What wound up happening was that as I took photos of the cigars that I smoked, I didn’t want duplicates. So, this lead to my digging around for new and obscure cigars for me to photograph. With all of this variety, and all of these photos, I’m finding it extremely difficult to keep track of everything for a Week in Smoke post.

Due to my difficulty in keeping up with all of the cigars for a post on Stogie Review, I thought I would share the photos I’ve taken. Since I’m so far behind on a Week in Smoke, these images may never make it inside of a post, which is why I thought I would feature them here.

All of these photos were taken with a Nikon D40. Everything but the last few were taken in Manual Mode while I was messing around with the camera.

Unbanded Mystery Cigar

The CAO Sopranos has been Reviewed on Stogie Review

The Montecristo White has been Reviewed on Stogie Review

The Padilla Miami (Don Pepin Garcia Blend of Old) has been reviewed on Stogie Review

The Exile by Hermanos Argenti has been reviewed on Stogie Review

The Ashton Classic has been reviewed on Stogie Review

The Joya De Nicaragua Celebracion has been reviewed on Stogie Review

The Don Pepin Garcia Serie JJ Maduro has been reviewed on Stogie Review

Sencillo from Prometheus

Oliva Masterblend (Original Release)

The Nestor Miranda Special Selection Atlanta Braves Edition has been reviewed on Stogie Review

E.P. Carrillo New Wave El Decano

The Rocky Patel Renaissance has been reviewed on Stogie Review

J. Fuego Natural

Pinar Del Rio Reserva Limitada

The Macanudo 1968 has been reviewed on Stogie Review

E.P. Carrillo Core Line Maduro

Padilla Release by Studio Tobac

Alec Bradley New York

Post from: Walt in PA

Cigar Photography

Possibly related posts:

1. Cigar Photography

In a frantic, last minute idea kind of way, I decided to post some photos that I’ve taken over the past week. All of these photos feature cigars and were posted to other services as a sort of “Now Smoking” sort of update. Photos were taken with a Nikon D40.

Post from: Walt in PA

Cigar Photography

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Jeremiah Cruz Jr. (Better known as JJ). Photo courtesy of Jerry Cruz

On July 22nd, we set aside a little time and smoke a special cigar. While we enjoy that cigar, we allow our minds to drift and think of a special little someone who departed this world far too soon. We remember Jeremiah Cruz Jr., better known as JJ or Jerry’s Little Robusto. He passed away from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) at three and a half months old.

The cigar we smoke to remember JJ was the cigar his father, Jerry Cruz, smoked to celebrate the birth of his son. That cigar is the Don Pepin Garcia Serie JJ. Today would have been the Little Robusto’s third birthday. If you are a cigar smoker, we ask that you light up a JJ for JJ to celebrate the memory of the little guy.

One of our Brothers of the Leaf (BOTL), Barry from A Cigar Smoker’s Journal, has been extremely generous and has offered to make a donation to the American SIDS Institute for every picture he receives of someone smoking a JJ for JJ. For more information on this generous donation, please take a look at Barry’s Smoke a JJ for JJ page.

If you are interested in learning a little more about JJ, head over to the
3rd Annual Smoke a JJ for JJ Participation Post on Stogie Review.

Post from: Walt in PA

3rd Annual Smoke A JJ for JJ Day

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After a truly good meal, an outstanding cigar is still the most satisfying after-dinner activity that doesn’t involve two human beings.
Brad Shaw, Radio Announcer

The quote above by Brad Shaw is one that instantly triggers memories. Having a cigar after your run of the mill dinner is secondary to what comes to mind. When I think about an after-dinner cigar it normally brings the holidays to mind.

I suppose being able to smoke in the confines of my home (within a designated room) I have become spoiled. These days I smoke one cigar per day throughout the week. My daily routine typically has me cooking dinner shortly after getting home from work. This not only has dinner ready for my wife when she comes home from work, it also gives me a little more free time in the evening.

By having dinner between 5:30 and 6:00, I can light up a robusto after dinner and not be concerned with getting to bed at too late an hour. So, as you would have imagined, my daily cigar normally comes after having dinner and spending some time with my wife.

Having an after-dinner cigar in this manner has definitely taken away from the experience in the general sense. When I think of a more meaningful after-dinner experience, the holidays or special occasions come to mind. A prime example of this is Thanksgiving of last year.

With family living nearby, my wife and I generally pull double duty on the holidays. This particular year we had dinner with my Wife’s family followed up by having dessert at my parents house. This year it played into the cigar concept because my father is also a cigar enthusiast.

As my father and I sat around digesting our meals, we puffed away on a couple of cigars. I don’t recall if we were smoking the same brand or even what that brand they may have been. All that mattered was that the cigars were an excellent end to a fun and family-filled day.

Post from: Walt in PA

A good meal and a good cigar is something special

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Maybe it’s like becoming one with the cigar. You lose yourself in it; everything fades away: your worries, your problems, your thoughts. They fade into the smoke, and the cigar and you are at peace.
A Quote by Raul Julia

I must admit, I am not well versed when it comes to cigar quotes, or any quotes for that matter. Since starting this series of articles, I have read dozens upon dozens of quotes on cigars. Some are clever, some are funny, and some are extraordinarily deep.

Among all of those quoted, there is one that stands out in my mind among all others. That person is quoted above, Raul Julia. This man seems to have completely embraced the hobby before his untimely death in 1994. Not only did he embrace the hobby, he seems to have had a respect for it far beyond that of the occasional or social cigar smoker. He is an individual which I would have loved to meet and speak with regarding his view on life and cigars.

In the quote above, Raul Julia points out the reset that your mind seems to go through after enjoying a fine cigar. The one and only thing I can think to compare this to is riding a motorcycle. In both scenarios you clear your mind and focus completely on the task at hand, be it negotiating a curve in the road or picking out the intricacies in a cigar.

There have been very few things on my mind that could not be shaken free during some alone time a cigar. This isn’t to say that a bound bunch of leaves is the cure for your mental ills, but it is a great way to take a break from the stress and come back to it with a clear mind. Often times I find that revisiting the cause of the stress with a clear head gives me the much needed opportunity to see it from a new vantage point.

