It’s once time again for another issue of Brian’s The Week In Smoke. This one’s a little out of the ordinary, as it includes a birthday, which is traditionally my High MSRP Cigar Day. I didn’t succeed in spending a day doing nothing but burning high-end cigars, even though I made several attempts, but I did get some good ones in. No complaints, it was a great week overall.

In case this is your first Week in Smoke, be advised that it covers many (though not necessarily all) of the cigars I’ve smoked in the past week (or the past month, or however long it has been since the last issue), along with a couple of quick thoughts that came to me at the time. These are not full reviews, but quick blurbs based on a single smoking experience. As such, they may be influenced by the natural variations that occur from one cigar to another. Your mileage may vary. (If I know the cigar well enough to comment, I may mention if an experience strays from what understand to be the norm.)

An appearance in The Week in Smoke does not preclude nor guarantee a future in-depth review. Whenever possible, I’ve linked to more a thoughtful and thorough review of the cigar in question. (Or maybe I’ve linked to a photo of Jerry The ‘Stache. You won’t know until you click.) Enjoy!

Fuente Fuente OpusX Petit Lancero **
One of the first cigars I grabbed to celebrate another year’s passing was this year-plus old, somewhat plumey Petite Lancero, that smelled like honey with the cellophane removed. I love the size, and the batch it came from was a good one. It wasn’t a perfect experience, the draw was a little tight and the wrapper formed small cracks, but it was still very enjoyable. In terms of flavor, I picked up sweet flavors of grass, earth and a general syrup. After I clipped it again a little way in the draw opened up and I also tasted orange peel, something like frosting and cedar as well as some cinnamon. I also noticed the room was full of a pleasant floral tobacco aroma. It’s a good illustration of how a cigar can rise above minor imperfections.

Fuente Fuente OpusX Perfecxion No. 2 *
A friend gave me this Opus from the latest release. Ordinarily I don’t smoke Opus cigars this close together, but I was celebrating so I thought, why not? It was pretty impressive considering it’s relative youth. I remember a few years where I had to age an Opus a while before it lived up to its reputation. Once lit, it delivered flavors like gingerbread, grass, cedar, syrup, earth and a pleasant sweet citrus. I’ll have to pick up some more of the current release before they’re gone.

God of Fire Don Carlos 2010 **
I began a day this past week with a God of Fire, and it wasn’t a bad choice. It was very creamy and toasty, with hints of sour cream, cinnamon and light cedar. It’s a good cigar for a quiet afternoon and a cup of coffee.

Gurkha Ghost Toro *
I picked this Gurkha at random out of a bag of miscellaneous samples. The highly reflective band made it a challenge to get a decent picture, but it did look kinda cool. In terms of smoking characteristics, it burned pretty well but it did need a little help toward the end. Flavor-wise, it was pretty straightforward, but pleasant. For the most part I noted toffee, some creaminess and mild spices. If I were to smoke it again, I’d consider storing it a little drier and lighting it up earlier in the day.

Jameson Resolución *
I felt like lighting up something different, and picked this Resolución because I don’t think I’d had one before. It was probably the most interesting cigar of the week in terms of flavor, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. Along with bread, wood, raisin and sour cream flavors, I noted some unusual ones like clove and mint, which probably contributed to my perception of a very clean finish. It was an intriguing smoke that I’d like to try again some time.

La Aroma De Cuba Mi Amor Reserva
I enjoyed the Mi Amor, so I had high hopes for the Reserva. It didn’t disappoint. It produced lingering rich flavors like chocolate, roasted nuts, earth, coffee and pepper. It was a fine selection for this week.

Padron 1926 Maduro No. 6 **
This stick came out of a signed box I probably bought four years ago and it was excellent. No real surprise there. This little cigar was just packed full of big, rich flavor. Chocolate, earth, mocha, cinnamon and cedar all blended nicely into a very memorable smoke.

Partagas 1845 Extra Fuerte Robusto *
I actually lit this new Partagas release up several weeks ago, but misplaced my notes on it. I can see why, I didn’t have all that much to say. It’s one of those smokes that focuses mainly on power, at the detriment of flavor. But then you have expect that with the name Extra Fuerte. No false advertising here, it’s all about bold pepper, black tobacco and a little cedar. There’s definitely a market for this stick, but I’m not part of that market. I prefer the Extra Oscuro or the original 1845. I would be interested to see how it smokes with a year sitting naked on really nice Spanish cedar.

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* Big Brother would have you know these cigars were gifts or free samples, and that my opinions on them is suspect. My opinions (and this bottle of rye) are my own, your response to them is your own. All your base are belong to us.

** I have too many smokes, and this denotes that the smoke in question has been sitting in one of my humidors for at least a year, and thus qualifies as “aged”. If my collection continues to grow, the chances are good I’ll be on that Discovery Channel show about people who hoard stuff and face eviction.

Some of the pictures in Brian’s The Week In Smoke first appeared on twitter. If you’d like to see these lists constructed in real time, follow Brian on twitter. If you don’t, you’ll make the Fail Whale cry. And he’s ugly when he cries.