Cigar Extra: Flor de las Antillas by My Father

Robusto, 5" x 50 ring gauge / $7.30, Silo Cigars

I find it amusing when someone says, "I love everything X-Cigar-Maker does." Any cigar maker that has a decently broad product line ends up producing many different blends that are meant to appeal to many different palates possessed by many different levels of cigar enthusiast. So to me, claiming to love everything [fill in the name of your preferred famous cigar blender] does borders more on sycophancy than anything else. Case in point: My Father Cigars. With dozens (hundreds?) of blends on the market through several major and minor channels, it would be unlikely that most people have even smoked everything they have produced, much less "loved" them all. Break it down further by differentiating between the blends of Don Pepin Garcia and his son, Jaime, and I still find it hard to say that I love everything either has put their name to. I love some, like others, and just plain don't care for some. That's the way of life. All that as an introduction to My Father's latest product: Flor de las Antillas, an all Nicaraguan cigar with a Sungrown wrapper.

The band on this cigar is beautiful...it really is a work of art, and a printing marvel, too, with its tight integration of 4 color process printing, gold foil (or is it metallic gold ink? The detail is so fine that it's hard to tell, but I think it's foil) and embossing on a premium paper stock. Really exquisitely done (actually maybe ever so slightly over-done, but overdone in a Fuente way rather than in a Gurkha way). So cigar itself is smooth and oily, a nice medium brown in color and with a soft box press. Even though this came in cellophane I can't pick up any aroma on the wrapper leaf...how odd...maybe just a hint of leather on repeated sniffing. The foot had a potent earthiness along with dark chocolate. The cold draw had rich natural tobacco flavor with an overlay of coffee, cocoa powder and mild chili pepper. Initial puffs had tobacco and earth on the palate along with a sharp, painfully spicy retrohale.

The first third saw me going from thinking "interesting" to not liking the Flor de las Antillas at all...then going back to "interesting." Lots of cedar, occasional papery notes...earth and pepper like you would expect from a Nicaraguan Puro, but not in large amounts. This definitely struck me as one of the more unusual and unique of the My Father releases. That back and forth continued throughout the majority of the stick and I was left with mixed feelings about it. At this point, I can only say I "like" this cigar and the price point is such that I can consider trying it again. Maybe in a different size it would all come together in a more satisfying way.

Cigar Review: Rocky Patel Burn

5" x 50 ring gauge / approx. $7.75

Rocky Patel has grown his cigar business very quickly in just over 15 years, spreading fairly recently into the branded lounge business. The first was, I believe, "Burn by Rocky Patel" in Naples, Florida, about 3 or 4 years ago and there are a few others around. The Burn Special Reserve is a cigar made for the lounges originally, but it has made its way into some other shops, including the one where I bought this sample in Knoxville. 3 sizes of Burn are available...I went for the Robusto as I often do in these situations. The exact blend is not revealed, but the filler and binder is all Nicaraguan and the wrapper is a dark Ecuadorian Sumatra leaf.

The banding of the Rocky Patel Burn Special Reserve is interesting and somewhat unique...it is more of a Mediterranean motif than I've seen on many cigars, with the gold beading around both the main and secondary bands, and the latticework on the secondary foot band. The wrapper did not have an oily appearance; to the touch, it felt oddly oily and a bit dry at the same time...maybe papery, yet still oily, would be the best way to describe it. The wrapper leaf had an earthy, leathery aroma to it, while the foot was rich and sweet with notes of chocolate. I clipped the end and it seemed to result in a clean cut, but then I noticed large stem ends sticking out so I picked at them a bit and several chunks came out, leaving a bit of a hollow spot at the head and a draw that was almost too loose. The cold draw had a decent flavor of earth with a bit of cocoa and a tiny bit of spice.

Lighting was quickly and easily accomplished with a single flame lighter. The Rocky Patel Burn had a strong earthiness right up front, with a bit of black coffee flavor as well. The retrohale was very peppery. So far this stood out from other Rocky Patel products I can remember simply in the fact that it is primarily Nicaraguan...and it definitely tasted like it! It was fairly full bodied right from the start and had plenty of earth and spice...it is a cigar that if someone gave you while you were blindfolded, you would guess "Nicaraguan" as the primary country of origin without much trouble.

There was not much flavor change as the Burn burned into and through the second third...lots of earth, lots of spice. The second time I tapped ash I found a large void in the exact enter of the cigar, indicating that quality control in the rolling process probably was not at its best the day this cigar was made. The void contributed to a mediocre draw that I would have to deal with at least until I got past it. Other than that construction seemed very good with a strong ash and even burn line.

I struggled with the draw through the rest of the second third, but by the time the final third got underway it had worked itself out. The flavor during the last third was...pretty much the same. That ended up being the primary problem with this cigar: lack of complexity. As I said before, the Burn is definitely Nicaraguan in flavor profile, but it lacked nuance or change that is essential to any great cigar...throughout it was just earth, coffee and spice. I found this one-note nature to be disappointing. It was, however, better than pretty much any other Rocky Patel product I can remember at or around this price point, which is something to consider. It had a medium to full body and a decent amount of strength; the price is accessible for almost everyone, as well.

Body: 8/10

Strength: 7/10

Complexity: 4/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 1.5/2

Construction: 1.5/2

Flavor: 3.5/5

Value: .5/1

Total: 7/10

Cigar Review: Nomad Navigator

Torpedo 6" x 50 ring gauge / $8

A couple weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend Doc Stogie Fresh's (@Doc_StogieFresh) Sixth Annual Central Coast Herf and this is one of the cigars that was in the goodie bag I was given.  I had heard about the on Twitter from the owner (@Godfadr) and was very anxious to try the cigar.  The cigar is comprised of Dominican filler and binder with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper.  They come in five sizes and can only be, for the time being, purchased on the Nomad Cigar Company website.  This was the first one I smoked.


