LFD Month: What I've learned...

I started out the reviews for the month of October with great anticipation. Celebrating my favorite cigar company: what a great idea! I started smoking these sticks in mid-September and thought, "I love these so much, I'll finish them all before October really gets going!" That was the plan, but it didn't turn out that way.

Funny thing about LFD cigars: as much as I love them, I still got a little bored with them when I tried to smoke too many of them in a week. As the month grew longer, the boredom grew. I still love La Flor Dominicana cigars and will try anything Litto Gomez puts out (if it's a reasonable price...I'll never pay full price for another "El Museo"-type cigar), but I have discovered that one of the things I require in my cigar smoking hobby more than anything else is...variety.

If I had to choose a single cigar to smoke for the next month, I couldn't even say what it would be right now. No one cigar fits every mood or occasion, but more importantly, I would probably just stop smoking before the month was through if I could smoke only one variety...even if it were LG Diez, Opus X, Padron 1926...whatever! After a month smoking one cigar, I would probably have a hard time buying another one of that brand for a year or two.

Thank God LFD has some variety in their flavors; there is a definite change-up when you pick up a Mambises or El Jocko versus "the usual suspects" in the Ligero and Double Ligero lines. Otherwise it would have taken even longer to get through all 17 or so cigars for LFD month.

In the end it took until the last week of October to get them smoked; close to 6 weeks for all these reviews. Yes, I got sick for about 4 days and didn't want to waste good sticks on a muted palate and stuffed-up sinuses. Yes, my in-laws were in town for 3 of those days and I didn't get a chance to smoke what I wanted to in leading up to that time because I was busy cleaning the house and property. But I also reviewed about 5 other cigars during that time...reviews that will post in the month of November.

And I think in the month of November, I probably won't touch an LFD. If some new ones hit the store, I'll pick up samples for later smoking and review, but I definitely need a little break from them.

So...here's what's on the schedule in November (and maybe into December):

• My first review of an AVO
• My Father: both regular and Le Bijou
• Rocky Patel 1961 and Patel Bros.
• La Aroma de Cuba (New Blend)
• EO Murcielago
• Savinelli Liga Especial
• Alec Bradley: Family Blend and SCR
• Cabaiguan
• Reviews of a couple recent political books
• My thoughts on the re-mastered Beatles CDs
• Notes on a couple different bourbons

And toward the end of December, I plan on running down the list of my top reviewed cigars for 2009, as well as highlighting some of the biggest surprises and biggest disappointments in cigars this year, and a special retrospective on some highlights and lowlights of our first year in Tennessee.

Friday Funnies

To tell the truth, I've been so busy lately with my "real work" (unfortunately, smoking and reviewing cigars doesn't pay very well until you're Marvin Shanken) that I haven't had time to scour the net for new and different funny stuff. So, I bring you today a recent entry from my Dilbert desk calendar. Although I mostly like my job, there are days that I can really identify...

On a side note, if any of my two readers (I know who you are) have any suggestions for future Friday Funnies, let me know...

Cigar Review: LG Diez

Chisel Puro, 5.5" x 54 ring gauge, $11.36
For the second time in less than a week, I got the pleasure of smoking an LG Diez from the 2008 vintage. This time around it's Litto's signature Chisel vitola. As with all LG Diez cigars, this is a limited release stick comprised entirely from Dominican tobaccos in an effort to prove that a Dominican puro can be a world-class, full-bodied, full-flavored cigar.

This stick is a light-medium brown color and the wrapper is very good-looking. There are a couple places where it has wrinkled and a little discoloration near the head, but it is smooth with an oily touch and a very light oily sheen. The aroma from the body is barnyard; the same comes from the foot, although there's also chocolate there.

The prelight draw was great and the flavor was spicy with notes of coffee and chocolate. I lit up this cigar on the last full weekend in October and fall has finally taken a firm grip here at my Dayton, TN home. While the colors of autumn have been widespread and very evident for several weeks at higher elevations and higher latitudes, it is only now that the change is coming up to its peak here in the lower parts of the Tennessee River Valley. On this dry, chilly, breezy day, I can see the yellows, gold, blushes and reds all from my front porch. It is about 57 outside this afternoon and there is another frost advisory for tonight.

Getting a mostly-ligero cigar to light on a day like today is never fast, but once I got it going, it was immediately very tasty. There was plenty of chili pepper in the early going, as well as black coffee and leather. The first third was mainly characterized by the flavor of black coffee along with some sweet spice--nutmeg, maybe--underpinned by a strong current of chili pepper spiciness.

The second third featured a steady increase in mouth burn due to the unrelenting spice in the LG. The coffee flavor was complemented by some cedar notes, as well.

There was no end to the spice in the final third of this stogie. Flavors of coffee and cedar were still there, but the spice kept right along until it was practically the only thing I tasted. This cigar was great, though, all the way to the point that it became too hot to hold anymore. While there was a lot of pepper and spice, it was not overwhelming. Neither was the body or strength; the LG proved to be a medium-to-full bodied smoke with just a little nicotine kick near the end. Truly a great way to spend a quiet Saturday afternoon--and a great way to end LFD month.

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

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

Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana, Double Ligero

Especiales, 6.875" x 48 ring gauge, approx. $9.50
After smoking and reviewing 3 other cigrs in the DL line (as well as 3 in the regular Ligero line) this month, what else is there to say about these cigars? Unfortunately, this was an example of the axiom "cigars are a hand-rolled product and flaws can happen." I guess it wouldn't be fair to give every cigar from LFD a great rating (well, except I already severely dissed the El Museo a couple weeks ago). This was probably the most frustrating smoke of the month and the second most disappointing (I'm looking at you, El Museo, when I say that!). Before going further, let me add that this is not the only DL-Especiales I've ever had and it was definitely the exception to the rule when it comes to construction and overall smoking experience.

The wrapper on this cigar is an oscuro that is nearly black in places; where it isn't black, it is still very dark. The aroma is leather and barnyard from the wrapper, while the foot has more chocolate to it (no big surprise there if you've been paying attention this month). The wrapper is oily and topped off with a twisted pigtail that is surprisingly tight. When I pinched up and down the cigar, I found a soft spot about halfway up the length...this ended up being this stick's undoing.

