If you were to jump into a time machine and flash back to 2009, you would find a series here on Stogie Review entitled Herf’n Heads. This series was put together by Jerry and Brian to take a standard Joint Review and add a Herf’n feel to it. What it boiled down to was a cigar review filled with side banter.
After the success of our latest Your Questions, My Answers (YQMA), I was in the mood to fire up a cigar and shoot the breeze. The idea struck me to give the old show idea a try, so I reached out to the one Stogie Review member that I knew would most likely be available for an impromptu virtual herf. After a Twitter DM and about ten minutes, we were infront of our computers talking up a storm.
The show was kind of a train wreck (I mean that in the nicest way) in the sense that we jump from talking about our feature cigar, to a random topic, and back to the cigar again. We repeated this process for an hour and twenty four minutes discussing topics like “Golden Rules of Cigar Smoking”, “TV Sets in the B&M Cigar Lounge”, and how Mike managed to rack up nearly $400 in bids on Cigarbid while his wife was away for the weekend (He should have read our Become a Cigar Auction Rock Star article).
Just a little note on the video. Just like with our last episode of YQMA, I made a stupid rookie mistake. After updating Skype and Call Recorder, it appears that my settings were reverted back to default. This resulted in a picture in picture recording instead of the usual side by side. As you will see, my video is contained to small box while Mike takes up the remainder of the space. I don’t think this takes too much away from the video but it will be corrected the next time we record.
The Cigar
After trading a few messages, we determined that one of the very few cigars Mike and I had in common was the La Aurora 100 Años. While we have covered this cigar on several occasions, we had yet to review the Torpedo. The 100 Años is crafted in the Dominican Republic using a Dominican Corojo Wrapper, Dominican Binder, and Dominican grown Corojo and Piloto Cubano fillers.
Construction
During the pre-light process, Mike and I began looking over our cigars. Neither of us found visual defects in the wrapper and were pleased with what we saw. The only difference between our cigars was that Mike’s sample had a secondary band showing a serial number while my sample did not. I wasn’t totally surprised by this as my sample came to my courtesy of Jose Blanco, some time ago, for a vertical tasting and may have been older.
Both samples had small veins which did not protrude from the wrapper. These small veins resulted in a smooth texture which felt good in the hand. Once clipped, Mike’s cigar had a free draw while my sample was a bit stiff. This stiff draw remained throughout and was not corrected after clipping an additional two times.
Flavor
I would imagine that the age of our La Aurora 100 Años attributed to a very linear flavor profile. From start to finish we felt that the base flavor was dry and woody. On occasion we noticed a spiciness through the sinus. Mike picked up a nutty flavor from time to time while I found the cigar to have an interesting occasional red wine aftertaste.
Personally, I found this cigar to be a little on the boring side in comparison to the smaller ring gauge La Aurora 100 Años. The smaller sizes seem to have a richer profile that is more explosive, where as the torpedo was more lackadaisical. As stated before, this could be due to the age of these cigars and the tobaccos marrying their individual flavors into one core flavor.
Smoking Characteristics
Aside from the draw problems that I experienced, my La Aurora 100 Años burned beautifully. The ash was light in color, firm, and compacted. The burn line was thin and even. Mike, on the other hand, had some funky burn issues. No matter how many times he touched it up, the cigar continued to burn unevenly. Under the burn line the wrapper was wrinkled in spots.
Unlike my sample, Mike seemed to have an effortless draw. Both cigars produced a good volume of smoke which was dense and coated the palate well. The burn rate seemed about average with the cigar lasting longer than the video run time.
Final Thoughts
The big question about this cigar is “Is the La Aurora 100 Años worth the money”. This question can be tough to answer. If we are talking about the Torpedo alone, then this is something that neither Mike or myself would purchase. The flavor profile was too straightforward and didn’t deviate enough to keep us interested. The smaller sizes, on the other hand, are cigars that I would easily spend the double digit price tag on. I find the flavors to be richer and more explosive.
Well, that was an entertaining episode. Too bad about the smokes, though. Strange timing, but I just sent in a question to YQMA a couple of days ago about how you guys felt about the different ring gauges.
It was a blast to watch – I’ll view a train wreck like that anytime. Oh, and “Happy F****n’ Smoking”!
jjo,
We received your question the other day. I have placed it into our pool of questions to feature on an upcoming episode of YQMA.
I’m glad you enjoyed watching the video.
Thanks for the comment and the email!
I enjoyed this episode, looking forward to the next.
bx22,
I’m glad you enjoyed the episode.
Thanks for watching and leaving a comment.
Walt & Mike,
Nice job guys, loved the open conversation between you two.
