We got a shout-out from Rob during an interview about Grand River Cigar on WXMI.
This month’s cigar looks like another winner, the Cusano 18 Paired Maduro Robusto. Here are the details from Famous-Smoke.com:
Cusano 18 Paired Maduro Robusto Maduro cigars start with a rare 1985 Dominican Oro/Seco wrapper leaf filler. The Double Connecticut adds rich Dominican Piloto Ligero and San Vicente Olor filler with a Connecticut Shade binder & wrapper for a rich and creamy medium-bodied smoke. The Paired Maduro adds a Brazilian Mata Fina Maduro wrapper & Dominican Piloto leaf to the filler, plus a ’99 San Vicente Olor binder finished in a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper for a more full-flavored medium-bodied smoke. Affordably-priced, too!
I thought I’d start out today by giving you a little teaser. Yesterday I was fortunate enough to receive a preview of a new limited edition eight cigar Cusano Cigars samplerthat’s scheduled to arrive in cigar stores within the next several weeks. This one’s a doozy, too. Presented in all Robusto sizes, it includes one each of the Cusano 18Double Connecticut and Paired Maduro, a Corojo 1997, plus all three versions of their luxurious Cuvée blends, and two brand new cigars which I’m not at liberty to announce at this time. So keep your eyes peeled for that one.
Looking at the box, my eye was attracted to the Cusano 18 Paired Maduro, mainly because I hadn’t smoked one in a while, and I figured it would make a good subject for today’s Retro-Smoke.
Like all Cusano Cigars, the Paired 18 Maduro is blended with multiple wrapper leaves. The outer leaf is a oily, even toned, dark chocolate-hued, U.S. Connecticut Broadleaf. At the core is a Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper leaf, a 1985-vintage Dominican Oro wrapper leaf, and a Dominican San Vicente binder. The pre-lit flavor (a/k/a the “cold taste”) was primarily woody with a hint of sweetness.
The cigar toasted and lit perfectly as burly, semi-sweet-smelling smoke wafted about me. The cigar started out smooth and creamy with light cedary flavors, some sweetness, and hints of black pepper. As the cigar entered the second act, the peppery elements had amplified; the smoke was spicier, but the sweet and woody elements persisted, keeping the pepper in check, and the cigar blossomed into a luscious, full-flavored smoke. All the flavors were so well-balanced, and the smoke so smooth throughout, that I puffed it to the point where I literally burned the first knuckle of my left index finger. TRUE!
In all honesty, I didn’t remember my last Cusano 18 Paired Maduro with as much enthusiasm, but this cigar was truly stunning. Definitely a “must smoke” for the die-hard maduro cigar smoker.
A great cigar is often complimented by a nice beverage. Whether you prefer a nice beer, scotch or bourbon, it can being the second most important decision next to what you are smoking. Being a guy that enjoys a nice bourbon, I like to enjoy it in a nice rocks glass. The following infographic and article provides a visual guide to putting the proper drink in the appropriate glass.
The regular meeting, which is normally held on the last Wednesday of the month – is in the process of possibly being changed. I am waiting for confirmation from the Chop House, but we are tentatively scheduled for NEXT week (November Second – or 11/2/11 for the digitally minded.) This is the result of being overscheduled again. I am going under the assumption that this is fine, but if not, you will recieve another meessage from me as soon as I am aware.
As a result of our having to reschedule, we have been given an opportunity. The owner of the Grand River Cigar house has graciously offered to open his establishment tonight (10/26/11) to accomodate us. The location is at 131 S. Division in Grand Rapids. The lounge is not completely finished yet, but there are seats and tables and parking. This is an opportunity to check the place out before pretty much everyone else, which is cool and very nice. We are welcome to arrive after 5:00 and they will stay open as long as we need. This will be strictly BYO (cigars, drinks, ice.)
The Cigar of the Month is the La Perla Habana Black Pearl:
La Perla’s Black Pearl is an, er, jewel of the first order. An uber-tasty maduro with lip-smacking, deep maduro flavors galore, Black Pearl brings a jet-black Brazilian Arapiraca maduro wrapper which disguises a meaty long-filler blend of aged tobaccos from
Nicaragua, Mexico, and the Dominican to create a rich, brawny smoke that’s medium in body and balanced throughout. Complex notes of toast and wood mingle with a subtle caramel sweetness, while the rich aroma fills the room with deep charcoal scents.
Rich and flavorful.
There is no fourth part.
Hope to see a lot of people tonight, and maybe next Wednesday as well.
This month we have the Diesel Unholy Cocktail Torpedo (5×56). CigarsInternational.com describes it as follows:
A rare breed, this off-centered vitola is the cigar equivalent of a thick, juicy porterhouse. Crafted with fillers from Nicaragua’s black fertile soil, Diesel’s geographical terroir is evident but its luscious PA Broadleaf wrapper brings an indescribably satisfying element that yields a layered, spicy-sweet, intense smoke. Made in one vitola: Unholy Cocktail, a stout 5″x56 torpedo.
Here is a nice video and an additional review. See you next week at the Chop House.
