Figurados! Apocalypse, Oliva, Columbia and Tortuga Cigars and a Preview

I’ve been on a little bit of a figurado kick lately, but before we get to the cigars, I want to share some breaking news. I had the privilege of previewing a new cigar website that I think is going to be very useful. You may recall NewestCigars.com sponsored Day 9 of my last 12 Days of Spectacular Cigar Giveaways. They are looking to launch the site in June of this year. From the preview I saw, I think it will be interesting to follow, as they will present new cigars, and, if the manufacturers provide the information, there will even be links to stores that carry the new cigars. So often I get to smoke something new that many of you can’t find in stores, and to be honest, I rarely see them in stores myself. NewestCigars.com should provide I user friendly outlet for keeping up with what’s new in the cigar world. I wish Mike and Yoffy the best of luck and can’t wait for the site to go live.

Sunday afternoon was a beautiful late winter day, the kind that really makes one look forward to spring. It afforded me the opportunity to sit out on the patio for a while with a really nice cigar. I decided to smoke the Tatuaje Anarchy Apocalypse sample that I received a couple months ago from Smoke Inn that I wanted to sit down and really pay some attention to. This is a 5¼” x 54 perfecto with a cool pigtail “bun” on the cap. It had a very dark Ecuador Habano wrapper that could have been mistaken for broadleaf. It was a fun cigar, the smoke was lush and dense and delicious, with dark, savory flavors that really make my day. This, along with the Tatuaje Reserva petite cazadore I had a couple weeks ago, are really making me want to try more Tatuajes. The trouble is they are in a higher price range than I’m comfortable with, and there’s so many darned line extensions it’s hard for me to keep straight what’s what. I suppose I’ll pick one up from time to time and make sure I remember what it is when I smoke it. The Apocalypse was pretty amazing. Later in the evening I smoked a little Oliva Serie G “Special G” perfecto while sitting in the Cigar Bar at the Wells Fargo Center after a Flyers win. That’s a tasty little Cameroon cigar that was perfect for letting the traffic dissipate from the parking lot. As always, I got a chance to say hello to , he’s always there after the game having a cigar.

Monday I decided to go experimental and selected a cigar that my wife picked up on here recent trip to Clearwater Beach, Florida. She brought me back a couple cigars from the Columbia Restaurant there, a robusto and a torpedo. Of course, I picked the torp. This was the strangest looking cigar. The cello was very tight, almost as if the cigar expanded inside of it. I had to cut the cello off, and the wrapper was really wrinkly and ugly. Aesthetics aside, the cigar drew effortlessly and was very tasty. It was a maduro, and had the cocoa/expresso flavors that I like and associate with the dark wrappers. I didn’t ask the price, it being a gift and all, but it was a very nice smoke. I enjoyed it and hope the robusto is just as enjoyable.

Tuesday I went with a Tortuga 215 Edición Limitada 2011 Torpedo. You can tell the weather has been a little warmer and the evenings a little lighter because I’ve been smoking larger cigars! I’ve smoked this cigar before and like it a good bit. This is made by Legacy Brands Cigar Company and blended by Victor Vitale. The 6″x54 torpedo has a beautiful Nicaraguan wrapper over a blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers. It’s solidly medium bodied and very well made. I took only about an eight of an inch off the very pointy head of the cigar and had a perfect draw, which may be why about half way through I cave it another cut after getting a bit of the very bitter tasting tarry build up on my lips. That was an eye opener! It was about dusk and I really couldn’t see it. Lovely smoke, Victor has been making some very good cigars lately, I think it’s safe to say that I like many of Vitales vitolas!

That’s it for now! Don’t forget to visit Sunday’s post (the post just prior to this one) and enter the StogieBoys.com contest that is running through this coming Sunday! Enter to win some cigars and cool swag!! (does everyone know that “swag” is an acronym for “stuff we all get”?).