OYA Maduro Monday: LFD Coronado Maduro

Toro, 6.5" x 52 ring gauge

Sadly, it's time to taste-test the last cigar in the OYA Maduro Sampler: the Coronado Maduro. I am a big fan of the regular Coronado, although not so much a fan of its price. This Maduro version started off, as I understand it, as a mistake or a one-off that is sold as an exclusive of a Chicago-area store. On this particular cigar, the wrapper was dark, mottled and oily and it really offset the gold foil of the band well--it looked better than the regular Coronado. I got notes of leather and barnyard on the wrapper and a rich earthy aroma on the foot. The cold draw was easy and had dark fruit and leather notes.

After lighting I was greeted with raisin and anise on the tongue along with a retrohale full of roasted nuts and black pepper. The first third ended up being sweet and smooth--lots of cocoa powder along with the dried fruit and an extraordinary smoothness for such a full-bodied cigar. I enjoyed this with some eggnog spiked with Corsair Pumpkin Spice Moonshine and the creaminess of teh beverage probably helped smooth out some of the rough edges of the cigar.

There was not much change to report in the second third, but the wonderful flavors made big changes really unnecessary. This was a great cigar and very good pairing with any beverage. I would like to get my hands on some more of these and since they are not impossible to get, I just might. I asked Andrew Brennan from La Flor this question back in October: "Would Litto ever consider releasing the Coronado Maduro as a regular release?" His answer: "Litto believes in never saying never." This is one I would love to see on store shelves on a regular basis.

Agree, disagree, or have something to add to the conversation? Please feel free to leave a comment below!

Cigar Extra: La Flor Dominicana Limitado III

6.5" x 52 ring gauge / approx. $9

I was gifted this classic LFD on my birthday last year by La Flor's VP of Sales, Andrew Brennan. Because I did not want to light up such a great smoke on the spur of the moment, I ended up holding onto it a couple extra months.  This was originally released at least 2 years ago (exact information was hard to find), featuring Dominican filler and an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. Removing it from the cellophane, I got a wave of earthy, composty aroma. The wrapper was fairly veiny and very oily. On the foot I got sweet chocolatey notes. On the cold draw, I also got some sweet chocolate.

Once lit, I got initial flavors of leather, cocoa powder and dried fruit, along with a very spicy, peppery retrohale. I paired the Limitado III with some very nice George Dickel Tennessee Whisky--kept almost ice cold by the chilly late fall air temperature on my front porch. The liquor was slightly sweet and very smooth and went well with the sweet and spicy, aged and refined flavors of this fine cigar.

As I got into the second third, the Limitado III had less sweetness and developed stronger flavors of earth and leather. The rest of the cigar was just as flavorful, as well as being full-bodied and full-strength. Fans of strong cigars should seek these out wherever they are still available. They were limited to a 2,000 box release but they still can be had if you look in the right place.

Agree, disagree or just have something to say? The comments section is open below!

Movie: Kick-Ass

Kick-Ass (2010)

I used to be an avid comic book collector so anytime a new superhero movie comes out, it gets my attention. This one, though...not so much. The name seemed crass and stupid and it was something completely new, not one of my childhood favorites. Why bother?

Boy, was I wrong! Kick-Ass delivers tons of fun and action with a huge heaping of irreverence toward the genre, but an obvious love of comic books and superheroes, too. The main character is almost a Peter Parker-type, a sad-sack high school student who has trouble with girls. He has no powers but decides to dress up as a superhero anyway. His first outing leaves him stabbed, beaten and run down by a car. His nerves end up deadened to some extent and he has surgery to place metal plates and other reinforcements throughout his body...and suddenly he is nigh-indestructible. The next time he goes out to fight crime, he is able to fight through the enemies blows because he can't feel them. And the city has a new hero.

Some of the movie is as "by the book" as you might expect, but there are twists that keep you laughing throughout: for example, our hero gets to hang out with the girl of his dreams...but only because she thinks he's gay. The other characters are fun, too: Nicholas Cage plays "Big Daddy" a crime-fighter roughly based on Batman with tons of fun toys...especially guns. His daughter is "Hit Girl," a pint-sized heroine who steals every scene she's in.

Here's my recommendation: if you like superhero movies or you just like to laugh, I believe this movie is time well-spent. It is an absolute blast and I can't wait for the sequel.

Second Look: A. Turrent Triple Play

Robusto, 4.5" x 54 ring gauge / approx. $8

"A triple play in baseball is one of the rarest things in the world." That's how my local Altadis rep introduced this cigar to me. This is one of 3 cigars that I know of that are completely composed of maduro leaf--the other two being the Camacho Triple Maduro and CAO's MX3 (available while supplies last at Burns--there is no word yet whether this cigar will continue to be available under General Cigar's stewardship). The A. Turrent name may mean "Mexican cigars" to some, but this stogie blends leaf from Nicaragua, Honduras and Mexico (San Andres) in the filler, while featuring a Connecticut Broadleaf binder and a Mexican San Andres Morron wrapper. I received this review stick at Burns' Membership Renewal Party. Keith previously smoked and reviewed an IPCPR show sample that he was given; to put it politely, he was not a fan.

The Triple Play looked attractive--the dark leaf offset the silver, copper and black band. The cigar had a fairly chocolatey aroma when I removed it from the cellophane, but the wrapper leaf itself had more of an earthy note with a little spice--something like Paprika; the foot had a manure and earth note. I wondered where that chocolate aroma had gone--very odd that it should just disappear. Squeezing along the length of the stick, I was surprised at how much give there was--this stick just did not feel like it was properly filled...but at least there should be no draw problems, something that often plagues heavily-maduro sticks because of the leaf's propensity to hold moisture. After cutting the cap with my Xikar MTX, I was surprised the draw was not looser...it was actually close to ideal, with just a little effort required. The cold draw had lots of earth, some chocolate sweetness and a little chili pepper spice.

Opening puffs had flavors of licorice, earth and cocoa powder. I have to admit my first puff was not all that pleasant, but it got better quickly. The first third quickly settled down to a dry cocoa powder flavor with just a hint of sweetness. There was a bit of coffee on the retrohale, but all the flavors seemed somewhat subdued and muted. Toward the end of the third I got some subtle spicy notes as well.

Perhaps the muted flavors were a blessing. In my experience, many Mexican-wrapped cigars are too earthy and bitter for my liking. This one had the earth and bitterness but not nearly at the level of some others. The second third saw a slight increase in the chocolate sweetness as well. The draw was very good so far and I had seen no burn issues other than a slight tunneling at the very beginning of the cigar, but it had worked itself out.

