Archive for November, 2011

Political Science Redux by Frank Seltzer

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

Two years ago, emails were leaked that rocked the global warming crowd. At the time, I wrote in Cigar Magazine how science has become political. This past week another barrage of emails on global warming are out and they further show how politics influences the “science” call it Climategate 2.0. The similarities between the research on global warming and smoking continue to be striking. But first, how about the world’s longest cigar.

Another Record

Jose Castelar Cairo, known in Cuba as Cueto, has done it again. For the fifth time, the 67-year old cigar rolling legend has rolled the world’s longest cigar…this time measuring a whopping (yes anything over 80 meters qualifies as beginning to whop) 81.8 meters or 268.4 feet.

Guiness certified the cigar as the world’s longest. Cueto has held that honor virtually by himself with two exceptions. Wallace and Margarita Reyes in Ybor City, Florida, took the record from him in 2006 and again in 2009 with the latter being a cigar measuring 59.82 meters or just over 196 feet. Cueto took the record back with a 60 meter cigar and then continued to try to top himself. He says his new goal is to roll a 100 meter cigar next.

The science is settled?

It has been known that public policy can influence science. It is very simple, you apply for a grant and if your findings match up with what the grantor wants you get all the money. The example of this was James Engstrom at UCLA. He did a study in 2003 that concluded second hand smoke was not a big deal. Engstrom was immediately attacked by the anti-tobacco forces as being a pawn of “Big Tobacco”. His crime? The study initially funded by American Cancer Society flew in the face of their “science” and so ACS cut his funding. Engstrom was forced to get tobacco money to finish it. That is the same thing that happens in the Global Warming arena which we can see from the leaked emails. Alas there have been no leaks from the anti-tobacco group.

So let’s look at the Global Warming crowd. According to the U.K. Daily Mail, the newly released emails show that scientists used data to hype man-made global warming because governments who paid for their research wanted that strong message. When other scientists asked to see the raw data, they hid it. One email written by Phil Jones, the head global warming scientist in England and a main cog in the UN International Panel on Climate change says

‘Any work we have done in the past is done on the back of the research grants we get – and has to be well hidden.

‘I’ve discussed this with the main funder (U.S. Dept of Energy) in the past and they are happy about not releasing the original station data.’

In other words, if others cannot get the data they cannot disprove the findings. But the emails go much further. Other emails reported by the Daily Mail show that the government funded University leading the Global Warming crusade spent more than $20,000 for seminars in Britain to “educate” the BBC that the science was settled and those seminars prompted the BBC

In 2007, the BBC issued a formal editorial policy document, stating that ‘the weight of evidence no longer justifies equal space being given to the opponents of the consensus’ – the view that the world faces catastrophe because of man-made carbon dioxide emissions.

Essentially the BBC stopped any on-air challenges to the “settled science”. In today’s Wall Street Journal, columnist Brett Stephens likens the the global warming advocates to a religion and tobacco control advocate Dr. Mike Siegel has told me the anti-smoing orthodoxy is very similar. Diverge from the accepted norms and you are a heretic.

Help still needed

Finally, steam is picking up for the bill to stop the FDA from regulating cigars. Today’s Daily Caller has an article on industry efforts to stop the regulation. Sponsors are being added to the bill, but time is running out. Chris McCalla of the International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association says the bill needs to be passed THIS year so more sponsors are needed. (535 would be nice.)

Back when the S-CHIP taxes were being debated, Manuel Quesada told me he was more worried about the FDA. He said that if the FDA took over cigars, the industry would be gone. With cigarettes since they are short fill you can test one for nicotine content and you are done, but with premium cigars, the tobacco ages and the content would vary as it ages making testing almost impossible and expensive. Further, it would restrict new brands and blends. This is very important! Get involved. You can send letters or emails to your Representatives and Senators from the IPCPR website.

Padilla Cazadores

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

This cigar was sent to me from my pal Mike over at MikesStogies.com. I could swear I tried these a long time ago, but I can’t remember for sure. So this may very well be a first impression review – meaning the cigar I am reviewing is the first one I’ve smoked. As usual, I don’t have a big backstory about this cigar. So with a glass of water, I got to smoking.

 

Wrapper: Ecuador

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Size: 5 x 50

Price: Around $5.00

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper looked nice, with a few small to medium sized veins here and there. The smell of the wrapper and foot was sweet cedar. The cigar had some minor soft spots, but nothing that was of concern. The draw had slight resistance, and the pre-light flavor was cedar and earthy.

