Kurt's Corner
Dear XIKAR Friends,
Great news! Defiance Cigars just recieved a 91 Rating from Cigar Aficionado. While we knew these were great cigars the recognition is awesome. More details below.
Summer is in full swing and that means two things: warm weather brings
ample opportunity for great outdoor cigar events and the cigar industry gathers
for its biggest annual trade show, this year in Las Vegas.
The weekend of June 14th we had the great pleasure of taking our
recent sweepstakes winners on an all-expenses paid trip to CigarBQ in Sonoma County. Below you'll find a complete recap of all the GREAT
fun. If gourmet food, private winery tours (chauffeured & cigar
friendly!), premium cigars, exclusive accommodations & a one day wine/cigar
extravaganza at one of the most beautiful Sonoma wineries sounds like a
good weekend to you, I HIGHLY recommend participating in our next CigarBQ
sweepstakes this fall. Stay tuned in the coming months.
100+ temperatures welcomed the entire cigar trade in Las Vegas two weeks ago. Manufacturers
of everything cigars displayed their newest creations to eager retailers
searching to bring you the best of the best. The event is truly the Super
Bowl of Cigars. We were very proud to introduce some long awaited items
to our retailer friends & customers, including flint flame lighters, a new
cigar punch and our Carbon Fiber Collection. Get a sneak preview of the Xi3
Carbon Fiber cutter & Pipeline lighter below. We'll have a full show
recap next month with even more news and product features.
Finally I'd like to thank you for all your "Ask the Experts" question
submissions. Keep them coming! This month's question is about
butane quality & lighter performance. Check it out - I think you'll
learn some valuable information to empower your buying decisions and keep your lighters in top condition.
Sincerely,
Kurt Van Keppel |
Defiance Cigar Rated 91 by Cigar Aficionado!
"Dark & attractive. Well
balanced. A rich, tasty smoke."
Those are just a few of the words Cigar Aficionado used to
describe the Defiance Guardian (Toro 6 ½ x 52).
Defiance Cigars by XIKAR just received a full "vertical
tasting" from the expert panel at Cigar Aficionado headquarters. The
results? Each of the four cigar sizes scored an average of 88, with the
Guardian receiving a 91, the highest rated cigar of the entire Cigar Insider
July issue.
Click here to find a Defiance Dealer near you
Defiance Alliance members already know that the cigars are
great tasting, medium bodied smokes. And when they joined the Alliance they also got a FREE Defiance hat! Join now!
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| New Products
Carbon Fiber Cutter
We are
proud to introduce the long awaited Carbon Fiber Xi3. Part of the Carbon Fiber
Collection (cutter, lighter & 3 cigar case...the case and lighter are coming soon!),
the renowned Xi3 cigar cutter now boasts top quality, genuine Carbon Fiber
handles that are often found in luxury sports cars, jets and yachts. Carbon
fiber is really millions of microscopic fibers, made of mostly carbon atoms
bonded by crystals, making the material extremely strong and durable. When
these fibers are interwoven, the result is a strikingly attractive pattern with
incredibly strong & lightweight properties. SRP $99.99
Check out the Carbon Fiber Cutter >> Find a retailer near you
Pipeline Lighter
Combining
luxurious styling with dependable function and XIKAR's lifetime warranty, the
Pipeline lighter is now THE essential lighter for all pipe enthusiasts. The
stainless body encases a simple, replaceable flint ignition system, protected
by a hinged ignition cover. The lighter can be refilled with XIKAR butane and
contains a stainless steel tamper hidden in the bottom body. Available in 3
finishes: Black lacquer, Blue lacquer & Textured Silver. SRP $59.99
Check out the Pipeline >>
Find a retailer near you
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Ask the Experts
Butane 101
More often
than not, you tend to run out of butane at the most inopportune time.
Your lighter instructions say use only premium butane but you have a 9am
tee time and your local cigar shop doesn't open until 10. The grocery
store is right down the street and you know they'll have some type of fuel.
Wait! The decision you make could impact your lighter's performance for years
to come. Our strong recommendation: borrow a light from a friend and then
get some quality butane with your golf $ winnings.
Butane for a
lighter is much like gasoline for a car. Manufacturers build an engine
with a specific fuel in mind. Regular unleaded gasoline cars work fine
with the recommended grade of fuel. However, try an inferior quality fuel
or even diesel in the tank and you'll be buying a new engine!
This works
for butane lighters too. Many butane cans promote 3x, 4x or even 5x refined
fuel, however many of those do not say how many impurities these refinements
took out - or how many impurities are left over. With a faulty refinement
process, butane can be refined infinitely and still retain many impurities.
These impurities, just like impurities in gasoline, can clog your lighter's
valves and render them useless. 
That is why
we work extremely hard to offer lighters worthy of our XIKAR lifetime
warranty. Use XIKAR fuel that contains near ZERO impurities and your
XIKAR lighter will work perfectly. But life happens, the wrong fuel is
used or lighters malfunction when not properly maintained. Our promise to
you is that we will continue to make lighters and fuel worthy of our name and
back them up with the service you've come to love - no matter the problem.
However, to
those many consumers wishing we'd get into the car manufacturing business:
don't hold your breath! The cigar business is just too fun!
Check out butane >>
Find a retailer near you >>
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XIKAR FOR LIFE: Our Commitment
We never waiver in our commitment to offering you top quality leisure tools that enhance your lifestyle. So you can buy with confidence, we back all our products for life and welcome any suggestions and concerns. So, if you feel that a XIKAR product fails to live up to our promise of fit, finish or function, simply return it to us and we will immediately and cheerfully repair or replace your product under our Total Satisfaction Guarantee!
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About XIKAR, Inc.
From
its Kansas City
headquarters, XIKAR is the world's leading manufacturer of cigar cutters,
including the well-recognized Xi cigar cutter, along with a full line of cigar
accessories, lighters and folding knives.
XIKAR cigar cutters and accessories are sold through more than 3,000 dealers
worldwide. With even more product and service introductions planned, XIKAR
strives to lead the market in cigar accessories now, and in the years to come.
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XIKAR Press Contact:
Andy O'Dower
Media Relations
Email: andy@xikar.com
Phone: 888-266-1193
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XIKAR Sales Contact:
Jody Cauffman
Customer Service
Email: info@xikar.com
Phone: 888-266-1193
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