The wrapper on this sample was a nice medium brown in color with a good amount of oils.  The wrapper was fairly smooth with only some fine veins present.  The band has a motorcycle theme with the Iron Cross with wings on it.  When I gave it a squeeze it was fairly firm without any soft spots.  Putting my nose to the wrapper brought the aroma of leather with barnyard from the foot.  After clipping it and taking a cold draw on it I got notes of leather with a sugary sweetness.


The cigar starts off with lots of chocolate, coffee, leather, and nuts with some slight sweetness on the finish.  After taking a few puffs on it I started to get a nice amount of spice from it as well.  The burn was slightly uneven but the draw was great.  At the end of the first third the flavors changed a little to coffee, leather, and earth with some cinnamon and sweetness on the finish.


The second third didn't see much change in the flavors, however the sweetness faded.  The spice did start to tone down but never went away.  I would say that this cigar was at the upper end of medium at this point.


Once I moved on into the final third the flavors changed to leather, wood with a creamy finish.  The spice did start build a bit but never really got out of the upper end of medium.  The burn evened itself out without needing any help from my lighter and the draw continued to be almost perfect.  As I neared the end the spice did start coming back but was never overwhelming.

Overall this was a very enjoyable cigar and I will be picking up some more soon.  Since it doesn't have a nicotine hit or too much strength it should be approachable by most.  The price point is very reasonable too.  At this point with only one vendor it might be a little difficult to find, but I hear rumors that it will be in wider distribution after this year's IPCPR show.

Body: 7/10

Strength: 7/10

Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9/10

Cigar Review: My Father Lounge Edition

Long Robusto or Short Toro, 5.75” x 50 ring gauge / $9.75, Silo Cigars

Branded cigar lounges are becoming more and more popular these days it seems. Everyone knows about Casa Fuente in Vegas, and just about as many people know about Club Macanudo in New York and Casa de Montecristo in Chicago. Rocky Patel has Burn down in Naples, Florida; La Gloria Cubana lounges are popping up in a few places around the country. I can’t speak for all of the situations, but in some instances it is a way for a cigar shop to get a helping hand with the cost of remodeling as long as they remodel with all the advertising directed to the sponsoring company. Not a bad trade-off, in my opinion. Like I said...I don’t know that they all work that way. Recently Silo Cigars in Knoxville, Tennessee, has become one of the small club to be a “My Father Lounge” and with that honor comes the right to carry the Lounge Exclusive cigar by My Father (will other changes happen at the shop? You’ll have to ask them...I don’t want to spread rumors about what will or won’t happen or when...I’m just here to talk about this cigar!). The My Father Lounge Exclusive has been described as “Robusto-ish” but at 5.75 inches it almost meets the definition of a Toro...maybe with a couple extra ring gauge it would have been called that. The blend is unknown, but it is fairly safe to guess Nicaraguan for filler and binder...I honestly can’t remember any My Father creations off the top of my head that don’t use all Nicaraguan for filler and binder...I’m sure there are some...if you do happen to know what the filler and binder makeup of this cigar is, feel free to leave those details in the comments. The wrapper is said to be a Sungrown Ecuadorian Habano. This review sample in the second I’ve smoked...one of them was given to me and one was paid for.

I love the look of this cigar. They start with the classic My Father band and add a secondary “Lounge Exclusive” band that matches the diecut of the main band. It’s ornate, cool and classy. The cigar under those bands is pretty spectacular, too. When I was at Silo I could easily compare the Lounge edition to the regular My Fathers next to them and see that this was several shades of brown darker. It almost looked like a maduro, for that matter, and I had to ask to make sure it wasn’t. The wrapper was quite oily and slightly velvety to the touch and it had a couple medium sized veins. Feeling along the length, it was packed well enough that I had some early concerns about how the draw would be...but there’s no way to really know until it’s cut and lit. The wrapper had a rich aroma of earth and cocoa; the foot was more of a pungent manure earthiness, but some sweeter notes were there, too. Despite being very firm, there did not seem to be any issue with the draw once I clipped off the cap. The cold draw flavor was very nice...a rich semi-sweet chocolate with a little bit of pepper spice.

On lighting, I got a strong earthy flavor with a little black coffee and cocoa powder on the palate and a painful blast of red pepper on the nose. If you have forgotten what a My Father pepper blast is like, just retrohale one of these right after lighting and you won't be forgetful anymore. Wow! And to my surprise the spice didn't die down a lot after  10 minutes, either, like it does on so many cigars. As the first third burned through, I found lots of earthiness with just enough sweetness to provide some balance and a searingly peppery retrohale. The spice started to spread across my palate as the third burned on, too. In regard to body, I would call this cigar medium to full during the first third.

As I finished the first third and puffed on into the second, I noticed that construction was excellent, something we have been conditioned to expect from the My Father lines. The draw was perfect, the ash held on for over an inch, and the burn line was almost perfectly straight with no help from a lighter to touch it up. Flavor in the second third was still very earthy with lots of dark roast coffee in it and just a touch of the woody, cedary note that is so prevalent in the regular My Father line.

By the time the final third was underway, the spice had left the retrohale almost completely, leaving a nice roasted nuttiness. On the palate, I got more cedar and an increase of pepper spice along with the continued presence of dark, earthy flavor. I have to say I really enjoyed this smoke; I found it pleasing and complex from start to finish. This may be the best of the My Father lines. It did get to a point of full bodied by the end but never overwhelmingly so and the nicotine strength was never too much, either. Definitely not a cigar for beginners, but experienced cigar enthusiasts should order some of these and be prepared to enjoy themselves, especially if you like what the other My Father lines have to offer. I know for a fact that as I write this Silo Cigars in Knoxville has "a few" boxes on hand and I'm sure they would be happy to ship. I'm not sure that I'm ready to commit to a whole box myself (although Keith did...ask him how he likes them!) I'll certainly be picking a few up whenever I head up that way (and with a Trader Joe's opening in Knoxville this year sometime, that's sure to be more often).

