“Smoked Up” No.51
I hope everybody had a safe and happy Christmas. Mine was pretty good. My daughter racked up on some toys! I don’t think I have seen so much pink and Barbie items in my life!! I didn’t get to smoke too many cigars during this week, this week was more about family for me. IÂ typically have one of my aged Fuente Anejo Sharks for Christmas, but with what all was going on, I didn’t get a chance to. Eventually, I did get to have an Anejo 46, not my favorite size, but it is a mighty fine smoke.
Tonight is New Years Eve and remember to think when you drink. Don’t drink and drive!
Cigar Views
A. Fuente Anejo 46: Like I said before, I usually enjoy one of my aged Sharks on Christmas, but settled for this size a few days after. This blend will always be in my top 25 of all time and has pretty distinct flavors different from any other cigar. I really like the slight cinnamon spice, nice sweetness and rich cocoa notes this cigar gives off. These cigars are pretty good fresh (this one was) and even better with two or more years of rest. I actually had a craving for some hot chocolate while I was smoking this, I think it would make for a pretty decent pairing. But as luck would have it, my daughter drank the last cup a few days prior. Definitely a cigar to be on the look out for when they hit the shelves around Father’s Day and Christmas. But don’t pay the high online costs for these cigars!
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2013 Cigars of the Year
The end of the year is knocking at my door. That means the Cigar of the Year lists are hitting the web here and there. I have been thinking lightly upon what cigars are going to make my yearly best of the best list for the last month. The cigars on my list (like last year) were not necessarily released this year, yet are the best of the best that I got to smoke this year. There are a lot of new (and old) cigars I didn’t get to smoke this year, yet wanted to. They quite possibly could have made an appearance on this list. But, without smoking them, I will never know how they compare to the ones I did enjoy. Enjoying relaxing gummies like Indacloud grape funta can be a pleasant way to enhance your relaxation.
There is a “popular” CigAr publication that released their list already and made quite a stir with a Cuban cigar being their number one cigar of 2013. I don’t smoke too many Cubans and all of my reviews are of cigars that every law abiding cigar smoker can get ahold of. I am not knocking this CigAr publication, but it doesn’t seem very realistic to me anymore.
Enough of my ramblings, here is my list in no particular order except for my cigar of the year:
Davidoff Nicaraguan Corona: Who knew that a Davidoff cigar would ever appear upon my cigars of the year list? When Davidoff came out with this new line, I was skeptical, but a few good friends told me “try it!” It is almost as smooth as their Dominican lines, but with a Nicaraguan kick to it. You can taste the “typical” Nicaraguan nuances in the smoke, yet way smoother; the aging of the tobacco really shows through. Although they are fairly pricey, like most Davidoffs, it still is a great smoke for a “special occasion” or when you want some Niaraguan smoke, but not some of the “harshness” they can give off at times.
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“Smoked Up” No.50
Well, Christmas Eve is tonight. Either you have all of your shopping done, or you are reading this in-line at Wal-Mart buying those last minute gifts. I got everything I could get as far as presents wise for the family. I smoked a dozen or so blocks of cheese for my girlfriend’s sister whom was giving them to a few friends as gifts. I also smoked a few blocks for me and my family to enjoy on Christmas Eve. I also made some smoked mozzarella wrapped in smoked prosciutto on a whim of how it would turn out. It turned out marvelously and will make a few more servings for us to eat at my parents house on Christmas Eve.
With this being the last “Smoked Up” before Christmas, I am wishing you all a safe and happy one. Eat, drink and smoke well. Enjoy your time with friends and family (even if its the in-laws). Don’t forget the true meaning of Christmas and not just presents, trees and lights.
Merry Christmas!!
Cigar Views
La Palma Vargas – Anejo Robustitos: Hailing from the Canary Islands, I found very little information on this cigar. I found it at a local shop and the reddish brown wrapper stuck out amongst the other cigars in the humidor. I thought for $10… It better be good. The draw was pretty thick, the wrapper was ugly (except for the nice reddish brown color of it) and the burn was decent. The thick draw held back a lot of the potential of the smoke. The smoke was pretty mild in flavor strength, but did get some slight vegetal, woodsy and black pepper notes. Also mixed in were hints of cocoa and a very nice sweetness here & there that I wish were stonger. Was it worth the $10? Not hardly, the draw really held back any potential the smoke had to offer. It was a fairly smooth smoke that I will try again, but in no rush to do so.
