Online cigar retailer Cigars International will ship approximately 18,000 cigars to our courageous troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Company spokeswoman Debi Lehr estimates the total cost will be $65,000. This estimate does not include the overseas shipping charges on about 5,000 boxes (30 cigars per box average).

Keith Meier, president of Cigars International, said:

“If you enjoy cigars now and then and you’ve been overseas and under duress, it’s nice to have a little treat like this.“

Not everyone agrees with actions of Cigar International. Deborah Brown from the American Lung Association was quick to look down upon the troops gifts:

“We send these products over to our soldiers who are fighting to defend our country and they come back addicted to their product. They’re providing them with an unhealthy choice, whether it’s donated or whether they have to pay for it.“

What do the soldiers have to say about this?

Perhaps somethings can be left unsaid - I once read that a picture was worth a thousand words (352,000 words).

PuffingCigars.com Statement to the American Lung Association:

Ms. Deborah Brown please remember that our troops are putting their life on the line for one thing: Freedom.

Smoking may not be considered healthy to all, but let us celebrate. Celebrate because the soldiers (and you, and me, and everyone else in our great country) actually have the choice, the freedom, to smoke the cigar (or not smoke).

A cigar they might enjoy after dodging bullets, facing dangers, and missing anything and everything that would remind them of home.

I will, like you should have, thank anyone who puts effort into making their time a little bit better and/or supports to our troops (Keep in mind I have not said you couldn’t voice concern).

Thank you Cigars International and everyone else who has made private donations across our blogs, web boards, local shops, and everywhere else.

New and old cigar smokers alike are asking the same question: How do I get rid of cigar breath?

You may be pushed to find a solution for many reasons - but everyone knows the truth. Your significant other wont talk, kiss, lay, or even look your way unless you clean up.

Dr. Nick’s Breath Purifier is the solution.

Dr. Nick’s Breath Purifier is a small  (size of a chap stick), easy to carry mouth spray that does not cover up the stale taste or smell- this product actually removes it.

The official product description is as follows:

“Dr. Nick’s Breath Purifier is dentist formulated from 100% natural ingredients and Lycitrate, proven to combat the main causes of bad breath while improving oral health. It actually purifies your breath and doesn’t just cover up odor. Dr. Nick’s Breath Purifier is alcohol free, tastes great, and will leave your mouth feeling fresh.“

Using this product really will cleanse your pallet.

Many cigar companies and even cigar reps will carry Dr. Nick’s Breath Purified because it will allow you to smoke one cigar after another (don’t let the old cigar alter the taste of your new cigar).

The bottle is small and usually goes for about 100 sprays (you only need one to clean up).

Cost: $3 (on average)

Wrapper: Sun Grown Ecuadorian
Filler: Dominican
Size: Belicoso (6×55)
Strength: Medium

The Chateau Fuente King B was officially released in 2005 at the then RTDA convention. Released to the market as a limited cigar; you can usually find this cigar at your local B&M - and you can surly find this cigar online.

Story has it that the King B was named after a local tavern that Carlos Fuente Jr very own grandfather liked to frequent. This tavern was conveniently located behind his grandfather Arturo’s house and it was the place all the cigar makers would meet. The King B tavern no longer stands but this cigar gives proper tribute.

Chateau Fuente King B comes well protected in a cellophane wrapper. Underneath the wrapper is a large cedar sleeve secured with the signature black ribbon across the bottom. The King B has a beautiful presentation and I almost hesitate to undress the cigar.

Construction: The reddish brown color wrapper looks familiar to Fuente’s other sun grown cigars in the lineup.  Small veins covered the entire King B - however they were small enough to not effect the smoke. It was tightly wrapped which enabled it to hold its composure while smoking (no unwrapping). Again - the Chateau Fuente is a quality build from the Fuente family. Nothing is unusual with this.

Draw: I would have to say the King B has a medium draw, depending on the stick you happen to select. I usually have perfect luck with the Fuente products but many sticks in this box required me to double cut. Either way I given it has a medium draw - or a draw that you can fix with very little effort.

Burn: The Chateau Fuente King B burned perfectly. I was a little hesitant with the cigars that had the tougher draw - but stick after stick my worries were put to rest. King B created a thick white ash that was well formed.

Taste: As expected the King B had the initial taste of the cedar it was wrapped in and a bit of sweetness that just stays in your mouth. I detected a hint of spice throughout the finish of the first third of the cigar.

Two thirds of the cigar brought out the pepper and the spice stayed around to make it a great smoke for me. Everything is really smooth and compliments each other quite well.

The King B is still a medium bodied cigar and it remains a medium body cigar through the entire smoke.

Finally the spice seemed to fade away as the cigar was coming to an end. You could really get more of the earthy type of flavors. This finish was still smooth but there seemed to be a hint of bitterness that just faded into the cigar.

Final Verdict: You can add this cigar to your humidor. Going into a cigar lounge to purcahse the stick will cost you around $9.xx. You will not have any trouble finding this cigar online and the price is a bit better at $7.xx.

The Chateau Fuente King B is easy to smoke in warm weather, cold weather, morning, day or night. It’s a versatile cigar that everyone should at least try.

This would be a great pick up at the $7 range but I as you get into the upper $9 range there might be some better cigars out there. If you don’t have a cigar budget - or have everything else in stock - then pick this King B cigar up.

Other Cigars:
Lower Priced: JFR
Same Price: Fuente Cuban Belicoso
Higher Price: Ashton VSG

Golden Zeus is what this cigar is called.

The Golden Zeus cigar was exhibited in Munich, Germany at the Millionaire Fair.

The Millionair Fair is a trade show, established in 2002, that displays the ultra luxury goods.

For the not-so-millionaire cost of admittance ($50) you  can wonder around the exhibit and  see what the “good life” is all about.

PuffingCigars.com Official Opinion…

This cigar is for amateurs.

PuffingCigars.com would smoke no less then a platnium covered cigar.

On a semi-more serious note: PuffingCigars.com will attempt to obtain a Golden Zeus and write a full review.

Luxury cigar brand Davidoff (Oettinger Davidoff Group) has officialy taken over Camacho Cigars as of October 13th, 2008. The full terms of the deal have not been released to the public.

The company was owned by the Eiroas family who also mainted 9 other cigar brands; Baccarat was one of the more popular brands that Davidoff would acquire.

Davidoff has expressed intrest in keeping the Camacho brand as is - for now. Eiroa will remain as president of the brand, and while the tobacco farms were not part of the deal there was a supply agreement in the terms.

Cigar Consolidation Continues…

It appears as if the online cigar community has come under consoldiation because of an individual named John Caputo.

John Caputo has recently purcahsed CigarLive.com, ClubStogie.com, Cigar-Review.com and Top25cigar.com. The plan is to consolidate these communities under one umbrella that will be known as Puff.com.

In postings (on all the forums) started by John Caputo he states the goal is to create the “largest cigar social site on the planet it will enable us to do things that apart would not be achievable.” Even more interesting was his idea to start a “cigar advocacy group whose voice can be heard and respected“.

While an advocacy group is great and always needed to us, cigar smokers, there is an uneasy bit of tension throughout all the original members of the forums. Not knowing what will truly come about and the feeling of a “family” being broken apart has caused lots of negative comments and concern.