Body: 8/10

Strength: 7/10

Complexity: 8/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4.5/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9.5/10

Spirits Review: Elijah Craig 12 year

Retail approx. $25

Heaven Hill Distillery in Kentucky (distilling in Louisville, warehouse aging and bottling in Bardstown) is primarily known for two brands that are named after pioneers in the field of Bourbon, Evan Williams (touted as Kentucky’s first commercial distiller starting in 1783) and Elijah Craig (“The Father of Bourbon”). As the story (some history and some legend) goes, Kentuckians had been making corn whiskey for a while, then shipping it down the Ohio and MIssissippi Rivers to New Orleans where it was consumed. This trip took up to six months and the White Dog did well in oak barrels when it reached Nola...but it was still essentially moonshine. Craig was a Baptist minister as well as a distiller (can’t see that happening in today’s Baptist churches) and very frugal. There was apparently a barn fire where he kept his barrels and they got charred but not significantly damaged so he decided to use them for a batch of whiskey. By the time they reached the end of the river journey the whiskey had sat in the charred barrels for months and was transformed into something smoother and must tastier than the customers normally got. Since the barrels were stamped with “Bourbon County” on the sides the buyers started asking for “more of that Bourbon County stuff” or just “more Bourbon.” Through close to a century and a half, the name stuck, even if the exact specifications of bourbon have changed a bit. As noted before, parts of this story are legend...maybe true...maybe not...and we’ll never know.

I picked up a bottle of Elijah Craig on my recent trip up to Kentucky. I can’t remember if I have had the 12 year before, but I feel like I must have at some point. What I don’t remember is it being so flavorful...but I’m getting ahead of myself. Today’s whiskey is made using a special yeast strain that has been in the Beam family (yes, that Beam family...turns out the makers of this are relatives of Jim Beam) in for decades, and it is touted as as “a true ‘Small Batch’ Bourbon before the term even existed.”

Pouring the Elijah Craig into my glass, I noticed it has a nice, dark amber color. It may not be the absolute darkest Bourbon I’ve seen, but it has to be close. Bourbon must by law age for 2 years in charred oak barrels; 12 years allows for a much richer color. Giving it a sniff, I picked up a rich vanilla note with plenty of oakiness underneath, and no real hint of graininess or yeastiness you experience with some younger whiskeys. Taking a sip, I noticed how full bodied and rich this liquor seems when held at the front of the mouth, again with an amazing amount of the vanilla, but also a tremendous sweetness and just a hint of corn. Letting it slip back, the bourbon quickly creates a menthol-like coolness on the tongue as it quickly evaporates and and warm tingle as it heads down toward the belly. Can you tell I like this one? Yes, I like this bourbon a lot!

As I have found with many bourbons, the inherent sweetness and flavor profile lends itself to pairing very well with a variety of cigars. I honestly can’t remember what I’ve paired it with in the time it took to get through half a bottle, but for the purposes of today’s review I decided to pair it with a Grimalkin by Emilio Cigars.

The Grimlakin is a Nicaraguan puro and runner-up for Cigar of the Year for me last year. It is medium to full in body and very full in flavor. (As a side note, if you’ve not had the Grimalkin, you may not be able to find them much longer; do not despair, though, as Emilio Cigars is simply renaming the cigar La Musa, and it will continue to be the same cigar as before.) I found this pairing to be remarkably good; neither cigar nor whiskey overpowered the other and the sweet notes of both came through very well. 

Press Release: Torcido Cigars

I just received this press release a few minutes ago regarding a new, very-small brand hitting stores soon. "Very small?" Yes, they will be available at just 3 stores nationally, at least at the start. One of those is Burns Downtown in Chattanooga; watch the @CigarWes Twitter feed for updates on when they are available. If you would like to meet Christian and Jessica Hutson, the Chattanooga Tweetup coming up in August will be the right time as they have also signed on to be a sponsor and will be attending. I'm also hoping to bring you a review of this new cigar within a few weeks.

Twisted Cigars Announces Initial Release of Torcido on June 29, 2012

Micro-Boutique Cigar Release

Springfield, MO

Christian and Jessica Hutson of Twisted Cigars are excited to announce the pending release of Torcido cigars. Torcido is a unique, medium to full bodied cigar created in the Dominican Republic at the Matasa factory.

The process started with just an idea years ago when Christian fell in love with the culture of cigars and the people who create them. Torcido is a testament to the history and abilities of the Torcedores that have been rolling cigars for generations. The Quesada family was instrumental in taking that dream and a description of a cigar that didn’t exist and making it a reality.

“I could tell you what I think this cigar tastes like,” Christian says. “However, I would prefer you smoke it yourself and tell me what you find in it. We worked hard to create a well balanced blend that stood up to the strong foods and drinks we prefer.”

“We wrote a flavor profile first and then tested and tweaked different blends for months,” states Jessica. “After discovering the unique wrapper tobacco, the remainder of the blend was created to work around this amazing wrapper.”

Torcido Profile

Wrapper: Dominican Cuban Seed

Binder: Dominican

Filler; Dominican

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic

Factory: Matasa

Vitolas: Corona, Robusto, Lancero

Twisted Cigars

Twisted Cigars is a distribution company owned by Jessica and Christian Hutson. The couple also owns and operates Just For Him Cigar and Pipe Shop in Springfield, MO. With this background, all of the products through Twisted Cigar will be retail friendly.

Stores carrying Twisted Cigars will be limited based on production and listed on the company website at TorcidoCigars.com The company has currently filled retail openings for the first production of cigars.

Locations

• Burns Tobaccanist Downtown, Chattanooga, TN
• Just For Him, Springfield, MO
• The Humidor Cigars and Lounge West, Witchita, KS

Cigar Extra: Nestor Miranda "Not For Sale" Rosado

5.75" x 60 ring gauge / $??? (it is called Not For Sale for a reason)

If you attend a Nestor Miranda Collection event...or even some non-Nestor-specific Miami Cigar and Company events...and buy a box or even just a four or five pack, you might run into this cigar: the Not For Sale from the Nestor Miranda Collection. I have seen it in at least two sizes and in both Rosado and Oscuro wrappers...like almost everything else with the name Nestor Miranda on it (the obvious exceptions being the Grand Reserve and the Art Deco...at this time). If this was just sitting on my tobacconist's shelf, I probably would not have chosen the 60 ring gauge vitola, but since I bought a box-worth of mixed cigars, I got a few of these thrown in. I decided to give it the "unescorted, short review" treatment.

