Cigar Review: La Caridad del Cobre La Charada

La Cucaracha (No. 48), 5" x 54 ring gauge / approx. $7.25

As explained by Frank Herrera, the man behind these cigars, La Caridad del Cobre is the patron saint of Cuba and the only constant in Cuban culture since her appearance in 1608. The cigars produced by Frank and his company are intended to keep Cuban traditions alive by those living in exile. They are handmade in the Dominican Republic and this particular perfecto uses Dominican and Nicaraguan filler, a Dominican binder, and a Brazilian Arapiraca maduro wrapper (with the tips wrapped in pieces of Ecuadorian shade leaf).  Some people have indicated being a bit put off by the name "La Cucaracha," which is Spanish for "cockroach," but there is a story with that as well...Bolita ("little ball") was a popular lottery game in Cuba and Cuban immigrant neighborhoods and it was all wrapped up in superstition. If you dreamed of a certain animal or object one night, you might play a certain number associated with that animal or object the next day. La Cucaracha is associated with the number 48. This review sample is the third cigar of this vitola that I smoked; they were provided by Frank Herrera when he traveled through Chattanooga a few weeks ago. It seems appropriate to now stop and say, "Thank you, Frank."

I liked the way this cigar looked and did ever since I first laid eyes on it. The mottled maduro may have a couple flaws; the shade tips may not be the clearest leaf I have ever seen...bu the way the pieces are crafted together into a hard-to-roll perfecto shape is a thing of beauty. Obvious care was taken to fit the lighter tips onto the whole and the ornate band--with all its iconography telling the story of the eponymous saint--wass perfect, centered in the length of the cigar as it was. I got an earthy, barnyard smell on the wrapper and more earthiness on the foot--although it was understandably subdued there because the foot is quite small. After clipping the pointy head, the draw was just slightly snug, but had a nice mix of earth, hay and natural tobacco sweetness.

Even just the smallest bit of shade leaf started La Cucaracha off with a creamy, mild profile; but 3 puffs later when that shade leaf was almost burned away and the maduro wrapper came into play, the cigar suddenly took on more body and a nice hit of pepper on the retrohale. This short perfecto soon settled down into a medium-to-full bodied cigar with a small amount of pepper spice on both palate and nose, and a subtle sweetness from the maduro leaf. The longer I smoked the more I also tasted an underlying earthiness.

Construction on La Cucaracha proved to be excellent across all the samples I smoked--and the ones I saw others smoking, for that matter. An ash half the length of the cigar was not uncommon. The flavors in the second third were still quite earthy, but still with plenty of cocoa powder and coffee notes as well as a lingering pepper burn at the back of the throat.

The spice increased a bit during the last third, but the overall flavor profile remained fairly constant from the second third on. I really enjoyed this vitola from La Caridad del Cobre as it had enough flavor to keep me interested throughout. One of the magical things about La Cucaracha was the relatively short time it took to smoke--somewhere about 45 minutes on average. That made it just about perfect for a mid-afternoon break from work. The price is also very good, especially for a perfecto, which tend to be more expensive since they are harder to roll. I would think this would be fairly accessible to any but the most novice of cigar smokers since it does not pack much of a nicotine punch or overwhelm the smoker with a full body.

Body: 7/10

Strength: 6/10

Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4.5/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9.5/10

Have you tried this cigar? If you have something you would like to add to the conversation, please leave a comment below...

Cigar & Beer Pairing: Guillermo Leon Signature & Dogfish Head Midas Touch

Gran Corona 6" x 47 ring gauge / $7.99, Maxamar's
12 oz bottle/ 9" ABV/ $9.99 per 4 pack, Total Wine

First off, this being Memorial Day, I'd like to remember, and thank all of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to make and keep our country free. My sympathies to any families out there who have lost men and women in service to our country as well. And thank you to all of those of you serving our country today.

The cigar is one we have feature on the site before. You can read our thoughts on it here or here. The gran corona is by far my favorite size in the line.

The beer today is something that I saw when I was at Total Wine last time and decided to pick up a four pack to give it a try. This beer is described as "the actual oldest-known fermented beverage in the world! It is an ancient Turkish recipe using the original ingredients from the 2700 year old drinking vessels discovered in the tomb of King Midas." It is brewed with barley, honey, white muscat grapes and saffron. It is a fairly strong beer at 9% alcohol by volume with an IBU of 12.

Pouring this beer into the glass reveals an golden amber brew. The beer is fairly clear and has almost no head to it. Putting my nose to it I get aromas of pear, bread, hops and spice. Giving it a drink I get flavors of grapes, malt and a slight hint of saffron. The beer is fairly light in body, fairly lightly carbonated, and has a sweet finish to it.

Tasting the two together is an interesting experience. Even though there was no spice in the beer it brought out the spice in the cigar. The cigar seem to bring out the sweetness of the beer. As I continued smoking and sipping on the beer I was starting to get a creaminess in the beer. While this wouldn't be my favorite paring it was very enjoyable. It was also a great paring for an afternoon as it was easy to enjoy and there wasn't anything that needed focus on.

I can recommend either one of these two to pretty much anyone out there. They aren't that strong for the newer smokers/drinkers, while offer good and interesting flavors for the more experienced smokers/drinkers out there.

Agree or disagree, I would love to hear about your experiences with the either one of these...leave a comment below...

Cigar Extra: Cain Daytona

#4, 5" x 43 ring gauge / $4.86, UPtown's Smoke Shop

The original Cain "philosophy" or "tagline" was "Straight Ligero," which resulted in fullness of body and strength; I thought they usually did a pretty good job delivering flavor, too, although that is a debate I have had with some folks. The new Cain Daytona is not about seeing how strong a cigar can be, but about tobacco from a single region--in this case, Nicaragua's Jalapa Valley (which seems like a strangely familiar theme in and of itself). There are 5 initial vitolas and I ended up smoking two of the #4s--about the size of a petite corona.

The wrapper was a little oily, but there were some strange spots marring it. I got a barnyardy, earthy smell on the wrapper and earth, wood and a bit of maple on the foot. The Daytona opened with a very peppery blast that is not unusual for Nicaraguan tobacco. There was also some earthiness and a good amount of bitterness; the retrohale was even spicier than the smoke on the palate.

The spice died down by the end of the first third and so did the bitterness thankfully, becoming a very earthy flavor with a little woodiness to it. The first of these did not strike me as a very strong cigar, but this second sample was really kicking my butt, leaving me to wonder exactly how much ligero there was in here. I liked the Cain Daytona, but probably not as much as the Cain F, which to me still delivers the most flavor in the line.

Agree or disagree, I would love to hear about your experiences with the Daytona...leave a comment below...

