Room101, the alternative luxury lifestyle brand for those who demand quality with an edge, is proud to announce their new line of Room101 Cigars (www.room101cigars.com). Originally founded in 2003 by Matt Booth, Room101 will introduce the premium cigar into their already successful line of silver jewelry, clothing, and accessories. The Room101 Cigar collection will be a blend of attitude, culture, celebrity, and some of the world’s finest tobaccos.

The cigar, specially blended and created by Camacho Cigars, is a medium bodied cigar, comprised of tobaccos from both Honduras and the Dominican Republic. The wrapper is a Semilla 101 that was exclusively grown for this cigar. The Room101 cigar is available in six formats, all representing different area codes, including the 213 (44×5.5), 305 (50×5), 323 (50×6), 404 (54×52×6), 702 (48×54×48×6), and 808(60×6).

“We are very excited to launch this line of cigars with Room101,” said Dylan Austin, marketing director of Camacho Cigars. “This project has been a year in the making and it really great to see it come to fruition.”

Following the launch of the cigar, Matt Booth and the Room101 Cigar team will embark on a 90 day “Room 101/Camacho Conspiracy Tour” making stops at 45 retailers across the country. Room101 Cigars will also support the Wounded Warrior Project charity and urge people to donate to their cause.

“The Room101 cigar is the first of its kind in many ways,” said Matt Booth, owner and designer of Room101. “I am honored to be working with the Camacho family on this project. No other combination could have possibly done this concept justice.”

About Room101

Founded in 2003 by Matt Booth, Room101 is the premier luxury lifestyle brand, based in Hollywood, CA. What started as a designer’s dream to create unique pieces of jewelry, has grown into an all-encompassing design studio, producing luxury items for all facets of life. Room101 is unmatched in the quality of both design and final products and has quickly become a stand out in the industry.

About Camacho Cigars

Founded in 1961 by Simon Camacho, Camacho Cigars was acquired by the Eiroa family in 1995. Now part of the Oettinger Davidoff Group, Camacho Cigars is one of the key players in the international cigar market. The flagship Camacho brand, made at Rancho Jamastran in Danli, Honduras, is comprised of 9 premium and ultra-premium line extensions: (Super-Premium: Diploma, 10th Anniversary Corojo, Liberty Series, Triple Maduro, Select)(Premium: Corojo, Coyolar, Havana, SLR). Camacho Cigars also has 7 core brands, including Baccarat The Game, America’s #1 selling premium cigar.

Today, our guest rater is my good friend, NY Times Best Selling author and media personality, the incomparable Larry Winget. Larry is a bold personality who happens to love even bolder cigars. I knew he liked the classic Camacho profile, but had never tried the Triple Maduro. So, a UPS box from Jersey to Arizona was sent, and the Pitbull of Personal Development was ready for action.

Now the wrapper, binder, and filler on this cigar is all made from Honduran maduro tobacco leaf, making it the world’s first true triple maduro cigar. According to Camacho, it is the result of almost a full year’s work maduro varieties. The biggest challenge was to get these thick leaves to burn and taste right together.

Now, Larry is an accomplished cigar smoker and has a good palate for rating a cigar. I knew it would be interesting to hear his comments, so without further adieu, Mr. Larry Winget.

Larry Winget is the author of several consecutive Wall Street Journal and New York times Beslling books, the most recent being, People Are Idiots and I Can Prove It. I highly recommend a trip to his website where you’ll find more great stuff than you can possibly handle.

CLICK RIGHT HERE> www.larrywinget.com

I drove past a Smart Car on the weekend and couldn’t believe this ballsy little half pint was zipping along Route 80 with the big boys of the interstate. In fact, I threw a paper clip at it, trying to knock it over, but the little bastid just laughed and kept on going. Then I tossed a handful of loose change and half a half eaten sandwich at it, but it held it’s ground. I then opened my door and farted and as you can imagine, it did give the driver a good scare.