Barry Stein of Miami Cigar tells me this is a Nicaraguan Puro, and to my eyes it looked quite a bit like the Special Selection. The wrapper was nicely oily and smooth with a pungent barnyard note; the foot had more of an earthy/chocolatey aroma. The prelight draw was sweet with a bit of cocoa and some coffee...nice, so far! After lighting I got a nice, rich natural tobacco flavor with notes of earth and coffee, just a little pepper spice on the nose. It did not take long, though, for the flavor to drift toward a "just tobacco" place, as so often happens with large ring gauge cigars. Not that it was bad...just a little one dimensional.

One side of the wrapper did not want to burn correctly and I had to keep correcting it, even as ash flaked off of it, and the draw was not great, which is a real surprise on a large ring gauge stick. As I got into the second third, the flavors really had not changed much...more natural tobacco along with a little sweetness. I wonder how much better this cigar would be in something with a reasonable ring gauge like a Robusto? I sipped some Barbancourt 8 year aged rum while I smoked and it was a nice, sweet counterpoint. Neither of these overpowered the other; both were a nice, if not spectacular, way to end the work week. 

Dual Review: Arturo Fuente Solaris

 Belicoso, 6" x 49 ring gauge / ~$45 for a 5-pack

Smoke Inn started the Microblend concept a couple years ago with the much-hyped release of the Tatuaje Anarchy. Basically, they wanted to have several big name manufacturers produce small run exclusive cigars as a way to celebrate 15 years in business. Both Keith and myself were fans of the Tatuaje Anarchy and ended up splitting a box. The second release was the 60 ring gauge Padron 1964, in natural or Maduro. Keith reviewed Maduro while I took on the natural and neither of us was impressed...no box purchase was considered. The third was El Hijo, a variation on the My Father line; we both liked it, but did not end up buying more (at least I didn't...I don't know about Keith). Now they have hit the next installment, partnering with A. Fuente to give us Solaris, the final installment of four in the Microblend. Fuente provided a small batch of cigars they produced about six year ago using an Ecuadorian Sun Grown wrapper "that was uniquely light in its complexion." No word is given on filler and binder, but being a Fuente product, I would have to guess that there is quite a bit of Dominican leaf present. They made 550 10-count boxes and after that, these will be but a memory. Thanks you to Smoke Inn for providing the review sticks that Keith and I smoked.

DAVE SAID:

I will start off by saying how much I like the tweaks Fuente has made to their bands. This is recognizably the same as the regular Fuente "Gran Reserva" green band line, but the gold foil is punched up and everything seems brighter and bigger. The Solaris secondary band seems almost drab and out of place by comparison. The wrapper of the cigar was smooth and slightly oily, but it did have a few quite large veins...this is not a cigar you can roll easily on your desktop. The aroma from the wrapper was faintly of hay with just a little sweetness. The foot had an earthier smell...a little manure, a little vegetation, a little cedar, too. The Solaris passed the first critical test when I chopped off the head and got an excellent draw with no indication that the wrapper would start to come loose. Again, I placed my bets on a good chunk of Dominican leaf packed into this thing...what I tested was light, mild and haylike with a sweet touch of honey. Very nice...classic Dominican flavor.

After lighting, I got more mild, sweet hay flavors on the palate along with a strong nuttiness and just a bit of black pepper on the nose. Through the first third the Solaris proved itself to be a fairly mild cigar with no real pretensions otherwise. It had a very nice flavor...a mix of natural tobacco, cedar, and hay with hints of honey sweetness and pepper spice that still lingered on the retrohale. It seemed like I had to keep puffing it more than normal to keep up a decent production of smoke and by the end of the third a slight canoe had formed...we will see where this goes.

To my surprise the hints of construction issues that showed themselves never developed into anything worse; if anything, it got better. During the second third, I got better smoke production and a straighter burn to go along with the solid ash the held on for an inch or more each time. Flavor was still good, but nothing I could get really excited about. It was refined natural tobacco with wood and spice notes...still.

In the end the Solaris was a good Fuente, so if you like Fuentes, you'll probably like this. And if you're not crazy about Fuente...you probably will not become a fan as a result of this smoke. I liked it, but my taste for this kind of mild Dominican smokes has seemed to pass by the wayside, so I did not love it. Yes, you could tell the tobacco was refined and well aged, but it just didn't have the fullness of flavor that I look for in a cigar. And for $10 a stick I have to wonder if these are really much of a step up from some of the other Sungrown sticks Fuente sells...different, perhaps, but not necessarily better.

Body: 4/10

Strength: 4/10

Complexity: 6/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 3.5/5

Value: .5/1

Total: 8/10

KEITH SAID:

I would also like to thank the people at Smoke Inn for the opportunity to try this installment of their small batch series.  To answer Dave’s question about the El Hijo I did end up picking up a box and they have been smoking great.

My sample was almost exactly the same in appearance as Dave’s.  I do think that the green band on a limited edition was a little odd.  I would have expected a black or white one, but that is just observation.  There was a slight amount give when I gave it a squeeze.  From the wrapper I got notes of leather and curry and light barnyard from the foot.  After clipping it I got notes of chocolate with a little bit of tingle on the tongue with a slightly tight draw.

When I lit the cigar up I first noted leather, spice and some wood notes.  After a few puffs I did get a slight sourness coming though.  The draw was still a little tight and recutting it helped a bit.  I would agree with Dave that this cigar was mild to start off with.  The ash held on for about an inch in spite of the ragged burn line.

As I started the second third I decided to see if I could get any positive effect from using the bleeder tool on my MTX to open up the draw, and luckily it did help quite a bit.  I started getting notes of sweetness, black coffee, leather and earth.  The sourness started to fade throughout this third.  The burn almost evened itself out without any touchups from my lighter.  One side note, there was little too much glue on the band (which seems to be common with Fuente’s) and I had to be careful not to rip the wrapper when I removed it.

