Tag Archives: MUWAT

by | March 24, 2019 · 10:51 am

Rodriguez Cigars, a Few Favorites and a Kentucky Fire Cured Revisit

Spring is upon us finally, although we got through this winter relatively easily. I always look forward to warmer weather!  This week I enjoyed a few cigars I really love, the Umbagog Toro Toro, and the E.P. Carillo Seleccion Oscuro Especial No. 6, both 6″ x 52 parejos that’s my preferred size, and both maduros, with the former being Connecticut broadleaf and the latter being Mexican San Andrés Negro. The two cigars aren’t that similar, but both overwhelm the palate with rich flavors and have heavy espresso notes in common, with Umbagog being sweeter and the Oscuro Especial being earthier and dirtier. I love them both, and never have regrets when I light either one up. They are two cigars I could see having in a rotation (of about 20) if I were to hang up my blog hat and settle into some normal semblance of cigar consumerism. As it is, I like to enjoy one of these every now and again, they are both so good.

 

For some reason I have been wanting to revisit a Drew Estate MUWAT Kentucky Fire Cured lately, and I’m not sure why. I actually really like the Swamp Thang line extension now and then, heck, I’ll just say it, I’d smoke it more than now and then, I don’t so the novelty doesn’t wear off. I didn’t care for the KFC when I smoked a prototype at the factory in Nicaragua in 2013, it was too campfirey for me, but I’ve grown to enjoy the production version after some humidor time, and I have a handful that have been in the humidor for quite a while. So I went all in and grabbed a “Just a Friend” which is the 6″ x 52 toro, again, a size I like, and “fired” it up. I have a couple smaller vitolas, including a Flying Pig, floating around, but I figured I’d commit. It had the campfire on the pre-light, but no hint once lit, which is fine by me. I would put this cigar on the savory end of the spectrum flavor-wise, maybe leathery. It’s good, enjoyable, but I think I like the what the Candela adds to the blend in the Swamp Thang version better, it’s just a little more interesting to me. It’s not a cigar that I’d avoid, that’s for sure.

 

Last week I saw an article on Cigar Aficionados website about the formation of the Coalition of American Cigar Rollers, and one of the companies mentioned was Rodriguez Cigar Factory in Key West, Florida. I hadn’t heard of this factory until a few months ago when my neighbors who winter in Florida happened to send me a box of five of their Reserva Privada series Torpedos from a visit. I had set this little box aside in the humidor not knowing how long it had been out of proper conditions, and kinda forgot about it until this article reminded me of it, so I figured last night would be the right time to give one a try. The Reserva Privada has a four year aged Ecuador Connecticut wrapper, which is on the darker side in my opinion (I wasn’t sure it was Connecticut until looking it up actually), with Nicaraguan fillers and binder, rolled in Key West. The torpedo is a perfectly formed 6″ x 52 with a pointy head like a Perdomo torpedo and burned perfectly with an ideal draw, even though I snipped a rather small bit off the end to start. I was very impressed with this smooth, rich tasting cigar. It was elegant, with a caramel sweetness that was enjoyable. I am a bit jaded, and often go into cigars like this wondering if they will be either just another cigar, or worse, but this was a very nice smoke, and worthy of attention. It’s even priced well for a U.S. manufactured product.

 

That’s enough from me for now. It’s supposed to be nice today, and I have some things I want to get done in the yard, and I have the day off, so there are cigars to smoke too. Until the next time,

 

CigarCraig

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by | January 28, 2015 · 8:49 pm

A 1502 Ruby Cigar, a MUWAT and a Merlion Sea Lion

1502_ruby_robustoCold and snow, but fortunately not any where near the snow that was predicted or our neighbors to the north got! I can’t complain too much about this winter so far.  It’s only really dissuaded me from taking my evening cigar and Macha walks a couple times, and the enclosed porch has been fairly comfortable.  If we can get through the next six weeks or so without too much bad weather I’ll be happy. I still look forward to basking in the warm sunshine with a cigar! On Sunday evening I came across a 1502 Ruby robusto and immediately wanted to smoke it.  I actually passed on watching the NHL All Star Game, who puts the game on at 5 PM? That didn’t fit my schedule! Judging by the score it wasn’t a good game for the goalies, so I don’t feel like I missed much.  I did enjoy the heck out of the Ruby.  I love the box press and the semi-closed foot on the line, and this was a stellar smoke. Medium bodied and rich in flavor.  It’s very hard for me not to smoke these when I run across them in the humidor. They are really very good cigars.

