Cigar Review: La Palina El Diario

Toro, 6" x 50 ring gauge / approx. $10

The people at La Palina were kind enough to send us a couple more samples, of a different size to review.  Earlier Dave reviewed a smaller size than the first one we tried, today I will be doing the same thing only with the toro size.  I smoked one other before this one.


The wrapper on this cigar was a very nice reddish brown in color.  It has lots of oils and some tooth to it as well.  The veins that were present were fine and medium in size.  When I gave it a squeeze it was fairly firm to the touch with no soft spots.  Putting my nose to the wrapper I got a light aroma of hay, with barnyard coming from the foot.  After I clipped it and took a cold draw on it I got the flavor of sweet leather with an ok draw.


Like the previous example I had it took a little doing to get the foot completely burning.  After getting it lit up it starts off with notes of spice, leather, earth with hints of sweetness and cinnamon.  The draw on this sample, unlike the previous one, was pretty good, but the burn was fairly uneven.  The cigar started off at the upper end of medium in regards to strength.  I feel like I have to keep puffing on it to keep it lit though.  The ash was very dark in color.  I did get 2 burn holes showing through at the end of this third.


As I started into the second third a third hole showed up and I had to relight it.  The flavors for this third were mainly of leather and earth and a bit of coffee.  The spice did tone down quite a bit.  The draw continued to be good, but the burn was really uneven.


The final third didn't see much change in the flavors, except the sweetness and spice started coming through more.  I did start getting a slight nicotine hit.  I would classify this cigar in the medium-full range at the end.


Overall I didn't enjoy this cigar.  While the flavors that I noted are ones I usually like there was something that just didn't do it for me.  The construction issues were pretty bad so I don't know if those might have influenced it.  This is one cigar that I just can't really get into.  However I suggest you make your own judgements about it.

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

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1/2
Flavor: 3.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 7.5/10

Cigar Review: Four Kicks by Crowned Heads, Selección No. 5

Selección No. 5, 6.5" x 44 ring gauge / approx. $7.50
In the beginning, like the Beatles, there were four. The Beatles had John, Paul, George, and Ringo; Four Kicks had Corona Gorda, Robusto, Pyramid, and Sublime. Then there was always talk of “the 5th Beatle” whether it was meant to refer to producer extraordinaire, George Martin; keyboardist, Billy Preston; or the occasional one-off guest musician like Eric Clapton. Similarly, Crowned Heads has just introduced a fifth vitola of Four Kicks. Selección No. 5 is thinner and longer than the Corona Gorda vitola that has been very, very popular among a lot of cigar smokers I know...and which I still mostly don't get. I've had a handful of CGs and still don't think the best one is close to the Robusto or Sublime in flavor and experience. To each his own. So when the Selección No. 5 arrived I wondered if I would like it or if this cigar's perfect size (for me) would remain the Robusto. As with the other sizes, this is all Nicaraguan leaf for filler and binder, along with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. I've smoked about a half dozen of these...all of which I bought.

That wrapper is beautiful, caramel in color with oils under the fingers. Someone on Twitter remarked a few weeks ago on how simple the Four Kicks band is, but it really isn't. Sure...red ink and gold foil only...but the intricacy of the embossing is just amazing from a graphic design standpoint. When I first opened the box of these that I bought, I was almost floored with the cedar aroma that poured out of it. The first cigar tasted like almost nothing but cedar and it really didn't get a whole lot better until the box had been sitting open (lid off, in my humidor) for about a week. The stogie still has a whiff of cedar along with a sweet tobacco note; the foot had more cedar along with earth. My Xikar Xi made short work of the head and I got a very good prelight draw...something I take for granted with the Robusto, but I have gotten a couple of these that were slightly tight...it could just be a matter of exact humidity level, though, as that hasn't happened since the first week or so I had this box home. The cold draw had notes of natural tobacco and a touch of the molasses I enjoy so well in this blend.

On the palate, the initial puffs were earthy, sweet and a bit peppery, but with a smoother finish. The retrohale had a good dose of cedar. Smoke production was ample and the draw was as good once lit as it had seemed before. What is a bit surprising about this vitola is how great it captures the best of some of the others. It has the Robusto's sweetness along with a bit of the spice and earthiness of the Corona Gorda, a mix that makes works very, very well. Throw in a bit of cedar...something that neither original vitola had in much quantity...and you have Selección No. 5!

Since I sorted out how to better ensure a good draw with these cigars (slightly lower humidity than normal) I've had nothing but excellence in construction with the No. 5. This one was no exception; as I neared the halfway point, the burn line was even enough, the draw was good and the ash hung on for up to an inch or so before falling off. As I burned into the second third, I noticed the flavor profile get a bit more earthy, although it never lost that sweet molassesy touch. There was some black pepper at the back of the throat and the smooth, nutty retrohale.

The last third had a surge in the amount of black pepper on the tongue, mixing with the other flavors that stayed strong. So, back to the question of what is the perfect Four Kicks size. I like the Selección No. 5...a lot! But I still favor the Robuto slightly as the flavors just come through in a way that is more pleasing to me. This is a close second, supplanting the Sublime and blowing away the Corona Gorda, in my opinion. The body on this one is more of a medium-plus rather than the straight medium of the thicker vitolas and the nicotine strength is still nothing to worry about. This cigar is definitely suitable for just about any level of smoker and should definitely be put on your list to try.

Body: 6/10
Strength: 5/10
Complexity: 7/10

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

Cigar Extra: MUWAT Baitfish

Petite Corona, 4" x 44 ring gauge / $6.35, New Havana Cigars Exclusive
When Drew Estate came out with an all-60 ring gauge line called My Uzi Weighs A Ton, my first reaction was, "Silly name." And my second reaction was "60 ring only? Pass." Sorry if anyone's offended by either of these reactions, but it's just how I feel. I did eventually have a MUWAT and felt justified in passing initially...like most large ring smokes, I found the flavor muted and underwhelming. The rumored "Baitfish" version sounds interesting, though. Recently my friend, Dan Reeve, of Cigar Explorer sent me a few cigars and this is one of them. The original MUWAT has Nicaraguan and Brazilian Mata Fina fillers, an Ecuadorian Connecticut shade binder, and a Mexican San Andres Negro wrapper; the New Havana website mentions that this blend is "tweaked" but it probably contains the same leaves, just in differing ratios.

What can I say? This was a beautiful cigar...dark, leathery, and oily. It gave off a strong barnyard earthiness from the wrapper and a more subdued earth along with a little dried fruit sweetness on the foot. The cold draw had notes of dark chocolate, earth and raisin and once fired up there definitely was a bitter earthiness from the Mexican wrapper, but it was well balanced by cocoa and sweeter flavor notes.

I found the MUWAT Baitfish to have a medium to full body, with a ton more flavor than the regular 60 ring version. Some spice, a lot of earth, and enough sweetness to make it a very pleasant, if short-lived, diversion. If you're going to smoke the MUWAT, this is the size to get! (Unless you're in to large ring gauge Stogies...then go for the regular ones, I won't stop you! LOL) Thanks again to Dan for sending this one my way...gonna have to order some now...which may have been his intention all along.

Side note: I did hear from a shop last week that Bait Fish would soon be going national, then saw the same news posted online...Great news for those of us who love the smaller ring gauge!
 

Cigar Review: Fuente Gran AniverXario

Robusto, 5" x 50 rng gauge / MSRP...hard to say, but probably north of $35
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Fuente family being in the cigar business, Carlito Fuente started creating the Don Arturo Gran AniverXario line in 2001 with plans to release some every year starting in 2002. That ended up not happening, but they did start to trickle out in 2008 and more have steadily made their way onto the market in the years since. There are now something like 5 sizes in each of two wrapper offerings (Natural and Sungrown). These are Dominican puros with the filler a blend called AF13 (which Halfwheel lists as a mixture of Opus X, Don Carlos, Hemingway and 858 fillers...hard to see how they would get all that into a single cigar, but...that must just be part of the Fuente Magic®) and the wrapper a Dominican Chateau de la Fuente Rosada, which I believe is the same used most commonly on Opus X (Opi X?), which explains why the Opus X logo appears on the backside of the band. I was gifted this cigar by Mike Denham of Mike's Stogies, aka YoungBuckBOTL...thank you!