Prelight draw was sweet and chocolately with a hint of spice on the draw and a lingering tingle on the lips. Airflow through the cigar was just about perfect. The first few puffs had plenty of wood and black pepper. I sipped some Russell's Reserve Bourbon with the cigar; it, too, gave a pleasant taste of wood with a spicy tingle. Together the cigar and whiskey presented cedar and oak with plenty of burn in the mouth and throat. Both also had just the right amount of sweetness. The retrohale of the Especiales was pretty potent, strong and spicy right up front. The cigar started right off as a full-bodied smoke, with no need for the body to ramp up. Before the first third ended, much of the pepper spice dissipated, leaving a predominant flavor of strong black coffee, along with a touch of cedar and cocoa. The burn also had to be touched up twice in the first third, pointing to what ended up being an ongoing struggle. There were also a couple times when the cigar just did not seem to draw much smoke--then it would suddenly chug along like a smoke stack again.

After tapping ash at the start of the second third, there was a hollow in the center of the stick that threatened to extinguish it completely. I relit the unburned wrapper and the cigar produced a good amount of smoke until the next time I tapped ash, at which point it unceremoniously went out. So far, this was turning out to have the worst construction of any cigar I had reviewed for LFD month and possibly the worst construction I have ever had on DL cigar. After relighting and purging, I could see that the problem, once again, was a huge void in the center of the stick--that soft spot I had detected earlier was bigger than it seemed at first!

The last third continued the poor construction with a bad canoe and ash that flaked off all over my shift. The flavors were mostly wood and coffee, but it got hard to enjoy with the constant struggle to keep the thing lit and burning right. In the end, the nicotine strength got so strong that I couldn't finish the stick. I am not sure if that had to do with the burn issues (puffing frequently and heavily, relighting, etc.) or the relatively light dinner I had, or both, but it was surprising as I have not been overwhelmed by an Especiales before. Overall, this was a disappointing end to a frustrating experience, but one that probably should not be seen as typical for these sticks.

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

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 0/2
Flavor: 3/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 5.5/10

Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana, Premium Line

Grand Maduro #5, 6.25" x 52 ring gauge, approx. $8
The Grand Maduro is a subset of La Flor Dominicana's original "Premium Line." There are several sizes available and this is the only cigar in LFD's lineup that I can remember being a boxpress (the Factory Press is a different kind of square-press method).The filler and binder are Dominican and the wrappers for all Premium Line cigars are listed by CigarCyclopedia as USA/Connecticut, so I would assume this is a Broadleaf Maduro.

To the eye, this is an attractive, although unremarkable stick. The wrapper is dark brown and somewhat oily; it is mostly smooth and somewhat rustic with a few wrinkles and large veins. Viewed from the side, the top and bottom seem to bulge slightly. The aroma from the wrapper is classic humidor and a little barnyard; from the foot there is some coffee and hints of chocolate.

The prelight draw seemed fine; the flavors were full of sweet chocolate with supporting hints of coffee and pepper. After lighting, the immediate flavors were of espresso bean. Through the first third the main flavor was of strong black coffee, along some muted and mellow chocolate sweetness. The cigar started off with a smooth, medium-bodied smoke that was fairly oily, coating the mouth, but oddly still having a rather short finish.

The second third continued in a very similar way--mostly dark coffee and just a little maduro-influenced sweetness. The filler bunch was off-center so the cigar started burning crooked. I touched it up once near the beginning of the second third, but it insisted on burning unevenly--although pretty consistently uneven.

The last third of the Grand Maduro was very nutty while still giving plenty of coffee flavor and just that little bit of sweet chocolate. In summation, a very nice cigar, although not what yo might expect from a dark LFD stick. It was medium in body all the way to the end. The burn eventually went straight again and the ash held on for an extraordinarily long time. If they were a little cheaper I would probably add them to the regular rotation but this one just seems to be in a hard place on the price point. I am not opposed to paying $8 or 9 for a full-flavored, full-bodied smoke, but it's just a little too much for this "good" flavored, medium-bodied smoke when there are other medium-bodied smokes with more flavor for a buck or two less. I wouldn't turn one down, but I have a hard time seeing myself specifically looking for one of these in a shop.

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

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1.5/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 8/10

As California Goes...

Disturbing article on Big Hollywood about the Current Crisis in California...

So...California is still outpacing the nation, except this time on an issue that they probably don't want to lead: unemployment. The Once-Golden State is now the home of the 4th highest unemployment rate in the U.S.A. It's making our decision to move to Tennessee in January seem even more prescient than ever. Not that TN's unemployment is "great," but 10.3 percent beats 12.2 percent in this category any day.

And for those looking for work, Chattanooga's Volkswagen plant has started its process of hiring about 1,200 people for the plant opening late next year.

Remember that old saying, "As California goes, so goes the country"? This time around, we all better hope not...if it holds true, we're all screwed!

Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana Habano Corona

5.875" x 46 ring gauge, $6.25 (in box of 20)
This is a very special cigar in two ways: it is both a rare, limited release cigar and a relative bargain if you can find it. In early 2009, Litto Gomez unleashed the Salamon on the world, what my local LFD rep called, "the fastest-selling $25 cigar I've ever seen." I was lucky enough to smoke one and thoroughly enjoyed it. As it turns out, Litto had a bunch of wrapper left from the Salamon, and pondered what he could use it on. First, he used it on the Small Batch No. 1 (actually removing the wrapper that was already on the finished product and re-wrapping it!), then still had enough left to create 700 boxes of 20 of this Habano Corona. The same rep also told me that the filler blend is the same as that of the Mystery Blend from earlier in the month, but I have not been able to verify that.

The Habano Corona presents well with a medium-brown wrapper that is pretty oily. There are no obvious blemishes or large veins present and the wrap-job seems very well done except for a small unevenness to the cap. The wrapper has a smell of wet hay and barnyard; the foot has chocolate and some compost or wet earth. When I cut the cap, I was presented with a solid piece of tobacco--essentially another cap! This is the first time I've sen that in about 6 of these I've smoked so I don't know what that means. I recut it to get to the filler and the prelight draw was still a little tight. The flavors were chocolate and chili pepper spice. The first few puffs were spicy with some black coffee and bitter cocoa notes. During the rest of the first third, there were flavors of cedar, dried fruit, and black coffee.

The second third had a buildup of the pepper spice but the coffee flavors came through very strongly as well. The construction so far was impeccable--straight burn line and perfect draw.

