It’s Memorial Day weekend already, time is flying! I hope everyone enjoys the weekend and remembers why we celebrate it. I started the weekend smoking a Platinum Nova Leo 11 that Leonor Abzaradel, the CEO of Platinum Nova Cigars, sent me following the TPE show. She sent me a handful of cigars because she told me at the show that she wasn’t happy with the condition of the samples she had there, which was a very nice move on her part. This 6″ x 54 toro with a pigtail cap was very pretty, as their cigars tend to be. The aren’t generally inexpensive, so they should look good. This has an Ecuador Habano wrapper and Nicaraguan fillers and binder. This cigar has a very unique flavor. It has a heavy, dare I say, cloying, experience on the palate. It’s like a dark fruit like a ripe plum or something, crossed with black licorice. It was weird and wonderful at the same time. extremely different from any cigar I can remember smoking. This was so much different than the Leo X, which was more subtle and delicate (see here). It was a very interesting and fascinating smoke!
Yesterday I took a drive to check out a shop I’d recently heard about in nearby Reading PA, Smokies. It’s a very nice shop, a walk-in humidor in the back with all the standard fare, and cabinets lining the wall with boutique brands. They appeared well stocked and the two level lounge was very comfortable. It was easy to get to and had ample parking. The staff was excellent as well. If you find yourself in Reading (you know, the Reading RR in Monopoly?), check it out. I picked up a few Aganorsa cigars that I’ve been wanting to try, and started with the Guardian of the Farm Cerberus Toro. This 6½ x 54 Toro has a Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and fillers. Oddly, I struggle to find an Aganorsa cigar I love. This falls into the “woody” flavor spectrum to me, which isn’t in my top five, but it was still an enjoyable cigar. I kick myself for choosing the Toro over the Lonsdale, but I almost always go Toro. I have another, and I think I might like it more if it were a little bit drier. We’ll see.
A little rant, if I may. I received yet another email from the PCA trying to entice me to re-join and attend the trade show. This email offered to share my contact information (as a media member) with the exhibitors, as well as list me on the PCA website. I’m sorry, but, as a member, shouldn’t my contact information already be listed in the directory and on the website? I was born at night, but not last night. I will attend the show when media is invited to cover the show as media, not sold a “membership” and made to believe they are getting more than a ticket to the show out of it. And stop with the guilt trip of “support the industry”, what do you think we do when we take our own time and money to promote the industry? That just irritated me, and I needed to get it off my chest. By the way, there are any number of ways I could get into the show if I so desired, but I’m making a statement by not going.
I may have found that elusive Aganorsa Leaf cigar that I really like in the Guardian of the Farm Nightwatch Maduro. I picked up a couple in the Campeon shape, with is a Toro with a 109 head. This makes it almost a torpedo or belicoso shape. Honestly, I can’t remember if I’ve smoked a cigar in this shape, I’ve heard the term tossed around, but I don’t know if I’ve held one in my hand. It’s 6″ x 52, which is the right size for me, with a dark, oily Aganorsa Leaf Shade Grown Corojo Maduro wrapper. The binder and filler are, of course, also Aganorsa tobacco grown in Nicaragua. Perhaps “maduro” is the key for me, because this was a delicious cigar, and I dug it. Like the Cerberus, this one could have stood to be a little drier, but that’s why I always buy more than one! Dark chocolate and coffee, just like I like, with some saltiness, maybe. This was a great smoke. I was actually hoping to catch up with Terance while he was in the area, but couldn’t manage to coordinate that. Maybe the next time.
That’s all I have for today, until the next time,
CigarCraig