The band on this cigar deserves special attention. It features Don Arturo front and center, flanked by his son (Don Carlos) and grandson (Carlito), all amidst a see of gold foil and red ink, and lions that seem to proclaim 1912 and 2012. And, of course, the aforementioned Opus X logo that serves almost like a wax seal in its position, keeping the band closed. I'm posting lots of pictures of this band because this one is so ornate and cool that it deserves special celebration. The wrapper looks very much like most recent Opus cigars I've seen...a dark tan coloration, with a little mottling and a bit of oily sheen. It had a wonderful sweet aroma that seemed to be a mix of natural tobacco and molasses. The foot had more of a barnyard earthiness to it. I had to get up close and personal to get much aroma off either, though, as it came to my without cellophane, which normally has the effect of trapping and concentrating the aromas. I used my most reliable cutter (Xikar Xi series) to lop off the top of the Gran AniverXario and was rewarded with an excellent cold draw that had flavors of molasses, tobacco, and hay.

 

On the palate, the Gran AniverXario started out with notes of hay and tobacco, along with a nice sweetness. On the nose, I got a powerful black pepper hit along with a mellow nuttiness. With the Opus X wrapper, you would almost expect a lot of that flavor in the mix, but it was surprisingly tamed in this blend. There were still definite hints of it in the sweeter, creamier, more mellow notes, but everything else was very different and not something I would have said "Fuente!" to on first puff. The lingering finish was earthy with a definite coffee overtone. Before the first third was done, I found myself surprised at the body of this cigar and its relative harshness. As compared with pretty much any Opus I've had in the past five years, this was anything but smooth and creamy...it had a sharp, peppery bite on the back of my throat.

 

Breaking the trend of poorly constructed Fuente cigars I've had recently, by midway through the second third, the Gran AniverXario had zero issues: the draw was great, the burn line was very straight, the ash was strong and never flaky, and the band was not so covered with glue that it pulled off a large chunk of wrapper. Very promising. The flavor in the second third continued the trend toward bolder, earthier flavors, with very little of the creamy sweetness associated with the Opus wrapper left. I got a good amount of red pepper spice on the tongue along with notes of coffee. Surprisingly, the retrohale was devoid of spice by this point and was actually very smooth and nutty.

 

By the end of the Gran AniverXario I experienced a strength level not typical of any Fuente I can remember, and it made me wonder if these were indeed rolled 7+ years ago. It is possible...it's also possible, though, that the initial size was rolled then and other sizes rolled later. If they were rolled in 2001, though, it is no wonder they were not released until much later as they would have been so strong as to be unsmokeable then. While this stands as an excellent cigar, I wonder what an additional couple years of aging might do for it. Flavors in the final third were still strongly earthy with coffee and spice in abundance. These are too strong and too full of body to recommend to newer smokers, but long time smokers may very well find something to enjoy here...as long as they have deep pockets. The price tag for the humidor with 50 sticks in several thousand dollars, making this a non-starter for many. I would have trouble parting with $35 or so for a single stick myself.

 

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

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

 

Cigar Review: A.J. Fernandez Oval Maduro

Robusto, 5" x 52 ring gauge / $7.99, Maxamar's

Today I'll be reviewing the latest cigar from A.J. Fernandez, the Oval Maduro.  This cigar is a follow up to the Oval Natural that was released last year.  The cigar comes in five (corona, robusto, toro, torpedo & Churchill) sizes, two fewer than the natural release.  I also notice that the maduros are a little shorter and and little smaller in ring gauge in their natural cousin.  I haven't heard why this is though.  They do have the same binder and filler as the natural all with an Ecuadorian Habano maduro wrapper.  I smoked at least five of these before I smoked this one for review.

This sample had a very nice looking dark brown colored wrapper that had a lot of oils and tooth to it.  There were some medium and fine veins and the wrap was very evenly done.  When I squeezed the cigar I got a slight amount of give, but there were no soft spots.  One thing about the looks is I wish the band said maduro on it or it had a second band.  Some of the ones I've seen could easily be mistaken for the other and in a hurry even with the size difference I might mistakenly pick up the wrong one.  Putting my nose to the wrapper I get notes of leather and cedar with barnyard coming from the foot.  After clipping it and taking a cold draw on it I get what I best describe as red chili & chocolate with a good draw.

Lighting up the cigar brought about fairly strong flavors of chocolate, spice, earth and leather.  The retrohale did have a wasabi like burn to it as well. The flavors also seem to coat the palate fairly liberally.  The finish on this cigar was very sweet, almost a sugary sweetness.  I would classify this cigar as starting out in the upper end of medium range.  The ash flowered on me and needed to be tapped off after about a half of an inch.  The draw was great and it produced a lot of smoke.

As I moved into the second third the flavors changed into chocolate and cinnamon with some leather, earth and anise thrown in.  The sweetness was still very present as well.  The strength of the cigar built towards the bottom end of full as well.  The draw continued to be perfect with the ash still a little crumbly.

The final third saw the flavors kind of reverse from the second third with the main flavors being earth, leather and coffee with hints of chocolate and anise.  The sweetness and spice on the tongue and retrohale continued on from the beginning. 

Overall I really enjoyed this cigar.  However I will say that I still like the natural better.  I would like to see what these do with some age, if I can hide them from myself.  One thing to note the Oval Maduro is quite a bit different than the regular Maduro line.  I don't know if I could pick one of those as my favorite because they both offer good flavors that would be appropriate for different times or desires.  I would say that most smokers would be able to enjoy this cigar, with only the ones sensitive to nicotine probably not enjoying it.  I would suggest that you give this one a try when you see it.

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

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

Cigar Review: LG Small Batch IV

Toro Grande, 7" x 52 ring gauge / approx. $20
I have to make an admission: there are some cigars I am afraid to try. Usually it has to do with the price tag: I just don't have enough free money to throw around on very expensive cigars that I end up not enjoying. What scares me even more, though, is sending $20+ on a cigar and finding out I really, really like it...that just encourages me to find a way to buy more! I have to admit, not a huge number of cigars have fallen into that category...but I'm always willing to be surprised. Enter the LG Small Batch IV. Released late last year, I was more than a little standoffish when I saw the $20 price tag...for all the reasons I just explained. I ended up sending a friend some cigars around Christmas and he offered to send me a couple of these back...so I said okay, and began the wait. Turns out the shop didn't get more in for a while, but he did come through--with 3 sticks! Thanks, Mike! This La Flor Dominicana creation is all Dominican tobacco from the company's farms and it features a Pelo de Oro wrapper. This review stick is my second one (the last one will be kept in my aging humidor for a while).

The band for this Small Batch IV is pretty much the same one that adorns the LG Diez every year, although "Dominican Puro, SB, IV" do serve to identify it well, which is something I have not always seen on LG special releases in the past. The wrapper was very dark and very oily...very oily without cellophane, no less! It looked very well made and had an aroma reminiscent of milk chocolate and leather, while the foot gave off an earthy scent. The prelight draw on the cigar was earthy and leathery with a nice raisiny sweetness as well as touches of anise and pepper spice.

Once lit, the Small Batch IV produced plenty of thick smoke; it had a bittersweet cocoa flavor with notes of earth, hay and coffee on the tongue, and roasted nuts with a sharp black pepper on the nose. At the start this cigar had almost a perfect balance of sweet, bitter, creamy and spicy notes...a very elegant way to start the experience. The first third continued in about the same manner; the spice on the retrohale died a bit, but it built on the palate at the same time. Enjoying it slowly seemed to be the best way to handle this cigar which started off with a fairly full body.

In the second third, the Small Batch IV quickly ramped up on nicotine strength, but the body remained where it was...full, but not maxed out. The flavor was a nice mix of dark chocolate, earth and anise with very little spice still in evidence.

