Tobacco Junction Newsletter
414 W Adams Ave Temple   
Temple  Gatesville  McGregor
June 1, 2010
Dear ,Tobacco Junction strives everyday to bring you choices.  In today's market it is increasingly difficult to find someone in the tobacco business who is local and has the same interests that you do.  Here at Tobacco Junction we have a passion for Premium Cigars, Pipes,  tobacco's and all the accoutriments that go with that passion.
 
This newsletter will keep you informed as to what we are up to and bring you information on new products, events, and legislative updates that affect our passion for Fine Tobaccos.
 

Cigar Lounge Opening July 1st! 
Soft opening July 1st..
 
The construction phase is almost complete.  The final touches are being done and will be finished by the end of the second week in June.
 
This will give us a few weeks to get it loaded and open.  We have been making a film of the process using "Alamo Film Company" here in McGregor and plan to have it posted on our website in July. 
 
The Lounge will have over 2000 feet of sitting area with large screen TV's, a coffee area featuring ARBUCKLES coffee, free WiFi, cigar lockers and of course, the largest walk-in humidor in Central Texas. 
 
We will have a soft opening July 1st, with the Grand Opening Celebration in September.  The Grand Opening will be at least a week  long with numerous cigar companies and others as well.  The will be more newsletters dedicated to informing you of the details.
 
Ya'll are welcome to stop by anytime and check us out during the building phase....everyone else is!
 

Oral PH can effect the taste of a cigar..  

The balance between Acidity and Alkalinity effects our lives in innumerable ways; from the environment, soil, and our bodies, to the food we eat and liquids we drink.

 "pH" is a measure of Acidity and Alkalinity [of a solution] on a scale where 7 is neutral; lower numbers are more Acid (down to 0), and higher numbers are more Alkaline (up to 14).
   
Cigars are more Alkaline and cigarettes are more Acidic: this effects the consumption, nicotine absorption, and addictive differences between the two.
  
When it comes to luxury tobacco, pH monitoring is critical for the Soil and even the water used for Irrigation and Fermentations. But the greatest effects of pH do not come from the product itself, but rather, from your mouth. Your palate's (tongue, mouth, saliva) neutral setting is around 7. Lemon Juice is around 2, Tomatoes are around 4, and milk is around 6.5. Anything we consume will effect the pH level in our mouth, and subsequently, the way we perceive the Taste of a cigar or pipe tobacco.
  
Have you ever smoked a cigar you know is good, and it just tastes "off"? Usually we just blame the cigar maker, Tobacconist, or our humidor, but, maybe it wasn't the cigar. It is very likely that our mouth can be "off".
  
Fortunately, our mouths/palates have the ability to restore their neutrality within a short period of time. You can expedite this process by drinking water, or eating plain bread, to bring your mouth closer to neutral.

 If you just finished smoking a cigar and want another, you can eat a little lemon sorbet to restore some Acidity to your palate. Ultimately, maybe you like the contrasting Acidity of coffee with the Alkalinity of a cigar; if so great. But it is good to know the facts and be aware of how our senses can be biased.

  
Life is too short to smoke a bad cigar...
 
Romanticism plays a big part in the world of luxury tobacco. It is a romantic process to smoke a great cigar; sitting back watching the smoke, smelling the aromas, tasting the notes of flavor, and savoring your time. Luxury tobacco is inherently sensual and romantic. But real romance and pleasure need no embellishment. And the actual magic and wonder of luxury tobacco is enough, without the myths and lies. Enhanced appreciation requires Enlightenment, and that requires The Truth. 

 

 
 *  "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness"
*  "Land of the Free"
*  "No Taxation Without  Representation"

These are the principles on which America was founded. Unfortunately for cigar enthusiasts, the age-old pleasure of enjoying a cigar is under attack. On a daily basis, your freedom to enjoy a cigar is being stripped away by an overzealous, anti-smoking movement. Their tactics are varied; be it through supporting onerous cigar taxes or lobbying government for restrictive smoking bans. The anti-smoking movement will stop at nothing short of the complete prohibition of tobacco.

The Declaration of Independence of the United States ensures that all men and women have the freedom and the right to the pursuit of happiness. Unfortunately, cigar enthusiasts have slowly allowed these rights to be removed. Over the past twenty years, the anti-tobacco movement has broadened their reach and scope and are moving towards abolishing ALL forms of tobacco, including cigars. Until recently there has essentially been very little organized opposition to their actions. And why should there have been? Most of us assumed that their attention was directed towards cigarettes.
Unfortunately, we were wrong.
 
This organization is sponsored by most of the major cigar companies and is consumer oriented.  It would be in our best interests to support them by becoming a member and staying informed about upcoming issues.
 
Go to www.cigarrignts.org to sign up!
 
Tobacco Junction is a family owned business here in Texas and has been here since 1997.  It is always a pleasure to visit with everyone, if you have any questions or concerns please ask for me personally, I will be glad to answer any questions you may have.
 
