Welcome to Danny's Cigar Blog

Carlos Torano Exodus 50 Years & Henry McKenna 10 Year Bourbon

2011-08-10T21:12:00.000-07:00

Just got home from a 9 hole round of Golf. I played like shit, but that's besides the point. I decided to grab a cigar out of the humidor and sit on the patio and write about my cigar. I decided on the Carlos Torano Exodus 50 Years Robusto. I decided I wanted a drink, and poured myself a little Henry McKenna 10 yeah bourbon. In case you didn't know, I'm a huge bourbon fan.

Once the cigar was lit, I got some pretty unique flavors. Chocolate, earth, and some sweetness were present. The sweetness seems to really pop when I take a sip of the Henry McKenna. Speaking of which, the bourbon is a really good bourbon for the money. A bottle will run you about $20. The nose is loaded with sweet caramel, corn, and oak, balanced with a bite of alcohol. The flavor is really sweet. Cherry, vanilla, and oak are all present with a slight heat from the alcohol on the finish. This bourbon is bottled at 90 proof so I suggest adding a couple drops of water and letting it sit for 3 minutes. It really opens up the flavor of the bourbon.

Half way through the 50 Years, and the flavors stay pretty consistent. I'm rather surprised that this cigar doesn't have much spice to it. I think this cigar could use a little spice to really make it a great cigar, but other than that, the flavors are really good.

Tonight's pairing was really enjoyable. I think the Henry McKenna 10 Year would pair well with most full bodied cigars. I think it would really overpower mild cigars. I highly recommend you pick up a bottle if you enjoy bourbon :-)

La Aurora 107 Robusto and Jon's Home Brew

2011-07-23T14:35:00.001-07:00

Today I'm smoking the La Aurora 107 Robusto. The wrapper on this cigar is a little lighter than I have seen in the past. I usually smoke the Corona size. Anyway, once lit the 107 produces lots of smoke. Initially I get a dry sweetness with a bit of spice behind it. The flavors are very enjoyable. Medium in body with tons of smoke output. The sweetness is very enjoyable and it is the predominant flavor to start. The aroma in the air is quite pleasant, almost like burning a high quality wood, like cherry or something like that. About half way thorough the cigar, the sweetness takes a back seat to the spice. Not heat spice, like pepper, but more like a baking spice like cinnamon or nutmeg. The flavor profile stayed pretty consistant to the end and it was a very enjoyable experience. I will certainly be smoking more of these. I do prefer the corona size, but only slightly. The Lancero is by far the best in the line in my opinion. Something about the wrapper used on the 107 that makes the cigar extra special.

My buddy Jon came over last week to visit me on my birthday. He brought me a bottle of his home brew. I'm not a huge beer drinker because of the carbs in truly good beer, but I knew I had to try my buddies creation. He didn't tell me much about the ingredients, but it tastes like a Belgian style ale. The predominant flavor that I get is orange, or some type of citrus. I also taste some slight spices, just can't put my finger on it. The beer was very crisp and refreshing. I thoroughly enjoyed the pairing. Big thanks to Jon for giving me one of his beers. I really enjoyed it and I hope he keeps up the home brewing!

Room 101 Robusto 305 by Camacho and a Dodger 3 Game Winning Streak

2011-07-09T17:44:00.000-07:00

Lots of people seem to think the Dodgers' season is over. I'm not quite ready to throw in the towel. The ownership fiasco is very disheartening, but I still have hope they will be competitive in the NL West. Today's 1 to 0 victory over the Padres was quite inspiring. Despite only getting 2 hits, the Dodgers pulled out a walk off victory. Good to see heading into the All Star break. Hopefully we can pull a W out tomorrow as well.

One thing I notice about every Camacho cigar I have ever smoked is that their draw is always consistent. Always free and loads of smoke. I've never had any issue with construction on any Camacho products. It really makes me happy that Camacho's quality standards are unparalleled. The Room 101 305 that I smoked was no different. The flavor profile was very enjoyable as well. Notes of coffee, wood, spice, and a hint of cocoa. The balance of flavors was great. This is a cigar that I would recommend to every smoker out there. The cigar was a great medium bodied treat that I would not hesitate to light up again.

Thanks for taking time to read my blog. Comments are always appreciated. Until next time my friends!

Diesel Corona, Cigar Size, and Twitter.

2011-05-27T21:06:00.000-07:00

Good evening! Tonight I'm enjoying a Diesel by A.J. Fernandez sold exclusively through CI. I loved the original Diesel Unholy Cocktail which comes in a torpedo shape, so when I saw this sampler go on sale, I had to jump on it. The corona is my favorite size for cigars. I feel like the wrapper to filler ratio really maximizes the flavor of the wrapper on most cigars. This one is no different. The Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper is very oily and dark. Lots of spice and chocolate notes from this cigar. Paired very well with my iced coffee. If you are interested in this sampler you can get it here.

