2008 Bolivar RE Asia Pacific

Today is my 4 year anniversary with Laurie, and to mark the occasion im smoking the 2008 Bolivar Regional Selection from Asia Pacific for 2008 called the Short Bolivar. This is a short robusto, measuring in at 4.3 inches by 52 ring gauge. Some are calling this the Bolivar Fat Boy, and i can see why. The wrapper is slightly veiny and seems a little overstreatched, but still very nicely constructed.
The draw is very loose, which im hoping doesnt make this cigar burn too hot.
Wow, this thing opens with loads of the classic Bolivar earthyness, leather and a touch of spice. I can tell that i will have to smoke this cigar slow to keep it from getting too hot with a draw this loose.
Regional release cigars are commissioned by different distributors across the world specificially made to only be for sale in that region. Ive had the chance to smoke a fair amount of these releases thanks to some of my cigar friends.

This is not one of my favorite sizes of cigars, but i can see where some would like it. The flavors started out very nice, but have become quite muted in the second 3rd. I hope the flavors return as i get further into this cigar.
As i continued to smoke this cigar, the flavor returned a bit towards the last 3rd, with a bit of creamyness with it. That core of earthyness i expect in a Bolivar is still there, but not as up front as it was at the start.

Overall, this was an ok cigar, but didnt wow me. I think if the draw had been a bit firmer it would have allowed for a bit more flavor developement, but it burned a bit hot and i think some of the flavors were lost because of this. Its hard to really judge this cigar though because it is very young. I think these could benefit with some time in the humidor, but if that draw is loose in every one of these, then i dont know what these will turn into, if anything. If you, like me, want to try the regional editions and most new cigars out there, then give it a shot, just know that you may encounted a very fast burning cigar with a loose draw. I really like Bolivars and am definitely glad i tried this cigar..
A big thank you goes out to my buddy Dale for this cigar, thanks for the chance to try it!

Cohiba Robusto

Inauguration day! Today im celebrating not only Barack Obama taking office,but Bush being gone! To mark the occasion i am smoking a very classic cigar, a Cuban Cohiba Robusto. When most people think of a Cuban, Cohiba is the name that comes to mind. Just seeing this cigar always brings a huge smile to my face because i know im in for a treat. This marca is definitely on the pricey side, but you are getting some of the finest tobacco Cuba has to offer. If i remember correctly, the going price is about 15 bucks a piece on these. I havent had this cigar in a while now, and was fortunate to get it from a friend of mine on blowinsmoke. This is from a June of 06 box and he told me this was not an easy cigar to let go of, haha. A small glass of Pyrat XO rum will be paired with this cigar, which is a fantastic match to the Cohiba flavors.

The wrapper on this cigar is slightly veiny, but still beautiful. The construction and draw are perfect. The smell at cold is fantastic and has a cedary and grassy aroma that i expect on a Cohiba.

Onto the flavor. wow....i dont need to say anymore but i will. This cigar is exactly what i want when i light up a Cohiba. Cohibas show this grassy characteristic that you dont see in any other brand. There is also cedar, coffee, leather, a honey like sweetness (not overpowering at all, very subtle) and almost a dried fruit character as well. I recently read another review on this cigar and they described the dried fruit characteristic as kind of an apricot/peach like flavor and id have to agree. The grassy and cedar flavor are the dominant flavors for this cigar in my opinion. This is a very complex cigar, with such a variety of flavors on the palate that your never bored with it at all. This cigar demands your full attention during the entirety of it. When you light up a Cohiba Robusto, you shouldnt be doing anything else besides just sitting back and loving every inch of it.
The smell of this cigar is intoxicating. If i shut my eyes i can just imagine sitting on a balcony in Havana, smoking this cigar with a glass of Cuban rum as the blue smoke floats around me.
This cigar has tremendous aging potential, and someday i hope to be able to buy these by the box and hide them in my humidor for a few years.

Unfortunately, Cohibas are the most counterfited Cuban, so be very wary of where you are getting yours. If you can get the real deal though, they are heaven.

Sushi!

This post is for my Aunt Suzi, a huge lover of sushi and all things fish, especially raw! I went and picked up some Nigiri and a snowcrab roll with tempura flakes on top for dinner tonight. Yum!
The place in town has a decent selection at a fairly decent price. My only complaint is that i ordered the combo of 1o piecesof nigiri, and they wont let you choose what you want, its the chefs choice. I understand that people like chefs choice selections, and i do too, but there were some specific pieces i wanted and didnt have that option. If i bought it all seperately its more expensive, but it guess you have to pay more if you want to choose what youll be eating. I wished they had put some Unagi in with the selction, maybe next time.

La Riqueza

These just arrived yesterday!

My christmas money usually goes towards a box of cigars, this year it was the La Riqueza no.3. This is one of Pete Johnsons cigars, the owner of Tatuaje. This is another fantastic cigar rolled and blended by Don Pepin Garcia for Pete. This cigar has a Nicaraguan filler and binder, with a very nice Natural Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. La Riqueza means "The Wealth" in Spanish. I havent smoked one from this box yet, ill give them another few days rest in my humidor before i light one up. I smoked my first of this blend this summer in Washington that i got from a shop at Pike Place Market.

The box i bought are corona gordas, a traditional cuban size of 5 5/8 inch by 46 ring gauge. They are a box pressed cigar, which means they are packed in the box fairly wet and take on a fairly square shape. This is a medium/full bodied cigar and very full flavored. I cant wait to start smoking them!

Ashton VSG Sorcerer (first review of the new year)

How was everyones holiday season? Mine was plenty busy, and i got sick after christmas so i didnt get a chance to have a cigar for new years eve, so today im smoking the one i had picked out for the occasion. The cigar is made by the Fuente family for Ashton. The line is the Virgin Sun Grown (or VSG) and sports an Ecuadorian sun-grown wrapper. The binder and filler are Dominican and are supposedly some of the finest aged tobaccos grown by the Fuentes. This size is called the Sorcerer (The VSG line has silly names, but this is more commonly known as a churchill) and is a 7 inch cigar by 49 ring gauge. The wrapper is very dark and leathery looking, not the prettiest but still a very nice wrapper. This is a solid and firm cigar, but smokes perfectly. The draw and construction are spot on, with a very nice white/gray ash that looks really nice in contrast with the dark wrapper.

Onto the flavor. In my opinion, the VSG line showcases a leather flavor that i havent seen in many other smokes. Think of the way your favorite leather jacket or old catchers mit smells, and thats what this cigar brings up front on the palate. Surrounding the wonderfully leather profile is a crisp spanish cedar flavor that work perfectly together. This is definitely an after dinner cigar (im having it after lunch and its a little heavy for early in the day but i have no problem with this) and is rich and full flavored with no harshness whatsoever. This is a cigar that would hold up well with a good cognac or port, but im drinking a Dogfishhead Raison D'Etre (Yes, its only 3:30 in the afternoon, but i'ts my day off, DONT JUDGE ME!)

This is definitely a cigar i recommend to seasoned cigar smokers that will never let you down. The price point is around 10 bucks, so its not an everyday cigar, but certainly one you should always have a few of in your humidor.

Oh, i also got a new lighter from my mom and John for christmas! its a Xikar Axia Double flame torch that is absolutely amazing!