Jun 28 2013

Cigar Humidor Calculator

I recently came across an interesting little gadget on the internet and I thought I would share it with you fine folks. HumidorDiscount has a widget that will calculate exactly how many cigars your personal humidor can hold. My first humidor was a simple “35-50” capacity box, but I learned it doesn’t quite hold that much. Using their cigar humidor calculator, I can see that my humidor will hold up to 27 churchills if I’m careful with their arrangement. It’s a handy tool for figuring out what you have space for before you order that next box or sampler.

Speaking of HumidorDiscount.com, the rest of their site is nice and worth taking a look at. They offer free shipping on orders over $84, and seem to have a nice collection of accessories.

Jun 7 2013

Cigar Review: Diesel Salomon Hair of the Dog

The review hiatus is over! My sincerest of apologies for the delay, but the muse is back and it’s high time I share another great cigar with you. Up first is the Diesel Salomon Hair of the Dog, and boy are you guys (and gals!) in for a treat. I’ve had numerous Diesels in the past, and they’ve often proven to be mediocre. I’m hoping the Hair of the Dog will see me singing a different tune.

Vitola:

What can I say about a Salomon? This 7.1×58 cigar is monstrous. The shape – roughly ovaloid – is unmistakable. This is the kind of cigar your pappy used to smoke. It’s long, it’s thick (there’s a joke in here somewhere…), and it packs a punch. This particular stogie features a flawless Ecuadoran habano wrapper, oozing with oils. Never judge a cigar by its appearance alone, but so far we’ve got a winner.

Smoke:

1st third: The draw on this bad boy is perfect. I don’t mean pretty good or nice. Perfect. There’s no tension in my jaw and I can tell this will be a great smoke. Initial flavors include smooth tobacco and a little bit of nuttiness. A hint of cocoa makes its way into the first third, but it is strongly masked by the tobacco. This Salomon gives off quite a bit of smoke, which is always enjoyable, but be aware of your surroundings. Not everyone enjoys a face full of cigar smoke (you can’t hold others accountable for poor taste), so if you like to smoke indoors keep this in mind.

2nd third: Flavors have become very robust. The complexity of this smoke is surprising, as I’ve been burned by Diesels in the past (cigar puns!). Leather, pepper, and nuttiness are prominent here. I would warn the inexperienced smoker about enjoying this stick on an empty stomach. It’s a full bodied ass kicker, so turn away now if you don’t think you can hack it. Second third flavors vary little as the cigar burns down. The burn itself is great, and thus far has needed no correcting. This is often my experience with wider gauge cigars, and coupled with the full bodied nature, you should have no problem taking your time and letting the burn stay even.

Final third: The cigar has reached its crescendo. Cocoa, coffee, and a touch of earthiness fill the palate. A hint of pepper is present and accentuates the more prominent flavors. This is a nice change for a full bodied cigar, as they tend to be quite peppery. The foot is ringed by a nice corona of oil, and in the quiet of my backyard, you can hear the warm crackle of tobacco with every drag. I’ve smoked this bad boy down to ash, and it’s been a worthwhile experience the whole way through.

Smoking Time:

Smoking time was 93 minutes, to be expected from a cigar this size. The oily wrapper helped to slow down the burn, as long as you don’t puff too quickly (easier said than done with such a tasty treat).

Verdict:

I started this cigar with an open mind despite my prior dealings with Diesel, and I was not disappointed. The Hair of the Dog delivered a  more than satisfactory smoke with excellent flavors and a good kick. I could see this finding a regular place in my humidor, which is the best accolade I can give.