The last third saw an increase in both pepper spice and earthiness, as well as a slight increase in body, up to the medium-to-full range. I have to admit being very surprised by the Triple Play. My background with Mexican cigars in general and A. Turrent in particular led me to expect to not enjoy this stogie. I was very pleasantly surprised, however, by this cigar's accessible flavors and excellent construction. While I cannot see putting this high on my purchase list, I will at least give it another go around or two when the opportunity presents itself. I would encourage others to do the same: put aside your biases, whether they be against Mexican wrappers (like me) or Altadis products (like a lot of you out there...you know who I'm talking about) and give the Triple Play a try--you might just discover that you like what you find.

Body: 7/10

Strength: 6/10

Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 1.5/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 8.5/10

Agree, disagree or have something else to say on this subject? Please feel free to leave a comment below!

Cigar Review: Drew Estates Liga Privada JD4

Toro, 6" x 52 ring gauge / Price Unknown

This here is Drew Estate's latest cigar in the Liga Privada line. I received this cigar, and one other, at the Dirty Rat launch party at Maxamar's Cigars from Alex the local DE rep. There isn't much information out there as to what the cigar is made up. The one thing that I could find is that the wrapper is the same type, a stalk cut habano, as found on the T-52. As far as the insides most of the speculation was that it was a stronger blend than the other two lines.

The wrapper on the cigar is very dark brown with a few veins on it. There is also a good amount of tooth to the wrapper. This sample was slightly oily to the touch as well. When I gave the cigar a squeeze I was able to detect a slight amount of give but there were no soft spots. Putting my nose to the wrapper I was able to discern aromas of tobacco with barnyard coming from the foot. After I clipped it and took a cold draw the flavors of chocolate were the post predominate. The draw was pretty good.

As soon I lit the cigar up the first taste that hit me was dark chocolate. There was also a red pepper spice on the tongue, with wasabi spice on the retrohale. If it kept up this way it would be great. Progressing through the first third I also got flavors of leather and earth. It reiminded me more of the No. 9 at this point more than the T-52. The draw was great and it produced a large volume of smoke. It didn't seem to be hampered by the rain that was coming down while I smoked this on my patio. The ash did need to be tapped off at about a half an inch because it was starting to curve and I didn't want to drop ash on myself. The ash was pretty dark, almost black in color.

Unfortunately as I started the second third the flavors fell flat. That is to say that the flavors dropped in intensity. I could detect chocolate, tobacco, spice and sweetness but they seemed to be muted. The draw and burn continued to be great so that didn't hamper the smoking experience.

The final third didn't see much change. The flavors stayed pretty much in the background and would only occasionally get temporarily more intense. The burn did get slightly uneven but it didn't effect the draw or amount of smoke produced.

Overall while it wasn't a bad cigar. There were by no means any unpleasant tastes and the construction was very good. However it was no where as good as the No. 9 or Dirty Rat in my opinion. If this was on the shelf I don't think I would end up picking it up. Now if the cigar was like it was in the first third all the way through then we'd have a different cigar. Overall it was sort of disappointing. I hope they can tweak the blend to make it more enjoyable before it is released.

Body: 6/10

Strength: 7/106

Complexity: 9/105

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 1.5/2

Flavor: 3.5/5

Value: .5/1

Total: 7.5/10

Agree, disagree, or just have something to say? The comments section is always open!

Cigar Review: El Primer Mundo Liga Miami

Robusto, 5" x 52 ring gauge / $9.35, Burns

After smoking my way through Sean Williams' El Primer Mundo linup a few months ago, I have been anxiously awaiting his newest cigar--Liga Miami. Unveiled at 2010's IPCPR show, this stick is made in Miami at Willy Herrera's El Titan de Bronze factory and features an interesting-sounding blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan Ligero-heavy filler, 2 Nicaraguan binders, and an Ecuadorian Sungrown wrapper leaf. This review is based on my first encounter with this blend.

The Ecuadorian wrapper used here is unlikely to win any beauty contests. It was a dark caramel color with plenty of darker mottling and very visible veins, some of which were bordering on large. There was a nice oily touch to it, though, and it felt neither underfilled nor overfilled. I got an aroma of hay and molasses with a little earth on the wrapper; on the foot I got a stronger sweet molasses note. I put a nice, clean v-cut on the Liga Miami and got a smooth cold draw with a honey-sweetness, natural tobacco and a lingering spicy tingle.

Initial puffs on the cigar gave me flavors of wood and hay on the tongue and a very peppery retrohale. There was not nearly as much sweetness as I would have expected from the prelight aroma and taste, but there was a hint of molasses in there, too. Through the rest of the first third I got mostly cedar and natural tobacco flavors along with a twang I almost, but not quite, wanted to call citrusy. Despite the use of 3 Ligero leaves in the filler I was note getting the sense that this was anything more than medium-bodied, at least at this point. The draw was great and while the burn line was not perfectly straight, it needed no touch-ups, either.

I got an abrupt flavor change as the second third started--and introduction of graham cracker as the cedar notes diminished somewhat. The rest of the middle segment was a very nice mix of sweetness from the graham and a little bitterness of orange peel, which seems to have evolved from that citrus note I detected earlier.

That interesting balance of bitter and sweet continued through the final third. The retrohale had by this point lost virtually all pepper spice and was very nutty. I have to admit that the first third of the Liga Miami did not do a lot for me and it made me wonder if I was going to end up enjoying it. The flavor-changing complexity of this stick turned out to be quite a delight in the end, though. Being made in Miami is probably one reason this stick is a little more expensive than the others in the Primer Mundo lineup, but in the end, I think the experience justified the extra expense. This ended up being a very flavorful medium-bodied cigar.

Body: 6/10

Strength: 7/10

Complexity: 9/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 1.5/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 8.5/10

Agree, disagree, or just have something to say? The comments section is always open!

OYA Maduro Monday: LFD Air Bender Maduro

Each Monday in the month of January I will be presenting one of the five cigars in La Flor Dominicana's OYA Maduro Sampler which was released in Autumn 2010. These little vignettes will be more in the format of our "Cigar Extra" reviews: short and no score given.

5.75" x 54 ring gauge

When putting together special sampler packs, La Flor Dominicana often makes the offer near-irresistible by including something available nowhere else. Such is the case with this Air Bender Maduro. Based on the measurements I took, it also is not one of the regular sizes of Air Bender available, falling between the Maestro and Guerror. It is another leathery-looking wrapper, with cowhide mottling, prominent veins and a little toothiness. I got a bit of leather and licorice aroma on the wrapper along with a barnyardy manure note on the foot. The cold draw had chocolate, chili pepper and sweet tobacco flavors.

