The Purists corner.

[Giulietta]

With this thread I would like to create a “Purists corner”, where I can combine two of my favorite hobbies; Sailing and Cigar collection.

Now, so can you, and please do tell us your stories, and your cigar experiences.

Sailing is perfect for combining both, when the temperature and the sailing conditions grant so, nothing is more enjoyable than a good cigar, in a mild air temperature and a steady wind.
Many of us smoke cigars, many for fun, many as a hobby, and many just for curiosity.

Here one can talk about a particular cigar, ask questions, tell a sailing cigar story, rate a cigar and more, why not??? We have political threads, solar threads, dog threads..now..a cigar thread.

NOTE:
I am very aware of the dangers of tobacco, I don’t smoke cigarettes myself, I don't smoke in public places, and support smoking bans, so please, if you are against tobacco or against cigar smoking, please spare the criticism about the issue, please.

If you don’t like it, please, just stay away from here, please, not here. Thank you.

[Giulietta]

I’ll start, with a fresh experience, and if you are into it, I hope you enjoy it, if not, then...good.

Here it goes,

Cohiba Esplendidos - real PURO(*), King of Kings. Cedar wood box 25 count.

Although some hard core purists say one should not smoke young cigars, or freshly made ones, I admit, sometimes I can't wait that long, and now, as I age, the anticipation of opening a new cigar box is only compared with my young age years, when I was a kid, waiting for Christmas eve, looking at all the presents under the tree.

Especially with a box known to contain no less than 25 Esplendidos, by Cohiba, the Emperor of cigars, the myth cigar itself…the real top of the pyramid PURO.(*)

I just couldn’t wait, and my senses overcame my judgment…I felt like a kid, in the store, feeling them, smelling them, caressing them, till I found the ones I wanted (yes, the dealer let me open all boxes in my crusade to find the right ones, call me weird..I don’t care)....later in the car, I opened the box maybe 10 more times in my 1 mile drive, just to look at them and feel them.

This to say, that my perfectly colored Esplendido may have been too young and perhaps not quite in the right “tiro” (draw), which really, was not that critical…I went ahead and removed it from its brothers.

Cohibas are aged 5 years before they are rolled, so my inside demon was saying…go ahead…make my day. I did!!

This is a Churchill vitola, numero 2 out of Julieta factory, measuring 178mm x 18.65mm, all Cuban leafs.

Wow!! Is all I can say, this is truly the King of kings, it has been rated at 9 to 9.5, and it deserves the rate, it is up there with my favorite Luistanias.

These cigars are wonderfully packed, and stored, in a nice Cedar wood box, varnished in satin finish. These have a nice consistency, not to hard not to soft, and absolutely no soft/hard spots. Truly rolled by professionals, with top shelf leafs. One or two had sun spots (I like that, enhances flavour in my opinion).

The cigars had some characteristic bloom film around them, a perfectly normal phenomenon, that is caused by the fermentation of the leaf oils as they mature, a good indication this box was well kept, and above all the leafs are what they should be, the best. I gently wiped it with my fingers, and the smell was out of this world, a mix of earth and spicy tobacco..it tingled my big nose.

So..on came the heat, slowly, not too hot, not too cold…just right, about 20 seconds t a perfect lit.

The flavors immediately surrounded me, I felt a mix of earth, pepper, (a lot of it by the way), and even some chocolate and leather.

As I mentioned before, draw was not as good as I expected, and less than correct, but still, a good draw, and got better with the reduction in length.
Ash was consistent, medium colour, and as one could expect, conical (perfect), combustion was even (although I was outside I was careful not to let the wind un-even my cigar burning), and as length was about 2 to 3 cm.
I enjoyed this fella for almost an hour and 10 minutes, quietly hearing the waves breaking against the beach down bellow.

It left a long lasting aroma, and exceeded my expectations.

This cigar has power, yes it does, yet it is subtle and gentle as a gentleman should be with a lady.

In fact, these cigars, are like beautiful elegant classy ladies, one must act accordingly.