 

Feb 28 2013

Fumari Spiced Chai Hookah Review

It’s high time for another hookah shisha review! Both Josh and myself love Fumari, and we no longer bother smoking anything else (aside from our beloved cigars that is). Fumari’s mint chocolate chill has been my preferred flavor for quite some time, but it’s possible spiced chai has knocked it off the block. Upon opening the baggie of chai, your nose is assaulted with vanilla and spice. I often find myself tempted to lick my fingers when preparing a bowl of Fumari shisha, that’s how good they smell. Fumari is characterized by a preponderance of glycerol, so you never have to worry about the shisha drying out. One small issue with this though is that you may get a severe amount of glycerol dripping down your hookah if you don’t have a vortex bowl (you should own a vortex bowl anyway, but that’s neither here nor there).

Smoking spiced chai is a dream. The flavors are extremely smooth, with vanilla and spice dominating.  Oddly enough, exhaling smoke through your nose will leave you smelling cinnamon, which isn’t evident on the palate. The burn is very clean, and I rarely if ever experience harshness of the smoke. There aren’t too many flavors I can smoke back to back, but spiced chai could go for hours no problem. Josh and I even experimented with altering the water we put in the base. To accent the spices in the shisha, we boiled nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon, cooled it down, then filled the base. Spices became very prominent through the nose, with a small bit of tingling on the tongue from the cloves. Most of the smooth vanilla flavor present in the smoke before was eradicated by the spices, though.

 

Feb 28 2013

Isla del Sol Cigar Review

Been a while since I’ve posted, so I thought I’d kick us off with a flavorful stick by Drew Estate. Drew knows his shit, and though I’ve had an Isla del Sol before, this one just seemed to explode with flavor.

Vitola:

We’ve got here a beautiful 7×50 Churchill wrapped in Sumatran leaf. These stogies sport a very nice chocolate brown color, and they look good enough to eat. Inside you’ll  find Nicaraguan leaves, and in my experience, coffee and chocolate are common occurrences in tobacco from Nicaragua. Wrapper is clean, with only a few minor imperfections (noticeably a small vein near the foot). Drew Estate are excellent rollers, but this isn’t an elite stick by any means, which is great for me. Smoking a great cigar is awesome. Smoking a great, affordable cigar is more awesome.

Smoke:

You can never tell what the smoke will be like for a given cigar. The Isla is a Churchill, so not a small smoke by any means, but it gave off relatively little smoke. This can be a deal breaker for some people, but I don’t mind as long as the flavor is there. The smell coming off this thing was very nice. Cream and chocolate throughout the whole burn, with notes of coffee and hazelnut near burn’s midpoint. Though the cigar didn’t smoke much, I felt the bouquet hung around for a long time, even though I was outdoors. I thoroughly enjoyed this, but if you’re limited in where you can smoke or you have to worry about bothering other people (Cigar smoke bothersome? Never!) you may want to put some thought into where you smoke this.

Flavor:

The Isla isn’t a “flavored” cigar, but the flavor notes I picked up were so strong, I could’ve been fooled. As with the bouquet, chocolate and coffee featured predominantly, with notes of cream. I didn’t taste any hazelnut, despite it being in the bouquet, which was a bummer. The flavors stayed pretty much constant throughout the whole stick, with the only new addition being mocha in the final third. Though not very complex, this stick is delightful. Smoke this stogie right after a meal for a dessert-like finish and you won’t be disappointed.

Smoke Time: 57 minutes (Could have been prolonged, but it was delicious and I was eager!)

Feb 26 2013

Cigar Review: CAO America Potomac

My, my, where has the time gone? I haven’t reviewed a cigar since last year! This hiatus has gone on for too long. I should really stop studying so hard and focus on what’s really important haha. Well here you go readers, wherever you may be—my first review of 2013.

-Josh

 

Vitola:

I have here with me the CAO America Potomac by Drew estate, weighing in at 6” X 52. It sports a beautiful barberpole-style wrapper made with Brazilian aged connecticut. It is a chocolate colored wrapper with a thin stripe of caramel spiraling down its sides. The pinstripe wrapper complements the beautiful label as well, covered in stars and stripes of its own. The aesthetics cannot go unappreciated—this is a prime example of beautiful presentation. The wrapper is fairly smooth in texture but bumpy, with some minor veins here and there. The construction isn’t perfect, but it’s a damn good job considering it’s a barberpole.

