Matt Booth of Room 101 at Burns

Hey, boys and girls, just in case you missed it...Matt Booth of Room 101 Cigars will be at Burns Tobacconist in Chattanooga, TN, next Thursday, December 9, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. The party starts at the "Burns East" location at 110 Jordan Drive, just off I-75, and will reportedly continue with an afterparty at the Downtown location at 725 Cherry Street (time of the afterparty to be determined). It should be a great time, so if you're within driving distance of Chattanooga, you should plan on being there...

Cigar Review: Viaje Skull & Bones

5" x 54 ring gauge / $11.95, Burns

Viaje's new website has a Flash-animated picture of company founder, Andre Farkas, with his hand on fire; he is simply looking at it while puffing on a cigar. Unfortunately, there did not appear to be any time or funding to supply information about the cigar I am reviewing today, so I will rely solely on hearsay and speculation in trying to convey the facts. Okay...I'm being slightly ironic, or sarcastic, or something...but only slightly. Like other sticks in the Viaje line, this is purported to be solely Nicaraguan leaf. Some sources have specified a Criollo wrapper as well, although most other pictures I have seen are lighter than what I am looking at. Burns got a few boxes of this second release of Skull & Bones; I smoked one in the shop, then bought one more for this review.

I have to admire anyone who puts a skull and bones logo on a cigar--it just seems to be a slap in the face of the anti-tobacco health Nazis. The wrapper leaf was very dark with some reddish tone to it and a few sizable veins. The foot was a shaggy fold-over, which I planned on trimming before attempting to light--it just did not appear wise to light it because it was just sort of hanging on and I did not want any fly-away embers. Otherwise construction seemed very good and there was a bit of oil to the touch and to the eyes. Giving the cigar a sniff, I got leather and earth notes on the body and cocoa powder and manure on the foot. I put a v-cut on the head and got a great draw that was very heavy on cocoa powder flavor.

I used a triple-flame lighter to cut through the remnants of the fold-over wrapper and created a good ignition. Right from the outset the Skull & Bones had a ton of black pepper both on the tongue and the nose. The retrohale was so peppery it made me wince. I also got earth and cocoa powder flavors, but the peppery opening was so intense that I really had to be patient and let them develop. I needed to check out a tip I had gotten, so I gave the cigar the "wet finger smudge test" and...unfortunately, this is probably a dyed wrapper leaf. Why? No good reason that I can think of. After a few minutes the pepper settled down a bit and more earth and even some dark roast coffee came through. This was a seriously full-bodied stick right from the start, though, and smoking it could not be rushed.

The second third remained dark and smoky--full-bodied with intense flavors of earth and espresso roast coffee. There were still hints of cocoa powder in there, too, but really just as a sweetener that balanced out the bitter aspects rather well. The draw was still great; the burn line was wavy and uneven with a little bit of banana-peeling. The fullness of the body reminded me to some degree of the second half of the 50/50 Black.

By the time the last third started there was nothing left of the peppery blast that started off the Skull & Bones. Instead the cigar was still deeply earthy, with dark coffee flavors on the tongue and a nutty retrohale. In the end, I enjoyed this second experience with the S&B much more than the first. Maybe it had to do with just slowing it down a bit as I was slightly rushed on the first one. I appreciated the flavors but still realize that something this full-bodied could never be an everyday smoke for me. With all this goodness, I have to wonder at the decision to dye the wrapper leaf. Surely the flavor would have been just as good--maybe better--without using artificial means to darken the tobacco. At any rate, this is a cigar that full-bodied fans should seek out, but only if you can get it at a decent price. Even at $12 a stick I felt it to be a bit too high and you will be hard-pressed to get them at that price now that the run is sold out. Novice smokers should avoid this one as it would easily overwhelm those without an experienced palate...and leave them sick from nicotine overload.

Body: 10/10

Strength: 8/10

Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 1.5/2

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.

One Last Visit to CAO...

Friday, November 12, I and a friend from Chattanooga took a trip to Nashville to visit CAO's world headquarters one last time before the new owners moved it. We were privileged to sit down and talk for quite some time with Director of Lifestyle Marketing, Jon Huber, and  Brand Ambassador, Susie Clark. Over the last couple years, I have come to know both of these people fairly well. Jon agreed earlier this year to have CAO sponsor the Tiki Bar Online and has provided great prizes to give away as well as some review samples. Susie is a joy to be around, bringing a light and enthusiasm to her job that is rare in a world that is increasingly cynical. The conversation meandered from the good times to the not-so-good times, great cigars, celebrity sightings, holiday parties, and the end of an era. I did not record the conversations and will not share most of the information here, but let's just leave it at this...next time you see Jon Huber, ask him to tell you about the time he met Hank Williams, Jr. Funny story.

Mostly what I wanted to bring you today was good memories, though, so I will let a few pictures do the talking for me.

More photos from the trip are posted HERE on my Facebook page.

Some time ago, I was also provided with a few more prizes to give away by our friends at CAO and this seems to be the right time. I have 10 prizes packages to give away...

3 People will win: a 4-pack of La Traviata Maduro cigars (Intrepido vitola), plus a La Traviata crystal ashtray, plus either a La Traviata Maduro cap or Rock + Rolled Tour cap.

