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Cigar smokers?

mdsphotomdsphotoMember
quote:
Originally posted by stickman:
Enjoyed an Ezra Zion Live Free or Die for Independence Day. It seemed fitting in a Patrick Henry sort of way. Love that cigar! So much complexity that talking about transitions or thirds of the cigar don't seem relevant. Very potent (my buddy had to put his down a little more than half way through), featuring leather and black licorice, but frequent intermittent notes of a soft tanginess, dark chocolate, amber ale, and even a banana-like sweetness. Otherwise, I've had a couple disappointments of late. Maybe I've been spoiled. <shrug>


Saw that Ezra Zion has re-acquired Cigar Federation, explains why the left Boutique Brands, the former House of Emilio.
S stickmanMember
quote:
Originally posted by haggis:
Earlier this week, I smoked a 2008 Sancho Panza belicoso. Cocoa, dried mushroom, hints of licorice. This remains one of my favorites and wish I had a box of them, so I'll have to make last the ones I have.

Nice! I've never tried a Sancho Panza. I'll keep an eye peeled for 'em; you've piqued my interest!
S stickmanMember
quote:
Originally posted by mdsphoto:
quote:
Originally posted by stickman:
Enjoyed an Ezra Zion Live Free or Die for Independence Day... Maybe I've been spoiled. <shrug>


Saw that Ezra Zion has re-acquired Cigar Federation, explains why the left Boutique Brands, the former House of Emilio.

Re-acquired is right. It seems like a curious relationship to me. It was only 3 years ago that Chris and Kyle sold the online social media network to Logan Lawler, who has since expanded the Cigar Federation brand to include the new Cigar Federation Tobacos (their spelling). Now they're buying it back? Ok. Then there's the Cigar Federation store. Is that part of the deal? I have no idea. As long as they continue to produce top-flite cigars, it's all good by me.

Fwiw, Cigar Federation Tobacos has garnered some serious attention. I had avoided purchasing any, due simply to my distaste for their marketing: one cigar was named Daisy Dukes and literally had a torn bluejean band. Another was called Jailbait and had a band with tiny handcuffs. Roll Eyes In terms of production, they're much like Ezra Zion, doing very small batches of unique cigars, which are often one-and-done. If they release a cigar whose marketing isn't repulsive to me, I might just try one.
S stickmanMember
When the Tatuaje spin-off brand, L'Atelier, was first released, I fell in love with the LAT52. Following releases left me underwhelmed, but recently had another chance to try the L'Atelier LAT46 Selection Speciale, and I think it's really good. Flavors center on sweet, creamy coffee, with pretty standard pepper and cocoa in support. Not very exotic, but very well executed and balanced. I've enjoyed this since it was first released, and I think subsequent releases have maintained a high standard.
mdsphotomdsphotoMember
quote:
Originally posted by mangiare:
Stickman, your comments are verbatim of how my good friend reacted when I mentioned the cherries and chocolate. I had no idea but apparently it's the holy grail of cigars.
Damn good I must say.


They are amazing flavors when you can find them. The only cigar that has consistently showed those for me is the Tatuaje black label petite lancero. Magical.
B bates40Member
Road trip:

Cohiba Piramide 2001: Fought an uneven burn the entire time. Smoked with chocolate tastes, but harsh overall. A prime example of why I do not pay for Cohibas.

Multiple Monte #4s: RUO February 2016: Smooth, even flor. Rich tastes of caramel and vanilla.

Hector Luis Farm Rolled Churchill: A bombshell. Lasted over two hours, fought me every inch of the way. Like trying to reel in a large fish in the open ocean. This cigars needs a minimum of 5 years of aging to determine what it wants to do.

Monsdale January 2017: Close to perfection in a custom-rolled cigar. Spice, tastes of nutmeg, perfect construction and draw.

Juanita Gordita January 2017:: My favorite custom rolled during my recent trip to Havana, this cigar may have entered its sick period. Cigar itself was underfilled and did not burn evenly. Disappointing.

Partagas Shorts: PBS JAN 2008: No flavor profile, just dead. The bod may have been stored poorly at some point, but the cigars show no signs of cracking or wrapper damage.
S stickmanMember
quote:
Originally posted by mdsphoto:
quote:
Originally posted by mangiare:
Stickman, your comments are verbatim of how my good friend reacted when I mentioned the cherries and chocolate. I had no idea but apparently it's the holy grail of cigars.
Damn good I must say.