Post from: Walt in PA

Cigars – Helping you solve one problem at a time

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I’ve got a great cigar collection – it’s actually not a collection, because that would imply I wasn’t going to smoke every last one of ‘em.
Ron White

I have to admit, I am a bit of a cigar collector, at least by Ron White’s definition. Over the years I have purchased cigars that were meant for enjoying during a special occasion or a celebration. I find that some cigars resting in my coolidors have seen special occasions come and go, all the while never getting even close to the flame of my lighter.

It seems strange to have some of these cigars and know that I’ll probably never smoke them, especially since they are for smoking. I suppose I worry that after my prized cigar is turned to ash, I will never be able to replace it. In addition, what if it is the best cigar I have ever smoked and I torture myself by enjoying it only to never see one again. On the flip-side, what if the cigar is down right terrible and it spoils the occasion or celebration?

The simple solution would be to simply fire it up when the opportunity presents itself. If the cigar is fantastic, just drink in the moment and appreciate the cigar for what it is. If it is terrible, just pitch it and move on to something I know will turn out better.

Back in my early days of cigar smoking, I coveted anything that I felt was outside of my price range. Over time I realized the cigars were doing me no good resting in the humidor. Since then I have been finding reasons to smoke those coveted cigars, even if I’m celebrating something foolish like mowing my lawn during a heat wave without getting heat stroke.

Even with my efforts to smoke my higher priced cigars, I still find it difficult to touch flame to a select few of them. Those cigars may just wind up sitting in the cooler forever, but they have a special meaning behind them that is worth more than the enjoyment I would get from smoking them.

One of those coveted cigars is a 2005 Fuente Fuente Opus X Forbidden X. It was a gift given to me by Jerry Cruz with the stipulation that we would smoke those cigars together on the day that we each made a cool million bucks from Stogie Review. It was a running joke for a long time and I doubt we will be smoking those cigars in our lifetime. For the meaning behind that particular cigar, I’m willing to hold on to it indefinitely and simply look at it from time to time.

Post from: Walt in PA

Do You Collect Cigars or Buy to Smoke?

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“The cigar is a great resource. It is necessary to have traveled for a long time on a ship to understand that at least the cigar affords you the pleasure of smoking. It raises your spirits. Are you troubled by something? The cigar dissolves it. Are you subject to aches and pains (or bad temper)? The cigar will change your disposition. Are you harassed by unpleasant thoughts? Smoking a cigar puts one in a frame of mind to dispense with these. Do you ever feel a little faint from hunger? A cigar satisfies the yearning. If you are obsessed by sad thoughts, a cigar will take your mind off of them. Finally, don’t you sometimes have some unpleasant remembrance or consoling thought? A cigar will reinforce this. Sometimes they die out, and happy are those who do not need to relight too quickly. I hardly need to say anything more about the cigar, to which I dedicate this little eulogy for past services rendered.”
The Duc de la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt, 1794

As I read through dozens of cigar quotes for these types of articles, there were some that were so much more than a clever quote regarding the enjoyment or relaxation brought on by cigars. Some of those quotes were rather deep and thought provoking, much like the one above by The Duc de la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt in 1794.

As I read the quote over and over again, there is nothing to argue against. Each and every point made in the writing makes perfect sense to me and I would agree with all of them. Rather than try to argue against said quote, I thought perhaps I would dive into it and point out how a few sections relate to me.

”It is necessary to have traveled for a long time on a ship to understand that at least the cigar affords you the pleasure of smoking.”

In todays society, a long trip across the sea by ship is not required to elevate your stress levels. With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, stress has become a part of everyday life. In the sense of sheer boredom, I suppose a long flight or car ride can relate in a sense.

Although you won’t be smoking your cigar while flying in a commercial plane anytime soon, smoking in a car is something many of us probably do on a regular basis. While operating a motor vehicle doesn’t lend itself well to focusing on the cigar alone, it does allow you to enjoy it in a passive sense while you keep your mind focused on the road ahead.

If you have ever taken a long drive and had the option to smoke a cigar along the way, you know that even as a passive pleasure, they make a fantastic travel companion. The only problem your smoky companion may cause is the occasional ash on your lap, which I think is much nicer than one which constantly reaches for the radio.

”It raises your spirits. Are you troubled by something? The cigar dissolves it. Are you subject to aches and pains (or bad temper)? The cigar will change your disposition. Are you harassed by unpleasant thoughts? Smoking a cigar puts one in a frame of mind to dispense with these. Do you ever feel a little faint from hunger? A cigar satisfies the yearning. If you are obsessed by sad thoughts, a cigar will take your mind off of them.”

This is the part of the quote that I believe is true in every sense of the word. From time to time I find myself enveloped in stress and frustration. When these times arise, I simply need some quiet time to myself so that I can analyze my thoughts and realize the course of action required to remedy my ills.

Ever since I have started enjoying cigars, I have found that by enjoying one while I analyze my thoughts does wonders for my mood. The relaxation that the cigar provides allows me to drift away from the stresses and I can then see the issue without over-analyzing or over-complicating it.

By the time I am finished, my thoughts are in order and I find myself completely relaxed for the better portion of the time it took me to enjoy my fine, hand made, product. There are occasional times when one cigar isn’t enough, but a second always does the trick, and a nice adult beverage doesn’t hurt either. It is all about slowing down enough to see the problem for what it is, then taking the necessary steps to think it through.

”I hardly need to say anything more about the cigar, to which I dedicate this little eulogy for past services rendered.”

This little piece drives the quote home and reinforces all that has been said. It is as if the originator of this quote speaks about the cigar as a dear friend. He closes out his words by thanking the cigar for all that it has done for him. Like the originator, I too can appreciate all the times when the cigar helped get through difficult times, or even made a celebration all the more special.

Post from: Walt in PA

What has the Cigar done for you lately?

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A couple of months back, I was out running an errand and I must have walked past someone with an acute sense of smell. Having been fresh out of the cigar shop, I must have smelled ripe of cigars and grabbed the attention of a middle aged couple. As I made my way further down the isle, searching for an item, I overheard the two begin talking about cigars.

I tried not to eavesdrop too much, but the conversation basically revolved around a grandfather that used to smoke cigars. The conversation then changed direction and wound up focusing directly on a cigar misconception that every non-cigar smoker tends to latch on to, for one reason or another.

