Kip Fisher - Co-Founder, Author at Half Ashed

Half Ashed Episode 092: My Father Lancero

November 23, 2014 By Kip Fisher

This week, we’re smoking the 7.5” x 38 My Father Lancero (aka No. 4). It features an Ecuadoran Habano Rosado wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler leaf and retails around $9.90 per stick. Our cigars this week are recent production from early 2014. These seem to be a notch or two lower on the strength-o-meter for me in comparison to many other My Father offerings within this line, yet retain much of the prototypical “Pepin spice.” Craig would disagree on that strength rating….so take it with a grain of salt. I really dig the aforementioned spice, but love it when these provide a characteristic citrus sweetness to accompany. This sweetness can at times build into tropical spice/cedar kind of mishmash that I truly enjoy. One of my favorite vitolas in this line….strangely enough, my other favorite is about as opposite as you can get: the #1 (Robusto at 5.2”x52)

In the news this week, we dedicated a bit more time to the study that recently made some bold claims about “cigar smokers” without accurately recording, measuring, or reporting any differentiation between 2-pack per day little cigar smokers and one per week premium handmade long filler cigars. The Stogie Guys have posted an insightful article after some communication with the folks behind this study. Additionally, we covered items from El Primer Mundo, Davidoff, and two interesting Drew Estate stories. As always, we also talked about a few things we’ve been smoking this week and a couple minor updates to the Cigarmy/Half Ashed merge.

One final note for this week: By popular demand, we will be publishing a second video for this show. For those who don’t have the time or desire to watch the entire 1.5-2 hour show, I will be stripping out the portions focused solely on the Cigar of the Week and publishing that on our YouTube channel. It will act as a simplified review for our focal cigar each week. It will generally run 15-20 minutes and cover our thoughts on the cigar at critical stages throughout. A subsequent post will give full details in the next couple of days.

In the next episode we will be featuring the Tatuaje La Verite 2008 as our Cigar of the Week. Be sure to check back in Friday night at 9:30pm EST on our Half Ashed LIVE page, where you can catch the live video feed and join Craig and myself, as well as other listeners, in the chatroom. If you would like to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us through the contact 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!

Half Ashed Episode 091: Tatuaje Belle Encre Reserva

November 19, 2014 By Kip Fisher

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Welcome back for another fun-filled, exciting episode of Half Ashed! This marks the 91st episode of the show, and features the Tatuaje Belle Encre Reserva as our Cigar of the Week. The cigar was one of Kip’s selections, and he described it thusly:

The Tatuaje Belle Encre Reserva was a limited run of the Belle Encre (5 ⅜” x 48 perfecto), featuring a CT Broadleaf wrapper rather than the Ecuadoran Habano found on the standard line. It’s packed with the same internal components as the regular line (Nicaraguan throughout). This was released early this year as part of the 10th Anniversary product lineup from Tatuaje, and features the 10th Anniversary band. The standard Habano-wrapped version will continue, although the Reserva was limited, and may or may not see the light of day once again. These retailed at ~$11/stick, which was about $1 more per cigar than the standard line. Total production was just under 2000 boxes of 22 (just shy of 44k cigars). I did a brief comparison of the two back in May 2014.

In the news, we covered items from Smoke Inn’s Microblend Series, Casa Fernandez, Villiger, and Davidoff. Legislatively, there were stories from Nebraska and Massachusetts. As always, we wrapped up with what we’ve been smoking, talked through the ongoing upgrades to Half Ashed and covered a listener email from Ian Winchester.

In the next episode we will be featuring one of Kip’s favorites, the My Father #4 Lancero. Be sure to check back in Friday night at 9:30pm EST on halfashed.com where you can catch us recording and participate in the new and much improved chatroom. If you would like to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us through the contact 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.

