Archive for March, 2011

Falto Privilegio Mi Viejo Liga #8

Thursday, March 31st, 2011

2_Box_Falto _Privilegio_Mi Viejo_CigarAnyone who visits here knows I usually don’t care about the back story behind a cigar. But I thought this was interesting enough to share, especially considering the effort put into the blends. So here we go…

The Falto Privilegio Mi Viejo took Luis Falto a long time to develop. In the end, he ended up with two blends that his family and friends liked. Some liked one, some liked the other. He finally chose to include both blends in each box. You get 10 of the Liga #8, and 10 of the #9.

While both blends are essentially the same, the big difference is in the Viso leaf. The Liga #8 has a Viso of Cuban seed tobacco, while the Liga #9 has Dominican seed Viso.

It is claimed that the #8 “Delivers a medium to full flavored smoke with a rich balance and singular complexity.” The #9 is said to have “More full flavored smoke with a richer complexity and exquisite balance.”

Today I will be reviewing the Liga #8. Stay tuned, as I will be reviewing the #9 very soon.

 

As always, I paired this cigar with water and here are my thoughts.

 

Wrapper: Corojo Ecuador

Binder: Dominican Olor

Filler: Nicaraguan, Brazilian, Dominican

Size: Churchill 6 3/8 x 48

Price: $9.50

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper had a nice sheen to it, with some small to medium veins here and there. The cigar was evenly packed, and bounced back when squeezed. The wrapper and foot had a sweet cedary odor. The pre-light draw was good, and had a sweet natural tobacco and cedar taste.

The ash held for just over an inch, and the burn required a couple minor touch up’s.

1Falto_Privilegio_Mi_Viejo_#8 Cigar

Flavor:

The first third was very smooth with an simple blend of flavors. In the distance was earthiness. A combination of cedar and nuts rounded things out. There was a little spice as well, and was very noticeable when passing smoke through the nose. The aftertaste had a tinge of sweetness. It really stuck to the palate and lingered for awhile.

2Falto_Privilegio_Mi_Viejo_#8 Cigar

The second third took a sweet turn, sometimes… Essentially it kept the same flavors, but at times they had a sweetness wrapped around them. It would come and go. Other then that, it kept pace with the first third.

3Falto_Privilegio_Mi_Viejo_#8 Cigar

There wasn’t a lot to report in the last third. The spice mellowed out a bit. Otherwise, everything remained the same. The body may have picked up a notch, but remained medium.

4Falto_Privilegio_Mi_Viejo_#8 Cigar

Conclusion:

This was a good, solid medium bodied cigar. I think it lived up to it’s description of “A rich balance and singular complexity.” The flavors were pretty consistent throughout, but they mixed together nicely, and overall it was very refined. This kept it from being a boring experience. If you run across Falto Cigars, I recommend trying them. Thanks to Luis Falto for sending these to me to try!

Illuminati Mondo Nuovo

Monday, March 28th, 2011

My pal Joel from Illuminati Cigars donated a few cigars to review when I ran into him at a St. Pete Cigar event not too long ago. Illuminati Cigars is a new company that started in 2010. As of now, they offer 3 different blends. They are made in Esteli, Nicaragua at Rocky Patel’s newest factory in Tavicusa. For more information, you can find them on their website. As always, I paired this cigar with water.

 

Wrapper: Ecuador Connecticut

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Size: Robusto 5 x 50

Price: $7.00

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The tan wrapper had a smooth sheen to it and a few small to medium sized veins. The wrapper had an ever so slight sweet odor, and the foot had the same smell, just a tad stronger. The cigar was evenly packed and slightly spongy. The pre-light draw was very free, and had an earthy, natural tobacco flavor.

The ash held for about an inch, and the burn required a couple minor corrections.

1Illuminani_Mondo_Nuovo_Cigar

Flavor:

The first third had a core flavor of earthiness and a toasty sweet tobacco. Through the nose, I picked up a nice, easy toasty pepper. As I made my way to the end of this third, the smoke became thick and creamy.

2Illuminani_Mondo_Nuovo_Cigar

The second continued with that creamy, toasty smoke feel. Like before, there was a slight punch of pepper when passing smoke through the nose. The earthiness was still there but was more of a background flavor. A little tingle was left on the tongue and lips on the aftertaste.

3Illuminani_Mondo_Nuovo_Cigar

The last third kept pace with the second third. The only difference was – occasionally the earthy flavor stood out. For the most part it remained a background note.

