Cigar Review: Tatuaje Verocu (Red)

Torpedo/Tubo, 6.125" x 52 ring gauge, $13.95
Tatuaje's Red Banded cigars are made in Florida out of Nicaraguan tobaccos. They were blended by Don Pepin Garcia for Pete Johnson. The wrapper is a Corojo 99. Like the recent Tat Black Tubo, this stick comes in an aluminum tube, this time in bright red. Before going further, I have to admit that I have had only 3 or 4 previous Tat Red Label cigars...I simply was never very impressed with them. I smoked this one to see if my tastes had changed enough to like one or if this highly-touted release was actually better than the others I remembered. Of course, to make this a bit more confusing than necessary, it was pointed out to me after I wrote this review that although this stick has a red band, it really is not the same as the regular Tat Red Label line, but is actually a continuation of the Verocu cigars, which were special "East Coast" / "West Coast" sticks put out a few years ago, so feel free to ignore everything I said above about Tat Red as it is not relevant to this stick. I would like to point out, though, that maybe a different color of band should have been used to further differentiate this stick from the Red Label, instead of just the addition of a second band--that just makes me think it's a special version of the Red Label. Whatever.

The wrapper was nice-looking and oily; it was a dark brown in color with no mottling and only a couple medium-sized veins. To be honest the color and overall look of the wrapper leaf reminded me of the one used on the Nestor Miranda Oscuro as both have a grayish/silverish tinge to them. The wrapper aroma was of barnyard and leather, while the foot had some manure with touches of coffee and chocolate. Mmm...manurey chocolate and coffee...(mouth open and drooling like Homer Simpson). The prelight draw was sweet and spicy; there were flavors of chocolate and chili pepper.

The initial puffs tasted very strongly of leather and cedar with a pretty good spicy kick in there, too. The first third continued to be heavy on leather and cedar, but also had a rather earthy quality that was so prevalent it was almost like mud. Some chili pepper broke through the mud and the burn line was nice and even, but I can't say that this was a great flavor profile--a little earthiness goes a long way and this had gone way too far. The body was fairly full from the start and the finish was long.

The second third started much the same, but about halfway through, the muddiness cleared up and the flavors of leather and dark coffee came shining through. The spice abated somewhat, but was still there, especially when I blew the smoke through my nose.

The final third was earthy and leathery again with hints of coffee but no hint of the muddiness from earlier. Overall I have to judge the Tat Red Tubo a failure, though--the first half was just too muddy to enjoy while the second was better but still did not rise to the level of "very good." If this stick were gifted to me, I would honestly just have to say "thank you," put it away in my humidor, and re-gift it or trade it away to someone who would appreciate it more. Judging from other reviews I've read, there definitely is a market for this stick, but I am not part of it. 

Body: 8/10
Strength: 7/10
Complexity: 4/10

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 2.5/5
Value: 0/1
Total: 6.5/10

Yeah, Right...

Here are two "I'll believe it when I see it stories" for a Tuesday morning:

First, apparently President Obama wants to open up the coastlines of this country to offshore oil drilling. While I would applaud this is the man any integrity, he doesn't...I simply don't believe anything he says anymore. Even if offshore drilling is "allowed" there will most likely be such severe restrictions that it would not actually get done (that happened a couple years ago) or he will allow it and Congress will pass legislation to ban it, so he can take cover saying that he supported it while knowing that it would never happen.

Second, looks like the iPhone will finally come to Verizon, at least if you actually believe the latest batch of rumors floating around. The problem is we've been hearing these rumors since practically day one of iPhone availability, and they have constantly proven false. What is any different now? The main thing that is different now is that Verizon is ever-closer to adopting the LTE standard and rolling that out nationwide, a process that will not happen overnight. So it seems foolish to believe that Apple would take a lot of time and money to develop a CDMA iPhone that works with today's Verizon network, but will not work (at least not well) with the network they will be installing over the next couple years. It could happen, though...I could be wrong! If they release a Verizon iPhone this year, I'll spend about a week kicking myself for buying a Droid, then get back to my life...or maybe not...so far the Droid does about 90 percent of what I would use an iPhone for and it does a few thing better, so maybe this choice isn't so bad.

 

Smoke One For...

...Jaime Escalante, who brought a philosophy of "Determination. Plus discipline. Plus hard work" to an East L.A. classroom while teaching advanced math to kids who had been practically abandoned by the government-run public school system. A teacher who put the kids before the administration or unions is rare in today's education system and many teachers would do well to use him as a role model. His story was features in the movie Stand and Deliver and Michelle Malkin wrote a moving tribute to him on her blog. Mr. Escalante died today in Reno while undergoing cancer treatment. He was 79.

Cigar Review: Tatuaje Black

Torpedo/Tubo, 6.125" x 52 ring gauge, $15.95
Pete Johnson released the first Tatuaje cigars in 2003 and has expanded his initial line to several label colors and blends, as well as adding new lines to what is rapidly becoming "Pete Johnson Cigars," not just Tatuaje. Information on the Black is hard to come by, but I first remember hearing about them a couple years ago and that they were sold in jars at the time. I had never actually seen a Tat Black "in the wild" until the recent release of the Tubos. They are blended, as usual, by Don Pepin Garcia and are Nicaraguan puros--this time meant specifically to replicate a blend Pete came across while in Cuba.

Rustic is a mild word for this stick's appearance. Word is that they used a binder-grade leaf for the wrapper and judging by the rough, toothy and veiny appearance, that is very easy to believe. Even though it was oily, this leaf was rough. It ended in a shaggy, unclipped foot to complete the ultra-rustic look. The aroms from the body was and barnyard; the foot did not give much more because of the "shaggy" finish, but I did get an extra not of chocolate there. The prelight draw was great and the flavors were fairly faint--some cocoa, some coffee, some sweet tobacco were all there, but just not very strongly. A couple notes before moving one: First, despite it rather ugly appearance, I will not deduct points from appearance for this cigar because it is actually intended to be ugly and rustic. Second, I'll just come right out and say it: the tube looks like it should be battery-powered. 'Nuff said.

Initially the flavors didn't add much to what I experienced prelight--there was some dark black coffee and roasted nuts, but they were not particularly strong. The retrohale was intense, however, and burned with black pepper. The first third of the stick was mostly a dark-roasted coffee flavor--fairly bitter and quite full-bodied. There was also quite a bit of chili pepper spice in the back of the mouth and top of the throat and a healthy dose of black pepper through the nose. There was a slightly uneven burn that corrected itself pretty quickly.

The second third started off with a decrease in the volume of smoke. After tapping ash a second time, I saw that there was a slight tunnel forming. Nothing so serious that I would throw out the stick, but disappointing at such a premium price point. The flavor was still mostly of coffee although there was some cocoa powder mixed in there, too. The spice had also diminished significantly.

The final third was a pretty abrupt change from the first two: the flavors changed to earth and leather in the lead roles with coffee playing a minor supporting one. There were also some notes of roasted nuts and dark chocolate from time-to-time. In the end, this was an interesting, fairly complex full-bodied smoke, but one that I probably would not revisit with much frequency. It just was not as full of flavor as I would expect from a stick costing this much. It was not bad, but neither was it great, and just "good" doesn't cut it when the price is over $15 per stick.

