HERRERA ESTELI PIRAMIDE (@herreraestili)

Today Cigar Aficionado came out with their top 25 cigars of 2013 and number 8 on the list was a cigar that I can say without a doubt was one of my favorite cigars this past summer, the Herrera Esteli Piramide.  I lucky enough bought a box (25) of these a few months back and the day before Thanksgiving I enjoyed one with The Glacier and Turbo at Wabash Cigar.

Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Equadorian-Habano
Price: $10.75
Strength: Medium-Full
Length: 6
Gauge: 52
Manufacturer: Drew Estate

Master blenders from the famed El Titan De Bronze factory in Little Havana, Willy Herrera assumed the same title for Drew Estate in 2012.  The first project to bear his name for Drew Estate is the Herrera Esteli: a cigar that has taken nearly a year to blend and produce.  Comprised of Ecuadorian, Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos, the Herrera Esteli in unlike anything to ever come from the Drew Estate factory.  According the Herrera “it’s Cubanesque in natureand described as well rounded and flavorful but not too powerful”!

Earlier this summer I had the pleasure of trying my first Herrera Esteli in the robust size.  I bought a 5 pack from Emerson Cigar and they were fantastic, the Piramide was even better.  This cigar was a powerhouse of flavor and was a fantastic smoke.  At 6 inches in length it was IMO the optimum size to enjoy the fantastic blend of tobacco that the Piramide packs.  The construction of the cigar  was awesome with a nice cap and caramel colored wrapper.  I gave it a double cut and the dry draw was damn near perfect.  

Upon lighting the cigar produced thick, dense-white smoke.  Right off the bat there were notes of spicy-earth with maybe hints of cinnamon and cedar.  As the smoke progressed there were notes of pepper and leather which played well together on the palette.  The draw continued to be amazing.  I had to slow down because I was smoking the cigar too fast, it was that good.  The burn was perfect.  Not once did I have a runner and have to even it up! about halfway through the cigar became almost creamy smooth with hints of vanilla...eventually those notes gave way to a strong tobacco taste towards the end.  This was a powerful cigar as well.  The bill says medium to full.  I would err on the side of full because I had a little buzz towards the end.  

I highly recommend this cigar.  Past reviews of mine haven't been kind to Drew Estate, but their acquisition of Willie Herrera was a great move because this guy is a fantastic blender and I think the sky's the limit for he and Drew Estate Cigars!  

Cheers!

DAVIDOFF NICARAGUA (@Davidoff_Cigars)

I'm a huge Davidoff fan.  Despite the price I believe Davidoff is one of the few cigar brands where you in fact get what you pay for.  For the first time in it's history Davidoff decided to produce a Nicaraguan Puro cigar and I was excited to get a few and try them.  

Country: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Strength: Mediumm-Full
Size: Robusto Tubo
Length: 5
Gauge: 50
Price: $13.90

Davidoff Masterblenders, led by Hendrik "Henke" Kelner, went on an exploration for a new type of blend that would stimulate both the bitter and sweet taste buds.  This relentless pursuit took them to Nicaragua and the fiery volcanic soil of the Esteli, Condega, Jalapa and Ometepe regions.

With time, patience and perseverance the team crafted The Davidoff Nicaragua.  with 10 years of preparation, curing and aging the Davidoff Nicaragua delivers an exceptional blend with all the intensity, excitement and refined sophistication aficionados would expect from Davidoff.  Handmade in Davdidoff's dominican facilities, it's quality and exceptional craftsmanship are unsurpassed.

As I mentioned in the intro I was excited when Davidoff released their take on a Nicaraguan.  I went so far as to preorder a 4-pack.  When I got them in they were great looking.  Davidoff's presentation is always top notch and this was the case with the Nicaraguan.  Davidoff cleverly packaged these cigars in a matte black box with matte black tubes and finished it off with a matter black band around the cigar.  They're fine looking all around.  At 5 X 50 these are around my favorite size to smoke.  The dry draw was ok, not tight but not great.  I detected heavy hints of tobacco and leather with the dry draw.  After the first few puffs post lighting the Nicaraguan didn't exhibit the bitter start of most Nicaraguans.  The burn was even and mostly true.  Well into the cigar I noticed subtle hints of spice and pepper with notes of cocoa and coffee.  The cigar never got too complex.  3/4 through the cigar there were more hints of pepper but subtle.  