4Illuminani_Mondo_Nuovo_Cigar

Conclusion:

This was a good mild to lower medium bodied cigar. While there isn’t anything groundbreaking, I think it lived up to what I expect from a Connecticut wrapped cigar. This is a morning smoke with coffee to me. My only complaint is the price, it seems a little high. But price aside, this is a good milder smoke. I think it is worth a try. Thanks again to Joel for letting me give it a try.

$319 Million Buys a Lot of Stogies

Monday, March 28th, 2011

It has been unofficially confirmed that seven New York State employees claim to hold the winning ticket to Saturday’s Mega Million winning drawing of $319 million dollars. According to the Urban Dictionary, it would also be known as $319 million smackers, duckets, moolah, cash, paper, dinero, bucks, dough, cheese, cream, bills, coin, scratch, dolliz, currency, cheddar, loot, greenbacks, bills, chips, change, bread, bling, tender, wad, and benjamins. That is truly an absurd amount of money and seven extremely fortunate peeps will walk away with 29 million a piece after taxes. And while we’re speaking about ‘absurd’, $116 million of the total will be taken off the top so Uncle Sam and the State of New York can continue to cry how broke they are.

56134403Okay, I think that any one of us could discover a myriad of ways to live in style and comfort with 29 million dollars in the bank. (And, it’s not even the largest lottery payoff, ever, which was in the neighborhood of $390 million…yikes!) And I’m also sure that some of us could blow that dough in a matter of days, too. Sure would be a heck of a nice challenge. I think that the very first thing you’d need to do is change your phone number and move the hell out. I’ve heard the stories of people being bombarded with phone calls and strangers showing up at their doorstep, begging and pleading for financial help. But blingsomething tells me that $29 mil is enough to buy yourself a couple of rottweilers named Satan and Mr. Cuddles.

When asked, Mega Lottery winners typically claim they will spend their good fortune on the usual stuff… a well deserved vacation, new home, cars, give money to family and charities, a shopping spree, yada, yada, yada, and rightfully so. Then there are those who buy off the wall, bat-shit crazy stuff simply because: they can. You ever watch those reality shows about lottery winners? The bling that these crazies nab is insane… NASCAR shapped swimming pools filled with Coors Light, 12 foot statues of St. Christopher for the foyer, gold plated bidets (that’s bi-days for you uncultured goofs), diamond studded teef, and nothing completes your memorabilia collection like a pair of authenticated Elvis’s soiled boxers in near mint condition. And of course, you always hear about the postman or the factory flunky who swears that they’re going to keep working at their job because they like it. Yeah, uh-huh, that’s gotta last about two weeks until one searing hot afternoon and thoughts of that Dale Earnhardt dedicated pool start dancing through his cerebellum. No doubt, the dude hops into his Grey Poupon filled Bentley and heads on home for good.

Walk-in-humidor-at-Nicky-Blaines-Bar-in-Indianapolis-Indianaman-cave-4If I were to win the BIG prize, hmmmmm… while I would definitely do all the stuff listed at the beginning of the preceding paragraph, (and possibly the bidet to reach those hard to scrub places) I would sure as all hell have the most bitchenest, mondo, awesomely-spectacular walk-in humidor, wine cellar, whisky collection, and smoking game room/sports bar that this world has ever seen. Now you’ve gotta fill that humidor to the brim so your buddies can hang for weeks at a time, and I would have a collection of precious puro goodness, enough to make Churchill and Kennedy arise from the great beyond just to join me for a smoke and a belt! I am talking about a Spanish Cedar fortress filled with more Latin American Goodness than any self-respecting Brother of the Leaf could possibly handle. Each morning I’d head to the humidor upon awaking and do deep breathing exercises amongst the Hoyos, El Rey Del Mundos, Montecristo Whites, and a plethora of finely aged, premium leaf! Like they say, one can only dream, and this would be my very own handrolled heaven.

Yeah, bro, 319 million… I could find a way to handle that copious amount of scratch, samolians, and loot. And you’d all be invited over for the party of the millenium. Just remind me to lock up Satan and Mr. Cuddles and close the tank full of sharks with laser beams attached to their foreheads. Skads of money can make a guy forgetful at times.