After lighting, the flavors of chocolate were what hit me most, along with some chili pepper ont he tongue and powerful blast of black pepper on the retrohale. Soon after, I got earth and dark coffee flavors in abundance, too, along with something that was hard to identify--almost as if the Air Bend blend was trying to compete with the flavor of the Maduro wrapper leaf.

After another 15 minutes or so that feeling of competing flavor profiles went away and the AB Maduro seemed more well-balanced. There is no mistaking--this is a full-strength cigar and not one you should approach on an empty stomach. I got continued earth and chocolate notes as the cigar went on, as well as anise and a depending of the coffee flavor.

Agree, disagree, have a question or something to add to the discussion? Please feel free to leave a comment below!

International Cigar Day

Yesterday something started on Twitter and it could turn into something big. A gentleman who goes by the name of @ProRush is how I heard about this...I think he may have been the one to bring it up, but I could be corrected on that. There was a discussion about how 4:20 was the time potheads toked up every day and apparently some big toke-out is going to happen on April 20 (4/20). Someone else said cigar smokers needed to have their own time of day, or maybe their whole day, and it snowballed from there.

A suggestion has been made to have International Cigar Day on May 20 (5/20) as it would be a time of year when the weather would be good for most people to go outside and light one up. Others have said it would draw too many comparisons with the pothead 4/20.

Another suggestion was to have the day coincide with Winston Churchill's birthday, which would be great, except it is not until November 30, which is both very far away and a time when it would be too cold to smoke outside for many people.

Of the two days, I prefer May 20, but I would love to hear other suggestions as well...especially if there is a reason behind them (commemorating some event or person, etc.). Ultimately, I am willing to help promote any date that is decided upon, though, as I think it is just a great idea...and I think a lot of other bloggers and Twitterers feel the same.

So, if you have another favorite date for this event, leave a comment below and I'll help throw them all in the hat to see what we come up with. And sometime later this year, we'll all enjoy International Cigar Day!

Update: In the interest of giving credit where credit is due, @ProRush did confirm to me this morning that he was the one who had the idea.  

Update II: To clarify, this should be a day not only when we all light up at the same time, but in places of importance...city hall, federal buildings, governors' mansions...places where we might show those in charge that we have a voice and we're tired of it being ignored. This may be something we can work with the Cigar Rights of America organization to coordinate as well.

Cigar Extra: CAO CX2

Toro, 6" x 54 ring gauge / approx. $6.40 each @ Famous Smoke

During Burns' Membership Renewal Party last November, my friend and CAO rep, Jeff Tinnell, slipped me this CX2, a cigar I had not seen on the shelves in a very long time. When released, this cigar was fairly expensive and did not do all that well--at least that is what I recollect. Production was reduced and the CX2 is now made exclusively for Famous Smoke, a huge online retailer. It consists of Columbian and Nicaraguan filler and Cameroon leaves for binder and wrapper (thus, CX2). This sample came from Jeff's personal collection, I believe, and has a bit of age on it.

The wrapper was a medium-brown with a couple dings--nothing major; I got an aroma of manure from the body and a very similar note on the foot, although maybe not quite as pungent. Overall construction seemed to be excellent and the wrapper had some of that characteristic Cameroon toothiness to it. After cutting I noted a very sweet flavor that had a touch of honey to it; the cold draw was very easy. Once lit the smoke was sweet and somewhat earthy in the mouth, with a strong black pepper blast when brown through the nose.

The CX2 progressed from a sweet, but earthy first third to almost a reversal by the end--quite earthy with still a touch of sweetness. Along the way, there were interesting notes of molasses, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and cedar. Overall, a nice cigar but not one I would pay nearly $10 for--what I remember as the original sale price in California (where I lived at the time). As a relative bargain at Famous, though, this would be well worth the price for a 5-pack or even a box if you are a big fan of Cameroon leaf.

Agree, disagree, or have something to add to the above? Leave a comment below!

Movie: Avatar

Avatar (2009)

It's been a while since I last took on a pop culture topic here on the Tiki Bar...far too long. I've been busy, though...lots of smoking cigars, not to mention the holidays with the family (both sides actually), traveling, getting sick, working my butt off (at the stuff that actually pays the bills). I finally started watching more movies on DVD here lately, reading more books that might actually make it into reviews here on the blog, and doing other stuff in my spare time besides playing Angry Birds (that game is the devil). For those of you new to the Tiki Bar since I last posted about a movie, I just give my own general thoughts on a movie I have seen recently, almost always on DVD since I won't go to the theater these days (too much money, too many annoying, rude people, can't stop the film to go to the bathroom, etc.)

Anyway, I might be the last person on the planet to see the top-grossing film of all time. My wife actually saw this one at her sister's house before we watched it together. I avoided James Cameron's blockbuster as long as I could for a couple reasons...and they actually will comprise everything I want to say about this movie.

First, everything I heard about the film made it sound completely derivative and predictable. Did this turn out to be true? Absolutely. I guess if I hadn't seen Dances With Wolves 20 years ago, I would not have known the difference, but...I did...practically everyone of movie-going age saw Dances With Wolves. Cameron basically lifted the storyline almost completely whole from that, set it in outerspace and slapped some fancy 3D computer graphics on it.

Second, I had heard the film was highly politically charged. True? Again, yes. Cameron's approach to politics is ham-handed and mean-spirited as evidenced by the movie and his reaction to others since (challenging people to debates, allowing them to spend thousands of their own money, then pulling out at the last possible minute). I do not watch movies to be proselytized in politics, but I am willing to abide it if the movie is good.

Bottom line for me: the special effects were great. The computer generated characters were among the best I've ever seen, but they still look computer generated. To be honest, Peter Jackson did better with The Lord of the Rings, especially Gollum. I cannot speak to the 3D because I haven't seen it in 3D, but I'll give Cameron the benefit of the doubt that it was groundbreaking. The acting was uniformly excellent; Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez, Sam Worthington and the rest were all well above average. The directing was excellent; I'll give James Cameron credit for being one of the best directors of this generation. The story was derivative. The script was insipid. Whatever else Cameron does well, he is not at this time a good writer. To clarify, he should not be writing his own stories or screenplays.

I could say more, but I found this great review by John Nolte on Big Hollywood that says just about everything I could wish to say about the subject.

And just for fun, I've included a link to this YouTube video that has more creativity with its script than Avatar does. Watch as Hitler reacts to the news that the movie's trailer sucks.

Have something to say on the subject? Please feel free to leave a comment below!

