I found myself smoking more powerhouse cigars lately for some reason. Maybe it was the need for a satisfying smoking experience, or just the luck of the draw, I don’t know. I do know that Wednesday evening I wanted a sure thing, no gambling on a new cigar, something tried and true. I had actually wanted to drive up to Easton to see Jonathan Drew at the Drew Estate event at Leaf cigar bar, but after a long day at work spending three and a half more hours in the car didn’t appeal to me. I’ll see JD at the IPCPR show. So I went for a Joya de Nicaragua Antaño Dark Corojo El Martillo that I had picked up a few months ago when I visited a little shop in Kutztown, PA. The El Martillo is a 5 ½” x 54 over sized robusto and has a beautiful dark wrapper. This is a strong cigar. I remember smoking one of these in Nicaragua while touring the Joya de Nicaragua factory and having to put it down before the strength of the cigar and the heat and humidity in the factory got the better of me. This one was similar, I really needed some sugar when I was done to offset the nicotine effects. A tremendous cigar, maybe less suitable for sultry weather than some other cigars though!
Thursday was the exception to the rule, I had a Cusano 18 Double Connecticut that a business associate had sent me because he came across it and wanted me to try it, unaware that I have smoked these in the past. Of course, I appreciate the sentiment and I do give him a cigar when he visits from the west coast. These are a nice, mellow, flavorful Connecticut wrapped cigar. They were exceptional when Cusano was privately owned, and are no less exceptional under the wing of Davidoff. Pretty, well made and tasty. Gave me an hour and a half or so of pleasure.
Friday I took the day off to visit Monmouth Park in New Jersey with my wife’s family. My Father-in-Law likes to go there, so we celebrate his birthday at the park every year. I took a pocket full of cigars, and spent a few races outside enjoying the heck out of a Cain F Tubed Lancero. I love the Cain line of cigars, I just usually find them too powerful. The beauty 
of the Lancero is the format forces one to smoke slowly, which keeps the strength from really being a liability. I love the elegance of the Lancero, and this one was perfectly built, loaded with spicy, deliciousness. Like a fine steak, when you take the last bite you’re sad that it’s gone, this cigar made me forget that every darned horse I bet on, whether he led the whole race or not, came in in the bottom three. I strayed from my usual system at the track, yeah….that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!
Upon arrival home, I took the dog and an Ortega Series D No. 6 for a walk to the local convenience store to pick up a lottery ticket. I’m starting to sound like a real gambler, no wonder I get offers from poker sites for paid links. I’m really a light weight, 2 dollar bets at the track and a dollar twice a week in the Mega Millions isn’t really too bad. I’ve seen people drop thousands on the tables in Vegas. Back to the cigar. Did I mention that the temps were pushing 100° F yesterday? Hot stuff! The No. 6 is a perfect sized cigar, 4½” x 48 and had a beautiful and oily San Andreas Maduro wrapper. Lately, when I know I want a great smoke, I choose one with this wrapper. It just suits me, what can I say. The Series D has a really smooth, refined flavor. No rough edges at all, you could pop these in your mouth all day long like Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Kisses, so it’s not really strong, but very rich and satisfying. Gotta get me some more of these! Well done Eddie!
Contest!
General Cigar Co. has been having a contest on their HoyoDeMonterreyCigar.com site where they are giving away a box of their Reposado en Cedros cigars every day so head over there and try to win a box! These are really tasty smokes! From the press release:
After being handcrafted by a handpicked team of artisans, each Reposado en Cedros cigar undergoes Inmersión, an innovative method of aging created at HATSA, General Cigar’s Honduran cigar factory. With this technique, each cigar is enveloped in fragrant cedar and left to rest for an extended period of time. The cigar matures to a complex, medium-bodied smoke that has won the brand stellar ratings and praise from the premium cigar category’s most discerning experts.
In honor of that, I will give away two (2) Hoyo de Monterrey Reposado en Cedros 3-packs courtesy of General CigarCo. to a lucky reader for the next four weeks! Please leave a comment to enter. Usual rules apply, and I’ll stress that if you enter, and are chosen as the winner, please contact me with your mailing address so I can send your winnings! A new contest will start each Sunday and the winner will be announced the following Wednesday. If you’ve tried these, you know how good they are, and if you haven’t, here’s a great opportunity to try them!
That’s it for now, until the next time,
CigarCraig