The draw and burn continued to improve as I moved into the final third.  I noted flavors of earth, coffee, leather and some cinnamon.  The cigar moved into the medium range and never really moved out of it.

Overall I felt that this was an ok cigar.  It just didn’t do a whole lot for me.  I do think that the sourness and tight draw I got towards the beginning didn’t help with the flavors I was able to get.  As I always say this is just my opinion and you need to smoke one to form your own.

Body: 5/10

Strength: 6/10

Complexity: 5/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 1.5/2

Flavor: 3/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 7.5/10

Cigar Review: Tarazona 305

Torpedo, 6.5” x 52 ring gauge / $8.18, MSRP

I was looking through my cigars for something to review this week and I came across this one.  I got this in a trade from Chris (@Leo_Botl) a while ago and I had forgotten about it until I came across it.  There aren't any retailers of this cigar out here so it is a little difficult for me to find at a B&M at the moment.  The cigar is comprised of Nicaraguan fillers and binders with a Costa Rican maduro wrapper.  They come in boxes of 25 in Churchill, robusto and torpedo sizes.  This is the first one of these I've tried.


The wrapper on this sample was a nice dark brown in color with a good amount of oils to it too.  The wrapper was also fairly smooth to the touch with only a couple fine veins to it.  The band on this cigar is quite simple and easy to tell who made it and what the line is.  When I took the cigar out of the cellophane I could smell an intense aroma of manure and barnyard, more-so that I usually get, with barnyard coming from the foot.  The cigar was fairly firm to the touch as well with no soft spots.  After clipping it and taking a cold draw on it I noted some chocolate and spice with a slightly tight draw.  


Once I lit this cigar up I got notes of chocolate, spice and leather.  At the time I smoked this cigar I thought the wrapper was a Connecticut broadleaf since it had the exact tastes I'm used to getting out it.  The draw was a bit too tight though and I gave it another slight cut with my MTX.  This helped a bit, but not as much as I would have liked.  The cigar started off pretty firmly in the medium range and stayed there through the first third.  Towards the end of it I did start getting a slight creaminess on the finish.  The ash held on for about three quarters of an inch before needing to be tapped off.  The burn did start canoeing but I didn't adjust it yet.


As I got into the second third, the draw did open up a bit.  I started getting notes of earth, coffee, and leather with hints of chocolate and cream.  The spice was still present although it wasn't as strong as the beginning.  I would say that the cigar did start to climb in strength to the upper end of medium during this third too.


The final third of the cigar saw it finish off with flavors of wood, coffee, earth, and cinnamon with a slight chocolate finish.  The draw did continue to open up a bit, but it still wasn't where I would have liked it to be.  The burn did pretty much even itself out without any extra fire applied to it. 


Overall this was an enjoyable cigar.  I would have enjoyed it more if I was able to get more smoke out of it though.  I do want to give this cigar another try, probably in a parejo shape, to see what I can get from another sample.  I do think that this cigar would be approachable by most and if you like CT broadleaf I'd give this a try.
 

Body: 7/10

Strength: 7/10

Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 1.5/2

Flavor: 4/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 8.5/10

#CHAtweetup2012 Hotels

We have made arrangements with 3 hotels for some special rates for the 2012 Chattanooga Tweet-Up.

First up is our hotel for those who would like to stay in Downtown Chattanooga, Springhill Suites by Marriott. Rooms there will be $124/night for a Standard 2-Queen or 1-King Suite or $189/night for a Balcony Suite.


At press time, I was waiting for a booking code for this price; please check back here as I will update this post as soon as that information comes in.

For those who wish to stay closer to the Burns East location, we have a couple options:

Courtyard by Marriott is offering either 1-King Bed OR 2-Queen Beds Rooms for the same $109/night. 

Call their Reservation Line at (800) 321-2211 and ask for Burns Tobacconist Room Block at the Courtyard Chattanooga, or click one of the links below:

1-King Bed Reservation

2-Queen Beds Reservation

We have a total of 20 rooms available at this price and the price is only guaranteed until August 3, 2012.

Courtyard by Marriot is located 1.0 miles away from Burns East; Google Maps estimates a 6 minute drive or 21 minute walk.

Hampton Inn is offering either single-bed or two-beds rooms for $84/night.

You can call them at 423-855-0095 and ask for the Burns Tobacconist Group, or click HERE and use the Group Code: TOB. (if this link gives you a "Session Expired" error at first, try it again...I've used this link to make my own reservation and it will work)

We have a total of 25 rooms available at this price and the price is guaranteed only through August 10, 2012

Hampton Inn is located .4 miles from Burns East; Google Maps estimates an 8 minute walk.

If none of these options works for you, there are easily a dozen hotels within a mile of Burns East and almost that many near Burns Downtown. Information on them can be found on many travel websites.

Cigar Review: RoMEo by Romeo y Julieta

Robusto, 5” x 54 ring gauge / $7.30, Burns

I am going to go out on a limb and suggest that not many of our readers pay a great deal of attention to new releases in the Altadis Romeo y Julieta line. Altadis’ own website says: “For generations, Romeo y Julieta has been revered for its consistently excellent, milder cigars.” I would agree with part of that: consistent...check, mild...check, excellent...well, not for my palate. The last RyJ I tried to smoke got left in the ashtray before the halfway mark (don’t ask which one it was...the band was different from everything currently shown on the Altadis website, so I really don’t know). I remember having the Reserva Real when it first came out a few years ago and thinking it was better than the average RyJ, but I’ll confess to never going out and buying a bunch. Still...you have to give credit where credit is due: from what I’m told Romeo y Julieta is now the best-selling cigar brand in the country...this does take into account the fact that there were 10 varieties of RyJ before the latest release, though, and that the 1875 is available in an astounding 23 vitolas (some are duplicates using tubos, though). So they sell a lot, but are not really all that popular when it comes to today’s cigar enthusiast. What to do?

