Chattanooga Tweet-Up 2012 Dates!

The 2011 Chattanooga Tweet-Up was a huge success and before the day was over, folks were already encouraging me and Keith and Jerry and Matt and Wes to put together an event for next year. How could we say no? Almost everything went "as planned" for the 2011 event, but we acknowledge that a few things could have been done better, so at the very least, the 2012 event is our attempt to get everything "right"...as much as possible anyway.

For those that couldn't be there, maybe it's best to start at the beginning by answering a few questions:

What is a Cigar Tweet-Up?

Simply this:  a gathering of the online cigar community, as represented mostly by those who spend inordinate amounts of time on Twitter talking about their cigars, the issues surrounding those cigars, and eventually all other manner of topic. While we call it a "Tweet-Up" we won't discriminate against those who are part of the Facebook or Google+ cigar communities (we might even allow in MySpace cigar community folks...if there were such a thing!). We are inviting brand owners, company executives and area representatives, in addition to every cigar enthusiast who can make his or her way to Chattanooga for the weekend. It is not a "Sales Event" where the company reps will be competing with each other to sell you on their cigars. It is not a "cigar fest" type of experience where you tear tickets out of a book and race around a hall to collect your stogies. It's a time to kick back, light one up and hang out. Talk to old friends. Make some new ones. The main thing is to get to know people and strengthen the community we have.

Why are you doing this right after IPCPR?
Timing the event just a few weeks after many manufacturers debuted new cigars at the IPCPR show, we were able to be the debut "consumer" event for many sticks and we hope to expand on that in 2012.

Who will be there?

The 2011 event saw people come from nearly all corners of the country to attend, with a pretty even split among locals and out-of-towners.

While we can't give you a complete breakdown of details right now, we have secured "intentions to attend" from Jon Huber of Crowned Heads; Room 101's Matt Booth; brand owner of Emilio Cigars, Gary Griffith, and his area representative for our state, Nate McIntyre; Clint Aaron of 262 Cigars; Sean Williams of El Primer Mundo; and Bryan White of 13th Floor Cigars.

And we are working on getting plenty of other brand owners and reps in the house, as well. We will keep you up-to-date on who is attending as we go.

When and where can I buy tickets?
As with the 2011 event, there is no obligation to buy a thing. You can come to Chattanooga and hang out with all the fine folks at Burns for free. You can probably even weasel a cigar or two from the brand owners who are more than happy to give them out. But...you really should buy something while you're there...it's just the polite thing to do for the store that's putting this event on.

There will be "Event Packages" available to buy for a great price. One package will include a T-shirt, the Saturday evening liquor tasting, and a multi-pack of cigars. The other package will add on the Friday night baseball game to that. There may be other options as well. For 2011, the first package was $25, the second was $35; the multi-pack ended up being about 7 or 8 cigars, so that more than paid for itself right from the beginning.

We plan on opening the pre-sale for the event early in 2012, probably February or March. Burns Tobacconist will be selling the tickets through their new and improved website, scheduled to go live very soon.

So...consider this your "Save the Date" invitation...the Chattanooga Tweet-Up 2012 (#CHAtweetup2012 will be the official hashtag) will be held on...

Friday and Saturday, August 24 and 25

Cigar Review: Tatauje Monster #4, "The Wolfman"

Torpedo, 7.5" x 52 ring gauge / MSRP $13
The Tatuaje Monster Series has shown its ugly face again, this time in the form of the Wolfman. With people clamoring every year to get their hands on these, brand owner, Pete Johnson, has been expressing some frustration with the entire concept lately, opining that it is just not fun anymore; I would guess that most of the fans would disagree. Pete has given us options this year and last that we did not have previously...dress boxes of 13 sticks for those fanatics that are collecting the boxes (and probably smoking very few of the cigars since those boxes are worth much more full) and plain boxes of 10 for those of us that are more tobacco fans than tobacco collectors. I acquired a box of 10 from our new sponsor, Maxamar/BuyMoreCigars; this review stick is the second I've smoked from that box. The filler and binder is all Nicaraguan, and there was one mention on acigarsmoker.com that it might have been based on the Gran Cojonu blend. The wrapper is an Ecuadorian Sumatra leaf, the same varietal and country used on the 7th Capa Especial, which I was not a huge fan of.

Pete was looking for an "ugly" look for this cigar, utilizing an unfinished, "shaggy" foot and a band that is truly hard on the eyes...bright red type on a brownish band. The band also has "Monster" and "Halloween" on it which I believe is the first time in the series' history. Other than those two details, though, the Wolfman was a thing of beauty, featuring a smooth, oily wrapper with mostly small to medium veins and a nice medium brown color with a little darker mottling. Construction appeared to be typical of the My Father factory...in other words, excellent. Holding the cigar to my nose, I got a leathery aroma from the wrapper and a rich earthiness with hints of cedar and cocoa powder on the foot. The cold draw was perfect and featured a sweet tobacco flavor along with a distinct woodiness of cedar.

 

The slightly looser foot that a shaggy finish brings helped this stogie get all fired up really quickly. The interesting thing is to taste the filler/binder blend as it is without the wrapper influence, then see what the wrapper brings to the party as it is fashionably late. I got mostly a very strong cedary note from the filler, along with just a little earthiness. As soon as the wrapper started burning, the cedar was tempered with a rich molasses sweetness along with an increased earth note. Like I said before, I was not a huge fan of how this wrapper varietal behaved on the 7th blend, but I do enjoy how it interacts here. By the end of the first third, a fairly astringent cedar note had become dominant again, along with a nice pepper burn on the nose and a building spiciness at the back of the throat.

 

The second third continued with strong flavors of cedar along with an underlying earthiness and the continued building of spice. Construction for the Wolfman was great; the draw was dead-on perfect, the burn line was as even as you would want, and the ash was solid and held on for up to an inch each time.

 

Shortly after the final third began I detected a nice sweetness to balance out the cedar that had been prevalent up until this time. Aside from the molasses note early on, there just had not been that much, but now I was getting a dark chocolate undertone. The rest of the Wolfman continued with that mix of sweetness and woodiness. Some are calling this the best Monster cigar since the first one, the Frank; for myself, I have to disagree. I thoroughly enjoyed The Face and it has only gotten better with a year of age on it. This one was very good, but the woody flavor it imparted was just not at the top of my list for great cigar flavors. I liked it, but just didn't love it. I did buy enough, though, that I'll be able to revisit it in a year...or two...or both...and see how I feel about it then. Like almost all the cigars to bear a Tatuaje label, I believe these have enormous aging potential. The body was medium to full and there was enough of a nicotine hit to ward off newer smokers, but neither should be problematic for more experienced herfers. A note on the Value part of my score: I only gave half a point because the flavor was not in my wheelhouse; if it is in yours, the $13 asking price is very fair for a cigar of this size.

 

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

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 3.5/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 8/10

General DR Trip, Day 3 Photos

My final batch of pictures from the third full day we spent in the Dominican Republic...entertaining to see fellow bloggers trying to roll cigars!

Cigar Extra: Oliva Connecticut

Petit Corona, 4" x 38 ring gauge / approx. $4
There are days when you would like to start off with a smooth, creamy cigar, but just don't have time to spend and hour or more nursing a full-size cigar. You may have a job to get to or a yard to mow or church starting in less than an hour. Whatever the case, it looks like Oliva Cigars was thinking of you and has a great solution: the Connecticut Reserve Petite Corona...or as I like to think of it...the Half Lancero! This little gem has a beautifully smooth, light colored wrapper that exudes an aroma of hay with a touch of honey. The foot has a nice earthy note to it. The cold draw had a grassy, classic mild Connecticut flavor.