The final third started off with quite a bit of cedar flavor. The smoke was medium-to-full in body while the cast of flavors ranged from the bitter to the sweet, creating a stick that was quite complex and enjoyable for anyone but the brand-new smoker. Overall, a great smoke--I'm glad I ended up buying a whole box!

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

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

Book Recommendation: Culture of Corruption

Culture of Corruption by Michelle Malkin

I first became aware of Michelle Malkin about a decade ago when I saw her columns printed in the newspaper. I was impressed by her thoughtful critique of the political left and continued to follow her writings from time-to-time since then. She has become something of a media sensation in the past few years with her frequent appearances on several Fox News programs as a contributor (and filling in for Bill O'Reilly on occasion), but her biggest splash has come this year with her latest book, Culture of Corruption.

What is most remarkable about this book is how quickly she was able to document and produce this book about the "corruptocrats" and cronies that populate the Obama Administration. Nancy Pelosi made the phrase "culture of corruption" a household phrase directed at Republicans in the 2006 election, but whatever ethical issues that Republicans had at that time pale in comparison with Obama's very short time in public office.

Before Glenn Beck ever brought Van Jones or Anita Dunn to the forefront of American politics, Michelle Malkin was calling out O on his corrupt picks he was making: Timothy Geithner (Secretary of Treasury, tax cheat), Bill Richardson (proposed head of Commerce department, confirmed that he has lied about his own biography and as governor of New Mexico, made a habit of handing out jobs based on cronyism), Tom Daschle (proposed head of HHS, tax cheat).

Malkin has chapters devoted to Michelle Obama (Barack's "Bitter Half") and Joe Biden, detailing their histories--histories that are not nearly as clean and pure as the media would have you believe. In the Michelle chapter, we are introduced to Valerie Jarrett, who it turns out is getting more exposed to the spotlight these days as the Obama family godmother.

If there is any failing in this book, I would say it's the massive amount of facts piled on the reader. Not that the facts are bad (well, they are for Obama, but...so what!), but there are so many of them it is hard to keep up and remember everything. The twists and turns of the filthy, corrupt life-long politicians and Marxists that Obama has surrounded himself with are just mind-boggling. The book has about 290 pages of actual reading material, followed by almost 80 pages of endnotes.

It is also interesting to note that by the time this book was published, Malkin could have easily started work on a sequel that could be out before Christmas...there are that many evil people populating this administration and that many more are coming to light on an almost daily basis. Will there be a sequel? I wouldn't bet against it.

Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana, DL-Lancero

7.5" x 39 ring gauge, $10.30
I have smoked nearly every vitola in La Flor Dominicana's Double Ligero line (one notable exception is the DL-700, but I think I've got one of those resting in my humidor for some evening down the road when I've eaten a large dinner). One of my favorite and most memorable sizes is the Lancero. Like all the DL line, it features Dominican filler and binder with an Ecuadorian wrapper.

The wrapper was a medium-brown with a little mottling. There were a few larger veins but nothing that caused me concern. There was just a little give to the pinch along the body and the cap was finished off with a tight pigtail. The wrapper exuded barnyard and cedar; from the small foot there were hints of coffee and cocoa. The prelight draw was excellent, especially for a lancero. The flavors in prelight were cocoa and coffee with a definite strong spicy tingle on the lips.

The first few puffs were heavy with black pepper, lighter on the bitterness of black coffee and semi-sweetness of dark chocolate. One early impression is how well this cigar went with my sweetened black coffee on a chilly autumn morning. The flavors through the first third were wonderful: a little coffee here, a little cocoa there, a little pepper and spice. As the cigar progressed, though, the ash started to get crumbly and banana-peeled--a good way to end up with a lapful of ash.

In the second third, the spicy/peppery flavors built up and became a constant, all the while keeping the darker, bitter coffee undertones. I tapped ash more frequently to prevent further crumbling. The draw was nothing short of perfection, allowing voluminous amounts of smoke without making the stick burn extra hot.

Just into the last third, I started to feel some kick from the DL Lancero and started to think this maybe wasn't such a great selection for an early morning smoke. It is quite full-bodied and does pack a decent punch for its relatively small amount of tobacco. Make no mistake, this is a great cigar, but it just isn't a great morning smoke. The only other minor complaint I have about it is that the price tag is a little too high.

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

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1.5/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 8.5/10

Friday Funnies: Chuck Norris

I think I ran some Chuck Norris fun facts a while back, but here are some more...and if you don't like it, I'll send Chuck Norris to have a talk with you!

Chuck Norris does not hunt because the word hunting infers the probability of failure. Chuck Norris goes killing.

Chuck Norris sold his soul to the devil for his rugged good looks and unparalleled martial arts ability. Shortly after the transaction was finalized, Chuck roundhouse kicked the devil in the face and took his soul back. The devil, who appreciates irony, couldn't stay mad and admitted he should have seen it coming. They now play poker every second Wednesday of the month.

Chuck Norris built a time machine and went back in time to stop the JFK assassination. As Oswald shot, Chuck Norris met all three bullets with his beard, deflecting them. JFK's head exploded out of sheer amazement.

The chief export of Chuck Norris is pain.

Rudolph has a red nose because he got lippy and Chuck Norris roundhouse kicked him across the face several times.

Once a grizzly bear threatened to eat Chuck Norris. Chuck showed the bear his fist and the bear proceeded to eat himself, because it would be the less painful way to die.

Chuck Norris ordered a Big Mac at Burger King, and got one.

Chuck Norris frequently donates blood to the Red Cross. Just never his own.

There is no such thing as tornados. Chuck Norris just hates trailer parks.

Chuck Norris drinks napalm to quell his heartburn.

If Superman and The Flash were to race to the edge of space you know who would win? Chuck Norris.

Chuck Norris doesn't see dead people. He makes people dead.

(The above facts and many, many others can be found...here.)

Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana Premium Line, Mambisas

6.875" x 48 ring gauge, approx. $8.00
I only discovered La Flor Dominicana's cigars about 2 years ago--fairly recently given that they have been on the market for over a decade. When I heard about the "Premium Line" a while I thought, "Cool, Litto's making something new above the regular Ligero and Double Ligero lines!" No, actually that's not the case; instead this is a very old cigar, maybe the first line that LFD offered. It goes all the way back to a time when Litto sold his blends under the Los Libertadores flag before parting ways with the partner who owned that name and founding La Flor Dominicana. The Premium Line natural has been described in several places as mild or mild-to-medium in body; it consists of Dominican filler and binder and a Connecticut shade wrapper.

