Author Archives: Craig Vanderslice

by | September 22, 2024 · 9:28 am

New Big Payback and CAO Cigars, a Jaime Garcia and a Vegas Cubanas

This week I smoked some cigars I received from General Cigars and Forged, along with a couple cigars I picked up locally that I hadn’t smoked before.  I couple of them were obnoxiously large!  First off was the Room 101 Big Payback 70s Maduro.  I rather enjoyed the Olancho San Augustin (which they are now referring to as Sumatra, I never made that connection!) wrapped version that came out last year, despite its size.  This one has a US Broadleaf wrapper (Connecticut? Massachusetts?  Pennsylvania? My guess is the PA) over a Nicaraguan binder with fillers from the DR and Honduras, and it’s made at their factory in Honduras. I smoked this cigar for about two and a half hours and it burned well and had a pleasing flavor.  It’s pretty much what one would expect, although the excessive ring gauge makes it fairly mild. It has earthy cocoa and some sweetness.  Very nice cigar if you have a long time to do something like chat with friends or watch a game or a movie, as it doesn’t necessarily demand your attention. It has a $9 MSRP so it’s a good value.

 

I smoked a couple of the new CAO Arcana Thunder Smoke this week.  After the Arcana Firewalker debacle, I was a tad concerned.  This is an interesting blend, it has the Olancho San Augustin wrapper, a San Andrés binder and fillers from Africa: Zimbabwe, South Africa and Cameroon.  I watched the final episode of The Grand Tour on Prime yesterday, and it just made sense to smoke a cigar with tobacco from Zimbabwe. I watched this on the recommendation of Nick from The Cigar Pulpit podcast, and a great recommendation it was. I’ve been a big fan of Top Gear, The Grand Tour, and many of the presenters offshoot shows for many years. This cigar, third in the Arcana series, the first was the Mortal Coil, followed by the abysmal Firewalker, then this one.  This was a really enjoyable cigar for me. It’s got a unique Mesquite flavor going on, something rather different and pleasing.  The band is oversized, but that’s about the only bad thing I can say about it!  I enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed the Mortal Coil, which I liked a great deal. 

 

I realized that My Father cigars were severely underrepresented on my site, and in my rotation, so I decided to branch out and pick something I haven’t tried before up every now and then.  I grabbed a Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Super Gordo a week or so ago at a local shop.  The Super Gordo is 5¾” x 66, in a torpedo format so the excessive girth isn’t quite so unwieldy.  This does come in a 7″ x 70, which they didn’t have, nor would I have bought.  It has a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, an Ecuador binder and fillers from the Garcia farms in Nicaragua. Now that I remember, I smoked one of these last May in the Toro size and, although I had a cold, recall enjoying it. These are reasonably priced, hovering around $10 depending on the size. This Super Gordo might have been around $11.  This was an exceptional cigar, I really liked it.  It started out spicy, and the strength built up as it smoked, to a pretty full bodied cigar near the end. It had the sweet coffee/cocoa that I like in a Broadleaf wrapper. This was excellent. I want more.

 

Finally, I spied the Don Pepin Garcia Vegas Cubanas on the shelf, the green band is ey-catching.  This is another line that has been around a while, but has eluded my attention. This is another reasonably priced cigar, I think the Generosos (6″ x 50) was under $9.  Funny, ten years ago buying an $9 cigar to me was like buying a +$15 cigar today, it was very hard for me to justify!  This cigar has a nice looking Habano Rosado wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and fillers. This is one I’ll pass on revisiting, I’m afraid.  It was nice enough, although it had a floral component that didn’t really do it for me.  Maybe it would be better in the morning, although floral isn’t ever really in my wheelhouse. I tolerate it, but it’s not a preference. If you enjoy floral cigar, this is for you!  Next time I’ll pick up some other cigars in the Don Pepin line, I haven’t had any of them in a while.