Once lit the Petit Corona had a little more bite than you typically expect from a milder cigar...it started off fairly earthy and with a bit of black pepper heat. The flavor quickly resolved into a creamy coffee on the palate with some grassiness on the retrohale. My normal black coffee was a perfect accompaniment to the cigar, enhancing the earthier flavors.

The Oliva Connecticut is one of my favorite milder smokes any day of the week, but this size is just perfect for those occasions when you just do not have much time. It ends Jo being almost a perfect 35 to 40 minute smoke, without any real chance that body or nicotine strength will leave you woozy by the end of it. Just possibly the perfect summer cigar, too, for when the day is too hot to want to stay outside very long. Thank you to Allan from Oliva who gifted me a couple of these before they hit my local shop.

Cigar Review: La Aurora Corojo

Robusto, 5" x 50 ring gauge / MSRP $6.80
This cigar actually came out in 2010...really! The La Aurora Corojo was shown off at the 2010 IPCPR show and I believe some boxes actually shipped as I was able to buy them at Maxamar in Orange, California, a month or two after the show. I even reviewed it...and really enjoyed it as I remember. But there was one problem in the eyes of La Aurora...it had packaging that was basically the same as the original La Aurora line, with the simple addition of a secondary band. And that was thought to be too ordinary for today's market and likely to be overlooked, so they ceased shipping it so they could have a mulligan on that part, re-releasing the Corojo at the Las Vegas IPCPR this August. Everything else is the same as far as I know...Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper around an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder and fillers from Dominicana and Nicaragua. Why review it again? Well, first I want to see if this one is indeed the same...or at least if it hits me in the same way. Also, Jason from Miami Cigar & Co. sent me this with a bunch of other samples of this year's releases and my assumption was that they were for review...so I'm doing my part.

The wrapper was a medium-brown withe maybe a touch of red under certain lighting. There were several medium to large veins and the leaf was fairly oily to the touch. The new banding is nicer than the old, straddling a line between classic old-school banding and more modern designs quite well. The only problem I see is that the background of the main band is white, while that of the secondary band is more beige...it looks like they were not really made to go together, but were more or less thrown together. On the wrapper, I got a sweet aroma with some natural tobacco and hay notes; the foot gave off a touch of molasses along with some earth. After employing my Xikar VX, I got a very nice and open cold draw that had a nice molassesy flavor along with a lingering spiciness on the lips.

The Corojo took a little more effort to light than I had really expected, making it a good candidate for a double or triple flame lighter. I got a nice syrupy sweetness right off the bat, along with just a pinch of cayenne pepper on the retrohale. It was a decidedly medium-bodied smoke with a lot of flavor riding on it and a short, clean finish. As I continued puffing, I got flavors of natural tobacco, cedar and citrus on the palate, along with roasted nuts and the aforementioned cayenne pepper on the nose. Regarding the pepper, it was not strong...just enough to notice at this point, but not painful in the least.

The spice increased a bit as the second third started burning and I found myself remembering what I liked so much about this smoke...it is a slow burner in regards to flavor, starting off good, but subtle, then increasing the amount of cayenne throughout. Not a spice bomb to start with, but it will get your taste buds singing by the halfway mark. Construction was very good...the burn line remained straight and the draw was almost perfect. The only issue I had was with the ash, which tended to be flaky, littering the screen of my iPad as I typed this review.

As the final third started off, the pepper burn was increasing still, although it was a little surprising that it was all centered on the palate with no nasal burn to speak of.  While the La Aurora Corojo does not have a huge amount of complexity with ever-changing or nuanced flavors, what it delivers is very pleasing to my palate. The ramping up of flavor intensity provides for great enjoyment as the final third is better than the first...something that you just don't find all that often. The body never got past the mid-point and there was not much nicotine strength, making this a good cigar for a wide range of smokers. I am very glad to see this one come back and predict it will be found in my humidor quite often.

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

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1.5/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9/10

General DR Trip, Day 2 Photos

Some images from the second day of the trip to the Dominican Republic...

Cigar Review: Drew Estate Undercrown

Robusto, 5" x 54 ring gauge / $7.99, Maxamar's

A couple months ago I did a preview of this cigar, in a different size, from a show sample. You can read it here. The cigar I smoked for review was the sixth I smoked in this size.

Once I took the cigar out of the wrapper I was again impressed with what I saw. The wrapper was a black brown in color with a good amount of oils and tooth to the wrapper. The wrapper also had some medium and fine veins to it. The band is very classy in my opinion. I really like how the colors of it contrast with the wrapper. When I gave the cigar a squeeze I wasn't able to find any soft spots and it was fairly firm. Putting my nose to the wrapper I was able to detect the aroma of barnyard with chocolate coming from the foot. After clipping the cigar and taking a cold draw on it I noted the tastes of chocolate and leather with a very good draw.

After I lit up the cigar the first tastes I got were of dark chocolate and red pepper spice. After taking a few more puffs on it I started to get a wasabi like burn on the retrohale. The one thing I've noticed about these, and pretty much all Ligas, is that it has a lot of resting smoke. That smoke had the aroma of grilled meat. It is weird as I didn't get any of those flavors while smoking it. I did start getting some earth and leather coming through with a sweet finish. The draw was perfect and it produced a large volume of smoke. The burn was slightly wavy, but nothing that needed correction. The almost white ash fell off in three quarter of an inch chunks.

Moving on into the second third the spice definitely toned down quite a bit. The flavors that were present in the second third, chocolate and earth with a sweet creamy finish, weren't that different than the first third.

The final third saw this cigar finish off strong. The spice starting building back up especially on the tongue and I got a slight nicotine hit. The flavors changed to chocolate, leather, earth, wood and cinnamon. The sweetness went away almost completely. The burn evened itself out and the draw was perfect and it continued to produce a lot of smoke.

In my opinion this was a great cigar. I was very happy to see that some of the issues I experienced with the pre-release sample, specifically draw, wasn't a problem in the cigars I smoked for the review. To me this reminded me of a Liga No. 9 but with a bit more oomph. I think that if you like the Liga line you have to give this cigar a try. I would also recommend it to anyone out there that enjoys a chocolaty rich cigar that doesn't mind there being a little strength behind it. The price of it being 50% less, here in California, might make me like this cigar even more than the No. 9.


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

Cigar Review: La Aurora Cameroon

Robusto, 5" x 50 ring gauge / MSRP $6.80
Not so long ago, in a country not all that far away, a room was filled with shouts of "Cameroon" when asked what wrapper was on a blind tasting cigar. This, of course, happened because they were given three cigars in a row where the wrapper was revealed to be Cameroon, and by the fourth one, they were not easily fooled. When I received this "new blend" La Aurora Cameroon, I naturally wondered if perhaps I had smoked this one already as part of a test group. Hmm.... This cigar is being presented as a tweaking and updating of La Aurora's original blend, adding a little "kick" to it while also updating the packaging...a look that is shared with the Corojo now. The original La Aurora used Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers, a Dominican binder and the Cameroon wrapper; the only change to the named specs is a Nicaraguan binder used for this updated model. That would qualify as a "tweak" but it is possible specific varietals or percentages could have been played with as well.

Because of the dramatic band change, I would not have picked this out as a new version of the old blend without being told. I have to be honest in saying that I simply did not smoke that many of the original La Aurora, though, so I cannot claim to be very familiar with their look and taste. The wrapper here is a medium-dark brown with some darker mottling; it has a good amount of toothiness to it and feels oily under the fingertips. There were a couple spots that seemed a little soft, but overall the cigar appeared well-made. I got an aroma of leather and hay on the wrapper leaf and a more barnyardy scent from the foot. The prelight draw was fairly effortless; it had a sweetness that was slightly syrupy, along with some earthiness.