Slow smoking was not enough to hold off the feeling of nicotine strength that became somewhat overwhelming by the end of the Small Batch IV. Make no mistake...this was an excellent cigar with tons of flavor...but it was also a butt-kicker in a way that I rarely experience anymore. Speaking of flavor, it did not change much in the final third...it just continued to be sweet and creamy. New smokers should steer well clear of this one...you would probably be sweating up a storm by the middle of the second third! Smokers who like some kick in their stick, though, will certainly enjoy this one...especially if you are a fan of other LFD cigars. So, was I right to be afraid of this one? Yes...it was certainly good enough that I would like to buy more...and also stronger than I really expected. Because of the fact that these were released so strong, I think they may have a very good potential for aging, with that strength mellowing a bit over the course of 2 or 3 years.

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

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

Spirit: The Dalmore Cigar Malt

I will be the first to admit that I am more of an American whiskey drinker...bourbon, rye, even moonshine...than I am a Scotch drinker. I have enjoyed some Scotches in the past, but I tend toward the peatier varieties such as Laphroiag or Lavagulin. Frankly the Scotches I really like tend to be much, much more expensive than the bourbons I really like, and since I actually prefer the bourbon...why spend the extra money? On a regular basis, at least. So, I probably would have skipped this Scotch with a $125 MSRP if it had not been generously offered to me by one of their marketing partners for review. I got a small plastic bottle with enough for a couple shots...not the whole bottle.

The Dalmore is a Highland Scotch company and their Cigar Malt Reserve is part of the "Most Exclusive" range on their website. According to the site, it "benefits from a judicious selection of 10-15 year old stocks drawn from casks of three types: American white oak ex-bourbon casks, 30 year old Matusalem oloroso sherry casks from Gonzalez Bypass and premier Cru Cabernet Sauvignon wine barriques." Oddly, the information sent by the marketing company leaves out the Cabernet element and says that the liquor is a mix of 70 percent sherry cask aged and 30 percent bourbon oak aged. Both locations agree that it is bottled at 44% ABV and it has been crafted as "the perfect compliment to a fine cigar."

The Dalmore Cigar Malt was a deep amber in the glass...almost orange. Putting my nose into the glass, I got notes of honey and orange, along with a touch of vanilla. I decided to take a first sip to see what cigar I would want to pair it with. The tasting notes talk about "crushed almonds, cinnamon and spice." I definitely get the "mulling spice" notes...cinnamon and others. I don't know that I would agree on the almond part, but I do know this is a very intense Scotch, unlike just about anything else out there. The finish had vanilla and honey notes; the tasting notes refer also to "sweet pineapple...rich mango, crushed pear and kiwi fruit." After looking at the notes and thinking about what I was still experiencing (very long finish) I can understand the notes of fruit, although I don't know that I would have picked out those specific ones over, say, apple or tangerine. As with cigars, so much depends on your own individual experiences and tasting equipment. I decided that, like many Scotches, this would probably not stand up well to a very strong or full-bodied smoke, so I opted to pair it with something mild to medium in body, rich in flavor, but no overwhelming...turned out that only thing I had for that description was one Zino Platinum Crown Series Chubby Especial.

As much as I would have enjoyed the absurdity of pairing a $40+ cigar with some Popcorn Sutton moonshine, this just fits better. I am unlikely to have another dram this rich and refined in my house for some time and the cigar probably wouldn't stay at its prime waiting for it. The Chubby Especial was how I remembered it from last time: light and grassy at the beginning with just a hint of pepper on the nose, but mostly just smooth, rich, refined tobacco flavor.

I imagine this is the type of cigar the makers at Dalmore had in mind when blending the Cigar Malt...the mild to medium Zino Platinum paired exceedingly well with what is, in essence, a mild to medium bodied whisky. While it has more color than most Scotch and the flavor is one of the very complex, I do not believe it would stand up well in pairing with anything beyond medium bodied. Since it is a very expensive beverage, make your choice wisely.

Cigar Extra: Guillermo Leon Signature, Robusto

Robusto, 5" x 50 ring gauge / approx. $7.50, Burns
Hard to believe it was 16 months ago or so when I named the Guillermo Leon Signature, in the Corona Gorda size, my 2010 Cigar of the Year. Truth is, though, I am still not tired of the stogie...and that's the sign of a truly great stick: you can smoke it fairly consistently over a long time period and not get bored with it. Last spring when I was in the Dominican on the La Aurora trip, we were blessed one evening to be among the first to try the Robusto size, which was not one of the original vitolas released. When it actually did hit the stores months later, I completely forgot about it, though. Then I saw them during the La Aurora event in February when Guillermo visited Burns. I picked up a couple and saved one out for a revisit. The prelight draw was easy and had a mix of sweetness and earth, along with a touch of pepper spice on the lips.

I pulled out my trusty Xikar Executive which got the cigar going very quickly and I paired the Guillermo Leon with some Two if by Tea Diet Blueberry Iced Tea, a creation of another giant of industry, Rush Limbaugh. I'll say up front...I don't care what you think about Rush or his criticism of some "helpless damsel" who wants the government to pay for her contraception...I'm not going to talk about politics here...this is about the tea and how it pairs with the cigar. The cigar opened up with a pleasant mix of earthiness and cedar,making with that mild orange peel sweetness that I like so much in this blend. It is not as pronounced in this ring gauge, but still comes through better than in the Belicoso or other larger ring gauge versions. The Blueberry Tea was a great accompaniment...sweet berry flavors blending very well with the orange and other sweet notes of the cigar.

The Robusto Guillermo Leon Signature burned well and provided a solid hour of smoking enjoyment. I still prefer the Corona Gorda, but this is definitely a strong second in the line for me. I also really enjoyed the pairing with the Two if by Tea Diet Blueberry Iced Tea. Raspberry and Peach teas have been common on the market for decades now, but I think this is the first Blueberry variety out there...the first one I've seen anyway...and it is great. It wouldn't go well with every cigar out there, but it did pair very nicely with this blend.

Cigar Review: Intemperance BA XXI

Avarice (Short Robusto), 4.5" x 52 ring gauge / 

$6, Hava Cigar Shop (online)
Check out my review the other day of the Connecticut Shade wrapped version of the Intemperance and for more background on the cigar. Today I am taking a look at the darker version, the BA XXI, named after its Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper and the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, in which the intemperance movement win out and prohibition of alcohol was repealed. Since there are no other details on the cigar blend (ahem!) I will just dive right into the review...

I guess brand owner, Skip Martin, has a thing for oily wrappers. The CroMagnon is known for its oily sheen, and this Intemperance BA left a very obvious oily residue on my fingers every time I touched it. It did not glisten in the light like a CroMag, but it is definitely quite oily. The color was a nice, fairly even dark shade of milk chocolate and there were a couple larger veins, but I had three of these before this review sample and had not noticed any burn irregularities before, so I really did not expect any now. The wrapper had a earthy and leathery aroma to it; the foot had richer, more manurey earth and a slightly sweet, almost fruity note. The prelight draw was slightly snug, but the flavor was great...almost a raisin or other dried fruit sweetness to it, along with just a bit of pepper spice.

After lighting, I noticed the draw to still be a little tight. This was the first time I've had any draw issue through about 8 or 9 Intemperance sticks I've smoked, but even this wasn't too bad...definitely not unsmokeable. Flavor right off the bat was earthy with a little pepper spice, but that changed within just a couple minutes as the wrapper came into play (the bottom eighth of an inch or so is unfinished) and the spice ramped up and a lot of sweetness was added to the mix. I think Keith mentioned "cola" flavor in his review and I totally see where he got that...definitely a little something different in this cigar.

Possibly because of the more solid construction, the ash on this Intemperance BA held on for the entire first inch...and probably could have held on longer, but I didn't want to risk covering my iPad with it. The burn line was very even so far, too. Flavor wise, I got more earth in the second third, more spice, too, but at a very low level. The cola note morphed into more of a black coffee and there was a hint of anise.

The last third of the Intemperance BA continued to be earthy with coffee overtones and still enough sweetness to balance out the more bitter elements of the flavor. If you haven't guessed by now...I liked this cigar...a lot. With its deep flavors, medium to full body and enough complexity to keep it interesting, this is a cigar that will definitely be seen in my humidor on a consistent basis. The fact that it is relatively inexpensive doesn't hurt, either. I will state again that the draw on this sample was not perfect, but it was far from unsmokeable and I experienced no problems whatsoever with the others I had. Definitely a cigar that enthusiasts should put on their list to try. Now if we could just find out what Skip used to blend this one...