When the conversation took the direction of how only the wealthy could afford to smoke cigars, I was fortunate enough to have found my item and was making my way towards the cash registers. This misconception, along with the one about only old men smoke cigars, are the two I hear most frequently.

In the past, I’ve even had friends comment on how well I must be doing because I smoke cigars and drink expensive beer. In some instances I’ve had people over that seemed very uncomfortable with my offering them a cigar or drink. I would assume this was due to the cost of the items were perceived to be much more than they would typically spend on themselves. It is also equally uncomfortable to be offered money in exchange for the drink or cigar in question.

The truth of the matter is that my wife and I make a decent living but in no way consider ourselves wealthy. With our decent living, we have students loans, a car payment, a mortgage, and the expenses of day to day living to contend with.

Ten years ago, I would have probably shared this same outlook on cigars and expensive adult beverages. However, I like to think I have matured considerably since then. I no longer buy a case of beer with the intention to get drunk and carry on. The same goes for when I enter the liquor store, I’m not buying with the mindset that the bottle will be empty by the end of the weekend.

The last case of beer I purchased was Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout. Due to the way Pennsylvania operates, getting a six-pack is very difficult. Because of my purchase consisting of a case, the cost was right around $55.00. Reaching for a bottle every now and again, the case wound up lasting me just under two-months.

The same goes for Scotch. My favorite thus far has been Macallan 12 year old Single Malt. The cost per 750ml bottle runs about $50.00. While the cost of this single bottle of whisky may give most people a serious case of sticker shock, I don’t mind spending that kind of money knowing that the bottle will last me two to three months, on average.

The common thread between these items and cigars is that they are meant to be appreciated. I don’t light up a cigar with the same mindset as a cigarette smoker, using it for nothing more than a nicotine delivery system. Time is set aside to enjoy what I have, and often times a nice craft brew or Scotch / Bourbon goes hand-in-hand with said cigar.

I’m not going to attempt to bore you with figures, but cigars are not as expensive as you may think. I generally smoke one cigar per day which averages about $5.00. When that cost is compared to smoking a pack or two of cigarettes per day, you can see that the price difference isn’t as far off as one might initially imagine.

What I am getting at here is that you may find things in life more enjoyable if you reverse roles sometime and give quality over quantity a try. By not smoking for nicotine and drinking to become intoxicated, I am able to appreciate the finer things in life without breaking the bank. Granted, the initial cost may seem high, but it all averages out in the end.

Post from: Walt in PA

Cigars and Scotch, You Must Be Doing Rather Well?

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“They had no good cigars there, my lord; and I left the place in disgust.”
Alfred Lord Tennyson, returning from Venice

Each and every time I read the above quote by Alfred Lord Tennyson, I can’t help but laugh a little. I envision a noble man standing in a caste, white cape gleaming, while a man strides up to him to report his journey. As he stands there, breastplate highly polished, wearing a helmet with a stripe of red rising from the peak like a flaming Mohawk, he reports to his commander that “They had no good cigars there, my lord; and I left the place in disgust“.

While I have never left a place in disgust due to lack of cigars, I feel Lord Tennyson’s pain. On more than one occasion I have gone on family trips and outings, finding myself with some unexpected spare time to enjoy a cigar. More than once I have been stopped in my tracks when I discovered that the closest cigar shop to the town I was staying in was miles and miles away.

Because I have had one too many of those types of experiences, I find myself packing cigars even if I do not expect to smoke one. I also pack a spare or two just in case I am joined on my cigar excursion.

In the occurrence that I know I will be in the vicinity of a cigar shop, or plenty of cigars, I still pack some of my own. During my last two trips to the annual IPCPR Convention, I made sure to have several cigars on hand. You may find that kind of crazy being that I was going to a cigar convention, but at times you just want to smoke something you know you will enjoy without the surprises of convention samples.

Post from: Walt in PA

They had no good cigars there, I left the place in disgust

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I even smoke in bed. Imagine smoking a cigar in bed, reading a book. Next to your bed, there’s a cigar table with a special cigar ashtray, and your wife is reading a book on how to save the environment.
Quote from Raul Julia

Ah, to smoke a cigar in the comfort of your bed. A beautiful and understanding woman lying next to you entertaining herself while you slowly puff on your cigar and savor the moment. This is a scenario I think most cigar smokers would kill for, but given the chance would probably avoid like the plague.

You are probably wondering, if it is such a great scenario then why avoid it? The answer is very simple, in my eyes anyway. You see, many cigar smokers avoid smoking within their own home because cigars tend to be rather odoriferous. The smoke smell clings to things around the house such as your fabric drapes and furniture.

Unless you are changing your bedding daily, I would think the smoke would lock on tight and become a nuisance, irritating you as you attempt to drift off to sleep. It may only be a minor irritant after the first time, but think of how your non-smoking spouse would respond to the pleasant smell of cigars bound to their pillow.

Despite the downside of the lingering aroma on your bedding, smoking in bed is awesome! You see, I’ve never had the pleasure of smoking in bed while at home, but I have had the pleasure in hotel rooms that permitted smoking. In a hotel situation, you get all the benefits without the drawbacks. Each morning after you rise from bed and go about your day, the cleaning staff comes in to change the bedding for you.

The first time I had the pleasure of smoking in bed was a few years ago while attending Cigarfest. I was with a group of people who all were fortunate enough to get smoking rooms. After a long day of hanging out and carrying on, we all made our way back to the hotel. Before turning in for the night, I stretched out on the bed, fired up one last cigar, and watched a little television.

Lying there completely relaxed with a cigar hanging out of my mouth as I watched some old television re-run was so much nicer than I would have thought. When I was finished, I hopped into the shower and got cleaned up before turning in. The following evening I returned to my clean room to do it all over again.

The same scenario took place while attending the annual IPCPR convention in both Las Vegas and New Orleans. The one and only issue I ran into was in Las Vegas when I set off the smoke alarm, which was located right above he bed I was lying in.

If you ever find yourself away on business, without your better half, do yourself a favor and get a smoking room just so that you can experience the awe that is smoking a cigar in the comfort of bed. Even if you are only able to do it once in your life, I doubt you will regret the relaxation that it brings on.

Post from: Walt in PA

The Pleasure of Smoking a Cigar in Bed

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Last week I was scanning through my list of RSS Feeds when one of them caught my eye. While I am not an everyday reader of Copyblogger, I do read a couple of articles throughout the week. This time around, I saw an article entitled “One Foolproof Trick to Blast Writer’s Block” written by James Chartrand.