The Leon Jimenes #1 is the cigar this month, rated a ’90′ by Cigar Aficionado. The following are some stats and reviews:
Origin: Santiago, Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Dominican Republic
Binder: Indonesia
Filler: Brazil, Dominican Republic
Size : 7.5″ x 50
Strength: Medium
CigarInternational.com: “A relentlessly consistent blend from one of the premier cigar factories in the world. Made in the La Aurora factory – oldest in the Dominican Republic (1903) – Leon Jimenes are handmade with special light Connecticut shade leaf wrappers, along with a well-aged recipe of Cuban-seed Dominican long leaf tobaccos. Meticulously constructed, the result is a consistently flavorful, medium-bodied taste and pleasant aroma. Just roll one of these beauties between your forefinger and thumb to see why their always highly rated and a winner day-in, day-out.”
Sorry for the late notice, we kind of forgot about getting this out. This month’s stick is the Padilla Serie ’68 Robusto. Having had this personally, it’s a really good smoke, as reinforced by its 93 rating as noted below by CigarsInternational.com:
Padilla ‘68 is yet another example of the creative blending talents of Ernesto Padilla. Handmade in Honduras, his ‘68 employs a choice selection of aged, premium tobaccos. In the spotlight is the leathery Cuban-seed Corojo wrapper – which hugs a balanced mixture of Cuban-seed long-fillers grown in Nicaragua’s prized growing regions, Jalapa and Condega. The result is a rich, earthy smoke with cedary notes, hints of coffee, and a sweet, earthy aroma. This medium to full-bodied Padilla is a treat for the senses.
The Padilla Series ’68 received a well-deserved rating of ’93’ points, noting:
“This cigar is wrapped in an alluringly dark, oily leaf. It warms up to show a complex balance of spice, earth and wood notes.”
Here’s another review via StogieGuys.com:
If there was ever a cigar with an interesting background story it’s the Series ’68 by Padilla. Well-respected stogie manufacturer Ernetso Padilla gave the line its unique name to commemorate the year his father, Heberto, was arrested for publishing a collection of poetry that was critical of Castro’s oppressive communist regime.
With a storied dedication like that, it’s no surprise that Ernesto took great care in composing the blend. He chose to pair a Cuban-seed corojo wrapper with Cuban-seed long filler, both grown in the Jalapa and Condega regions of Nicaragua. The result, according to retailers, is an earthy smoke with flavors of cedar, coffee, and sugar.
The robusto comes in traditional dimensions: five inches with a 50 ring gauge. It sells for about $6 and sports an attractive maroon and gold band and a smooth wrapper with a reddish hue.
Innocent-looking enough, but this stick really gets off to a fast start with full, spicy flavors of black pepper and clove. The aroma of the smoke is much sweeter and earthier than the actual taste.
After an inch or so the spice mellows to make room for pleasing notes of coffee and molasses. That flavor is steady and consistent until the very end, which is just fine with me.
What I’m not fine with are a few under-performing physical characteristics. Most notably, the burn is neither reliable nor even. Random touch-ups are absolutely necessary, so keep some wooden matches handy. The ash is also on the flakey side.
Despite these issues, I was fairly happy with the cigar. The medium-bodied flavor is on the verge of outstanding, especially for the price.
That’s why I’d love to rate it higher. But, given its sub-par construction, the Padilla Series ’68 Robusto will have to settle for a respectable three and ½ out of five stogies.
The owner references, as a factor in his closing the business, the smoking ban passed in Ohio in 2006.
We all know it happens. We all know why. I just think it is interesting that, given the current anti-smoking climate, they actually printed the statement. Since we know the press only prints what they want the people to know, it make sone wonder what they are trying to say here.
Either that, or Conspiracy Brother has finally gotten inside my head.
Ohio restaurant referenced by Obama is closing – FOX19 News and Weather – Greater Cincinnati Area
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There have been some scheduling changes in the last couple of weeks that need to be communicated.
First, the Golf Outing. Originally scheduled for July 24, it has been rescheduled for July 17th. We were going to be sharing the course with another group, and it was just be better to change dates. There is no conflict on the 17th, so we should have the course to ourselves. More details will follow soon.
Second, the August meeting. Gary Dueling has offered to host the August meeting at his home. August 27th, which is a Saturday, is the date. Rain or Shine (we can invade his pole barn if we have to) they will provide food. Directions and times to follow.
That is all for now. You may now resume your regularly scheduled [insert whatever you were doing here.]
The Management.
Unless the weather dramatically changes, we will be at The Chop House again this month. The cigar of the month for April is the Fonseca Arana Churchill. In reading some reviews, it looks like our Grand Pubbah has picked another gem. As usual, I will start with the description by CigarInternational.com:
Fonseca Arana is a true beauty from head to toe. Blended by cigar-legend Manuel Quesada, the man behind the 93-rated Casa Magna, Arana employs a dark and toothy Habano wrapper, a spicy Criollo ’98 binder, and a bold blend of Cuban-seed Dominican long-fillers aged to perfection. The result is a full-flavored, medium-bodied smoke. Each savory cigar is smooth, rich, and extremely well-made. Notes of pepper, earth, and cedar complement a hearty tobacco core, creating an eventful and highly enjoyable experience from first light right on down to the finger-burning nub.
Additionally, here is a nice review from Seth’s Humidor: Click here to Read
