Tag Archives: Ashstay

by | October 18, 2020 · 11:40 am

An Island Jim San Andrés No. 2 and a Contest!

I know, you’re saying to yourself: “didn’t Craig just have a great contest a few weeks ago? Is he going back to his old ways?” Well, it just works out that a cool item came across my doorstep that I wanted to share with you guys, and why wait, but more on that in a bit. First, I made another visit to one of my local CigarCigars shops, this time the one in Berwyn, PA. Kameron is the manager there, and curates the Instagram account for the shop. I have been seeing his proclivity for pics of vanity license plates, so I figured there was one glaring omission from his collection and it was my responsibility to fill that void! Give him a follow (CigarsBerwyn), and make sure you follow CigarCraig1 (CigarCraig has gone dormant as I can no longer log in!). While there I picked up a few new-to-me cigars, as I do, and smoked the Island Jim San Andrés No.2 last night. I smoked the regular issue No. 2 several years ago on a birthday visit to Cigar Mojo. Holy crap, I just checked and it was 2014, can you believe the Island Jim No. 2 has been around for over 6 years? Damn! That’s just stupid. I guess it’s no more stupid than me eating an Island Jim BBQ Pineapple Pork stick well over two years past its sell-by date (I did this recently, BTW, it was good!). The San Andrés No. 2 has the same 6″ x 52 Torpedo shape as the Original, which has a Jalapa wrapper, and I assume this also has Honduran binder and fillers with, obviously, a San Andrés wrapper. It also has the stripped head and shaggy foot.  I really enjoyed this cigar! It reminded me of the old Leccia Luchadors with the spicy cocoa flavors, and I don’t think that has anything to do with both Jim and Sam being from Pittsburgh. This was a really good smoke and I recommend it!

 

Contest! 

 

Hopefully you didn’t just skip through the Island Jim part, because I really spent some time on it.  Anyway, let me tell you about this contest! One of my favorite things to do is to share things that I really enjoy, hoping that others will enjoy them too. My friends at Cigar Oasis are the exclusive distributor of a product that I’ve been using long before they became involved, so when they sent me one, I decided this would be a great time to share one with one of my readers! About 6 years ago I discovered the AshStay ashtray, and I’ve been using mine daily on my porch ever since. This thing is great. It keeps the smell and mess contained, and doesn’t look unsightly. When my grandkids come over I don’t even have to clean up and put it away! It’s super cool! Mine is white, and if I clean it (big if!), it looks brand new. The one they sent is Gunmetal, normally I’m a big fan of Gunmetal, but I have a perfectly good white one, and have plenty of ashtrays, so I’m willing to part with this one! Also, from Cigar Oasis, is a Caliber IV Digital Hygrometer. I have been using one of these for years as well and it’s a great hygrometer! Of course, it wouldn’t be a CigarCraig contest without some cigars. I put together a seven cigar sampler of one of my favorite unknown cigar brands, Danli Honduras Tobacco (DAHOT) from my humidor. These are cigars that I really love, and love to share. There’s Don Juan Calavera in Connecticut, Maduro and Sumatra, Flor Maya in Connecticut and Habano, The Clown Corojo and Marchetti box pressed Maduro. These are some of my go-to cigars, I love them all. The Don Juan Calavera Connecticut is one of my favorite Connecticut cigars, and the Sumatra was my favorite cigar of 2018. The usual rules apply. Leave a comment on this blog post, and this blog post only, to enter. You need to be of legal age in your jurisdiction to win cigars. I’ll select a winner next Sunday, October 25, 2020. It would be great if the winner read the blog post and emailed me their shipping info instead of me having to track them down 😉  ! Good luck! 

 

That’s all for now, until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

 

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by | December 3, 2017 · 11:30 am

AshStay News, a La Gloria Cubana Cigar and a Contest!

