Cigar Review: Brick House

Corona Larga, 6.25" x 46 ring gauge, $4.50
Why they named a cigar after one of Vernon Coleman's favorite songs is a mystery to me. What? It's not named after the Commodores' song? Oh...I guess the "Brick House" in question here is actually the childhood home of Julius Caesar Newman, founder of the J.C. Newman cigar company, which is known best for its Diamond Crown cigars made in conjunction with the Fuente family. JC's grandsons, Eric and Bobby, have revived the old Brick House brand as an homage to their grandfather and their roots. In the process they broke further away from the company's Dominican traditions, using a blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos including a Havana Subida wrapper. This is the second departure from the norm in less than a year for the Newmans--the first being the Nicaraguan El Baton. Unlike some other bargain smokes from established companies, the Brick House is comprised of all long-filler tobacco, instead of being mixed filler or Cuban sandwich style.

The medium brown wrapper on this stick is very, very oily--it almost looks like it was rubbed in cooking oil! There were some very large veins, especially on the side opposite the front of the label. The foot looked a little beaten up even though the cigar was wrapped in cellophane. The aroma from the wrapper was chicken coop; from the foot there was more manure, along with some cocoa. The prelight draw was very good and I detected flavors of raisins and cocoa.

The initial puffs had notes of leather, coffee, nuts and a little pepper spice. During the first third the most dominant flavor was cedar, but there were also healthy doses of coffee and roasted nuts along with just a tiny bit of black pepper underneath.

During the second third, the coffee flavor slowly became more dominant and the pepper picked up somewhat. There were still notes of leather and cedar. Significantly, the wrapper cracked and split twice at the burning end during this section. The first time it was small and passed without incident. The second split was quite large and would require care so it would not expand.

The last third had a build-up of pepper along with a coffee note that was still strong. I consider this to be a very nice cigar, especially for the small amount of cash they are asking for it..and especially considering that it comes from the same people who gave us the Diamond Crown, a fantastic-flavored, but fantastically-overpriced, mild cigar. The Brick House was medium to full in body with a nice complexity and great Nicaraguan-influenced flavor profile. I predict that Vern will like this Brick House almost as much as the old song he is so fond of.

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

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

Fascism = Leftist Policies

Last week I had a debate of sorts on another blog with another poster in the comments section of an article. I don't remember all the issues we argued about (it was a civil argument, by the way, and we wished each other well at the end), but one of the important things was the nature of fascism. He insisted that fascism was a far-right wing belief system and I argued that fascism is, in fact, left wing.

Short version: a command economy; limited personal freedom; government control over manufacturing (at least to some degree and in some areas); oppressive federal government; strict rules of conduct; secret police to enforce those rules...I don't care if you call that communism, Stalinism, Maoism, Nazism, or fascism...it's pretty much all the same thing...totalitarianism! Which is a leftist policy. There are minor differences between the "ism"s I listed above, but just because Hitler was a raving lunatic racist does not mean that he was a right-winger. So, Hitler killed 6 million Jews (and black, gypsies, gays, etc.); Stalin killed 20 million Russians (some of whom were Jews and other minorities) and Mao's policies killed millions of Chinese. How exactly does that make Hitler "right wing" and Stalin "left wing?" The person I was debating simply said: "Read the Wikipedia entry on fascism." That was proof that fascists are right wing...really?

So, it was with no large amount of surprise today that I read this article on American Spectator in which it is alleged that a Green Party activist re-wrote or created over 5,000 articles that referred to global warming, climate change, or some other environ-fascist claim. This activist, it turns out, was made a Wikipedia administrator and basically has felt free, for years, to just overturn anything on the site that he does not agree with. He has also had people's posting privileges suspended when they disagree with him.

It has long been known that Wikipedia is not the most reliable of sources, especially on controversial issues, but this is a new low. Keep this information handy for the next time someone tells you to "read the Wikipedia entry" as a proof to end an argument. That is now shorthand for exposing your opponent's ignorance.

One more thing: If fascism is really a leftist policy, why does everyone consider it to be extreme right-wing? The "right wing" label was applied to fascism by none other than Josef Stalin. Hitler was trolling the scum of Berlin for people to follow his lead and he was attracting the same crowd that Stalin was trying to appeal to. Stalin was a proud left-winger and pronounced Hitler to be "right wing" in order to keep followers from switching to him. Was Hitler "right wing?" Maybe in comparison to Stalin, but in comparison with any other political system, Hitler was solidly and irrefutably a man of the left. If you want to learn much more, I recommend the book: Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning by Jonah Goldberg. Goldberg does have an agenda (as does everyone if you're honest), but he backs up his facts well.

"10"s, Part 2

As I write about these sticks, I wish I had a box of each in my humidor right now...of course, if I did, I would actually need a much larger humidor!

La Flor Dominicana, Double Ligero Chisel Maduro, October 16. The DL Chisel is an iconic cigar. The fact that I like the maduro version better than the regular stick was a surprise to me, but a very nice surprise.

La Flor Dominicana, LG Diez Cubano, October 20, and LG Diez Chisel, October 30. These two sticks are part of Litto Gomez's Dominican-puro line from the 2008 harvest year. Despite being two vitolas from the same line, they are unique enough to have their own reviews...and both were good enough to garner a perfect 10.

CAO La Traviata, November 4. After over a decade of pushing the envelope with marketing, packaging, and blending, CAO decided to make a "traditional, Cuban-style" stick...and, hey, let's make it for the cost-conscious smoker at the same time! The result was near perfection.

