CIGARILLO Debut

I’ve got a new blog going: CIGARILLO – dedicated to small cigars in all their underappreciated glory. I invite you to check it out and to leave me feedback as to how to make it better. I’ve just gotten started, but I’ve reviewed Davidoff’s Zino Mini Cigarillos and the Café Crème Arômes. Look for more in-depth reviews of the C.A.O. Brazilia Minis and other premium cigarillos soon!

Cigar Review: Agio Mehari’s Brasil

Once again, it’s been a while since I’ve posted. The end of the semester always seems to get the better of me, and that usually means no blogging and far less time to enjoy a good smoke, much to my chagrin. But I’ve just picked up a pack of the Mehari’s Brasil small cigars from Agio and I thought it would be worthwhile to spread the news.

Another in my repertoire of small vitolas, this line from Mehari’s is an excellent quick smoke. Lasting 15 to 20 minutes, these Arapiraca-wrapped cigars are the tobacco equivalent of a shot of espresso: thoroughly enjoyable without being too demanding in terms of time. At 4″ x 23 ring gauge, these sticks are a little larger than your standard cigarillo, though they feel much more substantial (where I usually go through a CAO Brazilia Mini in around eight minutes, these last me at least twice as long). They come in boxes of 20, retailing for around $16.

Though just a little rough looking, their pre-light aroma is of earth and pepper. Upon lighting up, the Mehari’s Brasil has a distinct flavor of sweet maduro tobacco (a taste which remains present throughout the smoke) complimented by hints of tea, cinnamon and clove. As the stogie burns down, cocoa comes and goes, as does a certain smokiness reminiscent of latakia. Toward the end, leather rounds out the pleasant transition from more mild to fuller-bodied flavors.

I posted a while ago about storing dry-cured cigars in a low-humidity humidor, but I’ve actually found that these do just fine at room humidity. This seems to preserve their perfect draw and has had no negative effect on what is one of the more complex blends I’ve tasted in any cigar of this size. For the overall satisfaction they provide, not to mention their convenience in terms of storage and smoking time, I give the Mehari’s Brasil 90 points.

Cigar Tips: Storing Dry-Cured Cigars

I smoke a few different kinds of dry-cured cigars on a regular basis: Davidoff Demi-Tasse, AVO Classic Puritos (I believe these are dry-cured, though I may be wrong) and cigarillos from CAO, Dona Flor and The Griffin’s, just to name a few. These smokes require some slightly different care and handling than their fully-humidified brethren. I have found that when I store dry-cured stogies at a full 70-72% humidity, they tend to get spongy, plugged and weird-tasting. Unpleasant as this result is, the other extreme, storing the sticks at room humidity is equally unappealing: the smokes rapidly lose any semblance of moisture, leading to brittle wrappers which tend to crack upon lighting – or even when simply being handled! – and they burn really fast, obliterating subtle flavors and reducing the overall pleasure of the experience.

So, what to do? Here are a few tips to keep dry-cured stogies in peak condition:

• Lower humidity makes a big difference. I find that keeping my dry-cured cigars at around 65% humidity goes a long way in maintaining both smokability and taste without the cigars getting so wet they become spongy.
• Plastic bags are your friend. A Ziploc bag actually works pretty darn well to maintain a given level of humidity. If you go through dry-cured cigars pretty fast, a quick stay in the humidor to freshen them up, followed by storage in a plastic baggie (away from non-dry-cured sticks) can help keep your cigars in perfect shape.
• There is no substitute for attention. Just as you can’t trust even the best humidor to keep your stogies in optimum condition without occasionally opening it up to eyeball your smokes and give one or two a squeeze to stave off dried-out wrappers, you can’t just drop your dry-cured stogies into a drawer or into the humi and expect to have them in prime shape when you pull them out six months later. Dry-cured cigars require some slightly different care than other sticks, and until you figure out the perfect regimen, expect to check in on them every couple of days to make sure they’re not getting too much or too little moisture.

Of course, the best way to know your dry-cured sticks are being well-preserved is to smoke a couple every now and then. So just in case you needed one more reason to light up a cigar, now you can do so assured that when you do, it’s all in the name of advancing the noble science of cigar storage.

Required Reading: The 2000-Year-Old Set

Take a look at this incredible set: a beautiful (contemporary) briar recreation of an ancient Judean lamp. Another great post from A Passion for Pipes.

Cigar Tips: Fire.

Fire. Who doesn’t love fire? I could drone on for a while about how elemental it is, but I won’t because as cigar smokers, I’m sure you all know exactly what I mean. Aside from the ritual of cigar smoking, aside from the camaraderie we feel when relaxing with friends over a great stogie, aside from the excitement of finding a box of rare sticks sitting at the bottom of the tobacconist’s humidor, there is always the fact that in smoking cigars, we get to play with fire. What could be better?

