Wednesday, September 08 2010
Since the weather in the Lehigh Valley over Labor Day weekend was nothing short of spectacular, I got enjoy a few more cigars than usual, so let's get right to it.
I kicked-off the weekend Friday night with a Famous VSL Nicaragua Robusto during the weekly Happy Hour in the Famous Smoke Shop retail store. This cigar not only impressed me when they arrived last month, but was equally impressive that night. Really smooth, thick, creamy smoke, lots of earthiness, notes of wood, sweet tobacco and a great aroma. If you haven't had the pleasure yet, definitely check these out.
The cigar I want to focus on for this report was one of two I had on Saturday - a Perdomo Cuban Parejo Rothchild Maduro (4 ¾ x 50). It came in a sampler pack I bought several months ago. I haven't had a Cuban Parejo since I bought a box of 6 x 60 Epicure Connecticut a couple of years ago.
I don't know if Nick has tweaked the
blend, or whether it was the more traditional size, or the sweet
maduro wrapper, but this Rothchild blew me away. I also noticed it's got a "93" Famous customer rating, so I guess I'm not alone. The smoke was creamy, medium-bodied, drew perfectly, and riddled with woody flavors and sweetness in every puff. During the last act, it kicked up a bit in strength while lending a distinctive nutmeg flavor. All-in-all, a wonderful experience. Check out the photo and you'll see how much I enjoyed it. Never turned bitter on me either.
The second cigar was a La Flor Dominicana 2000 #4 (6 x 47) I smoked Saturday night. It came in a La Flor Dominicana Test Flight sampler. (I'm really starting to appreciate this size a lot more among a number of brands lately.) This was a mostly woody smoke with a medium, yet full-flavored body. Paired it with a good Port and smoked it down to about an inch, too. Very enjoyable.
On Sunday morning I smoked a Gran Habano Triple Corona (6 x 44) that I got in a Gran Habano Triple Test Flight. I had already smoked a few from the pack, but this particular stick was exquisite. Again, I think this particular size has a lot going for it. Pairing it with coffee, it was creamy, earthy, and complex with a full-bodied character.
That night, I met my good old friend and former Spokes band-mate/drummer, Steve, at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem to catch-up and play a little poker. After we lost most of our stakes, we moved to the bar where I smoked a La Gloria Cubana Reserva Figurado (Double Perfecto) Maduro. That was a wonderful smoke and made up for some of my losses in pleasure. The vodka & tonic helped a little,too.
Finally, on Labor Day, I joined my friend Richard on his deck where I partook of a Kristoff Criollo Robusto (5 ½ x 54). I just love how creamy and flavorful these cigars are and haven't had a bad one yet. As we smoked we ate dark chocolate, and I started with a little Inniskillin Ice Wine followed by black coffee.
And so it was a superb ending to a wonderful weekend. Please share some of the cigars you enjoyed, too, over Labor Day weekend by leaving a comment. (_[GK]__{{{
