The B&B Cigar Club

The People's Review: This review is an Illusione!

2010-07-20T12:00:00.001-04:00

Greetings B/SOTLs The Champ is back again with another review for your reading pleasure! This week's review is a cigar I picked up at W. Curtis Drapers recently that I wanted to try: The Illusione Epernay. Today I'm reviewing the Le Ferm size, which is a toro size. Some background on this cigar (according to http://www.illusionecigars.com): "This blend originally debuted in 2008 through the ECCJ 15th Limited release." Check out the specs on this Nicaraguan puro:

Vitola: 5 1/4" x 48
Binder: Combination of Nicaraguan Criollo & Corojo
Filler: Same as the Binder
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Cafe Rosado coverleaf
Strength: Medium

Ok enough talking...let's get smoking!

Construction and Pre-light

This cigar has a very smooth wrapper with a couple of veins running up the cigar. I don't anticipate any burn issues even with the veins present. The cigar is packed very well upon inspection and there are no soft spots so no worries about tunneling. Give the cap a snip and test the draw and the draw is good with a little bit of resistance. The cold draw flavors are a mix of sweetness with some earthy notes. I can't wait to get this lit up!

Beginning

Right off the bat I'm getting a nice mixture of subtle earth tones with honey and chocolate plus a very good amount of spice as well. The spice is noticeable on the retrohale along with the sweet honey flavor. Nice balance of flavors on the finish; almost resembles a graham cracker with a sort of peppery kick. I'm getting a very pleasant Potpourri-like aroma which would explain the floral earth tones I'm tasting in the smoke. So far, the cigar is medium-to-full flavored and medium strength. Construction is fairly good so far: semi-even burn with a greyish white solid ash holding pretty well. Just a side note: you gotta love random people walking by rapping loudly or little girls cussing about something...only in SE DC!! But as always I digress so let's make the transition!

Halfway Point

Moving onto the halfway point and the spice as faded. Now I'm getting some hints of coffee mixed with some floral notes (very nice!). I lost some of the honey flavor on the pallet but can still catch it on the retrohale. Ahh snap here comes the entertainment rolling by: the neighborhood drunk and his "special" girlfriend just walked by cussing each other out! They're always good for a laugh LOL but back to the matter at hand...still working with a good draw yet the ash is a bit flaky and crooked but not affecting the smoke. Now I'm getting a mix of coffee and honey-infused bourbon along with the floral notes. So far, this cigar is very pleasant and enjoyable...let's see if it can finish strong!

Final Stretch

Coming down to the end here and the coffee notes are really starting to kick up a notch while the floral notes are moving towards the back of the pallet. Construction continues to work in my favor with a nice solid ash and a perfect burn with no flaky ash! Starting to notice a bit of a toasty flavor kicking in that I didn't experience before (mixing in very well). Getting a minimal amount of spice on the retrohale mixing in with the coffee, floral and burnt notes and the strength remained medium throughout and also was a very smooth smoke.

Verdict = WIN!! I thoroughly enjoyed this cigar all the mixture of sweet flavors mixing in with some slight bold yet smooth flavors makes for an enjoyable experience smoking this cigar. Big shoutout and thanks to Dion Giolito for creating this blend and many of the Illusione blends that are so enjoyable and affordable! You can follow Dion on Twitter (if you aren't already) @Vudu9.

That's it that's all thanks again for visiting and remember to keep lighting up those fine cigars and let the smoke take you away! CHEERS AND ENJOY!

-D.C.'s People's Champ

Time to Say Goodbye

2010-07-06T19:36:00.001-04:00

It has been an eventful year for the fellas here at The B&B Cigar Club. We introduced the world to our blog a year ago right here on Blogspot, and now it is time to officially say goodbye to the Blogspot faithful. While we are continuing the blog, we are moving over to a wordpress site that has been up and running since October 2009.

While goodbyes are hard, we would not dare think of leaving you empty-handed. We have a CONTEST as our way of saying good-bye. Head over to the wordpress site http://bandbcigarclub.wordpress.com and sign up to become a subscriber. Look for the Nosotros review that will post tomorrow and follow the instructions for your chance to win.

We would like to thank the Blogger/Blogspot community for all of your support and we wish you nothing but good cigars and happy smoking in the future. Hope to see you over on the new site.

-The B&B Cigar Club-

The People's Review: With Liberty and stogies for all!

2010-07-06T12:00:00.001-04:00

Greetings all! The Champ is back again for yet another review for B&B! This week's review falls in line with the recent Independence Day holiday; with most patriotic holidays we love to have at least one "patriotic-named" cigar to enjoy in honor of that particular day. For this holiday, I decided to break out a cigar that fellow BOTL Keith Hollar sent to me (thanks again brotha!) and that cigar was the Camacho Liberty 09! The background of this cigar is that it is suppose to debunk the theory that the 05 version was the best of the Liberty series. Here are some of the specs behind this cigar:

Vitola: Camacho-trademark perfecto (11/18)

Filler: Honduran

Binder: Honduran

Wrapper: Habano

Strength: Full

So without further delay, why don't we get right into this, shall we?

Construction and Pre-light

This cigar comes in a very nice looking black coffin and wrapped in white paper making it a nice presentation. Out of the coffin, the cigar is very veiny but the habano wrapper looks very good and slightly oily. Inspecting the cigar and there are no soft spots at all and all that Honduran tobacco is packed very well within the habano wrapper. Snip the cap and the draw is very good with just a small amount of resistance. The cold draw produces a sweet flavor with a little tingle on the tongue...so looking forward to what is in store!

Beginning

The Liberty starts off with a nice balance of cedar, chocolate, spice and sweet tobacco all rolled into one. With each puff, I'm getting a sort of spicy buttery finish on the pallet. I'm sensing most of the spice and cedar on the retrohale while the other flavors linger on the pallet as well. So far, all the flavors are blending together perfectly creating a great start to this experience. The construction on this cigar is SOLID!! Burn is perfectly even with a solid white ash and the draw is beautiful producing a lot of white smoke! As I get further into this beginning part, I'm starting to get hints of earth tones on the retrohale mixing in with the other flavors. The strength seems to border on the medium-to-full bodied toeing more towards the full side. Coming to the end of the first third and the spice is starting to settle down and transition to the halfway point.

Halfway Point

As I move into the halfway point, the spice has faded significantly and has given way to the same sweet and buttery notes I was experiencing in the beginning. BTW I just say the devil walk by with a church fan complaining about the weather...it is VERY humid out here sheesh! I seem to do my reviews on the most humid of days...but I digress! Not much to speak of in this part flavor-wise: lots of sweet & buttery notes, a touch of cedar & some slightly prominent earth tones. The strength has slightly settled into a fuller medium yet it still has some kick to it; the draw continues to be consistent and on point and the construction is still flawless! Coming up on the end of this portion and I'm getting a hint of cafe con leche on the pallet and the spice is starting to pick up a little bit more.

Finish Line

Now coming down the final stretch and the flavors seem to be somewhat similar to the beginning with a mix of buttery notes, a little more earthiness, a touch of spice, and some coffee notes. The ash is starting to become a bit flaky, which wasn't an issue throughout the cigar, yet the overall construction remains very excellent! Now mostly tasting tobacco and a little ammonia on the pallet and retrohale with a nice nic buzz going so that unfortunate time has come to end this experience!

VERDICT = WIN! I really enjoyed that cigar and it makes me wonder if the 09 Liberty is this good and is suppose to be better than the 05 Liberty than how good is the 05 Liberty?! If anyone has tried either of these, give us some feedback!

As always, thanks for checking out this review and for visiting the B&B Cigar Club site and if you're on Twitter you can follow me here: @DCsPeoplesChamp. Always remember to keep lighting up great cigars and let the smoke take you away! CHEERS!

The People's Review: Coming back to raise some Cain!

2010-06-29T12:00:00.000-04:00

In the immortal words of the original People's Champ (slightly modified): "FINALLY...THE CHAMP HAS COME BACK TO THE B&B BLOG!" Yes indeed after a pretty lengthy hiatus yours truly DC's People's Champ is back to bring you another installment of "The People's Review!" As always this disclaimer:

"The views and opinions expressed in this posting are those of myself and do not necessarily reflect those of the B&B Cigar Club."

Ok now that we got that outta the way let's get right into this! Recently I was gifted this cigar that I decided to review by one of our loyal followers and winner of our first contest, Mr. Keith Hollar (thanks again bro! You can follow Keith on Twitter @Keith1911). The cigar is the venerable Cain F! This cigar was touted as the strongest of the new line created by Sam Leccia, maker of the Nub Cigar (@SamLeccia or @NUBCIGAR on Twitter); an all-ligero cigar that according to Sam went through a triple fermentation process along with some aging to create the ultimate smooth ligero cigar. According to http://www.nubcigar.com/ the Cain F is made up of 32% Esteli Ligero, 25% Condega ligero, and 25% Jalapa ligero all rolled into one very fine looking cigar! Here's the tale of the tape if you will of the Cain F I was about to smoke:

Vitola: Toro 6" x 60

Filler: Nigaraguan Ligero

Binder: Nic Ligero

Wrapper: Nic Habano

Strength: Full

I'm going into smoking this cigar expecting it to be a powerhouse. You can also read a review of the Cain F pre-release by Big Pimpin here: http://bandbcigarclub.blogspot.com/2009/12/mystery-smoke.html. LET'S GET ON WITH THE SHOW!

Pre-Light

In checking out this cigar, it's very packed full of Nicaraguan tobacco (BTW I'm a huge Nic cigar fan) and in inspecting it there are no soft spots to speak of so I don't expect it to tunnel. The cigar is quite veiny but shouldn't pose any issues with the burn. Gave it a snip with my cutter and upon examining the cold draw I get a nice draw with a little bit of resistance. The cigar is giving off flavors of tobacco mixed with coffee & mocha just off the cold draw so let's light it up and see what we get!

The Beginning

This cigar is starting off very nicely with a very reasonable amount of spice on the back of the throat mixed in with a milk chocolate flavor and some coffee notes. There's also some hints of grass mixed in as well (as I've mentioned in past reviews I'm usually not a fan of overly Earthy cigars. Just a little earthiness is doable). As I mentioned, I'm tasting the spice more towards the back of my pallet and throat yet on the retrohale it's a little less noticable. This cigar was touted as a powerhouse cigar and it is not dissapointing as it is very full-bodied starting out and really giving me a nic buzz early yet remaining very smooth (from the triple fermentation process that the blend went thru in its creation)! I'm working with a very good draw with a lot of smoke coming from each puff. I'm continuing to taste a mixture of sweet chocolate, spiciness and earthiness as I'm smoking this Cain. The ash on this cigar is a greyish-white color and is holding pretty solidly with a nice even burn. BTW the nic buzz is getting stronger as I hit the halfway point (good thing I ate before this otherwise I don't know if I will be able to finish this plus it is VERY humid out here!!)

Halfway Point

Hitting the halfway mark of the Cain F and the spice has faded a bit to the background but the milk chocolate is still hanging around (tastes like I just had a Hershey's Kiss). Ok I'm at a point now where the flavors are starting to become difficult to decipher; there seems to be a bit of a burnt flavor mixing in here with the chocolate but the other flavors are a little hard to figure out (they are bad flavors just hard to decipher). The strength has NOT changed at this point...it is STILL very full-bodied and it is hitting me very much with a nic buzz. One thing to point out is that one of my neighbors is playing some classic old school R&B: a little Babyface "Soon as I Get Home" got a brotha grooving as I smoke this cigar! But I digress...I am noticing that a faint spice is evident on my pallet on the finish (I wondered where it went to!). Still very earthy moving forward with a mixture of coffee and burnt tobacco. The construction on this cigar is impeccable as the ash has remained solid with no flaking or no need for touching up the burn! Love it! Also loving this buzz I'm getting from it even with the humidity!

Finish Line

Coming into the finish the milk chocolate flavor is making a comeback mixing in with the notes I experienced from the halfway point. Still not getting the spice I had at the beginning which is something I was expecting at this point in the cigar. The ash is starting to become a little flaky but it looks to be fixing itself; the burn is still fairly even and there is still a lot of smoke! Getting to end it's starting to become a little hot and bitter so I'm letting it die...now it's time for the VERDICT!

VERDICT

This cigar is a definite WIN in my book...any full-bodied cigar smoker would enjoy this cigar! I think with a little more aging more flavors would explode from this blend and this would definitely become an epic win cigar. Anyone who's had a ligero cigar and thought "it's too harsh to enjoy" would love this one because it's ultra smooth!

Thanks for reading and keep enjoying fine quality cigars and let the smoke take you away!

