March Smokes

Hello Faithful Readers!

It has been very busy and the weather has been super-nasty-that is the only rational explanation for how my little brother has managed to utterly surpass my cigar reviews this month!

Though I have dutifully smoked a few stogies this month, I have somehow managed to fail to actually review them. In this one blog post, I shall attempt to rectify that with a few quickie reviews.

 I smoked this San Cristobal (Nicaraguan puro) over the weekend-these continue to be real treats. Full bodied, this stogie is made by Don Pepin Garcia for Ashton. The smoke has a fair amount of power and the flavors sort of flit in and out-I typically get some pepper as well as some tart "black cherry" and "charred meat" type of flavors. I read a few chapters of the Imperial Guard Omnibus  and talked to my bro on the phone-I rate the experience a 4 on my 4 point scale and the cigar a 4 as well.

 I few weeks ago I smoked a J. Fuego "Delerium" robusto while helping Dad feed the sheep. As I told the esteemed H.T. Reid, "This is the EXACT OPPOSITE of the type of experience I smoke cigars for. It is below freezing, outdoors, with high winds. And I'm holding a pitchfork". I can't really review the stogie considering the conditions and will need to revisit it.

 I honestly can't remember what I smoked on St. Patrick's but I do have a shot of my beer (guess which one) and Michelle's Harp. I'm really starting to appreciate this holiday as I get older.

Last Saturday I enjoyed the La Flor Dominicana "Mysterio", a rare cigar that runs around $20. The fact that the store I bought it from had three available for $10 each made the experience so much better.

This stick has a dark wrapper with light tips at each end. Though I often suspect these kinds of things as being gimicky, this stogie delivered fantastic flavors, plummage, and burn. At $20 a pop, I simply cannot afford these things very often but damn it was a fine stick. On my 4 point scale, I rate it an easy 4 and would consider it a super-premium.

As I'm writing this, I'm smoking a Padilla 1932, a stick that I have already reviewed. I picked up a box a year ago and have enjoyed a handful. With the year of aging, I am detecting very little change in the stick-it has great tobacco flavors, with a little pepper, and a little sweetness. It is super smooth, despite having some punch to it. I will say that I am not as enamoured with the Padilla line as I once was...but that may just be my evolving tastes-I seem to be preferring more full bodies smokes lately and Padilla's stuff is more medium or medium-full.

Here are a couple of bonus pics. My two little ones spend much of their time trying to kill each other it seems...so these are true rarities!