You know, I bitched like a mutha during the winter and early spring about all the hell weather we were having during the end of winter/early spring. But now it’s finally what I refer to as CIGAR SMOKING WEATHER.
But I can’t get over how weird the weather really is where I live in here the north east. Two Sundays ago my it was 90 degrees at my son’s baseball game at 12-noon. Less than a week later we had frost on the grass in the morning. That’s about a 60 degree swing in a matter of days. Jesus, that’s like the movie The Day after Yesterday. People who planted flowers got hosed. I almost planted several times but the wife was right and said to wait. I always thought it was nice that we experience all four seasons, but as one grows older, the winter really gets on your nerves and sucks more and more. I definitely understand the snowbird mentality… late spring, summer, and early fall in the north and winter in the south. I would definitely like to do that one day – hopefully before I’m walking around in orange Crocs and Depends hanging from my ass, 24/7.
We have people from very different climates all over North America who read this blog. Cotty Gee and my pal, Larry Winget are in Arizona where it’s brutal during the day but I hear often very nice at night. Roadlizard is from Houston where hot and humid is the deal. I visited there one September and you could cut the air with a hatchet. My pal Bubba is from Orlando area, but originally lived in Virginia, then New Jersey by me. That’s some different weather patterns. Darren from Detroit is from… duh. Cold winters and definitely a snowbird candidate. Lucie is from Quebec and she says the hottest it ever gets is in the 80’s for a few weeks. Wow, I couldn’t hack that at all. Can anyone guess where Hawaiian Brian is from? I can’t imagine that weather all year long. Your first Christmas under palm trees in a flowered shirt must be weird. Of course I have several of my Jersey brothers here who can certainly attest to the weirdness in the Jersey air.
But make no mistake, mid-May is supreme cigar smoking weather and I am taking full advantage of this wondrous time. I am lighting up like a demon and even sneaking a robusto during lunch. I’m just joensing like a psycho and craving the taste of premium aged tobacco in a most intense way! I generally smoke one per day in the nice weather, and several a day on the weekends. I think it’s my way of rebelling for hardly smoking at all during the winter time.
Now yesterday I smelled cigar smoke wafting throughout my neighborhood only to find out that my buddies across the street were toking Monte Cubans and NOBODY FRIGGIN TELLS ME?!!! My one neighbor, Joe is Cuban and gets boxes of Habanos from his buddies… but does he tell the Zman… his neighbor who writes about cigars for a god damned living? NOOOOOOO! WHAT the HELL, MAN!!! I’m like the village cigatophile and I don’t get a courtesy call? Come on, I cry foul! Yeah, I’m a damned baby about that stuff. I mean, if you’re smoking in my vicinity, I expect a phone call and an invite. I’m a real territorial weirdo when it comes to that and I pout like a friggin tard if I get left out of a local evening herf.
So tell me about the weather by you and what you’ve been smoking. I’ve been indulging in Frank Llaenza 1961’s and savoring them like the premium handrolled sticks that they are! Really Enjoying Drew’s Liga Privada #9’s and T-5s’s. Steve Saka did a hell of a job with those two. I’m devouring those puppies like candy. Of course I’m pounding JR Ultimate Maduros in between. Gotta have some balance in your life, right?
So enjoy this mid-spring weather and toke your long-filler happy stick of choice. But if you’re within 500 miles and I don’t get a courtesy call, you’ll be hearing about it in next week’s blog!
Take care til next week my smoking buddies,
JR CIGARS BLOG with the ZMAN
This is a first for me – A big thanks goes out to the folks at Humidor Discount. About a month ago they contacted me and asked if I would like to review a humidor. Of course I accepted the offer and it didn’t take long before the Adorini Sorrente Deluxe was at my doorstep.
This article is just a review of the humidor itself. I will post a follow up which will cover seasoning the humidor, calibrating the hygrometer, and humidification methods. Stay tuned for that article.