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

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 1.5/2
Construction: 1.5/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 0/1
Total: 7/10

Avo LE10 Event, Saturday, March 27, 2010

My local B&M, Burns Tobacconist, sponsored an event this past Saturday evening featuring the legendary Avo Uvezian. He was promoting his annual “birthday” special edition cigar, the LE10 and did a little piano-playing while he was there, too. I’ll get to that in time...

I started off by getting to the event early to see what new cigars Burns might have received since my last visit (seems like almost a month ago). I picked up the new Nestor Miranda Dominicano, something I had not noticed before from Don Pepin Garcia (Vegas Cubanas), and a couple samples of the new Pete Johnson stick, El Triunfador. I had smoked my first of these a couple weeks ago at Leaf & Ale in Knoxville and was not at all impressed, so I thought I’d try it in a different size. I smoked one then at the shop--Jason, who works there, loves them and I wanted to give him my opinion. I’ve got to say--still not impressed. It’s not a bad stick, but there are plenty of other medium-bodied sticks on the market in the same price range I like better. More for Jason to smoke, I guess (and @KnightRid, too).

Very soon, the one we had been waiting for--the man, the myth, the legend--arrived. No, I’m not talking about Barack Obama--I’m thinking he wouldn’t be brave enough to show his face at a cigar store in southeast Tennessee. No, Avo Uvezian walked through the door. He was very nice and shook hands with everyone standing around waiting to be let into the event room.

Eventually when we were let in, I got in and found a seat. The Davidoff brand manager noticed that I was carrying a box of LE10s and came over to invite me to have Avo sign it. He did and he was gracious enough to pose for a picture with me as well, standing on his toes to try to get to my height. Great sense of humor. 

Soon after the start of the event, he got up and said a few words. He related that Chattanooga was one of his favorite cities (“Yeah, he says that about every city” I said), because when he was a youngster in Lebanon he used to play “Chattanooga Choo-Choo” with the band and never thought he might actually get to go there. He encouraged us all to fight against the anti-smoking laws because “we all know where it will end up.” And he displayed his pride in this new Limited Edition 2010 cigar that has been described as the strongest, fullest-bodied cigar to ever bear his name.

Later I got to talk with him a little more and told him a friend in California was disappointed that he wasn’t coming out there. “I don’t like California” was his reply as he graciously signed an empty box for Keith, who bought half the box I purchased that evening.

I talked to Bob and Lee and some others at my table about cigars, politics, religion...basically the stuff that makes the Tiki Bar go round. Amazingly, we all left the event as friends, with no one calling anyone else a “moron” which can actually happen even when people’s views don’t coincide...at least it can if both parties are reasonable. We all kept an eye on the Kentucky-West Virginia NCAA tournament game, too.

Seems that Jason and Davidoff rep, Garrett, made a bet earlier in the evening. They picked sides and wagered a virtual re-peat of the Moontrance Madness payoff that occurred last November. Jason threw in with Kentucky and lost. Garrett got to pick 3 different CAO Flavours tubed cigars and rubberband them together for Jason to smoke. Jason was a very good sport and a trooper, too, hot-boxing a mixture of Caramelo Joe, Bella Vanilla, and Cherry Bomb--a mixture potent enough to make even flavored-cigar lovers gag. I was handy with the video portion of my point-and-shoot camera and got the whole sordid experience recorded:

On the way out later that evening, I talked with Garrett a bit and told him that I was trying to move this blog up in the food chain. He was supportive of that effort and said he would check it out. He then gifted me a Davidoff Maduro C cigar with the proviso that I review it and “be honest” about it. Honesty is one of my most important policies here on the Tiki Bar--I will let you know what I think of a stick no matter who gives it to me, and I intend to keep that level of integrity no matter what--it’s the best way to sleep at night. The review on that Davidoff will most likely run before April is over. And the LE10? God willing and the creek don’t rise, that review should run this Friday.

Friday Funnies

Thanks to Keith for sending me this re-write of the old SchoolHouse Rock classic on how a bill becomes a law:



 

Movie Recommendation: Zodiac

Zodiac (2007)

The Zodiac killer terrorized the San Francisco Bay area in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He killed people in horrific ways and sent taunting notes to local area newspapers. This film is an interesting character study of an editorial cartoonist's obsession with the case. Jake Gyllenhaal's lead character is not taken seriously by most people during the course of the film, but he has a dogged determination to get to the bottom of the serial killer's identity and it eventually comes close to taking over his entire life.

I found this to be an interesting, although not totally engrossing, film. It was directed by David Fincher, better known for Fight Club and Seven, and is technically very well-done. The direction is great, the acting is great, the story is great...but there was just something about it that didn't work in the end. If I had to name it, I guess I would say the pacing and length. The movie was over two and a half hours long and just felt like it would have been better at right around two hours.

If you're interested in the "true crime" genre or want to see the real life inspiration behind one of the early Dirty Harry villains, this movie could be of interest for you.

Cigar Review: Joya de Nicaragua Celebracion

Corona, 5.5" x 42 ring gauge, approx. $6
Joya de Nicaragua first debuted their cigars in 1970 but the company was forced to disband during Nicaragua's political "unrest" (read: Communist takeover by the Sandanistas). Their Celebracion line debuted in 2004 and is intended to be a less-powerful companion to the Antano series, purportedly using the same filler and binder, but a different wrapper, all of which are Nicaraguan.

The wrapper on this cigar was fairly lumpy and bumpy, although no large veins were showing on the wrapper leaf itself. The surface was fairly oily and the color was medium-brown with some mottling. There was also a greenish spot just below the level of the band. From the wrapper, I detected hay and grassy aromas; from the foot there was some compost and manure, as well as just a hint of cocoa. The cold draw was slightly tight, but not too bad, so I did not expect problems. During that cold draw, I got flavors of sweet hay and just a touch of chocolate; it also left a bit of a spicy tingle on the lips.

Initial puffs had hay and sweet tobacco flavors with more subtle flavors of caramel and almond. The retrohale was a spice-packed punch in the nose and surprised me by being almost painful. After that initial light-up period, the flavors become heavier--earthy and leather, with some roasted almond still and a significant dose of black pepper. The burn line was perfectly straight so far, although the draw was showing signs that it might yet develop problems. While there was a bit of tightness at first, it was not an issue until near the end of the first third when it got a bit tighter and started to require multiple draws to get the same amount of smoke.

I did not have to resort to surgery with a draw poker device to fix the problem as they resolved themselves fairly quickly in the second third. There was not a great deal of flavor change here, though--mostly just roasted nuts and leather leading the way followed by a steadily diminishing pepper component.

The final third had more earthy and leathery flavors. The spice was gone but there were occasional hits of roasted nuts. Overall, this was a very good cigar that provided a different take than usual for a Nicaraguan puro. While not my favorite flavor profile, it was pleasant and worth the time spend. The body was medium-to-full and I would enjoy this as a nice afternoon smoke or maybe the first cigar of an evening herf.