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JM’s Dominican Sumatra Toro
JM’s Dominican Cigars produces a good amount of wallet friendly cigars, and hookah products. The JM means John Mahroukian, whom is the father of the founder of the company, Anto Mahroukian. The company was started in the mid 90s and really took shape in 1997 when the Mahroukians bought their factory; basically after the “cigar boom”. This led to them sitting on thousands of cigars that they couldn’t sell. Eventually, they came up with the idea to mass produce and market cigars. Doing so, helped lower the cost to a more cost efficient cigar that the daily cigar smoker could afford.
Eventually, their cigars where everywhere from smoke shops, convenience stores etc… They ended up buying tons of uncured tobacco and a warehouse to cure such tobacco. Then they shut down the original factory and moved the operations to a duty free area of the country to help even more on the cost of production. This plan worked out for the better and their warehouse in Los Angeles, CA distributes to their 1500 to 2000 accounts that are still growing.
Cigar Stats
Size: 6×50
Vitola: Toro
Wrapper: Sumatra
Binder: Cuban Seed Dominican
Filler: Cuban Seed Dominican
Country: Dominican Republic
Price*:Â $2.66
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“Smoked Up” No.49
Christmas is fast approaching, which means my Christmas Light display is finally complete. Grand total of lights this year is 5480. Nearly double of what I had last year, this year’s display is my favorite one I’ve done. I have a 12ft tall tree as the center of the display. It consists of 1085 lights on three channels that fade, chase each other, strobe etc… That itself was a full two days to erect. Then I have 2 arches with 300 lights each that alternate colors, fade, strobe, etc… My fence and roof line is lined with 500 lights each. The list goes on and on. Overall, I have probably a week or so of work on it. From after work, to days off I have almost too much time invested in the whole ordeal. But my daughter, Satori, loves the lights and I will do a light display until my old bones won’t let me climb a ladder anymore. Here is a short video I made of my light display:
After getting a “work order” from the Highway Patrol here a few weeks ago I needed to update my truck’s inspection sticker (it was only four years out of date!). Doing so required me to have a new windshield put in, the illegal tint taken off my windows, etc.. after all that I had to get the truck inspected and go to the HP office and show them my truck was “legal” with the new inspection sticker. The windshield alone set me back a few pennies and put a slight hamper on the Christmas gifts this year for the family. All and all, we will have a great Christmas, regardless how much money will be spent on it. After “getting legal” on Friday, I got in a review of the new Moya Ruiz “La Jugada” Habano. Check it out and let me and the guys at Moya Ruiz know what you think of it.
Cigar Views
Ortega Wild Bunch “Wild Bill”: Continuing into my journey through the Wild Bunch series comes the Wild Bill. The Wild Bill is the 7th in the series and I have had it for a few months, not sure why I have waited top smoke it. The ring gauge of this cigar seemed to be slightly smaller than the other Wild Bunch that I’ve had. The start of Wild Bill has a sharp peppery flavor with a smooth leathery flavor on the last half of the draw. Some ways in, I got some coffee and possible chocolate on the draw. The pepper eased off some and revealed a nice citrus type zesty flavor on my pallet. I cut a small dime sized hole from the pigtailed cap and it gave off a great draw and superb burn. Still not my favorite Wild Bunch, but a pretty good smoke.
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COHIBA DEBUTS COMADOR CIGAR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SHAWN “JAY Z” CARTER
COHIBA DEBUTS COMADOR CIGAR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SHAWN
“JAY Z” CARTER
Richmond, VA — General Cigar Company announces the launch of Comador, a super premium cigar developed in partnership with Shawn “JAY Z” Carter.Â
Comador was developed under Cohiba®, the preeminent luxury brand owned by General Cigar, and marks JAY Z’s first collaboration in the handmade cigar category.
