News & Views

"News & Views" is a semi-regular round-up of a variety of articles that have caught our attention recently with a little color commentary about them.

If you still are of the opinion that ObamaCare is the best thing to happen since sliced bread (or canned beer!), then you probably should take a look at this piece by Thomas Sowell. Also...hold on to your wallet when it comes time for open-enrollment in a couple months as your premium will almost invariably be going up.


Another piece of "good news" coming from the collective minds at National Review is this one about the GM Bailout. Yeah, despite those "oh-so-optimistic" commercials, GM hasn't really paid off it's government loan yet; they've only paid back $7 billion of almost $51 billion...wish I could get away with that and call it "good."


A lot has been made of Glenn Beck and I can't even get excited about some of his over-the-top-ness, but the gathering he organized last weekend was something that is hard to criticize. He went out of his way to avoid political speech, banned signs, and focused on faith. I have to agree with him on one thing...if America got back to basic faith in God, a lot of the other issues would work themselves out.


Okay, with the politics section out of the way, I can focus on something we can all agree on: college football! Specifically, that the Vols rock and all teams outside the SEC should just give up now and watch on television! (Like that won't stir up any controversy!) Seriously, though...it's going to be a tough year for UT football, I'm sure, but we could be witnessing the start of a new dynasty...or not...it's really impossible to say at this point! :)


In more fun news, Ford is bringing back the Boss...no, not Springsteen...I'm not sure anything could bring him back to his "glory days" when he was "hiding on the back streets," but I digress. No, I speak of the 2012 Mustang Boss 302. Sweet!


A sad bit of news: Sean Connery marked his 80th birthday by re-iterating his decision to retire from acting (besides voice-over work). Not many actors like him left in the world and I'm sorry to see him have to quit the work that made him famous.


In cigar blogging in the past week or so, we've seen a double-hit of Xikar: the Stogie Guys reviewed the HC Connnecticut, while LasVegash.tv reviewed the VX V-cut. I've said it before, I'll say it again...I want that V-cutter! Can't wait until they come out. Mike's Stogies reviewed the 262 Paradigm, a cigar which I have consistently failed to come back to for a second go-around despite repeated vows to do so...I will do it, though, I swear! Ubi Cigar took a look at the venerable San Cristobal, an Ashton brand that I thought was really good at the start, but has not seemed to keep up the same quality. Saw a great interview with Sean Williams of El Primer Mundo over at Toasted Foot; I have yet to really explore his cigars, but that is about to be rectified. And, finally, Michael Herklots defined the differences in body and strength over at CigarCyclopedia...and his definitions are very close to what I have always said! I love a little validation!


As much fun as the IPCPR-E-I-E-I-O show was earlier this month, the real fun is just beginning. All of those new cigars are starting to hit store shelves which means we all get the opportunity to try them. Keith and I have quite a few of them scheduled for review in the next couple months, as well as a host of other stuff going on. My local shop is becoming an official Viaje dealer, so I am currently trying their "regular" lines so I am familiar with the company; next week will see a "Viaje Week" with reviews of the Oro, Platino and 50/50 Black. The next week I will be delving into the El Primer Mundo line with reviews of 3 of their offerings. Later this month the Original Tiki Bar group is getting together and I'll have a full report on that. Pete Johnson is visiting Burns in October and I hope to have plenty of words and pictures to show you then. Just a few of the cigars coming your way are: Room 101 Cojurna, Macanudo Cru Royale, Don Gonzalez Signature Series, Guillermo Leon, La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor, and the Art Deco--I just counted and there are 42 cigars on the schedule for review in the next 2 months. Between me and Keith, that's a lot of smoking! We hope that you will continue to join us. Thank God the Tiki Bar is Open!

Cigar Review: Pinar Del Rio 1878 Cubano Especial Capa Madura

Lancero, 7.25" x 38 ring gauge / $5.75 at Silo Cigars

In 1878, Cuba was divided into 6 provinces, including Pinar del Rio, which later was recognized for growing some of the finest cigar tobacco in the world. Abraham Flores and Juan Rodriguez names their cigar company after this region and this cigar in honor of the year the region was created. I was not able to find out much information about this cigar through online resources, so I contacted the company and got a response from Abe Flores himself. He says that the PDR1878 is "all Cuban seed...that is why it's called Cubano Especial (Special Blend of Cuban Seed Tobaccos)." The filler is Criollo 98 from Nicaraguan and the Dominican Republic, the binder is a Dominican Criollo 98 and the wrapper is a Brazilian Triple-Fermented Maduro. Prior to this review sample, I smoked two others.

Before even getting to the cigar itself, I had to battle the cellophane for it. The cello on the cigar was so tight that it held the band in place while the stogie slid out, which resulted in the band damaging the wrapper in a couple places. I think it might be a good idea for Pinar del Rio to get some cellophane wrappers just a touch bigger...and until that happens, I would recommend cutting the cellophane and peeling it off if it seems too tight to you at first. The wrapper of the PDR1878 was dark and oily--quite beautiful, really. There were a few largish veins, but no soft spots on the length and it was all finished off with a tight pigtail that reminded me of La Flor Dominicana's DL-Especiales. The aroma from the wrapper was not very strong--I hardly got anything from it, as a matter of fact. From the foot I got some barnyard and manure aromas, though. I cut the head and found that the damage caused by the excessively tight cellophane was making the wrapper threaten to unravel. I decided to go ahead with the review, hoping that a regular application of spit would keep it in place. The draw was easy and I got sweet tobacco and coffee notes along with just a bit of spice in prelight.

Ignition was easily accomplished and brought a ton of smoke with nice cocoa and coffee flavors on the palate and a nutty retrohale with a fair amount of pepper. When I say "a ton of smoke," I mean "it was a surprise that the local volunteer fire department did not show up!" All samples of this cigar that I have smoked so far have smoked so prodigiously that I expected them to burn through much faster than they did. In fact, all of them burned for up to an hour and a half before I completed them. The draw on this cigar was probably the most consistently excellent draw I have ever experienced on a lancero, too. The first third was a nice mix of chocolate and coffee in a thick medium-bodied smoke. I smoked one of these cigars with my morning coffee and it was an inspired pairing.

I kept getting more chocolate flavors in the second third, along with a nice breadiness and still more hints of coffee and pepper spice from time-to-time. The draw continued to be flawless, as was the burn line.

The last third was still sweet and chocolatey with a little pepper spice creeping back in. By this time, I was having more trouble with the damaged wrapper and its propensity to unravel, but overall the construction on the PDR1878 was consistently the best of any lancero I have smoked...and being as that is my favorite vitola, I have smoked quite a few. Every one I smoked had an almost perfect draw and an almost razor-straight burn line--I cannot remember a single touch-up in 3 cigars! While not the most complex smoke around, it was consistently great in the flavor department and ran in the medium-bodied range from beginning to end. Combine all that with a price point that is staggeringly low and this is a cigar that I can highly recommend to smokers of all experience levels, especially maduro fans.