Cigar Review: Casa Gomez Maduro

Loren (Corona), 6.5" x 44 ring gauge / approx. $5.50

The other day I related pretty much all the information I had on the Casa Gomez company, so if you didn't see that post, read it now...I'll wait. Done? All right, then...the Natural was blended to Benny Jr.'s tastes, but today's Maduro was geared toward the tastes of the third generation of Gomez to work for the company, Loren. If you communicate with @CasaGomezCigars on Twitter, Loren is the one you are talking with. This cigar is made in the Dominican Republic and uses Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers along with a Brazilian Arapiraca Maduro wrapper. I smoked a total of 3 of these while working on this review.

To start off with, the cigar was dark and oily in appearance. There were a few larger veins, lending a more rustic appearance to the stick. Holding the cigar to my nose, I got a leathery and earthy notes from the wrapper leaf, while the foot had a pungent manure aroma with just a hint of cocoa powder. My Xikar Xi made a clean, surgical cut and left a very nice, open draw that had a bit of dried fruit sweetness as well as a bit of earthiness. Note: the second sample I smoked did not draw very well, possibly due to not getting a full, clean cut; the flavor was a bit off on that stick, too, and I wonder if it had to do with the insufficient draw.

After lighting I got initial flavors of tea and unsweetened cocoa powder on the tongue, along with a fairly powerful earthiness through the nose, where I also got a good peppery burn. The first third was on the low end of full-bodied and trended toward a very earthy flavor that did display some notes of dark roast coffee and cocoa powder. There was also just a little sweetness in there. I liked all of this...what I was not so crazy about was the mildly sour taste I was getting on the finish. It was not enough that I considered it really offputting, but it was noticeable.

The second third was mostly a continuation of the flavor profile of the first--not bad flavors, but not all that complex, either. The construction on this sample was excellent, with a straight burn line and a very good draw.

Shortly into the final third, the Casa Gomez Maduro had a major flavor change--going from very earthy to a much sweeter chocolate note. There were also notes of bread and a little peppery burn lingering on the lips. All in all, I did not find it too surprising that I enjoyed the Maduro more than the Natural...neither was "bad," but the Maduro just fits better with my flavor preferences. The price is a no-brainer--$5.50 retail price for this vitola, creeping up to about $7 for the largest sizes. For newer smokers, this may have just a bit too much body and nicotine strength to really enjoy, but for more experienced smokers, it should be no problem. I would say the biggest problem this cigar will face is the wide variety of competition at this level these days...there are just so many very good cigars vying for your attention (and dollars) in this $6 to $9 range. To their credit, Casa Gomez mostly exists in the lower end of that range so budget-minded cigar enthusiasts should take note and give these a try.

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

If you have something to add, please let your voice be heard by leaving a comment below...

Cigar Review: E.P. Carillo Elencos Elites

Toro, 6" x 54 ring gauge / $11.99, Maxamar's

This is the cigar I intended to review last week. That was before the wind took it and busted the wrapper. When I visited my regular shop I picked up another sample to smoke for this review.

The is the other recent release by the E.P. Carillo company. While the New Wave is mild to medium bodied this cigar is billed to be medium to full bodied. It is comprised of Nicaraguan filler, a Dominican Binder, and a Brazilian wrapper. I been told that this cigar is the same blend as the Edición Limitada 2010 (my review of that cigar is here). It comes in 3 sizes; the 5.25"x50 Don Rubio, a 6.25"x52 Acto Mayor, and the size I'm reviewing. They come in a nice glossy black 20 count box. This is either my fourth or fifth one of these I've smoked.

The first thing that I notice is the band and it's color. While it is the same design as the other ones this one's color is very pleasing to my eye. I also think it goes well with the color of the wrapper, sort of a muted elegance. The wrapper on this cigar is an oak brown color. There are some slight veins but nothing detrimental to the look of the cigar. The wrapper is also slightly oily with a velvety feel to it. The wrapper on this sample had a couple very small water spots, but they didn't cause any problems. Giving this cigar a squeeze I didn't detect any soft spots and there was a slight amount of give. Once I put my nose to the wrapper I detected that fairly intense aroma of barnyard, with barnyard and hay coming from the foot. After I clipped it and took a cold draw on it I was rewarded with the taste of bitter chocolate and a good draw.

As soon as I light this cigar up I get a very intense red pepper spice on the retrohale. Taking a few more puffs on the cigar I'm able to get notes of leather, earth, chocolate, and spice on the tongue. The cigar starts at the bottom end of full on the strength scale. The burn was slightly uneven however the draw was pretty much perfect and it produced lots of smoke. The nearly white ash held on for about an inch before it needed to be tapped off. Towards the end of the first this I started noticing a slightly metallic and a herbal taste coming through. Neither were intense or unpleasant. The spice and the strength also mellowed out a bit towards the end of the first third.

The second third started off with flavors of black pepper, leather, earth with a slight creaminess on the finish. The burn had almost evened itself out, although it wasn't perfectly straight. That is one thing I've noticed about this cigar, while the burn isn't perfectly straight it doesn't cause any problems or need any correcting with a flame. At the end of the end of the second third flavors of chocolate and cinnamon came through. Also the spice of the cigar had died down quite a bit by the end of the second third. However the cigar was still pretty strong as I was feeling a slight nicotine hit at this point.

In the final third this cigar finished strong. The flavors simplified to chocolate, cinnamon and a slight nuttiness. The draw was perfect the whole way through. The burn did still tend to be slightly wavy but I never fired up my lighter to correct it. The spice did come back a bit as well as I was nearing the end of the cigar.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this cigar. Although it tastes different than the EL2010, but I can't put my finger what the difference is. I do like the fact that the price point on this cigar is lower that the EL 2010. I do highly recommend this cigar to anyone out there who enjoys a fuller flavored, and fuller strength cigar. Great job Ernesto! I'm looking forward to what you come up with next!

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

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

Have you tried this smoke and want to share your own experience? Please leave a comment below...

Sam Leccia's Back in the Game

Word started trickling out yesterday that Sam Leccia, recognized as the mind behind the Nub and Cain cigars, was going to have a big announcement today and, for once, the rumors were right. Sam just sent out the following press release:

For Immediate Release
May 24, 2011
Sam Leccia “Debut”
It is with great pleasure we announce the return of one of the most creative minds the cigar industry has known. Sam Leccia is back with his newest creation and what looks to be the years most anticipated cigar. The Sam Leccia Cigar Company (www.samlecciacigarco.com) proudly presents Sam’s “Debut”, a fitting name for Leccia’s solo release.

The cigar nation embraces Leccia like a rock star for the passion and originality he brings to the business.
“This is the most exciting time of my life. I look forward to sharing with you, my Debut.”- Sam Leccia

Sam Leccia’s “Debut” is a twist of Nicaragua, Honduras, Ecuador and Santo Domingo tobaccos blended together to give a unique smoking experience. Sam’s “Debut” will be available in 3 sizes: Double Rob 5x60, Double Church 7x60, Figurado 6 ½x52.