-DC's People's Champ

Litto Bends Elements with The AirBender Line by La Flor Dominicana

2010-06-10T10:00:00.001-04:00

In the words of hip-hop legend Rakim, "It's been a long time…" but I'm finally back with another cigar review. After looking for new employment, being worried about not having a job and ultimately having my employer extend my current employment, it feels good to sit down and finally share my thoughts on a cigar. Today's cigar of choice is the latest release from La Flor Dominicana, The AirBender. I must say that I smoked this cigar several months ago (March to be exact), but I have been awash in some many other things that I am finally putting my thoughts down. I managed to snag one in each size of the AirBender line from Jack Schwartz Importer out of Chicago as an "early-release" back in February 2010. Of course now, you can get the AirBender at most of your local tobacco shops with prices that range from $6.50 to $9.00 depending on which size vitola you choose.

For my review, I chose the Matatan, a firmly-packed robusto coming in at a 50-ring x 5" size. The cigar has a habano wrapper and is a Dominican puro. Here's the tale of the tape:

MSRP: $6.50 approx.

Size: 5 x 50

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano

Binder: Dominican

Filler: Dominican

Pre-light: On the surface, I am noticing a few prominent veins running through the wrapper leaf; however, I do not anticipate any burn problems. While the cigar is firmly packed, I have noticed a soft spot just under the band. The cigar has a rich barnyard aroma with some chocolate notes on the pre-light draw.

1^st third: Right off the bat this cigar hits me with notes of rich tobacco, wood & spice. While the burn is slightly uneven, the cigar is putting off a sweet aroma that is very atypical of most cigars that I enjoy, but it is very good. The cigar is also giving off lots of resting smoke and resembling the appearance of burning incense instead of a cigar. The smoke is really thick and coats my palate almost from the very start. The cigar is definitely medium to full-bodied but not really strong. The wood notes seem to be the most dominant as I near the end of the first third. The ash is beginning to flower and is a flaky whitish gray. The cigar burns slowly which means more time to enjoy it and it also allows itself to correct the previous burn issues.

2^nd third: Entering the mid-point of the cigar, I am experiencing plumes of thick white smoke and loads of wood and spice especially on the retrohale. The flavor is now definitely full-bodied; however, the strength is still centered in the medium range. The sweetness I mentioned earlier is still present and when mixed with the smoked wood note really reminds me of a hickory or mesquite type of flavor. I am beginning to experience a slight nicotine kick but nothing that would sit me down or make me put the cigar down. The ash has managed to hold on to the halfway point (approx. 2.5") before finally falling off. The spice on the retrohale has dissipated, but the smoke is still very heavy and creamy on my palate.

Final third: This cigar has "kicked it up a notch" and is now in the full range in terms of strength. The prominent flavor is still the smoked wood and really reminds me of barbeque. The flavor is definitely full-bodied. The resting smoke that was prevalent in the early stages of the cigar has dissipated as I near the end of the cigar.

Closing Thoughts: Given that this review was performed several months ago, I have had several opportunities to re-visit this cigar, but this is the first time I have looked at my notes. I must say that every AirBender I have smoked since this one has been spot on with this review and the more they have aged in just the short three month period, the better they have gotten to me. I must say that everyone's taste is different, but I really enjoyed this cigar. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I was able to pick up a box at an event at Cigar Connection in Arlington, VA and fortunate enough to have Litto Gomez sign the box himself. For the price, this is another winner from La Flor Dominicana and definitely worth the investment in a box for immediate enjoyment or aging.

Shark Infested Waters - The Arturo Fuente No. 77

2010-01-20T23:53:00.001-05:00

Tonight I decided to retire to my study once again for a cozy review. Only tonight's cigar isn't just any cigar…it is the Arturo Fuente Añejo No. 77 also known as "the Shark". I am pairing tonight's cigar with some Ron Añejo Pampero Anniversario Rum. The Shark derives its name from Wayne Suarez & Marvin Shanken due to their love of this particular blend. Carlito Fuente dubbed this vitola the “SS Shark”. While I would love to delve into the details of the nomenclature and history I will leave that to each of you and tell you that you can read more about “The Shark” at vitolas.net. Let’s get into the review…

Size: 5 5/8” x 54
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Añejo Blend

The unique shape of this cigar is the first thing that grabs you in that the foot is perfectly squared; however, the cigar morphs into a torpedo shape at the head. I've only smoked one of these previously, but after securing a box (thanks to @Mirrorlure7m on Twitter) I decided to give it a go for a review.

The cigar is seemingly flawless in construction exhibiting the right amount of firmness that springs back ever so slightly when pinched. The wrapper is a dark chocolate color with a single prominent vein that runs throughout. The cigar smells of rich barnyard & tobacco aromas. The pre-light draw is again rich tobacco with a slight coffee note.

First third: There is a slight sweetness on the outset; however, no real pepper or spice kick is present at the moment. The cigar is very smooth with a slight taste of dried fruit or raisins. So far, this cigar is not producing a lot of smoke, but it is very mellow. I would classify the body as mild at this point. The ash is somewhat gray in color and is holding firm for at least the first inch to inch and a half.

Second third: There is a slight hint of spice on the retrohale that is beginning to come through. The strength is still mild to medium; however, the body is moving into the medium range and the flavors are starting to hang heavier on my palate. Overall it is still slightly sweet and very mellow. Toward the end of the 2nd third, this cigar is hitting its stride now with more dark chocolate flavor & a citrus note on the retrohale which is surprising yet pleasant. After experiencing a little tar buildup, I re-clipped the cigar and it is now producing lots of smoke & draw has loosened somewhat.

Final third: As I near the end, I am noticing a slight peppery spice on my tongue. The dark chocolate note is building. Overall it is still very smooth & mellow, yet the strength has picked up to a medium range. I am not experiencing noticeable nicotine "kick", but the cigar is definitely stronger.

Final thoughts: This cigar has hefty price tag due to the rarity and the aging (6-8 months in cognac barrels; min. 3 yrs total), but it is well worth it. Starting slowly, it gradually builds in flavor, strength, & complexity yet never loses it mellow character. I considered my experience to be very enjoyable & it certainly proved to be a great pairing with good aged rum. Since I have a box of these, at the recommendation of my good friend Joel (@Mirrorlure7m), I am going to let these age and hopefully re-visit them every few months just to see how they mature and change ever so slightly. I would definitely recommend these to anyone that is looking to try a “rare” cigar if cost is not an option; however, I would stay away from shops that are not authorized Fuente dealers as the price can escalate quickly. I am giving this experience 4.5 out of 5 smokes.

That’s all for now; until next time…fly straight & fly high.

Happy Smoking,

-Da Byrdman-

The People's Review of the Tatuaje Verocu Red Tubo

2010-01-19T08:00:00.002-05:00

FINALLY THE CHAMP HAS COME BACK TO THE B&B BLOG! Yeah I realize it's been a long while since I did a review (different things happening plus the brutally cold weather of the DMV prevented previous attempts) but I finally had the chance to get one done for all The Champ's fans so without further ado...LET'S DO THIS!

This review is for the Tatuaje Verocu Red Tubo, another creation from the combo of Pete Johnson and Jose "Don" Pepin Garcia. This cigar also came in a Black tubo as well; I tried the Black tubo in late December on a trip to the Humidour and I really enjoyed that cigar and I was looking forward to giving this cigar a go. Here are the specs of this stick:

Vitola: 6 1/8" x 52 torpedo
Strength: Full
Filler: Nicaraguan Cuban Seed
Binder: Nicaraguan Cuban Seed
Wrapper: 1999 Nicaraguan Corojo

Pre-light Draw & Construction

We get right into it and take the cigar from its red tubo and right away you become somewhat enamoured with the dark color of the corojo wrapper. There are some visible veins but nothing that would cause any issues. A little squeeze shows that the tobacco is packed tight and is quite firm with very little give. Give this cigar a little snip with my cutter and the draw is quite good given the fact the cigar is quite packed. The cold draw produced a nice sweet flavor mixed in with a little earthiness so let's get it lit and see what we get!

First Third

Right off the bat after getting this cigar lit is the amount of smoke produced; a lot of white, creamy smoke. It starts off with loads of spice, something I always come to expect from a Nicaraguan puro and/or a cigar with corojo tobacco in it, along with a mix of earth tones and a slight hint of black coffee. The spice is very prominent on the retrohale and on the back of the throat along with the earthiness we got from the cold draw. As I continue the cigar the coffee flavor is starting to creep up a little more really creating an interesting yet pleasurable mixture. One thing to note: I'm not a huge fan of an overly earthy cigar and can never really enjoy it but this cigar has the perfect amount of earth tones mixed in with the spice and coffee that even I can enjoy! =) The construction on this cigar is ridiculously good...burn is very even and the ash is very solid with a whitish-grey color (even my g/f marveled at how good the ash was =]). This is most certainly a full-bodied cigar - feeling a strong nic buzz right now from smoking about 2" of this cigar (BTW I'm a full-bodied cigar fanatic so this cigar is perfect so far!) And just as I'm ready to move into the halfway point I just got a small hit of something sweet almost like ginger or cinnamon...very nice!

Halfway Point

Moving on to the halfway point and the spice has faded quite a bit and I'm still tasting the coffee and earth tones. Burn is still fairly even and the ash is still holding firm and solid (TD SAINTS ON A FLEA FLICKER! Sorry I'm watching the Saints/Cardnials game...very entertaining!) This cigar is still producing a lot of creamy smoke while remaining cool and smooth. Still tasting some earth tones w/ some coffee and ginger notes plus a burnt tobacco flavor. The spice is starting to come back a little bit and the strength of this cigar has not wavered as I'm still feeling a nic buzz!

End of the line

Now moving on to the end of this cigar and I'm still tasting that burnt tobacco flavor w/ a small amount of spice (not as strong as I anticipated or experienced at the start). Construction on this cigar is borderline phenominal...still burning evenly and the ash is still solid. Now I'm getting some sweetness on the pallet (can't quite put my finger on what it is but it's good) and it's starting to mix in with a flavor of walnuts and earth notes as I reach the end of this cigar. The cigar is still burning cool as I get to the end and the flavors are just so pleasant it's a shame that it's the end!

Verdict:

After smoking this cigar I think the verdict is pretty obvious...EPIC WIN!! This cigar is indeed a full-bodied cigar smoker's cigar...plenty of flavor with a strong kick to it to keep you awake and interested...I highly recommend this cigar! It is well worth the price for either a single or a box from your local B&M; one very important note: before smoking this cigar make sure you have a very full meal on your stomach...I had 3 slices of pizza prior to smoking this cigar and was able to barely stand up straight LOL! That's all for now...I shall be back again for another review but until that time keep lighting up those fine cigars and let the smoke take you away...cheers and enjoy!

THE CHAMP

Cusano 18 Double Connecticut Robusto

2010-01-18T08:00:00.001-05:00

This is a smoke that I got from The Big Smoke Vegas in November.

Don't know anything about it so I did a little searching to see what the details were of this smoke.

It's been awhile since I have written a review, but there was a lot going on in my life. Now that things have calmed down a bit I can get back to posting reviews.

Wrapper-Connecticut
Binder-Connecticut
Filler-Nicaraguan
Size-Robusto 5x50

It is 10:37 am on a Wednesday morning. This is the first time I have ever smoked a cigar this early. So I figured I would try something considered to be mild/medium. I will also be having a glass of California Cabernet Sauvignon Red Wine. Don't know how this will pair up, but we will see.

Construction is good. There are a few veins but nothing to write momma about. A nice feel to it, not too firm.

Prelight: The wrapper gives off a smooth slightly sweet smell to it.
Cut was good, smooth on the dry hale. Time to light and see what this stick is all about.

Good first inhale. Smooth notes, little hint of honey. Let's see if it keeps that flavor.

So far so good. It is giving off a great resting smoke and the smoke on the retrohale is very thick. The ash is holding well with no flaking at all. Flavor is still creamy smooth.

At the half way point and I will say that this is a very mild cigar. A great one for me to smoke in the morning. The flavor has changed a little. Not as much sweetness, not complex at all.
[caption id="attachment_171" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="\"Proper etiquette says put this down. Nonsense!\""][/caption]
It does have a very nice burn to it. Even all the way through.
When you get to the band, proper etiquette tells you to put it down, but if you are enjoying your cigar why would you want to do that? Makes no sense to me.

In the end, this was a good smoke this morning. Not heavy and it still allows me to go play with my 3 year old son.
It was about a 45 minute smoke with a very consistent smooth flavor and a very consistent burn. This after sitting in my humidor for 2 months.

So for all you mild cigar smokers. This would be a good one for you to have. Or for those that want a cigar that will not hurt their performance while at work but need to get away and refresh, this would be one to consider.

As always,
Happy Smokin..