After lighting up, I got a strongly earthy flavor on the palate, along with a touch of sweetness. The retrohale was the typical Cameroon wasabi spice punch to the nose...shocking and even a little painful. As the first third burned, I got flavors of earth early on, then later a more vegetal note, along with that distinctive sweetness of Cameroon leaf and a bit of a minerally twang as well.

The second third continued in much the same way, a mixture of earthy and vegetal flavors, although more molasses sweetness started becoming evident as it went on. The construction was excellent, with a very straight burn line that needed no touching up, a perfect draw, and ash that held on to be tapped off in clean chunks.

At the end, the La Aurora Cameroon ended up getting more earthy again, losing the vegetal notes but not the sweetness that had developed in the second third. Overall, this is definitely an improvement on the original La Aurora, but I still not one that hits my palate just right so I don't see myself buying a whole lot more of these. Try it yourself, though, as your mileage my vary. I found it to be medium to full in body with a slightly stronger nicotine hit than I was expecting, so it probably would not be a good stick for newbies in the cigar hobby, but it might be a good choice for long-time smokers if the flavor profile is in your wheelhouse.

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

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 3.5/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 8/10

General Cigar DR Trip, Day 1 Photos

Here are some pictures I took on Day 1 of the trip (Monday, October 17). During this day we visited several locations in the factory, including a sorting room where we came up with our own blends that we made ourselves later in the week, and a storage warehouse with an absolutely amazing amount of tobacco.

General-ly Speaking...

You simply can't imagine how much tobacco is in this building.

As I sip a cup of Dominican coffee, I am hard-pressed to admit that anyone out of Columbia is nearly as flavorful as this rich, strong brew...at least not anything you can buy in a grocery store. In country, the natives tend to brew it as thick as syrup and dilute it about halfway with milk. Since I drink my coffee black, this makes for a morning drink that can make a spoon stand on end; back home I don't make it quite as strong, but it retains that same rich, earthy flavor I experienced on the island. It's Sunday morning and I'm sitting on my porch in east Tennessee, drinking said coffee, puffing on a La Gloria Cubana Artisanos Retro Especial, and thinking about the last seven days. Today and next Monday I will try to relate to you some of the experiences and lessons learned during my recent trip to the Dominican Republic; I won't be trying to give you a play by play of the trip or impart all my knowledge to you...just too much was said and done for it all to see print here. Some will be published by others who went; I encourage you to check out those articles, too...and I'll try to publish links to all of them at some point this week.

Master Blender, Benji Menendez explains what makes a great banana.

On the trip from the airport, La Gloria's Michael Gianinni said, "In the DR, you need three people: a general, a doctor, and a priest." He added, "None of us are allowed to drive when we come here." Two minutes later we found out why as literally 5 feet from the left side of our bus, a speeding motorist ran into--and over--a guy riding an underpowered motorcycle with no taillights. The front tire of what I believe was a Honda CRV went over the head of the cyclist and the motorist sped off as quickly as he could. The van following us said the cyclist got up and walked (limped?) away. A general would have been useful in sorting out the legalities, a doctor was definitely needed, and a priest would have been nice to have on hand if the guy had not walked away. I never have any desire to drive in that or any other Central American country (I've heard Nicaragua and Honduras are far worse).

Team StogieFresh discusses their blending methodology

I have been guilty of thinking of General Cigar as a faceless, passionless conglomerate, seeking only to expand continuously and rake in ever-increasing sums of money. I was wrong. Yes, the companies is made up of dozens of brands and sub-brands, but the people who make the cigars have a passion for the leaf that can be favorably compared with any of the boutique companies. I would say the biggest difference is that of palates. The folks that run La Gloria, Macanudo, Cohiba, Punch, Hoyo de Monterrey, and the rest just don't enjoy some of the stronger, more full-bodied smokes that a lot of today's enthusiasts are turning to. It may be hard to understand how they can be passionate about something as mild as a Macanudo, but I assure you they are very proud of the product they produce and take an extraordinary amount of care in every step of the process of bringing them to market. I smoked a regular line Macanudo for the first time in a very long time during this trip and found that while it's still not something I will be buying much, it was very well made and had a nice, accessible flavor. If you don't like them, that's fine, but it would be good to remember that they are the best selling cigar in America...you are just not the market they are selling to.

Almost ready...

General Cigar treats their employees like humans...with respect and dignity. They pay a good enough wage and provide career path opportunities such that many of their employees have been with the company for 10, 20...even 30 years. The roller I worked with had been on the job for 14 years. The company provides literacy programs, sports tournaments (yes, dominoes is considered a sport in the Caribbean) and even opportunities to learn English...which can come in handy when a group of overweight gringos with SLRs invades the factory.

I was impressed by the vertical integration of the company. They own farms where seeds are planted and transplanted and grown to full size, they own the facilities where the leaves are cured, fermented and aged, they own the production facility, they own the factory that makes the boxes. Their box factory even makes boxes for other companies, including one individual formerly closely tied to the company. The only major component of the process they don't own is the making of the bands...and Cigar Rings is literally across the street from the main office.

The whole country felt about as steamy as this room most of the time.

I'll end today's collection of thoughts with this: General is trying hard to stay relevant in the rapidly changing world of cigars. While they have retained brands that have not changed in decades, like Macanudo or Cohiba, they are trying to allow some brands to innovate and pursue the newer breed of cigar smokers that just aren't interested in these legacy brands. La Gloria Cubana and CAO brand managers have practically been given free rein to do what they want. After talking to Michael Gianinni and Ricky Rodriguez, I am very intrigued to see what will issue forth from those brands in coming years. Having inherited those brands from Ernesto Perez-Carrillo and Tim Ozgener and Co., they definitely have some big shoes to fill. The more I talked with these gentlement, though, the less I worry about the future of those brands as both have an intensity and passion that should carry them to future success...all while those formerly associated with those brands are pursuing success in their own way.

I'll have some more thoughts on the trip next Monday along with some photos to show you in between now and then.

Cigar Extra: La Aurora 1495

Sumo Short Robusto, 4" x 58 ring gauge / MSRP $5
"If you build a better mousetrap..." and all...that same philosophy apparently applies to new and interesting cigar sizes, because something tells me I've seen this story before. It's True! It seems Guillermo Leon has fallen in love with this size...this is the first I can remember seeing it in a La Aurora product, but the note I got with it says "He is introducing it everywhere." If it truly delivers on the flavor proposition, I really do not care where the inspiration for the size came from. The 1495 features an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, a Dominican Corojo binder, and fillers from Peru, the DR, and Nicaragua. I received this sample along with some other "new release" samples from Miami Cigar and Company.

The wrapper was oily and appealing to the eye, the construction looked to be first-rate, and the band was...well, it was the same band on the other 1495 cigars, but it looks much bigger here...I figured it would probably be coming off within 10 minutes of firing up this stogie. I got notes of leather and hay on the wrapper, earth and more leather on the foot. The cold draw was as good as you should expect from a large ring cigar like this and I got natural tobacco and leather flavors mostly, along with a touch of pepper spice on the lips.

While lighting I got a sweet maple syrup note, and the maple part lingered after I got the cigar going, but it was no longer all that sweet or syrupy...more of a wood note. There was also that same pepper spice from prelight and...surprise...leather. The Sumo Short Robusto burned slowly and evenly...I didn't have to remove the band for at least half an hour...and continued to give up woody and leathery notes mostly. Not a bad smoke for a mid-day break, especially on a cool, cloudy afternoon on the porch.