7 People will win: a 4-pack of La Traviata Maduro cigars (Intrepido vitola) and either a La Traviata Maduro cap or Rock + Rolled Tour cap.

So...how do you enter?

First, you can enter by leaving a comment on this blog post. Talk about your favorite CAO cigar, your favorite memory of a CAO event, or just let any of the folks at CAO know what they and their cigars have meant to you. Warning: keep it positive. If you hate the company and everything they do...this is not the place to talk about it. I will delete any such posts...and why would you enter a contest to win their stuff anyway? When you leave a comment, you can leave it using several different methods, but if you choose "Anonymous" and don't  leave an e-mail address or Twitter name, I will not know how to reach you, so please give me some clue as to contact info. There have been times when the comments section does not work correctly; if this happens to you, send an e-mail with your comment to tikibaronline@mac.com and this will count as leaving a comment.

Second, send out a Tweet telling other people about this contest. The tweet must include my Twitter name (@dmjones1009) so I know about it and should link to this contest page. I will be sending out Tweets once a day for the duration of the contest; you may simply Re-Tweet those links. I will count one Tweet or Re-Tweet per day as an entry, so there is an opportunity for several entries here.

Here's an example: The Tiki Bar is giving away Free CAO Cigars! Details here: http://bit.ly/femJs9 @dmjones1009

Third, leave relevant comments on any other new blog post for the duration of the contest. That means anything that posts from November 30, 2010, through Monday, December 6, will be eligible.

You will have until Midnight Eastern Time on Monday, December 6, to enter. Sometime on Tuesday I will choose winners for each prize. I will notify all winners by whatever method they have chosen to give me...e-mail, Twitter, yelling really loud. If I do not hear back from any winners within one week, I will choose someone else for that prize. I have a limited number of each type of hat...first come, first served with regard to choice of hat. Because every prize contains a 4-pack of cigars, I need a U.S. address to mail these to. If I forgot anything or if you have a question, please send me an e-mail to tikibaronline@mac.com.

Cigar Extra: Illusione Epernay

Le Matin, 6.75" x 46 ring gauge / $11.35, Burns

Dion Giolito took this year's IPCPR show as an opportunity to expand the lineup of the Epernay, a Nicaraguan puro made of criollo and corojo tobaccos and finished with a Cafe Rosado wrapper leaf. I have never given a full review to the Epernay, but I thought I might record a few thoughts on this new vitola. Construction looked top-notch although lack of cellophane lead to the stick getting roughed up pre-smoke in at least one place. The aroma of the wrapper was a nice sweet hay; I got an earthy/compost aroma on the foot. Prelight, the cigar had a nice natural tobacco flavor with some sweetness, some spiciness and a little citrusy zing.

The opening puffs had a mellowness to them--a little bit of semi-sweet cocoa, hints of cedar, a very mild pepperiness on the retrohale. One well-known cigar personality calls the Epernay "the epitome of balance" and I was finding it hard to disagree; this cigar displayed an elegance and creaminess while still being medium-to-full bodied right from the start. Before long that "corojo" flavor I have been coming to love crept in--nice mix of cedar, cocoa, cinnamon, and other notes.

During the middle third I got more cedar and some hay, but the creaminess of the cigar never subsided. It was an excellent accompaniment to my morning coffee. I do wish these cigars cost less so I could enjoy them more often, but Epernay is definitely worth the extra cash for an occasional indulgence.

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

Cigar Extra: Savinelli Liga Especial

Torpedo, 6" x 52 ring gauge

One of my favorite discoveries of 2009 was the Savinelli Liga Especial--a rich, medium-bodied smoke with a ton of flavor. When I heard they had tweaked the blend while repackaging this year, my reaction was, "Don't fix what's not broken." Someone got me a sample, though, so I could try it for myself (I apologize...I don't remember who gave this to me, but Thank You to whoever it was). This is still all Nicaraguan filler and binder (reputedly with an extra leaf of ligero) with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. It was beautifully oily and leathery to the eye with notes of leather and earth to the nose.

Even after a month or more in my humidor, the head cracked a bit when I clipped it. The cold draw was a little tight but I was afraid to attempt further trimming. After lighting I got a nice mix of natural tobacco and leather along with a spicy retrohale. So far a nice way to start off a fall day, the water from last night's rain dripping off multi-hued leaves, sun peeking through a few clouds, and cup of black coffee in hand. To be honest, though, while the cigar was not bad, it was not up the level of the several I had smoked from the previous blend.

It had a nice natural tobacco flavor with hints of leather and wood in a medium-bodied smoke and was just enough in the body and strength department for a morning smoke...but it just lacked the full flavor I got before. After getting a little sap on the head because of the tight draw, I took my v-cutter to it; there was a little damage, but a much better draw that allowed much more flavor through. There was a nice nuttiness to go with the leather and oak. I will have to try another couple of these to definitively decide, but I think I slightly prefer the old blend. I'll have to buy up what I can find in those.

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

Happy Thanksgiving

As you sit down today with family and friends in whatever tradition you may have, don't forget that the real story of Thanksgiving is of giving thanks to God for his provision in difficult times. If you're not familiar with the story of why we have this Thursday and Friday off (it's not because the stores decided to start their Christmas sales), click HERE and read Rush Limbaugh's telling of the First Thanksgiving.