BIG PIMPIN of B&B Cigar Club

A Coffee Break on a Snow Day

2009-12-21T18:02:00.002-05:00

Today since I'm in the house, in my study, and somewhat tired of working on actual job-related activities I decided to take a "Coffee Break". Not your typical coffee break, but today I decided to light up a creation by Miami Cigar Co. bearing the signature name of Nestor Miranda Special Selection. The Special Selection line is a mix of Nicaraguan & Costa Rican tobaccos specially blended by Don Pepin Garcia. The nickname "coffee break" comes from the small stature of this particular vitola that I have chosen. We'll see if the burn time lends itself to a normal length coffee break.

Size: 50 x 4.5
Filler: Nicaraguan/Costa Rican
Binder: Nicaraguan
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
MSRP: $6.50 (approx.)

Construction: The cigar is nice and firm but not hard to the touch. There are some predominant veins in the wrapper but the color is consistent.
Pre-light aroma: The cigar smells of strong barnyard tobacco odor with a hint of coffee/cocoa.
Pre-light draw: The draw is fairly loose with hints of tobacco and coffee.

1st third: First couple of puffs produce loads of smoke with a rich earthy flavor. Roasted spice notes are present on the retrohale. The coffee note begins to build toward the end of the first third. The ash held for about the first half inch; however, the burn stayed even.

2nd third: The middle of the cigar really opened up with a flavor that was almost like hickory smoke or barbeque. Either I'm hungry or that was one awesome flavor encounter. Either way, I enjoyed it nevertheless and I hope it stays for a while. The coffee flavor is also present on the finish and the cigar continues to pour out lots of smoke which enhances the experience. The "barbeque" has now given way to a slightly sweet spiciness on the retrohale. So far, I must say that this cigar is very complex and quite surprising.

Final third: The cigar continues to be a little flavor firecracker. While it has not been anywhere near strong it has been fairly medium to full-bodied in the flavor department. It is still putting out lots of smoke even as it is getting closer to the nub, and the flavors of coffee, sweet spice, and an occassional hickory barbeque are ever-present.

Final thoughts: With a burn time of about 45 minutes, I could never smoke one of these on a coffee break at my job, but it was certainly nice to get lost for that time with this cigar. The price point is not intimidating and the experience was worth every penny. Overall, I give it 4.5 out of 5 smokes.

Tabacos Baez Serie SF

2009-12-21T15:14:00.000-05:00

I picked up this cigar several months ago during a run to John B. Hayes Tobacconist in Fairfax, VA. At a price tag of about $3, I could not resist giving this Don Pepin creation a shot. It is a mix of Cuban-seed Nicaraguan long filler and mixed short filler in a Nicaraguan habano wrapper.

Vitola: Robusto
Size: 50 x 5"
MSRP: $3 (approx.)
Construction: Very firm to the touch with one or two veins on the wrapper, but otherwise clean.

Pre-light aroma: Rich tobacco and barnyard hay
Pre-light draw: Rich tobacco with a hint of milk chocolate
Tonight I am pairing the cigar with a Leffe blond ale.

1st third: Upon lighting the cigar and taking the first few puffs I am not getting a really strong flavor on my palate initially, but there is a hint of pepper on the retrohale. The cigar is medium-bodied but not overpowering. The ash is white and solid but starting to bend at just over an inch & a half. Dominant flavor is rich tobacco but not heavy. From a strength standpoint I am not experiencing a pronounced nicotine kick.

2nd third: The burn is fairly even with no need for a touch-up. The pepper note has graduated to more of a pleasant spice. The cigar is still holding in the medium-bodied range with little or no noticeable strength. Approaching the band the strength is begins to intensify but it's not beyond a medium range.

Final third: The burn still even. The flavors have been consistent throughout with tobacco, spice, & pepper. A slight leathery flavor creeps in toward the nub. Unfortunately, the wrapper cracked just past the band.

Final thoughts: With a price tag around $3 a stick, this is a very solid "budget" cigar. The flavors are consistent throughout and the strength is in the mild to medium range. Aside from the wrapper cracking at the end, this is a decent smoke that I would love to have as an everyday cigar and will definitely re-visit. The total burn time was 1 hr 8 min. I give it 3.5 out of 5 sticks.

As always, fly straight and fly high.

-Da Byrdman-

5 Minutes with Alan Rubin

2009-12-21T15:12:00.001-05:00

Big Pimpin' and I had the pleasure of sitting down with Alan Rubin of Alec Bradley Cigars for short chat and a cigar. Here's a transcript of the interview.

B&B: First of all we want to thank Alan Rubin of Alec Bradley Cigars for sitting down with The B&B Cigar Club. I am Ashley Byrd, the Byrdman, Big Pimpin' Paul Ballard is here snapping the photos. Alan, question #1, what is the most challenging aspect of being a boutique brand?

Alan Rubin: I think for me it's more than one piece. I think one is being able to listen, understand what the consumers are asking for, and then going out and trying to produce that. One of the things I think we do well for our company is utilize new, unique tobaccos and try and blend "outside of the box" a little bit try and do new and creative cigars. I think the other thing is going out and meeting the people. There's just not enough time to be in the factories and try and run the operations and meet everybody and if I could do it all I would.

B&B: What do you see as the next "big thing" in the cigar industry?

Alan Rubin: Oh, I wish I knew.

B&B: Is it a size, is it a strength, a particular blend?

Alan Rubin: Well you know this industry goes through changes. A lot of times I think mild cigars sell very well, but people don't really talk about mild they talk about stronger cigars. I think the strong cigars have maybe gone through it's time. I think people are maybe looking for balance. I think people are looking for cigars that are balanced that enhance their experience when they get to whatever event they're attending or whether they're by themselves I think what they want is a nice experience. Our job for our company is just to be a part of that experience. My whole feel is that if you're looking for what the next great thing is in the cigar business, I think people are back to balance, back to complexity, back to smoothness. I think they've gone through that "stronger is better" phase.

B&B: What should I expect when I light up a Prensado for the first time?

Alan Rubin: Greatness. Dude I'm talking to Da Byrdman, what do you want me to tell you. Prensado is just out of the box right now. We just launched it, and the responses have been spectacular. I'm walking around kinda with a permanent smile on my face right now coming off of Tempus, SCR, and Vice Press that all hit and now Prensado. I think when you smoke Prensado what you're going to get is balance. You're gonna get complexity, you're gonna get smoothness. It's gonna be one of those cigars where you're gonna look down and say "did I just smoke that whole cigar?" You're gonna wonder where did it go because I just lost myself. I think that's what you're gonna get out of Prensado.

B&B: If I were a first-time cigar smoker looking at the Alec Bradley brand, which one would you recommend and why?

Alan Rubin: As a first-time cigar smoker I would say that you want something that's going to be mild in terms of strength, but still has some flavor and smoothness and creaminess to it. I would say our Occidental Reserve line which uses a Connecticut wrapper. It's smooth, it's creamy, it's got some nice flavor to it, and it's not over the top strong so it's not gonna put you into that "ozone" atmosphere. It's really a nice cigar. As a matter of fact, one of my best friends is a doctor, never really had cigars before and he said to me, "hey I want to try a cigar". We sat down and smoked an Occidental and at the end of the evening he said, "hey you think we could do this again?" It was about enjoying the experience and the time with my friend over a cigar that didn't overpower him.

B&B: What should we expect in the future from the Alec Bradley brand?

Alan Rubin: In terms of brands, we are creating new things. We are trying and experimenting with some new tobaccos. I'm actually in the middle of testing some blends right now for some new things coming out in 2010. You'll probably see the same momentum that we have right now and that is coming out with some unique blends, using some interesting tobaccos that are not really in the marketplace. After that, I could tell you, but then I gotta kill you and you're bigger than me so that's not happening, but if you hit the ground I'm taking the hat.

B&B: What is the perfect humidity for storing & smoking Alec Bradley cigars?

Alan Rubin: I can tell you that humidity is such a huge component. One of the tests is to take a cigar and leave it out for 4 or 5 days and take the same cigar at the proper humidity and smoke those cigars. Those are different cigars. Right now we're doing more testing. I just bought a humidity gauge that's extremely accurate. Even samples that come in, I will put the humidity gauge on that sample before I smoke it and see where it is. I would say that Tempus smokes best at 65% R.H. because there's so much thick tobacco and a lot of oils you don't want to over-humidify that because then the humidity doesn't have a chance to escape. SCR right now is also at 65%. We are testing Prensado and I think that will be at 65% as well. Some of the lighter cigars can stand a little more humidity, so I would say 69% for those. Most cigars, if you smoke them at over 69%, they hold a little too much humidity and you may get an acrid taste and a little bit of harshness. As that humidity builds and that heat builds, you're gonna get a little bitterness. To me 65%, 67%, and up to 69% would be the proper humidity to smoke the cigars that we make.

B&B: Alan, thank you for your time.

Alan Rubin: My pleasure.

"The Mystery Smoke"

2009-12-04T15:50:00.004-05:00

This was a gift that I got from the "Da Byrdman". (What up B?) I don't know what type of cigar this is so this will really be a test for me.

It is a 5x50 Robusto.

South Park is funny, No Minorities in the water park, Pee Pee in the water park. This is hilarious. Sorry, back to the smoke.

Construction- It has a beautiful brown Maduro wrapper with no defects, Oily, smooth and firm to the touch. Looks like it will be a great smoke.

It has a nice even burn with an easy draw. Flavors are somewhat sweet. No spice yet. But if I know "DaByrdman" it will have some spice in it. Nice amounts of puff smoke and resting smoke.

Kyle is swimming in Pee, This is funny. Making it difficult to focus on the smoke.

They just pissed on the monkeys. LMAO!! Sorry.

Second 3rd. It has been a very consistent burn. Getting some toastie notes, very smooth but here comes the pepper. It's not allot of pepper but I knew it would have some kick to it. (Thanks B). Starting to feel a little cigar buzz.

That's awful, Kyle has to drink the pee. WTF!!

Final stretch- Had to relight because of South Park. The spice is allot more noticeable at this point. Still has a nice burn. The ash white with no flaking and it stands tall. For me I will have to say this is a medium to full body smoke. I should've expected that from "DaByrdman". I will have to get something to eat after this. The spice is getting a little to much for me, but I am at the end of the smoke so I will push forward to the finish.

The verdict. Very nice consistency on this stick with a great amount of smoke, Steady even burn with earthy, toastie & spice flavors. With all of that coming at you, it is still a very smooth cigar. I will have to say now that it is a full body smoke.

I will give this one a high grade. 4 out of 5 sticks. If you are someone who likes a full body smoke this is one to get. What the hell am I talking about, I don't even know what the heck I am smoking.

After getting in contact with 'Da Byrdman" to let him know that I smoked it. He finally told me what it was. "Cain F". Are you F'n kidding me!!! He knew I would never buy one of these so he had to sneak it in on me. Good Job Byrd.

Here is the official information for the Cigar.

"CAIN F" STRAIGHT LIGERO..

Wrapper: Nicaragua

Filler: Esteli Ligero, Condega Ligero, Jalapa Ligero

Size: Robusto (5 x 50)

Strength: Full

Until next time, "Happy Smokin"

Big Pimpin

Big Smoke Las Vegas Part II

2009-12-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

Since we're still in transition between the page here and our site on wordpress, I have decided to post the remainder of the Big Smoke 2009 info in both places. Here's yet another photo slideshow. Enjoy!

Tatuaje Ambos Mundos Sumatra

2009-11-11T08:00:00.002-05:00

As I continue to delve into the world of Tatuaje Cigars, made by Pete Johnson, tonight's review will be on the Ambos Mundos Sumatra Robusto. From the Tatuaje website, Ambos Mundos is translated to mean "both worlds" as in "The Best of Both Worlds". This cigar was touted as an entry into the bargain cigar market by Pete Johnson and comes with a price tag in the $5 - $6 range depending on your local taxes. None of my local B&Ms are authorized Tatuaje dealers so I made this purchase at Leesburg Cigars.

Vital Stats:
Vitola - Robusto
Size - 5 x 50
Wrapper - Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder - Nicaragua
Filler - Nicaragua

Construction: The wrapper is a slightly mottled cocoa-brown with a couple of pronounced veins & many smaller veins running throughout the leaf. The cap is the Tatuaje signature Cuban triple cap. The cigar is firm to the touch; however, I do not anticipate any issues with the draw.

Pre-light: Aroma is a rich barnyard tobacco odor that gets your attention right away. Cold draw is not too tight or loose and produces no real spice or pepper but the same rich tobacco flavor as the aroma.

First impressions: First few puffs are somewhat peppery on the middle of my tongue and on the retrohale. I am also getting a hint of cinnamon type spice on the retrohale. The cigar is producing a fair amount of smoke but very little residual or resting smoke. Further in, the peppery spice has calmed and the cinnamon has turned into more of a licorice flavor that is very nice with the tobacco undertones. The strength is mild, while the flavor is squarely into the medium range. The ash is holding strong for the first inch with a light gray color. The burn line is decent with no need for a touch up.

