Byron's Eloge du Cigare

The Island by Lord Byron XIX.

But here the herald of the self-same mouth [60]
Came breathing o’er the aromatic south,
Not like a “bed of violets” on the gale,
But such as wafts its cloud o’er grog or ale,
Borne from a short frail pipe, which yet had blown
Its gentle odours over either zone,
And, puffed where’er winds rise or waters roll,
Had wafted smoke from Portsmouth to the Pole,
Opposed its vapour as the lightning dashed,
And reeked, ‘midst mountain-billows, unabashed,
To AEolus a constant sacrifice,
Through every change of all the varying skies.
And what was he who bore it?–I may err,
But deem him sailor or philosopher.

Sublime Tobacco! which from East to West
Cheers the tar’s labour or the Turkman’s rest;
Which on the Moslem’s ottoman divides
His hours, and rivals opium and his brides;
Magnificent in Stamboul, but less grand,
Though not less loved, in Wapping or the Strand;
Divine in hookas, glorious in a pipe,
When tipped with amber, mellow, rich, and ripe;
Like other charmers, wooing the caress,
More dazzlingly when daring in full dress;
Yet thy true lovers more admire by far
Thy naked beauties–Give me a cigar!

Heresy at the Home of Cricket

Yes my good man Scott kindly took me along to see some test cricket courtesy of free tickets he got from someone. I had forgotten how relaxing it can be to wile away the hours... bodies strewn on the green grass beneath a blue sky... men in white occasionally stirring in the middle... small crowd milling about as if on a mass cannabis prescription. Monday cricket at the Basin.

Perfect for large cigar smoking in fact. A little bit of smuggled port to top it off and 'all is for the best in the best of worlds'.

The toes come in handy for holding those big Punch Double Coronas as you lie on the grass verges at the cricket.

As you can see we shared a Punch DC, and like many of the big cubans it shines by virtue of its mildness and balance. Predominant cedar with a touch of wood. All the way through... no surprises. Perfect in the context. Well matched by a port. Must've taken at least one wicket to get through - on a flat pitch, with sturdy no-nonsense Pakistani test batsmen, and no real strike bowlers, that's a looong time. Long live summer.

Tasting some birthday Punch

Four and a half heretics, some good wine and a punch double corona


You get the cool guy.....


The " wooah I'm seeing double corona rainbows" guy.....


And the "what's he doing" guy.

But after 50something years of it you get the.....


Say no more, it's my Birthday guy.

Christmas-January Batch

Christmas for Communists: Fidel spelling it out in front of the Star of Bethlehem and Marx

Seasons Greetings to you all, my fellow Heretics!

Fidel may have banned Christmas in 1969, but he reinstated it in honour of the pope in '97, so I think we're allowed to have a good smoke to celebrate.
 
My right hand man Sam has returned, but to the Wrong Side of the Bridge, and as Greg is away I've sent him the latest batch, so he's the go-to man for your christmas smokes.

They are:

• La Gloria Cubana - Puritos: little cellophane-wrapped cigarillos
• Oliva Serie G: little nicaraguan nipples.
• Fonseca KDTs: rice-paper wrapped coffee cohort joys (when they draw! you might need to poke'em a bit)
• Ramon Allones Small Club Coronas: not as strong as their big brothers the Specially Selected, in a handy format and with a fruity flavour.
• Cohiba Secretos: very expensive, luxurious small cigars, maduro wrapper aged 5 years and filler 3 before they even roll them, rich chocolatey flavours, beautiful dessert smoke. 

and ... drumroll ...

some Punch Double Coronas, well aged, the largest mainstream format and 2 and a bit hours of smoking pleasure. Now, as they are really quite expensive, and Hugenormous, they are to be shared in the spirit of christmas, one for every two heretics. So i'm hoping you'll get together and share on chugging duties. Would be good for poker, watching the ashes, or a very intricate board game (axis and allies?).

Video - Rolling a cigar

Note: the next batch is ready, i just need to pop it in the post. Greg's going away so sending it to Sam on the North Shore, he should have it next week so you have something to smoke over the christmas hols...

Hoyo du Maire in Oruamotoro

Yes this is the kind of weather we've all had recently... long may it continue. Scott is there enjoying our 10am cigar date at the beach, we sat together on the edge of the water, romantically, and contemplated the generous flavours of this exquisite little cigar... cedar, nuts, cinnamon, something sweet, even a bit creamy. Pity that this box of '98s has to finish at some point...

Make believe French

Ja tem! ja ma pal Jowell! bon jore!
That's about as French as we could get smoking this cigar.

Quai d'Orsai

Nice

Quai d'Orsay Panatela

25-40mn smoke.
Size: Ninfa
Length 17.8cm Ring gauge 33.
Strength: Medium-bodied
Drink match: anything light. cafe creme.
Box date unknown.