What Altadis decided to do was adopt “hip, edgy, modern” packaging, a shortened name and a fuller-bodied profile. Officially called “ROMEO by Romeo y Julieta” the packaging practically screams Ro-ME-o, putting the emphasis on the “ME.” Altadis calls it “bold and robust” as well as “unlike any Romeo y Julieta to come before it.” ROMEO is made at Tabacalera de Garcia in the Dominican Republic, using Dominican Piloto and Olor leaf for the filler, a “slightly sweet” Dominican Olor binder, and a “Select Dark Ecuadorian Habano wrapper.” To start is available in 4 sizes (although if this is successful, it’s only a matter of time before we see a dozen or more options, I’m sure). This review sample was purchased at Burns and this is my first cigar from this line.

They call this a "dark" Ecuadorian Habano, but I don't find it excessively dark...more of a medium brown in color with a little red tint. It was very oily, though, and had more toothiness than any Ecuador Habano I can remember. The aroma from the wrapper was rich and earthy with layers of cedar and natural tobacco underneath...that natural tobacco smell was almost exactly what I remember smelling walking into a cigar factory...and it is a great smell. The foot gave off waves of rich, fertile earth...yes, that means manure, but in a fresh and good way. Feeling along the length of the cigar, it seemed well and evenly packed...just a little bit of give. So far, everything about this cigar seemed like it would be great...of course, I had not even clipped the head yet. After I did I noticed that the draw was excellent and prelight it had a nice earthy base, with a light chocolatey flavor and a spicy tingle left on the lips.

The first few puffs of the ROMEO were a little disappointing after everything the prelight experience had promised. I noted a bitterness on the tongue immediately, and nothing else to speak of. It took a minute or so for it to settle down and deliver a more solidly earthy note to the palate, with undercurrents of espresso bean. The retrohale had some woodiness and just a dash of pepper spice. The whole thing was definitely more full of body than other RyJ cigars I have had in the past, but so far, it was just on the low side of medium-to-full. As I burned through the first third, I noticed that the flavor really was not all that different in some ways from other RyJ cigars I had smoked in the past: very earthy, a little sweetness, and a bitterness that was quite noticeable, although not overpowering as on that last RyJ that I put out halfway through.

Construction seemed to be near perfect, with an excellent draw, very even burn line and a strong ash that held on for close to three-quarters of an inch. The bitter flavor was mostly akin to very strong coffee, which also helped to bolster the body of the cigar, still medium to full, but in comparison with other RyJ products, the ROMEO definitely stood out in terms of fullness.

In the end, I found the ROMEO to be very similar to the core RyJ line in overall flavor, making me wonder if they used some of the same tobaccos to make it. It did have a "bolder" flavor, as promised, but if you are not enamored of the regular line, you might not like this much either. I found the bitterness to increase quite a bit in the last third, making me wish for more of the balancing sweetness that had come through earlier. While it was better for me than a regular RyJ, it still did not do that much for me in the end. The body and strength were on the high side for an Altadis product, but no more than the low end of full compared with many other sticks on the market today. This might be a good step up for those smokers who have made Romeo y Julieta the best selling cigar in America, but I don't see it making a lot of converts among the "cigar geeks" I know.

Body: 8/10

Strength: 7/10

Complexity: 6/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 3/5

Value: .5/1

Total: 7.5/10

Tennessee Spirits: Corsair Artisan Triple Smoke

Today's installment of Tennessee Spirits takes us to the Music City, USA--Nashville--and features probably the most unique spirit yet in this series (and it could end up being the most unique even when this series eventually finishes). Corsair Artisan Distillery was a pioneer distillery for the city of Nashville, opening in the Marathon Motors Building near Downtown just after the state laws changed to allow for distilling in other counties besides where Jack Daniel's is produced. I toured their facility back in late 2010 and you can read about that HERE. Corsair Artisan has made a big splash in the Tennessee distilling world through their experimentation with strange and unusual liquor varieties and their quick aging process, which uses a 10 gallon barrel instead of the traditional 55 gallon, allowing a greater wood-to-liquid ratio, which (in theory) provides for the taste of a long-aged liquor in a shorter amount of time. I say "in theory" because this works only to an extent and does tend to leave the beverages tasting a bit young, especially when you first open a bottle. What it definitely does, though, is allow an experimental beverage to come to market sooner, which is an advantage in and or itself.


Today's Tennessee Spirit is "Triple Smoke"...and this particular bottle was hand-selected by Grace's Plaza Wine & Spirits in Nashville, actually only two doors down from UPtown's Smoke Shop. Experience would lead you to expect a Tennessee-created whiskey to be similar to a Bourbon, but this time around it seems the makers had their minds more "north of England" than "north of Tennessee." Like many a fine Scotch whisky, Triple Smoke is a 100% malted barley based drink. Whereas most Single Malt Scotches are peat-smoked barley, Corsair Artisan is separating their malted barley in 3 fractions and smoking it with 3 different types of smoldering matter: peat, cherry wood, and beechwood. They use a traditional pot-still to distill the liquor, then use new charred oak barrels to age it...as opposed to the used Bourbon barrels (or cognac or port barrels) that Scotch makers use. In doing so they are taking what are some of the best elements of an American whiskey (the new wood) and mixing it with the peat-smoked barley of Scotch, then mixing in some other wood smoke elements to add complexity. Before even starting the "official review" part of this post, I will say, this is the most unique and unusual whiskey I've ever tasted.


The first time I poured a glass of this, I wondered if it was right...while the color is similar to most bourbons and other American whiskeys (medium to dark amber...must darker than most Scotches) it was very cloudy in appearance...something I can't remember seeing in any other distilled liquor, at least while it was unmixed with something else. Sticking my nose in the glass, I got the aroma of a brewery or distillery...that yeasty, grainy smell that permeats some buildings. But there was more, too...a strong wood aroma and a rich sweetness. The yeastiness makes the point that this is a young whiskey. While the small barrels do cause the aging process to occur faster, sometimes there is no replacement for Father Time. I think they tend to age their batches around 6 months; I wonder how much of that raw, young flavor would be rounded of if they doubled that time. Besides the youngness of this whiskey, though, there was more to consider. I could definitely taste the peaty note that made me think of my favorite Islay Scotch, Laphroiag, but there was so more to it...the cherry wood smoked barley definitely lent a sweeter flavor. If you were not told it was cherry wood, you might not pick that out exactly, but I think you would definitely call out some kind of fruit overtone. The beechwood smoking and oak barreling comes through in the pronounced woody notes.


