Cedar & Leaf Tobacconist Menlyn Maine

01/01/2025

NEW YEAR WISHES

As we welcome 2025, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to each of our valued customers for their support and loyalty.

May your year ahead be filled with health, happiness, endless opportunities and unforgettable experiences.


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27/12/2024

24/12/2024

MERRY CHRISTMAS

21/12/2024

THE JUDGE GRAND ROBUSTO- CIGAR OF THE YEAR 2024

Earlier this week, Cigar Aficionado Magazine named My Father's Cigar - The Judge, their top cigar of 2024 with an impressive 98 point rating. This is the third time that this brand has scooped the prestigious Cigar Aficionado Cigar the Year award.

The Judge is a flavourful full-bodied cigar that has always been a popular choice from our humidor. With a slew of 92 -plus ratings My Father Ci**rs are widely considered to be one of the most highly acclaimed brands in the premium cigar industry with a diverse portfolio of top-quality blends, many of which you can find in our humidor at Cedar & Leaf, Central Square, Menlyn Maine.


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19/12/2024

CIGAR GIFTING

From AJ Fernandez to Macanudo, from EP Carillo to Gurkha, from mild to full-bodied, we have cigar packs to make your cigar gifting a breeze.


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17/12/2024

PRIMEROS BY DAVIDOFF

Imagine being able to stop life momentarily and enjoy time to pause and reflect.

Davidoff Primeros are short, Dominican beauties that will last anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes and are available from our humidor in Classic, Escurio and Maduro blends. These Petit Panatelas are perfect for those on the move who still want to enjoy a worthwhile and flavourful smoke. The blends vary in the filler, wrapper, and binder.

Davidoff Classic Primeros offer an intoxicating combination of soft woody notes. Crafted with attention to detail, and using the same blend as the Davidoff No 2 cigar, it features Dominican to***co, a San Vicente wrapper and a Connecticut wrapper. So, whatever your time, this smooth, pleasant cigar will fill it to perfection.

Davidoff Escurio Primeros are a blend of Brazilian spicy Cubra and sweet Mata Fina to***cos perfectly balanced with Dominican to***cos and a beautiful Ecuadorian Seed wrapper. It delivers an intriguing sweet and spicy palate stimulation of earth, leather, chilli and wood together with rich aromas.

Davidoff Maduro Primeros feature a dark and beautifully aged Ecuadorian Maduro wrapper, filled with premium Dominican to***cos. The result is a rich and robust flavour profile, with notes of dark chocolate, coffee, and spice, balanced by subtle hints of sweetness and earth. Crafted for aficionados who appreciate the deep flavours of a Maduro wrapper. This cigar delivers a medium -bodied smoke, perfect for shorter moments of indulgence without sacrificing complexity.

Davidoff Primeros are packed in sixes, in aluminum tins, which makes them great for traveling or for gifts.

Pop in and pick up a tin today.


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07/12/2024

PUZZLE - FAME

Looking for gifts? Take a step back in time with this collage of famous musicians, actors and comedians with its retro background.
Completed puzzle size: 838 x 610mm. This new soft touch satin finish puzzle will be fun to build and looks incredible when framed.

Pop into our store at Menlyn Maine and select from backgammon sets, canasta and bridge cards as well as a range of adult puzzles featuring exciting city scenes, beautiful landscapes as well as the stunning artwork of various South African artists.


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21/11/2024

COHIBA WIDE SHORTS

The latest addition to the Cuban Mini cigar portfolio is the Cohiba Wide Short. Produced in Havana these machine-made Cohibas use the same to***co blend as their handmade counterparts. Sporting the iconic yellow and black Cohiba design, the Wide Shorts are larger and longer than the standard Cohiba Shorts introduced in 2016.

With a smoking time of between 20 and 30 minutes, they offer an accessible way to savour the world’s finest Cuban to***co and have a quick taste of Cuba’s flagship brand.