News: El Primer Mundo Ends Distribution Agreement with PDR

November 17, 2014 By Kip Fisher

El Primer Mundo Cigars & PDR Cigars End Distribution Arrangement

According to a press release received from El Primer Mundo yesterday, the Atlanta based company’s cigars will no longer be distributed by PDR Cigars USA. The agreement had been in lace since May of 2013. El Primer Mundo will distribute its product lines through an existing network of independent sales brokers throughout the United States; Asian distribution will be handled via partner ChindAsia Lifestyle Group.

Brand founder and owner Sean Williams was quoted in the release as saying, “I’m really excited about fine tuning the focus as we move into 2015. This past year has been a whirlwind. We launched a new product with Costa Fuerte, re-launched Epifania, and basically repackaged the whole line-up, including La Hermandad. This was all done while Abe and the factory were major league busy doing great new stuff for PDR as well as a number of other brands.“

Abe Flores and the Pinar Del Rio factory make cigars for a number of brands, including Gurkha, Kristoff, La Palina, Ortega and one of this podcaster’s favorites: Frank Herrera’s Biography. Two blends coming from this factory were selected in Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 in 2013. Existing Epifania, La Hermandad and Costa Fuerte lines will continue to be produced by PDR in Tamboril, Dominican Republic.

“Abe makes great cigars and I’ve really enjoyed making my lines with him. I definitely look forward to continuing with the relationship,” said Williams of the ongoing relationship.

El Primer Mundo was founded in 2006, and has been well received over the years, with accolades to include a Cigar Trophy nomination for Best Brand USA in 2013 for its Epifania line. Williams believes the next 12 months should be an exciting time for EPM as he looks forward to a number of new projects, including work on El Primer Mundo’s 10th Anniversary Cigar slated for release in 2015.
www.elprimermundo.com

Accessory Review: ScrewPop 2.0

November 14, 2014 By Kip Fisher

Regular readers will know that I don’t often do accessory reviews, having only done so on relatively few occasions. That being said, the folks at ScrewPop sent me a sample of their new tool to try out and I thought the experience I’ve had warranted mention. If you’re not familiar, the ScrewPop Cigar Punch is a multi-functional tool serves both as cigar punch and bottle opener. It will clip to your keychain or anything else you can fit the end clip on. I actually used and carried the original version attached to my keychain or travel humidor for a while, but…frankly…the blade was a bit overmatched by my typical usage. It produced a narrower cut than I normally opt for when electing to use a cigar punch, and the honed angle on the blade was too steep. A steep slope on a cutting blade will, of course, eventually lead to a poor cut and mangled head.

Back in May, I posted a notice on The Cigarmy when the company announced that ScrewPop 2.0 was in the works. But when a package arrived from the company a couple weeks ago, I didnt’ really know what to expect. I’m happy to report that I have been using the device almost exclusively since I got it and have to admit it’s remarkably better built than the original.

Here are the differences I’ve noted, and a couple production notes:

Complete redesign of the mechanism. Originally, the blade was on the body of the ScrewPop, and a cap was threaded to cover it. This left an internal chamber that held the cut plugs from cigars until you picked them out. Now, in what I believe a much better design, the cutter screws off the body – and the body goes entirely through the cutting apparatus so that plugs are discarded every time you put it back together. This is a sweeping improvement.
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The blade material is thinner and sharpened to a better edge. It appears to even be ported on the inside, allowing for a smoother cut when twisted. On top of the design change, this is another welcome change. What good would a gadget be if it couldn’t make a clean cut?
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The bore seems to be bigger on the 2.0. I’m not sure this is actually the case; this could stem from the improved angle of sharpening on the blade. In any event, the new version produces a much cleaner, freer opening than I remember.
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The production quality remains solid. Version 2.0 is still constructed entirely of aluminum and stainless steel, but simply “feels” better made. The threaded connection and properly sized O-ring cushion create a better fit when reassembling the punch.
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As always, the materials make it rust resistant and durable. I don’t see any real weakness in handling and use. I’d be comfortable attaching it to travel humidor, keyring, zipper pulls, or wherever else I might need a cutter or opener.
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As I mentioned, I’ve been using the new one. A lot. Overall, I couldn’t be more pleased. The only change that could be construed as a negative is that the price has gone up from about $8 to almost $15 – however, I believe it’s still a worthwhile investment. I’ve paid more for cigar punches on at least two different occasions where I was disappointed in short order. At the $14.95 mark, I would be comfortable replacing mine should I need to in the future. Of course I’m the guy that would rather just pay more and get a useful product rather than save a buck and grumble about it for its entire life….