So considering that different ring gauges produce a different filler/binder/wrapper variation, I pose this question: Would the flavor profile of a 5X50 Robusto be the same of a 7X50 Churchill since the ring gauge is the same? Length really shouldn't factor much into the flavor, should it? Let me know your thoughts.

Twitter. I have noticed that Twitter is becoming a great marketing tool for the cigar industry. Lots is cigar manufacturers and retailers are very active on Twitter. I gotta say, you feel a certain connection with the manufacturers and retailers that you exchange tweets with. It feels like there's some camaraderie with people from Twitter. Twitter is a valuable asset for the cigar industry and I hope more and more people get on there to chat about cigars. Thanks for taking a look at my little blog. Comments are appreciated!

Avo XO Intermezzo and Friends of Old

2011-05-22T09:44:00.000-07:00

Hello all! In my last blog post I said I would be posting a little more regularly, so let's see how long this lasts shall we?

It's 9:45 or so on a overcast Sunday morning. I'm smoking an Avo XO with some coffee. I'm really enjoying it so far. I'm not usually a huge fan of Connecticut wrapped cigars but this one is a little different. The usually overwhelming grassy/hay flavor that is typical of most Connecticut wrappers is not as prevalent here. I do taste some hay like flavors but it's not very pronounced. I get hints of a nice sweetness, possibly vanilla, and loads of nutty flavorful smoke. The texture of the smoke is very creamy and coats the pallet nicely. The burn is razor sharp and the draw is perfect. The Avo XO, like many Connecticut's, pairs very well with your morning cup of joe. I recommend the Avo XO to everyone. I believe new and seasoned smokers alike will enjoy the Avo XO.

*Photo courtesy of http://www.cigarinspector.com Check out their site for reviews!*

Last night I attended an old friend's graduation party. She just finished her bachelor's degree and I had not seen her or her friends for many years. I feel like many of us take friends that we haven't seen in many years for granted. I know I have, and I certainly regret it. Last night opened my eyes a little bit. Many times people enter your life at a young age and you forget about how nice it is to be in good company. Revisiting memories and catching up with one another is something that should be treasured. I'm really glad I had the opportunity to spend time with friends of old. I urge you to try and reconnect with friends from your past. I think you'll be happy you did...

WOW.

2011-05-19T07:42:00.000-07:00

It certainly has been a long time since I posted anything. I'm going to try to get back on track here soon. Some time has freed up, so hopefully I can get a review done here shortly. I'm trying to come up with a shorter format, if you have any suggestions I would be very interested in hearing your opinions. More to come in the next week or so!

Danny

I'm Back!

2009-06-23T12:40:00.000-07:00

Well as most of you know I was gone for quite sometime. Well, I'm back now! I should have a review for you for you in less than a week. I think I'm going to review the Bahia Blu since I haven't found very many reviews for this stick. This is the review that inspired me to buy a bundle http://nicetightash.com/bahia-blu-b500-robusto/ Check it out, those guys at www.nicetightash.com know what they're talkin about! Anyway, I'm glad to be back!

My Xikar Warranty Replacement Experience

2009-03-08T10:59:00.000-07:00

About a year ago I purchased my first Xikar cutter from the devil site. I was very happy with my cutter and use it almost daily. This past Christmas, I was included in my girlfriend's family's gift exchange. I had been curious as to how a Palio would stack up against my Xikar. So on my note card I requested a few things among those a Palio cutter.

Turns out the girl that drew my card couldn't find a Palio and got me a green Xi2. I was satisfied and didn't mind having 2 Xikar cutters. I kept 1 in my car and the new cutter at my girlfriend's house.

About 2 weeks ago I was sitting out on my girlfriend's patio and cut my Padilla Miami Torpedo. I took a few draws and realized I hadn't cut enough off, so I took another 1/8" off and the spring inside the cutter broke. It was stuck in the closed position. Needless to say I was a little disappointed since I have only used the cutter about 10 times.

I sent the cutter in within a couple of days and requested that they send me a MTX Multi-Tool, since I already had the Xi2. I wasn't expecting anything other than a quick replacement of the same cutter I sent in, but it was worth a shot.

So I get home yesterday, after watching the UFC fights at a buddies house, and I find an envelope from Xikar with a brand new MTX Multi-Tool in it. Great service if ya ask me.

Well now I feel like I owe it to Xikar to do a short review on their product. I'll use this cutter for all my cigars for the next couple of weeks. I'll take a few pics and let you know what I think about the functionality, and convenience.

Coming up, I'll have a review of the G.A.R. by George Rico of Gran Habano. Hopefully I can have that done by Wednesday.