Each Cohiba Wide Short is cellophane-wrapped to ensure maximum freshness and protection. Additionally, each one features the distinctive Cohiba cigar band, a mark of prestige not easily granted.

Pop into our store at Central Square, Menlyn Maine for all your cigar and cigarillo requirements.


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27/10/2024

EP CARILLO - ENCORE NOIR MADURO

E.P. Carrillo has released a new limited maduro edition that builds on the legacy of the Encore, which was awarded Cigar Aficionado’s #1 Cigar of the Year in 2018. Presenting a round format with a dark wrapper that has naturally aged in bales for an impressive five-year period. Each cigar in the Encore Noir line is intricately crafted to offer a gratifying smoking experience. This production comprises of 2,500 boxes for international distribution and 500 additional boxes reserved for exclusive US events, each containing 10.

We asked Alastair, our maduro fundi to review one for us and here is what he said:

THE LOOK:

This is a stunningly beautiful cigar. Dark veiny wrapper with a black and rose gold band just oozes sexy.

COLD DRAW

Sweet chocolate aroma hits hard at the foot with a beautifully subtle sweet dark chocolate off the wrapper. This is starting to feel right. The cold raw brings a different sweet meaty taste. I’ve used a V-cut today and the draw is so smooth.

FIRST THIRD

The draw is smooth as silk, the smoke is exploding and the spices are alive. The first notes that smack you in the face, is pepper. Black pepper with a cinnamon sweetness. I think this is going to be special.

I’ve paired this with a dark Zambian roast cortado, and the spices are really ramped up next to it. I don’t bring out the heavy roast coffee usually, but something told me that this cigar could hold its own.

The creaminess of this cigar is blowing me away. With every smooth draw comes a palette filled with pepper and a lingering cinnamon sweetness when you put it down. Not the most even burn but I’m hoping this will sort itself out. The ash is beautifully white and firm.

I'm about an inch into it and I’m starting to get hints of dark chocolate mixed in with the black pepper. I can see why its older brother scored so well, these flavours blend into each other with ease.

I don’t often sit back and try and take in everything a cigar has to offer but some ci**rs are just meant to be enjoyed a little more than others. My palette has died and gone to heaven.

The sweetness from the cinnamon doesn’t just linger it’s camped out and building a fire.

SECOND THIRD

The complexity of this cigar excites me. The spices are still there but they have taken a step back and are allowing the sweet cinnamon and chocolate to shine for a bit. The transition was smooth. Now with every mouthful I’m hit by sweet cinnamon and dark chocolate with a linger of pepper.

The burn seems to have corrected itself and the creaminess is still phenomenal. Medium to full but smoother than expected.

Leather has now joined the party. I always thought leather was a weird flavour to get excited about but for me, I’ve realised that there are notes that tie each other together or help elevate certain notes. At the moment the leather is really helping the dark chocolate push forward. I can’t put my phone down; I’m sitting on a rollercoaster at the moment. The pepper and leather are now sitting front row. My head is spinning from all these transitions.

The pepper is full out now, such a change from the rest but I can’t understand how it’s still so creamy.

This is probably one of the tastiest ci**rs I’ve had in a long time. Not because of the notes I’ve just mentioned but because of the order in which they’ve made themselves known and also the smoothness of them. My mouth is salivating, and flavours are just popping. Wasabi and vanilla making subtle differences in every pull.

FINAL THIRD

We’re now heading more into a full-bodied cigar. That shouldn’t scare you though because it’s still one of the smoothest ci**rs I’ve ever smoked. The pepper, leather and cinnamon are back with a vengeance and so is the sweet aftertaste. Every time I put this cigar down to rest I’m left with a mouth watering from the lingering sweetness.

Just as I thought the rollercoaster was coming to a steady roll, I’ve dropped off the edge. The dark chocolate has made a comeback accompanied by a subtle vanilla undertone.

This final third is delicious. A smoke bomb with all of the above. I can’t believe it’s almost over; I might cry.

