I got that whole IPCPR thing off my chest last time, thanks to everyone who weighed in in the comments. I have one more little rant to get out of the way. This is something that’s been bothering me for a while, and, as a public service announcement, I’d like to present my views, and it will only piss off those who have an over inflated opinion of themselves! I listen to a lot of cigar podcasts and read a lot of blogs, as I’m sure you all do too. I am in no way shape or form a cigar expert, and no other cigar bloggers or podcasters are either! I constantly hear mis-information and, maybe worse, opinion related as fact. The experts are the people that work the fields and curing barns, blend and manufacture cigars. For instance, when someone states with authority regarding an Oliva cigar that they have “a gazillion farms in Central America”, they are wrong and don’t know that there is a difference between Oliva Cigar Co. and Oliva Tobacco Co.. I see and hear this sort of silliness all the time and it annoys me because I figure some readers/listeners are taking this as gospel. I would also contend that there are no Cuban Cigar experts in the US, we are like fish out of water when it comes to Havanas, they’ve been illegal to buy for 50 years. If you want a Cuban cigar expert, you will have to go outside of US borders. Talk to my friend Mitchell Orchant of C.Gars Ltd. in the UK, I would categorize him as an expert on all things Havana, and I’d be dissapointed if he didn’t argue that fact. Don’t believe everything you read or hear, unless it comes from Jose Blanco or someone of that ilk! Enough of my ranting, now you kids get the hell off my lawn!
Sunday was a really nice, late winter day. It’s the first day of Daylight Savings Time, which they should just leave as Standard time, in my opinion! I much prefer longer evenings to earlier mornings. Anyway, the day called for a large cigar and a long walk. I recently came into possession of some rather limited La Sirena Dubloons, I’ve been looking for an excuse to fire one up and this was it. Unlike the other sizes in the La Sirena line which have a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper (yum), this cigar has the same Habana Oscuro wrapper found on the La Sirena A (another I have in the humidor that I ‘m waiting for an appropriate time to smoke). The cigar is a beautiful 7¼” x 56 Salamone, or enormous perfecto, shaped cigar. This cigar smoked perfectly, and was loaded with dark, rich flavors. I smoked this for the better part of two hours and was left quite sated. If you run across this vitola, give it a shot, it’s a big ol’ tasty treat.
Monday I celebrated taking my evening walk in the daylight by smoking a Gurkha Seduction which has been tempting from the humidor since I received it as an IPCPR sample at the 2012 trade show. I’ve smoked plenty of the robustos and love them, this was my first in the toro size. This is a great tasting cigar, the Habano wrapper is just delicious. Gurkha’s really getting their stuff together, I think. I avoided them for a while just because their product offering was so large and confusing, but they are coming out with some really tasty cigars in this Seduction, the Ghost and the Cellar Reserve (the maduro LE especially). Somewhere around here I have a five fingered Gurkha tin case with five cigars in it. I’ll have to dig that out one of these days. It was a Groupon deal which made paying $10 per cigar seem like a good idea (it was a gift, which I’m very thankful for!) They seem to have tamed down the over the top marketing too. They have a huge and loyal following, just watch the next time I have a Gurkha contest.
Tuesday evening my wife an I had an event to go to so I only had a half hour or so to get my walk and cigar in. Fortunately, I had received a sample tin of the A. Flores Gran Reserva Half Coronas from PDR Cigars. I’ve enjoyed the Gran Reserva line in the past, so I was excited for an opportunity to smoke this little guy. This is a 3½” x 46 cedar wrapped cigar with a Dominican Corojo wrappper and Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers. It’s fortunate that I only had a short amount of time, or I would be tempted to chain smoke the entire tin of five of these decadent and diminutive beauties. These come in a pocket friendly tin (although not sealed, so take care not to visit too arid or swampy places). Good things sometimes do come in small packages (I’ve been telling this to my……oh, nevermind…..). Thank you to PDR Cigars for the samples.
That’s enough from me for today, until the next time,
CigarCraig
I’m really having a hard time finding a Gurkha I don’t like lately. The last couple years have really been an amazing time for Gurkha releases. (That includes everything that comes out under the East Indie label too).
I have picked up a few Gurkhas that I have enjoyed. Plan on grabbing one of the Cellar Reserves next time I hit the shot. Actually picked up a sampler of the Gurkha Viper which I enjoy on the golf course or when I come to work. I was fortunate enough to get two La Sirena in a Secret Santa exchange from Cigar Federation. I smoked one on Christmas morning and really enjoyed the various tastes and look forward to the second one. Keep up the great posts and giving me ideas of new things to try!
The Gurkha Cellar Reserve LE is one of my new favorites. A must try.
The Half Corona’s look like something that works for us that have a only a couple of minutes in between snow storms. Putting that one on the list.
Thanks for the review of the smaller stature PDR. Here in the Frozen Tundra, a small cigar is about all we have time for, right Commish?
Very pleased with your insight into experts other than Jose! And indeed Abraham Flores has.earned his expertise as embodied in so many off his unsung treats.