Would you like a Cigar?

[PARA45]

Smoking a Padron after a venison burger

 

[PARA45]

Venison burger, egg, and avocado

 

[Brent in Az]

View attachment 335946

Venison burger, egg, and avocado

Nice.

Yesterday I made some Angus burgers, with bacon, mushrooms, Swiss, and Blue Cheese.

 

[Mort Hill]

Smoking a MF after enchiladas. No picture cause no evidence of either left!

 

[Sjakon]

A favorite: H. Upmann Magnum 54

My brother bought these from the Cohiba factory at a fraction of the price and they were delicious.

Our German humidor which uses ambient moisture to keep the cigars in good condition.

 

[PARA45]

@Sjakon, I have one of those too, and they work great. Good looking cigars, and that Partagas No.5 is delicious!

 

[Sjakon]

@Sjakon, I have one of those too, and they work great. Good looking cigars, and that Partagas No.5 is delicious!

Thank you PARA45.

 

[Brent in Az]

5 Vegas Classic.

These, share some similar flavor notes, as the Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic.

Good Cigar, at an affordable price point.

 

[PARA45]

I smoke one of my favorite cigars, Oliva V, not to be compared to the Oliva V Melanio

 

[Sjakon]

I smoke one of my favorite cigars, Oliva V, not to be compared to the Oliva V Melanio

View attachment 336195

Quite a dark wrapper. Dad used to have part ownership in a company that exported wrappers from East Java, Indonesia to the auction in Bremen Germany. The dark wrappers were supposed to have a higher nicotine level. I used to enjoy visiting cause they had a sign in the office with Please Smoke

 

[PARA45]

@Sjakon, the Oliva V, and Melanio are made in Nicaragua with maduro wrappers. These cigars are "full" body, but I believe they are more of a Med-full body cigar. Very tasty, and burn smooth through.

When I was kid I remember visiting a tobacco factory in Nicaragua (I was born there), and remember the aroma of the tobacco leave in the drying barns. I always like smelling the cigars before I smoke them.

 

[Sjakon]

@Sjakon, the Oliva V, and Melanio are made in Nicaragua with maduro wrappers. These cigars are "full" body, but I believe they are more of a Med-full body cigar. Very tasty, and burn smooth through.

When I was kid I remember visiting a tobacco factory in Nicaragua (I was born there), and remember the aroma of the tobacco leave in the drying barns. I always like smelling the cigars before I smoke them.

Yes huge barns with high ceilings for drying and then they were stacked for fermenting. The had these thermometers stuck inside to check the temperature. I remember Dad telling me a stack was worth more than a Mercedez

 

[Brent in Az]

There are some fascinating videos on youtube, about the the Cigar making process, from seedling, to finished product.

 

[Alistair]

I've just today returned from my annual holiday, which this year was in Cuba.

Cigars have been a major focus and I've smoked a lot these past few weeks in consequence.

I did a tour both of a tobacco plantation in Vuelta Abajo which supplies top quality product for the (state-owned and operated) H. Upmann factory in Havana (R&J, Cohiba, Partagas, a few others).

Link to factory description here, which does it better justice than I can:

https://www.cigaraficionado.com/article/havanas-cigar-factories-16209

It's heartening to see the sheer amount of time and skilled labour that goes into those things. I feel a lot of luxury brands make a pretense at this, but I'm not joking when I say that every step, and I mean every step from seedling to final boxing, is done entirely by hand. Also interesting to realise that a skilled cigar manufacturer in Cuba earns more than their doctors or engineers do...

What is less heartening is the amount of state influence and control over every aspect of it. For the tobacco planatation owner for example, 100% of his production of cigar grade tobacco is taken by the state every year, and then they return between 20 and 5% back to him for his own sale, the amount depending on the harvest. Some years, he claimed, he saw none of it. The state is also the only supplier of tobacco seeds and seedlings on the island, with a central nursery for the plants in Havana. Retention or re-use of seeds from the previous years crop is strictly forbidden, subject to loss of license and government contract. Of course, the Government therefore sets the price of the seedlings...

The tax rate on the cigars is also insane. For cigars bought in country, the sales tax accounts for as much as 75% of the total unit cost, and as they each cost about 2 weeks wages for the average Cuban, one can't help but think this is just a shameless way to grab as much foreign income as possible.

That said, the price differential for here in the UK versus there in Cuba is still enormous. For instance, I picked up a box of 25 Cohiba Esplendidos for about 200CUC, the equivalent of maybe 210 dollars. They're about £950 ($1,050) over here. In fact I bought so many that I've had to buy a new humidor to keep track. Nice problems to have!

Particularly notable variants tried were:

R&J Churchills - my go to smoke at home. Fairly tight draw, cool smoke, beautiful aroma and a mild taste. I'd say sweet, maybe caramel, accompanied with leather and spiciness which builds towards the last third for a fairly intense finish.

Cohiba Esplendidos - a new experience for me (too much money in the UK). Easy draw, cool smoke. Benefits from a lower storage humidity apparently - 63-65%. The taste is earthier, with herbal and woody tones. Really very very pleasant. Despite the intense flavour, at no point does it become overpowering, and the experience is surprisingly consistent throughtout the smoke.