I’ve had so much fun reviewing this cigar and the pepper is finishing strong which makes me even happier. Finishing the way, we started with pepper and cinnamon coming out to bow to the crowd.

FINAL THOUGHTS

It’s such a pity that this is a limited cigar. It really should be in every cigar smoker's humidor. Medium to full smoke bomb with so many smooth transitions you could miss 90% of them and this would still keep you guessing. The touch ups got a bit annoying but as a whole I would suggest you put down your phone and go buy one of these while you still can. This is an absolute masterful creation.

My palette will be very happy for a long time. I’ve had creamy taste bombs before, but this is in my top 5 easily.

Smoke time: 1:40hr

Pop into our store at Central Square Menlyn Maine, where you will be spoilt for choice from our well stocked and well-maintained humidor.


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01/09/2024

13 YEARS IN BUSINESS!

As we celebrate our 13th year in business, and our 6th year trading as Cedar & Leaf, we feel really proud and blessed when we look back at the journey of those significant and remarkable years.
We have come such a long way, learned so much, met many wonderful people, forged great relationships with customers and suppliers and become extremely passionate about what we do.

Thank you to all our amazing clients who have believed in us and supported us through the years. Your loyalty and continuous support have been a major contributing factor to our success, and we truly appreciate you. We look forward to another fantastic year being of service to you.


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18/08/2024

PORCHIE PUZZLE - THE HARVEST

We’ve added some Puzzles for adults to our offering of Backgammon, Chess sets, Canasta and Bridge Cards.

In support of “Proudly South African," we have a range of puzzles that feature the artwork of local artists. Made from superior quality materials that click perfectly into place you can choose from 500 pieces to 3000 pieces.

Portchie, is a renowned local artist. He was born Jan Hendrik Viljoen and he started his full-time art career at the end of 1994 after selling 100 paintings in one night at a large art exhibition. He is well known for his expressionistic and impressionistic bright, warm and happy colours. His iconic blue trees represent the air filtering through the trees.

The Harvest is one of his oil paintings, now available in a 2000 piece jigsaw puzzle.

Pop into Cedar & Leaf, Central Square, Menlyn Maine and browse our range of games and gifts,


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15/08/2024

AJ FERNANDEZ NEW WORLD OSCURO REDONDO TORO

We’ve added the New World Oscuro Toro to the AJ Fernandez range in our humidor. This cigar seems to have been a hit from the get-go receiving a 91 rating from Cigar Aficionado, a 92 rating from Cigar Snob Magazine, and the coveted Cigar of the Year 2014 accolade from Cigar Journal with a 94 rating.

We got our Maduro loving client, Alastair, to review it for us and here’s what he said:

The Look
This is a classically beautiful cigar with a rounded cap and a smooth dark wrapper. The band and red ribbon on the foot just adds to its classy look.

Cold draw
The wrapper smells like a chocolate factory, sweet milk chocolate hits hard, which is impressive. The foot hits even harder with milk chocolate but some pepper and floral notes itches my nose. Floral notes on my tongue from the wrapper. I’ve V cut and the floral is sweet and in front. I didn’t expect that at all. So much chocolate coming off this wrapper and when I put it to my mouth I’m hit with a wave of floral notes. Beautifully sweet and the draw is clean.

First third
First draw brings more floral notes with a subtle white pepper. I need a bit of time to adjust here. I was expecting to be hit with chocolate and instead I’m enjoying hard hitting pepper and hard hitting sweet floral notes. I’m not complaining, I’m just confused. I think back to when I started smoking ci**rs, people would tell me about pepper and I thought I knew what they meant until I smoked my first pepper bomb. I feel like this cigar will do that for you. I taste a lot of ci**rs with pepper, but this pepper somehow seems perfectly in place. It’s hard to explain but I have a feeling I’ll have plenty of time to try. This is a smoke bomb like most of AJ’s ci**rs.

