The Barrel Burner - Cigar & Liquor Reviews

Press Release: La Aurora Releases 120 Anniversary Limited Edition

La Aurora has announced the release of the La Aurora 120 Anniversary Limited Edition in celebration of their official 120th Anniversary (October 3, 1903). For 120 years, La Aurora has been crafting premium cigars that stand on the shoulders of tradition. La Aurora 120 LE is hand-crafted in small batches by expert torcedores with over 20 years of experience and crafted in a beautiful Habano 92-seed leaf wrapper, Dominican binder, and Dominican Republic filler blend (Piloto Cubano, Olor Dominicano, Corojo). The 120 Anniversary LE […]

October 3, 2023

Press Release

Press Release: Department of Justice Files Appeal on Historic Win for Cigar Industry

As expected, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), filed a notice of appeal on behalf of the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA), in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in Cigar Association of America, Cigar Rights of America, and Premium Cigar Association v FDA. On August 9, 2023, Judge Amit Mehta issued a ruling in the CRA-led lawsuit CAA et al. v FDA striking down all FDA regulations […]

September 29, 2023

Nicaragua Cigar Review

Cigar Review: Room 101 Farce Nicaragua

Matt Booth first developed Room 101 in 2003 as a jewelry brand in Los Angeles. 6 Years later he would connect with Davidoff where Room 101 Cigars would be made by their recently purchased Camacho Cigars. In 2017, he would briefly leave the industry before coming back with two new cigars made with Robert Caldwell. More recently, Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) would purchase Room 101 Cigars where Matt Booth remains today as creative director. The Room […]

September 28, 2023

Press Release

Press Release: Crowned Heads Expands Sales Force

Crowned Heads has announced the addition of two new dedicated sales representatives to the team. These appointments come at a time of significant momentum and promise to elevate their level of retail customer support. The company has hired Craig Smith, a former hospitality executive to the southwest territory. The Arizona resident will oversee Arizona, California, Nevada and New Mexico. Additionally the company has hired Andy Yaffee who brings a decade of premium cigar sales. He […]

September 27, 2023

Rye Review

Rye Review: Colonel E.H. Taylor Straight Rye Bottled in Bond

From the bottle, “The end of the 19th century saw the passage of the Bottled-In-Bond Act of 1897. Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr. was instrumental in passing this law, which safeguarded legitimate whiskey labels from bogus producers, who in his words, “polluted and diluted” their whiskey. “Bottled-In-Bond” mandates that such whiskey must be from the same distillery, made in the same season, aged no less than four years and bottled at 100 proof. This spicy […]

September 27, 2023

Press Release

Press Release: Buffalo Trace Distillery Announces The Prohibition Collection

Buffalo Trace Distillery is thrilled to announce The Prohibition Collection: an annual limited-edition, multi-bottle collection honoring the whiskeys that were legally produced and sold at the distillery during arguably the most contentious time period in alcohol history. Known then as the George T. Stagg Distillery, the debut release tributes five Prohibition Era-brands that have, until now, disappeared: Old Stagg, Golden Wedding, Three Feathers, Walnut Hill and George T. Stagg Spiritus Frumenti. From 1920 to 1933, the […]

September 26, 2023

Nicaragua Cigar Review, USA Cigar Review

Cigar Review: Tatuaje Selección de Cazador Miami Reserva J21

The J21 is part of the Tatuaje Selección de Cazador Miami Reserva line. As the name implies it was rolled in Miami at Don Pepin’s Miami based My Father Cigar Company. Tatuaje brand owner Pete Johnson has long had a relationship with the Garcia family with the two growing in popularity almost side by side in the cigar industry. These days the partnership has become family with Pete Johnson and Janny Garcia of My Father Cigars […]

September 26, 2023

Press Release

J.C. Newman Ships 2023 Brick House Bricktoberfest Cigars

This week, J.C. Newman Cigar Co. announced they will begin shipping Brick House Bricktoberfest cigars to 128 retailers across the United States and in Germany. This year’s release of Brick House Bricktoberfest cigars is a 6 x 52” cigar with a pigtail cap. Rolled at J.C. Newman PENSA in Esteli, Nicaragua, these limited-edition cigars features a Havana Rosado wrapper grown in Ecuador with a hearty blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos. This blend is designed to pair perfectly […]

September 22, 2023

Press Release

Press Release: Jim Young to Join Plasencia as Interim CEO, Advisor & Board Member

Plasencia 1865 has announced that industry legend Jim Young has joined their company as an advisor and board member. Mr. Young has been in the premium cigar industry since 2011 with Oettinger Davidoff AG, first as President – Davidoff North America based in Pinellas Park, FL and then as Davidoff’s Global Chief Commercial Officer based in Basel, Switzerland. He left Davidoff in 2022 and relocated back to the United States. Prior to his experience in […]

September 21, 2023

Dominican Republic Cigar Review

Cigar Review: Artista Midnight Robusto

The Artista cigar company has been growing tobacco and making cigars for three generations in the Dominican Republic. Formerly known as El Artista, the company makes cigars such as Buffalo Ten, Big Papi including the Big Papi Firecracker exclusively for United Cigars. Today, we review which shares the name of their company. Available as a Connecticut shade known has Harvest and the Maduro, Midnight these cigars are available in two sizes a 5 x 54 […]

September 21, 2023

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It all started in 1998 when I walked into a cigar shop for the first time in Brooklyn, NY. A desire to try something new led to life long friendships and a career in the cigar industry. I served as a shop manager, blogger, shop owner, writer, marketing coordinator, sales and was an award winning podcaster. After 25 years, I decided it was time to leave the cigar industry. Cigars are still as a passion of mine as is bourbon so I continue the legacy with this website.... Cheers & Long Ashes!