Congress Keeps Up Their Winning Ways

One of the most most heartening stories of the last couple years was the fact that even when President Bush's approval ratings were at their lowest, Congress' approval ratings were always lower. And so the story goes today...

A recent Rasmussen poll found that 57 percent of likely voters would like to throw out all the bums and start over (only 1 in 4 would keep the current crop of cronies).

A similar number feel that Congress is overpaid and a similar number also feel that Congressional members try to help their friends and hurt their political opponents when meeting with regulators and other government officials.

75 percent of polled people feel that members of Congress are more interested in advancing their careers than really helping the public and most feel they understand the health care bill better than the people who will actually be voting on it.

Good to know that Nancy Pelosi has done such a bang-up job "cleaning up the House," as she promised to do.

My personal prediction is that 50 seats will change hands in next fall's elections, changing the current 256-179 Democrat advantage to a 229-206 Republican advantage. I was surprised to hear Dick Morris predict (Hannity's TV show, sometime last week) that he thought 100 seats could change hands, which would be earth-shattering for the Democrat Party and agenda, resulting in a 279-156 Republican lead. Of course, that would also assume that we had someone with real conservative principles to lead the GOP...something sorely lacking in the latest standard bearers for the party, George W. Bush and John McCain.

Cigar Revisit: Macanudo 1968

Toro, 6" x 54 ring gauge
A year ago I had my first experience with the Macanudo 1968 shortly after it was introduced. I remember it being more flavorful than others in the Mac line, but I also remember it getter bitter, then dull, as the cigar progressed and I walked away unimpressed. I received 3 cigars from General Cigars in their promo for the Mac 68 and that left two sticks to put into my aging humidor. A year later, it's time to see if some aging has mellowed out the bitter flavors and improved the experience.

The Macanudo 1968 is composed of filler from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, a Habano Connecticut binder, and a Honduran wrapper. The cigar looks well-constructed except for a small blemish near the head. The aroma from the wrapper is barnyard and the foot gives off just a little chocolate along with some compost. The prelight draw was easy and the flavors had some chocolate and hints of spice.

After lighting, flavors of coffee and cocoa came through in a strictly medium-bodied smoke. There is a bit of black pepper in there, too. Before the first third was over, the stick developed a canoe you could paddle to the Gulf of Mexico in. I tried to let it self-correct, but it refused, so I taught it "the way of the flame."

The canoe did not get any better in the second third and was joined by a tightening draw. I corrected the burn; I corrected the draw. The flavor was more of a black coffee and roasted nuts by this time. Not bad, but the construction issues were very irritating.

As the final third started it seemed the burn would finally settle down evenly and the draw was working fine, too. The flavors had changed again with some leather to go along with the black coffee. Poor construction aside, this cigar was totally different from my first experience with the Mac 68. The flavors were good and complex and never got bitter or boring. I look forward to trying the others still resting in my humidor to see if they are better in the construction area.

Body: 6/10
Strength: 6/10
Complexity: 8/10

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: .5/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 7/10

Friday Funnies: Get Fuzzy!

"Get Fuzzy!" has been one of my favorite comic strips for years. Bucky the Cat is Garfield with an attitude--you know, more like a real cat! Satchel is the dumb dog--like a real dog! Yes, the creator of the strip is of a liberal mind-set, but that hasn't stopped him from actually being entertaining like it has killed the careers of people like Rosie O'Donnell, Janeane Garofalo, and George Clooney (okay, maybe Clooney's career isn't dead yet, but he's working on it). Anyway, time to laugh...

No Sugar Coating

Just read this article in on the National Review Online...

It expressed just about everything I would want to say about Senator Edward Kennedy, but in probably a more charitable manner than I would have put it. As with so many liberals (not lefty communists/fascists like Obama, mind you), Kennedy had, this article contends, only the best intentions for unfortunate and poor people when crafting some of his longest-lasting legislation. As with so many liberals, he was utterly wrong in everything he did, even if his intentions were good.

Illegal immigration problem...goes back to a Kennedy-sponsored bill in the mid-60s. Don't like the way your HMO is treating you? Blame Kennedy's 1973 legislation that created the HMO mess we now have. Have a problem with Bush's "No Child Left Behind"? Well, Ted Kennedy wrote the thing so talk to him...well, too late for that I guess.

As is usually the case with liberal ideas--they just don't work. Libs never seem to take into consideration the "law of unintended consequences" when they craft legislation. Things like: raise taxes on tobacco products to pay for children's health care, causing people to buy fewer tobacco products, leading to the unintended consequence of less money being available for the program than originally intended. Another one: give out food stamps and other welfare benefits to poor, unwed mothers...unintended consequence: a massive explosion in the numbers of poor, unwed mothers.

Liberalism assumes that people are, at heart, noble and will do the right thing whenever given the choice. Because of our sin-nature, this assumption is utterly flawed and useless. Capitalism assumes that people will probably try to take whatever advantage there is available to better themselves--if you don't take the advantage, someone else will. This promotes bettering of yourself and those you care for. Coupled with a Christian worldview, this means you can work to make your own position in society better and more stable and then use your largesse to help those around you to be better as well. This is called charity and it is a noble thing. When done with a gun pointed to your head, it is called "progressive tax policy," "spreading the wealth," fascism, or communism.

So, to expand on what I said yesterday about Ted Kennedy...yes, he was a very bad man...and so am I. I am a sinner saved only by God's grace. Maybe Kennedy was, too. I still have a very hard time, though, forgiving or forgetting the political carnage he left behind around people like Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas. I will try to think of him in better terms, though--completely and utterly misguided, although with mostly good intentions.

On the other hand, what Rush said yesterday makes sense, too..."People keep calling him the 'Lion of the Senate'...we were his prey!"

Cigar Review: CAO Six One Five

Churchill, 6.5" x 54 ring (approx size), approx. $10.25
Uptown's Smoke Shop has been one of the nation's leading smoke shops since 1985. They are located on the south side of Nashville and feature a variety of cigars, pipes, cutters, lighters, shaving accessories and other paraphernalia to appeal to the needs of the "average male." They recently celebrated their close association with Nashville-based cigar company CAO by commissioning a special blend that would be exclusive: the Six One Five (615 being Nashville's area code). It was selected by Uptown's from the Escaparate of CAO and is a Nicaraguan puro, featuring a Criollo seed maduro wrapper.

The cigar is certainly a dark maduro--almost black, in fact. The veins are fairly large and prominent, giving it a more rustic feel, completed by the semi-pigtail at the head (it looks almost like they cut the tails just a little too short). The aroma from the body is on the faint barnyard side, while the foot is a richer compost/earth aroma. The cigar is firm along the length with no soft spots.

To get into the spirit of Tennessee for this cigar, I broke out my brank new red CAO ashtray for the first time and poured some Gentleman Jack to enjoy with this cigar.

After cutting, the prelight draw was very easy and the flavors are sweet and rich with chocolate and coffee. Upon lighting, there was considerable earth and a little spice, along with a citrus-y tang on the finish. The smoke was thick and tended toward the full-bodied side. As the first third progressed, the tang gave way to a more peppery, spicy finish that built up pretty rapidly until black pepper was the dominant flavor.

The pepper mellowed out early in the second third and the flavor that emerged to take its place was a rich tobacco with coffee overtones. The burn so far was excellent--very even for the most part with no need for any touch-ups. The draw continued to be excellent.