I was disappointed in the Davidoff Nicaraguan.  Maybe it was because I built it up too much do to all the fantastic cigars from Davidoff I've enjoyed in the past.  I guess I expected a more refined and complex cigar in the Nicaraguan.  Don't get me wrong it was a great cigar, but at $13.90 a stick I think I can find way better Nicaraguan offerings from the likes of Tatuaje, and My Father Cigars.  I would't recommend the Davidoff Nicaraguan until they refine the blend and/ or commit to making a more powerful cigar which I doubt they will.  However with Davidoff acquiring the Camacho family of cigars I think that might go a long way in helping Davidoff create and explore new blends for future releases!

Cheers!

VAMPIRE SLAYER BY CLOWN SHOES @clownshoesbeer

Here's a beer that I picture a bunch douchey goth phags drinking as they sit in a dark night club looking all sinister and pale!  Sadly I wasn't doing all that shit when I enjoyed this beer.  I was with my girlfriend in the comfort of my own home.  I bring you Vampire Slayer by Clown Shoes Brewing!

Beer: Vampire Slayer
Style: American Imperial/ Double Stout
ABV: 10.0%
Brewery: Clown Shoes, Massachusetts
Beer Advocate: 92 Outstanding

This was a fantastic double stout.  I got this beer at Binny's and to be honest I only bought it because of the goofy name.  I've had other beers from Clown Shoes and they were all great so I figured Vampire Slayer was gonna be solid.  Vampire Slayer poured a deep dark coffee color with little to know head.  What head it did have was a caramel color and not foamy but very bubbly.  The first taste yielded notes of coffee and dark chocolate with hints of smoke.  As the beer got warmer the chocolate notes became stronger.  The beer had a dry almost metallic aftertaste which at first I didn't care for, but it soon faded and coffee flavors emerged.  I'd buy this beer again to be honest.  It's a solid stout.  I'd put it in the upper, 2nd tier of stouts above that of Guinness and Murphy's but below the Yeti family of stouts.  

Cheers!

CIGAR CITY JAI ALAI @CigarCityBrewery

When you have a cool girlfriend they tend to do awesome shit for you!  I have a cool girlfriend and she does awesome shit for me...like going to Florida and being thoughtful enough to bring me back some really good beer from Cigar City Brewery (@CigarCityBeer)!  She made a special trip out of her way and secured two (2) 6-Packs of said brewery's beer for me.  The first one Jai Alai IPA was amazing just like my FTG (Full Time Girlfriend)!

Type: English India Pale Ale (IPA)
IBU: 70
% ABV: 7.5
Brewery: Cigar City Brewing, Florida
Beer Advocate: 94 Outstanding!

I watched an episode of Drinking Made Easy a few years back and they were at Cigar City Brewing!  At that time I highly doubted I'd ever get to try any of their beers because I don't particularly like the state of Florida for a number of reasons and I have no plans on ever going to that state.  So I sat and with a heavy heart and wished I could try some Cigar City beer.  A few months back the stars aligned.  I was reading an issue of Cigar Press magazine and they had a feature on Cigar City beer and I knew my GQB7 (my FTG) was going to Florida with her family for vacation so naturally I popped the question...the important one...Can you get me some beer from Cigar City?  She being the thoughtful and considerate girl that she is of course said yes!  She brought me back a 6 pack of Jai Alai IPA and Maduro Brown Ale!  

