Archive for September, 2009

Illusione Epernay

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

Up for review today is another creation from Dion Giolito. I’ve enjoyed the Illusione brands so far, and figured it was time to test out the Epernay. I paired this cigar with water. Without further adieu, I offer you my thoughts.

 

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo

Binder/Filler: Nicaragua

Size: Petite Corona 4.5 x 44

Price: Around $6.00

 

Pre-smoke & Construction:

Giving the cigar a once over, I found the wrapper to be a bit rugged looking, with a few larger sized veins. It still looked good though. The cigar was consistently packed with tobacco, and bounced back nicely when squeezed. Sniffing the wrapper and foot revealed faint odors of wood and sweetness. The pre-light draw had slight resistance, and had subtle sweetness with natural tobacco tastes.

The burn required no corrections, and the ash held on for about 3/4 of an inch. Overall construction was great.

1IllusioneEpernay

Flavor:

The first few puffs were very woody mixed with slight earthiness. A spicy peppery taste was noticed when passing through the sinus. As I dug further into this third, the peppery spice took on sweeter notes. It still had enough bite (not harshness) that I couldn’t ignore. An earthy, woody undertone would come and go.

2IllusioneEpernay

The second third went well and there were no major changes. There was a sweet and somewhat peppery spice that packed a small punch and was enjoyable. I had trouble pinning down the sweet flavors. I can only compare them to almost being caramel and cinnamon. That slight earthy undertone was there when I paid extra attention.

3IllusioneEpernay

The last third went exactly like this: I found an interesting and occasional presence of fruity notes. The pepper was gone and replaced with sweet spice that had a smooth texture. The smoke had a definite zing to it and made things more interesting. That woody flavor remained and drowned out the earthy notes for the most part.

4IllusioneEpernay

 

Conclusion:

This was a good medium to full bodied cigar. For such a small size, I thought it packed in the flavors. The price seems a little high for such a small cigar, but I think you may be getting what you pay for here. The bottom line is, I liked it and you may feel the same. Give it a try!

And the winner of a box of cigars is…

Monday, September 28th, 2009

DSC03977

The Don Gonzalez giveaway was by far the most successful contest I’ve had to date. Thanks to everyone who visited the site and entered. Many thanks to Duque Cigars for donating the prize!

I took the entries and drew a random winner… Magnus – I have emailed you for your contact information, and will get the box to you as soon as possible.

Sure, I’ve had quite a few giveaways this year and I appreciate all the companies who have donated their products to raffle off. Generally I have no idea when or what the next contest will be. They just sort of fall into my lap, and I go from there. This isn’t the case for my next giveaway…

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for the next contest. Xikar will be donating the prize, and on top of that, they are throwing in a few HC Series cigars. Stay tuned! This is a contest you won’t want to miss.

Good times…

The Legend Lives

Monday, September 28th, 2009
I smoked one of the greatest cigars ever produced on earth last night: the Dunhill Cabinetta. The robusto was produced in 1989 and was one of the last Dunhills to be made on the island before the Cubans dumped the British company and Davidoff. I have written about this before, but the Cubans wanted to control all their trademarks, or brands; so they told Dunhilll and Davidoff that they would no longer make their smokes.

Alec Bradley Family Blend

Monday, September 28th, 2009

While Jerry is on a short leave from The Stogie Review tending to the new arrival in his family, Matt and I are attempting to fill in for him. I’m only posting the review here at Tomscigars.com for archive reasons.

See what we thought of the Alec Bradley Family blend. This review is featured at The Stogie Review, don’t forget to visit by clicking HERE.

MP3 Audio Only

The Lovable Losers in Life

Monday, September 28th, 2009

Since the dawn of time, society has embraced our winners and champions. Trophies, diamond encrusted rings, parades, and meetings with the president are the rewards for achieving championship status. The New York Yankees, Montreal Canadiens, Boston Celtics, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tiger Woods, and Michael Phelps have been dominant in their respective sports and are emblematic of the phrase: To the victor goes the spoils. We all love a winner.  It makes us feel good to be associated with a winning franchise. When the New York Giants beat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl two seasons ago, I walked around on cloud nine for weeks as if I actually had a spot of the roster. To this day, I tell stories at parties how I dumped the Gatorade bucket on coach Coughlin. And I admit that I’m still a little pissed that they haven’t yet sent me my ring.

