I have a back log of cigars here. I always try to limit any edition of Week in Smoke to no more than 10-12 cigars which during an active week is really three days worth of smoking. So its easy for these to build up. Two popular questions I get asked is how many cigars I smoke a day and can I still taste a cigar after I’m on my third or fourth cigar of the day? On average I smoke 3-4 cigars a day. Now thats on average. Some days/weeks I’m more active than other days/weeks. As far as tasting the third or fourth cigar of the day, it depends on what I’m smoking. I’m pretty good at laying out and making sure the 3-4 cigars that I plan on smoking compliment each other and lighting them up based on the body or strength of a cigar. Even with cleansing my palate in between smokes, usually I can’t taste the fourth cigar. Usually I smoke that fourth or fifth cigar of the day for no other reason other than I have time to smoke it. Anyway, now this edition of Week in Smoke.
Davidoff Special R – No surprise here right? For the third or fourth edition in a row of Week in Smoke the Davidoff Special R is the highlight. At this pace it will over take the Brick House as the cigar that has appeared most in the Week in Smoke series. It’s just a great cigar that I always say makes for a great first cigar of the day. What I’m starting to find out is no matter what cigar I smoke after the Special R its a let down and I’ve smoked some great stuff as a follow up. The crisp flavors of the Special R just hit my palate in a certain way that it creates a temporary forcefield around my palate that no cigar can break through.
Cuesta-Rey Centenario – When was the last time you smoked a Cuesta-Rey? Probably its either been years or never. Am I right? I’m sure the Cuesta-Rey line has seen better days. I’m sure at one time it was the cream of the crop for JC Newman. Its very rare that I categorize a cigar as a DNF or Did Not Finish. Unfortunately the Centenario falls into that such category. I kept waiting for the Centenario to come alive but at the halfway point I ended up setting it down. Boring, lackluster with a predominant paper taste that left my palate dry.
Santos de Miami by Jameson Cigars – I still remember my outrage when Brian Hewitt beat me to reviewing the Santos de Miami. I seriously wanted to fly down to Atlanta and slash his tires. LOL. If you are looking for a true definition of a boutique cigar then Jameson Cigars is it. If Brad Mayo wasn’t so kind to send samples to us I’d never be able to find his stuff. Wonderful cigar with an earthy and nutty flavor profile. A little bit of sweetness towards the end. Flavors are clean and its delightful to smoke.
Liga Privada T52 Flying Pig – I know the Feral Pig is all the rage these days but for me, the flavor profile of the Flying Pig is just as unique as its size. Solid cigar with a slow burning, charry woodsy and cocoa flavor profile. Outstanding!
Quesada Tributo – With the Domus Magnus topping my list as my top cigar of 2011 I’ve been trying to explore some of the other offerings from SAG Imports. Full flavored and full in strength. Wonderful assortment of woodsy and citrus flavors with a splash of a sweet ligero spice. The first one I smoked was after a Davidoff Special R and it couldn’t even penetrate that invisible forcefield. The second one I had was eye opening with the combination of flavors. Unique flavor profile with some strength.
Alec Bradley Family Blend – I wasn’t sure what to expect when lighting up the Family Blend. I often pass over this offering from Alec Bradley for either the Tempus or Black Market as those two lines I really like the most. I don’t have anything negative to say about the Family Blend. I also don’t have anything glowing to say about it either. It’s a solid, medium bodied, ok to pretty good cigar and thats probably why I always bypass it on the shelf for something that grabs my attention.
La Aurora 107 – Another cigar that I have been reaching for a lot of lately is the La Aurora 107. Maybe I’m just waiting for the Maduro version to hit shelves and become more widely available. The La Aurora 107 is part of a handful of cigars that I turn to when I can’t make a decision on what to smoke. The 107 is consistent, dependable and never fails to deliver. I know, I just said three things that all mean the same thing. Flawless construction and woodsy to the core.
Undercrown by Drew Estate – I still don’t know how the Undercrown didn’t make my Top 10 list. Talk about a flawed process! I tend to light one up just as often as I light up a Special R. If the flavor of the Undercrown wasn’t enough this is just a beautiful cigar to watch burn and take in the aroma. Tons and tons of smoke billow out. A solid choice for any time of day.
EPC Edicion Inaugural 2009 – Where the new chapter for Ernesto Perez Carrillo began! Solid smoke thats aging very well. Lots of sweet woodsy and slight citrus flavors along with a nice creamy component. You’d be a wise cigar smoker to make friends with a retailer who has been hoarding these.
Liga Privada No. 9 by Drew Estate – Let the Drew Estate love continue. I recall another episode of Week in Smoke awhile ago that was similarly overrun with cigars by Drew Estate. I’m a T-52 guy. I’ve always said that. But man if these No. 9’s haven’t been hitting my palate in all the right spots lately. The complexity and depth of the No. 9 keeps getting better and better so I think the No. 9 has better bones for aging than the T-52. The T-52 is great to smoke now and it will still be great with age. The No. 9 like the T-52 is great to smoke now and with age gets even better.
