Cigar Log

cigardolls.com

2012-01-19T16:19:00.001-05:00

OK, must share this link. http://www.cigardolls.com/

RIP Harry Morgan

2011-12-07T14:00:00.001-05:00

What Makes a Cigar Good?

2011-10-13T15:23:00.003-05:00

Great Article by Gary Manelski on his about.com blog.
By Gary Manelski, About.com Guide

Is flavor the main factor that determines whether a cigar is good or not, or is that just too simple of an answer? Other factors such as a cigar's construction, strength or nicotine content, draw, burn, feel, appearance, etc. all contribute to the overall enjoyment of a cigar, but the majority of cigar smokers consider flavor to be the single most important factor. However, there are many aspects of flavor that require further analysis. For instance, we must not only consider the various tastes and flavors in cigars such as spice, pepper, sweetness, salt, etc., but the texture, smoothness, fullness and intensity of the smoke also contribute to the overall flavor. The coolness of the smoke is also an important aspect of taste to some cigar smokers. If this is the case, then consider smoking cigars with larger ring gauges. And let's not forget aroma, which is 75% of flavor, at least according to our Contributing Writer, Dr. Mitch Fadem.

We can delve further into the aspects of taste, but I believe that there is a certain intangible that makes a particular cigar great, and this certain x-factor cannot always be accurately defined or explained. However, you know it when you taste it. I can tell you that complexity and balance are also important factors that some smokers do not always consider. Those factors can also help to make a cigar great, as well as give cigar reviewers something more to write about. However, complexity may not be a significant factor when it comes to evaluating smaller cigars. If a cigar lasts for about 30 minutes or so, then the flavors do not have to morph several times to make the cigar enjoyable. But if a cigar lasts for an hour or two, then the smoking experience will eventually become boring if a cigar's flavors do not transform, develop or change as the cigar is smoked.

Price Doesn't Matter

Some cigar smokers' perceptions may be affected by the price they pay for a certain cigar. If a cigar costs an arm and a leg, there is probably a high expectation that the cigar will automatically be good. However, there is not always a direct relationship between price and enjoyment, and I think that most smokers would greatly prefer to discover a value priced cigar that they really like. Be critical of expensive cigars. Some cigars may cost more than others, but will they taste better to you? Not always. The flavor you taste in a cigar is mostly about the blend – how the different tobacco leaves work together to produce an enjoyable smoke. There are a number of reasons why some cigars cost more than others, but some of those reasons have nothing to do with how the cigars actually taste.

Not to get too far off the subject, but it is important to be able to distinguish a good cigar from an expensive cigar. There are a number of legitimate reasons why some cigars cost more than others, such as scarcity or rarity of the tobacco, expertise of the blenders and rollers, where the cigar is made (it costs more to make a handmade cigar in the U.S. or the Bahamas than in Nicaragua or the Dominican Republic), the quality control procedures in place at the factory, how long the tobacco and the cigars have been aged, plus many other factors. However, there are also a number of other factors having little or nothing to do with the cigar itself that could raise the price, such as high advertising and promotional expenses, too many middlemen, and high profit margins. (I'm not even going to get started on government taxes and regulations.) Also, some small-batch boutique cigars are limited in production and targeted to an upscale market. That does not automatically make them better, only more expensive (and more exclusive, but on purpose).

Other extraneous factors besides the price may also affect a cigar smoker's perceptions. Almost every new cigar has a story behind it now a days, but many of these stories are really just a part of the marketing strategy to get you to buy the cigar. All that should really matter is how much you enjoy a cigar for the cigar itself, and not for any other reason. It is true that some cigar makers put their heart and soul into the cigars that they produce, but does that really matter if another passionate cigar maker can do it better?

The Elusive "Perfect" Cigar

Did you ever smoke just one particular cigar and find it so enjoyable that you went out and bought an entire box of those same cigars, but were disappointed to find that none of the cigars in the box could compare to the one cigar that you initially enjoyed so much to begin with? Absent any inconsistencies in the production of the cigars, maybe there is another y-factor that could affect the condition of your palate at a particular time of day, or after eating a particular type of meal. Or could it be the different conditions under which you smoke cigars, such as room temperature, humidity, atmospheric conditions, accompanying beverage, scenery, surroundings, camaraderie, or any number of other external factors? I believe the answer to that question is YES.

It is helpful to read what others think about a particular cigar before deciding whether to buy it and try it for yourself or not, but everyone's palate is different, and we all have our own preferences. That is why it is important to sample a large variety of cigars before deciding on a favorite or favorites. If you already have a cigar that you like, you will always eventually be able to find another one that you like even better. And if you are a new cigar smoker who had a bad experience with one or two cigars, do not give up and assume that you just don't like cigars. Believe me, there are cigars more suitable for beginners that will change your mind. All you have to do is find them, and of course, make sure you know how to smoke cigars properly.

There is one last caveat to consider in the search for the ideal cigar. As you continue to smoke, your palate will develop and change over time. There is a very good chance that sometime after you find the perfect smoke, your tastes will change, and you will then have to resume the quest for that perfect cigar all over again. After all, change is what keeps the cigar world spinning around.

Cu-Avana Intenso Churchill not yet rated

2011-09-20T09:46:00.001-05:00

A mild smoke that I enjoyed, however at a $6.00 stick price point, not a go to cigar. I usually smoke 2 cigars before I rate tham to make sure their is consistency, however only had one of these and cannot make a good judgement yet. I will have to pick up another to make a rating.

Origin: Nicaragua
Size: 7 x 48
Ring: 48
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaraguan Ligero
Body: Full
Price: ~$6.00 each
Smoke Time: 1 hr 5 min

From bluenotecigars.com:
A departure from the mild blends that currently make up the Cu-Avana line; Intenso is an excellently blended, full-bodied powerhouse comparable to Oliva Serie ‘V’ and Joya de Nicaragua.

The idea behind the Cu-Avana Intenso cigar was to create a blend that offered an exorbitant amount of flavor, while maintaining a smooth character and a mild body. Recently, enthusiasts across the globe have been seeking out stronger, more robust cigars and therefore it was time to add a full-bodied blend to the Cu-Avana line. To complete this feat, the reigns were passed to Nestor Plasencia, who developed a tasty, full-bodied treat originating from Honduras.
Cu-Avana Intenso is not for the faint of heart. This blend is incredibly powerful, offering a ton of complex, spicy flavors with a very long finish. The name suits the power of the blend perfectly, as the initial light is robust and only continues to become more intense as the cigar burns. The filler consists of Nicaraguan ligero tobaccos and some exotics, all long-leaf, which are concealed by an oily, toothy Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper.
This combination provides a massive amount of spice, pepper and earth with only a hint of cocoa that rests in the back of the throat. Make no mistake, Intenso was blended with the full-bodied enthusiast in mind and is a fantastic, long awaited addition to the Cu-Avana brand.

Padilla Miami 91.76

2011-09-16T14:42:00.000-05:00

As usual, Padilla cigars live up to their reputation. I enjoyed this one, however it did lose a little flavor at the end. Was a nice enjoyable smoke with an aroma that was commented on by people around me.

Here are some specs from cigars international site:

Behold, the 94-rated masterpiece from Ernesto Padilla.

The Miami has turned the industry upside down. Hand-crafted in exceedingly limited quantities, this cigar has been named one of the top 50 cigars in the world to accompany a handful of 90+ ratings.

The blend is extraordinary. Each leaf of tobacco hails from the dark, fertile soils of Nicaragua and is grown from 1st generation Cuban seeds. The wrapper is a dark, reddish-hued Corojo. The filler, a robust mixture of Criollo and Corojo tobaccos. Three caps are applied to the head of this cigar in true Cuban fashion. Production is low and costs are high, yielding a very low number of cigars each year. But those that are produced are exemplary. Toasty hints of wood, cocoa and coffee smack your taste buds at various points throughout the smoke, while each is finished by a peppery aftertaste that coats the palate like syrup. Extremely complex and masterfully balanced, the Padila Miami is truly one of the finest cigars made today and re-establishes the hand-rolled cigar as a work of art.

Padilla Miami Churchill 94.095

2011-07-28T09:51:00.000-05:00

This was a highly enjoyable smoke. I only had one of these. I usually smoke at least two before I rate them.
It must have been an impulse purchase. These sell for around $10.00 a stick, so that might explain why I only picked up one. This is a medium to full body cigar, and had great flavor from start to finish. Not peppery like some cigars, but more smooth. My sweet taste buds were really liking this cigar. Will pick up more of these if I see them in the future.

Cigar.com had this on the cigar:
Padilla Miami is a very limited production boutique blend that has received high marks from several industry publications. In fact, in April 2009, Padilla Miami earned a '94' rating by Cigar Aficionado!

Ernesto Padilla is among the top ten blenders in the cigar business. He is known for producing such incredible cigars as Padilla Series 68, Padilla 1932, and Padilla Habano, in addition to many others. Due to his impeccable blending abilities and his love for the art, Ernesto Padilla has produced multiple 90+ rated blends, all of which were well met by fellow enthusiasts. Due to the exclusive tobaccos used in these cigars and their popularity, Padilla Miami is extremely limited.
Padilla Miami is among the finest blends ever created by Ernesto. Using all Cuban-seed tobaccos from Nicaragua, the blend is similar to the most popular Cuban cigars. Upon its debut in 2005, it received a 92 rating from Cigar Aficionado magazine, one of the highest ratings awarded that year. Each cigar is constructed immaculately with a triple cap, then aged to ensure a well-rounded aroma and enticing flavor. Each cigar is finished with a Corojo wrapper, giving these smokes a full-bodied and robust taste. Availability of Padilla Miami is “hit or miss,” so be sure to pick some up while they are in stock.
This brand recieved a '94' rating by Cigar Aficionado in April, 2009

cifuentes partagas 1845 spanish rosado 92.425

2011-07-26T12:34:00.000-05:00

This was a great cigar with a nice sweet taste that lasted from start to finish. I definitely liked this cigar and would highly recommend for those that like a nice mild smoke. I have reviewed the red label of these some time ago and liked it very much also. Now I need to find a black label.

From cigar.com:

The Partagas Spanish Rosado is medium bodied with a rich full flavor that derives from its unique San Agustin wrapper. This cigar is complex and well balanced.

From the legendary brand that originated in Cuba comes the Partagas Spanish Rosado. The Spanish Rosado name is derived from the wrapper that is grown exclusively for General Cigar in the San Agustin Valley in Honduras. "Spanish" refers to the country of Spain's influence in Honduran history, while "Rosado" refers to the reddish hue found in each wrapper.
The Partagas Spanish Rosado offers a unique taste that consumers have come to expect from Partagas. The Honduran-shade wrapper offers a rich, oily appearance with a consistent dark reddish-brown color. Because of the uniqueness of the soil, the wrapper provides a spicy taste with hints of cinnamon that burns white, leaving a beautiful ash. A Connecticut Broadleaf binder with a blend of Dominican, Honduran, and Mexican tobaccos combine to make this medium to full-bodied cigar a must-have for serious cigar enthusiasts.

Punch Limited Edition Toro 94.76

2011-07-21T15:07:00.000-05:00

Finally got around to smoking one of my FREE cigars from Cigar Rights of America for joining for my 3rd year.

If you enjoy cigars, please consider joining this group that is looking out for our rights.

This cigar shocked me at first because of how easy the draw was. I have smoked some cigars that take a little bit to settle down and develop a good flavor, however this was a great cigar from start to finish. A very mild smoke that was easy to enjoy.

Nicaraguan Wrapper, Honduras 6 x 52

Good review also from zencigar.com:

This is a great rustic looking cigar. The wrapper is a tawny brown with minimal veins with lots of tooth. It gives a little to the touch in the middle, which makes me wonder if this is going to burn and draw well all of the way through.

It clips great, I light the cigar easily and the first thing I notice is quite surprising – no harshness. Usually cigars made by the two big guys, General and Altadis, are sub par compared to other premium handmades. They are usually rushed out of the factory and quite young and unbalanced. But this was very nice!
There was lots of wood and leather from the onset with a rich hearty core of tobacco. Initially I got lots of smoke, but the burn was progressing too quickly for my liking.
About halfway down, it began to tunnel – that soft spot I mentioned earlier – but quickly corrected itself. The burn was relatively straight and even throughout the smoke, but it did require some occasional “touch-ups”.
The last few inches were rich and intense, full-bodied but not strong, tons of coffee, leather and wood abound. There was also a nice lingering cocoa note on the finish, which was long.
Not only was this cigar good – it was great! This was one of the best cigars I have ever smoked from General, and one of the best tasting cigars I have tried in some time. It had the perfect balance of flavors and strength, the only detractor was the construction and it was not that complex. After this, I can’t wait to try the rest from the sampler!
Rating: 90 (A-)

Benchmade by Ashton Don Pepin 85.4975

2011-07-19T11:55:00.000-05:00

Smoked this one today, and the cigar looked nice and had high hopes for it since it was a brand I had not really heard a lot about. However, I was very unhappy with this one. Definitely off my future purchase list.
The outer wrapper had a very bitter taste to it that lasted for quite a while. The burn was reasonable as would be expected of a hand made cigar. The flavor was just not there, no good blending of leaves or anything to be detected. I was almost like smoking bad burley. The cigar discounters offer this because of its low price and try to talk it up for the price, around $2.60-$3.00 a stick. It might as well be $3 a box. Sheesh, sorry Don Pepin, try again.
Wrapper and Filler Nicaragua, Robusto 5x50, Medium to Full strength.

Cain Straight Ligero Maduro 92.3425

2011-06-14T13:52:00.000-05:00

Nice Maduro cigar made in Nicaragua. Did lose a little flavor toward the end of the cigar, but overall a nice smoke. Wanting to try my second one to check for consistency. Here is one of the comments online I found that seems to be pretty appropriate for this cigar:
These are outstanding cigars! Yes, they are powerful but very enjoyable. They are not meant for afficionados who enjoy light to medium puros as they will prove to be too powerful. These are for us who enjoy really full bodied cigars. They are not as powerful as La Flor Dominicana ligero or double ligeros but they are right up there! I work in a cigar shop and these new sticks are selling like hotcakes!!! Get your hands on some and enjoy!!!!

OLIVA Conneticut Double Toro 92.595

2011-06-08T17:15:00.000-05:00

Just finished it, very mild smoke, good draw. I do not know why I picked this one up, I never prefer the 6 x 60 size of this cigar. I much prefer a robusto or regular toro, even Churchill size.