The clarity and evenness of color of this wrapper would not be out of place on a Davidoff. Only a couple of glaringly large veins in the otherwise fine and delicate vein structure would prevent this being an overpriced super-super-premium stick. The feel is moderately firm from tip to tip. The aroma from the body is sweet hay and tobacco; from the foot there is some cocoa.

Prelight, the draw is just slightly tight, which may or may not translate into problems down the road. The flavor is creamy with notes of honey and caramel and there is every indication that this may be a classic mild cigar. The first few puffs had a dry, woody quality and a little bit of white pepper. The first third ended up being surprisingly nice. I honestly had not expected much from this stick, but what I got was a very well-made and quite flavorful mild cigar. There were the woody notes I mentioned before along with some sweet creaminess and just a touch of grass.

The second third was very nice, too, although not much different from the first. I had seen a review stating that there wasn't much change in flavors throughout this smoke, but if a great flavor is achieved, changing of flavors is not all that crucial, especially on a milder cigar.

In the final third, the Mambises showed a little punch, probably more due to the Churchill size than anything else. It was still creamy for the most part but showed a little edginess as well--just a little rough around the edges. There were some woody, cedary notes again as well as some more grassiness, although the pepper had pretty much disappeared. Construction was excellent--no touch-ups and a perfect burn line. The ask fell off in perfect 3/4 inch segments. In the end, this was a nice mild cigar that surprised me in its flavor. While it won't displace my favorite milder smokes, it definitely ranks in my top 5 mild cigars.

Body: 2/10
Strength: 5/10
Complexity: 5/10

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9/10

Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana Reserva Especial, El Jock

4.5" x 54 ring gauge, approx. $7
It may be hard to believe, but I smoked something other than Ligero or Double Ligero or LG Diez cigars for LFD month. While the Ligero and DL lines dominate most of the conversation when La Flor's sticks come up, the Reserva Especial ine should not be overlooked. It features Dominican filler, a Nicaraguan binder and an Ecuadorian maduro wrapper. Today's cigar is the vitola called "El Jocko," a small perfecto measuring just 4.5 inches with a 54 ring gauge. El Jocko has been in the LFD lineup since 1997, but I had my first experience with it just about a month ago.

The shape is almost a perfect torpedo. The color is almost as dark as the Ligero Cabinet Oscuro wrapper: almost black in places. It is oily and slightly bumpy. The aroma from the body is leathery and earthy; from the foot there is a little barnyard and a little cocoa.

After cutting the head, the stogie immediately showed a tendency toward unraveling, a frequent problem with torpedo-tipped sticks. I would need to be careful not to allow it to get far. The prelight draw was excellent and tasted sweet with chocolate and dried fruit. The initial puffs, too, gave up quite a bit of sweetness, but the finish was more bitter and woody. The first third was mostly leathery and woody after the initial sweetness wore off. The burn was nice and slow--an advantage in a stick this diminutive--and very even, as well.

The second third continued with the woody dominant flavor but there was some maduro sweetness that returned as well. It seemed like the burn got a little faster as the stick got shorter.

In the end, El Jocko is a fine smoke for those times you do not have a long time to enjoy a larger vitola, but it was not the most flavorful or satisfying experience. The flavor profile was not my favoirte, although it was far from terrible, either. I would feel better about it if the price were lower. It was a strong-medium in body with no kick to speak of because of its small size.
Body: 7/10
Strength: 4/10
Complexity: 6/10

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 3/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 7.5/10

Cigar Review: LG Diez

Cubano, 5" x 50 ring gauge, $9.76
The LG Diez line was released by La Flor Dominicana founder, Litto Gomez, in 2004 to celebrate his 10th year in the cigar business. Gomez decided to follow in the footsteps of the Fuente family and the Opus X in creating his own powerful Dominican puro and all the tobacco used in the LG Diez is grown on LFD's own farm. At first the annual release was planned to be the same blend, but Litto soon recognized the futility of trying to replicate the exact same taste every year on such a small batch basis and has decided that each year will be its own vintage release and the smoker should expect a different flavor. This particular cigar was purchased earlier this year at Uptowns Smoke Shop in Nashville and is from the 2008 release.

Upon release from the cello sheath, the wrapper of the LG is pungent with barnyard and cocoa aromas. The foot is sweeter chocolate and coffee. The color of the wrapper is a simple medium-brown with little mottling and a fine vein structure. It has a slightly oily sheen and just a little give when pinched. The prelight draw was just about perfect; the flavors prelight had plenty of cocoa along with some coffee and dried fruit. This was a very, very flavorful cigar in prelight--very nice!

The initial puffs were packed with black pepper, leather, and coffee. There was a hint of cocoa sweetness, too, but only a hint. The spice was fairly overwhelming during the first third. There were also flavors of coffee, cocoa and some nutmeg, but on top of everything else was a spiciness that has come to be somewhat of a trademark of these super-premium Dominican puros. It is interesting that so many people think of Dominican tobacco as mellow and rather mild, but the LG and the Opus X are Dominican puros that break that mind-set thoroughly.

The spice abated somewhat in the second third, allowing more black coffee and bitter-sweet dark chocolate flavors to come through. Construction was superb: straight burn and perfect draw.

The final third was as delightful as the first two. There was some licorice and dried fruit to complement the black coffee, along with a still-strong undercurrent of pepper spice. It is really hard to go wrong with anything that LFD produces, and this cigar is the pinnacle of that experience. It is strong, without being overpowering; full-bodied without being stifling; and full-flavored from one end to the other. The price tag and its rather limited availability are the only things that would keep me from enjoying this cigar on a very regular basis.

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

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

Well, Duh!

According to this story at World Net Daily, White House spokeshole, Anita Dunn, claims to "control the media" in this country...specifically, "Very rarely did we communicate through the press anything that we didn't absolutely control." Did you really doubt it when Rush Limbaugh started calling the Mainstream Media, "State Controlled Media"? If you did, maybe you should reconsider your opinion of Rush--the man is right far more often than he is wrong.

And if the picture of Anita Hill looks familiar...congratulations, you are probably a Glenn Beck viewer. She's the wack-job that was shown in a video last week claiming that Mao Tse-tung is one of her "go-to" political philosophers. You know, Chairman Mao, the man responsible for the killing of up to 70 million during his cultural revolution in China.

And Obama adherents wonder why we call "The One" a Marxist...

Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana DL-Chisel Maduro

6" x 54 ring gauge, $8.85
After selecting the wrong cigar two days in a row (DL Lancero first thing in the morning and a Ligero Torpedo at night--both actually very nice cigars, but not well-matched for the time I smoked them), I think I have the right cigar at the right time today: a Double Ligero Chisel Maduro at night after half a pizza topped with pepperoni, sausage and Canadian bacon. This cigar has the distinction of being one of the favorites of one of my all-time heroes, Rush Limbaugh, too. It's very cool to see him puffing on a cigar on the DittoCam and then to recognize the distinctive Chisel shape.

Like the other sticks in the DL line, the Chisel features Dominican binder and filler. Perlman's says the wrapper is Ecuadorian, but another source said that this is a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro--I suppse it could be Ecuador-grown Connecticut, in which case they're both right. The wrapper has a beautifully oily sheen; it is dark, slightly mottled and very shiny. The rolling job looks very well-done, which is always nice on a difficult shape like this. The wrapper has an earthy, leathery aroma while the foot has dark chocolate and hints of coffee.

I have had a few Chisels where draw was an issue because of the unique shape; after cutting this did not appear it would be one. The prelight flavors were mocha and chili pepper. After lighting, it's easy to see why Rush is always "coming to you from billowing clouds of aromatic first and second-hand premium cigar smoke." There was plenty of thick, oily smoke right away. It was heavy and full-bodied right from the beginning and had flavors of black coffee and licorice jumping out at you. The first third also had some flavors of dried fruit and cedar that popped up and about half an inch in the spice started.

One minor quibble I have with the unique shape of the Chisel is that it is impossible to rotate the stick for an even burn. This one start to go crooked and there was nothing I could do but use a torch to touch it up. The second third started off with a build-up of the spiciness yo might expect in a largely Ligero cigar. There was some dark chocolate still to highlight the sweetness of the maduro wrapper, but by the halfway mark, almost all I experienced was pepper spice mouth burn.

For all its reputation as a powerhouse cigar, the DL Chisel Maduro did not kick my butt in the end. The flavor was full all the way to the nub, with coffee, chocoate and spice leading the way in the final third. This is also a very full-bodied smoke that would likely turn newbies green. Great cigar and, in my opinion, better than the regular "natural" Chisel.

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

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

Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana L-500 Natural

5.75" x 60 ring gauge, approx. $8.50
A couple weeks ago, I established that I still consider the L-500 Oscuro to be my favorite all-around stick, but I thought it was also time to evaluate how I feel these days about the lighter-wrapper version of the same stick. As with the Oscuro version, this cigar features Dominican filler and binder along with an Ecuadorian wrapper. This natural wrapper is a light brown, not a cramy tan like you would find on a Connecticut shade-grown. It is very slightly oily and fairly good-looking--it's smooth and not overly veined, but it is mottled with some odd-looking blemishes as well. This kind of thing is hardly noticeable on the Oscuro. The wrapper smells like hay and earth; the foot has a chocolately, composty aroma--very rich.

The prelight draw was wonderful, which is normal for a cigar of this girth; the flavors were chocolate, sweet tobacco, and a little coffee. There was also a spicy tingle on the lips. I got a little sloppy with my Lotus triple-flame lighter and ended up scorching the first half inch of the wrapper; the first few puffs were charry as a result, but I cannot blame LFD for my sloppiness, so no points deducted.

As I enjoyed this cigar, I was struck by the beauty of early autumn here on this east Tennessee evening and also by the rapid change in seasons. Barely a month ago it was hot and humid all day and my evening smoking times were pleasant but at time uncomfortable due to the moisture in the air. On September 1 it cooled rapidly and quickly and then we were met with about 2 weeks of unrelenting rain--about 12 inches total before that cycle broke the other day. Yesterday was the first evening I have needed to wear a jacket while smoking in many months--the temp fell to 60 as I smoked and to 50 overnight. It is dark out now, but there are a lot fewer bugs than even a week ago. I hear acorns falling and thudding to the ground across and street and the sound of distant gunfire as hunters practice for the beginning of deer season.

The first third of this stick was characterized by some cedary and coffee notes along with a hint of some chocolately sweetness. The cigar recovered well from the flambe I served it at first and burned very evenly so far with a consistently great draw. The retrohale was smooth and woody.

The second third more resembled a mild-bodied smoke in the flavor department--the smoke was creamy and there were hints of hay and honey, but with a little black pepper from time-to-time as well. Overall, the body so far was strictly medium but the flavor was still rich.

The final third continued the milder ways of this cigar. While not outright "mild," it is significantly more mild than the oscuro version of the stick. The flavors ended with more hay and cream and a slight bitterness. Not bad, and perhaps a better choice for beginning herfers, but not really my preference. If I were given one of these sticks, I would definitely smoke it and would enjoy it, but when the time comes to lay down money, I have to go for the darker expression.

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

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 3/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 7.5/10

Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana El Museo

6.75" x 52 ring gauge, $31.50
The world simply does not have enough cigars that retail for over $30 a stick; for that reason, Litto Gomez released El Museo earlier this year. Okay, that's not the real reason, but it seems plausible after smoking it: he just needed something at the top of the line, no matter what was inside it. I did not pay full price for this stick; for purchasing it, I received two Jockos and one Grand Maduro, valued at about $15 total, so this stick actually cost me about $16. For that reason, and because this was the cigar destined to be smoked on my birthday, I didn't feel bad about possessing and smoking a $30+ stick. The real story behind this stick comes from Litto's desire to do something to benefit El Museo del Barrio, a Latin American museum in New York City. He enlisted the talents of Ruben Toledo to design the box and band for this cigar. El Museo is a Dominican puro with filler and binder that were grown on the La Flor de Palma farm. It comes in one size, a churchill measuring 6.75" by 52 ring gauge.

The appearance of this cigar is fantastic--very heavy with oily and just pungent right out of the cellophane. It is pretty veiny, but nothing huge that might cause a problem. The band is peculiar and bizarre, but a nice change of pace from what's regularly expected for a cigar band. The aroma from the body is barnyard and leather; from the foot there is more barnyard along with some cocoa and coffee notes. After surgically excising a portion of the cap with my scissors, the draw is just right. The first thing I noticed was a spicy tingle on the lips just from testing the draw. There were also flavors of black cherry and chocolate.