They are amazing flavors when you can find them. The only cigar that has consistently showed those for me is the Tatuaje black label petite lancero. Magical.

Yeah, I'm a fan for sure! As mdsphoto indicated, the challenge is that it's tough to find sticks that deliver that profile consistently. Often the fruit disappears or is obscured by strong black pepper. My best luck with the chocolate/red fruit profile recently has been the Black Label Sindustry, but it's more cassis/cranberry-like, and you make yours sound better than mine! Big Grin Wink
S stickmanMember
quote:
Originally posted by bates40:
... Multiple Monte #4s: RUO February 2016: Smooth, even flor. Rich tastes of caramel and vanilla...

Monsdale January 2017: Close to perfection in a custom-rolled cigar. Spice, tastes of nutmeg, perfect construction and draw...

Once again, I dig your style. These sound lovely! If I had to smoke only one profile for an extended period, I'd probably choose something very aromatic with floral and baking-spice notes. Throw in some vanilla, and I'd be in heaven. <thumbs-way-up>
S stickmanMember
I previously posted positive notes on the new Flor de las Antillas Maduro short robusto, but I mentioned that I thought the blend would be even better in a larger format... um, nope. The toro is fine, but in my limited experience I think the short robusto is actually better, and to find a short smoke with so much character is a huge win.
S stickmanMember
As IPCPR 2017 has wrapped up, I'd be curious to know what y'all are most interested/excited about. I definitely want to try the new sizes of RoMa Craft's Neanderthal, since I like the SGP so much. The Undercrown Sun Grown has my attention. I'll definitely try the La Palina Goldie, now in a toro size. Matt Booth's short hiatus away from the cigar industry has me interested in his collaboration with Caldwell and AJ Fernandez with The Truth. Warped's re-release of Black Honey has me excited, and I'm on a list to receive them when shipped, and their Gran Reserva 1988, but it's gonna' be a while before the are released.
mdsphotomdsphotoMember
quote:
Originally posted by stickman:
As IPCPR 2017 has wrapped up, I'd be curious to know what y'all are most interested/excited about. I definitely want to try the new sizes of RoMa Craft's Neanderthal, since I like the SGP so much. The Undercrown Sun Grown has my attention. I'll definitely try the La Palina Goldie, now in a toro size. Matt Booth's short hiatus away from the cigar industry has me interested in his collaboration with Caldwell and AJ Fernandez with The Truth. Warped's re-release of Black Honey has me excited, and I'm on a list to receive them when shipped, and their Gran Reserva 1988, but it's gonna' be a while before the are released.



I'm still reading all the coverage, but had expected to put up a list at some point. Takeaways from the show regarding the industry.

* Lowest attendance from manufacturers in years

Some of this was blamed on uncertainty around FDA regulations others the cost of attendance & more house brands appear to be taking up residence in parents/factory booths. Baracoa Cigar Company announced they were shutting down based on uncertainty around FDA regulations.

* Lowest attendance from retailers in years

Again costs to attend and the recent tax increases in CA was said to have all time low attendance from that state

* Limited number of new offerings from manufacturers

With the FDA drop dead date having passed most manufacturers pushed 2-3 years worth of new brands out the door last year in a stealth approach to skirt the guidelines. Many of the brands displayed were just full productions of those already known stealth launches. Of the NEW cigars I saw, many were reworkings of old brands, updated branding, relaunch of dead brands and a new wrapper or size.

* Sales staying steady

Even with the gloom & doom above most manufacturers "reported" brisk sales during the show. Short run, limited editions were the top sellers and there were some "limited" editions. Small manufacturers like Chinook Cellars sold out very short run 500 cigar offerings as soon as the show opened.


* Companies Trimming Product Lines

Many companies announced they were trimming lower performing brands and vitolas. Most surprising was Tatuaje announcing that their Ambos Mundos, El Triunfador, La Casita Criollo and La Riqueza lines will no longer be regular production cigars. As a lancero aficionado this is a huge concern since this vitola is only favored by a small faction of cigar lovers.

Look for a list soon.
S stickmanMember
quote:
Originally posted by mdsphoto:
Takeaways from the show regarding the industry...

* Limited number of new offerings from manufacturers

With the FDA drop dead date having passed most manufacturers pushed 2-3 years worth of new brands out the door last year in a stealth approach to skirt the guidelines...

