The Scarritt Cigar Club

El Rey de los Habanos

2010-03-31T15:45:00.001-07:00

It's been a long, cold winter free from anything of note, cigar-wise. So here's a review of a stick that's been sitting in my humidor of several months now . . the El Rey de los Habanos, Inc. in the torpedo size.

This cigar hails from Don Pepin Garcia's own Miami factory (of the same name). Here are the specs:

Contents: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Corojo Rosado Claro
Size: Torpedo 6 1/8 X 52
Body: Medium
Acquired From: Outlaw Cigar Co.
Price: $7.00 a single
Smoke Time: 1.75 hours

Pre-light
A fine looking, well made cigar, it smelled sweet and spicy. The wrapper is a beautiful rosy-brown. The cigar is tight and fully packed with no lumpiness. A quick clip of the head found the draw a bit tight; often typical of a torpedo. The cold draw flavors were sweet, spicy and a bit peppery tasting. We're off to a good start!

First Third
After firing it up, the first puffs were mild and earthy with none of the expected spiciness. Where was that characteristic Pepin pepper? No matter, the flavors were butter-creamy smooth with notes of mild cinnamon up front. The draw was still a bit tight throughout, but the body was easily in the mild-medium range. The ash was firm but a bit flakey and the ambient smoke had a pleasant, earthy aroma.

Second Third
The flavors picked up a bit with a hint of citrus coming ahead of the rich tobacco taste. As I moved through the second third, coffee flavors began to settle in along with the mild citrus. Body remained in the mild-medium range. Only one minor burn correction was needed in this third.

Final Third
The citrus flavor was growing and getting somewhat sour in this last third, but not unpleasantly so. Removal of the band took some of the wrapper leaf with it (a pet peeve of mine) but it didn't result in an unraveled leaf. The draw remained a bit tight so I clipped a little more off the head, with no effect. The body moved into the medium range and although there was now bitterness in the flavor it was not objectionable. Even by the end of this third the cigar never went "bad," there was just not much "good" left.

Conclusion
I'm not a fan of citrus flavors in cigars, so I was not thrilled with this smoke. That's just me. I was a little disappointed that there was none of that Pepin "kick" to this stick. There's really nothing wrong with it, just not anything really great with it for me.

Would I smoke this cigar again? No
Would I recommend this cigar? Sure, if you like mild flavored, citrusy cigars.

Spring is HERE! (I hope)

2010-03-03T13:50:00.000-08:00

LOTS of events happening in the coming weeks!

This friday at Cigar & Tabac . .

Grand opening at The Outlaw Cigar's south location . .

And the March party for Craig Cunningham of Esteban Carreras the following weekend at BOTH Outlaw locations! (More info HERE!)

Busy busy !!

First Party at The Outlaw South

2010-01-26T15:22:00.001-08:00

Saturday was the first monthly party at the new Outlaw Cigar Co. location at 137th and Metcalf. Michael Chiusano (of Cusano Cigars) was the guest of honor. Sorry, no pics, but I have a good reason . . turnout was HUGE and all you'd see in the photos would be a bunch of people packed into the store! Standing room only after 12:00! Great food, great cigars (I had two) and a great time with Mr. Chiusano. Frankly, I think he was blown away by the size of the place and the incredible turnout, but he managed just fine. If you missed it, don't worry . . they'll do it all again next month!

IT'S ALIVE!

2010-01-12T16:15:00.000-08:00

The Outlaw Cigar Co's south location is NOW open! Aaarrrggghhhhhhhh! (Homer Simpsom Impression.)

13700 Metcalf, Overland Park, KS. 913-814-9000
Hours are 9am - 10pm Mon thru Sat. Sunday 10am - 7pm. It's a trek for me, but it looks WELL worth it!

Scarritt Cigar Lounge?

2009-11-16T12:49:00.000-08:00

Yes, the Scarritt Cigar Club needs a lounge. Preferably somewhere in the neighborhood! 39 degrees with sleet is not the proper outdoor atmosphere in which to enjoy a finely crafted stogie. Ideas? Anybody? Anybody? Bueller?

Spreading the word . .

2009-11-05T13:45:00.000-08:00

Ashton Cigars at the Outlaw Cigar Co. this saturday! This may be last party to be held at the north location this season!

Camacho Triple Maduro

2009-10-05T14:33:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've done a full review so I thought I'd do something special . .

There's been a trend lately toward producing specialty cigars with a "gimmick" (for lack of a better term). The Cain all ligero comes to mind. Most of these, in my opinion, are designed purely with marketing in mind. A hook, if you will, to get you interesting in trying it. The Camacho Triple Maduro would seem to be one of these. If you like maduros, how about a TRIPLE maduro?

Maduro isn't really a leaf, but a process that produces a darker, richer flavor much like the difference between dark and light chocolate. Maduros are more time consuming to produce so are usually reserved for just the wrapper of a cigar. In the Camacho Triple Maduro, however, the wrapper as well as the binder and filler are made with maduro-processed leaves.

Contents: Honduran
Wrapper: Honduran
Size: 50/4.5 or 4.5x50
Body: Full
Acquired From: Famous Smoke Shop (online)
Price: $11.30 a single, $33.90 per 5 Pack
Smoke Time: 1.5 hours

Pre-light
The wrapper was dark, thick and a little lumpy. The cigar felt firm and well packed. The aroma of the cigar reminded me of chocolate brownies and compost. Composted brownies, maybe? The draw was perfect, with sweet chocolate flavors leaving a little pepper on the lips and tongue.