This is indeed the perfect cigar, and if you can, and are into this, please, buy one and try it, it is really one of the best cigars I have enjoyed in life
Beware, it is one of the most faked cigars in the World, so make sure the provenience is certain, and sure. Check the boxes, stamps, seals etc.

Thanks for reading

Alex


(*) A Puro is a cigar made entirely with tobacco leafs from the same origin, or in this case Country. Today, only Cuba and Nicaragua make puros. The rest are just cigars.

.

[bubb2]

Dear Giu,

As a child I grew up in the deep south of the good old USA. I made my pocket money by finding fishin' worms and selling to the fishermen. One in particular, Billy Bob, would take me fishing with him from time to time.

We would get the boat anchored and cast out the fishin' lines. Bill Bob being a man of culture would then sit back in the boat and light up a cigar and just relax and fish.

On one of our fishing trips, he said boy you got to try one of these as he handed me one of his best Prince Edwards. I started to light the cigar but Billy Bob said, "Hold on there." We are goin' to smoke them like Mr. Churchill. Boy. you need some of that refinement. Billy Bob taught me the fine art of cigar dippin'. I always wondered about how Billy Bob knew that Mr. Churchill liked to dip his cigars in a can of Budweiser, But Billy Bob was in England during the big war so I guess he knows. The more time I spent with Billy Bob the more cigar dippin' became my favored way of enjoying a cigar.

The time came that I had to move away from home to get me some education. I found that in my travels that cigar dippin' was a common practice. I guess Billy Bob was right about Mr. Churchill. As I was moving up the social ladder the cigars got better and instead of Budweiser we would dip them Old Grand dad whiskey.

After I got my schoolin' done, I met some real estate investors and we would go to fancy parties. They had fine cigars and after dinner all of us men would retire to the drawing room. This is where I learned to dip cigars in brandy. A treat to behold.

I found me this new job with a really big office and it had no corners. I was working late one night and I got a hankerin' for a cigar. I had cigars but no brandy. There was this young lady who worked there too. OH! OH! That's a different story.

Your Friend, Bill C.

[Giulietta]

Mike, Thanks for your nice story...

Off course we all have our tastes, and habits, and I am only expressing my opinion, please don't be offended, OK?

Dipping a cigar shouldn't really be done, cigars you smoke, Scotch, Beer, Brandy, etc. you drink..

With a cheap cigar or a bad one, it MAY help the flavour, but with a real good cigar it destroys the flavour and the objective.

I know some people do it, but I don't..in some environments, it's considerd lack of charm...

I don't really care what they think, but, I don't do it because it wets the cigar and destroys the flavour...not because they said you shouldn't.

Now, get a good Laphroaig while you smoke..it's a different story..

Please, like I said, it's a question of tastes,a nd we are all free to do what we want.

Now..I see you had the chance of meeting an intersting guy, and your life is successfull..I'll smoke to that, my friend...is you friend Bob still alive??

Why don't you buy a good cigar and go visit him?? as a payment for educating you?? (don't bring a drink heheheeheh)...

Good on you Mike, thanks for the input.

Alex

[CharlieCobra]

I enjoy a good Cuban when I can get to Canada and find one. I don't take it to the level that you do Alex but then again, really good cigars are very hard to find in the US. Actually, I probably wouldn't know a really good cigar if it bit me on the ass.

[bubb2]

Alex, Please don't thank me. Bill lives just up the road from me, for real! We have become good friends. It is a BBQ thing (CD) would understand! Anyway, I let him use my screen name for security reasons. He did want to respond to your post personally.

Mike

[sailingdog]

Umm....what is a red speck like you doing hanging around with slick willie???

Originally Posted by bubb2

Alex, Please don't thank me. Bill lives just up the road from me, for real! We have become good friends. It is a BBQ thing (CD) would understand! Anyway, I let him use my screen name for security reasons. He did want to respond to your post personally.

Mike

[smackdaddy]

I'm a Tiparillo man myself. The chicks love it - even violinists.

[xort]

First thing I thought of was Bubba; Bill C. Talk about dipping your cigar!!

[PalmettoSailor]

Ashton Maduro 40 and a Single Malt.