This. After last year's panic, the fall-off this year was inevitable. I also look for lots of awards for 2017 to go to late 2016 releases, which simply got crowded out of attention last year.
S stickmanMember
quote:
Originally posted by stickman:
As IPCPR 2017 has wrapped up, I'd be curious to know what y'all are most interested/excited about. I definitely want to try the new sizes of RoMa Craft's Neanderthal, since I like the SGP so much. The Undercrown Sun Grown has my attention. I'll definitely try the La Palina Goldie, now in a toro size. Matt Booth's short hiatus away from the cigar industry has me interested in his collaboration with Caldwell and AJ Fernandez with The Truth. Warped's re-release of Black Honey has me excited, and I'm on a list to receive them when shipped, and their Gran Reserva 1988, but it's gonna' be a while before the are released.

Add to these the new Nomad Fin de los Mundos ("End of the Worlds"). I just heard about it, and it's got PA Broadleaf in the filler as well as the wrapper. Fred Rewy has a pretty deft hand in blending, so my hopes are high.
mdsphotomdsphotoMember
We've talked a good bit here about the # of cigars that were rushed out the door in anticipation of the FDA deadline last year. I had no idea it was this many, as reported by Halfwheel.

"Rocky Patel has gone on record saying his company has over 1,500 SKUs it added prior to Aug. 8 and five of the 34 companies halfwheel surveyed earlier this month said they had introduced over 1,000 SKUs each. Based on what I know, I feel confident saying there were over 15,000 phantom SKUs added to the market between May and August of last year. For context, the 15,000 number is greater than the number of SKUs FDA believed was on the market in 2014, a number the agency later backtracked from because it admitted the estimate was off base."
haggishaggisMember
quote:
Originally posted by stickman:
I've got precious few left, but I pulled out a Warped Maestro del Tiempo from the original release. A purchase in 2017 was very disappointing, but these originals are heavenly.


Thanks to you, I expect to try one of the originals soon, now that I'm back "stateside" for a while.
S stickmanMember
quote:
Originally posted by mdsphoto:
We've talked a good bit here about the # of cigars that were rushed out the door in anticipation of the FDA deadline last year. I had no idea it was this many, as reported by Halfwheel.

"Rocky Patel has gone on record saying his company has over 1,500 SKUs it added prior to Aug. 8 and five of the 34 companies halfwheel surveyed earlier this month said they had introduced over 1,000 SKUs each. Based on what I know, I feel confident saying there were over 15,000 phantom SKUs added to the market between May and August of last year. For context, the 15,000 number is greater than the number of SKUs FDA believed was on the market in 2014, a number the agency later backtracked from because it admitted the estimate was off base."

Incredible. The cigar industry's response to the initial event may have been poorly organized, but the overall result seems to have had an overwhelming effect, as the dates and deadlines for various aspects of compliance seem to be continually shifting further into the future. Thanks for sharing that info.
S stickmanMember
quote:
Originally posted by haggis:
quote:
Originally posted by stickman:
I've got precious few left, but I pulled out a Warped Maestro del Tiempo from the original release. A purchase in 2017 was very disappointing, but these originals are heavenly.

Thanks to you, I expect to try one of the originals soon, now that I'm back "stateside" for a while.

Outstanding; I'm excited for you... again. Big Grin Roll Eyes Just a word to the wise: a gentle initial light on the 5205 really does wonders to bring out its perfumy character.
S stickmanMember
After about a 6 months of rest in my humidor, I retried the RoMa Craft Whiskey Rebellion again, comparing my previous favorite sizes, the McFarlane - a 5x50 perfecto, and Bradford - a 5x56 parejo. Both were even better than when I first tried them. I'm convinced that these benefit from at least a little aging, and that the Bradford is blended to be a bit less potent/focused than the McFarlane. For my palate that's a big win, as I still find the McFarlane to be fairly opaque - you can tell there's a lot packed into there, but it lacks the clarity and delineation of some of my favorites. (Not unlike the way Brahms and Schumann can sometimes muddy inner voices, lacking the crackling inner clarity of say Mahler or Stravinsky.)