First Third
After lighting it up, the initial flavors were of mild, smooth coffee and sweet brownies, with a dark tobacco finish and none of the pepper I'd noted in the pre-light. The cigar produced lots of smoke with an aroma of sweet baked chocolate. After the first inch, the flavors toned down to a cream-and-sugar iced coffee profile with mild pepper in the finish. The burn was near-perfect and I was enjoying long, slow, savory draws throughout the first third.

Second Third
The cigar began to increase the intensity of flavors and added a nice bit of spiciness with a hint of roasted nuts. The ash was firm and grey and the body was approaching the full range. By the end of the second third the burn was getting a little too wavy, necessitating the removal of the rather large band and a burn correction. The ash hung on, and by the end of this third the body was solidly into the full range, leaving me a little light-headed.

Final Third
The flavors were moving into a dark roasted coffee profile as the ash finally fell off. Mild pepper remained on the finish. While I smoked it until it became too hot, the flavor never turned overly bitter.

Conclusion
This cigar surprised me. There was not "too much of a good thing" at any point in this smoke. I have to say that if you like maduro cigars, the odds are good that you will love the Camacho Triple Maduro!

Would I smoke this cigar again? Yes
Would I recommend this cigar? Absolutely, despite its high price tag.

Cigar Week (in review)

2009-09-14T18:15:00.000-07:00

What a week!

It started off Wednesday with Carlos Torano at Cigar & Tabac in Overland Park, KS. Felipe Sosa was the master roller for the event and Carlos Torano made certain no guest was a stranger. Torano knows just about everybody in the cigar business and had a story about each one! I learned a LOT and had a great time. There aren't a lot of photos because I was busy with an Exodus 1959 50-Year Anniversary; VERY nice!

Friday it was Sam Leccia, founder and CEO of NUb Cigar, again at Cigar & Tabac. Sam is not your typical cigar maker, and he seems to like it that way! He makes astonishing stogies, though. I had his new Cain, all-ligero cigar. I expected something along the lines of a La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero, (a little stick full o' whop-ass) but what I got was smooth and flavorful with only a little pepper and no harshness. Yeah, I bought more.

Here are a couple shots of Sam working his craft on a special, smokeable band.

I had a great time (again) and enjoyed talking with Sam. Hope he comes back soon!

Last but certainly not least, Saturday was the Don Pepin Garcia event at The Outlaw Cigar Co. I've been looking forward to this most of the year and was NOT disappointed! I even won a Pepin T-Shirt in the raffle at the end of the day!

Want to see two perfect cigars rolled in under 2 minutes?

Great cigars (do I really have to say that?), great food, Ford Cobras and bikes to look at, and a helicopter landing! All very nice, but meeting Jose Pepin Garcia topped them all!

(All photos -except the first one- by Mrs. f-stop.)

KC's Cigar Week (unofficially)!

2009-09-08T14:54:00.000-07:00

There are three major events this week of interest to cigar fans here in KC. A rare coincidence, in my estimation!

Wednesday, Sept 9th
Carlos Torano and Master Roller Felipe Sosa
at Cigar & Tabac
4pm-8pm

Meet the founder of Torano Cigars and watch Felipe Sosa demonstrate the art of rolling! The new Carlos Torano Exodus 1959 will be featured, as well as a sampling of tasty Cuban food! Cool!

Friday, Sept 11th
Sam Leccia, founder of NUb Cigars
at Cigar & Tabac
4pm-8pm

Don't know if Sam is planning anything more than a meet and greet, but I do know he's got a new product or two in the works right now, so ya never know. Should be a good time!

Saturday, Sept 12th
Jose "Pepin" Garcia,
founder of El Rey de los Habanos, Inc.
at The Outlaw Cigar, Co.
11am-who knows when!

Called the hottest brand in the U.S., Don Pepin Garcia is THE MAN to many cigar fans! Don't miss this one!

The effects of taxation . .

2009-08-30T08:27:00.000-07:00

Turning independent people into dependents. Like I said before, where will they go for the money to fund these programs when smokers stop smoking?

What just happened??

2009-08-26T13:34:00.000-07:00

Ever been completely blindsided by a cigar, and not in a bad way? Well . .

After punishing myself for the last couple of days with some not-so-great sticks just to clear out the humidor I decided to continue the abuse with one I'd never heard of. This Cuvee came in a sampler pack along with some very fine offerings, so my expectations were VERY low. To my surprise it reminded me of what cigars are supposed to be . . ENJOYABLE!

The Cuvee 151, made by Cusano, is a Brazilian Maduro wrapped stick filled with Dominican tobaccos, and it isn't generally cheap. A five pack of Robustos will run about $37 bucks. I found it to be smooth with flavors of creamy sweet coffee. No complex flavor changes, but with clean pleasant taste all the way to the nub, who cares! The burn qualities were excellent, it produced voluminous, aromatic smoke and a solid, clean ash. What more can you ask for?

This Saturday . . Camacho at the OUTLAW!

2009-08-18T16:11:00.002-07:00

Does Camacho make a bad cigar? NO!

Don't miss this one!

Adventure at the bottom of the barrel . .Al Capone Toro

2009-08-10T09:26:00.000-07:00

Here's a stick that may only be of interest to our Kansas City BOTL. I was scrounging around along the floor of the humidor at Red-X in Riverside last week and found a closeout deal on all their Al Capone cigars; $1.59 each. Knowing nothing about them other than they looked halfway decent for the price, I grabbed a Toro.

