In addition to actually getting to an event this week, I went out and procured some new-to-me cigars, which happen to be pretty new cigars to the market. First up was the Black Label Trading Co. Bishops Blend. This is a barber pole style cigar with wrappers of Ecuador Maduro and Connecticut Broadleaf, with an Ecuador Habano binder and Nicaraguan, Connecticut and PA Broadleaf fillers. The PA Broadleaf in the filler strikes me as funny, as I just saw a video on Facebook where a small, boutique cigar brand owner states that in 26 years in the business he hasn’t seen any cigars with PA broadleaf in the filler. I smoked at least three, maybe four this week from three different factories in two countries. He should take that video down, it’s just embarrassing. Anyway, I smoked the Corona Larga, which is 6¼” x 46 with kind of a pointy head, like a bishops mitre, maybe? This was a stellar cigar, very rich with a sweet cocoa, as well as some of the earthiness of the PA Broadleaf. The two broadleafs were definitely evident in the blend, and complement one another.
Next up was the new Avo Expresivo in the 7″ x 48 Churchill size. I think Churchill is my second favorite size after the toro. This is the first Avo cigar made in Honduras in the same factory that makes Camacho cigars. The blend is a wrapper from Ecuador, binder from Honduras, and fillers from Honduras and Nicaragua (Jalapa and Condega). I think this is the strongest Avo I’ve ever smoked, but, for some reason, lately I’ve been more sensitive to nicotine for some reason. I’ve been smoking cigars for 30 years, and consuming tobacco for longer than that, but everything seems strong to me as of late. Maybe it’s the warm weather? I never noticed it in years past. Weird, right? Anyway, This Avo comes out in what would have been Avo Uvazian’s 100 birthday year, yet somehow the folks at Davidoff didn’t make a celebratory cigar for the occasion, and this one is a core line. It’s good, very good. Lot’s of pepper to start, and it had a rather loose draw, so I smoked it slowly like I would a lancero, so as not to overheat it. It has some cocoa and nuts after the spicy start. I liked it, although I stretched outside of my normal price range to pick this one up.
Yesterday I went to the Wooden Indian in Havertown, PA to their event celebrating Great Cigar Reviews tenth anniversary. Jim. was there recording a podcast for the couple of hours I was there, and the event featured brand owners from Tradecraft and All Saints cigars, as well as Rami from Espinosa. I spoke with Micky from All Saints quite a bit, he called me “huge” several times, as is his way. He shared a prototype of his new cigar which I can’t remember if I’m allowed to talk about, but it’s named for Jesus’ Abuela ;-). Anyway, I picked up a few of the Tradecraft cigars, and smoked the box pressed Gladius belicoso while I was there, and the toro later that evening. Wiber Ventura blended the cigar, and he was there too, and I got to speak with him for a bit. The Gladius has a San Andres Maduro (Turrent) wrapper, Sumatra binder and the fillers are PA Broadleaf Viso, PA 
Ligero, Criollo 98′ Ligero (not sure where this is from), and Ecuadorian Habano 2000 Viso. These are also potent cigars. The strength of flavor (and nicotine) is on the high side. Here is another cigar that has PA Broadleaf in the filler blend (I had a CroMagnon earlier in the week that also has PA Broadleaf, although I think it’s just the wrapper, but there might be some in the filler as well). There’s a lot going on in this cigar, cocoa, earth, espresso…all the stuff I like. If you want the box press, which is more potent than the toro, I believe Wiber said there’s more PA tobacco in the blend), it’s only available at the Wooden Indian for now. I wasn’t aware that Rob Blumenthal was local, operating the Tinderbox in Haverford, PA. I was aware that his father at one time owned Villazon that produced Punch and Hoyo de Monterrey cigars, before it was purchased by Consolidated Cigars, which is now General Cigars. I have to go visit the Haverford Tinderbox, I haven’t been there since shorty after they opened 30 years ago!
It was a really good cigar week, which I need because I’m getting bummed about summer coming to an end and I haven’t been able to take as much time off as I’d like. Anyway, that’s all for today, until the next time,
CigarCraig