Sincerely,
 
David Livingston     [email protected] 
Temple 254-773-3103     Gatesville 254-248-0068     McGregor 254-840-4477
 
Dr. Lawrence Deyton Speaks to FDA's Direction Regarding Tobacco
Cigars Appear Not to be High on Priority List for Now
 
May 26, 2010 - Having just returned from the Tobacco Merchants Association (TMA) Annual Meeting, Dr. Lawrence Deyton from the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), was a featured speaker during the conference. While the group was appreciative of Dr. Deyton and his staff's attendance, little was divulged on his office's intentions regarding the recently published notice about potential cigar regulation.
 
Dr. Deyton took only a few questions from the group--the first came from Norm Sharp, President of the Cigar Association of America, who first commented that while the CTP has done a fairly good job of keeping all interested parties informed via its website, there had been no notification on that website about an intent to issue a proposed rulemaking to regulate cigars. 
 
Rather, that notice was buried in the semi-annual regulatory agenda of the Department of Health & Human Services published on April 26th that indicated a deadline of June 2010. Norm then asked Dr. Deyton to brief the conferees on the status of that regulation and what his office was contemplating, as that notice generated a good bit of confusion and subsequent frenzy.
 
The question caught Dr. Deyton off-guard a bit as he hesitated to answer. 
Dr. Deyton finally stated that the CTP has the authority to regulate tobacco products other than cigarettes and smokeless tobacco and while it would be fair to say they are engaged in a "fact finding" effort to decide whether to regulate cigars, they have no particular deadline.
 
(Interestingly, a subsequent speaker remarked the notice in the regulatory agenda indicated that it came not from the CTP, but from the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition-- which, in Norm's notice to the CAA membership, "makes this issue even more puzzling.")
 
While it is not a simple task interpreting a person's (or bureaucrat's) body language and subtleties, all attendees may deduce that Dr. Deyton and his staff at the CTP may not take substantive action on cigars by the June deadline, or in the near future.
 
With that said, the IPCPR is in constant communication with their FDA consultants and federal lobby team, and we continue to closely monitor the CTP for information and updates. 
Pipe Corner
Pipe Repair Contact
 
 In an effort to better serve your needs with pipe repairs I am listing a repair company we have used in the past and have had good results with. 
 
Tobacco Junction has no affiliation with this company and makes no guarantees to her repairs, though we believe you will receive reliable service and be happy with her work.
 
Here is the contact info:
 
Mary Ann Keller
American Smoking Pipe Repair Co.
208 B Evergreen Circle
Tobyhanna, PA 18466
 
 
 
Pipe Repair Reference 
Partagas Black
Maximo
 
This is another one of my favorite cigars that I have tried. The cigar seemed to be rolled well in my opinion, and the description is said to be dark, oily, sweet cedar, and hints of anise. (Anise is the extract used in black licorice). Before lighting I could smell the sweet cedar right away. The cigar has a good smell to it and I was excited to get started. When I lit it I could tell right away this was a smooth, and rich one. The anise lays a light blanket on my tongue flowing well with the sweet cedar. I was about a inch into this cigar and the ashes were stacking pretty well, and the burn was even. As the oils heated up I did notice the sweet cedar more, and the flavors intensified showing its full potential. This cigar did not disappoint me, I was pleased from start to end. The Partagas Black Label Maximo is a full-bodied cigar with rich flavor. This is another cigar that took awhile to smoke. So if what I described is what you want you should make sure you have some time to fully enjoy this one.
 
Wrapper: Medio Tiempo
Filler: Nicaraguan Ligero & Piloto Cubano Ligero Blend
Binder: La Vega Especial
Country: Dominican Republic
Factory: General Cigar Dominicana
 
 
 
 
  
Sharon Rainer
TJ Newsletter
Contributor
Belton, Texas
 
PARTAGAS CIGARS

Black Label

 Full-flavored and full bodied, Partagas Black Label cigars have been named to Robb Report's

"Best of the Best" list and bestowed with a 90 rating from Cigar Insider. The star of Partagas Black Label cigars is its wrapper, a well-oiled Connecticut Medio Tiempo leaf that is proprietary to General Cigar.  When blended with Nicaraguan and Dominicana ligero and bound with a Dominican binder developed by General Cigar, the bold flavor of Partagas Black Label cigars keeps cigar enthusiasts coming back for more.

 

The History

Introduced in 2001, Partagas Black Label was created to exceed the expectations of today's consumer who demands full-bodied flavor.

 

 

The Cigar

In order to create Partagas Black Label, Ramon's successor and his colleagues at General Cigar spent 10 years perfecting the Medio Tempo wrapper and the La Vega Especial binder. Cuban-seed Medio Tempo wrappers are darker, heavier and richer than other wrappers because they are harvested only after they have been allowed to age on their plants 50% longer than other wrapper leaves. The La Vega Especial binder is sun-grown in the Dominican Republic to give it a deep, rich flavor of its own. To enhance the cigar"s full-bodied character even further, the blend is a mixture of Nicaraguan Ligero and Dominican Piloto Cubano Ligero. These tobaccos and a larger ring gauge translate into a richer, fuller-bodied flavor.


The Experience

Partagas Black Label is an espresso of a cigar, extremely dark in color and extra rich in flavor.
FREE
BIRTHDAY
CIGAR
If you want to celebrate your Birthday with a Cigar we can help!  Just show us your ID and we will give you a Cigar with a retail value up to $5.00, or take five dollars off your favorite Cigar....ENJOY!
 
Offer subject to change or cancellation at any time.