Book Recommendation: The Tommyknockers

The Tommyknockers by Stephen King (1988)

At one point in this book a character is told in a flashback that "Poetry and politics rarely mix, poetry and propaganda never do." Pity Stephen King did not listen to his own advise when writing this book, which I still consider to be the weakest of his career.

Bobbi Anderson literally stumbles over a flying saucer while walking in the woods on her expansive Maine property. She feels compelled to start digging it up and nearly dies trying to do so before she is confronted, and eventually aided, by her old poet friend, James Gardner ("Gard"). Gard is on the run from his drunken past in which he cannot stop spouting anti-nuclear power propaganda even at posh cocktail parties, but he is also immune to the mind-changing properties of the alien ship because of a steel plate in his head.

The book mixes some Science Fiction elements in with a claustrophobic small-town horror story. There are characters a-plenty and some of them are very likable or sympathetic. The problem here is the preponderance of propaganda that King throws our way, making it very obvious that he is in the anti-nuke crowd--the crowd which consistently makes lots of noise while failing to offer any workable alternatives (sorry, solar and wind power still don't count 20 years later).

The small-town subject matter is not a new one for King, but he has done it far better than he does here. If you really need to read a book critiquing and satirizing the dynamics of small-town New England, try Needful Things, It, or Under the Dome.

Also, I caught a bit of the made-for-TV movie airing just after finishing reading this book. I honestly thought it could not be worse than the book...I was wrong!

Cigar Extra: Joya de Nicaragua, Antano Dark Corojo

I smoked the El Martillo vitola of the Dark Corojo back in March and was not impressed with it. A few days previous to that cigar, I had smoked a Peligroso, though, and found it more enjoyable, so I thought I would give the Antano Dark Corojo a second (third) chance in a short review. True to its name, this cigar was dark; using the technique Pete Johnson showed us at CigarFest, I determined that the wrapper is almost definitely dyed, though (try it yourself--lick your finger and rub the wrapper; if your finger comes off with brown gunk, you've got yourself a dyed cigar). It was smooth and mostly vein-free with a little oiliness and an aroma of leather and barnyard. The cold draw had nice, unique flavors--some leather, some anise, something else I couldn't put my finger on.

Upon light-up, the flavor was musty and muddy, but it quickly cleared up and some chili pepper, leather and anise came through--along with that something else, hard to define, that makes this stick so unique. I got a tangy citrus note in the first third as well. This was a fairly full-bodied stick to start, but it ramps up even more as you go. Flavors became more meaty while there were still hints of anise and citrus. The last third was even more meaty and leathery than the second.

Overall, this was better than the El Martillo vitola, but still not something I can see buying with any frequency. It has some interesting and unique flavor but the body is so full and the finish so long as to be off-putting. Still, it may find its way into my humidor on occasion.

Changing Seasons: Lost

It is really difficult to talk about this show without giving anything away, but I will do my best. Lost supplanted Millennium as my favorite television show of all time a couple years back. The imaginative story, interesting characters, and wonderful acting (both showing featuring Terry O'Quinn in major roles...who'da thunk?) combined to make for a viewing experience that simply is not to be missed. Unless you are not a fan of seemingly never-ending mysteries that is...then you might want to just skip it.

The end of Lost aired five days ago and the sheer number of stories written about that landmark television event would take longer to read through than to just watch the entire series all the way through again. And watching the whole thing over again would be far more rewarding. I'm no television critic--I am just a fan--but the idiocy of some paid critics really bothers me. I wonder if some of these professionals actually bothered watching the show all the way through on Sunday and I am sure many of them tuned in only casually to the series, catching the important first episode along with a few key stops on the way before watching the finale and trying to professionally expound on it. Why do I say that? Because so many of them harped on the fact that "so many mysteries weren't answered."

First, it is appalling how many of those mysteries they complain about (like "what ever happened with the polar bear?") were actually answered during the course of the series if viewers were watching carefully. Reading the comments after many of these professional critiques shows how little the paid writers know and how they might benefit from asking some of their rabid-fan friends before writing articles.

Second, the point was not to answer every single question the show ever raised. Will there still be some mystery when all is said and done? Yes, absolutely. The important "big issues" are discussed, though, and the overall arc and theme of the entire series is resolved. And I believe die-hard fans will be happy with it. I was. The more I think about the last episode the happier I am with it. And I have thought about it a lot the last five days--it's that kind of show.

Is there an opening for a sequel or some new storyline? Yes, I could see how the story of a couple of the characters (and the island) could go on somewhat indefinitely. It might be good material for a novel or comic book series, but I hope the creators do not make the mistake of going back to feed at this trough for another TV series. It was unique, groundbreaking and vital; lightning rarely strikes twice for that type of show and I think it would be better left alone.

I do look forward to completing my DVD collection this year. I still need seasons 4 and 5; the final season (as well as a large "complete collection") will be out in August. I have not decided yet if I will just opt for the complete collection and sell off my copies of seasons 1 through 3 or just fill out the missing with the individual seasons, but I do believe that I will be starting to watch the entire series from the beginning before the year is out. Truly a show for the ages.

Cigar Review: Punch Uppercut

Robusto, 5.25" x 50 ring gauge, $6.80

Before this cigar, the last time I can honestly remember smoking a Punch was at the 2007 Las Vegas Big Smoke. Honestly, it is just not a cigar I reach for because they have never been all that interesting or distinctive. For that reason I was less-than-eager to find and try the new Uppercut from Punch. The mixed reviews I read and heard did not help. But here I am--smoking a Punch--taking one for the team (Go Team Tiki Bar! Woooo!). This cigar is manufactured in Honduras and marketed by General Cigar. The filler is Dominican along with two types of Nicaraguan: Esteli and Ometepe. It also has Nicaraguan leaf for the binder and an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. The Ometepe filler is highlighted in the foot band which features a photo of the volcanic island where the tobacco is grown. The website promises a "unique flavor" in that island's tobacco.

The appearance was a mixed bag: while the bands are nice and fairly classy, the wrapper leaf is fairly heavily veined and very mottled. The cap application was sloppy--looking like they got someone from a "roll a cigar" contest to do it. The aroma from the wrapper was kind of musty and faintly of barnyard. The foot had more and better aroma--more barnyard and a bit of chocolate. The prelight draw was very good; the cold flavors were sort of like the aromas--fairly faint and indistinct. There was a little cocoa powder in there along with some sweet tobacco--not much else.

Initial puffs had some chili pepper spice along with some notes of leather and earth. There was also a slight sourness that was not pleasant and it was dismaying to see it showing up this early in a smoke. I hoped this stick would get better from here, because it really had not started well. The first third was earthy and spicy but that was about it. The earthiness was not the pleasant earthiness you might get from a Padron, either, but just kind of like...dirt. The spice was nice and there were occasional hints of cinnamon or nutmeg or something like that, but I was really not digging the Uppercut at this point. On the plus side, the ash was almost pure white, hung on for a long time and burned very evenly.

