Tag Archives: punch

by | August 7, 2011 · 5:55 pm

General Cigars Week, a Macanudo, IPCPR Booth Tours and a Contest!

First off I’d like to thank and welcome Bonita Smoke Shop, our newest advertiser! Please give them a visit, either if you’re in Bonita Springs, FL, or by clicking on the graphic on the right! Nice folks with a great selection who were among the first shops with an internet presence back in the wild west days of the ’90s!

 

We left off having smoked a series of CAO cigars, and, since CAO is now part of General Cigar, I figured I’d wrap up the week with some more General products and a contest!  In an unrelated note, I had been approached some time ago by the marketing folks for a jazz artist named Anders Holst to review his CD, but it seems like I procrastinated and reviews have appeared on several other blog sites.  I don’t want to be repetitive, so check out Barry’s interview and review at ACigarSmoker.com.  I was going to try to tie it in with a review, but decided it’s been done, so thanks to Anders and the folks at his PR company for thinking of me.

 

The other evening I enjoyed a Macanudo 1968 Robusto again, I punched this one and the draw was excellent. I have really been digging these lately. A good friend related a story to me that when these were initially released he offered them unbanded, in a Havana cigar box, at an event and people thought they were Cuban. I don’t know about all that, and the power of suggestion can’t be discounted, but I really don’t draw a comparison. That’s not to say the Mac 68 isn’t a fine cigar, it is. It’s well made and very tasty. Since they lowered the price on these a few months back, it’s even a better cigar.

 

Saturday brought a migraine, which I tried to sleep off in anticipation of visiting a hookah and cigar lounge that’s opened in West Chester, PA (which is a few miles up the road from us). They are supposed to have a belly dancer on Friday and Saturday nights, and we’ve been trying to get there for a smoke. I’ve never tried the hookah, but I’m not repulsed by it and they do include cigars in the name of the place, so I’m open to try it out. I also was going to drive out to Lancaster PA to a cigar shop to meet up with a few folks, notably some of the guys from StogieReview.com. In the end, the migraine, along with my wife getting home from a business event later than anticipated, won the battle and we stayed in.

 

While I’m thinking about it, head on over to http://www.macanudomillionaire.com and enter the contest to win a trip to Vegas and a chance to win a million bucks. From the press release:

“Between now and September 30, consumers 21 year of age or older can enter to win an all-expense paid, three-day, two night trip to the in Las Vegas. While in Sin City, each winner and their guests will be treated to a VIP evening at the Playboy Club. There, a trio of Playboy Playmates will stand in for Lady Luck when each of the contestants and their guests play a high-stakes round of poker. If either the contest winners or their guests have a straight flush or higher, Macanudo will award the $1,000,000 prize.”

 

Here are a few videos I shot during my tour of the General Cigars booth at the IPCPR show. As always, these are raw videos, and, due to the ambient noise in the aircraft hangar they call an exhibition hall, they aren’t all that easy to hear. Thanks again to General Cigars for rolling out the red carpet for me again. They have quite a few exciting items again this year.

 

 

Contest!

 

Leave a comment to enter to win at least a five pack of General Cigar goodies, maybe more, but it will be at least five, I may be able to scrounge up more goodies. Contest will run for one week, with the winner being drawn on Sunday, August 14, 2011. Usual rules apply.  The prize may grow over the course of the week, hard to say!

 

That’s it for now, until the next time,

CigarCraig

 

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by | May 22, 2011 · 7:00 pm

Take A Cigar For A Walk: Tommy Berry and the Punch Gran Puro

Tommy’s filling in for me this weekend while family comes first.

I have yet to start my boot camp…but looking forward to it beginning soon! We’ve had some snags in the way of our home purchase and are in the process of moving to another lender…so be in prayer for that!

As far as walking goes, I was able to snag some time to take a cigar for

a walk a few days ago. I took with me a Punch Gran Puro. For me, it was a bit on the mild side however it was full of flavor! This one was recently gifted to me by a BOTL on Cigarworld.com and I could tell that it had been around for a long time before sending it to me. It had a beautiful, very yellow = well aged cellophane wrapp

er. After opening it, it appeared to me that I was going to love this cigar! And love it, yes I did! I walked for exactly one hour and was only a good 3/4 ‘s of the way through it before landing on my front porch to finish it off. It burned evenly, held a great ash and the smoke was very “colorful” to say the least. The smoke was thick and yellow…that’s when I know I am smoking one that’s aged well. Durring the walk I only had to flick the ash a  few times when it grew long…as it held tightly to the cigar during the walk. I would highly recommend that you try yourself a Punch Gran Puro any chance you get! One last thing to add is that the weather here in East Texas has been unseasonably cool for this time of the year, but it has been extremely nice!