Turns out, Al Capone is a brand started by a German cigarillo company in 1996 and made in Esteli, Nicaragua. There was a lot of complete crap passing for cigars in the 90's as anybody could make money selling just about anything during the "boom." Predictably, the Al Capone brand still exists but only in cigarillo sizes. Their full size cigars are apparently discontinued as I can find NONE available anywhere else but Red-X in Riverside. Maybe that's good for us, maybe not. Lets see . .

Contents: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Brazil
Size: Toro 6x50
Body: Mild-Medium
Acquired From: Red-X in Riverside
Price: $1.59
Smoke Time: 1.5 hours

This is not a beautiful cigar. The wrapper is course, lumpy and veiny and the construction is mediocre at best. It almost looks like something I might have rolled (and I know NOTHING about rolling cigars)!

After a difficult time getting it lit the cigar began to produce a pleasant, sweet coco flavor along with something I later decided tasted and smelled like oatmeal. It wasn't bad, just weird. The draw was near perfect but the burn was wavy and required a couple corrections. All this turned around after the first inch or so, though. It started burning evenly and the flavors moved out of the coco-oats profile and went solidly into mild creamy, coffee with a much more cigar-like aroma. The burn was slow and even leaving a firm white/grey ash.

By the second third I was becoming even more pleased with this cigar. No complex flavor changes but no problems, either.

Beginning the last third the burn hit something awful tasting. Strong bitterness and a difficult burn went on for about three minutes. After it cooked through whatever it was (dried bug?) we were back on track again with pleasant flavors and steady, slow burn. When it reached the 1.5-inch mark, I was done with it as the flavors had gone irretrievably sour.

In all, not bad for the price, but I'd be skeptical of a similar experience with another stick. Consistency is not likely at the "bottom of the box" condition you'll find these in.

Would I smoke this cigar again? No
Would I recommend this cigar? Sure, if you seek adventure.

Alan Rubin at The Outlaw

2009-08-01T17:32:00.000-07:00

As I've said before, I like the Outlaw Cigar Co.'s "mini-parties." You get a better chance of actually talking with the guest of honor than at the big parties. To be honest, though, I really wasn't looking forward to this one so much. I don't know, maybe it's the traditionalist in me, but North American cigar makers like Alec Bradley and Pete Johnson (Tatuaje) have not held the same sway with me as the likes of Nestor Miranda, Manuel Quesada and Jose Pepin Garcia. Maybe I'm just a "cigar racist."

Well, no more. I was really impressed with the quality and flavor of the AB Select Cabinet Reserve torpedo I had and ended up getting three more AB stogies. I guess you don't have to be from South America or Cuba to know what's good.

These photos were taken a little later in the event and really don't reflect the amazing turn-out for this mini-party! The $35-a-bottle Scotch was just as fantastic as the cigars, and we had a great time talking with friends and cigar insiders.

Alec Bradley Mini Party at The Outlaw

2009-07-30T13:21:00.000-07:00

I've become a big fan of The Outlaw's "mini parties." The cigars are just as good and the crowds are MUCH smaller! At the last mini-party I wound up watching basketball with Nestor Miranda! Try that at a BIG Outlaw event!

Anyway, this Saturday starting at 11:00am you can meet and chat with Alan Rubin of Alec Bradley Cigars, taste some fine scotch, and get in on some great cigar deals. All that and smaller crowds? I'll be there!

Xikar at Diebel's

2009-07-19T17:26:00.001-07:00

This Thursday the 23rd from 5-8 PM at the Hawthorne Plaza location (119th and Roe), you can get four of the new Xikar HC Series cigars and partake in refreshments and fun for the meager price of $29.50. As usual, attendance is limited and advance tickets (available at either location) are recommended. Additional attractions include 25% off Xikar merchandise, as well as a free lighter ($100 value) with box purchase.

I've never visited the Hawthorne Plaza store; maybe this is the time!

CAO at The Outlaw this Saturday!

2009-07-09T09:51:00.001-07:00

Don't miss this one! It should be great!

The Cigar Room, Lees Summit

2009-07-01T14:43:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity today to visit a shop I'd first heard of a couple months ago. In fact, the guy I bought my nice glass-topped humidor from told me about it. It's located at 108 SE 3rd Street, right in the middle of downtown Lees Summit.

Open since December, this little store features a well stocked walk-in humidor and a well appointed smoking lounge in the back. While the decor is a bit spare, they did at least have the requisite cigar store Indian. The prices I noted were well within reason, and everything is marked to eliminate mysteries.

In all, a nice little shop that deserves your patronage! Visit their website at: LeesSummitCigars.com

Hav-a-Tampa closes

2009-06-24T10:57:00.000-07:00

(Read the Tampa Tribune story here.)

Hav-a-Tampa is not a big cigar brand, and the cigars they produce are inexpensive machine-made quickies; not at all in the same league as premium hand-mades. Their parent company, Altadis USA, however, is a HUGE cigar company that makes many different brands, premium and otherwise, both in the US and abroad. And very few cigars are made in the US these days because of the high costs.

Now there is one less, and more people unemployed. I guess my only question is: Where will the money come from to support these essential tax-funded programs when nobody smokes anymore?

Keeping Cool

2009-06-22T08:26:00.000-07:00

We have no consistent air conditioning at home (seldom-used window units) and the temps inside typically hover around 80-85 degrees during the summer months. We're used to it for the most part, but temperatures like that can spell disaster for your cigars.

The problem isn't the temperature, per-se, but the fact that anything over 73 can lead to the hatching of tobacco beetle eggs. These eggs are so tiny they can't be seen, let alone cleaned off of every leaf. And when the beetle larva hatch they go to town eating your precious cigars!