Savinelli Liga Especial, December 8. I would consider this to be one of the unheralded gems of the cigar industry: a great stick by a very old company that nobody seems to pay attention to, selling for a great price. I'd never even heard of it before this fall.

CAO Gold Vintage, December 24. CAO actually pulled it off twice this year...with two different cigars they released this year (sorry, Caramelo Joe wasn't good enough to pull the hat trick). In a year when I had already gotten a new favorite mild stick (Oliva Connecticut) and a new close second (Camacho Connecticut), this one surprised me by beating them both out.

What surprises will 2010 hold? I'm looking forward to finding out. By the time you read this, I will have started smoking and reviewing cigars for 2010...are any of those perfect "10"s? Tune in and find out. Thanks for being here for 2009...hope you have a happy and prosperous 2010.

Cigar Review: Alec Bradley, Prensado

Robusto, 5" x 50 ring gauge, $9.70
The Alec Bradley company was very busy in the second half of 2009. They introduced 4 new cigars and several new sizes for existing stogies. I have smoked--and enjoyed--the Family Blend and the SCR...now I get a chance to see what the Prensado is all about. According to SpanishDict.com, "prensado" means "luster, which remains on stuff." Huh? Whatever...this cigar features filler from Honduras and Nicaragua, a Nicaraguan Jalapa binder and a Corojo 2006 wrapper grown in Trojes, Honduras. Alec Bradley company president, Alan Rubin, called this "the most powerful cigar he's ever sold."

This is also the first box-pressed cigar AB has sold and it looks nice. It had a velvety feel and was dark brown in color with some mottling. It had some medium-sized veins. The label is ornate, using shiny and dull gold foil as well as embossing--with my printing and graphics background, I can appreciate the time and money that went into this. As with AB's other sticks lately (all the time? I don't know) there was no cellophane...so there wasn't much aroma from the wrapper, and really not much more from the foot, maybe just a little cocoa. The prelight draw was good and the flavors were of sweet chocolate and a touch of coffee.

Initially, I tasted dark roasted coffee and roasted nuts. A few minutes later there was some black pepper. The pepper built up to a pretty good strength throughout the first third and there were underlying flavors of espresso and cocoa powder.

The second third had less pepper and more coffee--espresso, to be exact, dark and smoky. There was a little bit of a woody undertone and I did have the cigar canoe on me, requiring me to touch up the burn line.

The last third was nutty again with lots of coffee, along with the bitterness that comes with that flavor. This seemed to me to be a very good medium-to-full bodied stick that just did not have a huge amount of complexity. After the pepper died down it did not have a lot of interest going on. It was good but not great and not nearly as strong as I would have expected considering Rubin's comment. I think the thing that put me off about this cigar is that while it was good, it had a "great" price tag and it just didn't rise to that level. If it were $2 a stick cheaper, it would have fared better in the rating department.

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

AFP Scale:
Prelight 1.5/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 3.5/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 7.5/10

"10"s, Part 1

Wow, it is really hard to believe that nearly a year has gone by since we left California and I started making this cigar-centric (but not cigar-limited) blog a regular part of my daily life. I have yet to do all the statistics, but I've smoked a lot of cigars for reviews on this site (probably just over 100) and I've awarded a few of those sticks a perfect "10" score: 11 "10"s awarded, to be exact...

601 Red, May 12. I just had one of these again recently and was still blown away by how good it was. Easily my favorite smoke from Espinoza and Ortega.

Oliva Connecticut, July 7. When asked, I always tell people that I prefer full-bodied cigars. That being said, I enjoy a good mild cigar when I find one that is exceptionally flavorful. This one is.

La Flor Dominicana, L-500 Cabinet, September 29. My long-time favorite cigar. There have been times when quality honestly hasn't been the best, but when the build quality is right, it's really hard to beat one of these cigars.

La Flor Dominicana, Limitado IV, October 2. Exceptionally strong cigar, but possessing an amazing amount of flavor. Eat big before smoking this one.

La Flor Dominicana, Mystery Blend, October 6. In some ways it may not be fair to list this one, because very few people will get a chance to try it, but it really was that good. If they announced that they were going to put this cigar out as a regular production stick, I'd buy a box.

The final 6 cigars awarded 10 points this past year will be revealed on Wednesday, December 30.

Merry Christmas (and Friday Funnies...on Thursday!)

I would like to wish everyone who reads the Tiki Bar Online a Merry Christmas. Not just "Happy Holidays" or "Seasons Greetings" (although I do with you those things, too), but "Merry Christmas" as this is the time of the year we celebrate God's gift to a sinful world: Jesus Christ. Some will argue that Jesus wasn't born in December, but March or April, and that Christians have simply co-opted the Saturnalia pagan ritual. Those things may be true, but that does not diminish the fact that Jesus was God's "only begotten Son" (John 3:16) sent to earth to die for the sins of all mankind. Regardless of the actual date of birth, this is when we choose to celebrate it.

I also would like to point out that although I consider this a holy day and a sacred event, I am not above making fun of some of the music, traditions and other characters that have been brought to life to commemorate this time of year. If you get a chance, check out Bob Rivers on iTunes or Amazon; my favorites are "Chipmunks Roasting on an Open Fire," "I Am Santa Claus" (parody of "Iron Man"), and "White Trash Christmas."