But still a resonable smoke if you have an extra 45 minutes or so. Stogie Review had this to say also:
When it was all said and done, I was very happy with this cigar. I think that it delivers alot of flavor with a pairing of body that I enjoy earlier on in the day. Looking back at what I had heard about this blend, I expected it to be much lighter than it turned out to be.
I can’t help but think that this cigar may be a bit too full flavored for that mild cigar smoker that I portray in my mind and may be perceived as something heavier. For someone such as myself, I think the body is inline with what I am looking for in this type of cigar.
I think it is tough to try and compare this to something such as Ashton and Davidoff because those cigars have different makeups and core flavors. Both the Ashton and Davidoff, if memory serves me right, lack the zing of Nicaraguan tobacco and may be viewed as a smoother smoke. I think that those that are regular smokers of the Rocky Patel Vintage 1999, Connecticut, and Edge Lite, may find this cigar right up their alley.

Cynthia Fuente at Kremers Smoke Shoppe

2011-06-07T20:29:00.000-05:00

Had a great time at Kremer's Smoke Shoppe for Fuente night.
Picked up a box(autographed by Cynthia) and a couple Opus X, plus my free tee shirt. Everyone had a great time and she if a very nice lady and represents the Fuente family very well.

CAIN Daytona and Straight Ligero

2011-06-04T18:10:00.005-05:00

I was at my usual Cigar night at Joe's in Rocky hill and tried Cain cigars.

The maduro 650 Daytona is a smooth beautiful smoke with a nice light grey ash, almost 1.5 inches long until I de-ashed it. Very even burn with an even draw. I bought a few and smoked a Cain Straight Ligero which is the Full bodied cigar with a ton of flavor. These cigars are made in the Oliva factory in Nicaragua. I would rate these very high, 89-90. I am buying more of these next trip to the shop.

Also tied NUB 354 with Connecticut wrapper. Another smooth cigar that starts off with flavor all the way to its short little end.

Of course with the weather being beautiful here in Connecticut, sitting on the deck and smoking and drinking makes this tough winter a little easier. this is also capped off with moving the oldest child out th her own apartment in North Adams, Mass. for her job. Now I have my man cave back, and can look forward to staring blankly at the T.V. on those days that I have worked my butt off and relax for a few minutes in the big boy chair!!!!

La Gloria Cubana Serie N 86.75 - 89.75

2011-05-25T16:13:00.001-05:00

The is a dark maduro wrapped cigar. I usually enjoy them quite a bit, but was somewhat disapointed in this one. It may be because I did not have any beverage as usual with it. Some rum or B&B would have been nice. However, a reviewer on Puff.com had great things to say about it.
Update(OK, smoked another one a couple weeks after above post. The second one had a better taste and I could really tell a sweet flavor this time. Maybe it was the Ale-8-one(made here in KY) that helped bring out the flavor, don't know for sure, but upping the rating about 3 points.
Working my way into the last third a slight tangyness is approching, maybe puffing to fast. The semi-sweet cocoa is becoming more prevalant. I left the cigar for about 2-3 minutes to help the family and came back thinking I was going to have to relight it, but it was still going on. A low maintence cigar. The cocoa is staying in into the last part of the cigar. Dark deep choclate nuances towards the end. The humidity took its toll and caught up with me and the cigar, I was in the phone and left it unattended and it went out. Clean the ash, relight and purge. Bitter chocolate startedin, maybe due to relight... Then nuances of wet hay. Let it rest with about an 1" left. I am not much of a maduro fan, but this cigar being as dark as i is really suprised me alot! The burn, tastes, body was all great! Im sure you maduro lovers will love this alot. I have a friend who smoked it (and loves maduro)and he raved about it. I would deffinately buy this cigar again and trust me, its worth a try or three on it! If I was to give it a grade, I would say a good 89-92 overall.

Fuente Night at Kremers

2011-05-17T08:58:00.000-05:00

I am excited about going to this event.
Fuente Cigar Night with

Cynthia Fuente

Friday May 27

3-7 p.m.

Kremer’s Smoke Shoppe is thrilled to host the Fuente Cigar family for a very special event. On Friday, May 27th come to Kremer’s to meet Cynthia Fuente and enjoy several special offers including; Buy 3 Fuente Cigars get 1 Free, purchase a box of Fuente Cigars and receive a Fuente Shirt and 5 additional cigars. Those are just a few, be there to enjoy refreshments, cigar talk and more.

2011-04-29T18:08:00.003-05:00

Two of my favorite pastimes, smoking and reading about guns. Why?. Because I am an American and that is how it is!!! I take my constitutional rights to heart like many of my fellow smokers, but when my Congressman or Senator gets a bug up their as, they want to limit my freedoms because some criminal uses a gun to commit a crime, but when a huge bank or corporation scams the tax payer, the Federal reserve gives them a low interest loan. Nice!! So that is the usual conversation at my local Cigar shop, and rightly so, but the Cigar does give me a sense of calm and I still rant with a smile on my face.

One of the nice features of my Cigar shop is the terrific girls that tend the bar, like Gina above. So continue to visit your favorite hangout before high taxes run them out of business. Remember the old saying, " A fool and his money are soon parted" Your gov't knows this all too well!!

Taxes and more taxes

2011-04-09T17:23:00.002-05:00

Here in Connecticut, they are looking at increasing the taxes on tobacco, which is to be expected with local governments looking for more money, but adding the tax would only cause me to reduce my consumption of cigars, hence less money to the State, but if they were to reduce the taxes, I would tend to buy more, which undoubtedly would lead to more money going to the State. This in turn also keeps your local retailer in business and also the local job market and business district can benefit from this.

Be sure to keep watch in your State for these changes. Ask your retailer or cigar distributor what is going on and how you can help.

Another concern is the Anti-Gun bills that are abuzz in D.C. since the Arizona shooting, 30 round magazines are being looked at closely, As well as H.R. 496, banning of firearms within 1000 feet of members of congress or H.R. 227 were if a criminal steals your legal gun YOU could go to prison. So please keep your eyes and ears open so that we can enjoy rights we all currently enjoy!!!

Acid by Drew Estate

2011-04-09T17:07:00.002-05:00

If for some reason you are tired of the same old smoke, ( you must be smoking 4 cigars a day) then you should try the Acid cigars. I like these because they have flavors in the tobacco from Aroma Rooms, where they cure the tobacco. These rooms infuse the tobacco different oils, herbs spices and botanicals, and gives the tobacco a unique flavor profile. I have found myself actually drooling a bit while smoking these, which causes me to hold them in my hand more often than in my mouth, which is my preferred method while I read out on the deck. I was working in the yard with my head forward and it is difficult to not drool in that situation. So these smokes are more of an "sitting still" type smoke if you want my opinion.. But these cigars are very good and offer a definite change of pace.

Rocky Patel Decade, also

2011-04-09T16:54:00.003-05:00

Truguru just smoked a Rocky Patel Decade, his picture showed a nice ash.

I uploaded my Rocky Patel Decade ash picture, just to show the consistency of a Great cigar. The draw and smoke on that cigar was quite smooth and had great flavor. It is one of those cigars that you do not want to put down, and you try to smoke it down as far as possible. It is not very often that you can get a cigar to burn like that but that is what you pay for. here is my Rating for this Cigar.-----The cost of the cigar/ the length of time per smoke x size of grin on face+ the cocktail that went very well with this smoke=HAPPINESS!!!!!

Rocky Patel Decade

2011-04-08T11:07:00.000-05:00

Smoked this one last evening since weather finally warmed up in Louisville. I have smoked several of these decades and have enjoyed each of them. Copious amounts of smoke and a great draw for a torpedo. These also hold an ash very nicely(which I do not always like if I am worried it will drop off in my lap when I am not paying attention). Rating coming soon.

Jose Blanco of LaAurora discussing Flavor, Strength, Aroma, Complexity, Balance, Finish

2011-04-08T08:53:00.000-05:00

Doc Stogie Fresh has a great video on youtube of his visit to the LaAurora factory.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_ijgGhe8tY

Famous Smoke Shop ready for Cuban Cigars?

2011-04-01T07:44:00.000-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Famous Smoke Shop can now legally sell Cuban cigars

U.S. Treasury Dept. grants temporary license to import tobacco products

EASTON, PA -- March 31, 2011 -- If you're an American cigar smoker who's been champing at the bit to buy Cuban cigars legally, your ship may be coming in - literally! Thanks to a temporary license issued by the U.S. Treasury Department, you may be ordering your Cuban Cohibas, Montecristos and Bolivars from Famous Smoke Shop sooner than you think.

After almost three years of legal wrangling and a mountain of paperwork, Famous Smoke Shop, the nation's leading cigar cataloger and retailer of premium handmade cigars, has been granted an "exception" by the Secretary of the Treasury under Title 31 C.F.R. Part 515 - Cuban Assets Control Regulations, Subpart B-Prohibitions, specifically with regard to §515.204 "Importation of and dealings in certain merchandise" which states:

(a) Except as specifically authorized by the Secretary of the Treasury (or any person, agency, or instrumentality designated by him) by means of regulations, rulings, instructions, licenses, or otherwise, no person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States may purchase, transport, import, or otherwise deal in or engage in any transaction with respect to any merchandise outside the United States if such merchandise:
(1) Is of Cuban origin; or

(2) Is or has been located in or transported from or through Cuba; or

(3) Is made or derived in whole or in part of any article which is the growth, produce or manufacture of Cuba.

Famous began contacting U.S. State Department and Treasury officials shortly after President Barak Obama eased American travel restrictions to Cuba in April of 2009. But it was Cuba's recent devaluation of the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC), now pegged to the U.S. dollar, which gave the Treasury Department the ability to approve a pilot program to help them estimate Cuban tobacco import tax revenues. Under the new provision, the Easton, PA-based cigar store was granted "exclusive authorization" to import up to 10,000 Cuban cigars a year for a two year period. The license will be effective starting July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2013.
"If the program works for Famous Smoke Shop, we will consider expanding it permanently, which will allow other U.S. tobacconists to apply for the licenses." said a Treasury Department spokesperson.
Arthur Zaretsky, president of Famous Smoke Shop-PA, Inc., who received the fortuitous phone call from Washington this past Tuesday, was ecstatic at the news.
"This is the biggest shot in the arm we could ever have hoped for," said Mr. Zaretsky. "Our customers are going to be bowled over by the opportunity to get Cuban cigars without having to go outside the law."
Due to the limited supply of Cuban cigars Famous will be allowed to import, the company is trying to work out the fairest way to get them into as many of their customers hands as possible.

"Our first idea was to auction the cigars, but we decided against it," said Famous Marketing Director, Mike Vandenstockt. "For one, we thought that might be a little too greedy. And since we're required to send sales figures to the Treasury Department, they wouldn't be able to get an accurate number for estimating the tax dollars."
Famous decided the best way to level the playing field was to make up Cuban 5-packs and limit sales to one pack per customer. However, it was also decided that Famous Smoke Shop's best customers will get first dibs on the Havanas via a private email campaign.
"I believe charity begins at home," said Mr. Zaretsky. "The customers who have opened their wallets for us the most deserve to go to the head of the line." But he also assured he will do his best to see that as many customers as possible get a chance to add some Cuban cigars to their humidors.

For now, the company has posted a landing page on their web site where customers who want to purchase the Cuban 5-packs can input their names, email addresses and customer numbers. The landing page also has details explaining exactly how the Cuban 5-pack program will work.

This was a great April Fools promotion, have to hand it to them, especially knowing this may actually happen in my lifetime. :-)

CASA MAGNA OSCURO 95.43

2011-03-19T19:18:00.000-05:00

Picked up some of these since I like the Colorado so much. I have to say I think this is even better. Great taste and smoke. It has a very nice flavor. I did enjoy this with some Makers Mark 46, so do not know if that influenced the taste or not, but who is going to complain about a great cigar and a great bourbon. Top10cigars.com had this to say:

As the Casa Magna Colorado Robusto caused widespread panic in the cigar industry, the Casa Magna Oscuro line quietly is making its way to the top of the charts winning cigar smokers over one by one. In 2008 the No. 1 Cigar of the year was the elder – Casa Magna Robusto and this shouldn’t be taken lightly as it is a very coveted prize that most cigar manufacturers dream about. Now that the Oscuro wrapper has been released we’re waiting on its new rating. I have a feeling that the cigar will also get a high rating. The Oscuro wrapper is typically known to be stronger and darker and the Oscuro on the Casa Magna is impressively dark and flavorful.

Favorite shape of cigar!

2011-03-11T18:42:00.005-05:00

Well, I have a favorite shape of cigar to smoke. This is the box pressed style, whether Maduro or natural, but it seems that Maduro is the box shape of choice of a lot of cigar makers.

I was at Joe's cigar on Thursday night for an Alec Bradley Cigar night and smoked several free blind testers and bought some Bradley VICE PRESS in Maduro. When I hold a cigar, I like to place my thumb on the bottom and three fingers on the top with the pinkie finger raised to " put on airs", or to show that I have a smoking snobbery that shows that I am a professional smoker. Or at least I am pretend to be, and I am transformed to MAN WORLD because this is my last bastion of freedom as an almost fifty year old( I have been 39 for seven years).

But i digress, I made my commitment to enjoy the "senior years" of my life and Dammit, this is it!!!!

I don't really rate cigars, I smoke what I like, and that is what you should do, because you should be the judge of what you like, or what movie you should see, not some critic. Just enjoy what, when and how you live and leave the rest to your taste buds..Life is definitely to short to not enjoy what life has to offer! Pete.

Pete Blog number 1

2011-03-05T16:17:00.004-05:00

4:20 pm . saturday March 5, 2011.
When I first started smoking cigars in the old days, "1990's ", when five dollar cigars were the expensive one's and even the Swisher Sweets were decent, I have come to appreciate the absence of smoking a cigar on a regular basis. I believe that smoking a cigar quite often has a way of making them all taste similar, but if you smoke one a week, then you may appreciate the taste, texture and smell of a good, nay! A great cigar. My commute is not long enough to smoke in the car, which i enjoy the most. This is were I have finished my day, set my music and adjusted the window just right so the smoke is whisked away in the vacuum area at the top of the A pillar. Thankfully, my new job is very close to a very good cigar bar, Joe's cigars in rocky Hill,Ct and I have made a commitment to start enjoying Cigar's again and I hope my blogs will be an enlightening experience for the readers of this site.

