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Sunday, November 11, 2012

The Insight of History

I took Hurricane Sandy very lightly as the forecast reached me that Friday night, right into Saturday and even Sunday night's dinner out at East Bistro, 6-7 miles away from home. After dinner, I relaxed with a Bolivar cigar, sitting back from a normal meal, just watching how the streets had become scarce, left only with people like myself (not worried about the forecast) or scurrying home. The sky had blocked even the moon's reflection onto the streets and sidewalks. The Monday morning of October 29th, 2012 I was told not to go to work and woke up to mild winds and rain. That evening Hurricane Sandy hit and knocked on my house bumping and rattling, but nothing major. Tuesday, some of the aftermath had hit the news resulting in power lost, damaged property, many destroyed homes and 30 reported deaths. The death toll would eventually reach 40 and the actual picture of those in New Jersey, Staten Island, Coney Island, the Rockaways, especially those closest to the coastline and even the effect on the flooded New York City Subway system was a display of what Sandy caused.

On Wednesday, October 31st, 2012 (Halloween), the Tri-state was still recovering from this mild spurt of "Mother Nature's Frankenstorm". I was driving in the Eastside of Manhattan with the extra built up traffic lined for blocks from those trying to get Downtown from the upper 70s to 80s. I thought nothing of this as I had an appointment Uptown and headed home southward.

What I didn't know at the time was I was wasting gas. I never fill up until the arm in the fuel meter reaches rock bottom, close to empty. This is not a habit fruitful on my part because on Thursday, as my tank dropped below a quarter tank of gasoline, the news had announced gas stations everywhere in New Jersey and New York had closed. There is now a gas shortage due to power failure and disruption to the gasoline distribution. This gas shortage did not impact until the next two days when you could see 50 cars lined up around the block or down the street waiting for the handful that were open with supply; the only ones like Hess or BP. Shell, Exxon, Getty and many others closed off by yellow tape like as if someone had died there. Luckily there was no violence or chaos, everyone understood the circumstances but like I said this is a mild spurt of nature. The storm only lasted one day and the recovery took a week to get things back to normal. Imagine the disruption to society if there were a major gas shortage or example food/water shortage? I was discussing this with a family member who said "You're right this world is too dependant on gas".

I am watching the History Channel, a series about "The Men Who Built America". One of the portraits is of how John D. Rockefeller came from an almost bankrupted small oil producer to one of the richest men through associates and competitors. Rockefeller was given an opportunity to be a sort of supplier for Cornelius Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt, at the time one of the richest railroad tycoons. The railroads needed to stay in operation in order to keep the massive over building profitable. One source would be from Rockefeller's perfectly located oil supply. The country had a demand for oil. This would land a perfect deal between the two for both their companies to be profitable, but in the long run more so for Rockefeller. Rockefeller would eventually grow bigger than Vanderbilt and started monopolizing all the competing oil companies. In out growing Vanderbilt, Rockefeller makes a deal with another railroad tycoon, Tom Scott. But Rockefeller eventually grows even bigger, his ego with it. Knowing the railroad giants were in need of his product to keep their rails operating, the show states Rockefeller has the railroad companies in his pockets. Vanderbilt, not to be outwitted forged a united alliance with the other railroad companies, specifically with Tom Scott, to not deliver Rockefeller's oil, hoping to put a stop to oil distribution, thus growth of Rockefeller's Standard Oil Company. It was stated on the show, this meant war to Rockefeller. He figured out a way around the railways, he started building pipelines to move his oil as far as they could reach and it worked. The massive need of railway operation had halted causing a fear that railroads would become useless. This caused the high prices of railroad stock to plummet down to nothing, causing a Depression, the stock market closed for days and jobs were lost, riots taking place, collapsing the massive railroad operations. Rockefeller would eventually remain on top, Vanderbilt would eventually die and Tom Scott would follow.

The massive railroads would eventually be replaced by cars and airplanes, but the need to move them remains. Rockefeller, now but just a name and a legacy has been renamed but it's still the same product. It was only a three day interuption to the gas supply. It caused men and women to stand or wait in cars for hours, lines of 50 each, at gas station that even had their short supply. I know I waited my hour and twenty minutes to be eventually told "we are out".

The point of this article isn't really what will happen when we run out of gas, I am sure the minor chaos that will be caused in it's after effect will be relieved by brilliant organizors that will move to an electric form of energy. Just like when Rome died, the United States was formed, and when the United States dies, there will be another empire to take it's place but the struggle to find a way ahead, like the concept of the aqueducts, will remain. But right now oil and gas shortage is in it's first week.