I’ve been holding onto this one for a long time, probably five or six months. I’ve been looking for a good occasion to smoke this one, and I figured I’d break my hiatus with something special. I’ve barely punch-cut this cigar, and it turned out alright considering I have a broken fifth metacarpal on my left hand (yes, I’ve had a little accident). Anyway, now that I’ve made my cut, LET THERE BE LIGHT!!

 

First Third:

The draw is very good. After toasting and lighting the foot, the first few puffs are instantly toasty and nutty. I’ve seasoned this stick very well apparently. There’s a little bit of lingering sweetness in the scent as well, not sure exactly what kind, but something slightly saccharine. The distinctive scent of coffee also makes its appearance, making for a very pleasant combination of olfactory stimulation. The burn is very slightly uneven, but I am not too worried about it. It should correct itself soon enough.

Now the bouquet has developed into a deeper roasted coffee bean and sweet cocoa flavor. The scent is still very much nutty. It is also oily and savory, as any well-aged tobacco should be. Delicious. The flavor on the palate is mild but there. It’s slightly bitter but nutty, like cocoa. There is also the crisp woodiness of cedar on the palate, with a slight creaminess in the scent to go with. The combination of the tastes and scents give off the vibe of dark chocolate and coffee beans.

The flavors haven’t changed much but it is very pleasing and I am fine with them sticking around longer for my enjoyment. The burn has since become fairly even and the ash is holding on quite firmly despite a weak breeze.

 

Second Third:

Ah, a new arrival. A sweet and fruity tartness in the scent. Reminds me of craisins, actually. I might be crazy, but I’ve double and triple checked and am positive. Besides, considering this stick is by Drew Estate, hands down the best roller of flavored cigars, I suppose it’s not such a far-fetched claim. The creaminess has also picked up in addition to the introduction of a subtle but growing leatheriness.

After about a minute, the tartness is sadly gone. It was a very unexpected turn in flavor and I’m sorry that it’s gone so soon. Taking its place is a vanilla bean sweetness, creamy cedar, a raisins (without the tartness of course) and leather, so often seen together with raisiny notes. It’s a good mix and a very pleasant smell. The taste is toasty and bitter, giving the flavors and scents another level of complexity.

Two-thirds down the second third. The burn is good and the flavors have been consistently tasty. No significant changes were experienced, just a smooth, relaxing ride.

 

Final Third:

I am increasingly amazed at the relentless deluge of flavors and sensory stimuli. There is no time to rest, (but I am very far from complaining). The sweetness alternates between a creamy, saccharine sweetness and a fruity, nutra-sweet flavor. The creaminess is substantial, but not overpowering. Oily and cocoa-sweet smoke. The palate is toasty and nutty with just the right amount of spice from the tobacco.

Home stretch. The smell is mostly that of a creamy coffee with hints of leather. I think I also sense a subtle tartness coyly coming and going. It’s a nice, smooth finish.

 

Verdict:

Wow. Very rich flavors. Immensely enjoyed it. The nonstop flavors were a delight, as I normally don’t like hang time waiting for flavors to appear. The tobacco was rich, oily, creamy, and savory with very little spice. This stick had all the perks of a connecticut, and then some. This was not unlike the Gurkha Black Beauty, which is also a very flavorful and impressive aged connecticut. I can’t see this stick not being enjoyed by anyone, amateur or veteran. Awesome smoke and would definitely recommend.

 

Total Smoking Time: 50 minutes

Jan 28 2013

Cognac Sidecar Recipe & Review

The other night I went over to a friends house and Sidecar being his favorite drink he made up a batch before dinner. Recipe as follows:

Cognac Sidecar Ingredients:

Directions:

Combine all ingredients including into a shaker then fill with ice. Shake for 15-20 seconds and then strain into a chilled sugar rimmed martini glass.  Prior to making the drink cut a small piece of lemon and rub it around the rim of a chilled martini glass then dip the rim in superfine sugar.