Body: 6/10

Strength: 6/10

Complexity: 5/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 1.5/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4.5/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9/10

Let us know what you think. Agree. Disagree. Join the conversation and make your thoughts known. The Comments section is open and ready for business.

Book Recommendation: The Great Global Warming Blunder

The Great Global Warming Blunder: How Mother Nature Fooled the World's Top Climate Scientists by Roy W. Spencer (2010)

Roy Spencer is a climatologist and researcher at the University of Alabama, Huntsville, and is one of the scientists leading the charge against what he calls the "bad science" of man-made global warming. In this book he lays out his case for an alternative cause of the warming trend seen on the planet between the late 1970s and today.

His argument mainly revolves around the natural cycles that occur on this planet that no climatologists really understand yet--and may not be able to, when all is said and done. He shows through simple climate models that can run on a personal computer spreadsheet program how the Pacific Decadal Oscillation could be the cause--the "forcing" mechanism--behind worldwide warming as a certain phase of the Oscillation directly corresponds to warming periods. He argues that cloud production, or lack thereof, is a cause of warming or cooling and not an effect. And he delves in the issue of chaos theory and how it touches on the issue.

Spencer also challenges the notions that the CO2 level is higher than it should be and that the earth warming would be catastrophic.  He admits that higher CO2 levels should cause a bit of warming but points out that during the time when CO2 production by mankind increased by one of the fastest rates (mid 1940s through the mid 1970s) the worldwide climate was actually cooling, something not easily explainable by Al Gore and the other high priests of global warming. An interesting point he makes is that to increase plant growth in a greenhouse, the air mixture is changed to a CO2 level three times that of the normal atmosphere. This causes an explosion in plant growth. Therefore, an increase in atmospheric CO2 should cause that same effect. He points out that more species thrived on the plant during time periods that were historically warmer than the planet is now.

I think this is an important book; Spencer takes his arguments and message directly to the public rather than have them watered down in so-called "peer reviewed" publications and then ignored by the press (these issues are more fully explained in the book, as well). I am not a scientist and will not pretend to have understood everything in this book, but I feel he does a good job cutting through the hype and emotion of the issue and laying out his side in a common sense, mostly understandable way. I wish it could be made even easier to understand, but maybe it just is not possible with an issue this complex...it is certainly more complicated than "The earth has a fever."

Uptown's Fall Cigar Extravaganza

For everyone in shouting distance of Nashville, Tennessee, there is a big event coming up that you will not want to miss...Uptown's Smoke Shop has decided to celebrate my birthday! Okay, that's not really what they are doing, but the fact remains that they are holding this big event on my birthday, so you have to believe that I will be there...and you should be, too! If everything goes as planned, this will be the "first annual" event so that makes it even more fun to be there...

In the event the image to the left is not showing, here's the rundown:

Uptown's Fall Cigar Extravaganza

Saturday, October 9

12 Noon through 5 P.M.

Advance Tickets $40 each (any tickets left over and available the day of the event will be $60)

The event will take place in the parking lot of Uptown's, located at 4001 Hillsboro Pike in Nashville. There will be at least 10 premium cigar companies with a representative at the event. Each ticket holder will receive one cigar from each company, BBQ lunch, a t-shirt, and two drink tickets.

Companies that are planning on being (subject to change of schedule, of course) are: CAO, La Flor Dominicana, Ashton, General Cigar, Oliva, Rocky Patel, Altadis, Perdomo, Zino and Torano. There are no guarantees, but a couple others may sign on as well before it's all said and done. Most, if not all, of these companies will be giving special deals on their cigars that day as well.

Lotus will also have a rep at the event and there will be outstanding deals available on their products that day.

Also, since this is "Music City," there very well may be live music for the event also.

One very important fact: there are only going to be 200 tickets sold for this event, so you will want to act fast.

If you live near Nashville, you can stop in and buy tickets at Uptown's. If you are planning on coming into town for the event, you can purchase tickets with a credit card over the phone by calling 615-292-6866. Either way, do me the favor of letting them know that Dave from the Tiki Bar let you know about this event.

As an added bonus: it's my birthday, but I will be giving out some gifts! For the first 5 people at the event who tell me they saw this on the Tiki Bar, I will give you a cigar from my own private stash.

Weekly Wisdom from John Hiatt

For all the Brothers of the Leaf out there...

The other half of last night's cigar, couple of Pop Tarts

Cold cup of coffee...there's a fine new start

"Wonder of Love" from The Open Road (2010)

Cigar Extra/CRA Saturday: La Gloria Cubana Reserva Figurado

Regalias Perfectos, 6.25" x 57 ring gauge

Figurados come in many shapes and sizes and this is one of the oddest I have seen: Belicoso-type head with a parejo-straight body until the last 1/2 inch where it tapers in just slightly. The La Gloria Cubana Reserva Figurado made its first appearance in 2004, uses Dominican and Nicaraguan filler, and Nicaraguan binder and an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper (a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro version is also available). I got notes of cinnamon and hay from the wrapper and mild natural tobacco and a touch of leather on the foot.

Prelight, this stick had a syrupy sweetness--it even seemed sticky on the lips--along with some nice natural tobacco and chili pepper spice. After lighting, much of the sweetness went away but the natural tobacco was still there--but not much else. There were some sour notes near the beginning as well as a large canoe, but both cleared rather quickly, and the pleasant taste of natural tobacco continued to dominate.

There was not much different to report in the second third--still a good cigar but nothing I would pay a premium amount for. During the last third, I felt my mouth getting dry and the flavor did not change much still. I guess there is a reason I do not buy these--they just do not do much for me. It was good to try the Sumatra version, though, as I had only smoked the maduro previously.

If you are not already a member of the Cigar Rights of America, please go to their website and consider joining. For only $35 a year, the CRA is the only organized effort out there lobbying the government against restrictive regulations and punitive, job-killing taxation. There has been some criticism of the CRA around some blogs lately, but you have to remember that the organization is still young and is fighting an uphill battle. If you are already a member, please urge your friends to join as well.

And, as always, if you have an opinion about the cigar I have presented above (or about the CRA), please feel free to speak your mind! Leave a comment and be heard!

Partagas Man of Distinction Contest Offers a Chance to Win a Trip to Napa

PARTAGAS ‘MAN OF DISTINCTION’ CONTEST OFFERS A CHANCE TO WIN AN ALL-EXPENSE PAID TRIP TO NAPA

Richmond, VA—Lovers of the leaf and the grape take note: The Partagas® “Man of Distinction” contest offers a chance to win an all-expense paid, four-day, three-night trip to Napa Valley to enjoy a taste of the finer things in life.

The venerable brand of Partagas® cigars will award one lucky consumer and three guests with the grand prize in the Partagas “Man of Distinction” promotion: an all-expense paid, four-day, three night trip to Napa where they will tour four boutique wineries, participate in harvesting grapes, dine on epicurean cuisine and enjoy a cooking competition followed by a gourmet meal with a celebrity chef to be announced at a later date. 