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

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

Cigar Review: Joya de Nicaragua Antano Dark Corojo

El Martillo, 5.5" x 54 ring gauge, $8
Antano is the Spanish word for "yesteryear" and is meant to call to mind the birth of the Joya de Nicaragua cigar company back in the 1970s. This particular entry into JdN's Antano line is name for the "dark corojo" wrapper that adorns it. It is reputed to be very strong (thus the "Doble Fuerte"--or "Double Strength"--band on the foot) and it is composed of all Nicaraguan tobaccos.

Staring off, this is not what I would describe as a beautiful cigar. The wrapper is fairly lumpy and bumpy because of whatever is underneath. That being said the leaf itself is a very dark, reddish brown with a lot of oil and a minimum of veins. The bands, in black and gold leaf, are classy-looking and give the first impression of a more expensive stick. The aroma from the body was mostly barnyard and compost; the foot had a strong earthy smell like it was ripe with rotting vegetation--but in good way! The cold draw was excellent and the prelight flavors were great--a mix of leather, chocolate, coffee, salt and spice.

Initial puffs held a mix of flavors including leather, coffee, sweet tobacco, and licorice. There was a little spice on the lips after a few puffs, too. My initial reaction when I smoked my first one of these was that I had never encountered a flavor mix quite like this--very unique. The first third was full-bodied with rich, oily smoke. It was almost like eating a steak: beefy, chewy and filling. I got flavors of dark coffee and leather up front along with licorice and semi-sweet chocolate underneath. The smoke was a little harsh, but not so much as to affect enjoyment. The burn line was anything but straight, but it was burning pretty evenly crooked and the draw was great.

The Dark Corojo smoothed out appreciably in the second third, no longer leaving a raspy feel at the back of my throat. The flavor of dark-roast coffee was still predominant, but there was more sweetness, too--a smooth chocolate undertone that was really nice. I did have to touch up the burn line once to keep it even.

After a dazzling start and a strong second third, the last third of the Dark Corojo turned out to be quite a let-down. The main flavor tended to be earth--so much so that soon all other flavor had pretty much left the building. I had to touch it up 2 or 3 more times to keep it burning right and the strength of the stick started to show up. This is a seriously strong cigar, especially as the effect of the nicotine creeps up on you throughout. After finishing, my hands were shaking for nearly half an hour. Strength without flavor, though, is just rather pointless, and the last third of this cigar was stuck in that category. After showing a huge amount of promise, the JdN Dark Corojo is merely a very good cigar and far from being in the "great" category...at least for this vitola. My first experience with this stick was a smaller vitola (5 x 44, Peligroso) and the flavor stood up a lot better; I would assume that the flavor of the wrapper comes through better there. Also, I have to remark that after I got done, I stunk. Not just a normal "I've been smoking a cigar" stink (that I usually find rather nice), but a "I've been stuck in a small room with 4 other guys chain smoking cigars and then had to sleep in these cloths until the odor got stale" stink. This is possibly the worst smelling smoking residue of any cigar I've ever experienced so it definitely would suffice if you wanted to royally piss off a non-smoker or keep your significant other far away from you for a while. Anyway, I would like to try the smaller vitola again, but I can't say that I would ever care for this one or anything of a larger ring gauge.

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

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 1.5/2
Construction: 1.5/2
Flavor: 3.5/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 7/10

Cigar Review: EP Carrillo, Edicion Inaugural 2009

5.375 x 52 ring gauge, $13.65
I like to refer to Ernesto Perez Carrillo, Jr. as "a scary-looking guy." With his shaven head and intense look, it's easy to understand why. The couple opportunities I have had to meet him, though, he was as nice as you would like. Carrillo is the man who put La Gloria Cubana cigars on the map and started the trend toward fuller body and strength with El Rico Habano. After decades in the business, mostly as part of the General Cigar family, Carrillo decided in 2009 to go into business with his son and daughter. I still fear what this will mean for my beloved El Rico Habanos--one of the finest full-bodied smokes around, really--but it is time to see where Ernesto's journey is taking him...and us. The "regular" EP Carrillo line is supposed to show in early 2010 (maybe by the time this publishes), but first we got to see a limited edition "Edicion Inaugural 2009." The filler is Nicaraguan and Dominican; it boasts two binders, one from Nicaragua and one from the DR; and if features an Ecuadorian wrapper.

The wrapper of this cigar was a medium-light-brown with some mottling. I chose poorly in the store and my stock came pre-damaged with a crack about 2 inches above the foot. The feel was velvety and oily and the body had aromas of hay and subtle autumn spice; the foot had an unusual aroma that I could not place, but there was a bit of chocolate and barnyard hidden in there, too. The prelight draw was excellent and featured wonderfully intense flavors of hay and caramel. The cold draw tasted so good that I almost did not want to light it up.

I cannot remember a cigar that was this difficult to light--it took over a minute of toasting the foot and even then it did not get a fully orange-glow foot. The initial puffs were quite rewarding, though, as they gave up some aromatic spices, hay, and black pepper. Strangely for the person that gave us El Rico Habano, this is not a full-bodied smoke. It does start off very full of flavor, though. Early on the EPC developed exploding cigar syndrome, in which the ashen foot starts to diverge in 2 or more directions. Not at all a pretty sight and a cause for caution lest I end up with a lapful of ash. The flavors in this first third were superb; very much like a classic mild cigar profile with more spice, both pepper and otherwise.

When removing the smaller of the 2 bands, a piece of wrapper leaf was cracked. Shortly after, the heat buildup caused the pre-existing crack (from when I purchased the cigar) to split open and join to this new one. Apart from the fairly serious construction issues, though, this was shaping up to be a very tasty cigar. The overall impression at this point was of sweet, creamy smoke with plenty of hay and caramel notes along with subtle coffee and black pepper. (Even though the wrapper was cracked when I bought it, I still consider there to be construction issues that are problematic in this stick. I have had plenty of cigars where the wrapper has cracked or had a chunk torn out by an overglued band, but the burn plows on through the area like there was no problem at all.)

Unfortunately, just when things started to go right in construction, the flavor started giving way. The massive crack burned through straight and clean for the most part, but almost immediately into the last third, there was almost no flavor upon retrohale. I don't use the term "creamed out" very often, but that is what seemed to be happening here. After such a promising start where I was tempted to buy a whole box of these, the EPC had a disastrously disappointing final act that was practically devoid of flavor. Coupled with the construction problems, I would have trouble paying half the asking price to smoke another one. It started off with great promise, but in the end did not deliver the goods.

Body: 5/10
Strength: 4/10
Complexity: 3/10

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1/2
Flavor: 3/5
Value: 0/1
Total: 6/10

Book Recommendation: Greatness

Greatness by Stephen Hayward
While work on his second volume on Ronald Reagan and his influence on late 20th century politics dragged on (the book was nearly 10 years in the making and about 3 years late to press), Stephen Hayward discovered that he was spending a good portion of the book reflecting on the statesmanship skills that Reagan had and how they were similar to those possessed by Winston Churchill (whom he had already written about). Someone suggested that instead of writing a chapter on the similarities, Hayward turn these musings into a book, which is how Greatness came about to fill the gap in between the first and second Age of Reagan books (he also wrote a book about Jimmy Carter during the interim, inspired by his research into Carter's presidency for the first Reagan volume).

