by | August 15, 2021 · 10:33 am

A Padron Damaso at Diner en Blanc and a Couple of New All Saints Cigars

Thursday evening my wife and I attended the Philadelphia Diner En Blanc, which is a large, organized pop-up picnic of sorts. This is something that happens in cities all over the world where everyone has to wear white, bring their own tables and chairs and a picnic dinner, and meet at pre-arranged spots in the city where they guide the groups to a “secret” location. It’s usually a historic landmark, in years passed it was Philadelphia’s Boathouse Row, City Hall, and the Art Museum steps (think “Rocky”). We’ve been doing it for the last several years and it’s a hoot, and, of course, I work cigars into it and I try to make appropriate choices. This year I packed my travel humidor with the Macanudo Inspirado White Robustos that I had gotten for the event two years ago (of course, last years was canceled), and left said travel humidor at home. What a dunce. Of course, I didn’t realize this problem until we had finished eating. Fortunately, the secret location was Rittenhouse Square in Center City Philadelphia, and I realized in time to walk 2 blocks to Holts. Of course, the only cigar they had with “white” in the name of the cigar was the Montecristo White, which is one of the few cigars I actually dislike, and just about every cigar with a white band is a Connecticut shade. So I went with some Padrón Dámaso No. 8s since I had not smoked the Dámaso yet amazingly enough. There have been venues in the past where smoking was a problem and this one was not one of those venues, and the folks around us were very cool, so I was able to enjoy t

hat Dámaso comfortably seated at our table. It was quite warm, high eighties at night, so we weren’t wandering in the crowd (3000 people, limited by the pandemic, it’s been upward of 6000 in the past), or dancing or anything, and I really enjoyed the cigar. It was very rich in flavor, the cocoa one expects from a Padrón, with the creamy, nuttiness of the shade wrapper. It was perfect for the occasion! I’ve actually grown quite apathetic where Holts retail store is concerned, but them being the

re saved the day for me! 

 

I received a message a few days ago from Mickey Pegg of All Saints Cigars that he left a couple cigars for me at the new Son’s Cigar Lounge in Exton, which is up the road from me. Funny thing is, Mickey would have pretty much driven past my house going home from Son’s, but he doesn’t know that, and I appreciate it because it gave me an excuse to stop in to see Vince and Brian now that the place is actually open. They still need to stock the front with accessories, and the humidor is maybe 15% filled, but they still have a great selection as it is. Mickey left me his newest cigars, which I promptly smoked. Actually, the Saint Francis looked so good I bought a few assuming I’d dig it, more on that later. I ran home and fired up the newest size of the All Saints Dedicación, the Mitre. This is a 5″ x 54 torpedo in the round, which I note because I believe the rest of the vitolas are box pressed. It has a San Andrés wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and fillers and is made at TAVICUSA. I cut this to leave about a 13mm opening, which worked well. 13mm is a guess, I didn’t measure.  This is a nice smoke, medium bodied, with a little more punch than the other sizes, save maybe the Berkey. More earthy than sweet, I enjoyed it. I like the fact that it’s named after the Pope’s hat. 

 

The other cigar Mickey left for me was the newest line in the All Saints portfolio, the Saint Francis. This is the one I picked up a few in the Toro size on speculation, Mickey left me a Churchill which I eagerly smoked last night. This has dark, oily Ecuador oscuro wrapper around Nicaraguan binder and fillers, it’s a beauty. The Churchill is 7″ x 48 and box pressed, making it feel closer to a traditional 47 ring Churchill. This is the best cigar I’ve smoked all week. My instinct was correct in buying some of these, it remains to be seen if I should have gotten Churchills, but I know where I can get them! This cigar had the quintessential flavors I love: the dark, rich coffee, cocoa, dark fruit flavors. Construction was perfect, it was, overall, an ideal smoking experience. This is my new favorite All Saints cigar, and it’s a sure thing one of those Toros will go up in smoke later today. This is on the CigarCraig recommended list, smoke with confidence. I liked it. 

 

Contest

Last week I had a contest for the Wooden Indian Exclusive Cafe Cubano LCA cigar and Coffee. I’ve consulted the random number generator and paul1954 is the winner! Please send your address! I’ll get your package out and see what else might fall in the box out of my humidor while I’m packing it up! That’s all for today, until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

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by | August 11, 2021 · 9:35 pm

The American Double Robusto by J.C. Newman

I recently had the opportunity to smoke the newest vitola of the American by J.C.Newman.  This is a cigar made in the U.S. from all American tobaccos, here’s the information from J.C.Newman: 

 

Handcrafted in J.C. Newman’s histo

ric El Reloj cigar factory in the “Cigar City” of Tampa, Florida, The American is the first 100% all-American cigar. This new vitola (5.5” x 56) is the thickest The American cigar to date. It is packed in boxes of 20 with a suggested retail price of $17.50.

