NHC Surrogates

NHC Surrogates has been in the works this year, but I haven't leaked much info about it until recently. I somehow managed to walk the floors of the trade show and keep quiet about it. But they are coming sooner than expected, which is great - so it's time.

Have you ever wished that you could get more of a special stick that you purchased as a limited release because you are down to your last few, and you are torn between smoking them and saving them? What about the times when funds are low, and you can't manage to pick up a special stick before they are gone? Well, that's the dilemma that spawned the idea for Surrogates.

I wanted to create a brand for NHC that would bring new customers and service our loyal customers. Looking at our business over the last 4 years, it was obvious that our clients demanded something special. One thing that was missing was constant availability. What would the cigar geek do if something was available that was as special as a limited run stick, rivaling it's quality and flavor, but was available all the time? Would he smoke it? What if the price point was more in line with the 'everyday sticks' that he smoked? Would it lessen it's value? Would it's availability lessen the expectation or it's perceived value? Maybe it would simply be smoked and thoroughly enjoyed! YES - that's what I got into this business for in the first place!

Well, welcome to the Experiment! Surrogates was created to solve the problem of choosing whether to save or smoke that special vitola. The answer, is BOTH. Why not save them, age them AND smoke them!

So I searched and found what I was looking for. Utilizing a new source, we finalized a blend that answered some other requests that we had been hearing - full bodied and full of flavor , yet balanced. Larger ring gauge but not too big. I'm a big fan of small ring gauges, but I also reach for those 52's and 54's when I want power. So, the first Surrogates offerings were born to fill that niche. Power.

Bone Crusher is a 5 1/4 x 54 vitola that packs a crushing punch. Skull Breaker is 5 1/4 x 52 in a belicoso shape that happens to be one of my favorite sizes. Both are the same blend, with a Broadleaf wrapper and retail will be $7.50/stick in boxes of 20, with a box price of $135.

First mission accomplished. Sourced a powerful, balanced stick at an amazing price point and made it's availability ongoing!

We stamped the bottom of the boxes "Made in Central America - for those who can't get enough". Everyone wants to know where, by who, etc. But this has become part of the Experiment. Smoke it and decide if you like it. Skip the hype and preconceived expectations. There are more. I think everyone will be more than pleasantly surprised.

Our customers have come to trust my smoking preferences, as everything we sell revolves around whether or not it's something I personally want to smoke. There are MANY great cigars out there that aren't in my wheel house. But if you are like me, and like what NHC has offered in the past - then Surrogates is for you because it's based on what I like in a cigar.

These first two offerings are answering what I like in strength, namely a balance between strength and flavor. Maybe the next vitola will be what I appreciate in another profile, such as refreshing and complex. It won't be another size of this blend. But it will be a Surrogate for another part of your smoking rotation.

Keep your eyes peeled - they are on the way!

NHC SL Repackaging

We just received a lot of empty 20 count boxes from the factory - the same kind used to package the NHC SL Capas last month. We will use them to repackage some of the 40 count NHC SL boxes into 20 count boxes of NHC SL Natural or Reservas. Products are online now!

Update on NHC Seleccion Limitada by Tatuaje

NHC Seleccion Limitada by Tatuaje

So here's the scoop on the NHC SL project. We recently used the rest of the NHC bands we had printed for the project to produce a small run (70 boxes) of NHC Capa Especial using the wonderful Sumatra wrapper at the My Father Cigars factory. They sold out extremely fast and now everyone is asking 'Will there be more?'.

I hope that we can get bands made again and produce all 3 versions of the NHC SL again, in 20 count boxes - but that is probably going to be on hold until we sell through more of the original NHC SL Natural and Reserva.

Having a year and a half of age on them now, these sticks are smoking phenomenally. I continue to smoke them daily even with all of the new arrivals entering into my daily rotations. Many of you have them in your humidor, and I think a lot of people are holding on to them as they were a limited release by Tatuaje, etc. But, at the price point they are at, I continue to convince folks that they are meant to be smoked as well as aged. Given the blend, these sticks age extremely well.

I am smoking a Reserva right now and had a Natural this morning. Both show characteristics that were hidden a year ago. The Broadleaf wrapper has backed off and accents the blend in a completely different way than before and the Habano wrapper does the same.

So, smoke them! Tell your friends about them and get them smoking them in their daily rotation. They are all 10% off right now so you can get them for box discount in any combination, which makes them $7.10 a stick in samplers or half boxes.

When we get to a stock level that makes sense to order again, I will approach Pete and ask in the nicest way if we can make more of all 3 wrappers, and get them boxed in 20 count boxes. I think he will respond positively, as I know that he too, loves this size.

So get to work and help spread the word! Smoke some awesome, aged sticks now so we can continue the project soon.

