Tag Archives: Black

by | November 12, 2023 · 10:45 am

Trash Panda Connoisseur Club Over-Runs, All Saints and Micallef Cigars

I had a little different idea about how this week’s smoking was going to go.  I got one each of the Connoisseur Club Over-Runs from TrashPanda, which are on sale for a ridiculously low price, by the way.  These came with the caveat that they needed to be dryboxwd, as they had been sealed in the humidibags for several years.  I opened them out and left them on the desk for a week (I think the house has been around 52% RH this week) thinking they would dry down sufficiently. The Foundation Lonsdales did, the Aganorsa Robustos did not, so you’ll have to wait until next week to read about that cigar and how there;s some left!  I can tell you that the  is quite a treat, and if you don’t go to TrashPanda.com and pick some up you’re foolish (and there’s nothing in it for me, at $25 each and buy one, get one, there’s probably not much in it for Kevin either!). the cigar is  6¼” x 46, has a Habano Nicaraguan grown wrapper, Habano Ecuador binder and fillers from Estelí and Jalapa. This is going to be a great cigar for the holiday season, because it has some really interesting warm spices, kinda like mulling spices.  I thought it was very unique and delicious, and quite different from what Nick usually does.  Maybe it’s close to something he’s come out with in the past two years that I haven’t gotten around to smoking? For $2.50 each you can’t go wrong, you might need to beat me to the checkout.  I might note that TrashPanda is transitioning away from selling the rare and vintage cigars, and moving toward selling their own branded lines, so there are some great deals to be had all over the site. Again, nothing in it for me! (I just placed an order…as if I need more cigars…)

 

I’ve probably said this before, but I find that I have to talk myself into going out after a long day at work.  I get home, eat dinner, and I just want to grab a cigar and retreat to the peace and quiet of my porch and enjoy that cigar for an hour and a half or thereabouts. Friday evening I had some choices to make, and I talked myself into heading to the Wooden Indian to celebrate All Saints Cigars 4th anniversary with Micky Pegg. When I arrived, Jim from Great Cigar Reviews was several hours in to his live podcast, which I assume was streaming on Youtube?  Micky threw me to the wolves and sat me in front of the mic and Jim and I had a nice chat for a while. I had decided early in the day that I was in the mood for a Saint Francis Churchill, which was a motivating factor in going, I’ll admit.  The cigar, as always, was delicious, it’s probably my favorite in the line.  I came to be in possession of the new Solamente, which is going to be an annual release. I think I have one of the originals still in the humidor someplace.  This is a 5″ x 58 cigar in the round, where the majority of the All Saints line is pressed.  The Solamente comes in a box of 23, next year’s will be in a box of 24, and so on. How’s that going to work going into 2030?  This is a $20 cigar, box buying is going to get a little cost prohibitive as the years progress.  Anyway, I smoked it yesterday as I wanted to smoke it on a fresh palate. This. has an Ecuadorian Habano oscuro wrapper with Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers.  I found this to be on the leathery side of the flavor spectrum, with some coffee notes, with a nice burn and draw.  It was a fine cigar, but I’m in love with the Saint Francis and it’s hard to get me off that one right now, it suits me perfectly.  It was fun hanging with Micky, I look forward to smoking the All Saints Collection Plate (my suggestion, doubt he’ll remember!).  The Wooden Indian always has great events, they have a great staff and Dave, the owner is among the best guys around.

 

Of course, Micky Pegg wears two hats, when he isn’t a co-owner of All Saints, he’s the president of sales for Micallef Cigars, and I picked up a couple of their new  toros as I’d been hearing good things about them. When it turned out that the Aganorsa Connoisseur Club  cigars were still too wet to smoke, I grabbed one of the Micallef Black Toros to smoke last night.  The first thing I notice when doing some background research on their website is that the have the measurements goofed up on this cigar. It’s 6″ x 52, not at all 5″ x 62 like the website says. Perhaps they should fix this.  This has a San Andrés wrapper, Ecuador Habano binder and Nicaraguan fillers.  This is a cigar that appeals to me.  The construction was perfect, it was a good, solid maduro cigar with a nice chocolaty flavor, and it was just a good cigar at a great price. I don’t know what more to say about this that hasn’t already been said by others, I’m late to the game, but it’s good, and at $8 it’s great, can’t go wrong if you like nice, medium bodied, sweet, earthy maduro cigars. 

