Tag Archives: Cameroon

by Craig Vanderslice | May 8, 2022 · 9:42 am

Cuesta-Rey No. 95 Cameroon Cigar and Random Thoughts

This week J.C. Newman announced the release of the Cuesta-Rey No. 95 Cameroon to celebrate the 127th anniversary of the company. It’s going to be a factory exclusive, so one will have to visit the El Reloj factory to get them. The cigar is a 6½” x 42 lonsdale with an African Cameroon wrapper, Connecticut Broadleaf binder and Dominican fillers. They’ve put a $15 per cigar price on this and will sell them in 5-packs. Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems to me that Cuesta Rey No 95 used to be sold in three or five packs in most pharmacies that sold cigars. There were bundles of Craftsman’s Bench in several varieties, Berings, a bunch of cigars in tins, Macanudo Ascots, and Cuesta Reys. I’m quite sure I’m remembering this right. I don’t think I ever bought any cigars at the drugstores, they weren’t in humidors, and, at the time when the drugstores still sold tobacco, I had plenty of good options to get properly stored and curated selections of cigars. It was nice to know these were available in an emergency! I do understand why pharmacies got away from selling tobacco products, but they sell a whole lot of other unhealthy stuff there, so it’s a little hypocritical. Anyway, here’s a little excerpt from the J.C. Newman press release:

“After the Cuban Embargo was imposed in 1962, my grandfather, Stanford J. Newman, scoured the world for new types of tobacco. He discovered exquisite African Cameroon Wrapper (ACW) and was the first premium cigar maker to use it in the United States. Stanford wrapped ACW with a Connecticut Broadleaf binder and long filler tobaccos grown in the Dominican Republic to create the Cuesta-Rey No. 95. It was smooth, elegant, and flavorful, and became the top-selling premium cigar in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s. Sixty years later, we are proud to have recreated the original blend of my grandfather’s most famous cigar, the Cuesta-Rey No. 95.” – Drew Newman

Cuesta-Rey No. 95 Cameroon is handmade in J.C. Newman’s historic El Reloj cigar factory in the “Cigar City” of Tampa, Florida. It’s a 6.25 x 42 cigar that retails for $15 each. Beginning today, J.C. Newman is selling this special cigar in limited edition packs of 5 cigars as a factory exclusive. Cigar enthusiasts who visit J.C. Newman’s cigar museum, take a factory tour, or attend a special event at its El Reloj factory will be able to enjoy this very special cigar.

It’s impressive that the cigar is made in the Tampa factory, which accounts for the price being what it is. I had the good fortune to smoke a couple of these this week. It’s been a long time since I smoked a 95, a long, long time. I want to say the standard No. 95 is made by Fuente in the DR, and doesn’t have the Broadleaf binder, but I could be mistaken. Had I taken the time and thought about it, I would done a comparison, but I’ve been lazy lately. I’ve found myself smoking a lot of cigars that I like lately and not smoking new stuff. Selfish, I know. Anyway, this was a really good tasting cigar. Actually, the first one annoyed me a little as the first half failed to burn very well and didn’t really get going until the second half, but the second one was perfect. It had the nutty “Camerooniness” that I expect, with some sweetness from the broadleaf. It was unique enough to be special, and worth trying. Visiting El Reloj is on my list of things I want to do in the near future, it’s just a matter of making my way south sometime soon.

Since I spent the week smoking some cigars I know I liked, I really don’t have much else to talk about today. I was impressed with the mentions of cigars on NBC’s coverage of the Kentucky Derby yesterday. I know cigars are a tradition there, but they could easily have censored them. There was probably something stupid that someone did or said that I thought about talking about, but I can’t think of it now. I did hear that the Smokin’ Tabacco CFCF Charity Raffle has been extended, so check out https://go.rallyup.com/smokintabacco/Campaign/Details and get in on that. Also, don’t forget the Red Meat Lovers Club Battleship, Beef and Bourbon for the Ship event in June. Tickets are available here. That’s all for today, until the next time,