Cigar Review: San Lotano Oval

Robusto, 5.5" x 54 ring gauge / approx. $7.50
When I first heard of A.J. Fernandez's Oval cigar, my first reaction was..."What?" They promised a new blend and the name suggested a new shape, but to what end...and let's be clear that initial advertisements for the Oval did not specify that the cigar was actually pressed into an oval shape...I didn't know for sure on that until I saw them in pictures and even then I could not fathom why they would do such a thing. Then we received a couple bundles for the Chattanooga Tweet Up (thanks again, Clay!) and I smoked it...and all became clear. This review stick is the third of this size that I have burned, and I did have one in the Corona size as well. The Oval is made of "secret filler" from Nicaragua and Honduras, a Nicaraguan binder, and a four-year old Habano 2000 wrapper grown in Ecuador.

Where to start with the advantages I have found in an Oval shaped cigar? It feels good in the hand...comfortable and somehow right. It won't roll off the table of the ashtray when you set it down. And like the LFD Chisel, it smokes easy and comfortably, too. The wrapper was a gorgeously oily medium brown with minimal veining and expert construction in evidence. The banding is the same as the other San Lotano lines except  it does not use the secondary band to declare the line, instead including "Oval" where there is a piece of art on the original bands. Holding the wrapper to my nose, I got notes of molasses, earth and leather, while the foot gave off more earthy manure-laced aromas. The prelight draw was excellent and had a sweet honey flavor mixed in with some earthiness and a bit of spice. This is one of those cigars that tastes so good cold that it's almost a shame to light it up.

From the start the San Lotano Oval is earthy and sweet on the palate, while giving a decent peppery kick to the nasal passages. The predominant flavor note on the palate is natural, sweet tobacco...but it uncommonly refined and smooth and flavorful natural tobacco. The Oval started off medium-bodied and very full-flavored. Through the rest of the first third, that somewhat sweet and earthy flavor continued. The finish was short and clean.

Every Oval I have smoked so far has had great construction attributes and this was no exception; it featured an even burn line, great draw and solid ash that held on for about three-quarters of an inch. The second third saw the earthiness increase along with a sort of vegetal note, but one that was not off-putting as these things often are for me. The body nudged up a bit into the medium-to-full range and toward the end of the third, I got a bit of a minerally, metallic note, but again, not so strong that it was unpleasant at all.

As the final third got burning, I noticed a building black pepper heat that complemented the earthier notes very well. I also got some flavor of cocoa powder and was still getting a molasses sweetness. How does this compare with the San Lotano Habano, which on paper has a similar makeup? In my opinion, this is miles better...but of course, it's hard to really compare the two since they probably share very little actual makeup in common. To me, this blend shows off the Habano wrapper in a far better manner, highlighting its sweetness. It also does not seem quite as full-bodied as the Habano, making it more accessible to a wider range of smokers. The Oval displays a superb flavor with a reasonable price tag in a shape that is unique and functional, not just a gimmick. For my money, this is the best blend A.J. Fernandez has put his name on.

Body: 7/10
Strength: 6/10
Complexity: 8/10

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

Dual Review: La Palina El Diario

Gordo, 6" x 58 ring gauge / MSRP $11.55

The story of La Palina Cigars is an interesting one...family-owned brand went out of business about a hundred years ago, the Paley family made a fortune in the television business, and Bill Paley decided to invest some of that money into reviving the family cigar label, originally named after Bill's grandmother. The original Family Line was made by Graycliff and very pricey. We did not feature any reviews of them he because they were so expensive and quite difficult to find as well. I posited at the time, though, that the company probably should have started off with a more affordable cigar to build reputation before hitting folks with a $20 price tag...they went backwards into it, but this is that stick. El Diario means "the daily" and refers to a cigar being suitable for daily consumption. At over $10, I think this perhaps stretches that definition, but I'll go with it for now. This cigar is made in Honduras by Raices Cubanas and features Nicaraguan Corojo 99 and Criollo 98 filler, two Honduran Criollo '98 binder leaves, and a Honduran Corojo '99 Rosado wrapper. El Diario is supposed to be a medium-bodied cigar, sweet and balanced in flavor. Thank you to the La Palina company for sending two samples for me and Keith to smoke for this review...we each smoked one of this size, but had smoked at least one of a smaller vitola in the weeks before we reviewed.

DAVE SAID:

There is no arguing that the La Palina band is classy and rich-looking. The wrapper leaf was oily in appearance and feel; there were a few medium to larger veins. The color of the leaf was a rich milk chocolate with a bit of cinnamon mottling. There were no excessively firm or spongy spots along the cigar. Lifting it to my nose, I got a rich earthy aroma, along with a little leather and some autumn spice. On the foot, I got a note of semi-sweet dark chocolate and more earth. I employed my Xikar VX and got a good, open channel through the cigar; cold flavors were earthy with some coffee and cocoa powder notes, as well as just a little of that autumn spice again. Just to clarify, when I say "autumn spice" I mean something that you might use to spice up a pumpkin pie or hot cider, but it's subtle enough to me to defy exact definition. So we could be talking cinnamon, allspice, clove, nutmeg, or some combination of those and others...but in a subdued manner.

On opening puffs that autumn spice came through more distinctly, though, as clove. It was a fleeting flavor, soon replaced by rich earthiness and cocoa powder, along with a hint of pepper spice on the nose. Before the first third was halfway done, the Diario was already canoe-ing...not a good sign. I had to make a major touchup to it as I was actually afraid it might go out because so little smoke was coming out as it rested on my ashtray's side. The dominant flavor profile through the rest of the first third was dry earthiness. There was a touch of sweetness in there, too, but the spice--both pepper and non-pepper varieties--pretty much disappeared into a world of earth and medium-roast coffee. After I ashed the first time, I had to apply some flame again to keep the wrapper burning along with the interior of the cigar.

The propensity for this cigar to want to just give up didn't end, though...before the second third had gone very far, I had to re-fire to get it moving decently again. The flavor continued to be very earthy, but I did pick up on some stronger coffee notes during the second third, as well as a return of the autumn spice aspect. The retrohale had kind of gone flat and uninteresting, with no nuttiness or spiciness to liven things up.

The final third began with a cedar note creeping in to the flavor mix, which along with the hint of autumn spice, made me remember that this is a Corojo wrapper and those flavors are what I'm always looking for in Corojo. Earthiness remained the core of the flavor, though, and the profile as a whole worked better at this point. While it was better, though, I struggle to say I really enjoyed the whole experience much. Maybe it's just the fact that I'm not a big fan of Honduran tobacco used as the major flavor components, as it is in this cigar. Determining that, if you are a fan of Honduran leaf (for example, you really enjoy most of Alec Bradley's or Rocky Patel's offerings) you might really enjoy this cigar. The Nicaraguan filler definitely does give it a bit more kick...just not enough for my palate. The body was slightly over the midway mark and there wasn't a lot of nicotine kick, so El Diario would definitely be a good every day smoke if it fits your flavor presence and wallet (although significantly cheaper than the Family Line, it's still not cheap).

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

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1.5/2
Flavor: 3.5/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 7/10


KEITH SAID:

I'd also like to thank the La Palina company for sending us these samples to try.

The wrapper on my sample was very nice looking. It was cinnamon brown in color with some medium veins and a slight amount of tooth to it. Like Dave said the band on these is very attractive and ornate. I just wish it would have some sort of marking or second band letting you know that this is the El Diario line and not the other line. When I gave the cigar a squeeze I detected a slight amount of give and there were no soft spots. Putting my nose to the wrapper I get the aroma of barnyard with leather and earth from the foot. After clipping it with my MTX and taking a cold draw on it I get notes of cocoa with an ok draw.