Having had my fair share of trouble coming up with post ideas, I dove right in and began reading. The concept for beating writers block was not only simple, it was genius. It took the simple concept of naturally forming an opinion on things you read and applied it to popular quotes.

I liked the idea so much that I sought out a couple dozen cigar quotes and became eager to get started. Initially I was planning on placing these topics on Stogie Review but wasn’t completely comfortable with the idea. Being that these quotes are going to generate a lot of opinion, I thought it might clash with the more educational and informative style of Stogie Review.

Instead, I thought I would try a few out here on Walt In PA so that I could get a feel for how they went, writing wise, and to test the waters on how they are received. If they go over very well, I may shift them over to Stogie Review to get more eyes and responses on the writing.

In any case, this post is the first in this potentially long series, which has yet to be titled.

A youth with his first cigar makes himself sick; a youth with his first girl makes other people sick.
A Quote from Mary Wilson Little

Ah, to be young again (relatively speaking, after all, I am only twenty-seven) and fawn all over a pretty young girl. To think up ways to impress this individual, and of course inadvertently drive the adults around you crazy.

Having read a few more quotes by Mary Wilson Little after finding the one above, I think the quote was meant to focus more on young love rather than cigars. Being a cigar nut, I obviously begin thinking about the cigar part of the quote and focused less on that of young love.

When we were young, we all found ourselves in a position to do something fun that was frowned upon by our parents. Some took things a little farther than others, but we have all been in the situation where we had a finger waved at us while the person on the other end of that finger was hollering about the results of our actions.

Being young, we feel the urge to rebel against anything deemed as not cool. When it came to being cool, some of us ventured out into the waters of trying cigars. I mean come on, how cool did you feel when you popped that first Swisher Sweet or White Own Grape into your mouth before setting it aflame.

After the cigar was burning and we were about half way in, some of us weren’t feeling so cool anymore. While my first experience with a cigar didn’t leave me tossing my cookies, I wasn’t feeling so great. In fact, I can recall one friend loosing it after showing all of us how cool he was with his cigar.

The first time I had my first real cigar I think I was about eighteen years old. It was some time around New Years Eve and an older friend of mine passed out a few Churchills. I don’t recall what they were or where he picked them up, but the urge to be cool hit me once again.

This time around, I wasn’t feeling ill after smoking most of the cigar but I couldn’t understand what was so appealing about it. By the time I reached the band I tossed it into an ashtray and was happy to be rid of it. My mouth tasted so dirty that all I wanted to do was brush my teeth.

Some years later I embraced the hobby, but I still find it amazing that I have come full circle. From being ill to recommending cigars as a hobby to those interested. With such a poor first impression, I would have never thought to be seeking out and buying cigars years later.

Post from: Walt in PA

Memories of that first cigar

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As I’ve said in the past, I am a fan of Darren Rowse and ProBlogger. I subscribe to the ProBlogger RSS feed and for a fair amount of reading throughout the week. A couple of weeks ago, Darren had a guest post outlining the thirty bloggers to watch in 2010. The following week, he posted an article asking his readers to come up with their own list.

Being the avid fan of cigars that I am, I thought I would come up with a list of my own bloggers to watch in 2010. My list has been created to follow the cigar theme in some way. Some of these bloggers cover other topics, but there is a cigar element involved along the way.

10) Lindsay Heller from The Holy Trinity
When scanning through this list, Lindsay Heller and The Holy Trinity probably had you drawing a complete blank, and rightfully so, the blog was just created on January 13th, 2010. So if her blog was just started recently, why is it on my list? The answer to that question lies in Lindsay’s Twitter Personality. She is a straight shooter that provides loads of interesting information to those of us interested in cigars and adult beverages. In addition, Lindsay provided three fantastic Guest Articles for Stogie Review which has me eager to read what she has to say in the future.

09) Skip Martin from Smoke Signals
Skip Martin and Smoke Signals are names that you hear flying around Twitter from time to time. While Skip doesn’t blog on a regular basis, when he does it is a smash hit. All of his posts are well written with a lot of passion behind the message being presented. If you take advantage of an RSS Reader, I would strongly suggest subscribing to Skip’s blog because you won’t want to miss what he has to say next.

08) Chris from Nice Tight Ash
Selecting just one of the Guys from Nice Tight Ash was practically impossible. These guys do a wide array of things that cover cigars, from reviews of cigars and accessories to industry news. In addition to informative articles, the guys also produce good quality video content. Be sure to look them up sometime, I think you may like what you find.

07) J. Mulley from The World According to Stew
J. Mulley, or Stew, started his blog back in April of 2008 and quickly began producing written cigar reviews. Along the way, Stew switched over to providing his readership with video reviews. Not only are Stew’s videos informative but he also throws in a bit of outside banter from time to time, which makes them fun to watch.

06) Tom Adcock from Tom’s Cigars
Two years ago, Stogie Review presented a first guest review from Tom Adcock and friend Ed Nazre. The duo made for both entertaining and interesting reviews. Over the last two years, Tom has expanded from his regular guest spot on Stogie Review and created a blog of his own. Here you will not only find occasional video reviews, you will also find written reviews that are short and to the point.

05) Tony Ricciardi from Smoke Score
Some time on 2009 I received word that Tony was starting his own blog rating wines and cigars entitled Leaf and Grape. Over time it seemed that his readership wanted less wine talk and more cigar talk. Because of this, Smoke Score was born. Even before the transition, Tony has produced some quality writing that is full of interesting information.

04) Barry Stein from A Cigar Smoker
Barry is a cigar blogger that made his appearance on the web back in April of 2008 with written cigar reviews. Since then, Barry has made excellent headway in expanding his writing. Each reviews points out interesting information as to the origin, or back story, of the cigar before breaking down his opinion into manageable proportions.

03) David “The Doc” Diaz from Stogie Fresh
The Doc has been involved in Cigars as a member of the press for some time now. In addition to a regularly scheduled podcast he also produces some fantastic articles to expand his readers horizons. His articles are always information packed and well written. If you haven’t ventured over to Stogie Fresh in your journey through the world of cigars, I would strongly suggest taking a look.