I am thankful for living in a country that is still free (despite assaults on the Constitution from both major parties); for my wife, my parents, and the rest of our families; for the ability to live in a place with extraordinary natural beauty; and for the right to light up a fine premium hand-rolled cigar sometime today. We here at the Tiki Bar Online wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving.

P.S. Just realized another thing...close to midnight Eastern Time last night, The Tiki Bar Online rolled over 15,000 unique hits since I started keeping track a little less than a year ago. Thank you to all the faithful readers as it surely would not have happened without you.

P.P.S. Make sure to visit the Tiki Bar Online this coming Monday, November 29. We'll be starting a new giveaway--10 people will win cigars in this giveaway! 

2 Sides: La Aurora 107 Lancero

6.875" x 40 ring gauge / $7.40, Burns

Dave Said:  

Recapping our story so far: La Aurora debuted the 107 (celebrating 107 years in the cigar business) in May 2010, expanded the line to include a Corona in August, then bowed to populist will on Twitter to produce a lancero, released on 10/7. Like the other vitolas in the 107 line, this is composed of Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers, a Dominican binder, and an Ecuadorian sun-grown wrapper. I smoked 2 of these lanceros prior to the review stick (as well as a couple since); I bought them all with my own money. [Ed. Note: the original version of the preceding paragraph contained some speculative material, that although was labeled as such, was not perceived as such by all parties. For anyone who may have been offended by it, I apologize for putting into print personal ramblings that may be have been better kept to myself.]

Having first tasted and reviewed an Aurora 100 Años lancero earlier this year, I had rather high standard for this 107 lancero-I specifically asked Jose Blanco to please make it at least as good for a lot less money. He responded that it would be great, but they were two completely different cigars, so I guess I will not be allowed to make any further comparisons between the two. The wrapper leaf of this lancero was smooth and oily, although the veins were readily apparent. The color was medium-brown with a bit of darker mottling. There were a couple minor imperfections but nothing unacceptable for the price point they chose. Lifting the cigar to my nose, I got an earthy, woody aroma from the wrapper and a fairly intense chocolate from the foot. I used my Xikar MTX scissors for the cut and got a nice, open draw that had flavors of natural tobacco, dried fruit, and cocoa powder.

Initial puffs gave up anise, natural tobacco, and red pepper. The level of spice right form the outset was somewhat surprising considering the other vitolas of the 107 I have smoked...but maybe it should not be surprising-after all, the lancero is the vitola that shows off wrapper characteristics best. What should you expected from a sungrown wrapper? Spice. It did not last too long at that initial intensity, though. Soon the flavor settled in to a mix of natural tobacco, cocoa powder and a bit of sweetness. There was still quite a bit of pepper on the retrohale and the finish was fairly spicy, as well.

The second third gave more cedar and earth flavors while the sweetness and spice never fully went away. So far construction was perfect, just as it had been on the other samples of this cigar I had smoked. The body was medium-to-full and the flavor was bold and full.

In the final third, the 107 lancero keeps the flavor coming; there was a resurgence of red pepper spice and more of the natural tobacco goodness, layered upon with more earthiness. The question must be asked: is this the best of the 107 line? Maybe by a slim margin over the Corona. For everyday smoking, I think the Corona wins by being more practical: its shorter size make it easier to fit in the pocket (or travel humidor) while its thicker ring gauge make it harder to bend while you're doing so. For relaxing on the front porch with a stogie in one hand and an adult beverage in the other, the lancero wins the flavor battle. The lancero also provided more of a nicotine kick than I have experienced on the Corona. This may be partially due to the fact that they have been on the market less time and maybe were slightly rush to market; it could change once they have a month or two of age on them. I would love to have a box of each-corona and lancero-and do an extended test, but unfortunately, my finances to not allow that to happen right now. Hopefully, the lancero will be added to the 107 line permanently, making it available to enjoy for years to come.

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

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

Keith Said:

Like Dave after trying the 100 Años Lancero my ears perked up when the talk of the 107 Lancero was happening on Twitter.  I smoked 2 samples before this one and they were purchased with my money.  One departure for me was I smoked this cigar while drinking a cup of coffee on a cold November morning.

The wrapper of this sample was slightly lumpy with fairly prominent veins.  The reddish brown wrapper had a good amount of tooth and oils to it.  When I gave the cigar a squeeze it had the right amount of give, however there was one soft spot near the foot.  From the wrapper I got the distinct aroma of hay, while the distinct aroma of barnyard came from the foot.  After I clipped it with my Xikar MTX and took a cold draw on it I was able to get a good draw with a slight amount of sweetness on the tongue.

The first third started off with spice, leather & chocolate.  The draw from the start was great and produced a large volume of smoke.  Once I hit about .25" in I was hit with an almost wasabi spice on the retrohale.  It made me pause a bit as I hadn't expected it to be so intense as I don't remember that happening on previous examples.  Believe me I'm not complaining as I thoroughly enjoy spicy things.  The other flavors I was able to get in the first third were of coffee, earth, maple and cola.  The ash was fairly white and needed to be tapped off after .75".  After the first time I tapped it off the ash was kind of flaky and needed to be tapped off fairly regularly.  This was something that happened on the other samples I smoked and a fairly common occurrence on lanceros.  The burn was slightly wavy but didn't require a touchup.

