Cigar Stories

La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Chisel (6x54)

2011-01-31T13:29:00.000-08:00

A word or apology right off the bat for two different items. First and foremost it has been since November since I last posted here and for that I am truly sorry. I have a bunch of posts I intend to get posted here in the next few weeks as I seek to resume what I find to be relaxing, smoking cigars and telling the stories that go along with them.

The second item for which I owe an apology is that early on in this blog I promised not to use stock photography for my posts, however in this case I must be honest and state that I got so caught up in the events of enjoying this cigar, I simply forgot to take a picture or two to remember the actual cigar by.

I trust you will find it in your hearts to forgive me.

OK, we now have that out of the way. For your consideration today I offer up what might possibly be the best cigar I will smoke this year. How you might ask could I possible make so bold a statement with only one month under our feet in 2011?

Well, for me I can answer that honestly and poignantly in stating that the subject of today's cigar story, the La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Chisel (LFDDLC) was a cigar I enjoyed with my son Ethan outside of our local cigar bar Stogies in Franklin TN. Alright, let's deal with the legal here for a minute. In the State of Tennessee no person under the age of 21 can be inside any establishment that allows smoking. I brought my son here (he is 4 1/2) and we sat on the outside patio and he enjoyed ice cream while I enjoyed the cigar.

Spending time like this with my son was AWESOME. Yes, we have sat around the patio at home and enjoyed a cigar while he played around, however on numerous occasions he has asked me to take him to Stogies and in fact one time argued with me stating that we had eaten lunch there together.

Sunday afternoon a week ago allowed us the opportunity and the weather to sit outside. We had elected to go out together for ice cream, he was insistent on Cold Stone, however when we arrived the store was closed with a sign in the window announcing the news. We then elected to head to a place called Nucci's for Italian Ice and Gelato and they were closed as well. We were now 2 for 2 so I suggested we go to a third ice cream place and instead of eating our ice cream there getting it to go and heading over to Stogies where I could enjoy a cigar while he enjoyed his ice cream.

He was excited at the proposition and the plan was firmed up.

Upon leaving the ice cream place he asked in excitement several times how long until we get to Stogies. It only took 5 minutes or so but I imagine in his 4-year old mind it must have seemed like hours. We arrived and promptly claimed a table by the door, I ducked inside for a moment to grab a cigar and a drink and returned to sit with him outside - him enjoying his ice cream and me the LFDDLC.

The chisel tip is a spectacular shape, I was able to get a pretty even cut across the head, and while I expected the draw to be firm it was in fact very easy and with a few puffs I had a great well lit foot generating a lot of smoke and flavor. While a double ligero is not for the faint of heart, this cigar was very smooth demonstrating no harsh edges and while full flavored, it never overpowered the palate.

The flavor profile really suggested a strong coffee, at times almost similar to biting into a freshly roasted coffee bean. The flavor definitely developed as you held the smoke in your mouth becoming more intense and rich. From time to time when I enjoy a cigar I will let my son blow through the cigar to create some smoke, and this cigar was no exception with his several times requesting to puff through the cigar. The only request I made of him was that he wipe his lips with his napkin as I didn't want the flavor from his strawberry ice cream to be transferred from his lips to my cigar, and he obliged me while enjoying creating smoke and "sharing" a cigar with his father.

The temperature outside started to fall as the patio became shrouded in shade, and the cigar certainly would not last forever, so with about an inch or so left I elected to retire the cigar to the ashtray. My son quickly grabbed the still smoking cigar and proceeded to puff through it 3 or 4 times before I was able to get it away from him.

He of course thought this was funny, and quite honestly so did I. If that makes me a bad parent, so be it, but what I do know is that the memories made that Sunday afternoon are ones that will last a lifetime. Ethan requests to go to Stogies almost every time we pass by it, and I have promised him as it warms up further we again will spend an afternoon on the patio there, just father and son enjoying the very things cigars do best, bringing people together to relax and just enjoy life.

As for the LFDDLC, I will without a doubt smoke this cigar again, most likely on my next visit to Stogies. For me it will define a moment in life that I will cherish for a longtime if not forever. Whether or not my son ever decides to smoke cigars, the time we had together that afternoon is one that I would not trade for anything in this world. Upon getting home I told my wife that Ethan and I needed more daddy son time, and the ability to sit, relax and just talk - even though it was topics important to a 4-year old, is time I truly enjoyed and can't wait to repeat. I know if you ask Ethan about the experience he will tell you how much fun he had at Stogies as well.

Until we smoke again...

Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic

2010-11-01T13:50:00.000-07:00

Let me start off by apologizing for not posting here for a few weeks. Truth be told, I had a nasty cold that was followed up by almost 3 weeks worth of coughing that has finally subsided. I have quite a few cigars I will be posted up here in the next few weeks, but I wanted to focus on the Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic for this post.

Several weeks ago (prior to me getting sick) friends of ours invited us out to dinner. Knowing that Grandma would be watching the kids that evening, we took advantage of getting out of the house and enjoying some adult time with friends.

We ended up eating at Logan's Roadhouse which has a great prime rib dinner on the weekends, and since they are known for running out pretty quickly, we got to dinner relatively early to insure we would have some prime rib.

Dinner was great. There is just something about a well cooked prime rib that excites the palate while filling the stomach. As dinner rounded down post dinner activities became the topic of discussion and of course me and my buddy knew what we wanted to do, we just had to sell it to the wives. Being the salesmen we are, we closed the deal and after leaving the restaurant we headed for Stogie's to enjoy cigars and beers.

My buddies wife is expecting, she is due in December and as such she requested we sit outside to cut down on the amount of smoke she was inhaling and of course we obliged as it really was a great evening to be outside. Upon entering the humidor I vowed to try something new finally settling on the above referenced Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic (DPC). My friend with a Cain Nub Habano, a cigar I have reviewed here previously.

He went with bottled water I went with Woodchuck and we both got our cigars lit and headed outside to sit with the ladies. I knew going into this that the DPC was a spicy full flavored smoke. Initial tasting hinted at a strong peppery flavor with the ever so slight hint of dark chocolate on the finish. It was quite smooth considering the boldness of the cigar, and the flavor really came alive the deeper into the stick I got.

Since I was drinking a Woodchuck which is sweet in and of itself, I found the pepper the cigar to be exhibiting to be quite refined, never overpowering or off putting. The night slowly progressed, conversations centered around the parents to be, and all the fun stuff they have to look forward to as the day of arrival of their little one is quickly approaching.

I suggested we start tasting a lot of cigars now in preparation of the day, so that way we'd be prepared with what cigar to hand out in celebration of the birth. Of course the ladies weren't thrilled with the thought of us smoking even more cigars, but hey, we are men we need to celebrate in our own special way.

As the cigars starting to make their way towards extinction and the drinks were emptied, the time came to head home and resume life. There is something special about the way a good cigar can make time slow down, and in the case of the DPC time did slow down for at least a few minutes. A great meal with a great cigar along with great friends made for an awesome evening, one that will be repeated again soon.

I really enjoyed the Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic and will smoke this cigar again soon. This is a full-bodied full-flavored cigar so be aware, but it is definitely worth a try. I for one am happy I got to share the experience with good friends.

Until we smoke again...

La Gloria Cubana Artesanos De Tabaqueros (7x50)

2010-10-08T13:53:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I had the opportunity to go on a Men's Retreat with my church group, and while the actual campground is less than 20 miles from my house, the experience is as if it is hours away out in the woods.

The weather was surprisingly chilly and we huddled around a roaring fire and as some of the older wiser men of our group headed up to the lodge for sleep, cigars quickly made there way out of the hiding spots and soon the fire wasn't the only thing smoking.

I elected to smoke a La Gloria Cubana Artesanos De Tabaqueros which is a cigar I have read about in several magazines and online sites, but was drawn to based on the distinctive 2-tone 2 leaf wrapper. This cigar wears its band about 3/4 of the way down on the cigar close to the foot, exactly at the joint of the Connecticut Shade wrapper and Sumatra wrapper meet.

Since this was a torpedo shaped cigar, cutting the head was a necessity and a good clean cut was made and the foot was slowly roasted. The initial draw was highlighted by a smooth flavor, some overtones of nuts defined the palate and the mild nature of the Connecticut Shade wrapper was evident and well balanced.

The cigar put out a large quantity of smoke but was a very slow burn. After 15-20 minutes, I was barely half an inch into the cigar, and the mild profile actually had me longing to hit the darker richer Sumatra wrapper. This would take a good 45 minutes or so, however upon reaching that point the cigar took on a much livelier note with very well defined cocoa flavors with a hint of cinnamon on the finish.

There was no sweetness per se to the cigar, but the essence of those flavors were there and very well defined. The campfire continued to burn while I sat with friends and discussed everything from politics to our individual faiths, hurdles and triumphs in life, and the cigars we were smoking served as the perfect companion to the evening.

As my cigar continued its burn, it stayed consistent producing a large volume of smoke, but never burning hot or fast. As I reached about 4 inches or so into the cigar, it extinguished itself quite unexpectedly so I relit it, however upon relighting it it took on some undesirable tar characteristics, most likely from being relit took quickly.

I took a few more puffs, allowing it to cleanse itself blowing out reducing a good portion of the tar, however the sweet spot obviously had been past and this cigar was quickly deteriorating and as such ended its final moments in a roaring fire.

This is a big cigar, not from a flavor standpoint but from a length of time standpoint. The 2 wrapper idea is not a bad idea, but be warned that in this case the 2 wrappers do in essence create very different cigars in a single package.

I would definitely smoke this cigar again, the biggest downside is the price point which would relegate it to a special occasion only smoke, not part of the regular rotation. The evening concluded at 2:45 in the morning, but most of us were back around the fire the following morning early to conclude the retreat before we headed for home.

A good time of male bonding was had by all, and being able to meet under the stars and enjoy nature made this cigar smoking experience one to be remembered. I can't wait until next year and another good time with friends.

Until we smoke again...

Perdomo Grand Cru Habano (6.5" x 54)

2010-09-21T14:07:00.000-07:00

Offered up for consideration this afternoon is the Perdomo Grand Cru (PGC) that was smoked last week while I played the back 9 at the country club I normally wouldn't be invited to. In my previous post I discussed the CAO that was enjoyed on the front 9, and this cigar certainly was a decent, not stunning, but decent followup to the first cigar for the day.

I am sorry about the picture, the ones taken with cigar in hand on the golf course ended up being blurry and unusable, so a lousy pic of the band taken on my desk is the best I can offer today.

In my last post I discussed the lighter issues I was having, as such rather than slowly roast the PGC, it was lit in a hurry given the lighter was dying on me. I burnt the wrapper creating a very strong charring that was carried through to the palate during the first 5-10 minutes of smoking this cigar. Once past the char the PGC settled in a strong, spicy and at times almost harsh flavor. The habano wrapper, one of my favorites exhibited a fair amount of balance to the spicy harshness, and a slight hint of, oh whats the best to describe it. Let me do it this way, imagine a steak that was overcooked to begin with, and upon taking the first bite or two you are met with over seasoning as well, like some one went nuts with the pepper grinder.