I was amazed at how many similarities these two great leaders of the 20th century shared, from childhood through adulthood and leading two of the greatest nations in the world through extraordinarily rough times. They both had rather inauspicious beginnings to their political careers (Churchill demonstrating for students to be able to continue to visit the local burlesque house; Reagan leading a student strike against budget cuts at his college) and switched political allegiances at least once (Churchill actually switched back later in life; Reagan famously proclaimed "the Democrat Party left me"). Both were fierce opponents of communism who developed friendly personal relationships with the opposition leaders of their times (Churchill with Stalin; Reagan with Gorbachev). Churchill proclaimed the beginning of the Cold War in 1946 with his "Iron Curtain" speech in Missouri; Reagan was instrumental in ending the cold war, with famous speeches to Britain's Parliament and in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.

In the end, this book barely scratches the surface of either of these men, but it has led me to more fully appreciate them both because of their similarities...and it has made me wish to delve more deeply into their lives. I have now completed both volumes of Hayward "Age of Reagan" and will look into reading a biography of Churchill later this year. In the original hardcover, I can't say that this book would have been worth $25, but in paperback in definitely justified its $13 price tag (far less on Amazon as of this writing).

Movie Recommendation: G.I. Joe

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2008)
When I was a teenager, G.I. Joe made their cartoon debut as "A Real American Hero." The cartoon series (and toy line) was an American secret forces team that fought the dastardly deeds of Cobra to make our country (and planet) safe.

When I heard that they were making a movie, I thought, "Great, another toy tie-in film. [eyes rolling and sarcastic voice] We all know how great those movies are!" When I heard that they were downplaying the "American" angle of the Joes my reaction was pretty much unprintable. I put it on the Blockbuster list anyway.

After actually seeing the film, I have to say...it wasn't all bad. Right up front, let me say that this does not change my general opinion of films based on toys or old cartoons...mostly, they're just bad. In a year when Transformers 2 was one of the biggest draws, though, this was a decent flick. The story was a little corny, had too many coincidences for comfort, and too many plot holes to be great, but at least you could tell who was fighting whom in the battle scenes, something the Transformers movies haven't figured out yet. And while the downplayed American-ism was pointless and a little maddening, the characters were mostly done right.

Unless you are a huge fan of G.I. Joe, I can't recommend this one for purchase, but for a summer, high-action, big explosion, popcorn-munching, brain-turned-off spectacle...you can certainly do much worse.

Cigar Review: Padron Family Reserve 1964

No. 45 Maduro, 6" x 52 ring gauge, $27.10
Jose Orlando Padron started making and selling cigars with his name on them in 1964. He brought the entire family into the business along the way and today Padron is seen as one of the best cigar companies in the world. Amazinling enough, when most companies deal in 7 (LFD), 9 (Perdomo) or even 14 (CAO) lines, Padron has had only 3 until now: the Padron Series, the 1964 Anniversary Series, and the 1926 Serie. In their 45th year in business, they added a fourth line: the Family Reserve (it was also previously produced, but only as a private stock of stogies). The premier cigar in the Family Reserve line is the No. 45, celebrating 45 years in business. (It's also nicknamed "The Hammer" which always leaves me wondering if they are going to put out a Family Reserve line of cigarillos and call them "The Nails" but I digress.) In keeping with the family spirit, each box of the initial release was signed by all members of the family who worked on it. Like all Padrons, all the tobacco contained in this cigar is Nicaraguan; unlike all Padrons some of this leaf has been aged for 10 years.

Beginning at the beginning...this is a flat-out gorgeous cigar. The box press is perfect. The veins are seen, but smooth to the touch. The leaf feels oily and velvety. The bands are unique, yet familiar, adding the "little hammer" as part of the design. Because there was no cello wrapper, the aroma from the body was somewhat muted--maybe some barnyard, but not much else; the foot's aromas were not much stronger--hints of cocoa and more barnyard. The prelight draw was excellent and featured flavors of chocolate and coffee.

On initial light-up, I got strong coffee and black pepper components along with a cedary retrohale. This was one wonderfully complex stick from the get-go, too. I could taste flavors of cocoa powder, roasted nuts, and dried fruit in the opening minutes. The first third was at times remarkably smooth and other times rather harsh. The flavor was dominated by espresso and a subtle dark chocolate, along with a peppery finish. The burn line was razor straight and the ash held on for over an inch. At this point the body was low in the full-bodied range.

During the second third, this cigar changed rather dramatically to a leathery profile, with coffee diminishing in its influence. There was also a healthy dose of cedar flavor, especially in the retrohale.

In the last third, the No. 45 became more herbal and floral in nature. There were hints of cocoa and some cedar still on the retrohale, but no coffee and no pepper. Overall, this was one of the most complex cigars I can ever remember and it was very enjoyable, although I ended up not liking the end nearly as much as I liked the beginning. It's exorbitant price tag also prevents this from ever being considered anything other than a "special occasion" smoke in my book. It was Cigar Aficionado's #1 cigar of 2009, but I cannot say that I agree with that assessment, especially in light of its price of admission. In the end a great smoke, but not an all-time classic.

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

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

Cigar Review: A. Fuente Rosado Sungrown Magnum R

R56, 5.625" x 56 ring gauge, $7.60
It is not often that the Fuente Company introduces new cigars. The Don Carlos was introduced in 1976, the Hemingway in 1983, and the Anejo in 2000. The Opus X line was released sometime in the late '90s and almost everything else we have seen from them has been variations or additional to previously established lines. Actually...this is not much different. The Rosado Sungrown Magnum R line is available in 3 sizes and consists of the same Dominican filler and binder as the regular Gran Reserva "green label" cigars. They have even used sungrown leaves on those before; the difference here is that these are "extremely old Ecuadorian wrappers culled from the lower primings of the plant." Carlos Fuente, Jr., says these leaves are 8 to 10 years old, dating from the time they first created the Sun Grown line.

The revised band is very attractive--a nice variation on what you normally see from Fuente. The wrapper was quite smooth and good looking except for a few details requiring closer inspection: there was a grayish discoloration that looked almost like adhesive near the foot. Also near the foot are a few holes where leaf has flaked off, and at the bottom of the capline, there appears to be a fairly serious crack. Normally I might call this normal wear and tear, but I had a different vitola the other day and had cracks, peels, and flakes from a wrapper that seemed drier than normal. While it tasted good, I can only surmise that this wrapper is thinner and more delicate than normal, and probably drier, too. The body gave up just a bit of hay aroma, while I got next to nothing from the foot. When I cut the stick, the cap completely shredded and came off, although it did not seem to mess up the wrapper like the previous cigar I had. The prelight draw was excellent and had flavors of honey, hay and caramel.

Initial puffs give up some hay and sweet undertones. The retrohale reveals a little peppery goodness. The first third was nice and mellow with some flavors associated with mild smokes, like hay and creamy coffee, along with a nice peppery burn building up in the back of the throat. It was not a knockout so far, but was good. But not as good as the R52 I smoked before...maybe I should review one of those for more wrapper influence. The burn line started to go astray before the first third was over.