Bolivar Cofradia 554 Cigar Review


I bought this cigar at a local store that sells almost everything. I was far away from my humidor, was craving a smoke and overpaid for it. I knew nothing of the stick except it was a Bolivar and had the logo of Simon Bolivar. I had to do some research on what the name of this cigar really was because I had bought it solely knowing it was a Bolivar. I could only find the Non-Cuban Bolivar ones with the golden band of a shield and medallions. I had to dig to reference this Non-Cuban because the Cuban version has the same band only with Habana below Simon Bolivar's image. This one has Since 1895 below Simon Bolivar's image.

Cuban Bolivar band: "Habana" text below the image of Simon Bolivar

Non-Cuban Bolivar band (blended by Estelo Padron): Image of Simon Bolivar, no Habana text, instead shows "Since 1895"
Non-Cuban Bolivar band (blended by Daniel Nunez): Golden shield with medallions below

Above Source in Bold: NCRadioMan from www.cigarasylum.com for this clarification.



Vitola: Parejo (Closes to a Robusto though slightly larger in length=5" and ring gauge=54)
Price: $4+/- stick

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Connecticut
Filler: Honduran, Nicaragua

Aged in Humidor: N/A


Appearance and Construction:

You look at this stick and to put it bluntly and potty mouthed: it looks like a big piece of molded turd with a band around it. It reminded me of a bigger, uglier version of the Cohiba Red Dot I smoked last month. The wrapper appears more Maduro than Sumatra, it's deep brown. The veins do show themselves to present the wrapper as a leaf but not heavily. The cigar is symmetrically proportioned, the cap smooth and bonds with the body. It is solid, heavy and big. The filler has a lighter tone of light brown. The draw is good, it burns at a moderate pace and ash stays at a cone shape with bits disappearing but holds from one inch to two inches.

Tasting Notes:

I smell it before lighting, the wrapper is giving off a light scent of spicy caramelized fermented tobacco leaves. The filler from the foot where you light gives off a slightly different scent: tobacco leaves mixed in with a rawer version of warm bread. The first draw gives off flavors of tea and toast. I begin to think this might be an okay cigar based on the first draw. However, the first inch and a half showed to be terrible, there was no flavor aspect except notes of tobacco. The first phase was almost pungent, made me want to give up and toss the whole thing out. But I decided to hang in there and let it burn for a while.

With now two inches burnt out, remember this is only a five inch stick, I am beginning to get leathery and spicy notes. The tobacco flavor is hitting hard and this is where I can call it meaty in terms of smoke, remember 54RG, and charcoal burnt meaty. This is the point where it becomes good, it now gives off aromas of roasted cashew and hints of a very light floral aroma, rose like, rotating in with pepper on my tongue and hints of cinnamon without any sweet notes to it. The cigar is still very meaty at this point.

I take it to the nub until it begins to get bitter and dump it. I was curious to find it's complete flavor spectrum. This is a strong cigar, with bold flavors, subtle in complexity and you will have to be patient and hunt for the flavors. It gave me a light headed spell and made me walk a little wobbly after smoking it for a bit over an hour. Luckily, I was close to home and when I went home, that 30 minute nap was so nice. This cigar is terrible, on the good side. I am going to give it two ratings: a 77 for enjoyability, complexity and flavor. It gets a 84 for being harsh, abrasive, subtle and strong.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Romeo y Julieta Habana Reserve Churchill Cigar Review


The Romeo y Julieta Habana Reserve was my first box of cigars ever, not counting 5-pack boxes. I purchased a 27 count box of Churchills online for a tiny amount over a hundred bucks. I have smoked enough of these (before I sold the rest) to know there is a stable consistantcy with both flavor and construction. Not everyone is exactly the same of course and may be a bit off here and there slightly but you can expect quality control from the rollers with this bunch.



Vitola: Churchill (7" x 54RG)
Price: $3-$4 +/- stick

Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan, Honduran

Aged in Humidor: Varies
(From right out the box on the first day to over a year)


Appearance and Construction:

Great! The box is well design and when you open it, each one in their own clear cellophane cover are lines up uniform like even heighted soldiers. Even the caramel complexion is smooth and uniform. It's not a toothy or veined up stick at all. The cap blends in so well as if part of the body. There aren't out of place leaf endings on the bottom where one lights it. What consistantcy!