That is the essence I got here, like someone went nuts with the pepper grinder. Was it bad, no. Was it good, no. Was it smokable, yeah, especially since this was a golf course smoke. The spicy profile remained throughout the cigar, additional or enhanced flavor development was non-existant. The cigar smoked well, unevenly but that is something I will chalk up to the lousy way it was lit.

Whereas the CAO smoked earlier in the day was granted a pass given the lighter problems I was having, this cigar really didn't earn the same luxury. It offered up a smoking experience, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't great.

I guess life hits that point where good cigars start to separate themselves from OK or simply decent cigars. The spicy flavor is fine, the harshness is in part to blame on my lighter, but the overall experience didn't spur that overwhelming desire to share this particular smoke with friends.

So where do we go from here?

I can't say I was disappointed as I had no expectations of anything other than trying something new. Past experience with other Perdomo cigars were great, in particular the Lot 23, and I am confident others will be great as well. The PGC just didn't do a great job.

Of course taste is up to the smoker, and you may love the PGC. For me it just didn't deliver. Of course neither did my game on the back 9, thankfully I don't have to make a living playing golf. In the end the one promise the PGC did deliver on is the ability of a smoking experience amongst friends to unite. And unite the PGC did, in our case it brought together 4 friends who suck at golf and allowed them to spend an afternoon just hanging out and having fun.

So as I look back on the day, I don't think of the not so great experience smoking the PGC, rather I look at the day as a whole and recognize the PGC just happened to be a small but enjoyable part of the day.

Until we smoke again.

CAO La Traviata (Divino 5x50)

2010-09-14T13:41:00.000-07:00

I just want to go on the record in stating that a 93 rating from Cigar Aficionado is not reason alone to run right out and buy a particular cigar. In prior posts on here I have expressed my love hate relationship with CAO cigars. Some are great, some... not so much.

The opportunity presented itself yesterday however to enjoy 18 holes of golf at a country club normally not open to folks like me. This opportunity along with the ability to bring 3 of my friends made the prospect even more enticing and as such I accepted the invite and headed out.

I met up with my buddy Matt and we headed for Stogie's to buy some cigars for the day. Matt graciously offered to buy the cigars so I was cognizant of price point. He quickly settled on 2 CAO's, an Italia and a Brazilia - one for the front nine and one for the back. Agreeing with his logic, I selected the CAO La Traviata for the front nine, however strayed from CAO for the back nine choosing a Perdomo Grand Cru Habano, a cigar that will be reviewed at a later date.

We arrived at the country club, and found waiting stewards there to help us from the car to the greens providing one of the nicest golf carts I have ever seen. This thing was decked out with a course specific GPS, an on board cooler and plenty of secure pockets to hold our valuables while on the course.

We had also brought along a 6-pack of Woodchuck Limited Release Draft Cider. As a side note, the cider was excellent and a surprisingly good pairing for the CAO I was smoking. I typically like to get the cigar going prior to teeing off, and this was no exception however my torch lighter started acting up so I did my best to get it lit prior to it dying on me. I did get a good cherry going and drew in on the cigar.

Due to my haste to get it lit it was burning hotter than I would normally prefer, but after a few quick draws it settled into a cooler smoke. I again discount the first couple draws and their relative harshness as a byproduct of the lighter going dead on me, however once past the initial char I created, the CAO settled into a really good medium bodied smoke.

Tasting cigars on the golf course is a lot different from tasting at home as there tends to be so much else going on, however the CAO exhibited a toasted nut flavor that finished with just a hint of spice.

As the afternoon progressed, the CAO itself continued its burn, covering the "sweet spot" and finally finding me letting it burn out with about an inch and a half left on the cigar. All in all it was a good smoke.

Given the price point it certainly is something I will smoke again in the not so distant future, it is well balanced and other than the fiasco with my lighter on the front end, was smooth throughout. Given how poorly I play at golf one could argue the CAO was the highlight of the day, a fact I wouldn't dispute - however I look at it this way, the CAO enhanced a good day making it better.

Combining friends, drinks, cigars and almost perfect outdoor weather, perhaps I'd give the entire day a high ranking. Of course you're here to hear about cigars, and for that I would certainly suggest a CAO La Traviata find its way through your cigar rotation in the not so distant future. Hopefully as it did for me, it will enhance whatever it is you are doing.

Until we smoke again.

Room 101 by Camacho (808 6x60)

2010-09-09T15:14:00.000-07:00

So this past Wednesday was my birthday, and after the first 30 or so they just get boring and pointless, just another day. Work and the responsibilities of life don't come to a halt to allow a chance to catch a breath, and adding another year really has no cognitive effect on life other than the fact that with this being my 36th year of existence, I am now statistically 50% complete with the average 72 year life span of a white male in America.

OK, so maybe that is a dark way to look at it, but a fact is a fact and the harsh reality that statistically life is 50% complete for me illustrates the need to do exactly what I ended up doing the afternoon of my birthday.

I called a friend, suggested beers and cigars at the local cigar hangout Stogie's, and an afternoon that should have been spent doing "work" was spent doing something tangible, hanging out and having fun with friends.

I suggested the afternoon out with my friend the night before via e-mail which was followed up with his reply e-mail simply asking "?" to which I told him of my birthday to which he then replied back insisting he buy the first round of drinks and cigars.

I told him that I wasn't looking for a freebie, but he insisted and my Dad didn't raise a fool either so I accepted his generous offer and plans were firmed up.

We met up around 1:00 and headed over to Stogie's, and honestly I am like a kid in the candy store looking at the vast selection of cigars I haven't smoked yet. I eventually settled on a Room 101 by Camacho, and since time was on my side I went big choosing the 6" 60 ring gauge smoke pairing it with a Sam Adam's Oktoberfest that my sister had suggested. My friend went with a Rocky Patel Edge Light, a cigar I have reviewed here a few weeks ago selecting the same Sam Adam's which Stogie's has on tap for our enjoyment.

I utilized a punch to open up the 101 and slowly toasted the foot. The big 60 ring gauge took a long time to get lit evenly, and after taking a few draws and checking the foot, I was confident it was fully lit and burning evenly.

Camacho is known for making some pretty strong cigars, and this 101 was no exception. It started strong with an earthen flavor that was strong and powerful. Big (in terms of size) like this 101 demands a firm draw, but a full mouth of smoke is certainly the reward, and the 101 returns the favor for those who work at it.

The flavor profile is strong, it is somewhat 2 dimensional in that it does suggest a very earthy flavor on the draw with an almost burnt charcoal taste on the finish. The cigar did not burn very evenly either necessitating the need to relight it 2-3 times to keep the whole cigar going, and I know that this did not help the flavor profile.

I found myself drawing 2-3 times a minute making sure it didn't self extinguish, the Sam Adam's actually worked to enhance the flavor the cigar on its own was missing. I am not much of a beer drinker, but found myself enjoying the Sam Adam's finding the pairing quite nice - although certainly not as a result of my knowledge of beer. After about 45 minutes or so the 101 had passed what I think was its sweet spot, and the smoke continued to take on a stronger and stronger carbon flavor that I personally find offensive, and after drawing and really getting the essence of stale smoke I elected to let the 101 burn itself out and move on to round 2.

It's funny how time seems to slow when you are having fun, and seeing it was barely a few ticks past 2 I suggest round 2 to my friend, this time my treat. I told him let me pick the cigar for both of us, and after perusing the humidor I landed on suggesting either the Cain F or the Rocky Patel Patel Bros., my buddy said lets go with the RP and so we did.

He continued drinking a second Sam Adam's while I selected a Boylan Ginger Ale. Having already been familiar with the Rocky Patel, I was actually impressed with how well the very sweet Ginger Ale paired with the RP.

I probably smoked the RP faster than needed, but it is such a great cigar I do deserve to be forgiven.

Time continued to march on and finally the time came whereupon the need to return to reality and resume life was upon us. We settled up and headed for home knowing that at a time not so long from now we could again sneak away from life for a few hours and and enjoy LIFE.

I got home and was greeted with my wife and 4-year old jumping out of the laundry room to "surprise" me for my birthday. My son gave me a gift bag that he had chosen the present that was within, a Thomas the Tank Uno game, ages 3 & up. My wife chuckled saying "you should have seen some of the other things he wanted to buy you!"

She then hugged me and asked me if I was having a good birthday. I told her, "No, I am having a great birthday!"

As I sat around 2 days later in a meeting that my friend who spent the afternoon with me was a part of as well, I made some smart ass remark to the effect that we should have been having our meeting at Stogie's. Of course my friend having shared the afternoon perked up and smirked knowing the fun we had was done while others sit in their cubicles slaving away for another day.

FOLKS, LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO NOT SPEND SOME TIME AND ENJOY IT.

I am thankful that for at least a few minutes I was able to sneak away from life and actually enjoy it.

Until we smoke again.

Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 (Toro 6.5"x52)

2010-09-07T13:46:00.000-07:00

An Ode to Friday

Oh Friday, oh Friday

your time has come

since Monday dawn

your faced we yearned

Oh Friday, oh Friday

our friends we await

to come and join

at the sound

the ringing dinner bell

Oh Friday, oh Friday

how fast ye fade

the memories made do linger long

in knowledge be of Friday's to come

Poetry is probably not my strong suit. Maybe I'll stick to my day job, of course I ain't making any money doing that either.

Scratch the whole first part of this post, let this be the beginning, kind of like we are starting all over.

This past weekend was Labor Day weekend, un-officially the last weekend of summer, and of course the last 3-day weekend until Columbus Day. Like any good 3-day weekend, no - like any weekend period the opportunity to start it out strong Friday night makes for a great kickoff, and this past Friday night was one to be remembered for a long time.

Friday started like a normal day for me, I had a list of things to get done and a meeting scheduled for 4:30 at a project we are building over in West Nashville. I was honestly dreading the meeting, not because of the content but rather the time and the fact I'd have to drive home in rush hour traffic which would be heavier than normal given the holiday weekend.

Thankfully the meeting was moved up, and our customer who has also become a friend through this project suggested dinner with my wife and kids along with my foreman on that job. The appropriate phone calls were made and the plan set into motion which dictated we all meet up at Logan's Roadhouse at 5:30 for dinner.

We all showed up, thankfully my kids were good and a great dinner was enjoyed by all. I had the Prime Rib medium rare with the loaded mashed potatoes and cinnamon apples, and the others all enjoyed various cuts of steak. As dinner drew to a close my 4-year old son suggested everyone come back to our house as he and I had built a fire earlier in the day that we intended to burn that evening.

Everyone said yes and the caravan proceeded to head east to our house for drinks, cigars and conversation around the outdoor fire pit. My wife opened a bottle of wine for the ladies, and my foreman and I mixed up some Gin & Tonic and selected some cigars to enjoy. He doesn't smoke as much as I do and wanted something on the light side, the Nub Habano was the lightest cigar in the humidor so he went with that while I grabbed the Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 (RPV).