(I have attached picture of my younger brother Pete, who is now co-authoring the blogs. Great first entry Pete!) Steve

Dryboxing cigars before smoking?!?

2011-02-14T08:24:00.002-05:00

I happened to see this article at cigaradvisor.com. After reading the article and following comments, maybe they are on to something here. This involves letting the cigars lose some of their moisture a day or so prior to smoking. Read the article here:
http://www.cigaradvisor.com/news/cigars/dry-boxing-best-cigar-smoking-tip-ever?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=EMN1549&utm_content=feat

No Smoking Outside??

2011-02-10T15:59:00.001-05:00

Gary Manelski in his about.com blog had this information.

No Smoking Outside?
Friday February 4, 2011
As the days and weeks go by, it keeps getting tougher to enjoy a smoke anywhere, even outside. New York City just passed a ban on smoking in city parks and beaches this week, which will take effect 90 days after Mayor Bloomberg signs it into law this month. You can read more about this in the New York Times.

There are currently a number of proposals to further restrict smoking in several states, most notably in Florida, where local governments may soon get the right to ban outdoor smoking within their jurisdictions (if the state's law is amended). To prevent this from happening, the time to act is now! If you live in Florida, New Mexico, Minnesota, or North Carolina, click here to sign Cigar Rights of America's petitions to oppose legislation that would expand smoking restrictions or raise taxes on cigars in your state. Do it now!

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The new Outlaw Cigar store in Olathe, Kansas

2010-11-17T10:44:00.011-05:00

Was visiting my parents and had wanted to check out the new Outlaw Cigar store in Olathe. Wow!!! This is even better than their north KC store. Several smoking rooms available to lounge in, great humidor, and excellent selection of cigars. It is worth the trip. They still have monthly events going on which are great fun. No calendar for 2010, they promised that a new one is coming.

Santa Rosa Sancho Panza

2010-11-15T16:39:00.003-05:00

This one was in the dark back corners of Kremer's Smoke Shop in Louisville. See reviews of this store below. By the way they have a facebook page and twitter account which I highly recommend you subscribe to. They are also starting to have many more cigar events and have started a cigar club.

Anyway, this was a cigar as touted for its very mild flavor when you just want a nice cigar without worrying about whether you could detect the subtle leathery/spice flavors etc. Even though I have stored this cigar in the humidor for at least 6 months, I still had a problem with the wrapper falling apart. This did not effect the flavor however.

Here is some comments from aspiringgentleman.com web site:

Santa Rosa Cigars (owned by Altadis) is one of those brands often relegated to the far corner of your tobacconist’s shelf. Made from Ecuadorian Connecticut Wrapper, Honduran binder, Honduran/Nicaraguan filler, and coming in a wide range of sizes, Santa Rosa cigars are made in the Flor de Copan factory in Honduras. Touted as a creamy, mild/medium cigar with a hint of spice, we sought to see whether Santa Rosa, as a budget brand, is worthy of your hard-earned dollar.
I picked up a few of the sancho panza size (4.75″ x 54) early in 2009, and after a year of relaxing, it was time for them to go up in smoke. These cigars are cleanly rolled, with no obvious imperfections or defects. The pre-light aroma is surprisingly spicy, suggesting its use as a pairing for equally spicy foods. The wrapper has a nice, tangy feel on the lips which continues through the length of the cigar, and the burn was even and consistent. While the cigar is definitely of mild to medium body, the flavours evolved nicely, starting quite spicy and ending closer to the nutty/woody spectrum. Throughout, the mouth feel is creamy with a slight dryness to the plentiful smoke. At the start of the last third, a strong bitterness started to emerge, lasting 5 minutes or so before fading as the cigar finished.

Overall, this is a cigar worth picking up at your local tobacconist, especially for its price point (under $5). Don’t hesitate to pair it with a spicy food for the first third — as you’re finishing your dish, the spiciness will fade out as the hazelnut and wood flavours settle in for the dessert course.

J. Fuego Origen 89.255

2010-11-11T16:52:00.004-05:00

Nice cigar with a little spice, however not too harsh. Fairly decent smoke.

Wrapper: Brazilian Corojo
Filler: Nicaragua
Size: Corona (5.7×48)
Strength: Medium-Full

Rob at puffingcigars.com has a great online video and review of this cigar worth checking out:

http://puffingcigars.com/cigar-reviews/j-fuego-origen/2271/

Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial 92.595

2010-11-10T14:28:00.005-05:00

Was not sure if this was going to be a good cigar or not since I had not read anything about it. It ended up being a very enjoyable smoke without a lot of harshness. Several people commented on the nice aroma of the smoke from this.

Bonitasmokeshop.com had this information:
A delicious medium to full bodied cigar which is a magnificent blend of Nicaraguan binder and filler with a mouth watering Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. This new Reserva Especial cigar line is blended by Jaime Garcia son of legendary master blender Don Pepin Garcia.
The 6 size line of Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial cigars is made with a blending of 2 different kinds of Nicaraguan tobacco. One tobacco is grown by Garcia and his father Pepin. The other is tobacco from the well known Oliva Tobacco Company of Tampa, Florida. The Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper is the perfect compliment to this outstanding new brand.

And stogieguys.com had a good review also:
This cigar, blended by Jaime Garcia, stands out from the myriad sticks produced by My Father Cigars. For starters, it sports a dark, oily maduro Connecticut broadleaf wrapper, used only occasionally by Jaime and his father, Pepin Garcia.

And when you smoke it, you’ll find a flavor profile that differs significantly from what you expect from the house of Pepin.

The 54 ring gauge Toro does kick off with spicy notes. Mixed with the thick, woody flavor of the wrapper, though, it is a deep and sharp taste. From the start, the smoke is thick and profuse. The spice drops off after about half an inch and an earthy, damp hay taste takes over.

The taste changes aren’t finished yet. About halfway down the six inch stick, you’ll begin to notice more and more of that typical maduro sweetness. The spice reemerges, too, and creates an interesting combination.

It’s a little difficult to find a lot of definitive information on these sticks. Having been introduced to the market late last year, but hitting most retailers’ shelves only recently, the My Father Cigars’ website doesn’t appear to even list them. The company’s site appears to be undergoing extensive work, though, and doesn’t have much information about anything.

I think it’s clear, though, that the filler is Nicaraguan. One site described it as a blend of tobacco grown by the Garcias and by the Oliva Tobacco Co. Despite some sites listing the binder as Nicaraguan, a press release about the cigar’s launch event at the Cigar Inn in New York confirms that it is Ecuadorian.

On the other hand, there’s no dispute about quality. It’s first rate, from appearance and construction to flavor and price. I paid $6 for the Toro, a small investment for a top-flight experience. I give this cigar four and a half stogies out of five.

Estaban Carreras Habano 88.915

2010-11-09T12:52:00.004-05:00

This cigar looked good, has a dark maduro wrapper. It ended up smoking a little more harsh than I expected and did not enjoy this cigar nearly as much as I thought I would. It was rolled very nice and has a nice heft to it which I enjoy. Just not to my taste preferences.

Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 5 1/2 x 54
Tomscigars.com had this to say about it however:

Pre-smoke & Construction:
Giving the cigar the ol once over, I found it to be visually pleasing. Overall it looked rugged, with a few large veins and a few bumps here and there. Towards the head, there were a few soft spots, but nothing that I was concerned about. Sniffing the foot and wrapper revealed a slight pepper and a touch of sweetness. The pre-light draw lacked any spice, and tasted like rich tobacco and soil. The burn required a few minor touch-ups, and the ash held for an inch or so. Overall, no complaints in the construction department.
Flavor:
Right off the bat, the first third started in the full body range. Despite this, it was very smooth, delivering pillowy clouds of white smoke. The flavor seemed pretty straight forward with some kind of wood, pepper, and the occasional sweet earthy note. As the cigar progressed towards the end of this third, it became very creamy.
The second third continued with those full bodied flavors. The pepper transformed itself in to more of a sweet spice. The smoke remained smooth and thick. This gave it a rich, creamy sensation. I couldn’t detect earthy notes in this third. Everything was just rich and smooth. Very enjoyable.
The last third ventured higher into the full bodied range. This made it harder for me to pick apart flavors. I chock it up to a lacking palate, and a characteristic of the cigar. The smoke had a cooling effect when exhaling. Again, there was a sweet spice present and a touch of wood. It wasn’t quite mocha, and wasn’t quite caramel. The smoke remained thick and creamy.
Conclusion:
Some advice… Smoke this after a meal. I smoked this before dinner and had no problems, but hey, I smoke a lot. I had a decent sized nicotine buzz but nothing sickening. I could see this being a problem for those with less of a tolerance. I would have nubbed this cigar even further, but the buzz told me “It’s time to stop!” If you are like me and enjoy a good full bodied cigar, I’d say definitely give this a try.

Cigar Guy and Me

2010-10-18T14:51:00.001-05:00

This is a switch. Here is me with the Cigar Guy.

601 Reserva Limitada Green label 90.09

2010-10-10T14:21:00.004-05:00

I knew this would be a good smoke as soon as I removed it from the cellophane and could smell the right oscuro odors. It was pretty flavorfull at the start and went downhill a little right at the end, but was still enjoyable. Mine was a Corona 5x42. These are Nicaraguan for Don Pepin. I tend to like his cigar blends. I do know he makes some red and black labels also. I will have to try those soon.

The boys at http://www.cubaoriginals.com/ had this to say:

The 601 Green Label Reserva Limitada is made by Pepin Garcia for Eddie Ortega at United Brands and was released at the 2007 RTDA with very little fanfare. Planned to be the strongest of the 601 Series, it delivers. This extension consists of five vitolas and they come in 20 count boxes, except for the Corona, which is packed in 40 ct. boxes. For this review we smoked the robusto sized La Fuerza. The blend is all Nicaraguan.
Eddie and the boys at United are a breath of fresh air in the cigar industry. Always smiling, always enjoying what they do, their true passion for the business comes through.
This 601 had a beautiful, dark, dark chocolate colored wrapper with a slight reddish hue. The wrapper was free from prominent veins and defects. The cigar is supple to the touch, cut cleanly and had a good draw. The pre-light aroma is awesome.
After lighting, the aroma decreased and the cigar burned evenly. The first quarter of the cigar had intense earthy flavors and lots of spice. At the one third point, the spice faded and the power of this cigar became apparent. Using a 1- 10 scale, this had a strength of 7. The last half of the cigar was less intense as the flavors and the power blended together.
Make no mistake, the 601 is a cigar smoker’s cigar. The intensity of the first half is on the edge of being too strong. But like the new Graycliff Double Espresso and the Padron Serie 1926, the 601 never crossed the line to become harsh. To the credit of the blenders, it is a really strong cigar that is still smooth.
The spice, earthy flavors and power of this cigar create an interesting experience for the knowledgeable cigar smoker. The complexity and evolution of the flavors as the smoke progresses, with the added dimension of the power, makes the 601 and entertaining and enjoyable smoke.
The 601 is like a great roller coaster. The first half is intense and edgy. The second half is less intense, but still shakes you up. At the end, you want to do it again.

Cuesta Rey Natural Caravelle - Priceless

2010-07-18T18:32:00.004-05:00

Received this cigar from my son-in-law after my daughter had her baby, Layla Jane. This cigar was not the best cigar I have smoked lately, but somehow was one of the sweetest. We have a box of 25 to hand out and smoke, and I am sure each one will be relished.

Cuesta Rey Caravelle Natural cigars have been a long-time favorite of Dominican cigar lovers. Produced by the Fuente & Newman cigar families and are rolled mostly in aromatic Connecticut Natural.

Winston Churchill's cigar airbrushed from picture

2010-06-17T15:31:00.001-05:00

www.telgraph.co.uk

The original image (left) was taken in 1948 during the opening of a new military headquarters, and (right) the airbrushed image Photo: CORBIS/Stephanie Schaerer

In the well-known original image, Churchill makes a "V" shaped symbol with his fingers – while gripping a cigar in the corner of his mouth.

But in a reproduction of the picture, hanging over the main entrance to a London museum celebrating the wartime leader, he has been made into a non-smoker through the use of image-altering techniques.

Nicholas Soames in battle with BNP for using Churchill to promote partyIt is unclear who is responsible for doctoring the photograph, with the museum – The Winston Churchill's Britain at War Experience – claiming not to have noticed the cigar was missing.

John Welsh, manager of the museum, admitted he was shocked to learn of the alteration, but declined to reveal who was responsible for the display and for enlarging the image.

He said: "We've got all sorts of images in the museum, some with cigars and some without. We've even got wartime adverts for cigarettes in the lift down to the air-raid shelter, so we wouldn't have asked for there to be no cigar."

Don Robinson, who owned the museum before passing it to a charitable trust 20 years ago, added: "If we'd known we would have said: 'No, it stays as it is.' Everything we do we try to do accurately and the cigar symbolises Churchill."

The alteration of the original image, taken in 1948 during the opening of a new military headquarters, was noticed by David McAdam, a visitor to the museum.

He told the Daily Mail: "I pointed out this crude alteration to a museum steward who said she hadn't noticed the change before, nor had anyone else pointed it out.

"So much for the notion that only communist tyrants airbrushed history."

Alan Packwood, of the Churchill Archives Centre, said he was not aware of any previous case where Churchill's cigar had been digitally removed from a picture.

Super Taster

2010-05-13T10:07:00.002-05:00

Was just discussing ability to discern flavors in cigars and Bourbon with my son-in-law John the other day as we smoke 2 of the Davidoff cigars he got me for Christmas. Why can he taste the fine subtleness of pepper in a bourbon, while I do not. The question I have is can you develop or train your taste buds to detect flavors. I came across this article that may say it is genetic based on how many taste buds you have. There is a test at the end I will have to try.