The Smart Car is what gives the Al Gore’s of the world a perpetual woody. It is the green geekazoid’s chariot of triumph. At 8 feet long, five feet wide and five feet high, this hideous looking glorified golf cart is all the rage for the crowd that harasses whaling vessels while sucking down tofu smoothies during lunch break. At 1,500 pounds it gets around 70 miles to a gallon and is all the rage in Europe. But of course those tight little cobblestone streets are made for such a ride, not the American super highways.

The guy who invented Swatch Watches was bored one day and came up with the idea for this diminutive doo-hickey. Sure, it’s fuel efficient and good for the ozone, but it’s without question, one big rolling can of chick repellent. I love old muscle cars like Corvettes, Mustangs, Camaros, Firebirds, Challengers, Chargers, Dusters, etc. I love the look, the feel, and the power. And chicks dig a dude in a 454, plain and simple. They don’t dig 50 horsepower. The ladies go gaga over eight-cylinder super-charged beasts. They don’t get all hot and bothered by three-cylinder wimps. I sincerely ask you – how the hell are you gonna get laid in that toaster with wheels? First off, no self-respecting hottie would be caught dead dating a dud in that oversized Partridge Family lunchbox. And secondly, there just ain’t enough room to bump and grind by the dashboard light. I want a lady who’s turned on by muscle and might, not fiscal and environmental responsibility. Why not go all out and put a bumper sticker on the back that says, “I have a small dick, too.”

Save the Earth? How about saving your self worth? Any real red-blooded American male is not going to be seen behind the wheel of one of those teenie-weenie, Euro machine-ees. And guess what? These little punk-ass vehicles ain’t cheap, either. There’s three models and the base starts at around $12,000 with the high-end model topping out at around seventeen grand! Are these people kidding? You could probably juice up a riding lawn mower and save yourself fifteen thousand. At least attach a couple of rotating blades under the damned thing so you can earn a few extra bucks cutting lawns in your neighborhood. Jezuz H Christmas, man.

Now, supposedly the crash ratings are pretty good on these uglified autos, but how’d you like to drive between a couple of Mac Trucks in that rolling bucket of doom? Something tells me nailing a squirrel at 30 miles an hour would F that mini gas can up something awful. I wonder in the winter if you can pop the wheels off and snap sled runners on.

I simply cannot endorse these ass-wipe automobiles. I’m a man who loves ice hockey, beer can chicken, full-bodied cigars, full-bodied females, and I believe you can put bacon on anything and it will taste better. Why just a few months back I tore a god damned beaver damn apart with my bare hands, for crissakes.

There is no way in hell I will compromise my role as a manly creature by getting behind the wheel of one of those gaudy little go-carts. And if you think this is the way road travel should go, then check your man-card at the door of life, you Mary-ass wuss. I’d download photos of Rosie Odonnell at the Denny’s breakfast bar before I’m seen in one of these death boxes.

NFW. No way, no how, uh-huh. It just ain’t smart.

- ZMAN

July 14, 2009 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Altadis U.S.A. announced today that Theo Folz, the company’s President and CEO, will be retiring on September 30, 2009. He joined the company twenty-five years ago and has been in the industry 46 years.

With such legendary company brands as Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, Dutch Masters, Phillies and Backwoods to name just a few, Folz has lead Altadis U.S.A. to a premier position in the cigar business with unprecedented sales and earnings levels. Highly respected and regarded through out the entire tobacco industry, he is known as an icon.

Folz has made a huge contribution in making Altadis U.S.A.’s cigar business the force that it is today. He has been a dominant figure in the history of the U.S. and indeed the worldwide cigar industry. Theo and his wife, Connie, look forward to global travel, fine food and wine and enjoying their sport fishing boat. Folz says, “It has been an honor to be a part of such a vibrant and historic industry.”

He will be succeeded as President and CEO on October 1, 2009 by Gary Ellis, currently CFO, who has been with the company for over twenty years.