And that got even worse in the second third and would not correct itself. I put the flame to it twice to correct it in the second third and noticed that the filler bunch was rolled off-center. The flavors did not change much in this section, but the body crept up over the absolute medium mark. When I pulled off the band I discovered that way too much glue had been used, splitting the wrapper badly. Quality control just isn't what it used to be in the Fuente factory, I guess.

There really was not much to report in flavor changes in the final third. The canoe got worse until the end and small pieces of tobacco started to come out in my mouth, as if I were smoking a Curlyhead. The flavor of this cigar was not the problem--it was consistently good despite an utter lack of complexity. The problem was construction, which should not be a problem for a company like Fuente. From the cracking to the canoe, from the over-glued band to the flaking at the head, this cigar is just inexcusable. I will try the smaller vitola again to see if my impressions of its flavor are better, but it's not relaxing if you have to babysite the wrapper every step of the way.

Body: 6/10
Strength: 5/10
Complexity: 2/10

AFP Scale:
Prelight: 1.5/2
Construction: .5/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 6.5/10

Cigar Review: Don Gonzalez Special Edition, Maduro

Churchill, 7" x 50 ring gauge, $7.60
What is left to say about Don Gonzalez cigars that did not get presented when I reviewed the Connecticut and Corojo last week? I can't think of anything, so if you need more back story on this stogie, I recommend reading last week's reviews. Today's featured smoke is the maduro expression of the Special Edition. It is a Nicaraguan puro with a wrapper that the company's website describes as "complex and flavored." "Flavored with what" is not revealed, but my guess is they meant to say "full-flavored."

This cigar was beautifully dark and oily--a nice dark chocolate appearance. The color was very consistent and the feel was a little rought--on closer inspection, there was some tooth to the leaf. The wrapper had mostly barnyard aromas of manure and hay, but there was just a faint whiff of chocolate. The foot had much more chocolate, but also a complex mix of earth and barnyard. The cold draw was just a little on the tight side, but not out of the ordinary. In prelight, I got flavors of tea and chocolate along with a hint of spice.

Initial puffs brought thick, creamy smoke that had hints of leather and earth along with some chocolate and coffee flavors that came on pretty strong. There was also a hint of pepper spice, but only when exhaled through the nose. The first third was dominated by the bitter tastes of cocoa powder and black coffee, offset to some degree by the natural sweetness of the maduro wrapper. So far, this was shaping up to be one of the best maduros I had smoked in a while--flavorful and smooth with a spicy edge and a nice medium-to-full body. The burn line started to go crooked by the end of the first third, but I decided to give it some time to correct itself.

The flavor of coffee, black and strong, came to dominate the second third, while the chocolatey sweetness became just a mild undercurrent. The burn line straightened up on its own, which I always like to see.

In the last segment, the flavor turned more leathery and earthy, also with a return of some pepper spice. There were still coffee undertones, but the chocolate sweetness all but disappeared. In the end, the Don Gonzalez Special Edition Maduro was an excellent cigar that will appeal strongly to the maduro fans of the world. It was complex and substantial and well worth the price of admission. The body crept up to the full range by the end and there was a bit of nicotine strength because of the larger size.

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

Gorebal Warming Strikes Again

After laying low much of the (long, cold, record-breaking) winter, Al Gore is back in action. Today he called recent record rains in the Northeast "consistent" with what he has always said. So...sometimes "weather is not the climate" but "weather is the climate" when it suits Al's narrative.

Al, please, you're embarrassing yourself...and, honestly, most Tennesseans don't even want to admit that you live in the same state. Last, desperate acts of a very sad and lonely man...I'm totally cereal!

Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana Air Bender

Maestro, 5.5" x 52 ring gauge, $7.60
The Air Bender is, for LFD fans at least, one of the most anticipated new cigars in a very long time. It started on December 30, 2009, when Cigar Aficionado ran a web article talking about Litto Gomez's love of Kung Fu movies and how that inspired the name for his newest creation. The following month was filled with rumor and intrigue involving where the name can from and nothing but a few pre-release samples that appeared for some shop owners. The actual release happened in late January/early February and seems to have spread very slowly with many regions still having no stock by the end of the month. These sticks are made with Dominican filler and binder, featuring Piloto Cubano, Sumatran and Corojo varietals. It is covered with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. I thought originally that this is the same wrapper used for the Salomon, but I was wrong: the Salomon (and Habano Corona and Habano Perfecto) used Nicaraguan Habano wrappers...but to be honest, this one is very similar in color, aroma and flavor. The name seems to have nothing whatsoever to do with Kung Fu movies as originally reported, and it also definitely has nothing to do with James Cameron's Avatar film. Avatar: The Last Airbender is an Asian animated martial arts series that first aired in 2005 and it includes the first known reference of an "airbender" (also featured are fighters who can manipulate earth, water, and fire). This series is the basis for the upcoming film by M. Night Shyamalan The Last Airbender. If LFD doesn't have a movie tie-in deal they should work on that. The last bit of intrigue is the fact that the band of the Air Bender features crossed swords...Arabian-style crossed swords...which have really nothing to do with martial arts as far as I know...but I could be wrong, let me know. But onto more important things...like "is this a good smoke?"

The wrapper of the Air Bender was flawless, oily and leather and appearance. The veins were mostly small and there was just a tiny bit of tooth visible, but the oiliness prevented it from feeling like sandpaper. The aroma from the wrapper was earthy with maybe a little barnyard; from the foot I got a stronger compost and earth aroma along with some leather. The cold draw was excellent and had flavors of leather, hay and something sweet that I could not quite put my finger on. There was also a good amount of spiciness prelight.

Initial puffs brought a healthy black pepper, some leather and hay, and a very distinctive licorice flavor. The retrohale was a spicy blast from the start. When I asked Matt at Burns how these were his one word response was: "Sexy!" After the first third, I have to agree. There was lots of leather and earth, plenty of spice, and a few anise and coffee notes to round off what was proving to be a very complex stick. The burn line was razor straight and the ash held on for an inch or more, even on a breezy day. The draw remained perfect and, even though I cracked the cap on cutting it, it did not try to separate or come unraveled to this point. This stick started off squarely in the "full" department when you talk about body.

The complexity settled down in the second third, but it was no less flavorful, bringing mostly earth and a little medium-roast coffee to the proceedings. There was also a subtle nuttiness that was nice. The spice diminished to a minimum.

As I closed out the last third, I realized that this is one of the few "highly touted, highly anticipated" cigars of late that did not in any way disappoint. The stick remained fantastic until the end, giving up flavors of earth, pepper spice, and leather. It was full-bodied all the way through without being overwhelming and there was just enough nicotine kick to make you glad you ate a big meal. The flavors were complex and pleasing through and to top it all off, the cigar is less expensive than LFD's well-known Ligero and Double Ligero lines. Truly a classic smoke and well worth the time and money you will put into enjoying it.

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

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

Holy Crap!!!

That is the scariest damn Halloween mask I've ever seen!!!

Oh, wait...it's just Nancy...