 

That’s all for today, until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

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by | September 15, 2024 · 9:44 am

Brick House TAA, Tatuaje PCA and Villiger TAA Cigars

I stopped by my local Tobacconist Association of America retailer recent;y and picked up a few cigars I hadn’t tried yet. I got a couple TAA Exclusives and a PCA (Premium Cigar Association) exclusive. These are cigars that are only available to members of the respective associations, in the case of the TAA, the members have an annual meeting (usually at a tropical resort ironically outside of the US (technically they are still in “the Americas”).  Selected manufacturers make exclusive cigars, some good, some not so much.  I think I selected a couple of the better ones.  I started with the Brick House Ciento por Ciento, which translates to 100 percent, and I’m not sure what the significance of this name is without doing more research than I feel like doing.  I grabbed this one for three reasons: I typically like Brick House cigars, I hadn’t smoked this one, and it’s almost Bricktoberfest (starts tomorrow, my daughter’s birthday!).  I don’t know how long these had been on the retailers shelf, but when I removed the band it had tan lines!  The front face of the cigar wrapper leaf was faded, which is odd because the humidor at this shop has no sun exposure.  Perhaps they moved them from another store, I don’ t know. It was only one side, kinda like my tan. Anyway, this didn’t seem to have any effect.  This is a 6¼” x 54 Toro made in J.C. Newman’s PENSA factory in Esteli, and is a Nicaraguan Puro. The wrapper is from Jalapa and seems a bit lighter than the standard Brickhouse.  It has a overall woody profile with a hint of citrus here and there.  Good cigar and well priced, as a Brick House should be. 

 

Next up was the Tatuaje PCA 2023, which came out in early 2024, of course.  Tatuaje has probably been the best at making TAA Exclusives, and is a very big supporter of the PCA, which is a much larger organization.  The point of offering this Exclusive is to get  member retailers, and any retailer who isn’t a member is a fool, in my opinion, to physically come to the annual trade show to buy. This PCA exclusive is a  6 3/8″ x 54 Toro, made at the My Father factory in Esteli, and has an Ecuador Sumatra wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and fillers.  This was a delicious cigar with. sweet exotic spices throughout. I thoroughly enjoyed smoking this, which isn’t unusual considering I enjoy most Tatuaje cigars I smoke.  I may swing back and grab a couple more, although they are on the top end of what I consider well priced, around $15 I think.  Great tasting cigar!

 

I’ve smoked a couple of the Villiger TAA Exclusives, however this one has eluded my notice.  Villiger, like they do with a lot of their brands, uses a variety of factories.  This was their second year making a TAA Exclusive, and they used the Tabacalera Palma factory in the DR.  Their Trill brand was made there, which I don’t think is in their portfolio any longer.  Like the Brick House, this cigar also had tan lines.  I guess they are the opposite of tan lines really, there was some fading on the top face of the wrapper.  This was a 6″ x 54 toro with an Ecuador Habano wrapper and Dominican binder and fillers.  I’m generally a fan of Villiger cigars, there’s some I like better than others, but they make good cigars.  This had a sweet wood profile, not my favorite, but pleasant enough.  The cigar burned well and I think it was unter $10, not too bad.  As I think about it (read: looked back on my own site), I have smoked the 2020 (E.P. Carrillo) and the 2022 (Espinosa), and I think the 2022 was my favorite. I guess I need to see if I can find the ’23 and ’24 versions if they exist!.