The marketing genius and mad science approach of Sam Leccia has audiences excited about his newest creation the “Debut”. For pre-orders and general inquiries contact SamsDebut@SamLecciaCigarCo.com
www.samlecciacigarco.com

I have heard some opine that this is not a "good time" to start a new cigar company, but I am inclined to disagree. Although anti-smoking legislation and high taxes have taken their toll on the industry, today's smokers are discriminating and knowledgeable, not to mention very eager to try something new...greatly rewarding those who put out a superior product. I look forward to Sam's new "Debut" product and we here at the Tiki Bar wish him all the best.

Cigar Review: Casa Gomez Natural

Loren (Corona), 6.5" x 44 ring gauge / ~$5.50  

I always enjoy being able to introduce people to something new and different, and I am betting that a large percentage of our readers here on the Tiki Bar have not heard of Casa Gomez. I first heard of them when Loren Gomez (@CasaGomezCigars) accompanied @LCDCcigars and @Cigarita on their recent trip from Florida to Louisville. One of the stops they made was at Burns Tobacconist in Chattanooga and I got time to talk with Loren about his family's business. Loren's grandfather, Benny Sr., started in the cigar industry in Cuba before having to flee in 1961; he continued his trade in the U.S. with La Roma Cigars in a factory that was later bought by Ernesto Perez Carrillo, Sr., who changed the name to El Credito. The current Casa Gomez brand has been on the market for about 5 years, although distribution is somewhat limited. The cigars are made in the Dominican Republic in the La Tradicion Cubana factory, overseen by Luis Sanchez. This Natural wrapped version was blended to Benny Jr.'s taste and features Dominican filler, Honduran binder, and an Ecuadorian shade wrapper leaf. This review sample is the second of these I smoked. I would like to also take this opportunity to thank Loren Gomez for taking time to talk with me and for providing the review samples.

For a cigar that retails in the $5-6 range, I have to say that the initial appearance is excellent...something that is not always easy to achieve with a light-colored wrapper. I could find no serious flaws in construction of mis-coloration or anything that would detract from the appearance. The band was fairly simplistic, but it was still attractive. Sniffing the body of the cigar, I smelled a clean hay aroma; on the foot, I got more hay along with a bit of earthiness. All the aromas were somewhat understated and subtle. I cut the head of the Casa Gomez with my Xikar MTX and got a very good draw; cold draw flavors were of hay, natural tobacco, and a touch of molasses sweetness.

The cigar lit up quickly and easily with a single flame torch lighter; my initial impression was that this is a traditional mild cigar...some grassy notes, a little bitterness and a hint of sweetness. Not bad...but also not something I gravitate toward normally. After I few more puffs I got a mild peppery burn on the retrohale. By midway through the first third, all I was really getting was a hay and grass flavor, though. Construction was great so far and the smoke was creamy and mild-bodied.

During the second third the draw did tighten up a bit at one point, but it seemed to correct itself after a few minutes. I was still getting mostly grassy flavors, but some earthiness crept in to the profile as well, which I found kept me interested.

The final third was a bit of surprise. The body tamped up to the medium level and the overall flavor profile became much more earthy although there were still sweet flavors from the shade wrapper in evidence, too. I found the Casa Gomez Natural to be a very good cigar overall, with a good progression of flavors and a decent amount of complexity. It would be good choice to enjoy during the morning with a cup of coffee. For newer smokers, it should offer a mild enough body and strength level to not overwhelm, and for more experienced smokers it should be flavorful enough to enjoy early in the day.

Body: 5/10
Strength: 5/10
Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 3.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 8.5/10

Have you tried this smoke and want to share your own experience? Please leave a comment below...

Cigar & Beer Pairing: San Lotano Habano & Stone Old Guardian

Toro, 6" x 50 ring gauge / $6.99
22 oz. Bottle/ 12% ABV/ $5.49

This is a follow up to my post about the Stone Old Guardian Belgo (which can be found here). Today I will be pairing the regular release of the Old Guardian barley wine with a San Lotano Habano.

This version uses the regular type of yeast that they use in their beers instead of the Belgian type used in the Belgo. This beer pours a dark cloudy amber color. There isn't much head and it has notes of orange and hopps on the nose. Flavors of hopps, citrus, and malt assault the tongue when you take a drink. The beer is very heavy and coats the tongue. As with most high ABV beers there isn't much carbonation.

The cigar I decided to smoke with this beer is the San Lotano Habano. You can read my full review if this cigar here. I can easily say I really enjoy this cigar as I've smoked a couple boxes of them. I was anticipating a great paring of the two.

Let's get down to it. After taking a couple puffs on the cigar to get it going I took a sip of the beer. The cigar seemed to bring out the hops bitterness of the beer. Doing the opposite seem to bring out the spice and strength of the cigar. As I progressed through the cigar and beer it seemed to me that they sort of competed and didn't exactly go well together. That isn't to say that I didn't enjoy it, it was only that it wasn't the most complimentary pairing.

I can highly recommend both of these separately, but to me at the time it wasn't the best pairing as they seemed to compete. I welcome any comments to any of you who might have tried either one of these.

Do you have something to add? Leave a comment below!

Cigar Extra: CroMagnon

Cranium (Gran Toro), 6" x 54 ring gauge / $8.00

First a quick "Thank you" to Keith for sending me this first CroMagnon that I got my hands on. This cigar is a joint venture between Skip Martin (Hava Cigar Store & Lounge) and Micheal Rosales (Adrian's Cigars). It has Nicaraguan filler, a Cameroon binder and a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper that is as oily as any cigar I have ever seen, including the Liga Privada T-52. After hearing so much buzz on Twitter, I was anxious to light up this bad boy. The wrapper had a smell of earth and leather, while I got stronger earth aromas mixed with chocolate on the foot. A strong cigar needs a hearty beverage to go with it so I cracked open a Samuel Adams Double Bock.

Prelight draw was good and had flavors of cocoa powder and chili pepper. Once lit the CroMagnon was smooth and sweet on the palate and peppery on the retrohale. The beer was sweet and smooth, too, with an almost maple flavor. Through the firt third the cigar had a nice balance of sweetness from the wrapper and earthiness from the filler; the pepper spice went away fairly quickly.

The CroMagnon was not the most complex cigar I have ever had, but it was very good and had a tremendous amount of flavor throughout. The pairing with the Double Bock was very good as well--both were smooth and sweet with a deceptive amount of strength. It made a great pairing for an almost-Spring evening after a hard day of work.

Note: Keith published a full review of the CroMagnon back in February; check it out HERE.