Movie Recommendation: Gran Torino

Gran Torino (2008)
Two movie reviews in a row that have racist jerks as the main characters...hmm, almost like a theme (Last week was Lakeview Terrace). This racist actually has a very good character arc, though, showing amazing growth during the course of a 2 hour film.

It seems that all actors want to direct. Some are actually good at it. I wonder sometimes if Clint Eastwood might not be a better director than actor. In this particular film, you don't have to make a choice, because the acting and the directing are, without question, superb.

Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, a Detroit-area native who has seen his neighborhood taken over by Asians like the ones he killed in the Korean war and seen the violent and dangerous conflicts between gangs of all colors in his town. Being good at heart, he is pulled into the middle of an argument between his neighbors and an Asian gang, which he solves with his rifle..."Get off my lawn."

Suffice to say that this character does grow and change and Clint does an excellent job portraying him. If you haven't seen it, you really should. I will be putting this one on my "to buy" list.

Cigar Review: Don Gonzalez Special Edition, Corojo

Torpedo, 5.75" x 54 ring gauge, $8
Today's featured cigar is the second of three new sticks from Don Gonzalez in their Special Edition line. Tuesday we looked at the Connecticut and next we will try the maduro. All three versions of the Special Edition are Nicaraguan puros; today's uses a Corojo wrapper.

The Corojo leaf was a medium-brown in color with a few darker mottled spots. There were a couple larger veins, but mostly it was a delicate, spidery vein structure. The feel of the wrapper was slightly velvety and there was not a great deal of oil. The body had faint aromas of hay and leather, while the foot had much more intense chocolately aromas, with some barnyard mixed in, too.

Initial puffs were somewhat nutty with a pronounced pepper spice on the retrohale. Through the first third, there were flavors of leather and roasted nuts along with supporting hints of pepper and something semi-sweet and tangy--almost a hint of licorice, but not quite. The flavor was elusive and difficult to categorize, but interesting nonetheless. The head got cracked slightly when I cut the cigar and this became worse late in the first third, possibly as a result of the very cold weather (approximately 35 degrees). It would require my attention the rest of the way, but never did get very far in the unraveling process.

The interest level was kicked up a bit in the second third. That semi-sweet flavor filled out a bit and became more of a toffee flavor--definitely nutty and sweet at the same time. There was also some underlying black coffee bitterness to the pepper diminished quite a bit.

In the last third, the flavor eased into a more earthy and leathery tone, along with an increase in the spice, although it never got as intense as before. This time the spice was more of just an intense tingle on the lips. I found this to be a very good cigar, medium-to-full in body with an interesting, ever-changing flavor profile. By the end, the flavor was very little like it was in the beginning. The construction quality was also impressive--despite a rather bad crack near the head, this torpedo did not try to unravel.

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

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

Cigar Review: CAO Sopranos Edition

Associate, 5" x 52 ring gauge, approx. $11
CAO's Sopranos Edition cigars have proven themselves to be worthy smokes, as evidenced by the fact that they have outlasted the TV show by almost 3 years (although the series ran for 6 seasons and the cigar has only been out for 5 years, so I guess you could make the opposite assertion, too). I reviewed a "Boss" size last June during CAO Month here on the Tiki Bar and gave it a 9.5 out of 10, deducting just one-half point for value. I recently got some of the robusto sizes version and decided to see if it brought as much enjoyment to the party. The basics are still the same: this is a full-bodied smoke featuring filler from Nicaragua, Dominican Republic and Columbia; a Honduran binder; and a Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper.

The wrapper was dark and beautiful. It was slightly mottled, moderately veiny and quite oily. The red and black main band is classy and cool. The wrapper's aroma was leather and barnyard, while I got some chocolate and just a little coffee from the foot. The body of the stick was fairly firm: well-packed with tobacco, but hopefully no draw problems. When I cut it, the prelight draw was very good and had flavors of dark chocolate, chili pepper, and coffee.

Initial flavors after light-up were of dark chocolate, dark coffee and dark fruit--along with the theme of the show on which is was based, this is a dark cigar! The flavor was very nicely balance, though, right out of the gate--a little sweet, a little bitter, a little spice. The first third continued along with a nice chili pepper spice, lots of coffee, and a bit of semi-sweet chocolate. The smoke was thick and oily with a long finish and a full body. The ash burned to a very light gray and held on for an inch or more.

In the second third, the spice mellowed considerably, but the coffee stayed strong. There were hints of dried fruit every now and then and perhaps some licorice or anise. It had a very nice complexity overall. The draw remained perfect and the burn line was very even--if not perfectly straight--with a think black carbon ring of perfection.

The last segment of the Sopranos Edition was as tasty and satisfying as the first--a fullness of coffee and leather, a sweetness of chocolate and dark fruit, and a slight return of chili pepper spice. This was a full-bodied but smooth smoke from end to end and definitely worth of keeping on hand, especially if you can find a bargain price on them as I did. I ended up enjoying this vitola every bit as much, if not more, than the large one!

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

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

5 for 5

I had not originally planned this for the week, but it just occurred to me yesterday as I was lighting up my evening cigar...I should smoke 5 cigars this week that are new to me. The first was Monday night's Liga Privada No. 9 "Flying Pig." Last night I lighted up an Uppercut by Punch. Tonight I will mostly likely torch a Casa Magna Oscuro. At that point I'll have two more evenings in which to smoke new sticks and about 5 more candidates for cigars that are totally "new to me." Yes, I am reviewing all these sticks and reviews will appear on these blog pages in the not-too-distant future.

Cigar Review: Don Gonzalez Special Edition, Connecticut

Toro, 6" x 50 ring gauge, $7.50
Don Gonzalez is one of the more recent brands in the cigar industry; in fact, there are not available nationally yet. They started in Florida in 2007 and from my understanding they maintain a strong foothold there. They also have a strong presence in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area and company president, Pedro Gonzalez, has appeared on the Blowin' Smoke podcast a couple times. I was excited to hear they were expanding to my area and in early December I got to meet Pedro Gonzalez at my local B&M; Burns Tobacconist is, I believe, the first store in Tennessee to offer Don Gonzalez cigars. Pedro was a very friendly host and very eager to talk cigars. I smoked a Corojo there at the shop that night and brought home one each of the 3 wrapper varieties available in the Special Edition line. Today's review will be for the mildest: the Connecticut. DG Special Edition cigars are all made in Esteli, Nicaragua and feature Nicaraguan filler and binder. One source that I looked up states that all wrappers are Nicaraguan as well, but I cannot say that for sure--if this is a Nicaraguan wrapper, it is a Connecticut-see, shade-grown Nicaraguan wrapper.

The wrapper leaf of this stick was a beautiful gold color, although there was some brownish mottling in places and one area seemed to have a deeper greenish tinge to it. It was smooth and fairly oily feeling. The cap line was very smooth, too, although not nearly invisible. The aroma from the body was very nice and hay-like, while from the foot there was a strong chocolate aroma--very sweet. The prelight draw was excellent and I picked up flavors of hay, creamy coffee and caramel. After a few cold draws there was just the slightest hint of spice on the lips.