“The United States has a rich tradition of cigar making dating back to the first crop of tobacco planted in Virginia in 1612,” said Drew Newman, fourth generation owner of J.C. Newman. “Cigar to

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bacco was grown in every American Colony and many Founding

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co farmers.”

The American is rolled with an exclusive Florida Sungrown wrapper, a Connecticut Broadleaf binder, and a blend of Connecticut Havana and Pennsylvania Mennonite filler tobaccos. With a thicker ring gauge, the Double Robusto has an extra le

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af of Pennsylvania ligero tobaccos, making it the strongest The American cigar. All of the packaging, from the wood in the cigar boxes,

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to the paper for cigar labels, to the cellophane that protects each cigar, is made in the United States as well.

Cigar enthusiasts who visit J.C. Newman’s 111-year-old El Reloj cigar factory in Tampa can see The American being rolled and learn about the history of American cigar making in the J.C. Newman Cigar Museum.

 

This is not only a cool project by J.C. Newman, but I have a personal att

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achment to it because some of the tobaccos are grown not twenty-five miles from where I live now, and only a few mile from where I used to live. I can remember driving past the fields of tobacco 20 years ago. Of course I’m a big fan of Connecticut Broadleaf, and I have an affinity for the PA leaf, it has a special flavor. I smoked a couple of the Double Robustos, which are a really good size for me.

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The Florida Sungrown wrapper has a mottled appearance, and the cigar starts with a bit of a sourness, but sweetens and has an earthiness throughout. the construction was very good. I only have one robusto to compare to, but I do think this was stronger, owing to the extra liger

o, although it wasn’t excessively strong, it was very well balanced. Pennsylvania ligero can be very strong in my experience. This was an excellent cigar, many thanks to J.C.Newman for sharing these with me. 

 

That’ all for today, until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig 

 

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by | August 8, 2021 · 10:51 am

Cafe Cubano: Wooden Indian Cigars LCA Exclusive and a Contest

Yesterday the Wooden Indian in Havertown PA (and worldwide on their website), launched an exclusive cigar with the Limited Cigar Association, the Cafe Cubano. This is a 5″ x 50 with undisclosed parts. They also have some coffee to pair along with it.  Before I get into the cigar and coffee, as I’m smoking one as I type, let me tell you about something I did yesterday. For Father’s Day, my son got me a session at a “float spa”, as I had said it was something I’d be interested in giving a shot. This is a place where you spend an hour floating in an epsom salt solution in an senso

ry deprivation tank. I didn’t consider the fact that I’m pretty claustrophobic, and thought it would be cool the shut everything out for an hour. I went in with an open mind. I freaked out within the first minute. As soon as it was pitch black

I felt like I was spinning out of control. Of course, I had no idea where the button to turn the light on was, which is not easy to push anyway, so I pushed the lid of the pod open, then found the button. I closed the lid, then recomposed myself and tried to relax for the next 59 minutes. It was pretty cool, as it felt like laying in a big memory foam mattress, and if I had been able to ease into the whole darkness thing it might have been better. I was able to reflect upon how I’ve become dependent upon outside input, be it from TV, or devices, as I lay there listening to my tinnitus for entertainment. Anyway, it was an interesting experience, but I think a traditional massage is more to my liking. 

 

OK, so Dave, Dan and the staff at Wooden Indian, some of the best in the game, I might add, were very kind to me and sent over a few cigars and some coffee for me, so I brewed up the coffee in my Bialetti and made a failed attempt at Cuban Coffee. I screwed up the espuma somehow, I’ve managed to get it right in the past, but it didn’t work this time. It tastes good though, and should get me through the day. It does pair well with the cigar, although that’s kind of like saying peanut butter pairs well with jelly, or bacon pairs well with eggs, isn’t it? The Cafe Cubano is burning well, and is tasty. It’s aptly named, as it has rich espresso flavors, maybe some toastiness, or some Honeynut Cheerios (or that could be my breakfast spilling over…they keep my cholesterol down!). I have said in the past that I’m not always a fan of the branding the LCA does, but if they help out retailers like the Wooden Indian, well more power to them. I just don’t like seeing branding that can be perceived as marketing to youth. This is a very good cigar, not that the guys at Wooden Indian would have it any other way!

 

Contest

So, would you want to smoke one? The gang there sent an extra set with a cigar, coffee and stickers to give away! There will be a Wooden Indian LCA Exclusive Cafe Cubano cigar, a packet of Cafe Cubano coffee and some stickers, and, you know me, some extra cigars out of my humidor. Usual rules: leave a comment on this blog post! Of course, these are available at the Wooden Indian’s website, which is an excellent place to shop, by the way. One entry per person, must be of legal age, yadda, yadda…what the heck, everyone is eligible (in the US, I ain’t made of money). I’ll pick a winner next Sunday.

