Easton, PA 12/11/2009 6:00:00 PM
News / Business

CigarAuctioneer hosts auction for rare Tempus Magistri Maduro cigars

Bidding starts at $1.00 on 20 autographed boxes

Only 750 boxes of the cigars were made for the entire U.S. market. Even by limited edition cigar standards, that's a small number. But for the 20 Alec Bradley Tempus Magistri Maduro cigars that will go up for bid at CigarAuctioneer.com on Friday, December 11, there's something that makes them even rarer: each box has been personally autographed by Alec Bradley Cigars founder and president, Alan Rubin. The auction, which kicks-off at 6:00 AM (ET), will also having a starting bid of $1.00 (U.S.)

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 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 their cigar auction website.

"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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About CigarAuctioneer.com
CigarAuctioneer.com is a subsidiary website of Famous Smoke Shop, the nation's leading discount premium cigars retailer. Famous Smoke Shop (www.famous-smoke.com) offers one of the largest selections of premium cigars, cigar humidors, and cigar accessories. Famous-Smoke.com has been awarded BizRate's "Gold Honoree" status for excellence in customer service, product selection, customer satisfaction, and per-dollar value.