Cognac Sidecar

Cognac Sidecar

 

Verdict:

This cognac sidecar recipe is very easy to drink and very smooth due to their being the same amount of margarita mix as combined alcohol. Some recipes use more alcohol thus the end result being a stronger drink which you may certainly modify the recipe by using less margarita mix. Most sidecar recipes don’t even use a mix and instead use more triple sec which makes it even stronger. You can also substitute cognac with brandy or a fine bourbon. For our drink the brand of cognac used was Hennesy, the triple sec was Dekuyper and the margarita mix was Kirkland Signature.

History of a sidecar:

The sidecar is said to have been created towards the end of World War 1 in Europe, most likely London or Paris. According the Wikipedia, the Ritz hotel in Paris claims origin of the drink.

 

Jan 19 2013

Padilla Achilles Double Happiness Cigar Review

I’ve got an oddball for you guys today. Padilla is a well known line of cigars, and the Achilles is no newcomer, but the double happiness is quite a stranger to the party. I’ve been sitting on this one for awhile, and I finally decided to smoke it last night. It was cold and windy, and though the smoke lasted quite a long time, I couldn’t enjoy much of the stogie’s aroma as the wind quickly swept it away.

Vitola: 

Here we get to the interesting stuff. The Achilles is a modest 5×48 cigar; however, two Achilles sticks have been rolled end to end (or foot to foot if you will) to create an extra long cigar. The process as I understand is very difficult, and there aren’t many people who can successfully roll one of these bad boys. The result is an 11×48 cigar (there’s a 1″ “spacer” between each cigar) that kicks some ass. The wrapper is smooth and flawless, not an aberrant vein to be seen anywhere. Shade is light, like milk chocolate. It’s been sitting in my humidor for some time now, and I can’t really tell what I’m smelling off the wrapper. I decide to guillotine cut, as the 48 gauge is not conducive to a punch. Bear in mind, you should probably cut both ends (since they’re foot to foot, you’ve got two caps) before lighting to make the draw easier.

Dry Draw:

Dry draw brought some serious coffee notes. A little light sweetness, slightly sugary accompanies the coffee. Draw is a little hard, but that’s a reasonable expectation from an 11″ stogie. I will note that the draw smoothed out considerably about 3″ in, which was a nice relief.

Smoke:

First half of the cigar let out very little smoke, though this is not something I generally like to rate cigars on. I’ve had excellent cigars with little smoke and horrible cigars that smoked like a chimney. It’s just not something I like to base the cigar’s integrity on. The aroma out of the cigar was very sweet,with much more of the coffee taste I picked up in the pre-light draw. This was pretty consistent throughout the smoke, with the notable exception of the mid cigar “spacer” that I’ll discuss later.

Flavor:

Oh boy, this stick was quite flavorful. There’s an important note I’d like to make about the cigar’s flavors an the peculiar way it’s constructed. Due to the foot to foot construction, it’s really like smoking two cigars backwards. You start out with the first cigar’s final third, then middle section, and finally the first third. You then reverse the process as you move past the “spacer” and continue the cigar as you might ordinarily do: first third, second third, final third. The result is that you get each third twice, and you can really notice when you start picking up on flavors you’ve already tasted. The final third of the cigar (and incidentally the first section smoked) was delicious. A rich woodiness with spices, notably nutmeg. The smoke was warm and really helped to balance the cold night. Second third brought some coffee flavors and sweetness, with a pinch of sweet cedar and earth. Also quite enjoyable, but not quite as good as that nutmeg spicy flavor I started with. The first third (now right about the middle of the cigar) is dry and tastes again of wood, but not quite the same as the final third. Almost like dry hay. Odd, and not quite  what I was expecting. As the cigar edges into the discolored (discolored on purpose mind you) “spacer”, there develops a distasteful acrid flavor. I’m not quite sure what’s happened, but it’s not really enjoyable and I know there’s a joke in here somewhere about the Achille’s “foot” being weak. Once the spacer has passed, the thirds continue once again, in reverse order to what I just smoked. To re-iterate, I’ve smoked: final third > second third> first third> “spacer”> first third> second third> final third. The second time I experienced the thirds were spot on to the first time, which is pleasant experience.

