CigarCraig's Blog

Friday evening I started something a little new to me, I started working part time at Son’s Cigars. “Working” is a bit of a stretch, as I just helped some folks make some selections in the well appointed humidor. I told Vince that because of the physical demands of my day job, Friday evenings was a about the best I could do working in the shop, as they are open until 11. I’m much too old to stay up that late any other night, and most evenings I’m asleep by 10 anyway.  As it turns out, Adrian Acosta was there doing an event with Dapper, HVC and Adventura cigars, so naturally I smoked some cigars from those companies. HVC was one of the companies I have been interested in smoking more of anyway, so I was excited to light up the HVC Broadleaf Toro. This was a great way to both end one work day and start another! This 6″ x 52 toro has a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and fillers and is made at Aganorsa’s TABSA factory. It’s a great cigar, loaded with dark, rich espresso and semi-sweet chocolate. Like I said, it was a lovely way to start off the night.

I have to admit, it’s incredibly satisfying to recommend a personal favorite cigar to an occasional cigar smoker in the humidor, and have them come back and buy a second one because they enjoyed it so much. I suppose over 25 years of smoking cigars has given me some insight. I’ve been putting off actually working in the cigar industry for many years but Vince offered me the opportunity and I figured what the hell! I really like the shop and know the area and a lot of the regulars already anyway. It’ll be interesting.

I smoked the King’s Gold from Adventura Cigars while I was working Friday evening as well. I had smoked the Queen’s Pearls last week and it was pretty good, so I was looking forward to this one. I have a Robusto here yet that I should have smoked yesterday, because when one smokes a cigar in a cigar shop, working or not, one can’t get a really good idea about the cigar, there are too many external influences, and this was my second cigar of the night. I want to say it was medium bodied, and toasty.  I’ll circle back to it later, but it burned well. I smoked the Toro size, which is 6″ x 54, a nice size. This was another Connecticut Broadleaf cigar, San Andrés binder and fillers from Nicaragua, DR and USA. I suppose I expected more of a punch from this, it seemed milder than I expected, I put it on the medium end of the spectrum. Perhaps in the smaller vitolas, and on a fresh palate it will give me more.

Last night I smoked a cigar that came to me via my CigarCraig Secret Santa, an HVC Ediciòn Especial 2015 Corona. This 5″ x 46 corona has a San Andrés wrapper with Nicaraguan fillers. I was looking for a shorter smoke and this fit the bill. I was getting a later than usual start and didn’t want to be up late again! This cigar has a very unique flavor! It has a heavy, cloying mouthfeel, like black licorice, but not in flavor if that makes sense. It has an earthy sweetness, with a long finish. It was very good, and that overwhelming mouth coating was very interesting. I don’t often get that unless I get my hands on some Australian licorice. The sticky kind. Not that nasty salty kind they like in the nordic countries, that stuff is raunchy. I digress. This cigar was good, and I think I’ll try the 2018 the next chance I have. I know Son’s has some of the Ediciòn Especials.

That’s all for today. It’s snowing unexpectedly. It was practically 60º yesterday, now there’s a few inches of white crap on the ground and I need a haircut and have to get a propane tank filled. Oh well. I guess I can watch some Olympics today and smoke some cigars. Until the next time,

CigarCraig