As the last third started, I got more of that citrus note--unusual for a cigar, but pleasant nonetheless. Again the "tang" did not last very long, though, and was replaced this time by an espresso and baking cocoa flavor. The Six One Five also started to display some nicotine kick at this point, something that I did not notice when I smoked the smaller robusto size.

In the past I have been singularly unimpressed with cigars commissioned by retail stores to sell as the "house" or "exclusive" brand--from a couple B&Ms I frequented in California to some of CI's special sticks, they have usually been either lackluster or just overpriced. I have to hand it to Uptown's and CAO, though, they have collaborated on a real winner of a cigar that is powerful, tasty and complex. It could have been a great addition to CAO's regular lineup and Uptown's should be very proud to be the exclusive seller of this one.

Body: 9/10
Strength: 8/10
Complexity: 8/10

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value:1/1
Total: 9.5/10

Cigars for the Recession: Castle Hall

Connecticut Salamon, 7.1" x 58 ring, $2.85
According to Cigar Bid, where I purchases these cigars, "Castle Hall is an old Cuban label that Gurkha has re-mastered to sheer perfection." Made in Esteli, Nicaragua, this cigar combines Nicaraguan and Honduran filler with a Cameroon binder and Connecticut wrapper.

The Castle Hall Salamon is a good-looking cigar for less than $3. The wrapper is smooth and silky with just a little bit of oil. There are some spots and the color is anything but perfectly smooth; the cigar feels pretty lumpy and bumpy, too. The cap and foot have additional pieces of tobacco on them and the color does not match, leading you to conclude that they came from different leaves. The aroma is nice, mild tobacco from the body; because of the shape, there is no aroma on the foot. The appearance would be unacceptable on a cigar that costs even $7 or $8, but take it for what it is--you cannot expect impeccable construction and wrap for $3 per stick.

The cigar lit well and drew well from the start--almost too well, in fact--this cigar was evidently a fairly loose pack, but (again) can you complain about that in a $3 salamon measuring 7 inches? Flavor-wise there is some hay and grass with just a little black pepper--so far quite mild but very nice for a Saturday morning on the porch with a cup of coffee.

Toward the end of the first third, I found that the Castle Hall provided plenty of smoke and maintained a mild body with plenty of creamy notes, but there was still a bit of pepper sticking out from time to time.

The cigar continued mostly the same through the second and last thirds--creamy and occasionally nutty with hints of black pepper. Not the most complex smoke in the world, but definitely a high-quality, mild bargain cigar. More than worth the money spent!

Grade: A-

Somebody Get a Stake

It's often been said "if you can't say anything nice about somebody, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah." Or something like that, anyway.

It's probably not the time to dance on Kennedy's grave, though; not when Obama, et al., will try using his death as a new way to ram through the so-called Healthcare "Reform" package.

Suffice to say (for now) that Ted Kennedy was the poster-child for the phrase "a very bad man." If I had to say anything nice about him, all I'm left to say is...he's dead...and that's a good thing.

Cigar Review: Arturo Fuente

Chateau Fuente Maduro, 4.5" x 50 ring gauge, $6.00
The Fuente Cigar Company is legendary, and the current head of said company, Carlos Jr. or "Carlito," is probably the most recognizable man in the cigar industry--and their cigars aren't bad, either! The Chateau Fuente is from their original "A. Fuente" line with the green trim around the bottom of the band. There is really no information available on the Fuente website, but from what I can gather from other sources, thie filler and binder are Dominican and the wrapper is a Connecticut Broadleaf maduro. The cigar is wrapped in a cedar sleeve with a bit of green ribbon at the bottom, making for a very classy presentation.

The cedar wrap hides a very rustic and rough wrapper that has a couple of very large veins evident. The wrapper is oily and a very dark brown. The aroma from the body is barnyard, and from the foot it's the same, only stronger. The prelight draw was slightly tighter than I prefer but not too bad. The flavors were a mix of cocoa, hay, and spice--all of them on the less-than-strong side.

This cigar was as hard to light as an LFD Ligero or Double-Ligero, but the volume of smoke was pretty decent when I finally did get it going. Immediately, the flavors were full and rich--black coffee, cedar and leather. Those flavors hung around during the first third, but a problem reared its head very early in the cigar and it proved to be the cigar's undoing--the draw was horrible. This stogie got continually tighter as I smoked despite repeated attempts to open it up.

I solidiered on, though...the second third started off more leathery and, because of the constant burn problems, a little harsh. There was still some coffee flavor, but it was starting to become more of a "burnt coffee."

Unfortunately, even as this cigar burned down to the last third, the draw did not improve--even as it burned to a length that was shorter than the pipe tool I used to attempt to open up the draw! The flavors continued to get more harsh, leaving a rather unpleasant finish. Eventually the draw opened up a bit more, but it was pretty much too late to salvage a good experience. Given the long history of the Fuente cigar company, it is hard to believe that this is at all typical of this cigar, so...I am going to decline to assign a numerical rating at this time. I will revisit this cigar at some point in the not-too-distant future, hopefully getting a cigar from a different batch and different box and getting a more typical experience.

Cigar Review: Ashton VSG

Torpedo, 6.5" x 55 ring gauge, $14.25
The Ashton Virgin Sun Grown is a "special" cigar in several ways. First, it represents the upper end of the Ashton line, just below the Estate Sun Grown (ESG). Second, it is the result of a collaboration of 3 cigar dynasties: Carlos Fuente, Jr., uses 4 to 5 year-old Dominican tobaccos for the filler and a sun-grown Ecuadorian wrapper grown on a private estate owned by the Oliva family. I admit to not being a big Ashton fan through the years. My first experience with them was their regular line in a natural wrapper and I remember the experience as being very close to smoking cardboard. I have enjoyed Don Pepin Garcia's creations for Ashton, though, both the San Cristobal and the Benchmade; and I have enjoyed the several La Aroma de Cubas that I have gotten my hands on.

The wrapper is a medium-dark brown with light veining. The box-press shape was soft and slightly rounded. The aroma from the wrapper had faint hints of barnyard and a little cocoa, while the foot was a richer dark chocolate. The prelight draw was mildly sweet with some cocoa and coffee flavors that I usually detect on Nicaraguan smokes. The flavors upon light-up were rather mild and understated, but still pleasant: there was some coffee and cream along with a hint of something floral. The smoke was fairly thick. Midway through the first third, the flavor got more nutty of character and the coffee flavor changed to more of a black/no cream. There was also a little pepper--probably best characterized as white pepper as it was very mild.

During the second third, the VSG built a bit in body, becoming a solid high-medium bodied stick. The flavors of coffee were still prevalent and the pepper started to built a bit becoming a stronger black pepper flavor.

As the last third stated, there was almost no pepper spice left, but there was a strong, black coffee element as well as a flavor of roasted nuts. The construction was very good on the VSG--the draw was just a tiny bit tighter than I prefer, but eminently smokable, and the burn was quite even. This was overall a very good cigar, but I hesitate to say it is worth a $14 price tag when there are other sticks in that price range that are more powerful and/or more flavorful (Opus X and Padron 1964 to name two). It might, however, be a good stick for a relative newbie who wants something "special" that will not overwhelm them.

Body: 7/10
Strength: 5/10
Complexity: 7/10

Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 0/1
Total: 8/10

Cigar Website Review: Camacho

I first had opportunity to come across the Camacho website while doing research for a couple of their cigars that I was reviewing. Previous to that, I had not been a huge fan of Camacho's cigars, so I had not had any reason to go to their website, but I was very impressed by their style and efficient use of Flash technology to produce a site that is attractive, informative and easy-to-use.