Now, here’s the contentious bit: what method to use to light up that precious stogie. For the pipe smokers out there – and I do enjoy sitting down with a good briar once in a while – Neill Archer Roan over at A Passion for Pipes has a nice post on his lighter collection, which ranges from the mundane-but-functional Zippo to the ultra-premium Dupont. And of course, you’ll probably already have read the Stogie Guys‘ post on why matches are the way to go for the discriminating cigar enthusiast. I like both these articles very much, and I’d like to throw another idea out there to add to the debate: I have found that matches and regular-flame lighters have always given me a better burn than torches.

I’ve only discovered this recently, but my two perfectly nice torches (one is a Colibri Firebird with a single flame, the other a no-name three flame job) always seem to get me into trouble. Sure, they come in handy in the wind. I can’t tell you how many wooden matches I’ve burned trying to light a cigar or pipe outdoors – I’ve wasted half a box on a single light! – and of course, there have been plenty of times when these high-powered lighters have served me fine.

However (and keep in mind, I have no data to back this up, just my observations) I am of the opinion that the focused, intense heat of a single torch flame is liable to heat the foot of a cigar unevenly, causing it to burn faster in some places than others. I have tried diligently to toast the wrapper. I have tried to light the cigar from farther away, therefore decreasing the amount of direct contact the tobacco has with the flame. I have tried many different things, and still I find that nine times out of ten, if I’m having burn problems, they show up after a light with a torch.

So, instead of a torch, what do I use? Well, there are, of course, matches. If I’m inside, they’re my top choice. Outside, however, I use – gasp – a Zippo. I know, I know…I’m going to foul up the flavor of my expensive cigar with the disgusting lighter fluid that thing runs on. As it turns out, that’s just not true. I let the flame burn for a few seconds before touching it to the cigar, I don’t puff too much while lighting, and if necessary, I blow out through the stick before starting to smoke in earnest. I’ve never found that my Zippo affects the tobacco’s flavor at all (and with their new low-odor fluid, there’s even less to worry about).

And what’s the advantage of a Zippo over matches? Wind resistance. My trusty silver lighter fires up even in a stiff breeze, and the wide, even flame allows me to light the whole foot at once, eliminating those pesky torch burn problems. The conclusion? When hanging out inside, it’s matches all the way. When out and about, there’s nothing better than my Zippo.

Cigar Review: Three Cigarillos

It is impossible to deny the growing popularity of premium cigarillos in the United States. Long popular in Europe and well-established in Latin America, these small cigars have recently cropped up as the newest additions to many premium lines in North America. Often marketed as a quick smoke for the time-constrained cigar aficionado, cigarillos can also be a pleasant change of pace, enjoyed for their own sake.

I for one really enjoy smoking a cigarillo or two over a cup of coffee in the morning. Their small size brings me two distinct advantages: first, I am not tied down for very long in whatever small corner of the world I have found in which I am permitted to smoke; second, I can bring a couple different kinds with me wherever I go, allowing me to pick just the right blend for the moment, or even to smoke a couple different brands in one sitting.

Three of my favorite cigarillo brands are listed below. Just a note: to pare down the sheer number of small cigar options, I have confined myself to only true cigarillos (~3.5″ x 20 ring – i.e.: the size of a cigarette), though I enjoy the slightly larger demi-tasse / purito sizes as well. Without further ado, on to the reviews!

The Griffin’s Griffiños

These are the sweetest of the three cigarillos listed here. Made in the Dominican Republic, these are a good morning smoke, giving off a creamy smoke full of caramelized sugars. Like some other cigars (of all sizes) which sport lighter wrappers, these have a tendency to get a harsh chemical taste if smoked too fast. On the whole, though, the Griffiños are a nice quick smoke.

Davidoff Mini Cigarillos

With a woody taste, these tiny Davidoffs are more medium-bodied than the Griffiños. Relatively complex for a cigarillo, these stogies have notes of cream, sugar, cedar and spice. Topped off with a rather handsome wrapper, these live up to their brand name.

CAO Brazilia Minis

The darkest of the bunch, the Brazilia Minis are not nearly as full-bodied as their larger counterparts. Nonetheless, these small cigars have beautiful, toothy wrappers and produce abundant smoke with each puff. While not as strong as the others in the line, the flavor maintains some similar notes to the other Brazilia cigars: earth, leather and spice are particularly notable. These have become one of my absolute favorite cigarillos: they hold their own when paired with a cup of dark roast – what more could I ask for?