 

MUWAT_NightcrawlerMonday I took a night off, just wasn’t feeling it, so Tuesday I grabbed a  MUWAT Night Crawler. This cigar was given to me by Dave Lafferty of Drew Estate at an event several months ago, and I put it in the bedroom humidor and kinda forgot about it.  I definately favor the smaller sizes in the MUWAT line, I’ve enjoyed the 60 ring sizes, but they lack the punch I look for. This 4½”x 50 cigar had the punch.  You could tell it had a San Andrés wrapper, and it delivered big in the flavor department. This may now be my favorite size, second to the Digital Son 6 and the Baitfish. It was still smooth and rich and chocolaty, and had a perfect burn one expects from Drew Estate cigars.  Are these still made at the Joya de Nicaragua factory? Not sure, but it doesn’t matter as either factory makes great smoking cigars on a consistent basis. I’d smoke this again in a heartbeat.

 

I finally placed an order for a cabinet humidor so I can get out of the coolers which have been my mass storage solution for the last 15 years or so.  Of course, it’s back ordered, which is my fault for not placing my order back in December, but stuff like moving and the holidays happen. So far, my experience ordering from 1st Class Cigar Humidors has been positive, look forward to play by play in March when it arrives. I’m so looking forward to not having to rummage through the coolers and playing humidor Tetris trying to fit in new arrivals, and my wife looks forward to something more aesthetically pleasing than blue plastic.  My plan for now will be to use my Cigar Oasis in conjunction with the dozen traditional humidification units and see how it goes from there. I look forward to the adventure.  1st Class Cigar Humidors has been an advertiser here for a few years, and this is an item purchased by me. I shopped around and decided on this unit.

 

Merlion_Sea LionTonight I went with a Merlion Sea Lion from La Sirena Cigars.  This is a cool shaped cigar which is a lot of fun to smoke. It’s a 5½” x 47 perfecto of sorts, with a shaggy tail sticking out of the foot, making lighting quite easy. These are made at the La Aurora factory in the Domincan Republic, there were only 500 boxes of ten made, and one in each box has a San Andrés wrapper, and the remaining nine have the same Ecuador Corojo wrapper as the rest of the line.  In an odd twist, I still have not smoked the maduro, and I’d generally smoke that one first.  In this case, I’m quite sure I’ll never see another maduro, and I’m afraid I’ll love it. I’ll get to it when the time is right. Tonight the time was right for the Sea Lion and a great tasting smoke it was. Very smooth and creamy, and the shape concentrates the flavor more on the palate than the parejos in this line, I think, and it’s just a damned tasty smoke. As I said, it’s a fun shape, and a great size.  I don’t think I mention often that my favorite size might be the classic Corona Gorda, 5 5/8″ x 46, and this comes very close, but the shape causes changes in the flavor as the fattest part is near the beginning and as the diameter of the cigar narrows, the flavors intensify. It’s practically a cigarillo by the time it’s finished.  Try one if you see one on your tobacconsits shelf.

 

Quick little terminology refresher, since I was mentioned on last weeks Cigar Authority radio show (thanks Mr. J, if you don’t listen, you should, it’s a hoot!) as Dave Garofalo was confusing the term “vitola” with “parejo” once again.  I had pointed out to him some time ago that “vitola” is a generic term for the basic size of a cigar, robusto, torpedo, Churchill, perfecto are all vitolas. The Cubans have a list known as Vitolas de Galera, which give very strict definitions of what each shape must be. Where a Robusto can be just about anything from a 4½” x 50 to a 5½” x 54 or just about anything in between, in Cuba it’s ONLY 4 7/8″ x 50, a 5″ x 48 is a Hermosos No. 4, and so forth. “New World” cigars take liberties with the vitola names, so in our usage it’s a generic term for the size.  Vitolas are then broken down into two classes, Parejos, or straight sided cigars, or Figurados or shaped cigars such as the torpedo, diadimas, perfecto, etc.  Really a mater of semantics, but something that should be known when jerks like me through the fancy schmancy terms around all willy nilly.

 

That’s it for now, until the next  time,

 

CigarCraig

 

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by | April 23, 2014 · 9:54 pm

1502 Black Gold, 601 La Bomba, Merlion and a Kentucky Fire Cured Cigar

1502_BlackGold_ToroLast time I said I was going to smoke some readily available cigars as opposed to the limited and discontinued stuff I was smoking last week. I think I managed to accomplish that, and smoke some pretty tasty cigars in the process! Sunday afternoon I lit up my last 1502 Black Gold Toro, a cigar I really like and will have to put some more in my humidor. I recently received all three 1502 blends in lancero format, so look for those recaps in the not too distant future! Anyway, I love the way they partially close the foot on these, I get a little extra blast of wrapper flavor on lighting. Always well made, the Black Gold is the maduro offering, and I dig the dark, rich flavors and excellent construction. This is a 99 on the CigarCraig rating scale, I need to pick up a few more to have on hand. The whole line is highly recommended and another winner distributed by the House of Emilio.