Trinidad Coloniales - another new one to me. Honestly, I found this a touch hard going. Very very earthy, some coffee and barnyard type aromas and a marked mustiness. A touch astringent on the final third as well. Complex and powerful for sure, but not for me. Lit and drew perfectly though, and considering the sheer chunkiness of it, a lovely even burn throughout.

Partagas Serie P No. 2 - One that's been on my list for a while and one that did not disappoint. Beautiful spicy woody notes to start followed by a distinct earthiness and some chocolate hints towards the end. Excellent, but I can't help but think that a year or so aging might have improved it further.

 

[Lakebranch338]

I like a lot of cigars, but this one, the Alonso Menendez Robusto has a special place in my heart.
Lots of chocolate and some black pepper.

Also it fairly cheap!

 

[Sjakon]

I've just today returned from my annual holiday, which this year was in Cuba.

Cigars have been a major focus and I've smoked a lot these past few weeks in consequence.

I did a tour both of a tobacco plantation in Vuelta Abajo which supplies top quality product for the (state-owned and operated) H. Upmann factory in Havana (R&J, Cohiba, Partagas, a few others).

Link to factory description here, which does it better justice than I can:

https://www.cigaraficionado.com/article/havanas-cigar-factories-16209

It's heartening to see the sheer amount of time and skilled labour that goes into those things. I feel a lot of luxury brands make a pretense at this, but I'm not joking when I say that every step, and I mean every step from seedling to final boxing, is done entirely by hand. Also interesting to realise that a skilled cigar manufacturer in Cuba earns more than their doctors or engineers do...

What is less heartening is the amount of state influence and control over every aspect of it. For the tobacco planatation owner for example, 100% of his production of cigar grade tobacco is taken by the state every year, and then they return between 20 and 5% back to him for his own sale, the amount depending on the harvest. Some years, he claimed, he saw none of it. The state is also the only supplier of tobacco seeds and seedlings on the island, with a central nursery for the plants in Havana. Retention or re-use of seeds from the previous years crop is strictly forbidden, subject to loss of license and government contract. Of course, the Government therefore sets the price of the seedlings...

The tax rate on the cigars is also insane. For cigars bought in country, the sales tax accounts for as much as 75% of the total unit cost, and as they each cost about 2 weeks wages for the average Cuban, one can't help but think this is just a shameless way to grab as much foreign income as possible.

That said, the price differential for here in the UK versus there in Cuba is still enormous. For instance, I picked up a box of 25 Cohiba Esplendidos for about 200CUC, the equivalent of maybe 210 dollars. They're about £950 ($1,050) over here. In fact I bought so many that I've had to buy a new humidor to keep track. Nice problems to have!

Particularly notable variants tried were:

R&J Churchills - my go to smoke at home. Fairly tight draw, cool smoke, beautiful aroma and a mild taste. I'd say sweet, maybe caramel, accompanied with leather and spiciness which builds towards the last third for a fairly intense finish.

Cohiba Esplendidos - a new experience for me (too much money in the UK). Easy draw, cool smoke. Benefits from a lower storage humidity apparently - 63-65%. The taste is earthier, with herbal and woody tones. Really very very pleasant. Despite the intense flavour, at no point does it become overpowering, and the experience is surprisingly consistent throughtout the smoke.

Trinidad Coloniales - another new one to me. Honestly, I found this a touch hard going. Very very earthy, some coffee and barnyard type aromas and a marked mustiness. A touch astringent on the final third as well. Complex and powerful for sure, but not for me. Lit and drew perfectly though, and considering the sheer chunkiness of it, a lovely even burn throughout.

Partagas Serie P No. 2 - One that's been on my list for a while and one that did not disappoint. Beautiful spicy woody notes to start followed by a distinct earthiness and some chocolate hints towards the end. Excellent, but I can't help but think that a year or so aging might have improved it further.

Dear Alistair,
Thank you for a delightful read. I hope you thoroughly enjoy those cigars

 

[Bill DeHaan]

So what does Ernesto’s Finest compare to? Not that I will be traveling any time soon, but who knows where business might take me if Covid-19 don’t get me.

Ernesto's Finest (Naples, FL) is similar to a Arturo Fuente Anejo. Dark and somewhat oiled wrapper. Very earthy, woodsy, smooth, smooth, smooth right to the finish. Maybe a bit less pepper though. Huge voluminous smoke, even steady burn. Will try to post a picture shortly.

 

[Brent in Az]

 

[Mort Hill]

My brother bought these from the Cohiba factory at a fraction of the price and they were delicious.

Absolutely one of the finest cigars made! Jealous my friend. Real jealous!

 

[Mort Hill]

Ernesto's Finest (Naples, FL) is similar to a Arturo Fuente Anejo. Dark and somewhat oiled wrapper. Very earthy, woodsy, smooth, smooth, smooth right to the finish. Maybe a bit less pepper though. Huge voluminous smoke, even steady burn. Will try to post a picture shortly.

Thanks for the summary. Got some vendor folks near Naples that I may suggest pick me up some. Sounds right up my alley.