Thankfully, the flavor improved in the second third, if only a bit. The earthiness gave way a little letting in some more autumn spice and toasty flavors; the pepper spice continued even stronger than it was previously. The construction was superb so far. The body had settled into a nice medium, not the medium-to-full that I had been expecting.

The last segment was really a continuation of the second third--earth, some autumn spice, some chili pepper. Overall, this was a "good" cigar, but not one I could see adding to my regular rotation. It had some decent flavor once past the first third, but nothing all that distinctive or interesting. In the end, it turned out to be your basic General product--decent, but not desirable for the experienced cigar smoker. It just did not deliver enough in flavor or body to make it an experience worth repeating.

Body: 7/10

Strength: 7/10

Complexity: 4/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 1/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 2.5/5

Value: 0/1

Total: 5.5/10

Changing Seasons: American Idol

Guilty pleasure time: I enjoyed almost the entirety of the American Idol season finale. There were some slow spots--Paula's off-key roast of Simon Cowell--and some truly bizarre things--Janet Jackson sounding so much like Michael that it really freaked me out! And I cannot at all believe that America voted for a guy who couldn't get more than 20 percent of the song in tune most weeks over a gal who was "really good" on her bad nights.

We witnessed the end of an era with Simon leaving after tonight's final show. Honestly, I think that despite his protestations that the show will go on, there is probably only one more season left. Without his cutting wit and utter brutality, who will keep the contestants grounded? Certainly not Randy "Yo Yo Yo Dawg" Jackson, Ellen "Wanna Dance" Degeneres, or Kara "you're so commercial" DioGuardi. Not that there is anything truly wrong with those judges and the role they step into each week, but someone needs to keep a level of honesty and Simon usually did that.

There has been a lot of complaining about the level of talent in this season's batch of wannabes and that criticism was well-founded. None of the top 12 was even in the same league as Crystal Bowersox most weeks. There were occasional flashes of brilliance in a sea of mediocrity. Crystal was a beacon of hope and light in all that mess...yellow, crooked teeth, dirty nest of dreadlocks and all. She is a true artist where there are few and she probably has little commercial viability these days, unfortunately.

In the 4 previous seasons I have watched Idol I have purchased the winner's albums and I still enjoy them all. I can't see myself buying Lee DeWyze CD, though...he has something big to prove before I will spend my hard-earned money. Namely, that he can carry a tune...actually that he can carry a whole album of tunes! If I could reserve Crystal's CD on Amazon today, I would, though...she is that good. No offense to Lee...he seems like a very nice, humble guy...I just don't think he sings well.

Worst Idol season yet? Maybe. Glad it's over. Definitely. Will I be back next year? Probably. I will also tune in for Simon's next act: X Factor. It could pick up where Idol has dropped the ball...finding the best undiscovered talent in this great nation of ours.

Two Sides to a Cigar: 262 Paradigm by Revolution Cigars

Robusto, 4 x 52, $7.30

Dave Said:
Quick quiz: how many cigar companies do you know of that have their own manifesto? (Government-owned cigar companies who adopt their government's manifestoes don't count.) I am fairly confident that the answer is...one. Revolution Cigars is a recent entrant into the cigar business and just released the 262 Paradigm. Officially, this is only available online, but the manager of Burns in Chattanooga got a few boxes in because he liked them so much. You can visit the company's website to read the manifesto for yourself, but suffice to say it is a celebration of American freedoms and I wish our own government would adhere to this philosophy more. The name "262" is for the month (February) and year (1962) that the Cuban embargo was begun. These cigars are hand-crafted in Honduras, using Nicaraguan and Columbian filler, Honduran binder, and a Brazilian wrapper.

Despite the slick, hip-looking band, the look of the wrapper was fairly rustic with strange mottling and some stretched spots. It felt pretty solid from head to foot and was quite oily and a bit toothy. The body had faint aromas of barnyard and leather, while the foot had much stronger notes of chocolate along with some barnyard. The prelight draw was good and featured a rich, sweet, chocolaty flavor; it also left just a little spicy tingle on the lips.

Getting the 262 lit was an exercise in patience-I suggest a triple-flame torch if you have one. Initial puffs had some black coffee and cocoa powder notes, along with a nice amount of sweetness. The rest of the first third had an interesting mix of flavors from the chocolate and coffee to some earth and anise. There was not as much sweetness as I had expected based on prelight and initial puffs; there was just a tiny bit of pepper on the retrohale.

In the second third, the 262 took a turn toward a more sour and ammoniated flavor, usually a sign of tobacco that has not been properly aged. There was still earthiness and coffee underneath, but pretty much all sweetness and cocoa notes went out the window. On the plus side the construction was very good with an even burn line and ash that held on well even under windy conditions.

The flavor recovered a bit in the last third, losing most of the sourness which was replaced by cocoa powder and more coffee. Overall, the 262 is a very fine first effort with loads of potential; it was medium-bodied and well made, although I think this particular cigar needed a few more months of finishing time. That is sometimes a problem with new companies or new releases; I had a very similar experience with early editions of the Casa Magna-an ammoniated flavor that was not present in cigars I smoked months later. A company rep told me via Twitter that his favorite size is the Torpedo, so I will try to pick one of those up soon to give them another chance to "wow" me. He also mentioned that they have mild and full-bodied sticks in the works for release later this year, so big things are ahead for this new company.

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

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


Keith Said:
In contrast to our first joint review my experience with the 262 pretty much mirrored Dave's experience with a couple differences.

First off the band was a pain to get off.  There was way too much glue on it.  I ripped the band and had to try and get it off without ripping the wrapper.

The flavors throughout the smoke were in-line with what Dave experienced except I didn't get as much bitterness.  The slight bitterness I did get was actually enjoyable.

The flavors didn't change a whole lot, but built in strength through the stick.

The draw was pretty much perfect and the burn stayed pretty much even and the ash held on very well.

I think that they have got something pretty good here if they can get enough distribution.  I know when you are starting out your costs are higher, and I think that the price is just a bit high and it would be hard for me to spend this much on a short robusto.  As Dave mentioned the rep said their favorite size was the torpedo and I would definitely give it a shot.  I too am looking forward to trying the new sticks in the works from this company.

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

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

Changing Seasons: 24

I jumped on the 24 bandwagon a little late, but, then again, that all had to do with my early lack of a DVR. It was hard to jump into the middle of a season of 24 and know what the heck was going on or care. But I started watching in time to see an ex-President assassinated, an LA suburb get nuked, and learn that Jack Bauer is someone you do not want to cross. My understanding is that the first couple seasons were the best and it went downhill from there; I was witness to four seasons. Seasons five and six were pretty good in my estimation, last year's season seven was overall pretty bad, and this final season had so many highs and lows it was hard to keep track. This is not meant to be a full-season recap, so I'll just hit a few key thoughts...