Being a supertaster is no piece of cake
By Diane Mapes
Being a "supertaster" may sound like a foodie’s dream come true, but in reality, it’s no picnic.
Coffee and alcohol are unpalatable – along with tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, strawberries, condiments and most sweets.
"I can’t stand cake," says Michelle Triplett, a 31-year-old stay-at-home mom and supertaster from Olympia, Wash., who spoke, coincidentally, on her birthday. "It’s too sweet for me. And when I drink beer, I gag. It’s like drinking urine."
Supertasters detect components – like salt or bitterness -- in food that others can’t, says Dr. Alan Hirsch, founder and neurological director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago.
"[Supertasters] have densities of taste buds that are 10 to 100 times greater than the normal population," he says. "As a result, supertasters are much more sensitive to spicy foods and they can taste … very mild flavors."
Triplett, whose favorite meals are turkey sandwiches and macaroni and cheese, says the blander the better, since most everything else is, as They Might Be Giants put it in their song "John Lee Supertaster," simply "too much."
The condition is genetic, tends to affect women more than men and affects 25 percent of the U.S. population; non-tasters (people with a reduced ability to taste) make up another 25 percent with the rest of the population described as medium or normal tasters.
While there are some benefits -- supertasters tend to avoid sugars, salts and fats, so they suffer less from obesity and cardiovascular disease – there’s a potential downside. Supertasters often avoid green vegetables because of their bitter taste, so they miss out on cancer-fighting flavanoids and other nutrients.
"Many vegetables have bitterness in them -- like green pepper – so a supertaster may avoid [them]," says Hirsch. Other problem veggies include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, olives and spinach.
"When I get Brussels sprouts on my tongue, I immediately want to pull that whole patch of tongue off," says Triplett. Tomato-based foods, apples and blueberries are also too potent for her.
Supertasters are also more prone to burning mouth syndrome, a condition in which a person’s tongue or mouth feels like it’s on fire.
"It’s horribly disabling," says Hirsch. "You can’t eat food, you can only drink water and it can be quite painful.
If you think you’re a supertaster, a five-minute survey developed by Cornell University can help. There’s also a home test involving blue food coloring. Or a simple taste test – available for a small fee -- that uses a filter paper impregnated with a chemical known 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP). Non-tasters won’t taste anything on the paper; medium tasters will taste a small amount of bitterness. Supertasters, however, will find the chemical "stomach-wrenchingly bitter." If the thought of veggies makes you cringe, you may be. Around one in every four people are born with thousands of extra taste buds, which enable them to more acutely detect sweetness, sourness, and bitterness in foods. Think you fit in this category? Try this test (it's a little odd, yes, but experts stand by it):

What you'll need: A hole punch, a one-inch-square piece of waxed paper, blue food coloring, and a cotton swab.
What to do: Punch a hole in the waxed paper; set it aside. Dab a little blue food coloring on your tongue. It should turn blue, with the exception of tiny pink circles. (These are "fungiform papillae," and each contains six to 15 taste buds.) Place the waxed paper over the blue area of your tongue and count the pink circles in the hole that you punched out. More than 25 circles? You're a supertaster.

FDA Wants to Regulate Cigars

2010-05-07T08:10:00.001-05:00

Gary Manelski at about.com had this article on his site:(If you have not subscribed to his regular emails, I would highly recommend you do this).
Monday May 3, 2010
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will soon issue a notice that it is proposing a rule that would make cigars subject to the Tobacco Control Act, and include provisions to address public health concerns raised by cigars. If the proposed rule becomes law, expect more regulations, restrictions, etc. to affect cigars, in addition to higher prices/taxes on cigars to pay for the additional government oversight. Here's the legalize, published in the semiannual regulatory agenda of the Department of Health and Human Services, to which the FDA reports:
Source: gpo.gov
147. CIGARS SUBJECT TO THE FAMILY SMOKING PREVENTION AND TOBACCO CONTROL ACT
Legal Authority: 21 USC 301 et seq, The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; PL 111-31, The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act
Abstract: The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (the Tobacco Control Act) provides FDA authority to regulate cigarettes, cigarette tobacco, roll-your-own tobacco, and smokeless tobacco. Section 901 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as amended by the Tobacco Control Act, permits FDA to issue regulations deeming other tobacco products to be subject to the Tobacco Control Act. This proposed rule would deem cigars to be subject to the Tobacco Control Act and include provisions to address public health concerns raised by cigars.

La Aurora 107 86.75

2010-05-05T10:48:00.003-05:00

Here is pic from Kentucky Oaks showing my twin 107's and the famous twin spires at Churchill Downs. I have smoked 3 of these now. Two torpedo's and one robusto.

These were an OK smoke but nothing exceptional.

Here is the review from the stogie guys at www.stogieguys.com website.

I maintain that La Aurora is an underrated cigar maker. Headed by Guillermo León and José Blanco, La Aurora doesn’t chase trends, but seems to produce solid, tasty smokes year after year, with Preferidos and Cien Años as classic examples.
Speaking of years, this year La Aurora—the oldest Dominican cigar company—celebrates its 107th anniversary. Like so many cigar companies, its celebrating with a new cigar. “We had defined our goal early on,” said León, La Aurora VP, “and that was to bring the smokers a medium-bodied, richly flavored smoke with a fair amount of spice at a very attractive price.”
Leon and Blanco created the La Aurora 107 blend with an Ecuadorian wrapper, a Dominican binder, and a combination of Dominican and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos. The Robusto (4.5 x 50) retails for $6.50. Other sizes of the cigar, due out only in brick and mortar cigar shops, are a Toro (5.5 x 54) and a Belicoso (6.25 x 52).
The Ecuadorian wrapper is oily and rough with plenty of veins. The cigar is slightly spongy to the touch but even throughout. Upon clipping the head, an easy draw is apparent which is maintained throughout the short robusto.
Upon lighting, I find a hint of bitterness in the first few puffs, which soon gives way to toasty flavors with a hint of spice. There’s also a nice bit of sweetness that I commonly associate with maduro smokes.
The 107 is medium-bodied and balanced. As it evolves, a burnt chary flavor emerges, along with more woody spices, and even a hint of Bordeaux-like wine notes. Construction is flawless with a solid ash and even burn producing thick, lush smoke.
I’m always a big believer in the idea that smoking slowly brings out the best in a cigar, and that is especially true in the La Aurora 107. When smoked too quickly, the 107 develops a slight bitterness. However, with enough patience (by limiting the 107 to no more than two draws per minute) it can be a smooth, subtle smoke.
So while you may have to work at it, the La Aurora 107 has a lot to offer. Given some aging time I think it might turn out even better. Even so, right now the La Aurora 107 Robusto earns a rating of three and a half stogies out of five.

Kremer's Smoke Shoppe

2010-04-24T14:28:00.006-05:00

Stopped by Kremer's Smoke Shoppe the other day to check it out. It has been in Louisville forever. I just have not made it downtown to do so. However, this is a great shop with a huge selection. They have been around so long they have some brands you can only get at this store in Louisville. I picked up about 20 cigars that I have not tried yet, so watch for those ratings coming soon. :-) Also, here is what I consider the best part. In the back corner on one of the racks are cigars that have been around so long you have to wipe the dust off of the celephane. So if you have the desire to find some smokes that are not even made anymore, this is the place.

I will be smoking some of those soon. They are located at 401 E. Jefferson(East not West, I drove around for a half hour around 4th street till I realized I was on wrong end of the compass).

Here are some pictures of their walk-in humidor and some of the fine humidors they have for sale also. When you pick up a cigar to purchase, grab one of the price tags they have in every box to take to the register with you, if not you will be walking back in to pull tickets and trying to find out where you got the cigar from. OK they should have told me that first, jeez.

They told me they are getting a facebook account and web page soon.

FREE La Aurora Cigars

2010-04-22T16:07:00.001-05:00

Miami Cigar & Company, the exclusive distributor for La Aurora brands in the United States, has just announced the release of the La Aurora Serie 107 Anniversario to mark the company's 107th year of operation in the Dominican Republic. As part of a yearlong campaign to Rediscover La Aurora, 107 retailers across the U.S. will be giving away Serie 107 Robustos on April 30th, with the purchase of at least one cigar of your choice (can be any brand). The list of participating retailers will be available at rediscoverlaaurora.com.
Miami Cigar president Nestor Miranda says, "We have represented La Aurora for over 20 years and feel this is one of the best cigars they have made so far. We believe so much in the 107 that we are giving cigar smokers the chance to try it for free. All anyone has to do is buy a cigar, any cigar, at one of the participating retailers on April 30 and we'll give you a free 107." La Aurora vice president Guillermo Leon adds, "We realize that while our family has been making fine handcrafted cigars for more than a century, some cigar smokers still have not tried our products and others remember when we only made cigars in the mild range. La Aurora has been developing medium to full bodied cigars with full flavor and we want to let people know how we have changed. The Rediscover La Aurora is part of our outreach to those smokers."
The 107, which uses a Sun Grown Ecuador wrapper over 6 year old fillers and binder from Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, will come in boxes of 21 with a suggested retail price between $6 to $8, plus any local taxes. There will be 3 sizes: Robusto (4.5x50); Toro (5.5x54); and a Belicoso (6.25 x 52)

I will be heading to Kremers Smoke Shop in Louisville on Kentucky Oaks day to get mine :-)

A. FUENTE Gran Reserva 80.75

2010-04-18T16:51:00.004-05:00

Smoke this for the first time in 2007 and did not have a rating scheme developed at the time.

Even though this cigar had an OK flavor and has been in my humidor for at least a year, it still had a very hard draw and made it hard to enjoy. The cigar was rolled too tight. When you look at the foot after cutting it looks like corkboard it was so tight. Now I know why they try and sell those drawpokers on the net. It is sad, because Fuente has such a good reputation, however I was not impressed with this cigar.

These were both Chateau Medium Bodied Sungrown Wrapper, not the Maduro.

Usually I would put the bottom band also, but was on the ceder wrapping and I forgot to include this. Thanks for the comment.

UPPER CUT OMETEPE - 88.50

2010-04-09T19:28:00.005-05:00

I enjoyed this cigar. I could not find any discernable flavors, but it still had a very mild taste and smoked well.

Punch is a venerable brand and is one of a portfolio of well known brands owned by the Cigar General Co., one of the bigger companies in the industry. Their brands include Macanudo, La Gloria Cubano, Partagas and a host of others. The Punch Upper Cut puts the image of Ometepe and its twin volcanoes on its footband. Cigar Aficionado states that the Ometepe region in Nicaragua grows "intriguing" tobacco. General Cigar owns much of the growing fields in this region and the Upper Cut is filled with Ometepe region tobacco.

Here is a review from bullz-eye.com:

Look and feel

The cigar looked more expensive than its retail price point, the banding with the picutured volcano definitely dressed the cigar up, but its nice oily, deep brown wrapper was impressive even without these bands. I saw nothing to complain about in its construction, as it seemed packed nicely. The cigar was wrapped and filled in a quality manner.

Aroma and Taste

When I first lit up, I was struck by a nice, balanced dose of pepper and spice. The pepper subsided somewhat after five minutes of smoking and morphed into a traditional, rich tobacco flavor with some leather flavor as well. The flavor stayed generally the same, with some wood flavor coming and going throughout. I especially thought the draw and burn on the cigar also was good. The aroma was nothing too noteworthy, but it was certainly fine. I do believe that this is probably going to be one of my favorite Punch brand cigars going forward, as it has a medium to full profile. With that said, I must admit that I do not smoke a lot of Punch cigars. I think the brand is positioned very well with a consistent, good value smoke for your money. The cigars themselves are typically not too complex in flavor but the consistency is there and the smoker knows what they are getting. Many smokers value this in a cigar, probably more than I do.

VigilantE 88.08

2010-04-09T18:33:00.003-05:00

I first rated this in Nov. 2008, I have been smoking these quite a bit since they have been aging in my humidor. As I expected, they have acquired a much better taste and now rate higher than my original 81.

Origin: Honduras
Size: 6.25 x 50
Wrapper: NicaraguanBinder: Ecuador
Filler: Nicaragua / Honduran Sun Grown
The VigilantE is blended by Rocky Patel and is aged 5 years.

Patel Brothers Nish Patel - 92.255

2010-04-09T17:54:00.003-05:00

This is a very hard cigar to find and was a very good smoke. I smoked two of these at least a week apart to make sure I would enjoy them the same. The oily wrapper really had a great taste and these produced voluminous smoke. Easy draw and great flavor. This one is definitely

a keeper. Fireupthatcigar.com had this great review:

Wrapper: Pennsylvania Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Made In: Honduras
Size: 5.5×44 – Corona
Price: About $7 per single

A Little Background: For the first time in his company’s history Rocky Patel has collaborated with his brother Nish Patel to create a cigar they are calling, full bodied and a powerhouse. The new cigar has tobacco from the fields of Lancaster County in Pennsylvania; the same region that brought us the Rocky Patel Winter Blend 2008.

Appearance & Construction: The Patel Brother cigar has a nice dark brown colored wrapper with minimal veins running throughout. The wrapper feels a little dry to the touch but it has no soft spots and appears to be constructed well. Not related to aesthetics and something I rarely comment about, but on the prelight draw I get a wet paint flavor; let’s hope the cigar doesn’t taste like that.

Smoking Characteristics: As with all Rocky Patel cigars, the Patel Bros. has a perfect draw that produces a lot of rich smoke. The burn was well within acceptable terms however the ash flowered pretty badly. This cigar is no doubt a full bodied cigar and so is the strength. This little corona beat me up pretty good and that was even after a hearty lunch.

Flavor: The Patel Bros. has a nice sweet earthy woody core with notes of coffee, cocoa, leather and a salty meaty flavor that I can’t quite put my finger on. The flavors are very rich and pronounced in this cigar however the flavors remained generally the same throughout the cigar.

Final Thoughts: Overall I really enjoyed this cigar. I happen to love that salty meaty flavor in cigars so that definitely scored some points in my book. The only negative thing on this cigar was the wet paint flavor on the prelight draw but thank goodness I didn’t get that in the actual cigar. This cigar is not for the beginners. The cigar has some serious kick to it that would turn a newbie green in no time.

Worth a Shot: Yes
Buy Again: Probably
Rating: Good

Outlaw Cigar events for 2010

2010-01-23T15:06:00.002-05:00

OK, the new outlaw cigar store south is just down the street from my parents house, at 137th and Metcalf . How can I not make the trip. Here is their events for the year.