I would also encourage you to smoke a special cigar for Christmas Eve or Christmas. I plan on enjoying the LG Diez 2009 vintage...drop a comment and let me know what you will be smoking (or did smoke, if you see this late) for Christmas.

For the Friday Funnies this week (on Thursday, no less), I present one of my all-time favorite fun Christmas songs: "The Night Santa Went Crazy" by Weird Al Yankovic

Also, this video just came to my attention...apparently the bearded, red-suited dude was captured by CTU and Jack Bauer came to the rescue:

Cigar Review: CAO Gold Vintage

Crement, 6" x 52 ring gauge, $8.15
One of CAO's longest-lived cigars is the Gold, introduced all the way back in 1996. The Maduro version took 11 years to bring on-line, but just two years after it came out, we now have been blessed with the introduction of the Gold Vintage. The regular Gold is composed of Nicaraguan filler and Ecuadorian binder and wrapper leaves. The Vintage features filler from Nicaragua and Honduras, a Nicaraguan binder and a Connecticut-seed Ecuadorian wrapper from the 2004 harvest--a year called perfect in its combination of climate, rainfall and soil in Ecuador. Because it specifically uses tobacco from that year, I am sure this cigar is destined to be a limited edition, although it has been added to the CAO website in the regular cigar lineup, so it may be a rather long-lived limited edition.

The wrapper had a beautiful caramel cream color. While not utterly flawless, it was still very nice with small veins and a smooth feel. The aroma from the body was hay and cream; from the foot I got just a touch of chocolate and some barnyard. The cold draw was good and had flavors of hay, cream and a bit of honey (like the candy bar!!!--okay, not really).

Get ready: the word "creamy" will get used a lot here. That is because "creamy" is the major descriptive word right from the start. Creamy flavor, creamy smoke--thick, rich, and slow-moving. I have heard "buttery" applied to this cigar, too, and I totally understand the use of that word now: creamy, only thicker and richer than cream. Other flavors that came out in the first third were hay, honey and roasted nuts, but seriously...even the retrohale was creamy (it is also where the nuttier notes came through the best). I had this stick with coffee in the morning and that may have contributed to the coffee notes I also got on the retrohale. I do have to remark that the retrohale on this cigar was the easiest, smoothest (creamiest?) I can ever remember, which would make this the "go to" cigar for someone trying to learn how to retrohale.

The second third had more nuts and more coffee notes. The smoke was still creamy, but there was a little note of pepper from time to time as well as hints of autumn spice (nutmeg or allspice). Rather that "creaming out" the Gold Vintage seemed to pick up a bit of body in the middle stage. Still a mild smoke, but not at the lowest end of the body spectrum.

The pepper spice continued as a strong undercurrent in the last third. The flavors were dominated by roasted nuts and coffee, though, accompanied by a still-creamy, thick smoke. Regarding construction: I have not seen many cigars burn straighter than this one or draw better. I was able to get over an inch of ash before I had to forceably tap ash and no touch-ups were required through the entire smoke. And that all adds up to this: I might just have a new favorite mild cigar. The Gold Vintage had everything you want in a mild stick: creamy smoke with a touch of honey and hay, complex and changing flavors that continued to increase the body and interest-factor throughout, and wonderful mellowness for a morning smoke. It did have a little more nicotine kick than I expected, but not too much for comfort first thing in the morning. At the price they are asking, why would you willingly pay more for "status symbol" smokes?

Body: 3/10
Strength: 6/10
Complexity: 8/10

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

My Top 5: Full-Bodied Smokes

The other day I took a look at some of the mild cigars on the market that punch a flavor-punch without kicking your butt with strength and body. Today I am looking at the other end of the spectrum: my 5 favorite full-bodied smokes. Again, most of these have been reviewed on this blog and I've provided links where appropriate:

5. El Rico Habano Maduro. It's hard to believe this cigar comes from the giant General Cigar company, home of many fairly faceless, interchangeable cigars. This particular stick was masterminded by Ernesto Perez Carrillo before he left to start his own company.

4. CAO LX2 Lancero. It should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with this blog that I am a CAO fan. My favorite from the Nashville-based company, though, is the triple-ligero LX2, specifically in the lancero vitola. Wonderful stuff.

3. Oliva Serie V Lancero. Yes, that is two lanceros in a row, and two cigars in a row that are heavy on the ligero tobacco. I think Oliva's a slightly better than CAO's, but your mileage may vary. (Interestingly, I have not done a review of the regular Oliva V, just the maduro, which I wasn't fond of...looks like I have another stick to add to my reviewing list!)

2. La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Chisel. I like LFD's sticks...a lot! The Chisel is one of my favorites, but I think the maduro version is slightly preferable to the "natural" (which is still very dark).

1. La Flor Dominicana L-500 Cabinet. Did I mention that I liked LFD? If you have any questions, look at the entire month of October 2009. This stick has been an old friend to me, rarely letting me down in flavor, body, strength, or anything else I smoke cigars for.

None of these sticks would be recommended for the beginning smoker. What do you like, though? I've got my opinions, but I'm willing to try something new...

Cigar Review: San Cristobal Seleccion del Sol

Toro, 6" x 52 ring gauge, $8.95
Ashton began a very successful collaborative effort with master blender Don Pepin Garcia in 2007 when he produced the original San Cristobal line for them. He then created the bargain-priced Benchmade and spent some time with La Aroma de Cuba, producing a new upper-line blend and reblending the original, before turning back to the San Cristobal to expand the line with a new cigar called "Seleccion del Sol." This is another Nicaraguan puro from Garcia and his son, Jaime; the two of them hand-select the sun-grown wrapper leaves for what some sources are saying will ultimately be a limited edition cigar.

