Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Cigar Review: Perdomo Lot 23 Maduro

Can't live like the top 5 percent? You can smoke like them though! 

You don't have to pay a fortune for an excellent cigar. In fact, cigar deals just seem like they are getting better and better. Brand name cigars are out there waiting for you. You just need to find the right retailer.

My advice is to check out a site's quick hitting specials. The daily and weekly deals are the best value. Stogieboys.com has the great quality smokes you want, at prices you can brag about. Check back on their Daily Deals  to see what I mean. 

Anyway back to the cigar at hand, the Perdomo Lot 23. I sampled the maduro cigar from this long standing company. Originally founded in Cuba, they have not forgotten their roots and this cigar is proof.

The leathery maduro wrapper was in great shape and the construction was generally blemish free. Cutting and lighting went off without a hitch, and you immediately got that rich, chewy smoke. I love a maduro that isn't too earthy and has a little sweetness on the finish. That is the kind of maduro that makes me one happy camper. Now I can't say this cigar has exactly that, but it's close.  The cigar starts with a rich deep flavor, then turns a little sharp like cedar. It then eases into a sweet brown sugary finish. It was a clean taste though. I will say the first third was a tad sour till it warmed up in the second third. A little heat really brought out the rich flavor Perdomo's are known for. This cigar uses Cuban seed Corojo & Criollo fillers/binders grown in Nicaragua, and I think that is why you get that nice blend of flavors.

Man, it is cigars like these that make you feel like a king. When you realize you only spent 5 bucks, it only makes it better! Perdomo made a good one here. Maybe I will review the Connecticut shade later too. This cigar earned a respectable 7.5 outta 10. That sour start is my only complaint.


Perdomo Lot 23- Smoke like a rich guy!

Friday, October 19, 2012

Cigar Review: Padron Handmade

Padron, just plain tasty. If you want a cigar to rely on, try this fella...

A friend of mine is a Padron guy and kept pushing me to try one. I gotta say I should have done this earlier. I am not to sure about the history and where this cigar hails from, but a quick Google search will point you in that direction.

The cigar itself looked great with its oily maduro wrapper and the construction was better than average. The burn was a little uneven, but it was that day. So my inconsistencies were probably due to being outside. It was a smaller sized smoke, but packed full of flavor! Medium bodied, and surprisingly complex. It was a little nutty, with a slightly sweet espresso finish. The more you smoke this cigar, the more of that espresso comes out too. Tasty! I wish I got a bigger size!

I was very surprised and really enjoyed it. I heard good things about Padron, but this was a real treat. I would definitely pick up a few more of these. I would even say that my humidor should always have at least a few sticks of these. The price makes it possible too. They go for $4 on cigarbid.com , if you are lucky. Anywhere else, I would say about 7 bucks. Overall, I give this go-to cigar an 8.5 of 10.

Questions for YOU: Have you had any other Padrons? Are they any good?





Monday, October 15, 2012

Whisky Essentials: The Max Benjamin Whisky Bag

Looking for a great holiday gift for the whisky lover in your life?



This is the ultimate in whisky and cigar luxury. You can't just toss your precious whisky and Herf-a-Dor into some gym bag and head out to course. Go in style and treat your delicacies right with the Max Benjamin Mini Cigar Bar Bag

It has three compartments inside the bag, each one large enough to hold a bottle. Included with the bag is a cedar lined leather cylindrical humidor, 4 stackable acrylic glasses, an ice container, and a  lighter. This is the ultimate addition to your whisky collection. I will be putting this bad boy at the top of my list for Christmas!

I might leave Santa some cigars and a glass of Scotch this year…




Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Cigar Rights- Support Them!

You should have the choice to do what you love. If smoking cigars is what you love, support that right!


This guy is sweet!


A small and loud group of people are infringing on our rights to enjoy. Restrictive legislative measures are hurting the industry and this will affect us, the smokers, in short time.

Yes smoking isn’t the healthiest activity but neither is eating cake. Hang with me here. Cake is a great way to eat a ton of fatty calories. Cake is full of saturated fats, cholesterol, sugars, chemicals, and all sorts of nasty (but tasty) things. This can lead to heart disease, obesity, diabetes …etc. Yet there is no regulation on cake. Why my analogy? Because we as consumers and citizens, should have the right to determine what we consume.

Political parties aside, the government telling us what to eat or smoke, is wrong. Good news though, there are interest groups out there to fight for your right to choose. I am a proud member of Cigar Rights of America and you should be too. Let professional lobbyists fight for your rights, but nothing is free. There is a small yearly due of $35 bucks that goes to political actions on your behalf. It is worth every penny if you ask me. Vote with your dollars as small issues like this can often be overlooked, but can have big consequences.

Like all indulgences, it is about moderation. A cigar here and there (which is what most cigar smokers do) isn’t any unhealthier than cake every now and again. Either way, we should be able to choose what we want and should be able to protect the industry that makes us our fine cigars. Cigar Rights of America , join now and get a few freebies too!