Sunday my wife and I drove up to Manhattan to meet up with our good friend Mitchell and his wife, along with some of his other friends at Club 
Macanudo. We got into the city early, so we wandered around Central Park a bit, even rode the Merry Go Round, visited Tiffany’s and just enjoyed a nice spring day. For those who don’t know, Mitchell operates C.Gars Ltd., the mail order division of Turmeaus Tobacconists established 1817, along with Robert Graham, Global Whisky Shop, Agedcubans, Humidorsonline, Havana Samplers, LCDH Hamburg, Great Gifts Etc. Mitchell is also the international distributor outside of the US for Palio, as well as several other brands that he sells in the UK and the rest of the world. We settled into Club Macanudo to smoke some cigars and socialize. The club is a beautiful space with a bar, private lockers and a full restaurant, serving a Sunday brunch menu until 7 pm. Jenn and I shared a delicious french toast and fruit bowl after I finished my first cigar, a Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2, which Mitchell had handed me when we arrived. This was a delicious cigar, on the milder side for a Havana, but full of flavor and perfectly constructed. I don’t smoke many Havanas any more, as much as I enjoy that distinctive little flavor that only a fine Havana has, a twang, if you will. I think the cigars coming from Nicaragua, Dominican Republic and Honduras 
are more interesting and superior in many ways. This was an exemplary smoke though, very nice. Looking at the cigar menu there was a bit startling. New York cigar prices are already high, but the prices there were more than double NY retail prices. I was going to joke that their prices were higher than Mitchell’s, but I try to avoid insulting my host if I can manage it! I didn’t take detailed notes, but I recall seeing a cigar that is $6.00 here in PA being $25. As I said, shocking. Fortunately, I had cigars with me, but Mitchell shoved a Partagas Serie D No. 4 in my paw so I had to smoke that. He mentioned that it was young and possibly quite strong, but I’m a fan of the Cuban Partagas line and found this to me a nice smoke. On the fuller side of medium with a very nice flavor. Perhaps with five years of age this will be a stellar smoke, but it was pretty darned tasty now. It’s always a great time hanging out with Mitchell, his lovely wife and his group of friends, and it’s nice to get a day away with my wife!
As if these special cigars weren’t a treat enough, Mitchell gifted me the new Palio Lighter in matte black, with “Seleccion Orchant 2013” inscribed on it. I’ve been lusting after this lighter since I spoke with Marc Aub of BOTL, LLC at the IPCPR show last August and he was showing it off (video here). This is a substantial lighter with a large fuel capacity, a fuel window and covers over the jet, as well as the filler hole. They’ve made it very easy to adjust the flame height with a little drop down turny thing on the adjustment screw (pardon the technical jargon). This is a brilliant lighter which I’m proud to have in my possession. It lights a cigar very nicely too. I’ll use it non-stop (except when I travel) and report on how it performs, but I have no doubt it will be flawless.
The first cigar I lit with the Palio lighter was a La Palina Maduro toro. I fell in love with the Robusto in this line last year when it was released, although I only smoked a few samples. Its everything I desire in a San Andreas wrapped cigar: smooth, chocolaty, and delicious. Of course it’s well made, although the draw could have been a little bit better. I enjoy the heck out of most of the La Palina cigars I’ve smoked, but this maduro is my favorite hands down (who among you who reads regularly is surprised?).
Tonight I grabbed a Cain F 5.75×50 that probably came from the IPCPR show last year. This turned out to be a poor choice for me, not because it wasn’t a great smoke, it was, but it was just too strong for me tonight. I’m tired and it kind of kicked me in the butt. It made it more difficult to sit down and write this post! I should have chosen something milder! Still a nice smoke, but strong. I think I like the tubed lancero best in this line.
News
I came across this in my inbox today and thought I’d pass it along since it struck me as a unique promotion that I’ve never seen before:
Sunday’s post will be a rare guest post, since I will be travelling to Nicaragua for Cigar Safari. I’ll be touring the Drew Estate operation along with several of my blogging brethren (and some real journalists :-)). Expect another full report akin to my last report from March of 2011. Many thanks to the folks at Drew Estate for this opportunity! So stay tuned, I’ll try to get something posted while I’m there, internet access willing!
Until the next time,
CigarCraig
Villiger Stokkebye
