Category Archives: Review

April 21, 2021 · 9:04 pm

Paul Stulac Classic Phantom Cigar

A few months ago I ordered some cigars from Scotty’s Cigars and one of them was the Paul Stulac Classic Phantom. I had called the store and asked for some interesting singles, and this was one of the ones they suggested. I hadn’t had a Paul Stulac cigar in years,  as a matter of fact, I chose this one because I think the last one I smoked was called the Lord of Albany, and was named for Travis Lord, who is now working with Scotty’s and has been my marketing contact for a few companies over the years. I thought it was somehow appropriate. My mind works in strange ways sometimes. I don’t think I ever met Paul Stulac, a Canadian retailer and brand owner. I remember seeing his booth at the IPCPR many years ago and it was very medieval looking with a lot of black and red, kinda scary. I wasn’t familiar with the brand at the time so I didn’t approach the booth, there were a lot of other places I needed to be. 

 

The Paul Stulac Classic Phantom is a soft box pressed torpedo measuring 6″ x 53, and comes in natural and maduro, this example was the natural wrapper. The wrapper is an Ecuador Habano, and I believe the binder and fillers to be Nicaraguan. I’ve been using a prototype cigar cutter from my friends at CigarMedics which has three holes, and used the smallest hole to takas as little as possible off of the torpedo tip. More on that cutter later, but it’s pretty cool, but takes some getting used to. The draw was perfect, as was the burn. I put the flavors in the category of woody, with some sweetness and some spice. It was medium bodied, and I have a feeling it came to me with some age, however I have no idea how old it actually was. I b

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ase this assumption on the condition of the cellophane, and the performance of

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the cigar, but this is really only an educated guess. This was a great cigar, I really enjoyed it, and I may have to check with the folks at Sc

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otty’s to see if they have any more!

 

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

 

CigarCraig

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April 18, 2021 · 10:06 am

An Epic Habano Lancero, a Havana Q and Cigar Socks

Earlier in the week I was hunting around for something to smoke and I took a rummage through the lancero section of the humidor and came across a couple Epic Habano Lanceros. I have a handful of Epic Lanceros I’ve picked up over the years, and really enjoy them. They are made in the same factory in the DR that makes Kristoff cigars, who really isn’t known for that vitola, although I think they do have a few. Their Lanceros are 7½” x 40, and are loaded with flavor. It’s woody, spicy with some sweetness and overall a great smoke. I enjoy the Madur

o the most in the Epic line, but this Habano is really nice. I have to look, I might have a Corojo too, I know I have some Maduro Lanceros (I have several different band designs as they changed over the years). I hope since Dean has sold the brand (but is still

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involved) that nothing changes, because the cigars have always been really good.

 

J.C.Newman sent me some of their Havana Q cigars to try recently, so I’ve smoked a few lately. This is a sub-$3 cigar made in Nicaragua. I’ll be right upfront in admitting that I have become a bit of a snob when it comes to cigars. I generally smoke o

ne a day, and I want that one to be decent one. I have stayed away from “cheap” cigars unless I’m doing a task in the yard or something where having a cigar will reduce the profanities (I could have used one earlier in the day yesterday!). A cigar to me is a reward after a day’s work, usually, not something I need to get through the day. That being said, I’m atypical, and some people like to have cigars throughout the day, and inexpensive cigars like the Havana Q are a great option. I found this to be a fairly mild cigar, and slow burning for what I suspect to be mixed filler. It has an Ecuador Habano wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and fillers. The resealable “humidor” bag packaging is nice for the casual smoker, toss a Boveda pack in and you’re good, or smoke them up in a week or two, whatever your custom. Bottom line is, I’ve had far worse cigars for more cash. 

 

Let’s talk about socks for a few minutes. I got another new item from my friends at Groovy Groomsmen Gifts, this time it’s some cigar themed socks. They have a couple styles actually, among their large sock selection. Back in 1987 when I got married, I got my groomsmen some beer mugs, because, believe it or not, I was more into beer then that cigars, although we did smoke some cigars at the wedding reception (don’t ask what, they weren’t premium). If I were doing it now, you’d better believe I’d be outfitting my groomsmen in these “Smoke Stacks” socks from  Groovy Groomsmen Gifts! I’d be wearing them with my custom Vans, and probably a cigar themed bow tie and cumberbund (are they back in style yet?) Groovy Groomsmen Gifts, and Groovy Guy Gifts, have a lot of nice cigar related accessories, if you are in need of customized gifts, give them a look. 