So far, it’s started out as a nice medium to full, pepper is steering this ship with slight floral notes on the after taste. My brain is still expecting chocolate but it’s nowhere. When I rest the cigar, my mouth is filled with sweet floral and earthy notes. I smoked a cigar a few years back in Cape Town at a rose garden and the sweetness of this cigar is taking me back to the smell in the air of that garden.

This is a powerful smoke but it’s smoother than most. For a split second there I got a little milk chocolate sneak through. That makes me hopeful but for now this pepper ride is tasty. The burn is nice and even and the ash is beautiful. The draw is smooth, and the smoke production is out of this world. Pepper, floral and every now and then a hint of chocolate but that really comes and goes.

Second third
The second third starts the same as before. But it does feel a little lighter. Still definitely medium to full but I thought it would ramp up as it went along. Still very pepper forward with floral and earth. I am enjoying the hint of chocolate every now and then. It definitely breaks the pepper with a bit of sweet relief. Also, helps with the complexity of the cigar. This is such an enjoyable cigar. From the look, the feel and the flavours, it definitely hits harder than most but if you make sure you’ve eaten before you’ll enjoy it. The black pepper just lingers on the pallet like a pepper rub on a steak. About halfway through the second third and a little bit of caramel has come into play. It seems to have taken the place of the floral notes. The pepper is still full frontal, but the caramel helps break the harshness that it could be.

Final third
The strength has ramped back up. Black pepper is really packing a punch now. Definitely more earthy with an even more subtle sweetness from the caramel. I’m still getting a hint of chocolate every now and then which really helps settle the pepper. I love a powerful cigar, and this is powerful but the smoothness of this blend camouflages it. Black pepper with a little bit of white pepper are enveloping my mouth, which is watering from the flavours. This is a beautiful cigar. The burn has been perfect throughout. Very meaty cigar now, definitely bringing back that pepper rubbed steak vibe. With about 2 inches to go and the earthiness has lashed out. There is still a subtle caramel note if you really concentrate on it. Full bodied now and making me grateful I ate before smoking this guy.

Final thoughts
This was an amazing cigar, and I really enjoyed it. Medium to full but ending about as full as full could be. The sweetness of the chocolate and caramel really help blend the pepper and earthy flavours well. They also help build the complexity of this flavour palette. The construction is phenomenal and the burn was perfect throughout. I would definitely say this is box worthy. A fantastic blend and a beautifully classic looking cigar. If you like a heavy cigar you definitely need to try this. Having said that, if you’re not into full bodied ci**rs, I would still recommend it, but make sure you eat before. The smoothness of this blend should be enjoyed by everyone.

Smoke time: 2 hours and 10 minutes.

Pop into Cedar & Leaf at Central Square Menlyn Maine, for all your cigar requirements.


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17/07/2024

CROSS EDGE ROLLERBALL PEN

The Cross Edge benefits from the free flowing ink of a rollerball, but does away with the need for a cap. It also features a unique, nifty and satisfying pull mechanism to retract the writing tip, which converts the pen from pocket size to full size.

Cross Company LCC was founded in Providence Rhode Island, USA in 1846 and is one of the oldest pen manufacturing companies in the world. The beautiful designs and quality materials used allow the brand to create superior fine writing instruments with broad market appeal. Every Cross pen is inspected rigorously (reportedly 120 times) during production to ensure a superior performance and each Cross pen carries a lifetime guarantee.

You can find a range of quality Cross Pens, as well as the newly arrived Cross Edge Pens at Cedar & Leaf, Central Square, Menlyn Maine.


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03/07/2024

MONTOSA MADURO ROBUSTO

We introduced two new ci**rs into our humidor last week from the Montosa Brand. Situated in the exceptional Cibao Valley, the heart of the Dominican Republic, their master blender has created both a flavourful, spicy Maduro and a delicate and creamy Natural Robusto.