 

That’s all for today.  I figure I should get the temperature i n the room about doing a Secret Santa again this year.  I’m fairly sure I know one person who will be interested, but who else would like to get in on a cigar exchange?  Let me know in the comments.  Until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

 

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by | November 20, 2022 · 9:00 am

Mi Querida Black and Muestra de Saka The Bewitched Cigars

At the PCA show I smoked both of these with Steve, but one really can’t get a good sense of a cigar in that environment.  Neither was the first cigar of the day, and both were smoked while chatting.  Of course, both cigar left me intrigued, and wanting to smoke them again under better circumstances.  When Steve sent me the  Liga Privada Pequeńos for the recent giveaway, he included a couple of each for me to sample.  So, a few nights ago I sat down with another Mi Querida Black SakaKhan.  This cigar is 7¼” x 54, which, if I’m not mistaken, is the same size as the classic Excalibur No.1. I could go look it up to verify, but I’m fairly confident. Like the Firecracker spawned the Mi Querida Triqui Traca, this cigar is based off the Dunbarton JR Cigars 50th Anniversary cigar. The SakaKhan moniker is one Steve got in the Navy, ironic in that his middle name is Genghis Khan’s birth name. The cigar has a beautiful Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, San Andrés binder and Nicaraguan, Honduran and Dominican fillers.  I smoked a couple, and had similar experiences.  I’m not sure if it’s the blend, or the size, but I found this milder than I probably should, or at least it takes a while to build.  It was most certainly a Mi Querida, with the great Cocoa/Espresso flavors I love, with some spice. It just seemed a little dialed back, I think I’m more in the camp of the Blue and Red. I actually bought a few more the other night (I went to the Wooden Indian to hang out with Pedro Gomez from Drew Estate, where I smoked an Undercrown Dogma). I’ll smoke them, don’t worry. 

 

I kinda wish I had gotten some more of this cigar instead of (or in addition to) the SakaKhan.  The Muestra de Saka The Bewitched was originally an exclusive for the Owl Shop in Massachusetts.  It’s 6 5/8″ x 48, which is a wonderful size.  It is box pressed with a pigtail.  Like the five Muestra de Sakas before it, it’s presented in a coffin with a yellow ribbon on the foot.  It has a Habano wrapper, San Andrés binder (which is the same leaf that’s used as a wrapper on the Sin Compromiso), and Nicaraguan and USA fillers. US grown fillers, is it PA or Connecticut broadleaf? They grow some tobacco in Massachusetts, perhaps it’s something grown there? So, here’s the thing: I’ve smoked most of the cigars in Dunbarton‘s regular production range, I haven’t smoked any of the shop exclusive stuff, including the Red Meat Lovers Club stuff (Oh yeah, I have some of the Famous 80th cigars, but that’s it). You might think that knowing Steve for 25+ years I would hunt down every cigar he makes, but I don’t chase cigars. This cigar was simply amazing tasting.  It started with a gentle spice which was more apparent on the retrohale.  About an inch in I got some cinnamon, which I’ve tasted hints of a few times in cigars, but this one was quite obvious. This cinnamon, or canela, if you prefer, came and went throughout the smoke, which was a good two hours. Actually, it was a great two hours!) The burn strayed a couple times and I touched it up, but otherwise the experience was perfect. The only thing that would have made it better was if it was 75 degrees instead of 50 (porch temp). At least I’m not in Buffalo.  So, I’m going to grab a few more of these next time I visit the Wooden Indian, they aren’t a cheap date, but well worth it! 

 

That’s all for today, if I don’t get another post out before, Happy Thanksgiving to my USA based readers, smoked some great cigars after your feast, let me know if you want to stop by for one!  Also, in two weeks time I’ll be going to the Cigar Heritage Festival in Tampa, so if you’re there, look for me!  Until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

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by | July 31, 2022 · 9:21 am

West Tampa Tobacco Cigars, a Street Taco Carnitas and a Patina Sumatra

I’ve started smoking some PCA show samples now that I feel fully recovered from the post-Vegas Covid situation.  I started out revisiting the West Tampa Tobacco Co. Black and White. Rick went out of his way to give me a 6×60 from a bundle, that had never been in a box! This is significant because I told him about an experience I had initially with the cigars I had sourced locally.  This was the first cigar I smoked, and it was very good.  If you refer back to the video interview with Rick (HERE), he explains how the Black and White have the same wrapper, it’s just fermented differently. The Black has nice espresso notes and is up my alley.  The construction was perfect and everything tasted the way it should.  

 

I had another West Tampa Tobacco Co.White Toro that Ricky also gave me, which was also very good, but I find the Black suits my palate more. The White has more of a woody character, with some citrus tang to me.  Rick explained that the White was blended more for the European palate, with the wrapper being highlighted, and the darker wrapper Black highlighting the filler blend. I like them both, but the Black is better for me. I still have to try the robusto. GOod stuff from a very small factory in Esteli.  