** 52 ring cigar pictured for scale **

Cigar Review: Kuuts Nicaraguan Blend Toro

November 13, 2014 By Kip Fisher

Kuuts Nicaraguan background

I recently received a few samples from Kuuts Cigars, including their new Kuuts Nicaraguan Blend. Never one to delay an opportunity to have a cigar or three, I decided to review them today. The line is available in five vitolas (Momentos (4”x48; $4.90), Pequeño (4.5”x58; $5.50), Robusto (5”x52; $5.80), Toro (6”x52; $6.10) and Gordo (7”x60; $6.90)), and ranges from $4.90-$6.90 in the Florida market. All five are available in 20 count boxes. The wrapper selected for this blend is Ecuadoran, with Nicaraguan binder/fillers. I smoked three of the toros in preparation for today’s review. The cigars are produced at the company’s Compañia Hondureña de Tabacos factory in Danli, Honduras.

Pre Light

The Nicaraguan Blend has a light- to medium golden-brown wrapper with a smooth, clean complexion and moderate veining. A slight oily sheen can be felt along its length. The pack is even throughout. The pre-light aroma is faint, with some hay and perhaps a mote of cinnamon at the foot. The cold draw is mostly of hay, also faint in fervor and more savory than I would have expected based on the aroma alone.

The Smoke

Once fire has been applied, I get a moderate dose of spice with a core of cedar during the initial puffs. There’s the slightest hint of sweetness…but only on occasion. The spice will hold steady throughout this first third, neither increasing nor waning. There is some resistance to burn on one side of the cigar during this time as well, requiring a couple of touchups. For full disclosure, I will also mention that one of the three cigars was excessively tight; I will go forward believing this to be merely an anomaly until I’ve smoked a few more to be clear. The other two were well within normal tolerances, including today’s example which was near perfect.

Going into the second third, I’m surprised with the peppery spice. Not by its intensity (still moderate), but its persistence. Unlike many cigars that subdue as one progresses through it, the Kuuts Nicaraguan Blend has held an even keel. This modulated spice, accompanied by the sweet cedar, produces an almost anisette or Tonkin flavor not unlike some of the more tame Lakeland District Virginias. Personally, I find this very pleasant. The burn on today’s example has come around and is behaving very well at this point.

The final stretch of the Kuuts Nicaraguan Blend is ushered in with an uptick in the spice and drop in sweetness. The cedar takes on a more prominent role during this time, and the character of the smoke becomes more savory – even drawing out an occasional salivary response. The cedar has less of an edge than one might ordinarily expect, which lends to some more general woodsiness. It has a clear oaken bent to it at times. The final third is the time at which the Kuuts Nicaraguan Blend develops it most “Nicaraguan” character, morphing into a profile more in line with what many would consider the modern Nicaraguan flavor palette. Near the very end, a flavor resembling toasted marshmallow came through, albeit fleeting. Some wandering of the burnline occurs, but never problematically.

Summary

Overall, this has been a very enjoyable cigar. It skirted the “90” benchmark, and had the minor burn/pack issues not presented, it would have likely broken that barrier. The strength is modest and flavors bold but refined. It’s well balanced, and provided an interesting, enjoyable smoke throughout. I would not hesitate to keep some around. In fact, since receiving these I learned that my local shop has brought in the line – and have picked up a few extras to enjoy.

