Thursday, December 10 2009
EASTON, PA -- Only 750 boxes of the cigars were made for the entire U.S. market. That’s a small number, even by limited edition cigar standards. But for the 20 boxes of Alec Bradley Tempus Magistri
Maduro cigars that went up for bid today at CigarAuctioneer.com, there's something that makes them even rarer: each
box has been personally autographed by
Alec Bradley Cigars founder and president, Alan Rubin.
Alec Bradley Tempus cigars have received some of the industry's highest tasting scores, including a 94 in Cigar Insider. The filler consists of Nicaraguan and Honduran Criollo '98 and Corojo '99 Ligero and Viso tobaccos. Due to the very limited amount of Mexican San Andres Maduro wrapper leaf that adorns the Tempus Magistri Maduro, the release was slated as a one-time Holiday release project. And because their 6½" x 53 double perfecto shape is one of the hardest to roll, only four master rollers were assigned to the production to ensure the highest quality and consistency.
Upon completion, Alec Bradley decided to hold aside the first 20 boxes of Tempus Magistri Maduro specifically for retailers who wanted to purchase a box solely for a charity promotion. Additionally, these boxes would be autographed to increase their collector value.
So how did CigarAuctioneer.com wind up with 20 signed boxes? Earlier in the year, Humberto Gonzalez of Famous Smoke Shop called Alan Rubin looking for some rare or new cigars to launch on Cigar Auctioneer.
"Considering the rarity and newness of the Tempus Magistri Maduro, Alan offered us 20 signed boxes as the perfect auction item," said Mr. Gonzalez. "I gladly accepted, and he trusted us to treat them right. So, with only 20 boxes in our possession, it made sense to auction them off to the highest bidders. These are more collectors items than anything else, and the fact that they're signed is the icing on the cake for the winners."
Although the boxes were also supposed to be numbered, there was a snafu during the box production, but Alan assured Humberto that CigarAuctioneer was getting boxes 21 through 40.
The Tempus Magistri Maduro offers a complex, well-rounded and full-bodied smoke, rife with semisweet tobacco flavors, enhanced by notes of wood and anise on the finish.
"The likelihood of us getting these cigars again is nil," added Mr. Gonzalez. "This is a once in a lifetime auction that will no doubt cause quite a commotion among bidders, especially the collectors."
Cigar smokers interested in buying a box should also note that they will only be available for sale at CigarAuctioneer.com. Additional details and the current bid amount for the Tempus Magistri Maduro auction can be found by visiting CigarAuctioneer.com.
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EDITOR'S NOTE: As of 12/16/2009, the auction referenced in this article is no longer active.
