Some Firecracker Cigars and a Rocky Patel Thirtieth Anniversary

I hope everyone made it through the Independence Day holiday unscathed. We had some wicked thunder storms roll through right around sundown yesterday which knocked our power out until about 2am. In honor of the holiday, I smoked the range of United Cigars Firecracker cigars. These are little cigars, 3½” x 50, with a long “fuse” pigtail cap. These are all on the stronger side, I started with the Connecticut version with coffee Friday morning. It’s got the creamy/nutty flavor one would expect, with some added punch. It was a very good little cigars. Later in the day I fired up the Maduro, which was, once again, what one would expect, a strong, chocolaty smoke.

Yesterday I started my day with the Sungrown. I smoked this one in the car on my way to wander around Valley Forge National Park, and it fit in the twenty minute drive nicely. This definitely had the punch, with some wood, leather and spice. I was a little disappointed that the park was not showing the half-hourly film in their theater, but instead was holding some sort of court martial re-enactment. I wondered about this for a minute, then I decided to take a walk to one of the encampment areas, where they were demonstrating some musket drills. I can’t imagine the reenactors wearing wool uniforms in the near 100 degree heat. I didn’t hang out long, just long enough to soak up some of the history there. It was fairly crowded. I went there a lot as a kid, but particularly remember going there in ’76 when a bicentennial wagon train was traveling through. Anyway, the Firecrackers are good little cigars, but they are little, I wouldn’t have chosen such small cigars to smoke, but felt compelled due to the holiday.

United cigars did make a special Firecracker for this year, the Independence Firecracker. Usually they have an established company make a Firecracker, I’ve smoked a bunch over the years, many have been a treat. The Mi Querida Firecracker actually spun off a whole line (the Triqui Traca). This one, like the above three, I believe, is made at the Arnold André Dominicana S.R.L. factory. It’s strong off the bat, with earth and leather. It has a Mexican Habano wrapper, Dominican binder and Dominican and Nicaraguan ligers in the filler. The 12 count tin box can be turned over and used as an ashtray. It’s neat, but why not make it 13 in a box? I’m sure they tried.

Yesterday was also my wedding anniversary, so I picked up something special to commemorate the occasion. I selected the Rocky Patel Thirtieth Anniversary in the gordo size, it was more than I would usually spend, but what the heck. This one has a San Andrés wrapper, double binder from Nicaragua (Aged 7+ years), and tobaccos from Honduras & Nicaragua (Aged 5+ years) in the filler. This is a box pressed cigar. The color scheme struck my eye, it has a Tiffany blue footband, which is personally significant. My wife and I have exchanged items from Tiffany for anniversaries over the years. I looks a lot like the Rocky Patel 60, which I really like. I would have liked this cigar to have been a little dryer, as it smoked a little on the steamy side, but it had a really nice. flavor. It was earthy, with some dark chocolate and espresso, right up my alley. I doubt I’ll spring for another, but this was a nice treat. I didn’t want to smoke the same old Padron 1964 Exclusivo that I usually smoke (I lie, I almost always want to smoke one of those!). I can’t help but draw some comparisons though. Thirtieth was the closest I could come, maybe next year someone will have a fortieth anniversary cigar that will be appropriate! That’s all for today, until the next time, CigarCraig

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