Both these ci**rs are very well priced, and we asked our Aficionado Client, Alastair (who is a big Maduro fan) to review the Maduro Robusto for us. Here is what he said:

Start time: 13:30
End time: 15:30

The Look

I really like the look of this cigar. A beautiful dark oily wrapper accompanied exceptionally well by a dark green band with gold script. Very veiny. This is a sexy looking cigar

Cold draw

Fruit and Nut chocolate hits you at the foot of the cigar. Absolutely beautiful aroma coming off of this cigar. A subtle sweet aroma coming off the wrapper. It smells about as sexy as it looks.

I’m going with my usual V cut on this. The draw seems good, just on the cusp of tight but I think we’re safe. Sweet nuttiness coming from the cold draw, I can’t wait to light this cigar.

First third

First draw is smooth and creamy. Pillows of smoke coming from this cigar. I am drinking a beautifully creamy cortado today and the profiles are complimenting each other extremely well.

Flavour notes so far: I’m getting a subtle sweet chocolate note with a slight bit of dark pepper coming through.

Not a typical Maduro, I would say. A medium profile at the start. Definitely a smoke bomb which means I’m sold for now.

About an inch into the first third and the ash is looking solid. Nice even burn. The smoothness is really impressing me, nothing too complex right now. Just a smooth, creamy chocolate with a pepper after taste. Ash is getting a bit flaky, and a few touch ups needed. Nothing too hectic. Definitely not enough to distract me.

Going into the second third now as the ash falls. Nothing too complex so far, smooth chocolate is the main note I’m getting. Still a solid medium

Second third

In terms of a review this cigar is very difficult to place. There really is no complexity to it. The flavour profile is the same throughout and even those flavours are incredibly subtle. It’s a solid medium strength and I feel like that will be it.

However, in terms of just sitting outside enjoying a good cigar and a good cup of coffee, this cigar hits all the points. The smoke coming out just fills your mouth with beautiful nuttiness, then the creamy chocolate lingers with a hint of pepper to bring you back. Put those words on my tombstone because that is all I need from a good cigar.

The strength has upped just a little. Almost enough for me to say medium plus and the spiciness has also ramped up.

Going into the final third, I have to say, I am thoroughly enjoying this cigar. The flavour profile and the strength has really ramped up.

Final third

It’s time to remove this gorgeous green band. It’s comes off smoothly and I’m left with a final third that seems to be here to deliver. The spices are beautiful.

I have nothing bad to say about this cigar other than if this final third was the flavour profile from the start, I would consider buying a box. That being said, I feel like the transitions have been smooth with a perfect flow from creamy subtleness to spicy goodness. The flavour that is left to build on the pallet is incredible.

Final thoughts

Smooth draw throughout, touched up once around midway. Other than that, the smoke has been clean.

This is not your typical Maduro. I think it’s missing that bold power that makes a maduro beautiful. However, this IS a very tasty cigar. I feel that if you're looking to try a maduro, but you're concerned about the profile being too strong, then this is the cigar for you. It’s a wonderful beginner maduro. If you’re looking for a tasty smoke bomb, then this is definitely for you.

I can see myself smoking a lot of these in the future.

Smoke time 2hrs

Pop into Cedar & Leaf, Central Square, Menlyn Maine if you're a cigar fan. We have a humidor stocked with an extensive range of ci**rs to choose from.


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30/06/2024

SNUS AND TO***CO POUCHES

Ever wondered what Snus and Ni****ne Pouches are and what the difference is between them?

SNUS

Originating from Sweden, snus is a small pouch of to***co that is placed under the lip for around thirty minutes. You can think of it as a single-use teabag like sachet of to***co which also contains a ni****ne hit, that is used instead of smoking ci******es. The ni****ne is absorbed into the body via the buccal cavity which is basically the lining of your cheek and the back of your lips.

There are two varieties of portion snus:

Original portion: This traditional form was introduced in 1973. The sachet material is moisturized during manufacturing, resulting in a brown, moist pouch.

White portion: This form has a milder taste and slightly slower release. The sachet material is not moisturized during manufacturing, resulting in a white, dry pouch. The to***co within the portion material has the same moisture content as original portion snus, but the ni****ne and flavour are delivered somewhat slower due to the drier sachet.

