The Borons Cigar Blog

I found the Gurkha Wicked Indie at a local shop the other day. This is the first release under the East India Trading Company, which is a subsidiary of Gurkha. As always, I paired this cigar with water. Here’s how it went.

Wrapper: Habano Nicaraguan

Binder & Filler: Nicaraguan

Size: XO 6 x 60

Price: Around $6.00

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper was a little blotchy and veiny looking, but nothing of concern. It had a cedar and hay smell, while the foot was earthy. The cigar was pretty well packed, and had minor hard and soft spots. Again, nothing of concern. The draw had slight resistance, and had a woody and musty flavor.

The ash held for about two inches, and the burn required a few minor corrections.

Flavor:

The first third: The main flavor was peppery spice and wood. The smoke feel was slightly creamy with earthy notes.

The second third changed just a bit. The dominant flavors were wood and earthiness. Next up was creaminess with an easy sweet spice. The aftertaste had that same sweet tingle with some earthiness.

The last third was basically an exact repeat of the second third. The only difference was a slight floral component. It was very subtle and hard to pick up.

Conclusion:

This was an OK medium bodied cigar. The flavor profile was pretty one dimensional and definitely had no wow factor at all. For such a simple cigar, I would have to pair it with coffee or something that would make it a little more exciting. Basically, it was just another cigar…

Over the years there have been a lot of guys I would truly call my best friend. Damn, all the way back to third grade, I remember when the teacher took away my baseball cards and good old Greg Marciano snuck into her desk and got them back for me. And the time he kicked Bernie Goldberg’s ass for calling me a whimp, yeah, that kid was a gamer and he had those ‘best friend’ attributes through and through. I think a real best friend is there whenever you need him. Whether you’re in your wheelhouse or the doghouse, your best bud will never judge or say, “I told you so”, he’ll just be there to ease your mind and comfort your soul for as long as you need him there.

God-dayum… sounds an awful lot like a cigar doesn’t it?

There is no question in my mind that the cigar has often been my very best buddy when I needed a good pal. And it’s not always in times of solitude and deep thought, but he’s there for me when no one else is around as he helps me pass the time with total enjoyment… like barbeing outside on the grill, or while taking that long drive on the open road. Nothing like rolling the window down, cranking some rockin’ tunes, and sparking up a big old bad-boy like a Bolivar Cofradia Oscuro #754 to make that highway journey a memorable one – cruising the world in style, just you and your hand rolled compadre. Even a ten-hour trek will pass by in no time when your leafy amigo rides shotgun for the trip.

While I love to golf with my best pals, a good cigar will always be there at tee-time making for the perfect fifth-some. A 10-holer like the Arturo Fuente Canones often accommodates my day on the links. And while the course rules say only two golfers to a cart, when my stogie-buddy comes along for the ride, let’s just say that three is definitely a charm.

Now people often say that your woman should be your best friend in life, but there are times when my cigar is most definitely the perfect soul mate. Face it, a cigar has never yelled at me for making a wrong turn, not taking out the garbage, nagged me to death for being a tubby load or not making enough money, yada, yada, yada. And the one thing it will NEVER do is give me crap for coming home reeking like smoke! Wow, do you think it’s legal in any of the 50 states to marry a cigar?… Cuz, I might just look into that.

About 15 years ago I had the pleasure of interviewing the great sports impressionist painter, Leroy Neiman at his studio on Central Park South in Manhattan. He was known for always having a large cigar dangling below his bushy trademark moustache. His spacious studio was filled with cigar boxes, floor to ceiling, leafy gifts from everyone who entered his abode. It struck me rather peculiar that in our conversation he would constantly refer to his cigars as his ‘friends’. When I asked him about that, he got kind of serious, much like when a parent talks about his children. When I asked him why he felt his cigars were his friends, his answer pretty much blew me away. He said, “Tommy, a cigar is honest. There is nothing pretentious about it whatsoever, and it is there for you at the moment you need it. You light it, then smoke it, and it merely does the job it was intended to do – and you simply cannot have a better friend than that.”