Brand History:
The story begain in 1974 when the newly elected President of the French republic, Valéry Giscard d' Estaing, convoked his Minister of Economy and told him that he was very interested in creating a new cigar for the French market. The President said,"France is known the world over for its Perfumes,its Champagne, its Foies Gras, its Haute Couture, but nothing in the field of tobacco". In short, he asked that work would start on creating a new cigar for France made in Cuba.

Together with the help of friends at "Cubatabaco" in Cuba, they started to develop the Ligas that would make up the blend of this new cigar that Belaubre called, Quai d 'Orsay, after the name of the street where the Ministry of Foreign affairs is located in Paris. Quai d' Orsay was now
ready to join the very select club of Cuban cigar brand names that were not of cuban origin, along with Dunhill and Davidoff. The success of Quai d'Orsay was such that Seita and Cubatabaco
extended the brand in other small niche markets around the world. Since 1992,with the end of the Cuban brands Davidoff and Dunhill, Quai d' Orsay is the only brand left in Cuba with a non- Cuban name. Quai d' Orsay has a uniquely medium taste with its characteristic notes of honey, nutmeg and hints of café cream and leather.

Rice Dreams (Fonseca Cadetes)

Its a Thursday evening after work, its drizzling and I'm thinking cigar. I open the chest and pull out a little hoyo cafe cigar. Why a little one? I put it back and decide a review on our latest batch would be better. Besides, I got time. Was keen on a coffee so seeing that the Fonseca was listed good with; I thought good idea...
First look. some kind of funny yet elegant disguise. Remove. Check. Band went with the paper.

Clip and Smell. Could be the reason why the paper is there because once removed, it gave an exciting aroma of cigarness. Soft and lingering.

Size. Fits between the fingers. Almost like the size of my 'up yours' finger. Good size between the teeth. Nibble, slobber, roll around with ease.

Pre-light Draw. Sweet.

Light my fire. Won't go into much detail about the experience because I felt it was a good consistent full tobacco flavour with a smooth mellow taste the whole way through. Good draw right at the start then hit a tight knot like puff of about five in the first section then went back to that pleasant draw for the rest. Complexity was not there and if anything picked up almonds and earth.

Conclusion. Lovely evening stroll smoke after an espresso with bit more time than a little 15 minute pinner. I would give it a 7.0 but with the prezzie paper giving you so many options......
Using every part of the cigar......
I think it deserves a big 8.0

My Goodness ... My Bachilleres

I had to think long and hard before going out to smoke tonight ... reason being, it's a cold, dark night in Wellington. A southerly is blowing straight up from the frigid bowels of Antarctica, and relentless roar of the waves pounding the harbour shores is interrupted only by the occasional bout of hail on the tin roof. Charming. I pick out a cigar, then on reflection, I substitute it for one half its size. Time to head out onto the deck, silently thanking the good Lord for the hill sheltering our house.

The object of my attention is a Sancho Panza Bachilleres, one of a dozen obtained for my cigar club (box date unknown but this looks like a circa 2000 vintage). I've just realised the irony of this choice considering that my wife and baby have just landed in Heathrow - bachelor, indeed! (albeit in another sense of the english term)

Pre-light: the wrapper is odourless and rustic but an agreeable shade of brown. The cigar feels tightly rolled, especially at the head. A quick draw confirms this tight-arsedness, as well as, appropriately, a hint of sheep dung and earth. I nestle it close, as much for the warmth as anything else, and fire it up.

From the get-go this lil' feller proclaims his intentions loud and clear - a big dose of cedar and some leather, a touch of white pepper spiciness through the nose, and a trademark underlying body of salty earth. Altogether encouraging, and as a taste package, somehow comforting. I lean forward to avoid the latest bout of hail and massage out the knot at the head of the cigar with a degree of success.

Coming into the second third, and a dose of herbal remedies livens things up - the pepper has turned green and the smoke has developed a grassy quality to it. What I presume to be ligero is showing its colours somewhat, without dramatically altering the main body. Somewhere after the halfway mark there is a marked shift towards a hearty meal - as if someone had just pulled a shepherd's pie out of the oven, it becomes all meaty, yes we are talking mincemeat here (lamb mince to be precise!) mixed in with a hint of sheep dung and liver - haggis anyone? An ever so slight sweetness, which may have been present in lesser quantities at the start, is now developing around the edges with a cinnamon-like quality. There is a sudden injection of charred paper - ah yes, that would be the band burning, get it off, you twit - but apart from that it remains pretty much the same until the nub. In sum, a core melody of cedar, leather, salt, earth all the way through; and ligero grassiness tuning in but quickly replaced by the hearty meatiness of an honest man's meal.

I must say I was surprised to really enjoy this cigar, it was unexpectedly complex (which for me confirms my decade old hypothesis), and it lasted a decent while too as it was packed to the gunnels with tobacco. I would give it an A verging on A+ or a solid 8.5 out of 10: given the prevailing conditions, it did everything that was asked of it; but then trumped that with surprising complexity and evolution of flavour. Of greater note in the annals of cigar smoking - or at least, the irish ones - is that it's the first cigar i've really enjoyed combined with Guinness. The creaminess and slight bitterness of the latter married well with the salt, meatiness, and general un-fruitiness of the Bachilleres. I've had both separately before, but in combination, it was my revelation of the night. Now, time to get off to bed and enjoy the other bit of my newfound, temporary,bachelorhood: sleeping in without a child to wake me up three times in the night and then once and for all at 5am. Yippee !!