About that wrapper: it was very nice, but had a few minor flaws despite the use of a cellophane wrapper. The color was lighter at the top than farther down toward the foot--overall a medium-brown. It had mostly light veining, but there were a few larger bulges. The aroma from the body was light and hay-like; from the foot there was sweet, rich chocolate. The prelight draw had just a little resistance and flavors of mild cocoa, creamy coffee, and maybe some hints of raisin and other dried fruit along with a touch of fall spice.

Upon lighting, initial puffs had black pepper, roasted nuts and coffee bean. This did not change much as the first third got into full gear; the cigar was quite nutty with some black coffee notes and a peppery undercurrent. I found it to be quite different from the regular San Cristobal line--I honestly would not have even given this the same name if the decision had been mine. While it was good so far, it reminded me of what happens when you take a medium-to-full filler blend and put a mild-to-medium wrapper on it--I could even detect some notes of hay, a classic mild cigar trait. It was not at all what I was expecting, although it was too soon to say if that was a good or bad thing.

The second third had more coffee and more pepper, along with some black licorice notes and a little of that fall spice I had detected in pre-light. It burned evenly, though not straight, and had a great draw.

In the last third a chili pepper spice came out, but there was still a nice black coffee note, too. I do consider this to be a good addition to the Ashton lineup, but it is so different from the "regular" San Cristobal that I really cannot make sense of it bearing the same name. I have talked to one person that likes the Seleccion del Sol better than the original, but I cannot agree for my palate. The price seems a little cheaper than the original San Cristobal and because of that I will probably give it at least one more try, but overall I think the original will remain my preference.

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

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 1.5/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 3/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 7/10

My Top 5: Mild Cigars

I'll admit it, I started to ignore mild cigars completely. Like some of my friends, I wanted to get a buzz from a cigar or have my taste buds pummeled. "Most mild sticks are for beginners," I thought, "and the ones that aren't are just too expensive." As you live, hopefully, you grow up a bit. In the 8 or 9 years that I have been smoking, I went to the top of the flavor and strength mountain and found that there are just as many sticks lacking real substance there as at the bottom. During the time I've been smoking, it seems the trend was always "more, more, more" and "stronger, stronger, stronger." From the MX2 to the Triple Maduro, from the LX2 to the Oliva V, from El Rico Habano to Cain...more body, more strength has been the name of the game.

Something changed in the last year or two, though. In the industry and in myself. I have seen more mild sticks hit the shelves from companies that made a name for themselves with stronger fare. And I've started to enjoy them. I'm enjoying the nuance and the fact that I don't have to be knocked on my butt to enjoy a cigar early in the day. I am also enjoying the fact that most of these new smokes do not cost that much. So...here are my 5 favorite mild (or mild-to-medium) smokes on the market today. Most of these have been reviewed on this blog in the past so I've linked to those reviews:

5. La Flor Dominicana Mambises. LFD is one of the prime movers in the strong cigar market, but they were making this mild smoke for almost a decade before anyone heard of the Chisel. I was surprised at how much I liked it.

4. Nub Connecticut. This was the first one that was a real revelation for me. A revelation that a mild stick didn't have to be thin on flavor. For a long time it was my favorite mild stick on the market and it is still a pleasure to smoke.

3. Camacho Connecticut. It was not that long ago that I couldn't name a Camacho I liked. Since then, I tried the Scorpion and enjoyed it, re-tried the Triple Maduro and appreciated it, and discovered this gem...it's fantastic.

2. Oliva Connecticut. How did Oliva choose to follow up their powerhouse Serie V? With a mild smoke that is a flavor powerhouse, even if it doesn't have the same type of body. Brilliant!

1. CAO Gold Vintage. No link for this one...because the review has not run yet. I'll save the details for December 24, when the review will publish, but needless to say, CAO killed it with this one. Great stick and probably destined to be a somewhat limited edition. Pick up a box or 5 while you have a chance!

There you go: 5 fantastic mild cigars that retail for no more than about $9 per stick, and in some cases far less. In my opinion, any of these can go head-to-head in the flavor department with a Davidoff, Diamond Crown, Avo, or any other super-premium, mega-expensive mild cigar on the market. Tell me what you think...what mild cigars are your favorites?

The Senate...

Late word is that the U.S. Senate is preparing a very special Christmas present for the 60 percent or so of the American people that are strongly against the health care "reform" packages that have been making their way through debates in both houses:

Yes, after making big pronouncements about doing "the will of the people" and "serving all Americans" etc, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah, the U.S. Senate seems set upon following the House of Representatives in passing a health care reform bill that only 1/3 of the people in the country support. The bill would only benefit about 5 to 10 percent of the public under the best case scenario and most likely will have the effect of making health care more expensive and of poorer quality for 100 percent of Americans. Of course, they will exempt themselves from these laws as they normally do.

There is still a chance that this whole thing will be derailed. The Senate version is a mostly neutered bill compared to the House version, so it is possible it will take some time to get a compromise version done and then it's still possible that some "moderate" Democrats will leave the fold and vote again the final version. Of course, we thought that before and political whores like Blanche Lincoln and Mary Landrieu proved that their votes could be purchased. They were joined this weekend by political man-whore, Ben Nelson, who was firmly against the bill until some more money was thrown in for Nebraska.

