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REALLY digging @illusionecigars latest works…

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illusione eccj 20

I’m thoroughly enjoying Dion Giolito’s latest efforts. I fell in LOVE with the Fume D’Amour (see what I did there…). It may very well have supplanted the f9 as my favorite from the illusione stable. After only a few examples, the ECCJ 20th would be a toss-up for 2nd or 3rd on that list. In the end, I’d probably put it in 2nd if it were regular production; 3rd with it being limited. I’ve been a fan for several years, but have to admit illusione is really hitting a stride with my personal preferences in cigars these days. Kudos.

Half Ashed Episode 103: AJ Fernandez New World

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AJ Fernandez New World Gobernador

Welcome to Episode 103 of Half Ashed, featuring the AJ Fernandez New World “Gobernador” as our Cigar of the Week.  This is AJF’s latest major release, coming onto the scene after the 2014 IPCPR tradeshow.  The story behind the name is a celebration of the New World discovery of tobacco some 500 years ago.  Further, they related a bit more info in their press release last July:

The New World Cigar relates to expanding one’s knowledge and questioning the status quo by discovering our personal New Worlds as we go through life. The team at A.J. Fernandez Cigars is grateful for the amazing support we have received from the consumer and therefore will offer the New World Cigar at a value price as we invite everyone to join us on our New World journey.  Furthermore, I am especially proud to announce that my father Ismael Fernandez who recently retired after 17 years with the Plasencia family has now joined the A.J. Fernandez family. New World marks the first cigar that we work on together since he joined the company. “ — A.J. Fernandez

The cigar features a Dark Nicaraguan wrapper, a Jalapan binder and filler blend from Ometepe, Condega & Estelí.  It comes in four vitolas – Navegante (5.5×55), Almirante (5.5×55 belicoso), Gobernador (6.5×55), Virrey (6×60).  The cigar retails for about $5.25-6 each in the Tampa market.

News

In the news, we cover several items, including:

Jonathan Drew posted up some further detail on the Pope of Greenwich Village.  From his Facebook post: “Pope Of Greenwich Village” is a specialty cigar that we created for our friend Abe at Smoke Inn Cigars for his “Micro Batch” series – that he’s been developing for the past five or six years (approx). … I believe that DE is the 10th installment with POGV … This 6×40 sized panatela is unique at‪#‎DrewEstate‬ because we don’t typically make an exclusive size outside our specific brands. Anotherwards, typically when we make the occasional commemorative or limited product such as Dogma or Shady15 or Def Sea or Cafe con Leche – it falls below a certain brand. This time it’s different and stands on it’s own. … the Pope Of Greenwich Village is strong, sound, and balanced, not a beginners cigar – but not made to blow your pretty head off your body. Please look for the limited release from Smoke Inn coming soon. They come in Soft Pack 10’s and ain’t that many of them. I BELIEvE that they retail for about $7.95 or so, but maybe a bit off. … Tonight is the Great Smoke Pre-Dinner and Drew Estate is honored to be the special guest with our friends at Smoke Inn.

We failed to mention it last week, but our condolences to the Padron family.  Jose Orlando Padron’s brother Estelo Padron – retired head of Villazon’s Honduran American Tobacco S.A. passed away, and was laid to rest 2/10.  He was 87 years of age.

Another Nebraska update!  As we mentioned a couple weeks ago, a bill was put forth to clarify the NE legislature’s intent NOT to include cigar bars & shops under the existing smoking ban.  The new bill specifically exempts such establishments, and has passed by a margin of 45-3!  The bill now goes to the governor who has until next week to either sign or veto (no pocket veto….no action = the bill becoming law).

There have been a few news items with various cigar companies building/establishing their presence in other non-US markets.  Most recently, CLE/Asylum partnered with a German distributor.  I’m wondering if this is typical organic growth, or if cigar companies are hedging their bets against an increasingly tough US market – whether because of increasing legislation/regulation or the possibility of an open Cuban-US market in the years to come….tune in for our total speculative thoughts on the matter.