When Jack and Renee found each other this season, I found it a thing of beauty--two damaged people who can help each other heal and take on the world together. Then Renee was shot and killed. I still say this was a bad move and wish the writers had found a better way to unleash Jack's rage.

Does Jack Bauer (or Chloe or Renee or Arlo or Cole or...anyone?) ever take a bathroom break? Good Lord, with all the "real time" shenanigans, no one ever has to relieve themselves or take a nap or anything. I know, we don't really need to see that, but if it were referenced maybe it would seem more realistic. Just sayin'.

Dana Walsh was the worst character I have seen in my four seasons watching the show. Not believable for a minute. Sorry.

Stephen Root's appearance this season was a waste. He didn't even find his red stapler!

The ending just about too-perfectly set up the feature film that we've all heard is in the works.

24 was a great concept in its inception. The problem is the writers, producers, and network did not know when to say "when." They beat this horse long after it died and it showed in the last couple seasons. While there was plenty of excitement at certain times this season, I still wonder if the show would not have been better overall if they had made the hard decision to kill Jack Bauer early on several seasons ago, then have some other agent become the hero for the day. Then focus different days around different heroes, all while keeping a good core cast. Maybe that would have kept the idea fresher than having to believe that one man could have so many bad days, take so many beatings (electrocutions, shootings, etc.), and save the day every time.

Cigar Review: Casa Magna, Oscuro

Robusto, 5" x 54 ring gauge, $6.80

Seems like only yesterday that the Casa Magna Colorado was honored as Cigar Aficionado's Cigar of the Year. It has actually been over a year and the reputation of the Casa Magna has been hit hard (at least from people I have talked to) as the quality of subsequent releases of the Colorado suffered and smokers in general lost interest. In the highly competitive cigar market it is hard to stay in people's minds without new offerings at least once a year, but it took Casa Magna over a year to release their second stick: the Oscuro. Like the original Colorado, this cigar is the brainchild of Manuel Quesada and Nestor Plascencia. While the Colorado was a Nicaraguan puro, the Oscuro is almost entirely Honduran, with some Nicaraguan filler used as well.

The wrapper of this cigar was almost black with a little bit of mottling and medium-sized veins. The red, whit, blue and silver band was very striking set against the ultra dark background. The aroma from the body was compost and cocoa, while the foot had a richer dark chocolate aroma mixed with barnyard. The wrapper did not look very oily, but was quite oily to the touch. The cold draw flowed well and featured rich, thick flavors of chocolate and coffee; it was no nice that I did not want to light up for a while. If the lit stick held up to the promise that it made cold, this could be quite the wonderful cigar.

After lighting, I initially got flavors of leather and earth along with a little coffee and just a touch of ammonia--a flavor I knew all too well from the Casa Magna Colorados I had smoked. This one was not too heavy on ammonia, though, and I hoped it would pass quickly. In this case, my hope was realized. The rest of the first third was a thick, full-bodied combination of earth, coffee, cocoa powder, and black pepper. The earthniess was fairly heavy, muting the other flavors to some extent, but it was still a very flavorful cigar. The body was very full right from the beginning with a thick, oily smoke that left a long finish with a tang of licorice. It was not quite what I was expecting, but I was enjoying it.

There was not much change to report in the second third except for a building of the spice so that my mouth was left tingling throughout the long finish. The draw remained great and the burn line was very even. From time to time I heard cracking that I would normally associate with a wrapper splitting, but this was a tough, hardy wrapper that showed no signs of damage thus far.

The last third was predominantly earth and coffee still while the spice faded as the cigar smoked down to the nub. Overall, this was a very good cigar that I really enjoyed. It had a nice full body with plenty of flavor while not packing much of a nicotine punch. The only thing that would have made it better would have been less earthiness which tended to mute and muddy the other flavors, although this was not as much of a problem as some other cigars I have had. The price is very good, too, and while I wouldn't go so far as to buy a box, it will definitely get a repeat visit in my humidor.

Body: 8/10

Strength: 5/10

Complexity: 6/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9/10

Changing Seasons: Fringe

Rare is the show that gets both me and my wife excited enough to not want to miss a single minute of a single episode. She bored quickly with Lost; I am so over Ghost Whisperer (the story has gotten more convoluted and ridiculous than Lost meets Twin Peaks). But Fringe is a must-see. By the time it has run its course, it may have taken the "Best Show Ever" title (in my opinion) from Lost and relegated Millennium to third place.

The season finale of Fringe did a remarkable job of tying up the majority of loose ends brought about in the first two seasons, while still leaving something to anticipate for next fall. While I let loose some spoilers the last two days in these posts, I will strive not to do so here...just because the show is so good that you must watch and be amazed.

Needless to say, the always-solid acting by Joshua Jackson, Anna Torv and the inimitable John Noble was and continues to be fantastic. We did get to see alternate-universe doppelgangers of Agent Dunham and Dr. Bishop as well as the final acting farewell of Leonard Nimoy (Live long and prosper, sir...you are one of the greats). Lance Reddick's Philip Broyles is always an imposing character, and does that man have a voice? He may be in line to take over all the voice-over work that James Earl Jones has been hogging the last 20 years!

So...what else can I say without spoiling any major plot points? Not much, unfortunately. If you haven't been caught by the Fringe hook, let me just recommend that you rent it from your favorite movie rental service or just buy the DVDs, because you will want to anyway. 

Changing Seasons: Bones

Bones

This year's season of Bones was all about relationships as well. Actually what makes crime dramas and procedural shows work is when you get to know the main characters well enough to care about their relationships. Then all the cases they work on just become filler in between the on-going story of these characters...how they evolve and grow over time. Soap-opera-ish? Maybe...but with better camera work, less melodrama and better filler material.

Bones and Booth made decisions to make rather large changes for the next year of their lives in this season finale: Bones will be headed off to some Polynesian(?) locale for study of some major archeological find and Booth will be rejoining the army to train people to hunt down and eliminate the bad guys in Afghanistan. In their eyes, the desperate longing to be close to each other is always there, but Dr. Brennan cannot get to the point of making a romantic attachment and Agent Booth can't seem to live without it. They both figure out that what they need for themselves (and for each other?) is some time and distance to get a little perspective on things.

During that year Dr. Sweet's lady/fiancee will be working around the world with Dr. Brennan. He calls off their engagement and encourages her not to wait for him. Angela and Hodgins, though, decide to take the year off and live in Paris while their bosses are away.

I know the show will return sometime in September or October, but the way they played this thing out really seemed like we were saying goodbye to friends for a year or more. It was emotionally stretching and well-played by all.