CigarCraig

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Tagged as Cameroon, cigar, cigars, Cuesta Rey, El Reloj, J.C.Newman

by Craig Vanderslice | August 23, 2020 · 10:46 am

A Liga Privada Serie Unico “A” and Some JRE Aladino Cigars

Friday wrapped up my first week at the new job, and I felt like it was a success, and my boss expressed his satisfaction, so it seems like it’s going to be a good gig. As I often do, I rummaged through the humidors looking for a cigar, and I wanted something befitting the occasion, but not only did I want something to celebrate the end of the work week (by the way, this is the first time since April of 2018 that I’ve worked Monday to Friday, 8-4:30, like a regular person!), but I also wanted something that would get me fairly deep into game 6 of the Flyers, possibly clinching, playoff game. I was in the NewAir CC-300H and spied a pair of Drew Estate Liga Privada Serie Unico “A”s, one each from two of the Barnsmokers I’ve been to on the top shelf. I also have a coffin with two that’s probably 6 years old in there, but these two were just sitting there on the shelf, vulnerable, so I took one to smoke. I figured this was a great occasion for a 9¼” x 48 cigar. I must have smoked one of these sometime over the past few years, because I should have had one more I think, but I can’t really remember. I took a walk, my usual one mile loop, and got back and had a double corona. By the time the Hockey game started I had a Churchill. The cigar got me through the first two periods. The timing was excellent. Flavorwise it was a nice cigar, T-52ish on the Liga scale. It has the Stalk Cut Connecticut Habano wrapper, which is amazing that the grow the leaves that large. It starts a little milder than a normal Liga, but the smoke has a mile of tobacco to filter it. It was a great tasting cigar, not overly unique or exciting, but interesting enough to not get bored with it over the two and a half hours I spent smoking it. Would I smoke another one? You bet!

I’m smoking an JRE Aladino Connecticut Robusto as I type this, more as we go along. CigarProp Kevin sent me an Aladino sampler and apart from the Maduro, Toro and Lancero I really haven’t smoked any JRE cigars. I’ve been working my way through the sampler this weekend. I started with the Aladino Corojo Reserva. One can’t help but notice the similarity between the Aladino band and the old Camacho bands, and the similarity extends to the authentic corojo in blend and the fact that the flavor of the cigar harkens back to the many Camacho Corojos I smoked in the 90s and early 2000s, when Julio Eiroa and his son Christian owned Camacho. I actually smoked my first Camacho in 1996, but it was pre-Christian’s involvement I think. This is a bold smoke with rich leather and spice and I liked it a lot, as much for the sentimentality as the flavor. It was perfectly constructed, and a pleasure to smoke.

The Connecticut is very flavorful, not at all mild, and quite tasty! Perfect with coffee and staying lit while I’m ignoring it for long stretches while I type my nonsense. I was quite intrigued by the JRE Aladino Cameroon. Any time I see a Cameroon made by someone that’s not Fuente, La Aurora, Partagas, or someone who’s been making Cameroon cigars for decades, I look forward to seeing the interpretation. I love Cameroon, it’s a great tasting wrapper, and even when used as a binder it adds a little something extra (look at the CroMagnon, it has a Cameroon binder and I think that is part of what makes it unique). This is another Aladino that burned perfectly. They really know how to make cigars right in this factory. I’m guessing the whole Bayer Crop Science processes they use on the farms extends to the factory as well, with regards to the quality control processes. The Cameroon had the nutty flavor on top of a fairly full bodied core which is a little different. Cameroon was almost a background flavor and not dominant, as it is in many cigars with that wrapper. That was my take on it anyway. The same can be said for this Connecticut I’m smoking now, although the shade wrapper flavor is a bit more dominant, but the slight sweet grassiness is there, but it’s got a bit off ass to it! It’s no wimpy smoke. I have to say, my favorite Connecticut wrapped cigars hail from Honduras, and this ranks right up there. Very nice.

So far, I have to say that to my palate, the JRE line suits me more than the CLE line. I’ve known Christian personally for many years (and he’s never once given me a cigar, btw 😁, no that it factors in to this), but I haven’t yet found a CLE cigar that trips my trigger. The Asylums I like. JRE, in my limited sampling, are outstanding, remind me of the tons of Camachos I smoked years ago, and get my attention. Thanks again to Kevin for sharing. Speaking of Kevin, and there will be more on this later, but head over to Smoke Inn and buy one of his samplers in their Battle of the Bands! All of the contestants are great, all of them are friends of mine, but I think Kevin is the new guy on the block and the underdog, and has a great sampler. That’s all for today, until the next time,

