Tag Archives: diesel

by Craig Vanderslice | August 27, 2023 · 9:51 am

New El Rey Del Mundo and Diesel Cigars and a DBL Cigars Event

Thursday evening I went to the new Cigar Mojo location in Malvern, PA. which is about a mile closer to my house than the next nearest cigar store, which is two miles away. Yes, I could walk there if I so chose. Wade and Trae have built a really nice shop and lounge in a small center with restaurants, an Ax throwing venue, several other businesses, located adjacent to a huge corporate park in suburban Philly. The humidor is massive, and will soon be impressively stocked, and the lounge is well appointed and comfortable. I’ve been told that they are currently fully staffed ;-). Anyway, they had an inaugural event there with Francisco Almonte of DBL Cigars and I couldn’t manage to find an excuse not to make the one mile trek over there. Francisco has a background with the Fuente and LFD factories, and went out on his own probably ten years ago or more. I think it’s been at least that long since I first met him. Super-nice dude, and very talented cigar roller. I smoked the DBL Extra Viejo Maduro while there. It was pretty good, some coffee and espresso notes that I like, there’s something in DBL cigars across the board that I don’t get. Friday evening I smoked the DBL Nicaraguan, which was initially called the La Union, but the Garcia’s had that trademark tied up with their upcoming anniversary project with Pete Johnson and asked for the name to be changed. I hoped that the Nicaraguan expression would suit my palate better, alas, it still had something that didn’t jive with me. I’ve said this before, as recently as a few weeks ago with Aganorsa, there are some lines that just don’t hit the palate, and that’s why there are so many different cigars. DBL makes good, quality cigars, and if you like a lot of different cigars than I tent to like, you’ll probably enjoy them! They are very well priced, and certainly deserve a try, and if you find yourself at Cigar Mojo at The Grove, give me a holler, if I’m free, I’m like three minutes away.

I’ve been fortunate to have come into a batch of new cigar samples, so I’ve been trying out some of the new releases lately. One I smoked this week was the El Rey del Mundo Shade Grown. El Rey del Mundo is a brand that’s been in my humidor on and off in some way for over the last 25 years, I can remember smoking many Rectangulares, Flor de Llanezas, and Robusto Largas over the years, and it was always a delicious, satisfying cigar. In this case, they’ve put a Honduran grown Connecticut shade wrapper on it, over a Honduran Jamastran binder, with Copan and Jamastran fillers, making a Honduran puro. If every line has to have a shade cigar (does it?), this cigar isn’t a bad fit with the brand. It’s got the creaminess, and is on the milder end of medium, but still has plenty of flavor. I rather enjoyed it, as I’ve been enjoying shade cigars lately, as long as they aren’t too mild and flavorless! Not too bad!

Last night after a heavy Italian meal out with friends, we retired to the sala fumatori at la mia casa for a digestif. Earlier in the day I had finished watching “James May: Our Man in Italy” on Amazon Prime so I was all Italianed up. I suppose a Toscano would have been more appropriate, but I had been eying up the new Diesel Vintage, and wanted to talk about it in today’s post. I’m also smoking one as I type this morning, on a fresh palate, because smoking one with company and conversation and alone without distraction can be two different experiences. Turns out they were pretty close. This is a cigar that is to my liking. It has a San Andrés Negro Madoro wrapper, Esteli binder, and Jalapa fillers ranging from five to eight years old. Like all Diesel cigars, it’s made by A.J. Fernandez for Forged Cigar Co. I’m smoking the 5″ x 56 Robusto Gordo, and it’s available in 4 other sizes, which I will eventually sample as I find them in the wild. I can personally attest that this cigar is as good after a heavy meal as it is with a morning cup of coffee, although I did end up smoking too late and slept like crap last night…a function of my advancing years, I’m afraid, I’m in the final days of my 50’s. I see an afternoon nap, and I’m talking right after noon…anyway, I really like this Diesel Vintage. It’s got a load of sweet spice, earth, coffee, cocoa, all the flavors I really like. I want to smoke the Toro, it could become a go-to. Great smoke.