 

Thursday evening I had the pleasure of being a guest on the All About Wine Podcast, of all things.  We had a panel of folks talking about cigars. I pre-gamed with a Rojas Cigars Street Taco Carnitas, the Connecticut shade version of the Street Taco.  This has an Ecuador Connecticut wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and fillers. I had the 5″ x 50 robusto. Oddly, this comes in a Robusto and Toro, with the 5½” x 46 Short Corona being the closest thing to a small ring gauge in the line. I think of a corona being 5″ x 42, so I’m not sure I understand the name. Regardless, the robusto was very good. It was creamy, with some oomph to it.  There was some spice and it wasn’t a mild Connecticut. Considering that shade wrappers are fairly low on my preference list, this one was very good. 

 

Finally, when I met with Mo Maali at the show, he gave me a Patina Sumatra. This is his new release, which excited me for a few reasons.  First, I’ve enjoyed the Patina line in general, Maduro and Habano, I don’t think I ever had the Connecticut (see above).  They are made in the NACSA factory where Mi Querida cigars are made, as well as several others! I want to say that factory mad the majority of JR’s Alternatives bundle brand, which is millions of cigars. NACSA is one of the largest factories in Nicaragua. The other reason I was looking forward to this is because I really love Sumatra wrapped cigars! This one didn’t disappoint.  It had the sugar cane sweetness that I really like.  It burned perfectly and gave me a great experience.  Check out my video with Mo here. Good stuff!

 

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

 

CigarCraig

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by | May 15, 2022 · 11:11 am

Cohiba Serie M, ATL Black and All Saints Cigars

Another exciting week! I rather expected an avalanche of press releases from Drew Estate after the event Thursday. I expect a bunch in the coming week. Of course, I smoked a bunch of cigars this week. One of my favorites was a La Sirena Trident, which  I think is one of the best cigars out of the La Zona factory. I smoked one of the new size of the Cohiba Serie M this week, which they are calling a Corona Gorda. It’s actually 6½” x 48, so I don’t know what else one would call it, but I do like the size. I didn’t mention it when I wrote about the initial release in the 6″ x 52 shape, but I had some technical issues with the ones I smoked that were frustrating. Burn and draw types of issues that were not typical of cigars made at El Titan de Bronze from what I know, I can only attribute the problems to storage somewhere along the line. I still have a couple in deep storage to smoke sometime down the line. This smaller size was outstanding. It had the same woody profile, with some sweetness, and a sophistication that should come with a cigar priced where this is priced. This is what the press release said about the blend:

 

Crafted according to old-world techniques and featuring a double binder, closed foot and triple cap with a signature fan, Cohiba Serie M is a medium-to-full-bodied cigar brimming with depth and character. Made with exquisite, aged tobaccos, the cigar is enveloped in a lustrous Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper, a first for Cohiba. The binder is Nicaraguan and the blend features hand-selected Nicaraguan Jalapa and Esteli and Dominican Piloto Cubano tobaccos.

 

It’s a tasty cigar, and a good looking cigar too. I’m fortunate that I was given samples to try, because I personally would have been scared off by the price tag, but that’s just me, I’m a cheap bastard. I was really pleased that it burned perfectly and I had a great experience smoking it. very pleasurable.

 

Another pleasurable cigar I smoked this week (I try to reach 100% pleasurable cigars if at all possible!), was the ATL Black in a torpedo format. This is a 6″ x 52, with a San Andrés wrapper. these are made in the Pichardo factory, where they made their “Magic”, which I thought was excellent. I think a recent change, something makes me think these were originally made by Martinez in New York. I never sampled the original, so I can’t be certain of that. I like Martinez cigars. I also apparently like Pichardo cigars, because I really liked the ATL Black Torpedo. It was quite a bit different in flavor that I expected from a San Andrés wrapper maduro cigar. It was a meaty, savory tasting cigar, as opposed to a sweet maduro. This entertains me. As much as I have a sweet tooth when it comes to cigars (not only cigars), I like a nice, tasty surprise. I don’t like bad tasting surprises, but I like good tasting surprises like this one. Quite yummy. If you don’t know much about ATL cigars, I spoke with Leroy at the TPE show, the video is here.

 

I spent Friday evening hanging out with Micky Pegg of All Saints cigars and smoked a Dedicación Mitre that he handed me that was very good. Micky is introverted and quiet…I lie, he’s quite the opposite. As long as I’m linking back to TPE content, my video with him is here. I’m going to intentionally leave out where I hung out with Micky, and there will more on that at a later date. Let’s just say I won’t be giving a certain place any more free advertising here. Last night I smoked my favorite cigar in the All Saints line, the Saint Francis Churchill. This box pressed 7″ x 48 Ecuador Oscuro wrapped cigar is like smoking desert. I actually smoked one Friday night, and one again last night. Such a great smoke. Micky actually told me that he blends to the Churchill size, which is a bit unusual, but explains why I tend to like that size in his line the best across the board. I suppose it helps that I like that size cigar! The Saint Francis was one of my favorite cigars of last year, and remains a favorite. Big fan.

