Avo Signature

As unmistakable as the signature of the cigar artist AVO Uvezian is the jazz musician’s Signature series. In March 2001, the musician, composer and cigar aficionado Avo Uvezian celebrated his 75th birthday. To mark this event, the limited edition AVO 75^thAnniversary cigar was created. In order to fulfill the frequently expressed request of passionate aficionados for a series with an AVO 75^thAnniversary blend, Avo Uvezian created the AVO Signature series.

The blend used for this series is based on the basic blend of the Anniversary, but was adapted to the new formats. The special “sun-grown” wrapper from Ecuador was fermented several times in the Dominican Republic. The filler consists of select tobaccos from the Cibao Valley. Thanks to the high proportion of Ligero tobaccos, the three formats are robustly flavoured. As with all AVOs, the strength is harmoniously balanced with the aroma.

AVO Heritage

The AVO Heritage blend contains a particularly high proportion of Ligero tobaccos and therefore develops a strong character and corresponds with the spicy tobaccos of the classic AVO product line.

AVO XO

Although actually a mild cigar, the AVO XO unfolds a pleasant, medium-strength aroma.

We have carried the Ghurka line of fine cigars in the past. We now add three exclusive new Ghurkas to our fine cigar lineup.

Wicked Indie – Value Priced.. this 5.5 X 52 all-Nicaraguan cigar has a three-year-old Nicaraguan filler, a rich, complex taste, and a sweet spicy, nutty finish.

Royal Challenge  – This mild-to-medium-bodied cigar features an aged Connecticut/Ecuadoran shade wrapper, a Habano Honduran binder, and Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers. Sizes include the Robusto (5 X 52), the Torpedo (6.5 X 52), and the XO (6 X 54)

Seduction – A medium-bodied cigar with an Ecuardorian Habano wrapper, the Seduction includes a Dominican Olor binder, and Columbian Corojo filler. Sizes include the Gran Robusto (5 X 52), the Toro (6 X 52), and the XO (6 X 54)

Cellar Reserve – A real top-shelf smoke, this complex medium-to-full-body cigar features 15-year aged tobacco with a 1998 Criollo wrapper, an aged Dominican Olor binder, and a 15-year-old Dominican filler. Sizes in the Cellar Reserve include the Solaro (5 X 60),the Kracken (6 X 60), and the Prisoner (7 X 54).

  Crispin Glover as George McFly about to put the hurt on Biff.  (“Hey you!  Get your damn hands off her!”)  More on that later…

This apple cider is made with Belgian Trappist yeast and organic maple syrup.  Yeah, read that part slowly because that is really cool.

The color is like hazy straw in the glass.  The yeast gives it a nose of herbs and clove, but the most prominent aroma is that of apple (imagine that!)  But this is ripe apple – and is it ever easy drinking.  The taste is smooth cider and the maple syrup is cloying.  The finish is somewhat short which makes this so easy to drink.  Finish one sip, pause, ready for another?  Yes.  Yes I am.

The alcohol content at 6.9% is all George McFly (Crispin Glover).  Simple, easy, innocent.  Then, POW!  Next thing you know, Biff is on the ground and McFly is making out with the pretty girl.

Try a bottle of Crispin Hard Apple Cider when you are in the mood for crisp, smooth, and different.  Easy drinking.

A humidor keeps cigars fresh by storing them at 65-to-70 percent humidity. Cigars, like wines, are organic so temperature and humidity are important. A properly maintained humidor can keep cigars fresh for years.

Desk- and table-top humidors can hold from a dozen cigars to 100, and can range from simple to elegant in design and finishes. On the inside, humidors are lined with Spanish cedar, a wood renowned for its moisture-holding and moisture-releasing capabilities.

When shopping for a humidor, be sure to check these things:
• Size – The size of the box you buy depends on how many cigars do you plan to keep for yourself and/or give out to friends. Don’t be afraid to buy a box slightly bigger than you think you’ll need. Better to have a little more space than a little less.
• Extras – Will you want an upper tray, divider, a box that locks, accessory drawer?
• Seams and corners – Look to make sure seams are perfect and corners square.
• The Lid and Inside Rim – The lid should be heavy, seal squarely, and allow a little bit of air to circulate in and out of the box. When you open the lid slightly and let it fall, you should hear a “swoosh,” a sign of a good seal.

Humidification Devices
The most important humidification device you can have for your humidor is you. It is up to you to add necessary distilled water or solution regularly. Humidification devices come in sizes appropriate for the size of the box. For years, humidification devices used sponge-type material. Now the technology has moved to crystals that implode and emit humidity when wet with propyl glyclene solution. This solution lasts longer than distilled water.

Measuring the Humidity
Most humidors come with hygrometers, a gauge that measures the box’s humidity. While hygrometers come in analog or digital models, we recommend digital because they are more reliable and accurate. The best humidity range to keep cigars fresh is 65 to 72 percent with 70 percent the optimum. If cigars seem too dry, add solution to the humidification device.

Keeping Your Humidor in Top Working Order
Always keep the lid closed until cigars are ready to be smoked. Add propyl glyclene solution or distilled water periodically to the humidifying device. Never use tap water. Minerals in tap water will collect in the humidification device and keep it from absorbing and emitting humidity.