Halfway point: The cigar is rather woody at this point with a cedary sweetness on the retrohale. The licorice is still present, but it has taken a backseat to the cedar flavor. The cigar is much smoother while the flavor has definitely picked up The strength has remained relatively mild. The ash let go after about two inches. The spice and sweetness on the retrohale is really enjoyable and the cigar is producing an ample amount of smoke. I'm really surprised at the mildness in strength with this flavor intensity. The resting smoke is also very aromatic with that same sweet yet toasty cedar characteristic. It gives a slight tinge to the nostrils.

Home stretch: The licorice flavor is now coming back to the forefront. The burn is a little wavy, but I see no real need for a touch up. After removing the band the flavor is somewhat meaty & the sweetness has mellowed.

Final thoughts: I really love the complexity of this cigar and the way the flavors heighten & mellow throughout. For the price point, this an excellent cigar when you're looking for good flavor with less power. I have been searching for the perfect "lawnmower" smoke and I think this is it. With a burn time of a little over an hour, this would be great for the golf course if you want to know that you have a cigar without having it shake you to death while standing over a 6 ft putt.

Verdict:

4 out of 5 smokes

Until the next time . . . Fly straight & fly high. Happy Smoking.

-Da Byrdman-

Tips for Big Smoke in Vegas

2009-11-10T19:16:00.003-05:00

This is just a quick note for those of us that are going to Big Smoke in Vegas for the first time this weekend.
This is a Blog courtesy of Stogiepro and he gives some helpful tips for the event. I suggest you read it. http://stogiepro.wordpress.com/2009/09/23/the-big-smoke-experience/
Da Byrdman and I will be there and we will have allot to post to the blog page when we return. So keep an eye out....

Happy Smokin,

Big Pimpin

From the mind of The People's Champ - B&Ms: The key element to our passion

2009-11-10T07:00:00.003-05:00

I was sitting around recently and a thought came to my mind that I wanted to share with my fellow enthusiasts. This post is just my opinion and this does not reflect, in any way, the views and opinions of the B&B Cigar Club.

In this day and age of technology, more and more enthusiasts are using the World Wide Web to shop for their favorite cigars. The amount of traffic cigar retailer sites receive has seemingly risen recently given the low prices that are offered and the current economic climate on top of the mounting tobacco taxes being levied by the Federal Government and local governments. Sites like Cigar Bid (hosted by Cigars International), Holts, J.R., Famous, etc. are readily available to provide your favorite brand at a price too good to pass up. But in the midst of this current economic state of affairs, we as enthusiasts must not forget about the one place, the one mainstay that brings us together and provides a safe haven to enjoy our passion away from the criticism and attacks from anti-smoking opponents: the Brick and Mortar (B&M) Tobacconist shop! These shops are available to you as a place to go to enjoy a good drink, a good cigar and, most importantly, the company of great people who share in this passion. Many jurisdictions in this country have banned smoking in public places; think about it, depending on where you live you can't light up a cigar in a bar with a nice adult beverage with friends or in a restaurant after a nice dinner. There are even establishments that operate in jurisdictions without smoking bans that don't allow cigar smoking (yet allow cigarette smoking); there are a few of those establishments in Virginia that fall into that category. It is because of all of those factors that B&Ms should not be ignored! The Champ is not advocating that you ignore shopping on the Internet if you are on a budget and would like to be thrifty with your purchasing of cigars but if you live in an area that has a shop close by, please show some support for that shop...with more and more municipalities enacting crippling and strict smoking bans, these shops could no longer exist without the support of ordinary Joes like you or me. Me personally, I've made one Internet purchase in the 9+ years that I've been smoking cigars...it's nothing against Internet retailers at all but I am of the mind state that I want to see what I want already in front of me to inspect and say "Yes I want this one" plus I like to have a place to go to enjoy what I purchase and you just have an appreciation for the unique characters and personalities that you'll find in a shop. Don't let these small businesses go belly up in these tough times...support your local B&Ms! I want to give a big thank you to Gary Irvin, President of the Friends of Brick and Mortar Tobacconists Association, for his continued efforts to highlight the importance of these precious shops! Mr. Irvin, along with great B/SOTLs who own, operate, or just work in B&Ms are leading the charge to keep these places in existence so we enthusiasts can have our safe haven! You can check out his organization here: http://www.bmtobacco.com.

One other thing I wanted to mention that was on my mind: speaking of going into B&Ms for all your cigar needs, the one thing you'll find in B&Ms that you may not find online...house blends! Some online retailers have their brands that they sell but you can't sleep on what your local shop may have blended and had rolled to sell to you. Some of those house blends are just as good, if not better, than the well-known brands we all know (and either truly love or seriously hate). One example: there's a B&M in Alexandria named The Cigar Palace and they have their own house blend that comes in several different lines (including a Camacho Trip Maddie knockoff that from talking to people who have tried it say it is just as good if not better than the actual Trip maddie) and one of my favorites from their house blends is the Sungrown Maduro line. And the best part about Cigar Palace and their house blends is the excellent deal you get on them: Buy 4 and get 1 free...with most of their lines going for under $8 a stick you can't beat that! Yes we all love the Camachos, the Tatuajes, the Montecristos, the Cohibas, etc. but you can't deny that those little known brands made exclusively for B&Ms can be just as good and won't put a strain on your wallet. So not only should you support your local B&Ms but you should also give their house brands a fair shake...you may find your everyday, go-to cigar.

This is The Champ saying keep lighting up those good cigars and let the smoke take you away! Cheers and enjoy!

The People's Review of the Rocky Patel Patel Bros

2009-11-09T12:00:00.001-05:00

FINALLY THE CHAMP HAS COME BACK TO THE B&B BLOG!!! That's right The Champ is back after a bit of a hiatus to bring you yet another edition of "The People's Review" and today's review is of one of the new offerings from Rocky Patel the Patel Brothers. Here's the story behind this cigar courtesy of Rocky's homepage:

"For the first time in his company's history, Rocky Patel has collaborated with his brother Nish to create a full-bodied powerhouse cigar blend. The duo worked for years to find a robust and unique wrapper to accompany a special Nicaraguan filler and binder blend. A breakthrough came in the form of a beautifully dark and oily broadleaf wrapper selected from the tobacco fields of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. For each of their efforts, they decided to call the rich and bold cigar PATEL BROTHERS. "

This is one of the new blends released by RP (along with the Summer Collection 09, 1961, and Autumn Collection 09) and I was pretty psyched to try it out again since I had an intro to it before this review and it kicked my a$$! Here are the specs on this stogie:

Vitola: Torpedo 6.25" x 52

Filler: Nicaraguan

Binder: Nicaraguan

Wrapper: Pennsylvania Broadleaf

Strength: Full

Let's get into reviewing this new cigar!

Pre-light construction and Draw

Taking the cigar out the cello, I notice the wrapper is quite oily yet it's pretty toothy with some prominent veins showing. A little squeeze tells me the cigar is packed full of that good Nicaraguan tobacco yet it does have some give to it. After I clip the torpedo cap, the draw is near effortless with just a slight touch of resistance. The flavors I get off the cold draw include strong hints of chocolate with a mixture of spice and a sort of dairy flavor. Let's get it lit and get to it!

First Third

It's lit and right off the bat that combo of chocolate and dairy with spice hits early! The combo is chocolate milk with a black pepper spice and a sort of dirty flavor finish. The spice is really strong off the start and I can feel the tingle on the nostrils and the back of my throat; with the retrohale I am getting a serious nic buzz indicative that the cigar is quite full in strength. Continuing on I'm getting a nice touch of pecans mixed in with the other prevailing flavors (this mix is extremely enjoyable). I paired this cigar with a glass of 2007 Liroc Cuvee Reserve red wine, which was a pretty decent pairing but with these early flavors I think a good tawny port would be perfect! The finish on this cigar is very lengthy and pleasant; the aroma coming off this cigar is also phenominal! The draw is perfect so far and it gives off a lot of creamy thick smoke; it's burning a touch hot off the start but nothing that isn't manageable. Just noticed another flavor addition: that earthy dirt flavor has changed to more of a hay flavor mixed in with some raisins (it's very nice!) The ash on this cigar is a nice greyish white color and it's holding pretty solid so far plus the burn is slow and even, which is a plus! The spice that was so present off the start is starting to fade a little bit yet I can still feel it tingle through the nose; there's also a toasty flavor that's introduced to the fold with the other earlier flavors sans the strong pepper and even some leather notes! So far, this cigar is all over the place with the flavors and the ash is holding firm at 2" yet starting to flake a little bit (possibly due to the chill in the air as I smoke this) so I am looking forward to what the rest of this cigar has to offer!

Halfway Point

Time to move on to the halfway point and the spice has completely faded away but the flavors of chocolate milk, pecans and raisins are still around. Finish continues to be very lengthy and leaving a very sweet pleasant flavor on the pallet. The integrity of the ash is starting to waiver a bit as the ash is getting pretty flaky-looking; the draw on this cigar is still on point and still giving off a lot of smoke. Now I'm starting to get some black coffee notes with a slight touch of leather and the absence of earthiness from earlier on in the cigar. Even in this flavor transition the strength has remained pretty full-bodied. Now the ash has gone from pretty flaky to jagged?! Yes it had a weird mouth-looking shape to it at one point but outside of that those sweet flavors are still hanging around. Now I'm starting to notice that the spice is slowly trying to make a comeback though not as powerful as it was in the beginning. Also, have to give my cigar a little touchup as the burn is getting a little more uneven...pretty uneventful way to end this section.

Final Stretch and The People's Verdict

As I'm coming down the home stretch and this cigar isn't really changing flavors at this point. Mostly, it's the same notes of chocolate milk, pecans, raisins with a little earthiness and a small amount of spice. The only notable flavor addition was a slight hint of berries paired with black coffee (the berries I reckon is a nod to the Winter Collection to which this cigar was suppose to mimic) but other than that it's basically a repeat of the beginning sans spice. Burn wasn't as even and the ash was flaky.

The People's Verdict: MEH

I give this one a "MEH" simply because the beginning of this cigar gave me high hopes of a strong cigar that's super flavorful yet after the first 1/3 of the cigar it was basically 1 dimensional and at one point was flat. I won't completely write this cigar as it is a new release so I will say that with some humi time this cigar could possibly be a great offering from RP so go out and get one or two and let them sit for a while and I'm sure they will be on point! Once again, this is The Champ saying keep lighting up them good cigars and let the smoke take you away!

Cheers and Enjoy!

Perdomo Habano Corojo Toro

2009-11-04T07:00:00.019-05:00

After a lengthy hiatus, Da Byrdman is back with another cigar review. This time I decided to give my first cigar from Tabacalera Perdomo a shot. I chose the Perdomo Habano Corojo primarily because of the look of the cigar itself and the banding. I found myself hoping that I was not the victim of pretty packaging.

Here's the tale of the tape:

Perdomo Habano Corojo

Vitola: Toro

Size: 54 x 5.5"

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo

Binder: Cuban-seed Nicaraguan

Filler: Cuban-seed Nicaraguan

MSRP: $6.50

Construction: Oily wrapper with no real veins to speak of and firmly packed yet springy to touch.

Pre-light: The cold draw is full of cedar and tobacco flavor. No real evidence of spice or pepper.

1st third: For this review I decided to pair the cigar with my favorite rum, Ron Zacapa 23, just in case the cigar proved to be a disappointment. The initial puffs were slightly bitter and somewhat dry; however, further smoking yielded some pepper, lots of cedar, and an overall woodiness to the cigar. The cigar produced a generous amount of resting smoke and had a very even burn. Further into the cigar, I began to pick up a flavor similar to licorice along with a sweet spice on the retrohale. The cigar produced a voluminous amount of thick, white smoke. The body was definitely medium/full while the strength was in the medium range with no noticeable nicotine kick.

2nd third: As I progressed further, I continued to pick up more cedar and sweet spice as the dominant flavors at this point in the cigar. I also picked up some peppery notes on the tip of my tongue along with hints of coffee and some leather toward the lower end of the 2nd band. The cigar seemed to be very consistent and quite enjoyable. The body was definitely full while the strength remained in the medium range.

Final third: After removing the band, I noticed that the coffee note that appeared briefly in the middle of the cigar was absent and the leather flavor & texture had intensified. The cedar and spice components remained intact throughout. As the cigar burned to a nub, I was definitely satisfied with my first Tabacalera Perdomo experience.

In closing, while this would not necessarily be an "everyday" cigar for me, I would definitely invest in a box of these if your palate is geared for fuller flavors with less strength.

Overall I would give this cigar 3 out of 5 smokes.

Be sure to leave me a comment below. Until next time . . .Happy smoking.