I have made my views on Flash-based sites very well known: most of the time, they are vehicles for crazy eye-candy that causes massive download times on anything less than cable internet connections and is terribly difficult to navigate. Great examples of this are the Cigar Family site (Fuente and Newman) and the Rocky Patel site; one great exception to this rule is CAO. Camacho is another exception. From the start--the home page--the load time is not exceptionally long, and to make things even better, you are not stuck...most of the links are available to click on before the rest of the page loads.

The page on company history is broken in different sections for the "History of Camacho," "Tobacco in Honduras," and "Production Tour." Each of these sections has easy-to-read pages linked that tell the story of the cigar company.

The "Cigars" section is broken down into sections for "Super Premium," "Premium," and "Core Brand" (brand that are made by them but marketed under different names). Each cigar has its own page with a description of what the cigar's "claim to fame" or taste profile is, a listing of where the different tobaccos used hail from, and a list of available vitolas.

Their "Events" page is clean, easy to read, and--most importantly--up-to-date. There is nothing listed before August 21 (as of this writing) and events are listed as far out as December.

"Where To Buy" is also easy-to-use and very intuitive.

Probably what is most notable about the site is that "Back" and "Forward" buttons will work on your web browser when on this site. Although there is quite a bit of Flash used on the site, they have judiciously sprinkled it throughout the HTML and CSS pieces rather than make the whole site a Flash extravaganza...smart. Whoever designed this site deserves major kudos for their clean and attractive design and coding. Instead of the train wreck that many Flash sites turn out to be, Camacho's site is a joy.

Grade: A

Friday Funnies

Goin' Back to Cali

I will be spending a long weekend in California. One of my freelance jobs is paying for me to come out for essentially about 8 hours, but I am able to parlay that into two days where I won't be running around and traveling from one coast to the other. So...12 hours from now, God willing, I'll be herfing it up with my old Tiki Bar friends. And tomorrow is looking like an all-day herf...God only know how many cigars I'll end up smoking before this weekend is over...it's almost like another Big Smoke weekend! See you guys, soon!

Conspiracy Theory

Apparently the "Vast Right Wing Conspiracy" never sleeps. In the 90s, Hillary Clinton uncovered the VRWC as it tried to undo her husband's presidency by forcing him to have sexual relations with an intern and then lie about it under oath. Now the VRWC is forcing housewives and the elderly to swarm down on Democrat politicians' town hall meetings and badger them about the so-called "reform" bills that are making their way through various committees in the House and Senate.

Nothing like taking responsibility for your own actions and failures, eh, Mr. President? I would suggest that you go "flag yourself" but your minions took that web address down already.

Firearms Refresher Course

"Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not."
- Thomas Jefferson

1. An armed man is a citizen. An unarmed man is a subject.
2. A gun in the hand is better than a cop on the phone.
3. Colt: the original point-and-click interface.
4. Gun control is not about guns; it's about control.
5. If guns are outlawed, can we use swords?
6. If guns cause crime, then pencils cause misspelled wordz.
7. Free men do not ask permission to bear arms.
8. If you don't know your rights, you don't have any.
9. The Second Amendment is in place in case the politicians ignore the others.
10. 64,999,987 firearms owners killed no one yesterday.
11. Guns only have two enemies: rust and politicians.
12. You don't shoot to kill; you shoot to stay alive.

Go ahead...hug a gun-shop owner today! :)

Cigar Review: Nub Connecticut

354, 3.75" x 54 ring gauge, approx. $4.50
I am on record saying that the Nub Connecticut is "the best mild cigar on the market." I felt strongly enough about that opinion that I bought a whole box of them at the Nub Live Kickoff event in Nashville a few months ago, and took the opportunity to tell Nub creator, Sam Leccia, my opinion. I have recently smoked 2 new mild smokes that I considered to be in the same league as the Nub (the Oliva and Camacho Connecticuts), so I thought it was a great time to revisit one of my old favorites and see how it holds up.

The wrapper is smooth and the color of a cafe latte. The smell from the body is hay and barnyard, while the foot exhibits some barnyard and a bit of cocoa. Although I have had a Nub with a bad draw, it is quite unusual--the prelight draw on the 354 was perfect and the flavors were hay and a little cream and honey. After lighting there was cream and a hit of spice on the tip of the tongue. The spice spread a little through subsequent puffs. The smoke was creamy, heavy and thick.

Through the first third the 354 was mild in body but full in flavor. Contradictory? No--there was a good dose of spice, but it was joined by more delicate flavors of cream, honey, and hay and a smoke that was thick and heavy, but that did not coat your mouth with an oily film or hang around your head longer than you want.

During the second third, the spice mellowed out to more of a supporting flavor, while the cigar as a whole got more creamy and sweet. It remained in the high-mild category for body. The draw was uniformly great and the burn line was nearly perfectly straight (this is ocassionally a problem with Nubs--I've had quite a few taht canoed).

The final third continued much the same in the construction department. The flavors tended toward more of a nutty character that made my mouth dry. In all, a really great cigar, but no longer my favorite mild smoke--sorry, Sam, but the Olive Connecticut currently holds the crown. I bought a whole box of these and will continue to enjoy them, though, especially as an early-morning smoke with some strong, black coffee.

Body: 3/10
Strength: 3/10
Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10

Cigar Review: El Baton

Double Torpedo, 6.25" x 56 ring gauge, $5.95
The El Baton is the latest offering from the J.C. Newman cigar company, best known for Diamond Crown and Cuesta Rey. Although the El Baton has been out the better part of a year, there is no mention of it on their website, so I had to gather information from other sources. To the best of my knowledge, this is a Nicaraguan puro with a Corojo wrapper.

When released from its plastic prison, the El Baton gave off a strong barnyard aroma. From the foot the smell was sweeter, more chocolate and coffee. The cigar looks well-made, although maybe not from the finest raw materials. The wrapper is quite veiny and the cigar is rather lumpy. Feeling the length of it, there do not seem to be any soft or rock-hard spots, so hopes are high for thoroughly good construction characteristics.

The prelight draw had flavors of coffee, baking cocoa and just a little bit of spice. After lighting there was black coffee, black pepper and a whiff of nutmeg. The draw is good and the volume of smoke was more than sufficient. During the rest of the first third, the coffee was the most common flavor, while the pepper diminished and the nutmeg popped up from time to time. The draw tightened up early on, requiring several measures to open it back up, none of which were completely successful.

The draw unexpectedly finally opened up in the second third, making the stick that much more enjoyable. The nutmeg and spice became distant memories as the undertones turned more nutty; the flavors of black coffee held on throughout.

Winding up, the last third continued the dominance of the coffee flavor with a healthy roasted nut supporting flavor. The El Baton is a very good cigar, while never treading in the path of greatness. It has a nice body, medium-to-full, and a decent amount of complexity. It is too expensive to fall into the bargain smoke category, but is still priced reasonably as an everyday cigar. Keith had told me that he had one of these earlier this year and it was quite bad; so bad that the cigar store owner was giving them out to get rid of them! The only thing I can figure is that something happened to that box, because this was not a bad cigar at all.