The burn required a few good sized corrections, and the ash held for about an inch.

1 Padilla_Cazadores cigars

Flavor:

The first third was woody and earthy. Notes of coffee entered the picture shortly after lighting. When passing smoke though the nose, there was a mild peppery spice.

2 Padilla_Cazadores cigars

Coffee became more dominant in the second third. Earthiness and woody flavors were mixed in as well. The spice I mentioned before took on a slight sweet note.

3 Padilla_Cazadores cigars

The last third kept pace with the previous third. The only difference was the spice picked up in strength slightly, but remained medium. The flavors were the same, but melded together nicely.

4 Padilla_Cazadores cigars

Conclusion:

This was a good, simple medium bodied cigar for the price. Anything high than five dollars and I’d have to reconsider my opinion. There isn’t really more I can say. This was a simple, decent smoke that meets it’s price point.

NEW SCHEDULE FOR YOU LOVERS OF THE JR BLOG!…

Monday, November 28th, 2011

Hey friends and fans of the JR CIGARS BLOG – We’ve got the same great entertaining reads for you each week, we’re just moving things around a little…

Z.FTommy Zman’s irreverent musings will now post on Fridays to get you ready for your cigar smoking weekends and Frank Seltzer will continue to post his industry news every Tuesday!

So, y’all come back now and we want to hear your comments!

A big thanks for your support… and Happy Holidays,

JR CIGARS

Tobacconists’ Association of America (TAA) 2011 by Tatuaje

Friday, November 25th, 2011

This cigar is exclusive to the Tobacconists Association of America as you probably guessed. They are available for a limited time, and only 1500 boxes of 20 were made for a handful of stores.I believe there is a list of participating shops at their website. I figured I’d pick a couple up and see what they were about.

 

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Size: 5 5/8 x 54

Price: Around $10.00

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The shiny wrapper had a some bumps here and there but was pretty much flawless. The wrapper and closed foot had a sweet earthy smell. The cigar was evenly packed and fairly solid feeling to the touch. The pre-light draw had slight resistance with a hay-ish flavor.

The ash held for around an inch, and the burn required a couple of corrections.

1 TAA Tatuaje cigars

Flavor:

The first third had a nice pepper that was very noticeable when passing smoke through the nose. Black coffee seemed to be the dominant flavor. Maybe it was more of an espresso. Just before this third ended, the flavor became sweet and thick. It wasn’t full blown chocolate but it reminded me of dark chocolate.

2 TAA Tatuaje cigars

The second third had dominant black coffee and a dark chocolaty sweetness. The black pepper was still there, but it’s zing was taken down a couple notches. There were woody notes in the background. The smoke feel was fairly thick, and the aftertaste left a tingle on the lips. As the second third came to an end, that spicy tingle became sweeter.

3 TAA Tatuaje cigars

The last third changed to a dominant coffee flavor, with the sweet dark chocolaty sweetness behind it. The pepper regained some of it’s zing, The tingly aftertaste gained some strength as well. The body and strength went up a notch as well.

4 TAA Tatuaje cigars

Conclusion:

This was a good full bodied cigar. The flavors just hit the spot for me. The body and strength were icing on the cake. My only complaint would be the price and limited availability. Otherwise, if you get a chance, I think any full bodied cigar smoker could find something to like here.

Turkey Day – The Most Smokin’ of All Holidays, by Tommy Zman

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011

turkey copyThere’s just no question whatsoever that Thanksgiving is America’s favorite holiday. While all other holidays are either days of remembrance or religious in nature, this particular day off from work celebrates your ability to stuff your gourd with more food and drink than the human body is actually capable of containing. I’m not sure the pilgrims could have conceived that what they started hundreds of years ago would have turned into a gluttonous gorge-fest, complete with drunken uncles, NFL football, and yes, cigars a plenty to heighten the food-filled festivities. But none-the-less, it is by far everybody’s fave!