CA Top 25 cigar list out

2010-01-14T16:30:00.000-05:00

Here is the link: http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Top_25/Top_25_Archives/0,4752,,00.html

Fake Cuban Cigar Makers busted in Miami

2009-11-19T16:03:00.001-05:00

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local-beat/Phony-Stogie-Makers-Busted-in-Hialeah-69363667.html

A South Florida multi-million dollar phony cigar operation went up in smoke yesterday when it was raided by law enforcement officials after a five-month investigation.
At least one man was arrested and another taken into custody after the raid on two Hialeah warehouses that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said were some of the biggest counterfeit cigar operations in the country.
"This is very satisfying," said Jorge Espinosa, a lawyer representing many of the upscale cigar brands that were being counterfeited by the operation. "They're counterfeiting cigars and they're using my client's famous trademarks to do so."
Among the items confiscated were fake cigar boxes, made soo well they look better than the original in some cases, a pallet full of phony cigar labels, and a half-million dollar printer used to make the labels and cigar tubes.
The fake packaging was being moved elsewhere to merge with fake cigars, then transported and sold throughout the country.
"The legitimate industry is suffering because of this illegitimate business," said private investigator Eladio Paez.
Bogus Cigar Operation Busted in Hialeah
WATCH Bogus Cigar Operation Busted in Hialeah
"We're talking millions of dollars," said Espinosa. "You have to understand that what is a box of cheap 25-cent cigars they can sell for $300."
And experts said some of the money from the illegal operation goes to organized crime and even back to criminals in Cuba.
"We believe that some money flows back into Cuba since a lot of the original labels and tags come from the island," Espinosa said, adding that his clients weren't stopping the fight against the phony stogie makers.
"The message is, you keep counterfeiting our product, we're coming after you. And we will put you out of business."

Grantz 79.74

2009-09-26T17:59:00.002-05:00

Picked this one up to try from my local tobbacco shop. I am so sorry I did. It was like smoking crap on a stick. Not only no taste, but bad taste. Had to appologize to those I was smoking with for ruining their smoke. I think this is a private label cigar of Cox's.

I am glad I only bought one.

CAO Gold Corona Gorda 90.585

2009-09-20T16:49:00.004-05:00

This was number 6 of the 7 cigars in CAO Commemorative box. It was a good mild cigar that smoked fairly well. I still prefer the CAO camaroon cigars however. Nothing spectacular to say on this cigar. Below is info from one of the online sellers of this cigar.

CAO Gold Cigars
Introduced in 1996, the CAO Gold has received some of the highest ratings in the industry including two 90 ratings. Recently, the CAO Gold Corona was awarded a 90 rating from the Cigar Aficionado, making it the second highest rated non- Cuban corona in the world. This cigar features a gorgeous Ecuadorian Connecticut seed wrapper along with aged Nicaraguan binder and filler. The flawless construction and smooth flavor features hints of buttery vanilla, cream, and nutmeg.
• Wrapper: Ecuador, Connecticut• Binder: Nicaragua• Filler: Nicaragua

CAO Gold Maduro 90.585

2009-09-18T18:48:00.003-05:00

This was number 5 in the 7 cigar CAO commemorative box. It was a pretty good mild cigar and smoked very well. Having the maduro wrapper and mild leaves inside gave it a nice taste on the lips and a smooth smoke in the mouth.

I would smoke these again.

Cigarjack.net had this to say on this cigar:

I mentioned awhile back when the CAO Gold Maduro was announced that I was excited about this cigar. The CAO Gold is an enjoyable cigar, but I find it a bit mild to be one of my go-to cigars. The CAO Gold Maduro has the same Nicaraguan filler as the original line, but the wrapper is a Brazilian Maduro. I find CAO Cigars in this price range to be above average, and the CAO Gold Maduro doesn’t disappoint.
During my lunch break today, I stopped by the Cincinnati Tobacconist and was happy to see that they carried these. I picked up a couple of the robustos and lit one up right there. Before I get too far ahead of myself, I should mention that firstly, I gave the cigar a thorough examination of construction and armoa. Not much can be said bad about CAO when it comes to the construction of their cigars and this was no different. The wrapper, a beautiful dark brown with no overtly large veins, was firm to the touch. I grabbed a v-cutter and gave it a quick clip along with a couple of test draws and right away got a hint of flavor reminding me of Scotch or Bourbon.
I slowly toasted the foot with matches until I was billowing beautiful smokey clouds hinting of vanilla. The cigar didn’t have the spicy bite of the CAO Brazilia, but did have the same nutty tones with a more earthen body. The Gold Maduro isn’t devoid of spice, but defintly mellower than its sibling from South America. It also had a nice slow burn taking me nearly a full hour to smoke the robusto. This is one of the cigars you want to let the ash hang as long as possible so that it burns cool. It seemed to get a hint of bitterness after I knocked the ash off until it had a chance to progress a bit.
CAO’s high end cigars may be over hyped, but their mid-range ones definately aren’t. I paid $4.95 a stick for these and they were well worth the price. Great construction and a nice medium body that didn’t over power, yet did not lack in flavor either. I noticed only a faint buzz from this one, so I wouldn’t worry about grabbing at any time of day. In fact, I couldn’t wait to smoke this cigar again and lit lit up my second one on the way home from work. In conclusion, I highly recommend the CAO Gold Maduro, just be sure to keep it slow or it may turn bitter on you. My horoscope told me I’d find a new love today. Rating 8.5 out of 10.

cigar cyclopedia new magazine out

2009-09-18T08:50:00.002-05:00

Here is a link to the new magazine for this month. Check out their site or download prior pdf versions.
http://www.cigarcyclopedia.com/webapp/images/stories/cigargallery/2009/PPCG082109.pdf

Update: 1/2011

Farewell to CigarCyclopedia
Friday January 7, 2011
. CigarCyclopedia.com is now on an indefinite hiatus due to lack of sponsorship. According to the message posted on cigarcyclopedia.com: "We have received inquiries about buying and continuing the site, and that may yet happen. But for now, we are at rest." We wish Rich Perelman and his entire staff the very best in the months ahead, and thank him for keeping the site online, albeit without further updates. CigarCyclopedia is/was a great resource for cigar smokers, and will be greatly missed.

ML3 Arganese 80.58

2009-09-17T07:43:00.002-05:00

Tried this lackluster torpedo at work today. Had a hard draw, even though I cut it way back farther than normal and at an angle. The cigar had no discernable taste. If it was not for the 77 degree sunny day outside to enjoy it would have been a waste. This just was not as good as I thought it was going to be, especially given what texcigars.com has to say. But again they sell these.
This and its corojo brother are the newest blends from Arganese. The filler and binder of this cigar are both Dominican ligero leaves. The wrapper is an Ecuadorian maduro that was processed for an additional 6 months. Be warned, this is a full bodied cigar with tons of strength behind it, the toothy and veiny wrapper screams nicotine kick. The Arganese ML3 was one of the stars of the 2008 IPCPR show in Las Vegas. Dark chocolate, black coffee, nuts, wood, and cream all make themselves known with this cigar. The Arganese ML3 is making waves in the cigar communities.

CAO CRIOLLO 90.915

2009-09-17T07:35:00.002-05:00

This was a fairly good cigar and the third of seven in the CAO commemoratvie box. It just did not have any discernable flavors and was a lot more mild smoke than I thought it would be.

Cigars.About.Com had a review that was pretty good on this cigar:
The Criollo Cigars are in my opinion, one of the best Nicaraguan puros on the market today. A ‘puro’ cigar is made of tobacco completely from one country, in this case, Nicaragua (wrapper, binder, filler). C.A.O. has them available in 6 sizes and/or shapes:
•Conquistador (Spanish - conqueror) – 6 1/8” length x 52 ring gauge
•Bomba (Spanish - bomb) – 6” x 50
•Mancha (Spanish – spot) – 5 5/8” x 46
•Pato – (Spanish – drake) – 4 7/8” x 50
•Pampa – (Spanish – great plains) – 4” x 40
•Pampas – (Spanish – grasslands) – 4” x 38
Depending on the size you can get a box of 20 from $75 to $125, a 5 pack from $25 to $35 or a tin of the Pampas (5 to a tin) for $8 to $10. Singles will vary in price as well but are almost always 10% to 30% higher per stick.
Flavor
This is a mild to medium cigar and an excellent choice for the beginner. As an experienced smoker I wanted to try these because it offered a respite from the heavier cigars I am used to. Criollo in Spanish literally means a nursling or seedling and in this case it truly fits the definition. The tobacco for these cigars came from plants grown from original Cuban seeds solely in Nicaragua. The flavor was great right from the start. Initially there are floral hints, the taste of chestnuts, coffee, and a subtle sweetness. Halfway through a slight peppery flavor crept in and built slowly to a nice finish. The Criollo’s are also full of great aromas like mushrooms and cedar. It also reminded me of the campfires we had when I was kid, that and the fact that all my Mom’s cousins were in the backyard puffing on stogies.
Draw and Construction
The wrapper is a nice deep brown color and a matching label to give it an ‘Old World’ look. The pigtail cap was perfect for a nice cut from my cigar scissors. The draw is very easy and the cigar is tightly rolled. The burn is perfectly even from start to finish and the ash stayed on all the way to the mid-point of the cigar. All of the C.A.O. Criollo’s smoked were very consistent which speaks well to their quality and construction. The smallest of them, the Pampas, just as enjoyable as it larger versions, will last 30 minutes or 40 if you choose to smoke them down to 1”. These cigars all smoked ‘cool’ right to the end.
Value
The C.A.O. Criollo cigars are an excellent value, especially the little Pampas. Buying a tin for $10 is a great way to introduce your self to this high quality Nicaraguan puro allowing you to smoke several for a fraction of the cost of the larger ones (and the tin travel well). The Pampas will allow you to decide if you want to extend your Criollo smoking experience and step up to a Pato, Bomba or Conquistador. On the other hand, if you prefer cigars with a smaller ring gauge the Pampa and Mancha will not disappoint you. This is a very complex cigar and a great offering for smokers of any level. For those of you with wives (or significant others) and would like to introduce them to the aromas before you light up, try grilling some shitake mushrooms over cedar ship and fresh twigs. If they like that they will love the C.A.O. Criollo’s.

CAO CAMEROON L'Anniversaire 95.09

2009-09-13T16:24:00.004-05:00

What a difference a draw makes. I had really hated the last one I had of these. However this 4th cigar I tried in the CAO commerative box was not pressed like the one I had tried previously. I hugely enjoyed this smoke and had great flavor. This is now in my get a box of these smokes. Definitely will feel the cigar for how tight it feels though, because that does seem to make a difference on enjoyment.
Worldofcigarsblog.com gave it a 90 out of 100 and had this to say:

The CAO Cameroon L'anniversaire Belicoso is one of the few box pressed cigars i have smoked in a long time. Somehow, i prefer the round shape. The pressed ones just do not sit so well on my fingers. Blame the fingers.

Anyway, the cigar is very beautiful. The veinless wrapper shines in golden leather colours and the rolling and construction seem to be almost flawless. And that really shows and feels in the draw and burn.

I have always liked the Belicoso/Piramide vitolas, as they usually have great draw and they allow the tobacco to burn cool and even, simultaniously focusing the flavours towards the tapering end...

Flavourwise, the CAO Cameroon Belicoso is a great cigar. It has a certain "honesty" in its essence. On the milder side, the cigar offers some profound earthy flavours, combined with a sideline of spices. Toss in the sweet tastes of caramel and roasted sugar and there you have it. Nicely balanced, interesting cigar, with enough character and depth to receive a high score.

Origin: Nigaragua

Construction 19/20
Appearance 17/20
Smoke/Ash 7/10
Burn 19/20
Draw 20/20
Aroma 8/10 (8,8,7)

TOTAL POINTS 90/100

CAO ITALIA 90.25

2009-09-05T20:46:00.004-05:00

This is the second cigar I tried in the CAO Commemerative box. While not as enjoyable as the CX2, it was an OK smoke. I probably will not go out of my way to pick these up however as it just did not stand out like other cigars in the same price range. Stogiereview.com had this excellent review:

I know, I know, I promised to review a Gran Habano cigar this week. Well the thing is, I’ve been down with a nasty little bit of bronchitis for the past week, so I’m pulling my notes for a cigar review I planned to do on my home blog. I fact, my friends over at Tex Cigars hooked me up with a couple for me evaluate. I don’t think they’ll mind if I review it here instead.
I should note that because I planned this review for my personal blog, I took fewer pictures than normal. Size limitations and all. (The rough life of a WordPress freeloader.) OK, let’s get to that cigar!
Cigar Stats:Size: 5 x 56 (robusto)Wrapper: HondurasBinder: HondurasFiller: Italy, Nicaragua, PeruSmoking Time: 1 1/2 hoursBeverage: WaterPrice: ~$4.50The Pre-SmokeOf all the CAO cigar bands, I think the one that wraps the Italia is my favorite. Or maybe its tied with the Brazilia. Either way, it’s a cool looking cigar.
Under the band, I noticed a bit of inconsistency in the wrappers of the three cigars I smoked. (Yeah, I threw one of my own into the mix too.) On the very first of these I found the wrapper to be very smooth. The other two were lumpier and veinier, and the last (shown above) was actually lopsided. (The cigar kept rolling over as I tried to get a picture of it.)
Before clipping the cigars for the cold taste I gave them all a squeeze and found them to be consistently firm. On the wrapper I detected a very sweet barnyard scent and a dark chocolate aroma at the foot. In the cold taste I got chocolate and coffee flavors.
The BurnOverall these cigars had a pretty good burn, generally even for the first two thirds before straying noticeably in the final third. All three cigars produced a great looking solid white ash that extended well over an inch before falling like a rock into the ashtray. And finally, consistent with my past experience with other CAO cigars, I found the draw to also be great, with a slight bias toward free-and-easy. Which works for me, as I prefer a looser draw.
The FlavorThe Italia opened up with a sweet coffee flavor that was quickly followed up by a smooth cocoa flavor with an herbal flavor that resembles thyme. The rest of the first third was a combination of chocolate, sweet cocoa and caramel.
In the second third, the cigar became creamier and the cocoa flavor was joined by earth and leather. And that earthiness took over in the final third and brought a little spice with it.
The PriceAt $4.50 a stick, this cigar fits in at the top end of the budget range. And I think it’s a reasonable price, given the quality of the burn and the tasty array of flavors.
The VerdictBefore this review, I had only had one Italia. It was a smaller Novella in a bar in Memphis. As I recall, I got a lot more of that herbal thyme flavor, so when I smoked the Italia this time around I was surprised. I didn’t expect such a smooth, sweet cocoa-y smoke. And I think I know why the flavor was so different. In addition to the smaller size of the original, I was drinking some hoppy beers. The strength of the hops easily over powered the lighter, more subtle flavors of the cigar, but enhanced that single herbal flavor. I bring this up because I think this is a cigar you need to carefully consider what drink you pair with it.
So getting to the verdict finally, I did really enjoy this cigar. While I was smoking it, I was reminded of the three musketeers candy bars I used to like as a kid. Especially in the first third. I haven’t had a candy bar in ages, but I can see myself reaching for an Italia the next time I have a sweet tooth.
Oh hey, I almost forgot. Walt also reviewed the Italia back in 2006, why not check it out and get another point of view? Enjoy.
Liked It: YesBuy It Again: YesRecommend It: Yes