If this thing passes, it is probably the end of the road for our current American system. Once the government gets it slimy paws on something, it is increasingly difficult to get them to leave those things alone. Instead, the government started intervening in healthcare under Johnson with Medicare and Medicaid, two systems that are pretty well broke at this point because of fraud, mismanagement, and just a complete misunderstanding of the role of government in the first place. Now they are going to try to expand government's role, with the goal of eventually creating a single-payer plan with the feds in charge of all healthcare. Unfortunately, for all the hard-working taxpayers who still believe in the Constitution as it was written, no entitlement program has ever been repealed and none has ever been substantially reformed or scaled back.

A Question to Ponder

Everyone already knows the saying about Arizona, Iraq, or anywhere else super hot: "Yeah, it's 110...but it's a dry heat." Somehow a dry 110 is supposed to be better than a humid 95. Depends on your outlook, I guess. Anyway, so I have a friend who has compared the "dry" cold in Colorado with the "wet" cold in New England and it comes down to the same thing: "Yeah, it's 8 degrees...but it's a dry cold."

So, theoretically, humidity in the air makes both the heat feel hotter and the cold feel colder. Okay, let's accept that premise...I want to know what happens at borderline temperatures, you know: not hot and not cold. "It's 72 degrees...but it's a dry moderate temperature?" Even more confusing is what happens when it's, say, 60 degrees out and very humid. I consider 60 to not be all that cold, but I know some people are more sensitive and would consider it very cold. Perhaps Alaskans would even consider it to be warm. Follow me, here...

If you put an Alaskan and a Floridian both outside in 60 degree weather, with 85 percent relative humidity, would the Floridian complain that it feels far colder than 60 while the Alaskan complains that it feels far warmer than 60?

Just where my mind wanders sometimes when I'm freezing my butt off in 40 degree weather (wet or dry) trying to enjoy a cigar and stay warm at the same time...

Friday Funnies

An oldie, but a goodie...

Cigar Revew: Don Pepin Garcia Blue Label

Exquisitos, 5.625" x 46 ring gauge, approx. $7
The Blue Label (those words are not actually printed on the label, the label's just blue--so, not to be confused with the "Blue Label" by Gran Habano)...anyway, the Blue Label was the first cigar to be released under the Don Pepin Garcia brand. The El Rey de los Habanos website describes it as "full-bodied" with a "unique composition and blend." It is, like most DPG sticks, a Nicaraguan puro, this time with a Corojo Oscuro wrapper.

The wrapper was fairly dark and had some prominent veins, along with a place where it looks like the roller made a mistake and folded the wrapper. Rustic, perhaps, but also rather ugly in many places, this is not something I would expect from the reputation of Pepin Garcia. On the other hand, the wrapper is oily for a non-cello'd stick and has a velvety touch to it. It was spongy near the foot, more than usual, but firmer elsewhere. The aroma from the wrapper was a faint barnyard, but I detected practically nothing from the foot--maybe just a hint of cocoa. There were flavors of dried fruit and dark chocolate on the prelight draw, and it left just a little spicy tingle on the lips.

This stick started of with the typical DPG initial blast of black pepper spiciness and heat--it really does hit you full-force on this one. Above all things, the first third of the DPG Blue was very, very peppery. It started off with that blast and kept coming until I was almost on my knees begging for a respite. There was also leather and espresso bean, but just subtle notes that occasionally came through the peppery barrage.

The spice relented quite a bit in the second third, allowing strong coffee and bittersweet chocolate flavors to come through. This was a strong, kick-butt stogie that suddenly transformed to a full-bodied and full-flavored smoke. A big change in a shot time.

The spice returned in the last third, though not nearly as potent as before. There were also more coffee, cocoa and leather notes. The DPG Blue started out full-bodied right away and proved to be just as full-flavored by the end. This is still my favorite DPG-branded stick. It burned evenly and drew well from first to last and was the most satisfying smoke I had in several days. Well worth the money paid and the time invested.

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

Cigar Review: Casa Magna Colorado

Extraordinario, 7" x 58 ring gauge, approx. $10.50
Casa Magna made a huge entrance into the cigar world in 2008 when the Robusto size was named Cigar Aficionado's Cigar of the year. For 2009, they introduced several new sizes in the original Colorado line, including this Salomon-shaped Extraordinario. This cigar was created by the combined talents of Manuel Quesada and Nestor Plascencia and is composed of all Nicaraguan tobaccos.

The wrapper on this cigar was damaged near the foot, but that will not be deducted from the rating as this cigar was picked up by a friend at the IPCPR and I cannot verify all the handling it went through. Suffice to say it did not arrive at a cigar store in a box from the manufacturer. There was some mottling on the dark reddish-brown leaf and a few medium-sized veins. It was very oily and had aromas of barnyard and classic humidor from the body; the foot was small on this vitola and had very faint aromas of cocoa and coffee. Prelight flavors included cocoa and chili pepper.

Upon lighting up, there was lots of smoke and an immediate tunnelling problem. Initial flavors were leathery with some spice. The first third flavors were actually rather harsh, with leather, pepper, black coffee, and some ammonia. The ammonia usually is a sign of an under-aged tobacco, but this has been in my humidor for 3 months. This also seems to be a recurring issue for Casa Magna in my experience and I found myself wondering how the heck they were able to win the Cigar of the Year distinction--just a fabulous batch, I guess. I have had some good ones, but I have also had several that were just not up to snuff and this was looking like one of those.

