Tag Archives: Emilio

by CigarCraig | October 30, 2013 · 6:54 am

IPCPR 2013 – Epicurean Cigars, Gonzo Vintage 2007 and AG Azul Vintage 2008

Sunday afternoon I found myself browsing the expansive humidor of the Cigar-ette City store in Peoples Plaza shopping center in Newark , Delaware. This is the flagship store of the Delaware Cigars chain which is managed by Emilio Cigars’ Gary Griffith. Jim was working in the humidor and was very helpful and knowledgeable. This humidor is stacked to the rafters with just about everything you could imagine. It would be no problem to stock the humidors of the three or four stores closest to my home fully and still have a great stock left over. They had a full compliment of the Liga Privada Serie Unicos on hand (I can’t remember if I saw Dirty Rats…I’m sure they were there), as well as what looked like full lines from Don Pepin, Tatuaje, etc, etc. It’s an overwhelming selection one could easily go broke quickly. I selected a handful of cigars, including some Emilio AF1 and 2 coronas, a La Musa Melete, and a few of the Gonzo Vintage 2007 Lanceros from Epicurean Cigars. Since I had a few hours to kill, and the state of Delaware bans ALL indoor smoking, even in cigar shops, I pulled a folding chair out of the car and sat on the sidewalk in front of the store to enjoy a cigar.

The cigar I chose was one of the Epicurean Gonzo Vintage 2007 Lanceros. I’m kicking myself a little for not getting a robusto or two to sample, because this box pressed lancero was a terrific smoke. For my palate, Connecticut Broadleaf over a San Andrés binder is a double whammy flavor explosion, and this perfectly built panatela was as rich, dark and flavorful as I had hoped. I’m glad I got two, and I’m glad Gary had just sent me one recently. I’m salivating thinking about it, and may just smoke another one this week. I must make a point to sample more sizes, perhaps they will be a little less expensive here in Pennsylvania. Two thumbs up on this one. This is a cigar that is right up my alley, perfect in every regard, burn, draw, flavor and appearance.

After I packed up my impromptu sidewalk cigar lounge, I headed back to the university where my wife was busy doing some research, and parked my butt on a bench and lit up an Emilio AF1 Corona. You may recall in my last post I wondered out loud if one existed and lo and behold it did! I snagged a couple, and I do believe I liked the AF2 better in the corona size than the Broadleaf wrapped AF1. For me I think the AF1 works better in the larger ring gauge. I’ll let the other ones I bought sit in the humidor for a little bit too. Maybe the wrapper overpowered the filler on this one, I don’t know, I just felt like the toro version suited me better. Not that I didn’t enjoy the heck out of it, I certainly did!

Monday evening I pulled one of the other Epicurean cigars that Gary had sent me, the AG Azul Vintage 2008 in the toro size. This is a nicely presented cigar with a shiny foil band and a cedar sleeve hiding a flawless sun-grown Ecuador Habano wrapper. This has a Honduran binder and Nicaraguan fillers from Esteli and Jalapa . I found this cigar to be on the low end of medium, but full of flavor and a perfect burn. I love it when a cigar burns flat and even, I find that miraculous considering that the various tobaccos in the blend may burn at different rates. When everything combusts completely and at the same time it just makes the cigar experience that much more special for me. I know, I’m weird. I’m full of regret once again, because I was going to grab a couple of the AG Armando Gutierrez Vintage 2007 too and I decided to wait and see what this 2008 was like. I’ll have to try that one when I go looking for more of the Gonzo! Another great cigar from Steve Ysidron and Epicurean Cigars.

Here’s the final video from the 2013 IPCPR show. As it turns out, it’s Steve Ysidron talking about his Epicurean Cigar line! What a happy coincidence!

http://youtu.be/jMZ-R-7r-hQ

As it works out, last night I couldn’t help but take another of the Gonzo Vintage 2007 Lanceros out for a walk and it was perfect again. Loads of dark, rich flavor and a perfect burn. My only regret was that it wasn’t larger as the lancero only lasted just under and hour. It reaffirms my desire to try these in a larger ring gauge. Yum.

