Category Archives: Review

by | December 7, 2014 · 9:56 am

Flor de Gonzalez, Gurkha and Opus, Countdown to the 2014 12SDoCG

This will be my last post before kicking off the fourth annual CigarCraig’s 12 Spectacular Days of Cigar Giveaways!  This year may just be the best yet! I have an absurd amount of cigars in the  2014 12SDoCG coolerdor!  Stay tuned for the big kick off on Thursday, December 11 (yes, a day earlier than I originally announced).  Tell your friends and neighbors, subscribe to the e-mail list, keep an eye CC_Logo_xmas_son Twitter and Facebook!  Don’t miss the chance to win some goodies from our generous sponsors, listed here in no particular order: Drew Estate, Joya de Nicaragua, General Cigar Co., Miami Cigar and Co., Arandoza Cigars, Nomad Cigars, Smoke Inn, 2 Guys Smokeshop, Gurkha Cigars and Tortuga Cigars. Thanks to all these great friends for their contributions and support!  For those of you who don’t know or remember, the rules are simple!  Leave a comment on  the day’s blog post to enter. After day one, I’ll announce the winner of the previous day’s giveaway, and the current day’s present. It makes my life  easier if the winner e-mails me with their address, instead of me having to track them down, but no need to send your address proactively!  Once you’ve won, you’re done! All decisions are final, you’d be surprised at how difficult is can be to count through thousands of comments to find the winner! OK, hundreds, but in the pre-dawn hours it’s tough! I will throw a new twist in asking a question each day about that days sponsor, let’s try to give these brands a little useful feedback for their troubles.  So that’s the deal, have fun with it!

 

90Miles Reserva SelectaI have managed to smoke a couple cigar over the last few days, starting with a Flor de Gonzalez 90 Miles Reserva Selecta in a pigtailed 5 ¾”x 48 size they call Natural Robusto.  It’s a very comfortable size for me, almost a corona gorda, but a few ring gauges fatter. This cigar has been in the humidor since the 2013 IPCPR show.  It’s a nice, medium bodied cigar with a refined, well aged sweet tobacco flavor.  I have long been a fan of the Flor de Gonzalez offerings, and this is probably my second favorite in the range, second to the San Andrés wrapped 1980, but it’s hard to go wrong with anything from the 90 Miles line-up.

 

Gurkha_Seduction_robustoFriday my wife and I trekked up to New York City to go to the 34th Annual John Lennon Tribute at SymphonySpace on the upper west side. This tribute featured Debbie Harry, David Johanson, Marshall Crenshaw, Kate Pierson and Ben E. King, among others. It was a great show with the performers singing John Lennon ad Beatles songs.  We would have liked to meet up with any cigar friends who were still in town from the Big Smoke Thursday night, but we got in a little late and ended up walking down Broadway, smoking a Gurkha Seduction Robusto.  This cigar is one of the last few from a box I got in 2011.  These have been a favorite of mine, as they aren’t too mild or too strong, the flavor is sweet and spicy and they just do it for me.  I think I have two left, time to keep an eye out for more, I guess!

 

Opus X Fuente FuenteSaturday was an ugly, rainy day, spent working on more home renovation projects.  By the end of the day I just wanted an hour or so of relaxation, so I picked out a special cigar that has been hanging out in my humidors for at least ten years, a Fuente Fuente Opus X Fuente Fuente.  This is a classic, in one of the original sizes released back in 1995.  The Fuente Fuente is 5 5/8″ x 46, a corona gorda and one of my favorite sizes. I am always hesitant to smoke a cigar like this, I’m afraid of being disappointed, I suppose. This cigar was excellent. The years in the humidor really smoothed it out to a nice, medium bodied cigar with nice flavors.  It burned with the grace that a well aged cigar burns with, no draw or burn issues at all, just about right.  I didn’t find it to be overly complex, but I rarely do. I’d like to get a couple more of these someday, one to smoke fresh, and another to forget in the humidor for a while and compare notes.  It’s amazing that these cigars, after being on the market for nearly 20 years, still sell for ridiculous prices (I remember seeing them in a shop in Vegas in the late ’90s for $110 each, I tried to sell them one of mine!), but Holt’s is right down the road and they sell them for MSRP. It’s not a cigar I’d spend more than a little over MSRP on, but it’s a classic, and worth smoking now and then.