I was catching up on some podcast listening yesterday and happened across an episode of Stogie Geeks Podcast with Chaim Kohn of Cigar Oasis. I’ve known Chaim a long time, and he’s been a great supporter of my site, and I’m a fan of Cigar Oasis products. I use a Magna in my cabinet and an Excel in the little New Air, as well as Western Humidor hygrometers here and there.  I heard on the show where Cigar Oasis is distributing the AshStay cigar ashtray now. I’ve been using an AshStay for three years practically every day, and it works as advertised. I still won’t put it in the dishwasher or make my wife clean up after me (as portrayed in the company’s promotional video, which auto plays on their website, beware), but it manages the odor well, and has been a welcome addition to my smoking porch. Hopefully Cigar Oasis does well spreading the AshStay love.

 

Thursday I had a bad cigar day. I’m only going to speak in general terms about the cigars, but I get really annoyed when I draw through a cigar and get no smoke.  If I blow through it looks like I’m electing a Pope, but drawing gives nothing!  I have yet to figure out how this occurs, unless there’s a fold in the bunch that acts as a valve of sorts. The worst part off the evening was when I returned from my walk and put the poorly working cigar down and found a back up, it was plugged. I didn’t get any flavor from either (which could have been a result of drinking a blood orange ginger ale with dinner, but I can’t say for sure), and was left unfulfilled. It was a major bummer. So LaGloriaCubana_Colección Reserva_PresidenteFriday I cracked open the box of La Gloria Cubana Collecion Reserva Presidente that I bought at the event with Ernesto Carillo a month or so ago. I’ve smoked the robusto and belicoso in this line and love them, but this Presidente, a formidable 7½” x 54, was next level stuff. I had some buyers remorse, buying a box of such large cigars, but after smoking one, I am no longer regretting the purchase. While it started a little slow, it moved into the flavors I am familiar with from the smaller sizes, then, BANG, a sweet cinnamon candy flavor that made my day. It was short of Atomic Fireball cinnamon, more like the hard candies. I can’t say how much I enjoyed that cigar, especially after the previous evenings disappointments. It’s a good thing these are such large cigars, or I’d smoke through them quick. I’ve been high on the La Gloria Cubana Collecion Reserva since smoking the IPCPR show samples, and I’m a fan of the brand in general. It’s important to remember that this line is actually made at Ernesto’s factory and not General Cigars, La Gloria Cubana was his baby, after all. This cigar would receive a 99 on my rating scale if I used my rating scale.

 

 

Contest!

I had a couple other cigars I was going to talk about, the Emilio LJZ, and the Jas Sum Kral Red Knight, which were both very good, but I figured I’d get right to a giveaway instead. I had another giveaway lined up, but then as Caliber 4RI was typing this post, it occurred to me that it wasn’t a good fit, and will make more sense in a couple of weeks when I have my annual, scaled back, Christmas giveaways. What does make sense is to give away a great item from Cigar Oasis, a Calibur 4R Digital Hygrometer with a silver bezel. I have one of these, and would happily have deployed this one in one of my humidors, but I’ll be happier seeing someone else enjoy using it. This is a great looking unit as well as being very accurate and functional. It wouldn’t surprise me if a couple of cigars fell into the box when I ship it out, it’s been known to happen.  Usual rule apply, leave a comment on this post to enter and I’ll select the winner next Sunday, December 10, 2017.  Thanks to Chaim for providing this super-cool item! Stay tuned for more great giveaways coming soon, and I’ll be working on sending Secret Santa assignments out this week!  God Luck!

 

That’s all for today, I have to get a ceiling painted and maybe clean out the gutters now that the leaves have fallen.  I can’t believe it’s so close to the end of the year already…anyway, until the next time,

 

CigarCraig

 

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by | December 3, 2014 · 8:43 pm

Tortuga, Evil Genius White Chapel, Debonaire and Nomad Cigars

We are settling in to the new house, and with the rain over the last few evenings I’ve really been diggin the large screened in porch! Since I’ve been trying to get projects done I’ve smoked some small cigars and have been using my new AshStay ashtray from ashstayAshstay.com.  I mentioned this last week and thought it was really cool, although there’s no way I’ll be running it through the dishwasher (it’s dishwasher safe!).  I like that I can close it up when I’m done and empty it after the cigars are out and it doesn’t stink or anything! It’s a little lighter than I thought it would be, but I don’t anticipate it getting blown around the enclosed porch. It’s a simple and elegant solution!