Stew,
Thanks for the comment. I’m glad you enjoyed watching the video
Yet another enjoyable video! keep up the great work! I hate to do it to you Walt but I think a humidor/coolerdor(s) tour is long overdue. What do you think?
Cigarguy1,
I’ll be ready to unload the coolers just as soon as I get around to putting shelving up in the humidor. The plan is to shoot a couple of videos as I go through and unload each cooler. I’m not sure when that will happen, but with any luck it will be within the next couple of months.
I was in tears laughing at the Devils Sight conversation.Mikes honesty and Walts reaction was priceless.LMFAO!
chekk12,
After creating the video, I watched it before uploading. The Cigarbid section was my favorite part. I knew everything that was going to be said and I still laughed.
I’m glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment.
Good stuff as always, guys. My take on the smashing-the-cigar-out debate: My grandfather always taught me that If you simply set it down in the ashtray it will — eventually and gracefully — go out on its own. And that would be the gentlemanly thing to do. But when you grind it out, not only does it look like hell but it seems to smolder for quite a while. Just my two cents.
Speaking of plugged cigars Mike, have you ever had any success with the “shish kabab” rod? I myself have not. I have both long and short draw pokers and not once have they relieved a too-tight draw. I think that as soon as you slide the poker back out and start to puff the cigar “closes up” again. Something like that.
TV’s in the cigar shop? Tough call, as everybody probably wants to watch something different. I myself prefer a TV be turned on, at a reasonable volume, to something, anything, CNN or whatever. Because lots of times I’ll go to the cigar shop alone during the afternoon, and I like to be socially lazy and smoke my cigar in peaceful repose. So if a TV is on there is less chance someone will try and strike up a conversation with me. (Not that I’m a misanthrope or anything like that; sometimes I like to converse and sometimes I don’t) And while we’re on TV’s, allow me to rant for a moment… Yesterday I went and sat in the local cigar shop lounge and enjoyed a Tatuaje. I was the only one in there except the guy working (not the owner). And since they weren’t busy he was sitting in the lounge with me, smoking a cigar and watching TV. I had to suffer through back-to-back episodes of Trick Out This Chopper or some such nonsense because not once did he ask me – the customer – if there was something I’d like to watch.
Question: Would you or do you ever go into a cigar bar/lounge, one that has a walk-in humidor, and bring your own cigar? Or, like me, do you feel obligated to purchase a cigar from their humidor?
Cigar Scholar
Cigar Scholar,
When I read you comment about the hole closing back up after using a draw poker, it reminded me of the Aeolus Cigar Spear. Unlike a typical draw poker, it has tiny serrations at the end which help pull some of the tobacco out of the cigar. This helps prevent the hole from closing back in on itself.
In regards to your question, I have brought my own on more than one occasion. I always purchase something while there because I don’t want to be that guy that brings in stuff from home and walks out without buying anything.
The shops I’ve done this in are ones that I have a relationship with. I would never walk into a cigar shop for the first time with my own stuff. I’ve gotten to know the shop owners and often times when I bring my own, I bring an extra for the shop owner to try.
Thanks for the comment and for watching the video
Yes, I have had success a few times with the shish kabab rod. Now I hav had more of them not open up, split, crack, explode, etc, but I have had luck on few occasions. I think most of the time it worked was when the cigar was not super plugged but just had a tight draw.
Thanx for watching!
I’m gladed to see the duoe Stogie Review back. Mike saved his 100 Anos for special occassion not a review Walt. Take a lead some Mike. Don’t let Walt do it first everytime. Y’ll did a good review.
Tcigar,
The La Aurora 100 Anos was Mike’s suggestion (He didn’t want to smoke the La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero that we also had in common).
I could be wrong, but I think Mike has one or two more 100 Anos for a special occasion.
Thanks for the comment
You guys crack me up… the CigarBid conversation was hilarious. I always look for deals too, but are cigars any good, if they are less than $2.00 a stick? With B&M shops battling the FDA, Fed and local governments, I try to buy all my cigars through my local B&Ms.
I agree with Walt on TVs… sports and reality shows are fine, but I hate when FOX News is on. The energy of the room turns negative and conversations get a bit ridiculous. The PPV UFC Fight NIghts are fun to watch with the guys.
There are some diamonds in the rough out there. For instance, you can find Flor de Oliva bundles for under $40, making cigars under $2.00 per single. The Corojo and Gold (Connecticut) are a great buy.
Here are two Blind Tastings I did with the above mentioned cigars. The Corojo received a comment during the video that went something like “This must be a $10.00 cigar by the way it is smoking”
Flor de Oliva Corojo
Flor de Oliva Gold
Thanks for watching and leaving a comment