Initial puffs featured those creamy coffee notes from prelight, along with a stronger dose of black pepper than I expected this early in a stick like this. The rest of the first third featured hay and coffee flavors with a constant undercurrent of pepper spice. So far, this was turning out to be a very nice flavor profile for a Connecticut-wrapped mild cigar--actually it was turning out more mild-to-medium if truth be told.

When I removed the smaller of the two bands, there was so much excess glue that a hole was ripped in the wrapper. This did not appear to be a big problem at first, but a few minutes later a split appeared to be pushing out from the hole. The flavors were still very good, though; some coffee notes and a buildup of the spice were what I noticed most, along with a little nuttiness. The larger band made a much larger hole in the wrapper when I removed it, and proceeded to connect to the smaller hole through the split that had developed from the smaller one. Very frustrating.

Admirably, however, all the damage done to the wrapper by the overuse of glue did not cause any significant burn problems. The cigar actually burned right through the problem areas without issue. The flavors in the final third became a little fuller as the stick burned hotter and I tasted more roasted nuts and a deeper coffee flavor. Overall, I would call this a very nice stick that does not disappoint as a potential morning cigar. It did not have a wide variety of flavors or a huge amount of complexity, but what I did taste was very pleasant. This is definitely a cigar to try if you can find them in your area.

Body: 3/10
Strength: 7/10
Complexity: 6/10

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

Smoke One For...

Sandra Bullock, or as we also like to call her...Mrs. Jesse James. It is a rare person that can win both Razzie and Academy awards in one weekend...in fact, she's the only one to ever do it: she was both Best and Worst Actress of 2009. And the fact that she attended both ceremonies is even better. It's also very rare that a celebrity has enough of a sense of humor to laugh at themselves. Smoke a stogie for Sandra!

(BTW, I did not see The Blind Side, but look forward to watching it. I did see All About Steve, and, Yes, it is pretty much as bad as that.)

Book Recommendation: Anthem

Anthem by Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand's Anthem is a short novel with a relentlessly compelling story. It is about the dangers of collectivism and the discovery by one man of the power of the word "I."

First and foremost, it must be understood that Rand was an atheist and I cannot wholeheartedly endorse all her views and philosophies. But...her recognition of the importance of individual determinism and personal freedom is one of the most important concepts in 20th century literature. Of course, that concept is nothing new if you have studied history and the struggles of men to be free, epitomized in our own American Revolution. What was profound here was the declaration of "I" above "we" in the face of the admiration and acceptance of communism in the '30s and '40s. This was so radical at the time that her American publisher would not even accept this book in 1938. It was published first as a pamphlet in America in 1946, then as a hardcover in 1953, and not until 1961 as a mass-market paperback.

One of the most frightening aspects of this read is Rand's introduction to the 1946 version in which she talks about collectivism and slavery in terms that are all too relevant 64 years later. If you have not read this brilliant book, I encourage it.

Movie Recommendation: Lakeview Terrace

Lakeview Terrace (2008)
Are you looking for a movie about domestic suburban tranquility gone far wrong that's actually scarier than Paranormal Activity? This might be the film for you.

So a nice-looking couple move into a moderately upscale neighborhood in the L.A. area. They have already taken crap from the wife's father because he's white and she's black, but they really do not know what they are in for. Their next-door neighbor is a policeman played by Samuel L. Jackson. Jackson's wife is dead and he is about as racist as ol' Senator Sheets Byrd of West Virginia. Apparently he really can't stand Mexicans and he does not approve of interracial couples...actually that would put him in really good standing with Spike Lee, who claims to "shoot visual daggers" at interracial couples he sees on the street.

So, Mr. Policeman goes about making life hell for the new-in-the-neighborhood couple and that's all I will say since you can get that much from the trailer. This was a good movie, but I would hesitate to call it great. Jackson is great, as usual, and chews up screen time. Why is it scarier than Paranormal Activity? Because it seems like it could actually happen to anyone. That, and the fact that the plot actually moves along at a decent pace. If you haven't seen it, put it on your list of "to rent."

Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana Salomon

7" x 64 ring gauge, $25
On the one year anniversary of my wife and me moving to Tennessee, I thought it would be appropriate to celebrate with an appropriate "celebration" cigar. The LFD Salomon falls into that category in a few ways. First, as I made plain during LFD month on this blog (October 2009), they are one of my favorite cigars companies (others at the top of the heap are CAO and Perdomo). Second, the only other Salomon I had smoked was when one of my best friends from California came to visit last May. This would be an appropriate way of remembering the past year and the times we have had. Lastly, the massive price tag for this cigar ensures that it will always only be considered a "special occasion" smoke. La Flor Dominicana released the Salomon first in early 2009 as a special limited edition cigar--limited because of the lack of availability of the specific wrapper leaf. This Nicaraguan Habano wrapper encloses Dominican filler and binder. It wasn't long before the Habano started showing up other places, though. There was a limited-release LFD stick that was re-wrapped in this wrapper before release (the name escapes me as I write this); then the same leaf was used for Habano Corona and Habano Perfecto releases. Then the Salomons were given a second release (from which I bought this review sample). Well, so much for extremely limited access to this tobacco! The good thing is that all other expressions of this leaf cost far, far less than the Salomon, giving people who aren't crazy about spending $25 on a cigar the chance to experience it. Also, to be fair, the filler and binder of the Salomon are specified to be from LFD's farm in La Canela, so it is possible that this is the part of the cigar that was in short supply...or not.

This is an immediately striking cigar--the length is about that of a churchill and the cigar is 1 inch thick at its widest point, but the dramatic figurado shape is just a work of art. Befitting a stick with this price tag, the wrapper leaf was flawless and almost decadently oily; all veins were small to medium in size. The body had an aroma of barnyard and leather not unlike LFD's Ligero line; the foot is so small it was difficult to get any aroma from, but maybe there was just a whiff of cocoa. This was also a cigar with a serious heft; the size and weight in the hand felt almost cartoonish. Prelight draw was good; there were flavors of dried fruit and a spicy tingle on the lips.

The initial draws after lighting were a bit tight through the pointed tip, but yielded leather and dried fruit flavors with just a touch of cocoa. As soon as the tip was reduced to ash, the draw opened up and a much larger volume of smoke flowed through giving enough to retrohale--a nicely spicy retrohale that was fairly smooth in spite of the pepper burn. There was a lot to like in this cigar--thick, oily, mouth-coating smoke; flavors of leather, coffee and dried fruit; a rich, fully body with a long finish. The richness of the whole experience definitely matches up to the hyper-premium price--something that is seldom the case when you get to this price point.

During the second third, the good times continued with some coffee and cocoa flavors to complement the others, as well as a nice, understated black pepper spice. One of the nice things about this stick is its slow burn and long length--it's like having 2 cigars in one!

In the final act, the LFD Salomon was as tasty as its initial promise--there were flavors of pepper spice, roasted nuts, dried fruit and coffee. Ultimately, this is one of the few very expensive cigars to fully justify its price and its very high rating last year by Cigar Aficionado. In my opinion, it should have been the clear winner of the Cigar of the Year 2009 honors. Construction was superb every inch of the way and the flavor never failed to delight. A similar flavor profile can be found in the Habano Corona (at 1/3 of the price) but this cigar presents even more complexity and body, all without being overwhelming strong in the nicotine department despite its massive size. Truly a classic cigar--maybe the best I've ever smoked.