First let’s cover the specs:
Price: $276.00
Lifetime Warranty
Capacity – 75 cigars
Finish – multiple lacquer finish in black with tobacco leaf design on lid
Felt bottom
“Ribtech” ventilation ribbed liner
Hidden metal plate under the wood veneer to hang hygrometer and humidifier in the lid
24k gold plated quadrant hinges
Dimensions (exterior) – Length-24cm. Width-29cm. Height-12cm.
In the box – A humidor guide book, analog hygrometer, gold plated acryl polymer based
Humidifier, 4 dividers with label clips, 100ml bottle of distilled water.
I examined the exterior finish and it was virtually flawless. The tobacco leaf design against the ultra shiny black finish looks great. Pictures don’t do it justice. The felt bottom means you can store this on a delicate surface without worry of scratching your furniture.
Opening the lid, you see a quality cedar liner that is ribbed for ventilation. This design is claimed to increase air flow. The concept makes sense as you can see in the picture below.
The liner has a little bit of play, which I assume is to compensate for expansion and contraction from the tropical environment that we need for cigar storage.
The lid has a piece of metal hidden underneath the wooden liner. This makes hanging a hygrometer and humidifier a snap. No Velcro or adhesives needed here.
While we are looking at the lid, check out the hinges. They are plated with 24k gold and are solidly mounted with no play or flimsiness.
When I let the lid drop from open to closed, there was a nice “Woosh” sound and the lid would gently settle to a very tight seal. If it were a leaky lid, it would have simply slammed shut.
The liner protrudes from the humidor and fits perfectly into the lid. Overall this thing is build to tight tolerances. Construction is top notch.
There is no cigar tray for a multi tier style humidor. Instead, included are four dividers that slide into the ribbed interior. Plastic clips can be used for labeling and organizing as well.
The Sorrente comes an analog hygrometer and humidification device. Both attach to the lid via magnets thanks to the hidden metal plate in the lid of the humidor.
The hygrometer is fairly accurate, but I prefer a digital unit. I found that the analog unit was accurate but only within a small range of humidity variations.
The humidifier uses distilled water, and has adjustable vents. While I found it to be easy to use, my personal choice is beads from Heartfelt Industries. There are plenty of choices for humidification. I’ve tried a few that you can read about here.
Finally… Besides a small bottle of distilled water, there is a humidor guide book included. It covers various topics from humidor construction, storing cigars, humidor seasoning, to issues like mold, tobacco beetles, and reviving dry cigars. It is a fairly thorough book.
In addition to the book, a comprehensive website covers various humidor and cigar topics.
If you have read this far, you get the idea that I love this humidor. So to be fair, let’s cover the cons:
They say this is a 75 count humidor. Obviously if you store a bunch of Toro’s or Churchill’s, you won’t be fitting that many cigars in to the Sorrente.
There is no tray, so organizing cigars can be tough. The dividers help, but nothing beats a tray for multi-level storage.
I’m sure you noticed the price. For it’s smaller size, this is a top dollar humidor in my book. But in all fairness, the construction is top notch.
I am not a fan of analog hygrometers or the adjustable humidifier (even though it looks great). That’s an easy fix with some humidity beads or gel.
I hope this doesn’t sound like a commercial, but… Wow this is now my favorite humidor. The construction is top notch. It is easily the most well built humidor in my collection. In the looks department, it is great. I have it in the living room sitting on the coffee table. It just looks good no matter where you put it. More importantly, it maintains humidity with a good seal and no leaks. If high end humidors are in your budget, I would suggest considering the Sorrente Deluxe. There are various other styles from Adorini that may fit your style as well. Check them out over at Humidor Discount.
I found conflicting information on the Cusano 18 Paired Maduro, so I’m not exactly sure what the deal is with the blend. Maybe this is what persuaded me to pick up a couple sticks at a local shop recently. In the end, I guess these details don’t matter at all. I sat down with my trusty glass of water and got to reviewing the Cusano 18 Paired Maduro.
