Cain Straight Ligero Maduro 92.3425

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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!

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

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?!?

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??

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

601 Reserva Limitada Green label 90.09

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.