 Monday night, in celebration of re-stocking my Maria Mancini selection, I lit up a Magic Mountain that I’ve had in my humidor for quite a few years. It smoked great, tasted great, and was, over all, more than I expect from a $2.00 cigar! There is one more old one left that I may have to smoke back to back with a new one just for kicks. I’ve smoked many, many cigars in this line over the years and the flavor has been remarkably consistent, aged or new. I don’t know if this is good or bad, I just know that I like the cigars!
I’ve been wanting to smoke a Cain F, but I also wanted to smoke something that isn’t receiving a lot of buzz lately and the Cain seems to be talked about quite
I noticed that the Romeo y Julieta Habana Reserve deal is still out there at http://www.ryjhabanareserveoffer.com/promo0828.html. Nice cigars for $2 each delivered! I gotta think anytime you can get a cigar that’s smokable for $2-$3 it’s a deal, let alone a name brand premium. The RyJ is a nice cigar, and even if it’s not your cup of tea, it’s nice to have on hand to gift to someone. It’s a new month, so keep an eye out for this month’s contest coming soon. Also, remember you can subscribe to receive e-mails when this page is updated, and you can follow me on Twitter (@cigarcraig). Also, I’m working on a new front page for CigarCraig.com. Stay Tuned! Finally, here’s a short video that my wife and son put together for me a bit ago: httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYk3-5Hivfs Until the next cigar, Cigar Craig |
Category Archives: Review
Thursday Cigar Ramblings: Maria Mancini, CAO Italia, Montecristo – April 1, 2010
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Sancho Panza, Chateau Reals and Minor League Hockey – Sunday March 21, 2010
It’s finally spring in SE Pennsylvania, so that means CigarCraig gets a wicked head cold. I’ve been trying to keep it at bay, at least by trying to limit my 
cigar intake. I did feel obligated Friday night after hearing about the passing of Frank Llaneza, who probably can take some of the credit for the post-embargo, non-cuban cigars that we enjoy today. When you smoke a Hoyo de Monterrey, Punch, El Rey del Mundo, or more recent releases such as the Siglo or Frank Llaneza 1961, you have this gentleman to thank for it.  I was surprised to find that the only cigar I could find in my humidor who’s pedigree could be traced to Mr. Llaneza was a lone Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte Cordoba. I’ve really enjoyed the full body and flavor of these since buying a box several years ago, a delicious cigar that will be missed in my humidor, much like Frank Llanaza will be missed in the cigar industry.
Here’s a write up in Cigar Aficionado about Mr. Llaneza’s passing <click here>. Also , JR Cigars latest catalog includes a nice biography of him <click here>.
Saturday night I had the opportunity to attend a Reading Royals hockey game at the Sovereign Center in Reading PA. Minor league hockey is always a lot of fun to watch. The stars didn’t line up for me to get the cigar store visit in that I had wanted to. However, my old friend Jeff and I enjoyed some Chateau Real Magnum 46 Claros pre-game and some Chateau Real Gran Cru Perfecto Maduros post game. Both cigars fall on the milder side of medium to me, with the claro having that nuttiness usually associated with the Connecticut shade wrapper, and the maduro with the cocoa notes that go along with the beautiful, dark Mexican wrapper. The hockey game ended with a 4-0 win for the home team. After a feisty first period, I thought that the animosity between the teams would build and there would be some exciting altercations, but after the Royals built the 4-0 lead it seemed like the opposing team, the Johnstown Chiefs, kind of lost their fire. It was still an entertaining game, and we enjoyed some wonderful cigars.
After a few days of abusing myself (staying up late, smoking cigars when I really shouldn’t be, you know…) it’s time to focus on getting rid of this darned cold so I can fully enjoy cigars again (and sleep without coughing and getting up to blow my nose more import
antly). Lots of water and sun today, but I’m going to abstain from cigars until the funk in my sinuses subsides. Cigars and sinus infections don’t go well together.