Til next week, my Stogie Smokin’ Homeys,

TZ.Sig.2

Tommy Z . JR Cigars Blog With the Zman


EL REY DEL MUNDO CIGARS

Handmade HON
Wrapper: ECSU/CTBL    Binder: HON    Filler: HON
Medium-Full Bodied

EL REY DEL MUNDOEl Rey del Mundo is a classic Cuban brand featuring a symphony of delectable Honduran flavors, impeccable construction, perfect burn and draw, and an enchantingly complex blend of the finest tobaccos. They are available in both Ecuador Sumatra EMS and dark Connecticut broadleaf maduro wrappers. These are arguably one of the finest cigars made in the world today – bar none. An absolute “must try” cigar for all!

HOYO DE MONTERREY DARK SUMATRA CIGARS

Handmade HON
Wrapper: ECSU    Binder: CTBL    Filler: HON/NIC/DR
Full Bodied

HOYO DE MONTERREY DARK SUMATRAA full-bodied line extension to the majestic Hoyo de Monterrey brand, the Dark Sumatra is wrapped in the darkest sun-grown Ecuadorian Sumatran leaf. This blend uses select tobaccos from five nations to provide a rich, robust smoke packed with earthy flavors. This is a cigar for those who crave a heavier, Cuban-style smoke.

MONTECRISTO WHITE CIGARS

Handmade DR
Wrapper: ECCT    Binder: NIC    Filler: DR/NIC
Medium-Full Bodied

MONTECRISTO WHITEThe Montecristo White is an elegant cigar ringed in a white band. Hand wrapped in a golden Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade seed leaf and blended with select Dominican and Nicaraguan long leaf fillers, its flavor is worth savoring. While they are mild in body, the flavor is thoroughly rich and wonderfully delicious! Probably one of my favorite mild smokes out there!

El Rey de los Habanos by Don Pepin Garcia

Thursday, March 24th, 2011

This cigar was Don Pepin Garcia’s first blend when he came to the United States. I obtained a couple recently while attending a Pepin event at St. Pete Cigar. I was first introduced to this cigar a couple years ago when Jerry treated Matt, Reg, and me to one. As always, I paired up with fine Florida tap water.

 

Wrapper: Corojo Rosado Claro

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Size: Churchill 7 x 50

Price: Around $7.00

 

Pre-Smoke and Construction:

The wrapper was a little bumpy and toothy, with a few small to medium sized veins. The wrapper had a mild woody odor, while the foot had almost no smell at all. The cigar was pretty well packed with tobacco, and had a hard spot. This probably explains a draw that was on the snug side. The pre-light draw had a faint earthy/woody flavor.

The ash held for about an inch, and the burn required no corrections. The snug draw turned out to not be an issue and loosened up a little as I smoked.

1El_Rey_De_Los_Habanos_Cigar

Flavor:

The first third had good but simple flavors. Out in front was earthiness, some nuts, and a mild sweet woodiness. Through the nose there was an easy spicy pepper.

2El_Rey_De_Los_Habanos_Cigar

The second third kept the same earthy, nutty woodiness. The smoke became creamier and stuck to the inside of the mouth. The pepper I had in the second third turned into more of a sweet spice with a little kick. As this third came to an end, the dominant flavor was mocha-ish, but those core flavors didn’t go anywhere.

3El_Rey_De_Los_Habanos_Cigar

The last third pretty much remained similar as before. One difference was the sweet aftertaste that left a tingly sensation on the lips. At times the flavor profile was exactly like it was in the first third. Other draws were just like in the second third. It basically flip flopped between the two.

4El_Rey_De_Los_Habanos_Cigar

Conclusion:

This was a good medium bodied cigar. Jerry may have eluded to this in his review… It is simple enough for a beginner, but refined enough for a seasoned smoker to enjoy. There certainly is no WOW factor, but there is nothing bad to report here. I don’t see myself pursuing more of these, but I would recommend to anyone to try these and see for yourself.

Stogie411.com first show this Saturday

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011

I’m sure you all know Mike from StogieReview.com and Mike from MikesStogies.com. Both of them are starting up a podcast over at Stogie411.com. This project has been in the planning phase for quite some time, and it is finally ready to go live. The first show will be this Saturday, March 26th, at 1PM Est.

rightsize-mic

The show will be broadcast live at that time, so make sure to visit Stogie411.com for more information. The audio will be available for download afterwards. Make sure to tune in!