Free Cigars Contest Winner

2009-10-14T12:00:00.004-04:00

We would like to thank everyone who signed up to follow the B&B Cigar Club blog. Without all of you, we're just another blog. And now, the winner of the Indian Tabac Super Fuerte Maduro Torpedo 5-pack is . . .

Keith Hollar

Keith please make sure you submit your address info in the form of a comment at the bottom of this post (it will be kept private) so we can get your sticks out to you ASAP.

Thanks again to everyone who entered. Stay tuned for more contests in the coming weeks.

-Da Byrdman-

Tatuaje Havana VI Hermosos

2009-10-06T12:55:00.000-04:00

Let me start by saying that Tatuaje cigars are virtually impossible to get in my immediate area. I am not sure what it is about them, but retailers in my locality (read that to mean 40 mile radius) are not carrying them. I had only tried one Tatuaje Havana VI previously (the Angeles) and it was pretty good, but I wanted something different during a very rare trip to Leesburg on a lunch break at work. I decided to pick up the Hermosos although it still sat in my humidor for the better part of two and a half months until now.

Size: 46 x 5 5/8 (Corona Gorda)
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua

Pre-light Inspection: This Nicaraguan gem is the brainchild of the dynamic duo of Pete Johnson and Jose "Pepin" Garcia. It has a deliciously chocolate brown wrapper with slight mottling and one predominant vein that runs throughout. The triple seam cap is flawless and the cigar is firm but not stiff to the touch. The pre-light aroma of the cigar is a delightful mixture of sweet tobacco and barnyard hay. The pre-light draw is a good flavor balance of semi-sweet tobacco notes and dried fruit.

First third: Upon lighting the cigar, I am noticing that the draw is a little firm for my liking; however, the resting smoke is steady. The cigar is producing a fair amount of smoke with each puff but not an abundance of smoke which may partly be due to the draw and more likely due to the smaller ring gauge. The burn is a little off but the ash is firm and gray. The flavor is in the medium body range while the strength is hovering somewhere between mild and medium with no spice or pepper on the retrohale. So far the dominant flavor is like espresso/coffee and toast with the hint of dried fruit on the finish (very tasty). Toward the end of the first third, the espresso note begins to fade while the toasted woodiness builds. The dried fruit note is still lingering on the finish. Incidentally, the burn issue I experienced in the beginning has now corrected itself.

Second third: The cigar has now moved into the medium to full flavor range while the strength is more into the medium range. The dominant flavors are leather, toast, and dried fruit in that order. The burn is even at this point and the draw is freer than at the outset. The cigar is really beginning to open up and is producing more smoke which is adding to the intensity of the flavors. With each draw, I am getting a thick, syrupy flavor that has the body and feel of molasses but not nearly as sweet. It is surprisingly pleasant.

Final third: Progressing toward the end of the cigar, this is where the surprises begin. The texture on my palate with each puff is creamy almost buttery while the leather, toasted wood, & dried fruit flavors continue to trade jabs with each other and my palate. Each puff calls one of the three to the forefront. The body has picked up just slightly although I would not call it full, but a hint of pepper is now present on the finish and in the retrohale (NICE!). Throughout this cigar, the flavors have been building like an orchestra coming to a crescendo, and now the cigar is hitting on all cylinders with something for all of my senses. The aroma of the resting smoke has the sweet smokiness of burning wood. The dried fruit on the finish is being exchanged for a much stronger note of pepper that has really gotten my attention.

Upon finishing this cigar, the flavors made we really want to sip some cognac just to keep that dried fruit note going. Overall, the cigar was perfectly balance and well-rounded yet very complex with the changes in flavor and strength intensity building from the beginning to the end. The cigar seemed to remain in the lower medium range for strength until the final third, but it was definitely flavorful. I would definitely add this cigar to my list of enjoyable smokes and I am left dumbfounded as to why my local tobacconists will not carry these in their shops. Guys, if you're reading, GET WITH THE PROGRAM!!!

Verdict: 4 out of 5 smokes

Fly straight and fly high . . .
-Da Byrdman-

CAO LX2 (GUT CHECK)

2009-09-29T14:00:00.010-04:00

CAO LX2 (Ligero times 2)
Size- 5x52
Shape- Robusto
Wrapper- Nicaragua
Binder- Honduras
Filler- Nicaragua, Dominican Republic
Flavor- Full Bodied

This is my first LX2. I have heard good things about this smoke. I don't know much about it, other than it is a full flavored smoke.

I would normally stay away from anything Ligero. But this came in a free 5 pack when I purchased my Brazilla Box Press. Along with a free CAO T-Shirt and a cool CAO Lx2 caring case that holds 2-3 smokes depending on size. I owe this one to Dave from CAO Cigars and the guys at OVTC.

More always, the review that I am giving is what I am getting from this Cigar and you may experience something different than I. I have not read any other reviews about this Cigar.

Construction is good. It does have that strong barn yard aroma to it. Packed pretty tight and very firm to the touch with no give. Wrapper is beautiful with a nice glow to it. No noticeable defects. BEAUTIFUL..

Pre-light draw is nutty yet I also get a hint of tea with an easy pull.

Time to light,

First third is smooth so far. I am getting the same flavors at this point nutty/tea but Kind of creamy. Not allot of resting smoke but a nice cloud from the puff. Ash is a little flaky but still an even burn on the wrapper.

Second third I am getting a little spice but not much. Ash is still flaky but still a nice even burn. It is a very consistent burn and flavor no real complexity to it, (yet)

Final Stretch The strength of the cigar is coming in to play. Feeling the cigar buzz with a little white pepper notes but still smooth with an earthy swing to it. Now I am getting the cigar sweats and the buzz is starting to intensify. I think I just got SUCKER PUNCHED and it wasn’t by Sally.

This is what I was afraid of. As those of you know that have read my reviews before, I am not much of the full flavor/body cigar smoker and this one is really hitting me. At the end of the smoke and I am laid back as I type this into my iPhone note pad. (Love this phone)

I will say it was a very good smoke with a consistent flavor and a steady even burn. I will have to invest in a box of these.

I give this a great rating of 5 out of 5 smokes

As always,

HAPPY SMOKIN,

BIG Pimpin.

Join the Club! Free Cigars!

2009-09-29T13:00:00.002-04:00

Who doesn't love free cigars? Everyone loves free cigars!

The B&B Cigar Club has decided to give away a 5-pack of Indian Tabac Super Fuerte Maduro Torpedos to one of you lucky followers. If you are already a follower of the blog, you’re already entered. If you're not a follower, you better get with the program! Simply click the "Follow" button to the right of the B&B logo and sign up as a follower of the blog.

The contest will run until October 13, 2009, so you have two full weeks. At that time, we will randomly select one of our followers to receive the free 5-pack of cigars. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!

Good luck and thanks for your continued support of The B&B Cigar Club.

-Da Byrdman, Big Pimpin', & The Champ-

Caught Cheatin' with a Blondie

2009-09-28T15:08:00.002-04:00

Disclaimer: Da Byrdman has never smoked an infused cigar of any kind and never intended to smoke an infused cigar in his life until the Acid Blondie Belicoso by Drew Estate.

Now that the official "disclaimer" business is out of the way, let me say thank you again to Terri Beck for providing the Acid Blondie Belicoso by Drew Estate for this review. Before I get into my impressions from this cigar, here is the tale of the tape:

ACID Blue Label Blondie Belicoso by Drew Estate

Size: 54 x 5"

Shape: Belicoso

Wrapper: Connecticut Shade

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

MSRP: $5 - $7 single; $105/box of 24

Appearance: Golden brown wrapper with 1-2 small veins

Construction: Excellent construction with no real flaws in the wrapper. Firm to the touch but not packed too tightly.

Pre-light Aroma: Loads of floral/botanical spice. (I'm not sure if I should light it and smoke it or use it as an air freshener, but I like it).

Pre-light Draw: Sweet tea flavors with a hint of honey and mild sweet tobacco.

A year ago I teased Big Pimpin' incessantly about the Acid Kuba Kuba that he smoked one night while we were out at a local bar. Now here I am reviewing yet another Acid cigar from the same blue label portion of the line, but this time it's the Blondie Belicoso. I have seen the original Blondie in stores on many occasions and just decided to walk on by, but with the release of the new Blondie Belicoso, Blondie's phatter (yes with a "ph") and more shapely sibling, I figured I'd give it a whirl.

1st third: Upon lighting the cigar and taking the first couple of puffs, I was introduced to loads of smoke and the sweetest taste I have ever encountered from a cigar wrapper. The wrapper was so sweet that I felt as if it overpowered the intital flavor of the smoke. The wrapper almost felt syrupy and slightly sticky in my hands and on my lips. The smoke was initially woody with a bit of toast on the finish. The ash was firm and gray with an almost flawless burn line. Progressing further, the flavor started to pick up more of the floral infusion; however, the wrapper flavor was still very sweet and strong. This wrapper was so sweet that I think I licked my lips more than LL Cool J. Toward the end of the first third, the cigar was giving off lots of aromatic resting smoke. The ash was over an inch in length and still holding firmly. The overall body was mild and very smooth.

2nd third: As I neared the halfway point of the cigar, the flavor picked up a hint of rose hips (never imagined I would use rose hips to describe cigar flavors but that's what I was getting). The rose hips were really complementing the sweetness of the wrapper and the smoke was very delightful. The draw was pretty much effortless; however, it was not causing the cigar to burn at an accelerated rate. The floral notes were continously intensifying along with the aroma of the resting smoke. Each puff produced a bouquet of aromas and clouds of thick white smoke that were a real delight to the senses.

Final third: Drawing into the final phase, the cigar started to heat up and while the rose hips were dying away, the toast that was present in the first third returned. The botanical aromas in the resting smoke were starting to diminish with each puff and the aroma was becoming more and more "like a cigar". As I brought the cigar to a nub, the toasted woodiness was stronger on the exhale and retro-hale but the cigar continued to remain very mild and smooth in body. The botanicals completed died off by the time I nubbed this cigar and the heat continued to intensify (as it should given the shape).

Overall: For my first infused/flavored cigar, it was definitely an above average smoke. I would call this cigar a "change-up" compared to the usual "fastballs" that I smoke (e.g. Cain, Man O'War Ruination). I would definitely say that this cigar is worth the investment of a 5-pack for someone who looks for a change of pace but is not an infused cigar smoker. If infused cigars are to your liking, this is a definite homerun hitter.

Verdict: 4 out of 5 Smokes

Until next time, fly straight and fly high with long ashes

-Da Byrdman-

ACID KUBA KUBA MADURO

2009-09-28T13:41:00.000-04:00

ACID KUBA KUBA MADURO

Maker=Drew Estate
Wrapper/leaf= Maduro/Ecuador

Filler=Nicaragua

Binder=Nicaragua
Shape=Robusto
Size=6x50

Let me just say it's been over a year since I had anything from Drew Estate. The last one I had was a KUBA KUBA with a Connecticut wrapper (I think). As I said, it was last summer.

Construction is very good. A little firm. No give to the touch. Nice oily wrapper. VERY POTPOURRI aroma. I feel like I am in a flower shop.

The pre-light draw is floral/sweet of course. Why did I expect anything different?

After the first quarter, most of the initial floral fades down, but it is still noticeable. It is giving off a great amount of resting and puff smoke which is nice. Draw is effortless. The ash is tight and holding firm. Very even burn. I can see that my taste of cigars has changed. Last year I would be able to smoke a few of these with no problem.

At this point it would be something that I would have every once in while. I will have to say It is giving me a very light buzz (SHOCKING). Once you get past all of the beautiful sweet aroma this turns out to be a very nice smoke.

At the halfway point, it starts to taste more like a regular maduro cigar except for the sweetness you get on your lips from the wrapper. This was a nice change of pace. It is something that I may buy as a single.

It was a good Cigar, but just a tad too sweet for me to have on a regular basis.

As always,

Happy Smokin,

BIG PIMPIN

Joya De Nicaragua

2009-09-23T19:11:00.004-04:00

Joya De Nicaragua Clasico.

Don't know anything about this cigar. It is a 5x60 Toro size. Filler-Nicaraguin, Wrapper-Connecticut.

As I have stated before with my reviews, this is about what I get out of the cigar. I have not read any other reviews about this cigar. I will say it was hard to find any information about it (size, binder, wrapper).

There are 2 small splits at the end of the cigar. Don't know how this will affect the burn, but we will see. The rest of the cigar looks good.

Pre-Light draw gives off a smooth creamy note.
First initial burn there were 2 holes that sparked a small flame but nothing major. They did fix themselves. Nice burn for the first 1/4 pretty even after the outburst. Damn, the wind just blew my ash off. Getting a lite pepper taste but not much else and I am passing the first 1/3. There is a lite sting on the back of the throat after exhaling of the smoke. Don't know how that works.