As I moved into the second third the spice toned down a bit.  Mind you it wasn't gone, just not as intense as the first third.  The flavors continued to be of leather, spice, sweetness, and chocolate.  The draw continued to be great and the smoke was billowing.  I was able to watch it waft across my yard for what seemed like a minute after I exhaled.  I would say this cigar is at the bottom end of the full range in regards to strength.

In the final third the cigar continued to go on strong with flavors of coffee, chocolate, leather, maple and earth.  The spice built back up, however not as strong as in the first third.  The burn also evened itself out without needing to be touched up.

Like Dave I don't think I could pick whether the lancero or corona is my favorite size in this blend.  They are both excellent cigars with lots of flavor and enough strength to make it interesting.  I would agree with Dave that the choice between which size I would choose would depend on what the situation called for as the corona is easier to transport, while the lancero smokes longer.  You can't go wrong with either size and I hope that La Aurora makes the lancero a regular production size rather than just a special size.

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

AFP Scale
Prelight: 1.5/2
Construction: 1.5/2
Flavor: 5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9/10

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: L'esprit de la Verite 2008, part 2

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

When we left off, I had finished smoking Pete Johnson's "pet project" cigar and awarded it 10 out of 10 points. I had been skeptical of the hefty price tag, but found it to easily be worth the cash. When I talked with Pete last month he remarked that the price is "scary" to some, but after people see what he is trying to accomplish they will understand. What he is trying to accomplish is a true "vintage" cigar--all tobacco grown on the My Father Cigars farm in Nicaragua in 2008. Even further, all tobacco used in this initial La Verite project is Habano Criollo--something Pete was called "loco" by Don Pepin Garcia for attempting...until Pepin tasted it. This is part two of my evaluation of the project--after letting the cigar rest in my humidor for more than 2 months (recommended to me by my local B&M manager) is there any change?

This sample displayed the same immaculate rolling job I saw on the first. There were some visible veins but they were not really big--more like the veins were dark brown lines on the lighter brown of the leaf. The aroma from the wrapper was not as strong as when they were fresh, but I still got hay and some earth; from the foot, the earth was stronger and there were notes of cocoa, as well. I used my Xikar V-cutter to excellent effect on this robusto; the draw was excellent and there were wonderful notes of natural tobacco sweetness and a sort of grassy, haylike flavor. I used the soft flame of my Xikar EX and paired this cigar with coffee on a chilly fall morning as the drips from the previous night's rain kept falling from the trees just off my front porch.

After lighting, I was greeted with a mildly sweet natural tobacco flavor that had hints of cedar and autumn spice on the tongue and nice peppery burn on the retrohale. The first third was wonderful--lots of tobacco flavor, obviously, but a really high-quality tobacco that was just a delight. There was also cedar in abundance as well as notes of maple and raw peanuts. The ash was an incredibly light gray and the burn line was very even.

The second third was smooth and creamy. My coffee (black, with sweetener, as usual) went very well with the L'esprit de la Verite and may have influenced the flavor a bit as I did get a nice creamy coffee note from time to time. The burn line went a little crooked in the second third, but nothing I felt the need to touch up.

In the last third, I got that great natural tobacco flavor again and noticed a subtle spiciness creeping in--almost a cayenne pepper, but not quite. For the second time, I am just thoroughly blown away by this cigar. L'esprit de la Verite is a medium-bodied smoke with as much flavor as you can pack into a robusto. The only problem with it is the price, but I even find that acceptable on such a fine cigar, although only for special occasions. I wish I had the money to buy a huge cabinet of these, mortgage be damned! They are that good. How did an extra couple months treat this stick? It was maybe slightly better balanced and creamier throughout at least once the initial pepper burn subsided. I will revisit this one again next August when they are a year old...I can't wait.

Body: 6/10

Strength: 7/10

Complexity: 10/10

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.

An Evening with Gurkha Cigars

Thursday, November 18, 2010 - Chattanooga, TN

Kaizad Hansotia with Burns Manager, Matt Allen

Burns Tobacconist was host last Thursday to Kaizad Hansotia of Gurkha Cigars in one of his very few in-store appearances that he makes during the year. Dozens of customers came out to meet Kaizer (his preferred nickname) and light up a Shaggy, the cigar of the night for the members. Quite a few boxes were seen going out the door, too, as each box purchases got 5 entries into the raffle for the beautiful Triad humidor that was on display throughout the evening. In the end, Tracy Brown, Burns' biggest Gurkha fan ended up winning the humidor and I honestly cannot think of a person who deserved it more.

Special Ops Box with Cigars and Knife

I got to Burns very early in the day (long story) and started off the smoking with one of the new Viper cigars. Although it has been panned by some, I found it to be pretty decent; I prefer the Ninja, though, and had one of those later in the evening. Along the way I got to spend close to 15 minutes interviewing Kaizer about his cigars, his philosophies on luxury items, weapons, single-malt Scotches, and other things. Kaizer is a very interesting person with a wide variety of interests that may not fit into the precise definition most consumers may want to have for a cigar company owner. He comes from a marketing background and has used that experience to shape his cigar company in a way that is unlike virtually all others: unique packaging and presentation that is unforgettable and, at times, audacious.