Dante Cigars is putting out their next release – the Purple Mofo.  Like other offerings, this will be a Casa Fernandez produced cigar, laden with AGANORSA, and is to be produced at CF’s Miami rolling operation.  It will be a limited release of 1500 corona gordas, in 50 20-ct bundles and 100, 5-packs.  The line will only be released to a few retailers – including Burns in Chattanooga, UnderGround Cigar Shop (Ft Worth, TX), WestSide Humidor (Wichita, KS) and Cigar Federation’s online store.  Criollo wrapper over ‘99 corojo binder and Estelian fillers.  Due out mid-late March.

Knowing Craig’s penchant for enjoying Quesada’s cigars, I thought I’d mention the latest news from them.  Cigar Aficionado reported from this past week’s ProCigar event on the Quesada Reserva Privada, available in 3 vitolas (4.75” x 52, 5.625” x 54, and 6.5” x 56).  It is set to debut this Spring, and will feature tobacco from a 1997 crop.  It will carry an EC -CT seed wrapper over DR Criollo 98 (97 crop), and DR San Vincente / PA Ligero filler leaf.  The cigar will reportedly be held for aging at the factory for one year beyond rolling.  Releases will initially be limited to “key retailers,” and should ramp up at this year’s tradeshow…

What We’ve Been Smoking

Craig –

La Gianna Havana Maduro – Toro – From United Tobacco made for David Garafolo’s daughter Gianna. A Honduran cigar with a nice cookie sweetness. The problem lies with the style of blending, not the blend itself. It’s stronger than the flavors “want” to be and is almost rough & Alec Bradley-like. Very similar but sweeter to the Alec Bradley Tempus I reviewed on Halfashed.com for the blind review last month.

EPC 5 Year – This is a good cigar that needs some time. There are great flavors there but I feel like they’re muddied or almost blinded by some of the tobacco characteristics.

Kip –

illusione ECCJ 20th

Leccia Luchador re-revisited

Oliva V lancero

Wrap Up

Next episode we will be featuring a yet-to-be-determined selection from Craig.  Be sure to tune in Friday night at 9:30pm EST and hang out with us in the chatroom during the show.  If you would like to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us via the “Contact Us!” tab at the side of this page, or at the following emails:[email protected] [email protected]. Please feel free to drop us a line if you have any questions you’d like answered, comments to make…or even compliments and complaints.  We love to get your emails!  Also, remember you can always go back and listen to previous episodes, which can be found in the Half Ashed Archive.  You can download this week’s audio directly below (right-click “Download” and save), find us on iTunes, or subscribe with any podcast app at our RSS Feed.  Video, as always, will be available at the Half Ashed YouTube Channel.

P.S. – If you have unbanded suggestions or contributions, you can get those to us by sending an [email protected].  This email address goes directly to my wife, so you can simply suggest an unbanded cigar for her to source, or send me an email to [email protected] if you have something you’d like to send in.  I will provide an address to send them.  Thanks!

Cigar Review: United Cigar Garofalo

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United Cigar Garofalo background

Unlike my esteemed Half Ashed co-host, I am “that guy” who likes to try out as many different, new cigars as I am able.  So, I was excited a couple weeks ago to find a package on the doorstep from Barry Stein.  Inside were a few samples, including the new Garofalo from United Cigars.  The company is owned by David Garofalo, who has been a cigar retailer for over 3 decades at the Two Guys Smoke Shop chain in New Hampshire.  On the United Cigar Group website, Garofalo is described as:

He’s not a cigar maker with a history of a Cuban family that has been growing and cultivating tobacco for generations. He does not wear a fancy hat, or ride a horse or wear a Guevara [sic] shirt like all the cliche ads in the cigar magazines. He is David Garofalo, an Italian American that was born and brought up in inner-city Boston, a man who has spent over 30 years as a cigar retailer and is obsessed with cigars.