We headed outside, the crispness in the air actually made the warmth off the fire enjoyable as the sun set. Drinks flowed freely and the ritual of lighting cigars began. The broadleaf wrapper of the RPV was dark and succulent. After gently toasting the foot I took the first draw and was immersed in a very complex, slightly spicy full bodied smoke.

Dark black cherry overtones on the draw developed into a well defined spice finish, extremely complex but smooth. The RPV actually got stronger as the long 6.5" stick was smoked exhibiting its strongest flavors about an inch and a half into it before settling into a very smooth, very refined but flavorful smoking experience as it reached its "sweet spot."

The crispness of the air combined with the flavor of my drink really worked to bring together a great smoking experience with a great cigar. The RPV was never harsh, and and as the evening progressed conversation went from casual to some pretty serious and topics including difficult times we all have faced and the need to just relax. My foreman was stressed getting to dinner and then the house, but time away from work to just sit and relax really wore away some of the stress of life.

It was interesting to see a friendship develop and throughout the evening as a guy who works for me shared his worries and concerns and opened up about the challenges he is facing. Our customer who slowly slipped her wine while alternating between my son and our 11 month old daughter shared her life experiences all the while offering encouragement to him.

Like the flavor development on the RPV, the conversation got more complex but enjoyable as the evening progressed. Sadly however like all good things, time was quickly drawing the evening to a close, and as the final puffs on our cigars collectively were smoked, the decision to do this again was made.

A handshake on the front end of the evening was followed up with a man hug on the tail end of the evening, a testament perhaps to the ability of cigars to unite and unify.

If you have spent any time here reading my prior posts you know I have become a pretty big fan of the Rocky Patel line of cigars and this Vintage 1990 is no exception. I actually have a wish list made of other cigars he has produced that will grace my humidor in the coming weeks and months.

And although the cigars were extinguished and thrown away, the memories will last a lifetime. If but for a few brief moments the worries of life were put on the back burner, and the enjoyment of good food, good drinks, good cigars and most importantly GOOD FRIENDS made the kickoff to this holiday weekend a night that will be remembered for a lifetime.

Until we smoke again.

Rocky Patel Patel Bros (Robusto 5x50)

2010-08-26T13:24:00.000-07:00

The breeze was just about perfect Monday evening. After a large early dinner at my favorite pizza place Joey's House of Pizza we got home with the kids, and I stepped out of the garage and felt something I hadn't felt in a while, coolness in the breeze.

I said to my wife, this is too great an evening to waste indoors, I am pouring myself a drink and heading outside to enjoy the weather - and I knew the cigar that was coming with me.

I had looked longingly at the RP Patel Bros sitting in my humidor for almost a month now. The dark broadleaf wrapper inviting me to hold it, to gaze upon it, to punch it open and smoke it. And the right time had finally arrived. A gin and tonic would be the perfect compliment I felt for the evening, so after mixing up a drink that had more gin than tonic I headed outside to light up my cigar.

The cap is so perfectly done on all the Rocky Patel cigars that to use anything other than a punch to open it up is a sin. Seeing as both my lighters were out of gas, I utilized my kitchen torch set to the lowest setting to slowly roast the foot. Even before taking the first draw the aroma of slow roasted truffle was detected off the smoke, and upon taking that first puff offered up the truffle flavor. Smooth with a slight pepper on the finish, this medium bodied cigar demonstrated perfect balance from the first draw.

My wife insisted we head into the backyard to survey her fruit trees. Upon inspection the decision to pull the fruit off a pear tree she has been growing was made, and I held the ladder while she helped my son pick each pear off the branches. The RP just smoked away slowly, me taking a draw every minute or so as the fruit came off the tree.

The cigar continued its flavor development offering a level of complexity that demonstrates just how much difference different leaves and soils can make to the tobacco plant. The initial roasted truffle continued its development while the pepper on the finish grew ever so stronger and more defined. The smoke as I drew in from the RP was rich and full, almost as though you could chew it. The finish actually left me thirsty, thank goodness for the gin and tonic poured prior to lighting up.

The pears were finally all removed with my wife taking them into the house for some future fruit related project she planned to undertake, and the breeze was just about perfect so I suggested a walk around the neighborhood. With a parting taste of the gin and tonic we headed out, my daughter in her stroller my son on his tricycle. He would ride up ahead of us 50-100 feet, stop and turn and sit on the seat of his tricycle backwards, and pretend to take a draw of his "cigar." Of course at 4 I don't want him smoking cigars or anything else, and yes, I did get a dirty look from my wife regarding "what my son was doing" but as I said to her, he loves me and wants to be like me, and I look forward to the day he is old enough to enjoy a cigar with his old man.

The walk went longer than probably planned, and the RP continued to smoke. Of course smoking while walking is different than smoking while sitting and doing nothing, but the RP hung in there, continuing to offer an excellent smoking experience.

As we looped the neighborhood and headed for home I was thirsty for the drink I had waiting for me, and upon getting back to the house I resumed my position and smoked the final 3rd of the cigar. As the RP burnt through what is considered the sweet spot the pepper on the finish continued to get stronger. I don't think it was ever overpowering, but it was there and wanted you to know it was.

As the final few puffs came to an end, I unwrapped the beautiful broadleaf wrapper showing my son the veining in the leaf. I continued to dismantle the cigar even further cautioning him of the hot end of the leaf that still burnt slightly. I showed him how the leaves are bunched together to form the cigar, and he carefully took each leaf and inspected them as only a 4 year old can. His interest level was immense as he shared in something with me, his father.

After dropping all the leaves into our lawn, he proceeded to stomp on them and laugh as they disintegrated into nothing. The final couple drops of my drink were finished and the time to put the kids to bed drew close.

I will be smoking the Patel Bros again, it was great. I know exactly who I want to smoke it with because I know of my friends tastes in cigars, and this one is certainly one we will enjoy together soon.

Of course you've heard me say it many times before, but times like this evening are always made better with cigars, and tonight was no exception.

Until we smoke again.

Cain Nub Habano

2010-08-21T05:04:00.000-07:00

I have been excited about the opportunity to try the Cain Nub Habano for a while, and a few weeks ago my local cigar store got a box in stock so I added this along with the Cain Nub Maduro to my humidor waiting for the perfect time to enjoy a smoke.

Last night was one such time, we had a gift card to a local restaurant that I have never been a fan of, but hey free food is still free food so we loaded up the family truckster and headed over to grab a bite to eat. This place is like a local interpretation of Romano's Macaroni Grill - a place I am not too fond of, so eating at the imitator of a place I don't like to begin with means my expectations really weren't that high.

Now with that being said, we did order an appetizer called Italian Sausage Ragu, which consisted of a very loose ragu of sausage and peppers and onions over some really good polenta, a dish I suspect I could duplicate given a little time in the kitchen, but that is a story for another day and most likely another blog.

After dinner we had to make a stop at PetSmart to get some filters for my sons fish tank, and I knew I was thirsty so I insisted we stop and buy a bottle of Gin so some adult beverages could be enjoyed.

The post dinner evening was agreed upon with the plan being we build a fire in our outdoor fireplace, pour some drinks and I would get to enjoy a cigar. Perhaps I should have taken as a sign the standing water we still had in our outdoor fire pit, or the fact the wood I did get set just wouldn't burn, or the fact the kids just wouldn't sit still and relax - all factors that came into play, but all that would contribute to the fact the cigar I was smoking was really a let down.

Let's back up here a second, the Cain Nub Habano is an extension of the Cain line of cigars. If you have read any of my other reviews, you know that it is a straight Ligero leaf cigar, the strongest of the tobacco plant, how hard it is to blend and not over power, blah blah blah blah blah.

The fact is the Cain Nub Habano is an extremely well put together cigar, the firm nature demonstrates just how much tobacco is packed into its little 4 inch by 60 ring gauge body. I utilized a punch like I prefer to do, roasted the foot and finally took a draw. And caught my breath and took another draw. And upon exhaling what little smoke I got again took an even stronger draw.

After three or four very strong draws I was rewarded with a thin whisper of smoke. So I looked at the foot and noticed I had a pretty strong consistent cherry across the entire surface, and I could tell by the color just how hot it was burning, but there just wasn't much smoke. And so I drew again, and again, and again. Finally I am rewarded with a substantial amount of smoke, and I thought to myself, let the tasting begin.

And as I finally got this cigar going, I took note of just how one dimensional it was. The flavor was good, not great but good. It offered a warm toasty note with a smooth finish, there were subtle hints of coffee, but they were subtle almost like a weak cup of coffee. The smoke was good, at least what there was of it. The draw was firm, too firm in my opinion. I found myself really working at it to keep it smoking well.

The coffee flavor sorta of bounced in and out, the subtleness to it fading in and out, almost teasing me saying something like, "Hey, I'm here, come and find me." And find it I wanted to because I think if it had been allowed to develop it would have led to a decent cigar.

Not that it was bad, because it wasn't. The problem I see is that when compared against its bigger brother, the Cain Habano, this little Nub simply is overshadowed. Where the Cain Habano offered up some truly complex tasting notes, the Cain Nub Habano falls flat, like I said earlier like a weak cup of coffee, or soda that has lost its fizz.
I have seen this done with other Nub cigars, standing it on its ash to demonstrate just how tight a cigar it is, and how much tobacco is present, I used this picture to show exactly that, and to suggest that perhaps there was too much tobacco leading to a very tight draw that you really had to work for.

In the grand scheme of things if you were offered this cigar to smoke, smoke it. If you were paying to smoke this cigar, pass on it and seek out a Cain F, or the bigger Cain Habano or Maduro. Like I said, it is not that it was a bad cigar, it just was a very one dimensional cigar.

And whether I am simply a cigar snob, or just overly picky - I have to tell the truth and the truth in this situation with this cigar left me disappointed. The bright spot in all of this was as the evening drew to a close, I returned my lighter to my humidor and I looked over the inventory still to be enjoyed and I smiled knowing there are some truly great cigars just waiting their turn to be enjoyed.

Until we smoke again...

Rocky Patel Edge Light (Robusto 5x50)

2010-08-08T13:50:00.000-07:00

With a solid week or more of 95+ degree temperatures this past Friday saw some rain roll in and with it a really nice cool down that prompted the need to hit a local 9-hole golf course Saturday morning. My buddy picked me up at 6:15 and we were on the first tee box by 6:50 as the dew on the fairways was just starting to glisten in the morning sun.

I had with me a Rocky Patel Edge Light that I had gotten for free at the event we went to a few weeks ago that Rocky Patel himself attended, and after watching the short video he had on his own website claiming that this cigar was the perfect cigar for golf, I figured I'd save it and use it for precisely that occasion.

I must first state that I am not a big fan of the Connecticut leave wrapper, it is a very mild and in my experience almost flavorless leaf so probably not something I would have spent my money on, but a free cigar is still a free cigar. The cigar itself was constructed nicely, there were a few bumps in it and a very well defined vein that ran from foot to head, but all in all a nice stick. I removed the band which is situated at the foot of the cigar, and a small portion of the wrapper tore with it, however it would not affect the smoke at all, simply an over zealous bander at the factory who used a bit too much glue in attaching this particular band.