So, what to do? The coolest, driest place in our house is the basement. A dehumidifier keeps the humidity down, but raises the temp. I'd read about keeping your humidor in a cooler with minimal ice-packs, so that's what I'm trying.

Here's the set-up: an old aluminum cooler with plastic 8x10 developing trays to raise the humidor off the bottom, and a single cooler pack off to the side. I have a darkroom thermometer at humidor height, so we'll see how well this works. I'll let you know.

Necessity is a mother, ain't she?

Tabacos Baez Serie SF

2009-06-16T17:32:00.000-07:00

When I heard that Don Pepin Garcia was putting out a new cigar in the $3.00 price range I had to try it. Who wouldn't? The Tabacos Baez line is pretty well established, so would the new Serie SF (Short Fill) be as good? And how would it stack up against other cigars in the $3.00 price range? I had to find out.

Information is hard to come by on this stick. I could assume that the same filler, binder and wrapper are used here as in the regular Tabacos Baez line, but who knows.

That said, here goes . .

Contents: ?
Wrapper: ?
Size: Corona 6x46
Body: Medium
Acquired From: Outlaw Cigar Co.
Price: $3.00
Smoke Time: 1.5 hours

Pre-light
The wrapper was a bit veiny and the cigar felt solid without crunchiness or lumps. The cold draw was a little firm with not much flavor except for a little pepper on the lips and tongue. This draw left a little loose tobacco in my mouth; to be expected I guess.

First Third
The cigar was easy to light and produced a great volume of smoke. Initial flavor profile was of rich tobacco with a hint of pepper in the finish leaving a pleasant sweet leather aroma. Farther in, it progressed to an earthy flavor with a touch of black coffee. The burn line was a bit wavy but was easily corrected by simply turning the cigar as I smoked. This won't be a "long ash" contest winner, but it held its own throughout. Ashing it revealed a perfect cone-shaped burn.

Second Third
The flavors stayed in the same profile but became slightly more bitter; never more than black coffee though, and the body increased to medium. The aroma remained in the same.

Final Third
I noticed a slight increase in pepperiness in the finish, and the flavor seemed to move into more of a coca profile. There was no harshness, though, even to the nub.

Conclusion
This was a very good cigar. I've smoked less impressive sticks at twice the price. And the price cannot be ignored. The $3.00 cost puts it into competition with Curly Heads and the like, and the Tabacos Baez Serie SF blows them away. In fact, I think it may be the best smoke in its price range. There are better cigars at less than twice this price, but the Serie SF is better than half the quality of those. Add to this the fact that I've seen advertised prices online of $37.80 for a box of 20 in this size.

I smoked the Tabacos Baez Serie SF with a lite beer, but I really think it would pair well with morning coffee if you like stronger cigars that early.

Would I smoke this cigar again? Yes
Would I recommend this cigar? Yes. For the price I don't think it can be beat.

Jose Oliva at The Outlaw

2009-06-13T17:48:00.000-07:00

Another fine afternoon of great food, great cigars and great beer was had thanks to The Outlaw Cigar Company. This party featured Jose Oliva of Oliva Cigars. (on the left, below)

I had a chance to talk with Jose about the cigar business in general and his family's involvement in it. The family business had long been tobacco-growing. After leaving Cuba because of Castro and later fleeing to Honduras because of the Sandinistas, they returned to Nicaragua when the political climate stabilized and got into cigar making at the very start of the boom in the early '90s. It was interesting to hear about the numerous pitfalls of starting a business with some 3,500 competitors, most of which would not survive the decade. And after hearing about all the ways cigar making can go wrong, from the planting and growing to the fermentation and aging, the blending, rolling and finally shipping and storage, I can really appreciate what it takes to be successful in this industry.

The weather, and construction on I-29 may have been responsible for keeping the usually huge crowds away, and that made for a nice change, IMHO.

Buying Cigars Online

2009-06-09T14:47:00.000-07:00

Like most people still do today, I got into cigars back in the mid '80s by purchasing a sampler pack I saw in a magazine ad. Today, it's not just sample packs and magazine ads. You can buy everything through the internet, including the finest cigars at very good prices!

But like buying anything else online, finding good cigars takes research. Just because the retailer says that these are the best cigars this side of Cuba doesn't necessarily make it so. Here are a few tips I've learned along the way:

1) Take your time. Don't be rushed into a deal just because it's about to expire.
2) Do research independently of the retailer. Read cigar reviews, LOTS of them.
3) Smoke reviewed cigars and get a feel for what the reviewer likes and where your tastes differ. This will give you a better idea of whether you might like a particular cigar or not.
4) Check availability and pricing between online retailers. You may find that a particular cigar is a "store" brand and not available anywhere else, or you may find that the special sale price offered by one is the regular price of another.

ITC 10th

2009-06-05T19:10:00.000-07:00

This one had been in my humidor since March, so I though it was time to smoke it. The Indian Tabac 10th Aniversary by Rocky Patel celebrates (obviously) his tenth year of production with this brand.

In a nutshell, I was not impressed. The flavors started off nice but before I was even 1/3 through it the Corojo wrapper bulged and split halfway down the cigar. The splitting continued in other areas as the burn continued erratically down this stick. The flavors started turning sour and bitter at about the halfway mark and I called it at just over an hour with lots of cigar left to go.

From what I've read after the fact, this isn't unusual. Too bad.

Camacho Connecticut: The long and short of it.

