Full Bodied: Beauty and the Beast

I had the opportunity to try the new Joya de Nicaragua Antano Dark Corojo yesterday. It was a delightfully full bodied experience! I had said in my last post that I would insist on trying new cigars, mingled in with the good-old stand by offerings. In fact, I said I'd try the newest Rocky Patel, but I just haven't been able to find it. So I've been able to try two new cigars this past week; the Double Corojo and the Cain F series.

Both cigars started with a full blast of red hot pepper on the palate. The Cain F (6 x 60) had a smooth draw and a fairly straight burn, which is quite a feat if you consider the fact that this is Ligero throughout. The problem I had with the Cain was the the fact that the first third was kick-you-in-the-teeth strong, it mellowed to a rather enjoyable smoke for the middle third, then kicked me right in the teeth again on the last third. So with all things being equal, maybe the Cain F Nub will be right up my alley? The whole point of the Nub is to get right to the meat of the cigar, the sweet spot if you will, so maybe it'll hit that middle third. To be honest, it was too strong for me. As my friend said as we sat together enjoying a smoke "I can't imagine how strong that is, if you think it's too strong!"

The Joya de Nicaragua Antano Double Corojo on the other hand opened up into a creamy smooth smoke. Not exactly the types of words you'd associate with a full bodied powerhouse, but in this case, it really stood true. Like the Cain F, it started out with intense pepper notes, but quickly mellowed and blossomed into a fragrant and tasty cigar. After the first quarter, that pepper bite actually changed, and took on a slightly sweet taste, with notes of semi-sweet chocolate. The La Pesadilla (4 3/4 X 60 belicoso) burned exceptionally well until the final quarter, at which time the burn started to become slightly crooked. Nothing horrible. And for a cigar under 5 inches in length, this little guy lasted me over an hour. Very impressive.

So there you have it. I've tried two new cigars. Maybe next time I'll try something a little lighter, and open my world to even newer, different experiences!

Pepin Le Bijou

It's been far too long since I've had a Don Pepin Garcia masterpiece, whether under his own label, or made for another manufacturer. Friday, that changed when I finally got around to smoking his newest creation, the My Father Le Bijou 1922. I first put my sights on this fine looking Toro at the 2009 IPCPR show in New Orleans. It's made with a very rare Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro wrapper called Pelo de Oro (Golden Hair). This wrapper is rarely used any more, mostly because it is so prone to disease, most growers won't risk the damage to the rest of their stock. This wrapper has been most commonly used in pre-embargo Cuban cigars.

With that said, the Bijou was one of those treats that really makes me wonder why it took so long for me to try it. My first impression, as a comparison to another, was that this cigar was the closest I've found to the spicy pepper flavors found in the Opus X. Notes of cocoa layered with various levels of pepper, from slight to intense, and touches of creaminess mingled in. The draw was flawless throughout, although I did experience some slight burn issues about half way through. Much like the Opus X, in my experiences in the past, the last third to quarter of this cigar suddenly became difficult to keep lit. Fortunately, this issue didn't take away from the overall pleasantness of this wonderful cigar.

As I've found myself saying in the past "why did I wait so long to try this?" I will be much more apt to reach out and pick up that cigar that I haven't yet tried. After all, unless it's a $20 cigar, what's the worse that can happen? It's bad? So be it. So with that being said, I pledge to try the Rocky Patel 1961 line. I've seen it on the shelves, and have even bought one for a friend, but have never tried it myself. Stay tuned, as my next post WILL be for the 1961.

Happy smoking.