Do you have something to add? Leave a comment below!

Cigar Review: My Father Limited Edition 2011

Toro, 6.5" x 52 ring gauge / $22.50, Burns

I missed out last year...when the first Limited Edition from My Father came out, I heard about it first on some other blog, decided I probably couldn't afford it (money was a bit tighter a year ago) and by the time I got to my local tobacconist...they were gone anyway! I wish I had been able to buy a couple of those and compare them to this year's version, but...that just was not in the cards. Anyway, this year the star aligned, but I still felt my heart jump when faced with spending $45 on two cigars. This review is based on the first one I smoked, but since then I have smoked the second and found it to be consistent. Information was a bit hard to find, so I am going to credit (or blame) this info to The Cigar Feed: wrapper, filler and binder are all Nicaraguan and the blend includes some Pelo de Oro. This blend is by Jaime Garcia (Pepin's son and heir-apparent...ap"heir"ently).

I remember last year when a couple folks went a little over-the-top in describing how beautifully this cigar was presented. I have to say, "Yes," the double-bands are quite ornate and attractive, but maybe the individual coffins they came in last year took it another step further? Hard to say since I didn't see those. The wrapper leaf was immaculate to the eye, a rich chocolate brown in color, with small-to-medium veins, a perfect triple-cap, and a slight oily sheen. I got aromas of earth, cedar and leather on the wrapper and a richer earth with a bit of chocolate on the foot. As usual, my Xikar Xi was more than up to the task of cleanly trimming the cap from this stogie (is this one too expensive to call a "stogie?"). The prelight draw had wood and earth flavors--which I kind of expected--and a dried fruit sweetness--which I really had not.

One of my first strong impressions after lighting was, "Wow! what a blast of maple on the retrohale!" Nothing something that usually comes to mind after lighting anything from the My Father factory. On the palate, there was a strong cedar note with some spice on the finish. Subsequent retrohaling had more of a nutty quality with a bit of pepper spice. The rest of the first third had plenty of cedar flavor up front as well as unsweetened cocoa powder on the finish. There was a little lingering spice from time-to-time, too.

As the second third got started, I noted how creamy and smooth the LE 2011 had gotten. At this point it seemed like much of the cedar flavor had ebbed away and I was getting a rich, sweet tobacco flavor with a bit of a coffee note.

The final third remained creamy and sweet, but there was a growing black pepper burn as well. I have serious reservations about recommending any cigar over the $20 mark--hell, I balk at many cigars above the $10 mark! This My Father LE 2011, though, was exquisite. A medium-to-full bodied sensory delight from beginning to end that fulfilled the mission of any cigar in this price range--to be different, special and worth the price. Not only did I find it worth of that price--it was the best cigar I can remember with a My Father label on it. Construction was as perfect as you would expect as well. For newer smokers, I would have to advise buying these...but only because you should sit on them for a while--first, there was sufficient nicotine strength by the end to be offputting to novices; second, you just don't want to smoke this until your palate is developed enough to fully appreciate it (unless you have the means to buy a couple boxes...then have at it!). Experienced smokers should definitely give this one a try if your budget allows. I was able to get a very good deal for half a box of these (after my initial 2 stick purchase), so I will be enjoying these periodically for at least the next 6 to 12 months...longer if I can hold out!

Body: 7/10

Strength: 8/10

Complexity: 8/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 5/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 10/10

Have a different opinion? Leave a comment below...

Cigar Review: La Reloba Selección Mexico

Corona, 5" x 46 ring gauge / $4.75, Burns

La Reloba was released by My Father Cigars about a year ago. Recently the line was expanded to include the "Selección Mexico," named so because of the use of a Mexican wrapper leaf. I really don't know what keeps me coming back to Mexican wrappers. Despite only liking a few cigars that use them, I tend to keep picking up the new ones in some (possibly vain) attempt to find a new one that I love. Some of my favorite Mexican-wrapped stogies have been the Padron 1964 Anniversary and The Face from Tatuaje. Since this is made by the same factory as The Face, I figured, "What the heck? Let's give this a try." At the time I wrote this there was no info on the cigar at the My Father website...to be truthful there really isn't much info at all at the My Father website right now and it's been that way for quite some time. Therefore, I am having to rely on information posted by others when I say this has Nicaraguan filler and binder along with a San Andres Mexican wrapper.

The wrapper feels oilier than it looks, but it does not look bad--a medium-brown color with medium-sized veins and nicely applied triple cap. The band was Red, White and Green--colors of the Mexican flag. From the wrapper leaf, I got a bit of earthiness; on the foot I got more earth, along with manure and chocolate. I got a good draw and a huge crack after applying my Xikar VX to the head--it is possible I should have let this sit in my own humidor longer than 4 days, I guess. It's also possible that I should stop using the VX on corona-sized cigars as this was the second time that happened recently to cigars in this vitola. Note to self.... The cold draw had notes of coffee, cocoa powder and black pepper.

The Selección Mexico lit up easily with a single-flame torch. I got an initial flavor of earth and cocoa powder. The distinctive "Mexican bitterness" was there, but much more subdued than on many other smokes with Mexican wrappers. The rest of the first third was dominated by earthiness with a bit of sweetness but--as if my usual experience--not enough to balance it well. The bitterness in this cigar did seem different, though, from what I have experience with the La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor (another Mexican-wrapped stogie from the same factory) as this was a bit more pleasant.

In the second third I got flavors of unsweetened cocoa to go along with the earthiness, as well as something I couldn't quite put my finger on--a slight herbal or grassy note that seemed unusual. At this point, though, I was enjoying the cigar more than in the first third.

In the end I got a continuation of the nicer flavors of the second third, making this a mostly pleasing cigar for me. While not something I would reach for daily, it is nice to find a Mexican cigar with enough good flavor that I actually would buy it again. This reminded me in some ways of The Face, in that while it definitely had the "Mexican" flavor, it was very well balanced with other flavor notes. It was medium-to-full in body with a moderate amount of nicotine, so it should be accessible to any but the newest of smokers. The crack in the wrapper ended up not being an issue until the very end and the draw and burn line were almost perfect throughout.

Body: 7/10

Strength: 6/10

Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9/10

Agree or disagree...if you want to add your "two cents worth" please leave a comment below!

Cigar Review: Man O’ War Puro Authentico

Corona 5" x 42 ring gauge / $7.50, Cigar.com

This wasn't the cigar that I planned on smoking this week. The wind blew it off the table and the wrapper was destroyed. I will bring that cigar to you hopefully next week.

This cigar is the most recent release in the Man O' War line for Cigar International. According to the website this cigar is A.J.'s personal blend. It is comprised of Nicaraguan filler and binder an Esteli Habano wrapper. They come packed in a 10 count box. With Jerry's very positive review over at Stogie Review, my positive experience with other cigars of A.J.'s, and the deal they were having one day I picked up a box of these.