CigarCraig

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Tagged as Aladino, Cameroon, cigar, cigars, connecticut, Corojo Reserva, drew estate, JRE, liga privada, Serie Unico A

by Craig Vanderslice | July 12, 2020 · 10:51 am

Smoking Some Favorites: Marchetti, Partagas, Don Carlos and Some Heavy Lighter Thoughts

I didn’t get into anything new and noteworthy this week, tending to fall back to some favorite cigars. I’ll throw some highlights out. I’ve raved about the Don Juan Calavera line from Danli Honduras Tabacos in the past (recently rebranding to DAHOT). The have a box pressed maduro cigar called the Marchetti, named after one of the factory owner’s mothers, that’s absolutely wonderful, and has become a favorite “go-to” cigar for me. Like the other cigars in the company’s portfolio, I never have a construction issue, they always perform well, and they flavor is right in my wheelhouse, cocoa, espresso, and on the high side of medium bodied. It’s just about what I’d make if I were putting my name on a cigar. If you can get your hands on some of these, I highly recommend them, and I know they are showing up in more places. Great cigars!

Photo stolen from Facebook

I followed, and stuck my nose into, a couple discussions in Facebook groups this week, one of which had to do with a photo of this gentleman, whom I believe to a mister Fifty Cent, lighting a cigar with a Bic lighter. In several separate threads he was harshly criticized for this, for various reasons ranging from ruining the flavor with “Bic fluid”, being a poser and not a “real” cigar smoker, to touching the flame to the cigar (which is legitimate). There seemed to be a lot of bigotry toward the Bic. One post having over 200 replies, many being quite harsh criticism of the man. Some industry professionals pointed out that the majority of the people who actually make the cigars use disposable lighters in the countries where cigars are made, while I made the case that the fire that comes from a Bic is the same as that that comes from a Dupont soft flame lighter. I would add that, by extension, the fire that comes from a $3 torch lighter is the same that comes from a $100 torch lighter. Cases were made that a “true aficionado” lights his cigars with a torch, cases were made that someone of this gentleman’s economic status should use a lighter that closer matches the watch he’s wearing. I think a lot of these comments and ideas come from newer smokers who have a strange notion of what smoking cigars is all about. They seem to forget that cigars pre-date torch lighters by about 475 years, and that maybe them looking down on someone for how they light their cigars can be applied to other prejudices and turned around. Maybe Mr. Cent in the photo just flew in from somewhere and couldn’t get his Dupont lighter through TSA and a Bic was all he could carry on the plane? Who among us hasn’t been in that position? I’m preaching to the choir, I’m sure, but let’s try to educate the newer cigar smokers to apply some tolerance, teach the proper etiquette, including the common sense stuff like a Bic is OK, while a Zippo isn’t (although, a Zippo with a butane insert is fine!). That’s enough of a rant for today!

Another discussion I was party to was someone asking if others thought Cameroon cigars were horrible because he did. This is a pet peeve of mine, of course, Just because you think something sucks, doesn’t mean it sucks. Anyway, I offered that up, and suggested he just didn’t like Cameroon cigars and not to smoke them and move on, but it made me want to smoke Cameroon cigars. So I popped my head into the humidor and grabbed a Partagas Decadas Limited Reserve 2019. This a 5 ½” x 49 robusto with a ten year old Cameroon wrapper. For the binder they use the Honduran San Augustine tobacco that General has been using in a great many cigars recently. The filler is Piloto Cubano from the DR and Ometepe from Nicaragua. Years ago the Limited Reserve had a green band and I really enjoyed them, this cigar still delivers the goods. It’s got the sweet, nutty flavor that I like in a Cameroon cigar. These are quite nice cigars, well balanced, fairly delicate flavors, I can see where someone who smoked nothing but full-bodied cigars might miss the subtleties in this. I’ve always favored Partagas cigars, this one hit the spot.

Continuing my Cameroon journey, how could I not smoke an Arturo Fuente Don Carlos? Besides La Aurora, who else is synonymous with Cameroon tobacco than Fuente? Some of my earliest premium cigar memories revolve around Don Carlos and Hemingway cigars. So I lit up a Don Carlos No. 2 last night, and, you know what? I swear they taste the same now as they did 20+ years ago! It’s quite a miracle. Now this is a cigar that I can’t imagine someone not being able to find flavorful. This is a classic, it’s a big torpedo, it burns perfectly, and is loaded with flavor! it’s got that sweet, nuttiness, with some coffee notes as well. It’s one of those cigars that every humidor should have. I know I sleep better at night knowing I have some in my humidor! Help me out, was this one of the original sizes with the Robusto and the No. 3? Or was it part of the expansion around 2000 with the Double Robusto, Presidente and No.4? I think it was one of the original sizes. Regardless, it’s a classic. Maybe I’ll smoke a Hemingway Classic today!

