Tag Archives: La Sirena

by CigarCraig | February 5, 2014 · 8:21 pm

Snow, Blue Mountain Cigars, Snow, a 601 La Bomba, a UF-13 and Ice

This winter has been pretty, er…wintery? We had a mild couple winters in years past, so this one just seems rough, but it’s probably not that bad. Today we had ice and a lot of broken branches and trees. It’s going to be a mess to clean up. As long as there’s no property damage we’ll be fine. It’s resulted in a couple “snow days” which has given me some time to smoke cigars! This week, so far, I’ve chosen some old favorites, along with something completely different.

Sunday….what happened on Sunday? It seems so long ago. Oh yeah, it was Groundhog Day and the furry little bastid saw his shadow. That and there were a lot of new commercials on TV. IT was a reasonable nice day, so I figured it was a good time to take a chance on a cigar from the IPCPR show, a 6″ x 60 BMC El Threesome from Blue Mountain Cigars. They say that this cigar not only has three different wrappers (Connecticut, Habano and Maduro), but also has three different blends. The cynic in me finds this hard to believe, it looked to me like a Connecticut shade wrapped cigar with overlays of Habano and Maduro. I guess I’d have to see them being made to actually comment on this with any authority. The cigar started as you would expect, I guess, with a fairly mild and typical Connecticut shade flavor, and it did have noticeable transitions when it burned from wrapper to wrapper. I liked the end of this cigar more than the start, and it’s always interesting to see how the wrapper changes the flavor. If this does, indeed, have three different blends (would that make it NOT a long filler cigar but a mixed filler?), I didn’t get that big a flavor change, it was subtle. this is not a new factory, it’s been in Esteli since 1995, and they make cigars for other people. I’d welcome comments from the folks at Blue Mountain on this cigar, I thought it was an interesting and entertaining cigar, and I’d love to see a video of these being rolled.

Monday was a snow day. When I heard pouring rain, then sleet, then saw it dump about 4 inches of wet, heavy snow in an hour, I decided to stay home. We ended up with about 10 inches and wore ourselves out shoveling the slop. I decided this wasn’t the time to fool around, and went straight for the 601 La Bomba Atom, a 5½ x 46 corona gorda with a long “Fuse” pigtail. I absolutely adore this cigar. I don’t find this vitola to be quite as strong as some of the larger sizes, but it’s loaded with flavor, and it’s a flavor I really like. This is another great cigar from Erik Espinosa’s La Zona factory (although I can’t say for sure if this wasn’t from an older box from the EO Brands days, which would mean it was made in the My Father factory). If you have a fondness for stronger cigars, you can’t go wrong with this one. I really want to try the La Bomba Warhead, I just haven’t come across them in a shop yet, and I’m really looking forward to the Bunker Buster, Smoke Inn‘s next micro-blend. This is one of those cigars I reach for when I want a “sure thing”.

Tuesday I grabbed a Drew Estate Liga Privada Serie Unico UF-13 Dark, a birthday present from Steve Saka last August. I don’t like taking cigars from the unemployed, but he was insistent. It was a lazy selection. We had another forecast for snow and rain and ice and stuff, so I wanted a satisfying smoke. This is just such a smoke. the presentation is awesome with the fan style pigtail. I just know when I select one of these it’s going to make me happy. It burned perfectly and tasted great. I have trouble finding fault with any of the Liga Privada line.

Today was quite an adventure. We awoke to freezing rain. After Monday’s wet snow clung to the trees, there was excessive weight on a lot of branches and we had limbs coming down left and right. Fortunately, no damage was done, but there were a great many road closures and getting to work was tricky. At one point I stopped on one local thoroughfare and helped clear a tree from across the entire multi-lane road. One lane going one direction and two going the other. Last I read about 90% of our county was without power, luckily we have auxiliary power, so I can post as usual. I took a walk tonight with a two plus year old Macanudo 1968 Robusto which was quite nice. It has developed a sweetness over the years and hit the spot after a long day. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it hits me just right.

I was quite honored to be included in the Famous Smoke Shop Blog‘s “Top 10 Cigar Blogs of 2013”. Famous Smoke Shop is a supporter of CigarCraig.com, and has recently upgraded their advertising here (look for a new ad on the left side bar coming soon). These guys have been around a long time, as a matter of fact, I signed up on their site in the late 90s and still get alerts when some old favorites come into stock. I should probably go in and edit those alerts, as I probably wouldn’t be interested in some of those cigars any longer anyway. Check them out if you are ever in Easton, PA, they have a nice shop, lounge and restaurant. In addition to their blog, they also have the CigarAdvisor online magazine, as well as the annual Cigarnival. Thank you to Famous Smoke Shop for their continued support and recognition!