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

Cigar Review: My Father Flor de las Antillas

Robusto, 5" x 50 ring gauge / $7.99, Maxamar's

Last time I was in my regular shop I saw these and their band caught my eye.  It took me a minute to figure out what they were because the words My Father are a very small at the bottom of the band.  I talked to the owner of the shop and asked about them and were told that they were the new My Father TAA (probably for now) blend that he ordered at the most recent show.  They are a Nicaraugan puro and come in four sizes in boxes of 20.  This was the second one I smoked.



 The wrapper on this sample was a medium-dark brown in color with some medium and fine veins to it. The wrapper also had a good amount of oils to and and was fairly smooth to the touch.  The very ornate band reminds me of a classical painting.  My wife decided to abscond with the band once I took it off she liked it so much.  The box press had well defined flats, but the corners had a slight radius to them.  There was a slight amount of give but no soft spots when I gave it a squeeze.  From the wrapper I got notes of leather and spice and the foot gave off hay and barnyard.  Once I clipped it and took a cold draw on it I got a good draw and sweet leather flavor.


Lighting up the cigar brought a fairly intense spice on the tongue and retrohale.  After taking a few more puffs on it I get a definite sweet graham cracker taste.  The flavors of earth and leather started to come through and the graham cracker note turned into a sweetness on the finish.  The draw was pretty much perfect and it produced a large volume of smoke.  At this point I would classify it at the upper end of medium.  At the end of the first third I got a couple puffs with where I would get some green herbal notes then a couple puffs of potato, the latter being something I can't say I've experienced in a cigar before.


As I moved on into the second third the spice died down considerably.  The flavors were of leather, earth, wood all with a slight sweet finish.  The draw continued to be perfect and the burn line was only slightly wavy.


The final third brought about a definite building in strength of the cigar, to the bottom end of full.  The flavors didn't change much, with only the addition of some cinnamon notes.  

Overall this was a very enjoyable cigar.  I will definitely be picking more of them up the next time I'm at the shop.  While it's flavors didn't change a whole lot I wasn't bored by them.  The strength would probably put this out of reach of some of the novice smokers or ones sensitive to strength.  If you can find this cigar I recommend you giving it a try.



Body: 8/10
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: RoMa Craft Intemperance EC XVIII

Virtue (Short Robusto), 4.5" x 52 ring gauge / 

$6, Hava Cigar (online store)
Who knew? When Skip Martin blended the cigar he wanted to smoke and released it through the web as the CroMagnon, who knew it would be the start of an entirely new cigar company? I'm sure Skip had his hopes, but I don't recall him ever saying much on the subject until late last year when words like Acquitaine and Intemperance started appearing on his Twitter feed, then I got to try an early Acquitaine when we were both on the same trip to the Dominican. Earlier this year, it all culminated in the formation of RoMa Craft, a new company Skip formed with Michael Rosales of Adrian's Cigars. The first release was the Intemperance.

Keith already looked at both of these (EC and BA), but I decided to take a look at them as well, using a different size...in my case, both reviews are going to be based on the Short Robusto vitola. The naming of this cigar is interesting and peculiar...Intemperance is a reference to the Prohibition era Temperance Movement which sought to stamp out alcohol use (not just abuse). The new Prohibition Movement is to get rid of smoking, which is why we need to "initiate our own modern Intemperance movement." EC is short for Ecuadorian Connecticut, the type of wrapper (and the only leaf we get to find out info about as Skip is protecting his blend data now days...hmm, need to talk to the other member of Team Stogie Fresh about that). XVIII is in reference to the 18th Amendment which established Prohibition. I bought a five-pack when these first became available and this is my fifth one...although all have been different vitolas.

There is no fault to be found with the wrapper on the Intemperance EC. It is a beautiful shade wrapper with an oily touch, no large veins and superb wrap job that ends about 1/8 of an inch above the foot, leaving an unfinished end, allowing you to taste the filler and binder blend without actually tasting how the wrapper affects it. The wrapper has a sweet hay aroma, while a little more earthiness can be detected on the foot. As I was looking over the stick in preparation for this review, I noticed there was a hairline crack straight across the cap. It was done in such a way that I could actually draw through it without even cutting, although I am sure it wouldn't draw all that well once lit up. I decided to do a V-cut to completely exorcise the break...hopefully taking it off without causing any further damage. It mostly worked, although how well it would hold up would be impossible to tell at this point. The prelight draw was very good, featuring clean, sweet hay notes, with just a touch of earth...it pretty much struck me like a typical mild to medium smoke at this point.

The day was calm...fairly unusual this spring...so I decided to light this up with a soft flame lighter. The shaggy foot allowed it to come to life very quickly with minimal fuss, and I got immediate flavors of earth and citrus on the palate, along with some pepper spice through the nose. As the wrapper started to burn, I noticed a mellow hay flavor add into the mix, but it truly did add to it, not really diminish the other flavors I was getting. By the end of the first third, it was apparent that this was not just a "mild cigar" as it appeared before lighting, but fit very well into the "new breed" Connecticut category, with a solidly medium body and plenty of pepper spice on the palate and the nose to go along with lots of earth and black coffee notes. The milder hay and creamy notes were really only an undercurrent with this cigar.

Construction was proving to be fantastic. I held onto pretty much the entire first third before tapping off, the draw was great despite the minor cracking still apparent on the head, and the burn line had needed no encouragement whatsoever to remain even.  The flavor continued to be quite earthy with some sweetness to balance it out and that nice dark roast coffee note running throughout.

The end of the Intemperance EC XVIII still maintained a healthy dose of pepper spice along with the other flavors I mentioned before. The lack of change in flavors was a bit of a let down, but the flavors that were there were consistently excellent, so that tempered the disappointment a bit. Unlike many Connecticut wrapped cigars, I can't recommend this for newer smokers; by the end the body was creeping past the dead medium spot and there was more nicotine strength than most new breed Connys. For experienced smokers, though, this is likely to be a treat. The price is excellent, too, especially for what is currently a limited production cigar. By the time this posts, there may not be much left in the way of available sticks in this blend, but that should change in the next few months as RoMa Craft starts working on rolling these out to select B&Ms nationwide. Just as a reminder, they will be at the Chattanooga Tweet-Up in August and should have plenty to sell then.

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

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

Local Kid Makes It Big!

Part 1:

The Tiki Bar's very own Keith Hollar today made his debut as a "Guest Contributor" on the "The World of Beretta," a blog created by Beretta Firearms.

Read his article "Of Tobacco and Lead" and leave a comment for him there.

Congratulations, Keith, on expanding the writing career (?) you started here on these virtual pages. For all our regular readers, have no fear...Keith will remain Associate Editor and Chief Armorer here at the Tiki Bar for the foreseeable future.

Part 2:

I'm usually not one to "toot my own horn" but last week was a very big week for me in my chosen profession of graphic design...and it had a cross-over effect into my love of cigars.

I have been working for a few months with Jeff and Nada Jumper in coming up with a band design for the Nadi Cigars line. Last week, those bands were finally printed and shipped to them. We were all excited and very pleased at how they turned out. If you haven't tried their cigars, head over to  Sunkissed Smokes and at least buy a 5-pack. 

Also, I got a call last week to help Nate McIntyre out with a couple projects for Emilio Cigars. The most visible thing was helping turn Nate's concept art for Emilio's new logo into something that will work as a print piece. I imagine you'll be seeing this logo show up in different places in the coming months: boxes, magazine ads, billboards along major interstates, barn roofs. Gary gave me lots of credit for this when he intro'd it on Twitter Saturday morning, but I have to say it was really a collaborative effort: Nate's design, my technical graphics expertise, and Gary providing #nutkicks to keep up on track.

When Keith and I (and Jim, Vern, Ray, and Thomas) started this little herfing group called "The Tiki Bar" 6 or 7 years ago, I really had no idea it would lead to any of this...it's been a good week!