That’s more than enough for today. There was some news this week, but it involved Fratello being distributed in Switzerland, and Casa Cuevas doing retailer only events, but I didn’t think that was of interest to too many people who read here (and you probably saw them elsewhere anyway). Until the next time,

CigarCraig

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Filed under Editorial, Review

Tagged as Arturo Fuente, Cameroon, cigar, cigars, Danli Honduras Tabacos, Decadas, Don Carlos, Lighters, Marchetti, Partagas

by CigarCraig | November 11, 2012 · 9:54 am

A Brick, a San Lotano and a La Aurora and Some News

The second half of my week started with taking a walk with my youngest son and his dog. A few weeks ago Sheryl at StogieBoys.com sent me a few samples of various vitolas of The Brick Box Press by Toraño. All three of these sizes were pretty large for me for cold weather, so I grabbed the smallest one, a 5½x60 “Robusto” that appears smaller due to the square press. The other two cigars were a torpedo and Churchill, both longer than I wanted for a cold evening. I had first experienced this brand back in 2004 when my wife and I held a cigar event at the Freehold Raceway in New Jersey. The folks at Toraño were very generous and sent a bundle of Brick torpedoes along with a box of Exodus 1959 to give to the attendees and at the time I thought it was a decent bundle cigar. Really nothing memorable, but not a bad cigar. I enjoyed this box pressed version, it wasn’t incredible, just a quality cigar at a reasonable price. The 60 ring gauge in the box press was very manageable. It burned well and while one dimensional, it had a pleasing flavor. I’ll smoke the larger sizes as the opportunity arises, I neither like to freeze my buns off for two hours nor waste a cigar putting it down prematurely. Thanks again to Sheryl at StogieBoys.com for providing me with samples and for working with CigarCraig.com.

Friday evening I grabbed a cigar I purchased a few weeks back at Total Tobacco in Newtown Square, PA. You should know after reading a little bit that I am a self-proclaimed cheap bastid. When I visited this store on it’s grand opening I picked up some cigars that I hadn’t tried and I don’t see everywhere. One of those cigars was this San Lotano Oval Maduro robusto. I love the Oval, I love the San Lotano Maduro so I felt compelled to shell out nearly $10 (ouch) to try this cigar that surely would be a home run. Obviously, the shape is unique, and very comfortable in the hand and mouth. The cigar was pretty terrific, but it wasn’t really that much more terrific than the regular San Lotano Maduro that I could justify the up-charge. This is just my opinion, mind you, the Oval IS a terrific cigar, the draw was effortless and it was loaded with all of the dark, rich flavors that I love. Just for me, for a couple bucks less I’m happier with the regular maduro. I’m happy I took the plunge and gave it a try, we have to do that from time to time. There can be no doubt that A.J. Fernandez is a superstar in the cigar world. As an aside, I have never been quite so proud as when he thanked me for doing what I do in English, which is not a language in which he is fluent.

Saturday was a pretty nice day, the temperatures were back in line with what they should be this time of year, perhaps a little warmer. My wife and I spent a fun afternoon babysitting out 1½ year old granddaughter, so we were pretty worn out! After dinner I selected a La Aurora robusto from the IPCPR show that was nice and dark. I wasn’t sure what this was to begin with, I thought it looked maduro, but I wasn’t sure. My bro Barry from Miami Cigar and Co. suggested it looked like the new Cameroon line, which it turned out being, of course. I was thrown off by the appearance and the flavor. This didn’t look like a Cameroon wrapper, it was dark and smooth, I expect a milk chocolate brown with lots of tooth. The flavors were deep and dark, maduroish, not the signature Camerooniness that I know and love. This will sound strange, but I love the La Aurora brand, but I’m often not fond of many of their cigars. generally there’s a little something that doesn’t appeal to me. However, this Cameroon was awesome. The best La Aurora cigar I’ve ever had. It was rich, complex and loaded with flavor. I smoke a lot of different cigars, and it’s rare that I have one that compels me to want a box, but this one is the one. The worst part about it was that it was too short. DAMN it was a great smoke!