 

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

 

CigarCraig

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by | March 25, 2018 · 10:21 am

Macanudo Inspirado Black and Red Cigars

I’ve smoked a million Macanudo cigars in my lifetime, so it seems. My first premium cigar was a Macanudo Duke of Devon. In the mid-nineties a buddy and I would have a cigar at lunch every Friday at work. Up until the Macanudos the favorites were Backwoods and Garcia Vega English Coronas if we were feeling fancy.  We decided to see what all the hubbub was with premium cigars, which were enjoying a Macanudo_Inspirado_final_blkrenaissance at the time. I smoked cigarettes at the time, which I think is an important think to know in my evolution as a cigar smoker, because it ruined me for mild cigars for a long time.  That fist experience with the Duke of Devon was kind of blah, I really didn’t “get it”, I suppose it’s a wonder I kept going with the hobby, but I moved to stronger cigars, which satisfied my palate and the rest is history. A couple of years later I would find my self winning a couple of boxes (big ones! Prince of Whales and Prince Philip) from a very young CigarWorld.com somehow, that had to be 1998ish. Actually, the Prince Philips were still made in Jamaica, I wish I’d had the presence of mind to save a couple. Thorough a combination of my palate and tastes developing, and Macanudo coming out with stronger cigars, I’ve had some really memorable cigars over the years. I remember a Macanudo Maduro on the last day of my tour of General Cigars operations in the DR after smoking 20 or so cigars over the previous few days and being able to taste it!  I wrote about the Estate Reserve in a Prime Living Magazine article back in 2015. People scoff at Macanudo as a mild, flavorless cigar, but they have a lot of great cigars in their portfolio, something for everyone, I think, and you can’t argue that they aren’t always well made and universally available.

 

A few years back General Cigars launched the Macanudo Inspirado line in Europe. It had an orange band and was famous for being used in the Cigar Smoking World Championship. When I was in Iceland I bought a few because Thulin, who owns what seems to be the only cigar shop in the country, said it was his best seller. By the way, my Cigars in Reykjavik Iceland post gets daily visits, Google “cigars in Iceland” and see what comes up first in the results!  Pretty cool!  Anyway, the Orange was the first Inspirado Macanudo_InspiradoBlack_Robustoreleased in the US in 2016, then the Black and White (the black with a Connecticut Broadleaf and the White with Ecuador Connecticut Shade, as one would expect) came out in 2017, and in 2018, to celebrate 50 years of Macanudo, they released the Red with a dark Ecuador Habano Ligero wrapper. I revisited the Macanudo Black this week, and was really happy with the experience. This was a medium bodied cigar, a hesitate to say, but it was kind of a Partagas Black lite…and I only make the comparison because the wrapper is of similar provenance.  It was sweet and rich like a Broadleaf cigar should be, I thoroughly enjoyed the crap out of the robusto, and look forward to smoking he other sizes. Originally, the Black was sold by catalog retailers, and the white was for brick and mortar, but they totally changed that last year, along with the blends, I believe. The White is good too, I intended to smoke one this week too, as well as an Orange, but didn’t get to it.

 

Macanudo_InspiradoRed_RobustoI received samples of the Inspirado Red last week, and couldn’t wait ro smoke one, so after just a couple of days in the humidor I dug in. They are saying it’s full-bodied, to me it was on the high side of medium, but what do I know. It has a Ecuador Habano Ligero wrapper, 12 year aged Nicaraguan Ometepe, 10 year aged Honduran Jamastran, and 5 year aged Nicaraguan Esteli, with a Jalapa binder. It’s made in their Esteli factory where they make many of the CAO line.  Had I had the time, and lacked self-restraint, I would have smoked more of these, for sure, because DAMN, it was a great smoke!  I smoked the box pressed robusto, and plan to look for other sizes ASAP (a local shop I visited yesterday sold out of them already). It was like smoking delicious candy bar, It has a nice mix of sweet and savory with some dried fruit and cocoa. It was so darned good I was taken aback. If you looked in my ashtray, it would likely be the smallest butt in there. This new Macanudo Inspirado Red is a home run, to my palate, at least. It must have MSG in the blend, because it really excited my palate (FDA: I’m kidding! it’s just tobacco, water and some pectin!). This would be a no-brainer at $10, for $6.49-$7.49 MSRP, it;s stupid not to at least try one.

 

Last night I paid a visit to CigarCigars in Downingtown, PA to have a smoke with Kevin, the manager, and the renovations are going well. This is one of a chain of twelve stores in the area, and it’s only a couple of miles from my old house, so it’s in my rotation of shops I visit now. Hopefully the lounge renovations improve the acoustics a bit, because it’s a little noisy.

 

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

 

CigarCraig

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