 

As I write this, I’m enjoying a cigar on my porch. I hate that it will be too chilly soon to do this.  I found a Leccia Desnudo in the humidor and, while it isn’t my usual choice for a morning cigar, it’s got a few year age and is a nice, mellow maduro cigar, great with coffee. When these came out back in 2016 we hosted a Desnudo Sunday and did a video, which is here.  Everyone remained clothed.  That’s all for today, until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

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by | September 8, 2024 · 9:56 am

Don Doroteo and Southern Draw Rose of Sharon Cigars

I planned poorly this week.  I put a cigar into the rotation that I thought was new to me, until I smoked it and double checked and I had smoked it back in 2022.  I really like the H.Upmann by A.J. Fernandez line, and the Heritage is on the strong side, but very good.  I would say more, but I already wrote about it in an April, 2022 post (here). So that left me short for today’s post.  I need to go shop for some new to me cigars (not a mooch)!  Anyway, I was pleased to receive some cigars from the folks at Don Doroteo Cigars to try, the Don Doroteo El Alcalde torpedo, with an Ecuador Sumatra binder and wrapper, and fillers from Brazil and Dominican Republic, where the cigar was made.  These boast 15 year aged tobaccos, hard to believe from a fairly new company, you say?  Considering they work with La Aurora, one of the oldest cigar factories, this becomes more plausible.  If I remember correctly, the namesake of this cigar, Doroteo Delgado grew tobacco for the La Aurora company for many years, so there’s a connection. I think you have to like Sumatra tobacco to like this cigar.  It starts out with a sour citrus flavor to my palate, with some cinnamon notes in the second half. This is a very entertaining cigar, flavorwise, and the burn and draw were outstanding, as they should be in a $30 cigar. I’m hit or miss with cigars from this factory, but this one kept my interest. Thank you to Gabriel Piñeres for sending these along!

 

There’s an animated series called ” “Sammy’s Smokes” in production which is looking for voice actors.  Applications can be submitted here. Here’s the description from the site: “Seeking talented voice-over actors for an upcoming animated series, “Sammy’s Smokes,” which brings to life the quirky world of a smoke shop and its colorful employees and patrons. Set in the bustling city, this series combines humor, heart, and a slice of life, with each episode exploring the dynamics between the characters and their adventures within the community. We aim to capture a wide audience with our unique, engaging stories and vivid, dynamic animation style.”  I wish I had the credentials to apply, I don’t think I fit any of the profiles they are looking for. I’m looking forward to seeing this.

 

It’s been a while since I’ve featured a Casa de Montecristo exclusive, probably before it was a national chain.  I received a surprise package from Casa de Montecristo with a Southern Draw Rose of Sharon Dozen Roses.  This is a CdM exclusive, and is a Salomon measuring 7 1/8″ x 58, a formidable size cigar.  This has an Ecuador Connecticut shade wrapper over Nicaraguan fillers and binder, with some Dominican in the blend as well. It’s made at the A.J.Fernandez factory, like all of the Southern Draw line.  I’ve smoked a bunch of this size cigars from this factory, and they really know what they’re doing, I touched the nipple foot of the cigar with a torch and it burned and drew perfectly, and ended up with an even burn once it got going. This isn’t a mild Connecticut, like most of the Rose of Sharon line, it’s got some body and loads of flavor.  It has some baking spices and creaminess, with some leather.  It was really quite good, and I enjoyed it for nearly two hours.  Thank you Joe Gro for sending them!  These are available at Casa de Montecristo locations as well as on their website (link is an affiliate link). 

 

That’s all I have for today, until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

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by | September 1, 2024 · 9:25 am

A Djeep Lighter, New La Gloria Cubana, Punch and Los Statos Deluxe Cigars

Welcome to the “last weekend  of summer”.  My birthday and Labor Day always get me down as they indicate the coming of cooler, and eventually cold, weather, which I dislike.  I like summer.  I like stepping outside in the morning and feeling warm.  I like not having to bundle up.  I know some people like autumn, but it just depresses me.  I’m already looking forward to spring! Anyway, I was going through the checkout line at Walmart this week and my eye usually looks at the selection of lighters, and I saw something I hadn’t seen before, a Djeep Turbo Lighter.  I figured for $5 it was worth a try. I broke a couple torches lately, although I still have plenty, but one more won’t hurt.  It comes full of butane, ready to go, and really works well. It brings to mind the classic Blazer PB207, as it has a cap secured with a chain. It, thankfully, doesn’t have a switch to lock the flame on, which I always thought was a liability. The flame is adjustable and it’s refillable. I’ll use the heck out of it and see how it holds up, but initially I’m impressed.  Djeep is a good name in lighters, the soft flame disposable has always done well, I think I had one Macanudo branded many years ago.  There are probably cheaper torches that work just fine, but this is a brand name and is easily accessible. The link is to Amazon where they sell a six pack and is an affiliate link. If twenty of you buy these it might pay for the one I bought! 