Body: 7/10
Strength: 6/10
Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1.5/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 8.5/10

Cigars for the Recession: Benchmade

Gordo, 5.5" x 54 ring gauge, $3.85 at my local B&M (far less online)
Here is a double-whammy of unexpectedness for a cigar that falls into the "Cigars for the Recession" review banner: first, this is an Ashton product; second, it is made for them by Don Pepin Garcia. Yes, I am reviewing yet another Garcia blend--can you throw a rock in a humidor and not hit four or five of his creations these days? According to the Ashton website, these cigars are Nicaraguan puros, as well, so this should be an interesting ride, to say the least. Central question here: can a sub-$4 cigar from Pepin Garcia stand up to the Tatuajes, San Cristobals, and My Fathers?

The look of the Benchmade is on the rustic side with a mottled medium-brown wrapper and an ugly pigtail cap. The cigar looks like it has not been treated nicely, with a slightly squished foot and a bit of loose tobacco sticking to it. But it smells great! The body has a classic humidor aroma with a touch of barnyard; the foot is rich compost and cocoa. The prelight draw is excellent--no surprise, since the pigtail required removing almost the entire end. The prelight flavors are chocolate, hay and a little spice.

Initial impression after lighting--spice, black pepper, black coffee, great draw, lots of smoke volume. A cigar with this pedigree should not disappoint and, so far, this does not. This was a really great-tasting stogie!

Halfway through the cigar, my only negative observation was that it seemed to smoke rather quickly, but that should not be a huge surprise in a stick made partly with short-filler leaf. The flavor remained fantastic--peppery with coffee notes and a nice medium-to-full body with a little kick.

This is by far the best cigar I have smoked in the "budget" category. At a little over $2/stick when purchased online by the box, it is a foregone conclusion that I will be making a large purchase of these soon. Thank you, Ashton, for delving into the bargain end of the market. Thank you, Don Pepin Garcia, for making a cheap smoke that can easily stand with the more expensive offerings bearing your name.

Grade: A+

Cigar Review: El Rico Habano

Rico Club, 5.5" x 54 ring gauge, approx. $7
The El Rico Habano was originally created by Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, Sr. in 1970. It was a well-received and popular cigar until it was forced out of production by a tobacco shortage in 1994. Ernesto Jr. re-introduced this full-bodied, full-flavored stick to the General Cigar family in 2001. It features Nicaraguan filler and binder and a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper (Ecuadorian Sumatra for the natural version). At least until the time Ernesto Jr. left the General fold earlier this year, this was his favorite cigar--"the cigar in his pocket."

This beastly cigar has been sitting in my humi since last November's Big Smoke. While I have loved every El Rico Habaho I have smoked, I always find them a bit intimidating as they are usually exceptionally strong. The wrapper is dark and oily. There are a few big veins and a chunk of tobacco is missing, but that could be due to bad handling by me during or after the show, so I will not count that against it. The smell from the body is earthy and leathery; from the foot there is a little sweetness along with some barnyard. Being a strong cigar, I prepared well: I ate a couple home-grilled burgers beforehand--plenty of premium beef on the gut to combat the effects of premium cigar nicotine kick!

The cold draw was perfect and the flavors were mostly dark chocolate with a significant spicy tingle on the lips. It was so good, I felt like just continuing to cold-puff on it for hours...but I didn't! I lit 'er up and it sprang almost immediately into a mouth-coating, full body with flavors of espresso and earth. There was also a hint of cocoa from time to time, especially on the retrohale (which was surprisingly smooth for such a powerful stick).

By the mid-point of the second third, one word could sum up my thoughts on this smoke: dark. The flavor was still predominantly espresso, with some dark, rich, composty aroma and an increasing amount of dark chocolate. The body was very full and the smoke is oily and heavy, leaving a coating on the inside of yourmouth. Construction was superb--the burn line was straight, the smoke was cool and the cigar burned slowly and consistently.

Into the last third, the body and strength of this stick was formidable. Unlike other stogies with this kind of strength, though, the flavors of this cigar were fantastic still. It may not be the most complex smoke out there, but it definitely does pack the flavor as well as a punch. Great stick--attempt to smoke this only if you are an experienced smoker!

Body: 10/10
Strength: 9/10
Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10

Cigar Website Review: Oliva

The Oliva Cigar company has made a big splash in the cigar industry by offering fantastic smokes at relative bargain prices, from the old standbys like the O and the G, to the newer stars like the Serie V and Connecticut Reserva, and the upcoming new release of Cain. Oliva has made their web presence as easy to use as their cigars are easy to enjoy.

Oliva has bucked the trend of using Flash to enhance the "eye candy" of a web site. Instead, they rely on classy graphics and professional use of color to create a website that looks serious and attractive, but loads in less than 3 seconds on a DSL line.

There is a page dedicated to a short history of the Oliva family and their history in the cigar industry. The Events pages is a long list of events rather than being in a calendar format. I prefer the calendar format as it is easier to see at a glance what day of the week an event falls on and therefore, it is easier to determine if you will be able to make that event. The calendar is mostly up-to-date, showing events from June through August and some into September; there is an August 26 event showing for Burns' downtown shop, but the whole calendar should be updated sometime very soon to be able to be considered up-to-date as June and July event postings do noone much good at the moment.

The "Find a Tobacconist" feature works fairly well, although not perfectly. When I put in my zip code, and 50 miles as the radius, it returns pretty much every tobacco store in the state of Tennessee that carries Oliva's cigars, including stores in Knoxville, Nashville, Franklin, and Memphis. The only ones it should have returned are Burns' two stores in Chattanooga. That said, it is better than coming back with no returns, which I've seen happen in other sites searches.

There is a great section on "Cigar Fundamentals" that works to teach the novice smoker how to store cigars, how to smoke them, and dispels some common misconceptions. This is not something every company needs to feature on their site, but I am glad that at least one company does--it shows they care about how people take care of their purchases when they leave the cigar shop.

They also have a page showing the ratings their cigars have received from such diverse publications as Cigar Aficionado/Cigar Insider, European Cigar Cult Journal and a publication called Cigar Snob.

The most important thing about a cigar company's website, though, is...the cigars! What do they tell you about them? Oliva has a page for each "Serie" of cigars they sell. Each page shows the range of vitolas that are available, has some information about country of origin for the different tobaccos in the blend, as well as some "Blending Notes" and tips on aging. The only cigar I could see missing was the newest: the Connecticut Reserva. I would definitely say this is a "dropped the ball" moment; there is really no excuse for a new product to come out and there to be no information on the website for any longer than a month afterwards. I had my first Connecticut in late May or early June, so it has been at least two months. Maintained properly, it should not take much work to add new products to the site within days or just a few weeks of them hitting the store.

Overall, I found Oliva's website attractive, easy to navigate, quick to load, and a great source of information, although that information is not updated as often as it should be.

Grade: A-

Friday Funnies: Word to Live By

Thank you to Stogie from the Nashville Cigar Club for posting this on July 21, 2009:

Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats and that's it. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable slop.

Q: Is beer or wine bad for me?
A: Look, it goes to the earlier point about fruits and vegetables. As we all know, scientists divide everything in the world into three categories: animal, mineral, and vegetable. We all know that beer and wine are not animal, and they are not on the periodic table of elements, so that only leaves one thing, right? My advice: Have a burger and a beer and enjoy your liquid vegetables.

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain-No Pain.

Q: If I stop smoking, will I live longer?
A: Nope. Smoking is a sign of individual expression and peace of mind. If you stop, you'll probably stress yourself to death in record time.

Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A: You're not listening. Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.

I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had.

