What better location than a Rocky Patel Lounge to try the latest from Rocky, the 15th Anniversary Cigar! I went to “Stogies” in Houston to give one a taste and see what it is all about.
The Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary cigar has an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and filler, and is made in his new factory in Nicaragua. It is beautifully constructed with a nice box press, and though for my first taste I had a slightly unexpected harshness in the beginning, it smoothed out quickly to a very pleasant medium body. There was a nice amount of smoke with a consistent and even burn, and I never had to fight or relight the cigar throughout the entire duration. Always a great sign!
After the first few puffs when the harshness went away, it was such a dramatic change it took me by surprise (almost like a different cigar). I am very curious to have one again and see if it has that same power in the beginning.
Hopeful the harsh factor was unique to my cigar, but beyond that there were plenty of earthy flavors with a nice caramel sweetness in the finish.
While at Santa Barbara Cigars in Houston, TX, I had the pleasure of tasting the just released La Verite, 2008 single farm vintage cigar, from Pete Johnson of Tatuaje Cigars. The inspiration of wine can be seen everywhere from the presentation of the box, the label and style of aging, and can be appreciated in the blend.
This is a single farm vintage cigar with all the tobacco coming from a single crop year in Esteli, Nicaragua. Once proper fermentation was completed, the tobacco was rolled into cigars and then set to age until their release. Though ready to be smoked upon purchase, this is a cigar that will be interesting to age. I think it is great to see this perspective of the wine world enter into cigars, and Pete Johnson has done a wonderful job in this creation.
One thing I really enjoyed was the aroma of this smoke. It was beautiful through the nose, intensifying the flavor without being overpowering. The entire smoke was consistently smooth. There was a bit of a dry finish but nothing harsh or unpleasant to me. Cedar was especially prominent at the beginning of the smoke, but more complexity with earth built in nicely as the smoke continued.
This is not a powerhouse, but a medium bodied smoke with some lovely characteristics. At $20 a stick it isn’t a daily smoke, but one for special occasions. As they are from a single crop and vintage, they are limited. I think this will be a nice addition to the Tatuaje line.
It has been a busy couple of weeks and I have found myself running from one event to another. It is during these times that I make the most of my breaks between appointments and relax as best I can to get the energy I need for the next. It keeps me focused and in control. Sometimes my breaks are long enough to sit and enjoy a nice long smoke, but others are short and much like a “coffee break”. With that in mind, I thought I would stop by Santa Barbara Cigars and pick up a Nestor Miranda Coffee Break cigar to enjoy while on the road to my next event!
I love this size of cigar, it has lots of great flavors and a rich body, but a length that meets my schedule and satisfies my palate. I’m smoking the Special Selection Oscuro here, which I find to be on the medium to full bodied side. There is a nice bit of spice, great leather and nutty notes, and earth which meets my mood.
It is interesting, I find, that the busier the week the more specific I get in my cravings as far as flavor and strength are concerned. It is very much mood related but when the time comes that I can relax and enjoy a cigar- I know *exactly* what I want. I even find myself craving my mild (and usually morning cigars) in the evening hours.
What cigars do you enjoy when you don’t have a lot of time, but are looking to indulge the palate and relax?
Sencillo is the latest cigar line from Keith Park of Prometheus cigar accessories, God of Fire, and Angelenos cigars. This is an “every day smoke” with a beautiful blend, balance, and welcoming price point. We can thank Christian Eiroa of Camacho for producing this great smoke!
Sencillo is blended with Habano de Jamastran tobacco for the wrapper, filler, and binder and Piloto Cubano tobacco in the filler, making this cigar a puro of tobaccos grown in Honduras. This is a medium to full bodied cigar with plenty of spicy notes as well as some leather and earth qualities. I found that the Short Churchill was a very nice medium bodied smoke with only slight subtle hints of spice and an overall smooth smoke. The robusto, as viewed below and in the video, definitely has its own characteristics. This was a robust smoke on the full bodied side with plenty of spice you can feel, but not so much that it is too much. This is a nice balance and a smoke I look forward to having again soon.
While at City Centre for an event with Kenny of Santa Barbara Cigars, I thought such a great occasion should have a cigar to match. And so in this video you can see my first reactions of the E.P. Carrillo “Short Run” cigar; a special treat from the Texas Cigar Festival.
I didn’t get the details about this cigar until after smoking and filming, so be sure to read below for all the information.
This is the Short Run, which is following the E.P. Carrillo Edicion Inagural and coming before the regular production line to be released this August. The idea in the “Short Run” is to release small batches, or “short runs”, of different and unique blends throughout the year.
The blend of the first Short Run edition is:
-Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatra
-Binder: Nicaragua
-Filler: Nicaragua, Dominican Republic
The first edition will come in 3 sizes and will only be 1,500 boxes (of 24) per size:
-Populares: 4 7/8 x 50; $6.25 retail
-Delirios: 5 7/8 x 52; $7.00 retail
-Dominantes: 6 1/4 x 60; $8.50 retail
This is the only Short Run edition planned for 2010, but we can look forward to seeing many more in 2011. In August, for IPCPR, the E.P. Carrillo regular production line will be introduced and ready for release in late August. There will be 6 sizes to start the line.