Verdict:

Overall, this was a nice smoke. The double happiness construction is odd, but makes for a nice change to a standard stogie. I’m not quite sure what happened with the flavors in the middle “spacer”, but they weakened the cigar a bit. I’m sure a standard Achilles would make for a very nice smoke, and I wouldn’t hesitate to smoke another one.

Jan 18 2013

Cigar Review: Nicarao Seleccion

Vitola:

I’m not sure what to expect of this particular stick, simply because I’ve never heard of it before. After all, I am still an amateur. I have here with me the Nicarao Seleccion, supposedly a very underrated cigar. From what I’ve read, it has a connecticut oscuro wrapper of Cuban seed (which is an extensively aged connecticut that has taken on a darker hue), which I find to be quite appealing. I’ve had one other connecticut oscuro, and it was the phenomenal Gurkha Black Beauty, a delicious cousin of the Beauty (which I had reviewed just yesterday in fact). Anyway, back to the cigar of the evening. Its dimensions are eight inches by a 49 or 50 ring gauge, a churchill, and the wrapper gives me high hopes. Let’s get this guy cut and toasted.

First Third:

Punch cut again. Right from the first puff, no starting bitterness. Begins very smoothly. Sweet tobacco, leather, and nuts in the bouquet. Slightly bitter on the palate. After a little bit, I’m about three-quarters of an inch in. Now I’m starting to get a little bit of smooth cream, which I wasn’t really expecting from a connecticut oscuro. Nice touch.

I’ve smoked about an inch and three-quarters down at this point. The flavors are very smooth and the smoke is nice and thick, but surprisingly light on the nostrils. Once in a while you’ll find that certain cigars do not give you that intense burn in your nose when you take a whiff at the wrong time. Even smelling fairly concentrated smoke doesn’t cause that bad of a burn. This is one of those cigars. I’ll be smelling a lot more of this smoke. It’s terrible for my health, but this should be a very nice smoke session.

It’s a fairly quiet night. I can hear the crackle of my cigar every time I puff. It’s a comforting feeling.

Second Third:

A very interesting change in the flavor profile upon entering the second third. The introduction of coffee. It’s very light and creamy, not like espresso or java.

How very odd… Now all the tastes are suddenly gone. I’ve taken about seven or eight puffs, but still nothing. Just a little bit of sweet tobacco in the nose and bitterness on the palate. Very strange. Hopefully the flavor will be coming back soon.

This is very odd. Ten more puffs and still nothing. The burn is pretty even and the draw is good, but the flavor just isn’t there.

An entire two inches, and I am still sensing nothing. I am starting to think that this particular stick may be a dud.

Geez, finally. I’m starting to taste a little bit of cream again. Now the coffee, and now a little hint of vanilla. A welcome apology. For others’ sakes I just hope mine was just a bad egg. Unfortunately, I’m almost done with the second third, and this stick better take it up a notch to impress me.

Final Third:

Now I am thoroughly confused. I don’t know if my nose is screwed up, but upon double, triple, and quadruple checking, I must confirm that there is a certain…sour tartness? in the aroma? It’s a very odd but strangely appealing scent. I’m still trying very hard to identify it. I think it’s the most similar to the sort of cinnamony, citrusy scent of dry, whole cloves. I will also venture to say that the scent is sort of doughy as at the same time. It’s a far-fetched comparison, but it’s the closest I can get. I am enjoying this scent immensely and it’s really sparking my curiosity. Of course (though highly unlikely), I haven’t completely ruled out the possibility that I’ve been catching secondhand marijuana smoke from downstairs and I’m just imagining things.