Consumers of legal smoking age are encouraged to visit their favorite U.S. tobacconist between now and September 26, 2010 to purchase a specially-marked, specially-priced four-pack containing one each of the following: Partagas Naturales, Partagas Black Label Robusto, Partagas Spanish Rosado San Agustin and the bespoke Partagas Limited Reserve Decadas No. II. On the pack, consumers will find details about how they can enter the contest via brief essays expressing their desire to be named the first Partagas “Man of Distinction” and win the trip to Napa.

Consumers can also enter the promotion by visiting partagasman.com. For official rules, visit the dedicated contest website at www.partagasman.com. While perusing the contest website, consumers can also whet their appetites for the grand prize by reading up on pairing Partagas cigars with wines from across the globe.

“As one of the finest, most sophisticated premium cigar brands ever made, Partagas is entrenched in the repertoires of connoisseurs who are passionate about living the good life. We created the ‘Man of Distinction’ contest to reward one deserving consumer with a chance to embrace the lifestyle of Partagas cigars in the picturesque setting of Napa and are confident that consumers response will be extremely favorable,” commented Debo Mukherjee, vice president of marketing for General Cigar, parent company of Partagas.

The winner of the Partagas Man of Distinction contest will be selected on or before October 6, 2010 and the trip to Napa will take place from October 21 to October 24, 2010. Additional details about the Partagas Man of Distinction trip will be posted on the official contest website.

About Partagas Cigars
Since their release in the U.S. in 1978 by legendary Cuban cigar master Ramon Cifuentes, Partagas cigars have set the standard by which all premium cigars are measured. In addition to the base brand of Partagas cigars, the brand also features these collections: Partagas Black Label, Partagas Serie S, Partagas Spanish Rosado, Partagas Cifuentes, Partagas Limited Reserve Decadas, Partagas 160 Signature Series.

Partagas cigars are produced by General Cigar Co. Inc., which manufactures and markets handcrafted cigars for the premium market. Committed to delivering cigars of the finest quality, General Cigar also produces Macanudo®, Cohiba®, Hoyo de Monterrey®, Excalibur®, La Gloria Cubana® and several other leading premium brands. In addition, the company grows its own premium Connecticut Shade wrapper tobacco, as well as natural and candela wrapper in the Dominican Republic. General Cigar also operates Club Macanudo®, a cigar bar in New York City. Based in Richmond, VA, General Cigar sells through tobacconists nationwide. For more information, please visit www.cigarworld.com.

Drew Estate Releases the Liga Privada Ünico Serie “Dirty Rat”

Miami, FL – Drew Estate officially announced its intent to release into the market the much-heralded “Dirty Rat” during the IPCPR 2010 tradeshow as the first cigar within its new Liga Privada Ünico Serie. Ünico, which translates to “unique”, will be a new line of special cigars that fit in neither the existing No. 9 nor T52 lines.

According to Steve Saka, Drew Estate’s President, “At this point, we have made 200 or more Liga Privada blends. There are probably 9 or 10 of them so far that are exceptional, however their blends differ from both the No. 9 and the T52 branded cigars. They’re cigars that work as a particular size, such as a lancero or corona, with the blend being unique to that particular vitola. The ‘Dirty Rat’ is a great example of this, so we have decided to introduce this as the first cigar in the Ünico line.”

The “Dirty Rat” is a stout 5 inch by 44 ring gauge corona with a fan-twist finished head utilizing their Stalk Cut and Cured, Connecticut Sungrown Habana capa, which is the same wrapper featured on the Liga Privada T52. That is where the similarity ends, as this is a spicier, even more peppery blend of primarily Nicaraguan tobaccos from almost exclusively the Esteli Valley. Packed in a 12-ct presentation box with a suggested retail price of $12 per cigar. “We realize this is expensive for a small format cigar, however due to the difficult nature and time consuming task of proportioning five different filler tobaccos and hand bunching such a complex recipe into a corona size the cigar’s price is a direct reflection of what they actually cost to handcraft,” adds Saka. “I personally love this cigar, to me it is a direct reflection, taste and body wise, of the greatest Cuban-made coronas I have ever enjoyed, however it is likely too strong for most consumers and it is definitely not for those who are concerned with stretching their buying dollar. This ‘Dirty Rat’ is intended for the connoisseur smoker whose first and foremost concern is enjoying an unparalleled smoking experience.”

The “Dirty Rat” will not be a limited release, as some have speculated. Drew Estate intends to produce them in small batches as long as there is a demand for them in the market. The first boxes are currently being packed and shipped from their Nicaraguan factory and can be expected to arrive on the shelves of Liga Privada Appointed Merchants beginning in September 2010.

About Drew Estate, Inc.
Established in 1996, Drew Estate Inc. is a privately held manufacturer and distributor of innovative and traditional premium cigars for today’s cigar smoker. In just over ten years, Drew Estate’s ACID line of premium cigars has become one of the top five selling premium cigar brands in the nation. Regarded as the pioneer and leader in the infused cigar® market, Drew Estate’s Nicaraguan factory handcrafts ACID by Drew Estate®, Natural®, Java by Drew Estate®, and other unique cigars along with its traditional Liga Privada®, La Vieja Habana® and Chateau Real® marks. For more information, please visit: www.drewestate.com.

®ACID, Natural, Java by Drew Estate, Chateau Real, La Vieja Habana and Liga Privada are registered trademarks of Drew Estate and/or affiliated companies.

Editorial Comment: I have to admit that I am very happy that Mr. Saka and the fine people at Drew Estate chose not to take the "limited release" route with the Dirty Rat. This way everyone will get a chance to experience what is said to be a very fine smoke.

Cigar Review: Berger & Argenti Clasico

Belicoso, 5.5" x 50 ring gauge / $6.85, purchased at Burns

Berger & Argenti is one of the "new kids on the block" as far as companies go, forming in 2009, but the experience of the owners is vast: Michael & Albert Argenti had earned a reputation in the industry for their marketing and production, while Enrique Berger was recognized as a distinguished tobacco farmer in Nicaragua. The Clasico was one of their premier offerings and combined aged Nicaraguan fillers from Tabacalera Esteli, a Nicaraguan Corojo binder and a "stalk-cut, molasses-colored Ecuadorian Connecticut seed 'Desflorado' wrapper." This review stick was my first Clasico.

The first thing I noticed was the incredible color uniformity of the wrapper. There were virtually no flaws or mottling visible. The veining was visible in the light-medium brown leaf, but the veins were all very small to the touch. The band was so small and similar in color to the wrapper that it seemed to almost disappear. Feeling along the length, the Clasico was somewhat soft throughout--perhaps not the most well-packed of cigars on the shelves, but far from spongy. From the wrapper leaf, I noted hints of caramel along with hay; on the foot, I got more barnyard with a bit of cocoa. My Xikar XI1 cut the head cleanly and I got no hint that the torpedo-shaped head might unravel--always a plus. On the cold draw I got sweet notes of hay and caramel along with a decent spicy tingle on the lips, as well as an undercurrent of dried fruit--maybe raisins.