 

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

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CigarCraig

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April 11, 2021 · 10:49 am

Baracoa Cigars The Voyage Release Event at Son’s Cigars & Lounge

I’m fortunate that Son’s Cigars & Lounge is opening just a few miles away from me in Exton, PA, and was the location of the launch of Baracoa Cigar Company‘s re-release of The Voyage. This is my backyard, I’ve lived in this area my whole life, so I’m happy to have this lounge coming to the area. It’s not open yet, the buildout isn’t even complete, but they held the event there anyway and 30 or so people were there. A few words about the lounge, it’s going to be awesome. The humidor is going to be huge, with 2000 facings, many of which will be boutiques. The lounge will be equally impressive. I’m told it will be modelled after it’s parent, literally, Mom’s in Scarsdale, NY, as Mitul Shah is a co-owner. The store is conveniently located smack dab between two cigar stores when have been in the area for many years (I state with my tongue firmly planted in my cheek). It’ll be a destination. They are hoping for a May opening, and are shooting for two events a month, the former seems optimistic looking at the skeleton of metal studs, but things can progress quickly I suppose. I look forward to covering the opening. On a side note, two of the longest running cigar blogs in the industry were represented there, as Walt White of Stogie Review made an appearance (yours truly was the other 😁  ). 

 

I had not had the pleasure of meeting Danny Vasquez prior to yesterday’s event. He launched Baracoa Cigars and The Voyage a few years back, having the cigars made at La Aurora ( and I think he’ll agree with the way I worded that), and kind of shut it down when the FDA deeming regs came down. He took a job with RoMaCraft for a few years and then decided to relaunch his brand, taking a more hands on approach with the blending with Henderson Ventura in the DR. I picked up a sampler of the cigars, three sizes, a corona, Robusto and Toro, I assume the three sizes available, although I was negligent in verifying the details. While I was there, I smoked the Corona, 5″ x 46, and Robusto Extra, 5¼” x 52, (the Toro was really tempting!, maybe today) and found them to be outstanding. There was a cleanness to the smoke, with a bit of a citric tang, more in the Corona than the Robusto, I thought. I thought they were really very good cigars, not at all heavy on the palate, but bright, if that makes sense. I’m excited to try the Toro. I’m pleased to have met Danny finally, having heard him on var

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ious podcasts and such. He did a n

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ice job with this cigar. 

 

Many thanks to Mitul, Vince and Brian for the hospitality. It was nice to see some old friends again, and meet some new ones. In person events have become so few and far between, I think this has been the third, maybe fourth, one I’ve been to in a year. I do recommend trying The Voyage if you can get your hands on it, great cigars!

 

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

 

CigarCraig

 

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April 4, 2021 · 10:22 am

My Luck and Padilla Cigars from Humidity Cigars

Since I always post on Sundays, every year about this time I make the same joke, but this year I actually had a cigar that I had allowed to dry out, and put back in the humidor to rehumidify slowly over time, just to see how it would “resurrect”. Of course, I forgot all about it, and didn’t think about it until I sat down to write this post. I guess it wouldn’t be that good of a joke then anyway, but it would have been a good experiment, and still will be when I get around to it. Honestly, with everything going on lately, I’ve been more concerned with using cigars to unwind on a daily basis than anything else, the rest seems too much like work. 

 

Last month I had ordered the Flight & Light from Humidity Cigars and it arrived well packaged and on time. All told, this four pack was about $38 delivered, and had the Celtic Ash that I posted about back on March 14, a La Perla Habana Classic Belicoso, a Padilla Fumas and a My Luck Toro. The first and last of which I assume to be house brands of Humidity Cigars. Yesterday I decided to smoke the My Luck and Padilla cigars. I started with the My Luck Toro. The promotional material from Humidity Cigars lists this as a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, San Andrés binder and Nicaraguan/Dominican fillers. It’s my opinion that they swapped the details with the Padilla, which is listed as Ecuador Connecticut wrapper, Nicaraguan/ Honduran fillers (no binder listed). I make this assertion not only based on appearance, which is compelling enough, but on flavor. The My Luck was well constructed and medium bodied, with a mellow flavor, which was on the nutty and creamy side. This was consistent with an ecuador Connecticut wrapped cigar. It was a good cigar, enjoyable, not particularly remarkable, but certainly not anything I wouldn’t be unhappy smoking again. No regrets with this one! 

