As I mentioned last week, J.C. Newman is a new sponsor here at CigarCraig.com, and I couldn’t be happier to have them on board. If you notice their advertisement, you can click through for a chance to win one of their beautiful Diamond Crown humidors, and I’m all about contests! They were also kind enough to share a couple of their latest offerings with me, which I sampled this week. Of course, I 
couldn’t wait to smoke the Julius Ceaser Hail Caeser, the 6″ x 60 Gordo in the line. I think the last time I smoked a Julius Caeser was 2012, the night of the launch of Bernie Parent’s BSB No. 1 cigar at a dinner sponsored by Ned’s Cigars in Newtown PA. The owner of the show, a gentleman named Luca, who has since tragically passed, gifted me a Julius Ceaser when we met up before the event to get acquainted. It’s one of those cigar moments one remembers. I have another one in one of the Toast Across America coffins in the Shark vitola from 2014 that my daughter bought me (5 years ago, I guess they are about ready to smoke now!). Point is, I don’t smoke a great many Julius Caesers, so I was excited to smoke this one. I know a lot of my colleagues aren’t big ring gauge fans, but I happen to like them in many cases. This cigar has an Ecuador Havana Seed wrapper, with “Caribbean and Central American” fillers, which is rather general, aged for five years. When I think of how I expect cigars over $15 should smoke, this one is in full compliance. I had no complaints at all, the physical performance was perfect. As far as flavor goes, it was very flavorful, even for a large ring cigar. It’s a cigar I find more wood and earthy notes in than spice or sweetness, although there is a hint of cocoa. It’s a cigar that I’d keep in my humidor if money were no object. I’m reminded that it’s been forever since I smoked a Diamond Crown Maximus, and I need to remedy that.
I had the honor and privileged of appearing on The Retrohale Podcast this week with Bret and Mark. It was recorded Sunday night and released later in the week. I have been enjoying their show for a while and have contributed to their website, and they have been very generous in promoting my site on their show. It was fun, although I think Bret thinks I’m a little more high-falutin than I really am! Maybe I have become more of a cigar snob in later years, but I’m still a cheap bastid at heart! The guys at the Cigar Hacks Podcast turned me on to The Retrohale, and they are hosting them this coming weekend in New Hampshire, and I sure wish I could join them! Give both shows a listen, both are entertaining, I’ve tried not to make a fool of myself on them both and consider all those folks friends!
The other cigar that J. C. Newman shared with me is the Brick House Double Connecticut Mighty Mighty, a 6¼” x 60 gordo. This is on the other end of the price spectrum from the Julius Caeser, coming in around $7. The Brick House line is made in their Nicaraguan factory, PENSA, and has a U.S. grown Connecticut Shade wrapper over a U.S. grown Connecticut Broadleaf binder with Nicaraguan fillers. This is presented as a mild cigar, and I found it to be medium, and maybe full flavored. It had LOADS of flavor! The shade wrapper had its signature grassy flavor that was unmistakable, but the chocolatelyness from the broadleaf was there from the binder, which also gave it some body, which was most appreciated. Well put-together, everybody knows, this is how the story goes. I found this cigar to be very interesting. I know this has been around for over a year, but it’s been one I’ve missed, and I like the regular Brick House line. The combination of the two Connecticut leaves really provides an interesting flavor sensation, and I think at this price, it’s a no-brainer. I’ll be trying this in other vitolas, but the Mighty Mighty is just lettin it all hang out.
That’s all for today. Since I rarely string two days off in a row any more it’s hard to get anything done around here, so things like the podcast and content have suffered. Hopefully I get a chance to get something recorded for another podcast episode soon. Ideas are welcome! Until the next time,
CigarCraig