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

CigarCraig

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Filed under IPCPR, Review, Stores, Video

Tagged as AG, cigar, cigars, Emilio, Epicurean, Gonzo, IPCPR

by CigarCraig | October 27, 2013 · 10:05 am

IPCPR 2013 – Emilio Cigars and House Of Emilio, an AF2 and a La Musa

I’m getting down to the last couple videos from the IPCPR show, and I had, up until recently, no cigars to pair with them. That’s not entirely true, I have a selection of cigars from Gary Griffith’s Emilio line and various brands he distributes, but nothing new and exciting. That is until a box arrived in the mail last week with some new samples! Thanks Gary! Perfect timing! The House of Emilio handles a bunch of great boutique brands which all seem to fall in line with my tastes. Please watch the video with Gary and Nate as they explain both the Emilio line and the brands they distribute.

The cigar which immediately caught my eye, and looked like it would best fit into the time I had available was the Emilio AF 2 in the corona size. I’ve enjoyed plenty of this blend made, by AJ Fernandez, in the toro size, its a little brighter in flavor than the AF 1 which is also a terrific smoke. The corona size really made the flavor pop, it was so good, I didn’t want to put it down. It’s a solid, enjoyable cigar that most fans of medium to full bodies cigars can enjoy, I think. Can we look forward to the AF 1 in this size, or would that be too much of a good thing? Highly recommended if you enjoy exceptional cigars.

Yesterday, after enjoying a 1502 Black Gold toro (also a House of Emilio brand, and excellent!) I selected a cigar that I actually received at the end of last year, the La Musa Melete robusto. If the Emilio AF 2 is a brighter version of the AF 1, the La Musa Melete is the darker version of the original La Musa. The wrapper is visually darker, but I’m talking about flavor and the flavors are lush, deep and decadent. It starts with a nice spice and takes off from there. It smooths out and finishes off with the espresso flavors i find so enjoyable. The construction was perfect. The Grimalkin was an exceptional cigar, the La Musa (same cigar, different name) is exceptional, but the Melete is something very special. Kudos to Gary and the super secret factory that makes this (is it still a secret?)

That’s it for today. I may find myself at one of Gary’s stores in Delaware this afternoon, looking for more Meletes and coronas! Until the next time,

CigarCraig

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Filed under IPCPR, Review, Video

Tagged as 1502, cigar, cigars, delaware cigars, Emilio, IPCPR, La Musa

by CigarCraig | August 25, 2013 · 2:00 pm

IPCRP 2013 – Guayacan Cigars, and Other Cigars That Start With G

As we were working our way through the House of Emilio booth at the IPCPR show we were introduced to Noel Rojas, the man behind Guayacan Cigars. Noel has an amazing story, which he shares in the video below. His cigars are top notch, I smoked a torpedo this week that I’ve had in the humidor since last December and it was fantastic. I found it to be complex, medium bodied, and had a really nice hint of citrus that I liked. I really look forward to trying his maduro when it becomes available. Don’t miss this short video interview with Noel. Fascinating story!

http://youtu.be/Fonjk9rKtz8

Friday evening I grabbed a Gurkha Ghost from the humidor and took a walk. I’ve smoked a few of these since hey came out and as much as I wanted to like them, they didn’t WOW me. Maybe it’s a few more months of age (mine or the cigar?), but this one hit me right. It was what I expected from the others but didn’t get. Nice, sweet, lush flavors that I expect from a Brazilian Arapiraca wrapped cigar. The band and packaging are pretty cool too. I’m glad I have finally come to like these, and I have no idea why I felt the desire to enjoy this particular cigar.

Yesterday I was thinking about what to smoke, and working on today’s post in my head, and the CDO (that’s OCD in alphabetical order, as it should be) in me decided I needed another cigar with a name that started with G. It turns out there’s not a lot of them! Fortunately I found a Gran Habano Gran Reserva No. 3 2008 Churchill that I had bought well over a year ago. The wrapper is a beautiful milk chocolate brown, and is from Columbia, which you don’t see very often. The cigar burned perfectly and was smooth and delicious. I actually haven’t smoked more than a handful of Gran Habano products, but the couple cigars in this line have really impressed me. Another medium bodied smooth and flavorful smoke to round out my week.

That’s it for today, after doing some yard work this morning it’s time to grab a cigar or two and relax in the pool. Until the next time,

CigarCraig

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Filed under IPCPR, Review, Video

Tagged as cigar, cigars, Emilio, Gran Habano, Guayacan, Gurkha, IPCPR

by CigarCraig | August 21, 2013 · 6:11 pm

IPCPR 2013 – 1502 Cigars, the Black Gold and News

I have a weakness for the 1502 Black Gold, a beautiful Nicaraguan puro with a maduro wrapper. When I have these in my humidors it’s all I can do to not smoke them up right away. Something just hits me right about that cigar, and my only option is to smoke them. Both vitolas, box pressed Toro and Torpedo, have a partially closed foot, which gives a blast of tasty wrapper flavor right off the light. The Ruby and Emerald are great smokes too, but the Black Gold is my favorite! I smoked one the other night and enjoyed the heck out of it. Rich, dark, bold flavors in a full bodied cigar that doesn’t strike me as strong like the website would suggest, but well balanced and tasty.

