Tobacco Junction Newsletter
414 W Adams Ave Temple   
Temple  Gatesville  McGregor
September 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 accoutrements 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.
 
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The events are in progress and we are having a great time!  Rocky Patel was the first and we had over 100 people attend.  We then had General Cigar come in and the attendance was standing room only!  Altadis arrived and had some great giveaways.  They had the hats, coffee mugs and cigars, we had the $1000.00 humidor, for part of the night anyway...

The winner of the infared turkey fryer was Bobby Lane , and the Char broil grill was Dan Lee. 
The winner of the $1,000.00 Montecristo Humidor was Mike Baker.  Thanks to all who entered and we look forward to doing this again!

Speaking of doing this again we had to cancel the CAO event because that rep went to a different company, but we have now re-scheduled it for September 15th.  There should be an invitation coming in the next few days.  The Cusano event is still on for the 17th.

Although we have been doing this since 1997 this event thing is new to us so we will change and adapt to new ideas.  We learned a few lessons about what to do and what not to do at the first three events. 

We have purchased the property behind the building for parking so people do not have to park out on main street. 

New cigar lines coming will be Ashton and La Flor Dominicana.  We have carried a few styles of these before to test the market and they have done well.  Ashton and LaFlor should be here within the month.

Something else new will be to introduce Ladies night on Thursdays.  This is something a lot of ladies have requested and it should be fun.  We will introduce specific cigars and give a short lesson on how to select and smoke cigars unique to your own tastes, and what goes well with them. 

The Lounge is BYOB and you are welcome to bring your favorite drink.  We will have coffee, water, soft drinks and set ups available.

There will be door prizes, 10% off purchases and we will take suggestions for future Ladies Nights!

Geography and Climate 
  
While tobacco is grown as far north as Canada and as far south as New Zealand, the greatest cigar tobacco growing region on earth is located between the Tropic of Cancer (23.5˚ North of the Equator) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5˚ South of the Equator).

The first region we will look at is right here in the good old USA.

Connecticut River Valley

There are two very distinctive cigar varietals being grown in this unexpected North American location.  Just north of Hartford, Connecticut lies an amazing cigar growing area known as the Connecticut River Valley.  The term "Connecticut"  is not limited to the state, but refers to the river valley which also runs through Massachusetts as well.  The soil in this valley is of glacial origins, which means it was deposited after the last ice age. 

It is less robust than volcanic soil and produces a very distinctive and lighter flavored tobacco.  In 1900 a Cuban seed was brought to the valley in an attempt to simulate the Sumatra seed wrapper tobacco that was already being imported into the country.   Sumatra seed grown in the valley gave poor results, but the Cuban seed, grown under shade with muslin or cheese-cloth, successfully gave birth to Connecticut shade-grown wrapper.  

Due to its northern location, the growing season in Connecticut is earlier in the year, between May and September.  The plants are tall and elegant, reaching heights of over ten feet.  Today, Connecticut Shade is one of the world's most prized and beautiful wrapper leaves.  It has extraordinary strength, small veins, silky texture, and consistent light tan to golden brown color.

While Connecticut Shade is tall, elegant, smooth, and silky, its counterpart, the Connecticut Broadleaf plant is small with enormous leaves. Broadleaf is grown next to shade, but directly under the sun.  It is stalk-cut, instead of being primed like shade-grown, and requires extra fermentation to become smokeable. 

Connecticut Broadleaf tobacco is a dense and very oily tobacco which darkens easily and is commonly used on maduro cigars as wrapper.  Over the last century, broadleaf has been a popular wrapper for many mass-market cigars, but with extra care and fermentation, it is currently yielding excellent wrappers for premium maduro cigars. Broadleaf is a little thicker, rougher, and oilier than Mexican maduro leaves.

 

ASHTON CIGARS
Cabinet Selection

The Ashton Cabinet is the "White Burgundy" of cigars. "White Burgundy" gets its rich complex taste from the soil and aging of the grape in French oak barrels. The Cabinet's 4 to 5 year old Dominican filler blend has a rich, complex and well rounded taste. The extraordinary Connecticut shade wrapper is aged for an extra year and has an elegant palamino color resulting in a smooth and creamy flavor. The Ashton Cabinet includes no less than six different tobaccos and ends with a "big finish." Seven years pass from seedling to finished cigar before Ashton Cabinet is brought to fruition and presented for your smoking pleasure.

Ashton is one of the world's most sought after and well-respected premium brands. Ashton cigars are offered in six very different and distinct blends of cigar leafs and aging periods. Each Ashton cigar travels through an endless array of quality control inspections at the Fuente factory. These standards for quality control are unequaled by any other manufacturer. Once produced, the Ashton Classic, the Ashton Aged Maduro, the Ashton Cabinet Selection, Ashton VSG (Virgin Sun Grown), Ashton ESG (Estate Sun Grown) and Ashton Heritage Puro Sol combine to offer the cigar connoisseur a remarkable diversity, consistency and quality in a premium cigar.