 

That’s it for now. Don’t forget to check in Thursday for the 12SDoCG!  Until the next time,

 

CigarCraig

 

 

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by | December 3, 2014 · 8:43 pm

Tortuga, Evil Genius White Chapel, Debonaire and Nomad Cigars

We are settling in to the new house, and with the rain over the last few evenings I’ve really been diggin the large screened in porch! Since I’ve been trying to get projects done I’ve smoked some small cigars and have been using my new AshStay ashtray from ashstayAshstay.com.  I mentioned this last week and thought it was really cool, although there’s no way I’ll be running it through the dishwasher (it’s dishwasher safe!).  I like that I can close it up when I’m done and empty it after the cigars are out and it doesn’t stink or anything! It’s a little lighter than I thought it would be, but I don’t anticipate it getting blown around the enclosed porch. It’s a simple and elegant solution!

 

Tortuga_Reserva215_RegaloSunday after painting the office/den I took a walk with a Tortuga Reserva 215 Regalo, which is at this point unreleased.  I probably shouldn’t talk about it too much, but someone will have a chance to get their hands on these in the coming weeks, so I figured I’d build some hype.  The cigar is a chubby toro, 6″ x 54, and comes wrapped in a cedar sleeve with a green ribbon on the foot.  The wrapper is a beautiful Ecuador Connecticut shade and I assume that the rest of the cigar is Nicaraguan.  I really enjoyed the smooth and creamy texture of this cigar that isn’t a mild shade wrapped cigar. It’s loaded with medium bodied flavor.  It’s hard for me to find a Tortuga that I don’t love, and this is another fine example.  A perfectly made, perfectly satisfying smoke that was a nice treat at the end of a long and busy weekend.

 

EvilGenius_WhiteChapel_3,5x50Monday it was raining, so before staring on my baseboard project in the den, I selected a little 3½ x 42 half corona from the Evil Genius Cigars White Chapel line.  I got a couple of the Evil Genius robustos from brand owner Alex Hirsch (a fellow Pennsylvanian) at Goose’s Smokin’ Goose fest and hadn’t quite found the time to do them justice, so When I saw Alex last week at the Wooden Indian he gave me this little half corona.  These cigars are made at the La Aurora factory, and you would think the White would be the milder cigar. Wrong!  This is a potent little powerhouse with enough pepper in the retrohale (I don’t like that term, but I don’t know what else to call passing the smoke through the nose) to almost make me sneeze!  I’m very much looking forward to digging out the robustos and smoking them. This is a very nice cigar and Alex is slowly getting these out in the market, so keep an eye out.  Definately a tasty little 45 minute smoke!

 

Debonaire_First DegreeTuesday was more of the same, rain and a project, so I took another little cigar I’ve been holding on to out on the porch.  Phil Zanghi originally started the Indian Tabac line in the ’90s, went into partnership with Rocky Patel, who eventually bought Phil out. Phil has kept himself busy in the machine made cigar market, but a couple years ago he launched the ultra premium Debonaire line of cigars.  The Debonaire First Degree is a tasty little 4″ x 44 perfecto with Central American and Dominican tobaccos that burns perfect and has a nice, savory flavor.  This was another 45 minute smoke that was satisfying.  This sample came from the Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival.  I have smoked a few of the Debonaire line, and found them to be excellent cigars.  You can hear about these pretty regularly on the Stogie Geeks and Cigar Authority podcasts.