 

I received some new releases from Forged Cigars and General cigars a couple weeks back, and was disappointed to receive the press release, but not the cigars,  for a new La Gloria Cubana, a long time favorite brand.  Fortunately, my friend Phil of Comedy-Cigars-Music shared a couple of his with me.  The La Gloria Cubana Gran Legado is a large figurado, 7¾” x 62, with a Connecticut Broadleaf maduro wrapper over Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers.  Each cigar has a secondary band with a signature of one of the team who created it, and they only use rollers with 15 or more years of experience.  I had a busy week at the day job, and was ready to sit down and relax with a cigar Friday, and I chose this large cigar to do it with.  This was a really good smoke.  I’ve had some issues with some of the La Gloria releases lately, but this ain’t one of them.  It’s huge, so it smoked for about two and a half hours, and had some nice cocoa flavors with some spice through the nose.  Mid way through there was some interesting savory flavors, a cigar this large needs some transitions to keep it interesting.  I really enjoyed this cigar, I think it’s very fairly priced at $15, and I really appreciate Phil sharing his with me.  

 

Next up from Forged was the latest Matt Booth/Justin Andrews colab in the Los Statos Deluxe line, the Connecticut. I’ll be honest, I thought the other “LSD” offerings were OK, but I really like this one, and it’s really hard to get me excited about shade wrapped cigars.  This one has an Ecuador Connecticut wrapper, Esteli, Jalapa, Nicaraguan Habano, and PA Broadleaf fillers, and, get this, it’s made at the Joya de Nicaragua factory!  No wonder I liked it.  Before I read where it was made, I was thinking that this was a really good budget alternative to a Sobremesa Brulee, and now I know why!  This is on a par with the Antaño CT and the Brulee as far as I’m concerned. I’ve smoked a couple of these and really enjoyed them, it’s a smooth, creamy cigar, with some cane sugar sweetness and an appropriate amount of spice.  I need to find some of the other sizes, the Churchill especially.  Look for the purple packaging, because you can’t see the wrapper to know what you’re getting!

 

Moving from the Forged division of STG to the General Cigar Co. side,  I smoked the new Punch Golden Era in Lancero.  Nearly a year ago I wrote about the robusto in this collaboration with Julio and Justo Eiroa of JRE Cigars.  I remember getting the Golden Era along with the Macanudo Vintage Maduro 2013 and being confused by the fact that the Macanudo was the stronger cigar. Like I mentioned last year, unlike the Punch Rare Corojo, this Golden Era actually has Corojo in the blend, Honduran Corojo wrapper with Honduran Corojo and Habano fillers.  This is a nice cigar with some bread and caramel notes.  The press release incorrectly states that this is the only Punch lancero, unless the 7″ x 37 Chop Suey doesn’t count because it was limited.  I think the lancero was better than the robusto, I planned to smoke one while writing this, but a persisting migraine made me scrap that idea. I’ll have one later.  