I lit up and was impressed at once with the volume of smoke put out by this cigar. The flavor was exceptionally smooth and creamy, and it left me wishing I had a cup of coffee with me instead of the ice cold I had brought with me. As expected with the Connecticut wrapper, the RP Edge Light exhibited a very mild flavor, with just a hint of leather on the finish.

You have probably heard the saying that one would take a bad days golf over a good day at work, I'd take it a step further and apply that axiom to cigars as well. Don't misinterpret what I am saying, the RP Edge Light is not a bad cigar by any stretch of the imagination, it just isn't something I would elect to smoke if it was my hard earned money in play.

Now, for the claims Rocky Patel makes regarding this cigar, on his website he states that this cigar can be left unattended for upwards of 10 minutes without going out.

Not true.

I left the cigar unattended for less than 3 minutes and it went out, and when relit it started to burn a little unevenly - a fact I attribute to the simple act of relighting the cigar.

After a great couple of hours playing golf with friends, the ninth hole found itself on the horizon, we finished up strong and headed home to start our Saturdays.

Thank-you Rocky Patel Edge Light for making a memorable golf experience better. I think next time though I'll grab something a little stronger.

Until we smoke again.

Rocky Patel SunGrown Torpedo

2010-08-02T14:37:00.001-07:00

Last week was a busy week for us with something on the plate almost everyday and evening so as Friday day drew to a close the discussion of what to do and what to eat for dinner began. I had been craving a rack of spare ribs from our local BBQ restaurant Martin's BBQ Joint all day so that suggestion was offered up. Additionally the proposal of coming home, letting the kids run around and perhaps starting a fire in our fire pit was discussed as it would allow for some time for the kids to burn some energy while we simply relaxed and enjoyed time together.

We packed up the family and headed for dinner, and it was delicious as usual. Ribs that fall of the bone and meat that is still pink even though it is fully cooked is a sign of a good, "low and slow" cooking process and Martin's does do a fantastic job. Upon completion of dinner we headed back home and I headed to the humidor to select a stick to smoke and begin our evening outside.

My humidor is pretty well stocked right now so I have a large selection, however I was drawn to the Rocky Patel SunGrown Torpedo that has been hiding near the bottom. I grabbed my cutter and lighter, whipped up some Strawberry Margaritas using fresh strawberry's and headed outside to join my wife and kids.

Prior to cutting the head off the cigar, I took a moment to look at the construction of the cigar. If you haven't stopped and just looked at a cigar and the way it is put together, this is something I encourage you to do. Rocky Patel really puts together a well constructed cigar, the techniques used to make the wrapper leaf fit so flawlessly is truly an art form, and to think the best cigar rollers are whipping out multiple cigars a minute still amazes me.

I cut the head off the cigar and slowly toasted the foot. I let it go for a good minute or so before taking the first draw on the cigar. The first draw off the cigar offered up a strong spicy note that finished with a complex, velvety currant overtone. After a few more quick draws I allowed the cigar to cool slightly and settle into a great evening of family and cigars.

The cigar is on the higher side of medium bodied, and the spicy notes seem to resolve themselves nicely as the cigar gets into its sweet spot. The dark currant overtones mesh perfectly with the spicy draw offering the smoker a perfectly balanced smoke that seems to mellow as the cigar burns. Now don't misunderstand when I state that the cigar mellows as in reading that you could assume harshness, but that is not the case rather by mellowing I am referring to the way in which the cigar basically settles into its groove as you smoke it.

As the kids continued to run around, and the evening sun faded into the horizon sadly the cigars' end was reached forcing me to extinguish it. Perhaps there is some irony in having a sun grown cigar fade into existence as the very sun that grew it settled into its night slumber.

A perfect cigar for a perfect evening. I actually contemplated a second cigar while we sat around the back yard fire pit, but elected not to leaving the Rocky Patel SunGrown Torpedo to stand alone on its own merits, and excellent cigar for an excellent evening.

Until we smoke again.

Rocky Patel 1961 (Robusto 5x50)

2010-07-29T06:17:00.000-07:00

I mentioned in a previous post about meeting Rocky Patel at my local cigar shop Stogies. One of the great things about an event like the one we attended was that EVERY cigar by Rocky Patel was available, most in the various size offerings which makes for not only a great selection, but also the ability to find the size that you like and be able to enjoy it.

I was excited to try the RP 1961 in the Robusto 5x50 size. It is a cigar I have read about and have friends who have smoked but not one up to this point I had had a chance to try. After making my purchase which included the 1961, a Patel Bros. cigar that I'll review in a later post along with a free RP cigar I along with my wife and friends we were with found a table and set out to enjoy a great evening of music, friends and cigars.

Sadly my lighter bit the dust this evening, the ignitor refuses to ignite so a little bit of frustration set in when I had to go searching for a light, but thankfully cigar folks tend to be friendly folks and a guy at another table lent his lighter so we could get our fun started.

One of the first things I noticed, and have noticed on all Rocky Patel Cigars is just the tremendous level of detail to attention that went into the cigar when it was rolled. Perfectly balanced, the wrapper is flawless showing no stretching or tearing, and no soft spots at all on the cigar. The level at which Rocky Patel himself obsesses over the cigars is amazing and shows when one goes to smoke one of his creations.

Once lit and upon first draw, the 1961 shows a pretty full bodied flavor, immediately spicy but not harsh. The smoke suggests a spicy, peppery note to it, almost with an essence of Cayenne Pepper, but one that is not overwhelming at all. The cigar exhibits no bad flavors, however I would certainly argue that this is not a cigar for folks who don't like a little spice in their smoke.

Strong, but not overpowering the 1961 settles in for a great smoke that continues to develop the spicy notes while finishing smooth and clean without any residual aftertaste. I would definitely suggest this cigar to someone looking for a strong defined smoke, however this is not one I would probably bring out for those not experienced in cigars or who aren't looking for that strong defined flavor. Offering this cigar to someone not looking for that strong experience would be in my opinion a disservice to the 1961 as well as to your friend.

Just a few smoking notes that I will clarify when I smoke this cigar again. First off I did notice a pretty uneven burn. I found myself reaching for a match to keep the cigar burning even. I know the cigar was lit evenly because I am stickler for detail and that is something that drives me nuts with my adult ADD. Secondly, and most likely as a result of the cigar not burning evenly I ended up with some hot spots on the cigar as the inner filler burned quicker than the wrapper. Again I will make note of this when I smoke this cigar again and see if it was the environment or that particular cigar.

I will say this, uneven burn and hot spots aside I will smoke this cigar again. To prove my point I purchased another one to take home and smoke. Spicy and full bodied the 1961 serves as a great contrast to another RP cigar I smoked a few weeks ago, the Decade. For me what made this cigar excellent was the balance and the flavor development. I pretty much smoked this cigar down to the nub at one point burning my finger when I caught the leading edge of the wrapper. If time had permitted I would have loved to follow up that cigar with something mellower like the Decade, but sadly our time quickly drew to a close and the need to meet up and get the kids fell upon us.

Of course having the completed 1961 leaving long for another smoke only lends itself to the enjoyment the next cigar I light up will offer. If you get a chance I encourage you to give the RP1961 a smoke, just be warned that it is spicy, but in a great way.

Until we smoke again.

Outside the Humidor

2010-07-27T16:20:00.000-07:00

Hello friends and fellow cigar smokers, I apologize for not posting on here for a few days. Life has been hectic and honestly I haven't had a chance to catch my breath let alone grab a smoke, and trust me when I tell you, I need a smoke!!!

I have been thinking of some different ways to bring new and exciting cigars to you since I tend to be a creature of habit continually going back to what I know is good so I wanted to give you some insight into a new feature I will start having on here on a regular basis called "Outside the Humidor."

Within this sub-category I plan to highlight cigars given to me by others, or those recommended to me either through comments left on this blog or by people I talk to on a regular basis. If I either exhaust or run out of those I also plan to go to one of the 5 or so tobacco stores near my house and ask the person working what cigar they would suggest and assuming the price point is within my budget I will buy that cigar and review it.

Of course you realize, for you to be making suggestions to me means you actually have to be smoking some cigars yourself looking for the hidden gems that we all know are out there just waiting to be discovered. A few ground rules here, I am not a big fan of the longer churchill style cigars nor do I like my cigars skinny, so try to steer clear of suggesting those sizes, but other than that I would say the sky is the limit.

Now with that being said, I made some friends from California on a job I am working with them on and one of them brought some real Cubans' that I am hoping he will share if he makes it down to the house tonight. Look for that review assuming he makes it down tonight, I know he has an early flight out in the morning, but he is still 2 hours behind our time, so he shouldn't be to tired.

I'll keep you posted how that saga ends up.

Until then start sending your suggestions and I'll do my best to buy them locally and let you know my thoughts.

Until we smoke again.

An Evening with Rocky Patel

2010-07-23T12:54:00.000-07:00

Last night saw the opportunity to head on over to my local cigar shop Stogie's where a fund raiser was being held to help the victims of the May floods here in Nashville. As part of the evening, Rocky would be there to discuss his cigars, sign stuff, raffle stuff away and then musician Phil Keaggy would wrap the evening up with some great live music. I had seen the e-mails about the event but quite honestly it had slipped my mind until a friend of mine suggested we go to which my wife and I asked Grandma to watch the kids while we slipped out for some time for us.

I'm not much of a "star struck" person, I have some friends who like to drop names of who they've met or know, but for the most part I don't care as I see them as people just like you and I. I was impressed with how down to earth Rocky Patel was. He was so low key in fact, it almost seemed as though he was uncomfortable playing the role of a quasi celebrity. We spent several minutes discussing cigars, tobaccos and his factory in Nicaragua and his monthly trips there. I knew he took folks from the US down for tours of the factory and fields and suggested I join him on one of those trips.

We talked a little bit about the blending and selection process and spoke also of some of his competitors and their offerings. All in all it was a pretty cool evening, and of course once the band started the house started rocking as songs by The Beatle's and Stevie Wonder and others were played. Of course being seated only 10 feet from the band meant it was loud, but there wasn't a single foot that was tapping or a hand clapping in the place so I'd say everyone was having fun.

I was fortunate enough to get a RP cigar box my buddy Tony gave me signed by Rocky Patel, and again I cannot emphasize how humble and gracious a man he truly was. To be honest I can't really say I am surprised by this fact, I think that is part of what makes enjoyment of cigars so great, a common bond if you will.

I did get a chance to enjoy a Rocky Patel 1961 last night and a review will be posted in the next few days. I have a few other RP cigars still to smoke in the humidor so keep checking back as I get them smoked and reviewed. Hey, its a tough job but someones got to do it!

Until we smoke again.

CAO LX2

2010-07-20T06:47:00.001-07:00

I've been meaning to get a review posted of this cigar, and since I find myself at work patiently waiting for UPS to deliver a package that I need to get started today, I figure I'd take a few minutes to offer up my thoughts on a relatively new offering from CAO, the CAO LX2.