Smoking Like a College Student: Ashton Señoritas

At $11.00 for a box of 10, these have to be one of the best bargains in small cigars today. Packaged in a neat white cardboard box emblazoned with the Ashton logo in black and gold, I was surprised to find these small cigars (3.5″ x 30 ring) to be unbanded, pre-cut and rather rough-looking. The text on the inside cover of the box was also printed upside-down, which didn’t help allay the overall impression of shoddy workmanship which this pack exuded.

However, upon popping one of these guys into my mouth, I found a perfect draw and a pleasing, faint aroma of leathery tobacco. The Señorita takes easily to the flame and produces a lot of white smoke. The overall taste profile is medium-bodied with sweet and creamy flavors dominating up front and some refined leather building as the cigar burns down. Occasional hints of cocoa or coffee come and go but remain little more than faint background notes.

The burn on these little guys is pretty good and problems were always self-correcting, though the ash is ugly and unstable. Overall, however, this is not a bad cigar: the flavor is good enough to smoke on a day-to-day basis, though it’s nothing award-winning. I would venture to guess this will become one of my go-to cigars: good size, good taste, good value.

For its all-around goodness, I give the Ashton Señorita 88 points.

Cigar Review: Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 Juniors

I recently had another one of these guys, hoping for better than last time. Unfortunately, I ran into even worse burn problems than with the first one, obliterating any chance I had to enjoy the flavor in a few minutes flat. Again, I think the actual blend for this cigar is a good one. Maybe this is just not the right format.

For its underwhelming performance but diamond-in-the-rough tobacco blend, I give the Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 Junior 82 points.

Cigar Review: Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 Juniors – Initial Notes

I was looking – has this refrain gotten old yet? – for another small smoke today. As my regular tobacconist is closed on Mondays, I took the slightly longer walk downtown to another store which, in addition to being open today, also has some different cigars on offer.

My regular shop doesn’t carry many Rocky Patels, so I thought today would provide a good opportunity to try a brand which I haven’t actually smoked before. A classic-looking burgundy-and-gold tin caught my eye as soon as I began to peruse the small cigar offerings. I was particularly intrigued by the “Aged 12 Years” slogan emblazoned on this five-pack of Rocky Patel Juniors. And at just $15, I was sold. I paid and hurried home, pulled a shot of espresso and sat down to fire up one of my new acquisitions.

Upon opening the tin, I was greeted with five cellophane-wrapped beauties with rosy maduro wrappers, each wearing a double band bearing the Rocky Patel name and “Vintage 1990.” Being mindful of the draw problems I have encountered with cigars of this size in the past (these are exactly the same format as the C.A.O. Brazilia Cariocas and Mx2 Daggers), I pulled out one of the softer-feeling cigars in the box and set the others in the humi to hopefully open up a bit. As it turned out, I need not have worried about the construction. Upon clipping the head of this stogie, I was greeted with what was almost too easy a draw. The pre-light aroma was fruity and pungent.

I toasted the foot, finding the cigar took to the flame a bit unevenly. This stogie requires some encouragement to get going. The first couple of puffs of smoke were voluminous and very smooth – almost devoid of any single recognizable flavor. I take that as a sign that they’ve really used well-aged tobacco. As the cigar started to heat up, I got wispy notes of fruit, earth and hay. The aroma was herbal and fruity. There was also some kind of spice (not picante – think baking spices: cinnamon, allspice, clove?) which was reminiscent of the C.A.O. Mx2. Well into the first third, I started to pick up some floral notes, as well.

Unfortunately, my enjoyment of this cigar was cut short: bad burn problems meant I had to fuss too much with the lighter and puff too hard and I ended up calling it quits early. I think I’m having bad luck lately with the burn on my stogies. I swear I’m lighting them well…but in any case I’m going to be even more careful to take my time with the next one of these. As I’m sure you can tell from this first look, there are some great qualities in this cigar. I’m hoping that maybe one of the firmer examples from this tin will burn more evenly (I tested the draw on one of them and found it to be surprisingly good). In the meantime, I will sum up my first experience with the Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 Junior by saying it’s a good cigar. I just don’t yet know how good.

The Ravages of the Weather

I just ruined a good smoke. I had intended if not to review, than at least to comment on another tasting of a Padrón 1964 Príncipe – one of my favorites. Unfortunately, the weather was against me. Even on this relatively mild winter day (it is overcast and in the thirties, but there’s no wind), I experienced an uneven burn and an easily-dying ember, and I soon singed my tongue trying to keep the little guy going.

I am disheartened. However, I suppose I ought to be using this experience to learn, right? I suppose that no matter how nice you think it is outside, you should save the good smokes for summer. I’ll be sticking to the lower-priced sticks until it warms up – except, of course, when I can manage to find a cozy nook somewhere inside where folks won’t protest too loudly about the aroma. Come to think of it, maybe that’s the broader lesson here: if you live in New England and smoke cigars, an indoor haven is as indispensable as a good lighter.