Soon after I finished work for the evening, a montser thunderstorm blew through, putting us on a rare autumn tornado watch. There may have even been a twister touch ground up near Sweetwater. I finally got outside to smoke about 8:00 and took some Four Roses Single Barrel bourbon with me to enjoy with my special cigar. The porch was half soaked, water was dripping from the trees and eaves and lightning flashed occasionally in the distance, with the thunder following just a faint rumble.

The first few puffs of El Museo were fairly light with an almost floral flavor. The smoke started off thick but very smooth. During the rest of the first third, the cigar continued to be a rather delicate and light cigar, at least for an LFD. It was almost a perfect medium in body and there were more of the floral notes, enhanced and complemented by the whiskey, along with some faint chocolate sweetness and a smoothness I cannot remember experiencing in a cigar by Litto Gomez. It made me think of the Factory Press I that I had about a year ago--while the FP1 was at one time strong and spicy, by the time I had one it was mellow and smooth. Not a bad stick by any means, just not what I had come to expect.

The second third featured some black coffee to go along with the floral flavor that still hung around. There were also occasional hints of black pepper. One of the remarkable things about El Museo is the fantastic construction; it required no touch ups to this point and had a consistently great draw. The ash easily held on for over an inch.

In the final segment, the floral flavor took over again and dominated to the end. This was a surprising cigar considering that most of Litto Gomez's cigars these days run the gamut of strong to overpowering and almost all are full to fuller bodied. This was a nuanced, refined, medium-bodied smoke that honestly just did not impress me all that much. Kudos to Litto for throwing something different at us, but I wish the execution had been better. If they ran this stogie as part of the regular line, I would be hard-pressed to pay more than $8 or 9 for it, making this stick highly overpriced even considering its charitable raison d'etre (and even considering that I only paid about half price for it).

Body: 4/10
Strength: 5/10
Complexity: 6/10

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 2/5
Value: 0/1
Total: 6/10

Where Are They Now...?

The latest celebrity turning up MIA is "Global Warming." For the past few years, there have been sporadic sightings of this once-common face, but he seems to have disappeared for good now that a major league baseball game was snowed out in early October. Saturday's Game 3 between the Rockies and Phillies had to be postponed because of unseasonable cold temperatures that produced a very early snow (although I do have it on good authority that the cold there in Denver is a "dry cold").

The question is: with Global Warming not daring to show his face, where will Old Man Winter turn up next?

Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana Ligero Torpedo

6" x 52 ring gauge, approx. $8.50
Another day, another offering from LFD's Ligero lineup--good thing I really like these! This time around I smoked the Ligero Torpedo, a slightly small ring gauge version of the L-500, with a torpedo head. This is a natural-wrapped version featuring Dominican filler and binder along with an Ecuadorian wrapper.

While in theory this should be the same color as the L-500 Natural I had a week or so ago (review to appear soon), in reality it is a little darker--more of a dark tan. The wrapper is quite oily for a natural and there are a few anomalies that are fairly frequent in this line--discoloration and a couple larger-than-normal veins. The aroma from the wrapper is barnyard and sweet tobacco; from the foot there is more cocoa, coffee, and a little wet earth. Prelight, the draw is great and the flavores are coffee and cream with just a little spicy tingle on the lips. Because I've smoked several siilar sticks in the past week, I decided to pair this stogie with some Wild Turkey Rye whiskey and add in my evaluation of their pairing.

At the beginning, first impressions are of wood and a bit of coffee with cream. The first sip of rye caused a flood of flavors that I had trouble sorting out: some pepper, maybe a little honey, more wood. In the first third, this cigar exhibited many classic traits of a mild cigar--creamy, woody, lightly grassy at times--without actually being mild. If anything it was just slightly over the line into being a medium-bodied smoke. It was very smooth, though, and would make as good a morning cigar as anything else in the LFD product line with the word "Ligero" in the name.

During the second third, the Torpedo Ligero got more mellow--or maybe it was just me, unwinding after an 11 hour work day. At any rate, this one turned into a welcome surprise--an LFD that was flavorful, yet not liable to smack me around the face and ears as I smoked it--just what the doctor ordered! The construction was top-notch, too; I had no burn or draw issues up to this point. The whiskey was very good, but less of a brilliant match-up for this cigar. It really needed a more aggressive stogie to play at its best. I probably would have been better served with the Eagle Rare Single Barrel bourbon, an uncommonly light bourbon I recently purchased (again, review to follow at some point...).

The last third brought some sweetness to the flavor party. Overall, this is a very nice medium-bodied stick with plenty of cedar and creamy coffee flavors. It would be a great morning smoke and I intend to pick some up for that purpose. There was just a little nicotine kick in the end, but nothing like you would get in some of LFD's heartier smokes.

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

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9/10

Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana DL-654

6" x 54 ring gauge, approx. $8.00
In researching this cigar, I found major roadblock when LFD's website was off-the-grid for refurbishing. That led me to look for other sources of information, one of which was a blog entry from February 2008 when LFD added this stick to their line. The Double Ligero line has been a favorite of mine for almost that long. Perlman's list of the DL series says that it consists of Dominican filler and binder with an Ecuadorian wrapper.

This DL has a very oily wrapper and it is also quite dark for what is supposed to be a "natural" color. I'm not sure, but I believe it to be a sungrown wrapper. The body of the cigar has a slightly spicy barnyard aroma, while the foot has wet earth, chocolate and hints of coffee. The cigar is very smooth with no large veins and just the little bit of toothiness. The prelight draw was very good and had flavors of dark chocolate and spicy chilis. The initial puffs have the spicy tang along with some woody flavors.

As with most sticks in the DL line, the 654 started off spicy and stayed that way. The first third had plenty of chili spice, but also a host of supporting flavors, from cedar and leather to cocoa and coffee. The retrohale was smoother than you might expect and the smoke was definitely full-bodied as well as being full-flavored.

The second third was more cedary and the spice died down significantly. So far construction was fantastic--the draw was perfect and the burn line stayed very even with no need to touch up at all. There was also a hint of strength as the second third drew to a close. Without a doubt, the DL line is full of power.

The final third had loads of cedar flavor along with some coffee notes and a return of some spice. It is really hard to go wrong with anything in the DL line by LFD. This one had plenty of body and tons of flavor without being so strong that it was hard to finish, something that can occasionally be a problem with some of the other vitolas.

Body: 8/10
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

Excuse me...?!?