After the interview I was presented another interesting question from a BOTL on Twitter and decided to ask it as well: "Why so many lines of cigars?" According to one count I found online, there were around 100 cigars that carrying the Gurkha brand in some fashion. Kaizer explained that he was merely catering to the will of a public that was always looking for something new and different. I think this is especially prevalent in the online/catalog cigar business where "new and different" garners the most pages in the catalog or prime ad placement on a site's home page.

I came away from the evening with a different, and perhaps better, understanding of Gurkha Cigars and the man behind them. While his sticks still may not appeal to everyone, there cannot be any doubt that he has a great business sense and a lot of appeal to a wide variety of smokers.

Cigar Extra: Alec Bradley Harvest Selection 1997, Habano

Robusto, 5" x 50 ring gauge / approx. $4

This is another stogie I received as part of a Twitter contest prize package from Mike at MikesStogies.com (Thanks, Mike!). Not being an Alec Bradley fanatic I had not even heard of these before receiving it, so I thought I should take the opportunity to record a few thoughts even though I did not want to do an outright review. This appears to be a CI exclusive and is not mentioned on Alec Bradley's website; it uses Dominican, Mexican and Nicaraguan fillers and a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper.

The stick was rather oily and leathery-looking. I got a scent of leather on the wrapper and on the foot. The bands were almost over-the-top in their ornateness. It's funny how cheaper cigars often use lots of embossing and gold foil and other expensive print methods, then you see very expensive cigars using relatively simple packaging and art. Prelight draw was good and featured a sweetness that was mostly chocolate.

The Harvest Selection had an interesting flavor profile--some earth, some leather, a little cocoa sweetness, and some damp forest mushroom. yes, it was funny in a way, but kind of good, too. Not at all what I was expecting but also not what I feared could be in the offing for a bargain-priced CI-exclusive. There was not much flavor change through this cigar, but it was consistently good especially if leather and earth is in your wheelhouse as far as flavor profile goes. A very decent smoke for a bargain price.

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

Spirit Review: Rhum Barbancourt

I have to admit to never being much of a believer in "sipping rum." Over the years, I have enjoyed rum in mixed drinks like a Rum & Coke or a Mojito, but the few times I tried sipping it straight (from cheap Bacardi to expensive Pyrat) it just did nothing for me. The sugary-sweet flavors of most rums tended to overpower most cigars. The only rum I had previously enjoyed sipping was Whaler's, especially their Rare Dark Reserve. Add to that the fact that most rums classified as "sipping rums" cost as much or more than a good bourbon and I was just never interested in taking the chance...after all, I love a good bourbon...who needs more?

I found this Rhum Barbancourt, 8 year, on sale at a local liquor store. I am not sure if it was a limited-time sale or a closeout, but the original price was listed in the mid-$20 range and I picked it up for less than $15. I figured for that price, it will either be a good sipping rum or a fairly price, but superior, mixer. Turns out the Barbancourt made me a believer in the concept of sipping rum.

When I opened the bottle, I got a heavy sugary aroma with some honey--not much different than most other rums I had had. When I poured it into my glass the aroma of honey was even stronger, but there were some aromatic spices, too, and a bit of alcohol vapors. The color was a beautiful amber that you would not find out of place on a darker Scotch or lighter Bourbon, but I cannot remember ever seeing a rum this color aside from Captain Morgan. The norm for rums is either clear or cola-dark brown. When swirled in the glass the legs of the liquor were very slow-moving, denoting a thick, viscous fluid that took forever to trail down the sides of the glass.

While I got a sugary aroma, when sipped it did not have nearly as much sweetness. Really, there was just enough to remind you that it was rum, but it seemed to have a lot in common with Bourbon and Scotch in body. I tried it with several cigars and found it to pair easily and well with anything in the mild to medium range, but not as well with more full-bodied sticks.

If, like me, you have had a problem with the idea of sipping rum, or if you already like a good sipping rum, but have not gotten around to trying this one yet, I highly recommend the 8 year expression of Rhum Barbancourt, especially if you can get a great deal on it like I did.

Two Sides: Gurkha Ninja

Knife, 5" x 55 ring gauge / $5.45, Silo Cigars

Dave Said:

For a long time, Gurkha has received flak from a lot of cigar smokers for their elaborate packaging-boxes and banding that many smokers felt contributed to the high price of most Gurkhas sold in B&Ms. Perhaps in an attempt to answer those critics, this year, Gurkha debuted two new lines that were purposely made to be simple: wooden boxes and fairly plain bands. The Ninja is one of those sticks. Available in 5 sizes besides the Knife (Robusto) featured here today, the filler is Nicaraguan, the binder is from Cameroon, and the Maduro wrapper is sourced from Brazil. You can get these for around $100 online and just slightly more by the stick in your local store.

The first time I saw the Ninja I was impressed-impressed that a Gurkha cigar showed up without all the multicolor printing and foil or metallic ink. The Ninja band is very low-key while still being attractive and not looking cheap. The wrapper leaf of the cigar was fairly dark with darker mottling and it was quite oily. There were a few larger veins in evidence and a bit of toothiness if you looked closely. I did not feel any soft spots along the length. I got an earthy barnyard aroma on the body of the cigar and a mix of chocolate and compost on the foot. The "fit and finish" was less than ideal, with tiny gaps where the wrapper seams did not lie flat in several places. Prelight the draw was excellent and it had a semi-sweet flavor that had some chocolate as well as some subtle fruit flavor-I could not decide if I was reminded more of cherries or oranges.