After lighting, the first few puffs gave up nice notes of sweet tobacco, roasted nuts, and black pepper, the latter through the nose especially. The pepper increased through the course of the first third. Mostly, though, the flavor was nutty with some sweetness, an overall pleasant balance. The burn was good and fairly even--no canoeing or tunneling--with just the thinnest of carbon rings; and the ash held on for about an inch.

As the Clasico transitioned to the second third, the flavors turned more earthy and the spiciness increased. I felt like the flavor profile had turned more toward what you might expect from a sungrown wrapper--more earthy and spicy, although maybe not as much spice as you might expect from a sungrown. Draw and burn line  were still excellent and the body was still in the medium range.

I found it rather unexpected when the flavor changed dramatically again in the final third. It almost reverted to the beginning notes of caramel sweetness and creaminess, losing almost all pepper and quite a bit of the earthiness. The only constant was a nice roasted nut flavor. I found the Clasico to be a very good cigar with a surprising amount of complexity. The ever-changing flavor was constantly good, the construction was excellent and the price is very reasonable. This medium-bodied cigar would fit very well into a cigar enthusiast's late morning/early afternoon repertoire and would serve as a great "step-up" smoke for a newbie who wants to get further into the cigar experience than the mild smokes they may have started with.

Body: 5/10

Strength: 4/50

Complexity: 8/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4.5/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9.5/10

Agree, disagree or have your own thoughts you would like to share on this cigar? Please leave a comment and speak your mind!

Two Sides: Cohiba Puro Dominicana

Robusto, 5.5" x 50 ring gauge / approx. $18

First things first, we would like to thank Victoria at General Cigars for providing samples for this review. Because plentiful samples were provided we each smoked 4 to 5 cigars for this review.

Cohiba is a name synonymous with quality cigars around the world, but most of the time when you say the name, people tend to think of the Cuban variety. General Cigars distributed the Dominican brand by the same name and while many Cuban-offshoot brands are really nothing to get excited about, most of the Cohibas we have smoked over the years have been very enjoyable, if a bit over-priced. The Puro Dominicana was released in 2008 after nearly 10 years of work by Daniel Nunez . It features "proprietary tobaccos aged in tercios and charcoaled wooden barrels" and is intended to be well-balanced, elegant and upscale. As the name implies, all tobacco used in this blend is sourced from the Dominican Republic.

Dave Said:

This Cohiba was dark with even darker mottling and mostly light to medium-sized veins. The cap was a bit sloppily applied, which I do not find acceptable at this price point, but other than that the build quality appeared excellent. I wish I could say this was an anomaly, but at least one of the others I smoked had a similarly bad cap. Putting my nose to work, I got mild hay and even milder barnyard notes in the body, along with strong manure and compost on the foot. After cutting, the prelight draw was excellent; I got flavors of natural tobacco, wood and raisins, along with a spicy tingle that lingered on the lips.

Lighting was a bit of challenge, either because I decided on a soft flame or because it was a very humid day, but once lit, I got instant woody flavors along with some nice natural tobacco and sweet dried fruit. I noticed immediately as well that where the cap was creased from sloppy application, it was rough and unpleasant feeling on the lips. The rest of the first third was a very pleasant cedar and natural tobacco flavored proceeding. There was just a touch of that dark, dried fruit sweetness from time-to-time and the smoke was medium-to-full in body.

The body ramped up to the low end of full during the second segment, while the flavor remained uniformly great--a creamy mix of tobacco, wood and sweetness along with a growing pepper spice. The draw was fantastic and the volume of smoke was enough to send Rob Reiner running for his mama.

In the end, the Cohiba Puro Dominicana was a very good cigar, bordering on greatness but not really every achieving it. The flavors of natural tobacco and oak ran throughout and other notes came and went, creating an interesting and complex smoke that nevertheless failed to live up to the extravagant price tag. Should someone give you one of these, you should enjoy it slowly as it is somewhat worth savoring, but I cannot see cigar enthusiasts rushing out to buy these in bulk. To be honest, the entire Dominican Cohiba line is a bit on the pricey side, especially for these times. If this sat on top of the line at about $12 for a robusto, it would be much easier to recommend, but that tends to be the low end for this label.

Body: 8/10

Strength: 8/10

Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 1.5/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4/5

Value: .5/1

Total:  8/10

Keith Said:

Looking over the cigar one notices how dark the wrapper is.  It is a dark chocolate brown with some mottling.  This really isn’t what I expect when I hear the cigar is a Dominican puro.  There are some slight veins but they don’t detract from the look of the cigar.  The band is similar to the Red Dot line, except that the band is ringed with gold and the line name “Puro Dominicana” is written there.  As I squeeze the cigar I am able to detect some sponginess, but no soft spots.  When I put my nose to the wrapper I am able to get the smell of leather.  From the foot I’m not able to detect much.  After I clip the cigar I get a decent cold draw with hints of cinnamon and metal.

Once I light the cigar up I’m immediately hit with an intense spice on the retrohale with some spice on the tip of the tongue.  The first flavor I get is of grilled meats.  This is a flavor that I have gotten in other samples of this cigar.  As I progress through the cigar the flavors of black coffee, and chocolate come though.  I did have a small problem with some tar buildup and had to re-cut the cigar to get rid of it.  The draw on this sample was great, with lots of heavy smoke.  Unfortunately only 2 of the 5 samples I smoked had this great draw.  That isn’t to saw the other ones didn’t draw, just that they were too tight for my liking.  The ash was a very light grey throughout and needed to be tapped off at about 1”.  The cigar started in the medium-full range.

As I progressed into the second third there wasn’t much change in the flavors of the cigar.  The black coffee, chocolate, and grilled meats were there but I was also getting a definite earthiness coming though.  The spice did tone down a bit but was still definitely present.

On into the final third of the cigar it really didn’t change much.  The flavors I mentioned before were present with the addition of leather and wood.  The spice did ramp up a bit towards the end.  I would rate it at the bottom end of full.

I would have never guessed that this was a Dominican puro if you handed it to me without the band, maybe Honduran.  I can say that I enjoyed the flavors of this cigar but there are two things that cause me to take pause about it.  First is the price.  At around $20 I can never see myself buying one of these.  That is just way too far out of my normal comfort range for and regular cigar.  If it was around $10 I would think about it.  The second is the consistency of the construction.  Only 2 of the 5 I smoked were well constructed in my opinion, with a good draw and burn characteristics.  This one would have gotten a perfect score if there wasn’t the tar problem.  This was the only one that had that problem though.  With those issues and my limited budget I don’t think I’d purchase this cigar again.  I would definitely enjoy it if someone gave me one to smoke.

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

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1.5/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 0/1
Total: 7.5/10

P.S. from Dave:

This dual review really brings out how two different palates can find far different flavors in the same cigar. I will not comment further on that: we both tasted what we tasted. What I did find unusual was the difference in draw. Out of 4 or 5 that I smoked, I cannot remember having one with an overly tight draw--maybe slightly snug, but not overly tight--and I had none with the tar buildup that Keith had. Combining this issue with my observation of several sloppily-applied caps, and I think the biggest problem we may be seeing here is construction inconsistency, which is particularly disappointing in a cigar that costs upward of $20 a stick. Nobody's perfect, but for that kind of money, I expect my cigars to be pretty close.