Jai Alai was an awesome IPA.  I would go so far as to say it is one of the better IPAs I've had this year.  It came in a 12 oz can which I think is always cool!  The Beer poured a yellow orange with a nice lacy and foamy head.  There were floaties in the beer which IMO is always a good sign!  Jai Alai had a nice bitter hop taste with hints of floral notes and some slight malt.  at 70 IBUs this is an optimal beer as far as IPAs go.  It's not too bitter and not too weak!  I'd say this is comparable to Ranger but maybe a little more complex but not near as complex as Zombie Dust.  If you have a beer that falls between those two then you have yourself a great beer and Jai Alai is just that...a great beer.  I hope I get a chance to get some more because 6 is not enough for me!

Cheers!

NAT SHERMAN 1930 @Nat42nd

If you're a cigar smoker and you're not smoking Nat Sherman right right now then what can I say...you're missing out on some of the best smokes on the market right now.  From the look, feel, construction and of course the smoke, Nat Sherman is making a splash right now!  I had the pleasure of smoking two (2) sticks from the (Nat Sherman) Timeless Collection which were respectively the No. 2 and the Divinos.  The latest from Nat Sherman to be pulled from the Ark is the Nat Sherman 1930, and it didn't disappoint!

Wrapper: Dominican
Strength: Medium-Full
Length: 5.25
Gauge: 54

Right on the heels of the overwhelmingly successful Timeless Collection, Nat Sherman has unveiled the Nat Sherman 1930.  Taking its name from the year the tobacco icon was founded, the 1930 is one of the fullest Nat Sherman releases to date.  With notes of cocoa, pepper and earth with a smooth Nat Sherman style finish, the1930 will have enthusiasts begging for more!

This cigar was great.  I paired it with The Belvenie 12, but we're not here to talk about it!  I follow Nat Sherman on Twitter (@Nat42nd) and that's where I first discovered the 1930.  The minute Nat Sherman announced this cigar I combed the net trying to find it.  I did indeed find the 1930 and ordered a few to age in the Ark.  Here we are about two months maybe less later and I finally decided it was time to enjoy myself a 1930.  What first stood out was the look and feel of this cigar.  "Well Made" doesn't do this cigar justice!  The cigar had a great feel and the classic band gives the 1930 an eloquent look!  But there is more to a cigar than just look and feel.  I cut the cigar and the dry draw was excellent!  Upon lighting the first few puffs yielded a bitter-draw taste which quickly evened out to a nice earthly taste with subtle hints of spice.  Midway through the 1930 had notes of cedar and what I can only describe as a subtle menthol flavor followed by notes of wood and maybe cedar!  This wasn't what I'd call a complex cigar and I doubt it claims to be!  What it is is full flavored!  Very full flavored! I actually got the head swims as I got up to refill my Belvenie!  The burn on the 1930 was near perfect and the ash was solid as a rock!  I'm pretty sure I could have taken the ash down to the band but several pairs of shorts with small burn holes suggested I do otherwise!

The Nat Sherman 1930 was a great smoke and I highly recommend it to any enthusiast from novice (like me) to expert smoker!  This cigar was smooth throughout and I loved it.  I'm glad I have 5 more in the Ark to enjoy at a later date!  I hope someday to make it to New York to visit Nat Sherman's flagship shop...maybe when they banish Bloomberg and his Orwellian ass someday!  But this review isn't about politics, it's about a great cigar from an old company who's making a push to let everyone know that their a player in the ever competitive cigar industry with their great new cigar releases!  It is indeed a great time to be a cigar smoker!

Cheers!

BOLIVAR ROYAL CORONA

It's been a looong time since I've posted.  Writers block is a bitch and to be honest I've been too disgusted to write because of the Steelers shitty season.  That being said I've had some great beers and cigars regardless.  One was the Cuban Bolivar Royal Corona!  

Country: Cuba
Wrapper: Cuban
Strength: Full
Length: 4 7/6
Gauge: 50

Bolivar is a current pre-reolution brand, established in 1902.  It is classified by Habanos Sa as a multi-local brand, and has a minor market share.