One More Thing – Don’t put your humidor where it can be exposed to temperature extremes like near a window or a heating vent, or anywhere where it can get cold. Inside your humidor, don’t pack your cigars too tight. You will want to rotate them from time to time for good air circulation. The reason for this is that while humidors have a tight seal on the lid, they are not airtight and not supposed to be. In an airtight humidified container, cigars can and will get moldy.

For more information, call your Rockford Tinder Box/Vino100 at 815-226-4441, or visit our website at tinderbox-rockford.com.

At Tequila Los Abuelos, they are committed to producing the finest Tequila possible. Their Tequila is made using traditions established centuries ago, from 100% stone milled agave, entirely produced on their estate. They are located in the town of Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico, first populated in the 1530’s by their Spanish forefathers. The land is nestled in rich valley at 4,000 feet of altitude, in the foothills of the 9,560-foot tall, Volcan de Tequila. Here is where their blue agaves grow for seven to eight years, caressed with the warmth of the Mexican sun, nourished by the summer rains, and protected from the harsh and cold winter winds.

Our Tequila is produced entirely within the walls of their estate, using centuries old, traditional methods, which although are very labor intensive, create a tequila, which is unequaled in taste and smoothness. Using the age-old brick oven, with its meter thick walls, they cook our agave for thirty six hours. Then they crush or mill the agave as my Tartarabuelo did over 135 years ago in the stone mill called the Tahona. The crushed agave is then washed with the pure mountain water from the Volcan de Tequila to separate the pulp from the woody fibers to create an agave juice called mosto. The woody fibers of the agave, called bagazo, are removed at this time, and taken to the fields to use as compost. The agave mosto is then naturally fermented for five days in small wood vats, and then double distilled using small, labor-intensive copper pot stills. Their glass bottle is hand-blown in Tonala, Jalisco by artisan glassmakers and our bottle tops, artisan designed to represent the harvest agave, or Pina, are hand-made by our workers.

ABV: 6.9%

Poured Appearance: Whiskey Cloudy. Slightly opaque.

Color: Rich golden orange.

Aroma: Mild moonshine Tennessee woods, soft spicy rye whiskey, ripe apple.

Flavor: Dry, subtly spicy rye whiskey, butterscotch, faint banana & ripe apple with mild apple-skin tannins. Full bodied sexy finish.

Final Blend: 63% fermented apple-wine, 23% Gravenstein fresh-pressed apple juice.

Unfiltered & blended from apple-wine straight from the rye whiskey barrels. Give a solid, firm bottoms-up tilt and swirl to disperse sediment evenly to best enjoy whiskey aromas and unique bouquet. Best enjoyed at cellar temperature, 50/55F, with or without 1 or 2 ice cubes.

Stagger Lee is most certainly worthy of aging in your cellar.

Hold It!
When shopping for a pipe, take time to hold it. The pipe has to feel right – balanced, comfortable – not awkward or heavy. Look at the different pipes and their finish (smooth or rough), color (light or dark), the stem (straight or bent), and especially the shape. Don’t worry. You don’t have to make it an information overload on yourself. Glance at different pipes and see what catches your eye first, then go from there.

Get in Shape
Briar pipes are available in many standard shapes. The choice of shape is entirely personal. Smokers my have a single favorite shape of pipe or many different shapes in their collections. Briar pipes are also available in a unique “freehand” design that follow no particular shape and are carved according to the grain and size of the briar.

Ahem! A Bit about the Stem
Also consider the stem. Would you prefer a straight or bent shape? Most pipe stems are made from vulcanite, a hard rubber, or Lucite, a type of plastic. Vulcanite is less expensive and can be hand cut to all pipe shank shapes. Vulcanite will oxidize and turn white especially near the mouthpiece bit after time, but, can be cleaned and polished to look like new. Lucite does not tarnish or lose its color around the bit. And Lucite can come in different swirl stem designs that can make a pipe look absolutely fantastic.

Expensive Versus Inexpensive Pipes
So, what’s the difference between a $30 pipe and a $230 pipe? The biggest difference is in the briar. The older briar, the finer the grain and more dense it is. The density and curing of the wood is crucial. The lighter a pipe’s weight, the longer it has been cured and is free of wood resins and moisture. A lightweight pipe that is aged well and cured will offer a good tasting, cool smoke.

Due to Mother Nature and conditions under which briar grows, a small percentage of pipes produced have a uniformly fine grain pattern and perfect finish. These are called “firsts” and are considered the best of the best. The remaining pipes may have tiny surface flaws or sandpits. Some are practically undetectable while others may require putty fills. These tiny imperfections affect the aesthetic appearance of the pipe, but not the pipe’s smoking qualities. Known as “seconds,” these pipes are sold under numerous brand names and represent the best values in pipe smoking. Bowls are smooth-polished and or sandblasted or carved for a rough texture.

Buying a Pipe for a Gift?
If you’re buying a pipe as a gift for someone, it can be fun if you know that person and his or her tastes. If you don’t know that person well and choose a pipe, be sure to ask for a gift receipt from your Tinder Box associate. If you are unsure, we recommend a Tinder Box gift certificate.

One final note, it is better to choose a pipe that does not use any kind of filter or condensing system. These systems trap moisture in the shank and prevent the effective use of the pipe cleaners during the smoke.

If you have any questions, call us at 815-226-4441, or e-mail us at tinderbox-rockford.com.