Lighting up the Ninja required the services of a powerful triple-torch lighter. Right after lighting I got some wood flavor as well as a sweet breadiness. I have to admit to being somewhat skeptical of this cigar at first, but half a dozen puffs in, I was really enjoying it. Early on I got a retrohale that was sweet and nutty with just a little peppery bit to it. The first third was mostly a chocolatey sweet experience until about an inch in when I suddenly got a distinct vegetal flavor-unexpected and not really welcome, it went away quickly, but made me wonder if packaging was the only place they cut costs for this cigar.

What was already full-bodied for a Gurkha graduated into a true full-bodied stick in the second third, as the flavors turned more leathery and earthy. There was still a bit of the maduro-influenced sweetness, but it definitely took a back seat here. So far the draw had been excellent and the burn line ;was quite even with no need to anything more than  a minor touch-up.

By the time the final third came around the sweetness was all but gone and a little pepper was emerging. Mostly, though, it was a continuation of earth and leather with a bit of dark roast coffee thrown in to round it out. There were still some bitter vegetal notes from time-to-time as well, though, which detracted a bit from what was otherwise an enjoyable smoke. I found this cigar to be quite good overall. It was more full-bodied than anything I have previously experienced from Gurkha and has a price that makes it very easy to recommend. Along with last year's Evil, this might just change some perceptions about Gurkha's cigar offerings.

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

AFP Scale
Prelight: 1.5/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 8.5/10


Keith Said:

I agree with Dave that I was sort of impressed and surprised that a Gurkha cigar was presented in a fairly simple manner.  The wrapper on my sample was a dark milk chocolate brown with a slight tint of red to it.  The wrapper was fairly veiny towards the head of the cigar but it seemed to smooth out towards the foot.  The wrapper was fairly oily as well.  The cigar felt very firm to the touch without any soft spots.  Putting my nose to the wrapper I got the aromas of wood and barnyard, with the same coming from the foot.  After clipping the cigar and taking a cold draw on it I was able to get notes of bittersweet chocolate and cinnamon, however the draw was a bit tight.

The first third started off with notes of spice and chocolate, with a hint of bitterness in the background.  The draw was tight as I noted in the prelight, which affected the smoke which was very thin.  I used the bleeder tool on my Xikar MTX to make a couple of holes in the head of the cigar and that helped a lot with the draw and the volume of smoke.  I was able to get notes of leather, cedar, cinnamon along with the chocolate and spice.  The bitterness went away after I opened it up.  The ash held on for about 1.25" before needing to be tapped off.

Moving on into the second third saw the flavors kind of die.  There were really only the flavors of tobacco and leather without much else.  The burn was also slightly uneven but I didn't need to touch it up.  The cigar was pretty much medium strength through the first and second thirds of the cigar.

The final third didn't see any change in flavors from the second third.  I was unfortunately a little bored with this cigar at this point.  However there was one change that did happen about half way through this third.  The cigar turned into a full strength cigar with lots of spice.  I was thinking that if the whole cigar was that way it would have been a lot better.

Normally I wouldn't give this cigar another try, but because of Dave's positive result I'll probably get a couple more to try.

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

AFP Scale
Prelight: 1.5/2
Construction: 1.5/2
Flavor: 3/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 6.5/10

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

A Visit to the Stone Brewing Company

Escondido, California

Last week my wife, Kim, and I had the day off for Veteran's Day so we decided to do something we hadn't before. We decided to visit Stone Brewing Company and take their tour. After getting some things done around the house, we set off on the 100 mile trip with a stop at Five Guys Burgers for lunch.


There aren't any signs other than the address number letting you know that you've arrived at the right place, so you have to pay attention. The picture above is what greets you as you walk to the main entrance. As soon as you walk in to your right is their restaurant and full bar. Straight ahead is the company store where the tour begins. We arrived about an hour before the first tour of the day and they were all out of passes. My wife and I didn't know that it was San Diego Beer Week. That coupled with Veteran's Day made it very busy. We talked to the tour guide, Dan, who was taking the first tour and he said he would try and get us on the tour or that we would be first in line for the additional tour they were going to do that day. While we waited my wife and I looked around the company store at the items for sale. They had hats, t-shirts, button up shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, glasses, other nick-knacks, and of course beer by the bottle, or you could purchase a growler to fill from their taps.

The tour time rolled around and luckily Dan let us go with the first group.


Dan let us know that he would keep things high level, but feel free to ask any questions we had about the company or the process. The first thing he explained was what goes into making the beer. There are four main ingredients, malted barley, yeast, hopps, and water. I figured that it would be something like that as I've taken a few distillery tours before and they are about the same.

All of the beers made at Stone are ales. The different types of beers they make are determined by the roast of the barley they use. As you can probably guess that the darker the roast of the barley the darker the beer. The type and amount of hops determines the bitterness of their beers. The steps they go through to make the beer is first taking between 7,000 and 10,000 pounds of malted barley, grind it up and create a mash out of it. Then the mash gets strained and the "barley juice" as Dan called it gets put into a tank where bittering hops are added. Then the mixture is transferred to another tank where hops for aroma are added. This last tank is where any other ingredients are added that would be special to the recipe.