I hope that I can make it out there tonight for another one…as I need to be doing this 5 days a week…not once or twice a week. However, I will say this. If you too have been taking a cigar for a walk…and if only once or twice a week…then be proud of yourself…as at least you are doing something good for yourself…instead of just sitting in the chair!

Long ashes to ya! -Tommy

Thanks Tommy, keep up the good work and everything will work out with the home purchase.

Un

til the next time,

CigarCraig

Don’t forget to visit Stogieboys.com !  New Discount Code coming soon!

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by | April 27, 2011 · 10:47 pm

Some Cigars I Smoked at Cigar Safari, a Punch and a Grimalkin

I realized recently that while I was recounting my experiences in Nicaragua on Cigar Safari, I didn’t really talk too much about the cigars I smoked.  One of the reasons was that I was tying in a contest to guess the number and I didn’t want to make it too easy to figure out, and the other was that there were so many other things going on that I really didn’t think too much about it!  One of the things that I noticed was that I enjoyed all of the cigars I had, and all of them performed perfectly.  From the first Liga Privada No.9 on the bus at leaving the airport, to the Tabak Especial Negra on the bus back to Managua, every cigar burned great and drew perfectly.  I didn’t say I was surprised, I don’t think I’ve ever had a poorly constructed cigar from Drew Estate, or recently from Joya de Nicaragua.  I smoked several of the Joya de Nicaragua Cabinettas, including a yet to be released Lancero, and I even had an Acid Kuba Maduro, and I didn’t hate it! I didn’t snap a picture of every cigar I had, but here’s a sampling:

 

On the “Take a Cigar for a Walk” front, Monday night I smoked another Punch Rare Corojo 10th Anniversary, courtesy of General Cigar.  This is the third one of these I’ve smoked and I enjoyed it quite a bit.  I taste hints of what I remember the Rare Corojo tasting like, which was very savory and full of flavor.  There was a time in my cigar smoking life that I would always leave new arrivals sit in my humidor for a year or so before smoking.  In this day and age, cigars seem to be coming to market ready to smoke, and I feel obligated to smoke samples sent to me in a timely manner.  It’s a bit of a Catch 22 for me.  I would love to see how these age, and, after smoking three of the five samples, I may allow the final two to sit in the humidor for a while more and revisit them in six months or so.

Along those same lines, I recently received some samples from Gary Griffith of Delaware Cigars and Emilio Cigars.  One of the cigars he sent was the Grimalkin Toro. This 6″ x 50 cigar was described as being made in a factory in Esteli which they cannot reveal due to contractual obligations.  I had my suspicions, which I think were confirmed after smoking one of the samples.  I’m not going to reveal where I think this is made because that wouldn’t be right.  I really enjoyed the first sample, it had a bit of spice to start out with and was pretty lush and tasty.  The construction was top notch

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and I enjoyed it to the band, which sports a cool pair of feline eyes on a green background.  It was definitely a visually appealing cigar and felt good in the hand.  I put it down at the band, it got a little funky, another aspect that would be remedied by some additional humidor time.  He also sent a couple of his Emilio ciga

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rs that I am looking forward to smoking. Again, a very nice cigar.  I’d love to try this in a corona or lancero.  Delaware Cigars has several locations in Delaware (duh), which is probably a half hour drive, I really need to make my way to one of the stores one of these days.  They also host a cigar festival at Delaware Park, a great racetrack, in September, I might have to see about making it to the event.

That’s about it for today, I still need to hear from Wayne Nye with his mailing address so I can send out the StogieBoys.com Stogie Registers.  I prefer to make one trip to the post office, so my apologies to MoBarbq and jimbobber for the delay in shipping.

Until the next time,

CigarCraig

Don’t forget the Stogieboys.com Discount code:

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by | April 4, 2011 · 8:02 pm

Tommy Takes a La Gloria Serie R For a Walk, and a Contest!