After more than half his life in the cigar industry, David has decided to launch his own cigar.  The Garofalo blend is comprised of Jalapa and Esteli filler tobaccos and a Nicaraguan binder, cloaked in an Ecuadoran Connecticut wrapper.  It is available in four vitolas, a 5”x50 robusto, 5”x54 torpedo, 6”x52 toro and 7”x50 churchill.  Today’s review is for the robusto, which has launched with a $6.79 MSRP.

Pre Light

The Garofalo has moderate veining and a lightly colored wrapper that telegraphs every underlying bump, giving it a somewhat rumpled appearance.  The samples I received were  slightly soft but evenly packed with no voids nor dense spots.  Once clipped, the draw was just a bit more open than I would deem perfect, but certainly within normal expectations.  The cold draw provided a mild hay flavor, while the unlit aroma was sugary and sweet, eliciting associations with molasses and sweet oats.

The Smoke

united cigar garofalo bThe initial puffs were surprisingly filled with a bright spice; not a spice such as comes across aggressively on the palate, but predominantly felt through the nose on retrohale.  The cigar took to fire quite readily – in fact, it lit amazingly quick and even.  From the beginning, it produced no small amount of smoke.  Throughout the first third of the cigar, a general nuttiness prevails as the dominant flavor.  There were a few occasions when a slight vegetal note would come through, but they were sporadic and fleeting.  By the end of this first third, a bit of sweetness has crept in.  I should note that I paired some plain, black coffee with one of the samples, which seemed to amplify this sweetness.  Generally, when I smoke Connecticut-wrapped cigars, I like to at least try them in this way.  I find the crisp, cedary coffee will often provide a backdrop that really brings the sweetness out in the leaf.

Breaching the second third of the Garofalo, I grew a bit more impressed with its construction.  I had some initial reservations with the each of the two samples, mistakenly preconceiving that they might smoke a bit hot and airy due to the open draw.  My fears were allayed each time, however.  By this point in the smoke, each had settled in and were performing admirably.  The earlier nuttiness fades around this point – although still present, it is muted in comparison to the first 20 minutes of the cigar.  A faint, sweet lemon flavor presented late in the second third of each of my Garofalos.  Think lemonade vs. lemon juice here; it’s not a sharp citrus flavor, but perhaps more akin to sour orange with its sweet and sour admixture.  I found it to be an entertaining turn of events.  The cigars would continue to burn very well, holding an ash just past an inch each time before collapsing into the ashtray when I would place it on the cradle.

The final portion of the Garofalo presented further development of the sweetness present at midpoint, and a return of a more pronounced nuttiness.  A small amount of the initial spice reentered the playing field as well.  For any coffee drinkers out there, I would again recommend trying the Garofalo with your café of choice.  While it is a personal preference for me, I believe the combination really showcases the flavors of each.

Summary

I am on record as not being the biggest fan of Connecticut wrapper leaf.  In fact, there are precious few blends that I frequently reach for which carry it.  I will, however, confess that the Garofalo has made the short list for me.  The construction was spot-on, the interplay of nutty and sweet flavors quite pleasant, and the price is definitely refreshing in light of today’s plethora of $10+ sticks.  If you’re a Connecticut fan, you’ll dig the Garofalo; if you aren’t you still just might….

Half Ashed Episode 102: Robaina Farm Roll

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Robaina Farm Rolled Cañonazo

Welcome to another fun- and (mostly) fact-filled episode of Half Ashed.  This week, we’re smoking the 2005 Robaina Farm Rolled Cañonazo.  Craig describes it thusly:

A beautifully delicate cigar of 6-⅛” x 54. An incredibly delicate wrapper closes the foot of this nutty and fruity tasting cigar rolled, and grown completely, at the Robaina farm in Pinar del Rio. The plantation, known as Cuchillas de barbacoa, was run at the time by famed Cuban tobacco man, Alejandro Robaina. These cigars are from early in 2005 and have been in my possession since. These are polarizing, to say the least, but have a long history of being a destination cigar of those visiting Havana and the tobacco growing region of Vuelto Abajo.