02) Brian Hewitt from Stogie Review
I am biased here and you all probably know that. As a co-founder of Stogie Review, no list of mine would be complete without some sort of reference back to my home blog. Regardless of my bias, Brian writes some terrific articles that are very engaging. In addition, the man is a machine with a red editors pen. You can read Brian’s writing every Wednesday on Stogie Review in the form of cigar reviews.

01) Jerry Cruz from Stogie Review
As I said with in the blurb about Brian Hewitt, I am completely biased towards Stogie Review. Just like the case above, the bias doesn’t make much of a difference here because Jerry is a very engaging individual that shines when video blogging. Jerry has a straight shooter type of attitude and says what is on his mind at any given moment. This turns off the occasional viewer but makes him real in the eyes of many others. In the off chance that you haven’t seen Jerry shine, take a look at a video he did just last month portraying Jerry the Elf.

Post from: Walt in PA

10 Cigar Bloggers to Watch in 2010

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Due to the economy slowing down over the past year, some of the local shops in West Reading are having a difficult time competing with the Berkshire Mall and VF Outlets on the other side of town. In an effort to promote one another, a few shops wanted to get together in one location and get the word out about their shops.

When the day of the event came around, I headed over to Kensington to see what was going on. Shortly after arriving, I had a cigar in one hand and a glass of Old Weller Bourbon in the other. I got to talking to Kurt for a few minutes before we were joined by another regular, which I hadn’t met before the event.

After a little conversation, I headed upstairs to the lounge to grab something to eat. The food was prepared by GNA Italian Ristorante, just a few stores down from the cigar shop. Having had GNA food on a number of occasions before, I was more than happy to dig in. Just as expected, the food was fantastic.

After eating and having a little small talk with a couple of the other regular customers, I headed to a separate room on the second floor to take a look at some displays that were set up. What I found was some very nice stuff from a few local businesses I had no idea even existed.

Following some more conversation, we got word that the fashion show was set to begin shortly. We all made out way to the temporarily smoke-free basement to take a look at some clothes. One of the presenters was Jon King from Sharp Dressed Man.

Recently relocated to West Reading, Sharp Dressed Man is located directly across the street from the Kensington Tobacconist parking lot. Every week, for the past several months, I have been getting out of my car and seeing the store across the street. Judging by the window display, I never though the store would have anything inside to suit my taste.

After seeing two suites, I had an entirely different outlook on the store. Not only were they some good looking suites, they were surprisingly affordable. I was so impressed, I actually purchased a suite the following day after my Friday visit to the cigar shop.

In addition to suites from Sharp Dressed Man, we were shown some Ladies Lingerie and Lounge Wear from LiLiBea’s. Robin Horman, Founder of LiLiBea’s, had two absolutely stunning women show us six outfits in all. Unlike Sharp Dressed Man, I had never heard of LiLiBea’s before the event. Having been impressed with the presentation, I made my way over to see Robin later on that evening, to purchase a gift certificate for my wife.

After leaving LiLiBea’s, I headed back to Kensington for one final cigar and a cup of coffee. That one cigar actually turned into two as Kurt, Joe (from Camacho Cigars), and I got to talking about the cigar industry. I wound up heading home about an hour after closing time. In addition to having a great time, I discovered a few local businesses that I’ll definitely be purchasing from again.

Even though there were not any deals or specials going on for cigar purchases, I had a blast and hope to see an event like this again in the future. Even though this was not a manufacturer centric event, Joe from Camacho made sure that all patrons received a complimentary Camacho Cigar for coming out to the shop.

Post from: Walt in PA

Mens Night Out: Kensington Tobacconist

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Post from: Walt in PA

First Impressions: Cuban Crafters Medina 1959

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Up on the chopping block for the most recent First Impressions video is a cigar that I acquired at Cigarfest 2009. The day before the big event, Jerry and I managed to get behind the curtain and see the expo center floor while manufacturers were setting up.

As we were standing there talking with Sam Leccia, I noted that Jesus Fuego had a booth setup across from him. I was kind of surprised to see a boutique guy at Cigarfest and was very curious as to what he would be giving away to the masses the following day.

My curiosity was satisfied the following day as Jerry and I spoke with Jesus and were handed a Casa Fuego. Several weeks later, here I am lighting it up for the very first time to see how it compares to his premium lines.

Post from: Walt in PA

First Impressions: Casa Fuego by J. Fuego Cigars

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While at this years Cigarfest, I was fortunate enough to get myself a number of cigar samples. One of those samples was the 5 Vegas Relic. This cigar managed to grab my attention the very first time I saw it in the Cigars International catalog. At first glance I was immediately reminded of how much I have enjoyed the 5 Vegas Serie A and simply thought I would get a similar level of enjoyment out of this one.

Post from: Walt in PA

First Impressions: 5 Vegas Relic

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On Friday I went through my my normal routine and headed to my local cigar shop. Not seeing the owner, I asked if he was out for the day. I got word that the Camacho Cigars rep was in town and the both of them were out to lunch.

A short while passed and both guys returned. I got to talking to the Camacho rep for a minute before he had to make his next stop. He was kind enough to leave me with a sample of the newly released Camacho Connecticut. After having heard Jerry’s account of the cigar on both Stogie Review and My Daily Cigar, I was eager to check it out.

Post from: Walt in PA

First Impressions: Camacho Connecticut

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A couple weeks back, Jerry and I were fortunate enough to score a couple of press passes to Cigars International’s annual Cigarfest. While making the rounds, I was approached by a fan of Stogie Review. This person introduced themselves as Alex and began speaking to me about Dutch cigars. Alex went on to tell me that he is originally from the Netherlands and makes occasional trips back home. While there, he sometimes picks up some dry cured Dutch cigars.

Alex then asked me if I would be interested in doing a review of the few that he felt stood out among the rest. I accepted and looked forward to smoking my very first Dutch cigar. I knew going in, from my discussion with Alex, that these sticks were made of short filler and were produced by machine. Given that information, I had an idea of what to expect in the construction and consistency departments.

With my expectations set pretty low, I fired up my very first Dutch cigar. The cigar of the day was the Heeren van Ruysdael – Brazilie Editie, which translates to “The Gentlemen of Ruysdael”. This cigar features a Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper with a filler blend from Sumatra and Brazil.

