The Comeback

I am back, and I am full of new stories. I have been on a bit of hiatus because I didn't have a laptop to write in the evenings. My duties in the day do not really allow for me to even get a short entry in during the day.... But not to fear; I am here to stay now.

Since I have last written, I have:

• Taken a few classes in cigar making
• Done some wrapper-switching
• Found a "new love" cigar
• Helped a good friend with a new website (cigar related of course)

I will be going to detail on these topics and many others in the weeks to come... Thank you for your patience. I only with the the Google and Yahoo bots were so forgiving.

Keith A.

Dr. Keith says, "Carpe Puros"

Cigars: still a risk but less harmful

_____________________________________________

These articles always interest me. I remember on CNN's Larry King, seeing a doctor talk briefly about smoking, and he said the biggest problem with cigars is that it often converts people in to cigarette smokers. His accepting attitude made me feel like he was a fellow cigar lover. Let's admit it, many Doctors are puffing away on the golf course and elsewhere.

I have to admit that I do not understand health risk percentages very well. If I were to add up all my percentage increases of premature death, (like the 10% for cigar smoking in this article) I am well over 150% dead... The funny thing is, despite my poor diet, heavy drinking lack of exercise, and of course cigar smoking, I rarely get sick and usually feel pretty good (exception: the morning after if I drink too much).

I think a many people forget about the power of the mind, the adverse affects of stress on it, and ultimately how that affects the body. I am not a doctor, but I am speaking from my own experience, and I honestly believe that living a happy is the healthiest thing that we can do.

True Cigar Advice: If smoking makes you happy, do it!

I will not smoke them in a car, I will not smoke them in a bar...

Bill Pushed to Stop Drivers From Smoking

There comes a point where, rather than create a new law, I wonder if our adept lawmakers are better off rethinking who we are giving the privilege of driving to....

I fully understand that driving a car is literally diving a several ton missile, but making smoking while driving illegal- come on. Heck, I even agree with the cell phone law- I do not like it, but I agree.

Although nonfatal, perhaps we could reduce the number of people bumping into each other on the street if we outlawed walking while chewing gum.

I have had a couple of accidents in my life as a driver, and NONE of them have had to do with the fact that I am a smoker (or drinker). I greatly enjoy smoking while driving, and the thought of it being illegal for safety reason makes me laugh out loud.

This is not a Big Brother issue, nor a rights issue, this is governmental stupidity at it very best.

If drivers are having trouble smoking and driving, I am going to go out on a limb and say, maybe they should not be driving at all. And, maybe they shouldn't walk and chew gum either.

Reports say that the law has little or no chance of passing, but I urge New Jersey lawmakers to focus other concerns, perhaps education or even just commonsense, in stead of wasting the taxpayer's money and resources on frivolous laws like this.

Bars... now cars?

Habanos, the dictator's choice!

Saddam smokes Cuban cigars in jail

Not fair! I think that US Law should carry over into a US Military bases, atleast for ruthless dictators that are in cusdody.

If a criminal like Saddam can smoke in a US Military base, shouldn't US Citizens be able to smoke in their homes.

This doesnt add up to me...

This is my dream.... A Smoking Club and Cigar Shop

Photo by Phil Skinner :: From ACJ.COM
If you have to sign up to see this link, I appologize- I hate that.

I visited a shop like this near my home town, but it was a joke... One know-it-all teenager that kept his ash on the cigar to the point of sillyness (his fater owned the place), a woman that looked like the secratery, and two guys that looked completely shot out.

The lockers in the back, a handful of respectable gentleman casually enjoying the good life. In today's world, this is what people need to escape.

My Smoking Club will include:

• The finest selection of premium cigars, focusing on limited production hard/impossible to find smokes
• The best conditions to keep cigars, with rental lockers available
  
• A cigar roller (most likely myself) willing to inform cigar smokers.
  
• A casual yet elegant atmosphere, appealing to specific smokers that want the best
  
• A computer with internet, for client use
• A couple of gaming tables
  

My dream is to open up a shop like this, and give it a club feel. If things go well for me, in 10 years I will be there, and I hope to see you there with me.

Don Alejandro Robaina

About 20 minutes outside of Pinar Del Rio we turned left off of a simple highway onto a bumpy dirt road. The previous 20 minutes had been spent diving on the two lane road that goes into San Juan and San Luis, both sides of the road brimming with picturesque tobacco fields.

This dusty road took us left and right in a difficult route, finally putting us at the home of the humble yet famous Alejandro Robaina. I knew very little about the license plates in Cuba, but I know that the blacks one were for important people... there were 2 parked out side. As we got out of the car, an ox driven cart passed full of bright green leaves, something that has done thousands of times before, for over a hundred years.