The mixture is then transferred to the tanks you can see behind me in the picture above. This is where the yeast is added and the alcohol is formed. The beer isn't in there too long, only a few hours, before it reaches the desired alcohol content. The yeast is taken out and then the beer is taken to the bottling line. All of the beer is either put into the bottles or kegs onsite.


The day that we were there they were brewing and bottling their India Pale Ale. There was a lot of activity at the bottling line and we had to keep out of the way of the workers.

The tour was almost over at this point. It was now time to taste their wares. Dan lead us back to the store where the taps were and we were all given a taste of their Pale Ale, Smoked Porter, India Pale Ale, and Arrogant Bastard.


I of course picked up a few bottles to take home, Ruination IPA, Sublimely Self Righteous, and Double Bastard. I was at a Total Wine picking up some whisky and picked up a bottle of Vertical Epic and Old Guardian since they are both limited releases.

All of the staff we interacted was very friendly, helpful, knowledgeable, and interested in their product which made it a more pleasant experience. There are probably things I left out, but then it wouldn't be fun for you to take the tour. One thing my wife and I didn't experience was the restaurant. We were still full from lunch and wanted to get to a couple other places. I will definitely be going back there to try the restaurant. The one downside is that the whole place is non-smoking even outside. I did see an advertisement for a cigar & beer dinner they just had so maybe there is hope. I can highly recommended taking the tour if you like beer and are in the Southern California area. The atmosphere was very pleasant, the tour was free, and you get to drink beer at the end!

Cigar Review: Quesada Tributo

Alvaro, 6" x 52 ring gauge / $7.90, Burns

The Tributo line was created by the 5th Generation of the Quesada family to honor several family members "that are no longer with us, but in one way or another shaped who we are today." With a 6.5" x 60 vitola, they honor Manolin Quesada, the gradfather who introduced the 5th generation into the tobacco world. The 4.5" x 40 vitola is named for Alvarito, a fellow 5th gen-er who died young, but is remembered as very hard-working. The 5" x 50 is named for Julio Fajardo, Manuel Quesada's best friend and General Manager of Matasa as well as teacher and mentor to the 5th gen. And today's Alvaro is named for Manuel's brother and uncle to the 5th generation, who taught them "how to combine our love for tobacco with the importance of family." This cigar brings together Dominican and Nicaraguan ligero fillers, a Honduran ligero binder from the Jamastran region, and an Ecuadorian wrapper leaf which is a hybrid of Habano 2000, Corojo, Habano Vuelte Arriba and Sumatra. This was my second Tributo, the first being (I believe) a Julio.

The presentation is very classy and pleasing to the eye--white box with gold and brown accents--the 2 bands on the cigar matching that motif. The effect is that of a more expensive cigar. The wrapper leaf itself was a couple shades darker than medium-brown with darker mottling, some medium-sized veins, and a bit of toothiness. It was slightly oily both to the touch and the eye. The wrapper definitely had an earthy aroma with more than a little manure, while I got even stronger manure notes on the foot along with some sweetness as well--it was hard to define exactly what. I got a great draw after clipping with my Palio cutter; the prelight flavor was a rich mix of coffee, semi-sweet chocolate and natural tobacco.

The first puff had a fairly potent maple sweetness that diminished but did not disappear on subsequent puffs. After a bit I was getting mostly sweet tobacco flavors on the tongue, with just a little chocolate as well; I got a nice roasted nut aroma on the retrohale. That pretty much told the story of the first third, too--roasted nuts on the nose, natural tobacco on the tongue with a fairly large maple component popping up from time-to-time, most noticeably on the finish. Aside from ash that was a bit flaky, construction was solid so far and the body was solidly in the medium-to-full range.

The second third had a nuttier flavor overall with a bit of creamy coffee and a little pepper spice on the finish. I had to touch it up once but even that was not a big deal. It did seem that the body had built up a bit, although I was not feeling any nicotine punch to this point.

The coffee flavor increased in the final third and I did start to get a bit of a nicotine buzz, just as the body leveled off and actually decreased a bit. In the end it was just into the full-bodied range and I was impressed by the amount of flavor the cigar delivered, even it if was not the most complex cigar out there. I would have to call this a very good, solid smoke that will appeal mostly to experienced cigar smokers and it is indeed a fitting tribute to those loved ones that the Quesada family has lost. For myself, I can see buying these occasionally in this size. I intend to try the 4.5" x 40 Alvarito when I get a chance; being a fan of smaller ring gauge sticks, it might earn a more frequent spot in my humidor.

Body: 8/10

Strength: 7/10

Complexity: 6/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9/10

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

Burns Tobacconist Membership Renewal Party, Part 2

Click HERE for part 1 of this story.

Garrett from Davidoff, modeling for Oliva

Probably the most exciting part of the annual Membership Renewal Party at Burns is the door prize giveaway. Each person renewing their membership gets a raffle ticket; near the end of the evening, CBC/Burns owner, Phil Windam, pulled names to give away the myriad prizes that the reps from different companies brought. Jeff Tinnell of CAO brought some Rock N Rolled cigar samplers, hats, and sweatshirts; Allen from Oliva brought hats and cigar samplers; Sean Williams of El Primer Mundo brought swag; Garrett from Davidoff brought some very nice accessories and cigar samplers; Nelson from Xikar featured several of their wonderful accessories; and the big prize was a box of Entubars from Berger & Argenti.