Also, please join me in welcoming La Sirena Cigars to the CigarCraig family. La Sirena Cigars recently went out on their own after a long association with Miami Cigar and Co. and produce some really tasty cigars. I smoked a Merlion just last week. I look forward to featuring more of their cigars in the coming weeks. I’m quite pleased to have another cigar manufacturer represented here.

That’s about it for now. Sunday’s post will be up in the air a little, as I have some travel plans. If nothing else, I’ll have something ready Saturday morning and set it up to go out Sunday. Until the next time, Stay safe!

CigarCraig

4 Comments

Filed under Review

Tagged as 601 La Bomba, Blue Mountain Cigars, cigar, cigars, drew estate, Famous Smoke Shop, La Sirena, liga privada, macanudo

by CigarCraig | February 2, 2014 · 11:49 am

End of the Week Cigars: Ora Vivo, Merlion and Herrera Esteli

January is in the books, the groundhog saw his shadow and there’s some sort of game on tonight. It looks like we will have six more weeks of winter, which is funny because on my calendar it looks more like seven weeks until the vernal equinox anyway. I’m a cynic, what can I say. Six more weeks of winter, a month and a half until spring? I’m just glad spring is coming, this winter nonsense is for the birds! Anyway, with all that going on, I still managed to smoke a few great cigars!

Thursday I selected an Ora Vivo Armand Assante 5×54. I’ve smoked a few of these over the past few months and find them to be an excellent Nicaraguan cigar. There’s a really nice sweet flavor that’s more apparent in the double corona than this robusto, but still there. This is unlike most Nicaraguan puros in that it’s a solid medium, and very refined, smooth and complex. Victor Vitale, Gary Macchione and Armand Assante really did a nice job on this ultra-premium cigar. It’s a beautiful cigar, the wrapper is flawless and it’s perfectly made. Even the band is stunning. I probably would have had a box of these sitting in my humidor if the cigar dinner we went to last November had taken credit cards instead of just cash. They should have, at least, stated up front that it was cash only and people could have come prepared!

Friday evening I selected a Merlion Gran Toro, a 6″ x 58 cigar from La Sirena‘s Ariel Ditkowich. Actually, this particular example was handed to me at the IPCPR show by Nestor Miranda, who, until recently, was a partner in the La Sirena brand. Ariel is now in full control of distribution and production of her brand. I admit that I favor the La Sirena over the Merlion, which really doesn’t surprise me in that I generally favor cigars made by the My Father factory over those from the La Aurora factory (where the Merlion is made). It’s not a commentary on the quality, just my personal preference. The Merlion is a tasty cigar though, even in this large format. It’s a well made, medium bodied smoke. I like these better in the robusto size, and this is another line that I think works better for me in a warn environment. Maybe it’s the aquatic theme that makes me think that, or that it’s a more subtle and delicate blend. Either way, it’s a cigar to try.

Saturday afternoon I reached into one of the humidors and pulled out a Herrera Esteli Lonsdale Deluxe. This cigar was a gift from my brother-in-law a few months back (actually, he bought it for me at a Drew Estate event at Cigar Mojo). I gave this a V cut and the draw was perfect. This is a cigar that is totally different from anything I’ve smoked from Drew Estate. It’s got a pristine Ecuador Habano wrapper over a Honduran binder and Nicaraguan fillers. It’s a clean tasting cigar with great flavor. It’s really a cigar that I could smoke any time of the day, and I think I may have started off a day or two with these the last time I was in Nicaragua at Cigar Safari. In yesterday’s case, I took a late afternoon walk before dinner, and this was the perfect smoke. Yet another cigar I want to have on hand at all times. I’ve known Willie Herrera for a few years now and he’s really a super nice guy, and he knows his stuff when it comes to rolling and blending cigars. He gave me some valuable pointers when they had us applying wrappers in the factory, which is no where near as easy as people like Willie make it look!