What I hope for in next year's season is a triumphant return by all parties involved (except for maybe Dr. Sweet's Daisy--she's pretty annoying at times), but some real change...after all, that's what we were promised with this season's finale. If things end up the same by the end of the first episode of next season, it will feel like a bit of a cheat.

Book Recommendation: Christine

Christine by Stephen King (1983)

Maybe it's just me, but it seems like after a remarkable 5-book start (Carrie, 'Salem's Lot, The Shining, The Stand, The Dead Zone) Stephen King had some rough years where is mojo just was not working at full strength. Sure, Night Shift and Different Seasons were good collections with occasional flashes of brilliance, and Cujo was a very good book, but Firestarter did not fully fulfill its promise and the other novels released (Roadwork and The Running Man, both under the Richard Bachman pseudonym) and the other projects (Danse Macabre and Creepshow) ranged from sub-standard to vanity projects. Unfortunately, Christine falls in that sub-standard category for me.

The story revolves around high school nerd, Arnie Cunningham, and his love/lust for a 1958 Plymouth Fury named Christine. The car is apparently possessed or haunted and has supernatural powers to heal itself of any and all damage. Arnie uses his car to try to gain popularity and get a girlfriend, but ends up going crazy in the end.

It is an interesting premise for a novel, but it just does not gel on all levels. Arnie is being used and mentally torn apart, but it is difficult to feel much sympathy for him. Moments of empathy are evoked for his girlfriend, Leigh Cabot, but in the end it is hard to remember feeling too much for any of the characters. I think that is what is really missing here--the characters are underwritten in such a way that it is hard to care much about what happens to them in the end.

It ends up being a good read at times, but really only suitable for the King completist and not the casual reader who may turn to his works occasionally.

Changing Seasons: House

I have not always been a television fanatic. There were many years I did not follow any show with any regularity...to be honest my schedule just did not allow it. Then came the DVR. Now I can follow pretty much any show I like and watch it on my schedule rather than re-arranging my schedule to fit around the shows I want to see. This has fueled my becoming a fan of more shows, and in many cases, better shows. Season finales do not always live up to the hype, but May 2010 seems to be a year when producers, writers, and actors are pulling out all the stops. From today until Friday I will be looking at some of the shows that have most interested me, where this season has taken the show and how they ended. For a couple shows, this is not just season finale, but "series" finale (yes, I'll be camped in front of the TV for 4.5 hours tonight watching Lost) so I will reflect on how the show as a whole made me feel. Some of these re-cap articles will contain spoilers, so if you have not watched the show yet, you may wish to skip the article.

House, M.D.

In the episode immediately preceding the House season finale, Dr. House broke up with his shrink claiming that nothing the psychologist had done had made any difference...everyone around House was busy getting happier while he himself was still miserable and alone. This episode opened with House being generous and caring by giving his once-love-of-his-life Dr. Cuddy a book written by her grandfather. He made it out to Cuddy and her boyfriend. They are immediately whisked off to the site of a crane collapse where emergency responders are trying to rescue the trapped and the dying.

House gets a potentially interesting case in the crane operator who may or may not have some previous condition that caused him to momentarily black out on the job, but then ends up spending the majority of his time helping a lady trapped under the building, her leg pinned hopelessly. Through a series of events House does what he believes is the right thing, convincing the woman to allow her leg to be amputated so she can live, because even if they do save it, "You don't want to be like me." So after all the psychological work he has done since his time in the sanitarium, House has progressed in being a human, after all.

After the lady dies anyway, House goes back to his apartment feeling very sorry for himself, finds his final(?) Vicodin stash and ponders falling down that hole again...when Lisa Cuddy shows up. She's broken up with her boyfriend because she realized she has always loved House. "Even if I'm the most screwed up person around?" Yes, she says, they'll work on it. They kiss as the credits roll. It doesn't seem like a hallucination this time around.

I have to say, I have been hoping for them to finally get together all season long. With Cuddy living with Lucas I thought that maybe that ship had sailed, but the writers brought it back around. This season has been interesting, almost a re-boot of House as a character when he left the loony-bin. At times it has been exasperating to see him slip back into old ways, but there has been a small redeeming spark there during those times, too. His relationship with Wilson has changed dramatically this year, coming closer than going far, far apart. One thing that has stayed constant with this series is change. Yes, the medical malady of the week thing is pretty constant, but the real story is about relationships and there has been constant change, upheaval and renewal since the show began. Cameron and Chase seem to be well and truly over and she gone forever. Foreman and 13 were off, then on, then friends and now she's "taking a break" for Huntington's Disease treatment (and shooting a movie, in real life). Wilson is back with his first ex-wife (Libby from Lost). Now House and Cuddy are back together. A good ending for a hard season and something to look forward to next season. In many shows having two main characters in a relationship could kill it, but in this case it could make the show even more interesting.

Cigar Extra/CRA Saturday: Cuba Aliados Miami

Last Saturday, I started a new feature I call "Cigar Extra" featuring a short look at a cigar rather than a full-blown review. This week I am adding a twist to the Cigar Extra by featuring one of ten cigars I got with my Cigar Rights of America (CRA) Sampler #2. For whatever reason I had not joined the CRA until a month or so ago; there were no good reasons, really, just excuses. I finally took the plunge with the $100 sampler that is available through many fine retailers as well as CRA's website. Actually, in looking at the website copy, only members are allowed to buy it there, so if you are not already a member, you will have to get it at your favorite CRA-affiliated B&M. The sampler features 10 toro-sized cigars from a variety of manufacturers, some of which I have had, some of which I have not. I will be featuring each of these 10 in a Cigar Extra spot, every other week until I have smoked them all--should be an interesting summer!

Cuba Aliados Miami

I found mostly good construction on this Miami by Cuba Aliados; it was a little sloppy near the head and cap. There were some medium-sized veins and a little mottling, but overall it had an attractive, oily wrapper with a nice hay and barnyard aroma. The foot had rich cocoa notes as well as more barnyard. Prelight, I got flavors of natural tobacco, dried fruit and chili pepper.

Through the first third I got mild-to-medium body with flavors of hay and bread. The same continued for the second third without much change...and to be honest the final segment was not much of a departure, either--there may have been a little leather creeping in, but that's about it.

All in all, this was not a "bad" smoke, but neither was it particularly good--I had no urge to either put it out early or run out and buy more. A good, solid middle-of-the-road stick in almost every way, I would probably only smoke it again if I were handed it at an event or if the selection was extremely limited.