This year, it is T-Day at our home… 23 people, including a gaggle of yard apes who will invade the Zmandome, making me work like a mother-fugger: grocery shopping the Saturday before, prepping the house, and cleaning afterwards – all on top of bingeing like a mental case on a cavalcade of homespun goodness. Did I mention we’re having a sick amount of food? Well, my wife’s family goes bonkers and my mother in-law is the worst culprit of all. On top of the turkey, mashed taters, stuffing, and gravy, this woman spends days making more side dishes than people who are actually coming… Kielbasa and sauerkraut, homemade coleslaw, mac n’ cheese, ziti with vodka sauce, meatballs, sausage, broccoli casserole, sweet potato casserole, salad, cheeses, pierogies, various breads and rolls, and we’re trying to stop her from bringing a ham. NO HAM GODDAMMIT! Enough woman! I’m serious, if I don’t swallow a case of Pepcid AC early that day, I will have the kind acid reflux that could melt the hair off a rhino. (Do rhinos have hair? I don’t know, but you see where I’m going with this.)

My ritual is to always have a mid-to-late-morning cigar before the throng arrives and the first football game begins, this year featuring the Packers and a vastly improved Detroit Lions. Now this first cigar is generally a mild-medium robusto in order to take on some early day flavor, and not too long where the wife starts beeotching that I’m not helping out in the house. This year it’ll be the AVO Classic 5 x 50, a toasty Dominican made, Connecticut shade wrapped smoke that has always been a pre-game stick for me. After wolfing down some appetizers and a couple of Belgian Ales, halftime calls for another smoke, this time a medium bodied delight will do as I need a bit more body to cut through the wings and pepperoni slices. I’ve decided I’m going for a new favorite of mine, the Punch 10th Anniversary Rare Corojo, 5.5 x 50 – sweet, spicy, woody, and smooth with the richest of dark Sumatra wrappers grown in the mountains of Ecuador. Freakin’ yum, boys!

Picture 5After the first ball game is over, much like all of the Who’s down in Whoville, we will feast, feast, feast on roast beast… and anything else that isn’t nailed to the table, counter, oven, or windowsill. With multiple tables joined together, bodies and arms reach for food while thrashing about like a heavy metal holiday mosh pit! And when the moshing is finally done and over, clean-up begins as my mother in-law starts bringing out the desserts, a sheer spectacle of sugar and butter laden treats that are sure to send blood sugar levels into the stratosphere. So while the coffee is brewing and all dinner remnants are being cleared, I gather up the stogie loving faithful for a nice hearty cup of java along with the mandatory post-meal smoke. Yes, I’ve made my decision, and this year’s choice is the full-bodied and oh-so flavorful, Nicaraguan treat known as the Cain F made by Oliva. It’s a 5.75 x 50 remarkably rolled gem made with three ligero leaf longfillers and a delicious Habano wrapper… smooth, yet a full blown kick in the taste buds… something you need to cut through the battery of proteins and carbs you’ve ingested. Then it’s onto the dessert-a-thon, along with that one wafer thin little mint that Monty Python’s Mr. Creosote was coaxed into eating.

Holy, good lord, I am now ready to eat my freakin’ shoes, I made myself so damned hungry. Well, it’s just a few days away from a day of gluttony, pigskin, and premium aged tobacco and I wish you and your throng a wonderful day of god-given goodness.

Enjoy my Peeps,

TZ.Sig.2

JR Cigars Blog with the Zman

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Happy Thanksgiving by Frank Seltzer

Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011
Well this is a short work week for most, however not for me as we mark the 17th annual Dallas Post Turkey Day Crawl, making us the oldest on-going cigar crawl in the country. (We also raise money for charity besides smoking cigars and having adult beverages at our dinner.) But enough about that. Let’s talk cigars and other interesting stuff. First up, two new brands are on the horizon.
Savinelli is a family owned company with a long tradition. Mostly, the Italian company has been known for its pipes, but for many years the company has been selling cigars. This year, the company came out with new offerings in addition to its ELR or Extremely Limited Reserve and the Rich and Rare series. They were spearheaded by Steven Ysidron, son of Ruben Ysidron who runs the U-S part of Savinelli. Alas Steven is no longer with the company, having left last month on October 10th –even though he did a Savinelli event on Wednesday the 12th. Steven says it is with regret that he leaves Savinelli since between him and his father the family has been with the company for nearly 45 years. So what is next? Steven has formed a new company Del Fuego S.A. and plans to have new cigars out early next year.
Armando Guiterrez cigars

Armando Guiterrez cigars

One will be Armando Gutierrez, named after his grandfather. It uses a Colorado habano wrapper over a Honduran binder and Nicaraguan fillers. Steven says they changed the fermentation process on this tobacco to give it added complexity. The second brand will be called Gonzo (meaning really cool in Italy) and will use a broadleaf wrapper over San Andres binder and Nicaraguan fillers. The cigars will be made at the Plasencia factory.

