RSS
 

Archive for June, 2009

Cigar Review: What a way to wake up

30 Jun

Tatuaje Petite Cabaiguan

Tatuaje Petite Cabaiguan

Cigar Name: Tatuaje Petite Cabaiguan (4 1/2 x 32)

Cigar Description: Connecticut Seed Shade Grown Ecuadorian with Nicaraguan filler and binder

Cigar Strength: Mild-Medium

Review of the Cigar itself: Do you know that there really is a 5am?? It’s shocking sometimes but it is there. And for some of us, it’s there so we can venture out and exercise a little. After my last doctor’s visit, I clued in that I really need to get more active. I’m very healthy except for some creeping blood pressure (my bad cholesterol is in a great range but my good cholesterol is a little too low). So this morning, after my 10 mile ride, I decided to rummage around the footlocker humidor to see what I could find. Since I have a class starting soon, I figured a smaller cigar would be a good thing. And there was my little Petite Cabaiguan. Eh. Why not?

I fired up my iTunes radio station and listened to Aerosmith and Run-DMC extolling the virtues of walking this way while I inspected the cigar. It’s a smaller cigar than I usually have but well constructed. It’s a deep chocolate color wrapper with a sweet smell to it and a tightly wound tiny curly tail on the head. Given the small guage this lit very easily with the butane torch. As I got into the first third, with Pink Floyd “The Wall (Part 2) — Waiting for the Worms” beating in the background, I got occassional punches of leather admist the earthy taste. It seems a perfect cigar for a morning that is cool and fresh after an evening of overnight showers. The ash was relatively solid but not solid enough to handle a drop.

I would definitely say that attention was given to this cigar as the band came off easily with a gentle tug. No extra glue was visible and the wrapper was intact. As I continued deeper into the cigar, the leather taste remained in the back and a richer earthy seem to weave it’s way in amongst some cedar flavour. It was pleasant and, as odd as it sounds, seemed like a perfect cigar to listen to George Thoroughgood’s very familar guitar rifts and raspy voice (Gear Jammer). But the deepest flavour came out as I got to near the end of the middle of the cigar and started getting into the last third.

“When I have found intense pain relieved, a weary brain soothed,and calm refreshing sleep obtained by a cigar, I have felt grateful to God, and have blessed His name”
– Charles H. Spurgeon quotes (English preacher of 19th century 1834-1892)

A hint of spiciness began to appear with an almost sweet taste to it. The creamy leather has almost disappated from the cigar at this point and the earthy taste, almost like a cool wet morning, remains with the rich spice in the background. The spice taste continued to tickle the tongue as I smoked this down to the smallest nub. Ah, heaven first thing in the morning. I think it may be worthwhile to find a few more of these to enjoy.

Enjoyed with: water and a can of Red Bull

Smoke time: approximately 70 minutes

Final Review Rating: 9/10

 
No Comments

Posted in Uncategorized

 

Cigar Review: So good, I smoked ‘em all (and yes, that’s me)

12 Jun

Cigar Name: Camacho Pre-Embargo (6 x 48)

Cigar Description: Honduran Jamastran Corojo wrapper (1999) around pre-embargo Cuban tobacco mixed with Honduran long filler.

Cigar Strength: Full

Review of the Cigar itself: Ok. So, sometimes I cannot pass up a deal. Cigars International had a one-day sale of these in a 3 pack for $30. That worked out to half off. I figured it they were as good as I heard then I could save them for those truly special occasions. The cigar had a faint sweet smell to it and seemed to be covered a bit with little gold flecks, likely coming from the bands at the head and foot of the cigar. I could also see tell-tale signs of plume on the cigar. Ah, aged definitely. The wrapper had a few veins on it but it was interesting in that the person that made the cigar had the veins almost twisting around the cigar in a nice pattern. It didn’t seem to detract from the cigar but add to it. I carefully snipped the “twisted tail” off the head and lit the bundled foot, a somewhat difficult task compared to lighting a straight-cut foot.