Post from: Walt in PA

First Impressions: Heeren van Ruysdael – Brazilie Editie

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After a little bit of a drought here content wise, I decided fire up the camcorder and record another First Impressions cigar review. This time I was craving something mild and creamy as a first cigar of the day. The first cigar that came to mind was one that Davidoff sent me a little while back. This cigar came in as a mystery stick and a note that I would be informed of what it was after smoking it.

While this cigar wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, it had some interesting point throughout the smoke.

Post from: Walt in PA

First Impressions: Mystery Cigar

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When he came to the box of AVO LE 09, he made mention that he was getting them in and I should check them out. He opened the cellophane on the box and handed me a single, only asking that I smoke it and tell him what I thought of it in return.

Post from: Walt in PA

First Impressions: AVO LE 09 Compenero

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Having attended last years Cigarfest, I am really looking forward to going this year. It will be nice to be able to put faces to names with some of the cigar bloggers as well as spending time with some of the people I’ve met in the past.

As far as this post goes….. that is all, I’ve got to pack!

Post from: Walt in PA

Heading to Cigarfest

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The Positive:

• Excellent draw
• Good smoke volume
• Beautiful construction
• Smooth and easy-going cigar

The Negative:

• Alot of money for a lancero at $17.00
• Flavor a little too consistent for my liking

Post from: Walt in PA

First Impressions: Davidoff Millennium Lancero

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Today I have a first impressions review of a cigar that many of you are probably very familiar with. That cigar is the Don Pepin Garcia Serie JJ. Due to the price of these cigars locally, and even the online price, I haven’t had a whole lot of interest in dropping the cash on one. I have enjoyed both the Don Pepin Garcia Blue Label and Don Pepin Garcia Black Label, as well as various other cigars produced by Pepin. As a result, I’ve always been a little curious about it. I was fortunate enough to receive one as a gift in the mail a few months back and finally decided to fire it up this morning.

The Positive

• Interesting flavor profile
• Medium body, not overwhelming as first cigar of the day
• Rich and creamy flavors
• Smooth finish which is easy on the palate

The Negative

• Increased price compared to Blue and Black labels
• Flavors aren’t rich enough to keep me excited, wears off mid-way

What did you think of the
Don Pepin Garcia Serie JJ?

Post from: Walt in PA

First Impressions: Don Pepin Garcia Serie JJ

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As per the request of Johnny, this week I decided to take a quick detour from my tour of Davidoff of Geneva products and take a look at something less expensive. The cigar this week is the Primera de Honduras and is a product of Benny Gomez Jr. I was introduced to Benny at the Casa Gomez booth at IPCPR in Las Vegas this past July.

While this isn’t exactly what Johnny was looking for, it was one of the first sticks that I a came across from my IPCPR haul and decided to fire it up.

The Positive:

• Very interesting red pepper like heat
• Solid burning characteristics
• Comfortable price point at around $3.00 per single

The Negative:

• Too much of a good thing in regards to a red pepper heat
• Levels of flavor and body seemed a little mismatched
• Unable to capture my attention

Post from: Walt in PA

First Impressions: Primera de Honduras

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Last weekend I had a little extra free time and decided to get ahead of the curve and record two First Impressions videos. Deciding to tackle another review in the morning with coffee, I opted to continue on my tour of Davidoff of Genva produced cigars. This time I take a look at the Zino Classic which is more of a value line in terms of Davidoff pricing.

The Positive:

• Excellent draw which produced plenty of smoke
• Excellent burning characteristics

The Negative:

• Doesn’t stand up to Davidoff White Labels in terms of Value
• Flavor profile that was kind of boring
• Not nearly as visually appealing as other Davidoff lines

What did you think of the
Zino Classic – No. 6?

Post from: Walt in PA

First Impressions: Zino Classic No. 6

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In a continuation of last weeks First Impressions video of the Davidoff 6000, I decided to go right ahead and smoke the next cigar in the package I received from Davidoff of Geneva. The cigar being burned this time around was the Classic No. 2.

The Positive:

• Consistent flavor profile that grew richer along the way
• Excellent draw which produced plenty of smoke
• Excellent construction and burning characteristics

The Negative:

• Well outside of my comfort zone in regards to price

This video turned out to be one of the longest I’ve ever recorded and runs just under 40 minutes. So before clicking play, you may want to grab yourself a beverage and a cigar.

What did you think of the
Davidoff Classic – No. 2?

Post from: Walt in PA

First Impressions: Davidoff Classic – No. 2

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I found the DVD very interesting and was inspired to check out some other manufacturer movies. The first one that I came across was the Seed to Soul video put out by CAO Cigars. Fortunately, this video was available free of charge on YouTube and I did not need to purchase it in order to partake in the education.

The video clip below shows the first of three movies. Once you finish watching, look in the related videos list for “Part 2″ and continue on from there. The video is very interesting and gives a little insight into all of the work that goes into producing a single cigar.

Post from: Walt in PA

CAO Seed to Soul Video

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For this edition of First Impressions, I take a look at the Davidoff 6000. This cigar was sent to me by Davidoff of Geneva a week, or so, ago without my knowing it was coming. Coincidentally, I conversed with an individual, who prefers to remain unidentified, who never mentioned having worked for Davidoff. This person asked if it would be alright to send me a few cigars, I accepted and eagerly awaited their arrival.

When the box arrived, I was a bit surprised by the return address and wasn’t sure why Davidoff was sending me a package or who I may have met from the company. After pondering the package for a few minutes, I opened it up and it all made sense.

Below is a quick list of pros and cons of the Davidoff 6000 and is accompanied by a video which runs nearly thirty-minutes. In the video I discuss the cigar and how I came to receive it.

The Positive:

• Smooth smoke
• Enjoyable flavor profile
• Body consistent from front to back
• Good burning characteristics
• Good construction

The Negative:

• Not much of a value
• A little too consistent for my taste, in regards to flavor

What did you think of the
Davidoff 6000 Cigar?

Post from: Walt in PA

First Impressions: Davidoff 6000

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photo credit: nanoprobe67

Here is Pennsylvania the weather has been making a gradual change over to the warmer side of the thermometer. Since getting our puppy Syrus, I’ve been spending alot of time outside over the past three days. Sometimes my time is spent tossing an air dog toy, walking the pooch, or the dastardly deed of picking up poop from my yard.