CAO CX2 94.255

2009-08-31T18:51:00.003-05:00

This is the first cigar in the CAO Commemorative box I am smoking thru. What a great start. I still tend to prefer Camaroon wrappers and this cigar had great flavor all the way thru. A very easy draw and was fun to smoke. The only weird thing about this cigar was it seemed to not have long leaf tobbacco? The ash seemed to not get very long before it would drop off, this is different than a lot of the cigars I smoke. Cigar.com has a good write-up of this one:

The CAO CX2 is the world’s first cigar to feature both a Cameroon wrapper and binder. Following in the foot steps of its big brother, the MX2 (Maduro x 2) this is an excellent cigar for aficionados who enjoy cigars from Cameroon region of Africa.
CAO CX2 is a favorite among Cameroon wrapper lovers. In 2003, the success of the CAO MX2 (Maduro times two) was unprecedented. Upon the cigars release it was one of the most demanded hand made sticks on the market, and continues to this day to be both very popular and very scarce. With the blends overwhelming success, several years later, CAO launched the CAO CX2 (Cameroon times two), which features two Cameroon wrappers and a medium to full-bodied blend of Nicaraguan tobacco.
Cameroon wrapper tobacco is some of the worlds most coveted wrapper leaf. The tobacco grown in the Western region of Africa has a rich flavor, but is very delicate and susceptible to damage, giving each plant a low yield of usable leaf. This makes Cameroon tobacco more expensive and harder to find. By combining two of these rich wrappers in one cigar, CAO has made a ground breaking discovery that is changing the way people think about cigars from this corner of the world.

CAO Commemoratives

2009-08-31T18:41:00.003-05:00

Had purchased these on sale and had them in my humidor for six months.
I have gotten into a rut of smoking cigars from my stash and have not smoked
any new ones in a while, so I will work my way thru these over the next couple
of weeks.

1 Criollo Pato
1 CAO Cx2 Belicoso
1 CAO Italia Ciao
1 CAO Cameroon Belicoso
1 CAO Maduro Toro
1 CAO Black Toro
1 CAO Black Ltd Torpedo

Hav-a-Tampa cigars closing Tampa plant

2009-06-24T11:54:00.001-05:00

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/jun/23/231900/hav--tampa-cigars-closing-tampa-plant/news-metro/

Machine made cigars, will lay off 495 employees. Open since 1902. Blame is on smoking bans and SCHIP.

The Kentucky Derby

2009-05-06T20:14:00.002-05:00

Was entertaining family and in-laws at the Kentucky Derby. Enjoyed my Oliva Serie V and a SOSA that I had brought with me. Since my bets somehow were off, the day was not as eventfull as it could have been. At least the rain held off.

CAO Mx2 86.75

2009-05-06T20:06:00.004-05:00

Had read about these and were highly talked about. Have smoke 2 of them now several months apart. I got the same impression both time. I typically really like a maduro wrapper, but this one just did not live up to expectations. I even smoked this one with a nice snifter of brandy and just did not enjoy it like I thought I would. It was a little harsh and had no discernable flavors. It is a very well made cigar and gave great ash. Cigar.com had this write-up:
Featuring two maduro wrappers, the CAO MX2 is perhaps the most popular maduro cigar ever made. These cigars are very hard to find and available on a limited basis throughout the year.
If CAO could go back and recreate this cigar, it would be priced a lot higher. They had no idea just how large of a stir they were going to create when they came up with this Maduro masterpiece that features two premium wrappers on one cigar. Competitively priced, it is near impossible to find one of these cigars without putting your name on a long waiting list.
When most people think of a Double Maduro, they typically are reminded of a super dark almost jet-black wrapper. CAO has put a new spin on the term “double maduro” with a second wrapper all together. It is medium to full-bodied and slightly sweet on the lips. The aroma is rich and earthy with hints of black pepper and a long spicy finish. This cigar is ideal for the maduro lover. It is considered to be in the top five in terms of the best maduro cigars being rolled today. Like all CAO cigars, the MX2 has a flawless construction and burn that makes it a solid performer every time you fire one up.

How to enjoy your cigar

2009-04-11T17:05:00.005-05:00

You find a nice spot on the front porch with your favorite beverage.

Then after I light up my cigar I see if my dog likes it or not. If she gets close

then it is a good cigar. She gave this Habano Hernandez 3 out of 4 bones.

Then just when your cigar is done the ice cream truck drives up. With this cigar I

recommend the ice cream sandwich. Then you finish by watching the rest of the

3rd round of the Masters.

Habanos Hernandez 90.255

2009-04-11T16:43:00.010-05:00

I found out about these cigars from an email and once they were able to accept credit cards decided to try the sample pack of 3 cigars. You have to call their toll free number to order, but that is probably a good thing because they will send you cigars in strength from 1-5. I decided to try some number 3 cigars. I got the ones they feature on their web site

at http://habanoshernandez.com/. They came in the mail the next day and were still pretty moist so went ahead and smoked the robusto the next day. The others I want to let sit in the humidor to make sure they are at optimal humidity and temp for a while before I smoke and rate those. The only thing I would recommend is that they also might want to offer a Paypal option for those that are worried about giving credit cards over the phone.

The cigar at a level 3 was slightly above most mild cigars and was a very enjoyable smoke. The sampler pack is a bit pricey, but good if you are not sure you want to buy a whole box before trying.

Prior to cutting the cap off, it looks like a well made cigar, however after cutting, I could tell there was a little issue with the wrapper. It looks like it was damaged a little when the label was put on.

You can see how it was torn right next to the label.

However that only detracted a little bit.

The ash got to a good inch and half before falling off.

If you want to support the small rollers who really enjoy making cigars I would recommend checking out their web site and trying their cigars.

Kentucky Derby Week Cigar Events

2009-04-07T07:46:00.003-05:00

J Shepherd is holding Cigar Week April 27th thru May 2nd every evening from 4 to 8 pm.

Free sample cigars and door prizes. Mon 27-Rocky Patel, Tue 28-Oliva, Wed 29-Avo Evezian,

Thur 30-Alec Bradley, Fri 1-Teds, and Sat 2 Derby Day-Mystery Smoke. They are at 1429 Bardstown Rd., You can phone Jason for more information at (502) 479-1621.

Jason's Shop has been review here before and he keeps a great selection of cigars. Be sure to stop by.

Camacho Maduro 89.6725

2009-03-26T21:01:00.002-05:00

I continue to enjoy maduro wrappers as well as Cameroon. This was a very enjoyable cigar and smoked it for quite a while when I was out walking the dog around the neighborhood. This cigar is an offshoot of the Camacho Corojo line and the term "Quinto Corte" means "Fifth Priming" which is a reference to the uppermost leaves on the Corojo plant. Since these leaves remain on the plant the longest, they receive the most exposure to the sun and other elements. This gives the leaves a richer, more full-flavored taste than leaves that are picked earlier in the growing process. I did notice some distinct leather flavors and a rich aroma. This cigar gave off prodigous amounts of smoke and was very enjoyable. Strength:-Full
Wrapper:Maduro
Filler:Authentic Corojo
Binder:Authentic Corojo

Ashton Cabinet 86.08

2009-03-20T19:15:00.002-05:00

This cigar was an OK smoke, not spectacular and not unpleasant. Just an average smoke and nothing to throw in the river. Based on the description below, I should have enjoyed it much more. Hmm.

twoguyssmokeshop.com had this on the cigar:

The Ashton Cabinet is the "White Burgundy" of cigars. "White Burgundy" gets its rich complex taste from the soil and aging of the grape in French oak barrels. The Cabinet's 4 to 5 year old Dominican filler blend has a rich, complex and well rounded taste. The extraordinary Connecticut shade wrapper is aged for an extra year and has an elegant palamino color resulting in a smooth and creamy flavor. The Ashton Cabinet includes no less than six different tobaccos and ends with a "big finish." Seven years pass from seedling to finished cigar before Ashton Cabinet is brought to fruition and presented for your smoking pleasure.

Cigar Rights of America

2009-03-19T14:19:00.001-05:00

Now a proud member of http://www.cigarrights.org/. Check it out yourself.

Cusano Cuban 91.255

2009-03-18T21:15:00.002-05:00

I continue to enjoy this cigar. I had this one sitting in the humidor for a while to get a good age on it. This cigar has a great taste from beginning to end and is a well made cigar. The only thing keeping it from a higher rating is the lack of any discernable aroma. You know, when someone is smoking a great cigar and you can tell it a block away.

Sungrown Cuban Cigars by CusanoWrapper: Sungrown EquadorFiller: DominicanBinder: Dominican

OLIVA Serie V 90.25

2009-03-14T18:53:00.002-05:00

I had the double Toro size 60. This was just a little too big for my tastes. I prefer the 54 ring on cigars. However, that did not detract from the taste of these. It was strong but did not overwhelm. This cigar lives up to its reputation as one of the best. This is from cigar.com:

Rolled with specially selected ligero leaf, all top quality, Serie "V" packs a punch due to its full body; however, its strength does not dominate the experience. Specially aged and fermented tobaccos make for a complex flavor, adding layers of enticing notes of pepper, leather and earthy undertones. This line represents the strongest and richest cigar Oliva has to offer.To be an authorized Serie "V" dealer, tobacconists must undergo special training from Oliva representatives aimed at providing insight to the sheer power of the blend. This cigar only contains ligero leaf (the strongest variety of tobacco), but is blended so the initial taste is not overwhelming with "in your face" power. In other words, Serie "V" is very strong but can still be enjoyed by individuals who prefer medium-bodied cigars. Upon lighting, many may believe Serie "V" is medium in body, but as Jose Oliva himself has explained, if you cycle the smoke through the nose you will realize the true strength of Serie "V." Potent, powerful, yet smooth with a long finish, this blend is must try for all enthusiasts, let alone fans of the Oliva brand.

PROCIGAR FESTIVAL 2009

2009-03-03T12:51:00.003-05:00

Doc at StogieFresh.com has some great pictures of the latest Procigar Festival including La Aurora Factory and Davidoff. Check it out at http://www.stogiefresh.com/.

Cuban cigar sales drop amid global crisis

2009-02-23T17:12:00.000-05:00

Mon Feb 23, 2009 4:18pm EST

By Jeff Franks
HAVANA (Reuters) - Sales of Cuban cigars, considered the finest in the world, dropped 3 percent to $390 million in 2008 as the world financial crisis and the spread of anti-smoking laws cut demand, officials said on Monday.
The falling sales reflected a decline in the market for luxury products in general as global economic worries mounted, said Manuel Garcia, vice president of Habanos S.A., the worldwide distributor of Cuban cigars.
Speaking at a press conference kicking off Cuba's annual cigar festival, he said 2009 was likely to be a "very complicated" year, but Habanos expected to maintain sales at around the 2008 level.
Three hurricanes raked Cuba last year, including powerful Gustav which cut through the heart of the island's prime tobacco growing state of Pinar del Rio, but Garcia said they had done minimal damage to tobacco supplies.
"Luckily, there was no effect on the harvest and there continues to be sufficient raw material to meet demand," he said. Thousands of tobacco curing barns were damaged by the storms, but most were rebuilt in time for the curing season, Garcia said.
Garcia said laws prohibiting smoking in public places had gone into effect in various countries last year, including some that are big customers for Cuban cigars.
Also, the number of worldwide airline passengers had fallen by a reported 11 percent, he said, which slowed the "duty free" market where Habanos sold about a quarter of its cigars.
He said the top global markets for Cuban cigars, which include well-known brands such as Montecristo, Cohiba, Partagas and Romeo y Julieta were, in descending order, Spain, France, Germany, Cuba and Switzerland.
Due to the 47-year-old U.S. trade embargo against Cuba, the communist-led island's cigars cannot be sold legally in the United States, the world's largest cigar consumer.
New U.S. President Barack Obama has promised to ease, but not eliminate the embargo.
If it were lifted, "it is probable that an opening of that market would signify a great possibility and great potential for our products," Garcia said.
Cuban cigars are so popular that Habanos, a joint venture between Cuba and British tobacco giant Imperial Tobacco Group PLC, has about 70 percent of sales in its current markets, said vice president of development Javier Terres.
He said an estimated 230 million to 250 million cigars will be smoked in the United States this year.

Vegas De Fonseca 86.75

2009-02-15T20:51:00.003-05:00

Smoked this one on a nice Saturday afternoon in my garage while my son-in-law smoked another Kentucky Black Gold. This cigar did not stand out in that I could not detect any special flavors or blend that would make this stick particularly different than other cigars. It was an OK smoke and not disappointing.

Famous smoke shop has these as a discontinued cigar:

The company line is that Vegas De Fonseca cigars are the most ''bold and daring'' of all Fonseca cigars! Made in limited quantity and shapes to ensure consistency, these medium to full-bodied cigars are blended with hearty Dominican & Nicaraguan Ligero long fillers, balanced by a milder, Cuban-seed Dominican binder draped in a specially-cured, African ''Cameroon Deluxe'' wrapper. Complex in flavor, smooth and aromatic, like all Fonseca cigars, the Vegas De Fonseca selection is a memorable and gratifying smoke.

Cusano Killer Cameroon 91.76

2009-02-15T16:35:00.003-05:00

Update 4/3/09 Still rate this high, going to buy box.

I am disapointed I only picked up 6 of these from the cigar store. This was my third one to smoke before I rated it to make sure it was not a fluke.