Today, our guest rater is my good buddy Niko, from In the Humidor.com. Let’s get smokin…

ABOUT OUR REVIEWER: Nick Cirksena is publisher/owner of InTheHumidor.com. He has been smoking cigars since the last cigar boom of the 90’s. Smoking everything under the sun has given him a wide range of tastes and experiences. Nick has been running In The Humidor for just about 2 years now and enjoy the hell out of it.

Nick resides in Texas and says that it’s great cigar smoking weather and wouldn’t trade it for anything. He’s happily married to his high school sweetheart and has 3 girls. He enjoys hanging out with the family, cigars, and computers and is looking forward to chatting and getting to know everyone here on Planet Z!

That’s right, stogiphiles and brothers of the leaf -  for two days – September 18 and 19 2009, the Midwest Cigar Summit, one of the finest cigar get-togethers on God’s great earth, makes its triumphant return to the land Bulls, Bears, Cubs, Sox, and Hawks.

In just a few short years, the event has grown from a small gathering of friends, to a full blown cigar smoking happy-fest! This year the festivities will takes place at Jimmy’s Bar, who’s famous beer garden is the perfect venue for a gathering of this size which could reach four to five-hundred lovers of the leaf.

Event organizer and grand poobah, Lucas Woith is genuinely excited about this year’s smoke-a-thon. “Every year just gets better and better with the Summit, and this one will be the finest, by far,” says Luke. “Great vendors, incredible cigars, and all the wonderful people who come make this the greatest time of the year for me.”

Cigar Rights of America will be on hand at the Summit to tell you about their group, which is the only of it’s kind in the country.   You’ll be able to sign up to be a member, and help the fight against oppressive smoking bans and tobacco taxes.

Find out more about the Summit, how you can attend, directions and lodging, contact:

info@midwestcigarsummit.com

2009 Midwest Cigar Summit
Jimmy’s Bar
2801 W. Peoria, Illinois
Friday, September 18    from 5 to 10 pm
Saturday, September 19, from Noon – 10pm.

http://www.midwestcigarsummit.com

Enshrined in the Cooperstown Hall of Fame in 1972, he was a 15 time all-star, won ten World Series rings, hit 358 homeruns, and was named American League MVP on three different occasions.

But do you know of his son? Well if you follow baseball, then sure you do. Dale Berra was a hell of a third baseman, playing 8 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and brief stints with the Yankees and Astros. But wait… do you know about his “other” son? Tim Berra went on to play in the NFL for the Baltimore Colts. But I’m talking about his OTHER son! He’s a member of the Metropolitan Cigar Society in Fairfield, New Jersey, the very same cigar club that I am a member of. Larry Berra is just a great guy and if you want to talk serious baseball and get a major league blast of nostalgia while you’re at it, just light up a stoag with Larry and the guy will have you riveted for hours.

“I grew up around many of the legendary New York Yankees, but I never even thought of them as ball players,” Larry says. “They were dad’s friends, and their sons were my friends. In fact, Ted Williams and guys from other teams were actually my favorite players because the guys I saw everyday were really my extended family.”

It’s amazing how a kid in his position didn’t have a clue what sheer greatness he was around day in and day out. Phil Rizutto was Larry’s godfather and guys like Mantle, Maris, Skowran, Bauer, McDoogle, and Howard were like his uncles. “Back then, the players kids were allowed in the locker room and I would talk to Mickey and Roger about school and stuff I was involved in as a kid. But no one loved kids more than Casey Stengel. He’d throw ballplayers and managers out of his office but the player’s children were ALWAYS allowed to stay.”

Larry was a dyed in the wool Yankee his entire life until that day in 1963 when New York management fired his dad – and he hated the team for a very long time. When Yogi coached the New York Mets in ’65, Larry’s allegiance moved cross-town as blue and orange became his favorite new color scheme. His dad coached the Mets for eight seasons, but when Gil Hodges passed away, number eight became Manager of the Amazins and in 1973 came within one game of winning the World Series, losing to an Oakland A’s powerhouse.

