Tag Archives: Contest

E.P. Carrillo Dusk, Kristoff Cameroon and La Flor Dominicana La Volcada Cigars

ContestOK, all of these cigars have something in common…they are cigars, they have a band, they are, in fact, made in the Dominican Republic, but that’s not what I was going for in my current contest on Sunday’s post. I’m disappointed that everyone is just parroting the first response, even though it is technically correct, assuming it’s the answer I was looking for and not giving it any further thought.  Don’t worry, I’ll be fair and just pick a random comment like I always do. I’m also a little disappointed that there have only been 15 entries, where there are well over 50 by now when I just ask for a comment. Would it help if I said there would be another 5 great cigars included in the prize? Guess what? There’s now 10 cigars in the pack, several of them will be from La Aurora (if that’s not a hint I don’t know what is!) So go back to the last post and enter the damn contest and try to win some great cigars out of my humidor! If it has anything to do with me being between jobs and giving my own cigars away, faggeddaboutit! I’ve got plenty to share! </rant>

 

EPC_Dusk_ObscureSo far this week I’ve smoked a few cigars, two that aren’t new to me, and one that was.  The E.P. Carrillo Dusk is from Ernesto’s “The Classics” line and has a dark Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, Ecuador binder and Nicaraguan fillers. I had a lonely “Obscure” 7”x 54 double corona in the humidor which had been there for a while. I’ve been going through my larger size cigars with the long evenings and lack of employment. The Dusk, as ive mentioned before, hits me just right. There are still a mess of cigars in the EPC portfolio I need to explore, I keep grabbing this Broadleaf beauty when I see them in the shops. Espresso and  cocoa all day long!

 

Kristoff_Cameroon_MatadorI was moving some cigars around and found a Kristoff Cameroon Matador, the 6 1/2” x 56 toro in the line, although it seemed smaller than that.  I actually would have sworn this was a 6” x 50, I got it at an event, so maybe it was an event only cigar, I don’t recall. Whatever the size, it was a tasty smoke. As a rule, I’ve found Kristoff cigars to be, how should I put this diplomatically, not real exciting to my palate.  This is funny to me, because I really like Dean Parson’s Epic Cigars which are made in the same factory.  However, this Cameroon was really, really nice,  it had the distinct Cameroon sweet spice with a little something sour in the background, Camerooniness, I call it. With the Kristoff signature closed foot, one gets a nice blast of that up front. I will keep trying to like the Kristoff line, I love the pigtail cap and closed foot and overall rustic feel of the line. I found a few of the “Pistoff” Kristoff too which I’ll revisit.

 

LFD_LaVolcadaFinally, last night I revisited, again, the La Flor Dominicana La Volcada. Jonathan Carney at LFD sent me a few of these before they hit the stores and I had one left, and picked a couple up at the event I attended a few weeks back so I lit up that last pre-release cigar. It was un-cello’d, and I actually prefer my cigars to be stored in cellophane, another of my odd proclivities. This cigar is so limited that it does not appear on the company’s website! It’s available in one vitola, a 7″ x 48 Churchill with a pigtail cap, has a San Andrés wrapper, Corojo binder grown in Ecuador and Dominican fillers. This is another cigar, like the aforementioned Dusk, which hits my palate right, which is a shame, because it’s limited and not inexpensive. It’s not super expensive, but it’s not cheap. It’s got a nice spice and earthiness and the dark, rich flavors I like. I waffle between wondering if I should have smoked one I just bought and saved the older one, and the path I took, but tomorrow I won’t be concerned about that anyway, I enjoyed the crap out of the cigar, and I di for a good two hours or more.

 

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

 

CigarCraig

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La Sirena Contest Winner Announcement

Today was the first full day of Spring, so of course it’s snowing like crazy! I got kicked out of work early (a good thing), and have shoveled the driveway twice already (my wife shoveled it once too) and I had a chance to smoke the new Macanudo Inspirado Red in a box pressed robusto which was incredible. More on that Sunday as we are La Sirena and Clingerhere tonight to select a winner of the La Sirena cigars and a Stage V Clinger.  By the way, in case anyone was curious, it’s a Stage “Five” Clinger, not a Stage “Vee” Clinger, which is odd since it’s kinda V shaped…but that’s what they’ve told me in the past. Also interesting, three years ago I had a similar La Sirena contest, I wonder if Lonnie remembers winning this, as he’s entered this time too (I suspect he remembers…).  So, without further ado, Random.org selected Todd Arbogast as the big winner! Todd, please send me your address so I can get these goodies to you.  I hinted that I might pick a runner-up, and the name Jack Campbell came up. So Jack, I’ll pick out a couple La Sirenas and a Stage V Clinger and get them to you.