Quick Smoke: Tatuaje Havana VI Angeles & Glenlivet 12 Year

2009-03-05T07:43:00.001-08:00

As some of you may know, I caught a cold late last week. It made for a very unpleasant weekend. Well, I'm all better now! Last night was a rainy one here is Southern California, but I still managed to make room for a fine cigar and a few fingers of my first single malt scotch. The Tatuaje line is quickly becoming one of my go to smokes. I've been smoking many of the Havana VI vitolas lately. It seems to fit my flavor profile very well. The Angeles (petite corona) size offers very balanced notes of pepper, earth and wood. Through the nose the spice is medium in strength and smooth on the palette. The ash was long and white, and burned evenly. The aroma coming off of the cigar as very pleasant. Overall it was a very nice smoke that I think would benefit from some age.

As for the Glenlivet 12 Year, this was the first time I had tried the Glenlivet brand. I was at my local store picking up a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label, but they were out of stock. So I saw the Glenlivet 12 for a decent price and decided to give it a shot. I'm no whiskey expert, but I did enjoy it. I tried it with a splash of water, and decided I enjoyed it more with a few ice cubes. Nice notes of sweet smokey wood, with a sharp finish. I still enjoy my Johnnie Walker Black, but I normally add a touch of diet coke to that. I think I will keep both on hand for different occasions.

Hopefully I can get a full cigar review up by this weekend. I'm still working 2 jobs so it's very tough to post on a weekly basis, but I will do my best. Thanks for reading. Comment love is always appreciated!

Cigar Review: Tex Cigars House Brand

2009-01-27T08:02:00.000-08:00

Cigar review time! Once again, this cigar comes courtesy of my good buddies over at Tex Cigars. Next time you need some cigars, check their site, they have some damn good prices.

The Story:

Not much is known about this cigar. The only information I was given was that it is made by PIO and will soon be Tex Cigars house brand with a price point from $3 to $4. I was lucky enough to smoke 2 of the Toro size (6 X 50) for this review. I am told the blend is from Nicaragua and the Dominican, and the wrapper is an Equadorian Criollo. Sounds like the makings for a nice smoke.

Construction/Pre-light:

The wrapper looked very rough with several veins, and the stogie was a little light for its size. I am told these are a few months from the factory, so they may be a little fresh. The pre-light draw was easy with slight resistance. Not too free, but not tight or plugged. The flavors I got from the pre-light draw was a slight spice on my lips and a nice woodsy/sweet flavor on my palette.

Flavors:

The flavors on this 6X50 Toro were consistent and pleasing. The smoke started with a nice woodsy flavor up front with a very subtle amount of spice. It produces lots of thick white smoke. After a few minutes the slight spice fades and a sweet carmel flavor shines through. This sweetness is more noticeable in the finish and stays on your tongue for sometime. My taste buds really enjoy this sensation. I found this cigar to be a solid medium bodied smoke. Towards the end of the smoke, a slight spice is introduced and a little bitterness. I believe if these are rested a couple more months that bitterness will disappear.

The Burn:

The burn started a little on the crooked side but it corrected itself very well. As you can see by the pictures this cigar had a very nice strong white ash. Only one touch up was required.

Overall:

This cigar was a nice daily smoke. I would recommend this cigar to people that enjoy Criollo wrappers and not so much spice in their cigars. For the price this is an awesome smoke. For that I give this cigar a deserving 7.5 of 10 rating. Solid smoke for a very nice price.

Cigar Review: Illusione 88 "Robust"

2009-01-20T07:30:00.000-08:00

It's time for another cigar review! This cigar comes courtesy of my friends over at Tex Cigars. They sent me a package of several cigars to review, and this was the second I picked of the bunch. I can't thank Tex Cigars enough. Now, on to the review!

The Story:

The Illusione 88 is a 5X52 Nicaraguan Puro. I have tried a couple other sizes in the line; the 68 (Petite Corona) and it didn't do much for me, but the #2 (torpedo) was phenomenal. This line of cigars is made up of 1st Generation 99 Corojo, Criollio 98 seed, and wrapped in Cafe Colorado Rosado Wrapper. As I did my research, I find that the designation for the number "88" is for the year the owner of the brand Dion Giolito moved from Oklahoma to Reno to be closer to his home in Las Vegas. If you ever get a chance to visit their site, you should read about his story of how he came to make Illusione. It's pretty fascinating.

Construction/Prelight:
Looks nice, One large vein down one side of the cigar. It feels fairly heavy for its size. Nothing really to complain about. The prelight draw is free with the slightest hint of resistance.

Flavors:

Once lit, the first few puffs give off a mellow tip of the tongue spice, followed by that rich Nicaraguan tobacco taste. After a little over an inch I get a nice leather flavor with a slightly nutty back round. It is very enjoyable, the finish, in my opinion, is a tad too short. I wish the flavor would sit a little longer on my pallet. I smoked 2 cigars for this review, but I smoked 1 about 6 months ago and I found it too spicy for me. The two I received for this review were much more smooth and well balanced. I also believe my tastes have changed slightly since then. I now gravitate more towards spicy cigars.