Surely enough, the strange myriad of aromas is still present and the one-half mark of the final third. The finish has gotten a little toasty as well. The flavors are the same, but something about the finish is a little more substantial. So that you, the reader, could imagine this sensation, I will recap one more time: I smell a little bit of cream, coffee, vanilla bean, and that mildly-sour-cinnamony-citrusy-bready-clove scent. On the palate, I taste what is clearly nuts and a dash of pepper. The finish lingers on a little and finishes off toasty. The palate is otherwise very clean.

This is indeed a very odd combination and I think I should get my nose checked. But what counts is that I am enjoying this scent very much. Alas, time has run out, and I must put this down before I burn myself.

Verdict:

I honestly don’t know what to think of this cigar. Nevertheless, here I go.

1. I should get my nose checked.

2. The construction was pretty good and the burn was fairly even and self-correcting when necessary.

3. WTF in regards to the complete absence of flavor in the majority of the second third.

4. Another huge WTF in regards to the flavor that defies classification in the final third, though I thoroughly enjoyed it.

In conclusion, this was a very strange smoking session. I don’t know how good of a review this will make, but nevertheless this is what I smelled and tasted. I’m pretty good about picking flavors out accurately, but now I’m starting to doubt myself. The mystery flavor smelled nice, but I don’t know if it’s supposed to be there (or if it even WAS there for that matter). Hence I do not know if I would recommend this cigar to another person, since I am pretty convinced that my cigar was a mistake. But all that aside, this smoking session wasn’t all that bad, minus the flavor taking a short-notice vacation in the second third. If you even get a chance to smoke this cigar, any corrective, enlightening comments are welcome.

Total Smoking Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Jan 17 2013

Cigar Review: Gurkha Beauty Robusto

Vitola:

I’ve decided I want to try to review at least one cigar a night if time permits. I want something sweet and creamy tonight, so I decided I’d have the Gurkha Beauty. It’s not often I crave connecticuts so I think it would be more than appropriate to indulge myself tonight. So, as I’ve already mentioned, this stick has a very light caramel hue to it, without any noticeable obstructions in the wrapper or the filling. The dimensions of this cigar are 7 inches by what is most definitely a 60 ring gauge. The cigar also seems pretty resilient to pressure all around, and I’m expecting a good smoke session (as I should, for the Gurkha Beauty is one of my favorite connecticuts).

First Third:

Punch cut, as usual, especially since I don’t want to strain my jaw unnecessarily because I’m smoking a robusto. After toasting the foot, there is instantly a light, creamy flavor. Unfortunately, it is slightly marred by a bitterness that doesn’t quite belong. If you’ve smoked a fair amount of cigars, the first inch or so seldom tastes good, though this is not always the case and there are quite (exceptional) exceptions to this tendency.

Right on schedule, about three-quarters of an inch in, and the bitterness is almost gone. The smoke is very smooth and creamy. In this particular case, the sweetness in the scent is a sugary sweetness, like one of cream or caramel. It is nowhere near overpowering though, just to be clear.

For a Connecticut, the burn right now is not so bad. (For those who are curious, connecticuts are your lighter, younger, creamy, light brown wrappers. Because it doesn’t have as much oil as an older maduro or oscuro wrapper, the burn has a propensity for running rampant down veins or cracks in the cigar.) Anyhow, everything is looking good. As for flavor, the creaminess and light sweetness have been getting cranked up (and still are). The taste on the palate is slightly bitter again, but it is a bitterness different from what I was tasting earlier. This one belongs in the cigar — it is pleasantly bitter and nutty, not unlike an almond eaten with its skin on.