Nanny State in the EU

If you look to Europe to find what could be coming here next you will always be astounded. The European Union has banned what may be common sense ( and also medical fact). Apparently the bureaucrats felt you could not say drinking water helps prevent dehydration so it is now against the law to put that on bottled water. The UK Telegraph has the story. I really think if they keep all this up they will go, if they haven’t already, too far. Maybe then we can see an easing of the smoking bans.

But Until Then…

If you want to enjoy a cigar you have to stay vigilant. In Maryland, the state is ramping up a campaign against cigars. Saying that teens are smoking fewer cigarettes but more cigars, the state, most likely in tandem with the anti-tobacco groups, is taking the first step to stop teen cigar smoking by pushing a 125-thousand dollar marketing campaign. What else do they want? Why the FDA should step in an regulate cigars because, after all,

“state health officials said that cigars have more tobacco than cigarettes, burn longer and give off greater amounts of secondhand smoke. They put people at risk for ailments such cancer, emphysema and infertility, just as cigarettes do.”

Infertility???? Oh and the story goes on to say taxes on cigars should go up and the state should ban single sales. Anyway the day the Maryland story broke, coincidentally the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids had its press release out congratulating Maryland officials and saying the FDA needs to regulate cigars. This is how they are going to go after us…it is for the kids. You need to get involved and show support for H.R.1639/ S. 1461 to stop the FDA from taking over cigars.

Both the Cigar Rights of America and International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers have websites to make it easy to notify YOUR Congressman and Senator. Do it today.

It doesn’t stay in Vegas

We want to congratulate J•R customer Kerry Malone. You see, Kerry lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee and buys his cigars from J•R. He also was our winner in the Macanudo Millionaire contest. Earlier this month, Kerry was flown to Vegas for a chance to win a million bucks! Alas he did not score the cash, BUT he did get the free trip to Vegas and got to hang out with Playboy bunnies at the Palms. Did he have fun? We think so but you can be the judge by seeing his video.

Oja Oscuro

Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011

Oja is a boutique blend available at a limited amount of cigar shops. More information can be found at their website. They also have a list of retailers if you are interested in getting some. I was sent a couple from Mike, aka Young Buck, over at MikesStogies.com. As always, I paired this cigar with water.

 

Wrapper: Brazilian Arapiraca Oscuro

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Size: Distinguido (Torpedo) 6 x 54

Price: Around $7.00 (I think)

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The dark wrapper had a nice velvety appearance, with no seams and small veins. The wrapper had a sweet smell, and the foot was more earthy. The cigar was well packed, with a couple of minor hard and soft spots here and there. The pre-light draw had slight resistance, and had a mild earthy flavor.

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

1 Oja_Oscuro cigars

Flavor:

The first third had dominant coffee flavor. Slight earthy notes were in the background. When passing smoke through the nose, there was a smooth sweetness. The smoke feel was silky smooth and easy to pass through the sinus.

2 Oja_Oscuro cigars

The second third didn’t change too much. Coffee remained the dominant flavor. The smoke became creamy with a tinge of sweetness. As I approached the end of this third, the sweetness increased. It was similar to coffee with sugar and cream added.

3 Oja_Oscuro cigars

Like before, the last third didn’t change up a whole lot. The main flavor was coffee with added sugar and creaminess. The sweetness increased in strength. The aftertaste left a tingle on the lips and had a mild spicy sweetness.

4 Oja_Oscuro cigars

Conclusion:

This was a good medium bodied cigar. The flavors were very simple, but refined with good delivery. I’d imagine my description of flavors sounds pretty boring. I could see some people not going for such a simple flavor profile. I still enjoyed it’s simplicity and I found it very relaxing. I think they are worth trying. Thanks to Mike for sending me a sample to review. Make sure to check out MikesStogies.com!

Tatuaje Black Label Petit Lancero

Friday, November 18th, 2011

This cigar was originally a blend produced as Pete Johnson’s personal cigar. It eventually would made appearances here and there in various sizes and limited production. Now it has appeared once again, but in regular production. I picked a couple up at a Tatuaje event Ed had recently. Needless to say, I don’t regret the purchase. My thoughts are below…

 

Wrapper: Nicaragua

Binder/Filler: Nicaragua

Size: Petit Lancero 6 x 38

Price: Around $8.00

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper was chocolaty brown looking, and had a couple good sized veins. The wrapper and foot had a nice cedary odor. The cigar was consistently packed, and had a little give when squeezing. The pre-light draw was open, with just a bit of resistance. The pre-light flavor was a mild earthiness with cedar.

