It’s been over two months since my last Week/Month in Smoke, so I figured I was overdue for another one. Here’s a recap of some of the cigars I’ve smoked over the last few weeks, in addition to any I evaluated for a full review or featured first impressions. Some of these cigars may have already been reviewed by myself or another member of the Stogie Review crew, while others just might make it into a full-length review sometime in the future. Enjoy!

Nub Cameroon – This was another stick I received in the swag bag handed out at the Delaware Cigar Festival last year. I smoked this while my brother-in-law enjoyed a Series JJ “Little Robusto” during a recent visit. I’m a sucker for Cameroon wrapper, and I’ve got a soft spot for the Nub format, so this was definitely a good combination for me. Plus, check out that ash!

Alec Bradley Tempus Terra Novo – I picked up this cigar at Casa de Puros when I was in Chicago hanging out with @YoungBuckBOTL just before Christmas. Tim, the shop owner, regaled us with stories about his many trips to a certain island south of Miami, as we relaxed in his nice, cozy lounge. The cigar, while enjoyable, was less memorable than the stories, although it was my second smoke of the day and I probably didn’t give it a fair shot, to be honest.

Oliva Serie V Maduro Especial 2011 – This was another one of the many cigars I smoked with YoungBuckBOTL out in Chicago. A couple of these particular sticks were gifted to us by one of the regulars at Casa de Montecristo — a heck of a guy if you ask me. I haven’t smoked the previous years’ releases in this line, so I can’t make a good comparison, but I enjoyed the rich flavors so much that I smoked the last half of this in YoungBuck’s car (against his serious objections) while he drove me to the airport — also a heck of a guy!

Tatuaje Wolfman – I bought a box of these just before Halloween at the Tatuaje event hosted by Holt’s in Philly. The first time I smoked one, it seemed a bit rough around the edges to be honest. Lots of power right up front, and possibly lacking in balance. Perhaps this profile is what Pete was going for with the Wolfman, or perhaps it just needed some rest. George Brightman gave me some great advice when I was at W. Curtis Draper in Bethesda recently. He said that the best way to enjoy the Tatuaje Monster Series is to buy a box each year to enjoy the following year, and to break out the previous year’s release each Halloween. Plus, if you’re patient and can save a few for a bit longer, you can revisit several different Monsters each October. I can’t wait to see what a year of age does to these.

Davidoff Mille 5000 – I selected this Davidoff as my pre-dinner smoke on New Years Eve. I wanted something a bit on the milder side so as not to interfere with my enjoyment of a steak dinner and post-dinner cigar later on. This definitely hit the spot. I don’t smoke very many Davidoff cigars, but I’ve never been disappointed by one. I have to thank my good buddy (the best man at my wedding, as a matter of fact) for letting me mooch this cigar from him. Sometimes I think he receives more cigars as gifts than he actually smokes, as he’s always got something good waiting for me in his humidor.

Quesada Tributo – And this was the post-dinner smoke with which I decided to ring in the New Year. The flavors were quite enjoyable, but the 6.5×60 format is a bit more than I can handle. After smoking the Tributo for well over an hour, I had barely put a dent in it. Meanwhile, all of my fellow partygoers had gone home or passed out (we’re getting old). As I put it down for good around the half-way point, I regretted not having enough time to enjoy the whole thing. Apologies for the crummy photo — it was late and I had been partying all day!

J. Fuego Origen Originals – Brian Hewitt is right — these are a great short smoke. Terrific construction, lots of woody flavors, a subtle sweetness, a nice touch of spice, and what I would describe as a darker nut component add up to be quite the combination. I’m definitely going to have to pick up some more of these.

Rare Silk (pipe tobacco) – My name is Charlie, and I’ve experimented with pipe tobacco. Phew, it feels good to admit that. A few weeks ago on a whim, a friend and I popped into J.B. Hayes Tobacconist in Virginia to pick up a couple basket pipes, a few ounces of bulk tobacco, and all the necessary accoutrements. I had been meaning to try smoking a pipe for some time now, but never got around to it before. For my first attempt, I selected Hayes’ Rare Silk aromatic blend, which had a nice flavor but couldn’t quite recreate that classic old-timey aroma of grandfatherly pipe tobacco that I’m looking for. All in all, smoking a pipe was an interesting change of pace, but it does take a bit of work (or lots of practice) to keep the stuff lit, so I don’t think it’ll lead me astray from my favorite cigars anytime soon.

Cabaiguan WCD 120 Redux – I purchased a box of these as soon as they went on sale (that is, as soon as Paul would ring them up for me) during the release event at W. Curtis Draper in Bethesda. I’m glad I did, too, as I’ve got a feeling they’re close to sold-out by now. The draw was just a bit more snug than I prefer, which was more than made up for by the easy light, lusciously creamy flavors, a hint of twang, perfect burn, and nice white ash. If you weren’t able to pick these up, there’s still hope: my Cojonu 2012 giveaway prize pack includes a single Cabaiguan WCD 120 Redux as a special bonus. Be sure to enter now if you haven’t already!

About Charlie:
Charlie has been enjoying cigars since 2000 and generally prefers a medium-bodied, full-flavored smoke. A USAF vet, he is currently pursuing a PhD in computer science, focusing on artificial intelligence and computational linguistics. Originally from Connecticut and now residing in Delaware, Charlie is also a fan of football, science fiction, political philosophy, and single malt scotch. You can contact Charlie on Twitter @greenbacker.