The burn is starting to get a little uneven, a reminder that I should take my time. This one burns down quickly due to the lack of oils, and it’s not uncommon for Kyle and me to catch ourselves rushing to enjoy the delicate sweetness. The burn is still looking pretty good, and the ash is a little over two inches long and still holding on, which is pretty impressive for a connecticut, and a robusto at that. (Guess I jinxed it. As soon as I finished the last sentence and took a puff, the ash fell all over my shoe.)

Second Third:

Surely enough, after taking a short break on the puffing, the burn is even again. I can’t say the flavor has changed, but an accurate description would be that there has been a shift in flavor. In the first third the sweetness was more prominent than the creaminess, but now the creaminess is taking over a little bit. The flavor of nuts has picked up a bit on the tongue too. I also sense a wee bit of dry cedar on the palate in addition, making the finish creamy and woody.

Ah. And there it is. Every time I smoke a Gurkha Beauty, there is one flavor I always look forward to: butter. This may sound very, very weird to someone who hasn’t had a “buttery” cigar, but I personally believe it to be the richest form of flavor that a connecticut can offer to the smoker. This is a very smooth and pleasant smell, and for those who haven’t experienced this flavor, you absolutely must. I have only experienced this butteriness from two connecticuts of the Gurkha line: the Beauty, which I am smoking now, and the Empire V, which is number five of six of the Gurkha Empire line.

This scent is absolutely heavenly. I had forgotten for a moment that I was supposed to be writing a review. I am almost finished with the second third as of now. The aroma has been exceedingly buttery and creamy. The palate is still nutty and slightly woody. The finish on the palate is very smooth and lingering, which is nice coming from a light cigar.

The construction and burn of the cigar are very good, which is great news. I’ve recently been witnessing (though thankfully not been a victim of) some problems with the integrity of the construction of Gurkha cigars. This stick restores a little faith.

Final Third:

Finally, the much-awaited last third. If I remember correctly, this cigar is supposed to smell exceptionally pleasing in the final third. However, as eager as I am, I will take my time, so as to not downplay whatever is in between.

I just got a huge whiff of buttery, creamy, sugary goodness. It smells absolutely divine. It feels as though I’m smelling whipped cream and butterscotch in the form of smoke. Along with all the tastes on my palate, I would say that this entire experience is something like almond toffee and cream (though there is no sweetness on the palate). One should be careful when dealing with an aroma this pleasant though — a little latency and you will miss the scent — a little too much eagerness will leave you with a pair of burning nostrils. If you can learn to find the sweet spot in the smoke though, the smell is incredibly pleasing.

I am about halfway through the final third and I already don’t want it to end. I must admit this is a very nice break from smoking medium to full-bodied cigars. It appears I am puffing a bit too fast again, so I will let the cigar cool off a bit.

The sensory stimulation is strong until the end, but unfortunately it is time to put this cigar out. It has been an exceedingly pleasing smoke, and I am very satisfied.

Verdict:

Beautiful. There is no better word to describe this session. But as I have mentioned, it would not be as enjoyable unless you’ve learned to find the sweet spot to take a whiff of the smoke. For those who haven’t found that spot yet, I would like to add that thinning out the smoke with your hands before smelling the smoke helps considerably. At the same time though, it would be a travesty to smoke this stick on a windy day, as the smoke will be blown away too quickly, not able to be enjoyed.

Out of experience, I can say that this cigar goes very well with a cup of smooth, creamy coffee. If and when you decide to go through with this pairing, make sure the coffee isn’t too sweet, as it will make the aftertaste unnecessarily bitter in comparison. If you are used to the bitterness and like switching back and forth between bitter and sugary sweet, even a Starbucks Frappuccino would get the job done quite nicely.