Wrapper: Connecticut Shade
Filler: Dominican
Binder: Dominican
Country: Dominican Republic
Factory: Chateau de la Fuente



 
      
 We serve Arbuckle coffee in McGregor and sell the beans as well, if you need them grinded just say so!
 
State Tobacco Legislative Update
America's mayors seem to be on a roll with the nanny state movement. We add to our list Mayor Juli�n Castro of San Antonio, Texas. He has taken up the cause touted by San Antonio City Councilman Justin Rodriguez to close exemptions to the existing smoking ban statute.

Let's keep in mind, San Antonio is already 97% smoke-free. In the Alamo City, restaurants with enclosed smoking sections and separate ventilation, bars, pool and bingo halls and comedy clubs are exempt.
In this economy, and for the cause of property rights and business choice, the San Antonio City Council needs to defeat this proposition, and we need to help.

CRA proudly stands with the Save Our Jobs Alliance, which is a coalition consisting of the League of United Latin American Citizens, San Antonio Restaurant's Association, and the San Antonio Mixed Beverage Association.

San Antonio City Council needs to pay attention to Conroe, Texas where after adopting a smoking ban, the negative economic impact was so bad, they reversed the ban.

This is also a significant battle for another reason. Next year, the Texas legislature will again confront proposed statewide smoking ban legislation, and this battle in San Antonio is "practice" for what the PROHIBITION COALITION wants to do when legislators converge upon Austin in 2011.
 
Join today to protect you rights!

Postal Service Issues Revised Rule
For Mailing Tobacco

  Revised Rules for Shipping to Iraq

I WANT YOU TO SEND CIGARS TO OUR SOLDIERS!
The U.S. Postal Service issued a revised rule which will allow military families to more easily mail cigarettes, roll-your-own and smokeless tobacco products to service personnel overseas.  Under the original interpretation of the recently enacted Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act (PACT Act), military families were limited to sending these tobacco products in Express Mail packages.  However, this caused a problem because Express Mail service is not offered to military base addresses where large numbers of troops are deployed.
The rule change made by the Postal Service will allow military families to mail these tobacco products to service personnel using Priority Mail packages with delivery confirmations unless the country where the tobacco products are being sent prohibits the receipt of tobacco products.
 
Pipe Corner
Just a quick thought...
  
Cigar smoking and pipe smoking have several things in common, and not in common.   Pipe smoking is more about the ritual, coupled with the enjoyment.  We hope to bring just a few hints about how to enjoy a pipe here.
 
First, smoke dry: Keep saliva out of the pipe. Practice, if necessary, on an unlighted unfilled pipe. Keep the stem out of the saliva trough just behind and below the lower teeth. And swallow frequently. A dry pipe smokes clean. It's not liable to go sour.

Second : smoke slowly. You'll tend to revert to the cigarette smoking habits, but try to keep your mind on the fact that you're smoking a pipe. You will quickly remember when your tongue is burned and soon you'll be merrily puffing at your pipe just like all the fellows you've always envied. Test yourself by holding the pipe bowl every few puffs. If it's to hot in your hand, let it go out and light it again after it cools (relighting does not effect the taste of the pipe after the first couple of puffs) and you'll be saving your tongue the discomforts of fire and brimstone.

It is just like savoring a good liquor, you roll it over your tongue, test it's fragrance, sip it slowly. Try appreciating your tobacco in the same way. Roll it over your tongue, let a little come out of your nostrils. Don't inhale, taste. It's lots cheaper, less potent-and a powerful aid to correct pipe smoking!
 
 
Pipe Repair Reference 
Ashton Cabinet Selection
Belicoso

This is a beautiful cappuccino colored wrapper and very smooth. It almost appears seamless. The label is classic Ashton, and is very elegant.

The slightly sweet smelling tobacco is well packed, resulting in a firm cigar. The draw was great. The cigar lit easily giving off a wonderful smell of tobacco. It is well rolled, as I have come to expect from all Ashton products. The grayish white ash easily held on for a couple of inches before I tapped it off.

Initial tasting was creamy, with copious amounts of smoke. It was nutty with the tiniest bit of woodiness. The retro-hale was pleasurable with the slightest amount of spice after the first inch or so.

The second third of the cigar was still very smooth. The creamy taste kept my attention.
 
The final third became more peppery, almost cayenne-like with oaky notes. This cigar was certainly finishing with a bang.

This is a very good cigar with the quality and tastes I have come to expect from Ashton, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite brands.

I find Ashton consistent and enjoyable. I normally like a full bodied profile in a cigar but this is a nice change. The flavors were complex with slight changes from beginning to end. I would recommend this cigar if you want a break from full-flavored cigars.


Wrapper: Connecticut Shade
Filler: Dominican Republic
Binder: Dominican Republic
Country: Dominican Republic
Factory: Chateau de la Fuente

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

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
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.