 

That’s all for today, until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

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by | August 25, 2024 · 9:51 am

A Cigar Adventure: a Visit to Up Down Cigars and a PCA Event in Chicago

I did something wild this week, for me at least.  I attended the Premium Cigar Association‘s Democratic National Convention event at Up Down Cigars in Chicago, IL.  I I made the whole trip within a 24 hour window.  Here’s how it went down:  I flew from Philly to O’Hare on Tuesday, arriving in Chicago around 1PM local time.  I walked about 22 miles from the gate to the train that would take me, eventually, to the Blue Line train into the city.  The “L” train stop was about 2 miles from the shop, so instead of trying to take a bus, I figured I had time to hoof it. Said bus passed me several times. Anyway, I got to Up Down Cigars around 3:30 for the 6:00 PCA event.  Rats, I’ll have to hang around a cigar shop for a couple hours.  The staff at this shop is quite knowledgeable and attentive, it’s not a large shop, cabinet humidors around the perimeter (actually fronts for the walk in behind it where the backstock is stored), with some cabinets here and there with accessories, pipes and humidors.  It’s rather cramped, by suburban store standards, but fairly typical for a city shop with a long history (The original owner, Diana Silvius, is a legend in the cigar business. Phil Ledbetter is the current owner, an instantly likable guy).  I perused the humidors looking for something to fill the time.  I was directed to a store exclusive, the Fausto 10/50.  

 

I’m going to pause here to talk about the cigar, the Fausto 10/50.  This was made for the 50th anniversary of the shop back in 2013, which was also Tatuaje Cigar‘s 10th anniversary.  This is a 6 3/8″ x 42 lonsdale, with an Ecuador Habano Maduro wrapper, and Nicaraguan binder and fillers, made at the My Father Factory in Esteli.  This is an exceptional cigar, I smoked two this week, one a the shop and one when I got home.  Smaller ring cigars need to be smoked slowly, this is one to be savored, first because over drawing it will make it burn hot and ruin it, second because it has some strength, and in the case of the one I smoked at the shop, I was pacing myself because it had already been a long day and I had a long night ahead of me.  It’s a heavy cigar with cocoa and some spice, an absolute bargain at $10.50, although with applicable Chicago taxes it was more like $13.75.  I really like the Fausto line, and this was a really good version. I bought 3, smoked two, have one left to savor at a future time!

 

Back to the trip.  Shortly after I arrived at the shop, Boston Jimmie of Stogie Press showed up and we hung out until the event at 6.  The PCA hosted events at both political conventions, I was unable to attend the one in Milwaukee for the RNC.  The event was held in the patio area behind the store, a maybe 30′ x 50′ tented area. Drew Estate was the cigar sponsor, so I had a Liga Privada No. 9 while there, although there were many choices available.  Ben Pearson, the area rep was there.  I finally met Josh Habursky who was recently appointed Executive Director after Scott Pearce left to head the Cigar Association of America. Scott was there as well and I had a chance to talk to him a bit.  I also got to hang out with my friend Luigi Lucente, the man behind the Cigar Medics Humidimeter, The Baller cigar cutter, and the Guillotina de Saka cigar cutter, among other

Photo Courtesy of Boston Jimmie

clever cigar accessories. I imagine there were somewhere around 100 people there.  It was a nice event with various hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer and liquor.  After the event Luigi dropped me at the train and I made my way back to O’Hare to await my 6am flight.  

 

They had issued something like 350 free tickets for this event with a waiting list of 200.  If everyone had showed up it would have been a disaster.  It occurs to me that they should have put a nominal fee on the tickets, which would incentivise people to attend if they really wanted to, and raise some money for the association.  I don’t know that any of the Democratic legislators who are key to the cigar industry fight against taxation and regulation were there, I have to think that holding it during the convention hours (and the convention center was 7 miles away, which might take 2 hours in Chicago traffic!) might have deterred their attendance.  It was a nice event, I’m glad I put myself through what I did to attend, but I can see how it could have been better.  I understand that the Milwaukee event was more elaborate, given the way many in the cigar industry lean politically, I can see where more might have gone into that one.  Anyway, good event, great people and a really nice shop. I discovered that walking through a deserted O’Hare was surreal, and I’m too old for pulling all nighters!

 

That’s all for today, until the next time, 

CigarCraig

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