Alec Bradley Harvest Selection 1997 Habano

Monday, March 21st, 2011

We originally planned on posting a video review today, but this asshole made us change our plans slightly. Stay tuned, within a couple weeks Mike, Ed, and I will have a review up. Anyhow…

A couple samples of the Harvest Selection were included in a cigar bomb Mike from MikesStogies.com sent me awhile back. It looks like this cigar is only available online, and more information can be found at Cigars International and a couple other online stores. What I care about is how it performs, and for such a great price point, I was eager to get smoking. I paired this cigar with water.

 

Wrapper: Habano

Binder: ???

Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan, Mexican

Size: Robusto 5 x 50

Price: $3.00

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The dark wrapper was shiny with invisible seams and some medium sized veins. The wrapper and foot had a slight odor of earthiness. The cigar was pretty packed, and had a minor soft spot or two. The pre-light draw had slight resistance, and had a mild earthy tobacco flavor.

The burn required one touch up, and the ash held for 1.5 inches.

1_Alec_Bradley_Harvest_Selection_1997_Habano_Cigar

Flavor:

The first third opened up with an earthy and almost floral note. Through the nose, there was a nice peppery spice. I had a hard time telling if there was a tinge of sweetness way back inside of the spice. After the first inch, I picked up a very nice coffee flavor. It also had a sweetness to it, similar to having sugar in your coffee. Not over the top sweetness, but it was there.

2_Alec_Bradley_Harvest_Selection_1997_Habano_Cigar

The second third kept the same flavors. The earthy and floral notes were still there. At times the coffee was black, and at times it was like coffee and sugar. Basically, the sweetness was detached from the coffee, and at other times it was mixed in with it. The spice became less peppery and more sweet. The smoke volume seemed to increase as well.

3_Alec_Bradley_Harvest_Selection_1997_Habano_Cigar

The last third saw a slight decrease in the floral and earthy notes. The sweetness picked up in strength. Like before, sometimes the coffee was separate from the sweetness, and other times it was mixed in with it. Passing smoke through the nose, it pretty much stayed the same as before.

4_Alec_Bradley_Harvest_Selection_1997_Habano_Cigar

Conclusion:

This was a good medium bodied cigar. For $3.00, it easily delivers to it’s price point. Like most cheaper cigars, there obviously was no wow factor. You could even call it one dimensional. On the other hand, there were no bad flavors either. Everything fit together nicely. Thanks to Mike from MikesStogies.com for sending these to me. I may have found a new morning budget cigar. I think these are worth a try.

Will the Media Ever Lose Its Sheen?

Monday, March 21st, 2011

USURP – u·surp Verb /yo?o?s?rp/ listen

Synonyms: verb: seize, appropriate

Take (a position of power or importance) illegally or by force: Charlie usurped the CBS network

Take the place of (someone in a position of power) illegally, supplant: Charlie claims to be winning, ‘duh’ as he usurps former friend and CBS Executive Chuck Lorre

Encroach or infringe upon (someone’s rights): As Charlie usurps authority at CBS, everyone at Two and a Half Men has lost their jobs

charlie-sheen-wa-fedora-yankee-shirt-and-cigar-6635-1299497370-2It only took a world record earth quake, a violently devastating Tsunami, and a dictator murdering his own countrymen to usurp Charlie Sheen’s domination of all media on the planet earth. Now THAT is a man with some power.

Yes, in classic American media style, we the people have been officially Charlie Sheened to death, much in the same way we were at one time OJayed, Michael Jacksoned, and Tonya Hardinged to death. Once the mainstream media in this country sinks their blood thirsty fangs into a story, much like a pitbul’s gaping locked jaws, we the people are officially doomed, relegated to months on end of sensational bullshit and the yellowest of journalism. But it’s really our own fault as we eat this stuff up like Susan Boyle on a pile of buttered crumpets. Americans adore sensationalism as we are fascinated by the antics of ‘bad-boys’ and the twisting tons of debris produced by the proverbial train wreck.

stogie-smoker_552x829Charlie Sheen is an enigma’s idea of an enigma. The nastier and crazier he gets, the more we wrap our collective arms around him and spoon feed him the attention he craves. While he appears to be a belligerent sociopath with the physical resemblance of an extra from the movie Twilight, there is some sort of macabre brilliance happening in that Grey Goose induced, ganja rattled, brain. The man has countless millions in the bank, shares his bed with porn gals, party’s like a rock star, and has the media eating out of his hands. Instead of shunning this manipulative anarchist, we purchase tickets to his traveling road show, selling out Radio City Music Hall.