The second third was earthy, with more coffee bean flavor--maybe even espresso bean. It also had a pronounced roasted nut note as well. It was turning out to be fairly full-bodied at this point. The early tunnel was not a continuous problem--at this point there was a straight burn line since midway through the first third.

The last third had more leather along with lots of coffee bean, some earth, and just a little bit of spice. This stick left me mostly cold and unsatisfied. What appeared to be a marvelous Nicaraguan puro with all that entails turned out to be a rather one-dimensional, medium-to-full bodied stick with little in the way to recommend itself. While not bad-tasting, this Casa Magna did not even rise to the level of good, much less "Cigar of the Year" great. Very disappointing.

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

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1.5/2
Flavor: 2/5
Value: 0/1
Total: 5.5/10

Book Recommendation: The Age of Reagan, 1964-1980

The Age of Reagan, 1964-1980: The Fall of the Old Liberal Order by Steven F. Hayward
Were you alive during the time period described in the title of this book? If you were, were you politically aware? I am betting that even if you were a political junkie before the 1964 Presidential election, you will find this book informative and interesting. If you were not, you will also find this book highly educational as much of the information is not commonly taught.

Steven Hayward set out to tell the political biography of Ronald Reagan in a two volume set sometime in the 1990s. This first book was published in 2001 and details not just the actions and events Reagan was directly involved in, but details the history of politics in America during the time frame when Reagan first became a political force (his televised speech in support of Barry Goldwater in 1964) through the time he was elected President. His 700 page tome spends long passages detailing they political strategies and philosophies of Kennedy and Johnson, in particular their reasons for fighting in Vietnam and somewhat weak actions in that war and their social agenda. There are critical looks at Nixon, Ford, and Carter, as well. Each President and the players surrounding them (most notably Henry Kissinger and Daniel Patrick Moynihan) are examined from a perspective of noting both strengths and weaknesses.

Reagan himself does not get the "fawning" treatment that you might expect from an admitted conservative. Hayward does not gloss over his mistakes, missteps and weaknesses, but does put them in juxtaposition to his strengths and victories on the road from actor to political dynamo.

Along the way there is education as to the media and "New Left"s role in losing the war in Vietnam, alternate theories about the origins and implications of Watergate, and much more. I view this as an essential book to understanding the place we are in today, inasmuch as the present parallels the past in a frightening manner. As I read, I realized that Bill Clinton is very much the Lyndon Johnson of our generation: a sometimes popular figure who was deeply flawed. George W. Bush turns out to be very much like Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford: a moderate-to-liberal Republican, very popular with the public for a short time, but reviled by the press and the Democrat party. And that leaves Barack Obama to be our generation's Jimmy Carter: a President who took power in troubled times and made all the wrong moves to restore our economy to strength and blamed America for a great number of the problems in the world. The question that leaves us with is: who is our generation's Ronald Reagan. Whoever it is...we need him now!

A note on bias: Hayward does not pretend to be anything other than a conservative and Reagan aficionado. Even so, he is not afraid to talk about Reagan's weaknesses. I would posit that there is no such thing as a truly objective political analysis or biography. Anyone who writes a book about a politician or a time in history absolutely has an opinion and a worldview; to pretend that that opinion or worldview does not inform the writing and the choice of what to include or exclude from the prose is a lie: either to the people reading the book or the author lying to himself.

The second volume, 1980-1988, The Conservative Counterrevolution is purchased and on the way. I also would love for Hayward to plan on a third volume examining the lasting effects of Reagan on our political scene as well as examining what went wrong in the conservative movement in the last 10 years.

Friday Funnies

It's been a while since I've seen anything quite this funny...

Is There Anybody Out There...?

Just a reminder to any potential new readers of this blog, the comments feature is turned on for every entry and I would love to hear feedback on any topic discussed. Agree with me, disagree with me...take a minute and drop a line. This site is hosted on Blogger.com, which is a Google property, so if you have a Google ID of any type it should work. Thanks!

Cigar Review: Cabaiguan

Guapos 46, 5.875" x 46 ring gauge, approx. $9
Since his initial success with the Tatuaje line, Pete Johnson has been branching out, trying to add his personal style and taste to other niches in the cigar world. The Cabaiguan line was created as an "Old World Medium Bodied Cuban Style Cigar." The regular line features Nicaraguan filler and binder with an Ecuadorian Connecticut-seed shade-grown wrapper. The Guapos variant features an Ecuadorian Sun-Grown wrapper. All are blended by master Tobaquero, Don Pepin Garcia.

The wrapper was rather rustic-looking with medium veins that are very noticeable. It was oily despite the lack of a cellophane wrapper. The color of the wrapper was dark-medium brown, almost enough to be classified as a maduro. The color was not terribly even in color, but had no noticeable defects. The cigar was medium-firm except near the foot where is was excessively spongy. There was plenty of barnyard and hay from the body, with more compost and a touch of cocoa coming from the foot. The draw was very good and had flavors of coffee and unsweetened cocoa, while leaving a spicy tingle on the lips.

A bit of ammonia on the first few puffs quickly gave way to a more earthy flavor. The smoke started of mostly light and blew away quickly. The first third was mostly nutty and earthy, but there were pleasing notes of coffee and dark chocolate from time to time as well as unpleasing notes of ammonia.

In the second third there was more coffee, but it was still somewhat earthy. The smoke had started off medium-bodied and continued that way still, with a fairly thin, wispy smoke. It did have a great draw and a very even burn line.