The Bradford backs off the density a bit, and what emerges is an impressive profile, featuring malty chocolate mousse, macadamia nut, and tingly red pepper, with occasional, faint floral and earthy notes, adding a welcome complexity. I still have to wonder what else might be lurking in this blend, as even the Bradford still has a rather dense profile. RoMa is known for making some potent cigars, Intemperance BA and Neanderthal being my favorites. Whiskey Rebellion isn't quite as good IMHO, but they do seem to improve with time, so I'll be tracking it in the future.
haggishaggisMember
Warped Maestro del Tiempo 5205 (2015 from Stickman)

Mrs. Haggis is in Bali with her sister, having a great time. I decided to take advantage by indulging (not that I don't when she's home!). But, wow, what a lovely cigar!! Completely different from the 2017 issue that I panned earlier. Smooth, with mocha, licorice, dark chocolate, and hints of Asian spice. I rarely smoke NCs to the nub other than Illusione, but this was a glorious exception. Thank you, Stickman! This is a fantastic cigar! I need to find more of these.
S stickmanMember
quote:
Originally posted by haggis:
Warped Maestro del Tiempo 5205 (2015 from Stickman)... Thank you, Stickman! This is a fantastic cigar! I need to find more of these.

Outstanding! And you're most welcome! I'm glad it performed well and that you enjoyed it. If I find a batch that I think is up to par, I'll be sure to let you know.

I haven't tried many new big-brand cigars of late, but I'm happy to report that my previously posted love for the Crux Limitada PB5 2016 was recently confirmed: what an outstanding cigar, featuring sweet, creamy peanut! Lots of subtle complexities, and it's not especially potent or intense, so it should have great appeal to a wide variety of cigar-lovers. They released the 2017 version at the recent IPCPR, and I'll surely being keeping an eye out for them.

In the dark depths of the boutique rabbit hole (for lack of a better term), the Ezra Zion Chocolate Stout is another big winner. It starts out very much like a powdered-chocolate graham cracker, later reminds me of smoking a Guinness, and always remains round and smooth. Not their most complex stick, but it's delicious!

I also tried my first Cigar Federation Tobacos: their initial release, the Kama Sumatra. I'm impressed. Very firm to the touch, but not overpacked by any means - just a slightly firm draw. It seems very deftly balanced, starting out with exotic spices and cream, moving rapidly between earthier and more chocolatey moments with differing intensities. A hint of licorice here, some clover there, then a healthy swath of coffee - very nice. If the kaleidoscopic palate could be accompanied by more aromatic interest, this could be mind-bending! Alas, the only one I've tried so far failed to deliver much aroma at all.

The few big-brand new sticks I've tried recently have all fallen somewhere between mediocre and disappointing, so I'll reserve judgment if/until I can try them again.
mdsphotomdsphotoMember
I think I've read just about everything available from the recent IPCPR conference. Below are some observations about the newest crop of cigars and my list of things I would like to try based on my readings. I will say that this is probably the shortest list I've ever had coming out of the trade show.

TRENDS:

* The Broadleaf is taking over! Last year it seemed like every company was adding a CT shade offering to their line-ups and this year its the broadleaf

* Candela is making a comeback. Offerings from RoMa Craft, La Palina, Black Works studio and others have added some green to their portfolios. This follows on the heels of Drew Estate's Swamp Thing line, introduced at last year's show

* Bigger is better. The continued increase in ring gages was pretty evident at most booths and the lanceros were tough to spot. Sigh!

* Teaming Up. Matt Booth & Caldwell, Matt Booth & AJ Fernandez, Eric Espinosa & AJF, E.P. Carrillo & Jochy Blanco and other combining forces to create new cigars

MY WANT TO TRY LIST:

RoMa Craft Cro-Magnon EMH Fomorian- Full candella, but with the Cro-Magnon kick

Black Works Studio Kato- A maduro with just some candela woven int the tip

La Nox Petite- Again a 2016 blend, I did not get to try launched this year in cabs

Java Red- An infused coffee, chocolate and cherry cigar-Yes its goofy, but I'm a sucker for coffee infused as a change of pace stick

L'Atelier- Surrogates 7th Sam- 7 different tobaccos used in this blend

L'atelier - Identité Melange- Technically a 2016 release, but it only hit the market a few months ago

Quesada Reserva Privada Barber Pole- A blend of CT broadleaf and CT shade, a wrapper combo I have never seen before
S stickmanMember
quote:
Originally posted by mdsphoto:
I think I've read just about everything available from the recent IPCPR conference. Below are some observations about the newest crop of cigars and my list of things I would like to try based on my readings. I will say that this is probably the shortest list I've ever had coming out of the trade show.