 

OK, looks like a beautiful Sunday, I have a cigar to finish, I doubt I’ll be taking a nap today (or sleeping tonight) after drinking a pot of my version of Cafecito, and some stuff to get to, so until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig 

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by | August 5, 2021 · 9:29 pm

News: Drew Estate Announces Suspension of In-Person Events

I usually avoid posting negative news stories, but this one kind of hits home, since I was planning to attend the Connecticut Barn Smoker next week.  More importantly, I continue to be impressed by the way Jonathan Drew cares about his staff and consumers, and takes these measures to protect them. Say what you want, but I’ve known JD for over a decade, and have first hand experience with him dealing with medical situations, he takes things seriously, and doesn’t fool around when it comes to the health and well being of those in his charge. When my son had a medical emergency in Esteli back in 2011 he was with us in the Esteli ER and wasn’t leaving until he knew everything was OK. I don’t know how I would have handled that situation without him.  So as much as I am saddened to miss the Barn Smoker, I trust that it’s for the best.  There will be another time. 

 

Today Drew Estate announces the cancellation of its 2021 Barn Smoker season, as well as the postponement of DE25 (Drew Estate’s 25th Anniversary Celebration at Southfork Ranch in Dallas, TX) due to increasing health and safety concerns resulting from the rise of the COVID-19 Delta Variant, which continues to spread rapidly throughout the country. For the same reasons, effective August 14th, Drew Estate personnel will not attend any multi-vendor events, trade shows, and, until further notice, will not attend any Drew Estate In-Store Events in person (all of which we will seek to work with our retail partners to hold virtually for the time being).

 

This decision to suspend all in-person events is designed to ensure the safety of our team members, our valued trade partners, our vendors, and, of course, the tens of thousands of consumers who attend our events nationwide as best we can and applies to all events, inside or outside of any size, including In-Store Sales Events, Multi-Vendor Events, Trade Shows, and Experiential Events.

 

The following events have been cancelled for the remainder of 2021, postponed (in the case of DE 25th Anniversary Event), or suspended until further notice (in the case of in-person Drew Estate In-Store Events):

 

Connecticut Barn Smoker – August 13 and 14

DE25 – September 25 (postponed until 2022)

Kentucky Barn Smoker – October 6

Florida Barn Smoker – November 18 and 19

All In-Person Participation at Multi-Vendor Events and Trade Shows (effective August 14th)

All In-Person Drew Estate In-Store Events (effective August 14th, will be replaced as virtual)

 

For all Barn Smoker attendees, they will receive a full refund of their ticket price within 3-5 business days

of this announcement, and will have the first opportunity to purchase Barn Smoker tickets next season. While we have only announced a postponement of DE25, because we do not yet know exactly wh

en circumstances will allow us to reschedule in 2022, we will at this time provide a full refund to all who purchased tickets directly from Drew Estate, and all such ticket purchasers will have the first opportunity to purchase tickets when DE25 is rescheduled. DE25 attendees who purchased a ticket or table directly from Drew Estate/Eventbrite will also receive their refund within 3-5 business days, however if they have purchased a ticket through a retail partner, they should contact that retailer directly.

 

From Drew Estate Headquarters in Miami, FL, Glenn Wolfson CEO of Drew Estate notes, “This decision was incredibly difficult and painful for our Executive Team, especially knowing how excited all of us were to be back together again for our lifestyle event season, as well as with all of you for our Brick & Mortar events. We want to take this moment to thank our retailers, farmers, suppliers, vendors, and countless others who’ve made significant contributions in partnering with Drew Estate to plan and deliver these world-class events. Many thanks as well to our Territory Managers, Ambassadors, and Marketing team members for their never-ending great work, both at our large experiential events and at our In-Store Events with retail partners.”

 

Fans of Drew Estate in-store events will be able to digitally connect with JD, Pedro and Willy and their local territory manager through our virtual event platform! You will be able to obtain your favorite Drew Estate cigars and the latest swag from our retail partners, including the fun and education of receiving 25 years of DE knowledge. Find your next event at www.drewestate.com/events or tune in live to a Territory Manager’s Facebook page.

 

From Sag Harbor, NY, Drew Estate President and Founder Jonathan Drew adds, “My heart deeply aches as we make this announcement. We were truly looking forward to celebrating our 25th anniversary to

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gether in Dallas and getting back both to the farms and your stores, together in fellowship, after being away for so long. I imagine that there will be feelings of disappointment and confusion from our consumers around the globe, but just know that your good ole Drew Estate is right by your side, as always, loyal and unwavering. We look forward to being reunited real soon, safely sharing our love of the leaf, together and in person. In the coming weeks, we will begin to provide our loyal DE Family the details of our pivots to upcoming Freestyle Live’s, Freestyle Live: Special Edition, Marquee Events, plus new concepts in virtual store events. Love you guys, be safe. Long Live the Rebirth of Cigars!”