Great list. I have been smoking the UnderCrowns and you are absolutely right. Its a great smoke and it is just tasty. However, at that price point you can almost get a box of MonteCristo Media Noche. Decisions, decisions…
Solid week Cruz! Spot on remarks for all the cigars you smoked. Someone has been bit by that Special R bug huh? LOL
When will those 107 Maduros be available…like you I can’t wait to try them.
On a side note, topic from another blog, are you guys going to IPCPR?
Not a single Tatuaje cigar? LOL
Totally agree on the No. 9…mine are aging nicely. Not a slight on the T52 but like you said, the bones of the No. 9 make the aging potential phenomenal.
Great Week in Smoke! Me and my ADD love this series.
Great week Jerry. Cuesta Rey has seen better days. I remember my dad smoking them in the 80’s. They probably aren’t what they use to be and of course, the clientele of cigars has changed since then. An interesting topic for YQMA would be about all these cigar personas and their impact on the industry.
Thanks for sharing your “week” with us.
LOL…you and those Special R. After the second time you posted on Twitter about them I wondered if they were any good. I bit the bullet and went to my local shop and dropped $23 on one. I was ready for a complete let down as very rarely does a $20 live up to expectations. I’m happy to report how 100% accurate your assessments have been. This is the cigar that rules them all. The ultimate in decadence!
Have you tried the Quesada Q d’Etat Molotov? Would love to get your thoughts on that one!
Mmmm La Aurora 107 Maduro? Why am I just now hearing about this? Must know when they will be available?
The Humidour is a great shop. I visited there a couple months back when I was traveling thru Baltimore. Awesome selection, awesome people and a comfy public lounge. I can only imagine how nice the member lounge must be.
Jerry wonderful Week in Smoke! I remember in a previous episode you showed another cigar by La Aurora called the Imperiales Maduro? Are these available? I haven’t seen them anywhere and retailers I ask have never heard of them. They think I’m talk about the 107 Maduro which I am looking forward to as well!
Good work!
That Cuesta Rey may have seen better days but those bands on them are beautiful and still a classic IMO.
Would also like your opinion on the Quesada Q d’Etat Molotov and the Quesada Espana.
another great week, livin the life!!
Jerry props for at least trying the Cuesta Rey. When I see them on the shelf I just assume that they are from a different period in cigars and really won’t appeal to today’s cigar smoker. Definitely a cool band though. I wonder if they plan on updating the brand and introduce something new in the Cuesta Rey line?
I think I heard on another cigar podcast that Barry (former blogger at acigarsmoker.com) that the 107 Maduro was delayed and probably will be launched again at IPCPR.
The 107 Maduro was supposed to be released last year at IPCPR. However only a limited amount were made and sold to a few stores. I believe the cigar is sold out in those shops. We hope to have the 107 Maduro for a full production in the near future. It will be a tweaked version of the aforementioned limited release.
Thanks for the interest in La Aurora, and Jerry I look forward to The Week In Smoke each, well, uh, week 🙂
Barry
Assistant Director of Marketing
Miami Cigar & Company
Looks like you had a Great Week Jerry, I still need to try one of those Davidoff You Rave about.
Jerry can we officially call you a Davidoff whore now? LOL
Another great week Jerry! The best thing about Week in Smoke is that it makes for a perfect shopping list of diverse cigars to smoke.
Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!
Great stuff as always! I think this is the most anyone has blogged about Cuesta Rey in a long long time! LOL.
Right on with those No. 9s! The couple boxes I have in my cabinet have started sweating and are just amazing to smoke.
Nice week in smoke. Haven’t tried quesada tributo, but the octoberfest and a few others never disappointed. Love the 107 though, also a go to of mine in the corona vitola- can be smoked fast or slow.. Always tasty and always a pleasure.
Thanks for the write up!
Dang I’ve yet to see a Drew Estate No 9 stick around long enough for me to try! Well perhaps it’s time to try that Davidoff!!
very nice!! i dont know if i could smoke that much!!!2 a day maybe 3 if i start early!!! but im a lone smoker so that might have somethnng to do with it, i guess if i were a social smoker id smoke more, maybe lol
What a great week. Just the fact that there was a Flying Pig and a No. 9 in there. My local shop 1 hour away has them but I’m just not willing to drive that far lol. I prefer my 10 min drive to the one I have locally.
JUST SMOKE IT MANN……….THE BEST……..
Would love to try the Davidoff , but with the price I’ll have to wait and hit the lottery
I totally agree on aging the Liga Privadas, Jerry! Glad you got to try some #9s aged, they really are phenomenal. I’m still a T52 guy as well, but an aged #9 is pretty close behind.
Fresh, I actually prefer the Undercrown to the #9, it just has more flavor to me. Not as clean or complex, but it has more flavor which makes it better suited than the #9 as a 2nd cigar of the day.
Jerry, correct me if I’m wrong, but as I checked in to SR today, I noticed that your article count was a nice round even 500. Since this is the most recent post from you I’m guessing this was the magic #500?
If so, ‘grats on the mile stone!
doc