In the last third, black coffee finally overcame the Cabaiguan's inherent earthiness. There was also some black pepper that finally showed up. I would classify this stick as a good medium-bodied stick, although a long way from being truly great. The flavors of earth tended to muddy the entirety of the experience and did not allow any intensity of any of the other flavors to come out.

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

AFP Score:
Prelight: 1.5/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 3.5/5
Value: 0/1
Total: 7/10

Cigar Review: CAO LX2

Salomon, 7" x 54 ring gauge, MSRP $62.50 for a box of 5
Much has been made of CAO's LX2--a cigar packed with three types of ligero tobacco and sitting at the top of the company's lineup in regards to body and strength. Since its unveiling over a year ago, it has become the cigar that company president, Tim Ozgener, uses for lesson in blending, the first CAO stick to be offered as a lancero, and now the first to arrive as a salomon-sized perfecto. These are available only in boxes of 5 (at the moment) with a manufacturer's retail price of $62.50, or $12.50 per stick. The packaging is almost as beautiful as the cigars inside--a leather-looking box with faux wood grain on 3 sides; the two pieces are fastened together at the upper left corner and swivel apart. This box wouldn't look out of place on your bookshelf, although I suspect it would make for a lousy humidor. It could make a nice short-term cigar-carrier, though. And, of course, the box doesn't mean much of anything if the cigars inside are not worth smoking.

As always, the LX2 is beautiful to look at. This sample had an almost-flawless wrapper with just a little oily sheen to it, and no prominent veins. It does seem a bit firm to the touch--hopefully that does not cause problems in smoking. The aroma from the wrapper has some notes of barnyard, along with a little cocoa and a little coffee. The perfecto shape prevents any real aroma from the foot, and also makes prelight draw more than a little tight, but that should change after the stick is lit. Flavors of dark chocolate and chili pepper were the most prominent in prelight, along with a little leather.

The initial puffs were strong on the leather and quickly gave way to a black pepper heat. A very little bit of smoke quickly gave way to a much larger volume as well. It seemed, at this point, that construction would not be a problem. This one started of somewhat harshly--lots of leather and spice in a full-bodied smoke that was not smooth in the least. It was not unpleasant, bu was not the best experience I could remember having with an LX2, either. As the first third wound down the harshness abated, although the leatheriness did not.

In the second third a strong, black coffee flavor came out. The draw did tighten, though, forcing me to try to re-clipping the end. This was successful in opening the draw, but it was also successful in causing the wrapper to start to unravel--which would be something I had to pay attention to the rest of the way.

The last third had more leather and in increase in spice, although there was still a fair bit of black coffee. Overall, this is a very good smoke, although it was not able to supplant the lancero as my favorite LX2 vitola. This is mostly due to the harsh start, that did mellow out rather quickly as it settled into the familiar are wonderful LX2 flavor profile. This turned out to be a good stick for a chilly day, although it would probably be too much cigar (in smoking time) for a very cold winter's day.

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

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

Cigar Review: Savinelli Liga Especial

Torpedo, 6" x 52 ring gauge, $7.05
Savinelli has been in the tobacco-purveying business since 1876. I first heard of them when my wife bought me a Savinelli briar pipe for Christmas several years ago, but I was unaware until recently that they even made cigars. Turns out they actually sell 7 lines of Premium Handmade cigars, most of which are highly rated. The Liga Especial is made for Savinelli by Oliva in Esteli, Nicaragua; it uses Nicaraguan filler and binder along with an Ecuadorian Habano 2000 wrapper.

The wrapper was beautifully smooth, silky and a cinnamon brown color. There was a crack about an inch and a half from the foot--something to watch for potential problems later on. The aroma from the body was hay and barnyard; from the foot there was some cocoa. There was a nice oiliness and medium firmness, without one fairly solid spot at about the same location as the crack. Prelight draw was great and gave up flavors of dried fruit with a lingering spicy tingle on the lips.

Initial puffs were smooth and creamy with a little black pepper and a little hay. It started right off as a medium-to-full-bodied stick. The pepper continued through the first third, but only at a muted state. There was a ton of other flavor, though--a bittersweet dark chocolate and cinnamon being the easiest things to pick out.

By the time I got to the second third, the smoke was trending toward the bottom end of what I would call full-bodied--thick, oily, slow-moving and fairly luxurious. I found myself double-checking the price because this tasted like a much more expensive cigar. There was still some dark chocolate and sweetness, and they were joined by a nice coffee note, all of which was still unpinned by a current of light pepper.

The last third saw more coffee and nuttiness and less chocolate. There was still a persistent peppery undercurrent and a very nice finish. I found the whole thing to be smooth and creamy, too. From shortly into the first third to the very end, the burn line on this Savinelli was perfectly straight. The draw was as good as you get. The ash held on for up to an inch before I tapped off. All in all, this was a fantastic stick with great flavors and enough complexity to keep it interesting. It had decent body, while not being overwhelming in any respect. I'll be buying more of these when I get the chance.

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

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

Book Recommendation: The Christmas Sweater

The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck
The past 12 months have certainly been a special time for Mr. Glenn Beck. He moved from Headline News obscurity to Fox News super-stardom; was a major driving force in the rise of the Tea Parties, especially the September 12 march on D.C.; and published 3 books, including this Christmas fable.