This cigar was a bit difficult to light even with my 4-flame table lighter. It seemed to need extra effort to get lit. Once I got it lit it started off with the taste of sweet leather, some spice, eartiness and some pumpkin on the finish. The draw started off too tight for my liking. I tried to open it up a bit but so far it didn't help. The cigar started off in the medium range in body and strength. The grey ash had some black spots to it and held on for about three quarters of an inch. At this point the burn was a bit ragged.

The second third is kind of where the flavor died for me. The main flavors were of sweet tobacco, earth and leather. There wasn't much else. The overly tight draw probably had a lot to do with it as I had to really work on it to get any smoke out of it. Like Dave experienced I had to keep at it or it seemed like it would go out.

As I got into the final third the only thing that changed was the spice started to come back a bit. The flavors and construction were pretty much the same as in the second third. I did start getting a slight nicotine hit, but nothing too strong. It was an ok cigar. But overall it was a bit boring for me. It was pretty much the same all the way through and the draw being too tight didn't help with getting the flavors out of it. I agree with Dave that the price point is a bit above what I'm comfortable to pay for an everyday cigar. However like we always say, go ahead and give it a try for yourself and make your own judgement.

Body: 5/10
Strength: 6/10
Complexity: 4/10

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

Cigar Review: Humo Jaguar

Corona Gorda, 6" x 52 ring gauge / approx. $7
Seems like every cigar-producing country has their own cigar festival...some of which have been in the news for years and some which have not. I had never heard of the Honduras cigar festival known as Humo Jaguar before they decided to make their own news by having a blend competition. Each cigar-maker that took part in the festival was allowed to contribute a blend, which over 200 panelists tasted, resulting in Nestor Plascencia winning. This is a Honduran Puro with an Oscuro wrapper that is available in 3 sizes and is distributed by Miami Cigar and Company. I smoked a Robusto that was given to me by Matt at Burns in Chattanooga (it was an IPCPR show sample) and was sent a Gigante (6" x 60) by Jason Wood of Miami Cigar; for this review I'm smoking the Corona Gorda that was provided by Miami Cigar as part of the Chattanooga Tweet-Up in August.

The wrapper on the Humo Jaguar was a thing of beauty...fairly dark and very oily to the touch, although it did not glisten under the light like you might expect. The band was classy-looking, although I was left wondering at the significance of the "g" being in red...the only thing on the band using that color. The wrapper leaf had mostly small and medium sized veins and the rolling job appeared to be up to standards for a cigar in this price range, with no open seams, patches, or sloppy work. Sniffing the wrapper, I got an understated earthiness and a bit of cocoa powder; on the foot I got more pungent earthy and damp forest notes, as well as stronger chocolatey notes. After cutting the head, I noticed the draw was just slightly snug...right about where it should be, really. The cold taste was earthy with bittersweet cocoa notes, a bit of something herbal, and a touch of spice left on the lips.

Lighting up was fairly easy even with a soft flame Djeep lighter. Right away I got a sort of damp earth, woodsy flavor with a bit of sweetness on the palate and a good hit of pepper on the nose. About three quarters of an inch into the first third, I did start to pick up on some cocoa powder and chocolate notes, but they were verging on baker's cocos in bitterness and were elusive, to boot. A description I have read a couple times about this cigar is "chewy" and it definitely seems to fit...the Humo Jaguar started off with a medium to full body and a long, leathery finish.

Moving into the second third, the cigar had a unique combination of earthy, foresty, and vegetal flavors up front, with bits of cocoa powder underneath it all; the spiciness had disappeared by this time. The first time I smoked this blend I was not blown away; this time, I feel almost of two minds: sometimes it seems very pleasant...at other times I'm not a huge fan. Construction is superb. I could find nothing wrong with the draw or burn line and the ash was solid as it fell off in good-sized chunks.

The Humo Jaguar ended by mellowing out a bit more in the final third. There was no spice left whatsoever and the flavor turned more creamy and...still...chewy. The flavor that presented itself throughout this smoke was not bad, per se, but it was more or less what I think of as "typical Honduran," by which I mean...uninspiring...at least to me. There are fans of Honduran-heavy smokes out there and this cigar might just be right up their alley, but for me it's just kind of...there...not bad, but not great, either. The body mellowed out toward the end, too, ending up more as a medium-bodied smoke and I never felt a nicotine hit really, so this might be an acceptable cigar for all but the newest of smokers. The price is fairly easy on the wallet, especially if you smoke other Honduran-heavy smokes like Rocky Patel and Alec Bradley.

Body: 7/10
Strength: 4/10
Complexity: 5/10

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 3.5/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 8/10

Commentary: Answering the Critics...

Would Churchill have given this cigar a "9.5"?

I know, it's probably a bad idea to start answering critics...mostly just let them be critical and do what you want to do. This time, though, not only was the critic way off-base, but there is a possible lesson to be conveyed, so I figured I would go ahead and write about it.

A couple months ago a cigar forum post came to my attention via Tom at TomsCigars.com. Tom mentioned on Twitter about some British wag who complained about him and misidentified "death metal." I couldn't help but check out the link and was surprised...okay, a bit thrilled...to discover that in a forum post specifically designed to poke fun at cigar reviewers, the Tiki Bar got mentioned! Hey, any publicity is good publicity, right? Nothing's worse than being ignored or making no impression on people at all. I'm not going to address the other criticisms thrown about by the guy, but about us he specifically said: "And of course these guys (whom I curiously like) giving everything a 9 or a 10 out of 10 - genius." (By the way, I'm not linking to the forum because I really don't want to give the guy the satisfaction of more views for his forum post.)

My first reaction (after being thrilled to be noticed) was "he's just flat-out wrong." The week I had seen this post, I had posted one of my lowest reviewed cigars of the year, the H. Upmann Sungrown which received a 5.5/10. That was followed up later in the month by the Frank Llaneza 1961 which scored an 8 and the Gispert Maduro which scored a 7. And just so you think I give bad ratings just to Altadis products, check out the Esteban Carreras 187, CAO OSA Sol, and Viaje Summerfest reviews, none of which scored "a 9 or a 10." The scores I give a cigar on any given day (and this would apply to Keith, as well) depend solely upon how I reacted to the cigar. Given the proper circumstances, it may be very good, it may be bad, it may be somewhere in the middle.

There was a time when almost every review posted would be based on the first time I smoked a blend and that resulted in more mediocre or poor ratings. These days that has changed a bit for a couple reasons. First, after smoking nearly everything I could get my hands on for the first couple years I posted here on the Tiki Bar, I've gotten a pretty good feel for what I like and don't like. If a manufacturer sends us samples to smoke for review, I feel an obligation to do so: they have given their product in exchange for my honest opinion. If I am buying the cigars myself, though, I tend to buy things I think I will enjoy. Many times now days, I will buy a cigar and smoke it right away in the store just to see if I do like it...and if I do, I'll buy another for review later.

When something new comes out that both Keith and I want to review, we have to make a decision: do we publish just one review from either, publish one now and one at some later time, or go for a dual review? Because there are just too many cigars out there to get to all of them, the decision is often made that just one of us does the review. When it comes to that, we often split up the reviewing duties based upon who will enjoy it more. For example, Tatuaje came out with two new lines this fall. I had smoked both and enjoyed the La Casita Criolla much more than the Fausto, so I recommended that I publish the LCC review and Keith go for the Fausto...after trying them both, he agreed, so both cigars got the best possible reviews because they were reviewed by the person who enjoyed them more (well, technically Keith reviewed the Avion, which is the same blend as the Fausto, just in a perfecto shape).