Change of flavor, this is good. Getting a Woodie flavor. WOW, now I am getting a sweet (like honey) flavor. I am coming up on the half way point and it is starting to change. I wasn't getting much in the beginning but now it is giving me a few different flavors, Nutty, earthy.

This stick is confusing me. The flavors stop coming,(what happen?) and it is now stagnant. It started to give me a rush of flavors for a few puffs and then it stopped, and I was just passing the half way point.

The flavors are no longer there. I am getting much of nothing. Just a bit of a creamy note. Like it was in the beginning.

I am not overly impressed with this cigar. It started slow and tried to pick up 1/4 of the way through then it went back to the way it was in the beginning. I would have to say it is a very mild smoke, and for me to say that means it is VERY MILD. There was no kick to it at all for me. As you all now I am not a full body smoker. But after having this smoke I needed a Camacho Corojo BAD!!!!

In the end, it left nothing to be desired.
Again, this is my personal feeling. You may get something totally different and it may work for you.

As always,

HAPPY SMOKIN,

BIG PIMPIN of THE B & B CIGAR CLUB..

Great Expectations . . . Clasico Disappointment

2009-09-21T11:57:00.002-04:00

This week I decided to review a cigar that I have never tried before: the Joya de Nicaragua Clasico Criollo Toro. I received this cigar in a sampler from my good friend & tobacconist Terri Beck.

Here's the brief skinny on this cigar:

Vitola: 5 x 60 Toro

Price: A box of 25 retails for $74.99 at texcigars.com

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Criollo Capas
Binder: Cuban-seed Nicaraguan
Filler: Cuban-seed Nicaraguan

Construction: A couple of prominent veins in the wrapper but consistent color, dark, & oily with a double seam cap. Firmly packed but not too tight.

Pre-light: Pre-light aroma is strong "barnyard" tobacco. Pre-light draw has a good mix of milk & dark chocolate flavors. As I clipped the head and lit this cigar, I had great expectations for a smorgasbord of flavor highlighted by the milk & dark chocolate notes on the pre-light draw.

1st Third: Rich, woody chocolate flavors jumped out on the first few puffs. The cigar produces a decent amount of resting smoke; however, not alot of smoke resulting from each puff. The ash is white and solid with flecks of grey. Coming to the end of the 1st third this cigar has been pretty one-dimensional so far with a body in the medium range.

2nd Third: The Clasico is still giving me chocolate notes with a raisin-like note on the finish. The body is still medium and not a lot of action otherwise.

Final third: The cigar is still giving off bitter dark chocolate flavors w/raisins on the finish. Overall I have not had any burn issues or construction issues, but I wish I had just to give me something to write about because the cigar itself has given me very little.

In closing, I had great expectations for this cigar especially after reading other reviews on the Joya de Nicaragua Antaño line. Suffice it to say that the Clasico is a "clasico disappointment". Lack of overall flavor & complexity can never save a cigar in my opinion no matter how good the construction and overall appearance may be. Think of a cigar like a good burger, you don't want it to be a mess all over you but if it's good you can live with it. Some good cigars that produce major burn issues or have construction issues may still get a pass from me if the flavors and complexity warrant that I keep smoking them. The Joya de Nicaragua Clasico Criollo is one I can do without. My recommendation is. . . "One and Done!" Proceed with caution on this one and only buy singles at best.

Until next time fly straight and fly high. . .

The Champ's first review: RyJ Habana Reserve

2009-09-20T22:42:00.007-04:00

[Disclaimer] The views and opinions of this review are that of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect the views of the B & B Cigar Club and its members. Also, the contributor is not an expert...this review is for informational purposes only.

Greetings enthusianados and enthusianadas out there...The Champ is here and I'm ready to give you my first review for the blog! This review will be on the Romeo y Julieta Habana Reserve. The first time I had this cigar back in May, I was leery of it since most RyJs are mild to medium bodied, which doesn't fit my pallet. But when I tried it, I was floored by it! So today, I'll give you a little insight into this offering!

Specs:

Filler: Mix of long-leaf Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos
Binder: Nicaraguan
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Size: Toro 6.00" x 54"
Strength classification: medium-to-full bodied

Pre-light construction and draw:

This cigar has a smooth feel to it but it has some very noticeable veins to it; the veins almost look like stitches. Giving it a gentle squeeze, it's not soft at all but not firm either. It really feels like the cigar is packed full of those Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos. The pre-light draw gives off a nice draw with a slight bit of resistance to it. The flavors I got from the pre-light draw were chocolate and coffee on the pallet with some spice on my lips.

Light up and First 1/3:

Once I light this cigar, it starts off with a fine helping of spice on the pallet. The spice was mixed with some earth tones along with some hints of coffee with cream and some notes of cocoa as well. The spice lingers for a while on the pallet and on the back of my throat; spice is also present when retro'd through the nose. The beginning is definitely med-to-full flavored and the strength is on the full side of medium bodied to start. The mixture of sweetness and spice is equal and well-balanced, which is something to look forward to as this cigar continues. Construction-wise the draw is good and it's producing a lot of white and creamy smoke; the burn is a little off and the ash on the cigar is a little flaky with a dark greyish color on it.

The spice on this cigar has faded just a bit as we move into the halfway point but it does still linger in the back of the pallet. The burn is still not quite right and I had to touch it up a bit with my lighter and the ash was quite crooked as it burns. The first stage ends with a slight but pleasant toasty flavor that mixes with the coffee flavor.

Halfway point:

The flavor has shifted and I'm getting more earthy tones than anything else. The strength has really intensified as well, especially doing the retro through the nose I get a serious buzz. The spice that I got from the first third of this cigar is pretty much gone and the other flavors have either faded away or moved towards the back of the pallet. The coffee flavor is gone and the cocoa has shifted to the background. Further into this stage and the coffee is trying to creep back into the equation and so is another bit of sweetness. I had a little bit of ash fall on my clothing and the touch-up I gave the burn helped to correct it. The draw remains very consistent and continues to give off a lot of smoke even though the flavor isn't as out there as it was in the beginning. The ash has a weird look to it and didn't look very solid yet it held on the cigar and didn't completely drop off.

Down the home stretch:

As I come down the home stretch, some spice has returned and it's not a peppery spice like I experienced at the start. The spice was more of a sweet cinnamon spice...a welcome change IMHO. The strength is really full bodied as I continue to get a nic buzz from retroing through the nose. The earth tones that were prevalent through out the halfway stage are starting to fade and they give way to a combination of burnt toast and coffee along with a quick hit of sweet fruit, almost like a banana, and the brief return of those cocoa notes from earlier. The burn was finally even and the ash was a little more solid. The end, however, was a little flat so I let it go after that.

The People's Verdict:

Before I give the verdict, I must explain my system. I use 5 adjectives when giving a verdict so here they are and what they mean for future reviews:

Epic Win = A must buy
Win = Would recommend it
Meh = I don't dislike it but I wouldn't recommend it unless it improves
Fail = I don't like it too much and wouldn't try it again unless gifted to me
Epic Fail = Would not recommend it to anyone, even someone I don't like!

Now that I've gotten that out the way here's the verdict for the RyJ Habana Reserve Toro: this cigar is a win for me. Despite the shaky construction, the flavor is on point. Even though this particular cigar had some moments of "meh" its flavors were all over the place and they all were enjoyable! This is a cigar that medium-to-full bodied aficionados can enjoy due to its strength and flavor (it is recommended you have a full stomach as it does get intense once you get halfway through it) and the price point is very affordable (under $10 retail) so go out and grab one and give it a try.

This is The Champ saying keep smoking those great cigars and let the smoke take you away! Enjoy and cheers!

THE CHAMP IS HERE!!

2009-09-17T19:50:00.003-04:00

Greetings and salutations fellow enthusiasts! This post you are about to read is an introduction to the newest contributor to this great group known as the B & B Cigar Club. Before I introduce myself, I would like to extend a hardy and genuine thank you to Big Pimpin and Da Byrdman for inviting me aboard! I really look forward to providing my input in this great passion!

NOW! As Mike Myers said "Allow myself to introduce...myself." I go by my nickname The Champ and I am what many would call a True Native Washingtonian (I was born in D.C., raised in D.C. and still live in D.C.) and I have been into cigars for a little over 9 years. I started smoking cigars when I turned 18 and haven't looked back since that day. My tastes in cigars has evolved over the years from the flavored variety and mild smokes when I started out to my current love of medium-to-full bodied cigars. I keep my mind open to new and different cigars thought I always go back to the stronger ones.

As for reviews, I will make this statement that another BOTL made when he does reviews: I AM NOT AN EXPERT!!! What I describe in my reviews is based off what I experience when smoking. My reviews and opinions are unbiased and not influenced by anyone or anything except the one factor that matters the most: my pallet. The beauty of being a cigar enthusiast is that our tastes are different. My hope is that my reviews will provide you with the info to make an open-minded decision about your next new cigar experience.

Once again, thank you to the B & B Cigar Club for allowing me this opportunity to be a contributor and I look forward to being an integral part of this great club. And to all the enthusiasts in the DMV (D.C., Maryland, and Northern Va.) can follow me on Twitter @DCsPeoplesChamp to hear about local herfs and events (along with hearing about them here!) so check me out there. Looking forward to my time here! So sit back with a fine cigar and let the smoke take you away!

B&B Cigar Club Herf @ Alto Plaza - "We Will Never Forget"

2009-09-12T11:06:00.003-04:00

The B&B Cigar Club would like to personally thank everyone that attended last night's herf at Alto Plaza in Centreville, VA. We definitely had a wonderful time and enjoyed being able to share in the pleasure of good spirits, food, & cigars as well as pay tribute to those who lost their lives eight years ago. We've posted some pictures of the events (click the post title to view).

Thanks again to everyone for making this herf a success.

-Da Byrdman-

We Will Never Forget

2009-09-11T14:48:00.003-04:00

Normally I don't do this but out of respect for my brother, Paul aka Big Pimpin, I'll put the "P.A." hat on and share my thoughts on this special day of reverence.

We will never forget where we were on this day some eight years ago when life as we know it changed for thousands of Americans and the meaning of patriotism and freedom changed for a whole nation. We will never forget the images that were burned into our minds and the pain we felt in our hearts as we watched on TV the many people who lost their lives at the hands of a band of terrorists. We will never forget the volunteers and hoards of "First Responders" who rushed to the scene at Ground Zero, The Pentagon, and a small yet now very hallowed field in Pennsylvania. We will never forget the faces covered in ash and dust and the cloud that settled over the New York skyline.

We will never forget the two rays of light that would become the rays of hope that symbolized this country's "Never Quit" spirit. We will never forget the subsequent and ongoing efforts of our military men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure our freedom and continue to put their lives on the line daily for us in the aftermath of this great tragedy.

My prayer is that no matter what you believe or what your faith may be, you treasure, honor, cherish and believe in the words "ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL". Those words make each of you my brother and my sister and are the very reason that WE SHOULD NEVER FORGET. On behalf of the B&B Cigar Club, we wish to say thank you to all of those who gave their lives and to those who risked their lives trying to save others on 9/11. We salute you, we pray for you, and we will never forget you.

-Da Byrdman-

Smoke Signals: Points of Differentiation and the Future of the Cigar Industry

2009-09-07T08:41:00.000-04:00

Smoke Signals: Points of Differentiation and the Future of the Cigar Industry

Thanks to our buddy Skip aka ChiefHava of Hava Cigar Shop and Lounge. This is definitely a MUST READ!

Alec Bradley Select Cabinet Reserve

2009-09-01T22:58:00.004-04:00

For tonight's review I decided to pull out a cigar that I picked up during a recent shopping binge at John B. Hayes in Fair Oaks Mall. Now to preface this, I have smoked almost every Alec Bradley cigar in the Maxx lineup from the Ego to the Culture, the Curve, and the Freak. This is my first venture outside of the Maxx line in Alec Bradley cigars. Ladies and gentlemen, I present the Alec Bradley Select Cabinet Reserve (SCR) Torpedo.

The Tale of the Tape

Wrapper: Trojes (Honduras)
Binder: Trojes (Honduras), Indonesia Embetunada
Filler: Honduras & Nicaragua

Price: $7-$8 range

Drink: Heineken (BeerTender on tap baby!)
Music: XM Backspin (I was in an Ol’ Skool Hip-Hop mood)
Appearance: Oily and toothy wrapper
Pre-light: The draw has hint of coffee flavor.