Half way down I taste a slight earthy sweetness. Very subtle, but it's there. Actually, it is becoming more intense the further down I get. The more I smoke this the more I wonder why the first cigar that I smoked over 6 months ago was so different than the 2 I smoked for this review. It's very puzzling. The last third is right at the brink of overwhelming back of the throat spice. The 2nd cigar I smoked was more spicy on the last 3rd than the first. Maybe that's just my perception, or I might have smoked the 2nd cigar faster. The aroma that came off the cigar was very sweet and woodsy. Very nice.

The Burn:

The burn is pretty erratic, but I touched it up after the first picture. I've never really cared how a cigar burned, unless it's to the point of being a nuisance. Very Strong ash.

Overall:

I would say this is a medium bodied cigar that moves towards full the further you smoke it. All in all this cigar was a solid 8 of 10. With a price point of just over $7 per stick if bought by the box, this cigar is a little more than I would like to spend. If it were in the $5 range it might be a 9 of 10.

Cigar Review: PIO VI Overture 1996 #2‏

2009-01-12T15:03:00.000-08:00

Here we go with another cigar review! This one comes courtesy of my
friends over at Tex Cigars. They sent me a package of several cigars to review, and this was the first I picked of the bunch. Big thanks to everyone over at Tex Cigars.

The Story:
The PIO VI Overture 1996 #2 is a Miami rolled boutique cigar made with a 3 country blend from Brazil, the Dominican, and Nicaragua, all wrapped in a very nice looking Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper harvested in 1996. The #2 denotes the Torpedo size.

Construction/Prelight:

This cigar looks good, no major veins to speak of, with a nice splotchy looking wrapper. The flavor I get from the cold draw is a straight tobacco taste with a nice peppery, spicy, burn on the lips.

Flavors:

The initial flavors this guy produce are back of the throat spice. Very nice dry woodsy flavors develop shortly after the initial spice subsides. I have read some other reviews on this cigar's woodsy flavors remind them of a nicely aged scotch. I can't say that I disagree. The longer you get into this cigar, the heavier the woodsy notes become. It reminds me of a campfire like taste. It's very pleasing. I smoked 2 of these cigars for this review, the first with a glass of water, and the 2nd with a cup of coffee. I seemed to enjoy the cigar with coffee a tiny bit more than the plain water. I would say this is a full flavored cigar with a medium-full body. I would not recommend smoking this first thing in the morning. This is definitely an after dinner smoke.

The Burn:

The burn on both of the cigars was very straight up until the half way point. Only 1 touch up was required per stogie. Nothing to be too concerned about.

Overall:

I found this cigar right in line with my flavor profile. I enjoy woodsy/cedary smokes. This cigar seemed to remind me a bit of the Padilla '68. I would give this cigar a solid 8 out of 10.

I did a little more research on this cigar after I had smoked it, and found the price to be very reasonable. If purchased by the box it comes out to about $6 per stick. A 5 pack can be purchased here for $35 plus shipping. For a cigar rolled here in the good ole' US of A, with some solid spicy wood flavors, and at these prices. I would say "this cigar is a great buy!".

Cigar Review: Perdomo Lot 23 Churchill

2009-01-08T07:37:00.000-08:00

Finally! The review you guys voted for! With no further adieu....

The Story:

I got these cigars from a CI special for about $2.50-$3 a stick if I remember correctly. According to Perdomo's website this is a Nicaraguan Puro. The reason they named this stogie "Lot 23" is because the filler and binder in this cigar come from Perdomo's lot # 23. Pretty interesting if ya ask me. These puppies also come in a Maduro wrapper which I plan to review in the near future.

Construction/Prelight:

Looking at the cigar it was very well constructed with a strong compost smell which I didn't mind. A couple of veins, but nothing to be concerned about. I chose to pair this with a nice Captain and diet coke! Prelight draw was perfect, a tiny bit of resistance with a nice spicy flavor on the lips.

Flavors:

Very first puff was slightly spicy with a grassy earthy taste. Throughout the 1st third the slight spice fades and the grassy flavors stay put. They are very intense. Some people think of "grassy" as a bad thing, but this was a pretty nice flavor. Not something I typically enjoy, but this was a little different. Maybe the initial spice changed my perception. After the initial spicy and grass flavor subsides(about the half way point), I got a nice creamy hay flavor. The cigar changed from grassy to creamy woodsy from the half way point on to the nub.

The Burn:

The burn on this cigar was exceptional. Razon straight, with no touch-ups or relights!