Enjoy,
-Dan

New IPCPR Arrivals

I took this picture at the Illusione booth at IPCPR, and by chance, the first shipment to arrive from them contains 1 set of Illusione Maduro boxes and multiple boxes of -mkultra-.

New for 2011, the Illusione ULTRA is a different take on the Illusione Blend. The original -mk Ultra- that was released in small quantities a few years ago was a blend that was "a little too strong to sit alongside the Original Document line" according to Dion. To bring it back, he recreated the blend and will release a lineup of Illusione Ultra in multiple sizes, including the mk. Full bodied and strong, the flavors are rich and powerful and balanced, bringing out subtle flavors even with the added strength.

Here's the scoop on Illusione Maduro: The -hl- made an appearance last year as a short run, to rave reviews. That original -hl maduro- used a Corojo wrapper. When contemplating a release of multiple sizes, Dion revisited the wrapper and found the San Andreas Maduro more to his liking for the Illusione blend. So the Illusione Maduro vitolas are the original blend, with a San Andreas Maduro wrapper. Available in -hl-, -cg4-, -88-, -888- and -mj12-.

Since we received 1 set of Maduro boxes on this initial shipment, we thought we'd use them for a killer sampler that will allow you to compare them with their Original Document counterparts. Remember, all of this will be regular production, so we should start seeing them in the coming months, but this is a great preview!



Look for this full comparison sampler to appear at 9am EST on Saturday, July 29th, under the IPCPR2011 category. (Just look for the button on the left of the website) It's $99 (special price) and ships free.

We will list BOXES of -mkulta- as well as 5-PACKS of -mkultra- as well, since we have multiple boxes of that vitola.

I smoked 2 of them today after they arrived, and they are outstanding. Actually, I like it better than the original -mkultra- that appeared 2 years ago. The blend shows off the nuances better, yet it's still a strong stick.


Fausto, La Casita Criolla and Avion along with 7th Capa Especial will be restocked on Monday, August 1st, so you will see ALL of them listed in the IPCPR2011 category at 9AM Saturday as well! Here's your chance to grab a box or 5-pack of your favorite from the new lineup.

We have sent many Tatuaje 9 stick samplers out this past week featuring all of these sticks, and many of you have already been smoking them and asking when boxes and 5 packs will reappear. Well here's your chance! We will have everything listed and they will disappear as they sell out.

We'll have the special Tatuaje 9 stick sampler up as well, again.

NHC Capa Especial

New NHC SL Capa Especial:

NHC Seleccion Limitada Capa Especial Box of 20! Only 70 boxes made.

Boxes of 20 Online now in the NHC Seleccion Limitada Category, as well as 5 packs.


In 2010, Pete Johnson produced the NHC Seleccion Limitada for us in both Natural (Habano) and Reserva (Broadleaf) wrappers. This year, on a factory trip, I was sampling the Tatuaje 7th Capa Especial and fell in love with the Sumatra wrapper. "Wonder what the NHC SL would be like with this wrapper?" I asked of Pete. "Let's find out" was the reply, and he had the rollers whip up some samples. We both LOVED it. "How many NHC bands you have left?" So we checked the stock and there were enough to produce around 70 boxes of 20. The factory made new boxes to house 20 cigars each and that was that.

If you are a fan of the Natural and Reserva, you will love this new one!

NHC Seleccion Limitada Capa Especial (Sumatra) (6 3/4 x 42)

Very Limited Availability

You will find special prices on NHC SL Naturals and Reservas in the NHC SELECCION LIMITADA Category, all at 10% off to celebrate the new stick! Even 5 packs and 20 count half boxes. Add some to your order and compare all 3!


ENJOY,

Dan

EPC Edicion Limitada 2011

Also coming up is the Edicion Limitada 2011. This year called Dark Rituals it will feature an Oscuro Maduro wrapper at 6.5 x 56. Boxes of 10 will again be $150.

I was fortunate enough to be handed one of these by Ernie Carrillo at their booth after smoking a Maduro. I, and the others sitting around me, took a bunch of photos and then I looked at Ernie and said "Am I smoking this?". He nodded and I cut it, much to the dismay (or should I say envy) of the others around me. After 10 minutes, and thanking Ernie a million times, I headed out on the floor smoking this powerhouse. I shared puffs with some friends that I passed while walking around and they seemed to agree that this was one special stick. We probably won't see too many boxes of 10, but I will take as many as we can get. And I'll be buying a box or two for myself. Amazing. Complex. Very strong.

New from EPC at IPCPR

At the EPC booth with Ernie smoking the new EPC Core Maduro. Same sizes as the Core Line, which now has 2 new sizes for a total of 8, but with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper.

Pricing will be the same as Core line. We will bring some in and get some new line samplers online that have all 8 sizes.

A new size will be available in New Wave Connecticut as well.