…  Ok. I started this entry yesterday morning and ended up enjoying the cigar I was reviewing that I smoked it fairly quickly. I then smoked another, again hoping to review it but again enjoyed it too much. So, I decided to do a quick video blog and comment about the cigar before talking about the FDA. What I will say about this cigar is that it’s definitely too enjoyable. While I’d only give it an 8.5 or so (it’s far more milder than I expected), it certanly is an enjoyable cigar (highlighted by the fact that I went through 3 while working from home this week and didn’t notice that I went through them so quickly). It’s very light on the peppery and leather tastes but they are there. I’d almost say that this is a good morning cigar as it eases you into the day rather than “BAM! Wake up, fool!” you into the day.

Enjoyed with: water and coffee

Smoke time: approximately 70 minutes

Final Review Rating: 8.5/10

 
2 Comments

Posted in Cigar Rating: 8-8.9/10, Cigar Reviews, Smokers' Rights

 

May Poll Results: Off with their heads!

02 Jun

It seems that majority of people use gullotine to cut the cap off a cigar (an overwhelming 53% choose that). It’s probably a variety of reasons why but I would suspect the biggest is because it’s what you’ve always done and it becomes habit. Good gullotine cutters like Xikar help make it easier to cut using this method. I’m cure that the free cheapo gullotines also help. Coming in a distant second (18%) was the punch, a choice I recently switched to. It’s a great option for non-topedo cigars (although I suppose you could do those). The v-cutter came third at 13% while the remaining methods trickled in at the end (teeth, scissors and knives).

Since I’m discussing about the things we do to our cigars to smoke them I figured why not look at the prefered method of lighting up a cigar. I personally prefer my Blazer torch (particularly when at home or traveling by train) and long cedar matches when traveling (I’ll use short ones in a pinch). What’s your favourite method of getting things going?

 
No Comments

Posted in Cigar Poll

 

Cigar Review: A slow-starting spicy Perdomo

01 Jun

Perdomo Habano Maduro Toro

Perdomo Habano Maduro Toro

Cigar Name: Perdomo Habano Maduro (5.5 x 54)

Cigar Description: Nicaraguan Cuban-seed Corojo filler with Maduro wrapper

Cigar Strength: Full

Review of the Cigar itself: I decided to do some bug hunting (not real bugs but computer ones) tonight and as I went on the search of them, I decided to give this Perdomo a try. I’ve had hit and miss experience with them so I’m a little hesitant as to how this one will taste. I got a little 40 Creek on the rocks to enjoy with. The cigar smelled liked rich fresh earth, almost deep in the earthy, composty smell. I actually happen to like this smell as it makes me thing of summer’s past: family playing horseshoes, beers, laughter, watching the oil tankers on the St. Lawrence, general mirth. The wrapper was beautiful although a bit lighter than I normally see for maduro wrappers.

It did take longer to light this cigar than I’ve had to take with others that had more girth but surprisingly, the draw was great once the foot was toasty.  As I got into the first third of the cigar, the flavour seemed somewhat lacking at times. Rather than being a full cigar it struck me more as a mild cigar with very little strong flavour that one could normally find. I will say that the burn was good and the ash a nice consistent light grey but it’s fragile, which explains why it broke off enmasse as I was examining it. This definitely is a cigar with lots of aromatic spicy smoke. It’s almost as if the first third of the cigar’s flavour went into the smoke.

But that changed as I got into the middle third. A nice deep spicy aste hit the back of my throat, almost a white pepper taste. It was pleasant and continued. As I got closer into the last third, I noticed a slight change towards a light creamy leather with an rich earthy piquancy. The ash was no longer it’s perfect and this time, when it fell I was able to get it into the ashtray rather than the floor. It’s the last third that the flavour really zinged out. It was a wonderful seasoned pepper taste that filled my whole mouth.

I would definitely recommend a full meal before trying this one. While the start was a little light it made up for it when getting to the end. The creamy leather taste faded deep into the background while the white pepper taste danced in the forefront of things. As I smoked it to the nub, I refilled my whiskey and enjoyed the last of the rich cigar. The peppery taste faded a bit but it wasn’t to a mild flavour. The end of the cigar was more of the rich flavour without the overly peppery taste. It’s great to enjoy a good cigar on a cool summer evening.

Enjoyed with: water and 40 Creek Aged Double Barrel

Smoke time: approximately 70 minutes

Final Review Rating: 8/10

 
No Comments

Posted in Cigar Rating: 8-8.9/10, Cigar Reviews

 

 Powered by Max Banner Ads