Overall:

This cigar was a nice relaxing smoke. Nothing too complex about it, but not boring at all. I really enjoyed how creamy the smoke got after the half way point. I also enjoyed how the cigar got better as it came to a close. This cigar, in my opinion, was a solid 7 out of 10. To sum up the review I would say "Great burn, good flavors, and a great value."

Coming up:

I have just received a sponsorship from Tex Cigars so I suggest that you check them out and place an order. They have the best price on Tatuaje cigars on the net! My next review will be courtsey of Matt over there at Tex cigars. Thanks again Matt! http://www.texcigars.com/

It's been over a month...

2009-01-07T12:18:00.000-08:00

..and I still have not posted anything. I wish I didn't suck so bad. Anyway, once I find the Lot 23 review in my email, I'll post it. I'll try and have another poll on what cigar to review up by next week.

Thanks to those of you who still check up on this from time to time. I really appreciate it.

BTW, I'm on Twitter now, so if you want to follow me, click the link. www.twitter.com/dannysguitar

Keep Smokin'

I'm a Bad Person

2008-12-04T18:59:00.000-08:00

I suck at blogging. I'm never free to blog. I'm really gonna make an effort to put more things up here. I got the review for the Lot 23 done, I just have to post it. Gotta run now, but I'll post tomorrow!

-Danny

Cigar Review: Abydos by Warped Cigars

2008-10-23T06:24:00.000-07:00

First of all, I have to apologize because I haven't been keeping up my blog as much as I should. I guess I was just grieving over the Dodgers quick exit in the NLCS. Now that I'm over it, its time for another cigar review! I received this cigar direct from Warped Cigars on Monday. It's their new line and needed some reviews to post on forums and what not. So.... here we go!

Overview:

The Abydos looks awesome! It has a nice brown Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. No large veins to speak of, and from what I'm told, it only comes in the 6X48 size, luck for me I have been loving this size lately. The smell on the wrapper is a nice cedar tobacco aroma. Pre-light draw has the perfect amount of resistance.

First 3rd:

Once lit up, I get huge clouds of white flavorful smoke. The first thing I taste is a sweet tobacco flavor. The first thing that came to my mind was molasses or brown sugar. Great flavors through the 1st 3rd with touches of wood on the finish. Usually when I taste wood in my cigars I would describe them as cedar, but this cigar was a little different, a little sweeter. The only way I could describe the wood flavor would be a hickory or something like that. A nice sweet smokey flavor. Very enjoyable.

Second 3rd:

Starts with the same enjoyable sweet woodsy flavors and a hint of vanilla is introduced. The ash on this bad boy is nice and strong and holds on for a little over an inch before falling off. The burn is a pretty straight, and when it wavers, it self corrects. One thing that I normally associate with Habano wrappers is spice, which this cigar has yet to give me. I am beginning to enjoy more spice in my cigars, so I fell this cigar could use just a touch of spice. When the 2nd 3rd comes to a close I get a nice caramel flavor from this stogie.

Final 3rd:

Still produces these awesome consistent flavors throughout. I love the mix of sweet molasses flavor combined with the woodsy smokey flavor and a hint of vanilla and caramel. Once I get to the nub of the Abydos, I get a sweet nutty flavor before I have to put this baby down for good.

Final Thoughts:

This cigar has really impressed me with its complexity in flavors, and the super high quality construction. Being made is Little Havana, FL seems to be the reason behind the awesome construction and quality control. These flavors melded beautifully in my mouth. Trust me when I say, I felt pretty sad putting this cigar down. Ohh how I wish I had some more of these. The more I smoked this cigar the more I thought this cigar would be perfect for casual smoking and daily smoking buddies alike. My casual smoking friends would appreciate the smoothness and sweetness of the Abydos, and my daily smoking friends would love the complexity and construction. At less than $5 a cigar, this should definitely be a must try on any smokers list. To sum up my review I would give it a 9 out of 10. The only thing missing was a little spice in the mix. Had I tasted a hint of spice, I would have been compelled to give the Abydos by Warped Cigars, a 10 of 10.

If you are interested in picking up an Abydos or 5, you can get them exclusively through Warped Cigars. http://www.warpedcigars.com/. Big thanks to them for making some great smokes at an awesome price!

Coming Up:

Hopefully I can get some more reviews up by next week. I'll try and recap my Laughlin trip. Maybe a contest to see if people are actually reading this stupid blog. Leave me comments.... Please? BTW Can you guess what I'm gonna be for Halloween?