Cigar Review: Tatuaje Black

Corona Gorda, 5.625" x 46 ring gauge / Priceless

Tatuaje's Black Label cigars are a highly sought-after limited edition that was first released in the famous "jar" in 2008. Because of the controversial re-selling practices of some retailers, Pete pulled the Black Label (at least that's the story I was told by a couple retailers). Since then, it has shown up in the form of a few special releases including the Tubo and the Robusto 3-pack. Late in 2010 a "Private Reserve Black Sampler" was given away when you bought a box of The Face. This Corona Gorda is from that 3-pack and is a Nicaraguan puro. I smoked the first stick from this sampler when Pete was in town and mentioned offhand to him that it was "rough." He kind of chuckled and said, "Yeah, that's a ballsy cigar." That was when I knew I needed to reserve one of these sticks for a more thorough review.

The Tat Black has a classic Tatuaje look: dark--but not overly dark...it's not dyed!--wrapper with a simple black band. The wrapper leaf had a few medium-sized veins and a bit of mottling, but it had a nice oily touch to it and the aroma was awesome even before I brought it to my nose. Held up close, I got aromas of cocoa powder and earth on the body, and more of the same--only more intense--on the foot. The cold draw was easy and had a strong cocoa powder taste that I really loved.

Early puffing on the Tat Black revealed some of that intense cocoa powder along with a cayenne pepper and strong black coffee on the tongue; the retrohale was an intense black pepper. It was immediately evident that this would be a full-bodied smoking experience. The first third quickly became predominantly earthy with strong overtones of dark coffee and cocoa powder. After having had one each of the Torpedo/Tubo and Robusto size of the Tat Black, I have to say this Corona Gorda was really surprising me--while I liked the other sizes, this one was just great so far: lots of flavor without the same level of harshness I got in the other sizes (the reason I referred to it as "rough").

The second third continued with full-bodied earthiness but I started to get a re-emergence of some cayenne pepper on the tongue. The pepper retrohale had settled down to a very mild burn with a bit of roasted nuts. So far the burn line had been very even and the draw nothing short of flawless. The ashe was almost white in color and held on for a little more than half an inch at a time. The cayenne note built fairly steadily through the rest of the second third.

The final third was still earthy but the cayenne pepper provided a very interesting and welcome addition until the end. There were still hints of cocoa powder from time-to-time as well. This Corona Gorda Tat Black proved to me once again the power of smaller ring gauges in delivering superior flavor. While I liked the Black Label in other sizes, this size was something I would purchase again on a regular basis if it were available. With that in mind, I make this request to Pete Johnson: please release this size again, even if just as a semi-special edition. Maybe once a year a couple size of Tat Blacks could be released...one year a Corona and a Toro, next year a Lancero and a 6x60. I know there are fans of the larger ring gauge cigars and I would not ask any manufacturer to ignore them, but I'd love to see fans of the slimmer vitolas get some love as well. This is not a stick that novices could completely appreciate, but the Tat Black is definitely a blend that experienced smokers and Tat fans should seek out.

Note: After writing this review, it did come to my attention that the Tat Black will be available as a Petite Lancero sometime in the near future, an exclusive offering of Tobacco Grove. I look forward to trying it!

Body: 8/10

Strength: 7/10

Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4.5/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9.5/10

Agree, disagree or just have something to say on this topic? The Comments section is open!

Cigar Review: La Sirena Prince

Robusto, 5 x 50 ring gauge / approx. $8.40

La Sirena cigars are one of the newest cigars to be distributed by Miami Cigars. The cigar is made by My Father Cigars like many of the other Nestor Miranda blends. This cigar is billed as medium to full strength. It is comprised of Nicaraguan fillers and binders with a Connecticut broad-leaf wrapper. I smoked 4 samples of this cigar for this review.

The first thing you notice about the cigar is the band. It covers almost the whole front of the cigar. It is very detailed and has a lot going on. The center of the band is picture of a mermaid with a nautical theme. I know some people think it a little bit overwraught, I think it is a very good looking band. My wife, who occasionally smokes cigars, took an immediate liking to it and asked for them after I took them off so she could use them as part of a collage. The wrapper is a medium chocolate brown with a good amount of tooth and oils. There are some visible veins but they don't detract from cigar. The cigar is fairly firm when I squeezed it and there were no soft spots. When I put my nose to the wrapper I was able to detect the aromas of chocolate and leather, with barnyard coming from the foot. After I clipped the cigar and took a cold draw on it I got notes of chili pepper and chocolate. The draw was slightly tight though.

Once I lit the cigar up the first notes are chocolate and spice. Taking a few more puffs on cigar the flavors of leather and earth come through. The draw was slightly too tight for me at this point. The band came off easily, and yes it has to be taken off early or you'll burn it. I know your tobacconist would like you to only smoke it to the band, but it gets more interesting after you take it off. The ash was a brownish grey and needed to be tapped off after an inch and a quarter. The burn was slightly uneven, but nothing that needed correcting.

The second third saw much of the same with a couple positive changes. The draw opened up to near perfect, although I would have preferred it a little looser. Of the samples I smoked they tended to be be slightly tight. The flavors continued to be very enjoyable with the main ones being chocolate, leather, earth with a slight sweetness on the finish. The spice toned down a bit, but never went away. The burn also evened itself out. The cigar seemed to me to be of medium strength.

On into the final third didn't see much change in the way of flavors, but that wasn't a bad thing. The spice did come back, but by no means was overwhelming. I can definitely say I was enjoying the cigar.

Overall this was a great cigar. I can definitely see myself smoking this cigar again. I would like to try the other sizes to see how they compare to this size. I do think that this cigar would be great for almost any but the most inexperienced smoker as I felt that while it was full flavored while the nicotine kick wasn't overly strong. I would suggest picking this cigar up and giving it a try when you can find it.

Body: 8/10

Strength: 7/10

Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4.5/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9.5/10

Agree, Disagree, or just have something to add to the conversation? Please leave a comment below!

Second Look: Room 101 LTD Conjura

4.75" x 50 ring gauge / $8.40, Burns

The initial release of Room 101 cigars was highly praised by many in the cigar community. It is a medium-bodied cigar made by Camacho with a proprietary hybrid wrapper leaf and a flavor profile that turned out to vary widely depending on which vitola you chose. A year later Matt Booth and the folks at Camacho released the first in their "Limitado Series" of cigars, the Conjura Edition (Conjura is Spanish for conspiracy). It uses Dominican and Nicaraguan filler, a Honduran binder and a Honduran Rosado wrapper. My partner in blogging, Keith, got his hands on a pre-release sample a few months ago and was left completely unimpressed. When the actual production sticks hit the shelves at my local tobacconist, though, I bought a couple and smoked them both (different vitolas) before writing this review.