Finally!  Tommy has re-emerged and is still walking and smoking!  Here is his latest installment:

“Well, hello! I have been tied up getting ready to buy a new home, shopping for a home, and we just put in an offer today…so wish us luck! Over the past few weeks, I have enjoyed several much needed walks…with a cigar. One in particular that I want to talk about today is the La Gloria Cubana Serie R. This one’s been around for awhile now, but is always a great full bodied smoke. However, I had an issue with it keeping a solid and strait ash. This one kept canoeing on me. I plan to take another on a  walk soon to see if it was the stick, my batch, or just me. But, with the “troubles” slowing me down a few times during the walk I still had a great time smoking this particular cigar. Something about walking, moving around…with a cigar has become very enjoyable. These “R’s” are a great “upper mid-class” cigar with great flavors and I love the look of the wrapper. Overall, it was a good walk…a good smoke, not great…but like I said earlier…I plan on taking another one soon and will report back as to how it went.

Long ashes to ya!

–Tommy”

 

I too have been walking.  I took a couple walks with the new Punch Rare Corojo 10th Anniversary Robusto, generously provided by the fine folks at General Cigar.  I enjoyed the two I smoked, although I can see where some age will smooth them out a bit.  The cigars are very nice looking 5″x50 with a box press.  I haven’t had a Rare Corojo in ages, but I remember them being a little richer in flavor.  Certainly worth trying when they become available.  I also smoked the last Cain Habano and it didn’t make me ill.

In honor of Tommy smoking a LA Gloria Cubana, it’s time to give away another five pack of the delicious Serie N JSB.  Leave a comment to enter, wish Tommy good luck with his new home buying experience, or give him some encouragement in his fitness regimen, whatever.  I’ll pick a winner on Sunday ,April 10, 2011. Thanks again to Team La Gloria for providing these cigars for my readers!

That’s it for now, thanks to Tommy for another fine contribution and my best wishes to him and his family for the momentous occasion of purchasing their first home!

Until the next time,

CigarCraig

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by | February 5, 2011 · 9:07 am

This Weeks Cigars: Nub, Tabacos Baez, Punch, Partagas – Saturday February 5, 2011

I’m making every attempt to get into shape before going to Nicaragua, despite the terrible weather, which has been less than ideal for outdoor smoking.  I’ve kicked up the evening walk routine which I used two years ago to lose 23 pounds. Walking makes the cold bearable.  I need to build up my stamina so I can handle the physical rigors of travel as well as the anticipated non-stop cigar consumption.

I started the week with a Nub Cameroon 358.  I picked up a few of these at an event last year and felt like smoking one.  I enjoy these cigars quite a bit despite my initial feeling that they were gimmicky.  I like the Cameroon wrapper over the Habano, but have yet to try the Connecticut or Maduro.  These have that delicious Camerooniness that I enjoy, especially in the winter.  My only complaint is that these are too short, which I know is the point, but I’d like it to last a little longer. They are also tricky to finish while wearing gloves.

Next up was a Tabacos Baez Serie SF Robusto which I picked up in New Orleans.  This is a budget priced, mixed filler cigar that is purported to be 75% long filler and 25% short.  I’ve smoked a few of these and never noticed anything that would indicate it was different from a long filler cigar.  Tasty cigar, on the milder side of medium in strength and body, a very nice cigar for any time of day.

Wednesday brought freezing rain and ice, which canceled work for the day, and gave me an opportunity to take an early walk and enjoy an Upper Cut by Punch Robusto.  This cigar was in a sampler that I received last year from General Cigar.  This cigar features filler tobacco from Ometepe, Nicaragua as well as Dominican and Nicaraguan tobacco.  In truth, I chose poorly when I selected this cigar, as it turned out to be a little colder and windier than I anticipated.  This would have been better saved for a warm spring evening on the front porch, but it was still an enjoyable cigar which burned well and had a pleasing flavor.  This has a foot band, and I hate those, but I’ll pick up a few more of these in the future anyway.

I wound up the week with an old favorite, the Havana Partagas Petit Coronas Especiales.  These are a perfect sized cigar for me at 5.2″ x 42 and a really nice, fairly priced Havana.  They have that little something that only Cuban cigars have and I really enjoy.  It burned well and was very satisfying on my evening walk.  I’ve had these for almost a year and they keep getting better. I hope I can hold on to the rest of the box for a few more years to see how they age.

That’s about it for the week, it’ll be interesting to see what the next week has in store.  There is talk of more winter weather in our future, I’ll be very happy when spring is here!

Until the next time,

CigarCraig

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