Dodgers win again! 10-3

2008-10-03T07:17:00.000-07:00

The Dodgers won again last night by a final score of 10-3. My "blowout" prediction held firm, and for a while I thought my guess at the final score of 5-0 was gonna come true, but that changed after the 6th inning, but all that doesn't matter. What matters is the Dodgers are up 2 games in a best of 5 series and coming back to play game 3 in Los Angeles. I can't wait to go to this game. I've never attended a playoff game so this, surely, will be a unique experience. People talk about the Cubbies being "cursed". I don't buy it. They played crappy baseball, and that's that. No if, ands, or buts. Tomorrow Hiroki Kuroda goes against Rich Harden. Should be a good pitching match up, but Rich Harden can't go very deep into games, so hopefully Kuroda can outpitch him. I'll go out on a limb and say the Dodgers sweep this series by a score of 4-0. Kuroda shut out the Cubs earlier this year at Dodger Stadium, so I have a feeling it will happen again this time around.

As far as the cigar of choice?

I went with the Carlos Torano Exodus 1959 Silver. I'm not sure how I obtained this cigar but I found it at the bottom of humidor and it looked enticing. I normally enjoy the Carlos Torano line, but the last one I had (Carlos Torano 1916) was not very enjoyable. This Torano was more along the lines of what I normally expect from Torano. This cigar was very consistent with no real complexity. The flavors I could pick out were wood, and creamy notes. No spice at all. These flavors stayed true all the way through this 4.7 inch X 52 ring gauge Robusto. This cigar was medium bodied with a very loose draw and a perfect burn. I enjoyed the cigar for the situation, a nice straight forward mid level smoke.

Hopefully I can take some pictures at the game this weekend, and if I do I'll be sure to post them on here for you to enjoy. I'll also be reviewing the Perdomo Lot 23 this weekend, I'll have that on here by next week. Thanks for checking out my blog, and be sure to post some comments!

Dodgers Win 7-2!

2008-10-02T09:13:00.001-07:00

Although my prediction about the final score was wrong, the outcome was the same. Last night the Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs by a score of 7-2 to take a 1-0 lead in the best of 5 series. They play again tonight at 3:30 PT. Hopefully they can get another win tonight and sweep the series on Saturday.

I smoked 2 cigars during the game. The first was an unbanded Honduran cigar that was given to me by the owner of the cigar lounge I was at. It was their house blend, and he told me that this was a full bodied cigar. Sure enough I caught a nice buzz from the stogie and the Amstel Lights I was drinking. The cigar had a nice woodsy flavor with a very short finish. The construction of this cigar was pretty bad but the flavor was nice and mellow with a nice nicotine kick .

The 2nd cigar I smoked was an Arturo Fuente Chateau. This cigar had a nice cedar flavor with hints of nuts. Very little spice on the back of the throat. The burn was a little erratic, but nothing a couple touch ups couldn't fix. The draw was little too loose for my fancy, but overall this was a nice reasonably priced smoke. I will be sure to pick up some more of these babies!

On a separate not, my buddy smoked a Punch Champion Maduro and said he loved it. The aroma coming from his cigar was quite delightful. He commented to me that he was getting a nice sweet dark chocolate flavor. He said he had to have more of those stogies, so we'll probably be splitting a box of Punch Champions soon. I'll let you guys know when I get them and I'll post a review!

Thanks again for checking out my little ole' blog. Don't forget to root for the Dodgers tonight! I got a feeling this game is gonna be a blowout. I'll say Dodgers 5 Cubs 0. Incidentally, tonight is my oldest brothers birthday, I will be celebrating with a stogie and a couple shots of tequila! Check back tomorrow to see what I decided to smoke!

GO DODGERS!

2008-10-01T14:00:00.000-07:00

For those of you that have been living under a rock for the past week, the Dodgers play tonight in game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs. I have been waiting for this game since the Dodgers clinched the National League West title on September 25th.

Anyway I will be enjoying the game with a couple beers and a nice cigar. I haven't decided what I'm gonna try but I'll be sure to let share my thoughts with all of you.

Tune in tomorrow to find out what I smoked, and by how many runs the Dodgers beat the Cubs. I'll make a prediction and say the Dodgers win by a score of 3-1. Talk to everyone tomorrow!

Cigar Review: Taboo Limited Reserve Maduro

2008-09-25T13:12:00.000-07:00

The Story:

Taboo Cigars are all the rage at an online forum that I am a part of (http://www.clubstogie.com/). They are a store brand from a cigar shop in Texas. The owner of the shop is a regular at Club Stogie and he always has great deals for his customers. This particular cigar is a part of his new "Limited Reserve" line, as indicated by the additional band. They come in 3 wrappers; Maduro, Connecticut, and Habano. I got a sampler pack with all 3 cigars in different sizes, so chances are I will get around to reviewing all 3. If you want to get your hands on some Taboo's you can pick them up here http://www.taboocigars.com/.

Construction/Pre Light:
Very nice leather colored wrapper. No soft spots and feels heavy for its size. Decided to punch this bad boy, and the cold draw didn't produce much of any taste. Just a slight sweetness on my lips.