Right out of the cello, the appearance was mostly excellent. the cigar had a nicely squared-off box press, the bands were similar enough to the regular cigar to be recognizably "101," and the wrapper leaf was smooth and virtually vein-free. The one thing that was slightly lacking was the cap, part of which seemed significantly darker than the rest of the leaf and part of which was not firmly glued down--it was poking up just a bit in a couple place. Giving the wrapper a sniff, I picked up cedar and some kind of spice--maybe paprika; on the foot I noted a woodsy, almost compost note. The prelight draw was easy and had flavors of natural tobacco and wood.

Once lit the Conjura Edition greeted me with cedar and a slight sweetness on the palate and a retrohale that had a significant peppery punch. The sweetness became more clear as I smoked through the first third; it was a citrusy, mildly sweet note, almost an orange peel. It was a nice counter balance for the cedar that provided the major flavor, while the black pepper kept my nostrils burning the whole time.

As the second third started I noticed a fairly large change in flavor profile. The notes on the palate went from cedar and orange peel to a chocolate and cayenne pepper mix; this reminded me of the original 101 release which had a nice amount of cayenne, especially in the smaller ring gauges. On the retrohale, the pepper was replaced by roasted nuts. Draw and burn line were almost perfect thus far and the body was in the high end of medium.

The last third saw the sweetness of the chocolate subside as the flavor became more of a cocoa powder and the body ramped up to the low end of full. The cayenne pepper ramped up, too, much as it does in the regular 101. I really enjoyed this cigar; the overall flavor profile is similar enough to the original 101 that it is recognizable as part of the same family, but this is bolder and fuller. If you liked the original, but wanted something a little stronger, I think you will love this cigar. While the overall score for this cigar ended up being about the same as what I gave the 213 vitola of the regular release, I preferred this one slightly to the original and can see buying it frequently until it disappears--it is a limited edition, after all. Kudos to Matt Booth and Camacho for a great entry in this series and for keeping the price of the LTD in line with the original. And for those of you who have already tried and enjoyed this cigar, you may not have seen all it can do...rumor is that a similar filler/binder blend will be paired with a different wrapper some time in the future (as all rumors go, though, that is totally subject to change and I could just be part of some grand conspiracy to mislead you!).

Body: 8/10

Strength: 8/10

Complexity: 8/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4.5/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9.5/10

Agree, disagree or just have something to add to the conversation? The Comments section is open below!

OYA Maduro Monday: LFD DL Lancero Maduro

Each Monday in the month of January I will be presenting one of the five cigars in La Flor Dominicana's OYA Maduro Sampler which was released in Autumn 2010. These little vignettes will be more in the format of our "Cigar Extra" reviews: short and no score given.

Today's selection from the OYA Maduro Sampler is the Double Ligero Lancero--one of my favorite blends in my favorite size, with a wrapper that should bring some more flavor to the party. The wrapper of this cigar was about as leathery as I have ever seen a tobacco leaf--veiny, mottled, a little gnarly--it was rustic, but oily and beautiful, too. The leaf had notes of dried fruit and earth, while the foot had a strong, rich earth and manure aroma. The unlit draw gave me a sweet cocoa and raisin flavor. To balance the inherent sweetness of the maduro wrapper, I decided to pair this cigar with some Wild Turkey Rye Whiskey.

The cigar started off with a lot of leather and some dark chocolate in a very full-bodied, thick smoke. The rye whiskey was spicy and raw in the throat. The cigar had a pepperty retrohale to begin, but it settled down to a dull burn within 10 to 15 minutes. I got some interesting notes of licorice and raisin in the second third.

Later on the chocolately sweetness crept back in and there was some mild cayenne pepper on the finish. There was still some anise in the background as well. This DL Maduro went well with the Wild Turkey Rye. If these are available separately, I can definitely recommend this to fans of full-bodied smokes.

Cigar Extra: Nestor Miranda Collection Art Deco

Coffee Break, 4.5" x 50 ring gauge / $7.35, Burns

I smoked an Art Deco shortly after they came out and was left with the impression that it just was not for me. I had purchased another stick at the time, though, so I decided to sit on it for a couple months and see if I felt differently about the cigar. The Art Deco is the fourth in the Nestor Miranda Collection by Miami Cigar & Co., all of which were blended by Don Pepin Garcia. It uses Nicaraguan Corojo 1999 and Dominican San Vicente filler, Dominican Criollo 1998 and Nicaraguan Habano 2000 binders, and a Nicaraguan Corojo 2006 wapper (that's a lot of years represented!). I paired this Coffee Break vitola, appropriately enough, with my morning coffee.

The cigar's wrapper leaf was fairly oily and had a nice leathery look with medium-sized veins. From the body I got a cedar aroma with a bit of earth; on the foot I got chocolate and a little coffee. On the cold draw I got a mixture of chocolate sweetness and cedar. Lighting up brought a very full cedar flavor that pretty well eclipsed everything else; this is what I did not care for about the Art Deco on first tasting, but when paired with coffee it became much more pleasing as the bitter and sweet of the coffee mellowed out the wood notes.

By the second third, the woody notes were tamed even further by an addition of chocolatey sweetness and a fairly mild pepper spice. My coffee continued to be a great addition to this cigar. Good flavors and good times ensued through the end. At this point, I have a totally different impression of the Art Deco than before. This is a great cigar with coffee and I am eager to try it accompanied with some other beverages as well.

Agree, disagree, or just have something to add? Please leave a comment below!

Cold Weather Herfing Tips, part 2

Last week, I went through a few things I've learned from experience during the last couple years about how to be comfortable while smoking outside during the colder months. Most of last week had to do with what to wear; today's collection of tips is more about other things you can do to keep warm...

LAYERS

But I am starting with an apparel tip...specifically, wear layers of clothing. When smoking outdoors this month, I generally have a t-shirt, with a heavy flannel shirt over that, with my wool jacket over that. Before I found out about the flannel-lined pants, I would occasionally wear my jeans with a pair of sweat pants over them...yes, it looked goofy, but my legs stayed warm. I guess this is a basic tenet of staying warm no matter what activity you are engaging in, but it does work so that's why I'm including it.