 

A few weeks ago I had a private conversation on Instagram with Ernesto Padilla where he asked me why there were never any of his cigars in my feed. I explained that I didn’t come across them in my local shops, and I wasn’t buying in quantity on line. There was a time when Oliva was distributing Padilla that they were in stores and I would pick them up. There was even a Studio Tabac collaboration back in 2015. If you search this site you’ll find a lot of hit on Padilla, but recently they have been largely a catalog concern. This Padilla Fumas was probably 5″ x 50 and had an obviously maduro broadleaf wrapper. It had the sweet and heavy broadleaf flavor and was really quite a nice little smoke. I’m a little confused though. This had a white band, and doing some searching around, the Connecticut does indeed have a white band, while the maduro has a black band, but this was absolutely a broadleaf cigar. I was born at night, but not last night. Whatever the band situation, it was a good cigar, and I’m pleased with the purchase. So far, three for three with this pack. To be honest, The La Perla doesn’t excite me. Maybe it’s the cigar snob in me that looks at this as a catalog bundle brand that I wouldn’t be bothered with, or maybe I’ve smoked it before, I really can’t remember. 

 

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

 

CigarCraig

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March 28, 2021 · 10:06 am

Altadis Know Your Wrapper Series Event at Goose’s Montecristo Lounge

Friday evening I attended an event, s

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ort of. Goose’s Montecristo Lounge in Limerick, PA hosted the Altadis USA Know Your Wrapper Series event, both in their lounge and virtually. They probably had 15 or so people there in the lounge, which is spacious, no worries there, and a few of us attending virtually, including myself, Tom Stroud, the Altadis USA territory Manager and his wife, John Remer, who host the Facebook Group and show Johnny Smokes Uncut, and a few others.  In this event, each attendee purchased a box which contained seven corona size cigars that were puros of seven different wrapper varieties. The event was led by Travis Pappenheim, the National Education Manager at Altadis USA. He guided us through the tasting of the first couple of the puritos, presenting information on the growing regions and some of the cigars that used the various wrappers. This event

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was interactive, as Travis, even though he was located in south Florida, was taking questions from the lounge at Gooses, as well as interacting with the rest of the guests.

 

A few geeky thoughts on the puros:  The first one was the USA Connecticut: It had some natural sweetness on the lips at first, but I thought it was fairly sour with some bitterness. It smoothed out after a while. The Cameroon was surprising, as a wrapper only it is very distinctive, when the entire cigar is Cameroon it runs over itself and that sweet, nutty Camerooniness I love is overwhelming and exhausting. The Ecuador Connecticut is smoother and creamier than the than the USA version. In my mind, it worked better a

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s a cigar. I don’t care much for Criollo, and a 100% criollo cigar doesn’t thrill me, the saving grace was that it was the fourth cigar in a little over an hour. Travis gave some great advice, which was to smoke the Sumatra on a fresh palate, and since that is one of, if not my favorite, wrapper varitals, I smoked this one

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last night. Once again, it tasted like Sumatra should taste, but too much of a good thing. HAlf way in, I switched to the Broadleaf, another favorit

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e wrapper. This was the only one in the selection that wasn’t a puro, because, Travis said, getting the Broadleaf puro to burnright wasn’t happening. Not surprisingly, this was the best sm

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oking experience of the bunch as a cigar, as far as balance and flavor went, with sweet cocoa and coffee notes that I love. I saved the Habano for another time, maybe today, as I was worn out.

 

As a cigar geek, I found this to be a really entertaining experience, as I always do. I’ve done these sorts of things before and I always learn something, and it reinforces things I knew, and reminds me of things I forgot. My main takeaway is that there’s a reason that these are wrapper leaves and there aren’t puros made from the various leaves. First, they’d be really expensive cigars, and mostly, they aren’t balanced and just don’t really taste good. There was one (the US Connecticut) that Travis mentioned a surprise at the halfway point and suspect he had the leaf tips thee or something and I got a cinnamon sensation somewhere thereabouts, but that was about the only thing close to complexity I got. I also have had indigestion and a sour stomach for the last two days, and it might have something to do with the tobaccos, not sure. I haven’t eaten anything strange. I wouldn’t trade the experience though,  Travis did a great job presenting and Goose was a wonderful host as always. I would have enjoyed being there in person, he has a great lounge, but between the time and “the times”, joining over Zoom was ideal. Thank you John for having me!

 

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

 

CigarCraig

https://www.altadisusa.com/

 

 

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