The Burn:
The burn on this cigar was excellent. The ash was a very nice white color and it held on very well. I only had to relight this cigar once after I let it sit for a little too long. One unique thing about relighting was that I didn't get an unpleasant flavor when I re lit. Usually when a cigar goes out and I have to relight it ruins the taste. I didn't notice that with this cigar.

The Flavors:
The draw on this cigar was perfect. Slight resistance, with massive clouds of flavorful white smoke. I despise loose draws so the resistance is welcomed. From the first couple puffs I get a sweet corn flavor. Not something I normally associate with cigars, but it was very good. I decided to paid this cigar with Gentleman Jack and a splash of Diet Pepsi. The sweetness of the drink might have had a little to do with corn flavor I was picking up. After about 20 minutes I get a faint spice in the back of the throat. Great flavors so far.

About half way through this beauty I get a nice mouthful of nutty smoke. I can't describe exactly weather it was Almonds or Cashews that I was tasting, but it sure was pleasant. I also get a slight tingle on the tip of the tongue.

As the cigar comes to an end I get hints of more nuts, caramel, and coffee. Spice has gotten strong, bordering on harsh. I stuck with her all the way to the nub.

Overall:
This was a very relaxing and enjoyable smoke. I'm not the biggest fan of cigars that leave the back of your throat on fire, but this cigar got fairly close to that point, but I stuck with it, and I was glad I did. The caramel, nut, coffee combo at the end of the cigar really stood out to me. This cigar is certainly one I will revisit in the future, hopefully some time in the humidor will take a little of the spicy finish away. This stogie was an easy 8 out of 10. To sum this review up I would say "Great construction with nice hints of nuts, caramel, and coffee. If you're anything like me, you will enjoy this stogie"

Coming up:
Please vote for the next cigar you think I should review. From now, until the poll closes, I will probably have another post up, weather it be another cigar review, or something else. You'll just have to come back and find out for yourself won't ya? :-)

Status, Class, and the Pathetic.

2008-09-22T06:28:00.000-07:00

Here is a special guest blog from one of my friends. I will get the Don Pepin Blue Label Cigar Review up this week, Jon smoked the one I was going to review this weekend, but in the mean time, check out what my buddy has to say! Enjoy!!

First of all, none of this has anything to do with Danny's views. He's simply allowing me to post this to his blog since I don't have one. Now, on with the show. Something that I've know for quite a while, but that had never seriously came to my attention until this last summer was the relationship between guys that do absolutely anything for increased status, and how sad, desperate, and naive they really are. I know this might not make sense at first so let me explain. I did a lot of new things and went to a lot of new places this past summer; most of which are not things or places that I would consider "me", but it was just fine because I needed to get out of the same old routine. Most of the places I went to were meet markets, considered "classy" or "upscale". Well, however classy and upscale they actually are, one thing is for certain; EVERYBODY LOOKS AND ACTS EXACTLY THE SAME. Holy shit, let me tell you...First off, the women. Every woman has the exact same look on her face all night. It's that "Hey look at me, I'm super-fun but at the same time I'm hard working and I'm not an easy lay" Sure, you're not. They all dress exactly alike, same hair, same heels, same purse, same drink, same everything. Now, what I get the real laughs out of is seeing all the clueless and just plain lost guys out there. Every guy has on the same god damn "maybe I'm gay maybe I'm not" jeans, same pin striped shiny designer shirt that probably ate up half of their months salary, and the same fucking squared toe shoes. And these retards wonder why they aren't getting laid? Ok now on to the car...these guys are the same ones that put themselves up to their eyeballs in debt to lease a Range Rover or Porche in hopes that they will be able to score sex easier. Look, unless you are a true car enthusiast, the only real reason men drive these cars is because they can't get sex any other way. It puts a huge smile on my face to know how many guys are out there paying so much money to appear "upscale", when all they're really doing is blending in with a sad crowd and putting themselves into debt at the same time. Why do I enjoy seeing this??? I make plenty of money, I'm educated, and good looking. I've never in my life bought a woman a drink, purchased a luxury car, or showered a woman with compliments in order to get what I want. I have a beautiful girlfriend whom I never had to do any of these things for in order to "land her". I'm always telling her that I want to hold a seminar for all the loser guys out there, or even write a book on why all these clones keep striking out. Everybody wants to look important, which is what makes everyone look and sound exactly the same. A big laugh goes out to all the guys out there who spend more money every weekend than they actually have, while trying to impress women in order to ultimately get sex in return. But by all means, stay pathetic, it makes guys like me look even better. Although this blog won't make quite as many people mad as I wanted it to, I think it gets the point across.

DPG Blue label review coming soon!

2008-09-10T16:58:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the delay on the review of the Don Pepin Garcia Blue Label. Somehow I caught a cold this weekend so I haven't been able to smoke. Hopefully I will feel better soon and get that review up this weekend. I also plan on attending a cigar event in Pasadena tomorrow where Ashton will be promoting the new "La Aroma de Cuba" line.