Lions.FansBut every yin has its yang and for every exalted winner, on the flipside there is the perennial loser – the sad sack team or athlete who never tastes the bubbly Champagne, but instead gags on the rancid decay of the agony of defeat. What’s truly interesting about our society is it seems that everybody has a soft spot in their heart detroit_lions2for the lovable loser. While the winners are getting endorsement contracts for millions and millions of dollars, far exceeding the pay they receive for playing their sport, the losers stay mired in anonymity, hoping that their agents can bag that $500 bonus for appearing at the local Chevy dealer’s weekend barbecue bonanza.

What spurned this topic for today was a wonderful event that took place only yesterday. The entire sports world stood up and cheered for the NFL’s depressed and downtrodden as the lowly Detroit Lions – the team that lost every game last season – defeated the Washington Redskins and removed a monkey off their backs ten times the size of the Mighty Joe Young. It was the second longest losing streak in NFL history as the Tampa Bay Bucs hold that dubious distinction of dropping 26 consecutive stinkers. Ford Field erupted as Lions players and fans alike acted as if they had truly won the Super Bowl, and for just one day, it’s kind of like they really did.

2006-07-03-wingsDetroit had not won a game since December 23, 2007 –  that’s 19 straight games going down the Astro-turf dumper. And as fate would have it for the NFL’s doormat, the game was not a sellout, therefore was not televised for the home crowd faithful – a group of loyal and dedicated fans who have sat through decade after decade of the worst of times. The Motor City has its Red Wings, the team with the second most Stanley Cups in NHL history. They also have the Tigers and the Pistons, teams that have won world championships and brought great pride to the home of Henry Ford. But the Lions are another story. They are indeed the loveable losers, but for some reason, some wonderfully unexplainable reason, the fans of this motley crew continue to root, hope, and cheer for victory – and yesterday, the good people Michigan were handsomely rewarded.

stengelCasey Stengel was hired out of retirement to manage the 1962 New York Metropolitans, a new franchise in Major League Baseball. The Dodgers and Giants had left for the Golden State and the “Metsies” as Stengel called them, became New York’s “other” ball club. And did that other team rot like stink on a f@#king monkey. The inaugural Mets achieved the fourth worst record in baseball ball history by losing 120 out of a possible 160 games that season. The team was known for its ineptitude and for some reason, fans and the media embraced this cavalcade of error riddled misfits. Yeah they were awful, an abomination that was sure to be a disgrace for decades to come. NOT. Just seven years later, the New York Mets upset the powerhouse Baltimore Orioles in five games to capture the World Series title and earn the nickname: The Amazin’s.

BCROSSHow about ex-major leaguer, the “not-so-great, Bob Uecker? Johnny Carson called him Mr. Baseball, (making 64 guest appearances on the Tonight Show) a nickname making fun of his lack of talent and less than glamorous career. He played for four major league clubs, hitting for a whopping lifetime average of .200. Yes, Bob Uecker sucked a whole lot, but fans embraced the man who was known for sitting in the cheap seats. “You know, I was once named Minor League Player of the Year…unfortunately, I had been in the majors for two years at the time.” To this day fans across baseball love the Uke, as he’s appeared in movies, TV, and is now the broadcaster for the Milwaukee Brewers.

It was Vince Lombardi who said, “Show me a good loser, and I’ll show you a loser” which is almost like Yogi Berra’s, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it ” – but not quite. The Chicago Cubs have not won a World Series since 1908. That’s 101 years for the mathematically challenged. The Chicago Black Hawks have the longest losing streak in hockey, as 1961 was their last Stanley Cup. Much pain for the windy city. Some athletes have had pro careers of 15 to 20 years and never came close to winning a title of any kind.