The strength range comprises full strength cigars using tobacco from the premium Vuelta Abajo Region.  There is a Non-Cuban brand of the same name.

Cigar Aficionado rated the Bolivar Royal Corona a 93 so like the fish I tend to be I bought a couple and aged them in the Ark.  I decided to pull one out a few months ago and enjoy it with some bourbon.  The cigar had an excellent dry draw with a strong tobacco taste.  After lighting the first few puffs yielded thick, aromatic smoke.   The burn was very even.  I found there to be notes of leather and spice with a few hints of creamy finishing with a nice earthy note.  For a full flavored cigar I didm;t get light headed or rubber legged as in the past with powerhouses like the Partagas Serie D No. 4.  This was just a smooth and enjoyable Cuban cigar with a pleasant taste on the palette.  I have one left and can't wait to light it up this spring!

Cheers!

3FLOYDs MOLOKO STOUT @3floyds

I used to be a stout guy, loved em whether they were in a bottle, pint, had a shot of Jameson in em, or I was pounding a pint and puking it back up in the glass and repounding said pint again in my show stopping move called the "Chickenhawk"!  Eventually I outgrew stouts.  I got tired of the traditional stouts such as Guinness, Murphy's and a few other well known brands.  They're bland taste is something I eventually outgrew.  But over the last few years as I've been extensively exploring the the world of craft beer I've discovered several craft-stouts that I absolutely love the shit out of and Moloko by 3Floyds Brewery is no exception!




Style: American Milk/ Sweet Stout
%ABV: 8.0
IBU: 30
Brewery: 3Floyd's Brewery
Beer Advocate: 92 Outstanding!

This is just a great beer.  Its deep dark almost espresso color fills a glass black!  With little to no head the beer just looks fucking tasty in a pint glass.  The first sip yields notes of dark chocolate and espresso with sweet hints.  As it warm up Moloko becomes creamy and smooth and more sweet showing its teeth a little more with pecan notes as well as other nutty tastes.  This is just a very rich beer that should be enjoyed at or a little below a cool room temperature.  Moloko is a fall seasonal from 3Floyd's and is out right now.

I love all the beers from 3Floyd's.  Moloko is just another great beer in a long line of amazing offerings from 3Floyd's.  If you're a stout lover I think you're pretty much obligated to try Moloko and add it to your beer portfolio!  I definitely will be getting another bottle for my collection!

Cheers!

HERRERA ESTELI BY DREW ESTATE @hererraesteli

This past weekend was the opening of the 2013 College Football season and I did everything but watch football…and that sucked!  I got a little depressed to be honest.  Regardless whether I had fun or not in my other endeavors I still missed that feeling of being a lazy sack of shit laying on my couch and watching shitty football games where the equally shitty ESPN commentators sucked each and everyone off including themselves in an annoyingly ghay cavalcade of ridiculousness.  So at the end of this Labor Day weekend filled with Shenanigans and Tomfoolery I had to, needed to relax and I did so with an awesomely bad ass cigar-the Herrera Esteli By Drew Estate!

Brand: Herrera Esteli By Drew Estate

Type: Robusto

Country: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano

Price: $9.00

Strength: Full

Length: 5 ½

Gauge: 52

Master blenders from the famed El Titan De Bronze factory in Little Havana, Willy Herrera assumed the same title for Drew Estate in 2012.  The first project to bear his name for Drew Estate is the Herrera Esteli: a cigar that has taken nearly a year to blend and produce.  Comprised of Ecuadorian, Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos, the Herrera Esteli in unlike anything to ever come from the Drew Estate factory.  According the Herrera “it’s Cubanesque in natureand described as well rounded and flavorful but not too powerful”!