Here's the play-by-play:

1st Third – As I light the cigar and take the first couple of puffs I receive loads of spice and an ample amount of smoke; however the cigar surprisingly put off only a light resting smoke. I am beginning to get a slight bitterness on the tip of my tongue as I progress further into the cigar. I’m hoping that this subsides as the cigar rounds out. So far, the burn line is beautiful with a dark grey ash. As I puff away, I feel myself starting to wax poetic about my first Alec Bradley Maxx “The Ego”. As an aside, The Ego is one of the first cigars I began enjoying when I got back into cigars full time and it is a wonderful medium-bodied cigar for the price, but it takes FOREVER to smoke. I can’t finish that thing in less than two hours even if I switch over to “constant herf” mode. Back to the SCR, I am beginning to feel like I'm shaking my spice rack on my tongue & palate with each puff. I am getting several different flavors, so much so that it’s too difficult to narrow it down to just a couple. It seems woody yet slightly floral. The finish is lasting a couple of minutes on the palate. Progressing further into the 1st third, the bitterness is gone but that allspice kinda apple pie spice flavor is lingering with a toasted woodiness. Smoke is smooth & creamy like a mix of silk & butter (by the way why do fat guys like butter? It must be a Southern thing.)

2nd Third – Now I’m into the middle of the cigar and the burn is beginning to get raggedy and a hint of bitterness is back with some leather. The body is still in the mild to medium range. Just when I am beginning to get used to the flavors in the cigar, this stick change directions. This thing is moving like Barry Sanders on a 4 yard run. Now I am getting a slight touch of sweetness that lasts for a minute. Here we go again, either I'm hungry or this cigar just gave me a hint of roasted meat. The ash is managing to hold for about 2 inches before falling to the tray. Still cruising along in the mild to medium-bodied range.

Final Third – Into the home stretch, I find myself fighting with keeping the cigar burning but keeping it cool enough to enjoy the smoke. I’m still getting spice and now some leather but still the body is still holding in that mild to medium range. Not much strength from this particular cigar, but pretty good flavor. Amazingly I can still taste my beer (Heineken is a very light beer in flavor compared to most cigars) so this stick is not overpowering my palate. The burn line is starting to go south on me and this is trying to go out which is a shame because I like the complexity of flavors. After relighting, the spice potpourri is still delivering with wood and leather and the texture is still very smooth. I should've bought at least two of these because I think I'll have a different impression in a matter of a couple of months. As I near the final puffs the cigar yields a new flavor - hickory sort of smoked wood flavor which is proving to be very delightful.

Overall, I have enjoyed this experience minus the burn issues and the lack of strength, but I am trying to learn that every cigar does have to “hit you in the gut” or “sit you on your ass”. I would definitely add this to my repertoire as a late morning/midday smoke.

Oliva Serie O Double Toro

2009-08-29T09:45:00.007-04:00

While I've had many Oliva cigars, I've never really taken the time to break down the Serie O line. I actually went through a whole box of Serie O Maduro Double Toros last summer without even making a single observation or writing a single note (my only excuse was the mass quantities of Jagerbombs I drank with Big Pimpin all last summer). Well, this year I decided to at least make a feeble attempt at righting a past wrong by sitting down to review an Oliva Serie O cigar. Unfortunately, my local B&Ms did not have any maduro double toros so I bring you the Oliva Serie O Double Toro Habano.

This 6 x 60 Nicaraguan Puro monster chunk of a stick is grown in Esteli, Condega, & Jalapa Valley.

Wrapper: Oily, Sun-grown Nicaraguan Habano

Binder: Nicaraguan Habano

Filler: Nicaraguan Habano

Purchase Price: $6 - 7 (approx.)

The construction of this cigar was very good. It was firm when pinched but not hard. The wrapper was oily and very consistent in color with a few veins, but certainly nothing that would appear to diminish the character of the cigar or cause burn problems. The pre-light flavor was strong tobacco but not peppery. The aroma was a smell so familiar to me especially in stronger cigars, pure barnyard hay!

As I began puffing away in the first third, the burn was very even with a compact gray ash. The predominant flavor was rich tobacco with some hints of spice and a little pepper on the finish. Due to the ring gauge, this behemoth produced gobs of thick white smoke with each puff. Once I put it down to take a drink from my "liquid crack" aka Ron Zacapa 23, the cigar produced a very light resting smoke.

Into the second third approaching the halfway point, the strength settled into a medium-bodied range but not overpowering while the flavor began to show some hints of leather. However, after I praised the cigar earlier for having no cosmetic issues that should lead to burn problems, I had a hole burn through the wrapper about 1/8" below burn line.

I had been herfing away for about a solid 75 - 80 minutes before I finally began pulling into the home stretch with this cigar. Let me just add that there had not been a dull moment of smoking experience in the first two thirds of this stick. The final third began with mild sweetness (like creamed coffee), some pepper on the tip of my tongue, and a stronger but pleasant spice flavor. The creepy weird "blowhole" burn somehow managed to correct itself, and it never caused any real problems with me enjoying this cigar. The cigar finished well into the medium-bodied range with lots of leather in the final third. Overall the cigar is loaded with good flavor and complexity yet it remains balanced. It provides a good 90 - 120 minutes of burn with tobacco, coffee, woody spice, & leather flavors. For the price point, I would recommend getting a box of these especially if you like a nice thick ring cigar that will give you loads of flavor but not put you "down for the count" when you're out herfing with your friends. That's all for this edition, but be sure to check back for upcoming posts on the CAO MX2 Box-press and the Alec Bradley Select Cabinet Reserve (SCR).

Fly straight and fly high . . .

-Da Byrdman-

EL Cobre Torpedo

2009-08-27T14:08:00.006-04:00

This is my first El Cobre, which is created by Oliva. I don't know much about this Cigar except that it is considered to be a full body smoke, which as you all know I have not been a fan of this type of smoke. I never read other reviews before I do a review of a cigar. I don't want their review to influence my smoke. But I am giving it a shot.

Pre light it has a strong aroma to it with a hint of Walter Payton (sweetness). It has a dark Maduro wrapper that is not all that pretty. I would show you a picture but the iPhone has a suckie camera and my digital is not charged. Oh well.

Dry pull gives you a dark chocolate flavor. On to the smoke. 11:06pm.

First third, nice even burn, nice white ash. Gives off a nice white smoke. I am getting allot of bitter flavor though. Back to the smoke. After a few more puffs, I am getting a toastie/Nutty flavor, if that's possible.

Halfway through and getting a cigar buzz with a little spice flavor at this point. This is when I would normally put it down. Damn, have to relight. Draw is gettin a little tight, don't know why. Cut the tip down a little more and all is good.

WOW!!! this is really kickin my tail. The cigar is down to the band and I am really feelin the full body of the stick, but I am still pushing forward. Flavors are still a little bitter like a rich dark Cocoa and a little spice on the back soft palate.

Coming down the final leg at just past 12:40am Thursday morning. I am sure this smoke may not take 1:40 min. to smoke for the experienced full body smokers, but I had to lay off a little.

In the end it was a very good Cigar and would recommend it to take a place in your humidor. The burn was consistent and even all the way to the finish. The ash did get a little flakie after the relight but nothing serious. Very good smoke.

Happy Smokin,

BIG PIMPIN

Upcoming Local Cigar Events (Aug. - Sept.)

2009-08-23T23:03:00.005-04:00

Northern Virginia Cigar Enthusiasts

Late Summer Herf @ eCitie (Tysons Corner) - Aug. 25 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Early September Herf @ Carpool (Arlington) - Sept. 8 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Virginia Wine Festival Herf @ Bull Run Park - Sept. 19 11:00 am - until

Cigar Dinner @ Old Glory BBQ (Georgetown) - Sept. 23 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm

For more info go to (http://www.meetup.com/Northern-Virginia-Cigar-Enthusiasts)

CAO "Lady Liberty" Events

Havana Connections - Sept. 15 & 16 (http://fujipub.com/havanaconnections)

OVTC - Sept. 18 (http://www.ovtc.com)

Burke Cigar - Sept. 20 (http://www.burkecigar.com)

Other Club Herfs

Da Champ's Monthly Herf - Aug. 29th @ Bailey's (Ballston Commons Mall in Arlington) 6:00 pm - 12:00 am
The B&B Cigar Club Monthly Herf - Sept. 11 @ Alto Plaza (http://www.altoplaza.net) 6:00 pm - 12:00 am

Hope to see you there. Fly straight & fly high. . .

-Da Byrdman-

5 Vegas Serie A

2009-08-22T16:47:00.003-04:00

CINCO VEGAS SERIES A,

This is one that has been in the humidor for over a year.

I would stay away from it at first because it was to much for me. But now that I have become a more seasoned smoker I am ready to tackle this one.

Pre-light draw gives me a hint of tea flavor, but just a hint. The construction is good, it does have a few veins but not bad. We will see how it holds up. This is a 7 in x 50 ring considered to be Medium to Full bodied. It has a dark wrapper that has that stank Oder to it.

Steady even burn that gives off a pretty good amount of smoke with a puff. The flavor is pretty consistent of tea. I did get a hint spice on the back of my throat a few times, but that has gone away. I am not getting much else at this point.

Hour and thirty minutes later into the smoke. Getting a light buzz and this is all from the cigar. No alcohol with this review, only water. Since it has been awhile with this 5 Vegas, I wanted to get all the flavor of the Cigar and no distractions.

Remember, this has been sitting for over a year, so I may be getting different flavors.

Cigar sweats are setting in, 2 hours 15 min. later. This is a long smoke. I haven't had one like this in a veeerrryyy long time. Da ByrdMan has finished of 2 (Camacho Coyolor, NUB 464 Maduro) while I am still on this one. 2 hours 30 minutes later and I am done. It had a consistent flavor from beginning to end with a steady burn. No issues with having to relight.

I will say I did handle this one allot better than the first time one year ago. So I have come along way.

Next up will be the ????? Not sure, you will just have to wait and see.

Another B&B Herf/Review in the books.

Happy Smokin,

Big Pimpin.

Hector Ain't As "Macho" As Da Byrdman!

2009-08-20T19:29:00.006-04:00

Once again, I find myself ready to light up and review a couple of cigars with Big Pimpin and again I have no idea what I want. I go to my desktop humi in the study and begin to rifle through all of the cigars in the tray and below deck. I pass on everything in there before I stumble across the Camacho Coyolar Puro aka Camacho Black.

Until recently, I had only had one or two Camacho cigars in my life, but lately I'm finding myself picking up Corojos whenever I go to OVTC. On a recent trip to another B&M, I could not find any Corojos, so I decided to purchase the Coyolar Rothschild. It has been sitting in the bottom of my humidor next to the last LFD Double Ligero Chisel Maduro for about three weeks until this fateful night. Typically when I think of Camacho cigars, I think of Hector "Macho" Camacho just by virtue of word/name association. Now I'm anxious to see how much fight is in this little rascal.

Just so you have an idea of what I'm up against, here's the "Tale of the Tape":

Camacho Coyolar Puro Rothschild
50 ring x 4.5 inches
Wrapper: Coyolar (Honduras)
Binder: Coyolar (Honduras)
Filler: Coyolar (Honduras)
MSRP: $5.35

This cigar is a Honduran puro meaning that the entire cigar (wrapper, binder, & filler) is all from Honduras. The construction appears to be very solid with an oily wrapper that is somewhat toothy and has some veins. The cigar is packed firmly, but it's not hard indicating that the draw should be okay. I snip the cap and take a draw to reveal a sweet tobacco flavor with a slight peppery spiciness on the back of my throat. Upon toasting and lighting, the first puff is a blast of pepper and tangy spice that lights up my tongue and my palate. The retrohale is extremely volatile and I think all of my nose hairs have been burned away. I put the cigar down to re-group, only to notice that this stick of "pepper dynamite" is giving off very little resting smoke. Having "manned up", I take a couple of puffs and watch billowing white clouds of aroma-filled smoke waft into the night air from my deck. Between the dog and Big Pimpin, they think I'm high by the way I'm gazing at the smoke, especially after I comment that I'm not sure if the gin or the cigar has me buzzin'. For a short cigar, that I am herfin' like a champ, the burn is surprisingly cool and very flavorful. As the first third draws to a close, I am enjoying slightly sweet notes of smokey tobacco and the onset of dark roast coffee.

Moving into the second third, this cigar is still a pepper & spice powerhouse. Where similar cigars tend to mellow out and settle into a creamier range, this bad boy is still hitting my tongue like Tyson with "bad intentions". The ash is firm and manages to hold on for the first inch and a half before falling on the table just short of the ashtray. The body on this cigar is definitely moving into the full range although I am not experiencing the "cigar sweats" that usually come from tangling with a full-bodied powerhouse. As the middle of this cigar is winding down, I am starting to pick up a bit of leather while the dark roast coffee note is still holding on. For a short smoke, I have to admit that this cigar is long on power & flavor (Note to self: DO NOT underestimate the short smokes).