Did you happen to see the man’s walk-in humidor at his swank west coast pad? Sheen is a known cigar fanatic, and the contraband gracing that cedar lined tobacco room is enough to make me book a flight and keep the dude company for a few days (Damn, I’d even endure the porn stars if I had to.) If the execs at NBC had half a brain, they’d make him the next host of Saturday Nite Live, pissing off rival CBS while garnering the highest ratings in the history of the show. I have no doubt that Mr. Sheen would be at his very best. After all is said and done, it appears on the surface that this son of a bitch just really may be winning.

SheenCigarsSome of history’s most brilliant people have been maniacal nutjobs, a trait often associated with those who refuse to color within the lines. And while Charlie Sheen seems to be one toy short of a happy meal, it is becoming apparent that there is a definite method to his maddening psychosis. He appears to be in control of the world right now, but as we know, looks can be so deceiving. Even while nuclear reactors are threatening to spew toxic death into the air in Japan, we can’t go a single day without reliving the exploits of a guy who has displayed his own kind of meltdown, causing those within his reach, emotional pain, heartache, and loss of income. Charlie Jr. may think that he’s got it all figured out, but at what cost? He is without question a vindictively selfish bastard, traits that eventually will not bode well with friends, fans, and loved ones.

From John Belushi, to Jim Morrison, to Heath Ledger, we’ve seen many a beloved entertainer tragically succumb to the pressures associated with life in the spotlight, and of course, one has to wonder if Charlie Sheen’s train will eventually derail. But until then, the media will continue to feed us our daily heaping bowl of flakes and nuts from the man who truly believes he’s ahead on the scoreboard. But like in any game, time eventually runs out, hopefully not at the hands of sudden death.

charlie-sheen copyHey, I always liked Sheen, enjoyed his films, and love his TV show, and admittedly, the thought of partying with cool dudes and hot babes while smoking premium cigars and swilling the finest scotch sounds oh-so magical. With the power of the media and the internet, we the people have lived vicariously through the eyes and mind of this actor. And as long as shameless turds like me continue to report on his egotistical exploits, you the public will continue to be Charlie Sheened to death.

Til next week,

TZ.Sig.2

Tommy Z . JR Cigars Blog With the Zman


Below, find cigars that I know that Charlie Sheen would dig. You’ll definitely dig them too…

E.P. CARRILLO SHORT RUN CIGARS

Handmade DR
Wrapper: ECSU    Binder: NIC    Filler: NIC/DR
Medium-Full Bodied

E.P. CARRILLO SHORT RUNHandmade in the Dominican Republic, these limited release cigars are the first of several small batches of unique blends being introduced by Ernesto Perez Carillo. Only 1,500 boxes of each size have been made. New blends will be released, also in limited quantities, in 2011.

This blend is comprised of rich, complex Nicaraguan and Dominican long filler tobaccos combined with a spicy Nicaraguan binder and an attractive, oily Ecuador Sumatra wrapper creating medium to full bodied, toasty flavors intermingled with hints of sweetness, cocoa, and nuts. The slow burn, solid ash, and long finish also contribute to the success of this cigar.

JR ULTIMATE CIGARS

Handmade HON
Wrapper: ECSU/CTSH/CTBL    Binder: CTB    Filler: HON
Medium-Full Bodied

JR ULTIMATEOur world famous brand, the J·R Ultimate, is 100% handmade using only the best, aged long filler tobaccos. This cigar is every bit as good as (or better than) any ultra-premium brand on the market – bar none. It is available in a vast array of sizes, shapes, and wrappers, from light-green, fire-cured candela to darkest oscuro. J·R Ultimates serve as proof positive that you do not have to spend a fortune to smoke the very best cigars. This brand has won an unprecedented 10 grand gold medals in international competitions.

La Reloba Seleccion Habano

Thursday, March 17th, 2011

The La Reloba Seleccion Habano is a product from Don Pepin Garcia. I obtained this cigar from a Pepin event at St. Pete Cigar not long ago. This cigar is offered with a Sumarta wrapper or the Habano, which I am smoking today. As usual, I don’t have a ton of information about this cigar. All I can offer you are my thoughts. I paired this cigar with water.