Of all the Nicaraguan cigars I’ve smoked this is by far and away my favorite and it’s not even close.  This also is hands down the best product from Drew Estate I’ve had including the ACID and Liga brands.  I had the Robusto from the Esteli line.  The cigar was well constructed as is the case with all Drew Estate products.  The cigar cut true and the dry draw was amazing.  I was shocked at how well it was because the Liga Undercrown and Privada both had terrible draws.  Upon lighting the harsh, bitter notes typical of Nicaraguan cigars were absent.  The first few puffs were a mildly peppery taste with hints of cedar.  There were varying notes of spice along with different degrees of pepper throughout the duration of the smoke.  At times the cigar became very woody with notes of leather.  The cigar burned nice and evenly for the entire smoke.   Overall this was an extremely pleasurable smoke.  It had some balls though because after I finished I got that swimmy head and rubber leg feeling as I stood up!  I highly recommend the Herrera Esteli line of cigars from Drew Estate.  They may be a little pricey but they’re worth it IMO! 

Cheers!

CAMACHO TRIPLE MADURO @camachocigars

I highly doubt (Lord) Darth Vader smokes.  I mean the guy was quartered by a lightsaber and left for dead on the banks of a volcanic planet so it's not outside the realm of possibility that he may be a little against smoking considering he's encased in an armored life support suit with a built in ventilator!  But it's also not outside the realm of possibility that at the end of a long day killing rogue Jedi, massacring entire planets and vaporizing entire star systems in the cadillac of sociopathic destruction engines-the Death Star, the guy would just like to relax in his quarters with a nice glass of scotch and cigar!  If he indeed did this I would have to imagine this cigar would be the Camacho Triple Maduro!

Country: Honduras
Wrapper: Maduro
Strength: Full
Length: 4 1/2
Gauge: 50

Camacho Havana cigars are rich, spicy-tasting cigars that will remind you of the old Havana blends.  Medium to full in body, each cigars handmade with carefully-aged, 100% Honduran-grown, cuban-seed Corojo fillers.  The oily, natural wrappers are Jamastran Habano Criollo.  The result is a hearty smoke with a snappy, peppery finish!

I've had several Triple Maduros and each and every one from first to most recent was

outstanding!  I can't tell you how amazing this cigar tastes if you're a fan of full-rich tasting cigars!  Rich is a perfect description for the Triple Maduro!  It's everything that I hoped the Drew Estate Liga Privada would be but wasn't!  That cigar was disappointing!  But the Camacho Triple Maduro is anything but!  If you used the words disappointing in a sentence with this cigar it would be to say "you were disappointed you didn't have more"!  From the construction (which is excellent) to the look which is sleek and cool, this cigar is a must have for your humidor!  It will stand out amongst your other cigars!  The dry draw was great with noted of coffee and earthyness!  After lighting the first few puffs yielded a richness thay I can only describe as rich and espresso-chocolatey! Midway through I found notes of cream, dark cherry, and still coffee! If I was going to smoke a cigar after a meal, it would be this one!  I haven't had a Maduro since the Gurkha Ghost (which was excellent) and the Camacho Triple Maduro made me recall how awesome fantastic Maduros are!  

Recently Camacho has merged with Davidoff (love their Short-Perfecto Special series) and they (Camacho) just launched a massive rebranding campaign!  I can tell you the sky is the limit for the Camacho brand.  They were already a world renowned brand and now they're going to be a universe renowned brand as I said in the beginning of this post because Darth fucking Vader will more than likely be sitting in his private quarters looking all burnt and shit thinking of what a weird asshole the Emperor is as he puffs on his Camacho Triple Maduro looking out the window of the Death Star thinking..."there is no way in hell anyone will ever blow this SOB up...EVER"!  

Cheers!

WIDMER ALCHEMY ALE @Widmer_Brothers

Buildups really fucking suck right?  For weeks now Widmer Brothers has been cock-teasing with this charlatan called “Alchemy Ale”!  For weeks I’ve had to endure the constant rise and settle of my boner as Widmer posts pic after pic of this Ale!  Well I’m here to tell you that tasting this beer was like seeing a chick with incredibly amazing tits in a two sizes to small top!  Those tits that just explode out your eyes you’re so transfixed by their awesome titiness and when you finally get the opportunity to do every dirty awesome thing to said tits, you remove them from their carefully crafted package and they look terrible, saggy…nothing like the perky, fully formed titties they were in their nice “hey look at these tits” package!  This was how I felt when I took the first sip of Alchemy Ale!