Taken the above set of circumstances, it is only natural that both Keith and I publish more reviews with good scores than bad...we tend to smoke what we like. We have different enough palates and preferences that we can have we can split up the responsibilities for the reviews this way and we both win at the end of the day...and I think the readers do, too.

Another issue related to the final score has come up recently...that of whether ratings are bought and paid for by cigar companies. Because of the trip to the Dominican Republic that General Cigar graciously provided to a group of bloggers, including myself (and which trip I am on as you read this), there have been accusations that this group will not be publishing any negative reviews of General products in the future. I would not presume to speak for the whole group, except that those I know are honest enough that it won't be an issue. Speaking for myself, I call the whole issue pure horseshit, born of jealousy from a few folks that did not get invited. I will continue to rate the cigars I smoke on how I personally feel about them; I know that one member of the trip is publishing a review of a General product this week and he says it is not "positive."

This accusation smacks of the whole myth that Cigar Aficionado reviews are paid for. I do not agree with CA's published reviewing methods of smoking only the first inch or two of a cigar before issuing a number, but I will tell you what I heard from one industry insider when I asked about the issue: "If we could buy a better review in some cases, we would be doing so."

Bottom line: learn to trust a little more...give people the benefit of the doubt. If you read a review in a couple months where I give a Macanudo Hyde Park a 9.5, then you have reason to question if I've been bought off.

Cigar Extra: Cain FF

654, Torpedo, 6" x 54 ring gauge / Part of event-only sampler
Another piece of the sampler that you receive when you buy a box at this year's Studio Tobac tour is the Cain FF, a doubling-down of the original F concept, I guess. I just have to guess at this point as I couldn't find any real information about this cigar online. What I can tell you is that it has a dark brown, fairly oily wrapper with lots of medium-sized veins and a black footband with dark gray type on it...hard to photograph unless you use a flash. The wrapper had chocolate and leather aromas and the foot had an even richer chocolate note. The prelight draw was very good and had flavor notes of coffee and cocoa powder along with an understated sweetness. I paired this stogie with one of my favorite sipping rums, Barbancourt 8 year.

Right off the bat I got tons of pepper spice on the tip of my tongue and on the retrohale. The smoke was powerful, but very smooth and velvety, carrying with it a nice sweetness that was not unlike dark chocolate. I had barely burned an eighth of an inch and was already impressed with how rich and complex this cigar was, especially for how powerful it was as well.

By the end, the Cain FF surprised me be how smooth and flavorful it was. I got sweet chocolatey notes throughout as well as earthier coffee flavors. While you might imagine this to be a turbocharged F, it did not have much nicotine kick at all, just a very full body with a mountain of flavor that paired very well with my rum. It left me wishing that they would add these to the regular lineup, but I fear that is not going to happen. At the event, Bryan told me that they felt like they had done enough with the Cain line at this point and that it was time to move on with some other concept. We can always hold out hope for the future, though...maybe some day they will decide to go ahead and make the FF a regular production line.

Cigar Review: El Primer Mundo Epifania

Toro, 6" x 54 ring gauge / approx $10
When we held the Chattanooga Tweet Up back in August, Primer Mundo owner, Sean Williams, was not able to get enough of these new cigars to hand out to everyone, but he did bring along a few and I was lucky enough to receive one that I smoked during the event as well as one to bring home for later review. Epifania is the Italian word for epiphany, but I'm not sure if that means it was an eye-opening experience for Sean...or if it's supposed to be one for the smoker...maybe both? I couldn't find much on the web as far as hard information about this cigar goes, so I'll repeat the vital stats that my friend, Barry Stein, quoted: filler from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, a binder from Nicaragua, and an Ecuadorian wrapper. He shows the ring gauge as 52, though, and I measured 54...close enough for government work, I guess. Sean mentioned to me at the Tweet Up that this was similar in some ways to last year's Liga Miami release, but tweaked and different in enough ways that it deserved its own brand name. Like the Liga Miami, this is made by El Titan de Bronze in Miami.

The wrapper is a thing of beauty on this cigar...oily to the eye and touch...an almost luxurious feel to it. The banding is a variation on the old Primer Mundo packaging, with a secondary band like the Liga Miami. Purple and silver look very good together against this dark tan colored leaf. The aroma from the wrapper was hay-like and sweet. There was a note of earth along with understated cocoa powder on the foot. The prelight draw featured a rich natural tobacco taste with hints of cocoa, molasses sweetness and chili pepper.

The Epifania opened up with a mix of Nicaraguan pepper spice on the palate and on the  nose, along with the sweet creaminess of the Ecuadorian wrapper. Flavors of earth and black coffee were layered with sweet hay and natural tobacco for a cigar that was incredibly complex, at least at the outset. My initial impression is that this blows away everything else from El Primer Mundo in terms of richness, balance, and complexity. As the first third slowly burned through, I also picked up some earthier flavors from time to time, but I just could not stop marveling at how really great this cigar was.

As the second third began, I picked up on a note of wood...it could have been oak...it really did not hit me like cedar usually does. That woody flavor blended well with the continuing molasses sweetness and earthier aspects. Construction was fantastic; I experienced a great draw, very even burn line and a strong ash that easily held on for over an inch at one point.

The flavor of wood continued to strengthen in the last third and there was an underlying earthiness as well. I still got sweet notes from time to time. In the end, I was left with the impression I had at the beginning: a great, great cigar with wonderful balance and a strong complexity...easily my favorite stogie that Sean Williams has put his name on so far. This was not a full-bodied or strong cigar...if that's what you need, keep looking. This was instead a medium-bodied, full-flavored cigar that should delight any experienced smoker, but will not be off-putting for newer smokers. That leaves us with the issue of price; at $10 or more per stick, this is not a bargain cigar, but I think you can lay most of that issue on the fact that it is made in Miami. When I pay that much for a cigar I expect it to bring more to the table...and the Epifania does. Flat out one of the best cigars to come out in a year when I've smoked a lot of really great sticks.

Body: 6/10
Strength: 5/10
Complexity: 9/10

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

Cigar Review: Savinelli Liga Especial

Corona Gorda, 5.5" x 52 ring gauge / approx. $5.50

I was looking through my humidors this week looking for something I hadn't reviewed before and I came across this Savinelli Liga Especial that someone at the company had sent me a while ago. I don't remember having one before so I decided to give it a shot. After I smoked it I found that Dave had done a review of this cigar before. You can read it here. It looks like other than changing the band, which I consider a positive change, they haven't changed the blend.

Giving the cigar a once over visually the color of the wrapper caught my eye. It is a rust brown in color with a bit of lighter mottling. The veins are medium and there is a moderate amount of oil to it as well. Like I said above I like the looks of the band. It has a classy and Art Deco look to it. When I gave the cigar a squeeze I got a slight amount of give and found a small soft spot near the head. Putting my nose to the wrapper I get the aroma of barnyard with leather coming from the foot. After clipping it and taking a cold draw I get a good draw with a slightly sweet nuttiness.

The cigar starts off with flavors of leather and syrupy sweetness with slight amount of spice. Taking a few more puffs on the cigar I start getting some earthiness and the spice builds slightly. The draw was ok, but a little tight for my tastes and the burn was slightly uneven. The light grey ash held on for about three quarters of an inch before needing to be tapped off.

As I moved into the second third the cigar didn't change a whole lot. The spice that was predominately on the retohale moved to the tip of the tongue. The flavors were of leather, earth, cinnamon with a sweet finish. The cigar would probably be classified at the upper end of medium at this point.

The final third didn't see much change in the flavors. I was kind of bored with the cigar at this point. The cigar did gain in strength as I was getting a slight nicotine hit. The spice built up quite a bit both on the retrohale and on the tongue.