A few months ago I found myself at my local cigar bar Stogies participating in their monthly No Limit Hold'em Poker tournament. Since Tennessee is a state that does not allow any gambling, no cash prizes were awarded, rather gift cards and other assorted prizes. For $25 you get to participate in the tournament, you are given 2 cigars to smoke and 2 beers to drink. Normally a preferred vendor is brought in as the host for the evening and he or she gets to talk about the different pairings that you are given, and while I came to play poker, most folks there were there to smoke cigars and as such their play tended to be loose and carefree.

Along with the smokes and brews throughout the evening you were given raffle tickets basically ensuring anyone who came would win at least something. The grand prize that evening however was a CAO LX2 humidor stocked full of CAO LX2 cigars.

If you haven't figured it out yet that I won the grand prize raffle, I hate to be a spoiler here but I did. It felt good to win something, and with pride I carried that humidor home stocked full of cigars that I was excited to try and share with friends.

As a side note here, one of the two cigars given this evening to smoke included the Cigar Aficionado 2008 Cigar of the Year, the Casa Magna Colorado Robusto. I won't be posting tasting notes on this cigar until such time as I get a chance to taste it again when I have a chance to focus on the cigar, and not the cards I am holding such as was the case this evening.

The CAO LX2 is part of the CAO _x2 line of cigars. I have been fortunate enough to taste the CX2, the MX2 and most recently the LX2. The "L" in this case stands for ligero, and the x2 means times 2. For clarification the CX2 is a Cameroon and the MX2 a Maduro. CAO has seen tremendous success and has brought to market quite a few cigars that have consistently gotten high reviews. For me I have to be honest in saying I haven't been a fan of every CAO cigar I have smoked however if ever asked for a great go to cigar in a pinch, especially for a novice, without a doubt I will always suggest a CAO Gold.

The LX2 is a long cigar. Commonly known as a lonsdale, this cigar is the better part of 7 inches with an incredible small ring size. Holding it in your hand felt like holding a pencil. The cigar itself was well constructed and the wrapper perfectly rolled without any signs of stretching or tearing and the veining was almost non-existent, a testament to the attention to detail CAO puts into its cigars.

I had previously smoked an LX2 in a Robusto size, however the humidor it had come out of was not well regulated and as such that particular cigar was dry and brittle - so having not one but in my case a total of 30 or so LX2's, I was anxious to light one up and smoke it.

When time finally presented itself I cut the head and roasted the foot. With such a small ring gauge it didn't take much to get it going, and I took the first draw which was surprisingly difficult. After a couple quick strong draws I was able to get a decent mouthful of smoke, and I noticed at once a charred taste, especially noticeable when the smoke left your mouth. I attributed that taste to the need to draw harder on it thereby causing a hotter burn than what would be normal on a shorter thicker cigar.

As the cigar settled into its burn two things became abundantly clear. Number one was the almost overwhelming black pepper taste that overpowered the cigar and number two was the need to take a lot of draws off the cigar just to keep it lit. I found myself reaching for my lighter over and over again leading to frustration and annoyance.

I wanted to be fair to this cigar, and since I had more than my fair share of them now populating my humidor, so I experimented with them trying a couple different things to give my tasting experience a fair and balanced look. First off I smoked another cigar just like the first hoping that the experience would be better, but sadly it was almost identical. The cigar was difficult to draw on, difficult to keep lit and offered a one dimensional dare I say HARSH black pepper flavor never developing or smoothing itself out.

On try number three I actually cut about 3 inches off the foot of the cigar leaving a 4 inch cigar that resembled a cigarette. I again roasted the new foot and was again surprised how harsh a cigar the LX2 was. To be fair, I packed up a handful of my vast inventory and sent some to my buddy Tony up at Motor City Cigars for him and his brother to taste and again no positive tasting reports came back.

I was so disappointed in the experience I put the humidor up for sale on ebay and sold it. Is the CAO LX2 a bad cigar, or did the size I won simply turn out to be a not so great configuration for what otherwise might be a decent cigar? To be honest, I don't know. In all fairness I don't think I'll ever even try another LX2 in any other size or shape given my experience with the cigars I won. I ended giving my remaining cigars to friends and neighbors who profess to be cigar fiends. I had one friend in particular gush about how great a cigar it was and I promptly gave him more, but his humidor consists of a plastic ziplock bag kept in the freezer so there isn't the passion there that others may share.

And of course that is alright, and in fact even considered good. For even though in my opinion the CAO LX2 sucked, someone else found enjoyment in it and within that enjoyment is the true definition of what makes cigar smoking so great.

So let them have the CAO LX2's out of the humidor and I'll settle for a lowly NUB or Cain or Rocky Patel. The beauty is is that if they are enjoying the cigar, that is all that matters in the end.

Until we smoke again.

Rocky Patel Decade (Toro)

2010-07-19T12:54:00.000-07:00

This past weekend saw the opportunity arise to take a quick vacation to Florida to visit with my sister and her husband. Since money has been tight, we elected to drive and stay at her house which allowed the opportunity for some late nights that we probably would not have had had we stayed at a hotel for the simple fact of being able to put the kids to sleep and still hang out. In getting ready for the trip I couldn't decide which cigars to bring so I ended up carrying my entire humidor inventory for the trip. This turned out to be a wise decision as there really are some hidden treasures in my humidor.

The first evening saw a cool breeze brought on by passing storms that knocked the temperature down to the high 70's, a true treat for Orlando. Having just finished 10 hours straight in the car, I was looking forward to just relaxing and having a drink or two while catching up with my sister and her husband. I am not a big drinker and as I have stated in previous posts, I really enjoy Woodchuck and she was kind enough to stock up her fridge with a couple 6-packs.

The Rocky Patel Decade Toro was actually the second cigar of the evening, I started with a NUB Habano and after finishing that started the RP. This is the second RP Decade that I have smoked, the last one being in January, and I was excited to try it again. I only had 2 of these, and my brother in law who also smoked the NUB decided to join in on RP (truth be told, the second cigar was my idea but when I got the dirty look from my wife I blamed my brother in law for planting the idea in my head!) as my wife and sister put the kids to bed.

After cutting the tip, we slowly roasted the foot and got the cigar started. We both immediately commented on how different a taste the RP was in comparison to the NUB, and my brother in law immediately stated he liked the RP better.

The initial draw offers a very full smooth smoke with a well defined woodsy oak flavored draw that settles into a not quite sweet, but completely smooth velvety profile. The smoke was plentiful and throughout the entire cigar was velvety and almost thick syrupy texture. It was truly phenomenal, and I found myself puffing a little sooner than normal as I longed for the next draw.

The ladies soon rejoined us in the back yard, and the RP held up its end of the evening by providing a great companion to a great time spent catching up and visiting. I was actually sad when the RP finished itself as the evening wound down.

The final compliment to the RP came the following evening as we decided to enjoy cigars again and my sister requested the RP after having tried her husbands the previous evening. She was actually sad to know we didn't have any more left.

I always find it fascinating how a good cigar can make a good evening great, and in the case of the Rocky Patel Decade it certainly held up its end of the bargain by being a great smoke for a great time. Would I suggest you run out a buy a stick or two, Yes - on this one I would. I think it is a smoke that deserves an opportunity to impress you as it has impressed me.

While not as full flavored and strong as what I normally smoke, I can certainly see this cigar being great with a cup of coffee early in the morning, perhaps even at an early morning tee time golfing. It is a great cigar for someone not that experienced with cigars, and the neat thing is that it is not pretentious at all, it is what it is never trying to be something it isn't. It certainly has made a believer out of me, so much so that I look forward to 2 other Rocky Patel branded cigars I currently have in my humidor - a Rocky Patel Sun Grown Torpedo and a Rocky Patel 1990 Vintage Robusto.

Until we smoke again.

Alec Bradley Select Cabinet Reserve Robusto

2010-07-12T14:13:00.000-07:00

I always try to take pictures along with the notes I keep for the cigars I smoke, and in the case of the Alec Bradley Select Cabinet Reserve Robusto the picture brings up a memories of a great afternoon spent with a good friend at my local cigar hangout Stogies along with the notes from a cigar tasting that quite honestly I was expecting quite a bit more from.

If you recall I had nothing but good things to say about another offering from Alec Bradley so it was with much anticipation that I selected the SCR from the humidor. The wrapper was dark and inviting, the cigar itself smelt delicious and the construction was flawless. After paying and selecting a drink, in this case a Boylan's Ginger Ale I cut the head and was surprised to see the wrapper tear slightly. Of course this could be to a dull blade on the cutter itself, but the local shop tends to keep their cutters sharp so I mentally blamed the cigar as opposed to the cutter.

I slowly toasted the foot and after a minute or so took the first draw and in typical AB fashion met a smooth draw with very strong espresso flavors. The flavor was not overwhelming lending itself to a medium bodied profile and the flavors never overpowered.

The ash was very loose and needed to be ashed quite ofter which surprised me for AB, and about an inch or so into the cigar I was surprised by a very burnt earth flavor that quite honestly was not appealing. It was still smokable, but thankfully this flavor subsided after about 1/4 - 1/2 an inch and I suspect perhaps a bad leaf made it into this particular cigar, however since I have not had another AB SCR since, I can't say for sure.

My friend and I got a chance to visit for the better part of an hour and catch up on each others lives, but time as it always does quickly got away from us and the need to return to work arrived and we concluded our smoke by my friend commenting on how he hates the smell of smoke on his clothes after he finishes a cigar.

The AB SCR is a great example of what makes cigars and their enjoyment so great. The cigar itself was not that great. Several have asked if I would recommend it and I tell them all, "No." What made the cigar special though was being able to catch up with a friend I hadn't seen in an while, and enjoy telling stories and laughing at each others mistakes. Having the AB SCR as a companion for the time spent with a friend made the occasion more special. Perhaps next time we meet the cigar will be up on par with the occasion and round out what was already a great afternoon.

Until we smoke again...

Rocky Patel Renaissance Toro (6x52)

2010-07-06T12:47:00.000-07:00

I often reread my posts (yes, I've seen some grammatical stuff that should be corrected but isn't) and think to myself that I sound like a shill for my friend and his online cigar shop Motor City Cigars. The truth is however that Tony and myself both share a passion for good cigars and the fact he happens to stock a lot of what I like to smoke only makes our passion a win win in that I can support his small business located in Detroit (and we all know Detroit needs as much help as possible) while getting top notch cigars to smoke.

The fun thing with cigars is finding that next cigar to smoke whether by chance or by referral, and thankfully for me I have Tony and his brother who have smoked far more cigars than I have who constantly are offering up opinions and suggestions as to what I should try.

Todays subject is the Rocky Patel Renaissance Toro which is a 6 inch 52 ring gauge cigar that to be honest I was hesitant to try at first. My previous experience with Rocky Patel involved a Decade Toro that costs more money than I think it should have and just didn't deliver for me the experience I was expecting, especially considering how highly recommended it came.