2009-06-03T14:39:00.000-07:00

The Connecticut is a new offering from Camacho in response to requests for a milder cigar. This is their first connecticut-wrapped cigar.

Mild cigars often get a bad rap. They're thought of as weak, sometimes labeled as "beginner" smokes. And Connecticut-wrapped cigars are often mild, so many cigar fans shy away from them.

But while mild in flavor, the Comacho Connecticut is NOT a weak smoke!

Contents: Honduran and Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Connecticut (Ecuador)
Size: Toro
Body: Mild-Medium
Acquired From: Outlaw Cigar Co.
Price: $7.00
Smoke Time: 2 hours

The cigar starts off with a mild but spicy flavor with a bit of pepper in the finish; very nice. But I have to say that through the first half I was easily distracted. The flavors didn't command my attention. Construction was near perfect and the even burn produced clouds of fantastic smoke.

By the second half, however, I started to "get" it. This is not your average mild smoke. The flavors didn't change much, but I found myself really enjoying it. The body picks up along the way and the flavors, while still mild, grow on you. It's kind of hard to explain, but I started to really appreciate what this cigar had to offer. It was not difficult to take to the nub!

Would I smoke this cigar again? Yes
Would I recommend this cigar? Yes. Any time of day.

Nub Cameroon

2009-05-31T19:25:00.000-07:00

Lives up to its name. Nuf said.

Wanna Cigar?

2009-05-30T19:15:00.000-07:00

I don't know if this guy really conveys the message a retailer wants to put forward, but I like him anyway.

El Baton

2009-05-28T10:30:00.000-07:00

I was given this cigar by John over at Diebel's on the Plaza and asked if I'd give him my opinion of it. I think he said this was a new size he's considering carrying. John said that this cigar was being marketed with smoker's like me in mind; I'm assuming that means relatively new smokers.

Info is fairly scarce on this brand. I've read that these are made by J. C. Newman Cigar Co. (the makers of the Cuesta Rey line) and is a Nicaraguan-made product of Nicaraguan puro content.

So, that said, here goes . .

Contents: Nicaraguan Corojo
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo
Size: Toro? approx. 6 x 56
Body: Medium
Acquired From: Diebel's on the Plaza
Price: $6.00 range (so I'm told)
Smoke Time: 2 hours +

Pre-light
The wrapper was a bit veiny and thick. The cigar felt firm with some springiness, and slightly lumpy. The aroma of the cigar was of rich compost. The final cap on the double-capped head was a bit off-center and coming loose, but that's where I cut it so no problems there. The draw was perfect and imparted sweet chocolate flavors with a little pepper on the lips.

First Third
The cigar was easy to light with great smoke output. Flavors were of mild coffee/roasted chocolate with a touch of pepper at the back of the mouth with a smooth mild finish. It was reminding me of a JFR product at this point. The aroma was of mild roasted chocolate. The burn line was a little wavy but never wildly uneven. The mild pepper moved in and out of the flavor throughout this third. The firm, white ash held on throughout this third as well. No problems here.

Second Third
The flavors moved into more of a black coffee/tobacco profile as the burn remained slow and consistent. By the end of this third the coffee flavors gave way to general tobacco flavor and I found myself wishing for a return of the chocolate. Great smoke volume and consistent but wavy burn continued. Only one burn correction was needed in this third.

Final Third
The flavors were starting to turn bitter at times until about the time I reached where the band would have been. At that point I could get only an occasional hint of coffee/tobacco. With about two inches left, it had reached the wholly unpleasant phase, and I was done.

Conclusion
This wasn't a bad cigar, but the $6.00 price point puts it into some stiff competition. More flavorful sticks can be found for less money. While the construction was nearly perfect, I found the flavors uninteresting.

Would I smoke this cigar again? No
Would I recommend this cigar? Not unless you're a big fan of Corojo puros.

An Evening with a Cigar Maker . .

2009-05-21T18:14:00.000-07:00

That's how Diebel's advertised this event, and that's what I got! Unlike other cigar parties, there were no more than 50 or so people in attendance at any given time, so you really DID have an opportunity to talk with the "man of the hour." In a little over an hour I learned more about the cigar business than I could have ever read. At one point Manuel took a paper napkin and showed me how the various parts of the leaves are selected, how the parts of the leaf are used in rolling a cigar, how the flavor changes are determined. "It's like mixing a drink." he said. "Only we deal with solids, not liquids . . much harder."

I was fascinated, and he was more than happy to answer all my questions, and even threw in some great stories surrounding the trials and tribulations of the cigar business over the years. It goes without saying that I had a great time, but I did!

Manuel Quesada at Diebel's

2009-05-19T05:49:00.000-07:00

This Thursday evening from 5-8 pm Diebel's on the Plaza will host "An Evening with a Cigar Maker:Manuel Quesada." In case you didn't know, Quesada is responsible for some of the finest cigars around, including Cigar Aficionado's No. 1 rated cigar of 2008, the Casa Magna.

As before, attending the event costs $25 up front, which gets you four cigars: the Casa Magna Gran Toro, a Fonseca 8-9-8, a Fonseca Cubano Limitado Robusto, and a completely new offering, the Fonseca TAA Robusto. This along with the usual four-for-three deals and refreshments makes this a hard party to miss. If I get the time, I'll be there. Hope you will, too!

Outlaw Party for Padron

2009-05-16T17:12:00.000-07:00

Another great time was had at the Outlaw Cigar Co. this afternoon. Good food, good cigars and good deals were the order of the day. The Apache helicopter landed just before noon. Xikar was repeating last months 25% off deals, so I jumped in. And the Outlaw folks didn't hide the affordable stogies this time.

