What I met at Big Alpine Smoke 2015
Big Alpine Smoke, besides the excitement of the competition, has been a great opportunity for me to meet new things in both human and cigar related subjects. In this second part, I wanted to tell you about these innovations - at least for me.
First, the two people I met on the very first day, and of course, the two new boutique cigar brands I met thanks to these two people. The first of these is Jeremy Casdagli, which I briefly mentioned in the first episode of Big Alpine Smoke. He originally came from a family that was half Turkish, half Greek, and later, due to immigration, British blood was also mixed. Their first surname is from Kaşdağ, but they change to Casdagli after the family migrated from Egypt to England. A true history buff. The names of its different vitolas, including the logo of the Bespoke brand cigars, which it has already produced and launched in 2009, are generally chosen from names that are always associated with history. As I understand from the conversations between us during my stay, most of the names or stories that will be used in innovations from the brand will still have a connection with history. The brand also produces a uniform type of vitola cigars under its own name for Club Mareva, which organizes the Cigar Smoking World Championship.
Bespoke Cigars currently produces eight vitola cigars , each in limited numbers. Five of these, mainly Nicaraguan and Brazilian tobacco blends, are the famous Hendrik Kelner Jr. by: Grand Cafe (39 / 192mm), Super Belicoso (60 / 145mm), Robusto (50 / 124mm), Gran Mareva (42/142), Cotton Tail (62foot-52head / 1254mm). Featuring a predominant blend of Nicaragua, Peru and Ecuador, Leon Guzman creates the other three, also the one who has made his name: Dahman (56 / 180mm), Salomone (57 / 185mm) and Pyramide (52 / 156mm). It is possible to find cigars both in Europe and America at the addresses given on his website.
Another person and brand I met from day one is Darren Cioffi and Principle Cigars . Darren is originally in the software business, but his passion for cigars took him all the way to building his own brand and into production. Principle Cigars is a company that currently has 20 vitola cigars under four lines (Aviator, Accomplice, Ban Principles, Money to Burn). It's more than selling now, and like Jeremy, he intends to stay boutique by producing a limited edition. He even comfortably points out that those who seek to sell have unfortunately turned down because of the limited number. He, in turn, has Kelner Jr. made the blend of a certain part of his cigars (especially the Accomplice series).
Since we started with cigar brands, the third and last cigar brand I met on the day of the competition is Patoro Cigars , a Swiss brand. In this brand, it produces cigars in different vitolas under three series (Gran Anejo, Platino, Series P). In fact, there are four series, because they have a green-band series, which uses predominantly Brazilian tobacco, which is not yet on the website because it is new. After the leaves are brought from places such as Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, and Brazil, they are hand-wrapped in Switzerland.
Let's come to what I met other than new cigar brands; One of the interesting ones was the luxury watch, jewelry and accessories brand named Cuervo y Sobrinos. It promotes itself as a Swiss firm with a Latin warmth, due to its historical connection to Havana. Watch models take some of their names from vitolas such as Robusto and Torpedo. Besides, all of the clocks come in wooden boxes that can be used as a humidor. Even these are obvious indications of the brand's affinity and connection with both Havana and cigars.
I again met on the first day, an Istanbul and fell in love with Turkey with his family, senior sales representative of the brand Armando, the company also sold, free to most cigar club or membership requires a nightclub with each hour of membership and entrance, discounts in hotels and air tickets, etc. He says he is working on an advantage program like. Besides, for those who are interested in cigars, I learn that they are preparing to launch different products to the market in order to produce different travel humidor or accessory carrying solutions.
Of course, my acquaintanceships and what I have learned are not limited to the above, but I cannot share some of them because it is too early and they do not want to be heard, because I cannot get permission from their owners, and some of them, perhaps if we meet face to face, so that we can talk.
Enjoyable smoking for everyone ...