News

In the news, we covered several noteworthy items including:

Eddie Ortega (Ortega Cigars), Sean Williams (El Primer Mundo), and Erik Espinosa (La Zona/Espinosa) are gearing up for a very interesting venture wherein they trade around blending styles and manufacturing capacity.

Florida Senator Bill Nelson has introduced a bill aimed at protecting premium cigars.

Gurkha throws their hat in the ring with the Maharaja, another “Ultra Premium” cigar….set to retail around the $500 mark.  Per stick.  You read that right.

Black Label Trading Company is expanding their footprint with a new factory in Esteli.

Finally, we had an update on 2015 February pricing changes around the industry.  They are beginning to trickle out.

What We’ve Been Smoking

Craig – RoMaCraft CroMagnon Mode 5 and Intemperance EC XXI, Jose Blanco’s Señorial, and the Casa Trompeta “Bahia” South America

Kip – Fuente’s Casa Cuba revisited, Sam Leccia’s Luchador, and the Fuente Don Carlos “Sr. Blend”

Listener Email

We reviewed one listener email, from Frank Halayko:

I have noticed a problem with my cigars since I have arrived in Florida, I keep getting tar at the head of the cigar after less than half the cigar is gone. I have been using the Xikar V-Cutter and really like it for about 8 months. After a week in Florida I have noticed a sharp increase in tar coming out of my cigars about 70%, I was wondering if the travel, Humidity I am smoking in, or just the shallowness of the cut is doing this, I am getting paranoid so I check them frequently so I don’t get it in my mouth but still a Pain in the butt???  I also posted it in the Forum under show questions

Wrap Up

We wrapped up with the announcement of our recent giveaway winners – congrats to Officer Paul and Ian Winchester!  Your prizes are on the way.

Next episode we will be featuring the AJ Fernandez New World.  Be sure to tune in Friday night at 9:30pm EST and hang out with us in the chatroom during the show.  If you would like to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us via the “Contact Us!” tab at the side of this page, or at the following emails: [email protected] [email protected]. Please feel free to drop us a line if you have any questions you’d like answered, comments to make…or even compliments and complaints.  We love to get your emails!  Also, remember you can always go back and listen to previous episodes, which can be found in the Half Ashed Archive.  You can download this week’s audio directly below (right-click “Download” and save), find us on iTunes, or subscribe with any podcast app at our RSS Feed.  Video, as always, will be available at the Half Ashed YouTube Channel.

P.S. – If you have unbanded suggestions or contributions, you can get those to us by sending an email [email protected].  This email address goes directly to my wife, so you can simply suggest an unbanded cigar for her to source, or send me an email to [email protected] if you have something you’d like to send in.  I will provide an address to send them.  Thanks!

They’re just better in Santiago….

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My smoke o’ the evening with my cohort here in Santiago is a Fuente Casa Cuba. While I know it’s largely (or entirely) psychological, Dominican cigars just taste better in their native land. Call it mind tricks, silliness, or kismet….they’re just better. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it…..

Half Ashed Episode 101: Unbanded 020

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episode 101

*I failed to take a pic of tonight’s 6.25″x52 torpedo, so enjoy this picture of a giant stick made by my buddy Arnold!

 

Unbanded #020, suggested by Steve McHenry

Welcome to Episode 101, featuring our 20th Unbanded cigar, suggested by listener Steve McHenry (Thanks Steve for the submission…tune in to see how it went!).  This Unbanded was a bit of a surprise to both of us at the grand reveal.  I don’t believe either of us had any familiarity with the cigar, and I think it shows :).  Give a listen and find out what this 6.25″ x 52 beauty turned out to be!

News

In the news, we covered several items, including the following stories:

Well, I suppose it had to happen some time. Christian Eiroa put up a pic this week for an 8”x80 behemoth coming from Asylum. Madness.

The follow up to a cigar we’ve featured – the eccj from illusione – is out nationally. The eccj 20th shipped this past week. 6.25”x48 with Nicaraguan Corojo 99 wrapper over Nicaraguan Criollo 98 & 99 fillers. 15 count boxes with an MSRP of about $12/stick.

