One of the big things I miss about not going to the IPCPR show is getting early access to new cigars, there’s a list of stuff I’m looking forward to trying. Perhaps Sunday’s post will cover some of the cigars I hope to try based on news I’ve heard from or before the show. Fortunately, when my friends at Cornelius and Anthony heard I wasn’t making it to the show this year, they were kind enough to send 
a parcel my way with a couple of their new offerings, the Gent and the Mistress. I posted a news item on this back on July 5th, but I had seen ads for these in industry publications months ago and was intrigued, being a fan of the brand. There are very few brands where I can say I like every cigar in their portfolio, this is one. I have a least favorite, but I still would smoke it over a lot of other cigars. So I was excited to try the Gent and Mistress, which are limited production.
The Gent is a box pressed cigar, in this case a 5″ x 52is robusto, with a Rosado wrapper of undisclosed origin (Ecuador?), a US (believe it to be Virginia) binder, and Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers. Like all other cigars in the line, save for the Cornelius, this and the Mistress are made at La Zona in Esteli. These are also available in Corona Gorda (5 ½” x 46), Toro (6″ x 50), Gordo (6″ x 60), I look forward to trying the Toro as I almost always find the toro to be my favorite vitola across the board int he Cornelius and Anthony brand, but that’s just me. Anyway, I believe the Gent to be the first box press in the range, and it’s a very suave and sophisticated cigar. It’s not without some strength, as a gentleman should have, but it’s character is very refined and elegant. There’s some spice, and some pleasant flavor, and I really enjoyed this cigar quite a bit. I highly recommend this cigar, and it climbs into the top five in my favorite C&A cigar list.
The Mistress is in the round, also was the robusto version, and is offered in the same sizes as the Gent above. The cigar has an Ecuador Habano wrapper, the US binder (presumably Virginia again, I’m making assumptions based on the company owner’s ties to Virginia family tobacco operations going back generations) and Pennsylvania filler. There is nothing I can find anywhere that indicates that there is anything but PA tobacco in the filler, this would have been great to have included in last week’s post about cigars with PA tobacco! Unlike a Gent, a Mistress carries a less wholesome connotation. I’m sure mistresses can be nice people, but let’s face it, they are involved in cheating and deceit, and this one might have been a deceitful bitch! First, I was mightily impressed with the strength, and it takes some strength to be the other woman, I suppose (or stupidity, never had one, don’t plan on getting one!). It had great rich flavor, and a load of spice and sweetness that I really dug. As I took the band off and got ready to finish it up, I started to feel the power of this strumpet, she was having her way with me. I put her down at this point, and went in to the house and found the metaphorical stuffed bunny in the pot on the stove (this is a movie reference), tried to get some sugar, but ended up hugging porcelain and having a bad night all around. Now, not blaming the cigar, maybe it was something I ate. As a cigar geek, the thought went through my mind to have another one to see if it did the same thing again, but I really wasn’t feeling that masochistic right away…if it was the cigar, she’s a sneaky bitch, be careful around her! Wow, not sure if I should have included all that, might not present the cigar in the best light…let’s go with bad food, yeah, that’s it, dinner didn’t agree with me, bad coincidence. I still want to try the toro!
Of course, I was gun-shy after having a bad night so I dialed back last night I smoked the Cornelius and Anthony Aeriel Corona Gorda to complete the C&A trifecta for the week. This is a great Ecuador Connecticut Shade wrapped cigar that’s by no means mild, but full of flavor and burns well. I can’t say I prefer this in one size over the other, as the Corona Gorda is a great representation of the blend, but it might just be because the smaller ring gives the impression that there’s a bit more strength than a larger gauge. Another great cigar from La Zona and Cornelius and Anthony. Despite my experience with the Mistress, give it a try and let me know what your findings are, I really am curious (and a little sadistic, maybe?). I’ve got a lot going on and I’d love to eliminate the cigar from the possible cause of my distress the other night!
That’s all for today, until the next time,
CigarCraig