HEATER

Find out where your closest electrical plug is...hopefully on the outside of the house...purchase a heavy-duty extension cord long enough to reach to your normal smoking area and set up an electric heater near you. The tricky part is what kind. I have used several different space heaters to see what works best. We have a forced-air heater that just does not force air enough outside; maybe it works inside, but outdoors it is pretty worthless. I am currently using a radiant heat dish type of heater. It works fairly well if positioned correctly. Someone else told me about a heater attachment you can put on the top of a propane tank that is supposed to give off much more heat. I have no doubt that would work even better, but then I would dealing with an open flame of sorts on a wood floor...and I'm just nervous about that. My current space heater is very much like the one pictured above. In the minibarn where I set up to smoke, it keeps the area about 10 to 15 degrees warmer than the outside temp. Which brings me to the next point...

WIND PROTECTION

The worst thing about smoking outdoors is often the wind chill. It doesn't matter so much if it's a "dry cold" or a "wet cold," if the wind is blowing at 20 miles an hour, it is blowing all that cold air into your face and blowing your body heat away. Find away to beat the wind. Put up a tarp, build a wall, hide behind a building...or in one! When we moved here, the house did not have a garage, so we bought a mini-barn. After 2 winters of suffering in the cold, my wife said okay to me smoking in the barn during the winter months. We cleared a spot near the door, I hung a tarp to partition off the front and back halves a bit (keep the heat and smoke in the front), and I keep the door open a crack to allow ventilation. Has it helped? You bet! The downside is that the mini-barn is bare wood inside and readily absorbs the smell of the smoke, so the barn does not have the better aroma anymore...well, actually I'm okay with it, but my wife is not nearly as keen on it!

One other thing I learned the other night about smoking in the cold is choosing the right cigar. I smoked a stick the other night that was a Connecticut Shade wrapper and despite my efforts to keep the temperature regulated, the coldness and dryness conspired to cause the wrapper to pop and break before I was done with it. If you are smoking outdoors in cold, dry weather, your best choice is a cigar with a thicker, more resilient wrapper leaf like a Broadleaf Maduro. Actually, I think most maduro leaves would work, but the point is to choose carefully and stay away from very thin, delicate leaves like Shade and Sumatra.

I hope this has been fun and informative and I would also like the information to continue. If you have more tips about herfing in the cold, please leave a comment below.

 

Cigar Review: Brittania Reserva by Exclusive Cigars

Robusto, 5.5 x 54 ring gauge / approx. $7, UPtown's Smoke Shop

Exclusive Cigars was established in 2005 and has prided themselves on being one of the fastest-growing boutique brands in the industry. Mostly known for their Kristoff line of cigars, the Brittania Reserva debuted in 2007, but was reblended in 2009. It features Cuban seed Nicaraguan and Dominican filler, a Cuban seed Dominican binder, and a Honduran-grown Connecticut Shade wrapper leaf. It is reportedly mild-to-medium in body with a "depth, flavor and complexity not found in other mild cigars." This review stick was my first experience with this blend, although I have smoked it since and enjoyed it just as much.

Removing the Brittania from its cellophane, I was immediately struck by a wave of pleasing aromas--something that rarely happens on "naked" cigars. The band was vintage-looking and classy. The cigar itself was surprisingly dark for a Connecticut Shade, but perhaps that is just how they grow such leaves in Honduras. It was almost medium-brown with darker mottling on it. It did appear to be very well-made with flat, even seams and a tight pigtail. On the wrapper leaf I got a note of hay and a little autumn spice; the foot gave off a stronger manure and wet earth aroma. I used my Xikar MTX to cleanly cap this cigar, giving me a smooth, easy draw full of caramel and chocolate sweetness as well as just a bit of pepper spice.

The Brittania lit easily and right away I was greeted with a very creamy smoke that had a ton of caramel sweetness and some hay as well. I also got flavors of vanilla and chocolate on the tongue and a nice nuttiness and creamy coffee on the retrohale. The first third provied to be just into the medium-bodied range after starting off fairly mild. What surprised me was the depth of flavor I got--the marketing was not just hyperbole! Amazingly creamy with a continuation of the flavors I noted before--at this point I was already considering a box purchase...or at least buying some more to see how further sampling compared.

During the second third, the character of the Brittania gradually changed from a luxuriant creaminess to a more solidly medium-bodied cigar with a little earthiness on the palate and some black pepper on the retrohale. The draw was nothing short of perfect so far and the burn line was very even.

As the final third started the Brittania continued to surprise me as a peppery burn crept into the palate and the retrohale exhibited notes of cedar. The smoke continued to be somewhat creamy and very thick and oily with a fairly long finish. In short, I really enjoyed this cigar from beginning to completion. It had a wide range of flavors that constantly progressed and never failed to surprise. Exclusive bills this as mild-to-medium, but I experienced mostly a dead-on medium-bodied smoke with a huge amount of flavor. It should be great as a morning cigar with coffee, but could also be enjoyed mid-day or even after a big dinner because of its complex flavor. The great thing is that is it not so powerful that novices cannot appreciate it or so mild that fans of stronger cigars should skip it. A box purchase in the future is definitely not out of the question.

Body: 5/10

Strength: 6/10

Complexity: 9/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 5/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 10/10

Agree, Disagree, or just have something to add to the conversation? Please leave a comment below!

2 Sides: Hoyo de Monterrey Reposado en Cedros

5.25 x 54, MSRP $6.49

Dave Said:

I believe my first cigar was an Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur. While it does not do much for me these days, I think it was a good place to start in the smoking world. Through the last 10 years I’ve enjoyed at different times nearly everything in the Hoyo de Monterrey lineup, but not being a big fan of overly-cedary cigars, I did not expect to enjoy this one much. General Cigar created a new process called “inmersión” to imbue these cigars with more cedar flavor than anything else in their line; because of the time-consuming nature of the process, quantities of this stick will be limited; however, I would like to point out that even though these will be available in limited quantities, the price has not been raised exorbitantly as a result. The filler is Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Dominican (Piloto Cubano), the binder is Connecticut Broadleaf, and the wrapper is an Ecuadorian Sumatra leaf. We would like to thank Victoria from General Cigar for generously providing the 10 samples (5 for each of us) that we smoked for this review.

Most of the cigar was covered by the triple bands and cedar sheath. Slipping the cedar off revealed an oily, toothy, leathery wrapper that had a slightly less than medium-brown color with some darker mottling. Most veins were small and unnoticeable, but there were a couple larger ones near the band. Giving the wrapper a sniff, I got mostly earthy manure aromas with…surprise!...cedar. On the foot I got a slightly stronger cedar note. My Xikar XI cleanly trimmed the cap, leaving me with a nice, clean draw. Not surprisingly, the predominant prelight flavor was cedar, but there was also a little sweetness, maybe cocoa or dried fruit.