I'm sure no one in the world was more shocked when they woke up this morning than President Barack Obama, who was awakened to learn he had won the Nobel Peace Prize...or as I shall forevermore refer to it: the Nobel WTF?!? Prize. Because, really, WTF?!? did Obama win this prize for? Can anyone answer that? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

It's been 30 years since Mother Theresa was awarded the prize and looking over the list, she was one of the only peaceful people to actually win. Other luminaries of the Nobel committee include ANC thug/terrorist Nelson Mandela, Palestinian thug/terrorist Yasser Arafat, thug/terrorist sympathizer and worst ex-President ever Jimmy Carter, and Tennessee's ever-lasting shame Al Gore.

Nobel says they awarded Obama the prize for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." Such lofty language would be impressive if Obama had actually done anything to merit it. The reality is, he made a world tour for the first nine months of his presidency in which he did nothing but apologize to every country for America's actions. For God's sake, he hasn't even sat down to give up a country to a dictator thug yet...how can he have "strengthened international diplomacy?" Nobel prize notwithstanding, Obama is more likely to go down in history as an appeasing Chamberlain internationally.

Is there any more evidence needed to indicate which direction the Nobel committee leans?

Friday Funnies: Walmart Bingo

This will be familiar to listeners of the Blowin' Smoke podcast, but it's a good item to keep handy for those times when you have to shop at Walmart. Just try not to shout "Bingo!" too loudly! (Click the image for a larger, printable version)

Cigar Review: Coronado by La Flor

Corona Especial, 5.875" x 47 ring gauge, $8.50
The Coronado was created by La Flor Dominicana owner, Litto Gomez, several years ago as a line separate and above the regular LFD lines. It was honored as one of 2006's top cigars by Cigar Aficionado magazine and has continued to be one of my "go-to" smokes since the first time I tried it. It features Dominican Piloto Cubano and Dominican Sumatran fillers along with a Dominican Corojo wrapper and packs quite the punch for such an unassuming-looking cigar.

The wrapper is a dark "natural" color with a few larger veins and a bit of mottling. There was also a little discoloration, but nothing serious. The aroma from the wrapper was sweet tobacco and hay; from the foot there was a little chocolate, along with wet earth and a hint of coffee. The prelight draw tasted of honey and dried berries.

The first third of this smoke had flavors of cedar, caramel, and coffee. The burn line got off to a mediocre start, but as the cigar was cracked when I took it out of the cello wrapper, I couldn't really fault the roller. I don't know when the damage occurred, but it's really not fair to blame the company when it is something that was possible under your control. Even at this early stage of the cigar, it was easy to tell that this stick had quite of bit of strength. On a smaller vitola like this one, it would be unlikely to overwhelm any but the newest smoker, but on larger sticks, this is one to be prepared for. The smoke was fairly full-bodied, without being over the top.

I would be remiss on reviewing the Coronado without mentioning the band. Someone did a truly remarkable job in creating the band for the Coronado. It is very colorful, with gold foil, embossing and die-cutting, all creating a quite wonderful combination that is eye-catching and visually pleasing. As a graphic designer, I really appreciate the quality of this one: very rich looking without being gaudy and over the top.

The second third of the Coronado featured more coffee flavors along with some sweet hay and caramel flavors. It's almost like they wanted to create a cigar that had the typical mild flavors of a Davidoff, but with much more kick and some other interesting flavors that you get with fuller-bodied sticks.

The final third was much the same as the second, but it is surprising just how powerful this cigar can be. The Coronado, even in this relatively small Corona Especial vitola, is not a cigar to be underestimated. It is full-bodied, full-flavored, and full-strength. If you smoke it in larger vitolas, you would be well-advised to eat a hearty meal first so you don't risk spilling your guts all over the floor afterward. The construction quality of the cigar was first-rate; although it started off with a fairly uneven burn, it corrected itself before too long and continued to burn straight with a wonderful draw all the way till the end.

Body: 9/10
Strength: 8/10 (for this size)
Complexity: 8/10

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

Book Recommendation: Dead and Alive

Dean Koontz's Frankenstein Book 3: Dead and Alive
Hopes were high for this conclusion of Dean Koontz's Frankenstein trilogy. In the first two parts, Koontz wove a gripping narrative involving the "true story" of Victor Frankenstein and the creature he made in Geneva two centuries ago, now going by the name Deucalion. It was a crime drama, it was supernatural, it had comedic elements, it had mystery and suspense. Parts 1 and 2 were Koontz's first attempts at co-authoring novels and, despite his own misgivings, they turned out brilliantly.

Part 1 came out in 2004 and part 2 in 2005. In the back of the original paperback of part 2, the conclusion was promised for summer 2006. Then came the excuses. "I found I couldn't work with co-authors," Koontz said. "After Hurricane Katrina, I didn't want to unleash more destruction on New Orleans," Koontz complained. Turns out that part 3 was so long in coming very possibly because he just didn't have a great ending to go along with the great beginning and middle.

If you've read the first two novels, this book is a page-turner simply because you have become invested in the characters and want to know what happens to them. There are some brilliant "set pieces" including the chase of two of Victor's New People as they run amok naked through the rain and the tunnels at the city dump. In the end, though, this book is brought down by the one thing Koontz sometimes does so well: humor. The first book ends with something emerging from the body of New Person, Jonathan Harker. In the second book we find out what that something is as it tentatively approaches Victor's house and befriends his wife, Erika. In the last book, the creature, named Jocko, becomes nothing more than comic relief. The problem is he becomes some kind of melding of Smeagol from Lord of the Rings with Dobby from the Harry Potter series: one part malevolent, two parts bumbling idiot. He was a major detraction from the intensity of the novel and brought the whole narrative to a very low level.

The ending of the novel did bring a couple glimmers of hope, though, as several of the characters were set up to continue on in other projects. Deucalion, in particular, is left in a place where he may turn up again in another series of books that Koontz is currently working on, and even after the disappointment of Dead and Alive, I find that comforting.

Grade: C-

Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana, Mystery Blend

6" x 52 ring gauge
Way back in March of this year, I attended my first ever event at Burns Tobacconist in Chattanooga. Luckily for me, it was presented by my favorite cigar company, La Flor Dominicana. I bought a sampler pack of 10 cigars that night, many of which were saved for review this month, including this one. The rep told me that this "Mystery Blend" is the same blend that is featured in the two unbanded smokes from the Perfecto Sampler. Intriguing.