This information was given to me directly from Ernesto Perez-Carrillo III, so I take it with great accuracy! Thank you, Ernie.
The Queen B from Arturo Fuente is a great cigar with lots of earth and cedar notes that finish with a hint of sweetness. This particular one I am smoking has been resting in my humidor for a while now and I find to be very enjoyable.
This is one I frequent when at a cigar shop. I’ve noticed in some experiences there has been a slight pepper taste through the nose, but I must wonder if it comes from how long or little the cigar was resting as well as what I may have been pairing it with. In any case, it has never been an intense one but rather a slight taste that was quite nice. I think it still does well without it though.
There are many cigars I go to for pepper monsters, but this is a nice change of pace and a great smoke for the early afternoon hours. If your smoking multiple cigars a day, this one makes a great transition from morning to evening styles. I’ll have to play around with some pairing ideas as I think this could be a fun after dinner smoke as well.
I am quite fond of Fuente blends, and they are definitely classics. Many go over the moon for an Opus X but I must say the Anejo is a favorite for me. What about you? What are some of your go-to cigars or some of your favorites from Fuente?
While at one of Jeffery Stone’s Friday Finishers, I happened to discover a new blend Jeffrey has created with Camacho. The foot of the cigar has a band in celebration of his 30 year anniversary, and being curious as I am, I had to give it a taste!
Right away the first draw produces a nutty flavor and a medium body profile. There is a great amount of flavor in this cigar, and as the strength is a medium one it doesn’t overpower the flavor but rather compliments it nicely.
There is a lovely combination of nuts, espresso, and earth throughout the smoke that make it a delicious experience.
I think Jeffrey Stone and Camacho presented something great here, and at a very pleasing price I might add. This cigar was priced just under $7. Love it.
And so I ask you, what are some of your unexpected finds and favorite store or personal blends?
*Full Disclosure: Camacho is a sponsor of this site.
I want to thank Drew Estate and Johnny Brooke of TheWeeklyCigar.comBeerReviewDude.com for sending me cigars from the new Cabinetta Serie line of Joya De Nicaragua.
The Joya De Nicaragua Antano line has been known for its full body style, however in the new Cabinetta Serie line of Joya De Nicaragua we can expect a more mild to medium bodied style. Right away you will notice something else that is different about this cigar, and that is the “dos capas.”
There are two wrappers on this cigar: an Ecuadorian Shade wrapper covering the entire length of the cigar, and a Nicaraguan Criollo covering the head of the cigar. Thus we have two caps. The purpose of this technique is to give the cigar a profile that is smooth and creamy, yet still have some spice notes without being too strong or overpowering. The focus of this cigar is to be an enjoyable mild cigar that still brings in a lot of flavor and aroma.
This is my first tasting of this cigar, and it only just arrived, too. I have a couple resting in my humidor for a more in depth tasting at a later date, but I couldn’t resist giving this new smoke a whirl!
The overall strength of this cigar is definitely on the mild side, but has some medium bodied characteristics that build up towards the end of the smoke. It is very pleasant and light with ample amounts of smoke and a nice creamy taste. The spice is kept in balance nicely. At no point would I consider the spice to be strong, only pleasant. This is something I appreciate in milder cigars- the subtle notes to be found. Balance is key and when there is a silky or creamy smoke involved I really enjoy a milder style. A nice flavor must be present.
This is a cigar to have earlier in the day or earlier in your line of smokes. With mild cigars you want a welcoming palate to taste all the subtleties they have to offer. The Cabinetta Serie line looks like it will be coming in at a great price range as well. The toro I am smoking in this video I believe will be priced at $6.05 which is very nice for this style of smoke.
As I stated in the video, after noticing the time I had to leave for an event. I continued to smoke the remainder of my cigar during this event, but seeing as this was over a Scotch Tasting… needless to say after four or five my palate was compromised. I will say that I found it to remain very smooth and stay pretty consistent in the finish from just after the second half of the cigar. I will definitely be having this one again and will let you know more of my thoughts at that time.
The Family Blend from Alec Bradley is the latest addition to my go-to list of cigars. In the past I have often gone for the Tempus or Prensados from Alec Bradley, but the character of this very smooth and rich cigar with a medium body has taken over for me lately.
I’ve really been enjoying it with its woody and leathery notes, lingering sweet finish, and smooth creamy smoke. The price point is a great one, too.
I had the pleasure of attending an Alec Bradley event and finding out more behind the story of this cigar; be sure to discover it for yourself in the video interview posted below.
Thank you to Jason Poehler for introducing us to Alec Bradley and telling us the story behind the Family Blend.
PS: It turned out to be another fantastic event at Cigar Emporium! My record continues as my number was drawn again for a beautiful ash tray! You’ve got to go to their events if you are around; there is always great company, great cigars, and some prizes to be won.