We turned the corner and entered the porch, there were 4 or 5 other guests puffing on cigars. Apparently they had been waiting sometime, because Alejandro was taking a nap. Shortly after our arrival they left. His cousin or brother, who served as the host, invited us to some cigars and rum. I passed on the rum and finished my single robust that I bought from the Tobacco Roller in the Casa Del Habano earlier (True Cigar Tip: Always take care of the tobacco roller).

Don Benigno, my dear friend, who grew up in Pinar Del Rio knew the entire family and staff at Alejandro's home. It was Don Benigno that took me to Cuba with him and that drove me out on this very interesting tobacco tour. After some brief conversation, someone went inside and came out with the a older man that looked worked to the bone, yet one of the most distinctly comely men I have ever met. Don Alejandro Robaina is neither tall nor short, he is skinny, but omits strength, and portrayed such a distinct humility that I was immediately enamored with him.

After some additional customary conversation about their family, things got deep- deep in the form of some very technical conversation about the crop, rain, and some studies that had been done on the soil. My Spanish is pretty good, but I get lost in technical conversations, especially between masters. I was finishing up my cigar, and Don Alejandro invited us to some special cigars that he made to give out at the Habanos Festival. What a cigar! Again, a robusto- with a wrapper that looked like a dark chocolate. Don Alejandro invited us across the way into his special reception and guest house that the government had recently built for him. This very nice home, by any standards, had beautiful wood work and was chocked full of thousand dollar humidors. We passed into the back room, the bar- with couches and very attractive ashtray holders. The conversation continued, and we continued to smoke. Don Alejandro took only a few puffs here and there, as I found out that he has had to be cautious of his health- I could tell he missed being able to smoke like he used to.

This special day is something that I will always remember. On my next trip to Pinar Del Rio, I hope to visit him again, and spend some more time with one of the most famous tobacco farmers of all time. There are many others like, him but his humility and work ethic earned him the respect of the world and of his own dictator. His namesake cigars are one of the top lines offered by Cuba, and out of respect to him I suggest every smoker try to keep at least one of his cigars in their humidor.

The Cigar Wrapper - So Misunderstood...

Conneticut, Shade Grown, Maduro... Cigars have more suits than I do. Although, the wrapper is very misunderstood.

The wrapper is called "capa" in Spanish, which translates more accurately to cloak or cape. The function of the wrapper is simply that a cape or cloak- and think of the wrapper as a nothing more than a cape wrapped around the cigar.

The wrapper is a special leaf. Smaller almost insignificant veins, oily silk-like texture, and an elastic anatomy are the qualities of a good wrapper. To achieve this, nearly every aspect of the of the agricultural and production process is very different from that of the filler.

There are several variations of color based changing certain elements in the process. The most common variations are listed here.
Some are more common than others, some are more popular than others, and within each of these categories there are many variations.

Why do I say that the wrapper is misunderstood... Just like an idiot in a nice jacket, what is on the inside it what makes the cigar. Do not be mislead, maduro or oscuro wrapper are not stronger. Oscuro wrapper may leave a stronger taste in your mouth, but that is coming from the unsmoked tobacco and isn't a good sign at all.

So in short, do not be mislead, and do not be tricked, the wrapper does not make a cigar stronger, nor does it make it better (if it is garbage on the inside). Don't get me wrong, a beautiful wrapper is a great way respect a great cigar, but my advice is- Don't get too caught up with the wrapper.

A pampered natural wrapper is what I prefer, slightly dark, and a little shiny, although the best cigar I ever smoked actually had no wrapper at all. It's binder was prepared and humidified like a wrapper. It left a raisiny flavor in my mouth, and I loved every puff.

So don't get caught up, and Enjoy!

Review - Cohiba Siglo VI

~FROM 5/29/2005~
Name: Cohiba Size: Siglo VI
Origin: Cuba Construction: Hand
Purchased: Gift Price: ?
Smoked: Office Accompanied by: Nothing

I have been a fan of the canonasso size cigars for some time, but never tried the Cohiba Siglo VI until now. This is an impressive cigar just to look at. Sliding this large tobacco out of the tube, with the name Cohiba wrapped around a fat ring size, makes even the most seasoned smoker take a deep breath.

The fragrance of the unlit tobacco was impressive, sweet and complex. The brown wrapper reminded me of the Montecristo #2 that I recently picked up in Cuba for some friends. I cut the end and too a few puffs before I lit it- the “raisiny� flavor filled my mouth.

I lit up the massive cigar with one match and a few puffs. Wow! What a flavor- literally typing my notes is making my mouth water for another. The creamy smoke had such a full flavor that you didn’t even notice it’s strength until you inhaled it or passed it through your nose.

The cigar burned steady with a even ash all the way down. The flavors were natural and deep- like taking a deep breath in the forest just after a rain. This was a very pleasurable cigar, although knowing what they go for, probably not an everyday smoke for everyone…

Those of you interested in a hearty Cuban cigar, should get your hands on one of these. This is a cigar that I will remember for a long time.