So with hesitation I ordered up some RP Renaissance Toro's and waited for the perfect day to set one to flame and check it out. From the first draw there was a dramatic difference. I was a fan at once getting a balanced but full bodied experience of mocha with a creamy note to it while offering a slightly spicy peppery flavor all working in perfect harmony. Yeah I hear you now scratching your head saying, "creamy mocha with a spicy peppery flavor" and I almost agree with you except when you consider the genius that is this cigar. The pepper flavor works in conjunction with the defined mocha creating this creamy essence that is full flavored but not harsh.

As the cigar settles in for the session, a slight sweetness develops on top of the initial mocha, but again with a spicy note similar to that straight cinnamon would have if you were to place it directly on your tongue. And what is great about this cigar is that the flavor profile continues its development throughout the entire stick, almost challenging the smoker to not put down the cigar out of fear of missing the next flavor development.

Whats amazing about the RP is that upon finishing this cigar the first time I actually reached for a NUB Habano as a follow up just because the RP as it was smoked to the nub actually left me wanting more. Now sometimes people want more because they are disappointed or left unsatisfied, this was not the case rather the RP left me wanting more because the experience it provided was so fantastic.

My wife and I are taking the kids to Florida next week to see my sister and to take the kids to DisneyWorld and this is one of the cigars I will be bringing with me to share with my sister and her husband on our vacation given how good it is.

So here in conclusion I often suggest you try different cigars and whether you do are not is on you, but on this one here I would strongly encourage you to try it as if you don't you are missing out on a great cigar, and hey, isn't that what it is all about? Finding and enjoying great cigars.

Until we smoke again.

My Father No. 1

2010-07-04T14:38:00.000-07:00

I worked ALL DAY yesterday. I started at 8 in the morning and didn't finish until almost 10 last night. My wife and I along with some friends started a new business that recently opened, Peek A Boo PlayTown that had us exhibiting at an outside fair yesterday in Hendersonville TN. We all worked our butts off and were on our feet all day long. Weather forecasts put the temps into the low 90's, but we lucked out with a decent breeze all day long and cloud cover keeping the temps in the mid 80's, but more importantly the humidity at bay. My mom was keeping the kids overnight so early on in the day I suggested to my wife that we go out after we finished for a drink and for me a cigar.

I knew she was tired as was I but it is not too often we get to just "go out" and as such insisted we go even though we both probably could have just gone home and crashed. We headed over to a local cigar bar called Stogies in Franklin TN and I headed straight for the walk in humidor and went with the first cigar I picked up, the My Father No. 1. I elected to go small choosing the 5 1/2 inch 52 ring gauge cigar knowing that I was not in for a long night.

I utilized a punch and slowly toasted the foot before taking the first draw. I was immediately taken in by the spicy flavor with some well defined leather on the finish. The smoke was amazingly smooth, almost creamy to the taste, and this cigar was a smoker. I was impressed with just how much smoke it put out.

The ash was almost snow white while displaying history of the veining in the wrapper leaf, however it was not very tight and with only about 3/4 of an inch of ash in place, the tip started to split so I elected to ash as opposed to have it fall on me unplanned.

The burn was slightly uneven on this particular stick seeing me relight it twice to keep it burning even, and at one point it fully extinguished itself however quickly was relit to the same flavor profile as when initially lit.

The My Father line of cigars has gotten a lot of accolades during the last year or so, and although this was the first My Father cigar I have smoked I fully understand why. In finishing the cigar in a little under 45 minutes I noted an aftertaste similar to the one that I have noticed with Arturo Fuente cigars. Thankfully the aftertaste quickly subsided with a piece of gum as I love to smoke cigars, I just don't like to taste them for hours after I've finished.

The My Father line is a tribute to the makers (Garcia) father, and is a fitting tribute he should be proud of. I look forward to exploring more offerings from My Father as well as smoking the My Father No. 1 again in the not so distant future. You'll not in the picture I was drinking a bottle of Woodchuck Hard Cider, I think next time I'd like to have a strong cup of coffee or perhaps a snifter of cognac to enjoy this cigar.

I encourage you to go ahead and give the My Father No. 1 a try, I am confident you'll be glad you did.

Until we smoke again.

Alec Bradley Tempus Genesis & Imperator

2010-06-30T15:05:00.000-07:00

There are cigars, and then there are cigars. This is one of those cigars, the Alec Bradley Tempus that I have enjoyed both in the Genesis which is a 5 1/2 inch 42 ring gauge and the Imperator at a stout 6 1/2 inch by 52 ring gauge.

I actually enjoyed the Imperator first quickly adding it to my smoking rotation even given its substantial price point of almost $11 per stick at my local shop. During a discussion with my friend Tony who owns Motor City Cigars I inquired as to whether he had tried the Alec Bradley to which he hadn't but quickly tried it and added it to his own inventory.

The Alec Bradley is a big cigar, it is very full flavored without being overpowering. Initial tasting notes are dark chocolate with a bold espresso undertone finishing slightly sweet on the finish. The flavor continues its development throughout the cigar continually refining the initial profile while the ash structure is tight allowing for a cool burn. The Imperator does tend to burn unevenly, and if you like me like to keep things looking even on the foot of the cigar, you'll find yourself relighting to maintain an even burn.

Caution must be used however as any charring due to over zealous lighting will be evident on the palate almost immediately and will remain until the charred section of the wrapped is fully consumed by ash. I bring this up because the flavors this cigar offers are so extraordinary that simple things like a careless relighting quickly cloud the palate, but thankfully go away once the charred section is passed.

The Alec Bradley Tempus line has scored consistently well in numerous reviews, and I am as well offering a glowing review of this cigar. Make no mistake, it is excellent. This is one of those cigars you hide 2 or 3 in the bottom of the humidor and bring out in celebration with only the closest of friends who like yourself will appreciate the experience. This is not a cigar for beginners simply because it is expensive and at times powerful. Make no mistake you can get a decent buzz off this cigar, I know this from experience.

Its interesting as I continue to explore different brands and styles in that while I will always smoke the Alec Bradley if offered, I believe there are some other great choices out there for less money. You do pay a premium for this cigar, and even though my buddy now sells them for $2-3 less than my local shop, the price point is still higher than some of my newer finds.

So in late April I along with a friend sat on my back patio and sipped on a concoction of Limoncello, Club Soda and Lemon Juice over crushed ice that I made for us to drink, and I smoked the last Alec Bradley I had in the humidor. It was a bittersweet smoke as I knew this was the final AB I had in the humidor, but also because the lemon drink I had mixed up wasn't necessarily the best drink to pair with this cigar. The lemon played well with the cigar, but wasn't the perfect pairing at times developing the rich dark chocolate flavors of the cigar and turning them more into a bitter dark chocolate flavor.

I laugh to myself even as I type remembering how buzzed I got that evening. After we finished smoking and my friend headed home for the evening, I remember laying on my bed while the room spun around me around. Took a good hour for the buzz to wear off, perhaps another hour after that for the stupid grin on my face to diminish. I hadn't had that feeling in years, and honestly for a minute it was actually fun.

Which is what makes the cigar experience so great, times like this when you are just having fun. Relaxing, enjoying the company of friends or family, and just kicking back as if there are no cares in the world.

And because of that my evening with Alec Bradley and his devious blend of tobacco are in my book one of the better cigars I have ever smoked, and one that if the family budget allows I would recommend trying at least once.

Until we smoke again, take care...

Cain Maduro Torpedo (654)

2010-06-29T15:09:00.000-07:00

This is a cigar that I have enjoyed several times now, and I have a few more sitting in the humidor waiting for the right time, and on this particular cigar enough time to be really enjoyed to its fullest. For your consideration today I offer up the Cain Maduro Torpedo (654), a cigar that I will strongly suggest you try, a cigar that will now be part of my regular rotation of cigars that are part of my "go to" selections.

Last evening presented the perfect opportunity to sit and enjoy this full bodied cigar. I was anxious to smoke this cigar again as the first time I enjoyed it I noted flavors or dough or bread with a slight yeast taste coming off the finish. I partially attributed this to the margarita I was drinking, in particular the salted rim which was carried over from glass to cigar. I chose last night instead to pair this cigar with a very simple bottle of water so as not to allow any other flavors to come into to play to see if the dough/bread flavors were still present.

I was pleased to find that in fact this cigar exhibited a very strong and at times sweet dough flavor, like a fresh loaf of bread with just a hint of yeast on the finish. The smoke was at times sweet to the taste, and the cigar while burning slow due to the ligero leaf never burnt unevenly or hot - a tribute to the tight packing of the leaves during production.

Which brings me back to the flavor profile. I have smoked a lot of cigars, and I have to be honest when I say that this cigar truly has one of the more pronounced and dedicated flavor profiles of any of the cigars I have smoked. It is truly a fantastic smoke, and even as I write this review for you I find myself almost thirsting for another opportunity to smoke - it is that good.

But here is the exciting part of this entire equation, if you have made it this far you already know that the Cain Maduro Torpedo (654) is a cigar I am going to suggest you smoke, so why not get your hands on one and experience it for yourself. You will be impressed with cigar and find yourself looking for excuses to smoke another one, and at a very reasonable price of approximately $7 a stick, you can't go wrong.

So I'll stop writing to give you opportunity to go experience this cigar for yourself, and when you get done click into the comment section and let me know your thoughts on this phenomenal cigar.

Until we smoke again...

Hoyo De Monterrey

2010-06-29T04:54:00.000-07:00

For the last almost 3 weeks now, we have experienced some incredibly hot weather here in Middle TN, most days exceeding 90 degrees with humidity levels to match making for some pretty repressive weather. This kind of heat does not lend itself to making one want to sit outside for ANY reason including a cigar as the temps still hover well into the 80's even as darkness falls and the night begins.

The other evening however saw a break in the temperatures having a storm pass through bringing with it a cool breeze that lowered the temperature to a nice 75 degrees. The storms were still around with thunder and lighting in the distance with a light inconsistent drizzle at our house, so I suggested sitting on our screened in patio room to enjoy the cooler air and a cigar.

The evenings smoking selection was a Hoyo De Monterrey given to me by a friend with whom I smoke from time to time. I was excited to be able to try something I hadn't before, and after toasting the foot and taking the first firm draw I was impressed with the earthen flavor of the smoke.

Once settled in this cigar smoked easily, maintained a nice even burn however its ash structure was very loose with the ash falling onto me after only about an inch had burned. Twice more during this smoke the ash fell directly onto me as opposed to me electing to ash. Having the cherry exposed meant the cigar burnt a little hotter than what I would have preferred and perhaps that is partially to blame for the acidic taste the cigar developed as it flavor profile continued its development.

At no point was the acidic taste overwhelming or presented in such a way to make you want to extinguish the cigar, however it was a profile that once present maintained itself throughout the remainder of the cigar.

With the loose roll this 5 1/2 inch cigar burned very quickly with it nearing the end only 35 minutes after it had been started. You'll note in the picture above my dog Monty who spent most of the evening on my lap as I smoked this cigar, and a drink of some Port that I have had on the wine rack made for a nice compliment to the cigar actually working in strong but complimentary contrast to the acidic taste of the cigar, the sweetness of the port balancing and helping develop the acidic nature of the cigar itself.