Wrapper: Brazilian Mata Fina Maduro
Binder: San Vincente Olor
Filler: Dominican Piloto
Size: Gordo 6 1/4 x 54
Price: Around $6.00
Pre-smoke & Construction:
This thing had a nice yet rugged looking wrapper. There were a few medium sized veins and some lumps and bumps here and there. When I sniffed the wrapper and foot, it reminded me of barnyard poo. Before you say “Yuck!” let me remind you that I find many shitty smelling cigars turn out to be great. The pre-light draw was free, and had a simple woody/earthy flavor. When I squeezed the cigar, I found that towards the head it was rolled a little soft. Nothing really worth concern in my opinion.
The burn required quite a few corrections in the first third, but evened out after that. The ash held for just under an inch.
Flavor:
The main flavors for the first third was wood and earth (like a rich soil). There was a smooth sweet spice when passing smoke through the nose. Coffee notes and a dry mocha flavor entered as I dug further into this third.
The second had a sweet dry mocha, coffee and woody core. The earthy flavors fell into the background, but would stand out from time to time. The sweet peppery spice had a small kick to it, and the overall smoke feel became thick and somewhat creamy.
No new flavors introduced themselves in the last third. The woody flavors with sweet coffee and mocha were dominant. Like before, the sweet spicy pepper was pleasant and kept a nice easy zing. The smoke feel was a little syrupy and creamy.
Conclusion:
This was a good medium bodied cigar. There were no bad flavors or harshness. I wasn’t wowed by any means, but I think it fits the price point of around $6.00. I wouldn’t pay anything more though. The Cusano 18 Paired Maduro is worth a try.
I picked up this cigar from a local shop not too long ago. What attracted me to it was the lack of H. Upmann reviews on this site. As always, I paired this cigar with water and jotted down my thoughts.
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan, Peruvian
Size: Churchill 50 x 7
Price: Around $6.00
Pre-smoke & Construction:
The wrapper looked a little rough with a few medium sized veins and bumps here and there. The foot and wrapper had almost no odor at all, maybe a slight sweet cedar. The pre-light draw was a little stiff, and had a sweet woody taste. When I squeezed the cigar from head to foot, I found the head of the cigar was densely packed and rock solid. This probably accounts for the stiff draw.
The burn required no corrections, and the ash held for just about one inch. In the last third, I had some wrapper splitting. A touch of vegetable glue remedied it quickly. Perhaps high humidity conditions caused filler/binder expansion.
Flavor:
The first third began with a very mild smoothness that had virtually no flavor. Mild woody notes with a barely noticeable spice kicked in.
The second third kept this prominent woody flavor. The slight spice remained, and I picked up a slight sweetness that I couldn’t identify. Earthy notes were way in the background.
The woody flavors increased and became more cedary. Those slight earthy flavors would come and go, although a natural tobacco taste remained throughout. The finish (aftertaste) was a little toasty, and had a slight sweetness.
Conclusion:
This was an OK light bodied cigar. There were no bad or harsh flavors, just a decent smoke. I have to admit, overall I got very bored smoke this in a Churchill size. A smaller size with a cup of coffee would have probably been more fitting for such a mild, simple cigar. If you are into mild cigars, maybe this one is for you.
Make sure you head to St. Pete Cigars this Friday, May 14th from 6PM – 9PM. The featured brand will be Oliva. As always, there will be one day only deals, raffles, door prizes, and food.
Go to the event page at St. Pete Cigars website for more info. See you there!
What in the name of God could be manlier than smoking your favorite cigars at the race track, eating all you can force-in-your-face barbecue, sucking down ice-cold brewzers, while hanging out with hot chicks and Harley Davidsons? I think you know the answer.
Meadowlands Madness (Smokin BBQ 2) makes its triumphant return to the Meadowlands Racetrack, here in lovely Sopranosville in northern New Jersey. This a one hell of an event, and I know because I attended the first one a couple of years ago and have been hoping for another one ever since.