I have found new enjoyment in smoking a cigar outside. When the weather was cooler, I didn’t enjoy the random outdoor cigar. I’m finding it very nice to be able to walk down the street with a cigar in one hand and a leash in the other. Before you know it, it will be about time to dust of the grill.

While out and about, I’ve been sticking to cigars that I get alot of enjoyment out of and avoiding those typical yard-gars. I’ve been gravitated to the Oliva Connecticut Reserve, CAO LX2, and the Camacho Corojo Maduro.

Post from: Walt in PA

Spring Is Growing Nearer

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The Cigar of the Week, for this week, is the Joya de Nicaragua Antano 1970 in a Petit Corona format. This cigar is one that I have been smoking off and on for a couple of years now. It has always provided a full bodied, full flavored smoke that packs a punch.

For an in-depth review of this stick, check out the following sites:

• Keepers of the Flame
• Cigar Inspector
• A Cigar Smoker

Post from: Walt in PA

Cigar of the Week: Joya de Nicaragua Antano 1970

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During the week, last week, I spoke with a fiend of mine about heading down to Gettysburg for re-enactors appreciation weekend. Being a bit of a history buff, he has headed out for the last three years to check it out. I went along for the ride last year and had a good time, so I was looking forward to this year.

One weekend each year, the city of Gettysburg puts on a benefit for the people that educate tourists on the history of the Civil War. The re-enactors hit the streets in period dress and take advantage of free seminars and specials put on throughout the town just for them.

One of the sponsors of the event is Gettysburg Cigar Company. They work with a local tavern and provide cigars and brandy for a crowd of men while they listen to a speaker. The women enjoy a tea party across town.

The speakers name eludes me, but he was the same person to give the speech last year. He portrays a British Observer and lectures for nearly an hour on all that he would have encountered during the Civil War. The man is a talented speaker and had the crowd roaring and clapping on several occasions.

After spending time at the tavern to listen to the speech, we headed over to Gettysburg Cigar Company to have another cigar during their Oliva Event. Gary, the owner of the business, is a great guy. He remembered me from last year and was extremely friendly. The shop is small and easily missed while driving through town. The selection of cigars is limited, but Gary makes wise choices as to what he puts on the limited shelf space. Brands like Tatuaje, Illusione, Ashton, Oliva, Padilla, and Padron are easily found in a variety of facings.

After a few hours of enjoying the cigars, talks with re-enactors, and the beautiful weather, we headed back for home. Just as to be expected, I had a great time and look forward to doing it once again next year.

Post from: Walt in PA

A Day in Gettysburg

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At this very moment I am preparing to head down to the Spring City area to visit a very good friend of mine. This friend is directly responsible for my cigar hobby and he never lets me forget it. Before I moved to Reading, we used to hang out on a regular basis. Since the move, we hardly get together anymore due to the hour drive separating our houses.

When I make plans to visit I always make sure to load up a bag of cigars to take down to him. With the variety of cigars that I pick up on my travels, I like to put together a small sampling of the cigars that he isn’t going to find at his local tobacconist.

Every time we get together and I drop off a goodie bag of cigars he is always very appreciative. This is one of the bonds of cigar smokers that I’ll never get tired of. Watching someone, good friend or new friend, root through a gift bag of cigars will always bring a smile to my face.

Post from: Walt in PA

Visiting A Friend With Cigars in Tow

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You should know that I am a big advocate of not judging a cigar based on a single sample. I feel that three cigars are necessary to formulate an honest opinion. With that in mind, please be aware that these videos will act as a video diary, of sorts, for a series of cigars that will be reviewed in much more detail on Stogie Review.

For the first video in the series, I took a look at the CAO LX2. While this cigar has been available for some time now, my local shop recently received their supply. As a result, I’m a little late in getting to try the production LX2′s.

Positive:

• Excellent price point for level of hype across internet
• Burned well from start to finish
• Clean construction, appears well built
• Evenly packed with tobacco, no soft/hard spots

Negative:

• Secondary band glued to wrapper
• Flavor and Body seem slightly mismatched
• Weak ash, wound up in my lap when less than 3/4″ long
• Draw was borderline too loose

Opinion:

I think that this was a solid cigar in all. There was a high level of body to go along with the flavor, but I would have liked to see the flavor pop a little more. The body and flavor seemed a little mismatched in this particular sample.

What did you think of the CAO LX2

Post from: Walt in PA

First Impressions: CAO LX2

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Yesterday, like every Friday, I headed over to the local cigar shop to have a cigar with my father. As of late we have been getting to the shop a few hours earlier than the regulars and have been hanging outside the lounge with the shop owner.

Last weekend Kensington Tobacconist launched its brand new Coffee Corner sponsored by Stogie Review. After getting a few cigars, I approached the cash register to pay for my smokes and ask how the things were going with the new coffee setup. A little perturbed, Kurt went on to tell me that the espresso machine was in need of servicing.

A year or so ago, Kurt had the machine sent in to be cleaned and serviced. Since then it has been working fairly well but was dripping where the hot water was dispensed for tea and the like. Since moving it to its new location on the main sales floor, the leak has gotten worse. It was now to the point that the machine would drain all of its hot water when the line was pressurized.

After a little more small talk, Kurt got on the phone with the technician about getting it back into working order. It seems that the machine had the same issue over the weekend but the two of them were able to get it into working order via phone tech service.

At this point my father asked Kurt to open up the machine so that we could take a look at it. We both wanted to see the machine up and running so that Kurt didn’t have to wait an extended period of time for a technician to come out to the shop. While Kurt and my father opened up the machine, I jumped on my iPod Touch and Googled for some solutions to the problem.

Before long we were able to determine that the solenoid was not the problem and that something had to be stopping the plunger from closing as the line was pressurized. A few minutes later the machine was a few parts lighter and my father was disassembling the plunger assembly.

It seems that when the machine was serviced not too long ago, there was some debris that was missed. The debris was now in front of the plunger keeping the line open as it pressurized. The result, a steady stream of water bleeding out of the line and into the overflow pan.

Once the debris were cleared, and the machine was reassembled, it ran like a champ. While helping someone fix an espresso machine may not sound like an enjoyable afternoon at the cigar shop, it was nice to help out someone as appreciative as Kurt.

How close are you with your
local Tobacconist?