This is a great smoke and the cameroon wrapper really gives this cigar a great 'mouth'. This is a new term I am going to use for the taste of the wrapper on your lips before even lighting it up. Some cigars just have a very bitter taste and you have to have some sort of beverage or liquor to dampen your lips before lighting up to enjoy the cigar. This one does not need that and was enjoyable from start to finish.

http://www.smokeshopmag.com/ had this comment:

Cameroon wrapper is one of the world's sweetest, most flavorful tobaccos and the five-year-old, 1996 vintage used on Cusano Killer Cameroon cigars is one of the finest ever produced says Michael Chuisano, president of DomRey Cigar Co.
"We combined two very potent filler tobaccos, aged three and five years, to mellow out any harshness or bite while still keeping its underlying power intact," says Chuisano. "The delicate Cameroon wrapper provides the perfect finish, as this cigar tests the limits of strength while not overpowering the palette. Every cigar has an excellent draw, burns beautifully and develops a speckled white ash."
Chuisano thought he may have gone overboard in perfecting the blend of the Cusano Cameroon cigar with master cigar blender Hendrik Kelner. But samples smoked by key testers were quickly praised as "killer cigars," with requests for more. Cusano knew they had created the most powerful Cameroon cigar available, and the Cusano Killer Cameroon was born.
All tobaccos are vintage certified by ProCigar, the Dominican Republic cigar manufacturer's association.
Killer Cameroon is offered in four shapes: Robusto (5 x 50), Corona (6 x 46, belicoso tip), Toro (6 x 50), and Churchill (7 x 50), Cigars are individually cello-wrapped, and packaged in 20-count plexi-top, cabinet-style boxes. Retail prices range from $3.49 for a single Robusto to $4.49 for a single Churchill, available to retailers at keystone markup. Free samples are available for licensed retailers from Cusano Cigars.

AVO MADURO 79.575

2009-02-08T15:55:00.004-05:00

I kept trying to identify any discernable flavor in this cigar and could find none. It was an OK smoke but nothing to brag to your friends about. Not one i want to buy a bunch of to age in my humidor. I have not smoked a lot of AVO yet, but am not enamored at this point. Brian over at stogie review however enjoyed his and had this to say:

Upon removing it from the cellophane I was greeted with a slightly oily, dark wrapper with a very light dusting of plume near the cap which I took as a good sign of both the cigar and the new B&M. The one vein I could see could barely be felt, the entire wrapper was very smooth. The cut was very clean and the pre-light draw was just right, yielding a nice mild tobacco flavor.
The first couple of draws produced plenty of smoke and the familiar maduro flavor, though not quite as sweet as some others I’ve had. I found the first and second third of this cigar to be rather mild and one-dimensional. Nothing really bad to say about it, just not very complex, pretty much the same flavor throughout. The ash was rather dark, resembling the ash of the Cuban cigars I’ve had the pleasure to smoke. The ash dropped as a little pellet as the burn got into the second third and the body began to build ever so slightly. The burn wasn’t very straight through the first two thirds and required a couple of touch-ups. The last third is where this cigar really began to come alive, I really wish the entire thing could have been just like this. The body picked up while retaining the smooth, light finish, picking up some leathery tones and the slightest bit of spice. I am usually tiring of a cigar into the last third but this one just got better and better. I smoked it down to about a half of an inch, something pretty rare for me personally.

smoked the other one of these I picked up the next night with much the same results. While being rather one dimensional through the first two thirds it really came into its own in the last third and I smoked it down to about 1/2 inch. The aroma on this cigar was unique and rather pleasant, probably one of the better smelling cigars I’ve smoked.

Fonseca Cubano Viso Fuerte 84.24

2009-02-01T16:17:00.004-05:00

This was my pre-super bowl smoke. I was not too impressed with the flavor of this stick.

It smoked very well and was a well made cigar, but did not have the blend of flavors I expected.

Cigarcyclopedia like this one and had this to say:

This is the second blend in MATASA’s “Fonseca Cubano” series, aimed at the cigar enthusiast who looks for more flavor and more complexity. The Fonseca Cubano Limitado has been a hit since its debut in 2008 and the Viso Fuerte includes a unique combination of a Honduran-grown Criollo Viso wrapper with a filler blend that includes U.S.-grown Connecticut Broadleaf!It’s a medium-to-full-bodied blend with a nicely spiced aroma. The flavor includes a rich, caramelized note with a short finish. The clear and clean taste is inviting and there is a tangy finish as the cigar moves into the second half.Very well made, with an even burn, the Viso Fuerte continues smoothly into the second half and develops a peppery element at the very end that signals that this show is over.

Obama hails passage of children's health insurance

2009-01-30T14:57:00.001-05:00

And add 30 cents to each cigar.

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack is hailing Senate passage of legislation providing government-sponsored health care to roughly 4 million uninsured children.
A day after the bill was approved 66-32, Obama released a statement saying the action amounts to "a down payment on my commitment to ensure that every American has access to quality, affordable health care."

The measure authorizes an additional $32.8 billion over the next 4 1/2 years for the State Children's Health Insurance Program. The House plans to take up the same bill next week.
Obama's statement said the Senate vote is especially significant at a time when "the worsening economy causes families to lose their jobs and health insurance."

PUFF.COM up and running

2009-01-20T10:24:00.001-05:00

The new website Puff.com is now up.
It was the merger of www.top25cigar.com, www.clubstogie.com, www.cigarlivevideo.com, and www.cigar-review.com.

GOD OF FIRE Don Carlos 2006 Tubos 91.76

2009-01-18T15:50:00.002-05:00

Dang it, I hate it when a $20.00 cigar actually smokes this well. I just cannot afford to stock up on that many of them. My son-in-law John and I both lit one of these the other day and and both of us agreed that this is a great cigar. The burn and draw were very nice and you could tell this is a well made stick. We could taste a little pepper flavor at the beginning and the flavor was better as you smoked it.

Cigar.com website has this to say:

God of Fire is one of the most limited production lines made by the famous Fuente Family in the Dominican Republic.
A joint effort between the industry’s top cigar maker (Fuente) and top accessory maker (Prometheus), God of Fire is one of the rarest cigars produced by the Fuente Family. In an effort to outdo each other, father and son, Carlos and Carlito Fuente set out to make the best cigar they could, tailoring every aspect of the cigar from its size and blend to suit their respective tastes. The resulting blends are the core of the God of Fire line and are released in such small quantities that they rarely surface for sale. When they do, they sell out in a matter of days.

Product keywords
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC , MEDIUM-FULL , NATURAL

J.C. Newman Cigar company

2009-01-08T17:15:00.002-05:00

Great CNN report on how cigar factories are trying to stay afloat. Let alone with SCHIP lurking ominously in the future. Even though not hand rolled, it is amazing to watch how these are made. I will try some and rate them in the near future.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/12/26/cigar.smoke.factory.cnn

Outlaw Cigar Kansas City

2009-01-07T16:53:00.005-05:00

Had the chance to stop by Outlaw Cigar Store in Kansas City. This is a great cigar store with a very large selection of cigars. Since I am in Louisville which has banned smoking indoors, it was great to find a store that still has a smoking lounge. They also have a wide variety of accessories.

Best of all is the monthly smoking events. You just have to go online at http://www.outlawcigar.com/ and order their calendar. You will not be dissapointed. Fortunately I had the foresight to pick up an extra for my son-in-law who loves his calendar.

How to be 'Cool' with HVAC

2009-01-07T08:48:00.002-05:00

OK, this is pic of my little brother and his fellow heating and air co-workers trying to be cool in Dallas on a work trip. How was the cigar Pete?

Boston health board may stamp out cigar bars

2008-12-09T10:33:00.000-05:00

In the cozy confines of a former speakeasy in Boston’s North End, men and women gather nightly to sip cognac and savor a cigar.
But these days, Stanza dei Sigari, the cigar lovers’ respite on Hanover Street, isn’t so relaxed.
On Thursday, the Boston Public Health Commission will vote on a tough smoking ban that could put this cigar bar, and others like it, out of business.
“I think it’s kind of unconstitutional, telling people not to smoke in a controlled environment,” said Linda Riccio, one of the owners of the dark-paneled saloon.
“Where will it end?” she asked. “Are they going to tell people they can’t smoke on the streets?”
The city’s health officials may expand Boston’s ban on workplace smoking by prohibiting smoking in cigar and hookah bars, on restaurant patios and loading docks.
The proposed rules seek to ban tobacco sales on college campuses and in drug stores, too.
While critics say the move goes too far, Roger Swartz, director of the health commission’s community initiatives bureau, said the new rules are intended to protect people from the ills of tobacco, in all its forms.
The proposal has sparked an outcry among cigar aficionados.
Since September, when the health commission gave preliminary approval to the new regulations, the commission has received hundreds of complaints.
Most are protesting the proposed smoking ban in cigar bars, health commission spokeswoman Ann Scales said.
To Riccio and other supporters, this ban would unnecessarily limit a beloved adult activity.
Riccio’s clients include businessmen, doctors and guys from the neighborhood.
“They come here to smoke, and they know what they are doing,” she said.Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/business/general/view.bg?articleid=1137759

Makers Mark Seasoned 74.915

2008-12-03T20:34:00.003-05:00

My wife bought this and thought I would enjoy it. I have always heard this was not a very good cigar, and I do not like 'boutique' type cigars or flavored cigars in general. I much prefer a cigar that has tastes that differ because of the different tobbacco's used in the filler and wrapper. Anyway, I was actually suprised that this was not a lousy cigar and was fairly mild. You can taste the flavor they tried to impart on the wrapper, but let me tell you, it is nowhere near the good flavor of Makers Mark Bourbon. I am glad to have tried it, but there are a lot better cigars out there for the $14.00 price tag on this. I gave this one a low appearance rating because the wrapper was a little loose and caused it to have a canoe effect while smoking.

Romeo Y Julieta Torpedo 78.08

2008-11-27T20:31:00.002-05:00

What is it with torpedo's that have a hard draw. The taste of this cigar was ok, but even cutting the foot at an angle did not help the draw on this cigar. It maintained its flavor throughout the smoke and was a nice looking cigar. Stogieguys.com had this to say:

Once lit, the wrapper combines with Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Peruvian filler to create tasty nut and coffee flavors. Like many Maduros, this is an earthy smoke; unlike many Maduros, it’s light-bodied with a short finish. So, if you’re looking for a powerhouse, this isn’t your cigar.
My experience with Romeo y Julietas had me expecting a well-constructed cigar, and I was not disappointed. The burn remains even, the gorgeous white ash holds firm, and the foot manages to stay lit – even when left unattended for periods of five minutes or more.
I should mention, however, that this is a tightly-packed cigar, and the draw can be a bit difficult.
At about $5.50 apiece, this cigar is a good value. Despite a salty disposition and a firm draw, the Romeo y Julieta Reserve Maduro Robusto has a lot to offer.

Zino Platinum 85.08

2008-11-27T20:20:00.002-05:00

I was actually expecting more from this Zino given the Davidoff reputation. I thought it was a good smoke, but nothing that would make me want to run out and stock up on these. It was well made and smoked ok, but I could not tell any specific tastes given that this is labeled as a stout cigar.

This is what cigar.com has to say, however they do sell these:

It does not get any nicer then the Zino Platinum Scepter. The cigar was made for cigar enthusiasts who only smoke the best and most unique cigars.
Blended by master blender Hanky Kellner and rolled at the famous Tabadom Factory, there is nothing missing from this cigar. A Connecticut shade grown Ecuadorian wrapper covers a mix of Peruvian and Domincan fillers that are aged over four years.
As soon as you light up a Platinum Scepter a burst of flavor explodes on the palate. While the cigar is smooth, it is one of the most complex cigars made in the Dominican Republic. It is medium bodied yet full flavored. This combination creates a pleasant aroma without the harsh or long finish that some cigars are plagued with. The Zino Platinum Scepter is the best and only way to spoil yourself on those cigars that warrant only the finest cigars.

VigilantE Sun Grown 81.74

2008-11-26T15:27:00.004-05:00

I picked up a box of 25 of these that cigars international had a sale on for $32.00. For the price these were not a bad cigar, just not a lot of flavor. However, I think they will need at least a year of aging to let them mellow out a little and let the flavors blend in.

Origin: Honduras

Size: 6.25 x 50

Wrapper: NicaraguanBinder: Ecuador

Filler: Nicaragua / Honduran Sun Grown
The VigilantE is blended by Rocky Patel and is aged 5 years.

My Brother Pete at London Cigar Store

2008-11-24T13:19:00.005-05:00

It is great to have the whole family involved in the love of a fine smoke.

JFK cigars story from about.com

2008-11-13T16:54:00.002-05:00

Cuban H Upmann Petit Upmann Cigars.

Here is the full story behind President John F. Kennedy's love for Cuban Petit Upmanns and the signing of the Cuban Trade Embargo, according to an email message received from Dick DiMeola in response to cigar.com review of the H Upmann Corona Major cigar:"I retired as COO of Consolidated Cigar Corp., predecessor to Altadis USA, in 1998, having been in the cigar business since 1956 (I still dabble in it). In my early years, I worked for Faber, Coe & Gregg, Inc., the country's premier importer and distributor of Cuban cigars, among others. What you say about JFK's love of H. Upmann is true, and it is also true that an aide purchased 1200 H. Upmanns for Kennedy just prior to his signing the Cuban Embargo in 1962. That aide was his press secretary, Pierre Salinger, who confirmed the story in a speech at a Cigar Association of America annual meeting, I believe it was in 1987, at which I was present. But the cigar was not the Petit Corona, which in that era was 5" x 41r and retailed for 40¢, it was the Petit Upmann, which was a machine made cigar, 3 3/4" x 32r that retailed for 25¢."
As an aside, although the H. Upmann Petit Upmann is the size mentioned by Salinger, I was in charge of inventory control for FC&G at the time and we did not import that cigar under that name. It was sold in the U.S. under the frontmark, Demi Tasse. Perhaps Salinger was confused because it was called Petit Upmann in England, Cuba and the rest of the world."

After Obama win, goodbye to Cuban embargo?