Now I know a lot of you guys aren’t in this area, but the event is absolutely worth the trip. First of all, the Meadowlands Complex is less than five miles from mid town Manhattan in 
New York City so there’s plenty to do! And, the event itself is top-shelf and any self respecting REAL guy will never want to leave! First off, you walk through the gate and you get a goody bag with cigars and other cool swag that 
is definitely worth more than the price you pay for admission! Now I know they’re not here this time, but at the first event, the CAO Flavorette girls greeted us and that was sweeter than any cigar I smoked that night – which was probably in the ten range! We get our very own private area with tents, tables, chairs, and an up close view of the track. And this is great because NOBODY can give us any crap about the smell of our prized premium smokes! I remember that they had like 50 feet long row of outdoor grills brimming with charred chicken, burgers, doggies, along with tater salad, baked beans (don’t get near me) and all kinds of major-league goodies.
The Harleys are on display from local dealers and one look has you grunting like Tim Allen in his old stand-up routine. Panheads, shovelheads, V-Twins, you name it – the hogs will be out in full force and the incredibly wicked hot models with their huge , um, smiles, will be there to answer all your questions – even though you won’t hear a word they say.
Of course there’s horse racing, and the Meadowlands gets some of the best trotters and pacers in the world to compete, including many a high stakes race. I’ve visited that track many, many times and it’s always a great experience, especially on a nice summer day!
Okay, all of this is great stuff… right? It’s planned for June 24, the day that I go away on my family vacation. I am presently at war with the wife and kids to push our holiday retreat back one day, but I am meeting more resistance than the Germans at the Russian front! I’ll let you guys know how it goes.
All in all, I give this manly event a TEN Torpedo rating, and SO worth checking out. I mean you spend the entire evening amongst your fellow Brothers of the Leaf, while testosterone oozes from every bodily pore. You will smoke handrolled premiums til your head explodes and I guarantee your wife will hate how you smell when you come home – if you decide to, that is. What else is new, right?
So join the JR gang for an evening of happiness and horseplay. God knows I’m trying to follow my own advice!
Later my bruthas,
JR Cigars Blog With the Zman
THURSDAY- JUNE 24, 2010
Only $149 !… Event Starts at 6:00pm … Gates Open at 5:00pm
Rain or Shine
(10% discount for groups of 10 or more when purchased at same time)
Must be 21 or older to attend. Photo ID required
What are you waiting for? Call 1-888-442-8262 to order tickets
.Check out…meadowlandsmadness.com for more information
Kopi Luwak is very expensive coffee. The beans are fed to a fuzzy wuzzy animal called the Asian Palm Civet. The beans are pooped out, rinsed, dried, and ready to be made into a cup of coffee. Oliveros claims to capture this flavor in the cigar I am reviewing today.
Wrapper: Brazilian Maduro
Binder: Dominican Olor
Filler: Cuban seed ligero Cubano & Seco Dominican
Size: Corona 5 x 42
Price: Around $4.00
Pre-smoke & Construction:
The wrapper had a smooth look with only a few small veins and a water spot or two. The smell of the foot and wrapper reminded me of pipe tobacco and coffee. The pre-light draw had some resistance, and had a definite taste of coffee. Pinching the cigar, I found a couple tight spots. Luckily this didn’t seem to effect the draw too much.
The burn required a couple corrections, and I let the ash go for around a half of an inch.
Flavor:
The first third consisted of an earthy flavor with of course coffee. I believe the cap was sweetened, which left sweet notes on the lips.
The second third pretty much had no change. Perhaps the earthy flavors were reduced in strength a bit, allowing more coffee to come out.
Like before, earth and coffee remained dominant. A slight spice was noticed in the sinus and on the lips. The overall strength crept up but remained in the medium bodied range. There wasn’t really anything more to it.
Conclusion:
I guess for a flavored or infused cigar, this was OK. It fell in the upper mild to medium bodied range. I prefer unaltered tobacco, so the Kopi Luwak just isn’t for me. There wasn’t any bad flavors, but I was underwhelmed with it’s one dimensional flavor profile. It was mediocre at best. If you enjoy flavored or infused cigars, then give this one a try. As for me, I will never smoke another…
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