Cigar Review: Nestor Miranda Dominicano, Oscuro

Robusto, 5.5" x 54 ring gauge, $8

All the important background for this cigar can be found in Tuesday's review of the Rosado variety. The important thing I want to emphasize here again is how close in color the two varieties are. When Nestor Miranda's Special Selection came out last year, it was very easy to tell the difference between Rosado and Oscuro versions; not so with the Dominicano. This is either the lightest Oscuro wrapper I have ever seen, or the darkest Rosado. Either way, it is hard to tell the difference. My tobacconist puts labels on each stick so I can pluck them out of the box, check the label and tell. Without that assistance, you will have a hard time telling them apart, especially if someone picks up a Rosado and replaces it into the Oscuro box, or vice versa. As with the Rosado stick, this Oscuro Dominicano has Nicaraguan filler and binder, along with a Dominican wrapper leaf.

From the start I see a family resemblance between the Rosado and this Oscuro: both have the same ugly scar-like veins. The Oscuro had a little more oily sheen to it and felt fairly well-packed except near the foot. The aroma from the body was sweet tobacco and barnyard; from the foot I got rich chocolate and some compost; very similar to the Rosado overall but the wrapper aroma was stronger here. The prelight draw was easy and had flavors of cocoa powder and hay, both fairly muted.

After lighting, initial puffs were heavy with wood notes--cedar mostly, but also something else. There was just a tiny bit of spice on the tongue and a lot more on the retrohale. The first third was heavy on the cedar and black pepper--quite a departure from the Rosado and emphasizing the role wrapper tobacco plays in overall flavor. Whereas the Rosado came close to boring me in the first third, this one had much more up-front flavors and progressed quickly to a medium-to-full body. The burn line was nice and even but the ash was somewhat flaky, continually contaminating my lap or whatever I had in it--kind of annoying!

The cedar toned down in the second third and was replaced by an earthiness that sometimes verged on muddiness. The spice abated a bit, too, but was still felt when blowing the smoke out through the nose.

The earthiness continued through the last segment and was joined by hints of black coffee and a little anise on the finish. The body was definitely a tick up from the Rosado--not a full-fledged full-bodied smoke, but close. Overall, I like this one marginally better than the Rosado as it started with more flavor; but while the Rosado kept getting more interesting as it went on, the Oscuro seemed to do the opposite--I just was not as thrilled about the way it ended up. Your mileage may vary, but I can definitely recommend putting this one--alongside the Rosado--on your "to try" list. Two very good cigars for a reasonable amount of money. Try one, try them both...leave a comment and tell me what you think.

Body: 7/10

Strength: 7/10

Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 1.5/2

Construction: 1.5/2

Flavor: 4.5/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 8.5/10

Two Sides to a Cigar: Illusione Nosotros

The Tiki Bar has been publishing regularly for about a year-and-a-half now (irregularly for longer than that!) and in that time I have personally reviewed about 160 cigars. My friend, Keith, has agreed to come on board to contribute to the reviewing of cigars and with some other articles when inspiration strikes. We decided that the first thing we would try out is dual-cigar-reviewing. Both of us will smoke the same cigar (in the same or different vitola--really, there are advantages to either approach) and render an opinion. I picked out 25 sticks that we probably both have in our humidors (due to the massive influx of sticks from CigarFest), Keith picked out 10 that he would like to give this treatment to, and then I picked out the 5 that I would start the reviews on (and he will be the primary reviewer on the other 5). If time permits for both of us, this will be a regularly weekly feature. Fittingly, our first "joint cigar review" is of a joint venture by two giants in the cigar world...

Illusione Nosotros

Robusto, 5 x 50, $9.70

Dave said:

The Illusione Nosotros (Spanish for “we”) is the product of an interesting marriage of companies: Dion Giolito’s Illusione cigars and Jonathan Drew’s Drew Estate. The blend was a joint effort, the manufacture happens at Drew’s factory in Nicaragua and the distribution and name brand are Illusione’s. This cigar was first announced sometime in 2009 and I have found references to it as far back as that year’s IPCPR show; it was delayed for some reason until May 2010, but there is still no “official” information on either company’s website about the cigar. What I found out came from an online retailer’s description: it consists of Nicaraguan filler, a Connecticut Habano binder, and a Nicaraguan Corojo 99 wrapper. That same source indicated that Giolito felt this to be a powerful cigar, but—as you will see—I found it to be anything but. In order to not bias myself in any way, I purposely did no research on this stick before smoking it; I just went out on the porch and recorded my observations.

Like other Illusione cigars, the band on the Nosotros is classy and understated. The only hint of Drew Estate’s involvement is the tiny names on either side of the band: “Dion” on the left, “Drew” on the right. The wrapper was a medium brown with just a hint of red and it felt velvety and oily to the touch. There were a few medium-to-large veins and some mottling, all of which reminded me of some of the regular-line Illusione’s I have smoked. The wrapper had an aroma of earth and leather while I got strong alfalfa and barnyard notes from the foot. The prelight draw had just enough resistance along with flavors of anise and leather and just a little spicy tingle on the lips.

Initial puffs brought out a fairly light and mild-bodied smoke with some herbal flavors that were really hard to identify. I did get some of that anise flavor from prelight on the finish. After the mild start the first third shaped up quickly into a medium-bodied smoke with a unique flavor. The herbal notes continued and I definitely got hits of anise from time to time, but there was also a nice roasted nuttiness and just a very faint dried fruit sweetness. The ash was a very light gray and burned mostly evenly to a length of of an inch or more before needing to be tapped off.

The second third saw some earthiness added to the herbal notes that had dominated thus far, as well as a continuation of the roasted nuts and an occasional hint of cocoa powder.

The final third continued with more earthiness and a gradual decrease of the herbal flavor which was only detectable on the finish at this point. I also got some nice medium-roast black coffee flavors. Although the website I looked at maintained that this might be considered a powerhouse, I found it to be only medium-bodied; the construction was just about perfect. Overall, this was a very pleasant late afternoon smoke that did not threaten to overwhelm me with body or nicotine strength. The flavor profile was very good and complex enough to avoid being dull. The only real turnoff for me was the price. At almost $10, I expected more from this stick, especially after all the hype. I cannot see buying too many more of these as they are just too expensive for a “good” or even “very good” stick.

Body: 6/10

Strength: 6/10

Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale:

Prelight: 1.5/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 3.5/5

Value: .5/1

Total: 7.5/10

Keith said:

Just like with every cigar different people have different tastes.  My experience with this cigar was a bit different than Dave’s.

The cigar looked very good with the smooth chocolate brown wrapper contrasting with the simple but classic looking grey band.  The wrapper was smooth and slightly velvety to the touch with small veins.  The cigar felt firmly packed and I couldn’t detect any soft spots.  The only thing I can mark it down is the top part of the cap was slightly darker than the rest of the cigar.  On smelling the wrapper I got notes of barnyard.  On the foot I got barnyard and curry.  The cigar clipped easily and while the draw was a little too tight I got notes of bitter dark chocolate.