25-40mn smoke.
Size: Franciscano (yes like the monks)
Length 11.6cm. Ring gauge 40.
Strength: Medium-bodied
Drink match: anything. but Guinness is good for you.
Box date unknown.

Brand info:
Named after the rustic squire to Don Quixote in Miguel de Cervantes' famous 1605 novel of the same name, this very old brand was originated by Emilio Ahmsted in 1848. It is much admired for the larger sizes in its range, including the enormous Sanchos (23.5cm x 47!)

[Sancho acts as squire to Don Quixote, and provides comments throughout the novel, known as sanchismos, that are a combination of broad humour, ironic Spanish proverbs, and earthy wit. "Panza" means 'belly']

Clint meets Churchill

I thought I'd try my luck at two competitions with one cigar. Firstly, some Dirty Harry night-time bike repairs. A man's got to let off some steam after a day of police work.

Secondly, the pillar of ash. Romeo & Julieta Churchill. I think we did pretty well with the length here.

Cigar notes.

Draw- a good 8/10. Good for a cigar this size. Doesn't come of it's own accord but comfortable effort is required.

Size- Just right. Max limit on diameter for my taste. I enjoy giving it a good nibble and slobber to soften it up.

Ash retention- Prize-worthy.

Tastes- cinnamon/pepper and all things spice. Sweet/savoury kind of dance on the tongue. Wood fire oven. A hint of something Chinese but I can't figure out what. A green vegetable taste [eg. courgette, peppers] but not leafy, not grassy. Smooth.

Drink- Aberlour 10 y/o scotch. Very soft and dry with fruity aromas of early autumn (especially pear). The softness of the whisky was accentuated by the cigar. I had more whisky later- on its own and with chocolate- and it was much harsher. Perfect complement. The cigar made the whisky taste great.

The ash fell off eventually.

But let's not forget its former glory.

[Ed.: The facial expression reminds me more of this guy Aahnie than Clint...check it out!]

Cigar Hero: Jack Nicholson

watch the first 2:30mn of this vid.



In this movie, our navy man Jack manages to provoke a fight with some random army hacks just so his young protege gets to punch someone. And because he likes fighting. He dishes out a great insult [listen carefully to the "all i'd have to do is take my hat off" quip], trips and punches and kicks a couple, scrambles up and runs away, all the while chugging on his cigar.

that's talented puffing for ya right there.

So punk...I just smoked a Vegueros Seoanes

Batch for October-November

Greg was here at the weekend and Michael's parcel is in the mail... yes, the next batch is here to play.

This one has a few more new brands - we've almost covered them all now! - and more new cigars.

They are:

• trusty old Hoyo de Monterrey - Le Hoyo du Maire (smallest)
• Vegueros Seoanes: Clint's favourite
• Quai d'Orsai Panetelas: this brand was created for the french market - mild and smooth. The cubans obviously think that french men lack cojones.
• Sancho Panza Bachilleres: brand created for the spanish market, named after the character in Don Quijote. Unusually salty flavour. This particular cigar was discontinued a few years ago, so these are well aged.
• Fonseca KDT Cadetes: all cigars in this brand are wrapped in rice paper. Remove before Smoking!! Nice mild sweet flavour - good with coffee. Hopefully the draw isn't too tight on your ones.
  
• Hoyo de Monterrey - Epicure No.1: the biggest one. Has a reputation for creamy sweet flavour when on form.

Enjoy. And post notes of your impressions after smoking!

Inglourious...tiny little Basterds

For the last two days I have opened my humidor about three times to see three times, little white cigar farkers (about two) crawling on the outside of my Ramon Allones. Almost the size of a speck of dust. First thing researched on the net came up with a bug called a tobacco beetle which is pretty much the soul reaper of cigars sucking every bit of life from them.

This not being my circumstance as the little critters I saw were far from the league of these guys pictured didn't stop me from being a little anxious to why something white and crawly was on my cigar.

So click of the mouse and more research found they are wood mites or other names similar. Here's what some guru of bugs and cigars said.
"Wood/tobacco mites are indeed very harmless and while they have been known to feed on the vegetable glue used to adhere cigar bands, these mites actually prefer water so you may find them crawling over your humidification device or feeding on any other water sources inside your humidor (this is why it's no longer advised that people keep a dish of distilled water inside their humidor as it will cause these mites to thrive"

So although I am confident they are not the notorious tobacco beetle I've learnt you've got to keep the humidity below 75% to lessen the risk of anything hatching. Mine stays at around 74%. Nice if it was less .

And last of all, here's warning picture to what the infamous tobacco beetle is capable of. Found on X-Files