So what we have here is a very complex whiskey that combines Scotch and American traditions with a twist and it tastes like almost nothing on the market...and it's hard to pair a cigar with. I tried several and was not very pleased with the result. Before the time that I wrote this review, I think the most successful pairing was with a Guillermo Leon Signature, a medium bodied smoke that has it's own subtle fruit sweetness. Neither that smoke nor the whiskey is strong enough to to overpower the other. At the time of this review I decided to try it with a cigar with another unique flavor: Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Cameroon. I reasoned that this should again be a medium bodied smoke and that the Cameroon wrapper should have a delicate sweetness and enough of its own unique flavor to stand up to the Corsair Artisan Triple Smoke. This proved to be an interesting pairing, although again not one I can call a straight-up success.


I'm almost tempted to say this whiskey is something you should either enjoy by itself...no mixers, no cigars...or not at all. To me most bourbons will pair successfully with most cigars; Scotches are a little more difficult, especially since there are so many permutations of Scotch. When you combine the mash bill and methods of the two...you end up with something that is unique but very hard to work with in regards to pairing. If you get a chance to try the Triple Smoke, let me know what you think and what cigar pairings you have had success with. Corsair Artisan spirits are available in about half the states and Triple Smoke runs somewhere in the $35 to $40 neighborhood.

OSOK's Birthday Party

Edgar Hoill (aka OSOK) approached me this week and asked if I'd post the info about this upcoming event celebrating his birthday and the success of his cigar line for him.  There are supposed to be a limited number of his cigars for sale at the event too.  I plan on being there so anyone in the area come on by!

Cigar Extra: Casa Miranda

Robusto, 5" x 50 ring gauge / approx. $10

I was a little surprised to look back and notice that neither me nor Keith had done a review of the Casa Miranda. I have had a couple and remember being less-than-bowled-over by them and the price is just a little high, so I guess that combination is what led to a lack of anything being written. My area rep for Miami Cigar gave me this one at a recent event and I decided it might be time to give it a second try...maybe this cigar has improved with a little rest. I was not ready to commit to a full review of it, though, so I decided to take it out on a weekend morning with some coffee and see what I thought of it in this shorter format. The Casa Miranda "Chapter One" is composed of Nicaraguan filler and binder with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper and it is made in Miami (which certainly lends a little bit to the price).

I took a good sniff on the wrapper and really liked the grassy and earthy aroma I got from it...the smell of burning leaves and sticks was provided by my neighbor across the street, a nice addition to the morning, actually. I got rich earth and cocoa on the foot. The cold draw had a light cedar not as well as a bit of earth...it's a flavor I can remember from some other cigar, but I can't remember which. Lighting up I got a rush of pepper spice on the tongue and nose, along with some wood and mild sweetness. 

I sipped on the coffee, I sipped on the cigar...it was all nice. I liked the Casa Miranda, but I still had a hard time seeing the experience as a $10 one. Maybe it's just me--I know there are some big fans of this cigar out there--but I like the Special Selection more and it is less expensive. A few months really hasn't changed my opinion on this one...guess I'll wait and see what I feel about "Chapter Two" in this story. Thanks again to Matt for giving me the chance to try this one out again.

Cigar Review: San Lotano Oval Maduro by A.J. Fernandez

Corona, 5.5" x 44 ring gauge / $8.20, Burns

Last year A.J. Fernandez did one of the most difficult things in the cigar world--he pioneered a new shape that is both unique and widely heralded as "a good idea." If you think about it, how many really new ideas for shapes have there been in the cigar biz since you started smoking? In almost 11 years of enjoying cigars, LFD's Chisel is the first one that comes to mind...then perhaps the box-pressed pyramid of the La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Obeliscos. Drew Estate pioneered the "Wafe" vitola, apparently when someone stomped a cigar completely flat. Other than that...there just are not that many new ideas in shapes. The idea of the Oval does not seem spectacular...combine the best of regular round and box-pressed shapes into something more like a rounded rectangular shape...really rounded! Doesn't see much to it or that it would make a difference. But it does. The result creates a cigar that feels better in the hand and mouth than either round or box pressed shapes do. Remarkable that such a big difference could come from such a small alteration.

Like many of you, I tried the Oval in late summer last year...at the 2011 Chattanooga Tweetup to be exact. I immediately fell in love with that cigar...I felt it was easily the best thing in the San Lotano line AND probably the best thing A.J. had ever committed to the blend book. It got lots of praise...and he decided not to wait too long to follow it up with a Maduro version. This cigar features the same binder and filler as the regular Oval: Nicaraguan, Honduran and Dominican leaf held together by a  Nicaraguan binder. This version substitutes a Maduro wrapper for the Habano 2000 one (most sources call this an Ecuadorian Habano Maduro wrapper, but one place stated that it is Connecticut Broadleaf). I bought a couple of this size and this review is based on my second one; also check out Keith's review of the Robusto size from last month.

Same Bat-Time, same Bat-Channel...same San Lotano Oval band...this cigar really would benefit from a different band that says "Maduro" on it or a secondary band below the regular one. I couldn't tell by looking in the box at Burns if the were Maduro or not; I saw a picture of the original Oval and Maduro side by side and there just was not a huge amount of difference in appearance. The wrapper itself looked great...plenty of oils and a delicate network of small veins that were visible in the right lighting. The wrapper had an aroma that was a mixture of manure and dried fruit; the foot had a big chocolate smell. The cold draw was very good and had notes of cocoa powder and black coffee.

And I got the same from the newly lit cigar, too: cocoa powder and black coffee...along with a little sweeter chocolate, earthy, natural tobacco and anise. The retrohale was very peppery. Midway through the first third, I noticed the retrohale lose some of its pepper and take on more of a full bodied nuttiness, which a bit of pepper zing just hanging around. The Oval Maduro started off in the lower end of full bodied with what was to me a pleasing balance: thick, oily smoke with bitter earthiness and semi-sweet chocolate in a contentious battle that I thoroughly enjoyed.