TRENDS:

* The Broadleaf is taking over! Last year it seemed like every company was adding a CT shade offering to their line-ups and this year its the broadleaf

Good! Right in my wheelhouse! Cool
quote:
* Candela is making a comeback. Offerings from RoMa Craft, La Palina, Black Works studio and others have added some green to their portfolios. This follows on the heels of Drew Estate's Swamp Thing line, introduced at last year's show

It's interesting, isn't it? It seems like a niche market, and yet so many are joining/addressing it. I'm interested in Nomad's GB-19, a candela-wrapped cigar, but that's only because I've heard that it's atypical for candelas.
quote:
* Bigger is better. The continued increase in ring gages was pretty evident at most booths and the lanceros were tough to spot. Sigh!

Sigh is right. Few cigars in my experience improve with larger ring gauges. We'll see how these perform.
quote:
* Teaming Up. Matt Booth & Caldwell, Matt Booth & AJ Fernandez, Eric Espinosa & AJF, E.P. Carrillo & Jochy Blanco and other combining forces to create new cigars

Another interesting trend - perhaps to increase coverage in marketing?
quote:
MY WANT TO TRY LIST:
Black Works Studio Kato- A maduro with just some candela woven int the tip

+1 They made a successful version of this combo with Killer Bee: Hornet, but I'm curious to see what they produce from learning from that experience.
quote:
La Nox Petite- Again a 2016 blend, I did not get to try launched this year in cabs

I think you won't be sorry. I really like 'em.
quote:
L'atelier - Identité Melange- Technically a 2016 release, but it only hit the market a few months ago

I've been hoping to find these, but my local shops (whom I try to support whenever possible) haven't received them yet.
quote:
Quesada Reserva Privada Barber Pole- A blend of CT broadleaf and CT shade, a wrapper combo I have never seen before

I used to think of barber poles as a gimmick, but the AF Short Story Between the Lines changed my mind - an excellent stick IMO. I too am intrigued by the combo of CT broadleaf and shade wrappers, and I respect Quesada's blending skills.

Thanks in general for these insights. I will be attentive to what comes next.
S stickmanMember
I recently got to sample the new Avo Syncro Ritmo toro, which includes some Brazilian tobacco in its filler. It's got a unique tanginess throughout and a nice, refreshing menthol-like note in the last third, but otherwise, it maintains a close kinship to the other Avo Syncros - generally smooth, lightly spicy, and lots of rich wheat flavor. IMHO, the original Avo Syncro is still the best, last year's Fogata didn't impress me as much, and this year's Ritmo is somewhere in between.
S stickmanMember
I got to enjoy the latest release of the Warped Black Honey, essentially a La Colmena with an El Oso wrapper. Overall a very refined smoke with a core of honey graham cracker, with a nice powdery chocolate in support, as well as a faint, musty earthiness. I've only smoked one so far, since I have so few, but this one exhibited a nice crescendo to a climax that added a more intense, dark toastiness, followed by a long, subtle decrescendo. I think this stick may be a bit over-hyped by some online sources, but I still think it's excellent.
S stickmanMember
I picked up a 5-box of Cohiba Siglo I, while passing through Amsterdam. The only Cohibas the store in the airport offered were Siglo I, Siglo II, and robustos. A bit one-dimensional, but very refined and savory, with a pleasant, subtle aroma of toasty anise. I'm fairly pleased, considering the youthful age and smoking conditions.
haggishaggisMember
quote:
Originally posted by stickman:
I picked up a 5-box of Cohiba Siglo I, while passing through Amsterdam. The only Cohibas the store in the airport offered were Siglo I, Siglo II, and robustos. A bit one-dimensional, but very refined and savory, with a pleasant, subtle aroma of toasty anise. I'm fairly pleased, considering the youthful age and smoking conditions.


I have never bought cigars at an airport, as they don't seem to be stored or displayed in the ideal conditions (namely, temperature and humidity). But, you have had good luck??
S stickmanMember
quote:
Originally posted by haggis:
quote:
Originally posted by stickman:
I picked up a 5-box of Cohiba Siglo I, while passing through Amsterdam...

I have never bought cigars at an airport, as they don't seem to be stored or displayed in the ideal conditions (namely, temperature and humidity). But, you have had good luck??

Not really; I was just desperate. Big Grin Wink

The price wasn't absurd, and the sticks I could see seemed to be in adequate condition, so I took a shot. For serious purchasing, I wouldn't recommend airports, but for a small 5-pack on the road, I'm cool with it.
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