A La Gloria Cubana, a Brun del Re, a La Palina and a Hoyo de Monterrey Contest Winner!

I think the combination of the outrageously high heat and humidity and the air conditioning being on in the house has wreaked havoc with a couple cigars this week.  I’ve been taking the cigar out of the humidor, getting ready to take it outside, sometimes it hangs out unprotected in the dry air conditioning for 10 minutes or so, then I drag it out into the hot and humid out of doors.  I fail to see how these short periods of time have any effect, but I’ve had a few cigars that seem to smoke “wet”, as if they dried out a little inside, then soaked up a big drink of water upon going outside!  I know this is unreasonable, but I can’t think of anything else.  Other cigars from the same humidor are fine.  Certainly some tobaccos burn differently at various humidities, or maybe I just got a couple duds!  The first cigar to give me a little trouble was the La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Tabaqueros retro tour edition, the one with the Sumatra and Broadleaf, as opposed to the Connecticut and Sumatra configuration that’s in regular production.  I have had a couple of these in the Robusto size and absolutely loved them.  It took some work getting the smoke out, having to double and triple draw for the first half to get at that deliciousness.  Once it got to the half way point it started working a little better.  In my experience, this is a terrific smoke, once you hit the broadleaf wrapper those nice, dark flavors really take off.  If you ever get a chance to get to a La Gloria Cubana event and mooch one of these, do it, they are tasty as all get out!

 

Mondays can sometimes be “experimental” cigar days.  I chose a Brun del Re Don Corazza robusto from the couple of cigars left over rom last year’s IPCPR show.  I had smoked this cigar in a 4″ x 60 format and was less than impressed, which is one of the reasons I’ve passed over the robusto in my humidor.   I figured after a year of age I’d give it another shot.  I’m a strong believer in the idea that every cigar is someone’s baby, so this Don Corazza guy must love this cigar.  It smoked pretty well, with a little hint of the “smoking wet” feeling I got with the La Gloria.  I did enjoy the cigar past the band, it burned evenly and had a pleasing flavor.  It may not be something that’s necessarily up my alley, but it’s still a nice smoke.  I think I have a Brun del Re Premium Connecticut floating around someplace that I’ll have to try soon.

 

Tuesday, for some reason, I decided on a La Palina El Diaro Torpedo for my usual walk.  This one had been sitting in my Griffin’s humidor for about six months or so, and it was one of those situations where I thought of that cigar for some reason during the day.  I felt compelled to smoke it and I don’t know why.  I’m glad I did because it was a terrific smoke! This line is one of those that I can’t put a name to any flavors, but I just know I like them and that they are always a high quality smoking experience.  The construction is spectacular and they are smooth and rich and tasty.  I am so looking forward to the maduro version, you know how much I love the San Andreas maduro wrappers!

 

Contest!

 

It’s time to select a winner for the third week of our Hoyo de Monterrey Reposado en Cedros contests!  If you haven’t already, make sure you enter Hoyo’s Box-a-Day contest at HoyodeMonterrey.com.  I consulted the random number generator at Random.org once again, and it spit out the number 7.  By my figuring, foozer69 left the 7th comment so he’s the winner!  Send me your contact info so I can send you cigars.  Sunday will be another contest, so you’ll have another chance to win a six-pack of cigars. Many thanks to the fine folks at General Cigar Co. for sponsoring this series of contests!

 

Finally, as long as you’re leaving comments on Sunday (or on this post), do me a favor and tell me what you’d like me to ask manufacturers and brand owners at the IPCPR show.  I’d like to come back with information that you, the readers, want to hear, so I figured it would be easiest to ask!  So let me know!

 

That’s more than enough for today, until Sunday,

CigarCraig

 

 

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5 Comments

Filed under Contest, IPCPR, Review

5 Responses to A La Gloria Cubana, a Brun del Re, a La Palina and a Hoyo de Monterrey Contest Winner!

  1. jimbobber

    I’ve noticed that “wet” smoking problem as well and have become quite curious about it.

  2. TriMarkC

    I’ve had a couple of cigars these past weeks with problems staying lit, etc, even though they’ve been at 65% humidity for months+.

    As for IPCPR questions, it would be interesting to hear the various manufacturers’ plans for how they will deal with the FDA EITHER way the decision goes – for or against premium cigars.

  3. czerbe

    Hey Craig being in the same general area as you are I dealing with similar issues. At IPCPR make sure you go over to Gary and give him a Nutkick from Corey I know he is going as a buyer and not a Vendor but he needs one anyway. have fun and good luck.

  4. Paul

    Congrats to the winner! Would also find it interesting on what you find out at IPCPR on the FDA issue.

  5. foozer69

    hello craig! recently I noticed while smoking a stogie that I purchased @ my local b & m on the back of the cigar band it says dont be fooled by a fake or something to that effect, now I purchased that same cigar over the internet and that cigar band did not have that same saying on the back can you explain? thanks in advance!