Post from: Walt in PA

Espresso Crisis at Kensongton Tobacconist

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A couple of years ago Jerry and I were just getting into video reviews over on Stogie Review. Things were very new to us and we were just trying to have fun with it while providing useful information to our readers.

One day, while listening to Dog Watch Cigar Radio, I heard Bob talk about smoking an Oliva cigar on vacation. Bob had good things to say about the cigar and as a result, I wanted to check it out for myself. At the time I was buying singles from a shop in Exton, JM Cigars, which was a forty minute drive from my home. While there one day I happened to come across a box of Oliva cigars on a low shelf.

Inside the box were several Serie G Cameroon Churchills and a pair of Maduro Churchills. I grabbed the two Maduros, and a couple of Cameroons to add to the fistful of cigars I had ready to purchase.

A couple of days later I fired up that first G Maduro and enjoyed it quite a bit. Later on, I got around to smoking the second of the two, for the purpose of a video review. Having been so impressed with the cigar, I ordered a box. In the review I went on and on about how much I enjoyed them and strongly recommended them.

A couple of weeks later I got an email from one of the Oliva sales representatives. The reps name was Sam Leccia and, at the time, covered the western Pennsylvania area. Having liked the review he stumbled onto via YouTube, he asked if I would be interested in trying some more of what Oliva had to offer. Several days later I received a packe containing the Oliva staple products.

Since doing that first Serie G Maduro review, I’ve been smoking the line on a regular basis. I can easily say that the most smoked cigar in my rotation is the G Maduro. I think that the flavors are crisp and the construction is solid. A well built cigar all the way around.

MP3 Version: Right Click > Save As

Post from: Walt in PA

Cigar of the week: Oliva Serie G Maduro

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More than a year ago I was an active member of an up-and-coming cigar forum. As people got to know one another they began talking about having herfs (local meet ups revolving around cigars). As it turns out, one of these meet ups was being held at my local cigar shop by someone that was coming back to Pennsylvania to visit family.

I decided that I wanted to take part in this get-together and meet some of the people in person that I was conversing with on the forum. This particular herf was small and consisted of about four people in all (apparently, Reading doesn’t have an abundance of forum savvy cigar smokers).

One of the people in attendance was my areas Oliva Cigar representative. We got to talking about a variety of things, cigars being the prime topic of discussion. At some point in the conversation the El Cobre cigar was brought up. The rep went on to tell me that it was produced by Oliva and was only sold in Connecticut at the shop he used to go to when when he lived in the area.

Some time down the line we met up once again, this time he had a couple of El Cobre for me to try. Ever since then I have been hooked on the cigar. It packs alot of punch with lots of flavor, something I have come to enjoy greatly in a night-cap cigar. Any earlier than that and it tends to ruin my palate for other cigars.

The most interesting part of the cigar is its story. I’m told that Jose Oliva was out to dinner with some of the people from this shop in Connecticut. During dinner they got to talking about what makes a cigar enjoyable. Someone mentioned that the more strength it had, the better it was for them. As a bit of a joke, Jose had a bundle of cigars shipped to Connecticut that was fresh off the rolling table and loaded with Ligero.

The guys at the shop got together one night at the shop and unwrapped the oil stained paper from the bundle. Each person lit up a cigar and sunk in their chair from the power. The stick was later nicknamed The Lobotomizer and soon after became the house brand of this shop.

Post from: Walt in PA

Cigar of the Week: El Cobre By Oliva Cigars

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This past weekend was a busy one for me. After a hellish day with a low-flow shower head, I decided to jump in the car and go visit my parents. For the fairly short ride down, I lit up a Flor de Oliva Maduro. This is a pretty inexpensive cigar that I have been smoking fairly regularly as of late. While it isn’t anything terribly complex, it offers solid flavor at an excellent price.

While the Flor de Oliva Maduro was nice, it wasn’t the best cigar of the day. That honor was given to a cigar that I ranked as my #3 cigar of 2008, the Cubao by EO Brands.

The flavors of this cigar really jump out at me and make it very enjoyable. I don’t smoke these terribly often because I am trying to stretch the life of my one and only box. With about nine left at this point, I drop one in my travel humidor from time to time.

Before leaving the house, I decided to try and take a few photos of the stick, just for kicks. I setup the box and an un-cellophaned cigar inside of my makeshift light tent and began playing with my Nikon D40. I really wanted to work the box into the photo, which is incredibly distressed to create an olde world sort of feel.

After about ten shots, the one pictured above is the one that I enjoyed the most. While taking the photos sure was fun, it didn’t compare to lighting the cigar aflame and smoking it.

Post from: Walt in PA

EO Brands Cubao – Cigar of the Week

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The local shop in my area has a great group of guys that are alot of fun to talk to. Everyone in the group has a different background, as a result there are are some very interesting points of view on a variety of subjects. Just like their points of view, their ages vary as well.

After a couple of hours in the lounge, we hear a female voice coming up the stairs from the shop into the lounge. Directly behind this attractive woman is a man and our shop owner. He gives us a quick introduction to the pair of people and informs us that they are with Lars Tetans Cigars.

As time had passed, the group had thinned out and people made their way home. At this point there were probably six people still hanging out. Musashi (the only name I remember) seemed very nice and started telling us a little about Lars Tetans Cigars. She told us how their cigars were not flavored, but aromatic, and that the product was far superior to the Acid line by Drew Estates.

We all listened but were not paying much attention as none of us were a fan of aromatic cigars. Samples of cigars and gourmet chocolates were handed out, as well as a flyer for a show in the area. Everyone kindly accepted the free items and thanked her for her time.

Not being a fan of aromatic cigars, I traded my limited edition in for something without the pungent perfume aroma. What I got in return was another Lars Tetans product that looked appealing. Unfortunately, being in the same bag as all of the aromatics gave it a slight aroma that may kill the enjoyment for me.

After alot of awkward silence, Musashi made her way back down to the shop and went on her way. The awkward silence was most likely due to the age of the guys (early-forties to mid-sixties) being handed a flyer to a show that was totally out of their demographic by a woman with multi-colored hair.

While I don’t have high hopes for the cigars, I appreciated the time and samples.

Front of Flyer

Back of Flyer

My score, minus the tasty chocolate

Post from: Walt in PA

An afternoon at the cigar lounge

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