Tag Archives: Hair of the Dog

The Diesel Delirium and It’s Three Predecessors

As we settle into our new version of reality, I decided to dig into the new Diesel Delirium samples which General Cigar Co. generously provided. But before I did, I figured I’d pre-game a bit with some of the newer Diesel cigars that have come along over the past year or so. There’s the better part of a box of original Diesel Unholy Cocktails that my son bought in 2011 in the humidor that I thought about dipping into, there’s a rental fee that’s overdue! Maybe today. So I started with the Limited Edition Diesel Hair of the Dog. The Diesel Hair of the Dog is a 6” x 52 toro made of all Nicaraguan Habano fillers with an Ecuador Habano wrapper and Ecuador Sumatra Binder. Like all Diesel cigars, this is made by A.J. Fernandez in Nicaragua.  I really like the sweetness in this cigar, and the cedary flavors. It’s on my top three Diesel cigars, for sure. 

 

Next up was the Diesel Whiskey Row Sherry Cask. To recap, It’s wrapped in Connecticut Broadleaf, it has a Brazilian Arapiraca binder and Nicaraguan fillers. I never did get an answer on my question about the tobacco being cultivated on three continents. Central America isn’t a continent. It’s a lie and I won’t stand for it!  OK, maybe it’s not a great big deal, this is one of my favorite cigars. I still think it tastes like dessert. It’s s rich, raspberry chocolate cake. I smoked a robusto this time, which I think I like the best, although I still haven’t tried the Gordo. The next time I’m able to visit a cigar shop I’ll pick one up. Not sure when that will be, but it’s on my to do list. My favorite Diesel cigar so far, and pretty high on my go-to list. 

 

This was all the pre-game show for the newest in the Diesel line-up, the limited edition Diesel Delirium. HEre’s the poop from General cigars: 

Diesel is set to roll out “Delirium,” a limited-edition offering of the boldest Diesel blend to date. Only 5,000 boxes have been made and will be released in early March.

Delirium follows the Diesel’s Hair of the Dog (2019) which sold out in under three weeks.

Senior Brand Manager Justin Andrews said, “Diesel Delirium is about disruption. It’s a cigar that demands the smoker’s full attention and while it follows Hair of the Dog, the two blends couldn’t be more different. Delirium’s definitely powerhouse of a smoke, but it’s not just that. It’s also about dimension and balance, and that begins and ends with the blend we developed. This is a cigar that we recommend enjoying when you have time to commit to really experiencing the full spectrum of taste it delivers.”

Blended by AJ Fernandez, handcrafted at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez in Esteli, Nicaragua and developed by Justin Andrews, Delirium is made with an Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper, a Connecticut Broadleaf binder and a blend of Nicaraguan ligero and Ometepe. A cigar for the initiated, Delirium is a peppery smoke that delivers an array of spices, with hints of nuts and an unexpected touch of nougat on the palate.

Diesel Delirium is available in one size Toro (6” x 52) which will sell for an SRP of $10.00 per cigar. The cigars are presented in rustic, ten-count wooden boxes with two compartments, each containing five cigars. The 5,000 cigar release will hit stores on March 2 and is expected to be an almost instant sell out.

Launched in 2014, the original Diesel Delirium was introduced by Cigars International and was only available for a short time. The updated blend reflects the popularity of cigars that are both full-bodied and complex.

 

I love the size of the Delirium, and the combination of the Sumatra wrapper and Broadleaf binder is really good. It’s got some power from the start, it slaps you around a little, but it settle in and is really a good smoke. I liked it so much I did something I don’t usually do and smoked two of them consecutively just to make sure I liked it as much as I thought I liked it. I was right, I really liked it a lot. It has some spice, but it has some sweetness too, and strength. It’s a cigar that lets you know you’re smoking a cigar. The two I smoked had great burn and draw as well. This is going to fall just below the Sherry Cask in my Diesel countdown, it gave it a run for its money, and it could come down to value, as the Sherry Cask has a great price and this is a little higher. Anyway, it’s a great smoke and I enjoyed it.  

 

I figured I owed the original Diesel Whiskey row another shot. There’s still something about this cigar that I don’t care for. I know people love it, but it doesn’t do it for me. There’s a mushroomy, loamy, umami flavor that I don’t like. Burn and draw are great, I still smoked it, but it’s not a cigar I’m going to seek out, like the Sherry Cask. Heck, I’ve bought more of the Sherry Cask when I had some at home already. Nope, not into this one. If you like this one, and can compare it to other cigars, I’d be interested in knowing what other cigars they are so I can see if I like those cigars, or avoid them!

 

That’s more than enough for today. We woke up to a bad thermostat on the house heater (a month out of warranty!), so I need to shop for a new one. Great, just what I need, not only an expense, but I have to go out in public! At least I don’t have to call “the guy” to come charge me 10x to fix it!  

 

Until the next time,

CigarCraig

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Diesel Hair of the Dog and Unholy Cocktail Cigars

Another working weekend, so another short post.  Over the last couple of days I smoked the most recent Diesel cigar on the market and the first Diesel cigar that came out nearly 10 years ago.  I figured it would be fun to see how the two compared.  The Diesel Hair of the Dog is a 6” x 52 toro made of all Nicaraguan Habano fillers with an Ecuador Habano wrapper and Ecuador Sumatra Binder. Like all Diesel cigars, this is made by A.J. Fernandez in Nicaragua.  This one was made to compliment the Diesel Whiskey Row, which, as I have mentioned before, was not a cigar that suited my palate.  The Hair of the dog, however, I found to be quite enjoyable.  There was a sweetness that I found quite enjoyable, with a cedary wood flavor. while it wasn’t the chocolatey sweet cigar I usually am drawn to , it was an enjoyable change. The burn and draw were excellent. It was a medium-bodied smoke and nice and smooth. Of course, the size was just right for me.

 

Last night I pulled a Diesel Unholy Cocktail out of a box which my son bought in 2011 which has been in my humidor ever since.  He knows it’s there, but I have to exact a storage fee every once in a while!  As a side note, he recently bought a Xikar XO cutter in the Redwood which is a beautiful tool. I tried it out a couple of weeks ago and failed to mention it. He assisted me at the 2016 IPCPR show where we saw the XO for the first time and we were both lusting after it, and he managed to find a deal on one. I cut a few cigars with it and it cuts cigars like a hot knife through butter. The action is smooth and it’s comfortable in the hand. It’s light weight, but a little bulky in the pocket, but other than that, it’s a superior cutter. Anyway, the Diesel Unholy Cocktail is a 5” x 56 Belicoso with Nicaraguan fillers wrapped in Pennsylvania Broadleaf. It’s a no-nonsense powerhouse.  It’s got some strength, even after several years on the humidor, and reasonably one-dimensional, but I like the one dimension it has.  The PA Broadleaf has the spicy cocoa that I love.  It’s a stark contrast to the Hair of the Dog, which has some subtlety and complexity.

 

Two cigars from the same line with totally different flavor profiles. As I posted earlier this week, the Whisky Row Sherry Cask that’s coming out sounds intriguing, I’m looking forward to it’s release.  That’s all for today, until the next time,

 

CigarCraig

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