2008-11-10T14:36:00.001-05:00

–Bernd Debusmann is a Reuters columnist. The opinions expressed are his own–
By Bernd Debusmann
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - If votes in the United Nations serve as a gauge of global opinion, 98.9 percent of the world opposes the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba, a measure imposed 46 years ago to isolate the communist-ruled island and bring down its leaders.
It failed on both counts. As far as international opinion is concerned, the country that is isolated is the United States, not Cuba. In the latest of 17 successive U.N. General Assembly resolutions on lifting the embargo, Washington mustered only two allies — Israel and Palau, a Pacific island nation difficult to find on a map. It has a population of 21,000.
The Marshall Islands (pop. 63,000), which had voted with the United States from 2000 to 2007, unexpectedly and without public explanation broke ranks this year and abstained in the vote, a non-binding resolution taken a week before the U.S. presidential election.
The count — 185 countries in favor of lifting the embargo, three against — speaks volumes about a bankrupt policy stuck in the Cold War era.
Will that kind of America versus the world line-up change under Barack Obama? Not necessarily. The man who made history on Nov. 4 by becoming the first black to be elected president of the United States has promised to “ease” sanctions if Cuba took “significant steps toward democracy, beginning with freeing all political prisoners”.
He has not said what it would take for the United States to end the embargo, kept in place by 10 successive U.S. presidents, both Democrats and Republicans.
During the Cold War, when Cuba was a heavily-armed outpost of the Soviet empire just 90 miles (145 km) from Florida, a majority of Americans agreed with a hard line on a Communist government that violates human rights and holds political prisoners. That attitude has been changing since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.
According to a Zogby poll taken a week before the election, 60 percent of Americans believe that Washington should revise its policies towards Cuba. In particular, 68 percent thought Americans should be allowed to travel to the island and 62 percent said U.S. companies should be allowed to trade with it.
If that happens, it won’t be soon.
Latin America in general and Cuba in particular are not likely to figure high on the agenda of a new president who is inheriting two wars and the worst economic crisis since the 1930s. American presidents tend to promise greater attention to southern neighbors but usually do not follow through.
“I’m not so idealistic as to think that the embargo will be lifted immediately,” Cuban dissident and writer Jorge Olivera told Reuters Havana correspondent Jeff Franks.
“But I expect better times as much for the United States as for Cuba. I don’t want to die without seeing an end to this conflict that began when I was born.”
Worth noting: Under a 1996 law, the president needs congressional approval to lift the embargo or to recognize any government that includes Fidel Castro, who officially stepped down in February, or his brother Raul, who took over from him.
STATIC AND COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE
In the past, the most fervent opposition to ending the embargo — the effects of which have punished the population for the actions of a leadership it did not elect — has come from the Cuban-American community in South Florida. But even this is changing.
“U.S. policy towards Cuba is at best static and at worst counter-productive, a source of increasing frustration to many Cuban Americans,” Jorge Mas Santos, chairman of the Cuban American National Foundation (CANF), wrote late in October in a Washington Post opinion column that endorsed Obama.
CANF was set up in 1981 by Mas’s father, Jorge Mas Canosa, with the express aim of overthrowing the government of Fidel Castro. For years, the group exerted enormous influence on Washington policy makers — as well as on presidential candidates keenly aware that winning the White House without winning Florida is a very difficult undertaking. Obama won the state comfortably.
Cuban exiles, numbering around 650,000, account for just over a quarter of the total population of the greater Miami area. In the past, the Republican Party took the loyalty of most of them for granted — Cuban Americans have traditionally voted four to one for Republicans.
The three Miami-based Cuban American Republicans who serve in the House of Representatives — all supporters of the embargo — were re-elected. Their votes against changes Obama might propose once he takes office on Jan. 20 can be taken for granted.
Some of the most pointed criticism of the embargo has come not from Democrats but from conservative businessmen who resent the fact that American business has been kept out of Cuba while most of the world is engaged there.
In the words of Tom Donohue, CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce: “All you have to do is go over to Cuba and watch how the Spanish, the French, the Latin Americans and everybody else on the globe are building resorts or trying to invest, and we are sitting here with a 50-year-old policy that doesn’t work.”
The prime beneficiaries from an end to the embargo would be American agricultural exporters. “But just about every industry could benefit,” according to Donohue, “for the simple reason that there is such pent-up demand. Look at the cars they are running — Jack Kennedy was in office when half of them were sent down there.”

Cigar.com article on Habano leaves

2008-11-06T08:37:00.001-05:00

If you have not subscribed to the newsletters on cigar.com you need to. They always have interesting information. Below is info from their newsletter:

Looking back on my experience in this industry, both as a hobbyist and as a career, I have come to many conclusions about cigars. One of my biggest revelations, due mostly in part to marketing, is how things in this industry appear far more complicated than they really are. Let’s look at Habano seeds, for example. Nearly 50 years ago, Carlos Torano brought some of the first Cuban seeds to the Dominican Republic after the Cuban Embargo was set into place. These seeds were true ‘Pelo de Oro’ and today, you read about literally dozens of different types of Cuban seeds and tobaccos. I think it is high time to set the facts straight on Cuban-seed tobacco and hopefully clear the air on this confusing subject. During the mid 20th century and coincidentally, relatively around the same time as the Cuban Embargo, plants grown in Cuba and in other parts of the world from Cuban seeds became increasingly susceptible to disease; you may have heard of these nasty killers, known as “Black Shank” and “Blue Mold.” By the 1970s, Cuban seeds had spread all over Latin and South America and issues with sick plants began to spiral as farmers would lose entire crops in a matter of days, once signs of disease set in. The increased severity led to initiatives by agronomists in Cuba and all over the world to begin development of new, genetically engineered seeds, which had a natural resistance to known diseases that effect tobacco plants. In the interim, research was also being done on pesticides and fertilizers that helped combat these crop killers. While many purists stuck to their Pelo de Oro seeds, new technological advancements were making way for genetically enhanced seeds that not only proved more resistant to disease, but also yielded larger leaves and healthier plants. By the turn of the 21st Century, there were dozens of varieties of Cuban seeds from H2000, Criollo, Criollo ‘98, Corojo, Corojo ‘99 and a host of lesser-known variations. Suddenly, Cuban-seed tobacco was no longer simply “Habano;” it had taken the form of “super seeds” with complex names and was being sold to farmers in tobacco growing nations throughout the world. In fact, today a market exists strictly for the sale and distribution of tobacco seeds, which is quite profitable. While the obvious advantages of these brave new seeds were welcomed as they increased yield for farmers, cigar enthusiasts were inundated as brands touted their new “Habano XYZ” as the best Cuban wrapper on the market. The public was quickly made to believe that the flavor and appearance of these leaves were vastly different from one another. After nearly 10 years, the results were finally in and the differences between these “varieties” were negligible. In fact, the market is finally going back and reclaiming the word “Habano.” I, for one, could not be happier. The bottom line is this folks – Habano-seed is Habano-seed. People talk about Corojo, Criollo and use fancy numbers, when at the end of the day, I don’t know a single individual that can truly look at or smoke a leaf of these “different” tobaccos and actually tell the difference. On my many visits to Nestor Plasencia’s tobacco facilities (Nestor Plasencia is the largest grower of Cuban-seed premium tobacco in the world) throughout Latin America, the workers and managers routinely, simply refer to the materials as “Habano” and nothing more. So, "what matters when I am looking at Habano leaf" you ask? Like any other seed, the region it is grown plays the biggest role. From the key regions of Nicaragua, Honduras, Columbia, Panama, and Ecuador, the flavor and appearance are largely dependent on the climate and soil. It is not simply limited by country either, as many tobacco growing nations have several regions. In fact, between Nicaragua and Honduras alone there is Jalapa, Esteli, Somoto, Pueblo Nuevo, Ometepe, Condega, Jalapa, Copan, Talanga and San Agustin, just to name a few. These specific areas impart a certain fingerprint on Habano-seed leaves and their unique characteristics can be both seen and tasted.

Age of your Cuban cigar box

2008-11-04T18:55:00.001-05:00

http://www.nationalcigarmuseum.com/Dating/Dating_Cuban_Boxes.html
This site was mentioned on Ebay so I thought I would share it with you.

Sancho Panza Dulcinea Torpedo 89.255

2008-10-30T19:20:00.002-05:00

Smoked this one after putting up my annual Halloween display. Hence my friend in the picture enjoying a smoke. I was very pleased with this cigar. I usually don't like torpedo's because they can tend to have a hard draw, but this one was handmade very nice. I have several of these aging in the humidor so I look forward to smoking some more. Nice flavor and wrapper had a great taste.

Cigar.com says:

With an everyday low price, Sancho Panza is all about value. These box-pressed Nicaraguan cigars have received top marks by industry publications.Crafted by Estelo Padron, the revered Honduran Cigar Master, these cigars are superbly constructed, draw perfectly and provide exceptional flavor - befitting a cigar named for Sancho Panza, the memorable literary figure created by the great Spnaish author, Miguel de Cervantes. Manservant to the famed Don Quixote de la Mancha, Sancho Panza personifies trustwothiness and reliability - attributes you will find in these cigars bearing his name. A cigar of uncommon character and taste, worthy of its Cuban heritage, Sancho Panza is carefully grown with Cuban-seed filler tobaccos and a rich Connecticut Broadleaf binder. Wrapped with a seamless Connecticut leaf, Sancho Panza provides a light body with full flavors of cedar and earth.

COHIBA EXTRA VIGOROSO 80.08

2008-10-29T21:03:00.002-05:00

I was suprised that this cigar was more milder than I would have

expected. It was still a pretty good smoke, though I prefer the regular red dots. I like the little disclaimer label. The Cohiba name fight continues.

The Bonita Smoke shop has this to say:

The Cohiba XV Vigeroso cigars are blended by the famous and talented Cigar master Señor Daniel Nuñez. Señor Nuñez set out to create an extension of the successful Cohiba cigars line. The result are Cohiba XV cigars, an Extra Vigoroso cigar made with all the inspiration and dedication to quality that have made Cohiba one of the most respected premium brands in the country. The most distinctive leaf of Cohiba XV cigars are it's sun-grown Sumatra wrapper from Ecuador. These leaves are harvested only from the tops of the tobacco plants. Each of these wrapper leaves is aged in tercio for three years. The flavor is then enhanced even further by aging all of the leaves again for six months in crates of fragrant cedar. In crafting Cohiba XV cigars, the most flavorful Nicaraguan Ligero and Dominican Piloto Cubano Ligero are bound with the richest three-year-old Connecticut Broadleaf. The result is a cigar that is made, not only to please, but also to impress. Every inch a Cohiba in terms of its tobacco selections and craftsmanship, Cohiba XV vigoroso cigars will deliver you the richest, deepest cigars you can find with the, true to tradition, Cohiba flavor in a bold and beautiful way.

Golden Zeus 14K

2008-10-17T14:02:00.004-05:00

Saw this article on the Golden Zeus cigar at the millionaires show in Germany.
I can see the ratings on this one "Tastes a little too rich for my blood, and has a slight
tinny taste that I can't quite put my finger on." I think I will just wrap one of mine in aluminum foil and call it close enough.

Rocky Patel vintage 1990 79.575

2008-10-12T20:11:00.003-05:00

This was an ok smoke, but did not stand out in my mind. It was a very mild cigar, and I tend to lean toward stronger cigars.

H.Upmann vintage cameroon 1844 92.255

2008-10-12T19:58:00.002-05:00

I have several of these in my humidor that I have been aging. I smoked this one while eating some of the doves we shot in September along with some fish from this summer. My neighbor even complimented me on the great aroma coming over the fence. Anyway this is one I will want to get a whole box of and store. I still am a great fan of these Cameroon wrappers now. It really adds a great taste to the cigars. This one in particular is just the right ring size to really enjoy a good draw.

Here is a stogieguys.com review also:

Immediately after toasting the foot with a wooden match, the cigar produced a harmonious floral flavor that was pleasing to my entire palate. The combination of Nicaraguan, Dominican, and Peruvian fillers yielded pleasing notes of jasmine.
In the second phase, the taste shifted from floral to fruity with significant hints of citrus and pear. With such pronounced flavor I expected this stick to be a bit harsher, but the taste remained smooth and creamy. Like many cigars, however, this parejo became quite spicy towards the end of the smoke.
On construction, this stogie earns high marks. It lit quickly with a few wooden matches (I was outdoors), it burned evenly, and the draw was easy with a bit of resistance – just the way I like it. My only complaint is that it went out once mid-smoke after I had failed to puff for about three minutes.

Camacho Maduro 77.575

2008-10-07T17:27:00.001-05:00

Thought I would try this robusto version of Comacho. It was a good smoke but not as flavorful or enjoyable as I thought it would be.

fummeworld has this to say:

The Camacho SLR’s (Special Limited Reserve) are a fantastic blend made with a hefty dose of Corojo filler and wrapped in a beautiful Honduran grown Cuban seed wrapper, or the US Connecticut Broadleaf maduro. These superbly balanced blends offer a ton of flavor, with noticeable coffee and woodsy notes.

COHIBA SIGLO MMH-HMM rated by Miguel Angel Jimenez

2008-09-16T17:05:00.002-05:00

Was getting Miguel Ángel Jiménez autograph at the Ryder cup on Tuesday during practice rounds. I asked how he like the Cohiba(Oh well, so what if the Europeans can get the Cubans).

His response, with cigar still in his mouth was, 'MMH-HMM'. I take it that he liked it.

Here is a pic I got.

Ashton VSG 76.74

2008-09-14T09:38:00.002-05:00

Had this one in the humidor for while and decided to finally give it a try while out walking the dog around the neighborhood. This was another mild smoke with some nice aroma, but not the best I have smoked. I don't know that I could tell it was "Virgin Sun Grown" from other cigars.

From the uptowncigar.com site:

ASHTON CIGAR VIRGIN SUNGROWN

For those who desire a powerful and intoxicating flavor with a complex rich finish, look no further than the Ashton VSG Cigar. The VSG is blended exclusively for Ashton by Carlos Fuente Jr. using 4 to 5 year old aged Dominican tobacco taken from the finest and most fertile plants. The distinct flavor of VSG comes from its wrapper grown on a private estate in Ecuador owned by the Oliva family where this proprietary wrapper leaf is grown for the Fuente Family exclusively for Ashton VSG. The leaf is taken from the higher primings and matures slowly by sunlight filtered through the region¹s natural cloud covering. The result is the rich intoxicating wrapper which has made the Ashton VSG Cigar the most in demand cigar on the market today.

Gurkha Legend 84.42

2008-09-14T09:23:00.002-05:00

I have been having trouble with Gurkha's lately with having a hard draw. I found this one smoked very nice and I enjoyed it very much. I have found that the longer I leave these in the humidor the better they smoke. So I am going to put some of these away for a while to try down the road.