 

Nomad_S-307_RobustoTonight I got a bit of a walk in with a Nomad S-307 Robusto that I bought last week at The Wooden Indian when I was there for the House of Emilio event.  These are made in Nicaragua at the AJ Fernandez factory and are Nomad’s first regular production Nicaraguan cigar. The wrapper is a nice, dark brown Ecuador Sumatra with a Ecuador Habano binder and Nicaraguan fillers.  The box press is very comfortable and it took a V cut very nicely.  This has the kind of burn I love, flat and even, and the draw was perfect. It was bold, but not overpowering, and had a nice peppery sweetness.  To get you warmed up for CigarCraig’s 12 Spectacular Days of Cigar Giveaways, Fred Rewey is having his own contest, The Nine Days of Nomad going on right now.  Click HERE to enter.

 

As long as you are warming up for CigarCraig’s 12 Spectacular Days of Cigar Giveaways, here’s a non-cigar contest you can enter.  Rebeat Magazine is giving away six books that are perfect for any Beatles fan!  I happen to know most of the authors and these are excellent books. Click on over and enter their contest!

 

Also, click on the Famous Smoke Shop banner on the left and use the promo code “CRAIG15” to get 15% off a $50 or greater purchase! That’s it for now, I need to go try to get some insulation hung before bed!  Until the next time,

 

CigarCraig

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by | November 30, 2014 · 8:28 am

A La Flor Dominicana after Turkey and a Sindicato after Moving

LaFlorDominicana_CameroonCabinet_ChiselThursday we had a great Thanksgiving breakfast with our kids and grandkids, then had a low key, but delicious, Turkey feast with other family members.  After the dust settled, I picked out a cigar for my evening walk.  I couldn’t get past the top tray in the humidor where a La Flor Dominicana Cameroon Cabinet Chisel. I bought this cigar a few months back at a LFD event and it, along with a Double Ligero Chisel and a few others. The Chisel is 6″ x 54 and the wrapper is a Cameroon Ligero, which I suppose isn’t all that unusual, but you don’t see it specified very often.  I tried using a V cut vertically across the Chisel tip, but that proved unsatisfactory so I snipped it with the scissors.  The draw was perfect and it burned very nicely, as I walked off the turkey and stuffing. I love the sweetness that the Cameroon wrapper has, and it’s a different sweetness than a Broadleaf or San Andrés wrapper.  This was a very nice way to wrap up a nice day of feasting with family.  I swear the band said “Cameroon Cabinets” with an “S” at the end, but I haven’t moved my band vase yet either so I can’t double check.

 

Sindicato_Maduro_ToroFriday we rented the U-haul and moved a bunch of stuff to the new house.  After 8 hours of moving furniture capped by a lengthy phone call with Verizon about the newly installed service which didn’t work properly, I was simply too tired to have a cigar.  So Saturday, after a full day of doing things around the house, I took Macha for a walk in the new neighborhood with another lazy selection from the top shelf of the humidor, a Sindicato Maduro Toro.  I actually haven’t even gotten all my cigars moved yet, so I’ve been working out of one of the humidors I did bring along. Don’t worry, I have plenty of cigars in the humidors I did bring to last me a while. Anyway, the Sindicato Maduro is a box pressed, pigtailed 6×54 toro  with a Mexican San Andrés Morrón wrapper. These are made in the Casa Fernandez factory and blended by Arsenio Ramos with binder from Esteli and fillers from Esteli and Jalapa.  The result is a sweet, earthy perfectly constructed cigar that took me away from my sore back for a while.  I got to finish the cigar in my screened in porch, where many cigars will be smoked from here on out. I can’t wait to get things squared away in this new house as having things in two places is a nuisance.