Chattanooga Tweet-Up 2012: Gettin' Here

If you read my "travel tips" article last July (during the run-up to #CHAtweetup2011) some of this information will be a repeat...but it really does bear repeating. The 2012 Chattanooga Tweet-Up is going to be The Party to be at this year, with 30+ cigar sponsors and about a dozen special guests from the cigar industry planning on attending.

First Things First...Chattanooga Airport

I love Chattanooga and I really love the Chattanooga Airport. It's small, it's clean, the TSA folks there actually have a sense of humor and aren't likely to strip search you. Unfortunately, it's also expensive and time-consuming. Flying to or from Chattanooga Airport almost always requires going somewhere else first. For example, in looking into a trip to Miami, I found that I would have to travel to Chicago O'Hare just to get there...essentially traveling almost to the northern border of the country just to turn around and travel to one of the southernmost points. (It gets worse...someone else told me their routing was going from Chattanooga to Chicago to Houston to Miami.) Yes, some airports flying directly to Chattanooga and if you live near one, I encourage you to fly directly here. Like I said, the airport is extraordinarily easy to navigate and it happens to only be 3.1 miles driving distance from Burns East (even less as the crow flies...but if you're a crow, you probably won't be smoking cigars).

Other Airport Options

What we do have is two world-class airports at just about 2 hours away: Nashville and Atlanta. Both airports are now serviced by Southwest Airlines, one of the least expensive and best airlines flying in this country today (you're allowed to disagree...seems like everyone has a most hated airline these days). You can rent cars at either of those airports and make the drive, or you can contact Groome Transportation, a service that provides around the clock shuttle service to and from Chattanooga to either of these airports. Round trip (as of this writing) is $78 and advance reservations are highly suggested.

If you plan on flying into Chattanooga OR taking the shuttle from one of the other airports, and need a ride from your destination to your hotel (or a car rental place), please let me know and I can work on arrangements for you. Find the "Contact" page above and send an e-mail to the address listed.

Upcoming Tweet-Up Stuff...

You may have noticed that I added a "Countdown Clock" to the blog last week. As this is posted, we have just 101 days left until the official start of the 2012 Tweet-Up (and only 100 if you are planning on coming in early for Thursday night's RoMa Craft Tweet-Up Kickoff Event). In the coming weeks, we'll be publishing a list of the sponsors that have signed on so far...this is the group that your multi-packs will be selected from. In the month of June, we'll start running our "Sponsor Spotlight" posts.

PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS...

Are you a whiskey fan? If you haven't tried Chattanooga Whiskey, you are really missing out. The more I sip, the more I really love this stuff...if is a superior whiskey, in my opinion. If you haven't had the chance to do so yet--and maybe they just haven't made it to your neighborhood yet--do so when you get the chance. 

If you have tried Chattanooga Whiskey 1816 Reserve or Cask and enjoyed it. If you live in Chattanooga and are a whiskey drinker. If you love this area and want to see whiskey distilling brought back. If you go so far as to call the owners of the company friends.

Then you need to go to their  

KickStarter 

website today and pledge some money to their expansion plans.

Call it an investment in the future of the Scenic City. Call it shaming some people who should already be on the "Backer" list into doing what's right. This is one of those rare opportunities that you might have to not just "talk" about something, but make a difference by giving your money to a small business that wants to grow bigger. Get your reservation to have your name engraved on the distillery wall when they build it! C'mon, folks, you can get in on this with nothing more than a $10 donation.

Cigar Extra: La Aurora Preferido, Silver Tubo

Preferido Platinum, approx. $19

Did I told you the first time I ever smoked a Preferido was on my trip last Spring to the Dominican Republic, thanks again to Miami Cigar and La Aurora? On the beach while we endured hours of video taping and one of our party was called a Dirty Bastard for simply enjoying his lobster, they handed out Preferidos to us. I was hooked immediately. Fantastic taste, flawless construction, incredible experience. Maybe hooked is too strong a word, though, since I haven't had one since...let's face it, with my budget, I just can't afford very many high-high-end cigars and since Preferido Tubos tend to be a buck or two more in the store, these just weren't an option at all. So when the Matt, the manager of Burns, gave me one at the recent La Aurora event...I was stunned. I didn't even know when to light it up! Good thing I waited because a marketing company sent me a tasting sample of Dalmore Cigar Malt Scotch. This could be a perfect pairing.

The Preferido line is made of Brazilian, Cameroon and Dominican fillers, a Dominican binder, and a choice of several wrappers: Corojo, Maduro, Cameroon, Connecticut and Habano. In this case it is Cameroon. The Scotch is a Dalmore blend taken from stocks in the 10-15 year old range and from three different barrelings, specifically blended to be the perfect accompaniment to a cigar. The cigar started up with notes of sweet cedar on the palate and a ferociously peppery retrohale. The Scotch opened up with a smooth oakiness and a spicy finish, too.

The Cameroon leaf adorning my Preferido kept my mouth fairly dry; the Scotch was a nice counterpoint to it. This cigar demands that you smoke it slowly, savoring the experience...first, because it tended to run a bit hot if I didn't slow down, secondly, because it's just a pricey cigar and needs to be enjoyed.

Cigar Review: Alec Bradley American Classic

Robusto, 5" x 50 ring gauge / $4.75, Burns
I have made my beefs with certain cigar company websites known at times in the past, but I didn't expect quite what I got from the Alec Bradley website...I couldn't click on anything! There was a list of cigars at the bottom the page...couldn't click on any of them. There was a rotating slide show of cigars...was not clickable. There was a downloadable "Online Product Catalog" that came down as a Zip, then expanded to a PDF, but still didn't have any mention of the American Classic (or other new products). I know cigar making is very old school, but I do wonder why it takes most manufacturers so song to update their websites with new information.  I took the vital stats for this cigar from some famous online retailer's website. The American Classic is supposed to be a throwback to the cigars that were popular on the American market 100 years ago. It uses Nicaraguan fillers from Condega and Esteli, a Nicaraguan binder from Jalapa, and a Honduran grown Connecticut shade wrapper. This review is of my first experience with the blend. (Correction: I made a mistake by not testing out the company's website on more than one browser. I normally use Firefox and it does not work on that browser, but it does seem to work correctly on Safari on Mac and iPad as well as Chrome Mac. Thank you to the representative from Alec Bradley who pointed out my error in the comments section.)

The band is colorful and attractive, with foil and embossing helping it to stand out. This could look cartoonish and cheap if not done right, but that didn't happen here. The wrapper was far from perfect and unblemished, but I would hardly call it ugly, either. It was a shade or two darker than many Ecuadorian Connecticut wrappers, with some dusky mottling and not much in the ways of oils to the eye or to the touch. The aroma, though, was great; I got a strong scent of tilled earth with some natural tobacco and a little chocolate on the wrapper; a more manure-y earth and chocolate on the foot. My Xikar Xi delivered a clean cut as usual and I noticed the draw to be a bit tighter than I would prefer, but not nearly tight enough to try to use a draw poker or anything drastic like that. The cold draw flavors were classic mild cigar flavors or natural tobacco, molasses sweetness and a bit of earthiness.


I lit the American Classic Blend using the soft flame of my Colibri Hybrid and it got started burning easily and fairly quickly. I immediately noticed a creamy coffee note along with sweet natural tobacco; the only surprise here was the amount of spice on the retrohale...I thought it was great, but I wonder if this is really something that would have been common in the broader American market 100 years ago. Maybe...although no cigar smokers from then are likely to still be alive, so it's hard to know for sure. As I smoked through the first third, I noticed hints of molasses from time to time and that the coffee note became more prevalent, bringing a little more bitter balance into the cigar. It was decidedly mild bodied, but with a nice flavor nonetheless.

I had a couple issues with burn line, notably a canoe that reappeared a couple times. The ash was strong and I had to forcibly tap off at an inch or so. Well into the second third, I noticed a crack appear in the wrapper. This was unfortunate, but could be due to the less than optimal smoking conditions: it was 60 degrees and a little windy which could have led to the wrapper drying too much, even though I was out of the direct wind. The flavor in the second third was not as pleasant as in the beginning; I got mostly natural tobacco and earth with just a little sweetness mixed in.