General Cigar was kind enough to provide us with enough cigars that we have some left over to give away so you can make your own evaluation. We'll be sending a 5-pack to one lucky winner and here is how you can enter:

1. Twitter users can send out a Tweet: Enter to win a free Cohiba Puro Dominicana 5-pack on the Tiki Bar http://tinyurl.com/24ope3u @dmjones1009

2. Anyone can leave a comment on this blog entry; tell us your experience with Cohiba cigars (either Cuban or Dominican) or why you would like to try these.

3. You can also leave a comment on any of the other blog entries on the Tiki Bar between now and August 31, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. One comment per reader per blog entry will be eligible. There will be at least 5 blog entries between now and then, so you have at least 7 chances to enter to win. The more you enter the better your odds.

Cigar Review: L'esprit de la Verite 2008

Robusto, 5" x 50 ring gauge / $16.50 (purchased at Burns)

Tatuaje's Pete Johnson loves wine, but has not been a fan of the "Vintage" tag as it has been applied to cigars and I understand his feelings--seriously, does anyone really believe there is still some great amount of unused wrapper leaf from 1990 or 1992 still hanging around waiting to be used? If there were, does it make sense that those cigars using this leaf would remain at the same price point year after year? If 1990 Vintage leaf were still being used, storage costs would be mounting up and I would argue that the price of those sticks would increase with each year's batch. In the wine world, vintage means all product comes from the same year, so Pete wanted to make the same statement with this experimental cigar: L'esprit de la Verite (the Spirit of Truth). All the tobacco used in these cigars is Habano Criollo, grown on Don Pepin Garcia's farm in Nicaragua in 2008. Pete judges that these should age well, so I stretched my budget to purchase 3 sticks: one to review now, the second will stand for review in 2 to 3 months (my local shop manager thought they would benefit from that little amount of extra time, but I couldn't wait that long to smoke the first one), and the third will finish the review cycle in a year or so. I wish I could do more (a 2 year review stick, a 3 year review stick, etc.) but at $16+ for a robusto and $20+ for a churchill, I find it hard for my budget to handle "The Truth."

The wrapper of L'esprit was oily and somewhat pungent--I got a strong hay and barnyard aroma from it just as it lay on my desk while I wrote the first paragraph of this review. The color was very even, with a tight, immaculate roll and fairly small veins.  On the foot I got more barnyard notes but also a more vegetal, compost note The prelight draw was very easy and featured mostly earthy flavors with a bit of cedar as well. I sat down to spark up this first L'esprit with some unsweetened iced tea, probably my favorite summertime cigar-accompanying beverage. "Why?" you may ask. That is a fair question and one that will be answered in an article coming soon.

I opted for the soft flame of my Xikar EX Lighter to give this expensive cigar a respectful, slow light. Once fully lit, I finally put it in my mouth and took a puff--leather, earth and cedar all rish in, although not particularly in that order. The finish allowed a bit of pepper spice to emerge. The retrohale was very peppery. The first third of L'esprit was rather subtle and nuanced, with plenty of cedar and earth, but lots of other interesting notes interjecting themselves from time-to-time--leather, roasted nuts, just a touch of dried fruit. There was a little harsh edge in my throat from time-to-time, but then it would disappear in smooth creaminess. So far, this struck me as a medium-bodied smoke with a high level of character and complexity.

That edginess fell away completely in the second third and the smoke became universally creamy and luxurious. Nuanced hints of flavor were all over the place--coffee, tea, autumn spice. Despite my initial misgivings about such a high-price-point cigar, I was starting to become a believer.

The last third opened with nothing more than the flavor of natural tobacco--but a natural tobacco so smooth and flavorful that it pretty well re-defined what "natural tobacco" is supposed to taste like. It remained a medium-bodied smoke throughout, but I believe that only helped to uncover the subtleties of flavor hidden throughout. I have to admit that when purchasing 3 of these, I felt very nervous...what if I didn't like it? That's $50 down the drain! After smoking the first of them, though, I will admit that this cigar was worth every penny. You would pay the same price (or perhaps more) for a similar-sized Davidoff, and while that experience may be superb, this was even better. It is easy to say I now have a new favorite medium-bodied cigar--I just wish I could afford to smoke them more often! I wish I could afford a whole box! This may just be the best cigar released this year--it's that good!

Body: 6/10

Strength: 6/10

Complexity: 6/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 5/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 10/10

Let us know what you think. Agree. Disagree. Join the conversation and make your thoughts known. The Comments section is open and ready for business.

Music Recomendation: The Long Fall Back To Earth

The Long Fall Back To Earth (2009) by Jars of Clay

One of the things I gravitate toward most in musical artists is a musical curiosity and willingness to experiment with their sound. In some more pop-oriented genres, breaking out of the mold an artist has made for themselves is difficult, if not impossible, as the music-buying public just wants to hear more the same album after album. Some of my favorite artists, though, have been the ones who were never afraid to do something different: John Hiatt (rock, blues, rockabilly, country, roots), Phil Keaggy (electric rock, introspective acoustic, vocal, instrumental, "new age"), and Elvis Costello (punk, new wave, country, blues, straight-ahead rock, orchestral) are all great examples. Jars of Clay continues their musical journey through life with this album released last year, also their first full album of original music since leaving their label and forming an independent label. Jars of Clay started their career with an acoustic-powered debut album in 1995, continued through 1999's alternative, electronic-filled If I Left the Zoo, the electric-guitar driven The Eleventh Hour, the optimistic pop of Who We Are Instead, and an "old-timey" collection of classic church songs in Redemption Songs, be arriving at the '80s-infused Long Fall Back to Earth.

The influence of the 1980s music style should not have been a big surprise to me, as all four members of the band were born only 3 to 5 years after me, so we all cut our musical-appreciation teeth in those keyboard-drenched new-wave days. You can hear the influences of Duran Duran ("Heaven"), U2 ("Safe to Land") and I even heard some Chicago-style horns in there ("Closer"--and, yes, these horns were probably just keyboard-generated). Not that the entire album is some kind of throwback: it still sounds distinctively like Jars of Clay, but the music is comfortable and familiar even upon first listen.

The lyrical content is mainly about interpersonal relationships: a call to communicate without fighting ("Weapons"), a tale of missing a loved one on the road ("Closer"), wishes to repair broken hearts ("Safe to Land" and "Forgive Me"), an attempt to more fully understand someone ("Scenic Route") and a song of possible love in blossom ("There Might Be a Light"). 