That’s all for today. I celebrate a couple milestones this week, one being the 14th anniversary of CigarCraig.com, the other being the 10th anniversary of my 50th birthday, so I’ll be smoking some special cigars here and there to mark the occasions. Until the next time,

CigarCraig

4 Comments

Filed under Events, Review, Stores

Tagged as cigar, CigarMojo, cigars, DBL, diesel, Diesel Vintage, El Rey Del Mundo

by Craig Vanderslice | July 23, 2023 · 9:22 am

Romeo y Julieta, La Gloria Cubana and Diesel Cigars

Summer is whizzing by way too fast for my liking. I’ve been enjoying a lot more cigars, three of which were just yesterday, which I plan to tell you about! I started the day with a Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Twisted Love Story. This came to me in a sampler of barber pole style cigars I bought from Fox Cigars, I had set this small cigar aside for an appropriate time, and that time came yesterday morning. It was a toss up between this and a Rojas Breakfast Taco Maduro, but I kinda remember the Sumatra Breakfast Taco being a bit of a powerhouse, and I wasn’t feeling like a strong cigar yesterday morning. I wondered in a previous post how Altadis got away with making a cigar this shape with the name “story” attached to it, because it’s very close to the same size as the Hemingway Short Story, although it’s a few ring gauges slimmer at 4″ x 46 as opposed to 49. The Romeo has Ecuadorian Connecticut & Habano wrappers, Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers. It’s a very pretty little perfecto. It started off with some bitterness for me, until it burned past the “nipple”, then it smoothed out and had some nice butter and spice. It was pretty good, but I liked the toro presentation better. I think it smoked for nearly an hour, which is pretty good for a little cigar.

I had a couple other cigars lined up that I was going to write about, but then I was out running errands and stopped in my nearest cigar store and picked up a few cigars I hadn’t smoked before. This store honestly didn’t have much in the way of new stuff, but they are a TAA store, so I picked up the La Gloria Cubana 2023 TAA Exclusive, a 7½” x 54 double corona. If the size sounds familiar, it’s the same size as the Hoya de Monterrey Excalibur No.1 (and the SakaKahn). You might be saying ” but CigarCraig, La Glorias are made in the DR, and Excaliburs are made in Honduras, what the heck?”, but it seems that this La Gloria was made in the STG Danli factory back in 2019 and have been aging there. Weird, huh? This cigar has a Ecuador Sumatra wrapper with a Honduran Habano binder and Fillers from Honduras and the DR. The wrapper is very dark, verging on maduro. While I didn’t find this cigar very La Gloria like (and with all the various iterations of the brand, I don’t know what that means any more), I really like the cigar, and feel compelled to pick a few more up to add to the La Gloria humidor for later consumption. It had dark dried fruit and espresso tones, bittersweet chocolate, and wasn’t without some strength. It was amongst the better La Glorias I’ve had in recent years.

Another cigar I picked up was another TAA cigar from the Forged portfolio, the Diesel Disciple 2021 TAA Lancero. Considering it wasn’t long ago that Diesel was a catalog brand, it’s interesting that the top of the top (in their eyes, i imagine) retailers are getting a Diesel exclusive. In keeping with the Diesel line, this was pretty fairly priced at $8.99, and is a 7″ x 38 panatela, no pigtail cap. The cigar has a San Andrés wrapper, Ecuador Sumatra binder and Nicaraguan Habano fillers and is made at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez. I’ll state my opinion like I do every time I smoke a Lancero, this wrapper/filler ratio thing is a myth, the reason Lanceros have a sharper, stronger flavor is because the burn hotter due to the smaller ring gauge. Smoke a Lancero slowly, sip the smoke, it’s a very elegant presentation. If it’s drawn upon at the same pressure as one would draw on a rubusto or toro it’s going to burn hot and the flavor is going to seem sharper. I’ve learned this by sitting at the feet of masters. Anyway, I smoked this while watching one of my favorite shows (the Grand Tour on Amazon Prime) on the porch and it was delicious. Dark, strong espresso with some sweet earthiness. The burn and draw was perfect and it was quite enjoyable. I don’t know how many of these are still out in the wild, I know there are still at least nine of them at the store near me, but if you come across them, and you like Diesels and Lanceros, give one a try.

That’s all for today, until the next time,

CigarCraig

Comments Off on Romeo y Julieta, La Gloria Cubana and Diesel Cigars

Filed under Review

Tagged as cigar, cigars, diesel, Disciple, La Gloria Cubana, Reserva Real, romeo y julieta, TAA, Twisted Love Story

by Craig Vanderslice | April 4, 2023 · 5:49 pm

News: New Sizes for the Diesel Disciple

I’ve smoked a lot of Diesels, but I don’t think I’ve smoked the Disciple. The Atonement was really good, and the Esteli Puro is really quite good too. I lied the Crucible quite a bit too. I’m going to go pick out a Diesel to smoke tonight. I’ll be keeping an eye out for this Disciple.