Lighting was fairly easy with just a single-flame torch. Again, it will come as no surprise to anyone that woody, cedary notes are present right up front on the palate and the retrohale. What was nice was the mild sweetness that was also there on the palate and the white pepper that I also got on the nose. The cedar was not as strong as I feared it would be nor was it harsh and astringent as I have experienced in some other cedar-heavy sticks. The rest of the first third continued in much the same fashion, with plenty of cedary notes along with some other minor flavors popping up every now and then.

One thing that has been nice to note is the consistency of great construction on these sticks. Every one that I have smoked has had a great draw and very even burn line. While there was still plenty of cedar in the second third, I also started to get a nice molasses note as well. The retrohale had become more nutty with the earlier pepper spice declining.

There were no surprises in the last third—more cedar and continued sweetness along with just a little pepper on the finish. Overall, I was impressed by this latest entry into the Hoyo de Monterrey lineup—it did not blow me away, but it provided a steady, pleasing flavor from beginning to end. It was medium-bodied and should be able to be enjoyed by everyone from the newbie to the experienced smoker. Some longtime smokers might wish for more body or more complex flavors but I thought the Reposado en Cedros hit the mark nicely and at a price that is easy on the wallet.

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

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

Keith Said:

While a Hoyo de Monterrey wasn’t the first cigar I smoked they played a major part in the early days of my smoking as they were a “name brand”, priced well and had good flavor.  I was excited to hear that there was going to be a new line released that was a departure for the brand.

The first thing I notice about this cigar is that the band isn’t your typical HdM band.  It has gold, orange, yellow and black colors with a picture of an angel holding what looks like tobacco plants at the center of it.  Like the name suggests the cigar has a cedar sleeve that on this size covers two thirds of the cigar.  From what I can see without taking off the sleeve the wrapper has a golden brown hue with a slightly mottled appearance.  After taking off the sleeve, which comes of very easily unlike some other brands, the wrapper is of the same color although you get to see that there are some veins and some mottling.  This sample didn’t have as much tooth as some of the other samples.  As Dave experienced the wrapper is pleasantly oily to the touch.  Giving the cigar a squeeze I noticed a slight amount of give without any soft spots.  Putting my nose to the cigar I was able to get light aromas of hay and cedar from the wrapper with a heavier scent of cedar from the foot.  After cutting the cigar and taking a cold draw on it I was able to detect a slight amount of cedar and a slight sweetness on the tongue with a good draw.

As soon as I lit it up the flavor of cedar hit me, especially when I retrohaled it.  I was also able to detect a note of sweetness on the tip on my tongue with a little bit of spice on the back of the tongue.  The draw was pretty much perfect with it producing a good volume of smoke.  It was definitely medium strength at this point.  The ash has a nice stacked looked to it and is very white in color.   After I got about an inch in I got a slight cashew taste on the finish.  The burn line on this sample is very even.  The other ones I had weren’t this perfect but they weren’t bad.  The ash fell off in about 1.25” chunks.

You might be able to guess what the predominate flavor of the second third is, and if you guessed cedar you’d be right.  The sweetness was still there along with the spice.  There was also a slight earthiness that started to come through as well.  The burn and draw continued to be near perfect.  At the end of the second third I was also getting a slight amount of creaminess to the cigar.  The spice had almost died down by the end of the second third as well. 

Entering the final third didn’t see much change from the second third.  The band did come off easily.  Unfortunately at that point I discovered a slight problem.  There was a decent size rip in the wrapper.  It didn’t seem to have any effects on the smoking characteristics though.  The spice came back a bit in the tip of the tongue.  The cigar still exhibited the cedar flavors with a slight cocoa coming through on the finish.  The sweetness was still there but only slightly.  The draw and burn continued to be pretty much perfect.  The smoke was sort of light weight throughout the cigar, but the volume it produced was impressive. 

I can easily say that this cigar was quite enjoyable.  Like Dave mentioned it would be good for pretty much any smoker.  A newer smoker or someone who like lighter strength cigars would feel right at home with it.  Someone who prefers stronger cigars, like myself, would be able to enjoy this in the morning with a cup of coffee or anytime they are feeling like a lighter cigar.

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

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

Agree, disagree, or just have something to add to the conversation? Please feel free to leave a comment below!

Cigar Review: Paul Garmirian Symphony 20

Connoisseur, 6" x 52 ring gauge / MSRP $17

Paul Garmirian developed his cigar business based on a life-long love of fine cigars and released his first line in 1991. To celebrate his 20th year in the industry, Garmirian teamed with Heinke Kelner and Eladio Diaz from Davidoff to create the Symphony 20 Limited Edition. The blend consists of 4 filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, a Cuban-seed Dominican binder, and an Ecuadorian wrapper that the website says is "the greatest wrapper we've ever seen." I picked up this sampler during the latest Twitter Cigar Pass and it spent almost a month in my humidor before I sparked it up for this review.

I generally judge the appearance pretty strictly on a cigar costing upwards of $20 a stick and this is no different. While the look was classy and appealing for the most part, closer inspection revealed barely concealed large veins, including one spot where a binder vein almost broke through the wrapper, as well as a spot where the leaf was wrinkled. Other than that, the leaf was smooth and moderately oily to the touch and to the eye. The filler was fairly evenly packed, although I did detect a couple slightly soft spots. When sniffed, I got an earthiness from the body and cedar and manure on the foot. My Palio cutter made an extremely clean slice on the head and the cold draw was fantastic: not the least bit tight and it had flavors of molasses, hay and that woodsy note I always associate with Davidoff products.

From the first puff, I got big flavors: a foresty earthiness, a sweet caramel, a distinct grassiness, and a heavy cedar note on the finish. The retrohale had roasted nuts, black pepper, and that woodsy, almost mushroom/fungus note I got in prelight. Like it or not, it is one way to tell if the Davidoff crew has had a hand in the blend. The first third performed beautifully--a continually wonderful flavor of earth with a little sweetness and occasional hints of the aforementioned flavor cavalcade. The draw was just about perfect and the burn line was straight enough to not need touching up.

Until now the Symphony 20 had been a medium-bodied smoke, but during the second third, the body ramped up to the full level while the smoke stayed as smooth and voluminous as ever. The earthiness subsided to a more leathery flavor with just a little pepper spice on the finish.

The Symphony 20 was one of those rare cigars that maintained a full body yet also maintained an extraordinary smoothness and elegance. The final third was still somewhat earthy, but a strong wood/cedar note was there as well. There was just enough pepper spice still around to keep things very interesting as well, but there was just enough nicotine to alert you to its presence without it ever being really strong. The bottom line here is that this is a superb cigar with a ton of flavor and should keep any experienced smoker well-satisfied all the way down to the nub. If not for the high price tag, I would smoke these on a regular basis...it is possibly the best Kelner/Diaz blend I have ever tasted. Simply wonderful.