The burn require one minor touch up, and the ash held for about 3/4 of an inch.

1 Tatuaje_Black_Label_Petit_Lancero cigars

Flavor:

The first third started out with bold flavors. No gradual ramp up with this cigar. I was greeted with a nice peppery spice through the nose and on the tongue. There was espresso and the associated bitterness (not the bad kind of bitterness). There was also a sweet spice reminiscent of cinnamon. The aftertaste left the mouth tingling. Towards the end of this third, earthy notes, maybe even leathery, entered the picture.

2 Tatuaje_Black_Label_Petit_Lancero cigars

The second third remained full bodied, but things mellowed out a bit. The smoke feel became creamy and that sweet cinnamony spice really clung to the mouth and lips. The core flavors didn’t switch up too much, so I’d be repeating myself at this point.

3 Tatuaje_Black_Label_Petit_Lancero cigars

The last third really stayed very close to the previous thirds. The sweet spice picked up in strength. It mixed nicely with the espresso, cedar, and earthy/leathery notes. This cigar didn’t quit until I was forced to put it down from burning fingers.

4 Tatuaje_Black_Label_Petit_Lancero cigars

Conclusion:

This was a very good, even excellent full bodied cigar. Everything was great. The flavor, construction, draw, and flavor. Nothing bad to report. My only small complaint is the price. But for an occasional treat, I will be revisiting the Tatuaje Black Label again for sure.

But Mine are Real! by Frank Seltzer (updated)

Tuesday, November 15th, 2011

It has often been said that 95 percent of Americans who have smoked a Cuban cigar are generally smoking fakes. While many cigar smokers will agree with that, they usually add, yes but MINE are real. Sure skippy.

Counterfeit cigars from Key West

Counterfeit cigars from Key West

Last week, General Cigar along with federal and state officials seized more than 3-thousand fake Cohibas in little ol Key West. Imagine that, fake Cubans in Key West. The Cohibas, and judging from the picture they weren’t the Red Dot Cohibas but the Cuban type, were being sold in 7 different tobacco retailers in the prime tourist destination. The fakes were being sold for about $20 each.

General Cigar President Dan Carr said the seizure was “a clear victory” in the company’s fight to protect its trademark. But the truth is this remains an ongoing battle for many cigar companies.

A couple of years ago, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement busted a ring that ran a multi-million dollar counterfeiting operation. Back then officials confiscated not only fake Cohibas but also fake Montecristos, Trinidads and Romey y Julietas.

No one has an exact handle on how big the counterfeit business is, but certainly it is worth many millions. The reason quite simply is the profit. For those making fake Cubans, the counterfeiters buy cheap cigars for pennies and then sell them for huge profits.

General Cigar and Altadis USA spend a lot of time and effort devoted in trying to disrupt the counterfeiters operations and put them out of business and into jail. The problem is it is tough to find all the fakes. Most times the counterfeits are found in stores, rarely are the manufacturers found. Some fakes are made in little home-based factories in Florida, others come from all over Latin America including some from Cuba itself.

But Cubans are not the only fakes being made. In Santiago, Dominican Republic, two years ago, authorities confiscated and destroyed over a thousand boxes of fake Fuentes, Macanudos, Davidoffs along with the usual Cohibas, Montecristos and Romeos. These fake cigars were being sold in stores at Dominican resorts and in Santiago and Santo Domingo. Padron also has been plagued with knock-offs. If you want real Fuentes , Macanudos , Dominican Cohibas, or Romeo y Julietas of course you can get them at JR.

And get this, not ever Swisher Sweets are exempt. In 2009, authorities around Birmingham, Alabama busted a ring selling fake Swishers and Black and Milds. The counterfeiters were getting cheap cigars made in India, boxes and labels from China and then assembling them in Alabama. At the time, a five pack of Swishers sold for $3.50, yet the counterfeiters made hundreds of thousands of dollars from the fakes because they were making a 700% markup.. The ring was busted because a consumer bought some of the fakes and sent them back to Swisher because of the poor quality. The company immediately realized they were fakes and an investigation began resulting in arrests.

The key to avoiding fakes is to be certain you purchase from a reputable tobacconist. For example if you want a fake Cuban…make certain it is a Genuine Counterfeit Cuban.