For those who may not be aware, Padron offers a WIDE spectrum of cigars ranging from $2.75 to $36+ per stick. I got the chance to try two from their Londreas line as well as two from the 90-rated 2000 series. All very fine cigars all under the $5 mark.

Despite what had been advertised, the food is no longer "free." A $5 donation is charged per plate, but return visits to the food line are free. Personally, I don't mind paying the $5; it's a FAR better deal than you'll get anywhere else for a lunch of this quality and the causes the donations serve are worthy. But something should be done to correct the advertising so people aren't surprised.

I'll be back next month for the Oliva event, guaranteed!

PS: All photos by Jennifer. I was too busy eating, smoking and buying!

Cigar Store Indians

2009-05-13T17:20:00.000-07:00

I got this little Ezra Brooks Cigar Store Indian decanter the last time we were down at the lake ($3.00) and it got me wondering about the history of these guys. Here's what Wikipedia has to say about them:

You can see finer, wood-carved examples, and read more about their origins at cigarstoreindianstatue.com

This Saturday!

2009-05-12T10:29:00.000-07:00

Yet another Outlaw Party! Who's with me?

There are some pretty high-end (and high $$) offerings from Padron, but thankfully they make a few really nice, bargain smokes as well. I plan to try the Padron Londreas, available in both natural and maduro wrappers, and the 2000 series, again in both wrappers. These are well-reviewed sticks priced at $2.75 and $4.00 each respectively! Sign me up!

The good ol' days

2009-05-10T18:49:00.000-07:00

Seen in Clinton, Mo. this weekend. Used to see this sort of signage everywhere. Not anymore. Smoking ad-bans, public sentiment, etc. have changed a lot. If you see an old cigar ad, post it!

The long and short of it . .

2009-05-07T15:00:00.001-07:00

Nestor Miranda Special Selection Lancero

I thoroughly enjoyed a Toro-sized Nestor Miranda at the Outlaw Cigar Co. party in his honor last month, so I bought a few different sizes at that time to try later. One was the somewhat rare Lancero size, so named for obvious reasons.

It exhibited the same perfect burn and construction as the other sizes (it IS, after all, a Jose Pepin Garcia product), but I found the flavors to be quite different.

The Lancero seemed much sweeter than the Toro, with a more leathery base flavor. A combination I didn't find to be very attractive. Too sweet and too much leather. Perfect in every other way, but not for me.

Humidors & Hard-Drives

2009-05-05T17:19:00.000-07:00

What do they have in common? You fill them up! Hopefully it takes a while, though. That's my plan with this one. It's a 100-150 count size, spanish-cedar lined beauty that I bought at a yard sale for $35. I need to make an interior shelf for it, and it needs humidification, but there's lots of room to grow here. My current 20-count box completely fits INSIDE this one! YIPES!

Top Cigar of 2008

2009-05-05T05:56:00.000-07:00

Fonseca's Casa Magna Colorado won Cigar Aficionado's "Cigar of the Year" for 2008. Old news. But ever since that headline in January these sticks have been scarce! So when I heard that Diebel's had some Toritos (4 3/4 x 60) in stock, I jumped. Considering that this cigar, selling for from $5.00 to $7.00 depending on size, won top honors over stogies 5 times that price, I really wanted to see what the Casa Magna had to offer.

More detailed and experienced reviews are readily available, so I won't bloviate here. Suffice to say that I was impressed. Other than a cracked wrapper at the beginning, likely due to the HUGE 60 ring-gauge, there was nothing to complain about. Construction was excellent, body was full, flavors and aroma were pleasant and the overall appearance is very attractive.

This wasn't the Robusto size that won the CA judges over, (good luck trying to find one of those) so maybe the Torito is not as good. Either way, if you can find one, try one. You'll not be disappointed!

Kristoff Criollo Robusto

2009-05-03T18:21:00.000-07:00

This is a very impressive looking cigar! With its medium brown course-leaf wrapper tied in a sausage-twist pigtail at the head and folded over at the foot, it brings to mind old-world Cuban craftsmanship. These come in cedar boxes packed around loose tobacco leaves looking as classy as they can be. I was really looking forward to getting into this one!

Contents: Cuban-seed Nicaraguan
Wrapper: Dominican Olor
Size: Robusto 5 1/2 x 54
Body: Medium
Purchased From: Fidel's in Westport
Price: $7.00 (if I remember right)
Smoke Time: 1.5 hours

Pre-light
The wrapper is course, veiny and thick. The cigar feels firm and not crunchy. Cutting only the pigtail from the head, the cold draw is surprisingly free, considering the small opening and nearly closed foot. Cold flavors are wonderfully spicy and sweat.

First Third
Slightly uneven burn, but great clouds of smoke. Flavors are mainly of black coffee/espresso with a hint of butter and a smooth finish. I was somewhat disappointed that there wasn't any of the spiciness I'd found in the pre-light, though. Aroma is pleasantly sweet. Even Jennifer found it "much less offensive than most."

Second Third
The uneven burn begins to worsen, demanding corrections, and the flavor starts to get harsh and bitter. The draw seems far too free as the smoke gets hot after normal puffs, indicating a loosely packed stick. Weaker puffs improve the flavor, which has begun to shift from the initial coffee/espresso profile to more of a sweet leather. Relights are required and I'm skeptical about going much farther with it. The aroma is still pleasant, though.

Final Third
More relights and burn corrections. It's getting increasingly difficult to get anything but hot, bitter harshness from this great looking cigar.