Overall this cigar is very good looking. The oily wrapper is a chestnut brown with only a slight amount of veins. The wrapper does fold over the bottom of the cigar, which they call shaggy but it really isn't. I personally don't usually like when the wrapper fold over. It can be a pain when you're lighting it because it blows all over the place and you can't get the flame to the actual foot of the cigar easily. The cigar also has a clipped pigtail cap. The band is very simple, a pebbled black background with a gold helmet. There are no words on it so you have to know what it is by the size of the cigar and color of the band. This cigar didn't have any give when squeezed and there were no soft spots. When I put my nose to the wrapper I got what I'll call sweet leather, with leather and ginger from the foot. Once I clipped it with my MTX and took a cold draw on it I noted tastes of leather with an ok draw. This was the fifth one of these I've smoked.

Once I lit the cigar up the first thing that hit me was a good amount of spice on the tongue and retrohale. As I took a few more puffs on it I was able to detect notes of leather, earth, and a bit of creaminess. The draw turned out to be pretty good and there was a good amount of smoke. One thing I'll say at this point is that with two of the previous cigars were nearly impossible to smoke. The draws were extremely tight and I wasn't able to get much flavor out of them. I did let this cigar sit out of my humidor a little longer before I lit it up so that might have had something to do with it. I'll have to test that theory with another sample though. Back to smoking, the cigar was at the bottom end of the full range. The burn was slightly wavy but it might have been due to the wind that was blowing while I was smoking this cigar. The nearly white ash needed to be tapped off after three quarters of an inch. At this point the cigar reminded me almost of the Ruination but the flavors were more intense.

The beginning of the second third didn't see much change in the cigar. However as I progressed through it the spice started to tone down a bit. There was lots of flavors of leather and earth. I also got a slight herbal spice and some sweetness on the finish. The draw and construction continued to not cause any problems.

The final third saw the spice tone down even more. The flavors changed to a dark earth and grilled meat flavors. The sweetness on the finish ramped up in the final third as well. While the cigar was strong I didn't really notice a large nicotine kick.

Overall this was a great cigar and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I can recommend it to anyone who like full flavored and full bodied cigars. I do hope that future batches are more consistent in the construction. I do think the original Man O' War is still my favorite though.

Body: 8/10

Strength: 8/10

Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 1.5/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4.5/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9/10

Have you tried this cigar? If so, what did you think? Leave a comment below...

Padron Dinner - May 12, 2011

Chattanooga, TN - Burns Tobacconist

Burns General Manager, Matt Allen, described last Thursday night's Padron dinner as the event "he has dreamed of hosting for the last 5 years." When he was first hired on as the manager of the Burns East location, he already considered Padron Cigars as the standard for the cigar industry and knew that he wanted company president, Jorge Padron, to be standing in his shop one day...and after 5 years of leaning on Padron, he finally got his wish.

Nearly 100 people showed up to dine on tri-tip steak, sip Rodney Strong wine, and smoke fine cigars from the Padron catalog. I got a chance to sit down and talk to Jorge Padron before the event really got started and we recorded it on the following video. Note: we did not have access to a professional lighting rig for this video; our videos are still an experimental work in progress.

The price of the dinner included a Padron 6000, a 1964 Exclusivo and a 1926 No. 2. I smoked the 6000 first and while it was good at first, I found the draw to be a bit constricted, causing a tarry buildup that was unpleasant. I tried re-cutting and that resulted in the wrapper starting to unravel. One other person at my table had similar draw problems, but others reported no issues. Chalk it up to a torpedo shape on a relatively inexpensive cigar, I guess. The 1964 was much better and more refined tasting. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The 1926 I saved for the following evening; I lit it up while Skype-herfing with my old friends in California. Magnificent cigar.

Those who bought tickets also got a very nice Padron ceramic ashtray. Not that I needed any more ashtrays at the moment, but this one was so nice that I ended up taking it outside where it has become my new "regular" ash receptacle. Those that bought a box of cigars also got a free signed hammer...yes, a hammer. If you don't know the Padron "Hammer" story, go to their website (www.padron.com) and read the story (Under "Since 1964 > Hammer Story").

I split a box of 1964 Superior Maduros with Keith and was able to burn one of those down over the weekend as well. Although Jorge very adamantly stated in the video that he would not reveal sources for any of their tobaccos used, I am convinced that the wrapper on the 1964 Maduro is Mexican in origin; it just has that very specific flavor that I have experienced on nearly all Mexican wrapped cigars. The difference is that when it is well-balanced (and maybe properly aged?) with other tobaccos, what I find fairly unpleasant in some cases becomes very nice. Not that it really matters where any of the tobacco is from, though...I thought we made that clear in the interview. :)

Jorge Padron does not do a great number of in-store events every year, so if you hear he is coming to your area, I would recommend making plans to attend. Great times and great smokes...what more do you need?

More pictures of the event are posted on my Facebook page, HERE.

Tee Up With A Great Story...Win a Golf Bag

Okay, folks, here's the deal...you have probably already noticed several other cigar blogs and other sources running the same promotion in the last week or so: "Macanudo and Excalibur Tee Up for Golf Promotion." Many of us were contacted to potentially give away a Club Macanudo golf bag and most of us are more than willing to use our websites as channels to give away free things from cigar manufacturers. Here's the official pronouncement from General Cigar:

Richmond, VA - Macanudo(r) and Excalibur(r) are teaming up to make hitting the links even more enticing during spring golf season with the "Pick Your Favorite Foursome Promotion."

Consumers of legal smoking age who visit participating tobacco shops are encouraged to "pick their favorite foursome" by purchasing their choice of any three Macanudo or Excalibur cigars. With the three-cigar purchase, consumers will receive a complimentary Macanudo Cru Royale cigar, plus a premium Excalibur-branded scorecard wallet/cigar holder containing special golf and cigar accessories, while supplies last.

To sweeten the deal, General Cigar, parent company of Macanudo and Excalibur, is also giving consumers an opportunity to win the ultimate, custom cigar golf bag by Callaway Golf(r). Two custom golf bags will be given away each week between now and May 31, 2011. No purchase necessary. For more information, visit www.cigarworld.com/golf.

According to Rick Chandler, director of marketing for Excalibur, "We created the 'Pick Your Favorite Foursome' promotion to answer the golf lover's need for a convenient and portable way to access their favorite cigars on the course. By pairing Macanudo with Excalibur and in allowing consumers to customize the cigars in the pack, cigar smokers have a wide variety of tastes to choose from while they indulge in their passion for cigars and golf. And in giving consumers a complimentary Macanudo Cru Royale cigar in the four pack, we're making it easy for them to sample one of our best-selling new blends."