Body: 8/10

Strength: 6/10

Complexity: 9/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 1.5/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 5/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9.5/10

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.

OYA Maduro Monday: LFD DL Chisel Maduro

Each Monday in the month of January I will be presenting one of the five cigars in La Flor Dominicana's OYA Maduro Sampler which was released in Autumn 2010. These little vignettes will be more in the format of our "Cigar Extra" reviews: short and no score given.

The Double Ligero Chisel set the world on fire a few years back with its unique shape and formidable strength. The Maduro version has some of the same formula but with a beautiful, dark and oily maduro leaf. I got notes f leather and wet earth on the wrapper and a more vegetal earthiness on the foot. There is always some discussion about the proper way to prepare an LFD Chisel for smoking--punch, cut, pinch--but I prefer to cut a bit of the end with my Xikar MTX Multitool. The angle of the curvature just seems tailor-made for the job. I got a nice chocolatey sweetness on the cold draw.

The DL blend always has an intense start and this one was no different--heavy, thick smoke with leather, earth and dark chocolate on the palate along with a violently peppery burn on the retrohale. It was a great counterpoint to the rainy fall weather in which I enjoyed the cigar. The middle third was pretty mellow with mostly chocolate and coffee flavors, although the body did not let up in the least.

In the end, the Chisel Maduro did not disappoint. If you are looking for a full-bodied, full-strength cigar that also possesses a huge amount of flavor, you need look no further. This one provided a great way to escape from work for a while during a rainy afternoon.

Cigar Extra: Arturo Fuente Añejo

No. 77, "The Shark" / ~$15

One of the rarest Fuente lines is the Añejo, released in small batches once or twice a year. One of the rarest Fuente shapes in the No. 77, commonly known as the Shark--a pyramid cigar box-pressed at the foot and tapering to a rounded torpedo at the head. The shape is reportedly so difficult to roll that only one roller in the world knows how to do it--at least that's what I was told. Although the retail price is not particularly high for these, good luck finding them for sale at all and if you do good luck finding them at the MSRP. This beautifully funky-shaped cigar had a pleasant leather and earth aroma on the wrapper and more earth along with wine or cognac on the foot. I took my Shark out on the porch a chilly, autumn day with some Whaler's Rare Dark Reserve Rum.

Leather was the dominant flavor on the tongue as I lit up; the retrohale had a peppery blast and a note of cognac. The Añejo kept serving up superb flavors through the first and second thirds--more cognac and leather, mostly--and the rum provided a sweet counterpoint to the cigar. The unfortunate thing was how quickly the cigar went. Before I really noticed, nearly 2/3 was gone. The draw was a ittle tight as well, leading to a sap build-up on the head, but I was able to avoid getting any of that nasty bitterness in my mouth by dabbing the end on a paper towel.

I'm glad I finally got to smoke a Shark, but I was left with an overall feeling of "what the big deal?" Great cigar? Sure, but I still prefer the #46 vitola (almost a Corona) of the Añejo when it's available--it just has more flavor to it.

Cigar Extras are short, unscored cigar reviews, usually about a cigar that has been reviewed in the past, but this time experienced in a different size and/or with a different libation. If you have a different opinion on the cigar or just something to say, the Comments section is open.

Cold Weather Herfing Tips, part 1

Two years ago this month, I moved from Southern California--where I grew up--to Tennessee--where I was born, and probably where I'll die. There were times I thought I knew what cold was about in SoCal, but moving to a slightly less temperate locale taught me that really...I knew nothing. The old group would gather around the blazing chimnea at 45 degrees in SoCal, but these days, I consider that a perfectly reasonable temperature for enjoying a cigar. It's amazing what you can get used to. With that in mind, I thought I'd pass on a few tips in "cold weather herfing" that I've learned in the last couple years. Those of you in even colder climates than I'm in might be able to use these...or you might just want to build a separate building with its own heating unit...because 30 below and 10 feet of snow is probably something you can't get used to!

COAT - Simple, right? Mostly it is, but just a few things I wanted to point out. I bought a coat at Old Navy about 9 years ago. It's black, made of a wool and synthetic blend, and is considered pretty warm for SoCal. It works to some degree here, too, but only when used in layers (which I'll get to next week). What I like about this coat is that it provides a good amount of insulation without being too bulky. A parka would undoubtedly be far better, but it would also limit the movement of your arms and make you look like that kid in A Christmas Story. Not a good thing. I've also found that my coat doesn't reek of tobacco smoke very quickly. Something about the wool tends to shed the odor pretty quickly...at least, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

GLOVES - The first pair of gloves I tried smoking with were insulated leather Isotoner gloves. While they kept my hands warm, I always found it difficult to hold a cigar with completely gloved hands. It was just too hard to tell if I was holding too tight or too loosely so my cigar was always in danger of either dropping out of my hand or getting squeezed flat (in cold weather, a broken wrapper would be the greater danger of squeezing too tight). Also, if I was reading a book or magazine, gloved fingers would make it absolutely impossible to flip pages. So I found these great knit gloves with cut off fingers. They are lined and the knit construction does a great job at keeping the majority of my hands very warm. Yes, my fingertips get cold, but I'm able to hold on to my stogie easily and play Angry Birds on my phone, too. (The gloves pictured are not the exact ones I bought, but they are very similar.)

PANTS - This was an issue I was not sure what to do about. The first two winters in Tennessee, when I went out in the cold, I just wore jeans. They were not terribly warm, but I figured there was not much that could be done. Then I got an advertisement for 5.11 Tactical Flannel-Lined Pants! They were on close-out and marked down to half price. Not having bought any before, I opted for one pair and have been very, very pleased. The flannel lining is goofy looking--but you only see it when you take the pants off, not while you're wearing them--and it keeps my legs very comfortable in temps down to the low 30s.

BOOTS - One way to keep your feet warm and prevent cold air from creeping between the bottom of your pants and top of your shoes is to wear boots. Hiking boots, combat boots, cowboy boots...it probably does not matter that much as long as the boots are decently comfortable and fairly well insulated to begin with. I just picked up these 5.11 ATAC Storm boots this month. They are very comfortable, waterproof and slip-resistant...which can be an issue for wet or icy conditions. The bonus part is that came with a boot knife and a place to conceal it, so if anyone tries to lay hands on my stogie...they might just get what's coming to them! :)

There are a few other things to talk about in next Friday's part 2 of "Cold Weather Herfing." In the meantime, leave a comment. Let us know what tips you might have for staying warm in the colder months.