BUCKPHU006000~Mookie-Wilson-s-Grounder-Past-Bill-Buckner-1986-World-Series-Game-6-PostersBeing a loser in the world of sports may not be a happy thing, but as the old saying goes, it’s not what happens in life, it’s what you do – vike102664.l_Fullhow you react – that makes the difference…
Bill Buckner’s entire excellent baseball career is summed up by one lousy, stinking, Mookie Wilson ground ball dribbler. In 1951, Bobby Thompson hit the “shot heard round the world” when the Giants won the pennant, the Giants won the pennant, the Giants won the pennant… and pitcher Ralph Branca was forever remembered as the man who tossed mlb_a_williams_195the ill-fated pitch. Wild Thing Mitch Williams served up the infamous “grand slam” by Joe Carter, as the Toronto Blue Jays took the World Series on a Game 6 walk-off Dinger. California Angels pitcher, Donnie Moore shot and killed himself three years after giving up Dave Henderson’s tying home run in Game 5 of the 1986 American League Championship Series, when the Angels were one strike away from their first World Series title. Jim Marshall, the All-Pro defensive lineman for the Minnesota Vikings picked up a fumble and ran the entire length of the field – in the wrong direction – for what he thought was a sure touchdown. His fabulous all-star career is defined by the nickname “Wrong-Way Marshall.” In game 7 of the 1994 NBA Finals, New Yor Knicks ultra-reliable point guard and three-point specialist, John Starks had one of the most horrendous games of anyone’s career, shooting 2-for-18 from the field, including 0-for-11 in the fourth quarter, as the Houston Rockets went on to win the game and the NBA title. Human nature is so peculiar as each of the above players named were terrific and successful athletes – yet one moment of adversity put a monster-sized blemish on their entire professional careers. Damn… that’s just not fair.

So today we hail the loveable losers in sports and of life. May the Detroit Lions remind us all that there really is a light at the end of the tunnel and a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Okay, Lions fans, party’s over – next week you face the World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

And may say that the fans of this blog are all winners!

Rock on ‘til next week,
Tommy Z.
JR Cigars Blog With the Zman

Don Kiki Limited Reserve (Green Label)

Saturday, September 26th, 2009

Today’s review was given to me awhile ago by my pal Ed over at St.Pete Pipe & Cigars. I think he eventually opted to not carry this line, although I could be wrong. Being a beta tester for a cigar shop is a great gig. Every now and then Ed brings me into the fold to help out. I grabbed my usual cup of water and pounded out this review of the Don Kiki Green label.

 

Wrapper: Brazilian Mata Fina

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Size: 6 x 48

Price: Bundle of 25 – $43.00

1DonKikiGreenLabel 

Pre-smoke & Construction:

As I inspected the wrapper, I found it looked great with small veins. There were a few soft spots, and the wrapper had a smell of wood and hay. The foot had a similar smell, with an addition of pepper and earth. The pre-light draw was perfect, with a simple taste of wood and earth. I did no burn corrections, and the ash held for an inch before tapping into the ashtray. Great construction.

 

Flavor:

The first third took a little while to get started. After about an inch, I detected woody flavors. Behind that were very slight sweet notes. There were hay-ish earthy flavors mixed in as well. Very mild, simple, and smooth. My only complaint was the smoke and overall flavor profile seemed thin.

2DonKikiGreenLabel

The second third filled out a little bit. The woodiness increased slightly in body and strength. The sweet notes became thicker and took on a mild caramel feel and flavor. The smoke feel became creamy. Earthy flavors were there, but they would fade and come back.

3DonKikiGreenLabel

The last third was the most satisfying. The earthy and woody flavors were dominant. The smoke took on a more creamy feel and was a little toasty. The mild flavor of caramel would come and go. Every now and then I’d get a mild fruity taste.

4DonKikiGreenLabel

Conclusion:

This was a decent mild bodied cigar. The flavor profile was nice, but overall it felt thin and unrefined. If I factor in the price of under $2.00 a stick, I can’t complain. I could see myself smoking this in the morning with coffee. This isn’t a bad value smoke.

Gurkha Combo Deal

Friday, September 25th, 2009

Supporter of the site, CheapHumidors.com is offering a pretty cool deal on a Gurkha Combo. Check out the details below.