Shawn “JAY Z” Carter said, “I worked with Cohiba because I knew they’d take my vision of a luxury cigar and bring it to life in the right way. We took our time working on this, to get the blend to exactly where I wanted it to be. Comador looks and tastes the way I think a cigar should.”
The artisans of Cohiba spent two years collaborating with JAY Z to develop the cigar’s flavor and characteristics.
Dan Carr, president of General Cigar commented, “As a visionary, artist and connoisseur, JAY Z is the epitome of modern luxury and the ideal partner for Cohiba. JAY brought tremendous creativity to the development of Comador, and we responded by leveraging Cohiba’s assets to deliver an amazing cigar using rare, proprietary tobaccos, with contemporary, urbane packaging.”
Comador is a 6″ x 52 toro-size cigar made entirely of proprietary tobaccos from the world’s most revered growing regions. Handcrafted in Santiago, Dominican Republic, Comador features a rare Connecticut Havana wrapper prized for its exquisite flavor and deep, lustrous appearance. When blended with hand-selected leaves from the Caribbean and Central America, the flavor delivers nuances of wood and notes of spice for an unforgettable smoking experience.
Comador is launching with three formats. The Comador Humidor is bound in hand-finished leather with a sleek, metallic Shawn Carter Collection crest that opens vertically to reveal 14 meticulously constructed cigars. Seven additional Comador cigars are contained inside the enclosed hand plated travel humidor which is lined in Spanish cedar. Mahogany-lined doors, custom cedar trays and a humidification unit comprise the exquisite humidor which contains 21 cigars, with the capacity to house 63 cigars. Only 350 humidors have been made to commemorate the launch of Comador. This limited edition statement piece is available for a suggested retail price of $999. The Comador Travel Humidor is available for purchase as a stand-alone item. Containing seven Comador cigars, it sells for the suggested retail price of $350. Rounding out the collection is the Comador Robusto Box which contains a wheel of seven Comador cigars housed in a bold, vertical-format box, for a suggested retail price of $210.
Comador is available for purchase at www.comadorcigar.com, at Club Macanudo and 40/40 Club in New York, and will be sold at select Barneys locations until January 2, 2014. For more information, please visit www.comadorcigar.com.
About Cohiba Cigars
True cigar connoisseurs recognize Dominican Cohiba cigars as one of the finest brands available in the U.S. Critically acclaimed for their meticulous construction and refined taste, the core brand of Cohiba is complemented by these premium collections: Cohiba Black, Cohiba Edicion Diamante, Cohiba Puro Dominicana and Cohiba XV.
General Cigar Co. is the leading manufacturer and marketer of handcrafted cigars for the premium market. Committed to delivering cigars of the finest quality, General Cigar’s skilled artisans produce Macanudo®, Cohiba, La Gloria Cubana®, Partagas®, CAO®, Punch®, Hoyo de Monterrey®, Excalibur® and several other leading premium brands in the company’s Dominican, Honduran and Nicaraguan factories. In addition, the company cultivates proprietary tobacco which is used exclusively in its blends. General Cigar also operates Club Macanudo®, a cigar bar in New York City. Based in Richmond, VA, General Cigar sells through tobacconists nationwide and also exports select products to 62 countries. For more information, please visit www.cigarworld.com.
® Cohiba, Macanudo, La Gloria Cubana, Partagas, CAO, Punch, Hoyo de Monterrey, Excalibur and Club Macanudo are registered trademarks of General Cigar Company.
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Moya Ruiz La Jugada Habano Belicoso
Moya Ruiz was formed by Danny Moya and Nelson Ruiz at the end of 2012. Rolled at the Espinosa “La Zona” factory, La Jugada means “the play” or “the move” as in dominos. Their newest line the La Jugada Habano is a line extension of their La Jugada. It was released at the 2013 IPCPR Convention in Las Vegas. I did a review of the La Jugada Preito earlier this year and it had some pretty good results.