The joint promotion between Macanudo and Excalibur will continue through the summer, with in-store putting events and sponsorship of national and regional golf events such as the Phoenix Open. A complete event listing can be found on cigarworld.com/golf.

So the big question is: DO YOU PLAY GOLF? And if not, DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO DOES?

The golf bag pictured with this post is the following:

• Callaway Hyper-Lite 3.0
• Dimensions: 8” top opening, 3 lbs. total weight
• URL with product information: http://www.callawaygolf.com/Global/en-US/Products/Accessories/StandBags/Hyper-Lite3.0.html (black with Club Mac logo, Excalibur cigar case/cutter included)
• Includes a black Excalibur 4 finger leather cigar case with an Excalibur cutter

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN?

Tell me your best golfing story. It does not have to be 100% true...it doesn't really even have to be about you. I want to hear a story that is funny and entertaining...and like any good storyteller, you are totally allowed to embellish or even out-right lie as long as it adds to the entertainment value and still seems plausible. Send your stories to me at tikibaronline@mac.com before this coming Friday, May 20 (deadline will be midnight Eastern time). My blogging partner, Keith, and I will read through all the entries and decide on the best story. (Depending on how many entries received and how long it takes to go through them, the winner will be announced as early as Saturday, May 21, and as late as Tuesday or Wednesday the following week.) One entry per e-mail address only please. Sorry, Canada, U.S. residents only for this one. Winner agrees to have his story re-printed on the Tiki Bar Online when winning entry is announced. Questions? You can e-mail those to me at the same address above.

Cigar Extra: Illusione Singulare

Phantom, 6" x 50 ring gauge / ~$12, Burns

Lately it seems like a lot of boutique sticks that made their way to other parts of the country months ago are just now arriving in my neck of the woods. Take for example: the first Illusione Limited Edition, a Nicaraguan puro called "Singulare." Dion has suggested that he will make this LE blend in a different size every year, beginning with the 2010 Toro, also known as the Phantom. The appearance was very nice, with a very oily touch and a fairly firm pack. I detected a slight molasses sweetness on the body of the cigar, and a mix of earth and cedar on the foot. My Xikar VX liberated a smooth, open draw that had flavors of cedar, natural tobacco and a bit of hay.

After lighting, I got lots more cedar on the tongue and a painful peppery kick to the nose. Despite reading that this was a fairly mild-to-medium cigar, this sample started out medium-to-full right out of the gate for me and delivered full force cedar and pepper spice for the first half-inch before settling down a bit and offering up some breadiness and a touch of sweetness.

As I got deep into the second third, the Singulare became more creamy and smooth after settling ninto a nice medium-body. There was still a bit of cedar, but not nearly as much as before. The Phantom remained enjoyable through to the end, although it did end up packing a bit of a nicotine punch.

Any additional thoughts you'd like to share on the featured cigar? Leave a comment below...

Cigar Review: Illusione hl Maduro

hl (lancero), 7.5" x 40 ring gauge / $10.10, Burns
Dion Giolito's Illusione brand is very highly regarded in boutique cigar circles--it is full of flavor, not overly harsh on your wallet and does not rely too much on limited-release sticks and other gimmicks to keep people coming back for more. At last year's IPCPR show a couple newer varieties of cigars were previewed, but it seems like there were some mis-communications with my local B&M as they only received them a month or two ago. I took a look at a couple of Dion's candela-wrapped cigars the other day; today I am looking at the maduro-wrapped version of the hl (Holy Lance or Lancero). This Nicaraguan purr uses first generation Corojo 99 and Criollo 98 leaf in the filler along with a beautiful maduro wrapper. They were said to be a limited run, but, like I said, they did not arrive at Burns until a month or two ago, so I am not sure exactly how limited the run is going to be. This review stick is the second hl Maduro I smoked.

To start with, this cigar had a great look: familiar Illusione white band with gold accents…and it looks even better than normal against the dark maduro leaf. This was not an overly dark maduro leaf, by the way…more of a milk chocolate, but a "darkish" milk chocolate. This is a good opportunity to point out that maduro does not mean "dark" but "ripe" and refers to a method of fermenting the leaves for a longer time and at a higher temperature; the result is that the leaf may be "darker" than normal, but it really does not have to be all that dark to be classified "maduro" (for much more information, check out this article written by my friends, David Diaz and Jose Blanco, not just brothers of the leaf…they are "masters of the leaf"). On the body of the cigar I noted earthy and slightly sweet aromas, while the foot trended more toward barnyard earthiness. My Xikar MTX made a clean opening and an easy draw that had mostly natural tobacco flavor with just a touch of sweetness to it.

A single-flame torch easily did the job of setting a small, controlled burn to the end of the hl. The first thing I noticed was that this had a pretty full body and I got a lot of black pepper on the tongue and on the nose. On the palate I also got notes of cocoa powder and a little sweetness, but the nasal burn was so intense at this point that I got little else there. As that burn settled down a bit of dark roast coffee came through and I also started to taste the tangy-ness of the filler tobaccos.

By the time the second third started the pepper spice was more of a low burn and the earth and coffee came through very strongly. Construction was perfect to this point with no draw problems and no touch-ups needed to the burn line. The body was proving fuller than anything I can remember in the Illusione line.

In the last third the hl Maduro continued with full-bodied earthiness and the intense spice from the beginning was nothing but a fading memory. This was definitely a great addition to the Illusione line and I hope this wrapper makes its way to other sizes, whether they be limited release or regular. I found the hl Maduro to be a wonderful smoking experience but probably one that will only be fully appreciated by more experienced smokers as the body and nicotine strength would most likely be off-putting to many novices.

Body: 9/10

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

Have you tried this cigar? If so, what did you think? Leave a comment below...

Cigar Review: E.P. Carillo New Wave Connecticut Brillantes

Robusto 5" x 50 ring gauge / $5.99, Maxamar's

This is one of the two recent release that Ernesto has added to his expanding line of cigars. I will be covering the other one in the next couple weeks. Normally I'm not that into Connecticut wrapped cigars. They just seem to have an odd and bitter taste and I usually don't enjoy them. However with the amount of positive reviews on the web, on Twitter, and the fact that I like Ernesto's other stuff I knew I had to give it a try. This cigar is comprised of Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers, with a Nicaraguan binder, and an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper. It comes in three other sizes, the 6x52 Divinos, 5 1/8 x42 Stellas, and the 7x49 Gran Via. This was the second example I'd smoked of the Brillantes, and I had smoked a couple of the Stellas as well.