Style: American Pale Ale

%ABV: 5.8

IBU: 40

Brewery: Widmer Brothers Brewing

Beer Advocate: 81 Good!

The only things I can think of as I write this post that are more disappointing than this beer are in order:  the craftsmanship of the douches who built my breakfast nook, the 2012 Steelers, my recent judgment on Wednesdays, and maybe my X? 

It’s not that this was a bad beer, that’s not what I’m saying!  This beer was just not as good as what I thought it was going to be, and that pisses me off!  I dropped around $10 on a six pack of these and now I’m stuck drinking mediocrity 5 more times!  I don’t know if I can live with that burden! 

The beer poured a nice light orange/ amber color with notes of citrus and a slight hop aroma!   The taste was overall pleasant, but rather “meh” when I compare it to other more ballsy America Pale Ales like Dale’s Pale Ale!  It really didn’t have a complex flavor to speak of!  It was just bland and who knows it might be a good easy drinking summer beer, but I’m not into that shit!  If you read these posts you know I want a beer I can lose my shit on and make terrible decisions!  That’s my beer, and Alchemy Ale, you’re just not my beer!

Cheers!

TTT TRINIDAD RESERVE SHORT CHURCHILL

The TTT Trinidad Reserve Short Churchill is one of the most pleasant smokes I’ve had in a long time and I actually forgot I had a few in the Ark!  I bought these little babies on sale from JR Cigars about two years ago in a tin of 10!  I dug one out for last week’s Dude Golf Outing in Terre Haute, IN at Ray Park!  Me, Cookie, the Assassin and Snake all met up for a pretty awesome day of golf!  BTW I found 6-packs of Schlitz for $3.21!  WOW!  Dangerous!

Country: Honduras

Wrapper: Maduro

Strength: Full

Length: 4.5

Gauge: 54

Bolder than its Dominican predecessor, the full-bodied Trinidad Reserve is rolled at the Honduras La Flor De Copan factory.  With an excitingly peppery taste, thanks to the Ecuadorian Cubano wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and aged Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers to provide smooth balance, this rich cigar is often enjoyed by the experienced connoisseur!

I don’t remember the first time I had this cigar, but I will remember it from now on!  It was one of the most peppery smooth cigars I’ve ever had including recent Nicaraguan puros!  It was very well constructed with no soft spots to the touch.  The cigar cut clean and had a very spicy smell in the foot.  The dry –draw was very woody.  After lighting the first few puffs were just as I described…peppery.  In fact the whole smoke was peppery and spicy with subtle hints of cedar and earth.  I enjoyed this cigar a lot and I think this would be an everyday cigar for anyone who’s in to full-bodies smokes!

The TTT Trinidad was so good in fact that after we finished eating at 7^th and Elm the Assassin proposed we go to the Club Koyote!  We rolled up to the titty bar around 6 Illinois time (that’s when they open) and paid the $5 cover!  After the dude at the door took out cash and stamped our hands he then let us know that the ladies weren’t dancing for another hour!  Assassin asked the idiot why he didn’t tell us that prior to us dropping $5!  So we had to figure out our next move.  Assassin proposed going down the package liquor store and getting a 12 pack of beer and sitting on our tailgates and drinking for an hour to which I replied “yeah that’s a bad idea”!  I then proposed driving home and getting Kool-Aid to drive us back to which when asked her said “I’m tired, but I’ll do it”!  So Kool-Aid shit, showered and shaved then picked the Assassin and me up and we headed to West T where we spent the next 4 hours with “TITTIES IN OUR FACE”!  Wow it was a long night and there was no Zombie Dust involved!!  Thank you TTT Trinidad!

Cheers!