As it neared time to extinguish the cigar, I took the opportunity to deconstruct the cigar, removing first the wrapper, and then the binder and finally the filler with my 4 year old son taking care to examine each leaf as it removed from the cigar. The final few leaves were still hot from the cigar, so he did not actually handle those leaves instead looking at them as I showed him that there were in fact entire leaves in the cigar to which he asked a lot of questions.

The evening illustrates one of the greatest things about cigars, the ability to sit, relax and do nothing while enjoying the company of friends, or in my case my family. From time to time my son will "smoke" a bubble gum cigar from a gift package we received when my daughter was born last year, and yeah while I'm not fond of him having a pink cigar in his mouth, it is funny watching him, especially when he goes to ash the cigar.

Life is fleeting, and as such I really think cigars serve as a great tool in slowing down life, forcing one to take a break and just simply relax and enjoy those people who are important. I encourage you this week to try something new, like I did with this Hoyo De Monterrey. Will I smoke this cigar again, probably not if I am paying for it, but I certainly enjoyed the experience and company of the evening spent smoking the Hoyo De Monterrey, and for that reason I would say it was a good but not great smoke.

Don Pepin Serie JJ

2010-06-24T13:59:00.001-07:00

The Don Pepin Serie JJ is another great cigar I was introduced to my friend who owns Motor City Cigars. This was one of the cigars he brought down with him when he visited us here in TN in early April. During his week long visit, each night after dinner we would get a fire going outside and sit around the fire, drink a little, talk a little, and smoke a little.

On the second or third night here he broke out the Don Pepin Serie JJ. The cigar was great, this torpedo shaped cigar lit easily, smoked great and finished smooth. What makes me chuckle even now as I write this is as I neared the last 1/3 of the cigar, I started drawing on it a bitter quicker than I probably should have and I quickly got a buzz. Well, to quote my friend Tony, "...it kicked your ass." I suspect it was the quickness in which I was enjoying the cigar, however Tony is entitled to his opinion, and hey it makes him to remember so I am OK with being the butt of that joke.

This past week I again had the opportunity to try out the Don Pepin Serie JJ. I had one left in the humidor that had been sitting for a while, and a perfect evening presented itself and I quickly found myself outside lighting up this cigar.

As I already stated, the cigar lights very easily and evenly. The initial draw is slightly peppery, but finishing smooth. Hints or leather with a very faint earthiness are evident on the finish, however they leave no lingering taste on the palate.

Once into the cigar, the peppery flavor continues its development never getting strong or overpowering instead presenting itself as the predominate flavor in this masterfully blended cigar.

The picture at the top of the post was taken the other evening, and you can see a good 2 inches of ash, of which I texted a picture to Tony to which he quickly replied asking, "...if that JJ kicking your ass again?"

I responded telling him no instead savoring each and every draw, spacing each draw almost perfectly from the one prior.

After a good 50 minutes or so I was finished with the cigar, two or three quick draws on the finish and the cigar was done. A great evening, and great smoke, and a great story to go along with it. The Don Pepin Serie JJ is definitely a smoke I would recommend with the caveat of not smoking it too quickly as it does have the power to overwhelm even an experienced smoker.

The wrapper is flawless, the double band is well designed, and the cap is a work of art. This cigar has been around for a couple of years now, for me however 2010 is the year I was introduced to the experience. Price wise it is a good value, and for the novice or the experienced, I think it is a cigar that should be tried at least once.

As always, I am open to your suggestions, and until next time we meet, don't let a chance to sit and relax with a great cigar get away from you.

My Personal Cigar Journey

2010-06-23T14:01:00.000-07:00

I started this blog with the intention of journaling my tasting notes from numerous cigars I have smoked mainly for me to have as reference point to look back on and remember. I thought it would be fun to go back to the beginning and talk about how I came to be a "cigar smoker."

For me the first cigar was a Swisher Sweet smoked with a friend of mine named Aaron Robinson while I lived in upstate New York. I really don't remember the exact circumstance surrounding the situation or how we arrived at deciding to try a cigar, but I do remember the experience.

It's funny now that while looking back almost 17 years to that first experience how I wouldn't even think of smoking a Swisher Sweet today, but that first experience was enough to compel me into continuing to try cigars.

Fast forward a number of years and we arrive at my next big "cigar milestone" when myself along with some friends ventured into a newly opened Cigar shop at The Block at Orange in Orange California. This open air mall had all sorts of "hip" new places to shop and eat including a small little shop selling cigars. My friends and I all went in and I remember buying a Monte Cristo cigar that was upwards of $10. On the counter after paying for the cigar they had a cutter and a lighter, and it took me more than a few tries to get the cigar lit sufficiently, and the power of that smoke was overwhelming to say the least.

In terms of taste, flavor etc., I really don't remember much other than the need to keep the cigar lit and not get sick in the process. Looking back whatever the exact cigar was that I bought that day obviously was more cigar than I was ready to handle, and although in the end I enjoyed the experience, it would be close to a year or so before venturing back to try another cigar.

It sounds pathetic now, but that "next" cigar was none other than a Swisher Sweet!

I think the mood and circumstance was such that that next experience was so good, I knew there was more out there and of course the not so distant memory of the "big" cigar I had had was lingering in my mind telling me that somewhere between the Swisher Sweet I was enjoying and the Monte Cristo that all but made me sick was the sweet spot.

So naturally I did what one does when curious, I started to investigate. I ventured into a small tobacco shop and headed straight for the humidor trying to "look like" I knew what I was doing (I didn't!). The owner of the shop was stocking shelves in the humidor and inquired as to whether I needed help or not, I told him No, and I proceeded to look around, read some of the shelf tags and ultimately settled on a 2 or 3 that had bands that looked interesting.

Certainly not the most informed approach, but it proved to provide a couple different cigars that I smoked over the next few days.

I really think those few days are what turned a curious soul into a hobbyist of sorts, for within the selections I had made from the store based solely on the band I realized there is a difference in taste, quality, and experience that comes from different types of cigars. And with an almost childlike fascination I headed back to the same tobacco store and bought a couple other cigars and again ventured out to try them.

I guess you could say I was hooked. Initially my wife wasn't too thrilled about it, but she has come to understand and has even tried a cigar to humor me.

Enter the birth of my first child, my son Ethan. I used his birth as an excuse to make numerous trips to the store to buy more cigars finding it necessary to smoke a cigar in celebration with anyone, at anytime. My wife had bought a box of Romeo y Julieta for me for Fathers day 2006, a day which landed a few weeks shy of the birth of my son, and along with that box I found ample time and excuse to light up and smoke not only the cigars she had bought for me, but also those I was buying at the Cigar Shop where I was now on a first name basis with the owner.

During that period I remember smoking quite a few CAO Soprano Editions, CAO MX2 and CX2 cigars as well as the Monte Cristo White, a cigar that I had enjoyed numerous times after having "found" it at the cigar shop.

While trips to the store used to only include the purchase of 2 or 3 sticks, I was now buying 5 to 10 and on several occasions buying a whole box, in particular the CAO Gold 10th Anniversary edition which came packaged 10 to a box, and was a fantastically rolled perfecto that burned evenly and tasted fantastic.

As I wrap up this post I have used a lot of terms within this and other posts as to things pertaining to cigars, and one of my readers requested a Cigar 101 of sorts, so in closing I wanted to address some of those terms that identify the different areas and sections of a cigar.

The foot is the end of the cigar that is lit up, the head is the end we draw on. When you look at the head of a cigar, it has the cap which closes off the head of the cigar. If you look closely at teh cigar you'll see the cap and the portion of the leaf that comprises that section, where the cap ends is called the shoulder of the cigar.

Without getting into blending of leaves for flavor, the body of the cigar is made up of the long leaf filler, these are whole tobacco leaves bound together and held in place by the binder. The binder is essentially a wrapper, but one that is not fit for the finished product. After the binder leaf goes on, a wrapper is put on and glued in place using a vegetable based flavorless glue. The wrapper is only glued close to the head, and to that a cap is put in place to close off the cigar.

Now I know this is just a quick 20 second run down, there is a lot more than that in terms of size, shape, whether or not a cigar is box pressed etc., however I wanted to hit on the basics so that you'll have a general understanding when I refer to different terms. Cigar Aficionado magazine has a really good Cigar 101 section that I would encourage one to check out to learn more, it is a reference I still use from time to time when I hear a term I am not familiar with.

The exciting part of cigars for me is the journey, and as with any journey there is always the anticipation of "what's next." For me I know what I have sitting in the humidor will serve as milestones on my journey, but I also know there are lots of cigars that are still to come, and make a stay no matter how brief in my humidor.

I continue to encourage you try to new items, and always be willing to suggest some for me to try as well. The cigars I write about here can serve as the starting point for your journey, I know once you get started you'll have as much fun on your journey as I am having on mine.

Until next time...

Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic

2010-06-21T17:09:00.000-07:00

There is a funny line in the movie "Bad Santa" where Billy Bob Thornton after having raided and then replenished the kids advent calendar where he says to the kid, "Hey kid, they all can't be winners." In a lot of ways that is how I feel about this cigar.

A little history here, I haven't smoked a lot of Arturo Fuente cigars, and one in particular a few years back really left me "queasy" in the stomach, but in the case of the Hemingway Classic a lot of good things were going for it.

First off, the shape is pure sex in my opinion. The perfecto and the many different versions are amongst the hardest cigars to roll, and both the head and foot on this cigar was beautiful. I went out of my way to find it at a local cigar shop, and spent the better part of 2 weeks just looking at it in the humidor waiting for the ideal time to light it up and see what it had to offer.

The second thing going for this cigar was a #7 ranking in the 2009 Cigar Aficionado top 25 rankings. A fact I'll come back to in a few minutes.

It was a cool, crisp afternoon that saw the opportunity to light this cigar up and a friend and myself headed outside to enjoy the warm sun contrasting against the crisp air. As you can see in the picture above, there is not much of a foot to roast, so after only a few seconds I was able to draw on the cigar to get a sense of what it was all about.

Initial flavor coming off the smoke suggested currant and coffee, however as the cigar burned I picked a slightly acidic flavor, my tasting notes suggest a cider like flavor that reminded me of golden raisins.

The burn was uneven, and several times during the smoke I was forced to relight however the ash structure was great in the way it held the shape of the cigar as it burned.

Here in lies the problem, this was a great cigar and I would recommend it to others to try, however being a #7 of 25 on someone else's list would suggest to me a SUPERB cigar and for that I can't honestly say it is. I mentioned earlier that they can't all be winners and perhaps that is the issue with this smoke. I expected more than I got even though what I got was great.

Make sense?

I think a lot of the fun and enjoyment of cigars is having your own personal Top 25 (or 20, or 10 et .) list of go to cigars that you feel you are the expert of no matter what other opinions state. There is so much competition in the cigar world right now, and so many good sticks being turned out to simply hang your hat on someone else's opinion without trying out some on your own leaves you missing out on what makes cigars so much fun.

So with that thought I will close, Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic is a good cigar, should you try one absolutely, but try one on its merits, not that published by a magazine by people you'll never hang out with.