 

601 LaBomba_Sake BombMonday my wife and I went out for a while, when we got home, I opted for a short smoke, so the new 601 La Bomba Sake Bomb was the cigar of choice. I received a pair of samples a week or two ago from Epinosa Cigar Co., and, quite frankly, I probably could have been more patient and let these rest a little longer. I really enjoy the La Bomba line. It’s one of my go-to cigars whenb I just want something satisfying and familiar. I’m partial to the Atom in this line, although I’ll happily smoke any of them. Anyway, the reason I said I should have waited was that the little 4½ x 42 Sake Bomb might have still been a little overhumidified from it’s journey.  The draw was a bit more firm than I would have liked. Still, it had the great flavor that I expect from the  La Bomba line. I like them because they are pretty strong, but really flavorful.  The Habano wrapper is flawless, and, although I’m not a fan of footbands, the presentation is really cool.  My example didn’t have the long fuse that it should have had, but we just cut that off, don’t we.  I’ll revisit this in a few weeks, it’s a nice little size. Given that I don’t drink, I have no idea what Sake tastes like, but I’m quite sure there’s no flavor comparison. This is a solid 97 until I revisit it.

 

Merlion_Sea LionMonday evening I picked another smaller cigar, however, this one is a limited edition. It’s a currently available limited edition, so I figured it would fit with this weeks theme.  The Merlion Sea Lion from La Sirena is a cool shaggy footed perfecto, measuring 5½ x 47 in a perfecto shape that tapers pretty severely, so that the 47 ring gauge is pretty meaningless.  I prefer the La Sirena line over the Merlion line typically, but this blend made at the La Aurora factory was very good.  The burn was perfect, the shape is really fun to smoke.  These come in a box of ten, with one cigar bearing a maduro wrapper. Odd that I didn’t smoke that one first, I know, but I am afraid that I’ll really love it and I won’t have another. I wanted to make sure I liked the Ecuador Corojo wrapped version too. I smoked this to the tiniest of nubs, and this is another cigar that’s going to be hard to leave along. I look forward to smoking the maduro, and maybe I’ll smoke both wrapper varieties side by side one day to compare and contrast.  Try one if you get a chance, it gets a 98 because it’s a cool looking and smoking cigar.

 

MUWAT_KFC_Fat MollyTonight I decided to smoke a cigar that I’ve smoked before (although not in this size), but is popular and currently available. The My Uzi Weighs a Ton Kentucky Fire Cured from Drew Estate was released at last year’s IPCPR show and was highly anticipated.  This cigar is made at the Joya de Nicaragua factory in partnership with Drew Estate, and features fire cured tobacco which gives it a distinctive campfire aroma. I personally am not a fan of this aroma in a cigar and samples I’ve had in the past, including a pre-release sample in Nicaragua, have left me wanting.  This one was a nice smoke, perhaps the size works better for me, but I didn’t get the heavy smokey flavor. The burn was perfect, until it got to the band, where there’s a layer of the Fire cured tobacco on the head, not unlike the Joya de Nicaragua Cabinetta made in the same factory. Like the Cabinetta, that tobacco on the head of the cigar doesn’t want to burn.  While this wasn’t my favorite cigar this week, it was still pretty good, and I wouldn’t hesitate to smoke this again. It’s certainly unique in the world of premium cigars. I’m going to give it a 97 for construction and appearance.

 

I’ll see what other goodies I can scrounge up for the rest of the week! I think I better put my rating scale on the “about” page so it’s clear.  Until the next time,

 

CigarCraig

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by | September 22, 2013 · 12:49 pm

A MUWAT Kentucky Fire Cured, a J. Fuego, a Villiger and an Editorial

It’s been a weird and busy week. The onset of Autumn bums me out. There were events I could have gone to, but just wanted to be at home.  On weekdays I’m happiest to come home from work and stay there.  I skipped the Delaware Cigar festival yesterday because we were supposed to pick up our son st the airport after a 23 day trip, and I’ve been there the last couple years. Its a great event, don’t get me wrong, and I love seeing old friends, but do you guys really want to hear about it again?  So I’m working on some new and unique cigar adventures in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.