After I lit it up I noticed a spice on the retrohale.  The first thing I noticed on the taste was a bitterness.  The draw was still a little too tight and I had to keep puffing on it or it would go out.  The strength was definitely on the lower side of mild.  After a bit of smoking it I could taste some sort of sweet fruity flavor.  I also noticed a flavor on the back of the palate that I couldn’t place.  There was definitely the “Illuisione” flavor.  The burn line was slightly wavy however it was thin.  The ash was a grey white but had a tendency to flower.

At the beginning of the second third the wrapper cracked just above the burn line.  It didn’t cause any problems and the cigar burned right through it.  The cigar stayed in the medium range but was slightly stronger than the first third.  The ash still flowered and the burn line was still slightly wavy.  The spice left the retrohale and I noticed more flavors of wood and nuts.  There was also a creaminess on the back of the throat.

In the final third the spice came back on the retrohale and the body went to the upper end of the medium range.  The draw opened up a bit and now it was to where I like it to be.  The wood flavors were still there but flavors of cocoa, tobacco, and red pepper coming through.  The ash continued to flower and the burn line straightened up a bit.  When I took off the band it came off very easily.

Overall while the cigar was well constructed it just wasn’t in my flavor profile.  I was really looking forward to trying this cigar because of the amount of buzz and the early reviews.  However I don’t think this is a cigar I’d purchase again especially due to the price.  I do have another size, corona gorda, sitting in my humidor that I’m going to try and see if there are any differences.

Body: 6/10

Strength:5/10

Complexity:6/10

AFP Scale:

Prelight: 1.5/2

Construction:1/2

Flavor: 2.5/5

Value: .5/1

Total: 5.5/10

Cigar Review: Nestor Miranda Dominicano, Rosado

Robusto, 5.5" x 54 ring gauge, $8

Last year Nestor Miranda made news in the cigar world with his Special Selection, a collaboration with Don Pepin Garcia (that man sure does get around!). For 2010, the two cigar superstars have released their newest joint venture: the Dominicano. This cigar employs the use of Nicaraguan tobacco for the filler and binder, but in a first for Don Pepin, it uses a Dominican wrapper. These cigars are available in a variety of sizes and two wrapper varieties: Rosado and Oscuro. It must be noted that the colors of these two wrappers are extremely close, with the Oscuro being just a hair darker and a little duller and the Rosado having just a hint of red, most noticeable under natural light. Honestly, in the humidor at Burns, under fairly bad lighting, I cannot tell the difference. When I got these two home into better lighting...I still couldn't tell one from the other. When I took them out of the cellophane and out into sunlight, then the difference becomes evident...barely. Be careful which one you get; although I liked both, you may have a distinct preference and if you pick up the wrong one you may walk away feeling like this cigar is not worth the money. I got to meet Nestor Miranda at an event in Chattanooga last week (picture to the lower-left). He is a fun-loving and interesting man with a passion for tobacco and a good sense of humor ("I want you to keep buying cigars because I need a bigger boat! I have a 40-foot boat, I want a 45-foot!"). Today I will be looking at the Rosado version; later this week my review of the Oscuro will appear.

I have to begin by saying that the appearance was good, but not great. There were large "Frankenstein-scar" looking veins down the front of the wrapper. There was an oiliness to it, but not too much. The band was nice and semi-tropical looking; it does not look out of place here on the Tiki Bar blog at all! The aroma from the wrapper was barnyard while I got some cocoa and compost from the foot. The prelight draw was easy; there were subtle flavors of hay and creamy coffee--nothing too overt or "in your face."

Initial puffs of the Dominicano Rosado were light and mild--flavors were of hay, coffee and sweet tobacco, but as in prelight, all these were subtle and muted. Unlike many Don Pepin-crafted smokes, this one does not start off with a blast of pepper spice. In fact, there was no spice to speak of. This was a mild-to-medium bodied smoke at the start and while it was good, it did not do anything much to really impress me yet. I kept getting notes of hay and creamy coffee along with some roasted nuts in the retrohale. The burn was mostly even, wavering just a bit on the places where it encounterd those Frankenstein-scar veins.

In the second third, the stogie put up a bit of cedar and a spicy little snap, adding some dimension and complexity to what had started off fairly uninteresting. I still got some hay notes but the coffee faded and the pepper built steadily throughout the middle segment.

The final third began with another flavor change--this time to a more earthy character. There was still some pepper spice and cedar but the earth became dominant very quickly. The Dominicano Rosado tipped in at just over the halfway point in body and gave just a hint of nicotine strength occasionally. The burn was not straight, but continued to be very even and it produced a good draw with copious amounts of smoke the entire way. Although it started off fairly slow, this cigar picked up in character and interest the entire way, turning out to be a very decent medium-bodied smoke that fell in between two other Don Pepin-created medium smokes that I have had recently--I liked it better than El Triunfador, but not as much as the Vegas Cubanas. Very good cigar; definitely worth trying.

Body: 6/10

Strength: 5/109

Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 1.5/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 8.5/10

Cigar Review: CAO 423 / MX3

CAO is developing a history of releasing special cigars from their "Escaparate Collection" that end up only being available in one shop in the country. In 2009, they released the Six-One-Five, available only from Uptown's Smoke Shop in Nashville and last week marked the arrival of the 423, available at Burn's Tobacconist in Chattanooga, Tennessee. To my knowledge, until now all Escaparate cigars (named for the giant humidor at their headquarters that is full of "experimental" blends) were exclusives, but the 423 is a version of the MX3, which has already been available at W. Curtis Draper in Washington, D.C., for some time. So now Southeast Tennessee smokers get a chance to get their hands on the MX3 for the first time, rebranded the "423" for this release (423 being the area code for the Chattanooga area and tying in with Nashville's 615 area code and corresponding Escaparate cigar).

So, you may be asking, what is the difference between the already-released MX3 and this new 423 version? From everything I can tell there are 3 things. First, the number of vitolas; although I haven't been able to absolutely verify this, I am told that the original MX3 is available in only two sizes, while the 423 is available in four. Second, aging; Matt, the manager at Burns, told me that this initial release of 423s is from the first ever batch of MX3 rolled and have been aging in the Escaparate for 6 years before being banded and shipped to Burns. Third, price; while Drapers does not advertise the MX3 for sale on its website, a couple places have indicated that the Robustos are $11 each, which is fairly steep. The 423 at Burns is quite a bit cheaper: Corona, $7.35; Robusto, $8.40; Churchill, $11.65; and Belicoso, $12.60.

If you have read my page about my cigar review methods you will know that I normally smoke a single stick for a review, giving it all my attention while smoking. I mostly reject the notion that you need 3 or 5 sticks to form an opinion on a cigar because they don't really vary that much stick-to-stick if they are obtained from a reputable seller; the bigger variation is in the smoker. For this review, though, I decided to break with tradition and smoke more than one--but I didn't smoke 3 of one size--no, I smoked one each of all four sizes in order to give my impression on all of them.