MILITARY-BANNER

GURKHA-COMBO-IMP15 Gurkha Factum Cigars

Wrapper: Aged Cameroon

Binder: Dominican

Filler: Dominican Long Filler

Size: 7.5×52

10 Cigar Travel Humidor

Lined in Spanish Cedar

Magnetic Lid Closure

Lotus Vertigo Jazz Torch Lighter

Double Blade Guillotine Cutter

Crystal Gel Travel Humidifier

 

The retail price on this package deal is 89.99, but you can get it for $39.99 by clicking HERE! This is a must for any Gurkha fan!

Siglo Limited Reserve

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

Up for review tonight is the Siglo Limited Reserve.

 

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Cubano

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Dominican & Nicaraguan

Size: 6 x 54 Torpedo

Price: Around $5.00

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

Giving the cigar a once over, I found it was visually appealing. The wrapper was a bit bumpy and had a couple large veins, but I don’t worry too much about that stuff. I found a couple hard and soft spots when squeezing the length of the cigar, but nothing I would be concerned about. Sniffing the wrapper, I detected a woody and earthy aroma. The foot simply smelled like tobacco. The pre-light draw offered slight resistance, and had a very unique taste. I can’t describe it other then a deep woody and earthy taste. There was much more depth to the pre-light draw taste, I am just at a loss of words to describe it well.

1SigloLimitedReserve 

 

Flavor:

The first third opened up with a simple, smooth flavor profile. It was mainly a natural tobacco taste, with a small bite of pepper. I could detect earthy notes in the background.

2SigloLimitedReserve 

During the second third, the cigar tried to come to life. A base flavor of natural tobacco remained, but I started to detect a tinge of sweetness. It took awhile, but finally it developed into a mild mocha flavor. When passing through the sinus, I still detected a nice peppery spice. To be honest, I found myself getting bored.

3SigloLimitedReserve 

The last third developed a little more. I would get definite mocha flavors, but they weren’t consistent. The only thing consistent was a natural tobacco taste. A woody flavor entered the picture, and the pepper increased a notch. With around 1.5 inches left, the cigar started to loose flavor. It became more of a chemical taste. It was then that I decided to put the cigar down.

4SigloLimitedReserve 

Conclusion:

This was an OK medium bodied cigar, but in the end, its “Just another cigar.” The first one I smoked just didn’t agree with me. I didn’t like the flavors at all. The second one was pretty damn good. This review was the third. I don’t know if there are consistency issues or I just had bad luck. Maybe I’ll try another one day, but I won’t be going out of my way.

Cain Maduro

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009

I had pretty good results with the Cain Habano, and figured it was only fair to give the maduro wrapped version of this cigar a try.

 

 

Wrapper: Mexican Maduro

Filler & Binder: Nicaragua

Size: 5.75 x 50

Price: Around $7.00

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The first thing I noticed about this cigar was the rugged looking dark wrapper. It was oily, a little bumpy, and had small to medium size veins. Sniffing the wrapper revealed a fairly strong sweet spice. When sniffing the foot, I found a sweet and somewhat strong peppery sensation. The pre-light draw was a little stiff, and didn’t have a lot of taste. Perhaps a slight odor of a barn with an added sweetness. I found the cigar to be tightly packed, yet it felt a little doughy when pinching the entire length.

 

Flavor:

The first third was fairly simple, yet powerful. I detected smooth earthy notes combined with a dry sweetness. When retro-haling, fairly strong pepper was noticed. The smoke feel was thick, yet the snug draw left me wanting more volume.

DuqueCigars.com Contest – Time Is Running Out!

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009

Dongon

My yearly road trip is over, and I’m getting ready to draw a random winner. If you haven’t entered the contest, time is running out to enter and win a box of Don Gonzalez Special Edition cigars. Just click HERE and leave a comment. Any comment will do.

Let’s not forget to thank Duque Cigars for sponsoring this contest. Enter now, before its too late!

As I have mentioned before… I’m having another giveaway in October so stay tuned to the site. Good times…

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