Keep checking back, I've got pages of tasting notes that I want to share with you and as always, I am open to suggestions as to what to try next.

Cain Habano 660

2010-06-19T08:58:00.000-07:00

If you spend anytime around friends or colleagues who are cigar smokers, you'll ofter hear them toss around terms like big, full flavored, mild, chewy, toasty etc. Terms that cigar smokers use to describe the cigar they are smoking or have smoked in the past.

Tasting is of course subjective, and ultimately the enjoyment of the cigar you smokes has nothing to do with what others think of the taste and flavor but what you think of the taste and flavor. Does that mean you shouldn't venture out and try sticks suggested by others, of course not but always coming back to a tried and true cigar that you know you like is always alright my book.

While the discussion of flavors and tastes coming off a particular cigar can vary widely, there seems to be a general consensus when a cigar is referred to as big, bold and/or powerful. In todays review, we are going to take a look at one such cigar, the Cain Habano 660.

I really was looking forward to trying this cigar for the first time, it had a couple things going for it right out of the box that I look for. First and foremost is the Habano leaf. I prefer this leaf finding the flavor and taste to be my "go to" wrapper when choosing a cigar to enjoy. Secondly I tend to lean towards a larger ring diameter. Of course with the NUB cigars of which I have spoken of here recently, the larger diameter is a given, but on todays subject, the 60 ring gauge in conjunction with the 6" length really lends itself to a "big" cigar in more ways than one.

Finally, in looking forward to the Cain Habano 660 is just the simple fact that the cigar is straight ligero and the anticipation of a big hearty smoke is present as you remove the simply but elegant band from the foot.

The other evening had me toasting the foot of the cigar in anticipation of a great evening of hanging out with friends while enjoying the cool breeze of the evening enhanced by the ceiling fan in my screened in back porch.

I utilized a punch to open up the wrapper, and after a good minute or so of lightly toasting the foot, I took the first draw on this cigar. Initial flavor was of a big, bold roasted nut flavor that quickly settled into an extremely rich espresso flavor with a very smooth refined roasted almond taste rounding out the finish.

The ligero leaf is a heartier leaf than from other parts on the plant and tends therefore to burn slower, and this cigar was no exception only showing about an inch and a half of ash after 30 minutes or so of smoking. The cigar burned cool, aided of course by the ash, and as the evening progressed the flavors continued to develop and become more complex offering up the roasted almond flavor while the rich coffee espresso flavor developed on the draw.

After about an hour, the first ash fell at about almost 3 inches, and I relit just to insure an even burn as the new end of the cigar was slightly uneven. I intentionally got the cigar to burn hot just to get a sense of the flavors however at no point did the cigar exhibit any harshness or char even as I allowed it to burn slightly hotter than I normally do.

A versatile and flavor full cigar, but certainly not for the feint of heart. After about 90 minutes I extinguished the cigar still having almost 2 inches of the stick remaining.

This cigar was big, it was bold, it was certainly full bodied and yet it never overpowered, it allowed the flavors to develop without being to obnoxious. A cigar for the beginner, No. A cigar for someone used to big bold flavors for sure, and if along the way they become a believer as well...

...I guess at that point we can only point to the power of Cain.

La Aroma de Cuba

2010-06-16T14:54:00.001-07:00

The La Aroma de Cuba is a cigar that I was introduced to by my buddy in Detroit who owns Motor City Cigars. I always find it interesting how people meet, and in the case of my friend he found me due to an item I was selling on ebay that he needed in his IT company. Through casual banter on the phone we learn that we both enjoy cigars and start sharing different smokes we have enjoyed in the past.

It was during this initial conversation that he introduced me to his online cigar shop, and started making his own suggestions of different cigars to try. I can take credit for introducing him to the Alec Bradley, and he deserves all the credit for sending todays topic my way, the La Aroma de Cuba in the Robusto size. This little cigar has a lot going for it. The band is a work of art on its own, a simple red ribbon graces the foot of the cigar, all encompassing a wrapper that is perfect in every way.

As a regular reader of Cigar Aficionado magazine, there are a lot of cigars that routinely score in the high 80's and low 90's that don't "blow me away" and leave me questioning why such a high score, but long before CA rated the La Aroma de Cuba Robusto I knew it would score very well. (I want to make a comment here regarding ratings done by others, at the end of the day if there is a cigar you enjoy, regardless of what others might say about it, if you like it, by all means enjoy it.) Earlier this year, CA reviewed this very cigar and it scored in the low 90's, which by their definition is a must smoke smoke.

Since the first time I tried this cigar, I have been impressed with the flavor and overall smoking experience the cigar offers. In one of my more recent opportunities to smoke, I paired it with Limoncello and sat on the front porch as the fire flies lit up the night. The smoke is a full bodied rich with dark currant flavor finishing with a smooth leathery taste that leaves you anticipating the next draw.

And therein may be the genius of this cigar. The experience leaves you almost thirsty for the next draw turning what should be a good 40-50 minute smoke into a stick you quite literally burn through in 30 minutes or less. I have been amazed at how quick the ash approaches the band when enjoying this cigar, and I realized the cigar itself has one drawing on it in quicker intervals than I normally would.

And speaking of ash, the faint outline of the veining in the original wrapper carry over to the ash itself, for me one time almost 2" long before it fell, but allowing you to let the cigar burn cooler - an act I firmly believe only adds to and enhances the flavors.

I don't ever want you to think that "every" cigar I smoke is a winner, however I am going to really focus on the winners here. There have been cigars smoked that I simply have not enjoyed, but what fun is that?

So when I tell you a smoke I have enjoyed is good, it probably is something you'll want to check out for yourself. In the case of the La Aroma de Cuba, I think this is a cigar you should pick up and allow to spend sometime in your humidor. Of course if you are like me, once you smoke this brilliant cigar, it won't be spending too much time in your humidor as you literally thirst for your next opportunity to enjoy a great cigar.

Cain F (550)

2010-06-16T12:30:00.001-07:00

I had the chance to enjoy a Cain F (550) straight ligero cigar the other night while sitting outside enjoying the evening breeze. I have read a lot about the entire Cain line of cigars, and will eventually offer up reviews of several different offerings, but todays focus is specifically on the Cain F.

First impressions are usually lasting impressions, and for this cigar I was immediately impressed with the construction, the wrapper was flawless and the smell of the cigar was excellent. A stick begging to be smoked.

I used a punch to open up the head and got the cigar lit up. The first draw was a mild, oak flavored draw that finished slightly earthy, but with definite hints of leather on the palate.

A few puffs in and this cigar quickly settled into a nice, flavorful but mild smoke. I was actually expecting a little more punch to this smoke, but throughout the entire smoke which laster well over 1 hour 20 minutes when I finally set it down and finished, the cigar held a consistent flavor that never overpowered.

I mentioned the leather on the finish, and that was something the developed the deeper into the cigar I got, and the ash was nice and tight allowing for a really cool burn that never had the cigar feeling hot.

The amazing thing was that thinking you are going to get a buzz off the cigar being straight ligero is anything but true. Now, if you inhaled the cigar not stopping to enjoy it I am sure a buzz could be gotten, but the truth be told is the blender really has created a great cigar that doesn't overpower.

In coming entries I will be discussing tasting notes on the Cain Maduro and well as the Cain Habano, but I will say even for a recreational smoker the Cain F is certainly not a smoke to be ignored due to perception of the straight ligero.

After enjoying this cigar, I am excited by the coming Cain NUB cigar. That is certainly a smoke that will find a home in my humidor.

NUB Habano 460

2010-06-14T15:07:00.000-07:00

A buddy of mine in Michigan turned me on to the NUB line of cigars sort of out of necessity. I was planning a Christmas party (2009) for a group of guys that work in one of my companies, and I wanted a decent "cheap" cigar to share with them. He and I talk routinely about different cigars we have enjoyed, and he went as far as to start an online cigar shop called Motor City Cigars and he had just added the NUB line to his inventory.

He sent me down a box of NUB Cameroon 466 Box Pressed Torpedos to share with my employees, and I was immediately impressed with the flavor, the experience and the price point. I immediately became excited to try some of the other offerings within the NUB lineup, and on my next shipment a NUB Habano found its way into my smoking rotation.

It was a cold, cold January afternoon, and since I don't smoke in the house, my garage had become the de facto "man cave" for the winter months when me and friends wanted to have a cigar, but still stay warm. I remember lighting up and immediately being impressed by the flavor profile of this little cigar. Now I say little sort of tongue in cheek, as with a 60 ring gauge this is not a thin cigar, but at only 4 inches long it certainly packs a lot of tobacco into a small package.

I was sipping on a bottle of Woodchuck Hard Cider, a beverage I like to drink while smoking cigars, and the immediate flavors emanating from the cigar suggest a buttery oak flavor. Once past the initial lighting a seductive leather flavor resides on the palate and the finish hints at overtones of dark cherry.

Without a doubt I believe, the drink you pair your cigar with adds to and enhances the flavor of the smoke, and the Woodchuck I was drinking I find really gives the cigar smoke a chance to develop on the palate without overshadowing the flavor the cigar brings to the party.

Needless to say this NUB Habano along with about 12 others have found their way from humidor to ashtray this year, and it has turned into a cigar that I recommend to even a novice as the overall start, middle and finish of the cigar is excellent.

As a side note here, a NUB can be smoked for the better part of an hour, my personal best is 43 minutes however there are stories circulating on the internet of these 4 inch cigars going over an hour in length. Prior to trying any of the NUB's I was skeptical - this is really one of those you have to try it to believe it scenarios. Of course, what's so bad about that? Now you have the perfect excuse to try a NUB, and check back in and tell me if you don't become a believer as well.

Welcome and Introduction

2010-06-13T19:39:00.000-07:00

I established this blog as a personal journal of my experiences with cigars. During the past two years, I have become quite the fan of cigars, and have come to really appreciate the subtle nuances and flavor profiles created by the different manufacturers.

Similar to wine, the tobacco leaf is a vessel that carries extensive flavor profiles depending on the soil, sunlight, fermenting and other post harvesting techniques as well as the complexities it takes on when blended with other leaves from different species, regions or location on the tobacco plant itself.

I invite you to come with me on this journey as we explore the enjoyment of cigars. I have documented in photographs some of the cigars I have already enjoyed and will try to avoid using stock images instead using my own as taken when I enjoyed a particular smoke.

I will probably be a little bit biased on here citing cigars that I enjoy, sometimes I may write about the same cigar more than once, but within the confines of a different setting. And speaking of settings, I think they play as important a role as the cigar itself. A mediocre cigar enjoyed with a group of friends I feel beats out a top rated cigar smoked alone, so will try to include the who, what, when, where and why of what I smoke, and hopefully inspire you to venture out and try some of my recommendations as well.

I invite you to utilize the comment section to offer your thoughts and feedback, and of course never hesitate to offer up a suggestion of a cigar you have smoked.

Let's start out on this journey together, and pay special attention to those times that present themselves to sit back, relax and enjoy a great cigar.

Welcome and enjoy!