In the introduction, Beck talks about his own sweater that has traveled from dwelling to dwelling through the years with him and about how it inspired the story that follows. It should be noted, as some Amazon-reviewers have complained about this fact: this is not an autobiographical story. The main characters in the book are indeed modeled on Beck, his mother, his grandfather, and some others he knew. The sweater does indeed exist and has from the time Beck was a pre-teen. However, the cover of the book clearly states that this is "A Novel" which by definition means "fiction."

This may not be the most original piece of fiction out there, but it does effectively tell a story of redemption and of treasuring the ones we love, our family and our friends, no matter what the surrounding circumstances bring. Along the way, Beck relays a bit of his political philosophy, too, with a vignette about two people who are receiving government welfare assistance: one who truly needs it and one who does not. Overall, though, this is not a political manifesto, but a calling to appreciate the people who sacrifice for us on a daily basis. It's a nice story and this book would make a nice gift.

Cigar Review: La Aroma de Cuba - New Blend

Monarch, 6" x 52 ring gauge, $6.80
La Aroma de Cuba has been a long-time favorite from the Ashton company, but they decided that it needed a change. They had Don Pepin Garcia create a new blend for the LAdC line, promising that it would maintain the rich, spicy character while improving overall flavor. It features Nicaraguan fill and binder along with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. The New Blend can be distinguished form the old by the red ribbon around the foot. I could not find an old blend to compare prices with, but it always struck me that the old LAdC was on the upper end of the medium price range; this new one is at the lower end of that medium range, though, making it a very attractive stick.

Upon release from the cellophane, the LAdC gave off rich, strong chocolate aromas. The wrapper was smooth and shiny from the oils. It had fairly small veins, especially for a Broadleaf, and a nice dark "maduro" brown color. The body had tons of chocolate aroma and so did the foot--it was almost like a See's chocolate See-gar! Only better, because you can smoke this one!

The prelight draw had coffee and sweet chocolate flavors and left a nice spicy tingle on the lips. Initial light gave up plenty of black pepper and chili pepper and I could tell this was a full-bodied stick from the very first. Pepper and spice dominated most of the first third, but they were joined by bitter espresso and leather notes. The smoke was heavy and dense with flavor; the finish was overwhelming to the point of unpleasant a few times.

By the second third, most of the pepper had faded, as had that strong, leathery finish that I was not enjoying. What was left was a nice coffee flavor with notes of leather and cocoa powder.

The spice returned in the last third, although not nearly as strong as before. Coffee and muted cocoa notes remained dominant until the end. The burn started off crooked , but corrected itself in the second third and remained straight through the end. The draw was consistently very good. Overall, this was a fantastic smoke except for a little strangeness in the flavor near the end of the first third; I had not noted this on any previous samples I had smoked, so I put it down to this particular stick having some sort of minor flaw. I would judge this to be another winner from Don Pepin Garcia, and at a great price point to boot. It was full bodied, but not so much nicotine that it really kicks your butt.

Body: 9/10
Strength: 7/10
Complexity: 8/10

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

Smoke One For...

This guy, who at the moment, is nameless to the public at large. Great choice of reading material to fill the vacuous moments of President Obama's Tuesday night speech. This guy has balls of titanium...

Cigar Review: EO Murcielago

Churchill, 7.125" x 48 ring gauge, $9.65
Erik Espinoza and Eddie Ortega have been partners in the cigar business for about six years now, starting with the 601 line and also producing the fabulous Cubao cigars. The Murcielago is composed of Nicaraguan filler along with a Mexican binder and wrapper leaf. On a visit to Mexico, Espinoza and Ortega were taken on a visit to a cave filled with bats which was the inspiration behind the name of this new cigar.

When released from the cellophane, the air was filled with a strong chocolate aroma. The wrapper had a touch of baker's cocoa along with some barnyard; the foot was very strong with rich chocolate. The wrapper leaf was moderately toothy and rough-feeling. There were a few moderate-sized veins. The color was a dark brown and very even with no mottling.

How loud is the sound of falling leaves? That's hard to say, but on this quiet autumn afternoon, just enough of a breeze was stirring to cause the trees across the street to lose the last of their leaves. The clattering as they hit the ground was one of the loudest noises as I sat on the porch, cigar in hand. That, and the one pesky, buzzing fly that I hoped would be driven away as soon as I lit up my stogie.

The prelight draw was easy but had little flavor--just a little of the cocoa, but even that was not very strong.The first few puffs were mildly peppery with hints of coffee. The rest of the first third was a battle between those two elements. First the dark roast coffee flavors dominated with a peppery undercurrent. But within 15 minutes the pepper ramped up to full force, leaving the coffee, and a bit of cocoa, as the undercurrent.

In the second third, the Murcielago took a rather abrupt turn toward a milder, smoother cigar with herbal and floral notes. The Nicaraguan spiciness from the beginning seemed to just disappear, and I cannot say it was for the better for my taste preferences. On the other hand, construction remained perfect: an uneven burn line upon lighting had quickly straightened out and remained straight. The draw was excellent as well.

In the last third, spice made a roaring return, this time as a chili pepper flavor that stood above the herbal flavors. The chili pepper power waned and waxed several times in the last third, but never went completely away. In all, this is a very well-made cigar that did much to confirm that Mexican tobacco could be interesting and flavorful in ways I had not previously experienced. The flavor profile, however, was not exactly my cup of tea, so I cannot give it an outstanding rating on that mark. The Murcielago is definitely a worthy addition to the EO lineup and should garner some fans, but I am not likely to be among them.

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

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 2.5/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 7/10