In the second third, earthiness took the lead, along with strong notes of black coffee and hints of anise. The draw was perfect so far and the ash was strong, not flaky. The only issue was a minor one: as with many Maduro wrappers, the burn line was quite uneven at times and took a bit of touching up to keep consistent. As I said, minor issue, but one you might want to be aware of...I've found that this type of cigar might work well sitting on the porch, but not so good while driving, especially after dark. And if you don't smoke in your car...well, then I have to question your commitment to the hobby of cigar smoking. :-)

In the end the Oval Maduro went full-on earthy with more of the coffee and anise I noted before and losing most of the sweetness that had provided a good balance in the beginning. After the first sample of these I thought I liked this one better than the Habano version, but after smoking this one and paying closer attention to this progression I find I am uncertain of that. If the sweetness had remained in play, I think the result for me would be certain, but without that balancing element, this one felt more one-dimensional toward the end...and less pleasing. Not that I disliked it, by any means, but I think the original Oval might just have the edge on this expression. Like the original, I would call this medium to full in body and the same in strength.

Body: 7/10

Strength: 7/10

Complexity: 6/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9/10

News: Emilio's Draig K

Just received the following Press Release and photo from Emilio principle, Gary Griffith:

June 13, 2012

Draig K by Emilio Cigars will leave the factory at the end of June, and ship to authorized retailers immediately upon arrival.

The Draig K features a Columbian Cubanito maduro wrapper and a mix of Honduran and Nicaraguan binder and fillers. Production is limited to 400 boxes each of Corona, Robusto, and Toro and will be allocated to eligible retailers.

Editorial comment: For more information on what Draig K is all about, check out this recent post on Gary's blog. I am among many, many people eagerly awaiting this release.

#CHAtweetup2012: In Case You Missed It...

The details of how this all got started may be lost in history, but suffice to say that late last year I was at an event with Nate from Emilio Cigars and Matt Shugart from Miami Cigar & Co. The issue of a special "Tweetup" cigar was brought up and before I knew it, both companies were not only working on such cigars, but were actually working together on the project. I was kept out of the loop on the project as it progressed...and I didn't complain...I like to be surprised, too!


So I was quite surprised last week when Gary from Emilio and Barry from Miami Cigar collaborated on a Twitter "Press Release." I had no idea it would happen until it did and in retrospect, I think it was totally appropriate to go along with the whole idea of a "Tweetup." If you missed it, though...here's what's going down:


Packaged together will be 2 brand-new cigars, making their cigar-consumer public debut: Emilio's La Musa Melete and Miami's Añoranzas, both in a Box-Pressed Churchill size made only for the Tweetup.


I would like to take this opportunity to say "Thank You" to everyone at Miami Cigar & Company and Emilio Cigars who had a hand in this. Off the top of my head that's Jason Wood, Droptop Barry Stein, Matt Shugart, Gary Griffith, and Nate McIntyre.


And don't forget...

262 Cigars broke the news on Thursday last week about their new cigar line: Revere, named after famous patriot equestrian, Paul Revere. The full debut of the Revere will debut at Riverside Cigars in Jeffersonville, IN, a little later in the year, but Clint Aaron will have some samples of Revere at #CHAtweetup2012. How many? I simply do not know. Sounds like a good reason to be at the Tweetup at 10 a.m. Friday morning.

Cigar Review: Nat Sherman Timeless

Robusto-ish, 5.25” x 54 ring gauge / $7, MSRP

Today I'll be reviewing Nat Sherman's newest release, the Timeless.  I haven't been overly impressed with some of the others from this brand but with the positive reviews going around the internet about this I decided to give it a try when I saw it.  It is comprised of Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers, a Dominican binder with a Honduran Criollo wrapper.  The cigar comes in four sizes and in boxes of 20.  This was my first experience smoking this cigar.

The first thing that caught my attention was the band.  I really like the Art Deco styling of it and having it look like a watch band was pretty cool.  The wrapper on this sample was a very nice dark brown in color with a good amount of oils and tooth to it.  There were some medium and fine veins present as well.  When I gave it a squeeze I didn't detect any soft spots and it was fairly firm to the touch.  Putting my nose to the wrapper I got the aroma of sweet hay and leather with barnyard coming from the foot.  After clipping it and taking a cold draw on it I got notes of black coffee with an ok draw.

Lighting up the cigar starts off with the flavors of coffee, chocolate, leather with a good amount of spice thrown in.  After a few puffs the strength and body of the cigar started building in intensity.  The draw was ok, however it was a little tighter than I like and the burn was uneven.  Towards the end of the first third I started getting some anise flavors along with a creamy finish.  While the cigar never got out of the upper end of the medium range in strength it was full flavored.  The spice did start fading in and out, almost with every puff it seemed.  The ash held on for almost an inch before needing to be tapped off.

The second third saw the spice tone down quite a bit.  The flavors I noted during this third were leather, wood, coffee, anise with a creamy finish.  The draw opened up just a bit, but still not to where I like it.  The burn did require a touchup as it has gotten pretty uneven.

 At the end of the cigar the flavors were pretty interesting.  I got what I can best describe as a candy or frosting type sweetness as the main flavor with anise in the background.  This was only for a short portion of this third but it was different than many cigars I've had.  The flavors did change into ones similar to the ones found in the second third.  The spice did start building as well and I would say that the cigar reached the bottom end of full by the end.  I did get a slight nicotine hit from it as well.

Overall this was a very enjoyable cigar and I would definitely smoke it again.  The draw and burn issues are I hope confined to this sample.  I do think that most smokers would be able to enjoy it and with the reasonable price it would be affordable as well.  I would recommend that if you like the flavors I described that you pick up some to try when you find it.
 

Body: 8/10

Strength: 8/10

Complexity: 8/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 1.5/2

Flavor: 4/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 8.5/10