Pros

Exceptional price point
Bold but refined flavors; moderate strength

Cons

Possible inconsistencies, based only on 3 samples
Flavor could have been more pronounced

Cigar Review: Joya de Nicaragua Joya Red Toro

November 10, 2014 By Kip Fisher

Joya Red background

Back in June, Joya de Nicaragua announced a new blend to be available at IPCPR 2014. The line was dubbed Joya Red, and was marketed as a bit of a departure for the company in that it would forego the typical high-ligero content often present in their cigars. The Joya Red would be more sedate in potency, yet strive to achieve boldness in flavor. It carries a Nicaraguan Habana wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan filler from Jalapa, Condega, and Esteli. Four vitolas are available, the Short Churchill (4.75” x 48), Robusto (5.25” x 50), Cañonazo (5.5” x 54), and Toro (6” x 52). Today, I’m taking a look at the Toro, which retails for about $5.50 per stick in boxes of 20 or $7 for singles in the Tampa market. Three examples have been smoked for this review, furnished by Joya de Nicaragua/Drew Estate.

Pre-Light

The wrapper leaf on the Joya Red is light to medium brown, with consistently even coloration. The complexion presents light to moderate veining and very light oils. I failed to find any anomalies in density, and despite an overall dense feel the draw was near perfect on all three. Pre-light, the aroma on both wrapper and foot was faint and hay like – not unlike some Rattrays’ Virginia blends, for all you pipe smokers out there.

The samples I’ve smoked have been generally put together well, as evidenced by the self-correcting burn (to be discussed later) and “goldilocks” draw. There were a few minor defects in the wrapper application and specifically with a split cap on the final example smoked. It appeared the cap had torn while being applied, as it was spread widely across the head (not simply a crack from storage conditions or handling). The cold draw was somewhat nondescript, with fresh hay being the predominant flavor. I would say the same of the pre-light aroma.

The Smoke

At first puff, the Joya Red provides a bit of spice, but not at especially high levels. In fact, without retrohale you may not even feel it at all. The flavor is leathery and supplemented very nicely by a bit of tangerine sweetness. This largely sums up my experiences during the entire first third of each cigar, with one minor addition of a comment about the burn. This cigar, in all examples, provided a burn that consistently fooled me. Just when I would think it to be wandering out of my comfort zone, it would self-correct into a perfect line. Late in each experience, the Joya Red did require a touchup or two; however, only once did the burn become unruly and venture outside normal expected maintenance. I am still impressed with the blending skill involved to produce such a (mostly) self-healing burn line.

Throughout the midsection, I found that the earlier mentioned citrus flavor develops considerably, although it is tempered by no small amount of sweet spice – I likened it to allspice. The sharper spice felt on the retrohale subsided quite a bit by this point, and has been replaced by the underlying leathery quality.

The final stretch of the Joya Red delivers a noticeable uptick in strength, and a fading of the earlier sweetness. The flavor morphs into a more tannic profile, and can become very slightly bitter if you don’t mind your cadence. The effect is easily nullified with slowing down the rate at which you are smoking the cigar. The citrus has evaporated by now, and been replaced with a sharper leather predominance, with a somewhat woodsy character. It’s still pleasant, and a welcome deviation from the sweetness. The burn is more problematic than earlier, but still manageable.

Summary

Pros

Sweetspot pricing
Exceptional Balance of Strength & Flavor

Cons

Perhaps a bit mild for average JdN smoker
Some burn issues

Half Ashed Episode 090: Blessed Leaf Kairos

November 8, 2014 By Kip Fisher

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Welcome to Episode #090, featuring the Blessed Leaf Kairos. This week, we’re smoking one of my favorites, a blend created by the minds behind Ezra Zion Cigars and Casa Fernandez. Here’s a bit of background:

“The Kairos was put out by the “cigar ministry” arm of the Ezra Zion guys – ~~BlessedLeaf.com~~. They decided to add a line from which sales would support various Christian ministries and missions (for full disclosure, I (Kip) am actually a beneficiary of this ministry, as a donation was made toward my move into full time mission work in the Dominican Republic….so take my whole opinion for what it’s worth….however, I’m supremely confident that those who enjoy potent Nicaraguan tobacco will like it). It is produced at the Miami Casa Fernandez factory, as is often the case with Ezra Zion blends. The partnership works well for my tastes. I’m a big fan of both companies, and enjoy the blends they’ve produced together. Kairos has a great deal of symbolism in the packaging (which I can detail on the forum if anyone’s interested). The blend consists of a Nicaraguan Corojo 99 Rosado wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler leaf from both Esteli and Jalapa. It comes in a singular 6.25” x 52 box pressed vitola. A total of only 4,000 cigars were produced in 20-ct boxes and 5-packs…..and I have box #1 (which I paid for). When it was first released, I felt it ever-so slightly in need of a bit more “polish” or marriage in the blend. I have not lit one up in a few months now, so I’m hoping the wait has paid off. In typical Casa Fernandez / Ezra Zion fashion, this is not a cigar for those with weak constitution...” — Kip

In the news, we cover stories from our friends at La Tradicion Cubana and TL Johnson, some interesting survey stats from CigarSense (Craig was not a fan…), CAO, Viva Republica, and a legislative update from Nebraska. We also kick around some talk about a new study beginning to filter out from FDA. As always, we also covered a few of the cigars we’ve enjoyed this week and wrapped up some further improvements that have been made for the Half Ashed site.

In the next episode we will be featuring one of Craig’s favorites, so be sure to check back in Friday night at 9:30pm EST on halfashed.com where you can catch us recording and participate in the new and much improved chatroom. If you would like to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us through the contact 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.

News: Drew Estate Announces “Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve” Cigars

November 7, 2014 By Kip Fisher

Drew Estate Announces “Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve” Premium Handmade Cigars

Miami, FL – Drew Estate announced today their exclusive manufacturing agreement with Pappy & Company, as well as the new “Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve” premium handmade cigar. This new cigar will be produced at Drew Estate’s Estelí, Nicaragua factory and is being made in partnership with Pappy & Company. Pappy & Company is the family-‐owned merchandise division of Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery, producers of legendary whiskies including Pappy Van Winkle bourbon.

The “Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve” cigar will be [Read more…]

News: Viva Republica Announces Fundraising LE Cigar

November 5, 2014 By Kip Fisher

November 5, 2014 – Premium handmade cigar manufacturer Viva Republica and Operation: Cigars for Warriors, a nonprofit dedicated to serving U.S. military members serving in combat zones, are pleased to announce a Veteran’s Day limited-edition release cigar that will be sold to benefit the charity. The new cigar features a prototype Nicaraguan wrapper with which Jason Holly (owner of Viva Republica) has been working. It will be available in a single 5.125″ x 42 vitola, and retail for $6. It is described as medium-plus, and designed to be bold and flavorful. He further related that “In terms of the blend, it’s a bit different style than the regular production portfolio.” All proceeds from the wholesale of the cigar to authorized retailers will be going directly to Operation: Cigars for Warriors. The limited edition run of 2,000 cigars is the first of its kind for Viva Republica and will ship to stores next week on Veteran’s Day (November 10^th, 2014).

Not only will this special run be a first for Viva Republica, it will be a first for Operation: Cigars for Warriors as well. The proceeds from the sales of the cigars are expected to be the largest single cash donation in the nonprofit’s history.

“For Veteran’s Day this year I wanted to do something for an organization that I truly believe in,” said Holly. “The volunteers of Operation: Cigars for Warriors work tirelessly to get cigars to the men and women fighting for our country.”

“The support of Viva Republica could not have come at a better time,” said Storm Boen, Chairmen of the Board for Operation: Cigars for Warriors. “Every month we have more requests from active duty troops than our all-volunteer organization can fill and the donation from the sale of Viva’s cigars will be used to defray our shipping costs when sending cigars to troops overseas.”