Jars of Clay has been fairly or unfairly (depending on your perspective) pigeon-holed as a "Christian band." While it is true that many of their songs have Christian-specific themes, the vast majority of them actually do not. They are probably better thought of as a rock band that happens to be made up of devout Christians. Their lyrical content on most albums does not focus on preaching so much as talking about the human condition and their own life experiences with a Christian worldview. As such, the usual message is not so much about "what you [the listener] should be doing, because I [the self-righteous artist] say so," but about "what am we [the band and others] doing wrong and how can we be a better example to do things right?" A perfect example is "Two Hands," in which the singer admits to living hypocritically: "I use one hand to pull you closers / the other to push you away." He wants to overcome his lying and legalistic ways, but the only way to do so is to give up control of the situation to God: "If I had two hands doing the same thing / Lifted high." No preaching here...just a realization of a better way to live.

Although this album did come out in 2009, I did not get around to picking it up until recently, which is why it is being talked about here. At this point, it is available on iTunes for the bargain price of $6.99. If you are a Jars of Clay fan, or otherwise intrigued, I would also recommend checking out the two Live at Gray Matters volumes available there; these are $3.99 live EPs, collecting some of their songs performed live in their new Nashville studio (called "Gray Matters"); each collection has 5 songs as audio files and a long video showing them performing the songs in the studio.

If you have an opinion or something to add, please let your voice be heard: the Comments section is open and ready for business.

Weekly Wisdom from John Hiatt

For those who don't know (and shame on you for not reading the "About" page) this website was named after a song by the one-and-only John Hiatt (view his website here and biographical information here). At one time I had a "Quote of the Week" posting but it kind of just up and died one day. I have decided to resuscitate it, focusing this time on the wit and wisdom of Mr. John Hiatt as expressed through his songs. Enjoy!

There's only two thing in life

But I forget what they are.

It seems you're either hanging on a moonbeam's coattails,

Or wishing on stars.

"Buffalo River Home" from Perfectly Good Guitar (1993)

Cigar Extra: La Aroma de Cuba

Marquis (Tubo), 5.75" x 48 ring gauge / approx $7
I received this special new size of La Aroma de Cuba at an event last month--buy a certain number of sticks and get one (or two or more) of these "free." This vitola is at this point only available at events and I could not find any information regarding if it would be more widely available at some point. The aroma from the wrapper leaf was a faint barnyard and cocoa mix; the foot gave off a stronger manure smell with some chocolate as well. These "New Blend" LAdCs are made by Don Pepin Garcia using Nicaraguan binder and filler along with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper leaf.

Prelight draw was easy and tasty--there were notes of chocolate and coffee. Lightup was fairly easy and right from the first few puffs, I was a bit surprised--I bought a bunch of LAdCs at the event so I have smoked a fair number lately, both original and new blend, and this one had the most distinctively enjoyable flavor right out of the gate. Due to it having the smallest ring gauge of the New Blend line? Maybe. Initial flavors of dark chocolate and dark roast coffee, along with a nice peppery retrohale, led to a first third that was both smoother and more flavorful than other vitolas of this blend.

I said it before (most recently in long article yesterday)--in a market where large ring gauge cigars are dominating the landscape, often the thinner cigars deliver more flavor. This La Aroma de Cuba is a perfect example. Whereas the other vitolas are very good, this one was simply great. I would love to see this as a regular production size (with or without the tubo) as well as perhaps a panatella or lancero.

What I Look For In A Cigar

I thought I would write a "think" piece today about cigar bloggers and their place in the industry, dwelling on issues of legitimacy and their value to the manufacturers...then I realized that Toasted Foot and Cigar Nut had already thoroughly covered that topic this week. I decided to go a different non-meta route and talk about what people (and by people I mean...ME) look for in cigars.

When your local B&M has an event and a company rep is handing out a choice of cigars (it happened to me this very evening), many times they will ask: "What kind of cigar do you like?" Boy does that ever open up a can of worms when you ask me that.

BODY AND STRENGTH

Most of the time when people ask the above question, they are looking for what "body type" of cigar do you gravitate toward. Many people prefer mild and a growing number seem to prefer full-bodied. Some people confuse full body with strength, but to me they are separate issues. Full bodied cigars have a smoke that is mouth-filling and, on the extreme scale, can be overwhelming; they are often described as leathery or earthy. Mild cigars many times have a lighter smoke that does not leave as much aftertaste and are described as creamy or hay-like or grassy. To me the issue of strength has to do with how much nicotine is in the cigar and how that is going to affect the smoker--like a kick in the head if you're not ready for it. I have had full-bodied sticks that left me feeling no nicotine effects and mild sticks that have left my head swimming and almost ready to drive the porcelain bus (almost--I've never actually lost my lunch after a cigar).

Some people feel like they have to have the strongest smoke on the market or they are not getting their money's worth. One of my friends used to talk about how he always wanted a "buzz" off a cigar and he did not want to smoke anything that did not do that for him. Personally, I think the trend toward stronger and stronger smokes is unfortunate because it has a great potential for leaving out the most important reason to smoke.

RING GAUGE

The other issue that seems to inform many smokers, especially enthusiasts now days is the thickness of their stogies. A year or two ago there was talk about the "lancero renaissance" and everyone seemed to be coming out with these ultra-thin (38 to 42 ring gauge) sticks. The lancero is widely considered to be the favorite size of industry people, especially those who have been in the business for decades. Despite all the press they get, though, one of the employees at Burns told me that they have fewer than a dozen lanceros on the shelves. I think that may be a slight undercount, but he really was not that far off.

On the other end of the spectrum we have the monster ring gauge cigars. These are the ones that used to be almost comical in their appearance, as epitomized by the Inmenso, made by Perdomo. When I first started smoking, I would laugh at the image of the lady with the enormous stogie jammed in her face, but now the 60 ring Inmenso does not even turn heads. Blame that one on Sam Leccia if you want. He was not the first to come out with a 60 ring gauge stick, but he is the one who brought it to a whole new level with the NUb. Within months it seemed like 60 ring sticks were everywhere, though few dared to go to the 64 ring size of the largest NUbs. In talking with Matt at Burns, he said that 6 x 60 is the "hottest size" he carries right now in just about any cigar. While there are some sticks that perform well at that size, I find this trend regrettable, too, as it also leaves out that all-important reason.

FLAVOR IS KING!

There you have it...why we smoke...and what I look for in a cigar...all wrapped up in one word: Flavor. One reason I started recording my impressions of cigars for posterity (that's what this blog mostly is), was that I wanted to try everything that came out. I was always on the hunt for my "new favorite cigar." I tried many different sticks to find the flavors I most enjoyed. That led me to trying cigars of different body-levels and ring gauges. I have developed certain likes and dislikes, but I keep trying different things because I am continually curious.