 

I’m going to get a room painted and try to start getting the groundwork laid for the 12 Spectacular Days of Cigar Giveaways now that most of the goodies are here.  I’ll feel a little less stress if I get some pictures taken and some posts written in advance.  That’s all I have for today, until the next time,

 

CigarCraig

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by | November 26, 2014 · 9:39 pm

Gran Habano, Martinez and Foundry Cigars

GranHabano_Gran Reserva No5 2010_GranRobustoThe weather’s been all over the place this week, from 70 on Monday to a few inches of heavy, wet snow today.  Between the weather, trying to get stuff done in the house so we can move in this weekend, and Thanksgiving tomorrow, it’s been a busy week. I still managed to get a few cigars in, they are helping me retain any sanity I have left.  I started off Sunday afternoon with a nice cigar from Gran Habano, the Gran Reserva No. 5 2010 Gran Robusto. This is a 6″ x 54 toro presented with a cedar sleeve.  The wrapper and binder are identified as Corojo 2005 and Habano 2005 respectively, with filler from Jalapa.  I’m not entirely sure where the 2010 comes into play, or whether the 2005 wrapper and binder are crop years, but this is a really nice cigar. It burned perfectly and had a nice smooth spice. This was a full flavors smoke and considering it’s priced well, has the taste and feel of the well aged cigar that it apparently is.  Certainly a cigar that would have a broad appeal and could be smoked just about any time.

 

Martinez_Pasion_550Monday’s cigar was delicious, but it was a little over humidified, so I’ll revisit it at a later date. It didn’t smoke they way it should have and I always give cigars the benefit of the doubt when they don’t  work right.  Tuesday I decided to try a cigar I bought when I was in New York City a few weeks ago and visited the Martinez Cigar factory. This cigar was from their Pasion line, which is a blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers with a Nicaraguan wrapper rolled right in New York City.  When I tell you this factory is small, I’m not exaggerating. They have one and a half pairs of IMG_0625rollers! One roller concentrates on one line and makes a bunch of their small cigars every day, and a pair works in the normal fashion of a buncher and a wrapper.  They age all their cigars in a basement escaparate.  It’s a tiny little hole in the wall near Penn Station. The Pasion is a little rustic looking, but it had a free draw and had a very Cuban feel to way it smoked. The flavor had a nice spice and was smooth.  This is a place to visit when in the big apple, especially if you’ve never seen cigars being rolled.  The cigars are in the $8 to $10 range for the most part,  which isn’t uncommon for NYC.

 

Foundry_RareAir_ET-P2Tonight, in the snow, I smoked a Foundry Rare Air ET-P2 in a 5 ½” x49 robusto (the same size as the Partagas Robusto, which is an unusual size that I really like).  The story with the Rare Air series is that they used some seeds from the 1960s that General Cigar has in their library of seeds, germinated and grown on their farm in Mao in the Dominican Republic. I had the good fortune to visit Mao in 2011, although it was before the growing season and was just being planted with some experimental crops unrelated to Foundry.  As with most of the Foundry lines, there is little info about the blend, except that it’s grown in the Dominican Republic. I personally have really enjoyed the majority of cigars in the Foundry portfolio, DSCN2324and this was no different. It’s a dark cigar, with rich, lush flavors that suit my palate to a tee. It also has a little different something there that makes it unique, and special.  This is one of those cigars that could be a go-to smoke, it’s a shame it’s limited.  I’ll be interested to see how the other cigars in this line smoke. There are a lot of very reasonably priced cigars in the Foundry line, alas, this isn’t one, coming in just under $10.  A fine smoke in my humble opinion.

 

That’s it for now.  For all my American readers, have a safe and happy Thanksgiving! Try to find time to follow your feast with a nice smoke. Until the next time,

 

CigarCraig

 

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by | November 23, 2014 · 8:41 am

Crux Cigars and a House of Emilio Event at The Wooden Indian

Crux_NinfamaniacDarkFriday night’s smoke was an interesting one. Back in August I picked up an interesting cigar, the Crux Ninfamaniac Dark.  This is a cool 7″ x 33 cigar is based on an old Cuban size, the Ninfa. The difference is that the Cuban Ninfa size is a parejo, and this Ninfamaniac is tapered on both ends. It’s a really nice looking cigar and it’s priced pretty reasonably, about $6.  I should have picked up the lighter wrapped version as well, the difference being that the dark version has a sungrown Habano wrapper grown in Jalapa, while the lighter one might be shade grown (I’m assuming based upon the description on their website, listing one as “Habano Jalapa” and one as “Habano Sungrown Jalapa”. Having not visited Jalapa, I can’t say if the grow shade grown wrapper or not).  This cigar is fun to smoke. It’s got a great flavor, rich, chewy, really nice. It burned very well and had a burn time similar to that of a Robusto sized cigar.  An added benefit is that it’s easy to manage with gloves on, which is an important thing when it’s flippin’ cold out!  I can see keeping some of these around, they don’t take up a lot of space!  Based on this cigar, I look forward to trying their other offerings, for a new company it seems like they’re doing things right.