Retailers can order the cigars from Miami Cigar & Co., the exclusive American distributor of Viva Republica.

ABOUT VIVA REPUBLICA

Viva Republica is a boutique premium handmade cigar manufacturer with all of its production being provided by La Aurora, S.A. Miami Cigar Co. serves as exclusive United States distributor. www.vivarepublica.com Contact Jason Holly: [email protected]

ABOUT OPERATION: CIGARS FOR WARRIORS
Operation: Cigars for Warriors is a 501(C)(3) charity that focuses on collecting and dispersing premium cigars and accessories to American service men and women serving in combat zones. www.cigarsforwarriors.org

Cigar Review: EP Carrillo La Historia Dona Elena

November 4, 2014 By Kip Fisher

EP Carrillo La Historia Background

The La Historia, from EP Carrillo, was recently released to the marketplace. Knowing that I am generally a fan of San Andres leaf, and drawn to the beautiful packaging, I picked up a couple to try on my last trip to the local shop. I’ll admit to being led to buy a new cigar with cool packaging. Without substance, however, no amount of dolling up can sell me another. “Chrome won’t get you home,” as they say back in TN. The line was produced in three vitolas – Dona Elena (6.125×50), E-III (6.875×54), and El Senador (5.375×52). Today, I’m taking a look at the Dona Elena. It carries a Mexican San Andres wrapper over Sumatran binder and Dominican/Nicaraguan fillers. The Dona Elena retails for about $8.25 per stick in the Tampa market. I’ve had two of them so far, with review notes from the second.

Pre-Light

In appearance, the wrapper leaf is quite dark, and essentially even in coloration. Some reddish mottling is present, but nuanced. Oil on the wrapper is moderate, giving it a supple but bumpy texture. While the veins are significant, the seams are well disguised by its coloration. The pack was very even on the first, but I feel some lighter pack density at the head of example number two. A true triple cap has been applied, although a bit wrinkled around the edges of the cap proper. As a side note, you may need to take extra care when removing the bright blue foot band as both mine were very tightly taped and needed the care to avoid damage.

Before lighting, the draw is exceptional in terms of density but light in flavor. It’s somewhat nondescript, but if pressed I’d call it a slightly sweet hay flavor. The aroma is faint as well, with hay on the wrapper and some slight pepper at the foot.

The Smoke

With the first few puffs from La Historia, I’m greeted with considerably more spice than that which I’m accustomed with typical EP Carrillo faire. The early flavors are intense, like a high-cacao dark chocolate, with some accompanying dryness on the palate. Maybe I paid less attention to the first of these I had, but the second is producing voluminous amounts of smoke. Progressing through the first third, the spice subsides a bit but can become shrill with too frequent retrohale.

Throughout the midsection of the La Historia, the flavor waxed and waned considerably. While the initially brighter, cacao-like flavor persisted, some sweetness crept in during this portion of the smoke. This sweetness meandered into some leather at times, and even a hint of nuttiness, but never developed into dominance. During this section, the burn continued to wander, and when ashed I noticed a void where presumably a faster burning leaf had been. This was more observational than practical, as no further tunneling presented.

Coming into the home stretch, I found a sweet crescendo in both examples. In fact, I would (at this early point in the cigar’s history) consider the final portion of the stick to be my favorite. The leathery mid profile, coupled with this growing sweetness, is very pleasant albeit short-lived. The cacao still washes across the palate with the majority of puffs, but has softened quite a bit from the earlier minutes. Also noteworthy during this time is the burn. Despite earlier inconsistencies, the burn improved greatly as I neared the end of both cigars. I am impressed that the cacao stuck around without straying into bitterness during the final moments of the smoke. I smoked it down to a small nub, which is unusual for one often sensitive to the ashy profile that can sometimes develop with San Andres leaf.

Summary

Pros

Pricing
Pleasant Flavors

Cons

Moderate burn issues
Heavy cacao flavor (for some)