To be perfectly fair, the robusto was not smoked in "isolation" as I had smoked another cigar (an Oliva G) an hour or so before. I got some odd flavors from the robusto and I have to say I did not really enjoy it that much. It could have been a bad stick. It could have been influence from the Cameroon wrapper of the Oliva carrying over. It could have been the Diet Coke I paired with it or just my general tiredness that day. For whatever reason, I was not thoroughly impressed with it and had to give it a general thumbs-down. Since then, I have smoked the other three sizes and am determined to go back to give the robusto a fair shot of impressing me on its own terms.

Torpedo

The appearance of this one was rather rustic with plenty of mottling--almost black over dark, dark brown--and several medium-to-large veins in evidence. The wrapper had a little oiliness to it, more felt than seen. The aroma from the body was faint (these all ship with no cellophane) but I picked up a little cocoa and some barnyard; from the foot I got a little barnyard and some anise--again very faint. Prelight draw was good and had rich chocolate flavors. There was a little coffee, to, but mostly lots and lots of chocolate.

Initial puffs gave more cocoa, but a good amount of coffee flavor as well. The smoke was very smooth even through retrohaling. When blowing through the nose I got a much different flavor note...a sweet bready note that I did remember from the robusto, although it was much stronger there. After a somewhat wavy start the burn line evened up considerably throughout the first third. The flavors of chocolate and coffee were omnipresent as was that flavor I was coming to term "sweet bread" but the balance here was nice. The extra aging these cigars went through seems to have taken away quite a bit of bite that might have been present earlier--these things are just very mellow.

The second third was a mixed blessing. The bready flavor that I was not so fond of tapered off to be just an accenting note. This allowed for a much stronger chocolate flavor to come through--it was almost like eating a chocolate bar--creamy, smooth, rich. Also there was a little bit of edginess that crept in--almost like the cigar was thinking of being spicy. On the downside the second third opened with a large canoe along one side that had to be touched up.

I am happy to report that in the final third everything came together and the world was a better place. The breadiness went away completely, leaving a stronger dark roast coffee flavor (as opposed to the creamy coffee aspect of earlier) and the chocolate flavor became more of a bittersweet dark chocolate. The burn line evened out well and the draw was almost perfect. This is where the promise of the MX3 was fulfilled in a great ending to a stogie that definitely had its ups and downs.

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

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 1.5/2

Flavor: 4/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 8.5/10

Corona

This one was even more rustic-looking than the Torpedo, with the veins standing out prominently, a few dents and bumps, and even a slight bend. The wrapper was even darker, too, but with a more even color and less mottling. The aroma from the body was pretty much the same as the Torpedo: very faintly of barnyard and cocoa; there was more chocolate from the foot. The cold draw was very easy and featured nice chocolate sweetness.

Initial light-up featured some of those bready notes along with chocolate. This was a very sweet cigar--without being flavored or infused, it had more sweetness and chocolate than any stick I have ever smoked. Fortunately it also had a healthy dose of dark roast coffee bitterness that helps to keep it from being cloying. I paired this cigar with some black coffee and it was simply inspired.

The second third added some marshmallow to the chocolatey goodness. The coffee really a lot to the experience--not only is this possibly the best way to enjoy this cigar, it may be the only way I choose to do so in the future. One thing that blows me away is how good the draw is. I have had a history of draw problems with the MX2 in all vitolas except the Box Press. So far every MX3 I have smoked, though, has had an exceptional draw. You would think with the addition of even more maduro tobacco it would be just the opposite.

One thing to note is how that extra maduro affects the burn while you are not puffing. While I was writing that last paragraph, the stick almost went out. I re-fired it, which got it too hot, probably contributing to the slight canoe I got to start the last third. While not a real construction issue, it should be noted that this cigar will not burn long unattended and has the tendency to overheat if puffed too much--it requires care, balance and attention and, as a result, may be too much work for some people. The flavor in the final third was a delight, with more coffee creeping in and the chocolate becoming a darker, more bittersweet variety. So far, this is my favorite expression of the 423/MX3 and since it is also the least expensive, I am sure to keep them in my humidor for a long time to come. The body seemed a little fuller on this vitola, although still not in the full range, and there was just enough nicotine strength to let you know it was there. There was also a touch more complexity than on the two larger vitolas I had previously smoked. This was a great way to start off the day and a "must-smoke" for any maduro enthusiast.

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

AFP Scale

Prelight: 1.5/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 5/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9.5/10

Churchill

This larger vitola was not as rustic in appearance as the Torpedo or the Corona; there were small to medium-sized veins, just a little lumpiness, and just a bit of mottling. Aromas from wrapper and foot were faint like the others and the prelight draw had nice notes of cocoa powder and coffee.

Initial light-up gave me far less smoke than it had on the others. It was not plugged at all but I just did not get much volume unless I puffed three or four times in a row. The flavor had more roastiness of coffee than the others had exhibited this early. While there was some sweetness it was not nearly as much as the others and the breadiness was more pleasant as well. The stick started canoeing shortly into the first third and I ended up touching it up. The rest of the third was mostly about dark coffee and hints of semi-sweet chocolate--not nearly as sweet to begin with as any of the other 3 sticks.

I decided to do something totally different during the second third. My wife was making brownies as I got ready to review this and about this time they were ready for consumption. I do not pair food with cigars often as I just do not have that level of skill, but these warm, just-out-of-the-oven brownies were just about perfect with this 423/MX3. The only thing that could have made the experience better would have been some dark-roast coffee added to it. This was a truly mouthwatering combination that connoisseurs of fine cigars and chocolate should try sometime. Unfortunately, the poor burn and canoe problems continued through the second third as well. I touched it up a couple more times and almost had to relight after the second time I tapped ash.

The last third was similar to the other vitolas in that it had more coffee and a darkening of the chocolate flavor. It was different in that these flavors were even darker and more intense in this vitola, with very little residual sweetness. After smoking all four, I am glad I saved this one for last--in the flavor department it is definitely the stand-out. the construction issues I had were unfortunately not unique--I experienced similar problems in every vitola--and I am not sure what to make of that. It could be a result of the triple maduro blend that makes these issues practically unavoidable, but it is still a bit disappointing. At least I have not encountered a plugged stick, though, as I frequently have done with MX2s; that by itself is fairly remarkable.

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

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 1/2

Flavor: 5/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9/10

As mentioned before, these cigars are available from Burns Tobacconist in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In the interest of full disclosure, they are a sponsor of this site and did provide the cigars smoked for this review. Burns' east Chattanooga location is off the I-75 at Shallowford Road; 110 Jordan Drive, Chattanooga, in the same building with Chattanooga Billiards Club. You can call Matt, Charlie or Jason at 423-855-5200 to order the CAO 423/MX3; please let them know you heard about it on the Tiki Bar.