Wow… that was a pretty deep moment but I knew what Neiman meant as I too felt the same way. The cigar may be an inanimate object created thousands of miles away by men with names like Manuel Labor and Manuel Dexterity, but there is a personal relationship – a true bonding that we lovers of the leaf hold within out hearts. And for this reason we must continue to fight for our right to smoke and tell the FDA to keep their stinkin’ paws off of our precious hand rolled cigars.

So PLEASE SUPPORT Cigar Rights of America as they continue to deal with congress, the senate, and all US legislators who need to be made aware that our cigars are the best friends we know of and we will fight like hell to keep them in our lives! http://cigarrrights.org

Stay Smoky My friends,

JR Cigars Blog with the Zman

CLICK HERE to Check out this week’s J•R CIGARS Weekly Special!

Recently I Skyped with the Stogie 411 show on their first anniversary. I hung around in the chat room, and before I knew it, I somehow won a sampler from El Tiante. So thanks to Stogie 411 and El Tiante for the cigars! If my information is correct, this cigar was blended by Don Pepin Garcia, and is made in the My Father factory.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Rosado

Binder & Filler: Nicaraguan

Size: Toro 6 x 50

Price: $7.98

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper was oily and shiny, real shiny. No flaws were noticed, just some medium sized veins here and there. The smell of the wrapper reminded me of hay. The foot had more of an earthy, spicy odor. The cigar was evenly packed, and was rock solid. Despite this, the draw was good, with slight resistance. The pre-light flavor was hard to pin down. I’d say it was leathery and earthy.

The ash held for around an inch, and the burn required only one minor correction.

Flavor:

The first third opened up with a woody flavor. It wasn’t the usual cedar though. Retrohaling revealed a nice peppery spice that had a tinge of sweetness. The aftertaste was earthy with hay. Simple but good.

The peppery spice mellowed out a bit in the second third. Woodiness remained, but fell to the background. It was mostly noticeable in the aftertaste. The smoke took on a creamy feel, mixed with a sweet spice. At times, I could swear there was a floral component, but it was illusive and I never pinned it down. Overall the flavor profile seemed much more refined than in the first third.

The last third saw an uptick of the sweet spice. It reminded me of tingly cinnamon and pepper. As a result, the aftertaste was very sweet and clung to the mouth and lips. There still was a woody and earthy component, as well as that elusive floral note.

Conclusion:

This was a very good medium to full bodied cigar. It had a nice build of flavors, body, and strength. The flavors were simple, yet there were complexities that were challenging at times. There is nothing to complain about. I could smoke more of these, and would recommend them.

Moscow

You know things are out of whack when Russia is more compassionate than the United States when it comes to smoking.  That country’s chief addiction doctor says smokers should stop being treated like animals and should be given “humane” areas where they can smoke.

“The sale of tobacco in Russia is allowed officially and the government gets an income in the form of excise duties,” says Evgeny Bryun an expert in drug and alcohol dependency at Russia’s Health Ministry, “So the government must provide smokers with smoking areas.”

The doctor says bans alone will not stop smoking.  No kidding.  Oh yeah and he realizes tobacco is a LEGAL product from which they get money for the state.

Kalifornia

Speaking of cash,  the bankrupt state of Kalifornia is going for more green by hitting tobacco again.

According to the New York Times, Kalifornia is one of the states that is hurting because it issued municipal bonds based on the Master Tobacco Settlement of 1998.  The states expected huge windfalls from the cigarette companies because of the settlement…and for a few years they got it.  Then, as smoking rates declined as tobacco taxes went up, all of the sudden there is no money to pay those bonds.  So when you run out of money because fewer people smoke what do you do?  If you are the geniuses in Kalifornia you go back to the well again even though it is running dry.

On June 5^th, residents of Kalifornia will be voting on yet another tobacco tax.  According to a brain dead Nurse, Social Worker, and, of course, Educator over at the Huffington Post, the vote is simple.  She headlines her article:

“Vote yes on Prop 219: Cut Health Care Costs, Spur the Economy and Cure Cancer.

 I am surprised it is not for the kids too.