DIESEL DISCIPLE ADDS NEW SIZES

Diesel Disciple will welcome two new sizes as permanent additions to the brand’s growing lineup.

The soon-to-be-released Toro and Torpedo vitolas will mark the second and third sizes in the line and will begin shipping this week.

Justin Andrews said, “We decided to launch two new sizes of Diesel Disciple this year because the blend has gotten such a strong endorsement from the retail community. They love the blend and the packaging and often tell us that Disciple smokes like a $20 cigar for half the price. We’re looking forward to rolling out the new formats and will continue to expand the line according to demand from retailers and cigar smokers.”

Handcrafted at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez in Estelí, Nicaragua and developed in collaboration between AJ and STG’s Justin Andrews, Diesel Disciple is a robust and balanced cigar blended to stand out in the medium-full spectrum.

Made with a Mexican San Andreas wrapper, an Ecuadoran Sumatra binder and a filler exclusively comprised of Nicaraguan Habano from Esteli, the cigar exemplifies blending expertise with an unexpected layer of sweetness that creates intrigue against Disciple’s bold and peppery notes.

Diesel Disciple Toro (6.25” x 52); SRP per cigar $9.99

Diesel Disciple Torpedo (6.5” x 54); SRP per cigar $10.49

Both new Diesel Disciple sizes come in 10-count boxes. The line is distributed by Forged Cigar Company.

Originally released to the top US brick and mortar retailers as a TAA exclusive in 2021, Diesel Disciple became a full-time line in 2022 when the brand’s sole frontmark a Lancero (7” x 38) became available in all channels.

Comments Off on News: New Sizes for the Diesel Disciple

Filed under News

Tagged as cigar, cigars, diesel, Disciple

by Craig Vanderslice | February 11, 2023 · 7:43 am

News: Diesel Fools Errand Simple Fool Due For Release

I’ve liked a lot of the Diesels over the years, this one looks fun. Not only is there s a cool shaped cigar, but they’ve included an online game with it! Pretty cool, read on:

DIESEL RELEASES SECOND FOOL’S ERRAND ITERATION WITH INTERACTIVE GAME

Diesel is set to roll out the second release in its Fool’s Errand trilogy with Simple Fool, a new, limited edition expression that blends cigar mastery, storytelling and interactivity in one.

Simple Fool will ship to retailers on March 6.

Blended by AJ Fernandez and Justin Andrews, Diesel Fool’s Errand Simple Fool is a Nicaraguan-forward smoke. Crafted with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper and a blend of proprietary tobaccos cultivated by AJ in Nicaragua’s celebrated growing regions, the binder and filler tobaccos are all Nicaraguan Habano harvested from various primings. Simple Fool is a full-bodied, dense smoke with espresso, earth and spice notes balanced by a rich creaminess.

Justin Andrews said, “There is nothing foolish about simplicity and this cigar echoes what AJ and I believe to be true about life in general: that less can often be more. Think about the aroma you smell when you first open a box of cigars. Or a relaxing place to unwind with a great smoke. These are simple things that mean a lot. Simple Fool is no different. This cigar exercises restraint beautifully with proprietary, full-bodied tobaccos blended to perfection. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Simple Fool is being released in one size, a 5” x 58 tapered perfecto that tells the blend story perfectly.

For this, the second release in the Fool’s Errand series, the Simple Fool character will be introduced via a collectible tarot card inside the box. The card contains a QR code that, when activated, will launch an interactive game which invites the cigar smoker to complete the Simple Fool’s errand by solving a series of riddles. Special Diesel Fool’s Errand prizes created specifically for the Simple Fool character will be awarded at random to the top 10 participants.

The Diesel Fool’s Errand trilogy is released annually in early Spring, and includes the introduction of a new character with a unique backstory and a customized interactive game and prizes. The line debuted in 2022 with Diesel Fool’s Errand Stubborn Fool. The third and final release in the trilogy is planned for Spring 2024.

Justin Andrews hints, “A simple fool is still a fool yet a wise person thinks ahead. Wise cigar smokers among us will put the Simple Fool tarot card in a safe place for safe keeping…”

Diesel Fool’s Errand Simple Fool is handmade at Tabacalera AJ Fernandez in Esteli, Nicaragua. The cigars will come in 10-count boxes.