When asked, I usually tell people that I gravitate toward full-bodied cigars. This is true...to a point. I enjoyed the Cain Habano and Maduro, but I found the F to offer even more flavor in an even fuller bodied stick. Down the scale a bit, I absolutely love CAO's La Traviata...enough so that I have bought 2 boxes, which is a very big deal if you know me at all. In the dead-on medium-body range, I have a great affinity for Xikar's HC Series Criollo, Savinelli's Liga Especial, and Don Pepin Garcia's Vegas Cubanas. In mild-to-medium cigars, I enjoy CAO's Gold Vintage and Camacho Connecticut. And in a truly mild smoke, Oliva's Connecticut and the NUb Connecticut are hard to beat, especially for the price. So, the reality is, my preferences in cigar are all over the map when it comes to body. The list of cigars fitting into all the above categories could go on and on. As I mentioned before, though, some smokers feel like they have to have the strongest cigar out there, no matter what level of flavor it carries. For me, the two best examples I can give of "strength over flavor" are Camacho's Triple Maduro and Joya de Nicaragua's Antano Dark Corojo. I have smoked both of these cigars 2 or 3 times and found some flavor when I really looked hard for it, but found mostly an attempt to knock the smoker out his chair with strength. I know not everyone agrees with me on that, but...hey, that's what the "Comments" section below is for.

If I am looking at a new cigar I have never smoked before, I will usually pick either a Corona or Robusto size in an attempt to give the wrapper a good deal of influence on the overall flavor. In many smokes I have found that this is the best choice, but I love giving the lanceros a try when they are available, too. After much experimenting with different sizes, I found that I really enjoyed the new El Triunfador as a lancero, but just do not care for it in other sizes. I love the Oliva V in a lancero, but don't care for it so much in larger rings. Some blends do hold up better to large ring gauges, though. My long-time favorite stick is the La Flor Dominicana, Ligero L-500 Cabinet, a 6 x 60 cigar. In the Cabinet variety, I find this blend works well in pretty much any size, but in the regular line (lighter wrapper) I do not like the smaller sizes at all. If I find a new cigar I really enjoy, I am willing to try it in larger sizes to see how the blend holds up, but for me the bottom line is this: smaller ring gauges showcase the wrapper leaf far better, and the wrapper leaf is where the majority of flavor comes from.

So, next time someone asks you "what kind of cigar do you prefer?" just let them know you want one that tastes good, regardless of body, strength, or ring gauge. Do you find yourself always smoking the same type of cigar? Do you always stick with the largest size or the fullest body cigar you can find? Check out Cigar Jack's challenge and try something different...you might just find your new favorite cigar.

And let me know what you think. What type of cigars (in body or ring gauge or ???) do you find the most flavorful? What specific cigars do you find the most pleasing? The Comments section is open and ready for business.

Cigar Review: Augusto Reyes Nativo

Belicoso, 6.5" x 54 ring gauge / approx. $3 each in a box of 20

Another day brings yet another CigarFest stick--this time it is the Nativo by Augusto Reyes, which was originally released in 2006. It is a Dominican puro, featuring Piloto Cubano, Criollo, and Olor varietals in the filler and a Criollo 98 wrapper leaf. Cigar Aficionado featured this as the "Cigar of the Week" back in early 2007 when it sold for almost $11, but currently they can be had on Cigars International's website for a fraction of that. This is the first time I have smoked a Nativo.

The appearance was very nice, like the Grand Cru I smoked from the same company earlier this week. The band was ornate but still classy; the leaf had some mottling but not large veins or visible flaws. The color was just a touch darker than a shade-grown leaf, with just a hint of red in certain light. Like the other Augusto Reyes, it was pretty soft at the foot, but no other soft spots were evident. The aroma from the wrapper was faint, but mostly of hay and a little barnyard. I got a very good prelight draw and there were nice flavors of mildly sweet hay and natural tobacco, along with just a little spicy tingle on the lips. I thought this might be a good mild to medium smoke so I took it out on the porch with my morning coffee.

The first few puffs did nothing to dispel the nation that the Nativo would be a good morning smoke--it was creamy and mild with hay and delicately sweet flavors and just a hint of pepper spice on the finish. The rest of the first third continued on about the same path--it seemed to be shaping up to be a decent mild cigar with the flavors you might expect as a result. It went well with my coffee, too. The burn line was a little wavy, but the ash held on for over an inch.

In the middle segment, the Nativo broke away somewhat from the mild cigar paradigm. I started getting earthy flavors, with a bit of citrus on the retrohale, in a smoke that tended more toward medium-bodied. The ash got a little flakier as well, although not as much as the Grand Cru the other day. The burn line stayed consistent, but wavy, with a very thin carbon ring. There was also still just enough pepper spice on the finish to keep the proceedings interesting.

During the final third, the flavors continued to deepen into earth and cedar. By the end the spice was all but gone, but the Nativo ended up being a very nice medium-bodied smoke with enough complexity to keep my attention and bright my late morning. If it were still selling for close to $11, I do not think I could readily recommend this smoke, but for the bargain price which you can have it for now, it becomes a no-brainer. It is interesting enough for an avid smoker, mild enough for a newbie, and cheap enough to keep around for an all-purpose cigar (daily smoker, yard-gar or mooch-idor stick you will not be embarrassed to hand out).

Body: 5/10

Strength: 6/10

Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 1.5/2

Flavor: 3.5/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 8/10

Agree, disagree or have your own thoughts you would like to share on this cigar? As always, the Comments section is open--speak your mind!

Punch Uppercut Winner!

The time has come for me to pick a winner!

Drum roll please....

And the lucky winner is: mambo101!

Congratulations!

To claim your prize please send an e-mail to tikibaronline@mac.com with your name and shipping address and we'll get it out to you.

Thanks to all who participated!

Cigar Review: Esteban Carreras 187

Toro 6" x 50 ring gauge / $7.99

This is a companion review to the 5150 I did a couple weeks ago. It can be found here.

I found this cigar a few weeks ago at my local shop so I decided to pick one up to try. The 187 by Esteban Carreras is a medium bodied smoke that is said to be part of their value line. The cigar is made up of Nicaraguan fillers and binders all wrapped in an Nicaraguan maduro wrapper. I wasn't able to find much more information that that online. This cigar isn't even listed on Esteban Carreras' website. The name of this cigar goes along with the 5150 as being a police code, with 187 being the code for a murder. I only smoked one of these previously.

In looking over the cigar I immediately noticed that the wrapper was a very dark brown. It was also rough looking with some prominent veins. The wrapper had some amount of tooth to it and was slightly rough to the touch. As I squeezed the cigar it had a small amount of give, with no soft spots. When I put my nose to the wrapper I was able to detect a slight amount of barnyard aroma. When I smelled the foot the aroma of barnyard was much more pronounced. After I clipped the cigar and took a cold draw on it I was able to detect some flavors of chocolate and leather. The draw was very free. One thing of note, I didn't have my normal glass of water when I smoked this cigar. It was fairly warm out and a cocktail sounded good. I made myself one from a recipe that I got from Joseph on Twitter (@mango2kw). It consisted of 1 part coconut water and 3 parts Rhum Barbancourt with a splash of lime juice all of the rocks. It was very refreshing.

As soon as I lit it up the taste of dark chocolate came through. There was some spice on the retrohale. Progressing through the first third the flavors of coffee, earth, leather and a herbal spice. The draw was perfect and produced a large volume of smoke. The burn was slightly wavy and needed to be corrected because one side was about .5" longer than the other. The ash was very white on the outside with the inside being white with some black spots. The ash was slightly flaky and needed to be tapped off at about .75".