I'll be sure to bring a camera and share some thoughts with you. Until then, thanks for checkin up!

-Danny

Cigar Review: Graycliff 1666 PGX 6 X 50

2008-08-29T07:03:00.000-07:00

Well, last night my buddy, Jon, and I went to a local pub style bar and had some cigars. I figured I would take that time to review the cigar I was smoking. From the humi I decided to pull the Graycliff 1666 PGX vitola(FYI, I'm a huge fan of Graycliff Cigars). From what I read on the net, these are the only Graycliffs not made in their Bahamian factory, but instead made in their Honduran factory. Not sure why this is, but I assume to keep cost down? Anyway the cigar has a nice dark appearance and a rather sweet smell to the wrapper and the foot.

Drink of choice for me was an Amstel Light, not sure that the pairing was the best, but when you live a low-carb lifestyle, your options are pretty limited when it comes to booze. If this place served hard alcohol I would have more than likely ordered up a Rum and Diet Coke. Anyhow I clipped the cap with my V cutter and away we went.

1st 3rd:

First flavor I get is some sort of burning paper taste. Not a very good start for this bad boy. After a few puffs the paper taste leaves (thank goodness), and for some reason after drawing on it and having a sip of my beer I taste fresh fruit, maybe watermelon? You might think I'm out of my mind, but that's the best way I could describe it. A slight spiciness lingers in the back of the tongue. So far, that papery taste has gone away completely. About 1 inch into the cigar I notice a very large split in the wrapper. It doesn't seem to create any problems for a while, the flavors do not seem to have been impacted by the split, nonetheless it is disappointing to see a huge run in my cigar.

2nd 3rd:

The sweetness seems to have gotten a tiny bit stronger, otherwise no real big change in flavor. The burn is pretty crappy due to the split in the cigar, but there are no lacking flavors or air getting through the split. Towards the end of the 2nd 3rd I get a nice hit of Chocolaty Mocha but it comes and goes quickly. It was a very pleasant flavor while it lasted.

Final 3rd:

Well, after several touch ups the cigar is still tasting ok. Not great, but OK. My buddy orders some chicken wings so I set her down for a few minutes to partake (gotta love that low carb lifestyle). Surprisingly the stogie did not go out and I did not need to relight this baby. I smoked all the way through the split in the cigar with no flavor issues, only burn issues. Towards the very end of my Graycliff I get a strange floral almost perfume taste. A taste I seldom can distinguish, but it was a nice change of pace.

Overall Thoughts:

I have smoked 2 of these for this review and the 1st one I had smoked and burned flawlessly. The cigar pictured had a large split in the wrapper which caused some pretty annoying burn problems. The flavors were good but not very outstanding. I seem to have enjoyed my first 1666 more so than the one I smoked last night. I would probably recommend this cigar to a Maduro lover that likes their cigars in the medium strength at best. It never got overpowering even in the final 3rd of the cigar. I would describe the flavor profile as smooth draw and a mellow creamy finish with hints of Chocolate and Coffee/Mocha. My rating for this cigar is probably a 7.5 out of 10 due to the burn issues. If someone asked me to sum it up in a few words I guess I would say "Good, but not Great".

Mystery Cigar Review

2008-08-28T13:52:00.000-07:00

Well I was lucky enough to take part in a pretty fun experiment. A blind cigar taste test. Here is 1 of the reviews that I did on the 2 mystery cigars I received. Enjoy!

Here is a pic of the Cigar pre light:

Looks like a Box pressed Maduro Wrapper. Wrapper smells like a nicy woodsy sweet smoke. Once lit I tasted a very nice sweetness, with an oaky or cedary backround. Reminds me of something made by Rocky Patel, but that would later change. Good amounts of grey/white smoke. Easy draw with just a tiny bit of resistance. At one point I get a slight papery taste that I did not like, but that quickly went away.

Drink of choice for last night! After a few minutes I get a slight tingle on my tongue which is very enjoyable. Not a spice, just a tingle. The sweetness have gotten stronger, but it is still mellow, almost delicate. I liked it!

After the 1st 3rd the flavors didn't change much. Feeling a slight nic buzz, but that might be the caffiene from the soda. I hadn't had 1 for almost a month! All the way to the nub with this 1! It was a delightful smoke, not much complexity which makes me think this was the under $5 smoke. At the end the Oak flavor picked up with a lingering sweetness. I liked this cigar and would certainly buy it. My guess as to what cigar it might be, I'll say its the 5 Vegas A series Apex Vitola.

Soooo what cigar was it? Well I later found out that this was not a cigar from the 5 Vegas line, but it was in fact a Rocky Patel Vintage 90 Toro! I guess I should have stuck with my first instinct!