Cigar Review: El Triunfador

Lancero, 7.5" x 38 ring gauge, $8.80
Less than a year ago, this cigar did not exist. Actually, if you listen to the man behind the cigar, Pete Johnson of Tatuaje, it still does not exist. He called it "a ghost cigar." He did not want a lot of buzz about this project and he apparently got his wish at least for a while--it still does not appear on any official company website. Nevertheless, I am holding one in my left hand as I put pen to paper with my right--El Triunfador is definitely not a figment of my imagination. According to other sources, the filler and binder of this stick are Nicaraguan while the wrapper is a Connecticut Broadlead, either naturally dark or maduro depending on who you listen to (sometimes there are distinct disadvantages to the progenitor of a cigar disavowing its existence). It only comes in one size (lancero) at the moment, although I have heard a rumor of another size being introduced soon. It is rolled for Pete Johnson by, guess who!, Don Pepin Garcia.

This cigar has a classy, rustic look. The wrapper is dark with just a little oil and a lot of tooth. The cap is tripled with a pigtail and the band is minimalist, like pretty much all of Johnson's lines. The aroma from the body is "classic humidor" with just a touch of compost coming from the foot.

The cold draw had a sweet flavor with a bit of chocolate but also some black coffee and spicy notes. After lighting, the flavor is more black coffee than chocolate, but there is a bit of spice to it still, as you would expect from a Garcia cigar.

Before the first third was done, the Triunfador started exhibiting draw problems, making it the second time in as many sticks that this had happened to me. Both sticks were bought at the same time from the same box, so it could be a bad batch. I've had bad burns once before, I think, on a different batch, and this definitely happens from time-to-time on lanceros, but still a bummer. As the first third finished up and the second started, the flavors were of coffee and cedar. The burn line also started to go awry at this point, making me wonder if Don Pepin Garcia's Quality Control unit was on vacation when this was made.

The last Triunfador I had continued to plague me for the entire length, but this one did not. Fortunately, the burn line straighted up during the second third and before the last third started the draw was dramatically better. The coffee flavor persisted and there was a leathery aspect as well as the cedar; the spice was a long-gone memory.

Except for the brown-label Tatuaje, this is perhaps my favorite Pete Johnson stick. Even though it is more apt to have construction issues because of the size, I always come back for more. It is a medium-to-full smoke that packs plenty of flavor.

Body: 7/10
Strength: 6/10
Complexity: 8/10

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1.5/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9/10

Flying the Warming Skies?

Senator Debbie Stabenow (I heard a constituent refer to her as "Stab-me-now"--priceless!) of Michigan goes on and on about how bad global warming is, including claiming that she can feel it "when I'm flying." The blog entry points out that Michigan just had the coolest July in...ever! At least since they started keeping records. And, faith-and-begorra, the Great Lakes are starting to fill up again, resuming a cycle that has been going on since before the Indians held the land.

The interesting thing is that she talks about how bad the tornadoes and hurricanes have become because of global warming. Here's what I remember from tornado season this year, having lived through it in an state that actually gets them: there were some! Murfreesboro got hit hard this year; some other states got hit hard by the stray twister. I also seem to remember the Weather Channel, faith-keepers in the global warming cult, devoting a lot of time to "Vortex," some kind of 2 weeks long tornado-hunt in the middle of "Tornado Alley." In which time they actually were able to follow and study about...0 tornadoes. There actually may have been 1 or 2 during that two week period, but there were definitely no more than that.

Hurrican Season is upon us here in the "mid-Atlantic" and "South" states. Surely no one can forget 4 years ago when Hurricane Katrina pounded the Gulf shore in the last days of August. Katrina starts with "K" which means it was the 11th named storm of the season; tropical depressions are numbered until they hit tropical storm status, when they are given an alphabetical name. At this moment that I write this, we are looking at "Tropical Depression 2" which they believe may, or may not, become Tropical Storm Anna sometime this weekend. That's right: the first named storm of the season...on August 15. By August 15, 2005, we were up to Hurricane Irene.

How's that global warming working out for you, Senator Stab-me-now?

IPCPR Update

I'm not posting a bunch of IPCPR updates this week for two reasons: first, at least 3 other sites that I know of are doing a bang-up job of getting those updates out; second, and more importantly, I'm not in New Orleans!!!

This, though, could not go unreported... CAO's LX2 Salamon size. Color me intrigued...

Cigar Review: Rocky Patel Vintage 1990

Perfecto, 4" x 48 ring gauge, approx. $5
One of Rocky Patel's most heralded ilnes is the Vintage series, both 1990 and 1992. The 1990 I smoked for this review has Nicaraguan and Dominican filler, a Nicaraguan binder, and a Honduran Broadleaf wrapper that is aged 12 years. As Rocky Patel's website is one of the worst in the industry, there is pretty much no other information available.

The wrapper on this little sparkplug is very dark and has very little oil, even though kept in a cello wrapper. Construction looks good. There are no large veins or defects noticeable. The aroma from the body is very faint, but of tobacco with a hint of leather. Being a perfecto, there is really no aroma from the foot. In the interest of making things...well, interesting...I poured some Wild Turkey Rye Whiskey to enjoy with this cigar. As I compare my whiskey to my cigr, it occurs to me that this little bit of a cigar would be completely submerged if I dropped it into the glass--and I did not pour that much!

After carefully clipping (very carefully--you don't want to cut the cigar in half!), I observed that the prelight flavor was mildly sweet and creamy while the draw was crap--but it was a perfecto, so that is to be expected for the first few minutes (of course, this thing is so small, it might not last more than a few minutes).

As I was starting to run out of insulting remarks about the cigar's size, I decided to light it up. The draw was pretty bad for the first puff only, then opened up very nicely. The flavors are earthy and leathery. I know Rocky hates it when his cigars are described as leathery, but if the shoe fits...shoe leather, that is! There is some underlying sweetness, too, and a bit of a chemical aftertaste that is not all that pleasant.

Through the first third, the Vintage 1990 displayed a medium-body and flavors of earth and tobacco. Unfortunately, it just did not get more interesting than that. It was not a bad cigar, but it simply does not have the level of flavor interest that something similarly sizes, like a Fuente Short Story, has.

The second third was pretty much the same and the last third...well, this thing was so small there was no last third. Overall, it was an okay cigar and I would be curious to try it in a regular-sized vitola, but there just was not much flavor packed into this one. Good things come in small packages...but not this time.

Body: 4/10
Strength: 3/10
Complexity: 4/10

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 2/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 6.5/10

Cigar Review: Cubao

No. 1, 7.125" x 49 ring gauge, approx. $11
The Cubao is brought to us by the same team that produces the 601 series of cigars: Espinosa y Ortega of United Tobacco and Don Pepin Garcia. The cigars are made in Garcia's factory in Esteli, Nicaragua and are made from a blend of Nicaraguan filler and binder along with an Ecuadorian Sumatra Oscuro wrapper.

Upon taking the cigar out of its cello wrapper, the aroma is overwhelming and powerful--almost enough to knock me out of my seat. The aroma of cocoa is strongest but there is also some coffee and manure present. The wrapper is exquisitely oily but there is a sizable patch about 2 inches above the foot. There are no soft spots, though, and this cigar looks, feels and smells good enough to eat. The prelight draw has just a bit of resistance and the flavors are sweet and spicy.