 

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

 

CigarCraig

 

 

 

 

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A Camacho, EP Carillo Encore and a La Palina Candela Cigar

First, if you haven’t already, go back to my last post and enter to win a great selection of La Sirena cigars and a Stage V Clinger. I smoked a La Sirena King Poseidon this week that was awesome, I should have included notes about that in the post, as was pointed out by one reader. Sorry for the laziness! Depending how I’m feeling Wednesday, maybe there will be a runner up! Thank you to all of you who shared the link on social media!  Anyway, smoked a few great cigars this week I  thought I’d share thoughts and info on, first of which was a Camacho_NicaraguanBarrelAged_RobustoCamacho Nicaraguan Barrel Aged Robusto.  This was an IPCPR sample, Davidoff does a great job with providing samples to the media, and they had a special media event at the trade show which included their “Golden Band Awards” for retailers. Am I surprised to not find the Nicaraguan Barrel Aged line listed on the Camacho website? On one hand, you’d think a big company like Davidoff would have the resources to keep their website up to date, on the other hand, it seems to be the  norm to have an outdated site. It’s befuddling. Anyway, the  Camacho Nicaraguan Barrel Aged Robusto is a 5″ x 50, with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Mexican binder and,  Dominican Piloto Cubano, Honduran Corojo Ligero & Nicaraguan Corojo, with the Nicaraguan filler aged in Flor de Caña rum barrels for five months. It’s common knowledge that I’m not a drinker (quick rant: If you e-mail me saying you’ve been reading my site a long time and LOVE my work, following up with saying you know I’m a big whiskey and cigar fan makes me question your sincerity) , the last time I had rum it was Bacardi and Coke, so I wouldn’t be the one to ask about flavors from the barrel, but it is a pleasing cigar, with some interesting flavors that aren’t typical. There’s a nice sweet flavor along with some coffee and chocolate. I decided to smoke this because I had been on the hunt for the new Camacho Candela (and came up dry), as I’d smoked a box of the old Camacho Candela and wanted to see how it compared (I still have one in the humidor, close to 10 years old). Anyway, I liked the Nicaraguan Barrel Aged better, if memory serves, than the American Barrel Aged.

 

EPCarillo_Encore_MajesticThis week was the long awaited release of the E.P. Carillo Encore.  This is a Nicaraguan Puro, and I was lucky enough to get one of these from Jose Blanco last week, with the suggestion that I let it rest a few days. This was an obvious ploy to keep me from posting about it too far in advance of the release :-).  I also received a sample from the company a few days before the release. My schedule didn’t allow me to smoke it before the March 15 release date anyway, I lit it up on the 15th and boy is it a great cigar. I smoked the Majestic, the Robusto measuring 5-3/8″ x 52. It was medium bodied, and suave and elegant. It had some buttery sweetness that I really enjoyed. instead of taking this cigar on my evening walk, I waited until I got back to light this one up, and I’m glad that I was able to give it my full attention.  I have been a slacker when it comes to smoking E.P.C. cigars for the most part, there’s a lot I haven’t smoked over the last 9 years since the company started, but I like this one the best. Granted, this is based on one sample from Jose Blanco, who probably doesn’t carry crappy cigars with him, but I was very pleased.  The cigar has a nice box press, and is presented with a ribbon on the foot. I missed the first few minutes of the Flyers game to finish this cigar. I’m working on catching up on this brand’s portfolio, I have an Elite Series Seleccion Oscuro (I think, there are a dizzying array of cigars in the EPC line) lined up for today. Good stuff from a true master.

