Carlos Torano Exodus 50 Years & Henry McKenna 10 Year Bourbon

Just got home from a 9 hole round of Golf. I played like shit, but that's besides the point. I decided to grab a cigar out of the humidor and sit on the patio and write about my cigar. I grabbed a Carlos Torano Exodus 50 Years Robusto, and poured myself a little Henry McKenna 10 yeah bourbon. In case you didn't know, I'm a huge bourbon fan.

Once the cigar was lit, I got some pretty unique flavors. Chocolate, earth, and some sweetness were present. The sweetness seems to really pop when I take a sip of the Henry McKenna. Speaking of which, the bourbon is a really good bourbon for the money. A bottle will run you about $20. The nose is loaded with sweet caramel, corn, and oak, balanced with a bite of alcohol. The flavor is really sweet. Cherry, vanilla, and oak are all present with a slight heat from the alcohol on the finish. This bourbon is bottled at 90 proof so I suggest adding a couple drops of water and letting it sit for 3 minutes. It really opens up the flavor.

Half way through the 50 Years, and the flavors stay pretty consistent. I'm surprised that this cigar doesn't have much spice to it. I think this cigar could use a little spice to really make it a great cigar, but other than that, the flavors are really good.

Tonight's pairing was really enjoyable. I think the Henry McKenna 10 Year would pair well with most full bodied cigars. I think it would really overpower mild cigars. I highly recommend you pick up a bottle if you enjoy bourbon :-)

La Aurora 107 Robusto and Jon's Home Brew

Today I'm smoking the La Aurora 107 Robusto. The wrapper on this cigar is a little lighter than I have seen in the past. I usually smoke the Corona size. Anyway, once lit the 107 produces lots of smoke. Initially I get a dry sweetness with a bit of spice behind it. The flavors are very enjoyable. Medium in body with tons of smoke output. The sweetness is very enjoyable and it is the predominant flavor to start. The aroma in the air is quite pleasant, almost like burning a high quality wood, like cherry or something like that. About half way thorough the cigar, the sweetness takes a back seat to the spice. Not heat spice, like pepper, but more like a baking spice like cinnamon or nutmeg. The flavor profile stayed pretty consistant to the end and it was a very enjoyable experience. I will certainly be smoking more of these. I do prefer the corona size, but only slightly. The Lancero is by far the best in the line in my opinion. Something about the wrapper used on the 107 that makes the cigar extra special.

My buddy Jon came over last week to visit me on my birthday. He brought me a bottle of his home brew. I'm not a huge beer drinker because of the carbs in truly good beer, but I knew I had to try my buddies creation. He didn't tell me much about the ingredients, but it tastes like a Belgian style ale. The predominant flavor that I get is orange, or some type of citrus. I also taste some slight spices, just can't put my finger on it. The beer was very crisp and refreshing. I thoroughly enjoyed the pairing. Big thanks to Jon for giving me one of his beers. I really enjoyed it and I hope he keeps up the home brewing!

Room 101 Robusto 305 by Camacho and a Dodger 3 Game Winning Streak

Lots of people seem to think the Dodgers' season is over. I'm not quite ready to throw in the towel. The ownership fiasco is very disheartening, but I still have hope they will be competitive in the NL West. Today's 1 to 0 victory over the Padres was quite inspiring. Despite only getting 2 hits, the Dodgers pulled out a walk off victory. Good to see heading into the All Star break. Hopefully we can pull a W out tomorrow as well.

One thing I notice about every Camacho cigar I have ever smoked is that their draw is always consistent. Always free and loads of smoke. I've never had any issue with construction on any Camacho products. It really makes me happy that Camacho's quality standards are unparalleled. The Room 101 305 that I smoked was no different. The flavor profile was very enjoyable as well. Notes of coffee, wood, spice, and a hint of cocoa. The balance of flavors was great. This is a cigar that I would recommend to every smoker out there. The cigar was a great medium bodied treat that I would not hesitate to light up again.

Thanks for taking time to read my blog. Comments are always appreciated. Until next time my friends!

Diesel Corona, Cigar Size, and Twitter.

Good evening! Tonight I'm enjoying a Diesel by A.J. Fernandez sold exclusively through CI. I loved the original Diesel Unholy Cocktail which comes in a torpedo shape, so when I saw this sampler go on sale, I had to jump on it. The corona is my favorite size for cigars. I feel like the wrapper to filler ratio really maximizes the flavor of the wrapper on most cigars. This one is no different. The Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper is very oily and dark. Lots of spice and chocolate notes from this cigar. Paired very well with my iced coffee. If you are interested in this sampler you can get it here.

So considering that different ring gauges produce a different filler/binder/wrapper variation, I pose this question: Would the flavor profile of a 5X50 Robusto be the same of a 7X50 Churchill since the ring gauge is the same? Length really shouldn't factor much into the flavor, should it? Let me know your thoughts.

Twitter. I have noticed that Twitter is becoming a great marketing tool for the cigar industry. Lots is cigar manufacturers and retailers are very active on Twitter. I gotta say, you feel a certain connection with the manufacturers and retailers that you exchange tweets with. It feels like there's some camaraderie with people from Twitter. Twitter is a valuable asset for the cigar industry and I hope more and more people get on there to chat about cigars. Thanks for taking a look at my little blog. Comments are appreciated!

Avo XO Intermezzo and Friends of Old

Hello all! In my last blog post I said I would be posting a little more regularly, so let's see how long this lasts shall we?

It's 9:45 or so on a overcast Sunday morning. I'm smoking an Avo XO with some coffee. I'm really enjoying it so far. I'm not usually a huge fan of Connecticut wrapped cigars but this one is a little different. The usually overwhelming grassy/hay flavor that is typical of most Connecticut wrappers is not as prevalent here. I do taste some hay like flavors but it's not very pronounced. I get hints of a nice sweetness, possibly vanilla, and loads of nutty flavorful smoke. The texture of the smoke is very creamy and coats the pallet nicely. The burn is razor sharp and the draw is perfect. The Avo XO, like many Connecticut's, pairs very well with your morning cup of joe. I recommend the Avo XO to everyone. I believe new and seasoned smokers alike will enjoy the Avo XO.

*Photo courtesy of http://www.cigarinspector.com Check out their site for reviews!*

Last night I attended an old friend's graduation party. She just finished her bachelor's degree and I had not seen her or her friends for many years. I feel like many of us take friends that we haven't seen in many years for granted. I know I have, and I certainly regret it. Last night opened my eyes a little bit. Many times people enter your life at a young age and you forget about how nice it is to be in good company. Revisiting memories and catching up with one another is something that should be treasured. I'm really glad I had the opportunity to spend time with friends of old. I urge you to try and reconnect with friends from your past. I think you'll be happy you did...