Overall Score: 96/100
Flavor: 95/100
Construction: 95/100
Presentation: 98/100

A special thanks to Dave for the gift...

Culebra Cigar - Description and History

I have noticed some queries coming in from the search engines about the history of culebra that come into the glossary page. The glossary page does not give anything more than a brief description of the cigar, so I am going to write a supplemental entry about these interesting cigars.

Simply speaking it is 3 extra-long pantaletas braided together, and intended to be smoked separately. The cigar is created by moistening all parts of the tobacco to a very high level (80%) so that it can be molded easily. There is a greater chance of draw issues in culebras based on their construction.

The average torcidor is not trained to make the culebra, although there are a few brands that have a line (like Partagas and Davidoff I believe) that can be found regularly. Generally, you need to get them from a tobacco artisan.

Historically speaking, the culebra (which means snake in Spanish) is a unique cigar that that has been around since early 1800s. There are two stories I have heard as to their origin:

1. factory owners would give the culebra’s to their workers in an attempt to assure that the workers were not smoking the profits.
2. much less fanciful, and probably more likely, it was pure marketing- an attempt by a factory to develop a new line by a business man (not a roller)

Anyone really interested in getting a hold of one and can't, contact me, and I will try to sort you out.

Review - Trinidad Cervantes

~FROM 4/23/2005~
Name: Trinidad Size: Cervantes
Origin: Cuba Construction: Hand
Purchased: Gift of Manager
Price: ?? Smoked: Case Del Habano - CR
Accompanied by: Coffee (Americano)

Trinidad has been known to be a "stronger" cigar. In other occasions, I have noticed that the term "stronger" is often used when cigars lack a complete, or full, flavor- not the case here.

The construction was excellent, although I was interested to see that the head of the cigar was twisted instead of capped. This, of course, is not an issue; it is just surprising based on the superb presentation. In addition, it seemed a bit longer than many of the other Cervantes that I have smoked- again no problem there.

The cigar had an excellent pre-smoke aroma that was complimented by it's honey colored wrapper with a delicate taste of raisins, but no spice. My first draw was exceptional; the smooth and creamy smoke perfectly rolled into my mouth. It burned fairly well with no real problems. The flavor was full and consistent throughout.

I enjoyed every minute of this fine cigar, and would recommend it to anyone that likes a medium to strong cigar. It's complex flavor makes it a desirable cigar for any serious smoker.

Overall Score: 93/100
Flavor: 93/100
Construction: 90/100
Presentation: 95/100

Review - Cohiba Siglo I

~FROM 4/17/2005~
Name: Cohiba Size: Siglo I
Origin: Cuba? Construction: Hand
Purchased: Gift; Davidoff Store Hong Kong?
Price: 119 Hong Kong Dollars ( 15 USD)
Smoked: Home Accompanied by: Water

This small cigar was picked up by a brother of a friend while on business in Hong Kong. Ironically, he wanted the Siglo VI, but his brother probably saw the Siglo VI price and when with the petaca of these.

On first glance I questioned the authenticity of this cigar because of the dullness of the wrapper and because the way it was wrapped was not normal Cohiba style. That being said, the unlit aromea was intense and very pleasant- defiantly Cuban.

The cigar lit well, and from the onset I was impressed with its strength. It burned evenly, although it is dot have the perfect 'crown' that I would have expected. It flavors started with a woody bite that transformed into spiciness with hints of grape leaves. I hate to say this again, but I was again impressed with it deep flavors throughout the smoke.

This little stick of dynamite, although expensive, is a delicious cigar for smoker that is short on time and prefers a stronger smoke.

Overall Score: 88/100
Flavor: 90/100
Construction: 80/100
Presentation: 90/100

Review - Jose L. Piedra

~FROM 3/18/2005~
Name: Jose L. Piedra Size: Cazadore
Origin: Cuba Construction: Machine Made
Purchased: Casa Del Habano, Pinar del Rio
Price: 1 convertible peso (1.10 USD)
Smoked: Home Accompanied By: Dark Rum with Ice

It was purchased in a bundle of 25, and several of the cigars in the bundle were damaged. Overall the construction was noticeably poor; heavy veins, discolored wrapper, etc. I smoked several of these and would recommend a 'punch cut.' Any other cut could leave you with a mouthful of picadura. The wrapper is a very thin Conneticut.

Flavor is medium, but harsh, although no mistake that it is Cuban. After a few deep smokes, the lack of depth of the machine blend is obvious; 90%-95% of the filler is picadura.

That being said, it was about $1.10 for the cigar. Don't be afraid to give it a try.

Overall Score: 55/100
Flavor: 60/100
Construction: 45/100
Presentation: 40/100

Finally

Welcome- I hope this blog proves helpful for a couple people. I have been sitting on this domain for some time, but I am happy to finally have something. Any suggestions would be appreciated.