At the beginning, the flavors that stood out the most were dark-roast coffee and roasted nuts. There was also a decent amount of spice after the first few puffs. Very rapidly the spice and pepper became the dominant flavors. By the end of the first third, though, the spice mellowed a bit allowing for the slightly bitter flavor of dark coffee to come back through. The ash fell off in neat one-inch segments showing a quality construction; the draw and burn line were also impeccable so far.

Shortly into the second third, I started to realize that this was an intense cigar--very full-bodied and already having some nicotine kick. The flavors are intense, too, whether it be the coffee or spice that is currently in the fore. As this segment progressed, the flavors took a more nutty turn.

After proclaiming how bold and intense the Cubao became by the second third, I was very surprised that it mellowed out so much in the last third. There were cocoa notes and an underlying coffee flavor but no spice to speak of and nothing as "in your face" as when I first lit up. Nonetheless, this is definitely not a cigar for beginners--overall, it is full and strong and one of the most complex smokes I have had. Great selection for the cigar connoisseur. It is a little pricey but worth every penny for those occasions you choose to spend the cash.

Body: 9/10
Strength: 8/10
Complexity: 10/10

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 1.5/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9/10

New Art from the People's Cube

Check out the new art regarding Obama's "snitch line" courtesy of the People's Cube...

Second Opinion: Camacho Triple Maduro

11/18, 6" x 48 x 54 x 48 ring gauge, approx. $12
Camacho advertises the Triple Maduro as "the world's only all-maduro cigar" and claims that it took a full year's work to get the right blend of 5 maduro tobaccos to both burn and taste right. I had a Triple Maduro not too long after they first became available and I walked away with the general impression that the cigar was all about the power, but did not provide much in the way of flavor. Several people encouraged me to try it again and at least one recommended the 11/18 size as a way to get the most flavor.

Starting off, the appearance of the TripMad is striking--the very dark maduro wrapper contrasts well with the silver foil of the bands (there is an extra one on the foot). The wrapper is slightly oily and not overly veiny or rough. There was a little give when pinched but no real soft spots. The aroma from the body was faintly of cocoa; from the foot there was more barnyard mixed in with some chocolate. The prelight draw has the strong flavor of dark chocolate and there is some spice there as well.

The cigar started off, surprisingly, with the light flavors of hay and honey...just kidding! Out of the gate, this cigar is bold and in your face with flavors of espresso bean, roasted nuts and bitter cocoa. The cigar was extra-difficult to light and get to burning properly and the fullness of body was practically off the scale. Once burning, the cigar gave up copious amounts of rich, thick smoke. I imagine this would be every anti-smoking Nazi's worst dream--which is reason in and of itself to smoke these in public!

Through the first third the smoke continues to exhibit the bitter flavors of espresso and cocoa and it began crossing the border into harshness. The flavors are more interesting than I remembered, but the harsh edge was a little off-putting.

The second third is where things got really interesting--no doubt because of the thicker ring gauge at that point, the smoke mellowed somewhat and the harshness abated. The flavor of roasted nuts became more prominent and some black pepper became noticeable, especially on the finish. The draw was great to this point and the burn line was very even, with no need to correct it.

The final third tended toward harshness again, but not to the same extent as the first third. The flavors during this time were more earthy but there was still an essence of espresso there. Overall, this stick did change my opinion of the TripMad somewhat. I have to admit that it is a flavorful and complex cigar with a body that is hard to believe and strength right up there with the LFD Double Ligero Chisel. The one big problem still is the exorbitant price tag and that will prevent this stick from ever being more than a special occasion smoke for me. I did like this more than the fabled Scorpion, also by Camacho, though, and have to put it in the small group of cigars by Camacho that I have actually enjoyed.

Body: 10/10
Strength: 10/10
Complexity: 8/10

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 8.5/10

Un-American Americans

In the old debate over whether Nancy Pelosi is a "bad person" or the "worst person," she is trying ever so hard to win the "worst person" contest. Her latest vile spewance is a column in today's USA Today, written along with Steny Hoyer, who really ought to know better. She and Hoyer (but I'm better mostly she) are calling those who are protesting at Democrat town hall meetings "un-American" because they don't want "both sides to be heard" in the ongoing health care debate.

The truth is, Pelosi, Reid, Obama, et al, are the ones who do not want both sides being heard--in this or any other debate! They tried to cram this bill through on an "urgent" basis so no one would have time to read and understand what is in it then got upset when people started proclaiming from the mountain-tops what is in it. By her own definition Nancy Pelosi is "un-American." Really...she ought to be happy she lives in this day and age of America, because if she lived in Puritan Salem, Massachusetts, she would be feeling some searing heat about now! Actually, I take that back, she would be one of the ones accusing others of being witches and would be instrumental in burning them alive--just like she is accusing others of being "Nazis" when her own tactics mirrors those of Hitler's regime. For this, she has earned a new nickname: no longer will she be "Nancy Pe-lousy" (bad person) but "Nazi Pelosi" (worst person).

Smoke One For...

...Tiger Woods! Barely a year after possibly career-altering, perhaps career-ending, knee reconstruction surgery, he won his 70th professional tournament in spectacular fashion yesterday, almost holing his third shot on the 16th hole from 180+ yards. He has only entered 12 events this year, but he has finished in the top 10 in 10 of those and outright won 5 of them! Yesterday he became only the third player in golf history to win 70 tourneys or more and the first in history to win the same event 7 times. Tiger on a bad day is better than most golfers on their best; watching him play is like watching art in motion: like watching Michael Jordan on his way to 6 championship rings; like watching Phil Keaggy create music live.

Wisdom and Pride

I just read this article by Maria Hinojosa, a commentator for CNN and NPR, two institutions not exactly well-known for their "fair and balanced" viewpoints (more like "fairly leftist"). She talks about how her daughter wants to wear an "I am a Wise Latina" t-shirt and how she thinks of herself as a "Wise Latina" and how this all ties in with the recent seating of Sonia Sotomayor on the Supreme Court and the future influence of latinos/latinas in American politics.

What occurred to me as I read it, though, was the utter chutzpah it takes to declare yourself "wise" whether you have been asked to sit on the Supreme Court or are simply a commentator paid by a government-run agency to blather on about your opinions or the daughter of that commentator. It seems to me that those who think of themselves as "wise," at least publicly, are probably the least wise among us. Pride does not equal wisdom. Experience does not equal wisdom. Education does not even equal wisdom.

What does equal wisdom? Like the man said, "I don't know, but I know it when I see it!" Wisdom is a fairly intangible quality. It is very difficult to define it; much easier to define what it is not. I think declaring yourself wise is a sign that you are not.

Whether or not the quality of wisdom is a qualification to sit on the Supreme Court is yet another question that has not been answered. I think it is important, but since there are different types of wisdom, I think you have to define it further. I think the most important qualification to sit on the Supreme Court is this: this person is the absolute best mind in the country, at this point in time, who is willing to take the job, with regard to the understanding of the U.S. Constitution and what the framers' intent was when writing it. If the person does not meet that basic requirement, he or she should be rejected by both the President for consideration and the Senate for confirmation. Harriet Miers was lacking in that area and President Bush rightly was called on the issue. Sonia Sotomayor has been tried and found lacking in this area as well (as much or more than Miers, in fact) and should have been rejected.

Get Out of Your Own Way?

Seems to me this is Obama telling Barney Fwank, Chris Dodd, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and, well, himself, so shut the hell up and get out of the way!!!

