RIP Harry Morgan

What Makes a Cigar Good?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

.