I’ve been fortunate to have either been picking some really great cigars lately, or really enjoying the cigars I’ve been smoking, or both! I think I’ve been gravitating toward known sure things due to the winter blues, honestly. I smoked a couple of favorites from Cornelius and Anthony this week, a Cornelius and a Señor Esugars in Toro sizes, just because I wanted to smoked great cigars on those particular days. Both times I was reminded of how much I really love the flavors in both those cigars. Even though they are on opposite ends of the spectrum, they both satisfy me in different ways. I had a La Flor Dominicana Ligero Natural L400 that was spectacular as well, and a La Palina LP 02 that, while I still am not sure about the band and packaging, the cigar is awesome. Again, two completely different flavor profiles, but both delight my palate! Like I said, Everything tasted great to me this week!
I’ve smoked a few sizes of the La Sirena LT (and it’s predecessor, the Jaxx LT) and written about them here before, but I recently put a box of the Toro size in the humidor and last night I pulled the first one out and lit it up. The LT is the La Sirena Connecticut Shade offering, made at Placencia’s El Paraiso factory in Honduras. It has a beautiful Ecuador Connecticut wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers. If you are thinking that this is just another mild Connecticut shade cigar, you’d be mistaken. Yes, there is the sweet, slight bready/wheaty flavor from the wrapper, but there is a richness to this cigar that I find really appealing. This is a rich, medium-bodied cigar with great flavors that kept my interest to the end, and I really enjoyed, much like the rest of the La Sirena line, and most readers will know I’m a long-time fan of the brand. The LT is a great addition to the line, and to my humidor.
Rant
So let’s get into some details on last Wednesday’s post. I didn’t have much time, so I posted a picture of some ridiculous beer based on a children’s breakfast cereal, and a picture of some cigars packaged like candy bars. My premise was that there’s a double standard that the alcohol industry enjoys in their marketing that the tobacco industry does not, and I don’t think that can be debated. I just don’t understand it, nor do I think it’s right. I did receive some feedback. But first let me explain the cigars pictured, for those who aren’t familiar (and when Will Cooper isn’t familiar with them, there’s a good chance they are on the obscure side!) The Alec Bradley Cigars were handed out at an event at the IPCPR a few years ago, so they were never distributed, an obvious Willy Wonka reference. The Smokin Cigar Bars are a 3-pack of 6″ x 70 cigars that Dave Garofalo at 2Guys put out a few years ago, and were featured in one of the CigarCraig’s 12 Spectacular Days of Givaways in 2012. I had to remove all traces of the post about these cigars (and I might have to redact the photo here) because Hershey actually went after Dave and made him kill the line. The “Hand Rolled Cigars” pictured was another one of Dave’s products and came in a big jar, circa 2013. Fun fact, if you’ve ever had an Avanti cigar and noticed the packaging looks kind of like the old Tootsie Roll packaging, it’s because they actually use the machines that they bought from the Tootsie Roll company to individually wrap the Avanti cigars in the little cardboard tray and cello. Where was I? I didn’t even mention the cigars that had vintage toy themes that were vilified. I’ll concede that I personally thought all of these were an epically bad idea, for these exact reasons. the same reasons I think it’s a bad idea to have kids at a cigar event or rally, even if they are your family’s future. Don’t give the anti’s anythough they can use out of context, because they will. So one of the pieces of feedback I received was a private message from the attorney from one of the largest cigar companies, asking me to caption the photo because he was concerned that a health group would use it out of context as an example of kid friendly cigars. Mind you, this was a highly credible source, with a pedigree, I was happy to oblige. I did receive a mystifying rebuttal via Twitter.
I’m not sure why Charlie felt the need to disagree. He makes cogent points, I just don’t understand why a guy who makes a living writing a cigar blog feels the need to say he disagrees with the fact that I think it’s unfair that there’s a double standard. There is, isn’t there? Certainly everyone is welcome to their opinion, I have mine, and the internet has allowed everyone a medium to express theirs, no matter how wrong they might be! But, I understand the points he makes, lobbyists, public perception, duh…I get it, but my point is, that from my perspective, it’s wrong! Is there a difference in perception of Alcohol vs. Cigars? Of course! Should there be? In my mind, there shouldn’t! I know, cigars get lumped in with tobacco, and it’s near impossible to separate the two, and they probably can’t be (it would be like trying to separate beer and, I don’t know, what’s a super high end liquor, Pappy Van Winkle? Johnny Walker Blue?, they all have to be age regulated the same). Sure, tobacco use is a leading preventable cause of death, guess what, alcohol is number two. People can argue with me all day long about how it’s OK to market beer and liquor to kids because of general attitudes and I’ll argue that nobody ever killed anyone driving under the influence of cigars or beat their wife or kids after a night at the cigar lounge. can’t we just agree that it’s a ridiculous double standard, even though we have no chance of ever changing it? I appreciate those who weighed in, and I look forward to more conversation.
OK, I got that of my chest, now to try to get some things done before tonight’s beg snowstorm. Until the next time,
CigarCraig
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I think it’s largely because money changed hands and this influenced public opinion. Once, Big Tobacco had enormous influence, funding study after study, having large advertising budgets, paying lobbyists on the Hill etc. They were demonstrably corrupt and unethical, and continue abhorrent practices in other countries. OThen, they finally got broken and large sums of money were redirected to tobacco cessation campaigns. I know from personal experience that I am frequently subject to policy that forbids me from smoking in front of clients, largely because some funding is tied to tobacco cessation and/or because wellness focused agencies discourage all tobacco use. Also, a friend who worked for a subsidiary owned by Turner (as in television) was contractually required to not smoke, (even at home) due to insurance policies. Whenever I go to the doctor, I have to clearly state that I don’t want pages of anti smoking literature, nor do I want to quit, or consider cigar smoking anything like cigarette smoking. Until someone can fund a sophisticated and credible longitudinal study differentiating cigar smoking health outcomes, we will be tarred with the same brush as cigarette smokers. Additionally, the hot button “for the children” is frequently used to influence perception. Although research now shows that second hand smoke does not cause cancer, many people still believe it does. Alcohol is still very socially acceptable and depicted frequently in popular media, despite some serious social harms in certain contexts, and when used in long term excess is far more physically damaging than even such a vilified substance as heroin, much less cannabis.
Of course, we can also look at guns, which provide little social benefit, but due to odd social framing, occupy a role beyond hunting, responsible home protection and hobbyist use. Instead we have serious issues (mass shooting) that remain largely unaddressed, specifically due to lobbying, political influence and profits.
The issues are complex and are often driven by “emotional reasoning” rather than logic, or “group think” and fear of repercussions.
On another note, I have tried few of the newer La Sirenas. Just some unusual tasting Merlion SeaLions, which was radically different than my old Sea Sprite favorite.
Cigar bloggers are an interesting lot. Some of us take personal affront when we have a different opinion or viewpoint. In my reviews I always state it’s my subjective opinion. When I have something to say , I write it as a cigar commentary.
I am glad not everyone has the same take as me but I certainly can write about my thinking and hopefully not offend anyone.