 

Tortuga_Reserva215_RegaloSunday after painting the office/den I took a walk with a Tortuga Reserva 215 Regalo, which is at this point unreleased.  I probably shouldn’t talk about it too much, but someone will have a chance to get their hands on these in the coming weeks, so I figured I’d build some hype.  The cigar is a chubby toro, 6″ x 54, and comes wrapped in a cedar sleeve with a green ribbon on the foot.  The wrapper is a beautiful Ecuador Connecticut shade and I assume that the rest of the cigar is Nicaraguan.  I really enjoyed the smooth and creamy texture of this cigar that isn’t a mild shade wrapped cigar. It’s loaded with medium bodied flavor.  It’s hard for me to find a Tortuga that I don’t love, and this is another fine example.  A perfectly made, perfectly satisfying smoke that was a nice treat at the end of a long and busy weekend.

 

EvilGenius_WhiteChapel_3,5x50Monday it was raining, so before staring on my baseboard project in the den, I selected a little 3½ x 42 half corona from the Evil Genius Cigars White Chapel line.  I got a couple of the Evil Genius robustos from brand owner Alex Hirsch (a fellow Pennsylvanian) at Goose’s Smokin’ Goose fest and hadn’t quite found the time to do them justice, so When I saw Alex last week at the Wooden Indian he gave me this little half corona.  These cigars are made at the La Aurora factory, and you would think the White would be the milder cigar. Wrong!  This is a potent little powerhouse with enough pepper in the retrohale (I don’t like that term, but I don’t know what else to call passing the smoke through the nose) to almost make me sneeze!  I’m very much looking forward to digging out the robustos and smoking them. This is a very nice cigar and Alex is slowly getting these out in the market, so keep an eye out.  Definately a tasty little 45 minute smoke!

 

Debonaire_First DegreeTuesday was more of the same, rain and a project, so I took another little cigar I’ve been holding on to out on the porch.  Phil Zanghi originally started the Indian Tabac line in the ’90s, went into partnership with Rocky Patel, who eventually bought Phil out. Phil has kept himself busy in the machine made cigar market, but a couple years ago he launched the ultra premium Debonaire line of cigars.  The Debonaire First Degree is a tasty little 4″ x 44 perfecto with Central American and Dominican tobaccos that burns perfect and has a nice, savory flavor.  This was another 45 minute smoke that was satisfying.  This sample came from the Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival.  I have smoked a few of the Debonaire line, and found them to be excellent cigars.  You can hear about these pretty regularly on the Stogie Geeks and Cigar Authority podcasts.

 

Nomad_S-307_RobustoTonight I got a bit of a walk in with a Nomad S-307 Robusto that I bought last week at The Wooden Indian when I was there for the House of Emilio event.  These are made in Nicaragua at the AJ Fernandez factory and are Nomad’s first regular production Nicaraguan cigar. The wrapper is a nice, dark brown Ecuador Sumatra with a Ecuador Habano binder and Nicaraguan fillers.  The box press is very comfortable and it took a V cut very nicely.  This has the kind of burn I love, flat and even, and the draw was perfect. It was bold, but not overpowering, and had a nice peppery sweetness.  To get you warmed up for CigarCraig’s 12 Spectacular Days of Cigar Giveaways, Fred Rewey is having his own contest, The Nine Days of Nomad going on right now.  Click HERE to enter.

 

As long as you are warming up for CigarCraig’s 12 Spectacular Days of Cigar Giveaways, here’s a non-cigar contest you can enter.  Rebeat Magazine is giving away six books that are perfect for any Beatles fan!  I happen to know most of the authors and these are excellent books. Click on over and enter their contest!