Still More Taxes

Cook County Illinois and Chicago are at it again. The county board president is pushing for even higher tobacco and alcohol taxes. For cigars, the increase would be an additional 30 cents per stick. Pipe tobacco and cigarette tobacco (Roll Your Own) would go up $1.20 an ounce. All this is in addition to the state’s 18 percent OTP tax. The county also wants to increase alcohol taxes 50 percent. A vote on the increases for the county is expected later this week. Meanwhile, two Chicago aldermen are looking at similar increases for the city as well. The International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association is calling the increases “job killers”. Says Bill Spann, the head of IPCPR, these kind of tax increases will force consumers to go elsewhere and revenues will be lost not gained. A year ago I spoke with an owner of a convenience store who is just outside Cook County. He noticed when the tax on cigarettes went up to $2 a pack in Cook County, his cigarette sales began to grow. After SCHIP hit, and other cities added on their own taxes, consumers could save 20-30 dollars per carton by driving to DuPage county and his cigarette sales doubled. If you tax it more, consumers will find a way around it. For those of you in the Chicago area, voice your opposition.

Fuente rejoins ProCigar

As first reported by Cigar Aficionado this week, Tabacalera A. Fuente has rejoined the Dominican cigar organization ProCigar.   According to CA, Carlito Fuente met with Hendrik Kelner–the president of ProCigar–at a charity event and said his company would rejoin the group.  Fuente was one of the original founders of the organization but left ProCigar in the mid 90s.  ProCigar met on Tuesday and unanimously voted to welcome the Fuentes back into the fold.

ProCigar –officially, La Asociacion de Fabricantes de Cigarros de la Republica Dominicana–is an association that helps promote Dominican cigars worldwide.  The members are : General Cigar Factory, Tabacalera de Garcia (Altadis USA’s Dominican factory), MATASA (maker of Fonseca and Quesada), La Aurora, Tabaquisa (Maker of Juan Clemente), Corporacion Cigar Export (maker of Augusto Reyes), Tabadom Holdings (Davidoff) and now Fuente.

For the past 4 years, the association has held its big ProCigar festival in February where participants spend time with the cigar makers in both the factories and fields as well as seminars, parties and dinners.  Next year, the event will be February 19-24 in the Dominican Republic.

Alec Bradley American Classic Blend

Tuesday, November 15th, 2011

Is it me or am I reviewing a lot of Connecticut wrapped cigars these days? Being an Alec Bradley fan, picked up a few of these when I spotted them. When I decide to have a smoke in the morning, I often reach for something with a Connecticut wrapper. This one looked like it may fit the bill. I paired this cigar with water as always…

 

Wrapper: Honduran Connecticut Shade

Binder: Honduras, Nicaragua

Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua

Size: Classic Toro 6 x 50

Price: Around $5.00

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper was a bit rugged looking, but overall had a nice appearance with no real flaws. The odor off of the cigar reminded me of poop. The foot had a mind earthy smell with a touch of spice. When I squeezed the cigar, I found a few soft spots, but nothing drastic. The pre-light draw had slight resistance, and had a sweet earthy flavor.

The burn required no corrections, and the ash held for around an inch.

1 Alec_Bradley_American_Classic_Blend cigars

Flavor:

The first third started with a simple cedar flavor. After about an inch, there was a buttery thing going on. It was a flavor but also like a smoke feel. When passing smoke though the nose, there was that same buttery sensation – No pepper or spice at all. I almost forgot, there were nutty notes in there somewhere.

2 Alec_Bradley_American_Classic_Blend cigars

The second third didn’t change a lot. The body and strength crept up a bit, but remained upper low to lower medium. A very very mild spice was noticed in the nose. The smoke feel became very creamy with a tinge of sweetness. Simple but good.

3 Alec_Bradley_American_Classic_Blend cigars

The last third kept pace with the previous segments. The smoke remained very thick and creamy with a tinge of sweetness. Nutty and cedary notes dominated the flavor profile. A buttery aftertaste with a bit of spice clung to the mouth on the aftertaste.

4 Alec_Bradley_American_Classic_Blend cigars

Conclusion:

This was a good mild to medium smoke. Many aspects of it were typical Connecticut wrapped cigar. The flavors were simple but refined. It is this good flavor delivery that keeps this cigar from being boring. I could easily smoke this in the morning with coffee. I think it’s worth a try.

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