Diesel Fool’s Errand Simple Fool (5” x 58); SRP per cigar $9.99

Diesel cigars are distributed by Forged Cigar Company.

About Diesel

Handcrafted by artisans in Esteli, Nicaragua, Diesel cigars are “bold by design.” The brand challenges the current conventions of the handmade cigar category through the bold, unapologetic style of its Cigar Master, AJ Fernandez. Diesel cigars are unified by their deeply complex flavor which is achieved through AJ’s steadfast adherence to time honored cigar making techniques and his insistence on using the highest quality tobacco. The Diesel portfolio includes Hair of the Dog which was released in 2019; Whiskey Row which launched two expressions, one in 2019 and one in 2018, and Diesel Grind which debuted in 2017. For more information, visit www.dieselcigars.com.

Comments Off on News: Diesel Fools Errand Simple Fool Due For Release

Filed under News

Tagged as cigar, cigars, diesel, Fool's Errand, Forged, SImple Fool

by Craig Vanderslice | January 29, 2023 · 9:14 am

Protocol, Hoyo de Monterrey and Diesel Cigars

A few weeks back I bought a five pack of Protocol Churchills from Discount Cigar Warehouse. From what I know, this was exclusive to them and Churchills aren’t available in all the blends regularly. I happen to be a big fan of the Churchill size, although these are only 6½” x 48, not quite the 7″ x 47 that is truly a Churchill. Call it what you will, it’s still a great size in my book. I’m pretty happy with anything from 5½” to 7″ and 46 to 60 ring. I’m pretty happy with a lot of cigars to be honest. Anyway, of the five blends in the sampler, I hadn’t smoked two of them, the aforementioned Cyber Crimes Unit, and the Official Misconduct. The Official Misconduct has been around since 2018, not sure how I haven’t smoked it yet, but I really quite enjoyed it. It has an Ecuador Habano wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and fillers, made in the La Zona factory. Two of my favorite cigar brands make (or made, as in the case of the latter) cigars in this factory, La Sirena and Cornelius and Anthony. I enjoy many of the Espinosa cigars too, I just don’t seem to smoke as many of them as I should, I guess. Arandoza is another defunct brand that I really liked that was made there. Anyway, this cigar made me happy. It was a nice, spicy Habano that hit the spot for me. I toy with the notion of ordering another five pack, these “Churchills” were very good.

I made a stop on the way home from work the other day and picked up a couple new-to-me cigars that looked interesting. First of which was the Diesel Atonement, a TAA exclusive. This is a fairly priced cigar at $10 (in PA), has an Ecuador Sumatra wrapper, Connecticut Broadleaf binder and Nicaraguan fillers. It’s made in the AJ Fernandez factory, as I believe all Diesel cigars to be. It’s a 6″ x 52 which made it an easy sell for me. It’s a nice looking cigar, smooth and dark with some oiliness to the wrapper. It was loaded with pepper from the light. It reminded me a lot of the Puro Esteli, which I found to be fairly strong. I have a pair of those set aside, now that I think about it, one I took the cedar sleeve off, one I left it on, with the intention of seeing how the cedar sleeve affects the flavor after aging, a project for warmer weather. The Atonement remained strong, the pepper remained throughout, although it deadened my palate after a while. I’ve smoked my share of Diesel Cigars, and this was a pretty good one. I have a hankering for a Whiskey Row Sherry Cask now, which is probably my favorite Diesel.

The other cigar I picked up was the Hoyo de Monterrey El Torcedor. I was surprised that I hadn’t heard of this one, apparently released in 2019. I searched my archive of press releases and came up with nuthin. This is a rustic 6½” x 49 Figurado, very much like the Cuban Partagas Presidente (the vitola de galera on that one is Taco, by the way). It seems like I smoked another cigar in a similar shape, but I’ll be darned if I can remember what it was. I dig the size and shape. It lit easily, the foot has a small surface area, not a formed “nipple” like a Hemingway. it burned perfectly and had a pleasing flavor. It had some sweet spice and wood. I bought the last one the shop had in this size, I may stop for a couple of the larger size one day. It’s a wonder I hadn’t heard about this one before. I still need to try the Illusione/Excalibur cigar, anyone know where I can buy a couple? I just looked, and Fox Cigars sells singles, but they are no cheap date!