Next Saturday, March 27, I am going to make a pilgrimage to JR Cigars
in Whippany, NJ to hang out for the afternoon and smoke a few cigars. If anyone is in the area please stop by and introduce yourself! I’ll be the guy smoking a cigar 🙂
Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter (@cigarcraig). I have it set to automatically tweet when I update the page. I’m working on e-mail subscriptions for those who like that ( I do, so I figure there may be others too). Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Until the next cigar,
CigarCraig
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Random Cigar Musings – Wednesday March 10, 2010
I’ve been on a maduro t
orpedo kick this week. After Saturday’s Diesel Unholy Cocktai
l, I followed it up on Sunday with a very nice CAO Brazilia Samba. The Samba is a 6¼ x 54 torpedo with a Brazilian wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and filler. I enjoyed this cigar quite a bit. It burned very evenly and was on the stronger side of medium bodied. Cocoa, coffee and some spiceyness were the dominant flavors, ones that I expect and enjoy in this line. I am pretty sure I got this one at the CAO party at the Palms in Las Vegas at the 2008 IPCPR show. They handed out a handful of CAO, Toraño, and Henri Wintermans cigars at the door and Lynyrd Skynyrd provided the entertainment. Quite a cool evening.
Last night I picked out a Toraño Exodus 1959 – 50 Years Torpedo. Slightly shorter than the Samba at 5½ x 52, it also sports a Brazilian wrapper and Nicaraguan filler, but with a Honduran binder. Similar in flavor to the CAO, but I found it milder. I was a little disappointed by this one, I expected stronger flavors. The construction was top notch of course. I’ve had good experiences with this line, too bad this one didn’t live up to my expectations. I picked this one up at Cigars International last fall when they had a Toraño event at the Superstore in Bethlehem. I have a couple Casa Toraño Maduro Lanceros for which I have high hopes.
After all the dark wrapped torps this week I decided I needed to c
hange it up a little tonight and grabbed a Camacho Corojo Candela Monarca. I 
know, I should have saved this for March 17th, it being the appropriate emerald green for St. Patrick’s Day. The cigars from this box have all been rather loosely rolled, giving them a very free draw. I found out some time ago that if I pierce the cap with a Cigar Spike, it makes for a perfect draw. These are a strong cigar, although the candela wrapper tempers the power that the Corojo line is famous for a little. These can still overwhelm if one isn’t careful. I find them a nice change of pace. I still have several from a box I purchased a few years ago from Rock’s Smoke Shop in East Stroudsburg, PA. so smoking one next week isn’t out of the question.
Don’t forget, only a couple day left to get your entries in for this month’s contest. Click here and leave a comment with your guess! Thanks once again to the fine folks at Drew Estate for providing outstanding prizes!
Until the next cigar,
CigarCraig
NUb, Hoyo de Tradicion Cigars and Contest Time! – Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Saturday’s cigar was a Nub Habano 460. The Nubs are interesting cigars. The creator, Sam Leccia, felt that a short, fat cigar took no time at all t
o develop flavors and burned for the same amount of time as longer, thinner cigars. I’ve enjoyed these cigars for the impeccable construction and uniqueness. The flavors in the Habano are OK to me, but I like the Cameroon wrapped version better. I have yet to try the Maduro and Con
necticut wrapped Nubs, but look forward to picking a few up some time. I also see on the Cain website (another Sam Leccia/Oliva creation) that they will be making a Cain F Nub, which sounds like something worth trying.
Monday’s cigar was a Hoyo de Tradicion Epicure, another well crafted cigar
that burned well and had a flavor that grew on me as the cigar progressed. This was a solid, medium bodied cigar with fairly lush and savory flavors with a fairly long finish. I’ve always enjoyed the Hoyo de Monterrey cigars (of which this is a line extension) especially the Excaliburs. It seems like Honduran cigars have taken a back seat to the Nicaraguan cigars lately, but there are still very nice cigars coming from Honduras.
Contest!
Click to enlarge
It’s March already and that means it’s contest time! This month’s prize is a really cool 5 pack box of Joya de Nicaragua Antaño 1970 courtesy of our friends at Drew Estate. Many thanks to Drew Estate for sending a bunch of stuff for this months contest, as well as future contests! This assortment consists of a Machito, a Gran Consul, a Robusto Grande, a Belicoso and a Churchill. The contest is a little different this time. For Christmas I received a 28″ tall glass vase, which was intended as a receptacle for my cigar bands. I dumped several bags full of bands I’d been saving in to get it started. My wife has counted the bands that are in the vase as of this writing and sealed that number in an envelope which will be opened on the day this contest ends, 
which will be Saturday, March 13, 2010. Entries will be in the form of reply to this post with your guess of how many cigar bands are in the vase. The winner will have the closest number without going over. BONUS: In the event that some guesses the exact number, the winner will also receive a Joya de Nicaragua cap and cutter! Must be 18 yeas of age to win, one entry per person. Good luck!
That’s it for now, until the next cigar,
CigarCraig