The first thing I noticed is the new color of the band. I don't know if I'm all that keen on the white, but it matches the box and helps you quickly identify the line the cigar is in. The wrapper is a nice golden tan in color. There are some slight veins but nothing too noticeable. The wrapper actually has a small amount of tooth and oil to it which is rare in a Connecticut wrapped cigar. When I gave the cigar a squeeze it felt firmly packed and there weren't any soft spots. Putting my nose to the wrapper I got notes of hay and earth, with hay and alfalfa coming from the foot. After clipping the cigar with my Xikar MTX and taking a cold draw on it I was rewarded with a fairly free draw with some notes of chocolate on the tongue.

Once I lit the cigar I was hit with a very intense almost wasabi spice on the retrohale. Definitely not something I was expecting from a Connecticut cigar. After taking a few more puffs on it I tasted chocolate, earth and leather. So far this cigar was very different than most Connecticut cigars I've tried and I was really enjoying it. The draw was perfect and it produced a large volume of smoke. The burn was kind of ragged at this point but I decided to not touch it up and see what happened. The wind was blowing pretty steadily so that might have been part of the cause. After about three quarters of a inch the spice toned down, but didn't go away. The flavors of hay, salt and cream started to come through as well. After about an inch I tapped off the nearly white ash.


As I started the second third the burn evened itself out without any touch-ups. The spice was still present although not as strong as the first third. The main flavors I was able to detect were of earth and wood. I can say I was definitely enjoying this cigar.

The final third saw this cigar finish off strong. The flavors didn't change though. I will definitely be picking more of these cigars up to have on hand to smoke with a cup of coffee in the morning or to start off the afternoon with. I can say that I really enjoyed this cigar. I did prefer the robusto size to the corona size though. I felt that it has more flavors. I can also highly recommend this cigar to pretty much any smoker. While it is a little stronger than most Connecticut wrapped cigars, there wasn't a nicotine hit. With the near perfect construction, great flavors, and reasonable price you can't go wrong.

Body: 7/10

Strength: 6/10

Complexity: 6/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4.5/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9.5/10

Have you tried this cigar? If so, what did you think? Leave a comment below...

Cigar Review: Illusione Candelas

Lately there has been a lot of noise about the rebirth of the candela wrapper. Some people seem to think that only one brand should have a legitimate candela on the market and maybe all other companies should back off from the idea for a while. This is a little strange as there was a time when the majority of cigars smoked in this country had the distinctive green candela wrapper and it never really went away...respected companies like Fuente have been making them for years. There is something new and different about candela cigars now, though...at least that is what I have been hearing. Around St. Patrick's Day, I smoked and reviewed one of these "new breed" candelas put out under the Viaje name. I stick by what I said at the time: I enjoyed the heck out of it and thought it was the best candela I had ever smoked by far...but I had not had the opportunity to try the Illusione candelas yet.

Dion's candelas coincidentally (or not) come from the same factory as Andre's; they share a very similar country-of-origin lineup (maybe identical); but whose is better? I smoked one each of two different vitolas of Illusione candela: 88 (robusto) and hl (lancero). Filler, binder and wrapper for these beauties are all sourced from Nicaragua.

88 (Robusto), 5" x 52 ring gauge  / $9.25, Burns

I started with the 88, a robusto. The lightness of the wrapper leaf definitely showed off every detail--good and bad. For the most part the leaf was smooth and blemish-free, although a few medium-sized veins were actually almost a stark white against the light green background. The seams were easy to see, both on the body and on the beautifully-rendered triple cap. The aroma from the wrapper was a very mild sweet hay smell, while I got a stronger earthiness on the foot. I used my Xikar VX to open up a fantastic draw that was mostly grassy and mild.

After lighting, initial puffs had a mild, hay flavor on the palate with a fairly strong pepper spice on the retrohale. The first third proved to be mostly mild-bodied with flavors of hay and earth along with a continuing nasal pepper burn. There was a good amount of caramel sweetness that became more evident toward the end of the third as well. I was able to carry an ash of over an inch and maintain a perfect burn line despite it being a fairly breezy day.

In the second third, most of the grassiness inherent in candela wrappers went away, leaving a very nice sweetness that balanced out the underlying earthiness very well. The body had ramped up to a straight medium and the construction remained perfect.

The last third of the 88 candela was the best part yet as even more honey sweetness came through and the earthiness faded a bit. This was a great stick and fairly handily beat that "other" candela I smoked on the basis of flavor--it just get better and better the longer I smoked it.

Body: 5/10

Strength: 5/10

Complexity: 8/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4.5/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9.5/10

hl (lancero) 7.5" x 40 ring gauge / $10.10, Burns

For the hl candela, I decided to change it up just a bit: while I accompanied the 88 candela with just water (as is normal), I wanted to see how this one might pair with coffee as a "Saturday morning" cigar. The wrapper on this cigar was a thing of beauty--mostly clear, smooth and clean in appearance, with just a couple larger veins that seemed almost like "character lines" and a couple tiny blemishes. The traditional lancero pigtail was short and tightly-twisted. On the body of the cigar I again got a grassy aroma, while the foot gave up earthiness. On the cold draw, I got flavors of hay and grass.

The hl lit easily with a single-flame torch and in the early going I tasted more grassy notes on the palate as well as a touch of sweetness; on the retrohale I got a nuttiness and a nice peppery burn. The first third was on the upper end of the mild range in terms of body. After a few minutes the grassiness subsided a bit and I got much more earthiness up from with a continued pepper burn on the finish and on the retrohale. Taking sips of coffee between puffs accentuated the earthiness in this cigar and the combination was very nice.

Despite it being a cold, windy morning, the hl candela performed superbly, with a perfect draw and a burn line that was virtually dead-straight. In the second third I got flavors of hay and earth still and a greatly diminished pepper burn, as well as just a little honey sweetness.

The last third was full of flavors of hay, earth and sweet natural tobacco. Looking at both 88 and hl reviews back to back, it seems like the experience was mostly the same for either cigar; really...it was. These sticks both performed fantastically from aspects of construction and flavor. For myself, I would give the slight edge to the lancero but you might prefer the robusto. Either way, you simply cannot go wrong with one of these Illusione Candelas. This was a great change-up from the cigars that I smoke regularly...different, but in a good way! Does this signal a new trend? Who knows? If more manufacturers would follow the trail that Dion is blazing, the candela might just become a popular alternative again...it would definitely be a step away from the increasingly strong, unbalanced and largely flavorless cigars that seem to debut on an almost daily basis.

Body: 5/10

Strength: 4/10

Complexity: 8/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4.5/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9.5/10

What did you think of Illusione's Candela cigars? Or, if you haven't had one, what candelas have you tried and what did you think? Leave a comment below...

New Cigar from Team La Gloria: El Perrito

Press Release: 

Richmond, VA--Team La Gloria® presents El Perrito War of Flavors, an innovative new cigar handcrafted entirely by hand and shaped without a cigar mold. 