Prop 29 supposedly will raise $735 million by more than doubling the taxes on cigarette and increasing cigar taxes by 73 percent.  (Right cuz state estimates of money worked out so well for those bonds.)

Opponents to the issue say it will create another bureaucracy in the state with little to no oversight.  (For example the pros say the cancer research will stimulate places like UCal…yet the law says nothing of where the money can be spent on research…maybe India.)  Anyway it is a cash grab.

And of course the American Cancer Society is taking the opposition with good grace.  NOT.  The organization called out a lowly blogger by name and said he was a pawn of Big Tobacco.  He wishes.  But that is not the worst.

American Cancer and the other anti smoking groups most likely set up a vile hit piece on a doctor who appears in the Vote No commercials.  They say she is doing it for the money because she is broke.  Lots of accusations in the hit piece and very little evidence.  Knowing the quality of most reporters these days, this story was probably handed to them.

Adds Chris McCalla—Legislative Director for the International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers, which has kicked in some cash for the vote no effort—

“Dr. Porter is speaking out on behalf of her patients and others around the state that Prop. 29 will do nothing but waste million of California tax dollars. How shameless of the reporter to drag her personal finances into this issue and make baseless, unethical accusations and by publicly questioning the doctor’s motivations. And the media wonders why the public is skeptical of journalism. No fact checking, just accusations.”

If you can stomach the article in the Mercury News you will find it to be filled with Bullshit. It sounds like it was written by ACS themselves.  For example:

“In 2002, she took the side of the chemical industry against health advocates. She became a key voice in opposing an EPA-proposed regulation of perchlorate, a water pollutant that environmentalists say has harmful effects on infants and children.”

The implication of this was that dirty manufacturers put this  chemical into the water.  But actually, Percholrate, according to the California Department of Toxic Substances (who knew the state had that department),  is naturally occurring in water (it has even been found on Mars).  In sufficient doses it affect the Thyroid and some manufacturers use the chemical.   However,  an EPA study in 2006 tested water across the country and found the highest levels of the chemical in drinking water to be in the range or 6.4 parts per billion….the area where there could be health effects is 245 parts per billion.  But yeah it is easier to smear the Doctor by writing she sided with the Chemical Industry against HEALTH advocates than tell the truth.

These people will continue to push and push.  We need to fight back.  Make sure you have signed the White House Petition and  tell all your friends about it.  Also send petitions to Congress to keep the FDA away from our smokes.

As Manuel Quesada maker of Fonseca and  Casa Magna  told me years ago when the big debate was over S-CHIP taxes, he said the bigger worry was the FDA… if cigars fall under the FDA it is game set and match.

Enlightenment in Springfield, MO

The folks at Live Free Springfield have chalked up their first victory.  The group was formed to fight the city’s draconian smoking ban that was voted in last year.  The group says it is not about smoking but about rights.  This year, Live Free Springfield gathered enough signatures to put a repeal of the smoking ban on the June ballot.  Last night, the council voted to modify the current smoking ban to exempt e-cigarettes (which contain neither tobacco nor produce smoke) and to grandfather  cigar stores and certain other retail establishments to allow smoking IF they were around on April 5, 2011.  Which means you cannot open a smoking cigar shop today.

While the council action is good news and a victory, the election is still going forward. According to Live Free Springfield:

The 2011 ban has gone way beyond “protecting” public health and into the realm of destroying businesses and taking away personal property rights making Springfield one of the most extreme cities in the country. We will continue to work for the full repeal of the 2011 ban to help further solve this problem. The 2003 ban will still be in place and will allow for people to enjoy themselves in a smoke-free environment.

The group has a fight on its hands, but with your help they can win.

It’s been awhile since I’ve done any sort of video cigar review. My pal Anthony had the idea that I switch it up a bit and do a review with him. I was all for it, especially since he has been out of the loop for quite some time too. His palate is far above average, and I looked forward to the awkwardness that may arise doing my first review with just him and I.

The Perdomo Champagne Noir is a nice medium to full bodied cigar. It has a straight forward flavor profile, which isn’t a bad thing. Coffee, rich cocoa, woodiness, and a peppery zing make this slow burner a joy to smoke.