 

ABOUT DREW ESTATE

Founded in New York City in 1996, Drew Estate has become one of the fastest growing tobacco companies in the world. Under their mantra “The Rebirth of Cigars”, Drew Estate has led the “Boutique Cigar” movement by innovating new elements to the tobacco industry with their unique tobaccos and blending styles that

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d traditional cigar enthusiasts. In their Gran Fabrica Drew Estate, the Nicaraguan headquarters, Drew Estate produces a variety of brands such as ACID, Herrera Estelí, Herrera Estelí Norteño, Isla del Sol, Kentucky Fired Cured, Liga Privada, MUWAT, Larutan by Drew Estate, Nica Rustica, Pappy Van Winkle Barrel Fermented Cigars, Tabak Especial, Undercrown, Florida Sun Grown, and Java by Drew Estate.

 

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by | August 1, 2021 · 11:15 am

Cubanacan Maduro, Aganorsa Leaf Signature Selection, and CAO Cigars

I was wandering through one of the humidors and c

ame across a few cigars leftover from the 2020 TPE show that I had forgotten about.  I had run into Lawrence from Cubanacan and he had given me a few cigars, and, for whatever reason they had gotten buried. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure what’s up with Cubanacan. Over the years they seem to come and go. Lawrence is a great dude, but I see him here and there (not that I get around a lot), for instance I remember meeting him at one of the Delaware Cigar Festivals in 2012 maybe, then I might not have seen him again until last year. It’s highly likely we just miss one another. That being said, I just don’t hear a lot about Cubanacan cigars, and the last thing I think I heard wasn’t particularly great. I don’t judge based on things I think I might have heard though. I smoked a Cubanacan Maduro in a Lonsdale size. This must be special, because it only comes in a ten count box, per the website. This has a San Andrés wrapper, Ecuador binder and Nicaraguan fillers. After 18 months in the humidor it smoked very well. It tasted pretty much like I expect a cigar made from those tobaccos would taste like, some earth, spice and espresso. I like the lonsdale size, and it was quite satisfying. I suppose I need to dig around and see what else is in there that I might have forgotten about!

 

One I hadn’t forgotten about, but had recently bought in a sampler from Fox Cigars. I can’t remember why I got this sampler and what all was in it. I added it on to the purchase of the Plasencia sampler, and Maybe this was in it that I wanted, or it priced too good to pass up, or something. For some reason when I received it I set this cigar aside as I had already smoked the rest of the cigars. They all must have been oned I liked. I don’t know, I make strange purchasing decisions some times. It’s CAD, Cigar Acquisition Disorder, and it’s real.  The support group meets here every Sunday and Wednesday. Hello, my name is CigarCraig. The cigar in question is the Aganorsa Leaf Signature Selection Robusto. For whatever reason they ch

oose to cover up this nice looking caramel colored Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper with gold foil, a nice, yet unnecessa

ry presentation. This seems to use all Aganorsa grown tobacco with the sevres sauce being some Media Tiempo, the rare top, top priming above ligero. This was a nice cigar, medium bodied, with some richness, with a feeling that the wrapper was grown under shade. It was creamy with some leathery kinda notes. Good cigar, which nicely filled my afternoon. I wish I could remember what else was in that sampler! 

 

I wrapped up last night with a CAO Amazon Basin Orellana. This was the fourth cigar in the Amazon Basin trilogy, wait, that’s not right. I thought it was a trilogy, then they goofed it up by adding a fourth! I wasn’t overly fond of the original Amazon basin, although some people lost their minds over it. Didn’t hit me right. The Em Corda, and Anaconda hit me right, I loved them. I don’t like the name of the Anaconda, because I hate snakes, but I get it with the whole Amazon theme. I originally thought the Orellana was closer in flavor to the original Amazon Basin, and I still think it probably is, but I like it more with some age. I still like the other two more, but this has matured, whatever sour notes that I didn’t care fr aren’t there any more. It was a rather enjoyable cigar, al

though, in retrospect, I should have chosen a shorter cigar, and I’ll elaborate. I got off to a late start, and, hence, a late end.  The Orellana is a toro sized cigar, and since I finished late, I had a hell of a time falling asleep. This means I’m going to have to take a nap today, when I could be smoking a cigar! Then I might be up late again and the whole cycle continues!

 

I bought a bike yesterday to ride to work, maybe I’ll ride to the cigar shop today. If it stops raining, that is…I made sure to buy one with an ashtray holder. That’s all for today, until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

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