As I look back at these three cigars, I notice that they are all similar in that they are medium bodied, smooth, complex cigars, not really my usually “wheelhouse” cigars. That’s one of the great things about premium cigars, there’s so many differnet flavors and strengths that it’s hard to get bored. I might have to dig out something powerful today, but since it’s supposed to be warmer today, I may smoke something on the milder side. Variety is the spice of life! Until the next time,

CigarCraig

7 Comments

Filed under Review

Tagged as Boutique Cigar Brands, cigar, cigars, drew estate, Herrera Esteli, La Aurora, La Sirena, Merlion, Ora Vivo Armand Assante, Victor

by CigarCraig | January 20, 2013 · 10:10 am

Cigars and Hockey – Alec Bradley Connecticut and Tempus and a Merlion

The last time I mentioned the cool match holder/striker that was brought to my attention, so this time take a look at this new cigar punch from ScrewPop, who makes a variety of tools that have integrated clips that double as a bottle opener. This is an aluminum body with a stainless steel punch blade and the cover screws on with an o-ring to keep out the crud. Next time I stop by Cigars International I may pick one of these up to see how it works! ScrewPop also has clip-able screwdrivers, knives, flashlights and mini-Bic lighter holders. Pretty nifty stuff. Please note that this is not a paid endorsement, just something that came to my attention that looked pretty cool.

Thursday evening I finally decided to smoke the Alec Bradley Connecticut that Jon Lipson gave me at an event a while back. This is another cigar that bucks the trend of mild Connecticut cigars. While not a particularly powerful smoke, it had loads of flavor and was solidly medium bodied. It had the signature Ecuador Connecticut wrapper flavor, with some real depth and body. I liked this smoke, it was different enough from the similarly wrapped American Classic Blend (which I really like). I almost thought it was kind-of like a Tempus with a shade wrapper, not that that’s a bad thing. Very nice smoke.

Friday evening I went out to dinner with my wife and her father and had a delicious flounder stuffed with crab. I probably would have made another cigar choice afterward if I had chosen steak, but I naturally gravitated to a Merlion Robusto for some reason (aside: did anyone pick up my series of puns in my last post?). I don’t know what I’d have selected if I had eaten duck. Anyway, the Merlion is the sequel to the La Sirena, which is a cigar I really like, but haven’t really smoked enough of. The Merlion is made by La Aurora in the Dominican Republic and is a bit milder than it predecessor with an Ecuador Corojo wrapper and a generous smattering of tobacco from Brazil. I enjoyed this on a post dinner walk and it was a nice cigar to follow an excellent meal. I can’t remember if this is one I bought at the Delaware Cigar Festival or was an IPCPR show sample, but it was missing one of the ornate bands, not a big deal to me as it’s one fewer band to remove, but the double banded presentation is quite nice, much like the impressive bands on the La Sirena line. Another nice job by the folks at Miami Cigar and Co.

I’m a big Philadelphia Flyers fan, and the last several months has been frustrating without hockey to watch. Hockey is really the only sport I like, to be honest. I had the good fortune to attend the opening game of the season yesterday. Unfortunately they didn’t really start playing until the end of the first period and couldn’t manage a comeback over a pretty defensively solid Penguins team. I really don’t like the Penguins much, and I kinda wish the fans would chant “Penguins Suck” instead of “Crosby Sucks”, because Crosby is a skilled player, he’s just a whiny little bi…..sorry, I’m straying from my point. When I got home I decided I’d smoke an Alec Bradley Tempus to see how far off I was on my thoughts about the Connecticut. I can’t really make a judgement on the similarities between the two except that they are both very nice cigars. The Tempus is a bit fuller bodied and was a very nice smoke. I don’t know if there are any cigars in the Alec Bradley line that I really don’t enjoy. There seems to be something for everyone in their portfolio. Even though the Flyers didn’t win, this Tempus was a winner. The Wells Fargo Center, where the Flyers play, does have a Cigar Bar, and I’m trying to get a tour to feature in a future post. Holt’s used to have the cigar concession in both the private club area and adjacent to one of the bar areas. I have been to a couple games many years ago where we could enjoy cigars before going to our seats. Sadly, the indoor smoking regulations put an end to that.

I’m afraid that’s all I have today. The TV will be on at 12:30 to see if the Flyers look better against the Sabres today, and I’ll find something to smoke afterward no doubt. Until the next time,

CigarCraig

5 Comments

Filed under Accessories, Editorial, Review

Tagged as Alec Bradley, cigar, cigars, connecticut, Flyers, La Sirena, Merlion, Miami Cigar and Co, Tempus

by CigarCraig | October 10, 2012 · 10:46 pm

Seafood and Columbus Day – A Merlion, a Trinidad and a Añoranza

Sunday evening my wife cooked an enormous piece of salmon and it was delicious. I wanted a cigar to follow the fish, and I couldn’t think of anything better than the new Merlion from La Sirena and Miami Cigar and Company. I’ve mentioned this cigar before (here) and it’s a solid cigar, made by La Aurora and featuring a Corojo wrapper around a three country blend. I may have enjoyed this one more than the first, it was perfect after the meal and really hit the spot. It’s a very tasty stick, well balanced and smooth. Another winner from Arielle.