Overall this was an ok cigar in my opinion. It really didn't have anything to wow me. If you check out Dave's review you'll see we have quite different experience with this cigar. Because there wasn't anything bad or wrong with this cigar, and because of it's reasonable price, I'd recommend you try one if you can find one.

Body: 7/10
Strength: 8/10
Complexity: 6/10

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1.5/2
Flavor: 3.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 8/10

Cigar Review: Perdomo Exhibición Maduro

Double Robusto, 5" x 54 ring gauge / approx. $6.50
Perdomo Cigars is getting quite the reputation as a provider of high-quality cigars for bargain prices...although not the type of bargains you see in bundles...these are bargains that are more than worth your time! The latest is the Exhibición, available in three wrapper choices (in what is becoming a norm for Perdomo): Connecticut Shade, Sungrown, and Maduro. Each Exhibición uses a blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos including 4-year aged seco from Condega, 5-year aged viso from Jalapa, and 6-year aged ligero from Esteli. The wrappers are hand-selected and aged for 6 years “prior to qualifying for Perdomo’s bourbon barrel aging process.” The Connecticut wrappers are aged an additional 6 months; the Sungrown 10 months; and the Maduro 14 months. Chris Harper, Director of Sales as well as our rep here in East Tennessee, provided some Maduro wrapped sticks for the recent Chattanooga Tweetup. This review is based on my first stick from this blend.

The Exhibición has a very nice look to it...a classy band featuring the leafy Perdomo logo large and proudly. The wrapper leaf is a fairly dark brown and mostly even in coloration with small to medium veins and a nice oiliness to the touch. The aroma from the wrapper is a earthy barnyard scent, with an accompanying milk chocolate on the foot. I got an excellent draw after putting w straight Xikar cutter to the head and the cold cigar had flavors of chocolate and pepper spice.

The first few puffs exhibited flavors of dark roast coffee, bitter cocoa and intense earthiness, while giving just a hint of Maduro sweetness as well. I felt a peppery burn on the tip of my tongue and got a kick to the nose from pepper spice as well. The cigar did not really mellow out after a few minutes...instead, it seemed to gain in body and intensity, taking on some sharp leathery flavors and losing the sweetness it had started with for the most part. While a spicy retrohale often settles down by halfway through the first third, this seemed to just keep kicking me in the nose. I'm not saying that's a bad thing...just a little surprising.

Construction seemed superb so far, with a very even burn line, fantastic draw, and an ash that held on for most of the first third. As the second third opened up, the Exhibición seemed to get sweeter to a degree with the earthier aspects resolving into a stronger coffee note than had been detectable since early in the cigar. Just off the top of my head, this could be the fullest body cigar in the Perdomo line, but I'd have to go back and try out a few others to confirm that impression. The cigar continued to get sweeter and more interesting as the second third went on. On the retrohale, it was still fairly spicy and very full.

The Exhibición Maduro ended in some ways like it began...full bodied and earthy. In other ways, it was far better in the final third than in the first...more chocolate and coffee notes coming through, adding to the complexity and interest level. It seems unusual for a cigar to get better and better as it progresses, but that is exactly the experience I had with this one. Although full bodied, the smoke ended up mellow without a hint of the harshness I had detected early on. This is another cigar for beginning smokers to stay away from, but more long-time enthusiasts may very well find something they like here and decide to come back for more, especially with the easily accessible price tag that is so common with Perdomo's offerings.

Body: 9/10
Strength: 7/10
Complexity: 7/10

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

Another Day Older...

...but hopefully not deeper in debt. It seems Mondays are demanding something different lately than what I originally planned to post...this week I got a special cigar that needed some attention because it’s a special day...

If you ever wondered why my Twitter name is “dmjones1009”...the “1009” part refers to my birthday. I try not to make a big deal of it anymore, but it is nice when other people remember, so let’s start out by saying a big “Thank You!” to all those who wished my a happy birthday through Twitter or Facebook yesterday. An extra dose of “Thanks” is given to those who gifted me cigars for my birthday...including today’s Fuente Fuente Opus X Forbidden X Lost City (really? that’s an amazingly long name for any cigar). The cold draw on this cigar had notes of molasses and rich natural tobacco. The banding is about what you would expect from an Opus X...ornate, rich, a little over-the-top...but it’s all okay, because it is “the” classic super-rich band that all others have been falling all over themselves to replicate for a decade and a half...and it still looks better than just about anything else!

As you get older, you start thinking about “how much time do I have left?” and that type of question, especially as you get to a day where you celebrate living through another year. I’m not ready to admit that I’m “old” (quiet down, you jokers), but I am “getting older.” For that matter, I’ve probably reached that magical time of life where a guy is supposed to run out and buy a Porsche or Corvette, maybe think about getting a hairpiece, run off with the secretary...all those other “middle-aged” cliches. As much as I like flashy, fast cars, I would just get in trouble by having one. My hair is still (mostly) intact and all mine, thank you very much. And I love my wife. All in all...I have to say I’m very happy with where my life is. Not to say I am going to stop striving for better...but I’ve learned a thing or two about being satisfied. I don’t know who first said it: “It’s not about having what you want, but about wanting what you have.”

The first puffs on the Opus X Lost City showed this to be a smooth and refined cigar. I got notes of honey and earth, with just a tiny bit of pepper spice through the nose. This is definitely one of those “smoke it slowly” cigars...because it’s hard to get your hands on them and they’ll never make them again...because it’s expensive...because it’s just a very rich smoke that should be savored and not rushed. I can tell that from a half dozen puffs over a couple minutes? Yes. This cigar starts out that impressively.

I’ve been an Apple Computer fan most of my life. My first computer was IIe; I worked on one Mac or another through the early ‘90s. The first computer I bought with my own money was a Bondi Blue iMac. Since then, I’ve bought several more Macs, both desktop and laptop, including the MacBook Pro I’m writing this on. I’ve owned iPods and an iPad. I’ve followed Steve Jobs’ leadership of the company since he came back and was deeply saddened by his loss last week. Not that I was surprised...when I saw a recent photo the day he resigned as CEO, I knew the end would not be far away. There are nay-sayers and critics out there who continue to insult the man, his legacy, and those of us who are sad to see him go, but like it or not, their lives were impacted by what he imagined, too. Because he wanted to see “a computer for the rest of us” we got the Mac...and Windows...and Linux GUIs. Because he imagined that computers could be more than appliances, we got iMacs...and all the imitators who chased it. Because he thought an MP3 player should be easy to use we got iPods...and Zune...and...well, even the Zune isn’t a good example because no one else was able to really keep up with the iPod. He saw the potential in smart phones that no one was exploiting and gave us the iPhone...which was copied slavishly by Android phones...and bore the fruit of the first Windows Phone OS that was actually decent (even if it didn’t sell). He unlocked the key to making tablets people actually want, so we have the iPad...and Android tablets...and upcoming Windows tablets (that still kinda miss the point). Simply put, he imagined the things we would want five years from now and worked to give them to us. He invented some things and made others usable by the average person. There aren’t many visionaries left in the world today...it’s sad to lose him at such a young age.

Keeping it slow is the way to go with the Opus X Lost City. This is not a powerhouse cigar that you might imagine from the Opus X line. It is a lot more like the Forbidden X that I had last year...smooth and refined. Could be that’s why they put “Forbidden X” on the label, but that’s just a hunch. I got some notes of earth along with the sweetness and natural tobacco goodness. There is still just a tiny bit of spice in this cigar.

The Barbancourt 8 year aged rum I selected to go with this cigar is a nearly perfect complement to it...slightly sweet, not the cloying nature of cheaper rums, but a fantastic sipping rum with a little body to it. My “local” liquor store (“local” because they are 45 minutes away) got a deal on these and sells it for about $14 a bottle...I keep buying because it is SO good.