I asked Larry if “he” played and I got a “Hell yeah, I played! I was a catcher and when I was in the Florida State League in ‘71, I was the first player to hit a homerun off of Ron Guidry. And I never let him forget it, to this day, either!” Unfortunately, a rainy day and a soaking wet field caused Larry to blow out his knee and give up the game he loved. “My favorite stat of my dad’s is that even though his lifetime average was .285, he hit .320 with runners on base and .330 from the seventh inning on. He could always turn it on at the most clutch moments.”

Finally, it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t ask Larry what “his” personal favorite Yogism is. “When you come to a fork in the road, take it!”

Well said Larry, and I’ll see you for a smoke at the club real soon.

-ZMAN

The Spring Issue of Cigar Magazine has arrived and I’m proud as all hell to have one of my finest articles published to date, entitled: The Smoking Life of Mr. Christian.

I’m very fortunate to have met and befriended some of the cigar industry’s biggest names and brightest stars, such as Lew Rothman, Daniel Nunez, Steve Saka, Gene Arganese, Rocky Patel, Benji Menendez, and of course, Christian Eiroa and the wonderful people at Camacho Cigars. This past July I attended the International Premium Cigars and Pipe Retailers (IPCPR) show at the Venetian in Vegas and spent three full days smoking my friggin’ brains out while shmoozin’ and hanging with so many good people. But I was most grateful to Christian, Dylan Austin and the Camacho gang for allowing me to make the comfy leather couch at their booth, my home base for three days.

Each night after the show, Camacho held a private party at the swank V-Bar, and all the beautiful people attended. Of course the million-dollar question is, “How the hell did I get in?”, but for some peculiar reason, the young Eiroa has a soft spot in his heart for me – probably to match the soft spot on my head. Fortunately we talked a lot and I was just blown away by the unbridled passion this man has for his craft. Christian has a tremendous sense of humor and can be a real ball breaker (and it’s most fun when you’re NOT the target), but most of all he’s a true Latin American born gentleman. While he’s great conversationalist and has a lot to say, it’s when you get him talking about blending cigars – then you see a fire in his eyes while turning very serious about the only thing he claims he was born to do.

Naturally when I got back home, I pitched Cigar Magazine on writing an article on the guy who is one of the new pioneers in an industry that so badly needs good people to step up and lead the charge. Not only am I quite happy with this most recent piece, but maybe the nicest satisfaction of all was Christian’s personal phone call to me yesterday, thanking me and the Cigar Mag staff so sincerely for doing him and his father proud. You can only imagine what that meant to me.

So I invite you to get your hands on the new Spring Issue that has some wonderful articles that you can light one up to and relax. My pal Miranda “Maduro Mistress” Osborne has a really nice story on CAO’s cigar dame, Aylin Ozgener. The Connecticut Valley, Then and Now is a wonderful journey through America’s north east cigar country. A Stroll Through Tampa’s Cigar Past is nostalgia at its finest, bringing you the history of our county’s most historic cigar manufacturing facilities. A Brief Recollection of Politics and Cigars waxes poetically about political power and handrolled stogies. The Art of the Cigar displays some beautiful Spring motifs from days past. Our Man in Havana, Simon Chase looks at The Origin of the Churchill Cigar. My bud, Steve Nathan reminisces about Drug Stores from old days who carried the finest and most fragrant pipe tobacco in the land. And the cover story is an excellent one by Frankie Seltzer, about Theo Folz and Jim Colluci, the Dynamic Duo of Altadis. And of course, Lew’s parting words always cap the entire read so nicely.

You can visit the website for a subscription, or go to JR Cigars site for a single issue. May as well purchase some sticks while you’re there. No they didn’t pay me to say that, but it sure doesn’t hurt.

- ZMAN

Subscriptions can be ordered by clicking the link below…

http://www.cigar-magazine.com

Individual copies of Cigar Magazine can be ordered by> CLICKING HERE!