It’s been a roller coaster week, and things aren’t any better today than Wednesday. My 80-year-old father drove himself to the hospital last Saturday with tightness in his chest and just not feeling right, and on Wednesday, just when my mom thought she was going to bring him home, they found a thoracic aortic aneurysm and flew him to another hospital in the area that happened to have one of the few surgeons on the planet who could fix things. When they got him on the operating table the next morning his lung, kidney and liver functions were off and they had to get those things squared away before fixing things. So far, those areas are moving in a positive direction, and we are waiting for the surgeon to return from overseas mid-week. It’s hard on my mother, who won’t drive to the hospital, nor do I want her to, and not knowing what’s going to happen. I know this is more than belongs in a cigar blog, but it’s therapeutic for me to share, and I appreciate your positive thoughts and for indulging me.
In an attempt to process all that’s going on, and maybe escape a little, I’ve smoked a few cigars this week. most have been just random cigars that I didn’t feel like taking the time to document, but a couple of them are worth mentioning. a few weeks ago while visiting Cigar Mojo, I picked up some RoMaCraft cigars. I want Skip to know I bought his cigars and am not your run of the mill weasel. I smoked a CroMagnon Knuckle Dragger early in the week which was exceptional. I love the 4″ x 52 size for a satisfying smoke that doesn’t take all day. The Broadleaf wrapper over the Cameroon binder is a personal favorite flavor combo for me, I think the interplay of the different sweetness between the two leaves is really interesting. These are worth a try for sure, and are not unweaselably priced. I’ll grab some more the next time.
After a particularly trying week, I grabbed a favorite, the Perdomo 20th Anniversary Maduro in the Corona Grande size. This size was Nick III’s creation, is it a mini Churchill? A maxi corona? Maybe it’s an overweight lonsdale or an anorexic toro, I don’t know, but it’s just about a perfect size at 6½ x 48. Now I’m half expecting someone to come out with a line of cigars with a weight disorder theme, remember you heard it here first. Anyway, the Perdomo 20th Anniversary maduro has a Nicaraguan wrapper that’s aged in bourbon barrels an additional 14 months and is rich, smooth and very tasty. This is my favorite Perdomo cigar, bar none, and I needed a favorite to balance out the highs and lows of the week.
Last night I took a walk with another cigar from the RoMaCraft stable, the Aquitaine Cranium. This is the same blend as the CroMagnon from the binder on in, the difference being the Ecuador Habano Ligero wrapper. If you ever wonder about the claims about how much the wrapper contributes to the flavor and strength of a cigar, smoke a CroMagnon, then smoke the Aquitaine. The Aquitaine was SO much stronger than the CroMagnon, and I can’t attribute that to the size difference (the Cranium is a 6″ x 54 toro). It had an unbelievable amount of spice through the nose, and almost literally kicked my butt around the block. It tasted great, burned great, but was pretty darned strong. Skip and Mike and their crew down in Esteli are really making some great cigars. my only real gripe is that the bands, while very attractive and classy in their simplicity, are a pain in the tuckus. I would think the same effect could be achieved more cost effectively by making them a single band instead of one over top of the white base. As one who saves bands for no good reason, and probably due to the CDO, I like it when a band comes off easily and in once piece. These do not. I’ve now purchased far more than I’ve weaseled, which either means my weasel game is weak, or I have some integrity…not sure which it is…
Contest
I promised to announce a winner of the La Sirena Cigars sampler today and am a man of my word. I can’t say I’ll be as punctual with sending the winnings out with everything going on, but I will do my best. I was very pleased with the number of entries, 100 comments in a non-December contest is pretty darned good. Normally I would pick a random number, but this time I think I’m going to give the prize to the 81st comment, because my dad will be 81 in a couple of weeks and I really want him to reach that birthday. Whether that’s fair or not, I really don’t care, I’m going with it anyway! It’s not a plan I had more than 5 minutes ago. So lucky number 81 is ray jones. If you don’t send me you’re address I’ll eventually get around to harassing you by e-mail, but it will just be easier if you drop me a note. Again, I appreciate everyone’s positive thoughts and prayers to your respective deities. It’s no small comfort to know so many people care enough to spare a thought in their busy lives.
I had also made a bit of a contest (see the CigarCraig.com Facebook page) out of getting my Twitter followers to 2000, and that threshold has been met. I lack the energy to pick a winner, I want to disqualify the corporate Twitter users and keep it to individuals, so that will have to sit on the back burner for a bit. If someday you get a DM on twitter asking for your address, you’ll be the winner. I’ll get to it eventually.
That’s it for now, until the next time,
CigarCraig
I’ve been smoking my way through a sampler of RoMaCraft Gran Perfectos that I picked up at Son’s Cigars a while ago, and tonight I selected the Aquitaine Gran Perfecto. I alway thought the CroMagnon was my favorite in the line, and I love smoking them, but I forgot how good the Aquitaine was. This is a great example of how the wrapper makes a difference in flavor, as, if I’m not mistaken, the wrapper is the only difference in the two lines. The CroMagnon has the Broadleaf and the Aquitaine has the Habano wrapper from Ecuador. The Aquitaine is a little lighter, and it has that sugar cane sweetness (my new favorite descriptor), that I really enjoy. I don’t think it’s the format, although the 5 5/8″ x 60 size is neat. I’ll have to dig around the humidor and see if I have any other Aquitaine sizes, or pick some up. I enjoyed the crap out of this cigar! I had previously thought the Neanderthal was my favorite of the Gran Perfecto selection, but this one has replaced it.
Tomorrow evening I will be joining a panel to record an episode of the 1st and 15th Podcast, a bi-monthly podcast with Phil from ComedyCigarsMusic.com and Kap from Kaplowitz Media. We’ll be talking about the Cigar Aficionado Top 25 list that was just published, and, although I haven’t smoked many of the cigars in the top ten, I have some general comments. Either way, it will be entertaining! As the name of the podcast suggests, it will be available on the 15th, wherever finer podcasts are sold. Unless I make a fool of myself, then skip it. 