On into the beginning of the second third the flavors didn't change. The spice did tone down a bit. So far this cigar was in the medium or maybe medium full bodied range. The burn didn't need any more correction and stayed pretty straight. Towards the end of the second third the flavors of cedar and sweet tobacco came through.

As I started the final third of the cigar the body ramped up a bit into the medium-full range. The flavors of this cigar didn't change much throughout. The chocolate, leather, coffee, and earth were all present as I finished up this cigar. The spice came back a bit on the retrohale and I did notice a slight tingle on my lips.

I can say that I enjoyed this cigar. It paired surprisingly well with my rhum cocktail. While it definitely wasn't a cigar that wowed me. I would most likely buy this cigar again, but I don't think I purchase a box.

Body: 7/10

Strength: 7/10

Complexity: 6/10

AFP Scale

Pre-light: 1.5/2

Construction: 1.5/2

Flavor: 4/5

Value: .5/1

Total: 7.5/10

Agree, disagree or have your own thoughts you would like to share on this cigar? Please leave a comment and speak your mind!

Cigar Review: Augusto Reyes Grand Cru

Robusto, 5.2" x 50 ring gauge / $2.50 in a box of 20

CigarFest is the gift that keeps on giving; this is yet another stick I received as part of the overall entry package. I had never smoked one of these before I lit up this stick for a review...as a matter of fact, I had rarely even heard of Augusto Reyes before receiving this cigar and the Nativo that is up for review in a couple days. I had no idea what to expect...it's almost like a blind review! The Augusto Reyes company was in the business of making cigars for other companies until 2006 when they debuted their own lines. The Grand Cru was introduced in 2008 and is a true Dominican puro--filler, binder and wrapper--using such varietals as Piloto Cubano, Criollo 98, and Cubano. It is reputed to be the strongest cigar Augusto Reyes makes. I do not believe this is a Cigars International exclusive, but their prices are outstanding (and that's what is listed above).

Much of the wrapper was concealed behind two largish bands--at the normal place and at the foot. What I could see of the leaf was nice to look at--oily and well made with a little mottling and a couple fairly large veins. The aroma from the body was a barnyard smell not unlike an LFD Air Bender--not a bad place to start! From the foot I got more barnyard as well as some cocoa notes. The foot was excessively soft and spongy and there were a couple other soft spots along the length of the stick. I got a very nice prelight draw that had notes of natural tobacco, along with very subtle hints of cinnamon and chili pepper.

Light up was easy with my single-flame Xikar Executive torch. On the first few puffs, I tasted mostly just natural tobacco with a little sweetness to it and a dash of pepper on the retrohale. The first third did not vary much from that initial flavor--natural tobacco, a bit of sweetness--it made me start to wonder if I had been had. Was this a bundle-level cigar dressed up in a nice wrapper with an interesting story? While it was shaping up to be a nice medium-to-full bodied smoke, the flavors just did not match up to the pedigree of the tobaccos that it contained.

The second third started off with a wavy burn line (it self-corrected), banana-peeling ash (never seen that self-correct) and the introduction of cedar and more spice into the flavor mix. I cannot say this Grand Cru was exciting me, but at a price of just $2.50 it certainly was not a disappointment, either.

As the last third began, I was still getting uneven burning and severely flaking ash. This is not a cigar you want to smoke while wearing nice clothes as you will almost definitely end up with ash on them at some point--at least you will if your sample behaves like mine. The cedar flavor now dominated but there was plenty of natural tobacco goodness in there, too. In summation, this Augusto Reyes Grand Cru did rise above the level of a typical bargain cigar: there was nothing in there to complain about except for a lack of complexity or exciting flavor profile. While not really a bland smoke, it did suffer from being rather one-dimensional. For smokers on a budget, it would be a very nice everyday smoke. For newbies, it offers nothing to offend. For me, it would make an above-average yard-gar and the price reflects that fact well. When I deplete my current supply of such sticks, I may very well be in the market for some more of these.

Body: 6/10

Strength: 5/10

Complexity: 4/10

AFP Scale
Prelight: 1.5/2

Construction: 1/1

Flavor: 3.5/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 7/10

Agree, disagree or have your own thoughts you would like to share on this cigar? Please leave a comment and speak your mind!

Stephen King's Short Fiction, Part 2

Nightmares & Dreamscapes (1993)
This collection of mostly short stories virtually completed collecting the stories that Stephen King had written before he became a household name as well as stories published in various places shortly thereafter. I look at this collection as a turning point of a type; as I indicated last week in Part 1 of this series, it seems that King's writing seemed to lose some of the joy that was exhibited in his earlier works. Not that this makes these stories less enjoyable or poorly written, but just a different flavor. With that being said, there are still some "fun" stories here, so I will direct my attention there first: "Popsy" is a delightful tale of a child abductor getting more than he bargained for, "The Moving Finger" is an amusing diversion of domestic disturbance, and "The House on Maple Street" is just about every step-child's dream. Well-represented here are the "pastiche" tales, including "Crouch End" (after the style of H.P. Lovecraft), "The Doctor's Case" (a Sherlock Holmes story), and "Umney's Last Case" (a hardboiled Chandler/Hammett tale). Dark, disturbing and somewhat downcast tales dominate most of this volume, though: the intense revenge of "Dolan's Cadillac," dystopian "The End of the Whole Mess," and stories where it is hard to root for anyone like "Sneakers" and "The Fifth Quarter." In a preview of things to come, King takes a more "serious fiction" turn with "My Pretty Pony," a fascinating vignette about the nature of time. He also reveals his love of baseball and family with "Head Down," a non-fiction piece about his son's little league team.

Everything's Eventual (2002)
By comparison with the last collection, this collection of 14 newer tales in 459 pages seems somewhat paltry (Nightmares had 22 stories in over 800 pages). Dark and downbeat is the name of the game with this collection, despite starting off with one of the most amusing stories King has ever written, "Autopsy Room Four" (I will say no more about it as almost nothing can be said without ruining the fantastic surprise). And then we dive right into most depressing matter with stories like "The man in the Black Suit" (a boy visited by the devil), "All That You Love Will Be Carried Away" (a traveling salesman contemplates suicide and reasons to continue living), "Everything's Eventual" (government-controlled psy-ops), "The Road Virus Heads North" (a haunted painting), "Lunch at the Gotham Cafe" (a divorcing couple in a nightmare restaurant scenario), and "1408" (a haunted hotel room). All these tales are imminently readable, but tended to leave me feeling despondent rather than scared to fall asleep. This could reflect a darker worldview in King after his near-fatal accident in 1999.

On Writing (2000)
Speaking of that accident, a wonderfully detailed account of it is contained in King's "Memoir on the Craft" of writing. This book starts off with some vignettes from his childhood--King's attempt to explain what made him into the writer he became. It continues with the "toolbox" elements King believes every writer needs in order to hone and refine his craft. Anyone writing fiction really should read this book and take copious notes of what they are doing wrong. Even though I am not currently attempting to write fiction, I was able to make some improvements in my thinking process as I write: using more action verbs and fewer adverbs.