In the end, the cracked wrapper caused no further problems, but the flavor did not get any better in the final third. The American Classic took on a rather bland earthy note with no distinctive flavors to keep me interested. If the entire cigar had been up to the level of the first third, this could have been a great mild cigar, but it turned out to be about worth the price of admission and no more. Because of its mild body and lack of strength, this would be an excellent cigar for newer smokers and it at least did not have the sometimes nasty aftertaste that many bundled cigars have. By those standards, it is great for someone who wants to buy from a local shop instead of doing their shopping online. For cigar enthusiasts, though, this may very well leave you wanting for something more.

Body: 3/5
Strength: 3/5
Complexity: 4/5

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 3/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 8/10

Cigar Review: Room 101 San Andreas

Papi Chulo (Petite Corona), 4” x 42 ring gauge / $5.00, approx.

Unlike Dave I tend to like the Mexican tobacco that is being used in cigars today.  Dave reviewed this cigar, albeit a different size, here.  I haven't seen the regular release of this cigar in my regular shop yet, but Edgar (a.k.a. OSOK) was kind enough to give me a couple of the pre-release samples for me to try.  This cigar was the second one I smoked.

The wrapper on this sample was a medium dark brown with a slightly greyish tint to it.  The veins that were there were fairly fine.  When I put my fingers to it I did get a slight amount of oils and there wasn't much give or any soft spots.  Putting my nose to the wrapper I got what I describe as sweet curry while the traditional barnyard came from the foot.  After clipping it and taking a cold draw on it I got notes of cocoa powder with a good draw.

Once I lit up this cigar the first tastes that hit me are of leather, earth, cocoa powder and some red pepper spice.  The spice is especially noticeable on the retrohale.  After taking a few puffs on it I get some cinnamon coming through as well.  To start off I would classify this cigar at the upper end of the medium range in regards to strength and body.  The draw on this sample was perfect and it produced a large volume of smoke.  The ash did flower after about an a half an inch, but not too bad.

As I moved into the second third the spice did start to fade a bit, but it never completely went away.  The flavors in the second third weren't much different than the first with the ones I noticed were of leather, earth and some cocoa powder thrown in.  Towards the end of this third I did start getting a slight creaminess on the finish.  The construction continued to be spot on and need no help.

Finishing off the cigar didn't see much change in the flavors, except the finish started to show a little sweetness.  However the strength and body started to build back up as I finished off the cigar.  The spice came back to about where it was in the beginning.  I didn't notice much of a nicotine hit, but someone more sensitive might be effected.

Overall I really enjoyed this cigar.  I am definitely looking forward to giving the other sizes a try when I can find them.  Since Dave mentioned that the larger sizes aren't as strong as the smaller one, and with the reasonable price, many people will be able to find one of these that they enjoy.

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

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

2fer 2sday: Short Smokes

Short smokes are one of the things I tend to specialize in. Sometimes the weather is just too cold to want to be outside for more than 30 or 35 minutes. Sometimes it's just too hot...or too humid. To be honest, I have never been a big fan of any cigars that take two or three hours to smoke, though. I rarely have that much time and when I do, I find practically any cigar that lasts that long to be a bit...boring...even the best ones! I'd rather smoke a couple smaller smokes and get a variety of flavors from them...especially when we're dealing with stuff like I'm presenting today.

K.A. Kendall 7-20-4
Dogwalker, 4" x 40 ring gauge / $6, Burns (also available in 5-pack for about $28)
Too hot, too cold...or when you need to take the dog for a walk. This cigar is sized just right to give you just the right amount of smoke time and blended to be memorable. Kurt Kendall uses Nicaraguan, Honduran, Mexican and Columbian fillers, a Costa Rican binder and a Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper and it's appropriately finished off with a stubby pig tail...appropriate, because I've taken to calling cigars like this "half lanceros" and everybody knows a Lancero has to have a tail!

Being a half-Lancero, the appearance is nothing more than if you had taken a Lancero and lopped off 3 or 4 inches. The wrapper was oily to the touch and the eye, and it had a nice earthy aroma with a touch of wood. The foot was a rich manurey earthiness with touches of sweeter smells. After cutting, the prelight draw was excellent, featuring flavors of earth and leather.

After lighting up the 7-20-4 Dogwalker, I got natural tobacco and earth on the palate, a full cocoa note and just a touch of pepper spice on the nose. The pepper died down before too long and I was left with a mix of earthy and vegetal flavor notes. There was a nice balancing sweetness, too. The only complaint I had in the first half was that it did tend to burn a little quick and get warmer than I would prefer.

Flavor continued to be nice in the second half, although the Dogwalker got too hot to hold long before I would have put it out normally. I had to set it down for a minute or so at a time during the last half inch of smokable cigar. The price is just a little steep for a cigar of this size, considering that Tatuaje offers similar sized smokes for about $4.50, but this is definitely one to give a try. I found it medium bodied and very short on nicotine strength, but long on flavor.

Body: 5/10
Strength: 3/10
Complexity: 6/10

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

La Palina El Diario
KB, 4.25" x 40 ring gauge / MSRP $8.75 each or $35 for a 4 pack
Also falling into the "short Lancero" category is this newest member of La Palina's El Diario line...the KB...short for Kill Bill, a reference to Bill Paley, the proprietor of the company. My original exposure to El Diario was in the 60 ring gauge size and I didn't care for it. Then came the smaller Torpedo at about 54 ring gauge and I thought the flavor went up considerably. Will the same be true when the gauge drops to 40? These are composed of Nicaraguan Corojo 99 and Criollo 98 fillers, a double Honduran Criollo 98 binder, and a Honduran Corojo 99 Rosado wrapper. La Palina sent me a couple of these for this review.

The appearance is pretty much the same as others in this line. This sample had a slightly chewed up spot on the foot, but that happens when cigars are shipped around, so I'm not counting it against it on the rating. The wrapper had a nice earth and cedar smell, while the foot was a stronger earthy note. The cold draw had flavors of earth and cinnamon, with just a touch of pepper and cinnamon.

Light up brought a flood of earthy flavors along with little hints of cocoa powder and black coffee on the palate; the retrohale was mostly just spicy...very spicy, at first anyway. Midway through the first half of the La Palina KB, I found it quite full bodied and very earthy. The spice had died down, but not disappeared and there was a very nice sweet balance to it as well.

The great flavors lasted all the way down to the end of the KB, although it was not the most complex smoke. It is difficult to engineer complexity into one of these diminutive smokes, though, so that's not all that surprising. The price of these is a bit higher than what I would expect to pay for such a small cigar and that's the only thing that really hurts it. It is possible to get a very good full size cigar for the same amount...or even less. So while I do recommend this as the best of the El Diario line, they will not be seen in my own humidor as often as some other sticks in this size.

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

Tennessee Spirits: Prichard's Tennessee Whiskey

For today's installment of Tennessee Spirits, we are headed back to Kelso and the Prichard's Distillery, perhaps best known for their Fine Rum that I looked at a while back. The full name of this beverage is Benjamin Prichard's Tennessee Whiskey and it is named after the Davidson County resident who pretty much started the family in this tradition five generations ago. In 1822, he passed his "still, tubs and utensils" to his son, Enoch. This is billed as an "original Tennessee whiskey" as it was made during the Civil War, utilizing high sugar content white corn, pure spring water, and ancient pot still techniques. The corn is locally sourced from Falls Mill in Old Salem, TN. There is no mention on the company's website or the bottle about whether this uses the Lincoln County Method of charcoal mellowing as most Tennessee Whiskeys do, and I read another review that states that they do not, in fact, use this method. I am hoping to get down to Kelso sometime this year or next and take a look at the whole operation...I'm sure I'll come back to the issue of charcoal mellowing or not when I do.

I usually like to do my review based on the first half or so of a bottle of whiskey...but that did not happen here. I bought this bottle on a trip to Nashville back in February and I think I paid right around $30 for it...give or take a buck or two...but don't quote me. Anyway, I had meant to get on this review in March and one thing led to another...before I knew it the month was over and I was immersed in the newly released Chattanooga Whiskey 1816 Reserve...I had quietly drunk over two-thirds of this bottle of liquor without even putting pen to paper once...or fingers to iPad...you know. Bottom line...this is a good indication I like it!

