Good to the last puff

Juan Lopez is another one of those Cuban brands that are overlooked by the masses. They do not have the "chops" of a  Monti or Partegas but belong in the same ballpark.

I sampled a Juan Lopez #2, 4.8 x 50 which was sitting in my humidor for about 3 months at 66% humidity.

Initial presentation was the wrapper had some small veins but overall was a good looking smoke with a soft but not spongy touch. No bumps or obvious issues in the look.

 Rating 3.5 out of 5

After the first light , the ash was a light grey with an even burn. The cigar was smooth, very smooth with some light fruit notes, cherry perhaps? This was a very good start. Was really looking forward to enjoying this baby.

4 out of 5 so far. Take a look.

As we started to dig a little deeper came the first bump in the road. The burn became a bit off and had to relight the cigar. Not a major flaw but needed to rethink the cigar a bit. The profile was medium to full with a bit of a kick to the blend. The cigar did self correct itself and the burn became even again. 

 This picture is  self  explanatory .

Here is the next photo of the self correction of the burn.

Here is what you get after the hour or so.

No cigar hits on all cylinders , the burn may be off, construction has flaws. These are the quirks of the cigar roller, they may make mistakes, this is a hand made product. Taste is subjective, you may like it , I may not. Cigars are like that. Overall I liked this blend and recommend it.  4 out of 5 seems right to me.

Keep smoking.

Cigars across the coast

Whenever or wherever I travel, I make an attempt to hit a local B and M Cigar shop. I check out the stock, meet some folks and if time permits, have a smoke and chat. I find this loads of fun and truly enjoy this experience. 

I find interesting conversation with my cigar buddies and there is always the common bound of cigar talk, sports and general in the moment current events.

There is a shop in Watertown, Massachusetts which I will try to visit. Looks interesting on their web page and not too far off where I am staying. I will also make a pass at Levitt and Pierce, in Harvard Square, one of the oldest cigar stores in the country and started going here over 25 years ago. At one time you could smoke in this store and rent a table for 2.00 an hour to hang out, play chess and of course smoke a cigar. They also have a great pipe and pipe tobacco selection.

Now of course you might get arrested in you light up in a non smoke free zone especially in Cambridge Ma. It's ironic that in the cradle of American liberty, smoking is considered a dangerous act. Figure that one out, I cannot. 

I also have brought with me 8 cigars, all Cuban blends but doubt I will have the time to smoke that much. Still I needed to be prepared for all that may happen.will keep you posted.

A short review for a short cigar

Vegueros Pinar Del Rio, Cuba 

Purchased  a small batch of this Cuban cigar and smoked 3 of them so far over a span of 3 weeks. Nothing striking about this blend which is very light in character. Good for a easy smoke reading the paper or when you desire a cigar with no highs or lows. Basically it's an inoffensive smoke which should not be analyzed to any great length. 

Would buy them again to give to a novice cigar or a short smoke for myself. The price point was fair from Cigarterminal.com. 

Would give it a 3 out of 5. Decent burn and construction, grassy light taste, about a 30 minute smoke.

A cigar of note San Cristobal De Habana

San Cristobal De Habana is not a Cuban cigar which makes the top tier list with everyone. Limited production and distribution is part of the reason . It is also not a cigar for everyone's flavor palate. A stronger blend which might not appeal to the less experienced cigar smoker. 

Here are my thoughts on this blend.

Slightly veiny with a reddish hue, well crafted and solid construction with no soft spots. Pleasing to the touch.

Initially the taste was a bit charred and bitter, wondered if this was a cigar that would disappoint. It was spicy but that was not an issue as often times I like a cigar rush in the beginning of a smoke.

20 minutes or so into the smoke, it mellowed out and the bitterness was totally gone. Now it was smooth and felt a great deal better about how this was going to go.

The burn was a bit uneven as you can see but not a major sticking point.

You need to give this smoke time to develop and appreciate the whole cigar. It become even smoother as we approached the meaty portion.

You need an hour or so to capture all the characteristics of the smoke. Cuban cigars are earthy as a rule with a whole range of  flavors. This cigar is no exception and overall a very good smoking experience. I rate it 3.8 out of 5. Not quite top notch but aging would have probably helped a bit.

Smoke away.

The way it used to be. Caught in a time warp

Check out this ad that a friend of mine sent me. Certainly one from the past and of a bygone era.       What do you think of it?

Visit to Levitt and Peirce Cigar Store Cambridge Ma.

Some views of this storied cigar store in Cambridge Ma.