As you would expect, Anthony and I pick this thing apart, and it is documented in this 17 minute video review. We also have some random banter and awkwardness. Yes, very awkward.

MP3 Audio only <-Right Click, Save As

I am admittedly not a religious man, but definitely more of a spiritual type person. While I don’t want to get into some kind of metaphysical diatribe, I do want to acknowledge that I have been praying with great faith to the Cigar gods for their wisdom and guidance, with hope that… wait a minute, oh ye smoker of the most holiest of leaves… you say you are not aware of the omnipresence of the immortal Cigar Gods? Oh, my brothers and sisters, while it is not in my nature to prosthelytize, I do feel it is important for me to spread the most sacred word of the leaf.

Once the land was filled with happy cigar smoking humans like you and I, gallivanting about the earth while enjoying the fruitful blue-swirling smoke of our El Rey Del Mundos, Punch, and Partagas Black. But then a darkened evil came over the land as Loki-Non-Smoky gathered his most heinous tobacco-hating cohorts and our lives have never been the same since. You see, Loki has conspired with backstabbing nay-sayers of the politico world, inflicting new taxes and laws that threaten the very existence of the sacred stogies we cherish so greatly. So, I beckon to thee, my leaf-loving friends, to acknowledge the existence of the Cigar gods and know that they are here to protect us and fight the bad men who want to harm our community at large.

I first ask you to greet Tobaccus, patron saint of premium burning leaf. He is a most loving and wise being, blending and creating the pleasures we cut and light each day. Tobaccus has called upon the Cigar gods themselves, and together in unity they face Non-Smoky and the evil zealots who threaten the sticks we rely on for pleasure each day. Now, every group of immortals has a general – a warrior who wears his band proudly, and Cigartamus is the one who leads the battle cry each day. His faithful group of brave and leafy warriors include Robustus, Toronian, Figarodeous, Ligerous, Corojonian, Criollous, Churchillian who stands tall, and last but not least J•R Ultimate Prime. Together this group of selfless heroes work tirelessly to save us all from the oppressive Tobacco terrorists.

Okay, I haven’t lost my mind – I think I might just be a little jacked up for the new Avengers movie. (The nerd in me rears its wacky little head every once in a while.) And while I admit that I don’t actually pray to these mythical tobacco gods, I have to believe that the REAL heroes who are fighting the oppressors are you and I! We’re the ones who need to stand up to the bullies and fight for the freedom we rightfully deserve. And right now we can start with signing the petition drafted by Cigar Rights of America and the IPCPR that will be presented to the Obama Whitehouse Administration, asking them to tell the FDA to LEAVE THE CIGAR INDUSTRY ALONE! (CLICK HERE for Petition) These puro-patriots have gathered the mandatory 25,000 signatures needed, but I say we give the politicos a hell of a lot more than that if we can. Let’s show them that we are voters who mean business when it comes to our beloved cigars! And if you’ve already signed it, get your friends in on it, share on FaceBook and Twitter, and be one of the warriors the cigar industry needs to fight this never-ending battle of injustice! Let us BAND together to save our smokes!

Bless you all…

JR Cigars Blog with the Zman

CLICK HERE to Check out this week’s J•R CIGARS Weekly Special!

Partagas 1845 Corona Extra – This Is Not Your Father’s Partagas

Partagas is a brand that needs no introduction – it’s a staple in the cigar community and always delivers a consistently good smoking experience.   The Partagas brand has been around for 167 years, which for any company is extremely impressive.  Their latest release, the Partagas 1845, pays tribute to that fact, and with a few key changes to the tobacco, promises to be a completely new and refreshing smoking experience.

With that being said, let’s talk about what this cigar is made of and what makes it different than the rest of their traditional line of cigars.  The outside wrapper is Ecuadoran Habano leaf and has a rich dark look to it with a beautiful oily sheen.  The binder is Connecticut Habano, which Partagas spent nine years developing its sweet and strong characteristics.  Last but not least is the Dominican and Nicaraguan Ligero and Seco filler which is cultivated in three distinct growing areas.  The select Nicaraguan fillers are aged in Dominican rum barrels; a proprietary process that enhances their aroma.