The Prichard's Tennessee Whiskey is an orangey amber in the glass and has a rich aroma of oak and corn. The first sip is smooth...seriously, this does not need any charcoal mellowing because it already is mellow enough. I detected a sweet honey note with plenty of vanilla and very little alcohol bit or spiciness. I decided to pair this nice whiskey with a Padron 1964 Anniversary Maduro, a cigar that would bring plenty of its own sweetness, but add a decent dose of spice, too. This cigar paired very nicely with this whiskey and seemed to follow along my "rule of thumb" for bourbons...almost any bourbon will pair at least decently with almost any cigar. I'm not sure if the Prichard's qualifies legally as a bourbon (although I suspect it does) but it is close enough to fall in the same general category and I suspect it would pair very well with a range of mild-to-medium all the way up to full-bodied cigars.

As for my experience with the Prichard's TN Whiskey, I think I just might be the best beverage to wear that moniker..at least the best I've had so far.

A LITTLE CLOSER TO HOME...

How close to home? About 2 miles from my front door...maybe less as the crow flies...Saturday night my wife and I finally got around to trying a restaurant that has had a presence in our adopted home town since before we moved here over 3 years ago. When we made that move, Jacob Myers Deli was a small shop in downtown Dayton, Tennessee, and I don't think my parents (who have lived here for about 20 years) had ever tried it, but they did not have anything negative to say about it, either. "Put it on the list of places to try out," I thought...and we never got around to it. A while back they closed the downtown shop and moved into a larger, stand-alone building "On The River." And we still didn't get around to trying it. We did drive by one time, but decided to move on when we saw how busy it was.

A few weeks ago when I attended the Chattanooga Whiskey Launch Party, I ended up helping Wes talk up some cigars in the Burns Mobile Smoking Lounge. And who did I end up talking to? The co-owner of Jacob Myers, his brother-in-law, and the restaurant's bartender. Wait...bartender? So you serve beer and wine, right? No, actually the law got changed and the City of Dayton is now allowed to sell "liquor by the glass." Big step for what is probably technically still considered a "dry county" (liquor sales by the bottle still not allowed). Kevin (the co-owner) invited us to come by for dinner on him...so this last Saturday we did.

The last time we ate out was at a famous steak-house chain and I have to say the steak was a bit underwhelming for the price they charged (if the same steak had been served at Denny's, anyone would be jumping for joy, but at $20+ per plate? Not so much.). My wife and I both had the 16 oz. Rib Eye and we both considered better than that "famous steak-house chain"...less expensive, too. The rolls were great, the vegetables were very fresh, the mashed potatoes were tasty. I took home some blueberry cheesecake for dessert and it was fantastic, as well. The only place I would say that fell a bit short was the salad...an iceberg-heavy mix. Not that it was bad, just that it could have been better. After dinner I had my first alcoholic beverage purchased at a restaurant in my hometown...and I made it a Chattanooga Whiskey 1816 Cask.

We sat on the deck, overlooking the park and the waterway that leads from the main part of the Tennessee River right up to about 50 feet from the front door. As we ate, 3 boats cruised in and docked, with all the people disembarking and coming in to eat. What a great place! Smoking is technically allowed on the deck, although it would probably be best to refrain from cigar smoking while it was busy as the deck isn't very large.

If you are headed through Dayton any time soon, I would encourage you to stop in and give Jacob Myers On The River a try. Excellent food. Very good service. Hard to miss it if you head through town on the main north-south route, Highway 27.

Cigar Extra: Maldonado Dynasty

Toro, 6" x 50 ring gauge / MSRP $11
Keith took a look at this cigar back in January, then was kind enough to send me a couple samples so I could try it for myself. One of those samples got a bit damaged in transit, but I was able to mostly enjoy it anyway. I held out the second sample to do a short write up of it today. The Maldonado Mogul has Dominican, Peruvian and Columbian fillers, a Dominican binder, and a Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper. The brand was created to be a "luxury lifestyle statement" of sorts and brand owner Paul Maldonado is following it up with a men's fragrance to further pursue the luxury market. The cigar in question is a good-looking, well-made and oily. I detected rich earth and woody aromas from the wrapper and mostly an earthiness on the foot.

The cold draw was easy and had a mildly sweet, dried fruit note to it. Once fired, the Maldonado Mogul exhibited a very nice mix of flavors including the dried fruit, a bit of zesty citrus peel, cedar and earth. By midway through the first third, the flavor was leaning more toward hay, earth and cedar, with the sweeter notes taking a bit of back seat. There was also an occasional vegetal note that cropped up.

The Mogul will never be mistaken for a Nicaraguan smoke in terms of spice, but there definitely was a bit there on the palate and a bit more on the retrohale. Mostly it was a very nice, medium-bodied smoke that did have a lot of flavor. Whether you like the flavor it has is up to you and your palate, but I enjoyed it...a very nice way to unwind a bit after a particularly busy work day.

Cigar Review: Nestor Miranda Special Selection Oscuro

Lancero, 7.5" x 40 ring gauge / $7.90, Burns
It's been a while since I really paid much attention to these...it's not the fault of Nestor Miranda or anyone at Miami Cigar...there's just so much hitting the shelves at any given time, that some cigars end up getting overlooked once the newness rubs off. I do remember what a big deal these were when they first hit the market...a Don Pepin Garcia blend sold under the name of "The Most Interesting Man in the Cigar World." I always liked the Oscuro more and it doesn't look like I ever got around to reviewing the Lancero, although I do remember smoking and enjoying it quite a bit when it first came out...so here we are today. The Special Selection is made of Nicaraguan, Honduran and Dominican fillers, a Nicaraguan binder, and a Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro (also available in Rosado) wrapper.

I had the cigar sitting next to me on the desk while I wrote that first paragraph and I just have to say, the beautifully pungent aroma of earth, coffee, and cocoa powder coming off of it was absolutely intoxicating. I love that you can tell the difference visually between the Oscuro and Rosado versions of this cigar...there are other cigars in the Nestor Miranda Collection where that is not so easy. This wrapper was dark with some medium sized veins, some mottling and a nice oily touch. I already mentioned what the wrapper smelled like...the foot was even more potent with chocolate and earth notes. After clipping, I got a very good draw that was strong in dark chocolate flavor with a spicy tingle on the lips, too.

This is one of those cigars that taste almost the same before and after lighting...lots of earth, plenty of cocoa powder and coffee, a delightful sweetness and just enough pepper on the palate to remind you that it is heavily Nicaraguan. On the retrohale, the pepper was at an almost painful level, but that is almost expected from Pepin. The spice doesn't keep to that level, though, and by the middle of the first third, the Special Selection had deep earthy flavors along with semi-sweet chocolate and dark roast coffee notes.

During the second third, I noticed how full bodied this Oscuro Special Selection was. Full, smoky, earthy...dark in flavor just as it in name. Construction was excellent, the draw just about perfect, the burn line very even, the ash holding on for about three-quarters of an inch.

In the last third, the cocoa powder and pepper spice both returned strongly and created a magnificent interplay of flavor. I did have a bit of an issue with a void in the middle of the stick and tunneling as a result, but other than that there were no issues. Overall, the Nestor Mirando Special Selection Oscuro is a very, very good cigar that really shines in this vitola. While full bodied it does not have a huge amount of nicotine strength and is a cigar that enthusiasts should try if they haven't already. If you have been overlooking this one recently, like I did, maybe it is time to pick one up again and rediscover it.

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

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

Cigar Review: Rodrigo La Fortaleza Elegante

Churchill, 6.75" x 48 ring gauge / $8.99 approx.

A couple weeks ago I was listening to Peter (@SharingSmoke) comment, and not for the first time, how great this cigar was.  He put me in contact with George (@RODRIGOcigars) to find a retailer that had some.  I purchased a five pack and smoked one other one before this one.  This cigar is a Dominican puro with an Dominican oscuro wrapper.  It is billed as a cigar that is full bodied and full strength with a complex taste.  These come in two other sizes a corona and a robusto.