 

La Palina_FuegoVerdeYesterday I smoked a candela cigar, as seems to be the St Patrick’s Day tradition.  As I said earlier, I still have a Camacho Candela from when Christian Eiroa owned the brand, but I’m leaving that one sit until I can find the new ones to compare to, and I have some Filthy Hooligans and RoMaCraft Fomorians around too, but I decided to give the La Palina Fuego Verde a try. Before I even look into this cigar, I have to say it was made at General Cigar’s factory based on the round head alone. I just checked and I was right, definitely manufactured at General, along with the La Palina Classic line.  The candela wrapper on this cigar is from Honduras, with a Honduran binder and Nicaraguan fillers. It’s bright green, and has that grassy candela flavor one would expect, with some sweet tobacco flavors to balance it out. I thoroughly enjoyed this “Green Fire” offering, which is only available in one size, the 5″ x 50 robusto.  I have a pretty high tolerance for candela, I like it once in a while as a change of pace and palate reset, but I personally put this in my top five easily. It had a satisfying flavor, was medium bodied, and was enjoyable. I still need to get my hands on the La Flor Dominicana and Illusione candelas, the chain of shops near me (6 of their 12 stores are within a ten mile radius of my house) won’t carry candelas because they don’t sell. I’ll keep looking. Hopefully me smoking a green cigar on St. Patrick’s day isn’t some sort of cultural appropriation or something that’s not politically correct. By all accounts, St. Patrick was anti-snake, and that makes him OK in my book.

 

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

 

CigarCraig

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Contest! Win Some La Sirena Cigars and a Stage V Clinger!

It’s contest time!  I’ve scrounged around the humidor and put together a sampler of cigars from La Sirena Cigars. I’ve included a sampling of cigars from the line, among my favorites. Included in the sampler are a La Sirena Trident and King Poseidon made at the La Zona Factory, an aged La Sirena Dubloon Salomon made at the My Father Factory,  a La Sirena Anchor Toro, which, admittedly, I don’t know much about. An Oceano Atlantic and Southern made at the Quesada Factory, and a Merlion Robusto, Merlion Maduro Toro and the exclusive Sea Lion, all made at the La Aurora factory.  All well aged and maintained in my humidor for up to four years in some cases. I may come across something else to throw in along the way.

La Sirena Sampler

 

Also, there’s an Orange Stage V Clinger cigar holder, which either magnetically, or with a velcro strap, will gently hold your cigar when you need a free hand.

 

Stage V Clinger Front

Stage V Clinger back

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rules are simple, leave a comment here to enter, one entry per person, and I’ll pick a winner next Wednesday, March 21, 2018. Many thanks to La Sirena cigars for their support of CigarCraig.com over the years and to Charlie at Stage V Clinger!

 

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

 

CigarCraig

 

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CigarCraig’s Holiday Giveaways No. 3 – Drew Estate Goodies!

Happy New Year’s Eve to everyone,  2017 is just about in the books, the year went by really fast.  I honestly don’t know what to expect from 2018, but I’ll keep smoking cigars, visiting shops and going to events I suspect. So I wish everyone a safe and happy 2018, and be careful out there tonight!  I’ll be finding an appropriate cigar to smoke this evening, that’s for sure.  Anyway, there’s the business of selecting the winner of the La Gloria Cubana Contest, which includes a travel humidor and a dozen La Gloria LaGloriaCubana ContestCubana cigars. The random number generator selected Trent Berry as the winner!  Trent, please send me your address so I can ship this off to you!  Once again, thanks to Rami at General Cigar Co., Cigar Cigars in King Of Prussia for having a great event with Ernesto Carillo which caused me to open my wallet and end up with a cool humidor to give away, and of course, General Cigar Co, for being an awesome steward of a long loved brand.  Gee, I wonder what today’s giveaway is?

 

Contest (note: not Comic Sans this time Mike P!)

 

DE Contest2017Today’s third and (maybe) final giveaway of the season is a collection of goodies from my friends at Drew Estate. Included are some items that may not be very common in the wild. These are items I’ve received over the course of the year, there’s a Barnsmoker cap from the Connecticut Barn Smoker (I’m not a hat guy), a DE backpack which contained a lighter, ashtray, and other assorted goodies which was from the media party that DE threw at the 2017 IPCPR, some various stickers that I’ve accumulated over the years, some of which are from my last visit to the factory in 2013, and a selection of cigars from my humidor including Undercrowns (and example of each wrapper), a KFC, a Nica Rustica and some Joya de Nicaraguas because Drew Estate distributes them and I have a bunch.  I’ll add to it if I come across more stuff. Once again, it’s not that I don’t appreciate these gifts from Drew Estate, I do, but I like to share my good fortune, and I have lots of “stuff”! You know the de4l, leave a comment here to enter and I’ll pick a winner next Sunday, Jan 7, 2018. As always, thank YOU all for your continued support!

 

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

 

CigarCraig

(I was thinking of making a version of the logo with a party hat and one of those noisemaker, party things, for New Years, but lack the patience for that right now…something for me to work on for next year!)

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