I’m looking forward to my trip, starting next Sunday, going to the Dominican Republic again. General Cigar was kind enough to invite a bunch of us bloggers down to see their factories. It seems there are some small-minded folks that feel that objectivity cannot be maintained when manufacturers are giving trips to the factories. I would argue that any acceptance of money or goods (or trips) from anyone has the potential to corrupt an opinion on a cigar blog...or any other journalistic endeavor for that matter. So, you can either run your endeavor completely out of your own pocket (I’d like to see Big Journalism try that) or you can take what’s being offered, but maintain your integrity by calling things how you see them. I’ve given good reviews and bad reviews to General products in the past and I’m sure that will continue in the future. Just a heads up, though...I’ve had one of the new La Gloria Artesanos Retro Especiales and I thought it just might be the best La Gloria Cubana in many years. I guess if I call it as I see it here...I’m a sell-out? Or maybe not...the circular logic of some people makes my head spin more than an underaged stogie. I may have more to say on this and related topics later on.

Spice built up a bit on the palate during the second third of the Opus Lost City and the overall flavor intensity seemed to pick up as well. More earth, some roasted nuts, a sort of citrusy sweetness. Have I mentioned that this cigar is fantastic? I should at some point, I guess.

Some folks are talking on Twitter about classic cars they want to buy. Personally, the only classic car I really admire enough that I would want it if I had the money is a ‘60s Corvette (didn’t I say earlier that I didn’t want to buy a Vette at this time in my life?). 1963 split window coupe would be great...convertible of any year would be even better. Of course, I’d want to restore it to full original outside...and make sure it has an iPod hookup inside...let’s face it, some things are better upgraded than restored.

What’s the one flaw I can find in the Opus X Lost City so far? Something that plagues far too many Fuente products these days...so much damn glue on the band that it ripped the hell out of the wrapper when removed. And before someone says “wait until the burn gets close and heats up the glue”...I did...and it still shredded the wrapper. QC department fail. The good news is the construction on these things is solid enough that the ripped wrapper did not cause a herfing failure. I smoked right into and through the section with no problem.

My advise: if you can find these, buy them. If you like them, hoarde them. As far as I know they were made only one time (in conjunction with the film, The Lost City) and will never be available again (the movie didn’t lend itself to a sequel, but if they do make one, let’s pray that Andy Garcia doesn’t direct again). Thanks again to Matt, manager of Burns Tobacconist, for gifting me this cigar. And let that be a lesson for everyone...sometimes it pays to be a good customer of your local B&M.

Cigar Extra: Diamond Crown Julius Caeser

Robusto, 4.75" x 52 ring gauge / approx. $11 each
Named after the patriarch of the Newman family, the Julius Caeser was released in 2010 although at the time it was very hard to find. Recently they have become more prevalent, and I believe Keith sent me this one a few months back. In researching it, I was able to discover that it has a Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, but Diamond Crown is tight lipped on the rest of the blend. Typical of their pricey smokes, it is a good looking stick with an upscale band. I got notes of wood and grass from the wrapper along with more grass and a foresty scent on the foot. The cold draw was slightly tight but nothing I thought would be a problem; I got a earthy, fungusy taste on it that was not unlike many Davidoff products.

The comparison to certain Davidoff or Avo blends was also very present on initial light as I experienced that same wet forest, damp ground mushroomy quality that so many of those sticks seem to have. Although the draw seemed good, it didn't feel like I was getting much smoke...either that or this smoke was so light and insubstantial as to not really give any indication of its presence. It seemed to be the latter, because I tried several times and just could not get a ton of "mouth feel" from this cigar. Aside from the previously described flavors, I got a little leather on the palate and a bit of nuttiness on the retrohale, but the finish was so short as to be non-existent.

As time went by the Julius Caeser did start to develop a longer-lasting finish and overall it was a very good smoke. In the second half I got more flavors of cedar and earth, while the fungus and wet forest took more of a supporting role. Construction was excellent with a consistent draw all the way and a strong ash that fell off in good-sized chunks. I enjoyed this, but like other cigars with the "Diamond Crown" moniker, I felt it fell just short of being a good value for the money. Strangely, the J.C. Newman company's cigars seem to fall into two categories..."Outstanding Value" like the Brick House or El Baton or "Too Expensive" like anything with Diamond Crown name.

Cigar Review: Panacea Corojo (White Label)

Hitch-pin, 6.5" x 54 ring gauge / approx. $7.25
Several years ago I first heard about Panacea Cigars while listening to An American Front Porch's podcast. Who knew then that they would be as successful as they have become and that one of the people behind the podcast would end up being a rep for the company? Nate McIntyre is that rep, serving Tennessee and other states nearby. I acquired this Corojo from him in a cigar swap a couple months ago and have had a couple others from the line at different times, too. The Panacea Corojo has Dominican and Nicaraguan Ligero and Dominican Seco fillers, a Dominican Habano binder, and a Dominican Corojo wrapper (hence the name). It debuted in May of this year and has already become one of the company's top sellers.

The overall look of this cigar is very good, with the original Panacea band rendered in white background with black and gold artwork this time around. The large "P" on the band will be replaced over the course of the next few months (or years) by a star because apparently someone trademarked the letter P. The wrapper was oily to the touch and smooth and flat to the eye, with mostly small veins. The color was a fairly light tan with a bit of darker mottling. The foot of this cigar had a split wrapper, another casualty of the practice of shipping cigars sans cellophane. It seems like no matter how well I might take care of the cigar, after some time period, the wrapper of a naked cigar will get beaten up. I got an aroma of honey and sweet hay from the wrapper, and a peppery, earthy note on the foot. After clipping the head with my Xikar Xi, I got a good draw with strong natural tobacco flavors along with touches of sweet spice and pepper spice.

When I lit up the Panacea Corojo, I got a strong reminder of the Panacea Black Label...their first blend. I think this blend has some of the same leaf in it, because the initial flavor hit is so similar if I were blindfolded, I might actually think it was the Black. It gets different very quickly, though, as the flavors of musty forest (think Davidoff) give way to a dry earthiness and a little hit of pepper spice on the nose. It probably does not give you as much spice as you might expect in a Corojo cigar, but the hallmark of this one is a more gentle spiciness. I saw ash build up to over an inch and still hang on firmly. The flavor through the rest of the first third was a sweet tobacco along with a very muted pepper spice and a nice woodsy characteristic.

As I smoked through the second third, autumn seemed to roll right in with a sudden rainstorm that in the spring probably would have been accompanied by thunder, lightning, and a possible tornado. By the end of it my front porch was mostly soaked, but I kept the Panacea Corojo dry and it kept me warm with a nicely building cayenne pepper spice, bolstered by a hint of sweet hay and damp forest earth. The construction continued to by near perfect with a very even burn line and fantastic draw.

During the final third, the cayenne burn stayed steady but was joined by another type of spice, one I would best describe as "autumn spice" because of its touches of cinnamon. The Panacea Corojo had a dry smoke that started to get a little hot during this final segment, too. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this cigar and would buy it again, although I do wish company owner, Paul Bush, believed more in smaller ring gauge cigars that would let the wrapper flavor shine through better. As much as I enjoy this smoke, I am left wondering how much better it would be in a Corona or even Corona Gorda size. The body, like most other Panaceas, was nothing too full...medium-to-full at the most by the end of it; there was not too much of a nicotine kick, either. Truly a wonderful cigar with a unique twist on the Corojo idea.

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

AFP Scale
Prelight: 1.5/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9/10