Monday was Columbus Day, the day set aside to celebrate Columbus’ discovery of cigars! So I was digging around looking for a San Cristobal (de la Habana or otherwise) and came across a really old Trinidad corona. Someone correct me if my memory is off here, but back in the late ’90s, the Trinidad brand was released in the US, and it was made by Fuente. At some point the brand and production changed to being under the Altadis group of brands. This corona was from the original release, with really yellow cello. I had to cut the cello off, it was so brittle and sticky and beautiful. This actually took me back many years, it still had loads of flavor, but not a lot of nicotine. It was a really sweet, satisfying smoke which burned perfectly. This was the epitome of a well aged cigar. I think there’s one more floating around the humidor, I wonder what another few years of age will do to it?

On Tuesday I was rummaging around for something to smoke and the Añoranza Robusto lept out at me and demanded to be smoked. This dark beauty from Miami Cigar and Company was a sample from the IPCPR show, and I had been looking forward to smoking it. I will have to get my hands on some more, as it was really right up my alley. It was loaded with deep, rich cocoa and coffee flavors that I really enjoy. The wrapper is listed as Habana Oscuro, and while it didn’t look as dark as many oscuro wrappers, it tasted it, if that makes sense. I savored this cigar to a finger burning nub. Here is a quick video from the IPCPR show with Jason Wood, or Miami Cigar and Co., talking about the new La Aurora Cien Años Maduro, which I don’t think I got a sample of, but I will track one down to smoke because it looked really tasty!

There you go, two really nice smokes from the folks at Miami Cigar and Company, and a well aged cigar that you’ll probably never see again! Sorry about the later, but hunt down the Merlion and Añoranza and give them a try (as well as the new La Aurora offering!). Now…I need to see what kind of trouble I can get into for Sunday’s installment!

Until the next time,

CigarCraig

3 Comments

Filed under IPCPR, Review, Video

Tagged as Añoranza, cigar, cigars, IPCPR, La Aurora, La Sirena, Merlion, Miami Cigar and Co, trinidad

by CigarCraig | September 2, 2012 · 8:48 am

IPCPR 2012 – A La Sirena Merlion and Someone Wins Some Cigars!

Friday evening, the start of a holiday weekend, the (sigh) end of summer, all good reasons to spark up a good cigar. One of the cigars I’ve really been looking forward to smoking from the IPCPR show is the Merlion from La Sirena and Miami Cigar and Co. The sample I smoked was the Toro size, measuring 5½” x 54, which is a nice size for a late summer evening. The cigars are made at the La Aurora factory with Ecuadoran Corojo wrapper, a Brazilian Sumatra binder and Dominican Corojo, Dominican Criollo, Nicaraguan ligero and Brazilian Mata Fina fillers. It’s a very nice cigar. I could certainly taste the influence of the La Aurora factory in the blend, there’s a signature flavor that I’m familiar with that stands out. It performed perfectly and was a nice, satisfying smoke. Another winner from Arielle Ditkowich and the folks at Miami Cigar and Co. Arielle took a few moments to talk to me at the show, here’s the video.

Thank you, Arielle, for being one of my first few interviews at the show. Keep making tasty smokes!

Contest

I know, nobody is interested in video of me talking to a lovely lady about cigars, you just want to know who won this weeks contest! I was pretty amazed by the response, especially considering I was pretty vague about what the prize was (and I’m sorry, there will not be a Taboada in the prize pack! I had one and that was it). What is in the package is a pair of Tortuga LE 2011 torpedoes from Victor Vitale, along with a selection of General Cigar Co. goodies, including some new releases and special cigars that are only available at special events. I also threw in a few favorites from my humidors. As usual, I’ve consulted with the Random Number Generator at Random.org which has produced the number 15, which corresponds to Christian Logay by my figuring. Congrats Christian! Please send me your contact info so I can get this in the mail to you! Again, thanks to everyone for reading along and making the last 3 years very special for me.