Conclusion
Although plenty of cliches come to mind, this wonderful looking cigar may be at its best while still in the box. I've been told that quality varies with these, so you may do better than I, IF you're willing to give it a try. For my money there are far too many cigars left out there to return to a poor performer in the hopes of a better experience.

Truly TRUTH in advertising!

2009-05-01T19:39:00.000-07:00

The description of these cigars, sold by Cigars International, is truly refreshing! No flowery prose boasting rare and distinctive blends from exotic locations; no claims of high ranking reviews and award winning makers. Thanks CI for some all-too-rare honesty!

Or is it maybe reverse psychology? Hmmm . . . Maybe these cigars really aren't THAT bad?

How the best are made.

2009-04-29T07:51:00.000-07:00

Jose "Pepin" Garcia is widely recognized as at least one of the worlds best cigar blenders/makers (if not THE best). So who better to walk you through the complete process of making fine cigars? Follow the link below to the website of Don Pepin Garcia for a video tour that will make your mouth water!

Don Pepin Cigars

Camacho at Diebel's on the Plaza

2009-04-27T06:03:00.000-07:00

In case anybody's interested, Diebel's is having "A Comacho Event" this Thursday the 30th from 5-8 pm at their Plaza location. No surprise, they do things a little differently than Outlaw Cigar Co. when it comes to parties. First, this "elegant relaxed evening" will cost you $25 to get in, which includes three Camacho and one Baccarat cigars. I generally spend this much or more at Outlaw, so the fact that Diebel's wants their money up front makes no difference to me. Diebel's will also have the familiar "by 3 Camachos and get a 4th FREE" deal, along with wine, beer, cheese and raffle items. I'm interested in going mainly to see where this "outdoor cigar lounge" they speak of is located. The roof, maybe?

Be warned, you can't just show up for this on Thursday. "Tickets are limited, sign-up today at either store or respond by email.
Your place is held only upon receipt of your payment."

So grab your smoking jackets and ascots and maybe I'll see you there!

Carlos Fuente was here

2009-04-25T17:16:00.001-07:00

This afternoon I went to The Outlaw Cigar Co. party for Arturo Fuente, featuring Carlos Fuente, Jr. Here he is with Outlaw model Perla:

It was a fine time, complete with good cigars, roast pork, beer and sausages. There were Corvette displays, an assortment of Harleys, and even a Chinook helicopter and National Guardsmen turned out!

I was the only one of our little group to make it, but I was FAR from alone!

Who's with me?

2009-04-22T14:43:00.001-07:00

Improper storage, part one

2009-04-19T07:59:00.000-07:00

Not that this will necessarily be a long-term series, but I expect I'll find more examples of improper storage in the future.

I believe the above cigar is a good example of over-humidification. Some smaller shops have no room for humidor cases so they instead humidify the entire shop (no, I'm not going to name names here). There's nothing wrong with this except that maintaining a consistent level of humidity with the store's entry door opening and closing all day can be difficult. To compensate, shop owners will often set their humidifiers much higher than the ideal 70%. Most of the time this is no big deal, except in the case of cigars NOT wrapped in cellophane located near the humidifier.

Such appears to be the case with this JFR maduro. Over humidification leads to difficulty in lighting since the exposed filler in the foot, as well as the wrapper, take on water first. Once the light is finally established, the burn tunnels through the dryer center leaving the moister wrapper behind until the cigar finally and prematurely extinguishes itself.

This is all easy enough to fix, though. If you suspect over humidification, just age the cigars in your humidor for a couple of weeks until the moisture level returns to the ideal 70%. Then you'll be golden!

What's in YOUR stogie?

2009-04-14T13:30:00.000-07:00

This WAS going to be a review of the "Havana Moon" labeled maduro toro I bought yesterday, but, well, that cigar didn't go very well. After fighting uneven burn problems, constant relighting and tunneling, I called it quits before the second third. So I decided to do a little autopsy and see what the problem was.

Being that this was NOT a premium cigar I wasn't surprised to find that it consisted of short leaf scraps and bits of misc. tobacco within the binder leaves. Bundled cigars are kind of a crap-shoot. Some are better quality seconds that just didn't pass the cosmetic quality check of major makers. Others are made of quality bits and scraps left over from the better makers hand-mades. These are often labeled "Hand rolled" as opposed to "Hand Made" to indicated that they're of lesser quality.

This doesn't necessarily mean you're going to get a bad cigar, but burn problems are certainly more likely.

Live and learn.

Havana Moon

2009-04-13T12:35:00.001-07:00

Had some time this afternoon (OK, I was bored) and decided to stop into Havana Moon and see what was new. If you've never been there, it's a small shop on the north side of 39th between Wyoming and Genessee. And since it is a small space, the entire shop IS the humidor.

Among the usual top brands are what appears to be this shop's specialty: BARGAINS! There are more cigars priced under $5 a stick than any other shop I've been in, including Red X. They have a large selection of bundles and singles under their own badge as well as some of the more affordable offerings from the major makers.

I bought a JFR Maduro Torpedo and a "Havana Moon"-labeled maduro toro (more on the toro later), both for a total of $6.50. Quality cigars? Don't know yet. But at these prices it's worth a little trial and error to look for a diamond in the coal.

Nice little shop, nice little prices.

Looking for a humidor?

2009-04-11T19:27:00.000-07:00

If you are, there's a pretty nice one at the River Market Antique Mall, 1st floor, center aisle, about midway on the east side. It was down low on a bench. Hopefully it's still there. It was about a 50-count box, nice parqueted-type inlay on the lid and had a hygrometer but no humidification device. One could be added for under $10, though, and you'd want something better than this box came with anyway. Spanish cedar interior with a nice seal.