News

Not to knock off ACigarSmoker.com‘s Sunday links, here are a couple links that caught my eye this week:

From the Miami New Times Blog: The Wynwood Cigar Factory: Smokes and Street Art Galore (Photos)

A bit of local (to me) from The Canadian: UFO: Cigar-like craft hovers over Philadelphia

From the LA Times, a little dated but appropriate for today: Veteran loves his cigars

Fine Tobacco NYC debuts their Sunday Cigar Shots: SUNDAY CIGAR SHOTS VIA #FINETOBACCONYC – NOVEMBER 11TH, 2012

And to be a little ironic, from ACigarSmoker.com: Sunday Links – 11/11/12

It’s supposed to be a nice day here in PA, so I’m off to see what kind of trouble I can get into. Happy Veterans Day in the US and Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world. Smoke a nice cigar today and dedicate it to all who have served.

Until the next time,

CigarCraig

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Filed under News, Review

Tagged as Cameroon, cigar, cigars, IPCPR, La Aurora, Links, oval, san lotano, Stogie Boys, The Brick

by CigarCraig | June 1, 2011 · 6:22 pm

Guest Take a Cigar for a Walk Review: DB Takes a Bolivar for a “Mow”!

Here’s a great twist on “Take a Cigar For A Walk” by our favorite serviceman, DB Dronnoff. I always love when I read about, or see, someone enjoying a high end cigar while doing something so mundane as mowing the lawn! We have our “yard ‘gars”, but why not enjoy a killer smoke while doing something that may be considered boring or routine! So, without further ado, here’s DB:

After reading many of Craig’s Cigar Walk reviews I thought it was time to get off my @$& and submit a review myself. This time I decided instead of just a walk I would also do something constructive (Honey-do’s) like mowing the grass. So here goes my “Take a cigar on a mow” submital.

It was a unusually sunny day here in the Suffolk region of the UK, and my grass had started to get out of control. Before I cranked up my trusty mower, I reached into my humidor and pulled out a cigar I have been dying to sample. A Bolivar Libertadores Exclusivo Francia that was gifted to me by a fellow BOTL from France. The Bolivar Petit Libertador is a 2008 France regional edition and comes in at 4” (102mm) by 50, making it a petit robusto.

After several pulls on the mover cord and a a test run, I lite up this little powerhouse for what I was assured would be a great experience. This cigar has the classic Bolivar band, with a second band which reads Exclusivo Francia. Immediately at the start I detected a creamy taste that ended up extending about halfway through this 4″ cigar. Midway through my mow and about halfway into the cigar a light citrus zestiness started and ended up continuing until the end of the cigar. This surprising flavor makes it a wonderful summer smoke when you don’t want anything too heavy…Like mowing your yard.

The burn of this cigar was quite even despite smoking it outside walking around. I have found that in these cases the shifting winds tend to force the cigar to burn uneven. That didn’t happen to the Bolivar, maybe it was just luck. The ash was a light solid texture mixed with peppery flakes. It never really had a chance to grow longer than 1.5″ due to my marching up and down the yard pushing the mower.

I soon finished my mowing task and retired to a chair out back to finish enjoying this fine cigar…without working up a sweat. Bottom line: Apart from being a gorgeous looking cigar, the Bolivar Libertadores is an amazing smoke, with a light citrus zestiness throughout.

Another day in beautiful England is now comming to an end. If your looking for a cigar to enjoy during your next mowing experience, enjoy it with the Bolivar Exclusivo Francia.

Aim High,

USAFCigar

Thanks again to DB for the excellent report on what most of us consider a very special cigar! As for myself, I had a fine Memorial day at the Delaware Park racetrack watching the ponies and enjoying a Joya de Nicaragua Cabinetta Robusto. This line extension is one of my favorite cigars lately. No matter what size, they always deliver a nice smoking experience all the way around. I do need to get my hands on more of the Lanceros though. It was awfully fun watching them being rolled in the factory!

After we got home, I decided on a short smoke, an El Titan de Bronze Hemingway. This little Cameroon wrapped perfecto had been sitting in the humidor since August of 2008 when I got it at the IPCPR show. I’ve had a few of them many years ago and was never really impressed, but this one was a gem! If they changed something over the years, it was for the better in my opinion. Great little cigar. Sadly, as I research this a little, I don’t see this size listed on the webpage. It was a 4″ x 46ish perfecto, not unlike a Fuente Short Story.