 

Also, click on the Famous Smoke Shop banner on the left and use the promo code “CRAIG15” to get 15% off a $50 or greater purchase! That’s it for now, I need to go try to get some insulation hung before bed!  Until the next time,

 

CigarCraig

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by | November 19, 2014 · 8:55 pm

Black Abyss, Dominican Big Leaguer and 601 La Bomba Cigars and an AshStay

It’s gotten cold here in PA, but fortunately no snow like in some areas of the country. I’m sure in February temps in the 30s will feel balmy, but in November it’s too cold, too soon.  Looks like I’ll be dipping into the supply of smaller cigars for a while!  In other news, I came across an ashtray via a Twitter follow called “AshStay”  This is a covered ashtray that actually looks pretty nifty. The one problem I have with the video they have on their site is that the woman in the video complains that her husband and his friends love cigars and she has to clean up after them.  Gentlemen, there’s no reason we can’t clean up after ourselves!  I get having a nice, covered ashtray like this to keep the wind from blowing ash all over, but I think we are all capable of emptying our ashtrays and not burdening our significant others with cleaning up our messes.  Of course, if your wife joins you for a smoke, she can pitch in with the clean up, but I would bet that making your spouse clean up after you will not endear you to her!  Just a public service announcement (and a little unsolicited plug for a pretty cool product!).

 

BlackAbyss_HydraMonday, before it got awfully cold, I selected a cigar that’s an exclusive to JR Cigars, the Black Abyss Hydra, a 6″ x 52 Torpedo. This line has a San Andrés maduro wrapper, and is made by Jochi Blanco at Tabacalera Palma.  Of course, this is a hot factory with some great cigars in their portfolio.  I enjoy this reasonably priced line, it’s got a fairly typical Mexican Maduro profile that I love, and burns very well.  It’s medium bodied and had a nice sweetness and coffee flavors. This is a tough cigar to pass up in the under $4 price range.

 

DominicanBigLeaguer_Maduro_La MaquinaTuesday the cold set in, so I picked a short cigar. I met Francisco Almonte, the owner of Dominican Big Leaguer Cigars, at The Smokin’ Goose a couple months ago. I was first introduced to this line by my local tobacconist, Jeff, at JM Cigars who was really taken with the brand.  I chose the 4″x60 DBL Maduro La Maquina, another San Andrés wrapped cigar. This is one of those cigars that I’ll be interested in trying again under better conditions as I’m not willing to judge a cigar smoked on a cold and windy night.  The burn was uneven, but it had a very nice flavor. On the milder side with the earthy, espresso flavor one might expect.  This hard to find line is a bit of a surprise, they are making some nice cigars.

 

601_La Bomba_AtomTonight I chose one of my last 601 La Bomba Atoms.  I’ve had a craving for one of these all week, and this corona gorda size was perfect for a cold evening. This cigar is from the original My Father production, as I’ve had these in my humidor for quite some time. The current production is made in Erik Espinosa’s La Zona factory, so I’m sure the newer ones are on a par with the old, although I haven’t had a new one yet.  This is a powerhouse, plenty of flavor to gut through the wintry temps, but smooth and balanced too. The burn was perfect, as was the draw. I know I have one or two of these left, and I look forward to trying the new production one of these days.  I can’t think of a cigar from La Zona that I didn’t like.   The La Bomba impressed me from the first time I smoked one with Eddie Ortega when this was a part of the EO Brands stable and they continue to be a favorite.

 

I continue to be grateful and impressed by the goodies that are coming in for next month’s 12 Days of Spectacular Cigar Giveaways!  At the risk of jinxing myself, this might be the most stress free series of contests yet. I could just about run the contest now with the great contest presents I’ve already received, and there’s more to come. I may have to turn sponsors away (but I doubt I’d do something so silly)!  Stay tuned, this will be the best year yet for the 12DoSCG! If you need a contest to enter in the mean time, check out that awesome Norteño ashtray stand and humidor from Drew Estate.

 

That’s all I have for today, until the next time,

 

CigarCraig

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