Coming into the final third of the Coyolar, I am starting to get a mixture of spice and heat on the tip of my tongue with each draw. Remember earlier when I said that this cigar was burining cool for a short smoke? Well, it's about to make a liar out of me. Aside from the heat with each draw, the leather flavor is building and while the smokey tobacco flavor disappeared for a minute. . . guess who's back! I must say that this cigar has a longer finish than I anticipated with the flavors lingering on my palate for several minutes after each puff and even holding on between subsequent sips of the gin & tonic. The last few puffs are telling me it's time to wrap things up since the cigar is now starting to burn my fingers and my lips (plus it's turning bitter which is not good).

On the whole, I must say that the Coyolar Puro Rothschild did not disappoint from the standpoint of strength and it actually surprised me with the complexity of flavor and the way it "changed gears" on me between the middle and the end. This cigar has a long finish, great burn, and actually left me wanting more. Overall, a good cigar for the experience and the price point. If you like full-bodied, I would recommend giving the Camacho Coyolar a shot.

Cigar Rights of America Announces New Site

2009-08-17T19:02:00.000-04:00

Cigar Rights of America has re-tooled its website with many helpful and informative links from "Cigar News Headlines" to "CRA Member Tobacconist Shops" as well as details on the Cigar Ambassador program and ways to become a member. CRA has also begun releasing details of special "members only" cigar samplers that include gems from the likes of Padron, Tatuaje, La Flor Dominicana, Punch, and others.

If you value your right to be able to light up a good stogie in peace, then take the time to join this organization.

CAO MX3 Robusto

2009-08-15T13:11:00.000-04:00

After watching a podcast review by Jerry Cruz aka "The Great Torpedo" of stogiereview.com, I decided to go to Draper's (www.wcurtisdraper.com) and pick up a CAO MX3. I ended up grabbing a 5 pack (plus a nice hat to boot). After two months in the humi it's finally time to give it a test drive.

The cigar is a 50 ring x 5 inch robusto with two bands (the lower band is Draper's) The MX3 is in CAO's Escaparate line which are exclusive cigars to certain retailers. The MX3 is a triple maduro (wrapper, binder, & filler). The wrapper is a dark, oily maduro with slight mottling and one small vein. The pre-light draw is slightly sweet and all-maduro.

The first third is very mild with a rich & flavorful bittersweet chocolate note. The cigar produces a light resting smoke. Subsequent puffs are producing a fair amount of dense white smoke. Smoke passed through the sinuses is light and very mild.

At the halfway point the cigar is still mild but gives a slight pepper taste on the tip of my tongue. The construction on this cigar is excellent and the burn is flawless with no need for a touch-up. Still getting loads of chocolate with little or no after bite but still a long finish no less.

The final third is still mild but the maduro flavor is awesome. While mild cigars are not my first choice (I'm a full-bodied beast), this is a flavor powerhouse. I can't escape the taste of this cigar as it is staying on my palate long after the nub has hit the ashtray. This is definitely made for the mild herfer who loves loads of flavor. I'll be sure to pass one to Big Pimpin' to get his take.

Overall, I like my cigars like my wife, smooth, full-bodied and strong. This cigar is not one that would be my first choice but I would absolutely make room in my humidor for a 5 pack anyday. Thanks again to Jerry for putting me on these.

As always fly straight and fly high.
Happy herfin',

Da Byrdman

Camacho Corojo Monarca

2009-08-13T15:19:00.000-04:00

This is about a 5 x 50 size cigar that is a Corojo wrapper, binder & filler. Considered to be a Full Body Cigar. It has a nice brown color with a great shine to it. Wrapped very nice with no visible defects. Some give to the touch. It has a coffee/cocoa sweet aroma to it. Nothing like what 'Byrdman' is having (Oliva Series O Robusto). Enough about the looks, let's smoke!! Found a twig upon cutting. Hope it doesn't effect anything. Good first draw, little bit of tea flavor, unsweetened that is. Giving off a good amount of smoke.

Half way through and I have hints of spice but not real strong. So far for me I would have to say this is a medium smoke, but time will tell. Only half way through. Nice steady even burn. Getting an earthy flavor with a little more spice and feeling a little cigar buzz. Leather/Spice & Spice/Leather is the flavor I am getting at this point.

Finished off pretty good. Nice amounts of spice/leather towards the finish. Didn't get to complex with flavors but all in all a very nice smoke. I will have to say it is a full body cigar at this point because I did this on an EMPTY stomach. I will have to try it again with a nice grilled steak before hand. I will have to put the Camacho Corojo Monarca in the rotation.

No problem with the twig that was in the wrapper..

This was a stretch for me to try because I typically have a mild to medium cigar. So to try something to be considered Full Bodied was tough. But it turned out pretty good. I just have to remember to eat something before I indulge myself to a full body cigar.

As always, Happy Smokin,

Big Pimpin of B&B.

NUB Limited Edition 460 Habano

2009-07-30T19:47:00.000-04:00

This will be short and sweet, just like a NUB.

This evening we (B&B) are chillin on the deck with some Latin Jazz and a couple of NUB Cigars. My self I have a NUB Limited Edition and Byrd has the new CAIN. Which is also posted.

The L.E. is wrapped in a Connecticut/Habano wrapper which looks like a Barber Pole or a candy cane.

The first draw was very smooth with a nice amount of smoke and nice flavor. It has a very steady burn and a nice white ash with creamy notes. (Starting to feel the affects of the Wray & Nephew 126 Proof Rum) FIRE.

Back to the stick, Half way through and a very lite hint of spice but still smooth. Still has a nice ash and a good burn. The flavors remain consistently smooth, creamy and easy on the buds.

Bringing it in for the final leg. Ash is a little flaky, Spice note is gone and it is smooth sailing.

Finished off very nice. All in all a good smoke. I would say it was a mild smoke with nice flavors.

NUB Limited Edition 460 Habano.

Happy smokin!!

Big Pimpin

Smokin' Some Good Cain

2009-07-30T14:29:00.001-04:00

Smokin’ Some Good Cain

The Latin jazz on the XM radio in the background and the humidity of a warm post-rain summer night gives the feeling of being on an island beach even though I’m just sitting at home with Big Pimpin’ on the deck. I chose the Cain toro given to me this past weekend at NUB Live by the man himself, Sam Leccia (thanks again buddy). The Cain cigar (toro size) is a sight to behold, unbanded, with impeccable construction and a nice oily sheen that intensifies from the foot to the head. The pre-light draw screams all ligero flavor, but the spicy pepper kick is surprisingly dampened. The first couple of draws are effortless and confirm that this cigar is “straight ligero” as advertised. Subsequent puffs reveal a woody caramel finish that is reminiscent of the “toasted” cracker jacks without the sugary sweetness. The smoke produced on exhaling is bountiful, thick, white, and creamy but the power of the ligero is ever-present. Passing smoke through the sinuses is effortless and buttery with no burn or “heat” characteristic of other ligero powerhouses. The ash is a salt & peppery complexion that’s firm and holds for the first inch and a half to two inches.

Into the second third, the ligero is picking up speed like a roller coaster nearing the crest of the "big drop". The pepper and spice is becoming more prevalent when exhaled through the sinuses and there is a slight spicy tinge on my tongue, yet this cigar remains smooth & velvety. I fully anticipated that this cigar was going to put me down for the count and it probably would have if it were not for the balancing smoothness that makes enjoying the ligero flavor effortless. Sneaky is not an adequate word to describe the effect but this is definitely a "chill out" cigar as opposed to the gut punch experienced from other double ligeros. Mind you, this cigar is "straight" ligero.

I couldn’t stop praising this cigar going into the final third. For someone who loves full-bodied cigars, I was in my world and yet the smoothness reminded me of a mild to medium cigar. As evidenced by the nub left in the ashtray, with a roach I could still enjoy this cigar for another 20 minutes until it burned my lips. Amazingly the cigar stayed cool in the final third and although the flavor intensified once again with more peppery spice, toasted woodiness and leather, the balance of the cigar just made me want to keep coming back for more. I call this cigar the “B-2 Stealth” because you know going in that it’s going to be a strong full-bodied flavor bomber and do a fair share of damage, yet it quietly flies in under the radar undetected and lulls you to sleep all while giving you every bit of the power of the ligero that it contains. Big Pimpin’ can attest that it takes a lot to get me excited when someone says “full-bodied” and I thought I had met my new all-time favorite, for the time being, when Jerry Cruz aka The Great Torpedo from Stogie Review (big up Stogie Review posse) turned me on to the Man O’ War Ruination. Cain provided all of the power and even more of the flavor but the delivery is unparalleled in my opinion. Having had the toro size in the Cain lineup, I would love to do a head-to-head with the Ruination Robusto #2 and the Cain Double Toro size.

In closing, I think any lover of full-bodied, full-flavored cigars owes it to himself/herself to give Cain a try. Look for it in the coming weeks. Until next time…fly straight and fly high.

-Da Byrdman-

My Battle with a Man O' War Ruination

2009-07-16T17:42:00.003-04:00

After hearing Jerry Cruz aka The Great Torpedo rave about these on Twitter and then seeing his review on StogieReview.com, I broke down and decided that I had to try them for myself. Yes, I’m talking about the Man O’ War Ruination. I managed to snag a 5-pack from CI with a couple of Padilla ’68 Salomons for $25. The vitola was the Robusto #2 (60 x 6”). I sat down with Big Pimpin’ (the other B in B&B) and commenced to pull a draught Heineken and get into this much anticipated cigar. The wrapper was a lush reddish brown with a nice oily sheen. The cigar was well constructed, firm, and had only one predominant vein but otherwise was very neat. The pre-light aroma was that “barnyard goodness” that stinks so good. This is usually the aroma that accompanies many of the full-bodied cigars; something akin to the smell of barnyard hay. The pre-light draw was spicy and definitely fit the full-bodied profile. The first third started with a jet blast of peppery spice that caused me to sink a little lower in my deck chair because I knew I was going to be in for quite a ride. There was a slight sweetness on the finish that remained throughout the first 3^rd that was akin to licorice but not as strong. The second third became creamy smooth and left a buttery texture on my palate and I continued to puff away. I didn’t have any problems with the draw or the burn although I did have to re-light after my wife called (that’s another story for another blog entry). After pulling another Heineken and a glass of Balvenie Doublewood scotch, I strapped my self in for the finish. The final third was all leather and really earthy but oh so good. No matter how fast I puffed the Ruination, it never got hot not even down to the nub. All in all, the total smoking experience (that’s putting it lightly) lasted about 2 hours and it was one hell of an experience. I did get the “cigar sweats” on my cheeks just below my eyes and I could feel a light rumble in my belly (good thing I ate those hot dogs before I smoked this one). I was still feeling the kick from the cigar as much as an hour after I had put it out. Needless to say, I slept like a baby and dreamt of the next rumble with the Man O’ War Ruination. If you like full-bodied cigars, do yourself a favor and get a box of these because you’ll burn through a 5-pack quick. Thanks again to The Great Torpedo for turning me on to this gem.

The Final Verdict: 5 Smokes

Until next time. . .Fly straight and fly high.

-Da Byrdman-

Northern Virginia Cigar Enthusiasts Herf

2009-07-15T15:20:00.000-04:00

Well it's been a full year since I last attended a NoVA cigar enthusiasts meetup so I figured I'd venture out and reaquaint myself with group and drum up some new candidates for the B&B monthly herfs. The event was held at Carpool in Arlington on the patio. Since they announced there would be free cigars, the turnout was pretty high. They were offering Montecristos and Romeo y Julieta Reservas and they went fast. I did manage to snag a Monte that someone left behind in their haste to exit so all was not lost. I met about four or five new people like Marvin (Marvinskitchen.com), Marty, The People's Champ (Social Cigar in the house), and few other guys whose names escape me at the moment but all very cool and certainly made the night enjoyable. As for smoking, I started the night with a NUb 466 Habano (my staple) and as has been the case with this particular box I'm working from, all of the ashes are flaky & downright messy though the flavor & burn still seem to be pretty consistent. I enjoyed a Sam Adams Summer Ale with the NUb before moving to a table with my old acquaintances Nick & Scott from the J. Gilberts herf. I then proceeded to enjoy an Alec Bradley Tempus Centuria. This was only the second one I had ever smoked but it didn't disappoint. Definitely in the medium range (for me) and certainly flavorful. The most notable flavor was the coffee and slight cocoa at the outset and the leather toward the final third. Definitely a slow burner that was even & only required a slight touch-up. As an aside, I did manage to see my buddy Chief before he left. Hopefully I can start copying him on reviews that I post to the blog here. Anyway, after sharing several anecdotes and talking about a myriad of cigars & cigar-friendly establishments, it was time to go. I passed out my card, said my goodbyes, & proceeded to finish my Alec Bradley Tempus on the ride home. I didn't throw it out of the window until the nub was on the fingertips & I was exiting I-95 in Stafford. Next update will be after I get the Man-O-War Ruinations & the Indian Tabac Super Fuertes.

Until then. . .Fly straight & fly high! Happy Smoking!

-Da Byrdman-