The ash does not hold more than an inch or an inch and a half, nor is it a perfect cone. They do not have solid ash. The draw is absoluetly free flowing. On an occassional Churchill (because they are long) I might have to cut the cap twice, that is a little deeper to get a wider hole for that easier draw, but not on these sticks. I cut a pretty narrow opening and it provides a good draw. The nice draw could be due to the fact that they aren't rolled super dense, firm but not packed tight, no soft spots or flaws in the wrappers. Every aspect is really smooth, all the way down to the golden medallion looking band with "Reserve", as if reserved for VIP.



Tasting Notes:

Prelight aroma from the wrapper has a smooth earthy but with sweetened tea scent; combined with notes of tobacco leaf (without the burn) plus light hints of fermentation and a light hint of a piece of milk chocolate kind of mix. The cold draw is an enhanced version of that note. I toast the cigar in an even circular motion and it burns light and evenly. The first note of flavor is dark cocoa, damn it is robust and deep in tastiness. The only issue is that this taste does not stay throughout the entire stick. These notes of flavor come and go on the first third.

On the second third: that dark cocoa is still there going in and out but includes a tad of spicy tobacco flavor, not bitter at all. Yes like almost every other cigar, there is a duration where the burn brings a smooth and tranquil sail of flavor, this one definitely has that. It also brings sneaky hits of wood and leather notes, just like every other stick, it's just less so in the Romeo y Julieta Habana. The remainder third does not change much, though the end did lose quality but not by that much. The wrapper gave (only by a little bit) stronger strength than that of a Conneticut grown variety. Usually expecting Nicaraguan filler to be stronger, I guess that Habana seed blending soften this cigar up a bit.

If I use the word smooth to describe many aspects of this cigar, it wouldn't be over using the word because it fits the bill. Each aspect is smooth including the construction, appearance, draw, burn and flavor notes. It is a great value on the price. The only reason I rate this a 85 and not higher is because it's on the mediocre side, it does not stand out much. The lack of complexity and strength, though enjoyable traits, make it drop a few bars in points.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Montecristo Classic Churchill Review

Vitola: Churchill (7" x 54RG)
Price: $10+/- stick

Wrapper: Conneticut
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican

Aged in Humidor: Six Months




Appearance and Construction:

The color of the wrapper is resembling of peanut butter with light, barely noticeable, veins. The band is of the same color as the Cuban version, dark red (maroon). Also the same design of white trims and a simple logo. However, this Dominican version has gold etching along the white, unlike the Cuban version. The band is on there snug. The cap matches the body as if part of it. It's smoothly built as it smoked: smooth.

The fumes were not overwhelming at all or too light, it burnt at a good rate and touch up not required. The ash didn't hold to well kept burning or flaking off and it burnt slightly uneven but...

Tasting Notes:

The initial smell right out of the cellophane wrapper before I put it into my humidor to rest a bit is of a strong fermented tobacco leaf scent, it brings me to an image of the fermentation process. It has a refined sweetness with a bit of a good ammonia scent. The aroma can be said to be an earthy reminder of lightly sweetened tea, the closest comparison would be a light peanut butter and tea infused with a bit of balsamic vinegar. After six months, it toned down. The cold draw before lighting is cinnamony.

I light up and the initial draw is of light leather. But about a little short of an inch in it gets pretty good. I can then detect a creaminess of cocoa. This is not a bold or strong cigar, it's medium in body. Yes there is the earthy side to this but also the contrast of cinnamon and roasted almond. The combination of the Connecticut wrapper and Dominican binder/filler made it smoke like it looked, peanut buttery creamy. Sometimes there is that bitter tobacco taste but it's not overwhelming or often present, the most prevalent flavor is of creamy, cocoa or a light nuttiness/woodiness. It is pretty consistent in flavor all the way through with flavor changes of the aforementioned.

I do recommend this cigar but not for $10.00 as the listed price. It would make a nice $4.00-5.00 smoke on a Sunday afternoon where you want to stay relaxed, which it did for me after work.

For it's enjoyment, flavor and overall smoke, rated a 88. I rated this an 88, the same as I did the Cuban Montecristo No. 2 because both were good, but just like the Cuban Cohiba and Dominican Cohiba, both are built differently. I thought the Cuban Montecristo No. 2 was strong with deep/dark notes of flavors and the Dominican Montecristo Classic Churchill to be medium in strength, creamy and more soothing flavors. Again, aspects regardless of size.