Xikar Scribe pipe lighter

My name was called late in the process and I was handed a Xikar box...always a good sign. What I found is something I have actually been looking for for years: a great pipe lighter. Apparently Xikar purchased some of the intellectual property of a competing accessories company at some point, including the design of this lighter. They took the basic design and made it nicer, ending up with the Scribe...a flint lighter with an adjustable sideways flame perfect for getting your pipe lit without burning your fingers or torching the inside of the bowl. It is fitted with a clip and looks for all the world like a fancy ballpoint pen when it is in your pocket. I have to take this opportunity to thank Nelson again for bringing this as a door prize.

Someone nearby won a CAO R+R cap and found it too large for them. "This is too big for me...anyone with a big head want it?" I try not to have a big head, but if the hat fits...I will wear it! So, I have yet another CAO cap for my already large collection.

Me with Albert Argenti

With several items still on the table, they ran out of names to draw from. All names were put back in the hat to finish out the drawing for the "big ticket" items. As they came down to the very end, I was delighted to hear my name drawn for the box of Entubars! It was a great, great evening, without a doubt.

Speaking of the Entubar, I did get to speak with Albert Argenti of Berger & Argenti about them and some of their other lines. You can listen to the interview here, as well as see some other pictures from the evening's festivities:

Cigar Extra: Exile Wired

Torpedo, 6" x 52 ring gauge / approx. $5.50

I had never heard of this cigar before I got it for winning a Twitter contest (thanks MikesStogies.com!) but it appears to be an early release from the Argenti Brothers, probably before they got together with Berger for their current endeavors. This was a good-looking, fairly oily stick with an interesting and unique band made to look like a stamped Cuban tax stamp or passport or something. I got chocolate and earth notes on the wrapper and stronger compost notes on the foot. This stick had Nicaraguan filler, Connecticut binder, and an Ecuadorian Sun-Grown wrapper leaf.

The Exiled opened up with a nice draw and a nice sweet tobacco flavor along with some chili pepper spice, especially on the retrohale. The flavor did not vary from that profile much during the first third. It was showing itself to be a nice smoke so far, but without any real surprise or complexity. In the second third the stogie got rather bitter, pretty much killing the enjoyment I was getting from it, though. There was a bit of wood to it as well--maybe cedar--but the bitterness was fairly overriding it.

In the end...well, to be honest, I didn't get to the end. With about 2 smokeable inches left the Exile went out on me and with the flavor so far failing to fire my rockets, I decided to just let it die there. I am always thankful to be able to try something different than I can usually get my hands on, but the Exile just was not for me. Your mileage may vary.

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

General Cigar Company 50th Anniversary Party

On Tuesday November 9th I along with about 150 or so others were given the opportunity to celebrate the 50th anniversary of General Cigar Company. This event was held at in the Foundation Room of the House of Blues on Sunset in West Hollywood, CA. This event was the 9th of 12 events around the country. The event was at no charge to the attendees (except for transportation and parking which was $15-$20) and included cigars, booze, food and fun. I would like to thank Debo Mukherjee at General for his personal invitation to this event, answering my questions beforehand and making me feel welcome at the event.

The Foundation Room was dimly lit with the feel of a speakeasy of the 1920s. The main room was spacious with one of the two bars and the food in a side room.


First thing Vern and I did was go get our cigars. While receiving each one were able to talk with the experts from each sub-company while they gave us information about the cigars they handed out.


It was great to see some of these guys again. I've had the privilege with talking to Benji Menendez and Ricky Rodriguez at length at events previously. The wealth of knowledge these men, and the other people I was able to talk, to is pretty impressive. Getting to the cigars. We were each handed a wooden box that had the logo for the 50th anniversary parties. The box held 5 cigars and we were given 6 cigars assuming that we would at least smoke one. They handed out at Macanudo Hampton Court, Macanudo 1968, Punch Uppercut, La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Tabaqueros, La Gloria Cubana Serie N, and the Hoyo de Monterrey Reposado en Cedros. We were also handed a cutter and matches in case we didn't bring our own. I was a little disappointed that the Cru Royale wasn't handed out like the website shows, but I think they are having problems keeping up with production.


After picking up our cigars we headed out to the patio to light up a cigar and grab a drink, at the bar outside. They were pouring Dalmore 12 scotch, Zaya rum, Crystal Head vodka, and Stella beer. All could be had straight or in a cocktail. I decided to start with the Zaya and the Hoyo, as that was the only cigar we were given that I hadn't had a chance to try yet. Once outside we were able to mingle with other cigar smokers and once things died down a bit some of the people from General also we available to talk.


The above is Benji talking cigars with Sammy, a regular at Maxamar's, and Ron the local General sales representative. They kept pouring drinks until they ran out. I limited myself to a couple as I needed to be able to drive Vern and I home. The patio gave us much more smoking room than the Benji Menendez release party last year and that was very welcome. Amar, the owner of my regular shop, was there along with some of the other regulars. That made it more comfortable for me being able to talk to some familiar people as I'm not the most outgoing person.

Overall it was a great night of cigars, drinks and conversation, the typical cigar smoker gathering. Thanks for putting this on for us cigar smokers General Cigars and happy anniversary!