Book Recommendation: Cujo

Cujo by Stephen King (1981)

Hard to believe it's been over a month since I started this series of "5 B-Movie Level" Stephen King books that I wanted to re-read and say a few things about, but the facts stand...the first entry in this series published on April 12. I really never meant to take this long to get back to it, but many things (CigarFest, work overload, real life, etc.) got in the way of me writing this next entry. I hope to have the remaining 3 entries on the next 3 Mondays.

It is seldom that a character from a book becomes synonymous with real-life events, but it seems like every time there's a dog attack in the United States, the specter of Cujo is raised. Although this book is close to 30 years old, I think it is the best of the 5 "B-Movie" King books at holding up and being relevant for today. In its simplest understanding, this is a book about the horrors of real-life when a good dog goes bad, contracting rabies and going on a killing spree. But there is more to than that, too.

The book examines issues of marital fidelity, parenthood, and small-town life, along with giving us some truly terrifying scenes of a monster that may or may not be lurking in a young boy's closet. It is the second book that uses the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine as a major setting and ends up being a pivotal part in the Castle Rock mythology that wends it way through another decade of King's work before being finally (or at least mostly) resolved in Needful Things.

When I read this book 20 years ago I enjoyed it. Today it resonates even more with me, probably because I understand better now the dynamic of small town/country life a little better, having lived in a similar setting for over a year. There is not a day that goes by that one of the neighbor's dogs (or a whole pack of them) is roaming the neighborhood, and it simply does not take much imagination to think of how that could impact the people who live here if one of them contracted a brain-killing disease. Living in the city, this was just a good story; now, it is scary in a real-life kind of way.

Cigar Extra: CAO La Traviata Animado

When the Tiki Bar group was first gathering, a couple of the guys would take the nubs of their cigars and jam them into a pipe to finish smoking them; we called that a "cigar extra." I am appropriating that term for this occasional feature which will just be a quick hit on a cigar, maybe something I've already reviewed in a different size or something I want to revisit for some reason. Mostly these will be short and sweet and will appear on weekends.

CAO's La Traviata made its debut at last year's IPCPR show and soon became one of the hottest tickets in the cigar world because of its great taste and fantastic price. CAO's marketing guru, Jon Hubuer, lobbied for the Animado to be released as one of the initial sizes, but was out-voted. Too bad, because this expression of the La Traviata made me want to go right out and buy a box.

The good times started with a cold draw that was easy with plenty of coffee, chocolate and spice flavors. Lighting up brought strong black coffee in the mouth and spice through the nose. There was plenty of cedar and spice in the rest of the first third. It is amazing how much flavor and complexity this $5.20 stick holds--earth, coffee, spice, cedar, and of course a substantial amount of natural tobacco goodness.

Like I said, I was contemplating a box purchase of the Animado, but then I tasted the other new size: the Favorito. Now I can't decided. I would love to buy a box of each but I don't have the room in my humidor or the money in my budget. Hey, Keith...you want to split a box of each? That might just be the perfect solution!

News & Views

"News & Views" is back after a couple weeks' hiatus. The CigarFest Road Trip made it absolutely impossible to get this kind of post done and my work schedule (you know, the work that pays the bills) made it difficult to get to this since I've been back...

The mainstream media did not pay much attention to the devastation in Nashville, but there were a couple stories about the flooding and its aftermath that caught my eye: CNN and Fox News both had good pieces looking at the damage with some personal stories thrown in. Another reminder, if you can give any amount to help those affected by the "1,000 Year Flood" in Nashville, please consider visiting the Red Cross or Second Harvest websites and doing so.

In tech news, CNET has reported that Google's Android operating system has surpassed iPhone OS phones in sales in the U.S. (during Q1 2010). Blackberry is still at the top of the ladder, but Android is showing great promise at filling in the holes that Apple has left open by having their phone available exclusively on AT&T. If Apple had dealt with Verizon as well, they would have had my sale; as it is, Android is a perfectly suitable substitute.

Speaking of AT&T, they are settling a class-action lawsuit by paying customers who did not get the DSL speed they paid for...which would probably include me. Since the payout is limited to $2 a month, it will amount to a whopping $30 or so (maybe) so I'm not even sure it's worth it. To tell the truth, I'd rather they keep the money and be forced to put it into improving their network speeds. More U-verse. Faster DSL. Etc.

If you're a music fan, check out the review of Mystery Highway that Phantom Tollbooth posted. I liked this new Phil Keaggy/Randy Stonehill collaboration, but not as much as they did apparently.

Interesting read on Iron Man and other superhero genre movies at Hot Air...just how political are superheroes?

Speaking of politics, President Obama's new nominee to the Supreme Court has been pretty cagey on revealing her beliefs, but Elena Kagan apparently did not like the Heller case ruling that allowed (at least in word) D.C. residents to own handguns. From the little I've heard about her, all fans of all freedoms (whether that be owning guns, speaking your mind, or smoking cigars) should be concerned about her nomination. Get informed and let your Senators hear what you think!

There were a couple interesting stories about bad estimates on our Precious President's part: apparently after all the hue-and-cry about how Obamacare will save money (and how the President promised he would not sign a bill that added to the deficit) the CBO has now estimated that the plan is "now expected to cost about another $115 billion than originally estimated, pushing the suffocating total to well over the $1 trillion mark." "Oops! My Bad!" Barry says. The U.S. budget deficit for April 2010 was $82 Billion, nearly 4 times the April 2009 mark and twice as bad as Wall Street estimators had estimated. So much for the recovery working.

In other idiot politician news, the Pennsylvania state lawmakers are once again considering taxing "OTP" (other tobacco product besides cigarettes). Seriously, are all the legislators in the state suffering from rectal-cranial inversion? How about you Pennsylvania cigar smokers...why do you keep voting these dunderheads into office? I don't know what your election cycle is like, but if you have the chance to clean house in November...just do it!

And I'll end with some good news: Litto Gomez is expanding the Air Bender line, adding corona and lancero sizes to what has become one of my favorite new lines in the past year. A Cigar Smoker hit Sam Leccia's fusion-cigar: the Cain F Nub. Walt at Stogie Review got the last (?) of the CigarFest videos online. Nice Tight Ash fired up Room 101; did Chris buy into the hype? And the Stogie Guys took the E.P. Carrillo Short Run for a test drive...I have to say I'm looking forward to this one even after I was disappointed with the Edicion Inaugural (the much lower price-point helps).

Stay tuned to the Tiki Bar...next week I will have an exclusive review of the CAO 423 (MX3) available exclusively at Burns Tobacconist in Chattanooga. In the coming days and weeks there will also be a couple new features: "Two Sides to the Story" reviews, "Cigar Extras" and "CRA Saturdays."