 HB1590 in VA looks to increase various tobacco taxes, including an increase from 10% to 60% of wholesale on cigars! That will basically make Virginians’ $10 cigars jump to $15! It includes several other complex increases on loose tobacco and cigarettes, but I knew a healthy number of the audience calls VA home and would want to know they’d better contact the reps….**UPDATE** Virginians dodged a bullet. This bill was tabled on Wednesday, which effectively kills it….for this session. I little doubt it won’t resurface soon.

In what’s a clear pattern with Crowned Heads, they have another LE coming soon. Some time between Feb-March, they’ll be releasing a 6×38 petit lancero called the Single Action. It will be an extension of the JDH Reserve line, and only have a production run of 2000 boxes of 10. MSRP is at $9.25/stick. Brazilian Aripiraca wrapper over Ecuadoran Sumatran binder and Nicaraguan fillers.

While I’m not a huge Viaje fan in general, I do love their SuperShot series, which hasn’t been shipped since 2013. Well, it’s coming back and will be shipping to retailers this week. This time, there is no Corojo version; only the Criollo. It comes in two sizes: the 10 Gauge (3.5”x54) and 12 Gauge (3.25”x52). I’m a sucker for the shotgun shell box-packaging on this line as well as the cigar itself….

What We’ve Been Smoking

Craig – Club Havana Laguito#2 (short Lancero), Elogio Habano, Quesada 40th, The Smoking Jacket

Kip – Avo XO Intermezzo (robusto), Gran Habano GH2

Listener Email

Officer Paul gave us an update on my advice for rehydrating some pipe tobacco from a couple weeks ago:

It worked. I put the tobacco in a canning jar with the cap of water  after s few days the water was almost gone but the tobacco was the same. I think I was humidifying the air. I moved the tobacco to s much smaller Tupperware container and put another cap of water inside. After 4 or 5 days the tobacco was back. Moist and holding together somewhen I squeeze it but not completely sticking together. I’ll light it up during tonight’s show to be sure.

Wrap Up

Next episode we will be featuring one of Craig’s favorites as our Cigar of the Week – 2005 Vega Robaina Farm Rolled.  Be sure to tune in next week [monitor our Twitter/FB feeds for exact time this week; I’ll be traveling and unavailable during normal recording time].  If you would like to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us via the “Contact Us!” tab at the side of this page, or at the following emails: [email protected] [email protected]. Please feel free to drop us a line if you have any questions you’d like answered, comments to make…or even compliments and complaints.  We love to get your emails!  Also, remember you can always go back and listen to previous episodes, which can be found in the Half Ashed Archive.  You can download this week’s audio directly below (right-click “Download” and save), find us on iTunes, or subscribe with any podcast app at our RSS Feed.  Video, as always, will be available at the Half Ashed YouTube Channel.

P.S. – If you have unbanded suggestions or contributions, you can get those to us by sending an email [email protected].  This email address goes directly to my wife, so you can simply suggest an unbanded cigar for her to source, or send me an email to [email protected] if you have something you’d like to send in.  I will provide an address to send them.  Thanks!

Half Ashed Episode 100: 2005 Opus X Double Corona

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opus x double corona

2005 Opus X Double Corona

Ten years ago, the Fuente Fuente Opus X Double Corona received high honors from Cigar Aficionado in receiving the 2005 “#1 Cigar of the Year” award.  The 7 5/8” x 49 Dominican puro is just one vitola in what is one of the most widely-known and sought after regular production Dominican cigars.  Tonight’s examples are the last of my stockpile from that year, and I wish I’d had the wherewithal to put more away at the time.  It really was a good year.  When young, these were full of café con leche and sharp leather, but as the years have gone by they’ve softened quite a bit and gotten more oatmeal-like in character, a profile I love in the Opus after a few years’ time.  Strangely enough, this larger vitola comes across with far less strength than I normally attribute to the line, especially in comparison to some of its smaller brethren….which is probably why I like this bigger size despite my general tendencies toward smaller cigars.