The cigar’s distinctive name is derived from a term coined at the El Credito® Cigar Factory in Santiago, DR.  El Perrito (translation: little dog) was created by two cigar factory supervisors (Robert Batista and Juan Almonte) who brought their concept for a small, powerhouse cigar to El Credito’s Michael Giannini (director of marketing) and Yuri Guillen (director of manufacturing). The supervisors came to Michael and Yuri, raving about how they made the cigars and describing the taste experience as a battle of flavors in the mouth. Michael and Yuri sampled the prototypes and the rest, as they say, is history.

According to Michael Giannini, “El Perrito is a prime example of how Team La Gloria operates. We’ve empowered all of our employees, from rollers and bunchers to supervisors, to bring forth ideas for new products. When Yuri and I were approached with the concept of an entirely handmade cigar with incredible flavor, we almost instantly became excited. El Perrito continues our platform of innovation by allowing us to bring a unique and value-priced offering to market and we’re confident it will be a fast favorite among premium cigar consumers.”

Handcrafted with two filler leaves (Nicaraguan and Dominican), bound with Connecticut Broadleaf and wrapped with Ecuadoran Habano, El Perrito cigars are shaped entirely by hand, using the index finger to achieve a torpedo-like head.

Sized expressly to maximize the flavor of the blend, the 5 1/2” x 38 cigar is bundled and packed in a rustic wooden box which hints at the cigar’s humble beginnings. El Perrito War of Flavors is currently debuting at tobacco shops across the U.S. for a suggested retail price of just $2.50 per cigar, or for $125.00 for a 50-count, boxed bundle.

El Credito El Perrito War of Flavors continues the tradition of innovation that has garnered acclaim for Team La Gloria, the new product development team for La Gloria and El Credito cigars.

Commentary - While I haven't been bowled over by much of the recent output from the two largest cigar conglomerates, this idea intrigues me and I am very interested to see how these new cigars smoke. The price is fantastic and the timing of its release is excellent with gas prices hovering around the $4.00 mark...we all need a little help on our budgets. Thank you to Team La Gloria for pushing the boundaries of General Cigar.

Padron Dinner at Burns Tobacconist

This Thursday, May 12, Burns Tobacconist in Chattanooga, TN, will be hosting a very special dinner with none other than Jorge Padron. Tickets cost $100 and include a full dinner including Tri Tip Steak and Rodney Strong Wine AND you get 3 cigars (Padron 6000, 1964 Exclusivo and 1926 No. 2) AND a Padron ash tray. The number of tickets has been limited as Jorge wants an opportunity to meet and talk with all attendees. Additionally, any box purchase of Padrons will also receive and free, signed "Padron Hammer" (their company symbol).

If you live anywhere within easy driving distance of Chattanooga (Atlanta and Knoxville areas...I'm looking at you guys!) this is going to be a fantastic experience that you do not want to miss. So...pick up your phone and call Burns at 423-855-5200 and buy your ticket now!

P.S. I hope to have the opportunity to sit down with Mr. Padron for a short interview...if you have any questions you would like posed to him, leave a comment below and I'll do my best to work them in.

Cigar & Beer Pairing: Oliva V & Lagunitas Gnarly Wine

Double Toro, 6" x 60 ring gauge/ $9.99
22 oz. Bottle/ 10.12% ABV/ $4.59

This isn't going to be a regular review of the cigar or the beer. I'm just going to give you my impressions of the cigar and beer separately and then how they go together.

The cigar I've chosen in the Oliva V double toro. This cigar has been out for a few years and has gotten a lot of good press. I know I've enjoyed this cigar a lot, I've probably smoked more than 2 boxes of them. The cigar is a Nicaraguan puro.

The beer is the most recent release of the Lagunitas Gnarly Wine, which is their barley wine style ale. This was something I just decided to pick up because of the great price and barley wines are probably my favorite style of beer. After the first bottle I stocked up on a couple more. I think this was the third bottle I've had.

The cigar was just about perfect looking. A nice oily wrapper, a near perfect triple cap and no discernible defects in the construction. As soon as I lit the cigar up I was hit with a blast of spice on the tongue and the retrohale. If you've ever had a V then you'll know that is normal. After a few puffs it settled down into flavors of leather, earth, wood. Overall a very enjoyable cigar!

The beer was a cloudy golden amber in the glass with very little head. On the nose it has notes of sweetness, citrus, hops, and malt. Taking a sip of this beer is a great experience. It starts of sweet, then starts to bite back, then you get a hoppy bitterness, with citrus on the finish. It is a very complex and interesting beer. It also felt very heavy in the mouth. Like most high alcohol content beers there wasn't much carbonation.

Taking these together is a match made in heaven. The strength of these two played off well with each too. Taking a couple puffs on the cigar before I took a drink brings out the sweetness and spice of the beer. While the opposite action brings out the citrus and spice of the cigar. Even though they are both near the upper end of the strength scale they didn't compete or overwhelm the other throughout. All the way through the cigar and beer I was genuinely enjoying this pairing.

I can highly recommend these two, individually or together, to anyone who is able to handle the punch that they both bring!

Agree, disagree or have something to add? Leave a comment below...

Cigar Extra: CAO Maduro 10th Anniversary

Perfecto, 6" x 60 ring gauge

CAO first started the Anniversary Maduro line in 1998 to honor the 30th anniversary of the founding of the company. When it first began, those Maduros were made in a factory in Costa Rica and the rumor is that they were some of the best cigars CAO ever produced. A year or two later, production was moved to Nicaragua and the cigars just were not the same...even though they were supposed to be. I was gifted this "10th Anni" version of the Maduro a few weeks ago by someone who used to work for the company and decided to pair it with some Ron Barcelo at the end of a beautiful, warm spring day.

This cigar had Ecuadorian, Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers enveloped in a dark, oily Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. The cold draw had semi-sweet dark chocolate and dark-roast coffee flavors. Upon lighting, I got more of a baker's cocoa taste with just a mild sweetness and a slight burn on my lips; the retrohale was extremely peppery. As I smoked I observed the beauty of the sun shining through the leaves of our Bradford Pear trees and how nice my lawn looked after I had mowed it that morning. Really...it doesn't get much better than this!

Despite a burn line that just wouldn't stay straight (it is Connecticut Broadleaf) the 10th Anni Maduro was a very nice cigar--rich and full-bodied with lots of earth, chocolate and coffee flavor notes. I enjoyed it to the last inch where it started to get overly hot and a little more bitter...a sure sign that it's time to put it down and walk away. I have had several CAO Maduros over the years and I have to say, this vitola captured the best of the current blend. Pick these up if you ever see them!

Agree, disagree or have something to add? Leave a comment below...