 

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Size: Robusto 5 x 50

Price: Around $5.50

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

Overall, the cigar looked like it was well constructed. The wrapper had small veins with no major flaws. The wrapper and foot had a mild cedary odor. When squeezing the cigar, I found it to be very tightly packed. This probably explains why the draw was a little stiff. The pre-light draw had an interesting dark, almost musty, earthy tobacco flavor.

The burn required several small corrections, and the ash held for about an inch. The stiff draw opened up a little and wasn’t a problem.

1La_Reloba_Seleccion_Habano

Flavor:

The first third didn’t really have a build up. It started right away with a mainly dark earthiness, wood, and a decent spicy pepper. The spice was mainly noticeable when passing smoke through the sinus. A sweetness developed a little later on in this third.

2La_Reloba_Seleccion_Habano

The second third had a significant decrease in the peppery spice, but it did not go away by any means. The core flavors were wood and a sweetness that was somewhere in between cocoa and caramel. Earthy notes were noticed, but only occasionally, and far in the background.

3La_Reloba_Seleccion_Habano

The last third kept pace with the second third. The main differences was a reduction in sweetness. In turn, cedar became the dominant flavor. The peppery spice became more noticeable as well.

4La_Reloba_Seleccion_Habano

Conclusion:

This was a good medium to upper medium bodied cigar. At times the flavor profile seemed unbalanced. But most of the time it was pretty smooth and good. In the end, I enjoyed this cigar. 
This is definitely is not Pepin’s best blend, but I think it is worth a try.

Gurkha Viper

Monday, March 14th, 2011

I picked up a couple Viper’s at a local shop. I was drawn to the fact that this was a cheaply priced Gurkha. The wacky looking box press caught my attention as well. The non-flashy packaging and presentation is definitely not what Gurkha is known for. I paired this cigar with water, and here are my findings on the Gurkha Viper.

 

Wrapper: Dominican

Binder: Dominican

Filler: Nicaraguan & Dominican

Size: Grand Corona 6 x 46

Price: Around $5.00

1Gurkha_Viper

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The first thing you notice about this cigar is the odd rectangle shape. The wrapper was a little blotchy looking, with some small veins. The odor coming off of the wrapper and foot was almost non-existent. I could only pick up a note of spice and natural tobacco. The cigar was evenly packed, with no soft or hard spots. The pre-light draw was free, and had almost no taste. Perhaps a little wood and bitterness.

The burn required no corrections, and the ash held for about one inch.

2Gurkha_Viper

Flavor:

The first third had a slight peppery spice when exhaled through the nose. There wasn’t really any strong flavors, just some notes of earthiness, wood, and coffee. As I transitioned out of the first third, there was a slight bitter sweetness.

3Gurkha_Viper

The second third had an uptick in the peppery spice, which was noticeable when passing smoke through the nose. The smoke became smoother and thicker feeling. Like before, the flavors were a combination of coffee, wood, and earthy notes. That bitter sweetness picked up in strength to round things out, for awhile. As this third came to an end, the bitter sweetness took over the flavor profile.

4Gurkha_Viper

The last third had that dominant bitter sweetness. Woodiness and coffee remained way in the background. When exhaling through the nose, the spice remained the same as before. The spice also lingered on the lips and tongue after exhaling.

5Gurkha_Viper

Conclusion:

This was an OK lower medium to medium bodied cigar. At times I found myself being underwhelmed with the flavor. On the other hand, I did enjoy the smoke at times too. I think it meets the price point, but in the end this was just an OK cigar.

Cigar Friending on FaceBook

Monday, March 14th, 2011

Mark Elliot Zuckerberg is a socially awkward,  fresh faced little Hebrew kid who grew up in White Plains New York and subsequently dropped out of college. While most might deem a college drop out a failure, Mark’s present net worth is presently 13.5 billion dollars. This nerdy little introvert co-founded FaceBook, creating a whole new way that the world depends upon it’s daily communication.

mark_zuckerberg_366355Out of the blue, Ricky Pratt sent me a friend request, a great pal of mine who disappeared off the face of the Earth some 25 years ago after moving away to college. We worked in the A&P together as a couple of late teen boneheads, drinking beers and cruising around in his powder blue Pinto, hoping nobody would smash into us from behind. I really missed Rick when he left, and just like human nature would have it, we lost touch and that was that… well until this morning. A quarter of a century later, the dumb-ass finally decided to get back to me.