Here’s a video from last month’s IPCPR show with Enrique Sanchez of Global Premium Cigars telling us about his 1502 line. It was tough to get time with Enrique, as the entire House of Emilio booth was mobbed the whole show. I actually somehow missed meeting him at last year’s Delaware Cigar Festival, an obvious oversight on my part. Enrique is a great guy, and quite passionate about his homeland.

News

Cigar Federation, the cigar-centric social media site, which you should all check out by the way, is partnering with Brian Berman (Cigar Rights of America) to hold a raffle to raise money for Brian’s Project Mañana. Project Mañana is a charity Brian set up to help the impoverished in The Dominican Republic. Cigar Federation hopes to raise as much money as possible for this organization, and is holding a raffle to this end. You will get a raffle ticket for every $10 you donate, and some of the prizes are pretty darned good. Head over to their page and see. Give them a few bucks, you’d just spend it on cigars anyway, right? Did you miss the link? Here is is again.

That’s it for tonight, until the next time,

CigarCraig

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Filed under IPCPR, News, Review, Video

Tagged as 1502, cigar, Cigar Federation, cigars, Emilio, IPCPR, Project Mañana

by CigarCraig | August 14, 2013 · 7:27 pm

IPCPR 2013 – Ezra Zion Cigars: Eminence and Tantrum and the Five Star Perforator Tool

Last year we met the guys from Ezra Zion at the show (here’s the post) and have gotten to know Kyle, Chris and Alan since. I can’t say I agree with their politics or spiritual views all the time, but I can say that they make fine cigars and are passionate about tobacco. Whereas last year they had a booth along side their Cigar Federation booth (a cigar social media site for which the same group is responsible), this year they were in the booth with the rest of the House of Emilio brands. Between the Cigar Federation and Ezra Zion they were the book ends of the booth. On to the cigars: I am a big fan of the Inception (or Jamais Vu as it’s now known) and I smoked the Tantrum and the new Eminence this week. Here’s a video we did with Kyle at the show a few weeks ago telling us about the newest blends:

Monday evening I fired up the Eminence. This was a dark, fat belicoso that had a wrapper that was reasonably flame-retardant. I suspect a few months in the humidor should solve this, but despite having to light it pretty often it was a big old pepper bomb from the start. It was a lot spicier than the usual San Andreas wrapped cigars I appreciate so much. I really enjoyed this cigar, and I’ll pick up a few the next time I get to my local “House of Emilio” shop, let them set for a while and see if I still have a burn problem.

Last night my wife and I went out to dinner, so I grabbed the little Tantrum to walk the meal off. This is a little firecracker, but it’s not nearly the spice bomb that the Eminence is. I actually used a new tool I’ve been testing on this, the Five Star Perforator. This little device has five piercers in a spring loaded enclosure. What one does is press this into the cap of the cigar and it puts five nice little holes in the cap. I’ve had good results with cigars that have a loose draw, but that’s a difficult cigar attribute to figure out before cutting the cigar! I’ve found myself piercing the cigar, finding I can’t get enough smoke, trying again with a little rocking or twisting motion like the website suggests, then using a punch, V-cut or straight cut, depending on what I have on me. Certainly this is an interesting piece to have on the key chain (which in my case could have more cigar devices on it than keys!). I’m old and set in my ways, so sometimes I just grab the V-cutter or guillotine and do it right the first time. If I know a cigar has a history of being rolled loosely, this is a great tool to use. Anyway, the Tantrum is a great little 4″x44 cigar, although the price point is on the high side for it’s size. I think I paid $7.50 or $8 if I recall. Keep an eye out for the Ezra Zion cigars and give them a try, and see it one of the Five Star Perforators is a tool that would work for you.

Don’t forget to go back to Friday, August 9th’s post and enter to win a box of La Gloria Cubana Gilded Age Toros courtesy of Famous Smoke Shop! There’s only another 5 days to enter, and I know this is longer than most of my contests, but I wanted to give plenty of people a chance to enter.