Steven Crowder vs. Governator

Cigar Website Review: Cigar Family

If you want to see the official web presence of the Arturo Fuente cigar company, you do not go to "fuente.com" or "arturofuente.com"...instead you head over to www.cigarfamily.com. The Cigar Family is a combining of forces of the Fuente and Newman families into a unified web presence showcasing all--well, almost all--of their cigars. Unfortunately, someone sold these families a bill of goods by convincing them that Flash-based sites are the best option for this type of enterprise. The result is a site where form rules over function with an iron fist.

To start, you are faced with a problem typical of Flash-based sites: long load times. Do not misunderstand me: Flash sites do not have to have long load times, but most do. Fortunately, you are able to skip through the intro page to the main "Home" page without waiting for the entire loading process, so this gives back a few points that I take away for using Flash in the first place. Also, there are quick and easy controls for turning off the music--a huge advantage! (Again, do not get me wrong--I love music, but I'm not surfing the web to listen to music; I'm surfing these pages to learn about my favorite smokes.)

The Fuente and Newman families are both represented on the pages through words and photos. The families' cigar stories are well-written and are rendered in an easy-to-read font and style. That may sound picky, but if you are surfing the web for long, your eyes get tired of reading bizarre fonts and weird color combinations.

The Fuente cigars shown are the Arturo Fuente (original green band), Don Carlos (black band), Hemingway (also black band, but perfecto shape), Opus X and Montesino. The Newman Cigars are the Diamond Crown, Maximus, La Unica and 2 varieties of Cuesta-Rey. Each line has its history explained and there is a helpful size chart, showing all the common sizes. What is missing is one of the most basic aspects of cigar information, though: what country does the tobacco hail from? It's well-known that Opus X is a Dominican puro and that Hemingways have Cameroon wrappers, but what kind of wrapper is on Montesino? What kind of binder does Maximum use? Maybe these are all Dominican, but how do we know if they don't share that information?

The other huge piece of missing information is any mention whatsoever of the Curlyhead, Fuente's bargain line. And most surprising, there is nothing about the God of Fire, which is a super-super-premium that is made on a yearly basis as a direct benefit for the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation, an organization that helps to educate the poor children of the Dominican Republic.

In my opinion, the navigation of the website is severely hampered by its reliance on Flash and it also commits a cardinal sin of websites by stealing control of your browser window when the site is loading: it both re-sizes and re-positions it according to the whims of the designer. It's not the worst cigar website out there, but it is surprisingly deficient for such titans of the industry.

Grade: C–

Friday Funnies: Mallard Fillmore

If your local newspaper doesn't carry Mallard Fillmore, you can view the latest at Jewish World Review...

Smoke One For...

...Hollywood screenwriter, Budd Schulberg, who died at age 95 this week. Schulberg is best known for penning On the Waterfront, directed by Elia Kazan and starring Marlon Brando. Why smoke one for him? To tell the truth, I didn't pay much attention to his death until I say a link to this story in LA Weekly from a few years ago. Turns out Schulberg was a bonafide WWII war hero who arrested Leni Riefenstahl, director of the pro-Hitler propaganda film, Triumph of the Will. And he was a hero who stood up to the Communists in Hollywood after WWII and was not afraid to "name names" to the government. What is often forgotten in cries of "McCarthyism" is that there's no valid examples of people who were wrongly accused, no matter how much George Clooney may think there were. The Commies really were under every bed in Hollywood...hell, they still are...and in the White House, too! Elia Kazan was heroic in the same way; I never realized that two American heroes worked on the same film...a true classic, at that.

Cigar Extra: CAO LX2 Cuban Press

Last of the first wave of Cuban Press cigars from CAO's recent box set. Also the strongest line of cigars represented in the box and the newest line represented in the box. And my favorite line of CAO cigars...the LX2...

My first impression of this cigar is: dry. None of the other 3 Cuban Press sticks seemed drier than you would expect coming straight from the humidor at the local cigar shop and being put into my humidor for a week or more. On the LX2, though, the tobacco seemed dry. When I cut the cut, it fractured and crumbled and split a bit, making for a ragged, ugly cut that I had to fine tune for a few minutes (hallelujah, thank God for the Xikar multi-tool!). After getting the cut right, the draw was great and the prelight flavor was as well. The shape of this cigar was easily the least "boxy" of the 4 so far, almost oval at the foot and more squared off toward the head.

Once I actually got to smoking, there were no signs of dryness; the cigar did not smoke hot and fast as you would expect if it were dry. I did have an accident while transporting the cigar out to my chair on the front porch: I dropped it! This left a major, heartbreaking crack in the wrapper. Surprisingly, that did not seem to have any ill effects on the smoking experience--it just smoked right through with a little additional flaking at a couple points. This showed excellent construction values for this cigar.

In all, this is a wonderful addition to the LX2 line. It is full-bodied, full-flavored and packs a significant punch for such a relatively small vitola. I look anxiously forward to the day when the LX2 Box-Press (or Cuban Press) becomes a regular part of the CAO line, just as they have done with the Brazilia, Italia and MX2. Until then, I will try to space out the enjoyment of my 2 remaining LX2 Cuban Presses over the next several months to, at least partially, fill the gap.

Cigar Review: Oliva G Maduro

Presidente, 8" x 52 ring gauge, $4.75
Oliva's Serie G is quickly becoming an "old favorite" in the cigar industry. It was named one of Cigar Aficionado's Top 25 Cigars of 2006 and the maduro version has been one I have turned to many times, especially for the great price of admission. The G has Nicaraguan Habano for the filler, a Cuban-seed Habano binder, and a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper (the regular G features the same blend with a Cameroon wrapper).

The G is aromatic and striking in appearance when removed from the cellophane--when they say box-press, they apparently mean it: the cigar is almost a perfect square with edges that are almost sharp. The wrapper is dark and mottled with areas that are almost black. The aroma from the body is rich tobacco with a little barnyard; from the foot the barnyard is stronger, along with a whiff of chocolate.

The prelight draw was just a little tight. The flavor on the cold draw had some maduro sweetness and something else that I had trouble putting a finger on. After lighting, the smoke was cool and somewhat thin. The flavors were slightly sweet, creamy coffee. So far the impression was that the cigar would remain in the mild-to-medium category.

After about a third, the flavor and body remained mild to medium. The big issue I had was with construction. The draw was tight since the beginning and the first attempt to open it up did not last long. When cutting the cigar, the cap had split and before the first third finished, it came completely off. Disappointing to say the least.

To start off the second third, I recut the cigar a bit to help it open up. It did not have the desired effect, though; instead it exacerbated the crack where the cap used to be. Said crack was now beginning to creep down the side of the stogie. The flavors were good, though, picking up hints of cocoa along with the coffee. It had also moved up to a solid medium-body by the end of the second third. It was during the second third, too, that the G Maduro started getting interesting. The body crept past the mid-way mark and the flavors changed to more of a black coffee and roasted nuts.

In the final third, the G showed some body at last and even a bit of nicotine kick because of the extra-long vitola--I'd hate to think what a V would be like in this size! The flavors of coffee and nuts dominated the last segment and provided for a satisfying end to a cigar that did not always behave. All things considered, a good smoke and a great deal, but I have been more satisfied with smaller vitolas and will stick with those in the future when I smoke a G.

Body: 7/10
Strength: 7/10
Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1/2
Flavor: 3.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 7.5/10

Beware of "Well-Dressed" Protestors!

Ms. Boxer obviously would be more accommodating of people protesting the Obamessiah if they were long-haired, maggot-infested, smelly, tie-dyed hippies like she is used to from her California home.