I presently have over 5,000 friends and fans on FaceBook. (Don’t be so caddy and hate me because I’m popular.) I’ve actually done business with people I’ve met, and I’ve also reconnected with longtime friends, like my buddy Ron (Bubba to his pals and loved ones), who comments here on the JR Blog. We became neighbors when his dad was transferred from Virginia, and north Jersey was certainly a culture shock for the family. Ron had really never heard of ice hockey, a game I taught him to play, as he went on to skate on travel teams in the mid to late 70’s. Now he’s in the Orlando area as we call and text, and it’s just very cool to talk about our kids and the cigars we love. Steve was another neighborhood kid who hung forever at my house, but after his stint in the Airforce, we lost touch for a good 20 years until he found my Polack ass on FaceBook. Talking on the phone made it seem like it was just yesterday that we played street hockey in the driveway, smashing the shit out of all of my dad’s garage door windows. Now Steve resides in Kallifawnia, smoking his favorite stoags while guzzling good craft beers. He texts me often, asking for my recommendations some great smokes and the FRANK LLANEZA 1961 is certainly a beauty.

fbtimeWhat I’m blown away by is how huge the cigar community is on FB. There are thousands upon thousands of cigar smokers, cigar groups, shops, and daily notification of events daily. We lovers of the leaf are a proud bunch as so many guys (and gals) have a premium stick dangling from their lips in their profile pictures. Put up a question about cigars or rate a favorite stogie and you won’t believe the endless trail of comments that are posted from the handrolled faithful. And most of the manufacturers have their own pages as well where you can actually communicate with many of the great cigar makers of today.

I know some of you guys think it’s hokey and couldn’t be bothered, but FaceBook is simply a phenomenal way to make new friends, find old friends, and tap into a world of people who love cigars, beer, wine, music, your favorite team, movies, and basically whatever the hell you dig. As many here will admit, YES, it can become horribly addicting, which is a major downfall. You can spend hours reading, posting, and sending messages, but if it’s about the love of finely-aged premium handrolled cigars, can one really considerate a downfall? I think not.

By the way, JR Cigars has a killer Facebook page with close to 8,000 tobacco crazed fans. So go to my page (Tommy Zarzecki) and the JR page, friend us and I think that may be all you need to get through your mundane and dreary day. Thanks, Mark.

Keepin’ it real,

TZ.Sig.2

Tommy Z . JR Cigars Blog With the Zman

By the way… Here are some great suggestions for enjoying St. Patrick’s Day this week…

FRANK LLANEZA 1961

Handmade NIC
Wrapper: ECCR    Binder: NIC    Filler: DR/NIC
Medium-Full Bodied

FRANK LLANEZA 1961Frank Llaneza 1961 cigars are handmade with the darkest Ecuador Criollo wrapper I have ever seen and must have been selected one leaf at a time or fermented over and over and over. You people who know me or have read some of my dribble over the years know that I’ve always said that the difference between a two dollar cigar and a ten dollar cigar is eight dollars… well if there ever was such a thing as a ten dollar cigar – then this is it. These cigars have the Frank Llaneza “Cubanesque” heavier bodied “touch” that made brands like Hoyo, Punch, Excalibur, El Rey del Mundo, and others that he has created such mainstays in today’s premium cigar business. A definite winner in the new chapter of fine cigars for the late great master.

ARTURO FUENTE SUN GROWN CIGARS

Handmade DR
Wrapper: ECCT    Binder: DR    Filler: DR
Medium-Full Bodied

ARTURO FUENTE SUN GROWNThis Sun Grown version of the well-known favorite, Arturo Fuente Gran Reserva, is crafted with the Fuentes classic blend of the finest, aged Dominican filler tobaccos, topped off with rich, robust Ecuadorian Sun Grown wrapper leaves. The addition of the highly sought after wrapper leaves creates a fuller bodied, more flavorful smoke with increased hints of natural sweetness. These “limited availability” beauties are hard to come by, but are definitely worth the wait.

CAO BRAZILIA CIGARS

Handmade HON
Wrapper: BRA    Binder: NIC    Filler: NIC
Full Bodied

CAO BRAZILIAThe CAO Brazilia blend consists of Nicaraguan top quality long-filler tobaccos wrapped in a gorgeous, dark Brazilian leaf. The result is a full bodied unique, complex smoke with notes of earth, spice, and an entrancing natural sweetness with great depth and body.

This is a “monster” of a cigar for flavor. The 6 x 60 Amazon lasts and lasts so give yourself a good long time to enjoy this big boy from below.

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