Now that you know what the cigar is made up of, the first thing you’ll notice is that this combination is very unique for a brand like Partagas. The cigar has all the looks of something that will be extremely complex and well blended. I’m smoking the Corona Extra, which is the smallest size of this line.  When sampling a new cigar I usually like to smoke the smaller sizes first as the thinner ring gauges offer a more intense taste of the overall blend.  I cut the triple cap and take a dry draw and instantly get a hint of what’s to come: rich flavors of coffee and earth tones even before even lighting up.  I use my torch to fire up the foot of the cigar and take a few puffs. Immediately upon lighting I can tell that this cigar is prime for smoking with no resting time required.  Partagas has always gone to great lengths to assure that their cigars are perfectly aged and ready to smoke right away unlike many of the other newer lines that require extra time in the humidor before they reach their full potential.  I can’t even tell you how many new niche brands are rushed to the shelves without proper seasoning just for the sake of making a quick buck.

The opening flavors are that of rich cream, spice and cocoa with an amazing aftertaste that really just keeps pushing me forward in the cigar.  When you reach the middle, the flavors get a bit more pronounced on the coffee and cocoa side and I really think this has to do with their new outer leaf.  The cigar is dynamic and has a few changes throughout; keeping it interesting and flavorful the whole time.  The body is consistently medium and the lighter smokers may consider it medium to full-bodied.  The finish starts to develop an almost creamy caramel flavor and the cigar just keeps delivering.  When I hit the golden eagle cigar band, I thought to myself “I don’t want this cigar to end”.  The cigar from start to finish delivers on everything it promised before lighting it and I’m very impressed.  It’s a great after dinner smoke to be enjoyed with a cup of espresso or a good single malt scotch.

In conclusion the new Partagas 1845 is a great new smoke! Partagas hit a homerun with the new blend and gave a cigar with so much history and legacy a great new spin that really stands out amongst its competition.  Everything about this cigar is great – the new look, the new blend, and the price point is right where it needs to be for something new and refreshing from the Partagas line.   Grab some at JRCigars.com today!

Thanks to Bonita Smoke Shop and John G. for gifting these to me recently. Otherwise, it would have been quite some time before I could smoke the cigar up for review today. The Serie D is the brain child of Eddie Ortega, formerly of E.O. Brands. If I recall correctly, they are made in factories owned by Don Pepin Garcia. I assume it’s namesake is inspired by one of my favorite Cuban cigars, the Partagas Serie D (the Serie P is damn good too). I paired with water and got to smoking…

Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Macuro

Binder & Filler: Nicaragua

Size: #10 Belicoso 6 x 52

Price: Around $6.80

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The dark wrapper was oily and had some small water spots. It had a fairly strong barnyard odor, and the foot was more sweet and a little earthy. The cigar was packed evenly and was hard as a rock, except towards the torpedo head. The draw was on the snug side, but fell within my tolerance. The pre-light flavor was earthy, sweet, and woody.

The burn required one small correction, and the ash held for just about an inch.

Flavor:

The initial puffs of the first third were thick and almost musty. The flavor profile really shined through when retrohaling. Pepper was up there, and once or twice, I over did it and my eyes teared up. This isn’t to say it was harsh, it just isn’t a beginner cigar. The musty flavor turned in to more of a bitter sweetness, along with a sweet spice and coffee. Woodiness was up next, with a touch of earthiness.

The second third went well. Like before, the smoke was thick and clung to the mouth and lips. The mustiness was more like espresso. Sweet bitterness was there and reminded me of dark chocolate. The pepper calmed down a little, but kept a fair amount of zing. I still had to pay attention when retrohaling.

The last third changed a little. The main flavor was strong black coffee with a nice bitter finish. Dark chocolaty sweetness followed, along with a sweet tingly cinnamon spice. The peppery spice didn’t go anywhere and regained some of it’s punch.

Conclusion:

This was a damn good full bodied cigar. It isn’t for the faint of heart though. The bold flavors, and the balance of body and strength made this a joy to smoke. What more can I say? I will definitely smoke more of these!