Yes, Ronald Reagan was from California. As Janet Jackson said, "What have you done for me lately?"

And, no, Ms. Boxer, I won't call you "Senator"...I don't respect you. To quote Elvis Costello:

When they finally put you in the ground
I'll stand on your grave
And tramp the dirt down

Cigar Extra: CAO Italia Cuban Press

I have to admit after the Brazilia a couple days before, I was very hesitant to even open up another Cuban Press cigar for several days...once bitten, twice shy, and all. Then I reasoned that even if the Brazilia was insufficiently aged, that was unlikely to be the case for the others, simply because of the multiple origins of the tobaccos that are used in every single stick. The 4 different sticks in the Cuban Press box consist of tobaccos from seven different countries and God only knows how many different growing regions within those countries (well, to be honest, Tim Ozgener and Jon Huber probably know, too). Having realized that, I also realized that having all these cigars together in one place at the same time is somewhat of an international logistical nightmare.

So I sparked up the Italia...and it was good. I have to be fair and say that it was my fourth cigar of the day. I also did not have anything to take notes on at the time. But it was very good. It had enough strength to cut through the smoky haze that covered my taste buds at the time, which was no small feat. And it was what I had expected: very similar to the regular Italia Box Press, which is my favorite of all the Italia vitolas. Well worth the time I took to smoke it and I will enjoy the remaining two in my box set.

The last of these 4 Cuban Press beauties is the LX2. I will have a little fuller review on it because to date there is no LX2 Box Press. On the other hand, I don't think a full review is warranted because I have reviewed both the Lancero by itself and the Rob as part of the eLements in the last few months.

Cigar Review: Rocky Patel Decade

Lancero, 7" x 38 ring gauge, $10.10
Almost 2 years ago, I was among the privileged few (about 500, I think) that were present for the unveiling of the Decade by Rocky Patel at the Big Smoke in Las Vegas. It was Sunday morning and we were drinking Scotch with Cigar Aficionado Spirits Editor, Jack Bettridge, but Rocky added his own energy to the morning by allowing us to be among the first of the general public to get to smoke one of these sticks. Fast-forward a year or so and RP released a lancero sampler with several of his popular blends in the lancero size. If the store owner decided to break up the sets, you can bet your best buddy would have already bought the Decade lanceros before you got there, leaving you to sample The Edge; it was good, but I always wondered about that Decade... Now, Rocky is selling the Decade lancero on its own in boxes of 26.

I have to start by saying that the box I picked this stick out of showed one of the worst Quality Control examples that I have seen in my 8 years of smoking, especially in this price range. This, as well as at least 2 other boxes of Decades, showed extreme color variations that you simply should never see ina box of sticks--someone is not doing their job. But, as I had never had one of these, I bought one anyway.

The Decade is a beautiful, dark cigar. The wrapper was smooth in color and texture and the cigar had just a slight box-press to it, unusual for a lancero. The body of the stick smelled of humidor and leather; the foot had a sweeter aroma: chocolate mixed with a little coffee.

The prelight draw had a chocolately, sweet flavor to it. After lighting, the smoke was creamy with a large dose of spice and black pepper. Full-bodied and full-flavored right from the start. The spice and pepper held up well throughout the first third, something I have not been seeing lately--I have been smoking a lot of cigars that had some decent initial spice that went away before the first third was finished. This not only remained, but was so strong that I had trouble finding any other flavors in the blend.

The spice and pepper continued strongly in the second third, but also allwed some black coffee flavor to come through. One notable thing about this cigar is its draw; it is not uncommon for lanceros to have tight, if not plugged, draws; the Decade's draw is nothing short of absolutely flawless.

In the final third, the pepper spice finally settled down enough to allow the coffee flavors to come to the front of the class, as well as some baking cocoa. There was still enough spice to keep things interesting, though. This was a truly impressive stick. Even though it is half an inch shorter than the Triunfador I had the day before, it lasted every bit as long and did not have any draw problems. It is a very well-balanced, full-bodied smoke that was creamy without "creaming out" and peppery without sacrificing other flavors. Easily the best Decade I have smoked since that first one back in Vegas, November 2007, and one that I'm anxious to try again. I was initially wary of the price point, but it has shown itself worth the extra buck or two.

Body: 8/10
Strength: 7/10
Complexity: 8/10

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10

Cigar Extra: CAO Brazilia Cuban Press

After declaring that these Cuban Presses would be just another vitola of familiar blends, the Brazilia did its best to prove me wrong. The Brazilian wrapper was intensely aromatic with barnyard and cocoa notes; there was more of a rich milk chocolate from the foot. Despite the marketing insert, this Cuban Press does not seem any more "boxy" than the regular "Box Press" vitola--the top edges (band up) have corners a little sharper and the bottom edges are a little more rounded.

The prelight draw was rich chocolate and plenty of spice--just what I've always expected from a Brazilia. If memory serves me correctly, this line may have been the first CAO I ever smoked, back in 2001 or 2002, probably. The rich flavors and spice have kept me coming back regularly ever since.

If, however, this were my first Brazilia, I would never return to this line. The smoke started off strong and fairly harsh and it was not long before I noted a "speed bump" along the burn line. According to CAO President Tim Ozgener (speaking at the LX2 eLements events), a speed bump or blistering along the burn line often means that some part of the tobacco has not aged long enough, causing the different parts (wrapper, binder, filler) to burn at different rates and cause the blemish. This cigar went from harsh to fairly bitter, pungent and kind of nasty. I will be leaving the rest of the Brazilia Cuban Presses in my humidor for a few months before trying one again.

Cigar Review: Nub Maduro

460, 4" x 60 ring gauge, $6.61
A year after introducing the Nub to the world, creator Sam Leccia debuted the Nub Maduro at the Nub Live Kickoff event at Uptown's in Nashville on April 4, 2009. I was lucky enough to be there and get an early taste of the Maduro expression of this little firecracker of a cigar, but since we were limited to only one stick at the time, I had to hold off on a real review until they became generally available.

The aroma from this cigar is wonderfully powerful and fragrant the instant you take it from the cello wrapper. Smells of coffee, chocolate and barnyard instantly fill the air. The wrapper is nice dark brown with a little mottling, but no large veins or obvious imperfections. Sniffing the wrapper it is apparent that most of the aroma is coming from the filler but it is all excellent.

The prelight draw is also excellent--a rich, semi-sweet chocolate flavor with coffee overtones and hints of lingering spice. Lighting a Nub is always an exercise in patience, and this was no different--but the reward of a well-lit cigar is a great payoff. Immediately this springs to life as a medium-to-full bodied cigar with nice black coffee flavors and a decent amount of spice on the finish. During the rest of the first third that rich coffee flavor is the most dominant and the spice fades. There will be no Nub-stand photo-op tonight--the ash unceremoniously dropped off after just over an inch.

The second third did not have much variation on the theme, more coffee, a little chocolate, and an increase in spice toward the time it was time to tap ash again. But what this little fireplug lacked in complexity it more than made up for in richness--great tasting still.

The last third got a little drier and more earthy but still clung to the coffee flavor. The spice diminished again, but overall this was a great cigar and a very worthy addition to the Nub lineup. It has a great flavor without the added strength that comes with the Habano version. At this point, I have to say that this is my new favorite Nub--but the Miami is supposed to be coming soon, so stay tuned!

Body: 7/10
Strength: 6/10
Complexity: 5/10

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10