As a mystery, I can only surmise that this LFD smoke contains some Dominican tobacco, but that is absolutely all I can say about the makeup. The wrapper is a nicely oily, dark reddish-brown. There were a few larger veins but nothing to be concerned about; there were no visible flaws. The cap blends in very well, but is a little uneven on close inspection; it ends with a very tight pigtail. It does not seem either rock hard or spongy as I feel the length of the stick. The body of the cigar exudes leathery and earthy aromas; the foot is a little richer, with some compost along with hints of cocoa.

The prelight draw on this stick was pretty amazing all by itself; there was sweet chocolate and dried fruit along with an undercurrent of bitter black coffee and black pepper. Initial puffs after lighting had a strong peppery taste along with baking cocoa and strong black coffee. The initial retrohale was rather smooth and brings out more of a roasted nut flavor and aroma. For the rest of the first third, this Mystery Blend was spicy and smooth, with a nice blend of pepper, cocoa and coffee; there was just enough sweetness in the flavor and creaminess in the smoke to make this stick something special.

The second third featured a stronger coffee presence and continued with a nice peppery undercurrent as well as some roasted nuts. Ths draw was flawless to this point and the burn line was quite even with no need for any touch-ups.

The final third was very smooth and the pepper virtually disappeared. The predominant flavor was black coffee with a creamy sweetness underneath. The Mystery Blend proved to be a full-bodied, full-flavored smoke with an abundance of complexity. The construction was fantastic and it produced voluminous oily smoke from beginning to end. If I had to guess, I would say that the makeup of this was similar to the Limitado IV, but with a little less kick, which makes it more possible to smoke down to the nub. Overall, a great cigar.

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

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

Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana, Limitado IV

6.25" x 52 ring gauge, $10.25
The Limitado IV is the latest in a line of special edition cigars from Litto Gomez and La Flor Dominicana. They seem to be released on a fairly irregular basis (when they're ready, basically) and each successive version is unique. There are only a few thousand boxes of 48 out there, so if you find you really like these beauties, you should buy a bunch quickly. Typical for LFD, the Limitado IV has Dominican filler and binder, but the wrapper is a Nicaraguan oscuro.

The craftsmanship on this cigar was superb--a very clean wrapper with light veining, no wrinkles, and a perfect cap. The wrapper was quite oily and had aromas of leather and barnyard; the foot smelled of sweet hay, compost, and a little cocoa. Descriptions of this cigar say the wrapper is an oscuro, but it should not be mistaken for the oscuro wrappers used in the LFD Ligero Cabinet line--while those tend to be mottled with areas that are almost black, this wrapper was barely darker than a maduro and was very even in color.

The prelight draw was easy and the flavors were rich, sweet mocha and a little bit of chili pepper. Initials puffs of the L-IV revealed notes of leather; a medium chili spice came through especially well on the retrohale. The smoke was oily but not particularly thick. The draw was excellent at this early stage and the smoke was cool with just a little edge to it, keeping it from being too smooth--possibly a preview of coming attractions.

The first third was a complex cigar all by itself. Besides the leather previously mentioned, there was both chili and black pepper spice, there was black coffee, there was both some citrus and some dried fruit, and there was cocoa. The cigar smoked slowly and evenly the entire time leaving a nice, light gray ash.

The second third did not show the number of differing flavors that cam through in the first. Instead the L-IV became a smooth smoking, strong, coffee and cocoa flavored stick. It still smoked quite slowly and the burn line was razor straight without any need to touch it up.

During the final third, the L-IV finally showed its estimable strength with a nicotine kick that started out at the beginning of that third and was a full-on head-butt by the end of the stick. The flavors of chocolate and coffee dominated to the end, with occasional hits of citrus and spice. In all, a very fine cigar that is quite suitable as a special occasion smoke without breaking the bank. This is one for beginning smokers to stay far away from: I ate 8(!) tacos before stepping outside to smoke this bad-boy; by the time I was finished, I was close to seeing those tacos come back up again. Lots of nicotine--very strong cigar! Also a very good cigar...smoke 'em if you got 'em!

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

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

P.S. This is my second "10" in a row, which must be some kind of record. Since I love LFD's cigars, the question may have crossed your mind, "Is he just going to give great ratings to all the sticks this month?" The answer is "No." I've reviewed at least 4 more sticks for this month at this point and only one of those got a 10. That still leaves about 12 or so more sticks to rate, though...how many 10's will there be?

Friday Funnies

Thank you to Stogie again for recently posting this list on the NCC forum:

You might be a redneck if...

• The Halloween pumpkin on your porch has more teeth than your spouse.
• You let your twelve-year-old daughter smoke at the dinner table in front of her kids.
• You've been married three times and still have the same in-laws.
• You think a woman who is "out of your league" bowls on a different night.
• Jack Daniel's makes your list of "most admired people".
• You wonder how service stations keep their restrooms so clean.
• Anyone in your family ever died right after saying, "Hey watch this!"
• You think Dom Perignon is a Mafia leader.
• Your wife's hairdo was once ruined by a ceiling fan.
• Your junior prom had a daycare.
• You think the last words of the Star Spangled Banner are, "Gentlemen start your engines."
• You lit a match in the bathroom and your house exploded right off its wheels.
• The bluebook value of your truck goes up and down, depending on how much gas is in it.
• You have to go outside to get something from the fridge.
• One of your kids was born on a pool table.
• You need one more hole punched in your card to get a freebie at the House of Tattoos.
• You can't get married to your sweetheart because there's a law against it.
• You think loading a dishwasher means getting your wife drunk.

And when some of these things start sounding too close to home...you might want to reconsider where you live!!! Have a good weekend, y'all!

Here's the thing...

I started with great fanfare the month of October as La Flor Dominicana month and today was the day that my review of the Limitado IV was supposed to run. Unfortunately, events have conspired to prevent me from finishing said review in time to run today. My job has kept me busier than at any time in the previous year and a half and we have out-of-town company showing up on Saturday. Therefore, what I have of spare time has been spent working on sprucing up the house, mowing the lawn, sanding and painting the back deck, and a million other little things.

For Friday, October 2, I was supposed to review the LFD website, but as it turns out, they have chosen now to take down their site and rebuild it, so there will not be a review of the website this month unless the new one is ready to go very quickly. Instead, I should have the Limitado IV review ready to rumble for tomorrow morning and, hopefully, will get through the rest of October without many more hiccups.