Author Archive
Sunday Fiver – November 1, 2009
Since today is the end of Daylight Savings Time, and we all lost an hour of sleep, I thought I’d list my top 5 short smokes, so you can try and make up for that lost time.
Tatuaje Monster “The Drac”
It’s almost Halloween, and that means the second release of the Tatuaje Monster Series. Following last year’s release, The Frank, this year Pete Johnson has released The Drac. It’s a 6 3/4″ x 52 ring gauge torpedo with a Habano Maduro wrapper in a black, piano-finished coffin shaped box.
Poll: What Makes a Good Cigar Shop?
Everbody has a favorite brick and mortar cigar store. The big question is what makes it your favorite shop? Pick our your 3 top traits for a cigar shop, and vote in our poll.
Illusione ~mj12~
Way back in March I reviewed the thinnest cigar from Illusione, the lancero-sized ~hl~. Today I’m reviewing the newest and fattest cigar in the line, the mj12. It weighs in at 6 inches long and a 54 ring gauge. Besides its size, it’s silver foil wrapping sets it apart from the rest of the Illusione line.
I picked out a Stone Brewing Company Levitation Ale to go with it, and talk about Illusione creator Dion Giolito, what mj12 stands for, my favorite Illusione cigars, apprehension over turning 30 in a few weeks, and trying like hell to get you to enter our Fall Contest.
JFR Maduro
The JFR, or Just For Retailers, is a brick-and-mortar only cigar made by Tabacalera Tropical. The maduro version has a Habano maduro wrapper. It is supposed, but not confirmed, that the JFR was originally blended by Don Pepin Garcia when he worked for Tropical. It comes in boxes of 50, and is around $4-5 per stick.
I paired it with a Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout. Fair warning: I recorded this one right after the Redskins stunk up FedEx field against the Chiefs, so my language is a little coarser than usual.
Alec Bradley Tempus Creo
My review (delayed by me leaving my camera in my golf bag at my parents’) is of the highly regarded Alec Bradley Tempus Creo, a 7 1/2″ x 41 lancero. Like I mentioned, it was highly regarded, but not by me. I had smoked a few of these before, and thought it was an OK cigar. I thought I’d give it one more try, in the lancero size. So, did this last shot at the Tempus live up to the hype and good ratings? We’ll find out.
September Contest Winner
It’s time to announce the winner of our September contest, sponsored by Cheap Humidors. As a quick reminder, the winner receives a Gurkha Travel Kit.
FDA Requests Comments on Tobacco Regulation
Cigar Rights of America (CRA) sent out an email last week regarding the United States Food and Drug Administration’s request for comments from the public on the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. It is imperative that cigar and pipe smokers make their voices be heard, and not allow the vocal anti-smoking lobby prevent us from being able to make our own choices. Let your voice be heard.
New Ash: CAO La Traviata
Today I’m smoking the new La Traviata from CAO Cigars. I was lucky enough to win one of the many contests CAO’s Director of Lifestyle Marketing Jon Huber posts on his Twitter feed, and received La Traviata Hat and 2 of the cigars as well, which should be arriving at retailers very soon. All 3 vitolas priced at less than $6. I’m smoking the 5″ x 50 Divino.
100th Cigar Review Contest Winner
Last Monday I reviewed the CAO Escaparate Costa Rican Maduro, which is exclusive to Corona Cigar Company, to mark the 100th review here at Nice Tight Ash. In celebration, Corona Cigar generously agreed to donate a box of their Corona Nicaraguan 10th Anniversary cigars.