It's important to note that "white portion" refers to the style, not the colour. Some white portion snus use a black material instead of white, yet are still considered "white portion".

Portioned snus comes in three sizes: mini, normal/large, and maxi. The weights vary, but most packages disclose the net weight. Mini portions weigh around 0.5 g, normal portions weigh 0.8 to 1 g, and maxi portions weigh up to 1.7 g.

The ni****ne content varies among brands, with the most common strength being 8 mg per gram of to***co. Stark and extra stark varieties have higher ni****ne content, with stark varieties containing 11-14 mg and extra stark varieties containing up to 22 mg. Siberia brand has an "Extremely Strong" snus with 43 mg of ni****ne per gram of to***co, the highest available.

NI****NE POUCHES

These are white pre portioned pouches containing ni****ne. It is like snus but does not contain to***co leaf at all. Ni****ne pouches use plant fibers with added ni****ne instead of to***co. Since the plant fiber is tasteless, it allows manufacturers to make ni****ne pouches in a much broader selection of flavours compared to traditional snus. Ni****ne pouches are usually longer lasting and have a longer shelf-life than traditional snus. Ni****ne pouches are also made in different sizes and different strengths

One must bear in mind that both snus and ni****ne pouches contain ni****ne which is an addictive substance.

It is argued that ni****ne absorbed from oral products is absorbed more slowly compared with inhaled products like ci******es or vapes and therefore the addictive potential is thought to be lower. The jury however is still out on this, and research is ongoing.

Studies have suggested the use of pouches amongst adults has doubled in the last two years and it is predicted that by 2026, the ni****ne pouch industry could be worth as much as $33 billion.

If you are switching over to snus or ni****ne pouches pop into our store where we keep a good range of products in varying strengths and flavours.

Please note we do not sell or supply any to***co or ni****ne products to persons under the age of 18.


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16/06/2024

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY

This Father’s Day, we reflect and celebrate our fathers and father figures who play a pivotal role in our lives. We celebrate and honour them as guardians and protectors, as wise people we go to for advice and guidance, as fun-loving and adventure seekers and as storytellers. We thank them for their sacrifices and support. They are the custodians of traditions spanning generations. Here's to celebrating a lasting legacy. From our family to yours, happy Father’s Day.


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28/04/2024

JOYA DE NICARAGUA CABINETTA ROBUSTO

New to our humidor, is the unique and elegant, two-tone wrapper cigar called Joya de Nicaragua Cabinetta.

It’s a little bit light and a little bit dark. Some people like chocolate and others like vanilla but why not have both? This exquisite Robusto has luxurious Nicaraguan filler to***cos at its core and is then surrounded by a Nicaraguan binder and two amazing wrapper leaves. It is completely wrapped in an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade along with an additional over- wrap of a chocolaty Nicaraguan Habano Criollo wrapper that is placed on the head and top third of the cigar. This combination creates an extraordinary taste experience.

According to reviews, the first light of the Joya de Nicaragua Cabinetta, will bring smooth cocoa and cream notes that swirl along the mild-bodied smoke until spice nuances pick up the pace. Soft coffee flavors accompany the transition into the medium-bodied range, as light pepper finishes of the velvety cigar.
With its intoxicating aromas and dual wrapper, the delectable Cabinetta Robusto provides an incomparable taste experience that will appeal to both mild and stronger cigar smokers.

Get the conversation going, no matter what the occasion with this fabulous cigar offering from the Joya de Nicaragua brand that was established in 1968 and, is the oldest brand of ci**rs made in Nicaragua.

Pop into our store at Central Square, Menlyn Maine, where you will find a very well stocked and managed humidor with a wide range of ci**rs for your enjoyment.

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01/01/2024

HAPPY 2024

As we start 2024, we would like to thank our clients for all their support during the past year. We send our warmest thoughts and best wishes for a very happy New Year. May peace, love and prosperity follow you always.


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