$18.00 was the asking price. If I didn't already have a nice 20-count I'd have jumped on it. Hopefully nobody else has yet. My guess is it was a $50-$100 box when new.

Now, do you need a humidor? Well, no. Not if you're not planning on storing your stogies for more than a week or so before you get to them. They're fine in the plastic bag the retailer puts them in.

A pleasant surprise . .

2009-04-10T14:55:00.000-07:00

In the "try everything" phase of cigar smoking, which is where I may be for several more years, you can't ignore a chance to smoke something different.

I was at the City Market this afternoon picking up a couple red peppers and I decided to stop in The Wine Cellar on the NE end. I had no idea they carried cigars, but carry them they do. A small cabinet humidor at the back of the shop has a modest selection of popular brands. Among them I found H. Upmann Aperitifs; tiny cigarillos measuring only 4 x 28. I've been looking for something small and flavorful for times when I don't have 2 hours to spend on a smoke, and H. Upmann doesn't make junk. So, for just over $2.00 I went home with one and fired it up.

WOW! This little cigar packs a lot of flavor into a 45 minute smoke. It's not the best cigar I've ever tasted, but for $2.00 (half that if you buy them online or find 10x tins) it's VERY hard to beat! A box-pressed Dominican product with a rich maduro wrapper and medium body, it smokes just like a robusto in half the time. I'll be adding a tin of these to my humidor ASAP.

Fidel's in Westport

2009-04-09T06:08:00.000-07:00

No, this isn't a new shop, but I honestly thought it had closed a while back. The fact that they currently have no website didn't help to contradict this perception.

What I found when I walked in was a fairly small shop with floor-to-ceiling humidor cases along the side walls, a nice display of featured products, assorted empty cigar boxes and antique cigar press adorning the center of the room and a good selection of accessories stocked in the case to the rear of the shop. Everything was done in dark woods with an old-world feel. Although the selection was not as broad as the larger area shops, they seemed to stock all the major brands and sizes and prices were very much in line with other shops around town.

The staff (I believe he was an owner) was very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. He was happy to show me the old perfecto press he had on display and suggested I try one of his best sellers, the Kristoff Criollo, which I gladly bought (and will be reviewing at a later date).

There is a lounge in the back room for customers only which features a cafe-like atmosphere (it IS Westport, after all), one or more TVs and perhaps WiFi internet access. Nice.

Stop in and check 'em out next time you're in Westport!

The long and short of it . .

2009-04-08T15:26:00.000-07:00

Here's a quickie review of the Cuesta-Rey Centro Fino No.60 (Robusto).

This cigar came highly recommended by the guy at Diebel's as a flavorful, medium bodied smoke with a good bit of spice, just what I was looking for. Construction was good; well packed tobacco inside a slightly oily sungrown wrapper. It had an easy draw and a sweet pre-light taste. Once lit, it put out CLOUDS of fragrant, mildly spicy smoke but the flavors were leathery and a touch bitter, not spicy as the aroma might indicate. The flavors and aroma stayed the same throughout the 2 hours smoke time. The burn was near perfect.

I'm not a fan of the leathery flavor profile, so this one is not for me. Now if anybody else would like to try one I'd be happy to partake in the second-hand smoke!

Rocky Patel 2008 Autumn Collection Robusto

2009-04-07T18:51:00.000-07:00

The Rocky Patel 2008 Autumn Collection is a limited edition and will only be available until its short production run is sold out.

Contents: Honduran and Dominican fillers
Wrapper: Connecticut shade
Size: Robusto 5 x 52
Purchased From: Outlaw Cigar Co.
Price: $7.75
Smoke Time: 1.5 hours

Pre-light
The wrapper was thin, delicate, and a little veiny with a couple of dark spots. I noticed an unusual double-cap on the head, likely due to the fine, thin wrapper. The filler was well packed and uniform. The cold draw was a bit tight and offered little in terms of initial flavors.

First Third
A little hard to light at first, took a couple of tries, but then burned well. Smooth, but spicy and peppery to start, it quickly mellowed, loosing almost all the pepper leaving only a hint of spice. The aroma was almost "Swisher" sweet with hints of cloves most prominent when blown through the sinuses. The burn was a bit uneven but required no correction. So far a very pleasant, creamy, medium-bodied smoke.

Second Third
The uneven burn self-corrected and the flavors progressed into a very nice coffee/mocca profile. The sweet/clove aroma persisted. Towards the end of this third the cigar began to die out, requiring a re-light. Bitter ammonia flavors began to come forward. Could have been a plug of leaf-vein which needed to burn through.

Final Third
The thin wrapper began to split from heat expansion and the burn problems and bitter taste continued. Every once in a while I'd get a hint of the cigar's former glory, but the end had come. And come too soon.

Conclusion
A tasty and complex cigar I would have preferred to enjoy longer. Maybe it was just a bad stick, but the chances of finding another are pretty slim. This is the fifth RP cigar I've smoked and even though they were all different products, I've never been able to happily take one to the nub. That said, however, the Rocky Patel 2008 Autumn Collection cigar is one I'd definitely recommend you try, if you can find one!

Comment, Review, List and Trade

2009-04-06T06:33:00.000-07:00

So, what have you tried lately and what did you think? What's in your humidor? Anything you'd like to trade? Any upcoming events? How about some smokes on your must-try list? Got links to reviews, or your own review?

Post it here.