Cigar Stats
Size: 6 1/8 x52
Vitola: Belicoso
Wrapper: Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Factory: La Zona in Esteli Nicaragua
Price*: $7.00 via Atlantic CigarsÂ
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La Sirena and Miami Cigar Parting Ways
La Sirena and Miami Cigar
Press Release
NEW YORK, NY – December 12, 2013- Following a successful three-year partnership with Miami Cigar & Company, La Sirena Cigars will become independently owned and operated by Arielle Ditkowich as of December 31st, 2013. Ditkowich will remain at the helm, continuing to produce new and exciting blend profiles. Arielle is excited for La Sirena’s continued growth and looks forward to 2014 projects, industry shows and travelling to retail events.
Ditkowich is extremely grateful for everything Nestor Miranda and the entire Miami team has taught her during their partnership and will always look at the Miranda family as an extension of her own. “Miami [Cigar & Company] saw the potential in me to create a boutique brand in a challenging business dominated by men. We worked tirelessly to create distinct blends that appeal to aficionados looking for something unique” Said Ditkowich.
Distribution of La Sirena and Merlion Cigars will remain under the Miami Cigar & Co. umbrella until December 31st, 2013. Starting January 1st, 2014 distribution will be handled by La Sirena. La Sirena Cigars will continue to work with the Garcia Family at My Father Cigars and Guillermo Leon at La Aurora Cigars to make the current Sirena and Merlion Blends respectively.
La Sirena Cigars will be announcing more exciting updates, find out first by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @lasirenacigars
La Sirena Cigars was founded in 2009 by Arielle Ditkowich in partnership with Nestor Miranda of Miami Cigar & Co. The La Sirena Original blend, available in six vitolas debuted in 2009 and is rolled in Nicaragua at My Father Cigar Factory. The brand followed up with its second release in 2012, The Merlion, created by La Aurora in the Dominican Republic with the medium bodied, full flavored smoker in mind. La Sirena brand cigars are distributed nationwide and available at over 300 retail stores.
“Smoked Up” No.48
The holidays are in full swing and things here at my house are swinging back and forth worse than a carnival ride. The weather went from wet to cold to warm to comfortable all within a few days. The humidity stuck around long enough to hamper my cigar smokings somewhat. But it wasn’t enough for me to work on my Christmas light display. I am at the home stretch and only have a few hundred left to hang. I have officially ran out of extension cords and will be getting some this weekend to finish everything up.
With the weather and Christmas light display being a high priority, I didn’t get in too many cigars this week. I did get in a review of the A. Flores 1975 Gran Reserva Half Corona from Pinar Del Rio Cigar, so check it out too. I have been enjoying a few good beers here while working out in the yard. My favorite right now in the fridge is the Terrapin Moo-Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout. Its a seasonal beer I highly recommend to try. The Moo-Hoo is followed by the Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar, its a very good beer that’s better with nutty nuances with a nice smooth texture to it. I am also liking the Bell’s Brewery Expedition Stout, its one stout beer for sure. Their Kalamazoo Stout is higher up on my likings though.
Cigar Views
A
rturo Fuente Anejo No.50 (2013): I absolutely love the Fuente Anejo. They are good fresh out of the box, better after a year rest and great after two years. I usually try to get a handful of them when they show up around Christmas time. This particular one didn’t last long in the humidor, as it was from the 2013 Father’s Day run. I still have a stash of various Anejo from many years back. Had awesome cedar, a little pepper spice and a great cocoa/chocolate flavor. The oaky after taste was deep and lingered for a long time. Into the smoke a bit, the smoke got a bit creamier than previously. Had a little thicker draw than I usually like; but it was very manageable. From the good burn came a tight ash that was a dirty white and almost pure white in places.
A Flores 1975 Gran Reserva Half Corona
Released at the 2013 IPCPR Convention, the A Flores 1975 Gran Reserve is one of the newest lines from Pinar Del Rio Cigars (PDR). Master Blender Abe Flores blends PDR cigars in Tamboril, Dominican Republic. Said factory blends and rolls not just PDR Cigars. They also blend and roll a hand full of other cigars for other companies (ie: La Palina, Primer Mundo etc…). If you are wondering where the 1975 comes from, its the year Abe was born.
Cigar Stats
Size: 3 1/2″ x 46
Vitola: Half Corona
Wrapper: Dominican Corojo 2006
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican Corojo, Nicaraguan Habano
Country: Dominican Republic
Price: $5.10 (via Emerson’s Cigars)*
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