Romeo box

Romeo has left Julieta…at least in the cigar sense.  Since 1875, Romeo y Julieta have been a pair.  But apparently Romeo is going out on his own…kinda.  In late March, Altadis USA makers of Romeo y Julieta in the Dominican Republic unveiled its newest entry at the Tobacconists’ Association of America convention in Las Cabos, Mexico.  It is the Romeo—a cigar the company says is bolder and more full bodied than the typical Romeo y Julietas which are known as mild cigars.   Last week, Altadis Reps across the country got the new box to show retailers and cigar samples are due shortly.  The new Romeo uses a dark Ecuadorian Habano wrapper over Dominican Olor binder and fillers of Dominican Piloto and Olor. It is made at the Tabacalera de Garcia and will come in four sizes–Churchill, Pyramid, Toro and Robusto. The Romeo is expected to be in tobacconists sometime in May.

New Master Maduro

Toraño Family Cigars is adding to its Master series with a new Maduro.  The Master line launched  two years ago as a partnership between master roller Felipe Sosa and Charlie Toraño — president of Toraño Family Cigar Company.  The new Master Maduro will feature a  Habano Maduro wrapper grown in Nicaragua.  The Cigar will retail between $6 to $8.

Miami fakes

Yup I got me some Cohibas from a buddy in Miami and they are real.   General Cigar has announced that the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco raided stores on Calle Ocho

Fake Cohibas

in Little Havana and netted over 10,000 fake Cohibas.  General says the fakes have an extimated retail value of $200,000.  Now when you look at the picture of these fakes…the people making them are none too bright.  They use the Cuban artwork on the box and the Cuban band, but the band also says Dominican Republic on it.  But my guess is since it is a “special edition”, like the famous glass top Cuban Cohibas, people buy it.  You know if people would stop buying them, maybe the people making the fakes could put an effort into making real cigars.  Last November General and federal and state authorities seized over 3,000 counterfeit Cohibas from seven tobacco retailers in Key West.

Cigars raise a million bucks

In 1993, financier Michael Milken was released from prison.  He had plead guilty to secutiries and tax violations.  Milken was the symbol for bad Wall Street in the 80s as king of the junk bonds.  Milken came out of prision a changed man, also one with Prostate Cancer.  He was able to beat the cancer and now he heads the Prostate Cancer Foundation.  For the past 18 years, Milken and Cigar Aficionado’s Marvin Shanken throw a big cigar event in New York called A Night to Remember.  This year about 200 people turned up for the cigars, wine and food.  (Shanken also owns Wine Spectator). At the end of the night Milken and Shanken had raised  more than one million dollars for Prostate Cancer research.  And they say cigars don’t do good.

More FDA Madness

The appropriately named Senator Dick Durban and his buddy Senator Frank Lautenberg (who actually experienced Prohibition first hand–he’s 88) are working on urging the FDA to regulate cigars.  The two Democrats are including it as part of the 2013 appropriations bill….even though the Senate has yet to pass a budget in the last 3 years.

Says Lautenberg:

The emergence of flavored cigars is a transparent effort by Big Tobacco to work around the new tobacco control law. These flavored cigars are clearly designed to attract young adults and hook the next generation of tobacco users from an early age.

Yeah  kids really want to lay out several bucks for a flavored cigar.  Oh wait isn’t Menthol a flavor?  It sure is but it is ok in cigarettes when other flavors are banned.  And as for those BIG tobacco companies like Drew Estate and Rocky Patel and brands like ACID, Makers Mark , Rocky Patel’s Java, Tabak Especial, and CAO Flavors…all of these could go bye bye if Lautenberg and Durbin get their way.

Hmm, if you believe the people in Washington, Drunk Driving is a huge problem and teens abusing alcohol is happening.  Why don’t they crack down on the flavored Vodkas?  Cuz the bullseye is on us now.

That’s why we need to take action.  The White House Petition hit the minimum 25,000 signatures, but we need to make that go higher. 150,000 is a good number. Tell all your friends and email them the link.

Also don’t forget the petition to Congress to keep the FDA out of premium cigars. Over 179,000 have sent petitions have you?