First week of 2023 is in the books. I managed to smoke a few new-to-me cigars this week! First off was the Fosforo Toro, a 6″x 50 cigar with a Ecuadorian habano wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and fillers from the Condego and Jalapa regions of Nicaragua. This is a creation of Jeff Mouttet of Riverside Cigars, and is distributed by Pospiech Inc., Mike Szczepankiewicz’s distribution company. Ironically, I also smoked a Guaimaro yesterday, also distributed by Pospiech. This cigar, while it looks like it could come out of Nica Sueno (RoMaCraft), it’s actually made at Garmendia, the factory which makes West Tampa Cigar Co.’s cigars. The cigar is tasty, some earthiness, some espresso and cocoa, very much up my alley. Burn and draw were perfect, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. Thanks to my Secret Santa, once again, for sharing this with me!
I may be going out of order, but I’m probably the only one bothered by that! I also smoked the Rocky Patel The Edge 20th Anniversary, which I picked up on a recent visit to Goose’s Montecristo Lounge. I’m probably one of the few people who haven’t smoked a whole lot of RP Edge cigars, I’ve probably only smoked a couple, to be honest. Not sure why, just is. I felt like I wanted to give this anniversary cigar a try, and it’s a little pricier than the regular Edge line. It’s advertised as having 10 year aged tobaccos, although exactly which tobaccos are aged isn’t clear. The wrapper is an Ecuador Sumatra, with Nicaraguan and Honduran files and binder. I’m used to Sumatra having a unique sweetness, and this one started out with a cloying pepper spice that I wasn’t ready for. it was tongue coating. Eventually it smoothed out, and was a very nice smoke. I’d smoke this again, and I suppose I should samply my way through the Edge line, I think there’s 23 different cigars in that line? 🙂
Almost a year ago I saw John Remer at the TPE and he gave me his JTrain cigar, made at La Zona by Protocol Cigars. It has the Protocol logo in the band at least. John has a web show called Johnny Smokes Uncut, and a facebook group of the same name. I’m not sure what’s up with the “uncut” part of the name. Obviously one can’t smoke a cigar uncut, I have to assume it refers to the videos being unedited. This Robusto is 5″ x 50 and has a Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper,with Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers. There are several cigars from this factory which are among my favorites, the La Sirena, and most of the no longer produced Cornelius and Anthony line (Someone recently compared the C&A Meridian to the new Knuckle Sandwich, the y may be similar, but all of the C&A cigars had some Virginia tobacco in them that I don’t think is available to La Zona any more). The JTrain cigar hit me with a really different flavor, it was almost acidic, with an odd spice. It must have turned out OK because I stopped taking notes, a sure sign I am enjoying a cigar. I have an FTrain that John gave me at the PCA show on deck, anymore I am not satisfied by a robusto, I save them to fit certain times, and I have a crapload of robustos in my stock.
Finally, I smoked a Reinado Grand Apex Gordo this week. This is a 6″ x 60 cigar that has a Mexican San Andrés wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and fillers and is made at Aganorsa’s TABSA factory. I’ve known Antonio Lam, the owner of Reinado Cigars, for a very long time. When I met him he was making cigars with Yadi Gonzalez, maker of Flor de Gonzalez cigars. We had some amusing times trying to record pieces at the IPCPR show a few years back. Antonio is a Jersey guy, and the Grand Apex has an altruistic side to it, as some proceeds go to Dementia Society of America. Anyone who’s been reading here for any period of time will know that this cigar is my kind of cigar. Maybe not so obvious is that many cigars that come out of Aganorsa aren’t particularly interesting to me. I try, of course, but I haven’t found one that hits me just right. This one, however, does. It’s got my espresso, along with some dark fruits, and I really dig it. It’s definitely on my “buy” list, even in this size. Great job Antonio and Aganorsa!
That’s all for today. I was hoping to get to a shop today, but it looks like the grandkids are coming by, so that will have to wait, some things are more important! Until the next time,
CigarCraig