 

imageSaturday I went down to Havertown, PA to the Wooden Indian for a House of Emilio event.  The owner of the shop’s son, Alex, recently became the northeast area rep for Emilio, and Gary Griffith was also on hand. I haven’t seen Gary in quite a while, which is a shame because he doesn’t live far away, but I’ve been missing his Delaware Cigar Festival for he last couple years and we just haven’t crossed paths.  They did something a little interesting that I imagethought was pretty neat. They had made samplers up of cigars from five of the House of Emilio brands, in mild, medium and strong categories. I picked up one of the medium samplers, which included a 1502 Nicaragua, a Nomad S-307, an Emilio Mia Dora, a 1502 Ruby and an Ezra Zion FHK. For $28 this was a really nice selection.  I also picked up a 1502 Black Gold Toro and an Ezra Zion Tantrum PA.  I promptly lit up the 1502 Nicaragua and proceeded to catch up with Alex and Gary.  I also was hanging out with a couple of Social Media celebrities from the north Joisey area, Matty Rock and Peter Totaro, who stopped in for the imageevent (and went on to visit the cheese steak shops in Philly, much to the delight of the local economy! Imagine turning these two loose in the Reading Terminal Market!).  Also in attendance was Alex Hirsh, of Evil Genius Cigars. The 1502 Nicaragua is a fine cigar, certainly medium and well balanced. I think I prefer the Ruby and Black Gold lines, but this was certainly a great cigar.  I followed that up with the Ezra imageZion Tantrum PA, with is a longer version of the Tantrum, measuring 6½ x 44.  Once again, this was a very good smoke.  I think the added length tempers the blend a little as the Tantrum was a very strong cigar.  Full of hearty flavor and it burned perfectly, although I dropped an ash on the way to the ashtray. The shop had a lot of traffic, which is probably pretty normal for a cold Saturday afternoon.  Dave Mayer had a lot of interesting and hard to find cigars in his shop, including some of the original Ezra Zion Inceptions, and some hard to find Liga Privada Unicos.  As always, it was a great event, if you find your self in the Philadelphia area, The Wooden Indian has to be a shop to visit.

 

Nomad_C-276_RobustoWhen I got home I took a walk with the dog and a Nomad C-295 robusto. This is a nice, box pressed robusto that is made at the AJ Fernandez factory in Esteli. The blend has five filler tobaccos, including some from Ometepe, for which the cigar is named in a rather roundabout way.  In Fred Rewey’s own words: “The name C-276 also has a back story. The “C” is for Concepción, one of two volcanoes on Ometepe Island. “276″ is the square kilometers of the island.”  I’ve really enjoyed this cigar in the past, it’s loaded with dark, lush flavors, just like a strong espresso, which is a profile I enjoy. This is probably better if you haven’t already had two cigars over the course of the day, but it has the horsepower to cut through and deliver a satisfying smoking experience. On a side note, I’m hooked on the ScrewPop Punch 2.0, as I have been using it exclusively. It makes a clean punch like a hot knife through butter. By the way, I finally got in touch with Jeff K, and his ScrewPop Punch (and maybe something to test it out on) will go out in tomorrow’s mail. Back to the Nomad, it’s a darned tasty smoke, worth a try.

 

That’s it for today, back to the new house to do some work so we can get moved in next week. Also, the 12DoSCG humidor is almost filled to capacity! It’s going to be a pretty amazing couple weeks, folks! I just have to get to taking some pictures and getting the posts ready to go. Until the next time,

 

CigarCraig

 

 

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