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: Cain F

Robusto, 5" x 50 ring gauge, $33.50 for 5 pack ($6.70 each)
The Cain line of cigars was introduced in 2009 as the newest brainchild of Sam Leccia, creator of the Nub. He wanted to see how much Ligero leaf could be stuffed into a cigar and still have it combust. The answer appears to be: 82 percent. The original Cain sticks had a certain percentage of 3 different ligero tobaccos and was very full-bodied and strong, although not as strong as everyone expected. While not a cigar for beginners or sissies, it is still remarkably smooth and flavorful. Available initially only as a special stick for those who purchased boxes of the Maduro or Habano, the F series ("F" for "Fuerte" meaning strong) still has 82 percent ligero, but the amounts of the 3 types has been tweaked with Esteli getting the biggest role here. Currently they are available in robusto size in boxes of 5, with a red band on the foot Word is they will soon be available by the stick in 3 different sizes (perhaps by the time you read this). I also heard an unconfirmed rumor of a Nub Cain...although we're still waiting for the Nub Miami a year and a half after that was first announced, so this could be yet more vaporware.

The wrapper had a slightly oily/slightly "soft" look to it, which went right along with the oily and velvety touch. The oily was very visible, but I could certainly feel it. There were a couple medium-large veins but probably nothing to worry about. The aroma from the wrapper was barnyard--no cello wrapper, so it wasn't very strong. From the foot there was more barnyard as well as hints of coffee and cocoa. The prelight draw was very good and had flavors of dried fruit, molasses and a little chili pepper spice.

Before lighting up...what's the deal with the band on the F? I've seen references to them having no band at all (I'm guessing the initial release that went with box purchases), a friend of mine posted a Twitter picture showing one with a black band, and the box I bought had red bands. Who knows what it all means? The Cain website certainly is not a good place to find out as there is very little actual information of use there...basically just the same marketing pitch that has been given since the original Cain introductions.

Lighting up the Cain was surprisingly easy for a cigar that sports this much ligero. The initial flavors were, again, dried fruit and a little chili pepper spice. The smoke is smooth on the tongue and rather biting on the nasal passages when retrohaled. Shortly into the burn, the Habano wrapper begins to show itself a little more with leather and earthiness along with a little less sweetness. There was plenty of peppery punch to be had in there, too. The first third continued to be very flavorful with notes of strong, black coffee and occasional hits of bitter cocoa to go along with the leather and spice. The smoke was uncommonly smooth, too, owing to the triple fermentation process they use. So far the draw was great and the burn line very even.

Coffee and leather were the dominant flavors in the second third. The smoke was quite full in body and oily with a very long finish. Full-bodied and full-flavored is sometimes a hard balance to strike, but Sam did it very well in this cigar.

In the end, the Cain F was as flavorful as it was full-bodied. There was plenty of leather and coffee still along with a return of the spice in the last third. This was a strong cigar and definitely not for the weak, but it also had a wonderful smoothness and elegance. It's hard to imagine all those qualities in the same cigar, but this one achieves it, and at a very reasonable price, too.

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

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

Cigar Review: Savinelli RyR Series Y

Double Robusto, 5.5" x 54 ring gauge, $7.60
Back in December 2009, I reviewed my first Savinelli cigar, the Liga Especial, and it was an unqualified hit, scoring 10 out of 10. It remains one of the best medium-bodied sticks I have had the pleasure of smoking. Wanting to know if the high quality and rich experience applied to other sticks with the Savinelli name, I picked up the RyR: Rico y Raro, or Rich and Rare. This stick was introduced in 2008 and was re-blended to increase the strength in 2009. It features Nicaraguan filler and binder with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. Savinelli's website claims, "You no longer need to sacrifice flavor for strength! The Savinelli Rico y Raro delivers both in one great smoking premium cigar."

The wrapper of the RyR was fairly lumpy with a few medium-sized veins and quite a bit of oil both on the leaf and on my hand after touching it. The pinch test showed it to be fairly pliable--probably "just enough" give. From the body, I got a faint whiff of barnyard, but it was very faint. From the foot, there were some wet forest and chocolate aromas, with maybe a touch of coffee, too. The prelight draw was very easy and gave up earthy flavors with touches of cocoa and pepper spice.

After lighting, initial puffs featured black pepper and coffee bean flavors. After about 5 minutes my impression was that this would be an interesting smoke: definitely some nice dark roast coffee, along with cocoa powder and black pepper, all wrapped up in a nicely medium-to-full bodied smoke. A small touch-up was required at the end of the first third, but other than that construction was so far flawless.

As I made my way through the second third, the body increased to where it was in the low end of the full-body spectrum. There was still some coffee and cocoa, but I also got some flavor of roasted nuts and a little maduro sweetness. The pepper faded to almost nothing.

In the final third, I got more roasted nuts, black coffee and cocoa sweetness--not much different from the earlier portions of the smoke. Overall a very good cigar; it was mellow and smooth from end to end and I thought the RyR (Rico y Raro) was a good choice for a period of R&R (rest & relaxation). There was an underlying earthiness to it that subdued some of the familiar Nicaraguan flavor profile of coffee and cocoa, but not so much that I did not still enjoy it. What it did was mute the flavors and complexity a bit and that caused it to fall just short of great, in my opinion. Overall a very good medium-to-full bodied smoke at a very comfortable price point.

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

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

New Music Out Today...

The man whose lyrics gave a name to this blog has a new album out today. John Hiatt--singer/songwriter/reputed brother of the leaf--presents The Open Road, on sale everywhere...including Amazon.

You can also read an early review at the LA Times.

Alas, the Tiki Bar's Eastern HQ is nowhere near a music store, or even a Best Buy, and there are no plans to head into the "big city" until late this week at the earliest. Fear not, though, I have already ordered the new album from Amazon and it should be here by the end of the week. A full review will follow.

March Madness

I'll kill any suspense right now: this post has nothing to do with the NCAA basketball tournament.

The madness I speak of is the fact that I have just too many cigar reviews. How can this happen? Well, in order to be able to keep publishing through the winter months when it's so cold I couldn't get out to smoke for a few days, much less put pen to paper to write a review, I started stockpiling reviews back in early December. I intended to get a couple months ahead in case I was forced to drop reviewing altogether for a couple weeks because of the weather.

Turns out that even when I did drop reviewing a couple times during the last couple months, I still managed to get an average of 3 reviews a week in most weeks. The Tiki Bar's publishing schedule is for new cigar reviews every Tuesday and Thursday, and I have filled in my calendar with a review for every Tuesday and Thursday until the end of May. Rather than push out new reviews into June and beyond, I decided that I would bump up the number of reviews for a few weeks. For March, that means 5 extra reviews that will appear on Wednesdays, for a total of 14 cigar reviews. That still left me with enough to add Wednesday reviews to the schedule for the first 3 weeks of April, too, so there are 12 sticks slated to run then (with the possibility of one more if the right review presents itself).

The bevy of new reviews won't last forever (I don't think), so...enjoy the extra cigar attention while it's there!