(Most importantly, with all cigars, take your time. I know I‘ve been guilty of this one too many times due to eagerness, but seriously — please look past my hypocrisy and take your time. Please don’t smoke one if you haven’t set aside and ample amount of time. It is criminal to put one out and “save it for later”. Besides, the tar and nicotine will accumulate at the foot of the cigar, and a good two or three inches of the cigar would be completely wasted. And for what it’s worth (and of course just for laughs), know that I would cringe and mourn for the cigar you’ve wasted.)

Anyway, back to the Beauty. It was a very pleasing smoke; it had a decent smoking time and had very good construction. The sheer size of the cigar may be intimidating, but this stick is very aptly named the Beauty.

Total Smoking Time: 1 hour 14 minutes

Jan 17 2013

Cigar Review: Romeo Y Julieta Habana Reserve

Vitola:

I have here the Havana Reserve of the known and loved Romeo Y Julieta line. I have had it before and remember it being a good smoke, so I thought I would review it this time around. This cigar is large — it looks to be 8 inches, and what appears to be something close to a 60 gauge. It sports a smooth, cappuccino colored habano wrapper. There is one medium-sized vein running down one side of it, but hopefully it won’t cause too many issues.

First Third:

I will again be using a punch cut this time. The dry draw is excellent, and I’ve got high hopes for an even burn. The first few puffs are mainly subtle notes of coffee. Then a certain earthiness picks up and coats the palate — it’s slightly bitter and woody, but heavy. It’s hard to describe, but it isn’t unlike the peaty aftertaste that lingers on your tongue after a sip of scotch. As of now, there is no sweetness, just tobacco, earth, and hints of coffee.

About an inch in, I sense sweetness in the bouquet. Sort of a spicy bittersweet taste on the palate. The smell is most definitely coffee, although it is fleeting. The sweetness is something close to toffee or butterscotch, but it’s not very strong. The taste is still very earthy and slightly bitter. The burn is getting a little uneven, but it’s acceptable from a stick of this gauge.

About halfway through the first third. The flavors are pretty much the same, but what little sweetness there was to begin with is almost gone. The type of sweetness is also not so much like sugar as it is like tobacco. The coffee is also toning down a bit, and the flavor is mainly just spicy, bittersweet and earthy. The spice is mild like white pepper.

Second Third:

The flavors and tastes have been pretty much the same as described in the second half of the first third, and I am waiting for a change that is indicative of the second third.

I’m a little bit into the second third, and I think I sense some woodiness. The smell is slightly bitter, mildly creamy, and “dry”, much like burning cedar. I’m currently getting wood, earth, pepper, and slightly sweet tobacco. Honestly, the flavors are a little boring as of now, but it might be that I am expecting too much of a change (due to the cigars I’ve recently smoked) rather than enjoying the flavor of straight tobacco. After all, this is a Romeo Y Julieta, known for its consistency and solidity rather than exotic flavors.

I’m about halfway through the second third, and still getting the same flavors. The cigar needed a slight touch-up, but the burn is overall fairly even. Canoeing usually goes down the veins first, but the vein on this particular stick hasn’t caused any problems, which is always a plus.

Final Third:

So far, things are still pretty uneventful in the flavor department, which again, should be expected from a Romeo Y Julieta.

Finally, with about an inch and a half left, I sense a spike of creaminess in the flavor. A nice change, but to be honest, any change would have been welcome at this point. But there isn’t much left to smoke, so I’m forced to put this cigar out.

Verdict:

Frankly I was a little disappointed by the lack of character from this cigar, though to be fair, as previously mentioned, the line of Romeo Y Julietas aren’t known for exotic flavors or complexity. Perhaps I was expecting something more special because this was a Habana Reserve. The smoking time was good as well as the construction, but I was expecting a more flavorful smoke. Unfortunately, this stick could not deliver. This is certainly a solid cigar and a pleasant smoke, don’t get me wrong. We mustn’t allow my unreasonable expectations to downplay this cigar. I think the lesson of the day is to always know what you’re expecting when you light up a stick.

Total Smoking Time: 1 hour 34 minutes