Guest and News

We have special guest Colin Ganley in this episode, so rather than cover our typical news format we chatted with him about recent news in his world – which will likely be of interest to those of us who enjoy a good cigar and/or coffee to go with it.  Formerly with Cigar Journal, Colin heads up cigartourism.com these days, as well as Twin Engine Coffee (a small batch Nicaraguan coffee whose philosophy is “that it can be enjoyed purely—free of defects, and showcase the differences in character brought by terroir, care for beans, and roasting.  We work to develop roasts for each coffee that we produce to accentuate these characteristics“).  We talked a good bit about Twin Engine, as I’m keenly interested in their product…as well as that which they are now producing for RoMaCraft Tobac, which is intended to be paired with the Intemperance line.  However, the big news of the night is that Colin will be leading his first American group to Cuba under the new guidelines and his recently granted permit for doing so.  The initial details can be found at the Cigar Tourism “Cuba” page – but full details, which will be available at experiencecubanculture.com are not yet available (although we did cover many of them during the show).

Wrap Up

Next week we will be featuring Unbanded #020 as our Cigar of the Week.  Be sure to tune in Friday night at 9:30pm EST and hang out with us in the chatroom during the show.  If you would like to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us via the “Contact Us!” tab at the side of this page, or at the following emails: [email protected] or [email protected]. Please feel free to drop us a line if you have any questions you’d like answered, comments to make…or even compliments and complaints.  We love to get your emails!  Also, remember you can always go back and listen to previous episodes, which can be found in the Half Ashed Archive.  You can download this week’s audio directly below (right-click “Download” and save), find us on iTunes, or subscribe with any podcast app at our RSS Feed.  Video, as always, will be available at the Half Ashed YouTube Channel.

P.S. – If you have unbanded suggestions or contributions, you can get those to us by sending an email to [email protected].  This email address goes directly to my wife, so you can simply suggest an unbanded cigar for her to source, or send me an email to [email protected] if you have something you’d like to send in.  I will provide an address to send them.  Thanks!

Humidor Diving

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My wife is not a cigar smoker. She has had a few over the years, but one cigar every year or two doesn’t really qualify her as such. That being said, she does know what she likes – which is basically one of three different marques. She enjoys the Avo XO, Ashton Classic panatela or Fuente Between the Lines. Ever the encouraging husband, I typically keep one or two of each of those cigars around (except the Between the Lines.we have a number of those tucked away).

I was in an adventuresome (read:fickle) mood this morning, and went digging into the depths of the humidor looking for something that struck my fancy. I came across the Avo’s I’d put away for her..two little XO Intermezzos (5.5″x50). I figured “Hey.these things have been in here for years. It doesn’t appear she has designs on smoking them any time soon. I might as well fire one up.” So, I just moments ago sat down set it alight.

Time has been kind.

I was never a huge Avo fan. Don’t get me wrong, I have enjoyed a number of the company’s offerings over the years; it’s just that there have never been any I felt compelled to stockpile deeply for the long haul. Just minutes into this little guy, I’m feeling a tinge of regret over that decision. I don’t know if it’s a fluke, or if this line is prone to mature in the same way, but this cigar has developed a rich, clean – almost minty – flavor that is absolutely charming. It’s chocked full of savory, mouthwatering Sweet-Tart deliciousness. Even the cold draw before lighting was delightful. It’s been several years since I’ve smoked an XO, but I certainly don’t remember being so captivated by the blend at the time. Definitely not to this degree. I have one more with the same time under its belt in my humidor. If it’s as good as this one, I see a good chance of putting some away for a rainy day.

I’ve asked recently about your favorites that might not be so well known to the rest of us.but what are some that may have national recognition, yet have fallen out of the public eye because they’re not the “latest, greatest blend”? Maybe there’s a cigar deep in your humidor just begging for you to take it out and enjoy the heck out of it “just because.” Something, perhaps, that you’ve even covered over with other cigars or forgotten about. Dig in there and find them..and let me know if you find any gems!