the risk of sounding lame, I think we were all winners.

Black Friday Poker Cigar Event Photo Gallery

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At a cigar event like the Red Front, there are no hidden agendas, no need for egos; just a place where locals can enjoy tasty food and drinks, and of course, a terrific array of fine cigars!

We’re connected by a desire to relax and enjoy the good life.  These events are where doctors, lawyers, country clubbers, and professionals from disciplines of all kinds can converse and share with the ‘blues’…blue collars, shopkeepers, mechanics and others.  There’s no competition over who has the biggest wallet…just honest conversation coupled with a few tall tales.

The fact remains that these events are a needed escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life for most of us; and perhaps we can imagine that we, too, are the Robber Barons of yesteryear enjoying “The Good Life”.

We are also having a long ash contest in the N. Greenbush Shoppe, see details on that event here.

Next up, the Red Front!

You know, nobody throws a party like Mark Piche!

11/14 – 7 pm to ???? Eat like you’re on the Sopranos…Mama’s meatballs, penne, eggplant….you get the idea…lots of Italian food!!

Open Bar from 7pm to 10pm….if they have it, you got it! If you’re going to indulge, then please get a ride!

Cigars…each attendee gets 2 Oliva Cigars!! PLUS…I AM GOING TO THROW IN ANOTHER CIGAR THAT IS GOING TO KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF!!! SO That’s three cigars for the night!

NFL MONDAY Night FOOTBALL!! Featuring the Green Bay Packers!!

All this and more….(there always is with Piche!) for $55 a person tax and gratuity included. Sign up now (because this event does sell out) by calling 690-2222

CIGAR NEWS

Just In! MY UZI WEIGHS A TON! A new release from Drew Estate. Jonathan Drew’s personal blend-named My Uzi Weighs a Ton (presumably after the Public Enemy song) is another full-bodied flavor bomb. Made at the Joya de Nicaragua factory, known for producing full-bodied cigars, this cigar is a well-rounded combination of powdered cocoa, sweet cedar, tea, and cinnamon. There’s a toasty element present, as well as a slight sourness, particularly on the finish.

Jose Seijas has collaborated with VEGA FINA and released a 2011 Limited Edition Selection, in a larger Robusto size (56 x 5). A review from one of my aficionado buddies… “The presentation is gorgeous. This cigar has a gorgeous moderately dark wrapper. Perfect roll – seamless!! Very few vein lines. It is firm to the touch with a beautifully constructed cap. The label is perfect – simple black and white. These cigars make you want to buy it just on appearance alone!!!

But now down to business and how it smokes! It had a perfect even burn and an excellent draw. There was a nice burst of pepper upon lighting. That mellowed out about an inch or so into the cigar. At about this time I did pick up on an acidic taste. Best way to describe it would be like tannins from wine. And for the remainder of the smoke it was just a very mild mellow cigar.”

We are restocked on CAO OSAs. These cigars have been very popular!

And on the Accessory side of things, today arrived SHURIKEN, a 6 bladed PUSH CUTTER. The first new advancement in cigar cutter technology in decades, this cutter is great. Each blade “cracks the wrapper and allows for a great draw without getting tobacco in your teeth. Perfect for mixed or short filler cigars.

McArthursPub Veterans Day Cigar Event

Join us at Mc Arthur’s Pub in Schenectady on November 11th

Drink Specials – Bar Food – Cigars

All Veterans get a free cigar on November 11th!

Come into either Habana and as a thank you for your service you get a FREE CIGAR!

Ok…..maybe a few things!  We will put this under “suggestions from our customers”

1.  Bring your wife or mate (not that there’s anything wrong with that) for only $35 (they don’t get cigars, though)

1A.  If you want to come, but the food doesn’t interest you…then you can come for just $25…you get the cigars and the brews but no food. (View the menu here.)

1B.  If you want to come for the food and cigars, but the drinking doesn’t appeal to you, then you can come for $40

2. There will also be a poker game….(take it easy law enforcement guys there is no money involved)  You will be competing for Drew Estate Swag from your favorite Drew Estate Rep John Hart!!!

2A. We will also have Bocce there….Champions get a prize!

3.  You must call 690-2222 or email me to reserve your space at this event.  Call us and reserve your spot NOW!! 

IF YOU HAVE PAID AND WANT TO CHANGE YOUR OPTIONS, JUST LET US KNOW AND WE ARE HAPPY TO ACCOMMODATE  YOU!

We now resume our scheduled programming…..

Join us at The Mansion at Cedar Hill!  Located only 6 miles south of Albany and walk the grounds of this beautiful property on Saturday October 22nd from 4pm to 8pm

Each guest also gets a $10 gift card from Tesoro in Guilderland (voted #1 retaurant in Guilderland)

Only $50 per person including tax and gratuity!

WHEN: SATURDAY OCTOBER 22ND

WHERE: MANSION AT CEDAR HILL – RIGHT NEXT TO HENRY HUDSON PARK ON 144 ONLY 6 MILES SOUTH OF ALBANY AND SECONDS FROM EXIT 22 OF THE THRUWAY

TIME: 4PM TO 8PM

Thank you to all who played in the tournament!

9/30 BEST BUDDIES CIGAR NIGHT AT TASTE IN ALBANY

10/15 PARTY AT PRIME SARATOGA AND OCTOBERFEST AT BROWN’S BREW PUB