It’s Thanksgiving Eve, and I’m sure most of my US readers are getting ready for a nice turkey dinner tomorrow. Don’t forget to pick out some great cigars to smoke after dining with family. A big Happy Thanksgiving from CigarCraig.com!
I’ve been smoking some new, but familiar to me cigars this week. It’s gotten wintry cold around here and I wanted to smoke some cigars that I knew wouldn’t get lost in the frigid outside conditions. Sunday I picked out a CAO Flathead Camshaft (5½x54) for a late afternoon walk. I gave this one a punch cut, but, as with the other examples I smoked, the cap just popped off. I trimmed it up with the scissors and hit the road. I really like this cigar. It’s deep and dark. It’s severely box pressed. It burns and draws well, is big enough to handle with gloves on, but not too big. It holds a nice ash too. I want to try the other sizes in the line, I just haven’t gotten around to looking for them in the shops yet. I personally am pleased with the last several offerings from CAO, they are tasty and well priced. I have an irrational desire to get my hands on a couple of the Angry Santa and Evil Snowman holiday releases to see what they are all about. Perhaps they could release a “Mildly Irritated Elf” for a morning smoke.
Monday evening I pulled out another Alec Bradley Nica Puro (5×50) for my walk. I think Monday was about the coldest it’s been in quite some time. I don’t like it. Not one bit. Anyway, unless it’s windy or precipitating or both, I find that I don’t get too cold if I keep moving, which is one of the reasons I’m always taking my cigar for a walk. The dog needs the exercise too, as do I. This Nica Puro is a tasty smoke. It’s syrupy sweet tobacco flavors really appeal to me. The wrapper has a reddish hue which is easy on the eyes. It’s a fantastic cigar, I’m glad I bought a few to have on hand. There’s something about cigars with “Nica” in the name that are really appealing to me. Great smokes, it’s not often I have the same cigar twice in a week!
Tuesday it was raining, so I took the dog out for a quick little walk/run (yes, I ran a little bit…) and came back and had a Recluse Robusto (5 x 52) from Iconic Leaf Cigar Co. in the garage. This is another box pressed maduro, not unlike the CAO. Perhaps the Recluse is a little more refined in flavor. I love the rich cocoa that this cigar has. Since it’s rolled entubado (and I think you’ll find that many cigars are rolled this way, although they may not necessarily make mention of it) and box pressed, it’s almost guaranteed to draw well. I purchased this example at the same local shop that I got the Nica Puro from, only it was sometime last spring, I think. I’ve really enjoyed the Recluse line since being introduced to them a year and a half or so ago. If you can find them, give them a try, great smokes.
Tonight I took a walk with another Drew Estate Nica Rustica El Brujito (6×52). Have you ever smoked a cigar that tasted like old newsprint wrapped in kraft paper? This is nothing like that. Burn: perfect. Draw: pretty good. Flavor: loads of it. I still think the prototype I brought back from Nicaragua with some Nicotiana rustica was a little more interesting, but this production version is a delicious smoke, and the price point makes it very accessible. It’s a heck of a good smoke. Hopefully my week of repeats wasn’t too boring!
I’m still working on the 12 Spectacular Days of Giveaways, hopefully it will all go off without hitch! I’m going to have a busy week at work the week the contests start too, so I’m trying to get as much set up in advance as possible. Be ready for some great presents this year!
Until the next time,
CigarCraig