 

MUWAT_KFC_JAFThursday evening I was rummaging through the IPCPR samples and came across a Drew Estate My Uzi Weighs a Ton Kentucky Fire Cured “Just a Friend”, which is the toro size in the line.  This is another cigar that utilizes the fire cured tobacco from Kentucky.  I figured since I had just smoked another cigar utilizing this tobacco that it would be interesting to compare.  This cigar is made in the Joya de Nicaragua factory, and, like the Joya de Nicaragua Cabinetta, it has a two inch wrapper overlay on the head of the cigar. Jumping ahead a bit, I’ll mention that whatever this leaf is, it doesn’t burn.  I’ll also mention that when I smoked this cigar at the factory a few months ago I found it to be unique and interesting, but not entirely to my liking.  This hasn’t changed.  I personally find what strikes me as a campfire aroma off the unlit foot to be off putting.   That flavor isn’t overpowering in the smoke once it’s lit, it gives it a savory flavor that is interesting.  Obviously, this is just me. Everyone raves about this cigar and it certainly is well made and something that should be experienced.  If I said I loved everything that comes out of my favorite factories I’d be lying.  Smoke it yourself, it may be a cigar you love!

 

Editorial

 

You, no doubt, have read on other cigar media sources of the resignation of Bill Spann as president of the IPCPR.  This probably has little or no relevance to the majority of cigar smokers, but since I interacted with Bill quite a bit over the last couple years, I’m going to bore you for a few minutes with my thoughts on this.  I first “met” Bill in March of last year after I posted  a rant on the IPCPR Internet Media Membership (http://www.cigarcraig.com/?p=3605).  Bill worked with those of us involved to try to make things right with this IPCPR membership category.  We came to an agreement, although there’s still quite a few wrinkles to be ironed out (more on that later).  Bill gave me an open line of communication, even though the president of the association had much better things to do than dealing with the smallest category of membership.  When I did have to contact him, he produced results, and I did my best not to bother him. Of course, the internet media members are members as much as your local tobacconist is, and this is where my rant begins. I hope Bill’s successor gets new media as much as Bill did, and I hope he is able to convince the board to accept us as members, because the Internet Media, and I am going out on a limb speaking for everyone, still feels unwanted.  I’d like to see one of two things happen:  either do away with the membership category and invite the media and bloggers That the IPCPR wants to have at the show, or give us the same consideration as the retail membership gets. Both would require the IPCPR to have one person in charge of the media, one point of contact.  I, for one, am tired of spending a boatload of money to join an association who doesn’t know I’m a member, and travel to the annual show. Unlike a retailer, my income is not derived from the cigar industry, I do what I do because I love doing it, not because it’s my job, and that’s the same with most if not all of the IPCPR New Media members.  Anyway, I wish Bill Spann the best of luck in his future endeavors.  I can imagine that he had a thankless job, but I want to say “Thank you” to him.

 

JFuego_Conn_ToroBack to the cigars!  Yesterday afternoon I dug into the trade show samples and came out with a J. Fuego Connoisseur Classique Toro. First, if anyone from J. Fuego is reading, the size is incorrect on the site, it’s a 6″ x 50 and not a 5″ x 60.  This has a nice looking Ecuador Sumatra wrapper over a San Andrés binder with Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers.  All of this makes for a nice, medium bodied cigar that smoked for almost 2 hours. I really love the 777 Maduro line, and have enjoyed a bunch of other cigars made by Jesus Feugo, this one is probably in the middle for me.  It was good, well behaved, and enjoyable, but not entirely up my alley. Looking at this post so far, I really need to adjust my attitude, the Autumn thing is really getting to me!  This was a very nice cigar though and I enjoyed smoking it on a beautiful late summer afternoon on the deck.

 

Villiger_Selecto_CGAfter dinner I grabbed a Villiger Selecto Corona Gorda. This cigar comes in only Corona Gorda and Lancero, and I would have taken the Lancero for a walk if it wasn’t going to rain. This is a line extension to the Talanga line, as it has the beautiful Talanga Connecticut wrapper, similar binder and fillers.  It’s a refined cigar. It is buttery smooth with loads of nice, mild flavors that dance across the palate.  After smoking the 5″ x 46 Corona Gorda, I can’t wait to try that Lancero.  It’s not a super mild, grassy Connecticut, it’s got a lot more.  Perhaps the Nicaragua Ometepe filler leaf makes the difference. All I can say is it’s damned good, and I’d say that even if I didn’t like the Villiger company as much as I do.  They are a good bet whether you need a quick machine made cigar or a fine premium.  Another job well done with the Selecto!

 

Also, From the folks at NewestCigars.com:

NewestCigars.com is finally official and we’re pretty excited about our new website. Please see the attached press release. We’re having a website launch party with Asylum, CLE, Edgar Hoill and Wynwood in Detroit, and we’re also giving away a 5 pack of new cigars each week for a year in The Great Cigar Giveaway, visit our website to enter.

That’s enough of my nonsense for a beautiful Sunday. I have to go to the airport later today to pick up the son who I had to reschedule flights for yesterday! I may get a walk in before having to leave!

 

Until the next time,

 

CigarCraig

 

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