The first thing I noticed about this cigar is the band.  It is a very tasteful black and silver.  It seems that this is a common color scheme for a lot of the newer cigars, and most of the time I like it.  The wrapper on this cigar was almost a dark chocolate brown with a slight amount of mottling.  Most of the veins in it were fine, but the were a couple medium sized ones to be found.  The wrapper was fairly oily to the touch in spite of coming without cellophane.  The wrapper was also slightly velvety to the touch.  When I squeezed it, it was fairly firm without any soft spots.  From the wrapper I got the aroma of cedar, with barnyard coming from the foot. After clipping it and taking a cold draw on it I got hints of chocolate and red pepper with a very tight draw.

The cigar started off with a good amount of red pepper spice with some chocolate, earth and a hint of molasses thrown in.  The draw was too tight for my liking and it was very difficult to get any smoke through.  I tried opening up the draw a bit, but I wasn't having much luck at this point.  Even with that taken into consideration the cigar was probably at the upper end of medium at this point.  However in spite my trying to keep it going the cigar did go out and I needed to relight it at the end of the first third.

As I moved into the second third the spice almost went away.  The flavors also changed a bit to coffee, earth, leather, and chocolate with a slightly sweet finish.  The draw hadn't opened up much either.  The nearly white ash did come off in three quarter inch chunks.  The burn was slightly wavy, but I decided to see if it would correct itself.  By the end of this third I did start getting a slight nitcotine hit.

Once I moved into the final third the draw began to open up, but not to where I like it.  It felt a little like work keeping it going.  The flavors were pretty constant in that they were of chocolate, leather, earth and a bit of cinnamon thrown in.  The spice, especially on the tongue, came back to a point stronger than it was in the first third.  By this time I would put this cigar in the lower end of full in regards to strength.  The burn while it had canoed a bit, had started to correct itself.  The nicotine hit did definitely grow stronger as I finished off the cigar.

Overall the flavors in this cigar were very good.  They would have been a lot better if the draw was much more open.  The other sample I had wasn't this tight, but it required a more deliberate draw than I like.  I would recommend that you give it a try for yourself.  I will caution those sensitive to strength that this cigar might not be for you.


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

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 8/10

2fer 2sday: Macanudo Gigantes

Gigante, 6" x 60 ring gauge / MSRP approx. $8
I have always tried to be completely honest with our readers when I review cigars. If I love something, you know it; if I don't...I'm pretty sure it becomes apparent. Being honest without viciously ripping on someone's livelihood or dream can sometimes be a fine line...sometimes you honestly want to viciously rip on someone, whether or not it's the right thing to do. But I believe being honest means being truthful in what I say...and also leaving room for people to make their own decisions. Why this introspection at the start of a review? Because I know there are going to be some people that will suspect that I am biased for General Cigar and for Macanudo because they took me (and several other bloggers) to the Dominican Republic last year. If you read this and feel that way...I can do nothing else to stop you.

For some people the Macanudo name has become representative for everything that is wrong with Big Conglomerate Cigar Companies. I've been guilty of feeling that way myself. "Mass produced blandness" would probably sum up the feeling of many of today's crop of cigar enthusiasts. Before last October it had been years since I had smoked a Cafe because I fell into that category. Then General sent me the 6 x 60 samples of the Cafe and Maduro to try out. I expected little--a combination of the facts that I've never been enthusiastic about Macanudos and I just don't normally care for large ring gauge cigars--but something unexpected happened...I kinda liked them both. Yes...seriously...read on...

CAFE 

I am starting with the Cafe, one of the top selling cigars in America. It uses Dominican Piloto Cubano and Mexican filler, a Mexican San Andreas binder, and a USA Connecticut Shade wrapper. This review is based on my second sample. The wrapper had a beautiful evenness of coloration and only a couple pucker marks marring what is truly a well rolled cigar. There was just a bit of oiliness under the fingertips, but no real glisten to the eyes. The wrapper had a nice sweet hay aroma and the foot had notes of earth and natural tobacco. None of these scents were strong...just unmistakably there. My Xikar Xi made a clean straight cut on the head and left a great draw. The cold draw was mostly just grassy with a slight sweetness to it.

Lighting up was not hard, even with a single flame torch, although I suspect most people will bring out the big gun triple-torches for a cigar this size. I'll say this: if you can get a cigar lit on a single torch, it will control much better the possibility of scorching the wrapper while you are lighting. Initial flavors are of natural tobacco and hay, with just a touch of sweetness. The retrohale was nutty with a dash of pepper spice. Calling it anything but mild here in the early going would be a mistake. A little way into the first this I got a citrus note...almost lemon...that surprised me. What was most surprising, though, about this cigar is that it actually had a very decent flavor wrapped up in this 60 ring gauge size. It seems like the blenders in the DR actually took more time to get this vitola right than most companies care to spend on these behemoths. I don't know about you, but I love it when a cigar greatly exceeds my expectations.

I broke one of my rules of reviewing for this cigar so it's only fair to tell you; I normally try to strictly ache to the "only water" as an accompanying beverage while smoking for a review, but it was a beautiful spring morning that demanded I sit on the front porch with a cup of coffee and a stogie. During the second third the Macanudo Cafe was still mild and grassy. The sweetness was still there, but any lingering pepper spice was long gone by the end of the third. It wasn't blowing me away with flavor, but neither did it exhibit any "off" flavors that would make me want to chuck it.

As the final third burned through I noticed that the smoke was getting progressively hotter, which is just bound to happen when nearly an inch of tobacco burns closer and closer to your fingers and lips. Until now it had been very cool. A little spiciness returned during the last third as well, but the was a little bitterness that crept in as well. Construction was superb the entire way and the Macanudo Cafe never was anything more than mild in body and low in strength. If you are expecting a cigar that will give you the intensity of flavor and medium body of some of today's "new breed" Connecticuts, you are going to be disappointed. What this cigar excels at, though, is consistency and approachability. This cigar is easy for an occasional or new smoker to enjoy, never giving off the strange sourness and nasty aftertaste of some bundled or cheap sticks you will encounter when you go diving into the low end of the pool. It is not something I would reach for on a regular basis, but neither did I find it offputting in any way...just a nice morning smoke that goes very well with a cup of black coffee.

Body: 3/10
Strength: 4/10
Complexity: 5/10

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

MADURO
The Maduro version of the Macanudo starts with the same types of leaf...Dominican Piloto Cubano and Mexican fillers, along with a Mexican San Andres binder...then adds a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. I smoked three of these. The wrapper again had a nice oily feel to it and this one had a very dark coloration with plenty of variation and mottling. The veins were in the small to medium sized range for the most part and the aroma from the wrapper was of coffee and chocolate mostly. On the foot, I got notes of hay and earth. A straight cut again gave me a very good draw, this time with more sweetness accompanying the grassiness, and just a little bit of a lingering spicy tingle on the lips.

The first few puffs on the Macanudo Maduro had a solid earthiness along with more subtle notes of cocoa powder, black coffee and raisin. The retrohale had more cocoa as well as a decent amount of pepper spice. As I worked my way through the first third, there seemed to be an interesting balance of sweet and sour flavors. The sweet from the Maduro wrapper, of course, the sour was sort of a citrus note that also appears, but more subtlety, in the Cafe. Although many would expect the darker wrapper to automatically be fuller bodied, this cigar shows why that's not necessarily the case...so far, at least, it was quite mild bodied even as it produced a very substantial amount of smoke.

The second third was characterized more by earthy notes than anything else as the sweet and spicy flavors diminished. Construction was typically excellent, with an even burn line, strong ash and perfect draw.

Despite remaining mild to medium in body, the Macanudo Maduro ended up having much more of a nicotine punch than the Cafe. Not that it sent the world spinning like some very strong cigars, but it was definitely something I felt by the end. The flavors in the final third trended back toward chocolatey and sweet, with an earthy base. I can't say I was blown away by the flavor of this cigar, but (again, like the Cafe) it was not unpalatable, either. Of the two, I would rather smoke the Cafe, but the Maduro was not something I would throw away. What is most surprising about both is the level of flavor that the blenders were able to achieve in a large ring gauge cigar, something that is relatively uncommon. The price is very reasonable as well.

Body: 4/10
Strength: 7/10
Complexity: 6/10

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 3/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 8/10